Multivitamins May Increase Breast Cancer Risk

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that multivitamin use may increase the risk of breast cancer in women. This finding comes from a 10-year study which followed over 35,000 women between the ages of 49 and 83. Those women who reported taking multivitamins at the start of the trial were found to be 19% more likely than non-users to develop breast cancer, even after taking into account of factors such as age, family history of breast cancer, weight, fruit and vegetable intake, and exercise, smoking and drinking habits. As to why this is the case we do not yet know. But certainly more studies are needed to clarify the finding. So, in the mean time, keep in mind that nutrition doesn't just comes from a pill. If you eat a balanced diet with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and proteins you'll get all the vitamins and minerals you need.

 

Thanks to Kosmix Corporation /  RightHealth  / Daily Dose

Growing Good Corn

James Bender, in his book "How to Talk Well", relates the story of a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it.

The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbours. "How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbours when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "don't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbours grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours grow good corn."

Moral: We can only really win, when we help others win as well.

Thanks to ManageTrainLearn

Turning Crisis Into Opportunity

To aid his nomination as the 1912 presidential candidate, Teddy Roosevelt and his running mate, Hiram Johnson, had 3 million pictures of themselves taken. Just before they were to be sent out right across the country, Roosevelt discovered that they hadn't obtained permission to publish them. They were told that legal penalties for the copyright violation might be as much as $3million.

But it was too late to turn back. The printing plates were ready and the convention about to start.

The chairman of the campaign committee decided on a different tack and sent a telegram to the photographer saying: "Planning to use 3 million copies of the Roosevelt photo. Great publicity opportunity for you. What will you pay us for using your picture?"

"Appreciate the offer," the photographer replied. "Can only pay $250."

The chairman accepted without a fight and both sides came out on top.

Moral: When You're Faced With A Crisis, Ask Yourself What the Win-Win Solution Is. 

Thanks to ManageTrainLearn

A One-Word Innovation

The story is told of how one shampoo manufacturer called in an outside consultant to help them come up with some ideas to increase the sales of a failing product.

At the end of a fruitless day looking at ideas, the consultant announced to the assembled executives: "Well, there is one way to double your sales overnight. So straightforward it can be put into one word. But to reveal it to you I will require a large fee."

The executives looked at one another in some disbelief. After some fevered discussion, they decided that any idea must be worth the fee. "OK. We agree. What is the word?"

"Well," said the consultant. "You know the instructions on the side of the bottle. Just add the word "repeat" at the end."

Moral: Simple Solutions Are Often Worth Their Weight In Gold.

Thanks to ManageTrainLearn

Growing Older Is Mandatory, Growing Up Is Optional

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and share a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only few secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. "You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dean and don't even know it!"

"There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change."

"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing The Rose. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

 

Thanks to Moiz Hussain