HEALTHY LIVING

How to choose the best hair brush

Published

6 years ago

01/24/2017

Hair brush is something we use almost every day. People normally use the wide toothed comb, but you certainly cannot rely on it for every hair style or hairdo. Different brushes have different effects on the look of hair and here is a list of different types of comb and their functions:

WIDE TOOTHED COMB – for wet hair

This is the most commonly used comb. Can be used on wet as well as dry hair; detangles hair effectively without much breakage and damage. If you have curly hair, this is the best comb for hair which will maintain the curls while de-tangling it.

RATTAIL COMB – for parting

This type of comb is flat and has fine teeth. The rat nail name itself tells us it has narrow handle which is used to partition hair. Great for hair styling! The fine teeth of the comb are great for smoothing out any cowlicks and bumps in your style. This comb can also be used while straightening or curling hair which needs hair to be partitioned.

PADDLE HAIR BRUSH – For long straight Hair

The paddle brush makes hair sleek, shiny and detangles it with ease. A paddle brush is usually quite large, flat and wide, and typically made of plastic, timber or ceramic.

VENTED BRUSH – Create Volume

Vent brushes have vented hollow centers to allow a heated stream of air to flow through the brush and the hair, ensuring high-speed drying and to create volume.

TEASING BRUSH – Smooth Hair or Tease

This brush is for teasing your hair. Purposely creating those little knots in your hair when you want extra volume in your updos.

NATURAL BRISTLE BRUSH – smooth and shine

Boar bristle brushes are made up of 100% wild boar hair. These bristles distribute oils evenly throughout strands and are great for achieving a smooth, shiny blowout. If you have oily hair, you may simply brush your hair with this and oil will be evenly distributed throughout the length, leaving hair soft and shine-free.

SYNTHETIC BRISTLE BRUSH – smooth blowout

Usually made from nylon, synthetic bristles are best for super thick hair types. They can also add volume and help you with a perfectly smooth blowout.

METAL HAIR BRUSH – to create curls

Metal brushes are not good to use when going from wet to dry because they can pull and damage hair. They are used to create curls when blow-drying your hair and also for faster blowout.

MORE: Dry brushing for firmer, smoother skin.

ROUND BRUSH – For Blowouts

Round brush can be used to create perfect blowout, waves or curls. If you know the proper technique, it can also be used to straighten hair. They come in tons of different sizes; the smaller the brush, the tighter the curl. Blast the curl with cold air before unwinding, this will set the curls in place.

TANGLE TEEZER – Detangling

This brush is great for de-tangling your hair, and it is specifically made for it. Ordinary brushes work against the hair, basically ripping through and pulling out the knotted hair instead of detangling it. But the unique cone-shaped plastic bristles work to separate the hair, even the toughest tangles.

MIXED BRISTLE BRUSH – distribute natural oils

Brushes can also come in a natural/synthetic bristle mix. To get the perfect combo of a boar bristle’s shiny hair benefits plus a synthetic’s detangling powers, go for a mixed bristle brush. The nylon bristles detangle tresses, while the boar bristles distribute your hair’s natural oils and smooth the cuticle to maintain healthy hair.

WOODEN BRISTLES – for scalp massage and healthy hair

Wooden bristles are also gentle and durable. The bristles easily penetrate the hair and stimulate, massage the scalp. It distributes precious oils from the root of the hair to the ends for the maintenance of healthy and beautiful hair.

TYPES OF BRISTLES

Bristle type: Boar – The bristle brushes are made from 100% natural wild boar hair. They are tightly packed together and feel stiff, but with some flexibility. These bristles distribute oils evenly throughout strands and are great for achieving a smooth, shiny blowout.

Bristle type: Nylon – Nylon bristles are less expensive than boar brushes, but still effective. The bristles are usually spaced farther apart than boar and achieve a medium to strong grip on all hair types. The better the grip, the smoother and straighter your style will be.

Bristle type: Plastic – Plastic and synthetic bristles are all-purpose brushes. The bristles are incredibly strong, made for working through larger areas of medium to thick hair.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

Clean your brushes every week, remove hair from the bristles with your fingers, or use scissors to cut out larger clumps, then just pull them out.
Replace your brush when the bristles are fraying.
Always use a hairbrush with bristles long enough to reach your scalp. This way they will release your hair’s natural oils and keep hair and scalp nourished.
Choose hair brush according to your hair type. A baby-soft bristle is great for fine hair and coarse bristles are perfect for thicker hair. Ask your stylist for more advice.

HEALTHY LIVING

Make the most of snacking for healthy kids

Published

6 days ago

03/22/2023

bowienews

(Family Features) Kids, no matter their age, love snacks, and often come home from school hungry and looking for something to eat. However, it can be a struggle to find snacks that kids enjoy and parents approve.

The snack experts at Kemps along with registered dietitian and nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth know the importance of finding fun and tasty ways to give hungry, growing kids the nutrient-rich foods they need. These tips can help you make the most of snack time (or any time) to keep kids healthy.

Look for Real Fruit Ingredients
While quick and easy, many packaged snacks use sugar instead of real fruit. Make sure to read labels carefully to understand what is in kids’ snacks. Look for real fruit, not just fruit juice, and key vitamins and nutrients like calcium while skipping out on artificial flavors, preservatives, colors and high-fructose corn syrup.

Stock Up on Kid-Friendly Options
One way to help make the most of snack time is choosing an option like Kemps Smooth Cottage Cheese. This first-of-its-kind whole milk cottage cheese is blended with real fruit to create a creamytaste and texture without curds that kids are sure to love. A quick and easy solution, it also allows kids to be independent with what they eat to make snack time more rewarding – just grab a spoon with no unnecessary cutting or preparation needed.

Start the Day Off Right
It’s not always easy to squeeze a nutritious breakfast into busy mornings, but it’s an important way to start each day. Multiple studies show kids who eat a nutritious breakfast perform better academically and focus better throughout the day. Plus, starting the day off right helps kick unhealthy cravings while keeping kids full and energized. Once snack time rolls around, they’ll be ready for something healthy and delicious instead of reaching for something sugary.

Pack In the Protein
To make sure your kids are staying full between meals and getting the nutrients they need, stock up on snacks that are high in protein. According to Largeman-Roth, dairy is a great way to accomplish this while also giving kids a tasty snack. Snacks like Kemps Smooth Cottage Cheese pack a protein punch with almost twice as much protein per ounce as most yogurts made for kids, plus it contains probiotics, another key ingredient to support gut health.

Model Healthy Habits
Kids learn by example in countless ways, and the way you take care of your own health and well-being is no exception. When kids see grownups they admire making smart choices about nutrition, they’re more likely to adopt those behaviors themselves. Join in the fun at snack time and create meaningful family moments by preparing or enjoying a nutritious snack together.

Make Snack Time Fun
There’s few things kids love more than fun flavors or seeing characters they cherish on their favorite foods. To make snack time extra exciting, get snacks featuring characters they love or with favorite flavors, like strawberry or mixed berry, which are popular among kids.

To learn more and find fun recipes, visit kemps.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Kemps

HEALTHY LIVING

Spring checklist for pets

Published

2 weeks ago

03/15/2023

bowienews

6 ways to keep your pets happy and healthy

(Family Features) Warmer weather means it’s time to spring clean, get grooming and prepare your pets’ diets to support them through the season.

Keep your furry friends happy and healthy this spring with these six tips from the experts at Zesty Paws, an award-winning pet supplement brand:

Give Skin and Coats a Little TLC: Many pets form winter coats during the colder months to help them stay warm and comfortable then shed the coats in the spring to prepare for warmer temperatures. Some pets may need extra help maintaining their shiny, healthy coats, especially if mats have formed in their fur or if they are breeds that develop a thick undercoat. Professional grooming, at-home brushing and regular bathing can all be helpful ways to speed up the process to remove some of the extra fur and decrease the prevalence of dander, dust and pollen that can attach to fur and skin through the season.

Add Seasonal Allergy Support with Supplements: Just like humans, furry friends can develop and experience seasonal allergies, too. Giving your pets’ immune systems some extra support can help ease some common allergy symptoms. Supplements like Zesty Paws Aller-Immune Bites for Cats and Aller-Immune Bites for Dogs are chewables that provide seasonal allergy support by aiding normal immune functions, skin health and gut flora, and may also help maintain normal histamine levels.

Ease Back into Exercise: The change in weather means more time for outdoor adventures with your pets, but don’t forget to cool down and warm up as you and your pets ease back into the season. Planning for short, leashed walks and timed play sessions can help your pets gradually prepare their hips and joints for fun, warm weather activities.

Watch Out for Pet Pests: Once temperatures start to rise, the tiny, creepy critters start crawling. Fleas, ticks and other pests can cause serious health concerns for pets. This spring, make sure your pest control programs are primed and ready for added protection. Talk to your veterinarian about the best routine and products for your pets.

Freshen Up Bedding and Bowls: It’s important to keep a clean environment by scrubbing, sweeping and vacuuming regularly to decrease allergens in the home. When you’re tackling this year’s spring cleaning, remember to put your pets’ bedding and bowls on the list, too. Updating or disinfecting your pets’ blankets, litter boxes, toys and other supplies is a good way to keep them feeling safe and comfortable in the home.

Schedule an Annual Vet Visit: Spring is a good time to schedule your pets’ annual vet visits. Make sure they’re up to date on all vaccinations, get their dental health checkups and re-evaluate nutrition plans.

Find more advice for keeping your pet healthy and happy at zestypaws.com.

SOURCE:
Zesty Paws

HEALTHY LIVING

Take control: How managing blood pressure can help save lives

Published

3 weeks ago

03/08/2023

bowienews

(Family Features) Effectively managing your blood pressure can help reduce your chances of life-threatening medical events, even death.

Gain confidence and learn how to take control of your blood pressure with these tips and resources from the American Heart Association.

The Silent Killer
High blood pressure is often referred to as the “silent killer” because it typically has few, if any, noticeable symptoms but can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure and even death. Many people with high blood pressure don’t even know they have it. Some overlooked symptoms can include dizziness, facial flushing and blood spots in the eyes.

Understand Your Readings
(Family Features) Effectively managing your blood pressure can help reduce your chances of life-threatening medical events, even death.

Gain confidence and learn how to take control of your blood pressure with these tips and resources from the American Heart Association.

Understand Your Readings
The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to regularly take an accurate blood pressure measurement. Understanding your results is key to controlling high blood pressure. Blood pressure numbers of less than 120/80 mm Hg are usually considered within the normal range, yet it is important to talk to a doctor about your healthy range. Even if you fall within a healthy range, it can be beneficial to stick with heart-healthy habits like following a balanced diet and getting regular exercise. Consider these numbers and ranges to know if it’s necessary to take action:

Elevated blood pressure is when readings consistently range from 120-129 mm Hg systolic (the upper number) and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic (the lower number). People with elevated blood pressure are likely to develop high blood pressure unless steps are taken to control the condition.
Hypertension stage 1 is when blood pressure consistently ranges from 130-139 mm Hg systolic or 80-89 mm Hg diastolic. At this stage, doctors are likely to prescribe lifestyle changes and may consider adding blood pressure medication based on your risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack or stroke.
Hypertension stage 2 is when blood pressure consistently ranges at 140/90 mm Hg or higher. At this stage, doctors are likely to prescribe a combination of blood pressure medications and lifestyle changes.
A hypertensive crisis requires medical attention. If your blood pressure readings suddenly exceed 180/120 mm Hg, wait 5 minutes then test again. If your readings are still unusually high, contact your doctor immediately. Seek emergency help if your blood pressure is higher than 180/120 mm Hg and you are experiencing signs of possible organ damage such as chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness or weakness, change in vision or difficulty speaking.

Know Your Risk
While many risk factors for high blood pressure may be related to your age, gender and family history, there are also risk factors you can change to help prevent and manage high blood pressure. People at added risk may be those who engage in lower levels of physical activity, eat a diet high in sodium (particularly from packaged, processed foods), may be overweight or obese, drink excessive amounts of alcohol and may have multiple chronic conditions.

Talk About It
Whether you’re making changes in your own life to combat high blood pressure or helping someone else, positive feelings and confidence are longer-term motivators to making health changes. If you’re talking with friends, loved ones or your doctor, be prepared to ask open-ended questions. Be curious and kind to yourself and others you may be helping.

Lowering Your Pressure
You can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure and even death with lifestyle changes and medication.

Watching your weight, especially if you are overweight or obese, can bring health gains; losing as little as 5-10 pounds may help lower your blood pressure. Managing your stress by relaxing for short periods during your workday, at night and on weekends is another productive practice.

If you have diabetes, it’s important to work with a doctor to manage the disease and reduce your blood glucose levels.

If you think you could have sleep apnea, getting screened for and treating the condition can also reduce your risk for developing high blood pressure.

When you have high blood pressure, medication may be an important part of your treatment. Follow the recommendations carefully, even if it means taking medication every day for the rest of your life.

When you’re discussing high blood pressure concerns with your health care provider, also be sure to talk to your doctor about over-the-counter pain relievers that may raise your blood pressure. Talking with your doctor can help you identify over-the-counter pain medications that won’t raise your blood pressure to ensure you’re not creating a blood pressure problem while treating other concerns.

Getting Ready for Your Appointment
Think about what challenges you face in controlling your blood pressure that you need to share with your doctor to create a plan that works for you. Start by considering the answers to these questions to discuss with your health care provider: