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5 Benefits of a Wood Burning Sauna

By
Elizabeth Williams

Thinking about putting a sauna on your property? There are 2 main types of saunas that you will have to decide between. It is important to figure out which is going to be best for you and your lifestyle. Electric saunas and wood saunas are similar in that they both have great benefits but different in the sense that they are run quite differently. In an electric sauna, you turn it on much like you turn on the heat in your home. A wood-burning sauna is run by a wood supply, which you will need to feed the stove. This could be a tough decision.

Why Get a Sauna in the First Place?

What a great addition to any residence. There are many benefits to having and using a sauna regularly. It can help reduce pain in the body, especially in the joint and muscles, it a great way to relax, and can boost the immune system, thus helping you avoid getting sick. Saunas also can be great for your skin and can reduce stress and anxiety. If you are deciding which type of sauna to get, you should strongly consider a wood burning sauna. Here are 5 benefits of having one.

Ambiance

There is nothing like the ambiance of a wood burning source in your home. It gives off a dim light to set the mood, has a softer heat than electric heat and has an amazing smell. Of course, if you have a wood burning stove in your home or have ever been to a campfire, then you likely already know this fact.  If you are looking to get a sauna to help reduce stress and anxiety, then a wood burning stove will only add to your relaxation.

Cut Costs: No Electrician

When installing an electric sauna in your home, you will need to call an electrician to wire it to work properly. This can be a big job, and many sauna companies do not do the electric work. Therefore, it is more costly to put in an electric sauna. A wood-burning sauna will still need a flue and ventilation installed, but it does not involve you having to have an electrician come. Depending on the electricity in your house and how it was originally designed, this could be a big job.

Power out? Another great benefit to having a wood-burning sauna is you can still use it when the power is out since it is not relying on electricity to run. So if the power is out during a cold time of year, you will be all set and won’t have to veer from your routine of using the sauna. And if you want to save even more, consider checking out prefabricated sauna kits and build your own versus buying a pre-built unit.

Maintenance

In a wood-burning sauna, you will need to make sure the stove is cleaned out every so often, depending on how frequently you use it. While this might seem like an extra step compared to having an electric sauna, it is certainly worth it. If you have a fireplace in your house, you are likely cleaning it yearly or having someone come out to service it.

Your sauna can be serviced when the chimney is serviced — saving you the hassle of having someone come out multiple times. Anything you have in your home will need to be maintained, so while maintenance is important, don’t let it deter you from getting a wood-burning sauna.

Better Heat

If you are an expert in thermodynamics, you know that having a wood-burning source has a better flow of fresh air. Because you are venting out the sauna through a flue, it has more of a natural flow of fresh air. This compares to an electric sauna because it is not vented in the same way.

Cheap Fuel Source

This will be especially true for you if you live in a rural area where there is a high supply of wood. Of course, this means you will need to chop wood and carry it in, but if you are into the health of your body, this is also a great benefit. Chopping and carrying wood can be a workout, believe it or not. Using wood will cut your electricity costs as well. If you already have a wood burning stove in your house or frequently have fires in your backyard, then you likely already are dealing with wood.

Final Words

Overall, the decision of what kind of sauna to get is yours and yours alone, but the wood-burning sauna has many great benefits. It will add to your relaxation with its wonderful ambiance, is cheaper in the long run, and can be serviced at the same time as the other chimneys in your home. The head is better and while you’re relaxing, you will enjoy the beautiful smell of burning wood.

What You Don’t Know About Your Drinking Water Quality Could Hurt You: Surprising Facts About the Water We Drink

By
Elizabeth Williams

What You Don’t Know About Your Drinking Water Quality Could Hurt You

If you don’t have the facts about your drinking water quality, you could be placing your health at risk. Click to learn more!

How often do you drink water throughout the day?

Ideally, you want to drink eight 8-ounce glasses—that’s half a gallon, for those who are curious. For most of us, that will be enough to keep our bodies hydrated.

Have you ever stopped to think about the quality of your water, though?

Believe it or not, but it’s actually not uncommon for there to be impurities in your water.

Given that, it only makes sense that there are drinking water quality standards in place. The last that we’d want is to ingest harmful substances.

Want to learn more about the quality of your water? If so, be sure to read the rest of the post!

Drinking Water Quality: 4 Things That You Should Know About Your Water

Here are some things that you might not have known about your drinking water.

  1. There Can Be Metals

In some cases, heavy metals such as mercury or chromium can enter the waterways. This is a major health concern—after all, they are incredibly toxic.

Lead, in particular, is extremely harmful. Even low levels of exposure can result in complications such as convulsions and organ failure. In some cases, it can lead to death.

Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself.

For instance, you can use a home water filtration system. These filters will remove most impurities from your drinking water, including metals.

  1. There Can Be Pathogens

Bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens can find their way into water supplies. As you can imagine, this can lead to disease if the water is inadequately treated.

Sometimes, however, it can lead to disease even if the water gets treated.

In 1993, more than 400,000 people got sick after a chlorine-resistant parasite entered the waterways in Milwaukee. Altogether, the incident had resulted in more than $96 million in healthcare costs.

  1. There Can Be Chlorine By-Products

Water suppliers add chlorine to drinking water to disinfect and kill germs. While it can be dangerous in high concentrations, there is no evidence to suggest that small amounts can be harmful.

With that said, chlorine by-products can have a negative impact on our health—especially if present in high quantities. In fact, studies have shown that they are linked to certain cancers.

Fortunately, there are safety limits in place for chlorine by-products. Considering this, the risk of developing cancer over your lifetime is low.

  1. There Can Be Nitrates

Nitrates are one of the most common contaminants in drinking water. Why? They are often used in fertilizers; they are also present in animal waste.

It’s not uncommon for runoffs from farms to end up in our water sources.

For this reason, the EPA has set a maximum contaminant level at 10 parts per million. Exposure below this level is not believed to cause any significant health issues.

Cleaner Water is Always Better

As you can see, there are several things that can affect our drinking water quality—some more harmful than others.

Why leave it up to chance when you can purify your water with a filter system? The fewer toxins, the better.

Did you find this post helpful? If so, feel free to share it with your friends! Check out other health and self-help articles on our blog to live your best life!

4 Substitutes for Coffee that Won’t Give You Jitters

By
Elizabeth Williams

Trying to break your coffee habit? It can actually be easier with these healthier substitutes for coffee that still give you plenty of energy.

Coffee is a huge part of our culture, so much so that it almost borders on national tradition. How many movies, commercials, and shows have we seen where the first thing the adults do every morning is make themselves a cup of coffee? To have anything else for breakfast seems odd.

The problem with this is that we tend to assume that most of the adults in our life drink coffee as well. While it’s not unheard of for somebody to not drink coffee, this raises an interesting question.

Coffee contains caffeine, which is most often put in drinks to provide energy. If you don’t have a taste for coffee, what do you drink instead? Are there any substitutes for coffee that provide the same pick-me-up?

It turns out there are, and we’ll talk more about some of them in the paragraphs below.

  1. Matcha Tea

Matcha Tea is a type of green tea and is a much healthier alternative to coffee. Green tea is packed with antioxidants and other nutrients that can do everything from helping you lose weight to staving off certain cancers.

As if that weren’t enough, Matcha tea is also highly caffeinated. It contains at least as much caffeine as coffee. 

  1. Lemon Water

Lemon water is just what it sounds like–water with lemon in it. In addition to being healthier than coffee, especially those with added cream and sugar, it also has plenty of antioxidants, electrolytes, and Vitamin C.

Vitamin C has been found to benefit the skin and slow the aging process, while the antioxidants strengthen your immune system. Then there are the electrolytes, which have been shown to be very beneficial in terms of weight loss. 

  1. Chicory Root Coffee

The next entry on our list of substitutes for coffee is Chicory root coffee. It’s not technically coffee, because it’s made of ground chicory root, not coffee beans. It’s also not caffeinated.

It tastes very similar to coffee, but also aids in digestion, often by helping keep useful bacteria alive in your digestive tract. It also keeps blood sugar balanced and works as an anti-inflammatory. 

It should be noted that chicory should not be used while pregnant since it can cause menstrual bleeding and miscarriage.

While chicory root can cause a miscarriage, we ask that you don’t use it for this purpose. Herbal abortion can be very dangerous, far more than a clinical abortion. If a doctor recommends it to you, contact Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP, because you may have a malpractice case.

  1. Chai Tea

Chai tea is a form of black tea. In case you’re wondering, black tea and green tea are named because of the process they go through. Black tea, for instance, is allowed to ferment, which changes the tea quite a bit.

Chai is caffeine free, although it doesn’t give as much energy as a cup of coffee would. Chai tea more than makes up for that because it increases heart health.

The Many Substitutes for Coffee

There are a lot of substitutes for coffee. We’ve mentioned only a few of them here, but we encourage you to do more research on your own if you’re interested. 

If you want to know more about health, spirituality, love, psychology and various other topics, please visit our site. We can tell you about why you should keep around some of your more foul-mouthed friends.

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay

By
Elizabeth Williams

Professors and instructors assign different types of writing assignments to students. These include research papers, essays, dissertations, and lab reports among others. Some good samples that  can help with essay writing on how to do it.  The most common variety of writing assignments are essays. There are various types of essay writing assignments students have to write such as analytical, descriptive, process, critical, classification, and cause and effect essay. Some of these writing assignments pose immense challenges to students while others do not.

For instance, when asked to write a cause and effect essay by your professor, you do not have to think much about anything unlike when asked to write an argumentative essay. This article seeks to explain what a cause and effect essay is and how to write one. Always there is an opportunity to find cheap essays for sale online if you are very busy.

What is a cause and effect essay?

First and foremost, you need to know what a cause and effect essay is and the purpose it seeks to serve. So, what is a cause and effect essay? A cause and effect essay is an academic article which examinesa situation and reconnoiters or discoverseither its causes or effects. The purpose of writing a cause and effect essay is to enlighten or inform the audience about the causes and effects of a particular subject. To learn how to write a cause and effect essay step by step, consider the following tips.

Choose topics

Your professor or instructor may give you a topic to write your perfect essay. If they do not, then you are free to choose one of your choice. However, this is not an easy task as it takes a lot of time and effort. Contrariwise, that should not deter you from coming up with an ideal topic for your paper. The best method to use to select a topic for your essay is making a list. Do not pre-edit it. Note down any topic that comes to mind.

Take the best one

After making a list of all the topics, select the one you are going to write about. However, you need to choose something you have knowledge of. For instance, the closure of your favorite gym. Find out why it was closed and the effects of it.

Similarly, you may feel thatconducting an investigation can ace your article. Go for it. But if it does not, choose something you are aware of. Secondly, it is fundamental to select a topic you have an interest in. This will not only make the paperfun and easy to write but alsointeresting to read.

Brainstorm cause and effect

After selecting the topic you are going to work on, you have to develop an angle or approach you are going to write from that is the cause and effect approach. For instance, if you choose the legalization of marijuana, it is upon you to examine or study either the causes or effects. It is not yet definite which approach to take. Hence, to choose how to do your essays, try the brainstorming cause and effect exercise:

  • Create two lists: one for causes and the other for effects.
  • Note down all the possible causes for the legalization of marijuana.
  • Note down all the possible effects for the legalization of marijuana.

Which list are you familiar with? Which one contains much detail than the other? Which one will you not encounter difficulties when writing about it? Answering these questions will help you find the angle to approach your paper.

Proper research

You have a topic and an angle to approach your paper. The next step is conducting proper research. And while at it, you need to ensure youcredible and reliable sources. Also, it is crucial to note that the more research you conduct, the more information you come across. Hence, the higher the chances your paper stands to be successful.

As you conduct extensive research, you will uncover more typical questions and trends you can discuss in your essay. This will be beneficial when it comes to crafting your thesis.

Choose a thesis

After selecting your topic, the first step to take is choosing your cause and effect thesisstatement and working on it. It ought to answer why you care about your topic. Also, it should make the audience or readers who have not been there or had such an experience see the vitality of its conclusion.

Crafting a top-notch thesis statement will help the readers know and understand why they ought to care about your topic about the closure of your favorite gym. A cause and effect thesis also serves as a foundation to lead you into the meat of your research. Additionally, it lets the audience know what they expect to learn from reading your article.

Simply write it

Now that you have a topic, thesis statement, and all the information you need, the next step is creating a cause and effect essay outline. It will guide you through the writing process of your paper. It incorporates the following;

  • A cause and effect essay introductionintroduces your topic and thesis statement.
  • The body discusses your thoughts and ideas which support your thesis statement. Include transitional phrases to show the relationship between the paragraphs of your article.
  • The conclusion indicates that your paper has come to an end. Provide a summary of your key points and restate your thesis statement. Also, remember not to include any new information which you have not mentioned in your paper.

Now that you have an outline, writing your essay will be much simpler.

In conclusion, writing a cause and effect essay is not a difficult task. You need to choose a topic you are aware of. Above are some tips you can use to learn how to start a cause and effect essay.

Healthy Mind Activities to Promote Healthy Body Exercise

By
Elizabeth Williams

Many people believe that in order to lose weight or focus on the body and self-improvement you need to start at the gym. Unfortunately many would be mistaken and in turn it would result in a negative effect and ultimately demotivate people under this misconception. If you are committed to changing your circumstances and want to improve your self-health you need to look into promoting a healthier mind. Luckily there are a number of ways to feed into this positive creativity of the mind and we have selected our favourites especially for you.

Finding Peaceful Activities

It has been scientifically proven that relaxing the mind and promoting positive thinking begins with peace of mind. Find something to take your mind off everyday pressures such as work stress or finances and focus on the Zen movement often found in places like NetBet casino where entertainment is never lacking. 

Taking a Break

Try to keep in mind that your brain is a muscle and like any other muscle in your body it needs to rest. Another interesting fact practiced in certain countries is taking a nap or closing up shop early. This promotes a healthier mind and staff begins to function at a more productive level. Even though your current job may not allow for a nap, because we are after all living in modern society, you need to take a break where you can. If this means picking up a magazine during your lunch hour or taking a brisk walk, the fresh air or minor reprieve will promote a healthier mind.

Choosing a Hobby

Finding something to unleash a little creativity has never hurt anyone, in fact many have become consumed by their passions often resigning from their mundane jobs to pursue their dreams. Although this may not be on the cards for you, you have the right to discover your inner light by developing newfound interests. Try reading a book, picking up a paint brush and admiring the strokes on the canvas, no matter how abstract! Draw, read, collect and enjoy your time in doing so.

Learn

As mentioned above, your brain is a muscle and you need to exercise it as much as you relax it. If you want to discover new and exciting ways to exercise your brain as well as your mind, pick up a book and learn. Not only does learning improve your memory, mind functionality and consciousness, but it will improve your career, IQ and general knowledge. Your mind will become more powerful than it was before and you would have added to the library that is your mind.

Before you begin to fix the problem you need to determine the source of the problem and in the human psyche it begins with the mind. Focus your creative energy on your mind, give yourself some room to breathe and grow and you will begin to notice the positive effects. From here you can change your body because your healthy mind has already begun the process of repair.

10 Unique Shellac Nails Designs This Year | Glaminati.Com

By
Elizabeth Williams

https://www.instagram.com/mariapro.nails/

When it comes to nails trends, shellac nails always take the first position in the list, and the reason is everyone’s guess; these designs of nails are beautiful and sophisticated. It allows you to rock the best of the two worlds since it offers long-lasting, shiny manicure that can last up to two weeks and doesn’t damage your nails as most artificial nails do.

You can acquire shellac nails polish at any nail salon near you, and the designs are pretty simple. You can therefore DIY at home. Ready to get started with your shellac nails? Here are excellent ideas you should consider.

  1. Beautiful Pastel Pink And Snowflakes.

Because the shade in this manicure is light pink, it is an excellent way to experiment with something a little bold without shouting for the attention. The subtle lavender and the light pink hues alternate nails and finished with snowflake nail art. Ideal for any queen out there!

  1. Classic Light Pink Nails.

This shellac nail design has been in the nail styling industry for so long, and it is not going anywhere soon. The subtle colour of pink is among the nude nail shades that always appear polished and professional, hence can be worn in any event. This is an ideal every day manicure since it can be worn in every event and goes with any outfit.

https://www.instagram.com/id_nails_space/

  1. Deep Shiny Red Shellac.

This colour of shiny deep red is stunning for the holidays. However, this is not only the occasion you can rock it. It can be worn in most informal occasions. The glittering red brings a balance between sophistication and simplicity.

  1. Purple Shellac Nails and Glitter Highlight.

This purple shellac nail design is taken to a different level of sophistication by the glittery nail highlight. This striking purple can be worn by anyone with any skin type. The hue of glitter is unique in all the accepted way. This is an alluring manicure for teenagers, especially on holiday.

  1. Glitter Nude Nail Design.

If you are after multi-coloured manicures, but you are still in school, or you work in a place that is too conservative, then this glitter nail design is a fun way to show your beauty. These colours of shellac nails incorporate grey-lavender hue, a beautiful sand shade, and peach colour. The hues and muted colours make this nail design ideal for work.

  1. Bold Violet Shellac Nail Design.

This elongated shellac nail design is preserved for those who are not faint-hearted. Dramatic, elongated stiletto nails shaped with the beautiful colour of violet is all you need to steal the entire show. This design colour just screams the summertime beach party. Accompany it with some dramatic colours and sexy bikini and eyes won’t resist your charm.

https://www.instagram.com/merlin_nails/

  1. Shiny Copper Stiletto Nails.

A gorgeous, neutral copper shade lights up this design. The nails are shaped in stiletto design, and the shiny copper is incorporate for ambiance. This colour effortlessly works for any nail shape and length too. It is a beautiful shellac nail design to rock in summer and early autumn.

  1. Peach Glitter Polish.

Unlike most shellac nails designs that are usually short length, this one is medium length. This length when matched with glittery polish is something you would wish to try. It is an ideal design to rock in summertime and springtime with a beautiful floral dress. With some colour saturation, this is a beautiful shade to try.

  1. Sexy Dark Red.

This design is for sure drop-dead beautiful, and you can agree that too. The dark red works perfectly on a sexy night date if you want to fire up your date. To achieve this, pair it with a little dress to get that seducingly girlish and beautiful style.

  1. Baby Pink Nail Design.

This is a beautiful nude colour of pink. It is solid and saturated enough to shade all the whites on your shellac nails, but it is an ideal match for any skin colour.

The Defibrillator: Everything You Need to Know

By
Elizabeth Williams

A defibrillator is arguably one of the most important medical machines of our time. A defibrillator is a device designed especially for saving lives – and it does just that, with dramatic results. It’s important to know what is a defibrillator and how it can help save a life. Defibrillators are easy to use and can make a big difference in an emergency.

What is a Defibrillator?

Let’s take a closer look at the purpose and history of the defibrillator, the benefits of having access to a defibrillator in public space, and here you can find defibrillator for sale.

A defibrillator, which is also called an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), is a device designed for one purpose: to defibrillate the heart. Fibrillation occurs during a cardiac arrest: cells in the heat begin to act like individual pacemakers, which means that they fall out of sync with one another. This leads to an irregular and increasingly fast heartbeat. 

With a defibrillator, electrodes are attached to the chest over the heart, the heart is assessed for any irregularities (the defib will not function if there is not an issue with the heart) and an electrical current is passed through the heart. This shocks the heart cells and encourages defibrillation; it does not have a 100% success rate, but it does greatly improve a cardiac arrest patient’s chances of survival.

Cardiac arrest is one of the most deadly forms of medical emergency. 95% of cardiac arrest victims die on the way to the hospital; yet if a defibrillator is used within around 5 minutes of the incident, it can increase the patient’s chances of survival by up to 70%.

The initial moment following a cardiac arrest are the most crucial, as the chances of the patient’s survival drop by 10% with every minute that passes untreated.  

A Brief History of the Defibrillator

The defibrillator dates back to the late 19th Century when two Swiss physiologists discovered that an electrical current of the correct voltage, passed through a fibrillating heart, could reverse the condition.

In the 20th Century – prior to defibrillation becoming a standard way to deal with cardiac arrest – drugs were usually injected into the heart in order to counteract the fibrillation process. In 1933, a scientist called Dr. Albert Hyman and an engineer called C. Henry Hyman realised the potential for a defibrillating device as a replacement for drug injections.

An external defibrillator, first invented by William Kouwenhoven, was first applied to a human in 1947 when it was used to save the life of a 14-year-old boy suffering from a heart condition. At this point, the defibrillator was applied to an open chest. It wasn’t until the 1950s that it was possible to use the defibrillator as we now do – upon a closed chest.

How to Use a Defibrillator?

If you’re interested in learning how to use defibrillators, what to look for in your patient is the first step. Signs that someone is having a cardiac arrest include chest tightness or pain, fatigue, dizziness, vomiting, trouble breathing, heart palpitations and fainting.

Modern day defibrillators are very easy to use, are equipped with instructions and are often voice-guided. They do not require official medical training to be able to operate effectively. There is a simply step-by-step procedure to follow when using a defib – British Heart Foundation has a comprehensive guide complete with video to make it super straightforward. Check out the BHF defibrillator guide today.

We are fortunate to live in an era where technology like the defibrillator exists: we literally have a device that can bring life where previously only death would have been expected. The HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) Standards Agency don’t have much to say about the defibrillator, yet it remains one of the most valuable inventions in medical history.

There are many reasons why investing in a defibrillator for your workplace is a wise move – the most powerful of which being that it could save someone’s life.

5 Tips to Sleep Better at Night

By
Elizabeth Williams

Sleep troubles seem to be a common challenge for many people. Think of all the factors that could interfere with your sleep –from family responsibilities to pressures from work, unexpected challenges like sickness or aging, and environmental factors like extreme temperatures, just to mention a few. While getting insufficient sleep once in a while will only lower your concentration levels during the day, continuous sleep deprivation can be harmful to your overall health. Here are a few tips to help you sleep better at night:

Establish a Bedtime Routine

Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. After a while, your body will automatically know when it’s time to retire to bed, allowing you to fall asleep much faster. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep and choose a bedtime when you normally feel tired. If you can’t fall asleep immediately, get out of the bed and do something relaxing to avoid being anxious about not being able to sleep.

Watch What You Eat and Drink

Your eating habits before bedtime pay a huge role in how well you sleep. Feeling hungry or stuffed before bed will only cause discomfort and keep you awake longer. Spicy or acidic foods will cause heartburn, which is also uncomfortable. Caffeine and nicotine have stimulating effects that can last for hours, so avoid consuming them late in the day. You should also avoid drinking too many fluids 2 hours before bed to reduce nighttime trips to the bathroom. Going back to sleep might prove difficult.

Improve Your Sleep Environment

Small changes to your sleep environment will go a long way towards improving your sleep quality. The ideal sleeping environment differs from one individual to another; even so, try keeping your bedroom quiet, dark, cool, and clean. The bedroom should only be used for sleep and intimacy; as such, anything causing a distraction should be removed. This includes electronics, clutter, work materials, etc. If you’re waking up feeling tired and with an aching neck or a stiff back, you may need to replace your mattress. The market is filled with the best mattresses for every kind of sleeper.

Avoid Long or Irregular Daytime Naps

Taking a power nap can be a great way to make up for lost sleep and even restore your mental wellness. This should, however, be limited to 20 minutes or less. Napping longer than that or in the late afternoon will leave you feeling groggy for the rest of the day. Taking irregular naps can also confuse your internal clock, making it harder to fall asleep at night.

Unwind

Strong emotional feelings of stress, anger, anxiety, and worry from your day can make it difficult to sleep well at night. The first step to freeing your mind is to put aside any work and avoid touchy discussions or making complicated decisions before bedtime. You can also benefit from relaxing activities such as reading a book, meditating, listening to relaxing music, a relaxing massage, deep breathing, or taking a hot bath.

Why Content from Subscription Sites Can Still Be Geo-BlockedEven AfterEU Agreements

By
Elizabeth Williams

The European Union is expected to enforce new laws that will effectively breakdown geographical barriers of online subscription services such as Apple Music, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. The plan is designed to ease content access,especially for people who move around within the EU. For example, if you are in France with a Netflix subscription, you should be able to access your account and all its content when you travel to Spain on holiday or London for business.

The new laws will be targeting video streaming and music services that tend to block content through IP tracking. Before these new laws were passed in early 2018, you could not access your library of content in a different country. Subscription services were only available in your country of origin. Any attempt to access a library of content not authorized for your specific location was blocked. The EU is currently laying down the framework to enforce these laws, but there are still a few issues that have yet to be cleared. For example, we are not sure how service providers intend to comply with the law or even if they have the capacity to do so right now.

Although these new laws area good thing, there is no guarantee that the service providers will change their practices. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other subscription-based services can still block your content geographically as they see fit. Investing ina good VPN will help you access restricted content wherever you are. You can visit here for the best VPNs.

What’s a VPN?

A VPN is simply a service that allows you to access the Internet safely and privately. It makes it possible for you to route your current connection through an external server. For example, lets say you are based in the UK and you intend to access your Netflix subscription while on summer vacation in France; a VPN will route your traffic through a server in the UK. This essentially means that your web traffic will seem like it’s coming from the UK even though you are physically in France. VPNs are largely used to access geographically restricted content. They can also be used to hide your identity online and keep your search traffic private even from search engines, therefore, protecting your online anonymity.

Types of VPNs

There are two major types of VPNs in the market. You can get a free limited option or a paid one. Although free VPN options are often very popular, they don’t offer the same level of security as a paid version. In case you want to use such a service to bypass geographical restrictions imposed by subscription services such as Netflix, it would be best to go for a paid version. And you don’t really need to pay a lot of money on it.

The EU might have good intentions in enforcing laws which open subscription services across borders, but tech companies have a lot of power these days. It’s not a guarantee that they will comply. A VPN will make it possible to be independent of their decision and access content whenever, wherever.

Nicotine-free vaping

By
Elizabeth Williams
Electronic Cigarette

The popularity of e-cigarettes is driven in part by the fact that they do not contain the same high levels of toxins and carcinogens as do combustible cigarettes, and the growing recognition of their usefulness as a smoking cessation tool. The level of nicotine contained in e-cigarettes and vape juice has raised some questions, especially since Stanford researchers have claimed that a “nicotine arms race” is going on in the e-cigarette industry, suggesting that purveyors are in a rush to provide products with higher nicotine levels.

The Stanford claim overlooks two things: Vaping is becoming a generally accepted method for smoking cessation, and many e-cigarette vendors are also offering products that are completely nicotine-free. 

Why add nicotine at all?

Clinicians provide a variety of smoking cessation tools to smokers, all of which contain nicotine. Patches and gum, two of the most commonly-used tools, deliver nicotine to the smoker without the harmful smoke. The reason for that is that nicotine, not the smoke itself, is the addictive agent that causes people to become addicted to cigarettes. Like patches and gum, when smokers use e-cigarettes as a means of quitting smoking, they deliver nicotine without the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.

A benefit of using e-cigarettes in this way is the ability to choose vape liquids with progressively lower percentages of nicotine, and ultimately, liquids with no nicotine at all. Studies have shown that e-cigarettes are more effective as a smoking cessation tool than are other nicotine replacement therapies, with the New England Journal of Medicine reporting that a one-year abstinence rate was 18 percent in an e-cigarette trial group, with 9.9 percent in the group using other nicotine-replacement therapies.

Why nicotine replacement therapies fail

Vapor Authority reports on Harvard School of Public Health reports pointing to the failure of standard nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), noting that the Harvard study showed that a third of adult smokers who quit using an NRT had relapsed, and that the relapse rate was the same as for those using NRTs as those without, regardless of whether they received professional counseling.

The blog notes that, according to Greg Conolly, director of the Center for Global Tobacco Control at Harvard School of Public Health, “NRTs and other nicotine-related products are not an indefinite solution. Rather, they are designed to ameliorate withdrawal symptoms, which can occur from the initial time of quitting until about six months out. NRTs are then no longer used once the withdrawals go away; however, temptation or other factors are not addressed by physical nicotine therapies.”

That’s the key to NRT’s failure – it addresses the immediate concern of nicotine withdrawal, but it does not address the smoker’s desire to smoke. Vaping, on the other hand, does – and it provides a longer-term solution that can continue to satisfy the psychological desire to smoke, long after nicotine withdrawal has run its course. This of course, is the prevalence of nicotine-free vaping liquids, which provide the sensation of smoking, without the chemicals and nicotine.

The benefits of nicotine-free vaping

For those who wish to quit smoking, NRTs such as a patch does not satisfy the urge to smoke, nor do they provide a meaningful replacement for the sensation that smokers enjoy. Vaping without a nicotine-based e-juice does offer that sensation, while also delivering a smoother experience without the harsh chemicals. Also, the flavors of nicotine-free e-juices tend to be more pronounced and pleasing. Smoking, or vaping, isn’t all about nicotine and smoke – it’s about a sensation. Vaping can provide that sensation, if the user chooses, through nicotine-free e-juices that can easily replace the desire for nicotine much better than traditional nicotine replacement therapies.

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