If you could lay your hands on this suffering world and heal it, would you? If you could give information to comfort and guide the lost, wouldn't you? If you could save jobs by preparing your company for the future, would you?

I received a letter from a reader that began, "I struggle with my desire to have a 'glimpse' into what might happen in my life with my Christianity that teaches me psychics and looking into your future is against God's will." Read the rest of this article

Question: I have been trying to avoid high glycemic index carbohydrates such as white flour and white pasta in favor of whole grain breads, whole wheat or unbleached flours and brown rice instead of white. However, I'm confused. White spaghetti and chocolate have low GI ratings, while brown rice ranks high.

Answer: The glycemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrate foods based on how quickly the body turns them into glucose (blood sugar), provoking an insulin response. Whole wheat bread and products labeled "whole grain" are not good choices because they usually are made with pulverized grains (flour) rather than whole or cracked grains. For that reason, most whole wheat bread has the same high GI ranking as white bread – about 70. I recommend cutting down on all foods made with flour and increasing consumption of grains in their more natural state, such as wild rice, barley, quinoa, millet and wheat berries.

Grains in their natural form have a low glycemic index, while processed carbohydrates, especially those made with flour or puffed grains, have a high GI. The reason is that it takes longer for digestive enzymes to reach the starch inside whole grains or grains cracked into large pieces, slowing down the conversion of starch to sugar. Pulverized grains have a tremendous surface area for enzymes to work on. This leads to quick starch-sugar conversions that spike blood sugar levels, creating dips later on that can prompt more consumption of pulverized grains, and the cycle continues. Read the rest of this entry »

Scientific literature is brimming with research showing that transcendental meditation literally changes the structure of the human brain, at least among persons who practice "mindfulness," as it is sometimes called, for many years.

But new research shows that even 20 minutes a day, four days a week, can produce an impressive increase in critical cognitive skills. Read the rest of this article

Turmeric, a tawny orange-gold spice that is an integral part of curry powder and ballpark mustard, has been garnering some nice press lately — and not just among foodies.

Its health benefits, from aiding digestion to easing inflammation, have caught the attention of researchers, including the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Read the rest of this article

Researchers have found that the heat generated by peppers can actually increase your consumption of calories and "oxidise" layers of fat.

And for those that don't like the "burn", they have discovered that an equivalent of the main ingredient "capsaicin" occurs in some non-hot varieties of the fruit. Read the rest of this article

Most young adults today don't pray, don't worship and don't read the Bible, a major survey by a Christian research firm shows.

If the trends continue, "the Millennial generation will see churches closing as quickly as GM dealerships," says Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources. In the group's survey of 1,200 18- to 29-year-olds, 72% say they're "really more spiritual than religious." Read the rest of this article

Dear EarthTalk: Which woods are OK to purchase, and which are not, in the interest of preserving forests and not harming those who depend upon them?
– Jon Steiner, Boise, ID

Deforestation continues to be one of the world's biggest environmental problems, especially in fast developing regions like South America, Southeast Asia and Africa. Cutting down large numbers of trees erodes land and silts waterways, displaces native people and wildlife, and releases tons of carbon dioxide (which is stored in living wood fiber) into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

Whether you're shopping for building materials,
wooden furniture or other items, the simplest way to
tell if the wood you are considering buying was
harvested from sustainable sources is to look for the
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) label.
Giles Douglas, courtesy Flickr

Of course, wood products are essential to modern life. Without wood we wouldn't have the buildings, furniture, paper and other essentials we make use of every day. That's why protecting sources of wood has become a leading concern among not just environmentalists but everyone else as well.

In response to the problems wrought by increasing deforestation, some forward-thinking wood products professionals teamed up with environmentalists, native people's advocates, community forestry groups and responsible corporations to form the nonprofit Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in 1993. Previous attempts to stem the tide of unchecked logging — including international negotiations and boycotts — were having little effect, so FSC vowed to use the power of market forces to create change for the better. Read the rest of this entry »

About 16 years ago, Elisabeth Fayt had no interest in meditation.

One day, she ended up at a weekend workshop that happened to discuss the ancient spiritual practice.

Fayt absolutely loved the experience.

"I realized that meditation was more than sitting in silence. Meditation is a way of life. It changed my life. Everything in my life changed. Everything I thought had meaning had no meaning the way it used to. I became happier," she says.

That experience sent her on a spiritual journey where she studied the teachings of Yogananda. Today, meditation is a way of life for the Calgary wife, mother, businesswoman, author and international inspirational speaker. Read the rest of this article

Question: Is honey good or bad for type-2 diabetics? I have heard both.

Answer: As far as carbohydrates are concerned, honey isn't any better or worse for you than sugar, whether or not you have type 2 diabetes. Honey contains fructose, glucose and water plus other sugars as well as trace enzymes, minerals, amino acids and a wide range of B vitamins. The amount of these micronutrients varies depending on where the honey comes from. In general, darker honeys contain more vitamins than lighter ones and also provide more trace minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. Read the rest of this entry »

People with heart disease might want to take a careful look at how they handle their feelings of anger. A new study found that heart disease patients who suppressed their anger had nearly triple the risk of having a heart attack or dying over the next 5 to 10 years.

But this doesn't mean that angry outbursts are a better way to handle these feelings, Dr. Johan Denollet of Tilburg University in The Netherlands told Reuters Health. People tend to either vent angry feelings or hold them inside, "but I think it's important for (people) to find a midway solution to resolve these angry feelings — but in a more constructive way, a more adaptive way," Denollet said. Read the rest of this article