Is your home making you sick? Sneezing, itchy watering eyes, wheezing, a runny nose are all signs of allergies. When these symptoms arrive we are quick to blame pollen and other outside allergens, but what about the irritants that are inside the home? Researchers confirm that the home not only contains many sources of allergies including dust, mold and animal dander but also tends to intensify allergic reactions due to restricted airflow.

A proper night's rest has a positive effect on mental clarity, energy, memory and even coordination. Most of us spend one third of our lives in bed. Consequently, the air quality in the bedroom is particularly important. Poor sleep can be caused by a number of factors including airborne allergens.

On the surface the image looks pretty serene - parent and infant rocking gently in a big chair in the room freshly painted and carpeted for its new inhabitant....

Most people now know that asbestos is hazardous. What may not be well known however, is that severe illness can develop even twenty years after exposure and despite the dangers, asbestos continues to be used in many products for our homes. According to the American Lung Association, there are more than 3,000 products in use today which contain asbestos. Most of these are products or component materials used for fire proofing, roofing, flooring, heat and acoustic insulation.

Recent research has shown that sometimes the cause of this discomfort is close to home - in fact, it's in the home. Though we hear a lot about the dangers of outdoor air pollution, studies are now showing that the quality of air indoors can be many times worse than the air outside.

Mold is pervasive in our environment; it occurs indoors and outdoors. In nature, various molds work to decay leaves and trees, returning essential nutrients back into the soil. Mold has also served humankind through some very inventive applications. Experiments in the 1920s revealed that a species of mold, called Penicillium, when added to a sweet solution, released a chemical as part of its metabolic processes. That chemical became known as penicillin, a live-saving antibiotic. Molds also have a long history of use in cooking: they are essential to production of some cheeses such as blue cheese. Airborne molds and yeasts provide the leavening agent and distinctive flavour of sourdough bread. Inside our homes, however, mold can cause serious health problems and damage building structures.

It can take years to accumulate a home full of treasured belongings but only a matter of days to pack it all into boxes for a move. Packing up and moving require organization and planning. In fact, it can be the greatest test for a procrastinator - what seems like few belongings can take far longer and use more boxes than expected. The following tips can help keep your breakables intact, your pets safe, and make the whole process as efficient as possible.

Planning for a healthy, enjoyable retirement involves more than saving money. Our homes and the communities where we choose to live also have a significant impact on our quality of life.

Most people are aware of the harmful effects of cigarette smoking on the body. Yet many homeowners do not realize how damaging the habit can be to their homes not to mention the danger it presents to children and pets.

'Let your fingers do the walking' has taken on a whole new meaning when it comes to researching real estate in the 21st century. The Internet is becoming an increasing important source of information and a time saving tool for homebuyers. It empowers them to gather information about housing issues and current market conditions as well as allowing them to preview numerous listings at the click of a mouse and survey current mortgage rates.

Home shoppers benefit in particular by being able to research homes before meeting with a real estate agent. Typical questions such as: Are there good schools nearby? How far is it to downtown or to work? Is the home construction suitable to its geographical area? Researching areas of concern can provide a sense of control over what is for many people the largest purchase of their lives. Also by weeding out homes that don't meet basic criteria, they can save themselves and the agent a great deal of time. The Internet makes research faster and more convenient than ever.

Aging is a gradual process that proceeds almost unnoticed. In today's health- and fitness-oriented society, it can be easy to think and feel young well into our retirement years. Most communities across Canada offer fitness facilities, grocery stores now carry more low-fat and low-sodium choices than ever before, and medical and nutrition understanding is constantly evolving. For many of us, it isn't until we suddenly lose the ability to do our daily activities that we realize we aren't young anymore! It may be something as minor as finding the label on a can too blurry to read to not being able to lift an object which was once no trouble.