The Cure – Blood: a primer (Video)

 In this animation, we delve into the different functions and components of blood. Blood is a mixture of various cells suspended in a fluid called plasma. Although fundamentally different in both appearance and function, all blood cells originate from a single type of stem cell in the bone marrow. Red blood cells, or erythrocytes, are made up of little sacs of haemoglobin which are designed to carry oxygen. White blood cells, or leukocytes, are part of our immune system and move in and out of blood vessels searching for any signs of infection or cellular abnormalities. Platelets, or thrombocytes, help repair the blood vessel in the event of an injury by helping the blood to clot.

Dates Are a Healthy Food

Source: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/

By: Nadia Haris

The sticky, sweet fruit of the palm tree, dates are a traditional food and are eaten for their natural sugar, carbohydrates, protein and nutrient content. They are a healthy snack choice and are a rich source of energy, vitamins and minerals. Originally a fruit that was harvested in Middle Eastern desert regions, dates of several different types are now grown throughout the world, including in California.

Vitamins

Your body requires essential vitamins for healthy body function. Dates help to provide several of these nutrients, including the B vitamins, which are important in energy production. The website Sweet Energy notes dates are high in riboflavin, thiamine, niacin and pantothenic acid.

Minerals

Dates are packed with several essential minerals that are necessary for oxygen transport, energy production, developing and maintaining bone health and boosting the immune system. The website California Dates lists several minerals found in dates; they include iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, selenium, potassium and zinc.

Fiber

All types of dates are high in dietary fiber; the website CalorieLab says that just one date contains 0.7 grams of fiber, fulfilling 3 percent of your daily recommended fiber intake. The Harvard School of Public Health advises that dietary fiber such as that found in dates binds to fats in the digestive tract and removes them from the body. This helps to reduce body fat and lower cholesterol levels. Dates and other fiber-dense foods also help to balance blood sugar levels, keeping energy levels more stable and helping you avoid excessive hunger pangs.

Calories and Sugar

Dates are a high calorie food; the website CalorieLab says that just one date, an 8.3-gram serving size, contains 23 calories. However, these are nutritious calories, and dates are still a healthy food. A date also contains about 5.3 grams of sugar. The American Diabetes Association says that dates should be eaten in moderation. Because of their high sugar content, dates have a medium glycemic index value, which means that they will raise blood sugar faster than other fruits.

Heart Health

Dates contain zero saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium or salt. This makes them a healthy choice to help maintain blood pressure and heart health, according to the website Sweet Energy. A diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Antioxidants

These fruits are also high in antioxidants, according to the website California Dates. Dates contain plant antioxidants called polyphenols, which help to remove free radical toxins from the body. This antioxidant activity may help to reduce the risk of some diseases.

5 facts you need to know about Ebola

1. What is Ebola?

Ebola, officially known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains.

16 Of The Most Magnificent Trees In The World

So how do they do it? Trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. Photosythesis means “to put together with light.” The light is sunlight, shining on the tree, and the pieces being put together are carbon dioxide and water. When a tree has these three ingredients it uses the energy from the sunlight to combine the carbon from the carbon dioxide with the water to make a carbohydrate, or more simply, a sugar. The sugar is food for the tree, just as people eat sugar and carbohydrates. When the tree makes the carbohydrate, there is extra oxygen from the water, which luckily for us gets released into the air, giving us the oxygen we breathe.

What If The World Lost Oxygen For 5 Seconds

WE USE 3 OXYGEN CYLINDERS DAILY TO STAY ALIVE (IMAGE)

EARTH’S PROTECTIVE BLANKET

Besides providing us with the life-giving oxygen, Earth’s atmosphere is our protective blanket. It is the buffer that burns up most meteors away. It is a screen from deadly cosmic radiation. Also, it is the reason why we can communicate via radio waves because it bounces the waves for long distances around the globe. The air that accomplishes all of this is composed of five major layers.