Healthy Living
 

 

Allergien

  • Station a clean rag by the door that your pet uses so that muddy, wet paws and claws can be wiped off before your beloved animal makes unsightly tracks through the house.
  • Once a week, take your dog outside and give its fur a good going-over with the type of brush recommended for its coat. Do this well away from the house, so that the tufts won't tumble inside.
  • The miracle way to lift pet hair from furniture and other surfaces? Wipe with a damp sponge or cloth, and the hair will gather in clumps. An alternative: Use one of those special rubber brushes with nubs on it that is intended for grooming cats (available at pet stores).
  • Nothing beats your vacuum cleaner or a powerful handheld vacuum for pulling pet hair out of your rugs and carpets

Flu

1.Clean your hands several times throughout the day. Use alcohol-based hand rubs and gels. Check the label to make sure they contain 60%-95% isopropanol or ethanol. Ordinary soap and water will work, but you don't have to use very hot water or antibacterial soaps. Use moisturizing lotion, as dry, cracked skin can let in viruses more easily.

2. Take extra precautions during flu season. Get a flu shot if you haven't already. Spend as little time as possible in crowds, especially in closed spaces, such as elevators and airplanes. Keep your distance from sneezers and coughers. Don't touch your eyes, mouth or nose after being with someone with flu-like symptoms. If you become sick, stay home from work, school and errands. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Use antiviral tissues. Don't drink alcohol, which depresses white blood cells and increases the risk of developing bacterial pneumonia in flu sufferers.

3. Avoid potential sources of infection. Use insect repellent when outdoors. Keep your distance from exotic animals at petting zoos or pet stores. In choosing a pet, stay away from imported or captured animals. Take extra precautions if you travel to a country that's had cases of bird flu or other deadly infections.

Healthy ears

1.Go for a hike in the woods. Not only will the silence help you focus better on sounds, but researchers find that physically fit people tend to have better hearing than those who aren't in good shape. The reason? Aerobic exercise brings more oxygen into your system and improves blood flow to your ears.

2. Scoop up the guacamole at your next picnic. Guacamole is rich in magnesium. Studies find low levels of magnesium might make you more susceptible to noise

3. Switch to decaf coffee and low-sodium soups. Caffeine appears to interfere with blood flow to the ear, while salt can lead to fluid retention, which can cause swelling in the functional organs of the ear. Plus, studies find that people with high blood pressure are more likely to have age-related hearing loss than those with normal pressures.

4. Quit smoking and stay away from other smokers. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the more exposure you receive to cigarette smoke, the more likely you are to experience age-related hearing loss.

5. Wear earplugs when you use the weed whacker or go to the shooting range. Although it's only common sense that the deafening blast from a shotgun would affect your hearing, several studies back this up, finding that recreational firearm use can lead to marked high-frequency hearing loss. Other studies find significantly increased hearing loss in people who pursue woodworking as a hobby, or ride motorcycles, snowmobiles, and other off-road vehicles.

6. Sip a beer or glass of wine, but don't overdo it. Believe it or not, moderate drinking can protect against age-related hearing loss. But excessive amounts may actually contribute to hearing loss.

7. Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss after every meal. For some reason, there's a connection between the number of teeth you've lost and your hearing, with researchers finding that the more teeth you still have in your mouth in old age, the better your hearing. No, dentures don't count

8. Serve a whole grain bread and split-pea soup for lunch. Whole grains and legumes are great sources of B vitamins, which studies find protect the neurons and blood vessels connected to the cochlea, the tiny bone found in your inner ear. Also, one study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women with hearing problems had low blood levels of vitamin B12 and folate.

9. Drink a glass of skim milk every morning. The calcium and vitamin D found in milk are critical for keeping the bones in your ear, especially the cochlea, healthy. One study of 70 healthy women found that those with hearing loss had much lower spinal density (a measure of bone strength) and calcium intake than women with normal hearing.

Źródło: www.rd.com, www.wikipedia.org