Two Articles

Super Foods

I did some research today- funny how I couldn't find how much selenium you can find in onions and garlic. Oh well, it just says you aren't supposed to have more than 400 mg per day. How specific. Here's some highlights from the article.

Avocado: A great source of fiber, monounsaturated fatty acids, magnesium, folate, vitamin E, chlorophyll and carotenoids. Avocados are rich in magnesium, which is an essential nutrient for healthy bones, the cardiovascular system (especially regulating blood pressure), prevention of migraines and Type II diabetes. Avocados provide more magnesium than the 20 most commonly eaten fruits.

Extra virgin olive oil: Long a staple of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, olive oil is looking even better now that scientists have shown that the extra-virgin variety has anti-inflammatory properties.

Dark chocolate
Perhaps the best news is that dark chocolate (but not milk chocolate) is now a superfood. Dark chocolate contains substances similar to the heart-healthy compounds in green tea. Six brands were tested for levels of [flavanols]. The winner: Newman's Own sweet dark chocolate.

Cinnamon: The USDA found that half a teaspoon a day lowered blood-sugar levels in patients with Type II diabetes and brought down their bad cholesterol. Also, smelling cinnamon offers a “brain boost” and it is anti-bacterial. It's has been shown to be effective in fighting E.coli.

It goes on to talk about garlic, onion, kiwi, etc. Nice article.

No more Minolta film.

Minolta is pulling their film and camera division to focus on LCDs medical equipment and optics, and color copiers to boost profits. They still will make SLR lenses for Sony. I think this is a shame since I first learned on a minolta how to take pictures. Mom's that she bought almost fifteen years ago still works. I'd urge people to snap them up, but where will you find parts and new lenses once the factories shut down in '07?