Aaron and Adrian constantly have their fingers (and sometimes their toes) in their mouths. It really makes me so angry because life is horrible for them and, more importantly, for me, when they get sick.
Trying to keep them healthy has made me more conscious of germs that I come in contact with as well. Door handles, elevator buttons, money, ATM machine, the equipment in the gym - EVERYTHING! Supposedly, the steering wheel is another extremely germy place because we touch all those other areas and then wipe the germs onto the wheel as we drive.
I've often wondered how long bacteria can live on surfaces but never took the time to try to find the answer, until now.
According to this website, the safest surface you can touch, if you had to touch one outside, is a hard, non-porous one like a countertop or glass surface. And if that hard surface happens to be in the sun, you're even safer because the ultra violet rays would have killed off any bacteria almost instantly. Hey...so maybe the steering wheel isn't so bad after all.
And as for how long they live on surfaces. Well, if its a wet/damp surface, like a kitchen sponge, then it could stay alive for days. Money is another horrible surface. Coins may be hard and non-porous but the notes can house bacteria for weeks! And of course, since they get touched by so many hands, they are perpetual bacteria colonies. Think about that the next time you pay for a snack and then immediately start eating it without washing your hands first. YUCK!
Well, enough of all that. Go wash your hands and don't touch your face. Imagine the germs on your keyboard and mouse.
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Power of Indoor Plants
The Brisbane City Council Libraries have been holding a series of "Sustainable Living" seminars. These are free and cover a range of topics from organic gardening to green motoring to eco-babies.
I attended the "Healthy Homes" one yesterday and it was about how plants can absorb the toxic compounds emitted by all the stuff we fill our homes with. Supposedly we're surrounded by roughly 350 different types right in our living rooms. I wasn't so interested in the topic but went along to keep my mother company. I did end up getting interested in the end.
From what I can remember, the speaker mentioned that there have been numerous experiments conducted on how plants improve well-being and productivity in the workplace. They have done experiments where employees were given questionnaires before and after plants being introduced and the results indicated that people felt less stressed with the plants around. I got this part of the results from the NIPA website:
Staff with one or more plants in their offices showed reductions in:
* Anxiety -37%
* Anger -44%
* Depression -58%
* Fatigue -38%
* Confusion -30%
* Overall Negativity -65%
* Overall Stress -50%
No-plant (Control group) showed the opposite trend:
* Increased Negativity +(20-40)%
And yet, the Australian parliament house supposedly removed all indoor plants recently in an effort to save costs. No wonder we've got such a muddled government at the moment.
The bit of research that really got me interested was one done on classrooms. The University of Technology in Sydney conducted some preliminary research on 360 children in Grades 6 and 7 and the effects of plants in their classrooms. They found that there was 14% improvement in Mathematics, 10% in Spelling and 11% in Science. Amazing isn't it? For the rest of the details, read the short report.
This was only a preliminary study and the first that specifically tried to measure the effects of the plants in the classroom. More research would be needed to provide formal confirmation but its enough to make me want to put plants inside our house now. We've got none at all right now.
So, are you sitting near a plant right now?
I attended the "Healthy Homes" one yesterday and it was about how plants can absorb the toxic compounds emitted by all the stuff we fill our homes with. Supposedly we're surrounded by roughly 350 different types right in our living rooms. I wasn't so interested in the topic but went along to keep my mother company. I did end up getting interested in the end.
From what I can remember, the speaker mentioned that there have been numerous experiments conducted on how plants improve well-being and productivity in the workplace. They have done experiments where employees were given questionnaires before and after plants being introduced and the results indicated that people felt less stressed with the plants around. I got this part of the results from the NIPA website:
Staff with one or more plants in their offices showed reductions in:
* Anxiety -37%
* Anger -44%
* Depression -58%
* Fatigue -38%
* Confusion -30%
* Overall Negativity -65%
* Overall Stress -50%
No-plant (Control group) showed the opposite trend:
* Increased Negativity +(20-40)%
And yet, the Australian parliament house supposedly removed all indoor plants recently in an effort to save costs. No wonder we've got such a muddled government at the moment.
The bit of research that really got me interested was one done on classrooms. The University of Technology in Sydney conducted some preliminary research on 360 children in Grades 6 and 7 and the effects of plants in their classrooms. They found that there was 14% improvement in Mathematics, 10% in Spelling and 11% in Science. Amazing isn't it? For the rest of the details, read the short report.
This was only a preliminary study and the first that specifically tried to measure the effects of the plants in the classroom. More research would be needed to provide formal confirmation but its enough to make me want to put plants inside our house now. We've got none at all right now.
So, are you sitting near a plant right now?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Baby = Better Eyesight
Recently, I've felt that I've needed to wear my glasses less. When I wake up in the morning I often forget to put them on and don't even realise it. And when I'm feeding Aaron, or looking at him in bed, I find that he's blurry, until I take my glasses off.
So, I went and got my eyes checked and its official. My prescription has reduced in both eyes. In fact, I am straining my eyes if I have my current pair of glasses on. Its amazing! Before I had my glasses, I always wished I needed them. Then, after a year at work, I definitely needed them and hated them as well. Now, after 3 years off work, including 1 year of significantly reduced time in front of the computer and total dedication to Aaron, my eyes are 'getting better'. I wonder if another year will get rid of the glasses completely!
Aaron doesn't know what he's getting himself into by wishing he could have a pair of glasses. I'm sure he does WISH it because he keeps doing this:
p/s Those are NOT mine. And luckily, my mom no longer wears them.
So, I went and got my eyes checked and its official. My prescription has reduced in both eyes. In fact, I am straining my eyes if I have my current pair of glasses on. Its amazing! Before I had my glasses, I always wished I needed them. Then, after a year at work, I definitely needed them and hated them as well. Now, after 3 years off work, including 1 year of significantly reduced time in front of the computer and total dedication to Aaron, my eyes are 'getting better'. I wonder if another year will get rid of the glasses completely!
Aaron doesn't know what he's getting himself into by wishing he could have a pair of glasses. I'm sure he does WISH it because he keeps doing this:
p/s Those are NOT mine. And luckily, my mom no longer wears them.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Healthy, Wealthy and Wise
I go to the gym about 4 or 5 times a week. When some people hear this, they exclaim that I am thin enough and I don't need to exercise. However this is not (and should not) be the reason why I exercise. I'm into working out because I want, stamina, strength and happiness. Yes, it really is true that exercise makes a person happier.
I also watch my diet and count calories. I admit, in the days before Aaron, this would have been as much to stay healthy as well as keep any excess weight off my hips. Now, I'm counting calories to make sure I have ENOUGH! Breastfeeding burns up to 500 additional calories per day and with this all day sauna I live in, I really need to keep up the calories.
This Calorie Calculator is one of the easiest I've come across. The Magnetic Diet website actually has the entire book online for anyone to read completely free. There is also some interesting reading there on how to control cravings. While I am trying to maintain my weight, this looks like a good place to visit if you're trying to take some weight off.
Here is the press release:
Calorie calculators are an easy way help you determine how much food you can eat when you want to manage your weight. The calorie calculator at www.magnetic-diet.com is one of the most accurate on the internet. The Magnetic Diet is an amazing new book by diet and meditation guru Nick Smith. In it he describes an original nutritional concept that he calls Food Magnetism. Smith says that food magnetism is the way and the means by which we can lose weight and achieve an incredible level of health and well being. The Magnetic Diet details techniques to overcome cravings through special breathing exercises and a unique approach to improving muscle tone that does not require a gym membership. Smith also shares a simple meditation practice that anyone can do and in his words "has the potential beyond anything else you could ever do, to bring an unimaginable and everlasting joy to your life." Smith has done what few authors would ever think to do, he has made the book available on-line completely free of charge. He says it is more important for people especially young people to have access to this knowledge than it is for him to make a profit. You can of course order the book from his website and read it in comfort on your couch as opposed to page by page sitting at the computer.
I also watch my diet and count calories. I admit, in the days before Aaron, this would have been as much to stay healthy as well as keep any excess weight off my hips. Now, I'm counting calories to make sure I have ENOUGH! Breastfeeding burns up to 500 additional calories per day and with this all day sauna I live in, I really need to keep up the calories.
This Calorie Calculator is one of the easiest I've come across. The Magnetic Diet website actually has the entire book online for anyone to read completely free. There is also some interesting reading there on how to control cravings. While I am trying to maintain my weight, this looks like a good place to visit if you're trying to take some weight off.
Here is the press release:
Calorie calculators are an easy way help you determine how much food you can eat when you want to manage your weight. The calorie calculator at www.magnetic-diet.com is one of the most accurate on the internet. The Magnetic Diet is an amazing new book by diet and meditation guru Nick Smith. In it he describes an original nutritional concept that he calls Food Magnetism. Smith says that food magnetism is the way and the means by which we can lose weight and achieve an incredible level of health and well being. The Magnetic Diet details techniques to overcome cravings through special breathing exercises and a unique approach to improving muscle tone that does not require a gym membership. Smith also shares a simple meditation practice that anyone can do and in his words "has the potential beyond anything else you could ever do, to bring an unimaginable and everlasting joy to your life." Smith has done what few authors would ever think to do, he has made the book available on-line completely free of charge. He says it is more important for people especially young people to have access to this knowledge than it is for him to make a profit. You can of course order the book from his website and read it in comfort on your couch as opposed to page by page sitting at the computer.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Vitamins, antioxidants, cancer....MLM
Up until we moved to Palembang, we were always surrounded by talk about supplements and how our normal food intake does not contain enough vitamins and antioxidants. How stress and free radicals are going to lead straight to cancer and the such. Well, its true, the modern lifestyle and diet is just not a good combination.
In comes MLM - Multi Level Marketing. There are so many in the market today...Amway, Lifepak, Usana. I usually run the other way but I liked what Lifepak had to offer a couple of years ago so we signed on. Do I have any downlines? NOPE. I thought I could get into it but...I didn't.
Today, I'm contemplating Usana. It certainly does have more antioxidants than Lifepak for a similar price. However, I don't think I'll be lured into signing up as a MLM-er for them. I just feel too awkward going up to the few friends I have and asking them to buy something from me. I'd gladly give a product a free plug but somehow, asking people I know to buy something doesn't sit right with me.
Maybe I'll change my views one day. Maybe I won't. Who knows?
In comes MLM - Multi Level Marketing. There are so many in the market today...Amway, Lifepak, Usana. I usually run the other way but I liked what Lifepak had to offer a couple of years ago so we signed on. Do I have any downlines? NOPE. I thought I could get into it but...I didn't.
Today, I'm contemplating Usana. It certainly does have more antioxidants than Lifepak for a similar price. However, I don't think I'll be lured into signing up as a MLM-er for them. I just feel too awkward going up to the few friends I have and asking them to buy something from me. I'd gladly give a product a free plug but somehow, asking people I know to buy something doesn't sit right with me.
Maybe I'll change my views one day. Maybe I won't. Who knows?
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