News & Health: Chocolate's the cure?

Nothing strikes me as very interesting today. Except that I have given a lot of chocolates and nuts to my students in class. Then there is this article in the news today. By Press Association,

Image from CNN Health

Chocolate 'may cut stroke risk' (UKPA) – 15 minutes ago   Chocolate-lovers could be cutting their risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke, research suggests. Previous studies have found that chocolate, particularly of the dark variety, contains compounds which may reduce the inflammation that leads to heart disease. The sweet treat is also hailed as having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which could be beneficial for health. In the latest research, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), experts from the University of Cambridge reviewed seven studies on the issue. Five reported a positive link between higher levels of chocolate consumption and lower risks of several diseases. People who ate the most chocolate had a 37% reduced risk of heart disease and a 29% reduction in stroke compared with those eating the least. One of the studies also found a 31% lower risk of diabetes for chocolate-lovers. No significant reduction was found in relation to heart failure. The research, which covered more than 100,000 people, included milk, dark and white chocolate and examined consumption of chocolate bars, drinks, biscuits and desserts. High consumption was generally regarded, depending on the study, as eating chocolate products more than once a week or 7.5g daily. However, the authors warned that the results should be interpreted with caution, especially because chocolate is so calorific it can cause weight gain. Excess weight increases the risk of several diseases, including diabetes, cancer and heart disease. While the health benefits of eating chocolate mean more could be done to reduce its fat and sugar content, further studies are needed, the experts said. Victoria Taylor, from the British Heart Foundation, said: "Evidence does suggest chocolate might have some heart health benefits but we need to find out why that might be. We can't start advising people to eat lots of chocolate based on this research. "It didn't explore what it is about chocolate that could help and if one particular type of chocolate is better than another. If you want to reduce your heart disease risk, there are much better places to start than at the bottom of a box of chocolates." Copyright © 2011 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

Hm.... yummy yummy chocolate! I have almost completely quit chocolate. You see, as one gets older, their craving for sweet things dies down. Now looks like I should restart a light chocolate diet again! 7.5g of chocolate sounds appropriate and within safety range to me. What about you?

Won't eating chocolate get me fat too? Can we eat chocolate and not get fat? Maybe, but you can't always get what you want.


Vocabulary:
strike (sb as) -- (vb) [T] (struck or ESP. US stricken, struck or ESP. US stricken) to cause someone to have a feeling or idea about something
diabetes -- (n)[U] a disease in which the body cannot control the level of sugar in the blood
stroke -- (n) [C] a sudden change in the blood supply to a part of the brain, which can cause a loss of the ability to move particular parts of the body
antioxidant -- (n) [C] a substance which slows down the rate at which something decays because of oxidization (= combining with oxygen)
anti-inflammatory -- (adj) describes a drug that is used to reduce pain and swelling
calorific -- (adj) containing calories (= units of energy provided by food)
craving (for) -- (n) a strong or uncontrollable want

Chocolate 'may cut stroke risk' @ Press Association
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jnnQZ-63welxEK41-jFH3VAi00oQ?docId=N0067411314582461462A

Semi-sweet news for chocolate lovers @ CNN Health
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/29/semi-sweet-news-for-chocolate-lovers/

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/strike_7
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/diabetes?q=diabetes
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/stroke_1?q=stroke
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/antioxidant?q=antioxidant
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/anti-inflammatory_1?q=anti-inflammatory
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/calorific?q=calorific
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/craving?q=craving

Usage: The Understanding Words

Got a nice questions from reader Perfect Fighter's requesting on the differences of the words "know", "recognize", "realize", "aware" and "notice" -- the words with the meaning of Understanding. I have both the simple explanation and the detail one, and that is...they are all pretty similar. When you know something, you understand.

eg. I know you like chicken wings.

When you recognise something, you have seen it before and you remember it, which is why there is a prefix "re-" in front.

eg. I recognise him, he is a thief!!!

When you realise something, you finally feel or understand something  that you never understood before, because they didn't feel "real" to you, which is why "realise" is formed formed from "real" and "ise", means something becomes "real" to you.

eg. I realised that I wasn't good enough.

When you are aware of something, means you have experienced it and you already know about it.

eg. I am aware of the danger of bungee jumping, but I still want to try it.

When you notice something, you take special attention to something that is not obvious.

eg. I notice that she is scratching her forearms often.

Sometimes, the difference is small, such as,

• I know he is not my cup of tea. (I know that long time ago)
• I realised that he is not my cup of tea. (At that moment, I finally understand)

• When I stood up, I realised that my trousers was broken.
• When I stood up, I noticed that my trousers was broken.

Sometimes, they are interchangable, such as,

• I know you! You are the guy on TV last night!
• I recognise you! You are the guy on TV last night!

• I am aware of the danger of illegal crossing. (More formal)
• I know the danger of illegal crossing. (Less formal)

Sometimes, they are not interchangeable,

• I know him since high school. (but not I recognise/realise/aware of/notice him since high school)

So, how to tell the differences? Have you got your answer?


 Resources:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/realize_1?q=realise#realize_1__3 http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/realize_2#realize_2__3 http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/recognize_1?q=recognize http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/aware?q=aware http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/notice_1?q=notice

Medical & TV: Scabies, Monsters Inside Me & solutions -- Part 2

Let's continue my story from the last entry. 

I always like to go with the things I have in the house before I go outside to look for cure, this is called improvisation, something I learnt from Dual Survival.

So the first one I tried was the toothpaste, which contains mite-killing Limonene and antifungal-bacterial Triclosan. It was definitely an excellent itch cure, as the itch subsided almost completely in about 5 minutes, but the number of mini-blisters did not reduce. As it is not going to solve the problem, toothpaste is out.

Image from 21food.com

The second one was  antiseptic Manuka Honey UMF 20+, sweet and have been used in medical procedures to fight tough germs and viruses, but UMF 20+ is definitely not enough, so it was a sweet failed attempt.

By then, the first day of clinical trial was over, and as the number of wounds were actually increasing, I planned to search for real medicine the next day.

I skipped steps to number 5 Permethrin, and so I went to search for it, but pharmacy after pharmacy, none sells this med. Another failed attempt without even testing.

Image from greencouncil.org

Another way to get Permethrin, I suspected, is from Biokill Mite Spray, but I would need to go and find a supermarket which sells it, which is not easy, need to go Apita in Tai Koo, so this one had to be postponed again, another day ended, no clinical trial.

Which leaves...

Image from alibaba.com

Number 3, fungicide-cum-pesticide Sulphur Soap. I went online and searched for a shop that sells it. I remember that I used one before which is from Australia and it was really good, so this would be the second soap, but where can I get this soap? Lucky enough, through surfing over 30 websites, I found a China brand  sulfur soap, but only one place in Hong Kong will sell it, Tung Tai Supermarket in Sai Ying Pun.

Image from AppleDaily

That Saturday, before dinner with my students in Sheung Wan, I took a photo of the Google Map with my lousy phone, the picture couldn't even show a single word of the map but I was stupid enough to think it is enough, and I didn't charge my phone battery, so after walking 30 mins, I still couldn't find the place and I was about to give up. With just one minute of battery left on my phone, I took note of the circular flyover by the harbour, and walked the reverse direction for my final try before giving up, and to my luck, I found the supermarket hiding at the end of the uphill road.

4 Sulfur and 1 Aloe vera soap = $20

$4 a bar of soap, super deal!!!! I bought 4 sulfur for extra precaution and 1 aloe vera for fun, then I use the sulfur soap to wash both arms whenever I remember for the following week. The result? You can see my forearm from the photos below.

Before treatment

After treatment

Most wounds have dried up

Scars remain

Although the scars remain and they will take time to disappear, it proves that it is really scabies that I am fighting against.

Thanks to Amy who has reminded me on Facebook that it could well be contact eczema or stress related eczema and not scabies. In this case, sulfur soap still proves to be a good cure for many skin problems and traditional Chinese and Japanese wisdom proves practical this time round.

Since sulphur is a great anti-fungal element, I suspect that it can do more than just curing scabies. Maybe it will work on other fungal related rashes and skin infections too! When I see some people on the street or on the MTR with terrible skin problem, I have an urge to tell them about sulphur soap, but since I am not their doctors and they will not update me with their progress, I wouldn't know if the soap will really help them or make them worse, so I'm choosing to keep my mouth shut for now. But if anyone of you want to try this out, especially if you have any relatives with atopic dermatitis, please let me know the result.

Atopic dermatitis
Image from thelondonskinandhairclinic

Vocabulary:
improvisation -- (n)[C or U] when you make or do something with whatever is available at the time
subside -- (vb) [I] If a building, land or water subsides, it goes down to a lower level
blister -- (n) [C]  a painful red swelling on the skin that contains liquid, caused usually by continuous rubbing, especially on your foot, or by burning
atopic dermatitis 



Resources:

Medical & TV: Scabies, Monsters Inside Me & solutions -- Part 1 @ Locky's English Playground http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/08/medical-tv-scabies-monsters-inside-me.html

TV: Dual Survival  @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/08/tv-dual-survival.html

Tung Tai Supermarket @ Google Map
http://maps.google.com.hk/maps/place?q=tung+tai+supermarket&hl=en&cid=3827056393132540729

Eczema @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eczema

Atopic dermatitis @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atopic_dermatitis

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/improvisation?q=improvisation
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/subside_2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/blister_1?q=blisters+#blister_1__3

Medical & TV: Scabies, Monsters Inside Me & solutions -- Part 1

My left forearm

After writing a few more entries on rashes I think the English Playground will become a medical journal, or a blog specialises in rashes (then am I a dermatologist?). Because first, I wrote Medical & Vocabulary : Heat Rash and Bug Bites in August 2010, that was the first time I had my first (Hives) rash, then I wrote Medical & Vocabulary: "Hives" & Allergy in May 2011, and now, the third entry!

This time round, I didn't get hives which is patchy, spreads quickly and rather itchy, I got a different rash, dotty but spreads much more slowly and much less itchy.

Closer

I wondered, am I really THAT weak? Or am I THAT immuno-compromised? Assuming that I am healthy,   and it is nothing that comes from inside my body, then it must be environmental. This allergy could be due to toxins, but I'm betting my money on parasites. How do I know? Well, first, we have to know how I might have got the rash.

Remember that entry Living: Taoboa-ing? Well, after I got the bag, I used it on the same day, and the straps that dangled from both sides of the bag scratched against my forearms, and I noticed the itch already. I used my Dettol spray to spray my bag inside and outside, but I missed the straps, so it could have been some parasites such as the mites on those straps.

And even closer

Then I was on a ferry to Peng Chau, so I could have also picked up the mites from the ferry. And my aunt keeps a dog, and no matter how clean the doggy is, dog mites are possible.

But of course, can't confirm until I get a good comparison of my rashes with someone else who have got the mite bite rash as well, so I went online to Wikipedia and looked up on Scabies, guess what I found there? The photo below!!!

Scabies on the forearm
Image from Wikipedia

Well, the photo shows a much more serious version, but if you take the side, the redness, the tiny blister on each dot, I say it is very close. Plus, I am recently watching a TV program on Animals Planet called Monsters Inside Me which discusses cases of parasites inside the human body, and there was this case I saw:

Convinced yet? Well, need to test out my theories first. So, I put my rashes to the tests. I suggested 4 natural tests and 1 over-the-counter medication, if they don't work, I will then see a doctor and surrender myself to his antibiotics.

Image from yourdiscountchemist

1. Toothpaste (Oral B only, not sure about Colgate and others)
Contains Limonene from lemons which is deadly to some scabies mites [1], and Triclosan which is an antifungal and antibacterial agent.[2][3]

Image from 21food.com

2. Manuka Honey -- UMF 20+ Natural antiseptic property
UMF 20+ or above has anti-bacterial properties, might work on mites as well. [4]

Image from alibaba.com

3. Sulphur Soap
Elemental sulfur (chemical element symbol : S, atomic number 16) is one of the oldest fungicides and pesticides in the world. [5] A traditional Chinese wisdom, Japanese hot spring theory and the fact that it is related to the poisonous gas (Sulfur Dioxide SO₂) from the volcanoes, makes it one of the best possible candidates to kill the mites.

http://www.greencouncil.org/db_images/products/970.jpg

4. Biokill Mite Spray -- Natural ingredients (says on the bottle)
Human safe but dangerous to cats and fish, which I deduced that it might contain permethrin.

Image from pharmacyathand.co.uk

5. Permethrin

Permethrin is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic life in general and is also highly toxic to cats. In medicine, permethrin is a first-line treatment for scabies; a 5% (w/w) cream is marketed by Johnson & Johnson under the name Lyclear.[6]


Guess which one will work? Answers will be unveiled soon!


Vocabulary:
dermatologist --(n)[C] a doctor who studies and treats skin diseases
immuno-compromised --(adj)  is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease is compromised or entirely absent.
scabies -- (n) known colloquially as the seven-year itch,^[2] is a contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and other animals. It is caused by a tiny and usually not directly visible parasite, the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the host's skin, causing intense allergic itching. The infection in animals (caused by different but related mite species) is called sarcoptic mange.
surrender --(vb) [I] to stop fighting and admit defeat
fungicide -- (n)  [C or U] a chemical substance used to kill fungus or prevent it from growing
pesticide -- (n) [C or U] a chemical substance used to kill harmful insects, small animals, wild plants and other unwanted organisms
unveil -- (vb) [T] If you unveil something new, you show it or make it known for the first time


Resources:

Dermatology @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatology

Immunodeficiency @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immuno-compromised

Living: Taoboa-ing @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/08/living-taobao-ing.html

Medical & Vocabulary: "Hives" & Allergy @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/05/medical-vocabulary-hives-allergy.html

Medical & Vocabulary : Heat Rash and Bug Bites @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/08/medical-vocabulary-heat-rash-and-bug.html

Scabies @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabies

Monsters Inside Me: Scabies Mites and the Itch : Video : Animal Planet @ Discovery.com
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/monsters-inside-me-scabies-mites-and-the-itch.html

Monsters Inside Me @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6eki-926TA

[1] D-Limonene for Scabies @ Livestrong.com
http://www.livestrong.com/article/488428-d-limonene-for-scabies/

[2] Triclosan @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan

[3]Miliaria  @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miliaria

[4] Health and Fitness: Manuka Honey (1st Suggested Cure for Mouth Ulcers) @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/01/health-and-fitness-manuka-honey-1st.html

[5] Sulfur @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur

[6] Permethrin @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/dermatologist?q=dermatologist+
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immuno-compromised
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabies
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/surrender_1?q=surrender+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/fungicide?q=fungicide
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/pesticide?q=pesticide
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/unveil?q=unveiled+#unveil__3

Song: No Surprises -- Radiohead & Why Try to Change Me Now -- Fiona Apple

Image from todayonline

I suppose it is a little bit too often with songs, but since I'm ongoing with my House rewatching marathon, the mood just keeps going and going, I just don't feel a better time to promote the songs that I like.
Another downtempo, sad atmosphere song which was played in the season 6 episode 1 of House M.D., when House was admitted to the psychiatric hospital to detox from his Vicodine addiction, overdose and hallucination, alone and sad. And here's the scene in House and the MTV, No Surprises by Radiohead.

This isn't a happy song at all, what do you think the meaning is? I have a theory, but I will leave it to you to think over.

Where's the learning? There aren't too many words for us to learn, but you can use this nice melody song for   listening practice.


Lyrics:

A heart that's full up like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take the quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide


No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises


Silent
Silent


This is my final fit, my final belly-ache with
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please


Such a pretty house, such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please

Image from 991.com

If you don't like the first song, you can try the second one, played at the end of the show. The meaning runs deeper and appeals more to the ladies. See if it can touch your feelings. Fiona Apples Why Try To Change Me Now,

Lyrics:

I'm sentimental, so I walk in the rain
I've got some habits even I can't explain
Could start for the corner, turn up in Spain
But why try to change me now?

I sit and daydream, I've got daydreams galore
Cigarette ashes, there they go on the floor
I'll go away weekends, leave my keys in the door
But why try to change me now?

Why can't I be more conventional?
People talk, people stare, so I try
But that's not for me, 'cause I can't see
My kind of crazy world go passing me by

So, let people wonder, let 'em laugh, let 'em frown
You know I'll love you till the moon's upside down
Don't you remember I was always your clown?
Why try to change me now?




Vocabulary:
psychiatric -- (adj) of or relating to the study of mental illness
overdose -- (n) [C] (informal OD) too much of a drug taken or given at one time, either intentionally or by accident
hallucination -- (n) [C or U] when you see, hear, feel or smell something which does not exist, usually because you are ill or have taken a drug
landfill -- (n) [C or U] getting rid of large amounts of rubbish by burying it, or a place where rubbish is buried
bruise -- (n) [C] an injury or mark where the skin has not been broken but is darker in colour, often as a result of being hit by something
sentimental -- (adj) describes someone who is strongly influenced by emotional feelings, especially about happy memories of past events or relationships with other people, rather than by careful thought and judgment based on facts
conventional -- (adj) traditional and ordinary






Resources:

Radiohead @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiohead

Broken Intro, House Season 6 @ Vimeo
http://vimeo.com/22219037

No Surprises -- Radiohead @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lnltl3YoqQ

No Surprises @ Song Meaning
http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/562/

Fiona Apple @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Apple

House M.D season 6 episode 11 ending scene soundtrack.@ Shooshoomoo.com
http://shooshoomoo.com/2010/01/house-m-d-season-6-episode-11-ending-scene-soundtrack/

Fiona Apple - Why Try To Change Me Now @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uf1n1wUfxE

Why Try To Change Me Now
http://www.spiritofsinatra.com/pages/Lyrics/w/Why_Try_to_Change_Me_Now.htm

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/psychiatric?q=psychiatric+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/overdose_1?q=overdose+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/hallucination?q=hallucination+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/landfill?q=landfill
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/bruise_1?q=bruise
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sentimental?q=sentimental
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/conventional?q=conventional

Living : Taobao-ing

Internet shopping isn't safe? Well, of course it is not, the internet is never a safe place, but there are so many advantages doing internet shopping over your normal street shopping. First, you don't need to walk, second, you don't need to pay with real cash, which makes you think you are not actually paying, third, you don't need to carry your shopping home by yourself because your shopping will be delivered to your doorsteps.

Shopping arriving at my home

I've done shopping on Alibaba before, and it was good. On Taobao, it was my first time, but I enjoyed it a lot Not because I didn't have to do it by myself as my sister helped me do everything, but I enjoyed the choosing of my camera bag, the plan to find the cheapest way to get all the goods delivered, and the best of all, the waiting.

 The waiting is actually the best part of the whole online shopping experience. It is like, when you go fishing, if you knew there are fish in that barrel, it is no fun! But if you have to wait and try, try and wait for the whole day, and in the end, you get a big fish you like, that experience is rewarding! Shopping online is the same feeling. You knew you have to spend time comparing the product, searching for the best price, finding the best supplier, getting it delivered to the right place, checking up on the delivery progress and waiting for the goods to arrive, but finally getting what you ordered is the ultimate satisfaction!

My camera bag and my camera strap and some free gifts

 Is it worth it? I definitely think so It is fun to try? You bet!

 What might be a bit troublesome, is you need to either have a bank account in China, or you will need to have a Circle K near by to buy Taodots and then upload that to your account. And the fact that you have to witness your HK$200 to turn into RMB$160 isn't too encouraging. But if you can get through that, you will enjoy the experience.

The camera case for my 1-year-old Olympus PEN EPL-1 

Resources:

Taobao.com
http://www.taobao.com


http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=9612891083