Bad breath? 10 solutions

clipped from women.timesonline.co.uk FRESH PARSLEY MASTIC GUM ANTIBACTERIAL MOUTHWASHES “LIVE” YOGHURT BAKING SODA PEPPERMINT OIL FENNEL SEEDS HOLLAND AND BARRETT BREATH CHECK CAPSULES MAGNOLIA CHEWING GUM BOOTS EXPERT TONGUE CLEANER Professional help Gum problems are the main cause of bad breath, so get checked out by your dentist or hygienist Drink plenty of water Avoid having a dry mouth, as dead and dying bacteria and cells, which would normally be swept away by saliva, linger, stagnate and release pungent gases. And be aware that the more you chat, the worse you’ll smell. Talking makes your mouth dry, so drink plenty of water. Eat fruit Chewing fruit not only hydrates the mouth, but also efficiently dislodges the dead and dying cells and bacteria in the mouth that lead to bad breath. Medical problems Persistent bad breath may indicate an underlying condition such as diabetes or kidney problems. Always eat breakfast

Before a CT scan or angiogram, many people should take inexpensive drug to protect kidneysrth a loo,

Worth a look for those needing scans, especially deep scan x-rays

clipped from www.eurekalert.org Iodine contrast agents that enhance the scans can harm vulnerable kidneys, but N-acetylcysteine taken beforehand can protect at-risk patients ANN ARBOR, Mich. — As more and more Americans undergo CT scans and other medical imaging scans involving intense X-rays, a new study suggests that many of them should take a pre-scan drug that could protect their kidneys from damage. The inexpensive drug, called N-acetylcysteine, can prevent serious kidney damage that can be caused by the iodine-containing “dyes” that doctors use to enhance the quality of such scans. That “dye,” called contrast agent, is usually given intravenously before a CT scan, angiogram or other test. But the new study shows that taking an N-acetylcysteine tablet before receiving the contrast agent can protect patients — and that it works better than other medicines that have been proposed for the same purpose.

Achieve a Deep, Uninterrupted Sleep - 24 ways to get the rest you need

clipped from www.rd.com Blessed sleep -- the holy grail of health. Lack of sleep can send your blood sugar levels skyrocketing, contribute to weight gain, lead to depression, put you at risk for diabetes, and cause brain damage. Sleep deprivation can alter your levels of thyroid and stress hormones, 1. Create a transition routine. 2. Figure out your body cycle. 3. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water and iron them before making up your bed. The scent is scientifically proven to promote relaxation, and the repetition and mindlessness of ironing will soothe you. Or, instead of ironing your sheets, do the next best thing: Put lavender water in a perfume atomizer and spray above your bed just before climbing in. 5. Switch your pillow. clipped from www.rd.com Adjust Your Bedroom 6. Choose the right pillow. Other pillow tips 10. Tuck a hot-water bottle between your feet or wear a pair of ski socks to bed. 11. Kick your dog or cat out of your bedroom clipped from www.rd.com 14. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. 15. Munch a banana before bed.

We may never find vaccine for Aids,says Nobel winner

clipped from www.guardian.co.uk An Aids vaccine might never be found, claims one of the world's leading experts on the disease. David Baltimore, a Nobel laureate, said the complexity of the disease means scientists are no closer to a vaccine today than when they discovered the link to HIV more than 25 years ago. Baltimore, a biologist at the California Institute of Technology, was awarded the Nobel prize for medicine in 1975 for discovering an enzyme that was later discovered to be the key reproductive mechanism used by the virus known as HIV. He led a panel of experts in 1986 which concluded that, given the complexity of the problem, an Aids vaccine was at least 10 years away. "I still think an Aids vaccine is 10 years away," he said. "HIV has found ways to totally fool the immune system so we've got to do one better than nature because nature just doesn't work in this circumstance." But he cautioned that there was still a lot to do. "I don't want to pretend that we have found the route to a new vaccine."

7 food hacks to stay alert without caffeine

Are you a zombie without your morning cup of coffee? Instead of using caffeine to stay awake, you can tweak the food you eat to get more energy. By making small changes to your eating patterns you can prevent morning grogginess and mid-afternoon slumps.

clipped from zenhabits.net Why Go Without Caffeine? Caffeine addiction Dehydration Post-Caffeine Crashes Tweaking Your Food to Get More Energy Food is fuel. Here are a few dietary tweaks Switch from 2-3 Meals to 4-5 If you only eat lunch and dinner, your body is going to have huge spikes followed by large crashes in energy. Splitting up meals smooths out your blood glucose levels and eases the drain from digestion. Low-Glycemic Foods Before Bed whole grains :vegetables : fruits Eat Fruit on an Empty Stomach allows it to quickly pass through your system in 20-30 minutes and give your blood glucose a boost Go Meatless Get Your 8 Glasses look at the colour of your urine If it’s anything darker than a pale yellow, you’re probably not getting enough water. Eat Whole Grains ensures a steady supply of energy Avoid the Mid-Afternoon Sugar Craving by 3:00 you are most likely to guzzle down more coffee and eat a high-sugar treat Avoid the temptation and pick a fuel that will last. Go with low-glycemic fruit or whole-grains instead.

Prescription Drug Abuse More Dangerous Than Cannabis

clipped from www.alternet.org Prescription Drugs, Not Illegal Ones, Killed Heath Ledger According to a recent Associated Press analysis of Drug Enforcement Administration stats, retail access to these "accidental" killers has skyrocketed 88% since 1997, and you don't even need to ask about prescriptions, because doctors are dishing them out like mints. Consequently, a collaborative study from the University of Michigan and the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that teenage abuse of Oxycrack has risen 26 percent since 2002, while overall prescription drug abuse has tripled among teens since 1992. For those who know their immortal hip-hop well, that was the year N.W.A. soundtracker and rapper Dr. Dre scored crossover platinum with The Chronic, a highly influential album dedicated to the love of cannabis that made Snoop Dogg a superstar in his own right. Neither has yet to die of weed. "This would have never happened with weed."

Jet noise risk to sleepers

Professor Graham McGregor, an expert in blood pressure, said the study was interesting, but more work would have to be done to confirm the link.

He said people who lived close to airports tended to be poor, and high blood pressure was associated with poverty.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk Night-time noise from aircraft or traffic raises blood pressure even while people sleep Researchers monitored 140 sleeping volunteers in their homes near Heathrow and three other big European airports Volunteers' blood pressure increased after exposure to a noise louder than 35 decibels - whether it comes from overhead aircraft, or snoring The study is reported in the European Heart Journal Aircraft noise caused an average increase in systolic blood pressure of 6.2 mmHg and an average increase in diastolic blood pressure of 7.4 mmHg Similar increases in blood pressure were seen also for other noise sources such as road traffic The louder the noise, the greater the increase in blood pressure Measures need to be taken to reduce noise levels from aircraft, in particular during night-time, in order to protect the health of people living near airports Imperial College London Dr Lars Jarup "Noise pollution may be the latest in a long line of issues that the airline industry needs to tackle."