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About amit

Hi, I am online marketing consultant and Blogger. Here I will provide information about WordPress Premium themes, plugins and useful php script.

5 all-natural ways to prevent a migraine

Migraines are a common cause for emergency room visits amongst women aged between 18 and 45 years. Migraines account for lots of lost work hours and time we could better spend with our loved ones.

Supposing anyone suffers two or more migraines monthly, they’re labeled as to having chronic migraine disorder. For such cases, we strongly recommend the person take up preventive measures. The preventive regimen we’ll discuss are markedly different from therapies employed in cases of acute migraine attacks.

The precautionary treatment commonly endorsed by physicians relies solely on prescription treatment. While effective, drugs tend to cause unwelcome effects like sedation, memory impairment, and weight gain.

 

That said, let’s explore the natural ways to keep migraines at bay.

1. Try acupuncture

Acupuncture aims to balance energy flow – referred to as ‘qi’ – equalized along the meridians. Acupuncturists place needles at particular pressure points, generally along the neck or back with slow pain transmission. At times, a tender head massage follows needle placement.

Acupuncture treatments take an hour or thereabout, and patients are asked to attend six weekly sessions. Health Sumo wrote on daith piercing for migraine management that’s all the fuss.

2. Regular exercise   

During physical activity, our bodies release chemicals that impede the movement of pain signals to the brain. Also, these chemicals alleviate depression and anxiety which worsen migraines.

Obesity escalates the likelihood of chronic headaches, thus maintaining the recommended BMI through exercising and appropriate diet provides further perks in migraine management.

At your physician’s recommendation, choose exercises that you fancy such as swimming, cycling, and walking. However, take it easy at the onset and make progressive increments. Exercising vigorously triggers migraines.

3. Keep a diary  

Diarizing helps determine what triggers migraines. Note the onset of your migraine, what you were engaged in at that time, how long it lasts and what, presuming there’s any, provides relief.

Up until recently, avoidance of migraine causes was deemed the ideal advice. However, new studies submit such an approach escalates sensitivity to probable triggers.

4. Get enough sleep

Migraines wake you up in the dead of night or may even prevent you from sleeping all the same. Similarly, a poor night’s sleep may trigger migraines.

Set a regular sleep schedule. Sleep and rise at set times each day – weekends as well. Supposing you nap during the daytime, keep it short. A half hour nap should suffice, longer than that and you risk interfering with your nighttime sleep.

5. Ginger harbors a pharmacy   

Ginger roots contain powerful anti-inflammatory properties, aids in digestion, relieves nausea and settles the stomach. For persons who suffer from chronic migraine disorder, ginger is a must-have in your pantry. A glass of water laced 5ml ginger keeps migraine attacks at bay.

Key takeaway

Take time to understand specific migraine triggers. Be careful taking precautionary measures early enough; you sidestep the most troublesome symptoms.  

 

Common Misconceptions About Non-Invasive Prenatal Genetic Testing

Science allows us to understand more and more about pregnancy, prenatal care, and the developing fetus as time goes on. One commonly misunderstood development in prenatal care is a procedure called non-invasive prenatal genetic testing (NIPT). While this technique has become quite common in recent years, many expectant mothers often have questions before deciding to move forward with type of testing.

What is NIPT?

Noninvasive prenatal genetic testing is a screening test that can detect certain chromosomal abnormalities in a fetus including trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), and trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome). This simple blood test, which can be administered as early as the ninth week of pregnancy, can also determine if the baby is a boy or girl.

Who is NIPT for?

A common misconception about prenatal genetic testing is that it is only for women who are identified as “at risk.” In fact, there is no need to wait for your doctor to recommend or mention it; any pregnant woman can talk to her doctor to request it.

Is NIPT dangerous?

Many patients incorrectly confuse noninvasive prenatal genetic testing with other, more invasive forms of diagnostic prenatal testing. NIPT involves only a simple blood draw that poses no threat to the mother or the fetus.

What happens if my baby tests positive for a genetic disorder?

A positive or abnormal test result does not guarantee that your child will be born a genetic disorder. If a fetus tests positive for a genetic disorder in the prenatal genetic screening test, a physician will likely recommend additional, more definitive tests in order to make a diagnosis. It is also important to note that a negative result does not guarantee that a child will not be born with a genetic disorder as noninvasive genetic testing is limited in its ability to detect all genetic abnormalities in a fetus. 

What is genetic counseling?

A genetic counselor is a medical professional who specializes in the treatment of genetic abnormalities. After a positive test result, parents may be referred to a genetic counselor. In addition to providing emotional support and resources, a genetic counselor can also help families plan for the future care of their baby.

When considering noninvasive genetic testing, it is most important to remember that you are never alone in the process. You can always speak with your doctor or anyone in your maternity care team for support. If you have additional questions or would like to learn more about prenatal genetic testing, make an appointment with a genetic counselor today.

Opening a Marijuana Dispensary in Florida

Nearly two years after Florida voted to legalize medical use of marijuana, the latest update from the Office of Medical Marijuana Use reports 144,557 patients. Of this number, 109,749 qualified patients have been granted Active ID Card as of August 2018. According to the bi-weekly update, there are 1,596 qualified ordering physicians and 46 accredited dispensaries.

Medical Cannabis DispensaryThe marijuana market has been seeing a surge in demand with around 72 pounds of pot being sold every week. This increase in demand for marijuana isn’t at all surprising considering that the legal measure has received an overwhelming 70 percent vote during its deliberations.

Setting up a marijuana dispensary

One of the 28 States that have legalized medical or recreational use of marijuana, the State of Florida has tasked its Department of Health to regulate and implement the medical marijuana program. This includes licensure of Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTC’s), marijuana dispensaries, qualified patients, and qualified doctors.

The State plays a very careful approach in the licensure of MMTC, such that it initially approved only 7 licenses in 2016. However, in response to the demand and growing number of qualified patients, the department has granted new licenses last year boosting the existing MMTC’s. To date, there are 13 approved MMTCs and 43 retail dispensing locations. These MMTCs are allowed to grow, process, and dispense marijuana to qualified patients. Each MMTC license allows the company to build up to 25 marijuana dispensaries.

In view of the projected demand for medical marijuana, many companies are now considering applying for an MMTC license. Analysts at Statista.com predict that the sales value of medical cannabis in Florida will reach $2.5 billion by 2025. On average, an MMTC earns around $50,000 in medical sales annually. However, under the current laws, getting a license is tough. Only four treatment centers will be given a license for every 100,000 additional patients in the medical marijuana registry.

Before applying for a license, a non-refundable, upfront fee of $60,000 should be paid by interested parties. License to operate an MMTC has become very valuable due to the very good projections. In fact, some companies are reportedly selling it for up to $60 million.

The time frame from application to operating a marijuana dispensary is unpredictable and can be quite a long wait. You’re looking at more or less than 3 years before a license can be granted (but this is still dependent on the patient registry). Furthermore, applications for dispensary license that have been filed since 2015 will be given priority. Add to this waiting period, you need to allot about a year to work on the nitty-gritty and build up your inventory before you can actually get your business running.

Another problem companies faces when they build marijuana dispensary is that not many banks are willing to fund cannabis distributing companies, thereby making it difficult to lease commercial spaces or warehouses. Despite being legalized in Florida, many financial institutions are still wary about cannabis especially that it still considered an illegal substance at the federal level.

Pros and Cons of an Asphalt Driveway

All homeowners are looking for an excellent curb appeal. Not just to enjoy the way their territory looks but to sell it for the maximum amount in the future. One of the things many people contemplate is the driveway material.
The most common choices are asphalt and concrete. We collected several expert opinions about the asphalt driveway. Let’s check out pros and cons.

Advantages of An Asphalt Driveway

Let’s start with some advantages of an asphalt pavement.

1. Aesthetic Appeal

Asphalt driveways are black and smooth. They look great with any house design. Meanwhile, they don’t draw the onlooker’s attention away from the yard scenery or the façade decoration, thus making it an all-purpose pavement.

2. Low Cost

Compared to other popular pavement options, such as concrete, asphalt is moderately priced. The asphalt pavement costs between $3 and $4 per square foot. Concrete pavement can go up to $10 per square foot. Gravel driveway costs under $2 per square foot, but it’s not as aesthetically appealing and reliable as asphalt.

3. Quick Repairs

While asphalt may not be as durable as concrete, it’s easy to repair. As a result, the maintenance is cheap. Local paving contractors can deal with asphalt pavement within hours without putting your driveway out of order for a long time.

4.Longevity

If maintained properly, asphalt driveways can last for up to two decades. Even if the initial investment seems formidable, the ROI is impressive. The key to the long life of an asphalt driveway is initial paving effort and timely repairs.

5. Quick Curing

One of the best parts about choosing an asphalt driveway is that you can use it almost immediately. After paving is done, you only need to wait a few hours for the asphalt to cure. For comparison, concrete driveways require 7 days of rest before you can start driving over them.

Disadvantages of An Asphalt Driveway

While asphalt is one of the most common and convenient driveway pavements, it has several disadvantages.

1. Susceptible To Weather

Asphalt is a good choice for areas with a mild climate. However, when it gets too hot, the pavement becomes soft, which makes it prone to damage. Even if a small crack appears on asphalt and some water seeps through, it may turn into an irreparable pothole.
Drastic weather changes make asphalt shrink and expand, resulting in holes and cracks.

2. Easy To Damage

Asphalt is easy to damage since the material is rather soft. The good part is that it’s easier to repair as well. Such driveways require excellent maintenance to serve for many years. For comparison, a concrete driveway usually needs twice as less maintenance.

3. Damaged by Gasoline Leaks

You need to be very careful with the vehicles that drive over the asphalt pavement. While oil leaks won’t leave traces if you clean them up timely, gasoline leaks can damage the pavement. Cleaning up oil and gasoline leaks may be complicated.
Overall, an asphalt driveway is an excellent choice for the majority of homeowners. It’s moderately priced, long-lasting, and easy to maintain.

Prezi vs. PowerPoint: Presentations

In our modern pop culture, people love to rival against each other when it comes to their favorite superheroes, comic publishing companies, mobile operating systems, fast food chains or soda brands. The internet is full of loyal fans and consumers defending one side, while trolling the other. Presentation softwares are now also involved in such rivalries with the strongest competitors being PowerPoint and Prezi. If you want to prepare a presentation and you are     uncertain which program to use, in the following article we will highlight each program’s advantages and shed a light on the disadvantages, to make it easier for you to make the choice:

Prezi

Prezi is short for Presentation in the Hungarian language. It is a presentation software company that entered the market in 2009 and has been going strong ever since with more than 100 million users so far.

  • Advantages

  1. The Zoom function: it is one of the things that sets Prezi apart from its competitors. The ability to zoom in and zoom out with a click of the button whenever you want to highlight a certain point or give an overview of the presentation is very useful and easy to use.
  2. HTML5: Prezi is web based. You do not need to download a software to be able to use it, you just need a device with internet connection.
  3. Creativity: the program gives Prezi designers the flexibility to be creative and come up with new unique designs for their presentations. It also follows a non-linear format, which makes it easier and more flexible to jump in and out between the slides
  4. Sharing: it also allows users to share their presentations online with other users (up to 10), which makes collaborations much easier
  5. No license is needed: you can use Prezi online without the need to purchase the program

  • Disadvantages

  1. Limitations: most of the backgrounds, fonts and colors are pre-decided and limited, which hinders users from creating what they want exactly. You also cannot edit readily made templates
  2. Price: to enjoy the program offline and have limitless storage, you need to pay up to $708 a year. The cost can be too much on individuals, students and freelancers
  3. Privacy: when you use the program for free and online, you must consent that your work would be publicly viewable on Prezi’s website
  4. Skills: Prezi might be outside the comfort zone for many technology novices because it needs a learning curve and maybe some training to be able to use it smoothly
  5. Printing: you cannot print the slides as handouts and give them to your audience to follow along because Prezi does not function within a slide format

PowerPoint

PowerPoint has been a part of the Microsoft Office bundle since 1989. It is the well-known, standard, go-to software when anyone wants to make a slideshow. It controls the 95% of the presentation software market with more that 500 million users.

  • Advantages

  1. Recognition: at 31 years old (it was first created in 1987), PowerPoint is now a household name that can be recognized by the majority of computer users worldwide
  2. User-friendly: PowerPoint is very direct and easy to use with great user interface. Schools teach students to use the MS office package, including PowerPoint, so most people are familiar with it
  3. Possibilities: PowerPoint offers unlimited possibilities for its users, when it comes to slide designs, colors, fonts, sound effects, animations, graphics, charts and backgrounds.
  4. Hyperlinks: if you want to send the audience to a web page or a certain area of the presentation, all you need to do is seamlessly insert hyperlinks into a slide
  5. Printing: unlike Prezi, you can print your slides easily and orderly to hand them out

  • Disadvantages

  1. File size: when the PowerPoint file includes video, images, sounds and effects, it tends to be very large in size
  2. Installation: if you want to use the software, you have to install it on your computer, you cannot use it on a website online like Prezi
  3. Very familiar: sometimes PowerPoint presentations look too familiar, uncreative and maybe even boring due to the large numbers of users as well as the users’ over-reliance on pre-designed slides
  4. License: you need to purchase Microsoft Office with its product key, if you want to use PowerPoint. The price can be up to 150$
  5. Linear format: some users complain that you need to follow a linear format when going through the presentation, which makes it time consuming to jump back and forth between the slides

In conclusion, both softwares offer great tools and features that will help you create great presentations. The choice should depend on which one meets your needs better, which one offers you what you want and which one is easier for you to use.

When is the Right Time to Share the Baby News?

Expectant mothers have a lot to consider when finding out that they are pregnant. Anxiety and joy are common feelings, and knowing how and when to share the news with loved ones and employers can be difficult to determine. The amount of time a woman has been pregnant, the health of the new baby, and workplace cues can all play into a new mother’s decision to share her pregnancy with others.

The Desire to Maintain Privacy

During the early weeks of pregnancy, specifically in the first trimester, there is a  higher risk of miscarriage than later in the pregnancy. Typically, this risk can be a factor in when a woman decides to share her pregnancy with her employer or loved ones. In addition to the risk of miscarriage,  prenatal genetic testing can also provide results that may contribute to the decision making process to share pregnancy news early on.

Newer Screening Options

Historically there were only two primary prenatal testing options: amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). These screening options are helpful for detecting chromosomal issues of concern and require tissue samples that are in close proximity to the developing fetus. During these procedures, a needle is used to obtain the needed amniotic fluid (amniocentesis) and/or placental samples (CVS). Due to their proximity to the fetus, both tests have been linked with a slightly increased risk of miscarriage.

Now, there are non-invasive screening options available to identify chromosomal abnormalities. With this newer approach, all that is needed to identify a risk for a chromosomal disorder is a sample of maternal blood. This can be drawn as early as the tenth week of pregnancy, and results are usually available for the provider to share with the patient about one week later.

Often times, non-invasive prenatal testing can provide results that will educate new parents about the their pregnancy and can, in effect, influence decisions about how to communicate pregnancy to employers and family members. Should a woman receive results that indicate a potential fetal chromosomal abnormality, further testing and counseling is typically offered.

Preparing for the Conversation

Knowing when the time is right to share pregnancy news differs from woman to woman.  Beyond the knowledge obtained through prenatal testing, there are other factors to consider. In the workplace, understanding maternity leave policies, as well as available and accrued time off, when speaking with a supervisor can help to inform the discussion. A company’s human resources area should be able to help provide this information.

Pregnancy is a unique time in a woman’s life, and no two pregnancies are alike. There is no right time or way to share the news with colleagues, friends, and family. For many expectant mothers, waiting until the risks of miscarriage have subsided and understanding the results of prenatal testing can help determine when the time is right.