Poor Health Can Come From Ineffective Breathing, And How To Do It Right

Lack of Oxygen

It is widely known that we wouldn’t be able to survive without oxygen. It is so due to the fact that all of our organs feed on it to function properly, especially our brain and our heart. In order to keep our overall health intact, enough oxygen needs to be passed to all our organs, and all carbon dioxide needs to be exhaled.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and as a result, we develop a condition called respiratory failure. Minor cases of the condition are manifested by shortness of breath, rapid breathing, and in more severe cases, patients can experience confusion and sleepiness. Many respiratory diseases and injuries affecting respiratory organs can cause lack of oxygen in our body, yet in most cases of respiratory failure, the reason is actually because of our improper way of breathing.

Shallow vs. Deep Breathing

Most people fall into the category of shallow breathers, since they take short, shallow, chest breaths. Usually caused by inactivity, muscle stiffness, and poor posture, shallow breathing does tremendous damage to our overall health. Since we are not utilizing our entire lung capacity, residual carbon dioxide remains inside causing fatigue, respiratory sluggishness, and diminished tissue function.

On the other hand, deep breathing helps our lungs to function properly by providing our organs with blood rich in oxygen. It also clears airways and helps dispel residue from our lungs making us feel more energized altogether.

How to do it right?

By now we are well informed about the importance of proper breathing. Here we will deal with the techniques anyone can do at home in order to prevent more serious respiratory failure. Even though our lungs are not muscles, they need to exercise too.

Pranayama deep breath exercises provide great solution for those who need to improve their breathing habits. You get to feel great in the process too since the movements and breaths it involves are known to help to awaken life force energy – Prana. By implementing three Pranayama exercises, you will improve gas exchange and enhance energy levels.

1. Breath of fire

Sit with your legs crossed and back straight. Your arms are resting on our knees with hands facing up. Breathe energetically through your nose pumping your navel.

2. Kapalabhati

This is a variation of Breath of fire with more focus on the exhale with your arms stretched in the air. Breathe from your abdomen.

3. Bhastrika

This warrior breath pumping requires you to lift your arms in the air as you inhale, and lower your elbows to touch your ribs as you exhale saying “Hah”. Again, breathe deeply from the abdomen.

If you are interested in seeing these breathing exercises in practice, we suggest you taking a look at this video below:

The post Poor Health Can Come From Ineffective Breathing, And How To Do It Right appeared first on Lifehack.

from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2g9Jizu

90% Of Skin Changes Are Caused By The Sun - Choose The Best Sunscreen

90% of skin changes are all caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. There are two kinds of UV rays to worry about – UV-A and UV-B. Most sunscreens work on minimizing the effect of UV-B rays, which are linked to skin cancer. But studies have also shown that UV-A rays not only increase skin cancer risk, but also causes wrinkles. In fact, as per the Environmental Protection Agency, most of the skin changes related to ageing are due to exposure to the sun’s rays.

But does this mean you should become a vampire and live indoors? Inadequate exposure to the sun also reduces your vitamin D levels, which means you don’t necessarily have to strike out sunbathing off your schedule. The trick is to get the optimum sun exposure – with the right protection of course. And this is where sunscreens come in. In fact it has already been proven that regular application of sunscreen prevents melanoma.

Image Courtesy of StokPic.

Common Misconception About Sunscreen

You may have been brainwashed into thinking that when you buy sunscreen, you should only check the SPF rating and higher the value, the better protection you have. But that’s a common misconception. The SPF or sun protection value only indicates how well it will work against UV-B rays, conveniently leaving out UV-A rays.

As per David J. Leffell, MD, professor of dermatology and surgery at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn, “A few years ago, choosing a good sunscreen meant you just looked for a high sun protection factor (SPF) — which rates how well the sunscreen protects against one type of cancer-causing UV ray, ultraviolet B (UVB.) SPF refers to blockage of UVB rays only.”

The Sunscreen Checklist

Choosing a sunscreen is no laughing matter. Not only do you have to factor in both UV-A and UV-B rays, you need to choose a product to match your health and habits. Here’s a brief checklist.

1. When in doubt, go for SPF 15 or higher. This basically means if you’re likely to get a burn in 10 minutes, SPF 15 will protect you for 150 minutes. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, a higher SPF is recommended. However don’t be beguiled by numbers. An SPF 30 might save you for a longer duration but it filters out 97% of UV-B compared to SPF-15’s 93%.

2. Look for these ingredients. This is for the UV-A rays. Keep an eye out for at least one of the following compounds – ecamsule, avobenzone, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, sulisobenzone, or zinc oxide. While ecamsule is perhaps the most expensive, you can always go for zinc oxide or titanium dioxide if you’re on a budget.

Image courtesy of StokPic.

3. Take a look at your exercise habits. If you’re an athlete or a swimmer, get a sunscreen that is resistant to water and sweat.

4. Choose milder sunscreens for kids or if you have a skin allergy. If you have very sensitive skin that is easily irritated by chemicals, go for sunscreens without para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and benzephenones like dioxybenzone, oxybenzone, or sulisobenzone and instead contain the tried and trusted zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

And finally, don’t judge a sunscreen by the brand. Buy one that fits your needs, use it for some time and if it works well, stick to it.

Featured photo credit: Ed Gregory via stokpic.com

The post 90% Of Skin Changes Are Caused By The Sun – Choose The Best Sunscreen appeared first on Lifehack.

from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2g9JHlx

How Ginger Is An Effective Natural Remedy To Protect Us From Flu

Most often when we realize that the symptoms we are experiencing point to a flu, our first reaction is to look for medicine that provides a quick relief. Yet, at some point in our lives, we search for natural, home-made alternatives on how to treat flu. Soon we would realize that these natural remedies serve as a reliable solution as well since not only they ease the symptoms, but they also do not have the side effects brought by medicine. One of the most sought-after remedy for flu is ginger.

Ginger as a Natural Remedy for Flu

Thanks to its active components of gingerols and shogaols, ginger helps to relieve the common flu symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, headache, and dry cough. The anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory nature of the plant also makes it an effective relief for pain, irritation, and discomfort that usually accompany flu.

Moreover, given that its active components work mainly in the stomach and intestines, ginger can help prevent indigestion and restore the appetite of patients with flu. Just a hot ginger tea can warm the stomach and lungs of patients, stimulating their appetite.

Ginger is known for a great solution for treating flu as it also eases respiratory problems. Its expectorant properties help to restore the proper functioning of the respiratory system. As a great antioxidant, ginger stimulates sweating which helps to get rid of the toxins from the body. This ultimately helps prevent the infection.

How to Treat The Flu with Ginger

Now that we have learned all health benefits of ginger, it is time to learn how to treat the flu using it.

One of the most effective ways to treat dry cough accompanied by flu is to make ginger tea from fresh grated ginger:

1. Mix 1/8 tsp. of fresh grated ginger with juice made from a half of a squeezed lemon.
2. Boil it in a pot with one cup of water.
3. After it boils, pour it in a cup and leave for five minutes.
4. Add 1 tbsp. of honey and drink warm.

Another often used recipe for respiratory problems caused by flu is ginger steam:

1. Prepare a bowl of steaming water while you cut few slices of fresh ginger.
2. Add the slices into the water and take a towel to cover your head and the bowl during the inhalation process.
3. Make sure to leave enough space between your face and the bowl.

It is always a great idea to mix ginger with honey and lemon since their combined ingredients help treat all flu symptoms. For best results, mix 1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger with the squeezed juice of one fresh lemon. Add 1 tablespoon of honey to the juice and stir them well. Drink it once a day for quick flu relief.

Finally, it is important to note that while homemade natural remedies provide significant relief with mild signs of flu, they should be used as preventive measures during flu season and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical opinion. In case of serious flu symptoms that last long, you should see the doctor for help.

Featured photo credit: https://unsplash.com/ via unsplash.com

The post How Ginger Is An Effective Natural Remedy To Protect Us From Flu appeared first on Lifehack.

from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2g9NIqj

10 Reasons Why WooCommerce Is The Best Solution For Emerging Businesses

If you are an entrepreneur and want to set up an online business, you can choose from a variety of platforms and find the one that really suits you best. Each platform offers several features and has advantages as well as disadvantages of its own.

From among the several e-commerce platforms that you can find in the market these days, WooCommerce has come up as a frontrunner for emerging businesses in the last few years. Here are 10 reasons why WooCommerce is the best solution for emerging businesses.

1. It’s free

E-commerce has revolutionized the way people do business by providing a platform to do business online. Many e-commerce platforms provide high quality service to their users. But good things comes at a price and it’s not surprising that these platforms are quite expensive.

Lucky for us, WooCommerce is totally free to download. In addition, it has plethora of features such as extensions, plugins and much more. Now, you can boost your emerging business and the best thing is it doesn’t cost you anything. Moreover, its features and flexibility is second to none even though it is free.

2. WordPress plugin

WordPress is one of the most popular CMS platforms in the world. It’s a fact that among top one million websites, half of the websites are based on WordPress. Moreover, up to 60 million websites use it.

If you are a user of WordPress, you will have no problem using WooCommerce platform. Besides, it is quite user friendly. As a result, it will be a great help in new business because it helps save time and you can give your full concentration in other important problems at hand.

3. It’s flexible

WooCommerce is free but it does not mean it is rigid. In fact, it is one of the most flexible platforms for online businesses. A novice in the arena of e-commerce can greatly benefit from this platform despite having lack of technical knowledge in the field. It allows you lot of flexibility with products.

For instance, you can categorize the product, fix its price and give many other independent characteristics to the product easily. Moreover, you will have no problem selling your products, whether they are virtual, physical, downloadable, or affiliate products.

4. Marketing

Marketing is a key aspect of any business as it helps to increase the sales and the growth of novel businesses. Hence, no compromises can be made in marketing field in order to have a successful business.

What does WooCommerce offer? With WooCommerce, you can run many promotions. For instance, you can run coupon campaigns and add discount options and free shipping options. Other advance options include limiting of a number of product that a customer can buy and ostracizing selected customers from viewing promotions.

5. Customization options

If you are new to e-commerce and want your site to stand out from others, WooCommerce might just be what you need. WooCommerce lets you customize your online store with great freedom.

First, it has more than 40 themes you can choose from and most of them are free. You can simply access them with the help of WooTheme store. It also allows you to change preset CSS styles and color themes. Hence, you can modify the code and experience special features of each theme easily with WooCommerce.

6. Easy payment modes

After you seal a deal in your transactions, you receive money in exchange for goods and services. This requires payment gateway in ec-ommerce. WooCommerce has built in payment gateways. You can receive money through either PayPal or Simplifying Commerce in WooCommerce. However, a fee will be charged for the transaction.

On the bright side, it’s one of the most secure payment modes, so customers could buy without any hesitation. Moreover, you won’t need a merchant account to receive payment as WooCommerce is integrated with PayPal. If you have PayPal account you can simply receive payments and transfer the money to your bank account.

7. Easy analytic tool

Analytic tool is one of the core tools used by website owners. Most amateurs don’t know how to use analytic system. As a result, it will really impede the progress of emerging business. They are also unaware about the field of research that requires detailed analysis.

WooCommerce users don’t need to worry about such things because it has an in-built analytic system. With its use, one can access the figures of total sale, sale by date, average order and much more. They are presented in graphs and there is no need to leave the admin panel to access it.

8. Paid add-ons

As businesses grow, some might overgrow their e-commerce platform. This is because the requirements for the site becomes more complex. If you are a WooCommerce user, you don’t need to worry about the problem. You can select premium add-ons from a huge array of selections. This will support many functions ranging from complex shipping arrangements to accounting and marketing.

9. It’s stable

Stability is the key for success of any business. WooCommerce is one of the most stable e-commerce platforms in the world. Compared to other e-commerce platforms, it has a very low number of bugs.

After its initial release in September 2011, it has been successful in establishing its reputation for being stable. Even though its first version lacked proper functionality, this has been overcome in its successor. Furthermore, the development team of WooCommerce is always working on perfection.

10. Customer support

WooCommerce customer support is one of the remarkable features of WooCommerce. They can guide you during the installation process, web designing and many more. You could always ask support from Customer Support and Tech Support.

In addition, you could also consult the FAQs, its ever expanding community, and video tutorials if you want to solve your issue yourself. An emerging business needs all the support it can get and WooCommerce’s Customer Support gives you just that.

Featured photo credit: Pexels via static.pexels.com

The post 10 Reasons Why WooCommerce Is The Best Solution For Emerging Businesses appeared first on Lifehack.

from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2g9JZcl

7 Best Instant Messaging Apps for iOS Devices

There are around two million apps today in the App Store, and filtering out the best among all the other apps can be difficult, especially when you’re presented with a lot of choices. When choosing a messaging app, you want an app that enables you to contact people wherever and whenever you need to. It has to have good security and privacy, along with latest and most useful social trend models.

Instead of randomly downloading the next cool-looking app, I’ll help you narrow down your choices to make sure you’re getting what you really need. Here are the seven best messaging apps for your iOS device:

1. WhatsApp

As of February 2016, WhatsApp reached one billion users, making it the most popular instant messaging application. After Facebook’s acquisition of the messaging app for $19 billion a couple of years ago, WhatsApp no longer charged its $1 annual subscription, making it free of charge for users worldwide. It works across both platforms, making it easy to contact your friends with Android devices. You can also send photos, audios, and videos on individual or group chats. WhatsApp emojis are color adjustable and new updates enable users to format text and tag people.

Get the App : iTunes, Google Play, PC (WebWhatsapp)

2. Messenger

With messenger, all your FB friends and people in your phone book are now simply a message away. Messenger has a lot of cool features such as adorable sticker packs, emoticons, and gifs you can embed in every message. Today, Messenger is more than just a chatting platform. Earlier this year, the app launched new free tools that allow users to send money through Messenger and video chat with people. It also has its own desktop client, making it suitable not only for personal but also business use.

Get the App : iTunes, Google Play , Desktop App

3. iMessage

This is seemingly the obvious choice for iOS users everywhere. Its only downfall is that it isn’t a cross platform app. But iMessage is one of the best instant messaging apps with the best cool features. In the latest versions, they’ve added stickers and “bubble effects” on your messages. Another cool feature is the “Invisible Ink” which blurs your message until the recipient uncovers it in, making it less likely to be read over somebody’s shoulder.

With iMessage, you can also send various screen effects like a downpour of balloons, fireworks and even shooting stars across your friend’s screen. You can send all your basic media as well as hand-written notes and photos you’ve drawn on. Any links you send will show up as a preview in the chat itself.

Get the App : Apple.com, iMessage for Windows

4. Snapchat

Snapchat is unique as a social media app. This is mainly due to the fact that all messages are temporary and disappear after they have been read. This app is all about fun and casual conversations. It works on both Android and iOS.There are tons of features on this app and the developers are constantly adding more. They’re also well known for their filters that make photo sending a blast. There are also filters for your videos, enabling you to play them in slow motion or in reverse! You can send all the standard media files that you would on any other messaging app and can even send photos during calls.

Get the App : Google Play, iTunes

5. Kik

Kik is a wildly popular cross-platform app that has over 90 million users globally. Kik allows sending files, links, hand-drawn doodles, and even memes! It’s continually improving and giving users fun functions. Kik is good for anonymous messaging as it does not need your email address or your phone number to be shown to contacts. Kik only allows users to be added as “friend” by searching their username.

Get the App : iTunes, Google Play

6. Viber

Viber is another free messenger that allows users to chat and connect with people all over the world. While this dual platform app is not as popular as the other messaging apps, it is the top app of choice in many countries. Australia, for example, uses Viber more than any messaging app. Similar to WhatsApp in features, Viber enables people to create group chats, send videos, music, photos, audio and voice notes.

Get the App: iTunes, Google Play

7. Google Allo

One of the newest free smart messaging apps on the market, Google Allo is available on all platforms. This app has a built-in text bot called “Google Assistant” that has been cleverly designed to answer queries like a virtual assistant. This app gives users the ability to search conversations and includes many features of trending messaging apps like stickers, doodles, and emoji features.

Get the App: iTunes, Google Play

Featured photo credit: Clem Onojeghuo via unsplash.com

The post 7 Best Instant Messaging Apps for iOS Devices appeared first on Lifehack.

from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2fPbGmM

The 5 Most Effective Beauty Treatments That Don't Require Surgery

If you’re dissatisfied with your appearance, you’re not alone. Since 2000, plastic surgery procedures in the United States have increased by 110 percent. In 2015, 15.9 million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed,

But a change to your body doesn’t have to involve significant surgical risk. There are an increasing variety of minimally invasive or surgery-free procedures and beauty treatments available for patients interested in improving their appearance without going under the knife.

Procedures ranging from skin treatments to laser resurfacing to injections. Although the effects of minimally invasive procedures typically take longer or are less dramatic, they’re often better suited to a more natural appearance for patients who don’t want their procedures to be visibly obvious.

1. Botox injections

The most well-known minimally invasive procedure is undoubtedly Botox. This popular toxin injection reduces wrinkles and fine lines, smoothing out facial features marred by age. The procedure works by blocking muscular nerve signals, preventing them from contracting and keeping your skin smooth.

Although Botox is popular for its effectiveness and simplicity, often requiring little more than a needle injection, some patients—approximately 1 in 200—develop a resistance to the toxin and its effectiveness over several years of long-term use. However, for the other 199 patients, the procedure remains effective and a lower-cost way of treating wrinkles and signs of aging.

2. Laser skin resurfacing

Lasers are a popular tool in non-invasive beauty procedures. Laser skin resurfacing helps users reduce wrinkles, liver spots, uneven skin tones, signs of sun damage and scars, as though giving you a new layer of skin.

There are two kinds of laser skin resurfacing procedures. One is less invasive than the other, but both involve surface-level treatment. A wounding laser removes thin layers of skin to rejuvenate it. A non-wounding laser stimulates collagen growth and tightens the skin underneath. Although it’s less effective, it also has a shorter healing time.

3. Laser liposuction

Laser liposuction is an alternative to traditional liposuction that avoids invasive surgery to remove fat. Studies have found that the procedures effectively “liquefies fatty tissue, coagulates small blood vessels, induces collagenesis with remodeling, and promotes tissue tightening,” making it a useful procedure for those looking for minimally invasive body sculpting.

Laser liposuction is not the only non-surgical liposuction procedure, although it is one of the most effective. Patients can also turn to ultrasound liposuction, radiofrequency liposuction and cryolipolysis, or the use of cryogenic freezing to remove fat cells.

4. Laser hair removal

One exceptionally popular procedure for both men and women is laser hair removal. This carefully aimed treatment seeks to remove unwanted body hair permanently by damaging the hair follicles’ ability to produce new growth.The process burns the follicle at the root, and works best on those with light skin and dark hair.

Studies have found laser hair removal safe as long as it’s performed by a medically trained professional, which it isn’t always performed by. Be sure to check that the person performing your procedure has a medical license and is trained to perform the procedure.

5. Soft-tissue fillers

Dermal fillers are an alternative to Botox that help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles in your face. They work by replacing the fat naturally present in our faces that thins with age. Without this fat, your faces loses some of its natural shape and contour. Dermal fillers, which can be viewed as a no pain facelift, can also be used for lip injections, increasing cheekbone prominence and reducing the appearance of scars.

For all of these procedures, a doctor is likely to emphasize that only certain patients who meet certain characteristics are suited for these procedures, and not everyone will get the results they want. They will also caution patients to be realistic about their goals, as non-invasive procedures can only do so much above the muscle to improve one’s physical shape.

However, with a good doctor and a positive outlook, you can find an appropriate minimally invasive procedure to improve the parts of your body you wish looked just a bit better.

Featured photo credit: Adobe Stock via flickr.com

The post The 5 Most Effective Beauty Treatments That Don’t Require Surgery appeared first on Lifehack.

from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2fPbGDe

5 Hidden Costs of New Homes All Buyers Should Know

Buying a home is a daunting prospect for many, but it is a well-known truism that it is better to buy a home than rent one. When you rent a place, you are just throwing money away while buying a home is an investment that will hopefully pay off.

But that comforting logic starts to fall short when you consider the hidden costs of owning a home. Just as an individual moving out of his parents’ home must deal with responsibilities he never considered before – like cooking – a homeowner must consider additional costs and expenses that he did not have to worry about when renting. Here are five such expenses to consider and advice on how you can reduce their cost.

1. Home inspections

The first hidden costs show up before you even close a deal. You can take a look at the house all you want beforehand, but many lenders will require you to hire a professional home inspector before you sign. Even if the lender does not, you should hire one anyways. A professional home inspector can make sure that your home does not have any sudden surprises such as poor wiring or a termite infestation, and require that the seller fixes those problems.

Hiring a professional home inspector can cost a couple hundred dollars, but it can save you a great deal and prevent you from buying a faulty home. Just be prepared to eat the initial expense.

2. Closing costs

You inspected the home, found that everything is good, and have your offer accepted. Then you find out that you have to pay an additional few thousand dollars up front in the form of closing costs. Closing costs are additional fees such as escrow fees, attorney fees, and other expenses that are usually on the buyer. Zillow states that the average buyer pays about $3,700 in closing fees.

While it is not possible for a buyer to completely avoid these costs, it can be lowered. Shop around with multiple lenders to try and get the best deal on your mortgage and ask if the seller may be willing to cover some of the costs.

3. Moving

You may be able to get out of moving expenses if you have a wide cadre of friends willing to help you out and if your home is nearby. But the odds are that you are going to have to hire a moving company. If you rely on a professional moving company, then the average cost of moving out of state is over $4,000

If you are moving a long way and want to budget, then you can lower the costs by making sure you are only moving the essentials and possibly taking care of the move yourself with a U-Haul truck. But be prepared to pay a few extra thousand dollars for a clean move without chaos.

4. Maintaining your home and yard

One of the biggest changes towards owning a home is the fact that when something goes broke, it is on you and not the landlord to fix things. And there is always something that needs to be improved or fixed.

You may be willing to mow the lawn and take care of the yard work yourself. However, that still entails the cost of purchasing the necessary equipment yourself as well as the time needed to mow the lawn and so on. Then there are other expenses such as fixing your heating, air conditioning, and plumbing. While it is possible to handle issues like this if you really know what you are doing, it is just as likely that you burst a main and lose far more money in the resulting repair costs.

You do not want to skimp on home repairs if you want to uphold its value, so budget a certain amount of money every year for repairs. There are a few guides for how much to save, but you should generally be looking to save something around one percent of the home’s value every year.

5. Property Taxes

Death, taxes, you know the saying. But what you may not know is that your mortgage’s monthly bill will also account for property taxes and homeowner’s insurance. This is especially true if you’re looking to earn an investment with a 1031 exchange property. If you use an escrow account, which is required if your down payment is less than 20 percent of the home’s value, then you don’t pay your property taxes directly. Instead, you send your money to a mortgage company who pays your taxes for you. And there is also the scenario where you can be hit with a payment for a couple months’ worth of property taxes right when you move in.

Dealing with property taxes can be incredibly confusing and varies from area to area. The best advice is to be prepared and talk with your mortgage company about how much you will have to pay as well as any potential surprises.

Featured photo credit: Moyan Benn via flickr.com

The post 5 Hidden Costs of New Homes All Buyers Should Know appeared first on Lifehack.

from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2fPcLuS