How to Get Longer Eyelashes Naturally: 6 Tips

Let’s be real: Who doesn’t want naturally thick, long and beautiful eyelashes that don’t require a touch of mascara? A set of luscious lashes complements every pair of eyes. There are plenty of products that claim to help with hair growth, but how can you boost your lashes naturally? Here are six solutions. 1. Apply Olive Oil You probably already have this versatile household staple in your panty. Olive oil is known for softening and moisturizing hair, which can help with eyelash growth. It's full of vitamins like A, D and K. It also has a high level of vitamin E, which is known to fight free radicals involved in the aging process. You should apply once a day, and results should be visible after four weeks. 2. Utilize Castor Oil This adaptable oil is popular in many DIY beauty routines. People use it to treat inflammation and acne and even reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots. It can also strengthen your eyelashes. The fatty acids in castor oil can help prevent breakage, which leads to longer and healthier lashes. This product works great as a conditioner to make your eyelashes appear thicker. Be sure to use 100% pure castor oil because some versions have essential oils mixed in, which could cause irritation. 3. Implement Aloe Vera Aloe vera is a popular plant-based ingredient commonly used to heal wounds and burns while moisturizing the skin. This spiky succulent looks great on a window sill, but if gardening isn’t your thing, you can also buy aloe vera gel in a bottle at your local drug store. Aloe vera is full of antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E. It also contains zinc, which plays an essential role in tissue growth and reduces hair loss due to deficiency. 4. Adapt Your Routine Improper removal of makeup may be causing you to damage your eyelashes before they have a chance to grow long and strong. You should use makeup remover to clean your eyelids and lashes gently. If you rub your eyes frequently or scrub too harshly, you can rip out your lashes. Try limiting your use of eyelash curlers or extensions because these products can pull out your eyelashes. Instead, brush your lashes to ensure they grow straight. 5. Change Your Diet Your diet affects your body’s ability to function effectively. The food you eat provides the necessary nutrients to grow longer, healthier lashes and prevent breakage. Try cutting out unhealthy foods high in alcohol, fat and sugar, because these substances can lead to hair loss. Choose products that are dense in vitamins and nutrients. Examples include: SpinachEggsAvocadosSweet potatoesSalmonNuts  6. Avoid Low-Quality Makeup It’s crucial to figure out what’s causing your lash loss. Is it a result of aging, stress or hormonal imbalance? The answer may lie in your beauty products. If you are using low-quality makeup, your morning routine may be causing more harm than good. Makeup particles can be inflammatory and irritating. If you are using eye products near your eyelid margins, you can accidentally block the meibomian glands used to lubricate your eyes. You should also discard any old makeup because it’s a haven for bacteria growth. In particular, mascara tubes provide the dark, moist environment bacteria love. Even if you have some product remaining, toss it if it hasn’t been used in several months or is passed the expiration date. How to Apply Products Begin by washing your face with a gentle cleanser and some water. Thoroughly remove any makeup from your face and gently massage your eyelids. You should use a clean mascara wand or cotton swabs to apply your product of choice to your lashes. You need only a few drops, and you should avoid wiping it into your lash line to prevent eye irritation. It’s best to apply it before bed to limit how often you touch your face. Rinse in the morning before applying makeup. Say Goodbye to Scanty Eyelashes You no longer have to wonder how to get longer eyelashes naturally. By implementing these six tips, you’ll be well on your way to thick, luscious lashes that will make everyone jealous. Have patience and remember that these beauties will look great even when the makeup is off.

Are you looking for love? 2020 makes things a bit more complicated. Many people consider merely going to a bar risky, let alone meeting a stranger there.  The answer, as in many COVID-19-created problems, lies in technology. You can meet a new love virtually — but you still need to think of what to say. Here are eight tips for online dating conversations to keep the discussion going and let you get to know the person “behind the mask.”  1. Use Open-Ended Questions  If you’re a parent, you know that asking your kids, “How was school today?” will result in a monosyllabic “fine.” Why would online dating conversations be any different? Besides, “How was your day” is a lame conversation starter. Instead, arm yourself with tons of open-ended questions before you check your online dating inbox. You can find out a lot about your prospective mate. For example, if they reply, “a downtown Manhattan penthouse” to the “if you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?” question, you know to keep searching if you crave a quiet cottage in the country.  2. Keep an Open Mind If you use social media as a guide, you might think the world is polarized. While differences do exist, you must also guard against the propensity to stereotype others based on one answer.  For example, if you dare broach the political conversation, you might ask, “What do you think is the most pressing issue of our time?” If you’re a treehugger, you might fall head over heels for someone who responds, “Passing a Green New Deal.”  However, don’t shut out someone who replies, “expanding health care to all” or “ending racism and eliminating barriers to achievement for minorities.” Such individuals might also care deeply about the planet but have reasons to support other causes as well.  3. Respond Sincerely  You might think, “Who cares about little white lies online?” You will, if the chance to meet the right person arises and you have to explain the fib in person.  Respond sincerely to the inquiries you receive. This openness makes the conversation more refreshing, and it also ups your chances of meeting someone compatible.  This rule applies to your appearance, too. Let’s be real: No one wants to crash diet before a first date. It’s unsafe and can damage your health. Wouldn’t you rather have someone who accepts you as you are, a few extra pounds and all?  4. Slow and Steady Wins the Race Online dating isn’t a TV game show. There’s no need to rush from “Hi, how’s it going” to the first date in 30 minutes or less, minus commercial breaks.  Feel free to trash messages along the lines of, “Hey, you look fine — wanna hook up?” Be safe and do you if that’s your wish, but if you want a relationship, slow and steady wins the race. Take the time to get to know each other's personalities through messaging. It might seem old-fashioned or quaint, but it can lead to a stronger bond.  5. Ask for Their Advice Nearly everybody wants to feel like their opinions have merit. You can use this technique as a sneaky way to ferret out more information about a prospective partner while flattering them a bit.  Let’s say you had some negative experiences, and you want to weed out anyone with narcissistic tendencies. You might keep the online dating conversation going by asking how they would react if a colleague took credit for one of their ideas.  Run the other way if a prospective mate says they would find a way to get revenge or sabotage the other individual. Give the green light to those who say they would talk to the offender later or call a private meeting with their supervisor.  6. Seek Shared Experiences Imagine you spill your coffee on your blouse before a vital job interview. Then visualize the hiring manager putting you at ease by confessing a similar episode happened to them.  You can create bonds over shared experiences — even embarrassing ones. If your would-be beau confesses to a time they got lost in the woods, share your story of embarrassingly getting turned around on a hike close to home.  7. Talk to Multiple People  Treat online dating conversations the same way you do job interviews. Don’t expect every connection to pan out — but do use these discussions as opportunities to get better at chatting with others virtually.  No rule says you have to go out with everyone you talk to. Remember the old saying about having to kiss a lot of frogs before finding your prince (or princess)?  8. Request More Information Don’t be shy about asking for more information — once you establish trust. Understandably, you might feel nervous about giving out your digits if you had problems in the past with lovers who wouldn’t let go.  Typically, people exchange numbers before the first date to make it less cumbersome to coordinate meetings. You can always use a free digital phone number such as Google Voice to keep your cell number sacrosanct.  Safety Tips for Online Dating You should protect your safety when preparing to get together with someone you met online IRL (in real life). Here are three tips to follow:  Talk on the phone before meeting: You can’t always tell a person’s tone through digital communication. A voice conversation gives you more insight into their personality through their mannerisms. Meet in a neutral location: Netflix isn’t the best choice for a first date. Select a public place like a coffee shop with ample outdoor seating. Make sure you feel comfortable before heading to a more private location, which could take several dates. Have the mask conversation: You meet, the sparks fly — next comes the kiss goodnight, right? Yeah, 2020 threw a bit of a plot twist into that storyline. Have the conversation about wearing masks and taking other COVID-19 precautions beforehand, so you don’t feel awkward at crunch time.  Use These 8 Tips for Better Online Dating Conversations  Having better online dating conversations need not be challenging. The eight tips above will help you keep the discussion going and could lead to a meaningful relationship.

Everyone else is sweating, but you pull on a sweater. Your bathroom sink looks like a hayfield after you brush your dark blonde hair. What’s causing these distressing symptoms?  You could have a thyroid problem. This organ helps you regulate multiple body functions, including your metabolism. When this butterfly-shaped gland in your throat goes haywire, it wreaks havoc nearly everywhere else. Here are 10 symptoms of thyroid problems in women that may signal it's time to call the doctor.  1. Putting on Your Snuggie It’s the middle of August in Phoenix, and you pull on a pair of Sherpa socks and a sweater. Always feeling cold is a sign of thyroid troubles. If your body makes excess thyroid hormone, you could experience the opposite problem. If you start removing layers when everyone else is bundling up, you might have a hyperactive thyroid. Since this organ regulates your body temperature, too little leaves you shivering, and too much makes you sweat.  2. Gaining Excess Padding  Gaining weight without changing your diet or exercise program happens when your thyroid produces too little hormone. If you can’t seem to shed the excess pounds despite a strict diet and exercise regimen, this organ could be a possible culprit.  Conversely, excess thyroid hormone can make you lose weight. Don’t think that you can shed unwanted pounds quickly through supplementation, however. Factitious hypothyroidism occurs when someone takes too much of this hormone on purpose, and it can cause heart issues in extreme cases.  3. Needing Frequent Manicures If a single snag on your sweater leads to a broken nail, you might have a thyroid problem. Both too much or too little of this hormone can cause brittle, fragile nails. Yellow nails usually indicate fungus, but they can also plague people with glandular trouble.  4. Hating Tight Turtlenecks Your thyroid resides in your throat. Therefore, when this gland becomes inflamed, you may experience swelling, or goiter, in the front of your neck. You may also become sensitive to pressure, and wearing turtlenecks can feel constrictive.  5. Clogging the Shower If you have hypothyroidism or low thyroid function, it may cause you to start losing your hair. Most folks shed between 50 and 100 hairs per day naturally. However, if yours starts coming out in clumps, call your doctor without delay. Don't assume it's only due to stress. Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive gland, can also cause shedding.  6. Looking a Bit Older  A malfunctioning thyroid proves distressing to many women because of the toll it takes on their appearance. An underactive thyroid can cause dryness and ashy skin. It can also make you look prematurely wrinkly.  7. Missing the Cardinal  Your body’s hormones work in tandem. When one of them falls out of whack, it impacts the function of others.  In hypothyroidism, your pituitary gland signals the release of more thyroid releasing hormone (TRH). High levels of TRH interfere with the production of estrogen. As a result, your ovaries don’t release eggs. You could struggle with infertility, and your periods may stop.  8. Losing Your Get-up-and-Go Your thyroid affects metabolism, which regulates more than your temperature and how quickly you burn off a burger. It also impacts energy levels. Insufficient thyroid hormones can leave you feeling tired and sluggish.  An overage, conversely, can make it troublesome to fall asleep. Don’t assume your night sweats are due to menopause if you’re a woman over 40 — your doctor can detect thyroid problems with a blood test.  9. Having Trouble With “the Go”  When your metabolism slows down, so do all your muscle groups, including the smooth ones. Your digestive tract may not push food through as quickly, making it challenging to go. Plus, the compact stools often contain little water, causing you to strain.  An overabundance of thyroid hormone has the opposite effect. You may develop diarrhea, and you could grow dehydrated if you don’t replenish your fluids.  10. Taking Lengthy Power Naps  The lack of energy caused by insufficient thyroid hormone can make you want to lie in bed all day. If you find it more challenging to get up when the alarm sounds, many factors could contribute.  Other causes of feeling tired after a full night’s rest include sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. However, thyroid problems in women often contribute to excessive sleepiness. If you don’t currently have insurance and are concerned about health care costs, you can try at-home tests. These tools enable you to rule out one possible cause.  Recognize These 10 Symptoms of Thyroid Problems in Women  Do you recognize any of these 10 symptoms of thyroid problems in yourself? If so, talk to your doctor and get tested. Current treatments mean the cure for your symptoms may be a phone call away. 

Have you repeatedly tried to start a fitness plan and lost steam every time? Maybe your routine didn’t fit your lifestyle.  Total fitness comprises three components: strength, cardiovascular training and flexibility. However, the possibilities for creating a personalized program are nearly endless. Here is a seven-step path designed to teach you how to make a fitness plan you’ll stick to for life.  1. Step One: Evaluate This stage may seem simple, but it might be the most vital to your program’s success. Before beginning any fitness regimen, you should ask yourself health-related questions and talk to your physician about modifications for your conditions.  Once you understand your limitations, you need to ask yourself about other factors that hindered your past progress. Consider the following:  What caused me to quit my last program? Was it too strenuous because you bit off too much, too soon? Did you find it hopelessly boring to log miles on a treadmill, TV or no TV? How much time can I realistically devote? Everyone can make time for fitness —  you can even sneak in moves on your work breaks. However, you might not want to start marathon training if you work from home, homeschool your children and take part-time graduate classes to boot. What do I love? As the cliché goes, if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. You can say the same for your workouts.  2. Step Two: Pick a Cardio Once you evaluate your health and lifestyle, it’s time to select activities for each of the three main fitness components and get started. You need cardiovascular training to work your heart and lungs and improve your endurance.  Walking or running both qualify as ideal activities because they require minimal financial commitment. All you need is a pair of comfortable, sturdy shoes for each. If you struggle to squeeze in fitness, can you walk to work or park further away?  Along those lines, you could also ride a bike to work. You can find electric models that boost your pedal power if you worry about showing up to your job all sweaty.  If dementia or Alzheimer’s disease runs in your family, dancing can reduce your risk by 76% — twice that of reading a book. Plus, all you need to do is dock your smartphone and boogie down in your living room.  3. Step Three: Get Your Strength On  The second component of total fitness is strength or resistance training. Fortunately, you don’t need to join a gym, but please don’t fear the dumbbells if you’re female. Women typically lack the testosterone levels necessary for bulging biceps, but you will look sleek and toned.  Should you use machines or free weights? Both have substantial benefits. Free weights give you a wider range of motion, but calibrated devices help keep you in perfect alignment.  If you don’t like dumbbells, why not invest in inexpensive resistance bands? They come with the added perk of slipping into your suitcase without adding weight — there’s no need to skip a workout due to travel.  4. Step Four: Stretch It, Baby  Many folks overlook the flexibility component of total fitness, but doing so could lead to injury. All you need is five to 10 minutes after each workout, and maybe a few when you first awaken to get your blood flowing.  If you enjoy being flexible, why not give yoga a go? You can find a style to fit your ability level, from gentle yin to athletic ashtanga.  5. Step Five: Variety Is the Spice of Life  Even if you love your workout plan, you’ll get bored if your life consists of, “If it’s Tuesday, it must be bike-ride day.” Choose at least one day a week to try an activity outside of the norm. Spice up your treadmill workout with a Zumba class or meet a friend for racquetball.  6. Step Six: Increase Daily Activity Painlessly When it comes to making a fitness plan, don’t stop by penciling gym visits into your planner. Once you make it a part of your lifestyle, you’ll find yourself shedding unwanted pounds without dieting.  Start by making substitutions, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Expand on this idea as you get fitter. Can you walk to pick up your child from school instead of idling in the parent pickup line? Instead of collapsing in front of Netflix again, can you challenge your partner to a game of Twister? 7. Step Seven: Embrace Active Rest Many experts recommend taking time off every three to five days if you do moderate to vigorous workouts. Consider these downtimes when you make your fitness plan.  You don’t have to lie in bed. Maybe your scheduled gym break is ideal for strolling museum grounds with your kids and identifying various trees and flowers. Perhaps you take the family bowling on Saturday when they offer unlimited games for one low fee.  How to Make a Fitness Plan — Follow This 7-Step Program That Fits Your Lifestyle  Now that you know how to make a fitness plan, you have the tools you need to get in the best shape of your life. Get out there and work that glorious body! 

You and your friend were once so close you considered yourselves BFFs. However, recently, things don’t seem the same. Every interaction you have leaves you feeling hollow. Is it time to wave goodbye? Relationships, including the nonsexual variety, end for multiple reasons. If you’re considering breaking up with a friend you love, you need to first come to peace with that decision. Only then can you effectively cope with the aftermath and move on.  Does the Friendship Have to End?  How do you know if the relationship has to end? Here are signs that may indicate it’s time to end things with a friend despite your history.  You dread their negativity: Does every phone call feel more like a chore than a chat? If every interaction makes you feel negative, ask yourself why. Everyone needs someone to unload on, but if every conversation is a tale of woe, you’ll eventually grow melancholy. The friendship is one-sided: You haven’t heard from them in weeks — they never even returned your call when your grandmother was in the hospital. Now they’re short on rent money, and they text you every day until they guilt-trip you into loaning the extra before disappearing again. They bring the drama: They have a new crush every week, which wouldn’t annoy you if it were Ryan Gosling or Jason Momoa. However, they remain convinced every late-night bar encounter means they met “the one,” and they have no trouble calling you in hysterics at 3 a.m. when things go south. They betrayed your trust: You only told one person that you coveted the supervisory role up for grabs. When it went to someone else, everyone in the office started offering their condolences to you. Who spilled the beans?  8 Ways to Cope With Breaking up With a Friend You Love You’ve decided it’s best to break up with a friend you love, even though you still care. Maybe instead of making a dramatic declaration, you quietly go your separate way by answering calls with brief text messages and declining invitations. Perhaps you meet, outline your boundaries and draw the line when the other person crosses them.  Either way, you still have to deal with the psychological hurt. Here’s how to nurture your heart as you heal.  1. Give Yourself Time As when a romantic relationship ends, your first instinct after breaking up with a friend you love may be to find a suitable replacement. However, it’s every bit as vital to spend time alone to rediscover who you are before declaring a new BFF.  You need to evaluate what went wrong and your role in the last friendship ending. Spend some time in honest reflection — did you demand too much of your former best friend? Did you flake on them once too often without a suitable explanation? You can’t change the past, but you can alter your behavior to make your future brighter.  2. Indulge Yourself Healthfully  Resist the urge to pull on your comfy pants and binge the newest Netflix series with a bottle of moscato in one hand and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in the other. Self-destructing in the wake of a friendship breakup will only reinforce your foolish idea that you deserve to feel lonely.  You should treat yourself — but do so healthfully. Sign up for that mud race your former BFF always shunned or take a relaxing bubble bath after practicing yoga.  3. Join a Support Group Sometimes, you don’t initiate the breakup with the friend you love. People with chronic illnesses often lose friendships when their limitations make it challenging to hang out as often as they like. In such instances, you need a network of those who understand your circumstances. Search for online support groups for your conditions or chronic pain in general. While you shouldn’t do so with the expectation of meeting a new BFF, you might.  4. Sign up for a Networking Opportunity  Given the pandemic, you can find a host of online networking events, many free and low-cost. You could meet new contacts and possibly advance your career.  5. Investigate New Fitness Fun  Have you always wanted to try balancing in tree pose atop a paddleboard? Some group fitness instructors are getting highly creative to keep classes going while maintaining social distancing. Try one of the exciting outdoor offerings and keep an open mind.  6. Look Into Clubs Do you love to read? Why not join an online book club to discuss the juicy novel you can’t put down with others? If you adore the “game of kings,” you can find virtual chess clubs where you can meet new friends while honing your skills.  7. Expand Your Knowledge  Remember how college friendships formed as painlessly as sharing a single kvetching session after class? Why not improve your knowledge base while putting yourself in a position to meet others the same way again? If nothing else, you’ll add to your resume.  8. Invite a Colleague to Coffee It's understandable if you keep a low profile at the office. However, you don’t want to cultivate a reputation as someone standoffish. Invite that new hire or colleague you haven’t chatted with in a while to coffee or lunch.  Breaking up With a Friend You Love Can Be Painful but Necessary  Like the song goes, breaking up is hard to do. However, by thinking things through rationally and giving yourself time to heal, you can make the best choice for your psychological health. 

It’s Sunday at 5 p.m., and you start to feel a sensation of dread. You stay up binge-watching the latest series as long as you can, but when you hit the sheets, you toss and turn in despair. Could you be feeling job strain?  Your career — or your working conditions — can damage your physical and mental health. Here’s an overview of what causes job strain, the consequences of this condition and how you can ease your stress.  4 Causes of Job Strain  Job strain refers to a state of psychological disquiet that can lead to physical consequences. According to author Robert Karasek, these physical and mental health risks occur when you couple workload demands or pressures with a low measure of control over how to meet said requirements.  You can see this dynamic at work in many customer-facing roles. Many service professionals receive scores, or metrics, based upon client satisfaction responses to surveys. You might hear this when you call your cable company for internet help, and a recorded voice asks if you’d like to tell them about your experience after the call.  However, the individual answering the phone can’t control if you called five times previously and received inadequate advice. Nor can they fix a down fiber-optic line 50 miles away. If the survey asks, “How likely are you to recommend ____,” and you say, “No way on this planet, baby,” the unlucky rep who took your call also takes the fall for the negative score.   Those who work in such situations often hear management say, “The positives outweigh the negatives if you do a solid job.” For someone in that position, though, it’s frustrating to watch a much-needed bonus evaporate for no other reason than you aren’t a superhero with a magic cape to fix any problem.  Here are four situations that can cause job strain.  1. Poor Ergonomics These circumstances often apply to assembly line workers and store clerks who must stand for hours on harsh, concrete floors. However, this can occur in office environments, as well. An improper chair or monitor placement can lead to low back strain.  2. Hazardous Work Conditions  Hazardous conditions increase stress, but the tension becomes toxic if nothing is done to protect workers. A perfect example of this is the recent novel coronavirus pandemic.  According to United Food and Commercial Workers International, at least 82 grocery store workers died since news of the pandemic broke, and more than 10,000 have fallen ill. While fatalities make better headline fodder, the worst consequences may impact survivors. Many such workers lack access to benefits, and the long-term medical effects of infection can prove financially ruinous in a country that lacks universal health care.  While COVID-19 is new, many have long had to decide between unsafe working conditions and going hungry or homeless. The stress alone can devastate their health.  3. Workplace Harassment  Despite laws preventing discrimination, many individuals still face it on the clock. Only recently did the Supreme Court decide that civil rights laws also cover members of the LGBTQ+ community. However, in states with right-to-work legislation, your employer may fire you for any reason or none at all. This effectively negates such protections except in the most egregious instances.  4. Toxic Stress  It’s 4:59 p.m. on a Friday, and your daughter has a weekend of soccer matches slated. Nevertheless, your boss plops down a proposal on your desk and asks you to revise it by 9 a.m. on Monday, forcing you to choose between a disappointed child and a potential blemish on your next evaluation.  Sadly, workers in the United States face relatively few legal protections against unfair working conditions. As a result, you may feel like you have no choice but to honor your boss’s unreasonable demand and live with a sulky teenager to boot.  Conditions Caused by Job Strain  Job strain is no joke. It can have devastating physical and mental health consequences, such as the following:  Chronic pain: Many conditions, such as migraines, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, tend to flare when you feel unduly stressed. As a result, your symptoms become worse or even unmanageable.  Heart conditions: Recent scientific evidence indicates that prolonged stress may rewire the circuits in your brain that regulate blood pressure. Even if you cut down on salt, don’t smoke or drink, and exercise regularly, you could increase your risk of cardiovascular disease by remaining in a toxic work environment. Depression and anxiety: Depression and anxiety rates continue climbing, and some experts believe that the lack of control many workers feel over their circumstances contributes to these issues. Other mental disorders: People who live with others who exhibit signs of narcissistic or antisocial personality disorder often start to develop severe psychological problems. Unfortunately, some of the traits of toxic folks make them excel in the workplace — where they may become your boss.  How to Ease Job Strain  If you fear you suffer from job strain, the following five activities could improve your mental and physical well-being.  Take care of your health: As much as you may want to dive into the bottle, a bag of chips and a Netflix binge, try to resist the urge. Instead, prep healthy meals on your days off and try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. Set a meeting with your supervisor: Your boss may not understand the toll their demands take. Set a time to discuss priorities with them. Instead of saying, “I’m overwhelmed,” try, “You’ve given me quite a few things to tackle. How would you like me to prioritize these activities so I cover the most vital assignments?” Talk to HR: If your direct supervisor is hostile, your next step is to talk to HR. Some workplaces allow you to file anonymous grievances. If you are the victim of harassment and have a trustworthy ally, they may submit a complaint on your behalf. Redesign your workspace: If your chair causes you discomfort, can you request a new, more ergonomic one? Could you try a standing desk or sit on an inflatable exercise ball? Investigate how to make your workspace suit your body to reduce repetitive strain injuries and pain. Consider moving on: If nothing eases your toxic work environment, it may be time to dust off your resume and move on to another position. While the market is challenging, opportunities still exist. You won’t find them, though, if job strain damages your health to the point where you have no energy to look.  What Is Job Strain? It’s a Preventable Cause of Many Illnesses  Now that you know what job strain is, take steps to reduce it in your life. Doing so will benefit your mental and physical health. 

You exercise to stay in shape, but all that sweat can leave you feeling less than fresh. What’s the answer? Most of us reach for deodorant.  However, could grabbing that stick undermine your hard-won health gains? Possibly, depending on the ingredient list. Here are the harmful effects of deodorant and eight natural ways to stay fresh without toxins.  How Deodorant Can Harm You Commercial deodorants can contain multiple toxic ingredients, which may be absorbed through your flesh. In the 1980s, officials feared mass accidental overdoses of hallucinogens like LSD from temporary tattoos coated in the substance. Your skin is an organ that can absorb both medicine and poisons.  That stick you grab off store shelves to protect you from stinky pits can contain the following five potentially toxic ingredients, so beware:  Aluminum: This ingredient should scare women in particular, although men are not immune. Researchers found an association between the use of deodorant that includes this ingredient and breast cancer. Applying it to broken skin can be particularly problematic as it can directly enter the bloodstream. Parabens: Parabens impact human hormonal function, including estrogen production. Your breasts also contain this hormone, and imbalances could promote cancer growth. Triclosan: This ingredient likewise messes with hormonal function. As critically in today’s COVID-19 world, it can upset your intestinal microbiome. These beneficial bacteria send signals to your immune system, and an imbalance could result in more frequent illnesses. Phthalates: These substances affect androgens, the female version of testosterone. While imbalanced testosterone levels can affect male fertility, they also impact strength and muscular endurance in both sexes — not an effect you want if working out. Fragrances: Some people are sensitive to fragrances. If you ever taught sixth grade and had a student break out the spray can after gym class, you might sympathize more than most. Scents can trigger migraines, and drying alcohol can cause skin irritation in some.  The potentially harmful effects of deodorant sound dreadful. However, so does the prospect of offending your date with a case of B.O. How can you stay naturally fresh?  8 Natural Ways to Stay Fresh Without Harmful Chemicals  You don’t have to resort to potentially harmful deodorant to mingle in polite society. Here’s are eight ways to stay stink-free without chemicals.  1. Wash  You can’t go wrong with old-fashioned soap and water when it comes to busting body odor. Plus, you can find the supplies you need in nearly any public restroom.  Take the time to shower after the gym. Don a cap if you don’t want to wet your hair. Alternatively, use a cloth — just please, make sure to wipe down the sink for the next person.  2. Shave Please don’t scoff if you are a guy — shaved pits on a male look much more appealing than underarm dreads. Although the evidence for cutting stink is mainly anecdotal, you will notice fewer sweat stains on your dress shirts when you trim those bushes.  Shaving your pits may increase your confidence. Studies show that you feel less confident when you know you have B.O., although why research was needed to confirm this fact remains unknown.  3. Witch Hazel If you previously used spray deodorant, you might have noticed alcohol among the ingredients. Any astringent will help ease odor because it dries up perspiration and kills bacteria.  However, rubbing alcohol can dry your skin, causing it to flake and itch. Scratching your pits makes you look like a monkey, so stick with a milder astringent. Witch hazel is less harsh than alcohol, and you can pick it up for pennies at nearly any drug store.  4. Apple Cider Vinegar  Here’s another natural astringent for deodorizing. You might find it works even more effectively at killing odor-causing bacteria.  You can add apple cider vinegar to a spray bottle. Spritz a bit under your arms post-shower to kill any lingering germs.  5. Coconut Oil If you have dry skin, coconut oil may be your ideal deodorant. This thick, solid-at-room-temperature stuff makes a glorious skin balm.  That’s not where the magic stops, though. Coconut oil also has antibacterial properties to keep your armpits fresh for hours.  6. Baking Soda  What if you want to stop both sweat and stink? Why not add absorbent and nontoxic baking soda to your armpit repertoire?  You can blend baking soda with coconut oil to make a creamy paste. If you are acne-prone, do the same using witch hazel to achieve the desired consistency.  7. Hand Sanitizer  It’s 2020 — do you know where your hand sanitizer is? It’s probably hanging on your keychain — and in your purse, your car’s glove box, your briefcase — you get the point.  Guess what? Anything that kills bacteria will deodorize your pits. A squirt of the gel stuff might sting a bit, but you probably have gentle wipes that don’t burn.  8. Activated Charcoal  If you must have deodorant in stick form, take heart. Some folks sweat more than others.  If Botox injections for excess sweating exceed your price range, look for brands that use activated charcoal as a primary ingredient. This nontoxic substance will banish sweat and odor without harmful chemicals.   Stay Fresh Naturally and Shun the Harmful Effects of Deodorant  The harmful effects of deodorant can undo your gym gains if you slather it on after a workout. Instead, use one of the natural remedies above to stay stink-free and safe. 

Family makes enduring the slings and arrows of life worth it. However, if you suffer from conflict-ridden, tumultuous relationships with your nearest and dearest, it can cause severe psychological distress that poisons your happy existence.  What makes a good family relationship? Here are eight qualities you should strive to develop with your spouse, children and anyone else in your bloodline squad.  1. A Team Mindset When you hit the theme park, do you all wear matching shirts? Such measures may do more than help you spy each other if lost — it also creates a feeling of camaraderie.  If you have the extra funds, get baseball or football jerseys made that say “Team Your-Last-Name.” When you rock these at events, everyone will know to which crew you belong. Nervous children will instantly feel more included at activities like the annual back-to-school kickoff game.  2. Quality Time Together  If you want to nurture good family relationships, you need to spend time with your loved ones. While this should go without saying, what constitutes quality time?  Gathering around the dinner table doesn’t count if you all stare at separate devices between requests to please pass the peas. Bring back the family mealtime, but make it doable for your schedule. If you work the second shift while your kids homeschool, having a healthy brunch together might make more sense than holding supper until 11 p.m.  3. Healthy Communication Skills How do you and your loved ones communicate? Hurling insults at each other doesn’t make for good family relationships.  Those with a volatile argumentative style may get heated, but they never descend into name-calling or emotional abuse. Learn to disagree without belittling and reinforce that you still love your family members even when you get angry at their behavior.  4. A Secure Attachment Style Psychologists recognize four basic attachment styles, and only one — secure — is healthy.  Dismissive-avoidant: Folks with this style pay little attention to each other's needs, leaving children and partners feeling neglected. Anxious-preoccupied: Those with this attachment style might fit the “helicopter parent” stereotype. They’re so afraid of harm or loss to loved ones that they can smother and grow overprotective. Fearful-avoidant: Those with this attachment style often suffered severe past trauma. They want to build closeness, but their “once-bitten” mindset prevents them from getting too close.Secure: These folks make like the old song and hang on loosely without letting go. They let their spouse and kids know they care without cramping their style.  You can take an online quiz to discover your attachment style. If it isn’t secure, consider working with a trained therapist to become more so — you can change how you interact.  5. A Positive Lifestyle You might have heard news stories about parents appearing behind their children in online classes halfway dressed, using drugs and alcohol, and seemingly promoting unhealthy behavior. If such actions appear on camera, imagine what happens in private.  Promote a healthy, positive lifestyle with your family. You don’t have to live on green smoothies and train for triathlons as a clan, but you should avoid smoking and drinking in front of your kids. At a minimum, discuss why some adults indulge in destructive behaviors — letting your kids see you struggle to quit might discourage them from taking that first drag.  6. Forgiveness and Acceptance What’s the price of a single B on a report card? If you ground your second grader for such a mark for a month, you may destroy her passion for learning.  Part of making good family relationships entails loving each member for their unique gifts. Your child may never become a whiz at math, but if they can build a birdhouse in minutes, they have a promising future career in construction. Don’t try to force your kids to conform to standards of perfection that may equate to forcing a fish to climb a tree — celebrate their unique strengths.  Likewise, if your 16-year-old dents your fender while learning to drive, talk the incident over but move past it. Everybody makes mistakes, and knowing they will be forgiven encourages your children to trust you.  7. Meeting Basic Needs and Crisis-Coping Skills  To have positive family relationships, you must be able to meet your clan’s basic needs for shelter, food and health care. Unfortunately, this task may not be easy. Millions of Americans lived in poverty before the pandemic, and 8 million more slipped into destitution since it began.  Find ways to work together to meet your basic needs. If you must homeschool your children, try to find quality work-from-home employment to avoid the need for expensive day care.  Kids often want to help. While child labor laws exist for good reason, it’s OK to let them have a lemonade stand or help collect cans to turn in for recycling money.  8. Gratitude for One Another  When the rest of the world seems to turn against you, your family ensures that someone has your back. Express gratitude for one another regularly.  Tell your children when they make you laugh until you burst. Make them feel proud of the joy they bring to your life. Thank your spouse for emptying the dishwasher or running the recycling to the sorting center. In the hubbub of daily life, it’s natural to overlook the little things you feel grateful for,  but ignoring your family’s efforts can breed resentment.  Do You Make Good Family Relationships? Improve Yours With These Tips  If you want to form good family relationships, the eight tips above can help. Create a united clan against an unpredictable world by celebrating those you hold most dear. 

Adjusting your diet can improve your health and provide much-needed change. You might have tried different trends in the past, like intermittent fasting or the keto diet. Those lifestyle choices help many people reach their personal goals, but have you ever considered if juicing could be the solution you need? There are many pros and cons of juicing, which you should think about before you begin. They could prove it’s the right choice for your health needs or point to potential concerns you can discuss with your doctor. Pro: Juice Has Many Vitamins Processed foods line grocery store shelves. Your typical boxed, frozen or canned dinners contain sugars and preservatives. It makes them last longer and cost less, so many people rely on them for the majority of their diet. Switching to juice provides many natural vitamins and minerals you won’t get from processed food. Depending on which fruits and vegetables you run through your juicer, you’ll absorb more vitamins, such as: Vitamin CVitamin B6Vitamin AMagnesiumPotassium As you digest these nutrients, they’ll heal your body on a cellular level for lasting change. Con: You’ll Lose Fiber Juicers grind vegetables and fruits before pushing the contents through a strainer. It creates a delicious drink without pulp or lingering clumps. Even though the texture might be more appealing to you than blended drinks, it cuts 90% of the fiber from whatever you juice. Unfortunately, the skin of fruits and veggies contains most of the fiber. Without it, your body can’t pass the toxins and waste, which helps lead to weight loss. Pro: Juice Contains Phytonutrients Along with other common minerals and vitamins, leafy greens and vegetables contain phytonutrients. They improve your intercellular communication by shielding cells from toxins. Phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants. They’ll balance your health and fight free radicals that cause cancer, which gives you a powerful tool to improve your long-term health. Con: You Could Drink More Sugar You might not have a juicer or the budget to buy one. It’s tempting to stock up on premade liters of juice, but that could increase your sugar intake. Major brands like Welch’s, Naked Juice and Tropicana contain processed blood-spiking sugar that negates any juicing benefits. Spiking your blood sugar leads to weight gain and potentially diabetes. Use caution regarding natural sugars as well. Fruits and vegetables have glucose, which contributes to hyperglycemia and diabetes even though it’s from an organic source. Juicing may not be suitable for individuals struggling with high blood pressure and similar health conditions. Pro: Juicing Is Convenient Some people love cooking, but it can take a lot of time. It’s also frustrating to feel like you spend most of your day in front of the stove. Juicing is much more convenient. Toss a few of your favorite vegetables or fruits in a juicer, and you’ll have your next meal substitute in seconds. Most juicers are dishwasher-friendly, too, so you don’t need to handwash each part between glasses. Prep apple juice before work or drink something citrusy before bed to get the nutrition you need without the hassle of making a full meal. Con: Your Metabolism Could Slow Down Protein is a critical component of any healthy diet. You’ll find it in meat and beans, but not in juice. Without adding some form of protein supplement to your juice cleanse, you could accidentally slow your metabolism. Compared to the other pros and cons of juicing, people might find this factor most surprising. When you digest protein, muscle tissues process it by burning more energy stored in fat cells, increasing your base metabolic rate. You’ll lose more body fat with a steady source of protein, so don’t forget to include it if you choose to juice. Although juice cleanses can lead to immediate weight loss, maintaining a diet without protein will prevent further progress. Pro: Juice Cleanses Bloating Depending on what you juice, you could reduce your bloating. Celery might lack flavor, but it contains key anti-inflammatory benefits that minimize bloating and other health risks. You might feel bloated on your regular diet because you eat too much sodium or foods that cause gas buildup in your gut. Juicing prevents this so you feel comfortable in your body. Con: You Might Need a Bigger Budget You’ve likely noticed that it cost less to get fast food or processed groceries than stock up on vegetables. Healthy food can require a bigger budget because the price factors in production expenses, including farmworkers, factory teams and shipping. Depending on how much juice you make, you might need to adjust your typical grocery budget. Talk With Your Doctor Now that you know the pros and cons of juicing, think about how it might help you reach your health goals. Talk with your doctor if you have any questions since this diet will directly affect people with conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.

If you have straight hair, you probably envy those lucky gals born with heads full of ringlets. You could turn to the curling iron or even get a perm — but those methods damage your locks.  How can you get heatless curls? The following 10 methods will leave you with anything from springy spirals to beach-tossed waves with minimal, if any, harm to your tresses.  1. Braids If you want big, beachy waves, braids are the way to go. They’re also super-simple to master.  All you need to do is separate clean hair into three sections. You can add your favorite sculpting product if you wish. Then, start weaving, crossing the left portion over the middle, then the right. Continue until you reach the end of your strands and secure with a hair tie.  The size of your braids determines how big your waves will be when you shake your hair out. If you want more impressive waves, make your weaves small and tight. A single loose plait will leave you looking like you recently emerged from the ocean.  2. Pin Curls Nearly every woman has a jar of bobby pins that aren’t working too hard. Why not become a job-creator by using them to craft pin curls?  Start with a small, clean section of hair and twirl it. Bear in mind it must be tiny enough to pin into place. Eventually, the swirl begins to wrap around your finger. When this occurs, secure it until it dries.  3. Messy Buns  That scrunchie you use to run to the store on windy days can create a gloriously wavy look. When you emerge from the shower, detangle your hair and add your favorite styling pomade or spritz.  Then, pull your wet locks into a high ponytail and loop it under itself, creating a loose bun. Secure with the scrunchie — avoid damaging damp strands by eschewing rubber bands. Once it dries, you’ll have large, loose waves.  4. Foam Rollers Does the term “rollers” evoke visions of dusters, hairnets and ungodly sleeping positions?  Relax. Today’s versions are soft and squishy, making it a snap to get your beauty rest.  They also come in various sizes, allowing you to craft a layered look. Create an eclectic mix of ringlets and waves for boho-chic that makes you the envy of your cubicle mates.  5. Paper Towels Hello? We’re in a pandemic, and money is tight. If you don’t have the sweet moolah available for a set of professional rollers, why not DIY?  Cut paper towels into 1 ½ inch strips. Wrap a small section of wet hair around each one, rolling it until it gets close to your scalp. Gently knot it — they break easily — and air-dry.  6. Straws If you want tighter ringlets but still crave the DIY experience, use straws. Here’s your opportunity to repurpose those plastic ones the folks at the drive-thru toss in your bag despite your insistence that you carry a reusable one in your purse.  You’ll also need bobby pins for this heatless curls method. Cut your straws into 2-inch strips. Twirl small strands of hair first, then wrap them around the cylinder. Secure at the top with a bobby pin.  7. Bantu Knots Bantu knots are phenomenal for creating kinky curls on short hair. The method is somewhat similar to making pin curls, although your objective is to craft a stacked knot.  Section your hair and create multiple two-strand twists around your head. If you plan to sport this look in public before taking it out, it helps to have an extra set of hands to make your parts straight.  Sculpt these into knots and secure with the band or device of your choice. These ties can tug on your hair overnight — give your strands a few days off between twists to avoid breakage. 8. Flexi Rods  Flexi-rods are a form of roller that consists of several pieces of soft, pliable plastic. You can twist them into nearly any shape.  The most frequently used technique is to wrap your hair as if the rod was a roller, then twist it at the end to secure. However, you can get crafty and fold the rods into S-shapes against your skull to create extra waves.  9. Headbands If manual dexterity is your middle name, you can use a headband to create a soft, wavy lift to thin, lifeless strands. Start by placing the headband around the crown of your head, but leave your bangs free. If you have long, thick locks, you might need two.  Then begin wrapping strands around the band, tucking them in as you go. Don’t worry if your creation looks nothing like that Pinterest photo. Use styling spritz to add hold. You might wake up looking like Medusa, but you’ll have beachy waves once you free your tresses.  10. Socks  Here’s some more DIY must-have know-how. What if you tried the paper towel method, but no matter what, you couldn’t stop the stuff from tearing? Use a sturdier material!  Cut old socks or T-shirts into strips and use them the same way you would the paper-towel method above. You can make the knots tighter, resulting in springier waves.  Learn How to Get Heatless Curls With These 10 Methods  There’s no need to use damaging heat or chemicals to style your hair. Learn how to get heatless curls using the 10 methods above.