Archive for January, 2012

posted by AndrewW on Jan 21

Diet plays a key role in controlling your blood sugar. A healthy-eating plan tailored to your needs will do that and more. Majority of people affected with diabetes are overweight or obese. In fact, your risk of getting diabetes increases the more weight you put on.

So controlling your diet can be the key to reducing the risk of diabetes as well as improving your symptoms if you are already affected by this disease people often refer to as “the silent killer.”

Everybody knows that maintaining a good diet is a healthy choice for every person. But for diabetes patients, this statement means something more significant than the recent fad over healthy living.

For diabetes patients, having a healthy diet means eating in a way that reduces the risk for complications that are commonly associated with their conditions, including heart disease and stroke. For them, a healthy diet could mean the difference between die-abetes and live-abetes.

Eating healthy involves eating a wide variety of foods that encompasses the whole diet spectrum of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, non-fat dairy products, beans, lean meats, poultry, and fish.

No, you do not have to eat all of that, but a little bit of this and that enough to balance the three basic food groups (Go, Grow, and Glow) is what you should aim for.

Tip #1: Preparing a Meal Plan

When you go on a diabetes diet, the first things you need to do is to prepare a meal plan. This will serve as your guide to how much and what kinds of food you can choose to eat at meals, and even at snack times if you wish to include that.

Now, be sure that your meal plan fits in with your schedule and eating habits. That way you will not be likely to ruin your diet simply because your work schedule conflicts with your meal schedule.

Keep in mind your end-goal: To keep your blood glucose in levels that are easy enough to maintain.

In addition to that somewhat myopic diet goal for diabetes, you also want to follow a meal plan that will help you improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as keep your weight on track.

All these – blood pressure, cholesterol and weight – are factors that contribute to the worsening of your diabetes symptoms, so controlling them could very well mean controlling your diabetes.

When preparing a meal plan, be sure to balance uptake and down take – that is, food and exercise, respectively. Additionally, your doctor may have prescribed you with insulin or oral medications to help you manage your condition.

Take those medications into account as well when you plan your meal plan, making sure that the food is balanced with the drugs. The whole thing sounds like it’s a lot of work but with a few suggestions from your physician and/or dietician you can start building a meal plan that is best for you and your condition.

Tip #2: Use the Diabetes Food Pyramid

The Diabetes Food Pyramid, released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is composed of six food groups (arranged according to how much you should eat from the least to the most and based on carbohydrate and protein content):

• Fats, sweets, and alcohol
• Milk
• Meat, meat substitutes, and other proteins
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Grains, beans, and starchy vegetables

Fats, sweets, and alcohol are the one food group that diabetes patients should avoid.

The problem with diabetes involves a certain malfunction in the way our bodies make use of glucose in the blood. It is either there is too much glucose in our blood because we ate too much food rich in sugar so that the hormone responsible for regulating glucose – insulin – is unable to cope. Or, our cells are defective so that even though we have enough insulin to handle the job, our cells do not respond.

In order to control the levels of glucose in the blood stream, controlling diabetes diet is important. The intake of fats, sweets, and alcohol and other generally “unhealthy” foods should be minimized and only for special treats.

As for the rest of the food groups, here are the serving sizes recommended by the American Diabetes Association:

• Meat and Meat Substitutes: 4-6 oz. per day and divided between meals. This is equivalent to ¼ cup cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1 tbsp peanut butter, or ½ cup tofu.
• Milk: 2-3 servings per day
• Fruit: 2-4 servings per day
• Vegetables: 3-5 servings per day
• Grains and Starches: 6-11 servings per day, equivalent to 1 slice of bread, ¼ of a bagel, or ½ of an English muffin or pita bread.

Use this Diabetes Food Pyramid only as a guide in planning your meals. If you want a more individualized option, consult your dietician.

Tip #3: Draw Lines on Your Plate

Another good way to ensure that you are eating a balanced diet is to draw a line across your plate. It could only be an imaginary line. As you sit there for a meal, the exercise might even prove to be fun.

The first step, of course, is to imagine that you are drawing a line through the center of your plate. Then, divide one of the halves into two.

Then, fill this section with grains or starchy foods, such as rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, or peas.

The other section should comprise your meat and meat substitute group – meat, fish, poultry, or tofu.

Next, fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables. You can place there broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, salad, tomatoes, and cauliflower.

Last, add a glass of milk and a small piece of roll, and eh voila! You are ready to eat.

Tip #4: Reading Food Labels

With food labels, it all comes down to the Nutrition Facts. It’s that list of nutrition information found on the package of foods sold in the grocery store. Reading food labels can help you make wise choices about the foods you buy. The labels will tell you what ingredients were used, the amount of calories, and other pertinent information essential to a diabetes patient.

For instance, a typical food label would contain the total amounts per serving for the following nutrients:

• Calories
• Total fat
• Saturated fat
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Total carbohydrate
• Fiber

Use the nutrition facts found in food labels to compare similar types of foods and buy the one that contains fewer calories, lower fats, cholesterol, etc.

Pay close attention to free foods like sugar-free gelatin desert, sugar-free ice pops, sugarless gum, diet soft drinks, and sugar-free syrups. Just because they are called “free” does not mean they are entirely free of calories so don’t be overconfident. Instead, read the label. Most free foods should have less than 20 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

Another thing, “no-sugar added” means no sugar was added during the manufacture and packaging of the foods. The ingredients do not include sugar. However, the food may be high in carbohydrates still so be sure to read the label carefully.

Fat-free foods could still mean that they contain lots of carbohydrates. Often, they contain almost the same amount of calories as the foods they replace so be sure to pay attention to the label. Buying fat-free foods instead of regular foods does not necessarily mean that you are making a wise choice.

Tip #5: A Word about Sweets
Now, you know that sweets are generally discouraged among diabetes patients. However, having diabetes does not necessarily mean that you cannot have sweets. Imagine how bad life can be for the sweet tooth with diabetes. But as long as you keep your intake of sweets in moderation, there is no reason you have to eschew sugar from your life forever. After all, glucose (sugar) is still the most basic source of energy that the body needs.

So sweeten your foods with these following options:

• Sugar and other sweeteners with calories: honey, brown sugar, molasses, fructose, cane sugar, and confectioners sugar

• Reduced calorie sweeteners: erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol

• Low calories sweeteners: ascelfume potassium, aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose

Research has overturned the long standing belief that sugar caused diabetes. The new studies show us that sugar has in fact the same effect on blood glucose levels as other carbohydrates like bread and potatoes. Based on this discovery, experts agree that a diabetic can now consume sugar as long as they incorporate it into their meal plan the way they would with any ordinary carbohydrate-containing foods.
Now that you have been pointed to the right direction with these tips to improve your diabetes diet, you can go ahead and live a healthier, fuller life where nothing – no carb nor sweets – is denied you, as long as you keep it all in moderation.

posted by AndrewW on Jan 21

Eating fruits that are red or orange in color will help improve you skin health and help to prevent acne. Here are the fruits you should be eating.

* Apples – eat 3 – 4 apples a day while working to clearing your acne. Apples are good for skin health. Eat at least 2 a day. Eat organic apples because you can eat the skins and most pectin is in the skin, which helps with constipation. Apples contain ascorbic acid, bioflavonoids, fiber, pectin, quercetin, minerals, and vitamins

* Apricots – eat as many as you like. Apricots are a high source of minerals, fiber, and beta-carotene and will help control acne. (A precursor to vitamin A) They help to relieve or prevent constipation.

* Bananas – eat only one banana a day. Bananas have the phytochemcial fructoOligosaccharides, which feeds the good bacterial in your colon. By feeding the good bacteria, you prevent the bad bacteria from overtaking the colon and producing toxic acids that get to the skin and create acne.

* Blackberries – help cleanse the blood and are good for constipation. They help a weak kidney and are good for creating good skin on your face.

* Blueberries are a good blood cleanser. They are also good for constipation and various skin disorders – eczema, acne, psoraisis

* Cantaloupes – are high in vitamin A, C, and have many other minerals. This makes them good for any type of skin problems

* Cherries – are good blood cleansers and help the liver and kidney. They promote regular bowel movements.

* Figs – are high in fiber and help to reduce constipation.

* Grapefruits – helps to dissolve and eliminate poisons from drugs thus improving the liver function

* Grapes – help cleanse the body, build blood, and build the body. It is good for constipation, skin, and liver disorders.

* Mango – is good for kidney inflammation. It contains a lot of minerals, which helps to neutralize acid waste.

* Strawberries – have been shown to have strong anti-acne activity. They are high in pectin content, which helps to keep your bowels moving.

* Pineapples – contains many vitamins and minerals. It contains Papain, which helps to digest protein. They are useful in of excess mucus, digestive problems, intestinal worms, and constipation.

These fruits below are useful for acne since they have an antibiotic effect,

* Grapes
* Plums
* Figs
* Raspberries
* Blueberries
* Honey
* Apple juice
* Grape juice

Use as many of these fruits in your diet. If you do, you will start to see improvement in your skin and your acne will start to clear up.

Rudy Silva is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author an acne e-book can be found at: http://www.acne-remedies.for–you.info
In addition you can get a free special acne facial cleansing report at: http://www.for–you.com/SkinCareTreatment

posted by AndrewW on Jan 21

With today’s busy lifestyle, it has become quintessential to protect your body’s health. Pollution is also eating us away bit by bit. Sickness and disease connected with stress, depression and pressure connected with work and making money has become a trend nowadays. But working and making money is not an activity that we can just walk away from for the sake of our health.

Precarious eating habits are also not helpful to our body. What we put into our mouths can either help us get healthy or contribute to our body’s demise. There are other things we should also watch on aside from sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol. And what I’m talking about is our blood’s pH level.

Our blood’s pH level is perhaps the single most important measurement we should watch on. Healthy blood pH is around 7.4, which is slightly alkaline; this level must be maintained in order for our body to function well. The maintenance of our blood’s healthy pH level is essential to our body’s functions. Functions which are affected with your pH level are blood flow, cell function, fat accumulation, and bone density.

The smoothness of our body’s blood flow is determined by the electrical charge that is coated on each individual red blood cell. Each red blood cell is assigned a negative charge so that they will not attract each other, similar to what two magnets with similar poles do when you put them together. When your blood’s pH level goes down, it means your blood has become acidic. What acidity does to your red blood cells is that it strips off that charge in each red blood cell; making the individual red blood cell stick together, forming clumps that make blood flow slower. Slower blood flow means lesser oxygen going to your body, dropping your performance.

If your blood is acidic its pH level is low, but if it is more alkaline, your pH level is high, if your blood has a higher pH level, that means you have a higher threshold of hydrogen ions. The presence of hydrogen ions halts muscle function, and the more that you have in your body, the more your muscle is bound to work slowly. Having a higher blood pH level means that your blood can accommodate more hydrogen ions before it begins to spread into the muscles and make it stop working. This means, that you can burn more energy while requiring less oxygen, allowing your body to tolerate the production of lactic acid more and enabling your body to perform things longer.

Hence, if you want you’re an athlete who needs a boost or just a normal individual longing to increase your body’s performance, it is important that you watch for your body’s pH level. You can do this by taking a simple saliva test that can be done with some acid paper strips which can be bought at local drugstores.

Acidity in your body also destroys cells and makes you fat. Your body reacts very defensively at the presence of acids, since, as I have said earlier, it affects how your body functions. Rising acidity is harmful to the vital information storage centers in your cells, the RNA, which if occurs makes it possible for mutations, toxicity or even cancer to develop. When this threat is apparent, what your body does is to coat your cells with fatty tissues just to shield it from rising blood acidity, making you need more fat. So the more your blood becomes acidic, the more you become fat.

Rising blood acidity also lowers your bone density. The body tries so hard to regulate the body’s ph level that it releases buffers to counter that acidity. Releasing buffers into the body is a good thing, but, how the body does it is not good for the bones. Each and every time your pH level drops, which means rising acidity levels, the body uses the calcium in your bones as buffers to maintain that crucial level of pH 7.4! This eventually lowers you bone density making you prone to osteoporosis and weak bone structure.

It’s very hard to replenish calcium levels you’ve lost through supplying buffers, that is why you need a good source of alkaline to help make your blood more alkaline and supply buffers for your body. Green vegetables and fruits are a good source of alkaline, while meat and processed foods are acidic. A healthy diet will consist of 80% alkaline foods and around 20% acidic foods. Supplements and other products are also readily available. Products like Xooma Xtreme X2O, and sodium bicarbonate also help you balance your pH level. This product does not only help you in lowering your blood pH level & maintain your body’s health, but it also makes it possible for you to make money at the same time. Xooma also offers a lucrative Online MLM options to those who want to earn money. You can go here if you want to know more about Xooma Xtreme X2O and Online MLM.

It’s about time that you take good care of your body. Now that you know that what you eat can contribute a lot to how your body works and how it performs, isn’t it about time that you give your utmost attention on your diet. Think about it, you will gain a lot if you balance your lifestyle and diet, but you will certainly lose a lot if you do not start being conscious. So eat healthy and be wealthy!

Sylvain Deslongchamps is a health conscious buff and a long time proponent of alternative and preventive medicine. Sylvain is also a distributor of Xtreme X2O, a world renowned product from Xooma Worldwide. He is the owner and developer of http://www.X2o-home-business.com, a site that is committed to promote health consciousness and business, through Xtreme x2o and Online MLM.

posted by AndrewW on Jan 20

Almost everyone has suffered from acne at one time or another in his or her lives. It is primarily a disorder of the sebaceous gland (glands in the skin that secrete an oily substance) of the face, the neck and back. When the sebaceous glands become clogged with the oily substance they create, the accumulation results in pimples. There are several forms of acne, but the most common is acne vulgaris, found primarily in adolescents.

The exact cause of acne is not known, but factors that contribute to this condition include heredity, oily skin and androgens. Additional factors include allergies, stress, the use of certain drugs, nutritional deficiencies, liver dysfunction, exposure to industrial pollutants, cosmetics and the monthly menstrual cycle.

In addition, the skin functions to eliminate a portion of the body’s toxic waste by sweating. If the body contains more toxins than the kidneys or liver can effectively discharge, the skin takes over. In fact, some doctors call the skin the 3rd kidney. As toxins escape through the skin, they can disrupt the health and integrity of the skin, creating issues.

Recommendations for Wellness
Note: Some of these recommendations may take 2-4 weeks before any results or improvements are experienced.

Apply distilled white vinegar (can be diluted if too strong) to the face and affected areas. Allow this to sit for 5-10 minutes before rinsing off with cool water.

Lemon or any citric fruit works great as a natural exfoliate, removing dead skin cells that may clog the pours. As with the white vinegar, apply the juice of a lemon (or desired citric juice) to the face. Allow it to dry for about 10 minutes, then rinse with cool water. You may feel a mild sting or burn when the lemon juice is applied. If so, diluting the juice is acceptable.

Increase water consumption. Water helps flush toxin out and help transport nutrients in the body.

Eat a properly balanced diet to ensure proper nutrition. Take a high quality multiple vitamin and mineral supplement to make up for nutrients missing in today’s foods.

Echinacea or Oregon grape can be used to boost the immune system and fight acne-causing bacteria.

Dandelion, Burdock or red clover can help to keep the liver clear of toxic overload.

Herbal combinations such as Natures Sunshine’s Ayurvedic Skin Detox, and BP-X can also be used to cleanse and detoxify the liver and reduce acne.

Large quantities of vitamin A have been successfully used to treat severe acne. Large amounts, however, can be toxic and should only be used when working with your health care provider.

Consider adding additional zinc to your diet. Zinc aids in the healing of tissues and assists in preventing scarring. It is also important for the body in resisting infection and inflammation.

To clear and heal the skin, try a homeopathic Acne remedy. It can help to dry up pimples & prevent future outbreaks.

© Copyright Body, Mind & SoulHealer 2005. All rights reserved.
Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D. is the author of the books “Avoiding the Cosmic 2×4″ and “The Power Within”. It is her unique gift as a medical intuitive and clairvoyant that illuminates and enlivens her work. Let Dr. Louise help you bring health, healing and wholeness back into your life. Have Dr. Louise speak to your group or organization. Visit http://www.soulhealer.com or call (972) 475-3393 for more information.

posted by AndrewW on Jan 20

Chronic constipation can be hard to stop or elimination, since the colon have become weak. In most cases it will have to be retrained on how to have a bowel movement.

For those of you that have mild constipation, here is a morning smoothie that will help activate your colon. This smoothie is packed with nutrients that your body will use to regenerate your colon and body.

I have been making this smoothie for a few years. I make enough to drink right away and to put into my thermos to drink around 10am.

When I make this drink I just start putting things in the blender without measuring. You can do the same and make adjustments as you go.

· one peeled banana
· 4-5 strawberries or other type of berries, or fruits
· one tablespoon of lecithin granules
· one – two teaspoons of flax seed oil
· half and half almond milk and apple juice
· in a coffee grinder, grind up around a teaspoon or less of the following:

o brown sesame seeds – are high in lecithin, vitamin C, E, and Calcium. They improve liver function and help in constipation
o sunflower seeds – are high protein, Calcium, and iron. They are one of the best natural foods which feeds the entire body.
o flax seeds – are high in fiber and provide bulk for your stools.
o almonds – use around 6-7 or more. They are high in Calcium, Phosphorus and have some B-vitamins. Only eat a few. They are high in calories.

After grinding the seeds, place them in the blender and blender everything for about 3-4 minutes. If you need a little sweetness, you can add a small amount of honey. I find this drink plenty sweet without any honey.

Sometimes I will add the powder of a few acidophilus capsules.

If I don’t add the almonds, I just put all the tiny seed into the blender without grinding them up. The blender will break them up.

This is a powerful smoothie to give you morning power and to activate your colon to get moving.

Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid e-books. He writes a newsletter called natural-remedies-thatwork.com and his information on other topics can be seen at http://www.stop-constipation.com or at http://www.constipation-remedies.for–you.info

posted by AndrewW on Jan 20

I was as disgusted as anyone by that two-week sham of a tennis schedule, following up the U.S. Open with some crucial Davis Cup matches featuring tired, cranky or injured stars. But I was touched by a photo of the victorious Argentina team in Serbia, particularly the look on Juan Martin del Potro’s face. Glory has escaped this man for a solid two years now, and for all the talk about Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and their respective teams over the weekend, nobody needs a Davis Cup championship more than Argentina.

In the long history of this venerable event, the Argentines have never hoisted the trophy — and after an ugly set of circumstances three years ago, some felt they never would. Del Potro and David Nalbandian, not particularly friendly in the first place, had a heated locker-room argument during the 2008 Davis Cup final against Spain and reportedly had to be separated before they came to blows.

It had all gone so wrong that weekend. Del Potro, who had lost to Feliciano Lopez on Friday, announced he wouldn’t be able to play again due to a thigh injury. Despite the fervent support of a home crowd in Mar del Plata, Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri took a crushing doubles loss to Lopez and Fernando Verdasco on Saturday. Afterward, according to the Argentine media, Nalbandian accused Del Potro of insufficient preparation and had words with his father. Del Potro countered by ripping Nalbandian for a weak doubles effort, and a fair bit of hell broke loose.

With the team’s morale in tatters and Del Potro unavailable, Verdasco clinched the title on Sunday with a victory over Jose Acasuso, who fought valiantly but lost in five sets (Nadal sat out the final that year). All the while, Nalbandian and Del Potro sat at opposite ends of the bench, avoiding eye contact. It was such a bitter set of circumstances — on home soil, no less — that captain Alberto Mancini announced his resignation hours afterward.

Switch now to the weekend past in Belgrade, the site where Djokovic had led Serbia to the title — and launched his own path into tennis history — last December. Nalbandian and Del Potro, having reconciled their differences, were playing Davis Cup together for the first time since their storied feud. They came out Friday and took the arena by storm, carving out a pair of singles wins that gave Argentina a 2-0 lead. Everyone knows that on Sunday, with Serbia still alive after a Saturday doubles victory, Djokovic had to retire in the second set against Del Potro. Less newsworthy, but a huge story in Argentina, was the fact that Del Potro was at the top of his game, oblivious to the pressure and playing perhaps his best tennis since he won the 2009 U.S. Open.

What a scene for anyone viewing on Tennis Channel: the stoic Del Potro, ripping massive groundstrokes and serving fabulously. Djokovic staging some memorable rallies, but looking increasingly fatigued, and finally collapsing to the ground from the pain in his lower back and rib cage. The Argentines celebrating quietly, humbly, but with great emotion, and Djokovic in tears, covering his head in a towel as the once-stoked fans watched in silence.

There were no apologies from the Argentines, who believed themselves to be most deserving winners, and Djokovic essentially agreed. "Del Potro was playing on a very high level," he said. "I can’t say that even if I was healthy that I would have won. He was serving so well that even when I was on the ball, I could not handle the returns."

What’s next for Djokovic, now 64-3 with only one authentic defeat all year (he also retired against Andy Murray in Cincinnati)? He’d love to finish the season with a better winning percentage than John McEnroe’s 82-3 in 1984, but does he really want to play the Asian circuit, or the Paris Masters, or the season-ending ATP World Tour finals in London? He certainly has nothing to prove, and ask any athlete who has been in his position: You don’t fool around with a back injury. Get healthy and then rest some more, just to be sure it doesn’t happen again.

(Quick aside: More than a few fans were put off by Djokovic’s lengthy medical treatment during the U.S. Open final, believing it rudely halted Nadal’s momentum after he’d won the third set. There can be no question now that Djokovic had a legitimate injury, one he says dates to before the Open.)

It was quite a weekend on several fronts. Nadal was ridiculously inspiring in his straight-set dismissal of France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Sunday, in the elegant setting of the Los Califas bullring in Cordoba. Then there was Federer, last seen at the U.S. Open with some rather lame remarks about Djokovic, wondering how anyone could be so reckless as to take a full, almost exaggerated cut on a first-serve forehand return while down a match point. Federer could have just gone home to Switzerland, but instead he made the arduous trek to Sydney, where the Swiss would surely be fighting the odds against a rested and confident Australian team.

This is the essence of the Davis Cup, and why it stands proudly against waves of ridicule. Like so many high-profile players before him, from Don Budge to Yannick Noah to John McEnroe, Federer is greatly moved by playing for his country. If they’re playing it in a hostile setting, all the better. Federer always said his 2003 Davis Cup loss to Lleyton Hewitt, in Melbourne, was among the most disappointing losses of his career. So he went back to Australia, took the court on Friday after countryman Stanislas Wawrinka had been upset by Bernard Tomic, and outclassed Hewitt despite trailing 5-7, 1-3. Then he came back on Sunday to beat the 18-year-old Tomic, a crucial episode in Switzerland’s triumph.

As much as I agree with Jim Courier, who flatly states that the tennis year should end after the U.S. Open, I’m at a loss for solutions on shortening the schedule. I wouldn’t know how to eliminate all those exotic settings on Tour, with so much money at stake. It’s just a bunch of talk, heading nowhere, like shortening the NBA schedule or convincing Major League Baseball that the postseason should end in mid-October.

It sounds convenient to completely dismantle the Davis Cup format, condensing it into an eight-nation event at a neutral site, but that would completely torch its appeal. Davis Cup is all about a raucous, chanting crowd and epic scenes of patriotism. It’s an event that stirs up more passion than any Tour event beyond the majors — and even surpasses those, in the best of times.

It’s a comically inept notion to stage the semifinals less than a week after the U.S. Open men’s final, and it’s just that touch of absurdity that has cost us a dream Davis Cup final: Spain vs. Serbia, with Nadal facing Djokovic one more time. But I’m sort of warming to the idea of Nadal vs. Del Potro, as Argentina continues a memorable charge through Europe. That doesn’t sound too bad at all.

posted by AndrewW on Jan 20

Release date: 09/12/2011

Contact Information: Stacy Kika, kika.stacy@epa.gov, 202-564-0906, 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON – As a result of disruptions in the supply of fuel to the Pittsburgh area caused by severe flooding from recent tropical storms, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has exercised its authority under the Clean Air Act to temporarily waive certain federal clean gasoline requirements for parts of Pennsylvania. This waiver will allow greater flexibility for the fuel distribution system to support an adequate supply.

The waiver was granted by EPA in coordination with the Department of Energy (DOE), at the request of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson determined that extreme and unusual supply circumstances exist, which are likely to result in a shortage of gasoline compliant with federal regulations. The federal waiver will help ensure an adequate supply of gasoline in the affected area until normal supply to the region can be restored.

The waiver applies to 7.8 psi low Reid vapor pressure (RVP) requirements that apply in the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley area. The waiver is effective for 20 days and allows the sale of 9.0 psi conventional gasoline in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, Westmoreland counties. As required by law, EPA and DOE evaluated the situation and determined that granting a short-term waiver was consistent with the public interest. To mitigate any impacts on air quality the Clean Air Act provides strict criteria for when fuels waivers may be granted, and requires that waivers be limited as much as possible in terms of their geographic scope and duration.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/caa/fuelwaivers/

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Published by: United States Environmental Protection Agence (EPA) (yosemite.epa.gov)

posted by AndrewW on Jan 20

Nelson, New Zealand: Ireland’s upset 15-6 win over Australia in Pool C won’t change anything for Italy as they prepare for their match on Tuesday against Russia at Trafalgar Park.

Several Italian players said on that following their first-match loss to the Wallabies, they still need to win their remaining matches to have any chance of advancing to the quarterfinals.

Prop Martin Castrogiovanni, who could win his 80th cap if he comes off the bench against Russia, said "it changes nothing for us", and added that it proves European teams are good enough to beat those from the southern hemisphere.

Italy, who lost 32-6 to Australia, play the United States in their third match on September 27, then Ireland on October 2 in Dunedin.

Article continues below

Ireland lead the pool with eight points from two matches, followed by Australia with five, the US with four and Russia one point from a bonus point in its loss to the Americans, leaving Italy in last place without a point.

"It complicates things a bit, but doesn’t really alter anything for us," hooker Tommaso D’Apice said. "We have to beat Russia and the United States. It is just that now we need to take five points from each match. Even so we will be keeping an eye on what Ireland do against Russia."

Impressed with Ireland

Castrogiovanni said Ireland was impressive. "They were strong in defence and attack and deserved to win. It changes nothing for us though. After the Australia match we needed to win three games and we still need to win three games to go through," he said.

"It was good because people were talking about the European teams not being good enough to beat teams from the southern hemisphere. But to see England or France or Ireland beating teams from this part of the world is good for us. It is something that can help us and I think some people need to talk a lot less before the game has started."

Flanker Alessandro Zanni said Italy is capable of taking bonus points from its matches against Russia and the US. "We have a good team and are definitely capable of doing it."

© 2011 Gulf News (www.gulfnews.com)

posted by AndrewW on Jan 20

Release date: 07/28/2011

Contact Information: John Senn, (212) 637-3667, senn.john@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a plan to clean up the Peninsula Boulevard Superfund site in Hempstead, N.Y. by removing and treating contaminated ground water from the site. The ground water is contaminated with the volatile organic compounds tetrachloroethylene and tricholoroethylene, chemicals used in dry cleaning that can adversely impact people’s health. Residents in the area get their drinking water from the Long Island American Water Company, which operates a well field approximately 1,000 feet north of the Peninsula Boulevard site. Water extracted from this well field is treated to remove contaminants before distribution and is sometimes mixed with water from other sources. EPA did not detect any contaminants above acceptable levels in ground water from the Long Island American Water Company during its investigation of the Peninsula Boulevard Superfund site.

EPA is encouraging public comments on the proposed plan and will hold a public meeting to discuss the plan and receive comments at 7:00 p.m. on August 3, 2011 at the Village of Hewlett High School, 60 Everit Avenue, Hewlett, N.Y. The plan is available on EPA’s website at: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/peninsulablvd/index.html.

“Volatile organic compounds can pose serious health risks – especially in drinking water – so removing them is the best way to protect the health of people who live and work in the area,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “We encourage community residents, business owners and area workers to give us feedback on EPA’s proposed plan to clean up the contamination on the Peninsula Boulevard site.”

Four cleanup options for addressing the contaminated ground water are described in EPA’s proposed plan for the site:

Extracting ground water from the site using pumping wells and treating the water to remove the contaminants before the water is disposed of at a public wastewater treatment facility or sent back into surface or ground water. This is EPA’s preferred option for the cleanup.
Using microorganisms to break down the contaminants in the ground water.
Installing devices that aerate the ground water and capture contaminants in air vapor, which are then treated or released into the atmosphere.
Taking no action, which is an option that EPA is required to consider for any cleanup plan.

The Peninsula Boulevard Superfund site is the former home of Grove Cleaners, which operated at 1274 Peninsula Boulevard from 1987 to 1992. A series of investigations from 1991 to 1999 revealed an extensive ground water contaminant plume extending to the north and south of Peninsula Boulevard.

The Peninsula Boulevard site sits adjacent to a number of commercial and residential properties, with the Woodmere Middle School located at the western site boundary. The site was added to the Superfund list of the most contaminated hazardous waste sites in 2004. EPA conducted an investigation at the site from 2005 to 2010, and identified ground water contaminated with tetrachloroethylene and low levels of other volatile organic compounds. Information obtained from Long Island American Water Company and from EPA sampling indicates that one of the company’s well fields may have been impacted by the contamination from the Peninsula Boulevard site.

Comments on EPA’s plan will be accepted until August 27, 2011. Written comments may be sent to:
Gloria M. Sosa
Remedial Project Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
290 Broadway, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10007-1866
sosa.gloria@epa.gov

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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Published by: United States Environmental Protection Agence (EPA) (yosemite.epa.gov)

posted by AndrewW on Jan 19

ITV1 drama Downton Abbey has won four prizes and Kate Winslet the best actress in a mini-series honour at the annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.

Brian Percival also scooped an award for directing the hit period drama, which celebrated its successes on the night the show's second series began in the UK.

Elizabeth McGovern, who plays the Countess of Grantham in the series, was beaten by Winslet in the best actress in a mini-series category.

Jean Marsh was also shortlisted in the category for her portrayal of parlour maid Rose Buck in the BBC's Upstairs, Downstairs remake.

Marsh, who co-created the series, played the same part more than 40 years ago and was nominated for an Emmy in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

Downton Abbey also picked up two technical awards for costume and cinematography at the Creative Arts Emmys, held last week.

British Luther actor Idris Elba lost out to Barry Pepper, of The Kennedys, for lead actor in a mini-series.

And Pepper's co-star in The Kennedys, Briton Tom Wilkinson, was beaten to best supporting actor in a mini-series by Winslet's Mildred Pierce co-star Guy Pearce.

Other nominated British actors who missed out included The Good Wife's Alan Cumming and Kelly MacDonald, for Boardwalk Empire.

And Hugh Laurie, star of US show House, lost out to Kyle Chandler, of Friday Night Lights, in the lead actor in a drama series category.

The awards were hosted by Glee's Jane Lynch, herself shortlisted for best supporting actress in a comedy series.

Comedy programmes took the early Emmys, with Melissa McCarthy taking the best actress in a comedy series and Jim Parsons of Big Bang Theory being honoured best actor in a comedy.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart won the Emmys for best variety, music or comedy series as well as best writing in that genre.

Julianna Margulies won best dramatic actress, for her role in The Good Wife, while Kyle Chandler won best dramatic actor for playing a football coach in Friday Night Lights.

© 2011 BBC News (www.bbc.co.uk)