sunnystarfish's Xanga

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:30:49 GMT

Environmental behavioral CHANGE!!!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:58:56 GMT

Battlefied Hollywood - all parts were informative and insightful. 1-9

If you don't have time... this is pt 5

Friday, September 18, 2009

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:32:34 GMT

Vitamin D calculator

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:46:09 GMT

Helpful tool below!!!
If I filled the Vitamin D calculator correctly for Madison, WI, I need 5 minutes (for midday today) of sunshine to maintain my vitamin D requirements.
What about you?

How much sunshine does it take to make enough vitamin D? Perhaps more than you think!

POSTED BY: Monica Reinagel, M.S., LD/N | August 10, 2009 | 2:07 PM

There's been a lot of hand-wringing lately about people not getting enough vitamin D. Deficiency is quite common--especially among kids, the elderly, and those with dark skin. And a growing list of diseases and conditions are being linked with vitamin D deficiency.

Regular sun exposure, without sunscreen, causes your skin to produce vitamin D naturally.

How much sun does it take to satisfy your vitamin D requirements?

If you've read anything about this, you've probably seen some vague guidelines, recommending "a few minutes every day." But these recommendations are far too general to be useful. The amount of sun you need to meet your vitamin D requirements varies hugely depending on your location, your skin type, the time of year, the time of day, and even the atmospheric conditions.

A Cool Tool: The vitamin D/UV calculator

Scientists at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research have devised a calculator that will take all those factors into consideration and estimate how many minutes of exposure you need for your skin to produce 25 mcg (the equivalent of 1,000 International Units) of vitamin D.

It's a very cool tool and the best I've seen so far. Be forewarned: It's not the most user-friendly interface and its very easy to enter the wrong information, which makes your results misleading. But once you get past the technicalities, it's very interesting to see how much the answers change when you vary the input.

Here are some tips to help you get good results.

1. Unless you live in one of a few European or African cities listed as options, you'll need to determine your latitude and longitude. A GPS device will tell you your lat/long. You can also find this information on Google Earth. Here's also a list of lat/longs for lots of American cities. VERY IMPORTANT: The program reads all latitudes as N and all longitudes as E. If your latitude is 39 S, enter -39. If your longitude is 76 W, enter -76. (It took me forever to figure out this quirk!) Also, be sure to click the radio button next to your latitude and longitude entries. It is not automatically selected when you fill in these values.

2. You also need to estimate your complexion, and the options include both "blond" and "pale," which is a little confusing. (Maybe it makes more sense to Norwegians). Basically, the six categories are arranged from lightest (pale) to darkest (black). Make your best guess based on that. I have dark eyes and hair so I chose "darker caucasian."

3. Enter the time of day you are going out in the sun, expressed as UTC (aka Greenwich Mean Time). Here is a converter that will convert local time into UTC. The calculator uses a 24 hour clock, so hours from 1pm to midnight are expressed as 13 to 24. There is also an option that lets you choose "about midday." If you enter an actual time, be sure to click the radio button next to your start time. It doesn't move automatically when you fill in these values.

4. Next, enter how much cloud cover there is. If you choose "overcast," you can also enter in the UV Index from your local newspaper's weather page and the program will estimate the thickness of the cloud deck. Again, be sure to click the radio button if you choose this option. (Disclaimer: I played around with this and couldn't see that changing the UV index had any effect...)

5. You're almost done! Next, the calculator wants to know the thickness of the ozone layer. I have to admit, I was unable to find a simple resource to help with this one. Unless you live under the ozone hole or have some other way of knowing that the ozone is particularly thick or thin where you are, I suggest just setting this one to medium.

6. Find your altitude. Some GPS devices can tell you your altitude, as can Google Earth or topographical maps. But the easiest way may be to simply google "altitude of [your town]". Remember to convert it to kilometers. One kilometer = about 3300 feet.

7. Choose your surface.

Here's what my form looks like all filled in:

When I submit it for calculation, I learn that here in Baltimore, on a cloudless August day at noon, I need to spend just 5 minutes with my face, hands, and arms exposed to produce 25 mcg (1,000 IU) of vitamin D. If it were November, I'd need to stay out about half an hour. If it were November, and I were black, it would take an hour and a half. You get the idea. For most of the year, "a few minutes" of sun would not be enough for me to make enough vitamon D.

Keep in mind that these exposure times are considered enough to maintain healthy vitamin D status. if you are starting out with a vitamin D deficiency, you might need more.

One last thought: Unprotected sun exposure also increases the risk of skin cancer and premature aging of the skin. After you've gotten your daily "dose," I recommend applying a good sunscreen!

http://blog.nutritiondata.com/ndblog/2009/08/how-much-sunshine-does-it-take-to-make-enough-vitamin-d.html

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:44:06 GMT

Inspiring life.
No Impact Man

Made in His Image: Melanin, the Sunblock That's Just Skin Deep

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:13:20 GMT

by Randy J. Guliuzza, P.E., M.D.*

Most people north of the equator have an observable suntan by August. Ironically, a desire to be outside is often coupled with another strong desire to get out of the sun, as indicated by sales of sun umbrellas and other types of sunshades.

From a biological standpoint, energy from the sun always needs to be controlled. This means that there is complex biological machinery in place to manage sunlight in some way. The machinery itself would not exist without information in DNA prescribing its materials, manufacture, and operation. Suntans result from this special biological machinery and function like the skin's own built-in umbrella to get skin cells "out of the sun." The process is so important that if it were absent, people would have a higher probability of being killed just by the sun's raw energy.

The Sun's Energy Damages Skin

The highly vulnerable top layer of skin--the part that is tough, can callous, and eventually flakes off--is made of the protein keratin, produced by cells called keratinocytes. Sunlight--especially the ultraviolet (UV) part of the light spectrum--is naturally a photocarcinogen. It can penetrate keratinocytes, damage the DNA, and lead some cells to possibly be transformed into cancer cells, such as a deadly melanoma. The cumulative effect on the human species of sun-damaged DNA over time is not trivial. Humanity's survival is highly dependent on a mechanism to manage sunlight and repair damaged DNA. People produce a complex compound called melanin that dissipates the damaging effect of UV light as heat and helps prevent skin cancers in other ways also--but only up to a point.

Colored pigments in house paint protect the house's siding from sun damage. Melanin is a colored pigment for people, one of several compounds giving skin its coloration, generally contributing shades of red, brown, or black. Melanin is produced by melanocytes. Everyone has roughly the same number of melanocytes--regardless of skin color--but they are concentrated differently in various body parts to meet specific needs. There are over one million per square inch on the highly sun-exposed back of the hand, compared to 440,000 per square inch on the palm. Melanocytes produce different types and quantities of melanin based on inherited genetic instructions and dynamic gene regulation in response to a person's changing environment. This determines each person's skin color and allows the skin to respond to harmful UV light.

Melanin Can Control Harmful Energy

Melanin is contained in small packages called melanosomes, literally "dark bodies." The pigment melanin is not distributed randomly throughout the top layer of skin cells, the keratinocytes. Since it is particularly DNA in the skin cell nucleus that needs protection, it would make sense to place the melanosomes as a tightly packed shield, or protective sun umbrella, over the nucleus. That umbrella arrangement on the sunny side of the nucleus is exactly where the majority of melanosomes are found. With continued sunlight exposure, even more melanosomes are built and packed on the sunward side of the nucleus, sometimes several layers thick. Since a person can accumulate hundreds of millions of melanosomes per square inch protecting skin cell nuclei, the whole skin appears increasingly darkened, a condition popularly known as...a suntan.

So how does melanin protect the nucleus? There are two main steps. A fast step is produced by UV light itself, which induces melanin to undergo a chemical reaction that turns it darker. This enables it to absorb even more UV light. (Chemical engineers are working to develop paint pigments that can automatically change shades.) The second step is to stimulate melanocytes to produce more melanin. Consider this cellular relationship: one melanocyte can "serve" many skin cells by making melanin to protect their DNA and, in like manner, skin cells serve melanocytes by providing their vital protective covering.

How Melanin Is Produced

There are at least six major routes to stimulate melanin production. Melanin has other functions in the body not related to UV protection. But all routes require very strict control by several protein enzymes and if any of these enzymes in the path is missing, melanin will not be produced. Eventually these routes all stimulate a messenger (called cAMP) that is able to achieve activation of genes in the nucleus of melanocytes to make more melanin. UV light acts as one stimulus.

Another stimulus is quite amazing. Under average sun-exposure conditions for a person, the rate of skin cell DNA damage and repair (an especially complex process) varies within a narrow range. Melanocytes indirectly monitor the repair rate, and if it rises--indicating increased sun damage--melanin production is boosted to protect DNA from further damage. Managers call that solving the root cause of the problem and not just fixing the consequences.

A melanosome is actually an organelle in a cell. This means it functions inside the cell with a definite purpose just like an organ, such as a kidney, functions in a body. But melanocytes are regularly making brand new melanosomes. A melanosome is initially constructed of a fiber-like network foundation laid down by special protein (Pmel17) unique to melanocytes. To this is added a light-sensitive pigment called L-DOPA quinone, which is manufactured through a multi-step process from the amino acids phenylalanine or tyrosine.

The transfer of melanosomes from melanocytes to skin cells is unique in human biology, requiring a whole organelle specific to one cell type to be transferred to a completely different type of cell. How? The melanocyte will form long arms that will extend up between the skin cells. Growing inside are microtubules (so small that 3,000 could fit in the diameter of a human hair), which act like railroad tracks to shuttle melanosomes. Tiny protein motors made for the microtubules pull the melanosomes outward. Under the direction of at least two more genes and controlled by four carrier proteins, the melanosome is put into a transfer vesicle at the tip of the arm. This tip fits into a special invaginated spot on a skin cell, and then the melanosome is injected into it. Skin cells will convey melanosomes to the sunward side of their nuclei.

Interestingly, the varying number of melanosomes in both melanocytes and skin cells alters, in a measured degree, their metabolism and activity. This is one way in which the body's response to the environment can be centrally monitored at the cellular level in the tissue that is most exposed to external stresses. Melanosomes also can manipulate interactions of many compounds such as electrolytes and neurotransmitters and thus regulate the activity of other cells in its local environment.

Conclusion

Naturalistic evolutionists claim that because earth is "open" to energy from the sun, life could have started and increased in complexity without a Creator. This notion is scientifically incorrect. As illustrated in human skin, raw energy from the sun must be managed by preexisting complex biological systems or else it kills life.

This fact of nature still reigns over all evolutionary speculations. In 2009 about 68,000 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed, with an estimated one million reported and unreported new cases of mostly curable basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer--predominantly in lighter-skinned Americans. Melanin certainly provides a measure of natural protection, but nobody is immune from skin cancer, regardless of skin color. When people overexpose or fail to protect their skin, or have a defect in the pigment-making process, the sun's UV energy can eventually overwhelm skin's protective and repair mechanisms with deadly results.

The Lord Jesus Christ put the human body together to function as a whole. With unsurpassed scientific genius, He designed a complex process--using many different systems--that is capable of generating the protective compound melanin. With power beyond comprehension, He spoke into existence something that requires almost a hundred genes directing hundreds of enzymatic reactions controlling events--which are not arranged in basic linear sequences but as a vast diverse multidirectional network--with layers of overlapping feedback and control, all acting in a goal-oriented fashion. What an amazing display of His love and glory!

* Dr. Guliuzza is ICR's National Representative.

Cite this article: Guliuzza, R. 2009. Made in His Image: Melanin, the Sunblock That's Just Skin Deep. Acts & Facts. 38 (8): 10-11.

Drawn to Christ

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:48:56 GMT

Our church youth group went to the lake for Sabbath worship... what great weather! Hope you guys got to enjoy the Sabbath too!! It was there I "stumbled" or perhaps it fell into my lap.. thank you God:)... this deeply inspiring quote from Steps to Christ, the chapter on Repentance.

In dying for sinners, Christ manifested a love that is incomprehensible; and as the sinner beholds this love, it softens the heart, impresses the mind, and inspires contrition in the soul. It is true that men sometimes become ashamed of their sinful ways, and give up some of their evil habits, before they are conscious that they are being drawn to Christ. But whenever they make an effort to reform, from a sincere desire to do right, it is the power of Christ that is drawing them... And as Christ draws them to look upon His cross, to behold Him whom their sins have pierced, the commandment comes home to the conscience. The wickedness of their life, the deep-seated sin of the soul, is revealed to them. They begin to comprehend something of the righteousness of Christ, and exclaim, "What is sin, that it should require such a sacrifice for the redemption of its victim? Was all this love, all this suffering, all this humiliation, demanded, that we might not perish, but have everlasting life?" [And this is the part that clicked!!!] The sinner may resist this love, may refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus; a knowledge of the plan of salvation will lead him to the foot of the cross in repentance for his sins, which have caused the sufferings of God's dear Son.

How awesome to know that everyone has an opportunity to be drawn to Jesus.. the only condition: if he/she does not resist/refuse Him! I have friends and relatives who haven't completely resisted/refused to know Christ... which means there is potential. Hope! They still have chances to be drawn to Him:) And 2 Tim. 2:11-13 just expounded upon this lightbulb moment.

Who knows how long I'll be alive, but while I still have breath in my nostrils or mouth (do you breathe through your nose, mouth or both? Because nose is best!) I shall continue to remember to see people through the eyes of God = highly potential sons and daughters of The King. A loving God "who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth", and "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentence".* So friends, if someone you've been thinking about hasn't resisted/refused Him yet, he/she has the potential to be drawn. Drawn to Christ.

Amen.

* 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:02:26 GMT

Healthier Hygiene
By Matthew Hoffman, MD

WebMD Feature provided in collaboration with Healthy Child Healthy World Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD
Click here for the article

In the 1981 film The Incredible Shrinking Woman, a toxic brew of ordinary household chemicals shrinks Lily Tomlin’s character to microscopic size. The movie became a smash hit, capitalizing on our fear of the unpronounceable substances all around us.

Today, a growing group of environmental activists, scientists, and ordinary people is calling attention to the possible real-life risks of the products we swallow, spray, and smear on our bodies every day.

“It’s not in question that many consumer products contain toxins -- they do,” says Alan Greene, MD, clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University and author of Raising Baby Green. “Most are felt to be in too tiny of a quantity to pose any real risk. But sometimes, very small exposures can have large impacts.”

Spurred by recent research studies, some of which contradict established opinion about what’s safe, environmental advocates now have some of the most commonly used consumer products on their watch lists.

"The irony is, these products’ presumed safety has led them to be produced and consumed almost indiscriminately,” says Rebecca Sutton, PhD, senior scientist with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. “We’re now all exposed to multiple chemicals on a continuous basis whose long-term health effects aren’t known.”

Certain personal care products have become so popular, they’re literally in our blood. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) now monitors the levels of ingredients from cosmetics and other products in the bloodstream of random Americans, to help guide public health discussions.

As consumers become increasing aware of potential risks, many are asking: Just what’s in this stuff, anyway?

Antibacterial Soaps and Cleaners
If it’s antibacterial, it must be better at killing germs, right? That’s true for healthcare-grade antibacterial soaps – the kinds used in hospitals -- but not for the weaker concentrations in household products, according to Allison Aiello, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan.

“Consumer antibacterial soaps don’t reduce bacteria or prevent disease spread any better than ordinary hand washing,” Aiello tells WebMD.

Worse, data suggest that long-term use may contribute to the emergence of antibiotic resistant “superbugs,” says Aiello. The risk is a potential one, but “that possibility is there, and needs to be considered in future discussions about these products,” she adds.

Other scientists are sounding an alarm over the environmental effects of millions of pounds of antibacterial chemicals in soap that get flushed and rinsed into waterways each year.

Research by Rolf Halden, PhD, associate professor at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute, demonstrates harm to algae and other aquatic life from the antibacterial chemicals deposited in the water. In his view, the risks to the environment are only likely to increase, as massive use of these products continues.

At last check by the CDC, 75% of adults and children’s urine tested positive for triclosan, the most common antibacterial ingredient. People in higher income brackets were more likely to have triclosan in their bodies.

Although the levels were generally low, Greene asks, “If there’s a potential harm to people, and proven environmental damage, without any benefits, why are we using these products?”

What you can do: Don’t buy products containing triclosan or triclocarban, the most common antibacterial chemicals. Not all products will list ingredients, but you can safely avoid any product that advertises itself as “antibacterial,” say experts. Wash hands -- and clean surfaces in your home -- with regular soap and water.

Phthalates
Pronounced “THAL-ates,” these chemicals are common ingredients in fragrances in consumer products. (They are also “plasticizers” used in plumbing, shower curtains, varnishes, vinyl floors, and many other products.)

“Some of the phthalates are known to function as hormones in the human body,” says Greene. In animal studies, high doses of phthalates disrupt hormone production.

It was believed that the smaller exposures people get from each product they use were safe. But the fact that phthalates are everywhere -- even in the indoor dust we breathe -- has created concern and led to closer monitoring. The CDC finds low levels of phthalates in most of our bodies.

Some recent evidence suggests that exposure to phthalates in humans may be related to low sperm count and quality in men. Exposures in pregnant women have been associated with subtle changes in genital formation in baby boys.

What you can do: Until more evidence is in about phthalates, “it makes sense to avoid them in your personal care products when you can,” says Greene. “That’s especially true for expecting moms and children.” Unfortunately, it’s often impossible to know which of your personal care products contain phthalates, because they’re only listed as “fragrance.” Opt for fragrance-free products or choose those that use essential oils, like lavender and citrus. Check products’ ingredients in the Cosmetics Database.

Parabens
Parabens are chemicals widely used as preservatives in cosmetics. They prevent microbes from growing, which ensures products don’t get contaminated with bacteria or fungi. Most makeup, moisturizers, hair care products, shaving products, as well as many foods and drugs, contain parabens.

Parabens act like the hormone estrogen in the body, although the effect is weak. Isolated studies have found parabens in tissue samples of breast cancer tumors, but haven’t shown that parabens cause breast tumors. FDA scientists say parabens seem safe, but more study is needed.

What you can do: Read the labels on your personal care products. Look for the words methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, or other words with “paraben” included. Paraben-free products are available, if you choose to avoid this common preservative.

Musks
It seems we’ll put just about anything on our bodies that might make us more attractive -- even the scent of a male musk deer. For centuries, natural musk aroma was prized as a supposed aphrodisiac.

Today, musk scents come from chemicals synthesized in laboratories. So-called nitro musks and polycyclic musks are widely used in perfumes and as scents in laundry products. Some synthetic musks were shown in the 1990s to have the potential to build up to toxic levels in the body, causing tissue damage.

After these studies were published, many manufacturers reduced their use of musks. However, citing ongoing research showing the safety of musks, large U.S. companies continue to commonly include these chemicals in household products like fabric softeners, laundry detergent, and perfume.

What you can do: Tonalid and Galaxolide are two trade names for polycyclic musks, but musks usually hide inside the term “fragrance” on product labels. To avoid musks, write the manufacturer for a complete ingredient listing, or opt for fragrance-free products.

To find products nearly or completely free of any potential toxin, Greene recommends the Skin Deep web site maintained by the Environmental Working Group. Its searchable database lists products it suggests are safer, in each cosmetic category. Or check the Cosmetics Database for a list of ingredients.

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DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Many of the brand name products have a hazard score between 7-10 out of 10? I checked it out on the cosmetics database website (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com). Lotions, hair care, skin care products, eye care products (includes contact lens products), makeup, nail care, baby care, oral care products, lip care, you name it. This led me to question the term - healthcare products. Are the products out on the supermarket shelves/brand name shops/drugstores actually healthy? Do they take care of our body? Sadly, I think not. I wonder how women hundreds of years ago managed to live without triple action lip balms and lotions? Oil from olives and corn? heheee... Anyhoo, best wishes in finding hazardless products.

satan's meeting

Mon, 25 May 2009 01:05:00 GMT

Monday, May 11, 2009

Mon, 11 May 2009 13:30:21 GMT

Story of Stuff

This video is very educational. If I were the superintendent, I would command all students and teachers to watch this. The only thing lacking from this educational video is how our ginormous lust for meat adversely amplifies this unsustainable nation, increases environmental pollutants and diseases which augments the exponential rise in medical costs. Help.