Good housekeeping tip

This came into my Inbox today and made me smile. I hope it does you too:

Always keep several get well cards on the mantle....
so if unexpected guests arrive, they will think you've been sick and unable to clean!

Talking of housework, there’s some evidence that overzealous cleaning can contribute to allergies – read more about this fascinating idea - is dirt good for you?

Do Scientists Exaggerate?

Research scientists like to promote themselves as objective, disinterested tellers of the truth, but a letter in the UK independent newspaper on 8th July 2009 suggests a different picture altogether.

Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director, Grantham Research Institute On climate Change And the Environment at The London school Of Economics, refers in his letter to some research that found that “just 42% of press releases issued by US academic medical centres provided relevant caveats about the research they described, and 29% exaggerated the importance of their findings.”

In a way this is not surprising, many scientists and doctors are ambitious and want to succeed and be recognised. What they are displaying are common human failings, but we need to remember that these press releases form the basis of what most journalists write, and what journalists write influences our views on how powerful and successful science and medicine are.

Donate Money to your Favourite Charity Without It Costing You Anything

You can raise money for your favourite charity almost effortlessly if you use Easy Fund Raising when you shop online.

Just sign up and choose your preferred charity and then use the link on Easy Fundraising to the online shop you want to go to. M&S, Amazon, John Lewis, Viking Direct, Early Learning, Ticketmaster, Vodaphone, Apple Store, the Body Shop and lots more will make a donation to your charity every time you buy from them. Once you've signed up you need to remember to do the extra couple of clicks to always go through the Easy Fundraising site first.

Expedia is currently making a 1.75% donation
Amazon 1.5%
Next 1.0%
Argos 0.75%
M&S 2.5%
Viking Direct 2.5%
John Lewis 2.5%

This only applies to online orders only, so doesn't happen if you go into your local M&S store for example.

Protecting Your Child

A new CDC resource for educators and parents offers the following strategies:

1.Talk to your child. Parents ask their children where they are going and who they are going with whenever they leave the house. They should take the same approach when their children go on the Internet—where are they going and who are they with?

2.Develop rules. Together with your child, develop rules about acceptable and safe behaviors for all electronic media.

3.Explore the Internet. Visit the websites your child frequents, and assess the pros and cons. Most websites and on-line activities are beneficial. They help young people learn new information and interact with people who have similar interests.

4.Talk with others. Talk to other parents about how they have discussed technology use with their children.

5.Connect with the school. Parents are encouraged to work with their child’s school and school district to develop a class for parents that educates about school policies on electronic aggression and resources available to parents.

6.Educate yourself. Stay informed about the new devices and websites your child is using. Continually talk with your child and explore the technology yourself.

Patient's Lack Of Knowledge

A study in BMC Family Practice makes depressing reading. here is its conclusion:

Many patients and general public do not know the location of key body organs, even those in which their medical problem is located, which could have important consequences for doctor-patient communication. These results indicate that healthcare professionals still need to take care in providing organ specific information to patients and should not assume that patients have this information, even for those organs in which their medical problem is located.

It aslso indicates to me that people aren't really wnating to take responsibility for their illness. If I had a serious medical conditon, I would want to find out all I can about the illness so that I could see what I could do to help myself.

A bamboo bike

More power to the Lutheran pastors who are travellling 13000 miles on a bamboo bike (one bike three revs!) to raise money to fight hunger. they're intending to visit 65 US cities in the process - you can check their progress by checking out their web site. They are taking 100 days and have got 41 left.

What an awesome challenge. I'm a keen bike rider but I don't think I'd be up for that - you'd have to get on pretty well with the others - imagine having a squabble while riding the bike!!

Red Meat and Dairy Products Significantly Increase Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

According to a new study, fat from red meat and dairy products is associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer. As part of the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, researchers followed and analyzed the diets of more than 525,000 participants to determine whether there is an association between dietary fat and pancreatic cancer. This same study found no association between plant-food fat and pancreatic cancer.
Thiébaut ACM, Jia L, Silverman DT, et al. Dietary fatty acids and pancreatic cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009;101:1001-1011.

Info from the excellent Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine - they factually and systematically build the case for not eating or experimenting on animals

Vegan Shoes

I love shoes but I'm a vegetarian - Bourgeois Boheme hace a great selection of shoes and currently have a summer sale running with up to 60% off.

Exercise Is Great!

I have just been speaking to a neighbour who has finally started exercising and eating less. She’s lost around 28 pounds. One of the things she said is that she can’t believe how well she feels. Her son has been trying to persuade her to take exercise for years but she’s always resisted. Now she wishes she had started earlier and is trying to persuade her husband to start exercising. She was so excited and happy - it was good to see.

Exercise excuses? Here are the answers to all the reasons you give yourself for not exercising.

I was talking to another friend yesterday. She’s a keen cyclist usually but hasn’t done so much lately. She’s also been losing weight but has lost motivation. A week ago we went for a bike ride together, and she came back fired up to get active again. Stupidly (and she admits it herself) the very next day she did an abs class, went for a short bike ride and went for a run. The next day she could hardly move. Instead of having a really active week, she had one active day followed by a fair amount of pain, so if you haven’t exercised much, start slowly and build up gradually.

Solar Showers

Nigels Eco Store has lots of great green solar-powered gadgets for the summer.

The solar shower they sell reminds me of a holiday I had a few years ago when I did a bike ride in Kenya and Tanzania and we were a long way from electricity and other comforts, but our holiday company Escape Adventure New Zealand arranged a great solar shower. What an experience, the sun setting and me in a little enclosure having a solar shower and coming out clean and sparkling to a world of Masai warriors. If you wnat an adventurous cycling holiday with a company that takes its responsibilities to you and the environment seriously check them out.

Travel Without Getting Diarrhoea

You know what they say - prevention is better than cure, so give our probiotics for travellers a try. Special probiotics designed to line your gut in a healthy way so that your body is ready to fight off all the strange bugs it encounters on exotic holidays. Don't let an upset tummy ruin your holiday.

Healthy Heart

Harvard Health Publications from the Hravard Medical school have some interesting looking books on having a healthy heart, working out an exercise plan and lots more. Check them out here.

Homeopathy Information

I regularly get the newsletter from Eugenie Rowson. It's full of information and advice about homeopathy. Go check out her web site and sign up: www.theresaremedyforthat.com

benefits of a vegetarian diet

people are amazed that I'm 61 and often think I'm about 10 years younger. Sometimes they ask me what's my secret - I think exercise and attitude of mind are important but so is a vegetarian diet. Good for me , good for the animals and good for the planet.

Did you know that research has shown that the more intelligent you are the more likely you are to be a vegetarian?

Palm Oil and cosmetics

There is rightly concern about how our desire for products that just happen to contain palm oil is devestating wild life habits as forest is cut down.

I'm a fan of Green People products and was delighted to see this statement from them:

"Palm Oil softens the skin and helps to give skin care products the right feel.
"Unethical growing of palm trees for oil can contribute to deforestation in some parts of the world, threatening natural habitats, particularly the lives of the orangutans.
"We are proud to say the Palm Oil we use is:
- grown ethically - certified organic - from sustainable sources It comes from long-established organic plantations which preserve local flora and fauna and do not cause deforestation."

Check out Green People skin care and do your bit.