Chicken Soup May Fight Blood Pressure: Passover's Matzoh Ball Soup May Be Good For Your Health

The popular home remedy for the common cold sometimes known as "Grandma's Penicillin" may have a new role alongside medication and other medical measures in fighting high blood pressure, scientists in Japan are reporting.

Ai Saiga, Ph.D., and colleagues cite previous studies indicating that chicken breast contains collagen proteins with effects similar to ACE inhibitors, mainstay medications for treating high blood pressure. But chicken breast contains such small amounts of the proteins that it could not be used to develop food and medical products for high blood pressure.

Chicken legs and feet, often discarded as waste products in the U.S. but key soup ingredients elsewhere, appear to be a better source.

In the study, Saiga and colleagues extracted collagen from chicken legs and tested its ability to act as an ACE inhibitor in the laboratory studies. They identified four different proteins in the collagen mixture with high ACE-inhibitory activity.

Given to rats used to model human high blood pressure, the proteins produced a significant and prolonged decrease in blood pressure, the researchers say.

As for the matzoh balls, those delicious dumplings made from ground, unleavened bread, there is no word that they cure anything except a healthy appetite.

Stimulating Sleepy StudentsAcupuncturists Show Students How to Stay Awake by Stimulating Pressure Points

Simple techniques inspired by traditional Chinese medicine may help students stay awake during class. Researchers report that college students were more alert if they massaged or tapped areas on the back of the neck, the hands and legs -- areas that acupuncturists believe can stimulate the release of endorphins.

Whether it's boredom or just not enough shut-eye, a lot of students have trouble staying awake during class.

For many students, a textbook, paper and pencil are a recipe for sleepiness. Zach Barnes, a ninth grader at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Mich., says, "I don't know how many times I go through a day in school and feel like I'm about to fall asleep."

Now, students are giving their schoolbooks a rest and learning a new way to give their tired brains a boost. Acupuncturist Richard Harris teaches students how putting pressure on specific areas of the body -- called acupressure points -- can help them stay awake.
Richard Harris, an acupuncturist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, says, "The stimulation techniques are ways to reduce fatigue or mental fatigue that you may have during the day."

By tapping the top of the head and massaging areas on the back of the neck, hand and leg, researchers believe stimulating these points releases endorphins, or chemicals in the brain that make us feel good and more alert.

"I would be interested to see if people take this as a possible alternative to coke or coffee or other caffeine drinks," Richard says. This self-applied pick-me-up technique might help kids stay focused longer.

Erin Walker, also from Pioneer High School, says, "I'll probably use the one where you're massaging your hand, because it's not obvious or anything."
The acupressure techniques need to be done for several minutes to be effective. In a study at the University of Michigan, researchers found students in a class were significantly more alert and less fatigued after self-administering acupressure treatments.
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BACKGROUND: Students in a class were taught to do acupressure on themselves at stimulation points on their legs, feet, hands and heads in a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan. They were found to be more alert and less fatigued than those students who didn't use acupressure.

WHAT IS ACUPRESSURE? According to traditional Chinese medicine, an energy known as chi travels through our bodies along 14 channels, called meridians. Chinese medicine says that the flow of chi is strengthened, calmed or unblocked by pressing specific points along those meridians. These are believed by advocates of the practice to be places on the skin that are especially sensitive to bioelectrical impulses in the body. Acupuncture uses needles for treatment of chronic pain, for instance. Acupressure is the older massage version of acupuncture, and is used mainly to reduce stress.

HOW IT WORKS: A steady downward pressure is applied with a finger, thumb or palm to a specific point for one to two minutes. Stimulating these points with pressure, needles or heat triggers the release of endorphins -- the neurochemicals that relieve pain. Pain signals are blocked and there is an increased flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area. The muscles relax, and healing can take place more rapidly. While there is some skepticism as to the scientific merit of such treatments, it has been demonstrated that many of the pressure points used in acupressure are located at key crossways of the autonomic nervous system, and that those areas have a higher electrical conductivity on the surface of the skin. Modern scientists have found no evidence that chi exists or flows through the body.

STUDY RESULTS: Thirty-nine students in the University of Michigan's School of Public Health participated in three days of all-day lecture classes. They were divided into two groups. One group gave themselves acupressure to stimulation points on the first day, and to relaxation points on the second and third days. The other administered acupressure to relaxation points for one day, then stimulation points for the second and third days. Students then rated their levels of sleepiness and fatigue at various points throughout each day. The stimulation group of students experienced less sleepiness and were more alert.

Java Gives Caffeine-naive A Boost, Too

New research from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, shows that—for women—the caffeine advantage is indeed everything it's cracked up to be. Females who don't drink coffee can get just as much of a caffeine boost as those who sip it regularly, according to a study in the latest edition of Nutrition Research.

"The take-home message for women is that whether you are hooked on caffeine or not, if you need a boost coffee improves your mental alertness and can have a calming affect on your heart rate," said Michael Kennedy, a professor in exercise physiology in the University of Alberta's Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, lead author on the study. "In addition, a large coffee has more than enough caffeine to see these changes."
Kennedy and a team of students looked at how 10 women who drank caffeine daily and 10 caffeine-naïve women who drank less than two servings per week were affected by measuring heart rate, blood pressure, alertness and the ability to perform a tough mental test after consuming a 350-millilitre-sized coffee. The study subjects were aged 18 to 37.
After eating a normal breakfast, participants were asked to drink a cup of regular coffee containing approximately 140 milligrams of caffeine. After allowing 50 minutes for the absorption of the caffeine, participants in both groups were required to complete two word tasks. Heart rate, blood pressure and alertness were monitored before and after the test.
Of some concern, noted Kennedy, is that baseline blood pressure taken before the groups digested the caffeine was significantly higher in the habituated coffee drinkers. "This indicates that there may be some long-term cardiovascular adjustment to digesting caffeine on a daily basis," said Kennedy, adding that though the sample was small, the results were statistically and clinically significant.
"For people at risk for high blood pressure, if you're a habituated coffee drinker, reducing your caffeine intake would be an effective way of potentially reducing your blood pressure."

Serrano Ham, Pears and Haricot Vert Salad with Valdeón Cheese

This wonderfully fresh and crispy salad comes from Insalata’s Restaurant in San Anselmo, California.
"This is an all-season recipe. In the spring, Insalata’s serves this composed salad with ripe Bosc pears, while in the fall it might use figs or persimmons. Organic arugula or escarole is a great substitute for the frisée, and gorgonzola may be substituted for the Valdeón."

Prep Time: 6 minutes
Ingredients:
8 paper-thin slices serrano ham or prosciutto
8 ounces haricots verts, trimmed and blanched for 3 minutes
2 firm, ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Leaves from 1 small head frisée lettuce
1/2 cup chopped marcona almonds
* * * * For the Valdeón Cream * * * *
1/2 cup Valdeón cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* * * * For the Sherry Vinaigrette * * * *
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:
For the Valdeón cream: Combined the cheese and cream into a blender or food processor. Blend until just smooth. Stir in the salt and pepper. Transfer the cream to a squeeze bottle. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the sherry vinaigrette: Combine the shallot, vinegar and salt in small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk in the honey, mustard and oils. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Assemble the salad by placing 2 slices of ham on each of 4 plates. In a medium nonaluminum bowl, combine the blanched haricots verts, pear slices, frisée leaves, almonds and 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette. Toss gently and mound on top of the ham. Drizzle with the Valdeón cream and serve immediately.
Serves 4 as a first course.

Well....hmm is it a butterfly or an owl???Maybe even both!!!It's actually a butterfly that has an owl's eyes....isn't it cool!!!

This giraffe has a tongue.....is it a tongue or a knife in it's mouth???Well whatever it is...it's sure looks sharp!!!

Boxing tournament .....two boxers competing with each other...under water!....no oxygen???That's Desperate!!!