Why Your Hearing Health Is a Lot More Important Than You Might Think

01/20/2020 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Despite our hearing being an important sense for our everyday wellbeing, most people don’t get regular checkups with their audiologist compared to a general physician or even their dentist. This causes a lot of people to either overlook or underestimate the importance of their hearing health. This can cause a wide variety of problems in the future, especially if you’re not being careful with your hearing health. So in this article, we’re going to talk about why your hearing health is a lot more important than you might first think.

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Hearing affects us in more ways than you think

Many people assume that hearing is just about the sounds we perceive, and this is true to some extent. However, it’s also important to consider what hearing does for us in social situations and how it actually improves our well-being.

A good example would be the way that our bodies use our sense of sound to balance ourselves. People with hearing loss often find that it’s difficult to gain a sense of balance after getting up from a lying or sitting position. This is because hearing loss can cause issues with our vestibular system which results in a poorer sense of balance.

Another good example would be how we approach social situations. People with hearing loss will find that it’s difficult to maintain conversations in noisy areas, such as a social gathering. This can cause them to feel embarrassed when they ask someone to repeat themselves and could lead to social isolation in some cases.

As you can see, hearing loss can affect us in more ways than you might think. This isn’t a comprehensive list of everything that could happen, but it’s a good idea of what you can expect to experience if you have hearing loss.

Hearing loss is irreversible yet completely preventable in most cases

Hearing loss typically happens when you expose yourself to loud sounds for a long period of time. For example, if you work on a construction site with a lot of heavy machinery and neglect to wear hearing protection, then you’ll find that your hearing will suffer over a period of time. This is something that is completely preventable if you take the right cautionary measures and learn more about the level of noise that could cause hearing loss.

There are also conditions such as tinnitus that could have a long-term effect on your well-being. Described as a constant high-pitched whine or buzz, tinnitus is an incredibly frustrating sound to cope with and often stems from damage to the nerves in your ear. It’s for this reason that it’s commonly associated with hearing loss.

While there could be some relief from hearing loss and tinnitus, they are largely irreversible. However, these conditions are completely preventable in most cases unless your hearing loss is caused by a genetic condition. As such, it’s best that you practice preventative measures to reduce the chances that you’ll suffer from hearing loss in the future.

Going Healthy, Health, Life, Tips

Underlying Causes Of Acne Breakouts And How To Deal With It

01/20/2020 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

A compliment on appearance pleases anybody, and when we say appearance, the role of our skin is indispensable. The ‘beauty attributes’ including radiance, glow, softness, suppleness, and youthfulness are achievable if our skin is healthy and well-nourished. An overt sign seen on the face like acne or comedones relates to poor skin health. Acne is amongst the commonest of skin problems. But that doesn’t mean you can accept it or you can never get rid of it. Clearing off acne is very much possible with skin-nourishing nutrient supplements. However, it is necessary to understand what it is and what causes it to know how to deal with it.

What is Acne?

Normally skin cells are replenished once in 30 days. If they aren’t replenished at the right time, old and worn-out cells dominate causing skin health disturbances. Acne is a skin problem that pops up when skin pores or hair follicles are clogged with unshed dead skin cells and excess sebum. Sebum, an oily secretion, is a natural moisturizer for our skin. It is also responsible for making our skin pliable and protecting it from harmful microbes. A deficit of sebum can make the skin flaky, dry and red, while its excess can trigger acne. Sebum secretion is influenced by:

Androgenic hormones like testosterone. Higher the testosterone levels, the more will be the sebum production.
Endocrinal disorders affecting glands like pituitary, adrenal, ovaries or testicles. This causes an imbalance in testosterone production.
Intake of oral contraceptives or other substances like vitamin A derivatives (especially isotretinoin) can fluctuate sex hormone levels.

What causes Acne?

Skin health is influenced by environmental and lifestyle-related factors like nutrition, exercise, personal habits, stress, and pollution. Our hormones, especially the sex hormones like testosterone throw a major impact on our skin health. The onset and severity of acne are decided by the cell’s in-built capacity to cope up with the damage provoked by a clogged pore or follicle. The cell’s ability to repair itself relies on its nourishment.

What type of Acne is yours?

Our skin has several pores which aid in its perspiration. It is normal for these pores to hold dead skin cells until they are shed. But when excess sebum mixes with these dead skin cells, it can invite bacteria named propionibacterium acnes. Pores clogged with debris, excess sebum and this bacteria show up as acne. A bump or blemish appears on the soft and smooth skin. Our skin considers this clogged pore as an injury, and to tackle this, it gets swollen and inflamed. Inflammation is a natural process to promote healing. Acne can be inflammatory or non-inflammatory in nature.

Non-inflammatory Acne

Non-inflammatory acne lesions are called comedones. These can take the form of either blackheads or whiteheads, depending upon whether the pore they clog is open or closed. These are touch-sensitive, non-scarring, and relatively less painful compared to inflammatory acne. Blackhead is a small comedo, almost like a flat dot with a dark-pigmented center. The pore remains open, that’s why the color darkens. On the other hand, if a pore becomes completely blocked, it will bulge from within without an opening. This creates a closed comedo or whitehead. Whiteheads are flesh-colored, small bumps with an outer circle and an inner white center.

Inflammatory Acne

Inflammatory acne can take up the form of pustules, papules, cysts, and nodules.

A Papule is a bump that is felt beneath the skin. It shows up when comedones irritate the surrounding skin. Papules have an inflamed or pinkish-red appearance.

Pustule: If the clogged follicle gets infected with the acne bacteria, it is likely to be inflamed. Our skin’s natural defense or the immunity-rendering cells fight the bacteria, and in this process, there can be secretions like pus. Hence the pustule or the actual pimple appears as a small red bump with a white center. Pustules are larger than whiteheads. Based on the level of inflammation, pustules can be mild or moderate with varying degrees of swelling and redness.

Nodules: These are painful bumps sited deep under the skin surface. These are papules that are hard, and relatively bigger devoid of a defined center. Nodules arise when the irritation caused by the clogged pore damages the nearby skin cells. Hence an attempt to extract these painful nodules, without proper professional guidance, can leave a permanent scar. These are a kind of acne that is medium to high in severity.

Cyst: These represent the most severe form of acne. Their location beneath the skin is even deeper compared to a nodule. These are huge, painful bumps that are filled with pus. Their appearance may vary from white to red.

Coping with acne isn’t a big deal anymore as proper vitamin and mineral supplementation can help in balancing sebum production. A balanced sebum secretion helps to maintain healthy skin. Discussed below are some of those skin-friendly nutrients that help.

Skin-friendly Nutrients or Skin-nourishments that Help

Food and its components influence our skin health. Our skin cells are constructed with the nutrition derived from the foods that we consume. The list of skin-friendly nutrients is pretty long with inclusions like vitamin A, B-complex, C, D, E, K, and minerals like iron, selenium, and zinc. Experts have mentioned in https://www.patchmd.com/supplements-for-acne.html that when we eat a balanced diet it helps to get healthy skin. A balanced diet comprises a lot of fruits, veggies, and plenty of fluids. But in case of challenges like acne, we will have to make sure that there is a perennial supply of healing nutrients. In such special needs, supplements can help us in coping with the extra demand.

Apart from diet, there are other ways to keep our skin acne-free. Our skin cells are alive, so every day they should get their share of nutrients. Insufficiency in the amount of skin-rejuvenating and healing nutrients can worsen acne. But thanks to the advancements in skincare which offers easy means of replenishing our skin with its essential nutrients. Different innovative ways of nourishing the acne-prone skin with all its essential nutrients are introduced.

Acne is an undesirable bump on the skin which has its origin from within. A well-nourished skin can heal itself better. Supply your skin the desirable nourishment so that the undesirable bumps fade away. The desire to look beautiful and youthful is complete only with a healthy you from within!

Life, Lifestyle, Tips

Why Polished Concrete Floors are Smart Investments?

01/17/2020 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

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Are you planning to build the floors of your warehouse or factory from scratch? Or, have you been thinking of restoring or rebuilding your existing floors lately? In all likelihood, you are looking for the most durable flooring solutions for these high-traffic and much-used commercial spaces. Polished concrete floors are a good choice because of the many benefits they provide. More and more facility owners are choosing concrete polished flooring over other options to get better returns for their investments. Keep reading to understand the efficacy of polished concrete floors and why they are making a buzz in today’s time.

Top Reasons for Selecting Polished Concrete Floors

Be it for residential or commercial applications, polished concrete flooring are undoubtedly the most effective solutions according to contractors. Along with being slip-resistant and durable, these floors reflect an ample quantity of natural/ artificial light to look alluring and beautiful. This preferred alternative is fast trending because of the advantages offered by polished concrete surfaces. So, what exactly is polished concrete?

Polished Concrete Floors – What are They?

In general terms, polished concrete refers to the treatment of concrete with specific types of concrete densifiers. These densifiers are responsible for filling up the pores and cracks found on concrete floors. Once the pores have been filled and sealed, they allow for smoother aesthetics for concrete flooring. Various types of grinding tools and polishing equipment are used by skilled craftsmen to impart the effects of reflectivity and sheen. As there are plenty of options to choose from, clients usually brainstorm with contractors to determine the nature of the polish needed. In some cases, minimal instances of polishing and re-polishing are advised to keep more aggregate exposed. Shinier polishes are in vogue as well because they look attractive and impart an exquisite finished look.

Why are Contractors Recommending Polished Concrete Floors?

If you have been to factories, storehouses, warehouses, and other commercial spaces then you have probably noticed the dull grey concrete floors laid out in them. The top surface of concrete flooring solutions is often left untreated to save on costs. It’s also believed that they can withstand rough usage and high footfall more effectively in comparison to polished surfaces. According to experts in concrete flooring at concretefloorpolisher.co.uk, this is not true in today’s context. The advent of technology and the use of refined grinding and polishing equipment have brought about major transformations in the flooring industry. People are no longer leaving their concrete floors barren or unpolished. As concrete cannot be fully cured or treated by nature, various innovative ideas are popping up to create a difference in how these floors look and feel. Nowadays, wet and dry polishing of concrete are effective steps in getting durable and hardy floors.

Polished Concrete Floors – Features and Benefits

Both aesthetically beautiful and long-lasting, polished concrete has plentiful benefits to their credit; these include:

Resistance to abrasions
Enhanced durability quotient
The polished surface makes concrete dust-free
Polished concrete can be easily maintained and cleaned
Environment-friendly as there is no need for polyurethane or costly epoxy coatings
Pleasing to the eyes
Matches all types of décor and architecture
Improves the reflectivity powers of the floor
Shows improved everyday performance metrics
Lang-lasting life cycle
Cost-effective alternative to installing tiles, carpets or stone layers on concrete, and so forth.

High Durability of Polished Concrete Flooring

There are very few flooring solutions that can match the durability of polished concrete. Extremely strong and hardy, polished concrete is capable of withstanding the lugging of heavy trolley, high human traffic, pushing around crates, etc. The most intriguing part about these floors is that they fail to get spoiled easily. No scratches, cracks or dents are in order as physical damage of polished concrete floors is not really possible. Given the high levels of durability that polished concrete floors enjoy, there’s little that can affect their aesthetics.

Long-lasting Polished Concrete Floor Solutions

Another much-talked benefit of concrete polished floors lies in their long life-cycle. If installed properly by skilled craftsmen, these floors can last for decades in a row without showcasing any signs of wear outs. Polished flooring in concrete requires low maintenance and can last longer than wood laminates and carpeting in most cases.

An Affordable Flooring Option

When it comes to affordability and cost-effective flooring, there are very few alternatives to polished concrete. The high affordability factors of these floors have made them popular with clients from all walks of life. Be it for commercial, industrial, residential or other places, concrete polished floors are being spread out like never before. However, there are different factors like the number of polishing rounds, the extent of grinding, the size of the area to be floored, etc. that determine the costs of placing concrete polished tiles. Besides, the difficulty of polishing needs to be considered as well. For instance, if you require only staining and finishing on your existing concrete floors then the costs would be different.

Easy and Less Expensive Maintenance

Sweeping and mopping on a regular basis is the only major maintenance requirement of polished concrete floors. This is essential to prevent the gathering of dust on the floors. Floors with a high-gloss finish require damp mopping to retain their sheen and attractiveness. Proper and timely maintenance, albeit at low costs, is necessary to retain the glossiness of concrete polished floors.

No Hazardous Chemicals Used for Polishing Concrete Floors

These eco-friendly flooring solutions are devoid of the use of harmful adhesives, cleaners or any chemicals. The slurry created in the process of wet and dry polishing can be disposed of in recommended ways to eliminate any harm to nature or society at large.

Invest in Polished Concrete Floors

When you choose to park your money in polished concrete flooring, in effect, you are ready to enjoy it for years in a row. These floors are water-resistant when sealed with high-quality adhesives and products. You can also enjoy the benefits of enhanced ambient lighting and abrasion resistance once you opt for this flooring solution. Go the full way with polished concrete, and at the earliest!