Powering Sustainability: Shedding Light on Solar Panel Recycling with Dumpster Rentals

How to recycle solar panels

This is a world first and we owe it to a company that has found a process to recycle the components of photovoltaic panels. The company sees its bright future.

This company recycles photovoltaic panels. This is a first in the world: a company has embarked on the recycling of photovoltaic panels, with high added value. She started from a start-up with three people to open a factory in 2023, near La Mure.

They recover the materials that are most valuable in the panels – silicon, silver and copper – and reintroduce them into the photovoltaic production circuit or into other industries. The company employs 15 people in the factory as well as 20 people in the research and development teams.

A pioneering secret formula

They therefore offer a recycling outlet for the very many photovoltaic power plants that exist in Massachusetts. After several years of work, the company has found the right formula: the photovoltaic cell plates go from machine to machine and first undergo heat treatment, then mechanical and finally chemical treatment.

It is this last step that is the secret. They put the photovoltaic cells in baskets and these baskets will go through different baths and each of the baths has an action that we control explains the general manager. At the end of all these baths, the wafers are dried and the silicon is separated from the silver.

Once separated from copper and glass, they process the photovoltaic cell shavings composed of silver and silicon. Once separated from copper and glass, they process the photovoltaic cell shavings composed of silver and silicon.

Once separated from copper and glass, the company processes the photovoltaic cell shavings composed of silver and silicon.

Recycling better in Boston

In general, if a panel is broken, everything is crushed and nothing is done with the waste. There, each component is reused and retains its value. What they want is for each material to be reused, if possible in photovoltaic production or otherwise in the chemical or battery industry because we have partners who are looking for high-purity silicon.

they have high hopes for the future as photovoltaic power generation is growing. But the recycling sector is still underdeveloped in Massachusetts: the factory alone can recycle 3,000 tons of panels per year when last year, 4,000 tons were collected and 120,000 tons were installed.

Knowing that solar power plants will develop, that panels will flourish on roofs and car parks, as provided by law. Individuals also have an interest in turning to it, because it is economically interesting now that electricity prices have increased and because the environmental issue is more present today than ten years ago.

They receive the photovoltaic cells to be recycled in the form of sheets.

Towards industrial leadership

In boston they found all the skills to develop their business, from technicians to engineers. They intend to use their leading position in the sector to make further progress: they have a wide range of possibilities, it’s exciting but they won’t be the only ones, competitors will develop so their whole challenge is to maintain this technological leadership and to turn it into industrial leadership. For this, they will recruit and intend to settle in other states, and want to shine throughout the territory of the United States.

How to rent a dumpster for recycling solar panels

Renting a dumpster for recycling solar panels is a proactive and responsible step towards minimizing environmental impact. As the demand for sustainable energy solutions grows, so does the need to manage the disposal of solar panels responsibly.

According to the manager at Boston Dumpster Rental Services, renting a tailored dumpster for recycling ensures that the entire process is organized and as efficient as possible. Their dumpsters are designed to accommodate the size and fragility of solar panels, preventing any potential damage during transportation and storage. Proper disposal is crucial due to the presence of various materials in solar panels, such as glass, aluminum, and semiconductor materials, which can be reclaimed and reused in new panels or other applications.

By opting for a specialized dumpster, you contribute to a circular economy by promoting the recovery of valuable resources and reducing the burden on landfills. Recycling solar panels helps conserve raw materials, reduces energy consumption associated with manufacturing, and lessens greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, adhering to recycling regulations and guidelines ensures that your environmentally-conscious efforts are aligned with local and global sustainability goals.

Renting a dumpster for recycling solar panels exemplifies a proactive commitment to environmental stewardship. It not only facilitates responsible disposal but also supports the ongoing development of renewable energy technologies by promoting the reuse of valuable materials.

Why There Is So Much Plastic In The Oceans

The main reason why there’s so much plastic in the oceans is because of the way our society currently functions.

People produce more plastic than before. They create trash because they buy things wrapped in plastic, and throw them away. Some people don’t care about recycling, so they just throw away the package and it doesn’t get recycled.

According to the EPA, the ocean is also one of the biggest places where plastic can get thrown away. There are thousands of plastic bags and bottles floating around in the ocean, because people do not use enough dumpster rental near me to discard all their junk effectively.

Sources Of Plastic And How They Get Into The Ocean

Though plastic is used extensively as packaging material, disposable cutlery, cups and even toys for kids, we generate about a million metric tons of plastic waste every single year.

Plastic is a man-made material which contains chemical additives and is derived from petroleum and natural gas. According to a recent study, the concentration of plastic in the world’s oceans will outnumber the fish itself within just a few decades. The cause of the worst plastic pollution is lack of awareness, improper education and lack of leadership.

9.1 billion tons of plastics that have been produced, only 9% have been recycled. The rest end up in landfills via dumpster rental or the oceans. And of course the ocean litter ends up in the stomachs of marine animals and birds.

Even if the ocean litter was stopped at the shoreline, it would still be an immense problem, since plastics are slow to break down. In fact, they never fully break down. Over time, they slowly fragment into tiny particles which often get mistaken for food by birds and fish.

How Does Plastic End Up In The Ocean And What Can Be Done About It

It is widely agreed that about 80% of plastic comes from land-based sources. Plastic litter in the ocean from shipping and fishing accounts for the remaining 20 percent. Taking this broad differentiation a step further, the sources of oceans plastic can become a little more difficult to determine.

From Land To Sea

It could be confusing to consider that even litter from cities and inland towns contributes to the growth of ocean plastic. The fact that the sea was downhill from all the water sources is critical in this situation because rubbish that enters waterways or rivers can very readily make its way to the ocean.

Take, for example, a single plastic bottle in the city. The bottle is placed in a garbage can on the street, where it is blown into streets and then into the storm drain, where it can eventually enter the river and be carried out to sea.

There Are Numerous Sources Of Land-Based Litter:

  • Litter from garbage bins & storm water drains that is found on the ground.
  • There are two main ways that trash ends up on the coast: through being dumped on the beach or by poor waste management practises.
  • Litter can readily be blown into river from overflowing bins.
  • Leakage from waste management systems, e.g. landfill sites, especially those near rivers or the coastline.
  • Disposal of human waste, such as wet wipes and other sanitary goods, directly into the water supply.

The Effects Of Ocean Plastic Pollution

Ocean plastic pollution is a very serious problem, as it is killing a large number of sea animals. For example, it is killing whales and other marine mammals when they swallow it, often getting stuck in the animal’s throat or gut.

It is also clogging the ocean and killing coral reefs, which can be found both in shallow waters and in deep oceans. It is also killing fish and other aquatic life because the plastic can get caught in their mouths or can poison them by getting into the water, or even by blocking their gills.

Another big problem could be that trash that is dumped on land could end up in the ocean, because of powerful winds that pick up everything.

Finally, ocean plastic pollution could even be damaging the health of humans. The plastic toxins can be absorbed by the fish and then by the humans who eat the fish. As a result, the consequences of plastic pollution are serious and widespread, despite the fact that the plastic waste in the ocean is difficult to notice since it is only a small part of the ocean itself.

The Solutions To Ocean Plastic Pollution

As far as waste management is concernet, there are three main things that can be done :

1. Be careful with your choices and refuse single-use plastic items. The majority of the ocean plastic pollution comes from land. If you need something packaged, you should choose options that are sustainable.

2. Join beach clean-ups. Beach clean-ups are a fun way to take action and reduce ocean plastic pollution by putting all the junk in a dumpster rental. Plastic pollution is a much more serious problem than many people think. It is harmful to the environment, wildlife and sea animals, who cannot digest it.

3. Buy reusable bags for the grocery store. A lot of plastic bag pollution comes from the grocery stores. Incidentally, reusable bags are also a lot better for the environment.

Durham waste disposal solutions

Waste treatment in an appropriate facility

The management of waste in Durham systematically involves one or more processing steps until its disposal or final recovery.

Waste treatment facilities fall under several headings of the nomenclature of installations classified for the protection of the environment and can be classified under different regimes (authorization, registration, declaration) and governed by specific rules.

These rules depend on the type and amount of waste stored and processed in the facility, and the type of treatment. They are set out in so-called prescription orders applicable to each classified installation and are intended to control the risks and nuisances caused by industrial activities.

Controls are regularly carried out by environmental inspectors in order to verify their compliance by operators. The ministry drafted a note dated 2019 relating to the methods of application of the state nomenclature of the waste management sector to allow a simplification and harmonization of classification practices in the field.

The largest installations in size and therefore the most likely to have an environmental and health impact are also subject to compliance with North Carolina directive on industrial emissions.

This directive imposes in particular the compulsory use of the best available techniques in the operation of the activities concerned. These techniques are defined in federal documents called “Best available techniques reference document”. These are emission treatment techniques which achieve the lowest emission levels, economically and technically speaking, at the date of preparation of the document.

Presentation of the SC directive

The hierarchy of waste treatment methods

The hierarchy of treatment methods as defined by EPA is an order of priority defined at SC level for waste management.

The first priority is to avoid the production of waste: these are waste prevention approaches.

When waste has not been avoided, the person in charge of waste management should prioritize, in order:

preparation for reuse: the aim is for the waste to be prepared so that it can be used again without further processing. This often involves refurbishing second-hand items (including household appliances, end-of-life vehicle parts, etc.); the treatment of waste generally requires inspection, cleaning or repair operations.

recycling, which concerns all recovery operations by which waste is reprocessed including using a dumpster near me, either to fulfill its initial function again, or for other functions. Recycling involves a sometimes long chain of actors, including the stage of preparing the material extracted from the waste stream, which then becomes a raw material for recycling.

any other recovery, that is to say any operation the main result of which is that waste is used for useful purposes as a replacement for other substances or objects that would have been used instead. In particular, this concerns “energy recovery”, which consists of using waste as a substitute for fuels, for the production of heat or energy;

elimination is the solution to be avoided whenever possible. It can consist in incinerating waste without energy recovery, or in storing waste in a landfill. It can only concern “ultimate waste”, that is to say waste that is no longer likely to be reused or recovered under the technical and economic conditions at the time.

The purpose of this hierarchy of treatment methods is to encourage waste recovery and therefore reduce the use of virgin raw materials. It is one of the pillars of the waste regulations in Durham and North Carolina.

The complex biochemical mechanisms of our dreams

human brainAfter having identified REM sleep as the privileged moment of the dream, scientists wanted of course to know more.

How, precisely, does this phase of REM sleep occur? How and where does the dream originate in our brain? Many elements are still missing, but the teams of sleep specialists and neuroscientists have allowed science to move forward on the issue.

Brain imaging and inconsistent dreams

First observation: during the REM phase, the primary visual areas are deactivated, that is to say that the sense organs do not transmit information to the brain.

However, the brain continues to form images in other more sophisticated visual areas: it seems that it functions in autarky and does not need external images to function. In the same way as when a person closes his eyes and makes an effort of imagination, he can easily visualize the landscape of his dreams, for example.

Except that in the case of the dream, it was not his will that made an effort to recall this image. What remains to be investigated is how this image was created in the brain.

What we do know, however, is that the prefrontal lobe, which partly manages the consistency of the information we receive, is at rest during REM sleep. So there is no more censorship and our brain can no longer tell the difference between what is true, what is not, what is coherent or not.

Hence the difficulty in telling our dreams on waking: they often have neither tail nor head and no logical frame.

Birth of dreams: an experience on cats

Neuroscientists wanted to understand what was causing this altered state of the brain and to verify where exactly REM sleep was born: is there a dream center? These researchers therefore conducted an exciting experiment on cats. We already knew that the cortex was not essential for REM sleep.

The teams therefore concentrated on the brainstem and gradually removed small parts, notably the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, two structures which are nevertheless very important in regulating moods. Each time they cut a part of the brainstem, they found that cats continued to experience very regular REM sleep periods, neither the duration nor the frequency of which were shortened.

Second stage of the experiment: there remains only the bridge, a structure which makes the link between the brain and the spinal cord. The researchers decided to practice progressive bilateral lesions on this element.

Very quickly, they realized that, this time, the mutilated cats no longer had REM sleep and meaningful dreams at all: it would therefore seem that it originates in this bridge, more precisely at the level of its dorsolateral part.

The role of neurotransmitters

These data were confirmed by histochemical experiments which made it possible to show the accumulation of enzymes, responsible for the destruction of monoamine oxidases at the level of a very close structure, the cerulean complex.

This explains in particular that when a person has been deprived for a certain period of REM sleep, the duration of the dream, each night, increases: the enzymes seem to regulate the release of these monoamines over the long term.

This theory is now confirmed: thus, when monoamine oxidase inhibitors are injected into an individual, the phases of REM sleep (and therefore the dream in its strict version) disappear.

It remains to be seen how this monoamine oxidase then acts on the brain. It makes it possible to inactivate certain neurotransmitters of the monoamine class, such as norepinephrine, serotonin or dopamine. All these neurotransmitters play, among other things, a role in the regulation of mood and sleep.

Monoamine oxidase therefore has an obvious indirect effect on the different phases of sleep. Later, a team of Swedish researchers from the Karolinska Institute helped define a topography of the circuits of these neurotransmitters. Systems that would also be able to control each other and that researchers are still far from finished deciphering.

We know in particular that serotonin is necessary for falling asleep and keeping the body in a state of sleep. In the morning, serotonin inhibitors take effect, its concentration in the body decreases and we wake up.

The two systems are linked: if we deactivate the noradrenergic neurons, then the serotonergic neurons activate and the amount of daily sleep increases considerably, as does the quantity of dreams.

As for the REM sleep phase in particular, teams have identified in the brainstem the structures responsible for its activation. It is a set of SP-on neurons, active during REM sleep.

These neurons have their reverse equivalent, the SP-off neurons, which work thanks to aminergic neurotransmitters (noradrenaline, serotonin, histamine): they prevent the SP-on neurons from functioning. It is only when their action stops that they can “light up” and trigger REM sleep.

Another peculiarity of REM sleep, metabolic this time: experience has shown that the energy expenditure of the organism in glucose and oxygen was the same as during waking: better to have eaten well the night before if we want to have enough energy to dream! Spending is significantly slowed down during slow sleep.

Enzymes are therefore responsible for the ability to dream; the more there are, the less a person dreams. The mechanism of the latter is therefore very biochemical, even metabolic.

The role and powers of the EPA

Whereas until recent years the problems of pollution and nuisances were distributed among different administrative authorities, which resulted in a proliferation of regulations and a lack of coordination, the United States witnessed an administrative consolidation. In most countries concerned by an environmental policy, we saw the creation of central administrations responsible for the environment then considered as a whole.

The Ministry of the Environment in France and the Environment Protection Agency in the USA are two good examples. Created in 1970, the E.P.A. is a large federal agency headed by an administrator. Its roles are those of a central defense administration of the environment, namely the establishment and application of preservation of the living environment, research on pollution and means of control, information on nuisances, technical assistance in control antipollution, the suggestion of new measures to the president and the Council on Environmental Quality.

The Clean Water Act of 1972 gives this central body great powers in water pollution control policy. These powers are are situated on two levels:

  • on the one hand, the EPA is only authorized to take a certain number of decisions to be followed by state authorities
  • on the other hand, the EPA is empowered to fill the gaps in the authorities state, possibly replacing them

Centralization is therefore characterized by decision-making power and substitute power of the federal administration.

The decision-making powers of the EPA

The Clean Water Act reflects Congress’ mistrust of capacity States to obtain an improvement in water quality. Whereas before all standards were defined locally, now they are mainly developed at the federal level. Discharge limitation standards which constitute the main innovation of the 1972 text are intended as uniform standards, defined by the E.P.A. and obligatorily implemented by the States.

It should also be noted that it exists alongside the E.P.A. the “Council on Environmental Quality”, created in 1969, formed of three members and directly attached to the president. Unlike the E.P.A., it does not have any administrative power and only fulfills an advisory role.

American Law and the Fight against WATER Pollution qualifies as guide standards. There are therefore federal, the standards of limitations of effluents, the performance standards set for new industries, pre-treatment standards before discharge into a public treatment plant and ocean discharge criteria set out in section 403.

The purpose of setting these standards at the federal level is to prevent any possibility of compromise between industrial firms and local authorities concerned with the economic power of the state. Conversely such system may not take into account local specificities, but the legislator stressed the need for close collaboration between agencies for the environment and the federal agency. This collaboration finds its more perfect expression in the way in which discharge permits are envisaged.

Section 402 of the law provides that it belongs to the EPA to authorize rejections meeting applicable standards and levels. However this power can be delegated to the relevant state authorities, i.e. to state agencies responsible for environmental issues. This power will only be delegated to the states if their anti-pollution programs have been approved by the E.P.A. which, in fact has a permanent veto over individual licenses and state programs for water.

The industrialists tried to contest, before American courts, the power of the E.P.A. to set individual standards applicable in discharge permits. Among the jurisdictions which have had to know such actions, most supported the federal agency and interpreted the law in the direction most favorable to the strengthening of federal powers.

Regarding domestic pollution, the role of the federal agency is at least as important since it is up to him to grant the credits of financing of the constructions necessary for the purification of water. The EPA distributes the funds annually allocated by the Congress according to the requests made to it by municipalities, states or agencies local. The funds are only granted if the structure to be built is able to meet the conditions for removing pollutants set out in the text (secondary treatment of discharges before 1983). To be accepted, the project must be given priority according to established water programs by state authorities.

Despite the complexity and scope of the tasks, despite also the possibilities of pressure on it, the Environmental Protection Agency is the vital center development and implementation of the American policy in the fight against pollution of river and maritime waters. The powers recognized by current legislation are enormous and do not allow it only to impose constraints on state authorities and polluters individual, but still to short-circuit the state authorities by substituting for them when they turn out to be weak or too lax.

Waste management and environmental issues

The management, treatment and recycling of waste result from an observation: the volumes of waste have multiplied since 1950, as well as their harmful effects on health, the environment and the economy.

According to the Environment Code, waste is any residue from a production, transformation or use process, any substance, material, product or more generally any property, abandoned furniture or that its holder intends to abandon.

In other words, everything that is abandoned is waste. This does not mean that this element cannot be used, as it is or after modification. Only those that are classified as ultimate waste are really unusable and should be stored to avoid environmental pollution.

In Europe each inhabitant throws on average some 354 kg of waste per year in their trash. Added to this is the waste produced by industry and businesses, by agriculture or by healthcare activities. In total, the average waste produced by each person is around 14 tonnes per year! About a third is incinerated, a third is recycled (recycling, composting or anaerobic digestion) and a third is landfilled.

Different types of waste

Depending on their nature, their source or their toxic nature, waste is divided into different categories.

  • household waste – including household waste to be incinerated and sorted recyclable waste – that we produce in everyday life
  • non-hazardous waste from economic activities that resemble household waste, but is produced by businesses or manufacturers
  • toxic waste from economic activities which represent a danger to health and the environment
  • wastes from healthcare activities with infectious risks that require special treatment
  • inert waste which can be reused in sub-layers for roads or buried in waste storage centers
  • agricultural activity waste which is treated in specialized centers
  • radioactive waste which is entrusted to the Agency for the Management of Radioactive Waste

Biodegradable plastic is created from agricultural waste. Every year, tons of plastic are dispersed in the environment and especially in the ocean. One solution proposed by some laboratories would be to replace this petroleum derivative with a biodegradable and non-toxic plastic.

For good waste management, a distinction must be made between waste according to its degradation time in the soil. Biodegradable elements, that is to say based on organic materials (green waste, paper …) disappear in less than a year, but it takes 10 years for metal and 100 to 1,000 years for plastics, polystyrenes and other similar synthetic materials.

In addition, waste management is not trivial: some waste can be harmful to human health and the environment.

To avoid being invaded by this waste and to limit the risks of pollution and poisoning which would result from it, waste treatment procedures are put in place. The principles applied, before and after the production of waste, are the reduction of volumes, the reduction of their toxicity, the improvement of their recycling (potential and realized) and the secure landfill of final waste. As these processes are expensive, the spotlight is given to those who make it possible to recover waste.

Environmental and health issues

The accumulation of waste generates four types of nuisance.

1/ A deterioration of the living environment caused by visual nuisances (plastic bags hung in trees, macro-waste on beaches) or olfactory (organic matter in decomposition, combustion of chemical materials).

2/ An economic impact due to the loss of the attractiveness of a site following this deterioration of the living environment and the decrease in its productivity, in the case of a fishing area or agricultural land. To this can be added the additional costs caused by pollution control, in the case of drinking water for example, and by the societal consequences of intoxication: medical treatment, work stoppages, etc.

3/ Because there is also a health risk following injuries (shards of green, syringes …), intoxication (water, air pollution …) and diseases (bacterial proliferation, parasite infestation, rats …).

4/ Finally, environmental pollution and ecological degradation during eutrophication of the environment, poisoning, suffocation or injury caused to wildlife when it absorbs or clings to waste.

More indirectly, waste is a reflection of the consumer society and its exploitation of natural and energy resources. Processing them for recovery is a way to compensate for the depletion of these resources and the degradation associated with their exploitation.

Pollution in Oakland

Pollution is the process of making land, water, air or other parts of the environment dirty and not safe or suitable to use. This can be done through the introduction of a contaminant into nature, and all residents of Oakland and the world should pay attention to this matter.

Cars, trucks and buses powered by fossil fuels are major contributors to air pollution. Transportation emits more than half of the nitrogen oxides in our air, and is a major source of global warming emissions in the US. Studies have linked pollutants from vehicle exhaust to adverse impacts on nearly all aspects of human health.

Pollution may muddy landscapes, poison soils and waterways, or kill plants and animals. Humans are also regularly harmed by pollution. Long-term exposure to air pollution, for example, can lead to chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer and other diseases. Toxic chemicals that accumulate in top predators can make some species unsafe to eat.

Pollution in California relates to the degree of pollution in the air, water, and land of the state of California. Pollution is defined as the addition of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or any form of energy (such as heat, sound, or radioactivity) to the environment at a faster rate than it can be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored in some harmless form.

California has eight of the 10 most polluted U.S. cities. Eight of the USA’s 10 most polluted cities, when it comes to ozone pollution, are in California, according to the American Lung Association‘s. The state’s new effort to map the areas most at risk from pollution features hot spots up and down California. But nowhere are there more of the worst-afflicted areas than in Fresno and Oakland.

Why is air pollution a problem in California? Three main factors are behind the unhealthy levels of air pollution in California: Large amounts of air pollution are generated by the activities of 33 million people, terrain or topography traps pollution, and a warm, sunny climate helps form ozone and other air pollutants.

Although the general public is not likely to be affected at this AQI range, people with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, whereas persons with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.

Marine debris is another global pollution problem that impacts human health and safety in California, endangers wildlife and aquatic habitats, and costs local and national economies millions in wasted resources and lost revenues.

At this time, the top legislative priority is cutting down on plastic pollution through redesigning plastic products and reducing consumer consumption. The Stop Plastic Pollution Page is a website specifically created to help people learn about the impacts of plastic pollution on the environment and the actions taken to reduce plastic pollution.

Polluted runoff, also known as nonpoint source pollution comprises the majority of pollution in the ocean off California. When it rains or when you water your lawn or you wash your car, water picks up pollutants and carries them into our storm drains. Recent tests have found more toxic material, bacteria and pollution in California rivers, streams, bays and lakes than has ever been documented before, according to the federal agency.

Finally the wildfires blazing across Northern California in recent years produced the same amount of air pollution as vehicles did in the state in one year. However, not all air pollution is created equal, and this type of pollution is highly toxic.

The best way to fight pollution in Oakland and in Calfornia is by avoiding amassing unnecessary objects at home or in the office. If you have too much junk at gome, hire a dumpster rental in Oakland to remove your litter and waste materials. Recycle as much as you can to avoid factories over-producing. Use as little plastics as possible as they may end up one day in the ocean.

Best Way To Naturally Eliminate Arthritis Pain

Contrary to popular belief, there are more working-age individuals who are affected with arthritis. In fact, this condition even affects children. Though arthritis is an unpleasant yet natural side effect of growing older, there are still natural ways for you to eliminate the joint pain.

What Exactly Is Arthritis?

There are many different types of arthritis. But here are the 2 most common forms:

Rheumatoid Arthritis

An autoimmune disease that causes inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis affects many individuals regardless of age. The inflammation occurs on the joints and the tissues surrounding the joint. The definite cause is unknown but it’s linked to poor health choices and a loss of synovial fluids.

Osteoarthritis

The kind of arthritis that affects older individuals is osteoarthritis. This type of arthritis is caused by the wear and tear of the cartilage in the joints. When this occurs, too much friction happens which results in pain and inflammation.

These 2 common types of arthritis are quite different in nature. But what they have in common is the symptoms of stiffness, inflammation, and joint pain. For some people it is so severe, such as in their feet, that they need to wear an ankle support brace on a regular basis.

How To Treat Arthritis The Natural Way?

The very first thing you can do is to alter your diet. Inflammation is due to many factors, but its main culprit is your health and nutrition. When your immune system goes haywire, your inflammatory response follows. The only way to improve your health is by making proper food choices. Here are some tips to become healthier:

Take probiotics – Probiotics restore the healthy flora in your gut. Since your GI Tract has a bigger responsibility in your immunity that you thought, making sure it’s healthy allows your body to restore its normal inflammatory response.

Omega-3 Diet – You can get omega-3 fatty acids from food like wild salmon, sardines and mackerel. You can also absorb omega-3 by eating nuts, avocados and seeds.

Leafy Vegetables – they are rich in vitamins C, flavonoids, and antioxidants that can prevent cellular damage. Make sure to include vegetables like kale, broccoli, swiss chard and spinach in your diet.

What Kind of Food Should I Avoid?

Processed Foods – food that contains artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and preservatives should be removed from your kitchen. These ingredients just add stress to your metabolism and immunity mechanism.

Carbohydrates – Arthritis can sometimes lead to a more inactive lifestyle due to the pain. Try to make sure that you don’t gain even a little weight as it adds more stress to your muscles, joints and bones. Stay away from carbohydrates like rice, white bread, pastas, and potatoes.

Coffee and Alcohol – These drinks are diuretics, which means, they eliminate water in your body. Alcohol and coffee are also known to inhibit the absorption of certain water soluble vitamins and minerals which are important for your immune system.

Red Meat – People with arthritis have a more acidic body. Try to stay away from food that can increase the acidity of your body such as eating red meat. This can only aggravate your arthritis more.

Doing these things can also attribute to your recovery:

Exercise – There is a strong link between excessive fat and inflammation in the body. By exercising, you can help eliminate the excess weight you have and reduce the likelihood of inflammation. Also, losing weight will ease the pressure on your joints.

Anti-inflammatory supplements – So far, the best success most individuals with arthritis have found was by taking turmeric supplements. This natural remedy has anti-inflammatory properties that can get rid of pain and treat inflammation efficiently. You can get your therapeutic dose by taking the pure tablet form.

Rest – Make sure to get the right amount of rest every day. Cellular repair is actually at best when you’re sleeping. Make sure to get the right amount of rest and never stress your joints if they get more painful than usual. Avoid extraneous activities and only allow what you can physically take.

Oosteoarthritis versus Rheumatoid arthritis

Both osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involve pain and swelling in the joints, but there the similarity ends. The inflammation or swelling of rheumatoid arthritis is much more severe than the swelling that can occur in osteoarthritis.

With osteoarthritis, the basic problem is the breakdown of cartilage and sometimes bone. It can be so uncomfortable that the pain keeps you from moving your joint. The nearby muscles become weak because you aren’t exercising them enough, and the joint can “freeze up.” While osteoarthritis, unlike rheumatoid arthritis, won’t shorten your life, without proper care it may drastically limit your activity and change your lifestyle which of course can be pretty depressing. Fortunately, treatment can make an enormous difference.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a much more serious disease that must be treated promptly to avoid permanent damage. Untreated, it can damage your joints and lead to serious complications, even in other parts of your body. With this disease, your immune system, which normally protects your body and helps you recover from illnesses goes awry, attacking your joints and causing the membrane that lines them to swell and thicken.

Cartilage and bone may be destroyed, and in severe cases, the inflammation can affect the covering of the heart, small blood vessels, lungs, eyes, mouth, lymph glands, or spleen. As if this isn’t bad enough, the disease also can make you feel rotten. You may lose your appetite, hurt all over, run a fever, and feel tired all the time.

What exactly happens in rheumatoid arthritis? For reasons no one understands completely, your immune system causes your body to attack itself. Think about allergies: For some reason your body sees the allergen-mold or pollen or peanuts or whatever as a threat to the body. It kicks into full-scale battle mode, fighting an enemy that doesn’t exist.

Something similar happens in rheumatoid arthritis. Some researchers believe a virus or bacterium gets into your joint and triggers the process. Whatever the cause, your immune system, normally a well-tuned and helpful setup, kicks into attack mode. Special white blood cells band together to fight the infections or invaders such as bacteria.

These cells produce healing and infection fighting substances, which also happen to cause inflammation during the battle. When the battle is won and the wound is healed or the infection cured, normally your white blood cells calm down and the inflammation gradually goes away.

Unfortunately, in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, there’s no “off” switch to tell your body the war is over. The protective cells are in battle mode with nothing to sound the all clear, so you end up with inflamed, swollen, painful joints.

In some people, not much happens besides the swelling that makes joints uncomfortable. In others, however, the disease gets worse. The membrane that lines the joint-the synovium-gets thick and rough. White blood cells gather and release enzymes that inflame the membrane and cause it to accumulate fluid. Sometimes the synovium starts to grow, even over the cartilage of the joint, and this growth in turn produces enzymes that erode the cartilage and bone.

For some people, without careful treatment rheumatoid arthritis can be crippling. Hands, feet, and arms may become not only stiff and painful, but also deformed. And rheumatoid arthritis can damage the lungs, heart, or eyes as well. Again, however, good medical treatment can forestall the worst damage in most cases.

Pros and Cons of a Breast Implant Procedure

Lopez breastsMany women aspire to get bigger breasts. According to recent statistics, more women than ever are undergoing breast augmentation to enhance their looks nowadays.

Though it is an invasive procedure, the results can create a significant change in a woman’s life. For women who have gone through terrible feats like breast cancer and breast removal, getting implants can surely boost their self-esteem.

Like all other cosmetic or plastic surgery procedures, there are advantages and disadvantages that a patient needs to consider. Knowing what happens after the surgery also prepares the patient for the post-operative expectations and length of recovery.

If you are considering on getting breast implants, you can expect the following.

Patients receiving breast implants will be under general anesthesia. Because of this, you can expect that you will feel groggy. There is a possibility that you will experience post-operative vomiting or nausea.

Some doctors provide anti-nausea IV drip during the surgery to avoid the feeling of an upset stomach. If this is not part of your care plan, you can speak about it with your attending nurse, anesthesiologist or surgeon before the procedure so they can prescribe you with Zofran. It is a powerful anti-nausea medication, often given to cancer patients to reduce nausea caused by chemotherapy.

Recovery from breast implants is different for every patient. You may have an easy time for it, while others may experience more difficulty and even complications. Below is a list of expectations during the recovery:

Tightness or pressure in the chest – This is caused by skin and muscles trying to stretch out over the implants. This sensation will dissipate in 14 days.

Feeling of engorgement – Your breasts will swell and feel warm to touch. A little pain is also associated here.

Sore creases – Your surgeon will lower down the crease of your breast to situate the implant just behind the areola to give it a more centered look. That causes the ridges of the nipples to be sore and tender.

Post-operative blues – This is common for any surgery. This feeling of melancholy is attributed to the narcotics, anesthesia, pain and other factors like lack of sleep or failure to move around with ease.

You can also expect soreness, appetite loss, bruising, muscle spasms, back pain and lack of energy.

Once the breasts are healed entirely, there are other possible issues that a patient must prepare for. Here are as follows.

Possible Implant Rupture

There is a possibility that the breast implant will rupture, and there is no specific time when this will happen. According to the Food and Drug Administration, aging, overfilling or a strong impact can cause them to break and deflate. When it happens, you must check for breast unevenness, burning sensations and irregular lumps in the breasts. An MRI will confirm if leakage has indeed occurred.

Recovery Time

As mentioned earlier, some patients recover quickly, while some do not. Surgical procedures require some time for the wounds to heal properly. It means your time for personal activities, work and family will be considerably affected. Also, a proper recovery plays a crucial role in achieving the best results, so you have to be prepared if your body needs more time to heal.

Post-Operative Checkups

It is necessary that you set up appointments with your surgeon, days and weeks after the surgery. Your doctor will inspect any issues such as irritation, hematoma and possible infection. If these indicative signs are absent during the early stages of recovery but start to manifest later, contact your physician right away. Indications of chest pain, shortness of breath and fever should not be taken lightly.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to enhance the aesthetics of your chest. If doing so boosts your self-esteem, you have all the right to get breast implants. Make sure to select a board-certified surgeon that you feel comfortable with. Since you will keep seeing your doctor during the recovery period, maintaining a good relationship with him or her is an essential part of the healing process.