Pages

Thursday 31 October 2013

Ethiopian tribe where men compete to be the fattest in the village by drinking a gruesome mixture of blood and milk while living in isolation for SIX months

  • Men from the Bodi tribe compete to become the fattest during the new year or Ka'el ceremony
  • They spend six months guzzling a mixture of blood and milk in a bid to fatten up as fast as they can
  • The winning fat man doesn't get a prize but is feted as a hero for life by the rest of the tribe
  • Bodi want to retain their traditions but they are threatened by government resettlement plans
 
 
 
 
 
Slim might be in elsewhere but for Ethiopia's Bodi or Me'en people, bigger is always better. The tribe, which lives in a remote corner of Ethiopia's Omo Valley, is home to an unusual ritual which sees young men gorge on cow's blood and milk in a bid to be crowned the fattest man.
 
Six months after starting the regime, the men emerge to show off their newly engorged physiques and for a winner to be chosen. The champion fat man is then feted as a hero for the rest of his life.
 
 
Now the little known rite is the subject of incredible photos taken by French shutterbug Eric Lafforgue - who spent time with the Bodi while travelling through south-western Ethiopia during the run up to the Bodi New Year or Ka'el ceremony.
 
SEE PHOTOS:






 
 
 
 
 
The contest begins six months before the ceremony. Every family is allowed to present an unmarried man for the challenge, who, after being chosen, retires to his hut and must not move or have sex for the duration.
 
Food comes in the form of a cow's blood and milk mixture, served regularly to the men by women from the village. 'The cows are sacred to the Bodi tribe so they are not killed,' explains Lafforgue. 'The blood is taken by making a hole in a vein with a spear or an axe, and after that, they close it with clay.'
 
Because of the scorching temperatures, the men have to drink the two-litre bowl of blood and milk quickly before it coagulates but as Lafforgue reveals, not everyone can handle drinking so much at speed.
 
'The fat men drink milk and blood all day long,' he says. 'The first bowl of blood is drunk at sunrise. The place is invaded by flies. The man must drink it quickly before it coagulates but some cannot drink everything and vomit it.'
 
On the day itself, the men cover their bodies with clay and ashes before emerging from their huts for the walk to the spot where the ceremony will take place.
 
  
 
 
 
 
#dailymail

SHOCKING: Woman Caught With Dead New Born Baby Inside Sack (GRAPHIC PHOTO)

mujidat-dead-baby



40-year old widow, known as Mujidat, was caught on Wednesday with a dead day old baby hidden in a sack around her home at 2, Reverend Alimi street, NEPA phase 1, Ijagemo in Iba local council development area of Lagos state. The baby was believed to be no more than one day old.

According to PM News, a neighbour raised the alarm after spotting the mother-of-seven behaving suspiciously.

High chief Babatunde Balogun said that when he asked her about the contents of the sack, she claimed they were household items from the market.

But Balogun opened the sack and found the baby's body inside.

It was gathered that different men have been visiting her home after the death of her husband three years ago.

When asked if she planned to throw away the baby because of an alleged paternity mess, she denied, claiming that a welder turned block maker near her residence was responsible for the pregnancy that resulted in the birth of the dead baby she was caught with. .

Mujidat said that she delivered the child herself because she found it easy. She did not reveal the circumstances surrounding the baby's death.

A picture taken at the scene shows Mujidat holding the naked and blooded baby in her lap.

She remains in police custody.



#pmnews
#ibtimes

Domestic Violence: Are Black Women Victimized More?...5 steps that may help black women evaluate their abusive situations and increase their ability to change that situation



Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, against black women, has a major impact on their health. Higher rates of abused victims are reported in black women compared to white women, and often result in many dangerous and shocking health symptoms.


  • Women in abusive relationships are at higher risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases and higher rates of vaginal bleeding and infection.

  • Mostly due to a lower salary scale among African Americans, black women receive less alimony/child support after divorce compared to their Caucasian counterparts, and as a result return to their abusive partners.

  • Cultural norms among violently-abused black women make leaving their partners difficult. Often, attempts to leave are, initially, not successful.
Experts have identified five cognitive steps that may help black women evaluate their abusive situations and increase their ability to change that situation:

Non-acknowledgment (pre-contemplation). Many victims of domestic violence have isolated themselves from the situation by denying the severity of it. This includes the common tendency of blaming themselves for the abuse, or being too afraid to act.

Acceptance (contemplation). With positive reinforcement, encouragement, and a solid support system, victims of domestic violence can better acknowledge the dangerous situation they are in, accept that the only person at fault is the abuser, take comfort in the fact that they are not alone, and that the abuse does not have to continue.

Thinking about other options (preparation). After accepting the seriousness of their situation and understanding that they deserve better, domestic violence victims need to formulate an actionable plan to make the abuse stop.

Ready to start actions (action). After putting their plan together, women suffering from domestic violence and their support system need to work together to help the woman leave the abusive situation. Subsequent steps should include continued mental health counseling, physical exams, and assistance in establishing healthy life patterns, including eating and fitness plans.

Intervention, using behavior modification,  may be the key to helping decrease domestic violence and end the cycle of abuse.


#blackdoctor.org

Chris Brown Checks Into Rehab Following Recent Arrest

chriscamo




Chris Brown is seeking professional help for his anger management issues.

According to reports, Breezy checked into a Malibu, Calif. rehab facility today to deal with his temper problem and avoid a possible prison sentence.


“Chris Brown has elected to enter a rehab facility,” the singer’s rep told E! News. “His goal is to gain focus and insight into his past and recent behavior, enabling him to continue the pursuit of his life and his career from a healthier vantage point.”


Brown was arrested this past weekend for allegedly attacking a man with his fists outside the W Hotel in Washington D.C. The 24-year-old, who is still on probation for his 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna, was charged with misdemeanor simple assault. He is due back in court on November 25.




#hellobeautiful

Wednesday 30 October 2013

Nigeria Set To Produce TV Series, Desperate Housewives Africa





Yayyy! Wisteria lane in Africa!

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's EbonyLife TV and Disney Media Distribution EMEA say they will co-produce a new series called Desperate Housewives Africa.

EbonyLife TV's CEO Mo Abudu says the series will have "an African soul" featuring a cast of new and established pan-African talent that will showcase fashion by Nigerian dress designers. It is to air in summer 2014.

In a joint statement Monday, Abudu said the African version of the popular series will be filmed on location in a gated community of the upscale Lekki suburb in Lagos, Nigeria's bustling economic hub.

Disney EMEA general manager Giovanni Mastrangelo said it offers "the opportunity to engage African audiences through locally relevant and entertaining storytelling."

He said versions of Desperate Housewives have been produced in Turkey, Argentina, Brazil and the United States in Spanish.

I'm actually looking forward to this... I wonder which actors and actresses that would feature.....


#mysanantonio.com

APPALLING! 14 yr old boy rapes nine-year-old girl to death


Rapist





The police in Lagos State have commenced investigation into how a nine-year-old girl died, after sustaining injuries caused by alleged consistent rape.

According to police authorities, the deceased was raped over five times, by a 14-year-old student, Onyi Adimabua, in the Ikorodu area of the state.

The father of the deceased, Simeon Jigo, told PUNCH Metro that Onyi is the son of the proprietor of the school his daughter attended.

He said his daughter opened up about the rape when she started having medical problems.

The 77-year-old man said his daughter died on October 3, 2013.

He said, “Up until my daughter’s death, she was a pupil of Fulfilled Greenland School, Ikorodu, and she was in primary three. One day, she came home and started complaining of pains around her vagina, stomach area. We rushed her to Ikorodu General Hospital.

“A doctor checked her and after conducting some tests on her, told us that my daughter had sustained medical complications due to forced sexual intercourse. I was alarmed by this; so, I had a private discussion with my daughter.

“She told me that it was her school proprietor’s son, Onyi, that had been raping her. The boy had threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone about it.”

The indigene of Ondo State told PUNCH Metro that after initial treatments, he took his daughter to Arogbo in Ondo State to be taken care of but her condition continued to deteriorate.

A few days after the troubled father travelled to Ondo State, Onyi, accompanied by his parents, also travelled to Ondo State, to apologise to Jigo’s family. The girl, however, was said to have died that very day.

“On getting to the house where my daughter was, we discovered that she was dead. Onyi confessed that he had been raping my daughter prior to her death,’ Jigo said.

PUNCH Metro learnt that after the girl’s demise, irate youths in the area attempted to lynch the 14-year-old boy.

The bereaved father was said to have intervened and reported the matter to a nearby police station, where the teenager was held for safe keeping. The next morning, Onyi and his parents travelled back to Lagos.

The alleged rapist’s parents, in company with a chief in Ikorodu, reportedly visited Jigo when he returned to Lagos. The group were said to have pleaded that the bereaved father should not pursue the case but he refused.

Jigo said, “I went to the Ikorodu Police station to report the case but was surprised when the policemen on duty said I should not write any statement. They only told me to write down my telephone number and said they would call me later.

“After waiting for many days without any call, I wrote a petition and the matter was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.”

It was however learnt that Onyi had been taken to his father’s hometown in Delta State thereby stalling police investigation.

The teenager’s parents, however described the incident as the handiwork of the devil.

The 14-year-old boy’s father, Andrew Adimabua, said, “I trained that boy in the way of the Lord and expected so much from him. He has confessed to the act; there is nothing to hide. He told me that he learnt about sex by watching blue (pornographic) films.

“We are not hiding him and we will cooperate with the police. On the day the little girl died, he was beaten up and made to stay in the rain for hours. As a result, he contracted pneumonia so we sent him home for treatment. When he recovers, he’ll be taken to the police for questioning.”

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone, expressed shock at the development.

Braide said Onyi would be re-arrested in the course of investigation.

“It is appalling that a teenager could indulge in such act. The matter is under investigation and the culprit will be re-arrested.”
 
 
 
#punch

76-yr-old woman escapes from kidnappers den

Mrs. Otiti Esegba
 
 
MRS. Otiti Esegba, a 76 year-old grandmother, escaped from the den of her abductors about five hours after she was abducted, Monday.
 
She was abducted at 2a.m. by a five-man kidnap gang at Akperhe community in Olomu kingdom, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State and taken away on a motorcycle to their den at Oviri Olomu.
Mrs. Esegba is the mother of the Managing Director of Ben-Segba Technical Services Limited, an oil servicing firm in Ekpan.
 
Same day, a medical practitioner, Dr. Richard Kofi, a native of Okpare community, also in Olomu kingdom was seized as he was entering his clinic in Ughelli. He also escaped from his kidnappers.
Prior to the Esegba and Kofi episodes, a lawyer, Mr. Omonemu, was kidnapped by the gang and kept for 20 days before he regained freedom.
Mrs. Esegba, whose pleas to the kidnappers to free her fell on deaf ears, said she began to pray that God should make the two kidnappers guarding her to fall asleep.
She said they actually fell asleep. That was when she ran.The other three had left to go and abduct more victims, saying they needed more money.
She told Vanguard: “At about 2a.m., while I was asleep, I heard a deafening noise but before I knew it, two heavily armed men stormed into the house and seized me after pulling down my door.“Three others, also armed, joined them and ransacked the house, took my jewelries, my clothes and money. They started beating and hitting me with guns.“Thereafter, I was dragged onto one of the waiting motorcycles, popularly known as okada. One sat behind me and the three others took the other okada. The one seated behind me held my mouth and I was blind-folded.”
 
When she escaped, a fisherman took her in. She said: “He took me to his home at a place I later found out to be Oviri-Olomu, after hearing my story.“At his home I found out that he was married to my niece. They clothed me as I was almost naked.”“This man called my people at Akperhe at 6a.m. They came and alerted Oviri community leadership. That is my story.”
 
 
#vanguard

Tuesday 29 October 2013

Nollywood Actress, Janet Atayero-Oluseye Dies

Beautiful actress, Janet Atayero Oluseye, who used to be one of the prominent faces of Yoruba genre of Nollywood, has passed away.

janet_atayero-oluseye

Janet, who got married just a year ago, to Olalekan Oluseye, died at the age of 32 on Wednesday 23th of October, 2013.

The member of Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioner (ANTP), Ibadan chapter was with the Ojopagogo movie caucus in Ibadan until her death.

She was said to have complained of pains on her foot and couldn’t walk with it for months and subsequently her condition deteriorated even though she was treated in the hospital and some spiritual measures.

However, Janet Atayero Oluseye didn’t survive and was buried in Lagos, the same day she died.
May her soul rest in peace!




#brimtime
#informationnigeria

PHOTOS: Mr Ugly Pageant Won By Zimbabwean William Masvinu




William Masvinu, a market porter has been crowned Zimbabwe's Mr Ugly.

William Masvinu went home with a first prize of $100 in cash and a night in a fancy hotel. He was also awarded a year's tuition fees for one of his children.

Though he won last year's contest too, life hasn't always been easy for the 38-year-old, who says he has been shunned throughout his life because of his appearance.

"I'm still poor", he said.

"My mother died when I was three and no one wanted to take care of me or send me to school because of my looks," he said.

He says potential employers have been so repulsed by him they would physically close doors in his face, but revealed he found love with wife Alice Chabhanga, who is "the only one who wanted me and she knows she has no competition."

After his victory, he told All Africa, he said: "My ugliness comes naturally to me and though I did a bit to prepare for the show, I let them do the rest."

His manager Michael Gundo added: "A bit of choreography together with his funny clothing helped him on stage but it was all minimum effort."
See photos below:

william masvinu


Freddy Mwanda (L) came in second-place in Zimbabwe's "Mr. Ugly" competition


Finalists in the "Mr. Ugly" pageant line up on stage at a club in Harare, Zimbabwe. The prize for winning the pageant is US$ 100 cash, plus a one-night stay in a three-star hotel.


Freddy Mwanda (L) came in second-place in Zimbabwe's "Mr. Ugly" competition.




William Masvinu (R), winner of Zimbabwe's 2012 "Mr. Ugly" pageant, poses with his wife, Alice Chabhanga. Chabhanga says she was attracted to Masvinu because of his cheerfulness, kindness, and sense of humor.




#huffingtonpost

Iran spares life of convicted drug trafficker who survived 'death sentence by hanging'

Iran spares life of hanging survivor


Tehran (AFP) - Iran has decided to spare the life of a convicted drug trafficker who survived a hanging, media reports on Wednesday quoted Justice Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi as saying.

The reports follow calls from within Iran and appeals from international rights groups against the man found alive in a morgue facing execution for a second time.

"The convict who survived (the death penalty) will not be executed again," Pour-Mohammadi said late Tuesday in remarks reported by the official IRNA news agency.

"After putting much effort to prevent the second execution of this convict, we have received a positive response," he said without elaborating.

All judicial affairs and decisions in the Islamic republic rest with the judiciary, which constitutionally operates independently from the government.

The convict, identified only as Alireza M., 37, was pronounced dead earlier this month by the attending doctor after hanging for 12 minutes from a noose suspended from a crane at a jail in northeast Iran.

But the next day, staff at the mortuary in the city of Bojnourd where his shrouded body was taken discovered he was still breathing.

Media later reported that he had fallen into a coma.

Pour-Mohammadi implied that a second execution would be damaging for Iran?s image. "If he survives, it is not expedient to hang him again," said the minister.

The incident led to a heated debate between jurists, with some arguing against a repeat hanging and others for.

According to the media, a petition signed by jurists and attorneys was sent to judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, appealing for a stay in the exceptional case.

Amnesty International also called for an immediate stay of execution for Alireza M.

Iran has one of the highest rates of execution in the world, with more than 500 cases last year and some 508 executions so far this year, according to Human Rights Watch.

Tehran says the death penalty is essential to maintain law and order, and that it is applied only after exhaustive judicial proceedings.

Murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and adultery are among the crimes punishable by death in Iran, based on its interpretation of sharia law in force since its 1979 Islamic revolution.



#yahoonews

Kids should spend no more than TWO HOURS online per day, ...'Many parents are clueless' about the impact media exposure can have on their children



Doctors 2 parents: Limit kids' tweeting, texting & keep smartphones, laptops out of bedrooms. #goodluckwiththat.

The recommendations are bound to prompt eye-rolling and LOLs from many teens but an influential pediatricians group says parents need to know that unrestricted media use can have serious consequences.

It's been linked with violence, cyberbullying, school woes, obesity, lack of sleep and a host of other problems. It's not a major cause of these troubles, but 'many parents are clueless' about the profound impact media exposure can have on their children, said Dr. Victor Strasburger, lead author of the new American Academy of Pediatrics policy.




Two-hour limit: An influential pediatricians group says parents need to know that unrestricted media use can have serious consequences for kids and teens aged between eight and 18

'This is the 21st century and they need to get with it,' said Strasburger, a University of New Mexico adolescent medicine specialist.

The policy is aimed at all kids, including those who use smartphones, computers and other internet-connected devices. It expands the academy's longstanding recommendations on banning televisions from children's and teens' bedrooms and limiting entertainment screen time to no more than two hours daily.

Under the new policy, those two hours include using the internet for entertainment, including Facebook, Twitter, TV and movies; online homework is an exception.


The policy statement cites a 2010 report that found U.S. children aged 8 to 18 spend an average of more than seven hours daily using some kind of entertainment media. Many kids now watch TV online and many send text messages from their bedrooms after 'lights out,' including sexually explicit images by cellphone or internet, yet few parents set rules about media use, the policy says.

'I guarantee you that if you have a 14-year-old boy and he has an internet connection in his bedroom, he is looking at pornography,' Strasburger said.

The policy notes that three-quarters of kids aged 12 to 17 own cellphones; nearly all teens send text messages, and many younger kids have phones giving them online access.


'I guarantee you that if you have a 14-year-old boy and he has internet in his bedroom, he is looking at pornography'

'Young people now spend more time with media than they do in school — it is the leading activity for children and teenagers other than sleeping' the policy says.

Mark Risinger, 16, of Glenview, Ill., is allowed to use his smartphone and laptop in his room, and says he spends about four hours daily on the internet doing homework, using Facebook and YouTube and watching movies.

He said a two-hour internet time limit 'would be catastrophic' and that kids won't follow the advice, 'they'll just find a way to get around it.'

Strasburger said he realizes many kids will scoff at advice from pediatricians — or any adults.

'After all, they're the experts! We're media-Neanderthals to them,' he said. But he said he hopes it will lead to more limits from parents and schools, and more government research on the effects of media.

The policy was published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics. It comes two weeks after police arrested two Florida girls accused of bullying a classmate who committed suicide. Police say one of the girls recently boasted online about the bullying and the local sheriff questioned why the suspects' parents hadn't restricted their internet use.



Parents warned to limit net time to two hours per day



Mark's mom, Amy Risinger, said she agrees with restricting kids' time on social media but that deciding on other media limits should be up to parents.

'I think some children have a greater maturity level and you don't need to be quite as strict with them,' said Risinger, who runs a communications consulting firm.

Her 12-year-old has sneaked a laptop into bed a few times and ended up groggy in the morning, 'so that's why the rules are now in place, that that device needs to be in mom and dad's room before he goes to bed.'

Sara Gorr, a San Francisco sales director and mother of girls, ages 13 and 15, said she welcomes the academy's recommendations.

Her girls weren't allowed to watch the family's lone TV until a few years ago. The younger one has a tablet, and the older one has a computer and smartphone, and they're told not to use them after 9pm.

'There needs to be more awareness,' Gorr said. 'Kids are getting way too much computer time. It's bad for their socialization, it's overstimulating, it's numbing them.'





#dailymail

‘Backing of babies bad for infants’...Can lead to developmental dysplasia of the hips amongst others



PARIS (AFP) – The ancient practice of “swaddling” a baby in a blanket, arms restrained and legs stretched out, is making a comeback, but experts warned Tuesday it was bad for infant hips.

Paediatrician Alastair Sutcliffe of University College London pointed out that in countries like Nigeria where women traditionally carry their babies with the legs splayed around their waist, there was a “virtually unseen” rate of hip dislocation.

While many parents say the technique is soothing and aids their child’s sleep, researchers underlined that links have been observed to osteoarthritis and hip replacement in middle age.

“Traditional swaddling is a risk factor for DDH (developmental dysplasia of the hip),” paediatric orthopaedic surgeon Nicholas Clarke wrote in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, a British journal.“In order to allow for healthy hip development, legs should be able to bend up and out at the hips. This position allows for natural development of the hip joints.“The babies’ legs should not be tightly wrapped in extension and pressed together.”
Clarke cited figures that about 90 percent of infants in North America are nowadays swaddled in the first few months of life, and that demand for swaddling clothes increased by 61 percent over a year in the UK in 2010-11.

The practice, believed to go as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans, is said to mimic the baby’s experience in the womb by creating a sense of warmth and security with light pressure all over the body.It fell out of favour in the Western world decades ago over fears of adverse effects, but remains popular in the Middle East and some tribal communities.
An education programme in Japan against swaddling saw the prevalence of hip dislocation halve, said Clarke.
Store-bought swaddling clothes must have a loose pouch or sack for the baby’s legs and feet, allowing for plenty of hip movement and flexing, he added.
Commenting on the article, orthopaedic surgeon Andreas Roposch of the Great Ormond Street children’s hospital in London, agreed there was evidence that swaddling could affect the normal development of infant hips.

“Swaddling should not be employed in my view as there is no health benefit but a risk for adverse consequences of the growing and often immature hips,” he said in comments distributed by the Science Media Centre.“I would advise that if a baby needs to be wrapped up to get off to sleep that parents do this in a sympathetic and loose manner, and not tight especially around the babies’ hips,” he said.



#AFP
#vanguard

Monday 28 October 2013

Clara Chime, First Lady of Enugu State Allegedly On House Arrest Imposed By Her Husband, Governor Sullivan Chime...Read her predicament as she pleads with human rights groups to rescue her

 

 
Governor Chime and Clara




Clara Chime, the First Lady of Enugu State, says Governor Sullivan Chime, has placed her under house arrest, and has cried out for assistance to reach human rights bodies to rescue her.

In a letter dripping with pain and suffering, Mrs. Chime disclosed that she married Mr. Chime in October 2008 but that she has been unable to share the matrimonial bed with him for over four years.

Describing her desperate situation, she said that even President Goodluck Jonathan and First Lady Patience Jonathan have intervened with her husband without success.

“My father is late, my Mum and few of my siblings are confused and have done all kinds of prayers they know of, 3 of my siblings prefers me dead than to see me leave the Government house. He treats my Mum and my siblings bad,” she wrote.

The Enugu State First Lady said she has been introduced to two psychiatrists whose names she gave as Dr. Onwukwe and Dr. Agumo, who have prescribed “all kinds of drugs that ends up keeping me acute depressed and also drives me into hallucinations.”

The doctors, she noted, are scared of her husband the Governor, to whom nobody can tell the truth.

According to the letter, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu state (Callistus Onaga), and top priests have come to intervene, as have the President and the First Lady of the nation, without success.

Mrs. Chime further complains that Governor Chime has ordered her to leave with her four-year old son whom she conceived before their wedding. However, the governor, according to her, later threatened to disown the boy should she leave with him.

“He has told everyone he can reach that there is no marriage between us that I can leave if I wish to but whenever I plan to leave he instructs them to lock me in. I have told him through Sms that I will leave my son behind and leave alone but still he instructed his securities to lock me inside the house.”

Mrs. Chime further complains she has lost touch with the real world and all that makes her beautiful because of the side effects of the drugs she is taking, stressing that she is under house arrest for committing no crime.

Of the situation in Government House, she said, “He does not take care of me personally, the government gives me allowance to run the house and that's where I save little from to take care of my elf, my Mum and few of my siblings,” she said in the letter. He shut me out of his life years ago; I don't have access to his apartment. The problem is enormous; I don't know where to start to explain from.”

She said that even the security detail in the lodge has resorted to praying for her, while the few that can be bought with money are taking advantage of the situation.

“Police and SS men have been instructed by Br Sullivan Chime to confine me in a place for a long time now against my wish [but] it is my wish to leave these premises,” she said, begging, “Please assist me to reach to the human rights and say to them to please come hastily and release me.”




#saharareporters

Of all the fat that can accumulate on your body, which is the most dangerous?







Belly fat. Excess accumulation of belly fat is more dangerous than excess fat around your hips and thighs.

Belly fat is associated with serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Belly fat appears to be especially bad for the heart. Studies have linked belly fat to heart failure, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular problems. It also has been associated with osteoporosis, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, and other health problems.

Eating high-fat foods is not helpful, but excess calories of any kind can increase your waistline and contribute to belly fat. Still, there is no single cause of belly fat. Genetics, diet, age, and lifestyle can all play a role. Changing dietary habits can help you fight the battle of the bulge and fight belly fat: Read labels, reduce saturated fats, increase the amount of fruits and veggies you eat, and control and reduce your portions.

Excess calories — whether from alcohol, sweetened beverages, or oversized portions of food — can increase belly fat. Our bodies need calories, yet gram for gram, alcohol has almost as many calories as fat.

Alcohol does seem to have a particular association with an increased waistline, though. In general, that’s because when you drink alcohol, your liver is too busy burning off alcohol to burn off fat, leaving you with a beer belly. Studies show that alcohol can cause you to feel hungry by affecting hormones that regulate a sense of satiety.

Why Are Trans Fats So Bad?

Which of the following fats not only can make you gain weight, but also can move fat from other parts of your body to your belly? Trans fats. Researchers at Wake Forest University found that trans fats, which are created by partially hydrogenated oil, increase the amount of fat around the belly and redistribute fat tissue to the abdomen from other parts of the body. Trans fats may be found in such foods as margarine, pastries, cookies and crackers, and fried and convenience foods.


The Foods That Fight Belly Fat

Which foods do studies show may help fight belly fat? Green tea, in combination with exercise, could help you lose weight, according to the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers think substances in green tea known as catechins stimulate the body to burn calories and enhance loss of belly fat. Blueberries also show promise, albeit in rodents. In one study, rats bred to become obese were fed either a high-fat diet or a low-fat diet rich in blueberries. Rats fed a blueberry-rich diet had less abdominal fat.

What’s The Real Problem With Fast Food?

Any fast food options are typically high-fat, calorie-dense foods that are eaten in large portions — all of which contribute to over-consumption of calories, weight gain, and an increase in belly fat when eaten frequently. Many fast food restaurants don’t provide nutritional information, but studies have shown that when this is available, people tend to pick lower-calorie meals.

Why Are Researchers Against Diet Soda?
According to the American Heart Association, “soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 source of added sugars in the American diet.” Added sugars mean added calories – something you want to avoid to help with weight loss and cut down on belly fat. Yet, high-fructose corn syrup has gradually replaced refined sugar as the main sweetener in soft drinks and has been blamed as a potential contributor to the obesity epidemic.

Does switching to diet sodas help? Although some research has suggested that people who drink artificially sweetened sodas as part of a calorie-restricted diet do lose weight, other studies have suggested that diet soft drinks could even lead to weight gain. For now, there’s no conclusive evidence either way.


What’s So Great About Fiber?

To trim your waistline, add whole grains to your diet. For example, choose brown or wild rice instead of white rice. Refined and other highly processed foods can contribute to weight gain and interfere with weight loss. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains can trim extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects.

What’s So Great About Whole Grains?

Couscous, spaghetti, and corn flakes are made from refined grains (though whole grain options may be available). But popcorn is a whole grain food that can boost fiber. The best way to prepare popcorn is with an air-popper, which requires no oil for cooking. Read labels to see what oils have been added to microwave popcorn.

All else being equal, though, whole grains are better than refined grains because they tend to be high in fiber and take longer to digest. This satisfies your hunger better and helps lower blood glucose levels and reduce fat.

Why Do Men Store More Belly Fat Than Women?

Overall, men tend to store fat in the abdominal area more than women do, thanks to sex hormone differences. Before age 40, women tend to store most of their fat in the hips, thighs, and buttocks. After 40, as estrogen levels drop, body fat is redistributed to the abdomen.

Is Belly Fat Really Harder To Lose Than Other Types Of Fats

When you lose weight, you’re much more likely to lose it in your midsection. Losing weight on a well-balanced plan will melt body fat, including belly fat. The best way to decrease your waist size is through healthy eating and regular exercise.

Why Can’t I Just Do Some Crunches To Lose Weight?
Doing sit-ups, crunches, or other abdominal exercises will strengthen your core muscles and help you lose fat, but they don’t specifically work on belly fat. In other words, spot exercise won’t decrease belly fat. The only way to lose belly fat (or any kind of fat) is through dieting and exercise. Aerobic exercises, such as running, swimming, cycling, and tennis, are some of the best to help reduce body fat.

What’s The Best Belly Fat-Blasting Plan?
Most scientific evidence suggests that a calorie-controlled diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, beans, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish, eggs, and poultry is the foundation for a diet that provides all the nutrients you need while helping to whittle your waistline. Weight loss experts recommend combining this diet with 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week.





#blackdoctors.org

PHOTOS: Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman all loved up in a miniature smart car

What happened to the Bentley?




He’s got a fleet of luxury vehicles worth more money than most UK family homes – so why is Simon Cowell taking his pregnant girlfriend out in THIS silly car.

The father-to-be was pictured kissing Lauren Silverman on their day-date together as they headed to filming for The X Factor USA.

A convenient red light and stop in traffic meant Lauren, 34, could stick her lippy all over Simon’s mouth. You know, marking her territory like a dog on a lamppost.

They were riding dirty in Simon’s miniature Smart car as further pictures appear to show the music boss is sticking to his word by puffing a cigarette out and about in LA.

He’s rarely without a ciggie – even on a jet-ski – and don’t expect the 54-year-old to quit any time soon.
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman share a kiss

Despite girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 36, expecting his baby in February, we're told Simon isn’t planning to cut back.

However, it seems Lauren might have laid down some rules.

“He won’t be smoking round the house,” a close source confides.

“He’ll have to go out in the garden when Lauren and the baby are around.” Or perhaps round the back of the bike sheds.
Simon Cowell He must be unfamiliar with the rhyme 'smokers are jokers' then


#mirror.co.uk

Future Proposes To Ciara On Her Birthday



Future proposed to Ciara in grand fashion on her birthday.
According to reports, Future dropped to one knee and presented the “Body Party” singer with a 15-carat ring.




Congrats!

Leopard skin has gone classy...Yep! You heard me!


That's right, ladies. Drop the rulebook and try and forget everything you thought you knew about fashion. Because this season, leopard skin-print is back in style. No matter whether you wear just a touch here or there, or large swathes of it draped around your body, you can't go wrong with this feline look.

Once upon a time, leopard-print was poo-pooed as being vulgar and garish. But designers have always loved the motif. Christian Dior included leopard-print in his notable 1947 'New Look' collection. It was picked up by Yves Saint Laurent in the '80s and, a decade later, Dolce & Gabbana eagerly embraced the look.




Blouse, £30, next.co.uk, Leather skirt, £65, topshop.com; Scarf, £9.50, marksandspencer.com; Sandals, £280, CH Carolina Herrera



Dress, £395, CH Carolina Herrera 020 7581 3031; Belt, £69, BeltMania at Fenwick, 020 7629 9161; Shoes, £250, johnlewis.com


And now you can, too. Leopard-print is all over the catwalks and the high street this year - and it doesn't show any signs of leaving.


Oasis will deck you out in head-to-toe leopard-print with their gorgeous, long maxi-dress. If you want just a dash of va-va-voom, head to M&S or Zara, both of which stock flouncy scarves featuring the pattern. Prowl over to Aspinal if you want some spots to protect you from the rain. And hurry on over to River Island before their fabulous leopard-print skirt sells out. Meow!




Top, £65, brooksbrothers.com; Skirt, £20, riverisland.com; Belt, £39, Twiggy at Fenwick 020 7629 9161; Sandals, £280, CH Carolina Herrera



Maxi dress, £32, oasis-stores.com; Belt, £12, hm.com



Dress, £125, theprettydresscompany.com; Belt, £39, Twiggy at Fenwick; Shoes, £59.99, zara.com






Pencil skirt, £29.99, zara.com; Coat, £79, jumper, £68, both topshop.com



Top, £14, next.co.uk; Scarf, £17.99, zara.com; Leather pencil skirt, £90, asos.com; Umbrella, £175, aspinaloflondon.com


Styling: Eliza Scarborough

Pictures: L+R

Hair and Make-up: Nina Pach using Bobbi Brown and Aveda

Fashion assistant: Antonia Magor

Model: Bailey at Milk Management

Source: Dailymail

Papua New Guinea: 'Witch' tortured with red hot irons and a pair of pliers claims she escaped after killing her attackers and eating their hearts

  • The woman was accused of killing child and feasting on its heart
  • She was stripped, burned with hot iron and had ear clipped off with pliers
  • But as she was about to be burned at a stake police arrived to rescue her
  • Witnesses claimed she appeared to feel no pain as torture went on
 
An accused witch who was tortured with red hot irons and a pair of pliers told police she escaped from the clutches of several of her attackers by fighting back and eating their hearts.

Police in Papua New Guinea are still investigating the claims of the woman who, witnesses said, appeared to show no pain despite the torture she had endured.

Accused by villagers of earlier killing a child and eating the youngster's heart, the middle aged woman was hunted down, stripped - and the torture began.



Sorcery: A Papua New Guinea tribesman in traditional dress. Sorcery is widespread in remote villages in the country and the government has recently introduced tough new laws to deal with it (stock image)


Red hot iron rods were applied all over her body, she was stabbed in the chest and her left ear was snipped off with a pair of pliers.

Witnesses who watched the torture said the woman had also lost a tooth - but during the attack she shouted at the gang that she had killed several of their friends and eaten their hearts after they tried to assault her.


One witness told the Post Courier newspaper that while the naked woman was being tortured she showed no signs of being in pain - even when the hot rods were placed against her flesh.

'People who saw this were stunned,' the witness told the newspaper. The observer also said the woman had told her attackers the names of the people she had killed and butchered.



Mob lynching: The incensed crowd were about to burn the woman to death - a punishment that has been handed out to other suspected sorcerers in Papua New Guinea - when police arrived and saved her from her fate (stock image)

The incensed crowd were about to burn the woman to death - a punishment that has been handed out to other suspected sorcerers in Papua New Guinea - when police arrived and saved her from her fate.

The incident occurred less than a month after a deranged father killed his young daughter in another part of the country and drank her blood from a hideous wound he inflicted in her neck with a machete.

Sorcery is widespread in remote villages in the country and the government has recently introduced tough new laws to deal with it.

But officials have admitted that stamping out the practice is likely to take years.



  #dailymail

Friday 25 October 2013

Colorado: Abandoned Occult Altar Discovered In Vacant House



A cleaning crew and a realtor recently made a haunting discovery when they stumbled upon a possible occult altar forgotten for a decade and a half in a small house for sale in a Colorado suburb.

Animal skulls, chains, bones from a goat and possibly other animals, a skull mask with a black hood, candles and a machete were among the items that were found in the home's backyard shed.



Police say that some of the bones, including a partial skull, are suspected of being human and have been sent to an out-of-state lab to determine whether any DNA evidence can be found. Up to 20 bones were found and investigators even brought in search dogs trained to find decomposing bodies.

occult.house.1.jpg
The vacant house, located on the 1200 block of Kline Street, looks nondescript in the extreme -- and apparently nothing inside it struck the cleaning crew assigned to get it ready for sale as the least bit odd.


The Shed: At about 3:30 p.m. on October 17, according to the Lakewood Police Department, officers were called to the residence after workers found what they believed to be human remains -- reportedly part of a skull and leg bone.
 occult.shed.2.jpg
Animal bones also appeared to have been part of the mix, as well as odd items like these....

Neighbor Carlos Fraire said the discovery was very eerie.

"It's weird that it's this time of year, right around Halloween," Fraire told 9News.

According to a report by Westword, neighbors described the woman who lived there as a Christian and the items in the shed are suspected of having belonged to her now-deceased husband, who reportedly left the country in 1998. For the last 15 years, his wife apparently either hadn't known the items were there or left them completely alone because when they were discovered most were covered in thick dust.

The two split up over a decade ago, and the altar wasn't discovered until a realtor commissioned a cleaning crew so the house could be put up for sale.

For photos taken from the house, head over to Westword.

When the cleaners found the bones and a partial skull in the shed, they called the police.

"It just appears that they were used in some type of 'occult' ceremony," Lakewood Police Department spokesman Steve Davis told 7News. "At this point we have no evidence to suspect that any kind of crime has been committed."

Police say they have talked with at least family member of the man who lived there who indicated he was an occultist.

Investigators aren't currently treating the home as a crime scene, noting that human bones -- oddly enough -- can be purchased online.

Police are asking that anyone with any information about the case please call 303-987-7111.



#huffingtonpost

Underwear that neutralizes the stink of Fart!....yes, for real!...can squash the smell of "200 times the average flatulence emission."


A British line of fart-filtering underwear is doing big business, and it has the United States to thank for it.

"Americans are making up the majority of our sales at the moment," Shreddies spokeswoman Ianthe Betts-Clarke told The Huffington Post.

Since word about the odor-neutralizing Shreddies passed through the Internet a few days ago, the company has experienced a 400 percent increase in orders over all, Betts-Clarke estimated.

Shreddies weaves a carbon cloth called Zorflex into its rear panel. Betts-Clarke says it can squash the smell of "200 times the average flatulence emission." (Shreddies apparently hasn't met my Aunt Edna.)

In 2008, the company began to serve customers with digestive-tract woes but branched out. "It's a product for everybody, because everyone farts," Betts-Clarke explained.

Men's boxer briefs cost between $39 and $45, while women's panties are about $31 to $34.

A product called the Flat-D Flatulence Deodorizer is also on the market. It's an activated charcoal cloth pad that tapes to the inside of briefs to mask the stink.

Imagine your silent but deadly farts now just silent.


This pair of Shreddies for women costs about $31.






#huffingtonpost

DNA tests have shown a Bulgarian Roma couple ARE the biological parents of the "blonde angel" Maria who was rescued from a Greek gypsy camp.


DNA tests have shown a Bulgarian Roma couple ARE the biological parents of the "blonde angel" Maria who was rescued from a Greek gypsy camp.

Greece girl Maria's mum: 'I have many children so I sold some and gave others away'
Sasha Ruseva was tracked down to a squalid shanty town in the centre of Bulgaria, 300 miles from where the fair-skinned blue-eyed youngster was found last week.

Bulgarian prosecutors are now investigating whether the 40-year-old agreed to sell her daughter in Greece, an accusation she denies.

Real mum: Sasha Ruseva
Rex



The case has come to illustrate the plight of Roma gypsies in Bulgaria, many of whom have spent their lives in poverty, are illiterate and have been marginalised by society.

Four-year-old Maria was found last week hiding under a blanket at a Roma settlement in central Greece. DNA tests showed the Roma couple she was with were not her real parents.

Maria, whose case has drawn parallels with the disappearance of 3-year-old Briton Madeleine McCann in 2007, is being looked after by a Greek charity, which says it has received over 10,000 calls with leads or from parents of missing children.

Rescued: Maria was found in a Greek gypsy camp
AFP/Getty

 
Sasha already had two children and was picking olives in the coastal town of Livanates, Greece, when she fell pregnant in 2008, it was claimed today.

Unable to cope, Sasha is thought to have sold the unwanted tot to the highest bidders - a group of child traffickers.

A mysterious Bulgarian middleman known as 'Michalis' and his prostitute partner then offered baby Maria around central Greece before her adoptive gypsy parents paid 1,000 Euro to keep her.




#mirror.co.uk

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Prince George: The Royal Christening In Pictures



The Duchess of Cambridge coordinated her outfit with Prince George's intricate christening gown

Kate's christening outfit was by Jane Burton, creative director at Alexander McQueen


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their son Prince George arrive at Chapel Royal in St James's Palace where they are welcomed by the Archbishop of Canterbury



 As they processed out of the Chapel, William, Kate and the Archbishop looked pleased with the day's proceedings

Proud father

Pippa Middleton, pictured with brother James (left), appeared in a cream trapeze coat by British designer Suzannah Crabb and hat by Edwina Ibbotso


Carole Middleton

Zara, who is six months pregnant, wearing a heavy swing coat over a matching dress


Kate and Wills were accompanied only by their closest family members, including the Queen, seen above, and chosen godparents

Prince George, in the arms of his father, was centre of attention in his vintage christening gown

 It seems those who attended opted either for classic cream or royal blue, as Carole and Camilla show

The Queen wore a blue cashmere coat with Mother of Pearl buttons by Stewart Parvin over a paisley printed silk dress

Godparents: William's cousin Zara Tindall and Kate's schoolfriend Emilia Jardine-Paterson have been asked

 

Willam van Cutsem, 34,  and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, 52, have both been asked to be godparents

 

Godparents: Diana's old friend Julia Samuel, 54, left, and the Duke of Westminster's son Hugh Grosvenor, 22

 



#dailymail