There are other old texts that show that herbal birth control was brewed into teas.  They used the leaves of pennyroyal (a type of mint) and parts of many plants that look like weeds to be like a modern day morning after pill.  Juniper berries, willow bark, mugwort, aloe, anise, dittany and certain ferns were all used. Seeds from the plant Queen Anne’s lace or from pomegranates were eaten for the same reason.  Figs were also believed to help with birth control.  During the Middle Ages and Renaissance these plant solutions were used.  Even in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia plays with the herb rue, which is a weed used for abortion.  Rue is found in many parts of North America and has been used by natives for centuries to help end pregnancies.

What sorts of contraptions were used for protection to prevent pregnancies back in the old days?  Illustrations dated thousands of years back show old men using condoms.  However, the earliest condom found dates to 1640.  It was made of sheep intestines.  In 1843, Goodyear began mass production of rubber condoms.

Female condoms, also known as cervical dams, have been around for millennia.  They have included seedpods, oiled paper, seaweed, lemon or pomegranate halves, beeswax, and even moss.  History records the use of spermicidal potions made from oils, vinegar, rock salt, wine and herbs.

Superstition and ignorance about the properties of certain ingredients played roles in some of these birth-control methods.  Modern research on animals shows that some of these ingredients would have resulted in lower pregnancy rates or increased instances of miscarriage.  However, some of these substances are also toxic, which could have rendered the birth-control benefits moot.

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The reference to this old myth originates from the 1574 book written by John Withals who was mostly known for writing dictionaries. In this book, he writes that “Fasting is a great remedie of feuer.”  The feeding a cold part of this remedy must have been an added extension as this was passed from generation.

So does this work?  Can a person really starve a fever and feed a cold?  Well, it might. Generally, fevers cause a loss of appetite anyway.  This is a person’s body trying to use the energy that would have been used to digest the food to fight the fever.  A study performed by Dutch scientists at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam found that fasting can help the body fight fever-causing bacteria.  However, eating food does help strengthen the immune system.  A strong immune system is beneficial before a person is sick, so fasting while sick could help a person get rid of their fever sooner.  Once a person gets a cold, eating more probably will not help anymore.

A person should avoid fighting their body’s desire to eat, however.  Starvation is generally not sound advice, especially if your body is telling you to eat.  Beyond eating, hydration is especially important when a person is sick.   There is little evidence to suggest that either method is the next immediate cure to sickness. However, it is important to try to take preventative measures to stop a sickness before it happens.

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Thinking about death is something that most people tend to avoid.  However there are others, known as thanatologists, who cannot get enough of it.  Journalists have even tackled this issue.  Anna Gosline wrote an article for The New Scientist in 2007.  Here is a sampling of her findings:

• Bleeding to death.  This form of suicide was a favorite for Roman aristocracy.  The Romans would hop in a warm tub and cut a vein and wait to be carried off into the afterlife, full of satisfaction.  Some of the stages before death include weakness, thirst, anxiety, dizziness and confusion.
• Burning to death. When most people are trapped in a burning fire, it is usually the fumes released that kills.  However, for the unlucky ones who die directly from fire there is a lot of suffering.  The inflammatory response to burns drastically increases the pain associated.
• Decapitation.  This seems relatively painless, unless you are Margaret Pole, the Countless of Salisbury, who fought her executioner in 1541 and was hit eleven times with an axe before succumbing. Death occurs in less than seven seconds – which is when the oxygen in the brain is exhausted.  This means that you live for a few seconds after the blow – however we have not had any firsthand witnesses attest to this scientific speculation.  It is hard to gather a group of interested individuals for a headless focus group.
• Falling.  This is like drowning and most people are scared of these two events, mostly because it can happen in everyday life.  There have been some survivors and they report the feeling of time slowing down and being super-alert to try to maintain an upright position on impact, much like cats.
• Hanging. This method of dying is relatively painless and quick.  The most pain occurs on the wait for the rope to be pulled.  However, if the noose is loosely tied, then the struggle can be very uncomfortable.

There are many other forms of dying that can be just as bad.  Still to discuss is crucifixion, lethal injection, electric chair, dying in a casket and many other forms of deaths.  It’s time to stop discussing this disconcerting topic.  Surely Anna Gosline is available to continue.

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Men often wonder why they should always be the one responsible for putting the seat up and down.  Why can’t women simply raise the toilet seat when they are finished?  Women propose a counterargument by stating that they do enough work around the house to justify a man expending extra energy to put the toilet seat down.  Furthermore, the risk of falling into a urine-damp rim or falling into the toilet outweighs the inconvenience posed upon men for raising and lowering the lid.

At first, it may seem that men are simply lethargic, which could be true.  However, rather than saying lazy, men can call it being efficient.  Here’s why:

Biologists know that there are many attributes that humans develop to conserve energy.  This includes a trait known as bipedalism.  This paradigm of conserving energy is necessary and beneficial to the survival of mankind.  It is possible that men decide to leave the toilet seat up simply because they are conserving energy – in line for the next evolutionary step in mankind.  What is this next step?  Who knows, but it could have a couch and TV.

This seems to be at the defense of men; however, this does not do justice for the women out there who are haunted by recurring nightmares of that bathroom trip that ended in peril.  Fortunately, this dilemma has been the subject of academic papers.

Richard Harter, a retired mathematician from South Dakota decided to address this problem in a 1998 paper.  In his research, he included variables such as a woman’s compliance to agree to raise the toilet seat.  Harter concluded that the most efficient and fair solution would be for the man to put the seat down exactly half of the time.

In 2007, Hammad Al-Sabah Siddiqi, an economist from Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan, decided to input his thoughts.   Siddiqi argued that it is because of the nagging of wives and the social norm associated with men putting the seat down that men leave the seat down, despite it being less efficient.

There is little end in sight for this great debate.  Even if the sexes come to a truce, the focus will then shift to other issues (watch out in-laws!).

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Carpenter ants are one of the largest of the ants.  They can have wings, but not always.  If a person notices winged carpenter ants, then this could indicate that a nest is nearby.  Wingless ants or small clusters of ants could indicate that they are in search of food and the nest may not be nearby.

Carpenter ants tend to live in moist environment in wood.   They hollow out the inside of their nest and leave traces of sawdust near the entrance of their nest.  These ants can create satellite colonies near their main nest that are typically smaller.

Carpenter ants can damage a wooden structure and this can be bad news for a homeowner if signs of their presence exist.  Knowing that carpenter ants live in moist environments means that a person can reduce their risk of being inhabited by controlling leaks and other sources of dampness.  They should also try to eliminate the contact between soil and wood and keep trees and shrubbery around the house trimmed.  Damaged or dead wood should be removed from near the house.  Tree stumps can also provide an ideal environment for carpenter ants or termites.

If a person notices any carpenter ants on their property, a pest control professional should be notified immediately.  The professional can detect the nest by following a hollow noise that results in tapping on the walls around the nest.  Boric acid or other insecticide can kill these ants before removing the damaged wood.  Baits are a useful tool for killing carpenter ants when nests are not easily located.

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Termites that live on the soil are called Subterranean termites. A person can trace their presence by looking for mud tubes that connect their home to their food sources.   These tubes help protect them while they travel and serve as a pathway for ease of travel.

Termites can also live on the wood that they feed upon.  This type of termite is called Drywood termites.  If a person notices any cracks, leaks or holes on wood on or near their house, they should notify a professional immediately.  Dead wood and tree trunks can provide great feeding places for termites.  A termite preventative measure is to make sure that these items are not near a house.

Termites can live as deep as 15-25 feet underground and as far as 50 yards or more from a person’s house.  Termites like to live in environments that provide both and moisture and food.  They also need to be protected from extreme climates.  Finally, they should provide protection from enemies.  These survival tactics help termite professionals detect where termites live so that proper termite control can be implemented.

Some techniques to find termites include looking for their signs such as feces.  Instead of killing visible termites, a person should locate the nest where termites live and nurse young termite larvae. However, disregarding a termite’s presence can be bad news for a homeowner.    Seeking a termite professional is the best option.

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Vitamin B-12 shots are also called cobalamin injections and were originally used to treat people with anemia.  This vitamin is not easily absorbed by the body, which is why shots seem to be a viable solution.  Vitamin B-12 is found in mostly dairy and meat products.  B-12 helps produce red blood cells and keeps a person’s nervous system functioning properly.

People at risk for Vitamin B-12 deficiency include vegetarians who do not eat meat or dairy products.  Ironically, most people that have low vitamin B-12 are not vegetarians, but rather have trouble absorbing this vitamin from their stomach or small intestines.  There are some symptoms that show if a person might have a Vitamin B-12 deficiency.

These shots are designed to specifically treat those with a B-12 insufficiency.  There is no evidence that Vitamin B-12 in any form, including injections, can improve weight loss.  A study that may support vitamin B-12 and weight loss suggested that participants who took a number of supplements, including Vitamin B-12, gained weight more slowly over a duration of ten years than those who did not take supplements.   There are many factors to be considered when interpreting these results – one being that people who take dietary supplements tend to be more health conscious than those who do not.  This same argument can hold true for the claims associated with healthy skin and energy levels.

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A common practice of misidentification occurs when a person mistakes an ant for a termite.  Let’s begin by noticing some key differences between these two insects.

First, a termite reproductive goes through the normal insect cycle of egg, nymph and adult – much like humans start as a baby, progress to a teenager and end being an adult.  However, ants will start off as an egg, turn into larvae, then a pupa and finally the adult stage.

Another important distinction occurs between the wings of these different species.   Both ants and termites have four wings, but termite wings are the same size, whereas ants will have the front wings larger than the back.  A quick way to tell if you have termites is to see if there are a lot of leftover wings from a swarm of insects.  Termite wings tend to fall off fairly easy, so this is a sure sign that there could be a problem.

There are a few other distinctions to help a person identify a termite.  The antennae of termites look almost straight – ants tend to have a slight elbow, or bend.  The wings of a termite are also about twice as long as their bodies.  The torsos of ants tend to be more narrow and segmented than that of a termite.  If you notice any black dots on the wings of the insect, then it is most likely an ant rather than a termite.

If any of these signs are indicative of a termite then it is important that you seek proper professional help before this infestation becomes harmful.  There are many treatment options for getting rid of termites.  Now that you know what termites look like, you are prepared to eradicate them.

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