Chewing Mastic Gum

Chewing gum is good for the gums. Another word for chewing is ‘masticate’ and chewing ‘mastic’ gum is the best. The Ancient Greeks chewed mastic gum made from the resin of the mastic tree. Because mastic contains compounds that are known to inhibit the growth of oral bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium primarily responsible for gastritis and peptic ulcers (it’s also strongly implicated in stomach cancer). Although H. pylori does its dirty work primarily in the stomach and duodenum, it also frequently colonizes the mouth, hence it can re-infect a stomach from which it had been eradicated. That’s a good reason for attacking H. pylori in the mouth as well as in the gastrointestinal tract—and mastic gum can do that.

Some studies have suggested, by the way, that H. pylori may also be implicated in the development of coronary heart disease, possibly by modifying serum lipid concentrations. The medicinal use of mastic is diverse. The resin has been used in cancer, infection, surgical wound adhesion, and ulcers. Studies also document its use as an antioxidant and an insecticide, and for treatment of high cholesterol, Crohn disease, diabetes and hypertension. However, clinical trials to support these uses are limited.

Now to my surprise I was given ‘Mastic Gum’ in place of coins by the cashier in a super market. I was eager to chew mastic but struggled to open the pack. I want the company Batook to know that it is very difficult to open the pack. There is a possibility of the contents to eject out while opening the pack. The video in this blog will demonstrate the plight of a person who wanted to masticate mastic for its medicinal benefits.

Hot Tablet Touch

In this digital age - adaptation and application is the name of the game. iPads as a Visual Aid is an exciting idea. E-detailing is a form of marketing that uses the internet as the central method of communication. And of course custom designed apps for the brands with country specific message certainly supports customer engagement. Interactive graphs, mode of action videos, eye-catching animations and references on demand are just a few ways in which electronic detailing can allow you to increase the impact of your marketing messages and maximize each sales opportunity. A strategically developed e-detail aid can become a virtual briefcase for your medical representatives. But one word of caution. The iPad can stop working due to heat and give the above notice. It takes several minutes before you can cool it and restart. I think it damages the device in the long run. After all it’s a field job… Please let me know if anyone has had a similar experience. This has happened in Middle East and North African regions.

Chicken Americano in Sudan

Chicken restaurants are very popular in Khartoum. I had written earlier about Kak and then Chicano. The latest entrant amidst the chicken restaurants is Americano Fried Chicken. I googled and found a restaurant with the same name in Elizabethport, New Jersey. There is a big opportunity for KFC and McDonalds but only when the US sanctions are lifted from Sudan.

Nile waters bring you back to Sudan

‘If you have drunk of the Nile’s sweet waters, you will come back to Sudan’ goes the saying. I have seen it happening to many people I know. Perhaps it has to do with the attachment to the peaceful life style and the nice people of Sudan. Some would say it has to do with destiny. We recently heard that Mr. Michael Aron has been appointed as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Sudan. H.E. Aron is returning after 30 years. He taught English in Ed Damar Secondary school for two years between 1981 and 1983, before he joined Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Ed Damar is 270 kilometers North-East of Khartoum and is the capital of River Nile state. As he said he must have fond memories of the charm, hospitality and generosity of the Sudanese people he met and worked with in Ed Damar. People expect his past experience in Sudan to help him to overcome the challenges the UK faces with Sudan. The UK is part of the Troika and EU who have not found the environment conducive to the current Presidential elections being held in Sudan.