There’s more to keeping you pearly whites precisely that than a bit of brushing and the odd visit to a dentist. Take a look at these dental dos and don’ts.

#1 Avoid Fizzy Drinks

Carbonated drinks (including the diet variety and sparkling water) can cause your teeth to look older than they really are. These drinks are so highly acidic that they can actually dissolve the upper layers of the tooth. They contain high amounts of phosphorus – a mineral that can leach calcium from your bones if you consume too much and some scientists believe they can weaken your jawbone, increasing the chance of losing teeth.

Some researchers believe calcium is first robbed not from your hips or spine but from your jaw, leading to tooth loss. We see a number of young people who have the jaws of much older people, because of poor dietary habits such as drinking soda, along with not getting enough calcium.

#2 Chew your Food

Foods that work on the teeth like detergents are foods that require chewing. Apples, celery and carrots clean teeth naturally and foods such a spinach, lettuce and broccoli prevent staining by creating a film on the teeth that acts like a barrier. Major strainers will take their toll on your smile sooner of later, so steer clear of tea, coffee, red wine, and highly pigmented foods such as cherries and blueberries anything in fact, that will stain a white shirt.

#3 Don’t take Drugs

Ecstasy causes jaw clenching in users. A study found that 60 per cent of ecstasy users examined had worn their teeth through the enamel and into the underlying dentine, compared with only 11 per cent of non-users. As for cocaine rubbed on gums, it restricts blood flow, traumatizes the tissue and inhibits nutrition of the gums. Remember gums keep teeth in place.

#4 Quit Smoking

Smoking causes staining of the teeth and bad breath and increases the risk of oral cancer and gum disease, as it constricts blood flow to the gums. In fact, some gum specialists feel it’s not worth providing advanced treatment for gum disease in smokers, as there is very little chance of improvement. Smoking one pack a day for 10 years can cause a 10 per cent loss of bone support. Long term studies reveal that most tooth loss in 19 to 40 year olds is associated with smoking more than 15 cigarettes a day.

#5 Beware Bleaching

A professionally applied whitening system will not damage teeth. But some over the counter bleaches are so acidic; they can cause surface loss and sensitivity.

#6 Stop Biting Nails

Habitual nail chewers damage more than their cuticles; they can damage their teeth, too. If you have weakened enamel, you end up with an exposed, dented, soft area in the center of the tooth. And that’s when the problem occurs. The denting is much softer than the enamel and if exposed to bad habits such as chewing nails, opening beer bottles, it will wear down. Often the middle part dissolves quicker than the outside and the brittle enamel is very prone to chipping, making the teeth look uneven and unattractive.

Cathy Gates also writes on Fingernail Fungus. More info: Nail Fungus Cure

A healthy life always leads to happiness and prosperity. Health is the weapon that keeps a human going on in his regular activities and functions. Reproductive health is an important part of general health that needs universal concern. It is very important for women during their reproductive years because health many reproductive health related problems arise during this period. Any failures in living a healthy reproductive life shall lead to different sexual diseases and other deficiencies that could also cause a risk to the life of a woman.

Why Health reproductive woman?
Women reproductive health is important because women have many reproductive health problems that have added up in the number of maternal mortality rate. Women have great complications during pregnancy and childbirth. They are more open to risks while preventing unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, reproductive tract infections and burden of contraception.

What are important health factors?
There are situations where a woman bears the risk of infertility, contraception and many other infections caused through sexual intercourse and practices. Fertility is the stage where a woman conceives after fertilization of a male sperm and female ova. Infertility is whereby a woman is unable to conceive as ovulation fails even after a sexual intercourse. Irregular menstrual periods or absence of menstrual cycles among women causes such ovulatory dysfunctions.

What are sexually transmitted diseases?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are found both in men and women but women are the major victims of such diseases whereby they get infections in the reproductive tracts. Commonly found STD’s are Bacterial Vaginosis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis, HIV (Aids), Human papillomavirus Infection, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Syphilis, Genital herpes and Trichomoniasis.

1. Bacterial Vaginosis is a vaginal infection caused in women leading to a bad smelling discharge. It also causes itching around the vagina or burning sensation while urination.

2. Chlamydia is a STD causing irreversible damage to reproductive organs even leading to infertility. It is a silent disease caused by the infection of cervix (opening to the womb) and the urethra and can spread to the rectum. Burning sensation or discharge while urination is the common symptoms found among women.

3. Gonorrhea is a disease caused by the growth of bacteria in the moist areas of reproductive tract normally cervix, uterus, urethra and fallopian tubes among women. Symptoms are burning sensation while urination, vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding during menstrual cycles.

4. Hepatitis is a disease caused by a virus called hepatitis that attacks the liver and blood organs of the body.

5. HIV is mostly caused STD because of unsafe sex practices and is the worst of all the sexually transmitted diseases.

6. Genital Human papillomavirus Infection HPV infection is caused due to infection in the genital areas among women like the vagina, cervix in the form of soft, moist, pink, or flesh-colored swellings.

7. Pelvic inflammatory disease is another infection caused among women in the uterus, fallopian tubes and other reproductive organs.

8. Syphilis has many symptoms that could be least distinguished from other diseases. Symptoms are sores, skin rashes, fever, weight loss, muscle aches, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches and fatigue.

9. Trichomoniasis is commonly found among women lead by green-yellow odor vaginal discharge. This causes discomfort during urination and intercourse and sometimes lower abdominal pain.

10. Genital Herpes is caused by a virus and symptoms are sores, swollen glands, fever and flu like infections.

To know more visit our website womensreproductivehealth.info

Olivia Andrews, writer of womensreproductivehealth.info is a freelance journalist and has written many reviews on subjects such as finance, education, health, entertainment, music, gifts, crafts, travel, apparels and mobile phones.

A fungal infection of the toe or finger nails often results from a chronic athlete’s foot infection in our youthful years. This is also known as Onychomycosis. The toenail infection is not so easily eliminated and often continues as a seemingly perpetual problem. Nail fungus is made up of tiny organisms which is also known as Tinea Unguium or Onychomycosis. This infects fingernails and toenails. The fungus lives under the nail. The nail provides a safe place for the fungus growth as fungus likes dark and wet places.

A fungal infection in nail is one of the most difficult nail conditions to cure. Its symptoms are thickening and discoloration of the nail. Some times, the nail may crumble. The first sign of a fungal infection of the nail is a change in colour. The nail often becomes yellow then brown. It gets thicker and develops a bad odor. Debris may collect beneath the nail and white marks frequently appear on the nail. The infection can spread to other nails. Toenails are affected more frequently than finger nails.

We should keep cutting the nail back and clean the dead tissue from under the nail thoroughly. There may be little nail left. When the new nail grows, let it grow. We must continue the treatment until the nail is completely re-grown. Since toenails grow so slowly, the complete process will take a year or more. Lactobacilli taken internally is a beneficial bacteria needed to inhibit bad bacteria and fungus. The lack of sufficient friendly bacteria in the body can result in the growth of fungus under and around nails.

The appearance of the nails can be improved by brushing with undecylenic acid. Removal of the nail will not solve the problem of onychomycosis. When the new nail grows in, it almost always becomes reinfected. AntifungalSupplement is also used against toe nail fungus.2 capsules per day for 3 months. The Ingredients arePau D Arco (aerial), Garlic (bulb), Echinacea (aerial), and Goldenseal (root) .Anti fungal formula must be used for some time. It is recommended that Acidophilus and immune builders can be used in the treatment to get rid of nail fungus.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is good at fighting finger nail fungus. One draw back is if you stop taking the medicine the fungus will be back within a week. The fastest way to get rid of fingernail is vinegar mixed with a 3% hydrogen peroxide. The mixture is fifty fifty. We should be adding it with a dropper. Some people will feel as slight pinch after awhile.This should be followed by getting the hands soaked in Clorox bleach. For mild infection use one cap for half glass of water and leave your finger with fungus for about a minute. If you have severe fungus then try one cup Clorox to four caps water and again leave for about a minute.

Visit http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/nailfungus/how-to-kill-nail-fungus.htmlor http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/nailfungus/herbal-remedy-for-toe-nail-fungus.htmlfor more information on how to cure toe & finger nail fungus quickly & easily. ** Attention Webmasters / Website Owners ** You can reprint this article on your website as long as you do not modify any of the content, and include our resource box as listed above with all links intact and hyperlinked properly.

With today’s busy lifestyle, it has become quintessential to protect your body’s health. Pollution is also eating us away bit by bit. Sickness and disease connected with stress, depression and pressure connected with work and making money has become a trend nowadays. But working and making money is not an activity that we can just walk away from for the sake of our health.

Precarious eating habits are also not helpful to our body. What we put into our mouths can either help us get healthy or contribute to our body’s demise. There are other things we should also watch on aside from sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol. And what I’m talking about is our blood’s pH level.

Our blood’s pH level is perhaps the single most important measurement we should watch on. Healthy blood pH is around 7.4, which is slightly alkaline; this level must be maintained in order for our body to function well. The maintenance of our blood’s healthy pH level is essential to our body’s functions. Functions which are affected with your pH level are blood flow, cell function, fat accumulation, and bone density.

The smoothness of our body’s blood flow is determined by the electrical charge that is coated on each individual red blood cell. Each red blood cell is assigned a negative charge so that they will not attract each other, similar to what two magnets with similar poles do when you put them together. When your blood’s pH level goes down, it means your blood has become acidic. What acidity does to your red blood cells is that it strips off that charge in each red blood cell; making the individual red blood cell stick together, forming clumps that make blood flow slower. Slower blood flow means lesser oxygen going to your body, dropping your performance.

If your blood is acidic its pH level is low, but if it is more alkaline, your pH level is high, if your blood has a higher pH level, that means you have a higher threshold of hydrogen ions. The presence of hydrogen ions halts muscle function, and the more that you have in your body, the more your muscle is bound to work slowly. Having a higher blood pH level means that your blood can accommodate more hydrogen ions before it begins to spread into the muscles and make it stop working. This means, that you can burn more energy while requiring less oxygen, allowing your body to tolerate the production of lactic acid more and enabling your body to perform things longer.

Hence, if you want you’re an athlete who needs a boost or just a normal individual longing to increase your body’s performance, it is important that you watch for your body’s pH level. You can do this by taking a simple saliva test that can be done with some acid paper strips which can be bought at local drugstores.

Acidity in your body also destroys cells and makes you fat. Your body reacts very defensively at the presence of acids, since, as I have said earlier, it affects how your body functions. Rising acidity is harmful to the vital information storage centers in your cells, the RNA, which if occurs makes it possible for mutations, toxicity or even cancer to develop. When this threat is apparent, what your body does is to coat your cells with fatty tissues just to shield it from rising blood acidity, making you need more fat. So the more your blood becomes acidic, the more you become fat.

Rising blood acidity also lowers your bone density. The body tries so hard to regulate the body’s ph level that it releases buffers to counter that acidity. Releasing buffers into the body is a good thing, but, how the body does it is not good for the bones. Each and every time your pH level drops, which means rising acidity levels, the body uses the calcium in your bones as buffers to maintain that crucial level of pH 7.4! This eventually lowers you bone density making you prone to osteoporosis and weak bone structure.

It’s very hard to replenish calcium levels you’ve lost through supplying buffers, that is why you need a good source of alkaline to help make your blood more alkaline and supply buffers for your body. Green vegetables and fruits are a good source of alkaline, while meat and processed foods are acidic. A healthy diet will consist of 80% alkaline foods and around 20% acidic foods. Supplements and other products are also readily available. Products like Xooma Xtreme X2O, and sodium bicarbonate also help you balance your pH level. This product does not only help you in lowering your blood pH level & maintain your body’s health, but it also makes it possible for you to make money at the same time. Xooma also offers a lucrative Online MLM options to those who want to earn money. You can go here if you want to know more about Xooma Xtreme X2O and Online MLM.

It’s about time that you take good care of your body. Now that you know that what you eat can contribute a lot to how your body works and how it performs, isn’t it about time that you give your utmost attention on your diet. Think about it, you will gain a lot if you balance your lifestyle and diet, but you will certainly lose a lot if you do not start being conscious. So eat healthy and be wealthy!

Sylvain Deslongchamps is a health conscious buff and a long time proponent of alternative and preventive medicine. Sylvain is also a distributor of Xtreme X2O, a world renowned product from Xooma Worldwide. He is the owner and developer of http://www.X2o-home-business.com, a site that is committed to promote health consciousness and business, through Xtreme x2o and Online MLM.

Depression is a much bigger and widespread problem than many would believe. It is estimated that more than 1 in 20 Americans will develop depression in the next 12 months but most sufferers attempt to hide the problem from friends, family and physicians. This makes it incredibly difficult to diagnose unless you are specifically looking for the symptoms. Most sufferers find it difficult to diagnose depression and often attribute it to “feeling a bit down”. There is a big difference between feeling down and having depression. If you or someone close to you is suffering from depression it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible.

The Safe Use Of Natural Remedies

As well as psychological and medical treatment there are also a number of natural remedies that can help to eliminate or, at least, reduce stress and depression. Introducing these supplements, vitamins or nutrients into your diet it can be possible to avoid prolonged depression. Always check for interactions with any prescription drug you may be taking and, if necessary, consult your physician to ask their opinion of a particular natural remedy and whether you are safe to take it.

St Johns Wort

St Johns Wort is one of the most popular and effective of herbs to help combat depression. It has become increasingly popular over the last few years, as more and more people have been made aware of its effectiveness. St Johns Wort inhibits monoamine oxidase, a chemical within the human body that is known to encourage depression. However, St Johns Wort does much more than this. It can help to restore self-esteem, confidence and regular sleeping patterns making it not only useful for beating depression but restoring physical health as well. It also increases appetite and restores interest in life.

St Johns Wort is available in capsule, tea, tincture and oil form. There are some recorded precautions that need to be taken when considering taking St Johns Wort. Cases of photosensitivity in those with fair skin have been reported so care should be taken in the sun. You should also avoid combining St Johns Wort with cold and flu remedies as well as other prescription based anti depressants. Avoid using St Johns Wort if pregnant or breast-feeding.

Kava Kava

Kava Kava is another excellent product that can help to beat stress and anxiety. It is particularly effective in the battle against physical stress. Kava Kava promotes feelings of calm relaxation without the drowsiness that can be associated with prescription drugs and even other herbal remedies. Depending on the patient, feelings of euphoria and elation may also be experienced but this is experienced in the minority of cases.

Lemon Balm

Due to its calming aroma and effects, lemon balm is also popular as a herbal anti depressant. Lemon balm has been used for centuries as an antibacterial ointment and also as an infusion or a tea to help calm nerves and settle patients. Lemon balm can easily be grown in gardens throughout the world and by tearing the leaves, adding honey and hot water the perfect, natural relaxant can be made.

A Final Word On Natural Remedies

Nature produces many different herbs and more than a fare share of these can help with depression, stress and anxiety. While some care should always be taken regarding drug interactions and the misuse they are generally considered safe for regular consumption and use. If you are in any doubt then consult your physician; something you should definitely do if you are taking any form pf prescription drug.

Jacob Mabille writes for Health Guides & Articles where you can find more health tips and related articles. You may republish this article only if you retain resource box and active hyperlinks.

Goji, Lycium barbarum, has long been used as a general energy restoring tonic tea, its leaves and berries have a wide range of benefits from skin rashes to eyesight and diabetes. A tea made from the berries has been known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, help with eyesight, vertigo, menopause complaints, impotency, and help improve liver and kidney function. The bark and root can be used as an antibacterial to control coughs, lower fevers, and control blood pressure and cholesterol as well.

Goji is rich in natural phytonutrients and vitamins such as:

* Polysaccharides
* Zeaxanthins
* Flavonoids
* Carotenoids
* Riboflavin
* Ascorbic acid
* Thiamine
* Nicotinic acid
* Glycocojugates
* monosaccharides
* 17 Amino acids

As you can see Goji is rich in nutrients and traditionally was made into a juice to drink from the berries, this poses a problem in the supplement industry because in order for the juice to be preserved it needs to be pasteurized, pasteurization is heating the juice this could destroy the important nutrients in the berries. Preparing the Goji berry as an extract and standardizing the berries to its polysaccharide fraction (LBP) is much more desirable and all the research has been done on the LBP.

Goji has been shown to impact the immune system in a positive way, boosting production of the immune system proteins IL-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in vitro. Also, Goji extract has increased the production of lymphocytes an important white blood cell involved in immunity. Feed your body the right nutrients to boost the immune system and your body will fight off cancer and disease.

Every day our bodies produce damaging free radicals that cause oxidative damage to every cell in the body, when these cells are damaged they can go on living replicating them selves causing all sorts of damage and cancer. Goji is high in antioxidants and these antioxidants can help the body’s cells protect its self form free radical oxidative damage. Recent research has suggested that free radical damage to the body can cause premature aging, so consuming quantities of supplements and herbs that protect one from free radical damage can help slow the aging process, it’s by far the fountain of youth supplement but may help one live long and disease free.

Animal research has shown Goji to protect DNA from damage and accelerate the rate at which DNA is produced. Also, Goji protects the liver which makes Goji similar to milk thistle in action. Goji has been shown to be a good adaptogen, helping the body recover from exercise and help the body restore muscle and liver glycogen, this berry could be promising for bodybuilders and the exercise enthusiast.

Visit VitaNet® Health Foods at http://vitanetonline.com/. VitaNet sells high quality vitamins and herbs with a wide selection of discount vitamins and Goji Extract that are in stock and ready to ship. Please link to this site when using this article.

If you eat less than 3 meals a day looks like you don’t care about your body. Spending most of your time eating or snacking plus forgetting to take your 1 hour exercise…

I don’t need to mention what would be the effect, but I strongly recommend you to read carefully these 3 eating plans, described bellow, and select the one you like most and think it’s easy to follow.

Plan 1

Eat your breakfast, kiss your kids and go to work. Don’t even think about food before the lunch-time. You will say: “This is easy, lunch is my first meal for the day.” OK, but how many times you eat after lunch? I am not talking about your main meals, I am talking about snacks. If you have a solid breakfast perhaps you won’t need candies, cookies etc. between lunch and dinner.

At dinner eat only low calories foods and take a walk with your family. Enjoy yourself, forget about food. When you are back at home go to bed earlier than normal, so you can’t get hungry again for the rest of the day.

Plan 2

If you are like me and most of my friends, you just don’t have time for breakfast. I need to wake up at 6 am to have a breakfast before going to work. I like to sleep to the last moment, drink a cup of coffee and go out. I am not saying that’s healthy, but it’s my real way of life.

What do you need to do in this case? Have a solid lunch with your fellows, but don’t go too far thinking: “That’s all, I will miss the dinner”. Take a small meal in about 3 hours. Remember: no candies, only low calories foods.

When you are back at home make sure that at least 5 hours passed, since your light afternoon meal, before eating again. It is highly important to have a light dinner again, or you will put some additional weight. After that take a walk or do whatever you want, but stay away from the kitchen.

Plan 3

Let’s say you are a very busy person. During the day you can eat only on the go and don’t have time to have a normal breakfast or lunch. Most of the time you eat 2 burgers and a salad from the nearest fast food restaurant. When you are back home for dinner, you are as hungry as if you haven’t eaten for couple of weeks.

The result? You take most of the calories at dinner. This means you will gain an additional unwanted weight. If this picture looks bad, I assure you it could get worse!

And here is the solution: get the bag with your low calories home cooked breakfast and go to work. When you feel hungry eat your breakfast. Next meal need to be light too – salad and juice. Never eat too much at dinner. Even if your wife has prepared your favorite meal to make you happy, or got ready-to-cook food from the supermarket, be very careful measuring the amount of calories you take at dinner. No eating after dinner is allowed.

In conclusion…

The most difficult part in those 3 plans is the one, that you should not eat anything between your main meals. But this is another quite bigger topic and you can find more information about it at Weight Loss Advisor. One of the keys to success is to get yourself down to work twice as hard, and whatever you do: do not think about how hungry you are or how much time you have until next meal.

You can find more information at www.weight-loss-advisor.com about the importance of eating breakfast and keeping a personal diet plan.

What is Pepper Spray?
Pepper Spray is an aerosol spray used for self-defense. Pepper Spray is a defense spray.

Pepper spray consists of a concentrated agent injected into a canister and dispersed, or sprayed , by aerosol.

The concentrated agent is Oleoresin Capsicum . Oleoresin Capsicum is extracted from chili peppers and is the chemical that gives peppers their hot quality. That is why it is called pepper spray. Also, Oleoresin Capsicum is known as “OC” for short. That is why pepper spray is commonly referred to as OC pepper spray.

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What is Mace ?
Just as many people mistakenly refer to tissue paper as “Kleenex” or refer to a photocopy as a “Xerox,” many people refer to defense sprays as “Mace.”

Mace is a brand name that carries a registered trademark owned by Mace Security International (MSI). MSI originally marketed a particular tear gas self defense spray. Today, Mace brand defense sprays either contain OC pepper, tear gas or both.

Lee Enterprises carries Mace brand products.

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What is Tear Gas?
There are three major chemicals used as tear gases:

1. CS
2. CN
3. CR

The first two are CS and CN, short for orthochlorobenzalmalononitrile and chloroacetophenone, respectively.

A third, code named CR (dibenz(b,f)-1,4-oxazepin), has not come into civilian use.

Both CS and CN tear gas are synthesized chemicals known as lachrymators. A lachrymator is a substance that produces profuse tearing.

At standard temperature and pressure, these chemicals are actually white crystals with fairly low vapor pressures, not gasses, and they are not very soluble in water. In order to disperse them, they are suspended in a liquid carrier and aerosolized.

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Pepper Spray vs. Tear Gas
Pepper spray is not tear gas. Tear gas is not pepper spray.

Pepper spray is a defense spray. Tear gas can be used as a defense spray.

Two important differences between pepper spray and tear gas are:

1. Tear gas is an irritant, and therefore its effectiveness relies mainly on pain compliance.

Pepper spray is an inflammatory agent. The response to contact with pepper spray is involuntary which makes pepper spray a very effective weapon against drug or alcohol impaired assailants or animals that may not respond to pain.

As Doug Lamb writes in “Tactical Use of Defense Sprays” – When a person is sprayed with OC pepper spray, two things happen instantly. First, the person’s eyes clamp shut, hard. Not only that, but if that person does manage to force his eyes open, the person still cannot see because the OC dilates the capillaries and causes temporary blindness. Second, an immediate fit of uncontrollable coughing doubles the person over because the OC causes instant inflammation of the breathing tissues, restricting all but life support breathing. An assailant who is sprayed with OC stops what he is doing and stops what he is thinking – period. This is true even for those who are drunk, on drugs, or psychotic.

2. Tear gas has a high level of toxicity.

OC pepper spray is totally non-toxic.

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We Highly Recommend the Booklet “ Tactical Use of Defense Sprays .”
This 32-page booklet teaches choosing a defense spray, how to carry it, how to shoot it, what to do about multiple assailants, date rape protection, using defense sprays against guns and knives, home tactical use and much, much more about the realities of protecting yourself with defense sprays. Written by nationally recognized self-defense expert Doug Lamb.

Click here to see the “Tactical Use of Defense Sprays.”

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Are All Pepper Sprays the Same?
No, all pepper sprays are not the same.

Pepper sprays are rated in two ways: Percentage of Oleoresin Capsicum in the agent itself, and the “hotness” of the spray, which is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU’s).

The percentage of OC has nothing to do with the SHU rating, and vice versa.

One of the biggest misconceptions about pepper spray is that the higher the OC percentage, the hotter and more effective the spray. In most cases, this could not be further from the truth. The best, fastest incapacitating pepper sprays in the world are from 2% to 10% OC. The lighter the fluid, the faster is penetrates the membranes.

So, the percentage of OC is important, but even more important is the SHU rating, as the percentage has nothing to do with the actual SHU rating or “hotness” of the spray.
A pepper spray with 2,000,000 SHU’s is twice as hot as a pepper spray with 1,000,000 SHU’s.
By the way, 2,000,000 SHU’s is a substantial rating for an effective pepper spray.

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The Physical Effects of Pepper Spray
Pepper Spray has four physiological effects that may be experienced:

1. Eyes – tearing, involuntary closing or complete closing due to dilation of the eye capillaries. Eyes will appear red/bloodshot for 30 to 60 minutes. People wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses will be equally affected.

2. Respiratory System – immediate inflammation, including swelling of the throat lining which can restrict the airway size. Respiratory functions return to normal within 10 to 45 minutes. The airway will be open enough to allow for sufficient oxygen flow for survival. Due to the reduced airway flow, the person will probably not receive enough oxygen to continue fighting or other sustained physical exertion. Temporary paralysis of the larynx. Uncontrollable coughing, retching, and gasping for air with a gagging sensation in the throat.

3. Effect on the skin: inflammation of the exposed skin with a burning sensation.

4. Effects on muscle coordination: pepper spray exposure may cause a person to lose balance due to the effect of pepper spray on vision.

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How Can I Be Assured My Pepper Spray Will Work When I Need It?
You should get in the habit of testing your defense spray every 90 days. To do this first go outside and determine which direction the wind is blowing. Remember to always stand upwind from the direction you are spraying. Depress the firing mechanism for ½ second. This test should be performed upon purchase and every 90 days after that. Be aware that every time you test your spray you reduce the contents of the canister. If you are using a key chain model and you test regularly you will need to replace the unit every 9 to 12 months if you follow the recommended testing procedure above.

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How Long Will My Pepper Spray Last?
Most pepper sprays have an expiration date stamped on the canister, usually 2 to 4 years from the time of manufacture.

Although the spray life is indefinite it does start to lose potency over time. Any use of the spray beyond the expiration date is highly unadvisable. We strongly advise you to replace your pepper spray long before the expiration date! That way you are always assured of the potency of the spray.

Take your old one to a safe place and target practice with it. Become familiar with how far it will spray, how to unlock it, etc. When practicing with your defensive spray, be aware of air movements and wind patterns and be very careful not to contaminate yourself.

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How is Pepper Spray Made?
Pepper spray is derived from hot peppers. The oils are extracted from the hot peppers using a high-pressure process. This process leaves you with the active ingredient in pepper spray known as Oleoresin Capsicum, or “OC.” OC is a reddish-orange, oily liquid, insoluble in water. The pure pepper extract is then diluted with an inert ingredient that reduces the “hotness” of the extract to get it down to a useable level for pepper spray.

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The History of Pepper Spray
Oleoresin capsicum spray was developed at the University of Georgia by Professor James H. Jenkins and Dr. Frank Hayes, D.V.M., in 1960. That formula under the brand name Halt Animal Repellent was first sold in 1963. Like tear gas, oleoresin capsicum (OC) is non-lethal and induces temporary incapacitation with no known long-term effects. In 1989 the Firearms Training Unit (FTU) of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, completed three years of intensive research on OC, following which the FBI authorized the use of OC for its special agents and SWAT teams. In addition, OC has proven effective against domestic and wild animals without endangering the animals or the environment. OC, in proper dispensing systems, has been successfully used to stop grizzly bear attacks in Alaska and pit bull dog attacks in California and Texas. The US Postal Service also issues OC to its letter carriers and animal control facilities also issue animal repellent to its officers to protect them from dog bites.

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The History of Scoville Heat Units (SHU’s)
Scoville Heat Units (SHU’s) is the measurement of the “hotness” of pepper.

All types of chili peppers, including green peppers, jalapenos, and habaneros, all contain an unusually powerful compound found in no other plant, an alkaloid called capsaicin.

Capsaicin is the horticultural term for the genus that chili peppers are classified. A single drop of tasteless and odorless capsaicin in 100,000 drops of water is very noticeable. In fact, capsaicin can be detected by humans at one part per million.

In 1912, pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville developed a standard for measuring the power of capsaicin: the Scoville Organaleptic Test.

Scoville measured exact weights of chili peppers and dissolved the capsaicin in alcohol. This solution was then diluted with sugar water until it was no longer detectable to the human palate. A panel of five taste testers would taste the solution and three of them had to agree before a value was assigned. If, for example, it took 1,000 parts of water to one part of capsaicin, it was said to have 1,000 Scoville Heat Units.

This method was useful for calculating the temperature of peppers used in many pharmaceutical products such has heat rubs. Today, high-performance liquid chromatography is used to measure the capsaicin content in peppers. It measures capsaicin levels in parts per million which is then converted to Scoville Heat Units (SHU’s). The pepper scale ranges from zero Scoville Heat Units for a bell pepper to 5,000 or so SHU’s for a jalapeno, to a whopping 200,000 to 300,000 SHU’s for a habanero. Pure capsaicin is 15,000,000 SHU’s.

http://www.hightechsafety.com