studies

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It can be amusing for parents to speak “babyeeze” to their little ones, often mimicking their child when she says a word incorrectly.  Babies learning to speak sound so cute and their mispronunciations often make us giggle.  Between the ages of 3 and 6 when language is being tested and solidified by a child is the most vulnerable period of language aquisition.

Recent studies by Dutch researcher Lotte Henrichs suggests that speaking academically with your child instead of simplifying your speech patterns actually helps a child do better in school later in life.

Henrichs demonstrated that children are already confronted with academic language in the nursery school. They already hear a lot academic language from the teacher and are often expected to use academic language themselves. The extent to which academic language is used at home was found to differ strongly between families. An essential aspect is how parents approach their children during conversations. If children are given the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to conversations, they often use characteristics of academic language proficiency naturally. In addition to this, the knowledge of academic language depends on the extent to which parents read to their children, tell them stories and hold conversations about interesting subjects. - NWO.com

This may carry over to a polite correction of your child when he pronounces a word incorrectly.  When I was growing up, as most children do, I misprounced common, long words like spaghetti (bascetti) and Popsicle (popsible).  I also took to saying breakfast by switching the middle consonants to “brefkist”.  My mother failed to correct me until I was 8 years old because she thought it was cute and couldn’t bring herself to tell me.  Even more scarring was that I found out I had been pronouncing it incorrectly when a neighborhood friend had a sleepover at my house and I asked if she would like some “brefkist”, whereupon I was thoroughly embarrassed as my mother explained her reason for not correcting me sooner.

With every child I encounter, whether family or children of friends I have noticed a marked difference in their participation in the “adult” conversation when I speak to them as I would to my peers.  Children live up to our expectations.  Treat your child like an individual with ideas and thoughts to contribute and she will not only surprise you, but she may be better off in life both academically and socially.

This is HUGE.  This gives scientists the capability to make ANY protien.  Some of the possibilties include: Making organs from scratch that fit a person’s individual DNA with the “bad” parts replaced with “good” code; creating a new biofuel that is genetically designed to be as efficient and clean as possible…

From the BBC:

Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell.

The researchers constructed a bacterium’s “genetic software” and transplanted it into a host cell.

The resulting microbe then looked and behaved like the species “dictated” by the synthetic DNA.

The advance, published in Science, has been hailed as a scientific landmark, but critics say there are dangers posed by synthetic organisms.

The researchers hope eventually to design bacterial cells that will produce medicines and fuels and even absorb greenhouse gases.

The team was led by Dr Craig Venter of the J Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in Maryland and California.

He and his colleagues had previously made a synthetic bacterial genome, and transplanted the genome of one bacterium into another.

Now, the scientists have put both methods together, to create what they call a “synthetic cell”, although only its genome is truly synthetic.

Dr Venter likened the advance to making new software for the cell.

The researchers copied an existing bacterial genome. They sequenced its genetic code and then used “synthesis machines” to chemically construct a copy.

Dr Venter told BBC News: “We’ve now been able to take our synthetic chromosome and transplant it into a recipient cell – a different organism.

“As soon as this new software goes into the cell, the cell reads [it] and converts into the species specified in that genetic code.”

The new bacteria replicated over a billion times, producing copies that contained and were controlled by the constructed, synthetic DNA.

“This is the first time any synthetic DNA has been in complete control of a cell,” said Dr Venter.

Continue reading…

This article in the Science Daily explains an experiment’s findings that chickens who are feed flaxseed in their diet are less likely to develop ovarian cancer.  Chickens are the only other animal besides humans known to develop ovarian cancer in a similar way.

Hens fed the control diet had significantly more late-stage tumors that presented with fluid and metastases as compared to the hens fed a flaxseed diet. Though hens fed the flaxseed diet did not have a
decreased incidence of ovarian cancer, they did experience fewer
late-stage tumors and higher survival rates.

“In hens fed flaxseed, we found that more tumors were confined to the ovary and they had less metastatic spread,” she said. “This is an important finding as the metastases that accompany late-stage ovarian
cancer are the main cause of death from this disease. If the cancer is
found at an early stage, when the tumor is still confined to the ovary,
women have a much better prognosis and more treatment options.”

This study may have two implications:
1. Should women who are at risk of ovarian cancer add flax seed into their daily nutrition?

2. If you own egg producing chickens, would you consider feeding flax to your birds to ensure their health?

Thoughts?

Recent health studies have confirmed that interval training is the most effective form of cardio training and high fructose corn syrup causes greater weight gain than other sugars.

Professor Martin Gibala of Canada’s McMaster University concluded that “Doing 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works as well in improving muscle as many hours of conventional long-term biking less strenuously.”1 With years of personal experience doing only interval running and biking, I

Copyright 2009, LiberatedMind.com

can attest to the effectiveness of interval training. Not only does it help motivate me to just do it because of the minimal time commitment required, but it is the best format of cardio to elevate metabolism.

By nature, long intense cardio workouts send a message to the body to actually decrease metabolism, which does not help when one is trying to loose weight. Long distance runners have a lower metabolism than weight lifters because their bodies are preparing for long duration cardio output, requiring the body to be more efficient while running. By doing interval cardio (1 minute intense run/bike followed by 1 minute walk/slow bike: repeated for 10-15 mins) the heart is given a workout on the intense interval, but it also does not tell the body to lower it’s metabolism like high intensity, long duration cardio does. This type of cardio, when combined with weight training at a medium to high intensity is the best combination to loose and then maintain your goal weight and fitness level.

In addition to a regular, well designed exercise program, eating healthy foods in precise proportions is key. For women, 75-80% of weight loss and maintenance is attributable to her nutrition intake. With men, because of higher levels of testosterone, 50-60% of weight loss and maintenance is attributable to nutrition intake. Using sources like nutritiondata.com to inform yourself about what nutrition and caloric intake you daily consume can increase your chance of attaining your fitness goals.

One of the best food ingredients to cut out of your diet if you are trying to eat healthy is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).  Not only is HFCS contaminated with Mercury through the refining process, it is now been shown to cause a disruption in metabolism.

Research at Princeston concluded that rats fed corn syrup gained a considerable amount of weight when compared to rats fed sugar in the same caloric measurement.  “When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they’re becoming obese — every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don’t see this; they don’t all gain extra weight,” said Bart Hoebel of the Princeton University research team.  Read the full study here.

Corn Syrup is found in an alarmingly high number of foods from canned peaches, ketchup, and breads to cereals, candies and fruit drinks.  Advocates of HFCS have recently started running ads to counter the push against Corn Syrup, claiming that it is no different than any other sweetener.  The Princeston studies suggest this is incorrect and that HFCS actually disrupts metabolism and increases triglycerides and abdominal fat.  An earlier study this year suggested that Corn Syrup may cause cellular DNA damage in humans. To counteract the negative press about HFCS, manufactures have begun to call Corn Syrup other names in their labeling: chicory, inulin, iso glucose, glucose-fructose syrup, and fruit fructose.  I have also seen HFCS labeled as “liquid sugar”.

Bonobo monkeys are similar to Chimps.  The major difference is their social behavior.  Chimp communities are run by males, prone to fighting, group battles and infanticide.  Bonobo communities are run by the females.  They spend a large part of their day grooming each other, having sex with multiple partners and playing in groups.  Bonobos show a great deal of compassion for each other and even for other animals. Their motto could

Bonobos having sex missionary style, a favorite sex position of the Bonobos

easily be “make love, not war”.  Because the females have sex with all the males in the group, non of the males will kill the baby bonobos because there is no way of knowing whose baby is whose.

Recent studies have concluded that Bonobos also share like humans.  Socially, the Bonobo monkey is the closest cousin to humans.  Bonobos are strikingly human like.  Learn more about Bonobos on Nova’s documentary video “Ape Genius”

When a women is pregnant, the makeup she wears, the deoderant she uses and the lotions she uses may effect her baby’s behavior later down the road.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that high levels of phthalates found in a women’s blood during pregnancy directly correlate with behavioral issues in their child at ages 4-9 years.

Phthalates are non-organic chemicals used in lotions, makeup products, soaps, nail polish, perfumes and shampoos.  “Phthalates are part of a group of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors, that interfere with the body’s endocrine, or hormone system.”1 Phthalates is also known as BPA when used in plastics.

Children whose mothers tested with a high level of Phthalates in their blood during pregnancy consistently reported behavioral issues in their 4-9 year olds associated with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder and ADHD.

To avoid phthalates in personal care products, buy only all natural products and read the ingredients.  If you can’t pronounce an ingredient or have never heard of it, look it up on the EWG website before buying.  Most Phthalates in personal products are called one of the following:

BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate)

DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate)

“fragrance” is another ingredient to avoid.  If a chemical blend is a trade secret, manufactures are not legally required to disclose the contents on the lable.  They simply denote this as “fragrance”, which likely contains parabens or phthalates.

The best paraben free products to replace your most common personal care products are:

Deoderant: Crystal Salt

Toothpaste: PerioBrite

Shampoo and Conditioner: [amazon ASIN="B001JAH2V0"]Hugo Naturals[/amazon]

Lipgloss, cosmetics: [amazon ASIN="B000WRZSCQ"]Honeybee gardens[/amazon]

Lotion: [amazon ASIN="B0012NZ9LY"]Hugo Naturals[/amazon]

Hand and Body soap:[amazon ASIN="B001ET77YI"]Dr. Bronners[/amazon] or find home made soaps from your local farmer’s market.

Nail polish: just don’t use it!  Nail polish is basically paint that you absorb through your skin.

Learn more: The Do-Nothing Method to Healthier Skin ::   BPA powder on your receipts?!

References:

1. Science Daily

Recent studies have linked high levels of PBDEs in women’s blood to a difficult time getting pregnant.  PBDEs are a type of flame retardant found in fabrics, furniture and mattresses.  They are most prevalent in foams.

PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, are a class of organobromine compounds that became commonplace after the 1970s when new fire safety standards were implemented in the United States. The flame retardants are used in foam furniture, electronics, fabrics, carpets, plastics and other common items in the home. - Science Daily

It is not clear how PBDEs interfer with fertility, but reserach has suggested they effect hormone levels.  Household dust from foam, couches, curtains, sheets, and mattresses is the main culprit for human absorbtion of PBDEs.  Tempurpedic beds do not contain PBDEs

Read more: Non-stick pans wreak havok on your Thyroid

Recent studies link a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to human thyroid hormonal imbalances and diseases.  PFOA is found in the coatings of non-stick cookware, stain resistant carpeting, upholstery and clothing.  The most common way PFOA makes its way into the human body is by eating foods cooked in non-stick cookware or foods that touched non-stick coatings on fast food wrappers and styrofoam packaging.

Science Daily reports:

The researchers found that the individuals with the highest 25% of PFOA concentrations (above 5.7ng/ml) were more than twice as likely to report current thyroid disease than individuals with the lowest 50% of PFOA concentrations (below 4.0ng/ml). The most specific analysis included 163 women and 46 men who reported having current thyroid disease and who were taking thyroid medication at the time the blood samples were taken.

What is the moral of the story?  Organic, all natural carpet, or just cut out the hairy stuff altogether.  Get natural, organic furniture, not stuff made out of synthetics and PFOA.  But more importantly, replace all non-stick cookware with stainless steel, woods and metals without the teflon coatings.  Your thyroid will be much happier and more easily regulate your metabolism and mood without a bonbardment of PFOA.

Besides the obvious side effects of taking oral contraceptives, women who are on the pill may want to reconsider how it may interfere with their love life. In the October 2009 Issue of Trends in Ecology and Evolution, Dr. Virpi Lumma presented evidence for hormone interruption caused by the pill. Women who are on the pill do not cycle normally through ovulation. During ovulation a women’s hormones make her more likely to choose a mate who exhibits more masculine traits and to also choose a mate who is genetically less like herself through the body’s response to pheromones of the opposite sex.

Dr. Lumma’s studies suggest that women on the pill do not cycle through this natural ovulation time which leads them to select mates that are more genetically similar to themselves, which can lead to genetic diseases or disorders in offspring.  Read the full article.

This news comes hot on the heals of recent studies that have shown extremely high levels of estrogen byproduct in water systems (and drinking water). The elevated levels of estrogen come from the urine of women taking the pill as the body expels excess hormone. Because the hormone does not break down or get caught by water filtration systems, it gets returned to drinking water and into ecosystems that harm fish and other wildlife.

In the past year I can recall 3 conversations with Catholics where a debate about religion has resulted in them saying “well, how can you be an atheist when you have miracles like the Shroud of Turin?”  This happens when I succeed in asking a series of questions that blows down their reasons for believing.  It usually happens after the “well I just have Faith” excuse when logic fails them.

Previously Scientists have carbon dated the Shroud to 1260-1390 A.D.  Despite the unknown origin of the cloth and the scientific evidence dating it to the time period when it was “discovered”.

Italian scientist Garlaschelli successfully replicated the Shroud using materials that would have been available the middle ages.  Yet Garlaschelli doubts such evidence will convince Shroud advocates that the cloth is a hoax.

“If they don’t want to believe carbon dating done by some of the world’s best laboratories they certainly won’t believe me,” he said.1

Despite the Catholic Church’s stance that the Shroud of Turin is not authentic, many followers treat it as evidence of the god Jesus.

When our household switched from toxic products to non-toxic, all natural alternatives we enjoyed every part of it… except the toothpaste.  We went through so many toothpaste brands like Jason, Toms of Maine and many others.  All of them left our teeth feeling fuzzy.  Some of them even still contained Fluoride, one ingredient we get too much of in our drinking water and a chemical that disrupts the natural hormone production in the thyroid.

Feeling dismayed and out of options, we found ourselves at the Wholefoods store, staring at a wide array of natural toothpastes.  We were going to trial and error again, just pick some and return them if they didn’t work when we bumped into a gentleman buying toothpaste as well.  He reached for a brand familiar to him.  I quickly piped up and asked him if he liked that stuff.  He looked at me funny.  I explained that we were having a hard time finding a paste that worked and wondered if he would recommend the PerioBrite he held in hand.  He told us it is the only thing that works and turned to leave.  Dylan and I looked at each other.  I grabbed a tube of PerioBrite and since then we have been hooked.

PerioBrite is clay-colored and does not contain “sudsing” ingredients that make conventional toothpastes suds in your mouth.  It does contain natural peppermint flavors that really cool and refresh the mouth.  And they graciously leave out the Flouride.  It is clay based and does not leave your teeth feeling fuzzy.  We use it three times a day and our teeth are healthier and cleaner than with chemically loaded conventional toothpastes.

Learn more: Organic, non-Alcohol Mouthwash

So corn syrup, otherwise known as HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) has gotten a lot of bad rap lately.  Corn syrup is in loads of processed foods and drinks contributing to obesity,diabetes, DNA damage, and unhealthy eating habits in the majority of Americans.  HFCS is made from the same type of corn crop that is used to make Ethanol used to fuel E-85 vehicles.  But recently, we may have yet another reason (like there aren’t enough) to avoid Corn Syrup.  In a recent TreeHugger piece, David Friedlander unveils the ugly truth about mercury in corn syrup:

According to a recent Mother Jones article, in 2004 when FDA researcher Renee Dufault found mercury in HFCS samples from leading manufacturers, they did what any agency looking to protect public health would do: they asked her to stop her inquiry.

The source of the mercury is thought to be lye, which is used to separate the cornstarch from the kernel. Many chemical companies make lye by pumping salt through large vats of mercury. That mercury-laced lye is most likely the same lye used in processing corn to make HFCS.

After the FDA tried to stymie Dufault’s inquiry, she decided pursue the matter further, sending the original 20 samples to be retested; nearly half of the samples contained mercury. This past January, Dufault published her findings in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health.

Read more…

Experts say “yes”.  Eating healthy and including foods that aid the body in maintaining healthy cell structure and blood flow can change your otherwise “predisposed” genetic code.

Recent studies have linked HMF to DNA damage in humans and it also might be the answer to why bees are dying at an alarming rate. HMF is a chemical that is created in High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) when it is heated above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Most products on American grocer shelves contain HFCS that has been heated during processing. HMF has been shown to cause DNA damage in humans and to kill bees. Many high volume producing bee farms feed their bees HFCS that can reach high temps in summer sun, releasing HMF. Natural beekeepers or bees that produce honey from pollination do not exhibit signs of HMF poisoning. High Fructose Corn Syrup is easy to avoid if you eat a healthy diet. Avoid the shelves in your grocer and stick to the perimeter of the store where all the refrigerated and fresh items can be found. Fruits, veggies, meats, grains. If it can "keep" on the shelf for over a week, it probably has preservatives and HFCS in it. Evolutionary, we are not designed to handle high volumes of sugar, chemicals or canned foods. Our ancestors would have eaten small amounts every 2-3 hours as they foraged and collected food. The human body is best served by eating small portions every 2-3 hours. The food ingested should be natural and not chemically altered or preserved.

Recent studies have linked HMF to DNA damage in humans and it also might be the answer to why bees are dying at an alarming rate. HMF is a chemical that is created in High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) when it is heated above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Most products on American grocer shelves contain HFCS that has been heated during processing. HMF has been shown to cause DNA damage in humans and to kill bees. Many high volume producing bee farms feed their bees HFCS that can reach high temps in summer sun, releasing HMF. Natural beekeepers or bees that produce honey from pollination do not exhibit signs of HMF poisoning.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is easy to avoid if you eat a healthy diet. Avoid the shelves in your grocer and stick to the perimeter of the store where all the refrigerated and fresh items can be found. Fruits, veggies, meats, grains. If it can “keep” on the shelf for over a week, it probably has preservatives and HFCS in it. Evolutionary, we are not designed to handle high volumes of sugar, chemicals or canned foods. Our ancestors would have eaten small amounts every 2-3 hours as they foraged and collected food. The human body is best served by eating small portions every 2-3 hours. The food ingested should be natural and not chemically altered or preserved.

If you are the proud owner of  a dog (or even a cat), you would be the first to agree that some animals seem to empathize with human emotions and certainly with each other.  We hear of cross empathy between dogs and cats taking care of stray litters, of dogs able to sense when their owner is sad.  Intuitively we know that animals are capable of strong emotions.

Recent studies on animal behavior shows just that, but with a slight twist.   Supposedly animals  follow a moral code that enables their packs or groups to better function.  It is a simple tool of evolution, one that humans have also picked up on.  Agreeing to not take your neighbor’s  stuff and not kill your neighbor is a benefit to all when attempting to survive.  An article by Telegraph interviewed Professor Marc Bekoff, an ecologist at University of Colorado, Boulder.  Professor Bekoff suggests that morals are built into the social patterns of high animal brains.

He claims that these rules help to control fighting within the group and encourage co-operative behaviour.

Recent neurology work has also revealed that distantly related mammals such as whales and dolphins have the same structures in their brains that are thought to be responsible for empathy in humans.

Other findings have also suggested that some animals may even be capable of showing empathy with the suffering of other species.

Elephants, rodents, monkies, bats, dolphins, wolves: all animals that survive in packs or groups and rely on a moral code of conduct to keep the group functioning at its best.  Humans are simply one step above this basic moral system in that we are able to analyze this moral conduct in ourselves and in other animals.  We are also able to break such moral codes with our big brains  by justifying killing with “holy war” or taking another people’s land in the name of a god we worship.  In this way we have de-evolved from the system still used today by animals such as dolphins and wolves.

To conclude, here is a picture of a mother bird blocking the water in a drain pipe with her own body to protect her nest and chicks.