New Plastic Bag Law

2007 brings a new plastic bag law to Californians. Can the rest of the country be far behind?

The new law will require store owners to create a plastic recycling program. It will require owners to make it possible for customers to return plastic bags to the store for reuse.

It has been estimated that it costs 17 cents for each plastic bag used by consumers.

Plastic bags pollute the environment, fill up landfills, and kill wildlife.

As a solution, customers can recycle plastic bags by taking them back to the store to carry home their own purchases. Better yet, stop using plastic bags and bring their own canvas and other reusable bags.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Air Pollution Harms Holly Plants

If you grow holly plants be aware that they are particularly susceptible to air pollution. Ozone in particular.

Scientists at Staffordshire University in the UK conducted experiments exposing holly to ozone levels that they are exposed to in the summer. The tested plants produce fewer leaves and shed more leaves as well. Ozone also affected the plants hardiness to withstand cold winter temperatures.

Ozone forms when ultraviolet light from the sun combines with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides emitted by cars, power plants and industrial sources.

Ozone pollution is so serious, especially in cities, that ozone alerts are broadcast to alert people with respiratory illnesses to stay indoors.

Ozone affects holly plants grown in the United States, Canada and Europe.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Dark Chocolate Eases Diarrhea

Once again chocolate proves itself to be a healthful food. It helps to ease diarrhea.

Diarrhea is a disorder that can cause dehydration. Dehydration can cause all sorts of other health related problems and even death.

Researchers at the Children's Hospital and Research Center in Oakland, California, found that cocoa beans contain chemicals called flavonoids which limit the development of fluid in the small intestine which causes diarrhea.

Dark chocolate contains large amounts of the necessary flavonoids.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Losing Weight Prevents Prostate Cancer

A new study by researchers from the American Cancer Society and the Duke University Prostate Center found that men who lose excess weight have a lower risk for aggressive prostate cancer.

Men should try to not gain weight as they grow older and, if overweight, should lose at least 11 pounds to help prevent getting prostate cancer.

One out of six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Regular checkups and natural supplements all help to maintain a healthy prostrate.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Mice Sing To Mates

While it's well known that male birds, insects, whales and humans serenade a prospective mate, it isn't as well known that male mice sing to their loved one.

According to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis one theory is that the singing evokes a response of the pheromones in the female mouse which then leads to mating. But it may be more complicated than first thought. Humans don't hear the songs because they are ultrasonic vocalizations.

While you may not hear the singing mice here are some tips to rid your house or apartment of scurrying mice in your home.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Waterways Polluted by Lawn Fertilizers

Having a green lawn means using fertilizer. But the kind of fertilizer used makes a big difference for the environment.

Nitrogen fertilizers run off into streets, sewers and eventually make their way to local waterways and eventually to the ocean.

But a program called Greenscapes North Shore is being put into effect by the Ipswich River Watershed Association in Massachusetts. The program is to educate homeowners on how best to have a beautiful lawn while at the same time not pollute the environment.

There are many fertilizers to choose from so the best thing for a homeowner to do is select natural fertilizers which work with, and not against, the environment.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Smokers And Pregnancy

Women who are heavy smokers are most likely to either have problems getting pregnant, or, are more likely to have multiple births. That is the recent finding by researchers at a Care Fertility Group in Spain and Portugal.

The researchers found that tobacco affects the lining of the uterus in a different way among different women. In some, it makes the lining more receptive to egg implantation, and in others, less receptive.

So.......... if you have been wanting a baby and haven't been successful, and smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day, you might consider stopping smoking.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Sugar Plums Are Healthful

Sugar plum fairies dance at Christmas time but are sugar plums healthful? In the 17th century the word plum was used to describe a dried fruit, not necessarily a prune as we know them today.

Whether they are sweetened or not plums are definitely a very healthful food to eat.

Texas A&M University researchers have found that dried plums, which are high in antioxidants, can be used as a natural meat preservative reducing the need for synthetic preservatives.

The prune puree also enhances the flavor of the food it's added to.

Plums are also easy for the home gardener to grow.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Road Salt And Your Car

Winter driving means salt on the roads to make driving safer. But........... it's bad for cars.

According to the Department of Transportation one state, Connecticut, is going to use rock salt with liquid calcium chloride instead of sand this winter.

Sand eventually gets into streams and rivers killing fish and water life. The sand also absorbs road contaminants like copper and other metals from brake dust and engine oils.

However, the same amount of salt will be used and will be used cautiously by water, wells and vegetation.

Salt, in any form, is damaging to cars so be sure to protect the finish of your car.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Pregnant Women Need To Avoid Mice

If you are expecting, avoid contact with mice and other rodents.

According to doctors at the University of Iowa rodents carry an infectious virus called Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, or LCMV. It can cause severe brain damage in a fetus.

Pregnant women should avoid all rodents, especially wild mice, and also anything they might have had contact with.

Keep the home free of mice with these tips.
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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Breast Cancer Risk Lowered With Less Hormone Replacement Therapy

A study released by the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports that there was a 7 percent decline in breast cancers in 2003 than 2002.

The only reason theorized is a decrease in the use of hormone replacement therapy. Women between the ages of 50 to 69 showed the sharpest decline of 12 percent because this age group is most often diagnosed with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Breast cancer takes a long time to develop and these tumors are fed by the hormone estrogen and are shown to stop growing when estrogen is not made available by hormone replacement therapy.

Another factor in breast cancer and hormone replacement therapy is involution. Studies done by Mayo Clinic researchers show that as women grow older involution of the breasts naturally occurs. The more involution, the less chance there is of developing breast cancer.

Natural herbal remedies are an alternative choice for hormone replacement therapy of menopausal symptoms.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Garlic Prevents Cancer

Medical studies show what garlic lovers have known for a long time. Garlic is good for you! Some studies show that eating garlic, and it's close relative, onion, can help prevent cancer.

Swiss and Italian researchers found that people who ate more garlic had less cancer than those who don't eat the pungent vegetable. The only cancers that weren't affected are those of the breast, ovary and prostate because of the hormonal aspects of these body systems.

So....... everyone eat more garlic, gardeners grow more garlic and enjoy!

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Breast Cancer and Hormone Replacement Therapy

A very important discovery has been made concerning breast cancer and women who take, or don't take, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause symptoms.

Studies done by Mayo Clinic researchers show that as women grow older involution of the breasts naturally occurs. The more involution, the less chance there is of developing breast cancer.

Studies show that after the age of 70 over half of women have complete involution. Women who never use HRT are more likely to have complete involution than those who do take HRT.

There are many natural herbal remedies that are safer than drugs for menopause symptoms.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Used Toilet Water To Irrigate Lawns

A retirement village in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, will be the first such community in that area to use recycled toilet water to water their lawns according to operators of a local sewage plant.

Sewage plant operators say that similar systems are already being used at the Sussex Skyhawks minor league ballpark in Frankford and for irrigation at Hawk Pointe Golf Club in Washington.

Reclaimed water is already being often used for irrigating golf courses and for industrial cooling systems in the United States but not for water on home lawns.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Walking Best Exercise For Elderly

Elderly people, who can walk for 150 minutes every week, are healthier than those that don't exercise.

That is the conclusion according to a study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Stanford University, Wake Forest University and the University of Florida.

The report showed that those aged 70 to 89 who remain active and continue with walking as a regular mild exercise are less likely to have health problems, be able to live in their own homes, and to have a longer life.


Even the elderly who have become sedentary can become revitalized by simply walking.

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Author: Marilyn PokorneyFreelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.Website: http://www.apluswriting.netEmail: Current address on website
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Walking Best Exercise For Elderly

Elderly people, who can walk for 150 minutes every week, are healthier than those that don't exercise.

That is the conclusion according to a study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Stanford University, Wake Forest University and the University of Florida.

The report showed that those aged 70 to 89 who remain active and continue with walking as a regular mild exercise are less likely to have health problems, be able to live in their own homes, and to have a longer life.


Even the elderly who have become sedentary can become revitalized by simply walking.

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Author: Marilyn PokorneyFreelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.Website: http://www.apluswriting.netEmail: Current address on website
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Plastic Pollutes Ocean

There is an area the size of Texas, between California and Hawaii, that is polluted with plastic. Scientists call it the trash vortex.

Everything from fishing nets to pens and toothbrushes are found there. Over 80 percent of plastic in the ocean comes from land areas that have washed out to sea.

There is six times more plastic than plankton in the vortex.

People can help stop this pollution by disposing of plastic in the garbage where it is taken to landfills, recyling, and by using other reusable items like fabric shopping bags.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Spiders And Capsaicin

What does a tarantula and a chili pepper have in common? Capsaicin.

While people use capsaicin to kill pain, spiders use it to help capture their prey.

While the actual product produced by the spider isn't capsaicin, it is a chemical in their venom which causes nerve cells to react in the same way as when they are exposed to capsaicin.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Exercise More Important Than Diet

If you are trying to lose weight, exercise is more effective than a restricted diet.

Studies done at Saint Louis University's Doisy College of Health Sciences show that dieters lose weight but they also lose muscle mass. People who exercise lose weight but maintain muscle mass. And muscle muss is important to help burn still more calories.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Chocolate Good For Athletes

This past week brought news that chocolate is healthful for the heart. Now there is news that chocolate milk is good for athletes as well.

Studies showed that drinking chocolate milk, instead of common sports drinks, improved the performance of bicyclists 49 and 54 percent.

One nutrient that chocolate milk contains that the sports drinks either don't have, or have less of, is calcium.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Chocolate Is Healthful

Chocolate is good for you. Chocolate is bad for you. It's official! Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is good for almost everyone!

Studies were conducted by the American Heart Association, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Dark chocolate, has high levels of antioxidants called flavonoids. These help to remove free radicals in the blood.

Chocolate also appears to slow clotting of platelets for up to 12 hours after eating. This helps to prevent blood clots which can cause heart attacks and strokes.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Christmas Stressful For Children

All the hustle and bustle of the holidays is stressful for adults and even more for children. And still more for children that live with just one parent and have been through a divorce.

Make Christmas fun by writing to Santa and getting a reply.

What could be more fun for a child than to actually get a letter from Santa?

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Halloween Deer Story

A deer in Michigan got a Halloween pumpkin caught on it's nose. Locals feared that the deer wouldn't be able to eat so ideas were tossed around as to how to free the deer.

The deer seems to have shaken the pumpkin loose and will be fine.

Deer can be a nuisance in the garden. Here are some ways to keep deer out of the garden without harming them.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Snails Produce Medicine

The lowly snail may one day be a producer of pain medication, lessening the need for synthetic drugs and narcotics which can be addictive for people with severe chronic pain.

Studies conducted at the University of Utah and Wake Forest University show that the toxic venom can stop nerve pain and may be available within the next 10 years.

Snails are a close relative of slugs. Slugs are a common nuisance in the garden but maybe the lowly slug will one day show medical promise as well.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Garlic Kills Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

Hospital acquired infections are becoming more and more prevalent due to bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a microbe that infects skin and soft tissue wounds and causes intestinal illness and even death in hospitals. The microbe, defeated by two modern day antibiotics, Methicillin and vancomycin, has become resistant to those drugs.

Researchers have found that in some cases the bacteria cannot grow when allicin, the substance in garlic, is present.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

New Ban on Synthetic Fertilizers

If you garden, and especially if you have a lawn, beware. New laws could soon limit the kind of fertilizer you apply to your lawn.

Fertilizers with phosphorus will be banned in some areas by 2008.

In some areas of the U.S. the phosphorus levels are reaching dangerous levels in city water supplies and surface waters.

High phosphorus levels can kill fish and promotes the growth of algae and other aquatic plants.

Homeowners should start planning on using natural fertilizers for lawns and gardens.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Mileage Tricks May Harm Engines

Gas prices are on an up and down cycle. Oil and gas prices go up and down quickly. Sometimes in just hours. Many vehicle owners are looking for quick fixes and tricks to extend mileage and may, instead, be harming their vehicles in the process.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Trade Commission warns drivers to be cautious of any gas saving claims for cars.

Good engine and tire maintenance is the best thing any vehicle owner can do for the best mileage possible.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Use Plastic Bags and Pay a Fine

A fine of $2,000, or a jail sentence of up to 12 months, will be imposed on anyone producing, importing, using or selling plastic bags.

This is a fact if you live on the island of Zanzibar.

The plastic bags are fatal to birds, animals and marine life. On the tropical island, they can provide living quarters for disease carrying mosquitoes.
The bags take up to 1000 years to decompose.

A fine or a jail sentence might be just the thing needed to alert people to the problem of plastic in the environment and the most obvious choice of changing to more earth friendly products like reusable canvas bags.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Solar Energy From Plants

Oddly enough, it takes solar energy to grow plants but.......... plants may also be able to produce solar energy in return.

Scientists say that the sun sends enough energy to Earth in just one hour to meet all humanity's needs for an entire year.

So scientists are trying to develop versions of the pigment structures that plants use to produce energy.

In the meantime we can all harness solar energy in someunusual and unexpected ways.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Dog Collar Museum

Do you have a favorite dog collar? Is it an antique? Or simply just an unusual collar that you would like identified to see if it's worth a few, or more dollars? Here's your chance to find out!

The Leeds castle in England has the world's largest museum of dog collars. The collection spans 500 years of dogs as work mates and companions.

Perhaps you'd like to start your own family tradition with your best friend? Perhaps start with an earth friendly collar or a fancy fur collar for Christmas?

Either way............... your pet will love you for it!

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Allergic To Ladybugs?

Lady beetles, commonly called lady bugs, are one of the most friendly insects to have in the garden.

But, one species, the multicolored Asian lady beetle, can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people. According to entomologists, this species is rapidly outnumbering the friendly, more well-known, convergent lady beetle found across the U.S.

In the fall ladybugs search out a warm place to hibernate for the winter and often enter homes. While nothing more than a nuisance to most people, hypersensitive people can suffer allergic reactions from contact with the beetle.

The University of Louisville in Kentucky reports that only 9 cases of ladybug allergy were recorded before 2005 but that cases have risen to over 99 in 2006.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Cola Drinkers Risk Osteoporosis

Women who drink cola risk osteoporosis at a much higher percentage than women who don't drink cola.

Studies conducted at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University showed lower bone mineral density in all women of all ages, and diet. The more cola drank, the lower the bone mineral density was.
It made no distinction between sweetened or diet cola. Results were the same.

Scientists theorize that it's the phosphoric acid in dark cola which reacts with the calcium in the bone.

Men's bones were not affected because they have more bone mass than women to start with.
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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Winter Allergy Prevention

Bothered by sneezing, wheezing, and itchy eyes even after the temperature has gone below zero and the flowers and plants are gone for the season?

The cause of most winter allergies is mold and dustmites. Here are some tips to help keep you well this winter.

Use a humidifier to keep the air dry to prevent mold from growing.

Use exhaust fans in bathrooms.

Keep bedding dry and wash with hot water.

Keep air ducts clean and change furnace filters monthly.

Use electronic or other types of air cleaners and purifiers.

Keep firewood outside and bring in only enough for the fireplace at one time.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Pumpkin for a Healthy Prostate

By the age of 40 more than half of all men have an enlarged prostate gland and by age 80, only one in five men will not have the affliction.

Today, researchers at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan have confirmed that pumpkin seed oil actually shrinks the prostate gland in aged rodents.

The prostate gland enlarges as a result of an overproduction of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Pumpkin Seed oil contains chemicals that seem to prevent the transformation of testosterone into DHT. Scientists have discovered that pumpkin seed oil contains a steriod called delta-7-sterine which basically neutralizes the effects of the DHT.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Calcium for Depression

If you are depressed, you need calcium to protect your bones.

Scientists at Jerusalem's Hebrew University have discovered that depression causes the body to release a chemical called noradrenaline. This chemical, useful during times of stress or danger, weakens bone-building cells during depression.

A high calcium diet is necessary for strong bones and to prevent osteoporosis.

Extra calcium is needed while on a low calorie diet as well.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Stop Smoking With Exercise

If you want to stop smoking get more exercise.

That is the conclusion by a study in two Austrian hospitals.

Patients were given treatment programs with either nicotine patches or nicotine gum, or a program that included exercise.

At the end of three months, 80 percent of those in the exercise program quit smoking. In the group that used only nicotine replacement, only 52 percent had quit.

Walking is a simple, yet the most effective exercise, that can be enjoyed by everyone almost anywhere.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Coffee Lovers Love Ants

If you are a coffee lover you should love ants.

Scientists at the University in Colombia and University of Michigan studied ants in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Colombia.

Their research found that over 20 species of ants help to control the coffee berry borer, one of the major pests of coffee plants.

The ants also have a beneficial relationship with scale insects, another pest in coffee plant fields.

Additionally, when the ants were absent for 8 months, coffee leaf rust and coffee leaf spot flourished.

So with the next cup of coffee, remember to thank the ants for protecting the coffee plants.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Illegal To Smoke

It may soon be illegal to smoke in your own backyard. Sound drastic? Look again.

As long ago as 1997 Utah declared that secondhand smoke in the state could be considered a public nuisance.

In February of 2006 Calabasas, California, passed a nuisance law, and banned smoking outdoors in any area accessible to the public.

And most recently, Dublin, California, passed a law in August, declaring secondhand smoke to be a nuisance.

The reason given: The Air Resources Board found clear links between secondhand smoke and respiratory system cancer, heart disease, asthma, and middle ear infections. Studies show that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was the cause of the death of over 400 children.

Secondhand smoke also causes cancer and illness in family pets.

The solution? Either work to keep these laws from being passed elsewhere, or improve your own health by stopping smoking.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Morning Sickness for a Healthy Baby

While most mothers-to-be might not feel like agreeing, some experts feel that morning sickness is actually helpful to the developing baby.

Studies show that women who have morning sickness have fewer miscarriages and babies of low birth weights.

Morning sickness also helps the body to normalize hormone levels.

Some researchers uphold the belief that morning sickness is the body's way of ridding itself of toxins that the developing baby doesn't need.

For whatever reason, ginger is a natural way to relieve and soothe the upset tummy from morning sickness.

Additionally, ginger is also good for indigestion, and provides the same relief as common, over-the-counter, motion sickness medications.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Halloween Perfume

I thought I'd seen it all with Tomato Perfume.

But now there is also Halloween Perfume!

Check it out!

Even if Halloween is over on the calendar, it's a perfume worthy of being worn any day of the year.

Celebrate Halloween all year by wearing it everyday!

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Celebrate Nature On Halloween

Trick or treating is one of the most fun ways to celebrate Halloween.

Halloween is the pagan celebration of Samhain. Samhain is the Gaelic word for "summer's end". It is the end of the harvest for the year thus, November 1 is the beginning of the New Year.

It is a time when spirits of one's ancestors are able to return and visit their still living loved ones. Candles and jack-o-lanterns are lit to scare away any evil spirits. Offerings of food and drink were left out for the wandering souls and spirits.

The current holiday tradition of treat or treating stems from the gathering of treats to obtain offerings to give thanks for the harvest.

When going trick or treating most children carry a paper sack, plastic bag, or even a pillowcase. But to celebrate the real meaning of thanking Mother Earth for Her bounty what better way to do so than to use environment friendly canvasbags.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Mustard Protects Potatoes

Mustard greens, grown as a green manure, or cover crop that is plowed under in the fall, release natural substances that can reduce or eliminate the need for synthetic fungicides in potato fields.

Some studies conducted at an Agricultural Research Service Station plot also show that mustard may also have an effect on nematodes and weeds. Studies are ongoing.

This can also work for home gardeners growing potatoes in their backyards.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Vitamin D and Breast Cancer

Women who are at risk for breast cancer should be getting more vitamin D.

Scientists at the Imperial College London have found that vitamin D levels are lower in women with advanced breast cancer compared to the early stages of cancer.

Previous studies have shown that women living in higher latitudes and those who have less sun exposure also have a higher incidence of breast cancer.

Studies conducted in laboratory tests show that vitamin D can stop cancer cells from dividing.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Snail Invasion

Channeled apple snails are a threat to Florida waterways.

These snails are larger than the friendly native apple snails in Florida. While the native snails are food for birds and animals, the invader is baseball sized and quickly destroys aquatic plants.

The channeled apple snail's native habitat is in South America but it has spread into the other parts of the world including the southern states of Texas, Florida and up into central Ohio. And is making it's way to Australia as well.
The presence of this snail is ominous because it can destroy every living thing in the waterway that it inhabits.

While not as serious a threat, home gardeners are plagued by slugs and snails.

Common garden slugs can be easily controlled without poisons which can be dangerous to children and pets.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

New Species of Mouse Discovered

One mouse in the house is too many. Mice breed faster than the proverbial rabbits.

Now, scientists have discovered a new species of mouse in Cyprus.

And in 2004 scientists discovered a new mouse species in the Philippines.

Looks like mice are ready to take over the world.

It really isn't that serious of course but it really is irritating to have a mouse, or more, in the house. There are some easy ways to catch mice without poisons which can be dangerous to children and pets.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Are You Night Blind?

Do you suffer from night blindness? If so, good eye nutrition is a necessity.

Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness. It also prevents eye dryness which can lead cloudiness of the eye and corneal ulcers and swollen eyelids. Vitamin A deficiency is the main cause of blindness in young children and people of all ages in developing countries. Zinc helps the liver release Vitamin A for use by the body.

Bilberry is an herb which helps improve night vision by strengthening the retina. In fact, it is so good for improving night vision that during World War II British fighter pilots ate bilberries before going on nighttime bombing raids.
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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
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Help for Eye Floaters

Do you suffer from those annoying spots and lines that swim across your vision?

Those are floaters and they always stop right in front of something you're trying to see or read.

There is some relief with good nutrition.

Some people have found that by taking apple pectin supplements the floaters eventually disappear.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Eggs Maintain Healthy Eyes

Eyes need carotenoids to remain healthy. However, the human body cannot produce the two carotenoids that the eyes need. So they must be obtained through food or supplements.

The carotenoids that the eye needs are the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. They can be obtained in fruits, leafy vegetables and eggs.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are thought to play a role in protection against age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and cataracts.

Research has shown that the lutein in eggs may be better absorbed by the body than it is from other sources. But supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin plus others that the eye needs are excellent additions to a healthy diet.

A chicken egg yolk contains approximately 290 micrograms of lutein and 210 micrograms of zeaxanthin.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and theenvironment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Garlic--Nature's Antibiotic

In the years before antibiotics were discovered garlic was used by many as a natural antibiotic. In fact, it has been called "the poor man's penicillin".

Today, scientists are finding out that the old wive's tales of garlic are true.

Antibiotics have been prescribed and overused over the last 50 years and bacteria is becoming resistant to all but the most potent of drugs.

Methicillin and vancomycin are both powerful antibiotics that were effective on MRSA, a serious hospital acquired infection. But both antibiotics are now becoming less effective than they were.

Scientists at the University of East London, England, have discovered that allicin, the healing component of garlic, destroys MRSA bacteria in a very short time.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Shopping Bags in Landfills

Most items which usually decompose in the environment under the natural elements of air and water are unable to decompose in landfills.

Plastic shopping bags take 20 to 1000 years to deteriorate and paper bags only 30 days in the open environment.

But neither of these will decompose in a landfill.

It's a fact that items such as hot dogs, newspapers, and even grapes can be unearthed many years later and still recognized for what they are in perfect condition!

The statistics on how plastic and paper bags affect our environment are staggering.


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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

An Orange a Day

The old adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" may now be joined with "an orange a day keeps the doctor away."

Scientists have discovered that eating mandarin oranges may help in preventing liver cancer, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and insulin resistance.

The substance in oranges is a natural chemical which is just one of over 600 natural substances called carotenoids.

Carotenoids also help prevent stroke, macular degeneration, prostate cancer and increase the protection of the immune system.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Long Work Hours Equal High Blood Pressure

The more hours you work the more likely it is that you will have high blood pressure.

That is the finding by researchers at University of California, Irvine.

People working 11 to 39 hours had the lowest blood pressure while those working merely one hour longer, 40 hours a week, had a 14 percent increase in being hypertensive.

People working 41 to 50 hours had a 17 percent increase and those working over 51 hours had a 29 percent increase.

A healthy diet including celery can help to lower blood pressure in people who already have the problem.

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Exercise and High Fat Food

While no one is advocating that people should be eating high fat foods, there is good news for those who like to indulge now and then.

A study conducted at Indiana University shows that if a person walks moderately for 45 minutes about 2 hours after a high fat meal the damage done by the fat is reversed.

The researchers study was done by measuring the dilation of the artery in the arm which is used for measuring blood pressure. In general, a range of 3 to 5 is poor, and 6 to 10 perfect.

After a high fat meal the measurement was 4, after a fat free meal the measurement was 6 to 6.5, but after a high fat meal and a walk, the measurement went from 6 to 8.

So get out there and walk!

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Tomato Perfume

Ok. I thought I had heard it all before. But tomato perfume?

Yes, there really is such a perfume.

It also gave me the idea to write an article about wearing perfumes.

Enjoy!

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
Email: Current address on website
*****************************************

Hello everyone,

This is my first post to this blog.

I will be focusing on publishing interesting items that I come across in my research.

Posts will be about health breakthroughs for people and pets, environmental interests, gardening tips, usual household tips, car care, money saving tips, etc.

I plan for it to be of interest to everyone.

I haven't decided on a specific posting schedule. It might be once a day, or 10 posts a day once a week. Whenever I come across something of interest I will post it.

Thank you for reading World News Bytes.

Marilyn