Are refrigerators dangerous to ferrets?

Small...but very tricky

They can be. I've read before how a ferret can get into a refrigerator's fan blades and get hurt and possibly killed. But I didn't really understand how easy this is until I had to pull my fridge back from the wall, unplug the power cord, and retrieve a piece of plastic that gotten stuck in the fan. It was then that I realized how big the blades are, how fast they turn, and how much damage this could cause the average overly-curious ferret.

BTW, the picture above illustrates just how small Chloe is compared to the average ferret. I have visited pet stores (I don't advocate buying a ferret from a pet store ever: 1.they don't keep them properly--ferrets need a quiet, dark, and enclosed sleep environment and plenty of out-of-cage time--and 2. there are too many ferrets in shelters that need to be adopted) and seen young kits that are much larger than Chloe and she is definitely as big as she will ever get (thank goodness).



Chloe the ferret - a Mini Blog about Ferrets

The Sweetener Stevia and Diet Soda

It was several years ago, I believe, that I first began to hear about Stevia. From what I understand, Stevia is a zero calorie herb that has been used in Paraguay for centuries as a natural sweetner. Stevia extracts are reportedly three hundred times sweeter than sugar.

Of special interest to individuals with diabetes, of course, is that stevia has a neglible effect on blood glucose levels. Diabetics currently have a range of artificially sweetened deserts and candies available to them. However, many of them are sweetened with sugar alcohols that, while they have a lesser effect on glucose than sugar, nonetheless still affect glucose levels (and many have "disquieting" gastrointestinal side effects).

I don't claim to know the history on Stevia. But for some reason, Stevia was banned for use in the U.S. as a food, meaning that it, likewise, cannot be used in food. It can be brought in for use as a supplement, though...How this makes sense, I don't know. If the ban on stevia use in food concerns the issue of safety, then, logically, Stevia shouldn't be avaible for importation for any purpose.

The Coca-Cola company would seem to be an advocate for Stevia and reportedly has the aim of pushing the FDA to change the way it views this natural sweetener. Why? So it may market new products using Stevia. Which may not be a bad thing since aspartame breaks down into aspartic acid, an excitotoxin and formaldehyde (however, it should be said that the scientific evidence, to date, does not conclude that it is possible to consume enough aspartame to cause problems with regard to formaldehyde and blood levelf of aspartic acid).

What's interesting for me is that Stevia has been shown in lab studies to have the potenial for improving insulin sensitivity and even the potential for promoting the production of insulin. If these early indications pan out, Stevia could be a boon to type I and type II diabetics as well as beneficial to soft drink makers and other companies desiring to cash in on a natural sweetening agent.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids - its not hype

There is a plethora of nutrition information out there and much of it, unfortunately, focuses on claims that range from the dubious to the preposterous.

Lately, the buzz is all about Omega-3’s and our deficiency in this micro nutrient. While you may want to ignore all the nutrition propaganda in the headlines, a recent article states that you should listen to, and head the information about, Omega-3’s .

The article, written by CityNews.ca, referenced the study “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease” which was released by The American Heart Association in 2002. The study showed tremendous evidence that Omega-3’s decreased triglyceride levels, decreased the risk of arrhythmias, lowered blood pressure, and decreased growth rates of atherosclerotic plaques.

Omega-3 fatty acids are also thought to offer positive, and potentially healing, effects for medical conditions such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, menstrual pain, Crohn’s Disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and migraines.

To get your dose of Omega-3’s, eat plenty of fresh wild salmon, sardines, cod, herring, krill oil, anchovies, and mackerel. Some dairy products also add Omega-3’s (check labels to find the healthiest dairy products, though).

If you are a vegetarian, you can get your Omega-3’s from Omega-3 eggs and if you are vegan, or follow a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, good sources of this nutrient include flaxseed, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts.

Would I ever undergo Lasik?

At this point, I would have to say no. And by that I mean hell no. Here's why: roughly 2-3 percent of Lasik patients experience complications. What do complications include? They can include blurred vision, dry eyes, ghosting (where something is seen in overlapping copies of itself) and visual quality that, according to one recent report in my local newspaper, is equivalent to attempting to see through a grease-smeared, cracked pane of glass.

Two to three percent might seem like an acceptably low margin for some people. But, frankly, as far as I am concerned, it's about ten times too high. Try consoling yourself with such statistics if you end up as one of the unlucky patients with lifelong visual defects as a result.

I actually went to a Lasik screening about a year ago at no cost. The screening did seem fairly thorough and exhaustive. One thing I didn't like about it, however, is that it had the feeling of factory production.

Nope. My eyes are not widgets to be adjusted on someone's high volume production floor.

Postscript: some individuals who have had complications and deterioration of their vision following Lasik have been helped by a Michigan optometrist, Ed Boshnick. Dr. Boshnick, as the Raleigh News and Observer reports, has had success fitting patients with special contact lenses that can restore the shape of the cornea and either eliminate or improve the visual defects caused by the Lasik procedure.

Dietary vitamin E can boost physical health for the elderly

We all know that vitamin E is a great antioxidant that protects the body against free radical damage and helps in the formation of red blood cells, but according to an article from BBC it may also help those 65 and older from physical decline that happens with age.

The article noted a study that was performed by Yale University School of Medicine, which appeared earlier in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In the study, 698 volunteers had their blood measured for vitamin levels and performed tests over a three year period on shorts walks and standing form a seated position, as well as balance.

Though the article stated that researchers decided that dietary vitamin E may be help reduce decline for the elderly, it also stated that they could not say why it helped keep the body healthy.

Only one person in the study was noted as taking vitamin E supplements, so they could not conclude that supplemental vitamin E would show the same effects.

To get a healthy amount of vitamin E in your diet, consume plenty of nuts, olives, leafy greens and seeds. As with anything, too much vitamin E can have negative effects at any age.

Getting more fiber in your diet

Here's a new article by Opal Tribble (which you'll also find placed on the homepage for Vitaminstuff).

The article is titled "Dietary Fiber: Benefits of Adding Fiber to the Diet " and it provides a useful discussion of the benefits of both soluble and insoluble fiber.

One line in the article that stuck in my mind was this: "Consuming large amounts of soluble fiber has an added benefit for those suffering from diabetes; soluble fiber slows down the absorption of glucose by the small intestines".

I knew this intuitively, but hadn't given it much recent thought. However, this is why a low GI style of stealing (see the article by Opal titled " The Glycemic Index System for Ranking Carbohydrates") is beneficial for individuals with either type I or type II diabetes. And, if you'll notice, a lot of foods that have a low glycemic index rating (the lower the number, the better) are fiber rich foods.

Here's the article: " Dietary Fiber: Benefits of Adding Fiber to the Diet ".



To read more articles written by Opal Tribble

Protein Burns More Energy

The last post was about low carbs and low carb dieting. "Lower carb" diets such as Atkins and the South Beach diet (I used the term lower carb since Atkins is much more strict regarding actual grams of carb intake while South Beach focuses on the types of carbs that are ingested) usually involve a higher protein intake.

Well, here's an interesting factoid regarding protein consumption and low carb dieting. According to Dr. Jeff Volek at the University of Connecticut, the simple act of increasing one's consumption of dietary protein may have an effect on weight loss.

This is because protein is not an ideal energy source for the body. It is more difficult to break down than carbohydrate and, thus, it requires more energy, i.e. calories.

Low Carb Diet versus Low Fat Diet

This debate may never be settled. What is more effective, a low carb diet or a low fat diet? Mind you, the question was not "what is healthier?", but, rather, what is more effective for weight loss?

My own personal experience tells me that, to achieve significant and sustained weight loss, a low carb diet is best. In fact, whenever I wanted to drop weight quickly in the past (e.g. sports), I lowered my intake of carb grams and over several weeks I lost substantial weight, though I am sure the initial weight loss was mostly water. According to the journal, Nutrition and Metabolism, seven out of ten male subjects in one study lost more weight on a low carb diet versus a low fat diet.

Some individuals, of course, will immediately jump to the conclusion that a low carb must naturally be high in saturated fat. Where they get this idea, however, I haven't a clue. A person can adjust their diet to lower their carb count while not allowing their fat intake to rise to unadvisable levels. The trick is to eat lean meats and include dietary food choices such as legumes. However, it should also be pointed out that not all fat is bad. While trans fat should be eliminated from one's diet, monounsaturated fats are good fats that offer distinct advantages.