Finding Balance

Archive for the ‘Science’ Category

Most people have bad breath at sometime but some foods and drinks can be the cause of the problem. Dr. Harold Katz, author of “The Bad Breath Bible” talks about the subject in his book. We all know the onions and garlic contribute to bad breath. Cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts are also culprits. These vegetables have high concentrations of sulphur compounds. The sugar and dairy proteins in chocolate candy helps promote bad breath.

Many mouthwashes and toothpaste formulas are the same as they were 100 years ago. Many mouthwashes still contain a high concentration of alcohol which dries out the mouth. Some toothpastes contain sodium lauryl sulfate (the chemical term for soap).

To keep fresh breath, avoid sugar. Look for sugar-free products. Drink plenty of water and drink tea instead of coffee.

Source: The Flint Journal

 Algae fuel is the hottest topic going in an eco-friendly world. It’s also called algal fuel, oilgae, algaeoleum and third-generation bio fuel. Algae and other organisms capture carbon dioxide and sunlight and convert it into oxygen and biomass (photosynthesis).

Approximately 99% of the carbon dioxide can be converted. This was shown in 1992 by Weissman and Tillett in large open-pond systems. As of 2008, this type of fuel is still too expensive to replace commercial fuels. However, several companies and government agencies are funding efforts to reduce operating costs and make the production of algae oil viable.

Due to the economic problems in the world, high oil prices and other bio fuel sources, interest has grown in farming algae (algaculture). Fresh water sources are not affected: it can be produced by using ocean and waste water and are highly biodegradable and relatively harmless to the environment.

Oil comes from millions of years of buildup from algae and other natural residues and is buried, compressed and drilled. It is figured that this supply will be depleted on 300 years so alternative forms of energy have to be looked at. Research has shown that algae could supply enough fuel to meet all of America’s transportation needs in the form of biodiesel using only 0.2% of the nations land.

Algae, often called “pond scum” is the ultimate in renewal energy and 20 patents are held by Glen Kertz, a plant physiologist and entrepreneur. The U.S. Department of Energy studies using algae as an alternative fuel from 1978 to 1996 but it was decided that algae oil could never complete economically with fossil fuels

 The Pink Dolphin, also known as botos is a friendly animal whose only enemy is human. They live in the rivers of the Amazon. Their brain capacity is more than 40% greater than humans, but they still get hurt and killed by them and are now an endangered species because of this. Their pink color comes from the water it lives in, the food it eats and capillaries close to the surface of the skin. The rain forests where the Pink Dolphins live are endangered because of human destruction and chemical dumping in rivers. Pink Dolphins are also caught in fishing nets. To try and help stop the decline in their numbers, many captive breeding programs have been started.

The dolphins have a long beak to get prey and small eyes which help them see well in the water. Pink Dolphins can swim at a speed of up to 20 mph. They have very little to protect themselves. They might use their flippers (also used for mating) and their long beaks. Their best protection is staying in a pod or group. When in danger, the dolphins can make squeaking sounds to call to it’s pod. Pink Dolphins eat large quantities of food every day. Not liking to eat alone, they’ll make a loud sound to call the rest of their pod. They enjoy crustaceans, catfish and small water fish. At night, they search for zooplankton.

The dolphins are similar to grey dolphins but have some differences. It doesn’t have a dorsal fin. Instead it has a hump on it’s back. The Pink Dolphin’s tail is bigger and it has two flippers that look like leaves. The neck is long and there is a little hump in the forehead and it has the ability to turn it’s head 180 degrees.

Plain and simple I LOVE JEWELRY especially rings. My favorite stone is an emerald and my ideal ring would have an emerald-cut emerald with a wide white gold band. If I ever win the lottery that will be my first purchase. Until  then, I ‘ll just have to settle for drooling over various pieces.  San Diego Diamond Buyers have an interesting job as they sort, grade and price diamonds.  Diamond is from the ancient Greek word “adamas” meaning unbreakable. The carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of a lattice and may contain impurities caused by boron (responsible for grey/blue colors) and nitrogen (most common impurity found in diamonds). Diamonds have the optical ability to disperse light of different colors.

A Jewelry Store In San Diego is known for it’s exquisite diamonds. and it’s information about diamonds and their formation history. They are also an option to Sell Watch San Diego along with other pieces of diamond jewelry.

Two little known diamond facts:

*in 2008, the 35.56 carat blue Wittelsbach Diamond that once belonged to the King of Spain sold for US $24M at auction

*a 5 carat vivid pink diamond sold for US $10.8M in Hong Kong

In June 1997, Paul Kraus heard the dreaded word mesothelioma , a form of cancer associated with work involving asbestos.  Cancer in any form is always a very scary word and is usually a death sentence. Paul was given only a few months to live. After the initial shock wore off, Paul and his family decided to “fight the good fight”.  Doing extensive research on the disease and  knowing he did not want chemotherapy, surgery or radiation, Paul learned about alternative treatments. He and his doctors worked to create his own regimen to heal him.

Twelve years later, he has regained an excellent quality of life. Wanting to pass on his knowledge to others, Paul wrote “Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient’s Guide”. His book is currently the best selling mesothelioma book in the world. To help others rally against their mesothelioma cancer diagnosis, a free copy of Paul Kraus’s book is available. Paul encourages people not to ignore medical advice and treatment but to look at all options.

A diagnosis does not have to be the end of a quality life. A person who remains positive and is open to all forms of treatment and therapy and is willing to investigate and commit to one that can give positive results doesn’t have to fear the calendar.

Sharks have been around for approximately 400 million years so they must be doing something right. Is this due to their resistance to cancer and other diseases? Shark cartilage  has been sold by health food stores with the claim that it can “cure cancer”. It’s advertised as having many curative powers based on the belief that “sharks don’t get cancer“. Carl Luer of the MOTE Marine Laboratory’s Center for Shark Research has been studying the shark’s resistance to cancer. Luer has said “Sharks have a low incidence of disease” but not only do they get cancer, they can get cartilage cancer.

They have been fished commercially since the 1800’s and there have been few reports of anything out of the ordinary when removing internal organs or preparing the meat for market. Sharks have been dissected for years by medical students because their basic systems are like humans but in a simpler form. Luer says that sharks aren’t entirely cancer free, which is a mistaken perception that has gained acceptance. Gary Ostrander, professor of Biology and Comparative Medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore says that just because there’s not a lot of evidence that they do get cancer doesn’t mean that sharks aren’t getting cancer.

The first shark tumor was recorded in 1908. Since then, scientists have discovered benign and cancerous tumors in 18 of the 1168 species of sharks. In 2000, an accidentally caught blue shark was found to have cancerous tumors in it’s liver and testes. Several years later, a cancerous tumor was removed from the mouth of a sand shark.

Sharks, like humans, seem to contract tumors in response to environmental toxins and pollutants. They seem to develop tumors in response to foreign objects/bodies (one shark developed mouth cancer after a hook was embedded in the side of it’s mouth). Despite the evidence that shark cartilage has no curative powers against cancer, sharks continue to be harvested for their cartilage.

DEATH (the permanent termination of a person’s biological functions) is inevitable. Most people have accepted that on one level or another. Others feel that life expectancy can be doubled or tripled from what it is now. Some people are terrified enough to spend vast amounts of money to put it off as long as possible with a new phenomena (mainly for the injured or terminally ill) by being cryogenically frozen. It’s not the “mad scientist” from old films whose doing the research now. It’s major corporations who are doing it and are looking at cryogenic freezing from an investment standpoint.  Often the terms “cryogenics” and “cryonics” are used interchangeably.

This procedure can be done in California, (for approx. $150,000.00). One of the first cryonics organizations (Cryonics Society of California) was formed in the 1960’s by Robert Nelson, the principal organizer. There are currently five organizations that offer cryonic suspension and all of them are in the United States.

DOES IT WORK? Not yet according to the Aclor Foundation  (non-profit, located in Scottsdale, AZ) which is the main company handling cryogenic freezing. Applicants have to go through a very complex legal process in order to gain entry. Then they must become a member of the Foundation. Alcor is the world leader in cryonics, cryonics research and cryonics technology. According to them “Cryonics is the science of using ultra cold temperature to preserve human life with the intent of restoring good health when technology becomes available.” Alcor is not for interment purposes.  As soon as possible after a legal death,  Alcor intervenes to preserve the brain as well as possible.

The theory behind cryogenics is the eventually, whatever ails you, will be curable and you will be thawed out. But why freeze a damaged or aged body? Some people are looking to freeze just their heads (wouldn’t this restrict their quality of life when thawed?).

Many issues are under fire regarding cryonics including : philosophical, religious, ethical and psycological  beliefs. There’s also the questions: Is aging a curable disease and will the temperature destroy structure?

There’s a rumor that resurfaces often that Walt Disney arranged to have, upon his death,  himself frozen in a chamber full of liquid nitrogen. Not true! Walt died after  suffering a heart attack  (he also had cancer) and was cremated two days later.  However, baseball great Ted Williams was placed in frozen, suspended animation with Alcor after his death.