Some houseplants are very harmful for pets. At the end of this article is a list of some of those plants that will harm your beloved pet. Please be sure to take precautionary measures to protect your family, including your wonderful furkids!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adapted from Your Naturally Healthy Home, by Alan Berman.
Houseplants are our often-overlooked helpers in ridding the air of pollutants and toxins, counteracting outgassing and contributing to balanced internal humidity.
Find out which houseplants are our most effective allies inkeeping your household air clean and pure.
It is suggested that one plant should be allowed for approximately10 square yards of floor space, assuming average ceiling heightsof 8 to 9 feet. This means that you need two or three plants tocontribute to good air quality in the average domestic livingroom of about 20 to 25 square yards.
Research has shown that these 10 plants are the most effectiveall-around in counteracting offgassed chemicals and contributingto balanced internal humidity.
Areca palm
Reed palm
Dwarf date palm
Boston fern
Janet Craig dracaena
English ivy
Australian sword fern
Peace Lily
Rubber plant
Weeping fig
Although many plants like light, they do not all have to be placed near windows. Many indoor plants originated in the dense shade of tropical forests and have a high rate of photosynthesis. These are ideal for the home and can be placed in darker corners. When positioning plants, try to strike a balance between light and ventilation because the effect of plants on indoor air pollution appears to be reduced if they are set in a draft.
COMMON HOUSE PLANTS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO PETS
Adapted from The Puppy Owner’s Manual, by Diana Delmar (Storey Books, 2001).
We know to keep certain poisons—like antifreeze—away from our pets, but many people don’t know how toxic their houseplants are. When we avoid growing these 12 houseplants that are considered toxic, we can help to keep our pets safe.
Aloe vera
Boston ivy
Caladium
Dumbcane
English ivy
German ivy
India rubber plant
Mistletoe
Philodendron
Potted chrysanthemum
Weeping fig
Yew
Monday, April 6, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Pets and Lung Disease
Let us always keep in mind that it is our responsibility to protect our precious animals' lung health along with our own. In that spirit, I offer the following article that came in one of my newsletters today. Very informative and in right timing. While it relates to the forthcoming eruption of the volcano in Alaska, it also applies to other air hazards as well. Please protect the lungs of the animals, too. Blessings, Kasey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where pets should go in case Mount Redoubt decides to blow
By Joseph Robertia Peninsula Clarion
As many people take precautions in case Mount Redoubt does erupt and sends a thick storm of ash falling from the skies, so too should pet owners take steps to protect their furry friends.
"The main thing is to keep them out of it as much as possible," said Tabitha Perkovich, a veterinarian at Twin Cities Veterinary Clinic in Soldotna.
Like humans, the lungs of animals can be adversely affected if they breathe in ash. Obstructive airway diseases -- such as pneumonia, asthma or emphysema -- could develop as a result of a significant ash-fall event.
"You can't really get pets to wear masks, so you have to limit their exposure by keeping them indoors, only going in-and-out to do their business," Perkovich said.
All steps should be avoided to keep pets from ingesting ash while eating and drinking, as well.
"Bring them into the garage to eat and drink. Don't offer them food and water outside," she said.
Precautions should be taken to protect the eyes of animals too, according to Mary Huhndorf, also a veterinarian at Twin Cities Veterinary Clinic.
"Opthalmic ointments can be put in to protect the eyes from corneal abrasions," she said.
Pets will undoubtably pick up some ash on their coats and feet while outdoors, and Huhndorf said this should be removed immediately upon returning indoors.
"They can be vacuumed or brushed, and extra effort should be made to keep the face clean, but don't use anything wet to wipe them, it'll just make a cement," she said.
Most of these recommendations shouldn't be tough for people with indoor dogs and cats, or even a small number of outdoor pets. But, for sled dog kennels, or the owners of livestock, this may be a bit more challenging.
"I've given a lot of thought to this issue," said Sterling musher Mitch Seavey.
He said he has contemplated loading his dogs and heading out of town to avoid an ash-fall event, but until the volcano does blow and he knows which way the wind may blow, he is reluctant to take off. Instead, he said he will likely take steps to protect his dogs at home.
"I've got a trailer and two dog trucks and shops and garages, so my plan is to put them in there," he said.
Other sled dog owners are encouraged to do the same, and Perkovich and Huhndorf said those that have more dogs than they do places to house them out of the ash, may want to invest in pet travel kennels, so that dogs may be able to be indoors in these containers.
Makeshift shelters -- such as made with tarps, Tyvek or other materials -- can also be used outdoors to help protect animals too large or too wild to be brought indoors. For sled dogs, this shelter could be constructed around a drop chain, anchored on each end.
"Even if they could put up a Visqueen shelter, around and over the animals, it would help cut down on the percent of particles they may be exposed to," Perkovich said.
For pet owners that want to bring the animals indoors in kennels, but have nowhere to put the kennel, the Kenai Animal Control Shelter said it would be willing to temporarily take in a limited number of pets, but pet owners should only utilize them as a last resort.
"If someone had nowhere else to go, we could hold some animals, but space is limited. At a push, we could do 24 dogs and put some crates in the garage. The same with cats," said Patricia Stringer, Kenai's Chief Animal Control Officer.
Soldotna residents will not have the same option.
"I have not been given that direction from my management," said Marianne Clark, manager of Soldotna's Animal Control Shelter.
As such, she said, "Pet owners should have some kind of provisions to bring their animals indoors."
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management also has a list of emergency precautions pet owners can take, and -- while they are not volcano specific -- they may serve as good guidelines for what to have on hand for pets in the event the water, power and avenues of transportation become unavailable for days to weeks.
To view the OEM's Web site, visit http://www.borough.kenai.ak.us/emergency/Misc/petchecklist.pdf.
Joseph Robertia can be reached at joseph.robertia@peninsulaclarion.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where pets should go in case Mount Redoubt decides to blow
By Joseph Robertia Peninsula Clarion
As many people take precautions in case Mount Redoubt does erupt and sends a thick storm of ash falling from the skies, so too should pet owners take steps to protect their furry friends.
"The main thing is to keep them out of it as much as possible," said Tabitha Perkovich, a veterinarian at Twin Cities Veterinary Clinic in Soldotna.
Like humans, the lungs of animals can be adversely affected if they breathe in ash. Obstructive airway diseases -- such as pneumonia, asthma or emphysema -- could develop as a result of a significant ash-fall event.
"You can't really get pets to wear masks, so you have to limit their exposure by keeping them indoors, only going in-and-out to do their business," Perkovich said.
All steps should be avoided to keep pets from ingesting ash while eating and drinking, as well.
"Bring them into the garage to eat and drink. Don't offer them food and water outside," she said.
Precautions should be taken to protect the eyes of animals too, according to Mary Huhndorf, also a veterinarian at Twin Cities Veterinary Clinic.
"Opthalmic ointments can be put in to protect the eyes from corneal abrasions," she said.
Pets will undoubtably pick up some ash on their coats and feet while outdoors, and Huhndorf said this should be removed immediately upon returning indoors.
"They can be vacuumed or brushed, and extra effort should be made to keep the face clean, but don't use anything wet to wipe them, it'll just make a cement," she said.
Most of these recommendations shouldn't be tough for people with indoor dogs and cats, or even a small number of outdoor pets. But, for sled dog kennels, or the owners of livestock, this may be a bit more challenging.
"I've given a lot of thought to this issue," said Sterling musher Mitch Seavey.
He said he has contemplated loading his dogs and heading out of town to avoid an ash-fall event, but until the volcano does blow and he knows which way the wind may blow, he is reluctant to take off. Instead, he said he will likely take steps to protect his dogs at home.
"I've got a trailer and two dog trucks and shops and garages, so my plan is to put them in there," he said.
Other sled dog owners are encouraged to do the same, and Perkovich and Huhndorf said those that have more dogs than they do places to house them out of the ash, may want to invest in pet travel kennels, so that dogs may be able to be indoors in these containers.
Makeshift shelters -- such as made with tarps, Tyvek or other materials -- can also be used outdoors to help protect animals too large or too wild to be brought indoors. For sled dogs, this shelter could be constructed around a drop chain, anchored on each end.
"Even if they could put up a Visqueen shelter, around and over the animals, it would help cut down on the percent of particles they may be exposed to," Perkovich said.
For pet owners that want to bring the animals indoors in kennels, but have nowhere to put the kennel, the Kenai Animal Control Shelter said it would be willing to temporarily take in a limited number of pets, but pet owners should only utilize them as a last resort.
"If someone had nowhere else to go, we could hold some animals, but space is limited. At a push, we could do 24 dogs and put some crates in the garage. The same with cats," said Patricia Stringer, Kenai's Chief Animal Control Officer.
Soldotna residents will not have the same option.
"I have not been given that direction from my management," said Marianne Clark, manager of Soldotna's Animal Control Shelter.
As such, she said, "Pet owners should have some kind of provisions to bring their animals indoors."
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management also has a list of emergency precautions pet owners can take, and -- while they are not volcano specific -- they may serve as good guidelines for what to have on hand for pets in the event the water, power and avenues of transportation become unavailable for days to weeks.
To view the OEM's Web site, visit http://www.borough.kenai.ak.us/emergency/Misc/petchecklist.pdf.
Joseph Robertia can be reached at joseph.robertia@peninsulaclarion.com
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
COPD~Making It Work; Letting It Go
Living with COPD is undoubtedly challenging and there are days, like today, when I just don't feel well and taking a breath is real work. Times like this can slap me down ~ hard. At those times, it is so important for us to go to the place that brings us home, reminding us of how much living we have still to do; Exposing us to the great wonders in our lives. Walking the correct pathway; serving the Highest Good.
In that spirit, I wish to share a wonderful mini-video that is so inspiring it leaves me in awe each time I watch it.
I hope you, too, enjoy this and share with me in feeling better, breathing better, and refocusing on coming home to ourselves and living right out loud~in vibrant colors.
http://positivepause.com/
{{{{{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}
Peace and sweetest blessings,
Kasey
In that spirit, I wish to share a wonderful mini-video that is so inspiring it leaves me in awe each time I watch it.
I hope you, too, enjoy this and share with me in feeling better, breathing better, and refocusing on coming home to ourselves and living right out loud~in vibrant colors.
http://positivepause.com/
{{{{{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}
Peace and sweetest blessings,
Kasey
Friday, October 31, 2008
COPD - Let Me Hug You
The following is a post I made a couple of years ago. It was at a forum and in response to someone who had COPD and had posted about being frightened and depressed, feeling life was over. The forum has now posted this in their "stories" section. LOL I thought I would share it here and hope that someone will be helped in some way. We're in this together!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feeling overwhelmed… discouraged…hopeless?
Come here and let me hug you...{{{{{{{{{{{O}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}.
Yes, dear one, I know what you mean and have been down myself the past couple of days, feeling like what I do doesn't matter. Then I make another blessings list and have a chat with my inner self.
You know, sometimes we do get caught in the net of focusing only on what we can no longer do, the things we can still do but have to make adjustments to do them, the ways in which we must alter our lifestyles when everyone around us can just go on about their ways without any real changes, without really thinking about it; on autopilot. Then, we see how it affects our families and the many ways they, too, must change because of us ~ our disease.
It's vicious, isn't it? But, then I remember that each time I hear a baby cry, God/dess has not yet tired of man and He/She has not yet tired of me. I (and you) are here for a reason.
We may be paying the consequences of having made some bad choices when it comes to our health, but we are strong...stronger I think, because of the dis-ease. We fight tooth and nail and we get so tired. So very tired. But we press onward, forward. We are here, my friend. We are strong in spite of the dis-ease. We are super intelligent in making changes and finding ways to hold on to our quality of life and our independence.
AND, we have family who love us enough to stand with us through those changes and make changes with us. Not everyone of us has that family. We are living, moving, BREATHING examples of how courage, strength, perseverance, determination and grit "look" and "feel" to the world.
We walk around with plastic prongs in our noses and sometimes
people look at us funny but, know what? WE are still standing. We are still moving. We are sending messages and helping our fellow man. We are strong. We are living out loud.
We make a difference in this world; perhaps, in some way, even
because of the COPD.
Overwhelming? Yes. Frustrating? Oh, yes. Sad? Yes, that too. Downright
depressing, maddening and angering too. But, my dear friend, you are so valuable to this Universe, to the people here and around you. Don't ever forget your worth and contributions. It all matters. YOU matter. You make a difference, even though you may not always see it or feel it. Believe me. It is truth or you would not be here asking "why?" right now. Spirit would not have moved you to do so if you did not make a difference. Even now in sorrow, you are serving the Highest Good and searching for the way to make yourself stronger still.
You are in my prayers. I do hope something here has helped you in some way.
Sweetest blessings,
Kasey
(Authored by Kasey Hunter)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feeling overwhelmed… discouraged…hopeless?
Come here and let me hug you...{{{{{{{{{{{O}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}.
Yes, dear one, I know what you mean and have been down myself the past couple of days, feeling like what I do doesn't matter. Then I make another blessings list and have a chat with my inner self.
You know, sometimes we do get caught in the net of focusing only on what we can no longer do, the things we can still do but have to make adjustments to do them, the ways in which we must alter our lifestyles when everyone around us can just go on about their ways without any real changes, without really thinking about it; on autopilot. Then, we see how it affects our families and the many ways they, too, must change because of us ~ our disease.
It's vicious, isn't it? But, then I remember that each time I hear a baby cry, God/dess has not yet tired of man and He/She has not yet tired of me. I (and you) are here for a reason.
We may be paying the consequences of having made some bad choices when it comes to our health, but we are strong...stronger I think, because of the dis-ease. We fight tooth and nail and we get so tired. So very tired. But we press onward, forward. We are here, my friend. We are strong in spite of the dis-ease. We are super intelligent in making changes and finding ways to hold on to our quality of life and our independence.
AND, we have family who love us enough to stand with us through those changes and make changes with us. Not everyone of us has that family. We are living, moving, BREATHING examples of how courage, strength, perseverance, determination and grit "look" and "feel" to the world.
We walk around with plastic prongs in our noses and sometimes
people look at us funny but, know what? WE are still standing. We are still moving. We are sending messages and helping our fellow man. We are strong. We are living out loud.
We make a difference in this world; perhaps, in some way, even
because of the COPD.
Overwhelming? Yes. Frustrating? Oh, yes. Sad? Yes, that too. Downright
depressing, maddening and angering too. But, my dear friend, you are so valuable to this Universe, to the people here and around you. Don't ever forget your worth and contributions. It all matters. YOU matter. You make a difference, even though you may not always see it or feel it. Believe me. It is truth or you would not be here asking "why?" right now. Spirit would not have moved you to do so if you did not make a difference. Even now in sorrow, you are serving the Highest Good and searching for the way to make yourself stronger still.
You are in my prayers. I do hope something here has helped you in some way.
Sweetest blessings,
Kasey
(Authored by Kasey Hunter)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Slowing It Down and Living Better
Wow! My computer totally crashed. Crashed and burned. So, I am back online now after weeks and weeks of dinking around with Dell Tech. I won't buy Dell again! This is the 2nd time they have replaced the mother board, hard drive and memory. I give much thanks for the 3 year warranty that came with this computer.
Until I get my notes together, I thought I would share this with you which means a great deal to me and came in a newsletter to me.
Enjoy and I will post soon.
Blessings,
Kasey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let's slow it down and treat ourselves better!
Ironically, over time, the more we "do," the less we achieve.
All that effort takes its toll on our physical, mental, and emotional health. It disconnects us from our deeper needs, leaving us empty and dull.
Now imagine a different, more pleasant scenario. You come to work determined to remember to log off your computer, take a short walk, drink a glass of water, and moisturize your skin every thirty minutes.
Instead of "grabbing" an indifferent lunch, you bring fresh fruit, yogurt, and a whole-grain sandwich from home. You don't take coffee breaks, you take exercise breaks.
In treating yourself well for a day, you achieved both doing less and being more.
In the literal sense, you still "did" things; you did not sit idle. But what you did was gloriously different from what you had been doing for so long. You let yourself slow down instead of driving yourself hard. You did not misuse your body and you did not pressure your mind. You began the process of healing.
EXCERPTED FROM: Ayurveda is a Verb
by Shubhra Krishan.
Until I get my notes together, I thought I would share this with you which means a great deal to me and came in a newsletter to me.
Enjoy and I will post soon.
Blessings,
Kasey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let's slow it down and treat ourselves better!
Ironically, over time, the more we "do," the less we achieve.
All that effort takes its toll on our physical, mental, and emotional health. It disconnects us from our deeper needs, leaving us empty and dull.
Now imagine a different, more pleasant scenario. You come to work determined to remember to log off your computer, take a short walk, drink a glass of water, and moisturize your skin every thirty minutes.
Instead of "grabbing" an indifferent lunch, you bring fresh fruit, yogurt, and a whole-grain sandwich from home. You don't take coffee breaks, you take exercise breaks.
In treating yourself well for a day, you achieved both doing less and being more.
In the literal sense, you still "did" things; you did not sit idle. But what you did was gloriously different from what you had been doing for so long. You let yourself slow down instead of driving yourself hard. You did not misuse your body and you did not pressure your mind. You began the process of healing.
EXCERPTED FROM: Ayurveda is a Verb
by Shubhra Krishan.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Coloring Away the COPD
I am in the process of redecorating my home. What fun!!! The redecorating of my home is so helpful to me and to my health. My breathing is coming easier than it has in a long while. I owe that to color. I would like to share some insight about color. Some of it is excertped from an article and some of it is my own insight.
Color can nurture your soul as food nourishes your body.
Color can be a tremendous Ch'i enhancement when you love it, or cause a real depletion in energy if you don't.
If a color bugs you, get rid of it. It could save your marriage or your sanity or both.
What color is the COPD that lives in your body? You know what to do with that color, right? Color it and release it to the Universe. They know what to do with disease out there in the Universe. Inhale the colors that feed your health. Exhale the colored COPD.
Determine what colors are your favorites. Which ones feed you right down to your bones, and energize and heal you? Whatever colors they are, make sure that you have them somewhere in your environment. Make sure you breathe them into your lungs, those healthy colors that heal and energize.
Choose items in your colors, such as fabrics, vases, dishes, and flowers, and place them where they can feed you with a glance.
Stay within the palette you are attracted to, and your color choices will create an atmosphere you'll enjoy every day.
Be sure to choose those colors that make you feel healthier for in feeling healthier, you become healthier.
Portions excerpted from the article:Color, Nature, & Sound for a harmonious home by Kathryn Collins.
Color can nurture your soul as food nourishes your body.
Color can be a tremendous Ch'i enhancement when you love it, or cause a real depletion in energy if you don't.
If a color bugs you, get rid of it. It could save your marriage or your sanity or both.
What color is the COPD that lives in your body? You know what to do with that color, right? Color it and release it to the Universe. They know what to do with disease out there in the Universe. Inhale the colors that feed your health. Exhale the colored COPD.
Determine what colors are your favorites. Which ones feed you right down to your bones, and energize and heal you? Whatever colors they are, make sure that you have them somewhere in your environment. Make sure you breathe them into your lungs, those healthy colors that heal and energize.
Choose items in your colors, such as fabrics, vases, dishes, and flowers, and place them where they can feed you with a glance.
Stay within the palette you are attracted to, and your color choices will create an atmosphere you'll enjoy every day.
Be sure to choose those colors that make you feel healthier for in feeling healthier, you become healthier.
Portions excerpted from the article:Color, Nature, & Sound for a harmonious home by Kathryn Collins.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Listen Up, Big Pharma
It seems like more and more often we are learning that the drugs most of us COPD'ers and Asthmatics have been using and taking into our bodies for years are actually quite harmful to other organs, such as our hearts and livers. It is discouraging as we need these medicines to breathe. As science advances as studies conclude, we learn that there may be heart, liver, kidney, brain, eye, muscle, memory, blood damage. However, we can't overlook the good attributes of the meds. We must, however, learn to accomodate for the damage the drugs may do to other organs or look into the possibilities of alternative medicines, which I personally prefer until we can get the FDA and the drug manufacturers to be more responsible about our health and bodies. I'm worth more to me than the $$ big Pharma makes. We've got to live out loud and put a stop to this!
The following is an article that I am putting here because it is significant and I want to put the word out, too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Older emphysema drug linked to heart deaths
Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:37pm EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A drug once commonly used for emphysema and other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may raise the risk of heart death by a third, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
The drug, called ipratropium, is made by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc under the brand names Atrovent and Combivent. It has largely been replaced by Pfizer Inc's Spiriva. It prevents bronchospasms, attacks in which the airways narrow, making breathing difficult.
"This medication may be having some systemic cardiovascular effect that is increasing the risk of death in COPD patients," said Todd Lee of Northwestern University in Chicago, who led the study.
Lee's team found that military veterans with recently diagnosed COPD who used Atrovent or Combivent were 34 percent more likely to die of a heart attack or arrhythmia than COPD patients using only a similar product called albuterol, or those who did not take any drugs.
Writing in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the researchers said they looked at the cause of death of 145,000 veterans with newly diagnosed COPD from 1999 to 2003.
Lee said doctors and patients should be aware of the potential risk.
COPD is an umbrella term for respiratory diseases including emphysema and chronic bronchitis and is mostly caused by smoking. An estimated 12 million people in the United States have COPD, the fourth-leading cause of death.
"The safety of drugs for COPD patients has flown under the radar," Lee said.
In March the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said another COPD drug called Spiriva, marketed by Pfizer Inc and Boehringer Ingelheim, may increase the risk of stroke.
(Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Bill Trott)
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1641119720080916
The following is an article that I am putting here because it is significant and I want to put the word out, too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Older emphysema drug linked to heart deaths
Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:37pm EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A drug once commonly used for emphysema and other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may raise the risk of heart death by a third, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
The drug, called ipratropium, is made by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc under the brand names Atrovent and Combivent. It has largely been replaced by Pfizer Inc's Spiriva. It prevents bronchospasms, attacks in which the airways narrow, making breathing difficult.
"This medication may be having some systemic cardiovascular effect that is increasing the risk of death in COPD patients," said Todd Lee of Northwestern University in Chicago, who led the study.
Lee's team found that military veterans with recently diagnosed COPD who used Atrovent or Combivent were 34 percent more likely to die of a heart attack or arrhythmia than COPD patients using only a similar product called albuterol, or those who did not take any drugs.
Writing in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the researchers said they looked at the cause of death of 145,000 veterans with newly diagnosed COPD from 1999 to 2003.
Lee said doctors and patients should be aware of the potential risk.
COPD is an umbrella term for respiratory diseases including emphysema and chronic bronchitis and is mostly caused by smoking. An estimated 12 million people in the United States have COPD, the fourth-leading cause of death.
"The safety of drugs for COPD patients has flown under the radar," Lee said.
In March the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said another COPD drug called Spiriva, marketed by Pfizer Inc and Boehringer Ingelheim, may increase the risk of stroke.
(Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Bill Trott)
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1641119720080916
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