Journeys Are My Diary

Whether you are buying a new phone, radio, set of earphones or any other type of electronics, there are many shops and stores online that have very good deals that you can benefit from. However, not all are created equal. All one needs to do is ensure that they are aware of these stores and their reputation. It is also important that one is aware of the seasonal sales that are available around the holidays so that money can be saved. Once you are aware of this, you should then know the various websites that are the most reputable for selling electronics equipment at a discounted price. For instance, visiting bestbudget.com  gives you a better idea of what tips you need to follow when shopping for electronics online.

Here are things you need to know to find great deals on electronics online:

Company or website

It is important that you do not get scammed in the process of buying your electronics. Even though you are interested in making cheap and quality buys from the many sellers online, it is important that one is sure of the company or the manufacturers of the electronics. Most of the sites that offer cheap electronics are those that sell fake electronics or just scams. You need to avoid these. The best way to go about this is by doing research about the various manufacturers, sellers and websites that deal with electronics. This way, you are aware of the scams from true deals.

Is there a warranty?

This is a very important factor that one needs to consider because even though the electronics are offered on affordable terms, you have to be sure that you can trust the items to work for the long term. This is only possible through a warranty that assures one that they will have their products repaired, exchanged or serviced in case of a problem. You should be on the lookout for the seller’s and the manufacturer’s warranty as it helps in the event the product stops working or if it does not meet your expectations.

Try before you buy

You may not be able to visit stores located many miles across the country to try out a product. However, before you buy online, it would make a lot of sense to visit the local stores and try it out. The fact that you have given a go to a product in a store does not obligate you to buy it. Therefore, you should not hesitate to visit stores and try products on offer online.

Buy older models

Buying an older version of a piece of electronics is one of the best ways to get value for your money. The latest versions of any kind of electronics are always expensive. However, the older versions will always be discounted heavily. This means that you can buy a quality piece of electronics at an affordable price and still be able to enjoy the services it offers. If you can find a seller that refurbishes and sells older models of electronics, you can be sure to get quality items affordably.

Having a weak digestive system is not nice. Doctors in the past have attributed a litany of conditions like constipation, general aches and pains, eczema, asthma, thrush, PMS and even mood swings to a weak and unhealthy digestive system. It’s an integral part of the machine that keeps the human body functioning, so needless to say it needs some support. 

Your digestive system aids in breaking down food into nutrients. Your body needs these nutrients for growth, energy and cell repair. As for drink, a healthy gut is needed so that your drink is turned into smaller molecules that can be absorbed into your blood.

Beyond helping to prevent conditions like those previously mentioned, there are several reasons why you should support your digestive system. 

It affects everything

The digestive system affects every element of your health. Digesting and absorbing the goodness in the food that you eat is all covered by your digestive system, so if something goes wrong or it isn’t working as well as it should be, it is impossible to achieve your optimal health. Even oral supplementation wouldn’t work – you’d have to take your vitamins intravenously. 

It’s not all about physical health, though. Your gut is linked to your brain. The health of your digestive system impacts your mental health and your mood. You can become sad (or even depressed), angry or more anxious if you are not eating the right foods or looking after your gut. 

Luckily for most people, it isn’t that bad, and if you take your regular dietary supplements to support the stomach it should never get that bad. 

It can help pain or aching sensations

A poor digestive system can cause inflammation of your joints, causing your whole body to feel achy and in pain. If your digestive system isn’t completely supported, it can cause a thin stomach/intestinal lining or, even worse, holes (look up leaky gut).

Your body’s immune system will start to attack its own blood due to the unrecognised contents which permeate through the membrane. This can lead to skin conditions like dry skin, eczema, itchy scalp and just a general inflamed body. 

It can aid weight loss

Supporting the digestive system includes identifying and eliminating anything that causes your digestive system’s lining to be damaged, thereby increasing your body’s ability to process the food you eat. This can reduce any feelings of bloating you might have, helps you to achieve the perfect water retention, balances blood sugar levels and reduces any cravings you might have. 

It can help your hormones 

People have known for a while that hormones have an effect on weight, but having a good digestive system is imperative for your hormone production as your body needs to digest certain fats and proteins properly to create them. 

This has knock-on effects and means that if your digestive system is not fully supported, then every system in the body can be impacted. When you heal your digestive system, your endocrine system starts working at optimal levels and you will just feel healthier. 

You will have wider lifestyle improvements

The wider impact on your lifestyle can be quite large. If you take the time to support your digestive system, you will reinstate proper enzyme function, pH and friendly bacteria in your stomach and throughout your body. These components are eroded with any common medications you might take (even aspirin), which causes symptoms that require the administration of those medications more often. 

If you have a better and healthier digestive system, you will find that you will need to take fewer medications, which will coincide with an energy, libido, mood, memory and clarity boost. Your stomach can thus have a powerful effect on everything!

London is one of Europe’s biggest and most vibrant cities, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists a year from all over the world. Travelling across London to visit all its sights can be an opportunity to experience a few of the modes of transport that help make London so famous.

If you are thinking of visiting London, you should definitely check out this quick guide to London Transport and plan your journey across the capital with these ideas in mind. However if you want to avoid travelling with your luggage, consider checking it in at the airport or train station. Have a look at this best checked luggage guide to find your ideal suitcase. 

Go Underground and Use the Tube

London’s underground train network is one of the most developed in the world and is constantly expanding to offer commuters and visitors better transport links across all parts of the city.

You can travel across the tube inexpensively, and if you are planning on spending some time in the city and using the Tube a lot, you should consider buying a Visitor’s Oyster Card. These cards save you money as you travel across London and also give you a fun souvenir to remind you of your trip.

Try One of London’s Best Know Attractions: The Black Cab

The London Hackney Carriage was perhaps the world’s first professional cab service, and the tradition still exists today with London’s black cabs and their equally famous drivers.

The black cabs with an orange light on top have become a tourist attraction of their own, and you shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to take a cab across London. The drivers of the cab can spend years studying for ‘The Knowledge Test’ for London cabbies, so they know all the best routes through the city. Etiquette for the London Black Cab is important to consider if you want to hail a cab on London’s streets and have a pleasant and swift trip through the city. 

There isn’t much a cab driver can do to fight traffic, however, and no matter how many short cuts they know, they can still get caught in London’s congestion. Time spent sat in traffic makes the taxi fare increase, so take this into consideration when planning and budgeting for a taxi journey.

See More of London by Exploring the British Capital on its Big Red Buses

The city of London is famous for its bright red, double-decker buses that are a great way to get around the city. 

Oyster cards can be used on buses as well as the underground, giving you another money-saving option to use when you are getting around. It is important to remember that the buses can also get stuck in London’s traffic, so you need to take the time of day into consideration when planning a bus journey. 

There is so much to see and do in the British capital, with attractions and historically significant sites spread across the vast city. 

Thankfully, London has some of the best public transport in Europe. If you plan your journey right and think about the time of day you are travelling, you can get across the capital quickly and easily without spending too much money on transportation.

Some people call them stretch marks; others call them their tiger stripes. Whether they are on your thighs or your stomach, whether you got them through pregnancy, a growth spurt or rapid weight loss, everyone has experienced stretch marks. 

Much like scars, stretch marks are naturally occurring and, therefore, cannot be entirely prevented. However, their appearance can be minimized. Depending on your relationship with your stretch marks you may not want to alter their appearance at all, but if you think you would feel better about yourself if your stripes were less tiger and more tabby cat, there are ways you can do that. 

Natural

Natural remedies are the simplest and least expensive way of fading stretch marks; however, they are definitely more of a preventative than a cure. Simple things like staying hydrated and keeping your skin moisturized. Preventing your skin from becoming too dry means you will be less susceptible to getting stretch marks. Plant-based moisturizers such as coconut and almond oil are cheap and often easy to find in your local grocery store, they also tend to be found on the ingredients list of more expensive pharmaceutical stretch mark cures. Alongside keeping hydrated, you can also assist your body in its natural collagen production by eating foods high in zinc. Foods such as Turkey, fish, brazil nuts and tempeh will help give your body the zinc it needs to help repair skin wounds such as stretch marks.

Pharmaceutical 

Pharmaceutical stretch mark products are available at all good drug stores and should contain ingredients such as cocoa or shea butter and vitamin E. There are few pharmaceutical products on the market so well known for helping fade stretch marks than Bio-Oil. If you don’t already have some floating around in your home, online pharmacy www.pharmacyonline.com.au provides a free tester of the product alongside the whole Bio-Oil range.

Dermatological 

If you are having no luck with natural or pharmaceutical remedies, then you can go down the dermatological route. When stretch marks are new, they are red and tend to react better to remedies such as oils and creams, but when the stretch marks are older, they are whiter in color, and therefore tougher to reduce the appearance of. This is where you can ask your dermatologist for advice and looking into more extreme measures such as laser removal. Treatments such as laser removal and micro-needling are a little bit more pricey and can be more painful but they both work under the same premise and can have lasting effects. Both treatments effectively trick your cells into thinking that they are injured so your body’s healing process will kick in. This healing process includes the creation of new collagen which improves the look of stretch marks. 

Roughly 80 percent of Americans have stretch marks and though you may think they are unsightly; they tell a story of a time in your life where you were growing and they show how adaptable and incredible our bodies can be. So, should we really be hiding our tiger stripes? 

Caring for a senior can be enormously challenging, and many carers experience negative emotions such as guilt when thinking about how they can balance their life as a carer with their own needs. However, for yourself, and to ensure that you are able to give your senior the best care possible, it is important that you also make time to look after yourself as well. 

Know When to Get Help

Although many people acting as carers may feel a sense of guilt, as if they have let their loved one down over receiving help from others, it is important for both you and the person that you are caring for that you know when to get help. If your senior’s condition has become too difficult for you to cope with, it is important that you make plans for your loved one, such as considering professional home care or care homes which specialise in your loved one’s condition. For instance, https://www.bristolcarehome.co.uk provides respite care for those with dementia and other health conditions. 

Find Support Groups 

As a carer, it is important that you reach out when you are struggling, and support groups are one of the best ways in which you can do this. Support groups allow you to discuss your situation and get advice and encouragement from others in the same situation as yourself, allowing you to receive a break from your caring duties while getting to know other people who care for loved ones on a daily basis too. 

Take Days Off 

It is important that you are able to take time for yourself when you care for someone else, and you should always try to take regular days off, if possible. If you have family nearby, you should discuss with them the viability of creating a care timetable between you, which can ensure that you are able to share out your caring duties equally- or even just get time to spend with your friends and family, or catch up on a favourite hobby. Days off can often be filled with home chores so consider treating yourself to a home cleaning service, to lessen the load.

Look For Charitable Organisations

If you are struggling financially from being a carer ( for instance, if you are unable to work), there are many charitable organisations for carers that can provide you with the support you need to continue caring for your loved one without the stress of worrying about your finances. You may also be able to get financial support from the government. 

Talk to a Doctor 

If caring is having a negative effect on your mental health, or you believe that you are showing signs of mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, you should make an appointment with your local GP as soon as possible. They will be able to ensure that you receive the help that you need to improve your mental health, through the use of talking therapies like counselling, support groups, and even medication. 

Look After Your Needs

What’s more, it is vital that you look after your own needs when you are a carer. This includes engaging in a regular exercise regime and eating regularly and healthily. Not only will this help you to improve your own health and energy levels, and reduce the likelihood of mental illness, but it will also ensure that you can give the best care possible to your loved one in need. 

As we all know – life is short, so it’s essential we make the most of it. Happiness stems from doing the things you love and feeling a sense of control over your own life. However, the mundane repetition of our daily regime can often feel as though we are on a treadmill and is getting in the way of fulfilling our dreams, which is why it’s essential to plan ahead. All that’s needed is a shift in perspective and a couple of adjustments to your routine.

If you have the ambition of making the very best of your life, check out these top tips below.

Be a positive thinker

It’s easy to get into a rut of negative thoughts when things aren’t going right, which can cause symptoms associated with anxiety and depression. If you do suffer from a mental health condition, try to reach out, so you don’t suffer in silence. You could sign up to talking therapy or enrol on a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) course, dependant on your specific needs and issues. Seeking help will allow you to gain perspective of your thoughts and worries and adopt a whole new outlook on life that you may never have opened yourself up to before.

Travel more

You can never do enough travelling; after all, ’the world is your oyster’ and you only have one life to see it for yourself, so book a couple of weeks off work and make the pledge to visit a new country every year. Whether you have the dream of seeing the bright lights of Hollywood, wildlife in their natural habitat or taking to the slopes in the Alps, there’s always something new to try. If you have saved up to go travelling, you should definitely consider holidaying in style by choosing Quintessentially luxury travel. Your holiday can be tailor-made to suit your exact requirements, so your dream trip is set to become a reality.

Quit comparing yourself to others

In the generation of social media, it’s extremely easy to get carried away with comparing yourself to others. Aim to stop this habit right now. You may frequently look to others and feel envious and dissatisfied with your appearance or material objects, which is extremely dangerous to the mind. Remember that you are not inferior to others: you have your own skillset and qualities, which makes you unique.

Be aware of your triggers when you start to experience feelings of inadequacy by shifting your thoughts to gratitude for all the things you have got. Doing so means you’ll be far less susceptible to jealousy. It’s human nature to feel this way, but why not turn this emotion into a positive by using it as a form of motivation to improve aspects of your life you’re not happy with?

Schedule in more ‘me time’

With running a house, looking after the kids and going to work every day, it’s important you schedule in more time for yourself. Everyone needs time to unwind and revive in order to keep up the pace. Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ when it all gets too much. You can often over-commit yourself, which may leave you feeling overwhelmed and completely stressed out. Take a step back and only agree to the things you can and want to do, rather than feeling obliged to do so.

You’ll no doubt have seen the many stories about climate change in the news. It’s scary to see how the planet is changing, and you’ll no doubt be wondering what you can do to help reverse the damage. While one person can’t save the planet alone, if everyone made small changes, then they’d make a big impact. Here’s how to do your bit for the environment. 

• Cut down on the amount of meat you consume

Many western diets now include daily servings of meat, and this is having a negative impact on the planet. Four-fifths of agricultural admissions are due to livestock, and factors such as methane produced by animals and massive water usage mean that this rise of consumption of meat is having a big impact. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy meat anymore but consider cutting down. Start with a meat-free Monday, then try making some veggie alternatives to your favorite dishes to see if you enjoy the change. 

• Shop ethically

Clothing has a big impact on the planet. Not only does cotton use large amounts of water, but clothes are also dyed which can cause pollution, they have to be transported, and they are often discarded after a few wears. Many people are now looking for more ethical options to keep their closet eco-friendly. There are options such as buying from ethical brands or even upcycling your own clothing, and if you look into the benefits of water-based screen printing, you’ll see it’s much better than industrial methods. Once you’re done with your items of clothing, take them to a thrift store or recycling center. 

• Cut down on packaging

While a lot of packaging can be recycled, the process of recycling still uses energy, so avoiding packaging as much as possible is more environmentally friendly. Buy loose fruit and vegetables, choose brands that use minimal packaging, and find out if there are any zero-waste stores near you where you can buy food by weight.

• Cut down on car journeys

If you need to pick up something from the store, do you jump in the car without thinking, or do you spend a minute thinking of alternatives such as walking or cycling? There are many ways you can cut down on car usage, even if it’s just eliminating a couple of journeys a week to begin with. Obviously, this is easier for people who live in cities or places with good public transport, but even if you’re in the suburbs there are options such as lift sharing.

• Give experiences, not gifts

The holidays can be a terrible time for waste, with many gifts ending up in landfills, not to mention the amount of wrapping and packaging. However, lots of waste could be saved if you gave people experience gifts for things they enjoy, instead of more stuff. From a gift card for their favorite restaurant to an amazing adrenaline-pumping experience, you can give people great memories rather than just something to clutter their home.

Saving the planet doesn’t have to mean you can’t enjoy life. By simply making a few lifestyle changes, as well as encouraging others to do so, you can help limit the damage. 

If you’re anything like me, you probably don’t check your car tyres all that often. However at this time of year, especially when the weather can make roads even more dangerous than they already are, it’s a good idea to try and look after your tyres. If you live or travel around remote places, you will also find that many roads which travel across countryside are narrow and windy. Distances are often underestimated and so with large gaps between towns and villages, it’s important not to end up stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Here are my top tips for looking after your tyres:

1. First and most importantly, your tyres should be the correct type and size for your car. You can check this information in your manual, however you should have them fitted properly. Headley Tyres offer a huge variety of tyres of various brands. Order online and get them fitted from their Newbury Centre.

2. Keep an eye on the condition of your tyres. They should always look in a good condition – no tears, gouges, scars, lumps etc. If there is something that makes you question what it is, look into it.

3. Tyres should always be pumped up to the correct pressure. Again you can find this information in your manual but it might be handy to keep a note of it in your phone or even on a sticker on your dashboard etc. so you don’t need to keep looking it up. Always check the pressure in cold weather and adjust accordingly. Also adjust the pressure if you carry am unusually heavy load.

4. Tyre grip. The law requires a car’s tread to be 1.6mm but of course you can change them if they begin to look worn on any part of the tyre. If you don’t know how to check for the depth of your tyre tread, look it up. It’s really simple and takes only a moment or two to do.

5. Carrying a spare tyre is not a legal requirement but it it is a good idea. If you hope to rely on it in the case of a puncture, it’s also a good idea to make sure that it’s road worthy by checking that occasionally too.

6. Check your wheel alignment. If your wheel alignment is out, tyres can often wear on the insides, where you can’t really even see them. This can cause unexpected punctures and often you will need to replace tyres sooner than just regular wear and tear.

7. Last but not least, experts recommend you rotate your wheels. Often rear wheels wear down at a slower rate than front ones and some even say left wear more rapidly than right. Rotating your tyres could help them to last longer and you might get many more miles out of your money!

Driving with faulty tyres of any sort, can be incredibly dangerous. If you are breaking the law, you will be subject to fines. If your tyres cause lack of control or slower braking, you may even cause accidents. Because of this it’s really important just to take a few minutes, every few weeks, just to make sure your cars are in the best possible condition they can be.

With Great British Bake Off now in full swing, I can only imagine that watching the TV series has inspired lots of people to pull on their aprons and get baking. This year I have set myself the challenge of cooking something vaguely theme related, with each week we watch. With cheesecake for both dairy AND dessert week, fresh bread on bread week, cake for cake week and ginger biscuits for biscuit week, I’m pretty proud of myself for sticking to it. The only exception so far has been 1920’s week where I didn’t really have a clue what to cook, so we had cocktails instead! Last week was Festival Week and while we haven’t watched it yet, I plan to make a cake as I believe the final challenge is Festival Cakes. I’m not entirely sure what that is, but I do love an excuse to cook cake.

Trago have put together this fascinating infograph which shows the various baking times for different size cake tins. For those of you who have fancied baking a cake but not really sure where to start – this information could definitely give you a step up. Along with that, I’m going to impart on you my foolproof recipe for baking a cake. I personally always work in multiples of 60g, as I find this works best. So keep your ingredient quantities the same – 60g of butter, 60g flour, 60g caster sugar and 1 egg (one egg per 60g, so 3 eggs if 180g etc.) Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder for smaller quantities and a full teaspoon if you’re going for a larger quantity. Add a splash or two of flavouring and voilà, you’re done! I’m a firm believer of just mixing it all in together at the same time, even though some people still stick to the sugar and butter first, then the flour and eggs. I use a food mixer though so shoving it all in and blitzing it up has always worked fine for me! If you’re looking to add cocoa powder to make it chocolate, you need to take out some flour and replace it with cocoa, rather than add it in addition. Usually I work on 2/3 flour to 1/3 cocoa (so 120g flour to 60g cocoa) but the more I make, I often lower that to 3/4 and 1/4 instead. Divide your mixture between cake tins or place in cupcake cases and cook for the suggested times below. Make sure you poke a cocktail stick in the middle of the cake every now and again. If it comes out with mixture on it still, then it needs more cooking. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked! If you give it a go, I’d love to see. Please feel free to post your pictures in the comments!