Brown Fat: It's a Big Deal

Non-shivering thermogenesis is the process by which the body generates extra heat without shivering.  Shivering is a way for the body to use muscular contractions to generate heat, but non-shivering thermogenesis uses a completely different mechanism to accomplish the same goal: a specialized fat-burning tissue called brown fat.  Brown fat is brown rather than white because it's packed with mitochondria, the power plants of the cell.  Under cold conditions, these mitochondria are activated, using a specialized molecular mechanism called uncoupling* to generate heat.

The mechanism of brown fat activation has been worked out fairly well in rodents, which rely heavily on non-shivering thermogenesis due to their small body size.  Specialized areas of the hypothalamus in the brain sense body temperature (through sensors in the brain and body), body energy status (by measuring leptin and satiety signals), stress level, and probably other factors, and integrate this information to set brown fat activity.  The hypothalamus does this by acting through the sympathetic nervous system, which heavily innervates brown fat.  As an aside, this process works basically the same in humans, as far as we currently know.  Those who claim that rodent models are irrelevant to humans are completely full of hot air**, as the high degree of conservation of the hypothalamus over 75 million years of evolution demonstrates.

Two new studies concurrently published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation last week demonstrate what I've suspected for a long time: brown fat can be 'trained' by cold exposure to be more active, and its activation by cold can reduce body fatness.

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Zucchini: The Home Gardener's Worst Friend? With bonus garden-related rambling.

One of my main gardening goals has been to harvest more of something than I can eat, despite my limited gardening space here in the Emerald City.  I want the feeling of abundance that comes with having to preserve and give away food because I can't eat it all.

Enter zucchini.  My grandfather used to say that in New Jersey in summertime, you'd have to keep your car doors locked, otherwise the car would be full of zucchini the next time you got in!  In mid-May, I planted two starts from my local grocery store labeled "green zucchini", with no further information.  I put them in a bed that used to be a pile of composted horse manure, and that I had also cover cropped, mulched, fertilized, and loosened deeply with my broadfork.  They look pleased.

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Excess vitamin C is harmful to health

Excess vitamin C in the body can be harmful to health and cause kidney problems.

The Vitamin C is a necessary substance to keep our body functioning properly. We require at least 70 to 90 grams for the body to function properly. These quantities are very difficult to overcome, but sometimes possible. But the excess vitamin C is harmful to health! Hearing this are you shocked then clarify this in the below.

Many people indiscriminately ingest high doses of vitamin C, thinking that this will help to prevent colds or other conditions. While artificial vitamin is beneficial for health in reasonable quantities, excessive consumption has negative consequences for health.

Vitamin C cannot be stored in the organism. The excess is excreted in the urine, so it is very rare that a high intake can affect us. However, take 2 or 3 grams more than the recommended dose can cause digestive discomfort, heartburn or diarrhea.

While vitamin C is not toxic, constant and excessive consumption can reach cause kidney problems, liver and stomach.

 A research group has found that vitamin oxidant effect as an antioxidant in the DNA, where the human gene. The conclusions were that the consumption of the dose that causes genetic damage experienced part of the DNA, which had never previously been found in research on the antioxidant property.

It is best to try to get this vitamin c naturally and you avoid taking supplements for your health safety. 

Cellulite and Your Skin Health

What is cellulite?

Cellulite is fat that is deposited in pockets just below the skin surface and occurs around the hips, thighs and buttocks. Since it is very close to the outside of the skin, celluliteleads to a dimpled appearance present in these areas of the body.

These fat deposits form a pocket under the skin, with the characteristic appearance of swelling and a texture similar to the skin of oranges, so it is also known as "orange peel".

It usually occurs more in women than in men due to hormonal differences, constitutional and physiological in between. Most of the medical community does not see the cellulite as a disorder of health condition, but as a normal condition of many women and some men.

Cellulite is not a disease, consisting of a common skin infection caused by bacteria.

Symptoms of cellulite

The most visible sign of cellulite is called orange peel. Cellulites is seen when the skin surface becomes irregular and starts to have small dimples and bumps.

Other symptoms of cellulites include:

The persistence of the touch marks

Pink skin

Dryness of the skin

Loss of skin softness is becoming more rustic feel

Causes of Cellulite

Cellulite is a skin problem that affects most women and can be caused by a variety of reasons such as:

Poor blood circulation.

Retention

Hormonal changes (estrogen excessive concentration).

Poor lymphatic drainage

Constipation

Anxiety

Inadequate nutrition

Excess smoking and take drugs or alcohol

Sedentary in life

Treating cellulite

Here are the best home remedies for cellulite we have collected.

Rosehip oil for cellulite

Fucus vesiculosus poultices for cellulite

Ivy and sage compress for cellulite

Almeria compresses for cellulite

Hydrotherapy for cellulite

Horsetail infusion for cellulite

Rosemary for cellulite

Sarsaparilla for retention

Food / diet against cellulite

As a preventive measure should maintain a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fiber without excess fat, especially saturated, which tend to accumulate in the blood vessels and impede circulation.

We also were paying attention to the sugar consumption, because these can be raw materials for the manufacture of fat when they are burned in their entirety.

It is also very important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids (water and fruit juices), but it is also essential to get rid of excess liquid. This requires carrying out a diet diuretic.

 Exercise against Cellulite

Squats: This is one of the most complete exercises to combat cellulite and, incidentally, work all area below the waist. You spread your legs a little more than the width of your hips, keeping your feet parallel or slightly outward, Contract the abdomen, place you’re back straight and down, making the movement as if you sit down. Do three sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Exercise weight lifting with the legs: This is ideal to work it in a gym, but if you have appliances and means to do so, nor hesitate to implement it in your own home. The muscle tone is a major enemy of cellulite. For this reason, make such a localized exercises can be a great solution.

For any purposes in health Prevention is better than cure. We can easily prevent cellulite; just need our awareness to cellulite.

The Genetics of Obesity, Part III

Genetics Loads the Gun, Environment Pulls the Trigger

Thanks to a WHS reader* for reminding me of the above quote by Dr. Francis Collins, director of the US National Institutes of Health**.  This is a concept that helps reconcile the following two seemingly contradictory observations:

1. Roughly 70 percent of obesity risk is genetically inherited, leaving only 30 percent of risk to environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle.
2. Diet and lifestyle have a large impact on obesity risk.  The prevalence of obesity has tripled in the last 30 years, and the prevalence of extreme obesity has increased by almost 10-fold.  This is presumably not enough time for genetic changes to account for it.

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Return to the Source Parkour Camp

For those who are interested in natural movement training, this summer my friend Rafe Kelley will be hosting an interesting three-day event near Bellingham, WA called "Return to the Source".  Rafe is skilled in a variety of movement disciplines and is the co-founder of the Seattle parkour gym Parkour Visions.  Parkour is a very fun sport that hones our natural ability to skillfully navigate physical obstacles, but it's usually done in an urban context.

The camp will take place from August 23-25.  Here's a description from the Parkour Visions site:

"This summer, return to the source of human movement with Parkour Visions as we explore the natural environment in and around Bellingham, WA. Rafe Kelley will introduce you to the benefits of training and playing in nature. You will learn how to adapt your technique and movement to moving effectively through woods, over rocks, and in trees during this unique, 3-day experience."

Watch this video if you want to see what you're in for.

Knowing Rafe, it will be fun and productive.  You can sign up through this page.

Tips to Prevent Alzheimer

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes progressive impairment of memory. It mainly affects the thinking, behavior and character of the sufferer.

With the advancement of the disease Alzheimer, you lose the ability to communicate or make decisions and completely change his/her personality when he/she is unable to remember how to perform the basic activities that were used or when, even in the later stages is unable to recognize their closest relatives. According to the Alzheimer's Association, about 5 million Americans suffer from this disorder. 

Still do not know the exact cause that causes it, but it is known that advanced age, family history and the injuries sustained in the head are strongly related. Other modifiable factors, such as poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and lack of mental gymnastics can be triggers of the disease, so prevention is the key for Alzheimer.

Here gives some Tips to prevent Alzheimer.

Balanced diet with less fat, more vegetables:

Recent studies have shown that consumption of high amounts of vegetables of green leaf and fruit antioxidants, such as blueberries and strawberries, and eliminating fried foods and fats saturated, significantly reduces the risk of memory-related problems. And help to prevention from Alzheimer. Foods like chocolate, the green tea, the beans, the fish blue and fruits dry, rich in fatty acids Omega 3, are considered protective of the brain.

Physical Exercise:

Make exercise is the most powerful means to prevent the disease from Alzheimerand improve brain function, says the latest report from the Mayo Clinic. According to the agency, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, is 32% more likely to develop brain-related diseases, compared to if exercised five times a week? The reason is that physical activity oxygenates all the cells of the brain, activates the connections of neurons and promotes the release of neurotransmitters that promote motivation, creativity, memory and learning.

Active your brain:

The most important key to prevent the degeneration of brain function is to keep your brain in permanent activity and activate those parts less used. To do this, you can try to do everyday activities with closed eyes, most often using their dominant hand, daily crossword puzzles or change things from the usual place as a gym for this important body.

So maintain a balanced diet, do regular physical exercise and active your brain more can help to release from the Alzheimer.

Banana and potato juice is healthy for ulcers

Banana and potato juice is perfect home remedy to combat ulcers.

Gastric ulcers are usually a fairly painful, complex and nobody wants to deal with regularly. For this reason, some natural elements become crucial to combat them. Try this banana and potato juice.

The gastric ulcers are really complicated and no need for me to tell you what they're for those who suffer regularly. What I can tell you is that there are many home remedies to treat them. They may not be panaceas, no definitive cures nostrums. No, that's not what I can suggest. But at least one good palliative juice help you not only to feed you better, but to ease the pain causes you damn ulcer daily. And when you see the ingredients, you will surely agree that evil cannot make. Try it and feel relax from ulcers.

Ingredients:

A banana

A potato

A handful of peeled almonds (five or six) 

Two or three dates

Half cup of chamomile tea

Preparation:

Wash the potatoes and cut into chunks. Then place it in the juicer, peel and all, no problem. Extract the juice and place in the bowl of the mixer, where you'll add dates, almonds, bananas and chamomile infusion. Bate preparation until you liquefied stay a homogeneous good, you do not have any lumps. Now, since I can drink and even take two or three of these a day if really bothers ulcer. Try to do short sips, with pause and calmly. 

How does Banana and potato juice

First, the potato juice and starch will give freshness to the ulcer that is leaving you alone, causing them to suffocate those fires that you generate inside. The potato produces a similar effect. The dates and almonds are also often recommended in this type of digestive issues. Meanwhile, chamomile generates inflammation throughout the digestive tract and also working to get everything back to normal. Course, Banana and potato juice is not the only option you have to try, you can also try these other home remedies for stomach ulcers.

The Genetics of Obesity, Part II

Rodents Lead the Way

The study of obesity genetics dates back more than half a century.  In 1949, researchers at the Jackson Laboratories identified a remarkably fat mouse, which they determined carried a spontaneous mutation in an unidentified gene.  They named this the "obese" (ob/ob) mouse.  Over the next few decades, researchers identified several other genetically obese mice with spontaneous mutations, including diabetic (db/db) mice, "agouti" (Avy) mice, and "Zucker" (fa/fa) rats.

At the time of discovery, no one knew where the mutations resided in the genome.  All they knew is that the mutations were in single genes, and they resulted in extreme obesity.  Researchers recognized this as a huge opportunity to learn something important about the regulation of body fatness in an unbiased way.  Unbiased because these mutations could be identified with no prior knowledge about their function, therefore the investigators' pre-existing beliefs about the mechanisms of body fat regulation could have no impact on what they learned.  Many different research groups tried to pin down the underlying source of dysfunction: some thought it was elevated insulin and changes in adipose tissue metabolism, others thought it was elevated cortisol, and a variety of other hypotheses.

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Prevent Skin Cancer from Sun Exposure

UVA rays of sunlight can cause the appearance of skin cancer from sun exposure. 

With summer comes the good the good weather and the beaches are filled with people eager to soak up the sun and get a tan skin tone, which has its risks, and that over-exposure to ultra violet (UV) rays is directly related to the appearance of carcinomas. Here given some tips to prevent skin cancer from sun exposure:

Avoid sun during the midday hours

UVA rays are strongest between 12:00 h and 16:30 h, so we recommend that you avoid direct exposure to them during this time of day. If you have to go outside in sun exposure then used sunscreen properly.

Do not expose your whole body to the sun

The more parts of your body expose it to sunlight, the more likely you are to develop skin cancer. To avoid this, use long sleeve loose clothing (linen shirts & cotton pants). Not only blocked the UVA ray, but also help you beat the heat.

Cover your head

Especially if you have short hair, nothing worse than sunbathing summer without any protection. Do not cut; use a hat or a cap, also effective to prevent heat stroke.

Use sunscreen

And not worth to use either, you have to use one that fits your skin type, i.e. your skin type. You have to be aware that using sunscreen is one of the most effective measures to combat the harmful effects of UVA rays, and thus skin cancer. Apply it half an hour before sun exposure and renew the application every two hours or after swimming. 

In the water is more risky

For very refreshing that results take a dip in the pool or in the sea, do not think that water protects you from UVA rays. Moreover, in some cases, the reflection of sunlight on it can enhance its harmful effects. The best way to protect against UVA rays in these cases is to use a sunscreen. Do not forget that the radiation can penetrate up to a meter in clear water areas.

Taking care your child from Sun exposure

The little ones are much more sensitive to solar radiation than adults, so it is necessary precautions extreme. They must resort to baggy clothing to caps and hats and, once again, to the sunscreen. In any case, one must start from the premise that no child under three years must be directly exposed to UVA.

Are you taking any medications?

If so do not forget to consult the prospectus, as certain medicines increase skin sensitivity to UV radiation, making sunbathing is much more dangerous. If you have any doubts talk to your doctor or your pharmacist, they will advise you better than anyone.

Where you go on vacation

The sun's rays affect much more in the areas of the Earth near the tropics and Ecuador, so if you are traveling to a destination that is in the area should be especially careful when exposing yourself to the solar radiation. Moreover, you also have to keep in mind that, as altitude increases, so does the strength of solar radiation. To give you an idea, for every 300 meters 4% increases the strength of UVA. From this we conclude that people in the mountains veraneen the same precautions must keep facing the sun than those who do on the beach.

UV booths

The self-tanning booths can become harmful to health if they do not have all these considerations into account. Even before undergoing protecting a tanning session like this is necessary to do so as infrequently as possible, and that UVA affect with great intensity on the skin.

Beware of burns from sun

If after taking the sun notes any skin lesion is important that you stop exposing yourself to UVA come up soon and the dermatologist. The sunburn may be the first indication that solar radiation has damaged epidermis. Moreover, the tone cobra skin tan when exposed to the sun is a defense of it against UVA rays.

Enjoy your summer time and take care your skin from the frequent sun exposure.