How-To-Quit-Smoking

Do you want to learn how to quit smoking? Have you been smoking for years? Your family and most importantly your health has been seriously affected by the habit. As you become conscious of the risks involved, you will decide to quit.

Congratulations, you’ve made a bold move. The decision to quit smoking is a big step in itself. Now, the question remains, are you going to follow through on your plan?

Below, we discuss how to quit smoking in five simple steps.

Did you know after 1 year of quitting smoking your risk of heart attack drops significantly? The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of someone who still smokes.

Snap-cigarette

Step 1: Have A Quit Plan

Once you have made up your mind about kicking the smoking habit, create a plan.

First, set a quit date then start preparing for it.

The quit date can be a week later after you have made your decision. It should not be too far in the future and also try not to change your mind.

To prepare for the date, you can start taking up small quitting measures. For instance, you can start reducing your cigarette intake slowly, or you can just stop smoking altogether.

However, the latter is a more difficult decision. If you settle for it, dispose of all your cigarettes and ashtrays and get yourself some oral substitutes such as gum, hard candy, and carrot sticks.

On the other hand, for some people, it’s easier to quit when a pack of cigarettes is still available with “the option” of having one. But don’t neglect to actually investigate what’s in cigarettes if you’ve never actually looked at it.

Step 2: Distract Yourself

When the quit date arrives, it means you should stop smoking entirely even if you were doing so lightly. When the cravings kick in, you might be tempted to do otherwise.

Therefore, you need to stay busy as much as possible and try out different activities to keep your mind off smoking.

Go to the gym and exercise or out for a stroll. Grab a movie with non-smoking friends and family or visit the zoo. When the urges become too much, take several deep breaths and try to relax.

Also, drink a lot of water. When you think you want to give in to the cravings, think again about why you really need to quit the habit.

replace-the-habit

Step 3: Consult A Doctor

See a doctor for more advice especially one that concerns medications.

Quitting smoking may result in very serious withdrawals.

They can be difficult to tackle especially if you are doing it all on your own.

If you feel the need, you can use certain non-nicotine medications on the market which can help you quit smoking.

Seeing a professional doctor will help you get the right prescription.

Step 4: Create A Smoke-Free Zone

Be very strict and disciplined about your decision to quit smoking. Avoid all smoking triggers as much as possible.

These are things, situations, and people that will set off your urge to smoke. You can ban people from smoking inside your home or in the car.

Completely change your routine if you have to and adapt to healthy diets.

Step 5: Seek Support

You do not have to do it alone. Ask for help, support, and encouragement from friends and family.

Once your loved ones know that you are trying to break a harmful habit for the greater good, they will have your back all the way.

Now you know how to quit smoking! If possible, begin with step one today.

Don’t give up on yourself, even if you falter from your plan. Put your moment of weakness behind you and keep pushing toward your goal of quitting smoking for good.

How-To-Get-Rid-Of-Bed-Bugs

If you have noticed the signs of bed bugs, you probably wondering about how to get rid of them.

Don’t think that you immediately have to call an exterminator.

Knowing just how to get rid of bed bugs isn’t in itself difficult, and you can save a lot of time and money.

Have a look at some of the tips lined out below if you want to know how to get rid of bed bugs.

In one bed bugs lifetime, it can lay up to 500 eggs, or 1 to 5 a day.

Step 1: Clean The Room And Remove Clutter

The symptoms and side effects of bed bug bites can be irritating and uncomfortable, to say the least.

The first step in knowing how to get rid of bed bugs is to clean your room and remove all of the clutter.

Everything must be washed.

Anything that cannot go into the washing machine should be encased in plastic bags.

With no source of food, this ensures that the bedbugs die.

However, it can take several months for this to happen.

cluttered-room

Step 2: Wash And Dry Everything You Can

Next, take all of your bed linens and anything else that came into contact with bed bugs and wash it all in your washing machine.

Be sure to give it all a good wash in your washing machine.

Use the hottest setting possible, and then dry in the dryer using the hottest setting.

This kills and gets rid of the bed bugs on the sheets, blankets, pillows, and other fabrics.

Step 3: Vacuum And Clean The Bed

You also have to make sure the mattress and box springs are clean.

First, vacuum up any and all residue you see that might be associated with bed bugs.

Make sure to get into all of the seams, cracks, and crevices. You should even vacuum the headboard and bed frame.

When that’s done, use a steam cleaner and go over every inch of the bed with hot steam.

Step 4: Use Sprays

There are many bed bug sprays on the market, and you should consider using them.

There are even sprays that are specifically made for the bed.

Make sure to treat the entire room if you spray. Bed bugs can hide in surprising places.

Bed bugs can hide in surprising places.

Treat the bed frame, lamps, wall fixtures, carpets, and window and door frames.

Mattress-Encasement

Step 5: Consider Encasement

Now, just because you sprayed, that doesn’t mean that you have killed each and every bed bug.

So, you should also consider encasement. This means that you place your items, even things like the mattress and box spring, into large plastic bags.

Then, you leave them, often for several weeks or months.

With the encasement on, the bed bugs left cannot get out, and they eventually die.

Repeat Often To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

Getting rid of bed bugs is not something that is going to happen overnight.

In fact, you should go through all of these steps every one to two weeks for a minimum of two months.

That’s the only way to be sure that every bed bug is eliminated from your home because they reproduce so fast.

How-To-Lower-Blood-Pressure

Knowing how to lower blood pressure is invaluable if you are facing a health crisis. It is fairly easy to lower blood pressure naturally, but you have to stick with a couple of practices.

Though this sounds quite scary, if you are wondering how to lower blood pressure, there is good news. Here’s how to lower blood pressure.

High blood pressure affects more than one in three Americans, and it is called the “silent killer,” because there often aren’t signs of a problem. Though high blood pressure doesn’t have symptoms, it is a major cause of stroke and heart attack.

Lose Weight

One of the best things you can do to lower high blood pressure is to lose weight.

Even losing as little as five pounds can make a big difference to your blood pressure.

As a bonus, losing weight helps you to minimize your risk of other conditions, too.

Always remember, however, that even if you are not overweight, you can still have high blood pressure.

If this is the case, cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates can help.

In fact, several studies have shown that a low-carb diet not only can help you lose weight but also can lower your blood pressure.

Exercise-to-lower-blood-pressure

Exercising Regularly

There’s absolutely no getting around it. One of the best remedies for keeping blood pressure low is to have a healthy exercise regime.

Adding just 30 minutes of exercise per day is a great way to start.

Adjust your routine to your fitness level and slowly build it up. This will help you stay motivated.

Exercise can be enjoyable and healthy at the same time.

In fact, doing this can lower your blood pressure, on average, by 4 – 9 mmHg.

Dancing, jogging, walking, and cycling are all excellent exercises.

If you have pre-hypertension, exercise can stop your condition from becoming full-blown high blood pressure.

Meditation

Stress is a contributing factor to high blood pressure. An excellent way to reduce stress is to start meditating.

Meditation doesn’t require anything but a quiet place and 10 to 20 minutes of your time.  All you really have to do is try to clear your mind.

Remember, you may not be able to meditate for this long at a time when you are just starting out. Don’t worry too much if thoughts come to your mind as you’re trying to meditate. Simply try to let them pass.

You can focus on something, or you can even listen to some soft music that will help you to relax and focus on your breathing with your eyes closed.

You can try to turn off this “mind chatter” by focusing on something specific,  you can even listen to some soft music that will help you to relax, or you can also focus on your breathing with your eyes closed.

If meditation isn’t your thing, you can get similar effects from yoga.

Herbal Remedies

For thousands of years, people have used herbal remedies to treat ailments, and high blood pressure is no exception.

There are many herbal supplements that can help to lower blood pressure including celery, ginger root, sesame oil, and green tea.

Make sure to talk to your doctor before using any herbs, as they can interact negatively with some medications.

lady-sleeping

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is also a good way to lower blood pressure.

According to research, people who have disturbed sleep have an increased chance of developing high blood pressure.

People who sleep less than six hours a night have the highest rate of high blood pressure.

If you are struggling to get good sleep, there could be several reasons that may only require you to make a very small change.

These are all simple and natural things that you can do when wondering how to lower blood pressure. Speak to your doctor about other methods, too.

How-To-Lose-Thigh-Fat

Almost every woman wants to know how to lose fat in her thighs. This area is a common concern for people, especially women. The fat that gathers around the thighs is some of the most difficult to get rid of. This makes it also one of the most misunderstood areas of the body.

However, when you change a couple of things in your life, you can see a great improvement in the look and feel of your thighs. Here’s how to lose fat in your thighs if you’ve tried everything else.

Many people believe that with the right exercises, they can eliminate fat around the thighs. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.

Increase Your Water Intake

It often surprises people that by simply drinking more water they can lose fat around their entire body, including the thighs.

Statistics show us that most people drink more calories than they realize in the form of sugary sodas and juices.Water-Intake

Even something that you might think is healthy, like an 8-ounce glass of orange juice, contains 112 calories.

On top of that, most people aren’t sticking to an 8-ounce serving. It’s generally double that.

When you increase your water intake, you won’t drink as many sugary drinks, and thus, cut down on calories. This, of course, helps you lose fat.

Add More Cardio

Another thing that surprises people about thigh fat is that doing exercises that focus specifically on the thighs doesn’t help.

Instead, the key is to get a good full-body workout, which raises the heart rate.

Running, jumping rope, and cycling are all great ideas for cardio.

These activities also help to strengthen the muscles in the legs, including the thigh muscles.

Doing these activities on an incline helps to boost results, too.

Cardio

Eat The Right Food

Most people don’t understand how important proper nutrition is when trying to lose fat around the thighs.

Fad diets simply don’t work and too many people rely on them.

What does work?

A diet that is high in lean protein and complex carbohydrates. You also should reduce sugar and fat in your diet, if not eliminate it together.

People who eat high-quality, low-fat protein and supplement that with fruits and vegetables see the best results.

Focus On Calories To Lose Fat In Thighs

Finally, pay attention to calories. Most people eat more calories than they think and burn fewer calories than they expect.

DietThe key to weight loss, of course, is to burn off more calories than you consume.

So, if you think you are only eating a 400-calorie meal, but it’s really 550 calories, and then you think you are burning off 200 calories, but it’s only 110 calories, you are not going to lose weight.

It’s best to measure portions. Track what you eat, and make sure to accurately measure the calories you burn due to exercise.

You need a deficit of about 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat.

Pairing these tips together will help to target stubborn fat in the thigh and hip areas for a leaner, more toned appearance.

How-To-Get-Rid-Of-Fleas-Cover-800x300

If you have a pet, odds are good that you will need to know how to get rid of fleas.  He or she will bring fleas into the house. However, it’s also possible to have a flea infestation if you don’t have a pet.

Fleas also come from wildlife that finds their way into the basement, attic, or other crawlspaces. Regardless of how you got them, you want to get rid of them. Here are several tips below on how to get rid of fleas:

Fleas can live for over 100 days without having a meal. In its lifetime, the female flea can lay more than 2,000 eggs.

Treat Your Pet

The first thing you should do when you want to get rid of fleas is to treat your pet.

There are many different flea removal treatments at your local pet store.

There are also tablets that you can give your pet that kills any flea that bites it.

Don’t just try one flea remedy because the first one might not be effective, and if you have more than one pet, be sure to treat them all at the same time.

You should treat your pets several times over a few days to ensure all of the fleas are gone. Also, don’t forget to wash all blankets, beds, or toys that your pet uses.

dog-and-owner

Use Sprays And Fogs

Taking care of your pet is one thing, but you also must treat your yard and home.

There are sprays that are safe to use around the house, and you can buy fogs that you can put into your home. These foggers cover every space of your home, including places you can’t reach with sprays.

Clean Your Home From Top To Bottom

When you think you have treated the flea problem by attacking its source, it’s time to start cleaning your home. It’s also important to clean your home from top to bottom when you have fleas.

If you want to get rid of fleas permanently, it’s very important to clean your home from top to bottom.

You should vacuum all your carpets and all other areas where the flea eggs may have been deposited.

Make sure to empty your vacuum bag or container outside each time it’s filled and be aware that there may be fleas and eggs inside.

Also, don’t forget to sweep all the floors and then come in with a mop afterward.

vacuum-cleaning-carpet

Use Vinegar

One of the best ways to deal with small flea infections is to use vinegar. You can use vinegar in many ways. For instance, you can use vinegar to wash your pet.

Make sure to dilute the vinegar with water in a 1:1 ratio. Then, after bathing your pet in flea shampoo, rinse its coat with the vinegar solution.

Don’t rinse this off. Let it dry. As an added bonus, your pet’s coat will be shiny and soft. Another way to use vinegar is to actually put it into your dog’s water bowl. Only a couple of drops are necessary.

For a cat, you can spray a solution of vinegar and water directly on its fur. Vinegar in the water is too acidic for a cat, so only spray it.

Make Dish Detergent Traps

Finally, consider making a trap for the fleas out with water, a plastic container, and dish detergent.

Mix water and dish detergent together in a shallow dish.

Then, set it out at night.

Place a lamp over top of the dish to attract the fleas. Once they jump in, they cannot get out.

Though flea bites are not deadly, they do pose a hazard to you, your family, and your pets’ lives. They can cause infections due to scratching the itch and are also carriers of tapeworm. Do not allow these pests to take over in your home.