Children born to older fathers may live longer: study

WASHINGTON — The children and grandchildren of men who reproduced later in life could enjoy life-extending genetic benefits, including being able to father children at an older age, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Northwestern University believe the process represents an unusually rapid evolutionary adaptation in which telomeres -- DNA found at the ends of chromosomes -- lengthen, which is thought to promote healthy aging.

"If your father and grandfather were able to live and reproduce at a later age, this might predict that you yourself live in an environment that is somewhat similar -- an environment with less accidental deaths or in which men are only able to find a partner at later ages," said Dan Eisenberg, lead author of the study.

"In such an environment, investing more in a body capable of reaching these late ages could be an adaptive strategy from an evolutionary perspective."

After analyzing the DNA of 1,779 young adults and their mothers in the Philippines, researchers found that children of older fathers not only inherit longer telomeres, but that the effect is cumulative across generations.

The researchers do not advise men to reproduce at later ages, as other research has shown that doing so raises the risk of passing on genetic mutations that can cause miscarriages or other health problems.

Co-author Christopher Kuzawa said more research would be necessary to see if the longer telomeres inherited from older fathers and grandfathers reduce the health problems and ailments that come with age.

"Based upon our findings, we predict that this will be the case, but this is a question to be addressed in future studies," he said.

The study appeared in the June 11-15 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Nissan Models Like the Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is an awesome car and should not be overlook at a Nissan dealership. Ask yourself the question "If I could drive any car in the entire world, what would I drive"? Although your answer may be a Lamborghini, my answer has to be a Nissan. This is because I have owned a Nissan my entire life and have had great success with it. There are many different ways that you can go about finding the absolute best car for you. Depending on your personal situation, both financially and perhaps if you are married or not, employees from different car dealerships can help you find the best Nissan suitable for you. Riverside Nissan will offer you a ton of different Nissan models, of all sizes and shapes. Nissan Ontario in particular is a super car dealership that I will always be a loyal customer to. I have found Nissan Fontana to be a very reputable dealership and a good place if you are searching for used cars around the area. Whether or not you are new to California, you will need to find a good Nissan dealership where you can not only purchase new cars from, but service them as well. My family and I came over to America from Bolivia, so we had never seen so many good looking cars. Of course, moving straight to California was probably one of the biggest changes anyone could ever have to go through. Almost every single thing was different and it was very hard to get used to. One of the most important things that we had to do was find a car (or dealership) to be able to get myself and my family around to different places. We had heard about "Nissan" before and there was a Fontana dealership near our new house. I took my family to the dealership and we were welcomed right away. I had been scared that we'd be treated like foreigners, but everyone was very nice and helpful. They understood exactly what we need and how much we could afford and were able to compile a list of possibly vehicles for us. It was all very easy and I am very thankful for the salespeoples help. If it were not for them trying so hard to vehemently sell their cars, we would not know exactly how many MPG each car gets, or all the cool interior designs that only the salespeople know. My family and I ended up choosing a used Nissan Maxima, and we have been thrilled with our decision since purchase. There have been no problems thankfully, and that was a plus by itself considering that usually used cars aren't in the best of shape. Ours ran perfectly and I have been very happy with our choice of both car and dealership. Finding the best Nissan model may take a bit of patience, but is always worth it in the end. That's why even if I could choose any other car in the world to drive, I would still choose a Nissan. Because the people and the cars keep bringing me back for more! As long as Nissan keeps making cars, I will keep being their biggest fan.

Fun Facts About the Human Body

·         The heart is the strongest muscle in the body.

·         The largest muscle in your body is located in your rear end.

·         The human neck has the same number of vertebrae as a giraffe’s neck.

·         There are 22 bones in the human skull.

·         The human skull is 80% water.

·         The average human head weighs about 8 pounds.

·         Your heart is just a bit bigger than your fist.

·         The heart pumps 36,000 gallons of blood a day.

·         The smallest bone in the body is in your ear.

·         The femur (thigh bone) is the biggest bone in the body.  

·         Your nose and ears never stop growing.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.       

California Health Insurance - Choose the Exact and Affordable Insurance Plan

California people have many alternatives when looking for an affordable health insurance plan. Because there are so many alternatives, it can be difficult finding the strategy that's best for you or your family members. Here's how you can get the right fit. Make sure you collect catalog and costs from a variety of insurance plan providers. Just evaluating the rates and the coverage part by part will give you a good option of what organizations have the best deals. California people have access to Anthem Blue Cross of California, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Shield of California, and many more. Using a local independent broker can offer useful understanding on which company will offer the best fit for you or your family.

California Health Insurance Benefits

One choice you will want to create is how you want to stability protection and cost. Many of us are used to having low insurance deductible with appointment and prescribed protection before the insurance deductible. However, there may be a much better strategy for you. Disastrous programs, or programs with raise your deductible that need you to pay for all of your healthcare costs before any advantages conquer in, have been quickly becoming more popular.

Health Insurance Plans are usually very inexpensive compared to full benefit plans. It’s a great deal to makes sense for many California individuals and families to pay for all of their medical expenses until they reach the higher deductible, because they are saving on a monthly basis. Using our California insurance agents in your local area who understands the plans, pricing, and the ins and outs of each company is a valuable resource you should take advantage of.

Health Insurance Plans are normally very affordable when compared to complete benefit plans. So much so that it is practical for many California individuals and family members to pay for all of their medical costs until they reach the higher insurance deductible, because they are saving so much money per month. Using our California insurance broker in your community who is aware of the plans, costs, and the way it operates of each company is a useful source you should take advantage of. The most excellent way to find a California health insurance agent to aid you through the process is by filling out this short form. An insurance agent in your area will call you to get the process started and get you on the correct track to having worth California health insurance coverage and saving money.

Passive smoking worsens asthmic children's health

Washington, May 2 (IANS) Children exposed to passive smoking continue to suffer in terms of health, says a new study.

Results showed that 53 percent of children exposed to passive smoking were likely to make three or more visits to a physician or emergency department due to wheezing in the past year; sleep disturbed by wheezing one or more nights per week and restricted activity due to wheezing.

"National asthma guidelines have advised avoidance of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS-passive smoking) for patients with asthma for decades, but it is unclear to what degree these recommendations are being followed..." said Lara J. Akinbami, medical officer, National Centre for Health Statistics, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, who led the study.

Researchers undertook this investigation after co-author Brian Kit conducted a study showing that 53 percent of children with asthma were exposed to smoke from cigarettes, cigars or pipes from 2005 to 2010, according to a National Centre statement.

Investigators analysed data from the 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 972 children aged six to 19 years who had been diagnosed with asthma and had reported having asthma at the time of the survey.

These findings were presented Tuesday at the Paediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston, US.

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Gulf seafood safe despite oil spill concerns

WASHINGTON (AP) — Photos of fish with sores may raise concern about long-term environmental effects of the massive BP oil spill — but federal health officials say the Gulf seafood that's on the market is safe to eat.

After all, diseased fish aren't allowed to be sold, said Dr. Robert W. Dickey, who heads the Food and Drug Administration's Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory.

"It's important to emphasize that we're talking about a low percentage of fish," Dickey stressed. "It doesn't represent a seafood safety hazard."

Two years after the oil spill, scientists cite lesions and other deformities in some Gulf fish as a sign of lingering environmental damage. They can't say for sure what's causing the fish ailments or if there really are more sick fish today than in the past.

As marine biologists study the threats to the fish, here are some questions and answers about the safety of seafood:

Q: What keeps sick fish off the market?

A: Every wholesaler and seafood processor must follow longstanding FDA rules on what constitutes a safe and usable catch. Fish with lesions or signs of parasites or other disease aren't allowed, Dickey said.

Q: What about oil contamination that's not visible?

A: Federal and state laboratories tested more than 10,000 fish, shrimp and other animals for traces of certain chemicals in oil to be sure they were far below levels that could make anyone sick before commercial fishing ever was allowed to resume. Gulf Coast states are continuing that testing today as a precaution. Some species clear oil contaminants from their bodies more rapidly than others, the reason that fishing resumed before the oyster harvest. The FDA says that someone could eat 9 pounds of fish or 5 pounds of oyster meat a day for five years and still not reach the levels of concern for a key set of chemicals.

Q: But what about the oil compounds that scientists have reported finding in the bile of some fish?

A: Bile shows what a fish recently ate, but the fish's digestive system goes on to process and eliminate contaminants so they don't build up in edible tissue, Dickey said.

Q: Are there other reasons to pay attention to seafood safety?

A: Definitely. A California company recently recalled some yellowfin tuna used to make sushi because it was linked to an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning. And every year, health officials warn people with certain health conditions to avoid eating raw oysters — they may be contaminated with the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria that typically is found in warm coastal waters between April and October.

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Cucumber and Grilled Tomato Salad

Ken Haedrich, cookbook author and FamilyFun contributor, came up with this simple salad as a way to take advantage of both summer's bounty and the fiery flavor of the grill. The result is a jazzed-up version of the traditional cucumber and tomato salad that's a great accompaniment to any grilled meat.


Ingredients

* 3 English cucumbers, seeded and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing the tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

* 3 large ripe tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons red onion, minced
* 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
* Pepper
* 1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled feta

Instructions
1. Put the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl, sprinkle them with the salt, then set them aside for 30 minutes. Spread the cucumbers out on a double layer of paper towels, pat them dry, then put them back in the dried bowl.

2.Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, and sugar in a small bowl, then pour the dressing over the cucumbers and toss until the slices are evenly coated. Cover the mixture and place it in the refrigerator.

3.Prepare the grill for cooking. As the coals are heating, halve each tomato and scoop out the seeds. Slice a bit from the rounded end of each tomato half, so that it can sit flat. Brush the tomatoes with olive oil.

4.Over the hottest coals, grill the tomatoes until they're lightly charred, about 60 to 90 seconds per side, turning once. Transfer the tomatoes to a plate to cool.

5.Coarsely chop the tomatoes into large chunks, then add them to the cucumbers, along with the onion, parsley, and pepper. Toss the ingredients to blend them evenly. Transfer the salad to a serving dish and top it generously with the feta. Serves 8. Nutritional Information

Per serving (1 cup):
Calories 125
Total Fat 9 g (13% DV)
Saturated Fat 3 g (14% DV)
Cholesterol 13 mg (4% DV)
Sodium 285 mg (12% DV)
Total Carbohydrate 9 g (3% DV)
Fiber 2 g (9% DV)
Sugars 6 g
Protein 4 g (8% DV)
Vitamin A (24% DV)
Vitamin C (34% DV) (Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.)

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