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Lately is seems like you can’t get away from the term HEPA. You can find HEPA filter air purifiers, as well as HEPA filters for vacuum cleaners and air conditioning units just by going to any local hardware or department store. None of that labeling explains what HEPA actually is, though. We’ll examine HEPA air purifiers to get a grasp of what, exactly, HEPA is and means.

Why HEPA And Not Hepa?

HEPA is written in caps because it’s an acronym, like DARE or MADD. The acronym stands for “high efficiency particulate absorbing”. Or, alternately, it could mean “high efficiency particulate arrestance”, which is basically the same thing. In everyday English, HEPA air purifiers either stop or absorb particles of matter that are way too small for the human eye to detect.

How Do Humans Benefit From HEPA Air Purifiers?

Although HEPA air purifiers do clean pollen and dust out of the air, there are many more particles that are not natural to our environment, and that our human respiratory systems do not deal well with. Sometimes we can detect these other particles in the form of allergens and odors, sometimes we can’t. Unfortunately, there are many pollutants that our bodies simply don’t recognize and don’t defend against, which leaves them to damage our lungs and other inner parts. Having a device that can either stop or absorb these dangerous particulates can definitely have a positive impact on one’s health.

Are HEPA Air Purifiers Special Compared To Others?

Not every air purifier is the same. The standard for air purification is generally accepted to be the HEPA standard. This comes from HEPA air purifiers being the most effective air filtration available for so many years. HEPA filter air purifiers are so incredibly good at their job because they are capable of stopping 0.3 micron air particles. There is a point to focusing on that particular size of particle. When it comes to our respiratory systems, particles that are 0.3 micrometers in diameter are both dangerous and difficult to stop or filter.

What’s The Difference Between A HEPA-Type And A HEPA Air Purifier?

HEPA standards ensure that every true HEPA air purifier is up to par. To pass, they must be capable of stopping 99.7% of all 0.3 micron particles. There is a lot of science behind this, and the buyer can expect a price tag that reflects this. HEPA air purifiers are generally not cheap. You can also purchase HEPA-type air purifiers, generally right along side the true ones. These cheaper purifiers are not held to any standards at all. If you purchase a HEPA-type air purifier, you could easily get nothing but a highly ineffective fan. Don’t put too much stock in HEPA air purifier reviews, either. The vast majority of things that we can smell are not 0.3 micron particles, which means our noses have no way to know which is the best HEPA air purifier.

Still not sure that a HEPA air purifier is for you? Visit HEPA Air Purifiers Info for answers to all of your questions.

As the fast and growing community develop, our mother Earth itself becomes less hospitable, and even more a dangerous to live for ourselves and our families. We are not even totally safe, immune and protected in our homes. 80% of the airs we breathe are unhealthy because it contains numerous air pollutants and contaminants due to cigarettes, germs, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and chemical gases. People of today may suffer dizziness, irritability, sneezing, depression, and coughing.

Scientists are now developing new ways to prevent illnesses due to air pollution. They found out that filtration itself does not lessen the air pollution and the negative effects and factors. Instead, filters only aid pathogens, like bacteria and molds, to even propagate, grow and even flourish. On the other hand, treatment and disinfectant via Germicidal Ultra-violet air clearly has demonstrated a means of avoiding the spread of infection, like measles, influenza, smallpox, and tuberculosis.

It is now relatively common indeed more and more frequent in occurrence that in workplace settings in high rise glass towers with sealed glass windows that reports are on the rise of workers suffering from what has become to be known colloquially as “Sick Building Syndrome”. It’s as if the building itself is the cause of the illnesses of its occupants. But with the help of UV light, which must be installed in office ventilation system, employees sickness can be reduce. Some of the common illnesses at work are headaches, sore throats, itchy eyes, and stuffy nose.

Scientist believed that UVGI killed the bacteria and molds in ventilation systems. The cost of the system is cheap but the results are huge like reduction of sickness rates among employees. In addition, UVGI is not only a device to prevent air borne diseases; they can also help companies with air-conditioned systems to reduced cost in paying sick employees. This micro-organism fighting technology is recommended by several government and private agencies including the Centers of Disease Control, the Air Institute of Respiratory Education and the Air & Waste Management Association. This technology is usually used in many health care facilities to disinfect the air and medical equipment.

Embedding UV lights at home ventilation system is important. It will avoid spores and dust mites that can trigger asthma. Modern homes at Canada are now sealed to maintain heat, as well as electrical cost. Dust mites typically lie in beddings and hot water cleaning is the only way to eliminate them. On the other hand, embedding UV light on your ventilation system can aid in reducing asthma, plus a lesser energy cost used in washing beddings. UV light units have plastic case, UV tube, and light indicator. A durable gasket is included at the back of the base to avoid UV light to escape. UV light also has two light probes with different functionality. The longer probe is use to kill airborne microorganisms, while the other light tube is designed to prevent molds on air conditioner evaporator coils. Molds can affect smell on office or home ventilation system, and it can contribute to frequent occurrence of allergic reaction. UV lights last for three to four years. No matter what the cost, UV light has a huge contribution in family’s health.

Ask Us About UV Light

Remember all those commercials about the Ionic Breeze air purifier? They also made appearances at Radio Shack and The Sharper Image stores. Then they were gone, along with The Sharper Image, for the most part. Researching the Ionic Breeze air purifier on the net will very quickly yield two facts: the original Ionic Breeze air purifier is nearly impossible to find, and there are a bunch of folks out there that feel The Sharper Image lied about it. Yet, if you look at the reviews from the people that actually bought one, you’ll see that they’re generally favorable. Let’s take a look at some of the claims that eventually killed the original Ionic Breeze air purifiers, and put them into perspective.

It’s Been Said That The Ionic Breeze Air Purifiers Is Not Effective

True, the Ionic Breeze is not as effective as a True HEPA purifier, but no one ever said it was. In fact, The Sharper Image never made direct comparisons with HEPA air purifiers except in terms of maintenance. Consumer Reports says that the Ionic Breeze silent air purifier only cleaned 30% of the pollution that passed through the machine. Consider that all of the air in the room will pass through the machine multiple times. If you clean 30% of something multiple times, you eventually end up close to, though not quite 100%. So, basically, an ionic air purifier is slower than a HEPA machine at the same job. It’s also cheaper to buy, run, and maintain, so it’s a trade-off. Also consider that these comparisons were made against True HEPA air purifiers, not HEPA-type machines. HEPA-type air purifiers don’t have any particular standard to adhere to, and True HEPA machines are extremely expensive.

The Ionic Breeze Actually Makes The Air Unhealthy

The idea is that the ionic air purifier produces a lot of ozone to clean the air of other pollutants. However, this isn’t true. When people say this about ionic air purifiers, they are confusing them with ozone generators, which actually do clean the air in a similar manner. Even Consumer Reports agrees that the Ionic Breeze air purifier has no problem meeting HEPA guidelines for ozone. It’s also worth noting that the Ionic Breeze air purifier actually passed all HEPA guidelines, with the notable exception of efficiency.

Some Say The Ionic Breeze Air Purifier Killed The Sharper Image

The Sharper Image did end up filing for bankruptcy in 2008, but not due to lack of sales. The reason they went under is because The Sharper Image was a publicly traded company, and their reputation had been so badly damaged that the price of their stock plummeted to well under a dollar per share. Even at the time of bankruptcy, the company actually had over $50 million equity, not including liquid cash. They simply couldn’t overcome the bad publicity, regardless of the quality of their products.

Are New Ionic Air Purifiers Any Better?

New ionic air purifiers really aren’t all that much better than the original, but the concept was so simple and effective that it would be really hard to improve upon. The simple fact is that an ionic air purifier will safely, albeit slowly, clean the air just as well as anything else, and cost a lot less doing it. Although the Ionic Breeze itself is nearly impossible to find, the Ionic Pro air purifier, as well as some generics, are readily obtainable.

Want to learn more about the Ionic Breeze Air Purifier, as well as the alternatives? Visit Ionic Air Purifier Info.

Many of us remember The Sharper Image and their stores that were in many major cities. As is normal with store closures, most people that knew of those retail outlets probably think that ionic air purifiers are no longer obtainable. This is not necessarily the case, although ionic air purifiers sold under then name “The Sharper Image” are no longer being manufactured. If you’re looking for an ionic air purifier, you have a few options.

Ionic Pro Ionic Air Purifier

The apparent usurper of the ionic throne, the Ionic Pro is very similar to the old Ionic Breeze, although it’s much, much less expensive. There’s no increased maintenance from the Ionic Breeze. All you have to do is yoink the magnetic filter bar thingy, wipe it off, and put it back in. That’s it; no filters or anything. Also, since it doesn’t use a fan, it’s both quiet and cheap to run, especially in comparison to a HEPA air purifier, though most say it is less effective. If your main goal is a cheap, silent way to purify the air in a 500 foot or less room, you might want to check out the Ionic Pro.

A Cheap Generic Ionic Air Purifier Might Be Right For You

There are also other ionic air purifiers that don’t have any branding at all. These are generally available for around a hundred dollars, and can be found in dollar or bargain stores as well as some websites. Be wary of a lack of warranty though as whatever return policy the retailer has may be your only safety net if it doesn’t work right. However, these cheap off brands can be considered at least somewhat safe since the tech that they use is pretty simple.

Ionic Air Purifiers With Fans

One of the main draws of ionic air purifiers is that they don’t use fans. Traditionally, an ionic air purifier will simply use the light breeze that is created by the particles being magnetically attracted toward it. The only ionic air purifier to receive certification from Consumer Reports, though, uses a fan. This doesn’t really help those who are considering an ionic air purifier only because it’s silent, regardless of if it’s less effective. Even with a fan, though, you’ll still get the advantage of free, filterless maintenance.

Buying A HEPA Air Purifier Instead

There’s also the ever present HEPA air purifiers. HEPA and Ionic air purifiers promise much of the same results, but work very differently. If you own a HEPA air purifier, you will occasionally have to purchase filters. There’s no worries about filter replacement with ionic air purifiers, though, since all you have to do is wipe all the offending pollutants straight off the static bar. HEPA air purifiers, however, have been consistently shown to be more effective than ionic air purifiers.

Check out Ionic Air Purifier Info for all the information you need to choose your ionic air purifier.

Medicinal mushrooms, hugely popular for thousands of years in the Orient, are coming in vogue today also in the West. On the coattails of their increasing popularity follow issues of quality and ethical representation between competing brands.

All species of medicinal mushrooms appear haunted by this issue. Particularly so, it seems, is red reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the oldest medicinal mushroom in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Please note, however, that the information in this article applies generally to all medicinal mushroom species.

First off, stay clear of cheap, mass-produced medicinal mushrooms. If they are just dried and pulverized, then the medicinal compounds are still inaccessible behind the mushrooms’ cell-walls. You’ll be wasting your money on inert matter.

There are many real therapeutic brands on the market, though. But even among them, there are significant differences. They all claim to be the best, naturally, because they all want to sell their particular brand. So let’s sift the data, get the facts straight, and clear up misleading information that is out there.

Below are three common methods for extracting medicinal compounds from reishi. Each method results in different compounds. All groups have been shown to have therapeutic effects in scientific studies.

1. Water (Hot) Extraction (polysaccharides, etc.)

2. Alcohol Extraction (triterpenoids, sterols)

3. Fermenting (arabinoxylanes, etc.)

Polysaccharides have been shown to possess powerful anti-tumor qualities through enhancing the immune system and by inhibiting blood profusion through tumors. They are also strong antioxidants. [1]

Triterpenoids include a large number of related medicinal compounds whose proven effects include stabilization of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood clotting. But most importantly, the triterpenoids are the anti-inflammatory compounds of reishi. [1] Inflammation is a serious component in asthma, allergies, arthritis and many more conditions.

Finally, by fermenting the red reishi, the original medicinal compounds break down to form new compounds with unique healing properties. These “secondary metabolites” have among other things been shown to be immune enhancing and help regulate blood sugar, as well as having unique anti-tumor properties. [2]

Since this article is not intended to elevate any one brand over another, no brand names will be mentioned. Nevertheless, the author does know of two highly reputed brands (American and Japanese) that claim only hot water extracted red reishi is of any value and that alcohol extracts are useless.

Of course they do that to promote their own brand. In reality both hot water extract and alcohol extract contain unique medicinal compounds that are all very important.

When looking for the best reishi extract, find one that uses at least the first two extraction methods in combination: Hot Water and Alcohol Extraction. Even better may be a brand that includes all three methods listed.

An additional point to keep in mind is the form the reishi comes in. Reishi that dissolves completely in a water-based liquid such as coffee probably only contains reishi from hot water extraction. As a substitute for regular coffee, this would be a superb health-choice. However, it will not contain the water-insoluble triterpenoids so valued for their anti-inflammatory properties.

Alcohol tinctures, on the other hand, are well worth considering because they may be a blend of water and alcohol extracts. The way to tell is if the tincture is cloudy. When water-soluble polysaccharides get mixed with alcohol, they fall out of solution. Cloudiness in an alcohol tincture indicates high polysaccharide content. Just shake before taking. Tablets and capsules can contain hot water extract, alcohol extract or both. You need to find out from the manufacturer.

[1] Boh B, Berovic M, Zhang J, Zhi-Bin L. “Ganoderma lucidum and its pharmaceutically active compounds.” Biotechnology Annual Review 2007;13:265-301.

[2] Tang YJ, Zhang W, Zhong JJ. “Performance analyses of a pH-shift and DOT-shift integrated fed-batch fermentation process for the production of ganoderic acid and Ganoderma polysaccharides by medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum.” Bioresource Technology 2009 Mar;100(5):1852-9.

Dr. Rafael has worked in the health field since the 1990′s, currently specializing in medicinal mushrooms. He partners with Cordyceps Reishi Extracts, LLC on premium reishi extract and cordyceps extract plus the newly popular mesima and many more.