Lifestyle

Lighting is one of the most crucial aspects of great photography. Learning how to manipulate light is the mark of a master like Bruce Weber Photographer. This article will discuss ten tips for using light to its best effect.

1) Direction is crucial

To define the form in a photo, you have to work with light direction. For example, you can create highlights on the model’s nose or eyes by backlighting with a reflector. If you want to bring out details in an object, try front-lighting. Front-lighting creates shadows, which helps you see shapes clearly.

2) Lighting ratios are important

The lighting ratio refers to how many lights you use compared to the size of the subject. For example, if a person is lit by the main light and fill light, that would be one lighting ratio. If there were two main lights, that would be another ratio.

You can control your lighting ratios by positioning the light source closer or farther from the subject. For example, the “Inverse Square Law” states that if you move a light twice as far away from a subject, you get one-fourth of the intensity. Similarly, moving a light twice as close to a subject quadruples the intensity.

3) The three-light setup

If you want to take your lighting technique to the next level, start using a three-light setup and position your key light above the subject. This will create shadows on the face and make it look more interesting. One tip is to keep all lights at equal brightness levels. Brightness ratios can be used as well for additional effects.

4) Use a reflector

Reflectors are one of the best investments you can make in your lighting technique. They help you balance light ratios, which keeps everything visible in your image. It’s not necessary to buy tons of different-colored reflectors. You can adjust colors with white or silver reflectors, too.

5) Watch out for hotspots

A hotspot is an area of intense light in your photo. It’s usually caused by a light reflecting off a shiny surface and can be very distracting. You can avoid hotspots by using flags or grids to control the direction of your light.

6) Use gels to change the color of your light

Gels are a great way to change the color of your light without changing the position of your light. This is a great way to create special effects or match the lighting in different parts of your photo.

7) Use natural light whenever possible

Natural light is one of the best tools you have in your arsenal. It’s free, and it always creates beautiful results. Try to position your subject near a window for the best effect.

8) Experiment with different light sources

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of light sources. You might be surprised at the results you can get from a simple desk lamp or a flashlight.

9) Control your ambient light

Ambient light is the light that exists naturally in your environment. Controlling this light can help harmonize the lighting in your photo, making it easier for you to control the light ratios.

10) Keep things simple

The more lights you use, the harder it is to balance everything out and create clear images. Stick with simple lighting setups to produce the best results without too much hassle.

Learning how to use light is one of a photographer’s most important skills. By following these tips, you’ll be on your way to creating beautiful and evocative images with ease.

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You’ve finally done it. You put in forty years or more with the workforce, and now you’re winding to a close. At long last, you can retire.

Many people look forward to their retirement as a time of relaxation and self-fulfillment. Retirees can spend more time with their families, get involved in their communities, and pursue hobbies.

But that doesn’t mean you’ll have no responsibilities. When you retire, you lose the income your job once provided. So, it’s essential to spend time carefully considering retirement planning strategies.

The best retirement plans include a few common strategies and tips. We’ll explore three of those tips in the guide below!

1. Investing is Crucial to Retirement Planning

Whether you’ve built a 401(k) through an employer or developed a self-employed retirement plan, investing plays a crucial role. Investing in the stock market and other places helps you accumulate the wealth you need when you quit working.

Whether you have an IRA or 401(k), check where your retirement plan funds are invested. Try to load up on stocks, especially if you have several years before retiring. This way, you can achieve maximum growth.

If you’ve already generated significant wealth, consider diversifying your portfolio to hedge against volatility and inflation. Precious metals and government bonds provide excellent resources for protecting your assets in this way.

2. Don’t Forget Taxes

The government will continue to expect you to pay your share after you’ve left the workforce. So, as much as you may hate it, you’ll still have to factor taxes into your retirement planning.

When considering taxes, look for ways to cut down on how much you have to pay. To that end, spend time investigating tax-advantaged saving accounts, such as IRAs, Roth IRAs, and HSAs. We’ll talk more about HSAs in the last section.

Any tax-advantaged account can help you boost wealth. Likewise, accounts like Roth and HSAs help you prepare your funds if you believe you’ll see an increase in taxes in the future.

Also, spend time cutting taxes from brokerage accounts. Although some exceptions apply, most gains you earn become taxable. Check out this page to learn more about taxes and how they impact your estate.

3. Building a Health Savings Account

Senior citizens are often more vulnerable to injury and other health problems as they age. As such, retirees must prepare for potential health problems and costs they may face down the line.

One of the best ways to do this is through a Health Savings Account (HSA). These accounts have tax benefits for their contributions, saving you money on taxes.

While these accounts aim to prepare you for health costs, they’re also quite flexible. You can use them to cover near-term medical bills if necessary or as an extra source of cash in retirement.

Start Your Retirement Planning Today!

It’s never too soon to think about your retirement planning. These three tips can go a long way to preparing you for your future.

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By now you’ve probably noticed that something called a “Bitcoin ATM” has started popping up all over the place—in malls, convenience stores, even at gas stations.

Everyone knows what a regular ATM is. But what are Bitcoin ATMs? And how does a Bitcoin ATM work? Those are the questions that a lot of people are asking, so you’ve come to the right place to find the answers.

In a nutshell, a Bitcoin ATM is very similar to a regular ATM. Bitcoin ATMs let you purchase Bitcoin (or other cryptocurrencies) and deposit it in a Bitcoin wallet. You can also sell your cryptocurrency and cash it out (for a fiat currency, like US dollars).

Let’s take a closer look at how to use a Bitcoin ATM.

Getting Started

Okay, the first thing we need to look at is what steps you have to take before using a Bitcoin ATM.

A Bitcoin ATM is easy to use—in fact, it’s as simple as using a traditional ATM. But before you can do so, you’ll need to have a few things in order. Here’s what you need to prepare before using a Bitcoin ATM.

Set Up a Digital Wallet

Before you can do anything with a Bitcoin ATM, you’ll have to establish a personal digital wallet.

This is the equivalent of a bank account with a traditional ATM. It’s the virtual repository of your cryptocurrencies, and it allows you to track your Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency transactions.

Locate a Nearby Bitcoin ATM

Armed with a functioning cryptocurrency wallet, you’re ready to start making Bitcoin transactions.

It should be pretty easy to find a Bitcoin ATM nearby. They’re common in most large and small metropolitan areas, so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding one near you.

Using a Bitcoin ATM

Now comes the fun part.

You’ve set up your digital wallet, and you’ve located a nearby Bitcoin ATM. You will also have to set up an account with whichever company operates the ATM you intend to use.

The initial step when using a Bitcoin ATM is to verify your identity. This is a simple procedure that usually requires you to input your mobile phone number. You’ll then be asked to enter the single-use passcode that was texted to your phone.

After these preliminaries, you’re ready to start using the cryptocurrency ATM. If you’re buying Bitcoin (or another cryptocurrency), you’ll need to feed cash into the machine, as you would an ordinary ATM. The appropriate amount of cryptocurrency will then be credited to your account.

A Bitcoin ATM withdrawal works a little differently. When you sell Bitcoin from your digital wallet, you’ll receive an equivalent amount of cash from the machine. These transactions do take a little longer, however, since the exchange must be verified on the blockchain.

Start Using Bitcoin ATMs Today

There’s not much to it. Using a Bitcoin ATM is very much like using a traditional ATM.

Bitcoin ATMs are a fast, easy way to get into the cryptocurrency game. So now that you know how to use one, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start trading cryptos.

And while you’re here, please check out the rest of our site for more tech and lifestyle news.

Your family story is, to some degree, your story. Your parents, grandparents, and so on through your lineage all contributed to who you are as a person. Even so, we don’t always know our family members as well as we’d like to think. Ask yourself—have you ever doubted how well you know yourself? From there, it only makes sense that there are discoveries yet to be made about the people closest to you. So, you might take some time to consider whether you can learn more about your loved ones with a bit of effort.

1. Look to what you can’t see.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs or lack thereof, you can’t deny the fact that unseen factors play into your relationships with the people around you. If nothing else, what about love? However, that’s not the only principle you can consider despite not having a clear visual reference. For instance, what about concepts like numerology or astrology? For living family members or those you’re immediately related to, you may be able to determine their full natal chart. But, if you don’t have details like their exact time and place of birth, you can turn to numerology. For those who follow numerology, its principles can give insight into a person’s deepest self. Consider trying a name numerology calculator to learn about family members, including both near and distant relations. With just a person’s full birth name—an easy enough fact to find—you can learn their destiny path number and all that comes with it.

2. Climb your family tree.

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t know the birth times and locations of your ancestors, if you can even determine them for your immediate family. Taking the time to make a family tree can seem like a lot of work upfront, but it’s the kind that will pay off with immense benefits. Learning about your family history isn‘t just interesting (while that’s certainly true); it’s a great way to learn where you and your family came from. No matter where you stand in the nature versus nurture debate, there’s no denying that we inherit a lot from the generations that came before us, including traumas and hereditary factors alike. By gaining a better understanding of your own family tree, you’ll be more able to understand your family members, as well as additional information about yourself.

3. Talk to them.

Not every person has the ability to talk to older family members about their lives. However, if you do have that chance, there’s no substitute for this insight. You might ask your grandfather to tell you about his childhood or talk to your great-grandmother about her service during World War II. With each discussion, you’ll learn a little more about your loved ones. Just as importantly, though, you have the chance to experience something that far too many people miss out on the chance to. Someday, we inevitably lose these people, whether through death, illness, or physical distance. When that happens, you’ll have these memories to look back on and stories to share.

Whether you’re taking advantage of a numerology calculator app, researching your genealogy, or talking to a family member one-on-one, learning about the people around you can tell you more than you ever realized you didn’t know. You’ll find mannerisms you didn’t know you inherited from a great-aunt or find out that you have your great-grandfather’s eyes. You’ll learn about the generations that came before you and the challenges they faced—because there will always be challenges. There will be lessons to be learned from that, of course, too. And, just as importantly, you may very well learn things about yourself in the process.

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Moving can be a highly stressful time for many individuals and families. The pressure to pack up all your belongings and move from a home that you’ve created so many memories in can be challenging. But moving is just a part of life, and for those preparing for their next move, this also signals a hugely exciting change that anyone involved in the process should be ecstatic about. While moving closes the door on one chapter of your life, it opens another one that will usher in the next phase—often an even brighter future than the part of your past that you’re leaving behind.

As well, moving doesn’t mean that you’ll never see or speak to friends or coworkers again. Oftentimes, people move within their home city or town in order to take advantage of an upgraded home or new amenities or locations that are better for the commute, children’s schedules, or family hobbies.

With these action items checked off your moving list, getting the move completed without a headache and as quickly as possible is simple and streamlined.

Prepare your current home for the real estate market.

One thing that many people anticipating a move fail to realize is that they’ll need to get their own home ready for someone else to get excited about. While the vast majority of Americans will spend around 13 years in any one home—and eventually come to see this living space a commonplace—someone else will be getting excited about the potential of buying and moving into your home. Making this a priority is a great way to speed up the transition process that will see you move out of one home and into another. Paying the property taxes, maintaining your mortgage payments, and simply owning the property can rack up a significant financial burden over time, so selling your home as quickly as you can once you’ve made the commitment to moving is crucial.

One thing to remember is that there are a number of important fixes and updates that should go into any home before a sale. Remember that a high-quality kitchen is a great selling point, but that airflow also affects your home’s air quality. Updating air conditioning systems, installing new windows, and ensuring that the home has enough natural openness and light can offer you a major selling point when it comes to listing your property on the market.

Hire a mover for maximum peace of mind.

Whether you’re looking at a local move or a relocation that will take you across the U.S. and beyond, a mover is an essential partner in this endeavor. A moving company in Fort Lauderdale, FL can provide the backdrop for your most successful move yet. Preparing to enter a new home means that you have to pack up every one of your belongings and get ready to shift them across town or beyond. A mover can help facilitate both the packing and mobility requirements that go into any move, no matter the location or difficulty involved in your home’s unique set of belongings and furniture.

A moving company that you can trust with your prized possessions is something that can make or break your move. With a great company on your side, getting the most out of your move is virtually guaranteed. Movers with years of experience know that each one of your boxes and pieces of furniture is important and delicate. A professional will work side by side with you to pack and ship each part of your home.

With these elements taken care of, a move is a simple and fun event that will usher in your next chapter in life.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Lifestyle category

If you have a student who struggles with a particular subject or if your family is always on the move, finding a tutor is crucial. Not only will you be able to provide a consistent learning space but it’s also a great way to supplement regular education (TopTenReviews).

The following online tutoring institutions and programs are some of the best and most affordable. Although most places offer several subjects of study, there are ones that excel in particular subjects like Math, English, Science, Art, and Music.

Before Deciding on a Tutor

As you peruse this list of fantastic online tutoring services, determine your budget along with what you value, what you need and how much time the student can invest. Some services offer a quick-help solution while others require blocks of time.

Because you’ll be leaving your child in the presence of an adult, ensure you perform your vetting process, regardless of what the service boasts. Tutors should list and be able to easily prove their experience.

Best Overall Online Tutoring

Chegg Study

Pros	Cons
Chegg Study has the best overall in subject variety, flexibility, and affordability. They have experts from some of the most prolific higher-learning institutions. There are also a plethora of ancillary tools for writing, math, and other select textbook solutions.	There’s very little one-on-one with students with eBook learning and pre-recorded videos.

Wyzant

Pros	Cons
Wyzant has over 275 subjects with prices starting at $10. Tutoring is available in-person or online and you have your choice of tutors. They have an easy, clean interface to find a tutor based on what you need and the student’s level of education.	Although they come highly recommended by parents and teachers, students report mixed results.

TutorMe

Pros	Cons
TutorMe offers access to a tutor 24/7. You can connect with an expert in 30 seconds which makes it invaluable for help with a single math problem or last-minute revision. They have a feedback hub for writing papers and essays with lessons starting at $1 per minute.	There are no group tutoring sessions and it’s tricky to schedule lessons. TutorMe can also get quite expensive.

Tutor.com (best for high school)

Pros	Cons
One of the best choices for high school tutoring is Tutor.com. They cover most high school subjects and students get help with test prep. Although not for everyone, it’s excellent for students of military families or tutoring packages offered through educational institutions.	If parents aren’t in the military, this can cost a pretty penny. Plus, the website tends to be confusing and the offers are a little unclear.

Club Z! (best for K-12)

Pros	Cons
With online, in-person, and franchise-based options, Club Z! has many services with flexible programs. They have patient and qualified tutors which is a great feature for busy parents. They dedicate themselves to helping children succeed backed by a fantastic reputation.	Club Z! can be pricey. Even though they offer help for high school and undergraduate students, it may not be suitable for them.

Best Overall for Parents on a Budget

Learn to Be

Pros	Cons
Learn to Be is a nonprofit online tutoring program specifically for students with families on a tight budget. They offer all the basics for K through 12 and come recommended by parents who saw a marked improvement in their child’s test scores and GPA.	They don’t approve all applicants for the program and there are certain qualifications to sign up.

eTutorWorld

Pros	Cons
For individual care with a personalized learning approach, eTutorWorld offers assistance for Math, Science, and English. They allow total control over the learning environment and they have a thorough vetting system to ensure qualified tutors.	You don’t get to pick which tutors you’d like to work with and there are only a limited number of subjects.

Best for Special Needs

SpecialEdTutoring.com

Pros	Cons
SpecialEdTutoring.com understands and caters to students with special learning abilities of various degrees and difficulties. You can browse tutor profiles and receive a free consultation. Each lesson or session caters to the student in question and every tutor has a degree in Special Education.	They don’t have foreign language studies and you won’t know the price until after your consultation.

Best for Math

Mathnasium

Pros	Cons
Mathnasium offers online and in-person math tutoring with over 1,000 locations nationwide. They help students struggling with math and advanced students interested in STEM.	This can be very expensive and difficult to budget. Plus, the setup process is lengthy and time-consuming.

Best for Science

TeacherOn.com

Pros	Cons
There are many subjects available for students at TeacherOn.com, but they offer specialized science tutoring services. They cover things like biochemistry, computer science, microbiology, biotech, chemistry, psychology, thermodynamics and so much more.	They don’t vet their tutors and yet make it incredibly difficult for potential tutors to get work.

Best for English and Writing

Pearson’s Smarthinking

Pros	Cons
90% of the tutors at Pearson’s Smarthinking have a Master’s or Ph.D. in their chosen field. They offer over 150 subjects but their main feature helps with English and writing. So, you can get full-on sessions with a tutor or a one-time overview of an essay or paper.	They don’t offer a matching service and browsing the tutors is a little difficult.

Best for History

University Tutor

Pros	Cons
University Tutor offers a wide range of subjects but their history tutors come in a broad array of expertise. They offer matching services and tutors set their own rates, so you can browse profiles to see which one you want to hire. The lessons are flexible and they offer test prep.	You won’t know how much the lessons will cost until you go through the matching service.

Best for Arts and Humanities

ArtTutor.com

Pros	Cons
For general help with artistic concepts like drawing and painting or if you need some art therapy, ArtTutor.com offers a plethora of teachers. They believe everyone can be an artist and focus their practice on family values.	The website is bulky to navigate and pricing is unclear.

Best for Language

Preply

Pros	Cons
An online tutoring site dedicated solely to languages, Preply offers tutors that can speak over 50 different tongues. It’s easy to navigate with a helpful scheduling tool, making it easy to see when tutors are available for lessons. It caters to all ages and has a free trial period. You can ask for your money back if what you see doesn’t impress you.	There’s almost an overabundance of tutors available and they focus on a student’s language proficiency rather than their educational grade.

Best for Music

Live Music Tutor

Pros	Cons
For live music lessons with tutors specializing in a variety of music genres and instruments, Live Music Tutor has it all. Once a student registers, they will have access to individual as well as group lessons. Live Music Tutor has a structured curriculum that tutors use to shape and form sessions for each student.	Pricing is unclear and the website is awkward to page through.

Best for Homework Help

Skooli

Pros	Cons
Although mostly focused on Math, Skooli covers a range of topics. But their strongest suit is in general homework tutoring. It comes on a pay-per-minute basis and if you’re not happy with your first session, you can try a different tutor for free.	They don’t offer anything past college level and they don’t have many learning tools.

Best for Test Prep

TutaPoint

Pros	Cons
Retired teachers, professors, and teaching assistants comprise the staff at TutaPoint. This is one of the crowing features that make it the best source for test prep services online. Each student receives test strategy guidance customized around their weaknesses and strengths.	This is a little on the pricey end, but worth it because of the many years of expertise available.

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Cremation is gaining tremendous popularity among people who are planning funerals. There are numerous reasons people are ditching the traditional burial ceremony for cremation services in Washington. Choosing cremation makes it easier to ferry the remains and to organize the sendoff. The majority of people opt for cremation services since they are affordable and eco-friendly.

Cremation Services Make Funeral Planning Easier

It’s difficult enough to organize a nice send-off when the deceased lives closely. Arranging for those who are out of the city or living in another country will be a nightmare. Cremation services Washington will solve this issue. Not only is it easy to ferry long distances, it’s cheaper than transporting the remains. Besides, some cremation agencies provide plans that assist in bypassing the regulations when a customer dies outside of the US. Referred to as away from home programs, they assist in guaranteeing that the customers’ final wishes are met. That’s important to those who travel because shipping a body internationally is so hard that most families lose hope and have their loved ones cremated in the place where they died.

Elegant Arrangements Can still be Cost-Effective

The costs of cremation services in Washington are less than burial, but they don’t rule out a dignified funeral. When customers opt for a basic cremation, the remains are returned to them. Then, they can arrange services at any moment and in any place they prefer. They’ll have the time to gather friends and family together and have a simple, meaningful funeral. Those people who want elaborate services can conduct traditional services and also viewings. The majority of families include all traditional rites except burial. They arrange for the body to be cremated rather than buried.

Eco-friendly Customers are Comfortable with Cremation 

Cremation is famous among those who like natural, simple funerals. It’s also ideal for those people who feel stalwartly about not utilizing the land for burials. Cremation services Washington is a greener option because there is no embalming fluid or casket items to degrade and potentially pollute the surrounding earth. Washington residents who want a dignified, affordable and eco-friendly environment often opt for cremation services. They might also opt for cremation in order to simplify arrangements when a family member or friend dies in another country or town.

The Loved Ones Can Hold and Keep the Ashes

The benefit that comes from cremation services that are impossible with a burial is that many family members can keep the ashes. Urns are designed in different sizes to hold the ashes. Clients can get each urn customized for every individual who wants to keep the ashes. Bear in mind that ashes can also be put in unique ornaments that can be worn on a necklace.

 Cremation Allows Freedom from Tradition

By avoiding the traditional burial arrangement, relatives of the departed can dispose of the ashes in a more meaningful way. For instance, ashes can be scattered in various places that were special to the departed. Besides, miniature urns can be worn as a necklace. Many services can transform the cremated remains into diamonds.

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Proextender is a medical-grade device designed to utilize the traction method to increase penis length and penis girth. The traction method is a method used in areas of medicine. It stretches the penis and triggers the cell duplicating process of mitosis so that over time, it maintains the extended length. This penis extender works without surgery, medication, or pain. While there may be several products on the market that call themselves penis enlargers, few will give you the quick and permanent increases you’ll get with the Proextender.

While the benefits of the Proextender may appear obvious, you may be wondering how exactly it can improve your sex life. Intrigued? Read on for three ways the Proextender will take your sex life to the next level.

1. Using the Proextender system will boost your confidence.

Simply put, the Proextender will give you a bigger penis. Regardless of how long or wide your penis was before using the original Proextender or the deluxe Proextender, your penis will be longer and wider after using it. Your confidence will soar through the roof, and the women in your life will notice. Studies have shown for years that confidence is one of the sexiest traits a person can have when it comes to physical attraction. Boosting your confidence will boost your overall sex appeal, as others will see the difference in your attitude and be drawn to that.

The difference in confidence can be everything when it comes to the bedroom. Your sex life and orgasms will improve because you are more in the zone than you were before. You’ll last longer in bed, too, and will have better orgasms than you did before, and that will make your partner enjoy it more too. Satisfying both you and your partner is the critical key to a truly great sex life because then you are both happy, and you both look forward to more.

2. The Proextender gives you more to play with.

A bigger penis simply gives you more to have fun with. You and your partners will have more to play with during sexy times. This may allow you to try different positions or activities that you did not feel you had the right size equipment to do before. Even if you are just masturbating, you will have more to hold on to, and holding your newly sized penis will again boost your confidence as you will be able to see and feel the difference in both girth and length.

There is so much to be said for bedroom games, foreplay, and dynamics. When thinking about just intercourse, size doesn’t really matter. Both male and female bodies can respond to minimal length in positive ways. However, improving your sex life isn’t just about the intercourse—it’s about everything that leads up to intercourse and everything that happens after intercourse. Your sex life starts with playful looks and teasing. Having more confidence and more to play with to back up that confidence will greatly improve your sex life.

3. The Proextender system gives you better aesthetics.

Aesthetics refer to the visual beauty of something. While this won’t change the look of your penis, it will be visibly larger, which will make it more appealing to look at. It will make your joggers or athletic shorts fit better. It will make your swim trunks look nicer when wet. The overall aesthetics of your body with or without clothes will improve. This will improve your sex life by increasing visual attraction. You’ll get more attention from potential partners before even showing them your skills. They’ll see what you have to offer while wearing sweatpants and want to see more. There is no shame in wanting a larger penis for the look or the feel, but you should make sure you’re using avoiding fake penis enlargers, and using a Proextender instead.

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The average age of menopause is between 40 and 58 years. However, this varies with a few exceptional cases of premature menopause where women reach this stage in their 30s. Regardless, menopause symptoms are typically the same. They include night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and irregular periods among others. All these are signs that your reproductive years are coming to an end.

The early perimenopause and early menopause phase are typically considered a rough time for many women. So you must prioritize reproductive health during this time. However, this doesn’t mean it should stop you from living your best life. That being said, here are four self-care tips for menopausal women.

1. Be kind to yourself.

As women age, their bodies change, and things like wrinkles and fine lines start to show. This can make many women feel less confident about themselves. A great way to boost your confidence even when it feels like your skin is falling apart is to be kind to yourself. Being kind to yourself involves accepting your body’s changes in the best way possible.

Maintain a good skincare routine and dress in outfits that showcase your style. Don’t forget to accessorize with lovely jewelry. You can stick to the basics like gold necklaces, bracelets, or a silver necklace. Accessories help add character to your outfits, and they’ll make you feel fly even on days when you are experiencing perimenopause symptoms.

2. Track your period.

Anyone who knows anything about menopause understands the nuances of hormonal changes and period irregularity. You’ll need a period tracker that provides you with specific insights and support that regular menstrual period tracking apps don’t offer. A perimenopause tracker provides you with trend lines that show your perimenopause symptoms and period cycle length.

It allows you to log in symptoms, triggers, severity, frequency, duration, and intensity to help give you a better insight into this stage of your life. It also compares your symptoms to other women in your age group by showing you what’s expected during menopause. All these features allow you to take better charge of your health.

3. Watch out for signs of depression.

The sudden hormonal changes that occur during perimenopause, puberty, and postpartum (and sometimes, the regular monthly cycle) often put women at risk for depression. When hormone levels drop like this, serotonin levels also decline. This contributes to the irritation and mood swings women feel during times like this.

Therefore, perimenopause women must watch out for signs of depression to help them tackle it before it escalates. One way to deal with the anxiety and mood changes during menopause is to consider hormone replacement therapy. However, make sure you see your GYN doctor and have him/her help you weigh the pros and cons and suggest options based on your medical history and the severity of your symptoms.

4. Adjust your lifestyle.

One of the most challenging things about the menopause transition phase is weight gain. Many women experience a redistribution of weight during this time and find it difficult to lose weight once they have gone through the stage. Therefore, you might want to make some early lifestyle changes to make it easier to lose weight. Be sure to get regular physical activities and kick up your diet to involve more fruits and vegetables and fewer calories.

Furthermore, if you’re a smoker, it’s best to stop now that you are experiencing menopause. Smoking is bad for your heart, face, and bones as it increases your chances of having osteoporosis and wrinkles. Besides, about half of all menopausal women experience osteoporosis-related fractures as they age. So, if you quit smoking, you’ll be doing your bones a favor.

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