One moment you’re just stroking your dog on the couch and the next thing you know, you catch a little bug in your hand. It’s like you never saw it coming; ticks and fleas are super tiny and silent. They don’t only make your pets itch and scratch excessively but also spread some pretty harmful diseases, like tick fever. Even with the best pesticides, they can be hard to get rid of. Apart from chemicals and products, there are organic and eco-friendly steps you can take for flea and tick prevention. Some of these flea and tick prevention tactics are discussed here: 1. Use oils Essential oils act are effective against ticks and fleas. All you need to do is dilute them with water and a carrier oil like coconut oil. You can spray them around the house or even on your pet’s coat. A little neem oil or rose geranium oil will go a long way in keeping them tick-free. Coconut oil is also effective as it kills any fleas that are already on your pet, thanks to its lauric acid content. With their repellent qualities and often great smell, you can kill two birds with one stone with a little essential oil.

Sparkling water, also known as carbonated water, is water infused with carbon dioxide gas. Sparkling water is usually made artificially, but it may be also found naturally-occurring. Carbonation causes small bubbles to form, making some of your favorite drinks, such as Culligan sparkling water, Perrier carbonated mineral water, San Pellegrino, or La Croix sparkling water, come to life. Natural health benefits of drinking sparkling water include: 1. Hydration Carbonated water can hydrate you just as much as water. Carbonated water is 0.04% carbon dioxide gas. That means it is pure water and adds to your daily water intake. Flavored sparkling water drinks are popular for kids and adults while being a healthier alternative for soda. Many sodas contain too many sugars and acids compared to sparkling water. Sparkling water is hydrating like any other water. Many kids and adults today prefer sparkling water over soda. 2. Reduces constipation Scientists are currently studying more about how carbonation can help with constipation. Studies show for those having trouble digesting carbonated water can help. Sparkling water improves symptoms of dyspepsia, constipation, and gallbladder emptying. The carbonation and water both help break down solids while increasing hydration. It’s not only the water content that helps but sparkling water has more minerals than most drinking water.

When a baby swallows air, it is common for them to pass gas, especially in infancy. An excessive amount of intestinal gas (due to bottle feeding, breastfeeding, or sucking on a pacifier, etc.) is common in infants and can make a young baby uncomfortable and, in most cases, downright miserable. If your baby is suffering from unbearable gas, the following seven tips can help relieve your little one’s discomfort: 1. Try baby probiotics Even babies that are fed with breast milk suffer from bloating and gas; this is because breast milk contains natural prebiotics (otherwise known as “fertilizer” for the gut) as well as probiotics. Probiotics come in the form of drops and powders for infants and are effective because they add “good” bacteria to the baby’s gut. By increasing the amount of healthy bacteria, digestive health will also increase. This is recommended where there is a history of feeding baby commercial formulas. By creating a healthy environment in baby’s bowels, digestion will be more natural and the gas causing baby discomfort will be minimized. The best recommendations for baby probiotics are Culturelle Baby Grow, Enfamil Infant Probiotics, Mommy’s Bliss and Gerber Soothe. 2. Watch Your Diet Eliminate what are known as “fuss foods” from your own diet if you are breastfeeding.

The common cold and the flu (or influenza) are both respiratory illnesses that are commonly spread, but they are caused by different viruses. The symptoms of these two illnesses are somewhat similar, which means patients sometimes may have difficulty differentiating between the two based on symptoms alone. Generally, flu symptoms are more intense (and may include fever, nausea and vomiting) when compared to a common cold. The flu can also lead to more serious conditions, such as pneumonia or sinus infections, as well as hospitalizations in older and immuno-comprimised patients. There are many treatment methods recommended by doctors when treating the cold or flu. In many cases, natural treatments and remedies are very effective in reducing and even preventing the symptoms caused by these viruses: 1. Cleaning and disinfecting One of the most important methods of preventing a cold or flu is frequent cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces that can be touched by other people. Practicing proper hygiene by washing hands frequently and effectively reduces the amount of virus that is available to transfer from person to person or object to object. Many people cough or sneeze in their hands and this increases the spread of germs due to the tendency to touch items afterwards.