History in the making! - La Quinta Chamber of Commerce

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1in 5 Americans suffers from allergies. Potential seasonalallergens include: grass, weeds, tree pollen, dust andvarious molds. Cat and dog fur can cause allergicreactions too. Allergies can lead to itchy eyes, sneezing,nasal congestion, and wheezing. Allergic skin conditions cancause a rash and itchy skin. Allergies can play a major role inconditions such as asthma. In some people, severe allergiesto environmental or dietary allergens or to medicationmay result in life-threatening anaphylactic reactions andpotentially death.So why do some of us suffer from allergies, whenothers who are exposed to the same environmentalfactors do not? First, let’s take a look at what happens tothe body during an allergic reaction. When an allergen orforeign invader enters one’s body, some people’s immunesystem will react by mounting a response to get rid of theseallergens. The immune system will try to get rid of theallergen by sneezing, flushing them out with tears or mucus,or dislodging them with nose rubbing. It tries to preventthem from getting into the lungs by constricting the airways.These are normal responses to toxins and viruses, but notto everyday environmental factors. So again, why do someof us suffer from allergies, when others do not? Well, mostlikely variations in our immune system are to blame. A weak or over stimulatedimmune system will react to allergens while a healthy immune system will not.So what can we do about allergies or ‘hay fever’? The goal of most seasonalallergy treatments is to suppress the immune response or halt mucus production,effectively alleviating the symptoms. Many people use medication to deal with thesymptoms because they need a quick, “12-hour” fix to get them through their busyday. Many of us already know about the different antihistamine drugs, allergy shots,anti-inflammatory and over the counter nasal decongestants. Many of them arevery effective and have few side effects, but unfortunately they do not work foreveryone. Most allergy sufferers are only are concerned with seasonal allergieswhen they are in season, but the trick is to take care of the problem before itarises.Seasonal AllergiesOne can prepare for the allergy seasonby making your body and your environmentbetter equipped. Utilizing an air purifier athome and vacuuming on a regular basis canminimize the dust buildup in one’s home.Bathing before bedtime is recommended towash off pollens and other potential allergenson your body. We also know that on dry,windy days there will be more pollen in theair. Keeping windows and doors shut and usingan air conditioner will also help during allergyseason.Keeping your body prepared for allergiesis also important. As the old saying goes“an ounce of prevention is worth a ton ofmedicine.” Acupuncture may be beneficialto prevent allergic responses because it canboost the body’s immune system. It may alsobe used to treat the symptoms. In a smallbut significant study of 26 hay fever patientspublished in the American Journal of ChineseMedicine, acupuncture reduced symptoms inall 26 - without side effects. A second study ofsome 72 people totally eliminated symptoms in more than half of the participants.A bio-detoxification process may also make your body healthier and lesssusceptible to allergens. Supplementation with a combination of vitamins, enzymesand herbal remedies may also be helpful. Stinging nettles are known to have ananti-histamine effect like benedryl. Vitamin C and quercetin also work as naturalanti-histamines. The enzyme bromelain, found in the stem of pineapple, andbioflavonoids, such as those in citrus fruits, green and white tea, and red wine, aregreat anti-inflammatory agents.Check with your healthcare professional for more information and to determinewhat treatment is right for you.Contact N2Health at 760-636-0079 with any questions or for more information go to www.n2healthnow.comCarpet Cleaning for your Health and Indoor Air QualityFor years it has been recognized that carpets act as filters or traps for allkinds of filth, from soil and pet stains to a variety of chemicals. Even a cleanwater-damage event will begin to “reactivate” biological debris such as moldand bacteria. This may sound disgusting but without carpet you have all these pollutantsfloating in the air. In 1993, Dr. Michael Berry wrote “Protecting the Built Environment:Cleaning for Health.” In his book he described carpet as a “sink” whichwould positively impact IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) by acting as a filter and trappingairborne particulates (presuming the carpet is properly maintained and cleaned ona regular basis). He also warned that heavily soiled carpet could become a sourcefor air contamination due to trapped particulates at levels higher than the carpet’sability to absorb soils.In studies going back to the 70’s it was thought that carpets were a primecontributor to asthma and allergy problems. As less carpet was installed in buildingsthe decline in carpet usage was accompanied by an equal increase in asthmaand allergy related problems. In 1995 in Sweden, a research study of “sick buildingsyndrome” was done in 55 “sick” buildings housing different businesses, onlytwo of these sick buildings had carpet. From these studies, it has been found thatbuildings with carpets have less negative effects on the IAQ than those with hardfloors.8Carpeting can improve IAQ because it captures and holds dirt, contaminatesand allergens that would otherwise become airborne. These substances are readilyand effectively removed by vacuuming using high efficiency (hepa filter) bags.Synthetic carpets are better than wool because their fiber’s electrical charge attractspotential contaminants. Synthetic carpets are easy and economical to cleanin the long run and, like any other floor surface, provided they are kept dry andclean, they will not promote microbial growth.The information in this brief article is from articles written by Larry Carlsonand Bob Wittkamp published in the ICS Magazine (a Carpet Cleaning IndustryMagazine intended to educate Carpet Cleaners). Education is not a requirementin the Carpet Cleaning profession. There is no State required Certification orupdating of knowledge. Those Cleaners that spend the time and their money totake IICRC approved courses show their interest in providing quality, knowledgeableservices to the community. This information was researched and provided byAward Carpet and Tile Cleaning, an IICRC Certified Firm.You are invited to call Cathy, an IICRC Certified Carpet Cleaner at Award for any questions or Free in-homePrice Quote. Services include Tile, Stone, Grout, Carpet, Upholstery and Area Rugs Cleaning by Skilled KnowledgeableProfessional Technicians and our New Vortex, The Most Powerful Cleaning Machine in the World.760- 321-7001
Keep Employees Engaged and EnergizedYour employees’ ideas and passion for their workcan help your business grow and succeed. Are youremployees giving your company their all? Do theybelieve that what they’re doing is important? Do theyfeel appreciated? Do they arrive for work filled withpurpose?If you can’t honestly offer an enthusiastic “yes” to thesequestions, consider how you can improve your workenvironment and relationships to encourage employeesto work with energy and enthusiasm. The results couldbe profitable, personally and financially.Provide tools. Make sure your employees haveeverything they need to do their jobs. Ask each staffmember, “Do you have everything you need to be asproductive and successful as you can be?” Be willing toact on worthwhile responses. Be willing to reconsider any policies they considercounterproductive.Set expectations. Clearly communicate what’s expected of employees, what thecompany’s values are, and how the company defines success. Employees need tounderstand their roles, where they fit in the big picture, and how they can make thecompany more successful.Share information. Provide as much information as possible about the company.Explain where it’s making money, where it’s losing money, how its products aredoing in the marketplace, what new initiatives are being considered, and why andhow employees can contribute. Even when the news is not encouraging, people willappreciate your openness.Get personal. Take the time to get to know your employees, especially theirgoals. Without prying, show a genuine interest in your team.Commit to training. Most people like to learn, to grow, and to improve theirmarketability, and the more education and training you provide, the happier and moreengaged they will feel. Cross-train employees in a variety of jobs when possible. Thisnot only improves productivity, it builds cooperation and appreciation when teammembers understand the challenges of other positions. Also, be sure employees aretrained in problem solving and conflict resolution skills. These critical skills will helpthem communicate better with you, their coworkers, customers, and suppliers.Be inclusive. Include your employees in planning and decision making. Facts“on the ground” may differ from perceptions at 30,000 feet. They may see issuesdifferently and offer ideas for working smarter. If you need to create a more efficientdelivery system, ask your delivery staff how they would improve the current system.Use their ideas, and give them credit to them.Reward and recognize. Personally thank an employee for a jobwell-done. Specify what was good about it and why you appreciateit. For example, say: “Thank you for organizing that project sowell. You made it very clear what should happen, when and why.”Remember to celebrate effort as well as accomplishment, to giveemployees working on long-term goals a boost.Following these strategies will help employees feel valued andenthusiastic about their jobs. Not only is this more fun, it’s goodfor business, improves retention, and reduces burn out.Quick and Easy Ways to Recognize EmployeesTake care of your employees, and they will take care of yourcustomers. Here are a few inexpensive ways to make staff feelvalued.Free time:•Let high-performing teams leave early to miss rush-hour traffic.•Give an afternoon off to employees who have exceeded expectations for a particularcustomer.Free food:•Sponsor a free lunch or breakfast for hardworking teams.•Subsidize the price of food in vending machines.More ways to say thanks:•Creating an events committee to plan fun outings, such as trips to a sporting event, apicnic, a holiday party.•Say thank you with a hand-written note.“People are definitely a company’s greatest asset. It doesn’t make any difference whetherthe product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it keeps.” MaryKay Ash, founder of Mary Kay CosmeticsKathleen McEntee is president of Kathleen McEntee and Associates, Ltd (KMA).KMA provides practical advice with the When Smart Business Matters TMapproach to business owners and managers who are eager to grow anddevelop their business.Kathleen can be reached at 760-262-4080 or kmcentee@kmcenteeassoc.com.The economic stimulus package is officially on the books, and already the solarindustry is feeling stimulated. Many solar companies that had been on a hiringfreeze for several months are starting the spring thaw early and gearing upfor a busy summer ahead. The main reason behind thissudden march to action is a provision in the bill that givesrenewable energy companies a shot in the arm, in thecommercial markets allowing them to swap tax creditsfor grants, putting money in their hands now as opposedto later.The problem was that tax credits down the road werenot helping solar firms and homeowners to get loans frombanks teetering on the edge of disaster. Everything took abig pause when the mortgage bubble exploded. And whilethe effect of the stimulus package may not be felt in totefor several months, many companies are already rampingup for a big year.So with the credits-for-grants provision the effect willbe immediate, to a certain extent, for the solar industry.Other provisions that should benefit solar, directly orindirectly, are:Stimulating with Solar•$2.5 billion for research and development of renewable energytechnology•$2 billion for manufacturing of advanced batteries•$300 million in funding for Energy Star taxcredits for homeowners who purchase efficientappliances•$5 billion in home weatherization grants to lowto-middleincome families•$268 million in additional funding for residentialsolar tax creditsThere are several other energy-related provisionsas well, most notably for energy efficiency andalternative fuels and vehicles. Fans of wind powerwill be excited to know that $604 million has beenallocated for the removal of the cap on tax creditsfor small wind systems.Marc Devoe, Regional Sale Director.Sequoia Solar Source of information SEIA and Calfinder9
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History in the making! - La Quinta Chamber of Commerce

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