US American Soldiers travel to Poland for pilgrimage to Jasna Gora
Illinois Soldiers travel to Poland for pilgrimage By Army Staff Sgt. Stephanie McCurry Illinois National Guard
Eight Illinois National Guard troops lead the group of about 300 into Czestochowa during the Polish pilgrimage. The Illinois guardsmen walked along with Polish and German Soldiers for the annual pilgrimage from Warsaw to Czestochowa in August. (Photo courtesy of Illinois National Guard) download hi-res photo SPRINGFIELD, Ill., (8/31/09) -- Imagine walking from Peoria to Aurora. In August, eight Illinois National Guard members did just that, except in a foreign country, Poland.
Six Soldiers and two Airmen walked 137 miles, beginning in Warsaw and ending in Czestochowa, in 10 days for the annual Polish pilgrimage. They walked with a group of about 300 people that included Polish, German and Slovakian Soldiers.
Every year, thousands of Catholics from around the world go to Poland to participate in the ceremonial walk to Jasna Gora monastery in Czestochowa, the site of the revered Black Madonna icon.
Their journey began with an early morning mass at the field cathedral of the Polish Army. Every day, the group attended Mass regardless of their various faiths and beliefs.
During the 12-hour walk each day, they were treated with prayers, songs and sermons in German, Polish, Italian and English broadcasted through large speakers carried by participants.
Local residents provided pilgrimage participants with food, refreshments and encouragement along the route. Every night, the Illinois Guardsmen slept in tents provided by the Polish Armed Forces.
“I was told numerous times by Polish Soldiers that they got a kick out of the fact that the German Soldiers and American Soldiers were communicating to each other through their Polish translators,” said Sgt. David Sworobowicz.
Local farmers stood along the route and handed out their fruit and vegetables to everyone walking in the pilgrimage. The cities also worked together to offer soups and bread for lunch everyday. The other breaks they had throughout the day were at numerous churches.
“The civilians’ generosity along the way is unmatched,” said 2nd Lt. Veronica Kool, of Springfield, Illinois Army National Guard. “All along the route, the Polish stood waiting outside their homes offering whatever food they had to give.”
“The religious experience gained from this exercise is above and beyond rewarding,” said Sworobowicz. “I can only hope to do it again sometime.”
The trip ended at Jasna Gora monastery in Czestochowa with the military pilgrimage walking the last half mile or so through thousands of supportive spectators that waved, shook their hands, gave hugs and took pictures of the group.
“It is not every day that you get to travel overseas for a friendly noncombative operation,” said 1st Lt. Jeremy Dugena. “From the arrival in Poland, the Polish Army were incredible hosts making sure we had everything we needed.”
Illinois Guardsmen participated in the pilgrimage to commemorate the 1655 Polish victory over Sweden and to build a stronger relationship with the Polish.
The National Guard sponsored State Partnership Program (SPP) between the Illinois National Guard and Republic of Poland was established in 1993.
The SPP links National Guard states and territories with their partner countries to foster mutual interests and establishing long-term relationships across all levels of society. Through the SPP, Illinois Army and Air National Guard service members have participated in annual, joint training exchanges with military forces of the republic of Poland.
“Their professionalism and maturity are what I desire in every group of Guardsmen who come to Poland,” said Maj. James Fisher, the bilateral affairs officer for the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw. “They promoted the State Partnership Program with flying colors and are model diplomats of our country.” POLAND AGAIN REFUSED VISA WAIVER STATUS
Washington, D.C. (PMN)—The following letter was sent on October 17, 2008, by Frank Spula, President of the Polish American Congress (PAC), to Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama:
"As you may know, today a ceremony took place in the White House Rose Garden, during which President Bush announced that seven countries - Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and South Korea – met the requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program.
"Poland was not included as one of the favored nations.
"I am certain that you are well aware of the great significance the inclusion of Poland in the Visa Waiver Program would have to one of this country’s most steadfast allies.
"However, Poland is still yet to be included as, according to the most recent statistics, the refusal rate in Poland is three points too high.
"There is no need to reiterate all of the facts that show how Poland has been for years one of the most reliable and consistent allies of the United States in many arenas, as well as the fact that Poland not only does not pose any kind of terrorist threat, but has done a lot to combat this international menace. I am certain that you already know all of those arguments.
"However, I would like to emphasize another, perhaps less known aspect of the situation, namely the great loss of good will today’s continued exclusion means to many people of Poland towards the United States of America.
"I have been repeatedly hearing how feelings of excitement and support towards our great country have been over the course of the last two years turning into those of disappointment and bitterness.
"Furthermore, and more worrisome, I have been hearing that many members of the 10 million strong Polish American Community (Polonia) are starting to hold similar feelings.
"In these turbulent times, the United States has to cultivate and cherish its relationships with most faithful allies. Poland is definitely among those nations. It is time, in fact it is now much past due, to show Poland that its support and contributions are valued by the United States, and not with sweet words, but with concrete actions.
"As the President of the Polish American Congress, one of the oldest-and the largest-Polish ethnic organization in the United States, I urge you, either as the next president of our great nation or on the Senate floor, to do what the previous administration has been promising Poland and Polonia for years but have never delivered – make sure that Poland joins the privileged ranks of the visa free travel as soon as possible."
A similar letter was sent to President George W. Bush, who has been promising the visa waiver for Polish citizens for years, but, despite praising Poland as an ally, has not delivered on the promise.
Obama has said that he would invite Poland to join the Visa Waiver Program. A campaign release stated, "Today’s visa regime with Poland reflects neither the current strategic relationship nor the close historic bond between our peoples … In particular, this means expanding the program to countries, like Poland, that have demonstrated a capacity and willingness to cooperate with the U.S. in achieving counterterrorism goals."
McCain has been silent on the subject during his campaign for the presidency and reportedly agrees with the current Bush policy on visa waivers.
Hundreds of US soldiers join Polish pilgrimage By VANESSA GERA – 17 hours ago
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Hundreds of soldiers in camouflage set off Tuesday on a 10-day march to Poland's holiest Roman Catholic shrine — among them five Americans hoping to deepen ties with an ally.
Five members of the Illinois National Guard traveled to Poland to make the 180-mile (290-kilometer) trek on foot — alongside Poles, Germans and other Europeans — from Warsaw to Czestochowa, site of the revered Black Madonna icon.
Though the 300-year-old pilgrimage has deep religious and patriotic resonance in mainly Catholic Poland, the main purpose of the U.S. contingent, a tradition that has started in recent years, is to show solidarity with Poland — an ally in Iraq and Afghanistan — and other nations.
It's a chance "to come together and share a little bit, and hopefully develop closer bonds with foreign militaries in a non-combat type setting," said Master Sgt. Roman Waldron, 37, from Springfield, Illinois.
Before embarking on the pilgrimage, the pilgrims attended an early morning Mass at the Field Cathedral of the Polish Army, where a priest blessed them with holy water. They were also told to set a moral example and refrain from drinking or smoking during the march.
The Black Madonna — which legend says was painted by St. Luke — was brought to the Jasna Gora monastery in Czestochowa in 1384.
Many miracles have been attributed to the painting, including a 1655 siege during which 70 monks and 180 supporters held off nearly 4,000 soldiers from the Protestant Swedish army and inspired Poles to rise up and throw out the invaders.
Sgt. 1st Class Evan Young, from Rock Island, Illinois, believes the pilgrimage is going to be even more meaningful than he had first imagined.
"Originally when I was given the opportunity I thought it would be kind of a neat way to see Poland, but then I started doing research on the Black Madonna and the siege and I thought it's part of a much bigger thing," said Young, a 45-year-old who grew up Episcopalian.
"It's pretty neat to be taking part in this, and help improve relations with Poland and other countries that are here," he said.
Only one of the five American soldiers is a Catholic. They will sleep in eight-man tents set up along the route by the Polish army.
The soldiers were trailed by thousands of students and other pilgrims in Warsaw, and will eventually join up with thousands more expected to converge on Czestochowa next week, ahead of the August 15 Catholic holy day marking the Assumption of Mary.
Warsaw Archbishop Kazimierz Nycz walked briefly with the group Tuesday.
"This builds brotherhood among soldiers from different countries," he said.
Help young Americans with obesity - save lives Advice from Polish American Lech Bajan we can do it now. We can not wait! Hello all Americans, hello all mothers and fathers this is urgent and very important to all Americans.I did study beekeeping and Apiterapii There was a conference about youth obesity I did watch on CSpan yesterday before the Christmas dad 12/23/2008I did live in Poland during the socialism and I have to tell you back in the 1980th we got better food in our schools in Poland during the cold war then our American young people get now in 2008 in America.this is what we have to do.1. Remove all the junk food from local schools and replace with locally farm organic food2. Remove all junk food vending machines from our schools and workplaces3. start new program for all schools and educational systems 2 apples and 1 carrot per every child in school per day ( no junk food )4. start offer warm organic milk during the school brake about half day of school with some honey since our children are addicted to sugar. honey is all natural sugar and has a good effect on human body and health( we did this in communist Poland with limited resources why we can not do in America?5. start new program to teach and advice parents stop chips and soda diet which is very bad for all humans6. more sports for our kids in our school programsduring the communism in Poland we has 1 hour of sports every day and extra in school after hours programWhy Health Insurance Cost So Much! Wake Up America # 7
Obesity - Why Corn Syrup is Bad
kids they will resist in the beginning but with the good explanation from teachers and parent will start use the healthy food 1 kilo of apples cost 30 cents wholesale pricewhy we are not don't that?we have to change the mentality of the parents and children's that binging to school in the lunch box fruit or vegetables and home made compote it is the normal think to do and is " cool for the kids "why bee honey and SAY NO TO SODAHoney has been used as a home remedy for centuries to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with a common cold. Now researchers have found through a recent study that honey proves a better option for childhood cough than over the counter medicines.
Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine recently published a study, funded by NHB, comparing honey to over-the-counter medicines for relief of upper respiratory infection symptoms, such as cough. Providing a safe alternative for children more than 12 months old, honey out-performed the cough medicine in offering a better night’s sleep and reducing cough severity.
In the study, the researchers enrolled 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 at a single university-affiliated physician practice site. On the first night of the study, children received no treatment. Parents answered five questions about their child’s cough and sleep quality as well as about their own sleep quality. On the second night, children received either honey, artificial honey-flavored dextromethorphan (DM) or no treatment about a half hour prior to going to bed. Parents answered the same five questions the following morning. Across the board, parents rated honey as significantly better than DM or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their child’s nighttime cough and sleep difficulty. In a few cases, parents did report mild side effects with the honey treatment, such as hyperactivity.
Ian Paul, M.D., M.Sc., a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children’s Hospital said “Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense, and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM.”
Info on Honey:
Honey is composed primarily of carbohydrates and water, and also contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Of recent interest is the antioxidant content of honey. Honey contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids which act as antioxidants, scavenging and eliminating free radicals. Generally, darker honeys have higher antioxidant content than lighter honeys.
WHY APPLE FOR ALL KIDS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY: Health Benefits
According to the latest research, the old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," is fact, not just folklore. The nutritional stars in apples-fiber, flavonoids, and fructose-translate into apples' ability to keep us healthy.
Cardio-Protective Fiber
Apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. One medium (5 ounces) unpeeled apple provides over 3 grams of fiber, more than 10% of the daily fiber intake recommended by experts. Even without its peel, a medium apple provides 2.7 grams of fiber.
Apple's two types of fiber pack a double punch that can knock down cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of hardening of the arteries, heart attack, and stroke.
Apple's insoluble fiber works like bran, latching on to LDL cholesterol in the digestive tract and removing it from the body, while apple's soluble fiber pectin reduces the amount of LDL cholesterol produced in the liver. Adding just one large apple (about 2/3 of a pound) to the daily diet has been shown to decrease serum cholesterol 8-11%. Eating 2 large apples a day has lowered cholesterol levels by up to 16%!
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as apples, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less CHD and 11% less CVD compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.
LDL cholesterol isn't the only harmful compound on apple's removal list. Pectin grabs toxins like the heavy metals lead and mercury, and ushers them out of the body. Both the soluble and insoluble fibers in apples have cancer-protective activity since they relieve constipation and send potentially toxic substances out with the stools.
When it comes to bowel regularity, apple's two types of fiber tackle the job-no matter what it is. Both the insoluble fiber in apples and their soluble fiber pectin help relieve constipation (thus helping to prevent diverticulosis and colon cancer). The insoluble fiber works like roughage, while the pectin, which is found primarily in the skin, acts as a stool softener by drawing water into the stool and increasing stool bulk. On the other hand, because pectin firms up an excessively loose stool, it's also used to treat diarrhea.
Cardio-Protective Flavonoids
A type of pigment in apples that helps provide their color, flavonoids have been extensively researched and found to help prevent heart disease. Researchers in Finland followed over 5,000 Finish men and women for over 20 years. Those who ate the most apples and other flavonoid-rich foods (such as onions and tea), were found to have a 20% lower risk of heart disease than those who ate the least of these foods.
Apples have been singled out as one of the small number of fruits and vegetables that contributed to the significant reduction in heart disease risk seen in a recent meta-analysis of seven prospective studies. Of the more than 100,000 individuals who participated in these studies, those who diets most frequently included apples, tea, onions, and broccoli-the richest sources of flavonoids-gained a 20% reduction in their risk of heart disease.
Apple skin and onions are the two major food sources of a potent flavonoid called quercitin. If, in addition to eating an apple a day, you add 2 tablespoons of onion and 4 cups of green tea (also rich in flavonoids) to your menu, you, like the men who consumed these foods in another study, may have a 32% lower risk of heart attack than people who consume less of these foods.
Quercitin's benefits derive from its antioxidant activity, especially when it teams up with another antioxidant, vitamin C, also found in apples, to bolster the body's immune defenses. This dynamic antioxidant duo provides another way (in addition to fiber) through which apples protect against cancer and also helps prevent the free radical damage to LDL cholesterol that promotes heart disease.
Juice Ranked among the Highest in Antioxidant Activity
Not all fruit juices are the same. They differ markedly in the variety of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, according to Alan Crozier, Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, who, with colleagues at the University of Glasgow, evaluated 13 commercially available popular juices.
Concord grapes came out on top with the highest and broadest range of polyphenols and the highest overall antioxidant capacity. (The main components in purple grape juice were flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, and hydroxycinnamates, together accounting for 93% of the total phenolic content.)
Other top scorers were cloudy apple juice, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.
Other research (Oszmianski J, Wolniak M, et al., Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture) has also found cloudy apple juice to be a healthier choice than clear since cloudy apple juices contain up to four times the amount of protective polyphenols as clear apple juices.
Results for the red grape juice were said to be equal to those for a Beaujolais red wine. Interestingly, however, white grape juice, mainly containing hydroxycinnamates, had the lowest total phenolic content.
The products analyzed were: Spray Classic Cranberry; Welch's Purple Grape; Tesco Pure Pressed Red Grape; Pomegreat Pomegranate; Tesco Pure Apple (clear); Copella Apple (cloudy); Tesco Pure Grapefruit; Tesco Value Pure Orange (concentrate); Tropicana Pure Premium Smooth Orange (squeezed); Tropicana Pure Premium Tropical Fruit; Tesco Pure Pressed White Grape; Tesco Pure Pineapple; Del Monte Premium Tomato.
Dr. Crozier's findings come shortly after those of the Kame project, which indicated that long-term fruit juice consumption can provide protection against Alzheimer's disease (Dai et al., Am J Med), and suggest that, since each fruit juice contains its own array of protective phenols, drinking a variety may offer the best protection. Practical Tip: "The message is to mix these juices during the week. That way you will get all the compounds with anti-oxidant activity. If you drink only one juice you risk missing out on the compounds in the others," explained Crozier.
Apples' Flavonoids Provide Much More than Antioxidant Protection
Apples have long been touted as an excellent source of flavonoids that act as antioxidants, moping up oxygen free radicals that can damage DNA. Now, Eric Gershwin and colleagues from the University of California, Davis, US, have discovered a new way in which flavonoid-rich apples help protect against heart disease and cancers that goes beyond their flavonoids' antioxidant effects.
The researchers prepared apple extracts from fresh Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith apples and added them to cultures of human endothelial cells (Endothelial cells make up the inner lining of our arteries. Their damage by oxidized cholesterol is one of the first steps in the development of atherosclerosis.)
After incubating the endothelial cells with apple extract, the researchers exposed them to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a compound that triggers cell death and promotes inflammation by inducing a chemical signaling pathway called the nuclear factor (NF) kappa B pathway. The apple flavonoids were able protect the cells from the effects of TNF by inhibiting the signals in this pathway that would otherwise damage or kill cells. Gershwin and colleagues' research, published in Experimental Biology and Medicine, shows that apple flavonoids protect cells from damage and death by interfering with communications between cells-a further mechanism than their antioxidant effects.
Fructose for Stable Blood Sugar Levels
Apples derive almost all of their natural sweetness from fructose, a simple sugar, but one which is broken down slowly, especially when combined with apples' hefty dose of fiber, thus helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Prevent Kidney Stones
Want to reduce your risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones? Drink apple juice. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that when women drank ½ to 1 liter of apple, grapefruit or orange juice daily, their urinary pH value and citric acid excretion increased, significantly dropping their risk of forming calcium oxalate stones.
Promote Optimal Health
Whole apple extracts-in amounts comparable to human consumption of one, three or six apples a day-were shown to prevent breast cancer in test animals in a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
And apples worked in a dose-dependent manner; the more apples eaten, the more protection.
In a second study, published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, a polyphenol-rich extract of an apple juice blend powerfully inhibited the growth of human colon cancer cells in the laboratory.
However, when researchers put together a mixture containing only the bioactive compounds identified in apple juice so far (which included its proanthocyanidins and quercetin), the mixture was ineffective in inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells.
They concluded that as yet unknown constituents contribute to apples' potent protective qualities. The conclusion we draw at the World's Healthiest Foods is that it is not single nutrients, but their synergy in whole, natural foods that is the source of their effectiveness in promoting health.
We definitely agree with the researchers in the first (breast cancer) study, who suggest that because apples are so richly endowed with phytonutrients capable of strong antioxidant and anticancer activities and are so universally enjoyed, eating an apple (or two) a day may be effective (and we'd add easy and inexpensive) way to lessen the incidence of breast (and colon) cancer.
Natural Sun Protection
It's long been known that apple peel contains high concentrations of special antioxidant compounds called phenols that may assist in the prevention of a number of chronic diseases. Now it appears that the phenols in the skin of certain cultivars of apples may provide a hefty dose of UV-B protection, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Botany. Researchers evaluated both Granny Smith and Braeburn apples, with Braeburns being the clear winner in terms of their ability to accumulate UV-B protective quercitin glycosides in their sun-exposed skin. Sun-kissed Braeburns were resistant to high doses of UV-B radiation (up to 97kJ m-2). Next time you plan to spend time in the sun yourself, start your day with a Braeburn apple or bring one or two along for lunch and snacks.
Review Study Provides Even More Reasons to Enjoy Apples
A major review study published in the Nutrition Journal provides dozens of reasons to enjoy an apple every day.
A review study is one that looks at the results of many other studies. This one included an analysis of 85 studies. Apples were found to be most consistently associated with a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and type 2 diabetes when compared to other fruits and vegetables. In addition, eating apples was also associated with increased lung function and increased weight loss.
Here are some of the reasons why:
Apples are a rich and very important source of phytonutrients, including flavonoids and phenols, in the American diet and in Europe. In the United States, 22% of the phenolic compounds consumed from fruits come from apples, making them the largest source of phenols in the American diet.
When compared to other fruits, apples ranked second in total concentration of phenolic compounds, and perhaps more importantly, had the highest portion of free phenols. Since free phenols are not bound to other compounds in the fruit, they may be more available for absorption into the bloodstream.
Apples are also an excellent source of antioxidants, and when compared to many other commonly consumed fruits in the United States, were found to have the second highest level of antioxidant activity. Many of the phytonutrients found in apples, including quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid, are strong antioxidants.
The total antioxidant activity of 100 grams of whole apple (with the peel) was found to be equivalent to the antioxidant effect of about 1500 mg of vitamin C. (However, the amount of vitamin C in 100 g of apples is only about 5.7 mg. Nearly all of the antioxidant activity from apples comes from a variety of other compounds.)
Whole apples, especially their peels, have been found to have a number of powerful antioxidant effects, one of which is to protect VLDL and LDL ("bad") cholesterol from oxidation. Yet when quercitin, one of the most important antioxidant flavonoids in apples, was tested by itself in laboratory animals, it had no protective effect. And when apple flesh and apple juice were tested, they provided less than a tenth the benefit of whole apple.
Apples' protective effects against free radical damage to cholesterol reach their peak at three hours following apple consumption and drop off after 24 hours, providing yet another good reason to eat a whole fresh apple a day.
In animal studies, apples have also been shown to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol while raising beneficial HDL cholesterol. Not only did the laboratory animals in these studies produce less cholesterol, but they also excreted more in their feces when fed apples, pears and peaches-but apples had the greatest cholesterol-lowering effect.
In the most recent studies, investigators found that the combination of apple pectin and apple phenols lowered cholesterol and triglycerides to a much greater extent than either apple pectin or phenols alone. This again suggests a beneficial synergy between the many healthful compounds found in apples and supports eating the whole fruit instead of simply drinking apple juice, eating peel-free applesauce or taking fiber supplements.
Apples have also been shown to greatly inhibit the growth of liver and colon cancer cells in several studies. In one study, at a dose of 50 mg/mL, liver cancer cell proliferation was inhibited by 39% by extracts of whole Fuji apple and 57% by whole Red Delicious extracts. In another study in which colon cancer cells were treated with apple extracts, cell proliferation was inhibited 43% at a dose of 50 mg/mL.
Promote Optimal Health
Eating an apple a day may also offer significant protection against breast cancer, suggests an animal study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry . When laboratory animals with breast cancer were fed the human equivalent of 1, 3 or 6 apples a day for 6 months, their tumors shrank by 25%, 25%, and 61%, respectively.
Researchers credit apples' strong protective action to the synergistic interactions among the wide variety of potent antioxidant and antiproliferative phytonutrients, including phenolics and flavonoids, they contain.
In several large epidemiological (population) studies conducted in the United Kingdom, Finland and the Netherlands, apple consumption (a minimum of 2 apples per week) was found to be inversely linked with asthma and type 2 diabetes, and positively associated with general lung health. Researchers attribute apples' protective effects in these conditions to apples' high concentration of anti-inflammatory flavonoids, such as quercitin and catechin.
In addition to their beneficial effects against chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma and diabetes, apples may also help combat cholera. Recently, crude extracts from immature apples were found to inhibit cholera toxin in a dose dependent manner by up to 98%.
Variation in Antioxidant Phytonutrients Among Different Types of Apples
Researchers have found distinct differences in total phenolic and flavonoid content among different apple varieties:
Of the four common varieties used for applesauce (Rome Beauty, Idared, Cortland, and Golden Delicious), Rome Beauty had the highest phenolic content.
Out of 10 varieties commonly consumed in the U.S., Fuji apples had the highest total phenolic and total flavonoid compounds, but Red Delicious apples were also quite high. These apple varieties also tended to have higher antioxidant activity.
Apple phytonutrient content is not greatly affected by storage. After 100 days, the amount of phenolic compounds in the skin begins to decrease slightly, but even after 200 hundred days in cold storage, the total amount of these compounds remains close to the level at the time of harvest.
However, processing apples into juice greatly lowers their phytonutrient content. Apple juice obtained from Jonagold apples by pulping and straight pressing had only 10% of the antioxidant activity of fresh apples, while juice obtained after pulp enzyming had only 3% of fresh apples' antioxidant activity.
The take home message: store apples in the refrigerator and enjoy a sweet, crunchy, whole apple at least 2-3 times each week.
A Flavonoid Unique to Apples May Help Prevent Menopausal Bone Loss
A flavonoid found only in apples called phloridzin may help prevent bone loss associated with menopause, suggests a study published in Calcified Tissue International..
A side effect of the sex hormone changes that occur during a woman's transition through menopause is a tendency towards increased inflammation and free radical production, which in turn, promotes bone loss.
Because of their anti-inflammatory actions, polyphenols have been suggested as one means of protecting against bone loss during this pro-inflammatory time in women's lives.
To test this theory, French researchers ovariectomized lab animals (to simulate menopause) and divided them into two groups, which were given either a control diet or a diet supplemented with phloridzin for 80 days. Three weeks before the animals were sacrificed, 10 animals in each group were put into an inflammatory state.
While all the animals on the control diet lost bone, and those in the inflammatory state lost even more bone, the rats receiving phloridzin not only did not lose bone, but actually increased bone
The United States is currently facing an increase of obesity in children. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that 23 percent - roughly one in four American children - are overweight. American children continue to eat excessively and unhealthy and this pattern continues to grow along with their weight. The obesity epidemic and its effects are striking younger and younger children. Although many preventive measures have been taken by parents, nutritionist, and school officials, such as diets and healthy meal plans, these measures have not been effective in reducing obesity in children. Therefore, parents, nutritionist, and school officials are still left wondering what is the cause of the child obesity and how can the problem be solved. A widely accepted cause of obesity in children is the fast food industries connections with the media. The average American child watches 19 hours and 40 minutes of TV per week-more than a thousand hours each year. That means an annual exposure to thousands of commercials for junk food and fast food. Then there's all the lost playtime-during those 20 hours each week, children aren't physically active. The commercials for junk food and fast food are now more then ever targeted to young children. For instance, the media and fast food industry play more cereal commercials during Saturday mornings because children usually wake up early on Saturdays to watch cartoons. The fast food industry is also placing toys in their meals to attract children. Millions of American children order happy meals in order to receive the toy. However, their young minds are too fragile to recognize the advertising skills used by the fast food industries. “Many young children-including an apparent majority of those under the age of eight-are so naïve," concluded the Federal Trade Commission in 1978, that "they cannot perceive the selling purpose of television advertising or otherwise comprehend or evaluate it and tend . . . to view commercials simply as a form of 'informational programming.”
The fast food industries know that if they target children at a young age, their profits will increase throughout the years because the children will be their consumers. Children tend to crave the foods that are not healthy for them. The advertisements and commercials for junk food and fast food help to influence their food choices. Fast food restaurants are convenient and can be found at almost every corner. Young American children will usually be taken to the fast food restaurants by their parents and because they are eating foods containing large amounts of fat and calories, obesity occurs at a young age. “Because fast food is typically so high in sugar, fat, and calories, these meals can quickly add pounds to a kid's waistline. In a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, researchers found that, compared to adolescents who did not eat at fast-food restaurants, boys and girls who ate fast food three times in the previous week had astoundingly higher calorie intakes: 40 and 37 percent, respectively.”
Television and the media aren't the only ways fast food industries have been able to target young children. Recently, fast food industries have entered schools. By selling their products to children in school, fast food industries are not only increasing profits, but also promoting unhealthy food to the children. Children are not going to want to eat the typical cafeteria food when they can purchase a fast food meal. “At least one out of every five schools now contains a fast-food outlet.” In the past, schools used to promote eating healthy and provided nutritious meals to the children. However, times have changed, and so has the average weight of the young American children. Now more than ever are more children diagnosed with diabetes. "Type II diabetes was something people got when they were 40, because they were overweight. Now 10,11,12-year-olds... these kids that are overweight are at very high risk for diabetes."
Advertisements are not solely kept in the cafeteria. In 1989, Channel One became a curriculum for most schools. The channel was to be showed during school for about 12 minutes. The channel has been adopted by 12,000 schools and about 8 million children watch junk food and fast food advertisements. Soda companies and fast-food outlets increasingly ink contracts with schools and gear advertising to kids.
The fast food industries and the media connections play a huge role in causing obesity in young children. However, this isn't the only cause for obesity in young children.
The children are also partially to blame. Children have become less active throughout the past decades. Most children today play far less then children in the past. Instead, American children today sit and watch television, play video games, play on the computer via Internet, instead of being active outside or playing real sports. Children have some power over what the decide to eat. However, most children do not have the will power to decline the junk food or fast food in order to eat healthy.
Parents also choose to blame outside factors for their child being obese. Parents may blame it on the media and the fast food industries, but they fail to realize that they can control what their child eats. They can restrict their child from eating unhealthy foods by constructing certain meal plans that contain healthier foods. They can also set time limits for the amount of television a child watches. Parents sometimes forget that they have certain powers over their child and if they wanted to change the obesity problems occurring in American children, they could participate in activities with their child to ensure some physical activity. However, parents have become passive because it is hard to fight against the images of junk food and fast food portrayed by the media and the advertisements. “Parents find themselves increasingly on the defensive, fending off, deflecting, combating, and all too often making grudging compromises with the cravings that corporate marketers conjure in their kids.”
The cause of one child's obesity may not be the same for every child. Therefore, there is no universal cause for obesity in children. The epidemic of obesity in young children is not going to cease at this rate, but unfortunately for the children something needs to be done before the problem exacerbates. America needs to evaluate all the causes for obesity in children and address these causes before the children of American are too far gone.
PRAWDA O JEDWABNEM - Wykład prof. Pogonowskiego part1
part2
part3
part4
part5
Film jest podzielony na pięć części, które wszystkie znajdują się na kanale YouTube mkprm.
Profesor Iwo Cyprian Pogonowski (ur. 3 września 1921 we Lwowie), inżynier budowlany i przemysłowy, autor atlasów i słowników, publicysta polonijny.
Ojciec Iwo Cypriana, Jerzy, doktor filozofii i praw, w czasie II wojny światowej był torturowany w siedzibie Gestapo w budynku przy Alei Szucha w Warszawie. Matka, Wanda z Żygulskich, malarka, była więziona na Pawiaku, walczyła w powstaniu warszawskim. Brat Krzysztof, zginął w Powstaniu. Stryj Adam uczestniczył w walkach o Lwów, zginął w walkach z bolszewikami pod Siedlcami, a inny krewny - Stefan - zginął w walkach o Radzymin.
Walczył w kampanii wrześniowej. Aresztowany 30 grudnia 1939, był więziony w Dukli, Barwinku, Krośnie, Jaśle, Sanoku, Tarnowie, trafił wreszcie 10 sierpnia 1940 do obozu Oranienburg - Sachsenhausen. Spędził tam całą wojnę, w kwietniu 1945 uczestniczył w tzw. marszu śmierci do Schwerina, gdzie 2 maja tegoż roku został oswobodzony.
W późniejszym okresie pracował w przemyśle naftowym dla Shell Oil Company oraz Texaco, uzyskał 49 patentów. Równocześnie wykładał na Uniwersytecie Stanowym Wirginii. Obecnie mieszka w Sarasocie.
Działalność twórcza sędziwego polonijnego naukowca zasługuje na tym większy podziw, że rozwija ją człowiek chory od 60 lat na chorobę Heinego - Medina. Choroba ta sprawia, że nie może przyjeżdżać do Polski.
Tym smutniejszym więc jest fakt, że nikt z polskich władz państwowych, ani uniwersyteckich nie pomyślał o odpowiednim uhonorowaniu tego wielkiego patrioty zza Oceanu. Naukowca, który zasługuje na najwyższe odznaczenia państwowe i doktoraty honoris causa. Człowieka, który tak wielką część życia poświęcił niestrudzonej obronie prawdy o Polsce.
