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Health Snapshots
By The Montana Standard Staff - 08/26/2008
8 Colors of Fitness energetic package
Nowadays, authors who write how-to books must also be Web producers in order to create an interactive package for readers.
"8 Colors of Fitness" by Suzanne Brue connects fitness to your personality type. By avoiding one-size fits all fitness regimens you'll come up with a
formula that keeps you
interested.
The book and Web site offer tests to show you your fitness personality, and then instructions on what do to create a personal program that's explained through
colors.
For example:
Blues are guided by clear fitness goals and objectives.
Silvers are energized by new ideas and
possibilities.
Reds love to be where the action is.
Of course, all of the results of the tests are
flattering and no color says you're doomed to spend the rest of your days on a couch watching reruns on
extended cable. Still a good element of pairing a website and book is that you can examine the tone and usefulness of the website and get a feel for whether you want to drop the dollars for a book.
With "8 Colors," you'll find it full of energy and optimism And the idea of finding a way to customize your own family of fitness measures could be just what you need.
Price: $20.99
Publisher: Oakledge Press
187 Pages.
Improve your home's indoor air quality
How well indoor static
air mixes with fresh air from the outside can have a significant impact on the air quality of a home.
A good air ventilation strategy can not only
circulate fresh air in a house, but also make the
living environment that much more healthy for a home's residents.
While installing a well-balanced ventilation system is not always an option for many existing homes, a few useful strategies can help improve the air quality throughout a house. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy offers the following
suggestions for proper air ventilation of a home:
Open windows. If it is cool or breezy enough outside, opening windows may induce enough fresh air into the house, and push stale air out.
Use house fans. In a multi-story house, air moves naturally upwards as it warms. In mild climates, a fan placed in the ceiling or open attic will exaggerate or induce this "stack effect" when windows are opened, providing fresh air and
cooling.
Consider exhaust
ventilation. If there isn't much breeze and the airflow between inside and outside is static, operating a fan would continuously could provide adequate ventilation. This is an example of "exhaust-only ventilation." One downside is that exhaust-ventilation depends on uncontrolled infiltration to provide fresh air. In
hot-humid climates, exhaust ventilation should not be used without careful supply air control. When hot and humid air is drawn into the building for months on end, condensation, mold, and damage are likely to
develop.
Take a look at supply-only ventilation, which draws clean outside air into the interior living space, usually through a supply vent that feeds into the return duct of a forced air system. Supply-only strategies however, tend to "pressurize" the house, which keeps moisture out in hot, humid climates but may induce drafts in cold
climates as warm air escapes.
Conduct air handler and duct maintenance. Most houses use ducts to move heating and cooling energy from a central furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump around the house. This is not however, the same as ventilation. Ducts control how air is distributed within the house, not how air enters and exits. But because virtually all duct installations leak, your air distribution system may be throwing off humidity levels and air infiltration rates in your house.
Make sure supply and return ducts are well sealed and insulated to minimize air exchange with the outdoors.
Check your thermostat for a switch for controlling the furnace fan. If so, make sure the fan switch is set to "auto" mode instead of "on." Continuous fan operation wastes energy and might cause moisture problems.
If you live in a dry climate, check the fan speed on any ventilation equipment before buying a humidifier.
Practice "balanced" ventilation. Balanced ventilation is essentially a well-controlled combination of the exhaust and supply strategies. Often, a balanced system involves a powered heat recovery or energy recovery ventilator (HRV or ERV).
Think about going with a stand-alone de-humidifier. In hot climates on humid days, an air conditioner may not be able to handle and remove the moisture load.
— American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Brushing up on oral hygiene
Here are a few ways to prevent tooth decay and gum disease:
Do not smoke.
Limit alcohol to one to two drinks a day.
Brush teeth twice a day.
Replace your toothbrush every three or four months (sooner if the
bristles are worn out).
Floss daily (or use an inter-dental cleaner) to remove bacteria, plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gum line.
Go to a dentist
regularly for oral exams and cleanings. Adults should see a dentist every six to
12 months, depending on their oral health status. The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry recommends all children have their first visit at the time of the eruption of the first tooth and no later than
12 months of age.
Eat a balanced diet; limit snacking, especially of sticky or high-sugar foods.
Give supplemental
fluoride to preschool children more than 6 months old whose primary water source is deficient in
fluoride.
Resources:
www.cdc.gov/oralhealth
www.ada.org/
Special to The Washington Post
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