Important Advice on Hygiene

Use The Bum Gun Bidet Sprayer:

Using The Bum Gun after every trip to the bathroom can dramatically decrease the amount of bacteria on your hands. Put some distance when doing 'your business' between bacteria and your hands.

Wash your hands:

Always wash your hands after going to the toilet, even when you use The Bum Gun. Wash your hands regularly throughout the day. Having clean, hygienically clean hands is the single most important way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

We all should know how important it is to wash our hands after using the toilet, but fewer than 50 percent of people actually do it. A lot of research suggests very few actually wash their hands properly. Wash for at least 20 seconds, but 30 to 45 seconds if possible, scrubbing between fingers and under nails. And if possible pick up that soap for a second time, and lather, rinse and repeat.

Public Bathrooms:

Don't close the taps with your bare hands after washing. Use a hand towel.

Don't open the door with your bare hands after washing. Use a hand towel.

Use Hand Sanitizer:

Use hand sanitizer at your desk at home, and especially at work. When you get to work use it. After any breaks use hand sanitizer. And basically when you just haven't used it for a while. You can't be too clean.

Don't use the same cloth for everything:

Most people often use the same cleaning cloth to clean everything in the kitchen. The worktops, washing the dishes, and the chopping board. How many mums also use that same cleaning cloth to wipe their kids faces?

Prevent cross-contamination:

To prevent cross-contamination. Use a different implement for each cleaning task in the kitchen and bathroom. Disinfect cutting boards after each use.

Replace the sponge frequently. Sponges and scrubbers provide the warm, moist conditions and trapped food particles on which bacteria thrive. The bacteria can multiply, increasing from a few to millions in a matter of hours.

You should keep your kitchen sponge for no longer than a week. Between uses, clean it with an antibacterial cleaning product and let it dry. Look for thinner sponges, which dry faster.

The Vacuum Cleaner:

Empty your vacuum. Dangerous organisms such as salmonella could be multiplying in your vacuum cleaner bag, waiting to be released into the air every time you turn on the vacuum cleaner. Empty the collection bag at least monthly, or switch to a vacuum with a HEPA filter, which reduces airborne pollution.

Your Bins:

Disinfect all bins in your house regularly, especially in the kitchen. Germs that grow in your rubbish bin don't always stay there. It's common for a plastic liner to leak, allowing waste to collect in the bottom of the can (bin). Then when someone empties the container, the person typically sets the bag on a surface such as the floor, a counter or a chair, spreading the bacteria to that surface as well as their hands.

To stem bacteria growth, clean and disinfect the bin weekly, and use antibacterial bin bags. If there's no visible gunk in the container, a spray of Lysol should suffice.

Your Can Opener:

Clean your can opener. That little bit of juice or food left on the blade after you open a can invites bacteria growth. Washing or even just rinsing the opener after you use it will prevent problems.

Replace Your Towels:

Change your towels regularly. The average person sheds 1 million skin cells an hour. Bath towels can be great places for those cells and their bacteria to rest. Don't leave wet towels folded or scrunched up. Hang towels unfolded to let them air dry, and replace them with clean towels after three uses.

Your Toothbrush:

Every time a toilet is flushed, faecal matter and bacteria spray 20 feet in the air. Keep your toothbrush out of the line of fire by storing it in an enclosed place. Or protect your toothbrush with a toothbrush cover. And always dry it after every use.

You should also sanitize your toothbrush daily by rinsing it with peroxide or mouthwash. Yes, the germs on your toothbrush are your own, but they can multiply to enormous numbers between uses.

These are all little steps which you should take on board and become part of your daily routine. All these tips will help you and your family be much healthier and prevent you becoming sick so frequently.

Then you can reap the benefits of not needing sick days from work, and your kids not needing time off school.

Watch your productivity increase.

The Bum Gun bidet sprayer can help you improve your well being and lifestyle for the price of a meal for two. But will last you over 5 years. The ROI is under 6 months, and the cleanliness and hygiene benefits are huge.

Visit The Bum Gun Store: http://www.thebumgun.com/store/

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Now Is The Time To Lose Weight

So you really want to shed those extra pounds clean off. But you never seem to get to it and instead push your goals farther back until it becomes one failure after another. Well, I'm here to tell you that you can start right here and right now. Don't put it aside any longer.

You drive past the same old workout building everyday on your way to work. You look through the windows and see people lifting, running, pulling, whatever they are doing to becoming better human beings. As you continue on, a part of you wants to be in there right now exerting and challenging yourself. But when are you going to find time for that? If you have a busy schedule you know what this feels like. But let me tell you that you don't need a gym to get fit, or even an exercise ball.

It all starts in the mind. Stop putting yourself down and feeling frustrated. That's not going to help you one bit. What you need is hope. Purpose in your mind that failure is not who you are. Make the most of the one life you have to live. It flies by faster than you know. Look at exercising as an opportunity to live life to the fullest, to reveal the real you under all that weight. And when does that start? Right now.

You're about to go get your morning coffee. But before you purchase you pause and ask yourself if this really is the greatest decision. You fight back and forth in your mind and decide to get a bottled water and an energy bar. Bingo! You've just won a small battle in the weight loss war. A lot of people might not think a simple switch such as this is important. But the littlest actions produce success. More healthy choices such as this one will increase the rate at which you progress. Sure, you might not be burning calories off like exercise buffs. But hey, slowly but surely you're making changes that affect your body for the better. Another scenario is you come home late from your job and start to order a pizza. Is that really the best thing to do? You might be tired and cranky, no motivation whatsoever. But wouldn't a nutritious meal energize your body with the foods it's craving for? How bad do you want your dream? It's not always going to be a piece of cake, but you'll be glad you made the right move.

What about exercising? Remember all those hours in front of the TV? Or texting sprawled out on the couch? You say it's your "me time" and there's nothing wrong with that. Once again, how bad do you want the best you? Change starts today. But only if you allow it. Just get your body moving.

When you look back on all the decisions you made each and everyday for the better you can stare down at the scale and smile wide. It's a hard trail to the destination of losing weight on a busy schedule. But the choices you make will become easier as you go. Just hang in there, success can be yours. So what are you waiting for? Take action now!

Looking for more information on finding your healthy self? Take a look at http://www.exercisesandsolutionsforfatloss.com.

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The Various Benefits of Consuming Natural Health Foods

Nowadays, more and more people around the world are realizing the importance of a healthy diet. Overdependence on fast food has led to a massive increase in obesity, diabetes and other health problems all over the world. Most fast food chains use high amounts of oil to make their food, which leads to high cholesterol and heart diseases as well.

There are a number of natural health food products available in the market these days. These products promise to be just as tasty and filling as fast food items, and do not cause any harm to the body. While apple chips, organic fruit preserves, etc. are partially processed foods, they do provide almost as many benefits as the real thing.

Foods like burgers, fries, cheese, and certain desserts have a high amount of unsaturated fat, which could lead to clogged arteries and heart diseases. A lot of fast food joints have started to offer healthier items on the menu. However, what most people don't realize is that some of the components used in such foods such as sauces and dressings, minimize any benefit you get from eating healthier items.

While buying natural health foods, make sure that you read the labeling and look at the nutrient information. Healthy food will have high levels of HDL, fiber, vitamins, etc. Avoid foods which have trans-fat. HDL stands for high density lipoproteins, and is also called good cholesterol. These are tiny molecules which carry fat and other harmful materials from the heart to the liver, to get disposed of. It is believed that having a high HDL count will substantially reduce the risk of heart attack, and other related diseases.

Generally, foods which are high in omega 3 fatty acids, rich in HDL and those which contain a high level of some antioxidants such as resveratrol are considered valuable in improving the health of the body. Items such as baked salmon, apples, pears, tofu, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, walnuts, etc. are good for your health. Look for products which have been baked, and not fried in oil. Having a couple of glasses of wine a day is supposedly good for you as well.

While you are looking for natural health foods, try and stick as much as you can to products made by reputed companies. There are a number of guidelines in place regarding the features of such products. Make sure that the item you are buying, meets all such guidelines, and does not contain high amounts of trans-fat and other potentially harmful ingredients. Look for items which have been sourced from organic suppliers.

Studies have shown that consuming products such as apple chips, canned fruits, etc. provide significant health benefits over similar health products such as potato chips and wedges. They provide a greater amount of fibers and nutrients, which improves your overall health condition. Keep in mind the fact that even though these foods are good for health, you should avoid going overboard with them. Too much dependence on natural health foods may not provide desired results.

When buying natural snacks, make sure you check the label and the nutrition information, while also sticking to products of a reputed company for the best health benefits through time. For some help with your food choice, visit this website.

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How to Reduce Stress in Your Life Before It Hurts You!

Everyone suffers from stress now and then; however, there are things you can do to reduce stress, especially if it interferes in your daily activities.

To reduce and manage stress, it is important to take charge of your emotions, thoughts and the way you look and deal with problems. Managing stress begins by finding out what the sources of stress are in your life. Many things cause stress such as not knowing how to handle certain situation, worrying about your work or putting off things that need to be done. To find out what is causing stress in your life, look carefully at how you handle problems and your daily habits.

Many have found help dealing with stress by starting a stress journal. By keeping a stress journal you can keep track of what is causing you to be stress out, how you acted in response to the stress and what you did to make yourself feel better, more relaxed.

There are many ways that unhealthy when coping with stress such as smoking, eating too much, using pills to relax or sleeping too much. It is important to note that there are healthy ways to manage stress such as avoiding the stressful situation or person, alter the stressor, adapt to the stressful condition or accept the stressful condition or person.

There are several effective ways to reduce stress such as learning to say no and not taking on any more than you can handle, avoiding those who stress you out, taking control of your environment and avoiding stressful topics such as politics or religion.

Another way to reduce stress is to express your feelings, be more assertive, compromise when necessary and manage your time better.

When a person is running behind and has too much to do, it's difficult to stay calm. However, by planning ahead and making sure that you don't overdo, you can lower your stress significantly. For instance, if you know that have an important assignment due or an important meeting coming up where you need to prepare and have certain documents at hand, organizing your plans and procedures will take away unnecessary stress and strain from the day.

Most importantly, if you find that you can't change a stressful event or procedure, see if you can change who you are. By changing a negative attitude into a more positive attitude and lowering expectations that may be too high, you can lower stress. Instead of getting nervous and stressed out with situations or people, focus on what you can control; especially how you react and handle problems.

To conclude, to reduce stress in your life, focus on the good things in your life and always remember there is no perfect person on this planet!

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An End to European Health and Safety at Work Week

European Health and Safety at Work Week has now come to an end, with events and activities across Europe to mark the occasion and highlight awareness of the importance of being safe in the work place.

In the UK it is the Health and Safety Executive who are responsible for ensuring employees adhere to the Health and Safety at Work Act. Established in 1971, it is designed to protect employees within the workplace and ensure businesses offer a duty of care to their staff.

In 2011/12 there were over 1 million work related injuries, resulting in over 27 million lost working days. This is a huge figure and has a huge impact on businesses in being able to trade efficiently, as without staff a business cannot expect to be successful or indeed operate.

Some injuries are more common than others in the workplace, with each environment having its own set of potential hazards.

Slips and Trips

This is one of the most common types of injury sustained within the workplace, either from slipping on a wet floor or tripping over a hazard in a walkway. Injuries from slips and trips can vary in their severity, from simple sprains and strains to broken bones with the most common affected areas being the wrist and ankle.

Wrist injuries are common after falls as we are programmed to put our arms out when we fall to protect our face, therefore the hand and wrist receives the full force of the impact. A sprained wrist can be very painful and hinder your ability to work, especially if it is your writing hand which is damaged. These are largely self-limiting conditions and the inflammation and pain should subside within a few days, allowing you to regain full control of your wrist. It is clear to understand the importance health and safety when a minor issue such as a sprained wrist can lead to a few lost working days.

Another method of rehabilitation from wrist injuries is the use of a wrist support, designed to offer protection and support of the joint following injury. There are different types of wrist supports depending on the nature of the condition you wish to manage, from breathable materials designed to manage inflammation to rigid designs which restrict movement of the joint to minimise the risk of further injury.

Ankle injuries can also be common from slips and trips, with any rolling of the ankle leading to ligament damage and instability of the joint. A sprained ankle can happen as a result of landing awkwardly or slipping on a wet surface and is especially common in winter where car parks have not been gritted. As with a sprained wrist, a sprained ankle is self-limiting and with rest and the use of ice to manage inflammation will heal itself.

If a person is worried about the stability of their ankle following an injury then an ankle support can be worn to help. They can work to help manage inflammation as well as helping to support the ankle joint. Depending on the design chosen, they can work as external ankle ligaments to provide additional stability following an injury.

Manual Handling

Manual handling accounts for a large number of work related injuries through incorrect lifting. If you believe an item is too heavy to lift you should either ask for help or use machinery rather than risking injury. If you are listing something remember to lift with your knees and not your back.

Back injuries are common from manual handling where a person is attempting to lift something too heavy, typically leading to complaints in the lumbar region or lower back. The majority of muscle complaints in the back are self-limiting and are treated with rest, though sometimes physiotherapy may be required.

Back injuries can be very painful and debilitating, with more serious injuries meaning a person is unable to get up. A back brace can be worn for additional support, applying compression to the affected area which helps to manage inflammation and pain and allows a person to remain active for longer.

Final Thoughts on Health and Safety

Whilst legislation is in place to protect employees it is essential that employees look out for each other and raise concerns about health and safety where necessary. Lost working days can impact massively on businesses and even more so on employees, with more serious injuries having an impact on life outside of work. Sometimes accidents are unavoidable, but many are and by remaining vigilant the number of work related injuries can be reduced.

About the Author

Dave Regis discusses the use of orthotics for the management of work related injuries, reviewing injury rehabilitation through exercise and the use of bracing and supports. He writes articles focussing on health and safety and avoiding injury in the workplace.

http://www.ossurwebshop.co.uk

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Are You Scared You'll Eat All the Halloween Candy?

Well it's that time of the year when everywhere you look you see candy, treats and sugary temptations all about. If you are in the Zone - meaning on track with your healthy habits - this may not even faze you. But if you aren't look out! This seemigly innocent holiday is loaded with abandon and regret. Sure it tastes good for a minute or two and then you are fiddled with guilt and remorse wishing you could have more self control. Well don't worry it only lasts a few weeks right? However, you could let this type of snacking take over and it could last well into Thanksgiving and beyond. You'll end up crying in front of your mirror when the actual holidays come around and you are unable to fit into the new dress you just bought a few months back.
OK - I will not go on about this potential disaster any longer but rather give you some strategies of how to overcome the temptations.
Here are your 5 strategies on how to handle Halloween and even have a healthy one...
5 Halloween Strategies:
Strategy #1 Don't go down the candy aisle. I witnessed today while shopping that during Halloween there is no designated candy aisle - there is literally candy everywhere you turn. So take a breathe and focus on why you went shopping in the first place to buy chicken, eggs and some fresh vegetables - lots of them. Write out a list if that helps and don't buy off the list. If you don't feel that strong - give the list to your husband, neighbor or teenager (yes, some will) and ask them to go shopping for you. Enroll others help. Or munch on an apple before you go into the store - that will curb your sweet tooth. Also drink some water as that will reduce hunger. You'll end up making wrong choices if you shop when you're hungry.
Strategy #2 Give something else. You might be someone who loves to hand out candy to neighborhood kids so this strategy won't work. My husband and I lived in rural Malibu for many years and actually seldom had children come by on Halloween for their yearly trick or treat. We kind of got used to not having candy around because we didn't need it on that Hallowed Eve.
I grew up in a neighborhood full of children and Halloween was a major event. I remember coming home several times during the evening to unload my stash and go out again. My mother enjoyed seeing all the apples I brought home. (Yes, in those days apples were given often) and knew she'd be in the kitchen the next day making dozens of apple pies. There were 10 of us in my household - so, yes dozens of pies. The tip here is that you don't always have to give candy, try something else instead - be creative.
Strategy #3 Go out on Halloween. Go to a party, go out to dinner - distract yourself from the candy craziness. You don't have to be at home waiting for youngsters to appear at your door in order to enjoy Halloween. Remember it's really about not having the temptation around you. My husband and I went out last Halloween. While dining at one of our favorite restaurants we noticed everyone was having a good time. Customers, as well as staff, had some funny costumes on and the fun energy was contagious. We were able to enjoy a healthy meal as well as the festivities around us.
Strategy #4 Homemade Baking anyone? Why does everyone like baking or baked goods? They represent more love and less processing right? If you choose to bake your treat this Halloween make sure you use quality ingredients. I must admit I seldom bake - I have a sweet tooth so it's best that I don't have much of this kind of stuff around. One of the reasons I do what I do is to not only help a lot of people, but my dedication to my work also helps keep me in line and causes me to be focused on my healthy habits.
You could also try some new products on the market like Crunchies. They are a quick and healthy alternative to baked and heavily processed treats. Crunchies are simply dehydrated fruits and veggies which are colorful, taste yummy and good for your kids, too.
Strategy #5 Being a Responsible Kid. You can play and have fun like a kid but it doesn't mean you have to eat like one. Kids today are still encouraged by advertisers and peers to eat a lot of sugar and salty foods as well beverages loaded with caffeine. Join me on the mission to change that cultural trend. Munching responsibly, even during Halloween, is good for you and it also sets a wonderful example for the children (and everyone else) in your life. However, if you feel disciplined and strong enough, go ahead have a little of the forbidden treat - just a little - that's it. Learn to munch responsibly.
Have a Spooky Fun Time!

(c) Monika Klein
Monika Klein, BS, CN. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the "Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach." Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika's services and programs, visit http://www.coachingforhealth.com.

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Fertility With PCOS

It is important to understand that success with fertility may be tied to getting to a healthy weight and then staying at a healthy weight. For many women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) who want to have a baby, their excess weight often gets in the way of their fertility and can be a tough problem to tackle.
Once a woman becomes overweight or obese her body is no longer efficient in using the excess body fat for energy and it decreases her fertility. It then becomes more likely she will have a harder time getting pregnant or may not be able to get pregnant at all. Fertility is usually positively affected by losing excess weight. Just 5% loss of extra body weight can get a woman on the road to better health all around, and it improves fertility too. A baby becomes much more likely as she loses the extra pounds.
For some women with PCOS the difficulty with getting pregnant and having a baby is strongly tied to what is happening with their blood sugar. Uneven blood sugar is often at the core of these fertility problems.
Uneven blood sugar is caused by eating too many sweets, grains, starches or other carbohydrates at any one time. When a woman does this, her body wants to go into fat storage mode and at a certain point the body's response to sugar becomes abnormal and the insulin is no longer as effective at getting energy into the body's cells.
So in a way the body thinks that it is not getting enough energy to begin and continue a pregnancy. A woman's body is highly sensitive to whether she has enough energy of the right kinds to sustain her pregnancy. Being pregnant takes a lot of energy. So anything that interferes with the body being able to access that energy in a normal healthy way will also interfere with conception, staying pregnant, and carrying a baby all the way through to birth.
Another fertility problem when the average blood sugar remains too high for too long over a period of time is that it causes problems with blood flow in the body's tiny blood vessels where all the exchange of nutrients and waste happen. When blood sugar is too high this leads to a process where extra-large particles made up of sugars bonded to proteins form in the blood. These extra-large particles can really slow down the blood flow in these tiny capillaries and can interfere with conception and maintaining a pregnancy.
If a woman wants to improve her fertility in the face of PCOS weight loss issues, it becomes extremely important for her to keep her blood sugar in a healthy range and avoid those blood sugar spikes. Regulating blood sugar and losing PCOS weight should lead to improved chances with fertility success and having a baby.

Dr. Beverly Yates is an expert on weight loss and women's health, including PCOS weight loss. In addition to having two decades of clinical experience, Dr. Yates is an MIT-educated engineer, and has been featured on countless media including PBS, NPR, CNN, & NBC. For a complimentary free report on PCOS Weight Loss Tips and Secrets, go to www.PCOSWeightLossTips.com

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