Source: Bridgman
The Latest
by Dr. Jay Lipoff
When the mercury rises, many of us are possessed with the urge to get outdoors and prepare the garden beds, do yard cleanup, and maybe plant a new tree or shrub. We may even try to do all of this in one weekend! Come Sunday night, we’re apt to be bent over with back pain and a stiff neck.
It doesn’t have to be that way if you’re smart. Here are some techniques that can save your spine while performing these four common backyard chores.
Raking and Hoeing.
Raking is a one-sided chore because you tend to turn to one side and predominantly use one arm. Try to engage both sides of your body when performing the motion. Hoeing also puts more strain on one arm and hand. With both raking and hoeing, switch sides every few minutes, even though it will feel awkward. If you’re working a large area, give yourself a break every 20 minutes with a rest, a glass of lemonade, or switch to a different type of activity. Always walk to where you need to be–don’t reach with the hoe or rake, which will cause more stress to the muscles of your lower back and could lead to a whole bunch of other problems.
Digging and Shoveling.
Whether you’re digging a hole or shoveling compost into your wheelbarrow, the key to avoiding back injury is to take it slowly and don’t overload the shovel. Wear heavy-duty boots so you can step down hard onto the shovel, letting your body weight do much of the work. Bend your knees when lifting the shovel so those big muscles in your legs and buttocks are doing the heavy lifting, and you’re not bent over, straining your back. If you have to shovel something heavy, such as gravel, use your thigh as a fulcrum (think of the shovel as a seesaw) by placing the handle of the shovel onto it about three quarters of the way down. Now all you have to do is push down on the handle to lift up that heavy gravel. (more…)
Pleated Filters from Quality Filters, Inc.
By Jim Gates, CAFS
There are many benefits to conserving energy, and everyone should do their part to conserve energy where they can. Conserving energy at home is good for the planet and can dramatically lower the costs of utilities and expenses.
Four Ideas for Home Energy Conservation
Here are four easy ways to conserve energy at home simply by changing your habits or making minor repairs.
1. Fix Drafty Areas of the Home
Drafts around doors and windows can cause a number of issues for a home that can increase energy usage. Drafts let out warm air in the winter and cool air in the summer, increasing the costs of controlling the temperature within the home. Drafts can also let in pollen and air pollutants from outdoors. Any drafty areas should be sealed or insulated to restrict the flow of air between the indoors and the outdoors, reducing the amount of energy lost through leakage.
2. Unplug Electronics When Not In Use
Many electronics continue to use energy as long as they are plugged into a socket, even if they are turned off. To reduce energy consumption, these devices should be unplugged when they are not being used and should remain unplugged until they are needed again. (more…)
Are you employees as healthy as they could be? Diet plays a major role in health and wellness.
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Via: MSI
Are you wondering if the benefits of giving up your smoking habit are really worth it? The answer to that question is a resounding yes! If you can successfully give up smoking, you’ll enjoy a number of health and financial benefits. You may even find that giving up this nasty habit has a positive impact on your social life.
Expectations After You Quit Smoking
A few of the many benefits associated with a successful effort to stop smoking include:
- Reduced risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, cancer and other conditions
- Financial savings associated with cutting the cost of buying cigarettes out of your budget
- Possibility of saving money on health insurance premiums and life insurance premiums
- Eligibility for employment opportunities with companies that promote a smoke-free working environment
- Peace of mind associated with cessation of nicotine cravings
- Positive reinforcement from friends and family members who are pleased with your decision
- Positive impact on self esteem associated with your ability to break the hold of nicotine addiction in your own life
- No social acceptance problems related to being looked down on or scorned by those who are bothered by the smell of cigarette smoke
- No more being responsible for exposing friends and loved ones to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke
These are just a few of the many positive effects you may bring into your life when you make a commitment to stop smoking. Isn’t it time for you to make a powerful, positive decision like this? Why wait? Give up smoking today.
Guest post from: Bruno Smith
I am a pharmaceutical rep, so I am on the road most of the day visiting doctors. When I got clear 4g internet I never thought I would use it as much as I do. I have always carried around my computer with me because I am on the road for work, but I didn’t think that it was a big deal that I didn’t have my own internet connection. I would plan my route for the day around stops I would need to make at places with free wireless. I would set up shop at a Starbucks or another café with wireless access, and take a little coffee break while I got some work done. Sometimes I would just use the internet when I got home at the end of the day. I would set up shop at a Starbucks or another café with wireless access, and take a little coffee break while I got some work done. When I got the 4G connection my days started to go so much smoother. I didn’t have to stop as much when I could just take care of things when I got to my car. I started getting home earlier, which was probably the best thing about it. My boss is impressed with my increased productivity so that works for me.
Greg Smith - Roto Rooter of Mobile, AL
Guest Post by Greg Smith, Roto Rooter of Mobile
Perhaps one of the greatest fears most homeowners have is the idea of having to dig up huge areas of their yards to find a plumbing blockage or broken pipe. Fortunately, thanks to video pipe inspection technology, that’s not something that homeowners are likely to have to do anymore.
Three Benefits of Video Pipe Inspection for Homeowners
There are a number of benefits associated with video pipe inspection. Here are three of the greatest advantages.
1. Pinpoint Exact Location of Problem
With residential video pipe inspection, a qualified plumber can identify the exact area where a pipe is blocked or damaged without having to resort to digging as part of the diagnosis process. This plumbing problem identification technique involves using a camera – one that is especially designed for sewer pipes and storm drains – to find the exact location of plumbing problems. With video pipe inspection technology, there is no need to do any digging at all to get the information needed to determine what types of repairs need to be made and exactly where they are located.
2. Minimal Damage to Landscaping
Because video pipe inspection removes the need to dig from the process of identifying the source of plumbing problems, it’s possible to get your sewer issues taken care of with minimal disruption to the landscaping work you have done to your yard. While the plumber still may need to dig up a specific area of your yard in order to make the necessary repair, the affected area will be limited to the precise location needed to access the affected pipe rather than the widespread digging that would be required to search out a problem without a camera. (more…)
Guest Post by Jim Gates, CAFS – Quality Filters, Inc.
When you are dealing with a child with asthma, it is very important to ensure that you do everything that you can to prevent asthma symptoms from occurring. An asthma attack can be devastating to a young body and severe attacks can result in hospitalization and a significant recovery time.
According to the Mayo Clinic, because asthma can’t be cured, it’s important for parents to have formal a plan to minimize symptoms. One important part of this type of plan lies with making sure that children with asthma have a sleeping area designed to minimize exposure to symptom triggers.
Three Steps to Preparing a Sleeping Area to Minimize Symptoms
In order to prepare a sleeping area for a child with asthma, attention to detail and a high level of cleanliness is necessary for creating an area that will be comfortable for the child to sleep in.
1. Dust Furniture With Dust Capturing Product
The first thing that you should do to prepare a sleeping area for a child with asthma is dust the furniture in the room with a product that captures dust instead of just brushing it off of surfaces. The frame, headboard, and footboard of the bed should be dusted thoroughly to limit the amount of dust that is around the child while he or she is sleeping. If you notice that there seems to be a lot of dust in the sleeping area, you may want to consider installing a high quality air filter into the home’s HVAC system to remove more of the dust from the air inside the home. (more…)
It’s a fun new recreational activity that combines an amped up game of ring toss with the swashbuckling of a sword fight. Well, sort of. RingStix is an easy-to-learn game that can be played casually or competitively anywhere, by anyone, from kids to senior citizens.
How Do RingStix Work?
RingStix is played with slightly curved 25 inch sword-like sticks and a 5 inch ring. With a stick in each hand crossed, and the ring over both sticks,
players simply flare out their arms to propel the ring spinning forward toward the other player. That player then uses the point of one or both of
the sticks to catch the flying ring and sends it back again in the same manner. The faster and harder a player flares the sticks the farther the
This unique sport offers an entertaining new form of exercise, improves agility and hand-eye coordination, and gets kids and adults off the couch
and away from sedentary technologies like computers, TV and video games.
RingStix can be used in yards, parks, at the beach and more. The patent-pending RingStix product line is made of very durable material that
meets all U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission standards. Both the stix and the rings float and one ring even glows in the dark adding a fun twist for night time play.
Try RingStix Yourself
- RingStix Standard sells for $19.99
- RingStix Pro sells for $29.99
- Both are available online at www.ringstix.com.
Pleated Filters from Quality Filters, Inc.
Guest Post by Jim Gates, CAFS
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, poor air quality in the form of indoor air pollution is one of the top five environmental risks. The most common air pollutants that can cause health problems are dust mites, pollen, dust, smoke, animal dander, mold, bacteria and viruses. For those that suffer from seasonal or indoor allergies, or have asthma, properly filtering air in the home is of the utmost importance. Using cleaner outdoor air is ideal for better indoor air quality, but depending on climate and environment, this may not be possible. Using central air units is a viable method to improve air quality.
While an air-conditioner alone typically is not responsible for a dusty home, it can be a major contributor to allowing indoor pollutants to run rampant. An improperly functioning air conditioner can make a dusty home worse if the air filters are not high quality or are clogged. Also, most visible dust particles are large and fall out before meeting the filter. If you can see dust particles floating through the air, then your air filters may be causing the problem.
Consider these steps if these issues affect you:
- Each air conditioner requires a certain sized filter. Incorrect sizes can stall your air conditioner and allow more polluted air to be circulated—or clean air to not be filtered at all due to air bypass.
- Using poor quality filters allows more pollutants to make it back into the air.
- Changing your filters regularly will help keep indoor air clean and ensure more pollutants are captured. Depending on the conditions where you live, size of your home, and environmental conditions, you will want to change your filter no less than the manufacturer’s recommended interval and, for cleaner air, more often.
- Turn your central air units’ fan to “on” instead of “auto.” This keeps the air in the home flowing constantly and allows more particle collection.
