MaoBah

It is said that sugar which enters your bloodstream in high levels can turn off the gene that controls your sex hormones. How interesting is that?

The simple sugars are actually metabolized in your liver with the excess stored as fat lipids. More of the explaination says that excess fat synthesis deactivates a person’s sex hormone binding globulin gene, also known as SHBG. This causes the levels of SHBG protein to drop and it is this hormone that controls your testosterone and estrogen levels. How profound.

Also, too little SHBG protein means that your body will produce too much testosterone and estrogen, which increases your chances of acne, infertility, polycystic ovaries, uterine cancer, and heart disease.

A study of more than 2,000 women has found those with higher vitamin D levels showed fewer aging-related changes in their DNA, as well as lowered inflammatory responses. Also, low vitamin D levels are common among tuberculosis (TB) patients. Lack of vitamin D has been linked in previous studies to multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and other diseases.

Cells have built-in DNA clocks, known as telomeres. Measuring the length of these strands of DNA is one way of examining the aging process at a cellular level.

Women with higher levels of vitamin D are more likely to have longer telomeres, and vice versa. This means that people with higher levels of vitamin D may actually age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D.

No wonder vitamin D has a protective effect on so many diseases, ranging from MS and TB, to heart disease and cancer — it keeps your body young!

The heart rates and brain activity of couples in their 20s was monitored while they first melted chocolate in their mouths, and then kissed. The "buzz" caused by chocolate was more intense, and lasted four times longer, than that caused by kissing.

Chocolate also doubled volunteers’ heart rates, from a resting rate of about 60 beats per minute to 140. Kissing did increase heart rate, but not to the same degree.

Substances in chocolate are already known to have a psychoactive effect; it contains phenylethylamine, which can raise levels of endorphins in the brain, and caffeine, which is stimulating.

Allowing the chocolate to melt on your tongue may maximize the buzz.

Did you know that there are such things as man-made earthquakes? Well, it’s been happening since the 19th century and human activity is what causes the problem. In fact, it has been one of the sources of more than 200 earthquakes, and other culprits are extraction of gas, oil, or water; fluid injection; and the creation of reservoirs. It is calculated that the losses caused by a quake that happened in Australia exceeded the total amount of money earned from mining since operations began in that area two centuries ago.

And this year’s Top 10 Higest earners are:
1. Reese Witherspoon — $15 million-$20 million
2. Angelina Jolie — $15 million-$20 million
3. Cameron Diaz — $15+ million
4. Nicole Kidman — $10 million-$15 million
5. Renee Zellweger — $10 million-$15 million
6. Sandra Bullock — $10 million-$15 million
7. Julia Roberts — $10 million-$15 million
8. Drew Barrymore — $10 million-$12 million
9. Jodie Foster — $10 million-$12 million
10. Halle Berry — $10 million