»phases of the ampersand moon« by gary barwin (+)
segunda-feira, agosto 15, 2016
It’s Not That Easy To Explore Caves (13 pics)
This cave is 32 kilometers long and its depth is 1760 m. These pictures show the harsh conditions of exploring the fascinating underworld.
If You Like To Work Out, You Might Get That From Your Mom
How close are you and your mother? Do you ever find yourself saying the same things, dressing the same way – or perhaps even acting the same way? This could have a perfectly rational explanation, so don’t worry!
If you have certain character traits, such as working out, studies are showing that this could be genetically linked to our mothers. The research has shown a number of things that connect our behaviours to our mothers – particularly things that were conducted during pregnancy, and which have had a lasting effect on us after we are born. So if you like to work out, if you enjoy running sessions, heading to the gym, or simply dancing vigorously, look no further as to where that comes from – the reason might have been right there in front of you all along!
You Might Get It From Your Mom
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology experimented with mice and weight loss to determine results in pregnant mothers who did and did not exercise. And while they did not see any change or effect for weight loss in the offspring of mice whose mothers did not run, the mothers who did run while pregnant saw a loss of fat in their babies after birth. In other words, science is linking the state of the mother during pregnancy to the state of the child after birth. If the mother exercised during pregnancy the child is said to experience weight loss, similar to if the mother had less fat or ate less fat during the pregnancy, the child would be more inclined to lose weight or have the tendency to eat less fat. So next time you think about exercise (or happily head to the gym) thank your mothers and the yards of effort they put in during your development!
In other words, science is linking the state of the mother during pregnancy to the state of the child after birth. If the mother exercised during pregnancy the child is said to experience weight loss, similar to if the mother had less fat or ate less fat during the pregnancy, the child would be more inclined to lose weight or have the tendency to eat less fat. So next time you think about exercise (or happily head to the gym) thank your mothers and the yards of effort they put in during your development!
Similar Exercise Habits
The same goes for exercise. If your mother exercised during pregnancy, the FASEB state that the child is more likely to develop these habits also. So if you enjoy working out, it could be because your mother was working out while pregnant with you!
Researchers say that there are direct results linked to fat loss within children whose mothers were running during the pregnancy. Although mice are a far cry from humans, it is possible that these attributes are similarly being passed on to our children. Children whose parents are active and move around them and with them a lot are more likely to develop similar patterns, just as children whose parents are inactive and lack motivation are likely to have similar attitudes and thoughts toward exercise. Developmental Programming is the theory that a baby’s body and DNA are influenced by the experiences it has while being in the womb, and also after being born. The idea is that these influences and prenatal experiences have long-lasting effect after the birth, and not just int terms of exercise. The theory states that this also can be true of weaker organs or effected immune systems,
The idea is that these influences and prenatal experiences have long-lasting effect after the birth, and not just int terms of exercise. The theory states that this also can be true of weaker organs or affected immune systems, though breastfeeding is also said to improve a baby’s immune system.
The Positives
The studies show how this can potentially assist in the global fight against obesity. Over 600 million people were documented as being obese in 2014, with enormous levels of inactivity and poor diets in western culture. If we can associate positive exercise and diet habits with genetics, we can have awareness about healthier lifestyles for our children and their development. If our dietary habits while pregnant are resulting in higher likeliness of obesity with our children, we can take efforts to care for our bodies for both our children’s sake and for our own.
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How A Plastic Bag Charge Led To An 85% Drop In Their Use In England
It’s been almost one year since England introduced its new bag law, joining Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Now, the entire UK has laws in place to discourage the use of plastic bags from major retailers.
The law, which requires a 5p charge for plastic bags at retailers with 250 employees or more, led to a dramatic 85% decrease in the number of plastic bags used by the nation.
In England alone, there were 7.64 billion plastic bags handed out in supermarkets in 2013, which is an increase of over 1 billion from 2010.
Laws like this aren’t unheard of around the world. The UK joins several countries in using the law to reduce the number of plastic bags used, including Denmark, Italy, Germany, Belgium, China, France, India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, 17 States of the USA (Including California and New York), and several countries across Africa.
These plastic bags aren’t always disposed of properly, and they’re ending up everywhere. IFL Science points out that about 8 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the sea each year, in large part due to plastic bags.
Plastic bags from the UK have been found as far north as the chilling Arctic Ocean. They find their way into urban streets and even blow into rural countrysides. No matter where you turn, the trash and plastic that isn’t being taken to landfills is polluting our environment.
Who Benefits From This Charge?
The obvious winners from this law are the supermarkets that the tax involves. While they aren’t seeing any major decrease in customers (in England or beyond) they are saving money and making money from the law. They now spend less money on the plastic bags themselves and they get to charge when the plastic bags they do buy get used. The supermarkets keep 100% of the money, although the government does expect them to donate some to a good cause.
In fact, charities will hopefully benefit from this themselves. The levy is expected to raise over 730 million GBP for charity in the next decade. In fact, M&S, UK’s fifth-largest supermarket retailer, enacted a bag levy of its own in 2007 and has raised 10 million GBP for charities itself.
The government is also benefitting from the new law. According to the BBC, the government expects to save some major cash from this law. This article points out that over the next decade, they expect to see savings in both reduced litter clean-up fees and carbon emission fees — almost 75 million GBP worth.
An overlooked winner of this situation is small businesses. Any business with under 250 employees doesn’t have to charge anything for their plastic bags, which may encourage people to shop at these small businesses more often.
And finally, the main benefactor of this new law is the Earth, and by extension, all of us. Litter is a form of pollution, and any pollution we can cut out is good news for the planet’s health as well as our own.
One community started seeing the positive environmental results of this levy almost immediately. A boater in Leicester, England said that he was used to pulling 60 to 100 bags out of the city’s rivers weekly. It all but stopped by January, 2016 — just 3 months after the levy was put in place. Now, he pulls a handful of unbranded bags a week.
What’s Been the Reaction?
The reaction in England has seemed to be overwhelmingly positive. In fact, Break the Bag Habit coalition — a group who’s dedicated to keeping rural England tidy — surveyed 2000 people. Over 60% of people surveyed agreed that the new law was “reasonable.”
Many organizations and individuals hope to see more. As it stands, the reduction of plastic bags will certainly help marine life and even some land animals, but it’s still just a “small-step”, according to Friends of the Earth chairman Craig Bennet. Hopefully this is just the first step of many in the right direction.
Featured photo credit: Bagatyou.com via bagatyou.com
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Woman Can’t Decide Which Dogs To Save From Shelter, Then She Does Something Really Amazing…
Danielle Eden, dog-lover and founder of US animal shelter Dog Tales, has saved many dogs from shelters, however this was her biggest save of all.
As seen in The Dodo, Eden visited a dog shelter in Israel, but each and every dog was in such bad shape …
That when she looked around at the horrible state of all of the dogs …
Every single dog was in very poor health and danger.
There were around 250 dogs in a rat-infested space designed for only 70 animals …
So when it came to choosing only some of them … Eden realised she could not choose, so …
…she bought the entire shelter!!
Some dogs have now found new homes, but many more are still waiting. You can find more information at the Dog Tales adoption page!
Featured photo credit: Oliver Gouldthorpe via flickr.com
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Do People Who Have More Relationship Experience Have Happier Marriage?
While many may believe that a past with many different partners increases the chance of happiness due to an acknowledgement of problem areas, it actually makes enjoying the marriage all the more difficult due to constant comparisons, fear of rejection, and being unable to ever fully commit to the person you’ve said vows to. According to studies, people who have more relationship experience in life are less likely to have a happy marriage.
“Couples who invite a lot of family and friends to their nuptials tend to have happier marriages than those who don’t,” said a study from the University of Virginia. Here, they tracked 1,000 Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 who were not married at the time, and followed them for five years. By noting those got married, they found a range of results.
Here are the findings from two studies that discuss the phenomena:
More Sexual Partners Means More Negativity
A study from the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia titled Before ‘I Do’: What Do Premarital Experiences Have to Do with Marital Quality Among Today’s Young Adults highlights how premarital experiences can affect your happiness in marriage. One finding was that those who have had more sexual partners are likely to have more negativity in their relationship; are they fixated on a casual or recreational state of mind?
That Rebellious Attitude
This Fox News report followed this message, stating that more previous partners equal a higher chance of divorce. Much of the discussion circled around attitude, with the experienced section of society quicker to end things and move on to seek greener pastures rather than sorting out issues. There is also the point of family; having regular sexual partners or an increased number of relationships lessens the need to link with your significant other’s family as they aren’t viewed as a necessary part of the bond. And we all know this is wrong.
Constant Fear of Life Repeating Itself
Comparing a husband to past boyfriends (or a wife to past girlfriends) means there will be triggers. If there is a similar conversation that led to an earlier break-up, misery begins. Ignorance is bliss, and if you don’t have that prior negative relationship to dwell on, there is less chance of directly thinking of negativity. Everyone fights, especially married couples. Not every relationship will end.
‘You’re Just Like Him!’
An argument containing these words hurts both parties. It makes the person with less experience think about you with another partner, and it makes you think back to when someone did some significant inner damage that hasn’t repaired. Arguments in marriage are where the differing experience levels clash, and having more knowledge in battle doesn’t always result in victory.
Coping Mechanisms, The Chameleon of The Marriage
While it can be viewed as a generalization, a person that has had many sexual partners often attaches less meaning to the act and can use it as a coping mechanism. This invokes cheating, and even though marriage is meant to cancel the opportunities with others, a tough period can call upon old habits. They die hard, so the saying goes. The husband/wife with less experience wouldn’t be able to slip into that persona in the same way, hence ending the marriage and any happiness.
Never Discovering That Level of Adult Responsibility
High levels of past relationships can equate to selfishness. Selfishness waves goodbye to responsibility. In a marriage, this can range from chores, to pets, to finances, to children. Many people will grow out of this phase and enter marriage with the mindset of becoming a fully fledged adult, but see coping mechanisms for that great old saying. The study from Virginia stated:
“Couples who “slide” rather than “decide” their way through life-changing transitions like having sex, living together and becoming pregnant are less likely to report high-quality marriages.”
And Finally…the old slip of the tongue
A person in a marriage will unfortunately blurt out details of past flames, whether they mean to or not. Memories are the mementos we carry around in our head, be they of good or bad times. The more experience, the more memories. It can be hard to completely trust others, or yourself, again.
So while there is often a claim that you can’t beat experience, in a marriage, there are few worse things than a head full of the past. Each to their own, but studies show that people who have more relationship experience generally have less happiness once the wedding bells clear.
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8 Signs Your Digestive System Is Suffering And Largely Affecting Your Overall Health
Your stomach is like a second brain. Sounds crazy, right? But it is. It’s incredibly smart and its overall health is integral to all things within your body functioning correctly.
Everything is about balance and about needing all types of nutrients in order to keep the body functioning correctly and at the right speed. Your gut is at the helm of the body’s health. When it isn’t running well, or if it starts to become polluted, there are obvious ways that your body will make this obvious to you. Need to know more? Read the following 8 signs that your digestive system is suffering and affecting your overall health.
1. You always feel tired
If you are always feeling run down, this is a visible sign that something is not functioning properly. If your digestive system is weakened by a poor diet, it actively strains the immune system. The body is made up of bacteria. If the gut is overrun with bad bacteria and is not balanced with better bacterias, the immune system is constantly suppressed and eventually becomes weak. So, if you are feeling run down all the time, look into improving your gut health first.
2. Your skin problems never disappear
Ever heard of face mapping? This is where spots on certain areas of your face determine which parts of your digestive system are in need of help. The skin is an organ, remember? And a huge one at that. It is an extension of your lungs, and if your insides are suffering, you will quite literally see it on your face. Your body will excrete ill health and spots on your face — in particular, your cheeks are a huge indicator that your gut needs work.
3. You feel anxious and/or irritable
The brain is directly linked to your digestive health. So if you are feeling anxious, depressed, or irritable, it can be a sign that your insides are ill. There are millions of neurons in our intestinal walls that make up our Enteric Nervous System (ENS). Good bacteria in the gut will quite literally have a positive effect on your mind.
4. You suffer from frequent infections
Similar to feeling tired a lot, frequent infections will indicate where your gut health is at. When our immune system is oppressed and is busy fighting bad bacteria, we are at the whim of infections. We need to be in good health overall so that when an infection or virus hits, we have the strength to fight it off.
5. You find it hard to concentrate
Feeling irritable and being in general ill health upset your whole system. Your entire body will be feeling less than good and its ailments will demand your attention. Our bodies are incredibly smart and will be sending you signals to start healing what is polluted. We just need to listen.
6. You have bad breath
When a build up of yeast, infection, or bad bacteria occurs within the digestive system, we can be privy to bad breath and sour tastes within our mouths. We should take this as a sign to investigate — bad breath is a good sign that there is an overgrowth of bad bacteria in your intestines.
7. You are constipated
Constipation is really quite harmful to the system if it continues. Waste that is not eliminated from the body can stagnate and release harmful toxins within the body. If your gut is healthy, you should be having regular, pain-free bowel movements. In fact, this is one of the best ways to ensure your gut is on the right track to health.
8. You sleep poorly
Like your bowel movements, your sleeping patterns will be a key indicator of good gut health. If you sleep quite soundly through the night, you are probably okay. Your organs will otherwise warn you of issues, so if you find yourself waking up through the night, particularly at similar times each evening, this is a good sign that something is wrong inside.
The good thing is you can begin to heal yourself of these ailments by taking good care of your gut health with probiotics and a diet that suits your internal balance and needs.
Featured photo credit: Pablo via pablo.buffer.com
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