Even if you do not have birds, you should read this (particularly about Carbon Monoxide) for both you and your pets.
Article of the Month
Most Deadly Hazards For Pet Birds
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Things To Know To Safeguard Your Birds
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A member of my family just lost 5 budgies in a moment (a pair and three babies). She gave them some apple, left the room and when she came back in, they were all dead. You can imagine her grief. Unfortunately, an autopsy was not done, so the cause can not pinpointed. There are a number of things which we do, which can have a fatal effect very quickly on our birds, but on the other hand, there are accidents over which we have little control.
This is a list of the most deadly hazards over which we may have some control. See links at the bottom for other hazards and general care.
- Cooking using appliances with non-stick coatings There are many appliances sold which have non-stick coatings. These include but are not limited to: skillets, pans, coffee makers, oven drip pans, woks, grills, self cleaning ovens, stoves among others. One general name used is Teflon (which contains polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE), but PTFE is also sold under many different names and brands. Overheating, which can occur rapidly, causes fumes which break down the tissue in the birds lungs and suffocates them very quickly and under distress. Teflon Toxicity in Birds.
Through experiments, the U.S. public watchdog group Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found that temperatures lower than previously thought can cause a danger. Preheating a pan on high flame can very rapidly pass the safe limits. See Dupont's (the manufacturer of Teflon) own advice related to pet birds and cooking here. The best advice is to use cookware which is known to be safe. See Birdsafe cookware which lists stainless steel, aluminum, copper, glass, corningware, cast iron. For more general discussion, also see the article 'Top Ten Dangers' below.
- Some ironing board covers, irons and other heating appliances such as heating lamps, electric heaters, hair dryers, curling iron, griddles, waffle irons, popcorn makers, roasters also have the same compound PTFE (like Teflon) on some of their parts. Do not iron in the same room as your birds. Also, when you buy electrical appliances which use heat, check labels very carefully and if still in doubt, contact the manufacturer. I ran across one post which states "PTFE-treated burner liners or bibs on your range are dangerous with normal usage. One such bib under a burner set on high can kill all the birds in your home" source. In general, it is good to do a check of appliances in your home already. The fact that nothing has happened may simply mean that the conditions were not right so far. But your birds could be in danger.
- Sitting in direct sun with no opportunity to avoid Never place a cage where it will be at some time of the day (all seasons) in direct line with the sun. Proper permanent shielding can provide some protection but simple heat buildup in a room can also cause death. Also, never leave a bird in a car, period. Leaving a window partially opened is not enough to prevent heat buildup, and leaving the air conditioning or heater on can have disastrous effects if anything goes wrong.
- Lack of water due to blockage, or insufficient refill. Water jars used for birds can become blocked by a piece of food or other cause, and remain unnoticed. We can even refill without being aware that it is blocked. Always have two water jars in a cage, and change water daily. Dehydration in a bird may not be noticeable until it is too late. Sometimes fatal dehydration in baby chicks may be caused by sour crop (for definition and information see under references below).
- Carbon monoxide High concentration of CO can occur due to: incomplete oxidation when cooking on gas stoves; un-vented kerosene and space heaters; worn, incorrectly set, leaking, improperly maintained, or back drafting of gas dryers, water heaters, furnaces or other combustion device; a car idling in an attached garage, or from cars, trucks, buses on the street or parking lot near the window; improperly vented fireplace or leaking chimney, wood stove, charcoal grill, generator, lawnmowers, snowblowers or other yard equipment.
Some sources have recommended a carbon monoxide monitor in the room where the birds are kept which sounds an alarm.
I was talking with my sister in New York. She said that a carbon monoxide (CO)detector saved her. She has them in her house and on their sail boat. The one on the boat went off and they could not find out what was causing it until they found that the spare batteries which help run the boat when the sails are not up, was leaking. They were situated right under where she was sleeping, and it was dangerous chemical fumes which they could not smell, even though this is not the detectors primary function. Says she would not be without them.
The ones she has are made by Kidde and is sold in HomeDepot and other well known stores, and can be bought online at Amazon among a number of others. Costs about $24 and can be bought alone for carbon monoxide or together with a smoke detector. Main site is Kidde CO Alarms
Check here for
where to buy
Also, "Never use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds, or similar areas. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can quickly build up in these areas and can linger for hours, even after the generator has shut off".
Further on Carbon Monoxide:
A very readable and excellent information source is What is Carbon Monoxide
which indicates how you can tell if there is a leak in the house, what to do, types of detectors, excellent diagram of possible sources in the home. "The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that approximately 200 people per year are killed by accidental CO poisoning, with an additional 5000 people injured."
Another very complete source on the subject is EPA on Carbon Monoxide [also in Spanish Monóxido de Carbono (CO)].
There are other hazards and much more to this article such as: foods hazardous to birds, seeds of certain fruit, poisonous plants, flying into plate glass or mirrors, flying out the window.
Click here to continue
© Copyright 2008 J. Morgan Thomas All rights reserved
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This takes a lot of ingenuity. Do not try it unless you have the training or are very creative.
How To Blend In
Do not make eye contact with anyone.
Do not do anything normally considered obnoxious unless you are in a setting where everyone else is doing it - like a frat house.
Dress like everyone else in whatever setting you intend to find yourself unless you are the only member of your sex in the room, or you are grown up and they are not.
Do not effectively understand what is going on around you. Concentration and understanding tend to attract. Float as much as you can. A blank mind attracts little attention...
Click here for more
© Copyright 2008 J. Morgan Thomas All rights reserved
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Signs of Vitamin Deficiency
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Signs of Vitamin Deficiency
Some of the better places to find out which vitamins may be lacking for specific health conditions. But if you have a concern about lack due to some condition, ask your doctor.
Vitamins and minerals - what do they do?
Reviewed by Dr Dan Rutherford, BSc MB ChB MRCGP FRCP on NetDoctor.co.uk
Gives chart on: What good for, signs of deficiency, RDA, sources, poisoning, and what destroys it.
Vitamin Deficiencies:
An Overview Olivier Wenker, MD, MBA, DEAA The Internet Journal of Nutrition and Wellness
Signs of Vitamin Deficiency
from natural-healthcare.org. Symptoms and food sources for: biotin, calcium, iron, iodine, manganese, pantothenic acid, potassium, selenium, vanadium, B-12, zinc, B-6, sodium, phosphorus, Para-Amino-Benzoic Acid, Niacin, magnesium, folic acid.
Some Good Charts on Vitamins and Minerals
Chart of vitamins, what needed for, and sources Australian Government Department of Health and Aging.
Nutrient (Vitamins) What needed for, key sources.
Nutrition Charts Minerals | Vitamins | Fruits | Vegetables | Nuts & Seeds. HealthAlternatives2000.com Very easy to read.
Excellent Descriptive Pages on 129 Foods
World's Healthiest Food Containing findings of research, and the benefits of each of 129 foods.
Specialized Pages
Top Nutrients for Healthy Skin from Natural Health MD.
Malnutrition and seniors: When a relative doesn't eat enough Very good article by the Mayo Clinic. Gives problems, physical, social, and psychological, what to look for, what to do.
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Original Exercises On Your Back here
Follow-up Introduction
The important thing to remember in doing these exercises, is that they are not building you for competitive status. They are to simply keep you in shape for doing those things which you normally do, or to give you an edge when you suddenly need a set of muscles which you do not normally use. The exercises are there basically for upkeep, maintenance, and the provision of emergency capabilities. They may even make you younger for longer but there is no proof of this. However, if you feel you can do those things which are natural for a younger set, then your attitude about yourself will change and may actually keep you younger longer.
Timing
During the exercises, take your time. Some of the exercises will go faster than others. There are sometimes longer waits in between some exercises before starting the next. The whole session may take longer than usual. Again, feel your body's potential at this particular time and flow with it. Never set yourself ...
Click here to read full article
© Copyright 2008 J. Morgan Thomas All rights reserved
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Photo of the Month
Best of Friends
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This is a street cat who would always run over whenever the dog was brought out
Dad
Must see enlarged - Click Photo
Just happened to see this on the boardwalk. Says it all. Got his permission to post it.
Click on these for stories, tips, recipes, articles
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The Best of the BLOG Impatient Cooking
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B&B for DDD This is drop dead delicious. It's one of the things you will not do because of it. Brussels, broccoli, onion with rich mushroom soup sauce. Onions boiled together with the B&B and then separated out, using a strainer and fried while mixing in turmeric and coriander. Instant mushroom soup sauce is a mixture of butter, milk and mushroom soup powder.
Look up broccoli and while you are at it, brussel sprouts and onions World's Healthiest Food to see just how healthy this dish and its companion dish on tsingle blog is for you. The rich paste mushroom soup adds to the benefits.
For reference and more: The Blog
Lasagna Soup I don't care if you were a tiger-in-your-last-life meat-eater, this one you have to try. Create your own title for it. Involves the noodles you use for lasagna, burgers (you know, the vegetarian ones), crushed stewed tomatoes from a can (when it comes to eating, I am not a purist), garlic powder, chili sauce (not much), sweet paprika, hot paprika (put this in only after it is all done and you have tasted it. And even then, be careful) If you have ignored this warning, be sure to have a glob of humus in the middle as a safety precaution (don't mix it in), crushed black pepper, oriental cumin, oregano. All boiled together until the pasta is ready. You will thank me for this.
For reference and more: The Blog
© Copyright 2008 J. Morgan Thomas All rights reserved
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