Most of our cells have a genetic code that, when deciphered, tells our body how to make the proteins we need for survival. With the passing of time and experience of hardship, small modifications are added to act like ‘genetic switches’, affecting the way our cells interpret the instructions without changing the code itself.

Accumulations of these so-called epigenetic changes are often used to estimate the biological age of our cells and tissues. But researchers in Lithuania have now shown that the edits can fluctuate throughout the day, suggesting tests based on a single tissue sample aren’t as accurate as they could be.

The team studied multiple blood samples from a 52-year-old man taken every three hours over 72 hours, looking at 17 different epigenetic clocks within each specimen’s collection of white cells.

What they found was surprising. Thirteen of the 17 epigenetic clocks showed a substantial difference throughout the day, appearing ‘younger’ in the early hours of the morning and ‘older’ around midday, with relative differences equivalent to around 5.5 years’ worth of changes. This daily cycle is similar to what other scientists found in a 2020 study.

“The majority of the aging studies investigating epigenetic clocks use whole blood as the tissue of interest. However, experiments in our lab and from other groups have shown that white blood cell subtype counts and their proportions oscillate with a 24 hour periodicity,” statistician Karolis Koncevičius from Vilnius University and colleagues write in their published paper.

This means a single epigenetic test at one time of day might not give the whole picture.

Relying on just a single individual’s samples meant the team could focus on a single set of changes, at the cost of being able to generalize across a larger population. Further analysis of different blood samples taken over five hours from a small group also found age fluctuations, however.

Some of these cellular age changes might be because our blood contains different types of white blood cells at different times of the day. However, some measures still showed this age fluctuation even when the researchers focused on just one type of white blood cell.

The findings suggest that to get the most accurate picture of how old your cells are, scientists might need to take multiple samples at varied times of day in the future. A more complete measure of epigenetic age range might allow more precise predictions about risk of age-related diseases  in populations too.

“Our findings indicate that age predictions of epigenetic clocks oscillate throughout the day,” the authors write “Failure to account for daily oscillations may hamper estimates of epigenetic age.”

The research has been published in Aging Cell.

Source: Sciencealert.com, Author: Rebecca Dyer

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has implied that it’s possible.

The health agency announced in March that it will not object to a claim from Danone North America — maker of Dannon and other popular yogurt brands — that regularly eating yogurt could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The FDA intends to allow the claim to appear on yogurt food labels, “provided that the qualified health claims are worded so as not to mislead consumers, and that other factors for the use of the claim are met.”

“After reviewing the petition and other evidence related to the proposed qualified health claim, the FDA determined that there is some credible evidence supporting a relationship between yogurt intake and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, but this evidence is limited,” the FDA said in a statement.

The health claim that the FDA recently approved is referred to as a “qualified claim.” 

That means the evidence isn’t strong or conclusive, but is suggestive of benefit to human health, noted Sherry Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietician and expert from the Atlanta metropolitan area. 

Regular consumption is considered 2 cups (3 servings) per week of yogurt, which is the minimum amount for this qualified health claim.

“I don’t like the idea of suggesting that one food alone has the power to reduce disease, because we know it’s really all about the pattern of eating,” she told Fox News Digital.

Regular consumption is considered 2 cups (3 servings) per week of yogurt, which is the minimum amount for the qualified health claim. (iStock)

“Yogurt — as part of a diet rich in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, protein foods like lean meats and/or beans, lentils and soy, and fermented dairy — has shown to be very health-promoting,” Collins added.

Yogurt that contains live, active cultures is a great way to get good bacteria in the diet, according to Collins. 

A healthy gut, which is one with diverse microbiota and heavy in healthy strains, reduces the risk of many chronic conditions,” she said. 

The good bacteria found in fermented dairy are associated with overall better health and lower rates of disease, including type 2 diabetes.”

“Plain Greek yogurt is fantastic, because it’s high in protein and calcium, and you can adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding a little honey and/or fruit,” a dietitian said. (iStock)

When choosing yogurt, Collins recommended looking for varieties that are low in added sugar.

“Plain Greek yogurt is fantastic, because it’s high in protein and calcium, and you can adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding a little honey and/or fruit,” she said.

There’s likely no additional benefit beyond a couple of servings, Collins said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Danone requesting comment.

Source: Foxnews.com, Author: Melissa Ruddy

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1. Embrace Cardio and Strength Training

Before you overload on crunches, understand that true belly fat loss comes from a combination of cardio and muscle strengthening. Aerobic exercises like walking, cycling, or swimming burn calories and help reduce overall body fat. Strength training, on the other hand, builds muscle mass which not only supports your skeleton but also increases your daily calorie burn. “Aerobic activity boosts your metabolism during and just after exercise and can indirectly affect weight, such as improving sleep and reducing stress,” explains Creel.

2. Cut Down on Sugars and High-Calorie Drinks

Sugar sneaks into many foods, both naturally and as an additive, and has no nutritional benefits while packing in calories. Reducing your sugar intake, especially from high-calorie drinks like sodas and fruit juices, can significantly help in reducing belly fat. “When you drink calories, particularly from sugary beverages, you don’t feel as satiated as you would from eating whole fruits,” says Creel. Opt for whole foods that are rich in nutrients and keep an eye out for hidden sugars.

3. Moderate Alcohol Consumption

The term “beer belly” isn’t a myth—alcohol can lead to weight gain around the midsection. Drinking in moderation is key as alcohol contains empty calories that contribute to fat accumulation. “Alcohol can also decrease your inhibitions, making it harder to make healthy food choices,” Creel notes. Cutting back on alcohol could be a significant step toward losing abdominal fat.

4. Increase Fiber and Protein Intake

Dietary fibers and proteins are your allies in the fight against fat. Fibers enhance feelings of fullness and slow down food absorption, which helps in reducing overall intake. Proteins, on the other hand, boost metabolism, decrease appetite, and are essential for building lean muscle mass. “Eating foods rich in soluble fiber can help you feel full longer by forming a gel-like substance in your gut,” Creel suggests.

5. Choose Your Carbohydrates Wisely

Not all carbs are created equal. While simple carbs like sugar can spike your blood glucose levels, complex carbs from whole grains, vegetables, and legumes provide sustained energy and don’t lead to rapid blood sugar spikes. “Choosing the right carbohydrates is crucial for managing belly fat and maintaining overall health,” says Creel.

6. Plan Meals and Limit Late-Night Snacking

Preparing meals ahead of time can ensure you eat nutritious food regularly without the temptation of unhealthy snacks. Creel advises, “Meal planning helps relieve the stress of having to decide what to eat each day and contributes to a balanced diet.” Also, avoiding eating late at night can help control weight gain, as our bodies tend to store more fat at night.

7. Prioritize Sleep

A good night’s sleep is vital for overall health and effective weight management. Lack of sleep can disrupt appetite hormones and lead to overeating. “Aiming for at least seven hours of sleep per night is crucial, as sleep deprivation can significantly affect your body’s hunger hormones and stress levels,” explains Creel.

8. Reduce Stress

Stress not only affects your mood and productivity but also your waistline. High cortisol levels, a product of stress, have been linked to increased abdominal fat. “Incorporating stress-reducing practices like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing can help maintain a healthy weight,” suggests Creel.

Conclusion

Losing abdominal fat is a slow and steady process that requires consistent effort across various aspects of your lifestyle. While there’s no magic bullet for targeting belly fat specifically, adopting these healthy habits can lead to significant improvements in both your physique and your health.

Related video:

Source: wecb.fm, Author: Sarah Jensen

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In the intricate tapestry of American politics, few issues are as divisive and emotionally charged as abortion. With each twist and turn, the debate intensifies, weaving its way through the corridors of power and the hearts of the people. Against this backdrop, former President Donald Trump’s proclamation to leave abortion regulation to the states sent shockwaves rippling through the nation, igniting a fierce battle over states’ rights, women’s autonomy, and the sanctity of life.

The announcement came during a press conference held at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s palatial estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Flanked by advisors and fervent supporters, the former president stood before a sea of reporters, his demeanor confident and his words deliberate.

“It is time to return the issue of abortion to where it rightfully belongs: the states,” Trump declared, his voice resonating with authority. “Each state should have the autonomy to decide its own stance on this deeply personal and morally complex issue. Washington should not dictate morality; it should be left to the people and their elected representatives.”

The statement immediately ignited a firestorm of controversy, with reactions pouring in from all corners of the political spectrum. Conservative allies lauded Trump’s commitment to federalism and states’ rights, praising his efforts to roll back what they saw as federal overreach in matters of moral significance. Meanwhile, liberal opponents condemned the move as a blatant attack on women’s reproductive rights, warning of dire consequences for access to healthcare and bodily autonomy.

As the debate raged on, the implications of Trump’s proclamation became increasingly clear, thrusting state governments into the spotlight and placing them squarely at the center of the abortion debate. In states across the country, lawmakers grappled with the weighty responsibility of crafting legislation that reflected the values and beliefs of their constituents.

In conservative-leaning states, where anti-abortion sentiment ran deep, legislators wasted no time in enacting stringent restrictions on abortion access, drawing inspiration from model legislation crafted by pro-life organizations. Restrictions on late-term abortions, mandatory waiting periods, and stringent clinic regulations became the norm, much to the dismay of pro-choice advocates who saw their hard-fought rights eroded before their eyes.

Conversely, in progressive bastions where reproductive rights were fiercely defended, lawmakers moved swiftly to safeguard access to abortion services, enshrining protections in state law and allocating resources to ensure that clinics remained open and accessible to all who sought their services. But even in these states, the battle was far from over, as legal challenges and political maneuvering threatened to undermine the hard-won victories of the past.

As the states grappled with the complexities of regulating abortion within their borders, the nation watched with bated breath, keenly aware of the high stakes involved. With each new development, the divide between red and blue states deepened, reflecting the broader schism that defined American politics.

In the end, Trump’s call to leave abortion regulation to the states served as a potent reminder of the enduring complexities and moral ambiguities that surround the issue. As the debate rages on, the nation finds itself at a crossroads, torn between competing visions of morality, autonomy, and the role of government in shaping the most intimate aspects of people’s lives. And amidst the turmoil, one thing remains abundantly clear: the fight over abortion is far from over, and its repercussions will be felt for generations to come.

Related videos:

Abortion to the states???

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Research indicates that a fasting-mimicking diet can rejuvenate the immune system and reduce metabolic risk factors in humans, effectively making them biologically younger by following a specific five-day dietary plan that mimics fasting effects.

Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California is one of the world’s leading private research universities. It is located in the heart of Los Angeles.

Research from USC demonstrates that periodic adherence to a diet that simulates fasting can lower insulin resistance, decrease liver fat, rejuvenate the immune system, and reduce biological aging in clinical trial patients.

Periodic adherence to a fasting-like diet can reduce signs of aging in the immune system, alongside decreasing insulin resistance and liver fat levels in humans, leading to a reduced biological age, according to a study led by the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.

The study, which was recently published in the journal Nature Communications, adds to the body of evidence supporting the beneficial effects of the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD).

The FMD is a five-day diet high in unsaturated fats and low in overall calories, protein, and carbohydrates and is designed to mimic the effects of a water-only fast while still providing necessary nutrients and making it much easier for people to complete the fast. The diet was developed by the laboratory of USC Leonard Davis School Professor Valter Longo, the senior author of the new study.

“This is the first study to show that a food-based intervention that does not require chronic dietary or other lifestyle changes can make people biologically younger, based on both changes in risk factors for aging and disease and on a validated method developed by the Levine group to assess biological age,” Longo said

Previous research led by Longo has indicated that brief, periodic FMD cycles are associated with a range of beneficial effects. They can:

• Promote stem cell generation
• Lessen chemotherapy side effects
• Reduce the signs of dementia in mice

In addition, the FMD cycles can lower the risk factors for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other age-related diseases in humans.

The Longo lab also had previously shown that one or two cycles of the FMD for five days a month increased the healthspan and lifespan of mice on either a normal or Western diet, but the effects of the FMD on aging and biological age, liver fat, and immune system aging in humans were unknown until now.

Lower disease risks & more youthful cells. The study analyzed the diet’s effects in two clinical trial populations, each with men and women between the ages of 18 and 70. Patients who were randomized to the fasting-mimicking diet underwent 3-4 monthly cycles, adhering to the FMD for 5 days, then ate a normal diet for 25 days.

The FMD is comprised of plant-based soups, energy bars, energy drinks, chip snacks, and tea portioned out for 5 days as well as a supplement providing high levels of minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. Patients in the control groups were instructed to eat either a normal or Mediterranean-style diet.

An analysis of blood samples from trial participants showed that patients in the FMD group had lower diabetes risk factors, including less insulin resistance and lower HbA1c results. Magnetic resonance imaging also revealed a decrease in abdominal fat as well as fat within the liver, improvements associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome. In addition, the FMD cycles appeared to increase the lymphoid-to-myeloid ratio – an indicator of a more youthful immune system.

Further statistical analysis of the results from both clinical studies showed that FMD participants had reduced their biological age – a measure of how well one’s cells and tissues are functioning, as opposed to chronological age – by 2.5 years on average.

This study shows for the first time evidence for biological age reduction from two different clinical trials, accompanied by evidence of rejuvenation of metabolic and immune function,” Longo said.

The study, conducted by first authors Sebastian Brandhorst, USC Leonard Davis research associate professor, and Morgan E. Levine, founding principal investigator of Altos Labs and USC Leonard Davis PhD alumna, lends more support to the FMD’s potential as a short-term periodic, achievable dietary intervention that can help people lessen their disease risk and improve their health without extensive lifestyle changes, Longo said.

“Although many doctors are already recommending the FMD in the United States and Europe, these findings should encourage many more healthcare professionals to recommend FMD cycles to patients with higher than desired levels of disease risk factors as well as to the general population that may be interested in increased function and younger age,” Longo said.

Reference: “Fasting-mimicking diet causes hepatic and blood markers changes indicating reduced biological age and disease risk” by Sebastian Brandhorst, Morgan E. Levine, Min Wei, Mahshid Shelehchi, Todd E. Morgan, Krishna S. Nayak, Tanya Dorff, Kurt Hong, Eileen M. Crimmins, Pinchas Cohen and Valter D. Longo, 20 February 2024, Nature Communications.

The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging.

Source: SciTechDaily, Author: University of Southern California

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The study found that smoking tobacco harms the immune system, making people more susceptible to diseases and infections even after they quit. Despite decreasing smoking rates since the 1960s, it remains the top preventable cause of death in the US, causing over 480,000 deaths yearly. Health providers have long warned about smoking-related risks like lung cancer, heart attack, and stroke, but this study adds another compelling reason to quit.

The study found that smoking weakens the body’s ability to fight infections and increases the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases like arthritis. Dr. Violaine Saint-André warns that quitting smoking is crucial, especially for young people, to protect long-term immunity. The research, conducted on 1,000 healthy individuals aged 20 to 69, examined various factors affecting immune response. Smoking, body mass index, and a herpes infection had significant impacts. Quitting smoking improved immune response, but full recovery took years, according to Dr. Darragh Duffy. He emphasizes that it’s never too late to quit smoking.

The study revealed that smoking alters the body’s immune response, with heavier smokers experiencing more significant changes. Dr. Duffy emphasized that reducing smoking, even by a small amount, can still benefit health. Smoking has long-lasting effects on both the innate and adaptive immune responses. While the innate response recovers quickly after quitting, the adaptive response remains affected. The innate response acts quickly but is less precise, while the adaptive response involves antibodies and lymphocytes that can remember and target specific threats.

The study’s key finding is that smoking affects both short-term and long-term adaptive immunity, involving B cells, regulatory T cells, and epigenetic changes. However, the research was conducted on blood samples in a lab, which may not fully reflect real-life immune responses. Dr. Yasmin Thanavala, whose work was referenced, conducted research on mice exposed to smoke, finding that their immune response was less efficient. She notes that changes in the lungs persist over time. One limitation of the study is the homogeneity of participants, all French and mostly with normal body weights.

“We know that numerous things besides smoking impacts our immune response. Our genetic background impacts our immune response. There’s also increasing evidence that our body weight, obesity, impacts immune response,” Thanavala said.

Source: CNN, Author: Jen Christensen

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But if you know the man in real life, his comic profile is not that funny anymore. As smoke in the eyes, he comes to irritate us because we have found repeatedly that we cannot depend upon him (Proverbs 10:26). You might roll your eyes at him at first, but soon you give an exasperated, Really? “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?” (Proverbs 6:9). He refuses to plow in autumn (Proverbs 20:4). His hands refuse to labor (Proverbs 21:25). Yet calling up to us from his mother’s basement, he insists that he is wise and life is right where he wants it (Proverbs 26:16). He is a blend of satire and shame, a tragi-comic figure, as Derek Kidner names him (Proverbs, 39).

So to me, the sluggard was always someone else.

I had never considered Scripture’s testimony of the more sophisticated lazy man — one with his shirt tucked in, going about his work, busily adding events to his calendar. I dismissed the cartoon, never taking time to examine myself against one species of sloth given to us in Proverbs: the man who busies himself with starting many things, but doesn’t bring them to completion.

Hunting Sloth

The wise king of Proverbs shows us this active sluggard. He, unlike the traditional sloth, is up early in the morning. He has his eggs and drinks his coffee. Instead of being discovered in the sloth’s usual habitat — buried beneath sheets and pillows — he is up and about, stalking through the forest, pursuing his prey. He is a hunter.

See him tracking his animal — thoughtful, calculated, alert. He sets his traps and camouflages himself for the kill. He knows his target; he knows his weapon; he lies in wait. While his brother sloth is sleeping in the trees, he is armed in the bushes. While the other excuses inaction by complaining of lions in the streets, he is crouched where lions roar. When he sees his quarry, he times his assault perfectly and springs violently. The king sees this man return in the morning with a carcass draped over his shoulder.

So far, he is full of manful action. But notice where the laziness of this hunting sluggard manifests:

“The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting.” (Proverbs 12:27 NKJV)

What a strange picture. The man woke up early. He prepared his tools. He lay in wait. He acted deliberately, forcefully. He took the prize, brought home the meat — but never cooked it. Perhaps he decided he had worked hard enough for one day. Perhaps he realized just how tired he felt. His enthusiasm died before the meal was prepared.

He labored promisingly, for a time. He remained focused, for a while. His was hard but unfinished work. In the end, his plate is just as empty as that of the other sluggard, waking at his return.

Incomplete

Men, how many tasks have you started strong and finished weak (or not at all)? How many deer have we killed but never tasted? How much nourishment has laziness robbed from our souls, our families, our churches, our world?

I think this spirit of so-far-and-no-farther plagues our generation. We recreate at life; we rarely commit. Manhood seems less tethered to follow-through, to roasting the meat we hunt. Consider just a few examples.

Relationships: date, but never marry.

Some men enjoy the chase of dating without taking any real steps toward marriage. They love the excitement, the hunt, the thrill, the flirt, the challenge — but lazily want nothing to do with lifelong commitment. Covenant panics them. They live unwilling to vow,

“I take you to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, comfort, and cherish you, and forsaking all others to keep myself only unto you as long as we both shall live.”

So they date for fun; they go hunting but never roast. Their catch-and-release policy might be less offensive if it didn’t leave behind a trail of pierced and discarded hearts. They put in effort to get to know daughters of the King, but never know the feast that marital love provides nor the lasting fruit it bears.

Church: attend, but never join.

How many men can leave their local church without anyone noticing? They never joined, never served, never devoted themselves to God’s people. Their schooling or career earned their talents and commitment. Their intramural basketball team or local gym received their dedication and time. While they placed their bodies in the church on Sundays, their hearts remained in the world.

Such are the many who know little of belonging to a local church. They come, but bolt at the soonest opportunity. They will listen to the sermon but search for any excuse to stay home and watch the livestream. They disappear for weeks at a time to their cabin or vacation and never get around to joining because of the weight of expectations. These play at Christianity, hunting theological game but never roasting it.

Work: labor, but for appearances.

How many men really commit themselves to excellence, to comprehensiveness in their work? How many drape the kill of their life’s work over their shoulder and take pleasure in the careful roasting of the meat? To the Christian man who found himself a slave in the early Colossian church, Paul instructs, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24).

Work heartily — literally, “from your soul” — even in this, the most unpleasant of work situations. How many of us are eye-pleasers in our work — working hard when others watch us, but switching tabs and scrolling Twitter as soon as they walk away? How often have you and I stopped short of cooking the meal God would have for us?

Great Hunter

Where would we be if Jesus were the hunter many of us have been? If he came and lived a couple of decades among us and called it quits? If he fell upon his knees in Gethsemane and went no farther, or felt the first nail through the wrist and summoned his army of angels? What if he came to save as an eye-pleaser, a hired hand who turned tail and ran when Satan, our sins, and God’s righteous wrath bore down on him?

If he stopped short, if he left even one step of the journey for us alone to achieve, we would be lost. If even one ounce of atoning blood needed to come from our veins, we would have no hope. If even one perfect work was yet required to fulfill the law on our behalf, all would remain undone. If Jesus somehow proved only a partway Prophet, a mostly Messiah, a nearly sufficient Savior for us — we all would submerge beneath the burning waves forever.

But oh for a thousand tongues to praise the completeness of our Mediator’s work. Our Shepherd did not bring most of his sheep nearly all the way home. He fulfills: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one” (John 18:9). This great high priest “saves to the uttermost” those who draw near to God through him (Hebrews 7:25). “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). His towering declaration from the height of the cross dealt not with nearlys, almosts, or mostlys, but rather — “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

Finishing with Feast

Brothers, our work is not his work, but let us learn from our Master, who embodied the second half of the proverb perfectly: “The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man’s precious possession” (Proverbs 12:27 NKJV). Where are the men of diligence in the church today, men who follow-through, men who sprint through the finish line? Athletic men in the world exercise self-control in all things, but do so for a perishable wreath — should we not much more do so for the imperishable (1 Corinthians 9:25)?

Source: desiringgod.org, Author: Greg Morse

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Audio Transcript

“I wasn’t the one in the room that could boast of any schooling. No one in my family was wealthy,” says Debbie.

Debbie Kirk was disinterested in school and dropped out after the 8th grade.  She began working as a waitress to make money.  

“I was working very full time, “ says Debbie, “so probably 40, 50 hours a week just managing this restaurant.  And by that time, it didn’t make sense to leave the job and go back to work to get an education.”

Debbie met someone who shared the gospel with her and after giving her life to Christ, she learned the principals of tithing.

“About 16 years old, I started giving. And the Lord really laid on my heart at that time to give 20%. I was giving like 10% tithe, 10% offering,” she says.  I remember this feeling of being like supernaturally protected.”

Over the next two years, Debbie became a night manager at the restaurant.

She says, “God just blessed me in that business.  Just by increasing in position, increasing monetarily.”

At twenty-two Debbie earned the trust of the owner and was offered a partnership.  She was making more money and as a result began giving more too.

“During my time at the restaurant, from the time that I was 16 to the time I was 22, I would have experienced about a 45 to 50% increase,” Debbie says.

Her restaurant business partner invited her to join him at his travel agency in an entry level role and she left the restaurant. However, Debbie soon realized that the company was nearly three hundred thousand dollars in debt.  Debbie used the wisdom God had given her and before long, she was promoted to manager and eventually vice-president.  Debbie convinced her partner to tithe off the business profits.

She says, “Whenever we would take the draws off of the company, we would absolutely tithe on those.”

Her partner saw her wisdom in tithing and how the company became more successful under her leadership. In total she saved the company more than three hundred thousand dollars.

“He actually compensated me even more than himself. Because he could see that the agency was turning around. And I really see that as being the hand of God and the tithe and the offering,” Debbie says.

Debbie became part owner and in 2019 they sold the company for 6 million dollars.  She says giving allowed her to give more.

“I started out by giving 20%, you know, then I would go to like 25%, and then I would go to 30%.  And before I retired, I was at 35% giving,” she says.  “I could see the hand of God and I knew that if I’m making more, I’m going to be giving more because this is what this is all about.  I recognized where everything had come from. I knew it – that God had blessed me.  I attribute that to the faithfulness of God, absolutely.  The tithe, the offering, the covenant that were with him financially. He protects us when we’re in covenant with Him.  He set up the blueprint.  So it’s obedience.”

Today she’s helping others understand the wisdom and blessing in giving to god.

Debbie says, “It’s not works, It’s like ‘God, I’m so grateful.  I’m so thankful to you for all that you’ve done.  How can I not give back?  How could I not honor you?’”

Source: cbn.com, Author: Cheryl Wilcox

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Not that I want to do physical labor full time! I enjoy reading, researching, thinking, brainstorming, writing, and editing. Yet I’ve learned that I cannot undertake those sedentary tasks at my best when my whole life is sedentary. My brain is served by bodily movement.

As I age, I sense more and more tangibly how much better I feel after exercise. In particular, I seem to think clearer, and more effortlessly, and more creatively, and with more focus and mental stamina. Overall, when exercising regularly, I sense that I have more energy, not only for further movement but for thinking and working hard with my mind. I’ve heard other people say the same.

But is this just in our heads, or is there any known biological basis for it? Can we get more clarity about this perceived mental clarity?

Build and Condition the Brain

A few years ago, I found a book by a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, John Ratey. He spent most of his career on ADHD and co-wrote some of the key texts in the field. As a former amateur athlete and runner, he took notice over the years of what amazing “medicine” exercise seemed to be for his patients. Eventually, he put his findings together in the 2008 book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.

Now, if it sounds too good to be true — that exercise demonstrably improves brain function — remember what the prescription is: exercise. Apparently, many people want to just take a pill. Few want to exercise. The prescription may be simple, but it’s not easy.

Here’s how Ratey opens the book:

We all know that exercise makes us feel better, but most of us have no idea why. We assume it’s because we’re burning off stress or reducing muscle tension or boosting endorphins, and we leave it at that. But the real reason we feel so good when we get our blood pumping is that it makes the brain function at its best, and in my view, this benefit of physical activity is far more important — and fascinating — than what it does for the body. Building muscles and conditioning the heart and lungs are essentially side effects. I often tell my patients that the point of exercise is to build and condition the brain. (3, emphasis added)

How many of us have started some new exercise regimen because we felt overweight and out of shape, or were confronted with metrics from a doctor? We wanted to lower our cholesterol numbers, or lower the number on the scale, or live longer, or look better. All these benefits, motivating as they may be for millions, are at best side effects of regular exercise, Ratey says. The point of exercise, in our sedentary modern lives, is building and conditioning our brains.

He continues, “To keep our brains at peak performance, our bodies need to work hard” (4). “The brain responds like muscles do, growing with use, withering with inactivity” (5) — and movement activates the brain. And Ratey explains how it is that exercise improves learning — which matters to us as Christians seeking to love our Lord with heart, soul, strength, and mind.

How Exercise Improves Learning
As Christians, we call ourselves disciples, which means learners. Unbelievers may be content to leave the conscious pursuit of learning to their school days; Christians do not. Christianity is a teaching movement, from the Torah to the Psalms to the prophets and apostles and Christ himself, the consummate Teacher. So too, correspondingly, Christianity is a learning movement — in Christ, we are no less than lifelong learners. Brain function matters greatly to me not only as a teacher and editor but as a Christian. So, here’s “how exercise improves learning on three levels”:

First, it optimizes your mind-set to improve alertness, attention, and motivation; second, it prepares and encourages nerve cells to bind to one another, which is the cellular basis for logging in new information; and third, it spurs the development of new nerve cells. (53)

First, mind-set is no small issue today, in the age of dullness and distraction. If I can be more alert to the world, and to others, and to mentally challenging texts and sequences of thought, then I’m interested. Alertness is a deeply Christian pursuit, and a key reason many of us approve of caffeine but not recreational marijuana. And in a day when so many are woefully and tragically distracted by unceasing devices and the mirage of multitasking, we could hardly list many more valuable benefits than improved attention.

Second and third, modest exertion of the body, and endurance in it (say twenty minutes), produces a cascade of good effects in the brain and body, from neurogenesis (actually growing new brain cells) down to the nitty-gritty strengthening of “the cellular basis for logging new information.” To be clear, Christians have never had biblical reason to neglect or take lightly our lives “in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10), but today, with what we’ve learned about the brain’s plasticity, and how exercise serves the brain, we have fewer and fewer excuses.

So, active bodies, with their increased heart rate and blood flow, improve learning. Exercise helps to develop new brain cells, encourages the binding of those cells, and improves our focus and eagerness to learn. Christians, of all people, would not want such discoveries to be lost on us.

How It Works

Now, it’s one thing to hear that moderate bodily movement improves learning, it’s another to hear specifically about three ways, and it’s another still to learn how it happens. For me, specifics like this motivate me even further, especially in those moments when I feel happy to stay sedentary and not take the uncomfortable step of overcoming inertia.

Back to the Harvard psychiatrist. Ratey writes,

Going for a run is like taking a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin because, like the drugs, exercise elevates . . . neurotransmitters. It’s a handy metaphor to get the point across, but the deeper explanation is that exercise balances neurotransmitters — along with the rest of the neurochemicals in the brain. (38)

And we can go one step further:

BDNF [Brain Deprived Neurotrophic Factor, which Ratey calls “Miracle Grow” for the brain] gathers in reserve pools near the synapses and is unleashed when we get our blood pumping. In the process, a number of hormones from the body are called into action to help. . . . During exercise, these factors push through the blood-brain barrier, a web of capillaries with tightly packed cells that screen out bulky intruders such as bacteria. . . . Once inside the brain, these factors work with BDNF to crank up the molecular machinery of learning. They are also produced within the brain and promote stem-cell division, especially during exercise. . . . The body was designed to be pushed, and in pushing our bodies we push our brains too. (51–53)

Now, make no mistake, the above observations are not explicitly Christian. At their best, they are largely in the realm of what we might call “natural revelation.” How, then, might we reflect as Christians on these fairly recent discoveries in neurology and their relationship to our God and his calling on us in Christ?

Train to Serve Godliness

“Bodily training is of some value,” says Paul, even as he emphasizes that “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Some value is a carefully crafted phrase. Doubtless, many in Paul’s own day, not to mention ours, held the human body in too high regard. They needed to hear that bodily training is of some value, not too much. Yet others — perhaps especially Christians who had been awakened to the far greater value of godliness — needed to open their minds afresh to Paul’s affirmation of any value at all.

Even as we affirm, and seek to celebrate, the far greater value of godliness, we might ask ourselves, practically, What tangible value do I see, and act on, in bodily training? And for those of us who do find value in exercise, we might also ask, Do I simply want to lose fat, look better, and live longer in this fallen world? Or might I find a value in bodily training that serves godliness and, among other things, the function of my brain in the service of Christ and his calling?

Put another way, might my Christian life — my godliness — be compromised because I’ve failed to love my Lord with all my mind? Have I failed to “embrace serious thinking as a means of knowing and loving God and people,” as John Piper pleads in the book Think (179)? This article, concerning exercise, may not reach “plea” level, but I am waving a little flag for readers to consider, perhaps for the first time, how modest, regular exercise could be a means of building and conditioning your brain for serious thinking — serious in the sense of energy, focus, clarity, and stamina. Serious in the service of Christ and Christian joy.

In B.B. Warfield’s “Religious Life of Theological Students,” he poses what seems to be an either-or dilemma for some: study or prayer? Warfield answers with a memorable both-and: How about “ten hours over your books, on your knees”?

Today, we might only add, “And how about after twenty minutes of modest exercise?”

Source: desiringgod.org, Author: David Mathis

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People with blood type O have less of a chance of getting COVID-19, according to a number of studies published all over the world during the pandemic. But people with type A might be more vulnerable. After the pandemic broke out, one of the questions that scientists and doctors became puzzled by was why are some people more susceptible to contracting and even succumbing to the disease caused by coronavirus than others?

Several studies have researched the link that genetics plays in susceptibility to contracting the virus, and some more specifically have linked the role played by blood type. The studies all came to a similar conclusion: People with blood type O have less of a chance of getting COVID-19. 

Two studies came out of Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, one that researched the link between blood type and COVID-19 susceptibility, and the other that investigated the link between blood type and the risk of contracting pneumonia caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 – the novel coronavirus.

Another study came out of Italy and Spain, which looked into the link between genetics and SARS-CoV-2 respiratory failure. But apparently the most popular, as well as most recent study is the ongoing research published by the personal genetics company 23andMe regarding evidence that blood type plays a role in COVID-19. 23andMe is a company that sends out personal genetics testing kits to individuals who are interested in finding out their genetic history and or their predisposition to certain genetically transmitted diseases such as certain types of cancer. 

According to the company’s blog, they did a study that contained more than 750,000 participants. Their preliminary data suggests that O blood type appears to be protective against the virus, and people with that type are between 9-18% less likely than other individuals to have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. 

But how does blood type actually play a role in infection? 

WHILE THE answer is not exactly known, Andre Franke, the lead scientist from the study done in Spain and Italy, suggested an answer to The New York Times. He noted that the gene region that codes for blood type is associated with elevated levels of key immune molecules.

Their study included extracting DNA samples from 1,980 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized for respiratory failure. They scanned the samples using a rapid technique called genotyping, and looked at nearly nine million genetic letters.

The researchers then carried out the same experiment on 2,205 blood donors with no evidence of COVID-19. They found that the ill patients shared a number of similar genetic variants compared to those who were not ill.  The scientists were looking for spots in the genome called loci, which they ultimately found.

The gene that determines blood type is in one of those spots. Their analysis showed a higher risk for A-positive individuals and a protective effect for blood group O. The researchers in Wuhan came to a similar conclusion. After eliminating other confounding risk factors such as age, gender and comorbidity, the team investigated and confirmed a connection between people with ABO blood groups and a risk of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in patients from three hospitals in Wuhan.

In short, their findings also found that people with blood type A were at higher risk of hospitalization while O patients had the lowest risk. Other past research done in 2005 during the 2002 SARS epidemic supports the O blood type protection theory. Research at a Hong Kong hospital analyzed an infected patient who exposed 45 healthcare workers. Of 18 people with type blood O, 8 became infected (44%), compared to the other 27 people having other blood types, of whom 23 contracted the virus (85% – almost twice as much).

BLOOD TYPE is determined by specific sugar molecules that are added to proteins or lipids on our blood cells and other cell types, according to Chemical Science and Engineering News. Those that are in the A blood type group carry A-sugar-antigens; the same goes for people with blood type B having B-antigens. But those with O blood type have neither. This means that the immune systems of people with type A blood develop antibodies for B antigens, people with type B blood have antibodies for A antigens, and people with type O blood have antibodies for both.

Blood type influences blood clotting, and a growing body of evidence suggests that COVID-19 pathology often involves overactive blood clotting. People with type O blood have lower levels of proteins that promote blood clotting.SARS-CoV-2 can replicate in cells that express blood type antigens, Jacques Le Pendu, a glycobiologist at the University of Nantes told Chemical and Engineering News.

This means that when an infected person coughs or sneezes, there’s a possibility that they release viral particles coated with their blood type antigens. Explained more in depth, a person in the blood type O group will have antibodies against virus transmission from someone in the blood type A group, which can fight the virus.

However, a person in the blood type A group won’t have those same antibodies. 

Source: jpost.com/ Author: Celia Jean

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