The hazards of a well-made bed

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The hazards of a well-made bed	Dec. 15, 2012
Written by: Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, QMI Agency
(Shutterstock) What do you sleep on? Of course, the normal reply is the mattress. But few people realize they’re also resting on millions of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinuscan (dust mites). So how can you decrease the risk of these crawly creatures in your bed? And why should you also think twice before quickly making up the bed. Dust mites are related to spiders and will never win a beauty contest. They’re ugly, menacing, microscopic in size, have eight legs and you can put either 1,000 mites or 250,000 of their fecal pellets in half a teaspoon. Hardly exciting bed mates! Dust mites  accumulate in rugs, fabrics, and furniture. But they prefer warm beds, pillows and blankets where they live along with vast amounts of their fecal dropping. Since their diet consists of our dead skin cells they’re eager for us to go to bed. And how many people know that dead skin cells account for 80 percent of house dust? At this point you may be saying, “Luckily, this isn’t a problem for our home.” But dust mites are found is all homes no matter how clean. And, if you think you can escape this nasty creature by moving to Antarctica, don’t bother, as it’s been found in that location. So are dust mites hazardous to our health? For a start, it doesn’t help the psyche to know you’re sleeping along with millions of these creatures every night! But dust mites have been linked to allergy problems, watery itchy eyes, sneezing, nasal stuffiness, eczema and asthma. It’s the fecal pellet containing guanine that triggers allergic reactions. A report by North America’s environmental watchdog agency says asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions in our children and also a serious problem for adults. Authorities say that 80 % of asthmatic children test positive to dust mite. So what can you do to limit the number of these spider-like mites, particularly if a family member suffers from asthma or other allergies? Don’t sleep with your pet. Pet dander is not your friend. Have Fido or Felix the cat sleep in an area far removed from your bedroom. If this causes psychological problems for you, I doubt that it will affect Fido or Felix. Think twice before making up the bed. This can be a tough sell if you’re a neatnik. A friend with a compulsive wife once complained to me, “If I get up at night to go to the bathroom, by the time I get back, my wife has made the bed!” But dust mites cannot live by dust alone. They also need liquid, the water vapour we provide during the night by breathing and perspiring which amounts to one pint per person per night! This is why we always weigh less in the morning. So at least toss covers well off the bed when you get up which helps to dry out the bed before it’s made up. In fact, even making up beds is dangerous, as chambermaids are known to suffer from “bed-maker’s lung”, an allergic condition. I must admit this column is not inclined to promote a good night’s sleep. In fact, since I started to itch while writing it, I decided to do further research. I discovered that it’s possible to purchase zippered protective mattress covers that are soft as silk and no mite can penetrate them. Another company has developed a high tech vacuum with dual action. It sucks up mites, but also uses ultraviolet light to penetrate mattresses, rugs and covered furniture to kill dust mites. Maybe you’re thinking “I’ll have a service company get rid of mites.” But Dr. Peyton Eggleston, professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University, says there’s no scientific evidence this works. The dust mites will return in a few weeks. Remember the saying, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” This may be prudent in some situations. But I prefer the approach, ‘If you can’t beat them, lock them up in a sure-fire protective covering.” This will allow me to sleep better and stop itching. See the website docgiff.com for more. To comment emailinfo@docgiff.com or tweet @GiffordJonesMD

Greek Coffee (Ellinikos Kafes) Recipe

Does Greek coffee hold the key to a longer life?

 March 18, 2013 in Health

 The answer to longevity may be far simpler than we imagine; it may in fact be right under our noses in the form of a morning caffeine kick. The elderly inhabitants of Ikaria, the Greek island, boast the highest rates of longevity in the World, and many scientists turn to them when looking to discover the 'secrets of a longer life'. In a new study in Vascular Medicine researchers investigating cardiovascular health believe that a cup of boiled Greek coffee holds the clue to the elderly islanders' good health. Ads by Google Elevator Consultants - Assurance Vertical Transportation Maintenance Supervision. - www.kja.com/ How To Get Published - Learn How to Publish Your Book. Get a Free Guide on How to Publish. - www.Xlibris.com/HowToGuide Only 0.1% of Europeans live to be over 90, yet on the Greek island of Ikaria, the figure is 1%. This is recognized as one of the highest longevity rates anywhere – and the islanders tend to live out their longer lives in good health. Gerasimos Siasos, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Athens Medical School, Greece set out with his team to find out whether the elderly population's coffee drinking had an effect on their health. In particular, the researchers investigated links between coffee-drinking habits and the subjects' endothelial function. The endothelium is a layer of cells that lines blood vessels, which is affected both by aging and by lifestyle habits (such as smoking). The team homed in on coffee because recent studies suggest that moderate coffee consumption may slightly reduce the risks of coronary heart disease, and that it may also have a positive impact on several aspects of endothelial health. From a sample of 673 Ikarians aged over 65 who lived on the island permanently, the researchers randomly selected 71 men and 71 women to take part in the study. Medical staff used health checks (for high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) and questionnaires to get more detail on the participants' medical health, lifestyles and coffee drinking, in addition to testing their endothelial function. The researchers investigated all types of coffee taken by participants – but interestingly more than 87% of those in the study consumed boiled, Greek coffee daily. More importantly, subjects consuming mainly boiled Greek coffee had better endothelial function than those who consumed other types of coffee. Even in those with high blood pressure, boiled Greek coffee consumption was associated with improved endothelial function, without worrying impacts on blood pressure. "Boiled Greek type of coffee, which is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants and contains only a moderate amount of caffeine, seems to gather benefits compared to other coffee beverages," Siasos concludes. The new study provides a new connection between nutritional habits and cardiovascular health. Given the extent of coffee drinking across the world, and the fact that even small health effects of at least one type of coffee could have a large impact on public health, this study provides an interesting starting point. However, further studies are needed to document the exact beneficial mechanisms of coffee on cardiovascular health. More information: "Consumption of a boiled Greek type of coffee is associated with improved endothelial function: The Ikaria Study" by Gerasimos Siasos, et al, published 18 March 2013 in Vascular Medicine. Journal reference: Vascular Medicine Provided by SAGE Publications 

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-greek-coffee-key-longer-life.html#jCp

Greek Coffee (Ellinikos Kafes) Recipe

By Amy Wisniewski

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Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 5 mins | Active Time: 5 mins |Greek coffee preparation has as many variations as there are Greeks. Some people swear by boiling the coffee three times and stirring only once. Others boil once and stir, stir, stir. No matter how you take it, this coffee is usually sipped slowly and paired with lively conversation.

Special equipment: You’ll need a briki, a small copper or brass (or sometimes stainless steel) pot that’s narrow at the top and wider toward the bottom so that the grounds fall to the bottom.

Serve the coffee in demitasse cups that are about 2 ounces each.

What to buy: Be sure to use Greek coffee, which is a light-roast coffee and is very finely ground. It can be found at most Greek grocers.

This recipe was featured as part of our Greek Easter Celebration menu.

INGREDIENTS

• Water
• Greek coffee
• Granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using one of your demitasse cups as a 2-ounce measure, fill the briki with as many cups of cold water as cups of coffee you want to make. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of coffee grounds for each 2-ounce cup of coffee. Add granulated sugar, if desired: 1 teaspoon per demitasse cup for medium-sweet (metrios_) or 2 teaspoons per demitasse cup for sweet (glykys_). For an extra-strong-sweet cup (vari glykos or glykys vrastos), add 3 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons coffee grounds per 2 ounces of water.
2. Heat over medium heat and stir just to incorporate the grounds and sugar. As the coffee heats, foam will rise. Be sure to hold onto the handle of the briki to keep it from falling over. When the foam nearly reaches the top, remove the briki from the heat and let it stand until the grounds have settled a bit, about 1 minute. Pour a little foam into each cup, then fill each cup, moving the briki up and down to help settle the grounds. Serve with a cold glass of water.

Adrenal exhaustion - the 21st Century disease

Adrenal exhaustion - the 21st Century disease

Mar. 16, 2013


Written by: Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, QMI Agency

Are you tired for no reason? Having a hard time getting out of bed? Or feel rundown and stressed all the time?

If so, you may have the first symptoms of adrenal exhaustion and must learn to 'adapt' before it becomes a steady habit that causes more than heartburn.

As Charles Darwin, the British scientist remarked, “It’s not the fittest that survive, nor the most intelligent, but those who can adapt to their environment.” Or, as is often said, “It’s not the work that kills, it’s the worry.”

The thumb-sized adrenal glands are situated on the top of both kidneys and have been called the body’s primary shock absorbers. They produce a number of hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and DHEA. If you encounter a sabre-toothed tiger, adrenaline shoots up, the heartbeat quickens and you prepare to battle for survival. Today’s hectic pace also keeps our adrenal glands in high gear.

Stress is the most common cause of adrenal fatigue. This can occur when a loved one dies, or because of overwork, physical and mental strain, chronic pain, infection, anger, sleep deprivation, chronic illness, depression and anxiety. As one wise sage said, “Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven’t been to sleep yet!”

Patients with adrenal fatigue may complain of cold hands and feet, low back pain, sweet cravings, headaches, arthritis and allergies. Cortisol dysfunction can also lead to low blood sugar, infertility, immune problems and heart disease.

Temporary and minor stressful situations result in slightly higher levels of adrenaline and cortisol. But day-after-day stress is also associated with an increase in blood pressure and excessive levels of adrenal hormones. Finally, if there’s no relief from stress, adrenal hormones drop and adrenal exhaustion occurs. Adrenal fatigue is like withdrawing money from a bank account until there’s none left.

As adrenal hormone levels decline, apart from weakness and fatigue, digestive distress is one of the most common symptoms. Some people complain of nausea, constipation and diarrhea. There is also a tendency for weight gain, reduced sex drive and to feel better when stress is temporarily decreased, such as on a holiday.

So how do you fight adrenal fatigue? First, learn to 'adapt' to stress. A good start is to separate the possible from the impossible. You can’t tell an idiotic boss to go to hell until you win the lottery. Or, as Joseph Stalin once said, one has to live with the devil until one reaches the end of the bridge.

Relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation can be helpful. So can massage, as the hands-on approach does more than just give you a good feeling. Athletes get a good rubdown to get rid of the lactic and carbonic acid produced by tense muscles. It also helps to exercise, get rid of caffeine and increase the amount of raw fruits and vegetables in the diet along with whole grains and protein.

Make sure you receive adequate amounts of minerals and vitamins. For instance, stressful situations eat up vitamin C. Studies show that, under stress, animals immediately produce 10 times their normal amount of C. Humans under stress should also increase the amount of C to bolster their immune system. Studies also show that by increasing the intake of vitamin C, atherosclerosis in coronary arteries can be prevented and even reversed preventing a heart attack, this country’s number one killer.

There are also herbal remedies to combat adrenal fatigue. One herb, Siberian ginseng, has been used for years in Siberia and China and known for its adaptogenic and anti-stress properties.

Other herbs such as suma, rhodiola, schizandra berries and ashwagandha help to decrease depression, stimulate the nervous system, improve memory, enhance work performance, support the immune and digestive systems and have a positive effect on thyroid and adrenal function.

My advice is to check with your local health food store provider who can advise you about these herbal preparations which unlike many prescription drugs are safe and well tolerated.

5 Ways to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want

POST WRITTEN BY: ANGEL

5 Ways to Start the Year You Want

 Anytime You Want

by Mike Vardy of Productivityist.com

As we head deeper into the year, many of us have seen our BIG resolutions that we made fall by the wayside.  Why is that?  Perhaps it’s because our energy levels dipped and we couldn’t maintain the new habits that we had adopted.  Perhaps it’s because we weren’t really committed to giving them full effort in the first place and just felt that we ‘had’ to make some resolutions.  Or perhaps we simply lost our focus.

No matter what the reason is, just because we’re well past January 1st doesn’t mean we can’t have the year we want.  I’ll go as far to say that making resolutions at the start of the year is not the best idea anyway.  We’re just getting to the end of six weeks of holiday madness, our energy levels and emotions are scattered all over the place, and we’re feeling the pressure of a new calendar year that seemingly forces us to make decisions on adopting a new way of life – decisions that we haven’t completely thought out and habits we aren’t quite ready to adopt.

If you’re feeling like you’ve let yourself down because you haven’t kept up withyour resolutions, don’t fret.  I propose that you can start the year you want anytime you want.

Here are 5 things you can do starting now to make that happen.

1.  Take a month to reflect and recharge.

If you find your mid-month or mid-year routines spinning your wheels, take onemonth and simply reflect on what you’ve done in the past few months – what’s working, what isn’t, potential changes that need to be implemented, etc. Recharge your focus so that you can take on the months ahead.

Don’t start this process mid-month while you’re juggling a hundred different things; make sure you prepare yourself to start this exercise at the beginning of the next month and fully commit to it.  So, if you’re reading this in mid-March and you’re looking to take one month to reflect and recharge, plan to start promptly on April 1st.  Doing so will give you enough time to prepare for the month ahead in terms of lowering your workload and setting up proper expectations for both yourself and those who rely on you.

2.  Theme your months.

Another clever way to ensure that you can start the year you want anytime you want is to apply a theme to each month of the year.  For example, if you have a project or goal that you’ve been dying to work on, take a month of the year to make it your primary focus.  This isn’t to say that you have to completely ignore everything that’s unrelated to what you’re trying to achieve during that month.  Instead, by aligning that month with your specific project or goal, and making it the focal point, or theme, you are more likely to put forth the time and effort necessary to make significant progress on it.  (Read The Front Nine.)

3.  Classify days for heavy-lifting and light-lifting.

Use your days accordingly.  There are some days where you’re going to be able to spend a significant amount of time on your goal or project, and there will be days where you simply won’t be able to at all.  I use a system of ‘heavy-lifting’ and ‘light-lifting’ days to help me make measured progress on my goals and projects.  By taking the days that I know I’m going to be able to spend the bulk of my time on my goal or project, I allow myself some emotional support for those days where I can’t – and don’t feel bad about taking those days off in the process.

For example, if you work a day job from Monday through Friday, perhaps Saturday and Sunday could be a heavy-lifting days for that side project you’ve been working on, and the other five days can be light-lifting ones.  Or if like me, you’re a stay-at-home / work-at-home parent, you will have some days where you can work on that big goal, while others you are focusing on fulfilling your duty as a parent.

The key is to evaluate and plan your schedule enough to know which days are for heavy lifting and which days aren’t.  It’s going to be different for everyone, but by classifying both types of days it helps you prioritize and emotionally separate the various kinds of work you “should be doing.”  This prevents you from neglecting what you need to do for the sake of what you want to do, or from trying to do too much at once.

4.  Capture and curate.

Being busy and being productive are two totally different things.  For instance, rocking in a rocking chair can keep you busy, but it’s not going to get you anywhere. It’s all about figuring out how you can deliver the greatest positive impact on your projects and goals in a set amount of time.

Obviously you can’t do everything and still be productive; trying to do so is futile.  This is where capturing and curating come into play.  You should spend at least two weeks capturing and tracking your daily tasks on an hourly basis, or as often as you can through each day.  It’s a challenging habit to adopt, but once you’ve spent some time doing it, you can then begin the selective process of curating those tasks.  This involves reprioritizing, reordering, expanding, and eliminating tasks so that you really spend your time getting the right things done, instead of simply being busy just for the sake of appearing to be productive.

Again, by first tracking and capturing everything you do and then fine-tuning and curating your efforts, you give yourself the luxury of being able to accomplish more of the things that matter to you.  (Read Getting Things Done.)

5.  Manage your time realistically

Even after curating your tasks and time effectively, you’ll still have to give yourself the freedom to let some things go.  Some of what you tracked is not immediately important and will have to go on the back burner, and some of it will have to drop off your radar altogether.

The key to having the year you want anytime you want is to accept the limited amount of time you have to do something really, really great.  The value of quality over quantity is essential when it comes to how you mange your time, which in turn is essential to your long-term happiness and success.  Better to do one amazing thing than ten mediocre things.  Better to do one thing you really want to do, than ten things someone else wants you to do.  (Read 1,000 Little Things.)

One of the most powerful ways you can change your perspective on the time you have is to get a bird’s eye view of the year ahead.  A wall calendar that displays the entire year at a glance can do that for you (I use a large one-page calendar) as you can see what you’ve mapped out in the months to come and celebrate what you’ve achieved in the months gone by.

Get real with your year and you are well on your way to making it great, no matter when you decide to start it.

Mike Vardy is a husband, father, writer, podcaster, speaker, and ‘productivityist’.  In addition to writing for his blog, Productivityist.com, he contributes guest articles to several online and print publications on the topic of productivity, time, and task management, and just recently published his latest book, The Front Nine.

Study advises parents not to talk to kids about pot smoking past

Study advises parents not to talk to kids about pot smoking past By JOANNE RICHARD, Special to QMI Agency

(Fotolia) New research shows that retelling your past drug and alcohol experiences to your adolescent children is possibly a bad idea. A study by The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that kids whose parents spilled the beans were less likely to hold anti-substance abuse perceptions. “Why would we tell them our gory or law-breaking behaviours of the past? What good would possibly come from that except maybe a release of guilt for the parent?” says teen expert Mary Jo Rapini. “They may tell themselves that you did it so it’s okay for them to. Remember our kids use us as a guide for what is the norm for them,” she says. Dr. Wendy Walsh agrees: “Teens look up to parents. Their attitude may very well be: Well, my parents tried it and they turned out fine.” Double standards - do what I say, not as I do - never work, says Walsh. “If they know you did drugs, that will be more powerful than your verbal warnings.” Frequent marijuana smoking amongst teens is up 80% since 2008, according to The Partnership at Drugfree.org. Nearly one in 10 teens smoke marijuana at least 20 or more times a month. And there’s a growing perception that a little weed or a few pills is no big deal. Many parents are turning a blind eye, thinking it’s just a passing adolescent indulgence. But this isn’t the ‘60s, says Rapini. “Parents are too lax. They don’t understand the dangers of pot much like they don’t understand the danger of cyber-bullying. They equate pot use and bullying to their teen years,” says Rapini. “But the marijuana smoked today has changed and we know it changes brain chemistry.” Your job as a parent is to teach, mentor and guide your child, stresses Rapnini. “The rule of thumb is before you say anything, ask yourself who is this helping? Is this for me, or for my child? Leave your past in your past.” So should you lie when asked outright? “Omitting facts isn’t actually lying,” says Walsh. Tell them it’s “none of your business. But I make it my business to make sure you understand the consequences if you use drugs. I want you to know the physical risk and I want you to know the rules of our house, the behaviour I expect from you and the consequences if you break this rule.” Walsh says that kids need you as a role model more than they need to see you as a flawed person. “The focus should be on the consequences of drug use, not your personal experience.” On the other hand, Susan Shapiro Barash says to be honest about your past. “If you do not come clean, your child may find out one day through a mutual friend, relative and feel betrayed. This could push her/ him to dabble, almost as a rebellion.” Be sure to mention the consequences of your actions as well as what you dabbled in – include a cautionary tale, adds Shapiro, professor and author of You’re Grounded Forever… But First, Let’s Go Shopping. And don’t overshare: “Your child needs you as an adult, not a buddy.” Parents need to reinforce the message that this behaviour is unhealthy, agree experts. According to Dr. Vivian Diller, a New York psychologist, do not lie or hide the truth from your kids about your past marijuana use. Convey information about drug and alcohol use in a smart, thoughtful way and at the right time in a kid’s life, before it’s too late. Kids are starting younger with weed use and are assuming there are no negative consequences when used regularly. “In part this increase usage probably comes from lax attitudes from parents, but more than anything it comes from our culture that has made it seem acceptable.”Don’t be lulled into looking the other way regarding the risks of using marijuana. “Our more lenient attitudes will only likely increase the prevalence and potency of what is out there today… there is enough research that suggests they face potential dangers that previous generations did not.”  Tips from expert Dr. Wendy Walsh about what you can do to guide your kids about helping them make the right decisions: Have the talk. And have it early. Waiting until ninth grade is way too late. Point out negative consequences of drug use as they crop up in the news or the kids’ social circle. Decide what exactly your house rules will be and what the consequences of rule breaking will be. Follow up all threats with action. Make sure the consequences are real in your house. If all else fails, be prepared to change their peer group if necessary. That may mean you may have to move the family to a new school zone. But it’s worth it, if it means saving your child.

How Lying Affects Your Health

To tell the truth, honesty may be the best policy, for physical and mental reasons

By ANGELA HAUPT

August 20, 2012

One little white lie here. Another there. Liar, liar—no, your pants aren't going to catch on fire. So what could it hurt? Plenty, say researchers, and a new study suggests that honesty may indeed be the best policy, for both your health and well-being. Listen up, because most of us tell 11 lies a week, or one or two each day. And all that fibbing could lead to headaches, sore throats, and feeling sad and stressed.

Anita Kelly, a psychology professor at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, spent 10 weeks tracking the health of 110 adults. She asked half of them to stop lying throughout the study period—which meant no false statements, though participants could still omit the truth, keep secrets, and dodge questions they didn't want to answer. The other folks weren't given any specific instructions about lying, though they knew they'd be reporting the number of fibs they told each week. In addition to taking a weekly lie-detector test, participants filled out questionnaires about their physical and mental health, as well as the quality of their relationships.

[See How Your Personality Affects Your Health]

The results? Both groups lied less, but those instructed to tell the truth reaped more health improvements. "We established very clearly that purposefully trying not to lie caused people to tell fewer lies," Kelly says. "When they told more lies, their health went down. And when they told the truth, it improved." In fact, telling three fewer minor lies a week translated to four fewer mental health complaints, and three fewer physical complaints. (Those in the control group who independently told fewer lies logged around two fewer health complaints each week.) Kelly speculates that's because telling the truth improves relationships, as the study participants reported. And research has long indicated that people with good relationships have better physical and mental health.

Still, there could be more to it than the relationship factor, experts contend. Research on how lying affects health is scant, but lying is thought to trigger the release of stress hormones, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. Stress reduces your body's number of infection-fighting white blood cells, and over the years, could contribute to lower-back pain, tension headaches, a rapid heartbeat, menstrual problems, and even infertility. You've probably experienced the visceral effects of lying at least once. Imagine, for example, that you're planning on lying to your boss or girlfriend tomorrow morning. "I would bet that you can feel the tension in your shoulders, in your stomach, and in other parts of your body," says Linda Stroh, a professor emeritus of organizational behavior at Loyola University in Chicago and author of Trust Rules: How to Tell the Good Guys From the Bad Guys. "You would spend a lot of time planning the lie, executing it, and maintaining it."

[See 3 Ways to Help Good Kids Make Tough Choices]

And that can be awfully draining. "It takes a lot of negative physical and mental energy to maintain a lie," Stroh says. "We have to think before we answer and we have to plan what we say and do, rather than saying and doing what comes more naturally. We waste a lot of precious time covering our tracks rather than spending that time in positive ways, doing good things."

But is giving up lies cold turkey realistic? Not necessarily, and it's certainly not easy, Kelly says. Most study participants were able to cut back to one lie a week. Especially tricky: squeezing those seemingly innocuous little white lies out of our daily lives.

At the end of the 10-week study period, Kelly asked participants to reflect on how they had managed to curb dishonest tendencies. "We didn't find that anyone was using the study to give people a piece of their mind or tell them brutal truths," she says. "They just stopped exaggerating their day-to-day accomplishments, dropped excuses that weren't true, and told partial truths instead." For example: If a participant's girlfriend changed her hairstyle and he didn't like it, he couldn't lie and say that he did. But he could vaguely tell her: "I really like the way your face looks right now."

If you're making a conscious effort to cut back on the lies, Stroh suggests seeking like-minded, honest folk. "Surround yourself with people who encourage you to be a truthful person, as opposed to those who might tell you it's OK to be untruthful," she says. "Be aware that those who lie 'with you' may lie 'to you' as well."