Testosterone dips on becoming a father

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/testosterone-dips-on-becoming-a-father.html

It seems it’s not just women who are biologically wired to nurture their babies — fathers also go through hormonal changes to help them care for their children.

In many species of mammal the male takes a major role in caring for offspring and now new research points to humans having the same capability.

A new study has found that upon becoming a father a man’s testosterone levels decrease. While testosterone helps the males of species compete for a mate it is not necessarily conducive to fatherhood, hence the reduction in levels.

Although previous studies have pointed to this phenomenon they have been too small to be conclusive and have not identified whether fatherhood reduced testosterone levels or whether men with lower levels of testosterone were more likely to become fathers.

But this study carried out by scientists at Northwestern University in Chicago, US and the Office of Population Studies Foundation in the Philippines followed a group of 624 men in the Philippines, aged between 21 and 26 years old, for more than four years. None were fathers to start with so the changes in their testosterone levels on becoming a father could be measured.

The researchers found that men with higher levels of testosterone were more likely to become fathers but once they had their levels dropped substantially. “Our findings suggest that this is especially true for fathers who become the most involved with child care,” said Lee Gettler, an anthropologist and co-author of the study.

The emotional and physical changes a new father goes through can be significant and the study found that fathers often go through a very large, but temporary, dip in testosterone when they first bring home their newborn baby. “Our study indicates that a man’s biology can change substantially to help meet those demands,” said Gettler. 

And there appears to be another interesting side-effect to these results which may explain why single men often have poorer health than married men and fathers. The lower testosterone levels may help protect the men against some chronic diseases as they age.

“Humans are unusual among mammals in that our offspring are dependent upon older individuals for feeding and protection for more than a decade,” said Christopher Kuzawa, co-author of the study and associate professor of anthropology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and faculty fellow at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern. “Raising human offspring is such an effort that it is cooperative by necessity, and our study shows that human fathers are biologically wired to help with the job.”

Four weight loss mistakes and how to avoid them

http://uk.specials.lifestyle.yahoo.com/body-beautiful/articledetails/article-4-weight-loss-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them-213

ffolkes,Mon, 05 Sep 2011 1:38 UTC

By Rachael Anne Hill

Mistake 1: Ignoring portion size

The food you are eating may be fine but research shows that average portion sizes have increased by up to 50% over the last thirty years so if you are struggling to lose weight it could just be that you are eating too much.

The fix:

Use the guide below and reduce the size of your meals and snacks by 15-20%.  You’ll be amazed how such a small and simple change can make such a big impact on your waistline.

2 cupped handfuls = a serving of milk, yogurt, lettuce or green leafy veg.
1 cupped handful – a serving of cooked pasta, rice, breakfast cereal, couscous, bulgur wheat, beans, pulses, fruit or vegetables

The size of your hand = a serving of bread
The size of your palm = a serving of meat, chicken, fish, poultry or cottage cheese,
The size of a clenched fist = a serving of potatoes, bread
The size of 2 fingers (index and middle) = nuts and seeds, hard cheese
The size of the tip of your thumb = margarine.

Mistake 2: Skipping breakfast

Breakfast eaters are invariably thinner and healthier than breakfast skippers.  This is because missing breakfast cheats you of a great opportunity to bank a whole host of important nutrients and causes blood sugars to plummet increasing the likelihood of over-eating throughout the rest of the day.

The fix:

If you can’t face the idea of eating first thing, try stimulating your appetite by getting up a little earlier and going for a run, do a few minutes yoga or just take a brisk walk around the block.  Research from Kansas University shows that people who exercise before breakfast not only burn more calories and experience better fat loss; they also automatically eat a healthier diet throughout the rest of the day.

If lack of time is the main reason for skipping breakfast prepare something in advance that you can eat on the run such as a whole meal pitta spread with a little peanut butter or Tahiti paste, banana slices and honey, a tin or carton of fruit in natural juices or a home-made, whole meal fruit muffin or a fresh fruit smoothie in a flask.

Mistake 3: Munching lunches with hidden fats

Commercially prepared sandwiches and salads can be far higher in fat than you might think and poor labelling can make it difficult to know exactly how many calories you’re eating.  The National Consumer Council recently criticised a number of high street sandwich chains for selling seemingly healthy sandwiches that had more than twice as much saturated fat as a McDonald's!

A guide to nutritional labels:

*Fat -20 grams  or more is too much, 3 grams is the minimum
*Saturates - 5 grams or more is too much, 1 gram is the minimum
*Sugars - 10 grams or more is too much, 2 grams is the minimum
*Fibre - 3 grams or more is too much, 0.5 grams is the minimum

The fix:

Always read the nutritional label of your lunch.

These guidelines allow you to work out whether a food is high or low in a certain nutrient at a glance.

Alternatively, make your own lunch or have it made to your specifications at the local deli or sandwich bar.  Swap white breads for whole meal wraps, stone-ground or rye breads.  Add in some lean, protein in the form of fish, chicken, ham, prawns or turkey and plenty of fresh salad.

Keep fat levels low by swapping butter and margarines for a light scraping of low fat spread and instead of mayonnaise which has an average of 240 calories per tablespoon, go for chutneys, pickles, cranberry or apple sauces which contain an average of just 40 calories for the same amount.
Finally, liven up your salads with a drizzle of good quality balsamic vinegar or sweet chill dipping sauce (both have approximately 14 Kcals per serving) instead of oily salad dressings which can add up to whopping 250 calories per serving.

Mistake 4: Winding down with wine

Whilst the occasional glass of wine won’t do you any harm, relying on it to put a full stop to your working day is never a good idea.   Alcohol lowers blood sugar levels making you feel tired and over stimulates your appetite (hence the reason behind aperitifs).  It also robs the body of a great many essential vitamins and minerals and may increase the likelihood of calories from food being stored as fat.

The fix:

Never drink alcohol before your evening meal.  When you are hungry cravings for alcohol are generally stronger but drinking it only serves to lower blood sugars further so hold off, at least until after you’ve eaten.  You will invariably find the desire for your favourite tipple subsides quite considerably after eating.  If you do still want a drink have one but in a small glass.

Alternatively, a spritzer or an elderflower cordial with sparkling water, ice, fresh mint and slices of lemon served in a large wine glass can make a refreshing substitute

Orang Tua Kaya Perbendaharaan Kata, Anak Lebih Cerdas

http://www.metrotvnews.com/read/news/2011/09/10/64274/Orang-Tua-Kaya-Perbendaharaan-Kata-Anak-Lebih-Cerdas
Sabtu, 10 September 2011 15:16 WIB


ANDA sebaiknya mempertimbangkan kembali bila Anda berpikir anak cerdas melalui pendidikan formal. Orang tua yang kaya perbendaharaan kata makan akan membuat Andak tumbuh cerdas.

Sebagai orang tua, Anda memiliki peran besar di setiap tahapan tumbuh kembang, khususnya dalam membangun fondasi kecerdasan anak. Ini bisa dimulai dengan kemampuan Anda menjalin percakapan setiap hari dengan si kecil.

Anda akan terkejut bahwa kegiatan sederhana ini akan membantu memperkaya perbendaharaan kata si kecil, mengenal dan menggunakan kata-kata baru, memberanikan diri mengungkapkan pendapatnya di depan umum serta mengasah kepekaannya terhadap sesama dan lingkungan.

Dokter Johny Sulistio, Senior Medical Advisor PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk. sekaligus ketua pelaksana program Daycare mengungkapkan bahwa pendidikan anak bukan didapat dari pendidikan formal atau akademik saja.

"Lebih dari sekadar fasilitas penitipan dan perawatan anak selama masa mudik Lebaran, Daycare memberikan banyak aktivitas dan edukasi non formal yang mendidik untuk mempersiapkan kemandirian di masa yang akan datang, menstimulasi kecerdasan intelegensia, daya imajinasi dan emosional anak," ujarnya.

Daycare ingin membuka mata orang tua tentang arti penting membangun dialog dengan buah hatinya. Di tengah kesibukan yang dijalani sehari-hari orang tua harus bisa mempergunakan momen kebersamaan dengan si kecil menjadi sebuah perbincangan yang hangat. Saat di mobil, mengantri, makan bersama, membaca, menonton TV bersama bahkan sesaat sebelum tidur.

Buat si kecil mengungkapkan pendapatnya akan topik yang disukainya seperti kegiatan sehari-hari, permainan favorit bahkan tentang teman-temannya di sekolah. Latih mereka untuk mengucapkan kata dengan benar.

Berikan komentar agar perbincangan berjalan berimbang. Selain dapat memperkokoh hubungan orang tua-anak, perbincangan yang seimbang akan membuat anak tak hanya pandai berkata-kata namun juga menjadi pendengar yang baik.

Selain program untuk anak-anak, Daycare juga menyediakan program untuk orang tua, yakni workshop ’menu seimbang balita’; talkshow ’ketika anak kecanduan games’ oleh Ibu Elly Risman sebagai narasumber; workshop ’cepat tepat mengatasi masalah’; dan talkshow ’anak tampil percaya diri di tempat umum’ bersama narasumber Becky Tumewu.(go4/RRN)