Top 7 Fake Tanning Tips

Top 7 Fake Tanning Tips

Fake tan has come a long way since orange palms and streaky ankles (well for most people!) but is our desire for the year-round ultimate sun-free tan actually safe?

The most common ingredient in fake tanners is called dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which is a colour additive that binds to dead skin cells and changes the colour of the skin. As the dead skin cells come off, so does the fake tan.

DHA is regulated as a safe chemical as long as it only touches the skin. It is when ingested that it can be harmful. A study at the School of Public Health and Health Services at George Washington University, USA showed that DHA may cause mutations or changes to the DNA structure in our living cells. The current concerns are not so much the chemical reaction on the skin when ‘tanning’ but if the DHA from the tanning product is ingested how this could affect our lungs and other organs. So, if you’re faking it at the salon, you may be breathing in DHA through your nose and mouth.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA has approved DHA in traditional self-tanning creams and lotions but states that sprays containing DHA have not been approved, due to a lack of data confirming their safety. These recommendations echo a report in 2010 from the Danish Toxicology Centre, which advised using nose filters and eye protection in tanning booths.

However according to the European Commission’s independent scientific committee, which oversees the safety of cosmetic ingredients in Europe, believe that DHA is safe to use in cosmetic products.

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5 Ways To Breathe New Life Into Your Fitness 4e’s Website

5 Ways To Breathe New Life Into Your Fitness 4e's Website

Just as you might give your house, office, or your gym an occasional update the same principle also applies to your fitness business’s website. Expert web designers say that updating a website can not only lead to greater search engine rankings but it can also mean that conversions on the website improve too.

When we say to update your website, we are not talking about taking it down and rebuilding an entirely new one, although if you feel that your current website is so out of date that even the improvements we suggest would not resurrect it, then certainly consider having a new website designed for your fitness business. For those who believe that some updates and improvements will help, here are our 5 top ways to breathe new life into your fitness business’s website.

Check All Functions

Whilst some of this might seem technical, and by all means, seek out the help of web design experts if you are unsure how to proceed, the first task is to ensure that the website is operating and functioning as it should.

First to check is the load speed of the home page, and then all the other pages. Slow page load will kill your search engine ranking plus visitors will not hang around either if pages load slowly. Also, check videos and audios play properly, and images are displaying correctly.

Refresh The Content

This might seem like a trivial issue but having content that is out of date is hardly the greatest advert for your fitness business. Go through your blog and other places on your website there is content and see if it is still relevant and even if it is, consider tweaking it or adding to it to make it fresher.

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Bread Basics: Which is Best?

Bread Basics: Which is Best?

Doing your weekly food shop can be quite stressful when you see how many options there are for each product. Even when you have recipes to follow, you’ve still got to decide on brands.

Just as you would read the labelling of wine you’re purchasing, it pays to consider ingredients and manufacturing processes for bread, too. They are not all the same, and some are better for you than others.

Don’t tie yourself up in knots in the bakery section. If you’re looking for the healthiest bread option for your family, consider these below.

Sourdough

Sourdough may not be your first choice, but it can be a healthy, delicious option that your family loves. Sourdough bread goes through a unique fermentation process, with naturally-occurring yeast allowing the bread to rise.

Due to its prebiotics and probiotics produced during fermentation, sourdough bread can be easier for your body to digest than other types. It also has a low glycaemic index and promotes good gut health.

The best part is, you can buy it in whole wheat and white varieties. Give it a try, and you might be surprised at how it works for you.

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7 Sports Nets And Their Array Of Differences

7 Sports Nets And Their Array Of Differences

Across the array of sports that exist, many of them rely on a net of some kind. These sports nets not only look different within each sport, but their purpose for being there also differs. Some nets are to stop the ball when a goal or point scored, such as in hockey or football, in some sports the ball must pass through the net, as in netball, or basketball, in tennis the ball must go over the next, and in sports, like golf and cricket, the net is used while practicing.

We could add several more sports and sports nets to the ones we have already highlighted, so we thought it would be worthwhile to give you some more detail on the many different types of nets that are used across a plethora of sports. As you read through them you will soon appreciate that sports nets have a variety of uses, are made from an array of materials, and they can be made to a vast number of different sizes, including custom sizes if requested.

Australian Rules Football

The primary purpose of Aussie rules nets is to prevent spectators behind the post from being hit by the ball, but they also make it easier for ball retrieval. They tend to be lightweight and can be made to whatever width and size is needed.

Soccer

The net is obviously there to catch the ball when a goal is scored, and this can also clarify if a goal has actually been scored or not. There are two main designs of soccer net, namely tapered which slopes backward behind the goal, or box-shaped which is what you see used in most major tournaments.

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How To Connect With Your Personal Fitness Email Subscribers For Increased Revenue

How To Connect With Your Personal Fitness Email Subscribers For Increased Revenue

In order to grow your personal fitness business using the internet, you almost certainly need to use one or more forms of digital marketing, and one of the most effective is email marketing. Unfortunately, many business owners use email marketing in the wrong way by bombarding their email subscribers with promotions and as the digital marketing experts at www.slinkydigital.com.au advise, building a relationship with those subscribers should be the priority.

The words, ‘building a relationship’ can mean many different things to different people so let us first assure you that it does not mean having to divulge your personal details, sending them flowers, or buying them a pint at the local bar. Instead, it means using email to create a relationship where your subscribers look forward to receiving your emails, actively check their email account for them, and most important of all, follow the calls to action that are included in your emails.

We should point out that those calls to action must not be ‘Click This Link To Buy’ every single time. Doing that would be the quickest way to annoy those who have taken the time to subscribe to your email list, and also puts you at risk of being accused of spamming if one of your subscribers gets annoyed enough.

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It’s Never Too Late to Start Exercising – and Here’s Why

Start Exercising

The age-old adage is that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. This might be why those who don’t exercise or look after their health have no desire to do so when they get older. They might think they are “passed it” or would never be able to keep up. Studies say otherwise.

According to research published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology, your body has the same ability to build muscle mass when you’re older as it could when you were younger. Therefore, if you were put off by the idea of getting fit and working on your health in your later years, then here is some good news: there’s no time like the present to start.

Jim Owen is an example of how starting exercise in later life actually works. He outlined his journey to fitness and wellbeing in Just Move! A New Approach to Fitness After 50. Jim worked on Wall Street in a sedentary position and realised at age 70 that it wasn’t doing his health any favours. He started exercising and was able to build muscle mass just like any other younger person.

A research team at the University of Birmingham also looked into later-in-life exercise and how young and older men build muscle mass. They split the study into groups of two people. The first group consisted of people over 60 who, for the last 20 years, had exercised at least twice per week. The second group didn’t have a consistent workout routine.

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Signs Your Wisdom Teeth Are Ready to Come Out

Wisdom Teeth

No one knows for sure why wisdom teeth exist. After all, all they seem to do is cause pain and discomfort, so why do we need them? Researchers and many dentists seem to think they were helpful for chewing roots, vegetables, and raw meat. Now, however, our food is softer than it used to be, and the only thing we do with them now is extract them.

But, how do you know when you need to extract your wisdom teeth? Do you reach a certain age, or do you get them out when they start to cause problems? Here are many of the ways to tell it could be time to see your dentist about wisdom tooth extraction.

They are Painful

If you are experiencing pain in your mouth around your wisdom teeth region, then it’s time to see a dentist. They may be irritating surrounding teeth, infected, or they may be completely okay. Your dentist won’t be able to tell you until they get a closer look. Don’t delay your appointment, as any pain can end up twice as bad if you put it off.

You Have Problems Eating

Given that these teeth are supposedly for chewing roots, raw meat, and vegetables, you wouldn’t expect them to cause difficulties. However, they do. If food is getting stuck between the top of your teeth and your gums, and you can’t clean it out properly, then you may like to consider asking your dentist about wisdom teeth removal.

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Who Can Administer Botox?

Who Can Administer Botox

When you decide that you’d like to try out Botox treatment, you may immediately discover that the internet is full of confusing information. You hear about people throwing Botox parties, having Botox injections readily available to anyone. Then, you find out that you can walk into a hair salon and receive Botox as an added extra. It can seem like the world has gone topsy-turvy when it comes to medical treatments.

However, to clear a few things up, it’s important to understand that you should only ever get Botox injections from a medical professional who is trained in the process.

In Australia, any muscle or wrinkle relaxants are classed as Schedule Four medication. As a result, you need a prescription for Botox from a doctor. A registered nurse can also inject Botox but only under the supervision of a doctor – and once they complete a training course. If anyone other than a doctor or nurse is offering Botox, it’s not a legitimately sourced medication and may not be safe.

If you are a Division Two nurse, you can complete training in medications to be able to administer cosmetic injections with supervision. A cosmetic injector must also have vast knowledge in both surgical and non-surgical treatments to ensure they apply the best approach to each patient.

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Top Reasons People Get Addicted to Drugs

Drug Addiction

Drug and alcohol addictions affect millions around the world, including the families of those who enter a drug rehab facility to try and get clean. For those who are on the outside looking in, you may be wondering what causes someone to become an addict in the first place. Why not just say ‘no’ to drugs? It’s not that easy, especially when the following plays a part.

Family Genetics or History

You might not think that your family plays a part in your addiction, but they could be paving the way. If any member of your family has a drug addiction, then you may have a genetic predisposition to follow down the same path. What’s more, up to 70 percent of risk factors get their association with family drug addicts.

Prescription Drugs

One of the more common reasons for someone to enter a drug rehab facility is that they once had a genuine need for the drugs on which they now rely. Opioid medication is commonly prescribed for those suffering from pain, but not everyone knows how to manage the risks of addiction, or find themselves quickly reliant on those pills to get through the day. In this case, a drug rehab facility can be helpful for someone to get their life back on track.

Feelings

It’s mostly not the drug taking itself that’s addictive, but the feeling you get when you’re high or drunk. You continuously crave that feeling, which means you’re in search of drugs or alcohol to help you achieve it.

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Are You Struggling with Exercise Variety? Here Are 5 Things You Need to Try

Group Fitness

It doesn’t take long before your everyday workout regime can become tedious. If you’re traversing the same old path, running the same old track, and doing the same old star jumps, then you may begin to find excuses not to exercise at all. Keeping fit, losing weight, and staying healthy doesn’t have to be a drag. It can be fun if you know how you can change it up and add a little variety, such as with group fitness. Here are a few of the many things you can do.

Join a Group Fitness Class

One of the best ways to break through the monotony of your exercise regime is by turning it completely on its head. Do something you never thought you would do, such as joining a group fitness class with plenty of options available. You can try high-intensity workouts such as BodyAttack, or enhance your mind, body, and soul with BodyBalance. Even yoga or spin classes can give you that much-needed variety.

Hire a Personal Trainer

If you want every exercise session to be different, then hiring a personal trainer may be an excellent option for you. They not only provide you with their expertise but with unique and useful exercise options you can have fun with and enjoy. What’s more, hiring a personal trainer can make you more motivated and encouraged to get off the couch and get moving.

Try Something Entirely Different

If you usually choose low-intensity exercises such as yoga or biking, then why not try something entirely different such as group fitness with intensity? Give your body a boost of adrenaline with an intense cardio workout such as BodyCombat, and kick-start a wholly new exercise routine that’s unlike you at all. Sometimes, all it takes to break through the monotony of your workout routine is doing something that’s at the opposite spectrum of what you’re doing now.

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Why Sleep is Important for Your Skin

Sleep

Everyone knows getting enough sleep is crucial for your health and well-being. You can use the best organic skin care products on the market, but if you are tossing and turning all night, your body feels less than its best. A lack of sleep can affect many processes, but did you know it can wreak havoc on your skin? Here’s how.

It makes Skin Conditions Even Worse

If you suffer from a skin condition like dermatitis, acne, or even skin sensitivity, then don’t expect it to get any better until you start sleeping properly. Sleep equates to an increased inflammatory response, something that causes breakouts and skin flare-ups of varying degrees of severity.

Your Skin Looks Drab

Anyone who uses organic skin care products will know that they work wonders for skin health. However, it may not look like they do if you’re suffering from a lack of sleep. When you are tired, you have more inflammatory cells in your body which break down your collagen and hyaluronic acid molecules. Say goodbye to glowing, radiant skin!

Abnormal Water Content

Water makes up a significant part of your body, which is why you need to drink at least eight glasses a day – if not more. However, when you sleep is when your body rebalances all of its fluids. It will move excess moisture for processing and send hydration to where it’s needed the most. If you aren’t sleeping, this process doesn’t take place – resulting in puffy undereye bags, more wrinkles, and dry skin.

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Child Care : The Importance of Play

Child Care

Whether your child plays at home or in a child care facility, you will soon learn how beneficial the experience is. Play incorporates many aspects of a child’s life, and the more you encourage it, the more benefits they receive. From the treehouse in your backyard to the swing set and their indoor puzzles, all these items play a part in childhood development.

Of course, children play because they like to have fun, but were you aware of these benefits below?

Literacy

Whether your child plays by themselves or with other children at a child care facility, their literacy levels are improving all the time. Believe it or not, play enables your children to expand their vocabulary, learn new sounds, and get creative with their imagination when playing with other children. Through play, you set a foundation for literacy.

Communication

The more your children play with others, the better it is for their communication. When they take part in activities, storytelling, imagination games and teamwork, they are having to pick up on cues, offer cues, and communicate with all children involved in the game.

Learning

Children never stop learning, and playtime is no exception to that rule. Even from a baby, playtime is another opportunity to learn – with motor skills and overall development. Even when your baby picks up a rattle and shakes it, they’ve learnt that moving something can create sounds. They also learn those new sounds. Have you ever stopped to think why all those toys at your baby’s child care facility are so noisy? They are educational toys.

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5 Benefits of Biking

Benefits of Biking

When you’re looking to improve your fitness levels, there are many different ways in which to achieve that goal. You can join a fitness class, go for a run or walk, or even try weight training or cardio exercises. However, pulling that dusty old bicycle out of the garden shed may also be more beneficial than you think. Here are five reasons to get your bike out of hibernation and start pedaling.

A Fun Form of Exercise

Going for a walk or run is a valid form of exercise, but it can also be quite dull if there’s nothing or no one to entertain you. If you haven’t got any music flowing through your ears, or you’re not talking to a friend as you walk, it can become mundane. Biking, however, is an exciting adventure. You can head to parts of town you never knew existed, find biking trails and tracks to enjoy fabulous scenery, and travel various roads you usually wouldn’t venture down.

In essence, going for a ride on your bike can open your eyes to new parts of your town or city you otherwise may never discover.

Low-Impact Exercise

Pounding the pavement can be a high-impact form of fitness training that can take its toll on your body. While it’s beneficial for helping you to lose weight and improve your fitness, it’s also not a suitable option for everyone. Old injuries may reappear with a vengeance, and you may find shin splints become a problem as well. Biking, on the other hand, is a very low impact exercise option. Even those who suffer from aches and pains can find a healthy balance of effectiveness to comfort on a bike.

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Benefits of Weighted Vests

Weighted Vests

If you’re having trouble staying fit, or you’re looking to challenge yourself during your daily workouts, trying a weighted vest might be the next best step. While you might have already shed the kilos you’re looking to put back on in a vest form, isn’t it exciting to know you once used to carry around all that weight all the time? Buying a weighted vest is just one of many ways to add some excitement to your workout, and here’s why.

Burn More Fat

There’s nothing wrong with going for a jog or a walk or biking, but when you see how many calories you’ve burned, sometimes it’s more effective to hang out the washing instead. However, if you add a weight vest to your walk or run, or during high-intensity workout sessions, you will definitely notice a difference. A weighted vest can help you to work on staying fit, all the while enabling you to burn as much as 12 percent more calories, according to a University of New Mexico study.

By wearing a weighted vest, you’re intensifying your workout session which encourages fat burning. You will use more energy and more calories which can make your workout challenging and entirely beneficial.

Boosts Your Cardio Workout

Running, skipping, jumping and even burpees get your heart racing, but have you ever noticed how lifting weights does as well? When your body is made to carry more weight than it typically would, you are using far more energy than usual – equating to calorie burning. Because you need more energy to wear a weighted vest, your body responds to the challenge by sending a much-needed boost which strengthens your lungs and heart.

Therefore, wearing a weighted vest can turn a typically standard workout into one that pushes the boundaries.

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How to Deal with Sensitive Teeth

Sensitive Teeth

If you suffer from sensitive teeth, your dentist will most likely inform you that you’re not alone.

In fact, it’s thought that around 45 percent of Australian households have at least one person with sensitive teeth.

While there’s no defining reason why one person would have sensitive teeth and another wouldn’t, it’s a pain that occurs when you eat something cold, hot, or acidic, or even when you encounter cold temperatures outside as well.

The primary cause of sensitive teeth is exposed dentin – a part of your tooth connected to nerves that trigger pain and sensitivity.

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Why Boot Camp Could Benefit You

Boot Camp

Any exercise you do is going to be beneficial for your body. After all, as soon as you get moving your body and heart appreciates it. However, if you choose to exercise alone, you may find you need so much motivation to get going. What’s more, it’s up to you to challenge yourself as well. While some people thrive doing solo exercises, others struggle.

If it’s cold or raining outside, it’s all too easy to fall victim to the lure of the couch and a warm cup of tea. If you want to get fit but you’re struggling to find that much-needed motivation, here’s why joining a boot camp could prove beneficial.

Motivation

As previously mentioned, motivation can make or break a person’s exercise routine. If you’re exercising solo, it’s far too easy to stay home instead and lie on the couch watching TV. However, if you know you have to be somewhere at a specific time, with people counting on you, you’ll be more inclined to get up off the couch and get going.

What’s more, once you arrive at a group exercise session, you’re motivated by the others around you. They’re in the same boat as you, and you can cheer each other on while battling through those sometimes-tough exercises.

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Bali Tourism Cap May Become a Reality

Bali Tourism Cap

Bali recently hosted an international forum on illegal trafficking of humans. Bob Carr, Bali’s Foreign Minister, says that there are 37 countries that have jumped on board and agreed to outlaw people smuggling and these countries will be cracking down on illegal trafficking.

The conference got started with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Marty Natelegawa, asking for early detection and higher prevention of human trafficking and more effort in stopping people smuggling.

Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor and Senator Carr attended the forum, in a closed session that involved 37 countries, all of who attended and agreed to engage law enforcement and their expertise along with training organizations to coordinate any crackdowns on human smuggling.

The meeting has resulted in the formation of a partnership with the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation. The focus is to increase the police and border security ability to respond to people smuggling. Senator Carr said other countries would need to assist the local law enforcement because the issue was far too big for one country to address on its own.

“One of the problems of increasing the intake out of Indonesia, and the Indonesian government have expressed concern about this themselves on occasions, is it creates a magnet for people to come to Indonesia,” Mr. Morrison said.

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What You Probably Didn’t Know About Root Canals

Root Canals

Merely uttering the words ‘root canal’, you’re bound to send a shiver down the spine of at least five people in your general vicinity. For many reasons, the thought of getting a root canal can send people screaming from the room.

However, the truth is, modern dentistry advancements have enabled dentists to become far more skilled in the safe, effective and ultimately painless procedure of root canals of sensitive teeth. While traditionally it was not uncommon for dental work to be performed by a blacksmith, you can now expect a far more refined and comfortable experience – even when it comes to root canals. If you’re not familiar with a root canal procedure, at least not one performed today, then here are just a few things you can expect when it comes time to see your dentist.

The Procedure Is Straightforward

According to dentists many people who have received a root canal, the procedure is no more painful than a tooth extraction. While it may take a little longer in most cases and does require follow-up appointments, it’s not complicated for an experienced dentist or inconvenient for a patient.

Once you arrive at your appointment, you’ll be led to your dental chair where you’ll sit while the dentist works their magic. They will remove infected or inflamed pulp from within your tooth or teeth, clean the tooth, shape it, then fill it. By filling it, they are reducing the risk of infection. This procedure is typically step one.

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What’s Hot: Bridesmaid Dress Trends

Bridesmaid Dress

One of the best bridesmaids gifts you can give is the gift of a beautiful dress. After all, being made to wear a garish and ugly gown is every bridesmaid’s worst fear. However, when you’re in the planning stages of your wedding – working out a theme and the numbers, it can be a challenge to know what dresses are going to work.

Of course, you’ll have your wedding dress organised, but what bridesmaid dresses are you going to choose? If you’re stuck and the clock is ticking, we’ve included some on-trend bridesmaid dress options below.

Tea-length

If your bridesmaids are all quite tall, one of the most on-trend bridesmaid dresses is the tea-length dress. A tea-length dress refers to the hemline which falls to the lower calf or just below the knee. While those on the shorter side can wear tea-length dresses as well, they do tend to require a little alteration to achieve that perfect length. However, if you do decide this is the best dress option for your bridesmaids, you will achieve an elegant yet fun look that many other dresses just can’t offer.

Cap Sleeves

There’s no denying that sleeveless dresses are beautiful, but they can often be not the most convenient. One of the best bridesmaids gifts you can give is the peace of mind that there won’t be any dress-falling-down moments. You can achieve this with a cap sleeve dress. While the sleeves are discreet and subtle, they are obvious enough to add a touch of class to the outfit while still highlighting the style and intricacies of the chest area. Better yet, lace typically ties this area together for the ultimate bridesmaid look.

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Why Support with Drug Rehabilitation is Crucial

Drug Rehabilitation

Deciding to quit drugs, book into drug rehab and turn your life around is a courageous first step, but it’s not one without its hardships. Not only do you then have to fight through various withdrawal symptoms, but you have to combat those ever-present urges to start retaking them. Heroin and painkiller withdrawal symptoms can last one or two days, but for benzodiazepines, cocaine, and even alcohol, they can continue into the weeks or months.

Whether you book into drug rehab as an inpatient or outpatient, or you choose to carry on with daily life, we’ve included some of the many reasons why getting support with your journey is crucial.

People to Talk With

Trying to get your life back on the right track while avoiding all temptations is not only challenging, but it can be isolating. If you let people in to travel on the journey with you, they can be around as a listening ear. Rather than bottling up your emotions which can increase the temptation to use, you can talk them through, having someone offer solutions to your problems, or being around when you’re at your weakest point.

Help with Withdrawal Symptoms

When you stop taking drugs, your body goes through a period of withdrawal. You can feel both mentally and physically drained, ready to give up and go back to the life that’s comfortable, and the one you know. However, if you book into drug rehab or surround yourself with a support system, you’re better equipped to deal with those withdrawal symptoms.

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