Drinking Water Safety

How Safe Is Your Drinking Water... Really?

The water that ends up in our taps comes from a variety of sources. The ocean of course is one of the largest sources followed by ice caps and glaciers. A smaller amount of water also comes from groundwater, lakes, rivers and streams and the atmosphere. The concern for drinking water comes from the worry of what is contained in that water.

Microbes are a big threat to the water you drink. They include viruses and bacteria that may come from parasites. Diseases can be communicated through drinking water as well such as infectious hepatitis, gastroenteritis and dysentery. The source for these microbes comes from storm run-off, animals such as wildlife, livestock and even pets. Septic systems can breed microbes as well as sewage treatment plants.

Pesticides are another concern for drinking water. There are many ways that chemical pesticides can infiltrate water systems such as rainfall, wind transfer, and urban waste. They can also seep into groundwater supplies and end up in rivers, lakes and streams. Some effects of pesticides in your drinking water can include headaches, diarrhea for short term and for long term effects may include certain cancers and fertility problems [Read more]

Don't Count On a Bird Flu Vaccine!

A Bird Flu vaccine is months and months away from production, and production will be a problem since health officials believe it will take at least 1 year to make enough for all citizens. Even then, it may not be effective, since it was based on an earlier seed of the virus. Bird Flu, or H5N1, mutates rapidly. Today, Bird Flu is something entirely different than when it was first discovered.

But there is one, off-the-shelf, device that will protect you and your family against Bird Flu, SARS, and ordinary flu, right now. It's called Animas®, manufactured by a company that originally was tasked to make a better biomass for our military troops.

Why is a filter mask the best tool you can have against Bird Flu? Because of its new nana-technology. A Animas® isn't just an ordinary N95 mask like you see in hospitals or on construction sites [Read more]

Are Electronic Muscle Stimulation Devices Safe For All Ages To Use?

Physical therapists and doctors prescribe these devices to reduce or completely avoid muscle atrophy in patients, especially after a surgical procedure or a severe injury. EMS devices are also used in those with paralysis and in anyone who needs to improve their blood circulation, improve their range of motion, or even increase muscle endurance. In addition, EMS devices may be used to relax muscles, re-educate nerves, and also in the management of pain.

As far as the safety of these devices, they are safe as long as they are used as directed. The medical community has used them for years for many of the reasons that were described above. EMS devices are regulated by the FDA, which means they regulate the sale of the many different kinds of EMS devices within the United States. This means that those companies who manufacture EMS devices must comply with regulations set forth by the FDA before they can ever sell their device. Their use is mainly meant for rehabilitation and other medical purposes, however there are bodybuilders using them all of the time to aid in the toning of muscles [Read more]

Childhood Obesity - Getting Your Kids Off The Couch

The first thing that you need to do is to teach your child to eat healthier. In the world of working mothers and two-income families, it may seem that fast food is the best way to get everybody fed. In reality, there are many healthy meals that can take the same amount of time to prepare that it takes you to drive to the restaurant, sit in the drive-thru line, order your food, and drive back home. There are also foods that can be fixed the night before and placed in the slow cooker first thing in the morning. The food cooks all day and is ready as soon as you get home from work. There are many microwavable foods available at the grocery store also. Another advantage of having a microwave oven is the ability to defrost foods quickly if you forgot to pull something out for dinner.

To create a healthy meal, you should have a meat, a vegetable, bread, a dairy, and a fruit. While this may sound complicated, a plate of spaghetti with parmesan cheese, a salad, bread, and a can of peaches with a glass of milk would cover all these groups and would take about fifteen minutes to fix. Another way to help your kids eat healthy is to remove all the junk food from your house and replace it with healthy snacks. Replace a bag of potato chips with cheese and crackers. Replace those cheese curls with celery sticks smeared with peanut butter. The children may complain at first about losing their favorite snack foods, but once there is nothing else in the house they will eventually eat these healthier alternatives [Read more]