Foods For Attractive Abs

Yogurt
Yogurt will be miracle for your stomach. Nutritionist Rania Batayneh suggests yogurt, �The probiotic germs in most yogurts help keep the digestive tract wholesome, that means a lesser occurrence of gas, bloated tummy, and also bowel problems, that may keep the tummy seeking tone" Preferably select the plain-flavored yogurts, that don�t include extra sugars.

Pepper mint
Pepper mint works to decrease bloated tummy as well as acid reflux and soothe the Area all around," claims Rachel Berman, listed dietitian as well as Director associated with Nutrition for CalorieCount.com. Attempt combining upward a few iced peppermint teas or perhaps put in a few mint simply results in to your water.

Apples
Apples are among the most popular damaging nutrient foods. Which means that a good the apple company uses up more energy that it increases the entire physique, whilst getting digested, creating a great, yummy goody in which can absolutely not even attempt to increase body fat.

Eggs
Eggs are a great way to obtain necessary health proteins as well as include essential proteins that the body needs to create sets from muscle fibers to human mental faculties chemical compounds. It is the perfect food, and ensures you really sense much a smaller amount hungry during the day and reduces that urge to snack.


Almonds
Almonds give you the body with nutrients just similar to this mineral, as well as regulate glucose levels. A stable blood sugar level is key to avoid urges that will lead to overindulging.

Mask for Remove Pimples

Apple and Melon Mask Remove Pimples

The homemade masks are usually an excellent solution to combat certain skin problems. Is that plant, source of life, having within them the best elements to eliminate those things we do not want. The apple and melon will wonders for your complexion.

The melon and apple together form an excellent homemade mask against blackheads and other facial imperfections. Simply, you must be prepared to join them.

Grab an apple, peel and cut into cubes. Then do the same with a good slice of melon.

Put them together in a blender and blend until they take proper consistency. You know if you do not take the mask consistency, just add a little flour or oatmeal, especially the latter which is excellent for the skin.

Once it is ready, apply with rotating movements, following the direction of the muscles of the face and ever upward.

When the mask and acted for 15 minutes, remove it with water or a paper towel.

Does Calorie Restriction Extend Lifespan in Mammals?

Until about two years ago, the story went something like this: calorie restriction extends lifespan in yeast, worms, flies, and rodents. Lifespan extension by calorie restriction appears to be biologically universal, therefore it's probably only a matter of time until it's demonstrated in humans as well. More than 20 years ago, independent teams of researchers set out to demonstrate the phenomenon in macaque monkeys, a primate model closer to humans than any lifespan model previously tested.

Recent findings have caused me to seriously question this narrative. One of the first challenges was the finding that genetically wild mice (as opposed to inbred laboratory strains) do not live longer when their calorie intake is restricted, despite showing hormonal changes associated with longevity in other strains, although the restricted animals do develop less cancer (1). One of the biggest blows came in 2009, when researchers published the results of a study that analyzed the effect of calorie restriction on lifespan in 41 different strains of mice, both male and female (2). They found that calorie restriction extends lifespan in a subset of strains, but actually shortens lifespan in an even larger subset. Below is a graph of the effect of calorie restriction on lifespan in the 41 strains. Positive numbers indicate that calorie restriction extended life, while negative numbers indicate that it shortened life:

Read more �

Pot Smoking May Leave Mark On Teen Brains

Teenagers who frequently smoke marijuana may be setting themselves up for declines in intelligence and mental function that persist well into adulthood, new research suggests.

In a decades-long study of more than 1,000 New Zealanders, researchers found that adolescents who used marijuana at least four days per week lost an average of eight IQ points between the ages of 13 and 38�a pattern not seen among people who began smoking heavily only in adulthood.

Heavy pot smokers tended to show deficits in memory, concentration, and overall brainpower in relation to their peers, but these problems were more pronounced�and seemingly more lasting�among those who picked up the habit as teens, the study found.

Individuals who smoked heavily in adolescence had consistently lower IQs at age 38, even if they�d cut back in the previous year. By contrast, the IQ of the relative latecomers to marijuana was more closely linked with how much pot they�d smoked recently.

�The effect of persistent cannabis use on intellectual functioning is really confined to adolescents, [which] suggests that adolescents, in particular, are vulnerable to the effect of cannabis,� says lead author Madeline H. Meier, Ph.D., a psychologist and postdoctoral researcher at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina.
Related links:

    Binge Drinking, Pot May Harm Teen Brains
    Does Occasionally Smoking Marijuana Affect Your Health?
    Medical Marijuana, State By State

An eight-point decline in IQ isn�t negligible, the authors say. Previous research suggests a drop in intelligence of that magnitude could, for instance, affect a person�s long-term career prospects, job performance, and income.

It�s reasonable to suspect that still-growing teen brains might be especially sensitive to the cumulative effects of marijuana, says Jeffrey Brosco, M.D., a professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

�In the developing brain, neurons are growing and changing, synapses are forming,� says Brosco, who was not involved in the study. �When there�s a lot of change in any part of the body, particularly the brain, that usually means it�s more vulnerable to environmental influences.�

The new study, which was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doesn�t prove that marijuana use directly impairs intelligence. It does, however, provide some of the strongest evidence to date of a cause-and-effect relationship.

The study participants underwent IQ tests when they were 13�before they�d ever tried marijuana�and again as adults, which provided the researchers a before-and-after snapshot of their intelligence. Earlier studies that found a link between mental ability and pot smoking have generally looked at a single point in time, raising the possibility that low IQ increases the likelihood of marijuana use, rather than vice versa, Meier says.

But Meier and her colleagues weren�t able to entirely rule out alternative explanations for the IQ declines seen in the study. For instance, although they controlled for alcohol and drug use, they focused on full-blown dependence (as opposed to more casual use) and therefore may have underestimated the effects of teen drinking.

�It�s hard to be dependent as a teenager, so you worry about [whether] you can be sure it�s the cannabis,� Brosco says. �Alcohol is well known to be a neurotoxin.�

Only 5% of the study participants began smoking marijuana regularly before age 18, and it�s not clear from the findings whether less-frequent users might experience similar declines in IQ and mental function. More research will be needed to determine the minimum dosage of marijuana associated with these problems, the authors say.

Source : Health

Energy Drinks May Improve Heart Health

Contrary to popular belief, drinking energy drinks containing caffeine and taurine may actually improve health and boost heart function in healthy people, a new study reveals.

 

"With energy drinks containing both caffeine and taurine concerns have been raised of adverse effects on the heart. While caffeine increases blood pressure, studies suggest that taurine may stimulate the release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum," Dr. Matteo Cameli, a researcher at the University of Siena in Italy and co- author of the study, said in a statement today.

Italian researchers measured the blood pressure, heart rate and left and right ventricular function of 35 healthy participants with an average age of 25, and found that the function in the left and right ventricles that pump blood to the body increased an hour after drinking an energy drink.

Researchers presenting at the European Society of Cardiology conference in Munich, Germany also found that consuming energy drinks increase diastolic blood pressure by 6 percent, but not heart rate and systolic blood pressure.

Cameli said that the improvement in heart function may be caused by taurine, an amino acid in many energy drinks that is known to stimulate calcium production in muscle.

"Our study was performed in young healthy individuals at rest. Future studies need to focus on whether such benefits persist after long term consumption of energy drinks, and what the effects are of consuming these drinks during physical activity," Cameli said.

"It will also be important to determine which of the effects are induced in patients with cardiac disease to further our understanding of the potential benefits or risks of energy drink consumption," he added.

However other experts warn that too much caffeine can make people sweat and experience heart palpitations.

"People are showing up in the emergency room and doctor's office after having these drinks and not feeling well," said W. Douglas Weaver, former president of the American College of Cardiology, according to Bloomberg. "Now we can see some of the physiological effects."

Source : http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/11761/20120827/energy-drinks-may-improve-heart-health.htm

Five Nutrients For Quick Weight Loss

Calcium Mineral:

Calcium is a nutrient that works well in conjunction with Vitamin D that will help you drop fats. Calcium will be kept in fat tissues, and researchers think that the harder calcium supplement any adipose cell offers, the greater fat which mobile will certainly discharge to be burned. Calcium mineral furthermore promotes fat loss simply by joining so that you can body excess extra weight inside your Area, preventing a lot of it coming via acquiring distributed around your blood stream.

Proteins:
Along with keeping food cravings in check, normal dosages associated with necessary health proteins help to keep body composition the quantity of fat relative to muscle in much far greater percentage. Together with calcium and also D, protein helps you to protect muscle mass while you decrease lbs. Research conducted recently out from the University of Illinois found that women who consumed proteins twice daily dropped 3.9 pct excess fat compared to women who ingested less of that on a diet. They not merely dropped more weight, in addition they received stronger because they accomplished it, making use of their " leg " muscle groups on your own finding yourself having 5.8 pct more proteins by the end of the eating habits compared to before.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

Omega-3s permit weight reduction through changing on nutrients which bring about fat-burning withinside cells. They also help enhance feeling, that might reduce emotional eating. And also omega 3s may improve leptin sign in the mind, resulting in the mind to show upwards fat reducing and also turn down hunger.

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs):

MUFAs really certainly can be a type of fat present in essential coconut oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, peanut butter, as well as dark chocolates, and the've only one attraction (which explains why they're known as "mono" unsaturated).

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA):

CLAs are potent weight reducers that are found, together with vitamin D and calcium supplement, throughout milk products. They're essential fatty acids that are produced whenever germs ferments the food inside 1st area of the belly of cattle, lamb skin, and other ruminant creatures. The particular Conjugated linoleic acid which is developed through zymosis next makes its way into the particular meat and milk of those creatures.

Diet 33 Ways to Eat Environmentally Friendly

The sustainable food movement is sweeping the country. Farmer�s markets, organic produce, genetically modified foods, cage-free eggs � they�ve all become part of the cultural lingo. While a lot of this conversation focuses around whether organic foods are better for people�s health, let�s not forget that these trends are also good for the planet. Read on to learn about the 33 environmentally friendly eating habits that are making a difference for our bodies and our earth.

At the store:

1. Reuse it. Bring a reusable bag on your next shopping trip, and you�ve already helped out the planet. The U.S. alone uses about 100 billion new plastic bags each year, and (brace yourself) this massive production costs 12 million barrels of oil. Worldwide, only about 1% of plastic bags are recycled � which means that the rest end up in landfills, oceans or elsewhere in the environment. Why does it matter? Plastic bags don�t biodegrade, but light exposure can degrade them enough to release toxic polymer particles � most of which end up in the ocean. Approximately 1 million birds and 100,000 turtles and other sea animals die of starvation each year after ingesting plastic bags, which block their digestive tracts. And public agencies spend millions of dollars on litter clean-up each year. (In case you�re wondering, paper bags aren�t much better. Each year, 14 million trees are cut down to make paper shopping bags via a process that requires even more energy than the making of plastic bags.)

2. Strip down. Look for products with minimal packaging, like unwrapped produce or meat straight from the deli counter or butcher. Excess packaging is often made out of unsustainable materials and contributes to waste that ends up in landfills. Perhaps the worst culprit is polystyrene (a.k.a. Styrofoam), which is a suspected carcinogen and is manufactured through an energy-intensive process that creates hazardous waste and greenhouse gases.

3. Don�t buy the bottle. Millions of tons of plastic are used to produce billions of plastic water bottles each year. Save money and lessen waste by drinking tap water from a reusable water bottle. Worried about your health? Try a water filter, or take courage from the fact that a lot of bottled water is likely no better than what�s on tap.

4. Shop different. Choose to give your money to stores that demonstrate care for the planet, both in their company practices and in the food selections they provide. Look for a selection of local and organic foods as well as store practices that limit waste (think doors on the refrigerated sections so that energy isn�t wasted, minimal and/or recyclable packaging and a store-wide recycling program).

Produce:

5. Go local. Eating locally grown foods is possibly the best way to lower your carbon footprint when it comes to what you eat. Bonus: Eating locally means that food will be fresher � and therefore taste better and perhaps retain more nutrients � than food shipped across the globe.

6. Eat more of it. Eat more produce than any other food category, and you�ve already made an impact for the planet (not to mention your body!).

7. Go organic. The definition of organic can be a little confusing, but food labels can help. Certified organic foods are grown and processed using farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity, without the use of synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes or petroleum- or sewage-sludge-based fertilizers. (Weird. Who wouldn�t want their food grown in sewage sludge?) Though their benefits to the environment have a long-term payoff, organic foods can be pricier � if you�re on a budget, find out which foods are most worth buying organic, and limit your organic purchases to the ones that make the biggest impact.

8. Eat it raw. Chomp down on a raw carrot instead of boiling or saut�ing it, and save energy that would otherwise have been used to power cooking appliances.

9. Eat in season. Seasonal nomming allows you to eat locally � and we�ve already covered how important local purchasing is for the environment. Check out what�s growing nearby right now.

10. Preserve it. Want to eat more locally, but love to eat strawberries year-round? Learn how to preserve fruits and vegetables so you can eat locally grown produce all year long (it�s bound to impress Grandma, too).

11. Grow it. You don�t need to live in the wild to grow your own fruits and veggies. Join a community garden, or, if you�re cramped for space, create a vertical garden right inside your window.

12. Get some community support. Not into the idea of growing your own? Consider joining a CSA (short for community supported agriculture), which allows you to reap the benefits of locally grown produce without getting your hands dirty.

Meat:

13. Eat less of it. Industrially farmed meat has the greatest impact of any food product on the environment. In addition to the tips outlined below, consider making meat less of a staple in your diet. Can�t give up the stuff? Try going meat-free for just one day per week (or one meal per week if you�re really attached).

14. You guessed it: buy local. We�ve said it before and we�re saying it again: buying local is a great way to cut down on the environmental impact of your food. Just imagine how much energy it would take to haul a side of beef from, say, New Zealand, in comparison to transporting it from the local butcher shop.

15. Go organic. When it comes to meat, the definition of �organic� changes a little. Obviously, chickens aren�t grown in the soil, nor are they (we hope!) conventionally grown with pesticides. Rather, organic livestock must have access to the outdoors and cannot be supplemented with antibiotics or growth hormones.

16. Be anti-antibiotics. It�s common practice these days to feed growth-producing antibiotics to animals raised for meat, but this results in health risks for the animals � and, by extension, the people who eat them.

17. Go out to pasture. Pasture-raised livestock make less of a negative environmental impact. They�re also treated more humanely than their industrially raised counterparts.

Seafood:

18. Look for the label. Figuring out how to buy sustainable seafood is tough: turns out �wild caught� doesn�t necessarily mean it�s environmentally friendly, after all, while some farmed fish are. The easiest way to sort through all the confusion is to look for the label of the Marine Stewardship Council, which guarantees that a product has successfully met requirements for sustainability.

19. Know your fish. Check out these guides to figure out which fish are least endangered and most likely to be farmed sustainably, and use them to guide your buying decisions.

20. Be a patriot. Buy U.S. caught or farmed fish. It�s as close as you can get to buying �local� when you live in a land-locked state, and it also means that the product has had the chance to be reviewed by the Marine Stewardship Council, so you have a better sense of the conditions under which the fish were caught.

21. Try something new. Instead of eating the ever-popular Alaskan salmon along with everybody else at the restaurant, expand your diet and distribute your impact by trying different varieties of fish. Check out these alternatives to some of our fishy favorites � you might even find a variety that you like more than tuna. In the process, you�ll reduce the risk of endangering key species.

Dairy:

22. Be hormone-free. (Wouldn�t that have made adolescence easier�) Just as livestock raised for consumption are often pumped full of antibiotics, dairy cows are often fed artificial hormones to up their milk production. This has big health impacts for the cows, the people who consume their milk and other dairy products, and the environment (manure lagoons sure don�t sound like a good thing to us). Industrial dairy production is also linked to massive greenhouse gas emissions. Luckily, hormone-free dairy products are readily available.

23. Surprise! Go local. As always when buying local, you�ll be reducing the distance that food must travel � and the energy it takes to do so � on its way to your plate.

24. Go organic. It�s better for the environment and for your body.

25. Cut back. The production of one pound of cheese might produce upwards of 11 lbs. of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities and a big driver of climate change. As with meat, you can quickly lessen your environmental impact simply by eating less dairy. Bonus: eliminating common staples from your diet one or two days a week is a chance to experiment with fun new recipes.

At a restaurant:

26. Order from the tap. Cut down on packaging; ask for tap water instead of bottled. Likewise, save the beer bottle and order on tap.

27. Eat local. Just because you�re not at the farmer�s market doesn�t mean the market�s bounty isn�t available to you. More and more restaurants are incorporating locally sourced items into their menus.

28. Don�t be afraid to ask. There�s no shame in asking your server or a manager how your food was grown or processed (though it�s probably best not to take it to this extreme).

Eating at home:

29. Reduce waste. Use cloth napkins and real plates, bowls and utensils.

30. Turn waste into a resource. If you�ve got the inclination and a little bit of free time, give composting a try and turn food scraps into a resource that keeps on giving.

31. Revamp leftovers. Instead of dumping leftovers in the trash, turn them into new meals. It�ll reduce waste and also save on the energy it would have taken to cook a different meal the next day.

32. Double your recipes. Leftovers will last twice as long, and you�ll use less energy than you would if you cooked multiple meals.

33. Cook one local meal per week. Challenge yourself to cook one meal a week (or month) that is composed completely of local ingredients. Get some friends in on the action and revel in doing something good for your health and the health of the planet.

Source : http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/24/33-ways-to-eat-environmentally-friendly/

Vitamin C Might Protect Lungs On High-Pollution Days

An antioxidant-rich diet could do your lungs a favor when exposed to air pollution, according to a small new study.

 
Researchers from Imperial College London found that asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients were more likely to be admitted to the hospital on days when there were high particulate matter levels outside, Environmental Health News reported. Particulate matter is a pollutant that causes oxidative stress in the body (raising the risk of health problems like heart attack).

However, the researchers found that people who had higher levels of vitamin C in their blood were less likely than those with low vitamin C levels to go to the hospital on these high-pollution days, MyHealthNewsDaily reported.

The findings add to "a small but growing body of evidence that the effects of air pollution might be modified by antioxidants," Michael Brauer, an environmental health scientist at the University of British Columbia who was not involved in the study, told MyHealthNewsDaily.

The study, published in the journal Epidemiology, included 209 people who were admitted to London hospitals. While researchers did find a link between vitamin C levels and hospital admission, they did not find as strong of a link for uric acid and vitamin E levels. They found no link between vitamin A levels and hospital admission, according to the study.

Previously, Cornell University researchers found that a diet rich in antioxidants could help to preserve lung function, the Cornell Chronicle reported. That study, presented at a meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in 2008, showed protective benefits of selenium and vitamins C and E in particular.

Plus, in 2001, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers found that vitamin C supplements seemed to protect lungs against ozone, WebMD reported.

And humans aren't the only ones who can benefit from vitamin C. University of California, Riverside, researchers found that even plants can get some help defending against harmful effects of ozone when they are engineered to have increased vitamin C levels in their leaves. 

Source : Huffingtonpost

Maria Sharapova launches Sugarpova

Maria Sharapova, the leading name upabout tennis signal, offers introduced Sugarpova, her very own chocolate brand containing twelve sweet as well as sour flavours with brands for example Sporty, Cheeky and also A little wild.

The particular launch is the results of the experience she acquired by means of supports having companies for example Tag Heuer, Tiffany & Corp, Straight talk Electronics and Nike, based on Sharapova.

"I have discovered so much from different manufacturers, whether it's advertising or even marketing," Sharapova mentioned. "Their own knowledge kind of came together during my human mental faculties also it had been which ideas that brought myself here," the lady extra.

With revenue from endorsements regarding $Twenty two thousand in the year via 06, Sharapova is the earth's highest-paid female sportsperson, in accordance with Forbes newspaper.

Mysterious New AIDS-Like Disease Affects Asians

Researchers have identified a mysterious new disease that has left scores of people in Asia and some in the United States with AIDS-like symptoms even though they are not infected with HIV.

 

The patients� immune systems become damaged, leaving them unable to fend off germs as healthy people do. What triggers this isn�t known, but the disease does not seem to be contagious.

This is another kind of acquired immune deficiency that is not inherited and occurs in adults, but doesn�t spread the way AIDS does through a virus, said Dr. Sarah Browne, a scientist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

She helped lead the study with researchers in Thailand and Taiwan where most of the cases have been found since 2004. Their report is in Thursday�s New England Journal of Medicine.

�This is absolutely fascinating. I�ve seen probably at least three patients in the last 10 years or so� who might have had this, said Dr. Dennis Maki, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

It�s still possible that an infection of some sort could trigger the disease, even though the disease itself doesn�t seem to spread person-to-person, he said.

The disease develops around age 50 on average but does not run in families, which makes it unlikely that a single gene is responsible, Browne said. Some patients have died of overwhelming infections, including some Asians now living in the U.S., although Browne could not estimate how many.

Kim Nguyen, 62, a seamstress from Vietnam who has lived in Tennessee since 1975, was gravely ill when she sought help for a persistent fever, infections throughout her bones and other bizarre symptoms in 2009. She had been sick off and on for several years and had visited Vietnam in 1995 and again in early 2009.

�She was wasting away from this systemic infection� that at first seemed like tuberculosis but wasn�t, said Dr. Carlton Hays Jr., a family physician at the Jackson Clinic in Jackson, Tenn. �She�s a small woman to begin with, but when I first saw her, her weight was 91 pounds, and she lost down to 69 pounds.�

Nguyen (pronounced �when�) was referred to specialists at the National Institutes of Health who had been tracking similar cases. She spent nearly a year at an NIH hospital in Bethesda, Md., and is there now for monitoring and further treatment.

�I feel great now,� she said Wednesday. But when she was sick, �I felt dizzy, headaches, almost fell down,� she said. �I could not eat anything.�

AIDS is a specific disease, and it stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. That means the immune system becomes impaired during someone�s lifetime, rather than from inherited gene defects like the �bubble babies� who are born unable to fight off germs.


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Mysterious New AIDS-Like Disease Affects Asians
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Researchers have identified a mysterious new disease that has left scores of people in Asia and some in the United States with AIDS-like symptoms even though they are not infected with HIV.

The patients� immune systems become damaged, leaving them unable to fend off germs as healthy people do. What triggers this isn�t known, but the disease does not seem to be contagious.

This is another kind of acquired immune deficiency that is not inherited and occurs in adults, but doesn�t spread the way AIDS does through a virus, said Dr. Sarah Browne, a scientist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

She helped lead the study with researchers in Thailand and Taiwan where most of the cases have been found since 2004. Their report is in Thursday�s New England Journal of Medicine.

�This is absolutely fascinating. I�ve seen probably at least three patients in the last 10 years or so� who might have had this, said Dr. Dennis Maki, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

It�s still possible that an infection of some sort could trigger the disease, even though the disease itself doesn�t seem to spread person-to-person, he said.

(MORE: How the Global War on Drugs Drives HIV and AIDS)

The disease develops around age 50 on average but does not run in families, which makes it unlikely that a single gene is responsible, Browne said. Some patients have died of overwhelming infections, including some Asians now living in the U.S., although Browne could not estimate how many.

Kim Nguyen, 62, a seamstress from Vietnam who has lived in Tennessee since 1975, was gravely ill when she sought help for a persistent fever, infections throughout her bones and other bizarre symptoms in 2009. She had been sick off and on for several years and had visited Vietnam in 1995 and again in early 2009.

�She was wasting away from this systemic infection� that at first seemed like tuberculosis but wasn�t, said Dr. Carlton Hays Jr., a family physician at the Jackson Clinic in Jackson, Tenn. �She�s a small woman to begin with, but when I first saw her, her weight was 91 pounds, and she lost down to 69 pounds.�

Nguyen (pronounced �when�) was referred to specialists at the National Institutes of Health who had been tracking similar cases. She spent nearly a year at an NIH hospital in Bethesda, Md., and is there now for monitoring and further treatment.

�I feel great now,� she said Wednesday. But when she was sick, �I felt dizzy, headaches, almost fell down,� she said. �I could not eat anything.�

AIDS is a specific disease, and it stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. That means the immune system becomes impaired during someone�s lifetime, rather than from inherited gene defects like the �bubble babies� who are born unable to fight off germs.

(MORE: H1N1's Death Toll: 15 Times Higher than Previously Thought)

The virus that causes AIDS � HIV � destroys T-cells, key soldiers of the immune system that fight germs. The new disease doesn�t affect those cells, but causes a different kind of damage. Browne�s study of more than 200 people in Taiwan and Thailand found that most of those with the disease make substances called autoantibodies that block interferon-gamma, a chemical signal that helps the body clear infections.

Blocking that signal leaves people like those with AIDS � vulnerable to viruses, fungal infections and parasites, but especially micobacteria, a group of germs similar to tuberculosis that can cause severe lung damage. Researchers are calling this new disease an �adult-onset� immunodeficiency syndrome because it develops later in life and they don�t know why or how.

�Fundamentally, we do not know what�s causing them to make these antibodies,� Browne said.

Antibiotics aren�t always effective, so doctors have tried a variety of other approaches, including a cancer drug that helps suppress production of antibodies. The disease quiets in some patients once the infections are tamed, but the faulty immune system is likely a chronic condition, researchers believe.

The fact that nearly all the patients so far have been Asian or Asian-born people living elsewhere suggests that genetic factors and something in the environment such as an infection may trigger the disease, researchers conclude.

The first cases turned up in 2004 and Browne�s study enrolled about 100 people in six months.

�We know there are many others out there,� including many cases mistaken as tuberculosis in some countries, she said.

Source : http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/22/mysterious-new-aids-like-disease-affects-in-asians/

AHS11 Talk Posted

After a one-year delay, my talk from the 2011 Ancestral Health Symposium is online with slides synched.  The talk is titled "Obesity: Old Solutions for a New Problem", and it's an overview of some of the research linking food reward to food intake and body fatness.  This is the talk that introduced a fundamentally new idea to the ancestral community: not only does the chemical composition of food matter, but also its sensory qualities-- in fact, the sensory qualities of food are among the primary determinants of food intake.  I didn't come up with the idea of course, I simply translated the research for a more general audience and put my own evolutionary spin on it.

The talk would be a bit different if I were to give it today, as my understanding of the subject has expanded, and my speaking skills have improved.  However, the central message remains as true today as it was a year ago.  You can find the talk here.

The slide synching was done by an extremely generous man named Ben Fury.  As you can see in the video, he did an excellent job.  Without Ben, this video would have remained in internet limbo forever.

Below, I've published a message from Ben explaining the interesting work that he does.  Please contact him if you think it's interesting.

A Message from Ben Fury

I was writing a book on health, fitness and diet in 2009 when my house burned down in the Station Fire, along with 165,000 acres of my beloved Angeles National Forest. Since then, I've had a series of people needing help come through my life, that have upgraded and morphed my talents...

Seniors with chronic pain, falls, brittle bones, and stiff shrunken muscles.
Diabetics with out of control blood sugars, going blind, and having limbs lopped off.
Neurologically challenged people with spastic limbs and foggy brains.
Fat, listless, unhappy people with no idea how they got that way, seeing no way out of the darkness.
Each of them needing help in different ways, but all with an underlying theme of what works to help heal our conditions:

•     Remove flour, sugar, beans, and heavily processed oils from our diet. Eat real food.
•     Get strong.
•     Get flexible.
•     Stop ceding health responsibility to outside forces, and take charge of our own wellness.
•     Only use truly evidence based medicine. Don't just pop the latest pill or get the latest surgery all the other people are doing. Be wary of the disease mongers in both the conventional and alternative camps.
•     Find our "happy thoughts." Use the simple restoratives of sleep, play, and reflection, to let go of pain, find inner peace, and let in joy and purposeful outer direction.

The methods to accomplish these goals are varied, and I have both non-profit and for-profit ventures to share them.
Their websites are currently in development.
The for-profit is BenFury.com
The non-profit is PainRelieversUSA.org , whose mission statement is:

To move beyond pain management...
and learn to live pain free.

Feel free to write to me  at: ben [at] benfury dot com

How to treat spider bites

Along with the warm days of summer comes the influx of insect bites. Although mosquitoes garnish a lot of attention with their sting, the spider can pack an even meaner bite.

Spiders don't hunt down human flesh for dinner like mosquitoes but the creepy crawly arachnids will bite if provoked or if their nest is disturbed. Read on for spider bite symptoms, types of poisonous spiders and how best to treat a spider bite. 

Spider bite symptoms
Among the 50,000 different species of spiders, most are harmless. However, some do produce venom that is expelled through their hollow fangs and injected into the victim. Fortunately, most spider fangs are too small or not strong enough to penetrate human skin. But, some spider bites will leave a small painful puncture that becomes red, itchy and swollen. The toxin produced by a spider's venom can cause headache, rash, painful joints and muscles, spasms, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills. Although potentially painful, bites from non-venomous spiders are not dangerous. The danger of poisonous spiders depends on the type of spider.

Most common poisonous spiders
The United States is home to three types of poisonous spiders: black widow, brown recluse and tarantula. A black widow spider's venom is classified as a neurotoxin, which means it is poisonous to the nervous system whereas the venom of a brown recluse spider causes necrosis � essentially a breakdown of skin and tissue. The tarantula injects venom into its prey through the hair on its body and legs, causing a severe allergic reaction that sometimes leads to anaphylactic shock.
 

Black widow spider
The black widow spider is easy to identify because of its black shiny body with red- to orange-colored markings visible on its underside. This spider lives in dark places such as trash cans, attics, closets, and woodpiles and is found in parts of California and southern parts of Canada. Black widows have also been known to hitch a ride with shipments of fresh fruit and make an appearance in other states and other Canadian destinations.

Although death via a black widow spider bite is uncommon, its bite can be serious. Once bitten, the victim will notice a painful pale area of skin surrounded by a red ring. Within the first few hours, severe cramping may occur in the shoulders, back, abdomen and thighs. In addition, the spider's bite may cause itching, sweating, headache, weakness, nausea, vomiting, increased blood pressure and breathing difficulties. Although most reactions to a black widow spider bite are not severe, medical attention is paramount if breathing is compromised and muscle cramps develop. Young children, the elderly and individuals with high blood pressure are more prone to develop severe adverse reactions to a black widow bite.

Brown recluse spider
The brown recluse spider is also feared for its painful bite and subsequent physical reactions. This spider is native to Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Mississippi but can surface anywhere thanks to modern transportation. The brown recluse spider prefers dark, quiet surroundings and doesn't venture out into open areas very often. It grows to a half-inch in length and its body is light brown in color. It's often referred to as the violin or fiddleneck spider because the markings on its back resemble a violin. Unlike other spiders, the recluse has six eyes instead of eight and the lower part of its body has no markings.

A brown recluse spider's bite will leave a wound resembling a bull's eye; a red ring with a blister in the center. The blister will break giving way to an ulcer type sore that will scab over. In some cases, the ulcer will get larger and affect the underlying skin and muscle tissue and be accompanied by severe pain. Within 24 to 48 hours, an itchy, red rash will appear and may be accompanied by chills, fever, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting. In some instances, hemolytic anemia, which is a condition where red blood cells are destroyed, may occur.

Tarantula
Tarantulas are native to the southern United States and are noted for their large size and hairy body. Once the victim has been injected with thousands of tiny hairs from the tarantula, redness and localized pain will commence and itchy bumps will surface that can last up to several weeks.

Treatment of spider bites
The first rule to treating a spider bite is to clean the bite, apply ice immediately and elevate the bite area. Bites from any of these three spiders should be evaluated by a medical professional.

If the bite is mild, treatment includes analgesics, antihistamines and antibiotics and Antivenin. A black widow bite may require a muscle relaxant introduced through intravenous or high blood pressure medication to guard against elevated blood pressure caused by the venom.

A brown recluse spider bite may require hospitalization if hemolysis (the destruction of red blood cells leading to the release of hemoglobin into the blood plasma) occurs and the tissue surrounding the bite starts to die. A tarantula's bite can be treated with antihistamines or glucocorticoids to ease the adverse symptoms. With all spider bites, a tetanus shot is recommended.

Take precautions and avoid getting a spider bite
Prevention is the key to avoiding a painful spider bite. Avoid areas in which spiders dwell and if your path crosses a spider's web, be careful not to disturb it or provoke the spider. Be extra cautious when using an outhouse � spiders often find refuge in the lowly outdoor commode.

Source : sheknows.com

Alternatives for Cellulite Reduction

Are there any cellulite reduction alternatives besides liposuction? Of course, liposuction is not considered medically necessary.

 

The decision is up to you whether or not to undergo liposuction. You may decide that it is not right for you. And you can make that determination right up to the point of actually having the procedure.

Liposuction Alternatives

• Exercise. 
• Accept your body and appearance as it is.
• Change your diet to lose some excess body fat.
• Use clothing or makeup to downplay or emphasize body or facial features.
• Try some of the other methods such as topicals or body wrapping.

Whatever method you select for cellulite reduction make certain that you have done your due diligence and select the most suitable method with the least amount of risk to obtain the results you desire.

Source : mydailymoment.com

Healthy eating for children, Best Nutrition

Although their growth is slower than in infancy, school-aged children still have high nutritional needs but fairly small appetites. So it's crucial all meals and snacks continue to be rich in nutrients and energy. The food choices children make during the crucial years of development can influence their future health risk and can also influence food habits in later life.

A structured eating plan with regular meals and snacks is important to establish good eating habits. Ensure there's also plenty of variety - burgers and chips are fine occasionally, but not for every meal.

A limited number of foods makes it difficult to obtain the full range of nutrients. Make sure your child has a range of foods based on each of the main food groups.
 

Energy

School children still have a high energy requirement for growth and activity, but increasing numbers are becoming overweight. This is because they�re eating too many calories and not being active enough to use up the extra energy they�ve eaten.

If you think your child is putting on too much weight, don't make a big issue of it. Instead, encourage physical activity in whatever form (football, netball, walking the dog, cycling, swimming and so on).

Base meals and snacks on the five main food groups, but limit fatty and sugary snacks.

An overweight child still needs a nutrient-packed diet that provides all the essential building blocks for growth and development. Encouraging healthy eating should ensure children maintain a healthy weight. Make sure the whole family is eating healthily to provide good role models.
 

Calcium

This mineral is important for healthy bone development. Good sources include dairy products such as milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais, as well as fortified orange juice, green leafy vegetables, cereals, sesame seeds and tofu.

Your child should ideally aim for three servings of calcium-rich food a day - for example, a 150ml glass of milk, a small pot of yoghurt and a small matchbox-sized piece of cheese.
 

Folate

This vitamin is important for growth, but intake is low in some children, especially those who skip breakfast because fortified cereals are a good source of folate. Other sources include bread, green leafy vegetables and pulses.
 

Iron

This mineral helps to keep red blood cells healthy. Insufficient iron intake can lead to iron-deficiency anaemia, but this is much less common in primary school�aged children than their younger and older siblings.

Good sources of iron include red meat, liver, fortified breakfast cereals, beans and pulses.

To help absorb the iron more effectively from non-meat sources, combine it with vitamin C-rich foods such as citrus fruits and fruit juice.
 

Fatty and sugary foods

This group includes spreading fats (such as butter), cooking oils, sugar, biscuits, cakes, crisps, sweets, cream and ice cream, chocolate and sugary drinks. These foods shouldn't be eaten too often and, when they are, should only be consumed in small amounts.

They're loaded with calories, fat and sugar, and don't necessarily contain many vitamins and minerals. Also, sugary foods and drinks (including fruit juice) can increase the risk of dental decay.

Limit the amount of sugar and sweets eaten, and offer them at the end of meals, rather than in-between.

Some sugar-free or diet drinks can also cause decay because of their acidity. Milk or water is the best drink between meals.

Source : bbc

Dark chocolate 'may lower blood pressure'

There may be good news for people looking for an excuse to munch on a couple of squares of chocolate after a review showed the treat could reduce blood pressure.

 

An analysis of 20 studies showed that eating dark chocolate daily resulted in a slight reduction in blood pressure.

The Cochrane Group's report said chemicals in cocoa, chocolate's key ingredient, relaxed blood vessels.

However, there are healthier ways of lowering blood pressure.

The theory is that cocoa contains flavanols which produce a chemical in the body called nitric oxide. This 'relaxes' blood vessels making it easier for blood to pass through them, lowering the blood pressure.
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    The 100g of chocolate that had to be consumed daily in a number of the studies would also come with 500 calories - that's a quarter of a woman's recommended daily intake�

Victoria Taylor British Heart Foundation

However, studies have thrown up mixed results. The Cochrane analysis combined previous studies to see if there was really an effect.

There was a huge range in the amount of cocoa consumed, from 3g to 105g a day, by each participant. However, the overall picture was a small reduction in blood pressure.

A systolic blood pressure under 120mmHg (millimetres of mercury) is considered normal. Cocoa resulted in a 2-3mmHg reduction in blood pressure. However, the length of the trials was only two weeks so the longer term effects are unknown.

Lead researcher Karin Ried, from the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Melbourne, Australia, said: "Although we don't yet have evidence for any sustained decrease in blood pressure, the small reduction we saw over the short term might complement other treatment options and might contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease."

High blood pressure is both common and deadly. It has been linked to 54% of strokes worldwide and 47% of cases of coronary heart disease.

However, chocolate packs plenty of fat and sugar as well as cocoa so is not the ideal way of lowering blood pressure.
Dark or milk?

There has also been a warning in the Lancet medical journal that dark chocolate may contain fewer flavanols than you might think. Dark chocolate contains a higher cocoa count than milk chocolate so should contain more flavanols, however, they can also be removed as they have a bitter taste.

Victoria Taylor, of the British Heart Foundation, said: "It's difficult to tell exactly what sort of quantities of flavanol-rich cocoa would be needed to observe a beneficial effect and the best way for people to obtain it.

"With most of the studies carried out over a short period of time it's also not possible to know for sure whether the benefits could be sustained in the long term. The 100g of chocolate that had to be consumed daily in a number of the studies would also come with 500 calories - that's a quarter of a woman's recommended daily intake.

"Beans, apricots, blackberries and apples also contain flavanols and, while containing lower amounts than in cocoa, they won't come with the unhealthy extras found in chocolate."

Source : bbc

Chocolate Reduce Heart Risk

Dark Chocolate Reduce Heart Risk

The very dark chocolate assists reduce the risk of heart disease, and even counteract the contradictory consequences of smoking by the occurrence of polyphenols, a substance that helps to advance blood flow in the arteries, according to a study published in the BBC digital.

An investigation by the University Hospital of Zurich displays that eating a couple of images" of sweets a day can avert the hardening and constricting of the arteries in smokers.

"This happens only with dark chocolate," he told the BBC Dr Myriam Posada, a investigator at the School of Nutrition at the University of Antioquia, Colombia. "In the white sweets are not present polyphenols, which are compounds that contain antioxidants and produce cardiovascular effects," he added.

The research, released in the journal 'Heart', contrasted the consequences of black sweets (containing 74 per hundred cocoa) sweets with white on the circulation of blood flow in the arteries of 20 male smokers. fuming sways the undertaking of endothelial units (lining the artery walls) and to platelets, which are engaged in forming body-fluid clots.

Before you take 40 grams of sweets, smokers were inquired to abstain for 24 hours of consuming other foods wealthy in antioxidants, such as onions, apple fruit, and cabbage and cocoa goods.

After 2 hours, ultrasound scans revealed that dark sweets significantly advanced the arterial circulation flow, and that the effect continued eight hours.

"What occurs is that the content of polyphony that have the sweets helps decreases the grade of body-fluid clotting, which improves body-fluid flow in arteries," said M. Posada.

The polyphony in sweets, states the researcher, have an significant effect on platelets. The study displayed, for the body-fluid trials of persons studied, very dark sweets was lessened by almost half the undertaking of platelets. "When the undertaking of platelets declines, there is less possibility of thrombosis, stroke or heart attack," he said.

Furthermore, grades of antioxidants in the blood are substantially expanded inside two hours of eating the sweets. in addition to, the content of polyphony having chocolate helps to decrease the grade of blood coagulation, which advances the blood flow in arteries.

White vs Dark Chocolate

White chocolate, however, had no effect on endothermic units or platelets or antioxidant grades. "The key is the high antioxidant content of living black sweets, containing more per gram than any other nourishment or drink rich in these substances, such as red wine or green tea," said Colombian investigator.

Although, professionals furthermore warned about the high grade of calories comprised in all kinds of sweets, which generally contain 500 calories per 100 grams and an overall mean of 30 per hundred fat.

"I advise my patients that if they have no heaviness troubles, have a cup of sweets every day as a good source of antioxidants," said nutritionist. "If the persevering has heaviness troubles or are diabetic, take cocoa with sweetener," he added.

Delicious But Worst Summer Foods

Hot Dogs:

As they are full of salt, these people zap drinking h2o through children' bodies-and upward children's chances of drying. Additionally, people mathematicians tend to be stocked fats, which is a aspect in creating heart disease, even tiny hearts. 

Pepperoni Pizza: 

A single cut delivers practically 3 hundred calories from fat, and your munchkin might prefer mere just a few a few moments. There's also gobs associated with saturated fats and dehydration-promoting sodium, about Seven-hundred mg for each piece.

Sports Drinks:

You may think those electrolyte-replacing -ades are exactly what kiddos requirement for enjoyable in the sunshine, however they really include high levels of sugars, that researchers have associated with considerable extra weight. A single study found that every additional serving regarding sweet drinks a day boosts the children's danger regarding being overweight up to 60%. 

Ice Pops: 

Like sporting activities beverages, they support bare calories from fat that will trigger putting on weight. So when relaxing as they may seem, they're actually filled up with glucose or perhaps large fructose corn syrup, synthetic flavors and also chemical fabric inorganic dyes. 

Ice Cream:

Depending on the brand name, any one-cup information associated with simple vanilla ice cream includes more than 400 calories from fat as well as Forty gr of glucose. That's a weighty load regarding itsy-bitsy bodies in order to be able for you to help make when they're not as mixed up in summer time. Additionally , it may have got up to Sixteen grms of saturated fats, a big issue since high-fat foods may leave youngsters minus the energy they have to play outside.

Potato Chips:

Not only can all of that sodium cause lack of fluids, nonetheless it also can fast kids to satisfy their own chip-spurred being thirsty having sweet beverages, states Manley. In addition, chips are usually high in fat. 

Cookies: 

Sure, they are the particular go-to nibbles with regard to wet summer nights, yet apart from being filled with fat as well as glucose, they're very easy you can eat plan whilst children perform on-line on-line games or view tv.

Sun tan cream: how much is safe?

 Now summer has finally arrived, should we slather on the sunscreen to protect against skin cancer, or expose ourselves to the sun�s rays to boost vitamin D levels?

Safety first: 'There is unfortunately no established level of sun exposure guaranteed to produce enough vitamin D without harming your skin'

Experts have linked over-conscientious use of sun creams with low levels of the �sunshine vitamin�, which is vital for strong bones and has additional health benefits. On the other hand, Cancer Research UK revealed last week that annual diagnoses of malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, in middle-aged people have risen from 500 in the late Seventies to more than 2,000 today.

The NHS advises spending 10-15 minutes in the sun daily without sunscreen for a vitamin D boost, but some specialists recommend taking a vitamin D supplement rather than leaving off the sunscreen. Dr Stefanie Williams, a London dermatologist, explains: �How much vitamin D your skin produces depends on many factors, including its colour �pale skins synthesise vitamin D faster but also burn more easily. There is unfortunately no established level of sun exposure guaranteed to produce enough vitamin D without harming your skin.�

She advises a vitamin D supplement of 1000IU (0.025mg) daily for most people (official advice is for supplements to be taken only by those at risk of deficiency).

Dr Howard Murad, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, agrees that taking a supplement is better than relying on the sun. �Sunlight is not a surefire way to receive the 'right� amount of Vitamin D,� he says.


 Cancer Research UK recommends using a product with an SPF of at least 15 to protect against the UVB rays that cause sunburn. However, the SPF does not indicate whether a product protects against the UVA rays that cause skin ageing and are implicated in skin cancer. The best UVA protection is given by products that contain filters such as zinc oxide or titanium oxide, says Dr Williams.

�To get a good indication about a product�s UVA, you may want to check the manufacturer�s website. A good product would provide an SPF of 30-50 and a PPD (persistent pigment darkening) factor of at least 15.�

Some products contain added ingredients such as antioxidants, which are said to repair skin damage or prevent blemishes. Do they do any good?

�Antioxidants such as vitamin C or E can help to protect your skin,� says Dr Williams, �but they should never be a substitute for UV filters and behaving sensibly in the sun.�

Says Dr Murad: ''Good sunscreens should always include hydrators, anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants.�

No sunscreen, no matter how high its SPF, can provide 100 per cent protection, warns Jennifer Richards, a nurse skin specialist at The Mole Clinic in London. �It is crucial that you apply sunscreen generously and regularly. For an average person, this means about two teaspoonfuls for the head, arms and neck, and about two tablespoonfuls if you�re covering all areas left exposed by a swimming costume.�

Me? I�m getting a large hat and sitting in the shade.

Source : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/9434762/Sun-tan-cream-how-much-is-safe.html

Ancestral Health Symposium 2012

I recently returned from AHS12 and a little side trip to visit family. The conference was hosted at Harvard University through the Harvard Food Law Society. Many thanks to all the organizers who made it happen. By and large, it went smoothly.

The science as expected ranged from outstanding to mediocre, but I was really encouraged by the presence and enthusiastic participation of a number of quality researchers and clinicians. The basic concept of ancestral health is something almost anyone can get behind: many of our modern health problems are due to a mismatch between the modern environment and what our bodies "expect". The basic idea is really just common sense, but of course the devil is in the details when you start trying to figure out what exactly our bodies expect, and how best to give it to them. I think our perspective as a community is moving in the right direction.

Read more �

Blood Type Linked With Heart Disease Risk: Study

Not all blood types may be alike when it comes to heart disease risk.

Harvard researchers found certain blood types seem to be associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease than others. Specifically, people with type AB -- only about 7 percent of the U.S. population -- have a 23 percent increased risk of the condition, compared with type Os.

Meanwhile, people with type B blood had an 11 percent higher risk of coronary heart disease, and people with type A blood had a 5 percent higher risk compared with people with type O blood, according to the Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology study.

The researchers noted that about 43 percent of people in the U.S have Type O blood.

"While people cannot change their blood type, our findings may help physicians better understand who is at risk for developing heart disease," study researcher Dr. Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in a statement.

"It's good to know your blood type the same way you should know your cholesterol or blood pressure numbers," Qi added in the statement. "If you know you're at higher risk, you can reduce the risk by adopting a healthier lifestyle, such as eating right, exercising and not smoking."

The study included blood type analysis from nearly 100,000 people between ages 30 and 75, who participated in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, in which they were followed for at least 20 years.


The researchers said they have yet to understand the exact cause for this blood type-heart disease connection. But, they did say that past research has suggested a link between having A type blood and higher levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, and a link between having AB type blood and inflammation.

Last year, a study presented at the conference of the American Heart Association suggested a link between blood type and stroke risk, too. That study showed that AB type blood in men and women, and B type blood in women, is linked with an increased risk of stroke, compared with people with O type blood, the Associated Press reported.

That study was conducted by researchers from the Brigham and Women's Hospital, and included health data from 90,000 people. 

Source : http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Top 5 Tourist Places in The World

1. The Walt Disney World Resort : The Walt Disney World Resort is the world�s most-visited entertainment resort. It is located in Lake Buana, Orlando, Florida. The resort was originally developed by Walt Disney in the 1960s to supplement Disneyland in California.

2. Trafalgar Square: Trafalgar Square in the heart of London, photographed in the evening in black and white. Its center is Nelson�s Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at it�s base. The name Trafalgar Square commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars.

3. Niagara Falls : Niagara Falls is one of the most spectacular natural miracles of the North American continent. Niagara Falls is a waterfall assembly located on the border between northern state of New York and Ontario in Canada. Lake Erie is connected with Lake Ontario via the Niagara River with a difference of 58 m, the water being separated into two arms of the Island "Goat Island" (Goats Island).

4. Universal Studios Japan : Universal Studios Japan , located in Osaka, is one of four Universal Studios theme parks. The park is similar to Universal Orlando Resort, since it also contains selected attractions from Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. Most visitors are Japanese tourists and tourists from other Asian countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea. In 2005 Goldman Sachs became the largest shareholder in Universal Studios Japan.

5. Eiffel Tower : The actual Eiffel Tower may be the tallest building in France made up of enormous fretwork framework. The Eiffel tower is owned by the Town of Paris and is utilized like a milestone regarding visitors.

Can Meditation Make You Smarter?

Most of us know that meditating is a great way to reduce stress. But meditative practice goes beyond taking a chill pill. Meditating is also associated with structural changes in the brain that help sharpen focus and improve memory and multitasking skills. But can this mind-body practice really help you get straight A�s?

Smarty (Yoga) Pants � Why It Matters
It�s not just tree huggers and ultra-yogis who meditate. In 2007, about 9% of American adults tried getting into their Zen zones at least once in the past year. Most people say they meditate to manage stress, but meditative practice affects the brain in many other ways.

While people have been meditating for thousands of years, it wasn�t until the 1970s that scientists started focusing on its brainy benefits. Numerous studies suggest that regular meditation (about six hours a week) may actually change brain structure. Scientists have found meditation is associated with a thicker cerebral cortex and more gray matter � i.e., the parts of the brain linked to memory, attention span, decisionmaking and learning. But a year of silent meditation isn�t always necessary. One study found people who meditated at least once a week for four years showed increased cortical gyrification, the folding of the cerebral cortex that helps people process information.

It�s still unclear how meditation actually changes the brain, but some scientists say devoting complete attention to one specific object or thought actually alters our neural networks. And just remember, these studies don�t imply meditating will cause any changes in our brains, just that these cognitive abilities are associated with meditation.

Other research skips the brain scans and suggests some practical benefits of meditation. Om-ing is connected to better concentration and multitasking skills � things some of us might wish for when losing focus on the job. Researchers think meditation helps people deal with interruptions and work on multiple assignments more efficiently. Meditation can also help students battle stress on exam day, possibly boosting their academic performance. But before replacing the GCal with breathing exercises, beware of conflicting scientific findings.

Breathe In, Breathe Out � The Answer/Debate
So what�s the real deal? Meditation may be linked to some short-term perks, like acing a memory test, but scientists have yet to figure out how long the potential cognitive benefits of meditation last. Meanwhile, one study failed to find any correlation between short-term breathing meditation and cognitive abilities like memory, intelligence and academic achievement. And some scientists argue that meditation only has brain-boosting power when we expect to see those kind of results.

It�s also worth noting that there are many different types of meditation, and certain people may benefit more from one meditation style over another. So if you�re looking to get some big results from a little inward reflection, choose a type of meditation you like and feel most comfortable doing. From mantra to mindfulness and Zen to qigong, there are plenty of ways to get that third eye in focus.

Source : http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/10/can-meditation-make-you-smarter/