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10 Tips For “Greening Up” Your Home Or Workplace

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10 Tips For “Greening Up” Your Home Or Workplace


Many consumers are realizing that “going green” isn’t just about creating a healthy planet, it’s about creating healthy homes and workplaces. Here are some suggestions you may or may not have considered before for “greening up” your living environments to improve your health and the health of those you care about.

Get your air handling system cleaned. Indoor air quality is rated in the top 5 health concerns by the EPA. Clean air ducts and an electrostatic air filter can go a long way toward cleaning up the air you breathe and helping your air conditioning/heating system work more efficiently, thus reducing cost of operation.

Consider an air purifying unit. If indoor air quality is a major issue,or if you have asthma or other respiratory ailments, you may want to get an air purifying system. The most effective units use EMF (Enhanced Media Filtration) technology, which surpasses even HEPA filtration.

Keep carpet and upholstery clean, but don’t use soaps, detergents, or chemicals. That’s because those products leave sticky residues that attract dirt like a magnet. The most important thing you can do is vacuum frequently, getting rid of the dry, abrasive particles that cause fibers to deteriorate quickly. For most spills, if you act quickly, plain water and blotting with a clean towel will take care of it. But, to keep carpet and textiles properly maintained, they should be cleaned at least once a year by a professional who leaves zero residue behind.

Replace household cleaning products with natural or “green” products. One of the contributors to the indoor air quality problem discussed in tip #1 is the use of highly toxic cleaning products around the home or workplace. There are many alternatives that work just as well, or better, without exposing yourself and others to harmful fumes and chemicals. Did you know that many cleaning situations can be handled with simple products you probably already have around your home, like vinegar and baking soda?

Use natural products for pest control. Another culprit in the indoor air quality issue is the use of toxic products for pest control. There are natural alternatives, such as Cedar Oil, that keep non-beneficial pests at bay without exposing you, your children, or your pets to harmful insecticides.

Use microfiber cloths for cleaning countertops, mirrors, and other surfaces. Because of the way these cloths are constructed, they can actually remove bacteria from surfaces without the use of harsh chemicals.

Use microfiber mops for cleaning hard floors. Getting your tile & grout professionally cleaned and the grout sealed every couple of years, and then using a microfiber mop to maintain it, will keep your floors looking great without having to get on your hands and knees with a toothbrush and bleach. And because you don’t need a lot of water with the microfiber mops, they’re great for hardwood too.

Get granite countertops sealed. But be careful of the sealer that is used, as some can be highly toxic. Many consumers don’t realize that granite is an extremely porous stone, and can have many microscopic cracks and fissures in it. These are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, especially in food prep areas. When the granite is sealed, those pores and cracks are filled in and it allows for a much more sanitary surface.

Keep glass shower doors clean. Similar to the granite mentioned above, most people don’t realize that glass is also a porous uneven surface at the microscopic level. That’s why soap scum and minerals from hard water are such a problem. These deposits become a breeding ground for bacteria, and are very difficult to remove once they have built up. Get glass shower doors cleaned and then sealed to reduce adherence of soap and minerals, and they will be much easier to clean and maintain.

Last but not least, Get the lint out! Lint buildup in the dryer filter and the vent can cause your dryer to work harder than it needs to and can be a fire hazard. The filter should be emptied between each load, and if you use dryer sheets, it should be taken out and washed with hot, soapy water about every six months (a waxy buildup can occur that limits air and moisture flow). The area around your dryer and the dryer vent should be cleaned every 18 months to remove lint and other particles that make it past the filter.

Lori Benavides is part owner of Zerorez of Albuquerque, which offers Carpet and Living Surfaces Care. Zerorez franchises are located in many cities throughout the United States and offer premier GREEN cleaning of carpet and other interior surfaces such as area rugs, upholstery, hard floors, air ducts, and more.

For your free Consumer Report, go to http://www.zerorezAlbuquerque.com.

Lori Benavides - EzineArticles Expert Author

Posted in Environment, HealthComments (2)

A Few Of My Favorite Things…

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A Few Of My Favorite Things…


I’m not a particularly materialistic person.  That said, every once in a while I’ll find some things that I really enjoy and/or that improve my quality of life in one way or another.   In the last few months I’ve made a few discoveries that I think are worth passing on to my friends.

Siggs.  Siggs are very cool looking reusable water bottles. Mine is blue and gold with an Indian motif.  Very eco-friendly and I figure I’m saving about $5/day on water.  Not to mention reducing my landfill contributions.

Monavie.  This is a yummy juice blend of acai (ah-sa-eee) berries and other superfoods.  Packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants.  Some research shows the acai blends improve joint health and may protect against leukemia.  And it tastes delish!!

Melaleuca.  Okay, I don’t know about you, but I had never heard of Melaleuca before a buddy of mine started selling it a few months back. 

She told me the company made all kinds of environmentally-friendly household cleaners (dish washing soap, laundry detergent, glass cleaner, disinfectant and more), personal care items (toothpaste, body wash, moisturizer, shaving cream and more) and health food items.  Honestly, I was skeptical because to me “natural” or “environmentally-friendly” meant it probably didn’t clean well — or was seriously overpriced.  

But boy was I wrong!!!  In the past few months, I have become an Melaleuca junkie replacing all of my toxic household cleaning products with their Melaleuca counterparts.  They work great, they smell great, they are non-toxic, better for the planet and a great value (most are concentrated and you need to add your own water so a bottle of something is usually equal to 3-5 bottles of the comparable commercial brand.  Happily I haven’t bought one thing yet that didn’t work like it said it would and that I didn’t LOVE!!  

Unfortunately you can only buy this through a Melaleuca agent.  If you want to find out more shoot me an email at geralyn@geralyncoopersmith.com and I’ll put you in touch with my friend Patty.   I’m not making anything out of it, but I really appreciate what the company is all about.  Nice to see a company doing good things for the planet while still delivering quality products.  Check it out!
Fgw-move-2-225[1]Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer, author of Fit + Female:  The Complete Fitness and Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type and the creator of The Best Me Ever, a comprehensive weight loss and wellness system just for women.  It’s a first of its kind program designed to fit into a busy women’s life.  Lose weight and look great — 90 Day Unconditional Money Back Guarantee!!

 

 

 

 

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11 Simple Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System Naturally

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11 Simple Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System Naturally


It is necessary to strengthen your immune system in order to meet the challenges that our body encounters on a daily basis . The good news is that you can still enjoy optimum health as long as you provide your body with the necessary tools. We can virtually heal, repair, regenerate, and restore optimal health without the use of expensive prescription drugs. A properly functioning immune system is equipped to deal with common illnesses, such as the common cold or influenza. It may also help prevent deadly illnesses such as cancer.

Eliminate all sugar and allergens from your diet.

Just a small amount of sugar has been proven to impair white blood cells up to 50% for very short periods of time. By discovering what our personal food allergies are, then eliminating or desensitizing them will help strengthen your immune system. By removing these triggers, our immune cells are strengthened in order to combat other invaders such as influenza rather than the allergen. The elimination of sugar from your diet can also strengthen/improve the immune system.
Eliminate or reduce exposure to dangerous toxins in your environment.

Air Pollution, smoking, cleaning products will stress your immune system with frequent exposure. Many common household cleaning products contains toxic and poisonous chemicals that are harmful to your health. There may not be much you can do with air pollution, but we can help reduce our exposure by purchasing cleaning products that are safe and non-toxic.

Learn how to properly deal with stress

Acute (short term) stress will positively strengthen your immune system function. On the other hand, responding wrongly to chronic (long term) stress will suppress your immune system function. By strengthening the adrenal glands( the stress glands), we are enabling ourselves to making wise decisions.

Regular, moderate exercise will strengthen your immune system, while intense or extreme exercise may suppress immune system function.

It appears that regular physical activity might contribute to ridding the lungs of the types of airborne bacteria and viruses that are linked to common upper respiratory tract infections, while also cleansing the body of certain carcinogens (cancer-causing cells) and waste products through increased output of urine and sweat.

An increase in blood flow associated with moderate exercise helps to circulate antibodies along with white blood cells necessary to fight infection more quickly. As a result, this provides our bodies with an early warning system to ward off potentially damaging germs. In addition, the increase in body temperature as a result of physical activity may aid in inhibiting the growth of bacteria; thus allowing the body to fight infection more effectively.

Finally, moderate exercise has been shown to reduce the secretion of stress-related hormones thought to contribute to the onset of illnesses such as the flu and the common cold, and give a temporary boost in the production of macrophages, the cells that attack bacteria.

Intense or extreme exercise pushes the body into a state of acidosis, due to build-up of lactic acid-the bi product of exercise; not allowing the body enough time to clear out the lactic acid leads to increased acidity, which is immune suppressive in the long term.

Sleep Helps Strengthen Your Immune System

During deep sleep , our body release potent immune-enhancing substances that strengthen your immune system function. By not allowing our body sufficient rest, the immune system will sputter, and as a result, not function at full capacity. We then are more likely to become ill with common illnesses. A healthy, deep sleep allows our body to release a significant amount of growth hormone that boost the immune system and aids in the growth and repair of the body.

Tips on How to Sleep Better

A Body Detox Will Strengthen Your Immune System

Body cleansing is essential because our bodies need to properly eliminate the toxic build up that has formed in our intestines (colon), which may lead to sickness and disease. Our body organs and tissues must be free of toxins for the immune system to function optimally thus enabling our bodies to receive the essential nutrients our bodies need.

Drink plenty of Water

Water is the medium that allows nutrients to get to the cells and toxins to be eliminated out of the body; it is essential for all living things and keeps our immune system operating optimally while improving the way we feel, look and live. Without sufficient amounts of water, you may experience routine fatigue, dry skin, headaches, constipation, and a decrease normal bodily function which may lead to your body unable to fight off diseases. Without water we would literally dehydrate which could result in the shutting down of vital organs and ultimately end in death.

Strengthen Your Immune System By Eating A Nutritious Diet

Quality food plays a major factor in keeping our cells healthy and our immune system strong. Food not only provides energy to your body, but all the nutrients that are essential for a healthy immune system.

A Greens supplement is a complete food supplement and is one of the very few products on the market that not only builds your body, but it also cleanses your body. Doesn’t it make sense to use “Better than Green” super food to fill in the gaps in your nutrition and give the body what it needs to function at optimal level?

Supplement Your Diet with Immune Boosting Herbs, Minerals, Vitamins, and other foods.
Immune System supplements are needed because, given today’s environmental conditions and stress levels, our bodies can not produce all the nutrients necessary to maintain optimum health. There are many nutrients needed in order to maintain a strong immune system. It is very challenging in the world we live in to obtain sufficient nutrition with the foods available to us. They are over processed and void of many essential nutrients. Additionally, food is grown in soils that have been over-planted and saturated with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Vitamin and mineral deficiency subjects us to more diseases, aging, sickness, and the weakening of our immune system.

Wash Your Hands to limit the risk of “catching an infectious disease”

It may sounds simple but maintaining a high standard of personal hygiene care is one of the most effective ways of avoiding infection and keep your immune system strong; diseases are communicable and the best protection against them is to prevent their spread.

Cultivate meaningful relationships. Our immune system, like every other system in the body, is coordinated and controlled by the nervous system, which is “happy” when we are happy and satisfied. If the Nervous System is not functioning properly, then the Immune System cannot function at 100%, thus the body becomes fertile ground for bacteria, viruses and illness.

Try these 11 simple strategies and you’ll be off on your road towards a better immune system and improved health.

And now I’d like to help you take the first step towards optimal health this year: take my IMMUNITY Self-Test when visiting my blog, http://www.askdoctoranca.com/immunity-self-test while there, you’re also invited to register for my upcoming FREE Healthy Immunity Tele-Seminar.

From: Dr. Anca Martalog, N.D- survivors’ coach of cancer survivors’ network http://www.telehealthsecrets.com

 

Dr. Anca Martalog N.D. - EzineArticles Expert Author

Posted in HealthComments (2)

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