Regular Exercise Increases Brain Volume, Protects Against Age-Related Dementia

February 18th, 2011

Natural News

By: Marianne Leigh

Everyone fears aging to some extent, even if they age well. But well beyond wrinkles and sagging skin, the most intimidating loss associated with aging is that of memory and cognition. These functions rely heavily on a part of the brain called the hippocampus and have recently been the focus of study by a team of American researchers. The study found that, in a group of adults over 65 years of age, regular aerobic exercise accompanies increases in hippocampal volume, and these gains were related to marked improvements in memory.

This most recent American study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, confirms and expands upon the findings of a previous, more extensive study done in Italy and published in 2008 in the journal Neurology.

The Italian study followed a group of subjects aged 65 years and older for four years, using cognitive assessment tests to gauge the health of participants, and correlating the findings to information about participants’ exercise habits. The study was significant not only because it found dramatic reductions in development of dementia for those who exercised regularly (a 73% decrease), it also showed that the intensity of exercise had almost no bearing on results: exercises like walking, climbing stairs and gardening were just as effective at staving off dementia as more strenuous activities.

The American study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess changes in hippocampal volume in a group of participants over age 65, who performed regular aerobic exercise, and in a control group, who did not. Despite the fact that adults of this age lose 1% to 2% of their hippocampal volume per year, this study found an average gain of 2% in hippocampal volume among participants who engaged in regular aerobic walking, and the expected average loss of 1.4% in the control group. The study additionally found that increases in hippocampal volume accompanied increases in memory function.

Studies that look at exercise’s effect on the brain during aging are ongoing and very popular, with all signs pointing to the same conclusion: regular moderate exercise, especially aerobic walking, is an excellent way to fight cognitive decline. It is similarly associated with a significant decrease in the development of Alzheimer’s, and it has even been shown to slow the progression of the disease in individuals already affected.

So with all this evidence pointing to the inescapable conclusion that aerobic exercise is essential for aging well, there’s more reason than ever to do your body this favor. Go take that 30-minute walk today, and then tomorrow, get up and do it again. Your brain will inevitably thank you.

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Lose Weight and Help Prevent Hypertension With Figs

February 18th, 2011

Natural News

By: Shona Botes

Figs are originally native to the Middle East and were one of the earliest fruits to be cultivated. Turkey and Greece are currently the world’s main suppliers, with California being the third most important provider of this wonderful fruit. Figs are a member of the mulberry family. They are often more available as a dried fruit, as they tend to deteriorate quickly in fresh form. Either way, they offer amazing health benefits in many areas.

This fruit contains a whopping 250 mg of calcium per 100 grams of fruit, compared to whole milk which only provides around 118mg. They also contain magnesium, copper, iron, phosphorus, Vitamins A, B1 and B2, manganese and potassium, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Fibre found in figs is able to assist with weight loss in obese people, but caution should be exercised with regards to overconsumption, as they are also able to lead to weight gain. They assist with bowel function, thereby relieving bouts of constipation.

Figs contain low levels of sodium, which assist with reducing hypertension. Since early times, they have been used to enhance sexual libido. This is done by soaking 2 to 3 of them overnight in organic milk and then by consuming them early the following morning. The potassium found in figs assists with the prevention of urinary calcium loss. They also assist with preventing macular degeneration. They contain large amounts of mucilage, which is able to assist with those who suffer from sore throats or throat infection.

Dried figs contain omega 3, omega 6 and phenol, which are beneficial in helping to reduce heart disease. Their high fibre content assists with the prevention of breast and colon cancers. They are also quite beneficial in treating respiratory problems such as asthma and whooping cough (pertussis). They can assist with the treatment of fevers, boils, abscesses, earache and venereal diseases.
Fig leaves are able to lower triglyceride levels, which can help to prevent obesity and heart disease. Chewing and swallowing fig leaves has been known to help treat ulcers.

Due to their sweetness, they are able to be used as a sugar replacement, and they are often used in the making of jams, pies and preserves.

How to Select and Store Figs

Figs are best enjoyed when fully ripe, as their antioxidant content is at its highest then. When ripe, they should be stored in the refrigerator, where they will last 2 to 3 days. They should only be washed just before they are eaten. They should be wrapped or covered to protect them and to prevent them from absorbing odours from other foods stored there.

Figs that are not fully ripe should be stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Dried figs can be kept either in or out of the refrigerator, providing that they are kept in a container to prevent them from becoming too dry or hard.

Click here for the full report from Natural News

FBI Urges Congress to Expand Internet Wiretapping

February 18th, 2011

Raw Story

By: Eric W. Dolan

The FBI urged members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security on Thursday to update the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) and make it easier for authorities to eavesdrop on Internet.

The act was passed in 1994 and requires telecommunication companies to design their equipment and services to ensure that law enforcement and national security officials can monitor telephone and other communications whenever necessary.

“Over the years, through interpretation of the statute by the Federal Communications Commission, the reach of CALEA has been expanded to include facilities-based broadband internet access and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services that are fully inter-connected with the public switched telephone network,” FBI General Counsel Valeria Caproni told the subcommittee.

“Although that expansion of coverage has been extremely helpful, CALEA does not cover popular Internet-based communications modalities such as webmail, social networking sites or peer-to-peer services.”

“As a result, although the government may obtain a court order authorizing the collection of certain communications, it often serves that order on a provider who does not have an obligation under CALEA to be prepared to execute it,” she explained. “Such providers may not have intercept capabilities in place at the time that they receive the order.”

The proposal to expand CALEA would require companies involved in online communications to re-engineer their software so that law enforcement could easily access it.

In October 2010, the New York Times reported that the Obama administration was drafting new regulations to make it easier for authorities to eavesdrop on Internet and e-mail communications.

But, according to Caproni, “the Administration does not have a formal position at this time on whether any legislative changes are necessary.”

Documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation through a Freedom of Information Act request show that the FBI and Justice Department have been working on amendments to CALEA since 2006 and have been lobbying Congress and the White House to support it.

“Though the administration claims this is just a technical fix, its request will actually change the structure of the Internet, providing the government with a master key to our online communications,” Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office, said.

“The proposed changes will not only make it easier and cheaper for the government to invade our privacy, but also make the Internet more vulnerable to penetration from other sources.”

Click here for the full report Raw Story

Fast Food Causes Childhood Obesity

February 18th, 2011

Buzzle.com

By: Jayashree Pakhare

Well, there appears to be both a link between fast food and obesity and fast food and obesity in children. Some of these links are large serving sizes, low fiber content, and increased content of fat, sugar and salt in most fast foods. Also, since kids are usually out running and playing together, lack of exercise does not seem to be a link in most kids. Studies have also shown that there has been a dramatic increase of the number of times per day and per week that families eat out since the 1950′s. Therefore, it is conceivable that fast food causes obesity.

Fast food and obesity-a link?
The first step is to decide: is there a link between fast food and obesity at all? Yes, there are several things about fast food that contribute to obesity in children. First, there are the large serving sizes that are easy to note. In recent years most fast food restaurants have come out with “super-size” portions of burgers, fries. In addition there are “pizza by the slice” restaurants, where one slice is almost the size of a plate.

Studies on what children eat and where they get it have shown that children got anywhere from 29-38% of their food from fast food sources. This adds up to approximately 6 pounds a year. This taken out to its extreme: a child from age 5-15 can gain an amazing 60 pounds, and that is a lot for someone who for most of that time is less than 5foot tall and should only weigh 100lbs (at 5ft) or even less. This shows that fast food restaurants are responsible for at least some of the overweight kids in our society.

More than just obese kids
The fast food industry does need to realize that there are other effects of fast food than just obesity. While anyone, but especially overweight children, are eating burgers, fries, pizza and coke products they are not getting the nutritious food that they need. Instead, they are getting empty calories. Calories, which have no nutritional value, are setting themselves up for diabetes, heart problems and other fatal disorders. This also leads to the stark realization that if this poor nutrition in our obese children.

Fast food in school
Since the late 70′s, schools have been offering fast food type meals in place of the regular school lunches. These schools report over 15,000 items sold each week, especially to those from higher income level families. In addition there are those teenagers that who work for the fast food restaurants and eat there at least one meal during their work schedule.

Advertising and obese children
Advertising, including television ads, billboards, and other advertising, including toys in boxed meals, has had an effect upon children as never before. Children these days are growing up with low concern for their health and more concern for what tastes good.

Without enough parental supervision, these kids grow up with little nutritional discretion and usually these kids grow into adults with both weight and health problems as well as teaching another generation that it is ok to waste money on unhealthy foods. So it is not only the young people of our generation that are being affected by the fast food industry, it is going to have an effect for generations to come, if something isn’t done about the consumption of fast food.

It’s up to us!
As is expected the fast food industry is not going to think it possible to suddenly change its direction after years of offering poor food choices. It will have to come from the consumer demanding healthier food choices. Our vote comes with where we shop and what we buy. Our children and grandchildren will grow up with weight and other health problems if they continue eating the fast food.

We can read all the studies that show links between fast food and obesity and fast food and obesity in children. We can look on as medical science proves that fast food causes obesity, but if we, as consumers do nothing and continue to feed these foods to our children, the health problems that will be the end result will be our own fault.

Click here for the full report from Buzzle.com

The Kevin Trudeau Show: 2-17-11

Today, Kevin explains how the government is secretly taking money from you and what could be done to prevent inflation from getting any higher!

Self Help:
KT on Tour   
Get Your Omega-3’s   
Protect Your Bank Account   
Get Rid of Diabetes   
Weight Loss Cure     

Video:
The Youth of America   

Health:
Carmel Coloring In Cola May Cause Cancer   
Zinc May Curb Cold Symptoms   

Wealth:
Inflation 66% Higher Than The Fed Reports  

NWO:
Iconic Symbol of America Now Owned By The Germans   

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How Inflation Could Be 66% Higher Than the Fed Reports

February 17th, 2011

Daily Finance

By: Dan Burrows

Global food prices are at an all-time high, U.S. gasoline prices are at the costliest level ever for this time of the year and yet inflation, in the words of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, remains “quite low.”

By official reckoning, that’s certainly the case. On Thursday we’ll get the latest monthly inflation figures in the form of the consumer price index, which, to the Fed chief’s chagrin, is running too close to disinflationary levels. Economists, on average, expect January prices to increase at just a 0.3% rate. So-called core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, is forecast to rise just 0.1%.

As Bernanke testified before Congress last week, economists exclude food and energy prices because that core inflation rate “can be a better predictor of where overall inflation is headed.” By that measure, inflation was only 0.7% in 2010, compared with around 2.5% in 2007, the year before the recession began, the Fed chief explained.

Too bad those numbers don’t jibe with with most folks’ experience at the gas pump or checkout counter. As economist Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, told clients Tuesday: “I share the growing concern among the Fed’s critics that the official measures of consumer price inflation may be understating actual inflation and that excluding food and energy from these measures is OK as long as you don’t eat or drive.”

Alternative measures for inflation show a far more alarming picture of price increases than the official data suggest. One of the more intriguing approaches is The Billion Prices Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which collects daily price changes on about 5 million items sold by approximately 300 online retailers in more than 70 countries.

For U.S. price data, MIT tracks 550,000 products from 53 retailers. By this measure, annual inflation is currently running at a rate of 2.5% — or 66% greater than the official CPI figure. See the chart above.

Core inflation may have run at just 0.7% in 2010, as Bernanke says, which is the lowest reading on record gong back to 1960. Even if you add back in those pesky food and energy prices, the number rises to 1.2% — still no big deal. But by the Billion Prices Project’s reading, inflation in 2010 more than doubled to 2.5%. “The Billion Prices Project @ MIT is finding plenty of evidence that consumer prices are rising faster than the official price data,” Yardeni notes.

Whatever the latest data show Thursday, there’s a big difference between inflation as a guide for monetary policy and its real-world impact on conusmers’ pocketbooks.

Click here for the full report from Daily Finance

Kevin’s Radio Network

Kevin’s show is sweeping the nation! Secrets to wealth, uncovering government corruption, and natural healing methods are topics that appeal to everyone. Could your local radio station be the next to jump on the bandwagon?

Location	Station	Air Dates	Air Times (local)
Albuquerque, NM	KTBL – 1050 AM	Saturday	11AM – 2PM
Anchorage, AK	KOAN – 1020 AM & 95.5 FM	Sunday	4PM – 6PM
Asheville, NC	WSKY – 1230 AM	Monday – Friday	10PM – 11PM
Atlanta, GA	WCFO – 1160 AM	Sunday	2PM – 5PM
Austin, TX	KJCE – 1370 AM	Saturday	9PM – 1PM
Baltimore, MD	WOLB – 1010 AM	Saturday	5PM – 8PM
Beckley, WV	WJLS – 560 AM	Sunday	10PM – 12AM
Berkeley Springs, WV	WCST – 1010 AM	Saturday	9AM – 11AM
Boston, MA	WSRO – 650 AM	Sunday	9PM – 12AM
Bradenton, FL	WWPR – 1490 AM	Friday	4PM – 7PM
Canton, OH	WCER – 900 AM	Saturday	4PM – 6PM
Chattanooga, TN	WLMR – 1450 AM	Monday – Saturday	11PM – 12PM
Cleveland, OH	WELW – 1330 AM	Saturday	5PM
Clovis, NM	KCLV – 1240 AM	Saturday	8AM – 11AM
Colorado Springs, CO	KVOR – 740 AM	Sunday	8PM – 10PM
Columbus, OH	WLOH – 1320 AM & 104.5 FM	Saturday	6PM – 9PM
Columbus, OH	WVKO – 1580 AM	Saturday	12PM – 3PM
Dallas, TX	KFXR – 1190 AM	Monday – Friday	9AM – 11AM
Dallas, TX	KMNY – rationalradio.org	Saturday	12PM – 3PM
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Detroit, MI	WDTW – 1310 AM	Saturday	6PM – 9PM
El Paso, TX	KHRO – 1150 AM	Saturday	7AM – 10AM
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Fort Payne, AL	WFPA – 1400 AM	Sunday	12PM – 3PM
Geneva, NY	WGVA – 1240 AM	Sunday	1PM – 4PM
Great Bend, KS	KVBG – 1590 AM	Saturday & Sunday	1PM / 12PM
Honolulu, HI	KORL – 101.1 FM	Sunday	5AM – 8AM
Hopewell, VA	WHAP – 1340 AM	Saturday	6PM – 9PM
Houston, TX	KPRC – 950 AM	Monday	12PM – 1AM
Inland Empire, CA	KMET – 1490 AM	Saturday	12PM – 3PM
Jackson, MS	WPBQ – 1240 AM	Saturday	8AM – 11AM
Jacksonville, FL	WJSJ – 105.3 FM	Sunday	5PM – 6PM
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Kansas City, MO	KCXL – 1140 AM	Saturday	12PM – 3PM
Las Vegas, NV	KNUU – 970 AM	Monday – Friday	7PM – 9PM
Lawton, OK	KPNS – 1350 AM	Saturday	3PM – 6PM
Litchfield, MN	KLFD – 1410 AM	Saturday	1PM – 4PM
Little Rock, AR	KLRG – 880 AM	Saturday	9AM – 12PM
Los Angeles, CA	KABC – 790 AM	Sunday	1AM – 4AM
Mobile, AL	WIJD – 1270 AM	Monday – Friday	10PM – 11PM
Monteray, CA	KRXA – 540 AM	Sunday	1PM – 4PM
New Orleans, LA	WBOK – 1230 AM	Saturday	5PM – 8PM
New York, NY	WVNJ – 1160 AM	Monday – Friday	12PM – 1PM
Olean, NY	WOEN – 1360 AM	Saturday	11AM – 2PM
Pensacola, FL	WVTJ – 610 AM	Monday – Friday	10PM – 11PM
Philadelphia, PA	WFYL – 1180 AM	Saturday	10AM – 1PM
Phoenix, AZ	KFNX – 1100 AM	Sunday	12PM – 3PM
Portland, OR	KPAM – 860 AM	Saturday	8PM – 11PM
Providence, RI	WCNX – 1180 AM	Sunday	9AM – 12PM
Roanoke, VA	WFJX – 910 AM	Saturday & Sunday	6 – 8 AM / 6 – 9PM
Rock Hill, SC	WRHI – 1340 AM / 94.3 FM	Saturday	6AM – 7AM
Salt Lake City, UT	KLO – 1430 AM	Sunday	6AM – 9AM
San Bernadino, CA	KCAA – 1050 AM	Monday – Friday	12PM – 1PM
San Francisco, CA	KDIA – 1640 AM	Saturday	1PM – 4PM
San Luis Obispo, CA	KVEC – 920 AM	Sunday	10AM – 1PM
San Saba, TX	KNVR – 1410 AM	Saturday	1PM – 3PM
Sarasota, FL	WTMY – 1280 AM	Sunday	8AM
Savannah, GA	WWNS – 1240 AM	Saturday	9AM – 12PM
Seattle, WA	KKNW – 1150 AM	M – F / Saturday	9 – 10 PM / 4 – 6PM
Sylacauga, AL	WFEB – 1340 AM	Saturday	10AM – 12PM
Tampa Bay, FL	WDCF – 1350 AM	Saturday / Sunday	6 – 9AM / 12 – 3AM
Tampa Bay, FL	WTAN – 1340 AM	Saturday / Sunday	6 – 9AM / 12 – 3AM
Tuscaloosa, AL	WTBC – 1230 AM	Saturday	12PM – 2PM
Tuscon, AZ	KJLL – 1330 AM	Saturday	4PM – 7PM
Washington D.C.	WTNT – 730 AM	Saturday / Sunday	7- 10PM / 9 – 12PM
West Palm Beach, FL	WBZT – 1230 AM	Saturday	8PM – 11PM
Wilkes Barre, PA	WITK – 1550 AM	Monday – Friday	8PM – 9PM
Woonsocket, RI	WNRI – 1380 AM	Saturday	10PM – 12AM

111 Health-Care Professionals Charged in $225 Million Medicare Scam

February 17th, 2011

AOL Health

AP

Federal authorities charged more than 100 doctors, nurses and physical therapists in nine cities with Medicare fraud Thursday, part of a massive nationwide bust that snared more suspects than any other in history.

More than 700 law enforcement agents fanned out to arrest 111 people accused of illegally billing Medicare more than $225 million. The arrests are the latest in a string of major busts in the past two years as authorities have struggled to pare the fraud that’s believed to cost the government between $60 billion and $90 billion each year. Stopping Medicare’s budget from hemorrhaging that money will be key to paying for President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder partnered in 2009 to allocate more money and manpower in fraud hot spots. Thursday’s indictments were for suspects in Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Detroit, Chicago, Brooklyn, Tampa, Fla., and Baton Rouge, La.

A podiatrist performing partial toenail removals was among 21 indicted in Detroit. He is accused of illegally billing Medicare about $700,000 for the costly and unnecessary procedures, which authorities said amounted to little more than toenail clippings. The podiatrist billed Medicare for 20 nail removals on three toes of one patient, according to the indictment. He charged Medicare about $110 for each procedure.

A Brooklyn, N.Y., proctologist was charged with billing $6.5 million for hemorrhoid removals, most of which he never performed. He claimed he performed 10 hemorrhoid removals on one patient, which authorities said is not possible.

Authorities also busted three physical therapy clinics in Brooklyn, run by an organized network of Russian immigrants accused of paying recruiters to find elderly patients so they could bill for nearly $57 million in physical therapy that amounted to little more than back rubs, according to the indictment.

In Miami, two doctors and several nurses were charged with swindling $25 million by writing fake prescriptions recommending nurses and other expensive aids to treat homebound patients, authorities said. The services were never provided.

In total, nearly three dozen defendants were charged in Miami in various scams that topped about $56 million.

Thursday’s totals exclude busts two days earlier in Miami that netted 21 suspects accused of bilking $200 million from Medicare.

“These unprecedented operations send a clear message. We will not tolerate criminals lining their pockets at the expense of Medicare patients and taxpayers,” HHS Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson said in prepared remarks to be delivered at a news conference in Washington.

For decades, Medicare has operated under a pay-and-chase system, paying providers first and investigating suspicious claims later. The system worked when the agency was paying hospitals and institutions that couldn’t close up shop and flee the country if they’d been overpaid. But as Medicare has expanded to one of the largest payer systems in the world, he agency has struggled to weed out crooks. There are about 1.3 million licensed suppliers nationwide with 18,000 new applications coming in every month.

Sebelius has promised more decisive action on the front end, by vigorously screening providers and stopping payment to suspicious ones, under greater authority granted by the Affordable Care Act.

Click here for the full report from AOL Health

Why Isn’t Wall Street in Jail?

February 17th, 2011

Rolling Stone

By: Matt Taibbi

Over drinks at a bar on a dreary, snowy night in Washington this past month, a former Senate investigator laughed as he polished off his beer.

“Everything’s fucked up, and nobody goes to jail,” he said. “That’s your whole story right there. Hell, you don’t even have to write the rest of it. Just write that.”

I put down my notebook. “Just that?”

“That’s right,” he said, signaling to the waitress for the check. “Everything’s fucked up, and nobody goes to jail. You can end the piece right there.”

Nobody goes to jail. This is the mantra of the financial-crisis era, one that saw virtually every major bank and financial company on Wall Street embroiled in obscene criminal scandals that impoverished millions and collectively destroyed hundreds of billions, in fact, trillions of dollars of the world’s wealth — and nobody went to jail. Nobody, that is, except Bernie Madoff, a flamboyant and pathological celebrity con artist, whose victims happened to be other rich and famous people.

This article appears in the March 3, 2011 issue of Rolling Stone. The issue is available now on newsstands and will appear in the online archive February 18.

The rest of them, all of them, got off. Not a single executive who ran the companies that cooked up and cashed in on the phony financial boom — an industrywide scam that involved the mass sale of mismarked, fraudulent mortgage-backed securities — has ever been convicted. Their names by now are familiar to even the most casual Middle American news consumer: companies like AIG, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. Most of these firms were directly involved in elaborate fraud and theft. Lehman Brothers hid billions in loans from its investors. Bank of America lied about billions in bonuses. Goldman Sachs failed to tell clients how it put together the born-to-lose toxic mortgage deals it was selling. What’s more, many of these companies had corporate chieftains whose actions cost investors billions — from AIG derivatives chief Joe Cassano, who assured investors they would not lose even “one dollar” just months before his unit imploded, to the $263 million in compensation that former Lehman chief Dick “The Gorilla” Fuld conveniently failed to disclose. Yet not one of them has faced time behind bars.

Instead, federal regulators and prosecutors have let the banks and finance companies that tried to burn the world economy to the ground get off with carefully orchestrated settlements — whitewash jobs that involve the firms paying pathetically small fines without even being required to admit wrongdoing. To add insult to injury, the people who actually committed the crimes almost never pay the fines themselves; banks caught defrauding their shareholders often use shareholder money to foot the tab of justice. “If the allegations in these settlements are true,” says Jed Rakoff, a federal judge in the Southern District of New York, “it’s management buying its way off cheap, from the pockets of their victims.”

Click here for the full report from Rolling Stone

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