Is Synthetic Oil a Better Choice for Your Vehicle?

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Krissyar

When you call your dealership to schedule an oil change most likely they will ask you a few simple questions – including, “do you want synthetic or regular oil?” Most people will answer that question with one of their own ‘which is cheaper?’ But you may want to think twice before you decide based on saving a few bucks.

Yes, conventional and synthetic oils begin in the ground, but that’s where the similarities end. Synthetic is not only refined but also distilled, purified and broken down. It removed more impurities from the crude oil and enables molecules in the oil to be tailored to the demands of modern motors. Synthetic oil is better than conventional oil when it comes to form and function, in fact, conventional oil could never stand up to synthetic when it  comes to longevity, and ability to handle extreme high temperatures without breaking down and gives higher levels of protection and performance than your basic conventional oil.

As I mentioned, synthetic oil usually outperforms conventional motor oils in providing protection for your vehicle; and here’s how:

KEEPS YOUR ENGINE CLEANER
When oil circulates through your engine, it can pick up icky deposits. Over time regular conventional oil can sometimes form sludge (gross) which can reduce your engines efficiency and reduce the life of your engine. Synthetic oils contain fewer impurities compared to the basic oil and can better resist the sludge and help prevent deposits from forming in your engine (thus extending the life of your engine).

 

FLOWS BETTER WHEN IT’S COLD OUT
When your vehicle is sitting for awhile, the oil settles. So when you start your car it begins flowing through the engine to protect against friction. With conventional oils it takes more time to be able to flow smoothly through. During the winter or colder months, the flow takes even longer. Synthetic oils however are engineered to flow quickly even in cold temps so that it starts protecting your engine as soon as you fire it up.

 

PROTECTS BETTER WHEN IT’S HOTTTT
As you know when your engine is running it gets really, really hot. Like really hot. So over time the high temps in your engine can cause the conventional oils to break down or even evaporate exposing your engine to a lot of wear and tear. Synthetic oils are engineered to resist these higher temps.

 

OFFERS ENGINE WEAR PROTECTION
As you know, engine parts are constantly working together and moving at high speeds. In extreme environments the engine components can wear and break down. The motor oil is the protective barrier in these components. As the conventional oil breaks down, the ability to prevent engine wear – well it starts to diminish. Synthetic oils retain their wear protection properties for a much longer time, therefore again, increasing engine life.

 

While synthetic oil is a better option for protection for your vehicle, not all synthetics are created equal. Be sure to speak with your mechanic or service manager to review your options and find the best choice for your vehicle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Car Love | Leave a comment

6 Tricks To Take The Stress Out Of Flying

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Krissyar

Everybody loves to travel, it’s just a shame you’ve got to deal with the hassle of going through an airport first. The massive crowds, the endless queuing, and the searches can be incredibly stressful and it’s easy to forget why you’re putting yourself through it in the first place. When you arrive, of course, it’ll all be worth it. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just skip that bit and get straight to the fun parts of traveling? Unfortunately, you can’t do that but you can make life easier for yourself if you follow these simple tips to take the hassle out of flying.

Take A Private Jet

This is the easiest way to take the hassle out of flying, just be aware that it’s going to cost you a lot so it’s not always a viable option. If you take your own private jet, you don’t have to bother with all of the queues, you’ll be on the plane a lot quicker than you would if you took a commercial flight. Speed is the other major bonus of taking your own private jet; Cessna Citation X+ is the fastest airplane in the world so your flight times will be a lot shorter than they would on a standard flight. That’s a big plus if you hate flying and you’re going somewhere far away.

It’s a nice thought but most people can’t afford to splash out on a private jet when they’re going away with the family, so here are some more affordable ways to make flying stress free.

Delete Cookies And Search History

When you’re buying flights, does it always seem like the price is creeping up every time you look? That’s very deliberate. Airlines will up the price on flights that they know you’ve already searched for so you’re more likely to panic and buy them now before the price goes up any more. But there is a simple way around this. If you delete the cookies and search history on your browser before you go onto the website, the prices won’t change and you’ll be able to get a better deal. Not having that extra pressure also gives you more time to shop around for better deals. Always use flight comparison sites when you’re looking for flights rather than going direct to the airline, you’ll always get a cheaper price that way.

Choose One Way Flights

Why bother booking separate one way flights when you could just book a return trip? You might not realize it but booking 2 separate flights can often be cheaper than booking a return trip and, more importantly, you can be more flexible on the times. This is especially important if you’re traveling with young children. If you’ve got flights that are very early in the morning or late at night, you’re going to have some tired, grumpy kids on your hands which will make the flight a lot more difficult than it has to be. But by booking separate flights, you can make sure you’re going at a more practical time of day.

Download The Airline App

Losing your boarding pass in amongst all of your luggage is every travelers worst nightmare, but you can avoid all of that trouble by downloading the airline app. You can check in early on the app and keep all of your flight documents on there in digital form. You’ll also be able to get real time updates about the flight so you’ll know which gate you’re going to and whether there are any delays. It’s a lot easier getting it all on there rather than trying to listen to the announcements over all of the commotion.

Ask For An Upgrade

Paying for first class seats is out of the question for most families, but sometimes, you don’t have to pay. Sometimes, when there are seats available, the airline will offer people a free upgrade. But you won’t get anything without asking for it. When you’re booking a ticket, just ask for an upgrade. You won’t always get one but if there are some seats available you might get lucky. You’ve got nothing to lose by asking.

Offer To Be Bumped

There has been a lot of controversy recently about flights being overbooked and people having to be bumped and wait for the next flight. But you can make that work in your favour sometimes if you volunteer. You’ll usually get some cash back, flight vouchers or free meals. Sometimes, the next flight is only an hour or two later so it’s worth waiting.

Flying can be a real pain but if you use these simple tricks, you can make it a lot easier for yourself.

 

Posted in Travel | Leave a comment

Low Carb Foods You Should Avoid on Keto

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Krissyar

I know that when we talk about the Keto diet, we always insist that you limit your intake of carbs and increase the intake of high-fat content. Because of this reason, there is a lot of misconception where people think that every low –carb food can be used in the Keto diet.

I am afraid you might have been stuffing junk in your body all in the name of low-carbs. This can really derail your progress on Keto and limit the extent to which you lose weight. This article will look at the low carb food that you should avoid if you want to hit your goals in the Keto diet.

Sugar alcohols

Unlike what many people think, low-calorie sugar alcohols are not good to use in the Keto diet. They might seem natural but the body reacts to them differently. They are too concentrated and hence are not absorbed properly into the body.

Most of these sugars find themselves in the intestines forming clots because they were not absorbed by the body. Examples of these sugar alcohols to avoid include glycerol, isomalt, and lactitol.

Dairy products

We love products from our animals but we should take these products in moderation if we want to keep ourselves in the Ketosis state. Some of the most common dairy products that you need to avoid include milk, cheese, cream and even butter. These products contain lactose which can easily cause digestive issues. If you cannot avoid these products, just eat them in moderation.

Diet Sodas

Even though regular soda is the worst as it packs too many calories and sugars, diet soda is not healthy either. Diet soda may be sugar-free but it contains too many sweeteners which make it a candidate on things to avoid on keto. These sweeteners bring a lot of digestive issues and your metabolism will not handle them well. Avoid them completely if you can.

Processed foods

Anything that is factory-processed is probably containing something that has the potential to create havoc in your digestive system. Sometimes we might not be able to avoid everything when we go shopping but keep a look out on processed vegetable and seed oils. The most common ones include corn oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil and other vegetable oils.

One of the major reasons why you should avoid these oils mentioned here is because these oils contain unstable fats. Unstable fats are not well processed or absorbed by your metabolic system. There is a chance that they will just lie there on the intestinal walls, lumping up. The possibility of having other digestive related issues is real. Some of these oils have also been noted as having too much Omega 6 that has been linked to cases of Obesity in the USA. Some Omega is good but it becomes harmful when it is too much.

The Keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet but just because something is labeled low-calorie it does not necessarily mean it can help you achieve your goals on Keto. You have to be on the lookout so that you do not put yourself in harm’s way as you try to hit your Keto goals.

 

Posted in Weight Loss | Leave a comment

5 Keto Hacks for Losing Weight

Posted on October 3, 2018 by Krissyar

You can lose weight consistently in the Keto diet if you are serious about it. However, if you are looking to accelerate the process, there are some keto hacks for losing weight that you can apply in your life.

Keto diet is great for losing weight. However, the process takes some time and requires some level of commitment and dedication. In order to consistently lose weight on the Keto diet, you need to eat the right kind of foods. If you are looking to accelerate the process, you can try out some of these Keto hacks for losing weight.

  1. Try intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is a great way to push your body into the ketosis mood faster. Intermittent fasting implies the action of fasting at specific times during the day and eating after the time has expired. In other words, you limit the number of hours you eat and eat nothing during these hours. Then you can eat something after this period is over. The period is normally consistent and regular every day.

Intermittent fasting conditions your body to eat only when you are feeling hungry. You will be able to resist the urge to snack up calorie-packed foods and this results in losing weight faster.

  1. Create a meal plan

A meal plan is important as it will keep you on track when undergoing the Ketogenic diet. This is because you will be able to know exactly what you need to eat at any time. If you operate without a plan, it can be pretty easy to get distracted and eat food that will throw you off your ketosis.

Our minds are synchronized to follow patterns and when the pattern does not exist, we will normally start deviating to what we love. This means you will be looking to snack on your favorite foods and these foods could knock you off the Keto diet plan. A meal plan will also help you know exactly what to buy when you go shopping for food.

  1. Hydrate

If your body is in the ketosis state, you will be losing a lot of liquid during the first few days of this state. The stored water is used alongside glycogen and excess is taken out of the body through urine. Sodium salts, dissolved in the water also leave the body. Our bodies need this water and the sodium salts to keep some hormones in check and you need to keep replenishing the lost water.

Drinking an electrolyte will help restore the salts and keep everything in perspective. Water is important for metabolism as well.

  1. Get enough sleep

Sleep is important in the regulation of circadian rhythm and we should get as much sleep as possible. The metabolic process also works great when we are rested and sleeping. Remember that your body is really trying to adapt to the new foods and the metabolic process could be off. Sleep will do wonders here.

  1. Eat fat bombs

If you are in Ketosis, your body will be using fats as a source of energy after the depletion of glycogen. You need to keep providing energy to the body and this is where the fat bombs come in handy. The fats will be broken down into ketones and this will speed up the weight loss process.

 

Posted in Weight Loss | 3 Comments

Fun & Fluffy Slime Recipe

Posted on October 2, 2018 by Krissyar

It seems like slime is all the rage for kids, no matter what the age. My daughters and my son all enjoy making slime, and our favorite is this fun & fluffy slime recipe. We’ve made it a ton of times, but seems like we always need to tweak it each time; I think because its so hard to really measure the amount of glue and starch you use.

Here’s what you’ll need for the fun and fluffy slime recipe:

  • a large bowl for mixing
  • a few cups (I just use throw away)
  • a gallon of Elmer’s Glue (it’s the best value, and you’ll always have some on hand when you want to make a new slime recipe)
  • Liquid starch
  • Food coloring if you want to make colored slime (my favorite)
  • Some slime bling – this is my favorite, as it has a little bit of everything
  • Rags and/or paper towels for clean up
  • Vinegar (also helps with clean up)
  • and the secret to the ‘fluffy’ slime – extra creamy shaving cream

 

So first you’ll want to put about 2 cups of the glue in your mixing bowl. Again it doesn’t have to be perfect, because you’ll probably need to tweak it here or there to get the right consistency. Sometimes I have to add a bit more glue, sometimes I have to add a bit more starch. TIP: if it’s sticky, you need more starch!
Add about one cup of shaving cream, and mix the shaving cream and clue together. I have learned a spatula works the best. If you want color, add a *few* drops of food coloring, and add more until you get the color desired.
Stir everything together – and once its at the desired color, you will start adding the starch.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of starch to the glue/shaving cream mixture.  Be sure to stir for a few minutes to make sure its mixed well, and then start kneading it kind of like a pizza dough. Then you can knead it on parchment paper, or a glass plate.

Just remember – if the mixture is too sticky, add more starch. If its too hard, add more glue.

Add your slime bling – let sit for a few minutes – and then enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Crafts/DIY | Leave a comment