Sunday Snippets

Tidbits of information I picked up this week.

• Holy Cow! You can reduce your risk of heart disease by one third just by making regular trips to the dentist! (Chatelaine magazine, January 2011)
• Be careful where you store your meds - drugs like pain relievers, heart medications, antidepressants, etc are the primary cause of pet poisonings! Just one extra-strength acetaminophen (Tylenol) can kill a 10-lb cat! (Prevention magazine, January 2011)
• They have healthy fats & are source of protein, but apparently, nuts have even more added benefits: a handful of almonds has the same effect on a headache as 2 Aspirin due to its salicylates (chemical that reduces inflammation and blocks pain signals); pecans can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by 16.5% thanks to its vitamin E, plant sterols, and beta-sitosterol (plus, they have more anti-oxidants than any other nut!); and peanuts contain the anti-aging flavonoid resveratrol (found in red wine)! (Woman's World magazine, Dec. 27, 2010 issue)
• According to a survey by Statistics Canada that was released this week, only 15% of adults and 7% of children (aged 5-17) attain the minimum level of physical activity each day! Let's get ourselves active people! And more importantly, lets get our kids moving to ensure their healthy, long lives!!
• Apparently, you can wear a pair of jeans regularly for over a year, not wash them, and they will not contain any harmful bacteria.... and a university student in Alberta and his professor did the experiment/test to prove it (click here for the CTV story)! First of all - yuck! Secondly - I'm quite surprised (even if he isn't the type to hang out at a bar, he must have gone to the movies/used a public washroom, etc., so I am a bit amazed...not enough to try it, mind you).