Treating and Preventing Cancer in Cats
Posted by Robert Hart | Filed under Pets
Shockingly, 50% of all cats over the age of 10 have some form of cancer. For most people, it can be hard to imagine how or why cancer in cats is so prevalent.Although veterinary research has led to advances that can extend the life of cats with cancer, it fails to focus on the cause. Radiation and chemotherapy are expensive and quite toxic to a pet whose immune system is already weak. Non-toxic, alternative therapies offer great hope. When administered along with radiation and chemo they can offset the toxic effects of cancer treatment. Some holistic vets are having success using them as an alternative to conventional treatment.
The ability of your cat to survive cancer depends on how quickly it is diagnosed, the type of cancer, and your commitment to ferret out the potential causes in your home. Different types of cancer will require slightly different treatments, but in all cases, the underlying cause of cancer is a weakened immune system.
The Cornerstone of Health- The Immune System
Your cat's body is replacing old worn out cells ever day. As the old cells die, they are removed to the colon as waste, and replaced with new cells that are identical! When your cats' immune system is healthy, the amount of replacement cells is equal to the amount of cells that die off: Any abnormal cells are quickly identified and removed before they can replicate.
When the immune system does not perform its function correctly, two things happen:
1.Cells do not die off when they should, and more cells are produced, leading to more cells than there should be.
2. The immune system fails to recognize abnormal cells so they begin to replicate. The abnormal cells begin to bind together, form cancerous masses.
Primary Causes of Cat Cancer
Cancer does not develop in healthy cats: It is the result of exposure to some toxic elements over time. Finding the potential causes in your home means examining the water, air quality, and bedding for toxic chemicals. Recent research has shown a connection between the two cornerstones of pet ownership, vaccinations and packaged pet foods.
You can minimize the potential for cat cancer, by reducing the frequency of vaccines and changing you cat's diet away from packaged cat foods. Also, adding immune system supplements encourages the immune system to fight back against cancer cells in sick cats.
0 comments | Thu, 9 Apr 2009
Ladies in Wheelchairs
Posted by Debbie Normski | Filed under Health
Lowered-floor minivans are a bit of a modern marvel - push a button, and the door opens, and a ramp deploys, allowing seamless access for one to roll in using a wheelchair. However, such seamless access isn't without its drawbacks, namely when it comes to vehicle ground clearance, where the needed lowered floor dictates a scant 5" or so between the underside of the floor and the road under no-load conditions - add a powerchair's weight and other passengers to the van, and that 5" of ground clearance dwindles to where clearing slightly raised manhole covers and driveway lips can be tough.Women in wheelchairs now get around because someone many years ago thought of a great way to provide mobility to those injured or sick. Women in wheelchairs might have been injured in an accident, or they might have a disease such as diabetes. Women in wheelchairs might be in a device with a motor or one that is moved manually by the occupant, but these ladies get around quite well now.
Women in wheelchairs can get around their own homes although before this great invention they might have been restricted to their beds. These women in wheelchairs have been given a great deal of independence that they did not have before.
These ladies might have to depend on someone completely if they wanted to get from the bedroom to their own kitchen. The lack of independence can be very demoralizing to the person affected by a disease or accident. No one wants to depend on their husband or their children for simple movements. Women in wheelchairs could avoid this demoralizing condition.
This leads to addressing the issue at the shock absorbers. Stock shock absorbers on most lowered-floor minivans are a fluid-filled, dampened cylinder, where they extend and compress as the wheels travel up and down. Of course, because shock absorbers connect from the axle to the chassis, weight in the vehicle alone can compress them, lowering the minivan - and the weight of a powerchair and passengers can compress them to an almost non-functional level. And, this is where a solution comes in.
As a substitute to traditional standalone shock absorbers, companies like Monroe make "load adjusting shock absorbers (as with Monroe's Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting series), in that it's an advanced shock absorber with a secondary variable rate spring around it, specifically designed to dramatically improve heavy load characteristics, without detracting from overall handling.
Women in wheelchairs can tour the world. The great invention of the wheelchair means that disabled people can travel internationally if they would like to see sights in other countries. The airlines, hotels and museums now have accommodations for people in wheelchairs.
And, at under $300 installed at most auto service centers, load adjusting shock absorbers are a very economic way to increase the practicality and usability of a lowered-floor minivan.
0 comments | Thu, 9 Apr 2009
You Can't Have Happiness, You Must Be Happiness
Posted by Dave Owen | Filed under Health
I hear so many people discussing their quest for happiness and it bothers me. They're chasing after something that they will never capture.When we talk about "having happiness", we are talking of having things that will make us happy. We're saying when I get the house, the money, the job, the lover, the _____ (you fill in the blank) I will be happy. We are handing our ability to be happy over to a physical thing over which we have not power.
Wayne Dyer discusses the way we go thru our lives hoping that when we arrive at the next stage will as if by magic become happy. In grade school we say when I get to high school then I will have it. After that it is when I am in college it will be so good. Then it is when I get that first job I will have happiness. It is just a procession of attempting to catch the next thing to "make" us happy.
It is never an outside thing that will make me happy. I have to be happy inside first. I have to be comfortable in my own skin before I can be comfortable in the world around me. Once that happens, once I have that base level of happiness, then outside things can contribute to my level of happiness.
This understanding is something that we all have to gain individually. It's not something that someone else can give to us. It's something that comes as the result of going through life.
As a parent, I'd love to be able to hand this knowledge to my children so that they do not have to gain it by going thru the rough times of life. It is very hard watching them have to go thru the trials and tribulations to get to the other side.
But, that's the only way that we learn, by going thru the incident, by being present and experiencing life.
The dictionary defines experience as: 1. a particular instance of personally encountering or undergoing something: My encounter with the bear in the woods was a frightening experience. 2. the process or fact of personally observing, encountering, or undergoing something: business experience. 3. the observing, encountering, or undergoing of things generally as they occur in the course of time: to learn from experience; the range of human experience. 4. knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered, or undergone: a man of experience. 5. Philosophy. the totality of the cognitions given by perception; all that is perceived, understood, and remembered.
It is developed by examining the chapters of my life as I go thru them.
My life is as good as I allow it to be. When I make the decision to be happy, I can be happy. Then the the people, places and things that I experience will not create my happiness. These things will become attributes of my happiness, not the definition.
0 comments | Thu, 9 Apr 2009
A Wall To Remember
Posted by Julia Roberto | Filed under Interior Design
There have been many fads over the years concerning walls and wall decorations. For years wallpaper and wood paneling were the only two options apart from paint that homeowners had to choose from when it came to spicing up walls. However, over the past decade more and more homeowners have bravely unleashed their creativity and turned their common every day walls into works of art.The pieces you place on your walls can be anywhere from stencils to abstract art. If you feel you can't do anything but paint a wall one color, be creative and try. It won't take much money to create a unique texture on the walls and it will make your own personality come out in the room. Just think of it as one way to express yourself without actually having to say anything.
Think of this, any room in your house where you have a wall that is blank and blah, you could do several things to it, but you can also leave a unique mark on your walls. First off you need to decide what room you're doing first. Than you start looking for the materials you will need to complete your work of art. Take for example a child's room, whatever they love to watch or read you can make into a nice wall of art. Pick some comic book pages and rip them from the book don't worry if you have some ripped pages, this will make the wall look even better. Cover the entire wall with the pages let none of the paint be seen between the papers.
Try applying the cookbook pages on the bare wall in a collage style. This will add a great focal point into the room and also will draw everyone's attention to it and they'll say "wow what an idea." You can use either transparent tape or wall glue to place the pages onto the wall. Of course the wall glue will last longer than traditional tape, but it's your choice. If you use tape, down the road if you aren't feeling the wall art anymore it can be torn down easier. Cover your entire wall with these pages from top to bottom but make sure there isn't any paint showing through.
Finally, once the wall is covered from top to bottom the wall will need to be measured and a full sheet of affordable plexiglass will need to be purchased. However, the plexiglass should be an inch shorter than the actual wall on the top and bottom. Once the plexiglass has been purchased and brought to the room it will then be placed on top of the collage of recipes. It can either be screwed in or nailed to the wall at the top and bottom. To cover up the top and bottom of the plexiglass and the nails or screws, some wood trim should be fastened to match the other trim in the room.
Last but not least add a great rug to the room. Try to choose colors that are in the art work which you made to highlight the area and make the theme flow. If you have an eat in kitchen, place the rug underneath the table.
This wall will now resemble a shining piece of art that truly sets off and brings life to the kitchen. This same idea can be used in children's rooms where pages from comic books or fairytale books could be used. A library or den could have famous pages from literature. A family room could use family photos instead of book pages. The possibilities are endless!
0 comments | Thu, 9 Apr 2009
Playing Mexican Train - Dominos Rules
Posted by Julie Hellstrom | Filed under Games
Mexican Train Dominos is a great game that we've recently been introduced to, but we found the rules in the game we bought to be a little confusing.The dominoes rules we learned work better for our family because it allows the little ones to play Mexican Train.
The Mexican Train Dominos start at double 12's. You can also purchase these dominos with actual numbers on them to replace the dots. This might work better if you have a young counter as you will see later on, they will need to be able to count the dots in their remaining tiles. To start - each person takes a set number of tiles (determined by the number of players) and the person who has the highest set of doubles starting with 12 begins. The next round starts with the next lower doubles. The play goes clockwise with each person starting their leg - looks like a spider - with the same number as the double or picking one tile which they can play if it is a playable. From there you play on your leg each turn with a couple of exceptions.
1st - Another playing option is when someone is unable to play on their leg even after they pick, you can play on it. They indicate that it is open for all players by placing one of the little trains that come in the game on their leg. We like to use M&M's because once you can play on your leg again, you can remove the train (or eat the M&M!) and other players cannot play on it.
2nd - Start a Mexican Train. If you have a another tile that matches the double played to start the game, you can start another leg, that is independent of the main body and legs. Then any player can play on the train too. There is only one Mexican Train started per round.
There are a few other things to mention. If someone plays a doubles tile during the round, it must be satisfied before anyone can continue playing. This is accomplished by the person who played the double first, who must play another tile on the double. If they can't it is up to the person whose turn is next, and they must pick if they can't play a tile out of their pile. Once someone can satisfy it, play continues as normal. Another thing to note - sometimes it takes several picks to get started. However, this all works out in the end because you do play several rounds for a complete game.
To win the round, be the first to play all your tiles. Everyone adds up the total number or dots on their remaining tiles. The total is their score on that round. The winner of the game is the person who has the lowest total after all rounds are completed.
Mexican Train Dominos. Easy dominos rules and a fun family game! Great for family Christmas gifts!
0 comments | Thu, 9 Apr 2009
Three Reasons Why Skin Care Matters
Posted by Rachel Greene | Filed under Cosmetics
The skin care routine that you have is not just about removing make-up in a perfunctory way, it can actually mean the difference between skin that looks good and that is healthy and skin that is prone to problems. It is important, therefore, to get into good habits here and to regularly cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin to keep it in the best possible condition.Doing this will bring you a range of benefits, including:
#1 Healthy looking skin -- a good skin care routine will simply make your skin look better and will give you a healthy look. Your aim here should be to protect your skin against the rigors of your everyday life. This isn't just about cleaning off make-up -- even if you don't normally use cosmetics or only use them sparingly your skin will get 'dirty' just by being outside. Think about the effects of traffic fumes and the weather for example. So your skin care routine should clean and protect your skin as much as possible to keep it looking healthy. #2 Young looking skin -- like our bodies our skin deteriorates with age but a good skin care routine can help slow down the ageing process here. This will simply make your skin look and feel much better. As we get older, for example, our skin loses some of its elasticity so your skin care routine should look to put some of this back to make sure that your skin looks as supple and smooth as possible. #2 Problem free skin -- if you don't take care of your skin then the world will soon know about it! Not taking care of your skin by cleansing it and protecting it from adverse conditions will soon show. You'll be more prone to zits and blemishes and you may even find that you start to suffer from specific skin complaints and unsightly areas such as patches of dry skin.
Your skin care routine doesn't have to take up much time or cost the earth in terms of the skin care products that you buy. Most people find that cleansing, toning and moisturizing once a day and doing some deeper cleansing and moisturizing work maybe once a week will help them out here.
The benefits of doing this can simply make you look better. If your skin is blooming then you'll look healthier and this can make you feel better about yourself. There's no worse way to start the day, after all, than to look in the mirror and to see grey lifeless skin that is full of spots!
And, remember, the way you look has a bearing on how people react to you in your everyday life. If you look like you don't take care of your skin then people could have a negative perception about you. On the other hand if your skin looks healthy and well cared for they are more likely to take a positive view. As the saying goes, beauty really is often skin deep!
0 comments | Wed, 8 Apr 2009
Minnesota Summer Camp
Posted by A Former Camper | Filed under Parenting
Summer Camp in the North woods of Minnesota is more than the pristine beauty of lakes, forests and eagles flying overhead. To me, Summer Camp is another home with another family. But camp isn't just any family or any home, Swift Nature Camp is a special Minnesota Camp.This summer home is filled with acceptance, love, encouragement, and true, down to earth friends who you will end up calling your camp family. Your counselors act as parents, older siblings, etc. They are great people to look up to. The campers are great friends for life. You may even end up looking at them as siblings. Acceptance is everywhere, no one kicks you out of the cabin because of who you are. Your uniqueness is celebrated. This is the main reason why I love Swift Nature Camp...it's so much more than just having fun.
When you're not on canoe or backpack trips and just at camp, there is so much to do, you can never fit it all in. Other fun activities to do at camp are archery, swimming, fishing, boating, tubing, and riflery. I loved being active all day. What is real neat is rather you are a beginner or an expert in an area its ok. The counselors help you get better. All activities are noncompetitive and so we all support each other, rather than worry who is best.
I'll never forget the great out of camp trips we took like the Superior Hiking Trail. What an adventure! I loved being in the of the forest. overlooking Lake Superior. The wildlife was wonderful too we saw hawks, bald eagles, & deer. This is why I love Minnesota Camps
Life in a cabin is about learning from others and with others. It is becoming a team of understanding. Sure, sometimes we had our fights or minor issues, but almost always they were resolved and we grew closer as a team for them.
I always loved the Nature Center. It is a great place to learn about Nature and the Environment. The Director is always fun and teaches us loads of cool things but its not at all like school. There are all sorts of animals that are fun to observe and hold. One day they even made me feel a little more comfortable when I was homesick.
I'm returning to Swift Nature Camp for all Children's Summer Camp in Minnesota.
0 comments | Wed, 8 Apr 2009
Dishnetwork
Posted by Katie Moore | Filed under Entertainment
With all of the best TV programming, the latest technology, and special features Dish Network is the satellite TV provider that can give you the flexibility to have the exact programming that you want and to use it however you see fit!Dish Network provides you with numerous options when it comes to choosing entertainment packages that have a wide variety of TV entertainment. For example, its America's Top 100 Entertainment Package has over one hundred channels and it's only the introductory level package! If you opt to go with America's Everything Pak, you'll be getting as many as three hundred channels to choose from. In between are the two hundred channel America's Top 200 and the two hundred and fifty channel America's Top 250. Moreover, the ability to add channels and special packages to any of these can help you customize these entertainment packages to meet all of your exact needs! Customizing one of these entertainment packages is as simple as adding a premium movie channel package such as HBO or Starz, adding some foreign language channels, adding adult channels, or tacking on a set of HDTV channels!
HDTV in particular is an area that Dish Network excels at providing for its subscribers! While other TV service providers were only providing ten to twenty national HDTV channels, Dish Network was delivering nearly forty, and its available High Def channels have only increased since then! Now this company offers the only entertainment package available anywhere that's completely made up of HDTV channels!
The reason why HDTV is such a valuable resource is because it makes every TV program look like a big screen movie! That's because HDTV programming has a higher picture resolution and wider viewing area than normal TV. In addition, all HDTV programming has to have the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound format so that when fed through the speakers of your home theater, that sound will draw you completely into whatever is happening on the screen! Whether it's movies, sports, drama, or even the news, HDTV channels from Dish Network can make your TV viewing infinitely more entertaining!
Another feature that Dish Network does a great job of providing is DVR technology. A DVR is a Digital Video Recorder, which is a computerized device that's built into some of Dish Network's satellite receivers. It's fully integrated with the Electronic Program Guide so that it's easy to program and can record video directly onto a hard disk so that you don't have to put up with the inconvenience of video cassettes! This makes recording your favorite TV shows- no matter when they air- incredibly easy. In addition, each of these devices can record video from two channels at the same time, and even allow you to watch a video that has already been recorded! The fact that all of the video is stored on a hard disk also makes for incredibly quick access to the video of your choice no matter when it was recorded! With the ability to pause and replay scenes from live TV, Dish Network's DVR receiver provide you with incredible flexibility!
Finally, Dish Network's PocketDish can give you the ability to take TV programming with you when you leave the house. This innovative device does this by downloading videos from a DVR and then lets you watch those videos on a built in LCD screen!
All of these innovations from Dish Network make it the TV entertainment source of choice for millions of Americans!
0 comments | Wed, 8 Apr 2009
