The dangers of baby oil

It smells nice and it's soothing for baby. But who would think such an old-time product, a nursery staple, could injure and kill?

Baby oil, along with other common household oils for massage, hair, and bath, essential oils, eucalyptus and camphor oils, are responsible for at least 3000 reported ingestion accidents to young children every year in Australia.

Toxicologist Dr Naren Gunja from NSW Poisons Information Centre at Westmead Hospital says most parents don't realise the danger.
"Once the child has ingested it depending on how much they ingest then it could be too late. Over a period of time, the child can die," says Dr Gunja.
"It is a gradual process that can take several days, two weeks to die."

Mums Gabby and Soraya say the drama started when their kids, Natalia, 4, and Gabriel, 3, were playing together. They discovered the two splashing baby oil over them and they'd drunk some.
Soon, both kids were having difficulty breathing. Natalia was also vomiting, Daniel had a rash. An ambulance rushed them to hospital - the doctors' warnings were grim.
"He listened to his lungs for quite a while and he said 'he looks ok' and - this was just horrible - he said 'look, there's nothing we can do, this is something that if your child has done this, and it's in his lungs there is nothing that we can do'," says Soraya.
When Gabby and Soraya checked the internet for accidents and side-effects they discovered the horrors - in the US, 20 kids a year die from breathing in household oils, 5 deaths are from baby oil. In total, around 80,000 household oil ingestion accidents are reported to the US Poisons Centre yearly.
"The death the child goes through is absolutely horrific, the latest boy to die in America was Jayden Bryson, 18 months old, it took him 28 days to die, he suffocated to death," explains Soraya.

Why so toxic? Look at the ingredients and you see baby oil, sunscreen oil, bath, body and massage oils, make-up removers, nail enamel dryers, eucalyptus, camphor and clove oils - are all made from mineral oil, a petroleum ingredient from crude oil.
Mineral oils contain hydrocarbons, a real danger to the stomach and especially the lungs - which can stop working.
"A mouthful of baby oil ingested by a child is enough to cause it to vomit and if they breathe that into their lungs that is enough to cause lung inflammation ... if enough of that happens it could lead to death," says Dr Gunja.
Mineral oils are also used for cleaning, as industrial and mechanical lubricants, in cosmetics and even pesticides. And, apart from they've been blamed for a range of health problems - allegedly acne, premature ageing of skin, and other skin disorders, impeding normal cell development and possibly causing vitamin deficiency.

Luckily, Gabriel and Natalia survived their ordeal. Seven years ago the US Consumer Product Safety Commission made child-resistant packaging mandatory for oily liquids containing hydrocarbons - like baby oils, bath, body, hair and massage oils, and sunscreens. So, Johnson and Johnson Baby Oil sold in America has the compulsory child-proof lid. Why not in Australia?

As a result of Today Tonight's investigation Johnson & Johnson has informed us that they will after 48 years change to child resistant caps on all its baby oil products in Australia and worldwide.

(Source: Today Tonight)

哪些人最需要补B族维生素

• 皮肤差：缺乏维生素B1容易导致疲劳、丧失胃口，使皮肤过早衰老，产生皱纹；缺乏维生素B2可发生口角炎和脂溢性皮炎、粉刺及色斑等。
• 体重超常：维生素B族有助于人体把脂肪和碳水化合物转为合用能量所必需的营养素，有助于抑制对食物的渴望，防止体重上升。
• 孕妇：女性怀孕时经常缺乏B2,B6，叶酸等，需要大量补充。胎儿、婴幼儿严重缺乏叶酸时，会对脑的形成造成危害。
• 素食者：长期吃青菜的素食者，无法摄入含B族维生素丰富的动物性食物，很容易出现烂嘴角、手脚麻木等症状。
• 脾气不好：缺乏维生素B族可能使脾气变坏。缺乏维生素B1时，我们会变得脾气暴躁、喜怒无常；缺乏维生素B6，就容易情绪激动、困倦和急躁。
• 习惯熬夜：缺乏维生素B族人很容易感到劳累。上班族下午吃一粒，晚上加班熬夜时，头脑清醒不昏沉，精力充沛不疲劳。
• 脑力工作者：维生素B1缺乏时，人会变得麻木、反应迟钝、注意力不集中、记忆力衰退。
• 喜欢喝酒：人体摄取大量的B族维生素，喝酒的欲望会大幅减低。因此，多补充B族维生素有助于戒酒，对保护肝脏也有好处。

Laser Hair Removal

Here are some simple tips that you can follow to making sure you choose the right laser hair removal clinic.

• Find out the type of equipment used. Lasers (not IPL/SPL) are the most effective and proven system for permanent hair reduction.
• Find out the experience and qualifications of the technican. As a minimum this should include 5 years experience in skin therapy, sufficient training and experience on Laser use and completion of a Laser Safety training course through a reputable institution.
• Word of mouth is also a good indication. Positive experience and positive feedback from people who have undergone treatment is a good sign.
• Be aware of false adverstising claims and heavily discounted treatments.
• The Nad’s Clinic website is a great source of information.

Secrets of the skin diet

We know a healthy diet can change the appearance of our waistline but diet can also change the appearance of our skin, proving we really are what we eat.
According to a new study the different foods can actually act like medicine - treating specific skin conditions, even reversing the signs of ageing.
The average Australian woman puts between $100 and $400 worth of beauty products on her face every day but these are tough economic times - so before you raid the cosmetic counter you should know the secret to a glowing complexion is actually as close as the fruit and veg aisle at your supermarket.

"I think it's an absolute waste of money spending a fortune on really expensive moisturiser," says Karen Fischer.
According to nutritionist and author Karen Fischer, the secret to a healthy complexion is less about what we put on our skin and more about we put on our plate.

Starting with Acne.
"Say someone with acne they quickly take out the saturated fat in their diet - have less red meat have more leafy green vegetables more of the things that are wonderful for the blood stream that can quickly make a difference," says Karen.
Karen's effective acne cure is as simple as eating greens, lemons, limes and avocado - three or four times a week. Cutting out milk has also proven successful with patients.

Actress Holly Brisley is allergic to wheat and gluten she followed the great skin diet for a more even complexion.
"I've had a lot of friends who have had psoriasis and it seems to of helped with their skin they're not as red," says Holly.

Common skin problem number 2: Eczema and other forms of dermatitis.

"You want the anti inflammatory foods, you want the fish, turmeric and other spices, and the red onion which has the most anti-inflammatory product."
We may try to avoid them on a first date but red onions are the secret to good skin and reducing redness and inflammation.

Now - the most common skin problem of all - wrinkles.
"Well these foods, tomatoes, berries even berry jam and water melon offer flavanoids that offer sun protection, they offer anti wrinkle protection for you."
It seems to good to be true but Karen believes you can reduce fine lines with berries, watermelon and sugar free jam. All contain anti-oxidants for healthy cells on the inside that will show on the outside.
Dermatologist Natasha Cook believes there needs to be more evidence on the anti ageing qualities of particular foods but agrees we could all benefit from more fish.
"There has been a lot of suggestions about eating fish particularly those that are high in omega 3 fatty acids may provide some benefit overall to your skin but lets face it these foods that are good for you entire body."
Both Karen and Natasha support cutting out white breads and processed foods.
"There has been some evidence that being on a low GI diet can be good for skin conditions the main one being acne," says Natasha.

Now for some myth busting - like all chocolate causes acne.
"Certainly there is no significant evidence and the long term studies that they've done looking at chocolate and sweets - it doesn't make any difference whatsoever," says Natasha.
In fact dark chocolate can even be good for you - more good news. The rumours are true - red wine is also beneficial but keep it to a glass and a half.
"Certainly red wine does contain anti oxidants that may have some benefits to the skin one what we must understand is it's all about balance having small amount 1 or 2 glasses per night but excessive amounts can damage the skin," says Natasha.
"Your skin is the first sign that something is wrong with your health," says Karen.
Good skin is about being healthy on the inside - but there is one external factor that can ruin all your good work - if you want good skin there's no such thing as fun in the sun.
"The best thing you can do is wear sunscreen," advises Natasha.

(Source: Yahoo!7)

Stroke warning sighs

If you felt the side of your face go numb or were unable to move your arm - would you know what to do?
According to the National Stroke Foundation you could be experiencing the signs of stroke.
Stroke is Australia's second biggest killer and a leading cause of disability. A stroke occurs in Australia every 10 minutes.

FAST is an easy way to recognise the signs of stroke.
FAST stands for Facial weakness, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to act. Call 000 immediately if you experience even one of the signs of stroke or recognise them in someone else.
In the 2007 National Stroke Foundation survey asked Australians aged over 40 what they know about stroke. Fifteen per cent said they did not know any of the signs of stroke.
This represents at least 1.3 million Australians aged between 40 and 90 may not recognise the signs of stroke in themselves or a loved one.

As part of National Stroke Week (15-21 September), the National Stroke Foundation aims to distribute 1.3 million FAST wallet cards. The wallet cards allow people to carry the FAST message with them at all times.
"There is a simple test for stroke that everybody should know - it's called the FAST test," said Dr Erin Lalor, Chief Executive Officer of the National Stroke Foundation.

The FAST test involves asking three simple questions:
Face - Can the person smile, has their mouth drooped?
Arms - Can the person raise both arms?
Speech - Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
Time - Act FAST and call 000 immediately.
If the person has difficulties with any of these, act FAST and call 000. Getting urgent medical attention could mean the difference between death or severe disability and a good recovery from stroke.

National Stroke Week is 15-21 September.
For more information about the National Stroke Foundation, FAST and preventing stroke visit http://www.strokefoundation.com.au/ or call StrokeLine 1800 787 653.

(Source: National Stroke Foundation: September 2008.)

Fwd: Broccoli - the anti cancer veg that could do your heart good

If there's a poster veggie for healthy eating, it has to be broccoli - in fact you could paper the walls with good news stories spruiking it's health benefits. There's the one that says broccoli puts the brakes on prostate cancer in mice, and another that names broccoli as a source of glucosinolates - a compound that can help protect the brain from Alzheimer's.

Broccoli's latest triumph is a new report from the University of Warwick in the UK, suggesting that another compound in broccoli called sulphoraphane helps reverse the harm that high blood sugar levels can do to the blood vessels of people with diabetes. Sulphoraphane seems to work in two ways - one is by boosting the production of enzymes that protect the blood vessels, and the other is by reducing the levels of molecules which damage the cells of blood vessels.

Sulphoraphane is the same compound that's been found to reduce bladder cancer in rats and, in other lab studies, to help protect against cancer of the colon and pancreas, according to the American Cancer Society.

(Source: smh)

Fwd: Spicing up meat for a safer barbecue

If spring is here, outdoor eating isn't far behind - so if you're buying for a barbecue put some rosemary and mint on the shopping list too.

New research published in the latest issue of The Journal of Food Science has found that marinating meat in spice blends containing the antioxidants rosmarinic acid (found in mint) and carnasol and carnosic acid (both found in rosemary) reduced the formation of potentially harmful chemicals by up to 80 per cent. The chemicals are HCAs, short for heterocyclic amines, which are suspect carcinogens created when muscle foods - from meat, poultry or fish - are cooked at high temperatures.Barbecueing seems to produce the most HCAs, followed by pan-frying and grilling. 'Suspect' means there's evidence from animal studies that HCAs are carcinogenic and have been linked to cancer of the colon, but the evidence in human studies isn't clear, according to the Cancer Council NSW.

The idea that pre-barbecue marinating can reduce HCAs isn't new - but what's reassuring is that this new study is building the evidence that how we cook and prepare meat might reduce any risks of HCA - and do so in a way that makes the food more enjoyable, not less. An earlier study from Lawrence Livermore University in the US found that marinating chicken in a mix of olive oil, cider vinegar, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and salt reduced HCAs too, while research from the University of Hawaii gave the thumbs up to two marinades - one with teriyaki sauce and another with turmeric and garlic.

(Source: smh)