21, July 2014

Permanent hair dye can be cancerous

Permanent hair dyes and perming treatments at salons may contain banned aromatic amines called toluidines that have carcinogenic properties, researchers warn.

A new study from Lund University in Sweden has found that hairdressers may still be exposed to these carcinogens.

Permanent hair dyes, also called oxidative dyes, are the ones most dangerous to hairdressers and its users.

For their study, the researchers looked at o-toluidine levels in the blood, along with levels of seven other potentially carcinogenic aromatic amines.

o-toluidine (ortho-toluidine) has actually been confirmed as a carcinogenic.

Researchers measured its levels in the blood of 295 female hairdressers, 32 regular hair dye users and 60 people who had not used any of these products.

They found that hairdressers were indeed exposing themselves to o-toluidine and meta-toluidine (m-toluidine).

A similar trend was seen for perming treatments in respect of o-toluidine levels.

"The ingredients of hair dyes and perming products should be analysed to find out if these products continue to be potential sources of toluidine exposure," researchers said.

Hairdressers should protect themselves from the risk of absorbing these products through their skin by wearing gloves.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

21.07.2014

Tips to help you sleep like a baby

In today's world, when there is so much stress and people are hard-pressed for time, there isn't enough time to relax. Hence, sleeping disorders are commonplace. 

Like a balanced diet and exercise are important to stay healthy, sleep ensures that your body gets proper rest and is rejuvenated. Here are some ways to get a good night's sleep...

Sleep at a fixed time: It is important to go to sleep at a fixed time. This doesn't mean just going to bed at the same time every day, but actually falling asleep at that time.Ensure that you follow this strictly.

Don't go to bed right after dinner: Apart from keep your dinner light, make sure that you give a gap of at least two hours between dinner and bedtime. Chances are that you will keep tossing and turning if your stomach is full before going to bed.

Wake up at the same time: Just like you sleep at a fixed time, you must wake up at the same time each day as well. If you sleep well, then you don't need an alarm to get up at the same time every day . Try to maintain this over the weekend as well.

Don't carry a book to bed: Many people are of the habit of reading before going to sleep, but this can keep you up longer than you would want. Finish reading on the couch or chair and don't take your book to bed.

Sleep in a dark room: If you are someone who needs to have a light on at night, break this habit. You can instead switch on a night bulb in another room. Your bedroom should be devoid of any light as this helps you sleep better.

Keep noise at bay: Just like you should keep books away from your bed, ensure that your iPod isn't with you in bed.Apart from tampering with your sleep, listening to music while in bed is also an unhealthy practice.

De-clutter your bed: The number of items on your bed are also responsible for the quality of your sleep. Make sure that your bed is comfortable and only has the things that are required, such as pillows, sheets and blankets.

Avoid caffeine: Follow a healthy diet and ensure that you don't consume caffeine since it tends to mess with your sleep cycle.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

21.07.2014

What’s right isn’t always popular. What’s popular isn’t always right

 Howard Cosell