5 Reasons Everyone Should Own A Vanity

When it came to primping, I was always a bathroom counter gal. There was always a stray mascara in the medicine cabinet, little piles of yesterday’s lipsticks around the sink, and my makeup bag stashed behind the blowdryer and the bottle of Windex. Sound familiar?
Many of us don’t know the luxury of having a makeup station—a well-lit destination where we can keep all our beauty needs, along with storage space for the products we’re not using at the moment. Think it sounds too good to be true? Think again!
Here are 5 things I learned from setting up my own vanity.
You don’t need a lot of space.
Who says you can’t have a dream vanity just because you don’t have a dream home? Throw the idea of a traditional vanity (hello heavy vintage dresser and stand up mirror) out the window and work with the space you have. Does that mean a wall mounted mirror? Shelves? A bedroom setup, or something inoffensive in the living room? The right vanity is visually appealing so don’t be afraid to plant one in plain view (mine sits across from our couch by the window).

You can DIY a vanity on the cheap.
Get creative with the space you have to work with. A basic vanity needs a surface, storage cubbies, and a good size mirror with adequate lighting around it. The rest is up to you! Why not repurpose an old desk with a new paint job and stuff the drawers with organizers for your makeup stash? Even a small table could make a pretty vanity with drawer-pull bins hidden underneath a decorative table skirt with a mounted mirror hovering above.
You’ll use the products you forgot you had.
Once you’ve got a solid destination for all your beauty items, you’ll find yourself digging into palettes you barely touch and hair products you never used before. Nothing jumpstarts adventurous new looks like having ALL your beauty products at hand in one place.
If hoarding isn’t your thing, keeping an organized makeup station will prompt you to purge items you don’t need much quicker to ensure you have space for all the products you love to use.

Pretty packaging can finally serve it’s purpose.
Admit it, we are all suckers for a cute package. But why invest in a printed palette or a fancifully bottled perfume when it’s just gonna get all dirty, trapped in a bag of items that have lost their caps? A vanity surface was made to display your favorite cosmetics and bottled products. Now your new set of pink Sugarpill makeup brushes won’t go to waste hidden away. Pro tip: Add a few favorite jewelry pieces to the display for a touch of vintage vanity glamour. You’ll take more time with no regrets.

Having a dedicated workstation will remind you that beauty is something you take seriously. With the amount we invest in new products and in-between cosmetic treatments, why shouldn’t we take a little extra time on ourselves each day? Think of your vanity as a celebration of you, and think of your makeup and hair routine as a daily ritual of self-appreciation. •

How to be Loved by your Pets and Become Popular

My pets love me, at least that is what I conclude from their over all behavior all day. My lucky cat is a cute yet aggressive creature who never quits loving. I call her “kinky” I don’t know why just it was revealed or I was blessed by this name the moment I saw her. It was one dreadful night and my neighbors were having a late night party. I walked alone in my garden, on soft grass, unintentionally hearing the “hee haa” coming from adjacent wall. Indeed, the night was dreadful for me and my loneliness and wonderfully excited for my neighbors. At that particle moment , when I was seriously thinking about all troubles the life has given me and still giving , my always infuriated boss , my forever angry wife , My unhappy kids and what else my monotonous, dull ,weary and boring life ; It all prompted me to seriously think of suicide , scary enough of getting death by your own , I trembled heavily for just thinking about suicide . I closed my eyes and shouted “lord lord! Help me lord”

The answer came instantly “mee—AAA –ooo” I was shocked to hear such reply; I hurriedly opened my eyes to see a “little cat “looking like an angel wrapped in fur, just beneath my shoe. Yeah, I mistakenly put my heavy shoe on her soft tail. But I took it as a sign, a sign from HIM; yeah she came just to help me out of this misery. I took “kinky” in my arms, softness I felt and softened my heart became, and she was cute, small, shy, beautiful, and a cat. I felt her love instantly, I lamented over cruel men not caring for creature not termed as “human beings”.

I felt I would make me an example for all those who treat such cute animals with tyranny and indifference and I felt… “Ouch” I shouted, she bit my finger and cut my thoughts in to pain. However, to forgive is divine… I took kinky inside, in my home and in my heart and in my life.
The next day was a new beginning, the boss was happy since I was so up to the mark miraculously that day. My wife was glad as I looked romantic and loving that day, My kids were excited as I appeared to them a father who would take them to park with no arguments at all and above all my loneliness and solitude was replaced by socially encircled and happiness . What else I could wish for, I may sound dumb, but “kinky’s coming” made me popular in home, outside and everywhere and this popularity is ever increasing. Now I have 10 pets and my family includes humans and animals. From this wonderful experience I made the following guide instantly.

•Every man/woman/gay/lesbian must have at least one pet.
•Be a part of a pet community club, if there isn’t any in your area, start your own.
•Don’t be indifferent with your pets
•Don’t discourage them, they have hearts and feelings.
•Pets are blessings of lord, be blessed.
•Any will do , cat, dog or cats and dogs etc
•Get loved be popular and have a good life by just getting one pet
•Love them to get their love, check food manually, their sleep timings, their home, their fundamental rights of shelter, food, freedom within home etc.

Pilates Breathing

“To breathe correctly you must completely exhale and inhale, always trying very hard to “squeeze” every atom of impure air from your lungs in much the same manner that you would wring every drop of water from a wet cloth.”
Joseph Pilates

Pilates breathing has many benefits that our typical breathing does not give us. Most of us tend to breathe very shallow breaths, we take short breaths from the top of the lings and then don’t expel them completely. This means that the body’s pumping system by whcih oxygen is flushed into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide is flushed out, is not working efficitently. This type of breathing increases our adrenaline and stress—it is fight or flight breathing. Learning to breathe correctly is one of the best methods of stress relief and it can work instantly. Pilates breathing relaxes tension in our bodies, gives us a better exchange of oxygen, and engages our abdominals.
Proper posture is also important in correct breathing—if the shoulders are slumped or your chin tilted back, your airway is not fully open and the muscles that control breathing won’t be able to stretch fully. Keeping the spine long and straight will prevent the ribs from collapsing and the spine from bending forward.
Stand in front of a mirror to check your breathing. As you inhale through your nose, there should be no upward movement of your shoulders or tensing of the neck muscles. As you exhale through your mouth with relaxed lips, your shoulders shouldn’t pull downward, your spine should stay straight and long, your collar bone shouldn’t move and your neck should remain free of tension.
The Pilates Inhale: Breathing in through the nose warms the air and filters it through the cilia (small hairs in the nostrils). The breath then moves through a series of branches (bronchioles) that looks somewhat like an upside down tree. The diaphragm is at the base of the rib cage at the thoracic area. As we breathe, the diaphragm contracts and relaxes. The Pilates breath tries to get the diaphragm to move across the ribs, going downward during the inhale, allowing space for the air to fill the lungs. It looks like a sling or a hammock attached to the ribs.
The Pilates Exhale: Stitching the ribs together in Pilates breathing causes the diaphragm to move, like an arch, up. This forces the air out and contracts the abdominals connected to the ribs. The inhale also gives you a great stretch of the muscles in-between the ribs (intercostals).
Full Breathing: As your breathing improves, you will feel the muscles between the ribs stretch on the inhale and the abdominals contract on the exhale. Over time, you will also feel your abdominals muscles working when you inhale, by keeping the abdominals connected as the breath goes out into the lungs and rib cage.
Breathing During Exercise: Often, in exercise, we should breath out on exertion or effort. You may have heard people say “exhale with exertion.” In Pilates, the breath can be a little different. Many forms of Pilates have the breath coordinated with the movement of the spine. For example, Stott Pilates notes, “during exhalation the rib cages closes in and down while the spine flexes slightly. For this reason, an exhale is suggested to encourage spinal flexion. During inhalation, the rib cage opens out and up while the spine extends. An inhale is suggested to encourage spinal extension…”
The most important thing is to remember to breathe. If you get confused don’t hold your breath—keep breathing. Always begin the breath before the movement.
Principles of Pilates Breathing
Do not hold your breath—keep your breath flowing
Inhale through the nose to cleanse air
Do not let shoulder rise on inhale
Breathe into your back and sides of ribs
Exhale through the mouth with relaxed lips, don’t purse your lips
Relax your jaw and tongue, neck and shoulders
Exhale completely
Hollow abdominals, pull naval to spine on exhale
Zip or stitch ribs together on the exhale. Try zipping down and zipping up
Try to breathe at least five seconds each way
Exhale to flex/round spine
Inhale to extend/arch spine
Exhale to move legs and arms away from body (typically in mat work, varies)
Sample Breathing Exercises
Notice Your Breath Pattern. Sit, stand, or lie on a mat. Notice where your breath goes. Place your hands on your rib cage, under your chest. How do your ribs move? Is your breath in your chest, ribs, or belly?
Balloon Breath. Sit, stand, or lie on a mat. Imagine you have two balloons encased in your lower rib cage. As you inhale try to fill up the balloons. As you exhale try to get all the air out of the balloon. Feel the balloons deflate, then fill them right back up with your inhale. Make sure you feel your balloons fill out to the sides and backs of your ribs.
Flexed Over Hugging Knees. Exhale: try to pull your belly away from legs. Inhale: try to feel the breath go into your back, expanding and stretching the back rib cage.
Face Down. Lie prone (face down) with hands under head, nose hovering above mat. Inhale into your back. Exhale: pull naval away from floor, about the size of a marble. Pretend you are pulling a marble up off the floor with your belly button. Do not use your bottom or your back, just your abs.
Scoop it Out. Lie on your back with your legs bent, feet on the floor. Place your hands just below your belly button. As you exhale try to move our abs away from you hands. Inhale into your ribs and back, try to keep the belly from rising, instead pull the belly button in and up, feel the ribs stretch your diaphragm out like a hammock stretching further and further from each end.
“Even if you follow no other instructions, learn to breathe correctly.”
Joseph Pilates
Be patient and keep up with it. You can practice your breathing any time of day, anywhere. You will discover a benefit just from improving your breathing technique.
Researched by KATIA C. ROWLANDS – STOTT PILATES INSTRUCTOR & PERSONAL TRAINER – 0825134256

How to train the Dachshund

The Dachshund may look funny, but he is proud, valiant and a very clever dog that needs special training to become obedient one. Many Dachshunds’ owners say that it is impossible to train so independent dogs – and they are partially right. Training a dachshund is not about learning him some commands, it is rather about convincing him that the cooperation with a trainer may be beneficial. Dachshunds are much too clever to simply make tricks for a click or eventually a bit of something to eat in the future. They must be sure that they will get fair price of their choice for their work and attention. Also, the Dachshunds must also know that their disobedience will ruin their whole day and thus all prizes and punishments should be adapted to the given dachshund. Commonly used training methods will not work.

One of the most important things during a Dachshund training is not to destroy his independent character. The Dachshunds were used to hunt down their prey alone in its lair, without any help from a handler. Such task can be performed only by a determined, ferocious and rash dogs, especially when we consider the fact that the typical prey of this dog is much bigger than the Dachshund himself. In Europe, where the pedigree Dachshunds must pass special hunting training, two Dachshunds should be able to corner a wild boar. The same task must be done by three to four terriers which are much bigger and heavier. Such skills cannot be learned, they must be inborn and can only be mastered through a proper training of the Dachshund. Fortunately, almost all Dachshunds have very strong hunting instinct and passing such exam is not a challenge for them.

Still, such skills are rarely used by the Dachshunds that live in apartments, where good manners are what really counts. There is a saying that Dachshunds owners divide into those who let their Dachshund sleep it their beds and those who lie. This is why every Dachshund’s trainer should be aware that there is always possibility that training the Dachshund may alter into training a trainer!

In fact every dachshund will do everything to have a properly trained owner who will satisfy his needs and, what is even worse, he is able to do it in only a few weeks, even as a puppy. Training the Dachshund, because of his stubbornness, curiosity and lack of attention is very similar to training a cat. Lessons for a Dachshund puppy should be very short and always include many elements of play. It is better to learn our Dachshund only a few commands and be sure that he will obey them than learn him much more, but with lower efficiency. And the most important thing: the best way to train the Dachshund is to show him that we care for him and we want to teach him all of these boring (from a Dachshund point of view) tricks not for our satisfaction, but for his own good.

It’s true that the Dachshunds are stubborn and they never grow up, but Dachshunds are also devoted to people who consider them not clowns or barking sausages on four legs, but brave warriors – which they really are. One of the most stupid things in the universe is to attack a Dachshund owner, especially the one who was able to train his Dachshund and gain his loyalty.

9 Things to Throw Away for Better Health…

#1: Commercial Cleaning Products
You can avoid quite a few hazardous chemicals simply by tossing those commercial cleaning products in the dustbin. Every single one of them can be replaced with a short list of basic ingredients. Here’s a simple starter list of what you need to make your own natural cleaning products:
For example, lemon juice is a natural whitener, vinegar and water makes an excellent window cleaner, and vinegar combined with hydrogen peroxide works exceptionally well as both a disinfectant and sanitizer. Baking soda is also great for scrubbing your bath and kitchen.

#2: Personal Care Products
Chemicals are very effectively absorbed via your skin, so cleaning out your bathroom cabinet can go a long way toward reducing your toxic load. This is particularly true for women, who tend to use several different products on a daily basis. Makeup is also a hidden source of heavy metals. In the report Heavy Metal Hazard: The Health Risks of Hidden Heavy Metals in Face Makeup,14 Environmental Defense tested 49 different makeup items, including foundations, concealers, powders, blushes, mascaras, eye liners, eye shadows, lipsticks and lip glosses. Their testing revealed serious heavy metal contamination in virtually all of the products:
96 percent contained lead
90 percent contained beryllium
61 percent contained thallium
51 percent contained cadmium
20 percent contained arsenic
If you use conventional makeup on a daily basis, you can absorb almost five pounds of chemicals into your body each year and that’s without adding in body lotion, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and other personal care products! To address this health-defeating cycle, switch to organic brands of toiletries and cosmetics. The Environmental Working Group has a great database16 to help you find personal care products that are free of potentially dangerous chemicals. Better yet, simplify your routine and make your own products. A slew of lotions, potions, and hair treatments can be eliminated with a jar of coconut oil, for example, to which you can add a high quality essential oil for scent.

#3: Stale Spices
Herbs and cooking spices contain a wide variety of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, and help maximize the nutrient density of your meals. On a per gram fresh weight basis, herbs rank even higher in antioxidant activity than fruits and vegetables. Many studies have also shown that most spices tend to have unique medicinal qualities. Four spices that are particularly effective at quelling inflammation are:17 Cloves, Ginger, Rosemary & Thyme.
Freshness matters, however, so if your pantry is filled to the hilt with old spice bottles, it may be time to refresh your stock. Expired, stale spices also will not provide you with much flavor, so if your attempts at spicing up your meals have left you unimpressed, they may simply have gone stale.

# 4: Electronic Devices
While few would consider getting rid of their smart phones or computers, you would be wise to reconsider how you use all of your devices, and just how many you surround yourself with at any given point of the day. Some kids, especially teenagers, tend to be surrounded by multiple electronic gadgets for hours at a stretch. I feel the evidence of long-term harm of EMF and wireless radiation is very clear, necessitating a prudent approach.
On May 31, 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued a report admitting cell phones might indeed cause cancer, classifying radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Class 2B).18 The classification came in part in response to research showing wireless telephones increase the risk for brain cancer. To reduce exposure, avoid continuously carrying your smart phone on your body.
Tucking it into your bra or pocket may be convenient now, but it’s an open invitation for health problems down the road, and that may be more than just a little inconvenient! It’s important to realize that as long as your cell phone is on, it emits radiation intermittently, even when you are not actually making a call. So wearing a cell phone on your hip for 15 hours a day is giving that area of your body nearly continuous radiation exposure. For more tips on how to reduce exposure, please see my previous article “Heavy Cell Phone Use Can Quadruple Your Risk of Deadly Brain Cancer.” Also consider unplugging from your digital life from time to time to “smell the roses” as it were. As noted by Time Magazine
“Mounting research indicates that information overload—what happens when you use smart devices constantly—is linked to depression and anxiety. Recent studies suggest that this is particularly true for people who are overly attached to their smartphones and tablets, and for those who use multiple devices at once (which experts call media multitasking). Power down and stow your devices in a drawer at least a few times per week to give your brain a break‚ ideally on a set schedule (for example, weekdays after 9 p.m. or weekend mornings before noon).”

#5: Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose (Splenda) trick your body into storing fat and raise your risk of diabetes, so if you’re looking for health benefits, you’d be better off throwing those colorful little packets in the trash.
The same goes for any food or beverage containing artificial sweeteners, such as diet soda. Besides worsening insulin sensitivity and promoting weight gain, artificial sweeteners also promote other more serious health problems, including heart attacks, stroke2,3,4 and Alzheimer’s disease.
One of the mechanisms by which artificial sweeteners promote obesity and disease is by disrupting your intestinal microflora.5,6,7,8 Specifically, artificial sweeteners alter metabolic pathways associated with metabolic function.
Decreased function has been observed in pathways associated with the transport of sugar in your body, for example. Artificial sweeteners have also been found to induce gut dysbiosis and glucose intolerance in otherwise healthy people.

#6: Plastic Food Containers and Bottles
Tossing your plastic food containers and plastic bottles is a basic step to reducing your exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol-A (BPA), bisphenol-S (BPS), and phthalates.
Your endocrine system as a whole is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism, as well as sexual function and reproductive processes, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals have been linked to a wide number of adverse effects, including:
Reproductive health problems
Hypertension: According to one randomized, controlled trial,9 BPA from cans or plastic bottles can raise your blood pressure within just a few hours of ingestion
Reduced IQ in children10,11
Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning
Cancer of the breast, prostate, and thyroid12
Heat, along with wear and tear through multiple washings can increase the amount of chemicals being leached from containers and bottles, so holding on to old containers is not a good idea.
While I used to support switching to BPA-free containers, it’s now been revealed that even “BPA-free” plastics can leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are just as bad as BPA.
Your best bet is to avoid plastic containers altogether, and replace them with glass bottles and containers. Also opt for glass baby bottles if you have young children. Make the switch to glass, and you won’t have to struggle figuring out which plastic might be safer than another, only to later find out it wasn’t such a great trade after all…

#7: Non-Stick Cookware
To further clean up your kitchen act, toss non-stick pots and pans and replace them with ceramic or glass cookware. The non-stick coating is made with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been labeled a “likely” carcinogen by an independent scientific review panel that advises the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Although PFOA is a long complex name, it is essentially a complex chemical and relies on fluoride for its non-stick properties. The problem is that once you heat the pot or pan, the fluoride vaporizes into the air where it can kill small birds and harm you and your family. You can easily bypass this unnecessary health risk by switching to ceramic or glass cookware that do not emit toxic fluoride.

#8: Air Fresheners
Room deodorizers frequently contain 2, 5-dichlorophenol (2, 5-DCP), a metabolite of 1,4-dichlorobenzene, which has been linked to precocious puberty and other health problems,13 including cancer. Endocrine-disrupting phthalates are also commonly found in air fresheners and room deodorizers.
If you’re having issues with unpleasant smells, you’d be wise to address the root causes rather than masking them with chemical sprays.
Opening your windows and doors from time to time can help, and will also improve the general air quality in your home or office. If you want a scent, opt for high-quality pure essential oils, which can actually support your health and wellbeing.

#9: Antibacterial Soaps and Detergents
Routinely disinfecting your body and surroundings may actually cause far more harm than good in the long run. Not only does it promote the development of drug-resistant bacteria, but antibacterial compounds such as triclosan have also been linked to a number or harmful health effects, especially in young children.
For example, research has shown that triclosan can alter hormone regulation and may interfere with fetal development in pregnant women. This antibacterial ingredient has also been linked to:

Allergies
Thyroid dysfunction
Endocrine disruption
Weight gain
Inflammatory responses

Warm water and a mild soap is really all you need to safely eliminate disease-causing microbes Even the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that “there is currently no evidence that [antibacterial soaps] are any more effective at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water.”

Besides hand soaps and products specifically marketed as antibacterial, triclosan can also be found in a number of other household and personal care products, including cutting boards, toys, acne cream, and Colgate Total toothpaste—all of which are also best avoided.

One all-purpose disinfectant that works great for kitchen counters, cutting boards, and bathrooms—all places where germs like to grow—is 3% hydrogen peroxide and vinegar. Simply put each liquid into a separate spray bottle, then spray the surface with one, followed by the other. In tests run at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, pairing the two mists killed virtually all Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli bacteria on heavily contaminated food and surfaces when used in this fashion, making this spray combination more effective at killing these potentially lethal bacteria than chlorine bleach or any commercially available kitchen cleaner.

How to build a dog kennel

There are many people around the world who have manually build dog kennels with their own hands rather than going into the store and buying a readymade one. You would never know what kind of material has been used even though they look good, reliability would always be a matter of concern. Whereas if you compare the same with something that you build with your own hands, things would become reliable automatically as you would take utmost care in purchasing quality material and fix them to perfection.

By constructing a dog kennel on your own, you are sure to incorporate all the necessary specifications your pet or pets needs. All you need is the right kind of skills and knack for building such quality home for your pet. Finally some tips to consider before jumping on the construction side of a dog kennel.

Make sure the design you are planning on constructing has an easy mode of movement, allowing both yourself and your pet to transact with convenience. Some other specifications will further guide you to consider right construction layout and material to design the kennel which is properly ventilated and has a good drainage system.

Keep in mind that you will have to clean the kennel quite often and thus there should be scope for carrying out sanitation procedures. Your design should be able to cater this important step. Take an example where you have opted to use steel wires which are easier to wash or clean and disinfect quickly. They also provide an easy way for carrying out any sanitation procedures instead of plastic or wooden flooring. Also, at the same time your pet will remain safe from any injury due to splinting.

Incase you are planning on building on multi tier kennels then selecting concrete over any other material is always better as its strong and easy to clean with only one disadvantage. If the floor cracks, there are more possibilities that it may become home for parasites or insects with time and might cause some form of infections in the pets.

When talking of drainage, a better angled sloped is always good to cater all the dirt from the dog kennel compartment. It is also good for the pet owner as they don’t have to mop or wipe the floor every time a dog releases waste. With sloped compartments, there are higher possibilities of keeping the sweet home neat and clean. And with the usage of disinfectants, you can get rid of the dog body odor or can keep it to minimum.

The most important advantage of a customized kennel is the location you want to keep it. It can be dynamic and does not have to be fixed location. This also helps in overall maintenance of the kennel. Also, a customized kennel location should be away from the main door to avoid any eye contacts with moving people and objects to avoid any unforeseen barks that disturb your neighbors.