Risks of Using Non-stick Pans

Non-stick pans: Silent Killers

Cooking is a feast for the senses. The aromatic smells of garlic and onion. The sizzle of the meat hitting the hot pan.The sneaky tasting spoonful of rich, spicy sauce. And when we cook, it is often for the people we love. It provides us with the opportunity to be generous, and generosity feels good, it gives us happiness. Despite of cooking, what you don't can kill you. I know not all people use non-stick pans. It is a miracle of modern chemistry that you encounter whenever you use non-stick cookware.But cooking in non-stick pans is full of Toxic Materials.

What is a non-stick pan?

 Non-stick pans are those made or coated with materials that prevent food in sticking to the surface.

The first non-stick pans were made using a coating of Teflon. Teflon is DuPont's brand name for polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE but most people use the term generically to refer to nonstick pans. PTFE is a thermoplastic polymer. It gains its properties from the aggregate effect of carbon-flourine as do all fluorocarbons.

 How are non-stick pans dangerous to your health?

The cause of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) toxicity is gaseous emission of the material from nonstick cookware. The brand of cookware does not have to be Teflon. Any brand of Teflon-type non-stick cookware can result in intoxication. 

·      It is harmful to humans  

As Teflon pans become hotter, the chemicals released become more toxic. This outgassing can cause "polymer fume flu" and sometimes called "Teflon flu" in humans. The common symptoms of Teflon flu are headache, nausea, fever, headache and malaise. Usually, symptoms subside within a few days, and chances are many people who have experienced mistaken as flu. However, there are also more serious risks. A non-stick pan left empty to preheat can easily reach 700°F (371°C) within a few minutes. At 680°F (360°C), Teflon pans begin releasing tiny particles of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or C-8. It is a carcinogen, liver toxicant, a developmental toxicant, an immune system toxicant, and also exerts hormonal effects including alteration of thyroid hormone levels.

     ·      It is harmful to pet birds

The gas travels rapidly and birds begin to die or become ill in order of their proximity to the gas source. It is as if a bomb exploded and those closest to the blast receive the brunt of the injury, this is the pattern that PTFE displays. The signs observed are acute death or respiratory distress which may be quickly followed by death.

What if you already have non-stick pans?

If you choose to use Teflon pans or other nonstick cookware, cook with low-to-medium heat and do not preheat the pans. Non-stick pans are not recommended if you keep pet birds. An alternate to non-stick pans is cookware with baked enamel or porcelain interiors, which do not stick and cook food wonderfully. I highly recommend stainless steel and cast iron as great alternatives to non-stick cooking surface.

WARNING :  The best course is prevention. To avoid this catastrophe, be careful in choosing cookware.

Nature's Way

What can be more inspiring than nature? I'm a great lover of nature and I admire its superb beauty. After a bit, I think the best way to exemplify my thoughts would be to show photos of some of the Amazing Natures in the world. 

BLUE GROTTO

It is on several sea caves, worldwide, that is flooded with a brilliant blue or emerald . The quality and nature of the color in each cave is determined by the unique lighting conditions in that particular cave. Sunlight, passing through an underwater cavity and shining through the seawater, creates a blue reflection that illuminates the cavern.

GREEN LAKE

Fish swimming over wooden benches, a grass-covered bottom, trees, roads and even bridges create a surreal setting that feels like it belongs on dry ground. That’s because for half of the year, that’s exactly where it’s at. Austria’s Green Lake in the Hochschwab Mountains is a hiking trail in the winter. The snow melts in early summer and creates a completely clear lake. The lake has a grassy bottom, complete with underwater trails, park benches, and bridges.

DEVIL'S TOWER                             

In reality, geologists agree that Devils Tower was formed by the intrusion of igneous material, but they cannot agree on how, exactly, that process took place. Several geologists believe the molten rock comprising the Tower might not have surfaced; other researchers are convinced the tower is all that remains of what once was a large explosive volcano.

IGUAZU FALLS                      

Iguazu falls are waterfall of the Iguazu River that flows on the border of Brazilian State Parana and Argentine Province Misiones. The falls divided the River into the Upper and Lower Iguazu. The name Iguazu comes from the Guarani or Tupi words which means "big water". Legend has it that a God planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipi, who fled with her mortal lover Taroba in canoe. In rage, the god sliced the river, creating waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.

ANTELOPE CANYON

America’s south-west is scored with numerous sleek slot canyons, narrow fissures in the rock eroded by water and wind over the millenniums. Antelope canyon is the most visited and most photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest. Antelope Canyon includes two separate, photogenic slot canyon sections, referred to individually as Upper Canyon or The Crack, and The Lower Antelope Canyon ot The Corkscrew.The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tse bighanilini, which means "the place where water run through rocks" while Lower Antelope Canyon is Hazdistaz, or "spiral rock arches". Both are located within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation.

MCWAY FALLS

McWay Falls is an 80-foot waterfall located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park that falls directly into the Pacific Ocean that is ofetn refered to as "tidefalls"

    GREAT BLUE HOLE

Like a giant pupil in a sea of turquoise, The Blue Hole is a perfectly circular limestone sinkhole more than 300 feet across and 412 feet deep makes it a bottomless pit. The array of bizarre stalactites and limestone formations which mould its walls seem to become more intricate and intense the deeper one dives. The diameter of the circular reef area stretches for about 1,000 feet and provides an ideal habitat for corals to attach and flourish. The Great Ble Hole in Belize is a Mecca for those wanting to dive among these giant stalactites and stalagmites, which were formed during the Last Ice Age.

PALAU ISLANDS

Palau is an archipelago of about 300 islands of which only 9 are inhabited. The total population is about 25,000 people. The island group is located about 600 miles east of the Philippines. It's most well known among marine biologists and avid scuba divers for its its massive coral walls, underwater caves, and even sunken planes and ships from World War II. Underwater visibility around Palau's pristine islands can be up to 200 feet (60 meters)

CHOCOLATE HILLS                                  

It is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines. It is composed of around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills. They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name.

I hope that the coming generations continue to keep this wonderful places protected.

When Anxiety Goes Wrong and Dealing with it

   An Appointment with Anxiety

Got an exam? Have an interview for your first job? Will be having a blind date? You tend to feel nervous, tense and worried. It's normal to to feel these things during an encounter with a challenging situation, Anxiety. It is a normal human emotion that people experience at times. But if your worries and fears seem overwhelming and interfere with your daily life, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

UNDERSTANDING ANXIETY DISORDER

Anxiety is different from just a feeling of nervousness. Feeling with anxiety disorder suffer from depression, and they may be also abused achohol and use of drugs to gain relief from their symptoms.If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

• Are you constantly tense, nervous and feel restless?
• Do you feel like danger and catastrophe are approaching everywhere?
• Do you believe that something bad will happen if things did not happen in a certain way?
• Does your anxiety affect you in your school, work or family responsibilities?
  
• Are you plagued by fears that you know are irrational, but can't shake?

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY DISORDER

Because anxiety disorders are a group of related conditions rather than a single disorder, they can look very different from person to person. Despite their different forms, all anxiety disorders share one major symptom: persistent or severe fear or worry in situations where most people wouldn’t feel threatened.


EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY


In addition to the primary symptoms of irrational and excessive fear and worry, other common emotional symptoms of anxiety include:

• Feeling of Apprehension or dread
• Trouble concentrating
• Feeling tense and jumpy
• Anticipating the worst
• Irritablity
• Restlessness
• Watching signs of danger
• Feeling like your minds gone blank

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY

Anxiety is more than just a feeling. As a product of the body’s fight-or-flight response, anxiety involves a wide range of physical symptoms. Because of the numerous physical symptoms, anxiety sufferers often mistake their disorder for a medical illness.

Common physical symptoms of anxiety include:

• Pounding heart
• Sweating
• Stomach upset or dizziness
• Frequent urination or diarrhea
• Shortness of breath

• Tremors and twitches
• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Insomnia

SELF-HELP FOR ANXIETY ATTACKS AND ANXIETY DISORDERS

Not everyone who worries a lot has an anxiety disorder. You may be anxious because of an overly demanding schedule, lack of exercise or sleep, pressure at home or work, or even from too much coffee.

The bottom line is that if your lifestyle is unhealthy and stressful, you’re more likely to feel anxious—whether or not you have an anxiety disorder. So if you feel like you worry too much, take some time to evaluate how well you’re caring for yourself

• Make time for relaxation and fun
• Challenge your negative thoughts
• Write your worries, accept uncertainty, enjoy good things happening in your life
• Adopt healthy eating habits, reduce alchohol and nicotine
• Take care of yourself, exercise regularly, get enough sleep

While self-help coping strategies for anxiety can be very effective, if your worries, fears, or anxiety attacks have become so great that they’re causing extreme distress or disrupting your daily routine, it is important to seek professional help.

If you’re experiencing a lot of physical anxiety symptoms, consider getting a medical checkup. Your doctor can check to make sure that your anxiety isn’t caused by a medical condition, such as a thyroid problem, hypoglycemia, or asthma. Since certain drugs and supplements can cause anxiety, your doctor will also want to know about any prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbal remedies, and recreational drugs you’re taking.

If your physician rules out a medical cause, the next step is to consult with a therapist who has experience treating anxiety attacks and anxiety disorders. The therapist will work with you to determine the cause and type of your anxiety disorder and devise a course of treatment.