What’s Growing Around Your Dishwasher–What to Do About Exophiala

According to a study published in Fungal Biology, researchers found that 35% of dishwashers tested in 101 cities contained a black fungi called Exophiala on the rubber seal of the doors.

It seems that the hot, moist environment is a perfect breeding ground for the fungi to grow. This fungi is particularly dangerous for children, the elderly and people with cystic fibrosis.

There are a couple things you can do to stop the fungi. First, clean the rubber seal with a bleach solution and second, leave the dishwasher door open to air-dry after use.

Technorati Tags: dr jerry teplitz,exophiala,fungal biology,dishwasher fungus,cystic fibrosis

Using Baking Soda To Prevent Kidney Disease

With the increase in diabetes to epidemic proportions, one of the negative outcomes will be more people suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) and metabolic acidosis. Well, there’s a treatment option that you would have never guessed is making an impact – it’s baking soda!

British researchers followed 134 patients with advanced CKD and metabolic acidosis. Along with their regular medical treatment, half the patients took daily tablets of baking soda. After two years, the rate of decline in the group taking baking soda was two-thirds slower than the standard care group and their overall nutritional status improved.

This slowing of the progression of the disease will have an enormous impact on the patient’s quality of life. Since these people suffered from advanced CKD, it will be interesting to see if researchers take a look at the impact baking soda will have on people just developing CKD.

(Reported Dr. Julian Whitaker, September 2009)

Getting Through The Medicare Doughnut Hole

As you may know, people on Medicare and taking needed prescription drugs, can fall into the “doughnut hole,” which means that they have to pay 100% of the cost of their medications out of their own pocket.

Once their medical out-of-pocket expenses have reached the catastrophic level, the government will pay for their meds.

Now you have an online tool, the AARP Doughnut Hole Calculator, that will give you some options to either avoid or postpone the “doughnut hole” altogether.

The tool, which will tell you when you might hit the hole and gives tips on how to stay out of the hole, is located at http://linkbee.com/DoughnutTool.

The site automatically lists less expensive medication alternatives.

Technorati Tags: jerry teplitz,Medicare,prescription costs,health costs,AARP,Doughnut Hole,Doughnut hole calculator

Checking Out Of The Emergency Room Can Be Dangerous To Your Health

When people check out of the emergency room, they are given care   and discharge instructions. According to researchers at Northwestern  University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, 78% of the patients didn’t  fully understand the instructions they were given.

Further, 80% weren’t even aware that they didn’t understand. This means that these patients may have a greater likelihood of complications after leaving the emergency room.

One of the best things you can do to protect yourself is to bring a family member or friend to ask questions and help remember the care instructions. Be sure to ask the doc or nurse to clearly write everything down that you are to do.

(Reported Northwestern Winter 2008)

Technorati Tags: jerry teplitz,emergency room instructions

Houseplant Your Way To Better Health

Based on the research that has been done over the years, houseplants have been shown to positively impact your life. The plants can do everything from boosting your creativity to increasing your immunity to colds. Marissa Conrad wrote in Prevention, April 2008, the following recommendations:

1. To calm down use houseplants such as bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, snake plant or arrowhead vines. One study found a 4-point drop in systolic blood pressure.
2. To become more creative use African violets. A study from Texas A&M University found that a group of women increased their creativity by 13%.
3. To fight colds use philodendrons or other ultra leafy plants in the bedroom. Because ultra leafy plants can add 5% more humidity into a room, that can be enough to alleviate cold symptoms. A study in Norway reported 37% less coughing and 25% less hoarseness in offices with these plants.
4. To cut exposure to harmful chemicals from cleaning supplies, printers, newly painted walls or varnished furniture, use the plants Janet Craig cane plant (dracaena family) and Sweet Chico. A study from Australia found that 1 Janet Craig plant or 5 Sweet Chico spathiphylum plants reduced the chemicals in a 130 square foot room up to 70%.

IceRocket Tags: jerry teplitz,houseplants and health,healthy houseplants

Non-Chemical Way to rid fleas, pests and moles from your yard...

There’s a great natural, non-chemical way to get rid of fleas and many other pests around your home in your backyard. It’s by using a tiny bug called a ...

... nematode.

This bug specializes in eating all kinds of grubs. In its earlier stage a flea is in the grub stage.

LiveJournal Tags: Dr. Jerry Teplitz,get rid of fleas,nematodes,moles,non-chemical pesticide,natural pesticide

As soon as the nematodes finish eating all the grubs in your lawn, they will die. This will rid your property of all kinds of bugs as well as fleas! (Moles love grubs, so when the grubs are gone, so are the moles!)

The nematodes come on a sponge and since they are microscopic, you’ll never see the millions of them there.

Just spread them on your lawn and let them do their work! To order the nematodes you can go to Yardiac, & search for "nematodes".

Try this before you try chemical pesticides, you'll be happier and so will your children and pets. There are natural ways to take care of pests while protecting the environment!

Bookmark

Technorati Tags: Dr. Jerry Teplitz,get rid of fleas,non-chemical pesticide,nematodes,moles