March 24th - 6.30pm to 9.00pm at Cranbrook School, Rose Bay
We would like to invite you to this educational evening presented by Paeditrician Dr Antony Underwood. Find out how the real benefits of good nutrition and clean living on mental and physical health can improve children’s health and lifestyle.
Register now for either Melbourne or Sydney by clicking here.
Both Melbourne and Sydney seminars are designed to inform parents, carers, educators and practitioners working with children who are struggling with neuro-biological issues that range from allergies, asthma, infections, mood disorders and learning delay to Autism & ADHD. An integrative approach that incorporates Biomedicine, allied treatments and neuro-therapies offers these children the chance of reaching their full potential. Best outcomes lie in trained professionals and well-informed parents.
There will also be a small expo at each event presenting recommended products and services (books, special foods, cooking classes, supplements, practitioners, water filters) to help families implement the changes needed to support an Integrative lifestyle.
Help spread the word to families by clicking here to {tag_tellafriend} as well as those in a position to help such asteachers & practitioners so we can grow the movement that offers ALL Australian childrenthe chance to reach their full potential.
Increasing paediatric disorders such as allergies, asthma, ADHD, infections, autism, chronic illness, learning and language delays, digestive and behavioural disorders, and more signal a need for preventative healthcare that focuses on cellular health by optimising nutrient intake while minimising toxins.
MINDD helps patients and practitioners find effective treatments for
Metabolic, Immunolgical, Neurologic, Digestive, Disorders that affect the Mind.
MINDD Foundation is running several seminars on Integrative Solutions during March and May.
Melbourne Seminar - March 7th - 9am-5pm at the Sebel Hotel.
The full day seminar will feature 2 internationally acclaimed speakers as well as national speakers.
The Rational Use of Biomedical Treatments, Paul Shattock (co-creator of the GF-CF diet)
Oxidative Stress; Symptoms & Treatments, Dr. Woody McGinnis (expert on pyroluria)
Infections, Dysbiosis & Mindd, Dr. Robyn Cosford (Australian Biomedical expert)
The Brain-Imuno-Gut Connection, Jacques Duff
NeuroTherapies, Martha Mack
Choosing The Right Diet, Karen Wheelwright
Panel on Integrating Treatments; Chemistry, Structure, Energy, Emotion
Amy Mitchell from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) School of Nursing is conducting a study to examine management of childhood eczema.
Managing a child's eczema can be a difficult, frustrating and time consuming task for any parent, caregiver or family as a whole.
Amy is seeking parents of children (aged up to 12 years) with medically diagnosed eczema to complete an online questionnaire about managing childhood eczema.
Amy is keen to hear from parents of children with eczema of any severity, from mild to severe. In recogniton of their contribution to the study, participants will be entered into a draw to win one of five one-year subscriptions to the Eczema Association of Australasia, worth $30.00 each.
Details about the study and how to particpate can be found at the following website: www.quteczemastudy.com Alternatively, to request a printed information sheet and survey, please contact Amy on (07) 3138 3856.
Our dedicated consultant team is available to help trouble shoot if you have a query about the home or office environment, assist with product questions and how to use them, and of course they can take your orders. Pop in and see us.
We are in Hall 2, from 10 am to 5 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Children under 12 are free.
Decide which areas of the house will become your exclusion zones. Prevent your pet from entering into at least two rooms, the bedroom and lounge. Other rooms can be added to the list.
If your pet once slept in those rooms, wash as much of the bedding or upholstery as possible, consider purchasing allergy free bedding. In extreme cases, consider buying a new quilt or mattress. Keep the animal’s bed in another room, perhaps a utility room or lobby. For a cat, sprinkle some catnip there to make the area seem more attractive to them.
Another study from the same survey discussed earlier this week, showed cat allergens may be present in homes that are cat-free.
It measured the quantity of cat allergen in mattress dust, and then analyzed the relationship between cat ownership and the level of cat allergen found in the participants’ homes.
Current cat owners’ homes had substantially higher amounts of allergens than past cat owners and those who had never owned a cat.
While never having a cat in the home led to a lower concentration of cat allergen, it didn’t protect against high cat allergen exposure in communities where cat ownership is common.
The researchers concluded that people who do not own cats may still be exposed to high levels of cat allergen in the home because cat ownership is common in their community and they bring the allergen home on their clothes.
Indoor smoking was also found to lead to higher level of cat allergens, possibly because cat allergens can bind to the smoking-related particulate matter, and consequently, allergen concentrations might be increased in settled dust. For more study details>>
Reducing the level of dust mite in the bedroom can be achieved by replacing old mattresses and increasing a room’s ventilation, according to a new study.
The study looked to determine the distribution of two common house dust mites and what conditions would affect the level of those allergens in each home.
It found important risk factors for high allergen levels included an older mattress, a lower floor level of the bedroom, limited ventilation of bedroom and for one of the dustmite sampled, the level of dampness in the bedroom.
The researchers concluded mite allergen exposure may be reduced by replacing the mattress regularly, and increasing ventilation in the bedroom, particularly in winter. For more study details >>
When you pick up clothes from the dry cleaners you might also be getting a sniff of the industry’s dirty environmental laundry. Dry cleaners use tetrachloroethylene, a powerful degreasing agent that is also a suspected carcinogen, can aggravate asthma and allergies and is harmful to the environment. It breaks down into other chemicals – such as the toxin phosgene – and contributes to photochemical smog. Look for a cleaning service with “clean and green” processes, including reuse of hangers and garment bags.
Air pollution
common in urban areas around the world, may be playing a role in increasing asthma.
The ever new status symbol of the urban gardener is the eco-efficient broom or rake. Hosing of leaves off the driveway and footpath is out. So is powering up a two-stroke petrol engine to give the lawn a quick blow. Leaf blowers or air brooms are not only a source of noise pollution for the neighbours but can produce the same amount of air pollutants in an hour as driving a car from Sydney to Brisbane.
It has been estimated that 40 per cent of the population in Australia suffer from allergic rhinitis (the medical term for hayfever and other similar symptoms).
Here are a few more ways that you can contribute to a healthier home and planet.
Organic produce
is becoming increasingly popular as we become more concerned about health risks of chemical laden food. In contrast to non-organic farming, where nutrients are applied to the soil in a soluble form, organic farming focuses on the underlying health of the soil, with plants taking up nutrients released naturally from humus by microbes. The environmental dividend is greater biodiversity at all levels of food chain. Organic produce has been proved to contain higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals. Plus it usually tastes better.
The average home contains aerosols, paints, polish, glues, ammonia based cleaners, nail polish remover, oils and battery acid.
While the effect of the traces of up to 300 synthetic chemicals that have been found in humans is still unclear, for the environment they are a proven toxic cocktail. Check with your local council about its collection days for chemical nasties.
Look for natural furnishings
that have been or can be recycled – tables made from reclaimed timber, organic cotton curtains, beeswax candles, bamboo, hemp bedding or jute flooring. Buy second hand furniture – old timber products are more durable than new furniture made from veneer covered particle board.
Conventional paints
use fossil fuels as their basic ingredient, producing greenhouse gases, toxic waste and air pollutants. Organic and toxin-free brands are not only better for the environment but can also benefit natural asthma remedy, pregnant women and young children.
Source: True Green – 100 everyday ways you can contribute to a healthier planet. Published by ABC books
Your home should be comfortable and safe, not a place that can make you sick.
In this issue we look at indoor air quality and ways to protect you, your family and colleagues.
The cost of indoor pollution
Generally people spend more 90% of their time indoors, half of that in their homes.
The air inside your home is two to five times more polluted than the air outdoors. Studies by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) consistently rank indoor pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health.
Polluted air costs the nation twelve billion dollars a year in medical costs and lost productivity. People especially at risk include asthmatics and allergy sufferers, people with compromised immune systems, lung symptoms and children.
For most of the population, for whom indoor air pollution is not immediately debilitating, unhealthy environments, whether at home, school or work, can none the less cause minor symptoms, reduce quality of life, increase medical costs, increase accident risk and reduce productivity.
Exposure to poor indoor quality can cause headaches, fatigue, sinus congetion, coughing, wheezing, sneezing, eye nose throat and skin irritation, dizziness, nausea and heightened asthma and allergy symptoms.
Breathe cleaner, fresher and healthier air
Every home contains air borne pollutants either biological or chemical.
Biological pollutants originate from living or once living organisms such as dust mite, pet dander (skin, hair, feather particles), pollen and can also include gases or particles such as mould spores, fungi, bacteria, viruses.
The pollutants are often invisible and contribute to poor indoor air quality. When air borne, they cause an unhealthy affect and can be inhaled into your lungs.
Biological organisms require nutrients, moisture and limited ventilation to thrive. Sources include
mattresses, carpets and furnishings
inadequately maintained appliances such as air circulation and dehumidification systems
unventilated and unclean bathrooms
damp or flooded floors and basements
Adverse health effects depend on the type and amount of biological pollutant and at the same time, the individuals' own sensitivities.
Allergic reactions are the most common response, in particular to dustmite, pet hair and pollen. The repsonse can vary from mildly uncomfortable to life threatening as in severe asthma. Breathing is made difficult for people with sensitive airways, due to the narrowing of the airway in repsonse to the trigger.
Other repsones include flu, unable to stop coughing, infectious diseases, coughing mucus and toxic reactions affecting any one of the body organs.
Chemcial pollutants origninate from gases or particles such as carbon monoxide and soot. Common sources include:
oil and gas appliances
second hand tobacco smoke
paints, felt tip markers, correction fluids
pesticides
scents, personal care products
household products like cleaners and freshners
volatile organic compounds (VOC) found in some furniture, paint, adhesives, solvents, upholstery, drapes, carpet, clothing, construction material
in the office copying machines and toners
Source and for more info visit The Lung Association - Canada
Article - Breathe a whole lot easier
Air purifiers could soon be recommended alongside weight loss, exercise and quit smoking for improving health of older people.
New research in the Amercian Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care has found that an air purifyer in the home for just 48 hours using high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filter significantly improves small blood vessel function - one of the measures of heart health.
A total of 21 non-smoking couples aged 60-75 years who lived close to heavy traffic roads were involved in the study. Each couple used an air purifier for two 48 hour periods.
During one period, the purifier was fitted with a HEPA filter, and during the other, the filter was removed. The size and concentration of indoor air particles in each home were continuously monitored, and small blood vessel function was measured using a finger cuff.
It was found the HEPA filter removed about 60% of the ultra fine, fine and coarse air particles and was associated with an 8.1% improvement in blood vessel function. AmJ Respir Crit Care med 2008;177:419-425 (Brauner E V, et al)
Your environment, your health
Provide adequate ventilation throughout the home and office, help circulate the outside air into the room.
Control moisture by maintaining relative humidity below 60%. Consider a dehumidifier.
Practice regular home appliance maintenance paricularly ventilating, heating and cooling systems.
Remove or change furnishings or office equipment and supplies.
Innovative products to improve indoor air quality. Consider air purifiers for not only your home but where you work.
The green on clean When it is time to clean, remember some of the old ways?
Mum managed to keep her house spotless without all the chemicals that we rely on today. The simple, harmless methods managed to solve almost every household cleaning problem - as well as maintain our well being and the environment.
Sodium bicarbonate or baking soda - great cleaning agent - deodorises, scours and softens water.
White vinegar - perfect for cutting through grease and oil - removes mould and odours and also lightly bleaches fabric.
Lemon juice - ideal for natural bleaching. In conjunction with sunlight, it can help remove stains on white clothing.
Salt - suitable as an abrasive, scouring, cleaning product. Will also absorb liquid stains and can act as a mild disinfectant.
Wash in pure soap flakes
Borax - natural mineral salt that disinfects and bleaches - cleans walls and floors and is used in pest control.
Yes, these things were sometimes a little more inconvenient. Mum and Dad did have to work a little harder around the house with " a little bit of elbow grease". Yet their efforts paid off and they lived a lifestyle that was far less damaging on themselves and the environment.
And who better to learn from than good old mum!
Clean off mould, shower doors and floors with vinegar and hot water.
Clean tiles, laminated bench tops and ovens with bicarbonate of soda mixed to a paste with water.
Clean drains with a quarter cup bicarb soda followed by a half cup vinegar.
Deodorise your carpets by sprinkling sodium bicarbonate mixed with a few drops of lavender essential oil and leave for a day. Vacuum up the powder and you'll notice the difference.
Revive your "whites" by soaking them overnight in a mixture of lemon juice, water and a couple of drops of lemon essential oil. You could add half a cup of borax to your wash to whiten and brighten.
Your kitchen sink will be brought back to life with a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and water. Use a sponge or scourer to apply all over the sink, gently rub the stains away and then rinse with fresh water.
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