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  • Teeth Whitening: Top Tips for a Healthy, White Smile

    Teeth Whitening: Top Tips for a Healthy, White Smile

    Everyone wants to have a nice smile. If you’re smiling and showing off yellowed teeth with cavities, people will surely be a bit put off. However, it’s not hard to keep a nice, white smile. Today we’re going over some of the top tips for a pearly-white smile.

    Teeth Whitening

    Brush Those Teeth!

    This might seem like a no-brainer, but it bears repeating. Make sure you brush at least twice daily! Once when you get up, and once before bed, at the very least. When you brush, take care to get near the gums and in between your teeth so you clear all of the stuff that could have gotten trapped!

    Brushing is a very important aspect of dental health. Most dentists will tell you that it’s the best way to get, and to keep, a white smile. Good dental health starts with a good regiment of brushing teeth.

    Floss

    Flossing is a good addendum to brushing teeth. If you’re commonly brushing and flossing, your smile will stay straight and white for longer! You can fight cavities, bad breath and teeth yellowing all by practicing good hygiene with your brushing and flossing.

    Make sure you floss every day after you brush your teeth. It’s a great way to cap off your dental hygiene regiment.

    Avoid Soda

    Fizzy, sugary soda drinks are terrible for your teeth. If you commonly drink soda, make sure you brush and floss after drinking one. Not practicing good dental hygiene while drinking lots of sugary drinks is a surefire way to get cavities and yellow your teeth.

    Likewise, try to steer clear of candies and other sugary items. These items can contribute greatly to the erosion of the enamel of your teeth. Not to mention, the sugar attracts bacteria that can cause cavities. When the bacteria break down the sugar, they can also eat away at the integrity of your teeth.

    Whitening Strips

    People with yellowed teeth often try out various whitening strips to try to brighten up their smile. While these can be good for some people, they’re not a replacement for good dental hygiene. Make sure if you’re using teeth whitening strips that you’re also brushing and flossing daily.

    Also, it won’t help to use whitening strips while you’re still eating sugary foods and drinking sugary sodas. Essentially the two practices will cancel each other out, and you’re wasting your time and money on the whitening strips.

  • Acid Reflux: Common Causes and Best Treatments

    Acid Reflux: Common Causes and Best Treatments

    Acid reflux is a serious pain for people who suffer with the discomfort and embarrassment it brings. Today we’re looking at the common causes of acid reflux, and the best ways to find relief. While this condition is quite discomforting, there are steps you can take to ease your symptoms.

    Acid Reflux

    Causes

    Acid reflux occurs when lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, is too slow to close, allowing stomach acid to splash up into your esophagus. This stomach acid, as you might expect, is incredibly uncomfortable to have rolling around in organs it wasn’t meant to be in. The presence of this acid can lead to chest pain commonly known as heartburn.

    Some common reasons the LES could be failing to keep your stomach acid down are hiatal hernias, lying down after a large meal, smoking, being overweight or being pregnant. There are other factors that could contribute to acid reflux, as well. If you experience heartburn more than twice a week, you may have acid reflux disease.

    The Science

    When your stomach acid is where it’s supposed to be (you know, your stomach) it doesn’t cause you any discomfort due to your stomach lining. The stomach is constantly creating a thin mucus membrane that resists the acidic properties of the very chemical it makes to break down food. Your esophagus, however, doesn’t have such natural protection.

    Treatments

    Eating smaller meals more frequently is one quick way to address heartburn. Big meals are a common trigger for acid reflux, so eating lighter meals at a higher frequency is advised for common sufferers. If you smoke, consider quitting, as it will have a number of health benefits. This includes potentially curbing heartburn.

    Make sure you don’t eat too close to bedtime. Generally, you want to eat at least two hours before it’s time for bed. Additionally, when you’re eating, avoid wearing tight clothes. If your symptoms come from being overweight, taking steps to lose weight could also lead to a decrease in heartburn.

    Medications

    If lifestyle and diet changes are having no effect, there are a few medications you could try. Namely, antacids are a way to help neutralize stomach acid and calm down the worst symptoms. H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors and foaming agents are all popular choices.

    Medications like Pepcid, Gaviscon and Aciphex are commonly taken by sufferers to help abate symptoms. Remember, don’t take more than one type of antacid medication: they’re not meant to be mixed together.

  • Shaving Kits: Best Subscription Boxes for Grooming Your Beard

    Shaving Kits: Best Subscription Boxes for Grooming Your Beard

    Who honestly likes having to shop for razors? They’re expensive, they’re hard to keep up with and they’re frankly a pain to stock up on. That’s what subscription shaving boxes are for!

    Today we’re looking at some of the best subscription boxes for grooming your beard and ‘stache in style.

    Best Subscription Shaving Kits

    Dollar Shave Club

    One of the most popular shaving kits out there is the Dollar Shave Club. These guys are accurately named, as one of the kits they offer lets you get a new razor blade each week for a dollar per month. There are boxes ranging up to a $9 per month price range, but that’s also not going to break the bank.

    Dollar Shave Club offers a few different razors for subscribers. There’s the normal, no-frills twin blade that will keep you shaved up. There’s the X, which can be used on legs and underarms, making it a popular pick for men and women alike. There’s also the executive, which has more blades and offers a smoother shave.

    Bevel

    Bevel is an excellent shaving kit service that is aimed at people of color. Those with darker skin have often noted that these types of services don’t do a good job helping address the bumps and irritation that come with shaving certain types of skin. Bevel is out to change that!

    Bevel’s monthly rate of $30 is somewhat expensive compared to other shaving kits, though. The Bevel kits include a number of creams and conditioners that are aimed at making shaving smoother and easier for people of color. If you’re looking for a great shaving kit that works for your skin, consider trying out Bevel.

    Harry’s

    Harry’s shave kits are offered in prices ranging from $8-$24, depending on the plan you pick. This is a great subscription, no matter which type of box you choose. The blades they offer are top-quality and at a great price. Really, it makes you wonder how traditional razor companies compete when you see how high-quality Harry’s blades are.

    There are boxes with just blades, but you can opt for more grooming-centric boxes, too. These include shaving gel, as well as your high-quality blades. This makes the Harry’s boxes more of a “set and forget” service that you can just set up once. That way, you don’t have to shop for razors anymore: you get a restock every month!

  • Best Deals on Phones from Metro by T-Mobile

    Best Deals on Phones from Metro by T-Mobile

    Formerly known as Metro PCS, Metro by T-Mobile is a great cellular service provider for those looking for a good value. Seen as something of a budget mobile provider, Metro offers great rates on cellular plans. Today we’re looking at some of the best deals they offer on smartphones for savvy deal-seekers!

    Keep in mind, these deals are subject to change based on availability and time. Make sure you call ahead to your Metro dealer and confirm what deals they have available and whether they have the phone you want in stock.

    Best Phone Deals on Metro

    iPhone 6s Plus

    The larger and more powerful of the iPhone 6s line, the 6s Plus is a great phone for people who love a big screen. The 6s Plus sports a 5.5-inch screen with a gorgeous Retina display. The A9 processor running under the hood is something of a powerhouse, too.

    If you get over to Metro and switch to them from another provider, you can pick up this big iPhone for $249. While it might not be the newest phone from Apple, it’s here for a great price.

    Samsung Galaxy J7 Star

    If you switch from another provider to Metro, you can get a Samsung Galaxy J7 Star totally free. The large, 5.5-inch display is bright and sleek, and puts out a crisp HD image. There’s a 13MP camera on the back of the phone, allowing you to snap gorgeous pictures.

    32GB of memory in this Samsung phone means you’ll have tons of storage for those pictures, too! Not to mention your music and apps, so you can feel free to keep all your favorite tunes on hand. Make sure you get over to Metro fast while they still have Galaxy J7 Stars in stock so you can get yours for free when you switch!

    iPhone 6s

    It might not be the newest or shiniest phone in Apple’s lineup, but the iPhone 6s is available for $150 from Metro. This sleek little smartphone has a lot to love. The 3D Touch technology is here, the phone still sports a conventional headphone jack, and it has a fingerprint scanner for unlocking your phone.

    Likewise, a 12MP rear camera means your pictures will look awesome. You also get 32GB of storage in this smartphone, so you can download tons of music and apps. This is a hard-to-beat deal. Keep in mind you need to switch to Metro from another carrier in order to qualify for this discount.

  • 2019 Mazda CX-5: Worth the Money? Our Take

    2019 Mazda CX-5: Worth the Money? Our Take

    The Mazda CX-5 is a popular SUV in the luxury category. It’s a compact SUV with a lot of style, and it’s been turning a lot of heads. Maybe you’ve heard some various reviews and you’re wondering whether a 2019 Mazda CX-5 is worth the money. If that’s you, we have good news.

    Today, we’re giving you our take on the compact SUV from Mazda. How does it drive? Is there enough cargo space? And, most importantly, is it worth the money? Let’s get into it.

    2019 Mazda CX-5

    A Car-Lover’s SUV

    In a word: yes. Yes, this is a great SUV, and yes, it is worth the money. Why the glowing praise? Well, that all boils down to the thoughtful design and killer engine under the hood. The performance is agile, the handling is smooth, and the acceleration is downright impressive.

    For drivers who want a fun ride while still leaving plenty of room for the family, the Mazda CX-5 is your compromise point. Sure, you can’t buy a Corvette when you’ve got to get the kids to soccer practice. You can, however, by a Mazda CX-5 and have at least a little fun after the kids are dropped off at school.

    Under the Hood

    There’s a lot to admire under the hood of this surprising SUV. The powertrain might not sound impressive, topping out at 227 horses, but it’s a surprisingly athletic engine that powers this ride. The engine is also somewhat economical: it’s burning at 25 miles per gallon city and 31 on the highway.

    This is all assuming you’re opting for the mightier of the engine options, which entails a bit of an upsell in price. However, we recommend the option highly here, because it’s what makes the car. A Mazda CX-5 with a wimpy engine is like an action movie with no fight scenes: pointless.

    Bottom Line

    There’s a lot to love with the Mazda CX-5. As for some counterpoints, the vehicle does have sub-par room for cargo and a complex infotainment system. However, these are but minor complaints towards an overall stellar vehicle. The athletic, powerful engine and fun ride more than makeup for these minor complaints.

    The quiet, luxurious cabin and smooth ride are all icing on the cake. Starting a little over $24,000 and capping out near $37,000, there’s a lot of room to build the CX-5 that’s right for you and your budget from its options. Just make sure you add the upgraded engine option, so you get that sweet ride.

  • Best Home Workout Equipment: What You Need in Your Home Gym

    Best Home Workout Equipment: What You Need in Your Home Gym

    Working out is an important part of health and fitness. Not everyone has the time or money to hit the gym, though. Gym memberships can be expensive and finding the time to get by the gym can be impossible. If you’re looking to get in shape from home, maybe you’re wondering what the best way to do that is.

    Today, we’re going to help you with your fitness journey. We’re going to take a look at some of the best home workout equipment so you can figure out which is the best for you. Let’s get in shape.

    Best Home Workout Equipment

    Treadmill

    Getting a treadmill allows you to get in your cardio without having to leave your home. Some people might not live near good running paths. Others might live in an extreme region, or simply a rougher area. In these cases, having a treadmill to run on can be a huge help in fitness.

    We recommend finding a treadmill that fits your budget and lifestyle. If you’re on a tighter budget, a motorless, folding treadmill is ideal. If you’re looking for the most high-tech treadmill, maybe you’ll opt for a high-end motorized treadmill with various programs.

    Free-weights

    Don’t underestimate the benefits of good, old-fashioned pumping iron. Getting a range of free-weights can be inexpensive if you shop for discount exercise equipment. Alternatively, if you’ve got a bigger budget, you can opt for new, custom-tooled weights for your home.

    In any event, there are tons of great, muscle-building, fat-burning workouts you can do when you have your own set of weights. These can help you tone up and get into great shape.

    Exercise Mat

    This might sound silly, but you don’t need to get fancy to get into shape. An exercise mat can make a huge difference in your workout routine. Getting body-resistance workouts, like push-ups and sit-ups, can be a huge help to getting into shape. It’s hard to do those kinds of workouts on the bare floor, so an exercise mat is a great purchase for your home gym.

    Doorframe Pull-Up Bar

    Like an exercise mat, a pull-up bar is a great, simple workout tool. Getting in body-weight exercises is a great way to stay in shape. The unique, space-saving design of doorframe workout bars is great for getting in reps of pull-ups or chin-ups without leaving your home.

    Hopefully these simple, easy-to-get exercise equipment tools help you in your pursuit of health and fitness. Remember to stretch thoroughly before every workout!

  • Should You Buy an Acura RDX? Our Take

    Should You Buy an Acura RDX? Our Take

    Acura is a big name when it comes to luxury. For those looking to find the best of luxury SUVs, the Acura RDX is high on the list of potential vehicles. If you’ve been looking for a good vehicle for your family that combines luxury and cargo space, you might have been considering and RDX.

    Today we’ll give you our take: should you buy an Acura RDX?

    Acura RDX: Should You Buy?

    Overview

    There’s a lot to love with the Acura RDX. The 2019 model is a winner across the board, bringing ample luxury and style to go with its smooth ride and spacious interior. Let’s get into what makes it such a great pick.

    Whether you’re trying to get your family to the grocery store and back or taking a trip to the beach, comfort is key. Acura knows that, and that’s why the RDX is such a smooth, comfortable ride. The engine is quiet and responsive, giving the driver tons of control on the road.

    Interior

    Ample tech features come standard on the RDX, and the interior will impress even the most discerning tastes. The cab is spacious, luxurious and comfortable. Finishes are top-notch, the seats are soft and cozy and there’s tons of leg room. The design is altogether impressive, on a holistic level.

    This all goes hand-in-hand with the ample cargo space. When you need to haul a ton of stuff with you, you’ve got room to stash it all. This doesn’t come at the expense of passenger comfort, either, which is a huge plus.

    Engine

    The drivetrain, which is smooth and quiet, offers 272 horsepower, making it modestly impressive. The engine also gets a respectable 22 miles per gallon in the city, and 27 on the highway. The acceleration won’t blow you’re mind, but it’s solid enough to be impressive. In all, this is exactly the kind of engine you’d expect from a luxury SUV.

    Bottom Line

    With some minor exceptions, there’s little to criticize in this high-end luxury SUV. If you’re looking for a roomy, comfortable ride with a great engine for your family, the Acura RDX is a great pick. Our only minor nitpick is the infotainment system, which carries a bit of a learning curve to figure out.

    The only other minor sticking point could be the price. For those on a budget, the intro price of $37,400 might be a bit steep. However, for those able to swing it, this is a stellar vehicle.

  • Create Your Own Website for Free: Get Yourself Out There

    Create Your Own Website for Free: Get Yourself Out There

    No matter what you do, having your own website can be a huge boon. There’s a lot to be said for the strength of having an online presence for your brand.

    Maybe you’re an artist, a designer, a PR firm, a small business owner or a visionary. No matter what you do, a website can help anchor your image and give you an online identity.

    Today we’re going over how you can make your own website for free and make your mark on the internet.

    When it comes to making a splash in the digital sphere, less can often be more. Here are our tips for how you can make your own website for free.

    Create Your Own Website

    Pick Your Builder

    The first thing you have to do is pick out the site you’ll use to build your website. There are a few popular options, though the top three are undisputed. We’ll go over the top three and tell you what the major pros and cons of each are.

    Wix

    Wix is a popular platform that you may have seen advertised on various YouTube videos or web ads. A lot of people like Wix due to its high-quality mobile templates and ready-to-use site building tools.

    One need not know a great deal about web design to make a good-looking website with Wix.

    The free version of the Wix website builder results in a domain name that is under the Wix banner. If you opt to pay, you can get your own URL, which is great if you’re a small business owner and want your own identity.

    The free site builder, however, does allow for a robust suite of tools to make a site that looks great.

    uKit

    uKit is a very popular pick for site building, though it’s not as well-known as Wix and WordPress. It’s preferred by business owners, due to its unique layout and ease of use. The biggest draw to uKit isn’t the free version, however, but the affordable $3/month business plan.

    WordPress

    WordPress is one of the most popular site building tools in the world. In fact, this site was built on WordPress! Text-based sites that focus on articles are a great fit for WordPress. The free version, like Wix, gives you a WordPress domain.

    Keep in mind when you’re considering WordPress for your own personal website that it’s easy to add and change images and designs. There’s a lot of flexibility with WordPress, though the focus is much more on words than on images.

  • Money Market Savings Account: How They Can Work for You

    Money Market Savings Account: How They Can Work for You

    If you’re interested in getting your money to work for you, then you should think about getting a money market savings account. Maybe you’ve heard about these types of accounts but you’re not sure if it’s right for you.

    Today we’re looking a bit deeper into MMAs and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about these financial opportunities.

    Money Market Savings Account

    The Difference

    A savings account, on average, doesn’t have particularly high-interest rates. Compared to a money market account, a savings account is much lower in terms of contributions and minimum balances. Generally speaking, anyone can open a savings account and can afford the minimum balance and deposits.

    On the flip side, a money market account is, on average, going to offer much higher interest rates. That’s because an MMA is more like a combination of a checking and savings account. These accounts tend to have much higher minimum balances. Generally speaking, MMAs are for people with higher income levels than average.

    Why Open an MMA

    There are some upsides to opening a money market account. Notably, these accounts are insured and protected, and you can feel assured when you deposit upwards of thousands of dollars into them. People often prefer to deposit large sums in MMAs because of the higher interest rates they tend to have.

    If your bank or credit union offers a high-interest rate on an MMA, consider moving your savings into such an account.

    Another reason people like MMAs is because they offer access to your funds in a pinch. You can write up to six checks per months from an MMA, and you can use a debit card for those funds up to six times per month. That makes them ideal for covering larger transactions that occur infrequently.

    What to Look For

    Generally speaking, when you’re looking for a good MMA, you want to find the one with the best interest rates. If the rates in an MMA are comparable to your savings account, you can safely ignore it. Likewise, if the interest rate is much higher, invest your money there.

    On the same track, try to find an MMA that doesn’t have monthly fees. There are plenty of MMAs out there that don’t charge monthly fees and offer great interest rates. As such, there’s no reason for you to pay more just to have your money grow!

  • How Should You Sell Your Car? Get the Most for Your Old Ride

    How Should You Sell Your Car? Get the Most for Your Old Ride

    When it comes time to sell your old ride, what avenue do you take? Do you sell it to a buddy of yours, or do you trade it in at the dealership?

    Maybe you’re wondering if you’re getting the best deal when you sell your car. Today we’re going to help you figure out how to get the most from selling your old car.

    How Should You Sell Your Car?

    Sell it Yourself

    The most obvious and direct way to sell your old ride is to just sell it yourself. Figure out what a car of its age and condition is worth, throw up a few ads online and try to get a good price for it. When it comes to selling yourself, though, you’ve got to consider how time-consuming it will be.

    When you’re selling the car yourself, you’re looking at a lot of time meeting with potential buyers and haggling. You have to put the car’s history report up and be truthful about its condition. Likewise, the awkward nature of having strangers come up and test drive your old vehicle is somewhat odd.

    Dealership Sales

    When it comes to getting money for your old wheels fast, you’ve got a few options. The most straightforward way to do this is to go through a dealership. Dealerships can buy your old ride after an appraisal and give you cash the day you roll up with it.

    After an appraisal, you can choose to take or leave the offer. If you take it, you’ll have cash in hand. Often you can haggle for a bit of a better price if you’re trading the old ride in for a new vehicle. Keep in mind, in any event, you’ll end up getting less for a vehicle you trade-in to a dealership than just selling it yourself.

    Other Services

    There are also services that can help you sell your car. These services, like CarMax and Auto Trader, have their own setups for picking up the vehicles and paying you out for it. This is a bit of an in-between from selling it to the dealership and selling it yourself.

    With these services, you’ve got a bit better chance of getting more for your old car. However, you do pay for the convenience, as you’ll get a bit less than if you just sell it yourself. It’s up to you to decide how much your time is worth when it comes to selling your car.