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Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality and path to virtue.

Parents should know this to raise a child 

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn
If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
he learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,

he learns to find love.

Praise is good, but don’t overdo it. A child does need encouragement and praise but, like most things, this can be overdone. Give praise when it is due, but don’t shower praise on shoddy work and half-baked efforts. Your child is no fool, and knows perfectly well that it could have done much better, and so loses respect if you are too easily satisfied. It is much more helpful to examine the work carefully (whether picture, homework, sandcastle, or anything else) praise the good parts then give constructive hints on how it could be improved. In that way, the child will appreciate that you have shown genuine interest, while, at the same time, being encouraged to do better. One needs to build the child’s self-confidence, but giving praise where it is not due can produce the opposite result. The child can become addicted to praise and, when it is not forthcoming, a feeling of insurmountable inadequacy often takes over.

Our aim should always be to prepare our children for life. This means giving them ideals, self-confidence, values, consideration for others, and the courage to face difficulties. But this also implies that you, yourselves, must practice these virtues. Sathya Sai Baba: “People want happiness in the family, but they fail to lead exemplary lives”.  

Finally, you leave the kids like Penguins after mentoring!

Ramen's Meditation Technique

Teens need to learn how to meditate in order to slow down the mind chatter.  They need to find a way to lessen stress in their lives, be less anxious, quiet their minds, so that they can sleep better at night and focus more in the present moment.  Meditation helps ease pain, improve concentration, strengthen immune functions and prevent depression. Meditation is simply a method of mind control and mind relaxant.

I feel that beyond your nutrition and medications, there needs to be a way to quiet the mind, which is obvious, considering that the risk of acute heart attack is often associated with anxiety and stress.  Meditation not only lowers blood pressure but eases attention deficit disorder. Your patience automatically improves. Meditation is a tool to build healthier outlooks, and keep control of our present lifestyle. We need to spend more time in the present than our culture traditionally expects us to.

Here is a simple way to learn Ramen’s meditation technique.  You can lie down on your back and relax, or sit down in a comfortable position. You can choose any position that you want to, close your eyes and focus on your breath.

When you are breathing in slowly for 5 seconds, your mind should say “inhale” during that 5 second duration. Then when you are breathing out for 5 seconds, your mind should say “exhale” during that 5 second duration.

If you start practicing Ramen’s meditation technique, the chatter of your mind will slowly diminish. You feel better about yourself and life in general. You can develop this habit of meditation along with your ergonomics. You can challenge life’s obstacles and not be frazzled.

Good Attitude

Mantras of challenged people

 By

Ramen from Athma Times

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

-Mother Terasa

In a day, when you don’t come across any problems, you can be sure that you are travelling a long path.

-Swami Vivekananda

If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they had never tried a new thing in their life.

-Albert Einstein

Never break four things in our life-trust, relation, promise and heart because when they break, they don’t make noise but pains a lot.

-Charles Dickens

Three sentences for getting success: Know more than other, work more than other, expect less than other.

-Willam Shakespeare

If we cannot love the person whom we see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see.

-Mother Teresa

I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered 1000 ways that can cause failure.

-Thomas Alva Edison

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.

-Leo Tolstoy

Believing everyone is dangerous, but believing nobody is more dangerous.

-Abraham Lincoln

Lack of motivation causes depression. Self-image, self-discipline and will power give you more control over your daily life that help you in the development of all the inner thoughts. Every thought is connected to a feeling. Our reaction or behavior is the result of the feeling that is connected to the inner thoughts. Self learning and exploring to become a smart person will increase the fears. Discouragement and pain cause us to developmental blocks and fears. Your fears are a treasure house of self-knowledge if you explore them. Being smart is good among the family, friends and the community. How ever that should affect your state of mind and body. 

We should not judge the person’s attitude, actions or behavior right away. Attitude or behavior is a by-product of a belief. Better to stay with the people those who are having the positive thoughts. If we come across with people with negative thoughts, we need to forgive them first. Don’t grudge about anything with your inner thoughts. Don’t focus on something that disturbs your state of mind. Make the effort to find the cause of the problem and address it, just like how the successful and happy people do it. Worrying and fearing for any reason won’t resolve anything. Instead of that will imbalance your stress hormones and leaded to negative impact of your health. Study the concept of beliefs. Positive beliefs produce positive results. No one is perfect in this world. So we should pass our judgment right away on him/her.

We are all victims of ignorance in one-way or another, but some of us are in deeper trouble than others. Everyone is a victim of pain and pleasure. Let us not blame but instead, try to help and understand others. This will boost your self-confidence and relieves your mental stress. Be true it to yourself first.

For every action, there is a consequences or a result. Short-term pleasure will cause long-term pain. When we understand that long-term pleasure is greater than short-term pleasure, we will definitely change our state of mind. When we realize that a short-term pleasure will cause a long-term pain, we have the secret of change. We must never forget to connect a lot of pain to being lazy. We must increase our desire for health. Intelligent living will bring the pleasure. So update your daily knowledge and others should not fool us.

Nature will change our feelings when we violate or go against its principles. Negative behavior is mostly the result of excluding pain from our life. Anger, arrogance, grudges, temper, sadness, indulgence, etc. are all different ways to neutralize pain and enhance pleasure. We need to understand this when we meet the people with negative thoughts. Please help them to relieve their pain by mentoring. Successful people believe their success is attributable to a pattern of mutually beneficial interpersonal relationships, as much as it is due to technical skills or business knowledge. Your communication and the image you present create the first impression - often the lasting impression - on the people you meet. Complaining is the negation of happiness. It’s impossible to complain and be happy at the same time. So, beware of that insidious disease known as ‘negativities’ (negative thinking). It is as pervasive as the common cold, but far more damaging. It mutilates, cripples, and corrodes the human spirit. Being too self-critical and /or being perfectionist, by taking platitudes of achievement too seriously, may also have negative impact on health.

Meditate each day to keep the intuitive channels of higher self-direction. Each day, program your mind by talking with your inner thoughts. Don’t limit yourself. Don’t fear the future. Memorize and repeat to yourself at least once the athma-pure prayer to well being. Self-imagery, walking around the nature, light stretching exercise and good sleep will boost the self-image. Stay active socially with your family, friends and the community.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

Philanthropy Quotes

Who is hindering your progress?

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big notice on the door on which it was written: “Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym.”

The excitement in the gym was such that security guards were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.

Everyone thought: “Who is this guy who was hindering my progress?” “Well, at least he died!”

There was a mirror inside the coffin: Everyone who looked inside it could see himself.

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: “There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: It is you!”

You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success.

You are the only person who can help yourself. Your life does not change, when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes.

Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.

Examine yourself, watch yourself, and handle yourself well in front of others.” “Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: Be a winner, build yourself and your reality.

Athma-Pure Prayer: Balance you!

Why do we need a prayer or jumpstart every day? 

We may have a number of appointments to keep every day. Never forget to keep your appointment with your athma or soul. Your athma is the primal energy of original source. Some say that's God. Some say that's Supreme Power.

As soon as you awake up, pray to your athma. So that your prayers are answered in the form of guidance, etc. Your daily tasks are met to your satisfaction.

After I wash my face and brush my teeth, I am partly ready.

After having my healthy bowel movement with little strain, my mind is cleaned.

After I take my shower, my body is cleaned.

After I meditate during my shower, my mind is relaxed and calm.

After I eat my balanced meal, I get more energy.

After I walk and do physical activity, I boost my self-image.

When I see nature and earth's beauty, my mind is refreshed.

When I play with my pets, my brain is relaxed.

After I take away my anger, grudges and hatred, my mind is neutralized.

After I get rid of the negative thoughts, I eliminate my depression.

When I am asleep, I am healed and relaxed. My soul or athma is happy.

When I forgive, appreciate, help and respect others, I boosted my confidence.

When I learn new things daily, I feel secure.

All these boost my confidence to meet my daily challenges.

Now, I have faith in me and I am happy to meet any failures with no fear.

Now, my heart feels with full of love and peace.

Others will feel this love when they come close to me.

Success will follow.

Then I feel my power of primal energy.

That's my destiny of happiness and rest in peace.

 Practice this, you can see the positive results.

Instructions for Teens life

Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

 Learn the rules so you know to break them properly.

Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

 When you realize you have made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Take into account that great love and achievements involve tougher times.

 Spend some time alone.

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you will be able to enjoy it a second time.

 A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

 Do all you can to create a tranquil, harmonious home.

In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation, don’t bring up the past.

Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality and path to virtue.

Be gentle with the earth.

Once a year, go someplace you have never been before.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to reach it.

                                                                                 - Valluvar

Lessons Leaving Behind For the Kids

Always have fun. You ask them to dream big. Give yourself permission to dream. Once in a while, that might even mean letting them stay up past their bedtimes. Ask for what you want. You encourage students to attempt hard things and not worry about failings. Appreciate the glorious failure. Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted. And it can be the most valuable thing you have to offer. Look for the best in everybody; if you wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you. When you are frustrated with people, when you are angry, it may be because you have not given them enough time. People will show you their good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out. Make time for what matters. Let kids be themselves. People ask about the dreams you have for your own kids. Don’t be vocal about the dreams. Your job is to help the kids foster a joy for their life and develop the tools to fulfill their own wishes. Be clear. “Kids, don’t try to figure out what I wanted you to become. I want you to become what you want to become. And I want you to feel as if I am there with you, whatever path you choose. “

Allergies and Use of Nosefilters

Allergies answered by Dr. Ketan C. Mehta 

Credentials:

Dr. Ketan C. Mehta, M.D.

Diplomate, Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine & Pulmonary Disease

Santa Rosa, California.

Does rhinitis or sinusitis affect asthma?

A: It has been established that there is a definite correlation between the symptoms of rhinitis, chronic sinusitis and asthma. Curing or reducing rhinitis and/or sinusitis may improve the symptoms of asthma significantly. Approximately 80% of the patients suffering from allergic asthma have coexisting allergic rhinitis.

Mold

Pet Dander

Dust Mite

Pollen

Virus

What are allergens or allergy inducing particles?

A: Allergens are usually organic particles that attach to the nasal mucosa or respiratory mucosa, and lead to the development of an antibody, which creates a series of chemical reactions leading to allergic symptoms. Everybody’s reaction to allergen exposure is different. The same amount of exposure to allergy particles can cause mild, moderate, or severe reactions in different people. Some may not have any reactions at all. Those with moderate to severe reactions will have symptoms.

Can you name a few allergens?

A: There are indoor allergens as well as outdoor allergens. Examples of indoor allergens include dust mites, molds, pet dander (from animals and birds) and pests. Examples of outdoor allergens are pollen, grass, wood dust and mold. Other substances such as cigarette smoke, perfumes and aerosol spray can be irritants and worsen allergy and sinus symptoms, or can act as allergens themselves.

 Are allergens always visible?

A: Most individual allergens are not visible. Dust mites are a typical example. They are not visible to the naked eye, yet they are present in every house. Dust mites are microscopic creatures that feed on human skin flakes and are present in mattresses, pillows, carpets and upholstery.

How do I reduce the problem of dust mites?

A: Clean all the areas where dust may be collecting. Carpets and sofa upholstery should be vacuumed on a regular basis. Wash pillow cases, sheets and blankets in hot water. Enclose mattresses and pillows in special allergy proof encasements. You can also contact an allergy care product company for more details.

What is mold?

A: Mold is a fungus. It can be present in any area where it is damp and warm, especially in basements, bathrooms, kitchens and water damaged areas, such as wood or carpets, water coolers and heater fans.

What is pet dander?

A: Any pet with hair or feathers will shed dander. These tiny particles come from its skin. Dander is a very common cause of indoor allergies in the home and in other areas where animals and birds are raised.

What is seasonal allergic rhinitis?

A: Allergy symptoms that bother you only at certain times of the year, such as spring or autumn, are commonly called hayfever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis. These symptoms are commonly caused by pollens and occasionally molds.

What is perennial allergic rhinitis?

A: This occurs when a person develops symptoms throughout the year whenever he or she is exposed to specific allergens, such as dust or cat dander.

Use of Inhale-Pure Nosefilters by Ramen

As per Ramen, the goal of an allergist is to help you manage your allergies so that they do not interfere with the enjoyment of life. There is no single magic bullet to cure your allergies and asthma. You need to follow athma-pure logics to manage your allergies and asthma and feel better.

My knowledge of particulate pollution and my own experience with allergies contributed to my ultimate choice of medical specialty. That's Inhale-Pure with Stop-snore Nose/Nasal filters to inhale clean air and prevent inhaling particulate allergens. All Nose/Nasal filters are not created equal.  Athma-Pure filters (charcoal free) are MERV rated to filter and adsorb particulates from 0.35 to 500 microns. The fractional efficiency is minimum when the particle size is small at 0.35 micron. This filter media construction, coupled with a proprietary electrostatic treating technology, allows filters made with Unique Media to achieve high initial and sustainable filtration efficiencies. It has minimal airflow resistance during your normal breathing. This device won't lift your nostrils. So you nose looks normal after you wear it. No one can notice this device in your nostrils. You can easily dispose of the device with the filters or reuse the device by cleaning it with regular liquid soap and replacing our refill filters. Use it and feel better.

Nosefilts™ is a respiratory nostril inlet covering device with filters from Athma-Pure can be useful for those who believe in nose breathing and athma-pure logics for well-being. It is a preventive and beneficial product (Inhale-Pure) to feel better from airborne allergies caused by particulates. If the people are allergic to charcoal filters of various brands, they can try Nosefilts™ to feel better.

Athma Pure Buddies: Mentor Teens and Their Parents

Indian's response to IT support question

Call center in India receives this IT support question!

A woman writes to the IT Technical support..... 

 
Dear Tech Support ,  
Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and I noticed a distinct slowdown in the overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewellery applications , which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.
In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5 , and then installed undesirable programs such as NEWS 5.0 , MONEY 3.0 and CRICKET 4.1. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system.
Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail. What can I do?

Signed,
___ _______
 
REPLY from the Indian call center!
 
Dear Madam ,
First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system. Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme. html and try to download Tears 6.2 and do not forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update .
If that application works as designed, Husband1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewellery 2.0 and Flowers 3.5...
However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband1.0 to default to Silence 2.5 or Beer 6.1. Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta.
Whatever you do, DO NOT in any circumstances install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.)
In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0.
In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance.
We recommend: Cooking 3.0 and Good Looks 7.7.
 
Good Luck Madam!

It is a funny logic letter after I watched the movie "Hangover."... I like it.

Athma-Pure Logics relieve your midlife crisis

Midlife crisis is a term used in the Western societies to describe a period of dramatic self-doubt that is felt by some individuals in the "middle years" of life, as a result of sensing the passing of youth and the imminence of old age. During this information age, the midlife crisis is an endemic one among all the societies. A midlife crisis could be caused by aging itself, or aging in combination with changes, problems, or regrets. Researchers have found that midlife is often a time for reflection and reassessment.To get rid of your midlife crisis, just follow Ramen's athma-pure logics at http://athma-pure.com. You experience it for yourself and definitely feel better. Trust me. Please extend this knowledge to others by guiding or mentoring them.

Human Nose is not adapted for the present pollutants

The human nose and breathing system are not adapted to the present and quickly evolving environment. The harmful attacks on our breathing by all kinds of substances in our direct environment create a totally new and typically modern syndrome.

Without clean air the human engine does not function optimally resulting in:
Unhealthy blood levels - feelings of unease - raised stress sensitivity - continual feeling of tiredness - trouble with extremely dry or running noses - heightened allergic sensitivity - sneezing - concentration difficulties and in the long run all sorts of ailments. Clean air is a necessity for all.
 
Particles found in the air we breathe vary greatly in size. The greatest health hazard from particles comes from the smallest ones, less than 10 microns across, because we easily inhale these small particles into our lungs.

When we breathe in, the hairs in our nose and air passages remove particles larger than 10 microns in size. For people with existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma or bronchitis, breathing in particles can make the conditions worse.

The average person breathes in about 16,000 quarts of air per day. Each quart contains some 70,000 visible and invisible particles. That's over a billion particles per day that our lungs have to filter out! Keeping all this in view, breathing good air in this polluted world, we can use Athma-Pure Nosefilters for the betterment of our health, especially when we travel and during respiratory illness.
 
Air is for all and is for free but... Athma-Pure Nosefilters say a definite NO to the elements that attack the quality of it!

We are convinced that the current environment in many cases creates a need for an external aid to help our health to overcome the unwanted side effects of the air we breathe.

Tips for Pollen Allergy

Importance of Body pH

Our bodies are alkaline by design and acid by function. The fluids that make up 70% of your body must remain alkaline for you to experience optimal health.  Maintaining proper alkalinity is essential for life, health, and vitality. Simply put - an imbalance of alkalinity creates a condition favorable to the growth of bacteria, yeast and other unwanted organisms. All leading biochemists and medical physiologists have recognized pH (or the acid-alkaline balance or the potential of hydrogen) as the most important aspect of a balanced and healthy body. They have long known that the maintenance of an alkaline pH in our tissues and cells is critical to cellular health. In contrast, our digestive tract (except for our normally alkaline mouth) has varying degrees of acid by design, and our urinary tract should be slightly acidic for healthy function.

We live and die at the cellular level. All the cells (billions of them) that make up the human body are slightly alkaline, and must maintain alkalinity in order to function and remain healthy and alive. However their cellular activity creates acid and this acid is what gives the cell energy and function. As each alkaline cell performs its task of respiration, it secretes metabolic wastes, and these end products of cellular metabolism are acid in nature. Although these wastes are used for energy and function, they must not be allowed to build up. One example of this is the often painful lactic acid which is created through exercise. The body will go to great lengths to neutralize and detoxify these acids before they act as poisons in and around the cell, ultimately changing the environment of the cell. Most people and clinical practitioners believe the immune system is the body's first line of defense, but in actuality it is not. It is very important, but more like a very sophisticated clean-up service. We must instead look at the importance of pH balance as the first and major line of defense against sickness and disease and for health and vitality.

If we were to ask "What is killing us?", the answer might be "ACIDOSIS"! It has been demonstrated that an acidic, anaerobic (lacking oxygen) body environment encourages the breeding of fungus, mold, bacteria, and viruses. Let's look at an example. If we were to seal the door to our freezer and then unplug it, come back and open the door in two weeks, what would we find? Mold, bacteria, microscopic bugs. Things will be growing and multiplying. Where did they all come from? They did not sneak in - remember the door was sealed. The answer is . . . "they were always there". It is simply that the environment changed to a more inviting and healthy one for the "critters" to live in. This can be likened to a shift in our biological terrain from a healthy oxygenated, alkaline environment to an unhealthy anaeorbic acidic environment. You see what is healthy for us is unhealthy for the body attackers and what is healthy for them is what is unhealthy for our body.

A state of acidosis is simply the lack of oxygen and available calcium which the body uses to maintain its alkaline balance. Calcium makes up 1.6% of our body weight. It is literally the human glue that holds the body together. Calcium is so biochemically active that it has been likened to an octopus. A calcium ion can hold onto seven other molecules while it grabs onto one molecule of water. No other ion can do this. And it is the right size to easily get in and out of the human cell. As it does this, it takes a chain of nutrients into the cell and then leaves to get more nutrients.

The biggest problem scientists have found that over time the human body becomes depleted of calcium. A compound called mono-ortho-calcium phosphate is the chemical buffer for the blood. This buffer maintains the alkaline level (or the lack of acidity) in your blood. Without it you would die. If the acidity level of your blood changes slightly you die immediately. But in order to supply enough calcium for buffering we must have enough calcium being absorbed from our diet or our body will simply rob the needed calcium from our bones and teeth. The more acidic we become, the harder it is for oxygen to be present, so our biological terrain also becomes more anaerobic. Without adequate oxygenation, unfriendly bacteria, viruses, molds, and fungus can live and prosper. Then our cells cannot carry on their life-giving functions in a very efficient manner because our biological chemical reactions need oxygen.

Life and death are in the biological terrain and the battle cry here is to reclaim your biological terrain. This is so important that some practitioners working with the inner biological terrain and its implications to the health of our bodies are beginning to say "There are no specific diseases, only specific disease conditions, and there is only one disease. And that one disease is acidosis."

The human body is very intelligent. As we become more and more acidic the body starts to set up defense mechanisms to keep the damaging acid from entering our vital organs. It is known that acid gets stored in fat cells. After all, if the acid does come into contact with an organ the acid has a chance to eat holes in the tissue. This may cause the cells to mutate. The oxygen level drops in this acidic environment and calcium begins to be depleted. So as a defense mechanism, your body may actually make fat to protect you from your overly-acidic self. Those fat cells and cellulite deposits may actually be packing up the acid and trying to keep it a safe distance from your organs. The fat may be saving your vital organs from damage. Many people have found that a return to a healthy inner biological terrain helps them to lose excess fat.

Chronic acidity in your body will interrupt all cellular activities and functions – it interferes with life itself. When the pH of your body gets out of balance by becoming too acidic, you may experience low energy, fatigue, excess weight, poor digestion, aches and pains and even more serious disorders. When your body is pH balanced, it is full of vitality. You will find that you have increased energy, mental clarity, and you will even notice that your skin has regained that healthy glow. The process of re-establishing pH balance begins with proper eating habits and nutrition.

Ramen concerns about Particulate allergens

Pollutant Particle Size vs. Impact on Humans

Worldwide air pollution is responsible for large numbers of deaths and cases of respiratory disease. Enforced air quality standards, like the Clean Air Act in the United States, have reduced the presence of some pollutants. However that is not a worldwide effort and has at best only been partially effective. We must protect ourselves from the effects of these pollutants if we are to remain healthy while living in the present environments.

Sources of air pollution: The major single source of air pollutants is the combustion (burning) of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) to run industrial machines and generate electricity. All anthropogenic pollutants can be traced to some extent to this source. A second major source of pollutants is the incomplete combustion of fuel in cars, trucks, railroad trains, airplanes, and other forms of transportation. Smaller amounts of pollutants are released during the incineration of solid wastes and by a variety of industrial processes.

In some cases, pollutants are released by these sources directly to the air and are known, therefore, as primary pollutants. Sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide are all primary pollutants. In other cases, materials released by a source undergo a chemical reaction in the atmosphere and are converted to a secondary pollutant. Examples of secondary pollutants are ozone and peroxyacyl nitrates (PANs), major components of the form of air pollution known as smog.

Specialized forms of air pollution:   Certain forms of air pollution have developed that are so dramatic or so serious that they have been given special names. These conditions include smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and ozone depletion.

The term smog actually applies to two quite different atmospheric conditions. The term itself comes from a combination of the words smoke and fog. One form of smog, known as industrial smog, is produced when sulfur dioxide, particulates, and other pollutants released by industrial and household burning of fossil fuels is trapped by a thermal inversion. A thermal inversion is an atmospheric condition in which a layer of cold air is trapped by a layer of warm air above it. Some of the most dramatic photographs of urban areas covered by air pollution are those that show a city smothered in a cloud of smog.

A second form of smog is photochemical smog, produced when oxides of nitrogen, produced largely by internal-combustion engines (those most often used in automobiles, for example), react with oxygen in the air to form a complex mixture of pollutants that includes ozone, PANs, and other organic compounds. Photochemical smog often has a similar appearance and similar effects to those of industrial smog. Indeed, in most cities, the two forms of smog occur in combination with each other.

A complete list of air pollutants would include nearly two dozen solids, liquids, and gases. It would include well-known pollutants such as sulfur oxides and carbon monoxide and less-familiar materials such as pesticides and fluorides. In terms of the quantities of pollutants released in a year, the five materials that cause the most damage are sulfur oxides, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds.

Sulfur oxides, oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide are chemical compounds. Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds are groups of related pollutants. The term particulate refers to tiny specks of solid matter in the atmosphere, including smoke, haze, pollen, aerosols, and tiny particles of carbon. Volatile organic compounds are organic liquids, such as benzene, toluene, the xylenes, and trichloromethane that change easily (volatilize) to a gas.

Effect of air pollutants: By definition, all forms of air pollution have some harmful effect on humans, other animals, plants, or other materials in the environment. For example, carbon monoxide is a well-known toxic gas that reduces the blood's ability to transport oxygen. Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide can cause heart and respiratory disorders; headaches, nausea, and fatigue; and, at high enough concentrations, coma and death. The oxides of both sulfur and nitrogen attack the human respiratory system, leading to irritated eyes and throat and impaired breathing (at low concentrations), and to emphysema, bronchitis, and lung cancer (at higher concentrations).

The effects of particulate matter are wide, from preventing photosynthesis (food production) in plants to clogging the breathing passages in lungs (leading to respiratory disorders). Particulate matter also soils buildings, statutes, and other objects, leading to their decay and deterioration.

The smaller they are, the harder we fall

The size of the pollutant particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is very concerned about particles that are 10 micrometers (microns) in diameter or smaller. These are the particles that generally pass through the nose and throat and enter the lungs. Once inhaled, these particles can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects. The EPA groups particle pollution into two categories:

"Inhalable coarse particles," such as those found near roadways and dusty industries, are larger than 2.5 microns and smaller than 10 microns in diameter.

"Fine particles," such as those found in smoke and haze, are 2.5 microns in diameter and smaller. These particles can be directly emitted from sources such as forest fires, or they can form when gases emitted from power plants, industries, and automobiles react in the air.

How small is 2.5 microns? A single hair from your head averages about 70 microns in diameter - making it 30 times larger than the largest fine particle.

Particle pollution (also called particulate matter or PM) is the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Particles visible to the eye are equal to or greater than 50 microns in size. Smaller particles can only be visually detected using a microscope.

Pollution particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals. Some, known as PRIMARY PARTICLES are emitted directly from a source such as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires. Others form in the atmosphere from complicated reactions of chemicals such as sulfurous and nitrogen oxides that are emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles. These particles, known as SECONDARY PARTICLES, make up most of the fine particle pollution in the country.

The EPA attempts to regulate emissions of inhalable particles (fine and coarse). Particles larger than 10 micrometers (sand and large dust) are not regulated by the EPA.

Fibers - SLIGHT health effect
Fibers - visible, macroscopic filaments - are usually man-made. They come from clothing, carpeting, upholstery, or paper. One sees fibers floating in bright shafts of sunlight. They settle in calm air, drift along the floor and tangle into "dust bunnies" in corners and under beds. Coarse filters can strain fibers out of the air, but removing them isn't greatly important because they pose more of a housekeeping than a health problem.

Silts - MODERATE health effect
Silts - microscopic particles - stay suspended in calm air. Common silts are airborne soil, smoke, allergens (pollens, fungus & mildew spores), bacteria and viruses. They are not individually visible to the naked eye, but in large numbers, form visible haze or smoke. Silts are pulled out of the air stream and held tightly by the attracting fibers of electrostatic filters. Silts may cause allergies.

Molecules - LARGE health effect
Odors and molecular irritants - sub-microscopic molecules - are about 1/10,000 the size of the smallest silts. Molecular irritants are especially threatening because they travel into the lungs, dissolve and enter the bloodstream. They are the only pollutants which actually enter our bodies. Molecules are completely unaffected by particle filters. Fortunately, they are efficiently "sponged up" by adsorbents.

Particles size of different matter

Clay             0.02 micron to 2
Silt              2 microns to 20
Fine Sand     20 microns to 200
Coarse Sand 200 microns to 2,000
Gravel         2,000 microns to >2,000
Smog           0.001 micron to 2
Clouds/Fog   2 microns to 70
Mist             70 microns to 200
Drizzle         200 microns to 500
Rain             500 microns to 10,000
Plant Spores 10 microns to 30
Pollen          10 microns to 100
Viruses         0.003 micron to 0.05
Bacteria       0.3 micron to 30
Human Hair  30 microns to 120
Visible to the Eye     50 microns to >50
Gas Molecules           0.0003 micron to 0.005
Tobacco Smoke        0.01 micron to 1
Milled Flour              1 micron to 80
Nebulizer Drops        1 micron to 20
Combustion Nuclei    0.01 micron to 0.1
Metal Fumes             0.001 micron to 1
Ultrafine Particles    less than 0.1 micron

Our knowledge of particulate pollution, prompted our development of a handy new product. It is Athma-Pure Nosefilters, a means of breathing clean air. Our Athma-Pure filters are carbon activated from carbohydrates, electrostatic in nature and MERV rated to filter and adsorb particulates from 0.35 to 500 microns. The fractional efficiency is minimum for the smallest particles at 0.35 micron. You can easily dispose of the device with the filters or reuse the device by cleaning it with regular liquid soap and replacing our refill filters.