Doctor Higginson’s Blog

At first glance, an article about recycling televisions seems out of place on a health related blog. As you dig deeper it is easy to see the connection. Everything we do effects either our health of the health of others. Please take the time to read this article and learn how you can recycle your old TV.

BEAReCycling writes “As large numbers of consumers are starting to shift over to the latest in LCD and plasma screen televisions, the demand for television recycling is growing rapidly. With few options available to the public, Bear eCycling has opened a television recycling depot at their SE Portland facility at 4532 SE 63rd Avenue. “Ever since we got listed on the Metro Recycling Hot-line as a recycler who can handle televisions, the phone has been ringing quite steadily.” says company president Oso Martin, “As a commercial recycler, our trucks are really too large provide cost effective pick-up from residential customers, so instead we created the public drop off option.”

Staff at the Bear eCycling facility deconstruct the televisions, separating the plastics, the gold and copper bearing materials, and prep the glass tubes for processing at an approved smelter that recovers the leaded glass for use in new televisions and computer monitors. Nearly all the televisions Bear eCycling receives are recycled. “Unfortunately, with the digital TV transition coming up, there isn’t really a resale market for the good ones”, notes Martin, pointing to a row of working TVs “nobody’s interested in buying these.”

The increasing demand for TV recycling looks to only get larger as all broadcast television signals will be switched over to Digital Television(DTV) on Feb. 27, 2009, making all non-DTV units obsolete. There are mandated low-cost, set-top converters scheduled to be available during the transition. Each US household will be eligible for up to $80 in coupons towards 2 converters ($40 for each converter) that allow analogue TVs to receive the DTV signal. This will allow the television to work, although without the higher resolution picture. As of March 2007, all TVs sold in the US are DTV capable.

If you were to ask those cute little penguins from “Happy Feet” the movie they would tell you the best way to prevent the flu is with a flu shot.� I have a feeling the pharmaceuticals that paid for the advertising would agree with them also, but CDC has something different to say about the effectiveness of the flu shot, for the report click here.

The Pharmaceutical companies have been very effecting in “educating” the American public of the danger associated with germs, like the influenza virus.� We are led to believe that everyday is a game of hide and seek from these little monsters.� These little monsters are everywhere and there is no hiding see my post Germs-You Can Run But You Can’t Hide.

The only way to prevent the flu is to keep your defenses up.� The immune system is responsible for protecting the body from foreign invaders.� When it is weak the opportunistic vaccines come in and set up shop. How does the immune system become weak?� Stress, lack of exercise, bad diet, smoking, drinking etc.� If that doesn’t sound like the holidays, I don’t know what does.� Viruses could care less what the temperature is outside.� The reason people get sick has nothing to do with the weather, it has everything to do with the state of your immune system.

Have you ever wondered why you get sick and your spouse doesn’t?� Did you know that there can be as many as 10,000,000 germs on your desk?� Germs are everywhere!

Simply put, exercise, eat well, decrease stress in your life if you want to prevent the flu.

If you suffer from migraine headaches or know someone who does, you are aware of how debilitating they can be.� The severity of these headaches varies immensely.� Some people experience minor symptoms that come and go with little effect on daily life, while others find themselves locked in a quiet, dark room for days.

Many theories have been proposed to explain migraine headache, but the actual cause is not completely understood.� It was once thought that changes in the circulatory system were to blame for headaches, but recent research points the finger at the central nervous system. Even though we don’t know the exact cause of migraines, we do know that migraines can be trigger by environmental agents such as stress and food.

For many people it is a difficult task to narrow down the food that is responsible triggering their migraine. Luckily,�researchers have been able to compile a list of foods that have a higher likelihood of triggering a migraine.

The following is a list of foods that trigger migraines:

• Cheese
• Chocolate
• Citrus fruits
• Hot dogs
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Aspartame
• Fatty foods
• Ice cream
• Caffeine withdrawal
• Alcoholic drinks, especially red wine and beer

From the previous list, it seems like one would�have little trouble avoiding the most common triggers, there is one�trigger that is not as hard to avoid.

Monosodium glutamate or MSG is known as a common ingredient in Chinese, but it is also found in other common foods such at commercial soups, soy sauce, salad dressing, frozen dinners, soup mix, croutons, stuffing and some chips.� It can be disguised on food labels as sodium caseinate, hydrolyzed protein, or autolyzed yeast.

The best way to determine what triggers might be affecting you is to do an elimination diet.� An elimination diet involves removing the majority of foods from your diet except for a few foods that are thought to be non-allergenic.� While on the diet, foods are added periodically and the effect is measured.

Unfortunately migraines are typically multi-factorial and involve many different variables.� A food might be the trigger that is the straw that breaks the camels back, but stress might be the true underlying cause.

It is important to address the foods that trigger migraines, but don’t lose sight of the other environment triggers such as stress and physical pain.

Migraines can also be caused by life threatening conditions such as cancer or stroke, so it is important to speak with a healthcare practitioner to determine the severity of your migraines.

For more information about migraines, you can visit the National Migraine Association.

A chemical compound called 1,4 dichlorobenzenzene (1,4 DCB), found in many air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs and other deodorizing products, may be harmful to the lungs, according to a new study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).� 1,4 DCB belongs to a group of volitile organic compounds, which are emitted as gases from thousands of commonly used products including tobacco smoke, pesticides, paints, cleaning products and car exhausts.

The study found that 96 percent of the population studied had detectable 1,4 DCB blood concentration levels.� The report stated that 1,4 DCB may cause modest reductions in lung function, and even a small reduction in lung function can harm lungs.� The effects of 1,4 DCB might be greater for those with asthma and compromised respiratory systems.

Form more information read the NIEHS press release on air fresheners