Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home.

Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

Radon can be found all over the U.S.Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building — homes, offices, and schools — and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.

You should test for radon.Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools.

Testing is inexpensive and easy — it should only take a few minutes of your time. Millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon (see How to Test Your Home).

How Does Radon Get Into Your Home?Any home may have a radon problem

Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

Radon from soil gas is the main cause of radon problems. Sometimes radon enters the home through well water (see "Radon in Water" below). In a small number of homes, the building materials can give off radon, too. However, building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves.

For more information on Radon and how to test your home, please visit the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html.

~ Here's to a healthier lifestyle.

Are You Safe From Carbon Monoxide?

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Lavender Oil - 

If you don't like the smell of the tea tree oil, you may want to use lavender.  Lavender-scented cleaning products give you the added benefit of calming and mood-lifting aromatherapy.  A few drops in the vaporizer to fight colds and infections.  You can dilute with water and make an antibacterial spray.


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1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services for both large and small homes. Our concept of providing a comprehensive program, with exceptional management support is what separates 1st Green Clean from our competition.

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By Leah Gillis

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency‘s (EPA) website, molds are a part of our natural environment – but that doesn't mean we want them to run amuck in our homes. The types of mold that cause damage in homes can also cause infection, allergies, skin irritation, headaches and asthma.
What Is Mold?


Mold is a word that people throw around often times without really understanding what it is. It sounds downright disgusting, and to be sure it isn't pleasant, but it is a rather simple thing.

Outside, mold is a part of nature’s order, consuming dead plant matter, but inside mold is not so useful and should not be allowed to grow.

• Mold only needs one thing to grow and prosper: moisture.

Removing Mold And Mildew You should be able to get rid of mold yourself if the area isn't very large, otherwise do seek professional help. Remember that you can’t get rid of all mold because some is natural and will exist in a home. Here are some guidelines recommended by the EPA to help you rid your home of mold.

• Chemicals that remove mold include: bleach, borax, vinegar, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.
• Before you begin mold clean-up, make sure you are wearing the proper gear.
• You will want to wear long gloves that extend up the arm, and make sure the material they are made out of can withstand the cleaning products you use.
• You should also wear goggles without ventilation holes so you don’t get it in your eyes.
• Since you don’t want to breathe in mold, the EPA suggests an N-95 respirator. You can check with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for their guidelines.
• If you have mold in rugs, the ceiling or tiles (anything absorbent or porous,) you might have to throw it way. Since mold grows and can get into crevices it might be impossible to remove it completely from the material.
• Don’t paint or caulk moldy surfaces. Clean up the mold and dry the area first before you do work.
• If you are unsure of how to clean an item, get professional help.
• If you have a leaking faucet, pipe or roof that is supplying the water that grew the mold, get it fixed immediately.

Mold is a naturally occurring substance,but with awareness and persistence to keep moisture out of your home, you can reduce the chances of having mold in your home.

*** Do you have tips?  Post them or contact us to be a guest blogger. ***

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With 1st Green Clean we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, on-site team supervisor, complementary consultation, and the security of reliable service.

Visit our website to see all the luxury services we offer and to schedule your complementary home evaluation. 


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By Guest Blogger Nicole LaBonde

I've been experimenting with making more things at home, especially things that, when store-bought, are nothing more than chemicals. (Stay tuned for shampoo, detergent and dish soap!) Last week a friend posted on Facebook about the carageenen in a number of products, including my preferred brand of almond milk. Carageenen, while a "natural" ingredient has been tied to inflamation and bleeding of the stomach in humansand even cancer in animals! And, as I was looking at the label, I realized there was lots of other things besides almonds in my almond milk. Which seems unnecessary. So, I looked up a few recipes online, and made my own. 

• 1 cup raw, organic almonds. Soak for at least 24 hours. I soaked for 48 hours, just to make sure they would blend!
• 4 cups purified water. 
• Drain the almonds and put in blender. Add the 4 cups of purified water. 
• If you like the vanilla milk, a drop or 2 of vanilla extract. Or add a drop or 2 of honey to sweeten. I left mine unsweetened, and still thought it was great!
• Blend until liquid. 
• Put a cheesecloth over your container of choice for your milk (I recycled pasta sauce jars). Strain the almond milk blend through the cheesecloth. 
• You can keep the almond puree in your freezer for baking or make a body scrub!
• Refridgerate the almond milk!

 

The entire process (besides the soaking, obviously!), took me less than half an hour!

In addition to having less chemicals in my body, I spent less! I bought raw, organic almonds at Whole Foods for $6.99/lb. I bought a 1/2lb, so it was about $3.50, which is about the price of 32oz of store-bought almond milk. The recipe calls for 1 cup of almonds, and it looks like I'll get about 3 cups from the 1/2lb, and with each cup of almonds making 32oz of milk, that means I'm paying a third of the price!

I hope you try this at home! Leave me a comment about your process!

About Nicole:  Nicole LaBonde wants to live in a world where all women are confident with their voices, bodies and lives. As a multi-preneur, she’s been featured in Business Heroine, Philadelphia Magazine’s BeWell Blog, and multiple ebooks on Health and Fitness topics.

When she’s not running her 4 business, you can find her voraciously reading, listening to podcasts or webinars, usually at the beach!

Her first 10 minute workout— Thigh Toning and Booty Blasting — is now available on CABARRET’s website.

Find out how to work with Nicole at www.nicolelabonde.com.


Nicole LaBonde

I'm currently in my 90 Day Game Plan! Do you have 90 Days to change your health and wealth? Call me! I want you on my team!

T: 610-731-6845
On the Web:

www.nicolelabonde.com

www.cabarretfit.com

www.publicpersonallc.com

www.nicolelabonde.isagenix.com


On Twitter:

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Vegetable- and plant-based oils, such as olive and sunflower, dislodge dirt, diminish scratches and imperfections, and “hydrate wood that has aged or dried out from exposure to the sun,” says Hunter.

Price: About $7 a pint at supermarkets.
Use Them to Clean Your…

Cast-iron pans: Make a scrubbing paste with vegetable oil and a teaspoon of coarse salt to combat cooked-on debris, then rinse with hot water.

Hands: To get paint off your skin, rub with vegetable oil, then wash thoroughly with soap.

Leather shoes: Wipe away dirt with a damp sponge, then apply a drop of vegetable oil to a soft cloth and rub the surface to remove scuff marks. Buff the shoes with a chamois to a shine.

Rattan and wicker furniture: To prevent rattan and wicker from drying or cracking, lightly brush them with vegetable or sunflower oil and gently rub in with a cloth. Warm the oil on the stove first to thin it and make it easier to apply.

Stainless-steel surfaces: For extra sparkle, pour olive oil onto a cloth and buff.

Wood furniture: Make your own polish by mixing 2 cups olive or vegetable oil with the juice of 1 lemon; work it in with a soft cloth. To smooth out scratches in light-colored wood, rub them with a solution of equal parts olive or vegetable oil and lemon juice.

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By Mayo Clinic staff

Definition

 Lead poisoning occurs when lead builds up in the body, often over a period of months or years. Even small amounts of lead can cause serious health problems. Children under the age of 6 are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can severely affect mental and physical development. At very high levels, lead poisoning can be fatal.

Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in older buildings are the most common sources of lead poisoning in children. Other sources include contaminated air, water and soil. Adults who work with batteries, home renovations or in auto repair shops also may be exposed to lead.

While treatment is available for lead poisoning, some simple precautions can help prevent it.


SymptomsInitially, lead poisoning can be hard to detect — even people who seem healthy can have high blood levels of lead. Signs and symptoms usually don't appear until dangerous amounts have accumulated.

Symptoms in children
The signs and symptoms of lead poisoning in children may include:

• Irritability
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Sluggishness and fatigue
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Learning difficulties

Symptoms in newborns
Babies who are exposed to lead before birth may experience:

• Learning difficulties
• Slowed growth

Symptoms in adults
Although children are primarily at risk, lead poisoning is also dangerous for adults. Signs and symptoms in adults may include:

• High blood pressure
• Declines in mental functioning
• Pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
• Muscular weakness
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• Memory loss
• Mood disorders
• Reduced sperm count, abnormal sperm
• Miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women

For more information on lead please visit the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lead-poisoning/FL00068/DSECTION=causes

~ Here's to a healthier lifesty

By  Sabah Karimi, Yahoo Contributor Network


Shopping at IKEA is a great way to snag a few deals on furniture and home décor, and can really help out when you're on a tight budget. Still, it's important to remember that the reason why everything's priced so low is because you'll be putting it together yourself. IKEA furniture comes in flat-pack boxes to go from the store to your home with ease, but unfortunately, there's no magic popup version of the two-hundred+ piece office desk available.You'll be hauling the furniture out of the store, into your car and truck, and then up two or three flights of stairs to your apartment. After that, it's time to put on your toolkit and get to work. Unless you're particularly adept at assembling IKEA furniture, you'll probably spend at least half a day per item. Ready to brave the challenge? Here are some tips on assembling IKEA furniture so you're not left with an impossible lego project and give up in frustration:

Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #1: Enlist the power of friends 
Two heads are better than one when it comes to deciphering the handy guide accompanying your IKEA furniture. Make it a group project so you're not spending hours screwing in the nuts and bolts---on the wrong side.

Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #2: Skip the proprietary IKEA tools 
Those little bags of allen wrenches and screwdrivers are great for one-time projects, but you're much better off using the 'real deal' to speed through the project. Ditch the 'toy tools' (except for the screws and bolts), and pick up your Black & Decker power drill for better results.

Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #3: Organize everything and count it twice. 
Pull apart the entire kit and make sure you have everything you need for your piece of furniture. If you organize the items by parts, you'll find it much easier to grab each piece as you build. Put the directions in one area, and all the parts in another so you spread out your workspace.

Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #4: Don't make more than one piece of furniture at a time. 
You'll confuse yourself and your building team, and can easily lose track of screws, bolts, and pieces as a result. This will only make it that much harder to actually finish your project-patience and pacing yourself through one project at a time really is a virtue in this situation.

Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #5: Avoid starting a project during a highly stressful time. 
If you've just gotten some bad news, had a hard day at work, or just have a lot on your mind, assembling IKEA furniture is not going to be a stress reliever. Pick something else, anything, that doesn't require your full concentration and patience.

Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #6: Don't expect to be successful the first time. 
When you finally get the back on that chair just right, don't be surprised when you realize the entire thing is on backwards. Plan for mistakes, take a deep breath, and start over. A glass of wine can really help take the edge off.

If you're one of the lucky few who has the skills to put together IKEA furniture in one smooth step, good for you! Not many people can say the same, but there is hope-someone in your town may be available for IKEA assembly services. Take a look at your local classifieds or Craigslist for local help that can help you get that project done in no time.

Clean your bathtub or sink with a wet, used dryer sheet to leave a nice shine and remove the ring.

Remove no-slip decals from the bathtub with hot vinegar. Use a cloth or sponge to saturate them, wait, and they will come off easily with a plastic scrubber.

A bathtub or shower can be cleaned with white vinegar. Spray it on, let it set for 15 minutes, wipe, rinse, and dry.

“Oxygen Bleach” Cleanser will “scrub” away dirt and rust from just about any type of surface (even clothes), but it doesn't scratch. It is also environmentally safe and contains no hazardous chemicals, not even bleach.

Scrub tile grout with a mixture of 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of borax, and enough water to make a paste. Spread the paste, scrub, rinse, and dry. A used toothbrush makes a good grout scrubber. After the grout has been cleaned, spread the paste over the surrounding tiles, wipe, rinse, and dry.

If you wash your face every morning or every night, use the wet washcloth to wipe the sink and counter. Doing this daily should prevent any dirt build-up. Wipe dry for a spot-free shine.

Most shower curtains can be put through the washer, then hang them back up to drip dry.

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By Guest Blogger Peggy Nolan

“The secret of success is consistency of purpose.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli

I’m ready to go big and bold and I’m wondering how many of you are, too. I’m ready to break the bonds of my own small and limited thinking and I’m wondering if you are, too. I’m ready to spread my wings, take flight, and soar. And I’m wondering if you are, too. I’m ready to leave the well worn trail and blaze a path of my own. And I’m wondering if you are, too.

Nearly all of us – you, me, and everyone else – are playing life small. We’re overwhelmed with daily doings, daily demands, daily obligations, and those pesky little things called expectations. I’m not a Human DOing and neither are you. We’re Human BEings and it’s time we BE more and DO less. In order for me to blaze a path of my own, I must BE more and DO less. Talk about a shift in perspective that begs the question, “how can you be more if you do less?”

Part of doing less is not saying YES to every request that crosses my path. Part of BEing more means I focus on my end game. Part of doing less and being more is about making the choices and decisions that are in complete harmony and alignment with my end game. For me to BE more, what I do, why I do it, and how I do it must support my end game.

My end game is pretty simple but will remain largely unknown to the vast majority of human doings. Dreamstealers and naysayers walk among us and I won’t allow that distraction. But I will tell you that part of my end game is to retire from corporate America early – within the next 4-5 years. I am blessed to have the support of angel friends, like Janet Powers, and the amazing support of my husband. It’s time for me to stop mistaking busy for important. It’s time for me to stop mistaking someone elses urgent problem or priority as something that trumps my own important priorities (this doesn’t mean I’m not going to help others, it just means I need to prioritize the needs and wants of others better.)

Yoga Sutra 1-14 “It is only when the correct practice is followed for a long time, without interruptions and with a quality of positive attitude and eagerness, that it can succeed.” ~ Pantajali (translated by T.K.V. Desikachar, The Heart of Yoga)

If I’m going to reach my end game, it’s time for me to cultivate single-minded focus (correct practice) and eliminate shiny object syndrome (interruptions).

I’m ready.

Are you?

Your mission today is to answer this question in the comments section: How will you do less so you can be more?


Peggy Nolan’s Bio  

Peggy Nolan is a leading authority on self-care and personal development for women in the stepmom role.  She has been referred to as the “Self-Care Queen” by her peers and clients because her strategies to reduce and manage stress work.

Peggy has been part of a stepfamily for over 40 years. She knows what it’s like to be a step-daughter, a step-sister, and a stepmom. Peggy is the mom of two adult children, the bonus mom of four adult children, and the grandmother of two.

Peggy’s articles have been featured in The Huffington Post, Divine Caroline, The Diva Toolbox, Applaud Women, Aspire, and StepMom Magazine. Peggy has also interviewed numerous leading experts in stepfamilies on her highly acclaimed internet radio show, The Stepmom’s Toolbox Radio Show.

As an almost ten year breast cancer survivor Peggy knows a thing or two about the critical importance of self-care and personal growth. She is a certified yoga teacher and she holds a 2nd degree black belt in Muay Thai Kickboxing. At the young age of 49, Peggy decided to take on the gentle art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Why? To learn something new, of course!

Peggy has a deep caring for women in the stepmom role. She knows first hand how challenging the role is. Her main focus is to help women thrive, become leaders in their families, and become happy, whole human beings.

Peggy lives in Derry, NH with her husband, Richard, and Edgar the Wonder Dog. Peggy and Richard love traveling, photography, playing with their grandchildren, and watching reruns of Star Trek and Doctor Who.

You can connect with Peggy at http://thestepmomstoolbox.com, on twitter at twitter.com/toolboxgirl and on Facebook at facebook.com/thestepmomstoolbox