Are You Swallowing Leads, Toxins, Molds And Pesticides Along With Your Diabetes Supplements?

It can be the Wild, Wild West out there ? with unscrupulous manufacturers taking advantage of the situation, selling a concoction of adulterated half remedies, made with less-than stated ingredient levels. USP/NF symbols help you sort through the alternative medicine.

November 6, 2006, Chicago, Illinois. USP/NF symbols help you sort through the Wild, Wild West of alternative medicine.

When shopping for off-the-shelf diabetic supplements, the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) and NF symbols on the package can be a good way to make sure you?re improving you health ? not hurting it.

USP and NF symbols are verification that the ingredients, grade, dosage strength and purity match the stated claims of the manufacturer.

Why is that important?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not have the resources or necessary manpower to closely control the vast number of over-the-counter diabetic weight loss and sugar control supplements flooding the market today (its estimated that 151 million Americans swallow $17 billion worth of dietary, health and diabetic supplements each year).

As a result, it can be the Wild, Wild West out there ? with unscrupulous manufacturers taking advantage of the situation, selling a concoction of adulterated half remedies, made with less-than stated ingredient levels.

According to recent studies, these is a rise in this kind of activity, increasing the value of USP and NF certification.

Founded in 1820, United States Pharmacopeia (http://www.usp.org) applies ?scientific and rigorous standards to the supplement industry?, states USP?s Chief Operating Officer, John Fowler.

?By selecting a supplement with USP?s certification mark, consumers can have a greater confidence in the products they purchase.?

USP uses four evaluation criteria when evaluating products:

? What?s on the label is, in fact, in the bottle ? all listed ingredients are available in stated amounts
? There are no harmful levels of contaminants, including lead, mercury, pesticides, molds and other contaminants
? Bioavailability, or the acceptance level of the body?s system to accept the active ingredients
? Product manufacturing standards conform to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices)

Should you buy diabetic or weight loss products that don?t display the USP or NF label on their packaging? An expmple can be seen at (http://www.provenresultshealth.com/DiabXProductPage/productsafety.php).

Generally, USP approved products cost no more than an un-verified, un-substantiated brand, yet reduce the risk of taking a product that will hurt, not help you.

Give the Wild, Wild West environment today on the supplement shelf, looking for the USP symbol will, at least, give you some peace of mind.

About Proven Results Health (http://www.provenresultshealth.com) Proven Results Health is a manufacturer of diabetic weight loss and sugar control supplements. These products are verified by USP and NF, and are supported by clinical research.

Renovating That Moldy Old Bathroom

However much you may have thought through the options while making that dream home of yours, it seems that there are always improvements that can be made at home. Taking a decision to renovate your apartment is not an easy one since these projects can cause havoc with your daily routine. One such project that can really disrupt your entire household is bathroom remodeling. This is especially so because once the project begins this room will need to be off limits for several days.

Although the bathroom is often the smallest room in your house, it is one of the most important rooms. Many aspects make bathroom renovating a serious project. You can save money as well as avoid undue hassles if a bathroom makeover is handled methodically.

The first thing required to be settled is to prepare a schedule for bathroom use to accommodate family members and plan for guests if any are coming over during the renovation.

To avoid overshooting your budget it is recommended that you finalize the fixtures that you would like to put back again and the ones that you need to replace before actually beginning the process of remodeling. Once you list the fixtures you will realize why bath remodeling often takes more time than anticipated and disrupts budgets. The main fixtures involved in bathroom remodeling include the tub, shower, toilet, sink, cabinets, lighting and flooring.

Storage is another aspect that needs to be kept in mind as certain decorative fixtures, like a pedestal sink, leave no room for storage under them. For a well functioning bathroom it is essential that there be storage space for storing towels, toiletries and cleaning supplies.

While going in for expensive fixtures like whirlpool tubs it will be better if you talk to friends, neighbors and relatives who might have installed these, as they take up a lot of space and are expensive to repair.

Lighting and flooring are two aspects of the bathroom that are often over looked. If you have natural light it will be better to go for lighting that will complement it and still retain privacy. In the absence of natural light, try to create one using the kind of lighting that you prefer. You could chose to have a bold, strong lighting environment or a relaxing, dim environment for your aroma bath.

Easy cleaning should be the foremost consideration when completing the bathroom renovation project. Although they cost more than other surfaces, natural stone or ceramic tiles are the easiest to clean and last a life time. Bathrooms are messy and in turn can mess up the house. Being able to quickly clean up surfaces is a great time saver and can also ensure that you avoid slipping on wet surfaces later.

Discover more articles about home improvements and diy by visiting http://www.home-articles.com

Mold Health Effects

Black Mold Health Problems in homes have become very common. When mold inspectors go out on inspections it sometimes is to late as they find a home full of mold with dalmation like spots all over the walls. A popular question that will be asked is what are the symptoms and health effects of mold. So briefly I will explain some of the health effects of toxic mold and some prevention methods. You may also find more information on my mold cleaning site.

Mold Health Effects: Itchy Eyes Watery Eyes Headaches Fatugue Excessive Coughing Bleeding in Lungs Irritated Skin

Of course, these are all different depending on individual. Most of the time we have seen that people who have mold in homes have a musty odor and at least one of these symptoms. | Important Note:

If there is one thing that everyone should know about mold is remove as fast as you can, and if you go outside away from the mold to get fresh air your symptoms will descrease. Pro-long exposure can cause very problematic symptoms. So be careful and be sure to educate your self on the mold issues.

Working in the field with other consultants I found many problems that people had pertainnig to mold, now I feel that more should understand the effects mold can have on individuals.

Ten Tips To Avoid Mold Problems and Lawsuits in Selling and Buying Real Estate

Mold Inspector Laboratory International, Ltd. recommends that real estate sellers, buyers, and real estate agents/brokers, in the UK, USA, Canada, and worldwide, follow ten steps to avoid mold problems and lawsuits in the selling and buying of real estate properties.

1. A property owner should not even offer the property for sale, or list it for sale with a Realtor or other real estate agent/broker, until after a thorough mold inspection and mold testing of the home, rental property, or commercial property. Hire a Certified Mold Inspector (USA and Canada), or use a do-it-yourself mold inspection checklist and mold test kits.

2. If the owner discovers visible or hidden mold problems, he should do safe and effective mold removal and remediation prior to offering the property for sale. Hire a Certified Mold Remediator (USA and Canada), or follow the recommended steps for safe and effective do-it-yourself mold remediation. Re-inspect and re-test the building after remediation.

3. The owner should avoid hiding or camouflaging mold problems by deceptions such as painting over mold growth; concealing mold growth behind stored items, furniture, furnishings, and decorations; and masking the distinctive smell of mold growth with air fresheners and deodorizers. The smell of mold is from the digestive gases of the mold eating the building materials.

4. The real estate sales contract should include an environmental inspection clause that grants at least a 14 to 21 day inspection period. The buyer should hire an independent inspector such as a Certified Mold Inspector, Certified Environmental Hygienist, industrial hygienist, and/or home inspector with mold expertise to inspect and test thoroughly the property for mold and other environmental dangers.

5. The mold inspector or the buyer himself should do an all-around physical examination of the building for both visible and hidden signs of water damage and mold growth. In addition, the inspector or the buyer should mold test the air and visible mold growths in all rooms, the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, plus the outward airflow from each heating/cooling duct register.

6. Mold testing requires mold laboratory analysis and mold species identification of the collected mold and air samples. In building locations with previous floods or leaks, the examination should also include fiber optics inspection to look inside water-penetrated surfaces for hidden mold infestations.

7. The seller should disclose in writing to all prospective buyers any previous or present building water and mold problems, and what the owner has done, if anything, to correct such problems. These water damage and mold disclosures should be attached to the real estate sales contract so that the buyer acknowledges receipt thereof.

8. If the property for sale is a USA residential property (home, condominium, co-op apartment), the seller should order ahead of time and provide to all prospective buyers the insurance industrys C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) Property Report that provides a five-year insurance loss history for a given address.

Every U.S.A. homeowner insurance claim inquiry or loss report by a homeowner (even including those that do not result in any loss payment) goes into the C.L.U.E. database. In some states (including California) it is becoming standard for sellers to provide Realtors with a copy of the C.L.U.E. report up front so that there are no unpleasant surprises at closing or afterwards.

9. In consideration of the sellers accurate and complete mold disclosure, and the buyers full and unrestricted opportunity to inspect and test the property thoroughly and carefully, the sales contract may include a sellers requirement that the real estate property is being sold as is with no implied or express warranties as to the physical, mold, and environmental condition of the property.

10. Similarly, the sales contract may also include a seller-requested clause that releases the seller, lender, and real estate agent/broker from all mold liability to the buyer. This release of liability should be contingent on the accuracy and completeness of the provided details in the sellers written mold disclosure and on the buyers full and unrestricted right to do mold inspection and mold testing prior to completing the property purchase.

For more mold inspection, testing, and remediation information, please visit:

http://www.certifiedmoldinspectors.com
http://www.moldinspection.com
http://www.moldinspector.com/mold_removal.htm
http://www.bleach-mold-myth.com
http://www.moldmart.net
http://www.ecology-college.com
http://www.mold.ph
Phillip Fry is a Certified Mold Inspector, Certified Mold Remediator, Certified Environmental Inspector, and author of the mold books Mold Health Guide, Mold Legal Guide, and Do-It-Best-Yourself Mold Prevention, Inspection, Testing, and Remediation