Pink Girl = Pink Eye

Always a lover of anything pink, these green eyes went pink over the weekend, and that could never be good. A quick visit to the MD and the diagnosis: pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis. Teaching at a college, many of my students have young children, and apparently young children get pink eye. Does this mean I am much younger then I thought or just young at heart?

A clean fanatic, these hands get washed way too often, and after teaching from a classroom computer, Purell is used to remove any germs left on these hands; even at the grocery store a Clorox wipe is used to clean the cart prior to pushing it. As a way to kill germs from pink eye, Lysol Spray and Clorox Wipes covered many a surface at home, auto and office.

But what about the eyes themselves? Nothing to fear, Zylet is here. Zylet is Loteprednol, in a class of drugs called corticosteroids. Loteprednol inhibits processes in the body that cause inflammation (swelling) and contains Tobramycin, an antibiotic used to treat eye inflammation caused by surgery, infection, allergies or small children. In a few short days, actually 24 hours, these pink eyes will turn green again. Eye makeup can be worn again. I will feel like myself again.
Photo attribution: somewhatfortyplus

Flaxseed Oil Promotes Health

Flaxseed oil should be on the top of your grocery list this week as a way of helping to prevent inflammation and heart disease. In addition to raising one's "good" cholesterol (HDL), it also plays a role in the prevention of cancer. Obtained from the seed of the flax plant, thought to have originated in Egypt, flaxseed grows throughout Canada and the northwestern United States. Once harvested, flaxseeds appear golden in color.

But why do you need it? Flaxseed oil contains 50% to 60% omega-3 fatty acids, double the amount contained in fish oil. Rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that appears to be beneficial for heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and a variety of other health conditions, flaxseed oil is a healthy addition to anyone's diet. According to the Center for Disease Control, flaxseed is most commonly used as a laxative but is also used for hot flashes, breast pain and arthritis. Two 1000 milligram capsules pass these lips daily to control inflammation and blepharitis, a somewhat troublesome inflammation of the eyelids. Using flaxseed oil supplements (omega-3 fatty acid) stabilizes eyelid oil secretions associated with blepharitis.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, "ALA, as well as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), belongs to a group of substances called omega-3 fatty acids" which have been found to promote cognitive and behavioral function and normal growth and development. "EPA and DHA are found primarily in fish while ALA is mostly found in flaxseed oil and other vegetable oils." By adding flaxseed oil capsules to your daily supplements you will notice a decrease in inflammation. Available locally or here for $19.99 for 1000 capsules, it costs only three cents per day to prevent serious health situations. Check it out.

Photo attribution: certified su