Trending on Monday - July 4, 2011

1. Charlize Theron: I'm Never Getting Married!
2.  Botox: Asthma Treatment - Will It Work?
3. Cottage cheese battle pays off
4. Vitamin D Helps to Prevent Diabetes
5. Miracle of the Day- Angelic Intervention

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Charlize Theron: I'm Never Getting Married!

 

Sorry boys, Charlize Theron won't be walking down the aisle...ever.

The 35-year-old actress, who dated Stuart Townsend for nearly a decade before they split, says she'd rather have a long-term relationship than the actual wedding. Marriage was "never something that was important [to me]," she told Piers Morgan on his CNN show.

"I really want for myself a long-term relationship, and I have been in long-term relationships," Theron said. "That's the kind of union that I want. The actual ceremony is not something that is important to me, but I see the importance for other people."

In fact, Theron wondered why allowing gay couples to marry is not yet a federal law. "It's a divine right, and when the government starts to tell us who can love and what is good love... I do have a problem with that," she said. "I do have a problem with the fact that our government hasn't stepped up enough to make this federal, to make [gay marriage] legal."

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Botox: Asthma Treatment - Will It Work?

 

Botox is known for its ability to reduce unwanted wrinkles. However, it turns out there may be another use for this procedure, and one that's not merely cosmetic. People who suffer from severe asthma may be able to reap benefits from the numbing procedure, which would be fantastic considering how many suffer.

Researchers in Australia have been searching for a way to help reduce asthma's effects. In Australia alone a quarter of a million people suffer from severe asthma. Currently, the numbing procedure is on trial to treat asthma sufferers by way of the muscles of the voice box. It was found that asthma effects in two ways: through the lungs and through the voice box. If the trial of Botox injections through the voice box is successful, this could prove to be a breakthrough treatment for asthma.

Phil Bardin of the The Monash Institute of Medical Research, the institute running the trials, says, "The rationale for this is that we think that the muscles in voice box have become dysfunctional and have fallen into bad habits as part of the asthmatic process and may be compensating for the lung".

True, this method sounds quite unconventional, but hey - whatever works. Most everyone at least knows someone who suffers from asthma, and it's obvious that asthma is not pleasant. It's exciting to think that Botox could potentially be a solution, and, in turn, Botox would gain a greater respect than just taking care of a few wrinkles.

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Cottage cheese battle pays off: Prices in Israel are reduced after boycott, Facebook campaign

A high-profile Facebook protest has scored a victory for consumers in Israel: Their threats of a boycott have forced dairy manufacturers to lower the price of cottage cheese by some 25 percent.

The two-week campaign drew more than 105,000 people to join a Facebook group vowing to boycott the Israeli staple until prices dropped. The campaign has touched a nerve among Israelis concerned about rising prices and eroding salaries.

Spooked by the outrage, the three large Israeli dairy companies that control the market agreed Wednesday to lower the price of a half-pound (250 gram) container to 5.90 shekels ($1.75) after it had risen to close to 8 shekels ($2.30).

Thursday's newspapers carried glowing headlines that declared: "We Won," and "Cottage Cheese Victory."

"Contrary to his media image, the Israeli consumer is no sucker. The absolute opposite is true," said Sever Plocker, economic columnist for the mass Israeli daily, Yediot Ahronot. "When a product looks too expensive to him, he doesn't buy it, but rather its substitute. The Israeli does not replace the product, he replaces the vendor."

The "cottage protest," as it has come to be known in Israel, has sparked hope it will spread to other fields: the price of gasoline, which is now over $8 a gallon ($2 a liter), and other food products have recently skyrocketed as well.

It also has highlighted the power of social media outlets in sparking change, with some comparing it to the revolutions taking place elsewhere in the Middle East.

"True, this is not Tahrir Square yet, the cottage cheese rebellion did not require us to take any real action, just to press 'like' and skip the cottage cheese shelf in the supermarket," columnist Ben Caspit wrote in the Maariv daily, referring to the square that was the epicenter of the Egyptian uprising. "This was inaction, not action, and it demanded no real sacrifice."

The Facebook page of the cottage cheese boycott identifies organizers as regular Israelis who "work for a living, are raising families and bowing under of the weight of the cost of living in Israel

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Vitamin D Helps to Prevent Diabetes and Thyroid Disease

A new study from Tufts Medical Center in Boston is linking increased levels of vitamin D with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Vitamin D is also important in managing thyroid disease. There are two types of vitamin D: D2 comes from food and vitamin D3 from sunlight.

Dr. Annastassios Pittas studied 2,039 patients who were at risk for diabetes, with at risk blood sugar levels. Normal blood sugar levels are: 80-120 on rising before breakfast and before meals, less than 160 after meals and 100-140 before bed. Blood sugar amounts are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). A patient is declared diabetic if his blood sugar level is 126 mg/dL after fasting for eight hours.

The patients in vitamin D deficiency tests had pre-diabetic blood sugar levels. They were tested over three years. Blood sugar levels were tested at six months, one year, two years and three years. Participants were divided into three test groups according vitamin D levels. The study found that for every 5 nanograms/milliliter of vitamin D participants dropped their risk of developing diabetes by eight percent. Patients with vitamin D levels of 30 ng/ml (the ideal amount) reduced their risk of diabetes 38 percent.

Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to thyroid disease. Vitamin D regulates calcium and other important bodily functions. Patients with low thyroid functioning also often have low levels of vitamin D. Patients who lack sufficient vitamin D are also at increased risk for auto-immune issues, Hashimoto's Disease and Graves Disease. I have had some success managing my hypothyroid issues with vitamin D.

There are two important kinds of vitamin D: Vitamin D3, also called ergocalciferol, is available from sunshine, animal products and supplements. When the skin is exposed to the UVA and UVB rays of the sun, vitamin D is formed. Vitamin D2, called cholecalcoferol, is found in plant sources and fungus.

This vitamin D research is important for parents, especially. Juvenile and type 2 diabetes are increasing in incidence. Type 2 diabetes is generally related to lifestyle choices. Lack of fitness, sedentary behavior, obesity, nutrition and addictive behaviors can lead to diabetes. With a simple addition of vitamin D supplements or increased intake in the diet, parents can positively impact predisposition to diabetes.

Here are foods rich in vitamin D to include in the diet: vitamin D enriched milk, orange juice, ready-to-eat hot and cold cereals and margarine. Foods naturally rich in vitamin D include: tuna, eggs, sockeye salmon, sardines, yogurt, milk, Swiss cheese, liver, mackerel and cod liver oil. 

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A high-profile Facebook protest has scored a victory for consumers in Israel: Their threats of a boycott have forced dairy manufacturers to lower the price of cottage cheese by some 25 percent.

The two-week campaign drew more than 105,000 people to join a Facebook group vowing to boycott the Israeli staple until prices dropped. The campaign has touched a nerve among Israelis concerned about rising prices and eroding salaries.

Spooked by the outrage, the three large Israeli dairy companies that control the market agreed Wednesday to lower the price of a half-pound (250 gram) container to 5.90 shekels ($1.75) after it had risen to close to 8 shekels ($2.30).

Thursday's newspapers carried glowing headlines that declared: "We Won," and "Cottage Cheese Victory."

"Contrary to his media image, the Israeli consumer is no sucker. The absolute opposite is true," said Sever Plocker, economic columnist for the mass Israeli daily, Yediot Ahronot. "When a product looks too expensive to him, he doesn't buy it, but rather its substitute. The Israeli does not replace the product, he replaces the vendor."

The "cottage protest," as it has come to be known in Israel, has sparked hope it will spread to other fields: the price of gasoline, which is now over $8 a gallon ($2 a liter), and other food products have recently skyrocketed as well.

It also has highlighted the power of social media outlets in sparking change, with some comparing it to the revolutions taking place elsewhere in the Middle East.

"True, this is not Tahrir Square yet, the cottage cheese rebellion did not require us to take any real action, just to press 'like' and skip the cottage cheese shelf in the supermarket," columnist Ben Caspit wrote in the Maariv daily, referring to the square that was the epicenter of the Egyptian uprising. "This was inaction, not action, and it demanded no real sacrifice."

The Facebook page of the cottage cheese boycott identifies organizers as regular Israelis who "work for a living, are raising families and bowing under of the weight of the cost of living in Israel."

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Miracle of the Day

Angelic Intervention

"On March 20, 2007, I flew from Minneapolis to Philadelphia for a three day conference at the American College. A family friend just had a baby in New York and it was a wonderful opportunity for me to visit the family. I had arranged online for a rental car at "Thrifty" in Philadelphia. The Customer Service associate asked if I wanted insurance coverage but since I had full comprehensive insurance on my autos and did not want unnecessary expenditure I turned it down. When I drove out of the lot, I was looking for the odometer to see how many miles it would take me to New York and back to Philadelphia. Amazingly, it was a brand new SUV with just three miles on it. I went and came back successfully and enjoyed my conference. I was to return the Jeep SUV to Thrifty en route the airport on Thursday, March 22nd after the conference. I lost my way in town and ran out of my scheduled time to turn in the SUV.  

So I passed by the front of an office building to ask a passer-by for directions. He was helpful but as he was telling me the direction to follow, there was a loud noise on the right back of the truck from a passenger van backing out of the packing lot The new Jeep SUV for which I refused auto insurance has been hit I held my head with my two hands, lost in thought of the cost, my family’s reaction because we had recently been up-rated by our insurance company for an auto accident by our college daughter. I noticed that my "guide" said, "You’ve been hit" and walked away in a hurry. I came out to see the damage. The driver of the passenger van also came out at the same time. We were amazed to see "no dent, no scratch". We both asked to make sure it was real. Physically, the noise was just too much to see no dent no scratch. But I immediately sensed there was a "third person" involved in that situation and gave thanks to God for sending His angel to handle the impact. I am so grateful because of the trauma of time, paper work, insurance rating and family discomfort that would have followed. I am a committed tither, as well as my wife and our three kids from the little gifts they receive. I owe all the favor to God and His promise to rebuke the devourer for our sakes. He is to be praised for all ages.