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Minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul has announced that the federal government will soon be taking action against manufacturers of substandard fairness creams.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Zartaj said that cosmetic companies had been adding “excessive” amounts of mercury into their products, especially these creams, which made them extremely dangerous.

Calling out these cosmetic companies, Gul said these manufacturers were bent upon “peeling our skin off to whiten it.” She added, “Humain apnay kaalay aur sanwalay honay per bohat fakhar hai. Humain complex ka shikar na banayen zabardasti chita kar kar kay.”

“You play with our skins through these creams you sell for 10 rupees,” the minister continued, adding that both boys and girls fall prey to these creams.

Gul said the government had assessed around 57 local and international products and only three of them were found to have met the standards.

Gul stated that the legislation regarding this will hopefully be drafted by December 31.

Fairness creams have often been the subject of debate in Pakistan. In recent year, people have begun to call a ban on them due to their harmful contents. Sajal Aly and Mawra Hocane, who have endorsed these products, have also received a lot of backlash for promoting them.

Health myths. We hear them all day every day – from your colleague to your driver, everyone has a totka to give. But just because all these myths are popular doesn’t mean that they work as well. Here are 5 popular health myths busted.

1. Fat is not good for you

Fat is necessary for a healthy, balanced diet. The macronutrient is as important as carbohydrates and proteins. Doctors recommend adding ‘good fats’ such as Omega 3 and 6 found in foods like avocado, salmon, eggs, olive oil, flax seeds, walnuts, etc to your diet.

2. Drink milk for stronger bones

Milk
is recommended for strong bones as dairy is the easiest available source of
calcium that is required for bone health. 
But if a person does not like milk he still can have healthy and strong
bones by getting the required amount of calcium from nuts, sesame seeds, oily
fish and dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, green collard, broccoli,
etc. Physical fitness experts say other ways to increase bone density is to
exercise regularly.

 3. Fruit juices are healthy

Most fruit juices are as high in calories as a sugary soft drink. A glass of orange juice, for example, contains the extract of six oranges. When you have fruit you usually eat one or two and have it with all the fiber, vitamins and minerals. Juicing destroys the minerals and nutrients and takes out the fibre leaving you with just a sugar overdose.

4. Gluten is bad for you

Gluten
is a group of proteins found in whole grains such as wheat, rye, and barley,
etc. Like other proteins, it has an important source of macro-nutrition. It is
bad for those who have the problem of indigestion, gas and poor bowel movement.

5. Brushing teeth after every meal is best for oral hygiene

 Dentists recommend brushing teeth only twice a day – once when you wake and once before going to sleep. Over-brushing teeth wears down the enamel, making your teeth weak. Moreso, toothpaste usually contain sugar and fluorides which means that consumption of toothpaste four to five times a day will do more harm than good. It is better to rinse and floss after a meal to clean your teeth instead of brushing them.