Waterside Content

Is being broke your habit?

Becoming wealthy is a SKILL. You can learn it. I did. I started my own business at the age of 12. I became a millionaire by 16. If a broke teenager can do it then surely you can, right?

I want to tackle something that holds back many people from ever attaining wealth. Too often we talk ourselves out of success by giving into our impulses. Giving into impulses can become programmed thinking that creates failure.

Have you ever had a moment where you wanted to save money to invest but then you came across an item you really wanted to have or perhaps a craving for your favorite fast food place instead of saving the money you gave into your impulses and spent it? DUH…sure you did it — all of us have fallen VICTIM, and it’s WRONG and we know its WRONG! But, why did you do it? The even better question is how do you stop shooting yourself in the foot? How do you prepare your mind to go from being broke mindset to a millionaire mindset?

Continue reading ‘Is Being Broke Your Habit? Author Offers Answers’

Illustrator CS2 Gone Wild by David Karlins

Announced to great fanfare, Apple’s iPhone is reinventing the market for portable electronic devices, combining mobile phone, music and video player, digital camera, Internet browser, and e-mail in a single sleekly designed, brilliantly engineered package.

Discover how to:

• Make and receive phone calls
• Set up iTunes and your iPod
• Buy music and videos
• Play podcasts, music, videos, and photo slideshows
• Browse the Internet
• Send and receive e-mails and instant messages
• Take and organize photos
• Sync with your desktop
• Troubleshoot common problems

About the authors:
Ed Baig and Bob LeVitus. Bob LeVitus is often referred to as “Dr. Mac,” is considered one of the world’s leading authorities on the Macintosh and Mac OS X and has been one of the Mac community’s most trusted gurus for almost twenty years. A prolific author, Bob has written or co-written more than 45 computer books. His most recent titles include: Mac OS X Leopard For Dummies, GarageBand For Dummies, and Dr. Mac: The OS X Files. Bob is currently a columnist for the Houston Chronicle, and has been since 1996, penning the popular Dr. Mac column every Tuesday. He is also a columnist for The Mac Observer.

Exotic Cures
When you talk about healthy hair and stimulated hair growth in Brazil, you are probably talking about a plant called Jaborandi (pronounced djah-bohr-ahn-djee), or in scientific terms Pilocarpus jaborandi Holmes. This plant is native to the Amazon region and has been used by the people of Brazil since colonial times, and before that by the native Tupis people. The word jaborandi comes from the Tupi language and means, plant that makes the mouth water.

Continue reading ‘Jaborandi: Don’t Sweat It’

You know I’m religious about backing up my data, so my Mac has four or five external hard disks connected to it at all times. And while I’m not ready to recommend that you connect four or five external disks to your Mac, here are five reasons I do recommend that you have at least one or two:

Continue reading ‘Five Reasons You Should Have More than One Hard Drive’

If you’ve been keeping an eye on the latest buzz in the natural health world, you’ve certainly heard about the new super-juice coming from Hawaii, Tahiti and other tropical regions. Like many natural products that have received a lot of attention for their health benefits (and claims), Noni has been the subject of a lot of controversy, including a series of FDA warnings regarding health claims made about the juice.

Continue reading ‘What’s All the Nonsense About Noni?’

I’ve played the electric guitar since the day I first saw the Beatles on TV and I’ve used a notebook computer for over 15 years. Until recently I could find no reason to use them together. But now I have and that reason is AmpliTube 2, the incredible guitar amp and effects modeling software from IK Multimedia.

Continue reading ‘Notebooks and Guitars: A Winning Combo’

Health Flip
Years ago, Mary made her first appointment with a holistic doctor. Prior to the visit she received an extensive questionnaire to complete. The survey covered her medical history, her family’s history, dietary preferences, activities she enjoyed, and her emotional nature, among many others. She didn’t realize it but she was completing a survey that integrated Western and Eastern methods for optimal health. The exercise caused Mary to consider herself in ways she rarely thought about: her sleep patterns, moods, bowel movements, reactions to stress, fears, weight gain and loss patterns, foods she enjoyed and those she avoided, her skin’s reaction to sunlight, alcohol consumption, energy levels, and general outlook on life.

Continue reading ‘Putting the Person Back Into Personal Health Care’

Health Flip
In an upside-down world in the most affluent country on the planet there are at least 43 million people without health insurance. A large percentage of the uninsured are gainfully employed but do not make enough to pay for health insurance. As a courtesy to readers, we’ll remind you that fifty percent of bankruptcies are caused by an inability to pay medical bills. Congress, the health care industry, and the insurance companies were so worried about this situation that they fought for and won new bankruptcy laws to make it much harder for families and individuals to relieve their financial burdens. Look for more destitute families on a street near you in the future.

Continue reading ‘Paying the Health Care Tab’

Exotic Cures
I’ll never forget visiting the Northeast Region of Brazil and walking under the shade of Brazil’s largest Caju tree, which is actually more like a grove, since it consists of many entangled trees, all sprouting from the same root structure. The fruit dangles from the branches like golden Christmas ornaments.

  Continue reading ‘Caju: The Forgotten Fruit’

My favorite thing to discover for my Mac is a useful program that doesn’t cost a dime. Believe it or not there are a lot of them around; here are a few of my favorites.

Continue reading ‘Nothing Beats Cool Software for Free’

Being out in the sun can help boost your immune system as it tries to heal wounds, a recent study by the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine shows.The key is a healthy level of vitamin D3, generated from UV irradiation in sunlight.

Continue reading ‘Vitamin D Helps Heal Skin, Boosts Immune Function and Protects Against Microbes’

Babies who are breast-fed have significantly better vision as young children than babies fed from formula, according to a study published in the January issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Continue reading ‘Breast-Fed Children Have Better Vision, Says Study’

Multinational flavors and fragrances manufacturer Frutarom is investigating the heartburn-prevention effects of fenugreek extract, after preliminary evidence suggests that it may provide a safe and effective treatment for the common problem.

Continue reading ‘Is Fenugreek Helpful for Heartburn? Frutarom Investigates’

Ever since I wrote about my friend who lost every single file on her hard drive, I’ve gotten dozens of e-mails asking about various aspects of backing up the data on your Mac. Which hardware is best? What software do I recommend? Do I have to back up the whole hard disk, or could I just back up the Documents folder? Should I back up my Music folder or not? How about my Library folders? Hard disks or optical discs? One backup or more? And so it goes.

Continue reading ‘Back Up or Lose It’

Spa Trends
If you’re hard to please when it comes to massage, you might do well to schedule a Thai massage. If I’m going somewhere new, and not in the mood to pay a bunch of money for a massage that might only be average, I’ve learned to book myself a Thai massage knowing I’ll leave satisfied.

Continue reading ‘Thai Massage: A Great Choice for Picky People’

Girls who take magnesium supplements as adolescents may be giving themselves stronger bones for the future.Researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine took a selection of Caucasian girls aged eight to 14 and gave them either a daily 300 mg supplement of magnesium oxide – taken in two doses – or a placebo. The year-long test was double-blind.

Continue reading ‘Magnesium Boosts Bone Health in Teenage Girls’

A study evaluating the relation of zinc to fighting athlerosclerosis – the buildup of fatty material inside blood vessels – suggested further evidence that the mineral can help preserve heart health.Zinc is found in high levels in oysters and, to a much lesser extent, other foods like animal meat, nuts and beans.

Continue reading ‘Zinc Helps Prevent Hardening of Arteries’

Eating a diet low in fat may reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer relapse, according to a study published on December 20 in the “Journal of the National Cancer Institute.”Researchers studied 2,400 post-menopausal women who had been successfully treated for breast cancer, and monitored their condition for five years. The women had all previously received standard treatments for their cancer, including surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Continue reading ‘Low-fat Diets Can Prevent Cancer Relapse’

A recent study has shown that extra virgin olive oil, which is rich in polyphenols, may protect your stomach from ulcers and cancer.“These results open the possibility of considering extra virgin olive oil a chemoprotective agent for peptic ulcer or gastric cancer,” said lead author, Concepcion Romero. “But this bioactivity must be confirmed in vivo in the future.”

Continue reading ‘Olive Oil Found to Help Stomach Ailments, Including Cancer’

A recent study indicates that diet fortified with flaxseed oil, which is rich in plant omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), may significantly lower blood pressure.The study, conducted by researchers from Harokopio University and Laiko Hospital in Athens, Greece, and published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that subjects on a diet fortified with flaxseed oil experienced reduced blood pressure by as much as 6 percent.

Continue reading ‘Study: Flaxseed Oil Shown to Reduce Blood Pressure’

Increasing vitamin D intake through sunlight, diet or supplements may decrease a person’s risk of contracting breast cancer by 50 percent and of contracting colorectal cancer by more than 65 percent, according to two recent studies conducted at the University of San Diego.

Continue reading ‘Vitamin D From Sunlight Cuts Cancer Risk in Half, Reveal Two New Studies’

Web 8.0
When the renowned computer scientist Jim Gray went missing at sea last week, the internet community rose up to help in the search in any way that they could. One of the more ingenious, although unfortunately not successful, methods employed was to upload thousands of satellite photos of the area where he disappeared to the Web and ask volunteers to examine them for objects that might be his sail boat.

Continue reading ‘Sweatshops of the Future’

Macworld Expo means more than just another Steve Jobs’ keynote. It’s also a conference and trade show, featuring hundreds of vendors showing off and selling their wares. One of my favorite things about Macworld Expo is discovering useful software from small companies I wasn’t familiar with before. This year I came home with three very cool, inexpensive, and truly useful programs I’d never seen before.

Continue reading ‘Discovering Software Gems’

A new study suggests that red grape juice may offer the same protection against heart disease as red wine.”Grape juice can have a similar effect as red wine but without the alcohol,” said lead researcher Dr. Valeri Schini-Kerth.

Continue reading ‘Grape Juice as Good for the Heart as Red Wine’

New research suggests that the human body absorbs lycopene better from orange-colored tomatoes than from the more popular red varieties.Lycopene is an antioxidant commonly found in tomatoes and other red- or pink-colored foods, including watermelon, papaya, rosehips, and pink grapefruit or guava. Evidence suggests that lycopene reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, and possibly even male infertility.

Continue reading ‘Orange Tomatoes a Better Source of Lycopene’

A recent study showed that more than half of the food and beverage products that clearly have fruit pictured on their packaging contain little to no actual fruit in the ingredients list.The study was conducted by the Prevention Institute, a Californian non-profit community health advocacy group. It found that in a survey of 37 heavily marketed foods with fruit on the packaging, 51 percent did not contain any fruit at all.

Continue reading ‘Most Foods that Display Fruit on Packaging Don’t Actually Contain Fruit, Study Finds’

An herb called danshen — traditionally used in China as a medicine for high blood pressure — has been shown to reduce hypertension in hamsters, according to a study published in the “American Journal of Physiology.”Researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey administered danshen’s active ingredient — the chemical tanshinone IIA — to hamsters with hypertension. The hamsters’ blood vessels dilated in response, and their blood pressure decreased as a result. Researchers hypothesize that danshen causes this effect by increasing the body’s production of nitric oxide.

Continue reading ‘Chinese Herb Lowers Blood Pressure, Reduces Hypertension’

To the surprise of scientists, while exposure to the sun’s UV rays is the main cause of skin cancer, a recent study says some sunlight also can help prevent it.The idea of sunlight helping prevent skin cancer may sound like a paradox, but the key is exposure in moderation, immunology scientists at Stanford University found.

Continue reading ‘Sunlight in Moderation Helps Prevent Skin Cancer’

The health choices made by adults who live with children often include diets with more fat than their counterparts, a recent study found.The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Iowa and the University of Michigan Health System, found that “adults with children had significantly higher odds of frequently eating pizza, cheese, beef, salty snacks, cakes and cookies, ice cream, bacon/sausage/processed meats and peanuts.”

Continue reading ‘Adults Eat More Fat When Children Are Present’

When I was a kid, back in the days when Abraham Lincoln was president, I recall being fascinated by the new horror movie sensation of the day, the robot GOG. He walked, talked and was often in bad spirits, (kind of like a bad hair day, only in metal). His alloyed arms threatened all of us kids glued in our theater seats as he ran amok within the celluloid laboratory of Hollywood illusion.

Continue reading ‘Robotic Toys Revisited: That Human Touch’

In June 2004 I reviewed the Epson Stylus Photo RX500 multifunction printer and gave it my highest recommendation—I bought it and have used it exclusively ever since. And in two years of heavy use it never gave me a bit of trouble. Alas, my wife’s ancient printer recently broke down so I graciously offered her my RX500. When I went to buy another RX500 for myself I learned that it was discontinued and had been superseded by the Stylus Photo RX580.

Continue reading ‘New Epson Multifunction Printer Does More, Costs Less’

The demand for cosmetic surgery is on the rise, with a worsening obesity epidemic feeding a desire for quick-fix weight loss.According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), the use of liposuction in the U.K. increased by 90 percent in 2006. The number of cosmetic surgeries in general rose by 31 percent, to almost 29,000.

The Harley Medical Group disputes these numbers, and claims that the total number of operations was actually more than 90,000.

Continue reading ‘Liposuction on the rise as women shun exercise and dieting’

A new bill proposed by an Albuquerque, N.M. senator — if passed — will ban foods with aspartame from being on sale in the state by July.Aspartame is a chemically created sweetener that has replaced sugar and corn syrup on a widespread level for many products, including diet soda.

Continue reading ‘New Mexico considers banning aspartame’

With a new technology involving caffeine being researched, bakeries might be adding more than just sugar and spice to pastries.Leading the charge is Robert Bohannon, who invented a patent-pending method to encapsulate caffeine into baked goods. However, initial results ended up with food that tastes bad, he says. The product needs tweaking to get the right amount of caffeine so that it does not overpower the taste of the food.

Continue reading ‘Researchers artificially inserting caffeine into donuts and bagels’

Spa Trends
If you you’ve waited until the last minute to make arrangements for your Valentine’s Day spa escape with your beloved, and are now finding that you can’t get an appointment anywhere, there’s no need to panic. You can still make someone’s day very special by doing it yourself. It’s not as hard as you think to give the gift of luxury pampering in the comfort of your own home. As an added benefit, you’ll avoid the crowded locker rooms and “churn ‘em and burn ‘em” massage-madness that is inevitable on one of the busiest spa-days of the year.

Continue reading ‘Can’t Get a Spa Appointment on Valentine’s Day? Do it Yourself.’

Exotic Cures
When we speak of aphrodisiacs or natural sex enhancement in Brazil, the word that comes to everyone’s lips is Catuaba. Catuaba (scientific name, Trichilia catigua) is known all over the world as the Brazilian Viagra without the harmful side effects. In Brazil, Catuaba has such a following that we have a saying about it: “up to sixty years old, a father’s children are his own; after sixty, they come from the Catuaba.

Continue reading ‘Catuaba: Stimulate Your Immune System…and a Whole Lot More’

A diet rich in fiber can halve the risk of breast cancer among young women, according to a new study by Leeds University. Cereal fiber, such as that found in whole bread and cereals, was found to be particularly effective.

Continue reading ‘Fiber-rich diet may drastically reduce risk of breast cancer’

Medical experts have named sweet wormwood as the best fighter for the deadly disease malaria.The shrub, Artemisia annua, or Chinese wormwood, first became a part of Chinese medical knowledge more than 1,600 years ago, and has long been an effective way for humans to fight the infectious and fatal disease.

Continue reading ‘Chinese shrub offers best cure for deadly malaria’

Part One: Out of the Amzon
On a visit to the interior of Brazil, in a small market in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, I came across a basket full of small plastic bags, each with a different homemade mixture of herbs and spices from the region. Poking through the various baggies, I noticed one that claimed to be an aphrodisiac. Naturally, I purchased it and a week or two later, came across it in my bags and decided to try it out with my wife. She tells me that was one of the hottest nights she can remember sharing with me. The mixture? Catuaba powder, Guaraná powder, Marapuama, and Noz de Cola, among other herbs and spices. All of these are plants from the Brazilian Amazon Region.

Continue reading ‘Herbal Aphrodisiacs’

The average American will consume 130 pounds of potatoes and potato products in a year. Fifty percent of our national potato crop production is shipped directly to companies that manufacture french-fries, potato chips, and other less healthy potato-based treats. But a recently developed protein extract may present a new, healthier, alternative to traditional weight loss medications.

Continue reading ‘Potato protein extract may be new leader in weight loss’

Egypt has announced it is on high alert after the World Health Organization found a mutated H5N1 strain of bird flu that was more resistant to the Tamiflu vaccine — the primary treatment governments are counting on in the event of an outbreak.

Continue reading ‘Bird flu virus mutates into Tamiflu-resistant strain in Egypt; WHO does not expect spread’

Following in the footsteps of New York City, a Maryland delegate has proposed legislation to ban trans fats in the Old Line State.The legislation comes from Democrat James W. Hubbard, whose recent bill in Maryland’s House of Delegates would ban restaurants from serving foods with more than a half-gram of trans fat per serving.

Continue reading ‘Maryland legislator seeks to ban trans fat’

A recent study reports that aside from the dangers and noise presented by traffic, there is another reason not to move your family into a home near an interstate: the long-term health of your children.

Continue reading ‘Interstate traffic causing long-term damage to kids’ lungs’

Web 8.0
Last fall, my old band from the early 1990s got asked to do a reunion show. Most of the members of the band had long ago given up on the rock star dream and had stopped playing music professionally. Personally, I hadn’t played the sax in 10 years. But, when we were given the opportunity to get back on stage in front of hundreds of fans one more time without having to worry about the irritants of touring or trying to make a living off of the band, of course we took it.

Continue reading ‘Cyberspace and All That Jazz’

Ferris Research have just come up with a report on “Spam Control: the Current Landscape.” (1) Though the report is based on a “Spam Control Beauty Contest” webinar held in July 2006, it’s quite up-to-date. It offers a pretty good summary of the strategies offered by industrial strength solutions.

Continue reading ‘Spam Vigilantes Haven’t Gone Away’

According to a recent study, dogs may be man’s best friend in more ways that previously thought.The study, written by Dr. Deborah Wells of Queen’s University, Belfast, for the British Journal of Health Psychiatry, found that dog owners tend to suffer less from ill health, have lower cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.

Continue reading ‘Study: Dogs Help with a Plethora of Ailments’

Already known to increase the risk of heart disease, trans fats may also increase a woman’s risk of fertility problems by 70 percent or more, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Continue reading ‘Study: Hidden trans fats boost women’s infertility risk by 70 precent’

Dutch ingredients manufacturer DSM Food Specialties recently announced the release of its Maxarome Select product, which promises to replace the flavor-enhancing chemical MSG (monosodium glutamate) in manufactured foods, but opponents say DSM’s new product is still a yeast extract that contains harmful free glutamate.

Continue reading ‘Food firms propose replacing MSG, salt with yeast extract that contains free glutamate’

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has launched an investigation into whether retail giant Wal-Mart has been misleading consumers by mislabeling certain products as “organic.”

Continue reading ‘Wal-Mart Under Investigation Over Allegedly Misleading Organic Claims’

A friend called me the other day and said her PowerBook wouldn’t boot. I tried to help her over the phone but it became apparent she was in big trouble so I had her bring the computer to my office where I did all the things we normally do when a Mac won’t boot. I tried to boot from a Mac OS X Tiger DVD so I could run Disk Utility’s First Aid function. I could start up from the CD but Disk Utility refused to acknowledge that there was even a hard drive in the PowerBook. Undaunted, I tried to boot from my DiskWarrior CD, thinking that would surely do the trick. But no—it didn’t recognize the hard disk in her PowerBook either. System Profiler, Tech Tool Pro, Drive Genius, and Data Rescue II all offered the same ugly prognosis—as far as they were concerned, her PowerBook did not have an internal hard disk, much less one capable of starting up her computer.

Continue reading ‘A Cautionary Tale’

In a poll done by the British Medical Journal of more than 11,000 people worldwide seeking the greatest medical advance in the past 166 years, it was improvements in sanitation that grabbed the win.

Continue reading ‘Sewers, not pharmaceuticals, are best medical advance in nearly 200 years’

In an advisory issued last week, a number of doctor groups recommended that heart patients who had drug-coated stents implanted to keep blocked coronary arteries open go on a regimen of blood thinners afterward, but one health advocate says that stents are medically useless and some blood thinners have dubious origins.

Continue reading ‘Doctors advise blood thinners for heart stent patients; health advocate decries both’

As a child, having your “nose buried in a book” was considered a sign of intelligence. Today, adult noses are more likely to be embedded in a BlackBerry. And that may signal the opposite.

Continue reading ‘BlackBerry Nose’

Spa Trends
Sometimes I’m such an easy up-sell. All the receptionist has to do is say the word and I will add this hydrotherapy treatment onto whatever services I purchase. In fact, if I had to choose, I’d easily pick the extra fifteen minutes for the Vichy shower over an extra fifteen minutes of massage. I’ve never met a Vichy shower I didn’t love.

Continue reading ‘Hydrotherapy Spotlight: The Vichy Shower, a Tropical Rainstorm for the Body’

Sales of weight loss foods in the United Kingdom have plummeted as consumers turn to healthier eating habits instead, according to a study released on January 11 by the market research group Mintel.

Continue reading ‘For weight loss, UK consumers choose natural food over bars or shakes’

Cloudy, less processed apple juice contains up to four times the antioxidants found in highly processed, clear apple juice, according to a new Polish study appearing in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Continue reading ‘Less processed “cloudy” apple juice higher in antioxidants than clear juice’

Trans-fats, which form when food is prepared using hydrogenated oils, have recently been banned in restaurants in New York and California. Boston, and Chicago, are considering adopting the ban, but according to a recent report, the alternatives to trans-fat-forming oils are not much better.

Continue reading ‘Study: Alternatives to trans-fats may not be so healthy’

There are so many products on the market claiming health benefits, immune system boosting and antioxidant prowess that it’s difficult to know how to make sense of it all. Here’s a no-nonsense summary of Best Practices for building an arsenal of healthy herbal and supplemental products. It’s not a complete list, by any means, and it does not cover food, but it’s a good foundation for any health-oriented kitchen.

Continue reading ‘Shopping list for a clutter-free natural medicine cabinet’

Cadbury-Schweppes announced last week that it would stop marketing its lemon-lime 7UP soda — which contains high-fructose corn syrup — as “All Natural,” after consumer watchdog Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) threatened a lawsuit.

Continue reading ‘7UP drops “all natural” claim after CSPI threatens lawsuit’

New Canadian research appearing in the February issue of the journal Neuropsychologia found that knowing two languages or more can postpone the onset of dementia in old age by more than four years.

Continue reading ‘Speaking two languages into old age can stave off dementia, study finds’

Over-the-counter cold and cough medicines can injure or even kill children younger than 2, according to a new study appearing in the Jan. 12 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the CDC.

Continue reading ‘Cold medications proving deadly to infants’

Capsaicin — the compound that makes chili peppers spicy — can kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells, with no side effects, according to a new study by researchers at Nottingham University in the UK.

Continue reading ‘Study: Hot chili pepper compound kills cancer without side effects’

What is a computer virus and how did it get its name? Why does it do so much damage and how can it be stopped? Read on for some answers, even if you haven’t gotten a flu shot this year.

Continue reading ‘Computer Viruses: We Need A New Wonder Drug’

What’s wrong with this model: Virus writer writes and releases new virus or variant (nowadays, often by spamming it to all and sundry). Computers are infected because antivirus software doesn’t yet recognise the new virus. Antivirus (AV) companies get hold of a sample and add detection to their product. Customers update their products, clean any infected systems, and are now protected from this virus. Virus writer writes and releases new virus or variant. Some computers get…well, you get the idea.

Continue reading ‘Virus Protection: What’s Wrong With This Model?’

Surely you heard that Apple announced perhaps its most ambitious product since the Macintosh itself, an uber-intelligent smartphone dubbed iPhone. It was introduced last Tuesday by Steve Jobs in his annual Macworld Expo keynote in San Francisco and I was there.

Continue reading ‘iPhone, Therefore I Am’

A recent University of Illinois study found that eating broccoli and tomato daily – both foods that already hold cancer-fighting properties – act as an effective one-two punch to fight prostate cancer in men.

Continue reading ‘Broccoli and tomatoes, better together for prostate cancer’

The harsh conditions of factory farms have lead scientists to investigate ways to genetically modify the animals to be more complacent toward their surroundings, but experts warn such tampering could lead to “farmyard freaks.”

Continue reading ‘Scientists genetically modify animal clones to better survive factory-farming conditions’

There is no scientifically defined cause for infantile colic — a behavioral syndrome in which an otherwise healthy baby cries frequently and inconsolably for an extended period for no discernable reason — but a new study published in the January issue of Pediatrics found that a daily dose of a certain probiotic helped improve colic symptoms.

Continue reading ‘Daily dose of probiotics improves colic symptoms in infants’

While searching the Web recently to find out what other pundits believe Web 3.0 will come to mean, I found a blog post by Stephen Baker on BusinessWeek.com in which he says that his “assignment in Monaco was to lead a panel in defining Web 3.0. After summarizing the ideas that his panel came up with, he ends his post by asking readers what they think. My favorite comment on this post (from bob) simply says “I think you all wasted your time.

Continue reading ‘Where is Web 3.0 going? To Monaco, of course’

Exotic Cures
In the month of May, there is an interesting festival in the interior of Brazil in the state of Minas Gerais, called The Festival of Ora Pro Nobis. The name is Latin meaning “pray for us,” but this is not a religious festival by any means. On the contrary, it’s a festival of food, specifically in regional dishes made with the leaves of the Ora Pro Nobis plant — not to mention all the beer and caipirinhas one can drink. Ora Pro Nobis — pray for us.

Continue reading ‘Ora Pro Nobis: Give us this day our daily…hedge clippings’

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted earlier this week to study the feasibility of banning trans fats in county restaurants, much like New York City, which banned the unhealthy fats from restaurant foods in December last year.

Continue reading ‘Los Angeles County considering banning trans fats in restaurants’

Men who consume a moderate amount of olive oil can significantly reduce systolic blood pressure levels, according to a new study appearing in the January volume of the Journal of Nutrition.

Continue reading ‘Boosting olive oil intake can lower blood pressure in men, study finds’

Previous studies have suggested that black tea’s antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and vasodilating effects can help protect against cardiovascular diseases, but researchers from the Charité-Universitätsmediz in Berlin report that adding milk — even skimmed milk — may diminish those effects.

Continue reading ‘Study finds that adding milk reduces healthy benefits of black tea’

Nine human beings in Devon, England, aged 36 to 49, agreed to be treated like animals for their health by living in a tent next to the ape house at Paignton Zoo and eating a strict diet akin to what our ancestors consumed.

Continue reading ‘Human guinea pigs eat “ape diet” for 12 days, experience remarkable health improvements’

A Florida resident, backed by consumer group Center For Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), recently filed a lawsuit against Kraft Foods for marketing its Capri Sun fruit drink as “all natural” despite the presence of high-fructose corn syrup.

Continue reading ‘Kraft Foods faces suit over “all natural” claim on Capri Sun drink’

Men and women who supplement their diets with folic acid may slow their age-related hearing loss, according to new Dutch research published in the Jan. 2 edition of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Continue reading ‘Folic acid may help prevent hearing loss in old age, study finds’

It is both a fascinating and terrifying thought that the line between man and machine has become less distinct as technology evolves. The vast electronics universe gets smaller and smaller as computers that once filled warehouses now barely fill a coat pocket. We have also witnessed a growing community of people known as cyborgs, who are committed to endlessly developing and wearing the prototypes of digital fashion. Many consider this “second skin of technology” as the next step in human evolution. (Though it is unlikely we will grow tails, we may well be born with cell phones attached to our ears and at least three fingers fused to our laptops!)

Continue reading ‘Online, Connected and Laced-up: Wearable Technology’

Spa Trends
Having two massage therapists rub you down at the same time certainly sounds luxurious. But how do you know if it’s worth it to pay double the price of a single-therapist massage? The answer depends largely on what you’re looking for. The benefits are well worth it in many cases, but certainly not all. Know what you want, know what you can expect to get out of a four-hand massage, and then make your decision.

Continue reading ‘Four-Hand Massage: Is it Worth the Price?’

A new study conducted at the University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in New Delhi has revealed that pregnant women who take multivitamins are more likely to give birth to healthy-weight babies, even if they are at risk for an underweight child.

Continue reading ‘Multivitamins help increase birth weights of newborns’

A recent proposal from the Food and Drug Administration will allow certain foods and dietary supplements containing calcium and vitamin D to make positive health claims, but one health author says the agency should not be able to censor supplement health claims in the first place.

Continue reading ‘FDA to allow osteoporosis prevention claims for calcium, vitamin D’

New research appearing in the Dec. 11 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine found that overweight people who restrict calories to lose weight experience greater loss of bone mineral density than those who exercise for weight loss.

Continue reading ‘Study: Exercise preserves bone mineral density in dieters’

A review of scientific data by British and American researchers found that reducing salt intake might reduce the severity of asthma and breathing problems.

Continue reading ‘Cutting excessive salt intake can help relieve asthma symptoms, says review’

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced last week that it had settled with four weight loss pill companies for more than $25 million over complaints the companies had made false, unsubstantiated health claims for their products.

Continue reading ‘FTC sues makers of diet pills for false claims; ignores Big Pharma’s false claims’

As studies proving the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids continue to crop up, food manufacturers have begun a campaign to include the healthy additive in a variety of everyday grocery products.

Continue reading ‘Omega-3 fatty acids to appear in hundreds of grocery products this year’

Coffee retailer Starbucks Corp. recently announced that it would remove trans fats from baked goods in half of its U.S. stores by Jan. 3, and plans to eventually cut the unhealthy fats from foods in all its stores.

Continue reading ‘Starbucks to cut trans fats from baked goods in half of U.S. stores’

Much heat and confusion has been generated around the issue of Windows Vista security, especially as regards malicious software. Let’s see if we can resolve some of that confusion. In this instance, it’s worth our establishing a timeline to put the latest controversies into a historical context.

Continue reading ‘Anti-Virus - Who Needs it?’

So you’ve found a box of old photographs in your attic and want to scan them on the computer for all your family to see. You’ve even been thinking about learning a little Photoshop to get rid of the folds, scratches and a coffee spill or two.

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In the headlong rush from current to new technologies, it’s amazing what we forget. Sometimes without even realizing it.

I’m in the midst of a year-long effort to declutter my home office of 18 years, which has led to unearthing some historic business cards. Lately, I also discovered that I apparently have not thrown out a single 3.5″ floppy disk that I have ever owned.

Continue reading ‘Can’t Copy that Floppy’

Alternative computer interfaces (i.e. other than keyboard and mouse) have become a bit of an obsession of mine lately. The primary reason for this new obsession is the recurring tendonitis in my right (mouse) wrist.

Continue reading ‘Heavy Weight Computer Interfaces of the Future’

Brain scans of happily married women experiencing stress show they get immediately relief holding their husbands’ hands, according to a study published in the December 2006 issue of the journal Psychological Science.

Continue reading ‘Study finds that contact with a loved one can reduce stress’

A study published in the December 2006 issue of the journal Pediatrics found that infants who are placed in certain circumstances — such as riding in grocery store shopping carts or being exposed to reptiles — are at greater risk of Salmonella infection.

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Researchers have discovered that an increase in America’s weight has resulted in a significant increase in the consumption of gasoline to the tune of $7.7 million a day. This is the equivalent of $2.8 billion per year. This study highlights the issue of being overweight and socio-economic indicators. It’s more than a public health issue—the prevalence of overweight and obesity is costing taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

Continue reading ‘Expanding Waistlines Cause Increased Fuel Consumption’

Just shortly after New York City banned all restaurants from using trans fats in their food preparation, a lawmaker introduced a bill on Tuesday that would make Massachusetts the first entire state to ban artificial trans fats from restaurants.

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California Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City, proposed a bill today that seeks to ban trans fats in baked and fried foods in restaurants and school cafeterias throughout the state.Though the proposed bill is not as comprehensive as the trans fat ban passed earlier this month in New York City — where trans fats in all restaurant foods are now banned — it seeks to limit the amount of heart attack- and stroke-inducing fats in restaurant and school foods.

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Ralph Waldo Emerson may or may not have actually said, “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door. But there’s no doubt that Dr. Mac said, “Build a better mouse and I’ll throw my old mouse out the window or at a Windows user.

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Spa Trends
You can greatly improve your chances of having a fully-satisfying, if not spectacular spa experience if you spend five to ten minutes chatting with the one who will be plugging you into the reservation system: The spa receptionist. Of course, this may not apply if you’re calling a large resort spa where the reservationists don’t even work in the same building as the spa personnel. But since most spas and massage therapy establishments are small businesses, the receptionists know the people who work in the spa and how the massage schedules are put together. They have invaluable information that can be useful when making your appointment if you take the time to talk to them.

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Spa Trends
Remember when Kenny G was so popular, but nobody you knew owned any of his CDs? Well, Shirodhara, a new treatment appearing on spa menus everywhere these days, is one of those things that everyone has heard of, but few have experienced.Shirodhara (pronounced shee-ro dah-rah with shiro meaning “head” and dhara meaning “flow” or “pour”), is a 5,000-year-old Ayurvedic treatment from India used to treat patients suffering from a wide variety of disorders, most frequently involving brain function and/or the nervous system. In Shirodhara, a continuous stream of warm, herbalized oil is poured slowly over your forehead, mainly over the third eye point in between the eyebrows, for anywhere from fifteen to forty-five minutes. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?

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Nuts and seeds are becoming immensely popular due to their health benefits. They provide a wealth of healthy fatty acids, which help to reduce bad cholesterol. They are also full of vitamins and minerals and make a great alternative to meat. Here is a terrific recipe for a meatloaf alternative that you may like even better than meatloaf itself. And your body will definitely get a kick out of it.

Continue reading ‘Going Nuts to Avoid Red Meat’

Exotic Cures
Ahh, a bowl of chilled Acai; that’s what’s becoming a hit on the beaches around the world, from Hawaii to Barcelona. But there was a time when this special treat was available only in Brazil. Now it’s everywhere. In the United States, Acai juice is hitting the big time. But Acai is served much differently in my home country. 

Continue reading ‘Acai: The Amazon’s Original Energy Drink’