Monthly Archives: December 2017

7 Reasons You Need a Better Night’s Sleep

Most of us know that we should get a good night’s sleep but many do not actually go through with it. Experts at the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommend that adults get between seven and nine hours of shut eye a night but a scant 42% of us actually do that. Whether you curl up in organic king sheets or prefer other kinds of organic bedding products, these are some great benefits to getting enough sleep.

You can lose weight. This is not because you are not eating while you sleep but because when you miss sleep, your body will start to produce hormones that can lead you to become obese. When we do not sleep enough, our bodies produce ghrelin. This hormone makes us think we are hungry. At the same time, our lack of sleep makes us produce less leptin, which is the hormone that tells us to stop eating. These changes in our hormone levels make us gain weight. It should be noted that one way people sleep better is by working out more, which may also lead to both weight loss and better health.
They do not call it “beauty sleep” for nothing. Most people have seen the harsh toll not sleeping can take on a person’s body. We have all seen the puffy and red eyes. When we do not sleep, our bodies release more cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone.” This hormone is active in the breakdown of collagen, which keeps our skin looking young and healthy. When collagen breaks down, our skin starts to sag and we look older. Spending some more time asleep between our organic king sheets can make sure we look younger and healthier. Not only is less cortisol produced when we sleep but we also produce growth hormones that improve our muscle mass, promote strong bones and keep us looking good.
Sleep increases creativity. When we sleep, our emotional memory is strengthened. Scientists at Harvard University and Boston College have looked into this and found that by increasing and improving our emotional memory, we improve our creative processes as well.
Sleep improves our memory. Not only is the emotional memory strengthened, but that time in our organic king sheets, helps our memory function better. When we sleep, our brains review and take in what we did during the day. This helps convert our short term memories into long terms memories. No matter what you want to remember, sleeping better will help.
Healthy sleep promotes general health. There are a large number of studies that link insomnia with major medical issues ranging from stroke, heart disease and diabetes. The impact good sleep, or not getting good sleep, has on the immune system cannot be understated. People who do not sleep well have weaker immune systems than those who get their zzz’s. American Academy of Sleep Medicine has found that people who sleep better actually miss less work than people who do not.
Sleep can make you happy. Sure, just the thought of curling up in some nice organic bed sheets may be enough but research shows that the people who get the best sleep are less likely to suffer from depression. When people get less than six hours of sleep a night, their risk for developing severe depression increases. Moreover, a 2014 Cognitive Therapy and Research Study showed that people who sleep more report more positive thinking than those who do not.
Live longer with better sleep. There are some people who like to say,”I will have time to sleep when I am dead.” That may be true but people who sleep more and get better sleep tend to live a lot longer. Recently, evidence came out that showed that people who do not sleep enough are more likely to die from a wide array of causes.

People love to get a good night’s sleep. There is a reason that grumpy people are asked “did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?” Whether we use organic king sheets or some other bedding, getting enough quality sleep can make all the difference in our lives. The good news is that it is possible to get better sleep with some effort and time.

5 Tips for Getting the Best Bedding for Your Baby

Whether you are expecting your first child or already have a brood of your own, you want to find the best bedding you can for them You may know that babies can spend anywhere between 10 and 18 hours each say sleeping. Knowing that, you know that it is important to get them the best bedding that you can to keep them comfortable, safe an healthy. Many people look to organic baby bedding but there are some other things you should look at when you are getting the right bedding for your child.

Go for the natural materials. Cotton is one of the best materials for bedding for your baby (and for yourself). It is soft, breathable and easy to clean. It can be warmer in the winter months and can be a good cooling material when the weather is warmer. This is one of the materials that helps prevent a baby from becoming dehydrated overnight. If you are concerned about all of the chemicals that are often used on conventional cotton, you can get organic bed sheets for you and your baby. Organic baby bedding is free of harsh chemicals.
Watch out for some organic products. If you are looking for organic baby bedding, and that does make sense, think twice about some of the materials that are out there. A number of people look to bamboo because it is organic and is very friendly for the environment. It is totally sustainable and the growth of bamboo is not bad for the planet. The problem is that when it is taken from its normal state and made into soft organic bedding sets, often harsh chemicals are used. You want to keep those away from your baby.
Do not overlook your mattress. When you are looking to get organic baby bedding items, you have more to think about than your organic sheets. You need to get a mattress, mattress pad cover and other organic baby bedding items. The right mattress and cover can help you keep away bacteria, toxins, chemicals and moisture. You need to look at how hard it will be to keep the baby bedding clean and free or dirt.
Think about what products you really need. Many first time parents but a whole host of pillows and other decorative items for their baby’s bed. That is fine if you are up for all of the cleaning that will come along with those items but may not be what you want if you are not. Babies are messy and having one around means lot of cleaning to do already. Before you go shopping for your organic baby bedding, make a list of what you really need and what you may want. This can help in the long run.
Do not forget about the other items in your nursery. After you have selected the baby bed and organic bedding, there are other things you will want to put in that room. You should make sure the other furniture, accessories and toys are all from non-toxic and natural materials. You should make sure all of that comes from natural materials to prevent problems down the road. This is even more true when it comes to their blankets and toys. Given the amount of time that your baby will spend clinging to their blanket, you want to make it as safe and healthy as you can.

Keep in mind that you also should clean your organic baby bedding with natural soaps and try to limit the other chemicals you use. This is not just to keep them healthy but sheets can be broken down by the wrong detergent and the use of fabric softener. If you want to make sure your clothing and bedding gets soft in the dryer, opt for a lower setting and get some dryer balls. They can get your laundry soft without the use of chemicals.

As more and more consumers become aware of the impact they can have on the world around them by buying organic baby bedding and other natural products, the more companies are expanding the options in this area. Never before have so many healthy products been available.

The Growing Field of Urgent Care Medicine and the Benefits of Visiting an Urgent Care Medical Center

The United States is in need of more physicians, particularly those that want to practice family and urgent care medicine. In 2008, for example, 1,172 medical school seniors chose family medicine as their specialty. By the next year, however, just 1,083 seniors chose this specialty. The Association of American Medical Colleges reported that by 2020, the United States will be in need of over 90,000 physicians. By 2025, it is projected that 130,000 more physicians will be needed. When considering that over two dozen rural hospitals have closed since 2013, these individuals and their families along with others throughout the country will have reduced access to quality medical care.

The article, “Projecting U.S. Primary Care Physician Workforce Needs: 2010-2025” highlights the conclusions drawn by a team of researchers. They predicted that by 2025, the United States will specifically need an additional 52,000 more primary care physicians. Americans tend to rely on the over-burdened hospital emergency room system to provide them with 24-hour medical care. It therefore makes sense to provide increased access to qualified physicians in an alternate venue.

A welcome alternative to providing skilled care is combined emergency room and urgent care medical center. Currently, there are 20,000 physicians practicing urgent care medicine. Fortunately, this a fast-growing medical field and is recognized as an important specialty. There are roughly 9,300 stand-alone medical centers that provide walk-in care. On a yearly basis, another 50 to 100 of these clinics are being opened. Their numbers do fluctuate, however, due to corporate buy-overs, expansions, and consolidations. Most of these centers are owned and operated by a group of physicians or by a single physician.

In 2011, for example, 342 patients were seen every week at the average urgent care center. The Urgent Care Association of America also indicates that these centers experienced a monthly increase of 28 additional patients. Since that time, even more Americans are choosing to utilize the services of these medical facilities.

There are many benefits, including convenience, that are associated with visiting an urgent care center. At approximately 60% of these facilities, patients only have to wait up to 15 minutes to see a physician or a physician’s assistant. Furthermore, 65% always have a physician on-site. It’s also important to note that it costs less to be treated by an urgent care physician or mid-level provider than by traditional hospital emergency room doctor and staff.

In 2009, the RAND Corporation conducted a study that included a comparison on the costs associated with receiving urgent care services and traditional hospital emergency department services. They reported that 14% to 27% of the emergency room visits could be treated at an urgent care clinic. The annual health cost savings could be up to $4.4 billion.

Given the current need for affordable care, it makes sense for Americans to utilize the services offered by
a hybrid medical center. Since these facilities provide a combination of urgent care and emergency medicine, they are a welcome alternative to traditional hospital emergency room services. Since there is a growing demand for more physicians, it’s hoped that more senior medical students will choose to specialize in this growing and well-respected field of medicine.

Need Help Getting to Sleep? You May Want to Try Coyuchi Organic Sheets

Insomnia is a problem suffered by millions of Americans. It has been estimated that only 42% of people in the United States get enough sleep at night. Most get much less than the seven to nine hours that is generally recommended by sleep experts. The National Sleep Foundation recently released a poll showing that 85% of respondents view getting the right sheets and other bedding as being important to getting the right amount of shut eye. Ellen Hoffman of Business Insider wrote about her experience with high quality sheets and the impact the switch had on her sleep. Many people are turning to Coyuchi organic sateen duvets and sheets.

Hoffman contends that the key to her getting a great night sleep is having high quality, natural organic bedding in all of the bedrooms in her home. She says that in addition to feeling really wonderful, they add a great look to the bedrooms in her house. It has been estimated that people spend as much as 30% of their lives, or more, in their beds. Getting decent sleep is very important, as is noted often by health experts.

There are a lot of types of bedding that people have to choose from and different options to think about. Hoffman goes over a list of what consumers should look for when they are trying to find the best sheets for themselves and their families.

The thread count is not the only factor. Many people view the thread count of their sheets as the end all be all of their search for better quality bedding. While this should be one of criteria that consumers use, there are other factors to consider as no one aspect of how a sheet is made exists all by itself. There are at least three other things that need to be considered when you look at how great a sheet is.

The other things to think about are the sheet’s material, its weave and the ply. These should be looked at in addition to the thread count to get the best quality sheets. Some experts liken this to looking at cars and their performance. To measure the performance of a vehicle, buys need to consider the torque and horsepower together to get an accurate picture of the quality of the vehicle in question.

Hoffman describes her hunt for the perfect sheets for her family and agreed that by looking at all four factors in sheet design and manufacture, it is possible to get the right sheets for everyone.

Over the past few years, organic foods and materials have become a lot more popular. Unilever recently released a report showing how much more today’s consumers want to find products that have a better impact on the environment and society as a whole. Moreover, it has been estimated that sales of non-food organic goods, such as organic stuffed animals and organic bedding products, went up by about 8.8% in 2016.

Coyuchi organic sateen duvets and sheets are some of the popular options people have available to them. A lot of the reason people are looking for organic bedding options, such as the Coyuchi organic sateen duvets is that the want to do what they can to reduce their carbon footprints and do less to contribute to global warming. Millennials are even more interested than other groups, in buying organic materials. It has been estimated that as many as 38% of that group look for more environmentally friendly materials and items when they do their shopping.

As more is known about the chemicals and other additives that go into making conventional bedding products, consumers are also looking for healthier options for their families. Given the number of children who sleep with their stuffed animals, 37.5% of adults admit that they slept with at least one as a child, getting organic is important.

In today’s climate, it is hard to overstate the importance of buying products made from materials that are both better for your health and the planet. Helping people get better sleep while lowering a person’s carbon footprint are some of the reasons Coyuchi organic sateen duvets have become more popular in recent years.

Three Reasons to Avoid Emergency Rooms

Healthcare is important. If you break your leg at midnight, you want to know there is someplace you can go. Emergency departments are open everyday, all day and are always taking patients. However, emergency departments are not always located right where you need them to be and they are often more expensive than other options. More care options are urgent care centers, but they might not treat everything that can be treated at an emergency room and may not be open 24 hours per day. The best option is to combine the urgent care and the emergency department into one convenient care option. Here are three ways convenient care makes sense.

1. Americans go to the emergency centers regularly. Visits to emergency departments have increased by over 20% in the past decade. That means you may be waiting longer because there are more patients. It means that you may have a harder time being seen. Your condition may not be serious enough to put you ahead of the other waiting people. The number of emergency care visits will likely increase and the demand for resources and time will also increase. Convenient care centers can help decrease the number of people that visit the emergency department by sending some patients directly to urgent care.

2. Emergency room visits are expensive. In 2009, a study found that up to 27% of emergency departments cases could have been handled by urgent care centers and saved $4.4 billion per year. By visiting an urgent care center instead of the emergency room, you can save money on testing, staff, and the resources used. By using a convenient care center that is both an ER and urgent care, you can have the ready convenience of the ER with the lower cost and quick service of the urgent care.

3. Doctors may be hard to find. Projections estimate that America will need 90,000 more physicians by 2020. This will affect all areas, including family doctors and emergency room doctors. By combining urgent care and emergency room departments, doctors can be shared between the two departments. This can help relieve some of the stress on the doctors and on the patients. It will also ease the number of doctors needed.

Convenient care centers combine the urgent care facilities and the emergency department. This can save time, money, and frustration for all involved. Convenient care centers can treat minor illnesses, lacerations, fever, and provide pediatric care. Skip the long waits and expensive bills from the emergency room while keeping the convenient hours. Convenient care centers may be the best medical advantage you can get.

What’s In A Bouquet? The History, Symbolism And Personality Of Flowers

When you want to send something nice to someone, you can choose an amazing flower bouquet that will give them a smile. Along with those amazing flowers, you need amazing flower delivery to get them where they’re going. If you are sending an assorted roses bouquet, you need it to be styled well and to get there on time as agreed. Some larger floral ordering services have an app to deliver flowers to make it even easier. This allows you to choose your flowers and order them all on your phone and without needing to talk to anyone.

If you are in the market for wedding bouquets, a lot can go into picking just the right one. They often have a mix of flower types to create one overall look. You may want all of the flowers to be white, or you may want your bouquet to contain a number of different colors. Start to get ideas from wedding magazines and go to the florist of your choice with a few pictures. There, you can work with the florist to design your own bouquet. When you’ve decided on the flowers, you know that they will look great when it’s time for photos.

The History of Flowers

You can count on a lot of things to cheer you up when you’re feeling down. Perhaps you prefer a warm cup of coffee to start off your morning or a good song to accompany you through a long drive. Flowers are nature’s unique way of making you smile and temporarily forget all your troubles. Soft scents, brilliant colors and soft textures all come together in a beautiful package that has withstood the test of time the world over. Any holiday or special event coming up is deserving of such a gift, that of which can be arranged artfully by experienced flower shops in your area.

The subtle symbolism of flowers has helped entire cultures communicate hopes and fears for centuries. This doesn’t mean every flower can be interpreted the same way. White is often associated with purity and innocence in the United States, but is the color of death and mourning in China. Red is considered a romantic color in the West, but can also be interpreted as encouraging wealth or power. Learning about what each unique flower stands for can add an extra layer of meaning to your gift and make it truly something special.

Baby’s breath is a classic standby for baby showers and weddings, representing the delicacy of youth with their tender stems and dainty appearance. Daisies, while not the most common flower for events or holidays, are still common in popular culture for their iconic shape and association with playfulness and innocence. Roses, of course, have enjoyed consistent attention for a very long time for their regal petals and wide variety of colors. In fact, just the hue of the rose can completely transform its symbolic nature. Red roses are linked closely with passion, while pink roses are considered fun and sweet.

Flowers can fit just about any occasion. Certain events, however, are practically known for their glorious flower spreads. It’s estimated flowers will make up nearly 10% of the average wedding budget, with over 60% of wedding parties including a flower girl to commemorate the new couple. The most popular flower choices for a wedding are white roses, pink roses, peonies, tulips and lilies. These can be used in a bouquet, a flower crown or spread across the venue to add a delicate pop of color. Flower shops are more than flexible enough to handle any challenge you bring to their doorstep.

Did you know over 15% of American women will send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day? According to data provided by the American Society Of Florists, this holiday is the most popular for florists, representing as much as a third of their fresh flower purchases. The other holidays that see a mountain of flower purchases are Christmas and Hanukkah, with 30% of adults choosing either flowers or plants to supplement their gifts. Flower shops regularly have their work cut out for them as they aim to make each and every day as memorable as possible.

Thinking of adding fresh flowers to your wedding day? How about some birthday flowers for a friend? Flower shops not only have plenty of arrangement ideas to choose from, they can also adapt to your particular needs to ensure the most comprehensive package possible. This can include addressing allergies (there are hypoallergenic flower types for those with sensitive noses) and choosing flowers with a longer lifespan (tulips’ are notoriously short and only last for a few days). Flower bouquets date back as early as 2500 B.C. Grab yourself a little history in the modern day and consider seeking out a florist next time you need a gift idea.

Exploring The Essential Steps Of Selling Your Home: Part 1

It’s no secret that moving can be one of the most stressful occasions of a person’s life. However, it can be especially difficult for homeowners, who first must sell their home before relocating. Just like buying a house, the process of selling a home is incredibly complex. Even though 78% of recent buyers found their real estate agent to be a very useful information source, it’s important for homeowners to have some semblance of knowledge before they can even think about adding their home to the real estate listings. Here are some essential steps of the home-selling process.

How Much Is My Home Worth? Consider Your Area’s Market
First, consider the current real estate market in both your geographical area and your specific neighborhood. The real estate market ebbs and flows just like the tides, and understanding the current market is essential to putting your home up for sale at the right time of year and getting as much as you can for it. If you have further doubts, talk to not just one, but multiple industry professionals to develop the most well-rounded and informed sale price.

Get An Inspection
Many homeowners end up waiting too long to get their homes inspected and end up paying the price later — literally. Uninspected homes often get appraised for less because of the serious work that may need to be done on them. Even though buyers will inevitably get the home inspected before sealing the deal, a preemptive inspection can alert homeowners to potential repairs and damages that will affect the sale.

Invest In Small, Aesthetic Repairs
When it’s almost time to put your home on the market, invest in some small but necessary aesthetic updates to increase the value and market visibility of your home. These include giving rooms new coats of paint, pressure washing the outside of the home and porch, cleaning the windows, and replacing lighting. It’s also a good time to invest in small landscaping projects if you have the budget for it. If you’re unsure of other steps that can boost the appeal of your home, take the advice of Eric Tyson, co-author of ‘House Selling for Dummies’: “Maximize your chances of people being excited about your listing when it hits the market.”

Ultimately, taking the time to go through these initial steps will help you sell your home faster and more efficiently. Stay tuned for the next post, where we’ll discuss the next steps to take when selling a house.