Following on from my last post which recommended we should all eat more eggs, a study from the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, has suggested that exercise may improve academic performance in children, as it increases the blood flow and therefore oxygen to the brain. There is of course no reason why this shouldn’t have the same effect on adults. This is good news as my aim for the new year is to get fit again, as I have a little Xmas indulgence weight to lose, and my fitness regime has definitely slipped in the past couple of years.

The traditional time to eat an egg for the British is still I think at breakfast, although the idea of an ‘all-day’ breakfast is catching on, but as recent research suggests eggs are an indirect ‘stimulant’, we should maybe be looking at incorporating them much more into our daily diets.

Sympathy? Nope! Stick with what god gave you and make the most of what you have!

Up to 30,000 French women and perhaps tens of thousands more around the world may need to have defective breast implants removed after several suspicious cancer cases, officials said on Tuesday.

A decision on whether to order the removal of the implants, produced by the Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) company, will be made by the end of the week, after a report from the National Cancer Institute on December 23.

This is just so wrong! Times are tough without question, but I just hope that all those that are threatening to strike this winter because they aren’t getting a pat rise take time out to reflect on how selfish they are being!

Almost 100 battered womens’ centres in Spain will have to close due to crisis spending cuts.

What can I say! Have been banging on about the issue of obesity for years. For me it is the worst of all illnesses and it is the most preventable and the young ‘victims’ are exposed to a lifetime of bad health by the neglect of their parents and the authorities.

Obesity has risen slightly in children aged 10 and 11 in England, according to new data.

Couldn’t agree more with this recent Telegraph Article as top medics war that “pocket-money prices” on booze is costing thousands of lives.

A group of 19 top doctors and academics urged the Government to take “bold action” and follow the lead of Scotland by bringing in minimum prices for drinks.

Another sign of the times here in Spain, but unfortunately not a good one, as abortion rates are climbing, indicating no doubt a change in attitude amongst the younger Spaniards.

113,031 voluntary abortions were performed in Spain in 2010, a 1.3% rise (or 1,550 more) compared with 2009.

The increase has occurred despite the fact that a new law on sexual and reproductive health was brought in on july 5th this year, which had as one of its fundamental aims a reduction in the number of abortions performed in Spain.

Would like to say I was surprised but I am not! Ever since the UK decided it really wanted to part of America the whole country has got more obese, and with the ‘ladette’ culture still live and kicking absolutely no surprise to learn that The UK has more obese women than any other country in Europe, according to European Union figures.

Not to be outdone the British male comes second in the obesity tables after Malta.

Read the above headline recently and assumed it meant that people were going to the Costa del Sol to give birth but it seems that what is actually happening is that people are going to the local clinics for the procedure of artificial insemination.

Seems that the level of service fully complies with European Standards and the laws in assisted reproductive technologies are not as strict as in places like Germany who have banned pre-implementation genetic diagnosis of embryos.

I have ever smoked. Never seen the point of it, even before I was aware of the health risks. I know a lot of girls growing up thought it was glamorous and grown up, but even then they just looked idiots with a white stick in their mouths.

I was probably helped by the fact that neither parent smoked as there is certainly a drect correlation between those whose parents smoked and smoke themselves:

Macworld have a great list of iPhone applications for all you girls out there that love your technology, but not your meat!

Will get my husband to try this as he suffers from Migraines.

In a trial where migraine sufferers were given either a ginger compound or a placebo, 32 per cent of the ginger munchers were pain-free after just two hours.

Researchers believe that the root vegetable combined with feverfew, a daisy-like shrub, has anti-inflammatory properties that relieve symptoms.

The recent ‘Diet and Risk of Cardiovascular Illness in Spain’ (DRECE) survey showed that obesity in Spain has increased by 21%, while the mortality rate from cardiovascular disease is lower than in other European countries and the Mediterranean Diet is still followed.

The report showed that the Spanish diet wasn’t particularly bad ……. they are just lazy and should do more exercise.

Healthy living requires that you eat healthy. If we eat unhealthy foods like those with a lot of fats, we put our health at risk. But does aiming for a healthy life also mean going through the remainder of your life without delicious food? Of course not! You can still eat food that provides you with post-bite bliss. You need only to create delicious and easy-to-make healthy meals.

Depressing article in the Digital Journal that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, scientific studies in Europe show an increase in the frequency of type 1 diabetes, primarily in young children.

Fascinating article recently in the Dail Mail about the Sauvage restaurant in Berlin that is taking inspiration from the Stone Age for their menu.

Proudly announcing a ‘Real Food Revolution – Paleolithic cuisine!’, there is no cheese, bread or sugar available, only fare accessible to our hunter-gatherer ancestors more than two million years ago.

Sauvage, which is also the French word for ‘savage’ or ‘wild,’ is part of the Paleolithic diet movement and claims to be first of its kind in Europe.

Any old excuse eh!!! Men are now using the recession as an excuse for ‘playing away’ saying that when they feel threatened they go into survival mode, which boosts their sex drive.

The activation of these ‘short-term mating strategies’ is nature’s way of ensuring the survival of the species by getting men to procreate. Original Source

Excellent article recently on the Olive Presssite stressing the importance of nuts in your diet as a means of improving your mood, reducing belly fat and giving you a healthier heart.

Eating just one ounce of raw and unpeeled walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts a day is enough to produce the positive effects, according to researchers at the University of Barcelona.
The findings may now pave the way for improved treatments for sufferers of metabolic syndrome (MetS), a condition associated with excess abdominal fat, high blood sugar and high blood pressure.

At last Spain is going to ban the use of battery hens!

The government has confirmed that all battery farmers will have to switch to so-called ‘enriched’ cages or a free range system by January 2012.

The EU-wide change comes after mounting pressure from the European Network for Farm Animal Protection (Enfap).

The group sent more than 16,000 emails to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture as part of its ‘Big Move’ campaign, ensuring that farmers were prepared for the new law.

Someone needs to tell the children in Spain that energy drinks are for those that have expended energy exercising! No wonder child obesity is such an issue here in Spain, with the market growing by 13% in just 5 years.

Not only do the drinks contain around 270 calories, but they also include caffeine, which can reach toxic levels up to 14 times greater than in other soft drinks.