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Month: January 2019

  • They Left the House, Now What?

    They Left the House, Now What?

    It’s been a long 36 years since you first got that pregnancy test results back in the early 80s. You watched your child grow and blossom, TCBY’s come and go, grunge music, and then they finally turned 18 and graduated high school. That was gonna be it, time to take your life and home back, or so you thought. College came and went, along with relationships, but they just seemed to stay around. Then the crash of 2008 happened and you thought this was it, they will be home for life. All of theirs, or the rest of yours.

    That was ok though, you almost took some comfort in it. No shame in the game, all of your friends still have their middle-aged kids at home too. It’s like a whole new culture thing and you got pulled in to it. Then as quickly as it the situation evolved, times turned in America. Jobs and money are flowing like the 50s and the stock market is doing incredible things with everyone’s money. Just like that, your precious 35-year-old couch potato is employed, buying a house and a car, and moving out to start his life. They are gone now.

    Meals for two again, quiet, serene peace. It’s almost frightening. Time seems to be fast forwarding and days melting together, all the while nothing feels like it’s being accomplished. Am I getting close on this one? Are you suffering from an unanticipated empty nest long after it should have been emptied? So now what? I’m glad you asked that, let’s talk about what is next.

    Do I have Empty Nest Syndrome?

    Depression, alcoholism, identity crisis and marital conflicts can all stem from the unexpected sense of loneliness you will feel with an empty nest. There is no real reason this has to become you, you can use this empty nest to solve and alleviate family and work-related conflicts. This will, in turn, improve the quality of your life.  Once a child leaves the home, finally, leaves the home, parents can find the chance to reconnect with each other.

    Take the time to quiet your mind and rekindle those long lost interest you once had. This will offset the loneliness and avoid you falling into the empty nest syndrome.

    Yoga

    By the year 2050, the senior population will expect to double.  Medicine is getting pretty scientific. It is great for keeping us alive. That’s not quite good enough, I want to get old without the pain. My dream is to give my body back to the earth without the complaints.  That’s where Yoga comes in. We all need to get into some Yoga stretching. Yoga classes for seniors include poses in forward bends and twists that protect the fragile bone system. There are classes designed, supported and taught with seniors in mind. The benefits include pain management, balance, spirituality, and graceful aging.

    Take the best of modern, evidence-based medicine matched with the ancient wisdom, experience, and tradition.  Yoga teachings for seniors can vastly improve your quality of life. Seniors come across a lot of issues that yoga can help, including reducing high blood pressure, easing back pain, enhancing sleep, as well as greatly improving your mood. I can’t stress enough how much Yoga will help improve your aging process as well as help you cope with your newly found empty nest.

    Find a Challenge

    There is one constant in all life advice. Its challenges and victories. It is a universal theme that can combat whatever is going on in your head. Stop the deconstructive behavior, challenges yourself,  and bask in the mini victories. This will inevitably change your perspective and get you over any tumultuous issues in your life. Empty nest syndrome is no different. It is simple. First set out to ease the sense of loss and loneliness by taking on a new and unrelated challenge. Have fun with it, do something you have always wanted to but never could justify.  Whether you’ve dreamed of completing a marathon, finish your degree,  or remodel your bathroom, today is your day to jump in.

    You can even get really crazy with it,  like volunteering with habitat for humanity build or spend time with sick kids. This will help you focus all that parenting wisdom to someone that could really use it. Set yourself up to achieve what I like to call mini victories, give a sick kid a smile and a toy, your first yoga class, install a new sink,  a weekend getaway or an afternoon on a job site for charity. These will all give you these mini victories. String a few together and like magic, you will find yourself transforming into the you that you had had always thought you were.

  • Best News Apps to Manage your Prescription Schedule

    Best News Apps to Manage your Prescription Schedule

    No one loves having to keep up with a complicated schedule of taking prescriptions on time. After all, you’re a busy person with a lot going on. It’s hard to remember when to take what! However, your health relies on you taking your medicines on time. If you’re having a hard time keeping up with your medication, you can try some of these helpful apps that can manage your prescription schedule. It’s important that you take care of yourself by keeping up with your medicine! If you happen to save a bit of money with some of these apps while doing it, all the better!

    Best New Apps to Manage Your Prescription Schedule

    Medisafe

    The first app we’re looking at is called Medisafe. This is a handy app that’s available for both Android and Apple devices and it’s great. Not only does it help you track your prescriptions and when you’ll need a refill, you also get tracking for your doctor’s appointments. If you’re forgetful like us, these are fantastic features to have in a smart phone app. The app is easy to use, incredibly handy and imminently easy to personalize.

    Some great features include safety ones such as emergency contacts who can be notified if you miss a dose. This is a way to make sure you’re safe and could even safe your life! You can set up fun alert sounds, too. There are a number of characters and celebrities you can choose from for the voice to alert you that it’s time to take your medicine. Who ever said that prescription schedules couldn’t be fun? Well, everyone, but, that’s okay.

    PillPack

    If you’re anything like us, you probably hate having to go to the pharmacy. It’s boring, it’s slow, it takes forever and you’d really rather be somewhere else. Well, that’s where PillPack comes in. This app, available on Apple devices, is a fully-licensed pharmacy that you can access from your smartphone.

    Not only does PillPack ship your medicine right to your door, it also pre-separates it out for you into handy baggies. All of the medication you need to take on one day will be in its own bag. When you combine this with Medisafe you get the double benefit of both reminders and helpful medication sorting!

    The package you get from PillPack is totally personalized for you, as each pill has a photo next to it and a chart to tell you which is which. Any special instructions are printed out for you, and it’s very easy to tell which pill you should take when, and how. If you often forget which of your medications you need to take, and for what, PillPack is a great service for you.

    The best thing about PillPack is that it’s very easy to get your medicine refilled. If you set it up, the app can coordinate with your healthcare provider and insurance and make sure you get your medicine on time. You only pay your standard co-pay! While the app is currently only available on iOS, it’s also on the way to Android devices soon!

    GoodRX

    Everyone hates having to pay high prices for medicine, but not a lot of people know about the best ways to save. One of the best ways you can save money on your prescriptions is by going through GoodRX, an app that helps you find the very best prices from all stores in your area. If you’ve ever used GasBuddy, this is sort of the same idea, but for medicine instead of gas.

    When you search for a medication on GoodRX you’ll see the prices of medication at various retailers in your city. This allows you to compare and contrast at a glance and make sure you’re finding the absolute best prices in your area. Why spend more when you don’t have to?

    You can search for either single medication prices or for the pharmacy that gives you the best overall price on your prescriptions together. You can also set up reminders for when you need to refill to ping you through the app! There are even coupons on select medications available through the GoodRX app, which helps you to save even more money on your medications!

    Currently the GoodRX app is available on both Android and Apple devices. The best part is, the app is totally free. It’s hard to beat the low price of free for an app that could potentially save you a ton of money, in our book. Don’t hesitate to start saving with GoodRX today.

  • Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Just because you didn’t go to college doesn’t mean you can’t find a great job in an exciting career field. In fact, there are a number of great career opportunities that people without degrees can pursue. If your biggest concern is landing a great job that will pay you well and has room for growth, you’re not out of luck if you didn’t go to college. Here are some of the best jobs you can find that will hire with just a high school diploma.

    Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Web Developer

    Generally speaking, web developers don’t need to have college degrees to find work. If you’re good with computers and can design a great website, whether you went to school won’t really matter. Some web developers work for one company as a full-time employee, covering their web needs, creating and maintaining their website, handling their backend tech issues and more. This is a great job for tech-savvy people who might not have the money or desire to go to college.

    Other web developers work as independent contractors and handle web services and backend for numerous companies. These contractors are technically self-employed, which makes education less important than portfolio. Contractors can set their own hours and take work at their own pace. And as creating stylish websites is a highly sought-after skill, this is a very safe career path choice. The internet isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

    Hotel Manager

    Working for a hotel is a great way to make good money without needing a college degree. Hotels generally need all the help they can get, and management positions at these positions often don’t require you have a college degree. Even if you’re not immediately placed into management, hotels are full of great career paths that could be uniquely suited to your strengths.

    For instance, if you’re a people person you can easily find work at the front desk of a hotel. If you’re a night owl, you could get a night audit position. If you like driving, you could drive the shuttle to and from the hotel and various attractions in town. Then, if you perform well, hotels often promote from within. As such, positions within a hotel often lead to management positions over that department. Front desk, catering, housekeeping: there are tons of departments within hotels that require managers to oversee them.

    This is a great way to sort of slide into a solid career by just starting at the ground level. If you keep your head down, work hard and impress your managers, you could likely find yourself in a position to manage the entire hotel by the time you’ve been there for ten years. And those intervening ten years will have you making solid money in a good field while you climb the ladder.

    Executive Assistants

    Nearly every office building needs assistants. It might sound like a very unfun job, but hear us out. Assistants play a vital role in most offices. Between those who act as receptionists, helping visitors and managing calendars, to those who help coordinate executives’ activities, assistants are a huge support role. Additionally, work as an assistant is often full-time and has a lot of opportunities for career growth.

    A few things about getting hired on as an assistant make it a great back-door into a career you want. For one, you don’t often need a college degree to get hired on as an assistant. For another, you’re working directly with a major boss of the company, so any great work ethic or talent you show is observed directly by the person who has a say in promoting you. Further, once you’ve proven yourself a valuable asset to the company, you’ll likely find yourself promoted into a position you really want and deserve. That’s literally the definition of career growth!

    Retail Management

    If you can stand the absolute drudgery of retail floor work, retail management is a good career field to enter into. Often times you’ll have to start out on the ground level, especially if you’re coming in with no degree, but that’s life. Generally, retail work is rather unforgiving, if relatively boring. For the first bit on the ground level, you’ll likely spend more time just trying to keep customers happy than anything.

    However, those who work hard and show skills with people and coworkers will likely find themselves fast-tracked to management. Smart people, with or without college degrees, can expect to move up the ladder into management positions that come with benefits and solid pay.

  • Does Your Dog Have Heartworms?

    Does Your Dog Have Heartworms?

    Many dog owners fear the possibility that their dog could have heartworms. Heartworms are a dangerous parasite that can be transferred to dogs via mosquito bites. The worms enter the dog’s bloodstream through the mosquito’s bite as microscopic eggs that grow into large worms that live in the heart of the host dog. Dogs with large amounts of heartworms inside their bodies develop symptoms including weight loss, lethargy and persistent cough. Does your dog have heartworms? And, if it does, how are you going to treat them?

    How to Treat Heartworms: Conventional or Natural?

    Conventional

    Normal procedures used to kill heartworms are often dangerous for dogs. That’s because the active ingredients used in killing the worms can cause organ damage in dogs. This is on top of the damage already done to the dog’s organs by the worms themselves. Further, once the worms die, they usually flow into the dog’s lungs. This can cause even more complications, such as blood clots, blocked airways and even more organ damage.

    The main ingredient in the procedure that kill heartworms has an ingredient called immiticide which is injected over two or three doses, though many vets prefer the three-dose version. This is because the adult worms dying in large groups can cause more damage than them dying in smaller groups. The three-dose treatment occurs over three months.

    Dogs undergoing treatment need to be kept indoors and need to be kept from strenuous activity that could increase heart rate. The risk of an embolism is lessened if the dog is kept from getting an increased heart rate, though this is somewhat difficult for some dog owners.

    While undergoing treatment, dogs should be kept indoors for a month and any physical activity that will increase the heart rate must be strictly avoided. The reason for this is to minimize the above risk of circulatory embolism.

    Ivermectin is often used in dogs who have minor cases of heartworms. That’s because it’s able to kill baby heartworms while also weakening and sterilizing existing heartworms. This prevents new infections from forming and allows your dog to naturally outlive the heartworm infection they have.

    Natural Treatments

    Some dog owners swear by natural treatments for heartworms. One such natural treatment includes the herb black walnut used in conjunction with various homeopathic remedies. These types of remedies tend to be mixed together and given to a dog once or twice a month.

    Another such natural treatment is milk thistle seed and dandelion tea. These types of treatments are often recommended for people who are using conventional treatments for their dogs, too! While the natural treatments have mixed results, some dog owners have reported them as working very well.

    Keep in mind, if you’re thinking about giving your dog natural treatment for heartworms, that you need to keep your vet in the loop. Make sure you have your dog checked up monthly for heartworms and see how your natural treatment is progressing. If your natural treatments aren’t having any effect, don’t hesitate to ask your vet about more conventional treatments.

    Prevention

    It’s actually not hard to help your dog keep from ever getting heartworms in the first place. All you need to do is be aware of some easy ways to prevent them from being infected at all. There are preventative medicines, like Heartgard Plus, that dog owners can use to keep the worms from being able to take root in the dog’s heart. This medication is given orally and must be given to the dog throughout their lifespan.

    Remember: if the area you live in has mosquitos, your dog is at risk for heartworms. You need to take immediate steps to make sure that your dogs don’t have worms. If they do, you need to start treatment right away. If they don’t, you need to get them on a prevention medication right away. Sadly, this is a reality for dogs who live in areas like the American South or other areas where mosquitos are common.

    What Happens if You Don’t Treat Heartworms

    If you don’t treat heartworms, your dog will deteriorate in health over time. As the worms grow and multiply, it becomes harder and harder for them to pump blood to their organs. This results in lasting organ damage that will make them slower, more lethargic and less healthy. As the infection worsens, your dog will eventually pass away from organ failure. Don’t let your dog suffer this fate: begin taking steps today to keep them safe from heartworms. They depend on you to take care of them, so don’t let you down!

  • What is the Best Way to Save Money On Baby Formula?

    What is the Best Way to Save Money On Baby Formula?

    It’s a glorious time in your life. The dream you have had as long as you have been a conscious human being it about to be realized. Waiting for your whole life to do something meaningful and the time is now. You are going to be a parent. Maybe even a good parent.

    Back to reality, babies are expensive, needy, and very expensive. On top of that, everything they need is expensive. Diapers, food, clothing, toys, educations, hobbies, entertainment, sports, travel sports, college. It just keeps escalating out of control.

    How can anyone afford a whole other person? Let’s take it one step at a time. First, you want to make sure your new baby has food. For starters, babies like mothers breast milk. That’s easy you make it for free. Unless you don’t, or can’t breastfeed. Then it’s onto formula.

    Like all the other things you are stressing about with your newborn, formula cost is a major concern. I’ve compiled a few easy ways to save some money on your new babies formula. While they may seem minuscule and not worth the time, remember your baby will need a lot. This will add up quickly.

    Samples at the Dr’s Office

    It is a great big marketing world we live in, aggregated with our free market economy, that results in large companies vying for the chance to be your formula supplier. You are going to, for lack of a better word, milk this opportunity. Start by asking your doctor or nurse for samples.  Formula companies know the best way to win over a mothers formula loyalty is to get the doctor to recommend their brand.

    They do this by buying the doctor’s office lunch, telling them why their brand is the best, and giving the office loads of free samples. It’s a simple conversation with your doctor, just ask what they recommend, you will go home with at least 2 weeks worth of free samples.

    Cash the Formula Checks

    Now that you got the free sample from the doctor, look inside for the company insert. It is usually in a plastic pouch. Most discard this but don’t. It is full of goodies. In this pouch will be formula checks that can be used like cash to buy formula. How amazing is this? Before redeeming these, go check out the company’s website. It will be in the info in the plastic pouch. Register with them.

    These products are expensive, the companies know this, and are making a fortune selling it. These formula manufacturers like to make coupons and sample packs available to parents. Once you are linked up online, they will shower you with more coupons, checks and additional incentives on other related baby products.

    After you have tapped the online resources, make a  phone call or send an email reaching out to their customer service department. These companies love positive notes, boast about how much you love their product and how your baby loves them. You will be surprised how willing they will reward your gracious appreciations with some valuable coupons in the mail.

    Social Media

    Take to social media and Facebook. There are thousands and thousands of garage sale, mommy, and swap pages you can comb through and find all sorts of precious and modestly priced baby products. Remember people get a lot of coupons in the mail, even people without babies. Some of them even receive formula samples from brands that they don’t prefer or just don’t like. You will be blown away on the coupons or stockpiles of formula you can get from social media.

    Amazon Mom

    Want to save 20% off of diapers and formula? With Amazon Mom Subscribe & Save subscription for moms you can. Plus they throw in additional $1 to $3 e-coupons. You will get the prime shipping free and Amazon will always match Walmart’s prices. Pit them against each other.  20% off formula and supplies is a massive saving. You will save on formula easily with an Amazon Mom membership.

    Also, you will also get a 15% baby registry discount and your first 30 days is free. There is also the option on Amazon Mom to buy diapers and wipes that are returns or that have damaged packaging for less than the regular price. It’s a moderate risk, but there is the option. Desperate times?

    Dads’ To The Rescue

    There is also another great way to load up on formula before the baby is born. It is a new phenomenon called “the dad shower”. Like a baby shower for moms but a lot more fun. Dads get together around a pool or televised sporting event. The new dad-to-be supplies beer and food. Traditionally pizza or bbq. Invites all his buddies and co-workers, in turn, they all bring a gift of diapers or formula.

    It’s an easy, low key good time,  and very beneficial for new parents. You would be surprised how generous single men without babies are. Also, we have no idea what a baby actually consumes so we tend to grossly overcompensate. Free beer, why not.

  • These Window Treatments Help Keep Your Home at the Perfect Temperature

    These Window Treatments Help Keep Your Home at the Perfect Temperature

    Everyone is struggling with energy cost and keeping their home at the ideal temperature. We have upgraded the AC, got thermo smart-filters, and added a Nest thermostat, but what else needs to be done?  The next step is to reduce the energy loss through the windows. The Department of Energy says “about 30% of a home’s heating energy is lost through windows. In cooling seasons, about 76% of the sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat.” That’s a lot of temperature fluctuation.

    In reality, any type of window treatments will result in energy savings. That’s not quite good enough for us here at goodfind.guru, we want the exact savings. Getting a better idea of the numbers depends on how the attachment is used,  the type of attachment, the season, and of course the climate. Let’s talk about blinds and custom window treatments to help improve your energy use.

    Windows are great and terrible for energy loss in your home. They are terrific in gabbing the suns heat for warmth, but a terrible waste of leaking cooled air, Naturally as you would think, that hurts your energy bill. Windows can increase your energy consumption by up to 20 percent due to the cool or warm air loss. Unacceptable! How do we control this? Let’s take a look at some great options.

    Cellular Shades

    Cellular shades fill a need for window coverings that would reduce consumers’ energy use at a reasonable price.  They started to pop up after the energy crisis of the 70s. They use a  honeycomb shaped cells to trap air. This allows the cellular shades to add a layer of insulation. You will want to use double shades rather than a single for better results. They do have without a doubt,  the highest efficiency value of all window treatments.

    This makes them the best choices for energy efficient window treatments. You will want to use the top-down bottom-up style. This will allow for maximum light control and thermal efficiency. They do this by allowing you to control the amount of sunshine that comes in throughout the day. While the energy savings are terrific, they are an elegant and classic design. So even though they are at a low cost and provide the best thermal results, they still look amazing. Can’t go wrong here.

     Shutters

    Now onto the shutters.  Shutters are installed tightly to the window itself. This results in less of a gap, which adds to their thermal efficiency.  Louvered adjustable panels, with a great custom fitting, are a great way to prevent cooled inside air from escaping to the outside. Shutters in the winter will create a seal to keep your warm air in. This will save you in both the winter and hotter months energy bills.

    Closing your shutters during the summer will block sunlight.  Creating a barrier against the intrusion of that warm, moist and sultry summer air. Plus they look fantastic. Enhancing the aesthetics of your home with a classic and wonderful style. If you are looking for a great way to improve the value of your home, control the outside light, fabulous insulators that will save on your energy bill, as well as look fabulous, just get shutters.

    Its Getting Hot in Here, So Install Solar Shades

    For those of us below the deep south, we need to talk about solar shades. Solar Shades utilize an opaque material that allows you an outside view while still creating an energy efficient barrier against UV rays. With an array of transparencies, even a glorious blackout option, there is a great look for every room in your house. Here in Florida, you will want to install them to the exterior of your home to block UV rays before they penetrate inside.

    Don’t worry about a lack of privacy if you go with solar shades either, they can still give you total privacy from the outside in while giving you a full view from the inside out.

    Onto Window Film

    A great way to save your energy is to add sheets of self-adhering plastic that are applied directly to window glass, like window tint. This is called window film, You can use window film to add decorative touches. Create nice and stunning looks like cracked glass or my favorite,  stained glass windows. Or go hardcore with a dark tint, specifically to block heat transfer and solar gain.

    Energy-efficiency tax credits may even come in to play. You can also get a mirrored look for an additional privacy layer. The best part about window film is they can be used in conjunction with any or all of the above-mentioned window treatments.

  • Combat Menstrual Pain without Medication

    Combat Menstrual Pain without Medication

    Menstrual pain can be downright awful for some people. Studies have found that more than ninety percent of women suffer from menstrual pain, and of them, around forty percent describe their menstrual pain as being detrimental to their daily activities.

    These pains can surface as cramps that make it hard to concentrate or stabbing lower back pain.

    Many women experiencing this pain opt to use medicine to try to combat it, though they often find over-the-counter medication isn’t very effective. There are some new technologies that will help you fight the pain without medication, though!

    Combat Menstrual Pain without Medication

    The Old Way

    When cramps and stabbing back pain start to set in, many women go for over-the-counter NSAIDs, though studies have shown these are little help for menstrual pain. That’s because many women create a chemical called prostaglandin during their periods. This chemical is what sends the signal to your body to cramp, and overproduction of it is what leads to the extreme cramps of menstrual pain. While NSAIDs slow prostaglandin production, they don’t stop it.

    What’s more, though NSAIDs have little effect on menstrual pain, they can cause worse problems than they solve. Use of over-the-counter pain meds can lead to stomach issues like diarrhea and constipation. If you’re experiencing these issues, it may not be your period causing them! Other problems with these over-the-counter medications could include the development of ulcers, and they could even increase your risk of kidney or heart failure.

    The New Way

    If suffering through with ineffective pain meds was the old way, what’s the new way? Thankfully, new breakthroughs in technology may be able to help ease menstrual pain. Nerve stimulation technology is a new breakthrough that has been showing promising results in clinical tests. Officially known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulations, or TENS, the process involves the use of electrical currents to send signals to your nerves that will, in turn, ease your menstrual pain.

    Using a TENS device is pretty straightforward. You attach a few electrodes to your body, wherever you’re feeling the worst pain. These electrodes then receive a very slight electrical signal from a machine. You don’t feel much of the electrical pulses, as they are so slight as to be very hard to notice. They do, however, prevent your nerve receptors from sending pain signals to your central nervous system.

    This means that TENS devices don’t stop your pain by addressing the symptoms. You’ll still be having your period, your body will still be cramping and producing large amounts of prostaglandin. However, you simply won’t feel the effects of these functions thanks to the signals from the TENS device.

    Results

    Researchers at many universities have found promising results with TENS therapy for use with women experiencing extreme menstrual pain. Many studies showed patients immediately reporting relief from their painful menstrual symptoms. TENS is an ideal procedure for addressing these problems, as it is both noninvasive and safe. It doesn’t require the patient to take any medication that could have harmful side effects and it doesn’t prevent the patient’s body from undergoing normal menstrual activity. All it does is block the pain signals being sent by the patient’s nerves.

    While there are a few adverse effects that could occur if a TENS unit is improperly used, proper use has, thus far, showed no danger for women experiencing menstrual pain. This is a great solution for some people who experience intense menstrual pain but don’t want to take medicines that might not even help them feel better.

    Types of Units

    There are many different varieties of TENS units available for home use. Research into specific units can be quite detailed, though there are a few basic varieties. For example, some of the earlier units, and some of the stronger units are home-only. These units tend to be larger and can’t be taken out of the home with you, as they are only for use indoors.

    Other examples include travel units that are smaller and can be packed up to travel with you. These types of TENS units tend to be less expensive, though they might not offer the same power as a home unit. They would be ideal for someone who travels often, such as on business trips or often goes on vacations. These can be easily slipped into a bag or purse!

    Finally, there are even wearable TENS units that can attach to your body under your clothes to give you relief throughout the day. These types of units are often even made with menstrual pain in mind!

  • Coolest Tech Takeaways from CES 2019

    Coolest Tech Takeaways from CES 2019

    2019 is only just getting started yet we already have a roadmap for what kinds of tech we’re going to be seeing this year. The biggest takeaways from CES 2019, held in Las Vegas this year, are that technology is still changing in new and exciting ways.

    If you’re curious about what kinds of tech trends are in store for the year, look no further. Today we’re going over some of the biggest show-stoppers and coolest tech seen at CES 2019. The future is closer than you think!

    Coolest Tech Seen at CES 2019

    5G Networks

    Often discussed and rarely seen, 5G devices are being hyped up like you wouldn’t believe. Verizon, Sprint and pretty much every other company at the show wouldn’t shut up about 5G. And that’s cool! It’s the future of network infrastructure and will likely change the landscape for internet connectivity. What’s weird is how much talk there was compared to how little actual 5G-enabled tech was seen at the show.

    There were a few glimmers of 5G devices here and there, but nothing to write home about. An old Moto phone with a snap-on 5G modem was the saddest and silliest of them, though the 5G home router was also quite humorous. The only proper 5G device seen was squirreled away in Samsung’s booth: a prototype Galaxy phone with 5G capabilities.

    While the 5G wave is being hyped like crazy, it’s still unclear how soon we could expect to see the tech go live. Some are saying we’ll be seeing the earliest roll-out to metropolitan areas in late 2019, though it may be late 2020 (or later) before we see the tech rolled out to the rest of the country.

    8K TV Screens

    If you’re anything like us, you probably haven’t even caught up to the 4K standard yet. It feels like just recently that 4K was the top-of-the-line for TV panels, but now all the buzz is around 8K displays. And these 8K displays are absolutely, ridiculously, absurdly big. For instance, Sony and Samsung will be hitting the market with 98-inch 8K TVs this year. Who has a living room big enough for a 98-inch TV? We wish we did…

    LG will be hitting the market with a massive 88-inch 8K TV with OLED tech inside, as well. If you’re thinking these will be expensive, you’re right! The cheapest one seen at the show was a 65-inch 8K from Samsung that starts with the low, low price of $5,000. You know, chump change. Especially considering that these screens, while impressive-sounding, don’t yet have any content to support them. Remember when 4K first came out and there was nothing you could run at 4K on your awesome new 4K screen? Yeah, 8K will be like that again.

    Apple’s Playing Nice

    Speaking of TV, Apple surprised a lot of people by changing their stance on TV makers. At CES, the Cupertino-based tech giant confirmed that AirPlay 2 will be compatible with Vizio, LG, Sony, and Samsung displays. While Samsung’s TVs will be the only ones allowed to display iTunes on-screen, the others will all have access to AirPlay through the Apple interface.

    AirPlay, for the uninitiated, is a way to send media from an iPhone, Mac or iPad to a big screen for viewing or listening. The technology is not dissimilar from Chromecast, allowing you to show guests and parties media that you don’t want them to have to huddle around a phone or iPad to see.

    Robots

    Robots are a sci-fi staple. Nearly every sci-fi future has robots everywhere, yet our real world is disappointingly robot-free. Well, if CES 2019 is any indication, that won’t be continuing for much longer. There were robots everywhere at the show, from sports-playing bots to air-purifying bots. Samsung showed off flexible bots that could be retail sales robots, health monitors or many other tasks. Groove X also introduced a companion robot, an adorable little guy called Lovot.

    While some might worry about the morals or ethics of these robot companions, it’s clear that they’re the next step for human technology. Many people are lonely or just want someone to hang out with, and robots are a great alternative to being alone. They can help people feel more relaxed and happy, they can do menial tasks for humans and they can even help make our lives better.

    In short, this CES was one of the most exciting seen in years. Huge leaps and bound in technology have us excited to see where technology goes as the years go on!

  • Top Food for Natural Teeth Whitening

    Top Food for Natural Teeth Whitening

    There is no truer statement than the fact that the absolute first thing people usually notice about you, is your smile. They base their lasting first impression from your teeth in your smile. The obvious conclusion is the more attractive your smile, the more likely it is that you’ll be sought out, noticed,  liked, and remembered. It is simple logic, better teeth, better smile, which in turn increases your instant likeability. A study was even performed, and the results show the more attractive your smile, the better you’ll do in your job or career.

    So with all this being said it should seem obvious, you need to have a vested interest in your smile and teeth. The best way to improve your smile is to whiten your teeth. The most effective way to whiten is an in-office whitening. However, this is also the most expensive. Not to mention the chemicals and ultra-violet exposure. We are getting enough harmful chemicals all day every day, do we really need to add more for vanity?

    Fortunately, we do not. There are tons of effective ways to naturally whiten your teeth, which as we talked about will improve your smile, resulting in better first impressions, that will eventually lead to career advancements. Let us take some time to discuss some of the top foods for natural teeth whitening.

    The Foods That Clean

    Let’s start with some foods that will naturally clean your teeth. You remember these from your childhood. Parents and doctors were way ahead of the internet on these, demanding they be eaten daily for good health and good teeth. Apples, celery, and carrots. Sounds familiar? This is mostly what horses eat and they always have beautiful smiles. As a matter of fact, I have never met a horse that didn’t make a great first impression.

    There has to be something to this. These healthy fruits and veggies act like natural a toothbrush. They help in boosting saliva production, and we all know saliva is the mouth’s self-cleaning agent. They work to kill bad breath by eliminating bacteria, and scrub the mouth clean. Also, they are extremely and unreasonably delicious.

    The Natural Mouthwash

    After we have done our carrot/apple tooth scrub, it is time to rinse the mouth with a natural mouthwash. Yep, you probably guessed, there is a great natural mouthwash. Citrus fruits. Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and pineapples. Tart or sour fruits will again increase saliva production.

    The mouths natural self-cleaning agent, remember? These fruits, their pulp, and juices, along with the extra saliva they produce will wash your teeth clean naturally. The lemons can be a bit harsh, proceed with caution.

    The Strawberry Toothpaste

    Strawberries are full of an enzyme called malic acid. Malic acid helps remove surface stains on your teeth. Try mashing up strawberries and rubbing them on your teeth, or try this natural toothpaste, mashup strawberries and add baking soda and peroxide.

    Blend until smooth. Use a soft toothbrush to spread the mixture onto your teeth. leave it for a few mins, then rinse. You may need to floss after, strawberry seeds everywhere.

    Let me add to this by explaining the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Baking soda neutralizes acids that are produced in plaque. Due to its grainy abrasive nature, it also works as a high powered scrub brush. The Hydrogen peroxide is another safe whitening agent due to its bleaching qualities.

    Cheese

    Cheese and smiles just go together, that is why you yell “cheese!” before a picture. Everyone loves cheese and instinctively smiles, try it, it always works. Cheese and dairy get blamed for a lot of bad breath as well. I mean who wants cheese breath? Well,  I do, dairy is great for teeth whitening and protection.

    Dairy products contain lactic acid. Lactic acid can help protect teeth against decay. They also are rich calcium and protein, these help to build your tooth enamel. Even one step further, yogurt is believed to bond to your teeth, protecting it from cavity-causing harmful acids.

    Broccoli

    High fiber veggies like broccoli are great for your mouth health. Broccoli can reduce inflammation in your mouth. You will need to eat it crisp and raw to get the full effect. The broccoli will clean and polish your teeth. Broccoli is also high in iron.

    The high iron veggie has an added benefit of providing a wall of protection for your teeth against bacteria and its enamel eroding effects. Broccoli will also prevent stains and cavities.

  • New to Dating Apps? Here Are Some Tips to get You Started

    New to Dating Apps? Here Are Some Tips to get You Started

    Online dating has been around for a few years now, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is a master at it. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to this stuff! Learning how to make the most of your profile and maximize your matches is hard. If you’re looking for some tips for getting matches on dating apps, look no further. Today we’re going to walk you through some of the best tips for getting started meeting new people through dating apps.

    Tips for Getting Started with Dating Apps

    The Basics

    When it comes to dating apps, the most important thing to remember is that you need to be honest with people online. Don’t lie about your age or post a picture of yourself from a decade ago. You need to make sure you’re giving an honest look at who you are in your profile. Maybe you’re afraid that people won’t be attracted to you, but don’t start your relationships off on a lie. Nothing is a bigger red flag when meeting someone in person than their profile picture not matching what they look like in real life.

    Take a Good Profile Picture

    That said, your profile picture is also very important. It’s the first thing people see when they click on your profile, and first impressions are important. Make sure your profile picture has good lighting, you’re clean and look happy in it, and it’s taken from a good angle.

    Here are a few tips: try taking a profile picture in natural light and holding the camera at a higher angle. High angles make you look more approachable, thinner and more optimistic. Low angles, by contrast, can make you look arrogant, heavier or even less positive. Try to avoid them!

    There’s nothing wrong with your profile picture being tailored to show the best version of you. Just make sure it’s not overly-doctored to the point of being inaccurate. Authenticity is very important!

    Show What You’re About

    Don’t skip that bio section! People are going to want to know what kinds of things you’re into. Are you a huge gaming nerd who spends a lot of time playing retro video games? Awesome, put that in your bio! Do you love hiking, skydiving and going to the beach? Cool! Add that to your bio. Are you a bookworm who loves getting lost in a good tale? You can guess where you should be recording that info.

    If people are attracted to your initial profile picture, they’re going to want to lean more. Keep it short and sweet, and don’t go on forever. Put a list of your interests and a brief summary of what you’re about. Maybe mention what you do for a living and what kind of partner you’re looking for. If you’re looking for something serious and long-term, say that. If you want more casual relationships, be up front about that in your bio. Again, honesty goes a long way towards saving you headaches down the road.

    Keep Using the App (or Apps)

    No matter what dating app you’re using, don’t be ashamed to use it daily. Check for your matches, browse profiles, and just generally give it some screen time. It might feel weird to be this compulsive about an app (and trust us, we hate smartphone addiction as much as you do) but in this case there’s a reason for it.

    Your dating apps are using algorithms to prioritize your profile. If you don’t log in very often then it’s likely your profile isn’t near the top of most people’s lists. It’s harder to get matches when you’re not showing up for anyone! Remedy this by logging in and using the app regularly so the algorithm sorts you higher in the profile order. This allows you to stay relevant and have your profile grace more people’s screens.

    Mix it Up

    Don’t be afraid to mix it up and use more than one app. Maybe you first installed Tinder but you’re not having a lot of luck with it. Consider installing a few other dating apps, too! There’s nothing wrong with using two or three apps at once. By doing so you’ll not only increase your chances of meeting someone you’ll connect with, you also diversify who you’re seeing. And who’s seeing you, too!

    Don’t worry if you’re not seeing immediate results. There are millions of people out there. All you need to do is relax, take it easy and keep your confidence high. You’re awesome, and you’re going to meet someone great.