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Many individuals associate aging with the deterioration of the body and mind but this does not have to be an inevitable consequence. Prevention is the key to living not only longer but living a better quality existence.

Prevention comes in two specific forms, the first is life style choices. Are you eating properly, are you physically active or do you smoke? The second is screening practices to help ensure early detection of diseases or health issues. Do you get a yearly physical, do you get mammograms, do you get checked for prostate cancer, do you know what your blood pressure is, and do you know your cholesterol levels? It is important to stay informed about your health and to listen to your body.

One of the most important lifestyle choices you can make is to stay physically active. It requires a surprising small amount of exercise to acquire huge benefits to your overall health. For instance regular exercise will greatly reduce your risk of heart disease, many cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. By the same token it will increase bone health, muscle strength, joints mobility, and increase balance and stability. Incorporating exercise into your daily life will also translate into fewer visits to the doctor, hospital and decrease your need for medications.   

There are many different names used to describe exercises and physical activities that build muscle including, weight lifting, resistance training and strength training. No matter what you decide to call them the goal is to strengthen your muscles and to stop the loss of muscle mass that comes with disuse and age.

Regardless of your current physical abilities there is an activity that will work for you. Many individuals enjoy lifting weights either at home or in a gym very desirable as it keeps them focused on their goals. If lifting weights is not your thing then there are activities that incorporate strength training such as water aerobics, Qigong, Tia Chi or yoga.

If you choose to try weight training for the first time it would be very beneficial to seek the help of a physical trainer. Most gyms allow you to hire a trainer by the hour and if you do decide to join a facility this service is usually thrown into the deal.  If you decide to go it alone there a few safety tips to keep in mind so that you avoid injury as well as get the maximum benefit from your workout. Do not hold your breath during strength training, the general rule is to breath out as you lift and breath in when you are releasing. Also avoid jerking or thrusting the weights, if you need to do this then they are probably too heavy, try some lighter ones. Your movements should be smooth and remember to avoid locking your joints into place at the top or bottom of your motions. It is normal to feel muscle soreness for a few days after you have worked out however you should not be in severe pain, if this is the case then see a doctor.

For the greatest benefit you should be strength training each of your major muscle groups twice a week and work out should consist of two sets of approximately 10 to 15 repetitions. The key to success is consistency, you have to continually challenge your muscles and your body in order to make them stronger and to gain the benefits of prevention.

Japan is well-known for cutting edge innovations that often go unnoticed by the Western world. But Sharp Corporation’s press release on 27 August 2008 cannot be ignored! Incorporated in its ionic air purifier, the Plasmacluster Ion Technology (more on this in a later post) has just been scientifically proven to be 99.9% effective in eliminating the bird flu virus known as ˕N1.

With increasing regularity, the press reminds us that bird flu is the prime suspect to cause mankind’s next pandemic. Pandemic sounds terrifying. It is. That’s when a deadly virus turns totally global, in a very negative sense. In 1918, an invisible bug is believed to have wiped out 50 million people during the Spanish Flu pandemic! That was blamed on the ˑN1 virus which was only recently confirmed on 5 October 2005 by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be a bird flu virus.

Red Alert! Time to PANIC?

Not now. Statistically, as recorded by WHO as at 10 Sep 2008, “only” 245 people have died from the H5N1 virus. This is since 1996 when the virus first surfaced in China. So what’s the fuss? The greatest nightmare for scientists monitoring the bird flu virus is to see it attain human-to-human transmission capability. As of today, there has been only one probable case of human-to-human transmission recorded in Thailand in September 2004. Don’t be surprised by the global pandemonium in the event that the dreaded virus mutation actually occurs.

As the threat grows day by day, countries around the globe are conscientiously preparing for the worse (more on this in a later post). At our individual level, we should start doing some homework too.

Ok, so what’s all this got to do with Sharp’s ionic air purifier. Is it not just another ordinary ionic air purifier? Yes, because it takes care of the usual pollutants (dust, dirt, smoke, dander, pollen, cuisine odors, pet odors, allergens etc) that contaminate the air that we breathe and live in. But if we can get protection from all these and more in one ionic air purifier, especially one that is a tested defense shield against a potentially deadly virus, why not? With Sharp’s Plasmacluster Ion Air Purifier, the whole complete package is promised.

If you’re value-conscious like me, the obvious question would be “yes, that makes a whole lot of sense but at what cost”? Sharp claims that it’s at no extra cost! Sharp contends that it is cheaper than any other competing ionic air purifier when measured over 5 years. Value for money grabs my attention anytime! How is it possible in this nothing-is-for-free world?

In promoting the Plasmacluster Ionic Air Purifier Model FP-N40CX, Sharp contends that it is definitely better value for money as there is no filter replacement costs for the first 5 years. At first sight, the typical competitor’s upfront cost of US$160 looks cheap compared to Sharp’s US$399. But add in the annual replacement filter replacement costs of US$100 and the total outlay for the competing ionic air purifier comes to US$560.

If anyone has relevant numbers on Sharp and the competitors, your feedback will be much appreciated. Feel free to drop me a note if you have actual numbers.

In the meantime, I will study the Sharp Plasmacluster Ion Technology more closely. Especially since bird flu is still not quite at pandemic proportions.

Don’t procrastinate. I have been there. I remember my family, along with thousands of other frantic people, scrambling around town looking for the much-touted N95 face mask when the last near-pandemic scare took place in Asia. For the uninitiated, it was the year 2003. The SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus originated in Asia, infected 8,096 people around the world before finally resulting in 774 fatalities. As always, being prepared is half the battle won.

Watch this space as we track exciting developments in our pursuit of safe, pure and clean air with nothing more than an ionic air purifier.

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