In the modern age, with so much technology surrounding us, from computers to smart phones to widescreen televisions, our eyes are constantly under attack. It is hardly any surprise that the number of people reporting to their local opticians complaining of eye-strain or diminished sight is on the increase. Looking after your eyes has never been so important. So what are the practical steps that we can take to look after ourselves?

If you happen to work in an office where you are constantly staring into a screen, then it practically goes without saying that you have to take certain steps to ensure you do not do permanent damage to your vision. The recommended time allowance to be hunched over your machine working on documents, or surfing the net, or even reading tips such as these, is around 20 minutes. Thereafter you should physically move your eyes away from screen for a period of rest time.

Science has yet to prove that workers whose job involves staring at computer screens are likely to suffer permanent eye damage. But research does indicate the increased likelihood of dry eyes, or eye-strain. Computer screens all emanate background glare. This can cause muscle fatigue within the eyes, especially since the settings are rarely at the optimum condition for each individual user. If you work in an environment where you share IT equipment, then someone might find a screen too dark; the next user might complain about it being far too bright.

Even if you are using a device on your own at home, many of us prefer the convenience of simply firing up the machine and getting down to our usual tasks at whatever factory setting it arrived with. Altering screen resolutions and brightness levels involves going into control panels that can seem tiresome.

When you are concentrating at a computer screen, it is only natural not to blink. Although it will probably seem unnatural at first, if you can try to make the effort to blink - perhaps twice a minute as you look at documents - then this will help to counter dry eyes.

There are tell-tale signs that will inform you if your eyes are undergoing any particular levels of strain. If your eyes feel sore or tired, or even tearful, then it's probably time to take a break. The one good thing about surfing the net and looking at any number of different websites is that the very nature of this activity precludes excessive eye-strain.

Web developers are consciously aware of the need to create legible web pages. For this reason, websites these days tend to be designed to a certain is aesthetic. You will rarely find great slabs of unbroken text. On the contrary, information is imparted to a much better extent if it is broken down into easily digestible paragraphs, with important points emphasized in bold text, or arranged into bullet-pointed lists. There will also be a plethora of photographs or images that will guide the viewer's eye fluently down the page.

Having the ability to change the colour of our hair can give us a whole new outlook on life. It can promote a feeling of rejuvenation, of getting ready to face new challenges. In practical terms, however, although applying dye to your hair will provide an instant shine, it also damages hair. It will dry hair and the colour can fade, even after just a matter of days. So here are the steps you should be taking to minimize the nastier side-effects of having just altered your natural hair colour.

The crucial consideration is the shampoo that that you use. What you want to do is to switch between one shampoo that is enriched with natural pigments, and another that is specifically aimed at dyed hair. The latter is likely to have an intense repair formula.

On a fortnightly basis, set aside some time to apply a hydrating mask. Because hair that has been dyed is often fragile, you must re-establish your hair's natural water balance (also known as its re-hydration rate). The products that will achieve this are enriched in what are known as natural emollients. What it all boils down to is the fact that the more hydrated your hair happens to be, then the more intense the colour will be.

Once you have applied rehydrating mask the final step you should be taking is to apply a protective milk. Make sure that this is not rinsed out of the hair. This will protect your hair, not only from the heat blast of the hairdryer as you apply it, but also from calcium in the water. Look upon calcium as the nemesis of coloured hair!

Another aspect of treating dyed hair that cannot be overstated, is that you can never nourish it enough. As has already been stated, died here, although it can look tremendously vivacious, it can dry out quickly. To counter this, what you really need to be doing regularly is to apply nutritive creams. Don't be afraid to apply these creams throughout the lengths of your hair, from the scalp to the tips.

Of course, one of the most disappointing aspects of changing your hair colour is the fact that it is only ever a temporary measure. Just as you are getting used to the fabulous new colour scheme, it begins to fade, seemingly within matter of weeks. The important point here is that you shouldn't be disappointed with the colour. Neither should you be overly concerned with your dyed hair if it looks as if it is losing its sheen. Dealing with dyed hair is a sensitive business. You don't want to go through the whole process again too quickly. So even if you find yourself glaring into the mirror at every opportunity, your fingers itching to speed-dial your hairdresser to book another dyeing appointment, try and resist this urge. If you can have the patience to wait at least four weeks before returning to the salon to have your hair redone, then the finished job will do far less damage to your hair (since it has had that extra time to rejuvenate in the interim period).

Possessing a mouth containing clean and white-looking teeth is something most of us would aspire to. The reasons for this are twofold. Pleasant teeth make us look attractive – there is nothing more off-putting than a smile containing yellowing or non-existent teeth. Also, being fortunate enough to have white teeth is usually an indication that we are in good health, and is therefore a source of self-gratification.

As you check yourself in the mirror before exiting home, it really does put a spring in your step to witness a mouthful of white and well-maintained teeth flashing back from your reflection! So what are the key attributes of keeping those teeth in tip-top condition?

Obviously one of the key factors that is going to influence the appearance of your teeth is what you actually put into your mouth. If you enjoy drinking red wine and black coffee, or smoking a number of cigarettes on a daily basis, then don't expect to be surprised when your teeth succumb to staining.

There are many other items that you can ingest that will also affect the colour of your teeth. A particularly nasty culprit is cola. Fizzy drinks such as cola contain, amongst numerous chemical additives, a lot of sugar. All these ingredients will have an adverse affect on the enamel coating of your teeth, making them more susceptible to discolouring. The same can be said for dark juices, as well as gravies and sauces.

A good rule of thumb is to consider the colour of whatever it is on your plate or in your glass. The chances are if it is dark prior to entering your mouth, there is every likelihood that it will cause a degree of staining.

So what can you do to counter the effects of ingesting dark material? If you must in babe on any of the aforementioned forbidden fruits, the obvious thing you can do is take steps immediately. The longer you leave your teeth untreated after a meal containing staining substances, the greater the timescale where your teeth will experience negative effects. Immediately after your meal, where possible, it would be ideal to rinse your mouth thoroughly with cold, fresh water.

For a more thorough treatment, there are bleaching agents that can be purchased over the counter from your local chemist, or from your dentist. Another recommended solution, although something not to everyone's taste, is to chew on sugar-free chewing gum. As well as removing the offending staining material from the interior of your mouth, this is excellent for producing a feeling of your mouth having been refreshed. Although gum can come in a variety of tastes, the best ones to go for are the traditional mint-flavoured versions.

Apples have been employed as a teeth-cleaning agent for a long period. They taste wonderful, but it is their crispy, juicy flesh that is great for giving your molars and incisors a good rinse. They are also conveniently popped into a pocket and can be eaten anywhere after you've had that enjoyable but dark coffee.

Ensuring your feet are kept in tip-top condition is an important health consideration. Why should this be? It's actually fairly straightforward. Your feet are under a tremendous amount of pressure, from the moment you get up from any chair or your bed and begin to put pressure on them. As you run about from location to location on a daily basis, these appendages are constantly in demand, their muscles working overtime, their soles coping with the stresses of uneven ground or stairs.

Washing

For most of us, the only time we think about paying any attention to our feet is when we take our daily shower, first thing in the morning. If this is the case, then what you should also be thinking about is making a foot wash part of your regular routine when you return to your home at night. The first thing you want to do is to get your sort robbed vigorously between your palms in order to generate a lot of lather. Then you should be applying this lather directly to your feet, paying particular attention to the gaps between the tools. It is into these recesses that the worst of the grime and sweat accumulation gathers.

When you wash your feet you don't have to go back into the shower again. You can either purchase of a bespoke footbath, or simply utilize a conveniently-sized basin. In this way, you can be attending to your foot maintenance while you relax, watching television or listening to music. The latter can work really well, because as well as thoroughly cleansing your feet, you can give yourself a little bit of self-administered massage in time to the tunes.

Once you have concluded you wash, ensure that the surface of the feet is toweled afterwards. This is not just as a mark of good hygiene, it also insures that you do not step onto your bed sheets with dirty feet. This all guarantees you do not bring any dirt from the rest of the house into the place where you sleep.

Pedicures

Far from being regarded as an occasional luxury, why not consider giving your feet a pedicure on a fortnightly basis. Applying paint doesn't necessarily need to be part of each process, but the simple art of a pedicure will keep your feet soft, ensuring the skin remains free from dryness or rough textures. Your toenails will also be well maintained, keeping them neat and clean. Is toenails are allowed to go unchecked, then there is a very real danger they will start in-growing. This can be very uncomfortable and painful. Correcting any in-growing toenail is not can require surgical procedures.

The beauty of a pedicure is that you don't require going to an expensive salon, although that option is always open to you if you would prefer. It is something that can be carried out within the comfort of your own home. Firstly, you would soak your feet for about 10 minutes in a large bowl of water at lukewarm temperature. A few drops of oils or Dead Sea salts would provide an even more amenable cocktail. You have the option of relaxing for a longer period of time if you so desire.

Use a foot scrub to remove dead skin, massaging in circular motions and rinsing afterwards. Use a pumice stone for the especially hard skin on the heels or sole. Next attend to toenails, cutting them straight across as opposed to a curve. You can also apply cuticle oil prior to the finish touch of coating with nail polish.