Health, Legal

Understanding the Health Effects of Workplace Discrimination

June 26, 2020
Understanding the Health Effects of Workplace Discrimination

 

Despite the governments best efforts to eliminate all forms of discrimination from Australian culture and society, it still remains. In the workplace, things like racial, gender and religious discrimination are common, especially against minority groups.

Because of this, thousands of people across the country suffer some form of mental illness every year. Even low-level workplace discrimination can have a cumulative effect which can impact absolutely anyone.

As you can imagine, it’s important that we’re able to identify and deal with these impacts before they become too severe. Below, we’ve outlined a few strategies to help you with office sickness, regardless of your exact situation.

Pay Careful Attention to Your Mental State

For starters, it’s extremely important to make sure you’re aware of your mental state and any lasting irregularities. This is true regardless of whether or not you’re being discriminated against.

The key to maintaining mental health is to be mindful of the following:

  • Any loss of motivation or lack of energy that could signal the onset of depression, anxiety or any other illness.
  • Lower self-confidence, including in social settings where you would have been comfortable in the past.
  • A desire to stay home from work. Everyone loves a day off from time to time, but if you find yourself having trouble getting out of bed for work every day, you could have a problem.
  • Any increase in alcohol and/or cigarette consumption.

If you identify these or any other mental health warning signs, be sure to speak with a psychologist or other medical professional as soon as possible.

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Family, Health

How You Know Your Child Might Have a Language Disorder

February 6, 2020
How You Know Your Child Might Have a Language Disorder

If someone has ever recommended that your child see an expert in speech pathology, then you might be quite confused by what they mean. If your child doesn’t have problems with stuttering or pronunciation, then how can they need to see a speech pathologist?

You may be surprised to know that communication goes beyond just speaking, and speech pathology can be a way in which to help children with many disabilities. Read on to learn what indicators may be present to identify a language disorder, and why a speech expert could be of assistance.

How to Define a Language Disorder

You can define a language disorder as having trouble expressing your thoughts vocally, or finding it problematic to understand what other people are saying. Speech, reading, and writing all form part of a language disorder, with treatment options depending on what that disorder is. Language disorders can go hand in hand with other conditions, such as developmental disabilities, autism, and ADHD.

What Does a Language Disorder Look Like?

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a language disorder can be broken down into:

  • Phonology
  • Syntax and Morphology
  • Semantics
  • Pragmatics
  • Social, emotional, and behavioural considerations

Phonology relates to problems with early speech, limited phonological awareness (rhyming, blending), limited vocalisation compared to same-age peers, and difficulties with speech sound. Morphology and syntax, on the other hand, refers to errors with verbs and pronouns, trouble with grammar, and challenges relating to complex sentences, among other things.

Children with language disorders may also find it challenging to play and relate to peers, comprehend social situations, and contribute in classroom environments.

What Can a Speech Pathologist Do?

A language disorder should always be diagnosed by an experienced professional, so the first step for any worried parent should be their child’s GP. If they have concerns, they may refer the parent to a speech pathologist to intervene and provide a diagnosis and treatment options.

How someone in speech pathology can help depends on the age of the child and the severity of the language disorder, not to mention whether any other disabilities and conditions may play a part.

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Health

Simple Ways to Avoid Sickness in the Office

January 16, 2020
Simple Ways to Avoid Sickness in the Office

Self-care most certainly comes into play when you are trying to stop yourself from succumbing to the “office ‘flu”. You use hand sanitiser, are wary of communal areas, and stay on high alert for the sneezer in your workplace who never seems to cover their mouth.

However, there’s something extra that can help reduce the risk of office sickness, and that’s using a “infection control-style” commercial cleaner is better than DIY methods. Read on to learn what those might be, and why they are worthwhile for your workplace.

Daily Surface Disinfecting & Cleaning

You might think it’s going a little overboard to clean and disinfect surfaces in your workplace every day, but think how many people are in your business? How many people touch the bathroom door, the kitchen benches, and the office phones?

Any surfaces in communal areas, and even your own cubicle, should be considered for daily cleaning and disinfecting. A commercial cleaning company can be of assistance by cleaning them with an all-purpose cleaner, followed up with disinfectant spray.

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Health

5 Things to Know Before Your Cataract Surgery

December 20, 2019
5 Things to Know Before Your Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is a routine procedure during which a foggy and blurred lens is removed from the affected eye and replaced with an artificial lens. Although cataract surgery is very common, it can still be scary for some.

The best thing to do in the face of an unknown and frightening procedure is to get some helpful information. We’re here to give you our top five tips to know before you go in for your cataract surgery.

1. Cataracts Form Naturally With Aging

The first thing to realize about cataracts is that they are quite normal. They occur naturally as we age, and most often they are quite harmless. As they start to cause blurring, early treatments can help greatly, such as stronger prescription glasses.

It’s only when cataracts start to really interfere with your vision that they become necessary to remove. They aren’t going to become deadly overnight, and most often you’ll know when your cataracts are starting to get worse. You will have plenty of time to plan ahead with your doctor.

2. You May Still Need Glasses After Your Surgery

There are a couple of different types of surgeries and two varieties of lenses you can choose for your procedure. Depending on your choice, your long distance vision will improve but not necessarily your short range vision.

A monofocal lens will generally restore only your long distance vision, whereas a multifocal lens will restore your reading vision as well. Your choice will depend on several factors, like price point, necessity and what your doctor recommends. Regardless of your decision, it’s important to know that cataract surgery is not a magical fix-all, and its primary function is to restore normal eyesight rather than create perfect vision.

3. Cataract Surgery Is Often Covered by Insurance

The type of lens you choose will also determine how much of your surgery is covered by insurance. Monofocal lenses are usually covered by insurance, whereas multifocal lenses typically are not because of the higher expenses associated with them. Similarly, basic cataract surgery is covered by insurance, whereas newer methods of advanced laser eye surgery usually aren’t.

Out of pocket expenses for cataract surgery typically range from $1000 to $3000 per eye depending on the exact procedure. Obviously, it can be costly without insurance. Therefore, if pricing is an issue for you, make sure to factor the qualifications for insurance coverage into your planning process.

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Health

Why Fish Oil is Something Worth Adding to Your Diet

September 26, 2019
Why Fish Oil is Something Worth Adding to Your Diet

Many Australians are on the hunt for ways to improve their health and fitness. Eating well, along with regular exercise, is at the top of the list. However, there are also supplements, vitamins, and minerals you can consume to provide unparalleled health benefits too.

Fish oil is something that you might not think would factor into your diet, but could have more benefits than you think. Omega 3 fatty acids, which are in fish oil extracted from the tissue of fish, can support your health and can be more rewarding than you might think. Read on to learn why adding this oil to your shopping cart could be a good idea.

Heart Health

Illnesses relating to heart health are all too prevalent, which is why many people are on the hunt for ways to improve their heart health, or at least maintain it. Fish oil may be the answer. Some studies show that fish oil in a supplement form can reduce your risk of heart disease. It can also lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Talk to your GP to see if fish oil supplements might be right for you.

Weight Maintenance

Eating well is an excellent way in which to lose weight or maintain healthy body weight, but fish oil can’t hurt the process. If you take a fish oil supplement while consuming a balanced diet and exercising, you may be able to reduce some of those obesity risks.

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Beauty, Health

Why You Need to Use a Body Exfoliator

September 30, 2018
Why You Need to Use a Body Exfoliator

Body exfoliation is something that can be beneficial for anyone with any skin type. While traditionally, such body care products as a body exfoliator were for removing dry and dead skin, it can do so much more. What’s more, you don’t even need to have dry skin to reap the rewards. If you’re not yet convinced of the benefits of a body exfoliator product, then read on. You will be more than surprised.

Removes Dry Skin

Of course, the first and most well-known benefit from a body exfoliator – be it a natural body care product or a synthetic one, is that it can remove dry skin. Every day, your toned body needs to shed a lot of skin, and exfoliation products can help to speed up the process.

Unclogs Your Pores

Do you find yourself with whiteheads and blackheads more often than not? Then try an exfoliating body product. When you exfoliate your skin, you’re getting rid of dead skin as well as surface debris that builds up during the day. By doing so, you’re unclogging your pores and stopping the formation of whiteheads and blackheads. If you don’t unclog your pores, they build up with all manner of dirt and skin, causing oil production under the skin and the resultant pimples.

Reduces Acne

By using a natural body care product such as a skin exfoliator, you can reap the rewards of reduced acne or a reduced risk of getting it in the first place. While exfoliators help to unclog your pores and reduce blackheads and whiteheads, it can also help to prevent acne. You can use a skin exfoliator once or twice a week to clean out your pores and reduce your acne risk.

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Health

5 Ways Improving Your Dental Health Can Improve Your Overall Wellbeing

August 11, 2018
5 Ways Improving Your Dental Health Can Improve Your Overall Wellbeing

It is a well known fact that your oral and dental health is linked to your general well-being. It is very important to make sure that you visit your dentist regularly to make sure that your teeth and gums remain in great condition.

However, with this in mind, you may be wondering exactly what sort of benefits a healthy mouth can have with respect to your general health and wellbeing. Luckily for you, we have put together a list of our top five ways that improving your dental health, creating your perfect set of teeth, can improve your overall wellbeing. These include:

  1. Healthy Saliva Will Keep Your Gut Healthy

Your saliva is your bodies first defence against harmful bacteria and viruses within your body. Disease causing organisms can easily enter your mouth, and from there they are able to move down into the heart or lungs – if they aren’t stopped first. Saliva contains antibodies which can destroy pathogenic organisms, including those that cause things like the common cold or HIV infections.

  1. An Unhealthy Mouth Can Cause Digestive Infections

Everything which goes through your mouth eventually ends up in your stomach and digestive system. If you have infections in your teeth, gums or elsewhere in your mouth, they can spread to your stomach and the rest of your digestive system, causing all sorts of problems.

  1. An Unhealthy Mouth Smells!


There is nothing worse than someone with terrible breath. One of the best ways to make sure that you have bad breath, is to make sure that your mouth is unhealthy. While bad breath won’t directly impact your health, it will make it hard for you to have meaningful social interactions and relationships, and it may even make it hard for you to find a job. This can affect your mental health.

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Beauty

How to Measure and Select Engagement Rings

July 23, 2018
How to Measure and Select Engagement Rings

When you are beginning to go down the exciting path of choosing engagement rings, you will find it’s not smooth sailing like choosing cake. While the journey to selecting the best engagement ring is rewarding, it can be fraught with challenges.

According to Diamonds and Pearls, you need to work out what size ring finger you both have, figure out how to measure your fingers and rings, and ensure that at any time of the day, your ring is going to fit perfectly. It’s not as straightforward as you may think, but it’s a worthwhile process to ensure the perfect fit. Here is how to go about it.

What You Will Need:

  • Dental floss, fine string, or a long strand of cotton
  • A pen
  • An accurate and clear millimetre ruler
  • Access to a ring chart

How to Measure Your Engagement Rings:

  1. Grabbing the string, wrap it around the base of your finger.
  2. Mark the ending point on the string with the pen – the place where each piece of the string joins each other.
  3. Lay the string out flat with the pen mark visible.
  4. Measure the end of the string up to the pen mark to the nearest millimetre.
  5. Compare your results to a ring chart.

NOTE: Make sure you choose the ring size that compares to your ring’s country of origin. Each country has different size options, such as Japan, Great Britain, Germany, the United States, Canada, and France.

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Beauty

The Dos and Don’ts of a Waist Trainer

May 12, 2018

Waist Trainer

If you’re new to waist trainers, getting a firm grasp on what you should and shouldn’t do can take some time. Whether you’ve already purchased a waist trainer or you’re looking to do so, we’ve included some helpful ‘dos and don’ts’ to help make your experience that much more beneficial.

Do:

Buy Quality

Several different waist trainers are on the market, but not all are high-quality or provide the best results. Always shop from a well-known stockist with plenty of customer reviews and pay close attention to the material quality. Latex waist trainers are preferred for those looking to flatten their stomach and accentuate curves. Even if you have to pay a little more, getting the desired results is worth it.

Choose the Right Size

If you buy from a reputable seller, they will have a size guide so you can choose the size that best suits your body shape and size. Always select the size that matches your measurements, as remember they are designed to be tight. If you choose a size smaller, you risk it being too tight and if you go a size larger, it will not have the same benefits.

Break It In

Your body will go through an adjustment period, so breaking your waist trainer in is crucial. Try it for half an hour at first, then gradually build up that time until you can wear it for several hours.

Don’t:

Buy Without Doing Research

Buying a waist trainer does take a lot of research. You need to know your goals and how that particular waist trainer can help you achieve them. As there are several different ones, you need to be sure that the one you’re looking to purchase will suit you properly.

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Health

Peer Pressure and Drug Abuse: How to Deal with It?

February 18, 2018
Peer Pressure and Drug Abuse How to Deal with It

We are social beings, and it is in our nature to fit in with the rest of society. This innate nature of being sociable might be advantageous because it gives us more opportunities to acquire knowledge and increase our network.

That is, however, if you use it properly.

What if you lost your way and you mixed with a group of people who didn’t seem to care about what’s right or wrong? Would you let yourself be influenced by them? Most probably yes. In fact, statistics state that 55% of teenagers use drugs because of peer pressure and this is another reason for the growth and importance of drug rehab centres.

However, that’s not the only reason why the number of drug incidents are increasing. There are also other factors that cause this serious issue — lack of guidance from family and personal problems being the two biggest reasons.

Spend time with the right people.

Surround yourself with the right people. Before making close friends with someone, make sure that you know who they are, where they’re from, and what kind of friends they have. Stay away from them if you think they’re into drugs or other vices.

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Family

8 Wedding Tips for the Groom

December 25, 2017

wedding-tips-for-the-groom

Wedding tips for the bride are available by the thousands, but for the groom? Not so much. This is a major problem, because many grooms-to-be, do next to nothing to support and help their fiancée with things like bridesmaid gifts and wedding arrangements etc. So grooms, don’t be a wimp, but get in there and have a say about the wedding hire arrangements and other things to do with the wedding. Your fiancée will be relieved to know you can shoulder your share of the responsibilities of ensure your wedding reception is terrific.

Here are some tips to help the groom before the wedding.

  • Choose a few things that interest you and take responsibility for arranging them – in consultation with your wife to be, of course. The wedding DJ, sound system, music, limos, food are all good for guys to handle.
  • Expect to have a say in your future home as well as the wedding. Your wife may love an all-pink bedroom, but it’s time for each of you to meet halfway on that if you hate it.
  • The bride seems to do most of the wedding planning and this can lead to stress, overload and even a grudge against you for letting her. So make sure you do nice things such as cooking her a meal and cleaning up afterwards, letting her choose her favourite movie – or renting one you know she’ll love to watch and watching it with her. You could even give her a foot massage. Let her know that all the planning and work is really worthwhile.

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Travel

Pros and Cons of Renting a Car on Holidays

November 30, 2017
Pros and Cons of Renting a Car on Holidays

Whether you are holidaying at home or abroad, you may be considering renting a car if you are flying to your destination. It is true that having a car will give you a good amount in independence to travel where you like, some accommodation from Luxury Villas Bali will offer a transport service, however there are both pros and cons to car rental that you should consider before making any arrangements.

Pros

  • As mentioned, you will have more independence from public transport and the time limitations it offers when you can travel in your rental car.
  • Some areas you might want to visit may not be serviced by public transport, or the times could be inconvenient.
  • It would probably work out cheaper than taxis but more expensive than public transport.
  • It is convenient to stow your luggage and you can take extra if you don’t have to carry it by hand.
  • You can stop at any place that looks interesting, or stop for a rest or a snack whenever you want.
  • You can change your mind at the last minute about going somewhere.
  • You don’t have to book seats or tickets.
  • If you travel with a group of friends there will be plenty of drivers

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Food

How to Easily Get Five Serves of Fruit and Vegetables a Day

August 15, 2017
How to Easily Get Five Serves of Fruit and Vegetables a Day

The latest food recommendation is to have 5 serves of fruit and vegetables a day. This may seem difficult for some people, especially those who don’t like vegetables, or just prefer to eat other things. Fresh fruit and vegetables are not only healthy, they actively fight off certain diseases such as cancer, so it’s a good idea to make sure you include them in your diet.

Here are a few easy ways to get the vegetable and fruit you need each and every day.

  • Juice them – there are many great recipes for smoothies on the internet. You can combine fruit and vegetables to give you a refreshing drink packed full of vitamins and other essential, health giving nutrients. Try combinations of apples, carrots, oranges, celery and spinach. Add berries, beetroot or broccoli. Use the type of juicer that doesn’t waste the fibre, but includes it in the juice.
  • Add them to breakfast. Fruit, especially is great with cereal. Try slicing a banana over oatmeal or cold cereal or add berries, peach slices or any other fruit you like.
  • Have fruit and/or vegetables for snacks. Keep prepared carrot and celery sticks in the refrigerator so they are handy to grab. Add an apple, banana or other fruit you like.
  • Banana sandwiches are a delightful end to a light meal. But they have to be prepared and eaten quickly, or the banana goes brown.
  • Having tinned fruit salad? Add some fresh fruit to it, to make it taste especially good. Diced apple, sliced bananas, fresh mandarin segments, berries, and sliced peaches are all great choices. Better still, make your own fresh fruit salad.

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Home & Garden

How to Add Value to Your Property

August 14, 2017
How to Add Value to Your Property

Homeowners and landlords would agree that one good way to add value to a property is with landscaping.  If that landscaping also includes the use of beautiful limestone blocks for pavers and stone cladding on feature walls then the value is assured. It can also be used for ornamental and functional garden walls, retaining walls along with outdoor seating and tables.

Using it for garden furniture means you never have to worry about bringing it inside due to bad weather conditions, be that rain, wind, hail or snow. Stone can stand up to those kinds of conditions just as it does when in its natural environment. You might think that seating would be too uncomfortable on a stone bench, but so is any kind of seating without cushions.

The only thing you can do is add some outdoor cushions to the bench. This will also add a pop of colour, enhancing your outdoor setting all the more. While these may have to be brought in due to wind, most outdoor cushions will stand up to a bit of weather.

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Family

Grandparents Rights after Divorce

August 1, 2017
Grandparents Rights after Divorce

One major casualty after divorce is the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.  Most grandparents are passionate about their grandchildren and being deprived of any rights to see them is very hurtful and painful to both them and their grandchildren. Happily, Robinson Family Lawyers will tell you that you have rights to see your grandchildren after their parents’ divorce.

Divorce is never an easy time and it is difficult not to take sides when you are close to the situation. Sometimes, parents of each spouse are very opinionated about the relationship and don’t hesitate to make their views known. It is this as much as anything that can make the custodial parent want to eliminate any visiting rights for the grandparents. But in doing so they harm their children, who often need that extra love and understanding once they have to live without a parent they love.

If the grandparents are from a different culture, depriving the children of enjoying interaction with them can deprive them of important aspects of their heritage.  Even if they are from the same culture, grandparents do now have certain rights with regards to seeing their beloved grandchildren.

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Food

4 Tips to Get the Best Out of Your Food

July 15, 2017
4 Tips to Get the Best Out of Your Food

While we all know the importance of a healthy diet, it is sometimes easy to forget that even the healthiest of foods can be spoiled by poor cooking, the addition of other less healthy accompaniments and even by the way we eat. Here are some tips to ensure you get all the nutrients possible from your healthy diet.

  • Cooking – never overcook vegetables. They should be lightly steamed or sautéed to ensure all the nutrients remain in them. Boiling them reduces the nutrients most of which are tipped down the sink along with the water. Juicing vegetables is a good way to ensure a healthy addition to your diet, especially if there are some goodies you don’t actually like. Mixed in with other vegetables you’ll never notice the taste. Eating them raw is also a good way to keep all the nutrients from being spoiled by heat. However, not everyone can eat veggies raw and light cooking does make the nutrients more easily available in some cases.
  • Less healthy additions – these can be added by the way you cook, e.g. frying vegetables or meat means they absorb some of the fat. Even frying in olive oil is not as good as steaming. Even though olive oil is a ‘good’ fat, heating changes it to some extent, although not as much as heating other kinds of vegetable oils.

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Health

Remove Health Worries with Help from a Financial Planner

March 25, 2017
Remove Health Worries with Help from a Financial Planner

Few people know what their future holds with regard to their health. As we age especially, health problems seem to pop up more frequently and this can be a worry. But with help from a financial planner like Andep, you can take a lot of the worry out of the health concerns in your future. The right financial planning will ensure that your family can be taken care of should you not be around to do it.

A good financial advisor will lead you through the steps needed to ensure you not only have a Will, but you’ve given Power of Attorney to someone you trust to handle your affairs and administer your estate properly.  They will help you plan for the possibility of health problems that can prevent you from making business or any other decisions. Of course, a lawyer can do this too, but they don’t give financial advice; just legal advice.

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Food, Health

Pros and Cons of Dieting

January 22, 2017
Pros and Cons of Dieting

There have never been so many different diets around and yet we know that many people suffer from being overweight. If the media is to be believed the western world is suffering from the worst plague of all eating disorders – obesity. Most people – women at least – have tried dieting at some time in their lives. Sometimes they achieve their goal to lose weight; sometimes they don’t.  The main trouble is the weight usually goes back on once the diet is no longer followed.

This must tell us that what people have for their ‘normal’ food is not good for them, causing excessive weight gain that is bad for their health. And yet, even this is not the whole story. In some cases we have the kind of jobs that don’t allow us to have enough exercise to burn off those calories, but still make us too tired to do any kind of exercise after work is done for the day. Or in some cases we are too busy doing other essentials like housework and supervising children to hit the gym or go jogging.

This is where dieting comes in. Once that weight starts to become more noticeable we look around for ways to reduce it. But is dieting really the answer?  Here are some pros and cons of dieting.

Pros

  • It does in some cases help to get the unhealthy weight off.
  • It gives us a feeling of control because we are doing something to make us healthier.
  • We learn more about healthy nutrition as we research which diet to go on.
  • We become more aware of what we eat.

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Health

21 Tips to Stay Healthy in the Heat

November 20, 2016
21 Tips to Stay Healthy in the Heat

Not every country suffers from intense heat and so tourists visiting Australia may not realise that the kind of heat they are likely to encounter in outback areas or during heatwaves during summer can actually kill. This summer has been one of the hottest experienced for several years so it is likely to catch people unawares. Some of the things we do to cool off in summer are no longer safe when the temperature climbs to 36 or 40C.

Here are 21 tips to keep you healthy in the hot weather.

  • Stay out of the sun. Even wearing sunscreen and a hat won’t protect you from the heat that is reflected from pavement.
  • If you have to work outside, don’t wear shorts as your legs will burn. Wear cotton pants and long sleeves.
  • Don’t wear synthetic fabrics in the heat, they will make you sweat and lose more fluid.
  • Keep in air conditioning if possible. Spend the day in the mall or library if you don’t have it at home.
  • Stay away from the beach. The water may cool you but you’ll get sunburned on all those portions that are not under the water – including your head.
  • Never sit on the sand, even if you are covered up and under an umbrella. The sand reflects heat and you can get burned or suffer from dehydration.

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Family

How to Treat Your Home Business Professionally

October 12, 2016
How to Treat Your Home Business Professionally

Many people set up a business at home both for convenience and cost-savings. You can easily convert a spare room into an office or workroom for your business, but just because you are running it from home doesn’t mean it should not be professional and that can include having a website. If you want your business website to stand out and be successful, use a digital agency to design, create and advertise it, just like any other professional business would.

The mistake many people make with their home business is to put too much emphasis on the ‘home’ part. Just because you run your business from home doesn’t mean you should sit there in your PJs, not open for business on time, or go surfing whenever you feel like it. Nor does it mean you should allow your website to be anything but professional. No other business or prospective customers will take you or your business seriously unless you do.

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Home & Garden

The Qualities You Need in Your Handyman

July 22, 2016
The Qualities You Need in Your Handyman

When you need repairs done to your property it is time to look for a home services helper or property Maintenance Company who offers the kind of services you need. Unfortunately, not all handymen are equal and some don’t do as good a job as others. This may be because they accept a job that is actually beyond their skill set to complete.

Instead of not taking the job, they try to do it and end up making things worse than ever. When you finally work out the problem and find another handyman to help you the job is likely to cost twice as much for them to fix. So what qualities do you need in your handyman?

  • First of all you need honesty about what they can do and what they can’t do. Honesty with the quote is also a bonus. That said, a cheap price may well get you a cheap job.
  • You need someone with a high work ethic so that the job they do will be done well.
  • It is also good if they are clean and tidy and clean all the mess up before they go. Many jobs are quite messy and you don’t really want to have to vacuum up sawdust or clean grout or paint off the floor after they have gone.
  • You need a handyman that is highly motivated and communicative so that they will get to your job as soon as they can and let you know if there is an unavoidable delay.

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Health

15 Tips on How to Stay Safe with Heating

May 9, 2016
15 Tips on How to Stay Safe with Heating

Every winter, we hear of homes burning and people getting burned or worse due to a fire in their homes – often caused by leaving a heater on. Experienced electricians such as Electrician Perth Experts can provide sound advice over the media each time the weather turns colder. Yet, people don’t notice it enough or fall asleep before they have time to turn their heater off.

The trouble is that nighttime and early morning are the coldest parts of the winter, so that is when heaters are set to high and left on. Here are some tips on staying healthy and warm without being at risk of having the house burn down.

  • Choosing a safe type of heater with a thermostat is good, as is the kind that won’t roll over.
  • Teach children safety procedures with heaters, such as not covering the top, leaving paper close, and not sitting too close to them.
  • Never leave a plug-in heater going overnight. Snuggle into a rug and turn the heater off if you feel sleepy.
  • Always keep heaters away from drapes, clothes and sofas that could catch fire.
  • If you have carpet, get your carpet cleaned professionally regularly and keep the heater off long piles that may get too close to the elements.
  • Toddlers can do anything without realising the harm, so if you have a floor heater in the bathroom, ensure the cord from it is not long enough to allow it to reach the bathtub if picked up and thrown.

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Beauty

12 Top Tips for Applying Make-up

April 19, 2016
12 Top Tips for Applying Make-up

Nearly every woman who wants to improve her looks uses make-up of some kind. Some might just add a touch of lipstick while others go the whole hog and apply layers of make-up to ensure they have that wow factor. No matter how you use make-up there are many beauty tips available to help you get the most out of it. Here are 12 top tips for applying make-up.

  • Don’t use concealer or foundation on your eyelids as it is too thick and will become creased.
  • Sometimes a sheer foundation coverage is better than a thick one. Achieve this by applying it with the fingertips and leave the brush until you want a medium or thick coverage.
  • Apply powder to shiny areas of the face first. This is usually the T-zone – the forehead and fridge of the nose or the nose and chin area. Once that is done, a very light dusting can be added to the rest of your face.
  • If using bronzer, don’t just use it on your face, as this will give a two-tone effect. It should also go on the neck and chest, if that part is showing.

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Health

10 Reasons to go to the Dentist

March 17, 2016
10 Reasons to go to the Dentist

Most people don’t like the idea of going to the dentist because they equate it with pain, or at the very least, discomfort. Another reason could be that they can’t afford it, or prefer to spend their time and money on something more pleasant. However, if you neglect this important area of your health you will certainly pay for it in terms of discomfort later on. Here are 10 reasons you should make regular dental check-ups a regular part of your routine.

  • You’ll suffer less if you have a tiny decay seen to quickly, than if you wait until it is a really big one that aches badly. The treatment will be easier to undergo and the cost will be less when the decay is only small.
  • The dentist can correct problems that are not decays, making your teeth a lot stronger so they’ll last longer. For instance, getting teeth straightened will prevent them breaking off as you get older due to pressure they weren’t meant to withstand.
  • Your health will be better if your teeth are not decayed.
  • You won’t have to get false teeth with their discomfort.
  • The dentist will not have to perform extractions if your teeth are healthy. He can often do small corrections that prevent you getting decay, such as filling a deep crevice in a molar that is not yet decayed, but is likely to be soon.

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Family, Health

The Downsides of Working From Home – and How to Address Them

February 12, 2016
The Downsides of Working From Home – and How to Address Them

 

If you work from home you are very likely to be using your computer a great deal. You could be an business consultant, or perhaps you’re a writer. Working from home has a great many benefits, not least being that you can save on renting an office and travelling and also be there for your family. In fact, having some kind of home business is ideal for many people.

However, if you work from home you may have realised there are downsides too. These must be addressed in order to make your business as well as your life, successful. Here are some of them.

  • It is very easy to put in longer hours at a home business because you don’t need to leave the office at the end of the day. Working can become addictive to the point you neglect your relationships even though you live and work in the same home as your family.  You may just want to finish that website or do a little more research into keywords and the next thing you know the children are all in bed and so is your spouse. You need to make a cut-off point for work and stick to it.

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Health

Don’t Let Drugs Ruin Your Life

January 22, 2016
Don’t Let Drugs Ruin Your Life

When you first begin to take drugs it is usually as a way to cope with something in your life that is causing emotional pain; something that you don’t know how to handle. The drugs take away the pain and make you feel good for a little while. It might be some time before you realise there is a serious problem and what your friends or parents have been telling you for some time is really true; you are suffering from drug addiction.

This is the time to make some major decisions, before it is really too late. It is time to book into a drug rehab to get off those drugs and get your life back. That doesn’t have to mean you have to suffer from the emotional pain that caused you to take drugs in the first place. If you can get to the right facility for drug rehabilitation your treatment will include counselling to find out what it was you were trying to get relief from and you’ll be taught how to deal with it in a different way; one that doesn’t give you an addiction.

To that end, your parents or other loved ones may have to undergo counselling with you. That’s good, because it will teach them how to change their ways and stop doing or saying those things that hurt you. Your parents love you, but sometimes they don’t know how to cope with certain behaviours. And sometimes they too, were hurt by their parents in the same way.

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Health

What to do After You Kick Drugs

December 10, 2015
What to do After You Kick Drugs

So you’ve been to drug rehab and successfully kicked the habit. Now you are home again and you may be feeling a bit let down. After all, home is nothing like that wonderful place you just came back from where everyone treated you so nicely. At home, you have to deal with people who may be cranky, drunk or just uncaring. Or even if they love you, maybe they just have too many issues to deal with to show you some of that TLC you crave.

If your life looks like it’s going to be a hard drag again, it’s important to do certain things to deal with it, or you risk falling once again into the habit you just got free from. Here are some tips to help you.

  • If a home is difficult to deal with move out, as scary as it may seem.
  • If you can’t move out, concentrate on making new friends who are caring, but not part of the drug scene. You can do this by joining a club – painting, photography, cooking, dancing – whatever your interests are.
  • Go out regularly. Nurture your new friends by suggesting you meet for a coffee, a walk in the park or a movie night, whatever seems good to you.
  • Eat good food. Many people live on fast food and miss out on the basic nutrition their body needs to remain healthy. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables give you energy without piling on the weight.
  • If you love fast food, you don’t have to miss it altogether, just limit it to once a week or fortnight.

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Home & Garden

How To Choose A Swimming Pool

November 23, 2015
How To Choose A Swimming Pool

If you are looking for pool builders to install a concrete swimming pool it pays to do a little research to find the best one. Having a pool installed in not something you want to cut costs with because repairs can be really expensive – and wasting all that water will probably make you shudder. But first, why choose a concrete pool?

  • Concrete is a very durable and strong substance that will last for many years without leaking.
  • You can choose many more sizes and shapes for your pool that may fit on your block better than a stock shape from fibreglass.
  • It is possible to have many more features added to the pool when it’s made of concrete.

To find the best company to install the pool you have to look at what you need and what the company will do for you. Having a pool means a big change in the landscaping. If you had minimal work done in this regard it may be time to have it done properly. You’ll be amazed at the difference a bit of professional landscaping makes to the look – and value – of your property.

Need maintenance?

Some pool companies offer landscaping plus maintenance, which is a good thing. You will hardly have time to enjoy the pool if you are busy every weekend maintaining the garden and lawn, not to mention the pool itself. Get more time to relax by outsourcing these chores to the pool company. They have the expertise to do a great job.

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Health

How to Reduce Your Pain Pills

October 9, 2015
How to Reduce Your Pain Pills

It is a well-known fact that laughing triggers release of endorphins – feel good chemicals that help to relieve pain, hence reduces need for pain pills. Some people go without laughter in their life, especially if they have a serious personality. But you can help your friends all have fun and laugh by adding a photo booth to your party or wedding reception.

With the addition of this great piece of technology you and your friends will find many ways to dress up and take funny photos and you are sure to end up in fits of laughter while doing it. Not only will you all have a great deal of fun, you will learn that laughing makes you feel really good inside. Those chemicals called endorphins that have been released through laughing will also take away a great deal of pain and so alleviate the need for taking so many pain pills.

If anyone is in pain on a daily basis due to things like injury or arthritis, then making sure they get plenty of laughter will help them to reduce the amount of pills they have to take for the pain. The trouble is, when you are in pain you don’t feel like laughing.  It is important then to do things that help you forget that pain and make you feel happy enough to laugh.  You could –

  • Watch funny movies or sitcoms on television
  • Read funny stories
  • Learn and tell funny jokes
  • Remember funny things that have happened in your life
  • Get your friends to tell about the funny things that have happened to them

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Health

6 Ways to Find a Good Dentist

May 17, 2015
6 Ways to Find a Good Dentist

According to the dentists, most people really need a dentist at some point in their life, especially if they have never gone to one, or not gone regularly. There will come a time when that aching tooth simply won’t respond to pain-killers and you are losing sleep over it, so you finally take the plunge to see a dentist.  So how do you choose?  Here are 5 ways to make your search a bit easier.

  • Ask family or friends – those who have a nice smile – who they recommend and why.
  • Go online and ask Google. Pay close attention to the websites to see what testimonials are there, what the pricing is and whether they allow you to pay it off. Find out how many people work there. A clinic usually employs several dentists while a practice may only have one or two.
  • See if there are any customer reviews on places such as Facebook.
  • Ring them to find out what their customer service is like. If the receptionist is cranky give them a miss. It’s bad enough having a tooth out without having to put up with people who can’t treat you with respect.
  • Go for a consultation to see for yourself in person. Most dentists are caring people who want to help you and create a good impression. The success of their practice depends on it.
  • That said, don’t be pressured into having work done that you don’t want or can’t afford. If you have any doubts about what is said, get a second opinion.

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Family

The Importance of Childcare after Divorce

March 1, 2015
The Importance of Childcare after Divorce

According well know family law firm Robertson Hayles, if your relationship has broken down irretrievably and you’ve applied for divorce, family lawyers will no doubt have told you what the law is concerning your children. While it is easy to get a divorce these days with no one having to prove fault, if there are minor children of the marriage, a divorce won’t be given unless you can prove that proper arrangements have been made for their care.

While you may think this seems silly, in these days of much drug-taking it cannot be certain that either parent is fit to take care of children, especially while they are toddlers. At least older children can get a meal for themselves, but of course, childcare is much more than looking after a child’s physical needs. So the judge has to make sure that one of the parents is a suitable carer, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made for the children.

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Home & Garden

8 Tips to Make Your Pot Plants Look Stunning

January 16, 2015
8 Tips to Make Your Pot Plants Look Stunning

Almost everyone likes the look of a garden, even if they don’t like working in one. Many people with no garden fulfil their need for green and living things by having pot plants. The trouble is, not all of these look really stunning. Some look downright shabby while others seem to be struggling for life. So how can you make that show of garden pots and plants look better? Here are some tips.

  • When you look at a pot plant, what do you see? The pot and the plant, right? That means the pot is at least half of what you see so if it is shabby the whole together will be spoiled, no matter how nice the plant is. So before you plant out your pretty azalea or whatever it is, make sure the pot is worthy of it. Spending money on a designer pot is an investment in beauty that will last for many years.
  • Choose a plant to suit the pot. Not all plants are suited for life in a pot. Their root systems are too big and need to expand. It’s hot in a pot, so plants that prefer cool roots won’t be happy. Some pretty pots are also pretty small. Choosing a big plant – or one that will grow big – for a small pot will almost guarantee failure.

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Travel

8 Family Friendly Holiday Destinations

January 15, 2015
8 Family Friendly Holiday Destinations

While many families choose the holiday destination with the beaches and safe, shallow water that all kids seem to adore, it can be an even more interesting experience to travel with them to other countries where they can see some amazing sights that will surely interest them just as much. After all, they can usually swim a lot at home too, but they won’t see some of the other amazing things that are on offer overseas.

Here are 8 holiday destinations that are certainly family friendly, though not all offer beaches.

  • Although this small country is not the cheapest, it offers things not found anywhere else, at least, not to the same extent. For instance, Legoland with its 20 million pieces of building blocks that have been used to portray some of the Star Wars action as well as major iconic sights of other countries. It also has rides suited more to the pre-teen. Then there is Tivoli, an amusement park with free music, fireworks and more almost every night.
  • Thailand loves children, making their stay there very special. You can easily find beaches, temples, boat trips and elephant camps, all of which your kids are sure to love.

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Health

How to Choose Wine as a Gift

October 15, 2014
How to Choose Wine as a Gift

If you’ve been invited out for dinner at someone’s place, it is good manners to take a gift and people often choose wine. But what if you don’t know the wine preferences of your host or hostess? It is easy enough to buy wine, but it is a little more difficult to choose one you can be relatively sure that your hosts will like.

Don’t be tempted by a pretty label

One thing you should not do is buy it just because the label is attractive. This is a hit or miss way to choose a wine and in fact, some of the prettiest labels hide wines that are very ordinary at best and quite horrible at worst. This is because the label is made by a marketing specialist in order to attract buyers.

Wines with an established reputation tend to have quite plain labels that simply tell the buyer what they need to know; they don’t need to rely on marketing with an attractive label to sell to people who don’t know their wines.

Don’t pay more than you need to

You may think that the best way to ensure your wine is acceptable is to pay a great deal for it. This is not necessary; many very nice, quality wines are quite inexpensive.

One way to find a wine that is popular when you don’t know a lot about them is to ask the sales attendant which wines they sell the most of. These will be the most popular wine and are sure to be acceptable to most people.

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Beauty

10 Tips for Growing Out a Fringe – Without Going Nuts

February 22, 2014
10 Tips for Growing Out a Fringe – Without Going Nuts

The only thing wrong with having a hairstyle that includes bangs or a fringe is growing that fringe out when you decide on a change. At first it’s not too bad, but once it gets down to eye level it tends to drive you nuts. Hair dangling in your eyes not only irritates them – and you – it makes you look messy. So how can you grow out that fringe without it driving you insane? Here are 10 tips to help.

  • Part your hair to one side, comb it forward, then flick it to the opposite side of your parting, merging the longer and shorter hair.
  • If your hair is naturally fine, try getting a perm on large rollers to give it more body, then that fine fringe will be more likely to stay where you put it.
  • Use dry shampoo to give your hair body so the fringe stays out of your eyes.
  • Using accessories to keep an overlong fringe off your forehead can work well. A scarf folded into a wide headband and tied under the hair at the back suits many people. Wide or narrow elastic headbands come in many colours.
  • Attractive clips or pins can keep the shorter hair to one side.

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