How Robot Vacuums Can Help For Families With Allergies?

How Robot Vacuums Can Help For Families With Allergies?

This is a collaborative post

Dust allergens are like tiny pollens that love to hide everywhere around your house, especially where your kids play, and your family spends time. If your children often find themselves sneezing or feeling itchy after being in contact with these little troublemakers, they might be allergic. Surprisingly, even a clean house doesn’t guarantee that these allergens won’t cause issues. They are tough to eliminate, and the key is to make sure that your house is regularly cleaned and that the different rooms are perfectly ventilated. 

We all know that kids take a lot of our energy and if you don’t have much time to clean, robot vacuum cleaners come to the rescue. They come equipped with advanced cleaning technology and high-quality filters to sweep away dust, allergens, and pollen from your house, creating a safer and allergy-friendly environment for your family.

If you or your children often find yourselves with stuffy or runny noses and sneezing, you are most likely dealing with allergies. These allergies are usually triggered by dust, dust mites, pollen, or animal hair. These tiny particles can easily enter your kids’ noses and mouths while they breathe, leading to allergy symptoms.

Dust mites also referred to as bed mites are the most common causes of allergy. They live in warm and humid places and are hard to spot with human eyes. If you have places with a lot of dust build up in your house then that can also cause allergies. If you are a pet owner, pet hairs or pet saliva can also trigger an allergic reaction.

Particles enter houses through windows and start causing allergy symptoms. Indeed, allergies affect millions worldwide, and just in the US, more million millions people suffer from allergies each year. Symptoms vary but often encompass sneezing, itchy eyes, runny noses, hives, coughing, and wheezing. In severe cases, anaphylaxis can threaten life, causing breathing difficulties, swelling, and a drop in blood pressure. 

Regular vacuuming removes allergens and improving indoor air quareduceslso reduce allergy triggers.

How smart vacuum can help to reduce allergies?

Robot Vacuums have improved a lot in the last decade. Most models come with high-grade tech to ensure your house is free of allergens. Plus, they have the benefit of added convenience that makes the whole process autonomous.

Most robot vacuums come with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters or HEPA-grade filters. These filters efficiently suck up all the allergic particles in the air giving you a cleaner breathing environment.

With HEPA filters, adjustable brushes, high-powered suction, and an advanced navigation system, robot vacuums are good to reduce allergy triggers. Indeed, by efficiently and regularly cleaning floors, they help to reduce the build-up of allergens like dust, pet dander, and pollen. HEPA filters trap these particles, preventing them from circulating in the air.

With the added benefit of scheduled and controlled cleaning, robot vacuums can help you massively during allergy season. Robot vacuums provide a lot of value thanks to their convenience when it comes to cleaning. All they need is a one-time setup and basic maintenance to clean your house regularly.

Thanks to this continuous cleaning you will have an allergen-free environment. Plus, they come with features for effective allergen removal.

On the tech side, they can be easily integrated into your smart home setup making controlling them a lot easier. On top of that, they save a lot of time, which is a great plus if you are busy most of the time.

With different modes like edge, max, or mop. Robot vacuums can easily clear dust and pollen from hard-to-reach places. Moreover, robot vacuums are perfect for ensuring a clean environment for your toddler or pets.

Tips for maximizing allergy relief with robot vacuums

Even though robot vacuums are highly efficient when it comes to allergen removal there are some things you can do to improve them even more. 

First of all, you need to set regular cleaning schedules to prevent dust build-up and ensure a clean environment. Secondly, set your vacuum to focus more on high-allergen areas like carpets, rugs, and under furniture. 

When looking for a robot vacuum opt for the ones that come with HEPA or HEPA-like filters. They are best when it comes to allergens. 

Finally, make sure to focus on maintenance.ty out the dustbin frequently to make sure dust does not re-circulate. Clean or replace the brushes and rollers. And most important of all, clean the filters properly and frequently.

Conclusion

Along with the use of robot vacuums, there are some things you and your family can do to optimize allergy relief, especially for your kids. Most dust mites love warm and humid places, such as beds, sofas, and pillows. To help your children breathe easier, it is advised to use mite-free bedsheets and ensure that your kids’ bedsheets are cleaned daily. Furthermore, during allergy season, it’s a good idea to keep your windows closed to prevent pollen and allergens from entering your home.

What To Do If You Have Health Concerns

What To Do If You Have Health Concerns

This is a collaborative post

As a mum, you will need to look after the family’s health. Yet, you need to ensure that you do not leave your health behind. You need to take good care of yourself too so you can be well and healthy, without any health concerns or worries. 

If you do have health concerns and need some advice, here’s more.

Find the right person to deal with your concern

Although you should and can speak to your general doctor about your health concern, you will get a faster result if you find the right person to deal with your specific concern. 

For instance, if you have a female health worry, a Private Gynaecologist will offer fast appointments so that you can sooner get to the root of your symptoms and be on the road to better health. The sooner you can attain an appointment and treatment, the sooner you can remain calm and positive about your health.

It is worthwhile making a financial investment when it comes to your health so you can get the right answer and a quicker solution.

Stop hiding it

Sometimes, we hide our health concerns because we do not want to think of the worst thing. The best thing you can do for your health and peace of mind is to stop hiding your concern and address it.

The sooner you address your concern and understand you need help, the sooner you can get help and find a solution.

Start journaling

If you are someone who worries a lot about your health, the best thing you can do when trying to stay positive when dealing with a health concern is to journal.

Although you can find a friend to confide in, a journal will be there at any time of day. You can write down your thoughts and worries and vent on your pages, allowing you to decompress and release tension. You will only make your mental and physical health worse if you hold onto worry and stress. Therefore, let it all out on paper by journaling.

Stop using the internet to research symptoms

Although search pages can sometimes give us the correct answer for our symptoms, they will often show the worst-case scenario, which is going to make you panic. If you have a continuous headache and use the internet to research your symptoms, it could tell you that you have something that definitely is not true. 

The best place to go for an accurate diagnosis is your doctor so you can gain peace of mind and be on your way to attaining the right treatment to manage or eliminate your symptoms. Never rely on the internet to tell you the truth about your health. After all, it cannot do a thorough assessment nor give you accurate readings.

Follow these tips to ensure that you can effectively address, manage, and deal with any health concern you have. It will help you maintain peace of mind and always look after your health.

Why is Your Diet Failing, And What Can you Do About It?

Why is Your Diet Failing, And What Can you Do About It?

This is a collaborative post

If you have tried dieting time and time again but never had much success with it, then you will know how frustrating this can be. You may feel as though nothing you do works and that every time you end up at square one again. If you want to make a positive change, then it helps to understand why your diet is failing in the first place.

You are Using Willpower Instead of Science

There is a science to hunger. Most diets that involve you eating less, will trigger hunger. You can only starve yourself for too long because your body has powerful mechanisms that protect you from starvation. Your hunger will increase with time, and you may find that your metabolism slows down to try and conserve as much energy as possible. Eating foods that are low in fat or sugar increases your hunger too. If you want to do something about this then one thing you can do is focus on eating the right foods rather than eating less.

You are Only Focusing on Calories

Eating less calories is the key to losing weight. That being said, some calories contribute to you gaining weight and others contribute to you losing weight. Excess grains trigger a shift in your metabolism and they also spike your insulin. Insulin drives the fuel in your blood, right to your fat cells. Your body thinks that you are starving even though you have just eaten. This leads to increased hunger and a slower metabolism. Have you ever finished a big meal and then felt hungry again an hour later? It all comes down to basic science. One way for you to stop this from happening would be for you to focus on eating foods that are low on the glycemic index. This includes grass-fed meats, vegetables, nuts, fish and seeds. If you can focus on this then it’ll help you to feel better about yourself. If you are struggling with your weight then it could be wise to look into gastric sleeve surgery.

Low-Fat Diet

A lot of people think that they should avoid things like egg yolks as they contain a lot of fat. After all, eggs tend to be higher in calories, but they are good for you. If you eat more fat and less carbs then you may find that you can boost your metabolism and you can also rocket how good you feel about yourself. If you are not quite sure how to adopt a low-carb diet or if you want to make a positive change then make sure that you consult a dietician, as they can work with you to help you understand your body and the results you want to achieve. If you can do this then you will soon find that you feel better about yourself and that you can stop yourself from constantly fueling yourself with the wrong foods.

Why not see if you are making these top dieting mistakes today, and make a positive change to your health?

Top Tips To Help You Care For An Elderly Parent

Top Tips To Help You Care For An Elderly Parent

This is a collaborative post

As your parents become older, they may begin to experience various mental and physical health challenges that require you to take a more active role in their care. 

This is a situation that many of us can find particularly difficult, as it comes with challenges of its own – both physical and mental. In addition, we’re not used to thinking of our parents as being in need of our help; up until now, it has probably always been the other way around! 

As difficult as it may be, you may also feel that caring for them in their time of need gives you an opportunity to repay your parents for all they’ve done for you over the years- and to make sure they have the best of care as the years go by. 

Not sure how to look after your elderly parents and keep them safe and happy? Here are some top tips to help you make sure they have everything they need for their well-being. 

  • Talk To Your Parents About Their Needs

The very first step you should take is to discuss your parents’ unique requirements with them, as they know best how they’re feeling and what their particular challenges are. 

Of course, this may be easier said than done. You may even feel embarrassed or awkward about having to have this kind of discussion in the first place; but it’s vitally important to get your parents’ insight, as they’re the ones who should have an active say in what kind of support they receive. 

You should also think about your own circumstances. For instance, if you live close to your parents, you may be able to help them with some daily tasks, such as laundry or preparing meals. On the other hand, if you already have too many family responsibilities, or if you live too far away, you may have to help them organise for carers to come and visit them on a regular basis. 

  • Get Them Checked Out

As your parents age, it’s crucial for them to receive regular health checks to make sure everything’s ‘ticking over’. If they have any ongoing health conditions or complaints, this need for frequent monitoring becomes even more pressing. 

If possible, try and arrange specialist care for an elderly parent with a potentially serious condition. for example, if your mum or dad suffers from a heart condition, you should arrange an appointment for them with an experienced cardiologist. 

Living in or around London? The London Medical specialist outpatient clinic has a dedicated cardiology department that can provide world-class care for your elderly parent. Here, you will find an expert team of specialist physicians and nurses, who can offer a holistic form of treatment with the help of state-of-the-art equipment. 

  • Research Your Care Options

If your parents are in relatively fine fettle for their age, then they may not require much assistance and support. However, if they have become frail, suffered a loss of mobility, or developed a serious condition, then they may need regular care or possibly even require the services of a live-in carer. 

To help you make the right decision for their well-being, it’s important to do your research and explore the different options available to you – including any financial assistance your parents (or you, if you act as their carer) may be entitled to. 

If you do decide to take on their care responsibilities yourself, don’t hesitate to take advantage of respite care services, which will give you a well-deserved break and take over your responsibilities so you can focus on your own self-care.

How to successfully manage your migraines

How to successfully manage your migraines

This is a collaborative post

If you’ve never had a migraine before, consider yourself very lucky. Often confused with a being just a bad headache, severe migraines can actually be hugely debilitating, incredibly painful and manifest themselves with far more physical symptoms than your average bad head; including nausea, blurred vision and even sensitivity to light and sound. If you’re unlucky enough to experience migraines regularly, you may find yourself asking what you can do in terms of medication and practical intervention to manage the symptoms of a migraine attack.

Medication for Migraines 

The most severe migraines will normally require some form of medication to manage, reduce or control your symptoms. These can range from painkillers to control the headache, anti emetics to prevent or reduce vomiting and nausea and/or triptans to reverse the changes in the brain that can trigger your migraine.

If you are experiencing them regularly you may want to speak to your GP, or if you feel safer doing so, seek the advise of a fully registered online pharmacy such as Oxford Online Pharmacy. Using their online consultation, they can recommend a number of effective migraine treatments and provide specific advise from their team based on your individual circumstances.

If you feel a migraine starting (quite often you will learn to recognise the signs of an aura or feel your head starting to throb), try and take the medication as soon as possible, as this can often slow or prevent the onset of a full attack.

Medication isn’t the only way you can help manage your migraines however, you can also help by managing your environment and lifestyle to help prevent them in the first place.

Find a quiet dark room

If a migraine hits, taking yourself off to a calm, quiet environment can really help. Draw the curtains and lie down and close your eyes if possible. Often it is the vision irregularities that can cause a feeling of dizziness and nausea, so closing your eyes and taking lots of deep breaths or even sleeping can help reduce the impact of such symptoms.

You may also find holding a cold flannel or compress your head can help.

Track the triggers

More often than not, there will be a common trigger for your migraines, so you may find it helpful to keep a diary of when they occur and any important factors that may have contributed or caused the onset.

Examples of triggers can include:

  • Hormones – Many women in particular find that migraines occur at a particular time of the month, or a point within their menstrual cycle. This can be due to hormone changes and the level of oestrogen within the body. Whilst knowing this can’t automatically counter act their occurrence, it can help to understand when they may occur and plan accordingly.
  • Emotional Triggers – Stress and/or anxiety can also be big triggers for migraines and if you are particularly tense or frustrated you may find that you are more likely to experience a migraine. Try and practice self care and look after your mental health as much as possible. Knowing when to step away and take a break (whether that’s from work or general mental load) can help keep your emotions in a better rhythm.
  • Tiredness – Some migraines can be caused by a lack of sleep, poor quality sleep or even sleeping in a bad position. Try and ensure you get a good nights sleep by listening to your body, keeping tech out of the bedroom and avoiding blue screen devices before bed!
  • Dehydration or Caffeine Withdrawal –  If you are reducing the amount of caffeine you are consuming and aren’t drinking enough water, this alone can be enough to trigger a migraine. Whilst most of us consume some caffeine, manage your intake and mix it up with fresh water or other water based drinks instead.
  • Diet – Believe it or not, there are some foods that can trigger migraines and they may vary from one person to the next. My sister for example learned that blackcurrant seemed to be a regular trigger for her migraines and once she stopped anything blackcurrant related in her diet, the number of migraines she experienced dramatically reduced. Keeping a food diary can be a good way to track whether there are any foods or drinks that seem to induce these symptoms.
  • Physical Environment – It is also possible for some people to have migraines triggered by their environment – simple things such as glaring lights, the sun flicking through the clouds whilst driving, or even strong smell are known to trigger some migraines. Once this has been established, simple changes such as wearing shades whilst driving or with  lighting that you know may trigger a migraine can be helpful.

Do you suffer from migraines? Do yours have an obvious trigger?

Parents – Take Back Bread for your Family Picnic!

Parents – Take Back Bread for your Family Picnic!

AD – This post is in collaboration with Vogels 

What’s your favourite type of bread? Have you heard of Vogel’s No Bits Seeded White?

When our unpredictable British weather starts to get a bit warmer and the sun is finally shining like a welcome beacon in the sky, I love nothing more than to head out on a family picnic with the girls, heading to our local National Trust favourites with a basket jam-packed full of goodies. We drag out our favourite picnic blanket, race to find a nice shady spot with a view and kick off our sandals to feel the tickle of the grass between our toes! I love the conversations and the chit chat from the girls as they tuck in, before sitting relaxing with Mike, watching them chase each other round monkey puzzle trees and play hide and seek, nipping back occasionally to top up on snacks or one more sausage roll.

Given the choice, if it was completely up to me, I would always pick some freshly baked seeded loaf for our sandwiches, which is not only soft and packed full of real flavour, but is a far healthier option too; containing more vitamins, minerals and healthy fats than white or wholemeal bread alone.

The trouble with seeded loafs however, as you will probably know from my previous posts, is that my youngest daughter in particular is an incredibly picky eater. She is very much a visual eater, deciding whether or not to try something purely based on the way it looks, and there is no chance on earth that she would eat anything with visible ‘bits’. She is also a creature of habit, so once she has established a taste for one variety, she is often very set in her ways.

For that reason we tend to revert back to a basic white loaf, which whilst pretty boring in comparison, is far more likely to keep everyone happy and avoid public mealtime meltdowns (because lets face it, no one wants one of those!)

It appears I am not the only one! Recent research by bread makers Vogel’s found that over a third of parents have given up the bread they love in favour of a white plain loaf – Why? – because kids just don’t like bits!

We were recently approached by the team at Vogel’s to see if we wanted to try their No Bits Seeded White. Designed for parents but with kids in mind, and I decided to put it to the test at our recent family picnic.

Vogel's No Bits Seeded White bread

Vogel’s No Bits Seeded White loaf is made from a unique blend of seed flours. It has the same nutrition of a seeded bread, but with the soft fluffy texture of a normal white loaf, making it ideal for finger sandwiches or a lunchtime treat.

Made with milled grains and seeds, Vogel’s No Bits Seeded White loaf has a nutritious nutty flavour, but the texture is still soft so the whole family can enjoy.

Vogel's No Bits Seeded White bread

Vogel's No Bits Seeded White bread

Vogel’s No Seeded White Loaf is packed full of buckwheat, golden linseed and fava bean flours which not only help keep the wheat content lower but ensure the loaf is packed full of protein and fibre, keeping everyone fuller for longer, so we can head off and explore the woods without exclamations of ‘can I have a snack?!’ five mins into our post picnic walk.

Vogel's No Bits Seeded White

Vogels No Bits Seeded White Loaf is also made with no added preservatives or sugar and no palm oil, meaning you can be confident that you are feeding your family quality, nutritious food.

Best of all, there are no visible bits in sight! I made our picnic sandwiches for the girls without telling them it was any different and waited to see what reaction I got! With the exception of the odd crust (which are more like a freshly baked loaf than your average supermarket brand) the girls ate the lot and for me, the crusts were my favourite part! It felt like a proper bakery bread – soft and fluffy in the middle, but with a burst of flavour and a crisp and crunchy texture on the crust. Delicious.

If you have a picky eater in your house but are keen to take back the bread choices for your family picnics, then Vogel’s No Bits Seeded White is a great place to start!

Vogel’s No Bits Seeded White loaf is available to buy at Waitrose and has an RRP of £1.55.

Vogel's No Bits Seeded White bread