We are all familiar with the RDA column on the side of our food packages. RDA means “Recommended Daily Allowance” and it is the daily amount of each nutritional element that the FDA recommends us to consume each and every day. Nowadays, RDA has changed its name to RDI (Reference Daily Intake).

But in recent years new research has dicovered that the RDI figures represent the very minimal amount of nutrients our body needs — if it is completely healty. However, almost no one is constantly in optimal health, and as we grow older, our body’s ability to absorb nutrients from within the digestive system decreases.

The outcome of these outdated RDI figures is that most of us don’t consume enough vitamins and minerals to keep our body fit and healthy. To be able to meet these minimal requirements, most of us would have to take supplements.

Therefore it is important to undertake regular blood checks to see if we have a good balance of nutrients in our bodies. Remember, having too much can also be dangerous, as especially is the case with minerals and certain vitamins (such as Vitamin A).

Last but not least, when we add vitamin supplements to our diet, it is important to pick those with a high bio-availability — i.e, those formulas that have been proven to be more easily digested and absorbed within the body.

Stay well and have a splendid weekend!

Mercury - that silvery liquid metal that is still found in many thermometers and heating thermostats, is now being linked to increases of autism in infants and children. Autism is a condition that is found in more boys than girls and now strikes an average of one in every 150 live births in America. Although other factors are also instrumental to causing this unfortunate condition, the increased presence of mercury in our environment is now being linked to causing autism, especially in areas where the presence of mercury is higher.

A study made by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that rates of autism in infants and young children increases in areas close to higher than normal quantities of mercury being found in either the atmosphere — as a result of industrial air pollution, in the water supply — due largely to dumping of industrial wastes into streams and reservoirs, and in the soil — due to leakage of metallic and chemical pollutants into the soil.

The research was conducted on a group of more than 1,000 Texas school children and found that higher rates of autism occurred in areas where mercury and other industrial pollutants were more prevalent. Some of the causes of this pollution include coal-dependant power plants, medical and chemical waste disposal sites, and the manufacture of concrete. All of these sources involve the used the mercury at one stage or another. The researchers found that for every 1,000 pounds of mercury released by either industrial causes or electrical power facilities, the rate of autism is increased by between 2.5% to 3.5%, depending on the distance from the facility and the source of the pollution. The percentages decrease at distances further away from the source of the pollution.

Of course other sources are also linked to mercury pollution and the resulting autism, including eating fish contaminated with mercury (such as mackerel, tuna, and sea bass) as well as the presence of mercury in smoke which may come from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Countries such China and India are heavy users of mercury as they are rising industrial countries and have less stringent anti-industrial pollution laws.

Solutions to reduce this growing danger include enacting stricter laws against industrial pollution, increasing testing of fish and sea food for mercury content, and reducing the presence of mercury in all medical equipment and products. While these steps may not eliminate the tragedy of autism, they will at least somewhat reduce the numbers.

Picture by Wikipedia

As if auto and industrial emissions aren’t enough to pollute our air, it is now being found that cattle also makes its “contributions” to causing environmental pollution. In fact, one European country, Lithuania, has now passed a law that dairy farmers in that country are liable to pay fines for undue “emissions” of methane gas for both belching and flatulence of cattle. It appears that large numbers of dairy cattle, confined to feed lots on dairy farms, one of Lithuania’s most important agricultural industries, has reached the point that unacceptable levels of methane gas is being produced as a “by-product” of these dairy herds.

Cattle, like other hoofed mammals including deer and antelope, are ruminants and have a four chambered stomach. After eating grass, grains and other cattle food, they must belch up the food and chew it thoroughly before finally swallowing it again. This process, know as “chewing the cud” enables the food to be finally digested. Doing so, it results in both the belching and the release of large quantities of gas due to the high fiber content of the cow’s feces.

So, far, Lithuania is the only country in Europe to have passed such a law, and its implications are being carefully monitored by dairy and beef farmers in other E. U. countries who also have large dairy herds, including Denmark, Germany, Holland, and Belgium.

Methane gas is also produced in large quantities at sewage disposal and recycling facilities, also as a by-product of decaying waste material. Although methane gas is being considered as a possible alternative fuel source since there appears to be plentiful supply, it has a very high global warming potential and contributes to what is now known as the “greenhouse effect”. The amount of methane gas present in the earth’s atmosphere is now more than 1,800 parts per billion, as compared to an estimated 750 parts per billion in the beginning of the 19th Century. Of course, the Earth’s population has grown considerably since then, resulting in much more garbage, sewage, and other decaying material that causes this gas to be formed. There is also considerably much more cattle in the world, which adds to the amount of methane gas eventually reaching the Earth’s atmosphere.

How dairy farmers in countries such as Lithuania plan to solve this problem is now under speculation, as trying to plug up the rear source of the gas obviously won’t work, as well as trying to put some kind of bib-like device on the cow’s mouth. It’ll be interesting to follow the development of this story in Europe. After all, the issue is much more than just “hot air”.

I got this from Current.TV and I have to say its ridiculous that still today sex education is getting people huffy..

Hyperthyroidism is an over activity of the thyroid gland that can result in a number of unpleasant symptoms and can even result in death. The condition is present in at least 13 million Americans and probably in at least that many others living in Europe. The condition is caused by the thyroid gland overproducing certain “free thyroid” hormones known as thyroxin (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) which result in an over stimulus of certain body functions, including heartbeat and the digestive and bowl functions. The result can be fast heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, vomiting and diarrhea. If left untreated, hyperthyroidism can eventually result in heart attacks and strokes with fatal results.

In addition to the previously mentioned symptoms, there are also several rather ambiguous indications for hyperthyroidism, such as sudden weight gain and difficulty in losing body fat, severe constipation, fatigue and depression, hair loss, menstrual period irregularities with severe bleeding, and dry itchy skin. While many of these symptoms can be attributed to a number of conditions, if you or someone you know suffers from three or more of these concurrently, it’s a good chance the cause is an overactive thyroid gland.

There are a number of ways to treat hyperthyroidism, ranging from drugs known as thyrostatics (drugs which inhibit the production of thyroid hormones) beta blockers (drugs which reduce symptoms such as heart palpitations and accelerated pulse rates); to more permanent treatments such as surgery to remove the entire thyroid gland, or treatments such as radioiodine or iodine 131 therapy. Removal of the entire thyroid gland will require the patient to take medications which substitute the effects of hormones secreted by the thyroid gland. Radioisotope therapy (involving iodine 131) may not be advisable to some people, especially those allergic to iodine.

It is therefore advisable for people suffering from the above mentioned symptoms to be examined by a qualified endocrinologist who can afterwards determine what treatments are best suited for dealing with a hyperactive thyroid. An under-active thyroid gland, hypothyroidism, is also a cause for concern as it often results in heart attacks – especially in women over age 50.

In any event, it is recommended to consult with a qualified physician if you have any concerns in the matter, since attempting self-diagnosis is never a good idea.

Picture by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation

It’s Sunday again, which means it’s time for….

Today’s post is going to focus on biological energy — namely, “Bio Juice”. By using this term I refer to the chemical energy produced by organic tissues that can be converted into heat or directly into electricity.

Our body is an amazing machine. It is capable of miraculous doings that science can only dream of. Even the most sophisticated mega-computers of our day can’t compete with the human brain in many everyday activities, such as social learning or decision-making in conditions of uncertainty. In addition, our body is able to comprehend different forms of energy coming from our surroundings — light, sound waves, mechanical pressure on our skin, food intake, oxygen, and more — and to convert it into other forms of energy, whether chemical, thermal or electrical.

What happens when we digest food? Isn’t it amazing that we are able to convert a tasty chunk of apple into the energy that powers us up? What is the magic this apple holds? Well, nothing special really; it is simply an organic compound, consisting mainly of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. During the process of internal digestion, our body is able to extract the matter it needs for self-construction and also for the production of intra-cellular energy. To put it simply, a large part of the carbohydrates in our food is diverted, following several chemical alterations, into an organelle called Mitochondrion, which extracts from the certain carbohydrates an amount of 30.6 kilojoules per mol (units of energy produced per a certain amount of mass).

There are countless Mitochondria in our body, many of them inside our cells, although these organelles are abundant in the inter-cellular space as well. These Mitochondria have their own DNA, and are believed to be the result of a prehistoric symbiosis with a certain type of prokaryotes (bacteria is one type of a prokaryote). In plain words, we all have billions of bacteria-like “creatures” inside our body which absorb sugar (carbohydrates) and extract energy. Sweet, isn’t it?

The energy produced inside of the Mitochondrion is stored in molecules known as ATP, which then travel around the cell and release their chemical energy in the form of heat. Our car’s engine — mind you — is functioning as a result of heat generated in the combustion tank; and the giant dynamos situated inside a power plant revolve as a result of heat generated via the combustion of coal. However, to operate both the car’s engine and the giant dynamos, we use fossil fuels, since fuel is a relatively pure agglomeration of carbohydrates, and thus it releases high amounts of energy during combustion.

Long story short: Our body is burning up carbohydrates to produce energy, in a similar manner our car is burning up fuel. But while we couldn’t digest fuel, our car can’t operate on apples.

Or can’t it?

Our body is using enzymes and probiotic bacteria inside our stomach to disintegrate the food into manageable molecules. This way, we can extract the sugar from the juice and burn it up inside our Mitochondria. The process is quite feasible — We wouldn’t be here otherwise!

What we can expect to see in the coming years is the development of organic devices, where billions of enzymes could digest our everyday garbage and extract most of its “Bio Juice”. Can you imagine our garbage bin being a digestive tract, connected directly onto the power grid? Can you picture the sewage system directing all its flow into the local power plant? This is indeed extreme recycling.

I’ve already told you about my beloved Tahini spread.

Though I proud myself of making very tasty sesame paste, I always enjoy exploring new Tahini recipes with a bold variation in ingredients.

Here is one of these alternative recipes. I tried it at home and found it very delicious.

Have a great weekend!

“Your shoots are an orchard of Pomegranates, with choice fruits, Henna and Nard plants”
: Song of Solomon: 4:13

The pomegranate, that ancient biblical fruit often seen on ancient mosaics, is truly a fruit to add to your list of natural health remedies. Pomegranates are mentioned in the bible under their biblical name “Rimon”. They were often displayed on ancient mosaic floors in temples, synagogues, and even private homes. The ancient Greeks and Romans also mention them as the “fruit of the gods” and even then their beneficial attributes were already well known.

Pomegranate fruit is usually pink or red in color, with hundreds of similar color seeds inside. They are usually found in warmer semi-tropical climates, and besides being common in the Mediterranean basin, they are also found in many Asian countries, including Iran, India, and China.

Pomegranates have many useful health benefits, whether eaten raw or drunk as a refreshing juice. The flowers of this amazing fruit, as well as its juice, contain a substance which appears to be helpful in treating Diabetes Mellitus. The seeds of the pomegranate are very high in fiber and it is recommended to eat them along with drinking the fruit’s juicy pulp. Two of the most beneficial properties of the fruit are in the prevention of both heart disease and some forms of cancer. Pomegranate juice contains high levels of Punicic Acid and Allegic Acid which help to reduce cholesterol levels as well as the condition known as Arterial Sclerosis; or hardening of the arteries. The two mentioned acids help prevent saturated fats from accumulating in the arteries which could lead to eventual heart attacks.

The fruit also helps prevent prostate cancer as well as cancer of the colon. Drinking at least 8 oz. of pomegranate juice daily may help prevent these cancers from developing and for this reason, many people drink pomegranate juice on a daily basis. This practice is especially evident in Russia and Eastern European countries, where it is accustomed to eat a lot of fatty foods. Pomegranates or pomegranate juice is recommended to patients who have undergone either colon or prostate surgery to help prevent cancers from reoccurring.

Pomegranates are also found to be beneficial in women who may have breast cancer or hormonal conditions that could lead to breast cancer. The fruit has also been found to be good for women reaching menopause, as enzymes in pomegranate juice appear to be a substitute of the estrogen hormone, often taken by elderly women to prevent heart attacks and osteoporosis.

Taking all of this into consideration, it’s no wonder that many people are now agreeing that a glass or two of pomegranate juice a day keeps the doctor at bay.

Picture by Gernot Katzer

Yesterday I began this unique series of posts about possible energy sources humankind could find itself using in the future. At the moment, these are all fascinating ideas, quite unfeasible, but theoretically valid. In the coming decades and centuries, what now seems like science fiction may be taken for granted by every toddler.

Energy comes in many forms: Magnetic energy, Mechanical energy, Electrical energy, Light energy, Thermal energy, Nuclear energy, and more. According to the first law of thermodynamics, titled the “law of preservation of energy”, energy cannot be destroyed. And according to Einstein, matter and energy are interchangeable (E=MC^2). Put together, we can see that particularly everything in the universe is a potential energy source. The trick is capturing and converting a certain type of energy into a different type of energy that can be utilized into the power grid (i.e. Electrical energy).

I want to dedicate this post to sound waves. The air around us is filled with music. Some of it is the harmonious twittering of birds, and some of it is the loud noise of traffic bustle. In both cases, vibration waves are creating a domino effect in the space around them, slightly changing the compression of matter for a fraction of a second. Sound waves can traverse every state of matter, and not just gas (such as the Earth’s atmosphere). We can hear sounds under water, we can hear our neighbors making love through the wall, and if were able to dive into the sun and stay alive, we could hear the plasma exploding around us. Only in outer space, where the waves of sound have no atoms to vibrate through, silence is abundant.

It’s important to distinguish between sound waves and air currents (winds). Although both involve the movement of molecules in the air, they are not the same. You should not confuse energy produced by wind turbines with the kind of energy conversion I am referring to in this post. To mention just the most obvious distinction between the two, while winds move at relatively slow speeds, sound waves travel the air at an average speed of 767.3 mph.

Now imagine we could manufacture a device that captures sound waves and converts them into energy. Not only would we be tapping into a clean and endless power source, but also by doing so, we could diminish the nuisance of noisy activities, such is the case in airports, in steel factories, and in the streets surrounding a soccer arena.

And if we can allow ourselves to dream thus far, why not take the predictable next step and dream about devices that tap only into sound waves with certain frequencies or at certain decibels. For example, urban layers that absorb only loud noises, or unique devices on stage that prevent live performers from singing off-key, by absorbing certain melodic disturbances and turning them into the electricity that powers the amplifiers.

After all, converting sound waves into electricity is something our own ears are doing constantly throughout our life. Minuscule hair cells inside the inner ear can differentiate among different types of sounds, and turn the vibrations into neural impulses, sending electrical signals to the Primary Auditory Cortex of the brain.

I can imagine futuristic “carpets”, made of billions of these “hair cells”, which will drape the outside of advanced vehicles and prevent them from omitting any sound. Come to think of it, such a technology is prone to appear first in military applications, before it reaches the general public.

So next time you pick your ears, allow yourself to be proud of them….

– Epilogue: –

I have decided to turn these special posts into a regular series, appearing here at Natural Buy every Sunday. It will be called “Future Nature”, and you could find here unique and stimulating posts about possible environmental scenarios we all might encounter in the near future.

Next Sunday on Future Nature I will post the third chapter of Futuristic Alternative Energy, which will deal with the power of sewage and other cool stuff. Don’t forget to check it out.

As we’re approaching the end of the first decade of the third millennium, many things which we had previously thought of as imaginary are already materializing before our eyes, such as commercial space tourism, men with wings, or the development of wireless electricity.

I want to dedicate this unique series of posts to the sorts of alternative energy that mankind might turn to in the foreseeable future.

Let us begin with “Quake Power” — Turning devastating seismic waves into usable energy.

As China faces the aftermath of a devastating earthquake last week, and Indonesia is still recovering from the 2004 Tsunami, the threat of unpredictable havoc coming from beneath remains a grave concern in almost every corner of the planet. Seismic waves are generated by a host of causes, such as gas migration beneath the earth, nuclear experiments, pressure building along fault planes, and more. Whatever the reason, the end result is the explosion of kinetic energy — a whole lot of kinetic energy! And turning kinetic energy into electrical energy is something proven theoretically by Einstein and done practically for many decades, in such examples as electrical dams or wind turbines. What if we could harness large amounts of clean energy, and by doing so, prevent earthquakes from reaching monstrous magnitudes?

The geography of the Earth’s fault lines is known to science and some faults are known to be more active than others. However, predicting major quakes is similar to predicting the weather — both are highly volatile predictions, which can be made about the near future alone. A better solution than capturing the big quakes would be capturing the continuous kinetic energy venting from the earth, and by doing so, to raise the threshold of a major kinetic eruption.

The greatest difficulty with such a futuristic method is the sheer size of the fault lines. Capturing “Quake Power” before it reaches the Earth’s crust will require large engineering projects never taken before by humankind. And that wouldn’t be enough — there are still many scientific questions to solve and methods to develop.

One possible solution might be the deployment of millions of crystals deep inside the Earth’s belly, which would serve to capture the kinetic energy and would have the ability to transmit this energy in a wireless manner onto special generators located above. Yes, it sounds completely fantastic, but it is absolutely feasible in theoretical terms, and energy transmission is already an everyday phenomenon, evident whenever we use our cellular phone.