4 Ways To Avoid Bed Bugs While Shopping

Today, a lot of people have been plagued by the resurgence of bed bugs. Unlike what most people think, bed bugs do not only dwell in unsanitary and unclean areas. They can also be found even in the cleanest and most sanitary locations, such as hospitals, famous hotels, office buildings, and so on. Recently, there have also been reports that these bugs were also found in famous retail stores. In fact, three major clothes stores in New York City have been temporarily closed because they were infested with these pesky critters. This is quite alarming, especially for many shoppers.

It has been said that the most common way to transfer bed bugs is through the purchase of used furniture and clothing. Today, you are capable of introducing these creepy crawlies into your home by buying new clothes. This is a dilemma since obviously, there will come a time when you need to buy new clothes, but you don’t want to accidentally bring home these bugs. What’s the best way to avoid these creepy crawlies and stop them from coming home with you?

Tips To Avoid Bringing Home Bed Bugs
Inspect The Clothes For Signs Of Bed Bugs: The first thing you need to understand is that these creepy crawlies cannot travel from one individual to another, unlike lice; however, they can hitch a ride on clothing. For this reason, it is best to inspect the clothes you wish to try on or buy. The most likely areas that these bugs like to hide in are the cuffs and pockets. You must inspect those carefully. Other items you must inspect are bags, purses, and wallets.
When you try on clothes, you must look for stains that look like dried blood. Blood spots or fecal spots are signs of recent feeding.
Even if you choose clothes from a pile, bed bugs might still find their way onto it. You must look carefully inside the seams, and check for any signs of sticky white eggs, living bed bugs, and shed skin.
Once you discover signs of infestation, you can notify the store manager. It is their responsibility to address the problem to protect their customers from bringing home these nasty little creatures.
Check The Fitting Rooms: Bed bugs can also be found in fitting rooms. It is advisable to avoid putting your purse or bag on the floor since it will provide these bugs easy access to your items. It is preferable to hang it on the hook along with the items instead of laying them across seats in dressing rooms. Additionally, before fitting your clothes, you must also check the mirrors and crevices where these bugs might hide in.
Avoid Buying Used Clothing: You never know what you are going to get when you purchase used items from a yard sale or thrift store. For instance, someone might donate bedbug-infested clothes, and then you purchase it. As a result, you unknowingly introduce bed bugs into your home. You might have saved a few bucks through your purchase but after some time, you will have to pay a huge amount for the services of a bed bug exterminator. If you cannot stop from buying secondhand clothing, the least you can do is immediately send the items to your washer and hot wash them. Extreme heat can kill any critters that hitched a ride home.
Take Precautionary Methods: Even when you purchase new clothes from famous retail stores, once you get home, you must immediately send the items to the laundromat. You must wash and launder the items using hot water, then dry it at 110 degrees for at least 20 minutes. As mentioned above, heat is a very effective method to kill these unwanted critters. If you are unable to wash your clothes, you can place it in a sealed, airtight bag. In addition, you must shake the items outside before you take them into your house.

How to combine jewellery?

We have all heard that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But, considering the fact that for most of us they’re inaccessible, every woman will be happy to decorate her neck, arms and ears with shiny and shimmery affordable jewellery. Should we comply with certain rules that will switch us from a bad taste in fashion into good? What matches what? What not to wear? Does the age affect the choice of jewellery? Discover answers to all these questions by reading this article.
Everything looks great on young women and when it comes to jewellery almost everything is allowed. The combination of metal and colourful plastics, neon, tons of bracelets, series of earrings, piercing … Even if you want to “decorate” yourself like a Christmas tree you’ll look like a rebel before looking “tacky” and then when you’re older you’ll probably be surprised with your “brave” combinations of the past, but by then you’ll be more “fashion-conscious” and give priority to the fashion rules.

Good combinations
Necklaces – long necklace with an interesting pendant can beautifully accentuate cleavage and complement Boho or vintage combination, but also pick up the one seemingly ordinary outfit. Cocktail and formal dresses are an entirely different story in which priority should be given to brighter evening jewellery like beautiful diamond rings and pearls. However, that is not always the case. If you decide to wear a dress that is closed in front with opened back rather choose interesting earrings or bracelet as a finishing touch.

Rings – no matter how much you like wearing rings rather opt for one amazingly beautiful ring. If it is a large ring, one is more than enough, and always wear the ring on the hand where you do not have a bracelet or a watch on.

Earrings – long and pendulous earrings can elongate a round face. On a longish face smaller earrings closer to the ear lobe will suit. Remain discreet during the day, and for a night out wear shiny earrings like diamond earrings or one with zircons in them.

Bracelets – if you are out of your twenties, two to three beautiful bracelets in a series will be quite sufficient. Do not forget that, although the current trends impose something contrary to this, a true lady on the same hand never wears a bracelet and a watch. If you cannot decide if you want to wear both, then at least separate them.

Regardless of which piece of jewellery you give an advantage to in a particular occasion, observe the seasons for which they are intended and do not mix different metals. If you are already wearing gold jewellery, leave the silver ones in the box, and respect the business dress-code, wear nothing tinkling and glittering that distracts others. Also, if you decide to put on earrings do not put a bracelet or a necklace around the neck and vice versa. Because, a one good piece of jewellery  can make any plain combination pop, so too much jewellery can ruin the outfit and make it tasteless. And that’s not a lady’s goal, right?

10 Ways To Enjoy St Patricks Day In Style

St. Patrick’s Day is an annual celebration traditionally held on 17th March. Individuals of all nationalities and faiths gather for Paddy’s Day parades and parties dressed all in green. The day commemorates the life of St. Patrick and the date is significant because most historians believe it was the date of the saint’s death.

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday. This is the only country where the day is recognized officially even though the United States and other countries hold celebrations. Christians and non-Christians alike commemorate the day with parties, parades and celebrations with friends. The parties in North America are actually much more raucous than the ones in Ireland.

Irish natives usually mark the day with reverent moments and religious services commemorating Saint Patrick’s life and his many contributions to the church. Individuals typically don Irish and Celtic crosses to demonstrate their faith and Irish background.

Regardless of whether individuals are secular, religious, Irish or some other nationality this is a fun celebration for all who participate. Individuals all over the world celebrate this day with parties, music, food and drink. These ten tips will help you enjoy any Saint Paddy’s Day celebration:

1. Wear something green
Green is the colour of the day and is a symbol of good luck. Most people are extremely creative with their party attire. You can liven up any outfit with a jaunty hat, colourful glasses and novelty green wigs.

Terrible Two- What Is It and How to Go Through It

Children are blessings and I guess everybody agrees. As a matter of fact, during pregnancy both parents expect with an abated breath the arrival of happiness and indeed there is happiness in the first few months of a child’s life. However, when the child hits two years; all hell breaks loose and such parents may have second thoughts. This is the so called “terrible two” phase of a child’s development.

So What Is Terrible Two Phase?

In my search to find the meaning of terrible two; I came across the following definition. It refers to a stage in a toddler’s life when anger or temper tantrums takes toll on the child. It is characterized by the child’s “NO” response to everything you suggest as well as refusing to do what they are asked to do.

I have three children and when each hit just about two years these very problems began and I know right then that “terrible two” phase had caught up with me. I also realized that it was at the same time that my toddlers developed verbal abilities. Some toddlers experience this phase earlier at about 18 months but some as late as 34 months. For my children, it was somewhere in between these extremes.

This stage is tremendously stressful for most parents as well as caretakers and without knowing how to respond, things can move from bad to worse. I came to the realization that such a child will exhibit some reactions that are at best understandable and at times unexplained. The child develops crankiness, anger tantrums, excessive crying and restlessness.

This is also the time that the child is predisposed to accidents due to hazards such as broken toys, glass and other harmful objects. This may result from the child throwing toys he or she is given onto the walls even when they are meant to console him or her during the terrible moments.

An example of such moments I had with my toddler was when I was online shopping for him the most beautiful boys pants I’ve seen in a long time. I wanted to get him wear them for his birthday party. When I tried to dress him with this shirt, the kid could not take it. I simply could not understand what is going on so I insisted. My boy responded with uncontrollable tantrums and all my efforts to control him hit a dead end.

What Makes Toddlers React The Way They Do?

This is the question in many people’s minds although not many would dare ask it. In a bid to answer this question, I found many reasons that can make toddlers to behave the way they do. This has helped me to understand them better and also to go through the terrible two phase without much stress.
Here are some of the reasons I came across:

These children are opinionated: As young as they are, kids have opinions although they do not have self-consciousness to be rational. This is the reason why such children have absolutely no problem causing chaos in a public place such as a restaurant. They believe that their opinion is what matters and so insist on.

Two year old’s cannot reason: In as much as these children are opinionated they have not yet developed the ability to reason. Once their minds are set on something, they have not ability to critically consider the merits or demerits of their behavior and so end up reacting the way they do.

They are attention seekers: Just like most parents out there, I felt more bonded with my children at this early age. This boding tends to wane off as the child gets older; especially when another child is expected. The two year old’s will recognize this change and so tend to seek as much attention as possible.

Their moods take toll on them: Two year old’s, unlike older children or adults, can talk either coherently or incoherently but they would rather react emotionally to their needs. I realized that my kid’s moments would be triggered by hunger pants, tiredness, sleepiness or the like.

It is milestone in a child’s development: “Terrible Two” phase can be considered a developmental milestone in a child’s life. According to my research, it is an important aspect in the developments of a child’s core belief system that would determine his personality in the future. If well handled it can help shape the behavior of such a child in adulthood.

Armed with this understanding, I gradually learned how to care for my children in this trying moment. I would advise that any parent find ways to outwit their juniors. If hunger is the problem then I recommend arming yourself with some healthy snacks whenever you are with your child. A two year old may actually have favorable toy, cloth or the like; have some idea.

Revealed: 5 Ways of Managing Low Back Pain

Undoubtedly, low back pain is a disorder experienced by millions across the world. In fact, up to 80% of the population is likely to experience it at least once over the course of their lifetime. Some of the factors that may accelerate the risk of developing this condition include obesity, smoking, old age, sedentary work, physically strenuous work, and psychological factors such as depression and anxiety.

Low back pain may at times get serious to the extent that you are weak, numb, and have a tingling sensation in your legs. When this happens, it is advisable to consult a doctor. However, for mild and routine low back pain, here are a few tips on how to deal with it from the confines of your own home as follows:

Remaining active

Needless to say, most people with low back pain are often afraid that they will further aggravate their back injuries or delay recovery by staying active. What they do not know is that this is one of the best ways to boost their backs as movement keeps muscles from wasting and helps in relieving muscle spasms. And although you should stay away from high-impact activities, it is fine to continue doing your everyday chores in addition to light exercises e.g. walking.
Bed rest should only be considered when the pain is severe and the period of rest should generally not be longer than one day. While resting, place a pillow behind your head and knees, making sure that your shoulders remain elevated, or lie on your side with a pillow in between your knees and your upper knee bent. These are the two most comfortable positions.

Exercise

Stretching routines or exercises should not be performed immediately after experiencing low back pains as they could prolong or worsen the pain. However, once the symptoms begin resolving, having an exercise program can help restore flexibility and strengthen your back muscles.
Recommended exercises include those that stretch and strengthen the muscles such as swimming, walking, aerobics etc. Again, avoid activities involving bending or twisting that could make your back hurt more. For those with frequent episodes of low back pain, it is advisable to continue exercising indefinitely in order to stave off new episodes.

Mattress choice

The benefits of a firm or pressure mattress in treating or preventing back pain cannot be overlooked. Studies continue to show that they contribute immensely to relieving of back pain with patients reporting less daytime pain and also improved pain and disability. You should thus opt for a mattress that has medium firmness if you want to get rid of your pain while lying in bed or on rising.

Manipulation

Used in the treatment of acute and chronic back pain, manipulation is a technique used by among others, osteopaths, chiropractors, physical therapists, and massage therapists. It entails moving a joint outside its normal range of movement and has been found to be as effective and safe as other conventional treatments such as exercise and rest.

Acupuncture

This involves the placing of fine needles on specific points on the body depicting the body’s flow of energy. Not only is this traditional Chinese treatment safe, but it is especially useful to those who suffer from chronic back pain.