Room air purifiers are, for many people, fast becoming a necessity, rather than a luxury item. For those who suffer with allergies or asthma, or simply experience a violent reaction to one of the hundreds of chemicals that is routinely used around our homes these days, a room air purifier or a whole house air purifier can bring long-awaited relief. There is little more distressing and uncomfortable than the wheezing, itchiness and other symptoms associated with allergies and other reactions, unless it is witnessing the same thing in one of the people that we love, especially our children, but a silent air purifier installed in the bedroom can make a world of difference. All parents worry about the health of their children and want to do whatever they can to encourage and maintain that health - a room air purifier can be an important tool in that endeavour.

Some parents wonder, though, why these extra tools are necessary - didn’t we grow up without their help? The answer is unfortunate - more than ever, these days our air is filled with more and more pollutants. Almost every product we use, from deodorant to household cleansers are filled with a multitude of far harsher chemicals than were used even a few years ago. As these chemicals and other pollutants fill our air, we need to take firmer action to keep our families safe. A room air purifier can help us do this.

If your child displays any uncomfortable symptoms, it is always wise to visit your family doctor. Once asthma or allergies have been diagnosed, you can begin to take the steps required to ensure that your home is a pleasant environment for all family members. A room air purifier in the child’s bedroom might be the only step you need - be sure to choose a silent air purifier so as not to disrupt sleep. If the sufferer’s symptoms are more severe, a whole house air cleaner might be required to keep your child happy and comfortable.

The whole family will benefit from the presence of a room air purifier in your home, whether they are allergy or asthma sufferers or not. Choosing a room or a whole house air cleaner is one more tool to help you keep your family healthy in our modern world.

Room air purifiers, a necessity, not a luxury.

About the Author

For a website totally devoted to Air Purifiers visit Peter’s Website Air Purifiers Explained at http://www.air-purifiers-explained.com/ and find out about Air Purifiers as well as The Best Air Purifiers at http://www.air-purifiers-explained.com/best-air-purifiers.html and more, including Electronic Air Purifiers, Hepa Air Purifiers, Ozone Air Purifiers, Room Air Purifiers and Whole House Air Purifiers.

Written By: Peter Crump

Posted: January 29th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Air purifiers come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. They also come with a wide variety of technology in which they purify or sterilize the air. They can cost any where from 60 to 1600 dollars and eliminate many different types of air born pollutants, chemicals, odors or allergens. Air born contaminants can be very bad for your health. According to the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, they are a major cause of disability in the U.S. There is no cure for allergies, but symptomatic relief is possible. The most effective way to combat air born contaminants is by reducing or eliminating exposure to allergens. This same and simple concept works for micro-organisms and microbiological contaminants.

Every time you sit down on the couch, open a door or walk across the rug millions of tiny particles get released into the air. Even the natural air flow of your office or home will pick up tiny mold spores or microbiological particles.

Harmful substances found in the air:

Smoke
Gas
Fungi
Microbiological contaminants
Aerosol
Mold spores
Viruses
Pollen
Bacteria
Drill aerosol (dental office)
Mercury vapor
Dust Mite
Dust

Types of Air Purifier Technology:

Ionizers
Carbon pre-filter (odor removal)
HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter)
Intense heat for incineration
Electro statically charged post filter

Air purifiers will help you:

Stay healthier
Sleep more soundly
Work more efficiently
Have more energy
Study more effectively
Be more creative

Air purifiers will help relieve symptoms caused by indoor/outdoor air. Some of these symptoms include red eye, digestive problems, dizziness, chronic fatigue, asthma, congestion, sick building syndrome and many other chronic and acute diseases.

It is important to keep the air you breathe clean and free of contaminants; your respratory system and whole body will thank you for many years to come if you choose to purify your air. Purifiers are made for all different types of room sizes so you can always find one perfect for you. I would suggest finding one that eliminates all types of pollutants. If you’re going to buy an air purifier you might as well buy one that does it all. And as with anything you always get what you pay for.

About the Author

Visit: http://www.central-air-purifiers.info for more info and resources. Tyler D Falls - Tyler writes about various topics. Feel-free to reprint as long as the proper links remain in the article and bio.

Written By: Tyler Falls

Posted: January 26th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Hygienic air is essential to human life, and in this modern age, that requires air cleaners. There are a few different methods of air cleaning, like Filtration, Electro-static Precipitation and Ion Generation. Air Filtration cleans air through the removal of sub-micron particulate, gases and odors. If you are plagued by allergies or asthma, an air filter might help you. Air filters are the best tools for eradicating allergens from the house. Particularly for those people who are suffering from asthma and allergies, both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Lung Association recommend air filtration.

The ability to remove allergens and contaminants depends on the amount of air drawn through the filter. Factors that affect filter efficiency include fiber size, fiber density, airflow rate, and particle diameter. Air filters may be centralized, in-home filtration systems or portable devices. When the air quality problems exist throughout the house, then a centralized filtration system is needed. Otherwise, portable cleaner may serve the purpose of air filtration.

There are four major types of air filters, depending on specific needs. They are:

Mechanical Filters
These filters force air through a special screen that traps pollen, dust particulate, smoke and air-borne irritants and pet dander. The best example of this type of filters is HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter.

Gas Phase Filters
These air filters are used for removing odors and other types of pollutants such as gases from cooking, paints, perfume etc. These filters are not meant for the removal of allergens in the home.

Electronic Filters
In these types of filters, allergens are trapped through electrostatic precipitators with a fan. Electronic filters use electric charges to attract contaminants.

Hybrid Filters
These air filters combine electrostatic and mechanical filters. These are used to trap allergens rather than gas based contaminants.

Another type of air filters is the Ozone air filter, but it is not environment-friendly.

When purchasing an air filter, one has to consider things like which type of allergens will be removed, the filters efficiency with respect to HEPA standards, the clean air delivery rate (CADR) of the filter, the ease of changing the filter, and the noise that it will make. Changing air filters regularly facilitates is ability to improve the quality of air.

About the Author

Air Filters Info provides detailed information on home, car, electronic, and HEPA air filters, as well as air conditioner filters and air filter manufacturers. Air Filters Info is the sister site of Air Purifiers Web.

Written By: Marcus Peterson

Posted: January 23rd, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Senior persons admittedly are more prone to different physical and mental ailments, but youth does not necessarily ensure against disease, especially in case of those young persons who are weak or sickly, physically challenged, or susceptible to diseases like heart attacks, strokes, epileptic fits or fainting, allergies, memory impairment, pulmonary conditions, asthma, COPD, hearing or vision problems or similar medical emergencies.

Their family members or caretakers have to go out for work, leaving them alone at home. Also, these sick persons too may have to work due to financial constraints. In some cases, particularly with old people, the spouse may have died and the children are far away. Then there are millions of persons living alone who are prone to medical emergencies. Problem may occur at night, when nobody is around. Even healthy persons, with their hectic lifestyles in work-to-meet-the-deadline environments, are vulnerable to various types of heart and brain diseases, accidents and food poisoning.

Medical Alerts, in such situations, can be of great help in summoning timely medical aid, though carrying or wearing these alerts does publicly advertise the sickness of the person. They identify the medical problems of the wearers. Unfortunately, this medical identification, though of critical importance for the patients, creates complexes in the minds of image-conscious wearers and hurt their sensibilities.

To overcome this problem, the designers of medical jewelry have come up with solutions in form of acceptable fashionable accessories, like pendants and bracelets, which are easy to use. They try to arrive at a compromise between the necessity of communicating the disease to medical experts and the ostensible awkwardness of wearing the alerts.

These Medical Alerts are in fact electronic gadgets fitted with transmitter buttons, embedded in the pendants, that send SOS signals to the monitoring agencies who in turn alert the friends and family members of the patients and, more importantly, their doctors. The signals are sent either by telephone or radio frequencies. Depending upon the nature of disease, various Medical Alerts are available in the market and their use can avert tragedy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Medical Alert System provides detailed information on medical alerts, medical alert system, medical alert bracelets, medical alert necklaces and more. Medical Alert System is affiliated with Advanced Medical Transport.

Written By: Max Bellamy

Posted: January 20th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

If you have asthma and you start looking for information on the Internet, you’ll soon find several websites offering “100% sure” asthma attack home remedies. And it is very probable that you’ll feel tempted to buy one of them. No one likes being forced to take corticosteroids on a daily basis and an alternative, sometimes any alternative, is always welcome. If effective asthma attack home remedies were really available at your drug store, of course you would buy them.

Do you see a logical problem here? Home remedies are by definition not bought, so avoid buying “asthma attack home remedies”. If you’re going to take some pills, make sure that you really know what’s inside them.

But the fact that some people try to sell asthma attack home remedies doesn’t mean that there are no effective treatments other than those produced by advanced chemistry. There are some that can not only prevent, but also stop an asthma attack. Such home remedies can be easily used as a support for a standard treatment, especially in the case of mild asthma, but they should never replace standard medications prescribed by your doctor.

Below there are a few asthma and asthma attack home remedies. Some of them work well, some of them are just “supposed” to work, but fortunately all of them seem to be completely safe. Generally, all of them are just different methods of warming your airways. This often prevents or helps during an asthma attack.

Hot bathroom

During an asthma attack, some people run into their bathroom, close the door and try to create as much warm steam as possible. Alternatively, they have a very hot bath or try some similar home remedy. The increased air temperature eases the attack and makes breathing much easier, though if you don’t suffer from asthma, you might think just the opposite.

Of course if your asthma is severe, it is recommended you use your inhaler or nebulizer instead of any asthma attack home remedies.

Hot water or coffee

Another common acme home remedy is drinking hot coffee, tea or plain hot water. On their way down, these drinks warm the airways and can ease the attack. The mechanism of these asthma attack home remedies is similar to the hot bathroom ones, but they are much easier to apply. The only problem is that during an acute attack this might be not enough.

Most folks suffering from asthma find ways to deal with it, but they often have to try many home remedies before they find the ones that work best for them.

About the author:

Mark Walters presents asthma treatments, remedies and advice at http://www.AsthmaRoom.com

Written By: Mark Walters

Posted: January 17th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Environmental studies have revealed that the air inside homes is dirtier than the air outside. People living in congested homes or localities usually live in dirty air.

The best way to deal with this problem is to purchase a good air purifier. An air purifier is a device that cleans the air. It assists in air purification by freeing the air from pollutants and contaminants.

Air purifiers are very beneficial for people suffering from allergies due to air pollutants, and asthma. The allergy inducing particles may come as dust or pollen, pet dander or mold spores.

A home air purifier removes these particles. It also provides protection against hazardous smoke particles and airborne gases that may intrude into the house and bedrooms. It offers a great protection against second hand smoke. Air purifiers convert the dirty and contaminated air into clean air and offer a morning fresh aroma to the whole house.

Different air purifiers use different air purification techniques including mechanical filters, adsorbents like charcoal, and electrostatic charges or ionizers. The additional setups include germicidal UV light and the emission of ions into the air to react with contaminants, making them harmless enough to breathe.

Benefits of air purifiers for asthmatics:

Air purifiers alleviate asthma, and the best air purifier can totally remove the causes by providing high quality air purification. It improves the living of asthma sufferers by air filtration, reducing the dust floating in the air, filtering second hand smoke, and purifying the air of chemical pollutants, car exhaust fumes or other contaminants.

Controversy:

The critics of air purifiers opine that the air purifiers don’t offer any significant help to asthma sufferers. They feel that the media has over hyped the devices, and that they can’t completely purify the air. Air purifiers can’t provide complete protection against secondhand smoke, and cannot completely remove carbon monoxide.

The ionizing air purifiers are particularly under fire. They have kicked up a row that all ionizing models produce ozone (O3 poisonous allotrope of oxygen) that can worsen asthma and decrease lung function. Recent studies are supporting the fact.

About the author:

For further information on air purifiers or air ionizers visit the home air purifiers site. You are welcome to reprint this article as long as nothing is changed, bio is included with all links made active.

Written By: Paul MacIver

Posted: January 14th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

How Not to Kill Mold

We hear about mold in the news all the time. It has been linked with:

* Headaches
* Sinus Infections
* Coughing
* Weakened Immune System
* Dizziness
* Skin Infections
* Ear Infections
* Cancer
* Brain Damage
* ADHD

The toxins (poisons) that the molds create are harmless to humans outdoors where concentrations are low. Indoors, concentrations go up. When the amounts are sufficiently high, the mycotoxins (mold poisons) can make you and your kids sick.

The Arab Oil Embargo of 1972 caused us to tighten up our homes to conserve energy. This has allowed mold toxins to build up even in homes with only a moderate amount of mold colonies. You often aren’t sick enough to go to the doctor when you are infected by mold. You take aspirin for your headaches and decongestants for your sinuses.

But over time these problems get worse. Minor problems with the sinuses turn into inflammatory problems.

Inflammatory problems include:
* Lupus
* Arthritis
* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
* Blood vessel deterioration

There is a more detailed list of molds and the diseases they cause at http://www.themoldlab.com

The most common approach to killing mold is to use bleach. Unfortunately, bleach doesn’t kill mold. It just bleaches it. It takes the color out. The mold is still alive and producing its poisons but we cannot see it.

The EPA, at one point, said to use bleach to get rid of mold on glass and tile surfaces only. However, as of 2002, the EPA does not recommend the use of chlorine bleach. (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/i-e-r.html)

Many chemicals that kill mold will burn people’s lungs. This is particularly true for small children. Even EPA approved mold killers do this.

Most, if not all, companies that eliminate mold use these strong chemicals that are very toxic to people with asthma (3 of 7 people according to the American Lung Association). Many people with asthma cannot reenter their own houses if they have been sprayed with commercial fungicides (mold killers). And to add insult to injury, most fungicides are not applied properly so they do not even kill the mold.

There are 100,000’s of different molds. Each causes it own problems; each has its own needs. The trick to killing mold is to know what molds you have and deny them their basic needs. This gets rid of the mold but does not poison the residents.

About the Author

For 30 years, Dr Graham has been helping people treat and prevent disease by showing them how to live in a clean environment.

Written By: Dr George W Graham

Posted: January 11th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Asthma can happen to anybody. Asthma starts at all ages. If Asthma is detected in childhood, that is between the ages of two to six, it is mainly due to the exposure to allergens, pollens, smoke and dust particles or mites.

It is very difficult to diagnose whether the child has asthma or not. In many cases, the child shows symptoms which resemble the onset of asthma, but when observed carefully, the child does not get asthma. Adults may also get asthma. The main reason behind getting asthma in adults is respiratory tract infection.

There are two types of asthma.

1. Extrinsic
2. Intrinsic

Extrinsic asthma is the most common type of asthma seen in asthma patients. Extrinsic asthma develops due to allergies and allergens. Extrinsic asthma develops during childhood, since children are most susceptible to allergies. Most allergies in children are due to hay fever, eczema or family history of allergies.

These allergies disappear as the child grows up and so does asthma, but they may reappear in later stages of life. Intrinsic type of asthma occurs mostly in women who are in their 30s. It is not associated with allergies and intrinsic type of asthma is more chronic and perennial.

The cause of intrinsic asthma can be traced to respiratory tract infections. Asthma also has categorizations based on the intensity of the disease
Asthma can be mild, moderate and severe Mild asthma is found in 30% of the patients.

Patients with mild asthma do not have frequent attacks and can be cured or minimized with some precautions in dietary habits and lifestyle and a periodic checkup. These sorts of people do not need attention at all times and are self-supporting in case of an attack.

There is almost an equal percentage of people who have moderate asthma. These patients have moderately mild attacks and have the attacks more frequently.
Proper medication and precautions must be taken to help the patient remain healthy.

Severe asthma patients require urgent medical attention, as the attacks are frequent and severe. The symptoms of Asthma are almost the same in all cases.

The intensity and the frequency of such attacks increase. Asthma is definitely curable and the frequency of attacks can be minimized with proper support and precautions.

About the Author:

Visit Bjorn Gutter’s website at http://asthma–treatment.blogspot.com

Written By: Bjorn Gutter

Posted: January 8th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Indoor air can make you miserable if it is not kept clean and healthy. Clean indoor air is essential for a happy you and a happy home.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reported that Indoor air can contain up to 5 times as much pollution as outdoor air. Allergies and asthma are on the rise so cleaning indoor air in your home and work place is more important than ever as this can greatly reduce symptoms according to Dr. John Winder, an allergist for the Nationwide Asthma Screening Program of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

These are some clean indoor air top tips:

When you dust your house with a cloth you a often spreading dust around. You vacuum based tools to dust with instead. Make sure you don’t avoid difficult to reach areas like space under beds, drapes and moldings.

A great tip for dusting small objects is to cover the nozzle of your vacuum cleaner with a pair of tights or fine cloth. Put the vacuum on a low suction level and run the small objects over the front of the vacuum nozzle. This sucks all the dust off without the object disappearing in to the vacuum! Note: Be sure to use a scrap material to cover the vacuum nozzle as it can get ruined in the process.

Wrap pillows and mattresses in allergen-protective covers and regularly vacuum them.

When you wash your linens make sure the water is hot (130 degrees or above) to ensure dust mites and their eggs are killed off properly.

Deep clean your carpets & floor surfaces once every season at least.

To really thoroughly achieve clean indoor air get an air purifier to remove all the airborne pollutants.

Clean indoor air is also about humidity.. maintain a cool & dry home. Keep humidity to 50% or less. You can use a humidifier to aid in this but make sure you frequently empty the unit to prevent the growth of mold in the tank.

Try to avoid letting your pets sleep in the bedrooms.

Keep stuffed animals and busy shelves to a minimum as these are real dust-catcher locations. If you have lots of stuffed toys vacuum them frequently.. but carefully of course!!

Follow this great advice and you will have super clean indoor air in no time.

About the Author

Michael Grzywacz is an author who suffers from allergies and writes about indoor air purifiers and how they can help with allergies, asthma and generally creating a healthy home or work place. Find all of this at his dedicated website: http://www.AirPurifierStop.com

Written By: Michael Grzywacz

Posted: January 5th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Fashionable medical identification jewelry is a perfect solution for those who suffer from critical medical conditions like epilepsy, stroke, diabetes, heart transplant, fainting fits, asthma, memory impairment or blindness, and need to wear Medical Alerts or health monitoring systems, but are also image-conscious and hence do not want to wear matter crude gadgets or bands around their wrists.

If you personally survey the market, by surfing the Internet or by wading through the Yellow Pages or newspapers, you find a baffling variety of Medical Alert bracelets, if a bracelet is what your doctor has recommended. In a critical medical emergency, when you become helpless and cannot explain your condition, it is the medical information embedded in the bracelet that identifies you, along with the medical problem that is afflicting you. While the symptoms appearing at that critical moment baffle those around you, the medical description engraved on your bracelet may facilitate an early diagnosis, and an appropriate and timely treatment may save your life. The information legibly engraved on the front and backside of the bracelet also mentions the contact numbers of your family members and your doctor.

These bracelets come in a variety of attractive designs and price ranges. You can choose one that suits your pocket. They are made of sterling silver, gold or high-quality non-allergenic stainless steel polished to give a jewelry finish. Medical ID bracelets are available in all sizes for adults and children. The bracelet chains are fitted with a clasp that cannot open accidentally.

You should consult your doctor concerning what medical description about your problem should be engraved upon your bracelet. These bracelets can also be artistically fitted with transmitter buttons; pressing them activates some radio frequencies that raise an alarm in the base stations of the monitoring agency, which in turn alerts your family members and the doctor about the occurrence of the problem. The monitoring system talks directly to you in a very loud voice so that everyone can hear. In this way, medical aid or your relatives and friends can be summoned.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Medical Alert System provides detailed information on medical alerts, medical alert system, medical alert bracelets, medical alert necklaces and more. Medical Alert System is affiliated with Advanced Medical Transport.

Written By: Max Bellamy

Posted: January 2nd, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none