Category Archives: Health & Fitness

How to Find the Best Air Purifier for Your Home

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Air Purifier Tip! For any air purifier, it is most important to locate it near the most activity or traffic flow so that there is plenty of air circulation around the air filter. This will increase the air exchange rate and make the air cleaning more efficient.

An air purifier can perform wonders for your home. Air purifiers do battle with anything airborne and unwanted, such as odors, bacteria and germs, and leave your home with clean, pure, and healthy air.

Once you start living with an air purifier you’ll wonder how you ever survived without it. More and more home owners are opting to purchase an air purifier as they become more and more aware and concerned about the quality of the air they breathe day in, day out.

How do the best air purifiers work?

Air purifiers work by replacing the air in your home with clean and filtered air. They remove particles in the air, such as dust, by drawing air through their filters. Unwanted particles get trapped in machine’s filter, and what is circulated back into your home is pure, clean air.

How to find the best air purifier?

Air Purifier Tip! The HEPA filter is the air purifier industry standard, despite air filtration with technologies other than HEPA which are selling well. The HEPA air filter, where properly deployed, has a long record of safety and effectiveness.

There are many air purifiers on the market and many different manufactures. Keeping track of new developments in air purification technology is difficult. Before you buy, always do a bit of research about the product and the manufacturer.

If you are buying in-store, prepare questions and make an appointment with the salesperson so that you can be completely informed about product features.

If you are buying online, then try to read reviews of each product before you buy. Online stores such as Amazon.com do provide this review service. Some of the better manufacturers are Honeywell, GE, Whirlpool, Alpine, Living Air and Bionaire, amongst others. Visit the manufacturer’s website and download product features and specifications, which you should study before making your final choice.

 

   

Dylan Miles, journalist, and website builder, lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.kitchendesigning.info on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

How to Choose an Air Purifier

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Air Purifier Tip! You may think a whole house air purifiers costs a lot of money. In fact, they are expensive, but not as expensive as you are thinking.

Choosing an air purifier is a daunting task, especially if it’s your first. Many buyers are disappointed when the product chosen does not seem to solve their particular problem.

The air purifier industry is unregulated. There are really no standards, and what passes for standards is often self-serving. Many consumers are confused by the many technologies available, and will try to select a particular technology or brand right away. This may not be the best approach.

The following points are a suggested analytical framework.

First, the new product should do no harm. Lots of people are astonished to learn that many air cleaners emit harmful gasses. Ozone is used as a fumigant by professional mold remediators. It oxidizes chemicals, odors and microorganisms when pumped into closed rooms in high concentrations.

Air purifiers have evolved which emit chronic ozone, at lower levels. This has become popular, and many users like the fresh smell. Many also report improved allergy/asthma symptoms when using ozone emitting air purifiers.

Air Purifier Tip! The HEPA filter is the air purifier industry standard, despite air filtration with technologies other than HEPA which are selling well. The HEPA air filter, where properly deployed, has a long record of safety and effectiveness.

Ozone is a persistent chemical in indoor air, it accumulates and lasts for days, not hours or minutes as is often claimed. While these oxidants may kill lung dwelling microorganisms and thus relieve some people’s symptoms, long term exposure to airborne oxidants is seriously dangerous.

Everyone knows at least one beautiful person whose face has been ruined by a life of cigatette smoking. What causes those premature wrinkles, stiff, gray looking skin, and aged eyes?

Airborne oxidants!

Ozone may have value as an alternative medical therapy, but that is a whole seperate issue. Chronic administration of an experimental alternative medical technique to millions of unknowing consumers is a dangerous fraud. Chronic ozone is not a suitable method of air purification.

Many cheaper air cleaners use glues and soft plastics which outgass chemicals.

By elimination of ozone-prone and cheap plastic models, the search is narrowed considerably.

Air Purifier Tip! Many filters which do not qualify as true HEPA are disguised by terminology: HEPA-type, or HEPA-like. Air purifiers which match the efficiency standards by other means may even use the ‘H’ word on their products: HEPASilent.

Second, many people see dust accumulation on furniture and think of an air purifier as a means of reducing it. While a properly sized room air purifier will certainly do this, visible dust and most odors are not the real health threats. Often toxic chemicals are harmful at concentrations below our threshold of smell.

Serious gas and odor removal is a requirement if health benefits are expected. This raises the cost considerably, so many air purifier vendors will try to hide their product’s shortcomings. The “Clean Air Delivery Rate” (CADR) is one such subterfuge, it focuses on larger dust-sized particles and completely ignores gas poisons.

New technologies, such as photocatalytic oxidation, show promise with chemicals, but the long standing favorite is activated carbon. There needs to be lots of it, not just a coating sprayed on a foam prefilter.

Choosing an air purifier with carbon measured in pounds narrows the list considerably, but raises the price.

Third, particles much smaller than the eye can see are the real culprits. They pass through the lungs and get in the blood. Our technology grinds toxic materials into microscopic sizes, which build up invisibly in our living space. Many air purifiers, including some selling for very high prices, do not remove these tiny particles from our air. Quality construction is important; case, gaskets, seals, and precision fitting eliminate fine particle bypassing.

Air Purifier Tip! For any air purifier, it is most important to locate it near the most activity or traffic flow so that there is plenty of air circulation around the air filter. This will increase the air exchange rate and make the air cleaning more efficient.

Fourth, consider long term cost of ownership, not just initial purchase price. Some folks will take home an air cleaner only to discover that replacement filters, needed frequently, cost almost as much as the machine.

This is called the cheap air purifier loss leader filter price ripoff.

Filters should be independently replaceable. An all in one filter, with carbon and particle filtration combined, will need replacement when either media is clogged.

There are many models with average service lives under two years. Buying these “bargains” is false economy. A quality purifier can last 10 or more years.

Along with filter costs, energy use can add up. Air purifiers using over 100 Watts will add to the electric bill.

Fifth, many air purifiers produce noise levels too high for practical use. Some quiet models have air flow rates to slow to do much cleaning. This is one big area of consumer complaints. The noisy machine may clean the air when running, but ends up turned off most of the time.

Air Purifier Tip! Anyone who cares to breathe the air that is clean, healthy, and free of various pollutants and allergens should buy an air purifier for their homes. It may be either portable or non-portable, depending on the area coverage.

Bedroom noise levels need to be below about 34 decibels (dBA). Again, many vendors will hide behind assertions of “ultra-quiet” without being specific as to noise.

Sixth, who is the builder? Are they also the vendor? Manufacturers should have a track record, with many units sold and a reputation for customer service. Today, new brands are popping up, and many US vendors are just importers of Asian made equipment. Will they be around when your chosen air purifier needs warranty service?

Good air purifiers have warranties measured in years. A one year warranty is evidence of short product life or possibly financial distress.

Air Purifier Tip! There are benefits to buying whole house air purifiers. The air purifier’s unit is placed in your basement or furnace room.

There are several very successful air purification products associated with multilevel marketing, scam marketing, or credit card ripoffs on returned merchandise. Fortunately most of these disreputable vendors are eliminated by guideline number one above: most of their products are not ozone-free.

Last, is the air cleaner a good value? Is the product price supported by infomercial advertising, brand building, and hype? Or does the product stand on its own merits, the result of a long term quality engineering process?

Air purifier buyers can increase their odds of success by following a plan in choosing an air purifier.

Click for the web’s best Air Purifier Reviews.
The Author, Ed Sherbenou, is an experienced air purifier user, with 40 years of direct experience due to chemical sensitivity and severe allergies. He writes indoor air quality articles, posts blogs, and maintains a leading air purification website:

http://www.air-purifier-power.com

How To Choose Vitamins and Minerals For Kids

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Nutrition is an important consideration regardless of age. Choosing vitamins and minerals for kids is important. Most children will want the supplement they recently saw advertised on television but it’s important for parents to consider the vitamin and minerals that their child needs to grow up strong and healthy.

Most vitamin and minerals for kids come packaged in the form of television or movie characters. Most adults were introduced to this as well at an early age. Their parents purchased vitamins that tasted like candy and were shaped like the latest action hero. The daily dose of vitamin and minerals for kids was a highly anticipated event in many households as this was the closest thing to candy most children got on a daily basis.

The vitamin and minerals for kids today are virtually the same. They come in many popular flavors including cherry and grape and because they have a familiar shape the child enjoys taking them. Not all vitamin and minerals for kids are created equal though and the benefits of what they contain far outweigh how fun and appealing they are to eat.

Children’s bodies are different than adults. Their organs and muscles are still developing and it’s important that they receive adequate nutrition to help that process. Many children are choosy eaters and therefore the vitamins and minerals for kids can be even more important to them.

Parents should ask the child’s doctor what he or she recommends as a supplement that contains the dose of vitamins and minerals that the child needs. Not all supplements supply the same amount of vitamins and minerals for kids and it can be harmful to give your child things they don’t need.

There is also a difference in the amount of vitamins and minerals for kids of different ages. Obviously a three-year-old will require a smaller dosage than a ten-year-old. Although they may require the same vitamins and minerals the amount is an important consideration.

Once the doctor has advised the parent on which supplement contains the vitamins and minerals for kids of the age group they have, the parent can then choose one their child will take. It’s useless to pick a supplement that your child refuses to take. 

Vitamins and minerals for kids that are chewable are usually the best choice. Most children have difficulty swallowing a tablet and actually enjoy chewing the vitamin because of the fruity taste. Therefore it can be wise to take the child to the store with you and give them several choices. If the supplement contains the vitamins and minerals for kids that the doctor suggests and the child is excited about taking them, you’ve made the right choice. 

 

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How To Choose Health Care Insurance

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With so many options for health care insurance, it is very easy for the average consumer to become confused.

Even the health care insurance offered in the work place has become more complicated. You used to have to decide how many people were on your plan and the rest was taken care of for you. Those days are almost gone.

For those who are offered health care insurance at work, they now have a few options from which to choose.

For the average person, this is tricky. There are deductibles, doctors to choose, and plans to consider. It can be very overwhelming.

For those who are self-employed, or don’t have health care insurance through work, it gets trickier. You may find yourself lost in a sea of information that you simply cannot understand. Health care insurance information tends to be worded in ways that you need a translator to understand.

If you are having difficulties understand your health care insurance options at work, talk to your human relations department. Tell them you are confused, and that you need things spelled out for you in simple terms that make sense so you can make an informed decision.

When you are looking for insurance as a self-employed person, you may have no idea where to begin. An Internet search will give you a good starting point. Once you have found some options, you should look through websites to find out some basic information.

Call the health care insurance company you are interested in and ask them to spell out the terms and prices of each plan for you. If you find they are unwilling, or unable, to do this for you, you should move on to find someone who can. Always ask for total costs and deductible information.

When push comes to shove, a good health insurance company will want to work with you, and your budget, to find the best coverage for your needs. This may be a timely endeavor, but in the end, it will pay off for you and your family.

There are many low cost varieties of health care insurance plans online. Once you have talked to them, and have decided you like their prices, ask about the fine print. In fact, you should do this with any company, no matter where you found them.

Beware of hidden fees and deductibles that can shatter your budget. No matter where you get your health care insurance, keep up to date on new policies and changes in their pricing and deductibles. You may have to be proactive and ask for updates.

If you don’t understand what is going on with your health care insurance, always ask. This will not only save you time, it will save you money as well.

 

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How To Safely Use An Electrical Scooter or Power Wheelchair

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One device that is both fun and functional is the electrical scooter also know as a power wheelchair. These handy little inventions are giving people with disabilities more mobility than ever before and older people can now go places where they once experienced limited access. They are just like any other piece of equipment however, and one still needs to give some thought to safety to ensure an enjoyable experience.
 
First and foremost those who are using one need to be aware of what is going on around them. Being alert as a rider is rule number one. It is important to pay attention at all times to what is happening around you while on the electrical scooter. It is important to watch the road or store isle where you are operating it.

On the street you need to ensure that you avoid potholes, pedestrians, other riders and vehicles. Remember that an electrical scooter isn’t as large as other vehicles so drivers may not see you. Their use on the streets is also a fairly new thing so drivers also are not watching for them.

It is important to understand that they are not toys. Trying risky riding or taking chances with the way you are operating the power wheelchair could cause injury to you or someone else. It is for this very reason that children should never be allowed to play on an electrical scooter without proper adult supervision. There is an increased chance of getting into an accident if safety is not taken seriously.

Second, obey all traffic rules and regulations while out on the road and practice the same types of rules while inside. Drive to the right, stop and look both ways and always wait for those who are walking even within the store. Observing these simple rules will help others to know what to expect while they are around individuals using an electrical scooter.

Another safety tip is, don’t ride one outside at night. They are not designed for night usage outside so there are no safety lights or reflectors. You could, of course modify your scooter to have these items however remember that others are not used to an electric scooter being utilized during the day let alone during night hours. Don’t go out on your electrical scooter after dark.

Maintenance is also very important. Clearing out the wheels and making sure that the equipment is properly oiled and maintained will ensure that there is not an accident involving the scooter.

Although they are a wonderful new piece of equipment, they are motorized so it is important to observe the same safety rules with them as you would any motorized moving vehicle.

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How To Diagnose Chest Pain

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One of the scariest moments in a person’s life might just be the first time they develop severe chest pain. Chest pain often signals that something is not right with their heart, and this can cause panic. It is important you know what to do if you experience chest pain, and how to take care of your heart.

Chest pain can happen for a great many reasons, and many times it is something as harmless as heartburn. There are many times when people come down with severe cases of heartburn, but think they are having a heart attack. It is often a relief to hear their chest pain was harmless, but it often gets them thinking about heart health, and what they can do to live a healthier life. 

Your doctor should be the first person you see if you want to take care of your heart. They may have eating plans and guides to help you make better choices. They can also run tests to see how high your cholesterol is, and if you should worry about heart trouble any time soon.

Doctors will also be able to help you better understand different types of chest pain. The more you know about what a heart attack may do to your chest, and the rest of your body, the more likely you are to catch the signs of a heart attack early. Chest pain is not the only sign of a heart attack, and you should know what else to look out for.

Follow your doctor’s advice in regards to when chest pain is a sign of a serious problem, and remember what they tell you to do. They may advise you to take aspirin on a daily basis, but don’t do this unless they tell you too. If you come upon someone else who is experiencing chest pain, don’t be afraid to call for help.  Many people are afraid of getting involved or making a bad choice. It is better to sound a false alarm when confronted with chest pain than it is to risk someone losing their life.

If your chest pain is not the result of a heart attack or heart condition, it still may be a strong signal that something is not right. You should always report bouts of chest pain to your doctor so they can determine if you are healthy, or if there is an underlying cause that needs to be addressed.

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How To Spot A HGH Growth Hormone Scam

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HGH growth hormone, which technically is GH or “growth hormone” produced naturally by our bodies, is at its highest levels when we are younger, in our early adulthood.

GH is a pituitary gland hormone that impacts energy levels, fat-burning tendencies, desires and cravings, libido, skin, muscles, and numerous other pituitary-influenced physicalities.

HGH, growth hormone, similarly, is a synthesized hormone administered by way of subcutaneous injection and other forms under names like Genotrpin, Humatrope, Nutropin, Saizen, Serostim, Somotropin, and Zorbtive to fight aging and do the following, for example:

-Boost energy levels
-Increase strength
-Increase muscle tone and decease body fat
-Enhance libido
-Improve skin tone
-Enhance memory
-Increase focus
-Improve sleep habits
-Improve emotional/mental states

Essentially, the HGH, growth hormone now manufactured, is used to make us young again. The HGH growth hormone we seek today, however, was first developed as an answer to GHD, growth hormone deficiency. HGH growth hormone was studied and simulated to stimulate growth in short children and later, in short adults. These studies and experiments were being done in the 1950′s.?

By the 1990′s, specialists like Dr. Daniel Rudman were determining HGH growth hormone was a likely substance for not only stimulating growth but simulating it so that aging might be retarded, life might last longer, and people might fare better as healthier and happier adults.

The caveats abound, however: there are numerous fraudulent forms of HGH, growth hormone, and likewise as many scammers with their scams. For example, snowblinding with misinformation is common for these fakes: they might claim to be selling a product that is the fastest-absorbing orally injested HGH growth hormone on the market yet the experts will remind you that HGH growth hormone can NOT be ingested, because the stomach acids and digestive tract destroy the hormone immediately.

Other frauds will claim their version of the HGH growth hormone is of the highest number or concentration of nanograms but are faking you out, as HGH is not administered in nanograms but in IUs international units.

So the information on and reputation of HGH growth hormone continues to face controversy and disagreement about results. The reality, the anti-aging, and the multitude of other positive effects and/or side effects, then, is up to you. Good luck!

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How To Enrich Your Diet With Raw Foods

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Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow

Everyone wants to take better care of themselves and that includes making certain that they are eating the best foods that they can. Raw foods are believed to be the right choice when it comes to picking healthy ingredients, but you may be surprised to learn that eating a diet rich in raw foods is not as simple as going to the grocery store and choosing a few items.

When you decide to start eating foods in their natural state consider where that food is coming from. Most vegetables that you purchase at your local grocers have to travel quite a distance before they reach the store. In order to keep them looking and tasting their best they are covered with preservatives. Before they are even picked they come in contact with chemicals in the form of pesticides.

If you want to avoid ingesting all of these unwanted additives there are a couple of things you can do. One is to purchase organic raw foods. These are grown in such a way that no chemicals are used in the growing process. There are also no preservatives used so that you know for certain exactly what you are eating. You are getting all the best parts of the food without anything unnatural being added.

An alternative to purchasing organic fruits and vegetables is to grow your own. Many families have grown and eaten their own raw foods for many years. This is not only an inexpensive way to eat healthy but it also affords you the chance to get out in the summer sun and do some gardening. Imagine how satisfying it will be when you pick your own carrots or lettuce. This is really what raw foods are all about; completely fresh and free of any additives.

If fruits and vegetables aren’t your favorite food group, consider diving into the world of sushi. There is a sushi bar in almost every town and city now. Sushi has become one of the most popular raw foods there is. Some people can’t imagine eating raw fish but it’s delicious and at least worth a try. It truly is one of the tastiest and more nutritious foods there is.

It is always a good idea to eat foods that you not only enjoy but are also good for you. Consider the source when you are shopping for raw foods. In the case of fruits and vegetables, these are things that need to be consumed shortly after purchase. It is a good idea to buy a few items every couple of days so the food doesn’t go bad before being eaten.

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How To Fall Asleep

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There are some times in our lives when we feel as if we should have been taught how to fall asleep. Night time rest is crucial to everyday function but it can be very difficult to get especially if you suffer from occasional insomnia. Sleeplessness is no fun and getting information on how to fall asleep soundly and consistently is not always easy.

Since I experience occasional bouts of insomnia I can certainly understand the appeal of being taught how to fall asleep. The aggravation associated with a sleepless night is overwhelming and those very aggravations can actually feeding into the restless state. I can remember countless nights watching the clock pass the precious nighttime hours away.

Those hours were meant for rest and as the clock ticks away so does your chances of getting a good night’s rest. Of course knowing how to fall asleep when you are in a state of panic about being a zombie the next morning would be helpful but some things just can’t be taught. However, there are some things you can do to ensure that you can get adequate shut-eye even if it is for only a few hours.

People like me have trouble resting at certain times. I never learned how to sleep in an automobile. For some reason I think that when my eyes are closed the driver is incapable of navigating the road. This unreasonable way of thinking can be the source of some of my restless nights in general.

I haven’t trained myself how to sleep under stressful conditions. The stress caused by knowing that you are not going to rest adequately to perform well the next day feeds into your insomnia. How to fall asleep under such stressful conditions is beyond me but there are some things I have tried to avoid getting to this point in the wee hours of the morning.

The first thing I had to do was take the television out of the bedroom. This was not easy for me because I love to relax in bed to watch my favorite shows. No one bothers me in the bedroom. Unfortunately, this was the biggest obstacle in my good night’s rest. I found that removing the television was helpful in figuring out how to fall asleep at night.

I associated the bed with watching movies and shows rather than sleeping. I guess I never learned how to fall asleep while watching TV.

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Health & Fitness

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Going to the gym, walking 30 minutes, yoga or jogging – there are so many exercise programs and diets. How is any one person supposed to know what is right?

If your job is taking up most of your time, it’s sometimes hard to find time to exercise. Especially if you’re traveling. These “how to” tips and solutions should help you make some time to take care of your body.

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