Which causes more greenhouse gas emissions, raising cattle or driving cars?

Surprise - it's the cows. Yes, it's true that our cow-centric American diet contributes significantly to global warming. And cutting even some meat from our daily diets could have a greater effect than buying that eco-friendly car you've been oogling.

According to a recent report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.

Meat production not only consumes a huge swath of agricultural land, but the by-product of animal raising - nitrous oxide and methane gases -- are no laughing matter as they contribute much more to the greenhouse effect than CO2.

This conclusion was supported by impressive data in a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report issued last year: Livestock’s Long Shadow.

There's been much attention devoted to the health benefits of soy for women. Now a recent study from the UK concludes that men can also benefit from increased soy consumption.

Besides helping fight heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes, soy appears to have a positive effect on male hormone-related cancers, such as prostate cancer. That conclusion was reached by a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

The British study echoed another study of Seventh Day Adventists in California that found that men who regularly drank at least one cup of soymilk a day, reduced their risk for prostate cancer by 70 percent. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States, besides cancers of the skin.

Researchers believe that the isoflavones found in soybeans and soy foods can be helpful in treating a variety of health condition. In particular isoflavanones, are not only an effective antioxidant, they also have been shown to inhibit the enzymes that stimulate prostate cell growth.

Soy also reduces cholesterol levels and protects against heart disease and cancer according to a number of studies. (Note the effects of a high-soy diet and soy extracts with isoflavones on breast cancer risk are still not clear).

Recently Recalled Toys

Keeping up with the list of recently recalled toys is overwhelming already holiday-stressed parents. Recently recalled toys have included almost 19 million units from Mattel and the hazzards have ranged from lead paint, to small loose parts (such as magnets) that can be easily swallowed.

A flurry of controversy surrounds the world of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Some people are adament about the health benefits while others are concerned with the environmental and food safety issues. We have found a few go to sources in the world of GMO's.