Type 2 diabetes
I am concerned about what we as Westerners are doing to people in Asia. Another story has appeared in the paper about the increase in Type 2 diabetes in Asian countries. It is due in part to the introduction of fast food to those countries and the decrease in exercise. In India, they have found that the women have a genetic predisposition for the disease and now that they are eating out more often, are suseptible to the disease. It is not going to be leprosy that causes amputations, but the US.
My daughters are Chinese and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes in China is up to 23 million people affected. I am watching what my children eat and try to be sure that they get enough exercise, but is this something that they have to look forward to that they might not have if they had remained in China?
It is predicted that the increase in diabetes will by 90% in the next few years. I think that we need to stop shipping our eating habits abroad and actually have those countries teach us a few things.
Cockroaches and Silverfish :( :(
Cockroaches and silverfish are disgusting. They are visible at night and like warm spaces such as the cracks in your walls and can fit into gaps that are as small as 1/16th of an inch. We as homeowners don't normally know that they exist in our homes until they are seen during the day. When that occurs, it is a sign that the numbers have grown to large proportions. They love to eat starchy items such as book bindings and wallpaper glue. We might find them living in stacks of papers and cardboard boxes. Oh my! My house could be so infected as my husband keeps all books and newspaper pages that he has had a picture published in.
There are a number of kinds of cockroaches, the most common one being the German cockroach.
Silverfish are wingless insects that can destroy book collections and clothing due in part to the fact that they can live up to a year without food.
If you are asthmatic, then you might also react to roach saliva as well as roach feces and body parts. Vacuuming can trigger an attach. The decaying bodies of silverfish and their excrement release tropomyosin, which acts as an allergen.
Roaches carry bacteria and viruses such as streptococcus and dysentary. They may also carry Salmonella.
So aside from the diseases that these critters may carry, what makes them harmful? The pest control products that are used to control them have historically be dangerous for the environment and for living creatures. A lot of the commerical products are comprised of chlorpyrifos, propoxur and pyrethrins. All of these have been known to cause unwanted health effects such as numbness, tingling, blurred vision, CNS, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. Most of these have been banned, but you may still have them in your home and not know it. These are also highly toxic to the environment and the wildlife that is in it. Some products may remain in the soil for up to a year.
What are the alternatives? Boric acid, borax, silica gel and diatomaceous earth are the least toxic pesticides. Silica gel is one of the most readily available products. The little packets that you find in your vitamins that are meant to keep them fresh, save them as they are a deterrent for silverfish. Deprive roaches of water and food. Keep things tightly sealed, including your garbarge cans. Make sure that there are no drips or leaks. Keep your home free of old newspapers, magazines, cardboard boxes and used grocery bags. These are favorites of those pests.
A recipe for roach bait--
1 c. boric acid or Borax
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. ground oats.
Mix in a piece of folded cardboard.
Keep down the humidity in the home to defer silverfish. You can even microwave books, except those with gilded edges or metallic pain.
Have a happy and safe home.
