Parsley Helps your Eyes to See Better

G'day to you! Thanks for clicking by today. Help yourself to a mug of coffee and a virtual treat. Try a parsley and carrot muffin, why don't'cha? It's good for you but eat it anyway!

Fresh parsley has more eye-healthy nutrients than any other vegetable. Pick a few leaves and chew them and they give you two of the world’s best vision-sharpening nutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are critical to eye health because they concentrate in the retina of your eye and protect these structures that give your vision clarity and sharpness.

But what you may not know is that of all the carotenoids, including beta-carotene, these are the only two collected in your macula.

The macula is a little yellow spot near the center of your retina.

Why is that so important to you? Because the macula is what makes you able to pick out very small details, and also do highly specialized tasks like reading this letter.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are so highly concentrated there that your eyes don’t work without them. These yellow pigments act like sunglasses that block and protect your central sight from ultraviolet and near-ultraviolet light that can break it down and cause oxidation from free radicals.

In a study done in Japan, they gave blood tests to more than 700 people 65 and up. Those with the highest levels of lutein and zeaxanthin appeared to have overall better eye health.

An Australian study of over 3,600 people made a similar discovery. Those who got a lot of lutein and zeaxanthin through diet or supplements had better eye health than those who had lower levels. 

While lutein is found around the outer edges of your macula, zeaxanthin is found at the centre. Together, they give you complete protection.

Parsley is one of the best food sources for both lutein and zeaxanthin. Just a few sprigs give you 1,557 mcg. Doesn’t sound like much, but these two nutrients are highly concentrated, so 1.5 mg from one food is a good source. And parsley also has nearly as much beta-carotene and vitamin A as the same amount of carrots.

When the parsley plant starts to flower, it’s mature and that means it’s done giving you fresh parsley for that season. So dry the leaves that are left and save them. Eat at least two tablespoons of the dried leaves every day for your best eye health.

Other good food sources of lutein and zeaxanthin are dark leafy green vegetables like Brussels sprouts, and yellow foods like egg yolks, yellow squash, and pumpkins and carrots which are “dark yellow” vegetables. However, they only have about a third as much as parsley.

Some studies show your eyes need at least 20 mg a day of lutein and 4 mg of zeaxanthin to maintain optimal vision. That means if you don’t eat lots of eggs and parsley and other vegetables, you’ll need to supplement. When you look for a good supplement, remember that most formulas are going to be competing on price. That means they’ll skimp on these critical nutrients and only give you a few hundred micrograms.

Parsley is also good for bad breath...not that you or I have it though!

See ya better, eh!

Bob

Gran Graduates From Primary School At 100

Well, hi there! Wonderful to see you. Coffee's hot and the treats are arrayed in all their delicious splendor just for you. Dig in! Y'know, I've always been a proponent of lifelong learning. Sometimes life throws you a curve that takes you away from the classroom, but... you can always go back  later. Look at Manuela Hernandez...

Manuela Hernandez, who was born in the state of Oaxaca in June 1913, left primary school after just a year to help her poor family with the household chores.

She only resumed her studies last October at the age of 99 at the recommendation of one of her grandchildren.

She has now been handed her diploma at a celebration held in the southern Mexican state.

"I liked school very much, but I could not continue studying," she told Uno TV. "By the next year I could already wash and iron."

Ms Hernandez says she will  now continue her studies in secondary school.

More than half of Oaxaca state residents older than 15 have not completed their primary education.

I wish her success in her studies. Wonder what career she'll embark on once she completes university?

See ya, eh!

Bob

World's Most Expensive Car Wash!

Hi ya. How's it going, sunshine? Ready for coffee and a virtual treat? Of course you are. That's why you're here, right? That and the scintillating conversation... even if it is a little one-sided. Your choice though...you are always welcome to comment on my rantings and ravings. Meanwhile a niche market is one thing but here's a guy who has found the 'ultimate' niche.

Some people prefer to wash their cars with a hose in order to save a few bucks, but for car owners with money to burn The Ultimate Shine, a car cleaning company based in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, is offering the ultimate car cleaning experience for the unbelievable price of £100,000 ($150,000).

You’re probably thinking “this can’t be true”, right? That’s more than a brand new luxury vehicle! But apparently, for many of the world’s rich and famous, $150,000 is a fair price to pay to have their exclusive rides looking squeaky-clean. 

Paul Wilkins, who owns and runs The Ultimate Shine says his service isn’t aimed at the average driver who keeps his Ford Fiesta parked on the side of the road, but at rich car collectors who keep their rare and expensive vehicles in temperature-controlled showrooms and want them to look perfect. 

Although he doesn’t want to reveal the identities of his high-profile clientele, 34-year-old Wilkins says he cleans about three cars at the price of £100,000 per year. He also assures interested clients that they’ll be getting their money’s worth.

So...if he does three cars a year and spends, what, a week or so on each car then has the rest of the year off, that's not a bad way to go, eh? Mind you he's probably bored out of his mind most of the time sitting home counting his money. Me? I am not big on washing cars. Ask Nong. We bought our Nissan in December. Haven't been to a car wash or taken a hose to it yet. Frequent days such as today (raining all night and still at it...) have been most helpful!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Artist Creates Amazing Tree Troll Inspired by Her Father

Well, howdy there! Wassup? Thanks for dropping out of the cybersky for a peek at what I'm yammering on about today. Pour some coffee into your mug and tree-t yourself to a megamuffin  while I tell you about an incredible sculpture.

Seattle-based artist Kim Beaton enlisted the help of 25 volunteers to build an awe-inspiring 12-foot-tall tree troll. The kind face of this forest giant was inspired by her late father, a lumberjack from Montana.

Kim Beaton and a team of volunteers spent 15 days creating a unique tree troll out of papier mache, wood, metal plates and other non-toxic materials. Although the entire sculpture looks unbelievably realistic, it’s friendly face and beautiful blue eyes immediately grab the viewer’s attention. 

Trolls are not exactly known as friendly creatures, but Beaton’s is special. The artist explains: "My father died a few months ago at 80". 

On June 2nd, at 3am, she woke from a dream with a clear vision burning in her mind. The image of her dad, old, withered and ancient, transformed into one of the great trees, sitting quietly in a forest. She leaped from her bed, grabbed some clay and sculpted like her mind was on fire. In 40 minutes she had a rough sculpture that said what it needed to. 

The next morning she began making phone calls, telling her friends that in 6 days time they would begin work on a new large piece. Over the next 6 days,she got materials and made more calls. On June 8th they began, and 15 days later they were finished. She said she have never in her life been so driven to finish a piece.”

For anyone with an interest in elves, wizards, dwarfs and, of course, trolls, it is quite remarkable and a fitting tribute to a lumberjack.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Scotty is being beamed up to the Final Frontier!

Och Aye! Great to see you today. Fill your mug with some java juice and beam a virtual treat onto your plate while I bring back some memories. Are you a Trekkie? I sure enjoyed the original Star Trek series...and the Second Generation...and Star Trek Voyager...and the 12 or more Star Trek Movies. Now there's a new movie out! One part of the legacy continues while another is appropriately laid to rest.

The remains of the creator of Star Trek and the ashes of the actor who played Scotty are to blast off into space.  James Doohan's character sparked the line "Beam me up, Scotty".

The ashes of Gene Roddenberry, who conceived the original 1960s TV series, will head for the final frontier alongside those of James Doohan, who played the starship Enterprise's Scottish engineer. Roddenberry's ashes will also be accompanied by those of his wife on the November 2014 launch by memorial spaceflight company Celestis.

They will be part of a cargo that includes other cremated remains, written messages and samples of DNA in capsules sent by the general public.

"What's very cool about this is that it's science fiction meeting reality," said Celestis spokeswoman Pazia Schonfeld.

The remains will travel on a spacecraft called a solar sail, which is powered by sunlight and made to withstand high temperatures, and will head for orbit around the Sun, according to the company.

Here's to a couple of amazing people. May their final exploration journey last forever.

See ya, eh!

Bob 

PS: Wouldn't it be something if their solar sail vessel is discovered by aliens who use it to navigate to Earth? Far out, eh!

The World’s Scariest Airport!

हेल्लो. होव अरे यौ तोडे? What? Don't speak Nepali? No problem. I said "Namaste. Hajur Sanchai cha?" which translates as "Hello. How are you?" Haven't figured out yet how to say "Pour some steamingly refreshing coffee in your mug and snag a virtual treat" but go ahead. Do it anyway. While we're talking Nepali, they have probably the world's scariest airport.

As if being situated at 10,000 feet above sea level, in the Himalayas, didn’t make it hard enough for pilots trying to land on or take off from Tenzing-Hillary Airport, in Lukla, Nepal, the short and  narrow runway ends at the edge of a precipice, making it one of the most dangerous airports in the world and definitely the scariest.

Lukla is the gateway to the Himalayas, so despite its reputation as one of the world’s most dangerous airports, it’s actually one of the busiest in Nepal. Mountain climbers trying to conquer the world’s highest mountains have to land here before beginning their journey on foot, so small airplanes and helicopters land here every day.

For most mountaineers, the landing on Tenzing-Hillary Airport is a lot more scarier than climbing Everest, and taking into account its extreme location and difficult weather condition, that’s perfectly understandable. Even on its best days, the airport is only available for takeoffs and landings for only a few hours, before the fog sets in or strong winds start to blow. And even then, a miscalculation of just a meter or two on landing can cause a plane to either hit the side of the mountain, or go through a fence and hit a rock wall.  

Taking off is no walk in the park either, as failure to build enough speed before the end of the runway can lead to a crash in the abyss below.

Watch out for the first step, eh! Believe it or not, I would love to go to Nepal - at least to Katmandu. My friend Las Vegas John kept asking me to go when he was in and out of Thailand and touring Asia. Timing wasn't the best then but who knows what the future will bring... 

See ya, eh!

Bob

Japanese Shop Sells Perfect Fruits as Luxury Items

Hi there! Thanks for clicking by today. Coffee's waiting for you as is our ever-present tray of scrumptilitious virtual treats. Y'know... sometimes you have to wonder about people, eh. They'll pay anything to get what they want - and some folks can afford to do it. Nowhere is that more evident than the strange things that happen in Tokyo. Here's a prime example...

Tokyo’s Sembikiya Fruit Parlor looks like a luxurious jewelry store and the prices of the items on offer aren’t too far off either, only instead of diamonds and gold this place sells fruits. If you’re looking for perfectly shaped, delicious-tasting cantaloupes, apples, grapes or any other Japanese fruits, Sembikiya is where you’ll find them, but you’d better stop by the bank first, because they don’t come cheap.
 
In Japan, it’s customary to give high-quality fruits for formal occasions like weddings, business meetings or hospital visits. But we’re not talking about fruits you usually find at the local market or grocery store. Specialized fruit shops like Sembikiya sell only the rarest, most perfect products, grown in special conditions to ensure they look and taste as good as possible. 

Take the Yubari muskmelons, also known as Yubari King melons, priced at ¥15,750 ($160) for one, or ¥26,250 ($265) for two, at the exclusive Tokyo fruit parlor. That’s a small fortune for produce, wouldn’t you say? But these Japanese cantaloupes are pretty special. The Yubari King sold at Sembikiya only come from Shizuoka prefecture, where they get the most sunshine. They are grown in specially-designed greenhouses with air-conditioning and paper hats in the hot summer months, and heaters during wintertime. 

Farmers prune the less perfect fruits early on, leaving just one melon to ensure it gets the best flavor possible. A 12-pack of Queen Strawberries sells for ¥6,825 ($68), a box of perfect cherries costs ¥15,750 ($159), and a Senkai-ichi (Japanese for “world’s best”) apple will set you back ¥2,100 ($21). They might seem like outrageously-priced fruits to most people, but with 11 parlors opened in Japan, at Sembikiya business is booming.

So, like, if you come across a perfect strawberry or apple in the local supermarket what should you do?
a) buy it and eat it?
b) forget about it because fruit gives you gas?
c) buy it, take a picture of it and post it on Japanese Facebook offering it for $1200.00 plus shipping?

Don't suppose I'll ever get to try a Yubari Melon but then again you never know, eh. Maybe I'll win the lottery and be able to afford a couple of them.  But it brings up one of the age-old questions. What is the plural of fruit? Is it fruit or fruits? I was taught that fruit was one of those words that didn't add 's'. Like fish. Is it fish or fishes? What do you think?

See ya, eh! 

Bob

A Crappy Wedding Gift!

Hi ya! How are you doing this splendidly fine day? I am trusting you are having a most pleasant one. Help yourself to a mug of delectably refreshing Indian coffee and a virtual poppadom as I jump into the matter of Indian toilets...not that I actually do plan to jump into one, mind.

A marriage-encouraging initiative in the Sehore district of India's Madhya Pradesh state awards gifts and financial assistance to couples agreeing to wed in mass ceremonies, but the country also suffers from a notorious toilet shortage. 

Consequently, the district announced in May that to qualify for the government benefits, the groom must submit to officials a photo of himself beside his own toilet to prove that he and his wife will have home sanitation.

Now I think that’s only fair, don’t you? For some reason the old western tune, “Oh...give me a home where the buffalo roam...” comes to mind.

“Get that buffalo out of our home, Kneedeep! And where is that toilet you promised me when we got married?”

“It is right there at the end of the line, my treasure. Don’t despair, it won’t be so long a wait until all my brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, have used it!"

See ya, eh!

Bob

Climatologists Forecast Completely New Climates

Hope you're enjoying summer, eh! It's going to be 31 C here tomorrow... 32 C Monday. Yippee! We love the heat. Fill your mug with some icEpresso and force down a virtual cool cream slice, why don't'cha? Global warming seems to be here to stay but we still have to do something about winters here in Canada. I'm not a skier and I could care less. But shovelling snow is not fun. It should be illegal! Anyway, more on global warming, eh...

The tropics and much of the Northern Hemisphere are likely to experience an irreversible rise in summer temperatures within the next 20 to 60 years if atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations continue to increase, according to a climate study by Stanford University scientists.


In the study, the Stanford team concluded that many tropical regions in Africa, Asia and South America could see "the permanent emergence of unprecedented summer heat" in the next two decades. Middle latitudes of Europe, China and North America are likely to undergo extreme summer temperature shifts within 60 years, the researchers found.

"According to our projections, large areas of the globe are likely to warm up so quickly that, by the middle of this century, even the coolest summers will be hotter than the hottest summers of the past 50 years," said the study's lead author, Noah Diffenbaugh, an assistant professor of environmental Earth system science and fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford.
  
According to both the climate model analysis and the historical weather data, the tropics are heating up the fastest. "We find that the most immediate increase in extreme seasonal heat occurs in the tropics, with up to 70 percent of seasons in the early 21st century exceeding the late-20th century maximum," the authors wrote.

Tropical regions may see the most dramatic changes first, but wide swaths of North America, China and Mediterranean Europe are also likely to enter into a new heat regime by 2070, according to the study.

Environmental impact
This dramatic shift in seasonal temperatures could have severe consequences for human health, agricultural production and ecosystem productivity, Diffenbaugh said. As an example, he pointed to record heat waves in Europe in 2003 that killed 40,000 people. He also cited studies showing that projected increases in summer temperatures in the Midwestern United States and Canada could reduce the harvest of staples, such as corn and soybeans, by more than 30 percent.

Diffenbaugh was surprised to see how quickly the new, potentially destructive heat regimes are likely to emerge, given that the study was based on a relatively moderate forecast of greenhouse gas emissions in the 21st century.

"The fact that we're already seeing these changes in historical weather observations, and that they match climate model simulations so closely, increases our confidence that our projections of permanent escalations in seasonal temperatures within the next few decades are well founded," Diffenbaugh said.

Don't put me down for a tropical condo on Baffin Island just yet, eh. A couple of palm trees on my front lawn here will do nicely!

See ya, eh!

Bob

In Indonesia Professional Hitchhikers Do Drivers a Favour

Selamat siang!Apa kabar? What? Your Indonesian (actually Bahasa Indonesian) is a little rusty? Not to worry, eh. C'mon in anyway. Grap yourself a hefty mug of java and a virtual treat and I'll take you on a quick tour of Jakarta.

Usually, it’s the drivers who help out hitchhikers by offering them a ride, but in Indonesia’s capital city, it’s the other way around. Professional hitchhikers get paid to ride in complete strangers’ cars and help them reach their destination faster.

The world’s sixth largest metropolis, Jakarta has a population of over 30 million and around 20 million registered cars. Unfortunately, its infrastructure is far less advanced than that of other large cities like New York, Tokyo or Singapore, which means traffic is terrible. In order to ease jams, authorities have created “Three in One” zones which can only be accessed by vehicles carrying at least three passengers.

The measure was successful to some extent, only it also spawned a whole new industry – professional hitchhiking. Every morning, poor Indonesians from the outskirts of Jakarta can be seen lining the sidewalks near entry points to Three in One zones, offering themselves to commuters in a hurry. They are known as jockeys, and unlike regular hitchhikers, they don’t raise their thumbs up to drivers, but their index finger to signal a jockey working solo, and the extra middle finger to signal a couple, usually a mother and a baby.

And if a car doesn't stop for them, do they raise only the middle finger? The plan (not the finger) sounds like an inventive way to solve a problem. It helps drivers navigate the Three in One zones without incurring a fine and earns the poor hitchhiker a few rupiahs so they can buy some food for their family.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Fine Points of Law

Well, hey there! Glad you could drop in today. Lots of traffic in cyberspace? Never mind. Pull up a nice mug of coffee and a virtual treat and rest your weary bones while I drone on about a new twist on Peeping Toms.

A woman in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood reported to a local news blog in May that she had seen (and her husband briefly conversed with) a man who was operating a "drone" from a sidewalk, guiding the noisy device to a point just outside a third-floor window in a private home. 

The pilot said he was "doing research" and, perhaps protected by a 1946 U.S. Supreme Court decision, asserted that he was not violating anyone's privacy because he, himself, was on a public sidewalk while the drone was in public airspace. The couple called for a police officer, but by the time one arrived, the pilot and his drone had departed, according to a report on the Capitol Hill Seattle blog.

Now obviously this could turn into a big problem and there's only one thing to do. If you are going to peep into upper bedroom windows, you need a much quieter drone, eh! Not that I'm advising that pursuit of lurid interests, I'm just saying...

See ya, eh!

Bob

Anti-Pervert Hairy Stockings

Hi ya! How're you doing so far today? Keeping out of mischief, are we? Fill your mug with some delicious java and munch on a virtual muffin while I rant on about the latest fashion trend in China... hairy stockings. Yup! You heard right...

Forget a hair shirt, or even a hair belt – they’re so Tudor – no, the hot trend for young women this summer is a pair of leggings that make the wearer look like they’ve lost their Ladyshave and embraced a more natural look. 

Are they a fashion item, or a deterrent? It is difficult to tell – perhaps they are both. Indeed, many men find the garments worn at the higher end of the fashion world a deterrent in any case (straight-jacket and transparent kilt on a first date, anyone?), so there is already some degree of crossover. 

Maybe they are for women with leg-hair envy. After years of shaving and waxing, the hair follicles are so weak that even if the average western woman wanted to grow a full thigh-beard herself, she probably couldn’t, and so for those who wish to experiment with a new look, here is the answer. 

They first appeared on a microblogging Chinese site Sina Weibo (China’s version of Twitter), and have become a viral sensation. They have been called ‘anti-pervert stockings’.

Perhaps their primary function is to put off the more unenlightened members of the male sex, who will be so repulsed by the sight of a nubile young girl with gorilla pins that they will dismiss her as a possible target for their attentions. 

I suppose there this is one of those "It takes all kinds..." ideas. While I hail creativity and inventiveness, sometimes the results are less than hoped for. Reckon I'll leave it at that. Oh and, in case you were wondering...they are not marketed by Gillette.

See ya, eh!

Bob

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

Well, lookee who's dropped in out of the cybersky! Great to see you. What've you been up to since yesterday, eh? Grab yourself a mug of coffee to perk you right up and sling a virtual treat onto your plate while I bring you up to date with what's happening at the Disney Parks.

As recently as mid-May, people with disabilities had been earning hefty black-market fees by taking strangers into Disneyland and Disney World using the parks' own liberal "disability" passes (which allow for up to five relatives or guests at a time to accompany the disabled person in skipping the sometimes-hours-long lines and having immediate access to the rides). 

The pass-holding "guide," according to NBC's "Today" show, could charge as much as $200 through advertising on CraigsList and via word-of-mouth to some travel agents. 

Following reports in the New York Post and other outlets, Disney was said in late May to be warning disabled permit-holders not to abuse the privilege.

"Grab that guy in the wheelchair and fling him out of the park. All his friends, too! We can't have these disabled people, one-legged vets even, taking advantage of our system...even if it is in an entrepreneurial spirit upon which America was founded." So there!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Martintown Art Show

Hi ya! Wonderful to see you and thanks for clicking on by today.  Coffee’s hot and the VTs are right out of the virtual oven so dig in while I tell you what I was up to yesterday. 

I participated in my first ever art show in Martintown – a small town a few clicks out into the countryside. Fifteen artists were there and yours truly was one of them. 

It poured rain from the time the show opened at 10:00 until just after it closed at 3:00 pm. Didn't help the numbers any. Pisser! I didn’t sell anything but didn’t really expect to. It was a good learning experience for me though. Picked up lots of tips and marketing ideas; agreed to talk to a group later this year about Thailand and opted to participate in another art show in the Martintown Old Mill on August 4^th. Make the date down if you’re in the area.

Martintown is a farming community and it did seem to me that a good percentage of the visitors were somewhere between Red Green and Larry the Cable Guy. Not a big art niche so I need to adjust my display accordingly.  Anyway it was a fun day. I met a lot of really nice people and made some valuable contacts. All in all a successful day, eh. Now I have to work on adjusting my web site somewhat. Soon's I do that, I'll remind you about it so you can peruse to your heart's content.

See ya, eh!

Bob

He Walked Around the World!

Well hi there! How's it going? Ready for a mugga and a virtual treat? Try a Japanese pastry today for a change, why don't'cha, while I tell you about Masahito Yoshida.

Masahito is 32 and recently returned to Shanghai, the city where he started his epic walk around the world, four and a half years ago. He walked a total of 40,000 kilometers across four continents carrying with him a two-wheeled cart full of baggage.

On New Year’s Eve, in 2009, Masahito Yoshida, an average Joe from the city of Tottori, Japan, set out from Shanghai to explore the world on foot. He had always wanted to travel and see all the wonders of the globe, but knew that doing it by plane or train, he would miss the small, sometimes isolated towns of the world, and the people that live in them. So he decided to walk instead. 

His first destination was Cape Roca, on the Portuguese coast, where he arrived in August of 2010, after covering 16,000 kilometers through central Asia and Europe. He then hopped on a plane to America, where he spent another year walking 6,000 km from Atlantic City, New Jersey to Vancouver, Canada. 

By the end of 2011 he exhausted most of his travel funds, so he started taking part-time jobs to finance the rest of his trip. From Canada, he flew to Melbourne, Southern Australia, and made his way north, to Darwin, then Singapore and back to Shanghai, China. During his memorable journey, Masahito worn off seven pairs of walking shoes.

Now that's tire you out, wouldn't it. Heck...I get out of breath just walking from the car to the front door!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Riding Wooden Scooters at 50 KPH!

Mabuhay and thanks for dropping in today. I'm tickled pink to see you. Just brewed up a fresh pot of virtual coffee and took a new tray of treats out of the virtual oven so dig in before it all disappears. Hey... remember the scooters we used to ride on when we were kids? Boy, I wish I had one of these in those days. Looks like a lot of fun!

The municipality of Banaue, in the Philippines, is widely known for its spectacular rice terraces, but few people know it’s also the setting of a traditional race that has daredevils riding wooden scooters downhill at speeds of up to 50 kph, without any kind of protection.

The wooden scooter has long been the preferred means of transportation for Ifugao (Philippine for “people of the hill) in Banaue, and is still used today, as a cheaper alternative to gas-powered motorcycles and scooters. They were created centuries ago to help people travel downhill faster. The men-folk had to walk up the surrounding hills almost every day to gather firewood and tend to their rice crops, and carrying the load back down was an exhausting task that took them hours to complete. 

People started making light scooters almost entirely out of wood, and pushed them uphill whenever they had something to transport back to their village. At the top, they would simply strap the load on both sides of the vehicle and let gravity take them back down in a matter of minutes. In time, making wooden scooters became an art form, and masters of the craft began decorating them with all kinds of designs, from local animals and birds to human heads. 

Today, the Ifugao still celebrate this useful invention by participating in a seven-kilometer wooden scooter race down a steep road along the famous Banaue Rice Terraces.

So, hey, if you're looking for a project to whittle away the hours, days and weeks next winter, why not carve your own scooter. You'll be a big hit with all the neighbourhood kids!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Better Than Pain Pills For Migraines

Hey there! How're you doing? I hope your day is looking as good as it is here - bright sun and a high of 23 C.  Pour yourself a mugful of Arabica juice and take a firm grip on a virtual treat while I bring you more advice from my pal Dr. Al (Sears). This time it's about migraines. If you suffer from these, listen up, eh!

If you or a loved one suffers from migraines, you know the side effects… hallucinations, seizures, confusion, dizziness, and nausea.

Most people pop a pain pill and try to sleep in a dark room…

But did you know there are a few simple nutrients that you can take to help you get rid of migraines for good, before they even occur?

They are much safer than the over-the-counter pills. Prolonged use of those drugs can actually make the pain worse.

They can cause an “analgesic rebound effect.” This is when your body creates more pain so it can receive a larger dose of drugs. It’s like creating a painkiller addiction in your body.

The good news is that you can take just three simple nutrients and find relief from migraines right away.

CoQ10 – Researchers from the Head and Pain Unit at the University Hospital Zurich discovered in a clinical trial that 300 mg of CoQ10 daily cuts migraine frequency by half. But it’s important to take the right form of CoQ10.

The powdered form of CoQ10 is difficult to absorb. Get either the gel caps or tablets and take them with some kind of fat. CoQ10 is fat-soluble. Take it with a bit of olive oil or fish oil. Or do what I recommend to my patients: Have your CoQ10 with a meal that includes fish, dairy, eggs or meat.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) – Studies suggest mitochondrial dysfunction causes some migraines. That means that your brain’s energy factories don’t generate enough output. The resulting low energy may cause severe headaches.

High doses of riboflavin increase the energy production in the brain cells and reduce headaches. One study showed that 400 mg of riboflavin a day cut the frequency of migraines in half.

You can get riboflavin from lots of foods, but quantity becomes a problem. You’d have to eat enormous amounts of liver, nuts, dairy, eggs, seafood and greens to get to 400 mg a day.

So, while you should still eat these foods, I also recommend you supplement your diet with riboflavin. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) supplements are readily available. Look for the natural form produced from yeast.

Magnesium – One of magnesium’s main jobs is to tone the blood vessels. Scientists have linked certain types of migraines to problems with blood flow and pressure in the vessels. So if you have low magnesium levels, you could benefit from taking magnesium supplements.

Add to your daily diet things like green leafy veggies, tree nuts, yogurt, berries, halibut, avocado, bananas, and raisins. But remember that the serving portions of these foods only give you 24 to 90 mg of magnesium.

Studies have shown that a 600 mg a day reduces migraines by up to 41 percent.

Look for magnesium that is bound to citrate, malate or aspartate. Take it with vitamin B6. It will increase the amount of magnesium that accumulates in your cells.

If you know anyone who suffers from these, suggest they read my blog. Ask them to send me their email address and I'll gladly add them to my mailing list. 

See ya, eh!

Bob