By Melissa Richardson and Amy Fielding
While the Victorians might have slipped a freshly picked flower between the pages of a book to preserve its beauty, we recommend using a flower press to get the best results.
Just as you wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them, you need to rinse your grains. Brown rice in particular has been found to contain higher levels of arsenic—a carcinogen—than other grains. Long-term health risks remain unclear, but experts recommend that you wash brown rice, white rice and other grains before cooking.
~ Tip sent in by Shari
Many studies suggest that regular exposure to chemicals found in semi-permanent and permanent dyes may increase cancer risk. Some studies have particularly focused on the potential link between hair dyes and blood cancers—such as leukemia and lymphoma—and bladder cancer. To be safe, let your hair go natural or talk to your hairdresser about safer alternatives.
About Heart Attacks
There are other symptoms of an heart attack besides the pain on the left arm. One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin , as well as nausea and lots of sweating , however these symptoms may also occur less frequently.
Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack.
The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep, did not wake up.
However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.
If that happens,immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water.
Afterwards: CALL 911
– say “heart attack!”
– say that you have taken 2 aspirins..
– phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by
– take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and…
DO NOT lie down
There are safer options than spraying.
Especially if you have kids, sunscreen sprays seem like a very good idea in theory. You can get squirmy little ones protected from the sun STAT, and they are so simple to apply that even little kids can do it themselves. With a faster and easier application than lotions it’s no wonder that they make up a big portion of the sunscreen market. Except, there’s a problem—spray sunscreens may not be safe.
“We don’t recommend that consumers use these products,” explains Environmental Working Group’s Senior Scientist Dave Andrews. “There are inhalation concerns as you are breathing in these sunscreen ingredients when you apply them, and it’s difficult to get an adequate coating on your skin to even verify that people are applying an adequate amount.” Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas agrees with the concerns: “[These types of sunscreens] are manufactured with phthalates, which is worrisome. They can get into your lungs.”
Foods that can keep sunburns at bay.
Certain foods have been proven to benefit your skin, but can they act as a substantial source of SPF? And do supplements dubbed “edible sunscreen” really work? As a pale person always on the quest for maximum sun protection, I reached out to Dr. Ava Shamban, a Beverly Hills dermatologist and author of Heal Your Skin, to find out if my produce-heavy diet can keep sunburns at bay.
“Some foods have been shown to protect against UV rays and the more of these foods you eat, the better,” says Shamban. “These foods are loaded with antioxidants so they protect you internally as well.” But don’t toss your sunscreen! Foods do not work as well as a topical lotion. “Eating different types of food is not a substitute for sunscreen, but it is a nice supplement,” says Shamban.“Some foods have been shown to improve the repair aspect of the skin and the prevention of damage to the skin, and they also have nutritional benefits and are useful for all of your organs.” Shamban says regular intake can increase your SPF factor up to a 4 or 5. If you’re game, here are the tasty foods to chow down on.
Tomatoes are one such food. “They have lycopene, which can protect the skin against the sun,” she says. “Go to farmers market — the redder you get those are the ones you want to eat.” She says tomato paste has been shown to have high levels of lycopene too, because each jar contains so many concentrated tomatoes.
Another skin saver is dark chocolate. “It contains flavonoids, which have been shown to protect against UV rays and sunburns,” says Shamban. She says studies have shown that if you eat it regularly (done and done) you’ll build up protection in your skin. Just make sure to get the strong stuff — anything that says 80% dark chocolate should do the trick.
Apples also contain protective flavonoids called procyanidins. “Studies have shown it helps reduce skin cancer when exposed to UV rays,” says Shamban. “Quercetin is another potent antioxidant found in apples that protects DNA.”
Lastly, green tea may help you combat the sun. “Polyclonal is a green tea extract that’s very potent at preventing cancer growth internally and externally — and good for the skin, too,” says Shamban. “For summer swap your regular iced tea for an iced green tea.”
Tip from Bordon Therapy Cat Circle Trick
Cats are so lovable, but they’re also so strange! Let one into the room and within a minute, they’re meowing to get back out again. They’ll try to get you to rub their bellies then bite you for doing it too long! And that’s just the normal behavior!
One kitty owner recently discovered a weird cat quirk that’s quickly becoming an internet sensation, and when you see it you’ll have to try it, too!
It all started with a stray cord laying on the floor in a circle. This owner noticed that his cat would go straight for it every time and sit in the middle of the circle. Odd!
So he tried an experiment and made a red circle in tape on the floor. Again, the cat sat inside its center, as predicted.
The cat loved the second circle just as much.
He shared the results of his adorable experiment on the web and soon cat owners everywhere were trying it and sharing their results.
Sent in by Bamber Bear of NJ
