Month: June 2021

2021-06-29T05:01:00

(BPT) – Whether a family beach trip or an off-the-beaten-path journey, this summer, more than ever, the open road is calling. With so many drivers hitting the roads again, a car travel preparation checklist can ensure you’ll enjoy the full experience.

Car care expert and Engineering Explained YouTube channel creator Jason Fenske has taken more road trips than he can count. While Fenske has his share of favorite destinations and Instagrammable spots, more than anything else, he knows how to prep for a drive, long or short.

“Before you head out, make sure your car is ready,” said Fenske. “Car care is necessary year-round, but it’s especially crucial before rolling out on vacation. You don’t want to get stuck in an unfamiliar place with a vehicle in need of serious maintenance. Fortunately, you can minimize the chances of a car breakdown with adequate preparation.”

Vehicle maintenance can ensure a trouble-free trip

This summer, Mobil 1 motor oil is kickstarting adventures and celebrating your endless vacation possibilities as the Official Motor Oil of Road Trips. Head to Mobil1RoadTrip.com to enjoy inspiring content and explore maintenance tips to get your car ready for the journey. To heighten the summer road trip celebration, drivers could win a once-in-a-lifetime free road trip excursion worth over $20,000. Just pick a destination and the Mobil 1 team will do the rest. The sweepstakes runs through Labor Day.

Before setting off to your summer destination, Fenske has six car care recommendations:

1. Check your tires

To maximize tire life and safety, check the tire condition and inflation pressure. Under-inflated tires are more likely to blow out in high heat and can also reduce fuel economy. Check your owner’s manual to find the recommended air pressure for your vehicle. While checking your tire pressure, check the tread on your tires, too. This is easy to do by sticking a penny in the tread gaps with Lincoln’s head facing down. If his head is fully visible, you need new tires.

2. Check your fluids

Cars need a specific amount of clean fluids. For the brakes, clutch, power steering, windshield washers, transmission, differentials or coolant — you’ll want to make sure these fluids are at the right level. To ensure peak vehicle performance, Fenske recommends an annual tune-up to have fluids checked and/or replaced, while checking other safety systems on your vehicle.

3. Get an oil change

Regular oil changes help prevent engine wear and can save gas. It’s best to change your oil and oil filter as specified in your owner’s manual.

“Changing your oil regularly is crucial to keeping your vehicle running its best,” says Fenske. “But the type of oil you use can really help ensure your car is running at optimal performance, especially if you’re going to be driving long distances. That’s why it’s important to put the right, high-quality oil in your vehicle.”

If you’re using conventional oil, Fenske suggests switching to a synthetic motor oil such as Mobil 1, which can keep your engine running like new. Mobil 1 motor oil not only helps combat harmful deposits in your engine, but also helps stop engine sludge, reduces overheating, and offers advanced engine wear protection.

If you’ve already completed a road trip and didn’t change your oil as part of the prep, that’s OK too — post-trip maintenance is a great idea to keep your vehicle running smoothly.

4. Plan ahead in case of an emergency

Keep an emergency kit in your trunk in case your vehicle breaks down. Include a gallon of drinking water, jumper cables, windshield washer fluid, basic tools, gloves, a flashlight with spare batteries and a first aid kit.

5. Save your directions

You never know when you’ll encounter loss of service on your devices, so make sure you save your directions. Print off your trip as backup or take screenshots on your cell phone so that if you encounter a spotty service area, you’ll know where you’re heading no matter what.

6. Check the battery

Excessive heat and overcharging can shorten your car’s battery life. Hot summer weather is tough on car batteries because it increases the evaporation of battery fluid and damages its internal structure. Batteries last around five years on average, so Fenske says if it’s old, you may need to replace it. If the battery is relatively new you should:

• Inspect terminals and posts for corrosion
• Make sure terminals are tight and have proper lubrication
• Check battery fluid levels

2021-06-29T00:01:00

(BPT) – The business world has been entertaining the concept of digital transformation for quite some time. Still, nothing directed companies to focus on it more than the physical-digital divide amplified by COVID-19. Recent global events have accelerated the need for companies to revaluate how they operate and how they provide experiences to customers. As a result, digital transformation is high on the agenda of many companies today, and adopting new technologies to automate processes is a crucial part of the roadmap. However, limited resources, technical debt, risk and change management are often significant hurdles to address.

According to a recent survey on The State of Low-code/No-code, many companies can’t simplify their current systems, as only 6% of low-code development is done by non-IT professionals. At the same time, there are solutions available that can help curb these issues.

Research shows that low-code/no-code can be a game-changer by placing technology to automate processes and design applications with the teams who know them the best: business users. No-code tools can reduce the demands on IT while driving digital transformation and enabling process automation.

Low-code/no-code technology provides a visual platform wherein business users can create apps and workflows with drag and drop commands using a visual interface program with little to zero coding involved. With the intuitive interfaces of no-code platforms, citizen developers can develop, edit and customize business apps and automate processes faster and easier than traditional development, which involves the complex coding language used by developers and IT professionals.

What makes low-code/no-code beneficial?

Low-code/no-code is not just about doing more with fewer IT resources. It’s the ability to address automation and innovation needs with a more cost-effective, agile technology. It’s putting power into the hands of business users to drive change. Finally, it’s breaking down the barriers between IT and business users, driving greater IT-business alignment, and enabling organizations to take advantage of technology for competitive advantage.

Low-code/no-code can be used by any business unit within a company to automate customer-facing experiences and operations.

Accelerated time-to-market

With the right low-code/no-code tools to accelerate change and automate business processes rapidly without additional resources or programming background, it can result in accelerated time to market.

By using the low-code/no-code development approach, businesses can place app development and process automation responsibilities into the hands of those in their workforce who know business processes best. It goes without saying that app development and process automation tasks are accomplished quicker by business users who already specialize in the subject. Survey results show that when companies adopt low-code/no-code platforms, they can reduce the amount of time it takes to bring your apps to market. Twenty-nine percent of organizations that have adopted no-code technology believe it is between 61% to over 100% faster than traditional development.

Some platforms like Creatio further accelerate the app delivery and process automation by eliminating the need to build core modules from scratch. Its pre-configured modules can be used to develop solutions quicker that can be repurposed or re-assembled more easily.

Reduced app development costs

With the ability to build more apps in less time, costs decrease. But that’s not the only driver. Low-code/no-code development reduces the need for more developers, reducing hiring costs. And the right low-code/no-code platform can make everyone in the organization — not just IT — more productive.

According to recent survey data, companies that use a low-code/no-code development approach have increased their process acceleration.

From an organizational perspective, lack of resources and lack of collaboration is vital as a company thinks about digital transformation in the context of low-code/no-code platforms. Low-code/no-code can alleviate the demand on IT resources by enabling business users to perform more of the work themselves while also breaking down collaboration barriers between business and IT, because it reduces the traditional back-and-forth between IT and the business in requirements development, prototyping and testing, and other areas required in a traditional development process.

Enhanced customer experience

Low-code/no-code programs are just as beneficial for customers as they are for businesses. When employees without deep technical skills can change the blueprint of their internal processes and customer-facing channels, like apps and webpages, it can increase speed and reduce downstream, giving them a more competitive advantage. Results delivered faster means customers are satisfied quicker.

Alongside this competitive advantage, low-code/no-code can enhance your customer service functions, like providing better real-time updates and reduced delivery times.

“Our research shows that a low-code/no-code platform is the key to business resilience,” says Katherine Kostereva, founder and CEO of Creatio. “What separates the businesses who thrived during the pandemic to those who floundered was their investment in technology. When you utilize that technology to simplify operations and customer-facing experiences, before you know it, your organization will grow and scale to new heights.”

Looking toward the future

While organizations continue to accelerate their digital transformation efforts, it is clear that no-code/low-code is a key enabler of that transformation, enabling business users to drive process automation at a scale and pace that was simply impossible with traditional development models. With the automation of more processes a top priority for organizations in 2021 and beyond, no-code/low-code is here to stay. With mobile application development and the development of custom applications to meet specific departmental or functional needs as top priorities, no-code enables business users to automate both internal and customer-facing processes.

The distinction between simple tools that enable citizen development and more complex solutions that target software development teams today is predicted to no longer exist in the upcoming years. The low-code and no-code markets will merge to offer enterprise-worthy and powerful technologies that are user-friendly and do not require specific knowledge or training.

Creatio is at the forefront of creating a citizen developer world with its no-code capabilities. For more information on how low-code/no-code programs can help propel your business forward, check out their website today.

2021-06-28T12:45:01

(BPT) – A clean home is a happy home, but if that cleaning requires lots of elbow grease and time-consuming tasks, it’s hard to maintain a smile. No new couple needs added stress, especially from manageable chores. Fortunately, there are many tips and tricks to keep your favorite spaces tidy and save time in the process.

Here are five simple ways newlyweds can get a clean house while cutting down on cleaning time:

Tackle rooms from high to low

One of the simplest tricks to transform your cleaning routine is to clean rooms methodically from the top down. This makes a difference because dust, dirt and other particles fall down as you clean, plus it helps you focus on spaces you might often forget. For example, take a few minutes to dust fans and light fixtures before tackling counters and tabletops, and finally the floors.

For cobwebs, floorboards and other tough-to-reach places, try folding a microfiber cloth over a broom and securing with a rubber band for ease of cleaning, This will save you time and a sore back because you won’t have to bend or reach. Additionally, consider running your air conditioning when cleaning to circulate air out of your home and remove airborne particles with it.

Don’t reinvent the cleaning wheel

A great way to quickly and easily clean your home is to utilize online resources that share how other couples have gotten through their cleaning challenges. From scheduling to buying the right appliances, there are multiple things to consider when living with your partner.

The Knot, the nation’s leading wedding marketplace, said that one of the biggest issues that newlyweds face is the painstaking process of selecting the home appliance gifts for their wedding registries. This can make adjusting to a new home and marriage difficult. Luckily, an obvious choice is the LG CordZero vacuum for convenient cleaning. With 120 minutes of runtime and extreme versatility, this vacuum can help any young couple begin life clean and anew.

Stock up on multitasking tools

When possible, couples should invest in multitasking tools that save time and effort. Picture this: Cleaning up unexpected messes, or after pets and kids is no problem with a cordless vacuum that also mops like the LG CordZero A9 Kompressor+ Stick Vacuum.

The vacuum can be easily switched from a vacuum to a mop and back again in mere seconds by changing the attachments. The Power Carpet Nozzle removes dust from carpets and hard floors using powerful suction and Kompressor™ technology that compacts debris in the bin so users can enjoy an easy-to-maneuver, lightweight stick vacuum without having to stop and empty the bin as often. Plus, it can go from vacuuming carpet and hard flooring to mopping by simply switching the attachment and filling the reservoir with regular tap water — no special solutions or harsh chemicals needed.

Go automatic when possible

Technology is changing how homes are maintained, and automatic options now go beyond your self-cleaning stove. The floors can be one of the dirtiest parts of your home, so invest in a robot vacuum that cleans them without you lifting a finger. For example, the LG CordZero Robot vacuum™ combines the hands-free benefits of a robot vacuum with the powerful suction and deep cleaning of a traditional vacuum, thanks to its Smart Inverter Motor™ with Axial Turbo Cyclone.

With built-in intelligence, the CordZero robot vacuum precisely navigates flooring to leave nothing behind, all while avoiding collisions. Using 3D Dual Eye technology and a laser sensor, it accurately maps out each room and then uses its built-in intelligence to remember the details of your personal space.

A clean home can be work, but it shouldn’t feel like a second job. With these tips and tricks that maximize convenience, newlyweds can be together, relax and enjoy a tidy house.

2021-06-28T11:01:00

(BPT) – With summer’s arrival and the days getting warmer and longer, many Americans may be rededicating themselves to getting outside and focusing on their fitness.* This may be especially important after so much time spent inside due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to unwanted weight gain for 61% of Americans.

“Whether you are ready to return to public fitness centers or are pursuing an at-home workout routine, the same priorities may remain key: daily exercise, proper nutrition and sufficient sleep,” said Dr. Anne Docimo, chief medical officer, UnitedHealthcare.

To help with those efforts, here are three strategies to consider to help make health a priority this summer and year-round.

Round out your home workout routine. While public gyms and group exercise classes may have appeal for many people, working out at home may have several advantages. At-home exercise is typically less expensive than a gym membership, which may also help improve your financial fitness. Exercising at home may provide greater flexibility and convenience when incorporating a workout into a daily routine, while offering a more private experience. To help make the most of your at-home exercise efforts, consider investing in resistance bands, which generally are an inexpensive, space-saving option that may help with pre-workout warmups and options for strength training. A pair of adjustable-weight dumbbells may offer versatility, enabling scalable resistance to help improve your strength. Finally, heart rate monitors or activity trackers may help you evaluate performance during individual workouts and over time.

Make movement a priority. Even if you don’t have a limited or full gym setup at home, it is crucial to still stay active and not fall into the trap of participating only in sedentary activities, such as binge-watching the latest TV series or movies. Consider taking short walks frequently throughout the day, aiming for six separate “mini-walks” of at least 300 to 500 steps. To help enhance cardiovascular fitness, consider at least one 30-minute “brisk walk” of at least 2,000 to 3,000 steps each day. To help build endurance, consider working toward 8,000 to 10,000 aggregate steps per day. Moving more and sitting less may help boost the immune system, ease joint pain and curb cravings for high-sugar foods that may contribute to inflammation and disease.^[1]

Identify intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. In general, people may be motivated by a combination of intrinsic factors, such as wanting to maintain a healthy weight, and extrinsic factors, such as financial rewards. Daily exercise may offer several intrinsic motivators, given research has shown consistent movement may help ward off depression and prevent issues like heart disease. To potentially earn incentives for pursuing healthier habits, it’s important to note that a majority of U.S. employers offer well-being programs, many of which include financial rewards for healthy activities such as walking, going to the gym or meeting certain health benchmarks (e.g., cholesterol levels, body mass index or non-nicotine use). Importantly, some health plans offer access to wearable devices that may enable people to earn more than $1,000 per year in financial incentives for meeting certain daily activity goals.

If you need external motivation, this summer you can go to UHCStepUp.com and sign the pledge to make health a priority. This may enable you to become eligible for a chance to win one of more than 100 fitness-related prizes**, while joining golf star Rory McIlroy in breaking a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most pledges for a health campaign in one month (June 15 – July 15, 2021) and raising $60,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Following these tips may help you swing into summer and make health a priority, while encouraging healthy habits that may eventually translate to meaningful improvements.

* The information provided is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be, nor should be construed as, medical advice. Check with your doctor to determine what activity level is right for you.

** Participation in any UnitedHealthcare product or program is not a requirement to participate in the sweepstakes.

Boys & Girls Clubs and Guinness World Records are not sponsors of this promotion.

All trademarks are property of their respective owners.

2021-06-28T11:59:00

(BPT) – You may have felt like your mouth is dry on occasion — on a hot day, when you’re thirsty, or maybe when you feel nervous before making a presentation at work. But if you’re experiencing chronic dry mouth, it’s more than just a mild inconvenience or temporary unpleasant feeling. Dry mouth can lead to both medical and dental issues down the road.

Dry mouth (also known as xerostomia) occurs when the salivary glands in your mouth aren’t regularly producing enough saliva, drying out your mouth. And according to the Mayo Clinic, saliva fulfills important functions for your oral and dental health, such as washing away food particles, limiting bacterial growth and helping protect tooth enamel.

“Dry mouth is more than just a nuisance. Gone untreated, it can impact the health of teeth and gums,” said dental hygienist Julianne Souza. “Saliva production is really important because it neutralizes acids produced by bacteria, which in turn helps prevent tooth decay — and its enzymes also aid in the digestion of food. Dry mouth shouldn’t be ignored.”

Do you have dry mouth? You may, if you have one or more of these symptoms all or most of the time:

• Sore or dry throat
• Bad breath
• Difficulty speaking, chewing and/or swallowing
• Hoarseness
• An altered sense of taste
• A feeling of dryness or stickiness in your mouth
• Saliva that seems thick and stringy
• Dry or grooved tongue
• Problems wearing dentures

Why do you have dry mouth?

In some cases, dry mouth may be temporary. For example, if you are taking certain medications (for which dry mouth is listed as a side effect), your dry mouth should clear up when you are no longer taking the medication. Dry mouth can also be a result of undergoing cancer treatment such as chemotherapy, and should resolve when your treatment is completed.

Other causes for dry mouth include aging, nerve damage to the head or neck, plus health conditions including diabetes, stroke or yeast infection (thrush) in the mouth, to name a few. Some drug use, including tobacco and alcohol, can also increase dry mouth symptoms.

It’s best to talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing dry mouth, both to determine the cause and to help prevent further issues such as dental problems, mouth sores or difficulties eating and speaking.

Treatments for dry mouth

What can you do to alleviate the symptoms of dry mouth? Fortunately, there are a number of approaches you can try:

• Using Oracoat: For adults suffering from dry mouth symptoms, Oracoat is the dry mouth brand trusted by dental professionals that provides fast, convenient relief. Oracoat’s unique oral adhering disc technology provides relief during the day, at night and while you are sleeping. It comes in a variety of great-tasting flavors, and in a wide variety of sizes. Visit www.oracoat.com to learn more.
• Chewing gum: Sugar-free chewing gum can encourage your mouth to produce more saliva, helping to protect your teeth and relieving your mouth from unpleasant dry mouth symptoms.
• Staying hydrated: Drinking plenty of water throughout your day can help you feel better, and helps to rinse out and wet your mouth.
• Using a humidifier: Especially if you live in a dry climate or during drier times of the year, an in-home humidifier can help the air around you — including the air you breathe in — stay more moist.
• Practicing good oral hygiene: To help prevent some of the issues dry mouth can cause, brushing and flossing your teeth a few times a day can help keep your teeth cleaner and prevent damage caused by plaque, bacteria and acid exposure.

To help determine if you are suffering from dry mouth, take the quick online assessment at Oracoat.com/dry-mouth-assessment.

2021-06-28T10:01:01

(BPT) – Approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter animal shelters across the U.S. each year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. With so many pets in need of a home, animal shelters and rescue groups often struggle to keep up — and many could use your help.

Whether you have room in your home to welcome a pet or room in your heart to give back to the pet welfare community, here are some ways to get involved.

1. Donate money or supplies

While money is always appreciated, there are so many items that animal shelters and rescue groups are in need of to care for adoptable pets. Some of the most common items needed are towels, leashes, toys, pet brushes, beds, food and cleaning supplies. Check your local rescue or shelter’s website to learn about their donation policies and see if they have a wish list of items.

2. Support brands that support adoptable pets

Purina ONE has been supporting animal shelters for more than 15 years, in fact, since 2015 the brand has donated nearly 8 million pounds of dog and cat food, worth more than $11 million to provide adoptable pets with the nutrition they need through every life stage. You can help by registering for the 28-Day Challenge to make a difference in your pet’s health and a big difference in the life of an adoptable pet. When you switch your pet’s food to Purina ONE, you’ll notice a visibly healthy pet in just 28 days; that’s the 28-Day Challenge.

“Providing your pet with the proper nutrition they need to be happy and healthy starts from the inside,” said Chief Veterinary Officer at Purina, Dr. Kurt Venator, DVM, Ph.D. “When you feed your pet Purina ONE, like I do, you’ll notice a visibly healthy pet in just 28 days; signs of which may include healthy energy, a shiny coat, bright eyes and strong, healthy teeth and gums. It will also positively impact pets on the inside by supporting a strong immune system and a strong, healthy heart.”

For every new 28-Day Challenge registration by Aug. 31, Purina ONE will donate $1 to the Petfinder Foundation (up to $28,000) to waive adoption fees and help more dogs and cats find their forever home. Award-winning choreographer, dancer, singer and actor Derek Hough has teamed up with Purina ONE to further its mission by raising awareness of pets in need and helping them find their forever homes.

“I’ve always been passionate about rescuing pets because there are so many, like my cat, Palo and dog, Luna, which is why I love that Purina ONE has been supporting shelters for years by making donations to help every pet find their forever home.” said Derek Hough, spokesperson for Purina ONE. “And you can help too by registering for Purina ONE’s 28-Day Challenge before Aug. 31 to help raise up to $28,000 for the Petfinder Foundation; those funds will help waive adoption fees at shelters and rescue groups, which means more pets going home.”

Register for the 28-Day Challenge at PurinaONE.com/AdoptablePets.

3. Volunteer your talents

Reach out to local rescues or shelters and offer up any skills you have that could be of service to the organizations. Whether you’re a knowledgeable carpenter, a social media star or simply an animal lover, your time and talent will go a long way in helping rescues and shelters find forever homes for the adoptable pets in their care. Start by visiting local shelters and asking how you can help.

4. Adopt a pet

If you’ve been thinking about adding a pet to your family, consider adopting. When you adopt a pet, not only are you opening up your home to a pet in need, you’ll have the opportunity to establish a strong, loving bond which is essential to building a happy and healthy life with your new pet. You can search for adoptable dogs or cats near you through Petfinder.com or find a local organization to help guide you through the process of bringing home a loveable new companion.

5. Support and share online

Follow animal shelters and rescue groups on social media and remember to like and share their content. Invite your friends and family to support as well and help spread the word about adoptable pets. Social shares help shelters and rescues reach more people outside of their traditional marketing efforts every day.

6. Keep your own pets safe

Keeping animals out of shelters starts at home. Make sure all of your pets have collars with proper ID tags and a microchip. When you bring a new pet into your family, have them spayed or neutered, and be sure to keep your cats indoors. When venturing outdoors with your dog, be sure to keep him on a leash to ensure safety.

7. Transport animals

If you have regular access to a car, many organizations often need help getting animals to and from vet appointments or transporting them from rescue facilities to shelters. A little driving time goes a long way in getting animals the care they need.

For more information, visit PurinaONE.com/AdoptablePets.