Outdoor lighting fixtures can not only enhance your house’s exterior, but if done right, these can upgrade your entire home space. Garden lights can highlight specific features in your house’s outdoor area and also provide illumination for your walkway or others areas of the yard. Whether you want to use outdoor lights for decorative purposes, security reasons or both, you can do so for any house style, size, and budget.
Plan your initial landscape lighting setup
Sketch out your ideas for garden decoration in terms of needs, function, and budget. Do you need outdoor lights just for highlighting the walkway? Or do you wish to make the gazebo in your garden the focus of your home exterior? Perhaps you wish to revamp your entire backyard from dingy to fabulous? Make a list of whatever you desire in terms of your garden lights and plan a budget.
If you want to hire a professional to upgrade your garden, you can share your ideas and plans with your choice of landscape designer and watch the transformation unfold. If you wish to design your own backyard or garden, you can buy all the light fixtures as per your ideas and budget and hire an electrician to install the lights.
You can install solar lights, which may be expensive to buy than other high- or low-voltage garden lights. But the installation costs are low and the operational costs are negligible in the long run. You can discuss the option to use solar outdoor lights with your electrical contractor and install a combination of different types of landscaping lighting fixtures.
Simple ways to use garden lights in your home
Here are simple ways to create a beautiful garden with the use of outdoor lights.
– If you have a lot of planters in your garden, you can replace a few with ones that come with a built-in lighting system. For a small garden, you can buy one such big planter and use it in a corner as a focal point.
– For a mystical effect in your outdoor area, try light cubes or single light fixtures that you can place under a tree, in the middle of a rose garden or with rocks and pebbles near a fountain.
– You can create an instant magical look in your garden with the use of stake lights. The installation is simple as you need to just push them into the soft ground. These are available in different colors and shapes such as flowers, balls, and lanterns. If you have an elevated area in your garden, you can highlight it using stake lights, lanterns, or a combination of small lights in different colors for a dramatic cascading effect.
– Use fluorescent lights to create circles in the garden. You can place small statues or decorative pieces inside these illuminated paths.
– You can use underwater lights for any water features in your garden such as a pond or a waterfall. Use spotlights to illuminate your garden around the water features.
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5 food items that combat inflammation
Read moreThe ideal approach to control inflammation is not through medicines but through a proper diet. The immune system battles anything inside the body that it perceives as remote. For example, an attacking microorganism, plant dust, or substance. The reaction leads to inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s safe reaction. It sends signals and warning so that the immune system can handle it. Lack of sleep, anxiety, hereditary qualities, wrong eating habits can lead to inflammation.
Causes of inflammation
There are several factors that can cause inflammation. This includes certain foods. In order to fight inflammation, they should be avoided. Artificial food items like animal products, refined flours, and sugars lead to inflammation. They increase weight, cause joint pain and exhaustion. They also kill the probiotic microbes in the stomach. They are also associated with a large group of diseases, ranging from coronary illness to diabetes. In order to combat inflammation, there are a number of food items that can be included in your diet.Food items to combat inflammation
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes are high in vitamin C, potassium and lycopene. Lycopene is a cancer prevention agent with amazing anti-inflammatory properties. It is very beneficial for reducing pro-inflammatory compounds related to several types of cancer.
- Olive oil: Olive oil can decrease inflammation. It has antioxidants which have several health benefits. The main anti-inflammatory effects are mediated by the antioxidants. Since oil is used in cooking most of the dishes, switch to olive oil. It is also beneficial for the overall health.
- Green vegetables: Green vegetables like spinach and collards fight inflammation. They have high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, iron, and calcium. They are a vital part of the balanced diet. They should be included in at least one of the three meals in a day. They have fibers that improve the digestive system and the immune system. A strong immune system can defend the body from infections due to external factors.
- Fruits: Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and orange also help in combating inflammation. They are low in fat, calories and high in antioxidants. Fruits should be consumed on a daily basis. The vitamins obtained through fruits cannot be obtained from other sources.
- Fatty fish: Salmon, tuna, and sardines are rich in calcium, selenium, and vitamin D. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 acids can help deal with arthritis and prevention of heart disease.
Therefore, to lessen inflammation in your body, choose a healthy diet. Find a proper eating arrangement that restricts your diet to anti-inflammatory food. The above mentioned food items should be part of your daily meals.
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4 simple tips to better manage asthma flareups
Read moreAsthma is a chronic respiratory disorder that causes the airways to become restricted due to inflammation, which then triggers excess mucous production. 1 in 13 people are affected by this condition every year. There is no cure for asthma, but individuals can manage it to the point where symptoms become negligible. Given below are some useful tips on nutrition habits, lifestyle changes, preventive care, and effective prescriptions for asthma management:
Treatment for asthma
Prescriptions are the first line of treatment for asthma. Xolair® prevents common allergens from triggering asthma symptoms in patients who don’t respond positively to inhaled corticosteroids. Nucala® and Fasenra® both belong to a class of biologics designed to inhibit certain internal responses that trigger inflammation. Tezelpelumab, marketed under the brand name Tezspire™, specifically targets alarmins released by the lungs that trigger inflammation and lead to an asthma attack. Zyrtec® is an antihistamine that provides relief from indoor and outdoor allergies, which may aggravate asthma symptoms.Suggested nutrition for asthma
Studies indicate that vitamins A, C, D, and E help lower the risk of asthma flareups. Egg yolks and salmon are excellent sources of vitamin D. Also, an apple a day can certainly keep asthma symptoms at bay. The fruit contains selenium, an anti-inflammatory compound shown to ease swelling in the airways. Cantaloupes and carrots are good sources of vitamin A and help promote healthy lung function. In addition, foods rich in antioxidants prevent cell damage and promote better respiratory functions. Assorted berries, dark greens, and leafy vegetables are a must-have to better manage asthma.Effective lifestyle changes
Not getting adequate rest also increases the risk of infections and common allergies. A proper sleep routine plays a crucial role in boosting immunity. Daily exercise can help keep inflammation under control. In fact, any form of physical activity will promote better lung function. Light consistent exercises will also improve cardiovascular health in the long run. Also, stress triggers an increase in cortisol levels and heightens the risk of flareups. One must practice relaxation techniques, mindful breathing, and alternative therapies like yoga and meditation to better manage stress.Preventive care tips
There are several environmental factors and pollutants that aggravate the symptoms of respiratory disorders. Smoke, mold, pollen, dander, and any other type of allergen can easily trigger asthma flareups. The only solution here is to actively limit exposure by wearing protective masks and avoiding going to heavily polluted areas. Vaccination is another effective strategy to lower the risk of common cold and viral infections that can worsen the symptoms of asthma.