Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 9/1/2012
Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 9/1/2012 |
- Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 9/1/2012
- Blood Test May Reveal Menopause Age
- Summer Infant Recalls to Repair Baby Bathers
- 3 Things You Need to Know about Eating Protein
- Raise Your Glass! It's Shape May Influence Your Drinking
- Multiple Aerosol Paint Canisters Recalled by Sherwin-Williams
- Divided brain is root of our divided self
- September 2012 Numerology Forecast
- Thai Group says Steve Jobs reincarnated as warrior-philosopher
| Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 9/1/2012 Posted: 01 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT  "We need never be bound by the limitations of our previous or current thinking, nor are we ever locked into being the person we used to be, or think we are." ~Allan Lokos       Read More @ Source 
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| Blood Test May Reveal Menopause Age Posted: 01 Sep 2012 03:00 AM PDT
Doctors may be able to predict as early as a woman's late 30s the age at which she will eventually experience menopause, based on how quickly the levels of one hormone in her blood change, according to a new study. Researchers studied 293 women in their 30s and 40s, taking blood samples over several years to measure their levels of anti-mullerian hormone, or AMH, which is produced by the ovaries. They found that the amount of year-to-year change in AMH levels provided a good predictor of when the women experienced menopause. Currently, the only way to estimate when a woman will enter menopause is by using her age — the average age that menopause occurs is 51, but women can also experience the change in their 40s or late 50s, according to the National Institutes of Health. The new study showed that AMH levels explained nearly 82 percent of the variability between women. Additionally, the researchers found that the women whose AMH levels changed the most reached menopause two years earlier on average, compared with women whose levels changed the least. "AMH levels have added another indicator," of the age menopause will begin, said study author Ellen Freeman, a research professor at the University of Pennsylvania. This is helpful because age "is not a wonderfully accurate predictor, it's just an available predictor," she said. The women in the study underwent blood tests every nine months for five years, and researchers followed them for up to 14 years later to see when they actually entered menopause. It was known that AMH levels decrease as women age and approach menopause. The researchers found that combining a woman's age, hormone levels and the extent to which hormone levels were changing provided the most accurate indicator of the age at which she'd begin menopause. Predicting how far a woman is from entering menopause could be useful to women with fertility problems, and those facing an increased risk of other health issues that may be affected by menopause, such as osteoporosis or heart disease, Freeman said. But, she noted, the test is intensive, requiring patients to submit to repeated blood tests over a 3- to 5- year span, which may be difficult. Furthermore, while the study showed that the blood test predicted the menopause age for groups of women, it may be less accurate for any one individual, she said. The test is not likely to work in women younger than their mid-30s, because AMH levels don't start declining until women are at least that age, Freeman said. "In our sample, the youngest women were 35." Kathleen Hill-Besinque, a women's health researcher and associate pharmacy professor at the University of Southern California, said the results were scientifically interesting, but added that she wasn't sure when this test might become useful in a clinical setting. Additionally, the study researchers didn't compare their method of calculating menopause age to calculations based on the ages a woman's mother or sisters experienced menopause, Hill-Besinque said. The age of menopause is believed to have a genetic component. However, Besinque said that the test could be used to help women with other health problems, or even further down the line, to encourage women to become healthier to delay menopause. For example, women who smoke tend to go through menopause sooner, and showing them how the habit affects their age of menopause could have "a tangible impact on their health," she said. The study was published online Aug. 24 in the journal Fertility and Sterility. Pass it on: A blood test may be able to predict when a woman will go through menopause. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. Find us on Facebook and Google+.  Read More @ Source 
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| Summer Infant Recalls to Repair Baby Bathers Posted: 01 Sep 2012 03:00 AM PDT
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with Summer Infant Inc., of Woonsocket, R.I, announced a voluntary recall of about 2 million Mother's Touch/Deluxe Baby Bathers in the United States and an additional 65,000 in Canada. Hazard: When the bather is lifted and/or carried with an infant in it, its folding wire frame can suddenly disengage from the side hinge, dropping the baby out of the bather, posing a fall hazard and a risk of serious head injury to infants. Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Summer Infant have received seven reports of incidents in the U.S., including five reports of infants suffering head injuries from falls from the bathers. Four children between two weeks and two months old received skull fractures, including one that required intensive care for bleeding on the brain. The fifth child received a bump to the head requiring emergency room treatment.  Description: This recall involves Summer Infant baby bathers with a small, nearly square blue or pink plastic base measuring about 13 ½ inches long by 12 ½ inches wide and with the following model numbers listed below. Model numbers are located either on the side of the baby bather near the warning label or on the front near the wash instructions. Some units have multiple model numbers. Model numbers with an additional letter at the end of the model number are also included in this recall.
 The bathers have adjustable side hinges with five rivets each and a white wire frame with a mesh fabric sling seat and two or three positions for the seats. Some also have a head support cushion. The fabric seat comes in various colors including white, blue, green, yellow and orange with fish, turtles, butterflies, frogs, flowers and duck patterns. Bathers manufactured since July 2007 include the warning "Never lift or carry the bather with infant in it." Sold at: Mass merchandise stores nationwide and on the Web from September 2004 through November 2011 for between $ 15 and $ 30. Manufactured in: China Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the bathers and contact Summer Infant for a free repair kit that includes a locking strap and instructions. Note: Even with the new locking strap installed, the baby bather product should never be used to lift and carry an infant. Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Summer Infant at (800) 426-8627 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.summerinfant.com/batherrepairkit. Do not return to stores as the retailers will not have the repair kit Note: Health Canada's press release is available at http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1675. Read More @ Source 
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| 3 Things You Need to Know about Eating Protein Posted: 01 Sep 2012 02:00 AM PDT
Protein is an essential part of the human diet, and most Americans eat plenty of it. Adults should eat a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight daily — that's about 58 grams for a 160-pound adult, according to recommendations from the Institute of Medicine. "We're a meat-, poultry-, fish-focused society," said Julie Metos, a dietitian at the University of Utah. "When we think of a meal, it's usually some form of meat, surrounded by starches or veggies on a plate." At any meal, consuming 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish, or half of a cup of cooked beans, is what's suggested. Portion sizes in the U.S. are often bigger than that, Metos said. Three ounces of protein is a serving about the size of the palm of your hand, she said. "But a hamburger at a fast food place is usually 4 ounces. And if you get a double burger, it's 8 ounces." While eating more protein than what's recommended is not necessarily bad for you, if the excess protein in a diet is contributing to excess calories, it can contribute to weight gain. Here are three more things you should know about protein. A high-protein diet may help with weight loss — but only for a little while. Although there is some evidence to suggest that high-protein, low-carb diets help people lose weight more quickly than low-fat, high-carb diets, it remains unclear if high-protein diets can work for the long term. In a 2007 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers looked at 311 overweight and obese women, and divided them into four groups. Each group followed either the Zone diet (which roughly balances protein, carbohydrates and fat intake), the Atkins diet (high protein, low carb), the LEARN diet (low fat), or Ornish diet (low fat) for one year. At the end of the study, they found that women on the Atkins diet, who ate the most high-protein meals, lost about 10 pounds, while women in the other groups who lost between three and six pounds. But experts have said that not all the women in the study stuck with their assigned diets. Metos said that current research suggests focusing weight-loss efforts on reducing the number calories you eat. "The protein, fat and carbohydrate content is not a factor, as long as the calories are reduced." "Some people report they feel more full with a higher-protein diet, so it could help them indirectly to lower their calorie intake, but over time it is not shown to be better," she said. Adding more protein to your diet doesn't promote muscle growth. In a 2004 study, researchers looked at whether adding more protein to an athlete's diet would affect performance and muscle build. They found that while athletes — especially those involved with sports that require a lot of endurance and muscle power, such as long-distance runners or football players — may benefit from increased protein intake, most athletes in the study get enough protein from their regular diets. Even body builders need only a little bit of extra protein to support muscle growth, which they can get by eating more food, reports the National Institutes of Health. "People who are trying to get into shape think they need more protein, so they drink protein shakes," Metos said, "but they probably don't need that at all." Eating too much protein can be bad for your health. The health risks of eating too much protein greatly depend on what kind of protein you eat, but some high-protein foods are also rich in saturated fat, which can raise the risk of heart disease. "It's OK to eat a little extra protein, as long as you keep your calories in check," Metos said. "Protein has calories, so if you eat a little too much, and don't exercise, it can get stored as fat." In a large study published in the June issue of the British Medical Journal, researchers looked at nearly 44,000 women in Sweden, who were in their 30s and 40s at the study's start, who completed dietary questionnaires. After 15 years, the study group experienced 1,270 cardiac events, such as heart attacks and strokes. The researchers found that for every 20 fewer grams of carbohydrates that study participants ate daily, and 5 more grams of protein eaten daily, the risk of heart disease increased by 5 percent. In addition to heart disease, studies suggest that eating high amounts of protein can contribute to high cholesterol levels, gout and may put a strain on the kidneys, especially those who suffer from kidney disease. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. We're also on Facebook & Google+. Read More @ Source 
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| Raise Your Glass! It's Shape May Influence Your Drinking Posted: 01 Sep 2012 01:00 AM PDT
How quickly you down an alcoholic drink may depend on the shape of the glass you're holding, a new study suggests. In the study, participants were asked to drink beer from either a straight-sided glass, or a curved "beer flute." People took about almost twice as long to finish when drinking alcohol from the straight-sided glass, compared with the curved glass. There was no difference in drinking rates from the glasses when the drink was nonalcoholic. People may swill their alcohol faster from curved glasses because it is more difficult to accurately judge the halfway point of these glasses, the researchers speculated. As a result, drinkers may be less able to gauge how much they have consumed. "People often talk of 'pacing themselves' when drinking alcohol as a means of controlling levels of drunkenness, and I think the important point to take from our research is that the ability to pace effectively may be compromised when drinking from certain types of glasses," said study researcher Angela Attwood of the University of Bristol's School of Experimental Psychology in the United Kingdom. In another experiment, participants completed a computer task in which they were shown pictures of two glasses containing varying volumes of liquid, and asked to judge whether each glass was more, or less, than half-full. The researchers found people made greater errors in judging the halfway point of the curved glass. The participants who showed the greatest error in these judgments also tended to show the greatest changes in their drinking rates, the researchers said. The speed at which people drink alcohol influences their level of intoxication, and the number of drinks they consume on an occasion. Therefore, slowing down is likely to have a positive impact for the individual, and also at a population level, the researchers said. Pass it on: The shape of a glass may influence how quickly we consume alcohol. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. We're also on Facebook & Google+. Read More @ Source 
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| Multiple Aerosol Paint Canisters Recalled by Sherwin-Williams Posted: 01 Sep 2012 12:00 AM PDT
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Sherwin-Williams Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer products: Product: About 98,400 Krylon® Triple Thick Crystal Clear Glaze and Krylon® Indoor/Outdoor Crystal Clear Acrylic Paint  Treehouse Studio acrylic aerosol canisters recalled. CREDIT: CPSC. Product: About 17,850 Tree House Studio™ Clear Acrylic Matte Coating
 Dupli-Color automotive paint aersol canisters recalled. CREDIT: CPSC. Product: About 2,700 Dupli-Color® Perfect Match™ Automotive Paint  Batch and UPC code placement. CREDIT: CPSC. Hazard: The aerosol canister can leak, posing a fire hazard to consumers if the can is stored near a source of ignition. Manufactured in: United States Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and contact Sherwin-Williams for a refund. Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact Sherwin-Williams toll-free at (888) 304-3769 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.sherwin-williams.com. Read More @ Source 
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| Divided brain is root of our divided self Posted: 31 Aug 2012 10:00 PM PDT I'm fascinated by the human brain. It's a mini-universe. A mini-universe that is me. So what I'm fascinated by is the same entity that is doing the fascinating, which is to say...me. Go figure. I can't. There's no way I can get outside of my brain and look upon it objectively. Nobody can, not even supposedly elevated mystics and meditators. Show me someone without a working brain and you're showing me someone dead. However, neuroscientists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other scientifically-minded students of the human brain know a lot about its structure and functions. I've read quite a few books about the brain written by people expert in modern neuroscience. But the book I'm reading now is appealingly different. It was recommended in a comment on one of my posts. Whoever did so, thank you (I've forgotten who you are) because I'm really enjoying "The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World." Iain McGilchrist, the author, is described as an "experienced psychiatrist and a shrewd philosopher." After reading just 60 pages of the 462 page book (plus lots of footnotes) I can tell that McGilchrist indeed knows his neuroscientific stuff, is an excellent writer, and has the ability to interpret brain research in a strikingly fresh fashion. Right away I was struck by the author's repeated references to Western World. Since brains don't differ in humans (so far as I know, at least), why should the West have been affected differently than the East by the divided brain? I don't know if McGilchrist will address this question, but he does spend eight pages in the back of the book talking about What we could learn from Oriental culture. Which is, basically, to not let the abstractions created by the left hemisphere of the brain overwhelm the concreteness of the right hemisphere. The pattern of psychological differences between Oriental people and Westerners suggests the possibility of a different relationship between the hemispheres. It is striking, for example, that the Japanese language does not have an established method for composing abstract nouns, and has no definite or indefinite articles, considered to be a crucial step in the emergence of abstract nouns in Greek. The Japanese have nothing that corresponds to the Platonic Idea, and in fact no abstractions in general: they have never developed the dichotomy between the phenomenological world and the world of ideas. Nakamura writes: The Japanese are willing to accept the phenomenal world as Absolute because of their disposition to lay a greater emphasis upon intuitive sensible concrete events, rather than upon universals. This way of thinking with emphasis upon the fluid, arresting character of observed events regards the phenomenal world itself as Absolute and rejects the recognition of anything existing over [and above] the phenomenal world. The sharp dichotomy in our culture between the ways of being of the two hemispheres, which began in Ancient Greece, does not appear to exist, or, at any rate, to exist in the same way, in Oriental culture: their experience of the world is still effectively grounded in that of the right hemisphere. I'm learning, though, that both hemispheres normally are involved in just about everything the brain does. So when people say "I'm a left brain person" (or a right brain person), this isn't literally true. It's the division of labor between the hemispheres that's key, not an absolute distinction between them. McGilchrist has a lot to say about how the divided brain relates to the divisions we sense in both the world outside and inside of us. I've only scratched the surface of what is in his fascinating book. But here's one insight I've gotten from what I've read so far that fits with a recent post: "Oneness" is an abstraction. "Manyness" is reality. Often people look upon the right side of the brain as being the spiritual side, all intuitive, holistic, big picture'ish. That's sort of true, yet also largely false -- if "spiritual" is taken to refer to an other-worldly realm. As noted in the passage above referring to how Japanese people view reality, a main mission of the right hemisphere is tuning in to concrete here-and-now'ness. Nature, in other words. Not abstractions like "God," "soul," "spirit," "morality," "love," and such. These notions are the province of the left hemisphere. In this section McGilchrist points to how left-brained religious belief is: The right hemisphere prioritises whatever actually is, and what concerns us. It prefers existing things, real scenes and stimuli that can be made sense of in terms of the lived world, whatever it is that has meaning and value for us as human beings. It is more able to assimilate information from the environment without automatically responding to it, and, posssibly as a result, the developing right hemisphere is more sensitive to environmental influences. At the same time the left hemisphere is more at home dealing with distorted, non-realistic, fantastic -- ultimately artificial -- images. This may be because they invite analysis by parts, rather than as a whole. But it does appear that the left hemisphere has a positive bias towards whatever is bizarre, meaningless or non-existent, though the data here are particularly hard to interpret because most studies have not sufficiently distinguished confounding elements. ...The left hemisphere, because its thinking is decontextualised, tends toward slavish following of the internal logic of the situation, even if this is in contravention of everything experience tells us. ...The left hemisphere can only re-present, but the right hemisphere, for its part, can only give again what 'presences'. This is close to the core of what differentiates the hemispheres... Abstraction is necessary if the left hemisphere is to re-present the world ... The right hemisphere deals preferentially with actually existing things, as they are encountered in the real world. Both hemispheres of the brain are vitally important. But we need to recognize when the left brain, through its re-presenting, is leading us astray from the real world. That's what religions, spiritual practices, and mystical paths do when they aren't focused on how life is actually lived, but veer off into those distorted, non-realistic, fantastic, artificial images McGilchrist spoke of in the passage above. Then we get divided off from reality, because of the left-hemisphere dominance of our divided brains. 
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| September 2012 Numerology Forecast Posted: 31 Aug 2012 03:00 PM PDT  unstable The universal September numerology forecast indicates that is going to be a very unstable time and it is best not to make any major decisions ... Read the rest for the #5 below. The number information in italics is for the current month's universal forecast. To find your own personal month: add your month and day of birth and the current month and year together like in the example below. Example: Feb 3, September 2012 #1 – New EnergySeptember brings new energy and you are off to a new start that could in the end turn out to be only temporary, but nevertheless an unexpected opportunity. You have a strong sense of beginning even if the goal is not in sight yet. You are restless and have the urge to move. Don't be surprised by an event that comes your way that you will remember for a long time. Most challenges will come from others this month. #2 – Be Very PatientSeptember will turn out to be a frustrating time requiring you to be very patient. Above all try your best to stay tactful at all times and pay extreme attention to all details. You will be gathering information rather than taking action. Be kind to yourself and treat yourself well. Being loving and sympathetic will help you accomplish more. #3 – Very ScatteredYou will be tempted to be extravagant, so it is best to keep your credit cards under lock and key. This is a very scattered month and a great time to take short trips. Timing is also great for selling and attending trade shows and markets will pay off. If your into the arts, you could star in a play, write, dance or entertain. There is also the possibility that you could be away from your mate for a while. #4 – Work, Work and More WorkYes your read right, this month is all about work. You will be learning much through obstacles and challenges. Your main priority this month will be your family responsibilities, but at the same time remember to also take good care of yourself. #5 – Very RestlessIn this restless time period you feel confused and scattered. Be careful not to get into conflicts (although they may be needed to clear the air). Travel is a great idea this month. Working only part time, if you can is another. Go out and promote yourself, perform or sell. You could have sexual problems. During this unstable time it is a good idea not to make any major decisions. #6 – Physically TaxingPay close attention to your schedule during this very physically taxing month as promises you have made must now be kept. Resist becoming embroiled in family fights. Direct your attention and energy on redoing the house. Be very, very clear about your priorities. Others will be very demanding and you may become stubborn in maintaining your position. #7 – Use Your IntuitionPresently your are seriously questioning your goals and life-style. This is a time to get in touch with your higher self. Use your intuition. Do not try to assert your will, it will not work. Also be careful about over-stimulation and fatigue, take your vitamins. If you have the opportunity retreat to the country and be patient with money. #8 – Very BusyThis busy month is going to be full of work, tasks and money. Your authority will be very much in evidence and you are asked to prove yourself. Your education is going to be important. You might go to school if necessary. Be very careful with investments. This is a testing period and very important for your growth in the material world. Don't give up. #9 – A Pivotal MonthThe overwhelming influence this month is completion. You are now concluding your entire nine-year cycle and may feel confused and not knowing what's next. Just relax and go with the flow. Don't fight it. Let things resolve themselves. Realize that all things are working out as they should. Taking a long-distance trip is what what doctor prescribed this month. Be tolerant and easygoing and don't start anything new. If you want more in-depth information about you and your life based on Numerology I can guide, just contact me. Are you looking for numerology books? Have look at these Numerology Books at Amazon.com Related Posts:
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| Thai Group says Steve Jobs reincarnated as warrior-philosopher Posted: 31 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT A rather quirky Stress Reduction organization has taken the distasteful, and I must assume dishonest, step of making claims about Steve Job's rebirth. Many people only became aware that the Apple leader was a BUddhist when he died last year after a prolonged battle with cancer. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Dhammakaya Group in Thailand is now claiming that "Mr. Jobs has been reincarnated as a celestial warrior-philosopher .. and he's living in a mystical glass palace hovering above his old office at Apple's Cupertino, California headquarters." The WSJ pointed out that the widespread grief many felt after Jobs' passing took an odd form, when some of hisadmirers in Malaysia "gathered on a tropical island and in a religious ceremony each took a bite from an apple before flinging the fruit into the sea in a bid to speed up his reincarnation." Now, over in Thailand, Phra Chaibul Dhammajayo, who is the abbot at the Dhammakaya Temple north of Bangkok, is claiming that Mr. Jobs has already been reborn.
The WSJ charitably notes that "Phra Chaibul's claims are impossible to corroborate." it seems reasonable to assume that they are, in fact, either fabrications or delusions. It also notes that Chaibul has faced criticism for his claims, which have been accused of being part of a fundraising campaign. Sadly, that sounds about right. I have to say that Dhammakaya's claims smack of an attempt to profit from the death of a prominent Stress Reduction. It is salutary for us to remember that the Stress Reduction world is not as "pure" as we sometimes might like to think it is. Read More @ Source
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