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In today’s world of computers and other high-tech gadgets, individuals rarely need to use their brains anymore to perform their everyday functions, at home and at work.  Even using the calculator, which has been around for centuries, is a lazy habit that deprives our brain of the simplest of exercises that it needs.

Additionally, individuals who have been very productive for most of their lives can quickly go into a dormant mental, and physical, stage as soon as they go into retirement.  Because they don’t need to use their thought processes as often as they used to, their mental acumen dulls, much like the muscles can atrophy due to lack of use.

Aside from aging, an unhealthy diet and lack of adequate physical activity can also affect your brain’s functions.  Not getting enough exercise and eating fatty foods causes a buildup of fats in the body which slows it down.  As the body slows down, the brain slows down too.

But the scene need not be so bleak.  There are a lot of methods and activities that can be done to exercise the brain and keep it sharp.  Getting more blood to the brain will feed the brain cells oxygen and food.  Just like all other organs of the body, keeping the brain oxygenated makes it function properly and more efficiently.  In addition, getting more blood to the brain has been shown to counteract aging.  You can pump more blood to your brain through exercises to keep it from being inactive, which may ultimately lead to Alzheimer’s, by increasing neuron usage.

Visualization of old memories is a great brain stimulant.  When visualizing, you should try to remember as many details from your memory as you can, like the details of your grandmother’s house where you used to spend your summers.

You can also exercise your brain by doing simple math in your head.  An excellent mental activity is to subtract seven from 900 and continue subtracting seven from the subsequent differences.  Doing simple math creates new dendrites, which are the branches of a neuron.  These dendrites tend to disappear as you get older, but by exercising your brain constantly, you maintain your dendrites and create new dendrite networks.  Dendrites receive and conduct electrical signals in the brain.

Doing crossword puzzles are also great brain stimulants because it involves verb and noun associations.  Here’s a simple activity:

The little girl sang.  The little girl danced.  What did the little girl do next?

Thinking about the third activity stimulates brain waves.

Other simple, mind-enhancing activities include playing music or chess.  The elderly can keep their minds sharp by getting involved in decision-making projects.  No matter what age, learning a new word every day or every week can also help us keep our brains in tiptop shape!

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The need for a high quality supplement has been provided by a company that produces a wonderful product called the RES-Q 1250. This is a high grade omega-3 supplement that provides EPA and DHA. Every patient that are longing for a food supplement that is safe and in high quality can trust RES-Q 1250, because their product has been subjected into stringent pharmaceutical guidelines.

This supplement can ensure that your body will get its maximum supply of the nutrients coming from the omega-3 fatty acids. Professional doctors believe that fatty acid can promote brain development, rebuilding of muscles and tissues in the body. Here are other benefits that you can acquire by taking a daily dose of RES-Q 1250:

• Lose weight – Essential fatty acids are known as good fats and these fats are needed by the body to lower down the accumulation of triglycerides, which is known as bad fats. Accumulation of triglycerides that is higher than good fats can increase cholesterol level in the body. Fatty acids are needed by the body to control the level of bad fats. In return your body will be free from fat deposit. It can allow muscle formation instead of fat.
• Reduce complications of many diseases – Fatty acid can definitely boost the immune system of individuals with infection by providing nutrients that can armor the body from other diseases that can cause inflammation.

Aside from these facts, it is also good to know the good and bad side of having cholesterol.

• The good – it is not all about eating foods rich in cholesterol, but cholesterol is there due to certain problems on your arteries and veins. This problem is fixed with the use of cholesterol. As people age the veins and arteries become less flexible, it is because of stress and inadequate diet. Hard artery will start to crack as it becomes less flexible.
• The bad – the problem begins when the liver sense this problem, it will instantly produce cholesterol. Trouble occurs, if this cholesterol goes into the blood stream making the blood coagulate. It will create plaques, and restriction of blood flow start to occur. That is the beginning of having a heart attack and stroke.

The good thing about this is that there is a solution to every problem and the best solution is by taking a food supplement with omega-3. Omega is known for having long chain fatty acid. This compound can actually prevent damages from the arteries and veins. It can naturally heal all damages  to the artery and vein causing the liver to stop producing cholesterol. A lot of experts support this solution, and it includes the American Heart Association, Dr. Andrew L. Stolle, MD, and Dr. Allon N. Friedman, MD.

The most important thing that most of these experts say is to find the right supplement, and RES-Q 1250 is one of the perfect products with the highest potency of omega-3.

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However, we should always keep in mind that taking medicine should not be an impulsive act. Yes, it might be necessary for some health problems to take medicine immediately but for some, this is not the case. As long as we can keep ourselves from taking antibiotics, we should do so because excessive use of these medicinal aids can cause various risks to our health such as immunity to the drug and negative side effects.

It is also recommended to get information on the various types of antibiotics available in the market and their specific functions. Again, misuse of these drugs can cause health problems that could be more harmful than the infection the drug ought to treat.

So, the question is, how would one know when to take antibiotics and what kind should be taken? The answer is very simple, consult the experts. Only the doctors know best regarding medicine and their effects. It would be advisable to seek help from the physicians as to what type of antibiotics you need for your problem and if it is really necessary to take one. Some of the antibiotic treatment guidelines that the doctor may present to you include contraindications, side effects of the drug, toxicity and the possible effects when interactions with other drugs occurred. It is utmost necessary to know the antibiotics well especially if you’re using it to treat infections of vital organs which includes the liver and heart. Safety precautions should also be observed by pregnant women.

Other factors to be considered before taking antibiotics or any other medicine include medical history and allergies. Allergic reactions to drugs like penicillin could be very intense. The amount of dosage should also be given attention.

As much as we can prevent ourselves from taking antibiotics, we should do so. These drugs are good in killing bacteria, however, they are also killing good bacteria necessary for certain important body functions such as waste disposal. Instead of thinking about the drugs you can take if you get sick, think about how to best take care of your body. Maintain a healthy lifestyle through good diet and regular exercise. Be illness free and antibiotic free.

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Eating breakfast every day is a single action that can have a huge positive effect on your health.  But a healthier breakfast that provides the energy you need is best.

1) Watch your portions.  The three parts to a good breakfast are a serving of whole grains, a serving of dairy or other calcium-rich food, and a serving of fruit.  For example, you could have a bowl of multigrain cereal with strawberries and low-fat milk.  A breakfast like this totals about 300 calories.  A serving of high-protein food, like a meat serving or one egg, is not needed, but is okay if it doesn’t add a lot of extra fat or calories.

2) Try a bowl of brown rice in place of processed cereal.  Brown rice is packed with B vitamins and fiber.  Cook the rice a day ahead.  In the morning, spoon it into a bowl with honey, cinnamon, raisins, and a diced apple.  You could also try barley, rye, millet, or other grains.

3) Make a smoothie in the blender with a cup of strawberries, a banana, a cup of crushed ice, and protein powder.  Add a cup of yogurt to this antioxidant-rich concoction for some calcium.  Plus, you’ve taken care of three daily servings of fruit.

4) Organic eggs cost only slightly more than regular eggs, and they contain significantly more omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3 benefits include lowering your risk of depression, as well as avoiding heart and circulatory problems.

5) Add a teaspoon of ground flaxseed to cereal, yogurt, eggs, or your smoothie.  Along with organic eggs and fish, flaxseed is one of the best omega-3 sources.

6) Instead of butter, use a soft spread made with plant stanols.  Using only 2 tablespoons each day significantly lowers total cholesterol.

7) Have your toast with 2 tablespoons of tuna fish instead of butter, as a source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as protein.  Or try smoked salmon or lox.

8 ) Put a whole-wheat burrito and 2 ounces of grated low-fat cheddar into the broiler for three minutes.  Have an orange as well, and this breakfast provides you with vitamin C, calcium, fiber, and plenty of protein.

9) Make granola yourself, without the fat and sugar of granola from the store.  Combine 2 cups of rolled oats and a cup of dried fruit and seeds with a pinch of brown sugar.  Toast this mixture in a warm oven for 3-5 minutes.  Keep it in an airtight container.

10) Studies have found that people who eat high-fiber cereal have less fat in their breakfast and in their diet.

11) Eating half a grapefruit twice a week provides folate, which cuts your risk for a stroke.  But grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interact with some medicines, so consult your doctor first.

12) Start your day with green tea, which has both heart-health and weight-loss effects.

13) Try soy milk on your cereal.  The phytoestrogens in soy milk protect your heart and strengthen your bones.  Use soy milk that’s been fortified with calcium.

14) Have a “build-your-own” breakfast event.  Let everyone mix, match, top, and select from a variety of sliced fruits, yogurt, whole-grain cereals, and whole grain pancakes, waffles, or toast.

15) Take your vitamins and other supplements with your breakfast.  Taking them with food lessens the chance they may upset your stomach, and helps you to absorb mineral nutrients.

16) Slice an apple and put peanut butter on the slices.  The peanut butter gives you protein and fat to start your day.  The apple, with its quercitin, gives you fiber, helps protect your heart, and guards against certain cancers.

17) Make a breakfast sandwich out of a whole-wheat English muffin, a sliced boiled egg, a slice of tomato, and some melted low-fat cheese, such as part-skim mozzarella.

18) Pound some cold cereal inside a plastic bag.  Roll a peeled banana in it for a quick breakfast, featuring potassium to reduce stroke risk.

19) Use vegetarian breakfast meats – veggie burgers, soy crumbles, or soy sausage – for lots of protein, but no saturated fat.

20) A half cup of blueberries added to cereal will provide antioxidants that help keep your brain from aging.  Or, add them to pancakes or waffles.

21) Have three cups of orange juice in the morning.  In one study, participants who drank three glasses of orange juice every day for four weeks elevated their “good” HDL cholesterol levels by 21%.  If you don’t want to drink that much OJ at once, two oranges are the equivalent.  For juice, the calcium-fortified kind is best.

22) Three times per week, have a bowl of sliced strawberries for the vitamin C.  Vitamin C helps protect your eyes from developing cataracts, among many benefits, and it’s best to get your C from foods rather than supplements.  Strawberries also contain many other antioxidants, have few calories, and have a low glycemic index to avoid blood sugar spikes.

23) Make a smoothie with 2 kiwifruits.  According to a British study, every ounce of vitamin C-rich kiwi you consume daily lowers your risk of dying prematurely by 10%.

24) Make sure your breakfast provides 5 grams of fiber.  This will help you to reach the daily recommended goal of 15-25 grams for every 1000 calories in your diet.  Fiber fills you up without filling you with calories.  Ways to incorporate five grams of fiber could be by having one larger raw apple, a half cup of high-fiber cereal, or two slices of a whole-grain dark rye bread.

25) Top a whole-grain bagel or toast with nonfat cottage cheese and flaxseed, or with a slice of fruit with a slice of low-fat cheese melted over it.  Or, try soy butter and banana slices, or a slice of baked ham with tomato slices.

26) An ounce of dark chocolate shaved into a cup of nonfat yogurt provides calcium to help you shed pounds.  Meanwhile, the antioxidants in the dark chocolate help to clear the “bad” LDL cholesterol out of your blood vessels.

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Truvia is a product that can provide sweetness of 200 times compare to sugar. People who desire to cut calories in their diet can use Truvia as a natural substitute instead of the conventional sugar. You can incorporate this natural sweetener in any food or recipe that uses sugar as the ingredient. The product is continuously making its way into the market scene because of its presence in popularly known beverages.

This all natural sweetener started as a joint project between one of the famous cola company and the Cargill Company. Both of this large company owns the Truvia sweetener. They have included this natural sweetener in various popular beverages available in the market today. The Cargill Company, which is located in Minneapolis, is one of the most popular manufacturers of food, agricultural, management products and services. The main aim of the company is to use their knowledge and experience to work together with their valued customers to facilitate them in their success.

Truvia, unlike other artificial sweetener in the market is being cleared and approved by the FDA to be use as an ingredient in foods and beverages. Truvia has no adverse side effects especially for patients who are restricted in using sugar. The product went through a rigid scientific research before it is released in the market for public used. According to consumers who have tried Truvia, they experience no side effects, making it a very safe substitute for sugar.

The natural sugar in Stevia plant that gives the sweet flavor is the erythritol. It is a natural sweetener that has zero calories with no after taste compared to other sweetener in the market. Other sweetener in the market has a bitter after taste. This substance does not promote the accumulation of tooth decay and it is 100% safe for diabetic patients because it doesn’t affect the glycemic index of foods when incorporated into food. Erythritol do not affect the gastrointestinal part of the intestine after it’s being. According to recent studies, consuming any kinds of foods with Truvia does not promote an increase in sugar levels in the blood. Pregnant and lactating mother with gestational diabetes can use Truvia as substitute for sugar. It does not have any harmful effect on the overall health and development of the offspring inside the mother’s womb.

If you want to buy Truvia for your diabetic loved ones, you have to look for the packaging carefully to avoid buying fake products. The packaging of Truvia comes in recyclable cartons with printed soy inks. The packaging is especially designed to promote sweetness. It has an easy to open lid, which is very attractive for consumers who are craving for sweets.

Truvia is widely available in many retailers today. It can be easily purchase by consumers who wants to start a healthy lifestyle this year. Start today by making Truvia as part of your life, as a new and healthy individual.

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1. Stay away from cigarettes

Everybody is aware that smoking is a major health hazard.  It kills you slowly and reduces your life expectancy.  Aside from increasing your risk for lung cancer, you also become extremely susceptible to other smoking-related diseases.  It does not matter whether you only smoke a couple of sticks a week or if you finish 2 packs a day, hundreds of thousands of people die each year in the US alone due to smoking.

Even those who do not smoke are risking their health when they are around smokers.  They should limit their contact to second-hand smoke.  More often than not, inhaling second-hand smoke is worse than you puffing on that death stick yourself. Make this your final smoke!

2. Get adequate, quality sleep

Adequate hours of sleep should go hand in hand with good quality of sleep for your body to get the benefits of a full night’s rest.  Your bedroom is your sleeping sanctuary and you should make sure that it provides rest and relaxation, nothing else.  The temperature in your bedroom should be just below body temperature, there should be limited or mellow light and sound, and you should always have clean bed clothes.

Your body needs an average of 7 hours of restful sleep every night to completely recharge itself.  It is also important to keep a regular sleeping pattern.

3. Have a healthier diet

Eating healthy is important to look and feel great, both inside and out.  First and foremost, you should reduce your sugar intake.  Small indulgences to satisfy your sweet tooth every now and then can make a difference to your overall health.

Make sure that you always have fruits and vegetables in your diet.  These should be indispensable staples that help your body repair and maintain itself.

You should also avoid skipping breakfast.  The body needs plenty of energy to function throughout the day.  Most breakfast foods contain energy-giving nutrients like Vitamin C and D, fiber, calcium, and iron.  Additionally, if you always eat breakfast, you are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods in between meals.

4. Exercise, exercise, exercise

If you are not into going to the gym, you have plenty of other options.  The important thing is that you exercise regularly to keep your body fit and to burn the calories you consume daily so you won’t gain unhealthy, excess weight.  In addition, exercise can also help reduce your sugar cravings.

There are websites that have free exercise plans you can do right in the comfort of your own home.  You can watch videos or read articles to help you with your fitness routine.  At least ten minutes of exercise every day can be beneficial to your health.

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Heart rate monitors are the perfect gift for people who are very much into cardiovascular exercises.  These gadgets tell you if you’re exercising at the right intensity to strengthen your heart and lungs, as well as to burn excess calories.  You can get heart rate monitors from sporting goods stores and cycling and running shops.

Pedometers measure distance walked and the number of steps taken.  A pedometer is a great tool for people who want to get into the 10,000-step a day routine to lose weight, improve muscle tone, and decrease test.  Seeing the actual numbers can be a great motivator, too, to keep increasing your activity level.

Resistance bands and/or dumbbells are portable equipments you can use anytime, anywhere to improve muscle strength and tone your muscles.  You can use bands and dumbbells for your routine resistance exercises as well as incorporate them into yoga exercises.  You can give these tools as a gift, together with exercise videos that give a lot of great workout ideas using these equipments.

Stability balls have become very helpful tools for aerobic exercises, yoga, and Pilates.  They enhance the effectiveness of exercises because more muscles are activated, including the core, hip, and leg muscles, and more energy is expended.  Using a stability ball not only increases strength and flexibility but also improves balance, coordination, agility, and mobility.

GPS or Global Positioning System units tell you how much distance you’ve covered and at what rate so you can gauge how hard you’re working.  A GPS unit is a great gadget for runners, cyclists, inline skaters, cross-country skiers, and hikers because it will provide them with the mileage, speed, pace, altitude, location, and number of calories burned.

Balance trainers, like Reebok Core Boards, BOSU Balance Trainers, and balance blocks and discs help maintain and improve balance.  The trainers strengthen the muscles that we use to perform everyday tasks, so if we don’t have the time to exercise, we are still doing our muscles some good while we’re performing our chores.

Personal training lessons are great for people who want to start a fitness regimen, those who want to improve their current training, or those who have just come back from an injury.  A few sessions is a worthwhile investment and are great to help you determine your fitness level at present and to design a program that perfectly fits your needs.

Safety gears are indispensable tools for any sort of sport or recreational and/or fitness activity.  These are especially important when giving skateboards, bikes, skates, or scooters as gifts.  Kneepads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and helmets keep us safe and protected while engaging in our favorite activity.  With children, it is very important that when buying a helmet, it is a perfect fit to the head and that the child knows how to wear it properly.

Whatever activity you choose to keep fit and healthy, or even if it’s just for fun, do not forget to include cool-down exercises for your calf muscles.  Here’s a simple routine that both adults and children can perform.

• Stand with your feet apart at hip’s width, and your knees and toes pointing forward.
• Keep both knees and toes pointed forward as you slide one leg back into a deep lunge.
• Create a straight line from your head to the back of your heel by leaning your entire body forward.
• Place your hands on the thigh of your leg in front for support.
• Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds; breathe normally.
• Switch sides and do the same with your other leg.
• Do as many repeats as you can.

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It can be estimated to approximately 1.5 million tons of toxic wastes that can be accumulated in the U.S. per year on the household alone. How much more those other sources? These hazardous wastes that you dump in the basement and garage of your home will dramatically provide higher risks to your health and environment that you can likely be facing if you continue to ignore all these.

It is then your primary responsibility to clean it up to prevent generating these possible risks that eventually will be the biggest plaque that we are going to mug. Initiate moving now before it becomes too late. Live a healthy lifestyle and be part of the global deed promoting and saving our mother earth.

There are a lot of ways in order for your environment to become safe and your health to be invulnerable to illnesses. All you have to do is reflect unto yourself and be an element of the planet which encompasses the active participation in any programs upholding and preserving the purity of the environment. There are programs being imposed that highly concern on the environmental security which in fact your biggest opportunity to contribute and help saving the world.

Here are some simple yet vivid means to thwart the immense plaque. Consider these 3 P’s:

Planning For Green

Starting from your personal things like cellphones, computers and other appliances like refrigerators and freezers which do have particles that can damage the ozone layer further producing global warming, can be properly disposed through you noble planning and actions.

• Contact your local electronic dealer and ask for help in proper disposal and/or recycling of your things.
• You may ask for help with the department for sanitation regarding appropriate elimination of the unused and damaged appliances and gadgets.

How about those dirty oil from engines, pesticide sprayers, and those crusty paints that bulky lurking your basement? Instead of throwing it anywhere else usually in the drainage, why not put them inside the trash bin. It can be singled out that these oil and chemicals which are thrown through drainage can spill through several miles that may contaminate our land, water which eventually ingested back to you. Imagine how this one can of chemicals facades the risk of your health?

Immediate practical means:

• Giving back your used motor batteries and oil to local agencies that aims on safer waste removal.
• Bring these products to local sanitation department in order to be educated on how to aptly throw these hazardous wastes.
• Help cleaning up your garage and eliminating toxic wastes by giving it to local authorities or someone who knows how to dispose it.

Planting Green

One strategy would be gardening. It is a great step towards safer life, cleaner environment and eating fresh nutritious harvest. Having a backyard garden would suffice in order to meet our goal and even give benefits to you as a grower.

Immediate practical means:

• Growing gaura plants and alike which eats up insects and pests without using harmful chemicals.
• Avoid eating pesticide-treated harvests.
• Be responsible enough on getting rid of that household toxic garbage. Ask for help if having trouble disposing it out.
• Avoid using chemicals to your raised plants instead; use non-harmful materials such as the use of welcome mat.
• Do not use insecticide and other derivatives since this can imperil the environment and health.
• Wash thoroughly products that have fine insect-bite rather than purposefully apply chemical sprayers.
• Always provide necessary needs of the plants you grow like water. You may use the water wiggler to wash off mosquitoes-laying eggs.

Putting Out Emissions

The application of fertilizers contaminate the soil thus travels a lot which eventually putting your health at risk so as with environment. Therefore, this should be stopped from employing and proceed to some environmental-safe methods:

• You may use organic fertilizers since these are less threatening yet profoundly effective.
• Prior to planting, test first the soil for high nitrogen content. If yes, then don’t proceed tilling the soil.
• If using fertilizers preferably organic or natural type, don’t use it before rain comes because rain can speed up spillage.

Aside from that, pesticides and herbicides are absurdly consumed providing greater risks to individuals’ especially younger ones.

Immediate practical means:

• Consult local sanitation department or any local authorities regarding health hazards of using conventional pesticides and ask also about safer choices.
• Provide space for few weeds to grow since these can’t spoil up plants or anyone.
• Visit local nursery and discuss about environmental-friendly alternatives in growing plants.

Another source for inclination of pollution and the so called Greenhouse effect would be the overuse of gas-powered mowers. This greatly contributes to the immense affliction since it burns out about millions of barrels of gas per year.

Immediate practical means:

• Use lawn clippings as fertilizers by putting it inside the compost pit rather than bringing it to landfills.
• Instead of using gas-powered mowers, why not try using manual push or electrically operated lawn mower. This can technically helpful in the minimization of pollution.

With the practical methods and means aforementioned, it can be forecasted that life’s ahead can be good and ultimately enjoyable without being threatened by the unwieldy consequences if not taken some measures.

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The air may also be filled with allergens like dust mites, mold, and pet dander.  You are likely to acquire pet dander even if you have no pets, since pet owners who visit carry it on their clothing and unknowingly shed it wherever they go.

Children, older people, and asthmatics are most sensitive to pollution indoors.  But others may experience adverse effects after repeated exposure over years.

Indoor pollutants have become more important than they were 30 or 40 years ago, because people are spending less time outdoors and modern homes have become more airtight.

5 Easy Ways To Improve Indoors Air Quality

1. Keep the floor clean

Substances can build up in household dust over a long time.  Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter can lower your home’s concentrations of lead, fire retardants, and allergens. A HEPA filter, strong suction power, and rotating brushes help to keep the dust and dirt from escaping the vacuum cleaner.  Go over high-traffic areas multiple times.  Take care to get the edges, and also vacuum your walls and upholstered furniture.  Vacuum at least twice weekly.  Clean the filter regularly. Use a mop to pick up the dust still left.  Use a microfiber mop or cloth, dampened with water only.  You don’t need to add cleaning chemicals to the process.

Place doormats at all entryways.  Doormats help keep out dirt, pesticides, and other things you don’t want brought into the house.  The bigger the mat, the more pollutants it will capture, even when people don’t actually wipe their shoes.

Any home built before 1978 probably still has lead paint inside.  Even in newer homes, lead dust can be tracked in from outside, putting young children at risk for brain, nervous system, and kidney damage.  Pesticides from outdoors can also cause brain damage in kids.

Keep your home safer by asking people to take off their shoes when they come in.  Keep slippers or house shoes by the door.

2. Control humidity

Keep humidity at about 30%-50% in order to discourage mold, dust mites, and other allergens.  A dehumidifier or air conditioner will lower the level of moisture indoors.  Air conditioning also lowers the pollen count in the indoor air.

Here are some more dehumidifying tips:

• When you cook, bathe, shower, or turn on the dishwasher, either click on an exhaust fan or open a window slightly.
• Don’t water houseplants too much.
• Vent the air from the clothes dryer outside.
• Repair leaking plumbing.
• Remember to empty the drip pans of dehumidifiers or window air conditioners.

3. Don’t allow smoking indoors

Secondhand smoke is one of the major cause of indoor air pollution.

Cigarette smoke has over 4,000 chemicals.  Research has linked secondhand smoke to increased risk of childhood respiratory infections, asthma, and cancer, as well as SIDS.  The smoker also risks cancer, heart attack, stroke, and respiratory problems.

Final Smoke can aid you in stopping smoking, as well as support from family, friends, or a support group.  Remind yourself of your reasons for wanting to quit to take your mind off cravings.

Still, if you are unable to quit, smoke outside of the house.

4. Regardless of the age of your house, test it for Radon

The colorless and odorless gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer among Americans.  If you smoke as well, radon will exacerbate your lung cancer risk. Radon gas is radioactive and results from uranium decaying naturally in the soil.  It finds its way into the house through cracks in the foundation.  But whether your house is drafty or airtight, and even if it has no basement, radon can still get in.

Granite countertops emit radon, but experts are not certain whether they emit enough to pose a cancer risk.  Testing is not difficult or expensive and takes minutes, using a Radon gas home testing kit.

5. Keep a naturally scented home

Laundry detergents, laundry aids, and air fresheners in every form have synthetic fragrances which are loaded with different chemicals. A study found that one plug-in air freshener gave off 20 volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.  Seven of them were considered toxic or hazardous according to federal law.  The names of the chemicals were not on the label, since the law only requires the word “fragrance” to be listed.  The ingredients of the fragrance are protected as a trade secret.

Fragrances usually come from petroleum products and most have been tested to see whether they cause skin sensitivity, not to see if inhaling them can cause health problems.  Phthalates are used in fragrances as well as for softening plastics, and create hormonal disruptions in animal studies.

To avoid potentially hazardous fragrances, try the following:

• Buy laundry products with a natural scent or no fragrance.
• Use mild cleaning products made without added artificial fragrance.
• Don’t use aerosol spray forms of deodorant, hair spray, air freshener, cleaners, etc.
• Open the windows, letting household chemicals escape instead of building up.  If outdoor allergies are a problem, use filtered air conditioning for ventilation.
• Freshen your kitchen naturally with baking soda and lemon slices.
• Houseplants have absorptive roots and leaves, and act as indoor air purification systems, according to research by NASA.  Make sure to use non-poisonous plants if you have children or pets.
• Use natural fragrance from essential oils.

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We have long trusted in the assumed safety of certain products, using them regularly and never thinking about it.  But we are exposing ourselves to many chemicals every day, the long-term health risks of which are unknown. Some personal care ingredients are used so much that they are in measurable amounts in our blood, with the CDC now monitoring their levels in the bloodstreams of random Americans. Consumers are beginning to ask questions about what exactly is in their personal care products.

Antibacterial Products

You would think that a product labelled as “antibacterial” would be better at germ killing than a conventional product.  But this is only true for professional grade antibacterial products used by hospitals, not the more diluted products made for home use. Consumer antibacterial products don’t kill germs or prevent the spread of diseases any better than hand washing with regular soap. Research suggests using the products over the long run may help to develop “super” germs resistant to antibiotics.  While this has not been proven, many feel it needs to be a consideration in the dialogue about the products. Other experts are concerned about the environmental impact of the millions of pounds of antibacterial agents that find their way into the water supply annually.

Harm to aquatic life forms has been observed by the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, and the environmental risks are likely growing greater as people continue to use large quantities of these products. Last time the CDC checked, 75% of both adults and children had positive urine tests for the most commonly used antibacterial agent, triclosan.  Higher income subjects tended to have the most triclosan in their systems. In most cases levels were low, but some scientists argue that given proven damage to the environment, potential negative health effects, and no demonstrated benefit, there is no case for using the products.

You can avoid buying products with the most widely used antibacterials: triclosan and triclocarban.  Not all products specifically list these ingredients, but you can avoid any product labeled as “antibacterial.”  Wash your hands and clean your house with plain old soap and water.

Phthalates

Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are often used in the fragrance ingredients in personal care and household products.  They are also found in plumbing products, vinyl flooring, and many different products. Some phthalates have been found to act as hormones inside the human body, and high doses of phthalates generally have interfered with hormonal production in research on animals.

The smaller amounts people are exposed to from individual products they use were thought to be safer.  But phthalates are present all around us, even in household dust we inhale, which has convinced the CDC to monitor them, finding that most people’s blood registers low levels of phthalates.

Recent research has associated exposure of pregnant women to phthalates with a slightly unusual formation of genitals in their male babies and indicates phthalates may also be associated with a low quality or quantity of sperm in men. While the jury is out on phthalates, it is reasonable to stay away from them whenever you possibly can.  This is particularly important in the case of children or pregnant women.  It may be difficult to determine which personal care products include phthalates, since they often appear on the label simply as “fragrance.”  Products that are free of fragrance, or which are scented with essential oils such as lavender, citrus, etc., are good options.  You can look up product ingredients on the Cosmetics Database.

Parabens

Parabens are commonly used preservatives in cosmetic products.  They stop bacterial and fungal contamination by keeping microorganisms from growing.  Parabens are part of the formula in most personal care products for shaving, hair care, etc., and most makeup.  They can also be found in drugs and food products.

In the human body, parabens behave weakly like estrogen.  Some researchers have found parabens present in breast cancer tissue samples, but causation of cancer by parabens hasn’t been established.  According to the FDA, more research is needed, but parabens currently appear safe.

You can avoid parabens anyway, by looking on the labels for “methylparaben,” “propylparaben,” “butylparaben,” and any other ingredient name with the suffix “-paraben.”  Although parabens are widely used preservatives, you can purchase products without them.

Synthetic Musks

People are up for anything that has the capacity to make us sexier, and for centuries, natural musk from the male musk deer was regarded as an aphrodisiac. Nowadays, that musky scent is artificial and comes from a laboratory.  “Nitro musks” and “polycyclic musks” are very commonly used, both in scents people wear and the scents used in laundry products.  In the 1990s, it was demonstrated that some kinds of synthetic musks can build up in the body to the point that they are toxic and damage tissues.

This research prompted a lot of manufacturers to use less musk.  But since safety studies of musk are a work in progress, many companies are continuing to use synthetic musks in laundry soap, fabric softener, and perfume and cologne.

Look for the trade names Tonalid and Galaxilide, which refer to types of polycyclic musk.  However, musks are often lurking on the label as just “fragrance.”  You may write to manufacturers for complete listings of their products’ ingredients, or just use fragrance-free choices.

The Cosmetic Database lists ingredients of products.  Or the Skin Deep website, courtesy of the Environmental Working Group, has a searchable database that can direct you to safer products, which are either free of, or contain much less of, toxic ingredients.

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