Archive | HEALTH AND WELLNESS

3 Eco-Friendly Types of Cleaning Services

When hiring an eco-friendly cleaner, it’s important to have an idea of just what tasks you need help with. There are many different options available, ranging from straightforward house cleaning to more infrequent jobs, such as seasonal deep cleans or end of tenancy cleans.

You may also be looking to hire an eco-friendly cleaner for someone else, for example when they are recovering from surgery or as a treat to make life a little easier after they have brought a new child home. Think about what you need accomplished, and it will make it easier to find the perfect house cleaner for your requirements, quickly.

Regular domestic cleaning

The first kind of cleaning on offer is a general house cleaning service. This will include tasks such as mopping, vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. These are the cleaning jobs that you may struggle to find time for by yourself on a weekly basis, that will keep your home feeling hygienic and manageable, even if there is mess on top.

A clean space also encourages people living in your household to keep the place a little more organised. It can feel overwhelming to look around and see cobwebs or dirty dishes, but knowing that your home has been given a thorough clean will help to keep up motivation to maintain some kind of order.

House cleaners don’t tend to take on tasks such as interior window cleaning or emptying bins, unless this is agreed ahead of time. This is worth bringing up with the people you interview, or during an initial consultation, if these are additional services you think you might need. When both parties are clear about what services they expect to be included, it saves confusion and extra cost further down the line.

Hiring someone to clean your home on a regular schedule might also be the best option if you want to cut down on administration of organising visits each week. If you have a set date and time for your cleaning service to come and carry out tasks, you will both know just what to expect, and you can look forward to a clean home.

End-of-tenancy cleaning

If you are in the position to let out a property, or even a couple of properties, to a renter, you may find that you are better off hiring a regular house cleaning service. Rather than looking for an individual, you can choose a cleaning firm, which might mean that it isn’t always the same person coming to your properties to carry out cleaning tasks, but rather employees of the same company.

A major benefit of this is that once you’ve found a service that you’re happy with, you know that their work should be at the same standard each time. There is also less chance that they will be unable to take on the work due to scheduling conflicts: there will be enough workers on their books to be able to take your booking.

These services are also good if you are the renter and need peace of mind that the property is completely clean before you move your belongings in. End-of-tenancy cleans differ from standard domestic cleaning, because the service should be priced by tasks, rather than time. It will also include a wider variety of cleaning tasks, such as interior window cleaning, white goods cleaning, and oven cleaning.

Short-term let cleaning

Similar to end-of-tenancy cleaning, a house cleaning service for a short-term let will differ from a normal domestic clean. A major difference is that short-term lets are usually furnished, so house cleaners who tackle them will be stripping and remaking beds, buffing windows and mirrors to a brilliant shine, and checking every piece of equipment in the kitchen.

Additionally, they may also have the responsibility of restocking hygiene products such as shampoo and soap, or basics like coffee, tea, and store cupboard essentials, especially if it is a holiday let. Having a contract with your house cleaner will keep everyone aware of what is expected of them.

Conclusion

With domestic cleaning, start and end of tenancy cleaning, and short-term let cleaning all incorporating slightly different tasks, it is helpful to be sure of just what you’re looking for. Making sure to be clear and upfront about your needs will lead to a great working relationship with your chosen cleaning service that can continue for as long as your needs require.

5 Eco-Friendly Self-Care Practices

Self-care is essential in ensuring your physical, mental, and physical health are in good shape. However, more often than not, some self-care practices may be detrimental to mother earth. Nevertheless, there are several effective ways you can practice self-care without leaving any damage on your environment. So, how can you ensure you take the necessary self-care steps and also save the earth? Well, here are a few eco-friendly self-care practices to help you achieve this! 

Have a toxic-free spa day

What better way to practice self-care than to treat yourself to a spa day of facials, mani-pedis, and relaxing oils? For an eco-friendly spa day, you should consider using a vegan facial mask. Vegan facial masks contain natural extracts to give you radiant skin while protecting the environment. For your manicures and pedicures, several beauty brands on the market offer toxic-free nail polish to give your fingers and toes some healthy, eco-friendly TLC. Finally, it would be best if you consider women’s CBD oil for your massages. Not only are they organic, but these oils also increase your relaxation and destress your tensed muscles. 

Declutter your home

Sometimes, life can be overwhelming, and your home is usually proof of this. From your kitchen to your bedrooms, the overload of items displaced across the room or filled with things you do not need can affect your physical and mental help. According to researchers, decluttering is beneficial to your mental and physical wellbeing. A decluttered home makes you feel safe, reduces stress and anxiety, and increases self-esteem as it gives you a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. Therefore, take some time to put your cluttered rooms in order. Donate old items such as books and clothes. You can also recycle recyclable items to play your part in saving the earth.

Take a refreshing, anti-inflammatory hot bath

A hot bath with oranges, lavender, Epsom salt, and grapefruit? Sounds great! Hot baths are remarkable for their relaxing and inflammation reduction tendencies. However, creating a natural citrus bath is even better! Soaking in a tub of vitamin C improves your immune system and gives your skin an envious elasticity and smoothness. Furthermore, since the properties in such a hot bath are natural, they do not affect the standard of water that is later recycled to be sent back to households.  

Take a break from your phone

It sounds impossible, but it always seems impossible until it’s done! With how dependable people are on their phones, it is always challenging to take a hiatus. So much time is spent strolling through social media, and, more often than not, this affects your emotional and mental health. Giving yourself a break from your phone once in a while is another effective self-care practice. Use time you would have spent on your home doing other things you enjoy, such as reading a book, listening to music, developing a new skill, meditating, or going for a walk. To avoid spreading panic, you should do this into consideration and perhaps let your loved ones know you would be unavailable for a while. 

4 Natural Ways to Enhance Your Beauty

If there is one thing everyone wants to do, it is to look and feel like they are at the prime of their life for the longest time possible. The thing about this is, you do not have to do a lot to ensure that you look beautiful. In fact, most of the things you need to do will not involve harsh chemicals that might damage your skin. Here are some natural ways that can help to improve your beauty.

Drink Water

While you might have heard this several times, it is a mantra you need to live by. The more water you drink, the clearer your skin looks. The reason for this is, water flushes out the toxins that might be in your body. Mayo Clinic recommends that you drink 3 to 4 liters of water every day. The other good thing about drinking water is that it is a free way to get good skin, and you do not have to spend money on anything other than a cool water bottle.

Exfoliate

Another natural way to ensure that you keep looking beautiful is to exfoliate. Exfoliating ensures that the dead skin is removed and your pores stay open. There are exfoliating brushes in the market if you do not want to use any product. You also have the choice of using a scrub to aid in it. The good thing about exfoliating is that you do not have to do it on a regular basis. Once or twice a week is more than enough.

Use Natural Products on Your Skin

One of the main causes of skin breakouts in most people is the products they use on their skin. Many of the products in the market are laden with chemicals that do more harm than good. Fortunately, there are many quality skin cream products made from natural ingredients. You can get started by using products like LilyAna retinol cream and ensure that all other products you use on your skin are natural. There is very little chance of your skin being affected when you use such products.

Eat Healthily

Another easy and great way to maintain your beauty is by eating healthy. You are what you eat, and if you eat the wrong kind of food, it will show on your skin. Therefore, ensure that you eat a balanced diet and pack up on plenty of fruits and vegetables. Cut down on junk food as the excess oil might get to your pores and clog them. Another bad habit you need to cut off is consuming a lot of alcohol and cigarettes. These two have dehydrating effect on your skin and are bound to make your skin age faster.

Maintaining beautiful and healthy skin is not as hard as many people make it sound. The best thing you need to do when you get started with your skincare routine is to know what works for your body’s needs and how to meet them. Ensure you use organic skincare products and incorporate them into your skincare regimen. They will keep your skin vibrant and smooth for days to come.

Hip, Hip Hooray for Pomegranates

We eat a ton of fruit in our home, each week we pick up the freshest local organic fruit that we can find. There are fruit that we purchase even if it isn’t local, for instance, pomegranates.
 
My mom loves pomegranates and I remember being a little girl and her giving me half of a pomegranate. I remember thinking it was a very odd fruit and I wasn’t sure that I would like it. However, I loved it.
 
Eben has been eating pomegranates since he was a toddler and whenever we go marketing he always asks if we can get them. TIP: If you cut/peel it in a bowl of water, there is no mess! Delicious and amazing! 
 
Last weekend, we stopped at Costco on our way home from Boulder. Costco had a crate of six giant pomegranates for $12. Wow! A bargain, compared to the $5 a pomegranate that we pay at our local fancy grocery store. They are giant too, about the size of a softball.

Do you love pomegranates?
How do you prepare them?
What do you think of the giant ones I found?

Compelling Reasons To Add Honey To Your Winter Healthcare Regimen

Americans consume about 1.3 pounds of honey per person per year. And while most think of the substance as nothing more than a sweet treat, there are actually a surprising number of health benefits of honey that many people overlook. Here are just a few reasons to consider adding honey to your winter healthcare regimen.

Cleans Wounds

It’s no secret that winter weather often comes with an unavoidable and imminent risk of slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk or driveway. Fortunately, the healing powers of honey can work to help you recover from any cuts or scrapes you may have after a fall or other minor injury. While it’s not a miracle cure, it’s antimicrobial properties can help keep wounds clean and heal them faster.

How exactly can you use honey to treat a wound? It’s easier than you think.

“After cleaning the wound, put honey on one side of gauze or a clean cloth, and lay it onto the wound. Or pour a thin film of honey directly onto the wound and put the gauze over that. Either way, seal the honey in with surgical or duct tape on the edges of the bandage. Clean and repeat twice a day,” explains Commonsensehome.com.

Can Improve Oral Health

Many people may be shocked to hear that despite honey’s sugar content, it still has positive oral health benefits. That’s right — the honey present in sugar does not harm your teeth — that is, as long as it’s 100% raw honey. Anything less is almost certain to be mixed with high fructose corn syrup, which is known to cause cavities like other sweeteners.

Raw honey, however, can be used as a form of tooth decay prevention in addition to treating gum disease. According to an AACD survey, virtually all adults (99.7%) surveyed believe a healthy smile is socially important, but it’s undoubtedly medically important as well. And fortunately, certain types of honey are known for their cavity prevention abilities as a result of their microbial properties.

Furthermore, if you have an infection or inflamed area in your mouth, honey can work its antibacterial magic to ease pain and discomfort associated with the infection and help to flush out the bad bacteria that caused it.

Don’t Forget…

Unfortunately, not all honey is created equal. The key to reaping these fantastic health benefits of honey is investing in the right type of honey. As mentioned earlier, it has to be completely raw honey with no fillers such as high fructose corn syrup. Ultra-filtrated honey should also be avoided, since the process of refining it removes many of its healing properties.

Finally, it’s ideal to know exactly where your honey comes from. Always try to buy locally to ensure that your honey is not being altered or processed in any way.

According to current data, the U.S. needs about 52,000 more primary care physicians by 2025 to meet our healthcare needs, and even though honey isn’t necessarily a miracle cure, you never know if it could save you a trip to a healthcare professional this season. Of course, for more severe injuries and health issues, it’s always best to consult a doctor before attempting any DIY treatments.