Daily Health Bits

I'm sorry, but there is really no reason to buy anything less than two-ply toilet paper.   Am I right?  We have a friend, who has more money than he knows what to do with, but he insists on buying single ply because it is a better value.  If you are a toilet paper snob, like me, you will be surprised at what our ancestors used to clean their backsides.  Before modern toilet paper was introduced by Joseph Gayetty in 1857, Americans were stuck using corn cobs or mussel shells. Wealthy Romans used a salt-water soaked sponge tied to the end of a stick to get a clean behind, while the Vikings were fans of leftover sheeps' wool. Coconut shells were the bottom cleansers for Hawaiians, the French used bidets and the Japanese used wooden sticks.  This doesn't have a lot to do with health, more with cleanliness and hygiene, but I still thought it was interesting!

 

Source: AOL

Posted by Cindy Burreson at 09:43 AM | Permalink

When I was younger, one of my first jobs was working in a jewelry shop.  I used to clean every piece of jewelry using the VERY loud steamer.  I swear that as a result of that, I've had hearing loss, in addition to listening to my Walkman too loud and playing music above the acceptable level in my car.  Well, a study by University of Michigan Kresge Hearing Research Institute reveals that I am not alone.  About 10 million people in the United States suffer from noise-induced hearing loss.  While they haven't found a way to reverse hearing loss, the researchers have come up with a vitamin cocktail to take before being exposed to loud noises (i.e. our troops) in an effort to prevent some of the noise-induced damage. The U-M researchers discovered that this new combination of vitamins, (A, C and E)  when mixed with magnesium, can prevent noise-induced damage to the ears by blocking some of these complex cellular reactions.  Their studies show that it blocked about 80% of the damage.  This is a great discovery for those whose jobs or hobbies involved high volume situations.  I wish I had known about this combo back in the day!

 

Source:ScienceDaily 10 November 2008. 11 November 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/11/081110112103.htm>.

Posted by Cindy Burreson at 08:14 AM | Permalink

I went to the dentist last week, and was proud to announce (to my husband's annoyance) that I STILL have yet to have a cavity!  36 years old and cavity-free is something I'm proud of.  HOWEVER, it was made known that my flossing habits are lacking....if existent at all.  So, I thought i would research and share the benefits of flossing, for it is crucial in your overall dental health.  Dental experts overwhelmingly agree that daily flossing is a critical, preventive step in reducing tooth decay and gum disease. Flossing removes plaque between teeth and below the gum line -- dislodging the pieces of food trapped between teeth which otherwise cannot be brushed or rinsed away.  Plaque build up causes gum disease (gingivitis) which affects some two- thirds(1) of the U.S. population, while advanced-stage gum disease (periodontal disease) is the leading cause of tooth loss in American adults and affects between ten and fifteen percent of the U.S. population.  One dentist I visited some time ago said that flossing is like exercising your gums.  If you don't do it, they become weak and your teeth could loosen and fall out when you are older.  The bacteria that like to live in your mouth are only distant relatives of the good bacteria that live in your digestive tract, helping to digest your food.  Like their distant relatives, they attack food, but they also attack your soft tissues (gums) and bones of your mouth.  Eventually, if you don't evict them, they will weaken the attachment of your teeth to your bone, and your teeth will loosen and fall out.  This is the progress of what is commonly known as gum disease, more formally known as periodontal disease.  So, I intend to make a concerted effort to floss regularly because I don't want to be a old lady with no teeth!

Posted by Cindy Burreson at 05:10 PM | Permalink