The First Pressure Cooker

The first pressure cooker called the "ingester" was designed in 1679 by French physicist, Denis Papin. It blew up a year later.

Freezing Frogs

As the temperature drops, some animals move to a warmer climate, but wood frogs seek cover under leaves where they actually freeze and thaw with their surroundings. As the temperature drops below 32 degrees, ice crystals form right beneath the frog's skin. The normally slimy amphibian becomes slushy. In about three hours if the mercury continues to drop, ice enters the frog's arteries and veins. As a result, after twenty four hours, the heart and brain stop working, and its eyes freeze to a ghostly white. Up to 65% of the water in the frog's body becomes ice. The spectacular thing is that the frog isn't actually dead! As the temperature rises, the frog returns to its normal state in several hours.

Idling

10% of all of our fuel is wasted on idling. Parents leave their car running on average for two to twenty minutes waiting to pick up for their children, wasting gas, polluting, adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Termites

Termites are most active in the spring time.

First Women's Rights Convention

In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Coffin Mott organized the first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York to fight for equal rights, but it wasn't until 1920 that women were allowed to vote in U.S. presidential elections.

Frozen Food Month

In the food industry, March is National Frozen Food month. Frozen foods is most affordable during this time of the year. Take advantage!

Mangrove Killifish

Scientists have discovered that mangrove killifish spends several months of every year living out of the water and inside trees. Living in rotten branches and trunks temporarily alter the creatures biological makeup, allowing them to breathe air. Their gills adapt to retain nutrients and water, while excreting nitrogen waste through their skin. These characteristics are reversed as soon as the creatures re-enter water life. Mangrove killifish are also the only vertebrate creature to reproduce without a mate because of their ability to develop female and male sexual organs and fertilize their eggs. Another type of fish that can breathe in air and water is the walking catfish of Southeast Asia.

Rabbits

Rabbits aren't capable of vomiting.

Unique Mona Lisa

A Japanese artist named Tadahiko Ogawa managed to replicate the Mona Lisa entirely out of toast in 1983.

Artichokes

Artichokes came to Europe from North Africa when the Moors invaded Spain. It's a type of flower bud.

Good Samaritan Law

Most states have Good Samaritan Laws that protects people who willingly give first aid without accepting anything in return. In most states, a layperson (citizen) has no legal obligation to help victims in emergencies.

Alternating and Direct Current

Most electrical appliances in use today convert the AC (alternating current) from the electrical socket and convert to DC (direct current) for use. This conversion wastes a lot of energy. DC isn't used in the socket but is the most efficient. This is because Thomas Edison pushed AC over DC and used fear to scare people into believing him by electrocuting elephants with DC electricity.

Milk the Spice Neutralizer

Milk is not only nutritious but contains a protein which cleanses burning taste buds so is ideal to have with spicy foods.

Lycopene

Lycopene, a phytochemical, is a highly regarded nutrient due to its powerful antioxidant properties. Its ability to reverse oxidative stress is suspected to be responsible for its cancer and heart disease fighting results. Harvard University research revealed that men who consumed 10 servings of tomato products a week minimized their chances of prostate cancer by as much as 45%. Research also suggests that lycopene can reduce your threat of developing other cancers such as colon, stomach, cervix, skin, and breast cancer. It's also suspected to prevent atherosclerosis and heart disease by lowering LDL levels, which are considered bad cholesterol. There's also some evidence suggesting that lycopene can reduce the risk of macular degenerative diseases, too. It's important to consume lycopene rich foods because our bodies don't produce the nutrient. Because lycopene is a carotenoid, a plant pigment, known to give certain produce a red color, you can find them in pink grapefruits, watermelon, guavas, and a variety of other foods. The ripest and reddest tomatoes are the richest source of lycopene. Contrary to logical conclusions, lycopene is most effectively absorbed into the body when it's cooked through. In its raw form, the nutrient is too large to be absorbed by the body. So, in order to obtain the lycopene benefits from tomatoes, use processed or cooked versions. For example, canned tomatoes, jarred salsa, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, sautéed fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato soup are all ideal sources of lycopene. Additionally, being a fat-soluble nutrient, lycopene becomes more readily available for absorption with the presence of dietary fats such as cheese or extra-virgin olive oil. It dissolves and carry into your bloodstream more effectively. I recommend consuming tomatoes lightly sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil, seasoned to taste with salt and pepper, and mixed with feta cheese.

Yo-Yo Dieting

Yo-yo dieting may increase the body's fat to lean tissue ratio. Women may lose considerable muscle tissue while dieting but tend to regain it as fat.

Benefits of Fish

It has been confirmed that consuming fish at least once a week has some benefits. It delays the aging process in your brain. It also increases brain function and cuts the risk of stroke. The rate of mental decline was reduced by 10-13% a year, compared to others who ate fish less regularly. The time decrease is the equivalent of being 3-4 years younger in age.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is, in fact, not a vitamin. It's a hormone called calcitrol. Our body produces it when we're exposed to the sun. The UVB light on your skin converts to 7-dehydrocholesterol which then turns into vitamin D, when the liver and kidneys activate it. This starts the process of regulating and enhancing the absorption of the minerals calcium and phosphorus in our body. It's important to not be deficient in "vitmain" D because it may cause a chronic imbalance and bone deterioration.

Zinc Deficiency

If you are deficient in zinc, you may have dulled taste buds. Another cause of dulled taste buds has to do with an enzyme deficiency. The more cooked food you eat, the more enzymes you kill off. Reintroducing raw food into your diet such as fruits and vegetables can stimulate your taste buds.

Turmeric

Turmeric is an ingredient found in many curries and American mustard responsible for adding colors and flavors to them. Curcumin is turmeric's medically active ingredient that shows evidence of anti-inflammatory and cancer protective effects. During the springtime, enjoy an unsweetened turmeric tea to reap its benefits. Many Asian and Indian cooking also uses this ingredient.

Laughter as Medicine

Laugh it up for your health. People who watched comedy films such as There's Something About Mary had better blood flow than those who watched something like Saving Private Ryan. Director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology, Michael Miller, MD., recommends 15 minutes of laughter a day.

Healthy Water Consumption

It has been proven that drinking 8 glasses of water a day may not be appropriate for every individual. To determine how much water you should consume daily, calculate your weight and divide it by 2. The answer you come up with is the amount of water you should consume in ounces. For example, if you weigh 100 lbs, divide that by two. Your answer will be 50, so you should drink 50 ounces of water a day. (Remember that 8 oz. is the equivalent to 1 cup). For those of you skeptical of this new study, consider this. A larger person has more sweat glands, so liquid is extracted from the body at a much more rapid rate than a smaller person with less sweat glands. A child's daily food consumption isn't equivalent and shouldn't be equivalent to that of an adult. Why should water consumption be any different?

National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month.