healthy advisor

Caffeine Behind Your coffee, is it good or bad?

2009-06-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Caffeine is a stimulant and it will elevate heart rate, increase blood flow, and raise body temperature. It increases blood sugar levels and act as a diuretic, meaning you urinate more frequently and reduce water intake.
Caffeine injects adrenaline into your system, giving you a temporary boost, but possibly making you fatigued and depressed later. If you take more caffeine to counteract these effects, you end up spending the day in an agitated state, and might find yourself jumpy and edgy by night. When caffeine intake is above 300 milligrams a day, about three cups of coffee or three to four sodas, the caffeine may at first make you feel energized.
Yet one of the negative effects of caffeine is its ability to disrupt sleep cycles, causing less deep sleep, particularly when you have caffeinated beverages within a few hours of bedtime. So while you may be using coffee or other caffeine laced beverages to “get you started” in the morning, you likely need this extra boost because you are getting inadequate sleep. These changes caffeine makes in your physiology can have both positive and negative consequences:

Sleep Caffeine can affect your sleep by keeping you awake longer, thereby shortening the amount of sleep you get, and giving you less time in the restorative stages of sleep, which takes a toll on your level of alertness the next day and overall health.Interestingly, though, caffeine doesn’t affect the stages of sleep the way other stimulants do, so it’s a better choice than speed or other ‘uppers’ to use if you need to stay awake. Weight Many experts believe that increased levels of cortisol lead to stronger cravings for fat and carbohydrates, and cause the body to store fat in the abdomen. (Abdominal fat carries with it greater health risks than other types of fat.) Also, if increased cortisol levels lead to stronger cravings for caffeine-laden foods, the body goes into a cycle that leads only to worse health.The good news, though, is that caffeine can speed up metabolism. Also, it can help the body break down fat about 30% more efficiently if consumed prior to exercise. (You must be exercising to get this benefit, though.)
Additionally, caffeine can keep blood sugar levels elevated, leaving you feeling less hungry. Exercise If caffeine elevates levels of cortisol and other hormones for a temporary boost, after caffeine wears off, the body can feel fatigued and feelings of mild to moderate depression can set in. This can make physical activity more difficult.On the positive side, caffeine has been found to enhance physical performance and endurance if it isn’t overused. This, combined with its effect of fat burning during exercise, can actually enhance workouts and enable you to get in better shape if you take it at the right time.

beauty

2009-03-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

beauty gets Gold Coast roaring (The Courier Mail)
FORMER supermodel and now Hollywood star Estella Warren is making all kinds of waves on the Gold Coast, starring in a sci-fi version of beauty and the Beast.

Blog Content Postings

Is it true that coffee can decrease your breast size?

2008-10-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

Coffee consumption has an impact on the female body shape. A research to prove that coffee consumption can make women's breast size is smaller. The study was conducted by researchers from the Swedish University, Helena Jernstrom, an expert who led the research tumors. Initially this research held to analyze the influence of coffee for women.
The result is delightful, because the consumption of three cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, in research, not only in that it can be. The research also revealed that coffee can reduce the size of women's breasts.
From the research revealed that coffee can also make women's breast size is smaller. Women with a body weight of normal breast but have usually have a large number of Mammary Gland (producer of milk solids. Red) that much. The number of mammary Gland, which usually increase the risk of breast cancer. Consumption of coffee regularly can reduce the number of mammary Gland, so that also automatically decrease the regular breast size.

Treating Acne in The Right Way

2008-08-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

They said that as soon as you're over your puberty, acne and pimple will stop appearing. It is not the case for some people. I put down some tips that proven to be effective and low cost to treat your acne.

1. Drink 2 liters of water daily
2. Consume more fruit and vegetables
3. Don't prick them!
4. Treat them with tea tree oil or white tooth paste (not gel type) after you steam with hot water in a basin and a towel, your face for 5 min.
4. Use egg white to calm the redness as a mask
5. Don't use to much cleanser, use twice a day and before going to bed
6. For extra care, use clay mask once a week
7. Relax... leaving stress behind, your skin will be much healthier

Things between Health Food and Dental Health

2008-07-30T03:46:00.001-07:00

Healthy food can make contribution to dental health, because all types of foods and snacks are able to cause dental cavities. Cookies, candies, pastries and cakes get the most attention when cavity producing foods are discussed. Yet, fruits, milk, peanut butter, pretzels, chips, and juices are equally detrimental. Regulating eating habits along with regular brushing habits will help tremendously. These are the tips to get health food and dental health:

Avoid sticky food like raisins, honey, caramel, syrups, and molasses t o children. Otherwise, brush your teeth immediately after eating such foods.

Eat vegetables a n d fruits for snacks. Vegetables and fruits like cucumber, pear, celery, and melon stimulate the secretion of saliva during eating. This helps wash away sugars present in such fruits and vegetables and prevent any buildup of food residue.

Eat cheddar cheese as an alternative snack or for lunch. This triggers saliva formation and helps wash down food particles.

Drink water instead of juices or soda. Juices and soda have high levels of sugar. Soda also has carbolic acid, which is extremely destructive to teeth. Diluting fruit juices with some water is also helpful.

Use fluoridated toothpaste if you choose for brushing. Fluoride helps improve the hardness of enamel and prevents tooth decay. Flossing removes food deposits between the teeth where brushing cannot.

It is best to brush teeth well twice a day and preferably also after meals and snacks. Drink lots of water!

If you eat foods with strong odors like garlic or onions you basically have to wait until the foods have passed through your body before the odor is completely gone. You can mask it with brushing and mouthwash to cover up the odor temporarily. All food you eat begins the breaking down process in your mouth. As food digests and is absorbed into the bloodstream, it is eventually carried to the lungs and given off in your breath.

ADHD , when your kid suddenly become a monster!

2008-06-16T10:26:00.001-07:00

ADHD child hasn't learned positive ways to relate to her little that bring her the attention and/or confirmation that ADHD child gets from doing these nasty things. ADHD child has outgrown a lot of her ADHD except for his/her impulsiveness. ADHD child seems to do things with no thought to the outcome of his/her actions.

ADHD child constantly pushed people's buttons that they know will get them upset with his/her, then ADHD child whines that no one likes her.

ADHD child could be a very unpleasant child. Other people might say ADHD child could be a little monster, but since ADHD child is my beloved child I will only say ADHD child could get on your nerves. ADHD child was demanding, easily agitated, and often very argumentative.

As ADHD child got older we tried different things—but nothing seemed to help. ADHD child did a slow crash and burn, developed extreme performance anxiety in school, and started to do poorly. The more the blame was focused in my direction, the more protective I became of her and of myself, and the more the vicious cycle continued

Dealing with the Fallout in the Family

A special needs child can influence the harmony of the entire family. When you have a child with an undiagnosed disorder you can be sure you will have conflict between husband and wife, or between other family members and constant struggle between siblings.

The most frustrating thing about conditions like ADHD is that you just can't always know which questions to ask. I had never heard of ADHD, and, in fact, it is common for the condition to go undiagnosed in many of its sufferers. But the difficulty of diagnosis is not matched by a difficulty in treatment. The effects of appropriate medication combined with counseling and support can be so profound as to seem almost magical.

Whatever your child's special need may be, it is important for you to continue seeking answers until you are satisfied that you have the information you need. As much as we might wish it were otherwise, most situations are not clear-cut. You can't walk into a doctor's office and expect to get all the answers. You have to be far more proactive than you would like to be, because otherwise you will not get the answers you need. You can't give up!

Triclosan; Dangerous Monster Behind Your Daily Products

2008-05-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

Triclosan is a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans. A variety of skin irritations can result from phenol exposure, but since phenols are capable of deactivating sensory nerve endings, the normal warning signs from pain may not be present. It is designed to kill bacteria and widely used in toothpaste, detergents and plastic kitchen equipment such as bowls and chopping boards. It has been heavily promoted as a way of eradicating germs.

The alarm was first raised three years ago after five Swedish government watchdogs called for a ban on the “unnecessary use” of triclosan. Wide use of antimicrobials and disinfectants can lead to genetic mutations, creating drug-resistant bacteria and mutant viruses for which the human immune system remains defenseless. Studies indicate that people exposed to a variety of microbes develop stronger immune systems.

It seems that this controversial germ-killing agent reacts with chlorinated tap water to form hazardous chloroform as dishes are being washed, according to research conducted at Virginia Polytech Institute and State University. Chloroform is classified as a "probable" carcinogen (cancer’s agent). Over 95% of triclosan in consumer products is washed down the drain. Wastewater treatment plants do not remove triclosan from the water.

Common Product Names
Vinyzene (Rohm and Haas)
Microbanish R (Troy Chemical)
Vikol (Vikon Chemical)
Ultra Fresh NM (Kroy Chemicals)
Bac - Tex (Ecolab)

Things behind the fresh of your softdrinks

2008-05-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

Softdrink may be your favorite drink, but if you know people who still consume s o f t drinks then you will want to share this news with them.

Benzene can form in softdrinks that contain both vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and either or, sodium benzoate, or potassium benzoate. Being overweight or obese is just the first stage for many, of life long battles with so many other related ill health issues.
Soft drinks work very much like a diuretic, robbing the body of essential hydration. A considerable amount of water is required just to process the high levels of sugar in sodas.
high sugar content in soft drinks can cause your pancreas to produce an over abundance of insulin, leading to a "sugar crash".
Soft drinks interfere with digestion. Caffeine and high amounts of sugar virtually shut down the digestive process. Your body expends all its energy to process those things while other nutrients go to waste.
Diet soft drinks contain Aspartame, which has been linked to depression, insomnia, neurological disease and a plethora of other illnesses. The FDA has received more than 10,000 consumer complaints about Aspartame. That's 80% of all complaints about food additives.
Soft drinks are so acidic they can leach aluminum from the cans when sitting on the shelf too long. Alzheimer patients who have been autopsied have high levels of aluminum in their brains. Soft drinks can remove rust from a car bumper or other metal surfaces.

You will see that the good life is not in one of those well advertised, colorful, bottles of bubbly.

Over weight teenager, it is dangerous

2008-05-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

It is a fact that overweight people have reduced life spans and suffer with ill health and other conditions which are weight related so teens are being taught about the dangers associated with excess weight. Overweight is the cause of many health conditions, some of which are mentioned below:

Heart conditions
Conditions associated with poor circulation
Type 2 diabetes
Hormone abnormalities

It has become more common-place to have overweight youngsters go to teen weight loss clinics and programs in an effort to help them understand the dangers they face and to change their attitude towards their own image.
The idea is lose body fat by applying correct dietary habits thus ensuring this excess fat stays off if continued good health is the goal for a teen weight loss program The first thing a parent should be aware of is the tendency to overreact and if this happens the child will pickup on your concern because becoming overweight did not happen overnight; likewise the problem is not going to go away overnight either.
Other than carrying out some research of their own on the subject, a concerned parent needs to seek medical adv i ce, preferably someone who specializes in teen weight loss; If possible consult a medical practitioner, but at the same time do some reading on the subject of teen weight loss as there is a wealth of material of material available; The best way to proceed is by education, both for the parents and the teen so that losing fat is the prime concern as losing excess weight will follow.

Medical mistakes in health care system: malpractice?

2008-05-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

According to the report, medical mistakes are a huge problem. It quoted studies that estimate anywhere from 44,000 to 98,000 hospitalized people die every year from treatment errors or surgical mistakes. The cause, according to the Institute of Medicine, is not recklessness on the part of doctors or nurses but rather basic flaws in the way hospitals, clinics and pharmacies operate.
In law, malpractice is a type of negligence in which the misfeasance, malfeasance or non feasance of a professional, under a duty to act, fails to follow generally accepted professional standards, and that breach of duty is the proximate cause of injury to a plaintiff who suffers damages.
Many hospitals are now using computerized prescription systems in an attempt to ensure that pharmacists don't misread doctors' scrawled prescriptions. And the Food and Drug Administration is attempting to reduce drug confusion by ensuring that the names of new drugs don't sound too similar to drugs already on the market. It is committed by a professional or her/his subordinates or agents on behalf of a client or patient that causes damages to the client or patient. Perhaps the most publicized forms are medical malpractice and legal malpractice by medical practitioners and lawyers respectively
Every doctor makes the promise to "do no harm." But doctors, nurses, physicians' assistants, nursing homes, and hospitals do make mistakes. And a shocking report from the Institute of Medicine shows medical mistakes are a common occurrence and pose potentially life-threatening risks for patients. If medical mistakes were counted among the leading causes of death, they would be eighth on the list.

Stay health while pregnant: some do and don't

2008-03-27T05:33:00.000-07:00

Exercising during pregnancy can work wonders for keeping your muscles strong, your heart healthy, and your attitude glowing. Following these guidelines can result in protecting the health and well being of you and your baby. But, there are also several aspects here to be taking care, because of every women body is different from one to another. SO, this is the guidelines for you to follow= There are some don't you should know=

Don't exercise for weight loss. If you're gaining too much weight, see a doctor nutritionist to correct the problem.
Don't participate in competitive exercising - you want your exercise to be effective but gentle.
Don't do any extremely rapid movements.
Don't do curl ups or bend forward with you head down.
Don't make sudden changes in direction as this may cause dizziness or discomfort.
Don't do jerky, jarring, or extreme twisting movements.

And all the things you can do while pregnant are=

Be sure to get a good night's sleep every day.
Monitor your progress on a daily basis, and modify or stop the exercise if you experience extreme fatigue or discomfort.
During your exercise agenda, dress appropriately, eat properly, stay hydrated, and be consistent in exercising on a daily basis.
Pick one or more programs that suits your physical level from a number of recommended programs, to include abdominal muscles, calf stretch, light muscular endurance such as bar bells, low impact aerobics, rebounding, sit ups, slow dancing, squatting, swimming, and walking.
Always think "safety" for you and your unborn child.
Check with your doctor before you begin any program. He or she can advise you on a suitable exercise based on where you are in your pregnancy, and is viable based on your overall fitness.

10 Reasons why smoking is good

2008-01-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

This is just the 10 reason why smoking is good. We just call them the 10 commandment for smokers, enjoy….

Smokers help the government; we paid the taxes when buy the cigarettes.
Smokers creates job; we help paid off the workers’ fee in cigars factories.
Smokers help financials sectors, smokers make benefit in all sectors, for the cigarettes factories, for the cigarettes distributors, also for a lot of stores, supermarket, grocery stores, retailers and those who sold cigarettes.
Smokers help a lot of landlords, which grow crops related with cigars industries like clove and tobacco farms.
Smokers decrease traffic accident, you cannot get sleepy while driving if you smoke cigars.
Smokers light up the cities, smokers paid the advertisement; most of the advertiser in billboards and media, like television, magazines, radios, and newspapers comes from the cigarettes factories.
Smokers can prevent the crime, a thief cannot doing his action while smoking
Smokers protect environment, we help burn a lot of paper into the ash.
Smokers can held the art, m u s ic, sport, celebrities events and exhibitions, like bands festivals, Formula 1 car racing, etc; same reason like light up the cities.
Smokers help God create clouds

How People With AIDS Were Treated in The World?

2007-12-07T03:57:00.001-08:00

New regulations for HIV-positive people visiting the U.S. are more restrictive than the old rules , which prohibited issuance of visas to people living with HIV, critics of the rules said recently, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Under the old restrictions, HIV-positive people could visit the U.S. by applying for a waiver to the rules. According to the Chronicle, the waiver process was "cumbersome," and some critics said it was "slow, arbitrary and unfair." President Bush in December 2006 requested the waiver process be streamlined with new administrative rules. Federal authorities occasionally have granted some short-term exceptions to the rules, such as allowing HIV-positive researchers to attend scientific conferences in the U.S., according to the Chronicle.

How about Indonesia?

Currently, there are no rules specifically concerning the HIV-positive people travelling around Indonesia. The government weren't so concerned about the disease spreading until the number of death toll is "material", meaning, the press was bloating the news in the media. It's the same when the defective and expired goods were broad up to public. Before the news, the food and drug foundation wasn't so responsive to the spreading of those products. Will AIDS be the same in the future? Let's wait until a decade and see what the government were doing. Until then, be patient (not an HIV-positive patient, I mean).

Blogged with Flock

Choosing the diet that will work for you

2007-11-22T04:27:00.001-08:00

This article is presented by Kathleen Finn

Congratulations on making a commitment to losing weight. Now, how do you choose which diet is right for you? First, seek guidance from your doctor. Then decide what kind of diet meshes with your lifestyle and personality. The better the diet fits you, the greater your chances are of reaching your weight-loss goal, so ask some questions before you decide:

Q. How does food fit into my day?

A. Before you jump into a diet programme with both feet, consider your lifestyle so that you set yourself up for success:

Are you a parent who prepares all the meals? Consider diets that aren’t disruptive to your routine. Too many restrictions will sabotage your best intentions. Adapt a diet that won’t have you doing double duty at mealtimes.
Are you a single, active professional? Access and time to exercise at gyms, studios, and nearby parks will be a boon to any diet you choose. Sustain your energy levels by choosing a diet that isn’t too low in calories or fat.
Do you travel extensively for work? Think ahead to what you can realistically eat on the road. Narrow food choices or nutrient-balancing diets will make eating out an arduous task. Incorporate exercise routines into your daily plans whether it’s booking a hotel with a gym or packing running shoes for each trip.

Q. How do I best like to eat?

A. Rather than deny your innermost urges, let your personality take the spotlight when finding the right diet:

Are you highly organised and meticulous? You might lean toward nutrient-balancing (The Zone) or low-fat diets that give you precise guidelines to follow.
Do you work best with outside motivation? Support group weight-loss programmes, such as Weight Watchers, work for many people who succeed when fellow dieters are there to cheer and reinforce their diet goals.
Are you an avid snacker or a three-meals–a-day person? Diets with prepackaged foods parse meals out in neat, calorie-counted packets; this might work for people who feel their snacking calories add up to too much. Three-square-meals-a-day people might find that nutrient-balancing diets or low-carb, high-protein diets sustain them between meals.
Are you a vegetarian? High-protein diets that emphasise meat and dairy rule out the vegetarian crowd, while low-fat, high-fibre diets more closely approximate an herbivore’s eating patterns.

Q. How can I get in enough exercise?

A. Choosing an exercise routine that you enjoy will help you lose weight and keep it off, so try to work in a workout that you can stick to:

Do you like to work out alone? Try running, cycling, or swimming.
Do you need the motivation of a gym? Take up weight-lifting, exercise classes, or hire a personal trainer.
Do you like the camaraderie of team sports? Join a rowing, football, or other team.
Do you crave adventure? Take up canoeing, rock climbing, or other outdoor fun.

Regardless of which diet you choose, aim to lose weight slowly, 1/2 to 2 pounds (0.25 to 0.9 kg) per week. Eat smaller portions and take in fewer calories than you expend. Don’t skip meals in an effort to cut calories. Make eating moderately and sensibly your lifelong diet!

Source: Healthy Life

Is it ok to smoke mild or light cigarettes?

2007-11-19T04:03:00.000-08:00

Until recently, low-tar cigarettes were labelled mild, light or ultra. They showed lower readings for tar and nicotine on the packet compared to regular (full strength) cigarettes. However, research shows that light cigarettes are just as harmful as the regular type. It's important not to be misled by the tar readings listed on the side of light cigarette packets.

The facts

The figure that's given is usually a lot lower compared to normal cigarettes, but this is based on tests done with a machine. Real people smoke light brands very differently to regular cigarettes, meaning that the tar reading doesn't actually represent what you breathe in.

If you smoke light cigarettes you probably take more puffs, inhale more smoke, and smoke more of the cigarette. You may not even be aware of doing this, it's a way of trying to satisfy your body's nicotine craving and get a more satisfying hit, because light cigarettes taste weaker.

Low tar cigarettes have tiny holes in the filter, which allows more air to mix with the smoke so it isn't as harsh. Because light cigarettes are generally smoked more intensively, you end up inhaling the same amount of tar and nicotine as with regular cigarettes. Some of the filter holes are also blocked as you hold the cigarette, allowing less air to dilute the smoke and therefore the chemicals.

There are no health benefits of smoking light cigarettes; the only way to avoid the dangers of smoking is to give up all together. Don't start smoking light cigarettes as a way to ease you into quitting, as you'll carry on inhaling the same amount of highly addictive nicotine. Light cigarettes are just as addictive as the regular type.

Added benefits

Quitting smoking will improve your bank balance and your appearance, as well lowering your risk of serious smoking related diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. The EU banned the terms 'light' and 'mild' on cigarette packets from September 2003. Many of these labels have now been removed altogether, or replaced with names such as fine, silver or white, so that they don't sound like a safer option.

Source: NHS Direct

Does Smoking Help Stress?

2007-11-19T03:57:00.000-08:00

Many people think that smoking cigarettes helps to calm them down. Nicotine is a stimulant and acts as a 'pick-me-up'. It releases chemicals in your brain, called neurotransmitters and it is thought that these can improve mood and make you feel better. However, this only lasts for a short period of time because withdrawal from nicotine gradually makes you feel worse and your good mood is only restored when the craving is satisfied with another cigarette.

Smoking increases stress levels due to the constant need to top up nicotine levels. The problems with using smoking to cope with stress include:

relief is only temporary - stress will return and you will soon need to smoke another cigarette,
smoking does not solve your problems, it only hides them - the cause of the problem remains, and
smoking actually causes more stress than it relieves - scientific studies show that after giving up, stress levels decrease.

Your anxiety may be increased if you are worrying about trying to give up smoking. You may feel irritable and stressed when you quit smoking, but it is important to remember this is a sign that your body is repairing itself from the effects of nicotine. If smoking was your main way of coping with stress, after quitting you will need to find new, better ways of stress relief. Exercise, reading and relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, are good alternatives and will help you to take your mind off a stressful situation and improve your mood.

If you are finding the cravings difficult to resist, the NHS offers a number of Stop Smoking services to help you quit. The support you need is available from a range of locally based services that are provided free by the NHS. Depending on what suits you, the Stop Smoking campaign runs one-to-one and group sessions to help you through the process of quitting.

The first couple of weeks are spent planning and preparing to give up before you actually quit. Specially trained advisers will tell you about the treatments available to help beat the cravings, such as nicotine patches and gum. They will also help you to get this medication on prescription. You can find your local NHS Stop Smoking service by calling 0800 169 0169. You may also find the links below useful.

Source: NHS Direct

Rainy Season - In Flooding Health Advices

2007-11-15T03:26:00.000-08:00

Rainy season is coming hard especially in the west of Indonesia. Jakarta is not an exceptional. Yesterday's rain was memorable and harmful. The wind blows intensely, which makes every employee at high rise buildings ran towards the elevator to reach safer grounds. Don't forget that during rainy season there are always leftover water that can't go through the sewer because of bad drainage system.

Here are the health tips you can follow when the water level start rising:

Wherever possible, try to avoid coming into direct contact with floodwater.
Do not let children play in floodwater. As well as the small risk of ingesting bacteria from the water, there are other health risks such as uncertainty about how deep the water is and potentially concealed hazards.
If it is necessary to come into contact with floodwater, suitable waterproof gloves (such as household cleaning gloves) and Wellington boots should be worn.
Always wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and soap, especially after contact with floodwater or taking part in cleanup activities and before touching or eating food.
Ensure that any items suspected of being in contact with contaminated water, including toys, clothes and soft furnishings, are thoroughly cleaned, with hot water and household disinfectant, before further use.
Cuts and other open wounds should be covered with a waterproof plaster.
Food or drink suspected of being contaminated should be thrown away.
Where the drinking water supply is either interrupted or contaminated, it is important to take precautions for formula-fed infants. In these circumstances there are three options for the use of water to make infant formula milk.
The preferred option is to use bowser, or bottled, water brought to a ‘rolling’ boil. You should then follow the manufacturer’s instructions on making up the feed.
Use commercially ready made formula milk as an alternative to powdered feeds made up with bowser water.
The preferred options are 1 or 2. However if neither option is possible because there is no electricity or gas to allow boiling, bottled water (table, spring or mineral water) can be used unboiled to prepare baby feeds, but the prepared feed should then be used immediately. Unboiled bowser water should not be used.
Note that bottled water available during flooding incidents is suitable for making up infant formula. Additional advice is available on the Food Standards Agency website. Parents with infants that are unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting should seek medical advice.

Source: Health Protection Agency

Bird flu food safety

2007-11-14T22:25:00.000-08:00

Because of the recent outbreak of bird flu (also know as avian flu) you may feel unsure about whether to continue eating poultry and poultry products, such as eggs.

During an outbreak of bird flu you can still eat all types of poultry - chicken, duck, turkey and geese - and poultry products, provided you cook them properly.

Bird flu can not be transmitted to humans through eating food. It can only be passed on through close or direct contact with infected birds via their droppings.

So in short, there is no risk to you or your family's health from eating properly cooked poultry and poultry products. Cooking these food items thoroughly will kill all bacteria and viruses.

Cooking advice

It's important to always practise good hygiene when cooking poultry or meat.

Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling any poultry or meat, and use different utensils for cooked and raw products.

Make sure that the poultry is thoroughly cooked and piping hot before serving. The poultry should be cooked to the point where the juices run clear, and there are no red parts remaining.

If you have any leftover poultry that you want to eat another day, let it cool down before putting it in the fridge. Always use the leftovers within a couple of days of it being cooked.

If you decide to reheat the poultry, check it is piping hot in the middle, and never reheat it more than once.

Avoid eating raw eggs. Eggs should be cooked until the whites and yolk are solid.
Cooking times

If you're cooking a whole bird, such as a turkey, preheat your oven to 180C (350F, Gas Mark 4). As a general guide the cooking times are as follows:

Allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes for a turkey under 4.5kg.

Allow 40 minutes per kg for a turkey weighing between 4.5kg and 6.5kg.

Allow 35 minutes per kg for a turkey over 6.5kg.

Some oven types may cook the turkey more quickly so check the manufacturers handbook if you can.

Again, make sure you pierce the thickest part of the bird to check for any red meat. If this is the case allow for additional cooking time. Always make sure the juices run clear before you serve.
Vaccinated birds

Because of the presence of bird flu some poultry farmers may be vaccinating their birds. This is perfectly normal and you are able to eat vaccinated poultry safely. The vaccines given to the birds, to protect them against bird flu, don't pose any risk to your health. Simply follow all the same hygiene and cooking practices as mentioned above.

Source: NHS Direct

healthy walls

2007-10-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever know that there are a lot of dangerous things in your home? Just pick up one of the example, the walls and ceiling. Your wall contains a lot of chemical toxic, even for the one with wallpaper covering. The dangerous thing came from the adhesive glue, and if you did not change the rotten paper for a years, then it will produce a lot of toxic that diagnose as a main factor for cancer. More of the article about the walls and ceilings can be read below.

by Annie Berthold-Bond
We recently had a leak in our roof and needed to replace a wall and ceiling section of a bedroom. The process I had to go through to get the supplies for this simple job reminded me that the majority of the products available in hardware and building supply stores don’t yet reflect concerns of indoor air pollution. Careful attention is needed when buying commercial building materials, no matter how small the renovating project.

SIMPLE SOLUTION: These are the guidelines I used for choosing the healthiest wall products. I wanted to insure that the renovating didn’t leave residual toxic fumes from pesticides and solvents in the paint and joint compound for weeks and even months.The guidelines were compiled for my book Better Basics for the Home, with the help of experts Carol Venolia (author of Healing Environments), and Mary Oetzel, indoor air consultant.

Interior Wall and Ceiling Finishes

The Least Toxic Choice/Best Choice for Those Sensitive to Chemicals:
Plaster (if using a low-biocide paint—see below)
Ceramic tile (Portland Thinset and Portland cement grout)
Acceptable Choice
***Gypsum board or drywall (least toxic joint compound and sealed in with low-biocide paint –see below)
Solid wood paneling Natural-fiber fabric wallpaper (least toxic adhesives—see below)
Cause for Concern Paper wallpaper (applied without toxic glue)
Avoid/Generally Most Toxic Wallpaper (vinyl and other plastics or paper applied with toxic glue). Remove plastic wallpaper, especially if exposed to heaters, which can cause it to outgas strongly.

*** My choice

HELPFUL HINTS:

If you choose wallpaper, use a safe and natural wallpaper paste. Link to Everyday Solution/Home/IAQ/Wallpaper paste]
A rule of thumb for ensuring clean indoor air when buying building products is to choose the most inert and most natural materials.

news from health advisor

2007-10-29T03:47:00.000-07:00

When you start to green your business operations, you're helping to reduce global warming pollution, preserve forests and biodiversity, and keep our air and water clean. And you can also help protect your bottom line because environmentally responsible businesses are efficient businesses. This guide provides a few simple tips on how your business can start to go green. Use better paper, and less of it The average office tosses out about 350 pounds of paper per employee, per year. Reducing your waste and purchasing paper with post-consumer recycled content can help save trees and nudge the pulp and paper industry, one of the most environmentally destructive industries in the world, toward a less damaging path. * Set your printers to print double-sided, or designate a draft tray and fill it with paper that's blank on one side. * Buy copier paper with a minimum 30 percent post-consumer recycled content (100 percent is best!). * Collect used paper separately for recycling, and coordinate with your building manager and waste hauler to set up a recycling system that works for everyone. If you can, also recycle other materials, like aluminum, glass and plastic. * Stock bathrooms with post-consumer recycled tissue products. Tissue manufacturers destroy forests when they turn virgin wood into throw-away paper products. See our guide for ecologically preferable brands. Get energy efficient Using less energy reduces the demand on power plants, the nation's leading contributors to global warming pollution and mercury pollution. And it saves a bundle on your energy bills. * Contact your utility company to arrange for a free (or inexpensive) energy audit. An engineer will examine your operations and provide you with a detailed report about how your firm can save on energy costs, from rebates to improved maintenance. * Turn off lights and unplug electronics after hours -- computers and other electronics use energy while they're plugged in, even when they're switched off. (Plug all your appliances into a power strip and you'll only have to flip one switch at the end of the day.) * Set computers to sleep and hibernate when inactive, and lose the screen savers. Flying toasters and slideshows can use up about $50 of electricity in a year. Look for power management or energy saving features on the control panel for Windows, or system preferences under the apple menu for Macs. * Use Energy Star office equipment -- most major brands carry energy-saving models marked with the Energy Star label. Cut water waste One billion people on our planet can't get safe drinking water. In the United States, some rivers are being drawn down faster than nature can fill them up. Using water efficiently today will help ensure that future generations have access to the water they need. * Install faucet aerators and low-flow toilets * Check for and fix leaks * Recycle water * Landscape for maximum water efficiency Create a greener working environment Employees are on the front lines of any sustainability initiatives your company chooses to make. Participation from all levels of your staff is a crucial part of any greening effort. * Buy less toxic cleaners to improve indoor air quality and reduce risks to employee health. * Create a green team with members from all divisions of your organization to help implement plans and bring new ideas to the table (info from yahoo news).