Health

DIY First Aid Tips When Working with Wood

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Health

Working with wood is not generally dangerous, but you do need to take safety precautions and to have a good first aid kit on hand. This is because however careful and safe you may be, sooner or later you will need some first aid assistance! So here are some DIY first aid tips to help you stay safe and to help you deal with minor injuries.

Eye Protection

One of the most important safety measures for woodworking is to always wear adequate eye protection such as safety goggles or glasses. Eye injuries can lead to loss of sight so failing to protect your eyes with inexpensive safety goggles or even an ordinary pair of glasses is a big mistake. These should always be left in your workshop as part of your tool kit.

When it comes to your eyes, there are no DIY first aid tips; you need to get to A and E as soon as possible!

Minor Cuts and Abrasions

Working with wood and all those sharp tools; it is very easy to cut yourself. You should keep a range of plasters and bandages in your first aid kit in order to deal with all eventualities. Antiseptic cream is also important for recovery, as this will soothe and protect against infection.

DIY First Aid Tips for Cuts

·       Run the affected area under cold water for at least 5 minutes. This will slow bleeding and also clean the wound. You can try staunching the bleeding with a wad of clean paper.

·       Once the bleeding has slowed, you can apply a plaster and an antiseptic cream.

·       Sit quietly to slow your heart rate. It is important to also elevate the wound to reduce the blood flow.

Splinters are not generally serious but they can lead to infection. To remove a splinter, you can often apply pressure around the entry point and it will pop up enabling you to remove it. Once you have removed the splinter, apply antiseptic cream to protect against infection.

For all woodworkers, a good quality and current DIY first aid kit is crucial. All Terrain is an American company which specialises in herbal and cruelty free products to target a wide range of issues and they have produced a full first aid kit that is ideal for your workshop or for taking with you on the go.

The DIY First Aid Kit by All Terrain includes antiseptic gel, gauze pads and latex free bandages so you can be assured that all products will not further irritate or damage your skin. There is also aloe gel skin relief to help sooth pain and which can be used on minor burns and abrasions.

Packed in a compact carrying case, this natural first aid kit is ideal for all the family both in the workshop, around the home or when you are travelling. Because as we all know, however careful you may be, accidents do happen, but with the All Terrain DIY First Aid Kit, you will be ready when they do!

Allergy Support When Working Outside

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Health

Many of us suffer from common allergies, such as hay fever, and symptoms like itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and headaches that can all make the summer a misery. The reason that some people are affected over others depends on their levels of histamine.

Histamine is a chemical in the body that helps it remove something that may bother you such as dust and pollen. Your body does this by causing you to sneeze, your eyes to water, and your skin to itch, and other ways to expel and remove it from your body.

Histamine can be triggered by certain substances and is generally a problem when your bodily levels of histamine are high. Many people are sensitive to pollen, so this is especially a problem in summer when we spend a lot of time outside.

Finding the right allergy support can really improve your condition and in many cases, remove symptoms completely, or at least reduce them to minimal levels.

Easy Steps for Allergy Support

Wear protective clothing. Keeping pollen out of your eyes and hair will reduce symptoms, so wearing sunglasses and a hat when you are working outside will help. For mild conditions, this may be enough to prevent allergy attacks. You can also try wearing a pollen mask for further protection.

Once you have finished working outside, undress and wash your clothes and shower. This will prevent pollen from sticking to your clothes and causing a problem. If the pollen count is high, dry your clothes indoors to prevent pollen from attaching to your clothes as they dry on the line.

Try not to work outside when the weather is hot, dry, and windy.  Pollen spreads much faster under these conditions, and less so when the weather is cloudy and overcast. On days when the pollen is blown about by the wind, you will find your symptoms are more intense.

Find out what type of pollen is giving you a problem. All pollen is different, and you may find that only one type is causing your allergy symptoms. You can take an allergy test to find out. This is usually delivered by a simple skin prick test so chat with your doctor to find out.

Use a supplement for effective allergy support. There are many different products on the market but one that we especially like comes from Neurobiologix, a U.S. brand that provides good quality natural health supplements for many conditions. 

Get Allergy Support

G Hist Support from Neurobiologix is designed to help patients with allergies. It is a natural anti-histamine derived from natural sources including stinging nettle, porcine kidney powder, and vitamins and it is suitable for all conditions triggered by histamine, including hay fever and food intolerance. 

Unlike some antihistamine products, G Hist Support is side-effect free and will not cause you to become drowsy. With G Hist Support, you will still be able to work outside and operate machinery.

One important thing to remember is that you must use your anti-histamine in advance of going outside. Most work very quickly, so taking an hour beforehand should be enough to protect you throughout the day.

Good Food for Sore Throats

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Health

When you have a sore throat, it can be hard to eat and drink, because it’s just too painful. So what good food for sore throats is out there? Is there anything you can eat without making your throat feel worse? The answer is yes, there is but you have to consider the texture of the food and only eat things that are soothing and easy to swallow.

Eat This Good Food for Sore Throats

Good food for sore throats include pasta dishes, cooked soft vegetables, and fruit smoothies – also a good source of vitamin C. Ice cream can help soothe a sore throat and will cool down any burning sensation. Other good foods for sore throats include soups and broths, mashed potatoes, and porridge.

Drinks are important too, and non-acidic fruit juices can hit the spot, such as apple juice or great juice. Making your own drinks, such as a dilution of honey and ginger in hot water can also help soothe throat pain. Hot tea is also super helpful in soothing a sore throat.

When you have a sore throat, you need to avoid anything that is too dry and abrasive, such as bread, crackers, and chips. You should also avoid spicy food and sodas. In addition, citrus fruit may irritate the throat lining, so it is best avoided. Coffee and alcohol may also aggravate the problem. Essentially, good foods for sore throats are anything that comfort and soothe without irritating.

When you are suffering from a sore throat, it is also important to help your body along in its healing process, without causing further damage or side effects. You can do this by gargling with warm salt water, and you can also use a health supplement for added support.

Supplements for Sore Throats

Nature’s Way is a supplement brand based on Native American knowledge and offers a range of natural herbal medicine to support health. This reputable brand provides 500 different health supplements to address all sorts of health issues, offering support and healing in a natural way.

Nature’s Way Slippery Elm is a soothing emollient that will help support your digestive system without aggravating your throat. Harvested from the slippery elm tree in a responsible way, this is a good support to general health and is totally natural. 

Alternatively, a homeopathic supplement may help. BHI is a trusted homeopathic brand that provides natural health solutions for the whole family.

BHI’s Sore Throat Relief Tablets are homeopathic tablets that aim to relieve the irritation and scratchiness of a sore throat. They contain 10 great quality dilutions, including Carbo Vegetabilis, Causticum, and Hyoscyamus Niger and is a formula that is safe for everyone to take.

Obviously, if you have concerns about your health or that of your family, you should seek medical advice. Sometimes a sore throat can be a sign of an underlying health condition such as a virus, or it could be caused by an infection which would need to be treated by antibiotics.

Once you have established that your sore throat is not dangerous to health, looking after yourself by taking natural health supplements and only eating good food for sore throats will soon see you on the way to recovery.

What Soil Macroorganisms are Beneficial for a Healthy Garden?

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Garden Health Home

Your garden needs the right type of soil for anything to grow, yet sadly it often becomes depleted by over cultivation and the use of artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Over cultivation and chemicals kill off vital microorganisms and strip the soil of natural minerals.  

What’s in Your Soil? 

The mineral balance of soil is important. The most common macronutrients are potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sulfur. Gardens also contain organic substances that have rotted down, such as dead plants and animal matter. You may also spot soil maccroorganisms like millipedes, snails, or mites who are feeding off your garden and help to decompose plant material, helping to fertilize your garden. 

You can improve soil macroorganisms with some simple gardening steps such as adding compost, avoiding pesticides which kill them, and by avoiding disturbing the soil too much. Mulching with organic matter can also help. Planting in companion crops can also help protect your plants and provide nourishment for macroorganisms.

On the other hand, soil microorganisms such as bacteria need food, oxygen, and water to thrive; so as long as your soil is fed with organic matter, kept lightly aerated and watered, it should retain its powers to grow your plants. However, as any farmer will tell you, soil is depleted by frequent cultivation, so it does need to rest or be treated from time to time.

Boost Soil Macroorganisms

To improve soil macroorganisms, you can try adding a natural remineralisation product to boost soil fertility. For example, Drangonite for Robust Soil Fertility by Premier Research Labs is easy to apply. This product contains premier quality volcanic basalt minerals that will revitalise your soil. You just work it into the first three inches of your topsoil and let nature do the rest. It is a preferred alternative to unnatural pesticides or chemical fertilizer. 

Volcanic dust is crammed full of minerals. Although in its natural form such as after a volcanic eruption, the acidity will kill everything in its path, over time the minerals become absorbed by the soil. Volcanic material does not contain nitrogen or calcium, but it contains just about everything else that your soil needs to thrive. It is the equivalent of a superfood for your garden soil.

Using this product in combination with organic material will improve your soil quality and make it more fertile. Feeding your garden with soil macroorganisms will create the perfect growing environment for the following season.

Relax Lotion and Other Ways to Create a Home Spa Experience

Posted on October 26, 2019 by Beauty Health

After a busy day in the yard creating pallet furniture or doing yard work, you could use a home spa day! We all need to get some pampering into our lives but it is not always practical to spend time and money in a spa. So which relax lotion should you buy, and how do you recreate the full spa experience in your own home?

What You Need for a Home Spa

First up a spa experience is all about comfort, relaxation, pampering, and indulging yourself with time in a stress-free environment.

Turn off your phone and make sure you are not going to be disturbed. Nothing spoils a pampering experience more than being pestered by your family or having to answer phone calls from work.

Take a leisurely bath with lots of lovely fragrant bath bubbles or oil. Illuminate the bathroom with scented candles and play some peaceful music to get yourself into a Zen-like zone.

Plan your activities. Maybe give yourself a facial and prepare some hot towels to add to the sense of luxury.

When you visit the spa, one of the most important skin products is the relax lotion. This nourishes the skin and is filled with relaxing aromas that seem to take away the stress of the day.

There are some wonderful products out there used by professional spas. Although they may smell nice, in many cases these products contain harmful chemicals, such as parabens and sodium laurate, which could dry out your skin.

Natural Relax Lotion Options

If you are trying to stick to only natural skin care, these three brands have caught our eye. All brands have a wide range of natural skin care pampering products that will suit even the most sensitive skin.

Alaffia

Alaffia is an all in one skin treatment that contains natural botanicals and bee products including honey and pollen. Based on coconut and shea butter, this high quality relax lotion will leave your skin silky smooth and you feeling relaxed.

Alaffia is based on natural African skin care formulas. All products are chemical free and can provide a natural way to pamper and nourish your skin.

Weleda

Weleda is a well established brand first founded in Germany in 1921. Known for its opposition to animal testing and for producing pure paraben free products, all Weleda products are suitable for the most sensitive skin.

Weleda lotions relax and moisturize the skin and you have plenty of choices available. Weleda Wild Rose Renewing lotion will nourish your skin and help you feel restored. Other Wild Rose products include Wild Rose Day Cream and Wild Rose Night Cream. All creams and moisturizers in the range can be used with equal confidence.

Derma E

Derma E is an eco-friendly brand of skincare that will pamper your skin. Crammed with healthy antioxidants and nutrients, this is a quality brand that delivers the luxurious experience of a relax lotion.

Choose from a wide range of products tailor made to your skin type. Derma E’s Jasmine and Vanilla Hydrating Shea Body Lotion will help you relax and will nourish your skin. Other skin moisturizers include Lemon Grass and Thyme Restoring Shea Body Lotion or Rose Lotion.

What will you do to prepare for your home spa experience?