We've Moved!

This blog has not only moved- the name has been changed! Find your daily health tips at:

http://changeyourchoices.wordpress.com/

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See you at the new site!

How Clean Are Your Sheets?

Sleep is a big part of being healthy and your sheets can play a big part in how well you sleep! I asked a few people around the office how often they change the sheets and heard anything from every couple days to every couple months.  I did some research and learned all kinds of stuff and some of it is fairly disgusting!

>Normal average adults should change their sheets every week.  We shed like snakes, particularly when sleeping.  The combination of sweat and skin builds up and needs to be washed away on a regular basis.  

>Making the bed immediately after you get up traps heat and moisture which is a great environment for germs and crawlies. Wait at least ½ hour to let it dry out.  Or…just don’t make the bed, it’s actually healthierJ

>Blankets and mattress protectors should be washed every two weeks.

>If you have allergies, you will probably want to change your sheets every few days to help keep the bed mite population down. No matter how clean you keep your house, you still have dust mites sharing your bed and furniture with you.

>If eating and/or sex are regular occurrences in your bed (good for you!) it is best to wash bedding after each such activity, since food and bodily fluids attract outside germs and also create their own.  

>If you sleep nude, you should change your sheets twice a week.

>What about pillows? Ideally, you should change your pillow case every couple of days.  Hair, sweat, flaking skin, and drool can really mess with your face.  Pillows should be washed on a regular basis and replaced at least every 2 years.   

How Long Will You Live?

A friend recently sent me an online calculator that figures out how long you will live.  This isn't entriely accurate because accidents can't be predicted, but if you look strictly at lifestyle, this might open your eyes a bit.

Click HERE to take the test. It will only take a few minutes and is intereseting to see how the choices you make can affect how long you live and most likely the quality of your life. 

Are there Toxic Chemicals in Your Wallet?

Having been in the supermarket business for 20 years and handling what seems like millions of receipts, this new study has me concerned.  Did you know that receipts that you get at the ATM, gas station, supermarket, and other retail stores might contain BPA?

What is BPA and why should you be concerned?
Bisphenol A or BPA for short has been controversial for years.BPA is a substance that interferes with your hormonal system and has been linked to a variety of problems from heart disease to testicular damage.  This endocrine disruptor mimics estrogen and has been found in clear hard plastic like baby and water bottles as well as the lining of food and beverage cans. Now it appears that BPA is as close as your wallet in the form of receipts.

Studies have shown that 40 percent of receipts contain BPA, some up to 1,000 times higher than what is found in the lining of a can. 

Do we need to worry?  "For the general population, especially for infants and children, we still believe food containers [plastics containing BPA and canned food with BPA-containing liners] are the primary source of exposure," says Anila Jacob, MD, MPH, senior scientist at EWG and one of the report's authors. "But we do think receipts are a potentially significant source of exposure, especially for the millions of people in the retail industry." Cashiers and salespeople sometimes handle hundreds of receipts a day, every day they work, she adds, so for them it poses a significant risk."

What remains unknown, Dr. Jacob says, is how much BPA the average person absorbs after coming into contact with a receipt. It's easy to assume that someone could ingest BPA after handling a receipt and then eating soon afterwards, or by placing a receipt in a grocery bag where the BPA can rub off onto unpackaged produce, she says, "but we just don't know how much that contributes to our overall exposure."

So- what can we do to reduce our exposure?
1- Just say "no"  Do you really need the receipt?  If not, turn it down
2-Don't keep receipts in your purse or wallet.  Put them in an envelope or bag
3-Don't put receipts in the recycle bin.  BPA can rub off on items that will be recycled into food containers
4-Wash your hands frequently but avoid hand sanitizers.  A recent study shows that the use of hand sanitizers actually helps increase absorption of BPA into the skin, which is a huge concern as cashiers use hand sanitizer constantly. 

Bottom line- is it time to freak out? No, but it is good to be aware until more studies are done.  If you want more information- click HERE for an excellent article on the dangers of BPA and how to avoid them.

Sunday Morning Inspiration from Dr. Suess

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

~Dr. Seuss

The Deadliest Animal on Earth

The list of the Top Ten deadliest animals contains a few that are obvious such as the polar bear, cobra, great white shark, and crocodile- but the number one spot is held by the tiny little mosquito. 

Due to malaria carrying parasites transferred by the mosquito, it is responsible for the deaths of more than two million people per year. In addition, mosquitoes are estimated to transfer diseases to more than 70 million people per year. Even in countries where the more temperate climate has reduced mosquito bites to mostly an annoyance, they still cause some deaths every year.

So how do we avoid being bitten?  You need to hide from the little bugger!  It's not so much that we want to repel them, we don't want them to find us in the first place.

One of the most effective ways to keep mosquitoes at bay is a spray that contains DEET. 

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers compared several types of mosquito repellents head-to-head in laboratory tests. 

"OFF! Deep Woods" repellent, a product containing about 24% DEET, fared the best. Its protection lasted an average of five hours. The least effective products were wristbands treated with DEET or citronella, which offered almost no protection. According to the researchers, this wasn't a surprise. It's known that mosquito repellent only works on the surface to which it's applied directly. Mosquitoes are happy to bite skin only four centimeters away from the repellent slick.

I had always thought that DEET was unsafe, but it does have an excellent safety record.  N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide doesn't sound like something you'd want to spray on your skin, and and maybe it reminds people of DDT, a very dangerouss and banned chemical, but they are nothing alike. 

The Environmental Protection Agency must approve all pesticides used in the U.S., and although DEET isn't a pesticide by definition because it does not kill insects,  the EPA does test it. DEET is safe WHEN USED CORRECTLY- read the label and follow all directions. DEET is also safe for children 2 months and older but do not allow youngsters to apply it themselves.

If you are looking for a natural alternative, many people swear by Avon's Skin So Soft.  However, studies show that it is effective for about 10 minutes.  Other natural products such as soybean oil sprays and lotions last about 90 minutes.

What about the gadgets?

Citronella candles have been used since 1882 as a means of drawing mosquitoes away from people, but one study shows that they're not much more effective than plain candles, which also give off heat, carbon dioxide, and moisture.

And unplug the bug zapper- it doesn't work on mosquitoes and will kill beneficial bugs in your yard.

The best way to keep swarms of mosquitoes from descending on your backyard barbecue is to get rid of standing water, where mosquitoes lay their eggs.

Some mosquito species lay eggs directly in stagnant water. Others lay eggs in containers -- a tree hollow, a birdbath, a kiddie pool, etc. -- above the water line. Then, when it rains, the eggs are submerged and they hatch. In order to get rid of the eggs, you need to scrub the container, whether it is a bird bath or kiddie pool- just dumping the water does not dislodge the eggs. 

So- how do you relieve the itch if that mosquito feasts on you?  Here are a few  unusual tips to try!

Are You a Mosquito Magnet?

My husband is a mosquito magnet, so is my daughter.  I do have a few bites now and then but not really that bad. Why do some people seem to attract mosquitoes and some rarely get bitten? 

The two most important reasons a mosquito is attracted to you have to do with sight and smell. About 20 percent of people are high attractor types.

Mosquitoes are highly visual, especially later in the afternoon, and their first mode of search for humans is through vision. People dressed in dark colors -- black, navy blue, red -- stand out to mosquitoes and movement also attracts them.

Once the mosquito spots you,  she (and it's always "she" -- only the ladies bite) then picks up on your smell. The main attractor is your rate of carbon dioxide production with every exhale you take. The heavier you breathe, the better the chance that she will find you.

Those with higher metabolic rates produce more carbon dioxide, as do larger people and pregnant women. Although carbon dioxide is the primary attractant, other secondary smells coming from your skin or breath mark you as a good landing spot.

Lactic acid (given off while exercising), acetone (a chemical released in your breath), and estradiol (a breakdown product of estrogen) can all be released at varying concentrations and lure in mosquitoes. Your body temperature, or warmth, can also make a difference. Mosquitoes may flock to pregnant women because of their extra body heat.

 Studies show that it could be that individuals who get less bites produce chemicals on their skin that make them more repellent and cover up smells that mosquitoes find attractive. So, if you are a magnet, it might not be that you are  more attractive, you are just less repellent than the others around  you!

Mosquitoes don't bite you for food, since they feed off plant nectar.  Females suck your blood to get a protein needed to develop their eggs, which can then send more pesky insects into the world to annoy you.

 Keep this in mind when you're outdoors this summer: Mosquitoes are more attracted to people after they drink a 12-ounce beer. It could be that people breathe a little harder after a brew or their skin is a little warmer. 

Here are more fun facts about mosquitoes and bites provided by the experts:

• Eating bananas will not attract mosquitoes and taking vitamin B-12 will not repel them; these are old wives' tales.
• Some mosquito species are leg and ankle biters; they cue into the stinky smell of bacteria on your feet.
• Other species prefer the head, neck and arms perhaps because of the warmth, smells emitted by your skin, and closeness to carbon dioxide released by your mouth. 
• The size of a mosquito bite welt has nothing to do with the amount of blood taken and everything to do with how your immune system responds to the saliva introduced by the mosquito into your skin.
• The more times you get bitten by a particular species of mosquito, the less most people react to that species over time. The bad news? There's more than 3.000 species worldwide.

Stay tuned...tomorrow I will compare repellents and other gadgets to help keep you itch free!