Friday 26 February 2021

3 Steps to Finding the Perfect Dentist.

{Collaborative Content} Whether you are moving to a new area or are in the need of a new dentist, it can be an overwhelming time to find the best one for you. For some it is a worrying appointment so finding a professional yet caring dentist who walks you through each procedure to make you feel at ease is important.




Where to start

When you start looking it is normal to feel as if every dentist is the same but there are some factors you need to keep in mind to ensure they have the right qualities for you.

To make it easier for you, it is best to start your search by researching the dentists that are situated nearest to you because this will ensure that limited travel is involved when it comes to regular or emergency appointments.

Be mindful of their opening hours as this could make a big difference to whether you can visit them outside work hours or if you will need to complete these appointments on your day off or in work time.

What the dentist provides

When it comes to choosing your dentist you want to ensure that they have the correct licenses to complete the types of procedures you may need. Check for any obvious warning signs such as business permits as this will avoid any scams.

If you are after regular check ups, family needs and all round requirements then you will need to find a dentist such as the Life Dental & Wellbeing as these will be able to cater to the needs of your whole family tailored to your needs.

Reassure yourself

It can be easy to get hooked up in a dentist that looked good but you know nothing about how they really are with their customers. Ask your family and friends around the area to see which ones they recommend. Question them to understand what types of treatments they have had and how they found them as they can say a lot for a dentist. If they have been with the same dentist for a long period of time, this can show a lot of trust with the company and give you reassurance to why they have stayed for so long.

Ensure you do further research into the dentists they recommend as they may have only been to their dentist for their yearly checkups and cleaning so having any recommendations of what they are like with other treatments.

Another great way to find a new place is to ask your current dentist if they recommend anyone in your new area as they could be part of an organisation.

Search online at social media platforms and reviews on review sites to see what people think of them. Comments on posts and on platform pages can make a big difference to your confidence in them. People who share more in depth stories and thoughts about them is the reviews that will give you more of an idea what they thought rather than the simple, one worded answers. 

Wednesday 24 February 2021

Beat Anxieties with These Herbal Remedies.

{Collaborative Content} Is anxiety holding you back? There are lots of ways in which you can overcome anxiety. One option could be to try herbal remedies. Below are just a few forms of herbal medicine that are proven to be effective anxiety-relievers. Have a read up around them.

Ashwagandha 
Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal herb. It has been shown to have many health benefits including boosting fertility and helping to fight depression. It is also a popular remedy for anxiety (it is said to be as potent as some medically prescribed anxiety drugs).
How should you take ashwagandha? In most cases, it is consumed as a powder. This can be mixed with ghee, sugar and honey and eaten using a tablespoon. Alternatively, it can be drunk in a glass of warm milk. You may be able to find ashwagandha online or at your local herbal pharmacy.
 
St John’s Wort
St John’s Wort is a medicinal herb that is sometimes used to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. It is also an effective mood booster - many people with both depression and anxiety find that it is able to relieve negative feelings.
St. John’s Wort is most commonly taken in the form of a liquid or capsules. By placing dry herbs into hot water, it’s also possible to turn it into a tea. You can buy St John’s Wort from your local herbal pharmacy.
 
CBD oil
CBD oil comes from the cannabis plant. It is known to have various health benefits from relieving pain to treating acne. It is also a great stress-buster and an effective remedy for anxiety.
CBD oil is sometimes referred to as hemp oil, although is different to hemp seed oil. Some people administer it directly into the mouth using a tincture, while others mix it in with smoothies or add it to food. CBD is also available in other forms such as tablets and edibles for pain relief, and relief from symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, etc (it really does offer so many benefits). You can shop for CBD oil online or buy it from your local herbal pharmacy. It is important to understand the difference between the various cannabis products, for example, websites like Finest Labs did a good job explaining it.

Valerian root
Valerian root has long been used for its sedative effects. It is a popular remedy for those dealing with insomnia. It’s calming effects also make it a great remedy for anxiety.
What is the best way to take valerian root? Valerian root extract can be consumed orally by directly placing it under the tongue. Alternatively, it is possible to put dried valerian root in hot water and create herbal tea. You can find this ingredient at your local herbal pharmacy. 

Lavender
Lavender is also known for its calming effects. Many people use the scent of lavender to help them get to sleep. It can also reduce stress - and therefore reduce feelings of anxiety.
While you can eat lavender, the scent alone is often enough to have its intended effect. There are many ways to produce the scent of lavender including growing lavender flowers, lighting scented candles, using lavender sprays, burning lavender oil in a diffuser or using lavender bath products. Consider exploring different options to find the right one for you. 

Tuesday 16 February 2021

Why Should you Start Now to Plan for Summer.

{Collaborative Content} The summer is a great time to get outdoors, try something new, visit someone new, and generally have fun with family and friends. Living in lockdown in the UK it can feel like the summer is a way off, and that dreams of summer trips and sunny BBQs feel quite a long way off at the moment. However, last summer allowed for some fun, with small gatherings allowed, as well as trips abroad and the UK, so it makes sense that something similar will happen this year, especially with the vaccine being rolled out at an amazing pace. 



If you don’t want to let the summertime run away with you, and before you know it you’re thinking about autumn, then it can be a good idea to plan now for the summer. Although you may not be able to book things right now, if you have an idea of what you want to do, it will make it easier to just go and do it, when restrictions allow. Making plans will help it to be a summer to remember.

Planning for a trip
If you’ve grown a little sick of the same four walls, then making plans for a trip could be a good idea. Although there are more risks to going abroad, it could be easier to plan for a holiday in the UK this year. With self-catered accommodation it can be easy to stay in your bubbles and get away to visit somewhere new. You could even think about using short term student accommodation in the summer, as there are very few students using them in the summer. They can often be pretty good rates as the accommodation is simple, but in some cool towns and cities in the UK. Make a list of the kind of places that you would like to visit and then you can go from there and see what will be available.

Try something new
With lockdown and being at home more, you might have already been trying something new, such as learning a new instrument or starting up a new hobby. But with some good weather to enjoy, hopefully, you will be able to try something else new in the summertime. What would it be for you? You might like to try gardening, hiking somewhere different, painting, boating, open-water swimming, and so on. If you want to be indoors, then there are likely to be many online classes available still, from cooking to learning French.

Relaxing time
Even if you plan to stay at home, getting some time off work to relax a little can be so worth it. One thing that you could start to do is to create a bucket list for being at home. How about making a list of books or movies that you want to read or watch before the summer is out? How about creating a list of jobs or projects that you want to get done but just haven’t got around to? You could simply put together a list of the things that you want to do at home, like sunbathe, have a BBQ in the garden and a picnic in the park. 

Thursday 11 February 2021

Conservation Crisis The Game - Review

{Gifted} My 8 year old is very much interested in wildlife, animals and everything related to conservation. When you ask him what he would like to do when he is older he will either answer a Zoologist or a Zoo keeper so he can work on conserving the population of rare and endagered animals. His passion in this we extremely proud of and when we were offered the chance to review the game Conservation Crisis (RRP £29.99) from Tunza Games I knew he would love it. 


Conservation Crisis puts you in the centre of the action. You are in control of a wildlife reserve that is in crisis and needs you to work on saving endangered species, you choose a species and race around the board trying to save it from extinction. I loved the concept of this game, it is almost a bit of strategy mixed with a fun element of being in charge of your own wildlife reserve.

You are given $100,000 of funding per round and you can put this towards a variety of things during each round such as projects to build, staff to hire to help rebuild the reserve and save the endangered species.



- Aimed at age 7 years + and for 2-4 players, with an average playing times of 60 minutes. 

Included in the beautifully illustrated box are: 

- 1 x main board 
- 4 x wildlife reserve playing boards
- 120 x tokens
- 25 event cards
- 4 x wooden playing pieces 
- 15 x community staff meeting cards 
- 10 x bribe cards 
- A selection of dollars 

- As mentioned above the aim of the game is to make your way around the board to the orange locations to buy and rebuild the nature reserve and to increase the wildlife population, the winner at the end of the game is the person who has the most wildlife at the end of the game. 




The set up of the game is fairly self explanatory and each player chooses an animal to save (elephant, tiger, rhino or gorilla) and uses the wooden playing piece of the same board colour. The player then places a token on 0 and 100 wildlife which marks starting with 100 wildlife. 

The wooden pieces are placed at HQ where the game starts. The bribe and community cards are placed on the marked areas and the 'crisis averted' card is placed near the bottom of the event cards. 

A player is in charge of the donor funding and each player receives $100,000 of donor funding ans also a starting crisis fund which may be played during the game but only in an emergency and up to a maximum of $100,000. 

There are no dice in the game which is helpful so they don't get lost! Dice always go missing don't they! You can choose whichever path around the board following the arrows but have to stop on the orange and black locations on the board when they arrived at. When a player stops on an orange location items can be purchased for the reserve. On the black locations the instructions must be followed. Only one player can be on an orange location but multiple players can be on black locations. Once the player has completed the instructions or purchased an item the go is then over. 

The little black tokens are placed on the players wildlife card to indicate what has been purchased, the staff, wages, buildings and wildlife population. The little tokens are what stumped us a little during the game! We weren't full sure what we were meant to be doing with the little black tokens, whether we removed them each go or just kept adding them - the instructions weren't overly helpful either which was a shame.



Once the player has made their way around the board and reached HQ again the player will receive further funding (assuming they have spent all of the previous money, if not they receive no furrther funding until this has been spent). The player must then follow the instruction on HQ which include turning over the bribe card if they have one, take an event card, apply for funding, receive tourist income, pay staff if they have any and receive wildlife. The game then continues. 


This is a great game and even more an important idea and concept, it was really enjoyable to play if not a little confusing at times. My 5 year old lost interest after a couple of rounds but my 8 year old loved it and was getting quite good at purchasing items and became quite competitive! We did feel the instructions were quite lenghty and at times a little confusing but we played it as well as we could. I would defintely  say the age recommendation is spot on, any younger and it is a bit more of a challenge. I think it is a game the more you play the better and more simple it becomes. What I LOVE about the game is it designed to be used as almost an educational tool to bring to the forefront of people's minds the challenge conservationits face around the globe. Even more so for every purchase of the game is donated to the conservation partners and if you download the associated app it will help fund more conservation projects which is fantastic. 

Conservation Crisis is available to order from Amazon and would make a lovely gift for anyone who is interested in animals or conservation or just loves a good board game! 

* Please note I was kindly sent the item free of charge in exchange for an honest and open review, all thoughts are my own. 

Monday 8 February 2021

Working from Home - 5 Tips to Keep Productive.

{Collaborative Content} It is often difficult to remain attentive and productive in a usual workday. But what happens when you start working from home? It can be challenging to concentrate and be productive amidst all the distractions that come with working from home. From kids watching TV to the temptations to grab something from your fridge, how do you make sure that you don’t get distracted and get the job done each day?

 

How to Remain Focused When Working From Home

1. Create a morning self-care routine
When working from an office outside your home, you can easily follow a morning routine that includes waking up and leaving your home for work. This is a simple structure that is easy to follow and can keep you energized and focused. This is why you need to also have a morning routine when working from home. Consider spending the first two hours on self-care. This means that you can use the time you would use to commute to work to write your journal, exercise, listen to music or meditate. Remember to consume nutritional formulas from https://ancientandbrave.earth/ to give you the energy you need when exercising.

2. Set rewards
If you have kids, you know the best way to get them to do something is by promising a reward like a candy bar or watching TV. Just like kids, adults also react better when they know there is a real and tangible reward. Therefore, set a reward and don’t skimp on it after it motivates you to get the job done.

3. Avoid multitasking
Your home has millions of distractions – piles of dishes, TV, and your mobile phone. However, not all these distractions deserve your attention.  Sometimes, your brain may assign significance to activities and tasks that are less important. You can avoid multitasking by pinpointing essential projects and addressing them before the end of the day.

4. Strategize your time
The 40-hour week is now becoming a thing of the past. In the 21st century, examples such as the Japanese 4-day workweek have proven to be more productive, which means that the clock isn’t the best indication of getting things done. Therefore, if your home office allows some level of flexibility, consider planning your day based on the projects and not timepiece. You can do this by identifying the projects that have to be completed in a day and set goals to accomplish them.

5. Create a schedule for your children
If you want to remain productive during the day, you have to create a schedule for your kids. For school-age kids, create a morning schedule for them. This will help you to get most of the work done without any interruptions. After the lunch hour, you can schedule safe screen time so that your kids remain occupied as you focus on finishing the remaining work for the day.
However, if you have younger kids, you can plan some home activities for them. Remember to also include lunchtime and nap time in their schedule. You may want to plan these activities before so that you organize your schedule and focus on your work.

Bottom Line
Nearly everything about how we work is evolving, especially after the pandemic. This makes it harder for people to work from home without getting distracted. However, if you make your home workspace comfortable and follow the above tips, you will be able to stay productive and complete your work without wasting time.

Thursday 4 February 2021

A Moonpig Valentine's Day.

{AD} With Valentine's day fast approaching it will be, no doubt a different kind of day - very much the like to the last 10 months, a little different! No meal out, no cinema trip or hotel stay but a day possibly similar to every other day! However, Moonpig have you covered to prepare for a big night in. I actually love a night in, there is nothing better than being in some comfy loungewear, getting a bottle of wine chilled, making the sure the children are in bed on time and curling up on the sofa with the husband and watching a decent film. Meals out and hotel breaks alone are a luxury at the best of times, let along in the middle of a pandemic! So these quiet nights in are fine by me. However, with Valentine's approaching how about mixing those quiet nights up a little and injecting some romance into it aswell. Let Moonpig be your one stop shop for the romantic essentials and plan your very own Valentine's night in <3


Moonpig has everything you need to arrange that perfect, romantic and cosy night in as a couple to celebrate Valentine's together. There are a whole variety of beautiful products to choose from for couples, for him or for her, it really is the place to go for all your valentine needs. 

It is ideal for us as a couple, as although we never make a huge thing of Valentine's we do tend to enjoy a nice meal, buy some token gifts and enjoy some time together (minus kids!). Here a few ideas to get you in the mood and provide some inspiration if you are struggling with what to purchase for the day of love!


- Flowers! They are a classic to gift to your loved one. Moonpig have a gorgeous variety of floral bouquets to choose from, such as a dozen red roses to the prettiest mixed bouquets. These vary in price and come in secure flower boxes with water provided. A really nice gift for your loved one to receive.


- How about a candle? I absoutely love candles and making my home smell nice - even more so since we have a Labrador puppy! I love Yankee candles and these huge ones last forever and smell incredible. They can really make a romantic atmosphere too. The scent here is 'The Last Paradise' and smells beautifully fresh and floral. This size candle retails for £20.00.


- Smellies! There are some gorgeous scented items on Moonpig, these Miss.Patisserie bath slabs and shower steamers are utterly divine, a perfect beginning to your Valentine's day or a lovely way to end the day. I just adore the packaging, oh so pretty (RRP £25.00).


- Booze. Who wouldn't love to receive a nice bottle of gin or similar as a gift. This beautiful Edinburgh gin (RRP £35.00) is a special Valentine's edition with notes of chamomile, lemon balm, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaf alongside the rose and hibiscus flavours to create its signature pink hue. A delightful and delicious Valentine's drink. Yum!

- Finally, how about a gift experience?  This couples 'at home date night' is a virtual date night that you activate when received using the provided pin. Desgined specifically for couples to connect, this experience can be used to connect with quizzes, musical challenges, riddles and more! A great idea and such fun. 

Moonpig really is a fantastic website for not only Valentine's day but for all other special occasions, head over to the website for a browse! Have a wonderful Valentine's day.

* Please note we were kindly sent the items free of charge in exchange for a blog post, all thoughts are my own.

Monday 1 February 2021

3 Things that Would Make the Perfect Car for Grandparents.

{Collaborative Content} If you have been wondering what kind of car to suggest to your aging grandparents who don’t want to be driven around but instead, prefer their freedom, then you’ve come to the right place. A car for older people has to have a number of different aspects to it, that a family car might not have. There are three key areas to focus on. Accessibility, such as being able to get in and out of the car in the first place. Comfort, such as great heating, seating, and the ability to sit for long hours without feeling annoyance. And thirdly, the car must have lots of driver aids to keep them safe. However, this final one is more complex than it might seem so we’ll touch on that in just a moment.

pixabay

Getting in and out

This all comes down to picking one of the best mobility cars on the market. Peugeot 5008 is a crossover and is known to have great fundamentals inaccessibility like most crossover types. It has large doors, lots of space inside, plenty of things to grab hold of, and optional extras that make getting in and out easier for older people. These types of cars also come with options such as a retractable staircase that can be used to step into the car instead of climb or sit in. the large doors are perfect as they allow for a great big gap in between the steering wheel and the seat, so older people don’t feel they need to squeeze into the car.

 

Comfort level 

One of the main things about cars for older people is the level of comfort they provide. They must have a few things. Heated seats are a great option that you can have. These keep you warm, even in very cold temperatures. For elderly people who can’t get as warm as they once could just from their own body heat, this is a godsend. The in-car heating has to be panoramic so that the heat transfers around the car and not just in one area. Vents in the back module are important for this reason. Climate control has developed rapidly so that the rear seating is just as warm as the front.

Driver aids

Having cameras in the rear and in blindspots can greatly improve the safety of the driver and passengers. Older people might have trouble turning around to see someone like a motorbike, so this kind of visual aid is helpful. The console screen will show them what is behind or to the side of them. Parking sensors are a must. Even though these usually come as standard now, the amount of sensors is still optional. Having 360-degree sensors is a little more expensive but very helpful. Vibrating chairs are the answer to lane drifting. Alerting the driver when they have veered into another lane without necessarily steering into it, the chair vibrates to let them know to take the proper action. 

Cars for older people need to have great access. They must also be comfortable so it's a joy to drive and be in, for long hours if need be. The third but very important factor is, driver aids need to be practical and plentiful.