Author: Jeannie Collins Beaudin

Categories
Health and Beauty

Going Natural, the First Step…

So, here’s a photo of the first step of my transition from dyed to natural… going from long to short to lessen the time it will take to grow out. I enjoyed all the comments on last week’s blog with the “before” photo and I hope my story will help those of you who have been thinking of making the change too.

Getting help from a professional…

My hairdresser is helping me through the transition, making the change easier by using her styling skills. Since most of my grey is at the temples, she cut the sides very short, getting rid of much of the dyed hair. But she left the top longer to cover the newly shortened grey hair, so just a bit peeks through. This is called an “undercut” style and it’s quite popular right now. I expect the next cut will show more grey but, what the heck, I might just keep this undercut style for a while.

But not everyone has a greying pattern like mine with mostly the original colour on top. And, actually, that’s one of the reasons I decided to do it now—because I thought it would be easier if I didn’t have to worry so much about having a white stripe on top!

When you’re ready to go natural, a consultation with a hair stylist is an important part of the plan. For example, a friend with most of her colour change on the top had the colour stripped from her hair, leaving it lightened to the colour of her roots. This way she was able to keep the length of her hair while softening the line at the colour change.

Lots of options

Some women would look great by adding platinum streaks that would blend with the grey as it grows out. Others might look great by just going completely silver-grey or platinum (popular colours these days) and letting the dark grow in.

Fortunately, there are lots of options for us! The key is to be able to predict what your natural colour is and where it has changed. And after years of hair dye, the only way to know is to let it start to grow. Try covering the most obvious root areas with temporary colour—hopefully you’ll have better luck on this than I did—wash it out before your consultation and ask your hair stylist for some suggestions. I let my colour go for 2 months before getting my cut and wore my long hair down most of the time, rather than twisting it up as I often did, as this helped cover the roots at the sides.

Many chemicals pass through the skin

One thing I learned as a compounding pharmacist, is that the skin is not as much of a barrier to chemicals as we’d like to think. I often made medicines that were administered as a cream or gel and were intended to act on muscles and nerves under the skin or throughout the body. With some, nothing special was needed to help the active ingredient pass through the skin. It certainly bothers me when I read that cosmetics, including hair dyes, are not as well tested as medical products. Especially since we use these products regularly for years, some of them daily. Even though hair colours are noted for causing severe allergic reactions and can cause blindness if used near the eyes, companies are exempt from responsibility as long as they have a statement describing these reactions on the label and tell users they must do a skin patch test 24 to 48 hours before use every time.

We deserve to have safe cosmetic products. But how do you know what’s safe? Here are some things you can do:

  • Choose simpler products—those with fewer ingredients and with ingredient names you can pronounce. Avoid added fragrances, as these are additional chemicals that usually do not contribute to the action you want from the product.

  • Consider making your own—some products, like salt/sugar rubs or body oils are easy to make. Be sure to make small amounts that will be used in a reasonable time, as homemade products usually do not contain preservatives, allowing bacteria to grow in the product. Use a small clean spoon to scoop out the amount you need to help to prevent bacteria from getting into the product.

  • Learn about cosmetic ingredients. Read labels carefully. Research ingredients. Suggestion: try out the free Think Dirty app (featured on Dragon’s Den) which has an analysis of many North American cosmetics and rates safety of ingredients.

  • Join the campaign for safe cosmetics and beauty products, like shampoos and moisturizers. Demand safer products where you shop and better regulation from government. Check out this video: The Story of Cosmetics

PS: We Canadians spell “color” with an extra (rather useless!) “u” like the British… This article has lots of little red underlines throughout!

References:

Safe Cosmetics.org

The Story of Cosmetics

Red List of chemicals to avoid

Categories
Health

Dying to quit dyeing…

Me… (the “before” photo)

I’ve been wanting to stop dying my hair. I couldn’t think of a good reason why I was doing it, except, perhaps, for my vanity. And I was starting to feel sick after using dyes, especially after trying a “temporary” spray-on product for covering “roots” that I thought might help make the transition easier. Somehow, I thought that “temporary” meant it would be less harsh. But it was the product that made me most sick, likely since the chemicals weren’t washed off. Although I suppose I may just have been sensitive to something in it…

But there’s no question—hair dye is harsh stuff. It contains ingredients that are similar to those in coal tar. Two of the most suspect petroleum-based ingredients are p-phenylenediamine (PPD) and ethylenediamine. Check the ingredient list on the package or ask your hairdresser—likely one or both are listed. The instructions recommend doing a skin test 48 hours before you use the product, every time you use it, to make sure you aren’t going to react. However, I’d be surprised if very many women actually do this. I didn’t and I don’t imagine hairdressers ever do… There are only so many hours in a day, and only so much mess and inconvenience a person is willing to put up with. There is also a debate about testing—some have reported reactions after a non-reactive patch test, and it has been suggested the test may only serve to increase exposure to toxic dye ingredients.

Hair dyes are also banned for use on eyelashes and eyebrows, as they can cause severe eye irritation and blindness, even when used by professionals. Any colour product used near the eyes must be specially approved for this use.

According to a 2008 study done by Clairol, 75% of American women dye their hair. I was amazed when I read that. There are lots of men who do too—it’s estimated 11% between the ages of 50 and 64, although more are concerned about keeping their hair than the colour of what they have.

But why do we do it? Some want to have an exciting new look, find a more attractive colour or just have a little fun. But many do it to look younger by hiding the grey. I didn’t like the idea of having “salt” in my peppery hair and it seemed easy enough at first to just paint a little dye on the temples every few weeks. Societal pressure, I suppose…

Our society sends us many subtle hints that looking your age isn’t a good thing, especially after a certain age. It’s quite ridiculous, really. Does it matter what other people think of our hair colour? Or our age or how old we look? Do others even notice? Are we doing it for ourselves? Or has dyeing our hair simply become a routine in our society… part of the struggle to keep young that has nothing to do with being healthy.

In some cultures, older people are seen as a source of advice and wisdom. This makes so much sense. After all, there is no substitute for experience in many fields, and it takes time and age to acquire experience.

This holds true in our society certainly when considering men—picture the respected grey-haired judge or CEO of a large company. Hopefully now that we are seeing more women in positions of power, women with grey hair will command more respect than they have in the past. It’s a goal to work toward. Perhaps one day women and men will want to add a little grey as a physical sign of their knowledge and experience… Yeah, no… I’m just being funny…

But if you plan to dye your hair in spite of all this, here are some tips to increase safety:

  • Use a lighter colour (darker dyes contain more PPD)

  • Go for highlights or only cover the grey, if possible, to reduce scalp contact

  • Follow the directions. Don’t leave on longer than recommended (use a timer)

  • Look for no-PPD formulas

  • Go longer between colouring if possible: condition hair, wear a hat (sun fades colour) and avoid chlorine pools to protect colour from fading

  • Avoid during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester

  • Wash off product immediately and get medical assistance if any sign of an allergic reaction, especially dizziness, swelling or difficulty breathing

Meanwhile, increasing numbers of women I know are making a statement and going “natural”. And I will soon be joining them! Life will be easier without the hassle of messy hair dyes, and I’ll be exposed to one less toxic substance. I just hope it’s not too difficult to get through the transition!

So, here’s the plan. I have long hair that I am going to cut very short (always fun!) to decrease the time it takes to completely grow out. I’ve already gone 2 months without colouring my hair, so I have a head start—almost 2 centimeters (3/4 of an inch) already. Fortunately, most of my grey is at the temples, and this is part of the reason I’ve decided to do it now… while the top is mostly still my “younger” colour.

I considered using a temporary colour to start off, but they are difficult to find (as they probably don’t cover grey very well). And the spray I tried, as I described, didn’t work out at all for me. With my long hair, it’s been a while since I’ve gone to a hair salon. I’m hoping my new hairdresser will have some great ideas for a style that will look nice during the transition. And I’ve found a few ideas by looking on hair style websites—hopefully some that will look good with “salt and pepper” hair. I plan to post pics of how it goes… and I guess I’ll have to change my profile photo too!

Women I know have done this without too much trauma, so I guess I can do it too! Have you thought of “going natural” or have you done it already? And, guys, what’s your opinion on all this? Leave a comment on Facebook, LinkedIn or email a comment!

References:

To dye or not to dye—Emerita

US Food and Drug Administration—Hair dyes

Health Canada—Hair dyes

Eight Rules for Safer Hair Color—Goop.com

Categories
Health

Muffins vs. Doughnuts

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always thought that muffins are a healthier food than doughnuts or cupcakes. But maybe that because I usually make my own muffins. Apparently, store bought muffins present a different scenario…

My husband likes to call coffee shop muffins “cake” because most are so sweet. And, truly, many fruit-filled muffins do have the sweetness and texture of cake. I suppose the idea is to balance the tartness of the fruit with extra sugar in the base. But most fruits, with their natural sugar, have a wonderful tangy sweetness that gets lost in the process.

And muffins provide a wonderful opportunity for adding fibre to the diet in a tasty way. But of course, there needs to be an ingredient or two that provides fibre. The healthfulness of a muffin, or any baked food for that matter, is all in the ingredients. Choose muffins with ingredients like whole wheat flour, bran or oatmeal to increase both the fiber and flavour.

But according to an analysis featured in prevention magazine, an average coffee shop muffin contains 424 calories compared to a medium sized plain glazed doughnut which contains only 269 calories. On average, fiber and fat content are similar, but salt and carbohydrate content are usually lower in the doughnut. Store-bought muffins are generally much larger than home-baked ones, too, and that increases the calorie content compared to one you might make at home.

It’s all about choices, too. Many doughnuts come with fillings, flavoring and extra icing that increase the calorie content of the doughnut above what was quoted in the study while muffins can still be a very tasty with much less sugar and more fiber.

So, what’s the answer?

Make your own muffins! Muffins are one of the easiest baked goods to make and take very little time to put together. A simple recipe, like the one below, might take 10 minutes to mix up and 20 minutes to bake. They freeze well and make a great “on the go” snack.

Baking them yourself means you can control the calorie and fat content as well as the flavour of your snack. I bake mine, have one while still warm, then freeze the rest. I often take out a couple the night before to speed the reheating process, and pop them into the oven to warm while our coffee is brewing. Reheating in the oven instead of the microwave makes them slightly crispy around the edges, just like when they’re first made – so tasty! Add an extra 5 minutes or so if you forget to take them out of the freezer…

For lunches or snacks “on the go”, they’re still delicious at room temperature. For lunch boxes, you can bag them individually to save time in the morning.

Here is one of my favorite recipes:

Banana (or Blueberry) Oatmeal Muffins (makes 12)

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 large or 3 small)

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon (optional

Mix together then add:

1 cup rolled oats

2 cups whole wheat all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, mash the banana. Add the egg and beat lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla and combine thoroughly.

Measure all other ingredients on top. Stir the baking powder and soda into the flour a bit to ensure there are no lumps of soda.

Then stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups (I like the parchment ones) and divide the batter among them.

Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes

(Gas or convection oven – 14-15 mins)

Tips:

Muffins are “done” when they are lightly browned and the top springs back when lightly pressed.

Variation:

Instead of banana, try fresh or frozen blueberries or other fruit (I used rhubarb in the photo above) folded in at the end of mixing. If using frozen fruit, you will need to bake a couple of minutes longer.

This is my go-to recipe when my bananas are getting overripe. My sisters-in-law know they will get muffins shared when they pass along their blackening bananas! Let me know if you like them too…

Reference:

Doughnut vs. Muffin : Which is the lesser of two evils?

Categories
Health

The Red Meat Controversy

Diet studies are difficult to do properly. It is simply too difficult to control the many factors that influence our health while comparing different diets. Most diet studies, therefore, are poor quality and based on weak evidence. Even the ideal type of study, known as a randomized controlled trial (RCT), isn’t perfect as people can’t live in a bubble for the entire study time.

And animal studies, where it is easier to control all factors, don’t necessarily apply to humans. A famous one, where rabbits were fed high amounts of foods containing cholesterol and subsequently developed heart disease, didn’t take into account that rabbits never naturally eat cholesterol-containing foods and probably can’t digest them – they live on salad! Human studies have found that it’s not possible to lower blood cholesterol significantly by reducing cholesterol intake because the liver makes cholesterol when it is lacking in the diet. However, we continue to see “low cholesterol” foods promoted as being good for our heart health. Here is a referenced article about this. Essentially, all conclusions from dietary studies need to be “taken with a grain of salt”.

But a new study “McMaster university – New guidelines: No need to reduce red or processed meat consumption for good health” bases its conclusion on the lack of good evidence for us to change. This research was conducted by 14 researchers in seven different countries. They state: “Evidence of harm from moderate consumption of red or processed meat is poor and health benefits, if any, would be small.” The study also considered the desirability and enjoyment of a juicy steak and the “hardship” vs. benefits of a rather drastic change in diet. (Note that it excludes any ethical or to environmental concerns, focusing only on evidence that people need to change their meat consumption to be healthier.)

More than anything else, to me this study points out the trend to make dramatic announcements for radical diet changes based on poor quality information. This study doesn’t suggest red or processed meats are healthy or that people should eat more of them, but researchers don’t discount the possibility that there are millions of people who eat a lot of meat and who are in good health.

That being said, another article published in the journal, The Lancet, suggests that the “healthiness” of cutting out the red meat depends on what it is replaced with. Reducing meat consumption, according to this study, is only likely to benefit health if the meat is replaced with plant-based foods. Replacing it with “white foods” (white rice, white bread, potatoes and sugar) doesn’t result in improvement to health, according to this study.

An article in Healthline seems to sum it all up quite well. It suggests that red meat doesn’t affect health significantly but that processed meats, depending on the additives used and cooking processes, might change the health effects of eating meat. But, like all diet studies, the evidence isn’t strong. Here is the link if you’d like to read it.

Of course, these studies address only the effects of meat on human health. The environmental impact of raising animals and the ethical issue of using animals as a food source are issues that also should be considered in a complete discussion.

What I found so interesting in these studies, was that the evidence that red and processed meats harm our health is very weak and the benefits of such a dramatic diet change are small. The researchers found there is simply not strong enough evidence to insist that all humans need to make this radical diet change.

For myself, I enjoy eating meat but find these days that a small amount is enough. The photo above was part of a 7-course meal in a fancy restaurant, and was a small but very delicious and satisfying serving. We also enjoy seafood of all kinds in our house and the occasional vegetarian meal too – especially homemade pasta sauce with lots of veggies added. Mostly we are trying to increase our consumption of fruits and vegetables these days to improve our diet. Sweets and desserts have become the exception (not the rule!), too, to lower our sugar intake.

I still like Michael Pollan’s Food Rules the best: Eat real food (not processed), mostly plants, and not too much. Everything in moderation makes sense unless you have good reason to change.

So, have you many any changes to your diet recently? Did it help you to feel better or improve a chronic problem? I’d love to hear about it…

References:

This diet is better for the planet, but is it better for you too? – NPR

Health and Nutritional Aspects of Sustainable Diet Strategies – The Lancet

Why Dietary Cholesterol Does Not Matter for Most People – Healthline

Categories
Health

Many Common Medications Could Change Your Gut Bacteria

Researchers have learned that 18 commonly used classes of drugs can extensively affect the organisms that live in your gut. The most drastic changes were caused by stomach medications, antibiotics, metformin (a diabetes medication), and laxatives. Why is this important? Because research suggests that changes in gut organisms are associated with obesity, diabetes, liver diseases, cancer, degenerative nerve diseases like MS and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and others.

Your intestines contain tens of trillions of microorganisms, with at least 1000 different types of known bacteria. These organisms are vital for our health, breaking down food and toxins, making vitamins and training our immune systems. Their total weight is calculated to be as much as 2 kg (4.4 pounds) – heavier than the average brain! It’s also known as the human “microbiome”. It’s been increasingly studied over the past 15 years – what types or organisms are found in healthy people vs. those with various diseases, how we can improve the content and balance of organisms in our digestive systems and, now, how this microbiome is affected by common drugs.

New research, reported at the international United European Gastroenterology Week 2019 conference, describes work done at the University Medical Center Groningen and Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands. Out of 41 drug classes they tested, 18 were associated with changes in gut microbiota composition or function. Several of these were found to be significant:

  • Antibiotics

  • PPI’s (“proton pump inhibitor” stomach medications)

  • Laxatives

  • Metformin

  • Oral steroids (i.e. taken by mouth)

  • SSRI antidepressants (in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Antibiotics kill bacteria both good and bad. Stomach medications, particularly PPI’s (proton pump inhibitors, like Losec/Prilosec, Nexxium, Tecta, Prevacid and others), drastically change the acidity of the stomach making a significant difference in the environment these organisms like to grow in. So, we shouldn’t be surprised that these 2 classes of drugs change which bacteria thrive in our digestive systems.

Laxatives speed the passage of the contents through the digestive system, pushing microbes out of their normal habitat as they move the entire contents of the intestines along more quickly than normal.

Another research team, at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Germany, suggests that altering gut organisms may also be part of how some drugs work. They noted that one of the ways the diabetes drug, metformin, works is to encourage the growth of certain bacteria. People who take metformin have also been found to have higher numbers of the potentially harmful bacteria, E. Coli.

The researchers also identified an increase in antibiotic resistance related to 8 different categories of medications, not just from use of antibiotics themselves. We always knew that oral steroids (those taken by mouth, like prednisone) cause people to gain weight, and now researchers in the Netherlands report that this may be caused by an increase in “methogenic” bacteria, which has been associated with obesity.

SSRI antidepressants (Prozac, Paxel, Celexa and several others), particularly when used in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), were associated with significant changes in the potentially harmful bacteria, Eubacterium ramulus. These drugs generally take a few weeks to exert their therapeutic effect; they also note that similar bacterial species are affected by different antiphychotics. This led to the suggestion that part of how both these types of drugs work could be by encouraging or blocking certain gut bacteria. Researchers hope that one day it may be possible to diagnose some brain conditions by analysing gut bacteria and to treat them with “psychobiotics” – specific mood-altering bacteria!

The German researchers also noticed that some drugs affect gut bacteria in a manner similar to antibiotics and these tend to have antibiotic-like side effects, such as digestive upset. They suggest that these non-antibiotics could be increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics, since they affect gut bacteria similarly.

So, although this research is fascinating (or, at least, I think it is!), much more work needs to be done in this area. However, it shows that we cannot ignore the effects of various drugs on gut bacteria. Researchers estimate that one-quarter of drugs or more have an impact on the gut microbiome.

References:

Is your gut microbiome the key to health and happiness? – The Guardian

Many Common Meds Could Alter Your Microbiome – WebMD

Half of all commonly used drugs profoundly affecting the gut microbiome warn experts – EurekAlert

Many commonly used drugs may impact microbiome – Univadis Medical News

Categories
Health

Autumn: Time for harvest, giving thanks and flu shots!

I’m late getting to my blog this week… a busy week making 18 bottles of salsa and 18 jars of grape jam. I even tried out a recipe for “scoops” corn chips (the best way to eat salsa…) and I’ll be making them again! I guess that’s part of fall and carrying the benefit of the harvest of fresh vegetables and fruits into winter. It’s even more wonderful if you get to participate in the harvest, as we did in Miscou Island in northern New Brunswick, helping family pick the grapes growing in their backyard and cut the vines down to the old growth. It was an amazing way to spend a sunny autumn afternoon.

The best parts of making your own food, including preserves, is that you know what they contain and even where the ingredients came from. You also get a relatively unique product to enjoy and share, something different than you might find in the grocery store. I’m thinking my preserves might make great Christmas gifts, something consumable for those of us in my generation looking at downsizing or those of a younger generation living in an apartment with limited space. I’ve always felt that a hand made gift is truly a gift from the heart… something special, whether it was made by the giver or someone I don’t even know.

But, aside from thoughts of harvest, Thanksgiving and preparing for winter, fall also makes me think of getting my flu shot. I suppose that’s part of preparing for winter, the season when we see so many cases of influenza. I gave flu immunizations for many years at pharmacies and clinics, even visiting seniors’ homes to bring the service to them.

I never liked hurting people, though, so I read everything I could to learn how to make the injection less painful. And my patients have often told me that they hardly felt the needle at all – one elderly gentleman, who was chatting with one of the nurses working with me, insisted that I hadn’t given him his injection when I told him he was ready to go to the waiting area. Distraction is one of the best “pain relievers”!

Here are some tips I learned to decrease pain from injections. Ask the person giving you your flu shot if they use these techniques:

  • Let the alcohol dry before giving the needle

    • Wet alcohol stings

  • Apply slight pressure to the top or sides of the arm with the free hand

    • The brain registers pressure instead of the pain from the needle

  • Insert and remove the needle quickly

    • Like a paper cut you don’t notice until it bleeds, a quick needle is felt less. I routinely completed the injection part of a flu shot in about 2 seconds!

  • Use distraction

    • As with the elderly gentleman I described earlier, you will experience less pain if you focus on something else. Even taking a deep breath just before the needle helps you to focus on your breathing instead of the injection.

    • I used to use my iPad to distract children – it was so effective, especially when iPads were new… I set them up with a drawing program to try out while I prepared their flu shot. Etch-a-sketch was my favorite. Some parents had played with the original toy, and this would start a conversation. After the injection (when I wasn’t quite so popular with the child) I would offer to send their drawing to Mommy or Daddy’s computer. Most children would instantly forget the needle when they realized they could keep their drawing!

  • Rewards for children are discouraged

    • One parent mistakenly offered to buy a toy for their child if it hurt. So, of course the child screamed bloody murder after his shot and cried for 5 long minutes to make sure he got the toy!

    • However, planning an enjoyable activity afterward can help. “After we’re finished at the pharmacy (or doctor’s office) we’ll go to the park (or any place they enjoy)”. What the heck…I think grownups deserve a little fun, too, after doing a good deed for their community and family!

There has been some controversy over vaccines in recent years and it’s important to keep a healthy perspective. While there are always some who will react to any medication, the overall benefit of vaccines to the general population outweighs the potential harm from the illnesses they prevent. All practitioners who give vaccines are trained to ensure they are given safely and to refer those at risk of a reaction to the safest location to receive them, even if it’s a hospital for those at high risk. Getting a vaccine helps to protect those who can’t get immunized (or don’t respond to vaccines because of a medical condition or medication) by preventing the spread of the illness.

Here are two earlier blogs I wrote about flu shots and other vaccines, in case you missed them:

Flu season? Who Cares…

The Vaccine Debate

So, if you are able to take the flu shot, I hope you will do it. It only takes a half hour or so, including the waiting period afterward to make sure everything is fine!

Categories
Health

The dirtiest places in your home…

There are microbes everywhere in our homes and most are OK or even good for us… but some organisms can make us sick. Where are we most likely to find the dangerous ones?

Bathroom

Yes, we all know there are disgusting germs in our toilets, and most of us clean and sanitize these regularly. But did you know that water (and bacteria!) are aerosolized when you flush and, according to microbiologist, Charles Gerba (aka Dr. Germ) at University of Arizona, they can easily spread 6 feet from the toilet each time you push that flush handle? Of course, if it’s your own bacteria, it won’t harm you (disgusting as it sounds). But you may be sharing your bathroom (and bacteria) with your visitors and family… Also, damp towels are a great place for all that bacteria to grow, waiting to be deposited on your clean hands and face when you dry them off. Here are some things you can do to reduce your exposure to fecal bacteria:

  1. Always put the lid down before you flush.

  2. Store your toothbrush in a cupboard or drawer or more than 6 feet from the flush.

  3. Change towels regularly, at least twice a week.

  4. Consider a liquid soap dispenser that can be cleaned, instead of bar soap that provides a nice bacteria growth medium.

Kitchen

Despite what was discussed above, the kitchen usually has even more dangerous bacteria than the bathroom. We prepare raw foods there and they often carry bad bacteria like salmonella and E. Coli that are killed in the cooking process, making the food safe to eat. But if you handle raw meat then touch other surfaces (like the fridge door handle or sink taps) without washing your hands first, you are depositing these potentially dangerous bacteria around your kitchen. And simply running water to clean the sink after rinsing raw meat doesn’t effectively remove bacteria. Here are some recommendations:

  1. Use a kitchen cleaner with bleach to clean the kitchen sink, counters and cutting boards that have been in contact with raw meat or their juices. Dr. Germ suggests 1 tablespoonful of bleach in a gallon of water (or about 1 tsp in 1 liter) will work as well. Or a solution of 1 part vinegar plus 3 parts water has been recommended to sterilize home medical equipment (like aerosol face masks), so should work for kitchen sanitizing as well.

  2. Wash your hands well immediately after handling raw meat.

  3. Use a separate cutting board for raw meat and foods that will be eaten raw (like salad ingredients)

  4. Clean fridge handles often (e.g. every time you clean your counters) and don’t forget to clean fridge storage drawers too, especially when you notice leakage of raw meat juices.

  5. When cleaning, spray surfaces thoroughly and let sit for a few minutes before wiping to let the spray do its work. Dr. Gerba also suggests sanitizing wipes, as they leave a germ-killing residue behind to slowly dry.

  6. Get rid of kitchen sponges or replace at least weekly, as wet sponges provide an excellent place for all kinds of bacteria to grow.

  7. Don’t forget to change kitchen hand towels often too.

  8. Can openers, pizza cutters and blender blade assemblies can also trap food particles and bacteria. Be sure to thoroughly clean and sanitize these as well.

Your best bet in the kitchen, is to change dish cloths and hand towels daily. I keep a bucket of dilute bleach and water solution in the laundry room sink and toss kitchen wash cloths in there to soak until laundry day.

Here’s a recipe for a sanitizing kitchen spray you may find useful:

1 ¼ c water

¼ c white vinegar

¼ c vodka or rubbing alcohol

15 drops each of peppermint and lemon essential oils (for scent)

Ideally, spray and let sit for 10 minutes to disinfect surface before wiping. Do not use on marble or granite surfaces, as it may etch the surface.

References:

The germiest place in your home and the best way to combat those microbes – CNN

Natural Disinfecting

Categories
Environment

Backyard Birds are Disappearing

The population of backyard birds in Canada and US has decreased by nearly 3 billion since 1970… that’s a huge loss of 1 in 4 birds.

This is an alarming number. Birds are the “canary in the mine”, more sensitive to the environment than humans and a signal of environmental problems. Birds act as pollinators, seed spreaders, predators (often eating bothersome insects) and prey for other animals in the wild. They are also beautiful to watch and their songs are part of the enjoyment of being outside.

Researchers tell us that there is no single reason for the decrease in bird populations, calling it “death by a thousand cuts”. The American Birding Conservancy cites pesticides, domestic cats, habitat loss, and collisions with glass as being the greatest causes of bird deaths.

What can we do?

Protection of habitat is often in the hands of lawmakers, but there is a lot we can do as individuals. Thousands of people making small changes can actually help. Here are some ideas to consider:

  1. Windows – Six hundred thousand to 1 billion birds die after hitting windows in Canada and US. Birds can’t tell the difference between reflections of trees and sky, and the real thing. Lights in windows at night draw birds, especially in high-rise glass buildings, and simply turning off lights at night can make a difference. But homes and smaller buildings are a problem too. Almost half of birds that die from these collisions involve windows in homes. Here are some things you can do:

    1. In a new construction, ask for bird-friendly glass.

    2. Horizontal or vertical stripes, decals or a random design on windows can make a difference. These can be added using opaque or translucent tape, mesh on the outside of windows, or even tempera paint (non-toxic, long-lasting and easily removed with a damp cloth or sponge). If you’re artistically inclined, a seasonal design could be considered and stencils could be used to make this easy and fun.

    3. Screens are usually enough to help birds avoid windows.

    4. See some other ideas for quick and affordable ways to protect birds from your windows here.

  2. Pesticides and herbicides – Avoid using these on your lawn.

    1. Try natural treatments for weeds.

      1. Household vinegar mixed with Epsom salts and a little dish soap can be used as a spray for weeds growing between walkway stones. Click here for an article about this.

      2. Mulch around plants can prevent weeds from growing in the first place.

      3. Good old hand weeding is good exercise and safe for the environment. Gardening gloves and a kneeling pad can make this more comfortable!

    2. Try a lawn of thyme plants instead of grass. A few plants of low-growing thyme planted on a lawn will usually take over grass and weeds. It doesn’t need to be mowed as often as grass and has a pretty purple bloom in late summer. Be sure to choose the low-growing variety.

  3. Cats – We love our cats, but dogs aren’t allowed to run loose in our neighbourhoods, and we shouldn’t let cats either. Keeping cats indoors or walking them on a leash, as you would a pet dog, could save many birds and help species recover. Alternatively, a bell around the cat’s neck could help alert birds to their presence in time to escape.

It’s interesting that populations of water birds are on the increase due to conservation measures that were started several years ago. It’s time to do the same for our common backyard birds, or we could be seeing quiet parks and forests in the future…

References: (click to see original articles)

Birds are dying off at an alarming rate – CNN

Quick and affordable ways to protect birds your windows

Stop birds hitting windows

Categories
Menopause

Hot flashes, heart attacks and memory loss: is there a connection?

This week I read about a study that linked a history of hot flashes to increased risk for heart disease and decline in brain function. But, to me, this seemed like a strange announcement.

It certainly doesn’t make sense that feeling hot and sweaty could directly increase a person’s risk of heart problems or chances of losing the ability to think and remember. We get hot and sweaty when we exercise, but all experts assure us that exercise lowers the risk for many types of chronic disease, including heart disease.

Presumably, if they’re seeing an association between hot flashes and heart/brain diseases, there must be a common factor that increases the risk of both – in other words, some underlying factor that causes hot flashes must also put you at risk for heart and brain disease.

It surprises me, though, that the researchers paused at such an early phase of their research and made a big, exciting announcement since it doesn’t tell us what the underlying cause is or what we should change to lower the risk. It’s as though they didn’t finish their project… Hopefully, this research isn’t suggesting that simply treating hot flashes could lower risk of heart and brain diseases!

I believe we should find and treat the cause of health problems whenever possible, rather than just trying to erase the symptoms. My interpretation of this new information is that there must be some factor that increases both hot flashes, and the risk of heart and brain diseases. So, what could this be?

Well, I studied every bit of information I could find about hormones for over 10 years so let me share some thoughts of what I think might (or might not) explain this association:

  1. Diet – We know that eating a plant-based diet can help reduce hot flashes. Many plant foods contain weak estrogen-like hormones and these can be a mild substitute for our own hormones when they are low, and can block some of the action of our hormones when they are too high. This helps to “even out” our hormone levels. Hot flashes occur when our estrogen levels are dropping so smoothing out the effects of estrogen can help reduce hot flashes and other menopause and peri-menopause symptoms. Eating more vegetables, fruit, and other plant-based foods is also recommended to reduce the risk of heart disease (and many other health problems).

  2. Exercise – Being inactive is a well-established risk factor for heart disease (in fact, as I write this, my hubby is at his cardio rehab program, being put through the paces on several different exercise machines!) but what about hot flashes? A small study (with only 21 women) suggests that regular, more intense workouts that make you sweat can reduce the intensity and frequency of hot flashes. But hot flashes can also be triggered by stress and exercise can help prevent this trigger by lowering stress hormones. Some exercises, like yoga and tai chi, also help reduce your response to stress by inducing a state of relaxation where lower amounts of stress hormones are produced. So, certain types of exercise can help avoid both hot flashes and heart disease.

  3. Smoking – Smoking is an established risk factor for heart disease. But does it also increase hot flashes? Yes. And can quitting smoking help? Also, yes. Women who smoke have more frequent and severe hot flashes. Quitting reduces these but former smokers will still have more than women who never smoked.

  4. Alcohol? – I don’t think so. Consuming a small amount of alcohol has been shown to slightly reduce risk of heart disease, probably by inducing relaxation and relieving stress (Interheart Study). However, alcohol generally increases the chance of having hot flashes, so this would not be a common factor. Alcohol slows the breakdown of estrogens, allowing them to build up in the bloodstream. When the alcohol is cleared from the system a few hours after that nice glass of red wine, estrogen will then be metabolized more quickly, bringing on a hot flash (often interrupting sleep after a drink in the evening).

  5. Body weight? – Having too many extra inches, especially around the waist (an “apple” shape), is associated with increased risk of heart disease compared to a “pear” shape where more weight is carried on the hips. The ratio of waist to hip measurements is considered more important than the actual body weight – if the waist measurement divided by the hip measurement is greater than 0.85 for women or 1 for men (or thereabouts, depending on which reference you read), you are at greater risk of heart disease regardless of what the actual measurements are. However, fatty tissue produces a small amount of estrogen by conversion from other hormones so, having a little extra weight at menopause time may mean you have fewer hot flashes since you have a consistent (if small) supply of estrogen from an alternative source. Perhaps this is why Mother Nature tends to make it so easy to gain a few pounds at mid-life! However, adding an extra 10 pounds or so is thought to increase your resilience to illness as you age, so perhaps it’s not a bad thing…

So, I guess I’ll be watching to see how these researchers continue their studies and, hopefully, they will eventually provide some practical recommendations. I wonder whether the connection might turn out to be diet, exercise or being a non-smoker (or all 3!), as I suspect… At any rate, this research gives another reason to work at having a healthy lifestyle!

References:

Hot flashes connected to heart attacks and cognitive decline – CNN

Exercise May Ease Hot Flashes – NY Times

Waist to Hip Ratio – Wikipedia

Does quitting smoking decrease the risk of mid-life hot flashes?

Perimenopause: The Ovary’s Frustrating Grand Finale (a discussion of hormone levels during the menopause change)

Categories
Health

Shift Happens… Take time now to think about your future health

Shifting to healthier habits is often hard to do. In fact, many of us don’t even think about our health… until something bad happens to us or someone we know. Your family doctor used to be the person who urged you to make healthy changes – telling you it’s time to quit smoking, exercise more or shed a few extra pounds – but, with the health care system today, often they only have time to look after the immediate problem that prompted your visit. You need to take charge of your future health yourself…

So how do you make change happen before a shift in your health happens?

Change in habits occurs in stages. When you’re aware of these stages, sometimes you can move things along and make the change happen faster. Here is how we progress when we try to change, regardless of what new habit we are trying to form (or what bad habit we are trying to break!):

  • Pre-contemplation – We are blissfully living our lives, not aware that we are doing something that could harm our health in the future or at least not consciously thinking about what we should be doing to be healthier. Life is busy, and sometimes we need something to grab our attention and make us realize we should be changing some habits that are less than ideal for our health. We feel fine. We just aren’t interested. Besides, habits are hard to change. It’s easy to say, “I don’t need to do anything right now…I’ll think about it later”.

    • One of my goals in writing this blog, is to encourage people to think about making changes that will improve their health…and help them live longer and happier lives! Don’t wait for something bad to happen to realize you need to change to improve your health in the future.

  • Contemplation – Then we face a crisis in our health or a serious illness in someone close to us. This starts us thinking about being healthier. Or maybe we read something or hear a speaker that catches our attention. My husband finally quit smoking years ago after hearing David Suzuki explain that you can’t keep dumping poison (for example, cigarette smoke) into your body for years, then expect to be able to do the things you want to do when you’re older – your body can only handle so much abuse. What he said struck a chord with my hubby and he made up his mind that it was really time to quit.

    • Think about what you should change that will make a difference in how you feel and what you are able to do in the future? What is one habit you could you improve to increase your chance of staying healthy and active well into old age? What could you change to be able to do more things you enjoy right now?

  • Preparation – Habits are hard to change. Preparing yourself can help make it easier, and there are strategies to increase the likelihood that you’ll stick to your new way of living.

    • Find someone who will join you in your new habit. Sign up for a class that will help get you started. Research exactly what you need to do to make the change easier.

      • For example, if quitting smoking, there are medications like nicotine replacement that can reduce cravings. To increase exercise, choose a convenient time of day then set a recurring alarm on your phone or computer to remind you it’s time for your walk. Want to eat healthier? Sign up for a food delivery service like Hello Fresh or Good Food to make it easier to start cooking better meals. Want a better outlook on life? Sign up for a yoga or meditation class or download an app on your tablet and use it every day. You get the idea…

  • Action – Pick a date that is not too far in the future. Give yourself a deadline to start. Giving yourself little rewards helps too – challenge yourself to stick to your habit and plan something special on the weekend to celebrate your success. Even something simple like an “X” on each day of a calendar can be encouraging as the X’s add up. Find a way to make yourself committed to change.

    • Set a date to start your new healthy habit and mark it on your calendar. Tell someone who will join you or support you with your plan and be accountable to them. Track your progress and decide what you will do to celebrate your success! Keep in mind that small rewards given often work better than large ones off in the future.

  • Maintenance – It’s easy to slip back into old habits or get busy and forget about your plan for a healthier life. But, if you do, remember that if you did it once you can go back and do it again! It takes a while for a new change to become a habit and relapses are normal. So, don’t beat yourself up about it and don’t give up!

    • Expect slip-ups…they almost always happen. But keep working to make your new healthy habit part of your life. If you practice your healthy change even for 1 day, you can make it a regular activity!

Realize that it takes time to make a habit of a new healthy activity – longer for some than for others. But keep your goal of enjoying life as you get older in mind. Every little change can help. Take time now to decide how you can improve your enjoyment of life in the future by keeping your body and mind healthy and active!