The strong display of the southern lights, or aurora australis, came over the weekend on the back of a coronal mass ejection from the sun.
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Bring Me Another Smurf
This is so bad! You know when you laugh and cringe at the same time? I can’t decide whether to call it a linge or a craugh.
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Ride The Dragon
Try this two-second test for colon cancer risk
From a Nutrition and Healing newsletter:
It won’t cost you a penny. And you don’t need to visit a doctor’s office.
But, believe it or not, you can figure out in just two seconds flat whether you’re at an increased risk for potentially deadly colon cancer.
All you have to do is look at your belly and do some simple maths.
UK researchers have found that if your belly circumference has increased by 10 centimetres — that’s less than 4 inches — over the past decade, you’re 60 per cent more likely to develop colon cancer.
And you can bet there are millions of people in that boat.
The research was just presented at the 23rd United European Gastroenterology Week 2015 in Barcelona, Spain, where researchers said they also found that every 5-point increase in your Body Mass Index (BMI) can increase your colon cancer risk by 18 per cent.
So what does being overweight have to do with colon cancer? In a word, everything.
You see, carrying around extra pounds can trigger chronic inflammation. And this inflammation can trigger a host of life-threatening diseases, from diabetes to heart disease to cancer.
Colon cancer is nothing to fool around with. It’s one of the most common types of cancer and it kills about 130 people every single day.
The good news is you can lower your risk of colon cancer by burning off that belly weight through exercise and better eating choices, like trying the Paleo Diet.
Research has shown that this so-called “caveman diet,” which focuses on fresh meats and vegetables our ancestors would have eaten, can help you lose weight and is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help your body fight all sorts of illnesses.
I recommend Paleo to my patients all the time, and the weight loss I’ve seen has been dramatic.
One last tip — if you want to shed that belly fat fast, avoid too much sugar and especially high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS in particular is regularly converted by your body into liver and belly fat.
Heartburn Medication Risks
From a Nutrition and Healing newsletter:
Heartburn can be agonizing. So I understand why you’d take anything you could to make the pain and irritation go away.
But if you turn to some of the most popular acid-blocking drugs on the market, you could be setting yourself up for permanent organ damage.
Or even early death.
A new study from Johns Hopkins found that people who take proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) could be up to 50 per cent more likely to suffer from chronic kidney disease.
That’s alarming, because people who suffer from chronic kidney disease may not notice any symptoms before it’s too late and their kidneys stop working altogether.
Even worse, another recent study looked at PPI users and found that they were 76 per cent more likely to die early.
That’s not surprising when you look at how these drugs work.
You see, PPIs don’t just block stomach acid. They keep your body from properly absorbing nutrients like B12, vitamin C, magnesium and calcium, all things you need for a healthy heart, brain, bones and immune system.
So while these PPIs may give you some short-term heartburn relief, they can set your health on a dangerous downward spiral.
If you’ve ever taken PPIs for any length of time, it’s probably a good idea to have your doctor check the health of your kidneys through blood and urine tests.
And for natural heartburn relief, look for proven supplements like peppermint, liquorice, and probiotics that can help control stomach acid and settle your stomach.