Odds and Ends with a video bonus

Antioxidants in Lotion: In a popular magazine I read about using antioxidant rich lotions to aid in skin repair and made a note to myself to check that out because I did not believe that the research existed to back it up. It took me some time, but I did find an article on Medscape that actually did confirm that the lotions with certain antioxidants could be helpful. I will paste some of the particular ingredients so that you can review product labels. In reading about skin this week and just now, it was also mentioned that one should avoid any cigarette smoke, use sunscreen and watch for soaps that strip skin of oils. The following is taken from an article on research by Joseph F. Coffey, BSc, MD; Gordon E. Searles, OD, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Two types of antioxidants are available: enzymatic and nonenzymatic. The nonenzymatic type (e.g., vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, retinol, beta-carotene, and glutathione) reduce the potential for cellular oxidative damage[19] by acting as free-radical scavengers. Enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, G-6PD, glutathione peroxidase) protect the keratinocyte by enzymatically hastening biochemical reactions.[5-9,20-23]

(vitamin A and C are also mentioned in the article)

Play 60: I have already given big kudos to the NFL for their initiative to get children active by promoting 60 minutes of physical activity (play) every day. I noticed today that the Play 60 logo was on the football field during the games. Very cool.

USF/WS: I currently live in Florida and my employer has an affiliation with the University of South Florida, so I like them! I lived most of my life in Winston Salem, NC, and I like WS too. This week it was reported that USF has created an antidepressant that may be more tolerable for persons who suffer with depression and a partnership with a WS company could lead to a billion dollar deal. I do not really like drugs, but it was cool that these two institutions connected.

More Antidepressant News: Seroquel is a medication that is FDA approved to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, both are forms of mental illness. Seroquel is linked to weight gain and new onset diabetes. I hate the drug profile. Astra Zeneca has just gotten approval from the FDA to market Seroquel XR (extended release) to treat resistant depression. That means persons who have been on other antidepressants but have not gotten better. Astra Zeneca would very much like their medication to be a first line med for depression. I hope that never happens.

Nicotine Inhalers: I got a late boarding pass for my return flight from NY and had to cross my fingers and hope that I would still get an aisle seat. I saw one quickly, next to an older woman(she had old skin) and her son. Older meaning , maybe fifty. As I was putting my bag overhead I saw the nicotine inhaler clutched in her palm. First I was glad it was not one of those ridiculous e cigarettes, second, I knew what it was from my job, third, I did not know if she was using it solely for the plane ride or if she had quit smoking. I sort of panicked before sitting down. What if she smelled of cigarette smoke? Could I handle three hours of smelling those chemicals? As soon as I sat down, I knew she didn't smoke. In fact, she had been off the cigarettes for seven months and was nearly through with her Nicotine Replacement Therapy taper.

Fish Oil: I haven't had a chance to check this out yet, but I will. If you are concerned, and you should be, that your fish oil supplement may not be pure, you can review the data on many brands at this website - Oh, yes, in the article I read it was suggested that you cut two or three of your capsules in half and squeeze the oil into a cup of water. Put the water into the freezer and see if your oil freezes. If it does it is more saturated fat than the protective Omega 3 fats in fish. I don't know about yours, by my Cooper Institute capsules cost way too much to waste with that experiment!

Hummus: This spread is made from chick peas and is usually very healthful. High in protein and often low in fat, it makes a great snack. A friend in NC, sent me a chocolate hummus recipe and I revised it and video taped it, so enjoy.