People go to great lengths to attain their perfect body, whether it's early morning starts, overly long workout workouts or fad diets. But there seems to be a much better way of doing it... And you don't need to leave the building, either! House cleaning Chatham, MA research has shown how useful household tasks can be when it comes to losing calories, many of which are just as successful as an average gym class. Not only that, but we burn about 2,345 calories a week if we do an average of 11.5 hours of housework per week. This then leads each month to an impressive weight loss of one kilogram (2lbs). The study found that mopping the floor is one of the most valuable chores. A whopping 314 calories can be burned by an hour of mopping - the equivalent of 45 minutes of swimming and a brownie. And just 20 minutes of mopping will burn 157 calories, which is the equivalent of 30 minutes of water aerobics and a bag of chips. With one hour burning 314 calories - the same as 45 minutes of boxing - washing the car is also one of the most successful work. Cleaning the floors for an hour consumes about 259 calories (a pizza slice), cleaning the bathroom burns 256 calories (a blueberry muffin) and cleaning the windows burns 231 calories (a doughnut). The equivalent of 15 minutes of running, 20 minutes of cycling and 25 minutes of circuit training is also equal to an hour of these three chores. Vacuuming (175 calories an hour), dusting (166 calories an hour), sweeping (161 calories an hour) and ironing (161 calories an hour) are other fat-burning activities (157 calories an hour). With about 45 calories burned per week from the regular job, even making the bed each day will help. Re-arranging furniture is one of the most calorie-burning work. Just one hour of challenging work will burn more than 400 calories. Housework is also a good way to raise the count for those who count moves. A minute of housework takes about 72 steps on average, so 30 minutes a day adds about 2,000 steps to your overall total. In terms of exercise, tips for those looking to get the most out of their housework are advised to take stuff upstairs one at a time, play music to remain inspired, do more by hand (e.g. washing the dishes) and lunge while vacuuming. Stretching will also help to tone the abs and arm muscles when washing the windows. Regular activities will help you produce more than 2,300 calories a week. Washing the car and mopping are some of the most beneficial chores. Vacuuming for an hour is the same as jogging for 20 minutes. An hour of washing is the same as weight lifting for 40 minutes. Housework will also increase the number of measures by more than 2,000 a day.
2020 has without a doubt, been a tough year. For several, teleworking and enforced lockout constraints contributed to tension and isolation. A fresh toll on our mental health is not just the second increase in infections. In the EU study, over half of all employees are negatively affected by work-related stress. Here are some guides that might help you in this pandemic time researched by ketamine therapy Chicago, IL. Set boundaries around COVID-19 news Checking coronavirus news alerts excessively will leave you stressed and emotionally drained. Try to make a deliberate effort to detach and develop healthy news habits: toggle off news app push alerts, scan trustworthy outlets for accurate facts, and set regular times for news checking (i.e. once in the morning and evening). To address any questions you may have and to stop nervous thoughts going unchecked, watch the news with others. A further tip is to search in the midst of the pandemic for optimistic, uplifting stories and good news. Your morale and health can be improved by celebrating positive stories. Follow an everyday routine In the midst of chaos, coming up with a structured schedule for and day with clear limits between your working and private life can give you a sense of control. Try to break your day into small activities and make sure you build time from doing your interests or exercising to spending time with your kids or pets to do things you enjoy. In addition, set a daily work routine: take frequent breaks, leave your lunch desk, and have a specified time to sign off. Additionally, concentrate on having enough sleep and eating nutritious meals daily. Exercise Physical exercise, particularly if you are feeling depressed, can do wonders for your mental health. 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), or a combination of both if you are very inspired. That is as little as fifteen minutes a day! The WHO recommends these fitness tips for working out at home: Take brief active breaks during the day: short sessions of physical activities will keep you occupied from performing domestic chores to playing with your kids. Join an online exercise class: There is a vast range of online exercise courses thanks to the internet, many of which are free and can be found on YouTube. Walk: this tip may be easy, but it's still successful. Rolling around will help you stay healthy even at home. For example, if you've got a call, stand or walk around instead of sitting down. Stand up: To decrease your sedentary period, the WHO advises standing up every 30 minutes. Try setting up a standing desk if you are working from home. Monitor cognitively stimulating behaviors during leisure time: reading, board games or puzzles. Relax: Exercises in meditation and breathing will help you deal with stress better. Be an empathic and empathetic team worker Be clear about your expectations during your job, particularly if you are a manager. Promote and model flexibility and consider the additional needs of workers, such as careful obligations while operating from home. In distressing situations, experts say that supportive contact within the team is key. It is necessary to: Discuss and agree on performance metrics and goals in advance (both at individual and team level); Be specific about work schedules (especially for employees who might not be available for certain periods of the day to work) and let colleagues know what works for you and how to suit the schedule; Recognize the importance and supportive nature of teams to create resilience and help people in dealing with times of uncertainty, especially in taking decisions. To protect the mental health and well-being of workers during the pandemic, it is important to ensure frequent, responsive and two-way contact with the team to make mental health a natural part of these discussions and to note the importance of self-care. Work-life equilibrium is critical With the second wave of diseases, for the near future, it looks like we will have to telework. For their well-being, some individuals find working from home helpful. Yet working from home brings its own challenges for others. Longer working hours, alienation from peers, virtual connectivity difficulties and technical obstacles can all make us feel more and more depressed. Fear of illness, work security issues or continuing income add up to the causes of poor mental health. The possibility of burnout rises as the boundaries between work and home life blur. It can have a huge effect on your mental health to let your work life take over your personal life. For you and your friends, make sure you set clear boundaries between work and private life (if you have management responsibilities). When your living room has become your office, it can be difficult to feel like you've really left work. Set defined hours for the end of the working day, put away visual reminders of the working day (e.g. laptop, work papers), switching off work-related alerts during working hours, get out for a stroll and switch off with enjoyable activities and hobbies. Disconnecting from your office physically and giving yourself the opportunity to relax and heal after a day's work would help your stress levels and assist you in the long-term to be more productive.
To increase cleaning and hygiene efforts, it is important to come up with a plan to ensure that your customers feel safe, relaxed, and aware of what you are doing. Fortunately, there are many excellent organizations offering their assistance. When designing a cleaning and sanitization plan for your fitness studio, here are the steps suggested by maid service Marlborough, MA to take and different tools to use. Do the studies It is best to look at the specialists when navigating procedures during COVID-19. Detailed guidance for cleaning and disinfecting companies is provided by the CDC's Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting. In addition, the CDC includes an easy-to-follow Cleaning & Disinfecting Decision Tool to help you know which areas and surfaces need to be cleaned before you confidently open your doors. Your first step is to read and appreciate the requirements for local government authority and services available for facilities such as yours. For instance, a detailed guide for preparing WI-based fitness facilities (Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19) for reopening was developed by the state of Wisconsin. Be sure to have a good understanding of what disinfecting products follow the EPA requirements and can be used against COVID-19 by you and your team). The distinctions between washing, sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing would also need to be learned: Cleaning will kill impurities, germs and dirt (with soap and water). Prior to disinfecting, the CDC suggests washing surfaces. Sanitization (with suitable products) eliminates bacteria explicitly defined on the packaging of the product. The method of killing pathogenic microorganisms and eliminating most organisms present on the surface is disinfecting (with suitable products). The process that removes all types of life (such as viruses, bacteria and fungi) is sterilization (which is usually not needed for your fitness facility or equipment). Study and understand how the different surfaces inside your facility should be washed. Clean the surfaces prior to disinfecting for hard and non-porous materials such as glass, metal or plastic. You may want to eliminate them entirely for soft and porous materials in your studio (like carpeting, rugs, upholstered chairs, etc.). Certain practices or offerings may also be banned by government agencies. Do your research to identify which areas of your facility or amenities may be affected, if any. For instance, you can choose or need to close areas such as climbing walls, dining/food areas, babysitting, saunas, pools/jacuzzis, locker rooms/showers, etc. Build your cleaning schedule Cleaning and disinfecting would be an important part of your strategy for re-opening and going ahead with your organizational approach. Keep in mind that these will definitely be the new cleaning procedures going forward into our "new standard," not just a short-term reopening solution, as you refine your strategy. On materials, stock up Make sure that before you open, you have a sufficient stock of cleaning products on hand. The EPA has a list of disinfectants approved by EPA against COVID-19. How much are you going to need? Perform a test-run. To decide how much cleaning product you'll need per class/per day, clean your studio and equipment as if your room was occupied. To maintain your cleaning protocols going forward, make sure you have an appropriate inventory. Train your workers Your new cleaning/disinfecting procedures would require you, your employees, and/or your custodial staff to be qualified. It is incredibly important for the entire staff to recognize the importance of following these protocols and if they do not, the implications. (Updating the employee handbook with this data is a smart idea as well). Convey operations to your customers Any of the group members would be understandably worried about joining companies again. Share the steps you are taking to clean and disinfect your facility before opening.
There are numerous articles web based disclosing the most ideal approaches to keep away from these wounds, for example, extending and finding support from a spotter. It is additionally the obligation of the gym and its workers to give a safe environment to individuals and abstain from causing mishaps and physical mischief. That implies keeping up security on the premises, checking gear for issues and absconds, and recruiting and appropriately preparing representatives. An attorney with experience handling personal injury lawyer Columbus, OH might help you through this. What You Can Do to Protect Yourself When pursuing an gym participation, consistently request to see the agreements the organization is requesting that you sign. Prior to marking, cross out and beginning all statements that limit obligation—it's at present the best way to secure your privileges when joining an gym. Premises Liability at the Gym Any entrepreneur has the lawful obligation to guarantee their premises are in sensibly safe condition for the individuals there. Because of the idea of the business, helpless conditions at an gym can have hazardous results. Rec center proprietors and supervisors may be held at risk for wounds coming about because of dangerous conditions, for example, the accompanying: Tricky or destroyed floors Gear, strings or flotsam and jetsam left on the floor Awful pool conditions Unstable hardware or TVs that may fall Rec center proprietors and the executives must do their due tirelessness to guard individuals by forestalling these and different risks from hurting individuals. On the off chance that an issue can't be tended to and fixed promptly, those capable are required to caution of the risks or get gym individuals far from it. Exercise Injuries Caused by Defective Gym Equipment gym gear is frequently strong and extremely overwhelming, particularly exercise machines, seats, and loads. Breakdowns can make clients endure cataclysmic physical mischief, so it's the obligation of the gym to review, keep up, and fix all hardware varying to guarantee everything is in usable condition. On the off chance that it can't be fixed or kept up, it must be expelled from use. Inadequately Trained Staff, Instructors, and Personal Trainers gym individuals ought to have the option to depend on all staff individuals, class educators and fitness coaches to have the information and experience to keep up a protected environment in every aspect of the rec center. Deficiently prepared representatives can make an off-base move that outcomes in serious exercise wounds. Following stages in the event that You Were Injured at the Gym Similarly as with any injury, looking for proficient clinical assistance immediately is basic. Exercise wounds at the rec center may appear to be shallow from the start, however they could later transform into incapacitating torment and more serious issues than you may have at first idea. Having official clinical records quickly following the injury could likewise be important in demonstrating your wounds came about because of the gym's carelessness.
At the core of any conversation about future sealing social insurance frameworks lie the issues of aptitudes, preparing and training. In cleaning company Annapolis perspective, scarcely any medicinal services experts treating COVID-19 patients had any understanding of managing a novel pandemic ailment, of obscure course, influencing a mind-boggling number of patients. Human services experts have quickly adjusted and associations have moved assets to react, yet the emergency focuses to the need to reconsider instruction and preparing. One evident model is in the utilization of innovation, with one positive consequence of the emergency being the prompt reception of advanced devices, which has seen outpatient facilities getting virtual short-term. Another is instruction of, and correspondence with, the overall population during a wellbeing crisis. What's more, obviously, different diseases don't leave while the framework is distracted with a pandemic contamination. Disease patients are both at more serious danger of enduring extreme side effects in the event that they contract COVID-19, and simultaneously frequently finding their malignant growth treatment is intruded. There is a wide accord that to accomplish high-caliber, reasonable wellbeing and care benefits that can meet the changing needs of the populace, there should be an extreme move in the focal point of care from emergency clinic to network wellbeing administrations.
The idea of cleaning for health - instead of for appearance only - has gained momentum through the years. Facility executives will have a better knowledge of how cleaning make a difference the building’s occupants, and individuals are becoming more savvy about them because of the media.
Cleaning having an eye on health helps reduce “sick building syndrome,” infections and respiratory problems - also it benefits not merely the building’s occupants, but additionally the cleaning employees, since cleaner and healthier workplaces have a tendency to experience less absenteeism among workers.
Though housekeeping services is essential in any kind of facility, it’s type in places such as for example hospitals (where patients could have compromised immune systems) and schools (since asthma may be the third-ranking reason behind hospitalization the type of younger than 15 years). To handle the problem, house cleaning services plano tx outline information on how exactly to implement a highly effective cleaning program that promotes the fitness of building occupants and cleaning workers.
Cross-contamination
Cross-contamination is really a significant issue for cleaning departments; in the end, thoroughly cleaning one area and dragging dirt and germs into another section of the building defeats the objective of cleaning for health.
A proven way cleaning departments can decrease the threat of cross-contamination is by developing guidelines. For instance, if you’re cleaning a public restroom and you can find five toilets, you utilize five different cleaning cloths. You won't ever dip a dirty rag back to the bucket and that means you don’t dilute or introduce organic soil into that disinfectant.
Microfiber Miracle
The technique for cleaning floors has certainly changed through the years. Before cross-contamination was a concern, cleaners would use string mops and a bucket of water and cleaning chemicals - dipping repeatedly before floor looked clean. Little did they understand that each and every time the mop hit that water, there is prospect of the spread of dirt and bacteria.
Nowadays, however, cleaners have choices with regards to cleaning for health. Ergonomic cotton mops found in conjunction with advanced bucket systems can prevent cross-contamination. And microfiber mops are actually a secured asset to any cleaning arsenal due to its ability to grab dirt and dust much better than other fabrics.
Cleaners used to utilize one mop bucket for three rooms. Now, they are able to use one pre-saturated microfiber mop head for every room, which reduces the chance of transferring bacteria and viruses in one room to some other.
Color Me Healthy
Another solution to lessen cross-contamination would be to color code cleaning equipment in order that certain tools are employed limited to certain tasks. Quite simply, that rag that has been used on the bathroom won’t make its solution to the sink taps, desktop or phone.
Experts recommend developing a system that suits the facility’s needs and is easily understood by cleaners. Cleaning managers may also work with a standard coding system: red for high-risk cleaning such as for example toilets; yellow for restroom surfaces plus counters, mirrors and sinks; blue for low-risk areas like windows, desks and dusting; and green for food service areas.
A Green Clean
Cleaning for health can indicate to completely clean with the purpose of reducing the impact that cleaning is wearing building occupants and helps decrease the spread of bacteria. Green cleaning takes that certain step further by reducing the impact that cleaning is wearing the environment.
Many cleaning managers believe that one is synonymous with another and, therefore, incorporate cleaning programs that satisfy both requirements.
One important step towards green cleaning would be to choose green certified products. We recommend considering alternative party certifications to ensure the merchandise meeting their claims.
Along with third-party certifications, experts recommend examining the cleaning needs inside your facility, and also health requirements essential for cleaning workers and building occupants.
A sensible way to take up a green cleaning program would be to come up with a team to measure the current situation. In a school, for instance, teachers and school nurses can discuss whether certain students or workers have chemical sensitivities, or whether they’ve noticed people becoming sick after floor maintenance systems have already been used.
Training
Cleaning managers can spend their entire budget on microfiber, color code until they see red, and pick the greenest of the green cleaning products - but if employees aren’t trained properly, the building won’t be any longer healthful because of its occupants.
Employees have three days of interval training and then per month of mentoring before they’re even allowed from the floor by themselves.
In the event that you switch to greener cleaning tools or products (or to different conventional tools or products), housekeeping services suggest asking the vendors to aid with training so all employees learn how to utilize the new cleaning supplies.
With an increase of people realizing that their environment impacts their wellness, cleaning for health is really a key issue for cleaning departments. Avoid cross-contamination, follow guidelines to produce a healthier clean and prevent toxic cleaning procedures - the building occupants (and employees) will many thanks.
Many labs begin as entrepreneurial ventures to build up new technology. Therefore, a start-up laboratory has entrepreneurial needs that must definitely be met to ensure that it to successfully turn into a full-fledged business.
A large idea wrapped in lots of small, but critical, details
Below are a few of the entrepreneurial requirements of a new start-up lab.
Starting The Lab
Creating the business enterprise plan
Starting your lab starts with a continuing business plan that includes, in this order, a good executive summary, an ongoing company description, a market place analysis, a business and management section, an ongoing goods and services line section, and a funding ask for section.
The executive summary may be the most important portion of a business plan, since it spells out your experience and background along with the decisions that led one to want to start your organization. The executive summary furthermore spells out why your organization idea will undoubtedly be successful. In case you are seeking funding, the executive summary is your first possibility to grab a potential investor’s interest also.
The executive summary should highlight the strengths of one's overall business plan and demonstrate you have done thorough market analysis. It will include information regarding a want or gap in your marketplace and how your unique technology solutions can fill up it. The executive overview should convince the readers that you could succeed in your marketplace. Even though executive summary appears available plan first, it's the last section of the business enterprise strategy that you write.
The business description section offers a high-degree review of the various elements of your organization. This is much like a protracted elevator pitch and may help readers and possible investors rapidly understand the purpose of your company and its own unique proposition. The business description section carries a description of the type of your company and explains the aggressive advantages that you think will make your organization a success.
The marketplace analysis section should highlight your industry and marketplace knowledge and also all of your research findings and conclusions. It will include a description of one's industry, including its current dimension and historic growth price along with other characteristics and trends, such as for example life-cycle phase and projected growth price. It will also include information regarding the target market, its distinguishing characteristics, dimension of the principal target market as well as your projected talk about of it, an aggressive analysis, and any regulatory or governmental regulatory needs that may affect your business.
The business and management section will include your company’s lawful and organizational structure, administration profile, and the qualifications of one's board of directors. The goods and services line section carries a description of your service or product, information regarding your product’s life period, status of one's intellectual property protection, and future or current R&D activities.
The advertising and sales administration section includes your current advertising and sales strategy-namely your approaches for market penetration, growth, channels of distribution, and communication.
The funding request portion of the company plan should include your present funding needs and any future funding needs over the up coming five years, supported by historical and prospective financial information. The funding demand section also needs to include an evaluation of the prospective usage of the requested funds.
Setting up the business enterprise structure
If the business structure of one's start-up lab is really a sole proprietorship, a limited liability organization (LLC), a corporation (C or S), or perhaps a partnership, it has longand short-phrase legal and taxes implications that must definitely be considered. You should seek legal and taxes guidance before adopting the ultimate business structure.
Financing the lab
Numerous entrepreneurs “seed” the start-upward lab from their individual resources or the sources of friends and family. This seed funding shall pay for lab rent, establishing the lab, consultant and employee salaries, administrative overhead, along with other expenses such as for example insurance, lawful, and accounting fees.
Selecting the lab space
There are many available choices to determine the physical located area of the start-upward lab. Included in these are leasing a lab area in a commercial area or within an incubator facility. Typically, it is more expensive for the start-up laboratory to lease commercial area with existing lab services than it is to determine a lab within an incubator facility.
An entrepreneur should notice work and labor laws for hiring workers and consultants to be able to ensure compliance. These work and labor laws can include offering employee benefits, writing effective work descriptions, or providing conversation tools such as for example employee handbooks.
Employees and consultants are available through the most common channels generally, or through skill acquisition resources. BioNJ offers sources for talent acquisition such as for example networking on LinkedIn and skill networking events.
Operating the lab
As soon as your lab is established, the next thing is operating and controlling the lab to make sure continued growth and achievement. Start-up labs at the operational and administration stages have particular entrepreneurial requirements.
Management support
Management support is really a broad idea and includes having a new team of advisors or even clinical laboratory consulting providers open to manage business, financing, accounting, legal, insurance coverage, and recruiting functions. In the original stages, labs may employ outside contractors or experts to meet up these functions, so when they grow, they might hire dedicated staff. Labs situated in incubator facilities might have usage of shared business management solutions to aid their day-to-day activities.
Another type of management support is usually networking a resident entrepreneur with colleagues at another start-upward labs leasing space inside the incubator.
It is no secret that our puppies are significant members of our households. Even though they communicate without speaking, dogs include a great deal to our own lives. Caring for your pet is vital not just to its own life but to yours too. The way we interact with our pets may be a health advantage to everybody. Dogs actually gain from studying obedience skills. These may enable them to act nicely with their family. Dog behaviour with other dogs is significant also. It isn't important if you're in your area or in the park. There are pet obedience training services. Some concentrate on dog obedience training independently, but some provide trick training solutions. It is not simply the action involved in many training methods. The relationship building element of instruction is vital. Getting Outdoors Among the most essential elements to dog training is the time outdoors. Even when you're spending a coach for sessions, then practicing in your is useful. Being outside for any time period can offer health benefits. Your pet should run and play to remain busy. Practicing training abilities on a visit to the playground will encourage dog health. Pets frequently provide owners with paths to remain healthy, too. It isn't important if you're running or walking with your puppy. Extra action enables you to keep healthy. Outdoor activity offers you new air and anxiety relief. Dog behaviour is a crucial part of training. Reduce Blood Pressure Your pet will enjoy staying healthy when you practice coaching actions. Practicing sitting, staying along with several other obedience abilities is vital. Based on Web MD it is possible to decrease your blood pressure by just with a pet. The responsibilities associated with this possession are crucial here. Coaching is surely a duty within this category. Over 25 decades of concentrated research has discovered your dog's existence can help your blood pressure. This is another advantage that comes from getting your four-legged loved ones at the home. These advantages relate to each member residing with your pet. Children of different ages get health benefits from owning a pet in the family. Stress Relief People have a lot more stress to deal with today than they did years ago. The high-speed speed of life may result in anxiety. Job actions and responsibilities can also impact the body. Locating a positive approach to take care of stress is vital. Simply practicing training hints with your dog will be able to assist you. Dogs are influenced by anxiety just like folks are. Sometimes, the strain they confront originates from us. Dogs that spend a great deal of time in hard locations can display negative behaviour. They desire a kind of stress relief too. Training activities are great tools for reducing this issue. There are actions which may be carried out indoors as well as outside. Conquer Stress Dogs are powerful tools in regards to beating stress. Coaching for your furry friend will instruct it that the significance of dog behaviour. Proper rewards operate to fortify training work. As you utilize your pet, it's possible to conquer your nervousness. There are numerous existing programs that offer puppies to individuals afflicted by post-traumatic anxiety and its own anxieties. The regularity of owning a puppy may work to reverse those difficulties. Heart Attack Recovery Believe it or not spending some time training your dog will be able to enable you to recuperate from heart attack. Patients that have gone through this illness often recover faster if they own a pet. Men especially have shown reduced cholesterol and cholesterol levels in such scenarios. There have been research to demonstrate a correlation between health issues and pet ownership. Some state that our pets feel sickness and function to make us feel much better. Others relate pet possession with a will to recoup from health issues. This is vital to dogs which are experiencing psychological troubles. Training colleges are readily available to take care of these and other difficulties associated with behaviour. All in all, the health of your puppy will improve if you put money into training actions. It's possible to instruct and practice these methods to benefit the wellbeing of you and your furry friend.
Keep all sorts of flooring clear and prevent premature wear with one of these easy tips from dedicated house cleaning company. Dirt on to the floor isn't simply unsightly; it is the prime reason behind premature wear on ground materials. Dirt and grit scratch easy floor finishes, eliminate wax and protecting coatings, and crush carpeting backings and fibers. The perfect solution is: simple daily care programs that keep them clear and avoid the necessity for elbow grease later on. Caring for Carpets The three keys for healthy and clean carpets? Vacuum frequently, treat spills and staining promptly, and have carpets deep cleaned once a full year. First rule of carpeting care: vacuum frequently, even if the carpeting doesn't look unclean. The vacuum cleaner delivers an one-two punch: combining suction, which pulls free dust in the vacuum dust or bag cup, with agitation from the beater bar, which followers carpet fibers, raising them and releasing dust and soil. For high-traffic living places, daily vacuuming keeps carpeting dirt in order; less-used areas, such as for example guest rooms, need weekly or bi-weekly attention still. Here's how exactly to vacuum carpet for greatest results: Inspect the certain area to be vacuumed. Remove any small items that may be sucked in to the vacuum. Check the vacuum cleaner. Straighten kinked hoses, and empty the dirt mug or vacuum handbag if needed. Plug in the vacuum cleaner, and head to it! To save lots of your back, vacuum cleaner in short strokes, continue over the available room. Overlap strokes for actually coverage of the carpeting. Work in alternating instructions. For best cleaning also to raise carpeting nap, make passes over the space in alternating instructions. After within the carpet, turn 90-degrees and vacuum in a perpendicular path again. Finish with wall and baseboards edges. Use an expansion wand and crevice device to completely clean dust from these places. Treating Carpeting Stains and Spills Liquid Stains and Spills 1. Blot up just as much of a liquid spill as you possibly can. Use clean whitened cleaning cloths or whitened paper towels in order to avoid dye move. Continue to gently blot, using new cloths, until forget about liquid could be absorbed. 2. Don't scrub or brush the stain. 3. An appropriate carpet spot remover apply. Spot-test the product within an inconspicuous location before using. Solid or Semi-Strong Stains and Spills 1. Work with a spoon or spatula to scrape up just as much of the spilled materials as possible. Avoid a knife, a blunt one even, as it could harm carpet fibers. 2. Permit the spill to dried out, then brush gently release an it from carpeting fibers. Vacuum up just as much of the spilled materials as possible. 3. Deal with any remaining stain having an appropriate spot-remover.
With regards to gaining usage of your home, termites are proficient amazingly. The last thing you want to do easier is make their job. Follow these 3 actions to effective termite avoidance and ensure that your house doesn't become their house.
Call a new pest management expert to uncover, prevent and control termites
Small holes inside wood, crumbling drywall, sagging floors or doors, insect wings and little shelter tubes are a number of the more apparent signs of a possible infestation of termites. But even though you don't notice these indicators, that doesn't indicate termites, or the problems that invite them, aren't there.
Regular inspections by a certified pest management professional will be the best way to greatly help make sure your home truly is usually, and remains, clear of termites and the damage they cause. Qualified pest management professionals have working out in termite conduct and biology to identify, prevent and deal with termite infestations. They are able to also explain how exactly to correct any problems in your house that invite termites.
For example:
Don't affix wooden trellises to outside walls.
Keep mulch, wood particles, scrap lumber, firewood and sawdust far from home. If you do maintain firewood outside your home during the winter season, keep it elevated and off the bottom.
Don't stack, shop or bury wood particles next to your home.
Trim all shrubs, bushes along with other dense greenery from the basis of your house. Move mulch from the foundation as well.
Get rid of infested trees and stumps.
Restoration leaking faucets and drinking water lines, both outdoors and indoors.
Repair leaky roofs and gutters.
Don't allow results in to accumulate inside gutters and drains.
Grade soil in order that drinking water (like air-conditioning condensation) runs from foundations.
Ventilate crawl areas and attics to lessen humidity.
Remove all solid wood to soil contact.
Cover at the very least 90% of the soil in crawl areas with plastic sheeting.
Ideally, wood siding, stucco and foam board ought to be at the very least six inches from the ground.
Seal all cracks and holes inside your home's basis, which may give a handy access stage for termites.
If the inspection reveals termites, your pest administration professional can get gone them and keep them from returning. If it would appear that your home is free from termites currently, congratulations! Now, it's period for the pest management expert to take preventative actions to make sure it stays this way.
A clean expenses of health from the doctor nowadays doesn't mean it isn't important for one to get normal check-ups later on. Your home following a treatment is not any different. Normal check-ups by your professional termite control company will make certain that your house remains termite-free so long as you live there.
Immunodeficiency disorders certainly are a combined group of disorders in which part of the disease fighting capability is missing or even defective. The body's capability to fight attacks is, consequently, impaired. As a total result, a child having an immunodeficiency problem has frequent infections which are generally more serious and go longer than in a wholesome child.
Causes and symptoms
Congenital immunodeficiency is due to genetic defects that occur as the fetus is developing in the uterus generally. The development is affected by these defects and/or function of one or even more of the different parts of the immune system. Acquired immunodeficiency may be the total result of an illness process, and it occurs in life later. The causes could be diseases, infections, or the relative side effects of drugs directed at treat other conditions.
People who have an immunodeficiency disorder have a tendency to turn out to be infected by organisms that not usually cause illness in healthy individuals. The major outward indications of most immunodeficiency problems are repeated attacks that heal gradually. These chronic infections trigger signs and symptoms that persist for extended periods of time. People who have chronic infection are usually pale and thin. They might have skin rashes . Their lymph nodes might be absent or bigger than usual, and in some forms of immune insufficiency the spleen and liver could be enlarged. (The lymph nodes are usually small organs that home antibodies and lymphocytes.) This may bring about black-and-blue marks in your skin. The individual might lose hair from their head. Sometimes, a red swelling of the liner of the attention (conjunctivitis ) exists. They could have a crusty look in and on the nasal area from chronic nasal dripping.
When to contact the doctor
Within an undiagnosed child, mother and father should inquire about immune deficiency if you can find frequent infections, prolonged infections, unusual infections, unusual complications of usual infections, or when there is a family group history of immune deficiency. In case a child may have an immunodeficiency problem, a healthcare provider ought to be contacted if the young child shows signs of experiencing an infection, such as for example fever, vomiting, diarrhea, swelling of the lymph nodes, or unusual fatigue.
Treatment
There is absolutely no cure for congenital immunodeficiency disorders. Therapy is targeted at controlling infections (such as for example with antibiotics) and, for a few disorders, changing defective or absent parts.
Common variable immunodeficiency is treated with periodic infusions of IVIG throughout life also. Additionally, antibiotics receive when essential to treat infections.
Patients with selective IgA deficiency will not require any immunodeficiency treatment. Antibiotics can be provided for frequent infections.
In some full cases, no treatment is necessary for DiGeorge syndrome because T lymphocyte manufacturing improves alone. In a few severe cases, a bone marrow transplant or thymus transplant can be carried out to correct the nagging problem.
For most individuals with SCID, bone marrow transplantation is essential. In this procedure, healthful bone marrow from the donor who includes a similar kind of tissue (usually a member of family, like a brother or sister) will be eliminated. The bone marrow, a substance that's within the cavity of bones, may be the factory that generates bloodstream cells, including a few of the white bloodstream cells that define the disease fighting capability. The bone marrow of the individual receiving the transplant will be destroyed and is after that changed with marrow from the donor. One kind of SCID known as adenosine deaminase (ADA) insufficiency is handled with infusion of the deficient enzyme regularly, and a different type of SCID because of an lack of an interleukin, a proteins that's essential in directing the immune reaction, can be handled by infusions of the lacking protein.
Therapy of the HIV contamination that causes AIDS includes medicines called antiretrovirals. These medicines interrupt the herpes virus replication period and, therefore, extra the T cells. A number of these drugs found in various combinations collectively can treat however, not cure the disease. Reducing the viral in the bloodstream to very low amounts allows the disease fighting capability to stay in tact. Other remedies for those who have AIDS are targeted at this infections and problems that arise due to the impaired disease fighting capability.
For folks being treated for malignancy, periodic rest from chemotherapy drugs may restore the event of the disease fighting capability. In some full cases, IVIG is useful to boost the disease fighting capability.
You’ve determined you’re prepared to get divorced, but so what do you require to perform next? A person need in order to understand how the particular process functions. While separation and divorce is generally an adversarial action, pitting spouse towards spouse, the next articles plus legal assets are customized toward assisting individuals get around the procedure as easily as you can. This particular section addresses no mistake divorces, exactly where to apply for divorce, providing and responding to a separation and divorce petition, the particular discovery plus general loved ones court procedure, divorce information and associated privacy problems, child assistance and guardianship, divorce mediation, and much more. You have go to the particular right location for an introduction to the particular divorce process columbus ohio. Requirements for Divorce A person first require to think about exactly where to apply for divorce. Generally, this is usually the state and condition where much more both associated with you live life. First, see whether you satisfy the state’s residency requirements. In case you or your partner are in the particular military, a person may document where presently stationed. Nevertheless , there are usually rules in order to protect service service members through civil legal cases. For a lot more, browse the posts on residency, eligibility regarding divorce, plus military divorce cases here. Finishing and Submitting Divorce Petitions To finish the particular divorce request, first think about whether a person want the “no fault” or “fault” divorce. Mistake divorces are usually for items such like abuse or even adultery, study more within the articles beneath. If a person don’t have got any children or several assets, you can get a “summary” divorce. Along with children, there is child guardianship and kid support documents to finish. Discover articles detailing the varieties of divorce cases, the standard timeline, plus even the way to change your own name within this area. You may complete separation and divorce forms upon your very own, in a self-help legal center, or along with an attorney. As a person don’t need to needlessly waive your own marital home, spousal assistance, or additional rights, searching for legal advice may be beneficial, specifically if a person have sufficient resources. Serving Separation and divorce Documents As soon as you’ve submitted your separation and divorce papers from court, a person have in order to “serve” all of them in your husband or wife. Generally, this particular means one more adult should physically provide the papers for your spouse. You may use professional web servers or spend less by getting a buddy serve the particular papers to suit your needs. If household violence is usually involved, the authorities in several counties may serve the particular papers, with out charging the particular usual charge. Answering the divorce Petition Probably your husband or wife just offered you along with dissolution documents. You've kept the particular opportunity in order to tell the particular court exactly what you perform and do not want within the separation and divorce. Take treatment to “answer” inside the timeline set simply by state regulation. In reacting, you are able to fill up out the particular court types yourself, in a legal center, or with the aid of an skilled divorce attorney. If right now there are arguments about exactly what regarding kids or home, consideri employing a lawyer. Mediation and Moving the divorce Situation Many divorce cases settle along with an contract both celebrations can reside with. Several states need mediation to assist reach a house settlement and also a parenting program everyone may follow. Still without the formal plan, you and your husband may use the “collaborative” separation and divorce process right from the start or may use an “alternative dispute resolution” specialist to assist you settle your own divorce, reading more by clicking on the hyperlinks below. Demo and Is of interest In case your situation would go to demo, you’ll want to existing evidence, perhaps including accounts from witnesses, so the particular judge may decide the property negotiation for a person. Be more successful when you’re symbolized by a lawyer at demo. It’s furthermore possible you need to appeal or even modify the divorce judgment. It provides posts on these types of topics too.
No matter your level of writing skill, journaling is not only a great tool to help you understand your body, it's a fantastic way to keep yourself accountable in a ton of useful areas.
Like all things, if you're new to weight training, you're not going to be an expert after your first day. Keep these helpful tips in mind when working with weights.
Quest Presents: New Year New You SWEEPSTAKES Official Rules NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. PROMOTION DESCRIPTION: The “Quest Presents: New Year New You Giveaway” Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) begins on or about January 13, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends on [...]
Physical fitness is a general state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports or occupations. Physical fitness is generally achieved through correct nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical activity, exercise and rest. It is a set of attributes or characteristics seen in people and which relate to the ability to perform a given set of physical activities.
Let’s face it, filling a large block of real estate on your calendar (especially on a weekend) with a task that feels less than fun is, well, less than fun.
My answer to this universal dilemma is to take a big, daunting project and transform it into a series of little projects. I like to call these mini projects 15-minute wins(you can check out some fun examples by searching the tag #15MinWin on Instagram).
From overwhelmed to action
The simple act of making the time frame manageable, and the goal attainable, is all it will take to move you from overwhelm (the whole house is a wreck) into action (I tackled the dishes!). I love to turn dreaded tasks, like cleaning out the refrigerator or tidying up the entryway, into a game. Can I make it fun? Can I do it faster than I’ve ever done it before?
Once you get going, not only will you find out you can accomplish much more in 15 minutes than you thought possible, but the repeated experience of successfully setting a goal and accomplishing it will create momentum until the big project, that once seemed impossible, is completed. I’ve used this simple productivity hack to tackle everything from tidying the bathroom to doing my taxes.
How it works for me
Rather than delay cleaning and organizing until the chore is massive, I opt to integrate tidying and maintenance into the movements of my day. Even though I live minimally there are places in my house that tend to get a little rough around the edges. I’ve implemented systems to make sure that I sort through these areas on a regular basis. For example, I place all my mail in a woven basket on our entry table and commit to reviewing and processing it once a week.
Likewise, I always make sure to knock out dishes after each meal, clear surfaces when I wrap up my work day, and put my clothes away before bed each night. My schedule rarely allows for large blocks of uninterrupted time, but I can always manage to find 15 minutes a day.
Where do you start?
Things get out of control when you defer projects for too long, and breaking down projects is perfect for the areas that no one wants to deal with. By committing multiple, small chunks of time to a project each day, bit by bit, the big projects get smaller until they’re done.
No matter what the project, the most important question is not where to start, but when to start — and the answer is now.
Need a little help thinking of possible bite-size projects?
Choose a space then try one of these for an easy 15-minute win:
Kitchen
Visit your fridge. Check for empty condiments, expiration dates, and move leftovers to the front.
Empty your freezer. Remove everything to make sure you’re not forgetting something that was pushed to the bottom or back of the freezer. You might discover tonight’s dinner!
Organize your cleaning supplies. Check for empty bottles, do a quick cleaning with a handheld vacuum.
Tidy up your tea or coffee station. Wipe down your coffee maker or tea pot. Sweep up crumbs.
Tackle your Tupperware. Make sure containers and lids are stacked efficiently and none have gone astray in other cabinets or drawers.
Edit your spices. Look for empties, expiration dates, or spices that haven’t been used in months or, even, years.
Transform your junk drawer. Challenge yourself to only the essentials and toss clutter that’s been mucking up the drawer.
Bathroom
Clear bathroom counters. Replace old toothbrushes and empty tubes of toothpaste.
Clean out medicine cabinet. Are there expired medications in there?
Refine the contents of your makeup drawers and cabinets. Old eye pencil, expired sunscreens can go.
Declutter your linen closet. Stained or unused linens can be repurposed into cleaning rags or donated.
Bedroom
Clear off your nightstand. A cluttered surface isn’t relaxing to fall asleep or wake next to. Knock it down to 1 to 3 essentials.
Clean out your sock drawer. Match them up and repurpose old, hole-y socks into hand-dusters.
Check under your bed. Dust bunnies can interfere with sleep.
Personal
Lighten your purse, backpack and wallet. Thin out credit cards, unused punch-cards, and receipts.
Get the junk out of your car trunk. Drive to the donation station!
Empty out the diaper bag or stroller compartments. The dirty socks, small diapers, and food wrappers have to go.
Clean up your jewelry. If there are pieces gathering dust, maybe it’s time to let them go.
A 15-minute win a day keeps the blues away
A 15-minute cleaning project might not seem like it can move the needle, but don’t underestimate the impact of waking up to a clean surface, a tidy drawer, or a sparkly kitchen sink. Until this seems second nature, try scheduling (yes, on the calendar) at least one block per day. Once I discovered the power and impact of the 15-minute win, I started implementing it into every aspect of my life documenting my little wins on Instagram. (You can document yours there, or by journaling your accomplishments and goals.)
I’ve had so many people tell me that integrating a single 15-minute block of tidying into their daily routine has made them realize it’s really just a matter of focusing on tiny wins. Once the timer starts, your only job is to stay focused on your single task and see what you can accomplish. I promise you’ll be shocked at what you can do.
Shira Gillis a home organizing expert and author with a less is more philosophy. Her book, MINIMALISTA, will be released fall of 2021.
What can apple cider vinegar do for you? If you’re a regular reader of health and wellness blogs, you probably think the answer is “EVERYTHING!” ACV (as the cool kids call it) is so commonly touted as a safe, natural, and completely effective panacea that it probably deserves its own sketch on “Saturday Night Live.”
But if you’re a bit skeptical that a tart liquid made from fermented apples can cure diabetes, banish acne, soothe a sore throat, whiten your teeth, rid you of dandruff, and basically make your life perfect in every way, we can relate.
With all the fuss about apple cider vinegar, we had to look into what science actually says. If you’re a diehard devotee, you may want to look away.
Benefits of apple cider vinegar
Considering how much recognition ACV gets as a cure-all, you might think there’s tons of research to support those claims. But right now, that’s not the case.
“The scientific literature on humans ingesting vinegar is very, very limited,” says Carol Johnston, PhD, RD, who studies the medicinal uses of vinegar at Arizona State University.
However, scientists have found evidence that ACV may do a few things for you.
1. It promotes stable blood sugar
You know that light-headed, low-energy feeling you sometimes get after chowing down on too many refined carbs? That’s your blood sugar spiking — and then crashing. The acetic acid found in ACV (and most other types of vinegar, like white vinegar and red wine vinegar) has antiglycemic properties, and studies show that consuming apple cider vinegar before a meal can help keep those kinds of spikes at bay. Johnston CS, et al. (2004). Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14694010/ Petsiou EI, et al. (2014). Effect and mechanisms of action of vinegar on glucose metabolism, lipid profile, and body weight. https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/72/10/651/1935511
This could, in theory, have something to do with why people who take ACV claim that the stuff boosts their mood and energy, says Los Angeles-based holistic nutrition and wellness coach Nicole Granato.
The blood sugar benefits might even spell good news for people with diabetes, though researchers still have more to figure out.
“If they follow a protocol of drinking some vinegar before every meal for a year or more, does that reduce reliance on insulin medications? Reduce the progression of their disease? Those questions haven’t been answered yet,” Johnston says.
2. It can fight bacteria
ACV has been used to combat infections like ulcers and sores since the time of the ancient Greeks. In fact, there are plenty of studies documenting vinegar’s antimicrobial effects.Johnston CS, et al. (2006). Vinegar: Medicinal uses and antiglycemic effect. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/
ACV seems to kill certain fungal infections, like thrush and yeast infections, and can also kill off E. coli bacteria and the bacteria that cause staph infections.
But just because ACV is capable of fighting bacterial infections doesn’t mean that using it to do so is always a good idea. Because it’s so acidic, pouring it into your ears to address an ear infection or using it on open sores or cuts is almost guaranteed to irritate your skin.
It’s not safe to use by itself for a sore throat, either, because it could do more harm than good. “You shouldn’t gargle vinegar. There have been cases where people have ended up in the hospital because they accidentally choked on it,” Johnston says.
3. It can soothe jellyfish stings
Weirdly, research suggests that if you happen to get stung by a jellyfish, dousing the affected area in vinegar may help. It can deactivate nematocysts, the sharp barbs that jellyfish use to inject their painful venom.Perkins RA, et al. (2004). Poisoning, envenomation, and trauma from marine creatures. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14989575
What’s not so clear
As for the rest of the miraculous stuff you often hear, most of it is TBD. For now, the majority of these claims haven’t been studied enough.
1. It improves your skin
Anecdotally, plenty of people say that applying ACV to their faces helps get rid of acne and improve their skin’s texture.
“I have clients with chronic acne who steam their face with diluted apple cider vinegar, and within 2 to 3 weeks, there’s a difference,” Granato says. And since ACV has antimicrobial properties, it could help acne-prone skin, she says. But for now, there aren’t a lot of studies out there to back it up.
2. It gets rid of warts
Some research has suggested that putting acetic acid on your skin can destroy wart tissue. But this research is older and used super high concentrations of the stuff (up to 99 percent).Conzuelo-Quijada AE, et al. (2003). Treatment of large lower genital tract condylomata acuminata with local excision plus topical acetic acid. A preliminary study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12953324
Since ACV and other vinegars are only around 5 percent acetic acid, they wouldn’t be nearly strong enough to remove a wart.
3. It clears up dandruff
Though an ACV rinse might make your hair look shinier, there’s no credible research to support the idea that it can clear up dandruff. (Johnston had never even heard of this until we asked her.)
4. It whitens teeth
ACV’s antibacterial properties could conceivably help get some plaque and germs off your teeth, Granato says. But there’s no research to suggest ACV can whiten teeth. In fact, it’ll probably leave your pearly whites in pretty bad shape.
“I can’t advocate whitening your teeth with apple cider vinegar at all,” Johnston says. “We don’t have a lot of acid protection in the mouth, and you don’t want to lose the enamel on your teeth.”
5. It helps with weight loss
In a 2009 study, participants who drank apple cider vinegar with their meals daily lost more weight over a period of time than those who didn’t.Kondo T, et al. (2009). Vinegar intake reduces body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese subjects. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1271/bbb.90231 But this study was small, and more research is needed to back these claims.
What is apple cider vinegar?
ACV is a fermented liquid that comes from apples. It’s very acidic, consisting mostly of acetic acid and citric acid.
ACV contains several nutrients, including B vitamins, biotin, pectin, vitamin C, and amino acids. It also has other health benefits, including antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.Yagnik D, et al. (2018). Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788933/
How much apple cider vinegar should you use?
There’s no one-size-fits-all ACV concoction. How much you should use depends on your body and the issue you’re trying to address. You should also always ask your doctor before trying any new health trend.
In case you do decide to use ACV as a remedy for certain conditions, here are some dosage recommendations.
For weight loss or blood sugar
If you’re drinking apple cider vinegar with the goal of more stable blood sugar or to help with weight loss, you need to dilute it with water.
A small 2009 studyKondo T, et al. (2009). Vinegar intake reduces body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese subjects. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1271/bbb.90231 suggested that drinking 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of ACV mixed with 8 ounces of water twice a day produced the best results for weight loss.
ACV can be harmful to your tooth enamel, though, so it’s best not to take this dosage more two or three times a day. Also, you may want to start with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of ACV mixed with 8 ounces of water to see how your body reacts.
A small 2007 study suggested that similar dosages of ACV help with keeping blood sugar stable.White AM, et al. (2007). Vinegar ingestion at bedtime moderates waking glucose concentrations in adults with well-controlled type 2 diabetes. https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/30/11/2814 But ACV is not a replacement for regular medication if you have a health condition like diabetes. And if you have kidney or ulcer problems, you should probably steer clear of ACV altogether.
Recommended dosage
Drinking 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 mL) of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water daily is recommended for weight loss benefits and to help with stable blood sugar.
To fight bacteria and fungus
Apple cider vinegar can help kill a few types of bacteria and fungi, including Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (the bacteria that cause staph infections), and Candida fungi, which cause common infections like thrush and vaginal yeast infections.
A 2018 studyYagnik D. et al. (2018). Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788933/ found that to kill the bacteria that cause staph infections, you would need to dilute ACV with 2 parts water for every 1 part ACV to make a nontoxic cleaner. To kill E. coli, you’d need a much smaller concentration of ACV, 50 parts water for every 1 part of ACV, or about 1 tablespoon of ACV to about 3 cups of water.
For the Candida fungus, an undiluted ACV is recommended. But even though ACV is known to kill Candida infections, you may want to be cautious about putting it directly on your skin.
ACV is highly acidic and may cause burning or irritation, which could lead to extreme discomfort, especially if the infection is down there.
Recommended dosages
For E. coli: 1 part apple cider vinegar to 2 parts water
For staph infections: 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 3 cups water
For thrush and yeast infections: Undiluted apple cider vinegar is recommended as a remedy for infections caused by the Candida fungus.
To soothe skin
Apple cider vinegar is known to soothe skin after jellyfish stings. Some people also report that ACV can help clear up acne, though there’s not enough research to back that up.
For jellyfish stings, it’s recommended to douse the injured area with ACV, remove any tentacles left over from the jellyfish, and then soak the body part in hot water for 20 to 45 minutes. This is said to relieve pain and prevent further venom from being released by the jellyfish.
To address acne, ACV can be used as a face wash when diluted with 2 parts water to 1 part ACV. An ACV-soaked cotton swab can also be used as a spot treatment for acne.
Recommended dosages
For jellyfish stings: Douse the affected area with apple cider vinegar for 30 seconds, and then rinse with hot water.
For acne: Use 1 part apple cider vinegar to 2 parts water to make an ACV facial cleanser.
The safe way to use apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar’s acetic acid has some beneficial properties, but in high concentrations, this acid can be a poison. So if you’re going to drink the stuff or use it on your skin, you’ve got to be careful.
Johnston and Granato agree that the best way to use ACV is in tiny doses. If you’re drinking it, dilute 1 tablespoon of ACV in at least 8 ounces of water and drink it no more than twice a day. Johnston recommends always chasing it with food, which can help clear the acid out of your throat faster and prevent irritation.
The same principle applies if you want to try using it on your skin. Dilute 1 tablespoon of ACV in a bowlful of hot water and dunk a face towel or rag in the mixture. “You can steam your face with the rag for 12 minutes,” Granato says.
The takeaway
Most of the research on apple cider vinegar has looked at its effects on blood sugar, and those studies seem to hold up. Experts agree that ACV has antibacterial properties too — but because vinegar is harsh, it’s not the best choice for use on sore throats or wounds (except those jellyfish stings).
As for the other stuff, there’s no scientific data to support using ACV for clearer skin, less dandruff, or whiter teeth. What’s more, it might be harmful. If you decide to try using it anyway, proceed with caution. “This is an instance where more isn’t better,” Johnston says.
After a long day of work, Zoom meetings, school, or otherwise not fun tasks (#ForeverMood these days), queuing up a playlist full of smooth throwback jams is well-deserved.
Transport yourself back to the turn of the millennium for late ’90s and early aughts riffs (no low rise bootcuts required) perfectly curated for that relaxing yoga sesh or before-bed routine.
Quinoa and couscous both pack a nutritional wallop, adding fiber, protein, and a whole bunch of essential vitamins and minerals to your diet.
But quinoa has the edge on the fiber and protein fronts. Fiber and protein can help you feel full for longer by slowing digestion and keeping your blood sugar stable (whoa, steady there, blood sugar).
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend getting 25 to 38 grams of fiber every day, depending on your age group and sex — check out the guidelines to find the amount you should consume.
Quinoa and couscous are considered whole foods, meaning they’re minimally processed and still have their natural nutritional benefits.
Deciding which is “better for you” also comes down to how you prepare quinoa or couscous.
Adding excess salt or saturated fat to your cooking will make these dishes less heart-healthy (although saturated fats may have an unwarranted bad reputation).
But flavoring quinoa and couscous with vegetables and spices can boost their nutrient game as well as their mmmmmmm factor.
It’s more important to consider how quinoa or couscous fits into your overall eating habits than to judge each food on its own.
Keen on quinoa: The powerful benefits of quinoa
Quinoa is high in protein and provides all nine essential amino acids (so it’s like the smug kid on the playground who really collected all the Pokémon cards).
Aside from its plentiful fiber, quinoa also contains beneficial plant compounds called flavones. Research suggests some flavones have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, protecting against damage from dastardly free radical molecules.
Free radicals contribute to the development of many types of cancer and other diseases. By supplying your body with a regular intake of antioxidants, you can help keep your cells healthy and reduce your risk of cancer and other health problems.
Quinoa contains two superstar compounds called quercetin and kaempferol (yeah, try saying those with a mouthful of the stuff). By keeping viruses, bacteria, and fungi at bay, quercetin and kaempferol support your immune system in reducing your risk of infections.
Quinoa doesn’t just help your immune system with these fancy compounds. Its awesome fiber content feeds the “good” bacteria in your gut — another super important factor in maintaining a strong immune system.
Couscous benefits
Couscous is a tasty way to increase your intake of whole grains. While carbs have gotten a bad rap, whole grains provide a well-established range of benefits.
A 2016 review of studies found that eating three servings of whole grains per day has links to reduced rates of death from all causes, including:
heart disease
cancer
respiratory diseases
diseases of the nervous system
In a 2016 study, 40 adults over 50 years of age followed a diet for 8 weeks. Every aspect of their diets was the same, except that one group ate whole grains and the other ate refined grains. After this, they took a much-needed 10-week break and then switched diets for 8 weeks.
Researchers found that the groups lost the same amount of weight and had the same decrease in cholesterol level. However, those eating whole grains had a threefold improvement in blood pressure.
Which is better for bodybuilding?
Quinoa and couscous provide similar amounts of macronutrients. Their calories mainly come from carbohydrates.
Although quinoa offers a little more protein than couscous, most bodybuilders will still need extra protein from other sources to bump up those gains 💪🏾. Lean meats, tofu, or supplements can help muscle-flexers get enough protein to recover from intense weightlifting.
If you’re simply trying to build more muscle, a progressive resistance training routine is your ticket to Tonk Town. As long as you’re consuming enough calories and protein to support your activity level, your body will have enough fuel to build muscle.
Quinoa and couscous can each support a successful bodybuilding regimen with extra nutrients. You’ve just gotta make sure the other components of your eating plan provide the rest of the nutrients you need.
Which is gluten-free?
Because quinoa is technically a seed, it’s naturally gluten-free. Quinoa’s texture makes it a handy substitute in grain-based dishes for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. (But if you’re on the Paleo diet, quinoa is a no-go.)
Couscous comes from semolina, which is derived from durum wheat, so people who can’t eat gluten should avoid it.
Some facilities that process quinoa also process grains that contain gluten. Cross contamination is possible, and you don’t want to poke the gluten bear.
🚨 Read. Those. Labels. 🚨
Quinoa vs. couscous vs. bulgur: Triple threat
Bulgur is another hearty whole grain that’s easily swappable with quinoa and couscous.
Similar to couscous, bulgur is derived from wheat (meaning it’s not gluten-free — quinoa has the edge here). Traditionally, bulgur plays a leading role in Middle Eastern cuisine, including dishes like tabbouleh and kibbeh.
Compared with couscous and quinoa, bulgur is exceptionally high in fiber, clocking in at 8 grams per cooked cup. Bulgur is slightly lower in protein, however, with 5 grams per cup.
Bulgur’s texture isn’t all that different from those of couscous and quinoa. You can add bulgur to couscous or quinoa dishes for more texture and a bit of nutritional diversity. You can also sub it for other grains to switch things up.
Variety is the spice (and grain) of life.
Couscous recipe ideas
Use couscous as a base for stir-fry dishes by adding other nutritious ingredients. Try scattering this mixture over the top:
For a twist on rice and beans, try cooking couscous in vegetable broth and mixing it with red beans and tomatoes.
You can even add sweet potato, red peppers, celery, carrots, and zucchini for a boost of nutrients, color, and flavor.
Incorporating couscous into vegetable-based soups or using it as a salad topper can create a heartier and more robust dish. Couscous is highly versatile and works well in loads of different dishes. Get ’em, couscous!
Quinoa recipe ideas
Quinoa is also super versatile.
It serves up a nutty and chewy texture that mixes well with other ingredients. You can incorporate it into sweet or savory dishes.
If you like the taste of quinoa, it’s easy to add it to most of your favorite dishes in a creative way. Any time a recipe calls for rice, pasta, or oatmeal, there’s probably a way to throw quinoa into the mix.
Takeaway
Both quinoa and couscous provide a bunch of benefits as part of a nutritious meal plan.
Experimenting with flavorful dishes from around the world can help you discover new ways to enjoy these healthful ingredients.
Try incorporating new spices, vegetables, and cooking methods to add variety and excitement to your plate.
Search for a recipe online, and you’re bound to encounter a lengthy blog post accompanying it. In many cases, the only way to arrive at the recipe itself is to scroll through hundreds of words describing the dish, its method, or a story tangential to it. This path of more resistance has encouraged many a recipe-reader to throw up their hands in frustration.
“Why are food blogs likethat?” they want to know. “Why can’t they just give me the recipe???”
Studio Firma/Stocksy United
The truth of food blogging is that it’s a massive amount of labor (for some, a labor of love, for others, a sustainable form of labor that’s meant to return dividends, in the form of income, and for many — a combination of both). And that model surrounding monetizing that labor requires… well, words.
Just ask Erin Clarkson, author of the popular baking blog Cloudy Kitchen, which she founded 5 years ago. Clarkson’s platform sees roughly 400,000 views per month, but her content is not as footloose and fancy-free as many may think. A single blog post, she says, can take several days to create.
There’s the misconception, Clarkson says, that she’s just “whipping out the cookie recipe and putting it on the Internet.” But in reality, quite the opposite is true. The recipe is tested “at least three or four times, and that’s before I make them for the final time.” The shoot itself takes another entire day. “And then you have to do all the research for the blog, writing the actual blog post and coming up with headings, which have the right keywords.”
The keywords, Clarkson noted, are part of what make the blogs turn up in Google in the first place. Without them — and without that added layer of labor orchestrated by the author — these recipes wouldn’t come up in a search.
The same users complaining about lengthy headnotes (otherwise known as the descriptive text that comes before a recipe) have these same headnotes to thank for the recipe’s very existence.
There are technical reasons for long blog posts
Longer blog posts, says Anne Murlowski, who launched her blog Rocky Mountain Bliss in 2013 and gets about 30,000 monthly views, “demonstrate expertise and the value your website brings to a reader.” But beyond expertise, these posts bring compensation. “To drive a real income from a blog on impressions alone, you need to achieve hundreds of thousands of views per month.” Search engine presence, which is driven by word-length, is, Mulowski says, “the only real way people can do that.”
While many bloggers would love to deliver shorter posts that get right to the recipe, Google is more likely to pick up posts that hover around 1,000 words, and those words make the rest of the intensive labor — the recipe-development, the photography, and even the research for the writing itself— possible. (Which is to say nothing of the cost of procuring the ingredients, a built-in expense when it comes to food blogs.)
When a post is longer, it “has more chance to rank for related keywords,” says Rebecca Swanner, founder of Let’s Eat Cake, which generates over 100,000 views per month. Without visibility, these recipes can easily fall into a vacuum, never being seen — or re-created — by their intended audience. And for the blogger who created them, that means the labor that went into developing, testing, and photographing those recipes, would see no financial returns for that work.
Blog posts that are too short create “a risk for readers to leave, or ‘bounce,’ from the post very quickly,” says Monique Volz, founder and CEO of Ambitious Kitchen. Readers “are more likely to revisit a blog when it has more content.”
Volz, whose blog welcomes several million visitors a month, says good blog posts are resources that help readers “be creative, troubleshoot potential problems, provide answers to FAQs, and even include custom video content.”
Recipe headnotes are there to help you, the reader
Which is to say: There is a purpose to these recipe headnotes. April Blake, author of the 10-year-old blog The April Blake, says that bloggers, “do try to put information that’s useful before the post that pertains to it. Sometimes that’s substitution suggestions, or a suggestion to not sub anything,” or maybe, she says, “it’s a tip that using a wok gives you the best results.”
Blog authors streamline recipes by design. When you cook, you don’t want to read paragraphs of “if this, then that” troubleshooting — you want to see clearly what step you’re on and what step comes next. So, the information offered in the headnote contributes to the recipe’s execution.
Bloggers want their readers to succeed. They want positive feedback on their recipes, and the only way to get good feedback is to write thorough, complete recipes with lots of tips that anticipate foreseeable pitfalls.
“Baking is a science,” Erin Clarkson says. “I will often go into a lot of detail in the first part of the recipe.” Clarkson tries, in her posts, she says, to “pack as much information as I possibly can” to head off confusion when it comes to the recipe itself. So, try not to scroll past that valuable information because it may help you.
Of course, some food bloggers use anecdotes in their work too, telling stories that relate to their recipes. There is a place for that, says Darien Gee, founder and recipe-creator of the Friendship Bread Kitchen blog. Longer narratives, she says, “give readers a chance to get to know you, the person behind the recipes, and that relationship cultivates fans.”
This content, some bloggers say, is an important tool in developing a cultural connection between author and reader, a connection that reflects “their interests and values” and that encourages people to return to the site, as Gee says. “Food is personal,” Monique Volz added. “It’s filled with memories, nostalgia, and emotion, and I think sharing those things along with a recipe makes for an incredible experience.”
When it comes to operating a food blog, the labor is plentiful. And readers benefit from that labor, learning new techniques, new recipes, and new approaches to cooking that they may not have encountered otherwise.
The relationship, between blogger and reader — in a world where blog posts are long — is a mutually beneficial one: Everyone gets what they need from it.
Removing “ads and life stories” hurts everyone
The natural evolution of the complaints about blogs recently came to a head when a company named Recipeasly, which promised to streamline food blogs, ran into a bit of trouble at launch, as reported by BBC News.
As one of the site’s creators, Tom Redman, tweeted, the site was designed to provide “your favorite recipes except without the ads or life stories.” What Recipeasly actually did was erase the author (and the author’s attendant labor) from the work.
This online explosion helps boil down the essential argument for why food blogs exist in the first place and why they’re useful the way that they are. What may read as inconvenient to one person is necessary to another.
Moreover, the work that goes into food blogs really is work. It’s a labor of love, but it’s still labor, and the crescendo of complaints about that labor led to a tool, in Recipeasly, that could have easily caused financial and career-related harm to real people.
“Recipe bloggers don’t need someone to come in and take from them and remove them from their work,” Erin Clarkson says. A click on a food blog is actually a choice. The writing, she says, is the “important information about the recipe,” but, if all the labor of wading through someone else’s labor is too great, there is actually a solution for that. “Invest in some cookbooks,” Clarkson says. “No scrolling or ads there.”
Hannah Selinger is an IACP award-nominated food, wine, travel, and lifestyle writer based in East Hampton, New York, where she lives with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and two tortoises. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Eater, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Cut, and more.