Either way, many of us start the preparations early, putting away those things that have been lying around for a while, shampooing the carpets, dusting the furniture, and cleaning the grill.

Take a few moments for yourself and relax.

My friend and her son saw this exercise machine, then purchased

this low impact exerciser to help her with circulation and bone density.

The Life-Span Fitness Vibration Plate is a low impact exercise machine that helps the whole body vibrate and gain muscle strength, balance, flexibility and fitness.

There are some very simple but highly effective ways to combat flu germs and viruses.   Some are common sense and others might be new to you.

• Wear a mask
• Cover your cough with hand or a tissue or sleeve
• Don’t touch your face
• Use paper towels to open public restroom doors
• Use hand sanitizer whenever possible on shopping carts and public door knobs
• Washing your hands is most important when you plan to eat at the dining table
• Invest in packets of alcohol swabs and carry with you
• Stay away from people who are sick
• Use UV-C light therapy to sanitize surfaces, bedding, purses and counters at work and home

If you do get sick, stay home so you won’t pass it on to anyone else.

Additionally, if you are the one coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth with tissue.  If none is available, bend your arm and cough into your sleeve.  Be aware of what you touch;  eyes, mouth, your hair, face;  we spread germs from our hands.  You will be amazed at the amount of times we have contact with our face.

Wash and Re-wash Your Hands

We have germs on our hands before going to the bathroom, as an extra measure, washing before you go can be another positive precaution.  If soap and water is not available use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.  Rub gel on hands until the gel is dry.

The number one way to prevent the spread of germs is washing your hands for 20 seconds under running warm water. A slow count to 20 is a little over 20 seconds.  A few seconds over is good.

Watch the Hand Washing Video down the right side of our blog

Use UV-C Light Therapy to Kill Germs

In recent times we are lucky to have the invention of  UV-C Light Therapy in a portable device that kills germs.  This is the same blue light that the hospital uses, and ventilation and plumbing companies install it in hospitals.

We now have portable hand sized sanitizing devices and this UV-C technology is available to the public.  The advancements include portable sizes without losing the effective ability to kill germs and viruses by breaking the DNA so the germs and viruses cannot replicate.
Sanitize With Light

The C.D.C. recommends that the following groups be vaccinated:

These groups need to pay attention more than most of us. We all need to be alert.

• Pregnant women
• People who live with or care for children under 6 months
• Health care and emergency services personnel
• Persons between the ages of 6 months – 24 years of age
• People from ages 25 – 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.  Especially with heart and lung problems
• Additional People who are exposed to high volumes of people, such as 1st responders, Health care professionals, city, county and Federal offices.

Source: Centers for Disease Control, July 29, 2009. CDC Advisors Make Recommendations for Use of Vaccine Against Novel H1N1.

It is important to realize that many people who have Swine Flu are better in a couple of days.

Symptoms to watch for most:

• High Fever 103 degrees fahrenheit and over
• Extreme muscle and body aches.  The worst ache you have ever had
• Headaches
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Some people have vomiting and diarrhea

How does H1N1 Spread?

Flu viruses are generally spread from person to person and from touching something an infected person has touched.  People infected with influenza pass the germs from sneezing and coughing as well.

Warning signs signaling you to get to the hospital:     (based on CDC recommendations)

In Children:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up
• Child being so irritable does not want to be held or touched
• Flu Symptoms appear to improve then return worse with cough and fever
• Fever with a rash

In adults:

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

Once again, prevention is the best medicine.

A few best reminders and things can change for you.  The Influenza virus can survive on surfaces anywhere from 2 to 8 hours after being touched by an infected person.  UV-C light therapy reduces the flu virus.

Maybe you can be one who avoids the handshake and are among the millions who are pulling out the hand sanitizer several times a day (17% sales increase the first week of September compared to the same period last year, according to Chicago-based research firm Information Resources).  Chicago-based research firm Information Resources).  It might be a simple tip that pays off.

Sanitize with Light to keep your home clean and free of germs and viruses.

Verilux Sanitizing Wand

They have special needs and need extra patience from us.

Frequent pet accidents can be trying along with the smells, cat odors and dog odors.

Just one look at their face tells you and they know that they have done something wrong.

If possible, when you are going to be gone longer than expected have people look in on them during the day.

During this challenging time it is especially important to help your pet’s immune system.

When the home environment is clean – your pet has more energy

It is necessary for your pet’s health that germs are eliminated, odors are reduced, and the pet bed, carpet, and furniture smells fresh and clean.

The alternative to pet cleaning and pet accidents is to sanitize your pet’s environment and use the UV-C Sanitizing Bed and Furniture Vacuum. The vacuum uses UV-C Sanitizing to kill germs and leave a clean fresh household for your and your loved ones.

Testimonial:

“As the former owner of Loving Spoonful (Seattle’s first Home Pet and Plant Care Business) I found these tips helpful. I encountered more than most, my share of pet accidents during the course of ownership.”  Darielle

UV-C Sanitizing gives you peace of mind that your special ones are in a household where the invisible pet odors are taken care of with less effort on your part.

During the year if I find the perfect gift for someone I buy it and wrap it with their name one it.
However, there are many who remain on my list. So I’m always looking for gift ideas.

Hopefully, the following will help with this year’s gift buying for friends, family, your pets, and co-workers.

Five Holiday Tips for Giving Great Gifts

1. Find the subject the person is most interested in
2. Then buy them a new Book or a DVD on their favorite interest
3. Find an upcoming class or seminar
4. Give them a subscription
5. Give them Gift Cards, such as an Amazon Gift Card, Borders, iTunes gift card, etc.

For more Holiday Gift Ideas see us Good Changes Now on Amazon.com

Pets are a part of our home and the Holidays are no exception.
Loud music, changed feeding schedules, moved litter boxes, missed walks and eating small toys all contribute to Pet Accidents.

We are so pleased to have people over to visit, then we invite them to the living room.  A strong smell – enough to make your eyes water and then greets you.
Then we think,  “Oh darn, bad dog or cat!”.

Mostly we are disgraced, we wanted everything to be perfect and we know it wasn’t the dog or cat’s fault.

After cleaning up a dog or cat soiled accident,  further blot the area with a combination of vinegar and water.
It will help the smell, or use Nature’s Miracle Odor Formula to help the surface smell.

But to Really Kill Germs, I Recommend UV-C or Ultraviolet Light for Pet Accidents

The UV-C Sanitizing Wand and Sanitizing Furniture & Bed Vacuum kills the germs and bacteria that cause the unpleasant smells clinging in the air. A clean smelling room makes our Holidays more pleasant once again.

Be patient and extra-loving as pets have no idea what is going on.  Making them feel safe goes a long way to heading off more pet accidents. As a former owner of a home plant and pet care business I know this first-hand.

For more on How to Clean Pet Accidents and Cleaning with UV-C and Ultraviolet Light…download our
Free E-book for ideas:
The Good Changes Now E-book

Are you really thirsty or just conditioned to drinking water?  This bottle takes the guesswork out of getting the proper levels of fluids.

A smart new bottle and design may be the very thing to help monitor our need for hydration.  It monitors by body temperature and data received the gauge turns blue if you need fluids.

Read the full article about this new trend:  Smart Beverage Container

So-called full-spectrum lighting, they say, reduces eye strain, headaches, glare and fatigue to make them more comfortable and efficient, especially over long periods of time.

Full-Spectrum Lighting

While there is no actual definition of “full spectrum”, the term is generally taken to mean it has some light of nearly every temperature in the color spectrum, much like natural sunlight but without most of the ultra-violet range.

Standard incandescent and fluorescent light, by contrast, is in a limited color temperature range (photographers use software or filters on their camera lenses to counter the yellow or orange cast that predominates, especially at low indoor light levels).

Full spectrum bulbs are available for overhead applications in ceiling installations and for more local, desktop fixtures that deliver more light to a smaller area, and while they tend to be slightly more expensive and require more electricity to produce a given amount of light, those who use them extensively say they are well worth the price.

Because of its wider color temperature range, full-spectrum light increases definition in the work area and gives a much more honest representation of color, which is critical in graphic arts and color matching for home, office, photography and automotive paints.

Emerging science has shown what medical professionals have held to be true for decades: much of what ails us, especially during the winter months, is attributable to a lack of light.  Sure, there are the standard overhead lights, floor lamps and desk lamps, and compact fluorescent bulbs, but the light level is low and seldom includes the near-natural range of so-called full spectrum lighting.

Studies within the past few years say full-spectrum light is close to natural sunlight but without much of the ultraviolet range that causes sunburn and skin cell damage.  It is believed to be effective in the treatment of what doctors refer to as seasonal affective disorder or SAD, an umbrella term that encompasses a number of disorders from winter blues to depression.

White light from a large and bulky light box has been the preferred treatment of seasonal affective disorder.  One, recent three-year Canadian study reportedly concluded that bright light therapy might be as effective as the anti-depressant Prozac in the treatment of the winter blahs.

Then newer research suggested that a critical part of SAD light therapy was the spectrum of natural and full spectrum artificial light.

Those who studied it say the natural spectrum light might not be related to ~ seeing ~ the light as much as it is to ~sensing~ it in the brain, which controls the production of natural mood-altering chemicals.

Many of those who have used  light therapy or supervised its use, report increased energy and improved concentration.

If our have further questions email us: info@GoodChangesNow.com or visit our website at Good Changes Now