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  • Know the Signs of Termites

    Know the Signs of Termites

    One of the most damaging and destructive forms of insects for your home is the lowly termite. Few creatures on this planet, barring maybe the mosquito, earn quite as much ire as the termite. Drywood termites, in particular, love to live in door and window frames, skirting boards, and even your wooden furniture.

    It’s important that you know the signs that point to termite infestations. These wood-devouring little arthropods can go undetected for months, or even years, tearing up your home all the while. Once you know the signs to look for, however, you can root these evil little bugs out and set your home right.

    Know What to Look For

    People often confuse termites for white ants, though this is a mistake. Termites do look similar to ants in some ways, and even have some similar behaviors. However, there are some distinctions you should take note of when you see a light-colored “ant”. Firstly, remember that there’s no such thing as a white ant.

    Termites have two pairs of wings, like ants, but their pairs of wings are the same size. Ants have one larger and one smaller pair of wings. Termite antennae are completely straight, not bent like those of an ant. The dead giveaway, as we’ve indicated, though, is that termites are white or cream-colored, and no white or light-colored variant of ant is known to exist.

    Swarmers

    The presence of swarmers, or flying termites, is a dead giveaway that there will soon be termites eating through the wood in your home. These flying swarmers are usually seen just after a heavy rain, at least in the drywood species of termites. Drywood are the ones you need to be worried about, so keep an eye out for these flying bugs after rain.

    Flying termites, unlike ants, can be male or female. They’re typically younger members of their species that are looking to find a mate. Upon finding a mate, they seek out a proper nest (like the inside of your doorframe) and set out making a colony. A sufficient food source can sustain a king and a queen for as long as ten years.

    The Tell-Tale Sound

    There’s a rather distinct sound that is made by termites who are working away at eating your home. It’s a slight clicking, something low and quiet that’s difficult to hear unless you get close to the affected area. This clicking sound is the worker termites banging their heads against the wood to warn the colony of impending danger.

    Another sound you will easily by able to tell termites by is the sound of them just chowing down on your furniture or home. It’s a faint sound, but it’s distinctive. It sounds like someone munching, just at a very low frequency and, you know, inside of your furniture.

    Check Your Wood

    A quick way to check for major termite damage is to tap on the wood surfaces of your home. If you hear a hollow or paper-like sound as a result, you know that you’re dealing with termites. Drywood termites eat wood from within, and often leave a small amount on the surface. This leads to them often being difficult to spot with the naked eye. However, tapping on affected wood should quickly reveal the truth. If your wood sounds lighter or more hollow than you think is natural, it’s time to call out an exterminator to handle your termite problem.

    Another thing to check your wood for is frass, or termite droppings. Frass is an indicator of drywood termites, and is commonly checked for in termite inspections. Unlike some other forms of termites, drywood termites don’t use their droppings to form their tunnels. Instead, they push the dark, powdery excretions out of openings near their nests.


  • Ocular Migraines: Causes and Treatments

    Ocular Migraines: Causes and Treatments

    If you suffer from ocular migraines, the words alone could cause you to feel that dull ache in the side of your head. Ocular migraines are loosely defined as migraines that affect only one eye with odd visual impairments. Often, they are prefaced by flashing lights or partial blindness, and they could include mild to severe pain on one side of your head.

    Today we’re going to look at the causes, symptoms and potential treatments for ocular migraines to help you set yourself back on track. Those who suffer from these types of migraines often can’t carry out normal tasks through the pain of the migraine, so this is an important topic for many people.

    Causes of Migraines

    As it turns out, science is currently unsure as to why migraines occur. They only affect about twelve percent of the population, and they can often seem to have little link to physiology. However, current science suggests that the origins of migraines are neurological. In many cases, triggers of migraines can be emotional. Stress and depression can be triggers, though excitement and surprise can also bring on migraines.

    Scientists presume that migraines are caused by something in the brain that triggers and unusual communication between the nerves that communicate with the brain. This often involves the blood vessels and muscles of the head, which, in turn, can lead to the intense pain of migraines.

    Ocular Migraines

    Unlike normal migraines, ocular migraines have an optical component. Their causes are likely similar to those of normal migraines, but with an emphasis on the nerves of the eye instead of just nerves that communicate with blood vessels or muscles. Other causes could include spasms in the blood vessels of the retina, manifesting as unusual spots in the patient’s vision.

    Potential triggers can include low blood sugar, caffeine, bright or flashing lights, stuffy or overly cold rooms and even high emotions. Often, those who suffer from these migraines can tell when they’re coming on, as they have a number of telltale symptoms that crawl up on the sufferer. These include tightness of the neck or shoulders, light sensitivity and nausea.

    Symptoms

    Ocular migraines include symptoms of extreme pain in one side of the head or behind one eye, primarily. Impairment in the vision of one eye is also common, though it can occasionally occur in both eyes. Typically the pain in one’s head during a migraine throbs or pulses, rather than persisting across the length of the event.

    It’s common for sufferers of migraines to note that the pain gets worse the more they move around. Often, those with common migraines will simply lie in a dark, quiet room and wait for their migraine to pass. Migraine symptoms can often occur in tandem with nausea, high photosensitivity or sound sensitivity, and even vomiting from the intensity of the pain.

    Treatment

    While migraines are incredibly discomforting, they’re thankfully not terribly dangerous to your overall wellbeing. Typically, migraines will simply go away after about half an hour on their own, so most people don’t require any treatment for them at all. That said, there are some cases in which the pain from migraines is so intense that the sufferer needs treatment.

    For preventative treatment, you’ll need to see a doctor. Some may prescribe anti-epilepsy medicine such as Topamax, which can play a role in stopping migraines. Sometimes beta blockers, which are a type of blood pressure medicine, will be prescribed, which helps with blood vessel-related causes of migraines.

    As for treatment during a migraine, try to just take it easy during an episode. Drink water and take an NSAID if you’re experiencing a lot of pain. Aside from that, there’s not a lot you can do to stop a migraine already in progress.


  • How to Find the Best Makeup Foundation

    How to Find the Best Makeup Foundation

    Everyone who wears makeup knows the struggle of trying to find the right foundation for your skin. Getting the right color, the right contrast and the right material all at once can be incredibly difficult. After all, you don’t have unlimited time or money to try out every different foundation found at the store. Today, we’re helping you narrow it down with some of our top tips.

    Firstly, we’ll be looking at some of the most popular foundations. We’ll give an overview of price, availability, and what user reviews say about each entry. We hope this helps you find some foundation that will work well for you!

    Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation

    Available at Macy’s for $50, this longwear foundation has a lot to offer for certain skin types. Those with facial scarring, uneven marks or similar skin conditions they might be self-conscious about will love this offering from NARS. The much-hyped release of this foundation speaks to how beloved it is by users, many of whom refer to it as a “must-have” beauty supply.

    The texture is described as “velvety” and “smooth,” and the coverage is quite even and provides a great base for makeup. The foundation is said to last for up to sixteen hours at a stretch, helping you to look great long into a big day full of activities. This foundation safely sits atop the heap, though it’s a bit on the pricey side.

    Matte Loose Powder Mineral Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15

    Coming in at a much lower price, this Bare Minerals foundation can be found at Macy’s for $31. If you want a nice, even coverage that looks great in any light, you often need to go with thicker or liquid-based foundations. However, this Bare Minerals foundation is light and applies very evenly and offers great coverage despite its light weight.

    For those with chronic acne or skin that’s prone to breaking out, consider this option. Since it’s so light but offers such robust coverage, it’s a favorite of people with more sensitive skin. It’s a great way to keep your skin from getting irritated or breaking out when you’re wanting to wear makeup and have the application look even and natural.

    Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation

    Have you ever worn a foundation that you could refer to as a “second skin?” That’s likely what you would refer to this Becca foundation as. Found at Dermstore, this Aqua Luminous foundation is unparalleled at mimicking the texture and feel of skin, while acting as a perfect underpinning for makeup. There’s a lot to love with this foundation, including the luminizers that help you keep an otherworldly glow even through a layer of foundation.

    Allowing your skin’s natural tones to shine through while still giving you a nice canvas for applying your makeup is a tight rope that this foundation walks expertly. If you’re a more advanced makeup user who likes to spend a lot of time getting your look perfect, this is the foundation for you. You can pick up this Perfecting Foundation at dermstore.com for $44.

    Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation

    This foundation, from Rihanna’s own FENTY BEAUTY line, can be found at Sephora for $35. Bad Girl approved, this foundation offers smooth, even and perfectly-blending color that is hard to match with other foundations.

    A huge mark in favor of this foundation is the wide array of shades available, allowing everyone from the lightest skin tones to the darkest to find exactly the match for their skin. Nothing’s quite as big of a disappointment as finding a great product that just doesn’t have a shade that matches your skin tone.


  • How to Save the Most Money on a Flight

    How to Save the Most Money on a Flight

    Everyone loves traveling, and the most time-efficient way to go large distances is by flying. However, flying can be expensive, especially if you don’t fly frequently enough to rack up frequent flyer miles and earn savings that way. If you don’t fly often but want to find the best deals, where should you start? Today we’re answering just that with our guide to low-budget flights and saving money while traveling.

    Saving Money on a Flight

    Fly Coach

    This might sound like pretty obvious advice, but our first tip is that you fly coach. While it can be tempting to fly first class to make the trip plush and nice, there’s nothing wrong with saving money by buying the least expensive ticket you can find. After all, the more you save on the flight, the more you can spend when you get to your destination!

    There’s nothing wrong with hanging in the back of the plane in a smaller seat with less fancy amenities. It’s not like you’re going to have to spend more than a few hours in the plane, so why spend as much as double the ticket price just to get a bigger seat and a bit more legroom? In either case, you’re on the same plane, going to the same destination, taking the same amount of time.

    Search Incognito

    When you’re searching around to find the best deals on plane tickets, make sure you’re doing so incognito. To open an incognito window, just click in the top right of your browser’s settings and hit “open new Incognito Window.” This makes it so sites can’t track your cookies and keep up with who you are, allowing you to go under the radar.

    This is to help you get the lowest price by sidestepping a sneaky airline trick. Airlines will continually jack up the price of tickets the more you view them online, in order to get you to panic and buy them sooner rather than later. To avoid paying this extra amount, shop incognito to keep them from tracking your browsing habits.

    Stay Off Major Search Engines

    Sorry, Google, but you’re not great for airline prices. Most major search engines get a cut of ticket prices when they help generate sales, so the prices you’ll see through them are also inflated. This is another scummy upcharge that you would do well to side-step entirely in order to find the best price. Instead of going through major search engines, you can look for budget airlines through broader engine searches.

    These include options like SkyScanner, which helps you find the best deals on specifically airlines, and Momondo, a broad search engine that can sometimes fetch budget airlines even cheaper than SkyScanner. Other great options you could check out include AirFare Watchdog, JetRadar, AirWander and Cheapoair. Remember, no one search engine is ideal: you’ll likely find the best results by using a combination of all of these options.

    Find the Cheapest Booking Days/Times

    It’s no secret that the prices of airline tickets can change dramatically based on when you buy them. The time of week, the time of day, the length of time until the flight leaves, all of these factors have a role to play in the cost of the ticket. Narrowing down the best time to fly out can feel a bit more mystical than scientific, though.

    There are a few things you can do to make sure you’re getting the best price based on the date you buy your ticket. One of the best resources is actually the SkyScanner website, which can help you narrow down the best days and times to buy, showing you an easy-to-read calendar with clear indicators of prices. It’s really the best way to shop for airline tickets!


  • Lawn Care: Taking Care of Your Grass This Summer

    Lawn Care: Taking Care of Your Grass This Summer

    Everyone wants the best-looking yard on the block. However, it can be quite difficult to maintain a healthy and plush lawn through the harsh summer months. If you’re looking to keep up a good lawn care regiment and keep your grass looking verdant and perfect, you’re going to want to take some of our summer lawn care tips to heart. Here’s what you need to know.

    Summer Lawn Care Tips

    Know What to Expect

    When the hot summer temperatures show up, it’s time to adjust your expectations of your grass. It’ll grow thick and plush in the Springtime, as even cool-climate grasses love temperatures in the 60’s. That includes grasses like bluegrass and rye. Meanwhile, hot-temperature grasses, like Bermuda and St. Augustine, prefer to grow in the 70’s. Once the temperature jumps above 80 degrees, however, it’s time to expect your grass’s growth to slow and stop.

    Now, you can use techniques like fertilizer and sprinkler systems to make sure your grass gets plenty of coaxing and will want to grow taller. However, know you’re fighting nature when you try to encourage grass growth in the summertime. On top of this, you’re likely using your grass more in the summer time, having friends over, throwing barbecues and parties, and trampling all over your grass. This is a surefire way to see your grass turn brown, dry up and go dormant.

    Proper Watering

    As you might expect, proper watering is a huge aspect of good summer lawn maintenance. If your grass isn’t getting enough water from rainfall, you need to make up that difference yourself. Your grass needs about an inch of water per week, so use a rain gauge to keep up with how much your yard is getting. Make up the difference with your sprinkler system or just by hand-watering your lawn. Make sure you water in the morning to avoid fungal growth and evaporation.

    When you get into watering your lawn for the summer, make sure you’re in a regular groove. Water the grass regularly and deeply to encourage drought-resistant roots. Also, if you’re not going to water the lawn regularly, don’t water it at all. If the grass goes brown and dormant, don’t try to water it back into being green. Your lawn will bounce back in the fall if it falls dormant, so just let it lie if it does.

    Mowing Your Grass

    Raise your mower blade in the summer to avoid damaging your grass. Taller grass is more drought-resistant, with deeper roots and hardier constitution. It also keeps the ground well-shaded, preventing the growth of low-lying weeds. Warm season grasses need to be about two or three inches in the summer, while cooler season grasses need to be between three and four inches.

    Make sure you also mow regularly in the summertime. You don’t want to cut more than a third of the length of a blade of grass, to encourage your lawn’s health. Another important factor is the amount of grass clippings, which could smother your lawn if they fall too densely over your grass. Finally, you’ll want to make sure your mower blades are kept razor-sharp in the summer. If they aren’t, they won’t be cutting your grass, they’ll be tearing your grass. That’s terrible for your lawn’s health.

    Fertilizer

    Use fertilizer sparingly. You don’t need to use fertilizer on brown, flagging lawns. If you do, you’ll only burn the grass out and encourage fresh growths that will just die to the heat. Instead, wait until the fall when your grass is green again to fertilize. Yes, this does mean that your grass will just look bad throughout the summer, but it’ll save you money on dropping fertilizer for no reason.


  • 2020 Ford F-150 Preview: What to Expect

    2020 Ford F-150 Preview: What to Expect

    The newest offering from Ford, the 2020 model of the ever-popular F-150 line, is set to release later this year. However, in the meantime, we’ve got plenty of juicy details about just what to expect from the upcoming, high-tech, high-powered truck. There’s a lot to love about what Ford is bringing to the table! But is the F-150 still going to be on top of heap when it comes to pickups when this truck hits dealerships?

    2020 Ford F-150

    Balance

    It’s important to strike a balance when you’re designing a truck like the F-150. On the one hand, you want to have the power to tow a lot of weight, but you also want to make the ride comfortable and the technology needs to be cutting edge. It’s also important that Ford balance the luxury of their F-150 with a reasonable base price, as well as a variety of trim levels to please all types of customers.

    It appears as though the 2020 F-150 is slated to strike that balance relatively well. Notably, the V-8, 6.7-liter turbo diesel engine under the hood offers a ton of power for heavy-duty jobs. However, the vehicle also comes sporting a ton of driver assist technology, connectivity, and high-end luxury to make it a modern vehicle.

    Engine

    The engine under the hood is expected to be a beast. While the current projections are for a 450 horsepower engine, with 35,000 pounds of towing capacity, that could be a conservative estimate. In January, Ford posted projections that they wanted the new vehicle to have as much as 35,100 pound of towing, with 7680 pounds of payload.

    There are expected to be three engines available at various trim levels. All three will be offering a ton of power, though the diesel-powered option will allow for a lot more fuel efficiency than the others. In short, there’s a lot to look forward to in the powertrain of the 2020 Ford F-150, and you can expect serious power from the newest line of Ford’s trucks.

    Technology

    While we’re not yet sure what will come standard on the 2020 F-150, it’s clearly shaping up to sport a wide array of driver assist technologies. For instance, expect to see lane-keeping technology, emergency braking assist, advanced backup camera, lane merge warnings and more. On top of these technologies, expect to see a ton of new connectivity technology.

    The car will offer a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to ten wireless devices. It’ll offer this through a 4G LTE modem, making it a high-speed connectivity option and helping you to keep your data bill down for your phone! Also expect a huge infotainment screen, a fast-acting UI and a wireless charging pad. Namely, this pad will be a Qi-enabled charger that can wirelessly charge most new phones.

    Redesigns

    The 2020 Ford F-150 is expected to bring some major redesigns for the line. These are expected to hit both the exterior and the interior of the car. Firstly, the outside of the vehicle, expect to see new grilles on all trim levels. The exterior redesign makes the vehicle look sleeker, meaner and more modern. Higher trim levels will include the signature daytime running lamps, and the brake lights will be of a new, single-light style.

    On the interior of the vehicle, expect to see a number of new features. These will partly be related to trim level, while all trims can expect a more luxurious and plush ride. As the Ram line becomes more and more luxury-focused, Ford will have to make moves to keep up with the luxury changes. As such, the interior redesign will likely be more noticeable at higher trim levels.


  • Most Important Vitamins for Your Eyes

    Most Important Vitamins for Your Eyes

    Few organs have more impact on your daily interaction with the world than your eyes. You use them to take in visual information, which is one of the primary ways you gather information about the world around you. If you want to keep your vision sharp as the years go on, you’ll need to take care of your eyes. One of the main ways to do this is to take in the right kind of vitamins for your eyes!

    Vitamins for Good Eye Health

    Vitamin C

    Great for more than just fighting off scurvy, vitamin C plays an important role in your eye health. As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps to protect your cells, including the ones in your eye, from the harmful effects of free radicals. Free radicals, despite their silly-sounding name, are quite harmful to your cells, as they are unstable molecules that can cause cell degradation.

    As such, antioxidants like vitamin C have a major role in to play in keeping your cells safe. As you get older your cells are exposed to more and more free radicals, and these can cause damage over time that can be long-lasting. That’s why having a diet high in citrus fruits, kale, broccoli, bell peppers and tropical fruits is important, as these are major sources of vitamin C.

    Vitamin A

    Vitamin A’s impact on your eyes is so great that you’ve likely already heard about this one just from common knowledge. This vitamin plays a vital role in helping your eyes maintain a clear cornea. Your cornea is the lining on the outside of your eye. As long as it remains clear and strong, your vision will also be clear and unclouded.

    Vitamin A also plays a role in helping your body develop rhodopsin. Rhodopsin is a protein type that helps your eyes to make out details in lower light conditions. It’s difficult to develop vitamin A deficiency, but if you do, the first symptoms are night blindness. Eventually, vitamin A deficiency leads to blindness. To keep up a good vitamin A intake, eat lots of foods like sweet potatoes, bell peppers and pumpkins. Leafy greens are full of both vitamins A and E, making it a great dietary choice.

    Vitamin E

    Another major factor in eye health is the balance of free radicals and antioxidants in your body. Vitamin E helps to keep that regulation in check, allowing for your cells to be more protected against the harmful effects of free radicals, much like vitamin C. There is some evidence that holds that proper vitamin E intake is also vital in helping keep aging-related cataracts from developing.

    If you’re looking to get the right amount of vitamin E in your diet, the best way to do that is by getting a good amount of it in your diet. Vitamin E-rich foods include nuts, avocado and salmon. As mentioned above, leafy greens are full of vitamin E, making them some of the best eye-health-encouraging foods, pound for pound.

    B Vitamins

    Several B vitamins also play a major role in your eye health. Namely, B6, B9 and B12 all have a hand in regulating your eye health. Specifically, the mix of all three of these types of B vitamins helps to regulate your body’s levels of homocysteine, which is a protein that can lead to inflammation. Additionally, a high percentage of homocysteine in the body can lead to increased risk for the development of AMD, or age-related macular degeneration.

    However, it’s unclear whether intake of food items high in B vitamins has a notable impact on eye health. Studies so far have focused on the effects of vitamin supplements, which have proven impactful in clinical studies.


  • Watching TV for Free: Ditching Cable

    Watching TV for Free: Ditching Cable

    No one likes paying a ton of money just to watch TV. In 2019, it’s very difficult to justify spending a ton of money on TV when you can watch tons of content online for free. After all, YouTube offers a ton of content for free watching, while there are free shows available on a number of official sites. With all of this free content available online, surely there are better ways to watch TV without spending a lot of money. Here are some of the best free TV platforms you can watch right now.

    Free TV Platforms

    Over-the-Air Channels

    Of course, there are a number of channels offered for free over the airwaves. Even if you have an HDTV, you can still tune in to over-the-air channels via an HD receiver. Your local digital stations will include the local news, weather and normal syndicated TV channels. You won’t have to worry about missing some of the biggest TV show premiers, and you don’t even need an internet connection or a smart TV to access these channels.

    The only equipment you need to see your local digital channels is a digital HD receiver and an HD television. There’s no fee for accessing this content, as you already have accessing to these public TV channels. This is the lowest-tech way to access free TV channels, and a tried-and-true method.

    Roku

    One of the best ways to access a wide variety of free content is by getting a Roku device for your living room television. Essentially, a Roku device turns any existing HDTV into a smart TV. This means you can access online content, such as the free Pluto TV or YouTube apps, or you could opt for paid services like Netflix or Hulu. In either case, Roku also offers a “Featured Free” tab for free content through the platform.

    A Roku Express, the lowest-costing Roku device, retails for $30 and gets you set up for online TV through your living room. As another note, there are a number of TVs that are pre-packaged with Roku software, so make sure you’re not already set up with Roku before you head out to buy a Roku Express.

    Pluto TV

    Another free TV option for people looking to cut the cord is Pluto TV. Pluto is a curated content platform that collates a large amount of online content. Essentially, Pluto takes a number of videos that are already available for free online and presents them in handy groupings, adds in commercial breaks, and makes them into TV channels. For instance, lots of channels focus on video games, or cooking, or other granular and specific topics.

    Some larger channels could have reruns or licensed content from the likes of MTV or Comedy Central, for instance, both of whom have Pluto TV channels that offer a free sub-set of their lineups. The biggest draws to Pluto are that it’s free, it’s HD, and the content is incredibly varied and entertaining. If you just want something to watch and don’t want to pay anything to watch it, Pluto is for you. All you need to watch is an internet connection! If you want to watch it on your TV, you can get the app for free on Roku.

    Local Library

    Your local library has quite the large selection of DVDs available for you to borrow. Access to public libraries is free for all citizens of a city, so there’s no reason to not take advantage of this free resource that is available to you. You can find a number of new movies available for borrowing at your library to help you have movie night without spending a dime!

    Remember: a penny saved is a penny earned. Don’t spend more than you have to for your entertainment!


  • Which Allergy Remedy is Best for You?

    Which Allergy Remedy is Best for You?

    If you live with seasonal allergies, you’re likely looking for a good antihistamine or another type of allergy medicine or remedy would work for you. There are a number of options on the market, so it can be hard to narrow down the best and most useful medicines. Complicating matters, most forms of allergy medicine have notable side effects, such as headaches and drowsiness. Let’s take a look at some of the best remedies for allergies, both medicine and otherwise.

    Best Allergy Remedies

    Avoidance

    The first thing you need to do in order to lessen your allergy symptoms is to avoid whatever triggers your allergies. This means you need to make sure to lessen your exposure to pollen, ragweed, or whatever else you have allergies to. In the case of pollen, the most common seasonal allergen, you’ll want to make sure you stay indoors when the pollen count is at its highest.

    Ride with your windows up, and avoid eating outside. When you get in from your day, change your clothes right away and wash the clothes you came in with. Wash your sheets regularly during allergy season to clean the pollen off of them. Your best bet is cleaning your fabrics and keeping windows shut, keeping yourself away from the triggers as much as possible.

    Other Triggers

    Other things could be triggering your allergies, too. Alcohol, for instance, is an inflammatory and an irritant. Drinking heavily during allergy season is a surefire way to inflame your allergies. Likewise, make sure you clean your bathroom and kitchen during allergy season, as molds could be growing in moist corners. Molds are some of the most allergy-triggering things you can find in your home.

    Other things to watch out for are your dishes and cutlery. Make sure you thoroughly wash them, as you don’t want to accidentally ingest any allergens. You’re going to want to wash your hands before you eat, too, as you could have residual pollen on your hands after coming in from your day.

    Allergy-Proofing

    You can allergy-proof your house by taking a few simple steps. You can get a stronger air filter that will grab particulates, keeping them from circulating around your home. Another thing you can do is keep your windows sealed up, and avoid leaving doors open for long periods. Make sure you thoroughly clean your carpets if you have any, as they can be major trappers of pollen and other allergens. Not to mention, carpets can get gross if not regularly deep-cleaned.

    If you have hardwood floors, make sure you sweep thoroughly and regularly during allergy season. This is a great way to keep your floors looking nice while also keeping your allergies from flaring up.

    Medicine

    Notable medicines you can take for allergies include Allegra, Zyrtec, Xyzal, Benadryl, Rhinocort and Claritin. These antihistamine-based allergy medications work by stopping your body’s histamine reactions in their tracks. This keeps you from having the massive amounts of itching and sneezing. Namely, the itchiness of the eyes and uncomfortable, uneasy feeling your skin gets during an allergy attack are related to histamine responses.

    If you’re feeling a lot of congestion, you’ll want a decongestant medicine. Decongestants are distinct from antihistamines, as antihistamines only stop your allergic reactions. Congestion will keep going even once the allergic reaction is gone unless you use a decongestant.

    Side Effects

    Many antihistamine medications have side-effects associated. These can include drowsiness, fatigue, headaches, dry mouth, nervousness, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Other notable side-effects can include dry, red eyes, hoarseness, sore throat, blurred vision and nosebleeds. However, many people have noted that the side-effects of these medications typically are less impactful than their allergy symptoms, making the medications worth the side effects.


  • Is an AARP Membership Worth It?

    Is an AARP Membership Worth It?

    Many people ask the question as they get closer 50: is AARP worth it? The membership isn’t terribly expensive, and there are a number of benefits associated with being a member. However, do those benefits outweigh the yearly membership cost of AARP? Let’s look at the AARP and find out if the membership is worth it for you.

    AARP Membership

    What is AARP?

    The AARP stands for the American Association of Retired Persons, but you don’t actually have to be retired to be a member. The group is a non-profit interest group that represents the interests of retired and older Americans. The organization’s stated goal is “to empower people to choose how they live as they age.” The organization was originally founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus and Leonard Davis.

    Thanks to their 38 million members and yearly membership fees, the AARP is a rather influential and massive interest group. They lobby Congress and other government agencies on the behalf of retired and elderly Americans, often tackling issues like prescription drug prices and caregiving for older persons.

    What Does AARP Do?

    In short, AARP lobbies for the interests of retired and elderly people. Their lobbying efforts are part of their stated mission goal, and they are a non-profit that spends most of their funds on their lobbying. They also set up tons of discounts for their members at various businesses. Memberships for a year cost $16, or $12 if you sign up for auto-renewal.

    Who can Become a Member?

    Membership doesn’t require you to be retired. All you need in order to become a full member of AARP is to be 50 years old. In fact, you can join up as an “associate member” as long as you’re over the age of 18. However, you don’t get access to the full range of benefits AARP offers members if you’re not 50 or older.

    Benefits

    Some of the most notable benefits you’ll want from AARP include discounts on various services. These can include discounts at restaurants and on travel. Travel, in particular, is a major focus of the AARP. They have travel package deals, focusing on travel for retired persons, that can save you tons of money on vacations.

    Other discounts can include up to 25% off of car rental prices, which is great for frequent travelers. Then, on top of this, you can get up to 10% off of your stay at various hotel chains that have deals with the AARP. Flights, cruises, travel packages and more are also available at discounts through the AARP.

    Entertainment

    Another form of discount you can get through the AARP is on entertainment. This includes discounts on movie tickets through Regal theaters, and there are also discounts through the “Movies for Grown-Ups” program. Another way to save is through Ticketmaster, which offers discounts for AARP members.

    Cirque du Soleil offers 20% off for AARP members at some of their Vegas shows, too! This is a great way for a retired person to save a ton on their entertainment budget, making AARP a smart decision for someone looking to see lots of movies and shows.

    Bottom Line

    There are numerous other upsides for AARP members, including the AARP Now App, the Avo retirement planner, and the free online AARP Brain Games. These benefits, when combined with the discounts that full members get, make AARP membership attractive for many older Americans.

    In short, the cost of your membership is easily offset if you use the discounts on even a few movie tickets. If you spend money on a vacation and save some through the discount program, odds are the $16 membership price will more than pay for itself.