The unflattering side effect of a low-carb diet

You’ve been wanting to lose weight so you can fit into that lovely red dress you’re eyeing to wear on your special date. So, you’ve decided to eliminate carbohydrates in your meal believing you will not gain extra pounds before the date. Yes, low-carb diets may be good for your waistline, but it may not be the same for your breath.

Bad breath from low or no-carb diets is often caused by chemicals called ketones that are released in the breath as the body burns fat. An example of this effect occurs especially in the popular Atkins diet. Carbohydrates aren’t readily available, so the body starts consuming other fats and proteins as its source of energy. As a result, one gets a breath problem.

It’s not an oral hygiene problem. Brushing, flossing, and scraping the tongue may not be able to hide the bad breath. Instead, reconsider your diet and modify it to avoid this embarrassing condition. There may be some ways to mask bad breath by (using mouthwash, for instance), but the basic problem still exists—so, better introduce complex carbohydrates (found in whole grains and vegetables like broccoli and spinach) in your diet instead.

What to do

Though this is not an oral hygiene problem, certain remedies can help banish the bad breath or at least mask the odor.

• Drink more water. Drinking water and swishing it around your mouth after your mouth after you eat helps moisten the mouth and gets the food particles that may contribute to odor, out. Chewing fresh parsley can also help.

• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless mints. In particular, those that contain Xylitol also kill bacteria and can prevent cavities.

Optimum nutrition means having a well balanced meal—the greatest percentage for energy source should come from carbohydrates. The key is on the amount and kinds of foods that we eat. Complex carbohydrates may be good for dieters and with people who have diabetes because they are rich in fibers and makes one feel full at once. So, before you blame carbohydrates for any added inches in your waistline and decide to eliminate them altogether, think again. The downside could be unattractive, too.

• Want to know more? Manila Doctors Hospital’s resident nutritionists and dieticians at the PROHEALTH Center offer diet counseling services that are tailor-fit to your lifestyle. They also offer nutrition and disease education on common medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

PROHEALTH is open from Mondays through Saturdays from 8:00am to 5:00 pm and is located at the ground floor of Manila Doctors Hospital, No. 667 United Nations Ave., Ermita, Manila. You may reach them at these numbers (02) 524-3011 local 4718. For more information, visit the Manila Doctors website here.

source: interaksyon.com

WANT TO SAVE LIVES? Promote handwashing with soap to cut 1,400 child deaths daily - UN

NEW YORK -- Millions of children Tuesday took part in the sixth annual United Nations-backed Global Handwashing Day, driving home the message that the simple use of soap and water could slash highly preventable diarrheal diseases that kill 1,400 children under five every day.

“Washing hands before eating and after defecation drastically reduces the spread of diarrheal disease and has far reaching effects on the health and welfare of children and communities,” the global head of the UN's Children’s Fund (Unicef) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) programs, Sanjay Wijesekera, said in a message marking the Day, whose theme this year is "The Power Is in our Hands."

“The simple act of handwashing with soap is one of the most effective ways to save children’s lives.”

In Ethiopia, some five million children participated in handwashing demonstrations and workshops around the country.

In Yemen, Global Handwashing Day celebrations took place in 3,300 schools, involving 1.4 million children. There is also a mass media campaign aimed at sensitizing the public around handwashing.

At least 1,000 schools in Vietnam, 450 in Sierra Leone, 424 in Mali, 200 in 50 communities in Gambia, as well as 12 cities in Indonesia and 22 educational institutions in several municipalities in Bolivia held Global Hand Washing Day activities.

600,000 children die of diarrheal diseases every year

According to Unicef, diarrhea remains the second largest cause of under-five mortality globally. Some 600,000 children die each year from diarrheal diseases caused by a lack of safe water, sanitation, and basic hygiene out of a total of over 1.7 billion cases.

These diseases are also associated with a higher risk of stunting, as shown by low weight for age and developmental delay, and they take a huge toll on society. One of the simplest and most inexpensive barriers to infection is handwashing with soap.

“The evidence is clear. Each individual - every mother, every child, every teacher, every member of every community - can contribute to the health of all by just washing their hands,” Wijesekera said.

“If you knew of something monumental that could benefit the world, you would do it. Everyone has this power - simply wet, lather, and rinse with soap and water.

source: interaksyon.com

Alternative Uses for Everything in Your Bathroom

As a kid, I used to love using other people's bathrooms — there was always a new, exotic array of creams, cleaners, and conditioners to stare at, wondering “What's this for?” (And, in some cases, “Why does this [insert: soap, lotion, powder] smell so flipping awful?”)

These days, I still get a little excited about the products we keep in our bathrooms — but now, it's because I like discovering alternative uses for everyday things (OK, I still like to know what other people's lotions smell like, too). I've collected tips from around Wise Bread and the web to help you make the most of your bathroom products. So whether you want to get more life out of the stuff you own or are out of something and need to find a substitute, read on for great ways to get more out of everything in your bathroom. (See also: How Baking Soda Took My Bathroom From "Yuck" to Yes!)

Bar Soap

Yeah, you can use a bar of soap to make things smell nice and clean, but it can also help you keep things smelling nice in another way — if you hang it up outside, bar soap can help deter skunks. Prefer liquid soap to bar soap? You can follow this tutorial for turning bar soap into liquid. There are plenty more alternative uses for bar soap, too — like these nine.

Bobby Pins

From pulling zippers to holding hems, check out Myscha's piece on 25 uses for bobby pins.

Comb

I fondly remember making a comb into a musical instrument as a kid. Real Simple has seven more uses for combs — including using a (clean) comb to create some awesome cake-frosting texture.

Conditioner

Personally, I'm a soap-and-water shaver. But one thing I remember from my days of reading teen magazines was the suggestion of swapping in conditioner for shave cream when you're in a pinch. Since conditioner is, at heart, a moisturizer, it can also be used as a stand-in for lotion, or even to grease up stuck things like zippers or rings trapped on fingers (because, come on, do you really want to cover your wedding ring in butter?).

Cotton Balls

Stylelist has a great list of alternative uses for cotton balls; my favorite detials how you can use cotton balls to make daffodils last longer.

Deodorant

The Coupon High recommends a few uses for deodorant, including drying pimples.

Floss

Our own Linsey Knerl has already listed 14 great uses for floss, including hanging photos, precision cake cutting, and even baby delivery (um, don't try that at home?).

Hairbrush

Over at Yahoo! Voices, Angela Vee lists a few different ways to use old hairbrushes. Most of them are for (big surprise) brushing other things, but I especially like her suggestion of using an old brush to work dirt out of messy kids' clothes (or adult clothes, because sometimes, you just have to jump in a mud puddle no matter what your age is).

Hairdryer

I've always liked using my hair dryer as a way to dry clothes in a pinch, but that's a pretty obvious use. For more creative options, take a look at this Instructables guide on ways to use a hair dryer.

Liquid Soap

If your liquid soap is Castile soap (like Dr. Bronner's), you can dilute it and use it as a household cleaner, add a ¼ cup to your laundry in place of regular detergent, or even use it as a toothpaste.

Lotion

When I'm having a particularly frizzy hair day (such as every day that I'm on the East Coast), I'll often use a little bit of lotion to help tame the curly beast. Like the aforementioned conditioner, it can also be used when you need to moisturize other things (like hair) or get stuck things unstuck.


Mouthwash

Our Nora Dunn compiled a list of 19 uses for mouthwash, from treating bruises to cleaning glass. Mouthwash also factors into Paul's secret lawn tonic recipe, which uses other common ingredients that you (hopefully) don't keep in your bathroom, like beer.

Nail Polish

I was first introduced to the magic of nail polish when my 3rd grade teacher took a bottle out of her desk to help stop a run in her stockings; all you need to do is paint a little clear polish around the hole. Mikey compiled 14 other uses for nail polish — as someone who has done a lot of sewing, using nail polish to help thread a needle is one of my favorite tips.

Razors

Even though it's probably not great for the blade, I'll sometimes use my bathroom razor to cut loose threads off of clothing. But if you're a straight-razor user, you have several more options available to you.

Shampoo

If you've spilled grease or oil on your clothing, try pouring a bit of shampoo on, rubbing it in, and rinsing. This works best immediately after the spill. Readers Digest also recommends a bit of shampoo for shining up leather shoes and purses (just rub a little on it with a clean cloth) and washing things other than hair, like delicates or hair brushes.

Shaving Cream

Well, I know that performers will often use shaving cream as an inexpensive alternative for whipped cream when they want to hit someone in the face with a pie. That might not be the most practical use, but Apartment Therapy has another great suggestion — mixing shaving cream with bleach to help keep the cleaner in place when removing mildew from grout.

Toilet Paper

Of course, toilet paper can be used for tissues (and vice versa). But if you really want to get fancy...check out this toilet paper wedding dress.

Toothbrush

Just because a toothbrush isn't great for cleaning your teeth anymore doesn't mean it's kaput. Used toothbrushes are great for scrubbing hard-to-reach areas around the house, like between tiles or behind the faucet. Or if you're looking for a fun project to do with your kids, try this toothbrush robot.

Toothpaste

From removing stains to relieving itchy bug bites, Nora Dunn has gathered 20 great alternative uses for toothpaste.

Witch Hazel

You might know the stuff primarily as an astringent, but Paul has detailed 14 other great uses for witch hazel.

source: wisebread.com

Dental care from (before) Day 1

PREGNANCY and its related hormonal changes exaggerate the effects from plaque irritants. And as you know, the acids in plaque can lead to tooth decay, gum tissue inflammation and, if neglected, eventual tooth loss.  A healthy diet, daily tooth brushing and flossing, and a continued – even increased – schedule of regular dental hygiene visits are especially important for pregnant women. Please advise us if you are expecting, before your dental appointment commences.

Once baby arrives, you will need advice on dental care for his or her gums and primary teeth.

Believe it or not, research reveals that cavities are contagious, especially for babies and younger children! Children can develop tooth decay from being exposed to certain bacteria passed on from their parents. The transmission can come from sharing utensils, or any other activity that might transmit even a minute particle of saliva transferred from one mouth to another. By keeping their own teeth clean, healthy and free of decay, parents can help reduce their children’s exposure to decay-causing bacteria, and therefore reduce the chances of cavities in their children’s early years.

At the other end of the dental spectrum are seniors, and their specific dental needs.

Seniors are living longer than ever and, happily, preserving their natural teeth longer than previous generations, too. The inevitable inconvenience of tooth loss in senior years is fading, as seniors today are recognizing that vigilant oral hygiene combats age-related tooth loss.

The understanding that tooth loss is due to oral disease, rather than the result of how many years the teeth have been in service, is an enlightening moment for many.

In addition to regular dental cleanings and checkups, open communication is also part of the long-term oral health formula for seniors. Many people require more medications as they age. The downside to some medications is their side effects on dental health.

It’s important that patients keep the dentist informed on their health conditions, and any medications they are on. For example, many medications cause a decrease in the saliva flow, which can lead to a dry mouth, subsequent dental decay – often showing up in the roots of teeth where the gums have receded to expose them – and possible tooth loss. It is imperative that dentists keep patients’ medical records updated – not only can this help explain some of the dental problems a patient may experience, it can also prevent potentially harmful drug interactions within the dental office.

There are different dental considerations, at every stage of life. Only with consistent daily dental care and regularly scheduled continuing care dental appointments, can we improve our chances of healthy smiles right into our twilight years.

source: asianjournal.com