Shaw's Eco-Logic

This HND piece does a quick history of oral hygiene, going way back to the Sumerians in 5000 BC. It may come as a surprise that ancient people had pretty good teeh--assuming that they did not lose them to periodontal disease. All that nasty tooth decay didn't really come in until sugar became a popular item in the diet.

But, if teeth were lost, dentures were available in Roman times, although even the best of them were not too good. Take George Washington, who had a few expensive sets (not made from wood), but even those looked terrible. We then get into toothbrush design, and spotlight a truly unique product in this space.

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This HND piece starts off with a listing of the terrible complications of diabetes, nearly all of which are caused by hyperglycemia creating conditions where blood vessel walls can be damaged. This effect seems to be a result of the glucose content affecting cooperation between the enzymes fatty acid synthase and nitric oxide synthase. We then focus on the nasty problems inherent to diabetic foot.

Foot or toe amputation can be the end result if wounds in those areas heal poorly and become infected. Both, unfortunately are quite possible in diabetics. We conclude with a spotlight on MOTUS Smart, a special boot that allows physicians to monitor the healing progress of their patients foot ulcers.

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This HND piece provides a good introduction to the so-called "Moroccan liquid gold." One of the healthiest vegetable oils out there, it also has excellent properties for topical use on the skin and hair.

We include references to several legit published scientific studies, and tell you about how the native Berber women who extract the stuff also make some money on it—unlike so many other luxury products.

One of the top companies in the business is also highlighted.

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This HND piece examines the inherent conflict between health insurers and healthcare providers. A number of examples are given, then we segue into the matter of free premium content. Since website publishers are constantly looking for more material, what could be better than high-quality pre-written content—free of charge?

The thing is, though, whoever uses the material has to give attribution, but sometimes this is very subtle. As a result, fairly biased stuff can be proffered, all under the guise of a "neutral" website. And, with millions of people searching for health information on the Web, what could possibly go wrong?

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Josh Bloom of the American Council on Science and Health raises this question, and gives a fully documented response. Spoiler: Yes, it can.

It's way past time to put forth counterarguments against the fear entrepreneurs. Isn't funny how those most concerned about getting away from fossil fuels are also the loudest voices against nukes? Sorry folks, but solar and wind power just won't cut it as viable alternatives.

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