How to Care for Indoor Plants During the Winter

Indoor plants are one of the most used indoor decorations. They give special additional beauty to one's home. The colors help to bring out the beauty of the home. What else could make a perfect indoor decoration? But not all indoor plants find it easy to survive during the wintertime. 

Wintertime is the most dangerous season of the year for indoor plants. With lighting dropping, colder temperatures, and dry air, causes more harm to houseplants. Here are things that can be done to help indoor plants survive the winter season:

Allow for better lighting:

During wintertime, the light intensity dropped to around 50%. Plants need light to survive. When plants are moved to the window, it allows for better light. Clean windows frequently for better results. In addition to this, the dust of the plants so they can get better light. You can also add artificial lights as bulbs. Place them around 4-12 inches away from the plants for better results.

Warm up the temperature:

Any temperature less than 50°F is dangerous for most plants. Most indoor plants adapt to a temperature between 65-75°F.  Adjust your thermostat to A more suitable level. Avoid placing your plants in areas that are most likely to give a cooler temperature such as exterior windows or cold drafts. If Windows frost at night, move the plants away before night.

Change the watering schedule:

One of the most common problems faced by indoor plants is overwatering. Most plants do not need to be watered until their soil is almost dried. You know when your plant needs water by putting your hand deep through the soil to around 2 inches. If the soil is dry, then water is needed. Or you can raise your plant's pot to check the weight. It is usually lighter when dry than when wet. Then you will know if your plant needs water. If your room is humidified, plants would not need water. 

Improve humidity:

Homes during winter offer 5% to 10% of humidity. Plants however need 40% to 50% humidity. When they don't get the right humidity, they might end up getting brown leaves. Improve humidity to a more suitable position for your plants.

Take note of pests:

Pests such as mealybugs, spider mites, fungus gnats, and likes tend to appear more as a result of lack of sunlight. Try to always check out for them and do not hesitate to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Having indoor plants is beautiful. We always enjoy the beauty that comes along with it. It is often used to beautify the home. However, taking care of it is a different task. It is easier to do so in other seasons that support the atmosphere of their habitat. However, it becomes more difficult to be taken care of in winter. Following the above procedures, it would help taking care of the plants in the winter season easier with better effects.

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Best Essential Oils for Respiratory Health

At some times in life, most especially during the winter season, we end up getting coughs or the flu. Fortunately, there are numerous natural remedies to go for, including the best essential oils for respiratory health. 

Essential oils are extracted from plants along with their flavor and scent. Essential oils have been used for years for skin care, hair care, reducing stress and tension, and more. They can also be used to solve some respiratory issues such as coughing. Most essential oils have compounds clear the way for better breathing and also help fight against bacteria and viruses. These are some essential oils that have been proven helpful for respiratory health.

Peppermint essential oil:

This is a good oil that helps ease breathing for people with coughs. It helps to relax the windpipe muscles. Most products for helping with respiration contain this oil. Menthol is made from peppermint and helps to create a clearer pathway through the throat, giving a cool sensation for easier breathing and eliminating a scratchy throat.

Frankincense essential oil:

It is traditionally known as a good oil for easing people's cough, asthma, and bronchitis. It is made from the Boswellia tree and is used in perfumes and incense.

Nutmeg oil:

This oil contains camphene which is a compound that is like camphor. It sends a cooling sensation through the lungs when inhaled. It also has antioxidant properties that can help in the protection against cell damage and germs.

Thyme oil:

This contains a large amount of carvacrol. This oil may help in the protection against bacteria and viruses or even in getting rid of them.

Oregano essential oil:

This also contains a large amount of carvacrol which works as an antimicrobial agent, which helps to eliminate germs. In turn, it can be used as a treatment for bacteria that cause coughing.

Eucalyptus essential oil:

This oil can be used to calm a cough. It also works as an antimicrobial agent, which fights against bacteria that cause illness. It may also help in relieving pain, muscle tension, or reducing inflammation that resulted from cough or flu.

Out of the many possible remedies to solve respiratory issues, essential oils have been one of the most effective methods. They serve many purposes, and supporting good respiratory health is one of them. They also fight against such illness. 

You can try some out and notice the relief you get from making use of them. NHC provides some of the best essential oils for respiratory health. Whenever you have such respiratory health challenges, give essential oils a chance and see their potential effect on you.

Daily Detox Tips to Support Your Health

This article will talk about some daily detoxification tips you could use to support your health. 

What is Detoxification? 

Detoxification means the process you can use to clean and clear out your system and get rid of annoying toxins that are harmful or have the potential to cause some form of damage to your body. 

List of Daily Detox Tips to Support Your Health

You can support your health using the following daily detox tips.

You can reduce the amount of alcohol you consume.

Alcohol on its own, irrespective of every other thing, has a lot of toxins. It, in itself, is toxic to the human body. There are high parts of it that aren't good for you. Now we're not saying you should quit alcohol altogether. But drink it or take it responsibly. This way, you get to protect and guard that active liver of yours, and you’ll end up living for a more extended period of time. 

Don't forget about sleeping correctly. 

We don't know if you know this, but our minds and the health of our brains are correlated with the amount of sleep we get. That is one of the only ways the cognitive part of our brains can get some rest, you know. So please, to support your health, do well to sleep a lot. The responsible time you should sleep is around 8 hours every day. 

Drink a lot of water. 

This is very important. Think about a cup that you used to drink soda. Then think about how it is going to look if you don’t wash it or rinse it. That's how the insides of one body are when we don't drink enough water. You need to help your kidneys by taking a lot of water. Kidneys aren’t an affordable thing to purchase if anything goes wrong with yours. By drinking a lot of water, you end up intentionally helping your kidneys. It would, in turn, help you back at the end of the day. 

Reduce the amount of sugar and processed food you’re taking in.

You could get consuming meals that have high amounts of antioxidants. Foods that have a lot of sugar are simply tasty to your tongue. But to the rest of your body, they make you gather weight, and they’re not healthy. Consume minor amounts of it, and trust that you'll be fine. Home cooked meals are always the best. 

Try detox supplements like glutathione.

Glutathione detoxifies the body of heavy metals and fat-soluble toxins from the liver, lungs, intestines, and kidneys.  Try Liposomal Glutathione Softgels by Core Med Science, if you’re interested in starting a healthier regimen.

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Easy Ways to Practice Recycling at Home

I'm sure you would want to recycle things you use from home. This article would show you some simple ways you could easily practice recycling at home. 

Recycling products at home doesn't need a lot of effort if you spend a lot of time creating a comprehensive recycling system. The system begins with creating places you could store your recycled materials in your apartment. This could be either in a bag or a bin or a box. You could keep your recycling container next or close to the trash can, and you could remind everyone around you to recycle as much as possible. 

How to Recycle at Home

Flatten boxes. You could flatten your cardboard boxes, which would help fit in more recyclables inside the bin. 

Recycle plastic bottles. All types of plastic bottles could get recycled. These include things from water bottles to other things like salad dressing. You could put them all inside your container for recycling. 

Recycle paper and cardboard. Apart from newspapers, you could recycle phone books, birthday cards, envelopes, and wrapping paper. Every type of cardboard can get recycled too. You could even recycle paper towel tubes and toilet paper. 

Recycle cans and metal. There are metallic items you could recycle at home. These things include tin foil and empty spray cans. You could also recycle empty soda food cans, vegetable cans, and fruit cans if you desire. 

Recycle glass. It never wears out or breaks down. Make sure you always recycle your containers and your glass bottles. 

Next Steps

If you want to go out, you could stop at your local center for recycling and then drop anything that your curbside service didn't pick. This would allow you to fit all of your recycling correctly and teach the kids all they need to know about recycling. 

If you are not sure about the things you want to recycle, you could check the website of your refuse provider. They have more than enough comprehensive information about what you can recycle and what you shouldn't. There are also Android and Apple apps you could use to check the things you want to recycle and the things you want to leave. 

If you want to help, your recycling center keeps away foul odors, ensures you wash off waste on the things you want to recycle, and keeps away glass food or plastic before putting them in recycling bins. 

For people with many used things in their homes, it would be nice to recycle. It’s great for you and for the Earth.

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How to Clean Makeup Brushes DIY

Your makeup brushes are things you use almost everyday. So many things are applied on your face with these brushes, such as blush, powder, and eyeshadow. Toxins such as sweat and bacteria, along with this makeup residue get stuck within the bristles of your brush, causing breakouts on your skin when not cleaned.

Once you pay more attention to your brushes, cleaning them at least once or twice a week with a product like Botanical Brush Cleaner by Jane Iredale, or the other natural alternatives we’ve listed below, your brush bristles will be bacteria-free making your brushes last longer. Here are some easy to do DIY tricks you can use to get this done.

Lemon with Vinegar

Lemon and vinegar are considered to be natural cleaning agents in the household thereby making them the perfect combination to clean your makeup brushes. Get a cup of hot water and then mix two tablespoons into it. Dip your brushes into it, wash and rinse it off with lukewarm water. You may not like the vinegar smell your brushes are left with, so you can rub them against a lemon to get a better scent from it.

Dish Soap

Dish soap is already a trusted and well-used cleaning agent in the household used to get your kitchen wares clean so this DIY is a no-brainer. Use warm water to get your brushes wet, add a considerable amount of dish soap and then massage your brushes, removing any residue on them. Use a clean sponge to get this done easier. Rinse your brushes afterward and let them dry. Concentrate mainly on the bristles of the brushes

Baby Shampoo

Baby shampoo can also work efficiently as a cleaning agent for your makeup brushes. Use lukewarm water to wet your brushes, add a little bit of your baby shampoo then rub it in a circular motion in order to get rid of any makeup residue. Rinse and air dry properly.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can be used for several things such as detoxing, salad dressings, and so on. It also serves as a cleaning agent in the household which you can conveniently use to clean your makeup brushes as well. Mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into a cup of warm water and then use this mixture to clean your brushes properly then rinse and dry.

Olive Oil

Olive Oil can be used for so many things in the household from conditioner to hair moisturizer. It can also serve as a cleaning agent for your makeup brushes. Put your brushes in a bowl of olive oil then use a sponge and gently rub it against it or you can also use your fingers. Let the water you use be running. Rinse and dry afterward.

When you have clean brushes, applying your makeup becomes much easier reducing patchy stains on your makeup. It also keeps your brush bristles soft and lasts longer removing the thought of you going out to buy new brushes within a short time. Application of makeup becomes smoother and better for you.

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How to Plant in the Fall

There are a lot of crops that can thrive when planted in the fall, regardless of the crisp weather. They may need more time to grow and mature due to the little source of light they receive because of the windy nature of fall. These crops are usually able to be harvested during September and October. In order for you to have a successful fall harvest, there are a few guidelines you need to follow.

Start Early

A lot of people make the mistake of not thinking about planting in the fall early enough for the crops to yield fruits on time. For you to have a successful harvest, you need to start planting at the peak of summer. August is a perfect time to start planting so that your plants will be able to get some of the warmth that comes with the sun at the time. During this period, your plants will start to mature in proper growing conditions.

Know How Long Fall Crops Take to Grow

Every crop has a lifespan, predictable in some cases meaning that you can calculate how long a plant will reach its size for harvest. This lifespan is often called “days to maturity” although this can be affected by environmental factors sometimes causing it to differ or fluctuate; the accuracy shouldn’t be far-fetched.

Harvest Your Fall Crops on Time

You should go out there and harvest your crops. managing your fall crops also entails you knowing the exact time to go harvest in order not to defeat the whole purpose of your planting. as soon as you’re able to harvest your crops, you’d now be able to start preparing for your next fall planting. This also gives space for the new fall plants. Crops that may be finishing up in your garden midsummer include:

·    Cabbage

·    Spinach

·    Broccoli

Crops Last Longer in the Fall

Crops like cabbage, broccoli can live for months even after maturity. A whole lot of other vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, and kale have a long lifespan when planted for fall harvest. This is possible due to the cool weather that comes with the fall which helps preserve these plants.

Best Plants for Fall

Beets: Beets are great plants to grow during the fall. Beets should be planted 10-12 weeks before fall is over. It is also advisable to get seedlings to assist with the whole timing. You do not have to wait for beets to get too large before you harvest.

Broccoli: Broccoli needs to be planted on time for it to mature at the right time. This vegetable should be planted in late summer or early September. When harvesting, leaving the remaining plant in the ground can cause further yield.

Cabbage: Cabbage is another vegetable that can be planted in the fall. It should be planted in early fall and germination will most likely start in about 6-7 days. You should also know that a smaller heading size yields way faster.

Take note that these plants thrive in cool temperatures not cold temperatures.

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Safety & Health Tips for Women in Agriculture

Women in agriculture need to remain safe and healthy too. Agriculture these days is not just for men. And because of this, this article is here to talk about safety and health tips for awesome women who are working hard in agriculture these days. 

These days, the difference between urban and rural women is that there is a different shift of labor when they are on the farm. This provides labor used in farms. There are a variety of operations that take place on the farm. You need to look at the type of available help, the season/weather, and the specific operation the women are doing. 

These are all referred to as the phenomenon of the third shift. These have been recognized as what contributes to the stress that many women in agriculture feel. 

Every farm has its values set, which influences the labor division on farms—the potential of women that exposes them to different roles. Women try to handle a lot, and they need to fill out several roles. 

Risks which are Specific to Women in Agriculture 

Women can handle things just like men in any part of agricultural operations. Some simple health and safety risks are specific to just women. These are particular for only female farmers. 

The National Occupational Safety Institute for Health lists a lot of issues which women suffer from in agriculture. These include depression, risks from cancer, fatigue, work-related injuries, risks related to pregnancy, exposures to pesticides, and chronic bronchitis. 

Combining all these risks and being in a location that isn't urban means these women suffer from health disparities when one compares them with the entire population. Generally, women who live and grow in these rural health areas have inferior health outcomes. They also have reduced access to health care than women that live in urban areas. 

List of Safety and Health Tips for Women in Agriculture 

As a woman, you need to comply and read the safety manual as assigned for the farm. 

You need to keep up and follow the state and federal laws.

You need to properly mount your vehicles and keep your tools and vehicles clean and visible. This way, everyone knows you're driving the vehicle, and you can keep everyone around you safe. 

You need to make sure you dress correctly. Dress like someone that's working on the farm. Don't wear clothes meant for parties or dinners to the farm. If you do that, you will get hurt. 

Make sure you rest properly. Make sure you don't stay on the farm for too long. When you are tired, please rest. You are not Wonder Woman, and even she needs rest too. 

Don't drink alcohol while working. You could end up in a horrible fatal accident if you take alcohol as you work. Please avoid that and be careful.

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