| Influenza (flu) and colds are similar to coronaviruses in that they are seasonal. They mostly occur in the fall and winter. Many people falsely assume that this is the only time the viruses are active. Actually, the viruses are present year-round. Why don't people get sick with them in the spring and summer? It is because of the relationship of vitamin D and our immune system. Vitamin D is made within our bodies as sunlight shines on our skin. In the fall and winter, those living above the 35th parallel (latitude 35 degrees north), do not get enough sunlight to make sufficient vitamin D.
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Fructose and Cancer
What Is Epsom Salt?
The Lifespan of a Mattress
Brain Health and Alcohol Don't Mix
Prostate Cancer
Kitchen cooking oils will not last forever. Depending upon the oil, it can go rancid in a matter of months or a few years. You don't want to cook with rancid oil because it smells like wet socks and the living components have lost their vitality. But the good news is, expired oil won't hurt you. There is no water in it, so no mold can grow to make it rotten and dangerous. It can still be used for creative applications. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, “Vegetable oils have many good natural properties including good lubricity, good resistance to shear, a high flash point, and a high viscosity index.” These qualities make them quite versatile in a number of applications. You might consider keeping your old oil rather than throwing it out. Recycling expired oil could prove to be a valuable asset in emergency situations.
Disposable face masks, such as those health officials encouraged (or in some cases, mandated) the public to wear during the COVID-19 pandemic, are made of synthetic fibers and may contain chemical compounds. Many people have questioned the wisdom of wearing masks made of synthetic fibers for long periods, asking whether inhaling the chemical compounds masks release could lead to health problems.
Deaths from Alzheimer's more than doubled between 2000 and 2019. In 2023, nearly 7 million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease. Today, 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's or dementia—the death toll exceeds the total of breast- and prostate cancer combined. Officially, it's the sixth-leading cause of death, but a 2014 study suggests that it is actually one of the top three (just behind heart disease and cancer). The discrepancy being how death certificates underreport the disese because they record the more immediate cause of death (pneumonia or heart attack) rather than listing the underlyings causes.
True confessions: I never liked flossing, so I rarely used the string. Angie used all of the flossing strings I collected from the dentist to cut the dough when making cinnamon rolls—I thought that was a better and tastier use! I always brushed my teeth (manually and with a battery operated toothbrush). My teeth felt clean enough, but still, I had a lot of dental guilt every 6 months when I had to admit I wasn't flossing. A few years ago, I found a device that removed all my guilt and shame! I discovered the waterpik. A waterpik (also known as a dental water jet) is a brand of water flosser or oral irrigator that sprays water to remove food from between your teeth. Water flossers are a fabulous option for people who have trouble with traditional flossing—the kind that involves threading string-like material between your teeth. The girl in the picture looks like me trying to floss!
