Is it time to say goodbye to the high heel? – Toronto Sun

ARE FASHIONISTAS CHUCKING THE SKI-HIGHS FOR MORE DOWN-TO-EARTH COMFORT?: Writer Lauren Bravo reports in Refinery29.com 2019 may be the year the death knell for high heels is being rung. That long-legged gazelle look may be a thing of the past with the onset of brogues, loafers, sneakers and slippers – even the “triumphant return of ballet pumps,” writes Bravo. Many women nod in silent relief and even brides are looking at comfortable fits to get them through the grueling day (lacy runners, anyone?) We may still love our Louboutins and Blahniks, but perhaps from a distance – and imagine the money many are saving. For the record, according to the Guinness World Records, the largest high-heeled shoe was produced by LadyBeWear Ltd. and boasted 11-inch platforms and 16-inch heels.
– Rita DeMontis

TIME FOR TURMERIC? MAYBE NOT: Some turmeric — the wellness potion of the moment — may owe its yellow colour to lead contamination, a recent Stanford University study notes. Some spice processors in Bangladesh use an industrial lead chromate pigment to amp up turmeric’s bright yellow colour, which makes it a prized addition to curries and other dishes.

“We found higher-than-expected lead levels in the population in Bangladesh in a place with little industry and where leaded gas had been banned since 1999,” said Jenna Forsyth, a postdoctoral student in Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences and lead author of the report. “We looked at potential exposures – paint and used lead acid battery recycling – but people don’t use paint in that region or recycle batteries.”

Turmeric spells big bucks. The U.S. is the leading importer of turmeric worldwide, with imports valued at more than $35 million annually, up from only $2.5 million 15 years ago. Turmeric has become a spice “it girl” — an anchor in supplements — adding a sunny yellow high note in cold-pressed juices and providing the razzle dazzle in trendy bevs. It’s touted as a “superfood” and promoted as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The Food and Drug Administration is now involved and there’s a greater scrutiny on more recent imports. What to do? Replace your older turmeric with most mainstream brands.
-The Washington Post

EARLY MENSTRUATION PAMPHLETS: Long before Google put sex education at the fingertips of anyone with a smartphone, girls learned about their impending periods from booklets with titles such as Just Between Us and Marjorie May Learns About Life. Produced and distributed by sanitary product companies, the booklets were a rite of passage for generations of girls. Today, they offer an irresistible glimpse of changing attitudes toward menstruation.

The booklets were produced as early as the 1890s, but their heyday was in the middle of the 20th century. Nonetheless, old menstruation manuals reflect plenty of stereotypes – girls are admonished to remain “dainty” and try not to offend others during their periods. Some booklets warn readers to hold back on strenuous exercise; others use menstruation as a reason to remind girls that it’s their duty to plan for marriage and childbirth. Menstruation was characterized as a shameful secret then. By the early 1980s, the influence of the feminist movement had young girls embracing their femaleness.

The now-defunct Museum of Menstruation has a collection of the booklets on its still-active website at
MUM.org/compbook.htm.
– Washington Post