Category Archives: Life

Going Green, Going Healthy, Going Strong, Health, Life, Lifestyle, Tips

Do You Find It Hard To Take Care Of Yourself? These Tips Can Help

03/15/2022 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Taking care of yourself can be hard, especially when you’re a busy parent! You’ve got the kids and the house and your partner to look to first, and that means you can forget about focusing on your inner self. And the longer this habit goes on, the harder it can be to turn things around and look after you again!

Which is why we’ve brought these tips to you. Taking care of yourself can be tricky to pick up on, but the more you practise it in little ways, the easier it’ll be to feel good in yourself again. So without further ado, here are some tips for focusing on what you really need that also won’t take up too much of your time.

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Spend Less Time Indoors

Are you someone who seems to always be indoors? Maybe you’re always behind the wheel or you work at a desk 8 hours a day? Well, one quick way to make a change to your self care routine is to simply get outside! Take your laptop out into the garden with you, take a quick walk around the block during your work break, and make sure you’re soaking up some of those sun rays.

In doing so, you boost your Vitamin D levels, which boosts all of the systems in your body. You’ll look and feel healthier, and you’ll be sure to stretch your legs more often. Getting the blood pumping around your body is key to keeping muscles supple and flexible, and it’s an easy way to get your weekly exercise in as well.

Take Advantage of Telemedicine

Telemedicine is the act of seeing a doctor online, meaning you no longer need to head out to an appointment and spend 20 or more minutes in a waiting room. All in all it makes it easier to keep up with your health, and you still get all the benefits of seeing a doctor face to face.

So the next time you’re thinking about cancelling a checkup, be sure to see if there are any online doctors in your area. An internet connection is all you need to take care of yourself here, and you can still be at home doing a bit of housework or looking after the kids in the meantime. If you don’t have good internet then now is the best time for you to look into the best fiber internet provider, as you can then get the speeds you need, while giving the kids chance to entertain themselves.

Don’t ignore injuries (even light ones)

If you feel something snag out of the ordinary or you’re involved in any kind of accident, you shouldn’t assume that you’ll bounce right back, after the fact. Make an effort to see your doctor and get their professional opinion. This is especially true when it comes to things like car accidents, which can leave invisible injuries like whiplash. If something like that happens to you, having that medical evidence can help you make a claim with the help of professionals like Dennis Hernandez. That way, you can make sure that you’re not put into financial dire straits to pay for the treatment,

Swap Out the Usual Snacks

Do you like to snack? Don’t worry, we all do. It’s human nature to eat when we’re hungry, even if that means outside of mealtimes, but it’s key to ensure ‘healthy’ snacks are in reach when you want to sate an empty belly.

Some carrot sticks and hummus, a cereal bar, or banana are all great examples of this. Of course, you can still have chips or a chocolate bar if you want, but keep these as rare treats. Snack healthier and you’ll notice more effects on your health than just your waistline!

Taking care of yourself can be super simple. Keep methods little but impactful for great long term results.

Life, Lifestyle

The Biggest Challenges of Cat Ownership (& the Solutions)

02/28/2022 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Cats are beautiful, unique, and mysterious creatures who bring much joy into their owners’ lives. Yet, like any pet, they aren’t without their share of problems, which can be frustrating or worrying for an owner.

If you’re considering welcoming a pet into your home and would like to learn more about their behaviors and issues, you’ve arrived at the perfect place. Learn about the biggest challenges of cat ownership and the best solutions.

Scratching

Many cats would happily spend their days tearing up furniture and fabric. While it might be fun for a cat, it will be more than frustrating for its owner. Prevent this problem by providing your feline with a good scratching post.

Avoid vertical scratching posts, as they tend to wobble when a cat starts scratching, causing them to return to your furniture. Instead, buy a heavy horizontal post infused with pheromones to attract your cat away from your dining table, chairs, or sofa.

Illnesses

Cats are masters at hiding pain, and it’s an owner’s job to monitor signs of common illnesses or parasites. For example, a feline friend is prone to:

Cat flu
Flea and tick infestations
Heartworm
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
Diabetes
Cancer

As prevention is better than cure, you must take a cat or kitten to a vet for an exam and the appropriate vaccinations. Look for dependable, affordable veterinary care near you to care for your feline friend’s every need. For example, you can find value-for-money vets in Naples Fl, that allow you to walk in with an issue or schedule an appointment.

Hairballs

Cats love to groom themselves daily, but the behavior can cause a build-up of fur inside their stomach, which they may vomit up like a ball. Stop hairballs from developing by combing your feline’s fur daily, as it will reduce the amount of hair ingested. It’s an essential grooming task if you own a long-haired breed, such as a Persian cat or Ragdoll. If grooming doesn’t help, talk to your vet about the best hairball treatment for cats.

Unwanted Presents

Cats have developed a reputation for being unloving animals, but this isn’t the case. As they are natural hunters, they often bring home gifts for owners, which they don’t appreciate.

As a cat doesn’t need to hunt for food, they tend to bring home dead animals to express their appreciation, such as mice or birds. Unfortunately, this is one behavior that’s difficult to stop, but you must remind yourself it’s your feline friend’s way of expressing their love to you.

Litter Box Refusal

Using a litter box doesn’t come naturally to cats, and they might choose to use the bathroom away from the handy tray. As cats aren’t fans of squatting, you should buy a litter box with higher sides to prevent unwanted mess and increase their privacy. Also, keep the litter box away from noisy appliances, as they will be less likely to use the bathroom near noisy washing machines, dishwashers, or dryers.

Life, Lifestyle, Tips

Essential Camping Gear for a Weekend Away

02/25/2022 R.C. Liley 1 Comment

sitting around a campfire, camping, family, outdoors, travel, vacation

So, you’re ready to get the heck out of Dodge and enjoy a weekend away in the outdoors. You are excited about your mini getaway and want to make sure that everything goes according to plan. What will you do if it rains or the bears come out? This article goes over the essential camping gear you need for your weekend away. Read on to learn what to take with you for the ultimate camping experience.

Camping Wardrobe and Accessories

As a rule of thumb, bring more than you think you’ll need. That extra pair of clothes might just save you from run-ins with sticky pine trees, poison ivy, and unexpected downpours. If nothing but s’mores goop ends up on your shirt, this is still an excellent reason to bring an extra pair of clothes.

For your clothing items, stick with short and long-sleeved shirts, a couple of pairs of pants and shorts, hiking boots, socks, flip-flops, a warm winter jacket, a windbreaker jacket or vest, a pair of sunglasses, and a hoodie in case you get chilly at night.

Outdoor hats for men are also great to avoid scalp sunburn. Bring your earplugs or noise-canceling headphones as well if you think the crickets will keep you up.

Your Campsite Essentials

For an effective campsite, you need to take with you all the essentials for shelter, warmth, and light, so you can get outdoors and get moving without interference.

Bring all different kinds of lighting with you, including your lighter, lanterns, flashlights, string lights, and a charged smartphone (to access flashlight mode), as well as sleeping bags, sleeping pads, pillows, and most importantly, your tent WITH footprint and stakes.

You’ll also need high quality OTF knives to open up packaging, and you’ll end up putting them to more than a few uses.

Don’t forget to bring extra batteries, firewood, and an axe to chop wood for additional security. Don’t forget your toiletries and first aid kit when critical moments strike.

You can also never have enough bug spray, sunscreen, or toilet paper with you while camping. To pack lightly, choose biodegradable soap, quick-dry towels, and travel-size bottles of hand sanitizer.

Camping Tools and Gadgets

In addition to your axe and can opener, bring one solid pocketknife with you and a bottle opener. You’re going to want something to crack open a cold drink after a hot day. Bring all your fishing gear with you and extra ice to keep your catch cold in the cooler.

cooking over a campfire, camping, outdoors,

Camping Kitchen Gear

Depending on what’s available at your campsite, you may or may not need to keep certain kitchen essentials with you. Learn about the accommodations at your camp ahead of time, so you know what to take with you.

At the very least, bring a portable coffee maker, cast-iron cooking pans, cooking utensils, grill and charcoal, and odor-trapping food containers to keep wildlife away.

If you can put your leftovers in a cooler or store them in campsite lockers, you are in a safer position to avoid attracting wildlife. Don’t leave your food out. Bring trash bags and recycling bags with you as well.

You should also decide what the water situation is so you can ensure you’ll have enough water while you’re camping. Bring water jugs if you don’t have access to potable water on-site.

Camper recipes like hot dogs and beans, fire-baked potatoes, and ready-to-eat meals are always options. Still, if you bring a can opener with you, you can make tuna sandwiches, camper’s stew, and other goodies from ingredients that sit in your pantry.