Navigaya.

Thought some of you pro [web] surfers would like to check out an interesting search engine, called Navigaya. After typing in your topic, it shows you the results from multiple search engines, each in their own little screen... kinda cool. There's other things on the home page I haven't even got into yet. I think it might be my go-to search page. I know, that's huge news.

The China Study, Part V, Osteoporosis.

This post doesn't mean I don't like Wisconsin, I promise.

"[Quote] Americans consume more cow's milk and its products per person than most populations in the world. So Americans should have wonderfully strong bones, right? Unfortunately not. A recent study showed that American women aged fifty and older have one of the highest rates of hip fracture in the world. The only countries with higher rates are in Europe and the South Pacific (Australia and New Zealand) where they consume even more milk than the United States. What's going on?

An excess rate of hip fractures is often used as a reliable indicator of osteoporosis, a bone disease that especially affects women after menopause. It is often claimed to be due to an inadequate intake of calcium. Therefore, health policy people often recommend higher calcium consumption. Dairy products are particularly rich in calcium, so the dairy industry eagerly supports efforts to boost calcium consumption. These efforts have something to do with why you were told to drink your milk for strong bones - the politics of which are discussed in Part IV.

Something is amiss, though, because those countries that use the most cow's milk and its products also have the highest fracture rates and the worst bone health. One possible explanation is found in a report showing an impressively strong association between animal protein intake and bone fracture rate for women in different countries. Authored in 1992 by researchers at Yale University School if Medicine, the report summarized data on protein intake and fracture rates taken from thirty-four separate surveys in sixteen countries that were published in twenty-nine peer-reviewed research publications. All of the subjects in these surveys were women fifty years and older. It found that a very impressive 70% of the fracture rate was attributable to the consumption of animal protein.

These researchers explained that animal protein, unlike plant protein, increases the acid load in the body. An increased acid load means that our blood and tissues become more acidic. The body does not like this acidic environment and begins to fight it. In order to neutralize the acid, the body uses calcium, which acts as a very effective base. This calcium, however, must come from somewhere. It ends up being pulled from the bones, and the calcium loss weakens them, putting them at greater risk for fracture."[End quote]

I'd bet most of our moms encouraged/made us drink milk as kids, especially for strong bones. I see my neices suck it down like a walk in the park.

Maplemania.

Learn to fall in love with Fall more, with some recent pics from Vermont. It's known as the Green Mountain State, but I think it could also be called Cheeseland NE or Mapleville, USA. If you like the fall foliage, this might be the best place in the US to see them (of the places I've been to).









[and yes, i know the pics suck lately. could be the camera phones i always use or the fact that many are taken in moving cars. i'm looking into a real digital camera though]

Brain Teaser, #6.

One segment of the game show Let's Make a Deal had three doors, behind one of which was a car and behind each of the other two was a goat. The contestant would win whatever was behind the door he/she chose. The contestant chose one of the three doors, but before it was opened, the host opened up a different door that had a goat behind it. To have the greatest chance of winning the car, should the contestant open the door that was his/her original choice, or open the remaining door?

Embrace Fall.

Put on some fleece, grab some cash, a friend, and a camera... and head out to the Chicago Botanic Gardens (see link in favorites). But don't wait too long as I suspect they won't look this nice for too much longer now. At least it will get you back outside for a little bit more this year.

And please note: the gardens are not actually in the city of Chicago, but only about 45 minutes from the IL-WI border, in the 'burbs. (Lord knows why)

Discuss, Poll #38, Picking.

No, not picking your nose. I'm talking about picking produce mostly... like picking your own apples, strawberries, raspberries, etc. Didn't you used to do this as a kid with your family? No? How about getting your family's pumpkin or Christmas tree? Nothing. Well, just fill out the poll then.

If you have some good stories, let's hear 'em. And to entice you to leave a comment, I have some good ones that I'll share if I get a few to start it off.

Results, Poll #37, Winter Blues.

I'm feeling some winter blues already, so no plethora of commentary this week, here's the results:

> 0 people (0%) chose "drink early and drink often".
> 1 people (8%) chose "eat early and eat often".
> 1 people (8%) chose "exercise early and exercise often".
> 2 people (16%) chose "all of the above".
> 4 people (33%) chose "they don't really bother me" - i don't like you.
> 4 people (33%) chose "i wish i had a good method" - c'mon people! the person that suggested tanning up to twice a week, who I call 'Miss Melanoma Head', isn't that much help.

Pretty dull, right? Only 12 voters too... even more depressing. New poll up now, if you care.