They Said – Asbestos Was Safe…

Any material that contains less than one percent asbestos is considered non-regulated. Experts estimate that there has been an 83 percent increase in imports of asbestos brakes and brake material over the past 10 years. IJOEH provides essential background material for the fight for a global asbestos ban.

To avoid potential exposure, only trained and state certified employees may remove, drill, bore, or in any way disturb asbestos containing construction material. Covering involves placing a protective wrap over or around the material that contains the asbestos to prevent the release of fibers. Until you receive the results, treat the material as if it contains asbestos. Usually it is best to leave asbestos material that is in good condition alone. Before asbestos removal, insist that the contractor apply a wetting agent to the asbestos material with a fine-mist hand sprayer.

Health

Depending on its condition, asbestos in your home may be hazardous to your health. Many of the largest manufacturers and distributors of asbestos products knew of the health risks caused by asbestos in the 1930s and 40s.

Breathing asbestos fibers poses the greatest health risk. A person must generally be exposed to asbestos for a long period of time (10 or more years) before health effects occur. Some experts claim if managed properly the asbestos will not pose a health risk. Victims allege the companies knew of the health risks of asbestos long before they took it off the market.

The only way to truly remove the threat of asbestos exposure and its dangerous health effects is to remove all asbestos from the premises. But unfortunately, when microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, these minerals can become a health hazard. While beliefs about the hazard of asbestos are polarized, researchers do concur that there is a health risk.

Contact with asbestos has been found to present a much greater health hazard than previously thought, and should never be used in schools.

Exposure
There is no safe level of exposure, so contact with any amount of asbestos can be harmful. By not disturbing the vermiculite, you are reducing your chances for exposure to asbestos. Other people believe there is no safe level of asbestos exposure level and that any schools containing it should undergo a removal plan. High, short-term exposure to asbestos fibres can occur during do-it-yourself work. Potential asbestos exposure can also occur at schools, homes and public buildings if asbestos products have fallen into disrepair or become damaged.

Natural Snoring Remedies

More than anything, individuals who snore want to learn about the various types of snoring remedies. There are many products available on the market, but how can you know for certain which ones work and which do not? Well, one way is if your physician directly recommends a product. For example, a new anti-snoring device is now available, which is known as the Sleep Genie, and is often recommended by doctors themselves. This new product supports the jaw and enables the mouth to remain closed during sleep, which is one of the leading reasons that people snore. To it’s customers benefit, the Sleep Genie does not require medication, invasive surgery, etc.. It’s natural approach to snoring remedies is revolutionary.

There are also some other wonderful natural snoring remedies, including the treatment of allergies. Allergy sufferers should rid their home of any allergens, including dust, pet hair, cigarette smoke, etc. This can be done with regular cleaning and the use of air filtration devices, which should be used in every room and especially in the bedroom. One of the leading causes of snoring is when airways become restricted, either in the throat or nasal area, which is very common among allergy patients. In addition, inhaling steam from hot running water will also help to open the airways.

When you are ready to turn in for the night, try sleeping on you side instead of your back. Individuals who normally sleep on their back tend to have problems when their tongue, uvula or fatty tissues rest in the back of their throat and restrict breathing. When this happens, snoring is often induced. If you have trouble sleeping on your side, use a large body pillow against your back to prevent you from turning over during the night.

Another leading cause of snoring is obesity. If you have been diagnosed as being overweight or obese, consider a medically supervised diet and exercise program. In addition to helping to curb snoring, weight loss will promote a healthier heart and an overall sense of wellness.

Whether you are able to end the problem with natural snoring remedies or anti-snoring devices, such as Sleep Genie, it is best to address the issue as early as possible in order to avoid continued sleep interruption to you, as well as that of your family.

This article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be used as, or in place of, professional medical advice. Before beginning any treatment for snoring, please consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis and remedy.

Coronary Angiogram for your Heart. Do you know what it is?

When the doctor recommends a coronary angiogram to someone close to you, the initial reaction is denial and non acceptance. Some people also believe that anyone who undergoes this test would invariably have to go through bypass surgery. Others believe that it will be painful, requiring prolonged hospital admission. But the truth is that it is a simple X-ray of the heart blood vessels, virtually painless and requires a short stay. Coronary angiogram is one of the most accurate tests in the diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). It is used to pinpoint the location and severity of CAD and is relatively safe. A coronary angiogram is the ‘gold standard’ for evaluation of CAD. The test is done in a special laboratory called a cardiac catheterization laboratory, which is similar to an operating theater.

How is a coronary Angiogram performed?

The procedure will begin with the physician inserting an intravenous line into a blood vessel in the patient’s arm. Coronary angiography is performed with the use of local anesthesia and is generally not terribly uncomfortable. During a coronary angiogram, a small catheter (a thin hollow tube with a diameter of 2-3 mm) is inserted through the skin into an artery generally in the wrist. Guided with the assistance of a fluoroscope the catheter is then advanced to the opening of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart. Next, a small amount of radiographic contrast, which is easily visualized with X-ray images, is injected into each coronary artery. The images that are produced are called the angiogram.

The procedure takes approximately 10-15 minutes. After the procedure, the catheter is removed and the artery at the wrist is treated with manual compression to prevent bleeding.

Risks and Benefits

Coronary Angiogram is the only test, which allows precise quantification of the severity of CAD to optimally take decisions for the treatment. In appropriate patients, the therapeutic information learned from the angiogram is far more valuable than the relatively small risk of the procedure. There is a small but finite risk of serious complication from coronary angiography, as it is an ‘invasive’ test, but in the hands of experienced physicians, this risk is quite small (well below one per cent). Following the test the patients will be given instruction from their physician regarding exercise and exertion, care for the incision area and the use of medications.

Long Term Outlook

Treatment depends on the diagnosis made after the angiography. Narrowed coronary arteries can be treated during the angiogram itself by angioplasty. Another option for severely narrowed coronary arteries is a bypass operation. A coronary angiogram, which is normal, is as precious as the one that shows disease. A normal angiogram rules out a life threatening disease and is an impetus for the further continuation of a healthy lifestyle.

Home Remedies For Fever Blisters

Fever blisters or cold sores are small red blisters that usually appear on the lips and outer edges of the mouth. They often display a clear liquid and form scabs after a few days. They are caused by herpes virus that becomes active when something triggers them. There is no cure for cold sores, but there are remedies that will reduce the severity and frequency. They appear after colds, fever, exposure to sun and stress during menstruation.

Foods that contain chocolate, peanuts and other nuts, grains, peas, seeds, oatmeal and whole-wheat products should be cut out or reduced from the diet. Cold sore is preceded by tingling, burning or itching sensation, fever, and enlargement of lymph nodes close to the sores and a general feeling of malaise.

-When you feel the tingling, burning or itching sensation, rub juice from aloe plant on the affected area. Dab of aloe gel is effective too. Aloe will begin the healing process immediately and not allow the sore to grow.

-Apply cornstarch paste to the affected area.

-Mix a drop or two of grapefruit seed extract either with aloe or olive oil and dab it on the sore.

-Rub ice cube on the sore for 10 minutes every hour at the onset of fever blisters. It will prevent the movement of the virus to the skin.

-Extract of lemon balm reduces the symptoms and speeds up the healing process.

-Combine equal parts of tinctures of echinacea, calendula, oats, burdock, and lomatium. Take ½ tsp four to fives time a day to soothe the inflamed tissue, remove the toxins from the body and kill the viruses and bacteria.

-Topical application of extract of mint will speed the healing of the blister.

-Drink several cups of sage tea with a dash of powdered ginger till the blisters are not cleared up.

-Steep an ordinary tea bag in boiling water, cool it and then apply to the blister. The blister should disappear within few days.

-Vaseline will help to moisturize and soften blisters to prevent them from cracking and bleeding.

-Dab a drop or two of St. John’s Wort essential oil. It not only soothes, but reduces the pain and speeds up the healing process.

-Apply Witch Hazel on sores.

-Put some common salt on your moistened index finger and press it on to the sore for a minute twice a day for 2-3 days.

-Apply spirit of camphor on the sore.

The reader of this article should exercise all precautions while following instructions on the recipes from this article. Avoid using if you are allergic to something. The responsibility lies with the reader, not the site, and the writer.

How To Cure Bad Breath

Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. Many people suffer from it either temporarily or as a chronic problem. Common causes are odiferous foods, smoking, poor oral hygiene, sinus conditions and medical issues. There are many cures for this ailment that are simple to use. If problems persist, though, it is advisable to seek the authority of a dentist or medical professional to rule out any serious dental or medical issues.

Certain foods such as garlic and onions produce bad breath. This is not a serious condition and will resolve itself in little time. Also, smoking can produce bad breath. Smoking can contribute to more serious dental and gum issues but the odor associated with smoking is unavoidable. It is, of course, recommended that smokers quit but short of that, there is little prevention for smoker’s breath. For a temporary fix, brush your teeth, chew gum or use a mint.

People with sinus conditions produce mucus that can be foul smelling. As a treatment for the sinus condition, a patient may be prescribed antihistamines which can cause dry mouth. If the mouth does not produce enough saliva to remain moist, this will cause bad breath. This is also why people have morning breath after sleeping for several hours allowing the mouth to dry out. Brushing and drinking plenty of water will help alleviate this.

There are several natural remedies found to help counteract the effects of bad breath. Chewing cardamom seeds, sunflower seeds, mint leaves and parsley are known to deodorize. Gargling with a mixture of lemon juice and water also helps. Brushing with baking soda and adding it to water for gargling is a popular choice in home remedies. Drinking teas with spices such as cardamom, anise, cinnamon and fennel are all reported to help sweeten breath.

The best way to treat bad breath is to ensure proper dental care. Brushing and flossing regularly will help deter bacteria from forming on teeth and tongue. As food particles can get trapped between teeth, flossing is essential to ensure plaque does not accumulate. Regular trips to the dentist for professional cleaning are also advised. When brushing, ensure a good toothbrush is used and do not neglect the tongue. Bacteria can get trapped on the tongue as well so thoroughly brush it.

If bad breath is a persistent condition, seek consultation with a dentist. It may be a sign of a more serious dental issue or gum disease. If a dentist rules out dental problems as a cause, a referral to a medical doctor may be in order. Certain conditions such as liver and kidney diseases can contribute to bad breath.

Wedding Planner

Planning a successful wedding requires careful planning and execution. A wedding planner can help the busy bride with essential details of the wedding planning process. A wedding, like any other project, requires careful planning where budgetary constraints have to be followed and deadlines must be met.

If you close your eyes and think of the many aspects and components of your wedding, you must see the opportunities for disasters are endless. You may not think of it that way, but planning a wedding is a complex job, and it can become quite stressful overwhelming and time consuming.

Today’s brides are busy with their job in their own professions and may not have the time or desire to take on the job of planning their wedding. The average timeframe between the engagement and the wedding is 12 to 16 months. Because of the duration of the wedding planning process, you may want to seriously consider hiring a professional wedding planner.

Wedding planners are experts at making your special day less stressful and more organized. Even though hiring a wedding planner can cost several thousands of dollars, but in return you can save considerable time, money and your peace of mind. Wedding planners should be prepared to help you with design, financial, legal, etiquette, and many more related issues. You need someone on your team that has the professional experience to hold it all together.

Because wedding planners are experienced professionals, they have experience with wedding vendors of all kind. Regardless of your budget and personal taste, they will be able to recommend reception venues, photographers, or any other related wedding service professional you might need. Simply put, they can assist and guide you in making informed decisions. More specifically, wedding planners will help you with the following tasks:

Evaluate vendor contracts and recommend clarification before signing.

Recommend potential caterers, florists, reception venues, wedding dress fittings, wedding officiants, etc.

Organize and attend the wedding rehearsal dinner.

Provide you support and solutions to unexpected occurrences.

Finalize your wedding program.

Since a wedding planner can make or break your special day, selecting one could be one of the most important first steps you take toward planning your perfect wedding. Try to get recommendations from your friends and family and consult associations for wedding planners on how to hire a wedding planner.

You may not have the budget or desire to hire a wedding planner to plan your wedding from start to the wedding day. It is still recommended that you at least consult with a wedding planner on some of the most important elements of your wedding. Remember, your wedding is your special day and you want to feel like a guest at your own wedding. A wedding planner can help you succeed.

Honeymoon Help

If you are not familiar with what a honeymoon registry is, you should be!

Today, many couples are already living together prior to getting married. For some, it may be a second marriage. As a result, the need for the usual household items as wedding gifts often does not exist.

The natural solution to the wedding “gift giving” dilemma is the popular and growing trend toward honeymoon registries.

It’s perfect! You get a great honeymoon and your guests can feel good about giving you a gift that they know you really wanted. Something personal and meaningful.

A honeymoon registry is very similar to the usual gift registry. The difference being that instead of getting pieces of crystal or china as gifts, you will get “pieces” of your honeymoon. What a wonderful idea!

When you join a honeymoon registry, your chosen destination package is broken down into affordable “pieces” and listed just like a normal gift registry. The airfare may be broken into several smaller pieces. Each meal or activity you choose will be listed. Your guests can then search your registry and purchase a desired piece of your honeymoon for you.

There are many honeymoon registries to choose from but all are not created equal.

A good registry will…

… be simple to use. Remember, not all of your guests are computer savvy.

… provide both email and postcard notification of your registry to your guests. Not everyone has a computer and postcards are just more personal.

… provide your guests with a visual and physical accounting of their purchase. A gift card to present to the bride and groom as well as a receipt for their own purposes is required.

… have exceptional, personal, customer service complete with a 1-800 number so that guests may contact them with any questions they may have.

… have a proven track record and specialize in honeymoon registry service and travel.

… be bonded to ensure protection of the money in your registry account.

… pay out your collected honeymoon funds in a timely manner.

Call them. Talk with them. Make sure you are completely comfortable with your choice before committing.

As a polite gesture on your part, take pictures of your “gifts” while on your honeymoon. The guests who contributed to your happiness will appreciate a picture in your thank you card!

Marital Anger

Stacy’s partner of twelve years does not come home one evening and she knew he was with a former lover. He begged for another chance with Stacy, but her pride and anger held her back. Stacy said she would feel like a fool if she forgave him, even though she still loved him. Stacy didn’t end the relationship, but reminds him daily of what he did to her.

Should Stacy forgive her otherwise good husband for what he did? Of course, only Stacy can make this decision.

Fact is, most marriages cannot survive knowledge of an affair, but some do and can even grow stronger in the long run.

Stacy and others who struggle with forgiveness for all kinds of marital offenses (not only affairs) can be helped in their decision by considering the following misconceptions about forgiveness:

MISCONCEPTION #1
Forgiving means that you forget about the offense.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Even though you forgive, you may never forget (and probably shouldn’t) what happened to you.

However, you can tell that you have truly forgiven an offense when you can remember it without experiencing the emotional pain connected with it.

MISCONCEPTION #2
Forgiving means that you are saying what they did was okay.
Quite the opposite. We can still forgive, but see what happened to us as unjust, unfair, or unacceptable.

There are many things that our partners can do to us that we don’t deserve or that violate the contract, covenant, or agreement you have with each other.

Yet, we can forgive by realizing that perhaps they were misguided, or flawed and thus worthy of another chance.

MISCONCEPTION #3
In order to forgive, you need to tell your partner that you forgive them.

Actually, it often backfires if you go up to someone and say “I forgive you,” especially if they see themselves as a victim instead of seeing themselves as someone who warrants forgiveness.

Fact is, forgiveness occurs in your heart— not in the telling someone that you forgive them.

There are exceptions to this, however, and circumstances under which you might want to discuss your forgiveness of them—but only if you think that it will not cause further harm.

For instance, Ruth’s husband asked for her forgiveness following a gambling spree which put the family in financial peril. After one year of rehabilitation and a “clean” record, Ruth told him that she now forgave him.

MISCONCEPTION #4
If you forgive, it means you will trust them again immediately.
Forgiveness and trust are two separate issues. Even after forgiveness, it may take a long time to re-build trust.

To instantly trust your partner again after being violated is not a sign of good mental health or strong self-esteem.

Doing this may also send a message to your partner that they may continue to violate your trust with little fear of actually having to suffer the consequences.
Marital trust must be re-earned after an offense, based on good behavior— not just smooth words or empty promises.

MISCONCEPTION #5
After forgiving, you will automatically feel positive feelings again for your partner.

The opposite of anger is not love. Absence of angry feelings doesn’t necessarily create warm, positive feelings— sometimes it simply creates neutral ones.

In many cases, of course, it is impossible to ever rekindle the love feelings— even after forgiveness. This is common with ex-partners who learn to let go of the
anger connected with the divorce issues, but never love each other again.

MISCONCEPTION #6
Forgiveness occurs all at once.

Not necessarily. Maybe you can start by forgiving maybe 10%—just open the door—and then see how your partner behaves.

After a period of time, you might open the door a little wider and let go of a little more anger until you are truly able to forgive 100%

Four Great Games To Play At Your Next Bridal Shower W

One of the most fun — and occasionally dreaded — parts of a bridal shower are the games. Although they’re meant to be bonding experiences, bridal shower games aren’t for everyone … and if your gal group meets exclusively for cosmos and indie jazz, you might want to skip them.

But the fact is, bridal shower games serve a purpose. No matter how familiar or unsophisticated they might seem, they still serve as icebreakers. And icebreakers are especially useful if your shower combines guests from different walks of life. A shower might toss the bride’s work friends together with her hometown friends and a handful of relatives — and these groups probably don’t know each other — but an icebreaker can bring them together (of course, so can a few chilled bottles of Veuve Clicquot).

So your guest list is a mixed bag of ages, backgrounds, tastes and styles, here are some true-blue games that will bring your shower through with flying colors.

Bridal Shower Bingo
One of the most popular is, of course, Bridal Shower Bingo. To play this game, dream up a list of words for each bingo card that relates to weddings, wedding gifts, the bride herself, or romance. For the cards themselves, arrange a grid of squares in your favorite desktop publisher, placing each word or phrase in its own square. Make the center square “free” (you’re just generous that way). Or just grab some of those no-cost, printable bridal bingo cards from the internet.

Give each guest their own card. Or if you really want to press home the icebreaker effect, get two guests to share one.

Next, print out your word selection with lots of letter spacing so you can cut up the sheet into strips and toss them in a basket.

Finally, have the hostess act as the caller. She’ll pull the words out of the basket and call them out. Once a player gets a complete marked-off line of words, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, she shouts out “Bingo” (or “Bride”) in return for a prize.

Uncool, you say? Angelina Jolie would never be caught dead playing Bridal Shower Bingo? Maybe, but you’d be surprised how jiggy things get when you turn up the music and start calling out those words. There’s a reason why hundreds of people flock to bingo halls on a weekly basis — it’s freakishly fun. Leave the anthropologists to wonder why, and just roll with it.

Bingo Redux
One of the funniest variations on Bridal Shower Bingo is to give guests blank cards and have them fill it out with predictions of what gifts the bride will get.

Or for another twist, fill your cards with titles of songs relating to love and romance, and then play 10 second snippets from a CD you’ve burned ahead of time. This gives your guests the double challenge of identifying what they’re hearing, and crossing off the titles. Choose a sweet Starbucks-y combo of Cole Porter, Diana Krall, Ray Charles, and obscure Beatles tunes. It’s fun and cool.

Kiss George Clooney
You could also “kiss the groom,” but why not kiss George Clooney instead?

Take a sturdy board, and staple on a men’s shirt and pants combo from the thrift store. Draw in the hands and shoes, and glue on a life-sized printout of George Clooney’s winsome face. Have each guest apply a healthy dose of lipstick. Now blindfold her, turn her around three times, and have her try to kiss George Clooney on the lips. The closest kisser wins a prize (how about an inexpensive autographed photo from the man himself? Try eBay). The rest get to dream.

Lottery Tickets
Fast and simple, not too costly, and who knows? Someone might go home with special memories … to her new penthouse suite. It could happen!

Purse Pursuit
Or try a scavenger hunt — through a purse. In this one, give your guests a list of things you might find in a purse. Guests mark off items for points as they hunt through their purse. Expected items (aspirin, cosmetics, mints) should get a few points. Give higher points for odder objects (tiny airline liquor bottles, a granola bar, crochet hooks, a Canadian coin). Award really high points for random items that might show up in a purse (a rock, toilet paper, chopsticks).

If all this seems too complicated, weigh each purse and hand out a prize to the heaviest handbag — since a gift certificate to an orthopedic specialist probably won’t fit your budget.

Financial Advice for Young Married Couples

Mention unfaithfulness in a marriage and more then likely your thoughts will focus on sexual relationships. Yet over 50% of divorces are not at all related to sexual unfaithfulness but rather financial unfaithfulness. In today’s debt ridden society, the face of unfaithfulness is financial and divorces are happening much more repeatedly as a result of uncovered financial secrets. More often then not, women are financially unfaithful compared to men however financial unfaithfulness is wide ranging and will annihilate a marriage as quickly as sexual unfaithfulness.

Young married couples and debt are common however, they also form a cocktail for marital ruin. Often with a young married couple, one of the partners will hide certain financial things to prevent confrontations and getting help. As soon as the unfaithfulness begins, it usually does not stop until it hits the point of no return. At this point, financial debts become too big to hide and either the partner will reluctantly bring it up or the other partner will discover it on their own, which will bring with it feelings of great frustration, bitterness and often is the beginning of the end for the marriage, especially if professional help is not seeked out immediately.

Men seem to be less apt to handle the financial unfaithfulness then women and when it is discovered that their spouse has been financially unfaithful then a battle will often begin. So what is a young married couple to do to avoid this disaster?

Be accountable to one another and help each other prepare and maintain a budget. When only one spouse has their hand in control of the cookie jar, temptation can often cause for the hand to dip in more then its fair share. This can often start out innocently but quickly grows into a problem while the other partner sits by innocently unaware of the financial burden that is starting.

If a young couple is set on only having one person in control of the budget, that is fine however it is wise to site together once every week and review the income and expenses and allow for open questions and answers. This will provide that additional step of accountability that is often more then enough to keep the temptation of financial unfaithfulness at bay.

Marital problems that are caused from a lack of financial maturity do cause many best friends to become bitter enemies and in any marriage, it can certainly be the brutal destruction of the foundation for which it stands. If you are hiding financial problems from your spouse, come clean with them immediately and seek out financial guidance. If you are not sharing the budget responsibly currently, then start.