Keep Your House Pest-Free Without Chemicals

May 31st, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

We all love visitors, just not visitors that are bugs, rodents and other pests. No one wants flies, ants, mice or any other creepy crawly pest in their homes. Sometimes we are so desperate to get rid of these pests we do not consider the harmful effects of the chemicals we are using. We can be putting ourselves, our families and our animals in danger without realizing it.

Pesticides are effective in killing all kinds of pests they but can also be dangerous to people and animals. For example, insecticides kill bugs by attacking the nervous system. They can also affect the nervous system of people and animals, which can be dangerous. Rat poison is usually full of anticoagulants that do not allow blood in the body to clot. The way the rats die is from internal bleeding. Humans and animals who come in contact with rat poison can have a similar problem.

Pesticides and other chemicals are hazardous to us and our animals. You can get rid of pests without dangerous chemicals. Here are some suggestions:

  • Keep pests from wanting to come into your home by keeping your house as clean as possible. You can have a perfectly clean house and still have pests but you reduce your risk significantly by keeping it clean. Leaving crumbs and bits of food on the floor or on your counters is an open invitation to bugs, mice and other pests. Put your pet’s food away every night to keep pests out of your house and never leave open food containers on the counters.
  • Close up any openings that pests could come in. Usually, pests like mice and bugs get in through small openings like those around the pipes near the exterior of your home and at baseboards. Make sure all these places are sealed.
  • Make sure your windows have screens in them so you don’t let flying pests in the house.
  • Try natural home remedies for keeping pests out of your house. For example, borax will keep roaches from coming into your home and things like pepper, coffee grounds, chalk and charcoal are thought to prevent ants from entering your home.
  • Don’t let fleas take up residence in your home. Keep them at bay with frequent vacuuming and watch your pets for signs of a flea problem. To keep fleas off your pets, try rinsing them with an herbal remedy made up of rosemary boiled in 2 cups of water and strained and cooled. Spray this on your pets and fleas will stay away from them and stay out of your home.
  • Put out traps for mice and rats. The most affordable traps are those that snap and kill the pests. If you want the more humane approach, you can spend more on live traps but make sure you don’t let the pests out anywhere near your home or they will come right back.
  • Work on your lawn regularly so you do not need chemicals to keep it looking good. Aerating and mowing frequently along with letting grass clippings naturally fertilize your yard are easy things to do.

While products with chemicals will get rid of the pests in your home, they will also put you and your family at risk so they are not worth it. You can naturally control pests without using chemicals if you are willing to do the work.

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Five Exciting Exercises

May 31st, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

One of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself is exercising.  All it takes is to follow a fitness regimen and you’re on your way to keeping fit and healthy.  But not many people can stay loyal to their fitness regimen because of boredom.  This always happens especially if it begins to feel monotonous doing the same thing all the time.

Sometimes what you need is to change things up a bit to keep things exciting.  Here are five kinds of exercises you can do to perk up your fitness routine so you can continue to keep fit.

Bust a Groove with Belly Dancing

Dancing itself can burn up the calories.  A great dance that you can add to your fitness routine is belly dancing.  This kind of dancing is best if you want to focus on your abs because it uses a lot of your stomach muscles in making your moves.  Not only do you get a cardio workout with belly dancing, it also works out the stomach muscles you don’t usually use.

It’s Time to Go for a Spin

When you attend a spin class you will see a roomful of stationary bikes.  But don’t be fooled because this is not going to be a place for just any bike ride.  It’s something else.  Participating in a spin class is bike riding in a different level.  You will leave the class beat but asking for more.

Glide through the Ice

Ice skating doesn’t seem like much of an exercise especially since it’s something most kids do.  And it is.  Skating in the ice with your skates on is an exercise of balance that burns up the calories.  A lot of muscles are used to stay upright with the blade of your ice skates.  It’s time to grab a pair and go.

Shape Up with Boxing

If you’ve ever watched a boxing match then you would have noticed how ripped these boxers are.  If you want to shape your upper body and legs, boxing is the way to go.  Moving your legs while you punch is what keeps you toned up.  Start by making some punches with a punching bag to get you warmed up.  You can move up to sparring with a partner once you’ve reached advanced levels.

Swim and Stay Slim

Swimmers have one the most toned and shapely bodies.  It’s the kind of exercise that uses all of your muscles as you do your laps.  Swimming can be done by anyone whether you’re a beginner or in the expert level.  Begin by jumping in a pool and start swimming your way to a hot body.

Exercising doesn’t have to be boring.  Spice up your workout routine by injecting some fun and excitement to it.  You can get ideas for your fitness routine from the everyday fun things that you do.  These five examples are just a few of the ideas you can do to perk up your routine and there’s more you can come up with.

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What are the Top Powerfoods?

May 30th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

We all know what foods are bad for us and that we should avoid. Still, many of us eat foods that are less than nutritious and full of salt, fat and cholesterol. There are some foods we should try and include in our diet to improve our health.

More and more people are talking about powerfoods, which are foods that help your immune system work better, allow your body to age at a slower rate and possibly prevent serious illnesses. It is much better to get these benefits from food than from medication.

Phytochemicals are the secret ingredient in the top powerfoods that make them so good for us. These are naturally occurring chemicals and can be found in the following kinds of foods:

Goji Berries

Goji berries have gotten so much attention lately that many people are tired of hearing about them. This amazing fruit has two important phytochemicals in it: beta carotene and zeaxanthin. These chemicals are linked to reduced risks of developing cancer. Goji berries are a good source of these chemicals. Other benefits of eating goji berries are healthier cholesterol levels. It can be expensive to buy goji juice but you can get goji berries for less at an Asian market near you. The goji berries can be added to cereal, trail mix or used in baking.

Kefir

Kefir is a combination of milk and the bacteria and yeast found in kefir grains. The result is a substance that resembles yogurt but kefir is a lot better for you than yogurt. Kefir is thought to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and boost your immune system. Kefir is something you drink, unlike yogurt you eat with a spoon. A lot of people make kefir smoothies that are very tasty and also very healthy. If you are on a diet, kefir will fill you up and keep you from snacking on unhealthy foods.

Garlic

For centuries, people have known that garlic has many medical uses. It can help your body fight off infection and keep your blood pressure low. It is also a very nutritious food. Garlic has many nutritious benefits including protein, zinc, calcium, potassium and several much needed vitamins. Eating garlic can regulate cholesterol levels and lower your cancer risks.

Kale

A lot of people think that leafy vegetables like kale are only good for decorating a plate or for rabbits to eat. These vegetables are very nutritious, especially kale, which is one of the best leafy vegetables you can eat. The cartenoids in kale are thought to lower your risk of developing cancer. Kale also has potassium, several important vitamins, calcium and folic acid.

This is just a little bit of information about the top powerfoods. There are many more top powerfoods you can include in your diet to promote a healthy and long life.

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Walk to Exercise

May 30th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

There have been repeated calls from health experts and nutritionists the world over for all of us to walk more in our quest to get back into good shape. If you’ve finally let go of your hesitation to believe these claims, there is something important that you must consider: there is a certain manner of walking that will benefit you more than other forms.

For instance, pacing around inside your home may contribute slowly to help you get your minimum required amount of physical activity per day. However, in order to better maximize the time you spend walking, look at new ways by which walking exercises have been designed. One such method is done by integrating interval training as you walk. This is the extra push that your walk routine needs in order to give it maximum impact.

The advantage of pursuing interval training is that you’ll be getting twice as much workout in as much as half the time it would normally take. This means you can actually spend a couple more minutes in the morning in bed before running off to get enough exercise.

The goal of interval training is to increase heart rate in short intervals, rather than in a gradual manner. This is because the body spends more energy coping with sudden increases and decreases of your heart rate, rather than when the heart rate is being kept steady. Walking steadily throughout your routine will make you lose out on the additional energy loss inherent in the short bursts of speedy heartbeats from interval training. However, this method of walking is something that is not easy to do, and may require some getting used to over time.

Basic interval walking is easy. You begin by setting a scale measuring how much effort you exert-on a scale of 1 to 10. Think of it this way, level 1 walking would be similar to simply lounging in front of your television, while level 10 will be a full-on run. As such, begin walking moderately for five minutes, which should register at an exertion level of about 6 or 7. After that, exert a level 8 or 9 effort for the next 5 minutes. Alternate between these two effort levels throughout your workout.

In order to take note of when you are supposed to change paces during your workout, you can use songs as a guide. On a tape or mp3 player, record alternating slow and fast music to help remind you that a change in pace is in order. You can even walk to the beat of the music you’re playing, whether you’re outdoors or on the treadmill.

Truth be told, interval training integrated into walking during workout is one of the most effective ways to get the most out of walking. You burn twice the number of calories for the same amount of time spent working out when you go for a walk. This is also an excellent way to make walking work to your advantage, so that you’re able to lose as much weight from doing something so simple. Do two rounds of increasing and decreasing rates of walking before doing some lunges and squats to strengthen leg muscles.

You are bound to achieve whatever workout goals you set by integrating interval walking into your existing workout.

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How Catnip Can Help You Control Anxiety

May 29th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

Although catnip is already known to attract felines, this herb can also be beneficial for humans. Every time cats smell catnip, they tend to be more excited and active. You may not have noticed it yet, but this herb can also be an excellent source of therapy for humans.

For many years, catnip has been in use in the treatment of stress and high-anxiety conditions. It has been known to relieve headaches, especially since it is also excellent in promoting sleep. It is common to have stomach troubles when stressed out, and catnip has also been known to be helpful for this.

Catnip Quick Facts

Catnip belongs to the mint classification of plants. It is also referred to as catmint in other regions. Although indigenous to the continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia, this herb is also present in North America. Catnip is described to be hairy and subdued green in shade. Often its flowers are clustered and colored in blue, lavender, white, or pink.

The topical application of catnip is also being used by many patients, more than its being an effective anxiety remedy. Arthritic patients can find relief with this herb. In the same way, those with hemorrhoids can be treated as well. Although verified research is still needed, it has been detected that catnip actually has antibacterial properties.

Some Caveats on Catnip Use

Catnip, which is marketed for the exclusive use of cats, should not be used for human consumption. Since these types of catnip have not undergone stringent quality control, it is possible for these herbs to contain other plant derivatives. You may choose to cultivate catnip in your own garden or buy them from health shops.

It is also important for pregnant women to steer clear of catnip consumption since it can affect the muscles of the uterine. In the same way, children and mothers who continue to breastfeed should avoid catnip. Also, individuals who are already taking medications which have sedative consequences may experience mental problems if catnip is taken along with these.

Generally, however, the use of catnip produces only few side effects, particularly when consumed orally. Fatigue and headaches can be expected if you take the herb in large amounts. It is normal to detect a sedative effect, but for people who are more sensitive, this can lead to specific disorders.

The Right Way in Taking Catnip

Catnip is often sold in the form of capsule or solution. You need to check the correct dosages from the labels on the medication.

Catnip tea is made by soaking not less than 1 teaspoon of dried catnip in one cup of simmered water. Let stand for ten minutes afterwards. It is important to turn the heat off when already adding the catnip. This catnip tea needs to be consumed three times daily.

With the soothing effects of catnip, this herb is ideal for anxiety patients. Taken in capsule or liquid form, you get effective remedy without any ill effects.

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Changing the Way You Feel About Yourself

May 29th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

There is a huge number of people who now suffer om a variety of anxiety disorders. This is largely a result of the growth in the number of stressors we are exposed to each day. However, there are instances when external forces are not the cause of stress; rather, the primary cause is self-image.

While low self-esteem is most common among adolescent girls, this problem is something that is not limited to these teens. The various stressors inherent in life can make someone easily feel insufficient in one part of their life or another, despite the relative completeness of their lives. Unfortunately, low self-esteem often comes with anxiety.

People who suffer from low self-esteem often seek the approval of other people all the time, which does not always come their way. Without constant affirmation, these individuals become self-destructive, which can further the anxiety they feel.

Improving How You See Yourself

To begin gaining enough self-esteem and pride, change the way you think and see the world. This one is not something that will happen overnight. However, by slowly building your self-esteem daily, you will find that it will be able to strengthen it to the point that you will have eliminated what has been causing your anxiety. Below are some guidelines on how you can begin to improve your esteem.

  • Recognize the reality that no one is truly perfect. If you feel unattractive, stop for a moment to contemplate on how much effort goes into editing and polishing the images that you see on television or on print. These celebrities have armies of stylists whose only job is to ensure that each hair is in place. Some of the images you see are even airbrushed to perfection.
  • Your worth is not measurable by how people see you. In fact, you’ll be surprised at how there are other people out there who try to deal with their own insecurity by putting others down. Those who are indifferent to your plight often are overwhelmed by their own issues that they hardly have any time to mind other people. The business of being happy is something you owe yourself, and not anyone else.
  • List down your traits that you like. There’s no need to short-change yourself or be modest about it; this is a list that’s designed for you to appreciate yourself better. When you’re feeling down, go over this list and look at all the things that make you a great person.
  • Begin seeing yourself in a new light, and consider changing first the things that will cause a visible impact on your life. There are things about ourselves that we don’t like, some of which are within our control, some are not. Focus on things you can change, and work daily to change them. Thinking about the things you cannot change is useless and counterproductive.

The way you see yourself and how you feel has a huge impact of the amount of stress you feel. Once you feel satisfied and content about your life, you will be surprised that you will either be feeling less stressed, or be more capable of the daily stressors that life throws on you. Having a more positive sense of self will help you ensure that you will not succumb to anxiety.

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How to Pack Healthy Lunch Boxes for the Whole Family

May 28th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Many of us find ourselves packing the same things in our lunches day after day. If you don’t have access to a fridge or a microwave, you don’t have a lot of choices. Eating a sandwich and some chips for lunch every day is not a healthy choice, though. You may need to come up with some out of the box ideas for healthy and tasty lunches for you and your family. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Main Dish Ideas

  • Pasta salad, either homemade or store bought, can be a healthy and delicious lunch. You can add your favorite spices and vegetables to make it more interesting but still keep it healthy. Kids might like pasta shaped like letters and numbers or their favorite TV characters.
  • Use the meat, vegetables and tortillas from leftover fajitas to make a roll that you and your family will love. Add some cheese and salsa or other sauce for even more flavor.
  • Make yourself a BLT with turkey bacon instead of the unhealthy kind of bacon. It will taste just as good but be a lot healthier for you.
  • Make a delicious grilled chicken salad with leftover chicken or chicken you grill the night before. With some lettuce, vegetables, and cheese and the chicken, you will have a tasty lunch that will leave you satisfied.
  • Bring soup or chili that you made from scratch in a thermos, which will keep it warm if you can’t heat it up at work or school. This will warm you up on a cold day!
  • Instead of bread for your sandwiches, use a bagel. Not only are bagels very filling, they are better for you than bread in most cases.

Side Dish Ideas

  • Bring some vegetables like carrots or celery and a low fat ranch dip or hummus to snack on.
  • You and your children both will love yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and granola as a snack. This healthy food is full of protein, vitamins and carbohydrates.
  • Any kind of fresh fruit you have around the house is a great addition to the lunch box for your whole family.
  • Make a quick fruit salad with canned fruit cocktail mixed with nuts, marshmallows and fresh fruit like a banana that has sat in lemon juice to avoid browning.
  • Create your family’s favorite trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, granola and whatever else you all enjoy.

You don’t have to eat that same old sandwich for lunch every day. You can easily create healthy and delicious lunches for you and your family. Everyone will love their new healthy and exciting lunches.

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Using Music to Relieve Pain

May 28th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

For many years, music has enjoyed the reputation of being able to calm anyone and anything even in the most stressful scenarios. Can it relieve pain? Well, research has shown music is therapeutically integral in helping reduce the pain felt by patients who suffer from arthritis and other painful conditions.

Pain is something that is felt by people despite their age. This pain can be a result of some condition they suffer from, an injury, or even old age. Nonetheless, pain creates intense discomfort that is capable of having an impact on one’s life.

Those who often suffer from pain need not despair: there have been medical advances aimed at helping deal with pain. There are those for whom surgery has been an adequate means to correct whatever bodily anomaly they have that is to blame for the pain they feel. Those whose pains cannot be remedied by surgery can instead find consolation in pain relievers.

Another alternative means used in treating pain is music. With the use of music, many patients have reported relief from pain. The relief from pain that is reported by these patients undergoing music therapy have been said to amount anywhere from 10% to 30%.

People listen to a variety of genres of music. This is largely because people listen to music depending on the mood they want the music to inspire: either they want to groove to the music, feel relaxed, or feel emboldened. For instance, easy-listening music and other classical repartees are just one of many genres that are able to relax the body.

In music therapy, there are a number of things to consider before the treatment becomes effective. To begin with, the patient must consider the music used to be relaxing. More importantly, participants in music therapy must be experiencing truly painful conditions, and not pain that is simulated by the brain.

Music in music therapy is used to help manage the pain participants feel in a different way from how they usually do. It is for this reason that the music used during treatment must be considered by the patient as relaxing music, something capable of soothing both their minds and body.

Music is integrated into the therapies that are already being used to relieve pain. Certain specific movements are exercised while music is being played: it is in this manner that the amount of relief felt is measured. With a couple of sessions, many participants report that the pain they feel during these physical movements have been reduced.

Music has seen such great effectiveness not only for those individuals who suffer from pain, but even those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and trauma. Of course, the therapy and the use of music with it have all been designed to suit the participant and his or her respective conditions.

These therapy sessions using music can be done either individually or in groups. Some individuals feel more comfortable going about their therapy on their own. Others, however, feel stronger with enjoying the presence and support of other individuals who suffer from the same disease.

Regardless of which you choose, managing pain with music therapy is best facilitated by a therapist who is trained specifically in music

Should you be one of many who suffer from chronic pain, list music therapy as one of the options you can consider in order to relieve yourself of pain. The guidance of a licensed therapist, soothing music, and an open mind, all offer the opportunity to relieve you of your pain.

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Cell Phones are Hazardous to the Environment

May 27th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Cell phones are a relatively new invention but almost everyone has one. Companies are constantly coming out with new cell phone technology and people feel lost without their cell phones. The rapid growth of technology and popularity of the cell phone has some dangerous consequences, however.

Making Cell Phones is Hazardous

As soon as a factory starts to make a cell phone, the environment is negatively affected. A lot of our natural resources go into the production of cell phones. Valuable elements like gold, copper, palladium and silicon are all used in cell phone production. These elements have to be drilled or otherwise extracted from the ground, which uses a lot of energy and water and creates a lot of hazardous waste.

Making a phone or two is not too much of a hazard but millions of cell phones are produced every single year. A lot of people have a phone for personal use and a work phone. People usually only use their cell phone for a few years before replacing it with a more modern cell phone model. The more phones we use the more dangerous waste is produced and released into the environment and the more resources we use.

Disposing of Cell Phones

Cell phones are hazardous to the environment because we generally just throw our old phones away when we get new ones. The problem with all the cell phones ending up in the trash is that there are toxic metals like lead and mercury in the phones that can harm our environment.

The large number of cell phones in our landfills is a serious environmental problem. No matter how well taken care of the landfill is, the toxic metals in the cell phone make their way into the environment at some point. That can lead to toxins in our water and soil that can get into our food supply.

If everyone would recycle their old cell phones, that would greatly reduce the harm to the environment. Unfortunately, most people do not recycle their cell phones and may not even know that it is an option. There are no laws requiring cell phones to be recycled. It can actually cost you to recycle your cell phone so that causes a lot of cell phone owners to be discouraged and simply throw their phones in the trash.

Dangers of Cell Towers

The more cell phones we use the more cell phone towers we need so we have a signal wherever we go. Cell phone towers use up valuable land that could be put to a better, more environmentally-friendly use. Cell phone towers also require the use of natural resources to build. There can be other dangers to the environment as well.

Cell phone towers work by sending out a frequency that we cannot hear. It is unknown what the long term effects of this frequency are. Birds can become disorientated and fly right into cell phone towers in some cases and that may be from the frequencies. Some farmers report problems with their cows’ health if they are near a cell phone tower. There are no scientific studies to show exactly what effect these frequencies have on humans or animals, however. Cell phones make it possible for us to always be in contact with our friends and family. However, the popularity of cell phones has negatively affected the environment.

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Are You Using Pet Products with Dangerous Chemicals?

May 27th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

If you have pets, then you know how much they are valued and loved. Anyone with a pet wants to give them the best of everything including food and exercise. We want them to be healthy so we take our pets to the vet regularly. If we see our pet showing signs or symptoms of a flea infestation, we go out and get them a flea collar to kill the fleas and make our pets more comfortable.

You can find many different kinds of flea and tick treatments at your local pet store. The problem is that a lot of these treatments are full of dangerous chemicals. The chemicals in these treatments kill the fleas and ticks by attacking the nervous system. The problem is your pet’s nervous system could be harmed as well as yours.

You would think that these products would be closely monitored since there is so much potential danger but this isn’t the case. Pet products are very loosely regulated so their manufacturers can basically do what they want. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency is taking a closer look at the chemicals used in popular pet products but only because they are concerned about the food supply.

You, as a pet owner, have to carefully examine the ingredients in the pet products you buy. There are two types of chemicals that can be dangerous: organophosphates and carbamates. The following chemicals are some you should look out for:

  • Carbaryl
  • Chlorpyrifos
  • Diazinon
  • Dichlorvos
  • Malathion
  • Naled
  • Phosmet
  • Propoxur
  • Tetrachlorvinphos

How to Tell if Your Pet was Exposed to Pet Product Chemicals

If your pet is exposed to dangerous chemicals in pet products, your pet can have immediate health problems, as well as long term health problems. The same is true for humans. If you have any of the following symptoms, you should seek medical attention:

  • Vomiting or upset stomach
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Excessive sweating
  • Feeling dizzy
  • Trouble catching your breath
  • Seizures

Your pet may display the following symptoms if your pet has been exposed to dangerous chemicals in pet products:

  • Lack of appetite
  • Eyes start watering
  • Frequent urination and saliva production
  • Shaking
  • Change in behavior

What Products are Safe to Use?

If your pet gets a mild flea infestation, you do not need to treat your pet with hazardous chemicals. If you make an effort to mow your yard and bathe your pet frequently, as well as vacuum and wash your pet’s bedding often, you will decrease the likelihood of a flea problem. If your pet appears to have a few fleas, simply bathe your pet and comb through your pet’s coat to remove the fleas.

If after all that your pet still has a flea problem, you may have to use some sort of chemicals to treat your pet. You can find a form of pesticide that will not put your family or your pet in danger if you know what to look for. A product that contains insect growth regulators is safe to use and will stop fleas from growing and reproducing. With this product, you still need to comb through your pet’s hair to remove the adult fleas on a regular basis.

Your pet does not need to be exposed to any more dangers or chemicals than it already faces on a daily basis. It won’t take you very long to read the labels on pet products to make sure you are not using anything with hazardous chemicals.

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