It is not a legend, it has been actually demonstrated by
Fred Hoyle, Britain's best known astronomer and physicist (until Stephen
Hawking). A fascinating and controversial personality, Professor Sir
Hoyle pioneered multiple researches and wrote groundbreaking science
papers, causing major disputes in the scientific world with his
revolutionary theories.
The
most important was his discovery, together with the American physicist
William Fowler, in 1957, of the way that the heavy elements found in
the human body - such as Oxygen, Carbon, Iron - were created by nuclear
reactions inside the stars which, in a later phase, exploded and from
whose relics the solar system was born. He called this process nucleosynthesis. In other words, we are literally made of stardust.
However,
this epochal discovery triggered an immense controversy and, ultimately, Fowler, not
Hoyle, was the one rewarded with the Nobel Prize.
Hoyle also was the one who coined that the term 'big bang' theory - which
describes how the universe was created in a cataclysmic explosion and
has been expanding ever since - was flawed. In his opinion, the big bang
could not have taken place unless space and time already existed. This
led him to propose a 'steady-state' universe in which matter is
continually generated by a yet unknown mechanism. In 1994 he wrote, 'Big-Bang cosmology refers to an epoch that cannot
be reached by any form of astronomy, and, in more than two decades, it has not produced
a single successful prediction'.
Like fitness is the training for the body, meditation is the training for the brain.
The
ultimate goal of meditation is focus and serenity, reaching a higher
level of awareness and inner calm. Independent of external events, of
place and time, any should be able to meditate and achieve a state of
relaxation and tranquility, improve focus and concentration.
Furthermore,
there are numerous studies which demonstrate that positive thinking
triggers an increasingly secretion of brain hormones that determine
peace and calm.
In this high paced era, when stress and
informational avalanche govern everyday life, more and more people
embrace meditation and spirituality and insert it in their daily
routine. Even many well known companies introduced meditation breaks for
their employees in special meditation areas ("Quiet Room"). Apple,
Nike, Yahoo and HBO are few of the companies to promote meditation in
the workplace.
There are multiple meditation techniques and,
without guidance, learning to meditate can be, at times, challenging.
Many people don't have the motivation to start, others are not sure they
are doing it correctly, so... they don't meditate at all.
Now, everyone can start meditating in 3 minutes, gradually increasing the time. The solution is: MUSE - the brain sensing headband!
An
outstanding revolutionary brain-mapping device, able to give you real
time feedback on what is happening in your brain when you meditate.
Here is how MUSE works:
Through personalized tracking, motivational challenges and rewards, MUSE helps build a regular and efficient meditation practice.
Ariel
Garten, a Canadian scientist, is the co-founder of InteraXon, the
company which developed the Muse headband. The device practically acts
like a meditation coach; it became a real hit since coming to the
market; many celebrities decided to give the stress busting headband a
try.
"In moments of madness, meditation has helped me
find moments of serenity - and I would like to think that it would help
provide young people a quiet haven in a not-so-quiet world." Sir Paul
McCartney.
Garten says her goal is to help people reach a
state of “glorious calm” with Muse. "My own
mission is to teach people that that little voice in your head, the one
that makes you feel you’re not good enough, that voice that takes us
away from the beautiful, peaceful lives we could be living — my mission
is to help people learn to dialogue with that voice and quiet it when
you don’t need it."
We generally use it as a rising agent when baking cakes and breads - Baking Soda.
The scientific name is Sodium Bicarbonate and it is known since antiquity. The ancient Egyptians
used Natron (natural mineral salt, consisting of hydrated sodium carbonate) as soap, for cleaning purposes. And yet, surprisingly, only in 1846 Baking Soda was discovered, manufactured and sold as the cooking ingredient we know today. By the third decade of the 20th century, the use of Baking Soda has been extended to deodorizing, drain and silverware cleaning, closet and refrigerator freshening, etc.
A few years later, Baking Soda became the least expansive, most effective and widely used home remedy. The awareness for its medical properties expanded worldwide through the years until today and continuous.
Here are the main health benefits of Baking Soda (Dr. Mercola):
Advisable! It's cheap, it's within reach for everyone, it's beneficial for you and your environment - so, don't just keep it in your cabinet, start using the Baking Soda in your daily life!
Vitamin K2? There is a chance you might not have heard about it yet...
Some scientists refer to it as the new Vitamin D, others consider it a new nutrient; in the last years it is the subject of numerous studies.
Important facts
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, thought initially to be involved in blood clotting only. It has two forms:
- Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone) - used by the liver to activate the Calcium-binding properties of the
proteins, found inleafy greens (spinach, kale, etc.)
- Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone) - regulates the Calcium levels in bones and teeth, where it belongs;
without sufficient Vitamin K2, the human body will enter the state known as Calcium Paradox:
high blood levels of Calcium reach the blood vessels (causing vascular calcification or athero-
sclerosis) instead being directed to the bones (the result is osteopenia and osteoporosis);
it's found in animal food and fermented food (milk, cheese and butter from grass fed cows, egg
yolks, fish eggs, goose liver pate)
Vitamin K2 has been proven to have multiple health benefits, mostly focused on bone and teeth health, also vascular and heart health - due to its involvement in Calcium metabolism.
Surprisingly, Vitamin K2 contributes to the prevention and management of Diabetes - Osteocalcin, a hormone produced in the bones to increase bone density, also improves insuline secretion and sensibility. Since osteocalcin is a Vitamin K2- dependent protein, adequate levels of Vitamin K2 can prevent the development of Diabetes Type 2, which is alarmingly becoming epidemic on our planet.
But most surprising is the anti aging effect of Vitamin K2. Researchers have discovered the existence of a strong association between skin wrinkling and Vitamin K2 deficiency.
Dr.Kate Rheaume-Bleue, author of "The Calcium Paradox", writes: "When it comes to skin, it seems that a K2 deficiency might be written all over your face". And more interesting - the deeper the facial wrinkles of a post-menopausal woman, the higher the risk of osteoporosis.
It has been observed that Japanese women have better skin ( fewer wrinkles and more toned skin) compared to European and North-American women and this is probably due to their high blood levels of Vitamin K2. They also have a the richest source of K2 - natto, a traditional fermented Japanese dish made of soy beans, a powerful nutritonal superfood.
You can have it too! Here is how to easily prepare natto at home:
Water - essential for the functioning of most life forms on Earth due to its unique chemical formula. Water - vital for the human body.
Important facts
- our body is made of 50% up to 75% water
- water represents the basis of blood, digestive juices, perspiration and urine
- lean muscle, fat, brain, bones contain a considerable percentage of water
- the human body cannot store water, so it needs continuously fresh supplies to replace the loss of
water through lungs (respiration), skin (perspiration), kidneys (urine) and digestive system (feces)
- the human body can survive weeks without food, but only few days without water
At present, water - part of our daily life - is considered an active ingredient per se, both in nutrition, in dermatocosmetics and beauty industry. It is the symbol of nature,purity and freshness.
In the last years, new trends have begun to dominate food industry, wellness and beauty industry -
'botanical waters' - fruit- or vegetable-infused waters - more attractive, with highly valuable properties.
Banana water, for example, is the big star of the moment - containing Vitamin C, Potassium and Magnesium, better than simple water, with nourishing and moisturizing properties.
Watermelon-, cactus- and coconut- waters will be the next big thing.
Simple or infused, water is important for us - it maintains the integrity of every single cell in our body!
Drink water and live a healthy life!
A new approach to nutrition - the Ketogenic Diet. I prefer referring to and recommending it as a Lifestyle rather than a diet, as its implementation has incredible benefits on overall health, on physical and mental performance - so, let's name it Nutritional Ketosis. Nutritional Ketosis implies a very low-carb diet, by removing processed carbohydrates. This way the body will reach a metabolic state named ketosis - it will produce in the liver, from fat, small molecules, the ketones, that are the alternative fuel for the body when the glucose (sugar) level in the blood is low; the fat stores will be easily accessed and turned into the main fuel supply; we'll feel less hungry and we'll have a steady energy provision.
What to eat? Healthy fats and a moderate amount of high quality proteins - meat, fish, eggs, vegetables.
An important rule - eat foods with fewer than 5% carbohydrates.
Why Nutritional Keto? Because: you will lose weight without being hungry, turning your body into a fat-burning machine
you will be in control of your appetite
you will have normal blood sugar levels, blood pressure, cholesterol profile
you will improve your focus and concentration
you will increase your energy level.
A long list of resolutions for 2018, clipped on your refrigerator, to be forgotten by next week...
Instead, decide to 'install' each and every month of this new year a new, a healthy habit; something you're planning for a long time now and have not implemented yet in your life; something that will energize you; something that will make you feel extraordinary.
Anything - wake up one hour earlier in the morning, a short morning meditation in a quiet corner of your home, 15 minutes of intense workout, drink a green smoothie first thing in the morning, start your day with half an hour of restorative yoga or a walk in the park, listen to the silence and be grateful for what you already have...just one thing at a time.
