Parents must remember that even though their relationship has ended, they are still the joint parents of their children, and always will be. As bitter and tense as many marriage breakups seem to be, it is possible to act in a way which will minimise the damaging effects on the children. Here are some things that are worth remembering:

• Always try to be open and honest with your children.

• Try to diminish the involvement of children in disputes. In particular, it is important not to use the children as a way of getting back at one’s former partner. Avoid having children caught in the middle.

• There will inevitably be disagreements about aspects of parenting, such as choice of schools, health care, discipline, and so on. If there are differences that need to be resolved, consider discussions by phone, or in person when the children are not around.

• Avoid ‘bribing’ children during custodial visits. Parents often compete with each other to gain favour with their children.

• Negotiate access visits that are reliable yet flexible. Nothing is worse for a young child than the disappointment of a suddenly cancelled visit to a parent, or a planned phone call that doesn’t eventuate.

• Consider counselling for yourselves as a couple, after the separation as well as before it. Post-separation counselling is often extremely helpful in resolving issues between the parents, and thus making things easier for the children.

• Consider counselling and therapy for your child if there continue to be concerns about him after the separation. Family therapy is often very helpful. Your doctor or nurse will be able to recommend an appropriate professional.

• There are a number of good books that have been written about divorce and blended families. Check with your local library or bookstore.

*146\90\8*

Hamilton Laboratories have released a product, Stingose, which is claimed to be of value in treating the bites and stings of insects, spiders, bees, marine creatures and plants.

It contains aluminium sulphate and this chemical denatures or destroys the protein venom of animals and the complex starches of plant venoms.

The quicker it is applied, the quicker it goes to work, neutralising the poison and relieving the pain and discomfort. It also relieves the inflammation and so there are fewer long-term effects.

For those who are allergic to bee stings, the immediate application of Stingose may be life-saving.

In northern waters at certain times of the year, the bluebottle (physalia) and the box jellyfish (chironex) may cause painful and, sometimes, fatal stings. The trouble is, these jellyfish have long trailing tentacles which wrap themselves around the body and with myriad of tiny stinging cells on the tentacles, may keep firing off and discharging venom. Attempting to brush off or wipe away the tentacles may cause further discharge of venom.

Alcohol has been recommended to kill the poison cells, dry the tentacles and make removal easier. There is some recent evidence that methylated spirits and other alcohols may fire off more venom cells. Vinegar has been shown to inactivate them but does not stop the pain or inactivate venom already in the skin. Stingose does.

The Surf Lifesaving Association in Queensland now recommends application of vinegar to inactivate the stinging cells of jellyfish tentacles and then to apply Stingose or a cooling lotion.

Vinegar is not a total treatment. Once the stinging cells have been inactivated by vinegar they should be removed with the finger tips.

Any sign of distress symptoms requires immediate medical assistance.

So, if you want a good weekend, you should not only pack the insect repellent but the best first aid treatment for bites and stings from both insects and plants.

*626/71/1*

Gallstones affect both sexes and all ages but seem to be more common in the overweight and in women who have had repeated pregnancies.

The condition tends to run in familes but whether because of heredity or common environment factors, such as diet, is not yet certain.

What are these stones which are so common and cause so much concern?

The gallbladder is pear shaped, about 10 cm long, and lies tucked under the liver. It acts as a reservoir of bile and concentrates it.

Bile is formed in the liver and contains the acids necessary for the digestion of fats and also bile pigments, which are breakdown products of the red blood cells.

Diet may be the most important cause but, again, the mechanism is not proven. Diets high in refined sugar, those lacking in fibre and those high in polyunsaturated fats predispose to the formation of stones.

Although most stones contain cholesterol and some consist only of this substance, a diet high in cholesterol does not seem to lead to stones.

*370/71/1*

Nature isn’t fair. Just when a man is losing the hair on his head, a woman may be gaining a crop of unwanted hair elsewhere.

But the middle years of the menopause are not the only time an excess of hair can worry women — the problem may start in the teens.

The amount and distribution of body hair is often determined by our genes and varies with the race or ethnic group to which we belong.

For most women, fine hair on the trunk, the limbs, the face and around the nipple is normal and accepted, But when the hairs are dark and coarse like a man’s, concern is felt and expressed.

Hirsutism, or excess of body or facial hair, is usually caused by an increase of the amount of androgen or male hormone in the female.

Women produce male hormones both from the ovaries and the adrenal glands, which lie above the kidneys and produce the “stress” hormones, adrenalin and cortisone. Some chemicals, which have this androgenic activity on the hairs, may be produced in the skin.

*119/71/1*

BIRCHER-BENNER APPLE MCESLI

2 tbsp. old-fashioned rolled oats (not the quick-cooking kind)

2 medium-sized apples

2 tbsp. wheat germ

2 tbsp. condensed milk or ordinary milk, fortified with 1 tbsp. skim milk powder

2 tbsp. honey

1/2 lemon

2 tbsp. chopped hazel nuts or almonds

Soak oatmeal overnight in four tablespoons of water. In the morning, add lemon juice and milk; mix well. Shred apples, un-peeled but well washed, into the mixture. Add honey, wheat germ and nuts, and stir. Serve at once, as it will lose in taste and food value if apples darken (oxidize). This dish is a favorite at the famous Bircher-Benner biological clinic in Switzerland and is also very popular in health food restaurants in Europe.

FRUIT SALAD A LA AIROLA

1 bowl fresh fruits, organically grown if possible

1 handful raw nuts and/or sunflower seeds

3-4 soaked prunes or handful of raisins, unsulphured

3 tbsp. cottage cheese, preferably homemade, unsalted

1 tbsp. raw wheat germ

tsp. wheat germ oil

3 tbsp. yogurt

tsp. natural, unpasteurized honey

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Wash all fruits carefully and dry. Use any available fruits and berries, but try to get at least three or four different kinds. Peaches, grapes, pears, papaya, bananas, and fresh pineapple are particularly good for producing a delightful bouquet of rich, penetrating flavors. A variety of colors will make the salad festive and attractive to the eye.

Chop or slice bigger fruits, but leave grapes and berries whole. Place them in a large bowl and add prunes and nuts (nuts and sunflower seeds could be crushed). Make a dressing with one teaspoon of honey (or more if most of the fruits used are sour), one teaspoon of lemon juice, and two tablespoons of water. Pour over the fruit, add wheat germ, and toss well. Mix cottage cheese, yogurt, wheat germ oil, and one teaspoon of honey in a separate cup until it is fairly smooth in texture and pour it on top of the salad. Sprinkle with nuts and sunflower seeds. Serve at once.

This is not only a most delicious dish but it is the most nutritious and perfectly balanced meal I know. It is a storehouse of high-grade proteins and all the essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes you need for optimum health. This salad should be a daily must for the beauty-conscious and health-conscious alike.

WAERLAND FIVE-GRAIN KRUSKA (for 4 persons)

1 tbsp, whole wheat

1 tbsp. whole rye

1 tbsp. whole oats

1 tbsp. whole barley

tbsp. whole millet

tbsp. wheat bran

2 tbsp. unsulphured raisins

Take five grains and grind them coarsely on your own grinder. Place in a pot with one to one and a half cups of water and add bran and raisins. Boil for five to ten minutes, then wrap the pot in a blanket or newspapers and let it stand for a few hours. Experiment with the amount of water used—kruska must not be mushy, but should have the consistency of a very thick porridge. Serve hot with sweet milk and homemade applesauce or stewed fruits.

Kruska is an extremely nutritious dish and should be taken as a meal in itself.

*138\58\2*

All minerals are important for the health of the hair, especially calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, copper, and iodine. Vitamin D (cod liver oil) is important for the proper assimilation of the minerals in the intestines. (Remember: you are not what you eat, but what you assimilate.)

Iodine is a trace mineral which is found in foods and water in extremely small quantities. It is needed by the thyroid for its healthy functioning. It has been observed that iodine deficiency in the diet causes dryness, thinness and poor growth of hair. Iodine has a direct action on the activity of the thyroid gland. When the thyroid gland is functioning to its fullest capacity, the general metabolism is speeded up, which has a favorable effect on the quality and growth of the hair. It is also believed that iodine has something to do with keeping hair from turning gray.

The best natural source of iodine is kelp. Kelp is a dried and powdered seaweed, and can be obtained from health food stores in tablet or powder form. One or two kelp tablets usually contain a minimum daily requirement of iodine.

Remember that the diets of people known for their healthy, thick hair—the Chinese, Italians, Japanese, Eskimos, etc.—are rich in iodine, which is procured from sea foods and seaweed. Seaweed is a staple food in many countries, notably in Japan.

A few years ago sheep farmers in the Great Lakes region complained that they were having trouble growing wool on their sheep. Iodine is lacking in the soils of this area, as in many other inland regions of the United States. When the farmers added iodine to the sheep’s rations, the quality and quantity of wool improved immediately.

Kelp is also rich in many other minerals necessary for healthy hair growth, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. One or two kelp tablets with each meal is a good protective dosage.

Lecithin is very rich in choline, inositol, and phosphorus—all acknowledged hair-growth stimulants. Lecithin is a modern wonder food, indeed, and much scientific research is available which shows that it is essential for many vital functions of the body. It is extremely important for the health of the nerves. It is vital for the brain—28 percent of the brain is lecithin. It is credited with the ability to break up fat and prevent fatty deposits in the arteries—one of the plagues of modern man. It rejuvenates the endocrinal glands which are involved in the growth of hair.

Commercial lecithin, available at health food stores, is made from soybeans. It comes in granular, liquid, or tablet form. Take two to three teaspoons, or the equivalent in tablets, each day.

*113\58\2*

(a) Nose—Left iris 52′, right iris 8′ approx.

(b) Throat and larynx—Left iris 45′-47′, right iris l3′-15′.

(c) Trachea—Right iris 12′-14′ only.

(d) Bronchi—Left iris 15′-17′, right iris 43′-45′.

(e) Lungs—Left iris 10′-15′, right iris 45′-50′ respectively, from the muscle zone outwards.

(f) Pleurae—Left iris and right iris, 15′-19′, 41′-45′- (Strictly speaking, the pleurae do not belong to the respiratory organs, but as is well known, are often disturbed together with the lungs, thus requiring them to be mentioned here.)

1. Inflammation of the upper respiratory passages ((a) to (c)): as may occur especially in the form of mucous membrane catarrh following chill—shows as white flakes or clouds in the specified areas. White wisps, running outwards to the iris margin, indicate an acute catarrhal discharge.

2. Chronic catarrh of the upper respiratory organs: is shown by dark grey wisp-signs.

3. Lacunae = weakness-signs: in the area for the upper respiratory passages, indicate a weakness of these organs and permanent catarrhal tendencies. More important than the signs in the areas for the upper respiratory passages are those which show in the area for bronchi, lungs and pleurae.

The bronchi very often became involved together with disturbances of the upper respiratory organ, in which case, the signs described above are also found in the bronchial areas.

*22\78\2*

Laboratory tests are used by doctors to help identify illnesses, to determine what particular type of infectious organism is causing a problem, and to learn how serious a disease may be. Some procedures can be performed right in the doctor’s surgery, others must be done in a laboratory where more complex equipment is available. Some common tests and procedures are described here.

Urinalysis means analysis of a specimen of urine, the liquid form of body waste. Urine tests can reveal infections in the kidneys, the bladder, and the rest of the urinary tract. The chemical and cell content of urine can also show how well the digestive system is working.

Urine can be tested in four different ways. First, it can be examined visually for color and texture. Normal urine is a clear yellow; if it is cloudy, reddish, or some other color, an infection or an injury may be present in the body. Second, the water content of the urine can be measured. This shows how well the kidneys are doing their job of filtering the body’s wastes. Third, the chemical content of the urine can be analyzed, to find out if the body is discarding necessary chemicals that should be retained. Finally, the urine can be examined under a microscope to find out what cells, bacteria, and other material are present. This is done to identify an infection or disease more exactly.

Chemical analysis of urine is often used as a screening test for diabetes, a disease in which the body does not properly use the carbohydrates (sugars and starches) that are its chief sources of energy. To test for diabetes, the amount of glucose (a form of sugar) in the urine is measured by dipping a chemically treated stick in the urine and comparing the color of the stick with a color chart. If the glucose is above a certain level, diabetes may be the cause. Additional blood tests are then done to verify the diagnosis.

*268/84/5*

Blisters are a buildup of clear or almost clear fluid between layers of the skin. They may be caused by heat burns; chemical burns; rubbing (friction); infection by bacteria; viruses; hand, foot, and mouth disease; funguses; allergy to insect bites; or allergy to certain plants. Blisters range from the size of a pinhead to several centimeters across.

Signs and symptoms

Blisters are obvious from their typical appearance – a raised bubble of skin containing clear fluid. The cause of blisters is sometimes determined by their location. When blisters appear on the palms or heels, they are usually due to rubbing; most blisters of the feet are caused by ill-fitting shoes or by not wearing socks. Blisters on the soles and toes may be caused by a fungus. Blisters on the cuticles or backs of fingers almost always mean an infection.

Home care

Do not break open blisters caused by rubbing or by burns. Protect them with gauze and bandages. If a blister is accidentally opened, trim away the major portion of loose skin, cleanse with soap and water, and bandage. If the blister becomes infected (redness and increasing tenderness are signs of infection), it should be soaked in an Epsom salts solution. An infected blister should be checked by a doctor.

Precautions

• Red streaks spreading from a blister indicate spreading infection. If red streaks appear, see your doctor.

• Soaking unbroken blisters in too weak a solution causes marked enlargement of the blisters (suggested Epsom salts solution is at least 110 grams salts to a liter of water).

Medical treatment

Your doctor will determine the cause of the blister and look for signs of possible infection. Infected blisters are opened and the fluid cultured to determine the type of infection. Soaks or oral antibiotics may be prescribed individually or in combination.

*22/84/5*

Close to 95,000 men a year die of lung cancer, compared to 66,000 women. Nearly twice as many men as women die of cirrhosis of the liver. And males are three times as likely to be killed in accidents. The reasons are obvious. Men smoke more, drink more, and take more unnecessary risks than women.

“Add to that the fact that men eat more meat, fat, dairy products, eggs, and high-calorie foods than women, while women eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-calorie foods,” says Dr. Crose. “It’s small wonder that men’s lives are cut short.”

And cut is exactly the word to describe the often sudden ends that men come to, says Dr. Kawachi. “The biggest killer of men in their prime is heart attack. Men also die of sudden death more frequently than women. They have no inkling that they have heart disease, and then they get ventricular fibrillation and drop dead,” he says.

One way to avoid getting stopped in your tracks is to have annual physicals. Another is to make small lifestyle adjustments to keep healthier and safer. Here are doctors’ top tips.

Terminate tobacco. Whether you chew it or smoke it, tobacco use dramatically raises your risk for cancer, Dr. Goldberg says. Chewing tobacco causes oral cancer. Smoking is responsible for almost 90 percent of lung cancers among men and significantly raises a person’s risk for developing cancer of the pancreas, kidney, bladder, and esophagus.

“People tire of hearing it, but quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for yourself,” Dr. Kawachi says. “If you’re a lifetime smoker, you have a one in four chance of dying from a disease related to that habit, especially before age 65.” No matter how old you are when you quit, you lower your risk of cancer and heart disease almost immediately, Dr. Kawachi says. Research shows that your risk of having a heart attack drops within the first 24 hours. And within the first five years, your risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half.

Drink, but think. Once you have a few, you’re well past the point of thinking about your drinking. So try doing what women-who are frequently designated drivers-do. Before you start, think about what you’re going to drink and what you’re going to do afterward. Then limit yourself to just a couple. “While there’s evidence that moderate drinking may be good for the heart, excessive booze is bad for it. Plus it increases your risk for cancer and cirrhosis of the liver,” Dr. Goldberg says. Booze is partly to blame for five times as many men as women drowning, though more men know how to swim, and for men being almost 2H times more likely to die in a car accident than women, he says.

Flip-flop fiber and fat. Most men eat more fat than they should, and they’re often eating more than they realize. To get less artery-clogging fat in your diet, make a point to choose fibrous foods over fatty foods whenever possible, says Dr. Kawachi. That means if there’s a choice between a baked potato and fries, go with the baked potato.

“This is often harder for men than for women,” Dr. Crose says. “Women become concerned about food at an early age, which is a problem regarding eating disorders, but it can be helpful in preventing chronic diseases later in life.” By keeping this rule in mind, you’ll almost automatically eat more fruits, vegetables, and grains and less processed high-fat foods.

*17/36/5*