Should you Avoid Drinking Milk Tea?

Posted by Editor in Health and Wellness on Mar 16th, 2018 | Comments Off on Should you Avoid Drinking Milk Tea?

Milk tea is popularly enjoyed all over the world. Most prevalent in Asian countries, this drink can be relished anytime of the day — making it a perfect companion alongside your breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. The sweet drink allows your body to relax, helps you achieve a good night sleep, and releases the accumulated stress you have after a long day.

However, there can be a downside to drinking milk tea. There are certain people who are notably better off not consuming the drink, and there are also general disadvantages when it comes to drinking milk tea regularly. This doesn’t mean milk tea is downright bad, but rather, it should be taken in moderation.

People who must avoid too much milk tea
Those are anemic are not recommended to consume a lot of milk tea. The drink may potentially trigger low blood flow, putting your health situation at risk.

Regular consumption of milk tea is also not recommended for people diagnosed with diabetes and gallbladder problems. The drink doesn’t help your situation, and if anything, it may only worsen it further.

While milk tea has some relaxing and soothing effects shortly after drinking, it isn’t advisable to consume for some cases — such as with pregnant women. A number of pregnant women who regularly consumed milk tea over the course of their pregnancy were found out to cause some effects to the growing baby.

People who are suffering from prostate diseases, like having an enlarged prostate in particular, are not recommended to consume milk tea daily. The drink may potentially cause the prostate disease to worsen and accelerate further in its later stages, putting yourself on the line.

Other disadvantages
While milk tea can bring more harm than good to certain people (especially to those with the cases presented above), there are disadvantages attached to the sweet drink in general. These disadvantages may burden just about anyone who likes to consume the drink on a regular basis.

Milk tea is notorious for drastically increasing one’s weight. While this can be a good thing among people who are trying to gain weight, this can be more of a hassle to those who are trying to shed off some pounds for the summer. Unwanted weight gain can be stressful, after all.

The drink does not only contains generous amount of fat, but it may also hurt the body’s iron levels. Combining milk and tea can inhibit iron absorption. The drink contains a polyphenol called tannins, which is known to be a hindrance in iron absorption.

Milk tea may also trigger a type of anemia since it causes a low blood flow. Furthermore, because of some iron deficient-factors in the drink, it may also trigger another common type of anemia: the iron-deficiency anemia.

Can an Expectant Mother Go Vegan?

Posted by Editor in Health and Wellness on Feb 13th, 2018 | Comments Off on Can an Expectant Mother Go Vegan?

You’ve probably read countless articles on the advantages and disadvantages of going vegan despite the variety of food available for everyone today. While there are undeniably some benefits of choosing such a lifestyle, there are also a lot of valid objections to its repercussions on a person’s health.

One of the most controversial issues is maintaining that lifestyle when you are expecting a child.

Varied Opinions
Unfortunately, the answer could be different for each woman, because not only will the amount of vitamins and minerals have to be monitored, the availability, price, and palatability of food should also be taken into consideration. A pregnant woman should never be forced to eat something she doesn’t like; however, an alternative healthy source should be substituted especially if it’s essential to the diet. Some mothers claim that they have had healthy pregnancies as vegans, while other testimonies reveal that some had to rely on supplements for nutrients not readily found in fruits and vegetables.

Prenatal Vitamins and Minerals
So, how do you decide if you can survive with a vegan diet while pregnant? Although there are anecdotal evidences to successful vegan pregnancies, you need to take into consideration your health, your budget, and the availability of healthy food. To know how much you and your baby will need for the next 9 months, you should keep in mind the recommended amounts for vitamins and minerals.

• Protein = 71 g
• Iron = 27 mg
• Calcium = between 1,000 to 1,300 mg
• Vitamin A and Beta Carotene = between 700 to 1,000 mcg
• Vitamin D = between 600 to 4,000 IU
• Vitamin E = between 15 to 1,000 mg
• Vitamin C = between 80 to 2,000 mg
• Vitamin B12 = 2.6 mcg
• Folic Acid or Folate = between 400 to 1,000 mcg
• Zinc = between 11 to 13 mg
• Thiamin or B1 = 1.4 mg
• Riboflavin or B2 = 1.4 mg
• Niacin or B3 = between 18 to 35 mg
• Pyridoxine or B6 = between 1.9 to 100 mg

Vegan Diet
Simply put, this diet is limited, which is why most vegans use supplements and accompaniments to get all the nutrients. Typically, a vegan mother’s diet consists of the following: green peas, quinoa, buckwheat, oatmeal, pinto beans, chickpeas, whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread and cereals, soy milk, tofu, nuts, and miso. To get calcium, eat green leafy vegetables and orange juice, while iron sources can be found in beans, soy products, barley, bulgur, pumpkin seeds, dried fruits, spinach, kale, collard greens, and seaweed. Other vitamins can be found in fortified cereals, fortified meat substitutes, and fortified soy milk.

Non-Vegan Diet
If you decide to set aside your vegan diet, your meals will have more variety. Vitamins and minerals can be found in milk, eggs, cheese and most dairy products, high-protein food, liver, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes, fatty fish, nuts, spinach, wheat germ, green beans, strawberries, broccoli, whole grains, organ meats, pasta, rice, berries, legumes, pork, chicken, beef and most red meats, bread, bananas, cantaloupe, shellfish, oysters, cauliflower, cereals, canned fish with bones, fruit juices, dried beans, dried fruits, and other fruits and vegetables.

Avoiding Weight Gain on Holidays

Posted by Editor in Fitness on Feb 13th, 2018 | Comments Off on Avoiding Weight Gain on Holidays

The holidays are the most exciting time of the year for most of us who spend our time at work. It’s the right time to get together with friends and family to party, eat, drink, and catch up with conversations. It’s also the most stressful time for people who are trying to keep their weight manageable, because holidays are the perfect excuse to eat.

What can you do to avoid gaining weight during the holidays?

Don’t Skip Your Fitness Routine
If a gym membership is a hassle for you, motivate yourself to spend between ten to twenty minutes daily to do exercises, especially in the morning just before breakfast. Although that’s not going to make a lot of difference when it comes to burning those fats, at least you’re on the right track to keeping yourself fit because you’ll notice the differences in how heavy your body is whenever you move.

Try Different Activities
Partying isn’t the only event that’s common during the holidays, but it’s also the perfect time to participate in office or family activities, such as; teambuilding, recreation, holiday programs, and reunions. It’s also a great time to catch up on your cleaning duties at home or to travel and check out places in Singapore that are ready for the holidays. Ask your friends to go on hiking or biking or schedule a sports tournament with your co-workers during the weekends instead of going to the club.

Avoid Unnecessary Snacks
Food is plenty during the holidays, making it easy to grab the nearest snacks you can find even if you’re not hungry. If you do feel hungry in between meals, stick to healthier snacks, such as fruits, seeds, and nuts instead of the cookies, candies, cakes, and pastries. Don’t eat large portions either even if you’re trying to justify your eating habits by not wanting the excess food to spoil. Limit your food to smaller portions, after all, there are portion size recommendations on the food labels for that purpose.

Do Not Skip Meals
Start each day right by eating a full, healthy breakfast, because skipping meals can lead to binging as you, whether consciously or not, compensate for your hunger. High-protein meals such as beans, roasted chicken, and lentils, for example, can make you feel full for hours, making it easy to avoid having small snacks. For snacks in between meals, stick to high-fiber food such as vegetables, so you don’t keep coming back to the table for an extra serving.

Use Strategies to Trick Your Mind
Chew slowly to avoid consuming more food than you can burn, because you’re giving your mind time to assume that your tummy is full. When dining with your family at home, make sure to serve the food restaurant-style using serving plates instead of placing the entire meal course on the table. Then use smaller plates for dining to trick your mind that you require only small portions of the food; and thin, tall glasses to serve alcoholic drinks, so you don’t end up getting drunk.

Insider Things to Know About Hiring a Plumbing Contractor

Posted by Editor in Home Improvement on Feb 1st, 2018 | Comments Off on Insider Things to Know About Hiring a Plumbing Contractor

There are certain types of home repair and maintenance work that an average homeowner can perform. When it comes to the plumbing system, however, it’s an entirely different story. Doing even the smallest mistake in your DIY plumbing repair could end up in a disaster. This is why it’s crucial that you call in a professional when something awry is happening with your plumbing system. But before you proceed on contacting the nearest plumbing contractor in your area, be sure to know the following information that your prospective plumber might not want you to know.

1. Getting a Recommendation is the Best Way to Go

There are several ways on how you can look for a reliable plumber like http://www.superplumbers.sg in Singapore, and perhaps the easiest way to find one is through knowing someone who is informed about the best person in the field. So rather than combing through the lists of plumbers found in the internet, contact a plumbing supply or a home repair store in your area to get an idea as to which plumbing companies in your area offers the best services.

2. Every Plumber Should be Licensed and Insured

Although it’s considered as a requirement by some, some plumbing contractors in Singapore are not licensed and insured. This is the reason why it’s crucial for you to ensure that the plumber you are planning to hire is licensed, since the license certifies that the individual is following the standard building codes and regulations in your region. Aside from that, the licenses and other certifications also verify that the contactor provided by the company has undergone all the necessary training and tests before being allowed to perform an actual plumbing system repair.

3. Certain Plumbing Issues Can Be Prevented

While some plumbing contractors provide preventive and maintenance care tips for your plumbing system, there are also others who will not inform you that your current issue is something that can be prevented. In most situations, you will need the help of a professional plumber, but there are also certain plumbing issues that you can avoid by just performing some preventive care.

Instead of immediately calling for the plumbing services of a plumber, try looking up your plumbing issue on the internet and see if you can perform any preventive measures to keep the issue from worsening or recurring later on. Not only will you be able to learn something about your plumbing system, you will also be able to avoid the costs of hiring a plumbing contractor.

4. An Assistant Plumber Will Work on the Job

Whenever a plumbing contractor books a job, it is always his intention to do the work himself. However, most plumbers get more repair jobs than they can actually handle, causing them to dole out some of their jobs to their assistant or apprentice.
While you may think that the contractor should prioritize your plumbing needs, if he is overbooked, he will likely prioritize his work based on how complicated each repair job is. This means he will likely send his assistant or apprentice to provide plumbing services to clients who only need some minor repairs.

5. You Get to Choose the Materials to be Used

The plumber usually has the say on the kinds of plumbing parts that will be used on the job. In some instances, he might prefer using a low quality version of a particular material, such as using a PVC pipe instead of copper. Sure, this might be a more cost-effective option, but it might not be the best choice when talking about the lifespan of a material. So if you prefer using high quality materials, but does not want to pay a pricey bill, consider discussing the ordering process of these materials with your contractor.

It’s similar as dealing with an automobile parts and automobile mechanic. Although purchasing cheaper parts will make the repair job easier and will be more profitable for the plumber, keep in mind that your own interest is what matters the most.

6. Paying Professional Repair Job Cuts Down Your Costs

Equipped with a hands-on experience and all the necessary certifications, a professional and reliable plumber knows very well what they are up against. To ensure that your plumbing problems are taken care of by professionals, call http://www.superplumbers.sg/contact-us/ from Singapore. Paying for professional work is far more worth it than paying for an unsure job executed by an unlicensed worker.

7. You Will Clean Up the Remaining Mess

One problem with most plumbing works is that a demolition work needs to be done first to get the repair job started. Unless you’ve had a conversation with your plumbing contractor as to who will be responsible for cleaning the mess, you will likely end up doing the clean-up yourself.

Keep in mind that a contractor’s job is to give plumbing services, and not rebuild any wall that he took down to do his job. So make sure that you initiate this conversation with your service provider beforehand so you can hire additional workers to handle all the clean-ups once the plumbing work is done.

While there is a good number of regular and 24 hours plumber whose plumbing services you can trust, knowing and keeping these things in mind is one way of educating yourself about the basics of plumbing, as well as keeping yourself protected from the fraudulent plumbing contractors.

When Should You Consider Hiring a Property Manager?

Posted by Editor in Business, Housing on Jan 22nd, 2018 | Comments Off on When Should You Consider Hiring a Property Manager?

There are a lot of factors to be weighed in when deciding to seek the help of a managing agent to deal with investment properties. Time restraints, for one, hinders a property owner to keep a hands-on management on the properties especially when he or she has a primary day job to attend to. Another factor is Efficiency, since these managers are trained and learned in the many aspects of property management.

But notably one of the most important factors on the list may just be Trust. You have to entrust your properties to another person — and that alone means you have to choose someone whom you have faith and assurance in. Property maintenance requires a lot of time, patience, deliberate planning, and effort on the part of the one managing it. Hence with the right property manager, your investments may prosper.

Hiring a managing agent is more of a personal preference considering you rely on someone you are confident in, and unfortunately it might not be the right move for everyone to make. In Singapore, there has been some cases where property management has gone astray. Some agents ended up neglecting their responsibilities, resulting to unsatisfied tenants and unkempt properties.

These instances remain few in number as they are currently but it is important to weigh beforehand if the need for an agent is truly urgent. The choice is yours to make in the end. However, in order to help you get a perspective on things, this article will present some factors you need to consider carefully before opting to hire a professional from http://www.estateinfo.sg/ in Singpaore to do your estate maintenance duties for you.

Distance

The distance between your property from your residence matters a lot in your overall management experience. The further you are from each other, the harder it will be for you to manage. Take for instance your property for rent is on the opposite side of the city from where you live, chances are it would be more difficult to find potential tenants around the area, handle complaints and issues, respond when there are emergencies, and keep track of maintenance problems.

The time it takes you to go back and forth and the cost of getting there will also only add up over time. In instances like these, it will be more efficient to hire a competent condo manager. Not only will the property issues be addressed properly, but it will also cut off some personal costs too.

Number of Units

The more units you own, the more responsibilities you also have on your plate. With an increasing number of tenants, you will most likely have to deal with a whole lot more maintenance issues and complaints. Of course your life does not revolve only around tending to these concerns — and if you’ve got a busy workload then allotting time for estate maintenance may be hard to do.

If these units are spread across multiple locations, it will also cost you more time commitment in managing each property’s cash flow as well as traveling from one property to the other to handle different issues.

Finances

The service of a managing agent is not free. It is then wise to assess your finances first before you think of hiring a property manager to avoid any possible conflict that may arise. On average, agents charge their fee anywhere between four and 10 percent of the property’s gross income per month. A single rental property’s fee is typically close to 10 percent, but if you have 10 units or more then the fee falls between four and seven percent.

Other managers also have their own way of earning additional commission for those who they work for. To give an example, there are some who charge placement fees which serves as an add-on bonus for successfully finding a tenant. Fees differ from a couple of hundred dollars up to a whooping one month’s rent.

Time Constraints

Balancing both your full-time job and supervising your property is no piece of cake. If you are packed with deadlines you have to beat and meetings you have to attend to, you may fall short of time to give the property for rent the attention it needs. In times like this, a competent agent can ensure more convenient property management.

Tending after your property undoubtedly takes a lot of effort as well as your time. Your everyday responsibilities outside of your management duties will be there on a constant, and if you cannot balance both then hiring a managing agent to monitor your property may just be the best option for you.

Experience

Property management involves making yourself familiar with a bunch of things. For instance, you need to have firsthand knowledge on details ranging from local housing laws to who is the most reliable repairman in town. If you are only starting out, you can’t afford to commit mistakes and cause major problem with your potential income. Common mistakes such as forgetting to have the air conditioner fixed or accidentally overlooking housing laws may be trivial at first, but it can lead to your investment’s demise.

If you are clueless about the first thing when it comes to property management, learning as you go can cost you more money which is why hiring an experienced condo manager can be the right choice for new and inexperienced real estate investors.

You have to shower your investments with time, patience, and effort in order for it to prosper. Tending after issues and complaints on the daily can be difficult to manage — hence is why you need to be efficient in handling them as they will remain constant for the many years to come. Whether you decide to do it by yourself or seek the help of an experienced property manager, what matters is that your property should be in good hands.