Fire in Gila National Forest, New Mexico

Image: NASA Earth Observatory

The image above shows the Whitewater-Baldy Fire Complex, a large blaze burning in a mountainous part of Gila National Forest in western New Mexico. The rapidly expanding fire, which started with a lightning strike, had burned more than 10,000 acres (16 square miles) by May 24, 2012. 

NASA Earth Observatory

Picking up one of our children from a birthday party across town yesterday afternoon, we noted a thin smoky haze blowing through the Denver sky. Now I see why.

Mater's or Doctoral degree in freshwater sciences

Looking for a new science career? Maybe you have a budding scientist in the family, or a friend interested in sustainability? Consider these unique degree programs at School of Freshwater Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee:

The UWM School of Freshwater Sciences (SFS) is the only graduate school in the nation dedicated solely to the study of freshwater. SFS is committed to equipping future scientists and professionals with the interdisciplinary skills and expertise necessary to address the complex, multifaceted issues facing the world's freshwater resources. SFS offers doctoral and master's graduate degrees and undergraduate research and learning opportunities.

Yael Writes on Paleo cookbooks

A reader recently asked me which Paleo books and cookbooks I’d recommend, and so I thought I’d post links to all of my reviews and interviews in one handy place. This isn’t a comprehensive list, and there’s a handful of books I hope to review in the future, but this will give you a pretty good place to start. I love all these unique cookbooks, but they all have different personalities–some mean and dirty recipes, some far more complex.

Yael Writes

Dragon docks with ISS: A new era dawns

Space X Falcon 9 rocket launch from Cape Canaveral. NASA.

On Tuesday, May 22, 2012, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying an un-manned Dragon capsule on a mission to International Space Station; an ambitious and groundbreaking event for a private company. Today, at 12:02 PM Eastern time, the Dragon capsule docked with the International Space Station (ISS) and a new era dawned.

On October 4, 1957, the world was startled by news that the U.S.S.R., “the Russian’s,” had sent an object, called a satellite, orbiting around the globe. Anxious Americans could see the blinking Sputnik circling overhead at night. On April 12, 1961, the U.S.S.R. put a man, cosmonaut Yuri A. Gargarin, inside a capsule at the top of a Vostok rocket and launched him into space, breaking the space barrier for humankind.

The U.S. quickly rallied and launched Alan B. Shepard, Jr. into space on May 5, 1961, and, on February 20, 1962, John H. Glenn, Jr. became the first American to orbit the Earth and the first man to complete three orbits.

Pushing forward, president John Kennedy launched an ambitious program to reach the moon by the end of the 1960’s. With Michael Collins piloting the Apollo Command Module in moon orbit, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr. descended to the moon in the Lunar Module. On July 20, 1969, they became the first humans to step on a celestial body beyond Earth.

The massive Apollo program transformed our world, but overtime became financially challenging and space exploration was refocused on robotic planetary missions.

The first component on the International Space Station was launched in 1998, and spacefarers began to arrive on the U.S. Space Shuttle and U.S.S.R. Soyuz. With the end of the shuttle program in July 2011, the Soyuz spacecraft became the only means of transport to ISS.

Into the breach entered a number of U.S entrepreneurs, among them Elon Musk. With a fortune made as co-founder of PayPal, Musk developed two ambitious projects: to travel to the planets and, in the available spare time, build an all-electric car that could travel 200-300 miles per charge. The Tesla Model S, the second electric car by Musk’s Tesla Motor Works, goes sale on next month.

ISS robotic arm attaches to SpaceX Dragon capsule. NASA.

Today, with the successful docking of the Dragon capsule, a more significant and fundamental step has been taken. One, that over time will be seen as the dawn of a new era - not just of space exploration, but for the extension of humankind into the heavens. Those pioneering U.S.S.R. cosmonauts and U.S. astronauts led the way. Astronomic and space agencies from many countries are surveying space and space telescopes, such as the marvelous Hubble, peer to edge of the visible universe. Modern entrepreneurs now have an opening to carry humankind into space, maybe even to the planets.

The new journey to the heavens begins today.

Water on Earth

Credit: Howard Perlman, USGS; globe illustration by Jack Cook, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (©); Adam Nieman

This drawing shows various blue spheres representing relative amounts of Earth's water in comparison to the size of the Earth. Are you surprised that these water spheres look so small? They are only small in relation to the size of the Earth.

The smaller sphere over Kentucky represents Earth's liquid fresh water in groundwater, swamp water, rivers, and lakes.

Do you notice that "tiny" bubble over Atlanta, Georgia? That one represents fresh water in all the lakes and rivers on the planet, and most of the water people and life of earth need every day comes from these surface-water sources. 

U.S. Geological Survey

Obesity in adults linked to cognitive dysfunction

Duke University and CDC predict 42% of Americans will be obese by 2030. The impact on the nation's health (and economy) will be significant. Obesity is associated with many modern diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and sleep apnea. Other associations include migraine headaches, increased brain pressure (pseudotumor cerebri), rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammation of the brain's frontal lobes and hypothalamus.

Obesity is measured using the Body Mass Index (BMI) and is calculated by dividing body weight by the square of the height. As noted by Medscape Neurology, BMI “is the most common means that clinicians use to define obesity.”

Central obesity, obesity of the abdomen, is also harmful to health. The extra adipose tissue collects below the skin (subcutaneous adipose tissue) and around the abdominal organs (visceral adipose tissue). While many of us grew up thinking extra fatty tissue was harmless, it is now understood that the adipose tissue of central obesity represents a “pathogenic tissue compartment” (a compartment of tissue that can make us sick).

In a study published in March 2012 issue of Age and Ageing, Dae Hyun Yoon MD, PhD and associates looked at the whether obesity, as measured by BMI, and central obesity affected brain function.

In 250 patients, 60 years of age or older, the amount abdominal fatty tissue (both visceral and subcutaneous) was measured on an abdominal CT scan and compared to the results on the MMSE-KC, a Korean diagnostic scale similar to the Mini-Mental State Examination that measures cognitive function. The researchers discovered that persons 60-70 years of age with a high BMI or high visceral obesity had significantly more difficulty with memory and thinking. According to Medscape Medical News:

After controlling for age, sex, education, hypertension, and diabetes, high BMI and being in the top tertile for visceral adipose tissue area were significantly associated with poor cognitive performance in those up to age 70 years.

Dr. Yoon explained:

Visceral adipose tissue is more metabolically active than subcutaneous adipose tissue and is thought to have a stronger influence on insulin resistance, among other things. It has long been considered as a pathogenic tissue compartment and this research shows a positive association between visceral adipose tissue area and low cognitive functioning. (emphasis added)

Contrary to popular belief, excess fat does not just sit there; it produces inflammatory substances that affect a variety of bodily functions. The extra fat impacts how the brain works; or, in this situation, doesn’t work.  

Staffan Lindberg MD, PhD, writing in his medical textbook Food and Western Disease: Health and nutrition from an evolutionary perspective, notes that “overweight was extremely rare among hunter-gatherers.” As he shows, increasing evidence is pointing to the ancestral diet as the best model for reclaiming health.

To learn more about the ancestral human diet, consider these Ancestral Diet Resources. Also, take a look at the response in BMI and central obesity of these two dedicated Paleo advocates! (Unconquerable Dave and Diana)

Go Paleo to reduce and then get rid of obesity. Keep your brain sharp.

If you are on a special diet for health reasons, discuss the Paleo diet with your doctor before making changes. Also discuss with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or diabetes since your medications may need to be lowered. Also, if you are on Coumadin or have hemochromatosis, discuss this diet with your doctor before you start.   

Paleo Recipes / May 2012

Tender Lemon-Parsley Brisket 
"This recipe for Lemon-Parsley Brisket gives brisket a makeover, changing the flavor entirely. Lemon is so often used with fish and poultry that it might seem like an odd choice for a big chunk of red meat. It turns out to be the perfect accent though ..." - Mark's Daily Apple

Italian Beef Stuffed Artichoke 
"My Grammy made us stuffed artichokes for every holiday or family gathering when I was growing up. Busting with bread crumbs, good italian spices and tons of love, if I remember correctly. As far as I was concerned a so called ‘artichoke’ was simply a vessel ..." - KatieDid

Pan Seared Halibut with Ginger Mango Salsa and Cilantro Sauce 
"Yes, it’s a big name but way easier than it sounds and holy cow; so darn delicious I’m making this dish twice in one week!!!  I made this for lunch yesterday and although I haven’t yet tried the following option ..." - Everyday Paleo

Paleo Drunken Woodchuck® Chicken, A Cider Marinated Entrée
"Some people will say that grilling chicken is not a recipe and I agree – grilling chicken is an art, not a recipe. There is no exact timing that I could give you to make you cook the perfect chicken.... What I can do is give you our recipe for marinated chicken, and a guideline for how we like to do things. I hope you enjoy!" - Paleo Effect

Vietnamese Chicken Salad
"This is not first date food because you have to eat with your hands and sometimes, just like when you eat tacos (Do you remember what it’s like to eat tacos?!), the toppings fall off onto your plate. But that means when have hoovered in your last bite of jicamadas, you can scoop up the remnants from the plate for one last, perfect bite." - The Clothes Make the Girl

Sausage-Kale Egg Bake
"But you know what’s great?  Like, really great?  Sausage…with runny eggs baked on top…chock full of sweet potato chunks and kale…oh, yeah.  Makes it all worthwhile, right here …" - TGI PALEO

And, for an after dinner treat -

Our Top Five Chocolate Obsessions
"The Balanced Bites Team loves – no, scratch that – is obsessed with quality dark chocolate. It’s our favorite don’t-call-it-a-cheat, delicious, antioxidant-rich treat. Dark chocolate has some fascinating traits – and I’m not talking about the little rush you experience when it melts on your tongue." - Balanced Bites

Space: Saturn's brightly reflective moon Enceladus

A brightly reflective Enceladus appears before Saturn's rings, while the planet's larger moon Titan looms in the distance. 
Jets of water ice and vapor emanating from the south pole of Enceladus, which hint at subsurface sea rich in organics, and liquid hydrocarbons ponding on the surface on the surface of Titan make these two of the most fascinating moons in the Saturnian system.

NASA Image Gallery. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

Obesity increases chances migraine headaches will become chronic

Migraines affect 30 million Americans. While most have episodic migraines, 2.5% of migraine sufferers (migraineurs) progress to chronic migraine each year. According to the National Headache Foundation, chronic migraine is present when persons “experience headache more than half the time.”

Chronic migraine markedly impacts individual health and society. Researchers at the Department of Neurology, University of Essen, in Essen, Germany, describe the impact:

Chronic migraine (CM) and episodic migraine (EM) are part of the spectrum of migraine disorders, but they are distinct clinical entities. Population-based studies have shown that those with CM demonstrate higher individual and societal burden because they are significantly more disabled than those with EM and have greater impaired quality of life both inside and outside the home.

Thus, being able to prevent or reduce the transformation of episodic to chronic migraine would provide pronounced health benefits. Among the researchers investigating the underlying factors that might trigger this transformation is Johns Hopkins neurologist, Dr. Lee Peterlin. In an article published in the Spring 2012 print issue of NeuroLogic, Dr. Peterlin, herself a migraineur, describes the observation that stimulated her interest in studying the relationship between migraines and obesity:

One thing physicians have long known, however, is that migraine sufferers – or migraineurs – are significantly more likely to be women of reproductive age. After puberty, body fat makes a significant jump in this population.

Dr. Peterlin began her work by reviewing previous migraine research. From this she learned that persons with episodic migraines were 5 times more likely to develop chronic migraines if they were obese. She also found evidence that a sedentary lifestyle increased the chances of developing chronic migraine.

In 2008, Dr. Peterlin discovered that adiponectin (a protein hormone secreted by adipose tissue) was elevated in persons with migraine in comparison to those without migraine. Currently, she is studying pro-inflammatory substances called adipokines secreted by fatty tissue.

To date, Dr. Peterlin's research has identified two suspects, protein hormones and pro-inflammatory substances, secreted by adipose tissue that may trigger the conversion of episodic to chronic migraine.

Bottom line: Weight reduction in obese persons will decrease the likelihood that migraine becomes chronic. Overweight or obese persons suffering from migraine should discuss a non-inflammatory diet (such as the ancestral diet) with their doctor. Exercise also appears effective in reducing the chances of developing chronic migraine. The mechanisms leading to the development of chronic migraine are under study.

Note: Another headache condition associated with obesity is idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), also know as pseudotumor cerebri (not a true tumor).  In this condition, debilitating headaches (and sometimes loss of vision) are due to increased brain pressure. IIH most often occurs in obese women of childbearing age and is treated differently from migraine.

Related Posts

• Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with obesity
• Did we start loosing willpower in the late 1970's?
• Quote: Adiposity causes inflammation of the hypothalamus
• Walking, the Ideal Exercise
• Brain Health: Stay smart with exercise
• The microenvironment: “… an entirely new way of thinking about cancer”
• This Mother’s Day give the gift of brain health
• Quote: Exercise and the brain

Quote: Exercise and the brain

The implication is that exercising during development, as your brain is growing, is changing the brain in concert with normal developmental changes, resulting in your having more permanent wiring of the brain in support of things like learning and memory. It seems important to [exercise] early in life.

David Bucci 
How Exercise Affects the Brain: Age and Genetics Play a Role

Jeffry Gerber, MD joins Primal Docs

We have been helping our patients improve their health and optimize their weight with prescribed life style modification. We redefine healthy nutrition and teach patients about the relationship between unhealthy refined and processed foods, dietary carbohydrates, and chronic illness…

Learn more at Primal Docs

58 Paleo / Primal recipe links

These Paleo / Primal recipes were included in previous Monthly Finds and Sunday Paleo posts. They are presented in list form here for easier access.

SALADS

• Two Minute Tuna Salad 
  Everyday Paleo
• Brightly Colored Vegetable Salad with Chermoula Dressing 
  Mark's Daily Apple
• Summer Salad | Paleo Salads 
  Paleo Effect
• Heirloom Tomato Salad and Steak with Peppercorns and Purple Basil 
  Mark's Daily Apple

SOUPS

• Everyday Paleo Gazpacho with Avocado Cream! 
  Everyday Paleo

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