Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Shared with QR Droid: BeHealthConscious QR code
http://itsmyurls.com/qr.php?u=behlthconscious

Monday, May 23, 2011

SECONDHAND DEMAND

SECONDHAND DEMAND

We are putting the spotlight on SecondHand Demand, a website for a community for people who like to buy secondhand clothes, whether it be vintage, consignment, or thrifted. Stephanie Richardson, creator of Secondhand Demand goal is to engage people who shop at Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Plato's Closet...etc. She believes that if you begin to shop secondhand, you will notice how it changes your perspective of style and frugality. 


                                                              Steph
From the creator: SecondHand Demand is an emerging style and lifestyle weblog (website/blog) dedicated to individuals passionate about secondhand clothing, vintage clothing, and personal soul-driven style.
We are also a funky blended community that encourages an eco-friendly lifestyle by exposing the importance of giving back and recycling clothes. Finders Keepers brings up financial awareness that encourages individuals to end frivolous department store spending and trend chasing habits. We spotlight thrift stores, consignment stores, and vintage shops.

                                                              Lets Behealthconscious
I know I know....... you are probably asking, what does this have to do with health? Health is a part of our everyday life, whether if its how we brush our teeth or how we clean our bathroom, it all affects the outcome of our overall health. Many people view second hand clothing as nasty or a health hazard, but do not realize clothing items bought brand new can also contain dangerous pathogens and or bed bugs. The overall point is to properly clean any item of clothing you buy before you attempt to wear it. Personally in these economic times, thrifting can be the difference maker in keeping that home/car you love so much. But laundry hygiene is essential especially when buying clothes whether it is second hand or brand new. Laundry Hygiene pertains to the practices that prevent or minimize disease and the spreading of disease via soiled clothing and household linens such as towels. Items most likely to be contaminated with pathogens are those that come into direct contact with the body, e.g., underwear, personal towels, facecloths, nappies. Micro-organisms can also be transferred between contaminated and uncontaminated items of clothing and linen during laundering. 

Two processes are considered suitable for hygienic cleaning of clothing and linen:
  • Washing or laundering at 60°C or above
  • Washing or laundering at 30-40°C using a bleach-based product: This produces decontamination of fabrics by a combination of physical removal and chemical inactivation. However, some types of fungi and viruses that are harder to inactivate, may not be removed.
Washing at temperatures of 40°C or below with a non-bleach product is considered to carry a risk of inadequate decontamination.SecondHand Demand makes a very interesting and valid point when it focuses on washing thrifted clothes. Ms. Richardson states " In a perfect world, clothes are supposed to be pre-washed and stain-free before they are donated to thrift stores, but thrift store clothes, depending on the store, can have clothes that are lightly to moderately soiled. Also, clothes can sit in the store's storage for months before they are put on the floor to be sold. Clothes may become dusty and smelly; but this issue can be solved by washing your thrifted clothes properly."
Also on the website you can find more information about:

Thursday, May 12, 2011

How to be a Health Conscious College Student

How to be a Health Conscious College Student

In college, you don't have your mother around to make you balanced meals or take you to the doctor. Most people experience life on their own for the first time in college, and realize they have to look out for their own health. If you want to be a health conscious college student, it's up to you to make the right decisions.
Make health conscious eating decisions. It's not easy to eat healthy when you are on campus all day and running from one class to another. When long lectures require that you stay alert and pay attention, a Monster energy drink is going to be nothing more than a quick fix. To stay at full mental capacity, it's important that your body gets the nutrients it needs, which starts with you making healthier eating decisions. Take the time to learn a little about nutrition and what vitamins and minerals your body requires to be able to function properly. The more knowledge you attain, the better decisions you will be able to make about what goes into your mouth.
Make health conscious exercise decisions. It's easy to get lazy when you spend most of your time sitting in class or laying on the couch studying. If you are no longer playing for your high school's soccer team or required to take a PE credit, the freshman 15 can quickly turn into the freshman 30. To stay active, it is important that you get plenty of exercise, which starts with you incorporating it into your routine or finding time to hit the gym. Visit your school's recreational center, join an intramural sports team, or decide to walk to class instead of taking the bus. Making decisions to be more active throughout the day will not only increase your energy level, but improve your mood and help with concentration.
Make health conscious medical decisions. It's easy to put off going to the doctor when you don't have time to go to an appointment between school and work. When your parents aren't around to make sure you go to regular checkups, or remind you to get your seasonal flu shot, you may find yourself catching things easier. To make sure that you don't come down with every single thing that is floating around campus, find a local doctor to visit for routine checkups or when you first start to experience symptoms. When it comes to catching diseases and illnesses, the sooner you see a doctor, the better, so putting off an appointment now may only make it worse later.