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How light helped shape the color of our skin, eyes and curly hair

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For most of our evolutionary history, human activity has been linked to sunlight. Technology has liberated us from these ancient sleep-wake cycles, but there’s evidence that sunlight has left and continues to go away its traces.

Not only are we still awake during the day, but we sleep at night, we will thank light for a lot of other facets of our biology.

Light could have made our ancestors walk upright on two legs. Light helps explain the evolution of our skin color, why some of us have curly hair, and even the size of our eyes.

As we’ll learn in future articles on this series, light helps shape our mood, our immune system, our gut function, and way more. Light could make us sick, tell us why we’re sick, and then heal us.

Millions of years of evolutionary history mean that humans are still largely creatures of light.

We got up and left Africa

The first modern humans evolved in the warm African climate. And reducing exposure to brilliant sunlight Is one explanation why people began walking upright, on two legs. When we stand up and the Sun is directly above us, much less sunlight reaches our body.

They also can have curly hair he protected us from the hot sun. The idea is that it provides a thicker layer of insulation than straight hair to guard the scalp.

Early had additional sun protection in the form of highly pigmented skin. Sunlight breaks down folic acid (vitamin B9), accelerates aging and damages DNA. In our light ancestral climates, dark skin was protected against this. But this dark skin still confessed enough UV light to stimulate the obligatory production of vitamin D.

However, as humans colonized temperate zones with lower light, this occurred lighter skin has evolved again and againthrough different genes in several populations. This happened quickly, probably inside the last 40,000 years.

With reduced UV radiation closer to the poles, less pigmentation was needed to guard sunlight from breaking down folic acid. Lighter skin also let in additional thin light, allowing the body to provide vitamin D. But there was one big drawback: less pigmentation meant less protection against sun damage.

How our skin’s pigmentation adapts to migration patterns and changing light.

This evolutionary background is why Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.

Our colonial history signifies that over 50% of Australians are of Anglo-Celtic descent, have fair skin and are transplanted to an environment with high levels of UV radiation. No wonder we’re described as “a rustic scorched by the sun“.

Sunlight has also contributed to changes in human eyes. People living in high latitudes have less protective pigment of their irises. They have too larger eye sockets (and probably eyeballs), perhaps let in the more precious light.

Again, these characteristics make Australians of European descent particularly liable to our harsh light. So it’s no surprise that Australia has this unusual thing high rate of eye cancer.

We cannot move our biological clock

Our circadian rhythm – the wake-sleep cycle driven by our brains and hormones – is one other piece of heavy evolutionary baggage triggered by light.

Humans are adapted to sunlight. In the brilliant light people can see well and improved it color vision. But we see poorly in dim light, and we lack senses like acute hearing or acute smell to make up for it.

Our closest relatives (chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans) are also lively during the day and sleep at night, supporting the concept that early humans exhibited similar daytime behaviors.

This lifestyle probably goes back further in our evolutionary history, before the appearance of great apes, to the origins of primates.

The earliest mammals were generally nocturnal, using their small size and cover of darkness to cover from dinosaurs. However, the meteorite impact that worn out these fearsome reptiles allowed some surviving mammals, especially primates, to largely evolve each day lifestyle.

If we inherited our daylight activity pattern directly from these early primates, then this rhythm would have been part of the evolutionary history of our lineage for nearly 66 million years.

This explains why it is vitally difficult to maneuver our 24-hour clock; it’s so deeply rooted in our evolutionary history.

Next improvements in lighting technology they freed us more and more from our dependence on daylight: fire, candles, kerosene and gas lamps, and finally electric lighting. So theoretically we will work and play at any time.

However, our cognitive and physical performance deteriorates when our internal circadian cycles are disruptedfor instance, because of lack of sleep, shift work or jet lag.

Futurists have already considered the required circadian rhythms life on Mars. Fortunately, a day on Mars lasts about 24.7 hours, which is analogous to ours. This slight difference must have been the least of the worries of the first intrepid Martian colonists.

How would humans cope on Mars? At least they would not should worry an excessive amount of about their biological clock.
NikoNomada/NASA/Shutterstock

The light continues to alter us

Over the last 200 years, artificial lighting has helped (partially) disconnect us from the circadian rhythms of our ancestors. However, in recent many years this has come at the expense of our eyesight.

Many genes are related to myopia (nearsightedness). develop into more common in only 25 years, a striking example of rapid evolutionary change in the human gene pool.

And if you’ve a genetic predisposition to myopia, reduced exposure to natural light (and spending more time in artificial light) increases your likelihood of developing myopia. These noticeable changes have occurred over the course of many individuals’s lives.

Light will undoubtedly proceed to shape our biology for millennia to return, but the long-term effects could also be difficult to predict.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Deion Sanders and Rocsi Diaz in “We Got Time Today” – Essence

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Courtesy of Tubi

Tubi is about to shake up the talk show landscape with its latest original series, which is able to premiere on November 19. Powered by the dynamic pairing of sports legend Deion “Prime Time” Sanders and Emmy Award-winning media personality Rocsi Diaz, the series delivers a refreshing mixture of candid conversations, celebrity interviews and engaging debates covering news, culture, entertainment and sports. Produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment, the series will air 20 one-hour episodes each week, showcasing the unique synergy between the charismatic hosts.

Sanders, known for his pioneering profession in each football and baseball, brings his trademark energy, authenticity and wisdom to the table, drawing from many years of leadership on and off the sector. As a coach, mentor and media figure, the NFL Hall of Famer’s ability to attach with people and offer meaningful insights is obvious in this latest endeavor.

Diaz, a seasoned host with a track record of directing a few of television’s most memorable moments, complements Sanders’ spunky personality together with her quick wit and warmth. Known for her time on and , Diaz has a knack for asking the appropriate questions and engaging in vigorous conversations, making each episode of the series as engaging because it is entertaining.

With vigorous segments, fun games and an authentic approach, it goes beyond the standard talk show format. It’s an area for real conversations, thoughtful debates and authentic moments, making it a must-see for fans of culture, entertainment and sports.

ESSENCE: Deion, what made you select to turn out to be a chat show host?

Deion Sanders: I all the time tried my best, even before I got on TV, television, sports TV, I did some interviews. I used to be almost about to commit to a day by day talk show that was going to be filmed in New York. But I used to be proud to be an actual father, a father who had gained custody of his children through divorce, and I just desired to be there for my children. So I put it off because my children are more essential than anything in this world.

But I’ve all the time desired to give you the option to enter people’s homes, their living rooms and give you the option to encourage them and encourage them and motivate them and just attempt to make their lives higher in some form or way through conversation. And having a co-host who’s their interlocutor is wonderful since it energizes me and encourages me to be more of who I’m.

Rocsi Diaz: That’s word, trigger. I motivate him loads.

Rocsi, you might be joining Deion and you have mentioned in the past that you just each have unique points of view. How do you think that your perspectives will complement one another on this show?

RD: I feel that is the perfect case scenario: men are from Mars, women are from Venus. He and I like doing this, and after I say “fight for it,” it’s like a healthy conversation that each men and women can have with one another in a respectful way. I respect his views, he respects mine, but we love discussing it.

And that is us on a regular basis. Honestly, we do not need a camera. We will likely be exactly what you see now, which is what you’re going to get. Because one thing I appreciate about each of us is that we’re authentically ourselves in any respect times. All the time. I feel everyone around us just began laughing and thought, “This is going to be great.”

Let me actually ask you each – what made you select one another for this show?

RD: He had no selection. It was the quilt. He knew routinely. He just said, “What? Other? This doesn’t make sense.

DS: Don’t speak more highly of yourself than you must. That’s what my Bible says. Don’t think higher of yourself. No, truthfully, she was perfect. She was perfect. We were already in a relationship, I feel we did just a few shows and perhaps one show together after we were on the identical stage, in the identical place.

There has all the time been healthy cooperation. And there was all the time the reality about who she was and who I used to be. We have all the time been able and willing to specific our opinions without the danger of feeling upset, offended or of your conversation getting used and misused.

RD: When we have known one another for thus long, just from being in the industry. And I do not forget that, to begin with, I grew up in New Orleans. And yes, when New Orleans against Drew Brees. We did not have an actual football team. The Cowboys were our team. That’s why I all the time tell him that I all the time admire the greats of that point, the Smiths, Sanders and Owens.

DS: And the Irvings and the Aikmans.

Sticking with the sports aspect, given your experience as a mentor and coach, how do you think that these points will enable you to as a chat show host?

DS: Well, really, once you say talk show host, I do not consider it that way. I give it some thought once you get a probability to capture an actual conversation that is just being broadcast on a national platform.

We do what we do irrespective of what. That’s what makes television so great, when you’ve someone doing what they’re doing, whether a camera is nearby or not. So the conversations we dare to have and prepare for will proceed to occur anyway. We just allow you to listen.

Rocsi, you bring lots of experience as an interviewer and media personality.

RD: Don’t say it out loud to him because then he’ll start attempting to put his CV in there and attempt to match my CV.

Are there any topics or issues in any respect that you just’re excited to explore on this latest show?

DS: Relationships.

RD: I knew he would say that. I knew he would say that. Let me let you know. He has already scared away all of the potential, every little thing I could have, because above all the fellows are completely in love with him. They are fanboys about him. And then it’s like he becomes the large brother: “Who’s that guy over there? It’s better not to be with any man. Or da-da-da-da. I thought, “Really?”

But in relation to filtering through my 40-yr single era and removing the bad ones, he’s definitely great at giving relationship advice. I even have to present it to him.

DS: Yes, you’ll be able to only give advice in situations where you’ve been hurt, damaged, ridiculed, separated or divorced. You can only advise where you’ve experience.

I feel just like the entertainment industry has turn out to be saturated with news shows, talk shows, podcasts and media programs. In your opinion, what do you think that will or not it’s different from what is occurring in the media space?

DS: We’re not attempting to make shocking TV or shocking podcasts. We really attempt to enable you to. I’m attempting to improve you, I’m attempting to embrace you, show you like, but show you direction and challenge you to be higher. From start to complete, we wish you to feel higher about yourself, life, and others each time you watch the show. We want you to smile loads.

And nobody targets that person and doesn’t attempt to help anyone anymore. Everyone’s just attempting to deal with themselves, man. And that is what I do not understand. We will not search for likes and love. We’re just banking on hate and who can discuss that person to get more eyeballs and clicks. That’s not the purpose, man.

Rocsi Diaz has had an incredibly long profession, and so have I. And this relies solely on treating people right. She would not be on screen if she wasn’t nice, kind, lovable and sometimes sweet. But she would not be on this show, and neither would I. So we’d like to work together and have a standard goal to assist people raise them.

RD: And it’s authentic. It’s like spending time on the hairdresser’s. It’s like hanging out on the spades table. So yes, it’s authentic. I feel that is the perfect approach to put it. We don’t act artificial or whitewashed or anything like that. It’s just authentic.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

What is methanol? How does it get into drinks and cause harm?

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Two Australian teenagers seriously unwell in hospital in Thailand after suspected methanol poisoning while traveling in Laos.

According to reports, the couple is, amongst others, several foreigners turn out to be unwell after unknowingly consuming alcoholic beverages containing methanol in a Southeast Asian country.

So what is methanol and how does it cause disease?

Methanol versus ethanol

Methanol Is alcohollike a friend ethanol we devour in alcoholic beverages.

Like ethanol, methanol is a colorless, flammable liquid. It also has an ethanol-like odor.

But each have different chemical structure. Methanol consists of just one carbon atom, while ethanol has two.

Methanol (left) and ethanol (right) have different chemical structures.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

That one carbon atom makes a difference. This implies that methanol is processed in a different way in our bodies and is rather more toxic than ethanol.

Methanol is utilized in: various industrial and household productsreminiscent of window cleaners, antifreeze and fuel. Not secure for human consumption.

What makes methanol toxic?

The difference lies in the best way our bodies metabolize or break down methanol.

Ethanol is metabolized into a chemical called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is toxic, but quickly converts to acetate (also generally known as acetic acid, present in vinegar). Producing acid could seem bad, but it is actually acetate it produces energy and produces vital molecules within the body.

However, methanol is metabolized to formaldehyde (a chemical utilized in industrial adhesives and, for instance, for embalming corpses), and then to formic acid (the chemical present in some ant bites that makes them hurt a lot).

Unlike acetate, which the body uses, formic acid poisons mitochondriacell power plants.

As a result, an individual exposed to methanol may suffer serious injuries metabolic acidosisthat is, when an excessive amount of acid accumulates within the body.

Methanol poisoning can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Acidosis then causes depression of the central nervous system, which can cause lack of consciousness and coma in people poisoned with methanol, in addition to damage to the retina resulting in lack of vision. This is since the retinas are stuffed with energetic mitochondria and are sensitive to their damage.

Death is not inevitable if only a small amount of methanol is ingested, and prompt treatment will greatly reduce the damage.

However, everlasting vision damage can occur even with non-lethal doses if treatment is not given promptly.

What is the treatment?

Treatment it mainly involves supportive care reminiscent of intubation and mechanical ventilation to assist the patient breathe.

But it may apply to drugs reminiscent of fomepizole (inhibiting the production of toxic formic acid) and dialysis to remove methanol and its metabolites from the body.

Someone touches the hand of a person in the hospital.
Methanol poisoning can cause serious illness and death.
NATNN/Shutterstock

How does methanol get into alcoholic beverages?

Methanol can appear in any alcoholic drink, but is most probably to look in drinks with higher alcohol content, reminiscent of spirits, and traditionally brewed drinks, reminiscent of fruit wines.

Methanol can enter alcoholic beverages in some ways. Sometimes it is added intentionally and illegally during or after production as a less expensive solution to increase the alcohol content of a drink.

Traditional brewing methods it may unintentionally produce methanol, in addition to ethanol and produce toxic levels of methanol depending on the microorganisms and kind of plant materials utilized in the fermentation process.

We don’t yet understand how Australian teenagers were poisoned on this tragedy. However, when traveling (especially to areas where fermented beverages are traditionally found, reminiscent of Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and parts of Africa), it is at all times value exercising caution.

Australian Government Smartraveller website advises that to avoid methanol poisoning, watch out when drinking cocktails and spirits, drink only in reputable, licensed establishments and avoid home-made alcoholic beverages.

Drinking only mass-produced industrial brews could also be safer, although understandably people often wish to try local brews as a part of their adventure.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Meet Edenesque, a Black woman-owned plant-based milk brand

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Photography by Thais Aquino

Over the years, the consumption of plant milk is becoming increasingly popular. According to the study (published in October 2022 by Euromonitor International), the marketplace for such a drinks within the US increased by 15% from 2019 to 2020. McKinsey & Company45 percent of the 1,217 plant-based milk drinkers surveyed said they planned to extend their consumption in the subsequent few years. People go crazy for nut milks.

Switching to a plant-based eating regimen is a success for the growing vegan population and is very popular amongst people affected by lactose intolerance, which is common amongst African Americans and other minorities within the US. But what number of options are there available on the market? produced by Black-owned businesses? Almost a handful. That covers it And Edencreated by chef and entrepreneur Leslie Woodward.

“My philosophy has always been to emphasize whole foods rather than fad diets, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients,” Woodward tells ESSENCE. “Edenesque embodies a return to these basic principles of food – reflecting simplicity and purity.”

Meet Edenesque, a Black woman-owned plant-based milk brand
Photography by Thais Aquino

Early in her culinary profession, Woodward created cold-pressed juice and nut milk cleansing products for clients. She decided to sell the milk at a flea market in Long Island City, New York, and the demand for her delicious drink made it clear that she needed to seek out a strategy to get it into more people’s glasses.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” he says. “Customers loved the taste, appreciated our commitment to cleanliness and appreciated the lack of additives and preservatives in our product. When I heard that our nut milks filled a real gap in the market, I was inspired to take a more serious interest in plant-based milk. Ultimately, I found true joy in creating a pure, authentic product that spoke to people.”

After experimenting with hemp, coconut and other varieties, Edensque is now here available in three options: Unsweetened oat milk, Barista Blend oat milk and Barista Blend pistachio milk. They will be present in grocery stores, farmers markets and low shops in New York and New Jersey.

Meet Edenesque, a Black woman-owned plant-based milk brand
Photography by Thais Aquino

“I started small, selling at farmers markets, and eventually expanded into regional retail stores, where we achieved strong sales and excellent shelf placement,” she says, noting that she was only capable of produce about 100 bottles a day on her own. . After partnering with a co-producer, Woodward decided to concentrate on oat and pistachio milks attributable to their popularity and flexibility, which increased production significantly. Her milk has been received with the identical enthusiasm that was seen in her early days at farmers markets, now that her reach is far wider throughout the tri-state area. This is due to its unique taste.

“While many plant-based brands are highly diluted, often containing just 2% of the main ingredient, Edensque products contain 10% – the highest on the market – with no additives or refined sugars,” she says, highlighting the wealthy flavor present in her current milk range. “This commitment to quality has redefined the premium plant space, enabling us to offer high-quality products at competitive prices.”

Plus, people love Edensque for its sourced ingredients and sustainability because, she says, “they’re constantly looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint.” Beyond the drink itself, Woodward’s can also be recognized for its impact on the community.

Meet Edenesque, a Black woman-owned plant-based milk brand
Photography by Thais Aquino

“Beyond our products, our mission focuses on making a positive social impact. As a triple bottom line company, our goal is to make a difference in our community,” he says. “For example, I served on the Kingston Re-Entry Task Force supporting people transitioning from prison. One of our first employees, who had just been laid off after 25 years, asked to work with us. Thanks to our open hiring policy, he was able to secure stable employment, transfer parole to be closer to family, and is now thriving.”

He adds, “We also launched the Edensque Food Insecurity Initiative in partnership with Greater Hudson Promise, Sweet Freedom Farm, Columbia County Recovery Kitchen and Long Table Harvest. This initiative aims to address food insecurity in Columbia County and empower individuals to realize their potential. Our goal is to replicate this model in similar agencies throughout New York State.”

While there aren’t many black walnut milk makers on the market yet, Edensque is making a splash (and helping you make delicious meals and drinks!). When asked where she sees the brand in the approaching years, Woodward says she looks forward to its expansion beyond the Northeast, continuing to have a positive impact on healthy living while also contributing to the fight to finish food insecurity.

Woodward says, “I hope that ultimately Edenesque will inspire others to take action and realize our vision and mission as a force for positive change.”

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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