The Movie Jumper - it didn't land well

Entertaining and...
thoroughly disappointing

I could say all these things about this movie, preceded by the phrase, "Don't go see this movie because"----

1. The script has holes bigger than the space between Paris Hilton's ears.

2. The movie has a thoroughly unsatisfying end, mainly because it is obviously set up for a sequel that will never happen (Sam Jackson being deposited on the side of a cliff, Diane Lane the paladin giving her jumper son Chrisitian Haydensen (oops, got his name backwards---its Hayden Chistiansen, not that it matters) a head start, the irish jumper disappearing from the last ten minutes of the movie, etc).

3. Christian Haydensen's, I mean Hayden Christiansen's, acting is still pretty wooden.

4. They never explain just why the hell it is that anyone is bothering to pursue these jumpers. And if anyone should be pursuing them, it should be the U.S. treasury deparment and the secret service.

However, I have a fondness for Sci-fi movies, even bad ones. So, if you like sci-fi, go see it because---

1. The effects aren't bad.

2. Anakin Skywalker's acting, while wooden, is better than it used to be.

3. Samuel Jackson is so modsquad cool with that white skullhair.

Grape Seeds - the seeds themselves are a nutritional element

We’ve all bought seedless grapes. Who wants those crunchy little buggers ruining their juicy grape experience? Well, we might be missing the most important nutritional element in grapes – proanthocyanidins – if we forgo the seeds.

An article at newstarget takes a look at the conventional view of grape seeds, as well as the alternative view, and points out several reasons you might want to start seeking out grapes with seeds. For one, they have been shown to hold antioxidant, anti-inflammatory (see inflammation), anti-cancer and anti-atherogenic properties. They are also thought to protect the heart, blood and liver, while fighting breast, lung and stomach cancers.

Why are so many seedless grapes being sold? The article suggests the public is being denied a natural, healing product.

If you’re already too fond of grapes without seeds, you may want to try a grape seed extract. There are many different brands and types that can be found in health food stores or on the internet.

For more information and resources, visit the original article at: Eat the seeds

By the way, here are some definitions that have been added to the VitaminStuff dictionary:

Catechins

Cruciferous Vegetables

Free Radical

Stevia

Metabolic Syndrome

Proanthocyanidins

Thymus Gland

Type II Diabetes

Soy Protein

Androgens

The Devil is, obviously, in the Details

Free breakfast offer modified

When I drove past this motel and restaurant, I couldn't stop laughing. My only guess is that, at one point, they'd been inundated with individuals in pursuit of free food.

If that had been the case, however, I wouldn't be surprised. The shot was taken in one of the worst areas of Fayetteville, North Carolina, a place I called home for many years and, truly, one of the ugliest cities you could ever drive into.

Mind you, the town is not completely ugly through and through. There are, in fact at least three, maybe four spots in the city that are not painful on the eyes. However, as others have remarked, there is no good way to enter Fayetteville. Any road or highway you choose as an entry point to the city leads you through something that looks like a burned out cinder, or one corner of a third world turf war.

And, of course, that's where you'll find "The Pancake House" and, I believe, the accompanying "Ambassador Motel". Ick.

Eat Grapefruit for Healthy Gums

While it is known that citric acids can weaken tooth enamel and can cause tooth erosion, a new study shows a different take on vitamin C and oral health. Performed by Friedrich Schiller University in Germany, the study reported that eating grapefruit every day may help reduce bleeding gums and help promote the healing of gum disease.

Researchers had 58 volunteers with chronic gum disease eat two grapefruits a day and found that it had a positive effect on gum disease; this was true for smokers and non-smokers. The researchers believe this is due to the increase in vitamin C, which promotes healing of wounds. Each grapefruit contains over 90 mg of vitamin C.

The study was published in the British Dental Journal. If Vitamin C is the main component of healing bleeding gums, we are left to wonder if oranges and vitamin C supplements have the same affect.

Inflammation allows the body to heal itself

Here's another definition that was to be added to the Vitamin Stuff dictionary. However, this is also, like Creatine, a duplication, i.e. I failed to realize that the definition had previously been written. Never one to waste good, even if redundant material, here's some information on "inflammation".

Inflammation is the way the body responds to foreign substances, irritation, infection, bacteria, viruses and other injuries. During inflammation, white blood cells and chemicals are released into the blood and affected tissues in order protect the body. This release of chemicals cause the signs of inflammation, such as redness, swelling, warmth, irritation, joint stiffness and pain.

Inflammation may also be accompanied by headaches, muscle stiffness, fever, chills and loss of energy. Inflammation is a mechanism that allows the body to heal itself.

Creatine is a Natural Constituent of Skeletal Muscle

I'm in the process of developing a dictionary for Vitamin Stuff, one that will cover much of the terminology encountered in nutrition and health and fitness writing. It's not the easiest process, of course, and, as with anything else, there's the occasional flub.

Here's a definition for Creatine that's redundant (I had forgotten that a page devoted to Creatine already exists on Vitamin Stuff) but still worthy of posting.

Creatine, also known as phosphocreatine, is a natural constituent of skeletal muscle and is also produced by amino acids during digestion. The richest sources of creatine in food come from meat and fish.

While natural creatine is a protein derivative in muscle tissue, it is most commonly known for its use as a dietary supplement in the sport of bodybuilding for those seeking to enhance their physical performance. The reason it is used by bodybuilders is because it increases the amount of energy available from the muscles and improves one’s ability to sustain strength during intense exercise.

Hydrotherapy comes in Various Forms

Hydrotherapy is any form of therapy that uses water as the main source of treatment. Hydrotherapy may take the form of baths, sprays, whirlpools, douches, packs, compresses and even irrigation, such as colon hydrotherapy.

In hydrotherapy, water can be used as a hot application or a cold application, increasing or decreasing body temperature and the rate of blood flow. Hydrotherapy is not generally accepted by the medical community as a true therapy, due to the fact that medical practitioners have not studied and documented its effects. However, this type of therapy has been used for centuries all over the world and many individuals testify to its benefits and curative effects.

Here's a new article, written by Opal Tribble, titled " Hydrotherapy: Our Bodies React to Contact with Water .

More of Opal's articles can be found on this page: Opal Tribble, Vitamin Stuff Contributing Writer.

Also, here are some new definitions for the Vitamin Stuff dictionary, the building of which is in progress.

Saturated Fats

Herbal Tinctures

Carrier Oil

Colon

MSM

Simple Sugars

Phytoestrogens

Piracetam

Inflammation

Polyunsaturated Fats

Weight Training for Health

Do you do 20 to 30 minutes of cardio a few days a week to keep your health in check? Even if you do, cardio isn’t enough to keep you healthy and strong as the decades pass. New physical activity guidelines from the American College of Sports and Medicine and the American Heart Association encourage Americans to strength train in addition to getting regular cardiovascular exercise. They suggest at least two training periods a week to work out the major muscle groups.

From my own perspective, I would certainly agree with this. Resistance training, a.k.a. strength training can payoff in a lot of different ways: burning more calories and reducing body fat, allowing one to add more muscle tissue which results in a heightened ability to burn more calories and reduce body fat, and stronger bones (resistance training improves bone density).

Of course, not everyone is cut out for hitting the barbells and dumbells (a variety of factors, including age and level of infirmity, could affect whether nor not this type of activity is suitable for an individual). Fortunately, strength training doesn’t necessarily have to mean bodybuilding or lifting free weights (i.e. anaerobic activity). Strength training can involve the use of machines and various resistance activities that work toward a similar goal, which is to make sure that the major muscle groups are "worked out" sufficiently.

Cardiovascular exercise is a definite must. But as research continues to indicate (and validate what strength training enthusiasts have known for decades) muscle training is also needed to keep a person strong, fit and healthy.

Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis May Not be Effective

The most common type of osteoarthritis in the United States is Knee Osteoarthritis. It is the main cause of disability in the U.S., with more than 10 million people reported as having it. The most common supplements for knee osteoarthritis are chondroitin and glucosamine, the most common surgery is arthroscopic knee surgery and the most common injections are hyaluronan (as in hyalauronic acid) preparations.

However, according to a review by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), none of these treatments are more effective than a placebo. The review stated that each of these treatments lacked scientific support and needed more testing.

If the supplements that are used to relieve pain and improve physical function have no effect and the injections used to lubricate the joint lack scientific support, as well as the procedure to clean out the joint by removing loose cartilage, then the entire medical community will need to determine new, effective treatments for the leading cause of osteoarthritis.

Substituting Grape Juice and Grape Seed Extract for Wine

Most of us know that drinking a glass or two of wine a day is a great way to lessen the risk of heart disease and cancer, while lowering cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, too much wine can cause bodily damage over time and is not healthy for those with alcohol issues.

Fortunately, a new study suggests that you can substitute grape juice for wine with the same healthy effects, without the added alcohol. The study was funded by Welch's Foods Inc. and reported that eating both red grape skins and seeds, or taking grape seed extract was just as healthy as partaking of wine. Welch’s Food Inc. is a branch of the National Grape Cooperative Association.

However, not just any grape juice will do. Grape juice must have a high level of polyphenols to offer health benefits. Grapes offer resveratrol and proanthocyanidins, both of which offer cardiovascular and heart benefits.

Smoking and Alzheimer's

Since I have a parent in her sixties, this is news that immediately grabbed my attention. A new study has found that older individuals who are age 55 or older and who smoke may increase their risk of developing Alzheimer's by as much as 50 percent.

Apparently, the nicotine found in cigarettes increases the effects of a particular brain protein that is known to cause Alzheimer's.

What is ironic about this is the fact that, previously, the medical establishment was of the opinion that nicotine actually reduced a person's risk of developing of Alzheimer's by limiting plaque formation in the brain.