Category Archives: Human Longevity

Our first thought: Yoga? Really? Who has time for that now?

At Kripalu, we live by the phrase, Its all yoga, meaning that you dont have to be on your mat to practice. Yoga can be going for a peaceful walk, or even nourishing your body with a healthy meal.

What is Ayurveda, and how can it help promote balance and health in times like these?

Ayurveda is directly translated as the science of life or the science of longevity. Ayu means life, veda means truth. It can also be defined as the truth of you. Developed around 5,000 years ago in India, Ayurveda teaches us that as a human, we are an interconnection of body, mind, senses, and soul. What affects one, impacts the other.

Ayurveda recognizes that each individual needs something different to achieve balance and health.

Its actually very practical. If youre new to Ayurveda, start with getting to bed early, eating foods that are in season and grown locally when possible, and finding some time for rest and fun. One aspect of Ayurveda is that every substance we consume food, social media, and so on is either nourishing or depleting. Think of everything as food: sleep is food for the body and mind, movies can be nourishing or disturbing, for example.

Basically, it means staying relaxed, taking breaks from the news, taking action where you can, eating supportive foods, and keeping good company. All of this can be nourishing.

With so much uncertainty, its hard to find the joy in life. Were just emotionally depleted.

I think we need to redefine what joy is. Can we find it in something as simple as going outside and noticing, Those are the most beautiful flowers Ive ever seen? Ayurveda teaches us that we can get quiet, and get under the noise anxiety, depression, fear and connect to the true, unchanging spirit we were born with. The aim of Ayurveda is to get to that place. It takes quiet and stillness to integrate body and mind and connect with our spirit. Its not sexy, but it works!

And if you have a friend or someone you can share these feelings with, talk about it. We need each other.

Were so polarized right now. How can we address this?

For many, the pandemic has caused an incredible amount of social isolation leading to loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Others have not stopped working and are exhausted. Folks have lost loved ones. Some have been thriving. Ayurveda teaches us that we are the microcosm of the macrocosm. What exists in the entire universe also exists within each person. It is like we have all gone through a similar macrocosmic experience and at the same time our own microcosmic experience.

At Kripalu, each yoga class, workshop, and program is rooted in the philosophy of compassionate inquiry, focused on offering kindness to ourselves and others which we need now more than ever.

We hear the term self-care a lot lately. What does that really mean?

To many of us, it feels like the world is on fire. Ayurveda provides a daily and seasonal toolbox of self-care practices, from tongue scraping to meditation, to sleep hygiene. What works for one person may not work for another. Look at what is available and experiment to see what is supportive to you. At the bare minimum, get to bed before 10 p.m., eat home-cooked food as much as possible, and move your body.

One of the most helpful things I did was frame a little handwritten note for my bedside table. It reads Thank you for this new day; I am grateful for the opportunity to begin again. In the middle of the pandemic, when it felt like one long Groundhog Day, this small thing turned out to be the best antidote to monotony, loneliness, and uncertainty.

But then its 2 p.m., when things get crazy and start to fall apart.

I would ask each reader to look at their day and find the time where they struggle the most. I find that it is the later afternoon where I get restless and agitated. Then look at what you do to alleviate that restlessness? Eat something? Drink? Check social media? Go for a walk? Meditate? I found guided meditation in the afternoons to be just the right medicine. We all struggle. Pause to acknowledge the struggle and then look for the best way to find ease, not just for that moment but for the long run.

With a new season arriving, how can we make a fresh start?

Yoga and Ayurveda teach us that a seasonal approach to life is really important. Your mind and body need different things in the summer versus the winter and so on. Thats why autumn is a great time to visit Kripalu. Besides the stunning fall foliage, we teach you how to transition between seasons and what your body needs to stay calm and nourished as we head into winter.

For example?

In the winter, nature gives us more nourishing foods. This includes wheat, meat, dairy, and root cellar vegetables. Wheat isnt bad or wrong in Ayurveda. It is heavy, sticky, and warming, the perfect antidote for cold, dry winter.

That includes holiday cookies and babka, yes?

Life is to be celebrated. Ayurveda is not about making anyone feel bad for eating gingerbread cookies or babka during the holidays!

Use the U-turn theory. Eat the babka and then make a U-turn. If you are still eating it in March, maybe youve waited too long. Winter is the time of year that is nourishing, in direct opposition to summer, which is depleting. In the summer, eating seasonal means eating lots of garden fruits and vegetables. In the winter, eating seasonal means eating nourishing foods. When you are done with the holidays, go back to eating seasonal soups, stews, and tea.

For information: Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, 57 Interlaken Road, Stockbridge; 866-200-5203; http://www.kripalu.org. In-person guests must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test that produced negative results within 72 hours of arrival. Rates for onsite Retreat and Renewal experience start at $85/day plus accommodations; includes three meals, yoga classes and workshops, and full use of Kripalus grounds. Room rates from $110. Day pass: $125. Online programs, from $15 to $99; sliding scale tuition is available for online programs to promote accessibility for those facing financial or other hardships.

Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@gmail.com

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Can ancient wisdom help us cope with COVID stress? - The Boston Globe

The study was based on 69,744 women and 1,429 men. Both groups completed survey measures to assess their level of optimism, as well as their overall health and health habits such as diet, smoking and alcohol use.

Women were followed for 10 years, while the men were followed for 30 years. When individuals were compared based on their initial levels of optimism, the researchers found that the most optimistic men and women demonstrated, on average, an 11 to 15 percent longer lifespan, and had 50-70 percent greater odds of reaching 85 years old compared to the least optimistic groups.

The results were maintained after accounting for age, demographic factors such as educational attainment, chronic diseases, depression and also health behaviours, such as alcohol use, exercise, diet and primary care visits.

"While research has identified many risk factors for diseases and premature death, we know relatively less about positive psychosocial factors that can promote healthy ageing," explained corresponding author Lewina Lee, PhD, clinical research psychologist at the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston and assistant professor of psychiatry at BUSM.

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Research may have uncovered the secret to reaching 100 - and it's not what you eat - Daily Express

Crews spent much of Wednesday morning cleaning up the remnants of Routt Countys old Human Services Building in downtown Steamboat Springs, making way for a new building that has become much more expensive to build than initially thought.

The estimated cost of Routt Countys new Health and Human Services Building has ballooned to more than $14 million, an increase of about 40% since December 2020 as the cost of steel and other materials has skyrocketed.

Since January, the raw price of steel has tripled, said Jim Kohler, vice president of Calcon Constructors, which has offices in Steamboat and Englewood and is doing preconstruction work on the project. Our whole structure is steel. All of our metal studs are steel. Steel is in everything.

Other costs have increased, as well. The cost of wood has come down recently but is still double the price it was in January. Kohler said fuel was $2.08 per gallon in November last year, where now it commonly flirts with $4 per gallon. Labor and the cost to ship materials are higher now, too, he said.

It is a hard one to swallow, but if you do the basic math, you get there pretty quick, Kohler said. We assume 50% of the project is labor and another 50% of it is materials. If you take that 50% of material and take a large chunk of it and double or triple its value it adds up quick.

Kohler said there is no indication steel prices are going to drop any time soon either, and delaying the project wouldnt end up with any significant savings and could result in an even higher final cost.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the project is scheduled for Oct. 13, and crews hope to pour the foundation and erect much of the steel structure this year. Then construction will pause until April or May when the snow is gone.

Starting work this fall and winter will require portions of the job site to be heated to ensure the concrete cures, but pushing foundation work to the spring likely would have led to heating the whole structure next winter as crews finished work.

It is a little bit of a trade off, but the consensus with our general contractor and our owners representative is the smart thing to do is get it started this winter, said Commissioner Tim Corrigan.

Nine months ago, the total project cost was estimated at about $9.8 million, with about $7.4 million or 75% of the total cost going toward actual construction and the rest paying for building design and engineering, the various permits required, fixtures and furnishings and money set aside as a contingency.

But those construction costs have increased by about $3.6 million since then, bringing the current estimate for the total project to $14.1 million. Construction alone will cost about $11 million now, which represents about 83% of the total cost.

There is a lot of steel in the building, Corrigan said. Its not just the steel I-beams, the steel trusses and the metal decking, but it affects everything from conduit, wire, pipe steel doors.

Corrigan said the cost of drywall and anything with a chemical in it, such as PVC piping or foam insulation, has also increased.

County Budget Director Dan Strnad said he thinks the county will be able to weather the cost spikes because of several revenue streams he is projecting to come in much higher this year than originally anticipated.

The county will collect about $2.3 million more in sales tax this year than originally anticipated, an increase of 33%. Building use taxes are bringing in about $1.2 million more than expected, a projected increase of more than 230%. Auto use taxes, paid when buying a car, have also increased by about 77% this year, adding nearly half a million dollars more to county coffers.

In all, Strnad projects the county will collect about $4.7 million more in 2021 than the budget anticipated, bringing total county revenue from $16.2 million to $20.9 million. Because of this, Corrigan said he was still confident the county would not use any of its $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding on this project.

(Strnad) has been able to identify other sources of funds so that we dont need to access those ARPA funds, Corrigan said.

It isnt entirely clear whether the building would even be an appropriate use for the funding anyway, Corrigan said, and using it on the building could further increase costs as there would be more federal regulations to adhere to.

Corrigan also said commissioners, from the start, had no interest in building a sub-par building, and the county is committed to designing a building that fit with the design and development standards of downtown Steamboat. The new building is being built at the corner of Sixth and Oak streets.

Still, more cost increases would likely result in some design choices meant to lower total cost.

Were going to build a building, especially in the location that were building, that would be something that the community could be proud of, Corrigan said. Could we have built that building for less money? The answer is yes. But we felt it was important to build a high-quality building that fits into the neighborhood and will serve the needs of the community for years to come.

To reach Dylan Anderson, call 970-871-4247 or email danderson@SteamboatPilot.com.

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Cost of new Health and Human Services building has ballooned to more than $14M - Steamboat Pilot & Today

Blue Zones diet: Eat like the longest-living people

The Blue Zones diet is based on the eating patterns of people living in Blue Zones, parts of the world where people live the longest.

Staff Video, USA TODAY

Astudy released earlier this monthreportedthat eating a single hot dog can take 36 minutes off of a human's life. But what if there was a diet that aimed to add years?

The Blue Zones diet is based on the eating patterns of people living in Blue Zones the parts of the world where people live the longest.

The dietwas pioneered by DanBuettner, a National Geographic fellow and bestselling author.In a span of about eightyears, Buettner and ateam of colleagues conducted research anddiscovered fivepockets of the world that exhibited this outstanding longevity: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Icaria, GreeceandLoma Linda, California.

Through an analysis of these communities' dietary habits, they found people in these so-called "Blue Zones" were eating a mostly whole food and plant-based diet.

"The Blue Zones diet came alongseveral years after the initial project in really piecing (it) together. If you want to know what 100-year-oldsate to live to be 100... you have to know what they've done most of their lives," Buettner explains.

He's been personally following the dietfor about 10 years.

"I ate basically a standard American diet when I started, but it just became so glaringly clear that this way of eating is is yielding longevity. Also, it's delicious," he says.

He's also gained newfound attention on TikTok for sharing info and tips about the diet. One video, where he talked about meat consumption in the Blue Zones,garnered nearly 200,000 views and more than 25,000 likes.

Toskeptics, he says "you can do whatever you want, but the longest-livedpeople are eating this way."

The main pillars of every Blue Zones diet are:

People living in the Blue Zones also eatsome meat,on average about five times a month and fish once or twice a week. They also havea "little bit ofsheep's milk cheese or goat's milk cheese, but very little sugar. Probably a quarter of the sugar that we eat, and almost no processed food."

That also means no processed meats, which the World Health Organization also classifies as carcinogenic. The WHO defines processedmeats as those that are "transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smokingor other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation." Examples includesthe aforementionedhot dogs as well assausages, corned beef and beef jerky.

While the Blue Zones diet may consist of less meat and dairy than most Americans are used to eating,Buettner says he wouldn't call it restrictive. Instead, he calls it putting a "plant slant" on your diet.

When he officiallyformulated the diet and created a Blue Zones cookbook, he decided to leave out meat and dairy altogether, explaining, "themore people can eat a whole food, plant-based diet, the better off they're going to be."

While this diet has similarities to theMediterranean diet, it pulls from communities beyond this region and puts less of an emphasis on seafood. Additionally,the Blue Zones diet aims to go beyond just eating by also focusingon a way of life that encourages social connection and movement.

In addition to the hope of living a long life, Buettner says the diet can also help with other health issues.

In a 10-week challengebroadcast on the "Today" show in 2019, people who stuck to the dietyielded impressiveresults. One woman said she lost 12 pounds and lowered her cholesterol by 22 points. Another lost 17 pounds and said she felt "happy (and) energized," while athird womanlost37 pounds.

"While the women we talked to saw the most dramatic change, everyone who stuck with the program for three months also reported weight loss," anchor Maria Shriver said in the segment. "But I think the thing that is the most exciting to me is that they all reported emotional well-being went up."

Going meatless or reducing meat intake can also helplower cholesterol and reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease, according to theAmerican Heart Association.

The dietcan also helpkeep you feeling full longer. A 2016 study comparing meals with vegetable protein sources versus animal proteinfoundthat satiety was higher after eating legumes such as beans and peas than meat.

Eating a hot dog takes 36 minutes off your 'healthy' life

A new study from the University of Michigan suggests that eating a hot dog can take 36 minutes off your healthy life. Researchers ranked more than 5,800 foods by how much they affect a persons healthiness.

unbranded - Lifestyle, unbranded - Lifestyle

"These fiber-filled sources are known to improve satiety,which can help manage our weight," explains Ashley Baumohl, assistant clinical nutrition manager with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

Plant-based diets canalso help support bowel regularity and an increase in fiber is "directly associated with reducing risk for colon cancer and breast cancer," she says.

"So there are a lot of benefits in choosing these foods as our primary source of nutrition."

Diets can be hard to stick to on their own, Buetter says, so he suggests shaping your environment to make this way of eating easy.

"Most of us are on a 'see-food' diet so if you're putting that junk food away and you put in a big, beautiful fruit bowl in the middle of your table, you're way more likely to eat the fruit," he says.

People can be influential too, and surrounding yourself with people who also eat this way will help, he says, just like in the communities that the diet originates.

"One of the best things to do is to build your social network so you have a couple other people eat this way," he says.

He also suggests taking time tolearn some recipes you love, because taste will also be afactor in what you decide to eat.

"People eat this way for, basically,three different reasons. Number one, it'll improve my health. Number two, it's good for the environment. And number three, it reduces animal cruelty," he says. "(But) people want to eat what's delicious right now, so the most important ingredient is taste.So, if you can find a couple of handfuls of recipes that you and your family love...you're gonna want to eat it because it's pleasurable."

Baumohl agrees it helps to "get into the groove" of making new recipes that you find appetizing, but know that switching to plant-based when you're used to a more meat-filled dietcan involve a learning curve.

"(It) requires some education how to make it flavorful without adding in too much sodium, and what can we add in that is going to give us a greater variety of nutrients and make it taste good?" she says. "It that takes a lot of practice."

She also encourages people to make sure they're getting enough nutrients.

"It has to be a very intentional change," Baumohl explains. "There's definitely ways to get (plant-based protein), but... these aren't going to be as protein-dense are a Greek yogurt or three ounces of chicken or fish."

She also suggests adjusting any diet recommendations to your specific needs.

"Everyone is so individualized and has different levels of activity and different mental conditions and differentthings going on with their body where they might need more or less of something," she says. "I just want to make people aware of that."

More: Do you need to take pre-workout powders? Experts weigh in.

More: On TikTok, people are eating Rice Krispies Treats before working out. Is it effective?

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What is the Blue Zones diet? How to eat like people who live the longest. - USA TODAY

Dr. Erica Friedman, Interim Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine (CSOM) at The City College of New York and a medical student educator for more than 25 years, is a recipient of the 2021 Hispanic Health Leadership Award from the National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF). The award is presented to outstanding individuals who have served in significant leadership roles and have helped improve the health of Hispanics and other underserved populations.

Friedman was specifically cited by the NHHF for her leadership in ensuring the longevity of the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program mission in leading its transformation into the 7-yearBS/MD CUNY School of Medicine.

The goal of NHHF, the foundation for the National Hispanic Medical Association, is to improve the health of Hispanics and the underserved, to eliminate health disparities, to support Hispanic researchers and research, and to advance culturally competent quality health care and diversity in the workforce, said Elena Rios, MD, NHHF president. We are proud to acknowledge your leadership and vision and would like to recognize you as a top leader.

Friedman, whos also chair of the Department of Medical Education, will receive the award on Dec. 2 at the annual Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship Gala at The Sheraton Times Square Hotel in Manhattan.

She has served as Interim Dean of CSOM since Feb. 2019, having joined the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education in 2013 as Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs, and medical professor. She will remain Deputy Dean when her tenure as Interim ends on Sept. 30, 2021.

Friedman has been hailed for devoting tremendous energy and skill to the administration of the Sophie Davis School and to the establishment of CSOM in 2015 in partnership with Bronx-based St. Barnabas Hospital (a part of the SBH System). Since then, she has developed additional CSOM clinical partnerships with Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell, Harlem Hospital and Jacobi/North Central Bronx. She has been instrumental in expanding the Health and Hospitals partnership in conjunction with CUNY Health and Human Services Dean Patricia S. Boyce.

CSOM is the only public medical school in Manhattan and is known for producing excellent and diverse health professionals who are leaders in providing primary care and serving in health professional shortage areas.

Prior to her arrival at CCNY, Friedman had a long career at several academic medical centers, including at the NYU School of Medicine, New York Medical College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is physician board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology, and in addition to being a practicing rheumatologist, she has done clinical research focusing on Lyme Disease.

About the City College of New YorkSince 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi puts at $1.9 billion CCNYs annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the for dollar return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.

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Hispanic health foundation presents top award to CUNY medical school Interim Dean Erica Friedman - The City College of New York News

Palm Beach, Florida, Sept. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After several months working with its digital media development partner EverConvert, JZZ Technologies Inc. (OTC Pink: JZZI) has launched its completely redesigned and reconceived website targeting audiences age 55+ at activelifestylemedia.com. The new site is built around increased audience engagement and generating direct revenue through digital marketing and e-commerce opportunities.

Charles Cardona, CEO of JZZ Technologies, Inc., explains, The new activelifestylemedia.com website developed with EverConvert is a showcase of our Company’s capabilities and a centerpiece for our online marketing efforts. We have invested significant time, effort, and money into creating this flagship of our digital marketing hub. We are genuinely excited to see the reaction of our audience and anticipate major increases in new traffic, better engagement, and significant repeat users because of these efforts.”

EverConvert is a leading digital marketing company based in South Carolina. For several months, the firm has been working with JZZ Technologies, Inc.’s marketing division to create a leading-edge website product streamlined for mobile traffic and conceived as a hub for service offerings, digital marketing, and e-commerce channels. EverConvert has an impeccable record for delivering returns for their clients as high as a 20 times monthly return on digital investment.

Cardona adds, We recognize that this is all in service of growing our marketing and e-commerce revenues. The data that we have received from leading marketing and data agencies indicates that we will be able to generate from 14% to 24% margins on our digital marketing offerings (source: Promethean Research). In cases where we can participate in co-branding or direct online sale of products as partners, that could be much, much higher since we could earn revenue as part of every sale through our site.”

The direct marketing opportunities already in place include health, wellness, and nutritional products. For example, the activelifestylemedia.com site features a direct marketing program for Avitas Bio Raw Honey a JZZ Technologies Inc. co-promotion. The company uses innovative marketing techniques developed in tandem with EverConvert to drive direct sales and revenues. These include marketing to the Company’s database, as well as paid advertising and promotional offers. The public can sample the direct e-commerce offer by clicking the link rawhoney and entering the promotional code LifestyleMedia21 to receive an additional 20% off their order.

JZZ Technologies, Inc.’s digital marketing applications are being implemented for subscriptions, products, and discounts across the website. For more information about offers, promotions discounts and to preview the Company’s new marketing efforts, see activelifestylemedia.com

About JZZ Technologies, Inc.

JZZ Technologies, Inc. is a diversified technology company rolling up projects and partnerships in two distinct business sectors that operate cohesively; its digital media business includes online media and apps (activelifestylemedia.com), content creation, digital marketing, streaming video content, publishing, and free over-the-air television (EyeOnTV) targeted at active adults 55+. The Company’s other business is focused on strategic biotechnology and bioscience acquisitions related to Human Life Extension and Human Longevity that can be immediately leveraged to support improved quality of life for aging populations.

DISCLAIMER and FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained herein are forward-looking” statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such Forward-Looking Statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the viability of the company’s business plans, the effect of acquisitions on our profitability, the effectiveness, profitability, and the marketability of the Company’s products; the Company’s ability to protect its proprietary information; general economic and business conditions; the volatility of the company’s operating results and financial condition; and other risks detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates, and projections about the company and the industry. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances or to changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, management cannot assure the public that their expectations will turn out to be correct. Investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results.

Contact: JZZ Technologies, Inc. Charles Cardona, CEO Email: ccardona@jzztechnologies.com Website: https://www.jzztechnologies.com/

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JZZ Technologies, Inc. Kicks Off Revenue Generation Through Its New ActiveLifestyleMedia.com Website - Stockhouse

In 2014, Croatian geneticist Dr. Tomislav Domazet-Loo and his colleagues at the University of Kiel in Germany published a paper describing tumors in two different species of tiny freshwater Hydra. Little more than a tube with tentacles, Hydra comprise three distinct groups of stem cells. One of these groups, known as interstitial stem cells, turned out to be the source of the cancers, which severely impacted growth and fertility. Its important to note that these tumors were entirely spontaneous: the researchers didnt use any techniques such as genetic modifications or treatment with chemical agents to induce them. But while Hydra may be the simplest organisms currently known to develop cancer, they are far from the only example outside our own species.Cancer has been found on virtually every branch of the tree of multicellular life, from the simplest to the most complex. Invasive cancer is medically defined by whether or not tumor cells have broken through the basement membrane that wraps around tissues and organs. Some types of organisms dont have this barrier layer yet can still be affected by cells multiplying out of control. For example, plants develop large growths known as galls that are usually the result of infection or parasitism. Tumor-like masses can be found in red algae and invasive growths have been spotted in mushrooms, while simple molds can start proliferating in abnormal ways that are similar to cancer.

Naked mole rat tissues make an unusually large and sticky version of hyaluronan, a kind of "cellular glue" that might reinforce contacts and communication between cells, preventing them from becoming cancerous. Cells from naked mole rats are also more resistant to stress and DNA damage than those from other small rodents, and are highly sensitive to contact inhibition, ceasing to proliferate if they become overcrowded.Other species have solved Petos paradox in their own way. For example, capybaras have particularly vigilant immune cells that seek out and destroy rogue cells before they can grow into a tumor. Elephants have evolved multiple copies of a gene encoding a molecule called p53 the so-called "Guardian of the Genome" which rapidly activates the apoptosis cell suicide pathway in damaged cells before they have the chance to become cancerous.Studying cancer in other species helps us to gain deeper insights into the vulnerabilities in our own human cells and how we might overcome them. We are now able to open natures toolbox, revealing the recipes and ingredients that have evolved over millions of years to produce different cancer defense mechanisms and modify risk.About the authorKat Arney is a writer, broadcaster and Creative Director of the life sciences communications agency First Create The Media. Her latest book, Rebel Cell: Cancer, evolution and the science of life (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) is out now.

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All Cancers, Great and Small - Technology Networks

Legendary actor and theatre playwright John Kani speaks to us about his career and appearing on his first Drum cover.

He still remembers it to this day the first time he appeared in DRUM magazine. Its not something thats easy to forget, at least not for him, says award-winning and internationally acclaimed actor John Kani. DRUM is only 70? Oh man, its so young, he says with a laugh. Maybe its because Im not as young. When he talks of DRUM, he cant help but gush over what the brand has meant and means for black people. He made his first appearance in the print product in 1975, John (77) recalls.

We [he and celebrated playwright and actor Winston Ntshona] had just come back from New York after winning a Tony Award for The Island. [Photojournalist] Alf Kumalo was waiting for us at the then Jan Smuts airport, now OR Tambo. We came through and he came to us and said, Show me this thing. So I opened this wonderful little velvet bag and there was the Tony award and on it was written, John Kani, dramatic star on Broadway. Alf asked Winston and I to jump in the air and say, Got it. And that picture in front of OR Tambo was in the magazine.

I made it. Im in the DRUM magazine, I thought. It meant that he became known in every corner of the republic even the deepest rural communities because hed appeared in the magazine. Everybody knows Im a star. Because the DRUM was that kind of magazine. Even people who couldnt read loved it, he says. Theyd look at the pictures and get to know the stars.

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Drum 70th| John Kani speaks to us about the longevity of his career and what Drum has meant to him over the years | Drum - News24

To the editor:

My letter is in response to a letter to the editor sent by Judith Wootten, published September 20. She wanted us all to know that she was amazed at comments made at a county health department meeting by an advisory board member, Tim Novak, who spoke out in concern of potential vaccine mandates. I believe the word Wootten was looking for was: insulted. Thats her actual problem with Mr. Novak, since he didnt regurgitate the same asinine rhetoric that she has been programmed with over the last 18 months.

Her closing paragraph stated: If people choose not to get vaccinated against the virus, they should not be serving on the Health Department Advisory Council. They should not be admitted into emergency rooms or hospitals. Let them wait their turn after people who have surgeries scheduled. If they cant breathe, it is their choice. They chose not to be vaccinated. Let them choose to die, too.

Ms. Wootten, prepare to be even more amazed by the fact that its not up to you to decide who gets to serve on the council, or who is permitted to be treated at a hospital, especially not as a retired English professor.

I am more amazed at her delusions of assumed authority. Her fantasy would result in a situation where Mr. Novak and I could attend her next medical appointment and take over the decision making. If shes looking for health and longevity, we arent going to take the path of least resistance. Get ready to go out hiking four miles, four days a week. We also need access to the kitchen so that we can throw away anything that isnt completely nutritious. Lets also go over medications to ensure that they arent causing organ toxicity or opening up a susceptibility to infection.

If she fails to follow these mandates, we can decide shes on her own for treatment for the remainder of her time here. Thats the type of consequence she wants for those that make the wrong decision. I cant wait to see how she feels about folks struggling with addiction.

Incidentally, based on the pittance of knowledge that she did enlighten us on, I definitely do not want her making medical decisions for me. She should stick to scolding people about commas and there and their.

Ms. Wootten believes her vaccination status has made her superhuman over a respiratory virus, and now she can protect the world. Unless, of course, someone else hasnt been vaccinated, then no ones vaccinations can possibly work. Meanwhile, on average, 7,700 people die across this country every single day, both now and before the crisis, from all causes. Vaccinations cannot lower that number. Medical error kills between 250,000-440,000 people annually in America. Its a leading cause of death. Where are our protections from that deadly statistic?

Wootten somehow acquired the position that vaccines have not caused life-threatening reactions. I suggest she use a portion of her university-learned skills to perform more thorough research on the Vaccine Adverse Effect Reporting System (VAERS) database, and further recognize that vaccine manufacturers have been excluded from liability since 1986.

She should also research autoimmune illnesses (AIs). There are now 100+ AI diagnoses, and estimates say that 50 million people in this country (20%) are affected 75% of them being women. Though, that number is most definitely higher due to lack of diagnosis. These chronic and debilitating conditions are considered idiopathic (unknown causes), and take years to get diagnosed, usually only after a patient has been forced through a handful of expensive specialists and tests.

Why is the human bodys immune system so ready to attack itself, Ms. Wootten? If you want to make medical decisions for other people and demand they inject themselves or die, then you need to know why. There are countless personal accounts of vaccine injuries available from children, adults, and service members. Go learn about them. Lets hope it can straighten out your total lack of compassion for people that arent in your situation or who disagree with your version of health.

STACEY JARRETT,

Salem

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And another response to the same letter | News, Sports, Jobs - SalemNews.net

If youre one of those people who composts everything you can think of because you want to build up your garden soil, you might like me this summer learn to love the maggots of black soldier flies. They put composting on speed dial.

When other volunteers planted or weeded at our community garden, I took on running two spinning composting bins. I filled both 50-gallon composters with kitchen scraps and woody material. But surprise, two Sundays later, black soldier flies had appeared. Id inadvertently attracted them by leaving the bins in a state of putrescence, because while I was gone for a couple of weeks, no one tended them. They stunk up the place, but the good news was that soldier flies had detected that delicious rot and moved right in.

Peering into the bin, I saw nothing but the flies off-white larvae wriggling over each other. All that remained were pistachio hulls and wood chips. My first instinct was to call an exterminator, but after watching YouTube and seeing 200,000 fly larvae demolish a pizza, I realized the endless possibilities of maggots and not just for gardeners.

Ive come to think of the creatures as natures high-tech answer to organic waste. Simply spread the larvae on rotting food or animal or human poop, for that matter and they will chew the mess into something remarkably small. (To start your own colony, check out the many YouTube videos that provide helpful tips.)

Wyoming Extension Service entomologist Scott Schell is a fan of black soldier flies. He calls barnyard flies filth flies because they stomp around in poop and then hop on food in our kitchens, spreading bacteria that can make people sick. Even nastier, he says, are the stable flies that suck the blood of mammals.

Black soldier flies, however, dont bite. They look something like wasps, and their wriggling larvae can chew through organic material and double their body weight in a day. You could call them the super-grubs of any compost heap.

Black soldier flies, Hermetia illucens, are present on six continents and in most states. The adult flies live just two weeks, using up the vast stores of energy accumulated during their five stages of pupation. While growing, the young larvae nosh like guests at an all-you-can-eat buffet, taking short breaks to digest and poop. Schell calls black soldier flies a biological deterrent since their voracious menu includes larvae of all fliesfilth flies included.

Their poop is called frass, and it needs more time curing before it can be used as a soil amendment. Because the flies wondrous guts break down bacteria of all kind, frass contains no pathogens such as E. coli.

For chicken farms or dairy operations that swim in animal waste (one dairy cow produces 120 pounds of manure daily), black soldier flies can seem miraculous. But theres even more to admire because the grubs themselves may be wriggling gold. With a fat content of up to 35 percent, protein up to 50 percent (depending on what they eat) and plenty of calcium, they are a super-food for fish or poultry, reports Nature.com.

Because millions of acres of arable land go into cultivating food for animals, and because overfishing has harmed fish populations, the United Nations champions maggots and insect production. Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized the sale of insect larvae to commercial fish and chicken farms.

As rural Western towns suburbanize, black soldier flies could also reduce what gets dumped in landfills, but only if kitchen waste gets separated from ordinary trash. Organic waste is a great producer of methane, aka renewable natural gas, and once you remove materials that rot from landfills, you slow climate change.

As a sign of things to come, Enviroflight, a division of Darling Ingredients, is already running a commercial-scale Black Flies business in Maysville, Kentucky. It produces pet food and recently announced plans to build a second facility.

As the West grows in population, dealing with not-in-my-backyard issues like smell and flies will move to the top of many municipalities to-do lists. So just imagine a future where castoff organic waste is upcycled right in the neighborhood, where its turned into garden compost, chicken feed and, one day, even biodiesel for buses.

Dave Marston is the publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, a nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He lives part-time in Colorado.

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Writers on the Range: How I learned to love maggots - Craig Press