Mediterranean diet helps control cholesterol: Adding monounsaturated fats to a low-cholesterol diet can further improve levels

A new study 24 patients by members of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto has found that the addition of monounsaturated fat to a cholesterol-lowering dietary portfolio in patients with mild to moderate elevated cholesterol levels increased HDL by 12.5 percent and lowered LDL levels by 35 percent.

They found significant reductions in blood cholesterol levels over the two month study period for participants.

In my (non-medical) opinion anything that offers an alternative to swallowing pills containing statins has to be a good thing and investigated further. Doctors are too ready to prescribe statins as a panacea to reduce cholesterol to the magic level. And, from the incidents I know of, why do they always start at the strongest 40 mg. level.

Read more:
Mediterranean diet helps control cholesterol: Adding monounsaturated fats to a low-cholesterol diet can further improve levels
ScienceDaily

Carnage on Spanish Highways - 42 deaths in 5 Days

The Halloween and All Saints Day holiday weekend has seen carnage on the roads of Spain with a total 24 people dead.

A spokesman for the Directorate General of Traffic has reported that from 15.00 hrs. on Friday (29^th October) up to 20.00 hrs. on Monday (1^st November) there have been 22 fatal accidents in which the 24 people have died and another 26 have been injured of which 13 are of a serious nature.

The figures make grim reading with the highest number of deaths (10) on Saturday with almost half of this figure on each of Sunday and Monday. The final death toll could be higher as the figures issued were only up to 20.00 hrs. and many of the holiday return journeys had not been completed.

Add the 18 deaths reported for the previous weekend that means 42 lives have been prematurely terminated on the Spanish roads over two consecutive weekends. That's 42 deaths in 5 days.

What a terrible, unnecessary waste of human life, undoubtedly due to human error and bad driving.

Post Script, 02.11.2010.
The total number of deaths has unfortunately been update to 26 up to 24.00 hrs. on the 1st November. That makes an astonishing total for this year up to 31st October of 1448 road traffic fatalities. Something has got to be done to stop this carnage!
Europa Press

New test equipment enhances police traffic surveillance

Police surveillance of seatbelt compliance and speeding is getting a boost thanks to the development of new test equipment by Finnish researchers. Developed by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the equipment also measures distance between vehicles, road surface condition and calculates traffic emissions.

The test equipment, which is based on automatic camera surveillance and wireless network connection, is part of an EU project aimed at improving traffic safety and reducing accidents caused by traffic rule violations. The equipment is handily located on a mobile trailer unit. The police are thus able to monitor traffic and impose penalties for violations more comprehensively and fairly. The monitoring information is gathered into a common database available to the police, road operators and environmental authorities. A pilot system has been launched in Tampere enabling the police to test the equipment, along with three other sites located in Germany, France and Austria..

Any step that improves road safety and reduces road deaths has to be a good thing.

Read more:New test equipment enhances police traffic surveillance (Science Daily)

All Saints Day and Halloween in Spain

A short video that explains the meaning of today, All Saints Day

Moronic Householder leaves Brains by Rubbish Bin.

The title may seem somewhat harsh but I believe it is the reality of the situation.

For those not familiar with the rubbish collection system in Spain, the large grey rubbish bin is situated in the street for use of the local residents to dispose of their day to day household waste. It is not intended for recyclable items, garden waste, old furniture, building rubble and other non-normal household waste. In our town, each evening, subject to the whim of the council or it's cleaning contractor, the bin is emptied by the use of a semi automated single manned 'skip' lorry. It is well known amongst householders that what is in the bin may be collected, but what is not is left where it is.

From the two photographs below it can be seen that either side close by, within 25 metres ( metric measurement you'll note), to the grey bin are areas of open ground where the stones could have been neatly disposed of.

But that would have been too easy for the moronic householder. Instead the person takes the heavy bucket and black plastic bag of stones to the bin where they will stay, for many days, until someone else decides to clear them away. Chances are it will probably be me! OK the stones shouldn't be put in the bin but as least that would have been better than leaving them where they are. Now either, the person is too stupid to think of that, or not strong enough to lift the bucket and bag in entirety into the bin and too stupid to think of putting a few stones in at a time.

Now I'm not adverse to criticising the council when they fail to clear away the rubbish properly, but at the least the householders could help by not filling the streets with non-collectable rubbish. This might be just one incident but it is symptomatic of the attitude of a lot of property owners; get rid of the rubbish from my property and don't give a damn what happens when its been dumped in the street. Out of personal sight out of mind.

Yes I know I'm becoming a 'Grumpy Old Man', it's my right at my age, but at least that's got if off my chest. Perhaps just perhaps the moron might read this, if I tell enough local people this post is here, and have a change of heart, or perhaps it might make other residents think twice about where they put their rubbish.

Putting the clocks back this weekend could be detrimental to health.

Not putting the clocks back this weekend but still putting them forward in the spring would be a simple and effective way to vastly improve our health and well-being, says an expert in the online British Medical Journal.

Research shows that people feel happier, more energetic and have lower sickness rates in the longer and brighter days of summer, whereas their mood tends to decline during the shorter and darker days of winter.

In the case of the older and less mobile generation this can lead to depression as the feeling of isolation is felt because of the difficult of getting out and about in the darker hours of the afternoons and early evenings. To some people, and my self included, it can make one feel claustrophobic in the long dark nights.

It is suggested that the majority of the public are in favour of not returning the clocks to GMT in the winter months.

Read More:
Not putting the clocks back this weekend would improve health, says expert
Science Daily

Further articles
Telegraph: Putting clock back makes older people depressed
 Age UK: Clocks should not be turned back

Foreclosure in Spain Can Mean Lifetime Debt to Bank

In an article in the New York Times Suzanne Dayley reports that 'An estimated 1.4 million Spaniards are facing potential foreclosure proceedings, according to Spain’s consumer protection association, known as the Adicae. Recent figures from the courts show that the numbers are rising fast. In 2007, there were just 26,000 foreclosures. Last year, there were more than 93,000. Early indications suggest that they will be higher again in 2010'

she highlights the diffence in the way mortgage debt is treated in Spain compared to countries such as America and the United Kingdom.

For many Spanish mortgage holders, no longer able to pay their mortgages, the fine print in the deals they agreed to years ago is catching up with them. Not only are they personally liable for the full amount of the loan, but throw in penalty interest charges and tens of thousands of dollars in court fees, and people can end up facing an enormous amount of debt. Bankruptcy is not the answer because mortgage debt is specifically excluded in Spain.

There could be a very large shock for mortgage defaulters who think that they can hand the keys of the property to the bank and walk away.

Read the full article:
Foreclosure in Spain Can Mean Lifetime Debt to Bank - NYTimes.com

Highly targeted radiation technique minimizes side effects of prostate cancer treatment, study finds

Men with prostate cancer treated with a specialized type of radiation called intensity modulated radiation therapy have fewer gastrointestinal complications compared to patients treated with conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, according to a new study.

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Highly targeted radiation technique minimizes side effects of prostate cancer treatment, study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25)

Scented consumer products shown to emit many unlisted chemicals

Even "green" fragranced products give off many chemicals that are not listed on the label, including some that are classified as toxic. A study of 25 of the most popular scented products showed they emit 133 different chemicals, of which only two are listed anywhere.

An interesting article in the Science Daily about a study, although carried out in America and makes reference to American legislation, which analyzed air fresheners including sprays, solids and oils; laundry products including detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets; personal care products such as soaps, hand sanitizers, lotions, deodorant and shampoos; and cleaning products including disinfectants, all-purpose sprays and dish detergent. All were widely used brands which are almost certainly available worldwide in different formats.

My family has certainly experienced uncomfortable or adverse effects when using some commonly available products in the home.

Read More: Scented consumer products shown to emit many unlisted chemicals

382,000 Spanish computers became zombies

In Europe, Spain has become the country where there is a greater number of infections of computers related to 'botnets'. It has the highest number of infections in the period between January and July 2010, when 382,000 Spanish computers became zombies, ahead of France, Britain and Germany.

Microsoft has released the ninth edition of its Security Intelligence Report (SIRv9), which shows the current proliferation of 'botnets' - malicious robots-as a platform to develop the so-called cybercrime. The latest report, covering the period from January to June 2010, includes an analysis of data from more than 600 million computers worldwide, data collected through Microsoft products and tools, among which include products Forefont security, Windows Defender, Microsoft Security Essentials, Windows Internet Explorer, Bing and Malware Removal Tool (MSRT).

Microsoft's report also reveals the geographical variations exist in the problem of botnets.

In the second quarter of 2010, the United States recorded the highest number of botnet infections (2.2 million), followed by Brazil (550,000).

In terms of higher infection rate of botnets, South Korea was the country in which there was a higher incidence (14.6 infections per 1,000 computers scanned botnet), followed by Spain (12.4) and Mexico (11, 4).

Rimecud was detected as the botnet more consistent worldwide, an increase in significant proliferation: their infections shot up 860 percent in the last three months of 2009. Second, with 70 percent fewer infections, we see the botnet called Alureon.

Between April and June 2010, Microsoft disinfected more than 6.5 million computer botnets infections, double the same period last year.

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