Feel the Heat without Feeling the Cost

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

When the temperature drops, most of us automatically turn up the heating. But of course, this not only leads to higher energy bills but to an increased output of carbon emissions too. So are there ways to stay warm and snuggly without increasing your energy costs? Here are some ideas:

 

Check for drafts – if you feel a chill in the room, check that you aren’t exposed to any drafts. It may be worth repairing broken window seals, investing in thicker curtains, or investing in draft excluders to help save on your energy bills.

 

Install insulation – if you don’t have adequate insulation, you could be losing a big chunk of the heat from your house through your attic. Check if you have insulation and if not, research what options are available to you.

 

Individual radiators – if you are you able to control your radiators individually, remember to turn them down in the rooms you are not using. There is little point heating every room in the house if you’re only using one or two rooms each day.

 

Get together – if you’re sat in the dining room, your partner is in the living room and your children are each in their own bedrooms, then you could be paying to heat four separate rooms. Why not come together as a family in just one room – to play a game, read together or watch a DVD? It will give you valuable family time and allow you to switch off the heating in the unused rooms.

 

For more tips on saving energy, visit: www.futurefriendly.co.uk

 

Categories: check, energy, energy bills, nbsp, room, rooms

The Safe Way to Light Up

 

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

Bonfires can be a great way to deal with garden waste and people love the thrill of gathering around a bonfire with family and friends. However, if you are planning to light a bonfire in your garden, it’s important to plan ahead to ensure your bonfire is safe. Many accidents occur each year, causing harm to people and property because of poor bonfire safety.

When planning a bonfire, there are a number of considerations to take into account before you pick up the matches.

 

Think about the position
Where you position your bonfire is very important. Make sure it is well away from property and garden structures such as sheds.

 

Check the weather
You’re probably worried about rain ruining a bonfire but it’s more important to check for wind. If it is particularly windy, a bonfire can quickly get out of control.

 

Think of others
Let your neighbours know you will be lighting a bonfire so that they have the opportunity to shut their windows or bring their washing in if necessary. Most neighbours won’t mind if you have the occasional bonfire but if you are burning things on a regular basis it could be considered a nuisance. If you have a lot of waste to deal with it may be better to find alternative ways to dispose of it.

 

Keep kids under control
Children love bonfires and can become over excited so it’s important that they understand good fire safety and keep a safe distance away from the bonfire.

 

Protect pets and wildlife
Pets may become frightened when you light a bonfire so it’s best to keep cats and dogs inside. And remember to check underneath the bonfire for wildlife such as hedgehogs or birds before lighting the bonfire.

 

Think about what you are burning
Don’t just pile all your old rubbish onto the bonfire. There are many things that are not safe to burn from the obvious such as aerosols and paint tins to the less obvious such as foam furniture which could give off harmful fumes. Some types of plant leaves can also emit poisonous fumes when burnt.

 

Have a source of water nearby
If the fire does threaten to grow out of control, you’ll want a source of water ready to hand. You don’t want to be rushing inside to find a bucket at the last minute so keep a pail of water or a hosepipe close by in case you need to put the fire out in a hurry.

 

Don’t leave the bonfire unattended
A responsible adult should remain with the bonfire at all times whilst it is lit. Once the fire has burnt out, remember that the ground can remain smouldering and very hot for many hours so ensure you damp it down with a bucket of water to prevent children or animals from hurting themselves.

 

For more information about fire safety, visit the London Fire Brigade website: www.london-fire.gov.uk

 

Categories: bonfire, check, control, Safe, Water

Microwave Safety

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

Smaller and cheaper than ever before, microwaves have come a long way in the past few decades and are now a staple piece of kit in most family kitchens. With the ability to cook meals in minutes, microwaves fit perfectly with today’s busy lifestyles.

 

Of course, as with any piece of electrical equipment, it’s important to use your microwave safely. Following the manufacturer’s instructions will help prevent injury as well as avoiding illness caused by food poisoning.

 

It’s important to check your microwave regularly – never use a microwave that has a damaged door, or signs of damage elsewhere. Always follow the instructions for the food you are cooking. For example, check ready meals to see if the container is suitable for microwaving and if not; decant the food to a microwaveable alternative.

 

Check that food is completely cooked all the way through before serving. Be aware that food can become incredibly hot after being cooked in a microwave, so may need to sit for a few minutes before serving. Also remember that ready meal containers can sometimes soften slightly when cooking so you may need to wait a minute for them to regain their firmness.

 

Some people worry about the effects of radiation caused by microwave ovens and the possibility that they could cause cancer. Studies have failed to show a clear link between microwaves and cancer and most experts suggest that the small amounts of energy given off are unlikely to cause harm. However, to be on the safe side, you may wish to stand away from the microwave when it is in use.

 

You can find more information about the possible links between microwaves and cancer at: www.cancerresearchuk.org

 

Categories: cancer, check, Food, microwave, Microwaves, nbsp

Things Your Doctor Maybe Checking On Your Visit

If you have been going to the doctor since you were little, you probably know the basic routine by now. Nurses or doctors will test your blood pressure, check your reflexes and ask some standard questions. You might be familiar with the process, but this does not mean you know why everything occurs. Many people let doctors work without knowing the reason behind an action, but here are some things your doctor may be checking on during your visit.

 

Weight Concerns

You can lie on your drivers license, but you cannot escape the scale at your doctors office. This is a good thing because knowing your weight helps your doctor determine conditions you are at risk for. Changes in your weight can also be helpful when diagnosing conditions.

 

Examining Your Eyes and Ears

The eye and ear part of an examination is so common that you probably do not even think about what your doctor is doing. Your eyes are checked for bleeding, narrowed arteries and yellowing, and that annoying light is shined in your eyes to inspect the retinas. Doctors examine the ear canal to look at the eardrum and check for fluid or other problems that could mean an infection.

 

Why Temperature Always Matters

While someone always takes your temperature, you might think the doctor does not even glance at the reading. However, doctors need this information because temperature measurement systems are important for accuracy and precision when determining illnesses. Your symptoms and temperature tell a doctor whether you have a common cold or something that needs a specific treatment plan and can give your doctor information about the safest way to proceed.

 

What Is On The Inside

Doctors feel, listen to and press on the abdominal area to check the stomach, spleen, kidneys and more. Along with noting any pain or tenderness you feel, doctors may also be checking for fluid, determining how big your liver is and listening for abnormal sounds with a stethoscope.

 

Testing Movements

Medical professionals discover information about your joints and extremities by feeling your arms and legs for abnormalities and having you perform movements to test for joint problems. They also check for pulses and unusual sounds in your arms and legs to learn about blood vessels, deteriorating joints and problems that are not visible.

 

When you know what your doctor checks for, you can provide better information and ask relevant questions. This lets your doctor make accurate conclusions and give you appropriate advice.

Categories: check, check up, doctor, Doctors, health check, Information, nbsp

Travelling? Top Tips for Avoiding Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are incredibly common nowadays, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re spending the night in a rundown hostel or  five-star hotel, you may find them. These parasites are found everywhere and they don’t discriminate. If you’re not careful about your bedbug protection, you could find yourself being their next meal. Identifying the bugs is the first step towards prevention, so what do they actually look like? Bed bugs are wingless and feed on the blood of people and animals. Adult bedbugs are a reddish brown colour, and have flat oval bodies. They’re usually only as long as an apple seed, and newly hatched bugs are a tan colour and as small as a poppy see. You can spot the signs of an infestation by the eggs, fecal matter and blood stains on the bed sheets. The first step towards preventing your travel experience being ruined by bed bugs is to read reviews of your hotel to see if other customers have experienced them. Don’t assume that just because you’re choosing a five-star hotel that it will be free of bugs – check the reviews and if customers have woke up covered in bites, avoid!

When you arrive, check the mattress and the bedding for any telltale signs of the bugs. If there are any fecal stains or blood marks, then you’ll know that there is an infestation. You should also check the headboard, under the seams of the springs and under the mattress tag as well. Some good advice is to not place your luggage on the spare bed – move it to a stand away from the wall and only place it on the stand once you’ve checked for the bugs. Don’t put your clothes in drawers or hang them in your wardrobe, and avoid putting your shoes in the wardrobe as well – put them in an open area instead. It’s difficult to distinguish bed bug bites from other insect bites, but they tend to look slightly swollen and include red patches of skin which may itch. They may be scattered or in a linear line. You can treat them with antiseptic cream and an antihistamine to soothe the itching. If you find that you have been bitten, notify the hotel management and ask to be placed in another room at least two floors away – bed bugs have been known to travel up to 100 feet in one night.

According to experts, bed bugs can also be transported from place to place by hiding in the seams of your luggage and latching onto your clothing. You may not even realise that they’re hiding there until you arrive at your next destination and the infestation follows you. A good way to avoid this is to check your luggage before you leave the hotel so you can ensure that it is free of bugs. You should also unpack your luggage as soon as you arrive home, in an un-carpeted room such as the bathroom or garage. You need to inspect your luggage thoroughly with a torch, as bed bugs can latch onto your bags while they’re in the boot of a car or may have come into contact with an infested bag when in the plane’s cargo hold. If you have found an infestation, you should place your suitcase in a sealed bag and place outside in the sun. You then need to wash and dry your infested clothing on the hottest setting that the fabric can cope with, or call a pest control company if you can’t seem to rid your clothes or home of them.

Categories: bed bugs, bedbugs, bugs, check, hotel, infestation, luggage, sleep, star hotel, Travel

Managing your Emotional Turmoils Following a Car Wreck

A car accident involves more than just the physical destruction of your car and the onset of a legal or financial dilemma. It can also be an emotional event that compels you to experience a range of feelings that vary from fear to anger. It may be difficult for you to process all of these emotions properly and for you to know how to keep your emotions under control. In the immediate aftermath of an accident, you can take these steps to keep your emotions in check and make sure that you move forward in a positive and productive manner.

 

1. Be Grateful

When you are inclined to give into your emotions, you can keep them in check by remembering that you came out of this event alive and capable of talking, walking, and thinking objectively. Countless people every year lose their lives in car accidents. Even if you have suffered injuries and lost your car and property in the accident, you should still take a moment to be grateful for your life and for the opportunity you have to seek compensation and closure from this accident.

 

2. Keep Busy

It can be easy for you to give into your emotions if you have too much free time to think about the fear, anger, and confusion you feel about the accident. Spending time being idle can let your mind run wild with all of the pent up emotions that you are probably harboring in the days after the car wreck. With your mind working overtime, you may also be prone to making rash decisions or acting impetuously without thinking about your actions’ consequences.

 

 

You can keep your emotions in check by staying busy. Even if it is filling out paperwork related to your injuries or spending time watching TV with friends and family members, you should try to stay busy as you await the outcome of your accident investigation.

 

3. Hire a Lawyer

After the accident, you will face unparalleled stresses that must be addressed immediately. Your insurance provider may demand that you take your car in for an inspection. The other driver’s insurance company may be demanding the accident report and any medical records you have the detail your injuries related to the wreck. Your employer might be asking when you will be returning to work.

 

 

Even more, you may be consumed with worries about how you will pay for your accident-related bills and recover your lost income from the time you had to take off work.

 

 

Rather than give into these many stresses, you can hire a lawyer to help you. An accident lawyer can take over all of these matters, as well as many others that will result from your car wreck. Retaining a legal representative can get you the financial compensation you need to pay your bills, as well as act as a liaison between you, your employer, or the insurance companies involved with the situation. They can also help you acquire compensation for lost wages and possibly pain and suffering.

 

 

An accident can be an emotionally wrenching event. You can keep your emotions in check and stay in charge of your fear, anger, stress, and other feelings when you keep these tips in mind. Keeping yourself in check and remembering what is most important, like your life, and with the help of an attorney to help alleviate any possible debt from the accident, are important factors to getting your life back under control and back on track.

 

Author Bio:

Lisa Coleman shares some important tips for a person to consider to help them get their emotions focused after an car accident. She recently read online at http://www.injurylawyers.com/orlando-car-accident-lawyer/ how an Orlando attorney can help obtain compensation for a client recently involved in a wreck.

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sidkid/455451157/

Categories: accident, car accident, car accident injuries, car wreck, check, emotional well-being, Emotional Wellness, emotions, following an accident, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, personal injury attorney

How Can You Tackle Obesity in Children?

The crisis of childhood obesity has quadrupled over the past 25 years and, in the UK, they’ve trebled since the 80s. Two-thirds of children in the UK will be over the healthy weight range by 2050, according to a report carried out in 2007. But with the right support it is possible to combat the problem early so that children can grow up to be as healthy and fit as possible. Many people are now classified as overweight or obese, but this brings with it far more problems than simply affecting the aesthetics of a person – it can lead to heart problems, certain cancers and stroke, as well as breathing problems and joint difficulties due to the excess strain on the lungs and bones. It also affects our mental health, affecting confidence, self-esteem and can even lead to depression. While genetics play a part, anyone can become overweight – it’s all down to how much your eat, what you’re eating, and how much exercise you do. We’re far more sedentary than we once were, in addition to eating an increasingly unhealthy diet, and this all contributes to those extra pounds which soon mount up to become a serious health risk. When children come under fire, this can be a serious problem – they’ll grow up already prone to diseases and health concerns, which will be harder to combat in adult life.

 

One of the first signs of a child becoming obese is when they can no longer fit into children’s clothes, and have to start wearing clothes designed for adults. However, with more manufacturers making clothes to accommodate the increasing number of children who are overweight, this can mask the issue. The best way to check if your child is in the danger zone is to check their BMI – this will give an accurate view of the extent of the issue. Once your child is slightly older, you may want to start keeping a check on their weight and height so that this figure can be monitored and dealt with if it begins to rise too high. It’s important to catch the condition early, as studies show that between 40 and 70 percent of obese children will grow up to be obese in adulthood. If your timing is right, you’ll be able to solve the problem early and your child will be able to enjoy a healthy childhood at a normal weight. Start from birth and get your baby weighed regularly by a doctor or nurse (around six times in their first year) and check their growth speed. Don’t move on to solid foods too early as otherwise they will become accustomed to the taste of this food too early on. It’s advised that you don’t wean until six months, or change on to pureed food at around four months. It also helps to talk to your kids when they’re a little older to help them become educated about foods. Communication with kids is key, so if you can get them to open up about why they feel the need to overeat, this can be half of the battle already won.

 

Portion sizes are a problem for many people, and can lead to overeating without you even realising it. Try to cut your portions down a little and you’ll notice that you’ll lose weight and stay full too. A good guide is to use their hand as a guide for portions – the size of their fist should be the maximum you give of each food item. Making sure that your child stays active is also helpful, as their diet will only account for part of the problem. It can be anything from a kick-about in the park on a Saturday morning, walking to school instead of driving, or getting them to take part in an evening class such as dance or basketball where they can socialise with friends and keep fit too.

Categories: check, Child, Children, Early, obesity, problem, problem early, Tips, weight