Lydia’s Newsletter July 2008 "Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you." Aldous Huxley Sunny tomato Experts at Manchester and Newcastle universities have done some research that suggests that eating five tomatoes a day improves the skin's ability to protect itself against ultraviolet light, helping to keep you safe from sunburn and premature ageing of the skin. Ice cool Be sure to clean out your ice-maker, if it has been lying dormant over the winter months, before you re- use it. I checked out mine recently and found the container had mould around the edge and a bad taste. Rapped Knuckles Several of you e-mailed me to complain that I counted 140/90 blood pressure as high rather than raised. What I probably should have said is that 140/90 is top of the normal range. And also the book I called “Secrets” is actually called “The Secret”. Ho hum. Glad to see you are paying attention. The newest Super food Celery has been in the news recently as protecting against Alzheimer’s disease. It creates luteolin and diosmin which fight Alzheimers by blocking the inflammation that causes the brain to start misfiring. According to Dr Terence Town of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles research is still in the early stages. It is a source of vitamin C and minerals such as Folacin and Potassium and contains negative calories, that is to say that the eating of it burns more calories than it supplies, due to the effort of digesting the tough fibre. This is why it is such a dieting favourite. Research has found that it also reduces blood pressure, containing active compounds called pthalides which relax the muscles of the arteries regulating blood pressure and allowing these vessels to dilate. Actually it was used as a medicine before a food. I also have it on good authority that it is an aphrodisiac and improves the quantity and quality of semen ! Recognising a Stroke The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) want us all to be able to recognise the symptoms and know how to respond. To this end they are circulating the following information: The symptoms of a Stroke * Sudden confusion or trouble speaking * Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side. * Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes * Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance * Severe headache with no known cause The CDC report notes that treatment for an acute ischaemic stroke needs to begin within three hours of the onset of symptoms for optimal benefits. In the case of haemorrhagic stroke, immediate surgery is necessary to prevent the re-bleeding that causes impairment or death. The proper action * Call 999 immediately Beeswax Now we all know that air fresheners are hazardous but I, for one, burn candles and had no idea they are also considered toxic and carcinogenic. According to Dr Wright most candles are made of paraffin which comes from the bottom of barrels of crude oil. The paraffin is then bleached with benzene and other chemical solvents to clean it up for use as candles. When burned the candles put out soot and smoke along with other toxins and carcinogens. Synthetic fragrances are added to disguise the bad smell of the petrochemical paraffin which are also toxic and may be an irritant. Breathing what paraffin candles give off, has been compared to breathing diesel fumes. The residue also adheres to walls, ceilings and ventilation ducts and gets reactivated any time the heating or cooling system is used, exposing you even when you aren’t burning candles. The only way to avoid this is to use 100% beeswax candles. They have a naturally fresh delicate smell and burn for longer which counteracts the increased price. Sunlight According to a study in The Lancet, Dr. Michael F. Holick, a leading vitamin D researcher at Boston University School of Medicine said that exposing people with mildly high blood pressure to sunlight can lower their blood pressure. He thinks this is because it corrects an underlying vitamin D deficiency. And the best source of natural vitamin D? The sun. It's not healthy to expose yourself to long periods of sunlight without protection. But many experts believe that a little ever day will do you good! You can view past monthly newsletters, by visiting my web site and selecting the tree icon To unsubscribe please send me an e-mail with “unsubscribe” in the subject line to : lydia.lisle@ukonline.co.uk or contact me through my web site www.lydialisle.com