The Benefits of Canola Oil

Canola oil is one of the healthiest cooking oils that is sold. It is genetically engineered and processes from the rapeseed plant, which is considered part of the mustard plant family. Canola oil is not harmful health-wise. It has a neutral taste and is low in saturated fats. Saturated fats are not good for you because they raise the total blood cholesterol level, including LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).

Antibacterial Soaps Not So Good

It is found that antibacterial soaps are just as good as regular soaps at cleaning hands. There is not any evidence that they protect you from illnesses and they may not be beneficial health wise because the bacteria-killing ingredient found in the antibacterial liquid soaps, called triclosan, can promote antibiotic resistance to bacteria. This would make it harder to fight off bacterial infections because bacteria are more likely to form a resistance to antibiotics when they are exposed to low or infrequent doses of antibacterial ingredients. Triclocarban is an antibacterial substance found in antibacterial bar soaps and have the same negative effect. When you wash you hands with antibacterial products the product also goes down the drain and can be very harmful to the environment. It is a good idea to use soaps that are not antibacterial or antimicrobial.

Cell Phones Bad For Kids

There have already been links between cell phone use and brain cancer. The microwave radiation that is emitted from cell phones can affect a child's brain worse than an adult because younger skulls are thinner and less protective. The worse effects come from long term and frequent use of using wireless phones. Radiation levels vary by phone and wireless phones are assigned a number called the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). It is recommended to choose a cell phone with a lower SAR rating.

The risks of tumor growth and damage decreases as a wireless phone is moved farther from the face. It is recommended that anyone using a wireless phone should use a headset or a wireless Bluetooth device.

Good Reasons to Have Good Posture

There are many reasons to practice good posture and to stand up and sit up straight. Good posture can reduce back pains, increase energy levels, reduce bone and joint aches, and encourage better digestion.

Good posture is good for reducing back pains because sitting in a hunched or slouched position can increase pressure on spinal disks and can cause supporting muscles and ligaments to degenerate quicker. Bad posture can cause back pains and can worsen the condition of a herniated disk and pinched nerves.

Bad posture is bad on the body’s energy levels because slumping can tighten the chest and compress the lungs, so less oxygen gets into the bloodstream. This can cause for a person to become mentally tired and stressed. Strain in any part of the body decreases energy levels.

Bad posture can cause bone and joint problems and cause muscles to shorten overtime. Slouching while a person is sitting can cause hip flexors to shorten and become less flexible, causing joint pain. Sitting with rounded shoulders can cause rotator-cuff pains. Over a period of time, arthritis can set in due to wear and tear on joints.

Better posture leads to better digestion. Slouching after eating can cause the stomach muscles to tighten and may push stomach acid into the esophagus and cause heart burn. Standing or sitting up straight effectively helps the digestive system to work better.

Alcohol Bad for Hormone Therapy

A recent Danish study has found that drinking alcohol can have a negative effect on people that are on hormone therapy. The recent study showed that hormone therapy users that had one or two alcoholic drinks each day greatly increased their risk of breast cancer. Alcohol could prevent the estrogen in the therapy from being fully metabolized and that would cause a higher blood level of estrogen, which could influence the risk of breast cancer.

Hot Tap Water is Bad Tap Water

It is found that whether you are drinking tap water or using it to prepare a meal, it is best to get water from the cold tap. The EPA says that hot tap water contains higher levels of lead, because it dissolves the toxic metal in plumbing faster than cold water. It is a good idea to let the water run cold for at least a full minute if the faucet hasn’t been used for at least 6 hours.

Companies Charging Workers For Bad Habits

An increasing number of companies are charging their employees for having bad habits, such as smoking, eating excessively, and not exercising. Some people say that these types of programs violate a worker’s privacy and make group health plans too similar to individual insurance. At the same time, these programs force some people to take notice and be more aware of their bad habits that may affect their health.

The Good and Bad of Probiotics

Probiotic supplements can make you healthier if you are already healthy and if you are sick they can be threatening to your life. Probiotics have been found to strengthen the immune systems of healthy people and to double the risk of death in people with pancreatitis.

Probiotics work by providing good bacteria in the stomach to keep a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in the stomach. When a person has an illness, they can put a dangerous strain on the immune system.

The Good and Bad of Fish

Eating fish can be both good and bad for you. Fish contains omega-3, which is good for your health but it also contains mercury. Mercury in the bloodstream can increase the risk of heart disease and impair memory. It is advised to only eat up to 12 ounces per week of fish and other foods that have mercury in them.

Cold Medicines Bad for Toddlers and Babies

The government is recently stating that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are not safe for toddlers and babies. In October, drug companies stopped selling dozens of nonprescription cold medicines that were targeted towards young children and babies. The Food and Drug Administration’s scientific advisers voted that the drugs don’t work in small children and shouldn’t be used on any children under the age of 6 years old.

The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t decided yet if OTC decongestants, antihistamines, and cough suppressants are okay for children older than 6 years old. The FDA is warning that serious and possibly life-threatening side effects can happen. The possibilities of serious side effects are small but they do happen to some children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 1,500 babies and toddlers had to go to the emergency room over a two-year period because of the drugs and medicines. The biggest risks come from giving a child an overdose of medicine.

If a toddler or baby is sick, it is best to give the child plenty of liquids, let the child get lots of rest, give the child saline drops if it has a stuffy nose, and use humidifiers while the child is sleeping.