Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Barley is February’s Grain of the Month

An ancient king give 3 people barleyBarley


The Whole Grains Council has declared BARLEY to be the grain of the month of February.

You know barley as that grain floating in canned vegetable beef soup. It’s been a common and healthy part of the human diet since prehistoric times.

Ashnan, the Sumerian Goddess of Barley, was worshiped lest the population starve. Barley was the main food in ancient Mesopotamia and a large part of Roman gladiators’ diet. Although it was one of the earliest domesticated grains, barley is now most often grown as animal feed or to produce malt for alcoholic beverages.

Barley is an important crop in dry, high-altitude areas, particularly in highly saline poor soils where other grains are difficult to grow. It is raised as a human food crop in north Africa, the Near East, the Andes, and the Baltic States.

To prepare barley seeds for cooking, the tough husk around the seed is removed, leaving the bran. The grains may then be malted, a process that involves soaking in water until the seeds germinate, then drying them with hot air. Malted barley is the source of the sugars that are fermented into beer and other alcoholic beverages. When the bran is removed and the interior kernel polished, it is called pearl barley.

Barley has a large amount of fiber, including the solublefiber that helps control blood sugar and reduces the risk of heart disease. Barley can help reduce blood pressure as well as lower plasma lipids (cholesterol).

Barley is firm and chewy; it tastes somewhat nutty. It can be used in place of rice in dishes such as curries, pilafs, risottos, salads and stir fries. You will find it packaged near the rice in the grocery store. Why not cook some up today?

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Displays and Exhibits for Healthinfo Island for February 2025

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits in Second Life using the SLURLs in this post. Click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images.  If you click each poster, you will get a private message with additional information and live links.

FEBRUARY is Heart Health Month. All of this month's poster sets relate to heart health!

Central Pavilion of Healthinfo Island
Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24


Heart Attack - Lady lying on a couch
Heart Attack
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22


Heart Arrhythmias
Heart Arrhythmias
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24


Cardiac Rehabilitation Week - picture of biologic heart

Cardiac Rehabilitation Week
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22


Cardiovascular Professionals Week - graphic of heart
Cardiovascular Professionals Week
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24


Congestive Heart Failure - 2 heart pictures
Congestive Heart Failure
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26


Atrial Fibrillation - floral background
Atrial Fibrillation
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28


Angina - Arm clutching a chest
Angina
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30


Is Alcohol Good For Your Heart?
Is Alcohol Good For Your Heart?
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Oats are January’s Grain of the Month

The Whole Grains Council has declared OATS to be the grain of the month of January.

Wild oats were eaten by prehistoric humans before they became a domestic crop. In fact, oats did not become a crop grain until after wheat and barley were already domesticated. The Romans brought oats as a crop to the British Isles. Oats being better adapted to cool wet climates than other grains, they became an important crop.

However, they were now well respected initially. Samuel Johnson defined oats in his famous 1755 dictionary as “A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland appears to support the people.” The Scottish rebuttal explained, “That’s why England has such good horses, and Scotland has such fine men!”

Europe has been the major producer of oats for human consumption, but climate change has severely impacted production in the past couple of years. Although oats are still mainly used as animal feed, their popularity as a breakfast food has grown.

Oat seeds are prepared in various ways for cooking. Old-fashioned (regular) oats have been steamed and flattened or rolled. Instant oats are precooked, dried, and flattened to make them quicker to cook. Most oats sold for human consumption are a whole grain, maintaining all their nutritional value.

Eating oatmeal can help with appetite control, as they keep you feeling fuller longer. They help with blood pressure control and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Oats are also good for your skin, applied externally! It’s an exfoliant, anti-inflammatory, and a popular home remedy for itchy dry skin.

Oats are tasty, with a sweet, almost nutty flavor. Why not cook some up and enjoy them today? 

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Medical Mnemonics and Other Useful Advice

Mnemonics are memorization tools. They are short lists of letters or words that help you recall important related facts. You may have learned this one in grade school to help you recall the names of the planets in order:

  • My - Mercury

  • Very - Venus

  • Educated - Earth

  • Mother - Mars

  • Just - Jupiter

  • Sent - Saturn

  • Us - Uranus

  • Nine - Neptune

  • Pizzas - Pluto


A group called Geeky Medics has put together a site for medical professionals called “Medical Mnemonics.” Although geared to doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, it contains a great deal of information valuable to lay people as well. Here are some examples.


Under Clinical Skills, the Communications section includes the SPIKES mnemonic for how to break bad news:


  • Setting up

  • Perception

  • Invitation

  • Knowledge

  • Emotions

  • Strategy and summary


Sooner or later, everyone has to break some form of bad news to someone else. The Geeky Medic’s guide to breaking bad news might be something you would want to keep a copy of. Although written to advise a doctor or nurse on how to tell a patient some bad news, you can use the same steps in other situations as well.


In the Dermatology section of Medical Mnemonics is the very important reminder of what to look for on your skin in order to recognize a potential melanoma:


  • Asymmetry

  • Border irregularity (or poorly defined)

  • Color (varying colors)

  • Diameter (>6mm)

  • Evolving (changing in size, color or shape


There are numerous dermatology guides you could peruse.


Under Surgery Mnemonics, Orthopaedic Surgery, you will find the RICE mnemonic for soft tissue injuries such as sprains:


  • Rest

  • Ice

  • Compression

  • Elevation


In the Psychiatry Mnemonics you will find Risk Factors for Suicide:


  • Sex (male)

  • Age (<19 or >45 years)

  • Depression

  • Previous attempt

  • Excess alcohol or substance use

  • Rational thinking loss

  • Social support lacking

  • Organised plan

  • No spouse

  • Sickness


There is an accompanying Suicide Risk Assessment Guide.


This website isn’t going to qualify you for an RN or MD degree. But it does contain a wealth of information you might find helpful. Check it out!