FORWARD MESSAGE!
In pictures: Vladimir Putin - man of action (19pics)
8 Drugs You Don’t Have to Take
COUGHING
Instead of … cough syrup
Try … A dose of honey
Think about how long it takes honey to travel down the inside of a plastic bear squeeze bottle, out its head, and onto your toast. Well, that same thick, viscous quality makes honey a perfect substitute for cough syrup. Both do essentially the same thing—coat the throat, relieving irritation.
In fact, a recent study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found that a spoonful of honey was better than dextromethorphan (DM), the active ingredient in Robitussin DM and other cough suppressants, at halting hacking in children. Honey should work equally well in adults, says study author Ian Paul, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics and public health sciences at Penn State University. The best part: You won't feel dizzy or light-headed—one of the side effects of taking DM.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … Try buckwheat honey, a darker variety that contains more antioxidants than lighter shades do. (Antioxidants may help prevent heart disease and cancer, scientists believe.) Take 2 teaspoons when you want to quiet your cough—at night or before a meeting, for example—but don't try to squelch the cough altogether. Productive daytime coughing can help loosen and move mucus out of your lungs.
LOWER-BACK PAIN
Instead of … NSAIDs or acetaminophen
Try … The warrior yoga pose
What's the first thing you do when your back starts hurting? You probably stretch and twist your torso in an instinctive attempt to work out the kinks. Your body is onto something: In a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a therapeutic yoga technique known as viniyoga reduced peoples' chronic back pain enough for them to decrease or even eliminate pain medications. And in so doing, they spared themselves the potential liver or gastrointestinal damage that can result from long-term reliance on NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and aspirin) or acetaminophen. After all, chronic back pain can persist for 3 months or longer after an acute episode, possibly leading sufferers to stay on these medicines longer than the labels recommend.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … The people in the study spent 75 minutes once a week doing the cobra, wheel, bridge, supine butterfly, swimmer's posture, and warrior, among other yoga poses. Not only will you increase your strength and flexibility with these poses, but you may also become more aware of movement habits you've slipped into that caused the pain to begin with, says study author Karen Sherman, Ph.D., a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute, in Seattle. To see how to do these moves, go to MensHealth.com/yoga.
FREQUENT HEADACHES
Instead of … Painkillers
Try … Fewer pills, more sleep
Who would've thought that taking medicine to stop pain could actually perpetuate the pounding? This can happen with certain headache "remedies." "A medication-overuse headache can occur when people who have frequent headaches take painkillers 15 or more days a month," says Peter Goadsby, M.D., director of the headache center at the University of California at San Francisco. Doctors don't fully understand why it happens, but it appears to occur most often when people take compound analgesics—that is, medicines with multiple active ingredients, such as Excedrin (which contains aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine) or Tylenol with codeine.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … Avoid the compound meds, and scale back using any pain pills as much as you can tolerate, Dr. Goadsby says. Strive for no more than two a week. Then focus on your sleep as a way of heading off headaches. The areas of your brain that contribute to your cranial pain are also involved in sleep, he says. By sticking to a strict—i.e., consistent—sleep schedule, you may be able to desensitize those trouble spots.
Instead of … cough syrup
Try … A dose of honey
Think about how long it takes honey to travel down the inside of a plastic bear squeeze bottle, out its head, and onto your toast. Well, that same thick, viscous quality makes honey a perfect substitute for cough syrup. Both do essentially the same thing—coat the throat, relieving irritation.
In fact, a recent study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found that a spoonful of honey was better than dextromethorphan (DM), the active ingredient in Robitussin DM and other cough suppressants, at halting hacking in children. Honey should work equally well in adults, says study author Ian Paul, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics and public health sciences at Penn State University. The best part: You won't feel dizzy or light-headed—one of the side effects of taking DM.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … Try buckwheat honey, a darker variety that contains more antioxidants than lighter shades do. (Antioxidants may help prevent heart disease and cancer, scientists believe.) Take 2 teaspoons when you want to quiet your cough—at night or before a meeting, for example—but don't try to squelch the cough altogether. Productive daytime coughing can help loosen and move mucus out of your lungs.
LOWER-BACK PAIN
Instead of … NSAIDs or acetaminophen
Try … The warrior yoga pose
What's the first thing you do when your back starts hurting? You probably stretch and twist your torso in an instinctive attempt to work out the kinks. Your body is onto something: In a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a therapeutic yoga technique known as viniyoga reduced peoples' chronic back pain enough for them to decrease or even eliminate pain medications. And in so doing, they spared themselves the potential liver or gastrointestinal damage that can result from long-term reliance on NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and aspirin) or acetaminophen. After all, chronic back pain can persist for 3 months or longer after an acute episode, possibly leading sufferers to stay on these medicines longer than the labels recommend.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … The people in the study spent 75 minutes once a week doing the cobra, wheel, bridge, supine butterfly, swimmer's posture, and warrior, among other yoga poses. Not only will you increase your strength and flexibility with these poses, but you may also become more aware of movement habits you've slipped into that caused the pain to begin with, says study author Karen Sherman, Ph.D., a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute, in Seattle. To see how to do these moves, go to MensHealth.com/yoga.
FREQUENT HEADACHES
Instead of … Painkillers
Try … Fewer pills, more sleep
Who would've thought that taking medicine to stop pain could actually perpetuate the pounding? This can happen with certain headache "remedies." "A medication-overuse headache can occur when people who have frequent headaches take painkillers 15 or more days a month," says Peter Goadsby, M.D., director of the headache center at the University of California at San Francisco. Doctors don't fully understand why it happens, but it appears to occur most often when people take compound analgesics—that is, medicines with multiple active ingredients, such as Excedrin (which contains aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine) or Tylenol with codeine.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … Avoid the compound meds, and scale back using any pain pills as much as you can tolerate, Dr. Goadsby says. Strive for no more than two a week. Then focus on your sleep as a way of heading off headaches. The areas of your brain that contribute to your cranial pain are also involved in sleep, he says. By sticking to a strict—i.e., consistent—sleep schedule, you may be able to desensitize those trouble spots.
MILD DEPRESSION
Instead of … Antidepressants
Try … Retraining your brain
To fight depression, consider battling the negativity head-on. That's the thinking behind a DIY treatment known as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). With this technique, you focus on controlling your reactions to certain thoughts and emotions—you learn to see them objectively rather than allowing them to sweep you away. In recent studies, MBCT proved to be as effective as antidepressants in preventing relapse, and more effective at enhancing quality of life. "When people stop taking antidepressants—and they often do because of side effects—they're vulnerable to relapse," says Willem Kuyken, Ph.D., of the mood disorders center at the University of Exeter. "MBCT gives people skills that help keep them well."
Your Pharma-Free Rx … One MBCT technique, the "3-minute breathing space," is designed to help end the swirl of negative thoughts in your head. You start by focusing on how your body feels as well as on what you're thinking and feeling right now. Then you shift your attention to your breathing to bring yourself further into the present moment. Finally, you expand your awareness back out to your entire body while deliberately breathing in and out. If that sample feels effective for you, ask your doctor to recommend a therapist trained in MBCT.
INSOMNIA
Instead of … Sleep aids
Try … A few late nights
Chronic toss-and-turner? Just give up. Go flip on Letterman. That's because cutting back your restless hours by delaying your bedtime could ultimately point you toward more solid slumber—and keep you off prescription sleep aids, says Lee Ritterband, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Virginia's department of psychiatry. That's good, because drugs like Ambien aren't permanent solutions. "Sleep medicines commonly lose their effectiveness over time because your body can grow used to them," says Men's Health advisor W. Christopher Winter, M.D., medical director of the Martha Jefferson Sleep Medicine Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … If you usually go to bed at 10 p.m. but don't nod off until 1 a.m., try to hit the sack at 1 a.m.—but wake up the same time you ordinarily would, Ritterband suggests. "You're creating some sleep deprivation, of course," he says, "but that makes it easier to fall and stay asleep on subsequent nights." After a few weeks of this, start pushing your bedtime up in 20-minute increments to see if you can maintain the gains.
CONSTIPATION
Instead of … Laxatives
Try … Turning on the waterworks
Your colon moves. It twitches and tightens to keep things rolling down the line. But your colon can slow down or absorb too much liquid (for any number of reasons, including insufficient fiber in your diet, inactivity, dehydration, or certain meds), making waste linger and dry up. That's constipation. Americans spend about $725 million a year on over-the-counter laxatives, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Frequent users typically need to increase the dose over time because their bowels become dependent on the medicine. (Some laxatives create small bowel spasms to help things along.)
Your Pharma-Free Rx … Eliminate the laxative habit by downing two full glasses of water before breakfast. Liquids add fluid to the colon and bulk to stools, making them softer and easier to pass. While you're at it, eat a banana or an apple. "The bulk provided by their fiber stimulates the bowel to move in a rhythmic way—hence the phrase 'bowel movement,' " says Dr. Abramson. "Why would you use something to irritate your bowel—which is what many laxatives do—when you can simply eat fruit instead?"
ASTHMA and ALLERGIES
Instead of … Daily medicines
Try … An air filter
Instead of trying to change the way your body responds to irritants—that's how most asthma and allergy meds work—go after the irritants directly. Whole-house air filters and even portable units can significantly reduce the triggers that cause your wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing, says Ted Myatt, Sc.D., a senior scientist at the consulting firm Environmental Health and Engineering, near Boston. His 2008 study in Environmental Health found that high-efficiency in-duct air filters reduced cat allergens by up to 55 percent and fungal spores by up to 75 percent. Your doctor can tell you whether home filtering can minimize your need for an OTC or prescription drug.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … A whole-house air filtration system has a big price tag—$900 to $1,200 for installation into existing ductwork. Or you can place a portable HEPA air filter in your bedroom, where you spend most of your time at home. Myatt's study found that a portable unit like the $115 Hunter QuietFlo HEPA 30090 still does the job in a single-room scenario.
FLU
Instead of … Antiviral meds
Try … Jacking up the humidity
Wage your flu battle at the hardware store, not the pharmacy. Your weapon of choice: a humidifier. "The airborne influenza virus survives longer in drier air," Myatt says. His newest study in Environmental Health found that a humidifier in a bedroom produced significant reductions in flu-virus survival. Given the disputed effectiveness of the popular antiviral drug Tamiflu—a 2009 study was underwhelmed by it—this ounce of prevention has obvious appeal.
Your Pharma-Free Rx … If the flu is going around, place a portable humidifier in your bedroom and set it for 50 percent humidity, Myatt says. Better-quality models come with microbe-fighting UV lights or silver in their filters. We like the Air-O-Swiss 7135 humidifier, at $170. Bonus: It'll keep your skin from becoming itchy and scratchy as well.
10 Surprising Coffee Facts
How much do you know about your morning cup of joe? We’ve rounded up some coffee facts that just might surprise you!
Coffee is a controversial beverage. Is it healthy? Is it unhealthy? How much is too much coffee?
Are you a coffee drinker? Check out these fun coffee facts!
1. French press coffee may raise your cholesterol.
Wait! But there’s no cholesterol or saturated fat in coffee! That’s true. Read about how cafestrol – a compound in unfiltered coffee – can impact cholesterol.
2. Coffee may prevent depression.
In a survey of over 50,000 women, researchers found that 2-4 cups of coffee per day reduced incidence of depression by 15 to 20 percent. Read more!
3. Out of creamer? You can lighten coffee with coconut milk!
It’s called Bulletproof Coffee, and if you like coconut, you are going to love this! Read more!
4. Not all coffee is vegan.
In fact civet coffee production not only involves animals but is under investigation for animal cruelty. Read more!
5. Fancy coffee concoctions often contain GMOs.
If you are trying to avoid GMOs, you may want to think twice about that pumpkin spice latte. Read more!
6. Coffee might prevent type 2 diabetes.
A recent study found that 2-3 cups of coffee per day could reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 25 percent. Read more!
7. We drink about 1400 million cups of coffee every day.
That’s right! Worldwide, we are consuming 1.4 billion cups of java daily. Read more!
8. It takes 130 liters (over 34 gallons) of water to produce the beans for 1 cup of coffee.
Coffee is not the most water-efficient drink, that’s for sure. Read more!
9. Coffee may protect women from endometrial cancer.
A massive survey found that coffee – decaf or regular – can reduce endometrial cancer risk by around seven to eight percent. Read more!
10. Contrary to conventional wisdom, coffee grounds are not great for your garden, even for plants that like acidic soil.
Where can they be beneficial? In your compost bin. Read more!
Surreal landscapes around the world (17pics)
5 Foods that Make You Smarter
Phrases like "eat your carrots, they're good for your eyes" are common in almost every household with kids. While there may be truth to that statement, and other benefits of eating carrots, sayings like these can often fall on deaf ears because it seems that every food is responsible for something -"eat spinach to grow strong like Popeye" and "drink milk for strong bones."
The truth is that eating fruits and vegetables is good for you, plain and simple. And eating a variety is even better, so your body can get all of the nutrients and vitamins it needs to operate at its optimal level. The best part is that most foods offer a two-for-one deal, if you will. Carrots, for example, may help not only your eyes, but also your brain. And it turns out that if kale or kale chips have become recent staples in your kitchen, they might be doing more good for you than you think.
So, if there's a time when focusing on brain power or energy is a must, say while studying for the bar exam or the GMATs, it might not hurt to increase your intake of healthy foods that have been linked to improving brain productivity and function. Granted, some are meant for long-term health rather than short-term, but it really can't hurt to tackle both ends of the spectrum when it comes to health.
Carrots
Also found in spinach, red peppers, and summer squashes, B vitamins, according to Aronica, help manufacture and release chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. "The nervous system relies on neurotransmitters to communicate messages within the brain, such as those that regulate mood, hunger, and sleep."
Yogurt
Vitamin B12, often referred to as the "memory vitamin," is only found naturally in animal foods, so nutritionist Kelly Aronica suggests vegans should be careful to use supplements. As she explains, its integrally involved in nerve function and found in yogurts, cheeses, salmon, shrimp, and beef.
Spinach or Kale
"I'd list dark leafy greens (spinach is probably my top choice, or kale) as one of the top foods for brain health," says Aronica. She explains that the huge antioxidant punch is the main benefit for the brain, but they are also powerhouses overall in terms of vitamin and mineral content.
Green Tea
Green tea is not only a great source of antioxidants, but it also provides a hefty amount of caffeine, which is good for coffee-turned-tea drinkers. Aronica adds that research has shown caffeine to improve cognitive function, focus, and concentration. Coffee and chocolate also have antioxidants, but probably aren't as strong of a source as green tea.
Eggs
With the conflicting evidence about egg yolks (Good for you? Bad for you?), Aronica says that for brain functions, they're not to be ignored. Choline, a building block from the brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine, is involved in memory and is found in eggs, specifically the yolk.
The truth is that eating fruits and vegetables is good for you, plain and simple. And eating a variety is even better, so your body can get all of the nutrients and vitamins it needs to operate at its optimal level. The best part is that most foods offer a two-for-one deal, if you will. Carrots, for example, may help not only your eyes, but also your brain. And it turns out that if kale or kale chips have become recent staples in your kitchen, they might be doing more good for you than you think.
So, if there's a time when focusing on brain power or energy is a must, say while studying for the bar exam or the GMATs, it might not hurt to increase your intake of healthy foods that have been linked to improving brain productivity and function. Granted, some are meant for long-term health rather than short-term, but it really can't hurt to tackle both ends of the spectrum when it comes to health.
Carrots
Also found in spinach, red peppers, and summer squashes, B vitamins, according to Aronica, help manufacture and release chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. "The nervous system relies on neurotransmitters to communicate messages within the brain, such as those that regulate mood, hunger, and sleep."
Yogurt
Vitamin B12, often referred to as the "memory vitamin," is only found naturally in animal foods, so nutritionist Kelly Aronica suggests vegans should be careful to use supplements. As she explains, its integrally involved in nerve function and found in yogurts, cheeses, salmon, shrimp, and beef.
Spinach or Kale
"I'd list dark leafy greens (spinach is probably my top choice, or kale) as one of the top foods for brain health," says Aronica. She explains that the huge antioxidant punch is the main benefit for the brain, but they are also powerhouses overall in terms of vitamin and mineral content.
Green Tea
Green tea is not only a great source of antioxidants, but it also provides a hefty amount of caffeine, which is good for coffee-turned-tea drinkers. Aronica adds that research has shown caffeine to improve cognitive function, focus, and concentration. Coffee and chocolate also have antioxidants, but probably aren't as strong of a source as green tea.
Eggs
With the conflicting evidence about egg yolks (Good for you? Bad for you?), Aronica says that for brain functions, they're not to be ignored. Choline, a building block from the brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine, is involved in memory and is found in eggs, specifically the yolk.
Cancer cure being developed from human breast milk
Scientists have claimed that a cure for cancer is being developed from human breast milk.
A protein in human milk, lactaptin, was found to destroy diseased cells in tests at a Siberian medical institute.
Project leader Valentin Vlasovs said that the two medications are going through the pre-clinical trial now.
During analyses of the milk proteins they detected a tiny peptide that affected cancer cells. It destroyed cancer cells and left the healthy ones alive, Vlasovs said.
Tests on mice showed the drug works especially well on liver and lung cancers.
A protein in human milk, lactaptin, was found to destroy diseased cells in tests at a Siberian medical institute.
Project leader Valentin Vlasovs said that the two medications are going through the pre-clinical trial now.
During analyses of the milk proteins they detected a tiny peptide that affected cancer cells. It destroyed cancer cells and left the healthy ones alive, Vlasovs said.
Tests on mice showed the drug works especially well on liver and lung cancers.
How Broccoli Could Protect You From a Nuclear Holocaust
An ingredient from cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli, could protect cancer patients from the harmful side effects of radiation therapy, according to a report in PNAS.
Radiation therapy’s main objective is to destroy the DNA of cancer cells. The process works because cancer cells are constantly multiplying, which means they need to replicate their DNA genomes. Exposure to high-energy radiation — X-rays, gamma rays, or charged particles — snaps DNA into pieces, which stops cancer cell replication and kills the tumor.
Radiation therapy, however, can damage DNA in normal cells, causing side effects like memory loss, scarring, and infertility. In an ironic twist, DNA breaks in normal cells caused by radiation therapy can also trigger the development of cancer. Girls given radiation to the chest for Hodgkin lymphoma have a greater risk for developing breast cancer later in life, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center discovered that the cruciferous vegetable-derived compound ‘DIM’ — 3,3'-diindolylmethane — protects rodents from lethal doses of radiation. This radiation shield worked if the DIM was given prior to exposure or up to 24 hours afterwards.
"DIM has been studied as a cancer prevention agent for years, but this is the first indication that DIM can also act as a radiation protector," said senior author, Dr. Eliot Rosen of Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, who described the results as stunning.
"All of the untreated rats died, but well over half of the DIM-treated animals remained alive 30 days after the radiation exposure.”
This investigation by Rosen and colleagues goes even further to provide an explanation for why DIM is beneficial to normal tissue. They found that DIM stimulates a series of enzymes that repair DNA after radiation damage. However, this protective effect was limited to healthy tissue, and radiation could still destroy cancer tissue.
These findings have another real-life implication, which is pertinent given recent events in Japan.
"DIM could protect normal tissues in patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer, but could also protect individuals from the lethal consequences of a nuclear disaster," continued Rosen.
DIM has been a suspected cancer preventative for years. Clinical trials in humans have already been conducted and shown it is well-tolerated in cancer patients. Rosen and his co-authors have filed a patent with Georgetown University and will explore the use of DIM and related compounds as radioprotectors in future trials.
Martyrs need not stoke up hatred
The ultimate sacrifice for one's faith is about 'total love'
Fructuosus and two deacons, Augurius and Eulogius (pictured in an icon, flanking the bishop), were the first martyrs of Tarragona in Spain, burnt at the stake in AD 259
Tarragona in Spain the ancient Roman amphitheatre stands silhouetted against the Mediterranean, and white wavelets hiss on to the sand.
A little church, dating from Visigothic days, stood in the arena until 1915, when it collapsed from neglect. The church had been built to house the relics of the local bishop Fructuosus. He and two deacons, Augurius and Eulogius (pictured here in an icon, flanking the bishop), were the first martyrs of the city, burnt at the stake in AD 259.
The Acta recounting their martyrdom are the earliest from Hispania that survive. An apparently verbatim extract from court records includes this exchange between Aemilianus, the procurator, and the prisoner.
Aemilianus: Are you the bishop?
Fructuosus: I am.
Aemilianus: You were.
The bitter joke typifies relations between rulers and their victims in any era.
Prudentius, who in the next century wrote a Latin poem on the martyrdom, picked from the contemporary account a detail of the Christians present pouring wine on the saints’ remains to cool them among the embers so that they could rescue them as relics.
Remembering martyrs did not entail resentment of the rule of the Romans, whose walls and nearby aqueduct ornament the agreeable little city of Tarragona. There, last Sunday, 522 martyrs from the 20th century were declared blessed, among them a bishop and 147 clergy from the city.
These were all killed in the Spanish Civil War, when many terrible things happened. These priests and friars could hardly be seen as fair game. They were non-combatants and only the most dogmatic Marxists would regard them as class enemies deserving death.
Among those beatified on Sunday were 24 brothers of the order of St John of God. This remarkable man had begun looking after the sick and poor in Granada in 1539, and that was the task of his followers 400 years later. One of those was Feliciano MartÃnez, who worked at a hospital in Valencia and was know for his big-heartedness and simplicity. He had fallen off a horse once, which left him with a limp, and he gained the nickname Cojito, “Hopalong”. On October 4 1936 he was taken to the shore and shot. He was 73.
Of those beatified, 74 were Brothers of Christian Schools, as they are known in Spain for their provision of education for the poor. In Britain they are called De la Salle Brothers, after their French founder (1651-1719).
Someone who had benefited from the education they offered was Modesto Pamplona, born in Berga, Catalonia, in 1907. He decided to devote his life to the same teaching vocation, and underwent religious training, until, under the Republic, he was obliged to do his military service, which he completed in 1934. In July 1936 he was arrested and imprisoned in the ship Rio Segre. On August 28 he was taken from the ship, and someone asked him if he was to be set free, since he looked so cheerful. “Why shouldn’t I look happy,” he replied, “when I’ll be in heaven so soon?” He and his companions were killed by firing squad. He was 29.
There is no point multiplying examples, but there should be mention of the 27 Daughters of Charity (of St Vincent de Paul) expelled from their convents and killed wherever they were discovered, in Madrid, Valencia or Barcelona.
The beatification is nothing to do with refighting the Civil War. As with Fructuosus, the martyrs’ prayers to God are sought and their example prized. Some groups had demanded the Pope should stop the beatification as giving succour to the Francoist cause. But in a video message for the event, Pope Francis, who knows about civil strife from his years in Argentina, spoke of these martyrs’ “total love”. “When one loves,” he said, “one loves until the end.”
Tarragona in Spain the ancient Roman amphitheatre stands silhouetted against the Mediterranean, and white wavelets hiss on to the sand.
A little church, dating from Visigothic days, stood in the arena until 1915, when it collapsed from neglect. The church had been built to house the relics of the local bishop Fructuosus. He and two deacons, Augurius and Eulogius (pictured here in an icon, flanking the bishop), were the first martyrs of the city, burnt at the stake in AD 259.
The Acta recounting their martyrdom are the earliest from Hispania that survive. An apparently verbatim extract from court records includes this exchange between Aemilianus, the procurator, and the prisoner.
Aemilianus: Are you the bishop?
Fructuosus: I am.
Aemilianus: You were.
The bitter joke typifies relations between rulers and their victims in any era.
Prudentius, who in the next century wrote a Latin poem on the martyrdom, picked from the contemporary account a detail of the Christians present pouring wine on the saints’ remains to cool them among the embers so that they could rescue them as relics.
Remembering martyrs did not entail resentment of the rule of the Romans, whose walls and nearby aqueduct ornament the agreeable little city of Tarragona. There, last Sunday, 522 martyrs from the 20th century were declared blessed, among them a bishop and 147 clergy from the city.
These were all killed in the Spanish Civil War, when many terrible things happened. These priests and friars could hardly be seen as fair game. They were non-combatants and only the most dogmatic Marxists would regard them as class enemies deserving death.
Among those beatified on Sunday were 24 brothers of the order of St John of God. This remarkable man had begun looking after the sick and poor in Granada in 1539, and that was the task of his followers 400 years later. One of those was Feliciano MartÃnez, who worked at a hospital in Valencia and was know for his big-heartedness and simplicity. He had fallen off a horse once, which left him with a limp, and he gained the nickname Cojito, “Hopalong”. On October 4 1936 he was taken to the shore and shot. He was 73.
Of those beatified, 74 were Brothers of Christian Schools, as they are known in Spain for their provision of education for the poor. In Britain they are called De la Salle Brothers, after their French founder (1651-1719).
Someone who had benefited from the education they offered was Modesto Pamplona, born in Berga, Catalonia, in 1907. He decided to devote his life to the same teaching vocation, and underwent religious training, until, under the Republic, he was obliged to do his military service, which he completed in 1934. In July 1936 he was arrested and imprisoned in the ship Rio Segre. On August 28 he was taken from the ship, and someone asked him if he was to be set free, since he looked so cheerful. “Why shouldn’t I look happy,” he replied, “when I’ll be in heaven so soon?” He and his companions were killed by firing squad. He was 29.
There is no point multiplying examples, but there should be mention of the 27 Daughters of Charity (of St Vincent de Paul) expelled from their convents and killed wherever they were discovered, in Madrid, Valencia or Barcelona.
The beatification is nothing to do with refighting the Civil War. As with Fructuosus, the martyrs’ prayers to God are sought and their example prized. Some groups had demanded the Pope should stop the beatification as giving succour to the Francoist cause. But in a video message for the event, Pope Francis, who knows about civil strife from his years in Argentina, spoke of these martyrs’ “total love”. “When one loves,” he said, “one loves until the end.”
11 Super Health Benefits in Just One Celery Stalk
Apples walk away with most health accolades, and spinach leads the healthy veggie brigade. Compared to them, celery is somewhat unsung, but once you read its incredible–and nearly endless–list of health benefits, you will quickly join its growing list of lovers.
- Celery is a great choice if you are watching your weight. One large stalk contains only 10 calories! So, add celery to your shopping list and enjoy it in your salads, soups and stir-fries.
- Celery reduces inflammation. If you are suffering from joint pains, lung infections, asthma, or acne, eating more celery will bring much-needed relief.
- It helps you calm down: Celery for stress-relief? Oh yes! The minerals in celery, especially magnesium, and the essential oil in it, soothe the nervous system. If you enjoy a celery-based snack in the evening, you will sleep better.
- It regulates the body’s alkaline balance, thus protecting you from problems such as acidity.
- Celery aids digestion: some say celery tastes like “crunchy water,” and that is the reason it is so good for your digestive system. The high water content of celery, combined with the insoluble fiber in it, makes it a great tool for easy passage of stool. Note: because celery has diuretic and cleansing properties, those with diarrhea should avoid eating it.
- It contains “good” salts. Yes, celery does contain sodium, but it is not the same thing as table salt. The salt in celery is organic, natural and essential for your health.
- It cares for your eyes. One large stalk of celery can deliver up to 10 percent of your daily need for Vitamin A, a group of nutrients that protects the eyes and prevents age-related degeneration of vision.
- Celery reduces “bad” cholesterol: There is a component in celery called butylphthalide. It gives the vegetable its flavor and scent. Guess what: this component also reduces bad cholesterol! A Chicago University research shows that just two stalks of celery a day can reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) by up to 7 points!
- It lowers blood pressure: An active compound called phthalides in celery has been proven to boost circulatory health. Raw, whole celery reduces high blood pressure.
- It can amp up your sex life: and this is not just hearsay. Dr. Alan R. Hirsch, Director of the Smeel and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, says two pheromones in celery–androstenone and androstenol–boost your arousal levels. They are released when you chew on a celery stalk.
- Celery can combat cancer: Two studies at the University of Illinois show that a powerful flavonoid in celery, called luteolin, inhibits the growth of cancer cells, especially in the pancreas. Another study suggests that the regular intake of celery could significantly delay the formation of breast cancer cells.
Useful Tips:
Choose celery with upright stalks that snap when bent. The leaves should be fresh and crisp. When selecting celery, remember this rule of thumb: The darker the color, the stronger the flavor.
Freshly chopped celery retains its nutrients much better than if you chop and store it even for a few hours.
Steamed celery not only retains its flavor, but also most of its nutrients–up to 99 percent of them, in fact!
The most spectacular libraries in the world (16pics)
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