Chinese leader visits Iowa, Calif. to forge bonds
By NOAKI SCHWARTZ and DAVID PITT
LOS ANGELES - China's soon-to-be-leader headed to California at the end of his four-day U.S. tour with plans to talk business with Gov. Jerry Brown, tour the Port of Los Angeles, hold a round table with a handful of other governors and maybe even go to a Lakers basketball game.
And, as with his previous travels, Vice President Xi Jinping's focus seems to be on forging relationships.
Xi arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon after spending the morning in Iowa, where officials from the U.S. and China signed a five-year deal to guide discussions on food security, food safety and sustainable agriculture. China became the top market for U.S. agricultural goods last year, purchasing $20 billion in U.S. agricultural exports, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Xi, expected to become president next year of the world's most populous nation, climbed into the cab of a John Deere tractor at a 4,000-acre farm near Des Moines and chatted with fifth-generation farmer Rick Kimberley. He asked detailed questions about farming techniques in Iowa, the nation's largest producer of corn and soybeans.
"He said the tractor really felt comfortable. He really enjoyed that," Kimberley said after the visit.
It was a reunion of sorts for Xi, who nearly three decades ago visited Iowa to study agricultural techniques and learn about corn production. He'd insisted on the stop in Iowa, and the farm visit capped the Midwest leg of his visit to the United States.
Xi was joined by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and China Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu during the symposium. In his opening remarks, he said agriculture was an essential industry.
"Food security, energy security and financial security are three main areas of economic security in today's world," he said. "To promote international agricultural and for cooperation from a strategic perspective is of major and long-term significance."
For Los Angeles, Xi's visit will be a reminder of his country's big footprint at the busiest port in the United States - nearly 60 percent of the imports moving through the Port of Los Angeles come from China, $120 billion worth of computers, TVs, sneakers and other goods last year.
Read More»Hope growing for indoor farming in disaster-hit Tohoku region
By The Yomiuri Shimbun
Jan. 31--Moves to build indoor "vegetable factories" are growing in disaster-hit areas as a measure to revive local agriculture businesses.
In many coastal areas damaged by seawater in the March 11 tsunami, the topsoil has been stripped away in the course of removing disaster debris. The factories, using hydroponic techniques, would enable farmers to cultivate produce without soil.
This has also drawn attention in nuclear crisis-stricken Fukushima Prefecture as a method to produce vegetables in enclosed facilities with an eye toward preventing radiation contamination.
In Sendai, Butai Farm Co., a company growing rice and vegetables on the Sendai Plain and other locations, plans to build an about 20-hectare vegetable factory, the nation's largest. About 30 hectares of the company's farmland were flooded by the tsunami, resulting in losses of more than 200 million yen. Faced with this, Butai Farm President Nobuo Hariu, 50, formed a study group with a major food company and other entities in December to launch the new agriculture initiative.
Hariu said the planned factory could produce more than 100 times the amount of rice as traditional methods in the same area. According to the study group, costs to build the factory would total more than 5 billion yen, but the group has concluded the initiative would be profitable as it can skip work to desalinate soil and make it easier to block radiation.
The group also plans to build facilities to monitor radiation and generate solar power near the factory. The overall area of the compound is expected to be 50 hectares. It plans to start production from next fiscal year after leasing farmland from those affected by the disaster.
"This is a good opportunity to change conventional agriculture," Hariu said. "I'd like to pave the way to the future for the disaster-hit areas and change the current image of agriculture."
He is planning to hire about 500 people, including young farmers, for the project.
Major restaurant chain Saizeria Co. also built a vegetable factory and has started growing tomatoes in a 1.2-hectare facility in Wakabayashi Ward, Sendai, last month. According to Saizeria, the factory's productivity is three times more than that of outdoor farming. It has employed 11 local farmers aged 21 to 42 as trainees.
Read More»The 10 Most Complained About Drugs In The USA
The Dangers of Drugs
There are plenty of drugs, supplements, and food additives present in our day to day life. But we do not always realize just how harmful these things can be to our health. Everyday people ingest some form of drug whether it be prescription or additives. Here we have a rundown of the top ten most complained about drugs in the United States of America, and why people are complaining.
10) Colloidal Silver
The colloidal silver supplements are fairly hard to come across nowadays, and with good reason. Colloidal silver does have immunity boosting effects, and can help kill bacteria, but unfortunately it does have a worrying tendency to turn a person’s skin permanently blue.
9) Vicodin and Oxycotin
The two pharmaceutical drugs Vicodin and Oxycotin are both commonly prescribed medications. Despite the wide use of these drugs, they account for more deaths than all illegal drugs combined. This is usually due to people consuming alcohol or overdosing while on these medications.
8) Propecia
Propecia is a drug developed for preventing hair loss in men. However it does have a rather unfortunate side effect of gynecomastia. To me and you, that means the growth of breasts in men.
7) Caffeine
That morning cup of coffee could be doing more harm than you thought, and has been found to instigate many medical problems, including insomnia, nausea and nervousness.
6) Monosodium Glutamate
Monosodium Glutamate (Otherwise known as MSG) is an often used flavoring which has been known to have adverse reactions in some people. While MSG has had a lot of complaints made against it, research has shown that many of the people who complain about MSG reactions are not in fact the people who have genuine adverse MSG reactions.
5) Artificial Colors
Artificial color additives are added to huge numbers of products. Some artificial colors are safe, even beneficial. However many food manufacturers have received vast numbers of complaints due to the number of artificial colors in foods, some of which are suspected as causes of cancer.
4) BHA & BHT
BHA & BHT are two commonly used preservatives, even in products which require no preservation. Both these preservatives have serious question marks over their health, and the mass addition of them to produce.
3) Aspartame
Aspartame is one of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners in soft drinks and food. Despite its widespread use, few people realize that one in 20,000 people are unable to tolerate aspartame, and there are some concerns that it can cause mental problems and even cancer.
2) EvaMist
EvaMist is a freely available menopause treatment, which may help reduce menopause symptoms, but can cause cancer, strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, and dementia.
1) Prozac
While Prozac is publicized as a great anti-depressant, however its side effects include nausea, insomnia, headache, diarrhea drowsiness, anxiety, nervousness, decreased sex drive, constipation, vision defects, weight loss, and chest pain. Prozac users also tend to become zombie-fied. All these side affects make it seem pretty hard to believe that this drug can make people feel better, and might also suggest why Prozac has been linked to a higher suicide rate. Read More»
The Best Acne Supplements
Banish Blemishes with Supplements
Nobody likes to go out in public when they have a face full of acne... or even just one ugly blemish. To make matters worse, it seems like everywhere we look there is another guaranteed 'remedy.' Many of these cost quite a bit of money and there is no guarantee they will work. Others choose to turn to dermatologists for help. Costly treatments and drug regimens sometimes just don't fit into our schedules, or our budgets.
One solution that seems to be working for many people is acne supplements. These can be a healthy alternative to other acne remedies and in many cases work even better.Supplements work by decreasing the amount of inflammation in the skin as well as fighting infection and providing vital nutrients. In a perfect world, we would all receive everything we need for healthy skin through our diets. Unfortunately, not enough of us get the recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables, so we turn to supplements. Below is a list of the best supplements for those of us that face a difficulty with acne.
Hands down, the best supplements contain Vitamin A. These supplements will assist the body with recovering from even harsh acne breakouts. Vitamin A is one of the key nutrients that allows the skin to heal. By taking a supplement containing 25,000 units of this vitamin, twice a day, you will reap the benefits. Vitamin A will also help your skin prevent scarring from acne or accidents.
Zinc is another vital supplement. Several studies have shown that zinc (50 mg/day) combined with copper (5 mg/day) can improve the appearance of the skin as it helps the skin repair itself.
Omega-3 fatty acids are another great supplement. These supplements are both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial – both key aspects of healing acne. Omega-3 fatty acids seem to play a role in maintaining the integrity of cell membranes and because of this, can lead to fresher, healthier looking skin. One downside is the taste. The best source is cod liver oil, which doesn't taste good. Look for a supplement in a pill form.
People who suffer from oily skin can often benefit from supplements that improve the digestive process. There is some evidence that the fats we eat may not be completely digested and may play a role in excess facial oil. Look for a supplement that contains protease, lipase and amylase to improve digestion and skin appearance.
As a final attack against acne, you may want to consider using Acidophilus. This supplement can assist in digestive function and have a direct impact on the look and appearance of your skin.
If you do opt to take supplements for the health of your skin, be sure to keep a list of the types and dosages and review them periodically with your doctor. Supplements can have an impact on other medications or medical tests, so it is important your doctor be aware of everything you are taking. Read More»
Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA) Causes Loss in Bone Density
Birth Control Jabs 'Could Affect Bone Density'
Almost half of women who use birth control injections as a contraceptive will suffer a loss of bone density within two year, new research has suggested.
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston have said women who use depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) will experience high bone mineral density (BMD) loss in the hip or lower spine.
According to the study, DMPA users who smoke, have low levels of calcium and are yet to have given birth are at the highest risk for BMD.
The researchers also discovered that women at high risk continued to experience significant losses in BMD during the third year of DMPA use, especially in the hip, which is the most common fracture site in elderly women.
Senior author Dr Abbey Berenson, professor in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology and director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health at the university, said: "Bone mineral density loss is not a significant concern for all women who choose DMPA.
"Based on these findings, clinicians have the information they need to recommend basic behaviour changes for high risk women to minimize BMD loss." Read More»
Women on Anti-Depressants and Post-Menopausal Are More at Risk for Stroke
Stroke Risk for Post-Menopausal Women on Anti-Depressants
Post-menopausal women on anti-depressants face an increased risk of suffering a stroke, according to new US research.
Anti-depressant users aged between 50 and 70 were found to be 45 per cent more likely to have a stroke than women not taking the pills.
Non-users of the drugs were also found to be 32 per cent less likely to die from any cause than those on the medicine.
Researchers said that the overall risk was relatively small - with less than a one in 200 chance of suffering a stroke in any 12-month period.
However, given that vast number of women who use anti-depressants, the effect could have global significance, they said.
Lead researcher Dr Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, urged women to not stop taking prescribed medication without consulting their doctor first.
"You have to weigh the benefits that you get from these antidepressants against the small increase in risk that we found in this study," she said.
The research, part of the Women's Health Initiative Study, was based on data concerning 136,293 women who were monitored for a six-year period and was published in Archives of Internal Medicine. Read More»