Right, That was the Top Six ~ Now for 'The Top Ten !

The top 10 super foods

All foods, even battered Mars bars, can be said to have some nutritional value.
But there are 10 that are so beneficial to your health they are known as 'super foods'.
Check them out here:

1. Apples
Over 7,500 varieties of apple are grown throughout the world. They are packed full of antioxidants, especially vitamin C for healthy skin and gums - one apple provides a quarter of your daily requirement of vitamin C.
Apples also contain a form of soluble fibre called pectin that can help to lower blood cholesterol levels and keep the digestive system healthy.
An apple is also a carbohydrate with a low glycaemic index (GI) type.
Low GI foods are digested slowly; once they are finally broken down in the intestine they are gradually absorbed into the bloodstreams as glucose, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar levels.
They may help with weight control, as well as improving diabetics' long-term control of blood sugar levels.

2. Baked beans
The humble baked bean is a nutritional powerhouse of protein, fibre, iron and calcium. It contains carbohydrate that, like that in apples, is of the low GI variety.
The tomato sauce covering baked beans is also a good source of lycopene, another powerful antioxidant shown to help prevent heart disease and prostate cancer.
The insoluble fibre in baked beans is not digested but moves into the large intestine, or colon, where bacteria act on it and produce short-chain fatty acids.
These fatty acids are thought to nourish the colon lining and protect it from carcinogenic (cancer-causing) invaders.

3. Broccoli
Just two florets - raw or lightly cooked - count as a veggie portion.
Not only does broccoli contain antioxidants including vitamin C but it's a particularly good source of folate (naturally occuring folic acid).
Increasing your intake of folic acid is thought to be of major benefit in preventing heart disease.
Broccoli also contains an antioxidant called lutein that can delay the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This affects 10 per cent of people over 60 and is a major cause of impaired vision and blindness.
Finally, broccoli also contains a phytochemical called sulphoraphane that has specific anti-cancer properties.

4. Olive oil
Several large studies suggest that the monosaturated fat in olive oil is good for the heart. Olive oil lower bad cholesterol levels and increases the good levels.
Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants - it's probably one of the key protective aspects of the so-called Mediterranean diet.
Watch out for the calories - a little goes a long way. A tablespoon of oil contains 120 kilocalories, which is the same as a large slice of bread and butter.

5. Wholegrain
Seeded Bread Breads containing a lot of seeds and wholegrain have a low GI, which can protect against heart disease, reduce hunger pangs, and help with weight control.
They are also packed with fibre, which keeps the gut working efficiently; and seeded breads contain essential fatty acids.
Studies show that including four flices of soya and linseed bread a day can give a does of phytoestrogens, through to relieve "hot flushes" in menopausal women.
The downside is that bread contains a lot of salt. However, the good news is that bread manufacturers have started to use less salt in their pre-packaged bread.

6. Salmon
All fish is a source of good-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, but oily fish such as salmon also contains omega 3 fats that reduce blood clotting and inflammation.
Studies show that eating oily fish dramatically recues the risk of having a heart attack, even in older adults.
Omega 3 fats also help to prevent depression, and protect against the onset of dementia. Yep, it's true, fish really is an all-round brain food.

7. Tea
The drink loved by all Britons has a range of useful properties.

The caffeine content is helpful for stimulating alertness, mood and motivation.
Tea counts towards the recommended eight cups of fluid daily, which is the minimum to avoid dehydration.
Tea, whether black or green, is a rich source of the antioxidant called catechins. Studies suggest that catechins protect the artery walls against the damage that causes heart disease and prevents formation of sticky blood clots.
Some population studies suggest as little as one cuppa a day seems to offer some protection.

8. Yogurt
Yogurt is an easily absorbed source of calcium. It's also a useful milk subsitute for people who can't digest large amounts of the milk sugar, lactose.
Yogurt has long been credited with a range of therapeutic benefits, many of which involve the health of the large intestine and the relief of gastrointestinal upsets.
The bacteria Lactobacillus GG, added to some yoghurt, are not digested, and reach the large intestine intact where they top up the other friendly bacteria living there.
The friendly bacteria fight harmful bacteria, including Clostridium difficile that can cause diarrhoea after a course of antibiotics.

9. Bananas
It's a myth that bananas are fattening.
Bananas are slightly higher in energy than other fruits but the calories come mainly from carbohydrate; excellent for refuelling before, during or after exercise.
Bananas are also jam-packed with potassium that helps lower blood pressure, and vitamin B6 for healthy skin and hair.

All types of fruit and vegetables contain plant chemicals or phytochemicals known as antioxidants.
These antioxidants protect cells in the body against damage from free radicals that can cause heart disease and cancer.

10. Brazil nuts
Brazil nuts are one of the few good sources of selenium that may help protect against cancer, depression and Alzheimer's disease.

All nuts are generally full of essential vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Recent studies suggest that eating a small handful of nuts four times a week can help reduce heart disease and satisfy food cravings.
(Printed in Daily Mail, 22nd December 2005~ Extract... from Nutrition for Dummies, (Wiley)

Six super foods every woman needs (and they won't harm the menfolk either!)

Six Foods which help fight against cancers and other illnesses

Nutritionists say the following six "super foods" should be included in every woman's diet as often as possible;

1. Low fat yogurt - Nutritionists say yogurt has the potential to decrease the risk of breast cancer and can reduce problems associated with digestive tract disorders and stomach ulcers.

2. Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel - Fatty fish is packed with two types of omega-3 fatty acids. It helps protect women from heart disease, stroke, hypertension, depression, and may even Alzheimer's disease.

3. Beans - Beans are a good source of protein and fiber. They're low in fat and help protect against heart disease and breast cancer.

4. Tomatoes (or watermelon, red grapefruit, red navel oranges) - All these fruits contain the nutrient lycopene, which may protect against breast cancer and fight heart disease.

5. Vitamin D fortified low fat milk or orange juice - Recent studies show vitamin D could help prevent up to one-half of all breast, colon, and ovarian cancer ...

6. Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries) - These berries are packed with anti-cancer nutrients and anti-oxidants, which help cell repair, decrease risk of several cancers, protect the heart, and also may protect against skin aging.

Source; ABC News (Local)Monday, December 10, 2007

I was fascinated to read today of how Stagecoach, a large bus operator here in the UK, has cast doubt on whether it will be using a newly built £4m bus station.

The bus station is viewed by local people and politicians alike as an integral part of a regeneration project based in the centre of Dunfermline in Fife. Stagecoach has been quoted as saying that it is
" ... currently working out whether its timetables could be altered so that services could stop at the bus station".
The Queen Anne Street bus station is part of a £100m investment project in the town centre.

As the single biggest operator of buses in the town, if Stagecoach decide not use the bus station, it has been suggested there would be significant lack of the new bus station. Councillor, Willie Sullivansaid today,
"I think it's ridiculous these private monopolies holding the citizens of Dunfermline to ransom."

On the other hand, holding out hope that the station would not become an expensive 'White Elephant', Councillor Tony Martin, chair of the environment and transportation committee, said:
"... a significant number of out-of-town and intercity services and all services from the west of Fife will be using the bus station."
SOURSE

As a non-driver, I feel Strongly that bus companies should be made to serve the public and not simply their share-holders.
It should be virtually 'written in stone' that, whenever such facilities are built, whether or not they are a as part of any regeneration project, that Public Transport services are neither withdrawn or re-routed simply to suit an operator's owner's whim.

Surely the intervening period between the date when the old bus station was closed and the opening date for the new bus station, said to be approx. three months from now, should have been sufficient time for any Traffic Manager to have trialled any potential running times and had everything ready for the opening instead of chilly shallying around in such a amateurish fashion?

A Poem ~

For Anyone Who is Missing Anyone This New Year

Close Your Eyes
Author Unknown

I can't be with you today
but if you close your eyes and think
I'll be beside you in the kitchen
wearing your shirt - standing by the sink.

I'll be with you in the bedroom
waiting quietly on your bed
Just close your eyes and think of me,
relive those memories in your head.

I'll stand by you in the bathroom,
an unlikely place to meet
I'll smile at you so playfully
as I brush my teeth.

I'll be your light in the darkness,
shining steady through and through
You only have to watch it glow
to know I think of you.

I'll be the music that you listen to,
I'll be there in every song
I'll laugh with you and sing with you,
and comfort you when your day's gone wrong.

I'll be the wind that ruffles your hair,
I'll be that warm embrace;I'll be the hand on your shoulder,
I'll be the tender touch on your face.

I'll be the clock gently ticking,reminding you of the times;
We've shut the rest of the world outsidewe're in our own world - yours and mine.

I'll be the moon as it dances
on the water cold and still

For I have loved you always
and I know I always will.

Though you may not see me physically
as you live your life today
Just close your eyes and think of me

I will not be far away.

The Future of This Blog ~ or ~ The Future & This Blog

Well, this is it, the day I start using this blog in a whole new way!

From here on in I intend to be adding 'articles' about things I Care about.

The Environment, Aging, the Gender Gap, Consumerism, Threats to Society etc etc etc.

OK, I know, all that sounds more than a little Dull, and you'd be quite right in thinking that.
Much of what I feel strongly about can be considered dull and much of what I write here will have originated in the form of 'news stories' and such. However, they will have been edited (by me) before reaching your eyes and more than a little of this blog's content will be in the form of witticisms,'funnies', lateral thinking, and sometimes just plain Daft thoughts.

So, let's get on with it, shall we?