Everyday Ideas For Better Digestive Health

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Your digestive tract is fundamental for your survival. If it’s not working, you can’t get the calories you need to sustain bodily processes.

For many people, though, digestion doesn’t happen quietly in the background. Instead, it is an ever-present concern and often a source of pain. 

For the most part, it isn’t the body that is the problem, but how we interact with the modern world. Civilization has created an environment that our stomachs aren’t designed to handle. 

Fortunately, there are ways that you can fight back and keep control of your digestive health. Here’s what to do: 

Eat Meals The Same Time Each Day

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Our bodies have a robust internal clock that tells them when to eat and sleep. So when you start to anticipate a meal, your stomach begins automatically churning out more stomach acid and bile in anticipation of the food that it expects to arrive. When you miss a meal, or you don’t eat at a set time of the day, it can send your stomach out of whack, and you can wind up with problems. 

Find A Way To Manage Your Stress

Our stomachs and brains are connected to each other via the vagus nerve. Some people believe that bellies are actually conscious in the same way that the brain is, just at a lower level. There are more neurons in the stomach than in any other part of the body, except the brain, suggesting that it is a thinking organ. 

Stress, therefore, can affect it profoundly. When you feel anxious or concerned about something, the stomach shuts down, saving energy to tackle whatever threat you face. In the wild, this strategy was fine - you could run away from the tiger chasing you and then relax once you got back to camp. In the modern world, though, stress is chronic. Your boss can email you complaining about your work at any time of the day or night. So you can never entirely switch off, and this can lead to rounds of constipation and diarrhea. 

For some people the issue is excess stomach acid, but what is heartburn? Essentially, it is when the acid moves out of the stomach and into the throat, causing a nasty burning sensation. 

Managing stress better with techniques like mediation, however, can alleviate many of these conditions and leave your alimentary canal in much better shape. 

Include More Prebiotics In Your Diet

Prebiotics are just foods that bacteria can thrive on in your gut. Ideally, you want to eat as many of them as possible, so that you can develop a healthy gut microbiome and keep everything healthy down there. 

The best foods are onion, beans and whole, intact grains, like spelt berries or brown rice. You can also sprinkle seeds on your meals to add a little extra fibre.

Try, where possible, to get a variety of different types of fibre, both from high-water-content veggies, like kale and carrots, as well as beans and grains. Your stomach can make use of both. 

3 Smart Tips To Buy A House In A Different Country

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Are you thinking about buying a home in a foreign country? There are many reasons this might seem like a great idea. For one, you might want to move home and start afresh in a new place. Or, you may be looking to broaden your investment portfolio with some overseas assets. Your reasons for buying this house don’t really matter. What matters is that you spend your money wisely and acquire something that suits your needs. 

Instantly, you run into a few stumbling blocks when buying a house abroad:

• You don’t know the housing market
• You have no sense of what a reasonable price is 
• You can’t see the house and walk around inside

Thankfully, all of these problems can be dealt with if you’re smart about your approach. So, follow these tips:

Get to know the housing market

Spend time researching the foreign market you’re interested in. It’s easy to be lured in by a house that looks like it comes at an amazing price. You compare it to houses in your country, and it seems like a bargain. You make an impulse purchase, only to realize that the house actually wasn’t great value compared to the rest of the foreign market. So, do some Googling to find average house prices in the area you’re looking at. Look at various listings to understand what people are listing homes for, and you should soon realize what a good deal looks like. 

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Take virtual tours

You can’t make it to a foreign country to physically view the properties you’re interested in. Yes, you might move there in the future, but it costs a lot of money to fly out, view a house, then fly home. Plus, you probably have lots of things to take care of at home as well. Instead, there are services like Meriton virtual tours, which allow you to look inside properties for sale. It’s a virtual tour of a home, showing you how everything looks and all the different measurements, etc. This does a great job of helping you understand what a house looks like on the inside. You don’t have to leave your home country, so it works brilliantly. 

Work with local estate agents

Finally, you should also team up with estate agents in the area. Effectively, this helps with the first point as they can tell you all about the local real estate market. Secondly, you can send the agents to view properties for you. Look at the virtual tour first, then send them in to make sure everything is as depicted. In essence, they provide a second opinion and can send video footage to you. It helps you get a more accurate view of whether or not a home is suitable for your needs.

In summary, these three tips will give you a better understanding of what houses are worth buying, and which ones are rip-offs. Investing in overseas properties can be such a genius way to spend your money. The only downside is that you can easily make mistakes. These tips will prevent you from making all the common mistakes usually associated with this purchase. 

Decorating for a Rustic Feel

If you’ve finally saved enough to purchase a little cabin in the woods as a perfect vacation spot or rental to get away from it all, it’s time to think about how to decorate so the inside fits the outside. Just like you wouldn’t decorate a modern high-rise with Victorian antiques, don’t decorate a rustic forest get-away with seashells. Sticking with geographically appropriate nature themes will create a cohesive whole.

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Wooden Accents

A log cabin is made of wood to begin with, so it’s fitting that the accents are also. Rustic ceiling beams are a nice touch as are porch or stairway log railing Sullivan ME or your vacation town. If there’s a fireplace, add a split log mantle. Small niche shelves and towel racks can also be made of wood. Wood smells good, lasts a long time and creates warmth in a home.

Color Treatment

People and animals generally gravitate towards dark colors in the forest because it helps with camouflage and (in the case of humans) doesn’t show dirt as easily. This doesn’t mean your cabin has to be decorated exclusively in browns and greens. In fact, choosing lighter colors will help brighten up dark spaces. If the walls aren’t made of wood, they can be whitewashed. Reds, oranges and yellows mixed with white help create energy in the room without taking away its hominess. Choose two or three colors found in Mexican woven blankets for your inspiration.

Creature Comforts

Just because you’re taking a break from city life doesn’t mean you need to be uncomfortable. If anything, your vacation cabin should be more comfortable, so it feels like a true spot for repose. Upgrade all your pillows and bed linens to the very best you can afford. Make sure there are plenty of cozy blankets scattered around for cuddling up around the fire.

A rustic cabin doesn’t need to feel like a Spartan summer camp. With a few tweaks, you can be comfortable and closer to nature both inside and out.

Benefits of Hiring Someone To Do Your Taxes

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Tax season is something that comes around every year but can easily sneak up on you. Some people groan at just the thought of having to do taxes, and this is especially true if they are trying to do their taxes on their own. This year, instead of struggling over your tax preparation, consider hiring tax services Tupelo MS. There are numerous benefits to this, including minimizing the chance of error, maximizing your tax refund and reducing your chances of error.

Minimize the Chance of Error

Accountants and tax preparation agents spend years learning about tax code and how to properly file tax forms. When you are trying to do this yourself, you can easily make a mistake that will throw off your entire tax preparation for the year. This is something that is often best left to the trained professionals. 

Maximize Your Tax Refund

Trained tax professionals know how to properly file your return to get the maximum tax refund. One simple error when doing your taxes yourself could leave you paying in or receiving the wrong amount. When you use a tax preparation service, you can also get your tax refund sooner than if you did it on your own.

Have Resources if You Are Audited

Most people dread hearing that they are being audited. However, if you have an accountant on your side, you can ask any questions that you need to. You can prove that you did everything you could to do your taxes correctly, and your accountant can defend any tax records from that year. This can save a lot of headache if you ever find yourself in this situation.

While taxes are not most people's favorite thing to do or think about, it can be easier when you use the right services this year.

4 Reasons You Should Work In Healthcare

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Healthcare contains a broad set of career options that could provide you with a great sense of satisfaction, accomplishment and purpose in your life. Finding a reputable educational provider is one of the elements that can ensure you gain the knowledge and experience you need to take care of others in your chosen field. But to begin with, motivation and inspiration are necessary to help you make the first step towards a career in healthcare. Below are four of many reasons why a career in healthcare is for you.

You’ll Make A Difference

Amongst police officers and firefighters, you'll be a part of the fight that preserves, protects, and treats patients from all backgrounds. With a job in healthcare, you will consistently make positive changes to people's lives for the better. If you're a people person and like to help and care for others, while diagnosing and providing solutions to health problems from homoeopathic medicine to pharmaceutical ailments, the health sector could provide you with a fulfilling career.

Respected and Appreciated

Now, more than ever, the world is appreciating the service healthcare professionals provide, particularly those in need of testing, care, and support because of COVID-19. 

Indeed, people will often remember and respect you more because of the dedication and commitment you've made to your studies whether as a doctor of nursing DNP, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) or a doctor in physical therapy. Each role plays its part in improving the lives of others, and others will appreciate you for this.

Variety of Career Options

With limitless opportunities to work in healthcare, there's bound to be something that piques your interest. The title of a doctor encompasses the opportunity to specialize in a variety of fields, for example, dentistry, psychiatry, or dermatology. The same goes for nurses who may want to angle their career towards specializing in the mental healths sector, midwifery, or qualify to become an anaesthesia nurse.

On the other hand, if you like the idea of travelling, working for the armed forces could be an option. Or, rather than working directly with patients, perhaps you'd prefer a lab-based role, such as testing blood samples for infection. 

With a variety of careers in medicine and healthcare available, it's not usually a concern of whether it's the right field for you, it's more of a case of researching and selecting a specific role within healthcare that suits your personality and career aspirations.

You’ll be in Demand

Healthcare is a necessity for all to thrive and live healthy lives free from pain and physical complications, which is why roles in healthcare will always be in demand. Furthermore, providing you have the willingness to continue learning, by accepting new training opportunities and furthering your education in the healthcare sector, you'll increase your scope for promotions too.

The healthcare sector is teeming with exciting and essential roles for you to work towards and give yourself a bigger purpose in the world. From improving lives to saving them, you can be sure you'll go home each night fulfilled and proud.

Here's How To Prepare To Move Home

Are you thinking about moving home soon? This is always going to be a big decision and with it, there are some important steps to take. By taking the right steps, you can ensure that your home move is less stressful and far easier to cope with overall. Don’t forget, moving home is often ranked as one of the most challenging issues that you can face in adult life. So, it’s important to tackle it the right way. Here are some of the steps that we certainly recommend you consider. 

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Clear Out The Junk

There are a couple of reasons why this should be your first step. When you move home, you will need to hire a moval team and this can be expensive. The less furniture and items you need to move, the cheaper it will become. This means that you can spend more money on other areas such as improving or furnishing the new home that you buy. Furthermore, you can also avoid having to pack up various items that you’re probably going to get rid of in at least a couple of years anyway. Finally, by getting rid of items, you are also going to make your home look far more presentable. This is going to mean it will be easier to attract the attention of the right buyers and hopefully sell your home at a high price. Don’t forget you can hire a company like Dallas Junker to get rid of the extra property for you, saving you both time and effort. 

Fix The Issues

You should then explore your home for any issues and check for repairs that need to be completed. A lot of people will immediately explore renovating a home before they sell. But fixing seemingly minor issues is actually far more important than this. If you fail to fix the small problems that don’t bother you, then your home could be seen as a fixer-upper. That’s going to dramatically impact just how much a buyer might be willing to offer for your property. If you can’t fix the problems yourself, then it’s worth calling a professional to complete the job the right way. If you DIY, you need to make sure that you complete the job to a high standard of quality. Otherwise, you can run into the same problems. 

Let The Neighbors Know

Last but not least, you should let the neighbours that you are selling the home and ask them if they want to be part of the process. They might want to meet some of the potential buyers and buyers will appreciate this too. They like knowing who they are going to be living next door to because that can be part of the package for a home sale. It can be important to make sure that they know that the neighbours are friendly and safe. Again, this can make it more likely that they put down an offer on your property, leading to your home selling faster. 

What To Do If You Think You Have Hearing Loss

For many people, the idea of losing their hearing might seem like a far-off risk, but it is one of the most common causes of disability amongst all adults, and more likely to affect us as we get older. It’s especially likely to affect us if we regularly expose our ears to an unsafe level of sound. But what should you do if you think that you might have hearing loss?

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Get to the bottom of it

If you have any of the symptoms of hearing loss, such as having difficulty making out speech (especially when women or children talk) or having to turn up the TV on a regular basis, then there’s no point relying on guesswork. The sooner you get a definitive answer, the better. Arrange a hearing test and produce an audiogram that will be able to show you the entire range of your own hearing. If there’s no change, then you’re all clear and lose nothing, but if you do have some hearing loss, you can act on it right away.

Look for the right solutions

If you do arrange a hearing test, then it’s important to do it with the right people. Visit an audiologist, as they are not only able to carry out a hearing test, but they are medically trained to diagnose all hearing and ear conditions, as well as to prescribe the solutions you might need. In the vast majority of cases, a hearing aid is going to be the appropriate choice. However, there are many different styles suited to different levels of hearing loss as well as different lifestyles, so it’s worth choosing them with the help of a licensed professional.

Learn more about living with hearing loss

If you get diagnosed with hearing loss and start using hearing aids, it’s important to stay in touch with the audiologist or doctor who helped you fit them. There may be tips they can offer to make your life more convenient, such as recommending rechargeable hearing aids so that you don’t have to spend as much to keep them powered. It’s also important to learn how to take care of your hearing aids so that they last longer without issues like earwax build-up and moisture leading to malfunctions.

Protect against further hearing loss

If you are diagnosed with hearing loss, that doesn’t mean you have to give up. It’s irreversible in most cases, but you can still protect your hearing from further hearing loss. For a start, make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle if you have risk factors that make it more likely that you will suffer hearing loss. If you spend time working in loud environments, consider investing in custom ear protection to decrease the decibels that reach your ears, as well.

Learning more about hearing loss and finding out that you have it might seem a daunting process, but if you catch it early, you can mitigate the impact it has on your life greatly. Follow the tips above and be as proactive as you can.

Why Escaping To The Country Could Be Good For You

If you have been a city slicker for your entire life, you might be craving the peace and quiet of some countryside living. Moving to the country is a very stereotypical thing to do when you hit your mid-thirties, and you’re thinking about settling down to a gentler pace of life. As our kids grow older and we are reconsidering our priorities, we look to the countryside to help us start a new chapter. Rural or village life may sound idyllic, but you need to head on a few long weekends in the country before you make your mind up. Take a look at why escaping to the country could be good for you.

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 Moving Away From Work

Our work lives tend to be more frantic than ever. In the twenty first century, there is greater competition in every industry, and as you rise through the ranks in your career, you will find more responsibilities and stresses intrude on your home life. You might be working long hours, you may have an overbearing boss, and the targets that you are set may be unrealistic. Give yourself some physical distance between you and your work by moving further out into the country. You could even take advantage of a flexible working policy and work from home a little more.

Rural areas may not have cable so you need to source a reputable Internet service provider to give you the speed you need to hook up reliably to Zoom or Skype meetings with your work colleagues. Companies like Viasat have a range of comprehensive plans giving you fast download times and the data allocation that you need.

Open Air

Getting outside in the open air can be good for the soul. Being surrounded by greenery can be great for your mental health as the natural environment can lower your blood pressure, release endorphins and make you feel calmer and more content. Head for a stroll outside of the city, and you will feel your heart rate lower and your mind become less clogged with the stresses of everyday life. You can get the kids away from their video games and into the great outdoors a little more. They will relish spending time with you and enjoy your attention. Have a kickabout with a ball, fly a kite or go on a hike and a picnic.

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More For Your Money

While you might enjoy a small flat or modest house in the city, you can get a lot more for your money in the countryside. You could be swapping a leasehold apartment for a detached dwelling. This can help you get more space for your growing brood. You might have your own garden for your kids to play in. Schools can consist of better quality teaching, crime rates can be lower, and your neighborhood might feel more friendly. People in cities tend to keep themselves to themselves, and the neighborhood spirit isn’t as alive. In the countryside, you will know your neighbors’ names and become friends.

Consider moving to the country to improve your health and start a new life chapter.

Five Tips For First Time Hearing Aid Users

When you’re using a hearing aid for the time, you might find the experience a bit disorienting, especially if your hearing loss has come on gradually. There will be sounds that haven’t heard clearly for a long time, so your brain will need time to readjust to interpreting those sounds. Here are some tips to help first time hearing aid wearers.

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1. Give yourself time. Hearing aids can take some time to get used to. You can’t expect your brain to remember how to hear, identify, and interpret every sound again instantly. Hearing aids can feel a bit strange at first on your ears, but this is perfectly normal. After your hearing aid fitting, it might take a couple of days or even weeks before they feel comfortable.  When you first put on a hearing aid, sit somewhere quiet at home. This will help you to get used to the new sound quality in your home and adjust to the noises you can hear again.

2. Start small. Getting your hearing skills back can take practice. When you first get a hearing aid, start by only wearing it for a few hours a day. If you start to feel tired or overwhelmed, remove them, but try to wear them for a little bit longer each day. The longer you can keep them on, the better you will become at identifying sounds, interpreting voices, and focusing on what you’re hearing.

3. Read aloud. Before you got your hearing aids, you might have been told to stop shouting a lot. When you experience hearing loss, it’s common to talk loudly as you can’t hear your own volume. When you can regulate your own volume again, you might need to practice. A good way to learn to do this is by reading aloud to yourself while wearing the hearing aid. This helps you to get used to an appropriate volume for your speech and will help you learn to recognize the sounds of words and speech again.

4. Pair reading and listening as often as you can. When you’re reading a book, try and read along with the matching audiobook. When watching television, turn the closed captioning on. Reading along with what you’re listening to can help your brain get better reacquainted with associating sounds with the right words and speech.

5. Enlist the help of family and friends. Your loved ones can be very helpful while you are adjusting to your hearing aid. Visit them or ask them to visit you so you can practice speaking comfortably in a group. The practice will help your brain to relearn the associations between sounds, words, and body language. It’s easier to practice with people that you know well, as their familiar voices will be easier for you to identify and understand. Your friends and family can also help by adjusting the volume on your TV. They can set the volume at a comfortable volume to their ears, so you can adjust to these volumes. Don’t turn your TV higher than someone without hearing loss would, or you could cause more damage to your hearing.

Unusual & Unique Gift Ideas

If you are hoping to show that special someone in your life exactly what they mean to you, there are many ways in which you can do that. One way that you should always consider is to find them a gift which they would never have thought you would get, something so unexpected that it really surprises them. Being able to find unusual and unique gifts is something of an art, and of course especially so as you are trying to make sure that your loved one really appreciates it and that it is personal to them. In this article, we are going to look through a few ideas for unusual and unique gifts which you might want to consider for your loved one, so that you can hopefully surprise them in a completely new way.

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Name A Star

If you are looking for something especially romantic, then you might want to consider this one: naming a star after them. If you want to show someone that you really care, you can actually go out and find people who will allow you to name stars for someone you like. What’s more, you can name it more or less whatever you want - and you can ensure that it is a visible star too, meaning that you will be able to point it out to the person on a clear night. Find out more about this unique and romantic gift, and see whether it might be something that goes down well with the special person in your life.

Beer Subscription

Perhaps you are keen to find something for a professional contact, someone that you don’t necessarily know personally all that well but who you do want to do something for. If you have someone like that to buy for, then you might be able to make a good impression by getting them a subscription to a beer club. There are many of these going around at the moment, and you can simply buy that person a year or just six month subscription, so that they have beer delivered to their house once a month or even more often than that. This could be a great surprise, and it’s a gift that few people are likely to want to turn down.

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Indoor BBQ

If you are looking for something for those friends of yours stuck indoors without a garden, then you might want to think about getting them an indoor BBQ. These actually work very well, better than you might think, and they are generally a wonderful way of cooking any kind of protein that you might want to eat. You can even get some which are smokeless, so that people can use them indoors no matter what their situation is without worry. It’s a thoughtful gift during this time of lockdown, and one that you might want to think about if you are keen to surprise someone special and close to your heart.

7 Ways To Manage Your Stress

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Stress is a natural reaction. It is the way that our body gets ready for us to deal with perceived danger. Whether that is us getting chased by a predator thousands of years ago, or going for a job interview in the modern era; stress can give you the edge to fight. 

However, if you’re perceiving danger or threat constantly, and your mind is full of worries, the stress can become uncomfortable. 

You could lose a lot of sleep, and you will have trouble unwinding at home. 

It is essential that you manage your stress. 

Here are seven great ways to help you to lower your stress levels. 

1. Do Lots of Puzzles

Believe it or not, one of the best tools you can buy to help you lower your stress is a sudoku magazine. By completing puzzles that require a high level of concentration, you will be able to keep your brain active, while taking your mind off the thoughts that cause you to stress in the first place. 

2. Take Some Exercise

Exercise is a great way of lowering stress because it increases the levels of endorphins in your body. 

Endorphins are a feel-good hormone, so they’ll make you feel positive. 

Find a physical activity that you enjoy. Build up the frequency that you perform this activity. 

3. Perform Deep Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing is an excellent way to calm yourself down when you’re stressed. 

Breathe in slowly through your nose over the count of four. Then, hold your breath for five seconds. Then, breathe out slowly through your mouth over the count of six. 

Repeat this for a few minutes.

4. Try Meditation 

In much the same way as deep breathing can help to calm you down, meditation will also help to ground you at the same time. 

Find a quiet spot and sit or lay in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and breathe in and out gently. Focus all of your attention on your breath. 

Meditation takes some practice, so if it feels odd on your first attempt, don’t give up;  it may get easier in the future. 

5. Use Journaling 

Journaling involves writing about your life. Write down everything that bothers you throughout your day. All of this will help you to process your emotions in a positive and constructive manner. 

6. Harness the Power of Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations mean writing down things about yourself that you are happy with. Or, writing down positive statements about your life right now. 

This might be writing down something that you’re good at, or focusing on a nice thing that someone has said to you. 

7.Learn Your Triggers

Stress is often triggered by similar occurrences. You might find that the things that make you the most stressed will be recurring problems. 

Learn to identify these. Make a note whenever you are stressed about what has happened to make you feel this way. Then, look for patterns. You might not be able to cut that stressor out of your life, but you might be able to manage it better. 

5 Key Considerations To Keep in Mind When Choosing a Dentist

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Choosing a dentist is one of the most important decisions that you can make. And one that could have a significant impact on your dental health in the future if you choose incorrectly. 

It’s therefore important to sit down and conduct thorough research before you settle on one. As part of this process, there are several considerations that you must keep in mind from the beginning.

To help guide you and ensure you’re on the right path, here are 5 of them:

1. The Cost 

One of the key considerations is the cost of the dentist. This not only includes how much it will cost you for a routine checkup but for any potential treatments that you need to have done over the years. Dental appointments are vital, so you want to ensure that the dentist that you’re looking at sits within your budget. 

Of course, many dental practices will offer a payment plan and some treatments may be covered under insurance. But by using this consideration as a key point of comparison you’ll be able to make a decision more efficiently. 

2. Experience

Another key consideration is the experience that the dentist has had in the field. A factor that matters greatly when it comes to your oral health, you need to have the peace of mind that they know what they are doing. 

The more experience they have, the better they will be at helping you with a condition or procedure. To discover this, spend some time looking on their website to see what accreditation they have and what others say about them. 

3. Services That They Offer

Before deciding which dental practice you should register at, pay attention to what services they offer. Do they provide a wide range of services? Or do they only cater for some treatments/conditions? Typically, a high-quality dentist will not only provide emergency treatments (such as emergency crowns or fillings) but gum surgery, bonding, etc. 

4. Education and Qualifications 

Following on from number 2, as part of identifying their experience in dentistry, you should also look out for what qualifications and education they have completed. It’s important to know that all qualified dentists should have attended dental school. 

If they are a specialized dentist, such as a dental hygienist, they should have also carried out other related certifications after completing dental school.

5. Ask for Referrals

Along with reading testimonials on their website, it’s a good idea to seek further reviews from third-party sites or those you know who use their services. This gives you an authentic insight into what current patients think of their work and whether it’s the right decision for you. 

Once you’ve done this, you can then call each of the dentists on your shortlist and request a consultation appointment. Through this initial meeting, you’ll be able to analyze their skills and experience, as well as getting a useful insight into how comfortable you feel around them – which is essential.

Final Thoughts

So, there you go! Those are 5 key considerations that you should keep at the forefront of your mind when choosing a dentist for you and your family. All valid points, you can use these before settling on the most suitable dentist for you.

Five Road Safety Tips You'll Need

Being a safe driver is probably one of the most important things to be when you're on the road. You can be behind the wheel and in control of your actions, but how do you control the actions of others? You can't. Instead, you need to make sure that you don't take your safety for granted and you watch the road at all times. 

Did you know that in one area, more than 65,000 were injured as a result of car accidents? This is a figure that’s far too high and you don't want to be part of the statistics. It’s so easy to be comfortable behind the wheel and make good judgements, but it requires you to be as safe as possible. You cannot be a safe driver, however, without being aware of your actions. Here are five road safety tips you'll need while you’re behind the wheel of the car.

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1. You should never drive when you’re tired. So many people think that being tired is just for those who drive long distances consistently. It’s not the case, not when you could be tired from work. Long hours or shift work make you more likely to fall asleep at the wheel, too. Being tired slows down your reaction times, and you need to think about the signs of fatigue, too, to know if it’s a problem. Caffeine, taking regular breaks and driving with concentration can help you massively to remain safe on the road.

2. You must focus on the road ahead. It may feel like a harmless activity to send a text or change the music on the radio. The thing is, that moment of distraction could cost you and send you off the road. You need to be able to react to hazards and all of your focus should be there and not on the music or your phone.

3. It's not rocket science, but drinking and driving? It’s a big no-no. You need to be as alert as possible on the road, and not putting alcohol into your bloodstream, slowing down your reaction times and fluffing your ability to concentrate.

4. Keeping an eye on the weather may be something you do for your day to day life, but you should consider that the weather can change the condition of the road. You shouldn't speed up, shift lanes or squeeze through traffic if you’re expecting storms and icy roads. It’s vital that you stay aware of the conditions of the road around you so that you can make the best decisions.

5. Driving defensively is so important when you are on the road. You need to be alert and ensure that you are keeping yourself focused on your driving while being aware of other people on the road. You can avoid accidents by giving others time on the road as much as your own time. Signalling early is a must, too, and it's respectful of other drivers to let them know your actions.

Staying safe isn’t hard to do if you are aware of your own actions. Start today and be better on the road!

My Best Ex-Boyfriend (最佳前男友) : A Series Review

Here I go again with my addiction with soap operas staring my favorite Asian superstar, Jerry Yan! I have actually watched this series four times and would love to have some free time to watch it all over again. Yes, it is that good!

My Best Ex-Boyfriend is a  Chinese TV series of 42 episodes, released in 2015. Before I go on discussing drool-worthy scenes in this series, let me start off by introducing you to the superb cast.

My Best Ex Boyfriend is a series that will make you want to binge watch till the end. Every episode has its twists and turns and plays with your emotions. Honestly, there were episodes which made me want to jump into the story!

Plot Summary:

Li Tang and Fu Fang Si were sweethearts in university. Cheng Xiang Nan was Fu Fang Si's classmate and no matter how hard she tried, she could not beat Fu Fang Si's talent in design. Her anger and envy took roots when they were still students.

After graduation, Li Tang and Fu Fang Si started a small fashion studio, called Fancy. Li Tang's father was not in favor of this and he disliked Fang Si because she declined an offer to work overseas, which in turn made Li Tang to decide to stay by her side and work on this small business instead of going abroad to work on the family business.

A year after starting the business, Li Tang sold the business which made Fang Si really upset that it made her decide to break up with him. 

Cheng Xiang Nan broke up with her boyfriend Yin Hao Ran because of her ambitions of fame and fortune once she gets her foot into the modeling industry. She said she will never get out of poverty if she continues her relationship with Hao Ran. This was also upon the prodding of her mother who wanted her daughter to become rich, whatever it takes. 

Fast forward to six years - Fu Fang Si has built a career on own, maintaining the same label, Fancy. She was invited by Yin Hao Ran to join a fashion show to present her creations. Cheng Xiang Nan is now a super-model in the industry and the top asset for Don Juan, a fashion company owned by Li Tang. Fang Si and Xiang Nan's paths cross again and the hatred flares up, especially when Xiang Nan ripped Fang Si's dress into pieces. 

Fang Si gets rave reviews from the show, secures a contract from Qiao Rui Si to market her designs. Suddenly, Li Tang appears. Fang Si and Li Tang's eyes meet, but would only cause Fang Si so much pain because Li Tang proposed marriage to Xiang Nan right there and then, shifting the media's attention from Fang Si to Li Tang and Xiang Nan.

Conflict after conflict arises, which would really make you want to watch the next episode and the episode after that. The series will show some dirty tactics of a well respected businessman, eliminating any small company that poses a threat. There is greed, lust for money and fame, misunderstanding, and the relationship between a father and his son. The series also highlights the determination and courage of Fang Si to get her label to be known. The relationship of lovers and ex-lovers are worth watching. It makes you really wonder who will end up with who.

I would really want to discuss more about the plot, but I would rather stop here, so that you will watch the series yourself. I promise you, it will be worth your time. 

My Favorite Dialogues:

Hao Ran: Are you waiting for Li Tang or just commemorating your past?

Fang Si: Actually, there isn't much to commemorate. Six years ago today, I texted him to end our relationship. Six years later, today, the pin he gave me is now broken.

Hao Ran: Fang Si, let bygones be bygones! How many six years does a person have? Fang Si, please put an end to what happened in the past today. Today, Cui Can went public. There is nothing you should feel sorry for about him! The broken pin is a sign from God that you should live for yourself!

Fang Si: For him, today is the end. For me, I will try again tomorrow.

Hao Ran: What?

Fang Si: As soon as sent that text, I regretted it. I sent him another text later, to tell him to wait for me here on the second day. I waited for him the whole day. My mom was with me too. But he suddenly disappeared, just like this time, and never showed up again. After losing the store, he kept waiting for me downstairs at my home. I didn't want to see him. I didn't give him the chance to explain, either. But when I actually sent that short text, I found myself in greater pain. I only lasted for four hours, and then I surrendered. I didn't want to leave him. 

Hao Ran: Fang Si, can you get a grip on yourself? He isn't worth it!

Fang Si: Its not about whether its worth it, or not! It's not about being willing, or not! I know he is selfish, childish and sometimes unreasonable! Actually, I'm not that strong either! I'm a coward! I haven't been able to admit that I can't leave him!

********

Li Tang: My dear Fu Fang Si and schoolmate! Do you know how furious you made me sometimes? I really hated you! I didn't want to see you again in my lifetime! Do you know how hard it was to handle you and get along with you? 

But I love you very much. So, will you marry me? 

I know that in the past, I was very childish and immature. I didn't do a lot of things well, and made you sad. I was a hateful person. I want to use the rest of my life -- I will definitely use my life to work hard and be very serious, not to be a childish person, and protect and love you. So give me this chance and marry me, alright? 

Let me put this ring on you. Will you be with this childish guy for the rest of your life? 

Fang Si: I will.

********

Xiang Nan: I heard Fang Si opened a new studio and that you helped her out a lot. I also heard you're setting up a press conference for her.

Li Tang: This is a private matter between me and Fang Si. Shouldn't it be none of your business?

Xiang Nan: You're right. You don't have Tang Huang, but you have Li Corporation. Boss Li is really wealthy. I wonder if your father found out you spent so much money on it what would he think?

Li Tang: My dad is now very supportive of my relationship with Fang Si. He already approved our marriage so the wedding should happen soon. Because we're working together, I should invite you, but because I fear you'll wreck the ceremony, I decided not to. Li Corporation and NSH's collaboration is about to hit the market soon. Hence, I think we should focus on our business.

Xiang Nan: Li Tang, don't act like you're calm. I ruined your father and I ruined you. You have lost Tang Huang. Fu Fang Si's many years of efforts have also gone to waste! You should hate me and hope that I will go down the eighteen stairs of hell.

Li Tang: Hate you? You are insignificant to me now. Boss Cheng, you still don't understand the current situation? Its only business between us now. Other than that, you are insignificant to me. 

My Review:

Jerry Yan once again plays the role of a rich kid - impulsive, childish, but with a soft spot in his heart for the people he truly cares for. His acting is commendable. He really gets into the character he portrays. I'm not saying this because I am a big fan of his. Jerry is a really good actor. In his role as Li Tang, he was able to pull off an image of a young entrepreneur who is charming, playful and cool, squashing the stereotype of a boss who is straight faced and wears a suit to work every day. As for his outfits in the series, some were quirky looking, although I accept it as such, because his business is in the fashion industry. 

This is the first soap opera where I got to watch Maggie Jiang. Such a pretty lady and likewise a great actress. Her facial expressions are perfect in every scene. Like Jerry, she really got into the character of Fu Fang Si. During some scenes when I could feel the hurt she suffered, I just really wanted to "get into the series" and give her a hug to comfort her. Maggie was the perfect choice for the role - charming, naive, but headstrong in her will to achieve her dreams. 

I was doubtful of Yin Hao Ran from the very start of the series. Ron Ng portrayed the typical "wolf in sheep's clothing." He did things that put Fang Si's career in trouble. He is a cunning businessman and would do anything for profit. It was only towards the end of the series that he made amends to his mistakes. 

Cheng Xiang Nan (Viola Mi) is the baddest villainess ever! I really wanted to pull her hair and drag her out of the series. Seriously! And all those evil things she did for money! She epitomizes that saying, "Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned." There really must be people like this in real life, and I hope I don't get to meet them! 

This series is all about lost love, misunderstanding, deceit, chasing dreams, filial piety, and rekindling a love that was never supposed to have been lost in the first place. It also gives viewers an insight of the problems that business executives face in dealing with market competition - sometimes up to the point that relationships are tainted, trust is lost, and love is set aside. 

I highly recommend you watch this series. I am positive that after you've watched it, you will believe that true love is worth the wait.

Hungry for more Jerry Yan? Check out these other posts:

1. The Forbidden Flower - Series Review + Memorable lines

2. Loving Never Forgetting - Synopsis + Series Review 

3. Meteor Garden Season 3 - Fan Fiction (5 Part Series)

Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy For Dogs: What It Is And How It Is Treated

As a dog owner, nothing is more frightening than the idea of your little friend developing health issues. While we all want our pets to be safe and healthy, there are some medical issues that we cannot protect them from and they will appear no matter what we do to stop it. One of those issues is hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD), otherwise known as bone inflammation, and as you can see here, it usually affects larger breeds.

When some of those medical issues arise, it is our responsibility to ease our pup’s symptoms, help them overcome the problem and lead a better-quality life. The owners are the ones who need to take proper care of the animal and simply ignoring the symptoms is the worst thing you could do. If you suspect that your pup might be suffering from this condition, then read on to find out what it actually is and how it can be treated.

What Is Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD) And What Causes It?

This is a medical condition that affects the bones of large breed puppies. It is usually developed between the second and the seventh week of their lives and it is closely connected to their fast growth. While this is a condition that is usually simply outgrown by canines, there are instances in which it could lead to permanent damage and deformed legs.

The most common symptoms of this condition include pain and swelling in the joints, loss of appetite, and lameness, as well as fever and diarrhea. While you might not be able to do much about it until the pup grows and beats the disease on its own, you definitely want to ease its symptoms and help it any way you can. There is a new, popular way of treating this, but we will get to that later.

If you want to jump to the new treatment plan immediately, here you go: https://petcbdcommunity.com/cbd-for-dogs-hypertrophic-osteodystrophy/ 

The cause of this medical condition is still not perfectly clear. While some experts think it has to do with a lack of vitamin C, others believe that it might be the dog’s response to vaccination. This lack of evidence makes it almost impossible to think in advance and prevent the development of HOD. All you can do is treat it if it occurs.

If you believe to have noticed some of these symptoms in your little pet, the best thing you can do is take it to the vet. A professional will know how to diagnose the pup properly, as well as tell you what you should do about it. Once again, the worst thing you can do is simply ignore the problem and wait for it to disappear. I suppose you wouldn’t be able to watch your pup suffer like that.

How Is It Treated?

Now we have come to the treatment part. This condition is usually treated with anti-inflammatory medication and there seems to be a perfect product on the market ready to help your little puppy with the symptoms of HOD. I am talking about a compound called Cannabidiol (CBD) and the products derived from it.

Cannabidiol is a compound extracted from the hemp plant, which comes from the family of cannabis. Although the plant is related to cannabis, neither hemp, nor CBD products are psychoactive or toxic for your animal. In other words, the products are perfectly safe for animal consumption and they have proved to be highly effective in the treatment of hypertrophic osteodystrophy and similar conditions. 

The reason CBD is so great in the process of treating HOD is because it has anti-inflammatory properties and it is a perfect pain management tool. As we have already established, when your pup develops HOD, it will feel a lot of pain, swelling, and inflammation in its joints. Those are all the symptoms that can be successfully eased with the help of CBD.

While you might not be able to get rid of this condition immediately, CBD is your best shot at helping your dog by relieving its symptoms and consequently improving its quality of life. I know you definitely want what’s best for your doggie and in this case, the best you can do is ease the pain and inflammation. CBD can help you do that.