Germ Management in the Home

One aspect of health care people often overlook is closer to home than they may think. You get sick. You get over it. You get it back. What happened? Germs happened. Here are some great tips to germ management in your home in addition to frequent hand washing.

Use EPA Qualified Disinfectants

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) does not recommend using any product that claims to kill germs that are not registered with them. Look at the product’s label to make sure it has an EPA registration number on it.

Keep in mind some products kill only bacteria, some do not claim to kill any germs, and some will kill a whole slew of common viruses in addition to bacteria. Fantastick is a great product because it kills 99.9% of common germs in 10 seconds whereas most comparable products require the product to sit for up to 10 minutes. In the bathroom, Scrubbing Bubbles will kill quite a bit of bathroom infamous germs in a minute. Lysol disinfectant spray will kill the bulk of your viruses including H1N1 and Rota virus, but requires a sitting time to do so.

Where to Aim

Disinfect commonly touched areas such as door knobs, handles, cabinets, refrigerator handle, etc. Most stomach flu viruses are transmitted from germs coming from fecal matter and vomit, so be sure to disinfect toilet areas and any place someone might have had an accident such as an adult heaving in the sink or a baby diaper being changed on the floor. In addition, commonly used items that often carry loads of germs include remote controls, purses, wallets, and cell phones. The kitchen is also a place where illness can be avoided with proper disinfection of areas that handle raw meat and vegetables.

Consider the Germ

Germs love to live in moist, warm places. Create an environment germs hate. For instance, keep the bathroom door open after showers so the bathroom dries out quicker.

Filed Under: General, Health Tagged With: , ,

General Benefits of Tai Chi

Tai Chi offers two purposes in this day and age. One is the martial art quality, and the other is the health quality.

Martial Arts Benefits

Practice makes perfect, and Tai Chi takes martial arts moves and slows it down into a repetitive dance to help classically condition the mind to react to certain fighting situations defensively with a pre-determined response.

In addition to the martial art, you are learning about a way of life with The Tao, The Way. The Tao philosophy is go with the flow, no force, circular approach to life, and it’s in sync with the natural laws of Mother Earth. The Tao believes in contentment of what you have with a strong emphasis on the present. Walk lightly is the Tao’s secret to long life. Catherine Kerr, a professor at Harvard Medical School who practices Tai Chi says, “Doing Tai Chi makes me feel lighter on my feet.”

Health Benefits

The current studies are at that phase where they realize Tai Chi may have many positive effects on people’s overall health, but there isn’t enough evidence just yet to make it a sure thing. The problem is most studies approach ideas from a clinical trial standpoint, but Tai Chi has so many other variables that a more creative approach will be required.  Some studies have shown evidence that Tai Chi can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, improve sleep, reduce chronic pain, increase balance and flexibility, and help reduce falls for the elderly.

Some good resources on the Tao to enhance your Tai Chi experience include:

The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu/Tse—a very ancient, poetic description of the Tao

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff –a modern description of the Tao in a very easy to read format

Twin Warriors starring Jet Li (movie)—a fiction story showing the Tao as a healer, a martial art, and a way of life and how they all go hand in hand.

Filed Under: General, Health Tagged With: , , , , ,

What Stuff Are You Holding Onto?

MANDATORY CREDIT PHOTO BY DAVE M. BENETT/GETTY...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The best definition of “stuff” is all those things we have that we don’t really need and can live without. We’ve all got at least one closet that’s full of stuff. Maybe it’s even a complete room of stuff. At one point there was a purpose to the stuff, but now as you look it over you can’t imagine why you ever brought this stuff into your home. You could have a yard sale to try and sell your stuff. That way you get money and your stuff becomes somebody else’s stuff. One sure-fire way of getting rid of stuff is to move. This doesn’t mean you’re running away from your stuff; you’re just giving yourself a new start.

A move to a new home or apartment is a great way to start fresh. This could be a move to a new city or just a new neighborhood. As you prepare to pack up your stuff, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to clear out the clutter of your life. Do you really want to bring a load of old stuff with you to your new place? As you get ready for your move by sorting through your stuff it will become abundantly clear just how big a truck you’re going to need. Moving companies are trained to take a look at your stuff and know just how much it will cost.

Obviously, you shouldn’t hire the first company that provides a free estimate. Guess what? They all offer free estimates! Putting together a list of moving quotes is the best method for getting a complete picture of your move. Once you settle on the movers, you have two choices: leave stuff behind or toss it out. Either way the goal is to come into your new space with plenty of room for new stuff!

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: General Tagged With: , ,