Good For You

Just spending an hour a day on your cellphone (over several years) can increase your risk of developing a brain tumor by 240% higher than a person who never uses one.  Given that we’ve been using cellphonesfor over a decade, this spells really bad news for many people, from rich to poor.

Although Danish and British scientists say otherwise, the Swedish scientists found a direct link between brain tumors and cellphone use.   According to the Reuters story, the Swedish study is more comprehensive than past studies and that their research is independent of private interest groups.

PROFILE OF USERS IN 2006 STUDY

They examined 905 people who had a malignant brain tumor and compared them to a control group of 905 healthy people. All the volunteers were aged 20-80.

Eighty-five (85) of the 905 people who had a malignant tumor were high users of cell phones (mobile phones) - i.e., they used their cellphones to make or receive calls on average for about an hour a day. All the ones who had tumors had over 2,000 hours of cell phone use, spread over many years.

“The study also shows that the rise in risk is noticeable for tumors on the side of the head where the phone was said to be used,” it added.

OTHER MORE RECENT RESEARCH

In July 2008, Dr. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, warned his staff that the risks from cell phone radiation may be higher than previously thought. He advised that rather than wait for definitive studies, we should curb our cell phone use now.  To read more about this, click here.

It’s inevitable that in our society that craves quick fixes and instant gratification that people will end up turning to drugs for quick weight loss. Some though simply need the initial push, to see some results to get them on their way to a healthier lifestyle. So if you’re thinking of or probably going to go the drug route anyway, might as well arm yourself with information on the subject matter instead of just blindly trusting anecdotal evidence, and even worse, the advertisements by the drug companies.

Don’t get caught up with the brand names, the important thing is to research the generic name of the drug. One of the most potent drugs for dieting, for example, is Phentermine, an appetite suppressant drug that has worked for many obese patients. While it is effective, it is also dangerous for certain people, especially those already on other types of drugs, have known ailments such as glaucoma and heart disease, and also for young people below 16 years of age whose bodies are still developing.

AND what are the KNOWN side effects?
* Allergic reactions.
* Tachycardia (increased heart rate) and elevated blood pressure.
* Dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, restlessness, and insomnia.

ALSO, at the end of the day though, as most diet pill ads will tell you in their fine print, its effectiveness must be accompanied by proper diet and exercise. The decision is yours to make.

And you thought it was just about babies milk … and only by the Sanlu Group in China.  Turns out, even the big brands that we love like monmilk (Mengniu) and yili - and all their dairy related products like fruit bars and yoghurt, are also tainted with melamine.  

Here is the complete list of Chinese companies that are suspected of using melamine to make the protein levels of their milk products appear higher: 

1 Shijiazhuang Sanlu Group Co
2 Shanghai Panda Dairy Co Ltd
3 Synutra International Inc
4 Shanxi Gucheng Dairy Co Ltd
5 Jiangxi Bright & Hero Dairy Co
6 Baoji Huimin Milk Co Ltd
7 Mengniu Dairy
8 Duojiaduo Dairy Industry (Tianjin) Co Ltd
9 Guangdong Yashili Group Co Ltd
10 Hunan Peiyi Dairy Co
11 Heilongjiang Qining Dairy Co
12 Shanxi Yashili Dairy Co Ltd
13 Shenzhen Jinbishi Milk Co Ltd
14 Guangzhou Shien Dairy Co
15 Guangzhou Jinding Dairy Co
16 Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co
17 Ausmeadow Nutriment Co Ltd
18 Qingdao Suncare Nutritional Technology Co Ltd
19 Xi’an Baiyue Dairy Co Ltd
20 Yantai Leilei Dairy Products Co Ltd
21 Shanghai Bao’anli Dairy Co Ltd
22 Fuding Chenguan Dairy Co Ltd

And now, get this- even those products by other international brand name companies, because they are made in China, having used the milk from companies, probably have melamine as well.  This includes Meiji milk, Oreo cookies, a lot of different type of milk chocolates and yoghurts, White Rabbit Creamy Candy, various ice creams, biscuits and other sweets. 

Oh well, on a positive side, its a great way to keep the kids away from the snack foods!