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Do You Believe In Karma?

9 Mar

Recently, news stations ran a story about a United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent who got caught stealing from airline passengers.

When they interviewed him, he had ZERO remorse. He basically said he didn’t feel he got paid enough, and since everyone at the TSA was stealing, it was okay.

That’s shocking, especially if you believe in Karma.

Karma is basically the belief that your thoughts and actions create a “force” that helps shape the future.

In other words, if you do good things, you will build up positive energy and good things will happen to you. Conversely, if you do bad things, then bad things will happen to you.

Countless people believe in Karma and often cite this when something good happens to a good person or something bad happens to a bad person.

Many people make life decisions based on Karma and do good things because they believe good things will come into their life as a result.

Well, here is another take on Karma you may like…

Instead of making decisions and doing things based on what you think you might get back, why not simply do things because they are the right things to do?

Why not be nice to people because you should be nice?

Why not help people because you should help people?

If you have the opportunity to steal from an airline passenger’s bags, you don’t. It doesn’t matter how much money you make or do not make. It doesn’t matter how many others are stealing.

You know right from wrong.

Is Karma real? Maybe. Maybe not. That’s not important. What is important is that we all do the right things, and we do them for the right reasons.

If Karma exists, well, that’s one heck of a bonus!

Can Eating Cherries Lower Gout Risk?

7 Mar

If you suffer from gout, you are going to like this information. Gout is a kind of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up in blood and causes joint inflammation. Chronic gout is repeated episodes of pain and inflammation which may involve more than one joint. If too much uric acid builds up in the fluid around the joints (synovial fluid), uric acid crystals form. These crystals cause the joint to swell up and can be extremely painful. That’s why the findings of a new study published by the American College of Rheumatology are so promising. The lead author, Dr. Yuqing Zhang, Professor of Medicine and Public Health at Boston University and colleagues, recruited 633 gout patients who were followed online for one year. Participants were asked about the date of gout onset, symptoms, medications, and risk factors. Researchers also asked about cherry and cherry extract intake in the two days prior to a gout attack. A cherry serving was one half cup or 10 to 12 cherries. According to the study, “Cherry intake over a 2-day period was associated with a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared with no intake.”

New research shows our ancient ancestors were eating meat 1.5 million years ago!

7 Mar

There is a debate raging in the diet and nutrition world. Some claim eating meat is healthy and others say it is not. The purpose of this information is to inform you and not to make a decision for you. According to a study that was published October 3 in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE, “Meat-eating was an important factor affecting early hominin brain expansion, social organization and geographic movement.”

Researchers used skull fragments found by anthropologists in Tanzania to show that our ancient ancestors were eating meat at least 1.5 million years ago. “Meat eating has always been considered one of the things that made us human, with the protein contributing to the growth of our brains,” said Charles Musiba, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado, Denver, who helped make the discovery. “Our work shows that 1.5 million years ago we were not opportunistic meat eaters, we were actively hunting and eating meat.” Authors of the study also noted, “This discovery highlights that by at least 1.5 million years ago, early human physiology was already adapted to a diet that included the regular consumption of meat.”

Herbs and Spices = Medicine.

7 Mar

Herbs and spices contain various disease fighting compounds. That is why they have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Here are four herbs and spices that are beneficial for your taste buds and body: 

• Cinnamon contains iron, calcium, manganese, and fiber, and can be used to temper sugar cravings. It also helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Try cinnamon in coffee, on fruit, or on a baked sweet potato.

• Chili peppers contain capsaicin, which increases metabolism and satiety in addition to triggering proteins in fat to break fat down, showing great potential for those with body re-composition goals. Chili peppers also increase the resistance to harmful bacteria in stomach cells, which may decrease the risk of developing an ulcer.

• Ginger is a proven way to settle a sick stomach. Ginger can also relieve cough and congestion symptoms thanks to the phytochemicals shogaol and zingerone. Ginger has also shown the ability to reduce muscle ache, decrease arthritis pain, and potentially fight various cancers. Some ways to utilize ginger: put in tea, soup, or a stir-fry.

• Rosemary works perfectly in meat marinades. Due to its antioxidant content, rosemary has been shown to prevent the formation carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines in meat when the cooking method is broiling, grilling, or frying. 

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One Human, One Animal. Two heartwarming and motivational stories you may find hard to believe…

6 Mar

In October, the World Health Organization (WHO) came out with a shocking statistic: More than 350 million people suffer from depression globally.

“It is not a disease of developed countries, it is a global phenomenon. It’s present in both genders and in rich and poor populations,” Dr. Shekhar Saxena, head of the WHO’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse Department, told reporters in Geneva.

Researchers claim that nearly 1 million people take their lives every year and more than half of them suffer from depression.

That’s why it is important to hear about people like Chuck Pagano. Chuck is the Head Coach of the Indianapolis Colts and was hospitalized with leukemia the week before his team’s 4th game in the NFL this season.  Chuck sent a letter (email) to his team that showed his true character. The email told them to focus on their task at hand and not on him.

Here is a portion of the letter:

My condition will not determine my position. I understand the condition but choose to focus on my position. That is to stay positive and SERVE.

WE WILL, WE CAN, WE MUST. WE HAVE NO CHOICE. BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. WE WILL OVERCOME.  IT’S ALL IN THE PROPER STATE OF MIND.

There is no better owner in the NFL, period! He has built an organization based on Faith, Family and Football. Don’t ever mistake the ORDER.

We all have a job to do. We know and understand that. That’s why we signed up for it. We knew there were going to be tough times. This is not for everybody, but I know deep in my heart we are all here because we’re supposed to be.

Focus on being .500 by 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Nothing else. LASER SHARP FOCUS. That has to be our mindset.  60 minutes, all you got, one play at a time!  WIN!

His team won in dramatic fashion, and the owner offered Chuck the game ball.  Chuck declined because it was not supposed to be about him.

Now for one of the most touching animal stories EVER…

Capitán is a German Shepherd that lives in Argentina.  Capitán may also be the most loyal dog that ever lived.  Here is why…

In 2006, Capitán’s owner, Manuel Guzman, died, and Capitán ran away from home. A week later, Guzman’s family found Capitán at his owner’s gravesite… heartbroken.  No one had ever taken Capitán to the gravesite; he found it all by himself.

Since then, every day for 6 years, Capitán spends most of his time in the cemetery near his master’s grave. The cemetery director has been feeding and taking care of loyal Capitán. According to the cemetery director, “During the day, he sometimes takes a walk around the cemetery, but always rushes back to the grave.  And every day, at 6:00 p.m. sharp, he lies down on top of the grave and stays there all night.”

 

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Nerve Transfer Surgery A Success If Done Soon Enough.

6 Mar

Modern medical science and technology have come a long way.  Now there is a medical procedure called nerve transfer.

Nerve transfer is a surgical technique that may be used when a patient has a nerve injury resulting in complete loss of muscle function or sensation.

Nerve transfers involve taking nerves with less important roles, or branches of a nerve that performs redundant functions to other nerves, and “transferring” them to restore function in a more crucial nerve that has been severely damaged. The surgeon will use functioning nerves that are close to the target muscle or sensory area, and these nerves are transferred or “plugged in” to the injured nerve that no longer functions. The nerve that has been “plugged in” now supplies that function.

Time Is Of The Essence

According to Science Daily, “Nerve injuries requiring nerve transfer can be caused by many things such as accidents, sports or surgeries. Once a nerve is cut from a muscle, it has to be reinnervated within about 18 months before the muscle atrophies. Since nerves only regenerate one millimeter per day, sometimes they cannot regenerate and reach the muscle before it wastes away.”

Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Weill Cornell Medical College and Associate Attending Orthopedic Surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery, Dr. Steven Lee adds, “It has been shown that if you do nerve reconstruction work and surgery before six months after a nerve is severed, then patients do far better… If it has been more than 18 months, even if the nerve regeneration length is two centimeters, it may still be too late.”

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