Zestz Secondhand Smoke?

Secondhand Smoke Worst for Children

A study of 52 children ages 2 to 5 and 107 older children ages 9 to 18 found toddlers and obese children suffer far greater blood-vessel damage and other harm from secondhand smoke than other children, which could put them on the path to heart disease later in life.

The study, presented by John Anthony Bauer et al (1) at the American Heart Association scientific meeting in November 2009 found a link between the amount of secondhand smoke exposure and a marker (2) of vascular injury in toddlers.

It is known that secondhand smoke as well as smoking causes increased oxidation and inflammation and that obesity is a physiological condition of chronic low-grade inflammation which can lead to vascular damage. Bauer and colleagues proposed that the two factors together (eg. smoke exposures plus obesity) may interact to amplify the degree of inflammation or vascular cell damage that occurs in obese children.

Toddlers tend to be in closer proximity to their smoking parents for extended periods of time. This may explain why toddlers had a four times greater risk of secondhand smoke exposure when compared with adolescents, despite having similar reported home exposures.


1. John Anthony Bauer; Judith Groner; Hong Huang; Bing Han; and Bethany Hashiguchi. Toddlers and obese children suffer greater from secondhand smoke exposure. American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. Abstract 1650/Poster 2056.
2. Circulating vascular endothelial progenitor cells, a cell type involved in repair and maintaining a healthy blood vessel network.

Walking Reduces Dementia Risk

Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Vascular dementia is caused by an impaired blood flow to the brain. Blockages that narrow the blood vessels supplying the brain or complete blockages that cause a stroke, may also lead to vascular dementia. People with conditions that damage blood vessels throughout the body -- such as high blood pressure or diabetes -- are also at increased risk

The study by Ravaglia G et al (1) builds on evidence that lifestyle habits are important in dementia risk. A number of studies have suggested that the same habits that are good for the heart -- such as a healthy diet and regular exercise -- may benefit the aging brain as well.

The recent research tracked the exercise habits of 749 men and women in Italy who were over age 65 and were in good health, with no indication of memory problems at the beginning of the study. After four years, they found that the most-frequent walkers had a 27 percent lower risk for developing vascular dementia than those people who walked the least.

What’s important about the study is that it again shows exercise doesn’t have to be excruciating to reap the benefits.

Walking or exercise in general may benefit mental functioning for a number of reasons, according to the researchers. Aside from improving blood from improving the blood flow to the brain, it may also stimulate the release of key brain chemicals, and enhance the development of new nerve cells or the connections among those cells

Ravaglia G et al note that although moderate exercise had no effect on Alzheimer's disease, the findings do not mean that exercise has no effect on the risk of Alzheimer's.

1. Ravaglia G, Forti P, Lucicesare A, Pisacane N, Rietti E, Bianchin M, Dalmonte E. Physical activity and dementia risk in the elderly: findings from a prospective Italian study. Neurology. 2008 May 6;70(19 Pt 2):1786-94. Epub 2007 Dec 19.

Zestz Celebrating the Present

"I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is"

Alan Wilson Watts (1915 – Novembe1973) was a British philosopher famous for his research on comparative religion, he was best known as an interpreter and popularizer of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience.

Zestz for Laughs

A man goes in for an interview for a job as a TV news broadcaster. The interview went quite well but the trouble was he kept winking and stammering.

The interviewer said, "Although you have a lot of the qualities we're looking for, the fact that you keep winking and stammering disqualifies you."

"Oh, that's no problem," said the man. "If I take a couple of paracetamol tablets I stop winking and stammering for an hour."

"Show me," said the interviewer.

So the man reached into his pocket. Embarrassingly he pulled out loads of condoms of every variety - ribbed, flavoured, colored and everything before he found the packet of paracetamol. He took the paracetamol and soon talked perfectly and stopped winking.

The interviewer said, "That's amazing, but I don't think we could employ someone who'd be womanizing all over the country."

"Excuse me!" exclaimed the man, "I'm a happily married man, not a womanizer!"

"Well how do you explain all the condoms, then?" asked the interviewer.

The man replied, "Have you ever gone into a pharmacy, stammering and winking, and asked for a packet of paracetamol?"


On a serious note, paracetamol is a non-prescription medicine for the relief of fever and pain. The dose for an adult should not exceed eight 500mg tablets a day. Paracetamol is not recommended for the treatment of tics; see your doctor or pharmacist.

Bothered by Dry Lips? ...

Here are some ways to prevent them from getting painfully chapped or cracked.

1. Avoid licking dry lips. Licking them won't bring relief - it will only make them dryer and more chapped by removing the protective oils. Plus saliva contains a little bit of digestive enzyme, which won't make sore lips feel very good.

2. Always keep your lips moisturized with lip balm. Plain petrolatum is good enough, and is ideal for those with contact allergy. Look for tinted lip balms with SPF to keep your lips protected and looking healthy. Simple emollients such as Vaseline in pocketsize tubes, suffice. Apply a lip balm before bed especially if you sleep in a dry airconditioned room. If you tend to be a drooler when you sleep, apply a lip balm that contains zinc oxide, which acts as a barrier preventing lips from drying out.

3. Don't forget to drink plenty of water.

4. Some individuals take out their stress by habitually licking or chewing your lips. Use the lip balm each time you feel you want to lick your lips or to pick on them to break out this cycle.

5. Allergy and sensitivity to citrus fruits, nickel, chemicals in toothpaste, lipsticks and mouthwash and certain medications can cause chapped lips in some people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacists

A Season for Lice?

Is there a season for lice?

The answer is no - lice outbreaks happen all year long! However, the start of holidays and back to school time can be a bit more hectic.

The reason why lice is so much more prevalent these days has little to do with poor hygiene. Lice are equally likely to be found on clean or dirty hair. It's because we travel more and lice travel with us!

Like the cockroach, head lice have been around for thousands of years. As with any insect, they learn to adapt to their environment in order to survive. We are never going to be completely rid of them, but we can make managing them easier.

The most common manner in which lice are spread is via head-to-head contact. This is because lice cannot jump, fly or hop; they can only transfer to another head by walking along strands of hair. It is possible that because of the way young children play, head lice are seen more widely amongst primary school children than adolescents or adults.

Is there a way to eradicate head lice?

No, because children should not be excluded and ostracized.

Take common sense measures to avoid head-to-head contact only if you know that someone else is infected.

Do check your child's head regularly even when you don’t think your child has head lice. An active infestation should be treated immediately. All household members and other close contacts should be checked but only treat those with live lice.

There is no single treatment that kills 100% of head lice or eggs. Head lice eggs take 6-7 days to hatch;so whichever treatment you choose, it should be repeated in seven days.

High-Dose Ascorbic Acid Increases FSI and Improves Mood

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin, which is necessary in the body to form collagen in bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels and aids in the absorption of iron. Dietary sources of vitamin C include fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits such as oranges.

Many uses for vitamin C have been proposed, but few have been found to be beneficial in scientific studies.

Now a study(1) at the Center for and the Psychosomatic and Psychobiological Research, University of Trier, Germany found a positive relationship between Vitamin C intake and FSI(2).

In this randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled 14 day trial of sustained-release Vitamin C (42 healthy young adults; 3000 mg/day and placebo (39 healthy young adults), subjects with partners recorded FSI, noncoital partner sex, and masturbation in daily diaries, and also completed the Beck Depression Inventory before and after the trial.

Ascorbic acid (AA) modulates the activity of catecholamines, the sympathomimetic "fight-or-flight" hormones that are released by the adrenal glands in response to stress. It is suggested that the increase in FSI is due to disinhibition, rather than peripheral mechanism.

1. Brody S. High-dose ascorbic acid increases intercourse frequency and improves mood: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Biol Psychiatry. 2002 Aug 15;52(4):371-4.

2. FSI is defined as the frequency of penile-vaginal intercourse.