Recent Articles
A Wise Purchase
Mar 6, 2010 Business, Economy, Investments 7 Comments
Almost all consumers around the world today have noticed that prices for goods and services have been skyrocketed. And as such, there is a misconception about it, but the truth of the matter is that prices have remained nearly the same in precious metals terms. It is the value of the dollar in the gold market that has declined and because of such; it now simply takes more dollars to buy the same products as compared before.
Nevertheless, most of us if not all have been experiencing unfortunate condition as the state of the world economy is so uncertain now. Though some people don’t care of what is going on in the market today, but you shouldn’t be one of them. Instead, take a closer look of how much interest does your money earn when switching it with gold money rather than having it deposited in a bank.
In a nutshell, it is on this context that lots of people were now looking forward to assimilate things because of the safety factors with the rarity value of gold ounce that ends up being one of the most important, and becomes even more important. Well after all, anticipating things in a way that would be beneficial to you and your family is an investment-wise. And having such would be favorable on your part in case a monetary breakdown happens. So better act now and got a solid asset that you don’t have in paper. After all, they are a wise purchase.
Tailored Diets For Disease Prevention
Mar 6, 2010 Food, Research & Study, diet 7 Comments
Researchers at Kansas State University recently published an academic journal article discussing the potential for nutrigenomics, a field that studies the effects of food on gene expression. The researchers discussed the possibility of using food to prevent an individual’s genes from expressing disease. The researchers said nutrigenomics could completely change the future of public health and the food and culinary industries.
“Nutrigenomics involves tailoring diets to someone’s genetic makeup,” said Koushik Adhikari, K-State assistant professor of sensory analysis. “I speculate that in five to 10 years, you would go to a genetic counselor or a physician who could help you understand your genetic makeup, and then a nutritional professional could customize your diet accordingly.”
Adhikari collaborated with Denis Medeiros, professor and department head of human nutrition, and Jean Getz, former K-State graduate student in human nutrition, for an article on nutrigenomics that was published in the January issue of Food Technology. Getz, now a student at the School of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University, wrote the article while at K-State.
Nutrigenomics is a fast-moving field of research that combines molecular biology, genetics and nutrition to regulate gene expression through specific nutrients. Nutrients have been shown to affect gene expression through transcription factors, which are biochemical entities that bind to DNA and either promote or inhibit transcription of genes. By understanding the roles of specific nutrients and how they might cause diseases, scientists could recommend specific foods for an individual based on his or her genetics.
“Scientists are looking at the molecular mechanisms in the body,” Adhikari said. “At the molecular level, you can look at what specific nutrients can do to your body that would trigger genes to act properly, in a healthy way.”
Medeiros said K-State researchers in human nutrition are doing these kinds of studies. Some are studying the impact plant chemicals have on different types of cancers in terms of their potential prevention effects. Other researchers are looking at how wolfberry, a Chinese fruit, could be used to improve vision.
“These studies not only answer whether the concerned nutrients prevent a disease, but also how they exert their health benefits,” Medeiros said.
Current health recommendations for people in the United States are general for the overall population. However, with nutrigenomics research, health recommendations could be better modified to individuals.
“That is where I think the main focus of nutrigenomics is going to be in the future,” Adhikari said. “It could tell you that you have the propensity for certain chronic diseases so that you could modify your diet accordingly. With a better understanding of how nutrients alter gene expression, there is a potential that food could be used instead of medication to combat problems like high cholesterol.”
Adhikari said this kind of personalized health care is in the near future since the human genome has been mapped. Now scientists are focusing on identifying single-nucleotide polymorphisms, which are a small change in a person’s DNA sequence like sensitivity to bitterness. Polymorphisms could determine if a person has a propensity for different chronic diseases. At K-State, Adhikari and Mark Haub, associate professor of human nutrition, are leading a study of the genotypes of diabetic and non-diabetic individuals to determine if there is a link between the risk for type-2 diabetes and bitter-taste sensitivity.
Nutrigenomics would require a collaborative effort from people in genetics and the industries of public health, food science and culinary. Adhikari said more options should be available so that consumers can make the healthiest choice. He said the food industry should collaborate with the culinary industry to create more healthful and appealing foods.
“This is one of the major issues with the food industry,” he said. “It’s very easy to make good-tasting food. Put some lard or butter in it, and it’s going to taste good. The challenge is how to take the fat out and create healthful but also good-tasting food.”
Consumer education also will be an important factor for the future of nutrigenomics and public health. Adhikari said consumers are often skeptical of genetically modified foods, where scientists modify a food’s DNA by splicing and adding genes. However, this practice is different from nutrigenomics, which focuses on using foods’ natural components to promote better health.
The researchers said a shift in public health is greatly needed, and with an increasing incidence of obesity and chronic diseases such as types 2 diabetes, nutrigenomics might prove to be the panacea in the future. redOrbit
Potassium-Rich Foods Do A Heart Good
Mar 5, 2010 Food, Health & Fitness 4 Comments
Eating plenty of potassium-rich foods such as leafy greens, potatoes and bananas may reduce the risk of stroke and coronary artery disease, according to Italian researchers.
The new analysis was based on 10 studies published between 1966 and 2009 that included almost 280,000 adults. During follow-ups that ranged from five to 19 years, there were over 5,500 strokes and almost 3,100 coronary heart disease events, the investigators found.
Higher potassium intake was associated with a 19 percent lower risk of stroke and an 8 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease. The findings support global recommendations for people to increase their consumption of potassium-rich foods in order to prevent vascular disease, said Dr. Pasquale Strazzullo, of the University of Naples, and colleagues.
Other foods high in potassium include soybeans, apricots, avocados, plain non-fat yogurt, prune juice, and dried beans and peas.
The findings were presented Wednesday at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism conference in San Francisco.
Another study presented at the meeting found that a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables may help protect against stroke.
Benefits of Eyewear
Mar 4, 2010 Business, Frames, Lifestyle Leave a comment
One afternoon during a coffee break, an office mate of mine had confided that for the past few days, he has been suffering with headaches whenever he’s working on a computer. And so looking back on my experience, I told him that it was a sign he already needs an eye wear for any computer work. Wearing eyeglasses has become something many people need to do but are not aware of the fact as to why they need the glasses or the benefits of it. Well, it is really tiresome working on computers especially during wee hours as it causes eyestrains from the glare of screen and the straining of the eyes to focus on the information at the screen.
As a matter of fact, some of the common symptoms for computer vision syndrome are headaches and muscle strain. Also, improper lighting and dusts in the computer usage area are among of the contributing factors for computer users. Now, choosing the right pair of glasses is really important, whether you wear it full time for vision correction or only for protection from the sun. Thus, making the correct choice can simply make your look memorable either in good or a bad way, after all what looks horrendous on one person may looks great on another.
Group Of Wayward Dolphins Spotted In Icy NJ River
Mar 3, 2010 Environment, Wildlife 2 Comments
A group of wayward dolphins has been spotted in a northern New Jersey river.
About 8 to 15 dolphins were first reported in the chilly Hackensack River on Wednesday. They’ve been swimming near the towns of Hackensack, Teaneck and Bogota (ba-GOH’-tah).
Bill Sheehan of the Hackensack Riverkeeper group fears there’s not enough food in the river in the winter to sustain the dolphins.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine has been contacted. The center says it can’t act until the dolphins are in distress.
Dolphins have wandered into New Jersey rivers in the past, including a pod that caused a stir in the Shrewsbury River in the summer of 2008, and stayed in the area for over 7 months. Several of them were believed to have died as temperatures dropped. The News & Observer
Unwind Yourself
Mar 3, 2010 Business, Economy, Recreation & Sports 7 Comments
Nowadays, it is really of common knowledge and of greatest importance for every individual to keep themselves happy with whatever they have been into, and while of course at pace with the ongoing trend of our society today. Well, there are a lot of sports activities now available for those who want to have some fun and excitement. And if you are among one of those who are seeking for a great play or looking for some outdoor activity to possibly unwind yourself after a long weekday’s work, and then why not indulge in golf playing?
Well, when you are first starting to learn how to play golf, or even if you already are a seasoned golfer, you will probably always be on the lookout for golf tips. This is especially true if you have a problem area that you would like to improve upon, or if there is just something you can’t quite seem to get right. But before anything else, you must first equip yourself with the needed paraphernalia’s for the said sport. And before buying a golf clubs, it is important to test it before you buy them to make sure they are the adequate length for your playing style.
Further, though balance is quite important when it comes to playing a good round of golf, especially when you are executing your golf swing, but prior to it having an equally sleek golf bags to tote while hitting the golf course will certainly look you more appealing. This is not to mention also having with you the right golf shoes, which is also paramount in improving your game. Towards all these, relax when you are out playing golf because by being nervous will only put you off your game.
New Ways to Diagnose and Treat Alzheimer’s
Mar 2, 2010 Disease, Health, Research & Study 3 Comments
A team of researchers at UMass Lowell has found a new mechanism by which a key protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease can spread within the human brain.
The research, led by UMass Lowell biological sciences professor Garth Hall, gives new hope that the disease may someday be cured. It provides a new explanation of how the protein tau, a normal human protein that becomes toxic in Alzheimer’s patients, can appear in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The findings of the team from the UMass Lowell Center for Cellular Neuroscience and Neurodegeneration Research appear in the February issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
“My team has discovered two different ways in which tau is secreted by neurons, or brain cells,” said Hall, who has spent more than 20 years studying Alzheimer’s on the cellular level using larval sea lampreys as a model system. “This might explain how tau-containing lesions seem to propagate between adjacent, interconnected parts of the brain during the development of the disease.”
Until very recently, it was universally assumed by scientists that tau is never secreted from or transferred between neurons, and that CSF-tau only appears after many neurons have died and irreversible harm has been done to the brain.
“That tau secretion can occur via two distinct mechanisms strongly indicates that it is biologically ‘real’ and is not just tau protein leaking out of dead neurons,” said Hall. “The fact that it occurs in a pattern that reproduces what is seen in the CSF of Alzheimer’s patients holds out hope that patients in early stages of the disease might someday be cured. If we can distinguish secreted tau from tau that is released from dying neurons in CSF samples, then maybe we can diagnose Alzheimer’s in time to stop the disease before the neurons die.” redOrbit
Modern Technology To Play Vital Role In Health Care
Mar 1, 2010 Health Care, Technologies Leave a comment
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said that telemedicine and treatment of patients through satellite uplink would play a significant role in the health care in future in the State with several initiatives being taken on the modern technology front.
Laying the foundation stone for a new wing for gynaecology and paediatrics at Mathuradas Mathur Government Hospital in Jodhpur on Saturday, Mr. Gehlot said the State Government was committed to providing quality services in the health care institutions and improving facilities for diagnosis and surgery.The new wing will be constructed at a cost of Rs.29.49 crore.
Mr. Gehlot also dedicated a new high-dose radiotherapy machine installed at the hospital at a cost of Rs.1.50 crore.
According to an official release here, Mr. Gehlot said the computerisation of all village panchayats being carried out at present and the establishment of Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras would help in the extension of medical services to the remote villages.
Financial assistance from the Chief Minister’s Life Saving Fund is also being given at Primary Health Centres.
The Chief Minister said the State Government had spent Rs.25 crore on providing health care facilities to the families living below poverty line during the last one year.
Facilities
The non-government organisations could play a significant role in extending the facilities to the target groups, he added. State Medical and Health Minister Aimaduddin Ahmed Khan and Technical Education Minister Mahendra Singh Malviya also addressed the gathering on the occasion. The Hindu
Laughter’s Been His Best Medicine
Feb 28, 2010 Health & Fitness, Research & Study 2 Comments
David Granirer has a theory on life that he has come by honestly: “Life is really all about realizing that possibilities don’t always present themselves in the way you think they should. But if you’re listening, and you’re awake enough to the opportunities, you can find them in a lot of places.”
For the Vancouver resident, this isn’t just a theory, it’s what he has lived — and it’s how he became a professional counsellor and standup comic. As a child, he was the stereotypical extroverted class clown, always ready to make everyone laugh. Natural inclinations and talents are, of course, among the best of life’s opportunities to be seized. But the way that opportunity should have played out for him went awry by the time Mr. Granirer was 16.
“I attempted suicide and I was actually in a psychiatric ward for about six weeks,” he says. “I was so devastated. I changed and went into this place where I was shy and introverted.”
That experience, however, led him to volunteer at the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of British Columbia, where he was eventually hired to train other volunteers. And through that experience, Mr. Granirer, who was finally diagnosed with depression in his early thirties, was awakened to the opportunity of becoming a counsellor. He received his training and in 1991 he began working as a counsellor in private practice.
At the same time, he revisited the class clown within. “I just thought, wow, I’d really like to do stand-up comedy,” he says. “So I went to a club, did amateur night and just bombed — like five minutes of dead silence. That was my first experience with stand-up comedy.”
Mr. Granirer points out that failure is also an opportunity. It can’t all be successes.
“So I took a course in standup comedy and when I got up the second time it was our class showcase, the place was packed with all our friends and family. It was a great experience and I thought, I have to do stand-up comedy,” says Mr. Granirer, who eventually went on to teach aspiring comics at Vancouver’s Langara College.
In 2004, he was awakened to yet another opportunity, one that combined both his passions of counselling and stand-up comedy. Through his own experience and that of his students at Langara College, he had come to realize how therapeutic and empowering stand-up comedy can be.
And with that realization, he developed an innovative program called Stand Up For Mental Health, which teaches people suffering from everything from depression to schizophrenia to drug addiction and brain injuries how to be stand-up comics. Each program ends with the students performing live in front of an audience.
“When you have a mental illness, one of the worst parts is the shame that goes along with it, and your life is full of incidents and stories and things that happen to you that were bad and you’re ashamed of,” he says.
“Normally, what happens is that people shut those down and suppress them and they turn into a sort of black toxic pool inside their soul. Instead, in comedy class you are telling people about the worst times in your life and they’re laughing and applauding, and they’re coming to you after the show and telling you how great you are and how funny it was and how they really appreciate talking about this stuff. All of a sudden, that black, toxic stuff dissipates and it changes from being bad stuff to being good materials.”
The program has spread from Vancouver to across the country in partnership with mental health organizations and is now moving into the United States — and some of its remarkable and very funny students have been profiled in a Global TV documentary Laughing through the Pain and in an award-winning documentary called Cracking Up.
“Stand Up for Mental Health is a two-pronged thing where, on the one hand, it’s helping the people in the class develop confidence and overcome some of their own internalized shame that often happens with mental illness, but it’s also changing public perception in that people come to our shows and afterwards say, ‘Oh man, I saw this guy on stage last night and he had schizophrenia and he was hilarious.’
“How many times do you hear schizophrenia and hilarious in the same conversation?” says Mr. Granirer, who also authored a book a few years ago called The Happy Neurotic.
He is clearly moved by the people he has helped and the resilience they’ve been able to achieve through the program. But also, he is having the time of his life — laughing, creating and helping others.
“It’s cool and fun to get together once a week and to write material and do shows. I just don’t think there are programs in the mental health system that are so much fun.”
REALIZING YOUR POTENTIAL
More Canadians are rethinking what life is all about. It is part of a global movement called Lateral Living that researchers have identified through a study funded by American Express. In this weekly series, we explore what Lateral Living is and highlight some of the people who are exploring it. These are the Canadians who have said, “there’s more to life than this.” They have decided to follow their own vision and pursue their passions. The Amex study suggests the number of people taking their lives in a different direction is growing, and that even more dream about it. We call these people “potentialists,” as they vow to realize life’s full potential. Its something American Express recognizes and supports. For more information on how American Express can help you realize the potential, visit: By Alexandra Lopez-Pacheco, National Post
