6 Easy Fixes for Snoring

You may be among the 45% of normal adults who snore at least occasionally or you likely know someone who does. He (or she) may be the brunt of jokes at family gatherings. Snoring is really a serious business. Daniel P. Slaughter, MD, an otolaryngologist and snoring expert at Capital Otolaryngology in Austin, Texas says, For one, a snoring spouse often keeps the other person from a good night's sleep, which can eventually lead to separate bedrooms and also create real problems in a marriage,".

Not only is snoring a nuisance, but 75% of people who snore have obstructive sleep apnea (when breathing is disrupted during sleep for short periods), which increases the risk of developing heart disease, Slaughter says.

Causes of Fatigue and Sleepiness and How to Fight Them

1. Change Your Sleep Position

Lying on your back makes the base of your tongue and soft palate collapse to the back wall of your throat, causing a vibrating sound during sleep. Sleeping on your side may help prevent this.

"A body pillow (a full-length pillow that supports your entire body) provides an easy fix," Slaughter says. "It enables you to maintain sleeping on your side and can make a dramatic difference." Taping tennis balls to the back of your pajamas can also stop you from sleeping on your back, "Or you can recline the bed with the head up and extended, which opens up nasal airway passages and may help prevent snoring. This may cause neck pain, however." If snoring continues regardless of the sleep position, obstructive sleep apnea may be a cause. "See a doctor in this case,''.

2. Lose Weight.

Weight loss helps some people but not everyone. "Thin people snore, too," If you've gained weight and started snoring and did not snore before you gained weight, weight loss may help. "If you gain weight around your neck, it squeezes the internal diameter of the throat, making it more likely to collapse during sleep, triggering snoring,".

3. Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol and sedatives reduce the resting tone of the muscles in the back of your throat, making it more likely you'll snore. "Drinking alcohol four to five hours before sleeping makes snoring worse,". People who don't normally snore will snore after drinking alcohol."

4. Practise Good Sleeping Hygiene

Poor sleep habits (also known as poor sleep "hygiene") can have an effect similar to that of drinking alcohol. Working long hours without enough sleep, for example, means when you finally hit the sack you're overtired. "You sleep hard and deep, and the muscles become floppier, which creates snoring''.

5. Change Your Pillow

Allergens in your bedroom and in your pillow may contribute to snoring. When did you last dust the overhead ceiling fan? Replace your pillows? Dust mites accumulate in pillows and can cause allergic reactions that can lead to snoring. Allowing pets to sleep on the bed causes you to breathe in animal dander, another common irritant. "If you feel fine during the day but obstructed at night, these things may be contributing to your snoring,". Put your pillows in the air fluff cycle once every couple weeks and replace them every six months to keep dust mites and allergens to a minimum. And keep pets out of the bedroom. Beware before spending money on special pillows designed to prevent snoring. "They may work if it props up your head, which fixes nasal issues, but can cause neck pain."

6. Stay Well Hydrated

Drink plenty of fluids. "Secretions in your nose and soft palate become stickier when you're dehydrated''. "This can create more snoring." According to the Institute of Medicine, healthy women should have about 11 cups of total water (from all drinks and food) a day; men require about 16 cups.

Overall, get enough sleep, sleep on your side, avoid alcohol before bedtime and take a hot shower if nasal passages are clogged. "These simple practices can make a huge difference in reducing snoring."



http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/easy-snoring-remedies

5 Side Effects Of Divorce On Children

Going through a divorce can be painful, not just for the couple, but also for your kids, which often tends to get sidelined.  “It’s no secret that children of divorced parents are more likely to get divorced,”. “Studies indicate that the daughters of divorced parents have a 60-percent higher divorce rate in marriages than children of non-divorced parents, and sons have a 35-percent higher divorce rate. Part of the reason is that when parents are divorced. It seems to send a message in a non-direct way that divorce is acceptable.”

Top 5 side effects on Children of Divorced Parents:

There are children who have grown up to be happy individuals, in spite of coming from a divorced household. Hence, a divorce may or may not have an impact on a child’s mental well being, depending upon his emotional quotient. Here we’ve listed down few possible negative impacts that your child may go through during the divorce.

 1. Anxiety:  It’s all new for him. With the sudden change of things, anxiety and stress become inevitable. While you may not exactly be able to control this, it is always a good idea to avoid divorce-related discussions while your kid is around. Many psychologists and researchers believe that a kid experiencing a divorce could end up being anxious during dating, which may have an impact on his own relationships in future.

2.  Pessimism:  Witnessing a marriage crumbling can be a shaky experience, especially for a young child who isn’t acquainted with the seriousness of the situation. This may cause him to develop a pessimistic attitude towards relationships and possibly even life. Experts believe that if you treat your ex-spouse with dignity and respect, it helps your children learn that disagreements don’t need to lead to a complete breakdown in a relationship.

 3. Trust Issues:  If the divorce is a result of betrayal or any extra marital relationship, it is very important to keep those discussions away from your young child. Trust issues are common among kids who have witnessed their parents separate due to different relationship challenges. If you’re parting ways with your partner due to an affair, explain it to your child sensitively.

 4. Social Issues:  Kids who have experienced their parents getting divorced are also known to have social issuesand may be self conscious and shy, even as they get into school. Such children of divorced parents behavior varies from normal ones like they often find it difficult to get into relationships, and even if they do, they may not be able to experience a fulfilling relationship.

 5. Performance:  Studies have revealed how kids who have witnessed divorces and broken relationships are much more likely to show disrupted performance in academics and other activities. Your kid may also have developmental problems as opposed to kids who have been bought up in a happy family.

Other Issues:

Children having experienced divorce may also develop certain extreme mental and physical health problems, studies have revealed. A child who has witnessed his parents undergoing a break-up is more likely to:  Drop out of school, Commit suicide, Have an inclination towards crime, Have an increased susceptibility to sickness, Suffer from chronic stress, Have a higher risk of stroke, Develop smoking habits, Have poor social skills, Have an increased risk of an early death.

The statistics are shockingly true about how divorce has detrimental impacts on a kid’s well being; though inevitable as it might be, it is always a good idea to think of better ways to handle relationship issues. Your child will thank you all her life for not scarring her with harmful divorce aftermaths.


Source: http://www.momjunction.com/articles/side-effects-divorced-parents-children_0022338/?ref=popularsidebar

How to Cook Chinese Rice.

Are you a Chinese rice lover? Have you longed to learn how to cook Chinese rice? If that's your case, be sure to read this article about the easiest way to cook yummy Chinese rice for anyone! I have longed for this, now its here. I have searched and googled for what Chinese rice is called because i know Basmati is Indian rice, Jasmine is more Vietnamese or Thai rice but I haven't found the name for Chinese rice. Moving forward we can try using our local rice and I bet you, the taste is going to turn out fine. Below are ingredients and steps in the preparing of Chinese Rice;

Ingredients;
Rice
Eggs
Pepper
Onions
Soy Sauce
Chopped Meat
Corn
Brocolli (Optional)
Vegetable Oil

Steps:

1. Cook white rice in a rice cooker or whatever you'd like to use.

2. Once the rice is done, put as much as you want in a bowl.

3. Cook some scrambled eggs with vegetable oil. Afterward, put it in a bowl.

4. Cut up some onions and peppers. Put in a bowl with corn and cooked broccoli (optional).

5. Turn on a pan on medium (maybe a little higher).

6. Add whatever amount of vegetable oil as you need, depending on the size of the pan.

7. Spill in the onions, peppers and everything else you added in the pot/pan. Add a little soy sauce (as much as you want).

8. After about 2 minutes, you may pour in the eggs and the rice.

9. After you have poured the rice in the pan, pour about 1/2 a cup of soy sauce (depending on how much rice you added in the pan) and mix everything up.

10. Keep mixing everything together until you see that the rice has gone from white to a brownish color (caused by the soy sauce), and that the onions and peppers have fully cooked.

11. Optional: If by chance you have any chicken that is cooked, you may warm it up, cut it into little pieces and add with everything in the pan.

12.  Now you may serve the Chinese rice! Some people put it into a small round bowl, then flip the bowl upside-down onto the plate so the rice is served in a neat mound.

Warning: Do not add too much soy sauce. If you choose to, do not add any salt to the rice.



Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Chinese-Rice

Clothing Tips Every Girl Should Know

It’s something we do every day — wear clothes! So, it somehow makes sense that we all have a few clothing tips and tricks up our sleeve. Everything from style and fashion to little tricks that help with all of the dilemmas we have with our bra straps, tight jeans, and uncomfortable shoes. These are all clothing tips that made me think “Why didn’t I think of that?!”. So, I thought I’d pass the wisdom on for other people that wear clothes. I figured there were a lot of you, so here we go;

1. Tucking Jeans Into Boots

No more fat ankles!! Most of my jeans are boot cut or straight leg (guess I’m just not a skinny jean kind of girl). This poses a problem when it comes to wearing boots — not only does it make it hard to zip them up, but I’m sometimes left with bunched up fabric that is uncomfortable and unflattering! If you have a similar problem, here is a nice little trick to tucking those non-skinny jeans into your boots.

 2. DIY Bra Strap Concealer

This clever clothing trick not only keeps your bra strap concealed, but also keeps your wide neck shirts from falling off of your shoulder. Smart! All it takes are a few thin strips of fabric and sew-on press studs.

3. Double The Layers, Half The Frump

A slimming trick! Just about every girl could use this. Wear a form fitting tank top between your sweater and button-up shirt to keep your mid section from looking frumpy. This is especially helpful if the button-up is a bit baggy, as the tank will press and flatten it against your torso, hiding bunched up fabric and the outlines of the buttons.

4. Stretching Jeans To Fit

Ok, so you’ve maybe gained a few pounds, your jeans are getting tight, but not enough so that you need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Been there, done that! You can’t stretch them several sizes, but you CAN stretch them enough to make them fit comfortably.

*Instructions: First, get your jeans damp. You can even put them on and then sit in the tub for a few minutes. This eliminates the process of trying to get them on while they’re wet. Or, give the areas that are too tight a good spray with a spray bottle. Now wear them around the house for about 30 minutes doing lots of stretching, lunges, squats and perhaps some yoga poses (funny, right?). Now that you’ve gotten a good work out in (that’s just a bonus), take them off and let them hang dry. Repeat that process again once they are dry. You should now be able to breath a little easier!

*Stretching Them Length Wise: If you want to stretch them length wise, get them damp, lay them on the floor, put your foot down on the waist side to hold them down, and then grab the bottom of one of the legs and pull it firmly towards your body about 10 times. Repeat this process for the other leg.


5. Chewing Gum Catastrophe 

Its been a long time since I’ve had a chewing gum casualty (stuck in my hair once in 3rd grade), but just knowing that it could strike at any time is a good reason to know this tip on how to easily remove it from clothes and other fabric — ICE! The idea is to get the gum as cold as possible. This hardens it and makes it easier to just scrape off. This trick also works for furniture and hair. Good to know!

6. The Smart Way To Fold Lingerie

Yeah, I have a few of these fancy pieces of lingerie that I will never wear. I have them hanging in my closet! How stupid am I? They are just so awkward; I’ve never even considered trying to fold one. Turns out there is a really clever way to fold them to fit in a drawer quite nicely.

7. Choosing Necklaces For Necklines

I’ve never really given this much thought, but pairing your jewelry with your neckline certainly makes a difference! Your necklace choice should compliment your outfit; the neckline of your shirt or dress being the most important thing to consider.

Source: http://www.listotic.com/31-clothing-tips-every-girl-should-know/7/

Top 5 natural drinks that will help you lose weight Instantly

If you have decided to lose the extra pounds, then you surely know that the only way to do that is by combining workouts with a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet. However, there are some types of drinks that will speed up the fat burning and help you lose weight quicker than you normally would, and here you will find 5 of the most efficient ones;

1. Detox Juice

Detox juices are certainly your most trustworthy allies in your battle against the extra pounds – you can easily make them in your kitchen, either entirely out of fruits or vegetables or by combining these two. Citrus fruits are known to have a powerful detox capability, therefore if you are looking for foods to help you purge all the toxins that have gathered inside you over the months then you must certainly include them in your detox juice. High-fiber root foods such as ginger, carrots or apples are also highly recommended for these juices, as they are known to also support the correct functioning of your digestive tract, not to mention the wealth of antioxidants that they deliver to your body.

As you may know already, antioxidants are essential as they protect your body from the negative effects of the free radicals that can wreak havoc on your health if you allow them two. One eight ounce glass of detox juice per week will certainly keep all these problems far away from you! These juices have a double benefit – while they help your body get rid of the toxins, chemicals and all the dangerous substances that have accumulated inside your intestines, they also help you lose weight in the fastest and most natural way. One thing is for sure, though: all those who want to shed pounds yet stay healthy at the same time must go through at least one or two detox sessions throughout the course of a year.

2. Vegetable Juices

Vegetable juices, on the other hand, can also benefit your weight loss efforts in the long run and it is a known fact that the most suitable type of veggies for weight loss are the cruciferous ones. No matter if you juice them alone or you use them in conjunction with other fruits, these veggies (cabbage, kale, broccoli or cauliflower) will be your most efficient fat fighting weapon, and there is no better way to keep all the toxins away. Another notable benefit of the vegetable juices is that in addition to helping your body fight free radicals and keeping you healthy, they will also balance the hormone levels in your body and prevent the hormone disruptors from interfering with the normal hormone levels. Cruciferous veggies are very rich in natural phytonutrients that are perfect for reducing the overall amount of body fat, for reducing inflammation and controlling the blood sugar levels, for balancing the hormone levels, boosting your metabolism as well as providing a thorough general detoxification.

3. Green Tea

Green tea has been used for hundreds of years due to its numerous benefits, and weight loss is just one of them – although green tea alone will only help you lose a few pounds, it will certainly serve as a great addition to your diet in the long haul. No matter if you do not have the time or you do not like to workout on a regular basis, drinking one cup of tea per day will deliver all the antioxidants you need and it will also help you burn fat at a faster pace, by boosting the metabolism. These teas are perfect for burning more calories as well as for increasing your overall energy levels and for suppressing your appetite. As a matter of fact, this is exactly the main mechanism of action of these teas as they help you shed the extra pounds by suppressing your appetite, thus decreasing the amount of food you would normally consume on a daily basis. Green tea is very popular amongst the Japanese people, and it is said to also help you reduce stress and relax better.

4. Fruit Juice – Cranberry And Pear

Fruit juices are delicious, easy to prepare and very rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals – besides this, there are literally hundreds of different fruits you can choose from and pear and cranberries are only two of the most delicious, most efficient and most sought-after ones given the fact that they contain high amounts of vitamin C. Not only will the cranberry and pear juice help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism (your body’s natural fat burning machine), but it will also increase your overall energy levels and deliver your body all the essential vitamins and proteins that it so much needs. At the same time, it is a known fact that the cranberry juice is essential for preventing various infection of the bladder, such as the infection with the E-coli bacteria. Pears, on the other hand, add magnesium, potassium as well as phosphorus to your fruit juice and they are essential for a healthy lifestyle, not to mention that they are very rich in Vitamin C and Calcium, the latter being particularly important for keeping your bones healthy and strong.

5. Black Coffee

"Some studies have shown that drinking coffee with caffeine may slightly increase weight loss or in actuality prevent weight gain by suppressing the appetite or the desire to eat," says Kathy Taylor, a registered dietitian. "It is a powerful anti-oxidant, which is important for your recovery from exercise and overall immune health. Also, coffee mobilizes free fatty acids, which can then be oxidized during exercises. For maximum weight-loss success, the Weight Control Room website suggests drinking coffee black, on an empty stomach and only in moderation. The site says caffeine can increase your metabolism by stimulating your nervous system because it facilitates the burning of body fat by pulling fatty acids out of the fat cells.

To conclude, these are the top 5 most efficient drinks that you should embed in your diet if you want to lose weight quickly and naturally, without resorting to any pills or supplements that may have side effects.

Source: http://theinfong.com/2015/04/top-5-natural-drinks-that-will-help-you-lose-weight-instantly/2/