Though minerals in many forms are helpful in many ways, some are deleterious to our health.

Asbestos, for example, has proven to be one such mineral which has caused one asbestos related disease after another.

For workers, neighbors, or people in the vicinity, coming into contact with airborne asbestos fibers can bring the risk of contracting an asbestos-related disease like Mesothelioma.

As asbestos gets crushed, particles of the smallest dimensions—those too small to be detected by the human eye--get released into the air. These particles are inhaled or ingested by the worker, by people within close proximity, and even by those at home…when the worker comes home with asbestos particles on his or her clothing.

The asbestos related disease begins here, as the invasion of asbestos particles damages internal parts and organs: two layers of a thin membrane of cells (called mesothelial cells) cover and surround the lungs, the heart, the stomach, and other vital organs. When the person inhales or ingests the asbestos particles, the mesothelium (the cells) develop, divide, and multiply in unhealthy, abnormal ways, typically become destructive to tissues, cells, and organs—as a cancer…the asbestos related disease called Mesothelioma.

As you may have read about or heard about on specific ads for asbestos related disease, the first kind of person who may contract the disease of Mesothelioma is the one who experiences occupational exposure to asbestos. In insulation that is not damaged, broken, opened, or that is left in tact, there is no problem, but in the factory, the shipyard, the mines, at renovation sites and elsewhere—wherever asbestos fibers are freed into the air, wherever they are broken, sawed or cut into, etc., such workers are at risk for the asbestos-related disease.

Just as disheartening is the chance of those who come into contact with the person who has been exposed to the asbestos fibers in the air, for they are likely to experience para-occupational exposure and are therefore also at risk, at another level, for asbestos-related diseases like Mesothelioma.

And as odd as it might seem, being so far away from the initial contact site, those who live or work near a place where asbestos has been released are also at risk for contracting an asbestos related disease by way of what is termed neighborhood exposure.

Though a ban in the mid-70s and the subsequent efforts to remove tons of existing asbestos-containing materials (a.k.a. ACM) have made people more aware, safer, and better protected, those originally exposed—millions between 1940 and 1980—have had to deal with such asbestos related diseases as Mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. However, help is available…from environmental protection agencies, legal experts, and qualified medical professionals.

Would you say that you live a healthy lifestyle?

We all know that certain things are crucial in life if we plan to carry on to a ripe old age. What we consume has a lot to do with this, as does how we live. In other words, try and avoid smoking and excessive drinking at all costs. We do know for a fact these days that those nasty habits take a serious toll on our bodies.

Although many of us strive to live a healthy and happy lifestyle, we sometimes miss the subtle issues at hand.

Take the air we breathe for example.

Is it clean or is it filthy? In all honesty this has a great deal to do with where you live. While the air in downtown Manhattan is as filthy as they come, the breeze blowing through the Oregon mountains is much clearer. Now, with that in mind, what about the air you take in when you're not outdoors? I'm referring to the atmosphere in your very own home. Is it clean? Well, if you thought it was, then you may want to do a reality check. The fact is air trapped inside the walls of our homes is virtually the filthiest air around. Try up to three times dirtier than the air outdoors. So, are you interested in the best air purifiers yet?

One of the easiest places to search for the best air purifiers is the World-Wide-Web. In fact, this is where I did my research before purchasing one. Now days the best air purifiers come in a wide rage of prices. Whether you want to drop a mere hundred dollars on a standard air filtration system or go all out and blow a grand on one of the more supped-up models is totally up to you. The wonderful thing about searching online concerns the reviews.

Find out what are considered the best air purifiers and which ones are regarded as trash. The last thing you want to do is spend oodles of dough on a product that doesn't even do its job. Let cyberspace get you informed and lead you to the best air purifiers available today.

A great place to shop for some of the best air purifiers is Sharper Image.

This prominent store strives to provide the best electronics and technology to date. Have you checked out their selection lately? You won't be disappointed when you take a gander at their air purification systems for the home. Hop online today and take that next step toward a healthier lifestyle with the best air purifiers around. Find that perfect one for your home.

What's going on regarding your home air supply?

Improperly sealed vents is an even more common problem with air distribution with even more severe results. The problem is the same – a bad seal causes polutants to leak in, however, the types of pollutants and the quantities are worse, since they are leaking in from under the floor where there can be insects, mold, insulation, and all other manner of things which you really do not want to breathe in.

A professional can easily fix either of these problems, and you can do the same yourself.

A lot of really common problem occur with the heater itself, the center of the air distribution system. It may strike you as hard to believe, and it is incredibly dishonest, but the fact is, with your $1300 dollar furnace, there will be included a flimsy, 5 cent cardboard air filter worth almost nothing in terms of cleaning power. It will not stop dust and dirt from being pulled into the intake of the furnace, and this can cause all sorts of problems.

Not only will some of this dust be pulled into your house, and build up in your ducts, but it will also choke up your blower motor, cover the burners in the furnace, and all and all, decrease the life expectancy of the whole unit greatly while compromising the health of those who live in your house.

The most dangerous problem which can occur with a furnace air distribution system is carbon monoxide poisoning. This is potentially lethal, and certainly can not be ignored. It happens when there is a crack in the ventillation system of the furnace causing gasses to be leaked into the air supply of the house, or for some reason it becomes backed up, and fails to adequately remove combusted gasses. If this happens, the furnace must be shut down immediately, and a new one be installed.

So don't forget to check the quality of your furnace's air filter.

We hope this helps You!

Do you suffer from allergies?

I know I do. I sneeze in summer, cough in winter, gasp in spring and choke in fall. All year long, they bother me. I tried everything. Allergy shots helped a little, improving my diet helped a little, but nothing did much until I got my air purification system.

There are several types of air purification systems.

Mine is of the type called a hepa. A Hepa filter system has a high efficiency filter that traps particles which are blown through the system by a powerful fan. On top of this, it has an activated carbon pre-filter, which filters out molds, and odors. In most tests done by scientific organizations, this type of filter has rated the best of all of them. There's just no comparison. If you turn it on before you go to sleep, you'll be breathing clearly in the morning and be happy and healthy all day.

Another popular type of air purification system is the ionizer. This is a high tech solution, but people don't think it actually works that well. Basically, it takes all the air that goes through it and electrically charges it. This makes it cling to surfaces – carpets, furniture, bedding. Practically anything. It gets the dust out of the air, but does it by just making it settle in the room. Then you have to dust and vacuum, as well as frequently washing your bedding, or else the allergens are just as bad or even worse.

A washable filter air purification system is supposed to be a good choice, although I have never used one personally. In most respects it is like a hepa, running air through its filter and trapping dirt and dust inside. The problem with hepas is that you have to replaice the filter about every six months and the pre filter even more frequently – maybe every month or two. This can add up to a lot of money! But with a washable filter air purifier system, you never or almost never have to replace the filter. Just wash it, and it will be as good as new!

It is a good idea to read scientific reports and studies before buying an air purification system.

There are so many on the market, and some are much better than others. They tend to be rated in several ways: how much space they can clean at once and, on average, how much they improve the air quality. So, if you have a small room, a small air purification system will work, but if your room is big, you might need a larger and potentially much more expensive one.

Air cleaners are gaining popularity in homes in America and world wide. The air purifiers are designed to cleanse the air of unwanted elements like smoke, bacteria and other invasive particles.

Many people are attracted to the cleaners because they want to avoid illnesses and they want to curb the symptoms of conditions like asthma. There are many air purifiers on the market, but new studies suggest that with all of the good air cleaners provide, there is a risk of increasing global warming

An air cleaner is designed to purify, but the efforts may increase global warming even more than projected. A group of scientists from Britain in collaboration with a group of scientists from the United States found that aerosols affect the world’s general climate. Aerosols are tiny particles in the atmosphere. These tiny particles cool the air in the atmosphere and they are extremely effective.

The problem is that air cleaners take these aerosols out of the environment as they cleanse the air of impurities. The impurities help our climate maintain itself. In effect, we are adding to the climate’s acceleration of heat as we eliminate the aerosols. Scientists now predict that the climate will warm faster than they estimated earlier. The projected increase in temperature ranges between 2.7 and 7.9 degrees Fahrenheit. The range depends on other elements that contribute to global warming.

Aerosols are natural.

They are put into the air through dust in deserts, smoke from volcanoes, salt from the seas and from fossil fuels that are burned. Research is still relatively new on the subject of aerosols and global warming, but scientists are sure that the tiny particles help to cool the atmosphere. They are not certain of the specific role the tiny particles play in the big picture in regards to climate control.

Aerosols occur naturally as dust blown from deserts, wind-whipped sea salt, and emission from volcanoes. They also come from burning fossil fuels. But scientists have had a tough time discerning aerosols' precise role in affecting climate. Scientists use computer models to gain an understanding about the effect aerosols have on the climate. They also take measurements of aerosols in the atmosphere by using satellites and aircrafts. These measurements give scientists a range of the particles’ properties, size and density.

Scientists are finding that as we use air purifiers to cleanse the air of impurities, we may be interfering with the natural function of those particles. There needs to be a balance. Air cleaners are a great tool for keeping homes fresh and they are a great tool for improving air quality in some homes. However, they may be used best in places that have an excessive amount of pollutants in the air rather than in the average home.