Acupuncture As A Remedy for Back Pain If you suffer from back pain you probably would not consider acupuncture as a treatment until you have exhausted many other alternatives. However, acupuncture is a type of ancient Chinese medicine that’s been around for over 2,500 years and throughout this time it has been used for back pain relief, increasingly so in these modern times. Acupuncture As A Remedy for Back Pain
While it is not traditionally a part of western medicine, nowadays your doctor is quite likely to send you for this treatment if you are suffering from back or neck pain either persistantly or due to accident or injury.
If you are going to have this therapy you may want to know a little about how it works. The general belief is that the body has 20 energy flow patterns called meridians or pathways. Through these pathways it is thought that the life force or vital energy flows, this is known as the qi (it is pronounced chee) and is considered to be essential to maintain good health. There are over 2,000 points on our bodies that connect with these pathways and it is at these points which the hair-thin needles are inserted, this is done in varying specific combinations depending on the treatment required. These actions are believed to either correct the flow of qi or to reinforce it.
Even though it cannot be proven that this works as a type of pain relief, it is thought that as a result the central nervous system is stimulated. Most patients say that they get a pins and needles sensation on the insertion of the needles and indeed into the duration of the treatment, which usually lasts about 15 to 30 minutes. Some people report that they feel energised or even very relaxed so it appears as if the effect can be is somewhat different depending on the individual.
The acupuncturist will use up to 20 metallic needles during a treatment session and the depth they are inserted is dependent upon the area, deeper muscular or fatty areas need more penetration and the scalp for example would be just below the surface. The practitioner may turn the needles one way or another depending on what they are trying to achieve, in my personal experience they were turned on insertion, then again about half way through the treatment. At no point is the treatment painful, there is a mere sensation of the needles going in and they do not feel sharp at all, this is because unlike needles used for injections, an acupuncture needles tip come to a smooth point without sharp edges. They are also very thin, about 20 times thinner than a hypodermic needle. In my experience the most troublesome part of the treatment is lying in the same position without moving for up to 30 minutes, especially if you suffer from back pain or similar.
Although there are many medical experts who believe acupuncture is an effective way to treat certain conditions such as back pain, there is no true consensus. Some adhere to the theories of qi and meridians whilst others attribute acupunctures, benefits to the biological changes that are brought about in the body as a result of treatment. Needless to say there will always be the sceptics who deny that acupuncture has any effect at all, but in my opinion if you are suffering from ongoing back pain it is certainly worth trying.
Hotel Deals for Superior Online Shoppers
If you aren’t someone who owns a fleet of cars and a few dozen mansions, when you are ready to apply for a vacation, reducing expenses is going to be one of your biggest questions. Finding that safe haven you can call home should neither be a struggle, nor a way to empty your pockets. There are several techniques you can take to find inexpensive lodging without compromising quality in your vacation destination. The most prominent of them entail online shopping. The travel industry today is one that involves a great deal of competition, and there is information available to you in magazines, online, even through text messages, where business will compete for your vacation dollars if they know you have an interest. Follow these few simple suggestions, and you could be counting your sheep on some of the most comfortable beds in the world at a terrific bargain. Hotel Deals for Superior Online Shoppers
The first thing you need to do is judge what kind of accommodation you are looking for. Questions you will be asked at booking include what kind of bed, how many people will be in the room, and do you want a meal package with your reservation. Know all of these things sooner, or you will be upsold before you can say continental breakfast. There are several online shopping web pages that will help you pick out deals based on these parameters.
You also need to know what you are looking for as an overall vacation need. Are the kids with you? Are you going to want a swimming pool? Spa? Gym? The more you want, the more you are going to spend. Become familiar with the rating system. The more stars a hotel has next to its name in the AAA guide, the more money you are going to spend. More stars (or in some cases, diamonds) means the hotel offers more amenities. You will see things like a free continental breakfast, swimming pools either indoor or out, restaurant on site, concierge service, night maids, day maids — there is no limit. In fact, one wonders how it was that in the pre-online shopping days such deals could even be structured.
The more of these services your hotel offers, the more your cost is going to be. These items are known as amenities, and even though they are offered as “free services” the cost of the service will be built into the cost of your room rate. If you don’t need concierge service, but want a swimming pool, look for a mid-level hotel that has just a pool. Again, the number of stars the property is rated does not signify its “niceness”; it represents how many amenities can be availed of by you. You can get a beautiful hotel room with no amenities at good rates if you look in the right places.
Don’t be afraid to ask for an upgrade when you check in. If a hotel is not fully booked, they should be more than happy to accommodate you and make it a point to see that you become a repeat customer. In the services industry, word of mouth is of the utmost importance to a hotel’s success. Bad news travels fast in the hotel industry. Your friends will know what complaints you had about your vacation far before they hear about how soft the pillows were. Hotels know this and want to make your stay as comfortable as possible because it will bring you back. Ask for a complimentary upgrade, the worst that can happen is you won’t be able to avail of it. The best thing that can happen is a premium room.
Lastly, if you can, travel in the off season. This will greatly lower your costs. All hotels drop their charges in the off-season to fill up their rooms and get you in the door. Once they do, they treat you well and hope to see you again during peak season. And who knows, if they do their job right, they just might.
Note that online shopping is wonderful but only for the smart online shopper who knows the best places to shop and the best things to buy.
7 Ways to Enhance Your Wildlife Photography
Photography can be a great hobby for many seniors. Whether you are new to it or you’ve done it for years, there always something you can work on to get better and improve your eye. And then there’s the question of what to shoot. Many people have found wildlife to be an excellent subject for photography. Shooting wildlife has some similarity to other subjects. Start by getting the basics right, then polish your skills as you go along. Here are some tips that may prove useful: 7 Ways to Enhance Your Wildlife Photography 1. GET THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
A lot of wild animals easily panic at the sight of humans. They might run or fly away at the slightest disturbance. Photographers therefore have to keep their distance so as not to scare them off. Getting a good shot in this manner requires tools such as a powerful zoom lens, a capable camera, and a stable tripod. 2. LEARN HOW TO USE THEM
Having expensive gear does not miraculously turn a novice into a great photographer. Gaining mastery of the tools take time and exposure to a variety of different situations. This is especially crucial in photographing creatures that tend to move around quite a bit. Settings must be modified in a snap according to the situation. For instance, auto focus is best for birds which might take off in an instant while manual focus is essential when singling out a small creature in the bushes. Practice, and then practice some more. 3. DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON SUITABLE SPOTS
Read up on nearby places that are suitable for this type of photography. Local and national parks tend to have plenty of wildlife. Their websites should list the kinds that can be seen within their boundaries. Learn about their behaviors through books or online resources as preparation for the trip. Join a local club that shares the same interest. The members should be able to provide plenty of practical advice. 4. OBSERVE PATIENTLY
Once on the site, look for a good spot that is a good distance away from the subjects and observe them patiently. Make a note of their behaviors as individuals and as a group. These should provide ideas on what moments to capture and such. Survey the surroundings for a nice background to add context to the image. Dramatic landscapes and fascinating habitats abound in the wilderness so take advantage of them. 5. DON’T MISS A SHOT
One of the greatest challenges is capturing that magical moment when the subject does something utterly amazing. This could be its final lunge to get a prey where it is fully extended in mid-air, or maybe a rare soulful gaze into the camera with sunset in the backdrop. With subjects that move about as often they do, the opportunity can go away in the blink of an eye. Photographers must be quick to act. The camera should also be set for continuous shots particularly in a fast action sequence.
Ethics is a thorny subject. Each individual tends to have his own standards on what is acceptable and what is not. However, the general principle is to be as authentic as possible when photographing wildlife . The subjects should not be influenced to do something or go somewhere by providing food. Let them behave as they normally would and do not stress them out. The golden hour is the time right after sunrise and just before sunset when the light is less harsh all around. There is a beautiful reddish tint that gives everything an ethereal glow. Many photographers try to wait for this time to get a desired effect. As an added incentive, diurnal animals tend to come out and become highly active around these periods.
Insomnia and Sleep Aids
You’ve likely seen the popular TV ad campaign for Rozerem… the insomnia guy who keeps late-night company with Abe Lincoln, a beaver, and other colorful characters from his dreams?
Insomnia is such a common problem (one in three adults report having some type of insomnia) that sleep aids such as Rozerem are more popular than ever. Insomnia and Sleep Aids
In this article, we’ll look at the different types of insomnia, self help treatments you can try, and Rozerem as a sleep aid for the treatment of insomnia. What Causes Insomnia
Insomnia happens when your sleep-wake cycle, or your internal clock, is disrupted. It can be caused by many factors: stress, illness, pain, jet lag, sleep apnea, excessive physical or emotional arousal, shift work, a sedentary lifestyle, worrying about sleep, depression, and other factors.Certain types of drugs can cause or worsen your insomnia:
Antidepressants
Antihypertensives
Antiarrhythmics
Antibiotics
Antihistamines
Antivirals
Bronchodilators
Central nervous system stimulants
Corticosteroids
Decongestants
Diuretics
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Insomnia is more common in people over age 60 and especially in women over 40. It’s estimated that up to one third of the population suffers from some type of insomnia. TYPES OF INSOMNIA
Insomnia presents itself in a variety of different ways… once-in-a-while insomnia, chronic insomnia, insomnia that keeps you from falling asleep, insomnia that wakes you up frequently during the night, insomnia that wakes you up too early, and insomnia that allows you to sleep, but poorly.
There are three main types of insomnia:
Transient Insomnia: This is short-term insomnia that typically lasts from a few nights to a few weeks. Transient insomnia may cause next-day sleepiness, mood changes, and performance impairment.
Intermittent Insomnia: This is when you have periods of transient insomnia that occur on and off over months or years. It can lead to chronic insomnia.
Chronic Insomnia: This is long term insomnia – difficulty sleeping for more than a month. Chronic insomnia is often related to more serious problems like depression, memory impairment, accidents, missed work, and increased visits to the doctor.
SELF HELP FOR INSOMNIA
Open the bedroom windows if possible. Fresh air may help you sleep.
Don’t read or watch TV in bed… reserve the bed for sleep so the mind begins to associate lying down with sleeping
Keep a tight schedule going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
Avoid daytime naps so you’re more tired at bedtime.
Don’t eat heavy meals before going to bed. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco.
Exercise, even 15 minutes a day, can help you relax and get a better sleep.
Warm milk before bed really works because it causes a chemical reaction that increases serotonin in the brain, making you feel relaxed and calm.
If self help doesn’t improve your insomnia, it may be time to discuss sleep aids with your doctor.
Discount Hotels in Los Angeles: Enjoy World Class Accommodations
Los Angeles – the largest city in the state of California – is truly a city of dreams. LA is one of the most prosperous, multifaceted cities filled with world-class amenities such as museums, music, food, architecture, gardens. And this vibrant city is more famous for its never-ending stream of movies, inventions and trends. In this majestic part of world, not only Hollywood and Disneyland are wonders but also LA’s hidden enclaves have a surprising shade and taste which break its conventional image.Discount Hotels in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is one of the most cosmopolitan places on earth where people dwell from almost every nation. People are attracted to L.A. for its warm and beautiful weather, alternative lifestyle, and high energy and world-class dining. It is the home of original Bay Watch and is endowed with miles of beaches. In addition, this magic city has more than 80 stage theaters and 300 museums that are more than any U.S. city.
Apart from variety of cultural venues, popular music concerts, opera, and current Broadway hits, there are other popular tourist destinations such as Universal Studios, Paramount, and other movie studios. LA one of the most enthralling tourist destinations is best known as the Entertainment Capital of the world. Moreover, this city boasts full-bodied business services, wholesale trade, defense, international trade, health care and technology and movie industries.
Traveling to this city will give you one of most memorable traveling experiences. Here, the more airy, inviting and the ultramodern facility at museum house pocketed with impressive art collections and postmodern garden are just breathtaking. In the city’s western districts, the majority of tourist attractions, restaurants and shops are located. But in downtown LA, new architectural landmarks – the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels are one of the most impressive modern architectural achievements in the world. As well as, a growing underground art scene in Chinatown and downtown is quickly becoming a destination for culture hounds and lovers ahead of its time. For shopping experience, you must check out the famous Flea Markets and swap meets that offer something to everybody.
As far as traveling is concerned, Los Angeles is well connected to the rest of the United States by several major highways. And a sleekly high-tech funicular will whisk you from freeway level to this city in the clouds. Most visitors arrive at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), located on the coast just south of L.A.’s primary beach communities.
In this magnificent city, accommodation is no problem at all because discount hotels can be found everywhere. Most hotels in Los Angeles are the perfect combination of traditional elegance, luxury style and Hollywood glamour. Most of them feature cinemas, fashion shops, fine dining; studio broadcast facilities and the Kodak Theatre – new home of the Academy Awards. And if you are a foodie, you can enjoy tasty dishes, including both traditional and international, made with the personal touch of the restaurant’s cook. You will be pampered with first-class facility as honored guest. In these discount hotels’ friendly and informal atmosphere, you will get excellent value of your money for both business and leisure stays.
Now, there are a lot of discount hotels deals going on. So, simply choose the hotel region you prefer and give hoteliers a chance to treat you.
Responding to Caregiver Criticism Getting criticized is unpleasant, especially from family or friends who don’t lift a finger to help care for your older adult! When you get a hurtful comment, take a deep breath and try to stay as calm as possible. Then, try one of these 3 responses. Responding to Caregiver Criticism
If it makes you feel any better, your calmness will only frustrate someone whose goal is to make you angry. 1. Acknowledge their concern, then ask what they’d suggest instead
When someone criticizes how you did something, it’s automatic to snap back defensively. But that’s only going to cause a shouting match that will leave your blood boiling and won’t stop the criticism from happening again.
Next time, acknowledge their concern and ask for their suggestions on how to improve. You might not be interested in their opinion, but because they’re probably expecting a fight, this response will surprise them and change the tone of the conversation.
For example:
Your sister says: Why did you give Mom a cheeseburger and chocolate milkshake for lunch? That’s so unhealthy! Are you trying to give her a heart attack?
You could say: I see why you’re concerned. The truth is, Mom’s appetite has been really bad lately. Her doctor says that anything, even unhealthy foods, are better than not getting enough nutrition. What other kinds of foods would you suggest? 2. Repeat the criticism back to show how it made you feel
Some people don’t think before they speak and don’t realize they’ve hurt your feelings or come across as critical. It’s possible to let them know that what they said was not acceptable without starting a fight. Do this by calmly repeating it back to them, but using an “I” statement.
Example 1
Your brother says: I’m too busy to help out.
You could say: I feel like you don’t value my time and take what I do for granted when you say that you’re too busy to visit or help out with Dad.
Example 2
Your adult child says: Why are you sending Dad to that adult day place? He doesn’t need that and he’s not like those other people! He should be at home with you. You’re always at home anyway.
You could say: It really upsets me when you tell me how I should be doing things without first understanding the real situation with your father.
Example 3
Your aunt says: This kitchen isn’t as clean as she used to keep it! And that living room looks like it hasn’t been dusted in weeks! Do you even try to keep your mom’s house clean?
You could say: It makes me feel unappreciated when you focus on what else needs to be done instead of recognizing all the things that I already do for my mom. 3. Politely stand up for yourself
Some criticism is completely out of line. In these cases, you should absolutely stand up for yourself. The trick is to do it calmly and politely. That way, the person saying those things will be more likely to listen to you and think twice before saying things like that again.
For example:
Your brother says: You’re obviously neglecting mom! You don’t even bathe her every day. She loves to be clean and shower every day.
You could say: I’m not neglecting Mom. Because of her Alzheimer’s, she’s developed a fear of bathing. Her doctor said that we only need to do it twice a week. Her clothes are always clean and she’s healthy, well-fed, and happy. It’s clear that I’m doing a great job caring for her. Bottom line
Screaming at people who criticize you might feel good in the moment, but it doesn’t help reduce your stress or cut down on future comments. You might even feel worse later because you didn’t get your point across or say what you really wanted to.
The next time someone tries to tell you how you should be caring for your older adult, improve your own health by counting to ten and trying one of these responses.
By DailyCaring.com Get free, practical advice to help you care for your parent or spouse. Visit DailyCaring.com for the most relevant and useful info about caregiving and aging. Stay up to date by signing up for email newsletters!
Give To An Established Charity Tips for Giving Money in Times of Crisis Don’t let an unscrupulous charity take advantage of your goodwill. Find a charity with a proven track record of success with dealing with the type of disaster and in the region in which the disaster occurred. Avoid fly-by-night charities created specifically to deal with the new crisis. Even well-meaning new organizations will not have the infrastructure and knowledge of the region to efficiently maximize your gift. If you do feel compelled to give to a new charity, be sure to get proof that the group is in fact a registered public charity with 501 (c) (3) status.Tips for Giving Money in Times of Crisis
Designate Your Investment
Worried that your donation will go towards the charity’s general operating fund or saved for a future crisis? This is a very understandable concern. Many charities do encourage donors not to designate their gifts so that the charity can decide how best to utilize the money, but depending on your confidence in the charity’s ability to make that determination, you may choose to tell the charity exactly how to use your investment. By designating your gift, you’ll ensure that your donation will be used as you intended. Most charities with online giving portals offer a check box feature so that you can tell the organization how to spend your contribution. If you are mailing in a check, then write a note in the memo section of the check specifying that you want your gift spent entirely on the current crisis.
Avoid Telemarketers
Be wary of fundraisers who pressure you to make a contribution over the phone. Never divulge your credit card information to someone soliciting you via the phone. Instead, ask the fundraiser to send you written information about the charity they represent and do some research on your own. Once you feel comfortable with the charity, send the organization a check directly in the mail, or give through their website, thus ensuring 100% of your gift goes to the charity and not the for-profit fundraiser.
Do Not Send Supplies
Knowing that people are desperately in need of basic supplies like food, water and shelter, it is hard not to want to pack up and send a box of supplies. But this type of philanthropy is simply not practical or efficient. Even if mail could get to an impacted region, no one is set up to receive these goods, much less organize and distribute them to the victims. Furthermore, charities are often able to partner with companies to acquire large amounts of in-kind donations such as bottled water and new clothing. Instead of boxing up and sending your old clothing, have a garage sale and turn your used goods into cash and donate that to a worthy charity.
Be Careful Of Email Solicitations
Be Leery Of People That Contact You Online Claiming To Be A Victim – Unless you personally know someone in the impacted area, anyone alleging to be in this position is most likely part of a scam. Obviously, people affected by a large scale disaster like a earthquake, hurricane or tsunami are in no position to contact you directly for assistance.
Delete Unsolicited Emails With Attachments – Never respond to unsolicited emails. Do not open any attachments to these emails even if they claim to contain pictures from the disaster. These attachments are probably viruses.
Seek Out The Charity’s Authorized Website
Criminals are likely to set up bogus sites to steal the identity and money of generous and unsuspecting individuals. We saw this after Hurricane Katrina when the FBI reported that 4,000 sites were created to do just that. So, if you plan to give online, be sure to find the charity’s legitimate site. You can safely give on Charity Navigator’s site via our partnership with Network for Good. Alternatively, we link to each charity’s authorized site so you can give there if you prefer.
Think Before You Text
So long as you do your homework – meaning that you’ve vetted the charity and made sure that you are using the proper texting instructions- then texting can be a great way to give. Remember there may be additional costs to you to make such a gift. And it can take as much as 90 days for the charity to receive the funds.
Consider The Nature Of The Charity’s Work
Not every charity responds to a disaster in the same way. Some provide medical assistance, some shelter, some food and water. Others will be more focused on either short term or long term rebuilding efforts. And some will just fundraise for other nonprofits. Think about what it is you want your philanthropic investment to accomplish and then take the time to find the charities doing that work. At Charity Navigator we link to each charity’s website so that you can quickly learn more about their plans to help.
Be Inspired By Social Media, But Still Do Your Homework
Social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs can deliver heart-wrenching images and information about a disaster to our computers and phones. These often include pleas to donate. While these applications can be a powerful tool to inspire your desire to help, you should not blindly give via these vehicles. You must take the time to investigate the groups behind such pleas for help to ensure that it comes from a legitimate nonprofit.
Do Not Expect Immediate Results, But Do Keep Tabs On What Your Donation Accomplishes
It takes time for charities to mobilize, to assess the problems that need to be addressed and to develop effective solutions. Donors need to be patient so charities will not feel pressured to plunge in and offer ineffective aid, simply to placate impatient donors. That doesn’t mean donors shouldn’t hold the charities accountable for delivering on their promises! Be sure to follow up with the charity in a few months to find out (a) how your donation was put to use and (b) if the organization needs additional support to complete the recovery effort.
By www.charitynavigator.org
Why Working in Retirement Is a Smart Move
And not just financially! For some people, retirement means exotic travel, days on the golf course, and nights spent feasting on early bird specials galore. But for others, it means busting out a computer or driving into the office to clock in some hours on the job. Why Working in Retirement Is a Smart Move
These days, a growing number of retirees are opting to work part-time after formally leaving the workforce. In fact, according to a recent retirement study conducted by Merrill Lynch, about 47% of today’s retirees say they either have worked or plan to work during retirement. Furthermore, 72% of pre-retirees aged 50 or older feel that retirement should include some amount of professional work. Why Americans work in retirement
There’s a reason that working during retirement is becoming more common. Americans are living longer these days, which means they spend more time in retirement. Back in 1950, the average male retiring at age 65 could expect to live another 13 years, while the average female retiring at 65 could expect to live another 15. Today, the average man can expect to live an extra 17 years, while women can expect to live another 20.
Additionally, fewer Americans are retiring with pensions, which previously provided a great deal of financial security during retirement. And let’s face it: For those intent on living the cruise-ship-golf-course retirement of their dreams, Social Security benefits alone just aren’t going to cut it. Living costs and healthcare expenses are only going up. The average couple retiring today at age 65 can expect to spend a whopping $245,000 in healthcare costs throughout retirement, not including expenses such as nursing-home care.
Inadequate retirement savings are another factor pushing retirees to work. An estimated 31% of non-retirees have no retirement savings whatsoever, and many of those who do save are realizing early on that come retirement, they’re almost guaranteed to fall short. Some financial experts recommend saving eight times your ending salary for a comfortable retirement, but for many, this figure is simply unattainable.
Even generation X-ers and millennials, who are generally told to save for retirement from the moment they receive their first paychecks, are coming to realize that working during retirement may simply be par for the course. With the future of Social Security looking precarious at best, generating some degree of income during retirement may gradually become the norm.
The upside, however, is that working during retirement can help to alleviate financial concerns and the stress that comes with them. Imagine having a steady stream of income to offset market volatility, which can send your retirement portfolio into a downward spiral. Part-time work is, to some extent, a means of diversification that can help you get by when you’re most financially vulnerable. But it’s not just about money
On top of the obvious benefit of bringing in extra income, working during retirement can also be intellectually and emotionally fulfilling. For some, part-time work can serve as a social outlet. Furthermore, studies have shown that working during retirement is better for your health than not working at all. Those who don’t work during retirement tend to experience a more rapid physical and mental decline, whereas working in retirement can help you stay healthy — and thus lower your healthcare costs, too.
If you enjoy what you do, working in retirement can be particularly fulfilling, especially if you can do it on your own terms. Some retirees manage to secure extremely flexible arrangements so that they can work where and when they please. Others use retirement as an opportunity to explore new means of employment, pursuing job prospects that don’t necessarily align with their previous experience. And for those for whom the extra income is more of a bonus than an outright necessity, sacrificing earnings for personal fulfillment is an easy decision to make. As an added perk, if you choose to work during your retirement, you can still collect your Social Security benefits in full with no limit on your earnings, provided you’ve reached full retirement age (which, as of 2015, is 67 for those born in 1960 or later).
Best of all, working during retirement doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing deal. You can work one year, take the next year off, and pick back up again should you find yourself in need of money or something meaningful to do with your time. But if you do decide to squeeze in a few on-the-job hours here and there, there’s a good chance you’ll be a much happier person for it.
The $15,978 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
If you’re like most Americans, you’re a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known “Social Security secrets” could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. In fact, one MarketWatch reporter argues that if more Americans knew about this, the government would have to shell out an extra $10 billion annually. For example: one easy, 17-minute trick could pay you as much as $15,978 more… each year! Once you learn how to take advantage of all these loopholes, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we’re all after. Simply click here to discover how you can take advantage of these strategies.
Motley Fool
Is your Furnace Filter Making You SICK? We all know how important nutritious food and clean drinking water are to our health. But rarely do we consider another major health factor we cannot see, touch, or taste: the air we breathe. Medical studies confirm that many people unknowingly breathe “sick” air in their homes and offices every day- air that contains common microscopic elements like pollen, dust mites, and bacteria. As this polluted air is absorbed into our skin, lungs, and blood cells, it often causes or aggravates allergic reactions, headaches, fatigue, recurring colds, breathing difficulties, dizziness, nausea, and serious respiratory diseases. Is your Furnace Filter Making You SICK?I
Air conditioner filters commonly used in residential applications are often inefficient, low cost furnace filters purchased from a local hardware store. These filters generally consist of a cardboard frame housing fiber mats or blankets of varying thickness, fiber sizes, and densities. Manufacturers recommend changing these filters regularly, however, homeowners rarely follow such recommendations.
As a result, particulate buildup on the filter increases thereby increasing the pressure drop or resistance across the furnace filter. When this occurs the airflow naturally seeks the path of least resistance. Since the thin cardboard filter frames provide a poor perimeter seal, when the resistance increases, air tends to leak around the frame edges thereby completely avoiding filtration.
One company recently received a US patent for a new, efficient, air conditioning filter incorporating a plurality of filtration methods in series configuration for optimum filtration performance and low resistance. The invention comprises: a rigid frame custom fabricated and sized for a conventional air handling unit filter track, a gasket attached to the frame for providing a seal to prevent air bypass, a conventional replaceable dry-type filter media, viscous impingement media, and an electrets or electrostatic filter, arranged in series.
These new furnace filters have been engineered to eliminate the many problems found in ordinary furnace filters. They are available through air conditioning companies and home inspectors; you can also find them on the internet by searching Air Sponge Filters.
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