On the TV show Star Trek, when the starship Enterprise makes the jump from regular cruising to warp speed, there’s a momentary jolt as the spaceship leaps to the higher, faster-than-light velocity. This type of bumpy ride is a boundary phenomenon and is always experienced as changes occur from one condition to another. Changes, after all, are never easy! This bumpy boundary “change” that occurs as one speed is changing to the next can be thought of as a type of membrane which is in essence an adjustment from one type of substance to another. Scientists call these substances “phases” and they refer to the change that occurs from one phase to another as a “phase shift”. Phase shifts can be thought of as transformations and anytime there is a transformation there is going to be a period of adjustment, hence the bump. And, that phase shift period of adjustment is chemically represented by what is referred to as the membrane.
This transition from the watery milieu inside a cell through the oily cell covering and into the outer cellular environment is regulated and facilitated by the chemical components of the membrane. And, of these chemical components, which include fats and proteins, none is more important than choline, a molecule that can have BOTH watery and fatty properties. This ambi-dextrous nature makes choline an ideal molecule for the membrane transition area.
One of the healthiest lifestyle strategies is easy and won’t cost you anything. In fact you’ll probably end up making money in the long run. I’m talking about intermittent fasting (IF), a healthy idea that’s been practiced for thousands of years. Intermittent fasting turns on genes that stimulate growth and repair and anti-aging, especially in combination with exercise. If done correctly it can help keep the body in fat burning mode. And it’s got important effects on stimulating motivation and drive and brain power. After all when someone is young and ambitious we often say that they are…”hungry”
In a famous experiment in the 1940’s scientists from the University of Chicago showed that they could increase the lifespans of animals by up to 20 percent simply by denying them food every 3rd day. And in a review by that was published in 2007 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from U C Berkeley found that alternate day fasting could save lives by decreasing risks for heart disease and cancer, and diabetes, the three leading causes of death in the United States, Moreover they found that they're important for the nervous system and the brain, improving cognitive function and providing protection from Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.
Anti- hypertensive drugs are one of craziest of all medical pharmacological health strategies. Here’s why:
If your blood pressure is high enough that you need a drug then that means either:
1) a lot of blood-clogging, sludgy gook is impeding flow, resulting in a build-up of pressure OR
2) blood vessels have narrowed restricting flow and resulting in pressure elevation. The blood vessels narrow from damage (that’s called “stenosis”) or as a manifestation of the stress response; it’s the body’s way of making sure the muscles and nerves have enough oxygen and nutrients to get us out of them jam (it thinks) we’re in.
The body is a pressurized system. Nutriated and oxygenated blood flows through the circulatory system forcefully pushed (pressured) by the rhythmic pumping action of the heart. From the heart, it enters into the large arteries, then travels into smaller and smaller vessels until it reaches the tiniest capillaries which are in close contact with cells. This is the ultimate goal of the “Journey of the Blood”: to reach a cell with nutrients and oxygen and then as it leaves on its return trip back to the heart, to drain away it’s wastes.
Subway announced that they would no longer add azodicarbonamide to their dough. Apparently the multi- syllabic, difficult-to-pronounce, food conditioning chemical, (which is used in shoe leather and synthetic belts as well as fake food), while considered safe by the FDA , breaks down to form a well-known carcinogen called urethane.
In addition to being found in all manner of synthetic and rubberized non-comestible products, azodicarbonamide is used as a dough softener, which means it makes bread mushy and squishy allowing to be swallowed more quickly, presumably so we’ll eat more of the stuff. Food processors know that the faster a food slides down a customer’s gullet, the more of that food said customer is likely to eat. They call it “throat slip” and it’s these kinds of taste tricks and palatability plots hatched by food scientists that make indulging in fast fare such a risky proposition.
Cardio is one of the most important things you can do for your body, whether you want to lose weight, build muscle or improve your health. The great thing is, there are plenty of choices for cardio exercise. Anything that gets your heart rate into your target heart rate zone will work. The confusing thing is, there are so many choices out there...which exercises are the most effective? There's no 'right' cardio exercise and the best choice is the one you enjoy and the one you'll work hardest at, but there are some that work best if your goal is to blast calories and get in great shape.
1. Running
Running is a great choice for a variety of reasons:
- It doesn't require special equipment (except some quality shoes)
- You can can do it just about anytime, anywhere
- It's high impact, which helps build strong bones and connective tissue
- It gets your heart rate up more quickly than low or no impact exercise
- It helps you burn serious calories, especially if you add hills, sprints or try interval training.
