Amorous moose worries hiker on Gros Morne trail

I have been afflicted with the Bubonic Plague of colds and/or infections, viruses or whatever this is that has lasted for two weeks now. I have a head cold, a chest cold, two cold sores, cold feet, cold hands, not to mention receiving the cold shoulder from everyone because I might be contagious. Two weekends of outings have been missed and for that reason fodder for writing my column is sparse.

On that note I will delve in to the mental archives and write about an outing to Newfoundland.

About 16 months ago I had the privilege to go to Newfoundland to Gros Morne National Park and, more specifically, the tiny fishing hamlet by the name of Rocky Harbour. Officially I was there to attend a course called The Edge of the Wedge, which is given by the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism (G-Mist). It was and is a three-day course on "experiential tourism" which is a key phrase and philosophy in the tourism industry. I have taken a few courses in my time and I've gotta say that this one is one of the very best. The three facilitators were professional, knowledgeable and switched off from one another seamlessly and kept me engaged all of the time.

As mentioned, the setting for these courses was in the tiny hamlet of Rocky Harbour, NL, which is in Gros Morne National Park. This place is a paradise for hikers, snowshoers and cross-country skiers. If that was all it was that would be enough, but there is so much more.

It is about the people with their unique accents and vernacular, the lives they live and the warmth and charm they exude in the face of, what to me looks like a harsh and rugged lifestyle.

My coursemates and I were privileged to go to a secluded fishing station and were greeted by a fisherwoman and two fishermen who showed us the ins and outs of gutting a few freshly caught cod. Most of the party gutted, extracted the cheeks and the tongue and then salted the rest of the cod in preparation for drying. The woman, whose name is Louise Decker, was hilarious while showing us the proper way to prepare the cod. She told us about her life and transition from Newfoundland's first fisherwoman to assuming full-time maintenance duties in the national park, in addition to becoming a part-time park interpreter. The two men, Bobby and Roger, then showed us, and insisted we attempt, the tricky techniques of making and repairing fishing nets.

After our fishy experience, we moved along the beach with a park geologist by the name of Rob Hingston to receive a lesson in Gros Morne's fascinating geological history.

On another day we went on a quest using GPS to search for two locations. The last of these was the Lobster Cove Lighthouse where we met Michael Brezinsky, who had a Maritimes connection. Both he and his partner Anne Marceau worked in Fundy National Park many years ago and knew many of the local Albert County crowd.

Michael explained a number of things through hands- (and tongue-) on demonstrations. The tongue part came in when he told us how to tell the difference between a balsam fir and a white spruce by tasting the needles. The balsam fir is actually quite sweet, whereas the spruce was high up on the rancid scale.

Perhaps the most interesting part of our encounter with Michael was the explanation of the Tuckamore phenomenon (the origin of the word is sketchy). The balsam fir and the white spruce and some other species in other locations on the island of Newfoundland are so windblown that, combined with the rain and snow, they become bent and gnarled in the direction of the prevailing wind as well as becoming tightly compacted and dense. Early explorers were able to walk over the tops of them in places, as they were difficult to walk through. By the same token, getting underneath them provided excellent shelter from the elements.

There were other experiential components to our course that I do not have space to relate to you here. They involved music on several levels, as well as experiences in cooking, hooking and looking. It was an information- and experience-packed three days, ones that I will remember for a long time.

I guess I had better get on to some hiking experiences. I stayed an extra two days after the course was finished so that I could do some hiking and exploring.

The first hike was to Western Brook Pond which is a landlocked fjord about 32 kms (21 miles) from the visitor centre near Rocky Harbour.

Keep in mind that this was past Thanksgiving and I was all alone; there was nary a sign of another human when I encountered fresh moose tracks. When I looked up, I saw four mighty hooves which were attached to a large (largest I have ever seen) cow moose. The dear dame was standing on the trail blocking my path forward. She gently turned her head to look at me and politely sauntered off the trail about 40 ft. or so as if to say "go ahead." I knew I should have nothing to fear from the great beast and gingerly tiptoed by her and continued on my way. I thought that was it until the lovely lady proceeded back on to the trail and started to follow along behind me.

I must say that I began to worry a little (a huge understatement) as I had no intention of being the pied piper to this enamoured ungulate. For a nearly a kilometre the moose followed me until I neared a dock where a tour boat would normally be in the busy season. I went through the gate to the doc, closing it behind me and went out to the tip of the wharf. I looked back at my friend who finally decided that I was not worth the effort and wondered off in to the forest. Whew! It was only then that I really started paying attention to the spectacular scenery in front of me.

The cliffs in the distance guarding the Western Brook Pond rise from the bog 650 metres (2,035 ft.) high and continue down into the pond which is 165m (544 ft.) deep. You can get closer and indeed up the cliffs if you continue on to Stag Brook and up to the top from Snug Harbour, but his is only for superbly experienced hikers.

GlaxoSmithKline sells rights to cold sore drug to Canadian pharma

GlaxoSmithKline has sold the rights to topical drug Zovirax to a Canadian

pharmaceutical company for $300 million.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:VRX) said its subsidiary Biovail Laboratories has signed

agreements to acquire all U.S. and Canadian rights to Zovirax, a cold sore treatment

that comes in creams and ointments. Biovail had previously been the exclusive

distributor of the drug in the United States. The deal with GSK (NYSE:GSK), which has

its U.S. headquarters in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, expands Biovail’s

geographic rights to include Canada. Valeant CEO J. Michael Peason said in a statement

that Valeant’s sales and marketing staff in the United States and Canada can ’

revitalize and grow the brand.’

The deal is still subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Zovirax

accounts for more than $146 million in annual sales in the United States for Valeant.

The product generated $246 million in 2010 sales for GSK.

Varicose veins? Cold sores? The answer's easy peasy, lemon squeezy

Sunshine yellow, eye-wateringly tangy and smelling like a summer in Italy . . . no

wonder most people like lemons.

Now, in a new book, a former GP proclaims lemons are  nothing short of a miracle,

capable of soothing and stopping an array of  ailments. Read on to discover how lemons

could help you...
Lemons on tree

Lemons can help with an array of ailments such as cold sores, weight gain, gallstones,

urine infection, indigestion, muscle pain and constipation
COLD SORES

Lemon contains a compound, limonene, which has antiviral properties. It is found mainly

in the peel, but also in the juice. Lemon oil can also help by excluding air from a

sore.

ACTION: Apply lemon juice to a cold sore several times a day, using a clean cotton pad

each time, or add a drop of lemon oil to two teaspoons of sweet almond  oil and apply

this to the cold sore.
WEIGHT GAIN

Lemons contain pectin, a natural fibre and gelling agent, which mops up fat stored by

the body, and reduces absorption; researchers in Texas also found that pectin helps you

feel full.

Lemon acids and pectin can slow the absorption of sugar after a meal. So cooking with

lemon juice or sprinkling it on food can prevent low blood-sugar dips, which can

trigger hunger pangs and overeating.

The vitamin C in lemons also helps us to produce carnitine — an amino acid that helps

our body burn fat.

Studies at Arizona State University found that volunteers with adequate vitamin C

burned 30 per cent more fat during exercise than those with low levels. In a separate

study of obese women trying to lose weight, those who took vitamin C lost twice as

much.

ACTION: Include the zest and juice of a lemon in your daily diet.
GALLSTONES

Most gallstones are made up of cholesterol, formed when the liver or gall- bladder do

not successfully expel it. A lack of stomach acid (as caused by ageing, stress, or

medications such as antacids or acid-suppressants) discourages gallbladder

contractions.

Acidic foods such as lemon juice before a meal can mimic stomach acid, and encourage

the gallbladder to  contract and expel small stones.

Lemons are also rich in anti-oxidants, which studies have found to  discourage

gallstones.

ACTION: If you have stones, take one tablespoon each of lemon juice and olive oil an

hour before breakfast each day.
BITES AND STINGS

Wasp stings irritate because they are alkaline, so lemon acids may help. They may also

ease irritation from mosquito and gnat bites.

ACTION: Apply a cotton pad soaked in lemon juice, and repeat if necessary.
URINE INFECTION

If infection is making your urinary tract inflamed and sore, overly acidic urine — for

example, from an unhealthy diet — will worsen the pain. The urine’s normal pH (acid–

alkaline balance) varies from 4.5 to 9, the ideal perhaps being 5.8 to 6.8.

Surprisingly, the metabolism of lemon juice in the body has a mildly alkalising effect

that can help restore your urine to its normal state.

ACTION: Consume the juice of half a lemon two or three times a day, neat or sprinkled

on food.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Potassium in lemons helps to regulate body fluids, and their magnesium relaxes

arteries. They also contain flavonoids — nutrients known to promote healthy vessels.

Lemons also add flavour to foods, so can be used as a healthy alternative to salt.

One small lemon’s vitamin C can boost levels of nitric oxide, a gas which sends a

signal to the body to relax and widen blood vessels.

Finally, lemon juice resembles some hypertension medications known as ACE-inhibitors —

it inhibits the production in the kidneys of the hormone angiotensin, which is known to

raise blood pressure by constricting blood vessels.

ACTION: Include the zest and juice of a lemon in your daily diet.
VARICOSE VEINS

Lemons can act as a venous tonic as they have strengthening, tightening and anti-

inflammatory effects on vein walls.

ACTION: Massage your legs with a mixture of two drops of lemon, two of lavender and

three of cypress essential oils in two tablespoons of sweet almond or other carrier

oil.