| How to Keep Black Jeans from Fading Posted: 03 Mar 2017 04:00 PM PST Black jeans are beautiful, and can be worn for many occasions. Dress them up with a button down shirt or keep them casual with a t-shirt. Keeping black jeans black can be a bit tricky. Inevitably your black jeans will fade, but you can postpone this with different washing and caring techniques. EditCleaning Your Jeans Without a Washing Machine - Wash your jeans by hand in cold water. Cold water helps reduce the denim's dye from bleeding. Use a natural soap and don't apply too much pressure when scrubbing. Soak your jeans for a couple minutes and then let them dry on a hanger.
- You can effectively wash and soak your jeans in your kitchen sink, as long as it's clean. Clog the drain, and fill the sink with cold water. Add your fabric soap while the water is filling up the sink.
- Hang your jeans outside. You don't have to clean and soak your jeans to freshen them. Reap the benefits of nature by simply hanging your jeans up during the day. Keep your jeans out of direct sunlight or else they will fade due to the sunlight.[1]
- Mist and freeze your jeans. Instead of washing your jeans, you can alternatively mist the jeans. Use a squirt bottle and fill with one part cold water and the other part vodka. Spray down the jeans with solution and then hang them on a clothesline. Once the jeans have dried, place them in the freezer.[2]
- This technique doesn't clean bacteria off of the jeans, but eliminates odors from the jeans.
- This an alternative to cleaning your jeans in a washing machine or by hand. This is a good technique if you want preserve the longevity of your jean's quality.
- Use stain removers. Even though your black jeans won't show all stains, you should still attempt to treat the ones you know about. There are many products that can be used as stain removers. Remove stains as you get them to reduce the amount of washing times. Resist the urge to throw the jeans into the wash after spilling marinara on them.
- Pine Sol wooden floor polish removes tough grease stains and Motsenbocker's Lift Off removes paint without damaging the dye of the denim.[3]
- You can also find natural based denim stain spotter to use on the go.
- Steam your jeans. Jeans can stay clean without much effort. There are occasions to use a machine wash, like if you've been frolicking in the mud, but typically they need a simple freshener. A quick way to freshen your jeans safely is by steaming them. You can use an iron's steam function, if your iron has that function, or bring them into the shower with you.
- Place the jeans on a hanger and place them in an area where they won't get wet.
- Take a hot shower as you normally would, and when you're done, the jeans will be fresher than before.
- Steam removes odor from your jeans similar to the misting and freezing technique.[4]
EditUsing a Washing Machine and Drying - Set the denim's dye with vinegar. Prepare a bucket of cold water and one cup of white distilled vinegar. Turn your jeans inside out and submerge them into the bucket. Let the jeans become fully soaked, about 30 seconds to a minute, before removing them.
- This process helps set the jeans' dye and prevents it from fading in the washing machine.[5]
- It's good for your jeans to set the dye of the jeans before you machine wash them.
- If you buy your jeans new, it will benefit your denim to set the dye right when you get them.
- Use a washing machine. Set your machine to cold and gentle cycle. This will prevent your jeans from going through a rough cycle. Choose a lower time setting if your machine allows you to choose those preferences.
- Wash your jeans with other black clothing, especially new black clothing or black clothing that has a tendency to bleed.
- Don't overload the washing machine with too many other clothes. A crowded washing machine can cause strain and wear to your jeans.
- Do not put them in the dryer. Again, never put your jeans in the dryer if you want to preserve the color of your jeans.[6] The fastest way to fade colors is by putting them in the dryer. Allow them to line dry instead.
- You can wear your jeans more than once, and not wash them in between every wear. This will help the jeans from not fading as quickly.
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| How to Start a Support Group Posted: 03 Mar 2017 08:00 AM PST Living through difficult circumstances can be emotionally and mentally exhausting. Having a support group can make you feel less lonely or stressed and give you a sense of control over your situation.[1] Even if you don't currently know anyone who has gone through your unique experiences, you can seek out the advice of others and build a community of support. EditFinding Help - Look for existing groups. Chances are that at least one national group, focused on your particular concern, already exists. You may be able to join an existing group, or if no groups exist in your area, then you may be able to form a "satellite group" if you share common values and interests.[2]
- To find any existing national group, search for the terms or conditions you are seeking with the words "support group". You can also narrow your search to your local city or county.
- Obtain any how-to guide, or group starter kit, that the national organization offers (many provide them free online). If there's no national group, see if your search results revealed any "model group" elsewhere in the world, which you can contact and duplicate in your area. Try social groups sites and social media pages to see if local groups exists.
- Ask other groups how they got started. Learning from others, even if their group addresses different needs than the group you want to start, can help you plan out everything you'll need from the ground up.
- Seek out professional assistance before you start a support group. That way, once you organize your group, you will have the guidance you need to get started. Social service workers, clergy, and physicians or therapists may be helpful in various ways, from providing referrals or meeting space to locating other needed resources.[3]
EditPlanning Your Support Group - Understand your motivation for starting a support group. While it's perfectly acceptable to need the support of others, you should not start a support group solely for your own needs. Use your experience and your understanding of what you need to offer that support mutually, ensuring that everyone in your group will have the support that they need for their problems.[4]
- Determine the scope of your group. You want to help as many people as possible, but if a group gets too large it may be difficult to allow everyone adequate speaking time. At the same time, you don't want to be too narrow and restrictive with your group's parameters. Knowing the ideal scope of your group will help you when it comes time to open your group to others.[5]
- Determine whether your support group will be a temporary, short-term/seasonal entity, or a permanent, full-time group. Knowing whether you will be working under time restraints will help you plan out your group's agenda and determine what needs to be accomplished and when.[6]
- Ask yourself whether the issues you hope to address are permanent, life-long issues, or issues that are temporary or cyclical. Support for people living with chronic health problems will probably require a permanent group, but a support group for students struggling in school, for example, will probably not need to meet during the summer, when school is out.
- Consider how often your group should meet. Are the issues pressing enough to warrant weekly or even twice-weekly meetings? Will participants need time to implement strategies and plan for future meetings? Is there a support-system in place in case of emergencies during the time between meetings?
- Determine your group's format. The three most common support group formats worth considering:
- Curriculum-based - in which readings are "assigned" and discussions center around a given reading's issues.
- Topic-based - in which topics are introduced and discussion centers around that week's topic.
- Open forum - in which there is no pre-determined structure, and discussion topics vary as members bring them up.[7]
- Find a suitable meeting place and time. Try to obtain free or very low cost meeting space at a local church, library, community center, hospital, or social service agency. Chairs should be arranged in a circle and avoid a lecture set-up.[8]
- Look for a room capacity slightly higher than your anticipated crowd size. Too big of a meeting space will feel cavernous and empty; too small will feel cramped and uncomfortable.
- Reach out to like-minded people. Find a few others who share your interest in starting a group by circulating a flyer or letter that specifically cites how to contact you if one is interested in "joining with others to help start" such a group. You may also want to ask people you know to refer you to others who might be interested.[9]
- Include your first name, phone number, and any other relevant information.
- Make copies and post them at places you feel are appropriate, e.g., at local community website, library, community center, clinic, or post office.
- Mail copies to key people who you think would know others like yourself. Submit your notice to newspapers and church bulletins. Also, check to see if there is a local "self-help group clearinghouse" serving your area to help you get started.
- Advertise your support group's meetings in rounds. Send out an initial notification several weeks in advance (if possible), then a follow-up notification a few days to one week before the event. This will help maximize exposure and remind interested parties that an event is approaching.[10]
EditStarting Your Support Group - Run meetings efficiently. After deciding on the format and frequency of your group, you'll need to focus on how best to run each meeting. Your group may benefit from having some kind of structure/schedule, but it's important to be fluid and open to the needs of your members.[11]
- Make your group's objectives clear. If there is a schedule, stick to it.[12]
- Be punctual, and ask that your members are also punctual.
- Draft a mission statement or a statement of purpose. This should be done with the help and input of your core group of co-founders, so that everyone feels that they are a part of the process and can provide insight on what they hope to get out of the meetings. The mission statement should provide a structural framework for the group's values, purpose, and goals, and what will be done to meet those goals.
- Your mission statement should be brief and to the point. Aim for 2-3 sentences at most.
- Focus on intended outcomes rather than methods when drafting your mission statement.
- With the help of your core group of co-founders, discuss and revise your mission statement.
- Do not make any promises of success or achievement in your mission statement. Promising results may deter members from returning if they do not achieve those results in a forecasted time period.[13]
- Share responsibilities and delegate work in the group. Decide who will be the primary contact person/people for the group. Consider additional roles members can play in making the group work.[14]
- Decide which tasks you're willing to trust to others in the group. Appoint those tasks with an understanding that each role will include great responsibilities.
- Be clear in giving instructions and laying out the terms of each role.
- Give credit to everyone who contributes. Let them know that their efforts are appreciated.
- Choose a name for your group. Share a few options at your first meeting for additional feedback and ideas from members before deciding. The naming process should be a fun aspect of creating a support group, and should allow everyone to have equal input.[15]
- Publicize and run your first public meeting. Permit ample time for your core group members to describe their interest and work, while allowing others the opportunity to share their view of what they would like to see the support group do.
- Identify common needs the group can address.
- Determine whether you should enact a confidentiality policy to keep information shared at your meetings from leaving the group. This may put members at ease and make those who feel reluctant to share their experiences more comfortable going forward.[16]
- Make plans for the next meeting. Allow everyone to socialize informally after the meeting to reinforce the sense of community and mutual support. You should also pass around a mailing/contact sheet either before or after each meeting to keep contact information up to date.[17]
- Develop a list of referrals for those who need more help than the group can provide. Have copies readily available. The list could include:
- psychiatrists
- psychologists
- licensed clinical social workers
- clergy
- crisis hotlines
- Don't allow an upset or angry person to disrupt or dominate the group discussion. The leader or facilitator could arrange in advance to have an assistant help diffuse these situations as they arise. He or she could quietly ask the disruptive person to come with them into the next room, or outside, so they can calm down and continue discussing the issue in private.
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| How to Take Good Care of Your Lungs Posted: 03 Mar 2017 12:00 AM PST You take over six million breaths every year.[1] Each one of those breaths is essential to providing your body with the oxygen that keeps every single one of your cells alive. By knowing the common harmful substances many people breathe on a daily basis, as well as the activities that promote lung health, you can start taking better care of your lungs today! EditAvoiding Substances Harmful to Your Lungs - Quit smoking. The single best thing you can do for your lungs is to quit smoking or (better yet) never start. Cigarette smoking in particular is a major cause of lung cancer and COPD. Smokers have a 20 times higher risk of developing lung cancer and COPD than non-smokers.[2]
- Lung cancer is when cells grow out of control and form tumors in the lungs. These tumors interfere with normal lung functioning, such as breathing. If the cancer metastasizes, then it may affect other organs and tissues, such as the breasts.[3]
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) causes excess mucus, difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness. This disease worsens over time.[4]
- While cigarette smoking receives the most negative attention, keep in mind that no form of smoking is safe. You should also avoid pipes, cigars, marijuana smoking, etc.[5]
- Avoid all contact with secondhand smoke. While not smoking is a great start, you should also avoid all contact with sources or secondhand smoke, such as in bars, casinos, and other socially acceptable environments for smoking. Nonsmokers who frequently inhale secondhand smoke have a 20 percent higher risk of developing lung cancer than nonsmokers who never encounter it.[6]
- Though studies are new, many experts believe that people, especially babies and children, should also stay away from third hand smoke. This is the residual toxins and chemical compounds that stick to clothing, hair, carpet, walls, etc. even after a cigarette has been extinguished.[7][8] The lingering smell of a cigarette even after cigarette smoke has dissipated is the telltale sign of secondhand smoke.
- Avoid exposure to outdoor air pollution. While avoiding all exposure to carbon dioxide and other common air pollutants is virtually impossible, you can take steps to reduce your exposure. AirNow is a government-run website that provides realtime updates regarding air quality all across the United States.[9] You can check this to determine the air quality in your city before planning to spend time outside.
- Ozone is another common air pollutant, and stagnant summertime weather systems can often trap ozone and other pollutants around a city. Be especially aware of the air quality in your area from late spring into the warmest summer months due to this phenomenon.[10]
- Eliminate exposure to indoor air pollution. Air pollution isn't just an outdoor concern. Fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, pet dander, and mold are all common sources of indoor air pollution.[11] By eliminating these sources, cleaning regularly, and changing the air filters in your home often, you can reduce indoor air pollution considerably.
- Consider getting an air purifier for your home to help filter out indoor air pollution, such as smoke, mold, and pet dander.
- Chemicals from home cleaning supplies, paint, and other common household items can also irritate your lungs or trigger conditions such as asthma. Always carefully read and follow the instructions for using these products in areas with proper ventilation.
- You can find more information on improving the indoor air quality in your home via the EPA.
- Radon is a naturally occurring element present in some homes that effects indoor air quality. It is associated with increased risks of lung cancer.[12] You can find radon detectors at most home improvement stores if you want to test the levels present in your own home.
- Eliminate occupational exposure to carcinogens and pollutants. Many of those who work in mining, labs, or industrial settings commonly come into contact with large quantities of carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals and other pollutants. Always take the proper workplace precautions in situations that call for respirators, fume hoods, and other safety devices.
- Asbestos, arsenic, nickel, and chromium are just a few of the workplace chemicals associated with lung cancer and other lung complications.[13]
- Lung cancer and COPD may also develop as a result of exposure to these substances.
- Avoid inhaling other irritants. Human lungs simply aren't meant to inhale a wide array of substances. Cover your mouth and nose whenever you're working with or in the same space as any small particles you may potentially inhale. Additionally, never suppress a cough in the presence of a foreign substance since this is your body's way of expelling it. These particles include:
- Talcum or baby powder: these have microscopic crushed rocks that become trapped in your lungs. Use a corn starch-based baby powder instead.
- Fiberglass: Fiberglass can make tiny cuts in your lungs if inhaled.
EditTaking Steps to Promote Lung Health - Breathe deeply more often. The act of breathing supplies oxygen to your entire body. Breathing deeply uses the entire capacity of your lungs to oxygenate blood. Though normal breathing levels aren't unhealthy, deep breathing reaches the peak level of oxygen flowing through your body.[14]
- Pay special attention to your diaphragm while slowly inhaling and exhaling full deep breaths. Feel your diaphragm lowering while you inhale and exhale fully until you feel your stomach muscles tighten and your diaphragm lift.[15]
- Laugh more. Like deep breathing, laughing forces more air out of your lungs, which leads to a greater inhalation of fresh air and a higher supply of oxygenated blood.[16] Laughing also works abdominal muscles and increases lung capacity.
- Get regular cardio. Aerobic exercise doesn't necessarily make your lungs stronger on its own. However, great cardio-respiratory fitness makes it easier for your lungs to supply your heart and muscles with oxygen.[17] This puts less strain on your lungs, allowing them to function properly with less work.
- The American Heart Association recommends at least thirty minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise five days a week or more in order to maintain good cardiovascular health.[18]
- Make dietary changes. Studies have shown that diets rich in fresh fruit and fish are associated with benefits to lung health.[19] This is especially the case with those who experience asthma, COPD, and other common lung diseases.[20]
- A 2010 study also showed that a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy) can decrease the risk of lung cancer.[21]
- Breathe through your nose. The hairs in your nose act as a filter and only let extremely fine particles through. Your nose can filter particles as small as a single grain of pollen with 100 percent efficiency.[22] This makes breathing through your nose a much better option than breathing through your mouth.
- Keep your nose clear. Sickness, allergies, and other conditions can all lead to common nasal congestion. A plugged nose means you're pulling 100 percent of germs and pollution directly into your lungs by breathing through your mouth.[23] This can exacerbate conditions such as asthma and other lung complications or even cause them in those who don't already suffer from them.[24]
- Treat common allergies with antihistamines or other decongestants to help keep your nose clear.[25]
- Additionally, overly dry nasal passages that can accompany sickness make nose hairs less effective at filtering air. Consider using a humidifier or even an over-the-counter nasal mist to keep your nasal passage moist and properly filtering the air you breathe.[26]
- Stay hydrated. In addition to its myriad other positive effects, drinking plenty of water is good for your lungs. You lungs have a mucosal lining, and staying hydrated keep the lining thin, which helps your lungs function more efficiently.[27]
- Take medication if you have a lung condition. If you have asthma or another respiratory condition, ensure you see your doctor for regular exams to help control the condition. Albuterol, a prescription bronchodilator, works well to help with asthma symptoms, for instance.
- Stay current on your vaccinations. Yearly flu vaccines and pneumococcal vaccinations can help lower the risk of respiratory infections.[28] This also means less risk of developing associated lung complications such as pneumonia.
- Smokers between the ages of 19 and 65 should get a pneumococcus vaccination. Also, anyone with chronic heart disease, chronic lung disease, alcoholism, chronic liver disease, or who is over the age of 65 should get the pneumococcus vaccination.
EditUsing Strategies to Reduce Exposure to Pollution - Buy houseplants. Houseplants are one of the easiest ways to improve indoor air quality. In addition to converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, studies have also shown that houseplants can reduce the indoor concentration of ozone, which is another harmful pollutant.[29]
- Three common houseplants that studies have proven beneficial include snake plants, spider plants, and golden pothos.[30]
- Use an air purifier. A filter purifier for the air in your home can help remove dust, smoke, and other pollutants. Air filters, electronic particle cleaners, and ionizers are all common forms of indoor air purification systems.[31]
- Beware of brands that claim they create ozone in order to purify indoor air. Ozone a leading pollutant, especially during calm summer months, and these models can create harmful amounts of ozone while cleaning other particles from indoor air.[32]
- Avoid high traffic areas. Especially for those who live in big cities, it's common to run or bike along busy, congested streets while exercising. The abundance of vehicle exhaust and other pollutants in these areas can damage your lungs, especially given that you tend to breathe through your mouth during vigorous exercise, which bypasses the natural filtration you get through your nostrils.[33]
- You can also check the EPA's nationwide air pollution forecast for your area here to determine the air quality in your area.
- You can use a spirometer to exercise your lungs and measure their capacity by volume. You exhale into a tube to make a piston in the plastic cylinder rise. You can find a spirometer at most pharmacies or medical supply stores.
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