It
may surprise some of you to
know that when I founded my
company it had little to do
with selling products, but
had everything to do with
educating people on how to
create a healthy home and
allergen-free environment
for both themselves and their
families. My own personal
experiences taught me that
paying attention to my home
environment and the products
I used made all the difference
to my health. AllergyBuyersClub.com
sells products in order for
us to make a living, but we
never lose sight of the fact
that these are products which
we believe will have a positive
impact on your health.
My husband has
always said to me that if
you have your health, you
have the most important thing
in your life. This year, there
have been some sharp reminders
in my life, as I have come
to the age where major illnesses,
death and dying is starting
to occur around me. Just remember
that together with love in
your life, there is nothing
more important than good health.
This newsletter
has become so popular over
the past 4 years that we have
created its own web site AllergyConsumerReview.com where we have posted the past
55 issues in searchable format.
We are still putting the final
touches to this site but feel
free to browse through it
for helpful information.
It is the beginning
of the season for humidifiers.
Do not miss the new sale prices
on humidifiers.
They are very competitively
priced and there is a tendency
for manufacturers to run out
later in the season, so my
advice is to buy one now especially
if your sinuses are beginning
to hurt.
Finally, for
our California readers who
are experiencing the horrendous
wildfires spreading through
the western region of the
country, we are providing
some useful information on
smoke inhalation and a discount
on IQAir air purifiers.
Disclaimer: Product and solution information reflect information available at the time of publication, including prices, availability, and reviews. To get the latest information, contact us or join our newsletter.
Important:
California Wildfires - IQAir Press Release
Highlights
Here
is some useful advice from a recent IQAir
press release on how to create a “clean
zone” in your home during heavy outdoor
smoke from wgildfires.
In addition, AllergyBuyersClub.com
is offering California residents a $30
savings on IQAir air purifiers
if they order from us and pick up the units
at the IQAir warehouse in Santa Fe Springs
or their distribution center in Ontario.
Customers will also save on the 8.5% CA
sales tax.
Call us toll free at 1-888-236-7231
or order online and put in the comments
section “I will pick up unit myself
in CA to get discount”. We will
adjust the price after the sale and then
contact you to give you the pick-up details.
Press Release from
IQAir:
Health Tips for Residents
that Suffer from Poor Air Quality during
Wildfires
How to Protect Yourself
from Poor Air Quality During Wildfires
Wildfires produce millions
of tiny pollution particles, in the form
of smoke. Concentrations of fine particulates
in much of Los Angeles and Orange County
are reaching levels which are up to 100
times higher than those on even the smoggiest
days. To combat this serious health threat,
health officials are advising the population
to stay inside and keep doors and windows
closed. While this helps to keep some of
smoke out, the small particles from the
smoke will eventually still make their way
indoors, through cracks and gaps in the
building. The following tips will help you
to create a "clean zone" in your
home during heavy outdoor smoke from wildfires.
* After closing doors and
windows, use duct tape and plastic sheeting
to seal cracks around the doors and outside
vents.
* Replace your furnace
filter with a high-efficiency filter
upgrade. These are available from most hardware
and home improvement stores and cost $10-20.
* Run your air conditioning
system. You can run the fan only, if you
are comfortable with the temperature. Constantly
cycling the air through you air conditioning
system with upgraded
air filters, will remove some of the
air pollutants.
* Don't run your bathroom
exhaust fans, since this will cause more
polluted outside air to be drawn into the
home.
* Create a safe-room
within your house with the help of a
room air cleaner with a HEPA filter. This
will be the room where particularly sensitive
members of your family, those with emphysema,
allergies or asthma can retreat to. Room
air cleaners with HEPA filters are available
through specialty retailers and can be purchased
over the internet. Expect to pay about $600
for a good HEPA room air cleaner.
* If you do have to go outside,
you may want to wear a fine dust mask, as
is available though home improvement stores.
These masks will typically sell for $5-$40.
If you do not have access to mask you may
use a wet cloth to breathe through. Do not
use the simple surgical masks, as used by
doctors, they are ineffective against small
smoke particles.
Frank Hammes, President
of IQAir North America, Inc., is an expert
on air quality and air quality control measures.
He lectures and trains indoor air quality
professionals on ways to help residents
create healthier indoor environments during
natural disasters such as wildfires.
Hong
Kong Hospitals Get New Tool For The Fight
Against S.A.R.S.
Thursday October
16, 9:44 am ET
Specialized Air
Cleaners to Be Used to Take (S.A.R.S.) Virus
Out of the Air
Santa
Fe Springs, Calif., Oct. 16 2003 -- IQAir
North America announced today that the Hong
Kong Hospital Authority (HKHA) has selected
IQAir's advanced air filtration systems
as a new tool for combating the SARS virus.
According to the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) the most effective strategy in preventing
another major SARS outbreak will be finding
ways to limit transmission of the disease.
The HKHA's selection of IQAir marks the
first time specialized room air cleaners
will be used as a control measure against
SARS.
Much like the common flu,
SARS is spread by close contact. When a
person with SARS coughs or sneezes, or even
during normal breathing, they contaminate
the surrounding air with tiny droplets of
infected matter. Breathing the contaminated
air can then infect someone in close proximity
of the infected person. According to the
CDC, "It is possible that SARS can
also spread more broadly through the air."
Since there is no specific antiviral treatment
for SARS, the most effective strategy is
containment. While it is the WHO's first
objective to prevent the international spread
of this deadly disease, local health care
institutions have begun looking for infection
control measures that will help prevent
further infections inside the hospitals
themselves.
The HKHA currently manages
43 public hospitals, 47 specialist outpatient
clinics and 13 general outpatient clinics
in Hong Kong. The region was one of the
worst affected areas in last winter's SARS
epidemic with 1755 reported SARS cases (376
of which concerned healthcare workers),
resulting in a total of 300 deaths.
"Nearly one fourth of
all SARS infections in last winter's epidemic
involved healthcare workers," said
Robert Wiltbank, Vice President of Medical
Air Solutions, a company that advises hospitals
on infection control measures. "The
risk of the disease being transmitted to
other patients or healthcare workers is
a major worldwide concern."
The HKHA focused on special
engineering controls as part of their strategy
in the fight against SARS. In order to find
the most effective and reliable solution
the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department
(EMSD) of the Hong Kong Government performed
rigorous tests on induct HVAC systems and
room air cleaners. With the help of sophisticated
laser particle counters that record the
number of particles in the air, even those
down below the size of a virus, the EMSD
tested the actual filtration efficiency
of numerous air filtration systems. After
weeks of testing and the installation of
several trial systems the HKHA finally chose
IQAir as the only room air cleaner for SARS
patients' rooms.
In the event that SARS is
suspected in a patient, the HKHA will place
a self contained mobile air cleaning system
next to the patient's bed in Hong Kong hospitals.
A flexible suction arm attached to the machine
will be positioned near the patient's face
to capture airborne droplets that are expelled
by coughing and sneezing. The contaminated
air is then drawn into the system and filtered
in a 4-stage filtration process. At the
final filtration stage the air cleaning
system will remove even the tiniest airborne
particulates, including the SARS virus,
from the air. As a result the risk of infection
within the patient's room can be greatly
reduced, thus providing a safer working
environment for healthcare personnel and
reducing the possibility of spreading of
the disease.
"This is true prevention,"
says Frank Hammes, President of IQAir North
America. "Hong Kong is breaking new
ground in infection control."
IQAir North America, Inc.
is a member of the Swiss-based IQAir Group
that develops, manufactures and markets
innovative air quality products for indoor
environments. Hospitals and other critical
environments use IQAir products worldwide.
They also manufacture home air cleaning
units for allergy and asthma sufferers and
individuals with chemical sensitivities.
IQAir is a registered
trademark of the IQAir Group.
What
is the difference between Envirosept furnace
filters and the normal hardware furnace filters?
Envirosept
electronic air filters are a replacement
for the normal disposable 1" thick
filter that is usually found in heating
and air conditioning ducting. This is the
best replacement air filter for the furnace
that we sell and is why we give it a 5-star
rating. It has a 5 year warranty (2 years
total; but in the last 3 years the customer
pays freight in both directions).
This filter opens like a 3-page
book with the center being a metal grid
and a filter pad on each side of the grid.
The filter frame plugs into a regular 110
volt socket and has a built in transformer
to bring the internal grid voltage down
to 24 volts. The cord length is 6 feet and
an extension cord can be used. The filter
comes with 12 disposable filter pads.
Additional filters pads can
be bought in a package of 12. They are ordered
according to the size of the filter unit,
but, of course, will actually measure less
than the unit so that they can fit inside
the frame and allow the frame to close.
The unit holds 2 filters, 1 on each side
of the electronic grid. The customer needs
to determine when the filters need to be
changed by visual monthly inspection. When
one of them looks quite dirty, it is time
to change them (usually every month or so).
One of the filters will be
much dirtier than the other because the
air goes through that filter first and deposits
most of the dirt. That filter gets thrown
out, and the cleaner filter (if the customer
feels is not too dirty) should be taken
outside and shaken gently to remove some
of the larger particles. It then gets put
in the first location and a new one placed
in the second location.
During pollen season (fall
and spring), it might be better if both
filters were replaced at the same time.
And if there are smokers in the house, both
filters should be changed together.
Airfree Air Sterilizer Review Update Of
This Air Purifier
We
take another look at this innovative air
purifier. Find out when it is best to use
it and when other approaches to allergen
removal could be better.
By Bob Cobe
Allergy BuyersClub.com Staff
General Comments
An AirFree purifier
incinerates particles using heat up to
400 degrees F
The top of the Airfree
gets hot. However, only the top gets warm,
not the sides
It is hot enough
so that you might pull your hand away,
but not hot enough to
burn (you can use it as a hand warmer
in cold weather)
The AirFree purifier
only adds heat to the room equivalent
to extra adult present.
It has no filters
to change or replace
Each Airfree purifier
has a recommended coverage area of 250
sq ft (assuming an 8 ft ceiling). This
is a small area.
The AirFree purifier
has no fan and uses air currents in the
room to bring the particles to it (adding
a fan does not work well)
The AirFree purifier
takes up to 3 weeks to “purify”
a room assuming a low recontamination
rate.
An Airfree purifier
stays on constantly and uses about the
same as a 40 watt light bulb [46 watts]
It is best used on
the floor since particles have weight
and will tend to drift
lower to floor level.
An AirFree purifier
can be used with doors open, but would
be better if they were closed to reduce
recontamination and space restrictions.
It can be used in
air conditioned environments, but it is
best to keep it away from intakes or exhausts
The AirFree purifier
can be used in a closet if space is greater
than 7’x7’x 8’
Effectiveness level
of Different Allergens
Mold:
Excellent
Bacteria and viruses:
Excellent
Dust Mites
and their feces:
Excellent
Pollen:
Fair, because pollen is heavy and
will probably land on the floor or furniture
first
Pet Dander:
Poor if pets are still around because
the dander is so light weight it will
float for long periods of time and live
animals will move from room to room.
Good if pets are no longer present.
Will take many weeks before the room
will be dander free.
Dust:
Fair to Poor, because dust has weight,
large particles won’t fit in the
machine, and it depends on what makes
up this dust.
Organic odors:
Fair to Poor (marginal, depends on odor…
just OK for cigarette smoke)
Summary:
This is a very good air purifier
for mold, dust mites, bacteria, and viruses.
It does not do so well on dust, pollen,
or on going pet dander. Best used in rooms
up to 250 ft sq (more units can be added,
if room is larger) with little activity
and air motion (basement, library, bedroom).
It has no filters to change.
It is limited, however, in
area coverage and in the removal of dust
and pollen.
After
buying the Austin Air Hega Jr. air purifier
for our travel trailer to prevent/eliminate
outside campfire smoke from our RV we recently
read our new issue of Consumer's Reports
that appears to give your unit a low rating!
What gives? No spin please--please respond
in detail.
Jim R
Reply By David
Barnaby [editor’s note- We call David
‘the professor’]
Hi Jim,
The poor scores on the Austin
Air Healthmate air purifier are not completely
warranted and did not refer to the HEGA
model.
As you know we give it a three
star rating, which is good but not perfect.
The three [as opposed to five
star] is because the Austin is economically
priced, easy to maintain, inexpensive regarding
filter changes, and does provide a satisfactory
cleaning of the air.
I am familiar with the CADR
test performed by Consumer Reports and it
does have some shortcomings based on the
fact it does not mimic real life. The test
by Consumer Reports introduces a pollutant
into a chamber intermittently, and then
turning on the air cleaner and measuring
how many particulates are removed from the
air.
The problem with conducting
the test in this way is the introduction
of the pollutants is not continuous, which
is not representative of a real life environment.
Also, there will be some reduction
in the air born particulates without even
turning an air cleaner on because some of
the particulates will settle out of the
air.
This test does not measure
the performance at removing gases and odors,
which in your Austin Air HEGA is one of
its best features.
The values achieved in the
test by Consumer Reports are more indicative
of the performance you can expect during
the first 72 hours. However, most air cleaning
systems are used for 5000 hours before the
filters are replaced. The performance during
this span will be drastically lower and
will depend more on the construction of
the air cleaner and the air cleaning technology.
A more conclusive test for
measuring the effectiveness of an air cleaner
is to perform a particle count efficiency
test by using a laser diode particle counter.
The way it works is the room
particle count is measured, which is indicative
of the condition of the air going into the
air cleaner. The particle count is then
taken at the outlet of the machine after
the air has passed through the filters.
This will tell you how much of the particulates
are really being removed by the unit.
Next, if you know the amount
of air that flows out of the air cleaner
you can determine the CADR (Clean Air Delivery
Rate ) by multiplying the efficiency by
the airflow. This is a much better way of
measuring the performance of the air cleaner
because this tells you accurately how much
clean air the machine will deliver each
minute. This information along with the
number of air changes achieved in an hour
will enable you to determine the correct
size unit for your room.
For example, let's say the
air going into your air cleaner is 1,000,000
particles per CFM (cubic feet per minute)
of air. Next, we measure the particles coming
out to be 300 particles. Our efficiency
is then 1 minus 300 divided by 1,000,000
times 100 which will give you 99.97. This
means the unit will remove 99.97% of all
particulates 0.3 of a micron and larger.
Now, lets say the unit outflows 200 CFM
of air. Your CADR will be 200 times 99.97%
giving you 199.9 cubic feet of clean air
every minute.
Your Austin
air cleaner is an example of mechanical
filtration while the Friedrich
is an electrostatic precipitator. With the
Friedrich you will start out with a high
efficiency of filtration but over time as
the metal collection plates become covered
with particulates its ability to attract
the oppositely charged particles will begin
to decrease, resulting in a reduction of
its efficiency. Therefore, it is imperative
you clean the metal collection plates regularly
depending on how dirty your air is. The
problem is the unit does not tell you when
they are dirty so you need to periodically
open the unit and inspect them. Also, the
level of your pollutants will vary depending
on how much activity is occurring in your
home and the air quality outside, which
is constantly changing.
With the Austin, you start
out at certain efficiency and you will maintain
this efficiency over the life of the filter.
In fact, your efficiency will actually increase
as the Hepa filter surface area collects
the particulates. The reason you need to
change the Hepa filter is because the filter
is so fine it creates a great deal of resistance
for the air to flow through it. If you do
not change it after it is completely clogged
with particulates, the pressure drop would
become so great the airflow will be reduced
along with the clean air delivered by the
unit.
We have conducted informal
efficiency tests on the Austin Health mate
and the Friedrich air cleaners. However,
keep in mind we did not go back and test
the Friedrich after running the unit for
some time. On the other hand, we tested
the Austin before and after changing the
filters.
The results were the following:
The Friedrich
had a particle removal efficiency of 95.6%
on low, 85.7% on medium, and 68.3% on
high. Its average efficiency, therefore,
was 82.6%. Keep in mind, these results
were with completely clean collection
plates.
The Austin's
results with new filters were 86.6% on
low, 79.7% on medium, and 63.3% on high.
Its average efficiency, therefore, was
76.5%.
When we measured the Austin
before changing to the new filters, the
results with the old filters were as expected
higher. They were 87.5% on low fan speed
, 82.0% on medium, and 66.4% on high. So,
as you can see the Austin's efficiency did
not decrease over time as the filters became
dirty but in actuality increased slightly.
Finally, the Consumer Reports
does not measure the gas and odor performance,
and this much of the time is the main reason
a customer purchases an air cleaner. In
your case, you purchased the Austin
Air Plus Super Blend, which has carbon
and zeolite to physically remove the heavier
molecular weight gas molecules like VOCs
and potassium iodide to chemically remove
the lower molecular weight gas molecules
such as formaldehyde. Your gas filter contains
15 pounds of this blend so it is able to
address a large amount of gases and odors.
The Friedrich has a similar
filter but as the final post filter. Again,
it has no gas and odor removal to speak
of.
In conclusion, although the
Austin
did not fare well in Consumer Reports, you
can see there are many other variables to
address and one person's method of testing
may not always be entirely conclusive.
If you have anymore questions
regarding this please feel free to reply
in email or call.
Austin Health Mate Customer Query As
To Whether Her Air Purifier Is Working
Answers
by David Barnaby, AllergyBuyersClub.com
staff
Customer Email Subject:
Austin Healthmate Plus Recent Purchase
I
purchased and received approx. 3 months
ago the Austin Healthmate Plus air purifier.
As you know, there is no direct way of knowing
the effectiveness of this particular brand
because of the way they report their measurements.
(I don't remember the details now, but there
are standard units for determining effectiveness
yet Austin does not provide their product
information in these units).
Within the last 3 days I have
become concerned that the Austin Healthmate
Plus may not be doing the job that it promises.
This is what happened: I was cooking something
and fell asleep and was awakened by the
smoke detectors. My small apt. (700 sq.
ft) was filled with smoke. I opened all
windows, ran the air cleaner etc.
Now 3 days later the odor
of smoke is less apparent, but the air stream
exiting the air purifier smells of smoke.
I'm quite concerned that the unit somehow
retained the smoke inside or the smoke particular
got trapped in the filter.
I'm rather concerned -- after
the considerable expense -- that the unit
has been rendered useless or even dangerous
to breathing.
I would appreciate a response
at your earliest convenience.
Best regards,
Barbara H
AllergyBuyersClub.com Answer
Dear Barbara,
Evidently, what has happened
to your air cleaner is the gas filter has
adsorbed all of the smoke particles plus
any of the gases and odors in the smoke
resulting in it becoming saturated prematurely.
Keep in mind, Austin Air says
the warranty on the carbon filters for the
Healthmate and Healthmate plus is voided
if the customer uses them for removing smoke.
In these two models the air
first passes through the pre-filter, which
is not as efficient as say the IQAir's
pre-filter, so none of the smoke particles
are removed by this filter. Next, the air
passes through the carbon and zeolite filter
where the millions of smoke particles, which
are anywhere from 1 micron in size to as
small as 0.01 of a micron, pass into the
many micro pores of the activated carbon.
What happens then are these pores become
basically used up pre-maturely not able
to remove any more gases and odors. Therefore,
if this filter is not replaced, it will
begin to outgas what it has adsorbed. This
is what you smell.
The Austin
HEGA is more suitably designed for smoke
principally due to the fact the HEPA and
Gas filters are reversed. After the air
passes through the pre-filter, it passes
through the HEPA filter where the microscopic
smoke particulates can be removed. From
there the gases, chemicals, and odors remaining
in the air can be removed by the micro pores
of the activated carbon, which in this instance
have not been filled by the smoke particles.
These pores are able to do what they were
designed to do which is remove the gases
from the air. This is the unit that Austin
will stand behind regarding the warranty
on the filter life if used in a smoke environment.
[email continues with
economic solution for customer]
How The Abuse Of Antibiotics
Affects You, Your Children And Their Children Sinusitis Sufferers
Take Note
By Murray Grossan MD
We
all know about the problem of 2nd hand cigarette
smoke. Now there’s a new problem I
call 2nd hand infection resistance.
Increasingly I see patients
who have just finished a complete course
of the “best” antibiotic. However,
they come to me because they are still sick
or worse.
Why bugs are getting
resistant.
This is because of how popular
it has been to instantly prescribe antibiotics
for Everything. Easy for the doctor, easy
for the patient, great for the drug companies.
Drug resistant bacteria are on the rise.
Infections like tonsillitis, sinusitis,
ear infections – no longer clear with
a shot of penicillin.
Everyday, we learn about drugs
with few side effects that worked yesterday,
no longer work for an infection. This affects
you personally! It is your friend who pops
a few pills with every sniffle that is causing
the growth of drug resistant bacteria that
can land your child in intensive care.
Why drug resistance
is increasing.
Antibiotics are wonderful.
But if you don’t take a full dose,
the bacteria develop a resistance to that
drug and drugs of the same class. If you
stop your antibiotic halfway through, as
the antibiotic drops below the killing dose,
then the bacteria that survive can develop
resistance. The worst is taking one or two
pills and stopping . Then ALL the remaining
bacteria can become resistant.
Overuse of a drug is a major
factor. When a patient is seen, it only
takes 5 minutes to write a prescription.
But it may take 1/2 hour or longer for the
doctor to try to convince the patient not
to take an antibiotic and even then he may
fail. Many doctors give up and write the
prescription, even though it’s not
going to help.
Drug vs. placebo
Worse, articles in the Archives
of Internal Medicine and Lancet show that
the patients have the same sinus result
after the antibiotic as with the placebo!
Except they don’t get stomach upset
or vaginal thrush with the placebo!
These problems affect
you personally.
The drug resistance is different
from one city to the next even in the same
state. A drug that is effective in Detroit
may be ineffective against the same bug
in Chicago. This is why doctors must take
cultures to see which drug – if any
– work.
The doctors are worried.
Every week I get a report
from my hospital that my favorite drug no
longer works. This is truly frightening.
In practice, I belong to the drug of the
month club – I use what the hospital
reports works – this month.
What can you do to help stop
this menace?
Antibodies not Antibiotics!
The very latest medical research
is showing that for common infections like
sore throat sinus, etc., and common sense
things like rest, nasal irrigation, adequate
liquids, chicken soup and tea, may be more
effective than an antibiotic. Encourage
your friends to accept a doctor’s
recommendation for non -antibiotic treatment.
Discourage them from insisting on antibiotics
for each sniffle. Learn about the serious
side effects of antibiotics and tell your
friends.
This is one reason I am never
the first kid on the block to try the latest
miracle antibiotic. I wait a while till
the side effects become known.
Remember the greatest “antibiotic”
of all is still chicken soup and hot tea
with lemon! Also, drink enough liquids so
that your bugs are diluted. If you are sick
and coughing you should drink enough to
turn your urine light.
Set an example.
By your own example of only
taking antibiotics when you need them, by
finishing all of the prescription, by advising
your friends to finish their prescription,
you can make a real difference right in
your own back yard!
Healthy living.
Of course you get sick when
you never exercise, eat only junk, smoke
and feel depressed all day. Set an example
of eating right and living right. Your example
can make a difference.
Drug free advice.
Tell your friends about drug
free methods. They can find lots of recommendations
for drug free treatment at www.ent-consult.com
and www.grossan.com.
You are welcome to copy this material and
spread it around. Then next time your friend
has a sniffle she will drink hot tea and
skip the antibiotic.
Don’t forget
Tai Chi.
Yoga, Tai Chi, all these forms
of exercise can help you fight illness and
avoid antibiotics. I personally learned
about sinus relief through pulsatile irrigation
from the Yoga teacher Indra Devi. She lived
to 101 without ever getting a sinus infection
based on this 3,000 year old practice. My
Hydro Pulse nasal / sinus irrigator is essentially
this method brought up to date.
By your effort we can correct
the overuse and abuse of antibiotics, and
this could save the life of someone you
love.
Help stop the overuse of antibiotics.
You could save the life of someone you love.
Because of the overuse and
abuse of antibiotics, there are more and
more drug resistant bacteria showing up
daily. Each neighbor that takes an antibiotic
any time they have a sniffle helps make
these bugs more resistant. This happens
right in your town when your friends abuse
antibiotics.
You have learned several drug
free methods to handle common nose and throat
conditions. Please copy these suggestions
and tell your friends about them. Have them
check our websites too – http://www.hydromedonline.com/.
Then next time they have a sniffle they
will take hot tea instead of the antibiotic
and we will have fewer drug resistant bacteria
in your town.
Once upon a time when
your child was sick, a week of penicillin
was all it took. Today it may take weeks
or even hospitalization for the same bug
which is now antibiotic resistant! By setting
an example yourself and showing your friends,
maybe we can return to “the old days”
when a shot of penicillin was a cure!
Emotional Style And
Susceptibility To The Common Cold
By Murray Grossan MD
Dr
Sheldon Cohen of the Carnegie Mellon University
published a study in Psychosomatic Medicine
that studies the reaction of persons with
positive emotions versus those with negative
emotions when exposed to the common cold
virus.
Titled, “Emotional
Style and Susceptibility to the Common Cold”,
his article details how otherwise healthy
adults were graded as to cheerfulness, happy,
relaxation. The cold virus was introduced
via nasal spray. What he reported in the
July/August issue of Psychosomatic Medicine
was a correlation between resistance to
the cold virus and the degree of relaxation,
cheerfulness, and being just plain happy.
It has long been known that
depression lowers one’s immune factor.
A physician is much more likely to order
chest x ray and other studies when a patient
has a simple cough if the person is recently
bereaved or otherwise depressed.
In "The Sinus Cure"
by Debra Bruce and Murray Grossan, MD, one
of the seven steps to prevent and cure sinusitis
is devoted to the use of stress reduction
methods for sinusitis and allergy.
The authors point out that
you can’t wave a magic wand and make
a person cheerful and happy. But the body
can be helped by the easy methods detailed
in step 6 of The Sinus Cure.
Exercise, especially Tai
Chi, can balance the body’s stress
hormones.
Music that is cheerful
such as Sound of Music or An a Clear Day
constantly on in the background helps.
Guided imagery. Take a
mental trip to a happy time or follow
some of the “trips” in the
book. Recall with all five senses when
you were happy.
Deep muscle relaxation
will often restore the good balance between
healing and stress chemicals.
Using a mirror to learn
to keep frown muscles relaxed is recommended.
Correct breathing is another
sure fire way recommended for 3,000 years.
Social support is most
important too.
After reading Dr Cohen’s
study, the conclusion must be that to
prevent a common cold – Smile!
Wood
rot is evident in many home construction
materials, the repairs for which constitute
10 percent of wood production sales. While
many blame termites for such damage, no
evidence supports this. Termites leave visible
signs of their presence, deteriorating wood
as they tunnel within and eat it. Sawdust
particles are telltale signs of their encampment.
Wood rot, on the contrary, is caused by
undue exposure of untreated wood to moisture.
Consequently, prevention constitutes both
avoiding such exposure and employing a prevention
and treatment program where rot already
exists. Wood with 20 percent moisture content
and green lumber remain at risk.
Two types of rot trouble homeowners.
The first is white and yellow with a stringy
and spongy look. The other is brown and
crumbly in appearance, and a tendency to
break into cubes has earned it the nickname
"brown cubical rot." These visible
manifestations of wood rot are called "fruiting
bodies." About 3 inches in diameter,
these crusts or brackets are evidence that
the particular decay fungi is present within
the wood. Serpula lacrimans, Poria incrassata
and Gleophyllum trabeum each have singular
fruiting-body appearances. Fruiting bodies
produce spores, which spread the decay fungus
throughout the wood.
Decay fungi are living organisms
that send hyphae through damp wood, taking
food from the wood to grow, and thereby
decomposing it. Even dry wood may become
infected when placed near moisture. Water
is transferred to decay by way of strands
(rhizomorphs) of decay fungi. These strands
are sometimes up to 30 feet in length. Serpula
lacrimans has been known to transport water
up three stories to the site of decay; however,
most fungi need direct water at the decay
site. Consequently, "dry rot"
is a misleading and erroneous term.
To prevent wood rot, use treated
wood or the heartwood of a decay-resistant
species. Pacific yew, juniper, redwood,
bald cypress, western red cedar or hardwoods
like osage orange, black locust, red mulberry,
catalpa or black walnut are all good choices.
Build on a well-drained site and allow for
cross-ventilation under buildings. Often,
poorly vented crawlspaces develop wood rot
as moisture from the soil penetrates the
floor joists. Additionally, a vapor barrier
on the soil assures that any moisture escaping
the soil will be reabsorbed by the soil
rather than the wood. Asphalt roofing paper
or polyethylene sheets provide adequate
protection.
To repair damaged wood, first
find and remove the source of moisture.
Wood will dry and decay will stop. Remodel
and improve ventilation and drainage issues
before replacing wood. Then cut one foot
beyond the rotten wood, never placing new
lumber on decay. Treat replacement lumber
with chemical products. In lieu of replacing
wood, remedially treat wood by permeating
affected areas with chemical solutions.
Diligent treatment of affected wood will
protect the structural integrity of the
home and prevent further damage. For more
info, see http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3300.html
Reprinted with permission
from an abstract from Ohio State University
Extension Fact Sheet, that was printed in
the Aug/Sept. 2003 issue of the American
Indoor Air Quality Council Newsletter.
Water
intrusions and moisture in buildings can
cause a variety of problems ranging from
simple but unsightly wall discoloration
to more serious problems such as microbial
growth. There are a wide range of sources
that can cause moisture problems in a building
and the type of problem determines the sort
of repair work necessary. Therefore, it
is important to understand the root cause
of the moisture problem before costly repairs
are undertaken.
Excess moisture can
occur for a variety of reasons. Two possible
causes are rising and penetrating moisture.
Rising moisture occurs when water from the
ground seeps into the foundation of a building
and rises vertically up through porous building
material such as brick or stone. This usually
happens due to lack of a waterproofed foundation
or damage to the building’s moisture-course.
A moisture-course is an impermeable, waterproof
material laid on the foundation just above
ground to prevent moisture from traveling
up the walls of a building.
As rising moisture describes
the vertical movement of moisture, penetrating
moisture describes the lateral movement
of moisture and dampness. Penetrating moisture
can occur both underground and above ground.
Underground penetration occurs when moisture
from the ground infiltrates the walls of
an underground room. This type of moisture
usually occurs in basements or cellars.
Above ground penetrating moisture is usually
caused by structural defects or poor building
maintenance. This type of moisture often
occurs in wall and ceiling cavities and
can be caused by maintenance and building
issues such as a leaky roof or dripping
pipes. All of these different sources of
moisture intrusion can lead to issues with
Indoor Air Quality.
Some indications of building
moisture problems include decorative damage,
such as peeling paint, bubbling wall paper,
and general discoloration, however, these
simple and unattractive signs can indicate
much more serious and unseen problems. With
any type of excess moisture there is an
increased risk of structural damage, dry
rot, and especially microbial contamination
such as mold. Whenever there has been dampness
or excess moisture in a building for more
than 24 hours, there is an increased risk
of microbial contamination. Hidden mold
contamination in walls and building foundations
can cause not only costly damage but have
possible health effects as well.
Probiotics have long
been a common folk remedy for various intestinal
ailments. Now these microscopic organisms
are under the research microscope to determine
if they actually work and why. Although
the exact manner in which probiotics work
is not entirely clear, these helpful bacteria
are believed to help keep naturally occurring
intestinal bacteria in balance. Probiotics
are naturally found in dairy foods such
as yogurt, milk, and cheese but are also
available in health food stores as supplements.
Probiotics are currently used to help treat
patients suffering from inflammatory bowel
disease. However, probiotics only exist
in the intestines for a short time after
consumption, and so supplements must continually
be taken in order to experience any long-term
benefits.
Long before man discovered
how to farm, some ants were already growing
and harvesting their food. Leaf cutting
ants lack the digestive system necessary
to process the cellulose structure of leaves,
so these industrious ants build underground
fungus gardens where the fungus Escovopsis
digests the leaves for them. The ants, in
turn, feed on the spores of the fungus as
their food source. This symbiotic relationship
works ideally for the ants and fungus. The
fungus is guaranteed life without competing
fungus since the ants clear the leaves of
any competing fungi or bacteria, and the
ants have a convenient and self-replenishing
food source. Leaf cutting ants are native
to Central and South America, but can also
be found in the southern U.S. in Arizona,
Texas, and southern Louisiana.
Barium is a naturally
occurring, flammable, silver, metal powder.
Usually found in the environment as a compound
with carbon, oxygen or sulfur, barium compounds
are also manufactured for industrial use.
Barium compounds are used in the production
of various materials including bricks, tiles,
glass, rubber, paint, and are used for some
medical procedures. Depending upon the compound
and level, symptoms of barium exposure can
range from respiratory difficulties and
eyes, nose, throat, lungs or stomach irritations
to brain swelling, organ damage, paralysis,
and even death. OSHA and NIOSH have set
an occupational exposure limit of 0.5 milligrams
of soluble barium compounds per cubic meter
of air. Additional limits may also exist
depending upon the specific compound and
matrices.
Benzene is a colorless, highly
explosive, liquid that is regularly used
in the production of rubber, plastics, pesticides,
gasoline, and various other products. It
can be found naturally occurring, but most
benzene in the environment is the result
of manufacturing contamination. It commonly
enters the environment through a variety
of means including car exhaust, industrial
pollution, spills, and forest fires. Exposure
to benzene usually occurs through workplace
inhalation at manufacturing plants. Immediate
effects of acute benzene exposure may include
shakiness, vomiting, headaches, and loss
of consciousness. The ACGIH has designated
benzene as a carcinogen and long-term exposure
is known to cause leukemia and central nervous
system problems. OSHA and NIOSH have both
set exposure limits for workplace exposure.
OSHA has set up a PEL (Permissible Exposure
Limit) of 3.2 mg/m3. NIOSH has a REL (Recommended
Exposure Limit) of 0.32 mg/m3.
See the AllergyBuyersClub.com Mold
Solution Buyers Guide for other ways
to help reduce humidity and prevent mold
problems in the home or office.
It
may surprise some of you to
know that when I founded my
company it had little to do
with selling products, but
had everything to do with
educating people on how to
create a healthy home and
allergen-free environment
for both themselves and their
families. My own personal
experiences taught me that
paying attention to my home
environment and the products
I used made all the difference
to my health. AllergyBuyersClub.com
sells products in order for
us to make a living, but we
never lose sight of the fact
that these are products which
we believe will have a positive
impact on your health.
We
all know about the problem of 2nd hand cigarette
smoke. Now there’s a new problem I
call 2nd hand infection resistance. 
Dr
Sheldon Cohen of the Carnegie Mellon University
published a study in Psychosomatic Medicine
that studies the reaction of persons with
positive emotions versus those with negative
emotions when exposed to the common cold
virus.
Wood
rot is evident in many home construction
materials, the repairs for which constitute
10 percent of wood production sales. While
many blame termites for such damage, no
evidence supports this. Termites leave visible
signs of their presence, deteriorating wood
as they tunnel within and eat it. Sawdust
particles are telltale signs of their encampment.
Wood rot, on the contrary, is caused by
undue exposure of untreated wood to moisture.
Consequently, prevention constitutes both
avoiding such exposure and employing a prevention
and treatment program where rot already
exists. Wood with 20 percent moisture content
and green lumber remain at risk. 
Water
intrusions and moisture in buildings can
cause a variety of problems ranging from
simple but unsightly wall discoloration
to more serious problems such as microbial
growth. There are a wide range of sources
that can cause moisture problems in a building
and the type of problem determines the sort
of repair work necessary. Therefore, it
is important to understand the root cause
of the moisture problem before costly repairs
are undertaken. 
=
poor 
=
fair 
=
good 
=
very good 
= excellent
