Someone recently asked me what I knew about “the pill”, also known as oral contraceptives.  Though I knew the facts which were passed onto me via the grapevine, I hadn’t ever done proper research about the pill, what it does, its what side effects it might have.

I found a very informative
website, which seems to give solid facts based on Randy Alcorn’s research, and the research done by various pharmaceutical companies as well as medical docters.

There was a quite a number facts which I’ve never been aware of, specially such as the evolution of the pill from the 1960’s until now, but also that it has three main mechanisms  – not only one.

The pill was introduced commercially sometime in the 1960’s, and its estrogen content back then was a very high 150 micrograms.  After proving that this had some serious side effects, the estrogen dosage was reduced to a mere 35 microgames in the late 1980’s, and today the dosage varies between 20 – 35 micrograms.

Serious negative side effects of estrogen had been clearly proven. These included blurred vision, nausea, cramping, irregular menstrual bleeding, headaches, increased incidence of breast cancer, strokes, and heart attacks, some of which led to fatalities.

The highest available dosage today being 50 micrograms, but this isn’t readily available, and I would assume that you need to get a docter to recommend this for you in order to use it.

Below are the three main  mechanisms of birth control pills:

1.      inhibiting ovulation (the primary mechanism),

2.      thickening the cervical mucus, thereby making it more difficult for sperm to travel to the egg, and

3.      thinning and shriveling the lining of the uterus to the point that it is unable or less able to facilitate the implantation of the newly fertilized egg.

The first two mechanisms are contraceptive. The third is abortive.

The reason why I’m going on about the dosage is that the research done, basically implies that the contraceptives with a high dosage would inhibit ovulation, the the contraceptives with a low dosage would not necesarily ensure that ovulation doesn’t occur, but the chances that the uterus lining will be too thin for the fertilized egg to implant itself is pretty good.

Its for this reason that people have been saying that oral contraceptives are just much an abortion as when you go to an abortion clinic to get it done, but sadly a lot of people are not aware of this, or they’re just too ignorant to investigate.  I guess in the end its still something each woman has to decide for herself, but its just good to have the facts straight when making your decision.

In most SA citizens’ opinions, the UK is “health and safety” obsessed, and though I take most of the thing they have “health and safety” rules for with a pinch of salt, I found the article below rather interesting.

In the light of recent Eskom power saving tips, we’ve all been urged to use power saver light bulbs, but how according to the article below, this is more of a health risk because the new eco-friendly bulbs contain toxic mercury.

Quoted: [Original Article]

Energy-saving light bulbs are so dangerous that everyone must leave the room for at least 15 minutes if one falls to the floor and breaks, a Government department warned yesterday.

The startling alert came as health experts also warned that toxic mercury inside the bulbs can aggravate a range of problems including migraines and dizziness.

And a leading dermatologist said tens of thousands of people with skin complaints will find it hard to tolerate being near the bulbs as they cause conditions such as eczema to flare up.

The Department for Environment warned shards of glass from broken bulbs should not be vacuumed up but instead swept away by someone wearing rubber gloves to protect them from the bulb’s mercury content.

In addition, it said care should be taken not to inhale any dust and the broken pieces should be put in a sealed plastic bag for disposal at a council dump ? not a normal household bin.

None of this advice, however, is printed on the packaging the new-style bulbs are sold in. There are also worries over how the bulbs will be disposed of.

There are fears that without a proper disposal system, the mercury content could contaminate water supplies.

And dermatologist Dr John Hawk, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that some people already find it difficult to tolerate the fluorescent-strip lighting that is widely used in schools and offices, which works in the same way as the eco-friendly bulbs.

He said: “Fluorescent lights seem to have some sort of ionising characteristic where they affect the air around them.

“This does affect a certain number of people, probably tens of thousands, in Britain, whose ailments flare up just by being close to them.

“Certain forms of eczema ? some of which are very common ? do flare up badly anywhere near fluorescent lights, so these people have to just be around incandescent (old-style) lighting.”

Energy saving bulbs are also said to be a threat to epileptics according to another Daily Mail article.

I find it extremely worrying that there are no warnings on the packages regarding the risks involved, and I find it even more worrying that we will be forced to use these light bulbs in future.

I found this pretty interesting. Though we know that Green Tea has numerous Health Benefits, I found that there are also a couple of Beauty Benefits…Weight Loss

British supermodel Sophie Dahl’s dramatic weight loss has been attributed, in part, to her drinking regular cups of green tea. Sophie followed Body Doctor David Marshall’s nutritional advice, which advocates drinking as much toxin-flushing green tea as possible.

Soothing Spritzer

The liquid can be used as a spritzer, to freshen up the face, or cotton pads soaked in it can be particularly soothing for tired or strained eyes. It has antiseptic properties, so can be used to treat minor cuts and rashes, and is surprisingly effective when applied to spots and blemishes. It can even be used as a treatment for sunburn – soak a cloth in the liquid and leave on the skin until the area begins to cool.

The Method: Simply steep 100g of green tea in half a litre of still mineral water at room temperature for at least one hour. Strain the liquor and it’s ready to use! It’s better to make small quantities and use it fresh but surplus liquid can be poured into clean, sterilised bottles and refrigerated.

Toothpaste

Green tea is also known for its ability to prevent bad breath – and it has the added advantage of tasting good if it’s inadvertently swallowed. Try making your own toothpaste to test it out. Pour one cup of boiling water over 100g of Himalayan Green Tea and leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes. Make a paste using this liquid and one teaspoon of baking soda, and use this to brush your teeth as usual. The natural properties in the tea will curb mouth odour and help prevent plaque-forming microbes from attaching to the teeth.

Acne

Green tea also helps to reduce inflammation, hormonal activity and aids in detoxification – which is all good news for acne sufferers. Green tea extract is an extremely versatile herbal supplement – it can be administered topically, often being used in creams, taken as a in the form of a pill or incorporated into your diet and drunk as a tea.

I’m sure there are more benefits than just these I mentioned, so if you have time, leave your Green Tea Benefits in the comments!