Super Foods -> Onions

It’s hard to imagine a culinary life without onions. A staple of so many cuisines, onions lend a unique savory and pungent flavor to an endless variety of dishes. Eaten cooked and raw, available all year round, onions are hard to avoid and once you know about their considerable health benefits, it’s difficult to imagine why anyone would want to. While onions health promoting abilities have long been recognized, it’s only recently that their considerable curative abilities have been conclusively demonstrated and thus their elevation to SuperFood status.

Cultivated for over five thousand years, onions are native to Asia and the Middle East. Their name – onion – comes from the Latin unis meaning one or single and it refers to the fact that onions, unlike their close relatives garlic, have only one bulb. Onions are now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes.

Onions are a major source of two phytonutrients that play a significant role in health promotion: flavonoids and the mixture of over fifty sulfur-containing compounds. The two flavonoid subgroups found in onions are the anthocyanins that impart a red/purple color to some varieties, and the flavanols such as quercetin and its derivatives that are responsible for the yellow flesh and brown skins of many varieties of onions. The flavonols are concentrated in the skin of most onions where they contribute to the color of the vegetable.

We now know that the health promoting compounds in onion, like those in garlic, are separated by cell walls. Slicing an onion ruptures these walls and releases the compounds which then combine to form a powerful new compound: thiopropanal sulfoxide. In addition to mitigating various diseases, this substance also gives cut onions their pungent aroma and their ability to make us cry.

To get the most health benefits from onions, let them sit for five to ten minutes after cutting and before cooking. Heat will deactivate the thiopropanal sulfoxide and you want to give it time to fully develop and concentrate before heating.

Regular consumption of onions has also been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. It is believed that the flavonoid quercetin in onions is the protective factor as it's been shown to stop the growth of tumors in animals and to protect colon cells from the negative effects of some cancer-promoting substances. There’s also evidence that onions may lower the risk of cancer of the brain, esophagus, lung and stomach.

SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Super Foods -> Oats

The humble oat made nutrition history in 1997 when the FDA allowed a label to be placed on oat foods claiming an association between consumption of a diet high in oatmeal, oat bran, or oat flour and a reduced risk for coronary heart disease—our nation’s number one killer. The overall conclusion from the FDA review was that oats could lower serum cholesterol levels, especially LDLs. The FDA stated that (he main active ingredient that yielded this exciting positive effect is the soluble fiber found in oats called “beta glucan.” The press leaped on this news and oats, particularly oat bran, became touted as the magic bullet against cholesterol. Subsequent research showed that the cholesterol-lowering effect of oat bran was less dramatic than originally thought and the oat bran story faded away.

It’s time for a renewal of interest in the power of oats. New discoveries, combined with what’s been known about oats for years, have shown that their health-promoting powers are truly impressive. Oats are low in calories, high in fiber and protein. They’re a rich source of magnesium, potassium. zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, thiamine, and pantothenic acid. They also contain phytonutrients such as polyphenols, phytoestrogens, lignins, protease inhibitors, and vitamin R (they’re an excellent source of tocotrienols and multiple tocopherols - important members of the vitamin E family). The synergy of the nutrients in oats makes them an outstanding and formidable SuperFood. Indeed, the degree of protection against disease offered by oats and other whole grains is greater than that of any of their ingredients taken in isolation. In addition to their power to reduce disease and extend your health span, oats are a flagship SuperFood for practical reasons: they’re inexpensive, readily available, and incredibly easy to incorporate into your life. Oatmeal is on virtually every menu of every restaurant serving breakfast in America, and if you only remember to eat a bowl of oats regularly, you’ll be on your way to better health.

It’s the cholesterol-lowering power of oats that drew the most attention to this humble grain. The specific fiber—beta glucan—in oats is the soluble fiber that seems responsible for this benefit. Study after study has shown that in-individuals with high cholesterol (above 220 mg/dl), consuming just 3 grams of soluble oat fiber per day—or roughly the amount in a bowl of oatmeal—can lower total cholesterol by 8 to 23 percent. Given that each l percent drop in serum cholesterol translates to a 2 percent decrease in the risk of developing heart disease, this is a significant effect.

SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Super Foods -> Low Fat Yogurt

Remember the ads that featured those elderly people from the Caucasus mountain region of the Soviet Union who ascribed their extreme longevity to yogurt? Some had lied about their age to avoid conscription in the Soviet army. Many others simply realized that the older they claimed they were, the more excited their visitors became. Before you knew it, everyone in the neighborhood was nearly 120 years old, thanks to yogurt.

Those ads were created in a time when yogurt had to be “sold.” It was assumed that no one would eat it if it didn’t promise something remarkable. Times have changed. Today, we eat yogurt simply because we like it. But many of us have forgotten about the health benefits of yogurt, which were undiscovered or at least unproven in the days of those ads. And, because yogurt now comes in so many varieties and types—from frozen dessert bars to squeeze tubes of flavored yogurt—there are some facts that we need to know to reap the benefits of this extraordinary SuperFood.

The list of the health-promoting abilities of probiotics is quite long. Some benefits have been proven absolutely conclusively while others require more study. Here is a summary of the conditions where yogurt has efficacy:

Cancer: Probiotics absorb mutagens that cause cancer, particularly colon cancer, though there’s also evidence that they’re effective in lighting breast cancer. They stimulate the immune system, partly by promoting immunoglobulin production, and help lower the risk for cancer by decreasing inflammation and inhibiting the growth of cancer-causing intestinal microflora.

Allergy: Probiotics are helpful in alleviating atopic eczema and milk allergy. In relation to eczema, it’s important to remember that probiotics are working on promoting healthy skin us well as a healthy digestive tract. Indeed, probiotics affect all surfaces of the body that have interaction with the external world, including skin, nasal passages, gastrointestinal tract, and so forth. There is some evidence that babies who are exposed to probiotics (after the age of three months) will have a better chance of avoiding some allergies later in life.

Lactose Intolerance: Some people cannot tolerate milk because they lack the enzyme to break down milk sugar (lactose). In fact, only about a quarter of the world’s adults can digest milk. This condition eliminates an important source of highly bioavailable calcium from the diet. Probiotics in yogurt digest the lactose for you. thus helping to relieve this condition. Yogurt is also a calcium- and vitamin-rich food that is readily digestible by those who suffer from lactose intolerance and is therefore an excellent addition to their diets.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Probiotics help regulate the body’s inflammatory response, which relieves the symptoms of this condition. The probiotics in yogurt have been accepted as a form of therapy that can actually help maintain remission in people suffering from IBD. A 2003 review of human studies on probiotics, for example, concluded that “the use of probiotics in IBD clearly will not provide a panacea but it does offer hope as an adjunct form of therapy, specifically in maintaining a state of remission.”

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Probiotics alter both the populations and the activities of the microflora in our gastrointestinal systems, possibly relieving the symptoms of IBS, though probiotics may prove to be more effective in prevention than in effecting a cure.

Hypertension: Probiotics stimulate the production of drug like substances that act in the body like pharmacological blood-pressure-lowering medicines.

Cholesterol Reduction: Over thirty years ago, scientists were intrigued to find that the Masai tribesmen of Africa had low serum levels of cholesterol as well as low levels of coronary heart disease, despite a diet that was extremely high in meat. The distinguishing characteristic of their diets, aside from high meat consumption, was an extremely high intake of fermented milk (or yogurt)—up to 5 liters daily. Research has now confirmed that yogurt is beneficial to those trying to reduce cholesterol. The probiotics in yogurt reduce the bile acids, which in turn decrease the absorption of cholesterol from the gastrointestinal tract. This effect seems to be seen most reliably in people who already have elevated cholesterol.

Ulcers: Probiotics help to eliminate the pathogen Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that is one of the main causes of ulcers and may also be a cause of gastric cancer.

Diarrhea: Yogurt has potential benefit in relieving what in many countries around the world is a serious threat to the health of millions. It fights diarrhea by stimulating the immune system, crowding out negative microflora in the intestines and stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria. Probiotics in yogurt are also helpful in treating diarrhea associated with antibiotic use, and some doctors are amazed that yogurt is not routinely recommended to all patients who are being treated with antibiotics.

SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Super Foods -> Kiwi

Kiwis are perhaps the first fruit to be named for a bird – twice. Introduced to New Zealand from China around 1906, the fruit was first known as a Chinese gooseberry (the first bird) probably because, like a green gooseberry, it has pale flesh. As kiwis became more popular, and international demand spread, New Zealanders proudly renamed the fruit after their national bird – the kiwi (the second bird).

The nouvelle cuisine movement of the 1970’s did a great deal to popularize kiwis in the US and today, California provides 95 percent of the US crop. Now kiwis, or kiwifruit, are popular the world over and deservedly so as their pale green and delicious flesh, reminiscent of strawberries to some and pineapple to others, offers a potent mix of nutrients that elevate it to the status of a SuperFood.

Kiwi fruit promote heart health by lowering triglyceride levels and reducing platelet hyperactivity which in turn seems to play a role in the development and stability of atherosclerotic vascular plaques.

Kiwi can promote heart health by limiting the tendency of blood to form clots. The vitamin C and E in kiwi combined with the polyphenols and magnesium, potassium, B vitamins and copper all act to protect the cardiovascular system. In one study in Oslo, Norway people who ate 2 or 3 kiwi a day for 28 days reduced their platelet aggregation response – or potential for clot formation – by 18% compared to those eating no kiwi. Moreover, those kiwi eaters also enjoyed a triglyceride drop of 15% compared to the controls.

Four medium kiwi fruit supply about 1.4 mg of lutein/zeaxanthin. As a result, this fruit is a non-leafy green source of these two important nutrients which have been associated with a decreased risk for cataracts, macular degeneration, and the development of atherosclerotic plaques.

Kiwi is reported to have a laxative effect which can be beneficial to all but especially older people who are troubled by constipation. One study of 38 people over the age of sixty found that regular consumption of kiwi led to bulkier, softer stool and more frequent stool production.

SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Christmas Crafts

Thank you so much for a wonderful afternoon, Naomi!

Let's Dance

Turn on your speakers, sit back & enjoy the show! Thanks Valerie M. for sharing this find ;)

Super Foods -> Honey

No wonder the word “honey” is a term of endearment. What could be sweeter and more appealing than the rich golden liquid? I’ve long enjoyed the delights of honey on cereal, toast, yogurt, and pancakes, and as a sweetener for green tea, and I’m sure once you know about the nutritional benefits of honey, you’ll be eager to use it more frequently.

Honey is much more than just a liquid sweetener. One of the oldest medicines known to man, honey has been used in the treatment of respiratory diseases, skin ulcers, wounds, urinary diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. Today, we know the validity of these timeless treatments, as research has demonstrated that honey can inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and viruses.

The power of honey comes from the wide range of compounds present in the rich amber liquid. Honey contains at least 181 known substances, and its antioxidant activity stems from the phenolics, peptides, organic acids, and enzymes. Honey also contains salicylic acid, minerals, alpha-tocopherol, and oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides increase the number of “good” bacteria in the colon, reduce levels of toxic metabolites in the intestine, help prevent constipation, and help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

The key point to remember with honey is that its antioxidant ability can vary widely depending on the floral source of the honey and its processing. The process begins when bees feast on flowers and collect nectar in their mouths. The bees mix the nectar and enzymes in their saliva to turn it into honey, which is then stored in combs in the hive. The constant movement of the bees’ wings promotes moisture evaporation and yield the thick honey we enjoy. The phenolic content of the honey depends on the pollen that the bees have used as raw material. There’s a very simple way to determine the health benefits of any honey: its color. In general, the darker the color of the honey, the higher the level of antioxidants. There can be a twenty fold difference in honey’s antioxidant activity, as one test revealed. For example, Illinois buckwheat honey, the darkest honey tested, had twenty times the antioxidant activity of California sage honey, one of the lightest-colored honeys tested. Overall, color predicted more than sixty percent of the variation in honey’s antioxidant capacity. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Super Foods -> Garlic

Garlic, a small and humble-looking vegetable, plays a huge role in the major cuisines of the world. It's hard to imagine Italian, French, or Asian cooking without garlic. The big news on garlic isn't its ability to flavor a dish, but rather its considerable role as a health promoter. Indeed, recent findings on the power of garlic to fight cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, give garlic the bona tides to elevate it to SuperFood status.

Garlic, a member of the lily, or allium, family, traces its origin to Central Asia. Garlic is a major flavoring agent, particularly in Mediterranean cuisine, but as far back as 2600 B.C., it was used by the Sumerians as medicine. One of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, garlic was recognized by early civilizations as a source of strength and was mentioned in the Bible. Indeed, throughout the history of civilization, the medicinal properties of garlic have been prized, and it's been used to treat ailments, including atherosclerosis, stroke, cancer, immune disorders, cerebral aging, arthritis, and cataract formation.

Garlic's power as a heath promoter comes from its rich variety of sulfur containing compounds. Of the nearly one hundred nutrients in garlic, the most important in terms of health benefits seems to be the sulfur compound allicin—an amino acid. Allicin is not present in fresh garlic, but it is formed instantly when cloves are crushed, chewed, or cut. Allicin seems to be responsible for the superbiological activity of garlic as well as its odor. In addition to allicin, a single clove of garlic offers a stew of compounds with potential health benefits, including saponins, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, polyphenols, and arginine. In addition to these compounds, garlic is a good source of vitamin B6 and also of vitamin C. As with most whole foods, garlic's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities are probably due to the sum of the whole rather than a single agent.

Two recent studies have shown that garlic can be a potent antibiotic. Particularly impressive was that garlic was effective against strains of pathogens that have become resistant to many drugs. One study showed that garlic juice showed significant antibacterial activity against a host of pathogens, even including antibiotic-resistant strains such as ciprofloxacin-resistant staphylococci. The second study, conducted on mice, found that garlic was able to inhibit a type of staph infection that's become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and increasingly common in hospitals. This type of staph infection has become a potential danger for health care workers, as well as for people with weakened immune systems. Sixteen hours after the mice were infected with the pathogen, garlic extract was fed to them. After twenty-four hours, garlic was found to have been protective against the pathogen and to have significantly decreased the infection. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Super Foods -> Extra Virgin Olive Oil

If you were to make one change in your kitchen—one single simple adjustment—to promote health and gain substantial benefits in countless ways, it would be: Use extra virgin olive oil in place of other fats. So many studies have verified the health-promoting qualities of extra virgin olive oil that the European Union has embraced it as the oil of choice, and is investing more than thirty-five million euros to promote consumption in its member states. In the U.S., the FDA, for only the third time, granted a qualified health claim for conventional foods containing olive oil. These foods are allowed to carry labels saying they may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Olive oil—made from the crushing and pressing of one of the oldest known foods, olives—has been enjoyed since as early as 3000 B.C. It is a staple of the extraordinarily healthy Mediterranean diet, and it is now believed that the consumption of olive oil is a prime reason for the positive aspects of this particular diet.

It seems that the heart-healthy effects of olive oil are due to a synergy of health-promoting compounds. The monounsaturated fat in olive oil has various impressive health benefits. In addition to healthy fat, olive oil is a good source of vitamin E. One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains 17.4 percent of the daily value (DV) for vitamin E. Interestingly, part of the nutrient synergy of extra virgin olive oil is that the abundant polyphenols not only provide their own health benefits, they also protect and preserve the accompanying vitamin E.

The powerful synergy of all the cooperating compounds in extra virgin olive oil seems to have beneficial effects on health, and a wide range of studies has demonstrated that adding olive oil to your regular diet could:

• Reduce your risk for breast and colon cancer

• Lower your blood pressure

• Improve your cardiovascular health

There is reason to believe that extra virgin olive oil could play a significant role in preventing cancer. It's been estimated that up to 25 percent of the incidence of colorectal cancer, 15 percent of the incidence of breast cancer, and approximately 10 percent of the incidence of prostate, pancreas, and endometrial cancers could be prevented if the populations of Western countries would consume the traditional Mediterranean Diet. Of course, this would mean an increase in fruit and vegetable intake as well as the substitution of olive oil as a main source of fat in the diet. While we don't know exactly what it is in olive oil that provides this protection against cancer, we do know that once again it seems to be the synergy of the whole food.

There has been great interest in the role of olive oil in the development and prevention of breast cancer. The role of fat in the diet and its effect on breast cancer is controversial, and a number of studies have been published with conflicting findings. In case-control studies, consumption of olive oil has been shown to reduce the estimated relative risk of breast cancer in Spain and Greece. Moreover, in animal studies, olive oil seems to have an anti-tumor effect. Interesting research points to the possible ability of olive oil to reduce breast cancer risk. It seems that oleic acid, the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, may have the ability to inhibit the growth of certain types of breast cancer cells by inhibiting a gene that stimulates their growth.

There is some evidence that olive oil can play a role in the prevention of colon cancer as well as breast cancer. In one large European study, olive oil consumption was negatively associated with the incidence of colorectal cancer. Evidence suggests that compounds such as the phenolics in olive oil act directly in the colon to reduce oxidative or free-radical damage of the colon. This reduction of free-radical damage would ultimately have a chemoprotective result. There's also evidence that substances in olive oil inhibit the formation of amines—cancer-causing compounds that form during the cooking of meat. This would indicate that a marinade that contains extra virgin olive oil may lessen cancer risk, as it would inhibit these cancer-promoting amines from forming in the first place.

SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

New Jig Saw Puzzle website

Thanks Jean B. for the recommendation on a new jig saw puzzle website! CLICK HERE FOR THEJIGSAWPUZZLES.COM WEBSITE I have added the link to the favorite websites list. Have fun!

Look who was in the newspaper!

READ THE ARTICLE HERE

Super Foods -> Dried SuperFruits

Dried fruit can be a terrific source of health-promoting nutrients as the fruits’ benefits remain and are actually concentrated if you measure by volume. (Except for Vitamin C: there’s little C in dried fruit.) It’s getting easier to find variety in dried fruits beyond raisins, dates and prunes in your local market. Blueberries, cranberries, cherries, currents, apricots and figs are now more readily available. One thing to think about when you buy dried fruit is pesticides. Some fruit is heavily sprayed with chemicals to prevent pests and mold. Of course when the fruit is dried, the chemicals are concentrated. Blueberries and cranberries are not a heavily treated crop but strawberries and grapes (and thus raisins) are and so go organic when possible. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

December 2012 Schedule

Mon. December 3
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 English as a Second Language
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Tues. December 4
9:15-12:00 One-on-One By Appointment Only 1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Weds. December 5 CLOSED

Thurs. December 6 CLOSED

Tues. December 11
9:15-12:00 One-on-One By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Weds. December 12
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Thurs. December 13
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Fun with Keyboarding – Learn the keyboard using thought-provoking exercises. Not only is this class helpful for your typing skills, it gets your brain going AND we have a lot of fun!
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Tues. December 18
9:15-12:00 One-on-One By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Weds. December 19
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 T’s, Totes & Aprons! Sign-up sheet on bulletin board.
2:30-3:30 T’s, Totes & Aprons! Sign-up sheet on bulletin board.
3:30-4:45 Open Lab

Thurs. December 20
Holiday Extravaganza!!

Tues. December 25 CLOSED
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Weds. December 26 CLOSED

Thurs. December 27
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Travel Day - This month we’ll be visiting Arizona, Alaska & Hawaii. Sign-up sheet on bulletin board. As always, the links will be posted on the BLOG for the home users!
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Fri. December 28
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-3:15 Open Lab
3:15-4:45 Literati Challenge! – Sign-up sheet on bulletin board.
_________________________________________________
Schedule Changes
OPEN Mon. Dec. 3rd & Fri. Dec. 28th
CLOSED Weds. Dec. 5th, Thurs. Dec. 6th, Tues. Dec 25, Weds. Dec 26
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Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863) wrote the poem Twas the night before Christmas also called “A Visit from St. Nicholas" in 1822. It is now the tradition in many American families to read the poem every Christmas Eve. The poem 'Twas the night before Christmas' has redefined our image of Christmas and Santa Claus. Prior to the creation of the story of 'Twas the night before Christmas' St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, had never been associated with a sleigh or reindeers!
Clement Moore, the author of the poem Twas the night before Christmas, was a reticent man and it is believed that a family friend, Miss H. Butler, sent a copy of the poem to the New York Sentinel who published the poem. The condition of publication was that the author of Twas the night before Christmas was to remain anonymous.
The first publication date was 23rd December 1823 and it was an immediate success. It was not until 1844 that Clement Clarke Moore claimed ownership when the work was included in a book of his poetry.

Super Foods -> Dark Chocolate

We’ve saved the best news for when you need it the most. As you slog through the winter doldrums, here’s the health update that could carry you through until spring: Dark chocolate is a SuperFood. For many of us, this is a dream come true. The interesting thing is that many people have told me that once they think of chocolate as a food that’s beneficial to health, even though they still love and enjoy it, because it’s no longer “forbidden,” they’re somehow less tempted to gorge on it.

This news doesn’t mean that you should toss out the oatmeal and fill your cabinets with chocolate. Pause for a moment and let the chocolate watchwords sink in:

• Keep your daily dark chocolate intake to about 100 calories per day.
• Eat only dark chocolate.

First, and most important, is the amount of chocolate: You can’t eat as much as you want. It’s high in calories and if you eat too much of it you can gain weight. Depending on your weight and activity level, chocolate should be a small treat, a little healthy indulgence that will have to be accounted for in your overall calorie intake/activity equation.

When you do indulge in chocolate and you’re looking for a health benefit, choose dark chocolate. Milk chocolate or white chocolate (the latter isn’t even real chocolate) won’t do. While both contain some of the beneficial polyphenols (though in lower amounts than dark chocolate), preliminary data suggest that the presence of milk in the chocolate somehow mitigates the effectiveness of the polyphenols.

Here, in a nutshell, is the good news: Dark chocolate seems to contribute to lowering blood pressure, increasing blood flow, and ultimately contributing to a healthy heart.

It’s a myth that chocolate is loaded with caffeine. While there is some caffeine in chocolate, it’s not much. In a typical chocolate bar, the caffeine content ranges from 1 to 11 mg. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 137 mg of caffeine.

In the early 1908, a physician and researcher at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Norman K. Hollenberg, was interested to observe that the Kuna Indians, the indigenous residents of the San Bias Islands of Panama, rarely develop high blood pressure even as they aged. Studies indicated that neither their salt intake nor obesity was a factor in this seeming immunity. Moreover, when the islanders moved to the mainland, their incidence for hypertension soared to typical levels, so their protection from hypertension was probably not due to genetics. Hollenberg noticed one facet of Indian culture that might play a role: The San Bias Is- land Kuna routinely drank about five cups of locally grown, minimally processed, high-flavonol cocoa each day. He gave his study subjects cocoa with either high or low amounts of flavonols. Those who drank the high-flavonol cocoa had more nitric oxide activity than those drinking the low-flavonol cocoa. The connection between the ability of the nitric oxide to relax the blood vessels and improve circulation and thus prevent hypertension seemed obvious. Hollenberg is continuing his investigation. He recently completed a pilot study that found that subjects who drank a cup of high-flavonol cocoa had a resulting increased flow of blood to the brain that averaged 33 percent.

Another interesting study looked at the blood flow effects of high-flavonol cocoa compared with low-dose aspirin. The study compared how blood platelets reacted to a flavonol-rich cocoa drink versus a blood-thinning dose of 8i-mg aspirin. It seems that the twenty- to forty-year-olds who participated in this study enjoyed similar blood-thinning results from both the cocoa and the low-dose aspirin. It must be noted that the effects of the flavonol-rich cocoa were more transitory than those of the aspirin.

Sip your way to winter health…. Need another reason to curl up by the tire with a mug of cocoa? In a recent study, researchers at Cornell University found that a mug of hot cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of a glass of red wine and up to three times those found in a cup of green tea. Make your cocoa with 1 % low-fat milk, nonfat milk, or soymilk and sweeten it with minimal sugar. Avoid cocoa mixes, as they are high in sugar or artificial sweeteners and some contain trans fats. And Dutch-process cocoa is cocoa powder that has been treated with alkaline compounds to neutralize the natural acids. It’s slightly milder than natural cocoa, but it has lower levels of flavonols so, for health purposes, stick with natural cocoa. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Superfoods -> Cinnamon

What could be more welcome and delicious than a warm mug of apple cider sprinkled with cinnamon or a cinnamony baked apple with crushed nuts on a cold winter day: cinnamon is welcome all year round, but its special scent is a particular treat in the winter months. It’s exciting to learn that cinnamon has actual health benefits,

Cinnamon, that delightful spice eliciting memories of Grandma’s kitchen and the comforts of home, is actually more than a delicious addition to foods. One of the oldest spices known and long used in traditional medicine, cinnamon is currently being studied for its beneficial effects on a variety of ailments. Indeed, recent findings on the power of cinnamon to promote health, in particular its benefits for people with type II diabetes have elevated it to the status of a Super Spice.

Cinnamon comes from the interior bark of evergreen trees that are native to Asia. The type we most commonly see in the supermarket is cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia). Known as Chinese cinnamon, it has the sweetly spiced flavor we’re familiar with. Varieties of Chinese cinnamon come from China and northern Vietnam. There’s also Ceylon, or “true,” cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylancium), which is sweeter with a more complex, citrusy flavor. Both types of cinnamon are available in sticks (or “quills”) or ground.

Today, we’re in the process of learning about the power of cinnamon to affect health, and once you appreciate the special qualities of this mighty spice, I’m sure you’ll be eager to use it more frequently.

Perhaps the most exciting recent discovery concerning cinnamon is its effect on blood glucose levels as well as on triglyceride and cholesterol levels, all of which could benefit people suffering from type II diabetes. In one study of sixty patients with type II diabetes, it was found that after only forty days of taking about one half teaspoon of cinnamon daily, fasting serum glucose levels were lowered by 18 to 29 percent, triglycerides by 23 to 30 percent, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) by 7 to 27 percent, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26 percent. It’s not yet clear whether less than one half teaspoon a day would be effective. It’s particularly interesting that the effects of the cinnamon lasted for twenty days following the end of the study, leading to speculation that one wouldn’t have to eat cinnamon every day to enjoy its benefits. The cinnamon—and perhaps other spices and certainly many foods—that you’re eating today are affecting your health into the future. Cinnamon by its insulin-enhancing properties is not the only spice to show a positive effect on blood glucose levels. Cloves, bay leaves, and turmeric also show beneficial effects.

Try to buy organically grown cinnamon, as it is less likely to have been irradiated. We know that irradiating cinnamon may lead to a decrease in its vitamin C and carotenoid content.

In addition to being a glucose moderator, cinnamon is recognized as an antibacterial. The essential oils in cinnamon are able to stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the common yeast Candida. In one interesting study, a few drops of cinnamon essential oil in about 3 ounces of carrot broth inhibited the growth of bacteria for at least sixty days. By contrast, bacteria flourished in the broth with no cinnamon oil. Cinnamon has also been shown to be effective in fighting the E. coli bacterium.

A recent fascinating study found that just smelling cinnamon increased the subjects’ cognitive ability and actually functioned as a kind of “brain boost.” Future testing will reveal whether this power of cinnamon can be harnessed to prevent cognitive decline or sharpen cognitive performance. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Superfoods -> Broccoli

It was 1992 and then President George Bush made a daring proclamation: “I’m president of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli,”

The horrified gasps of nutritionists could be heard from sea to shining sea. But in the end, broccoli triumphed. Perhaps in part because of the president’s statement, the press took up the cause of broccoli, and anyone who’d doubted its power as one of our most valuable foods ultimately became a believer. The timing was right for broccoli: in that same year, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University announced the discovery of a compound found in broccoli that not only prevented the development of tumors by 60 percent in the studied group, it also reduced the size of tumors that did develop by 75 percent. Broccoli is now one of the best-selling vegetables in the United States. There are only 30 calories in one cup of broccoli.

Indeed, broccoli and its cruciferous sidekicks are among the most powerful weapons in our dietary arsenal against cancer. That alone would elevate it to the status of a SuperFood. In addition, broccoli also boosts the immune system, lowers the incidence of cataracts, supports cardiovascular health, builds bones, and fights birth defects. Broccoli is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known; it offers an incredibly high level of nutrition for a very low caloric cost. Of the ten most common vegetables eaten in the United States, broccoli is a clear winner in terms of total polyphenol content; it’s got more polyphenols than all other popular choices; only beets and red onions have more polyphenols per serving.

The development of cancer in the human body is a long-term event that begins at the cellular level with an abnormality that typically only ten to twenty years later is diagnosed as cancer. While research continues at a furious pace to find ways to cure this deadly killer—after heart disease the greatest killer of Americans—most scientists have come to recognize that cancer might well be more easily prevented than cured.

Diet is the best tool we all have at hand to protect ourselves from developing cancer. We know that a typical Western diet plays a major role in the development of cancers and we know that at least 30 percent of all cancers are believed to have a dietary component. Population studies first pointed to the role that broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables might play in cancer prevention. One ten-year study, published by the Harvard School of Public Health, of 47,909 men showed an inverse relationship between the consumption of cruciferous vegetables and the development of bladder cancer. Broccoli and cabbage seemed to provide the greatest protection. Countless studies have confirmed these findings. As long ago as 1982, the National Research Council on Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer found “there is sufficient epidemiological evidence to suggest that consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a reduction in cancer.”

A very recent meta-analysis, which reviewed the results of eighty seven case-controlled studies, confirmed once again that broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables lower the risk of cancer. As little 10 grams a day of crucifers (less than 1/8 cup of chopped raw cabbage or chopped raw broccoli) can have a significant effect on your risk for developing cancer. Indeed, eating broccoli or its sidekicks is like getting a natural dose of chemoprevention. One study showed that eating about two servings a day of crucifers may result in as much as a 50 percent reduction in the risk for certain types of cancers. While all crucifers seem to be effective in fighting cancer, cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts seem to be the most powerful. Just 1/2 cup of broccoli a day protects from a number of cancers, particularly cancers of the lung, stomach, colon, and rectum. No wonder broccoli is number one on the National Cancer Institute’s list of nutrition all-stars.

Broccoli is the vegetable with the strongest inverse association with colon cancer, especially in those younger than 65 with a history of smoking. If you’ve ever smoked, eat your broccoli!

The sulfur compounds in cruciferous vegetables are a major reason these foods are such powerful chemopreventive foods. The strong smell that broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables share comes from the sulfur compounds that protect the plant as well as you. The strong, sometimes bitter taste and smell of these vegetables protect them from insects and animals.

The particular compounds in broccoli that are so effective against cancer include the phytochemicals, sulforaphane, and the indoles. Sulforaphane is a remarkably potent compound that fights cancer on various fronts. It increases the enzymes that help rid the body of carcinogens, it actually kills abnormal cells, and it helps the body limit oxidation—the process that initiates many chronic diseases—at the cellular level. Indoles work to combat cancer through their effect on estrogen. They block estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells, inhibiting the growth of estrogen-sensitive breast cancers. The most important indole in broccoli—indole-3-carbinol, or I3C—is thought to be an especially effective breast cancer preventive agent. In a study at the Institute for Hormone Research, in New York, sixty women were divided into groups, some eating a high I3C diet containing 400 milligrams of I3C daily, another eating a high-fiber diet, and yet a third control group on a placebo diet. The women consuming the high I3C diet showed significantly higher levels of a cancer-preventive form of estrogen. The other diets showed no increase in this substance. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Superfoods -> Blueberries

Now here is a SuperFood that you can take to the bank! Native to the North American landscape, blueberries are truly an All-American food. For many years nutritionists and researchers ignored the tiny blueberry because of its relatively low vitamin C content. However, what these people did not know was that the healthful benefits of blueberries stem mainly from their incredibly high levels of antioxidant phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients are non-vitamin, non-mineral components of food that have significant healthful benefits. There are literally thousands of different types of phytonutrients, and each phytonutrient is unique in both its physical characteristics and its function. Research has shown that phytonutrients help the body cells communicate with each other more efficiently, prevent mutations at the cellular level, prevent the proliferation of cancer cells, and there is still much more that we are learning about the powers of phytonutrients everyday. Blueberries are so rich in phytonutrients that even though they are not filled with the antioxidant vitamins C and E, the still provide as much antioxidant protection to the body as 1,733 IU of vitamin E and more than 1200 milligrams of vitamin C.

It is recommended that 1 to 2 cups of blueberries should be consumed daily to obtain the full health benefits of this amazing fruit. The research that really put blueberries on the map brought exciting news that this fruit seemed to slow and even reverse many of the degenerative diseases that are associated with the aging of the brain, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This is important information, considering that by the year 2050 over 30% of the American population will be over the age of 65.

Research done on aging rats has produced intriguing results, as these rats, when fed the human equivalent of 1 cup of blueberries per day, showed improvements in both balance and coordination. These improvements are due to better cell communication in the brain cells of these rats. Because blueberries are rich in phytonutrients, especially polyphenols and flavonoids, these findings should come as no surprise. Recall that phytonutrients have been shown to improve the efficiency that our body’s cells communicate with each other.

By helping our brain cells communicate more efficiently, blueberries are actually helping to halt the progression of the degenerative diseases that are associated with the aging of the brain. This is because the primary reason that humans develop age related degenerative brain diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, is because as we age our brain cells become less and less effective at communicating with each other, as the signals that these cells send out to the neighboring cells weakens over time. When these signals become too weak to allow effective communication between cells, neurological pathways are lost and brain function is thus diminished. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Superfoods -> Beans

Beans, part of the legume family, are an ancient food that has been cultivated all over the earth for thousands of years. A staple food of many cultures, including those of Asia, South America, Central America, and the Middle East, beans are a portable, tasty, and non-perishable food that can be easily adapted into any cuisine. Yet, this versatile nutritional powerhouse is often relegated to the back of the pantry, as many consider beans the “poor man’s meat”.

The general thought among people has been that beans are not necessary anymore, as they are getting their daily protein requirements from animal products. What these people did not know is that there are many chronic ailments associated with high consumption of meat, including heart disease, some types of cancer, and diabetes. The reason for this is that meat, especially red meat, though high in protein, is also high in saturated fat. Saturated fat has been linked to higher cholesterol, including raised levels of LDLs (the bad cholesterol).

Beans, provide a great alternative to meat, as they are a low-fat source of protein. For example, one cup of lentils provides 17 grams of protein with only 0.75 grams of fat. In fact, the American Cancer Society recommended in their 1996 dietary guidelines that Americans should “choose beans as an alternative to meat.”

Aside from being a great source of protein, beans area delicious source of fiber, B vitamins, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium, and many phytonutrients, and should be consumed on a regular basis to promote optimal health.

It is recommended that you should eat four ½ cup servings of beans per week.

When it comes to controlling blood sugar, it is the plentiful amount of soluble fiber in beans that seems to be the magical nutrient. If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia, or diabetes, adding beans into your regular diet can be very helpful. The reason for this is that the soluble fiber in beans provides a slow burning and long lasting source of energy, consisting of complex carbohydrates and proteins for your body to use. Since these macronutrients take longer for your body to break down, blood sugar levels remain stabilized. When blood sugar are stabilized you body does not need to release as much insulin to control the glucose in the blood. This is crucial for diabetics patients, as they, especially, need to control their blood glucose and insulin levels in order maintain their health. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

New Puzzle - Clouds!

Click on the arrow, below, to shuffle the puzzle pieces.

Superfoods -> Avacados

How about a buttery green fruit that you can spread on a sandwich, dice into a salad, or mash into America's favorite dip? If avocados were only delicious and versatile, they would still be a treat worth serving frequently. Recent research has demonstrated that avocados also offer some surprising and powerful health benefits. One of the most nutrient-dense foods, avocados are high in fiber and, ounce for ounce, top the charts among all fruits for folate. potassium, vitamin E, and magnesium. Indeed, the very impressive health benefits of eating avocados regularly have encouraged me to adopt them as a new SuperFood.

Avocados have been cultivated for thousands of years. A favorite of the Aztecs, they were native to Central America. There are generally two types of avocados available in U.S. markets—the Hass avocado from California and the West Indian avocado from Florida. The green-black Hass avocado was named for Rudolph Hass, a Wisconsin mailman who retired to Pasadena and obtained a patent for the "Hass" avocado tree in 1935. Hass avocados are nutty and buttery and rich in healthy monounsaturated oil—from 18 to 30 percent oil in each avocado. The light green Florida avocado is larger and juicier than the Hass variety, but it is less buttery and considerably lower in oil. The Florida avocado contains just 3 to 5 percent oil and roughly 25 to 50 percent less fat than the Hass variety.

The delicious healthy monounsaturated fat in the avocado is one of its biggest SuperFood health claims. The only other fruit with a comparable amount of monounsaturated fat is the olive. The monounsaturated fat in avocados is oleic acid, which may help lower cholesterol. One study found that after seven days on a diet that included avocados, there were significant decreases in both total and LDL cholesterol as well as an 11 percent increase in the "good" HDL cholesterol. Half a California avocado has a really excellent overall nutrient profile. At 145 calories it contains approximately 2 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and 13 grams of fat, most of which (8.5 grams) is monounsaturated fat.

Avocados are also rich in magnesium. Magnesium is an essential nutrient for healthy bones, the cardiovascular system (particularly in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiac rhythms), prevention of migraines, and prevention of type II diabetes. Ounce for ounce, avocados provide more magnesium than the twenty most commonly eaten fruits, with the banana, kiwi, and strawberry in second, third, and fourth place, respectively.

Avocados are also rich in potassium, which is of special interest to all HealthStylers, because potassium is a critical nutrient that up until now has not gotten deserved attention. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, and an adequate intake of this mineral can help prevent circulatory diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. For more information on potassium.

Avocados are also a rich source of folate. One cup of avocado contains 23 percent of the daily value for folate. Various studies have shown a correlation between diets high in folate and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

In addition to their other heart-healthy qualities, avocados are rich in beta-sitosterol, a so-called phytosterol. Along with peanut butter, cashews, almonds, peas, and kidney beans, avocado is one of the best sources of beta-sitosterol from whole foods. A phytosterol is the plant equivalent of cholesterol in animals. Because beta-sitosterol is so similar to cholesterol, it competes for absorption with cholesterol and wins, thus lowering the amounts of cholesterol in our bloodstream. Beta-sitosterol also appears to inhibit excessive cell division, which may play a role in preventing cancer-cell growth. In both animal and laboratory studies, this phytonutrient helps reduce the risk for cancer. SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Travel Day -> WY, UT, OK & NM

44. Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. Wyoming is the 10th most extensive, but the least populous and the 2nd least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High Plains.
Admission into the union: July 10, 1890
Capital: Cheyenne
Abbreviation: WY
Nickname: “Equality State” because of the rights women have traditionally enjoyed there. Wyoming women were the first in the nation to vote, serve on juries and hold public office.
CLICK HERE FOR UNUSUAL FACTS ABOUT WYOMING

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A PHOTO GALLERY OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

45. Utah is a state in the Western United States. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,817,222 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City, leaving vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited and making the population the sixth most urbanized in the U.S. Utah is bordered by Colorado on the east, Wyoming on the northeast, Idaho on the north, Arizona on the south, and Nevada on the west. It also touches a corner of New Mexico.
Utah is the most religiously homogeneous state in the Union. Approximately 63% of Utahns are reported to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS (Mormons), which greatly influences Utah culture and daily life, and it is the site of the Salt Lake Temple.
Admission into the union: January 4, 1896
Capital: Cheyenne
Abbreviation: WY
Nickname: “Beehive State” The beehive became the official state emblem on March 4, 1959. Utahans relate the beehive symbol to industry and the pioneer virtues of thrift and perseverance.

CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT UTAH

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICTURES OF SCENIC UTAH

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RAINBOW BRIDGE

46. Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. The state's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma, meaning "red people". Admission into the union: November 16, 1907
Capital: Oklahoma City
Abbreviation: OK
Nickname: In 1889, the Indian Territory was opened to settlers. Thousands of people lined up on the border and, when the signal was given, they raced into the territory to claim their land. Some people went in early to claim their land. They became known as Sooners. Hence, Oklahoma's nickname today is “The Sooner State”.

CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT OKLAHOMA

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENS

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SLIDESHOW OF OKLAHOMA

47. New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States.

Admission into the union: January 6, 1912
Capital: Santa Fe
Abbreviation: NM
Nickname: The Land of Enchantment (Tierra del Encanto in Spanish) because of its scenic beauty and rich history.

CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT NEW MEXICO

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICTURES OF NEW MEXICO

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT TAOS

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICTURES OF TAOS

Superfoods -> Apples

Over the next few weeks I am going to introduce you to Superfoods.  According to Dr. Steven Pratt, a superfood has three qualifications: It has to be readily available to the public, it has to contain nutrients that are known to enhance longevity, and its health benefits have to be backed by peer-reviewed, scientific studies.
1st up on our list of Superfoods are apples:

An apple a day is perhaps one of the most delicious prescriptions ever made. Apples are a powerful source of antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C, as well as good source of fiber, and potassium. There are only 47 calories in an average sized apple. The secret behind the super antioxidant capacity of the apple is its skin. The apple skin alone provides two to six times the antioxidant activity of the apple flesh alone. So it is important to eat the skin to obtain the full health benefits of apples.

There are many different varieties of apples, and each of these varieties has their own unique skin color. Along with these differences in skin color come differences in the chemical make up of the skin itself, as the phytonutrient content varies in concentration and types of polyphenols present. For instance, in the United States, Fuji apples have the highest total phenilic and total flavonoid content of any apple. Because of this, it is important to eat a wide variety of apples to ensure that a balance of all of these antioxidant agents is maintained.

Along with being a supercharged source of antioxidants, apples are also high in fiber content. One large apple has 5.7 grams of fiber, which is 30 percent of the minimum amount of daily fiber intake, as listed by the daily values (DV). Diets that are high in fiber have been highly correlated with a reduction in risk of developing heart disease. Thus eating an apple a day provides a delicious snack for both you and your heart. Aside from its link to heart health, the apple, with its supercharged antioxidant content, has also been linked to the prevention of lung cancer, improved pulmonary (lung) function, and the prevention of type II diabetes. So eat an apple a day, and it just may keep the doctor away.

SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Travel Day -> SD, MT, WA, ID

40. South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. South Dakota is the 17th most extensive, but the 5th least populous and the 5th least densely populated of the 50 United States.
Admission into the union: November 2, 1889
State Capital: Pierre
Abbreviation: SD
Nickname: The Mount Rushmore State
CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA
 CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICTURES OF MOUNT RUSHMORE

People are drawn to the rugged beauty of the Badlands. These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Ancient mammals such as the rhino, horse, and saber-toothed cat once roamed here. The park’s 244,000 acres protect an expanse of mixed-grass prairie where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live today.
CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF THE BADLANDS.
 CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE BADLANDS

41. Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges that are part of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name, derived from the Spanish word montaña (mountain).
Admission into the union: November 8, 1889
State Capital: Helena
Abbreviation: MT
Nickname: The Treasure State
CLICK HERE FOR INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MONTANA
CLICK HERE TO READ HISTORY ABOUT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
 CLICK HERE TO SEE A SLIDESHOW OF MONTANA

42. Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States located north of Oregon, west of Idaho and south of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Admission into the union: November 11, 1889
State Capital: Olympia
Abbreviation: WA
Nickname: The Evergreen State
CLICK HERE FOR INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WASHINGTON
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE WORLDS LONGEST FLOATING BRIDGE
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT MT. RAINIER

43. Idaho is a mountainous state with an area larger than that of all of New England. It is landlocked, surrounded by the states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and the Canadian province of British Columbia. However, the network of dams and locks on the Columbia River and Snake River make the city of Lewiston the farthest inland seaport on the Pacific coast of the contiguous United States.
Admission into the union: July 3, 1890
State Capital: Boise
Abbreviation: ID
Nickname: The Gem State
CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT IDAHO
 CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SLIDESHOW OF IDAHO
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SLIDESHOW OF WATERFALLS IN IDAHO

Sleepy? Your memory may be impaired

Everyone has had one of those days where a night of choppy or short sleep leads into a morning of mental haze. New research presented at the Neuroscience 2012 conference suggests that sleep deprivation might be worse for you than you think.

For starters, sleepiness in the elderly could be an indication of Alzheimer's risk, says Andrew Ward, researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Ward and colleagues did a study involving 84 elderly adults without memory problems, ranging from age 66 to 87. Researchers gave them a questionnaire about how likely they were to fall asleep during various daily activities, as a way to measure sleepiness. They also measured brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Researchers found that the sleepy study participants tended to show less coordinated activity in the default mode network, brain regions that are active when the brain is resting and are involved in introspection.
This suggests that people with bad sleep may be more susceptible to Alzheimer’s, but "we need to do more research to see if this is actually true," Ward said. The next step would be to follow the participants over time to see who develops Alzheimer's in the long term. The study also suggests that improvements in sleep may restore network connectivity - but again, further investigation is necessary to make more substantial conclusions.
Elderly people generally sleep fewer hours and wake up more frequently during the night than their younger counterparts, Ward said. And reports from Alzheimer's caregivers suggest that people with worse sleep have more severe memory impairments.
A second study also emphasized the importance of getting a good night's sleep. Hengi Rao, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, presented an experiment involving sleep deprivation in a laboratory. Participants spent four nights in the lab as researchers controlled their number of sleeping hours, gave them memory tests and scanned their brains (doesn't that sound fun!).
The 22 healthy adults slept nine hours the first night, went 24 hours without sleeping, and then spent two nights gaining recovery sleep. Their brains were scanned after nights 1, 2 and 4.
After sleep deprivation, researchers found that participants showed less connectivity between the default mode network and the hippocampus, a region of the brain essential for memory. After recovery sleep, however, their brains showed the same activity as after that first night of nine hours of sleep. Their performance on memory tasks was correlated to the activity in these regions.
"It’s critical to obtain recovery sleep after sleep loss and avoid chronic sleep deprivation" in order for the brain to restore the integrity of this neural network, Rao said.
How much sleep loss are we talking about? Ted Abel of the University of Pennsylvania discussed a study he's involved with using mice. Of course, mice are not perfect approximations for humans, but may give some insight into what's going on in the human body. It turns out that mice show memory impairment after being deprived only about three hours of their normal sleep, which translates into 20% of their daily total.
If animal models are to be believed, memory strengthening can be affected in a human who sleeps six hours instead of eight hours, this study suggests.
Bottom line: Getting a good night's sleep is important for memory.
SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

Herbs anyone?

SFP residents,
If you would like any of the following fresh herbs, let me know ASAP before the frost gets them:
chives (common)
chives (garlic)
lavender
rosemary
oregano
parsley
sage
thyme

 ~Shar

Healthy Habits -> 20 Ways to Combat Allergies

If the drip, sniff, sneeze, and itch of allergies have you thinking of buying stock in the company that makes Kleenex, dry your eyes and prepare to take action. You’re going to wage battle inside your house and even inside your body to reduce the number of allergy attacks you suffer and minimize those so-annoying symptoms. Allergies may not be life-threatening, but they’re nothing to sneeze at either. Here are 20 of the best ways to protect yourself.
1. Choose chicken instead of beef. A two-year study of 334 adults with hay fever and 1,336 without found those who had the most trans oleic acid in their diets, a form of monounsaturated fat found primarily in meat and dairy products, were nearly three times as likely to have hay fever as those who ate the least. Don’t worry, olive oil is okay; although it’s got a lot of oleic acid, it’s not the “trans” form.
2. Pop a fish-oil supplement every morning after you brush your teeth. A study of people with allergic asthma (asthma caused by allergies) found those who took daily fish-oil supplements for a month had lower levels of leukotrienes, chemicals that contribute to the allergic reaction.
3. Turn on the AC. Air conditioners remove mold-friendly moisture and filter allergens entering the house. Just make sure to clean or change the filters often or you’ll just make things worse.
4. Eat one kiwifruit every morning. They’re rich in vitamin C, which acts as a natural antihistamine. Some studies link low levels of C with allergies. When your allergies are flaring up, consider taking a vitamin C supplement.
5. Steam vacuum your furniture and carpets and include a solution of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT), a boron-based product, in the water. A 2004 study published in the journal Allergy found DOT cut dust mite populations and their associated allergen levels to undetectable levels for up to six months.
6. Take 250 milligrams of quercetin three times a day. This natural supplement is a potent anti-inflammatory flavonoid, and it is widely used in natural medicine practices to fight allergies.
7. Clean out your gutters and make sure they’re not clogged. Clogged gutters can result in water seeping into the house, leading to mold growth, which can exacerbate allergies. Next time it rains, check your gutters. If you see water leaking out of end caps, flowing on the outside, or dripping behind them, it’s time to get out the ladder.
8. Always run the exhaust fan and/or leave the window and door open when taking a shower or bath. Another option is to run a small portable fan (away from water sources) during and after showers. Again, you’re trying to keep surfaces dry and prevent the growth of mold. Also, check to see that the vent on the outside of your house where the exhaust exits isn’t blocked by leaves.
9. Wash the shower curtain in hot water and bleach every month. Or use a shower liner that you can replace every couple of months for just a few bucks.
10. Keep your thermostat set above 65°F in the winter. If you set it too low, you’re encouraging the growth of mold in damp air. The heat dries out the air, preventing mold growth. Of course, too-dry air can also irritate your lungs and sinuses. The perfect humidity in a home is around 50 percent.
11. Wash all your bedding in very hot water every week. It’s the best way to kill those pesky microscopic dust mites that love your bed even more than you do.
12. Follow your dryer vent and make sure it’s vented to the outside. For every load of laundry you dry, 20 pounds of moisture has to go somewhere! If your dryer is vented to the garage or basement, you’re just asking for mold buildup.
13. Clean the tray under the fridge with a bleach solution and sprinkle with salt. The tray is a veritable mold magnet. Adding salt reduces the growth of mold and bacteria. Also, clean under the refrigerator occasionally; food can become trapped there, become moldy, and the mold spores are blown into the kitchen every time the compressor kicks in.
14. Water your plants sparingly and put pebbles on top of the dirt to discourage mold spores from getting into the air. Overwatering houseplants can contribute to the growth of mold. Also, water might leak through the plant onto the carpet.
15. Spend this weekend decluttering. Throw out or give away coats and other clothing you haven’t used in the past year. Put sports equipment in the garage or basement where it belongs. Slip shoes into hanging shoe bags. When you finish, you should be able to see all your closets’ floors and back walls. Now give everything a good vacuum and you’ll have significantly reduced the amount of dust in your house.
16. Keep your bedroom door shut so your dog and/or cat can’t get in. Let him bark or meow. You spend more time in your bedroom than any other room of the house, and this keeps down cat and dog dander, to which many people are allergic.
17. Choose a doormat made of synthetic material. Doormats made of natural material (wicker, etc.) can break down and become excellent feeding grounds for mites, mold, and fungus, and then get tracked into the house. Wash all mats weekly.
18. Clean all dead insects from your porch lights. As they decompose, they can become an allergen source.
19. Put a shelf by the front door for shoes and encourage your family and guests to remove their shoes before entering to reduce the amount of dust, mold, and other allergens tracked in. Keep some soft slippers in a basket by the front door for people who don’t want to walk around in their stocking feet.
20. Read labels and avoid foods that contain the additive monosodium benzoate. An Italian study found that monosodium benzoate triggered allergy-like symptoms, including runny, stuffy nose, sneezing, and nasal itching, in adults without allergies. The preservative is often found in juices, pie fillings, pickles, olives, and salad dressings.
SOURCE ARTICLE HERE

October 2012 Activities Schedule

CLICK ON THE CALENDAR TO ENLARGE

October 2012 Schedule

Tues. October 2 
9:15-12:00 One-on-One By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Weds. October 3 
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-4:45 CLOSED FOR FALL CLEANING

Thurs. October 4 
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Fun with Keyboarding – Learn the keyboard using thought-provoking exercises. Not only is this class helpful for your typing skills, it gets your brain going AND we have a lot of fun!
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Tues. October 9 
9:15-12:00 One-on-One By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Weds. October 10 
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 English as a Second Language
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Thurs. October 11 
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Home Users Club– Meet in the Community Room for interesting discussion on computers/technology. If you have computer questions or are having a problem with your computer this class is a great opportunity to get answers!
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Tues. October 16 
9:15-12:00 One-on-One By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Weds. October 17
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Advanced Class – I’ll be teaching you something new, I just don’t know what it is yet! Sign-up sheet on bulletin board.
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Thurs. October 18 
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
2:00 Monthly Birthday Party – Meet in the Community Room.
3:15-4:45 Literati Challenge! – Sign-up sheet on bulletin board.

Tues. October 23 
9:15-12:00 One-on-One By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Tues. October 24 
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Travel Day - This month we’ll be visiting South Dakota, Montana, Washington & Idaho. Sign-up sheet on bulletin board. As always, the links will be posted on the BLOG for the home users! 2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Thurs. October 25 
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Intermediate Class: Microsoft Word Sign-up sheet on bulletin board
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Mon. October 29 
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-4:45 Open Lab

Tues. October 30 
9:15-12:00 One-on-One By Appointment Only
1:15-2:15 Newsletter/Bulletin Board Class – Help with the monthly newsletter and the bulletin board in the lobby. Sign-up sheet on bulletin board.
2:15-4:45 Open Lab

Weds. October 31 
CLOSED
 _____________________________________________
Schedule Changes 
OPEN Monday October 29th
CLOSED Wednesday October 31st
_____________________________________________
Thank you SO much for all of your support, participation and contributions for the 2nd Annual Talent Show. I appreciate your involvement very much. I hope you had as much fun as I did!

Healthy Habits -> Foods that resemble the human body

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines

look just like the human eye.. And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance

blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and

is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed

pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks

like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart

and blood vitalizing food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper

cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like

the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen

neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes,

they look exactly like the human kidneys.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These

foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods

are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it

from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal

needs of the body.
Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of

the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's

research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances

hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And

how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from

blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents

of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied

and named about 141 of them).
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs

increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm

as well to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the

glycemic index of diabetics.
Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries
Oranges , Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the

mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts

and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions

help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce

tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion,

Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Travel Day -> WV, NV, NE, CO & ND

35. West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian region of the Southern United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east.
Admission into statehood: June 20, 1863
Abbreviation: WV
Nickname: The Mountain State
Capital: Charleston
CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF WEST VIRGINIA
 CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA
CLICK HERE TO READ 'DUMB LAWS' IN WEST VIRGINIA

36. Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in one single county, Clark County, which contains the Las Vegas–Paradise metropolitan area, where the state's three largest incorporated cities are located. Nevada's capital is Carson City. Nevada is largely desert and semiarid, with much of it located within the Great Basin. Areas south of the Great Basin are located within the Mojave Desert, while Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains lie on the western edge. Approximately 86% of the state's land is owned by the U.S. federal government under various jurisdictions, both civilian and military.
Admission into statehood: October 31, 1864
Abbreviation: NV
Nickname: The Silver State
Capital: Carson City
CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT NEVADA
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SLIDESHOW OF A GHOST TOWN - BROKEN HILLS
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SLIDESHOW OF NEVADA

37. Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. Its state capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River. The state is crossed by many historic trails, but it was the California Gold Rush that first brought large numbers here.
Admission into statehood: March 1, 1867
Abbreviation: NE Nickname: The Cornhusker State
Capital: Lincoln

CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT NEBRASKA
 CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS ON NEBRASKA

38. Colorado is the U.S. state that encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. Colorado is part of the Western United States, the Southwestern United States, and the Mountain States.
Admission into statehood: August 1, 1876
Abbreviation: CO Nickname: The Centennial State - because it was admitted to the Union in 1876
Capital: Denver

 CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT COLORADO CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS OF COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS OF THE COLORADO RIVER & STREAMS

39. North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Manitoba and Saskatchewan to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west.
Admission into statehood: November 2, 1889
Abbreviation: ND Nickname: The Peace Garden State
Capital: Bismarck
CLICK HERE FOR FUN FACTS ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA
CLICK HERE FOR A TOUR OF THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDENS
CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE NORTH DAKOTA LANDSCAPE

2nd Annual Talent Show & Tell

For the 2nd year, the SFP Computer Learning Center hosted Neighborhood Networks Week: Get to know your neighbors day by celebrating with the 2nd Annual SFP Talent Show & Tell.  Upon arrival guests were treated to the talents of our fellow artisans and craftswomen who showed off photography, oil paintings and needlework.

Raffle table featuring handmade crafts:

Look at the delicious food that the ladies made:


Your crazy Emcee (aka Computer Facilitator):

For our Live Performances category we had a sing-a-long accompanied by the saxophone, a duo performing Honey Bun from the musical South Pacific, poem recitations, plant demonstrations, singing and a lesson on the Russian language.  Check out the awesome performances:

Our fabulous guests:

Thank you to everyone who attended, participated and supported the 2nd Annual Talent Show & Tell.