In the past, the supermarket offered exactly two kinds of tea: black and herbal. Then different flavors of black tea to joined the fun. Then the herbal teas expanded, too, and before you knew it, your local supermarket tea selection looked like an Indian bazaar. So what's the deal with all these different kinds of teas -- and do they really do what they promise?
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Concerned about the quality of your families' drinking water? Consider purchasing a water filter. Before you buy, follow these tips to be sure you're buying the right filter for your family.
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Of course you know what hand sanitizer is in this day and age. A few years ago almost no one used the stuff, but now sanitizer hand gel is everywhere you look. And with good reason: with the outbreak of H1N1, people are more concerned than ever with protecting themselves from seasonal viruses.
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It's tempting to try and save money when it comes to buying dog food. But resist that temptation. Feeding your dog poor quality food can make him sicker than ... well a dog. Show your dog how much you love him by feeding him the best dog food and avoid the ingredients listed below.
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Buying your new baby a baby crib can be fun and exciting. After all, it is where your precious little bundle will sleep. Gone are the pioneer days of bringing home the baby and letting it sleep in dresser drawers. Today babies get their own specially decorated rooms.
Preparing a special nursery? Be sure you choose the right crib, read these essential child safety tips.
Continue reading "4 Tips for Choosing a Baby Crib that is Safe for Your New Baby" »
Are you a hand sanitizer addict? Do you whip out the sanitizer every time you touch doors knobs, gas pumps, turnstiles, handrails, and light switches? If you are, you are not alone. Many people are concerned about the spreading of germs, especially during flu season and have chosen to use an antibacterial hand sanitizer. The question is, do they work?
Continue reading "Is Your Hand Sanitizer Effective in the War Against Germs?" »
We all want to prevent swine flu, and cleaning is the way to do it. The main point authorities and experts are hammering home, of course, is personal hygiene: wash your hands, do it often, and do it well -- that means fifteen to twenty seconds of rubbing soap into your hands beneath warm water (for younger children, coach them to sing the ABC song while they wash their hands).
But your home and office are a concern, too. Bacteria can survive and remain infectious for between 2 and 8 hours on surfaces as varied as a doorknob, a piece of paper, or, yes, a bathroom tap.
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School can mean many things: learning, fun, friends, and... head lice. There's just no two ways around it. When you have a large group of children together, an outbreak of head lice at one time or another is almost inevitable. Learn how to prevent, detect, and get rid of head lice.
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Lead in children's toys is a hazard and an ongoing concern for parents. If you're confused about which toys are safe and want to know how to avoid dangerous toys, follow these tips.
Continue reading "Keep Your Children Safe -- Test for Lead in Children's Toys" »
Energy drink ingredients -- are they healthy or harmful? Not many people stop and consider this before buying and drinking them, but maybe it's time to take a second and learn about what you are ingesting before you get your next burst of energy from a bottle.
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Nothing is more important than your family's health. Lead testing kits check your home for lead. Rest easy knowing that you've done all you can to prevent lead poisoning.
Although lead paint was made illegal for homes in 1978, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, hundreds of thousands of children in the United States have elevated levels of lead in their blood.
Continue reading "Use Home Lead Testing Kits to Keep Your Family Safe" »
Whether you've been diagnosed with a critical illness or are having your yearly bout with allergies, there are some things you need to be aware of before trying alternative treatments. Follow these tips and protect your health.
It's human nature to question the treatment and advice you get from your physician. Should I take the medication he recommends? Is this the best treatment for my condition? Are the side effects of this medication worth the risk?
All of these questions and many more run through your head when making health decisions. Because of strong medications often prescribed by physicians and the potential side effects, many people turn to alternative treatments instead of mainstream treatments. The decision is up to each individual, but before you decide to stray from the traditional medical path, follow these tips to ensure your safety and health.
Continue reading "What You Need to Know Before Trying Alternative Treatments" »
Is pet insurance worth it? That depends. Before you answer this question, consider what would happen if your pet is seriously ill or injured and you don't have insurance.
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Looking for ways to save on contact lenses? Here are 5 tips to help you make sure you are getting the best buy and the best quality.
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If you want to save on prescriptions, here are some helpful ways for you to cut your medication costs. Start using these tips today and start saving.
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If you are having a difficult time losing weight, you may want to consider one of the many low card diets out there now. Other diets, known as no carb diets, encourage people to cut carbohydrates completely out of their meals. This, however, is harmful in the long run. Carbohydrates are an integral part of creating energy in our body and without them our bodies can't function properly. If you think no carb is the way to go, there are low carb diets you need to consider instead.
Continue reading "Simple Facts About Low Carb Diets" »
My family is one of the many that does not have prescription drug coverage, which is why I'm always on the lookout for ways to save money when prescription drug expenses arise. Fortunately, over the years, I've become quite savvy at turning a $100 prescription into a $30 prescription or even less. Here's my secrets...
Continue reading "Prescription Medications Don't Have to Break the Bank" »
Our bodies need antioxidants. Many serious illnesses are thought to be triggered by oxidative stress. Antioxidants can help reduce this oxidative stress as well as the risk of developing the associated diseases, such as heart disease, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. But where can you get your daily serving of antioxidants? Especially since vitamins don't seem to be as powerful as we all thought? These foods may surprise you...
Continue reading "Antioxidants: Did You Know These Foods Were Chock Full of 'Em?" »
When you think of diseases that could kill you, most people think about cancer or heart disease. Unfortunately, very few people consider how important the liver is and more and more people are being diagnosed with fatty liver, a condition that could potentially lead to life-threatening chronic liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver. Another thing people don't realize is that this condition is avoidable and may also be reversible. Here are some life-saving liver tips you need to know about...
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Spider bites can indeed be a scary thing. The problem is, they're quite misunderstood and oftentimes the fear they invoke is the worst of the damage they do. A recent spider bite (endured by my wife) put half our household in a panic. I'll tell you what I told her -- spider bites are not as bad as they're made out to be.
Continue reading "What You And Your Family Need to Know About Spider Bites" »
Splenda - it's a household brand that we've all become familiar with. It's in diet soda, baked goods and even bottled water. Many think of it as the healthy alternative to sugar, but is Splenda really "healthy" or is it another sugar substitute nightmare waiting to happen? The debate is on...
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The other day my mother told me she was going to the local tanning spa to see their new safe tanning bed. After arguing with her that there is no such thing as a safe tanning bed, I thought perhaps I'd missed something and decided to look into the matter for myself. What I found out was surprising. Before you head out to get a "safe" tanning session, there are some things you need to know.
Continue reading "Safe Tanning: Is It a Myth or Is It Reality?" »
You might not want to pay the prices of organic milk, and that's fine and dandy, but you probably should put forth the effort to make sure your milk is rBGH free. Why? Because regardless of what the FDA may have you believe, milk from cows who are given rBGH can indeed increase your risk of cancer and milk should be healthy, not carcinogenic.
Continue reading "The Truth About The rBGH in Your Milk" »
I have touted the benefits of energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs for quite some time now. After all, I'll all for energy conservation and these nifty bulbs (while more expensive) use about a quarter of the juice that traditional light bulbs use. The problem is that energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs may be more trouble than they're worth according to a new U.K. study.
Continue reading "There's Something You Need to Know About Energy-Saving Compact Fluorescent Bulbs" »
It’d be great if eating vegetarian could make you a millionaire. Then I suspect everyone would do it. Overall, though, a vegetarian diet can save money on health care costs and on your monthly grocery bill, if you know how to work it. If you’re like many savvy consumers and considering the switch to becoming a vegetarian, or even if you just want to incorporate vegetarian meals into your menu each week, the following information can help you save some money in the process.
Continue reading "Make Sure Vegetarian Foods Don’t Drain Your Wallet" »
For us here in the United States, online pharmacies can be a godsend. After all, we've got some of the highest prescription costs in the world and as much as we hear there are things being done to change all that, the proof is in the pudding and we ain't seen any pudding around here for a while. Unfortunately, while online pharmacies can often be a solution to the pharmaceutical madness, not all of them are created equal. There are some things you need to know before buying prescription drugs online.
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Many women (and men) think that taking a home pregnancy test is as easy as going to the store, grabbing one off the shelf and hitting the bathroom once you get home. However, pregnancy tests aren't all the same and when one says you're not pregnant, another one might tell you that you are. If you're going to be using home pregnancy tests at any time in the future, there are some things you need to know.
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Many of us think that milk delivery is something our grandmothers enjoyed, but not something feasible in today's market-driven world. Milk delivery, however, isn't just for the history books or those who have everything and anything delivered to their homes. Milk delivery may actually be a wise consumer decision.
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It seems that every time a magical pill hits the weight loss market everyone jumps on the bandwagon in hopes of finally finding a method for fast and easy weight loss. The Alli phenomena is no different. However, before you run out and buy the Alli starter kit, there are a few things you need to understand.
Continue reading "The Alli Diet Pill: What's the Real Deal?" »
Finding ways to save money on dental products isn’t an uncommon goal. It’s important, however, that you don’t jeopardize your dental health in the process of trying to cut corners. Is the nominal savings achieved by buying generic toothpaste, dental floss, and mouthwash worth it? We have the answsers.
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There is much debate surrounding whether eating healthy has to cost a lot of money. At a first glance, it seems that healthier foods cost more. If you’re committed to eating healthy, you can’t just buy a pack of hot dogs for less than $2 and eat them for lunch. That doesn't, however, mean that eating healthy has to break the bank. Below you’ll learn more about saving money on healthy foods and whether or not it really it really does cost a lot of money to eat healthy.
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As consumer savvy individuals many of us try our best to cut expenses whenever possible, but one area that most of us have trouble with is when it comes to our daily habits. If you smoke cigarettes, you might be reluctant to stop or you might want to stop but have failed at your past attempts to quit. It’s important to take a look at the actual costs involved with smoking, both health-related and monetary, to get an idea just how much smoking cigarettes costs you.
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If you are pregnant and you have a cat, there are some important things you need to know about toxoplasmosis and pregnancy. Toxoplasmosis can pose a great health risk to a pregnant woman and a developing fetus. If you want to know what toxoplasmosis is, how it can hurt you and how it can hurt your baby, you need to read on…
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If you’re wondering whether or not you really need to buy organic produce or if conventional produce will suffice, I’m here to help you sort through this complicated topic. Organic produce can definitely be a healthier alternative for you and your family, but it usually costs more -- which can put a dent in even the most generous grocery budget. If you want to know how to get the best of both worlds, read on…
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Flossing your teeth is very important for not only your dental health but also for your overall health as well. Some studies have even indicated a relationship between heart disease and poor dental hygiene. Flossing daily is necessary because brushing alone is not enough to maintain proper oral hygiene and healthy teeth and gums.
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Recently I was surprised to see a friend of mine drinking Starbucks. She hates coffee and usually won’t touch something unless it provides some kind of health benefit. When I asked her what it was, she told me it was a frozen drink made with pomegranate juice. The fact that she would drink Starbucks just because it contained pomegranate juice was enough to make me look into pomegranate juice and the benefits it offers.
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A woman walks into the doctor’s office complaining about the lack of sleep she’s been getting. He prescribes a sleeping pill. She then goes on to describe how she’s been a little stressed and anxious. He gives her a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication. Before the visit is over, she tells him she has a headache. Out comes the prescription pad and she suddenly find herself holding a prescription for a migraine medicine. What in the world are doctors doing with prescription drugs these days?
Continue reading "Prescription Drugs: Take Two Of These And Call Me In The Morning" »
If you have a sore throat, you grab a throat lozenge. If you have a bad cold, you visit the drugstore to buy a cough and cold syrup. Headache? You have dozens of nonprescription medications to choose from. The question is, with so many nonprescription drugs on the market, are we overmedicating ourselves without even realizing it? If you don’t like the idea of pouring man-made medicines into your body, homeopathic treatments may be right up your alley.
Continue reading "Can Homeopathic Treatments Reduce Our Need For Synthetic Drugs?" »
Last week we put up two posts with bird flu information. After a few readers wrote in asking what bird flu was, I realized I had made the mistake of assuming everyone was familiar with the current bird flu issues so I hadn’t given you the basic bird flu rundown. For those of you who aren’t familiar with what bird flu means, you’ll find the following information helpful.
Continue reading "An Explanation of Bird Flu" »
Continue reading "Bird Flu and Domestic Pets" »
It’s not surprising that many people are panicked about a possible bird flu epidemic. After all, the media has put some folks into a panic by discussing worst-case scenarios as though they were inevitable. So how serious is the bird flu situation? We have some information that will put the bird flu issue into perspective.
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Cancer is a scary word, and as with many things that people fear, myths about cancer run rampant. Being concerned about cancer is one thing, but falling for cancer myths is something entirely different. You may be surprised to learn that some of the things you took for fact were nothing more than mere cancer myths.
Continue reading "Cancer Myths Debunked" »
Okay, I don’t normally discuss the side effects of any medication I take with anyone but my doctor, but this time I’m going to make an exception. I also don’t usually feel the need to forewarn you all of harmless side effects of popular over-the-counter medications. Once again, this time I’m making an exception. The exception I am making is a common side effect of the popular stomach medication Pepto-Bismol.
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It’s not a pleasant thought, but imagine that you were in a severe accident, unable to give paramedics and emergency response teams your medical information or any emergency contact information? What if there was critical information that paramedics or emergency room personnel needed to know and you had no way of telling them? And what if not being able to give them this information meant the difference between life and death? Unfortunately, people do find themselves in this situation and that’s why it’s so important for people to have medical alert jewelry like the MedicAlert bracelet.
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I’ve worn glasses and contacts since my childhood and I’ve seriously considered LASIK surgery. The only thing keeping me from opting for the surgery so far has been the cost and the fact that it’s not covered by insurance. Naturally, when I heard that there was a website selling do-it-yourself LASIK surgery kits for less than $100 I was intrigued. Could something as serious as LASIK surgery really be done by the masses from the comfort of home?
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The majority of us either want to get in shape or want to stay in shape. That used to mean joining the local gym, but with more and more home exercise equipment available, it’s tempting to skip the gym altogether and bring exercise equipment into your own home. But is exercise equipment really worth the investment, or is it just another way to waste money on stuff you don’t really need?
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Millions of people are searching for a miracle diet that will help them lose weight and keep it off. From the Atkins Diet to Weight Watchers programs, people are trying everything and anything to get those extra pounds off. But is there really a miracle diet that will help you with your goal of fitness?
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There are dozens, maybe even hundreds of pills out there claiming to be the miracle diet pills that everyone has been searching for. The question is, do any of these diet pills really work and what are the risks? If you’re thinking about taking diet pills to lose weight, you’ll want to read this first.
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If you’ve been to a grocery store lately, you’ve probably noticed that there are entire sections dedicated to organic foods. But are organic foods really better for you or is this just another health craze that’s destined to fade out at some point in the near future? Believe it or not, organic foods seem to be here to stay, and with good reason.
Continue reading "Is Organic Food Really Better?" »
If you’re anything like me, you may be looking for the perfect diet, and with all the new diets being touted in advertisements and in the press, it can be hard to differentiate one diet from another. However, there are substantial differences between two of the most popular diets out there -- The South Beach Diet and the Atkins Diet. But how exactly do they differ?
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If you’re worried about diabetes, you should know that the chemical Alloxan can poison insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, thereby killing the insulin-producing cells and causing diabetes. Think you don’t have to worry because you’ve never heard of Alloxan and you’re definitely not consuming it? Think again. If you’re drinking beverages with caffeine, chances are you’ve got Alloxan in your system.
Continue reading "Does Caffeine Contribute to Diabetes?" »
Many of us wish we could glimpse into the future and see what ripe old age we’ll live to. Guess what? You can!
Continue reading "So What’s Your Life Expectancy?" »
The USDA’s food pyramid recommends that you eat three fish that are very high in mercury. Why would they be doing this? Because of the fish oil that the fish contain. But how can you get the benefits of the fish oil without the mercury contained in the fish?
Continue reading "The Benefits of Fish Oil without the Dangers of Fish" »
You’ve probably seen ads promising you that you can get the man or woman of your dreams by simply wearing a certain perfume, cologne or oil concentrated with human pheromones. But do these products really work and if so, how effective are they?
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If you’re trying to lose weight, the promises touted by the makers of Brazilian diet pills may tempt you into wanting to buy their products. But are Brazilian diet pills safe and are they really all-natural like their creators claim? The truth may make you think twice about using Brazilian diet pills as a diet supplement.
Continue reading "The Scary Truth about Brazilian Diet Pills" »
You’ve probably seen the calcium and weight loss commercials. You know the ones… The commercials where the milk industry is trying to tell you that you can actually lose weight by increasing your dairy intake. Are these commercials touting the truth or are they just trying to take you for a ride?
Continue reading "Do Calcium and Weight Loss Really Go Hand in Hand?" »
If you know what Omega 3 is and you know you’ve been getting enough, then you probably don’t need my advice. However, if you don’t know what Omega 3 is and if you’re not sure that you’re getting enough of it your health may be at risk.
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What Do All These Kinds of Tea Mean?
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The Truth About Hand Sanitizer
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Don't Risk your Dog's Health... Feed Him the Very Best Dog Food