Oral Health

Pyodontyl plus Double-Action Gum Care

Key ingredients Vitamin P, Panthenol, Xylitol and Ammonium Glycyrrhizate

work in synergy to

Reduce Sensitive Sensitive Bleeding Gums

Reduce Pain from Ulcerative Gums and

Promote Healthy Gum Tissue

Oral-B Essential Floss removes plaque where your brush can’t reach.

Flossing helps to prevent periodontal disease and gingivitis. Details HERE

Oral-B with CrossCross Bristles to lift out and sweep away hard to reach plagues and Soft Gum Stimulators to massage gums.

The bristles of an old toothbrush rub the sensitive parts of the inside of your mouth. Repeatedly using an old toothbrush can puncture the soft skin in the mouth which may lead to ulcers and sores.

Bacterial and viral infections can also sometimes cause mouth ulcers, although this is rare. The old toothbrush may be a reservoir of these nasty microbes. Change that toothbrush now and every three months or as recommended by your dentist.

Sensodyne Gentle Whitening breaks up stains to get your teeth whiter and is also gentle on your teeth. Like other Sensodyne toothpaste products, when used every day, Sensodyne Gentle Whitening relieves sensitive teeth by building a protective barrier that blocks the pain caused by hot, cold, sweet, acidic and other contact triggers and it keeps it from coming back. It also leaves a fresh, clean feeling in your mouth.

Potential Value of Statins/Omega-3 fatty acids Combination

Picture credit: http://www.beltina.org

Residual risk of cardiovascular events after treatment with stain might be explained in part because patients have low levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).

Several large trials and meta-analyses have consistently demonstrated that statin therapy significantly reduces LDL-C levels and incidence of cardiovascular events.

In spite of the efficacy of statin therapy in these studies, statins did not eliminate cardiovascular risk. Rather, significant residual cardiovascular risk remains after treatment with statins, especially in high-risk patients such as those with diabetes.

Now, Kurisu S and colleagues Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences has shown that the lipid-lowering therapy with strong statin reduced n-3 PUFAs in proportion to the decrease in the LDL cholesterol level in patients with coronary artery disease.

The study population consisted of 46 patients with coronary artery disease whose low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was more than 100 mg/dl. Lipid-lowering therapy was performed with a strong statin including atorvastatin (n = 22), rosuvastatin (n = 9) or pitavastatin (n = 15). Serum PUFA levels were determined by gas chromatography. The treatment with strong statin decreased the sum of dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) and arachidonic acid (AA) levels (195 ± 41 to 184 ± 44 μg/ml, P < 0.05) as well as the sum of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels (233 ± 71 to 200 ± 72 μg/ml, P < 0.001). These effects of strong statin resulted in a significant decrease in ratio of the sum of EPA and DHA levels to the sum of DGLA and AA levels (1.20 ± 0.27 to 1.10 ± 0.35, P < 0.05). The percent decrease in the LDL cholesterol level correlated significantly with that in the sum of EPA and DHA levels (r = 0.38, P < 0.01).

As athero-sclerosis has an important inflammatory component and n-3 PUFAs are potent anti-inflammatory agents, it is possible that such anti-inflammatory effects contribute towards their protection against cardiovascular disease.

Thus the combination of statins with n-3 PUFAs, popularly referred to as omega-3 fatty acids, may have potential value in in patients with coronary artery disease.

Talk to your doctor if you are already on statins.

Reference:

Kurisu S, Ishibashi K, Kato Y, Mitsuba N, Dohi Y, Nishioka K, Kihara Y. Effects of lipid-lowering therapy with strong statin on serum polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in patients with coronary artery disease. Heart Vessels. 2011 Dec 21. [Epub ahead of print]

Tamiflu Reduces the Duration of Influenza… BUT

A new review of medical evidence, conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration, has raised questions about the risk-benefit profile of oseltamivir (Tamiflu). The review found that the drug could reduce the duration of influenza, however, it has not been proven to reduce the incidence of complications from the flu nor did they find sufficient evidence that it could reduce transmission of the virus. Based on its review, the Cochrane Collaboration has asked Roche to release unpublished data on oseltamivir. Investigators derived their conclusions from 15 published studies and nearly 30,000 pages of 'clinical study reports.'

Reference:

Jefferson, Tom; Jones, Mark A.; Doshi, Peter; et al. Neuraminidase Inhibitors for Preventing and Treating Influenza in Healthy Adults and Children - A Review of Clinical Study Reports. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (01/12)

Influenza virus may be transmitted among humans in three ways:

(1) by direct contact with infected individuals;

(2) by contact with contaminated objects (called fomites, such asLink toys, doorknobs);

(3) by inhalation of virus-laden aerosolized particles (droplets).

The contribution of each mode to overall transmission of influenza is not known. However, CDC recommendations to control influenza virus transmission in health care settings include measures that minimize spread by aerosol and fomite mechanisms.

Influenza transmission can be reduced by covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing*, and by washing hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners.

Source: Virology Blog by By Vincent Racaniello

*While coughing may produce several hundred droplets, a good sneeze can generate up to 20,000. See “Vampire Cough” video

Health Tip: Avoid the Flu During Travel

Suggestions to remain healthy

Plane or bus travel is a prime way to pick up or spread the flu. But there are steps you can take to help avoid getting others sick or getting sick yourself.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions:

• Get a flu shot before you travel.
• Pack a kit of hand sanitizer, soap, tissues and pain relievers.
• Don't travel if you don't feel well or suspect you might have the flu.
• Cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue, rather than your hands.
• Wash your hands frequently with water and soap.
• Stay away from people who are sick. Try not to touch your mouth, eyes or nose.

10 Things Unhappy People Have in Common

We all want to be happy in some way or another. We strive each day to find the path of happiness whatever we think it is. But some of us come up way short. Some of us make mistakes day in and day out that take us away from the shining beacon of happiness at the end of the tunnel.

Are you striving to find peace? Are you striving to locate that inner glow that you know must exist? Are you coming up short or finding happiness that’s always fleeting? Life is a journey and on it we find what works and what doesn’t work. However, the most unhappy people tend to have a few things in common. If you’re looking to find peace, balance, and joy in your life, here’s what NOT to do. These people have it all wrong:

1. They Hate Their Jobs

You spend eight hours, sometimes much more at work. If you hate your job you can’t help but hate your life because you’re spending 40 out of the 168 hours in a week doing something you can’t stand. What’s worse, we often take our anger from work home with us, bringing that disgruntled attitude into our homes. I’m not saying go out and quit your job tomorrow. Instead, take an aerial view of your life. Why don’t you love your job? What’s missing? Is it the career itself? Is it your boss or your company? What’s your passion? What are you good at? Take time to answer these questions and then make a plan to move towards change, however long it takes.

2. They’re Constantly Worried About Money

Studies have proven that being rich won’t make us any happier. A Princeton University study showed that people needed an annual income of $75,000 per year per household and no more to be happy. Above that amount, more cash has no effect on “emotional well-being.” What this really means is that you need to be able to comfortably pay bills and save without worrying about finances. On the other hand, financial uncertainty does make us unhappy so this is another chance for evaluation. Are you overspending? What can you downsize? How can you minimize your life so that you can afford it? This is in no way an easy question, but it’s part of the journey.

Related: 5 Ways to Change Your Relationship to Money

3. They Don’t Have Any Active Hobbies

Happiness is linked to activity level. You have to move to feel good. What about yoga, hiking, swimming, surfing, biking, or running? Happiness is also linked to doing what you love so find active hobbies that make you happy and get to it.

Related: Get Physical!

4. They Have Wandering Minds.

According to Science News, “[a] wandering mind often stumbles downhill emotionally. People spend nearly half their waking lives thinking about stuff other than what they’re actually doing, and these imaginary rambles frequently feel bad, according to a new study.” The more you can focus on what you’re doing when you’re doing it, the happier you are. Meditation allows you to learn to focus on the present moment so you can actually live the life you’ve been given.

Related: 8 Ways Meditation Can Change Your Life

5. They Commute a Long Distance

A long commute can take a toll on your life and after a while it can really bring you down. How much of your life are you losing in commute? It’s hard on a relationship as well. A recent Swedish study found that divorce rates were higher the longer the commute.

6. They Think “Stuff” Will Make Them Happy

Unhappy people are constantly trying to fill the void by consuming, whether it be alcohol, food, or shopping. But the problem is happiness can’t be consumed, it’s cultivated from within. Meeting desires only brings fleeting happiness.

Related: 5 Mental Habits for Cutting Consumption

7. They’re Lonely

Cultivating relationships is important for both your health and your happiness. And that doesn’t just mean how good you are at social networking. Unfortunately nowadays more than a few of us view our laptop as our very best friend. Single or not, married or not, it’s important to always strive both to make friends and to keep them while also keeping close ties to family.

Related: Loneliness Harms Health: Why You Need Friends

8. They Don’t Like Their Town

So often we feel stuck in our lives. We live in a town that we no longer love and aren’t sure how to feel better about the situation. This is another opportunity to take a step back and ask why you feel the way you do. Is it the town or is it you? Get the newspaper and look into new events, volunteer some place new, or, well, move. Who says you have to live in the same place your whole life? I certainly haven’t. I’ve already tried out Charlottesville, Athens, Washington DC, Florence, Charleston, and Columbia and I’m just getting started.

9. They Don’t Have Pets

Pets serve as support and provide unconditional love that we grow to depend on but at the same time, they don’t disrupt other human relationships, according to a new study. If you’re considering pet ownership, adopt a pet in need and follow this guide to responsible pet ownership.

Related: 6 Health Benefits of Having Pets

10. They Don’t Like Themselves

We make ourselves happy by the way we view life and by learning to enjoy the moment. We make ourselves happy by the way we view ourselves. By opening our hearts we find peace but that peace has to first start off with you. If you dislike yourself, you can never be happy so give yourself a break. Learn to love yourself, you deserve it!

Related:
20 Easy Ways to Be Happier
5 Happiness Boosters That Do More Harm Than Good
5 Ways to Practice Happiness

Written by Sara Novak, Planet Green

Planet Green is the multi-platform media destination devoted to the environment and dedicated to helping people understand how humans impact the planet and how to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Its two robust websites, PlanetGreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer original, inspiring, and entertaining content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green is a division of Discovery Communications.

Sara Novak specializes in food policy and health writing and is devoted to living mindfully in all of her daily pursuits. She’s a health and wellness expert for Discovery Health and recently launched her own food and wellness Web site Serene Kitchen.

Black Tea Lowers BP

Black Tea Lowers Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (BP) is a leading risk factor contributing to the global burden of disease. Small changes in BP due to dietary modification may have a significant impact on the prevalence of hypertension and risk of cardiovascular disease.

Dr Jonathan Hodgson (University of Western Australia, Perth) and colleagues reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine that regular consumption of black tea reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure between 2 to 3 mm Hg

In their study, the group randomized 95 men and women with a daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure between 115 and 150 mm Hg to three cups of black tea daily or to placebo that matched the tea in flavor and caffeine content (approximately 96 mg of caffeine per day). There were no significant differences between patient groups at baseline.

Daily consumption of the tea resulted in a significantly lower 24-hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared with the control arm. The net-effect difference in systolic blood pressure at three and six months was -2.7 mm Hg and -2.0 mm Hg, respectively (p=0.006 at three months, p=0.05 at six months). Diastolic blood pressure was reduced 2.3 mm Hg and 2.1 mm Hg at three and six months, respectively (p<0.001 at three months, p=0.003 at six months).

Black tea is a common source of flavonoids, which have been suggested to contribute to vascular health. The researchers point out that they have shown that flavonoids augment nitric-oxide status and reduce plasma concentration of endothelin-1, both of which could contribute to reductions in vascular tone and reduced blood pressure.

Reference:

Hodgson JM, Puddey IB, Woodman RJ, et al. Effects of black tea on blood pressure: A randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med 2012; 172:186-188.

Beautiful Music from Woorabinda

“Outside my Window” by Cindy Hill, Richard Accoom and Malcolm Freeman from Woorabinda

Uploaded to Youtube by BimaVideos on August 23, 2011 and recommended by Robbo (Andrew Roberts), a pharmacist living and working in one of the most remote parts of Australia caring for aboriginal health and who still finds the time to blog on Biting the Dust.

Andy Rooney on Sex!

Picture credit: http://media.photobucket.com

Andrew Aitken "Andy" Rooney (January 14, 1919 – November 4, 2011) was an American radio and television writer. Andy Rooney is dead at 92. He will be remembered for the many pithy things he said in his weekly broadcast "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney," a part of the CBS News program 60 Minutes from 1978 to 2011.

Unfortunately, he is also remembered for things he didn't say, though folks on the Internet claim he did.

So, we are not sure about these clever remarks on SEX that Ah Guan of Singapore sent us and attributed to Andy but they are such great laughs:

1. When I was born, I was given a choice - a big pecker or a good memory....I don't remember what I chose.

2. Your birth certificate is an apology letter from the condom factory.

3. A wife is a sex object. Every time you ask for sex, she objects.

4. Impotence: nature's way of saying, "No hard feelings..."

5. There are only two four letter words that are offensive to men - 'don't' and 'stop', unless they are used together.

6. Panties: not the best thing on earth, but next to the best thing on earth.

7. There are three stages in a man's life: Tri-Weekly, Try Weekly and Try Weakly.

8. Virginity can be cured.

9. Virginity is not dignity, it's lack of opportunity.

10. Having sex is like playing bridge - if you don't have a good partner, you better have a good hand.

11. I tried phone sex once, but the holes in the dial were too small.

12. Marriage is the only war where you get to sleep with the enemy.

13. Question: What's an Australian kiss? Answer: The same thing as a French kiss, only down under.

14. A couple just married were happy with the whole thing. He was happy with the Hole and she was happy with the Thing.

15. Question: Why do men find it difficult to make eye contact? Answer: Breasts don't have eyes.

16. Despite the old saying, 'Don't take your troubles to bed', many men still sleep with their wives!

Sleep Disturbance Associated with Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders

Picture credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org

Sleep Problems Increase Risk for Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Obesity

People who suffer from sleep disturbances are at major risk for obesity, diabetes, and coronary artery disease, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

For the first time in such a large and diverse sample, analyzing the data of over 130,000 people, the new research also indicates that general sleep disturbance (difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and/or sleeping too much) may play a role in the development of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

Difficulty Falling Asleep, Difficulty Staying Asleep, Too Much Sleep, Also Associated

“Previous studies have demonstrated that those who get less sleep are more likely to also be obese, have diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and are more likely to die sooner, but this new analysis has revealed that other sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or even too much sleep, are also associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health issues,” said Michael A. Grandner, PhD, research associate at the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at Penn and lead author of the study.

The researchers examined associations between sleep disturbances and other health conditions, focusing on perceived sleep quality, rather than just sleep duration. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and health risk factors, patients with sleep disturbances at least three nights per week on average were 35 percent more likely to be obese, 54 percent more likely to have diabetes, 98 percent more likely to have coronary artery disease, 80 percent more likely to have had a heart attack, and 102 percent more likely to have had a stroke.

Sleep, Diet and Physical Activity Important Part of Health

“This study is one of the largest ever to link sleep problems with important cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. It joins other studies that show that sleep is an important part of health, just like diet and physical activity,” said Philip R. Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, clinical director of the Penn Medicine Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, and senior study author.

“We all know what it feels like to not sleep well sometimes. And now we can clearly show that those who have chronic sleep problems are also much more likely to have chronic health problems as well. As a society, we need to make healthy sleep a priority”

The researchers say that future studies are needed to show whether sleep problems predict the new onset of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and whether treatment of sleep problems improves long term health and longevity. The research was funded, in part, by a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

<<< * >>>

The above story is adapted by The Zestzfulness Team from the January 20, 2012 news release by the University of Pennsylvania.

The study is published online ahead of print in the Journal of Sleep Research: Grandner MA, Jackson NJ, Pak VM, Gehrman PR. Sleep disturbance is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. J Sleep Res. 2011 Dec 12. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00990.x.

Read our earlier posts on sleep problems

Poor Sleep Quality and Cardiovascular Diseases

Growing evidence links sleep quality to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and an increased production of inflammatory hormones and changes in blood vessel function may be one mechanism by which sleep deprivation ...

Extremes of sleep duration increase BMI, SAT, and VAT

The authors proposed that short sleep may impact fat accumulation by promoting increased caloric intake via increased hunger, or by reducing energy expenditure via altered thermoregulation and increased fatigue. ...

Too Little or Too Much Sleep Harmful

King et al at University of Chicago Medical Center found that not getting enough sleep increases the risk of clogged up arteries and heart disease (2). Conversely, sleeping well appears to prevent calcified deposits in the ...

and Get a Better Night's Sleep here:

Don't rely on a pot of coffee to keep you awake -- Instead of turning to a pot of coffee to keep you awake during the day, experts say you should focus on getting better sleep at night. The National Sleep Foundation offers these ...

Another Funny One-Liner

Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. "Yes" is the answer.

Author unknown.

In the Year of the Dragon

We did not draw this picture, we got it HERE

In The Year Of The Dragon

Picture credit: http://images.catchsmile.com

The Zestzfulness Team Wishes You

Wisdom Muse

Prosperity Motivation Laughter

Family Friends Dream Success Memory Patience

Hope Luck Beauty Creativity Trust Compassion Faith

Inspiration Peace on Earth Happiness Confidence Joy Curiosity

Thoughtfulness Courage Freedom Love Discovery Gratitude Forgiveness

The choice of font type, size and color is random but the essence of our wish for you this year of the dragon and of the year of all the other animals in the Chinese zodiac is simply:

Mindfulness and Loving Kindness

Exercise : Scientists Isolate Link to Health Benefits

Scientists isolate protein linking exercise to health benefits

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers have isolated a protein produced in muscle cells that triggers some of the important benefits from exercise. The protein, which researchers named 'irisin,' switches on genes that convert adipose tissue to beneficial fats that help the body burn more off more excess calories than exercise alone.

Hormone discovery could yield exercise-mimicking drugs for metabolic and other disorders.

The scientists said their findings merely scratch the surface of irisin's multiple effects. They are continuing to explore the hormone's possible benefits in metabolic diseases like diabetes, insulin resistance, and obesity, which constitute a growing epidemic around the world, as well as neurodegenerative illnesses like Parkinson's disease.Link

Bruce Spiegelman, PhD, a cell biologist at Dana-Farber and senior author of the report added that as growing evidence implicates obesity and physical inactivity in cancer development, it's conceivable irisin-based drugs may have value in prevention and treatment of the disease.

Reference:

Boström P, Wu J, Jedrychowski MP, Korde A, Ye L et al. A PGC1-α-dependent myokine that drives brown-fat-like development of white fat and thermogenesis. Nature doi:10.1038/nature1077. Published online 11 January 2012

The Zestzfulness Team says,

“Why wait, get out and exercise regularly!”

The Taxi

Picture credit : http://www.davekehr.com/

A woman and her ten-year-old son were riding in a taxi in Vancouver.

It was raining and all the prostitutes were standing under the awnings.

"Mom" said the boy "what are all those women doing?"

"They're waiting for their husbands to get off work" she replied.

The taxi driver turns around and says "Geez lady, why don't you tell him the truth? They're hookers, boy! They have sex with men for money."

The little boy's eyes get wide and he says "Is that true Mom?"

His mother, glaring hard at the driver, answers in the affirmative.

After a few minutes, the kid asks "Mom, what happens to the babies those women have?"

"Most of them become politicians taxi drivers" she said.

Submitted by SC Khoo, original author unknown.