Whether she is speaking, writing or broadcasting, Sandy Weeks is one of those
rare (oh how rare, trust me!) human beings who can take a highly specialised and
complex scientific topic and synthesise it into easy-to-understand useable (and as
a bonus, entertaining) information for the rest of us.
Hot to Trot is a marvellous place to find the "missing pieces" in the jigsaw of life -
the answers to those questions we all have about our bodies, our health and wellbeing,
such as: "Do I need to take vitamin supplements?"; "Will too much
cholesterol kill me?"; "What are free radicals?"; "Am I taking too many
antibiotics?"; "What is genetically engineered food?"
You will find Hot to Trot a source of comfort. It will lay to rest some myths, equip
you to face life and make choices armed with soundly-based knowledge. You will
feel less in awe of scientific and medical jargon and you will be vastly entertained
by the richness and humour of Sandy's style… As she often says - enjoy!!
Carole Whitelock- ABC Radio
Sample page
CAN A COMPOUND BE MEDICINAL?
Lilly the Pink
We'll drink, a drink, a drink,
To Lilly the Pink, the Pink, the Pink,
Saviour of the human race,
She invented Medicinal Compound,
Most efficacious in every case...
In 1873, the small town of Lynn, in Massachusetts, found fifty four year old
Lydia Estes Pinkham formulating a 'Vegetable Compound' that would cure all
female weaknesses. Mrs Pinkham's magic brew was soon proclaimed as 'the
greatest remedy in the world', and would make her millions as a panacea for
virtually any complaint. The Pinkham family were grossing thirty thousand dollars
per month from the sale of the Compound by 1881.
Mrs Pinkham was the image of everyone's old mother, and her sympathetic
face appeared on every bottle and in virtually every newspaper in the United
States. She encouraged the women of the nation to write to her with their
troubles, and write to her they did, in droves, and all received letters from her in
return - even after she died in 1883!
There was no doubt that her Compound was popular, but it probably had
more to do with the fact that two bottles of the mixture were the equivalent of one
bottle of whisky... so was born, Lilly the Pink.
***********************
VITAMIN A (Retinol)
Does butter really make it better?
Some centuries ago, when the people of Denmark finally turned their
attentions from raping and pillaging to the more gentle act of churning butter, an
escalating demand from neighbouring countries forced butter prices to soar beyond
all reason. Germany in particular, always eager to snatch the best, was willing to
pay prices no other could afford, bolstering the export of Danish butter to a point
where even the Danes were unable to purchase their own product. It didn't take
too long before Denmark could no longer turn a blind eye, in fact, its people were
turning both of them to night blindness. It marked the onset of an eye affliction
called xerophthalmia - and this one was emerging to sweep the country by storm.
It was also an affliction that was unheard of in Germany, the country that loved its
butter and would outbid its neighbours to get it. This was the only link the
struggling medical fraternity could conclude in their desperation to solve the
puzzle, and managed to persuade the Danish government to regulate butter prices
so it was once again, affordable to the Danish people. Within twelve months the
number of cases of xerophthalmia became negligible. The medical fraternity had
saved its precious face. Vitamin A had been discovered.
What else does it do?
Chemically speaking, vitamin A is an antioxidant as it prevents the oxidation
or formation of harmful compounds produced when our body digests food. In other
words, it stops things from 'going off'. It plays an important role maintaining
healthy, unblemished skin, contributes to normal reproduction and of course, as
the Danes discovered, is essential for night vision. There is now strong evidence
supporting this vitamin not only in an anti-cancer role, but as a treatment for
asthma, especially when it hobnobs with its chums, vitamins C and E, also powerful
antioxidants. These vitamins, when they do get together, really lead the procession
that protects us against the little nasties waiting to jump on board when our
defences are down. Think of them as outstanding fighter pilots signifying AC........ |