It’s something we’ve all heard many times – the mouth of a dog is cleaner than that of its owner. But is that really true, or just an urban legend?

After all, dogs eat off the floor, drink from the toilet, and don’t seem too concerned with their oral hygiene. But the myth persists, so we asked veterinarian and author Dr. Marty Becker his opinion.

“They raid the garbage can. You know, we give each other a peck on the cheek when we say hello, they give each other a peck on the rear end,” said Becker. “All you have to do is look, watch, smell and you’ll realize that it’s not true.”

He thinks the myth that a dog’s mouth is clean stems from their practice of licking their wounds so that they heal more quickly.

The good news is, even though a dog’s mouth is loaded with bacteria, the large majority are specific to them and can’t infect a human.

So go ahead – give your dog a big kiss. But please realize that dog’s teeth and gums need expert care just like ours. They are prone to dental infections, bad breath, and just like in humans, have a very high incidence of gum disease. It’s important to brush your dog’s teeth frequently (unless they are smart enough to brush their own!) and have them cleaned and checked by a qualified vet.

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-By Hertha J. Woodruff, A.M.L.S., M.A.

Mark Your Calendars for VegFest!

If you have been curious about vegan cuisine or are an avid vegan, the best, ever, local event to attend is VegFest.  It is held annually during the month of April.  Mark your calendars today!  VegFest is a one-stop event for everything you need to know about the healthy, plant-based life-style.  Several thousand attend each year.  Go early.  You will need time to see everything.  Here are the event details.

VegFest2013

Date:            Sunday, April 21, 2013
Time:           11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Place:          Suburban Collection Showplace
Location:     46100 Grand River
                    Novi, Michigan 48374
Admission:  $7.00 prepaid, $10.00, free admission for children under 6 years
Parking:       $5.00

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A friend or relative comes close to talk to you, and when they open their mouth an odor comes pouring out that could knock out a racehorse from a mile away! But besides backing up a few feet and ending the conversation as soon as possible, what do you do?

Of course you could just do nothing. But that is doing your friend a huge social disservice – and possibly not telling them of a negative health issue as well.

So how do you say something so uncomfortable to someone you care about? Here are two great answers we found while researching this question.

“As your friend, it’s important to me that we’re always able to say the things that are hard to say, because that’s what real friends do for each other. I’m not comfortable mentioning this, though if it were me, I’d certainly want someone to say something. I don’t know if you’re aware – but sometimes your breath is quite noticeable. I read somewhere that this can be the result of a dental or medical problem, so I felt it was important to tell you.”

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-By Hertha J. Woodruff, A.M.L.S., M.A.

The average, frozen, concentrated can of lemonade has 28 grams (7 teaspoons) of sugar per serving.  Here is a simple recipe for lemonade that uses no sugar. Remember, sugar is toxic!  It’s a healthy beverage for both kids and adults.  I have served this recipe for over 15 years to my family.  It comes from Jay Kordich’s book, the Juiceman’s Power of Juicing that was first published over twenty years ago in 1992.  I was introduced to the art of juicing through the infomercials of Jay Kordich.  I use Jay’s book as my main reference source on juicing.  It is still in print and a must-read!  Book includes many juice recipes for healing a multitude of ailments.

Jay Kordich’s Lemonade

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-By Hertha J. Woodruff, A.M.L.S., M.A.

It’s February!  Happy African American History Month!   Turnip greens play a role in African American History and still remain as a popular, vegetable, side dish for African Americans and Southerners.  In history, turnip greens, the tops of turnips, were actually given to the slaves by their slave masters as discarded food.  The slave masters kept the turnips for themselves.  The slaves boiled turnip greens with pig feet or ham hocks, additional discarded foods, to add flavor.  The slave masters may not have realized that the turnip greens had a higher level of nutrients than the turnips, which they preferred.  In the long run, turnip greens may have been a boost that enriched the health of slaves.  It was my mother’s favorite food which may have helped her live to the ripe age of 91 even though she had some health concerns.

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You probably know that Valentine’s Day is February 14^th – but here are some interesting Valentine’s Day trivia facts you may not be aware of!!

• Every year over 1 billion Valentine’s cards are sent – second only to Christmas.
• The people who receive the most Valentine’s cards are teachers. They deserve it!
• Most flowers sold in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day are imported from South America.
• Richard Cadbury sold the first Valentine’s Day box of chocolates in 1868.
• This year over $1 billion will be spent on Valentine’s chocolates.
• It is believed that St. Valentine was put to death on February 14^th. His last letter to his love (the jailer’s daughter) was signed, “From Your Valentine.”
• NECCO has been making heart-shaped candies with sweet sayings since 1902!
• Alexander Graham Bell applied for his telephone patent on Valentine’s Day in 1876. Many years later on February 14^th penicillin was introduced!
• Men spend approximately twice as much as women for Valentine’s Day!

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-By Hertha J. Woodruff, A.M.L.S., M.A.

As you know, we are currently experiencing one of the worst epidemics of influenza ever!   Wikipedia describes influenza, popularly known as flu, as a virus that has the following symptoms: chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, headache, nasal congestion, coughing and sometimes diarrhea.  Don’t lose hope and feel that you will eventually be a victim of the flu because you can take these simple precautions that have been aired on news programs and in the print media:

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No one likes to get their blood taken – it’s just not fun!! But it’s the only way that we can be tested for diabetes, anemia, cholesterol levels, and many other important health issues. Well, that may soon be changing!

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University are saying there may now be a much easier way to detect illness – spit!

Yes – good old saliva contains DNA, enzymes, hormones, proteins and lots of other good stuff that are making it a great candidate for medical testing. And best of all, it’s simple and painless to collect.

Recently, trials have been done with saliva to test for heart disease risk, HIV, hormone-related diseases, children’s performance in school, and even a woman’s ability to have good relationships with men based on their feelings for their fathers! (As strange as it may seem, that last one is based on levels of stress hormones found in saliva when women discuss relationship topics!!)

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“She has her father’s gorgeous eyes!”

“He sings beautifully, just like his mother.”

“He’s so smart – must have gotten that from his Dad!”

“Just like her Mom – a natural athlete!”

We love to brag about our children, and it gives us extra pleasure when we think they inherited their positive traits from us! But how about when they get something from us that might not be so good?

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