5 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Stress and Relax Completely

Read article : 5 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Stress and Relax Completely

When was the last time you had a quality time dedicated to relaxing? The modern age we are living in forces us to spend more time at work, and since one day has only twenty-four hours, the contemporary “average Joe” chooses to renounce relaxing time in favor of work. Stress is on the rise for the past decade, and according to several statistics, around 80% of workers today are exposed to this condition.

Of course, there is an option to avoid stressful situations, but rather often, this is not possible. Stress is eating us from the inside out and makes our lives miserable if we let it take over. Still, devoting some time of the day to immerse yourself into relaxation is a good solution to battle stress, calm your nerves, and make you feel better.

The only important thing is, that you need to schedule that time and prioritize it. Don’t avoid it – it’s time for you to start caring about yourself.

Cancel all of your obligations tonight, and organize a relaxing and stress-relieving time.

When is a good time to relax?

Basically, any time can be determined for this. In general, I recommend the evening, or at least sundown when the city life is slowly losing its pace. There is also this soothing feeling, coming from the absence of daylight, which will help you to unwind while your body triggers the relaxing mechanism as it prepares to go to sleep.

On the other hand, if there is no possibility to separate some time for yourself in the evening, daytime is also suitable. Just remember to cover your windows. The color of the sheets covering the windows should not be aggressive, such as red or orange; choose a calming color such as cream or purple. It will bathe your room in butter-shaded color and calm you.

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For a start, put some relaxing tunes on, and set up the atmosphere. Luckily, the Internet is full of meditation tunes which can be used for free. Find the one which reflects your mood and suits you best.

1. Wash away the stress

Simple lying on the couch and resting is a good practice in the prepared scenery. But, to relax and shake down all of that stress, you must do something prior enjoying in your peaceful oasis. Start with a warm bath, scented with a few drops of essential oils. There is one simple rule that must be followed – don’t think about anything. Concentrate on the warm sensation of water on your skin.

This will help you not just to relax your muscles, but the clear your mind as well. Try to endure as high temperature of the water as possible, but be careful not to burn yourself. Hot water can help your blood course faster, making muscles supplied with oxygen more efficiently, and thus more relaxed.

In case that you have chosen the shower over a bath tub, there is an Eastern wisdom about meditation which can suit perfectly to this situation. The feeling of your worries being washed away can be achieved if you focus on your senses. In order to improve this state, try closing your eyes.

2. Relaxing your body even further

After the relaxing bath, some people have the energy to do the things they like, and some people want to go even deeper. Many turn to sleeping, the body’s natural regenerating mechanism. It is ok, but today we’re here to reach the deeper levels of relaxation. To get there,  a massage is the next step.

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Since this is a guide for relaxing in your home, you’ll either order a masseuse to come to your house or get a massaging chair. If you are lucky enough to possess this wonderful chair, you just strap in and hit “play.” The speed, pace, and intensity are not universal, so you will need to experiment, and to see which mode suits you the best.

Another add-on for ambient and overall improvement is scented sticks. Those can be bought anywhere, and the choice of the type of scent is left to you. However, pine, lavender, and bergamot are good to start with. Their primal purpose is to enhance meditation and give you additional focus, but the purpose of relaxing is also notable.

3. Being creative

The next thing might be your favorite and possibly forgotten hobby. We all have that one thing we used to do daily, but we simply lack the time (willingly or unwillingly) for it. Whether that be calligraphy, maintaining your mini Zen garden, or playing an instrument, there is only one rule; do it.

Again, it is not the point of creating wonderful pieces of art; it is about you doing something that makes you happy. If you do not have any hobby, I recommend you to try painting. It is easy, and there are no rules or limitations. You do as you please, and quite often, being creative will make you feel better. Painting has a psychological effect of relaxation.

Research results published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology are stating that people’s perspective can be changed if we practice hobbies on a daily basis. It might seem like a long-term goal, but you have to start somewhere, right?

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4. Have a delicious meal

A perfect relaxation isn’t complete without a proper meal. Regarding the type of food you like and if you like to prepare it yourself, get your food ready and waiting. We all love pizza, of course, but as I said, take it a bit further.

Italian food is rather easy to prepare, and since it utilizes light ingredients such as pasta and chicken meat, it will not make you feel heavy after eating. One of my favorites is definitely Cauliflower Penne Puttanesca, a light, vegetarian pasta, which requires about 25 minutes to prepare.

Of course, this exquisite meal should be paired with the matching wine, and if you can obtain a bottle of Villa Bucci’s Riserva, Verdicchio dei Castelli from 2009, it will be simply put, perfect. Wine is a somewhat sensitive drink, so it should be cooled to exact temperature (around 15°C). Luckily, there are many wine coolers & fridges which can do this for you. As a good wine enthusiast, I’m sure you already have a cooler. If not, consider having one.

5. The end of the night

After a good meal, you can spend the rest of the evening as you like. Personally, I love to take another round of easy massage while watching a movie or a TV show. In general, avoid watching TV while eating, because you won’t enjoy it as much.

Also, a good book is a great suggestion, and whether that be something new, such as “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough, or something more classic, like Shakespeare or Charles Dickens, the decision is yours. After reading, you can go to sleep, satisfied and happy; after all, you did something wonderful for yourself.

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Spare some time for yourself every week

It is not as much about the bathing, the wine, and food, as it is about YOU doing something you are not doing every day. After an evening spent like this, you will finally see the world as it really is, beautiful, colored and sparkly.

But you did not change it, you simply swept away the heavy clouds of every day stress and troubles, and this enthusiasm is really contagious. The next thing you will want to do is to prepare a similar evening for your loving person, knowing how good it feels. Always have the time for yourself!

How to Get Rid of Mold And Mildew

Read article : How to Get Rid of Mold And Mildew

(Like what you're reading? Sign up for our newsletter to get health insights, clever kitchen tricks, gardening secrets, and more—delivered straight to your inbox. And follow along on Facebook and Instagram.)

How to get rid of mold and mildew

I started by tossing the mats and fabric shower curtains and cotton shower curtain liner in the washing machine and hanging them out on the line, where the sunshine emerged to do its mold-killing magic. If your curtain is a bit musty, you may want to give it a presoak for a few hours, or even overnight, in a bucket of water with a cup of white vinegar added before tossing it into the washer.

Then, I tackled the grout. No matter how diligent you are at giving your bathroom its weekly once-over (and I am very not diligent), the joints where one material meets another are prone to dirt buildup and mildew. A number of natural cleaners are equal to the challenge, but the type and condition of your grout, tile, and other surfaces need to be taken into consideration when you select one so you don’t damage them. Also, steer clear of scrubby pads if you have materials that could be scratched (my surfaces are tough and were marred long before I owned them, so I don’t sweat a little more scrubbing once in a while to get rid of mold. If yours can also take the abuse, you can even use epsom salt to scrub grout).

(Here are two easy ways to clean a cast iron pan!)

A good basic cleaner to start with is baking soda dissolved in water for spraying or sponging (1/8 cup per quart of water), sprinkled dry on a damp sponge, or made into a paste with a little water for tough areas. Baking soda has been found to kill certain types of mildew, and for the types it can't kill, its mild abrasiveness allows you to scrub the stuff away. It's safe for most surfaces, but you might want to test a small area first if you have any doubts. Apply the baking soda, either in spray or paste form, leave it alone for an hour or so, and then scrub with a soft brush (a retired toothbrush is my favorite). Wipe and rinse well when finished. (Here are 9 more surprising uses for baking soda.)

White vinegar or lemon juice (full strength or mixed with half water) are also good for cleaning mildew-stained grout, but they are acidic and can start to eat away at grout as well as certain hard-surface finishes, so be sure to rinse completely; neither is a good choice for natural marble. To use, sponge on, scrub with a soft brush, and rinse. If you can’t get your grout clean with either of these cleaners, you may want to consider looking for a company that offers professional steam cleaning, which is nontoxic and very effective. Just make sure the company is clear that you don’t want toxic chemicals used.

Related: What's The Better Mold Cleaner—Lemon Juice Or Bleach?

In areas where mildew is a chronic problem, you can keep it from growing by applying citrus or tee-tree oil regularly. Put 10 drops of lemon, orange, grapefruit, or tea tree oil and a few drops of dish soap into an empty quart spray bottle, add warm water almost to the top, and slosh to mix. Spray down areas that are prone to mildew once a week or so. (Here are more essential ingredients for making all of your own cleaning products.)

Related: 6 Times You Should Never Use Essential Oils

How to get rid of hard water stains

Depending on the dissolved minerals in your water, you too may get white, gray, or even rusty stains on bathroom surfaces. If I had a magic bullet that would get rid of hard water stains with no effort, I’d be a millionaire, but I don't. However, with a little trial and error and even more elbow grease, you can take care of soap scum and mineral deposits as effectively with natural products as you could with the latest toxic panacea being pushed on TV (which probably isn’t nearly as effective as they want you to believe it is anyway).

Related: The Only 10 Things You Need To Buy To Make All Your Own Natural Cleaning Products

As with grout, baking soda is a good basic cleaner to start with: Use it dissolved in water for spraying or sponging, sprinkled as is on a damp sponge, or as a paste for tough areas. Apply baking soda to your surface, let it sit for an hour or so, and then remove it with a soft cloth or brush.

Related: How To Wash Your Car Without Nasty Chemicals Or Wasting Water

If baking soda isn’t up to your challenges, vinegar is quite effective at dissolving soap scum and removing hard water stains. Sponge it on full strength (or mixed half and half with water), wipe with a sponge or soft cloth, and then rinse well. To remove hard-water buildup from showerheads, remove the showerhead and let it soak in undiluted vinegar for a few hours while you're cleaning. Vinegar works because it is acidic, but for the same reason it can also eat into grout or damage the finish of marble, tile, and other surfaces. Check with the manufacturer for advice or test it in an inconspicuous area. (Here are 9 times you should never use vinegar around the house.)

Should both of those fail, a good next step is a product called Bar Keepers Friend (the dry, powdered type). Its active ingredient is oxalic acid, a natural chemical found in rhubarb leaves and various other plants. It is very good at dissolving mineral deposits, even rust stains, without a lot of scrubbing. Just remember that even though it is natural, it can still hurt you if you ingest it, or get in on your skin or in your eyes, so be sure to follow the simple label cautions. (Here are 12 more household toxins you should banish from your home.)

A few other alternatives are Bon Ami cleanser,powdered pumice or a pumice stone, or even very fine wet/dry sandpaper. But as with any other cleaning method, test a small area first to make sure they won't damage surfaces. 

How to Get Rid of Mold And Mildew

Read article : How to Get Rid of Mold And Mildew

(Like what you're reading? Sign up for our newsletter to get health insights, clever kitchen tricks, gardening secrets, and more—delivered straight to your inbox. And follow along on Facebook and Instagram.)

How to get rid of mold and mildew

I started by tossing the mats and fabric shower curtains and cotton shower curtain liner in the washing machine and hanging them out on the line, where the sunshine emerged to do its mold-killing magic. If your curtain is a bit musty, you may want to give it a presoak for a few hours, or even overnight, in a bucket of water with a cup of white vinegar added before tossing it into the washer.

Then, I tackled the grout. No matter how diligent you are at giving your bathroom its weekly once-over (and I am very not diligent), the joints where one material meets another are prone to dirt buildup and mildew. A number of natural cleaners are equal to the challenge, but the type and condition of your grout, tile, and other surfaces need to be taken into consideration when you select one so you don’t damage them. Also, steer clear of scrubby pads if you have materials that could be scratched (my surfaces are tough and were marred long before I owned them, so I don’t sweat a little more scrubbing once in a while to get rid of mold. If yours can also take the abuse, you can even use epsom salt to scrub grout).

(Here are two easy ways to clean a cast iron pan!)

A good basic cleaner to start with is baking soda dissolved in water for spraying or sponging (1/8 cup per quart of water), sprinkled dry on a damp sponge, or made into a paste with a little water for tough areas. Baking soda has been found to kill certain types of mildew, and for the types it can't kill, its mild abrasiveness allows you to scrub the stuff away. It's safe for most surfaces, but you might want to test a small area first if you have any doubts. Apply the baking soda, either in spray or paste form, leave it alone for an hour or so, and then scrub with a soft brush (a retired toothbrush is my favorite). Wipe and rinse well when finished. (Here are 9 more surprising uses for baking soda.)

White vinegar or lemon juice (full strength or mixed with half water) are also good for cleaning mildew-stained grout, but they are acidic and can start to eat away at grout as well as certain hard-surface finishes, so be sure to rinse completely; neither is a good choice for natural marble. To use, sponge on, scrub with a soft brush, and rinse. If you can’t get your grout clean with either of these cleaners, you may want to consider looking for a company that offers professional steam cleaning, which is nontoxic and very effective. Just make sure the company is clear that you don’t want toxic chemicals used.

Related: What's The Better Mold Cleaner—Lemon Juice Or Bleach?

In areas where mildew is a chronic problem, you can keep it from growing by applying citrus or tee-tree oil regularly. Put 10 drops of lemon, orange, grapefruit, or tea tree oil and a few drops of dish soap into an empty quart spray bottle, add warm water almost to the top, and slosh to mix. Spray down areas that are prone to mildew once a week or so. (Here are more essential ingredients for making all of your own cleaning products.)

Related: 6 Times You Should Never Use Essential Oils

How to get rid of hard water stains

Depending on the dissolved minerals in your water, you too may get white, gray, or even rusty stains on bathroom surfaces. If I had a magic bullet that would get rid of hard water stains with no effort, I’d be a millionaire, but I don't. However, with a little trial and error and even more elbow grease, you can take care of soap scum and mineral deposits as effectively with natural products as you could with the latest toxic panacea being pushed on TV (which probably isn’t nearly as effective as they want you to believe it is anyway).

Related: The Only 10 Things You Need To Buy To Make All Your Own Natural Cleaning Products

As with grout, baking soda is a good basic cleaner to start with: Use it dissolved in water for spraying or sponging, sprinkled as is on a damp sponge, or as a paste for tough areas. Apply baking soda to your surface, let it sit for an hour or so, and then remove it with a soft cloth or brush.

Related: How To Wash Your Car Without Nasty Chemicals Or Wasting Water

If baking soda isn’t up to your challenges, vinegar is quite effective at dissolving soap scum and removing hard water stains. Sponge it on full strength (or mixed half and half with water), wipe with a sponge or soft cloth, and then rinse well. To remove hard-water buildup from showerheads, remove the showerhead and let it soak in undiluted vinegar for a few hours while you're cleaning. Vinegar works because it is acidic, but for the same reason it can also eat into grout or damage the finish of marble, tile, and other surfaces. Check with the manufacturer for advice or test it in an inconspicuous area. (Here are 9 times you should never use vinegar around the house.)

Should both of those fail, a good next step is a product called Bar Keepers Friend (the dry, powdered type). Its active ingredient is oxalic acid, a natural chemical found in rhubarb leaves and various other plants. It is very good at dissolving mineral deposits, even rust stains, without a lot of scrubbing. Just remember that even though it is natural, it can still hurt you if you ingest it, or get in on your skin or in your eyes, so be sure to follow the simple label cautions. (Here are 12 more household toxins you should banish from your home.)

A few other alternatives are Bon Ami cleanser,powdered pumice or a pumice stone, or even very fine wet/dry sandpaper. But as with any other cleaning method, test a small area first to make sure they won't damage surfaces. 

It’s Time To Get Rid Of Gender-Specific Toilets

Read article : It’s Time To Get Rid Of Gender-Specific Toilets

Unsplash / Mike Wilson

The topic of gender has dominated the news over recent months. There’s been the huge controversy within the BBC in the UK, with many questioning the apparent divide between the salaries of male and female employees. As an organization who regard themselves as socially progressive employers, actively promoting equality between men and women, the disconnect between their brand message and the reality of the how these values exist in practice has left many with a bitter taste.

But the topic of gender isn’t the sole reserve of equal opportunities in the workplace, and it impacts us all in a variety of ways. Nowhere has the discussion been more hotly contested than the topic of gender-neutral toilets – and it is in this slightly less glamorous arena that the issue of gender has transformed our collective conception of what going to the toilet should entail.

Why do people want gender neutral toilets?

The rise of gender-neutral toilets is a concerted effort to provide transgender and non-binary individuals with a more comfortable and safe experience when going to the toilet. With many facing the choice of “which bathroom am I less likely to be harassed in?” the approach seems both logical and sensible. However the debate from both sides, and everywhere in-between, has led to controversy both outside and within the trans community.

Granted, the complexity of gender can often make for strained conversation due to a broad diversity of opinion and a variety of personal experiences on the issue, but such debate often obscures the fact that gender-neutral toilets are potentially far more banal than they might sound. But there does exists a wide portion of society that is against the idea, and many of the concerns are arguably entrenched ideals that have their roots in the cloudy origins of single sex toilets.

The murky history of gender specific toilets

The earliest instance of gender specific toilets apparently dates back to a Parisian ball in 1739. Signs at the event directed people to either a “Men’s Toilet” or “Women’s Toilet.”

Prior to this bathroom-based segregation, public toilets were commonly designated for men only, the idea that in order to protect the virtue of women, they needed to stay at home to take care of the children, iron and generally complete household chores.

But as women began to emerge in the workplace, reforms became increasingly necessary. A hundred and fifty years later, urinary segregation came to the United States, and in 1887 Massachusetts became the first state to pass a law mandating women’s restrooms in the workplace. By the 1920s, most other states had followed suit.

The overarching narrative of this newfound toilet apartheid was part of a total gender division in public life; women soon had their own reading rooms at libraries, their own entrances at post offices and banks, and their own carriages on trains. Today society has undoubtedly progressed, and these forms of gender segregation have been largely removed, but it’s surprising that one of the last bastions of this female/male divide throughout public life is the humble wee. Which begs the question: why?

The argument to keep single sex toilets

It seems there are two main reasons why we’ve continued to persevere with separate bathrooms. The first is equipment (a woman using a urinal is both impractical, and a sight to behold if successful), and the other is modesty. The traditional belief that sexes shouldn’t mingle when performing our daily duty has become ingrained in large parts of the public psyche.

The concept of “doing your business” before coming out to meet a member of the opposite sex seems alien to many of us, but is this because it’s just not we’re used to, and is there an inherent problem with that?

The practical considerations, however, seem less concerned with any form of prejudice. It’s fair to say that on the whole, women’s toilets are often nicer than their male counterparts, sporting an array of comfy sofa, mirrors that aren’t cracked, and toilet seats that haven’t been denigrated by a misfiring aim. Put simply, women’s toilets smell of rose petals and rainbows (whatever smell that may be), while the odor emanating from the men’s toilet is often enough to wilt the hardiest cactus.

In this particular context, there’s evidence to suggest that technology may be part of the solution. The equipment already exists where toilets can open and close automatically depending on your particular intentions, and automated cleaning robots can work constantly and tirelessly in order to avoid any potential mishaps. Cleanliness, it would seem, is an obstacle that could be overcome.

Queuing however – although a popular British pastime – is a practical concern for everyone involved. The further introduction of gender neutral toilets could result in men reminiscing about the convenience of their beloved urinals, and women may have to contend with increased cubicle competition.

In Berlin, authorities already have a plan to address the issue of urination efficiency, as they seek to redevelop the city’s conveniences, outlined in a 99-page city strategy paper called “the toilet concept”.

In the future, it’s proposed that urinals throughout Berlin should be used by all genders, and as part of their wider strategy, they’re in the process of testing a new, innovative female urinal. A prototype has already been installed at the university in Gelsenkirchen, and it comes with its very own cubicle door. The system is like a men’s urinal, only lower, and the user has her back to the wall before adopting a pose akin to a downhill skier.

It is not yet clear whether standing up to urinate will be acceptable to most women, but the point is that there are possible answers. As a species we’ve put people on the moon, so efficient toilet designs should be a walk in the park by comparison.

The argument for gender neutral toilets

Single-cubicle unisex conveniences are often touted as something new, a change that shouldn’t take place, but they’ve been around forever and the sky hasn’t fallen in. We use them at home, in cafes, restaurants and bars, and no one thinks anything of them.

The main contention appears to be in larger public facilities, but even here gender neutral washrooms are becoming increasingly common, including Lancaster University, The Barbican and a wealth of private businesses, often with a sign and a caption that reads “We don’t care.”

Anna Lee, vice-president of Lancaster University’s Student’s Union and a trans woman, explains how she campaigned for gender neutral toilets at Lancaster:

“Over the years my university has agreed to have single self-contained cubicles in all new builds. At first they were apprehensive but after the first few had been built it became the norm.”

As it’s an important point, change is often viewed with apprehension and fear, but after time it becomes the status quo, and the whole debate quickly become a non issue.

Carers looking after someone of the opposite sex could also benefit from gender neutral toilets, having the freedom to enter a single bathroom if the solitary disabled toilets found in most locations is occupied. Restaurants and private businesses would also be exonerated from playing gender police, a situation that has previously opened proprietors up to costly lawsuits.

It’s likely that in years to come, society will look back on the toilet gender discussion and wonder what all the fuss was about. It’s starting to happen already, particularly among the younger generation who are increasingly challenging conventional gender stereotypes, with half of US Millennial’s agreeing that gender isn’t limited to the binary concept of male and female. Slowly, people are viewing the bathroom divide as an unnecessary relic of the 19th century.

While there will always exist people on both sides of the argument, the main point is that for transgender and non-binary people, the fear of being attacked in a public bathroom is something that no one should live with. And surely we’re clever enough and adaptable enough to figure out how to go for a wee without the world exploding.