Fiber-rich bamboo shoots may improve cholesterol levels and improve bowel health, according to the results of a small study.

Supplementing your diet with bamboo shoots could result in reductions in your LDL cholesterol levels. Furthermore, it can significantly increase fecal volume and the number of bowel movements.

Fiber intake has been shown to benefit gastrointestinal health, glucose handling, heart health, cancer risk and satiety, but these benefits are dependent on the types of fiber present in foods. Eight percent of the fiber content of bamboo shoots is soluble, with the other 92 percent present as insoluble fiber. Most of the dietary fiber in the shoots is hemicellulose, cellulose, pectin, and lignin.

An obesity-prevention program tested in several Dutch schools was able to cut down teenagers' consumption of sugary sodas and curb body-fat gain.

The program, called Dutch Obesity Intervention in Teenagers (DOiT), aimed to boost students' exercise levels and lower their intake of junk food and sugar-sweetened drinks. Students had 11 lessons on the topics, and schools were encouraged to increase gym classes and make cafeteria changes.

Over 20 months, students at 10 schools that ran the program reduced their soda intake. However, other benefits tended to slowly disappear after the program concluded; some positive effects seen at the eight-month mark -- like less weight gain around the waistline in boys -- had vanished by the 20-month point.

This suggests that school-based programs can be effective, but that they need to be kept up.

Nattokinase, an enzyme extracted from fermented soy, may reduce levels of compounds linked to blood clotting. This could cut the risk of heart disease in people who are at risk.

The enzyme reduced levels of blood clotting factors such as fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII in 45 men and women, according to the results of a study.

Nattokinase supplements have been available in the U.S. for about five years, and for two years in Europe.

Do you want to make a good first impression?  Here’s how:

• Smile and lean toward others as they talk
• If you’re standing, keep your body fully facing the people you’re talking to
• Ask questions and follow up on people’s remarks; focus on opinions and feelings, not just facts
• Don’t interrupt
• Compliment others
• Try to find common experiences or interests
• Mention some vulnerabilities and laugh at yourself
• Draw others out and encourage people to join the conversation
• Put energy in your voice
• At least at the start, focus on positive comments, not criticisms or complaints
• Offer a variety of topics
• Share observations about everyday life
• Share your passions and interests
• Don’t dwell on the minutiae of your life, especially annoyances
• Remember that people give more weight to early information than to later information, so be your most charming at the beginning of the conversation
• Remember that most people are more eager to be found interesting, funny, or insightful than to be interested, amused, or informed by you

Equinox, which runs 48 U.S. gyms, and Town Sports International Holdings, the owner of the New York Sports Clubs, report an increase in gym attendance as consumers grappling with the recession seek to relieve their stress. What’s more, in a survey released last week, 84 percent of those polled said there is no better time than now to invest in their health.

With the unemployment rate at the highest in 25 years, consumers are taking fewer vacations and business trips, and spending less on entertainment, all of which can lead to more trips to the gym.

The gym and fitness-club market will likely grow 2.2 percent this year to $24.3 billion.

Pregnant women who took the popular epilepsy drug Valproate, which is also widely used to treat migraines, pain and psychiatric disorders, had children whose I.Q. scores were significantly lowered.

Valproate, which is sold generically and under the brand name Depakote, remains the second most popular antiseizure medication used for epilepsy. Earlier studies found that use during pregnancy also increased the risk of developmental delays and major malformations.

All epilepsy drugs may pose risks to pregnant women, but three-year-olds whose mothers had taken Valproate during pregnancy had I.Q. scores that were nine points lower, on average, than children whose mothers had taken a different antiseizure medication.

Hormonal changes and diminished sexual quality of life among obese men are related to the degree of obesity.

Previous studies have found that obesity is correlated to lower sperm count ,and can be associated with infertility. A recent study, however, was the first to examine whether obesity was biologically associated with an unsatisfying sex life.

They study found that lower testosterone levels and diminished ratings for sexual quality of life were correlated with increased BMI. However, subjects who lost weight experienced a reduction in estradiol levels, an increase in testosterone levels and an increase in ratings of sexual quality of life.

A new study suggests that sleep problems lead to increased pain and fatigue in cancer patients. Interventions aimed at trouble sleeping could improve both pain and fatigue in this patient population.

More than half of a sample of cancer patients reported having trouble sleeping, with 26 percent reporting moderate or severe trouble sleeping. Patients with moderate to severe trouble sleeping reported significantly more fatigue, pain and depressed mood.

The relationship between pain and sleep often has been assumed to be reciprocal -- pain causes lack of sleep, and then lack of sleep causes more pain. This study, however, showed that this model does not fit the data; the best fit was a model in which trouble sleeping is a one-way route to more pain.

Germany has banned the cultivation of GM corn, arguing that the corn breed MON 810 is dangerous for the environment. But that argument might not stand up in court, and Germany could face fines totaling millions of euros if Monsanto decides to challenge the prohibition.

Under the new regulations, the cultivation of MON 810, a GM corn produced by the Monsanto, will be prohibited in Germany. A clause in EU law allows individual countries to impose such bans. Environmental groups welcomed the ban, pointing out that numerous scientific studies demonstrated that GM corn was a danger to the environment.

However, it may be hard to prove conclusively that MON 810 damages the environment, which could enable Monsanto to win a court case opposing the ban. Monsanto has said that it would look as quickly as possible into whether it would begin legal proceedings.

MON 810 had been the only GM crop which could be grown in Germany. The plant produces a toxin to fight off a certain pest, the larvae of the corn borer moth. MON 810 is already banned in five other EU member states: Austria, Hungary, Greece, France and Luxembourg.

Over 1,500 farmers in the agricultural Indian state of Chattisgarh have committed suicide after being driven to debt by crop failure. The state was hit hard by falling water levels.

Bharatendu Prakash, of the Organic Farming Association of India, said that, "Farmers' suicides are increasing due to a vicious circle created by money lenders. They lure farmers to take money but when the crops fail, they are left with no option other than death."

Mr. Prakash added that the government needs to take up the cause of the poor farmers just as they fight for a strong economy.

If you want to get more organized, there are simple habits that you can develop over time that will get you to where you want to be. These are habits that you can apply to your work, your home, your hobbies, your life.

If your life is a mess, start with the first habit, and work your way down. Do it a little at a time, one area of your life at a time, one area of your home or office at a time. Work on a habit for a month or so, then move on to the next one.

1. Reduce before organizing. The mistake most people make when trying to organize is that it's too complicated. If you have a closet crammed full of stuff, you can buy a bunch of closet organizers, but in the end you'll still have a closet crammed full of stuff. The solution: reduce, eliminate, simplify. If you take your closet full of 100 things and throw out all but the 10 things you love and use, now you don't need a fancy closet organizer.

2. Write it down now, always. Instead of using your mind as storage for things you need to remember, write it down. Carry a small pocket notebook wherever you go, and write things down immediately. Then you can process the ideas and tasks later into a calendar or to-do list, so you don't forget.

3. Have one inbox & process. You actually need two inboxes -- one for home and one for work. But many people have many more than that; paper comes to their desk and lands in any number of places, phone messages get placed everywhere, notes to self are posted all over the place. Instead, have one inbox, and put all incoming stuff in there. Then, once a day (or once a week at home if that works better for you), process the inbox to empty.

4. A place for everything. Related to the above tip is to have a place for each item in your life. Where do your car keys go? You should have one place for them and you'll never lose them again. Where do your pens go? How about your magazines? The same concept applies to information: do you have one place where you put all your information? If not, try a personal wiki -- it's accessible from work and home, and you can create pages for each type of information in your life.

5. Put it away now. Most people have a habit of putting something on a table or counter top or on their desk with the intention of "putting it away later". Well, this is how things get messy and disorganized. Instead, put it away now -- in its home. It only takes a few seconds, and this one habit will save you a lot of cleaning and sorting and organizing later.

6. Clean as you go. Closely related to Habit 5, this habit is effective because it's much easier to clean things as you work or as you move through your day than to let them pile up and do a big cleaning session later. So if you're cooking, try to wash your dishes as you use them, and wipe the counter, instead of leaving a huge mess.

7. Develop routines & systems. If you've gotten everything uncluttered and organized, you might sit back and enjoy the pleasantness of it. Being organized and having a simplified working environment or home is tremendously satisfying. But the problem is that after a little while, things tend to start to get disorganized and cluttered again. You need to develop systems to keep your organization in place. All systems follow the same guidelines -- specific procedures and a routine that is done at a set interval. Once those systems are in place, you need to be vigilant about keeping them going, and then things will stay organized.

According to a recent study, 75 percent of Americans do not get enough Vitamin D. A vitamin D deficiency can negatively impact immune function and cardiovascular health, and increase cancer risk.

Now, a nutritional sciences researcher has found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammation, a negative response of the immune system, in healthy women. Increased concentrations of serum TNF-α, an inflammatory marker, were found in women who had insufficient vitamin D levels. This study is the first to find such a relationship in a healthy, non-diseased population.

This could explain the vitamin's role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases, including heart disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

An astonishing experiment has shown that your mental state can actually change your effective age. Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer performed a study some years ago with a group of elderly men. She retrofitted an isolated old New England hotel so that every visible sign said it was 20 years earlier. The men were told not to reminisce about the past, but to actually act as if they had traveled back in time.

The findings were stunning -- after just one week, the men in the experimental group had more joint flexibility, increased dexterity and less arthritis in their hands. Their mental acuity had risen measurably, and they had improved gait and posture. Outsiders who were shown the men's photographs judged them to be significantly younger than the controls. In other words, the aging process had in some measure been reversed.

Langer’s theory, argued in her new book "Counterclockwise," is that everyone is a victim of their own stereotypes about aging and health. People mindlessly accept negative cultural cues about disease and old age, and these cues shape self-concepts and behavior.

You are surrounded every day by subtle signals that aging is an undesirable period of decline. These signals make it difficult to age gracefully. With a little mindfulness, you just might be able to reverse to process and wake up feeling 20 years younger.

Ray Kurzweil, inventor and technology theorist, foresees a future in which advances in nanotechnology, genetics, and robotics provide immortality, clean free energy, and a completely new definition of mobility.

In the fascinating interview linked below, Kurzweil predicts that a good deal of actual transportation will be replaced with the ability to meet in virtual reality. He argues that ultimately, virtual reality will be extremely realistic and incorporate all of the senses. By 2030, it might be possible to send an information file that will “print” it out in three dimensions, creating virtually any three-dimensional object -- such as a computer, a solar panel, a module to build housing, food, or clothing. This could replace most of the transportation needed to ship products.

Kurzweil is also looking forward to high-resolution image beamers in glasses that beam images directly to the retina, and not long after, in-brain nanobots that create full-immersion virtual-reality environments from within the nervous system.

To read more about the future of transportation, and how little it may resemble what that word means today, click the link below.

The new science of epigenetics explains how genes can be modified by the environment. A prime result of epigenetic inquiry has just been revealed -- a research report shows that rat fetuses receiving poor nutrition in the womb become genetically primed to be born into a nutrition-poor environment.

As a result of this genetic adaptation, the rats were likely to grow to smaller sizes, and they were also at higher risk for a host of health problems throughout their lives, such as diabetes, growth retardation, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and neurodevelopmental delays.

Although the study involved rats, the genes and cellular mechanisms involved are the same as those in humans.

Quest Diagnostics, which operates medical testing labs, will pay $302 million for misleading marketing practices as part of a settlement with the federal government. Quest also entered into a nonprosecution agreement.

The case stemmed from marketing materials for a parathyroid hormone test.

The Justice Department said the settlement was one of the largest recoveries in a case involving a medical device. A Quest subsidiary inaccurately marketed unproven advantages to the Nichols Advantage Chemiluminescence Intact Parathyroid Hormone Immunoassay.

Jet lag could be caused by two groups of cells at the base of your brain falling out of synch.

Your body has a built-in time-keeping system known as a circadian rhythm. This system is partly governed by the cycle of day and night. Changing time zones, or working a late shift, can throw off your body's sense of timing because it changes the timing of your exposure to light.

Researchers found that in rats, the disruption occurs in two groups of brain cells. The groups are separate, but linked in a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, below the hypothalamus at the base of your brain.

One group receives light information directly from the eyes and governs rhythms in tune with periods of light and dark. These neurons are synchronized with the deep sleep associated with physical fatigue. The other group is insensitive to changes in light, and is more closely tied to REM sleep. Usually, these two groups of neurons work together. But when the light-dark cycle shifts, it can throw them out of synch.

Equinox, which runs 48 U.S. gyms, and Town Sports International Holdings, the owner of the New York Sports Clubs, report an increase in gym attendance as consumers grappling with the recession seek to relieve their stress. What’s more, in a survey released last week, 84 percent of those polled said there is no better time than now to invest in their health.

With the unemployment rate at the highest in 25 years, consumers are taking fewer vacations and business trips, and spending less on entertainment, all of which can lead to more trips to the gym.

The gym and fitness-club market will likely grow 2.2 percent this year to $24.3 billion.

Pregnant women who took the popular epilepsy drug Valproate, which is also widely used to treat migraines, pain and psychiatric disorders, had children whose I.Q. scores were significantly lowered.

Valproate, which is sold generically and under the brand name Depakote, remains the second most popular antiseizure medication used for epilepsy. Earlier studies found that use during pregnancy also increased the risk of developmental delays and major malformations.

All epilepsy drugs may pose risks to pregnant women, but three-year-olds whose mothers had taken Valproate during pregnancy had I.Q. scores that were nine points lower, on average, than children whose mothers had taken a different antiseizure medication.

Hormonal changes and diminished sexual quality of life among obese men are related to the degree of obesity.

Previous studies have found that obesity is correlated to lower sperm count ,and can be associated with infertility. A recent study, however, was the first to examine whether obesity was biologically associated with an unsatisfying sex life.

They study found that lower testosterone levels and diminished ratings for sexual quality of life were correlated with increased BMI. However, subjects who lost weight experienced a reduction in estradiol levels, an increase in testosterone levels and an increase in ratings of sexual quality of life.

A new study suggests that sleep problems lead to increased pain and fatigue in cancer patients. Interventions aimed at trouble sleeping could improve both pain and fatigue in this patient population.

More than half of a sample of cancer patients reported having trouble sleeping, with 26 percent reporting moderate or severe trouble sleeping. Patients with moderate to severe trouble sleeping reported significantly more fatigue, pain and depressed mood.

The relationship between pain and sleep often has been assumed to be reciprocal -- pain causes lack of sleep, and then lack of sleep causes more pain. This study, however, showed that this model does not fit the data; the best fit was a model in which trouble sleeping is a one-way route to more pain.

Germany has banned the cultivation of GM corn, arguing that the corn breed MON 810 is dangerous for the environment. But that argument might not stand up in court, and Germany could face fines totaling millions of euros if Monsanto decides to challenge the prohibition.

Under the new regulations, the cultivation of MON 810, a GM corn produced by the Monsanto, will be prohibited in Germany. A clause in EU law allows individual countries to impose such bans. Environmental groups welcomed the ban, pointing out that numerous scientific studies demonstrated that GM corn was a danger to the environment.

However, it may be hard to prove conclusively that MON 810 damages the environment, which could enable Monsanto to win a court case opposing the ban. Monsanto has said that it would look as quickly as possible into whether it would begin legal proceedings.

MON 810 had been the only GM crop which could be grown in Germany. The plant produces a toxin to fight off a certain pest, the larvae of the corn borer moth. MON 810 is already banned in five other EU member states: Austria, Hungary, Greece, France and Luxembourg.

Over 1,500 farmers in the agricultural Indian state of Chattisgarh have committed suicide after being driven to debt by crop failure. The state was hit hard by falling water levels.

Bharatendu Prakash, of the Organic Farming Association of India, said that, "Farmers' suicides are increasing due to a vicious circle created by money lenders. They lure farmers to take money but when the crops fail, they are left with no option other than death."

Mr. Prakash added that the government needs to take up the cause of the poor farmers just as they fight for a strong economy.

If you want to get more organized, there are simple habits that you can develop over time that will get you to where you want to be. These are habits that you can apply to your work, your home, your hobbies, your life.

If your life is a mess, start with the first habit, and work your way down. Do it a little at a time, one area of your life at a time, one area of your home or office at a time. Work on a habit for a month or so, then move on to the next one.

1. Reduce before organizing. The mistake most people make when trying to organize is that it's too complicated. If you have a closet crammed full of stuff, you can buy a bunch of closet organizers, but in the end you'll still have a closet crammed full of stuff. The solution: reduce, eliminate, simplify. If you take your closet full of 100 things and throw out all but the 10 things you love and use, now you don't need a fancy closet organizer.

2. Write it down now, always. Instead of using your mind as storage for things you need to remember, write it down. Carry a small pocket notebook wherever you go, and write things down immediately. Then you can process the ideas and tasks later into a calendar or to-do list, so you don't forget.

3. Have one inbox & process. You actually need two inboxes -- one for home and one for work. But many people have many more than that; paper comes to their desk and lands in any number of places, phone messages get placed everywhere, notes to self are posted all over the place. Instead, have one inbox, and put all incoming stuff in there. Then, once a day (or once a week at home if that works better for you), process the inbox to empty.

4. A place for everything. Related to the above tip is to have a place for each item in your life. Where do your car keys go? You should have one place for them and you'll never lose them again. Where do your pens go? How about your magazines? The same concept applies to information: do you have one place where you put all your information? If not, try a personal wiki -- it's accessible from work and home, and you can create pages for each type of information in your life.

5. Put it away now. Most people have a habit of putting something on a table or counter top or on their desk with the intention of "putting it away later". Well, this is how things get messy and disorganized. Instead, put it away now -- in its home. It only takes a few seconds, and this one habit will save you a lot of cleaning and sorting and organizing later.

6. Clean as you go. Closely related to Habit 5, this habit is effective because it's much easier to clean things as you work or as you move through your day than to let them pile up and do a big cleaning session later. So if you're cooking, try to wash your dishes as you use them, and wipe the counter, instead of leaving a huge mess.

7. Develop routines & systems. If you've gotten everything uncluttered and organized, you might sit back and enjoy the pleasantness of it. Being organized and having a simplified working environment or home is tremendously satisfying. But the problem is that after a little while, things tend to start to get disorganized and cluttered again. You need to develop systems to keep your organization in place. All systems follow the same guidelines -- specific procedures and a routine that is done at a set interval. Once those systems are in place, you need to be vigilant about keeping them going, and then things will stay organized.

According to a recent study, 75 percent of Americans do not get enough Vitamin D. A vitamin D deficiency can negatively impact immune function and cardiovascular health, and increase cancer risk.

Now, a nutritional sciences researcher has found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammation, a negative response of the immune system, in healthy women. Increased concentrations of serum TNF-α, an inflammatory marker, were found in women who had insufficient vitamin D levels. This study is the first to find such a relationship in a healthy, non-diseased population.

This could explain the vitamin's role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases, including heart disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

A combination of capsaicin and green tea could promote the feeling of fullness and sustain satiety, according to a new study. Sweet pepper may also have a similar effect.

The results suggest that they could therefore be helpful in reducing energy intake to prevent weight gain, and could support weight loss by suppressing hunger.

Researchers recruited 27 people and randomized them to three weeks of negative energy balance (fewer calories consumed than used) and three weeks of positive energy balance (more calories consumed than used). During these periods ten separate test days were used to test the effects of capsaicin, green tea, sweet pepper, capsaicin plus green tea, or a placebo on appetite, energy intake, body weight and heart rate.

Only the CH-19 and the capsaicin plus green tea combinations produced a reduction in energy intake during the positive energy balance period. The combined supplement produced suppressed hunger and increased satiety.

The largest study of its kind has found that for most women, giving birth at home is as safe as doing so in hospital with a midwife.

The research found no difference in death rates of either mothers or babies in 530,000 births.

The research was carried out in the Netherlands after figures showed the country had one of the highest rates in Europe of babies dying during or just after birth. It was suggested that home births could be a factor, as Dutch women are encouraged to choose this option.

However, a comparison of "low-risk" women who planned to give birth at home with those who planned to give birth in hospital with a midwife found no difference in death or serious illness among either baby or mother.

Cases of oral allergies to fruit and vegetables are rapidly increasing, according to a specialist.

Dr. Pamela Ewan, an allergy consultant at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, England, said the rise in cases appears to be outstripping even peanut allergies. Dr. Ewan, who sees more than 8,000 people with allergies a year, said that most patients with reactions to fruit and vegetables were youngsters.

Symptoms can include swelling in the mouth and throat, and breathing difficulties.

A review of previously published studies suggests that vegetable and nut intake and a Mediterranean dietary pattern are associated with a lower risk for heart disease. However, intake of trans-fatty acids and simple carbohydrates may be harmful to heart health.

Researchers conducted a systematic search for articles investigating dietary factors in relation to heart disease published between 1950 and June 2007. A total of 189 studies were identified and included in the review.

Modest relationships were also found supporting a causal relationship between intake of several other foods and vitamins and reduced heart disease risk, including fish, omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources, folate, whole grains, alcohol, fruits, fiber and dietary vitamins E and C and beta carotene.