For many people, Irish saints begin and end with St Patrick, the patron saint who drove the snakes from Ireland. Let’s take a look at six Irish saints who deserve the spotlight. Read more

If you’re looking for a stylish way to update your Christmas décor, we have a great idea for you. Instead of a boring old tree, why not create a christmas dress? You’ve probably seen them in boutique windows with a bodice and full skirt made from Christmas tree-like foliage or on sites like umay.co.uk/collections/mini-dresses where they do Mini Dresses. Here’s a look at how to make your own dresses. Read more

Flat roofs are often a source of concern for property owners, but if they are properly installed and maintained they shouldn’t present major problems. Of course, when it comes to maintaining or replacing a flat roof, it’s essential that you make the correct choices. Read more

While most of us long for a home of our own, the reality for increasing numbers of young adults is that they are faced with no option but to remain living with their parents until they can afford to rent or buy. A lack of job security, rising house prices and increases in the cost of living mean that many families are now living under the same roof for longer than ever before. While our childhood bedrooms might hold happy memories, they are not always suitable for us, once we’re working full time and need a more adult space in which to unwind. Read more

If you have children or animals in your home, then the chances of your experiencing accidental spillages and other general mess both indoors and outdoors are greatly increased. This is before considering the general wear and tear that naturally occurs on fabrics in your house and garden. Taking preventative measures to protect the items you love will prolong their life and save you money. Here are some tips on how you can keep the items in your home clean and protected. Read more

Do you find yourself feeling you’ve got a case of the Monday blues every day of the week in your office? Is it cramping your creativity? Are you comfortable at your desk, or do you feel like you are sitting on sharp rocks each time you sit down? These are all things that could contribute towards a loathing for your work space. Read more

For most of us, our rooftops are very much a case of out of sight, out of mind. However, performing regular maintenance checks of our roofing could save potential headaches and significant costs by bringing to attention any small issues that, if left, could escalate into major ones!

Flat roofing has slightly different needs to a conventional sloping roof, and if you have one, here are some tips for maintaining and maximising the lifespan of your flat roof:

• Biannual checks

Twice a year, the roof should be checked with particular attention being given to any changes brought on by weather and the seasons. This way small issues can be identified before they turn into big ones. Repairs can then be completed sooner rather than later and the roof will be kept in excellent condition. For a Cheltenham Roofer, visit a site like http://stormroofingltd.co.uk/

Image credit

• Removal of dirt and debris

At any time of year, any flat roof will have an accumulation of leaves, dirt, twigs and moss, for example. Regularly clearing this away will prevent drains and gutters from becoming blocked which causes water to pool on the flat roof. Be sure to clear out any debris so that drainage areas can flow freely and work as they are designed to.

• Internal examination

As well as going up and checking on the external state of the roof, examining the interior is also important. Be sure to look at the ceiling under the flat roof, keeping an out for damp or moisture building up. Any signs of water damage could be an indication of water coming in from outside. If left, this could lead to serious problems in the future.

• Standing water

One of the main issues with flat roofing is standing water. Flat roofing is, in fact, not completely flat but will have a slight incline. Should the incline not be steep enough or not included in the original build, water can pool and gather in different spots. Left for too long and the protective membrane of the roof will become damaged, resulting in leaks and possible interior water damage. The same issues can occur when drains and gutters become blocked and rainwater can’t drain away effectively.

• Foliage

If a property is situated close to trees, this increases the chances of excess debris falling down and accumulating on the flat roof. It’s wise to cut back any trees encroaching on the property and to keep them trimmed to lessen the number of times you’ll need to access the roof and clear away foliage.

Image credit

• Equipment required

Not much is needed to maintain a flat roof and certainly no specialist equipment is required. All that is really needed is a sweeping brush, a hand brush, a ladder, and possibly a pressure washer to blast away moss and algae without any harmful chemicals.

 

 

The benefits of regular exercise stay with you for life. Many people believe that exercise has to be tough and rigorous, when in actual fact, just a short time each day can work wonders. When a person gets regular exercise, they look and feel better and reduce the chances of contracting certain illnesses. Here are just some of the many benefits of exercise:

Strengthening the heart

The heart is a muscle just like any other, so when it is regularly put through challenges, it will make it stronger and healthier. Regular exercise can even help to ward off heart disease in later life, one of the leading causes of death.

Image credit

Keeps veins and arteries clear

Regular exercise helps to lower the amount of harming cholesterol and fat in a person’s blood. It helps to keep blood pressure down and thus reduces the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Makes lungs stronger

Regular workouts help to increase the capacity of the lungs, making them more efficient at drawing oxygen in and moving carbon dioxide and waste materials out. As we age or become inactive, our oxygen levels decline but exercise helps us to prevent this drop in oxygen intake.

Weight control

When we remain sedentary, it’s too easy to take on more calories than we need. Calories that are unused will turn into fat. When we exercise, we end up with a deficit of calories, which burns fat and helps to lower overall body weight. Losing excess weight is better for the heart and can help those with diabetes.

Image credit

Lowers blood sugar levels

Regular exercise helps to stop sugar building up in the blood stream by encouraging muscles to absorb more glucose and turn it into energy. This helps to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Work up a sweat at a Gym Dublin like https://southsidegym.ie/

Bone strengthening

The same as muscles, bones also get stronger when they are subjected to regular exercise. When people reach their twenties, bone mass begins to decline but those who carry out regular physical activity are able to reach a greater bone density before this decline begins. The better a person’s bone density, the lower the risk of developing osteoporosis, a painful condition that causes of loss of density, increased fragility and bones becoming porous.

Regulates blood pressure

It has long been known that exercise reduces stress levels and a result of lower stress is a lower blood pressure. Lower blood pressure helps prevent heart disease in later life.

Improves emotional well-being

Exercise makes us feel good, mentally and physically. People feel in a better mood, calmer and more focused once they have completed a workout. Endorphins are released in the brain during exercise, which is a substance said to be many times more potent than morphine!

 

Whether you’ve been roped in to giving a speech at a works function or have to perform best man duties at a wedding, it’s normal to feel nervous about public speaking. In fact, it’s one of the most common phobias among British adults.

Image Credit

Preparing well in advance and practising what you’re going to say will give you a boost of confidence on the day, but did you know warming up your voice can also help you deliver a great speech?

Here are a few simple exercises you can do before giving a speech or speaking at a business meeting or other event.

Perfect your breathing

Take slow, controlled and deep breaths, focusing on getting the air deep into your abdomen. Imagine your stomach is a balloon that you’re trying to fill up with air. Place your hands on your stomach to really focus your attention. Hold the breath for a few seconds and then slowly exhale through your mouth. This technique is also great at helping relax you if you’re nervous ahead of your speech. Healthline features this and several other breathing techniques designed to help you beat anxiety or stress, and you can read about the benefits of deep breathing and controlling your exhaling at https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-anxiety.

Image Credit

If you regularly need to give speeches and need help with confidence, why not hire a motivational speaker such as https://www.adventureman.org/motivational-speaker/ to help you beat those nerves?

Warm up your tongue

Yes, you read that right. The aim here is to loosen up your tongue. Roll your tongue in your mouth as quickly as you can, in silence at first and then by sighing out loud as you do. It might feel stiff and unnatural at first but will soon loosen up!

Hum

Humming is a great way to warm up your vocal chords and your mouth. You’ve probably heard singers warming up in this way before a performance. When you hum, the vibrations will loosen up your vocal chords, particularly important if your speech is in the morning and you haven’t talked to anyone yet! Hum for as long as you can – really hold it and push yourself. Next, move up and down the scale from high to low and back again. Try to keep your lips and mouth loose as you hum and avoid clenching your jaw.

Polystyrene is used in a variety of different ways including as a packaging material in toys and other products as well as for uses in crafting and other items as well. It is an incredibly versatile material but it can be difficult to dispose of, which is why you should use a professional polystyrene recycling company if you use large quantities of this item in your business. Companies like this will ensure that they dispose of it in the correct manner so that it does not have a negative impact on the environment around us.

Image Credit

Polystyrene is incredibly light in its design but it can hold a significant weight. It can also be used as an insulating materials as the cells within the sheets are not interconnected. This means that heat cannot travel through it easily meaning the heat can be retained behind sheets of polystyrene.

How is it made?

Polystyrenes main ingredient is styrene which is a liquid that is made up from ethylene and benzene. These are mixed together to form the styrene which is then treated with what is known as a polymerisation initiator and is put through a process called suspension polymerisation. This is what converts the styrene into polystyrene. During this process the suspension is heated to around 100 degrees celsius to cause free radicals (which are atoms which like to react with others) to form creating the structure of the polystyrene.

Once the product has been finished it can be created in a sheets, beads and thicker slabs that can then be cut to places items inside. For example in toy manufacturing the large pieces of polystyrene will be cut using a heated cutter or in some cases a laser that has the imprint of the toys outline programmed into it. This means that the space for the toy to fit in can be cut to the exact measurements of the item itself. It is important that any item that is placed in polystyrene fits snuggly as it forms a part of its protection against dents and damage.

Image Credit

When it comes to recycling polystyrene it is important that you dispose of this correctly and if you are not using high quantities on a daily basis you should visit your local recycling centre, however for commercial scale removal you should visit the link higher up in the article for more details.