Natural Methods to Control Fleas and Ticks

If you have pets, you have probably experienced a flea and tick problem at some point. Some animals get heavily infested with fleas and ticks but most have at least a bite or two in their lives. The most common products to control fleas and ticks are flea collars and other products that contain pesticides. The question is how safe are these for our animals?

The popular flea and tick treatments usually have an active ingredient called organophosphate, which attacks the flea’s and tick’s nervous systems. Carbamate is another chemical used to control fleas and ticks and it also affects the nervous system of the fleas and ticks. The problem with these products is they can be dangerous to our and our pets’ nervous system.

Often, people don’t take this into consideration when choosing a product to control fleas and ticks. They may believe that these products are the best and most effective treatments available. There are more natural options available to control fleas and ticks. Here are some ideas:

• Make vacuuming a priority all year round and even more so when fleas and ticks are most prevalent. You can remove a lot of fleas by vacuuming. It is important to use a clean bag on a regular basis, though.
• Make sure your pet gets baths on a regular basis with soap and water and use a flea treatment made from natural ingredients. One natural flea treatment you can make uses 2 pints of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of rosemary. After adding the rosemary, remove the mixture from the heat and leave for about 20 minutes to steep. When it is cool, strain the liquid and put in a spray bottle for easy application. Make sure your pet is not wet anymore before he goes out of the house.
• Keep your pet’s blanket and cushions clean so fleas and ticks can’t survive on them.
• Keep your grass short to deter fleas and ticks from moving into your yard.
• Keep mice out of your house because they can bring fleas and ticks with them. Things like wood piles near the house, leaf and brush piles and trash in open containers without a lid encourage the mice to move into your home.
• Comb your pet’s fur with a flea and tick comb on a regular basis to make sure you get any pests out before they can multiply. A lint roller can work if you are short on time.
• If there are fleas in your home, get a flea trap set up right away. This is usually a bulb to draw the fleas in and a paper that they get stuck to.
• Nematodes in the yard can be a good way to keep fleas and ticks out of the grassy areas.

No one likes fleas and ticks; they can be really bad for your pets. We need to be careful that we don’t do more harm to our best friend by trying to control fleas and ticks using products containing dangerous chemicals. It is better to prevent fleas and ticks from causing problems than to try control fleas and ticks after the fact.

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How to Do Chemical-Free Housekeeping

When the majority of us clean the house, we use a lot of different chemicals. Most of us have cleaning products like bleach and ammonia under our sinks and other products with chemicals we can’t even pronounce or know nothing about. While the chemical-filled cleaning products might do a good job of keeping our house clean, they might also be harming you and your family.

It is possible to get your house clean without using dangerous chemical. Chemical-free housekeeping can be done by using products with natural ingredients. This will allow you to have the clean house you want without exposing your family to danger. Here are few ideas:

• Instead of using furniture polish, use a quality microfiber cloth that you can use, wash and use again. These are costlier than just making rags out of old clothes but are great for dusting and will leave your wood and other surfaces shiny, clean and dust free.
• Use the power of steam. You can get your carpets and furniture clean and fresh smelling with a steam cleaner and it will be chemical-free. Other things that can be cleaned with a steam cleaner include wood floors and counters. You will have a damp but not wet surface when you use a steam cleaner so it will dry quickly.
• A new technology you can use is UV-C devices that remove germs from your home by using ultraviolet light. There are vacuum cleaners, air cleaners and wands that use UV-C technology.
• Instead of bleach, use hydrogen peroxide because it is as good at cleaning but less toxic. A little hydrogen peroxide in the wash will keep your whites white and even treat mold that may be in your home.
• Always have baking soda handy. Baking soda is used in many recipes but it is also a good cleaning product. It can help you get out stains from clothing and other fabrics and keep odors away from fabric, carpet and more. Baking soda will help you get even the grimiest dishes sparkling clean and is great for scrubbing counter tops. You can add baking soda to your dishwasher or washer instead of regular detergents. The baking soda in your fridge that keeps it odor-free can later be used for cleaning.
• Use vinegar to disinfect almost any surface in your home and get rid of mold and bacteria. Vinegar is great for keeping glass and mirrors sparkling clean and can be used along with baking soda to clear up clogs in your drains. Vinegar is also used to disinfect your dishwasher and clean things like coffee pots that are hard to get into.

It is going to end up saving you money and time in most cases if you do chemical-free housekeeping. While you pay upfront for technology like UV-C items and steam cleaners, you save money in the long run on the chemicals you no longer have to buy. You already have a kitchen with all the cleaning products you would ever need, you just don’t realize it. Chemical-free housekeeping is not as hard as it sounds.

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Cell Phones are Hazardous to the Environment

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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How to Build Your Immune System

Our immune system does an incredible job of fighting off foreign germs inside our bodies, keeping us strong and healthy. Often, our immune system is not working to its full potential, though. Things like everyday stress, poor nutrition, and a sedentary lifestyle weaken our immune system. When our immune system is not working as well as it should, we have a good chance of becoming ill. Being sick takes a toll on the body and it can be difficult to get over some of the illnesses we get.

There are things you can do to build your immune system up and it doesn’t have to mean taking a pill or other medication. The easiest way to boost your immune system is to get the right nutrition every day and to eat a balanced diet. Certain foods are especially important and here is more information about these foods:

• Citrus Fruits - Grapefruits, oranges and the other citrus fruits are very good for your immune system. Vitamin C found in these fruits is essential to the production of white blood cells and antibodies that our immune system need. Oranges can have as much as 75 mg of Vitamin C.

• Carrots - The beta carotene in carrots is a nutrient that works together with our immune system to produce the cells that fight off the germs in our bodies and prevent infection. Another benefit to carrots is they contain falcarinol, which is thought to reduce the risk of developing cancer.

• Garlic - Garlic can defend our bodies against infection. Many herbal remedies contain garlic. If you include garlic in your diet a few times a week, you will be healthier and your body will be stronger. It is best to eat raw, crushed garlic in order to get the most health benefits out of it especially with regard to fighting infection.

• Yogurt - When you eat yogurt you are getting a lot of bacteria, which sounds bad but the kind of bacteria in yogurt is acidophilus bacteria, which is good for your immune system. This good bacteria helps the digestive system and fights bacteria in the body. Yogurt is very good for older people because of the bifidobacterium in it.

• Oysters - Oysters are very high in zinc, which is a necessary nutrient that helps your body produce the antibodies your immune system needs. Oysters are also known to slow bacteria growth and the growth of viruses in your body.

• Fatty Fish - The Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like tuna and salmon are essential for the health and growth of your white blood cells that the immune system uses to fight germs. You can also get Omega-3 from a vitamin E supplement.

When you keep your immune system healthy and strong, you rarely need to take medications like antibiotics to get rid of infections and diseases in our bodies. Eating the foods listed above will help you do just that.

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Detox Supplements: Prevention’s Healing with Vitamins by The Editors of Prevention Health Books and Alice Feinstein

The Most Effective Vitamin And Mineral Treatments For Everyday Health Problems And Serious Disease

Prevention’s Healing with Vitamins: The Most Effective Vitamin And Mineral Treatments For Everyday Health Problems And Serious Disease

From the makers of Prevention Magazine, this guide combines the popular publications tips on using nutritional supplements into a single, comprehensive resource.  It includes:

• The four nutrients that will keep you young
• Nine vitamins and minerals that can help you lose pounds
• Four important supplements to take for fatigue
• Information on combating high blood pressure without eliminating salt from your diet
• The vitamin that lowers cholesterol
• How to treat your allergies with supplements
• Three great vitamins for the treatment of wrinkles
• Eight nutrients that strengthen your immune system
• Important supplements to take before surgery
• Five supplements that help your body cope with smog
• Supplements that counteract PMS
• An important vitamin that helps prevent birth defects when taken by pregnant mothers

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Diagnosing Food Allergies

Often food allergies can come on suddenly in some people and they immediately have trouble breathing, start to swell up or go into shock. They can also be very itchy all of a sudden. This can be dangerous but if the reaction is obvious, it can usually be treated more efficiently. The people with food allergies who have less severe reactions find it harder to get treatment for their problems.

If you have mild reactions to foods, you can figure out what might be causing them by starting a food journal. Write down every piece of food that you eat and any reaction that the food caused, no matter how mild. You can do this in a plain notebook or on a calendar, whatever works best for you. You and your doctor can use your food journal determine which foods trigger your allergic reactions. With the help of your food journal, your doctor can determine how to treat your allergies.

You may find that you don’t actually have food allergies at all. Sometimes, our immune system attacks a food substance in our body because it thinks it is a danger to us. Your body generally has a bad reaction to the immune system’s attack on a harmless substance. This causes allergic reactions like swelling, itching, stomach problems, headaches, breathing problems or cold like symptoms. Writing down in your food journal any of the symptoms that occur is important in finding the right treatment for your problem.

Often people mistake stomach problems caused by certain foods for allergies. Instead, problems with the digestive system are usually to blame. If you find certain foods cause stomach and digestive problems, make sure you avoid these foods. There really isn’t any medicine to treat these problems. You may want to see your doctor if the problems keep coming back to rule out a more serious digestive problem.

Don’t try to treat your food allergies yourself. Go to your doctor and find out how to treat your problem and what foods to avoid. Not all food labels are the same so you may end up eating foods you are allergic to if they go by different names. You might also have a more serious problem than food allergies that you are not aware of. Let your doctor figure out what is wrong with you.

After meeting with you and discussing your food journal and your symptoms, your doctor may do an allergy test. The skin test that involves pricking your skin with allergens to see how you react is one of the most common ways to test for food allergy. Blood tests can also be helpful. Your doctor will give you a treatment plan for your allergies and help you prepare for a possible allergic reaction.

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Food Allergies 101: Understanding Food Allergies

You probably know someone who has a food allergy of some kind but do you really understand what that means and how to tell if you might be affected as well?

An allergic reaction is easy to understand. Our body is always on the lookout for bacteria and viruses that could harm us. When our body finds something harmful, its natural reaction is to fight these dangerous substances. Our immune system works all the time to protect us from the harmful substances in our body. If our immune system gets weakened, we will get sick and maybe even seriously ill.

What happens with allergies is our body’s immune system starts to fight against substances that aren’t really dangerous like pet dander, pollen or certain food items. Depending on how serious of a problem this is in your body, your allergies could be extremely dangerous to your health.

Most food allergies are caused by the immune system attacking a certain protein in the food we are eating. Your body treats the protein you are allergic to as an invader that needs to be eliminated. This can happen quickly or it can occur a long time after eating the food. The food had to travel through your body and can react differently as it goes from your mouth to your stomach to your intestines.

Not every food that produces uncomfortable symptoms is one that you are allergic to. Sometimes all that is happening is your digestive system is having trouble processing a certain food making you feel uncomfortable and even ill. This does not mean that your immune system is attacking the food, though. If you are having trouble with certain foods, see a doctor to find out if you are having an allergic reaction.

It’s amazing how sensitive to certain foods people with food allergies can be. It may only take a tiny crumb size piece of a food like nuts to cause a reaction. Nuts are a food that usually causes very extreme reactions with only a small exposure to it. Some people are so allergic to nuts that just being in the same area as someone eating them or just smelling them can cause a dangerous reaction.

Sometimes, children will outgrow food allergies as they age. Some allergies are not likely to be outgrown while others are. You should know that these allergies can come back later in life without warning.

You should schedule an appointment with your doctor to find out if you truly have food allergies. Usually, the doctor will do an allergy test on your skin by pricking your skin and exposing you to allergens to see how you react. Blood tests can also be used. A doctor will be able to help you deal with your food allergies and tell you what to do if you have a reaction.

Food allergies do not have to have a major impact on your life if you educate yourself and know how to treat a reaction should one occur. Food allergies can be dealt with easily for most people.

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Boost Your Immune System Naturally

“Prevention is better than cure”. An often used phrase that seems easier said that done, but it is surprisingly simple to boost our immune system so that we don´t get ill or if we do, that we recover much more quickly.

It is incorrect to think that there is nothing we can do nothing to boost our immune system and the advice we are always given, but usually ignore, is exactly what will help us do this. Healthy eating and exercise - two simple but powerful habits we should all practice that will help our bodies to fight infection.

What to Increase

• Antioxidants:
  You should try and include as many antioxidants in your diet as possible although it can be hard to get the necessary amount through diet alone. You could also consider taking an antioxidant supplement. Antioxidant foods include the berry family: strawberries, cherries, blueberries and cranberries as well as tea, spinach and brussel sprouts.

• Exercise:
  Exercising consistently about 3 or 4 times weekly will improve blood circulation allowing white blood cells to circulate more quickly and efficiently thus reaching and killing germs more quickly.

• Cleansing:
  Cleansing can take the form of drinking water or using products to cleanse the colon. Both will rid the body of toxins that make the immune system function below par.

• Beneficial herbs, minerals and vitamins
  Whether you take them as a supplement or in food form, these elements will help boost the immune system. Zinc is a good preventative to stop us getting ill and will aid recovery when you are sick. Elderberry, astragalus and garlic are three herbs that also do an excellent job of helping the immune system.

• Sleep:
  Few people get a thoroughly good nights sleep either due to stress, stimulants such as tea, coffee or alcohol or simply through not sleeping enough hours. The body produces immune boosting hormones during sleep and will not produce enough of these if we do not ensure we get a good nights rest.

What to Avoid

• Sugar:
  Just the simple act of reducing the sugar in your diet will make a significant difference to your health. Sugar hampers the functioning of the immune system by bogging down white blood cells.

• Fatty Food:
  Not only will this help boost your immune system, a diet low in fatty foods will also help maintain a healthy weight and boosts our immunity.

Good health is not as hard to achieve as you think and by making simple changes as outlined above you will notice the difference in how you feel. Eat well, rest well and exercise regularly to help keep your immune system working properly. A healthy immune system will not only help prevent illnesses, it will help you fight them more efficiently if you get them.

Tags: boost your immune system, cleansing your system, detoxifying your body, Immune System, staying healthy

Probiotics: “Growing” Your Digestive Strength

You may have heard the term probiotics in the past but never really given any consideration to what they are or whether or not this is something that you should make a part of your life.

Let’s see what this is all about, shall we?

Probiotics are actually something that everyone can use because they have wide-reaching benefits that are scientifically proven to boost your health. For most people, probiotics will not only help you improve your current state of health, they will also prevent future conditions. Now that’s worth investigating!

Understanding Probiotics

Probiotics are essentially dietary supplements that provide the body with beneficial or “good bacteria.” Here’s the dictionary definition of probiotics:

“Live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.”

In other words, there are “good bugs” and “bad bugs,” and probiotics are the good kind!

There are many different types of probiotics in use today with the most common being lactic acid bacteria. This is a common type of probiotic because of its ability to convert sugar and carbohydrates into lactic acid.

This probiotic called “lactobacillus” is present in many dairy product, and that’s why doctors often recommend that someone with gastrointestinal problems eat yogurt. This way, you get more “good bugs” in your intestines to fight off the “bad bugs.”

Here’s how it works: probiotics basically assist the body’s naturally occurring flora (good bacteria) to re-establish themselves. Doctors as well as nutritionists often recommend probiotic supplements after a patient has undergone antibiotic treatment since antibiotics tend to kill off the “good bugs” leaving you susceptible to illness.

Other reported benefits of probiotics:

• strengthens the immune system
• alleviates allergies
• eliminates toxins
• improves digestion
• fights off disease

Here’s an even simpler way to understand probiotics: you want to increase the body’s beneficial bacteria in the hopes of outnumbering the negative or harmful bacteria.

Amazingly, this simple principal has been shown to work time and time again, so if you’re going through any sort of medical treatments or struggling with your health in any way, it’s a good idea to take probiotics both as treatment and as preventative natural medicine.

Inside our body, there are little battles happening every day. Foreign bugs and invaders are constantly trying to take over, so the more beneficial bacteria we have, the better prepared our body will be to win the war!

Probiotics have been used for ages, dating back to the 1920’s and 1930’s before there was even a concrete understanding of what was taking place inside the body.

Today, it’s believed that these beneficial bacteria can even help with the tolerance of lactose, the prevention of colon cancer, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and reducing inflammation.

Probiotics have also been linked to improving mineral absorption and immune function, as well as helping to relieve diarrhea caused by the intake of antibiotics. Generally, probiotics have no negative side effects making them a great option in just about every case where better health is the goal.

Tags: Antibiotics, Benefits Of Probiotics, Dietary Supplements, Gastrointestinal, Good Bacteria, Immune System, Probiotic Supplements, Probiotics