An Age of Magic

What are your plans for 22/12/2012…?

Well, depending which theory you subscribe to we will either be putting out our Xmas stockings and worrying about our credit card balances (as well as middling things that go with it like identity theft protection ) OR we will all be zillions of tiny vaporated particles floating around the atmosphere.

For the former – that’s if NASA is correct, and for the latter – that’s if the Mayans have got it right. Whatever you want to believe, this theory of the world coming to a rather nasty end on 21/12/12 would serve a lot of people very right should it be true. I mean, we humans have not exactly been very good tenants during our time on this planet have we…? we have destroyed huge swathes of forest and landscape, killed untold millions of our fellow man (and continue to do so…), wiped out unique species of plants and creatures and rendered our oceans and waterways unsustainable for the life it supported.

So why shouldn’t we be punished for doing so…? we complain about people who care about the environment, we sneer at ‘tree-huggers’ and refuse to ditch the evil plastic bag and carbon fuels because we are too lazy or unbothered to do so. This planet was doing fine until a hundred or so years ago – until industry gave us wealth and progress, which was fine – however at what ultimate cos…?

Popularity: 18% [?]

Why are French women so slim – it has something to do with cows…

There was  a book published not long ago relating to this topic but having lived in France there is substance to this – French women tend to be thinner than their European counterparts and maybe this has something to do with not how much they do not eat but what they DO eat.

Dairy food. Studies have shown that eating cheese and dairy can not only suppress appetite but help shed excess pounds. This study was carried out in Australia and those people who increased their intake of cheese, low fat milk and yoghurt actually lost more weight than others. They also had lower blood pressure and less body fat.

I happen to know that the French do enjoy their cheese – we all know that – and yoghurt is a staple food at breakfast time in France. Why not give it a try…?

Popularity: 17% [?]

Forget the paracetamol just reach for some chocolate!

This has to be some of the best news ever to come from the world of science; studies have shown that eating a bar of chocolate can relieve aches and pains just like a couple of paracetamol and you can forget your fat burners afterwards as choccy is not that fattening…

In fact just nibbling on  a piece of chocolate or even sipping a small glass of water can relieve minor aches and pains according to recent new study. A group of researchers claim the distraction of eating or drinking something enjoyable also acts as a natural painkiller by releasing endorphins into the bloodstream.

Although to date these new findings only come from studies on animals however the scientists believe the same effect takes place in humans.

I can see the point to all of this however the day I will be really convinced is when they offer a crunchie bar to a woman in labour instead of an epidural – that’s got to be the real test!

Popularity: 20% [?]