Fructose Sweetener Spurs Obesity

FRIDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) — Another study finds that high
consumption of soft drinks and other sweetened beverages contributes to
obesity. But this study, conducted in mice, suggests that one form of
natural sweetener — fructose — may be especially likely to encourage
weight gain.

In the study, researchers at the University of Cincinnati allowed
mice to freely consume either plain water or fructose-sweetened water
and soft drinks.

The mice that drank the fructose-sweetened water and soft drinks
gained weight, even though they took in fewer calories from solid food.

By the end of the study, the mice that consumed fructose-sweetened
beverages had 90 percent more body fat than the mice that consumed
water only.

The findings suggest that the total amount of calories consumed when
someone includes fructose in their diets may not be the only cause of
weight gain. Consuming fructose may actually affect metabolism in a way
that leads to more fat storage, at least in mice, the researchers said.

"Our study shows how fat mass increases as a direct consequence of
soft drink consumption," study author Dr. Matthias Tschop, associate
professor in the University of Cincinnati’s psychiatry department and a
member of the Obesity Research Center at the university’s Genome
Research Institute, said in a prepared statement.

"We were surprised to see that mice actually ate less when exposed
to fructose-sweetened beverages, and therefore didn’t consume more
overall calories. Nevertheless, they gained significantly more body fat
within a few weeks," Tschop said.

The study appears in the July issue of the journal Obesity Research.

I thought I’d be able to get away with Coke light hahaha…

Nowadays, I’ve limited my TV-time to watching the evening news and ABS-CBN mini-documentary shows at midnight (and a bit of MTV, haha…can’t resist…).  And, as expected, no good news on TV at all.  Of course, there will always be something about the President and her present predicament.  And there were still talks about her SONA.  What irritated me was that they had this segment on the news wherein they were asking people about their views on the president’€™s proposed charter change.  AND THEY WERE ASKING PEDICAB DRIVERS WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT IT!  Man, I don’€™t really know how these reporters think.  I mean, yeah, there are good reporters and journalists, that I must say, but some are just plain duh. What does a pedicab driver know about parliamentary system or federalism or charter change? Most of these guys did not even reach high school! And they are going to ask their opinions about such a sensitive issue?  A little merit, perhaps, could be given to this reporter who made the segment.  Maybe he was trying to show the TV viewers how ignorant most people are about our country’s present political situation.  I am a college graduate.  I even have a medical degree but I have to admit I a€™m not very knowledgeable when it comes to the ins and outs of politics.  And they expect a pedicab driver to know that?!  If I were the reporter, perhaps it would be better if I started that segment with interviews with credible political analyst to explain to the lay people what are the implications of changing the form of government.  At least, people would be a bit enlightened about it and not just watch the news for entertainment purposes.

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I’ve just heard in the news that ABS-CBN has just confirmed that Garcillano left the country via SBMA airport, stopped over at Singapore for one night, and flew to London.  They even sited that flight number. But SBMA authorities still kept denying that he was not in that flight and he is still in the country. 

Hmmm…something already smells fishy in there.  Did Malacanang tell him to hide so as to delay the impeachment proceedings?  And to London, of all places?  Hmmm…I can only speculate…

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As I’€™ve said, I limited my TV watching to news and MTV.  So, when I switched to MTV earlier while waiting for the late night news, I saw this new Backstreet boys music video, "€œIncomplete"€.  So, they are back.  And, man, they did not even change.  They still look and sound like the boy band that they were when they started years ago (I think I was still in highschool then).  Come on, a little maturity in music is needed here.  I think they have good voices and that they could use to make a more unique sound than what they are singing now. 

And then there’s the Melanie C video, "€œNext Best Superstar"€.  At first,when I heard the intro, I thought it was a new alternative music video.  So I stopped surfing channels and stayed at the MTV channel to listen to it.  Then I discovered it was Melanie C and I wonder if she’s successful with her transition from the pop girl band Spice Girl image to an alternative music artist. 

Seriously, of all the Spice Girls, I liked Melanie C and Geri Halliwell.  Melanie C because of her good vocals and Geri Halliwell…she can’€™t really sing that well but I like her guts.  As I listened more to the video, I guess she still had that Spice Girl streak in her.  But I’€™ll be waiting…she might get over to the other side soon. 

The 5th State of the Nation Address of the President today was emotionally charged.  She spoke of a change in the constitution towards parliamentary/federalism.  Her
23-minute speech was interrupted almost 30 times with applause from the
government officials who have attended the event, presumably because
majority of the attendees supported her in allaspects.  Several opposition members just bit their tongues and kept quiet all throughout.  When the President ended her speech, it was apparent that she was holding back tears. Perhaps she realized it could be her last.   

I have mixed emotions regarding this event. Part of me wished that she could have spoken about her stand in the current scandals surrounding the legitimacy of her Presidency and of the other scandals involving members of her family. It
could have been her chance not only to explain her side regarding
allegations of cheating during the past election, the “Gloria-gate”
tapes, but also her response to the call of several groups of the
society to step down. Many who were interviewed after the SONA also noted her avoidance of these issues and have expressed disappointment about it. Didn’t
she realize that, in this time that so many people were speaking out
their views about her, this SONA is her chance that she will be heard
and many would be listening? This is what I would have done if I were President. But, that is the very thing, I am not. Perhaps she may have her own reasons for keeping quiet about these issues. But I’m not sure if that would really do her good. And looking at the increasing chaos in the streets, in the congress, and even in the Senate and at her haggard face, the worst is yet to come for her.

I
wonder what she is holding on to, during these very difficult times,
with her son and her husband gone abroad, her most trusted cabinet
members resigning from her post, politicians changing sides.  In times like this, to whom could she give her trust?   

No, I am not one of the pro-GMA. I do not speak for her defense because I care for her as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the President of the Philippines. I see her now as a human being under heat of speculations and accusations of misuse of the  people’s trust. Guilty or not, she still has the right to defend herself in a court of law. Let her undergo the impeachment process. We
cannot make her step down on the basis of a wiretapped audio recording
of a supposed conversation and a seeming admission of a crime. People still dream of EDSA People Power. And this, of course, we should not forget. But the EDSA People Power had its time and it was done because the situation called for it. But this time is not a time for another people power. The Constitution is still here for us to hold on to.

And maybe this is what PGMA is trying to hold on to.

Read the article…But then the link is not working so I’m posting the whole article here…

http://in.news.yahoo.com/050723/139/5zgdo.html
Saturday July 23, 08:21 PM

Physically challenged kid becomes youngest CCNA expert
   
New Delhi, July 23(ANI): Mridul Seth, a physically challenged nine year old New Delhi boy has become the youngest CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) expert in the world.

Though Mridul seth was born handicapped, and was not able to speak for five years, he has proved that physical disability need not stop anyone from achieving his or her goals.

Mridul became the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) at the age of eight, and recently qualified for CCNA exam with special permission from Cisco.

Mridul’s proud father, M K Seth, who is a Deputy General Manager in MTNL, said," It took five months to get permission to appear in the CCNA exam from the US after sending all the details of his qualifications, as the minimum age for appearance is 18 years."

His mother, Rekha Seth, who nurtured her child to the current status, has always inspired Mridul. She now plans to form a society for chieldren.

Mridul’s parents say that he has acquired the natural flair for grasping computer concepts on his own and, is able to teach the concepts practically.

Mridul’s name has been forwarded to the Guinness Book of World Records as youngest computer expert in the world. (ANI)

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Hmmm…what did I do when I was that age? Oh, yeah, play with my Barbie dolls and the PC. hahaha

Hah, it’s been a while since I’ve checked this friendster blog.  That’s because I was busy working on my Buzznet photo blog (and also reviewing for the upcoming boards hehehe). 

Buzznet blog is better ‘coz I get to keep my galleries there (120 images per month, free account) and my journal.  It’s not really the blog-type format we see here.  But it’s interesting. 

Go find out:
Altashheth’s Lair
http://tesstermulo.buzznet.com