4 things you should know about COPD
4 things you should know about COPD

COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is the term for a group of lung diseases. Increasing breathlessness is a common characteristic of COPD. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths involving COPD. Here are some facts about COPD that you should be aware of. These could help dispel some of the misconceived notions about this condition:

Here are some facts about COPD that you should be aware of. These could help dispel some of the misconceived notions about this condition.

Myth 1: COPD is caused by smoking.
Fact: Most of the COPD information available states that the leading cause of COPD is smoking or the inhaling of secondary fumes. However, this is not the only cause of this condition. A genetic condition known as the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency could also lead to COPD. Exposure to harmful environmental pollutants on a long term basis can also increase the risks.

Myth 2: Increasing breathlessness is the only symptom.
Fact: Although COPD is characterized by a shortness of breath, according to COPD patient information, those diagnosed with COPD may experience frequent bouts of flu, pneumonia, and colds. Misdiagnosis of COPD as asthma due to shortness of breath is a common problem.

Myth 3: COPD Is incurable.
Fact: Although lung damage is irreversible, COPD information in various medical journals cite that COPD is treatable, but not reversible. The best way to treat COPD is by eliminating smoking, taking flu shots and vaccines, and leading a healthy lifestyle. Oxygen therapy is a common form of treatment for COPD. These treatment options can provide relief from the symptoms of this condition.

Myth 4: COPD strikes the elderly.
Fact: COPD symptoms can start showing in your early 20s or 30s. Since it is a progressive disease, symptoms of this condition according to COPD information widely available indicate that it is usually only diagnosed in the later stages. The best way to find out if you’re at risk is to take a spirometer test. In this test, the individual would be required to breathe into a tube connected to the spirometer, a device used to assess the functioning of the lungs.

Knowing the difference between myths and facts is what makes an effective treatment plan. If you’ve been diagnosed with COPD or aren’t sure what to look for, then these facts highlighted in the above COPD information will help you take preventive measures.

  • 9 bedroom painting ideas

    When you come home from office and find your house as boring as your office, it further adds to your frustration. So from boring, dull colors of your office room, let’s move to some bedroom painting ideas that can lend a dreamy and modern look to your room. Here are 10 ideas to do the same.

    Go green
    Well, for calmness and soothing touch, soft green hues can be used. With the soft, neutral or pastel colors, you can have shades of warm browns with them to create a spa-like environment. Also, a green space will definitely relax your mind after those boring boardroom meetings within glass chambers.

    Pick up bold hues
    So, you love going out of the way and create something different? This bedroom painting idea will help you with just that. Go for black- and white-colored walls with your wall arts hanging on them. Black and white paints on bedroom walls are great canvases to doodle your ideas.

    Choose purple for the kid’s room
    Well, so it’s your child’s bedroom where there is nothing but studies? Or, is your child very shy or introvert with his or her choices? In this case, you should paint the room purple. It will stimulate his brain activity, and encourage him to use his imagination even more, and keep him happy as well!

    Paint geometry designs
    Avoid going for bold colors when it comes to your kids’ space. In fact, paint different shapes and big animated letters for your kid who has just started to learn, waking up to basic letters and numbers. You can paint animals and historic structures as well. Waking up to important things can help your child remember things and most importantly learn them.

    Opt for a theme
    What about a fairy wandering over her room? Or a hot wheel track on the wall? A world atlas drawn on the wall, may be? These kinds of bedroom painting ideas can do wonders to light up and brighten up your child’s mood.

    Happy colors are the best!
    Pink and yellow or ocean greens are natural bright colors. If you like to create a positive environment, then these bedroom painting ideas are apt for you. Bright colors can give you positive vibes. So, don’t forget to lend a yellow tone or a pinkish tone one of the walls, and see the change yourself!

    For the love of the abstract
    Most abstract paintings are made on block color. If you’re an artist, it’s a good idea to paint your room with stripes and lots of micro designs that suit your artworks.

    Create blocks of colors
    Only one color cannot define your personality, isn’t it? Why not opt for multiple colors then? You can even paint your bedroom with four colors based on your choices, moods and corners. You can divide your room diagonally to organize them beautifully.

    Say no to dull colors
    Nobody likes a color that depresses one. Hence, give a miss to colors that resemble fungus. Waking up to happiness is the main thing. Bedroom is the room for freshness, and hence, it would be helpful and refreshing if you wake up to your favorite color.

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  • 7 Tips to Choose the Right Exercise Bikes

    One of the best and simple ways to get rid of those extra pounds at home is an exercise bike and a treadmill. They have been in the market for years. If you check for exercise bikes online, you will be able to find numerous brands. Too many options can make you feel overwhelmed, and you might find it difficult to decide on the right one. However, it is not very tough if you are aware of what to look for in an exercise bike before making a purchase. Continue reading to know more about how to choose the right exercise bike.

    • Features: Irrespective of what kind of exercises you are going to perform or what brand you are choosing, your exercise bike should have some features that make your workout routine comfortable. So, make sure that you check the primary features of the bike before buying it.
    • Additional accessories: The latest gym equipment come with some interesting and useful accessories such as a port to play music, and a water bottle holder among others.
    • Weight limit: There is always a weight limit for exercise bikes. You should make sure that you choose a bike that supports your weight and the weight of other people who will be using it.
    • Stability: You do not want to hurt or injure yourself while you are using the exercise bike. Hence, you should make sure that the equipment is stable before making a purchase. The weight of the equipment is a factor that can help you with stability; heavier weight means more stable equipment.
    • Noise levels: This may not be a significant problem for many people, but it is essential to ensure that you buy a quieter model so that you do not disturb any of your family members or neighbors while working out.
    • Brand and price: Other factors to check before buying exercise bikes is the brand and the price. You need to decide your budget according to how frequently you’re planning to use the equipment.
    • Warranty: Last, but not the least, check the warranty period of the bike so that you can relax and start using it without any worries.

    It is not very difficult to choose an exercise bike if you have a little knowledge about the type of workouts you are planning.

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  • Top smartphone deals in the market

    Are you searching for a smartphone from among the numerous smartphone deals available in the market? The top smartphone deals available in the market are listed below. Make an intelligent choice and buy the best in the market.

    Apple iPhone 6S
    The 64 GB variant is available in the open market for $1020 but can be purchased at a discounted price of $ 831 if you make an early start. The Gold model is available at this price as of now while the Rose Gold model is still in short supply.

    Lenovo A7000
    Initially, Lenovo A 7000 was exclusively available on Flipkart only but can now be purchased through Paytm. The smartphone which was originally priced $142 is available for a discounted price of $114 online.

    Xiaomi MiPad
    While the listed price of Xiaomi MiPad is $196, it is available for a price of Rs 9,374 or $147 in different smartphone offers available in the market. However, you should make an early purchase since the prices fluctuate almost on a daily basis.

    Intex Aqua Power HD
    With a battery of 4,000 mAh, the Intex Aqua Power HD is the leader in the league when it comes to smartphones available under different smartphone deals in the market in the mid range smartphone category. The price of Intex Aqua Power HD is Rs 6,999 or $109 in the open market, but it can be purchased for Rs 5,599 or $87 in different smartphone deals available online.

    Micromax Canvas Nitro A311
    Micromax Canvas Nitro A311 is available for a price of Rs 8,365 or $131 in the market. The smartphone is available at a substantial discount of over Rs 2,000 online and can be purchased for Rs 6,692 or $105 in different deals which can be checked online.

    The above-listed smartphones are among the mid-range smartphones, which can be purchased at a discounted price online. It will be a viable deal for the buyers to explore this option as it saves money through which other accessories can be purchased.

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  • Stages of HIV infection

    HIV or Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus is a life-threatening virus that attacks the CD-4 lymphocytes of the human body and brings down its immune system to a level that it is vulnerable to all kinds of diseases. If not treated timely, the infected person dies due to the direct effect of all other diseases rather than HIV alone.

    HIV has three stages;

    Acute HIV infection
    When HIV virus enters the blood stream of the body, it immediately attacks the lymphocytes in the blood. The patient may not notice its effect in the initial weeks until the time when the lymphocytes count in the blood stream has reduced to a drastic level. Flu like symptoms would begin to a appear.
    High fever with head ache and nausea would be persistent for a couple of days. Some people might even experience Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms would remain for a normal period and the patient would return to normal state without ever knowing the real cause of the flu infection.

    The second stage is called as the chronic infection stage. The patient enters this stage when the HIV starts killing off CD-4 cells thereby weakening the immune system on a daily basis. Post the flu symptoms, the infected person may not even have a slightest idea that he is infected with HIV. This is the stage where HIV infection is at its peak and can go unnoticed until at least a decade. If untreated during this time, the HIV will keep on destroying CD-T4 cells by latching on to it.

    The third and the final stage of the HIV infection is AIDS
    When the CD-T4 lymphocytes count has gone below 200, the immune system of the infected person is completely down. At this stage, much severe symptoms start to appear. Some of them include. Feeling tired all the time, Unexplained profuse night sweating, Fever that lasts for more than a week, severe diarrhea that lasts longer than usual, unexplained skin pigmentation with bruises and bleeding. Some unusual symptoms such as yeast infection in reproductive organs and swollen lymph nodes in neck and groin. Person infected with AIDS is normally suffers from Kaposi’s sarcoma which is a type of skin cancer and pneumonia. People with unhealthy lifestyles are more prone to suffer from STD’s such as genital herpes and gonorrhea. As stated earlier the body of the infected person falls prey to other infections which results in death.

    A person suffering from AIDS can survive for 4 years or more with proper medication.

    Hence it is important for the potential patients to get tested thoroughly for any signs of infections. If found positive, it is advisable to start the treatment immediately before the stage of infection advances.

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  • Find better health and convenience with Nutribullet

    Nutribullet is a kind of super blender that blends fruits, vegetables into some extremely nutritious and delicious smoothies. Normal blenders take the pulp and break it down to a smooth fluid. Nutribullet, on the other hand, extracts all the nutrients from the food that is processed in it. It has a special jar shaped in such a way that it sets up the current of the fluid to rise along the walls of the jar and fall back to the eye of the extractor blades. This ensures uniform action of the blades on all particles of the food.

    The Nutribullet has a powerful motor of 600 to 900 watts, which ensures that the power is enough to break open even the cell walls of the fruits and vegetables. It also reduces the fiber in the food to extremely fine particles. This ensures all the nutrients in the food are extracted. In other words, for a given nutrition-rich diet, one needs lesser food. In ordinary blenders, the process falls well short of what is achieved in Nutribullet.

    Advantages of food in Nutribullet
    The very fine sizes to which the food particles are reduced has quite a lot of unseen advantages. Finer-sized particles have larger surface areas and this enhances the action of the digestive juices.
    The blender breaks open certain cell walls making the sugar available in the cells readily available and spikes the blood sugar levels immediately after ingestion. This is one thing nutritionist hold against fruit juices. Nutribullet on the other hand breaks down the fiber to extremely small sizes, and thus increases their retaining capacity and ensures a steadier release of nutrients, preventing spikes in blood sugar levels.

    It extracts far greater degree of nutrients from the food on the one hand and on the other, it makes it easier for the body to assimilate the nutrients. This helps the body to get the much needed, but sorely missed micro nutrients. Long story short, it gives its users a better health at reduced cost.

    Physical advantages
    It is sleek and fits nicely on any work desk top. The jars are designed for multiple uses. Unscrew the blade assembly and the jar can be used as an elegant jar to drink the smoothie. Everything except the blade assembly are dishwasher top-row compatible. The blade assembly can be easily washed by rinsing with soap and water. It is important to read the operating manual and follow the operating instructions for best results, long life and safety of the person operating it.

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  • Bed bug pest control

    The Cimex Lectularius, commonly known as bed bugs, is a pest that feeds on the blood, which causes itchy bites to appear on the skin and generally irritate the human hosts. The government agencies such as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the EPA (The Environmental Protection Agency), and the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) have all acknowledged bed bugs has pests and a threat to public health. However, bed bugs are not known to spread diseases, but rather create other public health issues. Their only meal is blood, and so each individual has different responses to bed bug bites. Hence, it is vital to pay attention to control and prevent bed bugs.

    Basics of bed bugs
    Bed bugs are usually flat, are reddish to brown in color, oval in shape, and usually measure up to four to five mm long, approximately the size of an apple seed. They look swollen, especially after having feasted on blood. Bed bugs can survive up to a year without meals. They feed on blood only and have got two skins, since they shed their skin when they grow to be an adult. They are more active at night time, especially when the host is sleeping.

    Where bed bugs appear
    Bed bugs usually appear and are seen in crevices and cracks, which include mattress seams, furniture, bedspreads, behind headboards, coat racks, electrical outlet plates, and photo frames. They are often found at hotels, especially during peak travel time when they travel “room to room” through luggage or other personal belongings.

    Signs of bedbug bites
    Bed bug bites are similar of those caused by mosquitoes. It is quite difficult to prove it is a bed bug bite until one finds the bed bug. Some of the common symptoms of a bed bug bite include burning and itching, puffed skin, red welts, red rashes across the area, and multiple straight lines of the bites.

    Identifying and destroying bed bugs
    If an individual was able to identify a bed bug bite and wants to protect his/her home from multiple troubles, then the best thing to do would be to get in pest control experts who will properly fumigate for bed bugs. Pest control experts first carefully inspect the space, then spray the medicine and also give people proper guidance. It is better to consult with pest management services which use government-approved chemicals (which includes free re-treatment in case the first assignment did not work well) and trained professionals, which will provide quick relief and maximum protection to those facing this problem.

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  • What you need to know about streaming cable TV

    The ultimate reason for choosing a streaming cable TV online is to cut down on your cable bill. This is how a cable TV works: all the cable TV lines are connected to one server which delivers the same signal to all the houses and includes all channels by default. The disturbing part is you may not need all those channels provided yet you will have to pay for those you have not watched, and if there is anything wrong with the signals, it causes grains on the screen spoiling its picture tube. Though there are cable connections with modern technology, it is high time to switch over to the online video and streaming services like Hulu and Netflix to experience better viewing, options, and amenities.

    As there are a wide number of streaming services, it makes it convenient for people to turn to the Internet for their favorite shows. According to a study, almost 50% of households subscribed to video streaming while the same study showed that youngsters between the ages of 14“25  graded internet services higher than cable television.

    Reasons to choose streaming services over cable TV
    Including the subscription cost, selective bundling packages and increasing network disputes and poor customer service are also the primary reason why consumers switch to streaming services. Hence, more number of people have started to turn for cost effective alternatives. Observing this decline, the cable operators in the US are seeking to have a tie up with OTT companies to incorporate online programming with cable set-top boxes. But as we all know, the growth of the Internet is occurring faster and has reached every person’s home and has become a reliable source beginning with a smart phone to the online total home security systems. You have the freedom to customize your plan and add or remove the channels keeping with your needs. The quality of TV apps is constantly updated depending on customer reviews.
    Flexibility: Basically, there is no contract being made so you have the liberty to sign up and cancel at anytime and they don’t charge a penny as a penalty or termination fee. Moreover, you can watch your favorite channels or programs from anywhere, being at office, waiting at the airport, or during a break by using any multimedia device.
    Affordable: Unlike the big expensive cable providers that consume hours of time to install, online cable streaming is cost efficient and easy to set up. They are subsequently lower in price, available even for $9 per month.
    Personalized viewing: This is an amazing opportunity for you to experience streaming service. You can subscribe to your favorite shows and download even when you go offline, there are options to record, pause, and play whenever you want. Moreover, you often get updates on new packages and TV shows recommended for you.

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  • Top Choices for Cable TV Providers

    Cable TV remains one of the most traditional mediums of entertainment for most people. Following are four of the best cable TV providers that you can consider.

    • Xfinity
      Operating in large regions such as North Carolina, Washington, New York, California, etc., Xfinity has become the preferred entertainment provider for many people. They offer packs such as Xfinity Digital Preferred, X1 Preferred Double Play, and Preferred XF Triple Play. You can choose a plan according to your budget. You can also pick the Digital Starter Pack which is affordable as it costs around $49.99 per month. The availability of so many options and the flawless service make Xfinity one of the top cable TV providers in the country.
    • COX
      Cox Communications is another top-notch choice for cable TV services, and it provides TV packages, internet services, and phone networks. It also offers bundles to customers who are looking for affordable deals. Bronze Duo, Gold Triple Play, and Bronze Triple Play are some of the best plans that you can consider. Additionally, Contour TV is a package that offers more than 70 channels, and it costs around $59.99 per month.
    • Spectrum
      Spectrum takes pride in providing more HD channels than any other cable TV provider. Its packages start at around $44.99 per month plus taxes, and it also has a way to buy out your contracts till a particular amount. This facility helps customers as it ensures that they get the best quality of entertainment without being committed to something that they may not like. Check out their varied plans and pick the one that is the best fit for your budget and requirements.
    • Optimum
      Optimum offers multiple packages, hundreds of on-demand channels, as well as popular movies and network channels. You can choose from nine different packages. The basic plan offered by this provider is the Broadcast Basic, which costs around $19.99, while the most expensive package with the most number of channels is Optimum Gold, which has a price of $109.95 approximately. Other packages that you can consider are Optimum Premier, Optimum Silver, Optimum Preferred, Optimum Value, Optimum Select, Optimum Value, and Optimum Core. If you want to view Spanish channels, then you can check out the Optimum en español package, which costs around $12.95 per month. Please note that there is a different cost for each premium channel.
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