The Risks of not Using a Drinking Water Filter
By Thomas Manso | August 9, 2008
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Getting ready to buy drinking water filters? That’s a great decision. Some people believe that a drinking water filter for their home is not a necessary expense. This is difficult to believe because they are not expensive, at all.
Drinking water filters cost way less than a television or a personal computer. Nonetheless, for some people those articles are considered “necessities”. It is very unusual these days to visit a home that doesn’t have a TV set and a computer, but it’s also unusual to see a drinking water filter in the home or in the kitchen sink.
Groups of scientists and environmentalist warn governments about the dangers of chlorination, but there are as well dangers associated with no chlorination. During the Peruvian cholera outbreak in 1991, the local facilities were advised by the experts to use chlorine to kill the cholera pathogen. Nonetheless, local officials in Peru and other countries were reluctant to use it, because chlorination by-products or THMs increase the risk of cancer.
Researchers in Canada recently estimated that a total of 703 cancer cases per year were caused by exposure to THMs. But, 10,000 people died from cholera between the months of January and February, 1991 in Peru.
Yes, THMs increase the risk of cancer and everyone should have showerhead and drinking water filters to reduce the risk. But, don’t petition government agencies to stop chlorinating the water. It just isn’t practical.
Chlorine is used nearly everywhere and government agencies try to control the amount of exposure as much as possible, but in reality no other disinfection method is as effective as chlorine. Buying a drinking water filter that removes chlorine and THMs is the sensible solution.
If treatment facilities do not add chlorine, algae will begin to grow in the pipes. Algae itself will affect the taste of water, but microorganisms that cause cholera and other waterborne illnesses would begin to flourish among the algae. I mention this in case you were wondering why treatment facilities couldn’t use carbon filtration to remove the chlorine as the water leaves the facility.
Another recent study found unacceptable the risk to those who swim in chlorinated pools combined with exposure at home from drinking and showering, and that something should be done about it. But, the study failed to recommend that people should at least get showerheads and drinking water filters for their homes.
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency now demands that facilities publish a quality report every year. On them, they need to include chlorine and chloramines, along with THMs.
The facilities annual reports was required after a study in California showed that women who drink five or more glasses a day of ordinary tap water have a higher rate of miscarriage, possibly due to chlorine. One wonders, why didn’t they suggest that pregnant women get a drinking water filter? It seems such an easy and inexpensive solution. It cost less than neo-natal vitamins.
Scientists want to warn you of the risks and government officials leave it up to you to make the decision. You can find the best drinking water filters on the market for less than $125 and showerhead units for even less. I believe your family’s health is worth the investment, don’t you?
Topics: Nutrition | No Comments »
How To Elude Hyperglycemia Through A Diabetic Diet
By Delynda Lardone | August 9, 2008
Diabetics constantly have to watch their blood sugar levels to make sure they are consistently steady and make sure that they are in their target range. Often times though, diabetics do not maintain a healthy diabetic diet and wind up eating foods that result in higher sugar levels.
If the diabetic lets her blood sugar levels get too high over an extended period of time, she can wind up developing what doctors call hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia can cause some very serious health problems, but this condition can be easily avoided by learning just what causes this condition so these causes can be avoided.
The definition of hyperglycemia is a simply an individual that has an excessive amount of sugar in their blood stream. This can happens when diabetics eat too much of the wrong foods. With type 1 diabetics, they can get this because their bodies can not produce the insulin needed in order to process the sugar. With type 2 diabetics, they can get this because their bodies do not respond properly to the sugar being consumed.
Sugar is processed by our bodies in a straightforward fashion. The sugar enters our bodies from the foods that we eat. Once the sugar is inside our bodies, the pancreas starts producing the insulin needed which helps carry the sugar into the cells. Once inside the cells, it is turned into energy which is used by our bodies.
This same process happens in diabetics but with one main difference. If they consume too many foods that contain sugar, the excess sugar will remain in the bloodstream as the body will only use what it needs. This excess sugar will then start building up in the blood which results in hyperglycemia.
Letting this excess sugar build up over a long stretch of time is very dangerous because it will damage your major organs that you need to live. It will start off by harming your blood vessels and then will work its way to damaging your heart vessel, eyes, nerves, and kidneys.
The problems that can arise from hyperglycemia will not be noticeable in the short term as they are derived from a long term process. This is why this condition usually does not show up in children and teens. This is usually noticed in older adults who have diabetes and have not managed their diabetic diet very well.
Every diabetic should be aware of hyperglycemia and try to aim at staying on a diabetic diet to avoid any long term hazardous health effects that can arise. If they do not monitor their sugar intake, over time their blood vessels will start to break down. This will lead to a break down on their heart vessel, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. Even though this does not occur in their childhood, diabetics should strive to keep a normal level of blood sugar so they can prevent it taking place later in their life.
Topics: Nutrition | No Comments »
Purchasing the Perfect Wine Cellar
By KC Kudra | August 9, 2008
The term “wine cellar” often conjures up visions of grandeur and luxury. After all, do not the finest European villas pride themselves on their extensive wine cellars? Further more, do not the finest restaurants in the area brag about the elaborate processes for keeping their expensive wines in ideal conditions.
With all of this attention on wine cellars, the typical person might be a bit daunted, and not quite know what to do if he or she is a wine lover looking to invest in a wine cellar. If they are a tad daring, they might take the leap and purchase their own wine cellar for their home.
Many wine lovers, however will not need an extremely, fancy storage system to house their wines. They might not even need a wine cellar at all, because they only keep a carefully selected collection of bottles in small quantities, which they drink regularly. There are, however, wine collectors who stock more than just a few bottles, and they might need a dedicated wine cellar at home in which to keep.
For the wine lover who enjoys stocking many different kinds of wines, or enjoys collecting wine, a dedicated wine cellar may be essential. A wine cellar can be placed in any convenient location within your home.
When setting out by a wine cellar, there are some factors that need to be considered including: size of the wine cellar, humidity, temperature, and vibration. While these are just some of the factors that go into making a safe secure wine cellar design, they are the most important and needs to be taken into consideration at the start of building a wine cellar.
Vibration, light, temperature, and humidity all need to be controlled in order to keep your wine at its best possible level of quality. For instance, if you get too much sunlight or fluorescent light, it can damage the wine. Because of this, most wine cellars are located in a darkened, storage space.
Another enemy of a wine is vibration. If you have too much vibration, it will just rock the sediments in the wine and cause it to change color or taste. This is especially true with the more delicate wines that are more susceptible to both vibration and light.
Humidity also needs to be taken into consideration as having too much of it will cause the wine to mold, and having too little humidity may cause the corks to shrink leading to wines spillage and spoilage. The optimum wine cellar would have humidity for the wine at about 70%.
Temperature is also an important factor, because if the temperature is too high, it will decrease the flavor of the wine and if it is too low, it may cause the wine to freeze.
The easiest way to create a wine cellar in your home is through the purchase of a self-contained wine-cellar unit, which can range in size from 2×3 feet to 10×12 feet, and up. (If you are considering a very, very large wine cellar for your home, it may be less expensive, in some cases, to have it custom built for you.)
Small wine cellars can hold as few as 24 bottles, while the large wine cellars can hold up to 2500 bottles. Prices for the smaller wine cellars can begin at around $500 and go all the way up to $4000 for the large custom-built models.
You will also find that wine cellars come in a variety of exteriors, ranging from super sleek stainless steel to rustic oak or pine. Additions such as interior lights, locking doors, glass panels, and the like will typically add to the price.
If you decide to purchase a wine cellar, you should have a checklist of things prior to getting a wine cellar design finalized including:
- How many bottles you would like to store.
- How much space you have available for your wine cellar.
-What kind of features and controls do you need in terms of lighting, temperature, humidity, and vibration? If you’re planning to collect expensive, delicate or special care wines, you will need to take into account extra features for your wine cellar.
- Is the wine cellar going to be tucked away in a room or placed out in the open? If you’re going to play set out in the open your going to want to invest in higher and finish so that it matches the rest of your house.
In the end, your purchase should be the best balance of features, price, and space. If you know what your wine tastes are prior to purchasing the wine cellar, you will get the best one that meets your current wants and needs with a little room to expand.
Topics: Nutrition | No Comments »
Designing and Building Outdoor Kitchens
By KC Kudra | August 9, 2008
An outdoor kitchen is a great addition to any home. You will not be stuck in the kitchen missing all the fun outside. Instead, you can cook tasty meals over the grill while enjoying the company of your family and friends.
Almost $150 billion was spent in the United States in 2005 and $50 billion of this was spent on outdoor living areas. No wonder outdoor kitchens are such a hot trend. Outdoor kitchens cost upwards of a couple of thousand dollars but you can consider them as investments. Here are a few tips on outdoor kitchen design and outdoor kitchen plans.
Which Outdoor Kitchen Design to Choose
There are three basic outdoor kitchen designs, which are a L-shaped island, a basic island, and a U-shaped center. A L-shaped island has space for both cooking and preparation. A basic island features a sink, a grill, and a space for preparation. Basic islands tend to be small so if you are going to be cooking for more than a couple of people, you might want to consider another type. A U-shaped center has a grill in the middle and spaces on either side for preparation and serving. This is a handy design if you want to be able to serve food straight from the grill without leaving it.
Which Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets are Recommended?
Outdoor kitchens are exposed to water, sunlight, and extreme temperatures, so durable cabinet and worktop materials are best. Brick, marble, and granite are good materials to choose. Wood is highly flammable and rots easily, especially the untreated variety. Outdoor kitchens are meant to last for years so it is a good idea to invest in the best quality kitchen design you can afford.
Which Outdoor Kitchen Appliances Will You Need?
The grill will be the centerpiece of your outdoor kitchen and you can choose from a charcoal grill or gas grill. Charcoal grills give a delicious smoky flavor to your food but gas grills offer a better temperature control. If your grill will be exposed to the elements, you will need a waterproof cover for it.
A kitchen island is another necessary feature in your outdoor kitchen plans. You can design your own or buy an island in one piece. Good materials to use in your outdoor kitchen design include stainless steel, stucco, and stone. An outdoor sink is useful and can draw from the house’s water supply or a portable water hose. You might want to add an outdoor refrigerator to your list of outdoor kitchen appliances although an outdoor refrigerator will have a maximum life span of five years because of the fluctuating temperatures it is exposed to quite often.
Building Your Own Outdoor Kitchen
When building outdoor kitchens, it is important to take your time and plan exactly what you want the finished outdoor kitchen to look like. What kind of cookery will you do? How often will you cook there? How much can you spend? How many people will you feed at once? Do you want your outdoor kitchen stationary or movable? These are some of the important questions to ask yourself before designing your outdoor kitchen plans or thinking about outdoor kitchen appliances.
When you have decided on your outdoor kitchen design, you can build it yourself or hire a contractor to help. Your outdoor kitchen should be far enough away from guests so that smoke does not blow in their faces. It should also be near the house so you can carry food in and out. The grill should be thirty-six inches high for your comfort. Remember also not to use flammable materials in your outdoor kitchen plans.
When you are ready to start building, enjoy the process. It is great fun watching outdoor kitchens take shape and even more fun grilling fantastic meals outdoors for your friends and family!
Topics: Nutrition | No Comments »
The Effects Of Alcohol on Irritable Bowel Syndrome
By The Alternate Medic | August 9, 2008
Did you know that irritable bowel syndrome is the most commonly diagnosed digestive condition seen by gastroenterologists worldwide? Has irritable bowel syndrome become the scourge of modern society? Modern medicine has not yet discovered the cause of irritable bowel syndrome but it is recognized that there are certain triggers and factors that are associated with the condition
Here are thee main factors:
1. Approximately 50% of all cases seem to occur after stressful major life changing event for example moving houses, changing jobs etc. when nervous tension seems to be at its highest. 2. It has been noted that 10-20 percent of sufferers report the occurrence of irritable bowel syndrome after experiencing a severe bout of gastroenteritis where vomiting and diarrhea seem to be the trigger for the disorder to flare up.
Alcohol and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
There is no definitive proof that alcohol causes irritable bowel syndrome, however, it is known to easily contribute to it’s continuance. The main reason for this is because alcohol is a very strong gastrointestinal irritant, and therefore contributes to making your symptoms even more pronounced ..
Unfortunately, if you have already contacted this disease even the consumption of one alcoholic drink can aggravate your system. Sufferers should consider stopping drinking alcoholic beverages to determine whether there is a marked improvement in their condition. You will probably note some improvement, on the other hand is stopping drinking is out of the question it is suggested that you slow down your consumption, and stop mixing drinks. If the irritable bowel syndrome continues it is then recommended that you completely stop any alcohol consumption until your system returns to normal.
Another area to watch is how you drink and what you drink. For example a glass of wine with your meal is not likely to agrivate your condition but consuming a few beers tends to bring on an attack. As consuming alcohol basically dehydrates your system it is a good idea to have a glass of water between drinks. For optimum hydration we should consume 8 pints of water per day . The dehydration caused by consuming alcohol has a definite affect on constipation and bloating suffered with irritable bowel syndrome.
It should now be obvious that alcohol and irritable bowel syndrome do not work together. However, there is more you can do to help your condition. You should consider changing your diet to include more fresh fruit and vegetables getting away from those sweet, fatty processed foods. This combined with regular exercise will ensure that your digestive system gets back to normal. When combined with cutting back on your consumption of alcohol you will definitely improve your overall health and your irritable bowel syndrome will subside and even disappear altogether.
Topics: Nutrition | No Comments »
