Making nutrition labels more useful

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How many calories are in that yogurt? How much salt is in that soup? To many people, the nutrition label on packaged food is a given, something that seems always to have been part of the wrapping. But the calorie or sodium or fat content of packaged foods used to be a mystery.

It was only two decades ago, with the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, that key nutrition facts were required to be printed on almost all packaged foods. (That law did not cover meat or poultry products, but the Agriculture Department synchronized its regulations for meat and poultry with those of the Food and Drug Administration.) Then-FDA Commissioner David Kessler made sure that the information would be rendered clearly, in contrast to ingredient lists, which are often printed in a tiny, hard-to-read font. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its final regulations in January 1993. The only substantive change since then has been the addition of a line for trans fat in 2006.

Everyone involved in the passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act knew that the information on, and perhaps the design of, the label would have to be updated as nutrition science evolved and as the public used (or didnt use) labels. Millions of health-conscious people consider nutrition labels essential when they buy food, but the labels are showing their age. Improving food labels could spur companies to market much healthier foods and encourage consumers to make smarter choices.

One problem is that because of advances in nutrition research since 1993, calories and refined sugars are considered more important today, and concern has shifted from total fat to saturated and trans fats. A bigger problem is that the standard label offers two dozen numbers. But who, other than a nutritionist, might know whether to put back a food that is high in vitamin C and fiber but also high in sodium and saturated fat?

Some problems could be easily fixed. The labels should display calorie content more prominently. Sugars should include only refined sugars added to food and not the naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables and milk. Since and partly because trans fat was added to nutrition labels, most artificial trans fat, from partially hydrogenated oil, has been eliminated from foods. The FDA should protect consumers health and simply ban partially hydrogenated oil, obviating the need for a trans fat line. And consumers would be helped tremendously if the labels highlighted high amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.

But those changes still would not address label complexity, which can leave many shoppers mystified. What consumers need is easy-to-comprehend information on the front of food packages.

Perhaps the smartest approaches rate foods by giving them credit for the nutrients we should be eating more of and subtracting credit for the bad stuff. Hannaford Bros. and Food Lion supermarket chains give all foods zero to three gold stars, depending on the balance of nutrients. Everyone can understand these simple ratings, which are printed on shelf tags rather than on labels.

The NuVal system, which is used on shelf tags by Raleys, Hy-Vee and two dozen other supermarket chains, rates all foods on a scale of 1 to 100. That approach allows people to scan dozens of salad dressings, breakfast cereals or frozen dinners to see which have the highest, or best, numbers.

For several years, the FDA has studied updating food labels to ensure they reflect the latest nutrition science and dietary trends. New regulations might be proposed this year, followed by a period for public comment. The agency has also explored approaches for presenting information on the front of packages.

Lets hope that, in a few years, food packages will have second-generation labels that really will move our population toward healthier diets. But lets also hope that Americans eat a lot of foods that dont have labels and are the healthiest: fresh fruits and vegetables.

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Making nutrition labels more useful

Canada In Vitro Diagnostics Market Analysis and Forecasts to 2017 in New Research Report at RnRMarketResearch.com

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RnRMarketResearch.com adds Latest Report on Canada In Vitro Diagnostics Market Outlook to 2017 Clinical Chemistry Genetic Testing, Haematology, Histology And Cytology, Immuno Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and Microbiology Culture to its store.

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) January 13, 2013

This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis of industry experts.

Scope

Market size and company share data for In Vitro Diagnostics market categories Clinical Chemistry, Genetic Testing, Haematology, Histology And Cytology, Immuno Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and Microbiology Culture.

Annualized market revenues (USD million) data for each of the segments and sub-segments within seven market categories. Data from 2003 to 2010, forecast forward for 7 years to 2017.

2010 company shares and distribution shares data for each of the seven market categories and global corporate-level profiles of key companies operating within the Canada In Vitro Diagnostics market.

Key players covered include Siemens Healthcare, Abbott Laboratories, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Beckman Coulter, Inc., Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc., bioMerieux S.A. and others.

Get your copy of this report @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/canada-in-vitro-diagnostics-market-outlook-2017-clinical-chemistry-genetic-testing-haematology-histology-and-cytology-immuno-chemistry-infectious-immunology-microbiology-culture-market-report.html

Reasons to buy

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Canada In Vitro Diagnostics Market Analysis and Forecasts to 2017 in New Research Report at RnRMarketResearch.com

Arbitrator says no to extended longevity pay for school district employees

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An independent arbitrator has decided that longevity pay is not a given for classified employees of the Douglas County School District.

On Dec. 20, San Francisco arbitrator William E. Riker ruled in favor of the district office that long-standing step and longevity salary increases are subject to negotiation and therefore do not automatically extend beyond the term of an employment contract.

First and foremost is recognition by the parties that at the expiration of the term of a collective bargaining agreement, unless specifically exempted, all of the articles of a contract are on the table, Riker wrote in his decision. Frankly, recognizing the reality of the district's funding sources, as well as the financial circumstance the school district may be facing in 2013, the association's position on step increases is not the more reasonable.

The decision was the result of an impasse in negotiations between the district and the Douglas County Support Staff Organization. According to arbitration proceedings, union membership rejected a tentative agreement last summer because of one sentence in the contract regarding step increases.

That sentence stated that step increases would last only for the life of the two-year contract, which expires in June 2013, meaning affected employees would receive checks retroactively for the preceding fiscal year as well as increased salaries this year.

The union protested to the word only, which later was deleted from the draft language, but also to the sentence itself that limited step increases to the contract period.

This position was supported at the hearing through the testimony of Ms. Haskins (DCSSO Past President Debbie Haskins), wrote the arbitrator, when she responded to questions while under cross-examination that: We have just always been given our five-year step increase, our one, two, three, four, five, 10, 15, and 20 step raises, so the concern or the knowledge that, really, the district's intent was to take away our longevity raise, I didn't even have a concept of that because it has never been that way, and never had they threatened to take it away.'

The district's response, according to the proceedings, was that step increases do not exist outside contractual negotiations:

On July 30, 2012, the district's superintendent (Lisa Noonan) wrote to Ms. Haskins that: Step increases are a form of compensation. There is an additional cost to the district's budget each year if step increases are provided. Compensation is a required area of bargaining. I am not aware of anything in NRS or in the current contract that makes step increases mandatory or automatic.'

According to DCSD Human Resources Director Rich Alexander, the step increases in question would affect only 74 of roughly 400 classified employees in the district and would cost about $56,000. That includes a 2-2.5 percent pay raise each year in the first five years of employment, and a 5 percent raise in the 10th, 15th and 20th year of employment.

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Arbitrator says no to extended longevity pay for school district employees

Health and longevity

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Action needed, not investigation

The article Thursday about poor longevity in the U.S. echoed what the World Health Organization has been reporting for many years [Under 50? Living in U.S. is risk to health, page one, Jan. 10].

The WHO ranks the U.S. at the bottom of developed nations in healthy longevity. How can this be? We have the finest health care in the world, right? Wrong.

The drug companies run the show, and their products are, on average, not as efficacious or benign as the natural medicine that prevails in less advanced cultures, not to mention being a lot more expensive.

If people will step outside the box and pursue prevention and therapy at the hands of naturopaths and enlightened MDs, they will not be captured by these miserable statistics. Of course, the usual suspects, like diet, obesity and lifestyle, must also be dealt with.

The route to better health and longevity is clear. We simply have to take it.

--Murray Swanson, Issaquah

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Seven wellness spas to dewinterize body and mind

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While luxury spas are aplenty, wellness spas have a different take -- alongside a steady menu of massages and facial treatments, spagoers can consult with physicians, lose weight, quit smoking, sample "detoxifying" body treatments, and enjoy specialized meal plans -- often set in some of the most pristine places in the world. Here are a few top spas that aim to heal body and mind.

Canyon Ranch Tucson Tucson, Arizona, US http://www.canyonranchtucson.com

As if the serene desert setting weren't enough, guests can savor healthy meals, hikes and fitness programs, as well as medical testing and consultations with physicians. Also includes individualized detox programs, smoking cessation programs, and lectures.

Kurotel Longevity Center & Spa Gramado, Brazil http://www.kurotel.com.br

Founded by Dr. Luis Carlos Silveira and his wife Neusa about three decades ago, this wellness center specializes in preventative medicine and weight loss. Offers seven small gourmet snacks per day, exercise classes, and a Kneipp walking pool.

Longevity Wellness Resort Monchique, Algarve, Portugal http://www.longevitywellnessresort.com

Three hours from Lisbon, the eco-friendly Longevity Wellness Resort is focused on wellness and anti-aging. Features 135 one-bedroom suites with sea and mountain views, detox treatments, and in-depth medical consultations. Also treat yourself to meditations, fitness classes, yoga, Pilates, and five bars.

Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa Miami, Florida, US http://www.pritikin.com

This wellness spa focuses on clean, healthy foods and is staffed with 10 physicians who consult guests on weight loss and healthy living. Also features indoor and outdoor pools, healthy grocery shopping classes, golf and tennis options, and spa services.

SHA Wellness Clinic Alicante, Spain http://www.shawellnessclinic.com

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Seven wellness spas to dewinterize body and mind

At meeting in Austin, a confluence of atmospheric science and spirituality

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As ashen skies began soaking Central Texas last week, meteorologists from across the country and beyond met in Austin to ponder something not heard on the nightly weather forecasts: spirituality.

In a meeting room at the Austin Convention Center, about a hundred atmospheric scientists contemplated questions about the roles of science and faith in their lives. In the lively dialogue, they asked how they could help educate people of faith about global warming and the environment.

Do we check our spirituality at the door at scientific conferences? asked Timothy Miner, who led the discussion at the annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society.

Over four days, more than 3,000 participants attended scores of panels and town hall-style meetings addressing weighty topics one would expect atmospheric scientists to sink their teeth into. But Tuesdays session stood out like snow in Austin. Miner, a former weather officer and pilot for the Air Force, joked that it surely was one of the few times spirituality and atmospheric science were discussed in the same setting.

The American Meteorological Societys official statement on climate change is that Earths lower atmosphere, ocean and land surface are warming; the sea level is rising; and snow cover, mountain glaciers and Arctic sea ice are shrinking. It cites the dominant cause of warming since the 1950s as human activity and says that avoiding future warming will require a large, rapid reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2011, a U.N. committee called for faith-based initiatives to promote stewardship of the Earth, and it urged scientists to help educate religious communities and organizations about the future of the planet.

In an interview after Tuesdays discussion, Miner, now a commercial airline pilot and a chaplain who lives in Virginia, said scientists have a responsibility to share their knowledge with the world so that Earth can be preserved for future generations.

Its not just my personal faith to God, but my responsibilities to the greater body, to all of us together, Miner said.

In a show of hands, the vast majority of participants at the meeting said they belong to religious faiths. But some said they sometimes struggle sharing science with people of faith who have doubts about global warming or who believe that God created Earth and humans can do little to influence it.

Barry Goldsmith, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Brownsville, said hes often asked if he believes in global warming.

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At meeting in Austin, a confluence of atmospheric science and spirituality

Experts dwell on links of science, spirituality, mental health

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Bangalore, Jan 12 (IANS) Academics from India and five other countries Saturday stressed on link between science, spirituality and mental health to help mankind cope with increasing pressures of modern life.

They were speaking at symposium on "Science, Spirituality and Mental Health", organized here by the Art of Living (AoL) Foundation.

The symposium's objective was to highlight "significant scientific research that shows how spiritual practices from Vedic traditions can positively impact the mental health and wellness of an individual in meeting the challenges and increasing pressures of the modern day world", AoL said in a release.

Academics from India, Indonesia, Norway, Australia, Canada and US took part.

"Yoga is a science of mind - it begins with modulating the consciousness. And quantum theory also speaks of the fact that everything is made of one energy; field called mind and space that is called consciousness," AoL founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said inaugurating the symposium.

Matcheri Keshavan, professor at Harvard medical school, dwelt on how "the collaboration of Eastern wisdom and modern western science to achieve optimum results in mental and physical wellness."

Russell D'Souza, professor at Melbourne University, pointed out that "new idea of spiritual intelligence is gaining momentum which has more importance than emotional intelligence and physical intelligence".

Fahri Saatcioglu, professor at University of Oslo, spoke on socio-environmental factors that affect genes. "If there are too many stresses in our life, the immune system breaks down."

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Experts dwell on links of science, spirituality, mental health

14 Parts To Ike And Back – Kerbal Space Station Forum Challenge – Video

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14 Parts To Ike And Back - Kerbal Space Station Forum Challenge
Challenge on the Kerbal Forum to try and get to a planet or moon with as few parts as possible. Most followed the same design, and went to the Mun. I figured to try something new and also a new target. Wont win any prizes, but great fun trying. And surprisingly successful.. The audio commentary and music mix is a first try, dont mind it too much yet. Will get better mic soon. Right Free Background Music by Jahzzar: freemusicarchive.org

By: MachineMarkoeZ

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14 Parts To Ike And Back - Kerbal Space Station Forum Challenge - Video

Astronauts – First Human Space Flight – Project Mercury – Video

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Astronauts - First Human Space Flight - Project Mercury
Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program running from 1959 through 1963. The 7 astronauts in this project were: Lieutenant Malcolm S. (Scott) Carpenter, Captain Leroy G. (Gordon) Cooper, Lieutenant Colonel John H. Glenn, Captain Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, Lieutenant Commander Walter M. Schirra, Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard, and Captain Donald K. (Deke) Slayton.

By: Bel99TV

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Astronauts - First Human Space Flight - Project Mercury - Video

NASA Juno Satalite Launch – August 5, 2011 – Cape Canaveral – Video

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NASA Juno Satalite Launch - August 5, 2011 - Cape Canaveral
AUGUST 5th, 2011 - The launch of the ATLAS V-557 Rocket carrying the Juno Satalite, which will orbit Jupiter in 2016. The journey takes 5 years, and it will only orbit around Earth once, on Oct. 9, 2013. I captured this on tape with my camera from Kennedy Space Centre. For further information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov DO NOT COPY

By: themark0077

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NASA Juno Satalite Launch - August 5, 2011 - Cape Canaveral - Video