Imagine a world where nutritious food was freely available to all babies, thereby reducing their risk of illness and enabling them to develop into healthy adults. In fact, no imagination is required: human breast-milk is free, widely available and popular. In 2010 more than 80% of mothers surveyed for the Growing Up in New Zealand study planned to breastfeed their babies, mostly for at least six months. That’s great news, as exclusive breastfeeding for that period is the best start for babies, according to the World Health Organization.
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•Pumpkin and butternut squash are incredibly rich sources of antioxidants such as Vitamins A, C, E and B-complex and minerals such as calcium, copper, potassium and phosphorus. They are mildly sweet with a great nutty flavor. Both are very versatile and can be served in sweet or savory dishes such and soups, casseroles, pies, breads, muffins and more. They can be served hot or cold, and baked, stuffed, stewed or fried. Don’t forget about the pumpkin seeds (Pepitas). They can be roasted for a healthy snack.
•Apples come in various shapes and sizes and while low in calories, they are rich in dietary fiber and abundant in phytonutrients and antioxidants, and a good source of B-complex vitamins. Heat a cored apple in the microwave for a few minutes with a sprinkle of cinnamon for a warm and delicious dessert.
•Cranberries, typically harvested in the fall months, offer many health benefits. These little berries contain high amounts of phytochemicals and antioxidants such as Vitamins C and A. Their health benefits are highest when fresh, some is lost once processed. They can be used fresh or dried in salads, sorbets, muffins, pie-fillings, breads and ice cream. With the holidays coming up, we typically see them as sauces, jams or jellies.
•Pomegranates are considered by some as a “super fruit” due to their many health benefits. This fruit is a rich source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, a good source of Vitamin C, vital B-complex groups such as folate, pyridoxine, vitamin K, and minerals like calcium, copper, potassium and manganese. It can be enjoyed fresh or as a juice.
•Pears, available in many varieties, shapes and sizes, are also low in calories with good dietary fiber and a moderate source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health. Don’t forget to try Asian Pears for a sweet and crispy treat.
•Beets, known for their rich red color, are a great source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Raw beets are an excellent source of folate, however it decreases once this tuber is cooked. The top greens are also an excellent source of vitamin C. Beets are great hot or cold and can be roasted or boiled for a variety of serving methods. Once roasted, they have a wonderful, slightly sweet flavor and mix well with a roasted veggie medley.
•Eggplant is a versatile fall favorite that is a good source of fiber, folate, potassium, manganese, vitamins, C, K, and B complex. This vegetable can be used in casseroles, dips or dishes such as Eggplant Parmesan or ratatouille.
• Do not forget leafy green vegetables that are grown through fall. Collard greens, spinach, kale and Swiss chard are rich sources of antioxidants such as Vitamins C, A, K and B-complex. They also contain copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. There are many ways to serve these healthful beauties such as raw in salads or cooked as side dish. Try kale chips instead of potato chips for a low calorie and healthy snack. Lightly spray clean leaves with olive oil and bake in the oven at 275 degrees for about 20 minutes until crispy. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and enjoy.
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Nutrition is often an integral part of the quality of life before, during and after a cancer diagnosis. One of the best things you can do before ever being diagnosed with cancer or before treatment starts (besides maintaining a healthy weight) is consuming a diet rich in antioxidants, which are cancer-cell fighting nutrients.
The best sources of antioxidants are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The fiber in these foods will also help you fill up on fewer calories, essential for maintaining a healthy weight.
Increased cancer risk is also associated with excess weight and lack of sufficient physical activity (less than 150 minutes of physical activity per week).
To find out if you are overweight or obese, you must first find your body mass index. To calculate your BMI, take your weight in pounds, divide by your height in inches, and divide by your height in inches again. Finally, multiply this number by 703. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and stand 66 inches tall (5 foot 6 inches), then your BMI is 24.2 (150 ÷ 66 ÷ 66 × 703 = 24.2), which is considered healthy.
If your BMI is less than 18.5, you are considered underweight; 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy, 25.0 to 29.9 is overweight and 30.0 or greater is obese. BMI is only an estimate, not a rule; however, it is a helpful tool in gauging whether your weight may be putting you at risk for developing cancer or other diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
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Across West Africa, families struggle to provide young children with sufficiently diversified diets composed of the nutritious foods needed to provide the essential amino acids as well as micro- and macro-nutrients required for proper growth and development.
Getting the right nutrients in the right quantity is of utmost importance for children’s health and nutrition. Good nutrition is therefore not just a matter of sufficient quantity, but also adequate quality of food. Without the right type of nutrients in the right quantity, a child’s body fails to grow properly, which can lead to stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies. The first two years of a child’s life are a particularly important period; because this is a time of rapid growth, children’s nutrient needs are high.
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When the Shaker Heights company PurUS Health LLC launched its Good Greens bars last year, they were filling a need in the market for a bar with a fairly small and recognizable ingredient list, one that was low in sugar and fat and reasonable in calories, plus high in antioxidants. It’s a bar that tastes pretty good, too.
The market responded. Three of the Good Greens flavors hold the No. 1, 2, and 3 rank in nutrition bar sales in the Cleveland metro area. Good Greens says its bars offer 100 percent of the daily fruit and vegetable requirement through its proprietary Z-52 superfood powder, which contains vitamins, dehydrated fruits and vegetables.
The bars — which are raw, vegan, gluten-free and low-glycemic acquired a fan in Dr. Roy Buchinsky, wellness director for University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center. He considers them healthy and likes how they taste, so he introduced them in the cafeterias at University Hospitals.
“Some of the components of the bars have been shown to have clinical benefits with regard to how the body functions,” Buchinsky says. “It’s something I can comfortably recommend to my family and my patients.”
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Jeanne Louise Calment (21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997) was a French supercentenarian who had the longest confirmed human lifespan in history, living to the age of 122 years, 164 days
Calment’s remarkable health presaged her later record. At age 85 (1960), she took up fencing, and continued to ride her bicycle up until her 100th birthday. She was reportedly neither athletic, nor fanatical about her health. Calment lived on her own until shortly before her 110th birthday, when it was decided that she needed to be moved to a nursing home after a cooking accident (she was having complications with sight) started a small fire in her house. However, Calment was still in good shape, and continued to walk until she fractured her femur during a fall at age 114 years 11 months (January 1990), which required surgery.
Calment smoked from the age of 21 (1896) to 117 (1992), though according to an unspecified source, she smoked no more than two cigarettes per day. After her operation, Calment needed to use a wheelchair. She weighed 45 kilograms (99 lb) in 1994.
Calment ascribed her longevity and relatively youthful appearance for her age to olive oil, which she said she poured on all her food and rubbed onto her skin, as well as a diet of port wine, and ate nearly one kilogram of chocolate every week.

Many of society’s most devastating diseases — cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s, to name a few — share a common denominator: faulty angiogenesis. William Li presents a new way to think about treating cancer and other diseases: anti-angiogenesis, preventing the growth of blood vessels that feed a tumor. The crucial first (and best) step: Eating cancer-fighting foods that cut off the supply lines and beat cancer at its own game.

Make the stove and the insulating bricks.

Build a pulse-sensing headband that flashes a heart-shaped LED display to the beating of your heart!

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Arduino project for catching my cats on the kitchen counter, while they’re up there doing food intelligence work 🙂

Arduino nano in iPod Touch box. Switch arms toy gun, Knob controls trigger distance. Opto-isolators fire toy gun.

Maxbotic ultrasonic rangefinder senses distance and determines if sonar field has been interrupted ( by cat). The gun just makes a silly little ‘p-tang’ sound and flashes a red LED in it’s barrel. The cats seem to completely ignore this 🙂

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