Sugar and carbs are the obesity culprits, not lack of exercise

 Bad diet is a lifestyle cause of obesity, but a lack of exercise is not, says an editorial reviewing controversial questions about this established health risk. The article published in a journal from The BMJ says the problem "cannot be outrun by exercise." Commercial messages that say sugar and carbs are OK as long as you exercise are not true,

say the authors.

Even the exercise done by athletes cannot counter a bad diet, say the authors, who cite evidence that while obesity has rocketed in the past 30 years, "there has been little change in physical activity levels in the western population."

Excess sugar and carbohydrates, not physical inactivity, are to blame for the obesity epidemic, says the editorial.

The review, which aims to lead the opinion of sports medicine researchers and clinicians, is written by Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a UK cardiologist and consultant to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in London, with Prof. Tim Noakes of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa in Cape Town, and Dr. Stephen Phinney, professor emeritus of medicine at the University of California Davis.

The healthy choice of regular physical activity is not dismissed, however, because while these experts claim it "does not promote weight loss," evidence shows that it "reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and some cancers by at least 30%."

But poor diet is a bigger risk - it "generates more disease than physical inactivity, alcohol and smoking combined." The authors support this claim with information about the global burden of disease published by The Lancet.

The editorial, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, continues by citing a 2013 review of the medical literature for metabolic syndrome, which asks why children are developing this cluster of cardiovascular risk factors.

That article, first-authored by Dr. Ram Weiss, a pediatrician at the Hadassah Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel, concludes that while obesity contributes to the syndrome, it is "unlikely" to be an "initiating factor."

And the present authors cite that "up to 40% of those with a normal body mass index will harbor metabolic abnormalities typically associated with obesity, which include hypertension, dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease."

Malhotra, Noakes and Phinney - who are well-known for their opinions on diet, exercise and health, having published widely through popular books and the media - add about the phenomenon in normal-weight people:

"This is little appreciated by scientists, doctors, media writers and policymakers, despite the extensive scientific literature on the vulnerability of all ages and all sizes to lifestyle-related diseases."

Food and beverage industry 'lies'

The concluding remark of the editorial reads: "It is time to wind back the harms caused by the junk food industry's public relations machinery."

As an industry example of providing "misleading" information, the authors say that Coca-Cola spent 3.3 billion US dollars on advertising in 2013, and that the company "pushes a message that 'all calories count;' they associate their products with sport, suggesting it is OK to consume their drinks as long as you exercise."

"However, science tells us this is misleading and wrong," says the article, adding:

"It is where the calories come from that is crucial. Sugar calories promote fat storage and hunger. Fat calories induce fullness or 'satiation.'"

The authors further lambast the food industry by blaming it for creating a public perception that "obesity is entirely due to lack of exercise."

Malhotra, Noakes and Phinney argue: "This false perception is rooted in the food industry's public relations machinery, which uses tactics chillingly similar to those of big tobacco."

Culled from medicalnewstoday.com

Women looking to start their own business

Hello Ladies,

It's not easy to make it in the startup world as a woman, but it's far from impossible. With a great idea, the right mindset and a strong support system, any woman can be on her way to making her entrepreneurial dreams come true. Business News Daily asked female entrepreneurs to share their best advice for women looking to start their own business.

"What drives your product and sets you apart is your passion.Surround yourself with those who believe in your product as much as you do. Be a game changer by thinking outside the box and create new and innovative products that will set you apart from the competition." – Melissa Ravo and Jaime Boreanaz, founders and creators, Chrome Girl Nail Polish

"Take time to energize yourself. Building a company is a marathon filled with extremes of ups and downs. As the visionary and leader of the company, everyone — investors, employees and customers — will be looking to you to bring the energy." ­– Meaghan Rose, founder, Rocksbox

"Have a clear vision of where you're headed, but be prepared that it might unfold in an unexpected way. If this happens, find the opportunities, and adapt to your new reality." – Mary Fisher, CEO,Colorescience

"The passwords on our computers and phones during our first year included the phrase 'justdoit,' like the Nike slogan. This means taking action versus being paralyzed by plans, models, presentations, and the nebulous unknown. If you wait until you have the foolproof answer, you'll never move forward. It sounds scary, but just do it and somehow you will accomplish your dreams." – Sophie Kahn and Bouchra Ezzahraoui, founders,AUrate New York 

"You don't have to have all the answers. Seek out people with expertise where your skills may be lacking. Use their knowledge to assist you in achieving your goals. Creating synergies of purpose can create extraordinary results." – Michele Torres, founder and president, HFS Company and 2014 American Express OPENWoman Contractor of the Year

"Don't be afraid to ask for help. Historically women don't do this well and we should — men have no problem asking." – Rebecca Boenigk, founder and CEO, Neutral Posture Inc. and 2014 American Express OPEN Teaming Contractor of the Year

"Work on knowing who you are as a person and what you want to express through your designs. This is very important — it's the key to confidence, to believe in what you are and what you offer." – Johanna Castillo, online boutique owner

"When you start, be wary of partners. Don't spend before you start bringing in money and most of all, believe you can do it despite what others say." – Katherine Niefield, president and CEO,Blink PR

"Surround yourself with those who know how to do the things you do not, always have a plan B even if you never need it, and understand asking for help is a sign of strength and not weakness. These are characteristics of not only great but effective leaders who create opportunities for others as well as themselves." – Sheila Ronning, CEO and founder, Women in the Boardroom

"Build a business around a problem that you know needs to be solved and that you are passionate about fixing or making better. There will be many long nights and stressful situations ahead, but having the passion to fix the problem will get you through every time." –Sheri Atwood, founder, SupportPay

"Get really good at time management. There are always more things on your to-do list than time or people to finish them. As a result, every day you are faced with the challenge in deciding what not to do. You have to evaluate what activities are really going to make an impact on your business and focus your time accordingly." – Kwany Lui, co-founder, Bundle Organics

"Take the time to plan to help alleviate fears that may be holding you back. You have to know your business better than anyone else, show your passion to everyone you meet, view all rejection as an opportunity to learn and grow, and most importantly, be kind to yourself." – Summer Kramer, founder and president, SummerSkin

"Don't be afraid to start a new chapter of your life and stick to your core values. Being able to channel my sweet tooth and my passion for healthy eating and living into a successful career has been especially fulfilling. Lastly, always be open and receptive. You never know when inspiration might hit." – Chloe Epstein, president and co-founder, Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit Co.

Culled from businessnewsdaily.com

How to Choose the Right Technology for Your Small Business

As a small business, choosing which types of technologies to adopt can be tough. Not only are there so many types of technologies from which to choose, but making the wrong decision can result in additional problems instead of fixing those the technology was designed to solve. Moreover, new technologies are rapidly becoming available, making it even more difficult to determine which are worth the investment.

Brother International, in partnership with SCORE, recently released the fifth annual "Brother Small Business Survey," which detailed the many challenges small businesses face when it comes to adopting new technologies. According to the study, 63 percent of respondents frequently feel overwhelmed with the number of technologies available to run their business. Furthermore, small business owners are split 50-50 as to whether it's riskier to adopt new technologies quickly and possibly compromise return on investment (ROI) or to wait and potentially give their competitors an advantage.

"Our survey shows that while small business owners understand the value of new technologies, they struggle with choosing the right products, as well as the right time to adopt them to have the greatest impact on their business," said John Wandishin, vice president of marketing at Brother International.

Nonetheless, investing in tech remains a top priority for small business owners in 2014, the survey revealed. Respondents indicated the following types of technologies as a necessity to running their business: mobile devices (41 percent), customer relationship management (CRM) (32 percent), social (21 percent) and cloud services (15 percent).

To avoid being intimidated by technology, small businesses should be strategic in their adoption decisions, Wandishin said. "They should only buy new technology if they have clearly defined what processes they want to affect and how new technology will ultimately have a positive effect on their bottom line," he said. "It's important to remember that technology simply cannot make up for poor processes."

Culled from businessnewsdaily.com

5 Signs You Need New Tech

Does your business need to update its technological tools? You may be hesitant to make a switch, especially if you've become accustomed to your current system, but if you don't have up-to-date solutions that can make your operations more efficient, you may be wasting your already limited time and resources.

"Using the latest technology to better run your company is what gives many business owners a competitive edge while giving them more time back with their families," said Jamie Sutherland, U.S. president of online accounting software provider Xero. "As we head into 2015, it's a perfect time to reassess how you can switch to the latest business apps and online tools to work smarter so you can spend more time doing what you love."

To help business owners decide whether they should invest in new tech solutions, Xero created a list of five scenarios that could indicate the need for an upgrade. If any of the following apply to you, it's a sign that your business could use a tech overhaul.

There's no separation between your work and personal life. Small business owners are often expected to work around the clock to keep their businesses moving, but that doesn't mean there's no place for work-life balance. There are numerous apps, Internet phone systems and email organization programs available to reroute incoming work communications when you need time for yourself.

Your accounting system is a spreadsheet — or worse, a shoebox of receipts. Local spreadsheets with numerous tabs and file versions may not be the most effective way to keep track of your business finances, especially if you're always on the go. Cloud-based financial tools give you less of a headache when tax season rolls around and make it easy to manage your data from wherever you are.

You don't have time to successfully run all the different aspects of your business yourself. Business owners often serve as the entire C-suite for their company. If you find yourself spread too thin and spending too much time on marketing, accounting or HR tasks, consider automated solutions to help streamline these processes and make your role more effective.

You can't keep up with social media. Most small businesses know how important social media is to building their brand, but many can't seem to find the time to give it the attention it needs. Social media monitoring tools can help you track brand mentions, respond to customers and get a streamlined view of social conversations around your business.

Your business is growing rapidly. If your business has experienced significant growth recently, there's a good chance that the tech solutions you started out with no longer serve your needs as effectively as they did when you were a two- or three-person company. Whether you've had employee growth, expanded your business services or introduced new apps that need to be synced, re-evaluate your existing software and make sure its capabilities align with your company's trajectory.

Though you may recognize the need for a technology update, selecting the right tech solutions for your business isn't always an easy task. Keith Tanaka, vice president of small business tech support provider Digity, said small business owners have two major factors working against them in this process: They have too many other responsibilities and tasks to effectively focus on choosing a technology, and perhaps more importantly, they aren't necessarily technology experts.

"Since small business owners wear so many hats, they may not have the time to learn and think strategically about technology," Tanaka told Business News Daily. "Sometimes they know how they want the technology to work for their business but don’t understand how to make that actually happen. They may be great at accounting, cooking, insurance, real estate, dentistry, etc., but technology is its own function completely."

Tanaka noted that business owners tend to make the mistake of choosing the first and/or least expensive solution they find, just to get the purchase out of the way. He said that the problem with these approaches is that you may not have done enough research to fully understand whether the solution is right for your business needs, or whether it can be easily implemented. If it isn't, you'll end up wasting more time and money in the long run.

"Business owners should always think carefully and critically about the problem they are trying to solve," Tanaka said. "In some cases, they try to either build the solution themselves or take some existing tool and spend hundreds of hours customizing it. With so many tools built to help small businesses, chances are that the solution they're dreaming of already exists somewhere."

In addition to conducting thorough research on potential technology solutions, make sure you read customer reviews and ask for direct feedback from other business owners and tech experts before making a final purchase decision.

"There's no shame in asking for help," Tanaka said. "Business owners should seek advice from their peers and from industry experts. A good technology adviser can do a lot to help a business streamline its operations."

Culled from businessnewsdaily.com

Amazon Wins Approval to Test Delivery Drones in US

Amazon has won approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to begin testing delivery drones in the United States.

Last month, Amazon was granted a similar certificate from the FAA, but because that request spent six months in regulatory limbo, the prototype drone approved by federal regulators had become obsolete. In a letter issued Wednesday (April 8) and addressed to Paul Misener, Amazon's vice president for global public policy, the FAA approved the outdoor testing of Amazon's delivery drones.

"This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption," John Duncan, the FAA's director of flight standards service, wrote in the document, which was posted on the agency's website. "The exemption would allow the petitioner to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to conduct outdoor research and development testing." 

The terms of the FAA's approval state that Amazon drone operators can conduct test flights at altitudes of up to 400 feet (122 meters). Federal regulators also said the flying bots must not exceed 100 mph (160 km/h), and must remain within the pilot's line of sight, according to the letter.

Amazon is developing a same-day delivery service, dubbed Prime Air, that would use octocopter drones to airlift packages weighing up to 5 lbs. (2.3 kilograms) to customers within a 10-mile (16 kilometers) radius of an Amazon warehouse.

Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of the online retail giant, announced his vision for Prime Air in 2013, saying drones will be able to transport packages from the company's warehouses to shoppers' front doors in 30 minutes or less.

"We're pleased the FAA has granted our petition for this stage of R&D experimentation, and we look forward to working with the agency for permission to deliver Prime Air service to customers in the United States safely and soon," Misener told Engadget.

In February, the FAA outlined a set of rules to govern the burgeoning commercial drone industry in the United States. The much-anticipated announcement proposed that drones weighing up to 55 lbs. (25 kg) could be flown at speeds of up to 100 mph and at altitudes of up to 500 feet (150 m).

Culled from livescience.com

Health benefits of beetroot and watermelon

                                                              Beetroot

Beetroot, also known simply as the beet, has been gaining in popularity as a new super food due to recent studies claiming that beets and beetroot juice can improve athletic performance, lower blood pressure and increase blood flow. 

Beetroot, or table beets, although from the same family as sugar beets (beta vulgaris), are genetically and nutritionally different. Sugar beets are white in color and commonly used for sugar extraction and sweetening manufactured foods. Sugar cannot be obtained from beetroot, which are most commonly found in red and gold varieties.One cup of raw beets contains 58 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrate (including 9 grams of sugar and 4 grams of fiber) and 2 grams of protein. It provides 1% of daily vitamin A needs, 2% of calcium, 11% of vitamin C and 6% of iron.Beetroot is a rich source of folate and manganese and also contains thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, choline, betaine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium.Beets are high in dietary nitrate, which is believed to be the reason why many of the potential health benefits of beetroot are being studied.

Possible health benefits 

Heart health and blood pressure: A 2008 study published in Hypertension examined the effects of ingesting 500mls of beetroot juice in healthy volunteers and found that blood pressure was significantly lowered after ingestion. Researchers hypothesized this was likely due to the high nitrate levels contained in beet juice and that the high nitrate vegetables could prove to be a low cost and effective way to treat cardiovascular conditions and blood pressure.Consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions. Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like beetroot decreases the risk of obesity and overall mortality,diabetes, heart disease and promotes a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, overall lower weight.Another study conducted in 2010 found similar results that drinking beetroot juice lowered blood pressure considerably on a dose-dependent basis.

Dementia: Researchers at Wake Forest University have found that drinking juice from beetroot can improve oxygenation to the brain, slowing the progression of dementia in older adults. According to Daniel Kim-Shapiro, director of Wake Forest's Translational Science Center, blood flow to certain areas of the brain decrease with age and leads to a decline in cognition and possible dementia. Consuming beetroot juice as part of a high nitrate diet can improve the blood flow and oxygenation to these areas that are lacking.

Diabetes: Beets contain an antioxidant known as alpha-lipoic acid, which has been shown to lower glucose levels, increase insulin sensitivity and prevent oxidative stress-induced changes in patients with diabetes. Studies on alpha-lipoic acid have also shown decreases in peripheral neuropathy and/or autonomic neuropathy in diabetics.

Digestion and regularity: Because of its high fiber content, beetroot helps to prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

Inflammation: Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in beetroot that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.

Exercise and athletic performance: Beetroot juice supplementation has been shown to improve muscle oxygenation during exercise, suggesting that increased dietary nitrate intake has the potential to enhance exercise tolerance during long-term endurance exercise. Quality of life for those with cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases, who find the activities of daily living physically difficult because of lack of oxygenation, could be improved.

Beetroot juice improved performance by 2.8% (11 seconds) in a 4-km bicycle time trial and by 2.7% (45 seconds) in 16.1-km time trial.

                                               Watermelon

Watermelons are a member of the botanical family Cucurbitaceae. There are five common types of watermelon: seeded, seedless, mini (also known as personal), yellow and orange.

One cup of diced watermelon (152 grams) contains 43calories, 0 grams of fat, 2 grams of sodium, 11 grams ofcarbohydrate (including 9 grams of sugar and 1 gram of fiber) and 1 gram of fiber. One cup of watermelon will provide 17% of vitamin A, 21% of vitamin C, 2% of iron and 1% of calcium needs for the day.

Watermelon also contains thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, choline, lycopene and betaine. According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, watermelon contains more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable.Despite being a great source of the above nutrients, watermelon is made up of 92% water.

Possible health benefits

Asthma prevention: The risks for developing asthma are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients. One of these nutrients is vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables including watermelon.

Blood pressure: A study published by the American Journal of Hypertension found that watermelon extract supplementation reduced ankle blood pressure, brachial blood pressure and carotid wave reflection in obese middle-aged adults with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension and that watermelon extract improved arterial function.Diets rich in lycopene may help protect against heart disease.

Cancer: As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C as well as other antioxidants, watermelon can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. Lycopene intake has been linked with a decreased risk of prostate cancer prevention in several studies.

Digestion and regularity: Watermelon, because of its water and fiber content, helps to prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

Hydration: Made up of 92% water and full of important electrolytes, watermelon is a great snack to have on hand during the hot summer months to prevent dehydration.

Inflammation: Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in watermelon that aids our bodies in sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.

Muscle soreness: Watermelon and watermelon juice have been shown to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time following exercise in athletes. Researchers believe this is likely do to the amino acid L-citrulline contained in watermelon.

Skin: Watermelon is also great for your skin because it contains vitamin A, a nutrient required for sebum production that keeps hair moisturized. Vitamin A is also necessary for the growth of all bodily tissues, including skin and hair.

Adequate intake of vitamin C (one cup of watermelon provides 21% of daily needs) is also needed for the building and maintenance of collagen, which provides structure to skin and hair. Watermelon also contributes to overall hydration, which is vital for having healthy looking skin and hair.

Source:  Megan Ware, RDN, LD, registered dietitian and nutritionist

Your expertise is needed to teach computer science in US high schools

If you’re an engineer, software developer or programmer, and are interested in helping young people learn computer science, high schools need your expertise. You can be part of TEALS (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools), a volunteer movement supported by Microsoft to bring computer science education to every high school in the U.S.

More than 475 TEALS volunteers across the nation are currently team-teaching Computer Science 101 and AP Computer Science with classroom teachers in more than 130 schools.

“The only way to jumpstart computer science programs in high schools is with more volunteers,” says TEALS founder Kevin Wang, in a post on Microsoft on the Issues. “No matter where you work, if you have a CS background and you’re willing to wake up a little earlier than you’re used to, students around the country can use your help. Volunteering for TEALS is a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience. More important, it’s a meaningful investment on behalf of future computer scientists.”

Applications will be accepted until May 1. Find out more about how to volunteer with TEALS, by visiting http://www.tealsk12.org/volunteers/informational/. 

Culled from www.tealsk12.org

Element of surprise helps babies learn

Cognitive psychologists have demonstrated for the first time that babies learn new things by leveraging the core information they are born with. When something surprises a baby, like an object not behaving the way a baby expects it to, the baby not only focuses on that object, but ultimately learns more about it than from a similar yet predictable object.

In a paper published April 3 in the journal Science, cognitive psychologists Aimee E. Stahl and Lisa Feigenson demonstrate for the first time that babies learn new things by leveraging the core information they are born with. When something surprises a baby, like an object not behaving the way a baby expects it to, the baby not only focuses on that object, but ultimately learns more about it than from a similar yet predictable object.

"For young learners, the world is an incredibly complex place filled with dynamic stimuli. How do learners know what to focus on and learn more about, and what to ignore? Our research suggests that infants use what they already know about the world to form predictions. When these predictions are shown to be wrong, infants use this as a special opportunity for learning," said Feigenson, a professor of psychological and brain sciences in the university's Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. "When babies are surprised, they learn much better, as though they are taking the occasion to try to figure something out about their world."

The two researchers' study involved four experiments with preverbal 11-month-old babies, designed to determine whether babies learned more effectively about objects that defied their expectations. If they did, researchers wondered if babies would also seek out more information about surprising objects and if this exploration meant babies were trying to find explanations for the objects' strange behavior.

First the researchers showed the babies both surprising and predictable situations regarding an object. For instance, one group of infants saw a ball roll down a ramp and appear to be stopped by a wall in its path. Another group saw the ball roll down the ramp and appear to pass -- as if by magic -- right through the wall.

When the researchers gave the babies new information about the surprising ball, the babies learned significantly better. In fact, the infants showed no evidence of learning about the predictable ball. Furthermore, the researchers found that the babies chose to explore the ball that had defied their expectations, even more than toys that were brand new but had not done anything surprising.

The researchers found that the babies didn't just learn more about surprising objects -- they wanted to understand them. For instance, when the babies saw the surprising event in which the ball appeared to pass through the wall, they tested the ball's solidity by banging it on the table. But when babies saw a different surprising event, in which the ball appeared to hover in midair, they tested the ball's gravity by dropping it onto the floor. These results suggest that babies were testing specific hypotheses about the objects' surprising behavior.

"The infants' behaviors are not merely reflexive responses to the novelty of surprising outcomes, but instead reflect deeper attempts to learn about aspects of the world that failed to accord with expectations," said Stahl, the paper's lead author and a doctoral student in psychological and brain sciences.

"Infants are not only equipped with core knowledge about fundamental aspects of the world, but from early in their lives, they harness this knowledge to empower new learning."

The study was supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Culled from Johns Hopkins University