One To Two Drinks A Day Good For You
TORONTO, Sept. 23/CNW/

        Martinis, cosmopolitans, manhattans...nothing beats spirits for livening up your entertaining. They're exotic, they're fun, and they're tasty. Here are some other key points to increase your knowledge of the world of spirits:

     -   Health benefits. New studies show that moderate and regular alcohol consumption - one to two drinks a day - produces positive lasting benefits in protecting you against cardiovascular (heart) disease, peripheral vascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and gall stones. It's also been shown to reduce the risk of rheumatism, arthritis and kidney stones. Plus the benefits increase with age and the risk of disease, especially for men over 40 and women as they reach menopause.

    -   Low cal/low carb. Popular spirits, like Smirnoff Vodka, Wiser's Deluxe Canadian Whisky, Bacardi White Rum, Schenley's Golden Wedding Canadian Whisky, Polar Ice Vodka, Crown Royal Canadian Whisky, Ballantine's Scotch Whisky, Jose Cuervo Tequila, VO Canadian Whisky, Tanqueray Gin, Canadian Club Canadian Whisky, Finlandia Vodka, Sauza Tequila, Beefeater Gin, Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky, Silent Sam Vodka, Gilbey's Gin and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky, can all be part of a low cal/low carb regime. In fact, when it comes to cocktails, virtually all of the carbs and calories put into a mixed cocktail come from the "mix," not from the spirit part of the drink.

     -   Innovation. There's been an outpouring of new types of products, new flavours, and new cocktails. For instance, no longer is vodka simply vodka nor rum simply rum. There are flavour extensions of many spirits to keep them fresh and appealing.

     -   Excellent value. One bottle of spirits can produce from 17 - 21 cocktails to entertain all your dinner guests.

    -   Versatility. Just one bottle of your favourite spirit can make an incredible variety of cocktails. All you need is your imagination and a few simple tools of the trade (most of which are probably already in your kitchen).

     -   Retro is in. Nothing seems more suave or sophisticated than the cocktail. Hosts and hostesses are showing increased interest in creating cocktails using their favourite spirits and flavours as part of home entertaining.

     -   Cocktails are cool. For all age groups, from 19 up, cocktails are perceived to be trendy, fun and social. A recent consumer survey by Morgan Stanley said that spirits are the No. 1 alcohol beverage among 21-27-year-olds.

     Want to know more about the world of spirits? Visit www.thatsthespirit.com for new entertaining ideas and tips on working with spirits.

Traditional kohl products may contain lead, a risk to children: Health Canada
TORONTO (CP), Thursday, September 29, 2005 /CNW/
Kohl products - traditional eye cosmetics used in Middle Eastern, Asian and North African societies - may contain lead and should be kept out of the hands of children, Health Canada warned Wednesday.

The department said several children in Canada who were exposed to kohl products containing lead were found to have elevated levels of the compound in their blood, putting them at risk of serious health problems.

Kohl should not be confused with modern eyeliner, which undergoes more stringent product controls, the department stated.

Kohl - which may go by the names kajal, surma, al-kahl or al-kohl - is also at times used medicinally in some cultures as a natural health product, a release from the department said. However, no kohl products have been approved as natural health products in this country.

Kohl has varying uses across cultures. Some use it as an aid in the healing of the infant umbilical cord stump or for after-care in circumcision. Some use it for eye infection protection, as a blood-clotting or a digestive aid, sun-glare prevention or eye-strain reliever and as a general anti-microbial treatment.

If a child is suspected to have swallowed a lead-containing product, a local poison control centre should be contacted.

"The absorption of even very low levels of lead into the blood may have harmful health effects on the intellectual and behavioural development of infants and young children," the release said.

Lead also has adverse health effects on adults, so adults who believe they've been exposed should seek medical attention, the department added.

High levels of lead were found in the following products, analyzed by Health Canada: Hashmi Kohl Aswad from Pakistan; Khojati from India; and unlabelled kohl from Morocco. The department noted other kohl products may also contain lead and urged Canadians not to buy the two name brands or any unlabelled kohl products.