| How to Make Electrolyte Water Posted: 28 Jul 2018 05:00 PM PDT Give your body a nourishing homemade electrolyte water to help it balance out and recover after intense exercise. This elixir contains both salt and a little sugar, which will promote rehydration. It tastes great and is all natural unlike the artificial colors and flavors in commercial products. You may benefit more from this drink if you have been sweating and exerting yourself a great deal.[1] EditIngredients - A 4 inch (10 cm) piece of ginger
- of fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- of fresh lime juice (about 1-2 limes)
- of honey or agave nectar
- 1/8 tsp (5 g) of fine sea salt
- mineral or coconut water
EditPeeling and Grating the Ginger - Cut your ginger into a 4 inch (10 cm) piece. Using a sharp knife, slice a piece of ginger of approximately off your larger ginger root. Cut off any small nubs with a paring knife so you have a relatively uniform piece.[2]
- Peel the skin from the ginger. Using a knife or a vegetable peeler, remove the tough outer skin of the ginger to reveal the light yellow heart inside. Alternatively, you can rake the tip of a spoon across the light brown exterior to remove the outer skin. Discard the exterior.[3]
- Finely grate the ginger. Use a microplane or a fine grater to grate all of your ginger into a mesh sieve set over a small bowl. Discard any extra fibrous pulp that builds up on the top of the grater.[4]
- Take care not to touch your eyes and nose while grating the ginger. It can be spicy!
- Wash your hands after grating the ginger.
- Press the grated ginger to make ginger juice. Use a flexible rubber spatula to press the grated ginger against the sieve over the bowl. Drops of ginger juice will flow into the bowl below. As the grated ginger in the sieve becomes drier, form your grated bits into a mound and then press them repeatedly to yield more juice.[5]
- This process should yield approximately of fresh ginger juice. Set this aside.
- If needed, cut and juice a little more ginger to yield the amount needed.
EditSqueezing the Lemon and Lime Juices - Roll your citrus fruits against the counter. Take a lemon or lime in your hand, and use the heel of your palm to apply pressure as your roll it across the counter. Repeat this roll with each piece of fruit you'll be using.[6]
- Rolling your citrus like this before squeezing helps extract the most juice.
- Cut your citrus in half crosswise. Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the lemons and limes you'll be using in half. How much juice each piece of fruit produces will vary. It's best to have 2 of each in case you get a dry piece of produce.[7]
- When selecting lemons and limes at the store, look for fruit with a vibrant peel that feels heavy for its size.
- Squeeze your lemons over a strainer into a clean bowl. Use your hands or a citrus juicer to squeeze your halved lemons. Measure the juice produced using either a digital scale or a clean ¼-cup measure. Set that juice aside. Discard the squeezed lemons and the seeds in the strainer.[8]
- Set aside any leftover lemon juice for salad dressing or another use in the fridge. It will keep covered for up to 3 days.[9]
- Squeeze your limes into a clean bowl. Use your hands or a citrus juicer to extract the juice from your limes. Collect the juice in a clean bowl, and measure . Set that juice aside. Discard the squeezed lime halves.[10]
EditMixing Your Water - Combine your juices in a pitcher. Pour your measures of ginger, lemon, and lime juice into a clean pitcher or measuring cup.[11]
- Add of honey or agave nectar and 1/8 tsp (5 g) of fine sea salt. Measure of honey or agave nectar, whichever suits your taste, and add it to the pitcher. Measure 1/8 tsp (5 g) of fine sea salt, and do the same. Stir the mixture with a spoon for 10 seconds to help dissolve the sugars and salt.[12]
- Stir in of mineral or coconut water. Pour of plain mineral or coconut water to the pitcher, whichever you prefer. Coconut water is slightly sweet with natural electrolytes, such as potassium and magnesium.[13] Mineral water will yield a plainer taste and has fewer calories.[14]
- You can buy both mineral water and coconut water at your local grocery store or online.
- Serve your electrolyte water. Pour your electrolyte water into a glass over ice for a hydrating post-workout treat. This recipe creates two servings.[15]
- For an easy shortcut, make a base mixture of all your ingredients except the water up to 1 day ahead. Store it in the fridge.
- Your homemade electrolyte water will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
EditThings You'll Need - Clean kitchen bowls
- Grater or microplane
- Spoon
- Strainer
- Rubber spatula
- Pitcher
- Knife
- For a fun twist or a party mocktail, try adding sparkling water to your electrolyte drink in place of mineral or coconut water.
- Unless you've been exerting yourself with vigorous activity, it's unlikely you need an electrolyte drink. High-sodium beverages can be harmful in large quantities.
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| How to Improve Circulation to Your Feet Posted: 28 Jul 2018 09:00 AM PDT If your feet always seem to be cold, or you experience regular pain or numbness, take steps to improve your blood flow. Massage, support socks, and stretching your feet can help circulate blood. It's also important to work with your doctor to manage any condition that's reducing your circulation. Treat those conditions while making healthy lifestyle changes. Losing weight, lowering high blood pressure or cholesterol, or treating your diabetes will improve circulation in your feet. EditCaring for Your Feet - Move your feet and toes during the day. Make a habit of wiggling your feet and toes whenever you can remember. Rotate and move your ankles around to improve blood flow in your feet. Try to do this for a few minutes at a time.[1]
- Moving your feet and toes during the day is especially important if you spend most of the day sitting.
- Stretch your feet to strengthen them. Stand so your feet are together and move one leg back. Lift the heel of that foot so you're on your toes. Stretch and hold the muscles on the bottom of that foot for 20 to 30 seconds. Do the stretch with the other foot.[2]
- Stretch your feet throughout the day or whenever you remember to.
- Massage your feet to stretch the muscles and improve blood flow. Get a professional massage that focuses on your feet, or massage your feet yourself. Sit comfortably and rub a little lotion or massage oil in your hand. Gently rub the bottoms of your feet, your toes, and your heels. Rub the muscles firmly and stretch the toes apart.[3]
- Massage your feet as often as you like. Consider buying foot massage devices or rollers that are designed to easily massage the muscles in your feet.
- Wear support socks. Ask your doctor if support hosiery would improve your circulation. Compression socks or stockings can improve the flow of blood from your feet throughout your body. To start wearing the socks, choose light support socks and ensure that they fit well without wrinkling.[4]
- Avoid using support socks if you have peripheral artery disease, since the socks can cut off your already reduced blood flow. If you have a sensory disorder like peripheral neuropathy, you may not be able to feel if the socks are too tight.
EditGetting Medical Treatment - Talk with your doctor about your blood circulation. Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician if you think you have poor circulation in your feet. You might notice:[5]
- Cold or numb feet
- Pale blue color on your feet
- Hair loss or dry, cracked skin on the feet
- Toenails that break or tear easily
- Feet that fall asleep easily
- Swollen feet[6]
- Manage the condition that's causing the poor circulation. Your doctor will examine your feet, talk with you about your symptoms, and order blood work. Since several things can reduce circulation in the feet, it's important to find the cause of your poor circulation. Reduced circulation can be caused by:[7]
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure or cholesterol
- Raynaud's disease
- Varicose veins
- Peripheral artery disease
- Heart disease[8]
- Take medication to treat the condition that's causing poor circulation. Work with the doctor to create a treatment plan that's specific to you. You'll probably be prescribed medication that will improve the flow of blood to your feet or treat your condition. For example, if you have peripheral artery disease, you'll need to take pain relievers and blood thinners to improve circulation.[9]
- If you have peripheral neuropathy, you may treat it with anticonvulsants, pain relievers, and antidepressants.[10]
- Treatment for Raynaud's disease includes calcium channel blockers and vasodilators that open blood vessels in your feet and legs.[11]
- Get your feet examined every time you visit the doctor. Your doctor should check the muscles of your feet and do tests for sensitivity if you've had poor circulation. Let your doctor know if the shape of your feet have changed or if you've lost feeling in your feet.[12]
- If you have diabetes and experience severe problems with circulation, your doctor or podiatrist should examine your feet every 3 to 6 months.
EditMaking Lifestyle Changes - Stop smoking cigarettes. Take steps to quit or reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke. Smoking has been shown to reduce circulation in your feet, so quitting is an effective way to make your feet feel better.[13]
- You can also talk with your doctor about smoking cessation aids. Find support groups that you can contact if you're struggling to quit.
- Improve your blood pressure and cholesterol. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, your blood vessels may become blocked or constricted. To improve blood flow to your feet, lower your high blood pressure or cholesterol by taking medications, exercising, and eating a healthy diet.[14]
- Manage your weight. If you're overweight, the excess weight can block or weaken the veins in your legs and feet. Exercise and eat a healthy diet in order to reach your healthy weight. Reducing the pressure on your heart and feet will improve your circulation.[15]
- Exercise your body throughout the week. Get blood flowing to your feet by being active and avoiding long periods of sitting. Try to exercise a few times a week. For example, you can walk, dance, do yoga, stretch, swim, or ride your bike.[16]
- If your feet hurt, you might want to avoid high-impact activities such as basketball that require you to jump and land on your feet.
- Raise your legs when you rest. When you do sit down or rest, prop your legs up with a cushions or pillows underneath them. Elevating your legs prevents blood from pooling and setting in your feet.[17]
- For a quick way to elevate your legs, lean back in a recliner and extend the leg rest.
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| How to Respond to an Interview Invitation Posted: 28 Jul 2018 01:00 AM PDT You've finally landed an interview for that dream job you've been after—now what's the best way to follow up? These days, most formal interview invitations are sent via email, which can be trickier to respond to than a simple phone call. But answering an interested recruiter doesn't have to turn you into a nervous wreck. Just write out a short, courteous message of reply confirming the details of the meeting and thanking the sender personally for their time. After reading back through your email to review the information you've included and check for typos, you can send it off and begin preparing to wow during your interview. EditFormatting Your Response - Thoroughly read the email for relevant information about the interview. Read the invitation all the way through and look for details that lay out how the interview process will proceed. You'll typically be given an exact time and place to meet, the name of the person conducting the interview, and directions to the location if it's difficult to find. All these things will be important to know in order to formulate an appropriate response.[1]
- Other important considerations like what to wear, where to park, and who to ask for when you enter will also likely be addressed in the body of the invitation.
- Find out whether the interview will be conducted in person or over the phone. This will make a big difference in the way the rest of your correspondence plays out.[2]
- Use the sender's name in your salutation. If the email came from an individual, referring to them by name is a respectful way of acknowledging them and demonstrates that you're paying attention. It also takes the guesswork out of composing the salutation—in most cases, it will be sufficient to simply insert the person's name followed by a comma.[3]
- A heading that reads "Ms. Menendez, ..." is far more personable than one like "To whom it may concern."
- If no one person is named in the address or signature, it's okay to use a more general salutation like "Dear Acme Inc. Hiring Coordinator."
- Thank the person or company for their interest. Begin your first line by expressing your gratitude for being granted the opportunity to interview for the position. It's a small gesture that doesn't take long, but can make a world of difference. A show of appreciation will set a cordial tone for the rest of your ongoing correspondence and help you get off on the right foot.[4]
- Use expressive language to underscore your enthusiasm and keep your reply from coming off as robotic. Instead of saying "thank you for the chance to interview with your company," try "I was thrilled to receive your email and to think of the unique skills and experience I might bring to CompuTech's research and development team in the near future."
- A little politeness can go a long way. A gracious, well-mannered candidate is more likely to be considered for a position than one who dispenses with common courtesy.
- Confirm the particulars of the interview. After thanking the sender, use the next line to reiterate the information they've relayed to you. If they suggest the following Wednesday morning at 10am as the time to meet, for example, you might say something like "Wednesday the 14th at 10am is perfect for me! I'll be sure to arrange the rest of my schedule accordingly." The important thing is that you make it clear that everyone is on the same page.[5]
- If the date or time proposed doesn't work for you for some reason, make it a point to let the send know up front so you can work on finding an opening that's convenient for both of you.
- Keep the body of your message brief. You don't want to take up too much of the recruiter's time or risk losing their attention.
- Ask for any other pertinent details that you might need. If you're left with any unanswered questions about what comes next, don't hesitate to bring them up in the second half of your response. You might not have been told what identifying documents to bring, for instance, or how to obtain a visitor's badge to gain access to restricted areas. Requesting further information when it's needed signals to a recruiter that you're organized and keen to do things the right way.[6]
- Try to pose your questions tactfully to avoid making it sound like the sender is at fault for forgetting to mention something. "What's the best way to find your office building from Sunrise Highway?" sounds better than "you never told me how to get there."
- Ask the sender explicitly to follow up before concluding your message if there's something pressing you need cleared up. A closing line like "please get back to me at your earliest convenience so I'll know how best to proceed" leaves no confusion about what it is you want the sender to do.[7]
- End your response with a professional signature. At the bottom of the email, sign off with your first and last name, job title or description, and a phone number and email address where you can be reached, along with any other relevant contact info. You can also provide links to any external resources you think the recruiter should have, such as your personal website or LinkedIn profile. Remember, this will be the last thing your contact will see, so it should represent you in a favorable light.[8]
- Avoid overloading your signature with filler content, like social media accounts or inspirational quotes. The best signatures are streamlined, informative, and easily readable at a glance.[9]
- A simple, well-designed signature might look something like this: Christa Peterson | Senior Marketing Analyst, Taffet Media Corp. | www.taffetmedia.com | 888-723-4968
EditPolishing and Sending Your Email - Respond to the invitation right away. As soon as you get the email you've been anxiously awaiting, make an effort to sit down and type out a response at your earliest convenience. Getting back to the sender as quickly as possible shows that you're prompt, and that you take their busy schedule seriously. It will also give you more time to find out everything you need to know in order to get prepared.[10]
- Get in the habit of checking your inbox once or twice a day for work-related emails.[11]
- Turn on email notifications on your phone so that you'll be alerted every time you receive a new message.
- Check for typographical errors. Before you send your response, read back over it from top to bottom to make sure there are no grammar or spelling mistakes. Pay particular attention to your use of capitalization, punctuation, and spacing. A professional email riddled with typos isn't the kind of first impression you want to make![12]
- Your email platform's built-in spellcheck feature can come in handy for catching goof-ups that might otherwise go unnoticed.
- Consider having a friend or coworker proofread your message for you. Other people are sometimes better at detecting errors in a piece of writing than the person that wrote it.[13]
- Copy all other intended recipients. If there are other names attached to the email, choose the "reply all" option rather than replying to one sender individually. This will help ensure that everyone who is supposed to see your response does, and is kept in the loop about your place in the interview process.[14]
- Exceptions to this rule include instances when the invitation asks that you reply to a particular person or address, or if the other names copied on the email are applicants like yourself.
- It's not uncommon for hiring coordinators to copy other company representatives, like office managers and human resources personnel, on correspondence directed to potential recruits.
- Double check that the email has gone through. Once you've put the finishing touches on your response, hit the send button. Then, head to your sent messages inbox and look for the email there. If there's an issue with an incorrect mailing address or unexpected internet outage, you'll want to be aware of it before it causes a problem.
- A lengthy delay in your response time could reflect poorly on your communication skills, or even result in a missed opportunity.[15]
- Read your response aloud to see if you've done a good enough job conveying a tone that's cheerful, friendly, and, above all, natural.
- Always compose and reply to professional emails using the same address listed on your resume or application.
- Strong communication skills are an asset in the workplace. It's important to be aware of how you're likely to be perceived, even when you're just typing up a short response.
- If you feel like you need some extra guidance putting together the perfect response, search for helpful templates and sample emails online.
- Avoid using elaborate fonts, unnecessary graphics, or other formatting oddities in professional emails. Inappropriate stylistic choices could send potential employers the wrong message.
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