Ladies, here’s a 10-step guide to shaving your legs without getting nicks or razor burn

Wouldn’t you want legs that feel smooth to the touch? The good old fashion method of shaving is one way to get there.

But shaving isn’t a mindless job that only involves the simple act of putting a blade up against the skin. If done wrong, you’re likely to end up with unsightly nicks, a painful razor burn, ingrown hairs and bumpy skin that feels as dry as the Sahara desert.

Is there a right way to shave your legs? Yes – because if done wrong, you’ll end up with dry and bumpy skin, ingrown hair and more.

So how can we shave our legs the right way? Here’s CNA Lifestyle’s definitive, step-by-step guide to achieving hairless legs that feel smooth as silk.

1. GETTING STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME

Have a vacuum cleaner handy before you begin. Use a hair trimmer to remove as much hair as possible – otherwise your poor razor blade will have to work doubly hard. Pick up the hair with the vacuum cleaner, instead of washing it down the shower drainage.

2. SHAVE AFTER, NOT BEFORE, YOU SHOWER

Never be so lazy and in such a rush as to dry shave as you’re more likely to nick yourself, and miss spots, if your skin isn’t wet. Take your time. Lather up your body, then rinse everything off. This time in the shower helps ensure your skin is thoroughly wet, and also helps soften up your hair. Softer hair and opened-up follicles allow for a closer, more comfortable shave, while helping your razor blades remain sharper longer. A 15-minute wait is best; any longer and your skin may wrinkle and swell, making it harder to get a close shave.

3. EXFOLIATE BEFORE SHAVING

This will help remove the layer of dead skin cells, so you get a cleaner, deeper shave. It also prevents those dead skin cells from clogging up your razor blade, which can cause razor burn. Use a body scrub and not a loofah as the latter tends to trap dirt and bacteria.

4. APPLY SHAVING CREAM

The foam helps condition your skin and soften hair, and allows the razor to glide smoothly over skin, reducing the chances of skin irritation and nicks. Squirt a dollop of shaving cream into your hand and spread a thin, even layer over your legs. If you really hate cluttering up your bathroom with too many different products, hair conditioner makes a good substitute. Try not to use soap or body wash as these can be too drying on the skin.

5. USE A CLEAN, SHARP, DRY MULTI-BLADE RAZOR​​​​​​​

Dull blades tend to lead to nicks and cuts; rusty blades may lead to tetanus; blades that have not been allowed to dry out properly in between uses can be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus.

Your blade should be changed after five to 10 shaves. Once you get an idea of what the frequency for changing razors should be, put a recurring alarm in your phone’s calendar as a reminder.

It’s worth it to invest in a four- or five-blade razor as it provides the smoothest results, letting you navigate tricky areas like the knees and ankles. Single-blade razors are likelier to drag against the skin and get duller faster.

6. SHAVE AGAINST THE DIRECTION OF HAIR GROWTH

Begin at the ankle and carefully shave upwards. Don’t press too hard or you’ll get nicks and missed spots. It helps to have something to prop your foot up against for support.

7. RINSE YOUR RAZOR WHILE SHAVING

Rinse the blade after every few strokes to remove the shaving cream and hair that are clogging up your razor by running it under the faucet or swishing it in a tub of clean water. Don’t knock it against the bathtub or shower stall wall as you might cause the blade to lose its sharpness faster. Dry the blade before starting on a new spot.

8. DO A CHECK

Rinse your legs and run your hands all over to see if you’ve missed any spots. If there are any missed spots, reapply shaving cream to them, and repeat the shaving process. Then rinse your skin again.

9. MOISTURISE, MOISTURISE, MOISTURISE

Rinse your razor under clean running water, and let it dry out properly before you put the blade protector on. Store it in a clean, dry place – not in the shower stall – to reduce the likelihood of rust or of any lingering bacteria or fungus on the blades.


Taken from this article:
Ladies, here’s a 10-step guide to shaving your legs without getting nicks or razor burn

Is there such a thing as a 'sugar high'? Or is it a popular misconception?

Is there a medical basis for the “sugar high,” which some parents claim their children get after eating sugar?

The theory of the “sugar high” has been debunked, yet the myth persists.

The notion that sugar might make children behave badly first appeared in the medical literature in 1922. But the idea did not capture the public’s imagination until Dr Ben Feingold’s bestselling book, Why Your Child Is Hyperactive,” was published in 1975.

Many parents blame sugar for their children's hyperactive behaviour. But the myth has been debunked.

In his book, Feingold describes the case of a boy who might well be “patient zero” for the putative connection between sugar and hyperactivity:

“[The mother’s] fair-haired, wiry son loved soft drinks, candy and cake – not exactly abnormal for any healthy child. He also seemed to go completely wild after birthday parties and during family gatherings around holidays.”

In the mid-’70s, stimulant drugs such as Ritalin and amphetamine were becoming popular for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. For parents who were concerned about drug side effects, the possibility of controlling hyperactivity by eliminating sugar proved to be an enticing, almost irresistible, prospect.

Some studies supported the theory. They suggested that high sugar diets caused spikes in insulin secretion, which triggered adrenaline production and hyperactivity. But the data were weak and were soon questioned by other scientists.

An extraordinarily rigorous study settled the question in 1994. Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, a group of scientists tested normal preschoolers and children whose parents described them as being sensitive to sugar. Neither the parents, the children nor the research staff knew which of the children were getting sugary foods and which were getting a diet sweetened with aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. Urine was tested to verify compliance with the diets. Nine different measures of cognitive and behavioural performance were assessed, with measurements taken at five-second intervals.

The study concluded that sugar does not affect children’s behaviour or cognitive function. An editorial that accompanied the study put a fine point on that conclusion, stating “there is no evidence that sugar alone can turn a child with normal attention into a hyperactive child.” One year later, an analysis that gathered data from all published studies on the subject reached the same conclusion.

While thoroughly refuted, the theory of the sugar high endures as a topic of ongoing investigation. But the results of these investigations continue to show that sugar does not affect children’s behaviour.

Still, limiting your child’s sugar consumption is a good idea. Though cutting down on sugar will not affect children’s behaviour, it may help to protect them against obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Richard Klasco, MD © 2018 The New York Times


Taken from this article:
Is there such a thing as a 'sugar high'? Or is it a popular misconception?

How to boost your immune system during COVID-19

As worries grow about the new coronavirus, online searches for ways to bolster the immune system have surged. Are there foods to boost your immune system? Will vitamins help?

Fears about coronavirus have prompted online searches and plenty of misinformation about how to strengthen the immune system. Here’s what works and what doesn’t.

The immune system is a complex network of cells, organs and tissues that work in tandem to protect the body from infection. While genetics play a role, we know from studies of twins that the strength of our immune system is largely determined by non-heritable factors. The germs we are exposed to over a lifetime, as well as lifestyle factors like stress, sleep, diet and exercise all play a role in the strength of our immune response.

The bottom line is that there is no magic pill or a specific food guaranteed to bolster your immune system and protect you from the new coronavirus. But there are real ways you can take care of yourself and give your immune system the best chance to do its job against a respiratory illness.

LOWER YOUR STRESS

Worries about the coronavirus, the stock market and the general disruption of life have added to our stress levels, but we know that stress also can make you more susceptible to respiratory illness.

In a series of remarkable studies over 20 years at Carnegie Mellon University, volunteers were exposed to the cold virus (using nose drops) and then quarantined for observation. The researchers found that people who reported less stress in their lives were less likely to develop cold symptoms. Another series of studies at Ohio State University found that marital conflict is especially taxing to the immune system. In a series of studies, the researchers inflicted small wounds on the arms of volunteers, and then asked couples to discuss topics both pleasant and stressful. When couples argued, their wounds took, on average, a full day longer to heal than after the sessions in which the couples discussed something pleasant. Among couples who exhibited especially high levels of hostility, the wounds took two days longer to heal.

The bottom line: Your body does a better job fighting off illness and healing wounds when it’s not under stress. Learning techniques for managing stress, like meditation, controlled breathing or talking to a therapist are all ways to help your immune system stay strong.

IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP HABITS

A healthy immune system can fight off infection. A sleep-deprived immune system doesn’t work as well. In one surprising study, researchers found 164 men and women willing to be exposed to the cold virus. Not everyone got sick. But short sleepers – those who regularly slept less than six hours a night – were 4.2 times more likely to catch the cold compared with those who got more than seven hours of sleep, researchers found. Risk was even higher when a person slept less than five hours a night.

The bottom line: Focusing on better sleep habits is a good way to strengthen your immune system. The sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night. Stick to a regular bedtime and wake-up schedule. Avoid screens, night-eating and exercise right before bedtime.

CHECK YOUR VITAMIN D LEVEL

While more study is needed on the link between vitamin D and immune health, some promising research suggests that checking your vitamin D level – and taking a vitamin D supplement –could help your body fight off respiratory illness. In one study of 107 older patients, some patients took high doses of vitamin D while others were given standard doses. After a year, the researchers found that people in the high-dose group had 40 per cent fewer respiratory infections over the course of the year compared to those on the standard dose. A more recent analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials of 11,000 patients showed an overall protective effect of vitamin D supplementation against acute respiratory tract infections. The data aren’t conclusive, and some studies of vitamin D haven’t shown a benefit.

Why would vitamin D lower risk for respiratory illness? Our bodies need adequate vitamin D to produce the antimicrobial proteins that kill viruses and bacteria. “If you don’t have adequate vitamin D circulating, you are less effective at producing these proteins and more susceptible to infection,” says Dr. Adit Ginde, professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the study’s lead author. “These proteins are particularly active in the respiratory tract.”

It’s important to note that there are no clinical recommendations to take vitamin D for immune health, although the standard recommendation for bone health is for 600 to 800 international units per day. (That is the level found in most multivitamins.) In the study of respiratory illness and vitamin D, the dose was equivalent to about 3,330 international units daily.

Vitamin D can be found in fatty fish, such as salmon, and in milk or foods fortified with vitamin D. In general, our vitamin D levels tend to be influenced by sun exposure, skin tone and latitude – people in northern areas who get less sun exposure in the winter typically have lower vitamin D. A blood test is required to check vitamin D levels. Less than 20 nanograms per millilitre is considered deficient. Above 30 is optimal.

The bottom line: If you are concerned about immune health, you may consider having your vitamin D level checked and talking to your doctor about whether to take a supplement.

AVOID EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Numerous studies have found a link between excessive alcohol consumption and immune function. Research shows people who drink in excess are more susceptible to respiratory illness and pneumonia and recover from infection and wounds more slowly. Alcohol alters the number of microbes in the gut microbiome, a community of microorganisms that affect the immune system. Excessive alcohol can damage the lungs, and impair the mucosal immune system, which is essential in helping the body recognize pathogens and fight infection. And it’s not just chronic drinking that does damage. Binge drinking can also impair the immune system.

The bottom line: A cocktail or glass of wine while you are sheltering in place during coronavirus is fine. But avoid drinking to excess. The current US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that alcohol should be consumed only in moderation – up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

EAT A BALANCED DIET AND SKIP UNPROVEN SUPPLEMENTS

A healthful diet and exercise are important to maintaining a strong immune system. However, no single food or natural remedy has been proven to bolster a person’s immune system or ward off disease. But that hasn’t stopped people from making specious claims. A recipe circulating on social media claims boiled garlic water helps. Other common foods touted for their immune-boosting properties are ginger, citrus fruits, turmeric, oregano oil and bone broth.

There are small studies that suggest a benefit to some of these foods, but strong evidence is lacking. For instance, the bone broth claim has been fuelled by a study published in 2000 that showed eating chicken soup seemed to reduce symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection. A number of small studies have suggested garlic may enhance immune system function. Claims that elderberry products can prevent viral illness also are making the rounds on social media, but evidence is lacking.

Zinc supplements and lozenges are also a popular remedy for fighting off colds and respiratory illness. Some studies have found that zinc lozenges may reduce the duration of cold by about a day and, may reduce the number of upper respiratory infections in children. But the data on zinc are mixed. If you already have enough zinc from your diet, it’s not clear that taking a supplement can help. Zinc supplements also commonly cause nausea.

“There are a lot of products that tout immune boosting properties, but I don’t think any of these have been medically proven to work,” said Dr. Krystina Woods, hospital epidemiologist and medical director of infection prevention at Mount Sinai West. “There are people who anecdotally say ‘I felt great after I took’ whatever. That may be true, but there’s no science to support that.”

The bottom line: If you enjoy foods touted as immune boosters, there is no harm in eating them as part of a balanced diet. Just be sure that you don’t neglect proven health advice –like washing your hands and not touching your face – when it comes to protecting yourself from viral illness.

By Tara Parker-Pope © The New York Times


Taken from this article:
How to boost your immune system during COVID-19

Researchers say pessimism may be heritable and optimism can be learned

When you watch the news these days, it’s hard not to be pessimistic – and even harder for some people, depending on genes and socioeconomic status.

Yet battling your inner Eeyore can have profound effects. Research suggests that optimists earn more money, have better relationships and even live longer. And the thing is: Optimism can be learned.

The good news is that many of the negative things we predict never actually happen – and that, even when they do, we usually recover pretty quickly.

“Pessimism is one of the personality traits that’s highly heritable, but also modifiable by specific exercises,” said Martin Seligman, director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania and author of The Hope Circuit.

Optimism can be learned.

In other words, you can blame your parents for your bleak outlook, but you don’t have to resign yourself to it forever. Here are four ways to start walking on the sunnier side of the street.

VISUALISE YOUR BEST POSSIBLE SELF 

Imagine your dream life in 10 years – what would it look like? How would it feel? Now sit down and write about it: Once a week, for six to eight minutes, for one or two months. Spend each session focusing on your “best possible self” in a single domain, such as family, career, romance or health.

Dozens of studies show that imagining your ideal future can actually boost your levels of optimism.

Though it might sound like wishful thinking, dozens of studies show that imagining your ideal future can actually boost your levels of optimism.

Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside and author of The How of Happiness, has employed this exercise with hundreds of subjects. It works, she said, because you’re strengthening your “optimistic muscles” by “thinking about all your dreams coming true as opposed to worrying about the worst possible outcome.”

ACCEPT THE INEVITABILITY OF DISAPPOINTMENT

Constantly expecting the worst? According to Laura Oliff, associate director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, it might be because you’re hoping to protect yourself from disappointment.

Many of the negative things we predict never actually happen – and that, even when they do, we usually recover pretty quickly.

But by trying to insulate yourself from life’s ups and downs, you’re missing out on something else, too: The “positive anticipation of events,” which Dr Oliff called a “very valuable” and “joyful” feeling. (For proof, just think about the pleasure of anticipating a vacation.)

As Dr Oliff pointed out, “You’ll be disappointed at times no matter what.” So if your choice is between positive expectations that are occasionally proven wrong or negative expectations that are occasionally proven right, you might as well go with the former.

While this mind-set shift is easier described than done, Dr Oliff said it can help to remember that “many of the negative things we predict never actually happen” – and that, even when they do, we usually recover pretty quickly.

ARGUE AGAINST YOURSELF 

So your co-worker got the promotion you were angling for. And your mind is filling with thoughts like: I’m bad at my job. I’ll never move up the ladder. I might as well quit right now.

When you enter that pessimism spiral, Dr Seligman says the trick is to first recognise the voice making those negative remarks, then argue with it as if it were “an external person whose mission in life is to make you miserable.”

The trick is to first recognise the voice making those negative remarks, then argue with it as if it were “an external person whose mission in life is to make you miserable.

How would you argue with your nemesis? You’d present evidence to prove them wrong, such as: I’m not bad at my job – my co-worker has been here for two years longer than I have. Or: I’ll eventually get promoted – another position is opening up soon.

Turning this type of self-argument into a habit requires a little practice. “It’s not instantaneous,” Dr Seligman said. “But on the other hand, it’s not really onerous and difficult. It’s something that most people can acquire in a few days.”

PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE 

Another evidence-based approach to boost your optimism is to intentionally counteract your extremely negative predictions with extremely positive ones. This will enable you to find the middle of the road – or, as Dr Seligman said, to “put things in perspective.”

Let’s say you have a doozy of a fight with your partner. She leaves the house, slamming the door on the way out. If you’re like many humans, Dr Seligman said you’ll naturally be attracted to the “most catastrophic interpretation”: This is the end, I’m unlovable, I’m going to die alone.

Another evidence-based approach to boost your optimism is to intentionally counteract your extremely negative predictions with extremely positive ones.

As a counterbalance, imagine the least catastrophic interpretation, too: Your partner’s on the way home with a tub of ice cream and will never mention the disagreement again.

Between those two poles is where you’ll find the sweet spot – the realistic interpretation. It might be: She’ll come back in a few hours, we’ll talk, it’ll be weird tomorrow and then back to normal. Though not as pleasant as the ice cream scenario, this outlook is far better (and far more plausible) than the ultra-pessimistic one with which you started.

By consistently practicing the two previous strategies – arguing against yourself and putting things in perspective – Dr Seligman said you can make changes that stick.

“This is not armchair stuff,” he said. “These are things that have been tested with literally thousands of people.” Over time, he said these exercises can produce long-lasting results that “basically permanently change extreme pessimism into something much less pessimistic.”

That sounds like something to be optimistic about.

By Susan Shain © The New York Times


Taken from this article:
Researchers say pessimism may be heritable and optimism can be learned

What causes nosebleeds? When should you check for signs of cancer?

Unless you're Eleven from Stranger Things, getting a nosebleed isn’t unusual. More often than not, these bloody episodes are caused by more mundane reasons: The lining of your nose has become too dry from the air-conditioning, you blew your nose too hard, you picked your nose too forcefully, or you were hit in the face.

From sinus infection and ageing to simply picking your nose too hard, it’s a common occurrence among adults – but how do you tell if it’s something worse? Also: The explanation behind TCM alternatives.

Sometimes, the cause could be medical, like a sinus infection or an allergic reaction. It could also be the result of taking certain medication for age-related health issues. “This may be related to hypertension, anticoagulant medication and the thinning of the nasal lining with age,” explained Dr Vyas Prasad, Thomson Surgical Centre’s head and neck surgeon.

Although uncommon, nosebleed can be the first sign of nasopharyngeal cancer or cancer of the back of the nose.

With such a range of causes, it is no wonder that nosebleeds in adults are rather common. According to Dr Leslie Koh, the head of Rhinology Services, Otorhinolaryngology at Changi General Hospital, he sees about five cases a week in his clinic.

HOW CAN YOU STOP A NOSEBLEED?

For the common nosebleed, Dr Koh advised to pinch the soft part of the nose hard and keep the pressure up for five to 10 minutes. “It may also help to gargle some ice water, or suck on an ice cube to reduce the amount of bleeding,” he said. “The bleeding usually continues for five to 10 minutes, until the formation of a clot stops the bleeding.”

To minimise a recurrence, Dr Koh suggested looking at the cause of your nosebleed:

Dry air from the air-conditioner
Get a humidifier to counter the dryness in the room, especially during sleep. There are also moisturising ointments that can be applied to the areas in the nose that are prone to bleeding.

Nasal allergy
Get the allergy treated so that you won’t be rubbing and blowing your nose forcefully.

Nose picking
Use a damp cotton bud to clean your nose instead of jabbing your finger into your nostril.

“Seek medical advice if the nosebleed persists despite measures such as avoiding nose picking and vigorous nose blowing,” said Dr Prasad, who added that an endoscopy of the nose and assessing your blood profile to rule out clotting disorders may be in order. If suitable, nasal cautery and anti-bacterial creams may suffice, he said.

WHEN SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT NOSEBLEED?

While the occasional nosebleed shouldn’t send alarm bells ringing, you might want to be aware if there are accompanying symptoms such as pain, visual issues and headaches with nosebleeds, said Dr Prasad.

He added that it is also worth having a doctor check you out if there’s no obvious trigger (such as the ones mentioned earlier) and the bleeding doesn’t seem to come from the front of the nasal partition or the cartilage separating your nostrils.

Dr Koh pointed out that, while uncommon, nosebleeds could be the first sign of nasopharyngeal cancer or cancer of the back of the nose. “According to the Singapore Cancer Registry, nasopharyngeal cancer is the ninth most-common form of cancer in males, accounting for close to four per cent of all cancer in males in Singapore,” he said.

Nasopharyngeal cancer is also more prevalent if you are of south Chinese heritage – particularly Hong Kong and Guangzhou – according to the American Cancer Society.

So how do you tell if the nosebleed is the result of over-enthusiastic nose picking or cancer? “If the bleeding recurs repeatedly, seeking specialist attention to exclude the presence of nasopharyngeal cancer is recommended,” said Dr Koh.

ALTERNATIVE VIEW: WHAT’S THE TCM TAKE ON NOSEBLEEDS?

Meanwhile, there’s also the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) explanation for nosebleed – and the reason your mother makes you drink liang teh or cooling Chinese herbal tea when your nose bleeds: Heatiness.

According to Thomson Chinese Medicine’s TCM physician Jun Negoro, “The common causes of nosebleeds include heat in the lungs, heat in the stomach and a yin deficiency.”

The variations in the bleeding’s duration, interval, as well as the quantity, colour and texture of the blood can tell the physician the root cause, she added.

For instance, dryness or a burning sensation in the nostrils accompanied by fever are likely signs of heat in the lungs. Heat in the stomach would present with symptoms such as bad breath, mouth dryness, swollen gums and constipation.

“A yin deficiency is a more chronic condition, where the body fluids are exhausted and there are symptoms such as a low-grade fever, and warm palms and soles,” said Negoro.

Interestingly, TCM physicians believe that nosebleed is likely to occur in women during menstruation, too. “This is seen as a reverse qi and blood flow in the chong meridians, where the blood is forced to flow out of its regular pathway,” said Negoro.

So what’s the treatment if you go by this route? TCM physicians may prescribe herbs to clear the heat in the respective organs, said Negoro. The treatment may also focus on cooling, astringing the blood and directing it to its correct pathway, she said.


Taken from this article:
https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/nosebleed-symptom-treatment-nasopharyngeal-cancer-nose-12454976

To minimise your risk of COVID-19, stop touching your face

Want to improve your chance of staying healthy? Stop touching your face!

One of the more difficult challenges in public health has been to teach people to wash their hands frequently and to stop touching the facial mucous membranes – the eyes, nose and mouth, all entry portals for the new coronavirus and many other germs.

It’s a quirk of human nature that we touch our eyes, noses and mouths all day long. It’s also a major way we pick up infections like coronavirus.

“Scratching the nose, rubbing your eyes, leaning on your chin and your fingers go next to your mouth – there’s multiple ways we do it,” said Dr Nancy Elder, a professor of family medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, who has studied face touching among doctors and clinic staff members. “Everybody touches their face, and it’s a difficult habit to break.”

As communities prepare for the spread of coronavirus around the globe, the primary advice from health officials is for people to wash their hands. But a number of health researchers say the public health message also should include a more forceful warning about face touching.

“The CDC and WHO still say something like ‘avoid’ touching your eyes, nose and mouth,” said Dr William Sawyer, a family physician in Sharonville, Ohio, and creator of HenrytheHand.com, which promotes hand and face hygiene. “The advice should be ‘absolutely do not touch them’! If you never touch your facial mucous membranes, you’re less likely to be sick again from any viral respiratory infection.”

Only humans and a few primates (gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees) are known to touch their faces with little or no awareness of the habit. Most animals touch their faces only to groom or swat away a pest.

To understand why hand hygiene and face touching can make a meaningful difference during a pandemic, consider how a virus can spread. An infected person rides in an elevator, touching buttons both outside and inside the elevator or maybe sneezing during the ride. When that person leaves, microscopic droplets containing the virus stay behind. The next people who press the same buttons or touch a surface pick up the virus on their hands, then scratch their noses or rub their eyes.

“Eyes, nose, mouth – all those mucous membranes are the portal into the body for a virus like COVID-19 or SARS,” said Mary-Louise McLaws, professor of epidemiology, health care infection and infectious diseases control at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

“I was in a conference yesterday watching people, and in just about two minutes I counted a dozen times that I saw someone touching mucous membranes,” Prof McLaws said. “It is a very common practice. We rub our eyes, scratch our nose, touch our mouth – the general community needs to be aware of how often they are touching their face.”

Prof McLaws was the senior author of a 2015 study on face touching that documented the alarming number of times we do it. While medical students attended a lecture, the researchers filmed them and counted the number of times they touched any part of their faces. Over the course of an hour, students touched their faces, on average, 23 times. Nearly half of the touches were to the eyes, nose or mouth – what infectious disease researchers call “the T-zone”.

Other studies of people doing office work, and students riding a simulated rail car have all found similar rates of touching the T-zone.

“I was really surprised,” Prof McLaws said. “By touching your mucous membranes, you’re giving a virus 11 opportunities every hour if you’ve touched something infectious.”

The risk of picking up a virus by hand-to-face contact depends on a number of factors, including the type of virus, whether the surface was non-porous, how long ago the virus was left behind, how much time the infected person spent in the area and the temperature and humidity levels.

The World Health Organization notes that while we don’t know how long the new coronavirus survives on surfaces, it seems to behave like other coronaviruses – which is unsettling news. A recent study from the Journal of Hospital Infection found that similar coronaviruses have been shown to survive on surfaces for as long as nine days under ideal conditions.

That’s far longer than the flu virus, which typically can survive under ideal conditions only up to 24 hours on hard surfaces. Public Health England says that, based on studies of other coronaviruses like SARS and MERS, “the risk of picking up a live virus from a contaminated surface” under real-life conditions “is likely to be reduced significantly after 72 hours”.

In general, a virus will survive the longest on non-porous surfaces made of metal and plastics – including doorknobs, counters and railings. A virus will die sooner on fabrics or tissues. Once on your hand, a virus begins to lose potency, but it will probably live long enough for you to touch your face.

Although more study is needed of coronavirus, in one study of rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, a small dose of virus was placed on a participant’s finger. An hour later, about 40 per cent of the virus was still viable. After three hours, 16 per cent could still be detected.

We also know from the 2003 epidemic of SARS, a more deadly coronavirus than the one currently spreading, that the virus was often transmitted from surface contact. In one Hong Kong hotel, an infected doctor, who checked into his room on the ninth floor before going to the hospital for treatment, left a trail of virus that infected at least seven people who also had rooms on the ninth floor, who then went on to spread the disease elsewhere. The doctor, who died from the infection, was later identified as a “superspreader” linked to about 4,000 cases of SARS that occurred during the epidemic.

Once on your hand, a virus begins to lose potency, but it will probably live long enough for you to touch your face. 

The good news is that frequent hand washing can make a meaningful difference in lowering your risk. During the SARS epidemic, hand-washing reduced the risk of transmission by 30 per cent to 50 per cent. But after washing your hands, you must still be mindful about face touching, Dr Sawyer said.

“Your hands are only clean until the next surface you touch,” he said. “When you reach for the doorknob or hand railing, you’ve recontaminated your hand with something. If you touch your mucous membranes, then you could inoculate yourself inadvertently with that organism. If there is one behaviour change that could prevent infection, it’s do not touch your T-zone.”

But it’s not easy to stop face touching. In fact, many people say that the more they think about it, the more their eyes twitch and their nose itches. A number of memes have emerged on social media from people who say that ever since the warnings about coronavirus, they can’t stop touching their own faces.

Only humans and a few primates (gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees) are known to touch their faces with little or no awareness of the habit. Most animals touch their faces only to groom or swat away a pest. German researchers analysed the brain’s electrical activity before and after spontaneous face touching, and their findings suggested that we touch our faces as a way to relieve stress and manage our emotions.

To break the face-touching habit, try using a tissue if you need to scratch your nose or rub your eyes. Wearing makeup may reduce face touching, since it may make you more mindful of not smudging it. One study found that women touched their faces far less when they wore makeup.

Another solution: Try to identify triggers for face touching, like dry skin or itchy eyes, and use moisturisers or eye drops to treat those conditions, so you are less likely to rub or scratch your face. It also may help to wear glasses to create a barrier to touching your eyes.

Given that face touching is a long-ingrained habit, it makes sense to remain vigilant about frequent hand washing and wipe down your desk, phones and community surfaces. Carry a hand sanitiser and use it often. The more mindful you are about regular hand washing, the more mindful you will be about your hands and what they are touching.

By Tara Parker-Pope © The New York Times


Taken from this article:
https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/to-minimise-your-risk-of-covid-19-stop-touching-your-face-12492866

Brushing your teeth could be good for your heart: Study

REUTERS: People who brush their teeth three times a day are less likely to develop atrial fibrillation or heart failure than those with less consistent oral hygiene habits, a Korean study suggests.

Researchers examined data on 161,286 people with national health coverage and no history of atrial fibrillation, heart failure or other cardiovascular diseases. After following at least half for about 10.5 years, a total of 4,911 people, or 3 per cent of the study population, developed atrial fibrillation and 7,971 people, or 4.9 per cent, developed heart failure.

Individuals who brushed their teeth three times a day were 10 per cent less likely to develop atrial fibrillation and 12 per cent less likely to develop heart failure compared to those who brushed less frequently, the study found.

Getting regular professional dental cleanings was also tied to a 7 per cent lower risk of heart failure while having 22 or more missing teeth was linked to a 32 per cent higher heart failure risk.

"Healthier oral hygiene by frequent tooth brushing and professional dental cleaning may reduce risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure," senior study author Dr Tae-Jin Song of Ewha Womans University College of Medicine in Seoul and colleagues write in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

In atrial fibrillation, electrical impulses in the upper chambers of the heart are chaotic, causing that part of the heart muscle to quiver rather than contracting normally. As a result, blood doesn't move as well to the heart's lower chambers. This can lead to the formation of clots that can cause a stroke.

Heart failure happens when the heart muscle is too weak to pump enough blood through the body. Symptoms can include fatigue, weight gain from fluid retention, shortness of breath and coughing or wheezing.

Some previous research suggests that poor oral hygiene may cause bacteria to seep into the bloodstream, provoking inflammation throughout the body, the study team writes. Inflammation can increase the risk of both atrial fibrillation and heart failure, some previous studies have also found.

It's possible that frequent tooth brushing reduces bacteria in the so-called subgingival biofilm, the pocket between the teeth and gums, the study team writes. This might help prevent bacteria from entering the bloodstream.

In the current study, participants had at least one routine medical exam between 2003 and 2004. Among other things, researchers gathered data on height, weight, lifestyle habits, any chronic medical issues, and oral health and hygiene habits.

The connection between tooth brushing and atrial fibrillation and heart failure persisted even after researchers accounted for other factors that can influence risk for these heart problems, like age, sex, socioeconomic status, exercise habits, alcohol consumption, obesity and high blood pressure.

The study wasn't designed to prove whether or how oral health or tooth brushing habits might directly impact heart health.

One limitation of the study is that the results in the Korean population might not represent what would occur with people from other countries or different racial and ethnic groups, the study team notes.

Researchers also lacked lab studies to confirm whether patients had atrial fibrillation or heart failure, and they didn't have X-rays to determine whether participants had periodontal disease.

Even so, the results add to evidence linking poor oral hygiene to cardiovascular diseases, Dr Pascal Meyre of University Hospital Basel in Switzerland and Dr David Conen of McMaster University in Canada write in an editorial accompanying the study.

"It is certainly too early to recommend toothbrushing for the prevention of atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure," Meyre and Conen write. "While the role of inflammation in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease is becoming more and more evident, intervention studies are needed to define strategies of public health importance."


Taken from this article:
Brushing your teeth could be good for your heart: Study

Red and processed meat increases heart risks, latest study concludes

Four months ago, the Annals Of Internal Medicine published a controversial report that encouraged people not to worry about the health risks of eating red and processed meat, contradicting decades of nutrition advice.

A new study found a meat-heavy diet carries a small but increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The report was widely criticised by public health experts, including leading health groups like the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Some experts called for the paper to be retracted, while others celebrated its findings and used it to raise questions about long-standing dietary guidelines discouraging meat consumption.

On Feb 3 (Monday), a group of prominent researchers pushed back, publishing a large study in JAMA Internal Medicine that once again highlighted the potential harms of a meat-heavy diet. The researchers analysed data on a diverse group of thousands of people who were followed for an average of three decades.

They found that people who had the highest intakes of red meat, processed meat and poultry had a small but increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. People who regularly ate fish, however, did not see an increased cardiovascular risk.

The new findings are unlikely to settle the debate over red meat and its link to chronic disease. But they provide further evidence for experts who argue that red and processed meats contribute to the risk of heart disease, and they suggest that health authorities are unlikely to alter their recommendations to limit meat consumption.

One of the authors of the new study, Professor Linda Van Horn, is a member of the advisory panel that is currently helping the federal government update its influential Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which have long recommended that people limit their intake of red and processed meat. Prof Van Horn is a member of two advisory panel subcommittees, including one that is drafting recommendations on dietary fats and seafood.

The findings reinforce recommendations that people should prioritise foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, nuts and seeds, and limit their intake of foods such as red and processed meats, refined grains, fried foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.

In an interview, Prof Van Horn said that the new study relied on some of the highest quality data available. She said the findings reinforce recommendations that people should prioritise foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, nuts and seeds, and limit their intake of foods such as red and processed meats, refined grains, fried foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.

“When you eat a diet that is rich in processed and refined foods, it collectively contributes to increased risk of disease and denies you the benefits of the fibre, vitamins, minerals and plant-based proteins that contribute to health,” said Prof Van Horn, division chief of nutrition in the department of preventive medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

The conclusions of the new study contrast with those of the report last fall in Annals, which found that reductions in red and processed meat intake resulted in fewer deaths from cancer and heart disease but concluded that the evidence was weak because much of the data came from observational studies that cannot show cause and effect. The authors said that any increased risk was too minimal to warrant telling people that they should cut back on meat.

Critics complained that the research was flawed. They argued that the authors evaluated the evidence against meat using a tool that was designed for clinical drug trials, not dietary studies. The lead author of the report came under fire for failing to disclose conflicts of interest, including taking money from a food industry group to publish a similar paper in the Annals three years earlier that used the same methods to discredit widespread guidelines urging people to eat less sugar.

In December, the Annals issued a correction on the meat paper acknowledging the lead author’s undisclosed conflicts.

The authors of the latest paper had a different interpretation of the evidence on meat consumption. Their analysis, initiated a year ago and funded in part by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, looked at data on 30,000 people who were followed for decades as part of six long-running studies on cardiovascular disease. Among the studies included in the analysis was the landmark Framingham Heart Study.

Begun in 1948, the Framingham study has helped scientists identify what are now recognised as some of the leading risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and physical inactivity.

The researchers examined the subjects’ diets and whether it impacted their heart disease and mortality rates. The study was observational, meaning the scientists could isolate links between diet and lifestyle behaviours and cardiovascular outcomes but they could not prove cause and effect. Ultimately, they concluded that eating two or more servings of red meat, processed meat or poultry per week was linked to a 4 per cent to 7 per cent higher risk of developing heart disease. They found that the higher the intake, the higher the risk.

While many people who eat meat do not develop heart disease, the findings reflect what other large studies and scientific reviews have consistently found as well, including the recent Annals report: Higher amounts of meat intake are associated with a small but increased risk of developing heart disease.

Ultimately, whether to eat meat is for individuals to decide. Animal welfare issues are a concern for many. Sustainability issues are also a consideration, as red meat in particular has a high environmental impact.

As far as health is concerned, red and processed meat consumption is one of many overall diet and lifestyle factors that play a role in cardiovascular health, said Associate Professor Norrina Allen, a senior author on the latest study and associate professor of preventive medicine at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. She said that while some people might consider it a minor factor, it is nonetheless important not to dismiss.

“I would say that even though it seems to be a small amount of risk, any excess risk for something as major as heart disease and mortality is worth considering,” she said.

By Anahad O'Connor © The New York Times


Taken from this article:
Red and processed meat increases heart risks, latest study concludes

Hands down, men worse at bathroom hygiene that prevents coronavirus says study

WASHINGTON: The spread of the new coronavirus is shining the spotlight on a little-discussed gender split: Men wash their hands after using the bathroom less than women, years of research and on-the-ground observations show.

Health officials around the world advise that deliberate, regular handwashing is one of the best weapons against the virus, which causes a flu-like respiratory illness that can kill and has spread to around 80 countries.

Only 31 per cent of men washed their hands after using a public restroom.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's online fact sheet "Handwashing: A corporate activity" cites a 2009 study that finds "only 31 per cent of men and 65 per cent of women washed their hands" after using a public restroom.

Social media comments about men's handwashing lapses forced a British institution to caution visitors about bathroom behaviour this week.

After author Sathnam Sanghera complained on Twitter about "grown", "educated" men in the British Library toilets not washing their hands, the library responded, putting up additional signs reminding patrons to wash their hands in men's and women's bathrooms.

Thanks to "visitor feedback", a spokesman told Reuters, "we have increased further the number of posters in public toilets, so that visitors are reminded of the importance of good hygiene at exactly the point where they can wash their hands."

Men and women approach handwashing after using the restroom differently, according to multiple surveys and field studies.

"Women wash their hands significantly more often, use soap more often, and wash their hands somewhat longer than men," according to a 2013 Michigan State University field study conducted by research assistants who observed nearly 4,000 people in restrooms around East Lansing, Michigan.

The study found 14.6 per cent of men did not wash their hands at all after using the bathroom and 35.1 per cent wet their hands but did not use soap, compared to 7.1 per cent and 15.1 per cent of women, respectively.

"If you stand in the men's bathroom at work, and watch men leave, they mostly don't wash their hands if they used the urinal," said one New York City public relations executive, who did not want to be identified for fear of alienating his colleagues.

Since the virus' spread, he's seen an uptick in men's handwashing at work, he noted. "I, for the record, do wash my hands all the time," he added.

Female medical staff in critical care units "washed their hands significantly more often than did their male counterparts after patient contact", a 2001 study published in the American Journal of Infection Control found.

Middle-aged women with some college education had the highest level of knowledge about hand hygiene, a survey published in 2019 by BMC Public Health, an open-access public health journal, found.

Early information about coronavirus infection in China shows that men may be more susceptible to the disease. Just over 58 per cent of the more than 1,000 COVID-19 patients reported in China through Jan 29, 2020, were male, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows.

Researchers have not linked the difference to hand hygiene.


So, 'Hands down, men worse at bathroom hygiene that prevents coronavirus', and
'Only 31 per cent of men washed their hands after using a public restroom.'

Do you agree?


Taken from this article:
https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/coronavirus-bathroom-hygiene-toilet-men-women-washing-hands-12507420

Research: Mums with negative histories with siblings likely to raise kids with positive relationships

Research: Mums with negative histories with siblings likely to raise kids with positive relationships

It’s one thing to fend off sibling battles over a toy. It’s often a more elusive challenge to raise children who genuinely like each other and will choose to support each other throughout their lives.

Laurie Kramer, a clinical psychologist and professor at Northeastern University and founder of the More Fun With Sisters and Brothers program, discovered in her research that mothers who had negative histories with their own siblings were most likely to raise kids with the most positive relationships. Because they knew firsthand that cultivating great relationships took work, those mothers were more deliberate about raising their kids to get along.

“If you can help kids develop the fun in their relationship – that positive engagement – it will outweigh the negative,” Kramer said. “Build the positive.” Following are some suggestions from her and other experts.

CREATE EVERYDAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOY

Kramer’s research program, which provides free lessons for families to help kids develop positive social and emotional skills, advises ensuring that siblings spend meaningful, positive time together each day.

Do your kids do chores as a team, or do they each have a separate task? Do they share a room or have a common space to play together? Does each child have toys or games that are solely theirs, or are some of them joint property? Are they in solo sports or activities, or could they do some together?

Look for ways your children enjoy spending time together, such as puzzles, video games or soccer, and make those shared activities in shared spaces part of your family routine. Give them chores they can complete as a team, like setting the table or washing the car, and encourage them to have fun together while they work.

SHOW THE BEHAVIOUR YOU WANT TO SEE

One of the most important actions parents can take is to model the kind of relationships you want your children to have and the behaviour you’d like to see. If you’re hoping to raise children who treat each other respectfully and choose kindness, ensure your own behaviour toward others sets that standard consistently.

One of the most important actions parents can take is to model the kind of relationships you want your children to have and the behaviour you’d like to see.

“Parents don’t give themselves enough credit for their ability to help shape a positive relationship between their children,” said Ralphie Jacobs, founder of Simply On Purpose, which offers online resources and workshops that focus on strengthening families and teaching positive parenting skills. She emphasises that even though kids’ lives are filled with other variables, parents have the power to set the tone at home.

ESTABLISH A POSITIVE FAMILY CULTURE TOGETHER

And yet, as important as it is to model good behaviour, parents don’t need to shoulder the effort alone.

“Creating a happier, more peaceful family is everyone’s responsibility, not just the job of the parents,” said Thomas Lickona, a developmental psychologist and the author of How to Raise Kind Kids. He recommends crafting a family mission statement together to express the kind of family you hope to be. Including a line such as “When we have a conflict, we try to calm down, talk it out and work out a fair solution” gives kids a road map to handle similar situations on their own.

PRACTISE SELF-CONTROL

Learning basic self-control skills can also help kids become more thoughtful in every interaction with their siblings. Kramer suggests a simple system of “Stop, Think and Talk” for kids, and repeating this exact sequence of steps even when they are happily spending time together so it becomes second nature to consider all discussions through this lens.

Learning basic self-control skills can also help kids become more thoughtful in every interaction with their siblings.

“Teach them to take increasing responsibility for solving disputes on their own,” Lickona said. “One way to help that happen is to have a ‘talk-it-out’ place where your kids can go to sit down and work out a fair solution.” He recommends printing out the steps you’d like them to follow and posting them in the talk-it-out place to serve as a guide.

TEACH KIDS TO ASK TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER

Do your children regularly ask each other to play or to talk? Relationships, especially those between siblings, take effort to maintain.

“A lot of kids don’t even realize that their parents want them to spend time with one another, to engage positively with each other,” Kramer said. Make sure your children know you want them to have a good relationship with one another, and why it’s important to ask their sibling to spend time with them.

A lot of kids don’t even realize that their parents want them to spend time with one another, to engage positively with each other.

Ask kids to stop and consider their siblings’ feelings as to whether it’s a good time to invite them to play, and to think about what kind of game their sibling might want to play together.

If a sibling doesn’t want to play, encourage your kids to think about the reasons. Would they prefer to play basketball rather than a board game? Would they like to play together later instead? Talk it through together until they find a solution that works for everyone.

CULTIVATE EMPATHY AND DISCUSS EMOTIONS

“The most important skill to teach a child for long-term happiness is empathy,” Jacobs said.

That ability to understand another’s point of view – and to regard others’ needs as equally important as your own – can be difficult to master. Kramer’s program walks parents through steps to help kids become more empathetic to their siblings – from not assuming their sibling had a negative intent in an interaction, to a broader goal of learning that each child can have distinct likes and dislikes, and these differences are perfectly OK.

The most important skill to teach a child for long-term happiness is empathy.

She also encourages parents to help their kids build a more precise emotional vocabulary. “Sibling relationships tend to be very emotional,” Kramer points out. Giving kids robust language to calmly express themselves can be the difference between “I hate you!” and “It makes me angry when you take my dolls,” or “I know you love hanging out with your new high school friends, but I miss spending time with you.”

FOCUS ON THE FUN

When conflicts inevitably arise, encourage children to use the “Stop, Think and Talk” approach. Above all, focus on making your family time together as joyful as possible, and keep building upon those happy interactions with more of the same.

In our home, with our 3- and 5-year-olds whose fights over toys and turns were becoming more frequent, my husband and I have put these ideas to use with promising progress. After we slept in one recent Saturday morning, we crept downstairs to find our son and daughter snuggled together under blankets on the couch, watching our daughter’s favourite Netflix Barbie show, which also happens to be among our son’s least favorite.

“We took turns choosing!” they proudly announced. My husband and I looked at each other and then around the room, impressed that no bones or furniture had been damaged.

Most miraculously, their stopping and thinking and talking had all been quiet and calm enough to let us get a precious extra hour of sleep.

Of course, a lot can change and we have many years ahead before we’ll know if we can celebrate close-sibling success, but in that moment, we felt well on our way.

By Kate Lewis © The New York Times 


Taken from this article:
https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/how-to-raise-siblings-who-get-along-12455880