A four minute video on world wealth and health that is a more interesting presentation of statistics than the norm: The video ends on an optimistic note: everything is getting better and better, even for those down at the bottom. I would be more cautious: while life expectancy has improved for all but the poorest …
Category: Health
Operation World — missions and the Earth and environmental sciences
One of the most significant influences that directed me into missionary service (my family served with ReachGlobal---the international mission of the Evangelical Free Church of America---from 2002 to 2008) was when we purchased a copy of Operation World back in the early days of our marriage. This book is a day-by-day prayer guide to the …
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Nature is good for you
From LiveScience.com: Got Nature? Why You Need to Get Out. We do better physically and mentally when we are regularly exposed to nature, even if it is the somewhat artificial surroundings of a city park. It is true for adults as well as for children. As Christians, we know something of the value of taking …
Self stem cells
Once again, it is using one's own body's stem cells where medical progress is being made, without the ethical or medical problems associated with using embryonic stem cells: Revolutionary stem cell therapy boosts body's ability to heal itself (from The Guardian). A groundbreaking medical treatment that could dramatically enhance the body's ability to repair itself …
100
My grandmother, on my mother's side, lived to be 100. My wife's grandmother, on her father's side, turned 100 yesterday. I guess it looks good for women in my family. Yahoo had a story yesterday: 4 Surprising signs you'll live a long time. Here they are: Don't drink pop. All that sugar either makes you …
Cell transformation
Once again, news reports are showing that using human embryonic stem cells for research is not only immoral, but perhaps scientifically unnecessary. An article in the science journal Nature reports that ordinary pancreas cells in adult mice have been transformed into cells that produce insulin. Here are the first few paragraphs from an article on …
Asexual Reproduction
Gene Edward Veith (Cranach) has a post on generating human embryos from human skin cells. The ability to generate stem cells from skin cells was a promising medical breakthrough that bypasses the serious ethical concerns that are associated with embryonic stem cell research; the ability to create an entire human being brings all kinds of …
HIV/AIDS: A.B.C., S.L.O.W., or S.T.O.P.?
Christianity Today has an article on Kay Warren's framework for fighting HIV/AIDS. (Kay Warren is the Wife of Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren). The article is HIV/AIDS: S.L.O.W. It Down, or S.T.O.P. It? The approach that has been promoted by many Christians in places like Africa is ABC --- A -- Abstinence B -- …
How would you like to have an ear on your arm?
From Scientific American's blog Sciam Observations: Man implants "ear" in arm. [The man] had a surgeon implant a human ear (grown from cells in a lab) into his left forearm. The next step in his living exhibit? "I hope to have a tiny microphone implanted [in]to it that will connect with a Bluetooth transmitter." Sounds …
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Deadly Popcorn
Headline: Doctor warns consumers of popcorn fumes My wife (who likes her microwave popcorn!) said this sounds like Super-Size Me. This guy had several bags of microwave popcorn per day for years! Grace and Peace
Anti-smoking videos on YouTube
In Biology (9th/10th grades) we just finished the unit on the circulatory and respiratory systems. Here are a couple of short anti-smoking videos from YouTube: Smoking Through a Hole in Her Throat Cigarettes and Arteries Grace and Peace
Eat Well Part 2
A few weeks ago I had a simple quote from Scientific American Blog: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Don Darrick at The Evangelical Ecologist has good dietary advice, with a few more details: Here’s how I have made my diet more natural: 1. Reduced soda (or pop) intake to virtually zero. Increased water …
Eat well
From Scientific American Blog: The best dietary advice is fundamentally, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Not too complicated. Not very expensive. Not tied to the latest diet fad. Good for your heart, and your wallet. However, I'll still eat a good steak every once in a while. Grace and Peace
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