Coconut oil is 'one of the worst foods you can eat', Harvard professor warns

Speaking at Harvard University, Dr Karin Michels, an expert in epidemiology at the university, called coconut oil ‘one of the worst foods you can eat’

It’s often portrayed as a healthy alternative to other oils, but it seems that coconut oil may not be as good for you as thought.
Speaking at Harvard University, Dr Karin Michels, an expert in epidemiology at the university, called coconut oil ‘one of the worst foods you can eat’.
She even went so far to describe the oil as ‘pure poison.’
During her talk, titled ‘Coconut Oil and other Nutritional Errors’, Dr Michels explained that eating superfoods was unnecessary, because we already get enough nutrition from everyday foods.

She said: “We are well and sufficiently supplied.”
This isn’t the first time that experts have warned about the dangers of coconut oil.
Victoria Taylor, a dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said: “There has been speculation that some of the saturated fat present in coconut oil may be better for us than other saturated fats, but so far there is not enough good-quality research to provide us with a definitive answer.”

How to Prepare for College/University

1

Bring your school supplies. Make sure you are well acquainted with the syllabus before coming to your first class session. The syllabus contains everything your professor wants you to know for his or her class, so be prepared. You don’t want to be hit with a surprise assignment that you didn’t do because you never read the syllabus. Check online for the syllabus because most colleges will have class home pages on their websites. Most of the time, you will be able to check what books you need for your respective classes ahead of time. Once you know what books you need, you need to visit the campus bookstore to buy your books. Another viable option for school textbooks are sites like half.com and amazon.com. Buying your books through sites such as these are often money savers, just make sure you factor in the amount of time it will take for shipping. Some students also are fortunate enough to know people who have had a particular class before. If so, ask around to see if someone has a book you could borrow for the semester.

2

Have unique style. The picture you have of college may be intimidating. Chances are you know little about the environment you will be spending the next four years in. What is meant by “style” is how each student wants to portray themselves. What do you want your style to say to the faculty and your peers? For some, fraternities and sororities play an important role in defining their style. One of the main draws of groups such as these is the sense of identity they afford their members. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you come to college, so don’t sweat the little things. Keep your main goal in focus and be prepared to grow and change into the person you want to become. 

 

 

3

Intelligence. Being prepared goes far beyond having the right books and the right clothes for college. More importantly, you have to be mentally prepared. Don’t fall into the same trap as many other college students. Be responsible. More than likely, you or your parents are paying quite a bit of money for you to attend college. Don’t throw that money away. Go to class. Wake up in the morning with enough time to get ready and eat some breakfast. The easiest way to ensure you wake up in the morning is going to bed at a decent hour the night before. It’s probably best to save the partying for the weekends. No one wants to sit in class next to someone who just rolled out of bed with yesterday’s clothes still on, and you don’t want to be the one who is constantly nagging people for their class notes because you were never there to fill them in. Also, ask your professor for help in the subjects you don’t understand. With few exceptions, professors are there to help you learn, so if something isn’t making sense to you, take advantage of your educational opportunity and ask the professor to explain it further. College is fun – and you can enjoy it! – but be responsible by keeping your mind sharp. 

 

4

Be motivated. It’s important to remember that college isn’t forever. You have a limited amount of time at your school to gain whatever you want from it. You alone have the power to make the most out of your education. It is easy to lose sight of your purpose when you’re in college, but never forget that you are going to college to get an education. If you can motivate yourself to excel in college, you will have a better chance at a career in your future. Don’t exaggerate your ability to change your habits. What I mean is, if you slack off in college, it will be hard for you to be diligent after college. Not only will you have extra ground to make up after graduation to get yourself in career-shape, but old habits die hard. Instill motivation in yourself early on and not only will you have a successful college experience, but also a successful career ahead of you. A career may not seem important early on in college, but graduation day will come quicker than you think, and with it, loans that have to be paid off as well as an independent life to be lived. Once you graduate you will, hopefully, be living on your own. Living on your own doesn’t just mean independence; it also means you must start paying for everything on your own. You won’t regret the time you put into your college career when that extra effort lands you a better job to help you pay off school debts and live an independent adult life.

 

Source: Wikipedia

 

 

Kofi Annan, former UN secretary-general, dead at 80

Kofi Annan dies this morning.
one of the world's most celebrated diplomats and a charismatic symbol of the United Nations who rose through its ranks to become the first black African secretary-general, has died. He was 80

Former UN Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan has died at age 80, his foundation confirmed Saturday morning.

Annan, who was born in Ghana in 1938, served as the seventh UN Secretary-General, from 1997 to 2006, and was the first to rise from within the ranks of the United Nations staff.

He had been a member of The Elders, a humanitarian group of a dozen leaders and activists of worldwide stature formed by Nelson Mandela, since it was founded in 2007. In 2013, Annan became its chairman.

The Kofi Annan Foundation confirmed his death with "immense sadness" in a statement posted on Twitter.

French theme park trains crows to pick up attraction's litter

A historical theme park in France is training six crows to pick up cigarette ends and rubbish in a bid to keep it clean.

Nicolas de Villiers, president of the Puy de Fou park in Vendee, said the initiative would show visitors that nature itself could teach them to care for the environment.

He said: "The goal is not just to clear up, because the visitors are generally careful to keep things clean."


 The six "particularly intelligent" rooks are to be put to work from Friday.

 Each time the rook drops a piece of rubbish or cigarette end into the box, they will be rewarded with a small nugget of food.

The theme park is training its crows to pick up litter. Pic: Puy du Fou