LYSOL - Hazardous to humans and animals

With the cold and flu season upon us, we all are doing a little extra disinfecting around the house.  But are the products you use to disinfect with making you sicker?  I found the below article and just had to share it because most of us are not aware of how dangerous these common household products can be:

scottycub's Full Review: Lysol Disinfectant Spray All Scents

Lysol is a product who's main purpose is to disinfect surfaces once they have been cleaned. It comes in a variety of scents and can sizes which is meant to accommodate any budget and taste. I will say that it is effective at killing germs, both bacterial and viral, and thereby it is useful at suppressing the spread of communicable disease. However, this does come with some serious caveats. Read more below to find out what those are. I don't mean to be the buzz kill since I know that most people that use Lysol really love it. However, I have been in the cleaning industry and have done some outside research on different products as a result. And right on the can of Lysol it does say, "Hazard to humans and domestic animals." That means that this product can and will harm you. Ethanol, of which more than 90% of Lysol is composed is toxic. This goes to explain why it will kill 99.9% of bacteria and other harmful biological agents. This is why they can claim that it is as effective as it is. It is actually effective at killing bacteria and the like because it will kill biological organisms. Humans are biological organisms and thus, are susceptible to it's toxic effects. Though I admit that it would require a great deal more to kill a human being than it would a bacterium. But again, it does state right on the label that it is hazardous to humans. They are allowed to sell it because it is labeled properly as a hazard and there is nothing to stop you from purchasing it as long as you are informed of it's potential hazards, which they do on the labeling according to the guidelines. But let's think about it this way. Lysol is a toxic chemical agent that they advice you to avoid contact with. Then you spray this toxic chemical from an aerosol can and hundreds of tiny liquid droplets are dispersed into your breathable airspace and that toxic chemical is inhaled by you and those tiny droplets settle inside your lungs and on the mucous membranes on the way to your lungs. There, this toxic chemical agent can interact directly with those tissues. Does this sound healthy to anyone? I strongly urge you to reconsider using this product. I offer the same warning about using bleach to clean household surfaces. Bleach is caustic and will burn the lining of the lungs. Products that use chlorine bleach, ammonia and, like Lysol, ethanol are poisons and require very thoughtful consideration as to whether the risks to your health are worth the possible benefits. They do kill germs, but only because they kill any biological organism.

Melaleuca - Stay at Home Moms

Has Melaleuca made a difference for you and your family? What Is It YOU Love About Melaleuca?

Has Melaleuca made a difference for you and your family? What Is It YOU Love About Melaleuca?

A Blessed Week

This has just been the greatest week so far. Yesterday, Owen (my youngest) and I took a field trip to the Franklin Institute in Philly and we saw the Cleopatra exhibit. This morning he called me from school and asked me if I wanted to come have Thanksgiving lunch with him. Well, what Mom wouldn't and I was able to go without having to ask a boss for time off. If I still had a job working outside the home I would have probably had to said "No". Because what boss is gonna let you take off with 1 hours notice to go have lunch at school, not the one I used to have. Which would have broken my heart and Owen's. I am so thankful to be able to enjoy these types of things with my kids and if I didn't have a work at home business I wouldn't be able to. I feel so blessed this week and want to share that feeling with all the Moms in the world. It is possible, take a step to make your dreams come true, to enjoy time with your children because these moments won't always be there. Act now, visit my site and request more info. You will be so glad you did.

The Ultimate Baked Ziti Recipe

 I'm gonna start sharing good recipes when I come across them and here is the first.  We had this for dinner tonight and I just had to share.  This makes the best baked ziti I've ever had.  A big favorite with the kids, too.

 1 (16oz) box ziti pasta
½ med onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb grd beef
1 (26oz) pasta sauce
¾ tsp salt, divided
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp pepper
1 (8oz) pkg shredded mozzarella cheese

1.       Cook pasta according to pkg directions

2.       Sauté chopped onion in hot oil in large skillet until tender.  Add garlic, sauté for 1 min.  Add beef and cook until no longer pink.  Drain grease.  Stir in pasta sauce and ½ tsp salt.  Set aside.

3.       Melt butter in saucepan over low heat, whisk in flour until smooth.  Cook, whisking constantly, 1 min.  Gradually whisk in milk, cook over med heat, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Stir in parmesan cheese, remaining ¼ tsp salt and pepper.  Pour sauce over pasta, stirring until pasta is evenly coated.

4.       Transfer pasta mixture to a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.  Top evenly with beef mixture, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

5.       Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 min or until cheese is melted.  Let stand 10 min before serving.

6 Doctor Tested Ways to Keep a Cold Away

Some interesting facts here since cold season is on the rise.  Just wanted to share and help everyone stay as healthy as possible this winter:

Is there anything you can do to shorten the downtime of  a cold? In a word, yes. Here’s what helps:
Go to bed. Rather than getting in the car and heading to the drugstore, get into bed and go to sleep. While you sleep, your body recharges your immune system, which is what fights off a cold. Studies show that people who get eight or more hours of sleep increase their resistance to cold viruses — and get better faster if they do catch a cold.
Drink a lot of water. And tea, and juice, and clear broth. Fluids help your body heal from a cold by loosening congestion and preventing dehydration. Water, juice, clear broth, or warm lemon water with honey are the best fluids to rely on; alcohol, coffee, and caffeinated sodas only make dehydration worse.
Cheer up with chicken soup. Recent studies that tested the effectiveness of chicken soup discovered that it does seem to relieve cold and flu symptoms. Scientists believe chicken soup acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils, the cells of the immune system that mount the body’s inflammatory response. Hot chicken soup also temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus through the nose, helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the lining of the nasal passages.
And no, it doesn’t need to be homemade. Researchers at the University of Nebraska compared homemade chicken soup with canned versions and found that many, though not all, canned chicken soups worked just as well as soups made from scratch.
Gargle a sore throat. Dissolve a half teaspoon of salt in an 8-ounce glass of warm water and gargle with it to temporarily relieve a sore or scratchy throat. The reason this time-honored home remedy works is that a sore throat occurs when the throat tissues become inflamed by bacteria and germs. This inflammation takes the form of tiny fluid-filled bumps called edemas. The dehydrating action of salt draws out the edema fluid, killing the bacteria, which require a warm, moist environment to survive.
“Irrigate” your nose with saline. Studies show that over-the-counter saline nasal sprays work to combat stuffiness and congestion and also reduce the amount of time that virus particles are in the nasal passages. And unlike nasal decongestants, saline sprays don’t lead to a rebound effect — a worsening of symptoms when the medication is used for too long. A neti pot, an alternative therapy gaining in popularity, is basically another nasal irrigation technique that puts the saline solution directly into the nasal passages.
Moisten the air with a humidifier. Cold viruses are happiest in dry conditions, which is one reason colds are more common in winter. Dry air also dries out the mucous membranes, which can both contribute to a stuffy nose and scratchy throat and lessen the body’s ability’s to fend off cold viruses in the first place. Run a humidifier to add moisture to indoor air. It doesn’t matter if it’s cool or warm mist; both are effective. But be careful: Running a humidifier can also add mold, fungi, and bacteria to your environment, especially if the humidifier hasn’t been cleaned properly. Change the water in your humidifier daily, clean the humidifier with soap and water once every three days, and air out the rooms in which you’ve been running the humidifier once you’re over your cold.
Don’t overuse over-the-counter cold remedies. Nonprescription decongestants and pain relievers are useful for relieving symptoms when you just can’t stand them anymore, but they won’t make your cold go away any faster. And they can have side effects. Decongestants, for example, can have a “rebound effect” — they can actually make a runny nose come back worse than ever if you use them for more than a few days.
The most effective decongestants are the ones that contain pseudoephedrine (brand name: Sudafed), but nowadays they’re kept behind the counter and you have to ask for them. That’s because pharmacies are restricting the availability of pseudoephedrine, which can be used to manufacture methamphetamine. But do take the trouble to ask, because the decongestants that contain phenylephrine instead don’t work nearly as well. And antihistamines, such as Benadryl, not only don’t work as well but can be dangerous because they cause drowsiness. In fact, older adults shouldn’t take Benadryl at all, since it can cause dizziness and falls.