Hihigh

Archive for June, 2011

As the saying goes “you only get out what you put in.” That certainly applies when it comes to insulating your home. With a growing number of people showing a greater awareness and respect for sustainability and good health, it’s of little surprise that consumers are now being more particular about the products they buy.

The world has been subjected to an array of synthetic products for years. However there’s been a massive change in the tide, with people now leaning towards products that are healthy on the body and good for the environment. A perfect example of this is the introduction of sheep wool in home insulation.

Up until recently, the use of sheep wool in home insulation was unheard of. In fact, most houses were never insulated at all. The sole purpose of a house was to keep out the wind and rain. Rather than line their houses, people used to insulate themselves with wool instead. How things have changed.

All over the world people are discovering the many benefits of wool. From blankets and rugs to outdoor clothing and carpet, wool has proven itself as a wonder fibre. So, it’s no wonder people are now calling for their houses to be insulated with wool as well.

Unlike synthetics that were first used in home insulation, wool has taken on a front seat role. Wool is not only a sustainable fibre, but it’s also 100% natural and non-toxic – all features that benefit the body and the environment.

Another of the benefits of wool insulation is its ability to absorb water without losing its insulation capacity. When fibreglass or cellulose insulation gets wet, it becomes fairly ineffective. This doesn’t apply to wool. Sheep wool is considered very effective in insulating homes. Not only does it provide more warmth, but it also has the ability to dampen sound, which makes for an appealing insulation choice in homes sharing connecting walls.

It’s only natural that sheep has already proved its worth worldwide. Home owners now realize that by surrounding themselves with nature, they’re contributing to greater health and a sustainable future.

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I suppose if you go back to the days when men rose in the mornings and went out into the jungle or on to the plains to hunt for food, losing hair was a real problem. Just imagine the bright sun shining off the bald head. This beacon of light would frighten the game animals away faster than you could move downwind. It would be worse than dropping your spear or forgetting to bring your cudgel along, where the other members of the hunt could cover for you. But when your presence drives the potential food away. Now that’s a real problem. So they drive you out of the cave – no freeloaders allowed. You do your best to join the women in the gathering part of the survival exercise. Berries and roots are not disturbed by your lack of hair. In the end, you probably starve to death and this serves as a terrible warning to the other members of the tribe. Some of the men experiment with animal skins, hoping to invent baseball caps. Others try rubbing earth or other substances on to their scalps. At the very least, it all cuts down the glare factor.

It’s no different today. Were it not for the development of other skills which can be sold in exchange for food, all balding men would starve. This just leaves the other reaction. Women often see balding men as undesirable for breeding purposes. Who wants to have children with someone who may pass on the balding gene? It’s much kinder to let natural selection end these poor creatures and leave the human race stronger and more hairy as a result.

So men who see the first signs of premature male pattern balding slowly emerge must take action to preserve their credibility for breeding purposes. Other problems can be cured. Dental work can correct less than perfect teeth. Cosmetic surgery can remove excess fat and smooth away early wrinkles that might betray age. Style gurus can advise on clothes to wear. This just leaves the hair. Fortunately, the researchers had one of those lucky accidents. There’s this wonderful myth that scientists set out with a hypothesis, devise experiments and prove themselves brilliant. Ironically, there’s just as much discovered when experiments go hopelessly wrong. Bright-eyed and not defeated, they try to find the reason for their humiliation.

So it was with those scientists trying to find a way of treating prostate cancer. Imagine their surprise when the drug trials suddenly produced more hair on the heads of many participating men. After recovering from their Simpson “doh” moment, they realized they might have a money-spinner on their hands. Several trials later, the FDA was convinced and a license was issued. Propecia could be released on to world markets as the only drug to have been fully tested and approved by government regulators. It’s a great marketing strategy when you can tell the truth about your product. Too often in the past, marketers had to lie and cheat their customers, moving on to the next town quickly before the scam was discovered. This time, they really could say Propecia stops hair loss and hold their own heads up proudly.

Well, its summer time again and once again we need to talk about the most important vitamin known to man. Specifically, I am talking about Vitamin D3 – or cholecalciferol. It is one of the most useful nutritional tools we have at our disposal for improving overall health. Doctor Mercola has talked about it many times before and points out that it has hormone-like actions and controls phosphorus, calcium, and bone metabolism, neuromuscular function and an estimated 2,000 endocrine processes. Vitamin D3 is the only vitamin that our bodies can manufacture from exposure to sunlight. Having said that, the fact still remains that those of us who live north of the 35th parallel (Boston) are probably deficient in D3. To make matters worse, because of concern about skin cancer, many of us avoid the sun or use sunscreen. As a result, we are a society with millions of individuals deficient in life-sustaining vitamin D3.

Modern research shows that Vitamin D3 deficiency is linked to a number of other health conditions such as depression, cancer, back pain, dysfunctional glucose metabolism, a range of pregnancy issues, impaired immunity and macular degeneration. Those most at risk for D3 deficiency are anyone living north of the 35th parallel, dark skinned people, and fat people. Those demographics are scary indeed! That means a whole lot of folks are in trouble.

The fear of skin cancer stops most individuals from obtaining beneficial amounts of sunlight, which the skin converts into vitamin D3. And as we pointed out, even those individuals who do venture out into the sun often use suntan to ensure deficiency in vitamin D3. In addition, advancing age plays a strong role in the process as well. We are less equipped to produce sufficient quantities of vitamin D3 as we get older. In 2010, studies are beginning to come in that find age-related declines in kidney function may require older people to ingest more vitamin D3 in order to maintain stable blood levels of D3.

Most doctors now agree that the recommended daily intake is not sufficient for individuals to maintain adequate D3 blood levels. You will find that most good doctors are now recommending increased D3 supplementation.

Current recommendations from the Institute of Medicine call for 200 IU/day from birth through age 50 years, 400 IU for those aged 51-70 years, and 600 IU for those aged >70 years. Most experts today say that optimal amounts are closer to 1,000 IU daily. Some go as far as to recommend 8,000 IU per day. I know that my wife’s own doctor has had my wife on 8,000 IU per day for the past two years.

We can take all of the supplements we want, but if bioavailability is an issue, then we have a compound problem. It is one thing to pour the nutrients down your throat, but if you are not adequately hydrated, then much of it is going to come straight out of the other end! In order to increase your nutrient uptake, you must be properly hydrated. Nearly 80% of the North American population is not adequately hydrated. Is it any wonder we suffer so many disease related issues?

When examining the medical literature, it becomes clear that vitamin D3 affects the health in an astonishing number of ways and that not obtaining enough of this important nutrient can leave the door open to developing a number of health conditions including depression, back pain, osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, bone fractures, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairment, blood pressure and cancer.

For those of you old enough to remember the 60s and 70s, you will know that almost everything we thought was right, was actually wrong! I once quipped that life appears to be a paradox. If you want more, give more… not less. If you don’t like what you are getting, then stop doing what you are doing! Check out the science of hydration. Find out all you can about alkaline water and pH diets. From there you can build upon a strong foundation for future wellness.

Rose disease is something every gardener encounters and can range from problematic to devastating for your garden plants. By following basic preventive steps you can protect your garden from disease and pests. There are few common diseases to watch for which can easily be identified and kept in check.

Powdery Mildew

If rose leaves begin to drop and look white and powdery they may have Powdery Mildew. It is a fungus which is found on the underside of leaves. The best prevention is to control moisture on plant foliage by watering plants directly at the base of the plant, on the soil. To rid your plant of mildew organically, mix one teaspoon of baking soda with a half teaspoon of cooking oil and add to a quart of warm water. Take the mixture and spray it on the affected leaves. Should leaves drop, be sure to dispose of them outside of the garden so as not to spread the fungus.

Rust

Another common disease caused by too much moisture is Rust, the orange powder found on foliage, usually on the underside of the leaf. Remove diseased leaves immediately to control spreading. If necessary a chemical treatment can be used for the rose.

Blackspot

Small black spots, about ½” round are signs of the fungal disease – aptly named – Blackspot. This is one of the more devastating fungi, as it will kill roses if left untreated. When the spots appear, remove the damaged parts of the flower; if it continues try a fungicide.

Rose Mosaic

Most rose diseases are of the fungus variety, the exception is rose mosaic which is a virus. It looks like a mosaic of green or yellow spots on the plant’s leaves. Removing and destroying the leaves is the only effective treatment.

Canker

Dark red or brown spots, or indentations on plant canes, are from Canker. It enters and infects roses through cuts or wounds and can be difficult to kill. Cut the diseased canes off to stop the progress of this disease.

Rose Disease Prevention

There are some basic steps gardeners can take to help prevent the spread of rose diseases. Keep moisture away from plant leaves by always watering directly in the soil at the base of the plant. Stick to a regular schedule of fertilizing roses; healthy plants are more immune to pests and disease.

In addition to deadheading and pruning, remember to seal cuts immediately with white glue. Use clean pruners, rubbed with alcohol after each cutting. Do not allow disease to spread through tools. Clear the garden beds of debris and leaves on a regular basis, throw all foliage and plant cuttings in a garbage can, away from the garden.

Following these basic precautions will help control rose disease, improve the health of your roses and provide an environment where plants can flourish.

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If you are dealing with erectile dysfunction (ED) for the first time, chances are you have a lot of emotions going on right now, and a lot of questions. You may know already that there are plenty of very good ED treatments on the market today, and that your ED can be treated very easily. What you may not know however is that ED can sometimes be the symptom of other more serious conditions. If you are dealing with ED, it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor about it for this very reason. The last thing you want is for some underlying condition to get worse or go unnoticed for too long and your doctor can rule things out to determine the cause of your ED. Discovering the cause of your ED will be one step your doctor takes, and another will be treating it. With so many treatment options available, how do you choose the best ED medication for you?

It can be difficult to determine which ED medication is the best for you with so many on the market. When you talk to your doctor about your ED, your doctor or health care provider will want to run a series of tests to rule out any possible underlying conditions. Erectile dysfunction is often caused by blood flow issues, and this can be the result of conditions such as diabetes, heart problems, previous stroke, or lifestyle factors such as smoking or drinking alcohol. How you determine what ED medication to use will also be determined by your prescription history so that you don’t choose an ED treatment that might conflict with anything else you are currently taking.

Because of the nature of the blood flow causes of ED, you want an ED treatment that will work to overcome that problem. The most successful ED treatments work as PDE5 inhibitors, which are medications that block the enzyme in the brain that interfere with blood flow to the penis. These medications function to allow blood flow in and out of the penis in a certain timeframe, and this leads to successful erections that can be sustained for sexually active lifestyles.

But even these types of ED treatments vary from one to the next, so how do you know which ones are best for you? It will depend on what you want from your ED medication, as each one offers different benefits. You also may have price as a concern in your medication needs, and with the rising cost of health care that is a standard concern for many Americans. Comparing different ED treatments online is likely to give you a better idea on what medication is available, and will even be a more affordable option for you. More often than not online pharmacies are offering the best ED treatments at a fraction of the cost through brick and mortar pharmacies.

The one ED medication that is prescribed most often is Viagra, and Viagra is now being prescribed for both young AND older men with ED. Viagra may be your first choice when considering ED treatments, as it has the longest success record, and an extremely high effective rate. When you are choosing ED medication, be sure to discuss your medical history with your health care provider, and always choose the treatment that is going to provide you the relief you need FAST.

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Finding the best all natural multivitamin for men is no easy task in this day and age. The marketplace for supplements is booming as more and more men and women are realizing the immense health benefits that can be derived from them.

The problem with the demand growing comes when companies are out to make a quick profit. This leads to sub-par supplements that are not only a waste of your money, but can also threaten your health with the various chemical ingredients and fillers they contain.

Why do companies put in these chemical ingredients? To save money and make the production process easier. There are a lot of myths about natural supplements you should know about, but in this article I’ll cover three of them:

1. Expensive Means High-Quality. It’s easy to think that an all natural multivitamin for men that costs $200 per month is guaranteed more effective than something that only costs $100. I’ve had personal experience with this and done my research. The results? The most expensive products are usually no better than the lower priced ones. For example, you can get an excellent multivitamin for $50-80 per month if you do your research.

2. You Only Need Vitamins and Minerals. This is one of the biggest myths out there. Advances in nutritional science has proven that vitamins and minerals are great, but they should be gotten from specialty ingredients and herbal extracts to provide the biggest health benefits. Single vitamins and minerals should then be used in the multivitamin to back up the herbs and other powerful ingredients.

3. All Natural Guarantees Effectiveness. An all natural multivitamin for men does not guarantee effectiveness. Just because it says “natural” on the label doesn’t mean it is effective. The ingredients are often of low-quality and the production process flawed.

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