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Sunscreen
(wikipedia)

Sunscreen, also commonly known as sun cream, is a lotion, spray, gel or other topical product that absorbs or reflects some of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the skin exposed to sunlight and thus helps protect against sunburn. Skin lightening products have sunscreen to protect lightened skin because light skin is more susceptible to sun damage than darker skin.

Sunscreens contain one or more of the following ingredients:

*Organic chemical compounds that absorb ultraviolet light.
*Inorganic particulates that reflect, scatter, and absorb UV light (such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or a combination of both).
*Organic particulates that mostly absorb light like organic chemical compounds, but contain multiple chromophores, may reflect and scatter a fraction of light like inorganic particulates, and behave differently in formulations than organic chemical compounds. An example is Tinosorb M.

Medical organizations such as the American Cancer Society recommend the use of sunscreen because it prevents the squamous cell carcinoma and the basal cell carcinoma. However, the use of sunscreens is controversial for various reasons. Many do not block UVA radiation, which does not cause sunburn but can increase the rate of melanoma, another kind of skin cancer, so people using sunscreens may be getting too much UVA without realizing it. Additionally, sunscreens block UVB, and if used consistently this can cause a deficiency of vitamin D.

History
The first effective sunscreen may have been developed by chemist Will Baltzer in 1938. The product, called Gletscher Crème (Glacier Cream), subsequently became the basis for the company Piz Buin (named in honor of the place Baltzer allegedly obtained the sunburn that inspired his concoction), which today is a well-known marketer of sunscreen products. It has been estimated that Gletscher Crème had a sun protection factor of 2.

The first widely used sunscreen was produced by Benjamin Greene, an airman and later a pharmacist, in 1944. The product, Red Vet Pet (for red veterinary petrolatum), had limited effectiveness, working as a physical blocker of ultraviolet radiation. It was a disagreeable red, sticky substance similar to petroleum jelly. This product was developed during the height of World War II, when it was likely that the hazards of sun overexposure were becoming apparent to soldiers in the Pacific and to their families at home. Sales of this product boomed when Coppertone acquired the patent and marketed the substance under the Coppertone girl and Bain de Soleil branding in the early 1950s.

Franz Greiter is credited with introducing the concept of Sun Protection Factor (SPF) in 1962, which has become a worldwide standard for measuring the effectiveness of sunscreen when applied at an even rate of 2 milligrams per square centimeter (mg/cm2). Some controversy exists over the usefulness of SPF measurements, especially whether the 2 mg/cm2 application rate is an accurate reflection of people’s actual use.

Newer sunscreens have been developed with the ability to withstand contact with water, heat and sweat.

Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
The SPF of a sunscreen is a laboratory measure of the effectiveness of sunscreen — the higher the SPF, the more protection a sunscreen offers against UV-B (the ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn).

The SPF is the amount of UV radiation required to cause sunburn on skin with the sunscreen on, relative to the amount required without the sunscreen. So, wearing a sunscreen with SPF 50, your skin will not burn until it has been exposed to 50 times the amount of solar energy that would normally cause it to burn. The amount of solar energy you are exposed to depends not only on the amount of time you spend in the sun, but also the time of day. This is because, during early morning and late afternoon, the sun’s radiation must pass through more of the Earth’s atmosphere before it gets to you. In practice, the protection from a particular sunscreen depends on factors such as:

*The skin type of the user.
*The amount applied and frequency of re-application.
*Activities in which one engages (for example, swimming leads to a loss of sunscreen from the skin).
*Amount of sunscreen the skin has absorbed.

The SPF is an imperfect measure of skin damage because invisible damage and skin aging are also caused by ultraviolet type A (UVA, wavelength 320 to 400 nm), which does not cause reddening or pain. Conventional sunscreen blocks very little UVA radiation relative to the nominal SPF; broad spectrum sunscreens are designed to protect against both UVB and UVA. According to a 2004 study, UVA also causes DNA damage to cells deep within the skin, increasing the risk of malignant melanomas. Even some products labeled “broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection” do not provide good protection against UVA rays. The best UVA protection is provided by products that contain zinc oxide, avobenzone, and ecamsule. Titanium dioxide probably gives good protection, but does not completely cover the entire UV-A spectrum, as recent research suggests that zinc oxide is superior to titanium dioxide at wavelengths between 340 and 380 nm.

Owing to consumer confusion over the real degree and duration of protection offered, labeling restrictions are in force in several countries. In the EU sunscreen labels can only go up to SPF 50+ (actually indicating a SPF of 60 or higher) while Australia’s upper limit is 30+. The United States does not have mandatory, comprehensive sunscreen standards, although a draft rule has been under development since 1978. In the 2007 draft rule, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed to institute the labelling of SPF 50+ for sunscreens offering more protection. This and other measures were proposed to limit unrealistic claims about the level of protection offered (such as “all day protection”).

Importance and Differences of Sunblock and Sunscreen

Sunblock
Although some believe that sunblock and sunscreen are both the same, they are not. Although they have similar properties and are both important in caring of the skin, sunblock is opaque and is stronger than sunscreen since it is able to block a majority of the UVA/UVB rays and radiation from the sun, thus not having to be reapplied several times a day. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are two of the important ingredients in sunblock.

Sunscreen
Sunscreen is more transparent once applied to the skin and also has the ability to protect against UVA/UVB rays as well, although the sunscreen’s ingredients have the ability to break down at a faster rate once exposed to sunlight, and some of the radiation is able to penetrate to the skin. In order for sunscreen to be more effective you’ll have to consistently reapply and use a higher spf.

However, that distinction is mostly used for marketing and the FDA even considers banning the term “sunblock” from marketing claims as it considers it misleading

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Because steam distilled essential oils are derived directly from plants they are considered ‘natural’ however, those essential oils that are obtained by solvent extraction could very well still have a bit of solvent that is not 100% removed.

Some of my favorites are:
Lavender
Patchouli
Spruce
Rosemary
Thyme (white)

Fragrance oils can be made with a combination of essential oils and synthetics. Fragrance oil blends are considered proprietary and the manufacturer is not required to reveal the exact oils used. Fragrance oils are also highly concentrated and should not be used directly on the skin. Fragrance oils are very versatile and are made to be used in just about every scented product imaginable!

There are those people who insist on promoting the misconception that fragrance oils are bad for you (because they are not ‘natural’) but as of yet I have not seen anyone provide proof (scientific abstracts) to substantial their claims. All fragrance oil manufacturers must follow guidelines using GRAS (generally recognized as safe) ingredients and are not allowed to use ingredients known to cause harm.

Why use one over the other?
While essential oils can be very nice by themselves or in blends you are limited as to what you can create.

I can guarantee you, you will not be able to create a strawberry or lilac scented product using essential oils (there isnt a strawberry or lilac essential oil!!!). Be very wary of others selling any type of product that states they use an essential oil that so obviously cannot be distilled (ie: banana, apple, almond, buttercream etc.). If they do not know the difference between an essential oil and a fragrance oil they are either being misleading or they simply have not done their research and should not be selling their product in the first place!

Even though we offer a small selection of soap scented with essential oil blends I much prefer using fragrance oils! There are literally hundreds of premade blends out there ready to try and when you take those premade blends and start combining them for your own signature scent you could come up with thousands of different combinations!

I hesitate to list my favorite fragrance oils!
I really don’t like to comment on specific scents as smell is highly subjective from person to person. What is very strong to one person may be very weak to another. Smell can also be affected by mood. I know when I have a headache or am not feeling quite up to par there are certain scents that I have to stay away from. I also know that a scent that I love one day I could leave 3 days later!

Right at this very moment my favorite scents are:
Satuma Guava
Ginger Lime
Sandalwood Vanilla
Crystal Blue
That however could change tomorrow!

Scents I hate:
I can, without doubt, tell you what scents I hate (which is why we don’t make products with them!).

Lemongrass
Eucalpytus
Years ago we used to make votive candles using these two essential oils in combination. It finally got to the point that it was literally making me sick that I had to discontinue them…which was too bad as they were a great seller!

Other than those two scents/essential oils I can pretty much say I can handle just about everything else!

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Imprimis

September 2009
Walter Williams
George Mason University

Future Prospects for Economic Liberty

WALTER WILLIAMS is the John M. Olin distinguished professor of economics at George Mason University. He holds a B.A. from California State University at Los Angeles and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in economics from UCLA. He has received numerous fellowships and awards, including a Hoover Institution National Fellowship and the Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation George Washington Medal of Honor. A nationally syndicated columnist, his articles and essays have appeared in publications such as Economic Inquiry, American Economic Review, National Review, Reader’s Digest, Policy Review and Newsweek. Dr. Williams has authored six books, including The State Against Blacks (later made into a PBS documentary entitled Good Intentions) and Liberty Versus the Tyranny of Socialism.

The following is adapted from a lecture delivered on August 2, 2009, during a Hillsdale College cruise from Venice to Athens aboard the Crystal Serenity.

One of the justifications for the massive growth of government in the 20th and now the 21st centuries, far beyond the narrow limits envisioned by the founders of our nation, is the need to promote what the government defines as fair and just. But this begs the prior and more fundamental question: What is the legitimate role of government in a free society? To understand how America’s Founders answered this question, we have only to look at the rule book they gave us-the Constitution. Most of what they understood as legitimate powers of the federal government are enumerated in Article 1, Section 8. Congress is authorized there to do 21 things, and as much as three-quarters of what Congress taxes us and spends our money for today is nowhere to be found on that list. To cite just a few examples, there is no constitutional authority for Congress to subsidize farms, bail out banks, or manage car companies. In this sense, I think we can safely say that America has departed from the constitutional principle of limited government that made us great and prosperous.

On the other side of the coin from limited government is individual liberty. The Founders understood private property as the bulwark of freedom for all Americans, rich and poor alike. But following a series of successful attacks on private property and free enterprise—beginning in the early 20th century and picking up steam during the New Deal, the Great Society, and then again recently—the government designed by our Founders and outlined in the Constitution has all but disappeared. Thomas Jefferson anticipated this when he said, “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”

To see the extent to which liberty is yielding and government is gaining ground, one need simply look at what has happened to taxes and spending. A tax, of course, represents a government claim on private property. Every tax confiscates private property that could otherwise be freely spent or freely invested. At the same time, every additional dollar of government spending demands another tax dollar, whether now or in the future. With this in mind, consider that the average American now works from January 1 until May 5 to pay the federal, state, and local taxes required for current government spending levels. Thus the fruits of more than one third of our labor are used in ways decided upon by others. The Founders favored the free market because it maximizes the freedom of all citizens and teaches respect for the rights of others. Expansive government, by contrast, contracts individual freedom and teaches disrespect for the rights of others. Thus clearly we are on what Friedrich Hayek called the road to serfdom, or what I prefer to call the road to tyranny.

As I said, the Constitution restricts the federal government to certain functions. What are they? The most fundamental one is the protection of citizens’ lives. Therefore, the first legitimate function of the government is to provide for national defense against foreign enemies and for protection against criminals here at home. These and other legitimate public goods (as we economists call them) obviously require that each citizen pay his share in taxes. But along with people’s lives, it is a vital function of the government to protect people’s liberty as well—including economic liberty or property rights. So while I am not saying that we should pay no taxes, I am saying that they should be much lower—as they would be, if the government abided by the Constitution and allowed the free market system to flourish.

And it is important to remember what makes the free market work. Is it a desire we all have to do good for others? Do people in New York enjoy fresh steak for dinner at their favorite restaurant because cattle ranchers in Texas love to make New Yorkers happy? Of course not. It is in the interest of Texas ranchers to provide the steak. They benefit themselves and their families by doing so. This is the kind of enlightened self-interest discussed by Adam Smith in his Wealth of Nations, in which he argues that the social good is best served by pursuing private interests. The same principle explains why I take better care of my property than the government would. It explains as well why a large transfer or estate tax weakens the incentive a property owner has to care for his property and pass it along to his children in the best possible condition. It explains, in general, why free enterprise leads to prosperity.

Ironically, the free market system is threatened today not because of its failure, but because of its success. Capitalism has done so well in eliminating the traditional problems of mankind—disease, pestilence, gross hunger, and poverty—that other human problems seem to us unacceptable. So in the name of equalizing income, achieving sex and race balance, guaranteeing housing and medical care, protecting consumers, and conserving energy—just to name a few prominent causes of liberal government these days—individual liberty has become of secondary or tertiary concern.

Imagine what would happen if I wrote a letter to Congress and informed its members that, because I am fully capable of taking care of my own retirement needs, I respectfully request that they stop taking money out of my paycheck for Social Security. Such a letter would be greeted with contempt. But is there any difference between being forced to save for retirement and being forced to save for housing or for my child’s education or for any other perceived good? None whatsoever. Yet for government to force us to do such things is to treat us as children rather than as rational citizens in possession of equal and inalienable natural rights.

We do not yet live under a tyranny, of course. Nor is one imminent. But a series of steps, whether small or large, tending toward a certain destination will eventually take us there. The philosopher David Hume observed that liberty is seldom lost all at once, but rather bit by bit. Or as my late colleague Leonard Read used to put it, taking liberty from Americans is like cooking a frog: It can’t be done quickly because the frog will feel the heat and escape. But put a frog in cold water and heat it slowly, and by the time the frog grasps the danger, it’s too late.

Again, the primary justification for increasing the size and scale of government at the expense of liberty is that government can achieve what it perceives as good. But government has no resources of its own with which to do so. Congressmen and senators don’t reach into their own pockets to pay for a government program. They reach into yours and mine. Absent Santa Claus or the tooth fairy, the only way government can give one American a dollar in the name of this or that good thing is by taking it from some other American by force. If a private person did the same thing, no matter how admirable the motive, he would be arrested and tried as a thief. That is why I like to call what Congress does, more often than not, “legal theft.” The question we have to ask ourselves is whether there is a moral basis for forcibly taking the rightful property of one person and giving it to another to whom it does not belong. I cannot think of one. Charity is noble and good when it involves reaching into your own pocket. But reaching into someone else’s pocket is wrong.

In a free society, we want the great majority, if not all, of our relationships to be voluntary. I like to explain a voluntary exchange as a kind of non-amorous seduction. Both parties to the exchange feel good in an economic sense. Economists call this a positive sum gain. For example, if I offer my local grocer three dollars for a gallon of milk, implicit in the offer is that we will both be winners. The grocer is better off because he values the three dollars more than the milk, and I am better off because I value the milk more than the three dollars. That is a positive sum gain. Involuntary exchange, by contrast, means that one party gains and the other loses. If I use a gun to steal a gallon of milk, I win and the grocer loses. Economists call this a zero sum gain. And we are like that grocer in most of what Congress does these days.

Some will respond that big government is what the majority of voters want, and that in a democracy the majority rules. But America’s Founders didn’t found a democracy, they founded a republic. The authors of The Federalist Papers, arguing for ratification of the Constitution, showed how pure democracy has led historically to tyranny. Instead, they set up a limited government, with checks and balances, to help ensure that the reason of the people, rather than the selfish passions of a majority, would hold sway. Unaware of the distinction between a democracy and a republic, many today believe that a majority consensus establishes morality. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Another common argument is that we need big government to protect the little guy from corporate giants. But a corporation can’t pick a consumer’s pocket. The consumer must voluntarily pay money for the corporation’s product. It is big government, not corporations, that have the power to take our money by force. I should also point out that private business can force us to pay them by employing government. To see this happening, just look at the automobile industry or at most corporate farmers today. If General Motors or a corporate farm is having trouble, they can ask me for help, and I may or may not choose to help. But if they ask government to help and an IRS agent shows up at my door demanding money, I have no choice but to hand it over. It is big government that the little guy needs protection against, not big business. And the only protection available is in the Constitution and the ballot box.

Speaking of the ballot box, we can blame politicians to some extent for the trampling of our liberty. But the bulk of the blame lies with us voters, because politicians are often doing what we elect them to do. The sad truth is that we elect them for the specific purpose of taking the property of other Americans and giving it to us. Many manufacturers think that the government owes them a protective tariff to keep out foreign goods, resulting in artificially higher prices for consumers. Many farmers think the government owes them a crop subsidy, which raises the price of food. Organized labor thinks government should protect their jobs from non-union competition. And so on. We could even consider many college professors, who love to secure government grants to study poverty and then meet at hotels in Miami during the winter to talk about poor people. All of these—and hundreds of other similar demands on government that I could cite—represent involuntary exchanges and diminish our freedom.

This reminds me of a lunch I had a number of years ago with my friend Jesse Helms, the late Senator from North Carolina. He knew that I was critical of farm subsidies, and he said he agreed with me 100 percent. But he wondered how a Senator from North Carolina could possibly vote against them. If he did so, his fellow North Carolinians would dump him and elect somebody worse in his place. And I remember wondering at the time if it is reasonable to ask a politician to commit political suicide for the sake of principle. The fact is that it’s unreasonable of us to expect even principled politicians to vote against things like crop subsidies and stand up for the Constitution. This presents us with a challenge. It’s up to us to ensure that it’s in our representatives’ interest to stand up for constitutional government.

Americans have never done the wrong thing for a long time, but if we’re not going to go down the tubes as a great nation, we must get about changing things while we still have the liberty to do so.

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

We have had an unprecedented spring and summer here in Washington state. Summer basically started in May and has being going ever since. With very few rainy days summer is still holding steady with highs in the mid-80′s and no rain in sight for at least the next week.

Mornings are now heavy with dew and even though we still have high temps there is an underlying chill just under the surface. Nights are now chilly although we have yet to turn our heat on (yea!).

I always love this time of year. The leaves are quickly changing colors and will soon be dropping and October usually brings a wind storm or two which I also love as long as the wind is not too strong! We don’t need any power outages just yet!

An interesting read over on Wikipedia regarding the Equinox.
I will post a few paragraphs here but for a more in depth reading with all the related links please visit the Wikipedia site!

Equinox
From Wikipedia

An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the Sun being vertically above a point on the Equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name “equinox” is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day are approximately equally long. It may be better understood to mean that latitudes +L and -L north and south of the equator experience nights of equal length.

The word is also used for the same event happening on other planets and in setting up a celestial coordinate system; see equinox (celestial coordinates).

At an equinox, the Sun is at one of two opposite points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator (i.e. declination 0) and ecliptic intersect. These points of intersection are called equinoctial points: the vernal point and the autumnal point. By extension, the term equinox may denote an equinoctial point.

An equinox happens each year at two specific moments in time (rather than two whole days), when there is a location on the Earth’s Equator where the centre of the Sun can be observed to be vertically overhead, occurring around March 20/21 and September 22/23 each year.

Names

*Vernal equinox and autumnal equinox: these classical names are direct derivatives of Latin (ver = spring and autumnus = autumn).

*March equinox and September equinox: a usage becoming the preferred standard by technical writers choosing to avoid Northern Hemisphere bias (implied by assuming that March is in the springtime and September is autumnal—true for those in the Northern Hemisphere but exactly opposite in the Southern Hemisphere).

*Northward equinox and southward equinox: names referring to the apparent motion of the Sun at the times of the equinox.

*Vernal point and autumnal point are the points on the celestial sphere where the Sun is located on the vernal equinox and autumnal equinox respectively (again, the seasonal attribution is that of the Northern Hemisphere).

*First point (or cusp) of Aries and first point of Libra are archaic names used by navigators and astrologers. Navigational ephemeris tables record the geographic position of the First Point of Aries as the reference for position of navigational stars. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, the astrological signs where these equinoxes are located no longer correspond with the actual constellations once ascribed to them.

Length of equinoctial day and night

On a day of the equinox, the centre of the Sun spends a roughly equal amount of time above and below the horizon at every location on the Earth, night and day being of roughly the same length. The word equinox derives from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night); in reality, the day is longer than the night at an equinox. Commonly, the day is defined as the period when sunlight reaches the ground in the absence of local obstacles. From the Earth, the Sun appears as a disc rather than a single point of light, so when the centre of the Sun is below the horizon, its upper edge is visible. Furthermore, the atmosphere refracts light, so even when the upper limb of the Sun is below the horizon, its rays reach over the horizon to the ground. In sunrise/sunset tables, the assumed semidiameter (apparent radius) of the Sun is 16 minutes of arc and the atmospheric refraction is assumed to be 34 minutes of arc. Their combination means that when the upper limb of Sun is on the visible horizon, its centre is 50 minutes of arc below the geometric horizon, which is the intersection with the celestial sphere of a horizontal plane through the eye of the observer. These cumulative effects make the day about 14 minutes longer than the night at the Equator and longer still towards the Poles. The real equality of day and night only happens in places far enough from the equator to have a seasonal difference in day length of at least 7 minutes, actually occurring a few days towards the winter side of each equinox.

The date at which the time between sunset and sunrise crosses 12 hours , is known as the equilux. Because sunset and sunrise times vary with an observer’s geographic location (longitude and latitude), the equilux likewise depends on location and does not exist for locations sufficiently close to the equator. The equinox, however, is a precise moment in time which is common to all observers on Earth.

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

20 Things You Didn’t Know About … Skin
By Sean Markey
Provided by Discover Magazine

1. It’s your body’s largest organ, despite what the readers of Maxim think.

2. An average adult’s skin spans 21 square feet, weighs 9 pounds and contains more than 11 miles of blood vessels.

3. The skin releases as much as 3 gallons of sweat a day in hot weather. The areas that don’t sweat are the nail bed, the margins of the lips, the tip of the penis and the eardrums.

4. Ooh, that smell: Body odor comes from a second kind of sweat — a fatty secretion produced by the apocrine sweat glands, found mostly around the armpits, genitals and anus.

5. Yum! The odor is caused by bacteria on the skin eating and digesting those fatty compounds.

6. Breasts are a modified form of the apocrine sweat gland.

7. Fetuses don’t develop fingerprints until three months of gestation.

8. Without a trace: Some people never develop fingerprints at all. Two rare genetic defects, known as Naegeli syndrome and dermatopathia pigmentosa reticularis, can leave carriers without any identifying ridges on their skin.

9. Fingerprints increase friction and help grip objects. New World monkeys have similar prints on the undersides of their tails, the better to grasp as they swing from branch to branch.

10. Blowin’ in the wind: Globally, dead skin accounts for about a billion tons of dust in the atmosphere. Your skin sheds 50,000 cells every minute.

11. There are at least five types of receptors in the skin that respond to pain and to touch.

12. One experiment revealed that Meissner’s corpuscles — touch receptors that are concentrated in the fingertips and palms, lips and tongue, nipples, penis and clitoris — respond to a pressure of just 20 milligrams, the weight of a fly.

13. In blind people, the brain’s visual cortex is rewired to respond to stimuli received through touch and hearing, so they literally “see” the world by touch and sound.

14. “In the buff” became synonymous for “nude” in 17th-century England. The term derives from soldiers’ leather tunics, or “buffs,” whose light brown color apparently resembled an Anglo-Saxon backside.

15. White skin appeared just 20,000 to 50,000 years ago, as dark-skinned humans migrated to colder climes and lost much of their melanin pigment.

16. I see very, very white people: Albinos are often cast as movie villains, as seen in “The Da Vinci Code,” “Die Another Day,” “The Matrix Reloaded” and – inexplicably — the 2001 flick “Josie and the Pussycats.” Robert Lima of Penn State suggests that people associate pale-skinned albinos with vampires and other mythical creatures of the night.

17. More than 2,000 people have radio frequency identification chips, or RFID tags, inserted under their skin. The tags can provide access to medical information, log on to computers or unlock car doors.

18. Flesh for fantasy: At the Baja Beach club in Barcelona, customers can get an implanted RFID “debit card” and party until their funds are exhausted.

19. The Cleveland Public Library, Harvard Law School and Brown University all have books clad in skin stripped from executed criminals or from the poor.

20. Hopefully, they didn’t have to reprint it: One such volume is Andreas Vesalius’s pioneering 16th-century work of anatomy, “De Humani Corporis Fabrica” (On the Fabric of the Human Body).

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

What you smell is also tied to what you see! If you have two identical products (lotion for example) scented the same and one lotion is colored (say red for rose) and the other left plain (uncolored) 9 out of 10 people will say the colored product has a stronger scent!

People have strong likes and dislikes when it comes to smells.

I would venture to say MOST people love the scent of cinnamon rolls simply because the smell reminds us of just how good they taste.

Patchouli is a scent that people either LOVE (I do, I do!) or HATE there really is no in-between!

Years ago we made votive candles and one of our best-sellers was a lemongrass/eucalyptus blend. This particular blend did not agree with my sense of smell and I eventually had to discontinue it as the smell would literally make me feel sick. I, to this day, hate the smell of lemongrass.

For more on the sense of smell read:
The Smell Report

Although the human sense of smell is feeble compared to that of many animals, it is still very acute. We can recognise thousands of different smells, and we are able to detect odours even in infinitesimal quantities.

Our smelling function is carried out by two small odour-detecting patches – made up of about five or six million yellowish cells – high up in the nasal passages.

For comparison, a rabbit has 100 million of these olfactory receptors, and a dog 220 million. Humans are nonetheless capable of detecting certain substances in dilutions of less than one part in several billion parts of air. We may not be able to match the olfactory feats of bloodhounds, but we can, for example, ‘track’ a trail of invisible human footprints across clean blotting paper.

The human nose is in fact the main organ of taste as well as smell. The so-called taste-buds on our tongues can only distinguish four qualities – sweet, sour, bitter and salt -all other ‘tastes’ are detected by the olfactory receptors high up in our nasal passages.

Variations
Our smelling ability increases to reach a plateau at about the age of eight, and declines in old age. Some researchers claim that our smell-sensitivity begins to deteriorate long before old age, perhaps even from the early 20s. One experiment claims to indicate a decline in sensitivity to specific odours from the age of 15! But other scientists report that smelling ability depends on the person’s state of mental and physical health, with some very healthy 80-year-olds having the same olfactory prowess as young adults. Women consistently out-perform men on all tests of smelling ability (see Sex differences).

Schizophrenics, depressives, migraine sufferers and very-low-weight anorexics often experience olfactory deficits or dysfunctions. One group of researchers claims that certain psychiatric disorders are so closely linked to specific olfactory deficits that smell-tests should be part of diagnostic procedures. Zinc supplements have been shown to be successful in treating some smell and taste disorders.

Although smoking does not always affect scores on smell-tests, it is widely believed to reduce sensitivity.

A recent study at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that, contrary to popular belief, blind people do not necessarily have a keener sense of smell than sighted people. In their experiments on blind and sighted people, the top performers on most tests were (sighted) employees of the Philadelphia Water Department who had been trained to serve on the Department’s water quality evaluation panel. The researchers conclude that training is the factor most likely to enhance performance on smell tests. (University of Pennsylvania researchers are probably fairly clued-up on this subject – they designed the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) which is the standard test used in almost all experiments.)

The importance of ‘training’ in the development of smell-sensitivity is confirmed by many other studies. Indeed, this factor can sometimes be a problem for researchers, as subjects in repetitive experiments become increasingly skilled at detecting the odours involved.

Smell-sensitivity researchers have to be very careful about the odours they use in experiments, because a smell is not always a smell. Many odorous substances activate not only the olfactory system but also the ‘somatosensory’ system -the nerve endings in our noses which are sensitive to temperature, pain etc. This is why ‘anosmics’ – patients who have completely lost their sense of smell – can still detect menthol, phenylethyl alcohol and many other substances. In a study testing anosmics’ ability to perceive odorous substances, it was found that many so-called odours are in fact affecting the pain- and temperature-sensitive nerve-endings, rather than the olfactory receptors. Out of 47 ‘odorous’ substances, anosmics could detect 45. (Only two substances could not be detected by the anosmic patients: these were decanoic acid and vanillin, which affect only the olfactory receptors, and can thus safely be classified as ‘pure’ odours.) Some unpleasant ‘smells’ do more than just annoy or disgust us, they actually cause us pain.

Children
Although smell-identification ability increases during childhood, even newborn infants are highly sensitive to some important smells: recent research shows that newborn babies locate their mothers’ nipples by smell. In experiments, one breast of each participating mother was washed immediately after the birth. The newborn baby was then placed between the breasts. Of 30 infants, 22 spontaneously selected the unwashed breast.

Other experiments have also shown that babies are responsive to very faint differences in body odour, but it is believed that infants are highly sensitive only to specific smells, rather than a wide range of odours.

In terms of odour preference, however, one significant study showed that 3-year-olds have essentially the same likes and dislikes as adults. Experiments conducted in the early 70s and replicated in 1994 revealed that children do not develop sensitivity to certain odours until they reach puberty. In these studies, 9-year-olds showed a pronounced insensitivity to two musk odours, although their ability to detect other odours was the same as that of postpubescents and adults.
~~~
And if that didn’t satisfy here is another link:

Your Sense of Smell

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

1. Using too much in the fall and winter when trying to compensate for the lack of a tan. Try using a bronzer instead. The key is to apply a small amount. And there are several shades of bronzer to choose from.

2. Choosing a color that is too red or purple. Try matching your natural flush look, by exercising you will obtain that flush look.

3. Applying too little. If you don’t apply enough it will not last all day. The intensity of color you are wearing on your eyes and lips can determine the amount of blush you will need that day. For example if you are wearing a strong lip color, wear less blush. If you are wearing a sheerer lip color then apply more blush.

I will not be overly concerned unless we start getting cases here but I wanted to post information for you to have handy just in case this turns into something worrisome!

As far as I can tell at this time you don’t really need to worry, even if you come down with Swine Flu UNLESS you exhibit the worst warning symptoms.

Here is a link to the CDC webpage concerning the most recent information: Swine Influenza

From MSN Health:

Swine Flu Q&A
What you need to know and how to protect yourself from infection.
By the Editors of MSN Health

Swine flu in the U.S.? If you’re worried about the flurry of news on pandemics, epidemics, and public health emergencies, here are some key facts provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Conrol and Prevention to help you understand how swine flu is spread and what you can do to prevent infection. Current updates on the spread of swine flu are available at the CDC’s Swine Flu web site.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease normally found in pigs and caused by type A influenza viruses. While outbreaks of this type of flu are most common in pigs, human cases of swine flu do happen. In the past, reports of human swine flu have been rare—approximately one infection every one to two years in the U.S. From December 2005 through February 2009, only 12 cases of human infection were documented.

How is it spread?

Humans with direct exposure to pigs are those most commonly infected with swine flu. Yet, human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses have been documented, however it’s not known how easily the spread occurs. Just as the common flu is passed along, swine flu is thought to be spread by coughing, sneezing, or touching something with the viruses on it.

If infected, a person may be able to infect another person one day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick. Thus, a person is able to pass the flu on before they know they are sick. Those with swine flu should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are demonstrating symptoms and up to seven days longer from the onset of their illness. Children might be contagious for longer periods of time.

Can I catch swine flu from eating pork?

No. The CDC says that swine flu viruses are not transmitted by food. Properly cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills all bacteria and viruses.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?

Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of a regular flu: fever and chills, sore throat, cough, headache, body aches, and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting can also be present. Without a specific lab test, it is impossible to know whether you may be suffering from swine flu or another flu strain.

What precautionary measures should I take?

The same everyday precautions that you take to prevent other contagious viruses should be used to protect yourself against swine flu. “The best current advice is for individuals to practice good hand hygiene. Periodic hand washing with soap and water, or the use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when hand washing is not possible, is a good preventive measure. Also, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, as germs can more easily gain entrance into your body through those areas,” suggests Dr. Rob Danoff. Covering your mouth with a disposable tissue when you cough and sneeze is also a good practice.

The CDC recommends avoiding contact with sick people and keeping your own good health in check with adequate sleep, exercise, and a nutritious diet.

What should you do if you think you are sick with swine flu?

Contact your health care professional, inform them of your symptoms, and ask whether you should be tested for swine flu. Be prepared to give details on how long you’ve been feeling ill and about any recent travels. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. If you feel sick, but are not sure what illness you may have, stay home until you have been diagnosed properly to avoid spreading any infection.

Watch for these symptoms in children. Seek emergency medical care if your child experiences any of the following warning signs:

Fever with a rash
Dehydration
Fast breathing
Bluish skin coloration
Slow to wake or sluggish interaction
Flu-like symptoms improve, but then return and cough worsens
Severe irritability

For adults, emergency medical care is needed if you experience these warning signs:

Difficulty breathing
Dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Pain/pressure in the chest or stomach
Remember that the symptoms for swine flu are almost identical to those you might experience with the regular flu. Only your doctor can give you the correct diagnosis.

Are there medicines effective in treating swine flu in humans?

The swine flu responds to the use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) for those infected. For treatment, these antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Oh…cats are fine..in other people’s houses….

I will pet them and admire them but I don’t really want to own one…

I’m a dog person…(we have two)

However…..

I feel compelled to repost an article that is on our local news website. What this woman does is unselfish and totaly for the cats so they can live healthier lives without creating more feral cats!

She is in need of local translators fluent in Korean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Filipino and Chinese not to mention I’m CERTAIN she would appreciate a few dollars to help out with cat food as it appears that she buys their food herself.

**

Seattle Woman Helping Feral Cats

By Deborah Feldman/King 5 News

SEATTLE – Feral, or abandoned cats that are not spayed or neutered, can have kittens at a dizzying rate. The Humane Society estimates they are responsible for 147 million kittens a year in the United States.

That’s why one Seattle woman has made it her personal mission to humanely trap them, get them spayed or neutered, and then release them back to where she found them to live the rest of their days without reproducing.

Pam Brumell traps up to 40 or so cats a week and brings them to clinics to be spayed or neutered. She says she uses anything stinky, usually tuna and oil, to lure feral cats.

“A feral cat is an abandoned, unsocialized cat,” Brumell said. “It’s not like you’re going to pick it up and it’s going to go purr purr and yes you can take it home. Unfortunately a human did this to them, they allowed them to either be abandoned or get lost, stray, unaltered, which therein lies, makes feral kittens.”

Nine years ago, Brumell created Feral Cat Assistance and Trapping, or FCAT for short. Several days a week, she goes to neighborhoods being overtaken by wild and abandoned cats, traps them, and takes them to free spay/neuter clinics.

Once they’re caught, she takes them to her home where she feeds them and labels their carriers so she knows where each one came from. She brings dozens of cats to the clinics every week. After they’re spayed and neutered, and their ears tipped to identify them as fixed, she keeps them for several days until they’ve recovered.

“My goal would be to just not have any more feral cats,” she said. “But that’s unreachable, I do believe. As long as we have humans, we will always have unaltered, feral cats.  So ultimately it’s just get as many as I possibly can spayed and neutered in the greater Puget Sound area.”

Usually, people are relieved to see Brumell and her traps. Jean Bates was as Brumell set out traps to catch a colony of eight or ten cats in the Rainier Valley.

“Well, really, it’s going to be a big help,” says Bates. “A big help for us.” 

But in many communities, language is a barrier. As a result, Brumell is now looking for people fluent in Korean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Chinese to act as translators. That way she can explain to people where the cats are going, when they’ll be back, and how important it is for them to be spayed and neutered.

“I am not a 501 3-C not for profit. I’m just me. And I just trap, neuter and release feral cats” she said.

If you can help Brumell with her translating needs, you can email her at feraltrapping@gmail.com.

If you have caught feral cats on your own, or have a domestic cat you want spayed or neutered, the Feral Cat Project is open four days a week. There is a suggested donation for pet cats. You can get more information about them by visiting their Web site at http://www.feralcatproject.org/.

http://www.feralcatproject.org/

Rebecca

Country Meadow Ltd.

Eco-Friendly Spa Products

Gentle on your body…

Gentle on the earth…

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Please check out Eco-Worlds
Ten Animals on the Brink of Extinction webpage and find out how you can help!

Amur Leopard

Saiga Antelope

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Spa Products
Gentle on your body…
Gentle on the earth…

www.countrymeadowltd.com