Thursday, June 17, 2010

About Multi Services Video

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Airborne Allergens Avoidance Tips




POLLEN AVOIDANCE MEASURES:
1. Close windows during pollen season; use air conditioning in car.
2. Remove shoes and clothing when coming indoors.
3. Do not dry clothes outside during the pollen season.
4. Avoid being outside in the morning if possible or on windy days.
5. Use antihistamine before exposure.
6. If very symptomatic when coming from outside take a shower and wash hair.
7. Rinse nose with salted water many times during the day if you are exposed to pollens.

DUST MITE ELIMINATION MEASURES:
1. Wash bedding in hot water once a week.
2. Get new pillow once a year or cover pillow with a dust mite proof cover.*
3. Get dust mite proof mattress cover.*
4. Get vinyl cover for box spring.
5. Keep humidity between 30-45% (get dehumidifier).
6. Keep only new washable teddies on the bed.
7. Keep no dust collectors in bedroom.
8. Use double bag or HEPA filter on vacuum or use central vacuum.
9. Remove carpets especially in patient's bedroom.
10. Get vinyl or leather covered furniture in house and car.
* can be ordered through www.quorumallergy.com or 1-800-501-5115. Look for "allergen barrier" listed on the packaging and a zipper all around the cover.

PET HAIR ELIMINATION MEASURES:
1. Keep pet outdoors.
2. If not possible to keep pet outdoors, keep pet confined to one room. At least keep pet out of patient's bedroom.
3. Wash pet once a week with Allerpet or with warm water on a cloth; a shower or going in the rain is also very good.
4. Cover pillow and mattress with impermeable dust mite covers.
5. Use HEPA filter in bedroom and family room, and on vacuum or use central vacuum system.
6. Wipe surfaces with damp cloth
7. Non-carpeted floors prevent accumulation of pet hair.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

What is allergy?

What is allergy?
Allergies occur when the immune system becomes unusually sensitive and overreacts to common substances that are normally harmless, such as pollens, molds, dust or food. Genetic tendency plays a role since allergies tend to run in families. Allergy develops when exposure to certain substances leads to sensitivity. These substances that cause allergic reactions are called allergens.

The immune system produces various antibodies. The antibody that is involved in allergic reactions is called IgE. During an allergic reaction allergens come into contact with special cells called "mast cells" that are found in the lining of the nose, lungs, skin and intestinal tract. The IgE antibodies that are attached to these cells cause the release of many chemicals, including histamine, which results in inflammation and symptoms of allergy.

Depending on the individual and the particular allergen, allergy symptoms can occur in the upper and lower respiratory tracts, the skin, digestive system and other organs. Each individual is different. For example in the case of cat allergy, one person might have symptoms affecting the nose while another might have wheezing in the chest.

Some allergies develop after a long period of exposure while others often seem to develop after a relatively short exposure. Some are life-long while others may subside over time. Once sensitization occurs, avoidance of allergens is the best way to prevent symptoms.

Dust, Pet and Mold Allergies
Our multipage brochure about several common allergies.
Atopic Dermatitis - Eczema
by Dr. Liliane Gendreau-Reid, MD, FRCPC Pediatrics; FRCPC Clinical Immunology & Allergy; Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics UBC, Victoria, BC
Eosinophilic Esophagitis
by Dr. Harold Kim, Allergist, Kitchener, Ontario
Cosmetic Allergies — Is Soap Really Good for You?The first of a series of articles designed to help AAIA members better understand cosmetic allergies. [read more...]
Allergic Rhinitis
by Dr. Harold Kim, Kitchener, Ontario
Learn the link:
Managing your asthma and your seasonal allergies. [read more...]
Rhinitis: The Facts
by Liliane Gendreau-Reid, MD, Victoria, BC
Airborne Allergens Avoidance Tips
by Liliane Gendreau-Reid, MD, Victoria, BC
Hives (Urticaria)
Hives are a common occurrence, affecting up to 25% of the population at least once in their lives. They can be short term, lasting only a few days to six weeks, but they can be chronic and last for months or years. [read more...]
Allergy Season — It can affect your thinking !!!
by George Luciuk, MD, FRCPC
Does Allergy Protect Against Cancer?
by Dr. Susan Waserman, MD, FRCP, Hamilton, Ontario
Drug Allergy: How You Can Help Your Allergist Make the Diagnosis
by Amin S. Kanani, MDCM, FRCPC
The Positive Side of Being Allergic
by Robin Bayley, Victoria, British Columbia
Are you allergic to cats?
from an article by Thomas A E Platts-Mills, Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center, University VA Medical Center, Charlottesville, VA
Scents in the Workplace
Individuals who are affected by allergic rhinitis and asthma may find that strong scents trigger their symptoms. [read more...]
The Hygiene Hypothesis
At the CSACI Annual Scientific Meeting held in Ottawa in October 2004, there was an interesting debate on the Hygiene Hypothesis by two experts in the field of allergy. These are some of the main arguments. Reported by Mary Allen. [read more...]
Tips to reduce mold exposure
Ten things you can do. [read more...]

Monday, May 24, 2010

Benefits When You Hire a Professional Cleaning Service

Most people think that seeking and having professional cleaning service to handle the cleaning task for their house is a luxury and not worth spending for especially nowadays that the money is hard to earn. Yes, It may be costly but if you are going to compare the benefits when you employ a cleaning company, you will find out that benefits can outweigh the cost. This service will handle the entire cleaning job that you are tired of doing.

Although many people are still in doubt if a cleaning service is worth spending for, there are numerous advantages when a home owner hires a cleaning services provider.
Enhance Health and Sanitation
Normally, germs most likely breed in the place that is full of mess - dirty. Now, with the help of cleaning service, you don't have to worry about these matters. Cleaning your house will be handled by cleaning service providers. The cleaning task that you don't like to do will be done by cleaning service for you. If the sanitation and cleanliness inside of your house will be maintained, this, of course, will improve the health aspect of your family.

Make a Good Reflection
Since our home is a reflection of us, we want it to be clean and well-maintained. Although you may have hard time maintaining the cleanliness of your house, but you need to think about what people or your visitors would think about you if they happen to see a cluttered and messy house of yours. But that's not a problem anymore since professional cleaning service is there to help you ease those burdens. You can be assured anytime that a guest or a friend visits you as your house will reflect fine on you.

Protect your Home Investment
Our home can lose its value as investment if it is messy and untidy. Since our house serves as our investment, we have to protect it. With the help of professional cleaning company, we will be able to keep the value of our house by maintaining its tidiness.

Save your Precious Time
Hiring a cleaning service is beneficial for a busy person. Yes, you may be busy and no time cleaning the house because you have more other things to do. But you still want to maintain the cleanliness of your home without having your precious time to suffer. Hiring a cleaning company will be such a great help for you then. They will take care all the cleaning job for you therefore you can have more time to do what you want or need to do.

Professional cleaning company can be beneficial to any of us. If you are a person that has no time cleaning your house, you can have a cleaning maids come to your house at weekly schedule. They can also be helpful if you happen to move out or move in from one place to another. You don't have to spend your time cleaning your new place by yourself as professional cleaning service is always there for a help.
No time to clean your house because you are busy with your work, providing for your family, or studying for the coming exams

Improving your Memory



Tips and techniques to help you remember...

...you know, that thing... I forgot.
Having problems forgetting appointments, to-dos, errands, feeding your children and pets, picking up after yourself, getting out of bed... not to mention forgetting birthdays, and even anniversaries?
If you are like many people, you will often find yourself forgetting something. In an age of computers, PDA’s, and many other devices - this my be ok for some folks, unless you forget where you put those devices. Others may want to increase their ability to memorize things - luckily there are a few creative ways you can improve your long and short term memory.

Use your Senses & Be Aware
Practice creating vivid images/concepts in your head - using all of your senses. Analyze your surroundings by sound, sight, smell, taste, and touch. Being aware all of your senses will give your mind more ways to associate (and thus remember) when it is time to recall something.
This is like form of meditation -- which is good for your brain in a variety of ways. (see our article: Interesting Ways to Improve Your Brain for more info).
Practice this tip of simply being more aware of your surroundings everyday and you will find your general memory greatly improved.

Humor & Vulgarity
If you need to memorize something specific try using humor or vulgarity as a memory aid. Make a nasty or funny limerick about something that needs to be remembered and you'll have a hard time forgetting. (Great tip for students).

Don't worry, be Mindful
There has been a lot said about the power of positive thinking. Recently, a huge bandwagon of new-age positive thought = positive outcome theories have been on tips of everyone's tongue from Oprah to your local convenience store clerk. Just do a google search for "Law of Attraction" or "The Secret" if you aren't in the cult loop.
Negative thoughts fog our minds, but clearing out the negative and focusing on the positive also improves memory & concentration.
Stress is a big brain buster, so minimize stress and negative thoughts to keep your wits.
Apt Quote: “What to do if you find yourself stuck in a crack in the ground underneath a giant boulder you can't move, with no hope of rescue. Consider how lucky you are that life has been good to you so far. Alternatively, if life hasn't been good to you so far, which given your current circumstances seems more likely, consider how lucky you are that it won't be troubling you much longer.”

See the Future
Have trouble remembering to-dos, appointments, meetings, deadlines, birthdays and other future events?
Here is the secret: When you know you have an upcoming event you don't want to forget, picture yourself at the event. What are you doing, who is there, what does it smell like? Imagine the event...even better: imagine yourself taking the steps that lead to the event.
For example... let's say tommorrow you have to call the someone. Picture yourself in your home/office, picture yourself picking up the phone, imagine dialing the number and talking to the person of the other end.

Associate
Association is among one of the easiest and most used tools in learning. This is the process of taking the information you wish to memorize, and linking it mentally to something else that is natural to you. When learning something new, try to associate the new concept with one to which you are already familiar.
Couple association with being aware using all of your senses and you will have a higher rate of successful recall.

Chunky like your mom
Chunking information is a great mnemonic method to remember multiple items. Many people naturally use chunking to remember phone numbers: Instead of thinking "17342876642" we chunk it as 1-734-287-6642.
The concept of chunking comes from a famous 1956 paper by George A. Miller: The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on our Capacity for Processing Information. If you are a sucker for classic works in the history of psychology (I know, who isn't?) you can read the whole original paper here.

Write it Down
We generally think of "writing things down" as a means to NOT have to remember something. The paper does the work for -- we just need to remember where we put that piece of paper...
But, writing things down has another effect: you clear your mind and take away the stress of "having to remember", and by doing so you actually have more room in your noggin for remembering stuff. I know that explanation wasn't scientific, but it works.
To-do lists are championed by business gurus and soccer moms alike. Try writing everything down for a week or two and see how much this improves your memory & focus. A great digital tool for "writing things down" is provided by a website called Nozbe.com -- I recommend it for clearing your head and also organizing your thoughts.


Memory and Concentration Games on Blifaloo.com:

Memory 3
Memorize color patterns to test your short term memory.

Music Memory
Test your memory while training your musical ear with this game.


Balls & Boxes Memory Game
Use your memory and put the balls back into their original boxes.


Classic Memory Game
Old-school card matching memory game.

Friday, March 5, 2010

The Truth About Cleaning Business Franchises

Janitorial services franchise companies, are not in the cleaning business, but rather in the business of selling franchises to would-be entrepreneurs.
This is how franchises work. for Example: there are two companies, the family owned business and the franchiser both bidding on a typical 5 day a week 2.25 hr per day office cleaning account. The family owned company places a normal bid of $755.00 per month for the account. The franchiser sales person bids lower in order to win the account. He places $631.00 per month for it. The customer not aware of what is going on likes the very low price and decides to sign with the franchiser. Now after signing, that contract will be sold to one of the franchisee for $1893.00 3 times the worth of the account. They have to pay it off in 3 months; they will actually clean that account for 3 months for free in order to pay for it. After the account is paid for, then the franchiser takes 20% per month off the top for franchise fee ($157.75.) plus $50 for insurance per month for each account. So now the franchisee gets $473.35 per month for that account...The franchiser sales person has now made $1893.00 on the account, plus $144.65 per month as long as they have the account. So the head franchiser makes there money on quantity and re-sell of accounts not quality. What happens in almost all cases the franchisee that has purchased the account starts to realize he is not making much money on the account so he calculates it to see how much he is really getting. $473.35 per month divided into 4.33 = $109.31 per week, divided into 5 days = $21.86 per day, dividing that into normal cleaning time 2.25 hours = $9.71 per hour. after he deducts his cost for materials, equipment, etc. He realizes he is only making $9.00 per hour. Now he can not afford to hire labor unless he makes some changes. For labor its going to cost $8.00 per hour but after taxes, workman comp, etc, etc, the total hourly cost for labor will be $10.00 per hour. So now he needs a solution.
The Solution: What happens he cuts back on material, supplies, etc? Maybe even water down the chemicals to stretch it out, cuts the cleaning time in half say from 2.25 down to 1.25 hours. After all is done, he can know afford to have an employee and still make his 5 to 10% profit.
Now the problem, the customer has now become a victim. The customer is being short change; the cleaning supplies have been cut and the cleaning time is being cut in half, leading to very extreme poor quality cleaning. Now the customer has to complain to the head franchiser, The sales Rep promises they will take care of it. Again no changes and the customer now needs to complain many more times, they explain that the building is in poor condition, there customers and employees are also complaining about the poor cleaning quality in there building. Now the sales rep for the franchisee needs to solve the problem in order to save the account. He or she takes the account from the franchisee and re-sells it to another franchisee making another $1893.00 on that same account, totaling $3786.00. Now the problems will just starts all over again but with the new franchisee, as they start the same process the last one did, usually it will continue till the customer has had enough and decides to switch companies. But in some situations the customer could be locked into a three year contract. If there is for instance 2 years left on the contract, they will need to pay the two years left in the contract in one large sum in order to be released from it, costing the customer an additional $15,144.00 in the end the franchiser has made over $18,930.00 on that one account.According to industry information, the typical legally-operated cleaning company profits between 5% to 10% after all costs and overhead are paid. Some very large corporate operations function on as little as 2-3%, but these are the exception in the industry. Franchises and/ or others who operate unethically or illegally typically under price their services since they don't have to actually suffer the direct consequences of their pricing strategy - instead making their money "off the top". It's the poor franchisee or illegal subcontractor who suffers trying to make a reasonable wage from the predicament. If a franchiser has taken any where from 15 to 20% off the Top, It is most likely the franchisee would not succeed. In the end, they and the customer have become victims of the franchiser.