HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

Let me wish you a very Happy New Year 

before the phone lines get jammed 

and internet slow down. 

Happy New Year 2015!

Merry Christmas! 2014

 

Christmas season is the time for Peace, sharing and love
I wish you a great Christmas
Filled with fun and celebration
Merry Christmas!

US Food and Drug Administration Issue a Warning Against Unnecessary Ultrasounds

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to pregnant moms to stay away from 3D "keepsake ultrasounds" that don't have any medical purpose.

On Tuesday, December 16 the FDA announced their revised consumer update that states that the department "strongly discourages" ultrasound imaging for the purpose of just viewing what the fetus looks like with no medical reasons at all.

"While FDA recognizes that fetal imaging can promote bonding between the parents and the unborn baby, such opportunities are routinely provided during prenatal care," FDA added.

Experts said that there are no evidence that ultrasounds cause harm to unborn babies and moms, however they can cause light heating of human tissue that may produce very small bubbles (cavitation) in some tissues.

Doctors have no findings yet on the long-term effects of these small bubbles or cavitation, which is why the FDA issued a recommendation that ultrasound scans be done only when needed medically and by trained operators. FDA also said that  Doppler ultrasound heartbeat monitors should be used only by professionals.

The agency don't like the idea of the current fad of businesses who do fetal keepsake videos and exposed the fetus to up to an hour of ultrasound to create 3D/4D images.

Here is the FDA consumer update:
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm095508.htm

McDonald's McNugget Ingredients

So it's not the gooey pink slime after all... McDonald’s released a video on how McNuggets are made and its ingredients. The video shows how McNuggets are made in Tyson plant located in Tennessee, they revealed what is really behind this world famous golden brown deep-fried chicken goodness.

They debunk the notion that McDonald's McNugget are made from pink slime, and they said that there are no bones, beaks or feet in their McNuggets. The meat comes from chicken breasts, thighs and other parts of the chicken that people do eat.

McDonald's McNugget Ingredients:

Chicken Meat

Marinade Ingredients:

Adds moisture 
- Water
- Sodium Phosphates
- Food Starch-modified

Enhance Flavor
- Salt
- Natural Flavoring
- Wheat Starch
- Dextrose
- Citric Acid
- Autolyzed yeast extract

Preserves freshness
- Rosemary Extract
- Safflower Oil


Check the video below:

Healthy Eats: Pseudograins are Good for you

We eat grains a lot, grains are food that are derived from rice, wheat, cornmeal, oats, etc. Grain products are pasta, bread, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits. The problem with grains and grain products is that it contains toxic anti-nutrients and inflammatory proteins just like gluten. It also has a high carbohydrate content that is unhealthy if consumed excessively. It may lead to type II diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

It is important to eat less grains, you can substitute it with Pseudograins. Pseudograins are seeds and grasses that looks like grains. They are high in protein, fiber, and also gluten-free. Pseudograins has low-glycemic carbohydrates. Examples of pseudograins are quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, wild rice, and teff.

Eat Low Glycemic Food and Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

World Health Organization said that there is an emerging global epidemic of diabetes due to rapid increases of overweight and obese people and because of physical inactivity. WHO also said that deaths that is caused by diabetes are expected to increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years. Most notably, they are projected to increase by over 80% in upper-middle income countries like the US and Europe.

Type 1 diabetes is descibe as a lack of insulin production, while type 2 diabetes is caused by the body's ineffective use of insulin. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1 diabetes, and accounts for around 90% of all diabetes worldwide. Type 1 diabetes cannot be revesed it is from the genes, while Type 2 diabetes can be prevented and it is caused by lifestyle. Sugary drinks, sweet food, red meat, fatty foods, processed sugars, a diet high in refined carbohydrates, physical inactivity, and poor weight management will lead to Type 2 diabetes.

You don't need to avoid all carbs, you can manage your diet properly. Eating high fiber low-glycemic fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes will decelerate the release of sugar into your bloodstream. This will help you slow down the glycemic response and help you prevent developing Type 2 diabetes.

Meat can raise blood sugar levels, which is why vegetable diet is the best choice but if you are having a hard time not eating meat then eat white meat fish or chicken (without skin) the size of a matchbox and crowd it with greens like kale, Swiss chard, spinach, romaine, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Artichokes, Celery etc.

Sample menu for low GI diet (~1500kcal)

Breakfast 7:00 AM - 3 slices of whole grain bread, baked beans, Coffee or tea with 1/2 cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp sugar,

Morning Snack  - medium size 1 peice apple

Lunch 12:30 PM - 1 and 1/2 cup noodles, chicken/fish (1 match box size), medium egg,  1 cup green vegetables salad, one Orange.

Afternoon snack 4:00 PM - 3 oatmeal biscuits or high calcium cream crackers, 1 personal size Low-fat yoghurt

Dinner 8:00 PM - 1 cup Brown Rice, baked chicken/fish 1 piece (matchbox size). Or, 1 cup spaghetti with meat sauce. 1 cup salad (lettuce, cucumber, tomato, chick peas, peas, beans and lemon juice).

Fat Woman Compiles a Series of Photos of Strangers Sneering at Her

Overweight woman compiles a series of pictures of strangers sneering at her for being overweight. Haley Morris-Cafiero, of Memphis, Tennessee has been struggling with undiagnosed eating disorders and hypothyroidism, which causes a lot of health problems, that includes obesity.

She has set up a Kickstarter page to fund her book series "The Watchers", she wanted to share and make people aware about what it is like to feel judged for her appearance on a daily basis.

She said it all started back in 2010 when she set up a camera to take a self-portrait in the middle of Times Squares in New York City. When she developed the film she was surprised to see a man behind her sneering at her.   

“I never thought that I would capture a glance that can last a microsecond,” she said. Since then, she has been setting up a camera in public to see the looks of strangers while she goes on with her life doing ordinary stuff.

McDonald’s Big Mac Hidden Cost

McDonald’s has been in business since 1937, and now it has a store across the globe. Their Big Mac is available in their menu everywhere in the world, but do you know what you're eating? Big Mac is composed of double beef patties topped with their signature sauce, American cheese, pale lettuce, diced onions, vinegary pickles, and white sesame buns. The McDonald’s trademark burger has 550 calories and 10 grams of saturated fat that is about 51% of your daily recommended allowance no wonder a lot of people are fat and unhealthy.

Big Mac burger - 540 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 1,040 milligrams of sodium. If you eat a single Big Mac it will be 28% of your daily recommended calories, 45% of total fat, and 43% of sodium. Eating this burger daily for a year on top of your regular daily diet you will gain an additional 197,100 calories or 56 pounds of body weight.

Keira Knightley Topless Photo shoot in Protest to Photoshop

Keira Knightley posed topless in the new issue of Interview magazine in protest against Photoshop pictures. Knightley 29, said in an interview that she told the magazine that her topless photos should remain unedited so that it will show readers what she looked like in reality.

"I've had my body manipulated so many different times for so many different reasons, whether it's paparazzi photographers or for film posters. That was one of the ones where I said, OK, I'm fine doing the topless shot so long as you don't make them any bigger or retouch. Because it does feel important to say it really doesn't matter what shape you are."

In 2004, Knightley was in controversy regarding a Photoshopped movie poster for "King Arthur". In 2006, she was again a subject in a Photoshopped photo with Scarlett Johansson and Tom Ford that was printed on Vanity Fair.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Apple Cider Vinegar diet is a great way to lose weight. It is a great natural way to burn your fat. It can also improve your overall well-being, digestion, energy, and immune system. Losing weight is not just important for aesthetics but also for your overall health. Losing weight will also reduce your chances in having diabetes, heart attack, cancer, and hypertension. It can lower your blood pressure, increase your glucose tolerance, and it will also reduce your bad cholesterol called LDL.

Apple Cider Vinegar contains organic acids and enzymes that can reduce your appetite and increase your metabolism rate that will help you lose weight fast.

Here's how to use Apple Cider Vinegar to lose weight:

• Make sure that the apple cider vinegar that you will use is organic, unpasteurized, and unfiltered.
• Place 3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a cup with lukewarm water.
• Drink a cup before every meal. This will lessen your appetite that will make you eat less.

You can use other liquid to dilute it instead of water you can use soda, tea, coffee, or juice as long as you dilute it since the acid may damage the enamel of your teeth if you don't dilute it.

Renée Zellweger New Look, Unrecognizable

Renée Kathleen Zellweger who is famous for her role in the film Jerry Maguire looks really different she was barely recognizable. The social media went berserk and people are speculating that Zellweger had cosmetic surgery. The whole whole thing started when she appeared on the red carpet last Monday October 20, 2014 at the Elle magazine 21st annual Women in Hollywood event. She looked remarkably different from her "Jerry Maguire" and "Bridget Jones's Diary" days.

Renee Zellweger answered back she said that it is silly and her new look is a result of her happy and healthy lifestyle. "It seems the folks who come digging around for some nefarious truth which doesn't exist won't get off my porch until I answer the door."

"My friends say that I look peaceful. I am healthy," she said. "For a long time I wasn't doing such a good job with that. I took on a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and didn't allow for taking care of myself."

Ab Exercises Besides Crunches

Check out an article by Lisa Elaine Held titled "5 Ab Exercises That Kill Crunches", which are good strengthening exercise for your Abs that will get rid of your belly flab. Yes, crunches are effective but you will get ripped faster if you do both alternately. Don't forget you will need to eat more healthy food and lessen your calorie intake if you want to lose those flab in your midsection. The five exercises are 1. Sliding Pike, 2. Plank with Open-and-Close Legs, 3. Sliding Forearm Plank, 4. Kettlebell Stand-and-Kneel, and 5. Resistance Band Raise.

For the complete instruction check out the article here: http://wellandgood.com/2012/05/13/5-ab-exercises-that-are-better-than-crunches/

Different Ways to make Grilled Cheese

Here are some tricks that you may try to make grilled cheese from Buzzfeed:

1. Iron grilled cheese - use an iron, yes an iron used for straightening clothes. Stack 2 slices of bread and place a slice of cheese in the middle and wrapped it with aluminum foil. Set the iron to the highest setting then heat both sides until done. Then slice the grilled cheese in half, then enjoy!

2. Toaster Grilled Cheese - lay your toaster sideways, then place 2 slices of bread with cheese in the toaster. Heat it, the bread will pop out once done, assemble then enjoy.

3. Pan Fried Grilled Cheese - Pan fried 2 slices of bread with cheese in the middle, then add cheese on top.

4. Mac & Cheese Grilled cheese - microwave an easy Mac. Then refrigerate to cool. Remove Mac & Cheese from the cup. Place flour all over the Mac & Cheese, then dip it in egg. Dip it in bread crumbs. Then fry it in hot cooking oil. Add cheese on top, enjoy!

How to Save at the Grocery

Every grocery store are different so it will be a bit trickier to determine who got the cheapest products, but all these grocery store have the same or similar tricks to get you spending more money than you should have.

Avoid products that are for single use or products that are packaged for convenience. Products that are in Economy-sized isn't always cheap, the only way to be certain is divide the total amount by its unit to know the unit price.

If you like bagged salads, you'll be better off buying them separately. You'll have more lettuce and more dressing than purchasing a single packaged salad. Cut fruits is also more expensive than if you purchase the whole fruit in terms of unit price.

Products that have new features, tend to be more expensive than the regular stuff. Like for example, a toothbrush with new bristle. Why not buy an ordinary toothbrush that can also do the job, or a juice drink with new easy to drink bottle or no slip bottle.

Food stuff that is fortified and that say it's healthier, well if you are buying potato chips and they are offering less salt or less fat potato chips for a higher price look at the Nutritional label see if the amount of salt or fat are really high on the regular chips or if it's manageable. If you really want to eat healthy then avoid eating potato chips.

Another way to save huge on your grocery bills is always use coupons and buy store sales. 

Konjac Sponge

What is Konjac and why is it special? Konjac Potato or also known as konjaku, konnyaku potato, devil's tongue, voodoo lily, elephant yam, snake palm, or konjak is a perennial plant that is native in Asia. It can be found in Japan, China, and Indonesia. Konnyaku or yam cake is made from the root of Konjac, it is cooked and consumed primarily in Japan.

Konjac has almost no calories it is 97% water, but is very high in fiber. Thus, it is often used as a diet food. It is also pH neutral that leaves skin perfectly balanced.

The tree was first discovered in the Indochinese region, and Konnyaku has been used in Korea, Japan and China for over 1,500 as food, dieting aid, medicine, and as beauty product. It is known for its health giving properties. The original purpose of the Konjac Sponge is for use on delicate baby skin. The Konjac Sponge exfoliate the skin, and it absorb dirt and pollutants. It is also packed with minerals and antioxidants and 100% non toxic since it is 100% natural.

There are a lot of types of Konjac Sponge, I tried the Bamboo Charcoal for oily and acne prone skin since my can be quite oily the sponge is very light and stiff once you soak it in warm water it turn silky soft and mushy. You can use cleansing products in small amount but it is not necessary. I used a little cleansing product and yes my face feels much more cleaner, free from oil and dirt. I've been using konjac sponge for two weeks and it really makes a difference, the sponge should last 2 to 3 months, totally worth the $10 price tag on Amazon.

How To Maximize Running to Lose Weight

If you want to drop pounds fast you need to watch your diet and maximize your running exercise. Running can burn a lot of calories as long you do it right. Here are some tips on how to get it done:

1. Run longer than you used to - in order to burn more calories, add miles to your regular running routine. Always challenge yourself, once you get used to that miles you cover increase it gradually.

2. Run on intervals - begin running fast for about 5 minutes, then jog for 2 minutes then run again. Try 5 repetition. This will help boost your body metabolism that will help you lose weight. It will also improve your endurance.

3. Increase intensity - run longer and try running uphill this will help you burn more calories and you will certainly lose weight.

4. Eat healthy food - there are no secret in losing weight, the lesser and the healthier you eat the more pounds you lose. Avoid fast-food and junk foods, eat more vegetables and fruits. Don't consider potatoes as vegetable.

5. Monitor your progress - check your weight once a week and see all the progress of your hardwork. This will certainly encourage you and it will give you more confidence in yourself.  

Instant Noodles is Not Good for You

If you are like me in college, then you must also have survived college eating instant noodles which is heavy on the stomach and very light on the wallet. The main reason why college kids eat instant noodles is because it's easy to make just put hot water and wait for a few minutes and it is very cheap. However, a new study suggests that instant noodles are linked to diabetes and heart illness. The research was published in the Journal of Nutrition. It stated that instant noodles can raise the risk of Cardiometabolic syndrome. It increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, particularly heart failure, and diabetes specially in women.

The research is very important since a lot of people eat instant noodles, and with a research like this will give them knowledge on the risks on consuming too much. The study was done by Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital (BHVH) researchers.

Hyun Joon Shin, MD, a clinical cardiology fellow at Baylor University Medical Center and a nutrition epidemiology doctoral student at Harvard School of Public Health led the research.

Their research studied a total of 10,711 adults between the age of 19-64 years and with 54.5% of them are women. The found out that consuming instant noodles 2 or more times a week was associated with cardiometabolic syndrome. It also said that the result were more frequent in women, which is probably because of biological differences like sex hormones and metabolism.

They focused their research on South Koreans who have the highest consumption of Instant Noodles. So why not buy frozen veggies instead? It's healthier and also easy to prepare.

Breastfeeding Photo of Celebrities

Gisele Bundchen Breastfeeding

Gwen Stefani Breastfeeding

Jaime King Breastfeeding

Miranda Kerr Breastfeeding

Olivia Wilde Breastfeeding

Check out pictures of celebrities breastfeeding their babies to help glamorize and promote breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a natural and healthy option of feeding your babies. Breast milk is the best for your baby, it offers a lot of benefits. It contains all the vitamins and nutrients your baby needs in the first 6 months of your baby's life. It also contains substances that fight disease and protect your little bundle of joy from illness.

American Academy of Pediatrics highly recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. Colostrum, contains antibodies that help protect the mucous membranes in the throat, lungs, and intestines of the baby.

Breastfed babies have a lower incident of diseases as they grow older such as childhood diabetes, childhood obesity, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and cancer before the age of 15. Babies who are breastfed have a lower risk of tooth decay.

Breastfeeding is also beneficial for the mothers, they connect emotionally to their babies and also it lowers the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and anemia. It also helps lose weight faster for all the pound you've gained during pregnancy.

Ebola virus outbreak what we should know?

The current outbreak of Ebola virus that is happening in Western Africa is the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history that has killed 729 people and infected about 1,323. The four West African countries affected are Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. The deadliest outbreak before has just 224 deaths from 425 cases.  The current outbreak that began last March is from the deadliest form of the Ebola virus which is the Zaire Ebola virus that has 79% fatality rate.

The initial symptoms of Ebola is very similar to diseases like malaria and cholera, as well as the common flu, that means it can be difficult to detect.

Here is a list of the common symptoms of Ebola:

-Diarrhea
-Vomiting
-Stomach pain
-Sore throat
-Headache
-Weakness
-Cramps
-Aching in the muscles and joints

As the disease progresses, additional symptoms may include:

-Internal and external bleeding from the nose, mouth, ears and eyes
-Reduced liver and kidney function
-Rash
-Trouble breathing
-Bruising

If you believe you have been infected with Ebola you must be isolated from the public immediately.


WHO Ebola virus disease, West Africa – update

New Study Suggest that Paracetamol is just like Placebo for Low back pain

Paracetamol is our go to medicine for our low back pain, however according to a study taking paracetamol do not reduce pain nor it expedite recovery.

The Lancet medical journal research found that taking paracetamol to ease and cure low back pain is just like taking dummy pills (placebo). Christopher Williams a researcher at the University of Sydney in Australia said, "We need to reconsider the universal recommendation to provide paracetamol as a first-line treatment."

In their research, 1,652 patients with acute low back pain participated some of them were given paracetamol and others receive placebos. They receive doses 3x a day or as needed. The study showed that there is no major difference with the recovery period between the two groups, those who receive paracetamol and those who got placebos.

However, Professor Christine Lin who is also involve in the study said that "While we have shown that paracetamol does not speed recovery from acute back pain, there is evidence that paracetamol works to relieve pain for a range of other conditions, such as headaches, some acute musculoskeletal conditions, tooth ache and for pain straight after surgery."

"What this study indicates is that the mechanisms of back pain are likely to be different from other pain conditions, and this is an area that we need to study more," she added.

Paracetamol is also widely known as "acetaminophen" in countries like United States, Canada, and Japan. Known brand in the US is Tylenol, while in Australia it is Panadol.  

So if you are having lower back pains, popping pills won't cure it nor it will help you reduce pain. I would suggest stretching and exercise. Try this "3 Easy Stretches to Prevent Back Pain," it worked for me.

Post contributed by Aaron. Please check out MyClaimSource.com for information on How to File an Insurance Claims.

Another Food Scandal in China

A news report from Dragon TV said that a supplier of McDonald's, Pizza Hut and KFC in China are selling them beef and chicken that are already past their expiry date. The supplier is Husi Food Co., Ltd., McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and KFC China have already stopped using meat from that supplier according to their released statements. Husi Food Co., Ltd. is owned by OSI Group of Aurora, Illinois.

The report said that Husi repack expired beef and chicken and tag them with a new expiry dates. This is disgusting, the Chinese government should monitor food companies more closely since food poisoning is not a joke and people can die.

Check out the report from Dragon TV, you can see how unsafe they handle the food products the workers even picked patties from the floor and dump them into meat mixers. I would never eat that.

On Husi Foods Co. Ltd. websites it mentioned that they have been supplying McDonald’s in China for 22 years and Pizza Hut for 6 years.

McDonald's Burger is the worst in the US?

Do you agree that McDonald's Burger has the worst burger in the US? I like their burgers but other people who were asked in the Consumer Reports survey of fast food and fast-casual restaurants say otherwise.

The survey also stated that KFC has the worst chicken, Au Bon Pain has the worst sandwiches and subs, while the Taco Bell has the worst burritos.

The survey that ranks the best and worst burgers, sandwiches, chicken and burritos in the U.S. were released after Consumer Reports asked the opinion of 32,405 subscribers, who ate 96,208 meals at 65 fast-food chains. The participants were asked to grade their experiences at these 65 fast food and fast-casual chain restaurants on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 is the top and 1 is the least).

In the Burgers category the top 3 rating went to "The Habit Burger Grill" (8.1), "In-N-Out Burger" (8.0) and "Five Guys Burger and Fries" (7.9). The lowest three are "Burger King" (6.6), "Jack in the Box" (6.6) and "McDonald's" (5.8).

"Chick-fil-A" 8.1, "El Pollo Loco" (7.7), "Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen" (7.7) bagged the top three in the Chicken category. While "KFC" is the least with a 7.1 rating. 

"Portillo's Hot Dogs" is the king of sandwiches and subs with 8.5 rating. When it comes to Burritos "Chipotle Mexican Grill" is the top dog with 7.8 rating, while "Taco Bell" got the last spot with 6.3 rating.     

AS for me I'll still get my cheap burgers at McDonald's.... 

Knee Pain

While lifting a heavy object I just felt a pain in my right knee. I don't feel it when I'm seated or lying down but every time I walk I feel the pain, uggh. It's really inconvenient specially if your daily commute to work is by walking for a few blocks. Like most of ordinary people I don't have time to visit a doctor for such a minor inconvenience so I consult the web.

Knee pain is a general problem that can have a lot of causes such us acute injuries, medical conditions, body movements, and the common culprit is everyday wear and tear. Knee pains usually occurs while doing physical work, playing sports, lifting heavy stuffs, or other recreational activities.

The knee is the largest joint in the body, and the bones of the knee are separated by two menisci discs. The surface of the bones that are inside the knee joint is covered by articular cartilage. This cartilage absorbs shock and gives the moving joint a smooth surface.

The soft tissues around the front of the knee may become irritated that causes pain. Athletes frequently suffers with strain tendons that can cause knee pain. Other causes may include overuse, muscle imbalance and inadequate stretching. 

Here is how you can Prevent Knee Pain:

• Stretch and do Warm-up before running or any other exercise. A 5-minute warm-up and a stretching exercise after is important. This will make joints flexible that can avoid being irritated. 
• Always make sure that you have proper running form or lifting stance. Lean forward and keep your knees bent.
• Eat less and keep your weight in check. Having a heavy body can put a lot of stress on your knees.

Treatment for knee pain you can do at home:

• Rest and take a break from walking or any other strenuous exercise that can further exacerbate the pain. You can also place a small pillow under your knee.
• Place ice or cold packs immediately to the affected knee to prevent and minimize swelling.
• Avoid doing things that can cause swelling like alcoholic drinks and hot water.
• Wrap the affected area with an elastic bandage to lessen swelling.
• Keep the injured knee elevated above or within the level of your heart to help minimize swelling.
• Massage the affected knee to elieve pain and encourage blood flow. Stop massaging if you experience pain.

Check out WebMD for more treatment on how to deal with Knee Pain.

Funny Barrack Obama Workout

Last Wednesday U.S. President was trending in social media because of pictures and videos of him in a gym working out during his trip to Poland. Mr. Obama was seen in 5-star Marriott hotel gym working his b*tt out using 2-pounds dumbbells.

Maybe the Secret Service allowed someone to take photos and videos of President Obama working out thinking that it will be good publicity like what Russian President Vladimir Putin workout video.

Brian Willioms of the NBC Nightly News was not amused he said that the president paid the price when his privacy was intruded.

"Let's put it this way, who among us would like to have the world critiquing our workout? But that's what happened on the World Wide Web today. Somebody snuck the video on there as millions weighed in on his moves and his exercise regimen."

However, Twitter has exploded with jokes and digs at Obama's expense. Even the late night shows took a dig at Obama's workout video among them are Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live "Putincize" look at the videos below.




Check out this video that compares Obama And Putin’s Workouts: http://www.westernjournalism.com/obama-vs-putin-working/

Obesity is a Worldwide Epidemic, Not Only in US Anymore

Overweight: People who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9.
Obese: People with BMI over 30.

A study shows that there is a widespread presence of people who are overweight and obese and it is rising all over the world. It also determined that 1/3 of the population worldwide is now overweight or obese. This is about 2.1 billion people and 671 million of them are obese.

The study was published in the medical journal The Lancet. It also said that the place where there are the highest rates of obesity is found in the Middle East and North Africa. The US has 13% of the world's obese population.

The research was done using surveys, reports and studies from 1980-2013 that list height and weight information for people all over the world. It was determined that the worldwide, prevalence of overweight and obesity combined rose by 27·5% for adults and 47·1% for children between 1980 and 2013. The number of overweight and obese individuals increased from 857 million in 1980, to 2·1 billion in 2013.

People really needs to eat less food and exercise more  just like the kid below (Chubby Korean Baby):

Obesity crisis in America is at breaking point - "Fed Up" filmmaker

Los Angeles (AFP) - A documentary film features the unhealthy eating habits of the Americans, and the United States food industry's responsibility in fighting the rising obesity levels.

"Fed Up" filmmaker shows the reason why obesity in the US is increasing (2 out of 3 Americans are overweight), despite of increasing gym membership and shoppers buying more healthy and low-fat alternatives on supermarket.

Stephanie Soechtig the director of the film said, "Obesity has been a problem for the last 30 years and I think we are reaching the breaking point." "At the end of the day, I think it comes down to money, I thinks there's a lot of money in the food industry and it influences politics, unfortunately."

"Fed Up" was opened on limited release in cinemas across the US last Friday, May 9. It exposed how the food industry has able to

The film, which opened on limited release in US cinemas Friday, shows how the food industry has managed to influence the US Government to recommend that 25% of calories come from sugar. This figure was negated by the World Health Organization which stated that the figure should be 2.5 times less.

"I think we can say that the US government is right now more interested in making money than taking care of its society," Soechtig added.

The Obesity problem is not just in the United States, WHO also warned Jordan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Venezuela which has more than 30% of its population are obese or overweight.

The movie shows 3 kids battling obesity to no avail despite of giving efforts to diet and exercise. They still continue to gain weight because of the temptation of sugar-rich foods that are easily available in the country.

Cafeteria at schools offers unhealthy food for kids, like hamburgers, pizzas, nachos and hot dogs.

The movie also said that back in 2006, 80% of high schools had contracts with soft drink companies and in 2012, half of all schools served fast food.

Back in 1980, there were no cases of type 2 diabetes in children and teens aged 8 to 19 in the United States. After just 2 decades, there are now 57,638 cases recorded.

Healthy Asparagus, Low Calorie

Asparagus is a spring vegetable that is native to Europe and is a  widely cultivated as a vegetable crop. You can only eat young asparagus shoots since once the buds open the shoots becomes woody and hard.

The great thing about asparagus is it's low in calories and it is also low in sodium. It is a great food when you want to lose weight. It is also a good source of Calcium, vitamin B6, zinc, and magnesium. It also have dietary fibre, selenium, protein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese.

However, asparagus is known for its effect on urine. It cause a disagreeable smell in the urine.     

Here's a Asparagus healthy snack recipe:

Asparagus Bruschetta

18 asparagus stalks
1 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp each salt and ground black pepper
3/4 cup smooth ricotta cheese or creamy goat cheese
3 tbsp finely chopped mint or chives
18 toasted baguette slices
3 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
Ice water

Fill a large frying pan with water to a 1/2-inch depth. Let it come to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Cut and discard tough ends of asparagus. Thrown the asparagus into the boiling water. Cook until tender crisp, from 2 to 3 min. Drain well. Immediately plunge asparagus into ice water. Let it cool then drain. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut asparagus in half diagonally. Place in a medium-size bowl. Drizzle  with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well.

In a small bowl, stir cheese with herbs. Spread over baguette slices. Top each with asparagus spears. Garnish with lemon peel.

Good for 6 people.

Amount per serving (3 bruschetta):

8.2g proten, 6.2g fat, 24.9g carbohydrates, 1.6mg iron, 109mg calcium, 334mg sodium, 2.3g gibre, 187 calories.

Great source of folacin.

What is a Pine Tar?

There are a lot of talk about Pine Tar because of New York Yankees starter Michael Pineda who uses it to have a better grip of the ball when pitching. He put the Pine Tar at the right side of his neck and got caught and was ejected from the game which the Red Sox won 5-1.

Pine tar is a very sticky substance that is created from pine wood. Heat and pressure is applied to the wood to produce pine tar.

It is widely use in baseball, to have better grip of the ball when pitching and is applied to the handles of baseball bats also for better grip. It prevents the bat from slipping when you are hitting hard swings.

Based on the 2002 Official Rules of Major League Baseball the batter may use pine tar only from the handle of the bat extending up for 18 inches only. However, it is illegal if you use it on the ball since the MLB Official Rules stated that any foreign substance to a ball is expressly prohibited.

It seems Michael Pineda is not a fan of the MLB Official Rule book.

Kale is Good for you!

Kale (borecole) is a very nutritious vegetable that has a green or sometimes purple leaves. Kale tastes better when frozen, it is a lot sweeter and more flavorful if it is frozen.

A lot of health experts are a fan of Kale with its healthy properties. Kale packed with high levels of beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, Vitamine A, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and rich in calcium. Kale is also a source of two carotenoids namely lutein and zeaxanthin.

Just like broccoli, kale has sulforaphane that is a potent chemical with anti-cancer properties.

It has high concentration of Vitamin C that boost collagen and copper which has a good anti-inflammatory properties to protect your skin from the sun. The Vitamin A in Kale promotes healthy cell growth to keep your skin young and fresh.

Kale is packed with both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, this acids keeps your scalp and hair moisturized that keeps you from having flakes and brittle hair. It also helps in the circulation of blood in your scalp that promotes hair growth.

Don't Have Enough Time to Work-out? Then Why not Do it for just 30 min a Week

Do you work from 9-5, and have lots of things to do after work like taking care of your kids,  meaning you don't have time to exercise on a regular basis. What if I told you that you can do it for just 30 minutes a week?

Researchers found out that a 10-minute exercise 3 times a week can make you fit. Now you have no excuse not to work-out. They found out that working for long hours is not what matters most but how you exercise. You need to push yourself to your limits for you to succeed. It is called High Intensity Training (HIT), you need to exert all your efforts in short bursts that lasts for only a few minutes but can give you a lot of benefits like weight loss and toned muscles.

University of Ontario researchers study 10 men and 10 women and divide the into half to perform High Intensity Training (HIT) which is 6 bursts of 30-second sprints and the other half to do the hour-long runs three times a week for six weeks. The results was outstanding, the people who performed HIT lose twice as much weight as the others who are doing the regular long-hours workout. The lost an 12.4% of their fat mass for just a little time.

So how do you do High Intensity Training (HIT)? The ideal set-up is three times a week that includes walking, running, and cycling for 10 minutes. Combined that with squats and lunges that concentrates on large muscle groups. This will give you metabolism-boosting effect that will burn significant amouth of calories. It will also induce catecholamines and growth hormone in the blood that will hasten the loss of fatty tissues.

Here are Great High Intensity Training (HIT) that you can follow:

40 seconds hard exercise - you will need to push your limit for two brief 20-second bursts. You can do cycling, sprinting, or swimming. If you choose cycling, you can do it indoors using a stationary bike just increase the intensity or if you prefer outdoors do it up-hill.

- start out normally for a few minutes then when you are ready go in full speed with all your might for 20 seconds.
- Slow down to recover for a few minutes then speed up again in full for another 20 seconds. All in all it will only cost you about 10 minutes to do this exercise. Do it three times a week and you will see results.





   

Cholesterol-lowering that Helps Erectile Dysfunction

Good news for older men who are taking cholesterol-lowering medicine. Statin helps lower bad cholesterol level in patient’s blood. It is given to patients to help prevent stroke and heart attack. A new study by researchers of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School shows that statin medication not just lower cholesterol but also improves a man's erectile function. Their findings are posted on the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session and in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

The head of the research John B. Kostis, MD, professor of medicine, director of the Cardiovascular Institute at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said: "Older men who have poor cardiovascular health, diabetes or metabolic syndrome often experience erectile dysfunction and the prevalence of these diseases is expected to increase."

"Our research indicates that statins not only improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack, but also improve erectile function in the men included in our analysis."

Taking statin after a cardiovascular disease is detected on patient may offer early benefits in addition to improved sexual function. However, he also warns not to take statin for erectile dysfunction alone. More study is needed to determine the link between statin therapy and the improvement of erectile function.

Expert Said Drinking Water Don't Help Weight loss

A professor from University of Alabama in Birmingham said that drinking water is not the  “magic bullet” for losing weight.

Beth Kitchin, Ph.D., R.D., assistant professor of nutrition sciences said that “There's a very little evidence that drinking water can bolster weight loss; it is one of those self-perpetuating myths.” However, she did not claim that drinking water is not good for you, but there are not enough study that show people who drank water burned calories as a result.

The recommended drinking 250ml glasses of water per day is also a myth.

“Yes, people do need to get fluids; but it does not have to be water,” Kitchin said. “There’s no evidence that it melts away fat or makes you feel fuller, so if you don’t like water it’s OK.”

She also said that water remains the best way to keep hydrated, however, you can also get your fluid from other flovered beverages like juice, tea, coffee or colas.

“People think coffee doesn’t count, but actually it does,” she said. “When you drink coffee, your body is retaining much of that fluid especially for people who are habituated to drinking caffeine, as the body adapts, resulting in a reduced loss of fluids.”

Drinking cold water burn more calories because the body will work double time to raise its temparature is also a myth.

"You will hear that ice-cold water helps burn extra calories." "While there may be a few extra calories lost, it won’t be nearly enough to make a dent in your weight-loss endeavors."

If you want to lose weight, she recommends a long-running, research-based weight management programme like EatRight by UAB or Volumetrics.

Breastfeeding your baby for above 2 years may lead to infant tooth decay

Breastfeeding has its benefits but overdoing it may also be bad for your baby, it may post a higher risk of cavities in baby's first teeth.

A new scientific study said that about 48% of babies who were breastfed beyond 24 months have developed infant tooth decay. It is because the baby’s teeth are confined while it is breastfeeding, this prevents saliva from breaking down bacteria for extended periods of time.

This is due to the fact that a baby’s teeth are sealed off while it is breastfeeding, which prevents saliva from breaking down bacteria for extended periods of time.

Benjamin Chaffee the leading researcher from University of California, San Francisco said,

"The top priority for the breastfeeding mother is to make sure that her child is getting optimal nutrition." "Our study does not suggest that breastfeeding causes caries."

Chaffee and his team studied a possible link between longer breastfeeding and the risk of tooth decay and cavities using 458 babies in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The babies are from low-income families and most of the babies were old enough to begin eating sold foods, but they were still being breastfed by their mothers. The team studied the babies when they were about 6, 12, and 38 months old.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that mothers to breast fed their babies for the first 6 months, then add solid foods to the diet after. However, they also recommends continued breastfeeding up to age two and beyond.

The team found out that about 40% of the babies breastfed between ages 6 and 24 months had developed some tooth decay by the end of the study. For babies breastfed for longer than 24 months and frequently, that number rose to 48%.

Although breastfeeding may cause tooth decay in children, doctors advise that mothers follow a hygienic habits for their babies. They could use a damped soft cloth to wipe a baby’s teeth and gums clean before and after a meal. It is also important to double check that there are no excess food in the baby’s mouth after eating, this can cause a tartar build up.

A Glue That Heal Wounds Quickly

Just like the burn ointment used by Katniss Everdeen to heal her wound quickly, LiveScience reported that researchers in Switzerland have invented a glue substance that is designed and can help heal wounds faster. It can heal burns, minor cuts, bruises, and broken bones.

This medicine can be very helpful specially for people whose natural healing process is slow. The healing glue which is called the "engineered growth factor", works by remaining near the damaged tissue longer than it normally would.

Growth factors are proteins produced naturally by animals. It naturally aids in the body’s healing proces. When the body is injured, growth factors signal certain cells to surround the wound and promotes healing.

Mikaël Martino who is the lead researcher at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland concentrates on these growth factors.

The team have found a way for these growth factor to remain attached to the extracellular matrix using a set of chemical hooks, that enable it to be more effective and could help heal wounds faster than before.

However, more study, research, and work is needed before these growth factors will be able to be used clinically.

Source: Martino M, Briquez P, Guc E, et al. Growth Factors Engineered for Super-Affinity to the Extracellular Matrix Enhance Tissue Healing. Science. 2014.

FDA Raises Safety Concern on Drugs Made in India

FDA wants to keep the quality imported drugs from country like India in check, they will establish an Office of Pharmaceutical Quality that will enhance their inspection of brand-name, generic and over-the-counter drugs.

This was announced by FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research director Janet Woodcock at the Bloomberg Health care summit on Friday.

India is one of the major players in drugs, their drugs export to the US market is one of the largest. Many local pharmaceutical plants in India have been inspected by the FDA to make sure that they are following the guidelines and quality of the drugs they export.

FDA has been calling the attention of manufacturing plants in India regarding good manufacturing practices not being followed that includes Ranbaxy Laboratories and Wockhardt.

Japanese pharmaceutical Daiichi Sankyo took over Ranbaxy Laboratories but the quality and condition has not improved FDA has ban three facilities over the few years, and added another one this year.

One facility of Wockhardt Limited was banned by the FDA from selling their products in the US.

However, drug regulators in India do not see any reason to ban these companies they say that they are following good manufacturing practices. The do not agree with the FDAs reason.

Female Libido Drug or female Viagra hit a Snag, Some Women Get Sleepy After taking it

The woman version of Viagra has hit a hurdle after the US drug-maker Sprout Pharmaceuticals which is developing a pill to boost sexual appetite in women was asked to conduct more testing on the experimental drug.

The company disclose that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked for more data about the experimental drug called flibanserin, how it interacts with other medications and how it affects driving ability. It was reported that one out of 10 women felt sleepiness after taking the daily pill.

In December, the FDA rejected the flibanserin which is its second rejection letter for the drug.

I didn't know they were making drugs for this, I thought the book "Fifty Shades of Grey" can cure woman's low sexual appetite.

Barbara Walters Defends Woody Allen Like an Attack Dog, Argued With Sherri Shepherd

This news has been trending for days and Hollywood has been dead silent about it, no one wants to pick a side since Woody Allen is a powerful guy in Hollywood. His celebrity colleagues don't want to mess with him.

However, Barbara Walters like an attack dog vociferous defended Woody Allen whom she said was his friend and describe Woody as a loving, caring father from her point of view.

She also described the relationship of Allen with his two daughters and his wife Soon-Yi Previn:

"I have rarely seen a father as sensitive, as loving and as caring as Woody is and Soon-Yi to these two girls. I don't know about Dylan. I can only tell you what I have seen now."

However, her co-host Sherri Shepherd said that most of the time the people who were accused of doing horrible things were seen as loving and caring.

"We've heard so many cases of people going, 'He was the most wonderful person in the world. I would have never thought he would've…,'" Shepherd said.

Walters quickly interrupted her, but Shepherd continued by adding "many things that go on behind closed doors."

Shepherd also bring up Allen's track record of being attracted to young women (girls).