48th is Not a Good Place

The National Academies, the country’s leading advisory group on science and technology, warned in 2005 that unless the United States improved the quality of math and science education, at all levels, it would continue to lose economic ground to foreign competitors.

The situation remains grim. According to a follow-up report published last month, the academies found that the United States ranks 27th out of 29 wealthy countries in the proportion of college students with degrees in science or engineering, while the World Economic Forum ranked this country 48th out of 133 developed and developing nations in quality of math and science instruction.

More than half the patents awarded here last year were given to companies from outside the United States. In American graduate schools, nearly half of students studying the sciences are foreigners; while these students might once have spent their careers here, many are now opting to return home.

A version of this editorial appeared in print on October 26, 2010, on page A28 of the New York edition.

Natalie Rae Recipes

The Way to a Man’s Heart aka Layered Fajita Pizza

This recipe is very easy, but very yummy. This is my fiance’s favorite meal that I cook and I like to think of it as a turning point in our relationship! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground beef

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

½ small white onion

½ lime

1 roma tomato

Shredded cheese

Fresh Cilantro

1 pkg taco seasoning

Taco sauce

Soft tortillas

*tortilla size can vary depending on if you want to make family style or individual servings

(individual serving pictured using soft taco size tortillas)

Sour cream and green onions optional

Cooking:

Start by slicing the peppers and onion julienne style (fajita style) and sauté them slowly in the juice of half of a lime and 2 Tbs fresh cilantro. Dice the tomato and set aside. While the vegetables are softening brown the beef in a skillet. Once browned add the taco seasoning and ¼ cup of water. Stir until well seasoned and absorbed. Next take your tortilla and place in your preferred baking dish. Spread 1 Tbs of taco sauce on the tortilla and add a layer of beef, a layer of sautéed vegetables, diced tomatoes, and a layer of shredded cheese. Add another tortilla on top and repeat these layers. Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese and crisp the tortillas. Drizzle with taco sauce. Top with sour cream and green onions! Enjoy!

Manhattan you are TOO LOUD!!

Columbia Study Shows 98% of Manhattan Is Lethally Loud

You've got to shout to be heard in this town -- and it's killing us.

Noise in 98 percent of Manhattan's public space exceeds healthy levels, says a study co-authored by Columbia University researchers to be released today.

Honking cars or quarreling neighbors raise our stress, but background noise like truck traffic that New Yorkers take in stride may be even worse, said Robyn Gershon, a Columbia professor.

Read the whole story: nypost.com

Less $=More Fat

In a society where fast food is more affordable and accessible than nutrient-rich greens, it comes as no surprise that obesity rates are higher for poor adults than for the well-off. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a study conducted by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health revealed that obesity rates for poor adults were 9 percent higher than for the well-off, and the gap was even greater for children. One of our biggest misconceptions is that it's poor people's fault. The poor, without access to healthy foods, are making the best possible choices under difficult circumstances. The Inquirer highlights the struggle for the destitute to eat healthy, as they profile a resident of the First Congressional District of Philadelphia -- the "second-hungriest" sector in the United States.

Read more at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Tips to Decrease Your Sugar Cravings this Holiday Season

• Eat regularly. Eat three meals and two snacks or five small meals a day. For many people, if they don't eat regularly, their blood sugar levels drop, they feel hungry and are more likely to crave sweet sugary snacks.

• Choose whole foods. The closer a food is to its original form, the less processed sugar it will contain. Food in its natural form, including fruits and vegetables, usually presents no metabolic problems for a normal body, especially when consumed in variety.

• Have a breakfast of protein, fat and phytonutrients to start your day off right. The typical breakfast full of carbs and sugary or starchy foods is the worst option since you'll have cravings all day. Eating a good breakfast is essential to prevent sugar cravings

• Try incorporate protein and/or fat with each meal. This helps control blood sugar levels. Make sure they are healthy sources of each.

• Add spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.

• Move your body. Exercise, dance or do some pilates. Whatever movement you enjoy will help reduce tension, boost your energy and decrease your need for a sugar lift.

• Get enough sleep. When we are tired we often use sugar for energy to counteract the exhaustion.

• Keep sugary snacks out of your house and office. It's difficult to snack on things that aren't there!

• Don't substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar. This will do little to alter your desire for sweets. If you do need a sweetener, try Stevia, it's the healthiest.

• Learn to read labels. Although I would encourage you to eat as few foods as possible that have labels, educate yourself about what you're putting into your body. The longer the list of ingredients, the more likely sugar is going to be included on that list. So check the grams of sugar, and choose products with the least sugar per serving.

• Become familiar with sugar terminology. Recognize that all of these are sweeteners: corn syrup, corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, honey, molasses, turbinado sugar and brown sugar.

• Sugar in disguise. Remember that most of the "complex" carbohydrates we consume like bread, bagels and pasta aren't really complex at all. They are usually highly refined and act just like sugars in the body and are to be avoided.

• Drink lots of water. Sometimes drinking water or seltzer water can help with the sugar cravings. Also sometimes what we perceive as a food craving is really thirst.

• Have a piece of fruit. If you give in to your cravings, have a piece of fruit, it should satisfy a sweet craving and is much healthier.

Carcinogenic Compounds In Gulf

Researchers testing the waters off Louisiana in June found hugely elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, some of which are known carcinogens. The researchers from Oregon State University say that a device taking samples just off the shore of Louisiana's Grande Isle registered a 40-fold increase in PAHs between May and June.


What's worse is that the sampling device was specifically designed to measure the fraction of PAHs in the environment that could make their way through a biological membrane. "This is a measure of what would enter into an organism," said Kim Anderson, an OSU professor of environmental and molecular toxicology. "There was a huge increase of PAHs that are bio-available to the organisms -- and that means they can essentially be uptaken by organisms throughout the food chain."



link to article

Understanding Food Labels

WHAT, EXACTLY, IS “NATURAL?"

Who can use it: Anyone can put the term “natural” (or “all natural”) on most foods, since the Food and Drug Administration has no formal definition of the term and doesn’t regulate it or really police it. So far, according to the agency, it has “not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances.” The one exception: meats and poultry, which are regulated by a different organization, the US Department of Agriculture.

What it means: According to the USDA, meat and poultry that has “no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed may be labeled natural.”
The term “naturally raised” is a voluntary (read: unregulated) label that means livestock have been raised without antibiotics and growth hormones and have not been fed animal by-products.

The benefits: Foods labeled “natural” should not contain synthetic food dyes. Recent studies have linked synthetic food dyes with hyperactivity in children and even with cancer—enough to cause CSPI to call for a ban on synthetic dyes (ones that appear with a number after them, such as Blue 1 and 2 or Yellow 5 and 6) recently. This doesn’t mean all our food will become duller: plenty of natural colorants abound.

What it doesn’t mean: Since there is little policing on the term “natural” it’s best to read the label to see what is really in your food. For instance, the Tostito’s claim “All Natural” (shown here) is true—Tostito’s Natural Corn Chips are made with only organic (non-GM) corn, corn oil and salt. However “natural” in no way implies any product is organic, local, or humanely-raised.

WHAT DOES “ORGANIC” REALLY MEAN?
Who can use it?: “Certified organic” is one label that is strictly regulated. To be “certified organic” a farm must have been pesticide- and herbicide-free for at least three years. Livestock producers have even more stringent requirements regarding the feed and care of their animals. Certification is an expensive and time-consuming process, which means many very small farms that may be following organic practices don’t bother getting certified.

What it means: The product was made without using pesticides or herbicides, antibiotics, hormones, irradiation or bio-engineering (i.e. GMO). It means the farm has been inspected, farm animals given a chance to range in the open air, and that sustainable agricultural practices are in place. For farmed fish, it means that less than 25% of their feed comes from other fish and did not come from forage fish that have been depleted in the wild. Wild fish are not labeled organic.

The benefits: Organic produce has fewer trace residues of pesticides and more nutrients, some studies claim. Organic farming—both for produce and meats—means fewer pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics impact the groundwater and that environmentally sensitive practices are in use. Last, organic farms are regularly inspected and organic meats are more easily traced back to their farm, so if a food-safety issue occurs, it’s easier to find out where the food comes from.

What it doesn’t mean: An organic label indicates that 95% of the product is organic (there is also a “100-percent organic” label). And a food with at least 70% organic ingredients can be labeled “made with organic ingredients.” Organic also does not guarantee that it was produced on a small farm, is healthy, or that animals were treated humanely.

HOW LOCAL IS “LOCAL?”
Who can use it: Anyone can say their food is “local” and there are no regulations on the term. But local to where? The country? The state? The town? Federal regulations require “country of origin labeling,” or COOL, for meats fish, fresh and frozen produce, peanuts, pecans and macadamia nuts. Congress has also passed an act that defines the “local” label as “the locality or region in which the final product is marketed, so that the total distance that the product is transported is less than 400 miles from the origin of the product; or the State in which the product is produced.”

What it means: Unless you visit the farm, it’s truly hard to know what “local” really is. In Vermont, the term is regulated to mean “local” to Vermont or made within 30 miles of where the product is sold. Some states certify farmers’ markets to make sure that you are buying directly from a local farmer. California, for instance, requires that the farmer actually grows the produce he or she is selling at a California Certified Farmers’ Market (as opposed to selling through a packager) and that the produce is grown in state—but that too could be 400 miles away.

The benefits: Buying local supports a local economy and helps ensure that open land will remain in agriculture. It can also be better for your health, since local fruits and vegetables are often allowed to ripen longer and thus often taste better and carry more nutrients. And it could benefit the environment: one study by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture shows that if Iowans purchased only 10 percent of their food from their home state, it would reduce carbon emissions by 7.9 million pounds a year.

What it doesn’t mean: Just because it says “local” doesn’t mean that the food wasn’t produced on a factory farm, or that it is organic, sustainable or even… ahem… “natural.”

Fall Recipes 2

Butternut Squash Soup

(with love from Judy)

1. Chop 2 onions and 3 garlic cloves - put in large pot with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Cook covered for 20 minutes (it sort of steams).

2. Peel (I used a carrot scraper) and chunk butternut squash (and discard seeds). Add to onions/garlic and cook covered for about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add 5 cups of chicken stock. Cook covered on med/high heat until it boils, then turn down and cook covered on low for about an hour until the squash is soft enough to easily put a fork into it.

4. Puree.

5. Enjoy.

Fall Recipes!!

Two-Ingredient Maple Soufflé

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs1/3 cup maple syrup (I use Grade A Dark Amber)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Separate egg whites and yolks. In a small bowl, whisk together the two egg yolks and maple syrup until evenly distributed. In a stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form (I often beat them to hard peaks and that’s fine too). Fold the maple syrup mixture into the whipped egg whites. Pour into four ramekins and place ramekins on a baking sheet.

Place baking sheet in the oven and immediately turn temperature to 375 degrees.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until puffed up.
Serves 4.

Muscles Remember Their Strength

Exercising is easier for people who have worked out earlier in life. A new study shows that muscles retain a memory of their former fitness even as they wither from lack of use. Musucles seem to have both long and short term memory.

The memory is stored in the cells of the muscle. Muscle cells are huge. Because the cells are so big more than one nucleus is needed to supply the amount of protein needed for muscular strength. When you exercise muscle cells get even bigger by merging with satellite cells. Previously researchers thought that when muscles atrophy, the extra cells that had merged would be killed off. A new study suggests that the nuclei do not die-which means.

Headphone Use Increases Hearing Loss in Teens

1-in-5 U.S. Teenagers has Slight Hearing Loss

Some experts are urging teenagers to turn down the volume on their digital music players, suggesting loud music through earbuds may be to blame. Researchers analyzed data on 12- to 19-year-olds from a nationwide health survey. They compared hearing loss in nearly 3,000 kids tested from 1988-94 to nearly 1,800 kids tested over 2005-06. The prevalence of hearing loss increased from about 15 percent to 19.5 percent.

Most of the hearing loss was "slight," defined as inability to hear at 16 to 24 decibels – or sounds such as a whisper or rustling leaves. A teenager with slight hearing loss might not be able to hear water dripping or his mother whispering "good night." Extrapolating to the nation's teens, that would mean about 6.5 million with at least slight hearing loss.

ADHD Linked to Pesticide Exposure

Chemicals on our produce may contribute to behavior problems in our kids, suggest three new studies. The studies, which looked at a class of pesticides called organophosphates (OP), linked exposure to the chemicals with attention disorders in children, with perhaps the most dramatic impacts to kids who are exposed in the womb and those who are genetically most susceptible. Because pesticide residues linger on fruits and vegetables, the findings suggest that people either buy organic or take the time to wash their produce well.

Organophosphates are a set of common pesticides that work by attacking the nervous systems of insects. When people are exposed to high levels of the chemicals, they can develop anxiety, confusion impaired concentration, and other serious symptoms. More recently, scientists have started to wonder how chronic exposure at low levels might be affecting people, especially kids, whose nervous systems are still developing.

www.news.discovery.com

How to Prevent Osteoporosis

Here are some essential and specific ways to protect your bones:

Diet. Bones are dynamic organs that thrive in a mineral-rich environment. If you eat a lot of refined foods, you are likely to have weak bones and poor teeth. Follow the dietary programs outlined in Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, which are low-acid diets that support the health of your entire body.

Exercise. Two 40-minute sessions per week of weight training have been shown to increase bone density as much as estrogen, according to research by Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University and author of Strong Women, Strong Bones (Perigee Trade, updated edition 2006). Proper alignment of the skeleton is also crucial for maintaining healthy bones and hips throughout life. Pilates and yoga are excellent for alignment.

Reduce phosphate consumption. Phosphate consumption directly interferes with calcium absorption. Eliminate cola and root beer drinks, which have a high phosphate content.

Quit smoking and cut back on alcohol. Since smokers, along with women who consume two or more alcoholic drinks daily, are at the highest risk for osteoporosis, women should refrain from smoking and limit alcohol intake.

Limit caffeine. Caffeine increases the rate at which calcium is lost in the urine. Daily intake should be limited to no more than the equivalent of the amount of caffeine found in one to two cups of coffee.

Decrease stress hormones. If you are depressed or under chronic stress, get help. Depression increases the risk for osteoporosis. The stress hormone known as cortisol is higher in depressed or chronically stressed individuals, and over time, this hormone results in bone (and skin) breakdown.

Boron. Boron is a trace element found in fruits, nuts and vegetables. It has been found to reduce urinary calcium loss and to increase serum levels of 17-beta estradiol (the most biologically active estrogen); both of these effects help bone health. The minimum daily dose of boron needed (2 mg per day) is easily met with a diet rich in fruits, nuts and vegetables; supplements can be taken up to 12 mg per day.

EAT: Fresh for Spring!

Here's a list of fresh fruits/vegetables that are fresh right now:

-apricots
-artichokes
-asparagus
-avocados
-beets
-cherries
-radishes
-rhubarb
-spinach
-strawberries

click on the link to find a recipe

USDA is Slacking-Find Out What's in Your Meat

USDA's Office of Inspector General issued a report on the department's "National Residue Program for Cattle." It found gaping holes in the safety of American beef production, including residue of drugs, poisons and heavy metals in the meat we eat.

Information from: Audit Report 24601-08-KC

"Based on our review, we found that the national residue program is not accomplishing its mission of monitoring the food supply for harmful residues." The audit revealed that USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), along with the FDA and EPA, "have not established thresholds for many dangerous substances (e.g., copper or dioxin), which has resulted in meat with these substances being distributed in commerce." Even worse, the federal government does not attempt to recall meat, "even when its tests have confirmed the excessive presence of veterinary drugs," the audit said.

Currently regulations allow the feeding of beef products to cattle (a potential way to transmit "mad cow disease") in three ways: calve formula containing bovine blood, restaurant scraps in cattle feed, and the feeding of chicken manure to beef cattle - the manure contains spilled pieces of chicken feed, which can include beef byproducts.

And now we learn that some US beef is contaminated with heavy metals like copper and arsenic, antibiotics like Flunixin, penicillin, and Ivermectin, and a host of pesticides - all of which are used in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), better known as factory farms.

What is Pilates?

Perhaps you've heard of or wanted to try the Pilates Method (now often referred as Pilates). Pilates, for those properly able to participate, has tremendous physical and mental benefits: stronger muscles, more flexibility, better posture and balance. Through Pilates, you can experience a stronger abdomen, back, neck, shoulders and pelvic region, to name a few—not to mention the improved mobility and flexibility reported often from participants.

Pilates combines both eastern and western thought toward a program that delivers great overall results without all the repetition of weight training, sit-ups, etc. And with the focus of Pilates on proper mental focus, technique and breathing, it's a great workout for reducing stress and anxiety, while increasing an overall sense of wellness and well-being. All in all, Pilates is very effective overall in terms of its mind-body benefits.

And like walking or running, Pilates done on the mat can be a great " anytime, anywhere" exercise—all one needs is comfortable clothing and a soft surface (carpeting works just fine). Many people practice Pilates in their hotel room on a business trip. Finally, there are simply a great variety of exercises that form Pilates, and they can easily be utilized and modified for a range of experience and challenge, from beginner to expert.

Some principles of Pilates:

In Pilates, the focus is on " the core"—your trunk, including the abdomen and pelvic region. A variety of generally slower, deliberate movements are performed (not unlike yoga, but the "poses" are performed in very different ways). The movements in Pilates are done in a very controlled fashion. There is an emphasis on entire body movements, but Pilates will often emphasize and isolate particular groups of muscles: the abdomen, glutes and thighs, shoulders and triceps.

The controlled movement is key, and proper breathing is essential. It requires concentration, and in an on-the-mat class, this is often helped and encouraged by an instructor who gently reminds participants of proper alignment, breathing, and focus. Some Pilates classes will include or utilize a stretchband in some portions of the class or a video for added variety, stretching or resisistance.

For more information about Pilates or how to integrate it into your workout routine feel free to contact me: jldowd@gmail.com

Another Reason Flexibilty is Important

The flexibility of your body correlates with the flexiblity of your artieries. Flexibility is one of the main aspects of physical fitness along with cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance. As we get older it is normal for our arteries to begin to become stiff. No one knows the exact cause of this stiffening but it begins to occur in middle age. It has been shown that higher levels of physical fitness seem to delay the the development of the age-associated stiffening of our arteries. We know that this stiffening of the walls of our arteries has been found to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease like heart attack and strokes as well as death. None of us want stiff arteries for it is just logical that blood will not flow as well in a stiff artery. It is also shown that people with lower flexibilty have higher blood pressure.

A recent study found that stretching exercises, but NOT strength training or aerobic exercise, improved (by 23 percent) the flexibility of the carotid artery, the main artery in our neck that carries blood to our brain. These are some of the first scientific studies I have seen that actually shows that flexibility exercises, such as yoga and/or pilates might help keep us healthy longer and reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease. This is very exciting information! Since heart disease is the number one cause of death in our country, this could be life-saving.

For more information click here

Floating Garbage Found in the Ocean

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Researchers are warning of a new blight at sea: a swirl of confetti-like plastic debris stretching over a remote expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. The debris is harmful for fish, sea mammals – and at the top of the food chain, potentially humans – even though much of the plastic has broken into such tiny pieces they are nearly invisible. Since there is no realistic way of cleaning the oceans, advocates say the key is to keep more plastic out by raising awareness and, wherever possible, challenging a throwaway culture that uses non-biodegradable materials for disposable products. Plastics have entangled birds and turned up in the bellies of fish: A paper cited by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says as many as 100,000 marine mammals could die trash-related deaths each year.

Glacier National Park Loosing its' Glaciers

Glacier National Park has lost two more of its namesake moving icefields to climate change, which is shrinking the rivers of ice until they grind to a halt, the U.S. Geological Survey said Wednesday. Warmer temperatures have reduced the number of named glaciers in the northwestern Montana park to 25, said Dan Fagre, an ecologist with the agency.

The latest two to fall below the 25 acre threshold were Miche Wabun and Shepard. Each had shrunk by roughly 55 percent since the mid-1960s. The largest remaining glacier in the park is Harrison Glacier, at about 465 acres. Some glaciers, such as in the Himalayas, could hold out for centuries in a warmer world. But more than 90 percent of glaciers worldwide are in retreat, with major losses already seen across much of Alaska, the Alps, the Andes and numerous other ranges, according to researchers in the United States and Europe.

The area of the Rocky Mountains now within Glacier National Park once boasted about 150 glaciers, now around 37. A handful of the park's largest glaciers could survive past 2020 or even 2030, but by that point the ecosystem would already be irreversibly altered. Geological evidence points to the continual presence of glaciers in the area since at least 5000 B.C. Glaciers have been on this landscape continually for 7,000 years, and we're looking at them disappear in a couple of decades.

Meatless Monday Recipe

Mushroom Ragout with Baked Goat Cheese Polenta

For goat cheese polenta:
3 cups water or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup yellow corn meal or polenta

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped1 cup ricotta

2 eggs

1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan. Alternately, you can use an 8- or 9- inch pie pan or casserole and serve polenta from there without unmolding.

Bring water or broth and olive oil to boil in a large stock pot. Add corn meal all at once and gang way, because it may well splatter. Reduce heat to medium. Stir thoroughly and briskly until mixture is smooth and very thick, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and sea salt. Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl, whisk together ricotta, eggs, goat cheese and fresh parsley. Stir into polenta.
Pour polenta into prepared springform, pie pan or casserole. Bake for 55 minutes to one hour, or until puffed and set.

For mushroom ragout:
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine

1 pound white mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3/4 cup red wine

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add chopped onion, garlic and rosemary. Saute until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking another 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add tomato paste and stir in wine. Stir well to combine.
Slice polenta in wedges or squares and serve with mushroom ragout.
Serves 6 to 8.

2 Steps to Sleep Better

Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, the average American was sleeping 10 hours per night. Today, the national sleep foundation reports that the average time people spend in bed to sleep is 6 hours and 55 minutes -- with 6 hours and 40 minutes spent actually sleeping. They recommend getting at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Approximately 70 million Americans are sprouting up with sleep problems from insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, to restless leg syndrome and a majority of these are left undiagnosed and untreated.

1. No technology after 9pm. Our minds need to rest and when we are overconnected to technology it keeps the mind buzzing.

2. Body Scan-which is a way of progressively moving our attention from our toes to our head. Trying to relax each area of the body and paying attention to tension held in certian areas (shoulders, jaw, neck ect..)

Exercising while Pregnant

For most pregnant women, exercise is the last thing on their minds. After all, keeping slim while you're expecting isn't exactly the top priority — rather, it's making sure your baby gets enough nutrients to grow. But in a small new study, researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand report that a mother's regular aerobic exercise may be good for a growing fetus' health — and may even help a baby get a healthier start in life.

Researchers asked some women to exercise on a stationary bicycle for at least 40 minutes per session, up to five times each week, starting in the 20th week of pregnancy; the other women were not specifically asked to exercise. When the two groups and their babies were compared, the team found that women who bicycled regularly gave birth to babies who were on average 150 g (about 5 oz.) lighter than those born to the nonexercising mothers. In both groups, however, the babies were of healthy weight, and there was no difference in the mothers' weights.

http://www.time.com/

Oil Tanker Slams into Great Barrier Reef

BRISBANE, Australia — A salvage team could take weeks to remove a grounded coal-carrying ship from Australia's Great Barrier Reef, where it is leaking oil in a pristine marine environment. The Chinese Shen Neng 1 ran aground on Douglas Shoals, a favorite pristine haunt for recreational fishing east of the Great Keppel Island tourist resort. The shoals – off the coast of Queensland state in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – are in a protected part of the reef where shipping is restricted by environmental law. Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world's largest coral reef, which is off northeast Australia and listed as a World Heritage site for its environmental value. This is a very delicate part of one of the most precious marine environments on earth and there are safe authorized shipping channels and that's where this ship should have been. The ship hit the reef at full speed, nine miles (15 kilometers) outside the shipping lane. Authorities fear the ship will break apart during the salvage operation or spill more of its 1,000 tons (950 metric tons) load of heavy fuel oil.

for more information:

reuters

huffingtonpost

Meditation Exercise

Try this simple meditation:

Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor. Breathe naturally and close your eyes. Each time a thought appears, put it inside a balloon and let it fly up into the sky and disappear. Do this until the thoughts are exhausted. After a bit, your body will feel very light, and your mind will become still. The first few times it may take a while, but it will get easier and faster with practice.

10 Kids' Foods to Avoid & Their Healthy Alternatives

1. Kid's yogurt

Is the equivalent of sprinkling lots of sugar and candy on top of a cup of steamed broccoli. "All the sugar that's in many brands turns something that's full of calcium, protein, vitamin D, and magnesium into dessert." The biggest offenders: yogurt "fun foods." Read the labels of yogurt in plastic tubes that are meant to be frozen and thrown into kids' lunchboxes. After the first ingredient, which as hoped for, is milk, come high fructose corn syrup and sugar, artificial flavorings and colors.

Alternative-organic yogurt with fruit added for sweetness

2. Instant oatmeal

You already know that many kids' cereals are sugary to the extreme. Read the ingredient label-one teaspoon of sugar equals four grams -- some of the 'maple' or other favors have more than 12 grams per serving.

Alternative-Microwave whole oats in a glass dish (following the directions using low-fat milk or water). Stir in a quarter-cup of raisins and, voila, a naturally sweet breakfast.

3. Fruit juice

Many juices advertised as "natural" contain artificial sweeteners. Some contain only fruit juice concentrates, and are little more than sweetened water, enhanced with extra vitamins.

Alternative- Pack an orange, an apple or a cup of applesauce. And if you do serve juice, go for 100% natural fruit juice, not concentrate, and limit kids to one 8-ounce serving a day.

4. Kid's meals

On the menu at just about any restaurant, these are often higher in fat and calories than items on the adult menu. They're high-sodium and high-fat foods like fried chicken nuggets, fried chicken, cheese pizza or mac 'n cheese -- all foods that have very little nutritional value.

Alternative-Insist your kid be able to order a half-size portion of adult foods.

5. Fish sticks

Some labels advertise them as a better-for-you fish, but frozen fried fish is fat-laden and loaded with artificial ingredients. No matter what you call them, fish 'tenders,' 'sticks,' or the like are all battered and fried.

Alternative-Grilled or baked fish.

6. Peanut butter

While peanut butter can be a good source of protein and calories, several have sugar, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat. And steer clear of the jars of peanut butter and jelly. They're loaded with high fructose corn syrup, dextrose and other unwelcome additives.

Alternative-Look for brands with one or at most two ingredients: peanuts and maybe salt.

7. Rice cakes

Parents concerned about their children's weight look to rice cakes as snacks. But there is little nutritional value in these white rice snacks. No matter how many calories they have, they're empty calories and won't fill kids up, so a child is hungry soon after eating one and back in the cupboards looking for something to eat.

Alternative- Whole-wheat pita chips with hummus or peanut butter. To make your own, slice a whole wheat pita into quarters and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake until lightly crunchy.

8. Breakfast bars

The first ingredient listed on cereal bar, granola bar, and breakfast bar packages is usually refined flour (even enriched). Sugar is often second or third. Not only does that make this a fattening meal, it'll have your kid's tummy grumbling in about an hour. Empty calorie foods like this do not fill a child up. So they wind up eating more than if they would have had a 'real' meal.

Alternative-A cup of yogurt with a cup of crunchy low-sugar cereal stirred in.

9. Fruit snacks

Once and for all ... there is no fruit in fruit roll-up-type snacks. Even though the front of the package shows pictures of fruit, the ingredients tell the tale. They're loaded with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, dextrose, artificial flavors, fruit flavors, artificial colors, etc.

Alternative-An apple.

10. Fat-free foods

Just because something is fat-free, that doesn't make it calorie-free, or healthy. When fast food apples come with 'low fat caramel dipping sauce,' the apples are still being served with a 70 calorie portion of low-fat caramel dip. So low-fat doesn't mean low-calorie or low-sugar. And since sugar can turn into fat in the body, fat-free foods that are high in sugar aren't really fat free after all.

Alternative-Read the labels and look at the calories and sugar per serving. Although it might feel counterintuitive, fat-free just might be more fattening.

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