Reverse Osmosis Filter

Is distilled or Purified water enough? Distilled/Purified is water that has virtually all of its impurities as well as minerals and electrolytes stripped through distillation (boiling the water and re-condensing the steam into clean a container), leaving all contaminants behind. Distilled/Purified water is good clean water, unfortunately all the minerals and electrolytes are also all stripped out. Distilled/Purified water tends to be slightly acidic moving your body to a less healthy state. contributing your body to a condition prime for viruses, bacteria, and other menaces.
Dr. John Sorenson, a leading authority on minerals metabolism, said, "Minerals in drinking water are more easily and better absorbed than minerals from food." Creating "healthy water" means removing harmful agents but keeping the beneficial minerals. Mineralize water is needed for all cellular functions and if there are no minerals in drinking water your body will strip the minerals from somewhere else in your body to satisfy its need. While mineral water has many great benefits, not all mineral water are alike or has the same benefits. It's wise to consider before purchasing mineral water is the content of what minerals are available in the drink and it absorbability.

BEST MINERAL WATER

I have found Xooma's Xtreme X2O, an all natural mineral complex, when added to water, transforms water into a powerful body fuel that hydrates, mineralize and revitalize. Each X2O sachet actually makes water "wetter" by lowering the surface tension of the water molecules. This dramatically improves your body hydration at the cellular level. That means when your body gets a drink , your cells get a drink too, which is essential for all cellular metabolic processes. Every X2O sachet contains 947 mg of highly active calcium, 34 mg magnesium, and over 70 naturally occurring Trace minerals. These essential minerals and electrolytes becomes ionic in water allowing them to be absorbed quickly and easily by your body. X2O is the only product of its kind to have a minus ORP rating a huge advantage over other tested products. So what does this minus ORP reading means to you? The lower the reading means the higher the absorbabilty and availability to the body.

Magnets are used for many things. One of those uses is for getting rid of scale deposits and hard water. That is right. Magnets have uses for treating water. The problem is that it is still up in the air about how effective these magnetic treatments really are.

The use of magnets for treating scale deposits and hard water is relatively new to the technology of water treatment especially when it is compared to the chemicals used for the treatment of water. Two main disagreements exist when you are talking about the magnetic treatment of scale deposits and hard water. There are two different views on the water treatment method and are constantly going back and forth with claims about hoe this water treatment technology really does.

How does the magnetic water treatment system really work? Why is it so necessary? Two questions that need to be answered and have given worry to the correctness of this water treatment technology. The magnetic water treatment system that is used for scale deposits and hard water is thought to be the very thing that will remove those scale minerals from the water and thus stop the water from being hard.

The magnetic treatment system is completed by adding magnets to the openings or close to the openings of the pipes that run the water to the home or commercial structure. The magnets are then thought to create a very strong magnetic field inside the pipes. The magnetic field will need to be strong enough to collect the molecules that are around the calcium, silica, and magnesium. When the magnets work with the elements in the water, they are not able to gather in the pipes anymore. The scale deposits that are created before the magnets were installed can not stay together and are removed.

The magnetic treatments for hard water and scale deposits was first thought to be a major item in getting rid of the iron in the water that makes the water hard and the scales to form. The idea of it is that the technology that is behind the magnetic treatments is a better way to soften the water than the chemical treatments are.

There are those that believe that the claims of those that believe in the magnetic water treatment technology are just not supported by anything other than results that were obtained from certain situations. Those that do not believe are pushing the fact that no real laboratory research has been done to prove that this treatment method really works.

The big fight will be over the magnetic treatment systems and the doubts that are raised by those that do not believe in the technology. Both of those that believe and do not believe have valid reasons for disagreeing with each other. It does not matter why the arguments exist, or if they are only in the interest of those arguing, the answer has yet to be found for magnetic water treatment systems as to whether it is good or bad.

You've researched and purchased a water softener, the next step is to learn how to install a water softener. In order to be sure that the machine that you've spent your time researching and money purchasing works properly, you must know how to install it properly.

Your water softener should have come with installation instructions and these will be important to pay attention to. Each water softener will have their own specifics when it comes to their actual installation, but there are several aspects of water softener installation that are common to all types.

The location that you choose for your water softener should be given much consideration. If the tank is kept indoors it is very important that it be kept in a dry area that does not have much fluctuation in temperatures. If the water softener that you've chosen is two tanks be sure that two are close together and the brine tank is the one that is most accessible.

That is the one that you will need to refill so you'll be able to get to it when necessary. If your tank will be installed outdoors it will need to be located in an area that is away from the direct sunlight. Many tanks can be purchased with a jacket that will protect the unit from the sunlight and other inclement weather.

In addition to the electricity outlet location, which needs to be less than 50 feet from the water softener unit, you will also need to have a drain in the vicinity that is at least 1 1/2 inches in diameter. You may use tubing to extend to a drain that is slightly out of the way. You may choose flexible tubing or a more rigid PVC tube. Either one should extend to the drain so that the backwash will be directed to that drain and not elsewhere.

If your media is not installed in your tank prior to installation, you will have to do this step as well. The way you install this will depend upon the size of your tank and whether or not your tank has a turbulator. A larger tank of 64,000 grains or a tank that does not have a turbulator will require a gravel underbed.

Once the gravel is in place you will be able to follow the directions and install the media in the tank. Following this you will be able to install the bypass valve and then the inlet outlet water connections according to the included instructions.

The next step in the water softener installation process will be to take the brine tubing and connect the water softener control valve and the brine tank. Once this tubing is in place you can connect the brine tank overflow. You can do this by attaching the 5/8'' tubing from the brine tank and run it to the drain.

Then you need to program the control that will be responsible for softening the water correctly. Run the backwash cycle and look for leaks and tighten any loose fittings. Watch the tank as it runs through a cycle of water to be sure that everything works correctly.

The preceding instructions are very general and should only be applied in combination with the instructions that have come with your unit. Learning how to install a water softener doesn't have to be difficult. In no time you'll have a working unit and will not have to deal with the expense or hassles of having someone else install your unit.

Did you know that malnutrition and under nutrition is the leading causes of illness, disease and early death in birds? Do you want your birds to be healthy, have beautiful feathers and a wonderful disposition? If these things are important to you, then they need to consume hundreds of nutrients everyday. This means they need to eat foods that are much more nutritious than seeds, pelleted diets, fruit, vegetables and nuts. When I first began caring for birds, in 1998, all the nutritional guidelines encouraged us to feed a wide variety of foods. However, since then I've discovered that the foods most people feed their birds are missing vital and essential nutrients.

What are these required nutrients? The vital and essential nutrients that a bird needs to eat every day includes complete protein, enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, carbohydrates, and fresh water.

Before I explain the importance of these nutrients, let's discuss the imbalances in foods most commonly fed to parrots and other birds.

In 2002 a research paper, 'Estimated Nutrient Content of Diets Commonly Fed to Pet Birds', by L. Hess DVM, G. Mauldin, DVM, MS, and K. Rosenthal, DVM, MS, that was published in the March 30, 2002, issue of "The Veterinary Record" the short comings of the typical avian diet were identified. The variety of foods eaten by the birds in this survey included formulated diets (pellets), seeds and human foods. The results of this study revealed that 80 percent of the birds consumed less protein than recommended for basic maintenance, nearly 58 percent consumed less than recommended amounts of Vitamin A. With vitamin D3, 98.5 percent consumed less than the recommended amounts for maintenance. Nearly 96 percent of the birds consumed calcium levels below those recommended for proper maintenance while nearly 93 percent had phosphorus levels below recommended levels.

Typical Foods = Limited Nutrients

Seeds. Avian veterinarians will agree that feeding a seed based diet is one of the leading causes of malnutrition in birds. Seeds do not provide compete protein, they are an incomplete protein source. Just imagine if you ate rice, and only rice, every day all year long, you'd become malnourished and undernourished just like birds who are fed seeds as their main staple. Seeds are very high in fat and carbohydrates. They do contain significant amounts of vitamin E, but generally lack other vitamins and have very few minerals. They do not contain enzymes or antioxidants.

Pelleted and formulated diets were created to contain more of the essential nutrients that are missing in seeds. But they still fall short of providing all of the hundreds of nutrients our birds need. Formulated diets are usually formulated to provide a source of complete protein from plant sources. They also may contain select minerals, and some added vitamins, usually vitamin A and D3. The main concern to be aware of regarding formulated diets is the nutrients they are missing. Formulated diets are limited to the vitamins that have been added, they completely lack enzymes, have no antioxidants - unless a small amount of vitamin E has been added. Vitamin E is a common food preservative known for its antioxidant properties.

When fresh fruits and vegetables are fed raw these foods do contain some vitamins, minerals, some enzymes and may contain antioxidants. These foods also contain carbohydrates. Any proteins in these foods are incomplete.

Nuts contain fats, including essential fatty aids. However they do not contain balanced amounts of essential fatty acids for each species of parrot.

So if pellets, seeds, fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts do not provide adequate nutrition for the birds under your care, what else should you feed? Before discussing the ideal diet for your birds, let's have a brief refresher on why certain nutrients are so important and must be include in your bird's diet every day.

Nutrients Vital for the Avian Body

Proteins - the proteins, from plant sources, that your bird eats must contain the proper balance of all the essential amino acids to make the food a complete protein. Complete proteins are essential to life, they provide the body with the basic nutritional building blocks that form healthy cells and nourish all body functions.

Enzymes are required by all bodily functions. Although raw fruits and vegetable contains some enzymes, our birds do not consume nearly enough of these vital nutrients. Heat, temperatures over 118 degrees, destroy enzymes.

Antioxidants have developed the reputation for healing a wide variety of diseases and ailments. This can occur because antioxidants neutralize and protect the body from free radicals. Free radicals break down and destroy delicate body tissues and cells. Free radicals have been identified as causing disease, illness and even the aging process itself. For disease prevention it is vital to consume a wide variety of antioxidants. There are many categories of antioxidants and thousands of them have been identified. Raw fruits and vegetable contains some enzymes, most birds do not consume nearly enough enzymes in their daily diet. Heat destroys antioxidants.

Vitamins are essential to life. They regulate the metabolism and facilitate numerous biological processes. They are micronutrients because the body needs them in small amounts when comparing them to carbohydrates, proteins, fats and water. Heat destroys vitamins.

Specific vitamins that have been identified as being essential for birds are vitamins A, D3 and E. When discussing vitamin A we must make the distinction between rentinol vitamin A (the fat soluble vitamin) and beta carotene (the vitamin A precursor that can be converted to vitamin A in a healthy liver). Vitamin A (rentinol A) is essential for normal disease resistance. It improves and supports the immune system by increasing the production and differentiation of immune related cells.

Vitamin D3 is important for maintaining the balance of calcium and phosphorus levels in the body. D3 is also known as the sunshine vitamin because is produced in the skin of birds after exposure to ultraviolet light from ether direct sunlight or indoor full spectrum lighting.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant known for being important in preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease and prevents cell damage by preventing the formation of free radicals. This vitamin improves circulation, is needed for tissue repair and promotes normal blood clotting.

Other vitamins required by birds are vitamins B complex, C, K, P (bioflavonoids) and coenzyme Q10.

Minerals, every living cell in a bird's body depends on minerals for proper functioning and structure. Macro-minerals must be consumed in larger quantities, while trace minerals are required in smaller amounts. The chemical balance of a bird's body is directly dependent on its balance of minerals. The minerals most commonly discussed in avian nutrition are calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is vital for strong bones, maintains proper blood coagulation, membrane permeability, maintains heart beat regularity and normal functioning of the nervous system. Phosphorus has the widest range of biological functions in the avian body, more than any other element. The ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio for birds is 2 to 1.

Other minerals required by birds include magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, potassium, iodine, selenium, chlorine and sodium.

The avian body also needs essential fatty acids (EFAs). They are required by every living cell in the body. EFAs cannot be made by the body, balanced amounts must be consumed in the diet. They have many desirable effects on a variety of disease conditions. Heat destroys EFAs.

Carbohydrates - the most commonly available nutrient, supplies the body with the energy it needs to function.

Water, many people provide tap water for their birds. The water you and your birds drink should always be of high quality. Either filtered at home, or purchase a good quality bottled spring water. Do not drink or give your birds distilled or RO (reverse osmosis) filtered water. Distilled and RO water is completely void of all minerals and must be re-mineralized before drinking. I have done extensive research on this topic. The World Health Organization has complied a comprehensive data base, consisting of several hundred pages, that discusses the problematic effects that drinking RO or distilled water has had on various human populations worldwide. These waters can cause a variety of serious, debilitating health conditions in people, birds and other animals. The body's water supply is responsible for and involved in nearly every bodily process. We and our birds must consume good quality spring or filtered water.

After reading about all these important nutrients you may be thinking about rushing out and buying a multivitamin and mineral supplement - stop. I'm going to teach you how to select foods to ensure you're feeding a nutrient rich diet to your birds.

The Ideal Avian Diet

You can begin improving the level of health and wellness right away by feeding your birds the most nutrient dense food on the planet - sprouts. Sprouts? You may ask... like alfalfa sprouts? There's more to feeding sprouts than this. Let me explain.

When parrots and birds joined my family I began looking for a food that was comparable to the home made, organic, holistic foods I fed my own dogs and cats. I was lead to sprouts. Well nourished birds have a natural resistance against disease and illness and handle stress much better than those who are missing key nutrients in their diet.

Vital Nutrients in Sprouts Every Bird Needs

When any seed, nut grain or legume is sprouted the entire chemical composition changes. Soaking triggers germination. At this phase a sprout's growth has just begun, Germinated seeds, grains and legumes must be allowed to grow for at least two to three days in order for them to reach their peak nutrition.

Properly grown sprouts contain two qualities not present in any other food. First, sprouts are alive. They contain life force energy. Once any other fruit or vegetable has been picked or harvested, the nutrition it contains begins to decay. Sprouts are alive right up until the moment they are eaten. Secondly, because sprouts are alive they are brimming with a rich assortment and volume of nutrients not found in any other single food or combination of foods. The nutritional value in fresh fruits and vegetables is limited when compared with what sprouts offer.

The germination and sprout growing process transforms whole foods into a superfood. Sprouting causes the formation of vitamins and an increase in all vitamins present. Because of this they are a rich source of beta carotene (the vitamin A precursor), C,E and the B complex.

During the sprout growing process any minerals that are present become chelated, making them easier for the body to assimilate and use.

Sprouts also contain an overwhelming abundance of antioxidants. Important antioxidants found in sprouts include vitamins beta carotene, C and E, flavonoids and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Bean and legume sprouts contains anthocyanins, a powerful flavonoid. More than 4,000 flavonoids have been identified in nature.

When sproutable foods are germinated and allowed to grow they become an abundant source of enzymes. By nature enzymes are catalysts - substances that induce hundreds of thousands of biochemical processes in the body. In fact, enzymes make every single biochemical process in the body possible. The brain, nervous system, vascular system, cell regeneration, growth, immunity, the digestive system, and al the vital organs - the liver, kidneys, heart and lungs all depend on enzymes to function. Although all raw foods contain enzymes the amounts present in sprouts can be 10 to 100 times greater than the amounts that are present in raw fresh fruits and vegetables.

Like enzymes, proteins are also essential to life. Proteins form the structural basis of the chromosomes. Each DNA strand contains the genetic code that is the formula for making that cell's unique protein chain. Proteins are the primary building blocks that make up every cell in the body. In order for proteins to be able to build healthy muscles, blood, skin, feathers, nails and vital internal organs they must be complete proteins - they must contain all the essential amino acids in the proper amounts.

So where can you find a fresh supply of sprouts that provides a balance of all the essential nutrients your bird needs? The best source of fresh sprouts for your birds is to grow them yourself. And if you're new to sprouting it's important to learn how to grow them in a manner that is right for your climate and the unique conditions in your kitchen.

The Benefits of Feeding Sprouts

Some of the health improvements being documented from feeding a sprouting blend that has been formulated to contain complete protein include the complete reversal of avian cataracts, the prevention of arthritis and arteriosclerosis and indications that the immune system of these birds is significantly supported so that bacterial and candida infections have been eliminated.

Sprouting Blend Essentials

Since birds joined my family I've come to understand that there are certain qualities to look for in a sprouting blend if you want to nourish good health and wellness in your parrots and other birds.

1. The blend must have been formulated to provide complete protein.

2. The blend must have a compatible germination rate, so that it can grow and reach optimal nutrition levels.

3. For optimal nutrition, the blend must be allowed to grow for 2 to 3 days. If you've seen the claims that 'Soaked is More Nutritious", please know this statement is false.

4. The blend should be a USDA Certified Organic sprouting Blend. Research continues to link pesticides in our food and water to illness and disease.

5. Look for a blend formulated by a person who is knowledgeable in avian nutrition.

Now that you know what to look for in a good, quality sprouting blend you should be able to start feeding your birds this super food right away.

Putting it All Together

After you've found a sprouting blend that meets the criteria outlined here, and learned to sprout then you can begin creating health producing meals for your parrots and other birds. I suggest that the complete protein, properly grown, sprouting blend make up 50 to 80 percent of your birds diet. This will vary depending upon the type of diet your bird has been on, and their overall condition. Their overall condition should be determined by your avian vet.

After you have a freshly grown batch of sprouts then you can add some fresh fruit, raw or steamed vegetables, and a few nuts, appropriate for your species of bird. I suggest that parrots be weaned off of seed because of their poor nutrient content. I also suggest that you avoid feeding your parrots pasta, breads, and some of the other cooked foods available for birds. These items contain very little nutrition, mostly carbohydrates. I do suggest that a good organic pellet can make up a portion of a parrot's diet.

As far as portion sizes, if you feed 50 percent sprouts, then the remaining 50 percent can be a combination of fresh fruit, vegetable, nuts and pellets. In the beginning it's a good idea to measure the amounts of food you serve so that you gain a realistic view of how much of each food to feed. For example, if you feed 1/4 cup of sprouts then you can combine other healthy foods to measure 1/4 cup, and then you have a highly nutritious and well balanced meal for the birds under your care.

In Health & Healing for Parrots and All Birds.

Enjoy Sprouting!

The sink is the most important spot in any kitchen and it also one of the most frequently visited spot in the home. It is considered that at any given day, the morning work starts at a kitchen sink and the night work finishes at the kitchen sink. So, it is absolutely essential for the homeowner to select on the best type of kitchen sinks that will perfectly compliment the look as well as the entire set up of the kitchen area. It is also imperative that the homeowner should select the right sink that will be easy to maintain apart from being highly durable. Nowadays, markets all over the world are flooded with a wide array of shapes, sizes and designs of kitchen sinks that are made from various types of materials. There are so much of models available in the market, that the homeowner will not be finding it difficult to choose the right kitchen sink that suits the need and the décor of his or her kitchen.

The different mounting types are surface mount, wherein the sinks rim is visible on the top of the counter and the under- counter mount, where the sink mounts under the counter and the rim is not visible. The newest and trendy look that the sinks have these days, go well with the latest and contemporary designs of the modern kitchen. The looks of the kitchen sinks range form the normal domestic look to the more commercial or professional look to the contemporary old world styling look. Once the desired look is arrive at, it becomes relatively easy for the homeowner to choose the sinks made of materials like stainless steel, porcelain, marble, granite, copper or brass.

Stainless steel kitchen sinks are the most popular and common type of sinks seen all over the world. They bring out the professional look to the entire kitchen and will be a perfect compliment to any modern designed modular kitchens. The reason for their popularity is that they are highly durable and are very easy to maintain and will last a lifetime if little care is meted out to them. Another kitchen sinks that are slowly gaining popularity all over the world is the granite kitchen sink. They are also the most durable type of sinks whose surfaces are resistant to scratching, chipping and staining apart from being heat resistant. The granite kitchens are slightly on the expensive side, but are highly durable and also resist the rigors of everyday life and needs least attention or care.

If one desires to add a touch of class and antiqueness to the kitchen, then going for the copper or the brass kitchen sinks will be the best option. Copper sinks provide the most contemporary and elegant look not only to the kitchen but also the entire home. They are made from heavy, solid weathered copper or dark brown copper sheets with visible hand hammered prints by artisans on them. The extra thick casting provided on the copper sinks will easily help it last for a lifetime and also help them in absorbing noise. They are highly resistant to stains and discoloration and become more elegant as it ages. Copper kitchen sinks are usually under mounted and are very expensive and fall in the luxury category of kitchen sinks. Kitchen sinks, generally are available as a single or double sink and also come in round, rectangular, square and oval shapes.

Water is dripping constantly from the rag that you have wrapped around the pin hole in the water pipe. Let's see how easy it is to fix that dripping and give you peace of mind. With some of the fantastic improvements in plumbing fittings in the last few years, plumbing repair has been made very simple.

Many leaks are caused by just a couple of things. The pin hole in the copper pipe that is caused by pitting inside the pipe. Usually this is caused by poor water quality. The inside of the pipe flakes off to cause a hole inside the pipe that eventually gets through to the outside. These often are given away by the green spot that usually is seen on the outside of the copper pipe first. This is caused by mineral left by the water evaporating off of the surface of the pipe. So in all reality there is a leak before there is a leak. The other main problem is the joining of two dissimilar types of pipes. Copper and PVC or Copper and Pex are two examples. The expansion rate of the two different types of materials is very different. This causes friction and constant movement where the two meet. This movement eventually will cause enough of a gap to allow the water to leak out.

Until recently there where many redneck fixes out there most involving garden hoses, inner tubes, hose clamps, epoxy, and many other creative fixes. I have seen way too many to describe all of them. Now there is a great way to fix those leaks with a simple push fitting. The new design of the push fitting allows for the pipe to be cut at the hole and then a coupling just pushed onto the pipe to fix the leak. The hardest part of the whole process is to get the pipe cut neatly. The same fitting can also be used to replace those pesky plastic to copper unions that always seem to give trouble. Joining different types of piping is no longer a problem.

By doing a quick search for push fitting you can find a number of different suppliers of this type of fitting. I have used a number of different ones and they all seem to work well. My preference is the brass types as they seem to be much more rugged in construction. The price of those fittings also reflects that. The most common that I have seen and used are the Sharkbite Brand. These are very good, are sold in many plumbing supply houses, and in Home Depot Stores. Other companies include Watts, Probite, Tectite, and Speedfit. I'm sure that I have left some out. These are some that I am familiar with and have used.

Bottom line is that it is now very easy for even a desk jockey to fix his own pipes. Go by the closet home improvement store on your way home. Pick up some of these fittings and impress the wife with talents that she did not know you had. You may even get brave and do that small plumbing project that she has been begging for. Now you can use these fittings to cut into that water line to run that new outside faucet or hookup that water filter yourself. With the push type fitting plumbing has been made easy enough for anyone to be able to do it.