Children might be at risk of fluorosis
15 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
in Just For Kids, News Updates
Source: ShrevePortTimes, 15/01/11
Could your youngster be getting too much fluoride? U.S. health officials think some young kids might be. They want to change the recommended levels of fluoride in drinking water, primarily to prevent a condition called fluorosis.
Some questions and answers:
Question: What is fluorosis?
Answer: It’s a dental condition that can result from consuming too much of the mineral fluoride. It mostly results in tiny white flecks or streaks on teeth. In extreme cases, it causes discoloration and pitting of the tooth enamel.
Q: Who can get it?
A: Only children under 8. That’s when permanent teeth are developing under the gums. Once those teeth emerge, the enamel is no longer susceptible to fluorosis.
Q: Is it serious?
A: In most cases, no. The majority of cases are mild, and barely noticeable. But it has become more common. An estimated 41 percent of kids 12 to 15 have it. It’s a cosmetic condition and can be treated with whitening or other procedures.
Q: How do you get too much fluoride?
A: Water, soft drinks and juices are the main source of fluoride in the United States, according to health officials. Some water supplies contain natural fluoride; it’s added to the drinking water in many communities to prevent tooth decay. Other sources are toothpaste, mouthwashes, gels and supplements.
Q: Are there ways to prevent fluorosis?
A: Read the toothpaste label and limit the amount of toothpaste used by kids under 6. They should only use a pea-sized amount. Watch them brush and make sure they spit out the toothpaste — not swallow it.
Bananarama
14 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
in Common Cold, General Knowledge, Home Remedy Collection
Everything you need to know about bananas!
Source: Lohana Community Online
FLAGGING ENERGY LEVELS:There’s no better snack than a banana. Containing three natural sugars sucrose, fructose and glucose– combined with fiber a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90 minutes workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.
But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions making it a must to add to our daily diet.
ANEMIA: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
CONSTIPATION: High in fiber, thus including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
HANGOVERS: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milk shake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
MOSQUITO BITES: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
SMOKING: Bananas can also help people to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, and the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
STRESS: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, there by reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high potassium banana snack. According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Christmas extras put to use- Candy Canes
13 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
in Common Cold, For the Holidays, General Knowledge
Source: The Downey Patriot
After the holiday rush, it is time to economize on what we can! Well why not start with finding a use for all those extra candy canes lying around.
Source: The Downey Patriot 13/01/11
DOWNEY – Christmas is over, maybe your tree and most of your decorations are packed away. The chocolate goes quickly, but what about all those candy canes and peppermint stars? Easy answer: keep them in the medicine cabinet and/or next to the coffee pot.
Why the coffee pot? Why not? Drop one into the next pot for your own peppermint coffee instead of buying one at the coffee shop.
You can also add one to the tea pot. Peppermint tea has been known for years to calm upset stomachs. Check the tea aisle and you’ll find several varieties. Some sources also recommend it to soothe a throbbing headache.
Most cough drops have menthol as their main medicinal ingredient. Well, that’s mainly what they use to make candy canes. Menthol is an approved FDA decongestant used in such formulas as Vicks Vaporub.
So next time you have an upset stomach, maybe you can’t keep your food down, or even have a drippy nose, reach for the candy canes. Add it to the hot tea or let it dissolve in your quart of water and sip.
At the after-Christmas sales now, most are 75% off, so go fill your medicine cabinet.
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