| Thursday, July 31, 2008 |
| NEW FOOD TO KEEP YOU HEALTHY (or not) |
ARE YOU CONFUSED ABOUT WHETHER what you're putting in your body is making you healthier or killing you? Here's the latest science on what's up and what's down on the food charts.
COFFEE
No need to feel guilty anymore about the double shot Americano that gets you going in the morning. In fact, coffee is looking more and more like a health drink. Among its remarkable benefits, new research shows, coffee may reduce the risk of diabetes, heart attack, gallstones, Parkinson's disease, kidney stones, and cirrhosis. One cavear is that black coffee may lead to thinner bones, especially in women, but the simple solution is to add milk to your coffee.
CHOCOLATE
Dark chocolate, which contains at least 70percent cocoa, has proven health benefits. It contains less sugar than white or milk chocolate and is a rich source of health promoting compounds such as poly phenols and flavonoid antioxidants (similar to those found in green tea). Studies show that even a small intake of dark kchocolate may reduce the risk of of the blood clots that cause heart attack or stroke and may lower blood pressure. And, as many people know from experience, chocolate also can lift your mood and give you a boost of energy. Of course, chocolate is high in calories and contains saturated fat, so enjoy it in moderation -- no more than 2 1/2 ounces a day.
SODA
There's not much good news to release about soda. Both the high fructose corn syrup in regular soda and the artificial sweeteners in the diet varieties may kick your pancreas into overdrive, which boosts insulin levels and causes weight gain. Research last year from the American Chemical Society found that chemicals in beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (called "reactive cabonyls") may increase the risk of diabetes. In addition, the caffeine and phosphoric acid in colas may thin the bones of those who frequently consume them.
OATMEAL
Oatmeal is most people's idea of a healthy breakfast, but you may need to rethink your morning meal. A controlled study at Boston Children's Hospital found that eating only instant oatmeal for breakfast increased kid's appetite and calorie consumption by more than 80percent the rest of the day when compared to eating a vegetable omelet and fruit for breakfast. (Eating steel-cut oats did not spike appetite as much). The study's researchers attribute the results to fluctuations in blood sugar that occur after a meal consisting of processed grain products, and they stress the importance of having some protein at breakfast.
PIZZA
Pizza isn't exactly a health food, but it certainly is a food with healthy ingredients. Tomato sauce is rich in lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant. Recent studies suggest that lycopene may have a range of benefits, including reducing the risk of cancer and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Adding veggies to pizza further improves its health benefits. But stay away from sausage, pepperoni, and other toppings rich in saturated fat you already get that with the cheese. The biggest concern about pizza is calories and what they can do to your waistline, so order by the slice.
EGGS
Eggs get a bad rap. Their negative reputation started because egg yolks are a source of cholesterol. But studies have not shown that the risk of cardiovascular disease increases in egg eaters. For example, in a study of more than 115,000 men and women, there was no association between egg intake and the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke over an eight year period, except among those with diabetes. Women who are more than one egg a day actually had the lowest risk of coronary heart disease. Eggs also are a great source of protein, and many organic eggs are now rich in omega-3 fatty acids, thanks to a change in chicken feed.
FISH
Eating fish twice a week may cut your risk of heart attack, stroke, and sudden cardiovascular death. Fish are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which may reduce the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and inflammation. The best for your health are oily and small fish such as sardines, herring, anchovies, salmon (organic or wild), and mackerel (except king mackerel). Large fish such as swordfish, tuna, tilefish, and shark live at the top the marine food chain and accumulate many contaminants. In general, canned chunk light tuna - lower in such contaminants as mercury than albacore or sushi tuna - is also a good choice.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Surprising news for people trying to stay slim.New research suggest that even noncaloric sugar substitutes, whether "natural" or artificial, may contribute to weight gain. Researchers at Purdue University published a study in February showing that rats gained weight when fed foods artificially sweetened with saccharin. The researchers speculated that when the sweet taste of the sugar substitute wasn't followed by lots of calories, it threw off the rats response to calories in general. As a result, they ate more food. Although this response does'nt necessarily apply to humans, many dieters find that after eating sugar free food, they compensate by indulging in other calorie rich sweets.
(Source: PARADEMAG by Dr. Mark Liponis. He is the author of "Ultralongevity" and medical director of Canyon Ranch spas) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 10:48 PM |
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| Tuesday, July 29, 2008 |
| OLYMPICS: WHERE SPORTS MEETS POLITICS |
Competing nations have long used the Olympics as a forum where they can symbolically voice their ideals or political grievances though gestures, by wining or by not showing up at all. A sampling:
1936 BERLIN: Parroting Nazi ideas of racial supremacy, German media insult black members of the U.S. team before the Games. But in competition Jesse Owens wins four gold medals, as well as a standing ovation from the German spectators.
1968 MEXICO CITY: Medalist Tommie Smith and John Carlos silently protest ongoing racial discrimination in the U.S.
1972 MUNICH: A Palestinian group kidnaps 11 Israelis, all of whom are killed.
1980 MOSCOW: In the largest boycott in Olympic history, the U.S. and more than 60 other countries skip the games to protest the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan.
1984 LOS ANGELES: In response to the 1980 boycott, Russia and several Eastern nations refuse to participate.
(Source:NEWSWEEK MAG/ View gallery of what's going wrong at past Olympics at extra.Newsweek.com) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 1:39 PM |
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| Sunday, July 27, 2008 |
| THE GOOD AND EVIL OF CELL PHONES |
They can be a fatal distraction while driving but -- hey! -- they also can guilt you into skipping that Big Mac
Your cell phone has the power to kill you or save your life. Talk on it while you're driving and you're four times more likely to have a crash that will send you to the hospital.
But if you have a terrible wreck and need assistance, your phone's ICE (in case of emergency) contact or your own downloaded medical records -- can tell paramedics whether you're allergic to penicillin or help prevent medical errors.
More than 250 million Americans now subscribe to a cellular phone service, an 84 percent penetration of the U.S. population, according to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, the leading industry trade group. So while they do pose some risks, they aren't going away. Here's hos this handy device affects your health, for better or for worse.
POSITIVES
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HEALTH INFORMATION:
Health promotion videos can be streamed to personal devices, such as cell phones, according to Rutgers researchers who tested a soap opera video with a message designed to reduce HIV risk. A special phone being tested in England gives teens undergoing cancer treatment ready answers to their questions about treatment and side effects.
TEEN TRACKING:
GPS-enabled cell phones are an ideal way to learn more about where teens spend time - and hot it relates to their health behaviors, say researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine. Poor health outcomes, such as obesity and sexually transmitted infections, tend to cluster in certain geographical areas.
WEIGHT LOSS:
The next time you're about to order a Big Mac, use your cell phone to text "dietI" with the name of the restaurant and menu item, suggests Joy Bauer, author of "Food Cures", "Within seconds, diet.com's 'Nutrition on the Go' service will send you a reply listing the calories, total fat, carbohydrate and protein in the requested food" Bauer said.
MEDICATION COMPLIANCE:
MIT students, challenged with the task of getting tuberculosis patients to take their medicine, devised a testing and reposting system that uses text messaging and offers incentives such as free cell-phone minutes.
CRIME REDUCTION:
Cell Phones and cell phone cameras have helped police solve crimes, particularly hit and run accidents. Visitors of switreport.net can report accidents they've seen and give descriptions and license plate number of cars that hit other vehicles and fled.
CARDIAC DEFIBRILLATORS:
In an emergency, a cell phone could be used as a cardiac defibrillator, according to Ben Sketkhou of Boca Raton, Fla., who has filed a U.S. patent on a clamshell phone equipped with electrodes. "When flipped open and placed on the chest, it delivers a shock to the heart," New Scientists reported. "The phone also sends it GPS coordinates to the emergency services. Just don't hit the wrong button when you're chatting."
NEGATIVES:
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GAP IN SAFETY DATA:
Researtchers are fairly certain that the use of mobile phones for up to 10 years is nog associated with brain tumor risk, but there is some uncertainty with regard to longer use, said Joachim Schuz, head of the department of biostatistics and epidemiology at the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Denmark. Also, The Impact of cell phone use on children, whose brains are still developing, needs to be evaluated.
ALLERGIC REACTIONS:
Nickel dermatitis, the most common cause of allergic, contact dermatitis in women, may be caused by frequent and prolonged use of cell phones, according to a study by Danish researchers.
SLEEP ISSUES:
Teenagers who use their cell phones excessively are more prone to disrupted sleep, restlessness, stress and fatigue, according to a study presented at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME:
"Repeated, prolonged gripping of anything can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome", says Jennifer Valle, an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Valle recommends an ear piece headset.
BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN:
A study of more than 13,000 children found that pre-or post-natal exposure to cell phone readiation was associated with behavioral difficulties such as emotional and hyperactivity problems by the time they reached school age. The researchers warned that the association might be due to other factors - perhaps mothers who use the phones frequently pay less attention to their chldren - but if real, it would be of public health concern, given the widesperad use of the technology.
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS:
Simply listening to your cell phone is a little like driving under the influence of alcohol, according to Carnegie Mellon University scientists who found that "listening alone [to a cell phone] reduces by 37 percent the amount of brain activity associated with driving". That's enough to make you weave out of your lane. The Facebook group "I Text Message People While Driving and Haven't Killed Anyone Yet" says it promotes responsible texting.
FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY:
College students especially women - may take more risks when carrying a cell phone, according to a survey of 305 students. In the survey, 40 percent of cell phone users saud they walked somewhere after dar that they normally would'nt go.
(Source: Chicago Tribune: by Julie Deardorff/Tribune Reporter) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 6:10 PM |
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| Wednesday, July 23, 2008 |
| GREAT QUOTATIONS FROM GREAT PEOPLE ABOUT PEOPLE |
"The less you mess around with people, the better off people are"
(CLINT EASTWOOD (1930) In Maureen Daud, "Go Ahead, Make Them Cry",
New York Times, 26 March 1995
"Peace does not rest in charters and covenants alone. It lies in the heart
and minds of the people"
JOHN F. KENNEDY (1917-1963) United nations Address, New York City
20 September 1963
"All being said, I like only those people who are useful to me,
and only so long as they are useful"
NAPOLEON (1769-1821) Remark to Gen. Gaspard Gourgaud, 1818, The Mind of Napoleon: A Selection from His Written and Spoken Words.15, ed. J. Christopher Herold, 1955
"If we take people only as they are, we make them worse;
If we treat them as though they were what they ought to be,
we steer them in the right direction".
GOETHE: (1749-1832), Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, 78, 1796.
tr. Hermann J. Weigand, 1949
"In all people I see myself; none more and not one a barely-comless,
And the good or bad I say of myself I say of them".
WALT WHITMAN (1819-1892). "Song of Myself" (20), 1855 Leaves of Grass,1855-1892
"When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic.
We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices
and motivated by pride and vanity."
DALE CARNEGIE (1888-1955) How to Win Friends and Influence People, rev. ed., 1.1, 1981 (1936)
"The people are to be taken in very small doses".
RALPH WALDO EMERSON (1803-1882) Journal, April 1847
"None of us know all the potentialities that slumber in the spirit of the [people],
or all the ways in which [people] can surprise us when there is the right interplay of events".
VACLAV HAVEL 91936-), Czech President, Disturbing the Peace, 3, 1986, Paul Wilson 1990
"Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people?
Is there any better, or equal hope."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1809-1865) First Inaugural Address, 4 March 1861
"The people are the very substance, the living and free substance of the body politic.
The people are above the State, the people are not for the State, the State is for the people."
JACQUES MARITAIN (1882-1973) Man and the State, 1.6, 1951
"As to the people, they have no understanding, and only repeat what
their rulers are pleased to tell them".
PLATO (427?-347 B.C.) Protagoras, 317 Benjamin Jowett, 1894
"The human animal cannot be trusted for anything good except en masse. The combined thought and action of the whole people of any race, creed and nationality, will always point to the right direction."
HARRY S. TRUMAN (1884-1972) Diary, 22 May 1945In William Hillaman, Mr. President 3.2, 1952
(Source: QUOTATIONARY by Leonard Roy Frank) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 12:17 PM |
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| About Me |
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Name: infraternam meam
Home: Chicago, United States
About Me: I am now at the prime of my life
and have been married for the past 25 years.
Sickly at times, but wants to see the elixir vita,
so that I will be able to see my grandchildren from my two boys.
See my complete profile
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