Cah-lee-faw-ni-a

Those Left Coasters might be annoying sometimes with their preachiness and ballot initiatives, but they do tend to be ahead of the curve, especially on health issues.

Now, from the people who brought you smoking bans... the Sugar Tax. San Francisco's mayor, Gavin Newsom, is proposing a tax on sugary sodas and warning labels for highly caffeinated drinks (like Red Bull, which is now banned in France and about whose contribution to high blood pressure I have written on this blog).

"Newsom says obesity accounts for tens of millions of dollars in city health care costs. He cites a recent San Francisco Health Department survey that found nearly a quarter of the city's 5th, 7th and 9th graders were overweight and that high sugar drinks make up a tenth of a kid's daily calorie count."

Good Eats

I came across a reference to this article on mental_floss.com. Great website. The Men's Health's article outlines foods that affect your mood. The one of which I took note most was the fact that sushi and other fish are great mood boosters. It got me thinking that I always feel great when I eat sushi or other fish. I have been trying to work more seafood into my diet. Of course, it's easier when you live in a warm climate and don't have to worry about stinking up the house...

MQOTD

I like this. I'm a big proponent of taking pride in every little thing, though this often renders one an anal perfectionist.

"The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams."
— Og Mandino: Author, The Greatest Salesman in the World.

Forget the Spoonful of Sugar AND the Medicine

Honey has now been proven to be better for a kid's cough than cough medicine. Dr. Ian Paul, of Penn State, was prompted to perform the study after finding in an earlier one that a placebo was just as effective as traditional cough medicines containing dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine.

Since it's cheaper and has no side-effects, it'd be pretty silly not to buy honey instead of cough syrup. You don't want people to say you're silly, do you? I know I don't.


From ABC News.com -

"The researchers enrolled 105 children, between ages 2 and 18, in their randomized, partially double-blind study. On the first night of the study, the children received no treatment. Parents then answered questions about their children's sleep and cough, as well as the quality of their own sleep. The second night, the children were given either honey-flavored cough syrup or honey -- or nothing at all. Parents then reanswered the questions in the survey.

Parents whose children received the honey rated their kids' sleep and symptoms as better -- and their own sleep as improved as well.

Healing Powers of Honey

Paul says that the type of honey plays a role in the treatment.

'Darker honeys have more antioxidants than lighter honeys, and we wanted the best chance to see improvements,' he says, noting that lighter honeys would probably also benefit kids. 'At least locally [buckwheat honey] is available. I can get it here at the local supermarket.'

Honey is also generally less expensive than over-the-counter medications, he says, and bring none of the side effects like dizziness or sleepiness."