A new study analyzing the Amazon Kindle electronic book reader’s impact on the environment suggests that, on average, the carbon emitted over the life of the device is offset after the first year of use. ‘It’s not just buying e-books that matters, said the report’s author, Emma Ritch, of San Francisco-based Cleantech Group. ‘The key is they displace the purchase of 22.5 physical books. Ms. Ritch said. ‘The new study finds that e-readers could have a major impact on improving the sustainability and environmental impact on the publishing industry, one of the world’s most polluting sectors, a statement at Cleantech’s Web site states. ‘In 2008, the U.S. book and newspaper industries combined resulted in the harvesting of 125 million trees, not to mention wastewater that was produced or its massive carbon footprint. The report asserts that printed books have the highest per-unit carbon footprint - which includes its raw materials, paper production, printing, shipping, and disposal - in the publishing sector. ‘In the case of a book bought at a bookstore, Ms. Ritch said, Cleantech’s measurement ‘takes into account the fossil fuels necessary to deliver to the bookstore and the fact that 25-36 percent of those books […]
Newly diagnosed diabetics who were overweight better managed their disease by eating a Mediterranean diet rich in fish, fruits and vegetables instead of one low in fat, an Italian study found. The proportion of those on the low-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet who needed diabetes medicine after four years was 44 percent compared with 70 percent for the low-fat regimen, researchers said today in Annals of Internal Medicine. The Mediterranean diet also led to more weight loss and reduction in some risk factors for heart disease, the scientists said. Diabetics’ ranks worldwide are projected to grow to 380 million by 2025, from 246 million in 2007, according to the International Diabetes Federation, based in Brussels. Newly diagnosed patients are often treated with drugs and urged to make lifestyle changes such as exercising more or eating less fat. The diet study shows that what a person eats can alter the course of the disease, said Christine Laine, the editor of Annals of Internal Medicine. ‘You can delay the need for drugs by just making changes in lifestyle, said Laine, an internist, in an Aug. 21 telephone interview. ‘When people are willing to make changes in their diet, it might make […]
Exercise helps prevent weight regain after dieting by reducing appetite and by burning fat before burning carbohydrates, according to a new study with rats. Burning fat first and storing carbohydrates for use later in the day slows weight regain and may minimize overeating by signaling a feeling of fullness to the brain. The University of Colorado Denver study also found that exercise prevents the increase in the number of fat cells that occurs during weight regain, challenging the conventional wisdom that the number of fat cells is set and cannot be altered by dietary or lifestyle changes. These coordinated physiological changes in the brain and the body lower the ‘defended’ weight, that is, the weight that our physiology drives us to achieve, and suggest that the effects of exercise on these physiological processes may make it easier to stay on a diet. The study is ‘Regular exercise attenuates the metabolic drive to regain weight after long term weight loss. Paul S. MacLean, Janine A. Higgins, Holly R. Wyatt, Edward L. Melanson, Ginger C. Johnson, Matthew R. Jackman, Erin D. Giles, Ian E. Brown and James O. Hill, all of the University of Colorado Denver, conducted the study. […]
Music is one of the surest ways to influence human emotions; most people unconsciously recognize and respond to music that is happy, sad, fearful or mellow. But psychologists who have tried to trace the evolutionary roots of these responses usually hit a dead end. Nonhuman primates scarcely respond to human music, and instead prefer silence. A new report by Charles Snowdon, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and musician David Teie of the University of Maryland shows that a monkey called the cotton-top tamarin indeed responds to music. The catch? These South American monkeys are essentially immune to human music, but they respond appropriately to ‘monkey music, 30-second clips composed by Teie on the basis of actual monkey calls. The music was inspired by sounds the tamarins make to convey two opposite emotions: threats and/or fear, and affiliation, a friendly, safe and happy condition. The study, published this week (Sept. 1) in the journal Biology Letters, reported that the monkeys could tell the difference: For five minutes after hearing fear music, the monkeys displayed more symptoms of anxiety and increased their movement. In contrast, monkeys that heard ‘affiliative music reduced their movements and increased […]
As the days get longer and we inch closer to bathing-suit season, health often takes a back burner to fad diets. Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says it’s important to keep whole grains in your diet. ‘Research shows that whole grains are good for your heart, lower risk of diabetes and stroke, and may help prevent certain cancers, she says. ‘They also help in managing weight. Ms. Sandon says whole grains are chock full of good-for-you nutrients including fiber, folate and niacin, vital B vitamins, and magnesium. ‘The phytochemicals found in whole grains have been shown to have health promoting and disease prevention benefits, she adds. Ms. Sandon recommends that adults aim for three servings, or 48 grams, of whole grains a day. Be sure to look for the words ‘Made with whole grain and ‘100 percent whole grain on packages.
Remote Viewing the Year 2060
