ANOTHER REASON WHY PROCESSED FOOD IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU

Aside from the saturated fats, too high salt and sugar levels and artificial flavourings and colouring, you might want to read the article below

Revealed, what’s REALLY inside your ham sandwich and chicken nuggets - and it’s enough to put you off processed food for life

• Peter Augustus, who lives in Hong Kong, photographed popular dishes alongside the real, raw part of the animal they come from
• Wanted to raise awareness of what our favourite foods are made from
• 'Few of us see anything that even closely represents the animal we are eating when we purchase it – it is always pre-packaged and neat'
• The non-vegetarian says the project has changed his own eating habits 

THIS ARTICLE IS FROM THE DAILY MAIL

As delicious as they taste, every diner knows that chicken nuggets and hotdogs aren't exactly made from prime cuts of meat.

Indeed, most of us try and push the image of trotter or carcass to the back of our minds when eating processed food.

Now, one photographer has laid bare the grisly reality of where our favourite foods come from - and it's probably enough to deter you at least temporarily, if not for life.

Grisly: Texan-born Peter Augustus has taken photos of popular dishes alongside the real, raw part of the animal they come from, in a bid to raise awareness

Sanitised: 'Most of us seldom see anything that even closely represents what kind of animal we are eating - it is always pre-packaged, nice and neat, showcased in an air-conditioned supermarket,' said Mr Augustus

Taken by Texan-born Peter Augustus, they show popular dishes alongside the real, raw part of the animal they come from.

While nuggets are chicken feet, a ham sandwich is a pig's trotter and a hot dog is an unappetising-looking piece of intestine. 

Mr Augustus says the project - inspired by his move to Hong Kong - 'is not meant to be repulsive, but to raise awareness' of where popular dishes actually come from.

He said: 'Arriving in Hong Kong for the first time, a city overloaded with visual stimulation, one of the most impactful scenes for me was the meat shops found in my neighbourhood of Sai Ying Pun. 

'As a foreigner from a major city in the West, most of us seldom see anything that even closely represents what kind of animal we are eating when we purchase it – it is always pre-packaged, nice and neat, showcased in an air-conditioned supermarket. 

'Being forced to pass by these meat shops on a daily basis with their pig heads, intestines, eyeballs and hearts hung on hooks out in the open lead me to challenge myself to view these shops as a normal place where actual food was being sourced every day, that ended up in my meal at a local restaurant.'

Mr Augustus - who is not vegetarian - says his work, 'a personal therapeutic process', explores the relationship that most Western societies have with the meat that they eat.

'It's a disconnect between what it actually is they are eating and what it was before it was prepared for consumption.'

He added: 'Shot using a white background with lighting meant to evoke an American diner or cafeteria, I take out the clean cuts and replace them with a real representation of the animal the meat comes from.

'By doing this, I hope to cause the viewer to take into account what the natural form of their food looks like.' 

x

Authentic: He hopes the project will help diners think about the natural form their food takes

Transformed: Mr Augustus admits the project has changed his eating habits. 'I now make an effort to know where and how the animal I am eating was raised - and the results do dictate if I end up eating it'

Mr Augustus believes his work 'highlights a number of important debates' - such as the longstanding debate of the quality of chicken and meat products and 'the use of unnatural fillers and hormones in the animal products we eat daily.'

The project itself was a labour of love - an involved traipsing around until he found a friendly bucher who could speak sufficient English. 

'She thought it was funny, as she could tell I was a little bit uncomfortable being surrounded all the raw meat,' he recalls.

In fact, her main focus was food handling and preparation.

'She didn't understand why a white person wanted all of these things to photograph and was very concerned if I knew how to handle it properly.

'She also told me how to cook and eat it, which I did not.'

However he admits the project has changed his eating habits. 'I now make an effort to know where and how the animal I am eating was raised - and the results do dictate if I end up eating it. 

'Not to sound preachy, but I think if more meat eaters did that, I think there would be less animosity from overly passionate vegans.'

Astrid Brown (Author)

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JUST WHAT WE LIKE TO HEAR "ANOTHER REASON WHY CHOCOLATE IS GOOD FOR US"

The story from the "DAILY MAIL" below is about another good excuse to eat chocolate of course we are referring to dark chocolate which contains a good supply of iron and rich in those beneficial antioxidants Flavonoids

Dark chocolate could make walking easier for the elderly: Eating a bar can help patients with artery problems in their legs.
Patients with Peripheral artery disease, which affects leg arteries, tested twenty people aged 60 to 78 could walk better after eating dark chocolate

Enlarge 

Researchers found elderly people with artery problems in their legs could walk a little longer after eating dark chocolate

For most of us dark chocolate is just a tasty treat – but for the elderly it could also help them to walk, according to a study.

Researchers found elderly people with artery problems in their legs could walk a little longer after eating dark chocolate.

Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, is a cardiovascular disease most commonly affecting the arteries of the legs and is strongly associated with age, with high rates in over-70s.

Reduced blood flow can cause pain, cramping or fatigue in the legs or hips while walking.

In a pilot study of patients with PAD, 14 men and six women aged from 60 to 78 increased their ability to walk unassisted after eating dark chocolate. 

On separate days, they were tested on a treadmill once in the morning and again after eating a 40g bar of dark or milk chocolate.

After the dark chocolate they walked on average 39 feet further and 17 seconds longer than earlier in the day. There was no improvement after eating milk chocolate.

The researchers, whose findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, suggest that compounds found in cocoa – polyphenols – may reduce oxidative stress and improve blood flow in peripheral arteries.improve arteries’ blood flow.

The dark chocolate in the study had 85 per cent cocoa so was rich in polyphenols. The milk chocolate had less than 30 per cent cocoa.

The researchers said that a larger study with long-term consumption is now needed to confirm the improvements.

 

The improvements were modest. However, the benefit of dark chocolate polyphenols is 'of potential relevance for the quality of life of these patients,' according to the study’s co-author Doctor Lorenzo Loffredo, assistant professor at the Sapienza University of Rome in Italy.

Levels of nitric oxide - a gas linked to improved blood flow - were higher when participants ate dark chocolate. Other biochemical signs of oxidative stress were also lower. 

Based on these observations and other laboratory experiments, the researchers suggest that the higher nitric oxide levels may be responsible for dilating peripheral arteries and improving walking independence. 

Doctor Francesco Violi, study senior author and professor of internal medicine at the Sapienza University of Rome, said: 'Polyphenol-rich nutrients could represent a new therapeutic strategy to counteract cardiovascular complications.'

In the pilot study of those with Peripheral artery disease, 14 men and six women aged 60 to 78 increased their ability to walk unassisted after eating dark chocolate

The researchers said the improvements linked to these compounds in dark chocolate need to be confirmed in a larger study involving long-term consumption. 

American Heart Association spokesman Dr Mark Creager said that it’s far too early to recommend polyphenols or dark chocolate for cardiovascular health.

He said: “Other investigations have shown that polyphenols including those in dark chocolate may improve blood vessel function. 

“But this study is extremely preliminary and I think everyone needs to be cautious when interpreting the findings. 

“We know from other studies of antioxidants - vitamin C and vitamin E for example - that these interventions have not gone on to show improvement in cardiovascular health.”

Other polyphenol-rich foods include cloves, dried peppermint, celery seed, capers and hazelnuts.

Astrid Brown (Author)

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SMOKING IS MORE DEADLY AND ADDICTIVE THAN IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO

The article below is from the Daily Mail below. We should all know by now that smoking is bad for us, however the charity "The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids" has discovered the lengths tobacco companies are going to make sure smoking is highly addictive

Why smoking is more deadly and addictive  than it was 50 years ago: Charity reveals the underhand tactics tobacco companies now use to make sure we’re hooked

• Chemicals added to cigarettes to ensure addiction, make smoke easier to inhale, reduce harshness and increase the speed nicotine hits the brain

• Today's smokers have a higher risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than in 1964 despite smoking fewer cigarettes

Cigarettes are more dangerous than ever due to a wealth of tactics adopted by tobacco companies over the last 50 years, a charity has warned. 

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has produced a revealing infographic which lays out exactly how cigarettes have changed in the last five decades. 

Doctors at the charity say that cigarettes today pose an even greater risk of disease than those sold in 1964 when the first warning about the health dangers came from the Surgeon General in the U.S.

Deadlier than ever: The report illustrates how cigarettes have changed over the last 50 years

The charity's research is based on a review of scientific studies and tobacco industry documents, as well as the Surgeon General's report.

It found that today's smokers have a much higher risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than in 1964  - despite smoking fewer cigarettes.

This is due to 'changes in the design and composition of cigarettes'.

The charity claims that over the past 50 years, tobacco manufacturers have designed and marketed ever more sophisticated products that are 'effective in creating and sustaining addiction to nicotine,' more appealing to new young smokers and much more harmful. 

'They took a deadly and addictive product and made it worse, putting smokers at even greater risk of addiction, disease and death,' the report, Designed for Addiction, says. 

The addictiveness of cigarettes has also been increased by raising nicotine levels.

The report claims that manufacturers also add ammonia, which increases the speed which nicotine is delivered to the brain .

Another tactic is to add sugars, which increase the addictive effects of nicotine and make it easier to inhale tobacco smoke.

Cigarettes today deliver nicotine more quickly from the lungs to the heart and brain. 

And by altering the taste and smell of cigarettes, tobacco manufacturers have made it easier for people to start and continue smokin.

They have also made tobacco smoke less harsh by adding levulinic acid. This makes the smoke feel smoother and less irritating.

The report states: '[It is] clear that tobacco products – and cigarettes in particular
– are highly engineered to expand the appeal of these products and facilitate
the consumption of and addiction to nicotine, a highly addictive drug. 

'Tobacco companies also know that almost all new smokers begin their addiction as
children and that smoking is distasteful for new smokers, so they carefully
design the product to appeal to this important market. 

'The companies have spent huge sums to research the design of their products and ensure they
achieve these goals, even if the impact of these changes also makes the product more dangerous.'

TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

Trigeminal neuralgia is sudden, severe facial nerve pain. It's often referred as the "suicide disease" because of the significant numbers of people taking their own lives before effective treatments were discovered.  Trigeminal Neuralgia has been known now for centuries. It is probably one of the worst kinds of pains known to man. An estimated one in 15,000 people suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, although numbers may be significantly higher due to frequent misdiagnoses. Trigeminal neuralgia is relatively rare an estimated one million people worldwide suffer from trigeminal neuralgia. It usually develops after the age of 40 and affects women in a 2:1 ratio. 

The pain in the face has been described as stabbing, piercing or like an electric shock. The intense pain can last from just a few seconds to two minutes each time and can last continuously for a couple of hours or so and random times during the day. 

In most cases it only affects one side of the face (unilateral), more commonly the right side. Rarely, people with trigeminal neuralgia have pain on both sides of their face (bilateral).

In 80-90% of cases the pain is caused by pressure on the trigeminal nerve, the largest nerve inside the skull.

For more information on this debilitating ailment please follow the link here TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA or the tab at the top of the page it will take you to THE TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA ASSOCIATION UK WEBSITE.  

The aim of the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association UK is to offer support and encouragement to TN patients, their families and friends, and to provide information on treatments currently available as well as details of any advances being made in the management of this excruciatingly painful and debilitating condition. Another vital part of our work is to raise awareness amongst medical professionals, particularly GPs and dentists, regarding the diagnosis and treatment.

Astrid Brown (Author)

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TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT?

A lot of people go wrong due to portion sizes as it can be laborious having to constantly weigh food, well this article from the DAILY MAIL explains the Hand Diet

Trying to lose weight? Try the HAND DIET:  Measure food portions using just your fingers, thumbs and palm

• A portion of meat should be no bigger than the palm of your hand
• Carbs such as pasta should be no bigger than a clenched fist
• A serving of butter is the size of a fingertip, cheese less than two fingers
• Recent research found portion sizes have doubled in 20 years
• Many people eat FIVE times the recommended serving of pasta, for example

If you like to pile your plate high, then this revealing graphic is likely to depress you.  But it could also help you lose weight on the so-called 'hand diet'.
It shows exactly how much of certain foods we should be eating - and it's probably a lot less than you think.
Experts say that a lack of portion control is one of the main reasons so many of us are overweight - with many of us eating way more than we should be.

Experts say that a lack of portion control is one of the main reasons so many of us are overweight - with many of us eating way more than we should be

For instance, a portion of meat should be no bigger than the palm of your hand - and carbs no bigger than a clenched fist.
When it comes to butter, the maximum amount you should be spreading on a slice of bread is the size of a finger tip.
The information comes from the website Guard Your Health.
The American Cancer Society says that many of us regularly eat way bigger portions than we should - for example, up to five times the recommended portion size of pasta.
Research has continually shown that when bigger portions are served, we eat them, because of the 'must clear plate' mentality.

HOW NORMAL PORTION SIZES LOOK

•    1 oz. meat: size of a matchbox
•    3 oz. meat: size of a deck of cards or bar of soap -- the recommended portion for a meal

•    8 oz. meat: size of a thin paperback book

•    3 oz. fish: size of a cheque book

•    1 oz. cheese: size of 4 dice

•    Medium potato: size of a computer mouse

•    2 tbs. peanut butter: a ping pong ball

•    ½ cup pasta: size of a tennis ball

•    Average bagel: size of a hockey puck

Source: American Cancer Society

Even a decade ago, researchers at New York University's Department of Nutrition and Food Studies found that food portions were consistently larger than in previous years.

They found that cookies were as much as seven times standard portion sizes, while muffins weighed in at over three times standard portion sizes.

In their book, The Gastric Mind Band, Martin and Marion Shirran provide eye-opening examples of how portion control can make a huge difference to the waistline.
They say: 'Spread butter on your toast, but be aware that a teaspoon of ­butter (enough for a thin layer) is 37 ­calories, but a ­tablespoon (a ­generous covering) is three times as much (111 calories).
'Put dressing on your salad, but learn to weight the vinegar in favour of the oil. A teaspoon of oil may be 45 ­calories, but a tablespoon is 135. That one extra tablespoon of oil every day amounts to a stone weight gain over a year.
'Switch to sweetener in your tea or ­coffee. Cutting out two spoons of sugar in your tea three times a day creates an annual calorie deficit of 37,000 calories, which could be enough to shed more than 11lb.

Kathleen Zelman, Director of Nutrition for the health website WebMD, has drawn up another way to manage portion sizes

'Have ice cream occasionally, but just one scoop (about 150 calories) and never eat it straight from the tub. Enjoy a few nuts with a drink, but stop at one or two (a small 4oz bag will set you back 600 calories).'
Kathleen Zelman, Director of Nutrition for the health website WebMD, has drawn up another way to manage portion sizes.
For example, she says that a pancake should be no bigger than a CD, a bagel should be the size of a can of tuna and a serving of mayonnaise the size of a poker chip.
A serving of chocolate should be the size of a dental floss package, a portion of hummus the size of a golf ball and a three-cup serving of popcorn the size of three baseballs.
Late last year the British Heart Foundation (BHF) warned that Britain’s supermarkets are ‘out of control’ when it comes to portion sizes.

Bagels have increased by 24 per cent in the last 20 years, while a curry ready meal is 53 per cent bigger

Despite the deepening obesity crisis portion sizes continue to rise, and are now double the size they were in 1993.
An average chicken curry and rice ready meal is now 53 per cent larger than in 1993, and a shepherd’s pie meal is about double the size.
Crumpets and garlic bread are from 20 to 30 per cent bigger now, while an average bagel has increased in size by 24 per cent.
To gain a pound in weight, a person need only consume an additional 3,500 calories and the massive increase in portion sizes explains why so many people are unwittingly putting on excess pounds.
As well as fuelling the growing obesity problem, the BHF said that oversized food portions were also contributing to heart disease, currently the UK's single biggest killer.

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MIGRAINE

Raising the profile of migraine today, most people assume it's just a headache, but if you have ever really suffered from it you will know there is a big difference to this debilitating ailment. Many work and school hours are lost due to migraine and it's often dismissed as an excuse for absence by ignorant people, believe me you would not wish to suffer from it. In this article below from THE DAILY MAIL, it explains silent migraine, but migraine doesn't just attack the blood vessels in the head but also the abdomen and often this is the first indication a child will go on to suffer the more usual symptoms of migraine later on. Some adults are affected by both and and some with all three types. 

I myself suffer from all three since my teens but I've never let it rule my life and know what my triggers are, so I can avoid them, (stress, cheese, chocolate and red wine the most common) For me homoeopathy when it was severe and recurrent helped me enormously and before you dismiss that as a placebo effect, homoeopathy works very well on babies, small children and animals who are incapable of being placated by placebos. There are many treatments available so do not put up with it speak to your doctor who can refer you a specialist to give you the correct diagnosis and help you manage this debilitating condition. If you think you suffer from migraine have it confirmed as it simply is not just a headache

They don't give you a headache - but 'silent migraines' can be even more shattering

• Rachel Paskin, 42, from Aldridge, suffers from silent migraines - auras
• Rarely has headache but bright, flashing line appears across her eyes

Rachel suffers from aura migraine, which causes her vision to partially disappear for about 20 minutes

Rachel Paskin has suffered from migraines for almost 30 years but rarely has a headache. Instead, a bright, flashing line appears across her eyes, causing her vision to partly disappear.
The 42-year-old has suffered up to five such attacks a day, severely affecting her work and ability to drive.
What she experiences is known as a silent migraine - a type of migraine that comes without the severe headache typically associated with the condition.
Instead, those affected experience visual  disturbance, co-ordination problems, and pins and needles (symptoms known as migraine 'aura').
'The first time it happened I was about 14 and thought I was having a stroke or going blind - it was terrifying,' says Rachel, a Birmingham City University administrator who lives with her husband Neil, 44, a heritage building restorer, in Aldridge, West Midlands.
She saw an optician, who reassured her there was nothing wrong with her eyes, but after doing her own research she realised what was causing her symptoms.
She put up with the silent migraines and realised she would feel OK again after they passed, usually after about 20 minutes - although during that time she couldn't see properly and her co-ordination was compromised.
On average, she had about five attacks a year but two years ago she started having the attacks four or five times a day so she sought medical help. In the aftermath, she felt 'spaced out' and tired for a few hours.
Migraine aura can have a wide range of different symptoms, including seeing flashing lights, zigzag lines and blind spots, stiffness or a tingling sensation in the neck, shoulders and limbs, problems with co-ordination, difficulty speaking, and occasionally loss of consciousness.
Aura often strikes just before a crippling headache, which usually sets in under an hour after the aura finishes. 

 Experiences of aura varies. Some people never have a headache, and just experience aura, while others will initially  experience just aura symptoms, but then go on to experience severe headaches.

Some people's migraines change as they age, so the headache can fade, while the aura remains. 
Around a third of the eight million people in the UK who suffer from  migraines experience the symptoms of aura, with an estimated 1 per cent - around 80,000 - having silent migraines, according to the Migraine Trust.
However, the real number may be much higher, suggests Dr Mark Weatherall, a consultant neurologist at Charing Cross Hospital, London. He believes silent migraine cases are significantly under-reported, as many people will experience them infrequently and not seek help.

190,000

The estimated number of migraine attacks that occur every day in the UK

But he warns it is important to rule out other causes if the symptoms suddenly start, particularly in the over-60s, as such symptoms are also linked with stroke and a detached retina (when the light-sensitive area at the back of the eye detaches from blood vessels, potentially causing blindness).
'It can even be difficult for a healthcare professional to tell the difference between the symptoms of a stroke and a  prolonged attack of aura,' he says.
Indeed, people experiencing silent migraine for the first time often dash to A&E or their GP practice, frightened they are having a stroke - that's because they don't also have the headache symptom that might suggest it's a migraine, says Dr Andrew Dowson, director of headache services at King's College Hospital, London.
'Auras can be worrying,' he adds.
The key point is that migraine aura symptoms develop relatively slowly, and then spread and intensify, while stroke symptoms are sudden, according to the Stroke Association.
Migraines also involve acquiring symptoms, such as seeing flashing lights - stroke is characterised by losing abilities, such as muscle strength or speech.
It's important to get the correct diagnosis of migraine with aura as it's linked to a higher risk of stroke and heart problems.

Auras can happen without any of the traditional pain associated with migraine, but are distressing

A 15-year study into the health of 28,000 female health professionals at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the U.S. found migraines with aura were the second highest risk factor for heart attack and stroke, after high blood pressure.
A review of 25 studies published in the British Medical Journal in 2009 found risk of stroke for people with migraine with aura was twice as high as the rest of the population, while there was no extra risk for those with migraine without aura.
For women with aura the risk of stroke was double that of men with aura.
And a French study found that women who suffered migraine with aura who took the contraceptive Pill had a 16 times greater risk of stroke; if they smoked as well it led to a 34 times higher risk.
For this reason, women with aura should not be on the combined Pill and should stop smoking, says Dr Fayyaz Ahmed, a consultant neurologist at Hull Royal Infirmary.

'Attacks of migraine aura can cause a lack of confidence in leaving the home, because not being able to see properly can cause vulnerability'

'Stroke risk is higher for those with aura, but it is still small, until you factor in smoking and taking the combined Pill. It is important doctors are aware of these risks to give correct advice.'
Meanwhile, the British Heart Foundation says that people with aura should reduce their risk of heart trouble by keeping physically active, eating a healthy diet and not smoking - and advises anyone concerned by the risks to consult their GP for more advice.
When Rachel was formally diagnosed two years ago, her GP prescribed propranolol, a beta blocker used for angina and high blood pressure, also found to be effective in reducing migraine (it's thought the medication, which reduces blood flow and opens blood vessels, helps by reducing electrical activity in the brain during migraine).
After taking it for three months, her migraines subsided, and have since gone back to the usual rate of about five a year.
Susan Haydon, from the Migraine Trust, says: 'No one is really sure why migraines can change. They tend to be worse in younger people, and may ease off in the 50s and 60s - 40 per cent of sufferers no longer have migraines by age 65.
'Attacks of migraine aura can cause a lack of confidence in leaving the home, because not being able to see properly can cause vulnerability. If a person drives for their job such attacks could mean a change of career.' If it interferes with driving safety, aura may need to be reported to the Driving and  Vehicle Licensing Authority.

Triggers include foods such cheese or chocolate, alcohol, exercise, lack of sleep and stress

Migraine sufferers can usually identify triggers, and keeping a diary to record when attacks happen can be helpful.
Triggers include foods such cheese or chocolate, alcohol, exercise, lack of sleep, and stress - avoiding them can reduce attacks. When attacks occur once a week or more, preventative medication, including beta blockers , antidepressants and epilepsy medication, can be prescribed.
However, particularly with epilepsy medication, there can be unpleasant side-effects such as nausea, tiredness and depression.
Some patients take supplements such as magnesium. Studies have suggested migraine patients may have low levels of the nutrient and two trials, one in Germany the other in Italy, have shown magnesium supplements helped reduce the number of migraines people suffered, although other trials have had mixed results.
Meanwhile, the nutrient co-enzyme Q10 reduced the number of migraines people experienced by 50 per cent, in a study at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, while patients taking vitamin B2 (riboflavin) for a Belgian study also reported a 59 per cent drop in migraine activity.
The Migraine Trust says many studies suggest mild regular aerobic exercise can help reduce attacks. As stress is a common trigger, deep breathing exercises, yoga, acupuncture and physiotherapy are also recommended.
While Rachel's silent migraines have stopped taking over her life, she says they are of ten misunderstood.
'While I have always had good care from doctors, for a lot of people it is hard to understand aura and its impact,' she  says.
'For most people, a migraine involves a throbbing headache that lasts days. For me, the aura is always the worst symptom and while it is happening there is nothing that you can do but wait it out.'

VISIT AMAZON ASTRID BROWN'S PAGE
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SEE WHAT SMOKING DOES TO YOUR BODY!

I came across this article in the press Daily Mail, and it reinforces what I have been saying on this site for ages. You cannot possibly hold on to your looks if you smoke never mind the detriment to your health. It just isn't good for you at all.

Astridestella.info: SMOKING AND CANCER
29 Dec 2012
... and results in death and disease. 'Giving up smoking can be extremely difficult, so providing extra motivation and reminding people of just how harmful the habit is can help smokers to take that first step in quitting for good.' ...
http://www.astridestella.info/
Astridestella.info: EVEN PASSIVE SMOKING IS DETRIMENTAL
02 May 2011
Smoking is one of the worst abuses you can do to your body, firstly because of its direct effect affect on the lungs, it impairs the uptake and absorption of oxygen and of course all cells in the body require oxygen in order to ...

Astridestella.info: SMOKING AND CANCER

29 Dec 2012

... and results in death and disease. 'Giving up smoking can be extremely difficult, so providing extra motivation and reminding people of just how harmful the habit is can help smokers to take that first step in quitting for good.' ...

http://www.astridestella.info/

Astridestella.info: EVEN PASSIVE SMOKING IS DETRIMENTAL

02 May 2011

Smoking is one of the worst abuses you can do to your body, firstly because of its direct effect affect on the lungs, it impairs the uptake and absorption of oxygen and of course all cells in the body require oxygen in order to ...

http://www.astridestella.info/

- See more at: http://www.astridestella.info/#uds-search-results

Astridestella.info: SMOKING AND CANCER

29 Dec 2012

... and results in death and disease. 'Giving up smoking can be extremely difficult, so providing extra motivation and reminding people of just how harmful the habit is can help smokers to take that first step in quitting for good.' ...

http://www.astridestella.info/

Astridestella.info: EVEN PASSIVE SMOKING IS DETRIMENTAL

02 May 2011

Smoking is one of the worst abuses you can do to your body, firstly because of its direct effect affect on the lungs, it impairs the uptake and absorption of oxygen and of course all cells in the body require oxygen in order to ...

http://www.astridestella.info/

- See more at: http://www.astridestella.info/#uds-search-results

Astridestella.info: SMOKING AND CANCER

29 Dec 2012

... and results in death and disease. 'Giving up smoking can be extremely difficult, so providing extra motivation and reminding people of just how harmful the habit is can help smokers to take that first step in quitting for good.' ...

http://www.astridestella.info/

Astridestella.info: EVEN PASSIVE SMOKING IS DETRIMENTAL

02 May 2011

Smoking is one of the worst abuses you can do to your body, firstly because of its direct effect affect on the lungs, it impairs the uptake and absorption of oxygen and of course all cells in the body require oxygen in order to ...

http://www.astridestella.info/

- See more at: http://www.astridestella.info/#uds-search-results

What's smoking doing to YOUR body? Alarming graphic shows how cigarettes cause women to go grey and sprout facial hair and men to have sluggish sperm

• Tobacco Body has been created in conjunction with the Cancer Society of Finland to show the damage smoking causes
• Highlights lesser-known effects such as spots, grey hair, increased risk of stomach ulcers and weight gain 

We all know that smoking can cause lung cancer - but did you know it can also trigger women to go grey, grow facial hair and men to have sluggish sperm?
In an attempt to move on from the grisly anti-smoking pictures found on cigarette packets, Finnish doctors have developed an interactive website to highlight the dangers. 
Tobacco Body has been created in conjunction with the Cancer Society of Finland to show the damage smoking causes.

The site explains that with skin, for example, 'smokers are more likely to get spots as smoking weakens the circulation which increases the risk of infection. It also make acne more difficult to deal with'

To see the dangers for yourself, select the male or female body and then browse different parts of the body.

 

From spots, to an increased risk of stomach ulcers, the catalogue of side-effects and images make for disturbing viewing - right down to the grey, mottled skin of the smoker.

For women, one of the most disturbing things may be that smoking can trigger the growth of extra facial hair on the face and arms. 

To see the dangers for yourself, select the male or female body and then browse different parts of the body.

It adds that smoker's skin looks unhealthy because the chemicals in cigarette smoke make the skin's elastic fibres snap more easily, causing the skin to lose its elasticity

The site explains that with skin, for example, 'smokers are more likely to get spots as smoking weakens the circulation which increases the risk of infection. It also make acne more difficult to deal with.'
It adds that smoker’s skin looks unhealthy because the chemicals in cigarette smoke make the skin’s elastic fibres snap more easily, causing the skin to lose its elasticity.

Non-smokers also have five times less wrinkles compared to smokers who have smoked a pack a day for 25 years. 
Excess hair growth in women in triggered because smoking increases levels of the male hormone, testosterone.
Indeed, a study from the Medical College of Wisconsin found that women who smoked a pack of cigarettes or more a day were significantly more likely than non-smokers to have facial hair and experience early menopause and irregular periods.

The site also claims that smokers are more likely to carry extra weight around the middle. Of girls aged 16-24, those who smoke are most likely to be overweight

Smokers are more likely to carry extra weight around the middle. Of girls aged 16-24, those who smoke are most likely to be overweight, it is claimed. 
Hair doesn't fair well, either. The site explains: 'Smokers have brittle hair and are more likely to go bald and grey than others. Chemicals from tobacco gather in the hair and cause hairs to break off before they are fully formed.'

The Tobacco Body site was created in conjunction with the Cancer Society of Finland to show the damage smoking causes in the body

Smokers also have double the risk of a blood clot and a worse sex life. Smoking weakens
blood flow to the penis, which counts for smokers being twice as likely to have erectile problems. 
Smokers’ sperm density is also significantly less compared to the non smokers. The toxins from cigarettes decrease the concentration and mobility of sperm cells in semen and harm the cell’s structure, the site says.
And if that wasn't bad enough, smokers also put themselves more at risk of painful stomach ulcers.

The nicotine in cigarettes weakens the stomach’s ability to fight helicobacter pylori, a bacteria which causes stomach ulcers.  

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IS HEATHER HONEY A CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE TO MANUKA HONEY'S HEALING BENEFITS?

Interesting article I found on the Daily Mail today, being that I am Scottish! It's well known about the healing qualities and health benefits of honey, it is a natural antibiotic and has been used as a wound treatment since ancient times. Heather honey is a lot cheaper than Manuka even though heather is only in bloom from two to four weeks. It makes a good face mask for skin that is prone to break outs.

Scottish honey 'is as good at healing as manuka': Heather variety could offer cheaper alternative

• Experts say it could be a cheaper alternative to the New Zealand product
• Of the 11 types tested, samples from Inverness killed bacteria effectively
• Honey’s anti-bacterial properties are widely used in veterinary medicine
• But manuka is the only medical-grade honey on the market

Medicine: Experts claim heather honey could offer a cheaper alternative than the health product from New Zealand

Scottish honey may be as effective as more expensive manuka when it comes to beating bacteria, a study has shown.
Experts claim heather honey could offer a cheaper alternative to manuka, from New Zealand, which is already known for its medicinal qualities.
Honey’s anti-bacterial properties are widely used in veterinary medicine as a wound dressing.
The findings come from a study published in The Veterinary Journal and carried out by Dr Patrick Pollock and colleagues at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow.
Of 11 different honeys tested, heather honey from the Inverness area was particularly effective, killing MRSA microbes and three other types of bacteria.
Dr Pollock, a bee keeper, said: ‘While manuka is currently the only medical grade honey, the study reveals other honeys may be just as suitable.
‘Consequently, it may prove unnecessary to transport manuka honey from New Zealand when more local sources may be as, or even more, effective.’
Honeys largely get their anti-microbial properties from the hydrogen peroxide they contain. Manuka is thought to benefit from a phytochemical property and a methylglyoxal compound.
Heather honey costs an average of £1.90 for 100g while 100g of manuka is £4.71.
Dr Pollock said: 'Although manuka has been the most studied honey source to date, other honey sources may have valuable antimicrobial properties too.
'Honey is useful in equine medicine, particularly on wounds to legs. There is not much fat on the lower half of horses' legs, so can take a long time to heal, or even never fully heal at all.

Effective: Manuka is currently the only medicinal grade honey available, but other types may also be suitable (file picture)

'Honey helps to promote healing, cleaning the wound and keeping it infection free. If vets were able to use locally-sourced, cheaper honey as a wound dressing, it would be very beneficial particularly in poorer countries.'
The researchers took 29 honey products, including commercial medical grade honeys, supermarket honeys and honeys from local bee-keepers, and examined them for bacterial contamination before testing.
Eighteen were found to contain bacteria that excluded them from the trial and the remaining 11 were tested against 10 equine bacterial isolates at concentrations varying from two per cent to 16 per cent.
Eight of the honeys were effective against all the bacteria at concentrations ranging from two per cent to six per cent.

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