Introduction

Caffeine is good for you. There's just as much truth in that as much as the reasons for the War in Iraq. Yes, the dreaded WMDs that they intended to launch at you, possibly using a catapault (or a hundred people holding it up to the sky) from the old days. You really don't know what to make of it with conflicting reports stemming from everywhere these days.

And of course, coffee and cigarettes go hand in hand like Thelma and Louise. Wait till you go off that cliff, seriously buzzed! And so with coffee around, who needs amphetamines anymore!

And while people go about drinking a zillion cups of coffee a day just to stay awake at the boring office meeting where that client just can't seem to shut up despite not making any sense either, one should realize that a line has been crossed. Nothing exceeds like excess and its cuts both ways. But before we study the effects of caffeine on our body, let's learn some basic facts about caffeine.

Caffeine

Apart from being the most widely used legal psychoactive substance consumed in the form of tea and coffee, it also works as a natural pesticide that kills insects that feed on the plants. (Any reason why I put these two facts together?)

While it does not affect the the mental functions of human but restores alertness by temporarily warding off drowsiness, the USDA considers it to be a safe product to consume.

Of course, the leaves of the tea bush and the bean of the coffee plant are its most common sources apart from various foods and drinks derived from the Kola nut. The Yerba Mate, Guarana berries and the Yaupon Holly are also sources. Most of the popular energy and soft drinks also contain caffeine.

Perhaps a look at 'How Caffeine works in the body' could shed some light on how too much of anything can turn out to be an issue!

How Caffeine is metabolized

Yes, the magic does happen when caffeine is metabolized (or broken down) in the liver by the Cytochrome P450 oxidase enzyme system into three different products that have their own unique effects on the body. (And has it taken me sometime to 'metabolize' these chemical names!)

1. Paraxanthine (84 %)

It is the chief metabolite of caffeine (look at the percentage above) and increases lipolysis (breakdown of triglycerides into free fatty acids) thus increasing the levels of fatty acids and glycerol in the blood plasma, and acts as a psychoactive central nervous system stimulant that is less potent than caffeine itself.

2. Theobromine (12 %)

This substance increases urine volume as well as blood vessel dilation.

3. Theophylline (4 %)

This by-product relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi i and is also used as a treatment for asthma.

All three compounds are dimethylxanthines, which act as nonselective adenosine receptor antagonists, or block these neurotransmitters that slow down cell activity (during sleep especially!) leading to the release of adrenaline and thus one shakes out of their drowsiness.

And while the  body develops a tolerance to the drug due to the one's addiction to caffeine, there comes a time when the body becomes oversensitive to adenosine leading to headaches in its mildest form while caffeine intoxication leads to gastrointestinal complaints, diuresis, flushed face, excitement, insomnia, nervousness, and restlessness.

And there's more…

In Closing

On the other hand, some reports say that caffeine prepare fat for burning and suggest that one should drink a cup of coffee before exercise apart from other positives. All this might be true but the bottom line is that one must control the number of cups of coffee to at least 3-4.

And this is why Matt Dillon said: Everything should be done in moderation; even moderation itself!

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Introduction

Recently, I read an article which spoke about the Brassica family consisting of turnips, kohlrabi, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and good old broccoli. What it said was that three little compounds found in any vegetable of this family has immune boosting and anti-cancer properties.

Yes, of course. It's old news (thanks to the folks but until now everyone just knew that veggies were good for you. And why? Because Mom (or grandmom) said so.

And where did they get this information from?

Who knows? But as it turns out, according to the research by scientists, your mom, grandmom, aunt, (and wherever she got this nugget of information from) was apparently spot on! And we needed them to tell us that…

Speaking of wisdom emanating from home… er… also known as home remedies, there is a nice little remedy that one can use to remove earwax but first, let's look at what earwax is, before getting to the home remedy.

Ear Wax

It's that yellowish waxy substance that you can't wait to get rid of  (for the women) or can't be bother to remove for decades (for the men). Medically, it is called 'cerumen' and is the by-product of alcohols, cholesterol, squalene, long chain fatty acids and keratin (skin protein).

As delightful as this sounds, the thing is that the production of earwax is a result of the body's metabolic processes and which is responsible in ear canal protection, cleaning and lubrication.

So, for all of you who think that its yucky and all that, it actually has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties preventing ear infections and in its absence, one can have dry and itchy ears to deal with.

However, as with all things in excess, and even though earwax acts as the ear's natural defense system, too much of earwax prevents one from hearing too well. (Well, now you know why men don't listen!)

Removing Earwax

In this case where there is an excess accumulation of earwax, quite a few people are of the opinion that hydrogen peroxide is a good way to remove the earwax.

And here's how one can go about it (but do read the Precautions List if you're trying this immediately rather than going Oops!):

Materials Required: Hydrogen Peroxide (3 percent), cotton balls, eye dropper, olive or almond oil, a bulb aspirator (normally used for babies who haven't yet learned to pick their nose yet) and preferably a spotter (nurse, mom, sister, wife or girlfriend – OK, strike off the last one!)

Step One: Keep the hydrogen peroxide and the almond/ olive oil in a bowl of warm water so its temperatures increase as well, and which the dissolution of the earwax.

Step Two: Tilt your ear to add the heated oil and hydrogen peroxide with the ear that is to be treated facing the ceiling.

Step Three: Use the eye dropper to add 2-3 drops of oil. Wait for 2-3 minutes.

Step Four: Add 2-3 drops of warm hydrogen peroxide in the same manner.

Step Five: Stay in the same position until the hydrogen peroxide stops bubbling. You can place a towel on your shoulder to absorb any kind of spillage.

Step Six: In the instance of impacted earwax, one will have to repeat Step one to five repeatedly.

Step Seven: Now, comes the draining process. Fill the bulb aspirator with warm water and tilt your ear over the sink. Position the bulb aspirator at about 45 degrees to the ear and squirt water into the ear, which will remove and loosen any remaining earwax. Let it drain out after that… and you can do this 2-3 times.

And we're done!

Precautions in Removing Earwax

There are some folks who should not follow the aforementioned procedure such as those who:

a) suffer from ear pain

b) have hearing impairment

c) have sensitive skin.

And if you have ear blockage symptoms, consult a professional physician immediately before trying this procedure.

In Closing

So, girls, clean your man's ears… maybe that's the problem! It's probably that or as always it's just that he's just preoccupied with nothing!

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Introduction

Watching folks fall while water skiing might be fun when you're sitting in front of the television set and watching America's funniest water videos, but getting out in the sun and daring yourself to travel at such high speeds is something else.

Look at this video, which is only slightly relevant to travelling at a high speed and water, but it is a treat to watch: Water Slide – Video

To most folks that I did see it with, it was jaw-dropping… amazing, just amazing! What a rush, man!

Water sports can do that for you, while also keeping you in shape with, of course, the danger of making it into a bloopers video now and then. Hey, what the hell, your fifteen minutes of fame… right?

Water Sport Types

The classification for one to understand water sports is very simple. The three common types (not unless these freaks hooked to making bloopers videos come up with something else!) are the ones in the water, on the water and under water.

The most common sports that you would see in the 'in the water' type are swimming, water polo, synchronized swimming and diving off springboards. Yes, these are sports that are a part of the Olympics as well as popular competition.

Some of the activities and sports under water include scuba and free diving, underwater hockey and rugby and rather singularly, underwater photography.

Amongst the three, the sports on the water outnumber the other two groups, and some of the most popular ones include canoeing, surfing, waterskiing, parasailing, fishing and the mother of all water sports, white water rafting.

Picking a water sport for fitness

Depending on your level of fitness and if you want to have fun while you are at it, one can pick any of these sports of which, the first type requires a lot of practice (as almost everyone of those sports listed are competitive in nature!).

Not only does perfecting these sports take years and years of practice but it requires dedication and focus to such as extent that achieving fitness using these sports is not just a goal but a serious requirement.

When it comes to the second type, these are the easiest of the lot but since you need to be under water, you need to know how to swim. If you don't, then it would be better to learn how to, and then try this list of sports.

Actually speaking of swimming (read: in the water sports), if one learns how to swim as well as a fish, that itself can help you achieve fitness to a large extent as the average number of calories burnt per hour is around 600.

It's the last list of sports that can be real fun where even beginners can try them, and the calories burned are sometimes far more than conventional exercises that one might use to workout with.

In Closing

Almost all the sports listed here, if used as exercise for an hour, can burn at least 300 to 600 calories while the vigorous effort of bodybuilding will help you lose about 200-4oo calories.

Trying water sports is not a bad idea at all, if you want to lose weight quickly, however, it is a good idea to stay from acts of daring as shown in the video above.

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Introduction

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Talor Lautner

Still, he was a good looking kid and for the first film his physical appearance worked perfectly.

But for the second film? Not so much. Because New Moon focused primarily on the character of Jacob Black and his werewolf clan, director Christopher Weitz apparently wanted a somewhat more intimidating and – dare we say it? – manlier male lead.

Allegedly, when Talor heard that the powers that be were thinking of replacing him, he started a whirl wind physical transformation that exceeded all expectations. In just one year he gained over thirty pounds of muscle.

Wow.

Talor Lautner Workout

So how did he do it? Well, first off, his physical shortcomings apparently worked in his favor. Lautner's trainer, Jordon Yuam, says, "Inexperience works to your advantage.

The less muscle you have, the easier it is to gain muscle mass more quickly." According to Yuam, eat right and follow a smart workout regimen.

Further, push yourself. If you can lift 120 pounds easily, try 150 with a good spotter. Your body will get used to the same weight if you let it, so it is crucial that you always attempt to take your work out to the next level.

However, vary things up. Like with any work out, if you are constantly doing the same routine, your muscles will adapt and you won't see an improvement in your workout. Use different machines. Lift different weights.

Jordon Yuam also encouraged Talor Lautner to cut down on cardio. Sure, it's important to include some cardio in your workout, but if you have trouble building mass, increased cardio will only cause you to lose weight.

If you are cycling or running for more than twenty minutes at a time you are doing too much. It's also important to work your body side-to-side.

Most workout machines only focus on a back and forth motion. By incorporating side-to-side work-out routines, your muscles will be much more versatile.

This was especially important for Talor because he performs his own stunts.

Finally, it is crucial to take every third day off to allow your muscles time to recover. Overworking your body is one of the easiest ways to destroy a workout regimen.

If you follow these steps, you will be well on your way to gaining mass like Talor Lautner!

Elizabeth McDowell is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on online universities for Guide to Online Schools.

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Introduction

It happened at lunch. My boss joined the entire team and of course with these MNCs, they insist on employees eating a fruit or two after the crappy food that they serve. And what runs is that 'Another Brick in the Wall" song by Pink Floyd…

Well, my boss came in and showed us how to cut a (thankfully!) fresh mango and it was very different from the caveman-like method of cutting it straight while the juice drips and rolls down your arm while you devour its sweetness like a hungry beast.

Apparently, with the food & beverage background in the sevice industry, cutting fruits and vegetables were like an artform, and did he impress us that day!

Actually, that's the only thing he impressed me with… winky wink… and probably confirmed what he was doing here in the first place!

And that's perhaps something we all share in common these days no matter where we live, as long its in a civilized setting. In taking inspiration, let's look at the way one can cut another fruit such as the pineapple…

Steps to cutting a pineapple

In comparison to other fruit, a pineapple is not only a tricky but a pricky fruit to cut, so handle it with care when proceeding to do so. The items required to complete this seemingly mundane task are a cutting board, a sharp kitchen knife and of course, a pineapple that is soft to the touch, gives way when a little pressure is applied to the bottom and has nice fragrance to it.

Now if you are preparing something using pineapple as one of its ingredients for a special occasion, one should buy it a day or two before so that it is fresh and ready to cut.

Step One: pull out the spine from the top. Easy?

Step Two: Next, move to the top of the pineapple. Pierce the skin with the tip of the knife after which you just have to cut the top off. Do the same thing with the bottom as well.

Step Three: Stand the pineapple back to its normal position and cut the skin of in strips. As you finish cutting off one strip, rotate the pineapple to cut off the next strip as well.

Step Four: Cut off all the strips until you are left with a cylindrical shape of pineapple flesh which is its core. Make sure that the way you cut these strips ensure that you are only left with the pineapple flesh and no traces of its skin

Step Five:

Option 1: Depending on how you want to present the pineapple pieces, one can cut them either by placing them sideways, and cutting them in such a way that you get little circular pieces of pineapple.

Look for pictures (and instructions) of how to do this at this link: Cutting a pineapple

Option 2:  Bring the pineapple flesh to its upright position, and cut it in the same way you cut the strips of skin off the pineapple until, all you have is the core.

Here's a video that describes this method: Cutting a pineapple

The only difference between the two is that with the former, you will have to cut out the core for each cylindrical piece cut whereas for the latter, all you have remaining once you've cut is the core.

In Closing

Wilderbeast or not… there's nothing like devouring the sweet flesh of a mango, and in this case, a pineapple. Not unless you have to fight for it, though…

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Introduction

Recently, we went out out and purchased some indoor plants since my mother likes gardening. It's such a fascinating trip and by this I mean, the fabulous idea of having plants around the house.

Not only does the place look better but you build your own little 'oxygen tent', thanks to the process of photosynthesis that releases oxygen as a by-product.

And with pollution taking its toll on those who frequent the highways and streets of whichever city in the world you live in, a few plants at home never hurts.

The bottom line being that all plants purify the air but there are a few indoor plants that work best when it comes to relieving its immediate environment of carbon-dioxide among other toxins and pollutants that we can unaware of.

The Purification of Air

Apart from just carbon-dioxide that we exhale on a daily basis, there are several toxins and pollutants that are present due to the stuff we have at home.

Some of these items include printing inks, lacquers, varnishes, paints and adhesives which contain trichloroethylene while formaldehyde is virtually present in almost every home in the form of urea-formaldehyde, foam insulation, particle board or pressed wood products, as well as consumer paper products such as grocery bags, waxed paper, facial tissue and paper towel some of which are treated with formaldehyde resins.

Finally, benzene is also commonly found in homes everywhere in items such as oils, inks, gasoline, paint, plastic, rubber while also being used in the manufacture of dyes, detergents, pharmaceuticals and synthetic fibers.

Remember that all this information wasn't even known until NASA came up with a study to determine the best indoor plants to have around the house in order to remove pollutants and toxins that might be present without our knowledge.

The 1989 NASA Study & the "sick building syndrome"

Along with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA), NASA conducted a study that lasted 2 years and whose findings clearly wanted to use indoor plants as a way to combat the "SICK BUILDING SYNDROME".

In fact, these indoor plants were found to be so effective in absorbing contaminants that they planned to take some of these plants into outer space as biological life support systems for orbiting space stations.

The Top Ten Indoor Plants For Air Purification

So here are the top ten indoor plants that are most effective when it comes to clearing the air from pollutants and toxins:

1. Peace Lily – Spathiphyllum

2. Marginata – Dracaena Marginata

3. Mass cane/Corn Plant – Dracaena Massangeana

4. Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii

5. Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium

6. Warneckii – Dracaena “Warneckii”

7. Janet Craig – Dracaena “Janet Craig”

8. Chinese Evergreen – Aglaonema Modestum

9. Bamboo Palm – Chamaedorea Seifritzii

10. English Ivy Hedera Helix

11. Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii

In Closing

What came to my attention is the year when the study was released, and since then not many substantial studies have been conducted but hey, if you did pay attention to your biology lessons, you'd know that this information is probably enough to get you your own set of indoor plants (based on these recommendations!) if the aesthetic reasons aren't enough.

What piques my interest is how these plants looked when they were floating around in zero gravity… or was it the case of the 'space pen'?

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Introduction

Food. It's one thing that people cannot do without. Strangely enough, binging and purging are activities that the species of humans are accustomed to, at the height of their superiority on Planet Earth, so to speak.

Balance is key in an effort to maintain one's fitness with extremes (at either end!) not being acceptable. Look at these anorexic types as well as those who live in denial by eating everything in sight and expecting everyone to just love them while they hold to these habits that shorten the duration of their lifespan.

The expectation, by itself, is unrealistic and is along the lines of Mark Twain's "If I had a drinking problem, I'd drink all the time".

The rest of the species on Earth don't seem to have this problem, and know exactly when to stop when they've had enough. After too much of anything no matter how good it is will be a bad thing.

In the case of plants, the way they make food is by the process of photosynthesis, and it should be noted that on the cessation of this natural process, all life on this earth can begin to count the number of days they will survive.

And the reason for this: the release of oxygen that is vital to the lives of every living creature on this planet, including us all-knowing humans as well.

Photosynthesis

If you've had the pleasure to fill your house with plants like some of us have had, the bottom line for plants to make food is the availability of sunlight and water. Period.

And since they're not necessarily mobile, they are dependent on other agents in nature to help them in sourcing these vital requirements for their survival and growth.

From the chemical reaction perspective of photosynthesis, what goes in (absorbed by the plants) is CO2 and water and what comes out is oxygen (a by-product) while the simple sugars are used for food.

And this is done by harnessing the light energy of the sun, which works to convert the carbon-dioxide into simple sugars. The light-grabbing business is taken care of by the pigment known as chlorophyll while the roots of the plants ensures that it absorbs minerals and water (not unless you get off your a** and water those plants yourself), thus bringing both necessary ingredients together in order to begin the first stage of photosynthesis known as the light-dependent reactions.

In a process known as carbon fixation, the carbon-dioxide absorbed is converted into sugar like glucose and by storing them in molecules known as ATP and NADPH.

In the second stage of photosynthesis that does not depend on the presence of light, these products are captured and carbon-dioxide which is captured from the atmosphere is reduced to ultimately form sucrose and starch.

In Closing

In danger of  sounding repetitive, this unique yet universal process is what most lifeforms depend on, as the release of oxygen is vital to the survival of all of mankind. So, get busy and plant a tree or at least save trees from being cut down. It isn't something that we can afford to take lightly…

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