Sali's Easily Forgotten Info

“Studies show there is no cause for alarm from potential health issues concerning dioxins in the diet. However, following the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations may result in multiple health benefits, including reduced dioxin exposure. Choosing a balanced diet that is low in saturated fats and total fats helps consumers minimize any potential exposure to dioxin from food because dioxins are found mostly in animal fats (due to the fat soluble properties of the dioxin compound). These guidelines include the recommendations to:

• Choose leaner cuts of beef, pork, and poultry; trim the fat and remove skin from chicken before cooking
• Choose non-fat and low-fat milk and milk products

These strategies help lower the intake of saturated fats and total fats and therefore help reduce the risk of exposure to dioxins.”

http://www.ific.org/publications/factsheets/dioxinfs

It is now the most common acute skin malignancy, and it is the deadliest. Melanoma occurs in fair-skinned adults, and is usually associated with a history of acute sun damage. Because melanoma is a cancer it has the tendency to metastasize, meaning it can move to different parts of the body. Unfortunately incidence of melanoma has been increasing exponentially during the past few decades, with the lifetime odds of a Caucasian person in the US developing one of these lesions at less than 1 in 100.

Clinical features: Everyone should know the ABCD’s of melanoma:

A = asymmetry

B = border irregularity

C = color variation

D = diameter greater than 6 mm (the width of the eraser on the end of a pencil)

This type of cancer tends to occur on the back in men and on the legs and trunk in women. Occasionally they can be seen on the facial skin, and lips.  (use chopstick with SPF 15 or above).

Treatment: surgical excision

Prognosis: depends directly on the depth of invasion.The overall death rate from melanoma has been decreasing, despite the increase in its incidence. American Cancer Society’s public education program urges people to seek care if they notice an unusual change in a mole. As a result, more melanomas are being detected at an earlier stage, and the chances for a cure are greatly increased.

sources: Essentials of Pathology for Dentistry.  R. F. T McMahon P. Sloan. Dr. Kalmar DDS. Pathology 240. 

There are two types of ultraviolet rays, UVB and UVA. One easy way of remembering the Ultraviolet B is that it is the Burning type, this light is responsible for suntans as well as sunburns. Ultraviolet A rays are even more dangerous because they penetrate into the deeper layers of skin and contribute to premature aging of skin, with development of fine lines and wrinkles. Both of the rays can cause skin cancer such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. UVB rays are more active and cause more damage during the summer months especially during midday, between 1-4PM. UVA on the other hand are active all year round in any weather and all day long. Unlike the UVB, UVA lights are not filtered through window glass. So your skin is getting damaged even when you are sitting inside a car on a cloudy day :(. Which means that even if you don’t go to a beach every summer and stay inside closed windows your skin can still age prematurely without protection.

How Can You Protect Yourself From The Damaging Effects Of UVB and UVA.

Most of us have heard the term SPF(sun protection factor) many times. However, the SPF only measures the protection against UVB and not UVA (because UVA rays were once thought to be safe). When you are buying a sun screen it is a good idea to look for these chemicals in a product; Parsol 1789 (avobenzone) which is a chemical blocker, or Microfine Zinc Oxide or Microfine Titanium Dioxide, which are physical blockers.

Sources: Eastside Dermatology, Alan J. Parks, MD, Stephanie L. Cotell, MD. (BCD)

Aspartame is a sugar substitute found in sweeteners such as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It is also found in many diet drinks: Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke etc.,which hits closer to home, because I drink Diet Pepsi almost everyday.

I used to think it is better to drink Diet Pepsi than regular sugar containing Pepsi for a few big reasons, number one being the fact that a can of Pepsi contains 10 spoons of sugar. Too much sugar equals to FAT and eventually very possibly Diabetes. One can of Pepsi is about the Recommended Daily Intake, and considering that most of what people eat has some sort of simple sugars in their diets, 10 spoons of sugar in one can is ALOT.

So why is it better to drink Pepsi vs Diet Pepsi? Because of the sugar substitute Aspartame. If you really can’t stay away from diet drinks then Diet Pepsi containing SPLENDA (sugar alcohol) would be a better choice.

A few of the documented symptoms listed as being caused by aspartame include: headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.

Is that about enough?

Read more if you want the details.

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