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Contents
Diet
and Exercise
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Risk of Overweight
Preteen girls are at higher risk of becoming overweight than are teenagers,
according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics found that 9- to
12-year-old girls are more likely to gain too much weight than teens, and
they suffer the consequences. Researchers found that the girls had
signs of elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Being overweight
in childhood means a tenfold increase in the girls' risk of being overweight
as adults.
About 195 million people, 65 percent of Americans, are overweight, according
to government figures. Being overweight has serious consequences, increasing
the risk for diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure, stroke and some
forms of cancer. With an eye on Americans who spend too much time sitting
behind computer screens and not enough time getting exercise, the American
Heart Association is pitching fitness with an online nutrition tracker. The
heart association estimates that adults gain two hours of life expectancy
for each hour of regular exercise.
Chlorinated
Water Causes Cancer
Drinking, bathing or swimming in chlorinated water may increase the risk
of bladder cancer, a new Spanish study shows. The findings are the first
to suggest that these chemicals can be harmful when they are inhaled or absorbed
through the skin, as well as when they are ingested. Chemicals, most commonly
chlorine, used to disinfect water can produce by-products that have been
tied to increased cancer risk. The most prevalent chlorination by-products,
chemicals called trihalomethanes (THM), can be absorbed into the body through
the skin or by inhalation. Study participants who drank chlorinated water
were at 35% greater risk of bladder cancer than those who didn't, while use
of swimming pools boosted bladder cancer risk by 57%. And those who took
longer showers or baths and lived in municipalities with higher THM levels
were also at increased cancer risk. American Journal of Epidemiology, January
2007.
Tomatoes and Broccoli for
Prostate Health
Experiments in rats show that eating both tomatoes and broccoli is better
than eating either vegetable alone, or lycopene supplements, for slowing
prostate tumor growth, researchers report in the journal Cancer Research.
The findings show that men hoping to beat or prevent prostate cancer should
stick with whole foods, rather than dietary supplements. Tumor growth
was slowest in the castrated animals, followed by those given the 10 percent
tomato and 10 percent broccoli diet. Microscopic studies showed that the
most concentrated veggie combination enhanced destruction of tumor cells
and slowed their growth.
Fiber
cuts Breast Cancer Risk in Women
Pre-menopausal women who eat large amounts of fibre could halve their breast
cancer risk, a UK study has suggested. The University of Leeds researchers
found those who ate 30g of fiber a day had half the risk of those who ate
less than 20g. They said women should try to increase their fibre intake.
Experts said the International Journal of Epidemiology study was more evidence
of the benefits of a healthy diet. The average person in the
UK eats 12g of fiber a day.
To eat 30g, a person would need to eat a high-fiber cereal for breakfast,
switch from white or brown bread to whole-wheat and ensure they have five
portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Chili Peppers kill
Cancer
Scientists have discovered the key to the ability of spicy foods to kill
cancer cells. They found capsaicin, an ingredient of jalapeno peppers, triggers
cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria - the cells' energy-generating
boiler rooms. The research raises the possibility that other cancer drugs
could be developed to target mitochondria. The Nottingham University
study features in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.
The fact that capsaicin and other vanilloids are already commonly found in
the diet proves they are safe to eat. This could make development of
a drug containing them a much quicker and cheaper process.
Red Meat Causes Heart Disease in Diabetics
Consuming red meat and other foods high in "heme" iron, such as chicken liver,
clams and oysters, appears to increase the risk of heart disease in diabetics,
researchers report in the journal Diabetes Care. Specifically, women
who consumed the highest amount of heme iron were 50 percent more likely
to develop heart disease than those with the lowest intake. The risks were
greatest in women who were postmenopausal.
Miscellaneous
Nicotine
Cigarettes manufactured in 2005 had more nicotine than those manufactured
in 1997, according to a Harvard School of Public Health study, which backs
up earlier findings by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The
study, based on data submitted by cigarette manufacturers, found that smoke
nicotine yield per cigarette increased by about 11% over a seven-year period.
Breast Density
Women with dense breast tissue have a higher incidence of breast cancer
than women who have more fatty tissue in their breasts, according to a Canadian
study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which suggests breast
density is a real risk factor for breast cancer. Higher breast density correlates
with more breast tissue and less fat.
Topical
Anesthesia for Premature Ejaculation
Patients with premature ejaculation who used a topical anaesthetic spray
were able to delay ejaculation for five times as long, according to a study
in the February issue of the urology journal BJU International. Researchers
from the UK and Netherlands studied men with premature ejaculation. Men, who
normally ejaculated an average of one minute after vaginal penetration, managed
to delay ejaculation by just under an extra four minutes after using the
prescribed TEMPE spray, which delivers a combination of lidocaine and prilocaine.
Altruism is in
Your Mind
Altruism - the tendency to help others without obvious benefit to oneself
- appears to be linked to an area called the posterior superior temporal sulcus.
Using brain scans, the US investigators found this region related to a person's
real-life unselfish behavior. The Duke University Medical Center study
on 45 volunteers is published in Nature Neuroscience.
Anti Depressants Break Bones
The most popular pills for depression might substantially raise the risk
for bone breaks in older people, a drawback that should be considered when
the drugs are prescribed, Canadian researchers say. People aged 50
and older who took antidepressants, including Zoloft, Prozac and other top-sellers,
faced double the risk of broken bones during five years of follow-up, compared
with those who didn't use the drugs, the study found in Archives of Internal
Medicine. The drugs in question are called SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors. These are generally the favored treatment for depression in many
patients and their combined U.S. sales jumped 32 percent from 2000 to 2004,
to more than $10.9 billion, the researchers said. Broken forearms, ankles,
feet, hips and ribs were the most common fractures.
Vaccinating Boys to Cure Cervical Cancer in Women
A study conducted by pharmaceutical giant Merck, which owns the manufacturing
licence for the Gardasil vaccine, recommends its use in boys under the age
of 12. Researchers found more than 90 per cent of cases caused by the
four most common strains of papilloma virus could be eliminated, instead
of just over 75per cent if only girls were vaccinated. The vaccine is approved
for use in boys aged nine to 15 in Australia. However, the federal Government
only funds the vaccination of girls. Parents can purchase the vaccine
for their sons for the full retail price of $460. The rollout of the Gardasil
vaccine will begin in schools in April among girls aged 12 to 18. Women
aged 19 to 26 will also have access to the vaccine.
Vitamin D Pill for Prostate Cancer
Exposure to Vitamin D from sunlight is known to improve the prognosis of
certain cancers.
US drug company Novacea has produced a pill which delivers a concentrated
dose of the vitamin without running the risk of side-effects from an overdose.
Chemistry and Industry magazine reports that if clinical trials of the drug
- Asentar (DN-101) - are successful it could be available by 2009.
Prostate
Cancer Treatment Reduces Penis Size
Turkish researchers studied men who were receiving the hormone and radiation
therapy for prostate cancer, the Journal of Urology reported, and found a
decrease in average stretched penile length from 14.2 to 8.6 centimeters.
Men should be told about the possible side effect of reduction penile size.
Microwave Your Sponges
University of Florida engineering researchers have found that microwaving
kitchen sponges and plastic scrubbers, known to be common carriers of the
bacteria and viruses that cause food-borne illnesses, sterilizes them rapidly
and effectively. Food-borne illnesses afflict at least 6 million Americans
annually, causing at least 9,000 deaths and $4 billion to $6 billion in medical
costs and other expenses. Home kitchens are a common source of contamination,
as pathogens from uncooked eggs, meat and vegetables find their way onto countertops,
utensils and cleaning tools. Previous studies have shown that sponges and
dishcloths are common carriers of the pathogens, in part because they often
remain damp, which helps the bugs survive, according to the UF paper.
The Power of Attention
By Julie Fuimano
“Busy” is a societal game. The busier you are the more successful you
must be. Right? So you spend your days doing rather than being and lose yourself
in the abyss of ‘getting things done’. At the end of the day, you might feel
good about the things you’ve accomplished–although oftentimes, whatever you
do seems not enough. You still feel like there is so much on your plate that
you’ve hardly made a dent.
The more you do and the busier you become, the less able you are to focus
on the moment and what is right in front of you. The conscious mind can only
hold one thought or feeling at a time. Therefore, because of how the mind
works, multitasking is really the process of shifting your attention between
two or more things. In this way, you become a human doing. Society perpetuates
the myth that the more you get done, the more coveted you are. This is an
illusion and only serves to move you away from your essence as you do more
and be less. Many people don’t even take vacations and when they are off
from work, they jam pack the time with other things to do. Having never been
taught how to be a human being, they don’t know how to do nothing and simply
be.
Our society has perpetuated this lifestyle as worthy and noble, and praise
is given to those who can “do it all.” You can do a lot over the course of
your lifetime; you just cannot do it all in one moment. Living your life
cluttered with doing is not living; it’s a life of getting things done. Missing
is the meaning. Missing is the experience of the doing, the enjoyment of
doing whatever it is you’re doing in the moment. Seems strange to say that
and yet gratitude and presence helps to put things in perspective.
When you are busy with lots of things going on all at once, your body taps
its own energy resource and releases adrenaline into the bloodstream. This
natural drug helps you to think clearly and act quickly. This is the reason
people can say they work better under pressure. It’s true to an extent; we
all work well under pressure due to Nature’s little helper. Because of this,
you want more. You access this resource to help you get through every day
and over time, you become addicted. You may wonder why you crash at the end
of the day but because you’re getting so much accomplished, you don’t think
much of it. It becomes a way of life but not without a cost. It becomes difficult
for you to relax. You become irritable and stressed. You might develop insomnia,
anxiety, or depression. The adrenaline lifestyle does not make it easy for
relationships to flourish. It also damages your blood vessels and is the
main cause for heart disease and stroke.
Coaching Tip: Slow down and be present to what you are doing in this very
moment. Breathe when you feel yourself revving up. If you find yourself trying
to do several things at once, ask yourself what the priority is and choose
that one thing to focus your attention on. Once complete, you can choose
the next priority. The goal is to focus your doing on those things that are
aligned with your vision for success and you must say no to everything else.
You’ll know you’re doing it right when you find yourself saying no to lots
of things and creating space which brings you to a place close to boredom.
This is a good place to be. It means you are ready to learn how to “be”.
After all, life is not just a to-do list. And you are not a human doing.
Being present is often called mindfulness. Others call it being awake or
meditating. It means that you are completely attentive to what you are doing
in the moment. Why is this important? Because when you are not present you
miss the moment. When you are attempting to do more in the moment than is
possible-and because we know that the conscious mind only handles one thing
at a time-you miss one of those things. For example, your child is speaking
to you while you are doing the dishes. Are you listening? Or is your attention
focused on making sure the dishes are clean? Or are you thinking about something
else entirely, like “who left the dishes in the sink?” and “What’s for dinner?”
The mind has a way of running amok. It likes to keep moving. It has difficulty
staying focused in the moment. It wanders. The good news is that your mind
does not control you unless you let it. You are not your mind. Your mind
is a tool you’ve been given to help you navigate this world. It may have
learned to take charge; now you need to learn to take charge of your mind.
Coaching Tip: In order to stay present and be with what is requires attention
and practice. Practice being attentive and fully present for each conversation.
Focus your attention when people are speaking; this means no longer doing
anything other than simply listening. When your mind wanders, pull it back
to the moment. Over time as you learn how to immerse yourself in the present,
you will create a richer life experience. And as you enjoy the moments of
your life simply because you are more awake for them, you become less stressed,
less overwhelmed, and more peaceful, more content. Your life becomes more
meaningful and enjoyable as you capture the power of your attention.
Julie Fuimano, MBA, RN is an Executive Coach with Nurturing
Your Success Inc. She is passionate about partnering with people as they
take the challenging journey to a new level of success. Clients report making
better decisions, having more time for themselves, being able to say no to
requests outside of their responsibilities and desires, being better able
to manage emotions as well as conflicts, and an overall feeling of power
and confidence. If you are discontent or frustrated with something in your
life and are ready to give up the struggle for something better, or if you
have a vision for success and want the courage and focus to make it happen,
then contact Julie at (610) 277-2726 or write to Julie@NurturingYourSuccess.com
to explore how coaching would work for you. If not now, when? Fuimano is
a popular motivational speaker, world-renowned writer, and author of the
life manual and confidence builder, The Journey Called YOU: A Roadmap to
Self-Discovery and Acceptance –available wherever books are sold. Sign up
for her inspiring e-newsletter at www.NurturingYourSuccess.com.
http://www.biospace.com/news_story.aspx?StoryID=43047&full=1
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Recipes
Vegetarian Chili
INGREDIENTS: 1 can black or pinto beans, drained; 1 can kidney beans, drained;
1 can diced tomatoes; 1/2 onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 bell pepper,
diced (any color); 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp vegetable broth; 2 tbsp
chili powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; dash cayenne pepper (optional);
dash red pepper flakes (optional); 1/2 cup TVP + 1/2 cup water (optional)
PREPARATION: In a medium to large soup pot, sautee the onion, bell pepper
and garlic in the olive oil. Add tomatoes, broth and chili powder and
stir. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Stir occasionally and cook
for at least 20 minutes. Add TVP and water 10 minutes before done cooking.
Of course, the longer you cook chili the better, but if you're pressed for
time, 20 minutes is fine. For a spicier chili, add extra cayenne and red
pepper flakes.
Tofu
Scramble
INGREDIENTS: 1/2 yellow onion, diced; 1/2 green bell pepper, diced; 1 block
tofu, drained and pressed; 2 tbsp oil or margarine; 1 tsp garlic powder;
1 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp dried parsley; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp nutritional
yeast; 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
PREPARATION: Slice the tofu into approximately one inch cubes. Then, using
either your hands or a fork, crumble it slightly. Sautee onion, pepper and
crumbled tofu in oil for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients,
reduce heat to medium and allow to cook 5-7 more minutes, stirring frequently
and adding more oil if needed. Wrap in a warmed flour tortilla with a bit
of salsa for a breakfast burrito or top with soy or dairy cheese.
http://vegetarian.about.com/popular.htm
Pumpkin Oatmeal
INGREDIENTS: 2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats; 3 cups fat-free milk; 1/2
cup canned pumpkin; 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice; 1/8 tsp cinnamon; 1 tbsp raisins;
Brown sugar to taste
PREPARATION: Place oatmeal in a microwave-safe bowl and stir in milk. Microwave
on high for 2-3 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in pumpkin puree,
spice and cinnamon. Heat for 40-60 seconds, or until heated through. Stir
in raisins. Sweeten with brown sugar if necessary and enjoy.
Stovetop method: Bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in oats
and cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add pumpkin and spices and
stir until heated through. Stir in raisins just before serving.
http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/breakfastandlunch/r/pumpoats.htm?nl=1&nl=1
Raw Vegetable Recipes
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/rawfoodsrecipes/Raw_and_Living_Foods_Recipes.htm
Thai Style Spring Rolls
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/ThaiSpringRolls.htm?nl=1
This material contains
only general descriptions and is not a solicitation to sell
any insurance product or security, nor is it intended as any financial,
tax, medical or health care advice. For information about specific
needs or situations, contact your financial agent or physician.
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Source:
The primary sources cited
above, New York Times (NYT),
Washington Post (WP), Mercury News,
Bayarea.com, Chicago Tribune, USA Today,
Intellihealthnews, Deccan Chronicle
(DC), the Hindu, Hindustan Times,
Times of India, AP, Reuters, AFP, womenfitness.net,
about.com etc.
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