How Cheap Synthetics Are Harmful To Your Health

When we buy cleaning products for our homes, we really only expect them to do one thing: clean. The truth behind the matter is that many of the general cleaning products you find in most households are toxic, if not potentially fatal. While the list of common ingredients that can cause you harm is frightfully long, some cause only temporary or short term damage, such as skin irritations or breathing problems, while others have been linked to long term and fatal health complications, such as chronic lung problems and cancer. The biggest problem with these ingredients is that they are mostly synthetic and therefore not inherently safe to humans.

Take for example your oven cleaner, drain cleaner or toilette bowl cleaner. These products will all more than likely contain chlorine bleach or ammonia, both of which produce toxic fumes on their own, but become even more dangerous when combined. The damage done to lungs if inhaled can be irreversible, but short term damage can also lead to more acute disorders. Even if you manage to avoid the toxic fumes, there is always the potential threat of spilling these products onto your skin, which can cause burns and skin irritation.

Even products that are seemingly harmless, such as clothing detergent or fabric softener, can have long lasting effects on you and your family. This is even truer if you or a member of your family already suffers some kind of respiratory disorder such as asthma or allergy issues. The most common ingredient that aggravates these disorders, or forms completely new ones, is the scent that companies add to their products. This is on top of the fact that the only reason we now need to use fabric softener is because the laundry detergents cause our clothes to become so uncomfortable. So, in effect by using one toxic product we are now forced to use another to counteract one of its side effects.

General household bleach is also a big problem when it comes to long term health effects. Men exposed to bleach over extended periods for example, have been becoming less and less fertile. There is also some evidence that bleaches, along with other cleaning products, are contributing to increased numbers of male birth defects. Women are not safe from harm either; recent studies have shown that certain ingredients can cause an increase in breast cancer cells when it was tested in a laboratory.

While all of this information is pretty scary for anyone with a conscience, there are steps that can be taken to ensure that you are causing as little an impact on the health of your family, yourself, and even the environment around you. While most cleaners do not list their ingredients directly, those that do are easy to choose between. Look for those that are made of natural plant based ingredients rather than the petroleum based ingredients that cause us so much harm. If you would like to go all the way to the natural side, there are recipes for homemade cleaners out there.

The Best Protein Rich Foods for Type O's

Like all the other blood types, the O group also has unique dietary requirements; especially when it comes to protein. According to research, it has been proved that this blood group needs a high protein diet because it is consider a universal donor. It is essential to provide your body with the required nutrients it needs; in order to maintain healthy cells and tissues; and maintain overall health and vitality. The most prominent characteristic of Type O is that they do very well on a high protein diet. It is said about them that they thrive on intense physical exercise as well as animal proteins. Protein is essential in building muscles, restoring and replacing tissues, and maintaining a healthy immune and hormonal system. For people who are physically active, more protein is needed in their diets.

D'Adamo believes that people with type O blood should eat the kind of diet that are synonymous with the earliest humans; i.e. a diet that is rich in fat and animal protein. The more stressful your job or demanding your exercise program, the higher the grade of protein you should consume. The best sources of proteins include beef, lamb, mutton, veal and venison. Type Os can efficiently digest and metabolize meats specially bacon, ham, goose, pork. Cold-water fish are excellent for Type Os e.g. cod, herring, and mackerel.

Over the years, nuts and seeds have been among the best sources of protein for people of all types. Examples of these nuts are almonds, cashew nuts, peanuts, and walnuts. These can be consumed by type O's in any form; whether they are chopped, eaten raw, or roasted. Other rich sources of protein are legumes; which are edible dried beans (seedpods) and include chickpeas, flagelot beans, kidney beans, split beans, haricot beans, and lentils. Eating protein rich cooked grains and cereals can also promote muscle building; which perfectly falls in the type O range. Algae, which are a type of seaweed, spirulina is among the best protein-rich foods there are; and is a very healthy option for type O individuals to consume.


With today's technology, fruits can be eaten canned, frozen, or dried. Regardless of how these foods are prepared, fruits are still nutritious and included in the list of protein-rich foods. Seitan is a meat substitute. It is prepared from whole-wheat flour mixed with a sufficient amount of water, kneaded and rinsed in water, expelling starch and bran. The protein is simmered in a soya sauce to become seitan. Seitan broth can be added as a flavoring on any food; and is also a wonderful alternative for type O's. All the above mentioned food nutrients are the best protein rich foods for people of the type O blood group.

Common Causes And Treatments For Sore Throat Pain In Children

Childhood illnesses can take its toll on the child and the parents as well. Knowing how to effectively treat your child when they get sick falls to the pediatrician primarily, but it can help you deal with the situation better if you understand what is causing your child's illness and how it can be diagnosed and treated. A sore throat can be caused by a variety of triggers and its treatment will depend on discovering its root cause as well as how quickly it is diagnosed.

Common Causes for Sore Throat Pain

If your child develops a dry throat or complains of throat pain, it is most likely being caused by one of three distinct possibilities: a virus, bacteria, or by an allergic reaction. Allergies can account for a lot of illnesses in children and throat pain is usually an indicator that something in the environment, like dust, is causing the tissues inside the throat to swell. This is one of the many reasons that children should see their doctors as soon as they present any unusual symptoms, so that proper diagnosis and treatment can be given as soon as possible.

Throat pain is often a sign that your child has a viral infection, like that of the common cold or flu symptoms. Some viruses affect the adenoids, and could lead to illnesses like tonsillitis, so if your child presents any symptoms of throat pain, fever, runny or congested nose or tenderness inside their mouth, it is wise to take them to see their pediatrician as soon as possible for diagnosis.

A bacterial infection, on the other hand, is often more serious and can be quite debilitating to your child's overall health. The most common bacterial infection involving the streptococcus bacterium can have symptoms involving a sore throat and fever of at least 100 or higher, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, headaches and a swelling of the glands of the neck. If your child has any of these symptoms, it is vitally important they receive treatment as soon as possible. Left untreated, more serious conditions such as rheumatic fever can develop, which can leave them struggling with a much longer recovery period.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Two tests can be done to determine what the root cause of the child's throat pain. The first, known as the rapid test, is primarily used to check for the presence of viruses and the results come back fairly quickly. The doctor swabs the back and sides of the throat and then runs the test. Viruses can be normally treated with rest, lots of fluids and non-aspirin based pain relievers, like gargling solutions. Once the fever breaks and stays gone for at last 24 hours, the child can usually return to their normal routine.

If the rapid test comes back negative, most doctors will still swab again so that they can run a throat culture, to eliminate the possibility of a bacterial infection like strep throat. A throat culture usually takes anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to fully develop and the bacterium can easily be identified from their growth in a Petri dish. If a bacterial infection is identified, then the child will be treated with antibiotics, fluids, non-aspirin based pain relievers and bed rest. Once the child has been successfully treated with antibiotics for at least 24 hours, they will no longer be considered contagious and may return to normal activities, like school.

Antibiotics are given to destroy the bacteria but will do nothing for the sore throat pain, which is what the milder pain relievers are for. Aspirin should never be given to any child under the age of 18, because of the documented risk of a more serious condition, like Reyes Syndrome, developing. Bed rest, fluids and frequent gargling will aid the other symptoms and help prevent dehydration from developing.