Category Archives: Tips

What are the Best Air Purifiers for Viruses?

Buying an air purifier can be a big purchase. This is something that you will want to get right, especially if you suffer from airborne allergens or are prone to respiratory infections. If you want protection against viruses, it is highly important to read the specs before you buy. You will want to look for a MERV rating (minimum efficiency reporting value). If the MERV rating is not listed, there should be statements that indicate the smallest size of particle that the filter captures, as well as the proportion of total particulate in the air that it will capture. The best air purifiers for viruses will use either a HEPA filter, or a UV chamber filter – also known as VIRUSKILLER™.

The HEPA Filter, The MERV Rating and Other Key Specs

HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filters use very fine membranes to capture particles in the air. When particles travel through the filter, they are forced into lines. These lines of particles then become trapped inside. Because this technology relies on trapping clusters of particles, the downside is that single, isolated particles can sometimes pass through the membrane and not get trapped. A high quality HEPA filter will allow for only 3% of particles in the air to go uncaptured. When finding the right air purifiers for viruses, it is all about finding a HEPA filter that can capture particles of the right size.

Airborne particle sizes are measured in microns. Viruses are generally 0.2 microns in size. The overall filter performance is measured by its MERV rating. The filter’s MERV rating will tell you the minimum size of particle that the filter will capture and indicate the percentage of isolated particles that will get through undetected. The higher the number, the better the performance the filter will have. Generally, anything rated 13 or higher will capture viruses, so any purifiers that use a filter of this rating will be adequate air purifiers for viruses.

It is also important to be aware of some deceiving labels out there. If a purifier claims to use a true HEPA filter, this has a very specific technical meaning. A true HEPA filter captures 97% of airborne particulate down to 0.2 microns in size. This is an excellent performance, as many HEPA filters will only capture up to 85% of the 0.2 micron size particles. Avoid products that say “HEPA-like filter.” The words HEPA-like do not mean anything specific and this designation is not subject to the same performance and quality control standards of an authentic HEPA filter. A purifier that uses this filter type would not be one of the right air purifiers for viruses.

VIRUSKILLER™ and its Effectiveness

VIRUSKILLER™, also known as a UV chamber filter, is a type of air purifier that uses UV light rays to kill pathogens. The UV light rays activate a process that triggers the production of hydroxyl radicals. Hydroxyl radicals are gases that have the ability to eradicate pathogens completely. They destroy the mechanisms that bacteria and viruses use to replicate, and they also change the outer membrane structures used to bind to host organisms. Because no airborne pathogen is capable of surviving hydroxyl a radical exposure, VIRUSKILLER™ does not have the same performance limitations as a HEPA filter – there is no percentage of pathogen that can go undetected through a UV chamber filter. This high level of effectiveness is what makes UV chamber filters among the very best air purifiers for viruses.

If you are looking for an air purifier that can get rid of airborne viruses, you will want one with either a true HEPA filter, or a UV chamber filter. The true HEPA filter is good because it removes the harmful particles from the air. Its downside is that it does not capture all of the pathogens and it does not disinfect the air. The very best air purifiers for viruses are UV chamber filters, or the VIRUSKILLER™, because these can disinfect the air with 100% efficacy. If your top priority is to live virus free, there is no other alternative.

Why and How to Choose a Doula?

Welcoming a baby is an emotional experience for any mother. Most of all, she needs emotional support and an assuring hand during and after delivery. Here is where precisely a doula fits in.

If you are thinking of availing of Doula services, but are not clear on how to proceed with the results of Doulas near me, read this article to understand why and how to choose a Doula.

Who is a doula?

A doula is a medical practitioner who offers expert assistance during delivery. A doula does not give medical help; instead, she knows how to offer relief to the mother, the best practices to alleviate her discomfort and take care of the mother and the baby after the delivery.

Why choose a Doula?

Experts at DONA International, one of the proven websites for finding Doulas Near Me indicate that mothers who had the assistance of Doula while delivery experienced lesser discomfort. In addition, when you choose a Doula, you are assured of the following benefits:

Emotional Assistance

Birthing classes offer you theoretical help. In the delivery room, it helps beyond boundaries to have someone with intensive experience in handling the condition you are going through.

Doulas can provide the emotional warmth which mothers need on their delivery bed. They have been there and done those hundreds of times and this is why they will understand you like no other.

Perfect family guide

For lone parents with little support, Doulas can be of great help. They guide the father on how to take care of the kid, be with the mom throughout and post-delivery, and take care of the baby in the delivery room.

Extended help post-delivery

Most Doulas offer diverse services such as guiding the mother to be during her final trimester, assistance in the delivery room, postpartum support, breastfeeding guidance, and more. You can always check with your doula to understand their service range.

Mothers who sought Doula’s assistance experienced lesser postpartum depression. No wonder this benefit is due to the emotional support of listening and understanding the mother’s condition and offering the advice that best suits the mother and the baby.

How to choose a Doula?

The selection of Doula is a totally personal one. She is the one who is going to be with you in one of the most private and memorable moments of your life. It assumes importance to choose the right Doula because you will travel a certain part of your pregnancy journey and share your motherhood moments with her.

Here are some tips on how to choose a Doula with whom you can be at ease:

Start with Doulas Near Me

In today’s digital world, the best place to find the list of best Doulas is with the simple search of Doulas near me. You will obtain multiple results and you must sort down 5 Doulas to the maximum based on their websites and reviews. Schedule a call or an appointment with individual Doulas to find out more about the frequency match.

Take the guidance of friends and family

If you have a wide network of friends and family, seeking their advice on choosing Doula could be the best place, to begin with. Besides, having someone from your network assures you the confidence that you are making the right choice.

Ask your doctor

Most doctors and hospitals would have the contacts of the Doulas who carry great expertise. Your gynecologist should advise you with the list of Doulas of your ‘type’. Some doctors might oppose the idea of hiring a Doula, but as you know that it is your right to bring trusted persons into your delivery room, and Doula can be one of them.

Check the dedicated Doula portals

With the growth in the demand for Doulas, the best place to check for one can be a dedicated site for them. For instance, The Moody Doula, Mama Glow, and The Birth Boss are some of the websites you can take a look at.

You’re now ready to take the help of a Doula!

A doula is your most trusted partner during delivery. With her expertise and experience, she is one of the helping hands you will ever wish to have beside your delivery bed, Make sure to select the right Doula, and you will always be happy with your decision of choosing a Doula as your birthing partner.

Why is Mindful Meditation Gaining So Much Popularity?

The trickiest part of human life is the insecurity and ambiguity that encircles it. Human life, from birth to death, is full of ambiguities. There will be adverse and advantageous moments. One cannot stay away from these occurrences that pop up all of a sudden, and this can happen all through one’s life. That is the beauty of life. Adjusting oneself to the prevailing social conditions is the prime thing that one will have to do for making life peaceful. This personal tuning is the best practical way to stay contented. That said, there will be numerous societal pressures that will pull individuals into deep mental agonies. Hence, one will have to make the mind is cool, calm, and collected by all possible means. Meditation is one best practical ways for making this possible. Mindful meditations will make one’s mind calm.

However, one will have to do this activity in a precise manner; then only there will be the desired result. Some of these practical instances will drive everyone crazy. Often, these uncertainties will make one’s life miserable. Here, the most important thing that one will have to keep in mind is to stay cool and collected. Remember, meticulous mindful meditations are perfect remedies for the same.

You can achieve a perfect blend of mindfulness, meditation, and spirituality, which will make your life content. For sure, you will comprehend the bliss of nature as you will be able to balance your inner pathos skillfully. It will be possible to stay in high spirits, which will wash away the intense grief that torments you. Experts hold the opinion that by practicing perfect mindful meditations, one will be able to maintain the power and potency of the brain perfectly intact. The main benefits include:

• It augments the mood of the individual, which will sprinkle the very much-needed happiness, and this will make life pleasant.

• Remember, it is humanly impossible to stop anxiety and apprehensions in this day and age. However, it is possible to bring down the intensity of the same by practicing perfect mindful meditations regularly.

• The practitioner will be able to interact well with the coworkers and management within the workspace. Hence, there will be a healthy work-life.

That said, you need the professional guidance of an expert on the subject of mindful meditations to break the foolish illusions and to make your fear-based self-centered nature more mature. When you get this expert counseling you will be able to chuck out the various unsolicited ego-centric feelings. Thus, you will be able to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul, which will start a new life for you. This is the main reason why a lot of the general public is coming forward to grab the favorable opportunity of gaining a peaceful life by using the method of meditation. However, here, one must be aware of a practical problem. You will be able to come across numerous websites that promote various meditation techniques through their platforms. You must choose the right website. The best way to assess the reliability and success ratio of the platforms is to go through the reviews of the customers.

Another notable thing here is that the advancement of science and technology has made this process much easier. In our time, because of technological advancements, various novel tools have emerged that help humans lead a contented life. For instance, it is easy to download apps that facilitate human life. Apps that will guide you through the various stages of meditation are such tools. Some of the top meditation apps will cover several meditation sessions, and each of these will be fresh, inimitable, and inviting. Such apps will cover nearly 200 meditation programs, which will have comprehensive pedantic lessons. When you go through these topics, you will be able to get a clear picture of the various meditation processes that will go well with individual capacities. Moreover, one will be able to make one’s mind and body in perfect harmony, and this will do a lot of good to one’s body and mind.

The Possibilities and Limitations of Using a Containment Unit

A containment unit is a soft, tent-like structure that is designed for quarantine and isolation purposes. They are useful in situations where there is somebody that must remain quarantined, and is too sick to be relocated when something important is going on. Suppose you are replacing some pipes in a hospital ward and have to cut into the drywall in a room full of severely ill respiratory patients. Of course, the most practical thing to do would be to simply relocate them while the work is completed. The trouble is that sometimes this is not possible. Sometimes a patient will be prone to fractures and severe bruising when they are moved even in the slightest. It may not be possible to move the bed with the patient laying in it if they need to go outdoors to get to the destination, for example, or they could be contagious. In these scenarios, the best solution is to use a mobile containment unit.

Using a mobile containment unit

The idea is that there would be a rectangular shaped box structure placed around the patient. Generally, this would provide a barrier between the occupant and the outside world when installed correctly. There would be a combination of Velcro, zippers and straps that would allow for clinicians to enter and exit when they are equipped with personal protective equipment. A typical containment unit will have some kind of air filter hooked up to it. Usually there are ducts that allow for air to enter and exit the unit. The design allows for filtered air to constantly enter the unit, while some air is allowed to escape.

The level of effectiveness that a containment unit will provide is limited by the quality of the filter it is used with and the quality of the containment structure itself. If the goal is to limit someone’s exposure to airborne pathogens like viruses or bacteria, you must ensure that you are using a filter that is rated to capture particulate that are that tiny. Look for one that has a HEPA filter. Most HEPA filters will capture viruses, as well as bacteria.

It will also take some judgement on the part of whoever is purchasing the unit to think about how airtight the structure actually is. You could be comparing two different units that are roughly the same size and are both equipped with comparable filtration, but one has an assembly design that will allow for more air to escape during use. This is an important thing to be aware of because the more outside air is allowed to enter from sources other than the filter ducts, the less effective the whole containment unit will be.

The power of negative air machines

The best way to overcome this is to use a containment unit with a negative air machine. These work by creating an air pressure barrier to stop the flow of outside air. The idea is that when the filtered air enters the containment unit, it does so under pressure. The pressure delivered at the unit’s intake duct exerts itself on the structure’s walls and ceiling. When this happens, the structure bulges, and there is a ballooning effect. Because this effect is constantly at play while the structure is in use, any outside air will never have the chance to enter, because the pressure from inside repels it away. This is the closest approximation out there to a truly airtight seal.

If protecting the occupants from outside air is of high priority, make sure to get a containment unit with a HEPA filter negative air machine. This is the gold standard for containment in general. If you have to spend money on a containment system, the best thing is to do it right. Why take the risk and make yourself vulnerable to litigation, should something go wrong? Reputation and safety are, after all, is everything.

How Does Ordering Blood Lab Tests Online Work?

Several services are there to order lab tests online for specific illnesses regardless of a prescribed recommendation of a physician. Traditionally, you had to visit any doctor’s chamber to assess your condition, discuss symptoms, and get proper medical attention including tests. The doctor, for diagnosis, decides whether the patients need any lab test based on the clinical diagnosis.

But, with this online lab test phenomenon, people can get their blood test reports online without any doctor’s view. Let us learn about the procedure.

Order Blood Test Online without a Doctor’s Input

Ordering your blood lab tests is a beneficial and efficient tool that helps you manage specific health-related issues. It is also a helpful method for medical insurance with high-interest rates. So you can take that control of your own medical needs and order lab tests online from health testing pathological Centers that are FDA approved. You have to visit the nearby test center to complete your testing services. These centers do the tests with their already appointed doctor’s supervision.

Still, direct testing laboratories provide you with the exact FDA-approved test facilities and services prescribed by your physician with the help of CLIA certified centers. You need to pay through a credit card that is easy to check out and your lab order gets instantly approved. And then, you can walk into a lab in a nearby location on the same day with the online application form.

You can ask the officials to send home lab kits directly to your address. Your physician will review all test results after the tests are done. Ordering blood tests online is a simplified and convenient service for everybody.

Preparation For A Lab Testing Visit

After ordering blood tests online, when you are about to visit any Health Testing Center, you must be aware of the instructions regarding testing preparation. It includes whether the test needs an empty stomach or other such specifications. You should keep the printed document of the online requisition form to visit the service center.

You also don’t need to exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 (also if 10-2 days have already passed). You must wear a face mask and maintain a social distance from other patients.

Lab Test Centers Take Certain Time To Give The Report

When your results are ready to show, you will get an email notification that shows your testing document. You need to download and take a printout of that. Most centers usually send the report within two business days, but sometimes it takes more time to come.

If you have any doubt about your test report, you can contact the health specialist of that center where your tests are done. These centers maintain the privacy policy and do not allow others to see your report without any concern or written authorization from you.

Beneficial Angles Of Online Medical Service

⮚Ordering Blood Tests Online is a relatively fast and straightforward process that anyone can access.

⮚ You can escape the queue in front of the doctor’s chamber and save time.

⮚ It satisfies your financial expense and manages specific medical issues you are facing.

⮚ It provides modern access to the patients to take care of themselves independently.

⮚ These tests can come up with new symptoms that are previously unknown to you, and for this reason, you can start a new and proper treatment.

⮚ Some patients with chronic medical conditions need frequent lab assessments, this service will be favorable for them.

Online blood test ordering service is easily accessible and convenient. It saves time and extra financial expenses. People get greater control of their medical issues with the help of this online service. This online blood test ordering service is an innovative and beneficial concept that takes the medical world on a new high with a promising aspect. This service leads the medical ground to a better autonomy and dynamic approach to every individual’s health.