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How to Deal With Indigestion & Heartburn

You’ve just eaten a delicious meal but your stomach is now starting to rebel. You’re feeling decidedly full and a little bit sick. Maybe you’re belching a lot or even hiccupping. Perhaps you’ve got a burning sensation in your chest and throat. It’s likely that most of you will have experienced these feelings at some point in your lives, but do you have indigestion or heartburn?

Indigestion and heartburn is not the same thing although many people do get them confused. We’re about to expose the differences between the two so let’s start with indigestion.

Causes of indigestion

Indigestion is a medical condition, otherwise known as dyspepsia. Many people experience indigestion after eating too quickly or eating too much food, especially foods that are high in fat, greasy or spicy.

You can also experience indigestion after drinking too much alcohol or caffeine. However, indigestion may also be caused by conditions such as pancreatitis, gastritis, gallstones and ulcers, or if you’re under a lot of stress or feeling anxious. Some medications will also cause indigestion, while smoking is another culprit.

Symptoms of indigestion

If you’re suffering from indigestion you’ll probably feel generally uncomfortable in the stomach area; you may feel bloated or over full and you may experience pain and nausea. You’ll probably belch frequently and you may suffer from heartburn.

Causes of heartburn

Which brings us onto heartburn. It’s not a condition or a disease, but a symptom of indigestion. You may suffer from heartburn if you’ve been eating chocolate, fatty foods, acidy foods or peppermint.

Heartburn can also occur as a result of a hiatus hernia, as a side effect of medication, or if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease. Put simply, it’s caused by acid reflux, which allows acid to go from your stomach into your oesophagus.

Symptoms of heartburn

Most people will experience symptoms such as a sour taste that creeps up the throat into the mouth, a burning sensation in the chest, or a pain in the throat or neck.

So why the confusion between indigestion and heartburn?

Both describe the symptoms that one might feel after they’ve eaten. They’re usually caused by eating certain trigger foods, or by eating too much or too quickly. However, heartburn is linked to stomach acid and is a symptom of indigestion. Indigestion doesn’t have anything to do with stomach acid; it’s often triggered by emotions, such as feeling stressed, nervous or anxious.

How to treat indigestion

One of the easiest ways to treat both indigestion and heartburn is to avoid the common trigger foods such as spicy and fatty dishes, and to resist drinking too much alcohol. You should also try to slow down as you eat, and eat smaller portions.

To prevent indigestion, try to relax more before meals. You should also do things that will reduce the amount of air that you swallow as you eat, such as closing your mouth as you chew and avoiding talking with your mouth full of food.

How to treat heartburn

As heartburn involves stomach acid there are several over the counter medications available to treat it, such as antacids and drugs that reduce the amount of acid in the stomach. However, if you prefer not to rely on such medications, here are some simple steps to relieve the discomfort.

• Firstly, loosen any tight clothing and try to sit up as straight as possible. It may also help to stand up. This will reduce the pressure on your internal organs.
• If you don’t have any specialist medication, head to the kitchen for some baking soda to neutralise the acid in the stomach. Just a teaspoon in a glass of water will do, and don’t forget to drink it slowly.
• If you have chewing gum handy, this will also help to neutralise and remove the acid by increasing your production of saliva.

Don’t rely on antacids

You should not rely on antacids as a long-term way to treat indigestion as they may cause their own side effects, including diarrhoea, constipation, sickness and headaches, and ultimately make the problem worse.

5 Best Skin Care Products for This Summer

Nailing down a definition of the best skin care products really depends on whom you ask and what their particular interest in the matter is. A dermatologist and a beautician are likely to have quite divergent views.

The opinion of somebody from the Cancer Council can be expected to be different to both. And of course retailers have their own motivations, so they’ll give you advice that probably runs contrary to all the others.

So selecting the five best products is actually quite a difficult task since the concept of what is “best” means such radically different things to different groups of people. Then there’s the tricky issue of the fact that some products claim to be formulated especially for men’s skin or for women’s skin.

Finally there’s the matter of whether skin care is primarily to be considered a matter of the face or of the whole body, since the vast majority of products indicate they are created primarily for facial application.

But what about your views as a consumer? What do you care about? Do you want something that keeps your skin clean and free of blemishes? Do you want something that rejuvenates and nourishes? Do you want something that protects your skin from the ravages of the Sun?

Ultimately it seems the only way to effectively cover this topic is to discover the best product in each category, ensuring that only gender-neutral products are considered.

• Best General Application Anti-Ageing Product
  This accolade goes to Advanced Dermatology Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Treatment. It is part of a range of Advanced Dermatology products that, when used together, should give excellent results.

  It’s not available in shops, and you can only buy it online. A one month supply of the whole contingent of products is officially valued at €200, but is now currently being offered for €59.95 plus €19.95 for shipping and handling. The power of this product range comes from a potent mix of plant stem cells, peptides, antioxidants and other ingredients.

• Best Targeted Anti-Ageing Product
  Targeting refers to the concept of you applying the product directly to a particular area of skin that you want to rejuvenate, rather than generally applying it to a broad area.
  The winner in this category was SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0, which is available in shops and costs about €65 for a 30ml tube.

• Best Acne Treatment Product
  Surprisingly enough, the best product in this category isn’t even marketed as a skin care product at all. It’s just plain old humble Baking Soda, which you mix with water to form a paste and apply to your skin.
  The bacteria responsible for acne thrive in an acidic environment, and the baking soda raises the pH level of your skin, creating a hostile environment for the bacteria. A box of the best baking soda in the shop shouldn’t set you back more than one euro. You can find instructions for how to prepare it all over the Internet.

• Best Full Body Moisturising Lotion
  It may seem a little clinical, but Cetaphil Moisturising Cream is a really excellent product for hydrating and nourishing dry skin. It’s also wonderfully inexpensive at around €10 for a 453g tub.

• Best Moisturiser with SPF
  Having a moisturiser with an SPF is a bigger deal than most people think it is. Although having this essential in your makeup bag is recommended for all months in the year, it’s especially important in summer.

  The winner of this category is the Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturiser with an SPF of 47. It’s made with a combination of natural ingredients including argan oil and mineral sunscreens including titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. It’s non-greasy and is reasonably priced considering the quality of the product.

6 Helpful Tips for Hay Fever Sufferers This Summer

Ah, summer… that glorious season when you can look forward to spending time at the beach, attending outdoor BBQ parties, plus of course plenty of sneezing, wheezing, and watery eyes. If you could identify with the last part of that sentence, you’re probably one of the many millions of people who suffer from allergic rhinitis, more commonly known as hay fever.

There’s no cure for hay fever since it’s not really a fever at all. It’s an allergy and there are a few things you can do to help make life a lot easier for yourself during the time when you’ll be at your most vulnerable.  Here are a few tips to help you beat the bug…

1. Watch what you eat

Unlike most advice of this kind, this will not be about what you shouldn’t eat, but rather what you should be eating to help keep your symptoms under control. Good nutrition obviously plays an important role in your overall well-being, so even if this tip doesn’t work wonders for your hay fever, you’ll probably benefit in other ways.

What you want to be doing is eating foods that are rich in flavonoids and an amino acid called methionine.  Sources include nuts, berries, and fish. When it comes to flavonoids, it is generally true that the darker the berry is, the more it contains. Why that’s important to you is that these are good foods to eat, but even better, the flavonoids and methionine have natural anti-inflammatory properties, which is going to help counteract the allergic reaction that brings on your hay fever symptoms.

2. Consider supplements

If the natural methionine sources just aren’t strong enough, methionine supplements up to 500mg per day may help. Another supplement that may interest you is quercetin. This also helps to work as a natural anti-inflammatory.  Quercetin has many other potentially beneficial actions besides helping to control hay fever symptoms. For example it may help to relieve problems such as poor circulation, blood pressure problems, and even erectile dysfunction.

3. Try using menthol inhalers such as Siang Pure

These small plastic tubes contain a mix of menthol, eucalyptus oil, camphor, and borneol. This combination of ingredients helps to clear away mucus, thus reducing the chances of repeat sneezing. These inhalers are also sometimes helpful in treating motion sickness, vertigo, and dizzy spells.

4. Shower and change your clothes as soon as you arrive home

When you’ve been out and about, it’s quite possible that particles of pollen and other irritants have settled on you, and when these particles get stirred up it can bring on a sneezing fit. Showering will help you wash off any particles that have settled on your skin and hair, and obviously changing your clothes will make sure you’re not keeping those outdoor nasties on you when you’re indoors.

5. When driving, set your car’s A/C system to recirculate

For most people, getting fresher air into the car is a good thing. For you, however, a better thing is not allowing more potential irritants into your environment, especially within the cramped confines of a car. As a driver, sneezing fits can be incredibly dangerous as they make it difficult to keep your eyes on the view ahead, and can cause unintentional body movements that may result in a loss of control. With your A/C set to recirculate air, the only irritants in your car will be the ones that were already there with you.

6. Enjoy gardens and forests in moderation

The beauty of nature is very tempting, but unfortunately the peak of pollination season is not the best time to enjoy them if you suffer from hay fever. If you do know in advance that you’re going to be visiting an area with a lot of flowering plants, it would be an excellent idea to at least pack an inhaler and possibly some antihistamines, just in case.

How to Protect your Skin During your Summer Holidays

Summer is a time for fun in the sun. After all, who doesn’t love soaking up those rays? The truth is that while you may love the touch of the warm sun, your skin is very susceptible to its damage. It may feel good, but unless you take the necessary precautions, you could be causing permanent damage to your skin. But don’t fret. Follow these steps and you can enjoy your summer without any worry.

Apply Sunscreen

Sunscreen will be your number one defence against those harsh UV rays. Make sure to apply it about 30 minutes before you head outdoors. Any area of skin not covered by clothing will require sunscreen. Be sure to apply evenly.

Depending on your skin type, you may want to use a different formula for your face than you use on your body. Women often find make-up or moisturisers with built in SPF is best but, when choosing this option, make sure you get adequate coverage. Last but not least, use an SPF greater than 50 and make sure it’s not expired.

Water

Keeping hydrated is crucial for your skin but also for your overall health. Our bodies tend to lose more fluid in summer because of perspiration. Make sure to consume a minimum of the recommended eight glasses of water per day. More if you’re active. Always keep a bottle on hand. In addition to the health benefits, water also keeps your skin hydrated and glowing.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation should be included in your evening skincare routine. It involves the removal of dead skin cells from your skin’s outer layer and it helps rejuvenate the skin’s appearance. This is especially important in the summer because it helps rid potential effects from sun damage, such as sunspots and other marks. It also keeps your skin smooth, which makes it easier to apply sunscreen.

Moisturiser

The summer heat can often leave skin feeling dry. That’s why keeping it moisturised is essential for that summer glow. It can also help replace any moisture lost through perspiration. For summer, it’s best to use a light formula, which keeps skin feeling light.

You also don’t want to over moisturise, since you’ll be using sunscreen. You may need to do a little experimenting to see what balance of products works best for you.

Extras

It never hurts to take extra precautions. If it’s really hot and you know you’re going to be outdoors for a long period of time, make sure to pack a hat, sunglasses, and a light sweater. That way you’ll have extra protection from the sun if you need it. Don’t forget to pack extra sunscreen for any re-applications that might be necessary.

And there you have it, your summer skincare routine explained in one! If you diligently follow this regime, you’ll be able to have fun in the great outdoors without much worry. Not only will this routine help protect your skin’s health it will also have you looking your best. What more could you ask for?

How to Keep your Immune System Strong During Colder Months

During the winter months, there is a noticeable increase in the number of people who become ill, particularly from colds and influenza. There are a variety of factors that contribute to making it more difficult to keep yourself healthy during this time, but there are some important steps you can take that will help you keep your immune system strong. With a healthy immune system, you are much less likely to become ill, and if you do, the duration of the illness will usually be less.

On that note, here are some effective means of keeping your immune system strong during the colder months of the year:

1. Avoid congestion

Despite the name, the common cold has very little to do with coldness. It’s true that if your body temperature drops too far, your immunity can be compromised, allowing germs to get a bit of a boost. But it’s actually the introduction of these germs into your body that does the most harm.

Before the invention of the microscope, people thought that colds were caused by exposure to cold weather, and it’s a belief that has persisted into the modern era. There is a bit of a grain of truth to this myth, however.

Cold weather doesn’t cause these illnesses, but it does contribute to their spread because when it is cold, people tend to congregate indoors, thus providing more opportunity for germs to spread around. Avoiding congestion and practising isolation as much as possible will go quite a long way towards helping you avoid getting a cold.

2. Keep your hands clean

The most common way for germs to spread is by direct contact, followed by indirect contact, and then through airborne particles.

One of the reasons why teachers and parents of young children get sick more often than everyone else is because of the tendency for kids to coat every available surface with a liberal dose of saliva.

There are germs everywhere, and it’s really easy to fall victim to them if you’re not careful. The easiest safeguard is to get in the habit of always washing your hands before touching your eyes or eating food.

3. Get plenty of vitamin C

You probably already know that vitamin C is good for boosting your immunity. What many people don’t understand about this essential vitamin is that you need to replenish your intake of it at least every four hours, because your body can’t store it.

Natural sources of vitamin C are best, but if you have to supplement, then at least try to use brands that are made without artificial additives. Ideally you should be consuming between 1000mg and 2000mg of vitamin C daily.

Contrary to popular belief, you can actually consume too much vitamin C, and if you do then it can do considerable harm to you. Amounts over 4000mg per day may cause some noticeable side-effects, while doses over 10,000mg per day could cause quite serious side-effects.

4. Keep up your intake of zinc

Zinc is a very important immunity-boosting mineral, so make sure you consume foods that are good sources, or take zinc supplements. While it can be dangerous to take too much zinc over a prolonged amount of time, most people are not in danger of that. Try to not consume more than 80mg of zinc per day, and be alert to signs of zinc toxicity.

Staying healthy and keeping your immune system in good shape during the colder months is mainly just a matter of common sense. As long as you consume a sensible diet, maintain good hygiene habits, and avoid crowded indoor spaces, you should not have a difficult time staying healthy.

Paracetamol vs. Ibuprofen – How they work

The two most commonly sold over-the-counter pain relief substances are paracetamol and ibuprofen.  Although they are used in the same way and usually to treat the same problems, they are quite different from each other in significant ways. For most users, the differences won’t be very apparent, especially if they stay within the recommended dosage.

Paracetamol mimics codeine, Ibuprofen mimics aspirin

Codeine and aspirin are both derived from natural substances. Codeine is produced from opium poppies and aspirin is produced from willow trees. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are synthetics that try to mimic the effects of these drugs. Although all of them are used for treatment of pain, they work in different ways to achieve this aim.

Opiates such as morphine and codeine produce an analgesic effect by inhibiting pain receptors. These substances are alkaloids. The “War on Drugs” has created shortages in the supply of morphine and codeine, and has driven the price of opium up high enough that there is little incentive for farmers and manufacturers to waste their crop on legitimate uses. Paracetamol fills the void that has been left, although it requires much higher doses to achieve the same aim, which also increases the potential for side effects, although it is much less addictive than codeine and normally less expensive as well.

Aspirin, on the other hand, does not work by inhibiting pain receptors. It does its job by thinning the blood, reducing inflammation. While aspirin is a natural product, Ibuprofen is an artificial one that works in a similar way. Ibuprofen is less efficient than aspirin, but it can be administered in lower doses than aspirin. Unlike opiates, which are alkaline, aspirin and ibuprofen are acidic.

Ibuprofen is faster

Both aspirin and ibuprofen are faster acting because they don’t need time to work on pain receptors the way that paracetamol does, so the pain relief is usually more rapid (but not by a lot). If speed is the most important concern, aspirin trumps both paracetamol and ibuprofen by a clear margin, but both ibuprofen (especially) and paracetamol can treat a wider range of pain types than aspirin can.

Paracetamol is potentially less irritating

Much is made of paracetamol supposedly being “gentle on the stomach” and that ibuprofen (and aspirin) may cause gastric discomfort and potential gastric bleeding and intestinal bleeding. Aspirin can also cause bleeding in the stomach and intestines. Paracetamol can cause damage to the liver and kidneys if taken in excessive amounts or too frequently.

If in doubt, should you take both?

Well, only a medical practitioner can tell you what you should take, but you definitely can take both, and it’s unlikely to be fatal unless you consume too much. Whether you decide to do this or not depends on a lot of factors. First, you need to consider the potential gastric effects of ibuprofen and the potential effects on the liver and kidneys of taking paracetamol. Then there is the matter of cost, because taking both is obviously more expensive than taking only one.

Because they work differently, you need to take the same amount that you would normally take in a single dose, for example if you normally consume 1g of paracetamol, you would still need to consume 1g of paracetamol for it to be effective, and the same holds true for ibuprofen. If you only take 500mg of each, the analgesic effect will be noticeably lower and slower. While you can take paracetamol and codeine together, you should not take ibuprofen and aspirin together except on specific medical instruction.

How Paracetamol Works

Modern medicine is a true marvel that is sometimes too easily taken for granted. When it comes to a safe, multipurpose compound with very few side effects when used as directed, paracetamol finds itself at the top of the list. Paracetamol is amongst the most common medicines used on a daily basis in many parts of the world. It is an over-the-counter medication that requires no prescription and can easily be bought in most supermarkets for a very low cost.

Sales of Paracetamol since the 1980’s have outstripped those of aspirin in many countries, mostly due to its ability to effectively reduce mild to moderate pain and fever without impacting upon the capacity of blood coagulation or irritating the stomach lining in the way that aspirin is known to.

Discovery and development

Paracetamol was initially discovered in 1893 and has been in widespread use since 1953. Surprisingly, for a drug that has existed for over one hundred and twenty years, science has a good understanding of the way paracetamol functions within the body, but there is still much that remains a mystery.

How does paracetamol work?

Paracetamol works as an analgesic (pain reliever) and anti-pyretic (fever reducing) agent that exhibits minimal interactions with other pharmaceutical compounds. Scientists do know that paracetamol, more correctly known as acetaminophen, works upon the brain to block prostaglandin production.

Pain and paracetamol

Prostaglandins are chemical substances that alert the central nervous system of pain and injury in the body. Paracetamol doesn’t heal the root cause of pain; it simply increases ones tolerance by greatly diminishing the effect of prostaglandins. This is why the advice is often given to consult a physician if pain persists. Pain is the body’s way of flagging a deeper problem and using painkillers to ignore it is like taping over a warning light on a car dashboard and continuing to drive, while never looking into the issue that sparked the initial warning.

Different but the same

Paracetamol is more widely known as Panadol in the United Kingdom and Oceania. In the United States it is marketed under the brands Tylenol and Datril. Although the names may vary, the active ingredient in all these tablets is acetaminophen.

Serious side-effects

Although there are few side effects when taken as directed, paracetamol can have a harmful effect upon the liver if a high dosage is consumed over an extended period of time. Anyone diagnosed with liver damage or alcoholism should consult a physician before taking paracetamol. Because paracetamol is metabolised (broken down) by the liver, it should not be taken with alcohol as the liver is often already compromised by dealing with the alcohol. Metabolising the paracetamol can put too much of a load on the liver and toxicity may build up.

Doses exceeding 1000mg four times per day are not recommended and doses as high as 5000mg can cause permanent liver damage or liver failure in as few as two days. Paracetamol is considered to be a safe drug but its threshold for an effective dose and a dangerous dose is quite close which is why anyone with a compromised liver needs to be extremely cautious when taking it.

Regardless of these small risks paracetamol is still one of the most effective painkillers used in today’s modern world and will likely to continue to hold its place as that for many years to come.

Comprehensive Guide To Vitamins

The function of vitamins was not properly understood until the early part of the 20^th century. Prior to the discovery and categorisation of vitamins there was wide-ranging speculation regarding the cause of certain illnesses and diseases, but the exact correlations remained a mystery.

The health implications of vitamins were only truly understood between 1913 and 1941 with the last of the vitamins discovered being Vitamin B3; which is better known today as folic acid.

Within a mere thirty years, scientists made great strides that forever changed the face of health and medicine and the knowledge of vitamins that was uncovered continues to be of benefit to the wider world today.

Categories of Vitamins

Of the 13 known vitamins, a total of 8 of these are referred to as B complex vitamins. Various functions within the body depend on a delicate balance of vitamins and any deficiency can lead to serious health issues, including death if left unaddressed.

Scientists have identified two distinct methods that the body uses to process, store and utilise vitamins. Vitamins are primarily categorised as being either fat-soluble or water-soluble.

Water-soluble vitamins

Water-soluble vitamins are not stored within the body but are utilised as they travel through the organism. That which the body does not need is excreted through the kidneys via the urinary tract. Because these water-soluble vitamins are not stored, the body needs to continually replenish them in smaller doses.

Fat-soluble vitamins

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the various cells of the body, particularly the liver and other fatty deposits. These vitamins are not easily excreted and therefore need to be consumed less frequently. It is important not to exceed recommended dosages, as toxicity is possible due to the manner in which these vitamins are cumulatively stored.

Vitamins and their properties

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is also known as Alpha-carotene, Beta-carotene and Retinol. This vitamin helps build the rods and cones in the eyes, promoting healthy eyesight. Vitamin A plays a role in boosting the immune system and regulates the production and division of red and white blood cells. The health of teeth, bones, soft tissue, skin and mucous membranes are all dependent upon adequate levels of vitamin A.

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 or Thiamine, Thiamin and Aneurin promote healthy metabolic activity and helps nerve cells and heart muscles to function well. Vitamin B1 assists in the processing of carbohydrates and certain complex proteins. Hair, skin, muscles, brain and thyroid functions rely on Vitamin B1 to be optimally maintained and regulated.

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 is better known as Riboflavin and is responsible for the production of red blood cells, the oxygenation of tissues and for metabolising energy from food sources. Vitamin B2 plays a key role in antibody protection, body growth and the health of a range of functions related to hair, skin, muscles, eyes and the brain.

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 or Niacin and Nicotinic acid serves to metabolise food into energy and assists in the lowering of cholesterol, as well as helping to build a healthy digestive tract.  One’s skin, eyes, hair, blood cells, brain and nervous system are also intricately linked with this important vitamin.

Vitamin B5

Pantothenic Acid or Vitamin B5 regulates nerve functions, neurotransmitters and various hormones including adrenal production. Haemoglobin and cholesterol also rely on healthy levels of vitamin B5 to function efficiently.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is also known as Pyridoxine. This complex compound plays a vital role in the central nervous system and with many functions of the brain. Vitamin B6 facilitates the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin and other neurotransmitters, breaks down proteins and stored sugars, and also balances sodium, phosphorous and potassium levels. Vitamin B6 encourages healthy antibodies, interacts with many enzymes and influences the formation of red blood cells.

Vitamin B7

Vitamin B7 or Biotin maintains cell growth including that of bone and hair. It assists with the metabolism of food into energy, glucose synthesis and also in breaking down fatty acids. Vitamin B7 works in combination with vitamin K to balance the coagulation and clotting functions of the blood.

Vitamin B9

Known as Folic acid and Folacin, vitamin B9 is key to healthy DNA replication, cell division and renewal and is known to help minimise the incidence of birth defects. The formation of red blood cells and muscles are also influenced by vitamin B9 as well as the health of one’s heart.

Vitamin B12

Also known as Cyanocobalamin and Cobalamin; vitamin B12 helps to metabolise amino and fatty acids and to strengthen the immune system.  Cell division, red blood cells, healthy brain function and the central nervous system are all dependant on an adequate levels of vitamin B12 in the body.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, aka Ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that helps to metabolise protein and plays a key role in the absorption of iron. Ascorbic acid helps the body to heal wounds, strengthen blood vessels and improve skin elasticity via the production of collagen. Vitamin C assists with healthy brain function, stronger teeth, gums and tissues and also strengthens the immune system.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D maintains the correct levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. This mechanism allows for the absorption of calcium that is essential for ensuring healthy formation and density of bones. The presence of vitamin D regulates heart activity and provides support to the immune system.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E or Alpha-tocopherol is a complex antioxidant with a range of components that help to strengthen cell walls and protect cells from damage by free radicals. Vitamin E improves blood circulation and helps the body utilise vitamin K. Vitamin E also functions to protect vitamin A and certain lipids so that they remain more effective in the body.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is also known as Phytonadione and its presence enables the proper clotting of blood, which assists in the healing of wounds through scab formation. Vitamin K is also integral to the growth of healthy bones.

The complex nature of vitamins and their function in every aspect of human biology is incredible to contemplate. That such balance occurs with very little intervention and can evoke a true sense of wonder and gratitude for something as mundane and mysterious as the human body.

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7 Ways to Combat Bad Breath

It can be pretty embarrassing when someone tells you have bad breath, and if you think about it it’s not a great experience for the other person either. Keeping minty fresh is something that’s not always in the forefront of the human mind, so here are some habits you can get into to make sure getting close to someone doesn’t make them take a step back from you:

• Brush Your Teeth

It might be obvious, but brushing your teeth is the main way to get lingering food and plaque out of your mouth. That can be a huge cause of bad breath and most of the time; this one thing solves the problem for the majority of people. Brush after breakfast and at night before you go to sleep. Brushing regularly also helps with reducing cavities and fighting bad bacteria.

• Drink Loads of Water

Most people don’t drink as much water as they should. This leaves them feeling bloated, stressed, dehydrated and tired. Drinking water can solve so many problems with the human body and it’s amazing it’s not the first thing people turn to when they experience such problems.

Drinking water helps your internal organs to process things that you’ve consumed, it cleans your blood and helps you pass what you’ve consumed more easily and quickly meaning that the stomach does not get the chance to produce so much gas that’s inevitably released through burping.

• Carry Sugarless Mints or Gum

If you always carry gum in a place you have to reach into such as a pocket or under the handbrake in the car, you’ll see it regularly and remember to take it. If you just leave it in a bag or in the glove box, you won’t see it, and when something is out of sight, it’s out of mind. Having minty fresh breath from gum gives you confidence during the day too!

• Have Healthy Snacks

Munching on a carrot or some celery or apple will help clean your teeth by removing harmful bacteria from your gums, teeth and tongue. Often, if you don’t eat regularly, you have bad breath caused by fasting, which is easily solved by eating a healthy snack.

• Quit Smoking

If you smoke or use tobacco products, you should always carry gum at the very least. Obviously the best thing to do is to quit altogether, as smoking is not only bad for the teeth and gums but it’s bad for just about every other part of your body too.

• Go to the Dentist

Regular dental check-ups ensure that your teeth and gums are in the best of health. If you think you need something stronger for your breath, the dentist will probably have some recommendations that will solve the problem for you.

• Use a Mouth Rinse

Fairly easily located in most shops and supermarkets, mouth rinses come in a few minty flavours and a variety of different strengths. Choose what suits you, but having a fully minty fresh mouth after a rinse is a great way to start your day.

Bad breath doesn’t have to be a curse you’re stuck with as, except in rare and extreme cases, it’s a problem that’s easily sorted with the implementation of one, or a number of, the above tips.

Protecting Yourself From Insect Bites and Stings

Wherever you are in the world, one thing’s for sure – there are bugs there with you. Some aren’t dangerous while some are deadly – but if you’re like most people, you’re probably not a big fan of either type. So how can you ensure you don’t get bitten or stung? More importantly, how can you keep bugs away from you altogether?

Most stings and bites aren’t lethal, and only cause mild discomfort. Sometimes, however, a sting or a bite could cause an allergic reaction and require medical attention. In this article, we’re going to explore some different ways that you can protect yourself from insect bites and stings.

Know first aid.

It’s fairly simple in most countries to get a first aid certification, so do it if you’ve got the chance as you’ll never know when you’ll need it. In a group of people, if you’re the only one who has certification, you’ll be glad you got it. When you’re alone and you need to help yourself, you’ll be even more relieved.

If you don’t have a first aid certification, here are some basic steps you can take if you’re with someone who’s been stung by an insect:

• Make sure someone is with them to ensure they don’t have an allergic reaction.
• Wash the area with soap and water.
• Make sure you remove any remaining part of the insect’s sting.
• Ice the area or use tiger balm or something similar to soothe it.
• Tell the affected person to refrain from itching.

To ensure you don’t get stung, here are a few pointers:

• Wear light coloured clothing.
• Avoid perfumes and strong scents.
• Wear clean clothing and bathe regularly.
• Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Don’t leave food out.
• If there’s an insect flying around you, stay calm. Swatting and sudden movements could cause it to sting you.
• Anyone who has an allergy should carry an EpiPen or something similar with them at all times. An Epipen is likely to give you enough time to get to a hospital should you have an extreme allergic reaction.

Other things you can do to reduce the likelihood of being stung or bitten include:

Use insect repellent

There are a range of effective sprays and lotions that should protect you. Brands that contain a larger percentage of DEET are more effective than other brands. Make sure you don’t get it in your eyes, DEET is toxic and you don’t want to accidentally consume any, but it is effective against insects.

Stay inside at night

Bugs bite more at night. When the sun sets, make sure you’re covered, or stay inside.

Stay away from standing water

Mosquitoes love stagnant pools of water, so make sure you’re not camping near a river or if you are make sure the section you’re near is a quick moving one. If necessary, drain any pools of water near your house.

Remove wood from around the house.

Lots of people stack wood near the house, but it’s a breeding ground for bugs and they’re breeding within feet of where you sleep and live your life. Remove wood, leaves and clutter from around the outside of the house and see the population of bugs around your home drop considerably.

Insects are everywhere and unfortunately, while bites are sometimes inevitable, be sure to practice all of the above to reduce your changes of getting bitten or stung. Also, make sure you have an allergy test in advance, so you know what insect actually poses a dangerous threat to you.