Steak Marinated in Beer or Wine ‘Reduces Cancer Chemicals’

According to scientists marinating steak in beer or wine before cooking it dramatically reduces levels of chemicals that can cause cancer.

Researchers found that steeping the meat in alcohol for several hours cut the high levels of carcinogenic compounds triggered by frying it. They also discovered that beer was more effective than wine at lowering the cancer-forming chemicals, and also made for a better-looking and tastier meal.

New Scientist magazine, which reports the findings, stated: “If you are frying a steak and mindful of your health, then marinate it in either beer or red wine. Read more

Benjamin Button is Fiction But You Can Grow Older Healthier

Many of us have wondered what it might be like to live backward lives, or to have the wisdom of age with the body of youth. This is exactly that mechanism present in the excellent David Fincher film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

The title character of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is born in 1860, without explanation, as a man of 70, complete with wrinkles, long beard and cantankerous attitude. From then on, he grows younger each year, until, seven decades later, he passes on peacefully as an infant.

I thought this might be a good time to delve into many of the myths that surround aging and anti-aging and to detail some exercise routines specifically for older people. I also covered the topic of strength training for seniors in an earlier post. Read more

Self-Massage Headache Relief

Normally if you have a headache I would suggest seeking the service of a professional massage therapist, however often that is not possible, so why not try self massage techniques, which may speak to men more than females. The reason being, men still have a lower rate of seeking massage therapy services than women do. Read more

10 Benefits of Strength Training for Seniors

Strength training is just what older bodies, even very old or frail ones, need to fight the loss of muscle mass and strength, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The ACSM believes that strength training is the most important exercise for older adults who aren’t fit, and that it should come before aerobic activity, not afterward, as is typically the case.

For all older adults - not just the frail elderly - a regular program of strengthening, combined with aerobic exercises, can help reduce or prevent many functional declines associated with growing older, according to the ACSM. Read more

Sign the Petition to Lift the Travel Ban on those with HIV

Ctrl Alt Shift is a social site dedicated to charity through action rather than donation. Their aim is simple – to give you a platform to change the world.

They are racing to get 50,000 people to join the Ctrl Alt Shift site. Each sign-up will be a protest against the 12 countries that ban people living with HIV from entering, including Russia, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.

Unbelievably, the US had the same ban until October this year. They’re now in the process of lifting it. It was only by people making their voice heard that this changed.

In the UK there are no travel restrictions against those with HIV. Have we turned into a nation of lepers as a result? Of course not. The ban doesn’t prevent the spread of infection, it just reinforces the stigma already faced by people living with HIV.

The biggest challenge with HIV is that there’s no cure. The second is stigma; not just from governments, but from our own communities. There are so many myths and stereotypes flying around that people living with HIV are driven underground. Would you admit to your mates that you had it? No, didn’t think so.

This is why people all over the world living with HIV have NOTHING TO DECLARE.

It is unjust and unacceptable in the 21st century for there to be such restrictions in place, violating people’s basic human rights.

What you can do to help? Well it’s easy:

1) Register at www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk and get involved!

2) Embed the Ctrl Alt Shift Widget to show your support for the campaign and encourage your peers to sign up.

In addition, by joining the Ctrl Alt Shift community you also get the quarterly magazine for free with interviews with the likes of Estelle, Sway and Sam Roddick. You can also submit your own articles and content to be part of the magazine, highlighting issues that concern you.

Key partners such as Vice Magazine and the British Film Institute (BFI) offer you the chance to get involved through creative competitions, with mentors such as Noel Clarke, Alexia Chung. Music partners include Young Knives, GoldieLocks, Mystery Jets and Boy Better Know.

Get involved! Be Creative! It’s your world - Take Control!

5 Simple Things That Will Keep You Mentally Fit

Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that can be the most effective. A panel of scientists has found that simple activities such as gardening or mending a bicycle can protect mental health and help people to lead more fulfilled and productive lives. Read more