Flushing old medications might seem like the best way to keep them out of your child’s reach, but it creates a potential public health hazard by allowing drugs into our wate
r supply.
Similarly, do not pour it down the sink as it may end up in the local water table. And do not throw it in the trash. It may still be within reach of kids and pets.
The safest way to get rid of leftover medications is to take them back to the pharmacy. However, not all pharmacies are required to take back unused medications but you can inquire at your local drugstore or pharmacy for options. Besides prescribed medicines, vitamins and minerals are chemicals, and can also be harmful to the soil and groundwater.
source: Reader’s Digest May2008 issue, pg136
Here’s my toot for the week.
Yesterday, Jeff and I went to the ENT doctor for his check up. Good news: he’s not undergoing tonsillectomy for there is a chance that Jeff outgrows his tonsils (they are quite large for his age).
Another thing is I’m done with my assignments – I had the aircon installed, finished cleaning the house and bought some more clothes for my husband. Dario’s flight to Manila is tomorrow and we’re picking him up from the airport on Thursday afternoon. Now, our room looks fresh when he arrives.
Happy tooting! 
Celebrate World Earth Day this month (April22) by buying goods that are green. But with so many products claiming to be earth-friendly, organic and natural, how do we know if we’re really saving the earth?
Don’t be Duped
Terms like natural and eco-friendly are on everything these days. “But that means absolutely nothing,” says Diane MacEachern of theworldwomenwant.com. These terms haven’t been defined by the government, yet manufacturers use them without backing them up. Only a certified third-party endorsement on the label guarantees green. For instance, Green Seal verifies many household products. And those three arrows in a circle? They mean only that an item can be recycled, not that it’s made from reused materials.
What to Look Out For
Not all labels tell the truth. Dr. Jaca Cubrillo, spokesperson for Lavera Naturkosmetik, warns that a product with just one per cent of natural ingredients can be labeled ‘natural’. For products to be considered 100% organic or natural, it should have certification from an internationally recognized certification body like BDIH Foundation in Germany or ACO (Australian Certified Organics). Cosmetioc products, in particular, are notorious for containing ingredients that are synthetic and toxic even, so consumers looking to buy truly natural skin care products should be mindful of labeling claims.
Cotton doesn’t always mean it’s natural. “Just because cotton comes from a plant, doesn’t always make it a ‘natural’ product,” says Issy Richardson, founder of Belle and Dean, a line of organic clothing for women and children. Organic cotton clothing is made from organically grown cotton that’s free from pesticides and harmful chemicals and grown using natural farming methods that are safe for our environment. Again, look for certification like SKAL (Netherlands), Ecocert (Europe), USDA and Soil Association (UK).
source: Reader’s Digest Apr2008 issue, pg138
Recent research revealed 75 per cent of contact lens wearers across Asia do not follow proper lens care.
image from familyvisioninstitute.com
An alarming proportion of wearers do not practice simple contact lens care. “It takes less than a minute a day to rub and rinse yet many patients don’t think it is important,” said Dr. Chung Kah Meng, President of the Association of Malaysian Optometrists. Proper cleaning techniques lead to a dramatic reduction of microbes growing on the lenses, vastly lowering the risk of infection. Here are some key tips:
1. Rubbing and rinsing – Safety is enhanced significantly by rubbing and rinsing contact lenses both prior to and following storage.
2. No more than seven days – Lenses that have been stored for more than seven days, regardless of whether peroxide or multi-purpose solutions are used, should be re-disinfect before the next use.
3. No ‘top up’ – Do not add more solution to the solution already in the case.
4. Do not use tap water – Never use tap water to store, clean or rinse your contact lenses as water is a common source of potentially damaging microorganisms that can cause sight threatening infections.
5. The right kit – One of the highest risk occasions is going on vacation – an appropriate ‘travel kit’ should be carried and used.
6. Avoid exposure at pool – Another high risk occasion is exposing lenses to potential contamination from swimming pool or spa water – wear your goggles while swimming.
7. Not in the bathroom – Storing your contact lenses in the bathroom carries a high risk of airborne contamination.
source: reader’s Digest Apr2008 issue, pg142
Jeff and I were out the whole day yesterday. We went to his doctor in the morning for his check up. Then in the afternoon, we had a date – I’m talking about me and Jeff here, not me and his doctor
Anyway, since today is Tuesday, I’m making this post my 2nd toot. I got two accomplishments so far. Here goes.
The trip to the ENT clinic
Jeff and I went to St. Luke’s Medical Center in the morning for his check up. The ENT doctor said, though Jeff’s tonsils are big, they are not that big to really recommend tonsillectomy, unless they give Jeff so much trouble like tonsillitis every month, throat infection every now and then and things like that. Jeff did not get seriously sick last year, just colds and cough but no fever. So Dr. Castañeda asked us to come back again on April21 for another routine check up and told me to observe if Jeff’s tonsils get bigger. On our next visit, we will know what the doctor’s final recommendation will be and if the operation will push through.
The trip to the movie house
From the hospital, we had our lunch in a nearby restaurant then went straight to the mall. Jeff wanted to see the movie Horton Hears a Who, so we did. The movie was funny and touching at the same time. I liked it! This is the kind of movie that the whole family must see. It tells about the value of friendship, trust, keeping a promise, believing, love, family, determination – everything! I can actually see the story as the story of mankind. That we all live in a tiny speck called earth, and the flower is the universe and Horton, the one holding the flower where the speck is, is God. One can really see and realize how small and powerless we are without God. Go see the movie, guys. It’s a good one.
Flexible shoes are kinder to arthritic knees, but nothing beats going barefoot, according to a study from Rush University Medical College in Chicago. “Stability (firm support) shoes are popular and many people with osteoarthritis of the knee end up wearing them,” says study leader Dr. Najia Shakoor. “But these shoes are associated with significantly higher knee loads compared to more flexible shoes.”
Although Shakoor does not recommend thongs, which can lead to other foot problems and a higher risk of falls, she suggests people with arthritic knees stick with flat, flexible shoes. “When there is less surface to the shoe, the foot has better proprioceptive sense – knowing it knows when it touches the ground – compared to an insulated foot. This allows normal neuromuscular reflexes to come in to play and protect the rest of the leg from the impact of hitting the ground.”
source: Reader’s Digest Apr2008 issue, pg63
