Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Do We Need Dehumidifier?

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

dehumidifier2.jpgSome regions or seasons have higher humidity while other regions or seasons have lower humidity. Under conditions of high humidity, the evaporation of sweat from the skin is decreased and the body’s efforts to maintain an acceptable body temperature may be significantly impaired. The recommended relative humidity is between 30% and 60%, with below 50% is preferred to control dust mites. At high humidity sweating is less effective so we feel hotter; thus the desire to remove humidity from air with air conditioning or dehumidifier in the summer.

A dehumidifier is a household appliance that reduces the level of humidity in air, usually for health reasons, as humid air can cause mold and mildew to grow inside homes, which has various health risks. It usually works by drawing moist air over a refrigerated coil with a small fan. Since the saturation vapor pressure of water decreases with decreasing temperature, the water in the air condenses, and drips into a collecting bucket. The air is then reheated by the warmer side of the refrigeration coil.

dehumidifier1.jpgThere are many models of dehumidifier in the market from several brands that we can choose from, such as Soleus, Windchaser, DeLonghi, Eva Dry, Haler, Whirlpool, and several more. Most if not all of these dehumidifiers use humidistat as humidity control, with prices from $40 to $300. If you only need to dehumidify a small storage room or basement area, there is a model from Eva Dry EDV 1100 that has small capacity and coverage but very effective with a very affordable price of only $40. 

Monitor Your Blood Pressure Regularly

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

blood-pressure.jpgToday’s world is a stressful and hectic world. More and more people are having problems with their health. One of the important health problems is blood pressure, since high blood pressure can also lead to strokes. It is often heard that young people of 20s or 30s get strokes. Factors such as age, gender and race influence blood pressure values. Pressure also varies with exercise, emotional reactions, sleep, digestion and time of the day. To reduce that possibility, the simplest way is by owning your own blood pressure monitor, so that you can monitor your blood pressure regularly at home.

There are a lot of choices of blood pressure monitor, mostly digital monitors, in the market from several top brands. The most well-known brand for health aid is Omron, with Omron HEM 773 as the most popular model, followed by Panasonic with Panasonic EW3152A upper arm blood pressure monitor that looks like a hole. If you are looking for the more affordable ones, there are brands like Lifesource, Homedics, or even Mark of Fitness that only costs $35. These monitors are usually easy to use, easy to read and easy to understand.

To obtain an accurate reading, you should not drink coffee, smoke cigarettes, or engage in strenuous exercise for 30 minutes before taking the reading using the blood pressure monitor. In the U.S., the optimal arterial pressure (sometimes referred to as the ‘gold standard’) targets are: Systolic less than 120 mmHg (16 kPa or 2.32 psi) and Diastolic less than 80 mmHg (10 kPa or 1.55 psi). If your measurement is way outside the range, you should consult with your physician.