~7 must try Asian condiments~

Tranform meals with these exotic flavor boosters

1)Japan Ponzu: This light citrus sauce, often made with soy sauce, enhances seared tuna or grilled chicken.

2)Vietnam Fish Sauce: Sub it in for soy sauce and/or salt in stew or noodle dishes to add a savory (not fishy) note.

3)Korea Hot Pepper Paste: This slightly spicy bean paste is great as condiment for Korean BBQ, or as a marinade for fish.

4)China Oyster Sauce: This condiment is a pleasant mix of salty and sweet. Drizzle it over sauteed spinach.

5)Indonesia Sambal: Usually made from crusted chillies and salt, sambal adds an instant kick to fried rice or scramble eggs.

6)Malaysia Satay Sauce: Satay sauce is crushed peanuts punch up with soy sauce and spices. It'd delicious with kebabs, but try it over wok-fried vegetables or shrimp, too.

7)Thailand Red Curry Paste: This paste infuses Thai curries and soups with citrusy heat. Slater it on chicken wing for grilling.

Reference:

Zakary Pelaccio; creative director of The Fatty Crab Restaurant in New York

Are you headed for marriage or....mayhem?

1)How long is her ring finger?

If it's roughly the same length as her pointer finger, she's a good negotiator. If her ring finger is is much longer than her pointer finger, she's like to direct. Ideally, she's what you're not: In this case, opposites attract (Helen Fisher, Ph.D; Professor of biological anthropology at Rutgers).

2)What do her parent do for a living?

If both of her parents worked when she was a kid, she maybe more likely to expect that dynamic with you. On other hand, if her mother's stayed home, she's more incline to want to do that as well (Nancy Slotnick; founder of Cablight. com).

3)Does she laugh at your joke?

If she just doesn't understand you, or vice versa, you two maybe on different intellectual levels. And if that's the case, you probably won't be happy in the long term. Find out if she likes the same book or music; these are indicators of intellectual compatibility (Nancy Slotnick; founder of Cablight. com).

4)How does she vacation?

If a certain activity, like skiing or beach bumming, has become part of your life style, then it's important that she be willing to try it. "Free time is quality time, and you want to be spending it together" (Seth Mayer, Psy.D; Los Angeles clinical psychologist).

~Tips how to cycle climb mountain faster~

To climb up fast, you have to stay relaxed. Try to do most of your climb while seated; this required 5 percent less energy than standing. Keep your cadence at 70 revolution per minutes or higher. If you're feeling tired or the hill turn steeper, shift to harder gear and stand up for 5 to 30 seconds. Then shift to an easier gear and sit back down (Franco Pellizotti; King of The Mountains in 2009's, Tour de France).

If I am overweight, is it harder to treat me in an emergency room?

Yes. I can't stress strongly enough how much better your odds are of surviving a trauma or serious illness if you're fit. This is not a knock on overweight people; it just the reality. When people who are overweight and out of shape fall sick or are hurt, they tend to suffer more because they don't have the underlying fitness to help them bounce back. The more over weight you are; the bigger the problem, so remember that staying fit is about the survival (Travis Stork M.D; ER Physician & TV host of The Doctors).

How do I know if I need stitches?

If your cut is deep enough for you to see muscle, tendons, fats, or bone, or if you can't stop the bleeding, see a doctor. If the cut is in a spot with skin tension, like and elbow or knee, stitches can help keep it closed. In most cases, the reason why we sew you up is cosmetic. If you happy with the scar, closing the wound is not always necessary (Travis Stork M.D; ER Physician & TV host of The Doctors).

~Run Smart~

Water help your body and brain work properly. Dehydration alters a runner's perception and affect his pacing. During the 12-K race, dried out runner felt they were hotter and working harder than hydrated one did. Also, the time variance between fastest and slowest laps was twice as long for the dehydrated group. A lack of water may affect your ability to gauge work a head. During a long run, drink at least 7 ounces of water every 20 minutes (Rebecca Stearn M.A, A.T.C; Journal of Strength and Conditioning).

In a new Korean Study, people who drowned a drink containing 72 milligrams of the seaweed extract ecklonia cava (right picture) 30 minutes before exercising ran 30 percent longer than runner who hadn't. The supplement is an antioxidant that may enhance endurance by increasing blood flow and reducing lactic acid buildup.

~Shut-Eye Sabotage!!!~

A sleep schedules is vital to any weight-loss plan. Too much or too little shut-eye can add extra pounds. The 5 years of research has shown, in the under -40 age group, people who slept 5 hours or less each night gain near 2 and half times as much abdominal fat as those who logged 6 to 7 hours. Also, those who slept 8 hours or longer added nearly twice as much belly fat as the 6 to 7 hours group.

People with sleep deficits tend to eat more (and use less energy) because they are tired. While those who sleep longer than 8 hours a night may be less active.

Reference:

Kristen Hairstin M.D; Wake Forest University

~Fire In The Belly!!!~

Behold the power of peppers. A recent Korean lab study found that the compound that makes chillies spicy, capsaicin, can help kill colon cancer cells. And previously, a Dutch study review had concluded that capsaicin encourages thermogenesis - the body's heat - generating response to food intake, which can help burn calories. For the thermogenic effect, it's best to eat chili - based food on a daily basis. The more capsaicin in the pepper you eat, the greater the benefit (and hotter the burn).

Reference:

Jeya Henry; Ph.D; Oxford Brookes University

I want to help in emergency, but what if the sign of blood paralyzes me?

Detach and think of blood as what is really is: motor oil that keep the engine running. If the bleeding is severe, simply wrapping the wound won't work. Locate where the blood is coming from ans apply firm, direct pressure with anything you can find (yes, sacrifice the shirt) until help arrives. Think about it: That bleeding vessel is much smaller in diameter than your pinkie finger. Hit the right spot and the flow should slow.

Reference:

Travis Stork M.D (ER Physician and the host of The Doctor)

~You're Contagious!!!~

You are your own man, right? Maybe not. New research shows that your friends' trait maybe rubbing of on you - an vice versa. Here's how to catch the good stuff and avoid the bad.

1)Absorb Happiness

Good feeling can jump three degrees of separation. Some guy you don't know could cheer up one of his friends, and then that would reach you - and improve your mood more than and extra $10000 in yearly income you would. Your move tell your most upbeat friends that you want to meet more of their friends. Then keep up with new people you meet. People at the core of social network - who have most friend of friends - are most likely to be happy.

2)Ward off loneliness

People who feel disconnected often alienate their remaining friends. It could start a domino effect: if you lose a friend, you may start to withdraw as well. Your move don't blame yourself for losing touch with friends. We lose about half of our close friend every seven years. If you feeling lonely back on better days: Nostalgia bolsters feelings of support by reminding you of what were, for the most part, happy time. It can also remind you met friends in the past and motivate you to do it again.

3)Avoid obesity

If a guy gains weight, there's a good chance his friends will do the same. "Men look to other men for clues about acceptable body sizes. Your move you wouldn't ditch a buddy who ballooned, but you can control when and where you eat with him. People eat more if a nearby stranger is overeating. The urge grow if that glutton is a pal. So steer your crew to restaurants that serve smaller portions.

4)Boost sex appeal

"Woman judge men, in large part, by other woman see them." Woman find a man more attractive if all their girl friend like him, too. Your move If you're on the hunt, bring your female friends and stay in the group for a while so that others in the bar see you all together. A guy surrounded by woman look better than a guy standing alone.

Reference:

2007, 2008, 2009; Dr. Christakis; Journal of Personality and Social Physichology

How to increase food shelf life in fridge?

Food last longer when it`s stored properly. Here some of the tips from Nils Noren the vice president of the culinary and pastry arts at The French Culinary Institute.

1) Set your fridge temp at just over freezing, around 34F. That`s cold enough to slow the growth of bacteria with - out freezing the food.

2)Put items with short shelf lives in the back. Milk, meat, fish, eggs last longer in the back because that`s where the refrigerators are coldest - and that way they`ll also be protected from a warm air blast every time you open the door.

3)Stash raw proteins on the lowest shelf so no meat juices can drip on other shelves and season your food with the pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella. And wipe down your fridge at least once a week with a disinfecting wipe or a solution of soap, water and little bleach.

~Home Cookin'.....Done The Dish Lately???~

Roughly 25 percent of couple split household chores at least 60 - 40. And those couple report greater overall happiness and satisfaction than a couple with less balanced arrangement.

The woman enjoy carrying less of burden of childcare and housework, and the men feel happier being less dependent on their wife (Roderic Beaujot, Ph.D, University of Western Ontario)

~Facebook And The Truth~

When u meet a girl you want to know better, you naturally friend her on Facebook. That's a good instinct. Facebook profile accurately reflect personality traits (Research from University of Texas, Austin).

When independent observers used social networking profiles to access the personalities of 236 people, they accurately judged extroversion and openness (Sam Gosling, Ph.D). Pay special intention to wall post: People may attempt to project ideal personality online, but friend keep the honest.

WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF THE HAMBURGER AND THE HOT DOG?

The hamburger and the hot dog are every day fast food items that are sold in many countries around the world,particularly the United States. Even today, the origins of these foods remain uncertain.

The word “hamburger” comes from the German city of Hamburg, where the food first became popular. Some people believe that German immigrants then brought the hamburger to the United States in the nine teenth century, while others say that it was invented by Charlie Nagreen at the Outagamie County Fair in Seymour, Wisconsin, in 1885. Nagreen supposedly sold fried meatballs at the fair, but his customers had trouble carrying them and so he flattened them inside a bun and called them hamburgers. Meanwhile,an establishment called Louis’ Lunch in New Haven,Connecticut, also claims to have invented the hamburger. The popular view, however, is that the first proper hamburgers in buns were made in 1904 at the St Louis World’s Fair Despite the origins of the hamburger, it became world renowned in the 1950s with the opening of the fast food chain McDonald’s.

Like the hamburger, the hot dog is said to have originated at the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair, when a Bavarian named Anton Feuchtwanger apparently lent his customers gloves with which to hold hot sausages. When the gloves weren’t returned, he employed his brother—a baker—to provide buns instead

Another theory is that hot dogs were invented by Harry Stevens at the New York Polo Grounds in 1901, when, on a cold day, he bought dachshund sausages and sold them inwarm buns to the New York Giants fans. A sports cartoonist on the day, Tad Dorgan, drew a cartoon of it and, unsure how to spell “dachshund,” wrote, “Hot dog!” While this is commonly believed to be where the term originated, similar items were sold in Germany well before that time, and it issaid that St Louis Browns owner Chris von der Ahe soldthem at his baseball park in 1880.

IS CHOCOLATE ADDICTIVE?

Chocolate is a psychoactive food (i e , one that’s capable of affecting mood and/or behavior) made from a variety of the cacao tree called the obroma, a Greek word meaning “food of the gods ”. It has been suggested by some that chocolate can be addictive, and, indeed, the fact that it contains an array of complex chemicals might support this claim. For instance,chocolate contains a compound called an andamide, which is a cannabinoid (as is marijuana), as well as chemicals that inhibit the breakdown of cannabinoids—which are, in fact,produced naturally by the body and synthesized in the brain.

Chocolate contains compounds that make this chemical remain in the bloodstream for longer, which some people cite as the reason for any chemical dependency on chocolate. Chocolate also contains caffeine, a stimulant that increases the consumer’s sense of satisfaction and floods the brain with endorphins, which act something like opiates, reducing a person’s sensitivity to pain and producing a similar effect to that of morphine. It also contains quantities of tryptophan, a mood regulator that enhances serotonin function.

Also appearing on the list of chocolate’s ingredients is phenyle thylamine, a chemical that is said to produce a high similar to that produced by taking amphetamines. It occursnaturally in the brain and releases dopamine, which promotes feelings of euphoria, such as those that peak during sexual orgasm. Some claim that eating chocolate produces amilder form of this feeling, although others suggest that the chemical is digested before it reaches the brain.

Chocolate also contains theobromine, a chemical that is toxic to horses, dogs and parrots when consumed in large amounts because they are unable to metabolize it, leading to heart attacks, internal bleeding and death. However,chocolate has been proven to be beneficial to human health as it contains antioxidants, which help to protect the body against cancer and heart problems.

WHY DO ONIONS MAKE PEOPLE CRY?

It’s not the strong odor of onions that makes us cry when we cut them but the gas that they emit, which is also responsible for their pungent taste and for the bad breath they can cause. Onions contain a sulphur-based oil. When cut, the cells that contain the sulphur compounds are broken and the compounds are converted into sulfenic acid, which in turn produces a highly volatile chemical called synpropanethial-S-oxide, which then rises into the air When this chemical comes into contact with our eyes, it reactswith the moisture in our eyelid sand results in the production of sulphuric acid, which irritates the eyes and stimulates the lachrymal glands.

When stimulated, these glands release tears to flush out the acid and protect the eye. Rubbing the eyes with the hand scan often exacerbate the problem, especially if the hands arecovered with oil from the onion.

There are a variety of ways of preventing the gases emitted by the onion from reaching the eyes. Moving your head away from the onion so that the gas disperses is one such method, while another is to cook the onion first, or even cool it in the fridge, which both serve to change the compound sin the onion. Breathing with an open mouth can also help, as it means you’ll suck away some of the gases before they reach your eyes. Probably the best and easiest method, however, is to cut the onion under running water,which washes away the gases before they can reach the eyes.

WHAT IS COCA-COLA MADE FROM AND DID IT ONCE CONTAIN COCAINE?

Since its invention, the ingredients of Coca-Cola have been kept a long-guarded secret, which has both prevented others from copying the exact formula and, over the years,enhanced the public’s perception of what a unique product Coca-Cola is.

Coca-Cola was named in 1886 because of its two main ingredients: kola nuts and extract of coca leaves i e ,cocaine, which the drink did contain until 1929, although in very small amounts.

The exact balance of the recipe, however, has never been disclosed to the public, and the original copy of it is locked in the vault of the Sun Trust Bank in Atlanta. It has commonly been said that only two executives originally knew the formula, and that each of them knew only half of it. In fact, the Coca-Cola Company does have a rule that only two executives can know the formula, but each knows the entire formula. When air travel became popular, it became company policy not to allow both of the executives to fly on the same plane.

While the exact recipe of Coke remains a mystery, it is generally accepted that it comprises the following key flavorings:cinnamon, nutmeg, lime, lemon, orange, coriander,caramel, cocoa, neroli and vanilla.

IS DRINKING TOO MUCH WATER BAD FOR YOU?

It is possible to drink too much water. When this happens, the result is water intoxication, a condition known in medicalterms as hyponatremia. Hyponatremia occurs when the body’s sodium levels fall dangerously low, which can happen when an excessive amount of water has been ingested, causing a dramatic boost in the levels of blood plasma. This dilutes the salt content of the blood, which is furtherreduced by sweating, and thus reduces the amount of salt available to the tissues in the body, which can lead to swelling in the brain and a leaking of fluid into the lungs It also affects muscle and heart function.

The symptoms of hyponatremia are usually headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue It can cause seizures, unconsciousness and even death. Hyponatremia occurs rarely, however, and, when it does,it’s usually suffered by athletes who have exerted them selves for a long period of time, losing a lot of salt through sweating then re-hydrating with plain water.

There have been a number of cases in the last ten years of people dying from this condition while running long distances. Hyponatremia can be prevented by eating salty foodsand drinking sports drinks specially designed to replace lost electrolytes. It is recommended by some that people should drink only when they are thirsty, and that athletes shoulddrink only as much as they sweat. An oft-quoted suggestedamount to drink is six to eight cups of water per day.

WHY DID KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN CHANGE ITS NAME TO KFC?

In 1991 when the fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken changed its name to KFC, it was suggested at the time that this move was in response to a study carried out by the University of New Hampshire that proved that real chickens weren’t being used in the food. Instead, so the story goes, genetically modified animals with no beaks or feathers were being used in order to save on costs. Because of this, it was said, government regulations dictated that such mutated animals could not be marketed as chickens and so the company was force to omit the word “chicken” from its name, aswell as from advertisements and menus. This, of course, is a myth No such study was undertaken and the claim has no basis in fact

There were a number of genuine reasons behind the name change. One was to lessen the emphasis on the word“chicken,” because the company was at that point providing a more diverse menu, while another was to remove the word“fried,” which had unhealthy connotations for increasingly health-conscious consumers. A third reason was the growing trend of major companies to shorten their names and to use only initials As most people referred to the company as KFC anyway, it seemed only logical to embrace the name.

~My Graduation~

Advanced Diploma In Hotel Management Convocation at KLCC....

Advanced Diploma Result Announcement.....wth one of the lecture from Toulouse University of France...

Diploma In Culinary Arts Convocation at Nilai International University College...

WHY DO MEN HAVE NIPPLES?

Once a human embryo has been conceived, no matter what its ultimate gender, it follows a female template,adopting all female characteristics, including nipples After a number ofweeks in this state, a certain gene in the male embryo stimulates the production of the male hormone testosterone,which prompts the embryo to develop masculine qualities While the nipples remain present (because they are formed before this process takes place), they will not function in theway that they would have had the embryo been supplied with female hormones.

Not only do male babies have nipples, but they are also born with breast tissue and milk ducts and glands These are normally inoperative, but, if men experience increasedlevels of the female hormone estrogen and a lack of testosterone,they can develop breasts like those of women and,in extreme cases, even perform lactation Because men have breast tissue, they are at risk from breast cancer, albeit to afar lesser extent than women are.

It is thought by some that men might once have used nipples to help feed their young during lean times Now that this no longer occurs, ithas been asked of scientistswhy evolutionhas not done away with these superfluous malenipples The commonresponse is that, becausediseases affecting the nipples are rare in men, there is no genetic imperative todo away with the nipples, and so they simply remain.

WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE APPENDIXES?

The vermiform appendix—or, simply, the appendix—is a worm like tube that has only one end and is connected to the caecum in the right lower abdomen of humans Its name isfrom the Latin word meaning “worm like ”

The appendix is prone to becoming infected, an ailment known as appendicitis that causes it to become inflamed and painful, at which point it must be removed via anoperation known as an appendectomy—because it burst sand floods the bloodstream with toxins, which can prove fatal Appendicitis is less common in people whose diet is high in fiber, consisting of a lot of fruit and vegetables Giventhat the appendix is so often removed without any later consequences to the person, people often question why we haveone in the first place

The purpose and function of the appendix are not fully understood and remain subjects of debate Some believe the appendix plays a role in our immune systems and is a usefulorgan of the lymphatic system, others think it has a function that has not yet been discovered and still others think that it’s needed for only a short time after we are born However,the traditional and still prevailing view is that it was an organ that played a practical role in thedigestive systemsof our vegetarian ancestors It has not disappeared through evolution and has remained with us as a vestigial organ, having no function today This theory is supported by the factthat some modern animals have a similar organ that functions to process fiber, just as the appendix might have done for our ancestors.

WHY DO BOTTLES OF TEQUILA CONTAIN WORMS?

It’s a common misconception that tequila bottles contain worms; indeed, it is legally forbidden for bottles of tequila tocontain worms In fact, it is the drink mescal similar totequila and also made in Mexico—that contains the wormA number of brands of mescal contain worms.

The worm traditionally used for such a purpose is actually the caterpillar Hipopta agavis, which lives in the stems of agave plants, from which mescal is made These reddish colored worms can be quite rare and at times white worms from the leaves of the plant are used instead.

The practice of adding such worms to bottles of mescal has been in existence since the 1940s, when a Mexican named Jacobo Lozano Paez, while tasting the drink, found that theaddition of the worm changed the taste and color He then decided to include the worm as amarketing gimmick Despite popularbelief, this practice hasn’t been aMexican tradition for centuries.

The worm is supposed to be eaten, traditionally being considered a delicacy by Mexicans, and is thought by some to have aphrodisiacqualities, while others believethat the worm gives strength to those who eat it and that it is an hallucinogenic Apart fromany psychological effects the worm might have, however, in reality it’s merely a worm filled with alcohol.

WHY DOES COFFEE KEEP YOU AWAKE?

As almost everyone knows, coffee keeps you awake becauseit contains caffeine, a drug that produces a number of chemicalreactions in the brain that act to keep you awake.

Caffeine works by blocking the brain’s ability to absorb adenosine, which slows down nerve activity,causing the human body to become sleepy A caffeine molecule is chemicallysimilar to adenosine but, when it attaches itself to anerve cell, it doesn’t cause the cell to slow down but instead blocks the nerve’s adenosinereceptor, which in turn causesan increase in the nerve cell’s level of activity This increasecauses the body to think something is wrong and it goesinto “flight or fight” mode As a result, the body floods the bloodstream with adrenalin, which increases blood pressure and heart rate It also increases the rate of blood flow to themuscles and dilates the alveoli and bronchioles in the lungs,all of which keep the human body awake.

In the same way that amphetamines do, caffeine also increases the body’s levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates brain functionand induces an overall senseof well-being, making you feel more energetic.

While the effects of caffeine consumption are brief, continuousintake over longer periodscan lead to an increased level of tolerance If this happens, whena person then doesn’t have caffeine,the body can become oversensitive to adenosine, which in turn can lead to a drop in blood pressure and resultant headaches, irritability and deficiency in regenerativedeep sleep Prolonged excessive usage of caffeine can lead to addiction and intoxication.

~France~

At d` Republic of Andorra.....Border between France and Spain....Good place for shopping alcoholic beverages, chocolates,candy and some other cheap stuff (duty free)

Just back from class....theres a castle far behind me called,"Chateau Des Comtes De Foix"......

At d`Arc De Triomphe (Paris)

Le Toit De La Grande Arche; some said its a border between old France and Moden France...

Entrecote Restauran in Toulouse France-The food was phenomenon......

Dining in Entrecote Restaurant....

Infront Chateau De Versailles.....The musium of art.....

~Theory of Mash Potatoes~

Every time I make mash I get different results. Worst of all is when they tun out sticky and gluey. What am I doing wrong?

Potato flesh is made up of plant cells. Inside the cells are 1000 if starch granules, the starch inside the granules has a gelatinous consistency, so that the granules may be thought of as tiny sacks of glue.

When heated in a moist environment, the granules take on water and swell until some of the sacks disintegrate, spilling their gummy contents. The granules lose their grainy structure and become gelatinized. If the spilled gelatinous starch remains trapped within the potato's cells, it is still ok because the potato's cell structure keeps them firm. But if you then smash the cells open, the gooey starch runs out and gums up the works.

When mashing, used up-and-down motion; don't slide the masher side ways, which would squash open more starch grains. Never use a food processor. It is notorious for making gluey potatoes because its sharp blades slash through the swollen starch grains, liberation lots of gluey gel.

Beyond all that, some potatoes are better for mashing than others. Small redskins are waxy and makes a waxy mash. Best are the russets, or "Idaho baking potatoes," and Yukon Golds, whose cell structures give a nice, mealy texture. And the color of the Yukon Golds makes your guests think there's more butter in the mashed potatoes than there is.

~Color of the Olives~

For years I had been told that olives are green or black depending on when they were picked or they were picked at the same time but processed in different ways. Which is true?

Olives are unusual sources of oil, in that almost all other vegetables oils reside in the fruits' seed, whereas in olives the oil is in the flesh.

As olives ripen, their colors change form straw-colored to green, purple, & finally black. The transformation from green to black takes place over a period of 3 - 4 months, olives may be picked at any one of these stages ( except when they are straw - colored), depending whether for oil or for eating at the table. Purplish olives generally produce better quality oil than fully ripe black ones.

The olives on a tree don`t all ripen at the same time, so there is always a mixture of stages to e harvested. Perhaps the biggest problem faced by olives growers is deciding exactly when to harvest for the best yield of the best stage of ripeness for the olives' intended purpose. Over the years, different country and regions have developed and maintained their traditional harvesting practice, which contribute to the different flavor characteristic.

For the table use, all olives must be processed in some way; you cant't snack on them right off the tree because they contain a bitter phenolic compound called oleuropein. It must be removed either by microbial fermentation or by soaking in a strongly alkaline solution such as sodium hydroxie (lye).

In California, semi - ripe, greenish - purple olives are soaked in a series of lye solutions of diminishing concentrations, being rinsed and aerated after each soak. This treatment, aided in some cases by the addition of ferrous gluconate, and iron compound, turn the olives throughly black, after which they are canned.

~I have a recipe that calls for self rising flour, but I can`t find any. Can I make it myself?~

Sure. Self-rising flour is flour that has some baking powder and salt already mixed into it. Most of the bigger supermarket carry it. But to make it yourself, just add about 1.5 teaspoon of baking powder and half teaspoon of salt to each cup of all purpose flour or cake flour and mix well. A gently wielded whisk does the best mixing job.

WHY DO MEN AND WOMEN GAIN WEIGHT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY?

Most people are aware that men tend to accumulate fat on their bellies while on women it usually accumulates on theirthighs, hips and bottoms This is actually because of geneticand hormonal differences between men and women The fat on a pot-bellied man is located deep in the abdomen area, around the internal organs, including the stomach muscles, which is why the abdomens of large men are still often very hard While this fat presents a health risk, it is generally easily lost.

On the other hand, the fat on a woman’s lower body poses less of a health risk because it contains a particular enzyme that takes harmful lipids out of the bloodstream, causingwomen to store the fat easily in these areas Unfortunately,this also makes it more difficult to lose It is thought by some that the fat is stored in these different areas on men and women so that it is kept away from and therefore harmless to the sexual organs A man’s abdomenis removed from his testicles, whereas a woman’s abdomen surrounds her uterus, and so the fat is stored on her hips and thighs, which are further away.

There is another theory concerning why the different genders store fat differently this way, but this one is rooted in the process of evolution In the time of our early ancestors,men hunted wild animals while women gathered fruit,berries and seeds It was therefore important for men to be able to chase prey in order to feed their families Excess weight was not conducive to this However, a man’s center of gravity is located behind the abdominal muscles, so, ifweight is to be stored anywhere, that’s the most advantageous place, as it won’t hinder him too much and he will still be able to run efficiently Women didn’t need to run,so it wasn’t as much of an evolutionary necessity for them to store fat near their centers of gravity In fact, it was important for women not to have large stomachs, which couldgive the impression that they were pregnant, a fact that was likely to deter male suitors, whose instincts were to seek areceptive mate.

WHY DO PEOPLE CRY?

Crying, or lachrymation, is the process of producing tears, which in human eyes are produced by glands under the eyelids People cry for a number of reasons: basal tears arecontinually produced to lubricate and clean the eyes, while reflex tears wash away irritants and foreign particles However,a third type of tears, emotional tears, are produced when a person cries.

When a person is hurt, physically or emotionally, the lachrymal glands sometimes constrict and produce emotional tears When a person is in an emotionally overwrought state,the body overreacts and produces a flood of hormones and other chemicals found to be present in emotional tears and yet absent in basal and reflex tears Current thinkinghas it that crying is beneficial to the body’s physical and emotion al health, as ithelps the body to dispose ofthese additional stress hormones and chemical toxins and is why people often feel better and calmer after a good cry Indeed,this view is now supported by scientific research Even the philosopher Aristotle believed that crying cleansed the mind of suppressed emotions.

Humans are the only animals to cry (although some suggest that gorillas and elephants might, too), largely—it is believed—due to their heightened sense of self-awareness.

WHY DO WOMEN AND NOT MEN TAKE BIRTH CONTROL PILLS?

The most common form of female contraception against unwanted pregnancies is known as “the Pill ” Taken orally on a daily basis, it containsthe hormones estrogenand progesterone, whichwork to prevent ovulation The Pill also makes theuterus less likely to acceptan embryo, and it thickensthe mucus in the cervix, thus making it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg.

An equivalent male Pill has been in development since the 1960s This works in a similar way to the female Pill by using synthetic hormones to alter the body’s chemical balancein order to stop the production of sperm.

The reason why women take the Pill and not men is because the reproductive system of women is cyclical, regulated by the menstrual cycle, and produces only one egg permonth, making women fertile for only about forty-eight hours per month It was therefore easier for scientists to produce a drug to control this cycle than to control the fertilityof men, who produce millions of sperm every day Producing a drug to control this process, and yet allow it to be reversiblelater, has proven to be difficult Under tests, the male Pillca used a high rate of permanent infertility, while other side effects were kidney and digestive problems, muscle fatigueand paralysis, along with a loss of libido and a decrease in facial hair To combat this, tests were conducted by introducing the male hormone testosterone into the Pill, which reducedsome side effects but did not stop the infertility problem

The Chinese ceased their research into the male Pill in 1986, and in 1998 the World Health Organization recommended that research should be abandoned because of the unacceptable side effects.

WHY DO WOMEN TALK MORE THAN MEN DO, BUT CAN’T READ MAPS AS WELL AS MEN?

While all human brains consist of the same material—about 40 percent gray matter and 60 percent white matter—the brain of a man is significantly different from that of a woman From studies conducted using intelligence tests, it has been determined that men use nearly seven times more gray matter than women do, whereas womenuse nine times more white matter than men do The main functions of gray matter seem to lie in the disciplines ofspatial awareness, including map-reading, mathematics and problem-solving, whereas white matter connects the processing centers of the brain and is important in the use of language, emotional thinking and the ability to do more than one thing at once.

Because women use more white brain matter, they tend to be better communicators In fact, the female brain has a greater number of areas associated with communicationthan the male brain does, which explains why women tend to use language as an emotional rapport-building device whereas men use language to exchange information andsolve problems On average, a woman says 7,000 words per day while a man says only 2,000

The two hemispheres of the female brain are also linked more effectively than those of the male brain, and they re more closely connected, which explains how women arebetter able to multi task than men, who generally have to concentrate on one job at a time This greater connectivity in the female brain is also thought to be the reason for socalledwomen’s intuition

These differences are thought to have been brought about by the social roles adopted by men and women in our ancestors’ time Men, for instance, would go out hunting,often tracking their prey for many days, which required problem-solving and navigation, whereas women neededto be more emotionally and linguistically attuned to protect their home and offspring In fact, studies show that women with higher than average levels of the male hormone testosteronetend to be able to read maps more effectively than other women