'Hear all about, hear all about it- Man sues McDonald for becoming obese'

No, I'm not kidding.

So an employee of McDonald in Sao Paulo, Brazil sues for $17,500, for becoming obese.Yes, he won and here is his reasoning:

Health Disparities-"Health is a right not a privilege"

Today I attended UCLA's11th Annual Health Disparities Symposium at the California Science Center. The speakers all gave important insightful information regarding the many of the health problems that our modern society faces. The speakers are all distinguished scholars who have done extensive research on an array of health issues. Dr. Toni Yancey and Dr. Bastani from UCLA were the two coordinators who put this together with Kaiser Permanente. I have to digress for a bit to talk about one of my all time favorite people, in academia, that is-- Antronette Yancey( MD, MPH). She has made numerous contributions to health and specifically the prevention of disease through exercising and eating healthy. Her resume consists of 25 pages of (how do I put this), awesomeness. One of her most recent projects is the WORKING project which I have the pleasure of being a data collector for. Her main focus is wanting to get people off their chairs for at least 10 minutes a day to exercise. I can go on and on about her magnificence but I suggest you just read more about her here.

The central theme the speakers spoke about was the importance of eating healthy foods and exercising regularly.One point that was of contention was the issue of exercise. Does it really matter? What about those who do not have the proper environmental resources to exercise?
The answers were spread out but basically I learned that nutrition and eating healthfully is more important than exercise.  A study done on a group of people showed that those who exercised more gained more weight. Why did they gain weight? Exercising obviously builds ones appetite and those would eat more unhealthy fatty foods. OK, so your probably wondering, these people are now telling me not to exercise? No. This is not the case, the true answer is finding the equilibrium between the two. Exercising and eating nutritious, high-fiber foods can lead you in the right direction.

Did I mention that we did a mini stretch break!!!???  Oh and the CA Science Center had a beautiful rose garden. Enjoy some picture below...

Anyways, I challenge you to think more about what you can do to think and be healthy. Health is not only defined as physical health, but it is important to take into account mental and spiritual health.

"Health is a gift, you can't insure it"
- Dr. David Martins

Healthy wishes,
Farah

Health Myths

Did your mother ever tell you not to leave the house with wet hair because "you'll get sick"?
Well I have interesting news for you, this is false!
Here are many other myths that have been proven true and false.
P.S. warm milk really does help you fall asleep better, so drink away!

Love cupcakes?

Cupcakes are a very tasty sweet indulgence. The main ingredient, sugar, has no real benefits and is simply fatty. BUT, what if you can make it taste good and add ample amounts of vitamins and minerals? Check out this article from NPR, there are many tasty recipes and easy alternatives to making healthy cupcakes.  

Honey "Nut" Cheerios

The not so nutty truth.
http://www.weightymatters.ca/2010/09/why-are-there-no-nuts-in-honey-nut.html

Superfoods

Add meaning to your daily eating rituals by knowing what vitamins are in the types of foods you eat. There are some foods in particular that have extraordinary nutrients in which we can all benefit from.  It is very important to choose wisely. Conventionally, many eat foods based on instant gratification,  without caring about the long-term effects of what they have eaten. Taste usually comes before health and it is one important factor to think about. Having fun with it! Going to your local farmers market and bringing home local, fresh, and health ingredients is a great way to get in touch to your "healthy side."Some of the fruits and vegetables that are on the top of the list of SUPERFOODS include: spinach, blueberries, bell peppers, apples,. . . . . .
Pics I took at my local farmers market! YUM ;D

For more information I highly recommend reading this article by Darya Pinto, a scientist and health blogger. 

Also check out this book, "The Worlds Healthiest Foods in The World" by George Mateljan. 

I leave you with a quote by the beloved Audrey Hepurn 

‎"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek 
out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the 
hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it 
once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never
walk alone."
 

The Truth Behind Cosmetics...

The time has come for people all over the world to know about the truth. What is really in our cosmetic products? how is it regulated? are there carcinogens in baby products?

I recently wrote a very long research paper on this topic and boy are the facts staggering.
Here is a recent documentary made, which will explain exactly what I am talking about.
http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/

If you want to check how toxic your cosmetic products are(this can include anything from contact solution, lipstick, and mens deodorant)  go to http://cosmeticdatabase.com/

Why can't we all just live salubriously?
FDS