Health

GSK responds to Panadol scare

Paris B 2 Comments

panadol

If you have received an email telling you about how dangerous Panadol is to the liver and kidneys, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) would like to dispel those rumours.

This is a release from GSK’s Medical Director dated March 2007. You may click on the picture to get to the larger picture so you can read it.

I haven’t received those emails myself, but for me, I only take Panadol and even then, only when I need it. Those who know  me will tell you that I don’t take medicine when I can and I hate going to the doctor unless I absolutely have to. Anyway, I guess its reassuring to know that if I do take Panadol, my kidneys and liver aren’t going to shrivel up like raisins. 🙂

Are you flushed or do you have Rosacea?

Paris B 3 Comments

Have you found yourself having any one of these symptoms?

  • Redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead.
  • Small visible blood vessels on the face.
  • Bumps or pimples on the face.
  • Watery or irritated eyes.

The most common of all are the first two. I’ve known people whose faces look perpetually flushed, whether it is hot or cold. In our hot and humid weather the redness is even more accentuated. In fact, my brother seems to have some of the symptoms but not to a very severe degree. If you have these symptoms, you might have Rosacea.

Rosacea is a skin condition that doesn’t seem to be widely talked about here in Malaysia. I find it rather odd, as the number one trigger for rosacea is actually sun exposure, followed by stress and hot weather. Our country, being hot and humid, has 2 of the top three triggers of this disorder, yet I don’t hear much about it. Is it because it is not very common here, despite the sun and hot weather? Or is it that its as yet an undiagnosed condition for many who suffer in silence?

How I came to know about it is through a beauty forum I used to frequent. Some of the women there spoke of having rosacea, which prompted me to read up on it. Rosacea.org has a lot of useful information on this and how it may be treated and the FAQ is very informative too.

It would appear that rosacea is more common in people with fair skin, or maybe it just shows up more and is more obvious. Its harder to detect a flush on someone with darker skin and pimples might just be passed off as that, or as a rash. Also, as I said, I don’t notice a lot of this skin condition here in hot humid Malaysia. I also picked up that spicy food and a hot environment were triggers for this condition. Malaysia is swimming in hot humid weather and spicy food! So, I’m wondering if it might be genetic instead?

Elle has a good article in their July issue about Rosacea. I’ve attached pictures of the articles but you’ll have to click to enlarge and hopefully be able to read it.

ELLE July - Rosacea - Page1 ELLE July - Rosacea - Page2 ELLE July - Rosacea - Page3

Apparently, there is no cure for Rosacea, but there are ways to help keep it under control. One of it is skincare that has anti-redness functions like that of Eucerin. I’ve noticed an anti-redness line in Eucerin and used to wonder what it was for. Now I know. There are also many other products and treatment that can help keep it under control, like laser treatment to help with the removal of blood vessels.

So the next time you think you are flushed, watch the flush. If it doesn’t go away after a while, or if it comes back again and again, leaving your face red a lot of the time, you might have rosacea. To be sure, see a dermatologist. There are antibiotics and various treatments to help keep it under control so it doesn’t take over your life. And since sun exposure is a number one trigger, there is no better time to advocate the use of daily  sunscreen, and to limit your sun exposure. Your skin will thank you for it.

Tea too pretty to drink

Paris B 1 Comment

I stumbled upon this unique site called Full Bloom Tea. They basically sell tea but presented in very unique and unusual ways. The dried tea comes to you in various presentations and when steeped the tea “blooms” into a presentation looking very much like a bouquet of flowers. Lovely if you steep it in a clear tea pot so you admire it while drinking the creations.

An example is Let Love Bloom tea. It comes to you in the form of dried tea tied into the shape of a heart! aww…. When steeped, the tea blooms into this:

bloom

Prior to blooming this tea bloom is in the shape of a heart, making it special to anyone you give it to.

Once steeped, this tea bloom looks like a Bird of Paradise. Silver Needle Tea is the highest quality white tea and is harvested during the Spring before the buds open to preserve tenderness.

Very delicate providing a pale yellow brew, with a fresh light flavor. Contains Silver Needle White Tea leaves and carnation.

The benefits of the tea is presented as follows:

Silver Needle White Tea leaves have antioxidants that have been known to help fight against cancer-causing radicals and heart disease.

White tea is also good for digestion, longevity, and anti-aging. Jasmine helps relax and alive stress, stabilizes emotions. Marigold helps with stomach irritation, and enhances immune functions.

Each bloom is $3 and they ship internationally! The international shipping cost of a flat rate of $25 is rather steep though which is a bit of a pity as this would make a very lovely and unique gift for tea-drinker friends, well unless you are buying in bulk. For those who’d like to try it before buying, there are free samples available, but you have to pay $2 shipping per bloom. I’d love to use these as party favours with a twist but shipping would probably kill me!

Evening Primrose Oil to relieve period pains

Paris B 1 Comment

KittyCat previously asked me my views on EPO or Evening Primrose Oil.

Well, I am a firm advocate of taking evening primrose oil to relieve period pains. I found that by taking one a day, I would not suffer as badly each month, and if I did, then I’d pop 4 at a go, and the pain/cramps would go away.

I was not aware of its beauty benefits until later. Evening Primrose Oil has Omega 6, which is good for the skin and hair. Taking it regularly will help improve your skin texture and also slow down the aging process. Isn’t that what every woman wants? I cannot say for certain that taking Evening Primrose Oil has helped my skin, as I have been taking it for a while now, and am also taking other supplements besides.

There are many brands available in the market, but I take the one by Kordel’s in 1000mg doses. I take only 1 a day. Someone told me not to take too many as it can also lead to a higher cholestorol level. I’m not quite sure how true that is but I’m not going to risk it! Beauty cannot come at the expense of health!

The moral of the story is not to go overboard – one a day of EPO may help relieve period pains and give you better skin but if too much of it will give you high cholestorol then remember that everything in moderation works better than overdoing something good which then makes it bad.

Disclaimer: This is based on my own personal experience. I’m not a nutritionist nor doctor. If in doubt consult your doctor before embarking on any supplements

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