Why is an Electric Fireplace a Better Choice?

A fireplace is a magical appliance that adds a distinctive charm to the aura of one’s home. The dancing flames and the soft crackling noises erupting from the blazing logs of wood can make anyone feel extremely cozy on a cold winter evening as they sit near the fireplace sipping on their hot cocoa. However, the traditional wood-burning fireplaces have their own set of drawbacks. Burning of wood produces noxious gases that harm the environment. It also affects the quality of air inside the home. As the wood burns, a major proportion of heat escapes through the chimney. The operations of wood-burning fireplaces cause damage to the surrounding walls as well. The fireplace and chimney needs to be cleaned at regular intervals to get rid of wood ashes and soot. Thus, the traditional fireplaces need a lot of upkeep.

Source : Google Images

This is where technology and innovation come into play. An electric fireplace is an answer to all the hassles associated with traditional fireplaces. An electric fireplace uses no wood or gas as a fuel and does not emit harmful gases. They simple run on electricity and warm up the home. Electric fireplaces comprise of not only the heating element but also the ambience aspect of the blazing flames, without any mess that is posed by their traditional counterparts.

How Does an Electric Fireplace Work?

An electric fireplace comprises of the heating element consisting of metal coils that conduct electricity. The coils get heated and produce energy that moves on to the fan and is then disseminated to warm up the living space. 

The ambient light of the flames is produced with the help of a set that consists of LEDs, metal fingers and a glass screen. The light produced from LEDs falls upon the metal fingers that swivel in random fashion. It is then reflected on to the glass screen. This complete process produces an effect of blazing flames of fire that look so real. The exterior glass panel of the fireplace is not hot to touch.

The heating and the lighting element function independently. So, one can turn on just the lighting element for an ambiance in all seasons.

Options in Electric Fireplace

An impressive range of designs of electric fireplaces is available in the market to suit everyone’s taste. They also come in a variety of sizes. Nowadays, the market has to offer a wide array of cheap electric fireplaces for small homes and for people who do not wish to splurge a lot of money.

Electric fireplace inserts

This type of electric fireplace is designed to be fixed into the structure of fireplace panel that is already present. These units are very simple to assemble and easy to use.

Wall-Mounted Electric Fireplace

This type of electric fireplace can be mounted on any wall of the house as per the user’s needs. All one needs to do is fix a mounting device on the wall and install the fireplace. Voila! It is ready to be plugged in.

Electric stove

This is one of the cheap electric fireplace options available in the market. This is a portable electric fireplace with the components packed inside a cabinet-like structure carved out of wood and finished with high-quality veneer. It can be carried and placed in any part of the home as per the user’s need.

Electric fireplaces can be paired with matching mantels, adding to the charm by creating a sophisticated and contemporary look. Thus, electric fireplaces are a value for money appliances that make it possible to enjoy the fiery ambiance all round the year in a cost-effective manner.

Top 4 Causes of Dark Spots That Will Blow Your Mind

All the beautiful ladies out there, if your are looking to find reasons behind the coffee-colored patches on your skin, you have come at a right place.

Dark spots on skin can occur due an array of reasons. Dark spots show up on not only the face but also back, shoulders, waist and thighs. Dark spots develop due to accelerated production of melanin in the skin. According to Daily Makeover, the exact reason depends upon the area that is affected. The phenomenon of dark spots is also known as hyperpigmentation. Dark spots result into uneven skin tone or discoloration, which can literally break an otherwise beautiful complexion. Let us take a look at the culprits causing dark spots and how to remove that.

The Sun

The Sun is the number one perpetrator when it comes to giving dark spots. Summers may fade away but the damage sustained by the sun-exposed skin shows itself very clearly. Make-up can camouflage the hyperpigmentation temporarily, but it is necessary to contain and reverse the damage. Prolong exposure to sunlight triggers excessive production of melanin, a pigment which gives color to our skin, resulting into blotchy and patchy skin. The best way to prevent dark spots due to sun-damage is to use a good sunscreen that provides adequate protection against the UV rays of the Sun.

Constricted innerwear

While a fabulous well-fitted innerwear can enhance your appearance and boost your confidence, an extremely constricted innerwear can cause skin blemishes. Tight innerwear cause friction between itself and the skin, causing skin irritation and ultimately darkening of skin. Dark spots may appear near armpits, shoulders, neck and back if you wear an extremely tight bra that struggles to accommodate you. Similarly, skin irritation may occur around the waistline and groin due to tight-fitting panties. It would be extremely smart of you to dump your constricted lingerie and buy new well-fitting lingerie that doesn't dig in your skin. If the damage has been done, the dark spots can be treated with prescribed hydroquinone gel.

When hormones go haywire!

Hormonal changes affect women not only psychologically but also physically. While a woman experiences mood swings as her estrogen and progesterone play hide and seek, it is the skin that also undergoes changes. Hormonal changes due to pregnancy or intake of hormonal pills often takes a toll on the skin. Surge in these hormones cause accelerated melanin production and ultimately hypermigmentation. Dark patchy spots usually occur on forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. In case of pregnancy, dark spots vanish after delivery as hormones tend to settle down. When on hormonal pills, consulting a GP and switching over to another type of birth control measure is the only way out.

Hair removal

Hair removal can cause dark spots to develop, if the technique applied for getting rid of stray hair is faulty. Using depilatory creams and razors for hair removal causes skin irritation and darkening of skin. Waxing is known to the safest and most reliable way of hair removal. But getting your arms, legs or face waxed from an inexperienced or unskilled beautician can give you terrible dark spots. If you are already hit by dark spots due to faulty hair removal techniques, you can treat it with hydrocortisone cream under a physician's supervision.

An informative video on how to treat dark spots caused by acne

Making little changes in the way we do things on daily basis can help prevent dark spots and blotchy skin from ruining our complexion. By following a healthy routine of exfoliating, cleansing and moisturizing the skin, we can make it stay younger, healthier and glowing.

Note- The contents of this 'And My Life Goes On...' blog (texts, images, and other material contained) are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician  regarding a medical condition you may have. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site.

Knowing the Facts of Severe Food Allergies - A guest post by Tammy Mahan

There are millions of people in the world having severe reactions caused by food allergies each year. While the symptoms of most food allergies are minor and the reactions mild, there are those that cause severe, even life threatening reactions. Food allergies cannot be cured; important measures for the prevention of serious consequences to health are recognizing the allergy early and managing the reactions to food.

Allergic reactions can be caused by over one hundred and sixty foods. The eight that are most common make up ninety percent of the allergic reactions to food and the source of a number of ingredients. This is why food labeling laws pinpoint these eight foods on ingredient labels. 

Top Eight Allergy Foods

• Wheat

• Peanuts

• Soybeans

• Tree nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds)

• Eggs

• Dairy (milk)

• Crustacean shellfish (lobster, shrimp, crab)

• Fish

The food labeling law (requiring allergens to be identified on labels) designates these as major allergens that could lead to severe reactions. The individual ingredients have to be listed on the label with the source of the food in parenthesis beside them if it is not obvious from the food name itself. There can be an allergy warning that says: this product contains (name of allergen), or that the food was made in a facility that also makes one of the common allergens. 

Reacting to Severe Food Allergy Symptoms

A food allergy could be present if there is the appearance of certain symptoms and avoiding them can prevent the re-occurrence.

• Reading labels will help to avoid the foods that result in the allergy. Recognizing the first symptoms of an allergic reaction and being knowledge of the proper measures for treatment is important. 

• Treatment should be initiated immediately by those that have a food allergy and begin having symptoms while eating or after eating. Visiting the emergency room should be done if the symptoms worsen.

Allergic Reaction Symptoms

Severe food allergy reactions can appear after a few minutes or up to two hours after the food has been eaten. Hives, rash, swelling of the lips, face and tongue and abdominal cramps are all signs of allergic reactions. There can also be difficulty breathing, dizziness, loss of consciousness and swelling of the vocal cords and throat with an allergic reaction.

It is important to learn to identify the symptoms early so that treatment can be gotten immediately to prevent death from resulting.

Severe Food Allergies Can Threaten Your Life

Anaphylaxis can result from eating a food that you are allergic too. The airways in the lungs can become constricted. Swelling of the throat can lead to suffocation, and anaphylactic shock can occur when the blood pressure drops severely leading to shock.

Anaphylaxis from severe food allergies results in approximately one hundred and fifty deaths, two thousand hospitalizations and thirty thousand visits to the emergency room in the United States per year.

Learning which foods that you are allergic too and educating yourself about the reading of labels to identify common allergy inducing foods is of the utmost importance for your health when you live with severe food allergies.

About the Author

Tammy Mahan earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at the State University of New York. She practiced as a Registered Nurse for 20 years. She has experience working in the following medical units; intensive care, cardiac care, medical/surgical, oncology, pediatrics, neo-natal intensive care, and emergency room care. As a Certified Natural Health Consultant, she advises people on alternative treatments and helps them set up treatment plans that will best suit their needs. Tammy has written hundreds of articles, blog posts and eBooks related to health and medical topics. She has also ghost written thousands of articles on topics ranging from arts and crafts to zoo animals. She also has excellent research skills that allows her to write informative articles on any topic in laymen terms and for the highly educated. Tammy is also the author of a cookbook, a children’s non-fiction book, and a new age book. As a mother, she is also well versed in topics relating to family and children. As an animal lover, she enjoys spending time with and caring for her pets. Tammy has also traveled extensively throughout the United States and several other countries. As a professional writer, she creates content that is informative and engaging to her readers.