Happy Nirvana

I recently learned about a relatively new company called Zafgen, which describes itself as “…the world’s first biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel obesity therapeutics that directly target and shrink fat tissue to help the body regain and sustain a lean, healthy state.” Zafgen derives its name from the Yiddish word “zaftig,” which means pleasantly [...]

Images: Panthera It’s no secret that traditional conservation methods, while noble, have been failing miserably. Since the first forest and wildlife conservation programs were embraced internationally some 40-50 years ago, half of the world’s forests have been razed, and biodiversity has plummeted around the globe, to the point where many scientists are already terming this [...]

Did you know that in the US 85% of the population doesn’t exercise? When you look at a statistic like that it’s no wonder 66% of the population is overweight. And although at times it may seem like there’s no hope in combating these staggering numbers there is something we can do about. It’s been [...]

I’ve pretty much encountered every fitness myth there is when it comes to exercise and after over a decade of trying to bust as many of them as I can there is still one myth that trumps all others. The biggest fitness myth that many women have a hard time getting past is the belief [...]

You’d probably think, as I did, that for anyone who moves to an area where there is more outdoor space to allow you to be more active that they would improve their overall fitness. However, a study just revealed that people who move closer to outdoor, walkable areas actually increase their BMI. This research really [...]

Unless you’re purposely taking a week off from exercising because it has been built into your program as part of a planned periodization model you really want to keep things as consistent as possible. Your body properly utilizes sugar and the carbohydrates you feed it to a far greater degree when you’ve been exercising, and [...]

photo via stoptherobbery.com Recently, I found out I am allergic to penicillin. I’ve taken penicillin for over two decades, when prescribed, but my allergic reaction only manifested this week. So now I have what is a common conundrum: a bottle full of useless (to me) pills sitting in my medicine cabinet. I’ve been wondering what [...]

Four new human cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, bringing the total in the state so far this year up to 23. Health authorities have reported no human deaths linked to WNV (West Nile virus) in 2010. Louisiana health authorities characterize WNV in three ways: [...]

The US worker is paying an average of $482 extra this year for family health coverage, 14% more than last year, even though total premiums – including what employers contribute – only rose 3% to an average of $13,770 in 2010, according to a survey released by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research [...]

“Corn falls into the East Nishnabotna River in Montgomery County, Iowa. Severe row crop land erosion is occurring along the river.” Caption/image credit, this and subsquent images:Gannon, Desmoines Register The dramatic pictures you see in this post speak for themselves: Iowa crop land and even corn falling directly into a river. They symbolize mismanagement of [...]