Bauer Nutrition Slim Diet Patch Review: Does it Really Work?

Today I noticed Bauer Nutrition have just released a new diet patch. They're calling it "The Slim Diet Patch". It not the most imaginative of names, but it's a diet patch and, if it works, it could help you lose weight and get slim, so the name is probably good for the purpose.

Weight loss supplements interest me. It's not something I've mentioned in this blog before, but one of my clients has been paying me to write diet reviews for over 11 years. During that time I have learned a lot about weight loss ingredients. When I first began writing supplement reviews I was surprised to discover how many products don't work and how many lies diet pill manufacturer’s tell to hype up their products. I was also shocked to learn there are manufacturers that are actively marketing products that can make people ill.

I am familiar with Bauer Nutrition and know they are a reputable company, so when I discovered they have produced a diet patch to help people lose weight I became curious. A few other manufacturers have produced similar products but, so far, I've never had to review one that works. Bauer has produced a lot leading weight loss products, though, so there is a chance they could pull it off. Could their Slim Diet Patch work? I thought I'd do some investigating.

The Slim Diet Patch: What You Need to Know

Bauer's Slim Diet Patch is designed to help people lose weight 24-hours a day.  A lot of people spend 7 to 8 hours a day in the sack. If this weight loss patch can come up with the good and help people to lose weight while they are sleeping it will be something special. Most diet pills are taken a couple of times a day and offer little or no benefit to people while they are sleeping. The fact that so many diet pills contain caffeine (which may keep people awake) means it would be unwise to take such pills at night. Slim Diet Patch does not contain any caffeine. Nor does it have any other stimulants, so anyone who uses this slimming patch can rest easy, it won't interfere with their sleep.

Applying the Patch to the Skin

The patch is simple to use. It's just a case of sticking it to the arm, the thigh, or the back of the shoulder. The skin needs to clean and dry and free from hair so, if you are little sweaty, it may be worth cleaning the skin before you apply the patch. It doesn't matter what time you stick the patch to the chosen area of skin, but it makes sense to choose a time that allows for some consistency because it needs to be replaced every 24 hours.

Who It's For?

If it works, Slim Diet Patch should also be a good option for anyone who finds it hard to remember to take their diet pills at the appointed time, or is unable to do so due to work restrictions. It will also be an excellent choice for people who find it hard to swallow tablets and pills, but it should be a good choice for anyone who is hoping to slim down and get back into shape.

The Claims Made For Slim Diet Patch and How They Hold Up

Bauer claims the patch speeds up weight loss by increasing the metabolism. They say dieters who use it will burn more body and see results within just a few weeks because the patch is more effective than pills and capsules. They also say it provides healthy weight loss because all the ingredients are natural.

The metabolism determines how fast the body burns calories. A faster metabolism burns more calories than a slow metabolism. The reason people gain weight in the first place is because their metabolism has become sluggish. A number of things can cause this, including dietary inadequacies and getting older.

When the metabolism is encouraged to become faster, and the body starts to burn more calories, the amount of calories provided by food can run out. When this happens the body burns its fat. So the patches are designed to work in a way that should help dieters to lose weight faster.
But are diet patches better than diet pills?

When people use diet pills, the active ingredients are subjected to the natural acids and digestive enzymes inside the stomach. It's a pretty harsh environment and a lot of the ingredients' potency can be lost. Diet patches deliver the ingredients through the skin, so this should not be a problem.
The idea of a patch helping people to get slimmer may seem a little strange, but you have to bear in mind people have been using nicotine patches as a smoking cessation aid for a great many years. In the UK, it is even possible to get nicotine patches via the NHS. Do you think doctors would prescribe a patch if they think it would not work? Not likely.

The Ingredients

Slim Diet Patch only contains three ingredients and I've had to research them for so many reviews I am aware they are very good.

The first ingredient is green tea.

Green tea one of the most popular diet pill ingredients available. It has also been researched more than most other ingredients and it is proven to work. Green tea helps people to lose weight by speeding up their metabolism. It also causes the body to become slightly warmer and start losing calories as heat. If you want to know more about how green tea can help you lose weight, I provide more in-depth information in an article I wrote for the Calorie Bee website: LoseWeight a Cup at a Time With Green Tea. The article also has links to a number of scientific studies that prove green tea works.

The second ingredient is Fucus Vesiculosus.

It's a seaweed extract that contains iodine. Iodine affects the metabolism in a round about way. The metabolism is governed by hormones provided by the thyroid gland and the thyroid can become sluggish and stop producing enough of them if it does not get enough iodine every day. Some people put on weight because their thyroid gland is not functioning correctly, but here's something most diet reviews don't mention: Diet supplements that contain iodine only help people who don't get enough iodine from their food. If you want to learn more about the relationship between iodine, the thyroid gland, and the metabolism, I suggest you read the ThyroidGland Overview at endocrineweb.com.

The third ingredient is Acai Fruit Extract.


Acai fruit is very nutritious and good for the health, but although a lot of people appear to have lost weight by using diet pills that contain acai, there is no proof that it works. My client won't let me mention that when I write her diet reviews, but this is my own blog so I can tell the truth and the truth is I am not fully convinced that acai can help people to lose weight. But I'm can't say that it won't either. At the moment I'm trying to keep an open mind and trying to keep up with all the latest research. If you want to find out more about acai and weight loss, there is an unbiased article at WebMD - Acai:Weight Loss Wonder Fruit?

My Take on Slim Diet Patch

I'm not a doctor, a dietician or a medical expert. I am just a guy who has been paid to research and review dieting products for a long time. As I said earlier in this blog post, I have learned a lot and, because I am writing this for my own blog, instead of my client's diet pill review site, I can tell it like I see it.

Slim Diet Patch is designed to deliver three ingredients through the skin. The first ingredient (green tea) is incredibly good and has been scientifically proven to work. The second ingredient (Fucus Vesiculosus) contains iodine, which is known to be important for a healthy thyroid gland and can, therefore, have an effect on the metabolism. The third ingredient (acai), is very nutritious but, although it may help with weight loss, it is not proven to work.

Patches stuck to the skin can be very effective for delivering ingredients directly into the blood and Bauer Nutrition is one of the most experienced weight loss supplement manufacturers in the world. Both these things are a point in the product's favour and, for my money green tea is such a good ingredient it could probably go it alone. Fucus vesiculosus is also good, but it will only help people whose thyroid gland has become sluggish due to a lack of iodine and, unless they have had medical tests done, most people won't know if they have a sluggish thyroid gland or not.

In all honesty, Slim Diet Patch looks pretty good to me, and Bauer is offering customers a 60 day money back guarantee. So anyone who needs to lose weight has nothing to lose by trying the patches and there is a damn good chance they will work.

The price is also very good. A month's supply only costs £36.99 and, at the time of this review, Bauer are offering a 20% discount. So I'm pretty impressed.


I don't update this blog often, but if you like this review and would like me to do some more, let me know in the comments below.

If you want to buy a supply of patches or take a closer look at the product all you need to do is GO HERE.

Some Banned Doritos Commercials To Brighten Up Your Day

Up until today I never even knew banned doritos commercials. All thats changed earlier today when I searching YouTube and found this . . .

So why are these banned doritos commercials? I have no idea. Most of them are very amusing, and perhaps a little risqué, but I don't see any reason why they should have been banned. My favorites are the earlier ones, when the guys suddenly start getting attention from beautiful women, just becasue they are eating doritos. If only life was that simple. I could have saved a lot of time and money I could have bought a girl a bag of doritos instead of taking her for a meal. Sad fact of life guys: You will never have beautiful women throwing themselves at your feet or materializing in your living room, just becasue you happen to have a soft spot for Doritos. Hey! I just figured out why these are banned Doritos commercials! It's becasue it's not fair for crisp manufacturers to get our hopes up like that.

When it Comes to Weird Ways to Lose Weight ApireAssist Gets Top Marks

I heard of some pretty weird ways to lose weight but a new weight loss device called AspireAssist goes to the top of my list. I'd never heard of it until earlier today when I stumbled upon a press release by the FDA that said its been approved as an ant-obesity treatment in the USA. After I'd finished reading the press release I did a little checking and discovered people in some parts of Europe have been using the AspireAssist for quite some time and I am truly amazed at the lengths some people will go to when they want to lose weight.

Why is the Aspire Assist a weird way to lose weight? Because it's a device that is attached to the body and allows a pipe to be inserted into the stomach. Once it is fitted to the body it stays there. Then after the wearer has finished eating their meals they are able to scuttle off  to the toilet, take a seat, and then attach a small device to the "button" that has been attached to their stomach, hook-up another longer pipe, and then begin draining the contents of their stomach into the toilet. Apparently this takes half an hour to do and people can drain off around 30% of the food they have just spent time eating. This isn't just a weird way to lose weight, its totally gross and it doesn't sound like a very healthy way to live. Its like bulimia with technical implants.

I just visited the manufacturer's website and it makes everything about this sound like a walk in the park, but there is no information about how the device can be removed and I got the impression people are encouraged to keep it fitted for life—yuk! I know people sometimes need some help to lose weight, but there must he a better way than this.  I think I'd rather be a tubby than a tubey.

Why Isn't Skype Working? Enquiring Minds Want to Know

When Skype isn't working it can really spoil your day. I first noticed it wasn't working when I glanced down at the Skype icon on my taskbar and noticed a buffering sing. Then I opened up the program and saw Skype Home was unavailable.

Like millions of other users around the world I did a quick web search to try and figure out why the F@~K my Skype wasn't working and discovered it had gone down at 9.15 am (GMT).  This was at around noon (yep! I get up kinda late some days). It's now midnight (got to bed late too) and Skype still isn't working, but the status page over at the official company website states the engineers have identified the problem and are presently working on restoring the service.  The company is owned by Microsoft, who know a thing or two about computer programs, and presumably have some pretty top-notch engineers on the payroll, so I am amazed at how long this is taking.

A day without Skype can be a real bummer.

I just discovered there is an online version of Skype available. I never knew that, and it took a few attempts to log in. Then when I did successfully log in I could not see a way to make a call—so double bummer. Will Skype be up and running again in the morning? That remains to be seen, but I probably won't find out until lunch because I've still got things to do and it looks like being another late night.

How to Get Ahead in Marketing While Standing in Line—Primer Shows the Way

Google has just launched their new and improved Primer app and if you are a busy business-owner, struggling to keep up to date with the latest marketing strategies, Google Primer could be just what you need.

The Google Primer app provides bite-size marketing lessons that can be completed in all those moments that are wasted standing in queues or travelling on public transport. In fact, with Primer, even a bathroom break can provide app users with an opportunity to expand their marketing knowledge.

The new and improved app is compatible with all Android and Apple mobile devices and Google intend to release fresh lessons every week.

Each Google Primer lesson can be completed in less than five minutes and the lack of a WI-FI connection need not scupper your plans for learning, The lessons can be downloaded when a connection is available and then completed elsewhere without the need to dig into any of your mobile data allowance.

Google Primer app users can enjoy a number of courses that range from basic to advanced level and include:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Storytelling
• Ad Buying
• Measurement

Each mini-tutorial ends with an activity that allows users to test their new knowledge and Primer app users can choose and complete lessons that coach them on the subjects that are most appropriate to their needs.

Want to find out more? Visit the Google Play store.

Are You Old Enough to Remember Them? The Top 10 Bestselling Instant Videos in the UK

The Top 10 bestselling films in Amazon UK's Instant Video Streaming section makes interesting reading today.

1. Stalker (2010)
2. Gone Girl (2014)
3. Illuminating Angels and Demons (2005)
4. The Fault In Our Stars (2014)
5. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
6. What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012)
7. Julia (1977)
8. A Perfect Day (2006)
9. The Road (2009)
10. Christine (1983)

The most recent film, Gone Girl (2014), has been beaten to the top spot by Stalker (directed by Martin Kemp). The Fault In Our Stars was also released in 2014, and it comes a little further down the list, at number 4.

In fact, looking at the list is appears the most popular films in the UK (streamed via Amazon, anyway) have been around for a while. Bridget Jones (yes, she with the big knickers) comes in at number 5 and John Carpenter's Christine (released in 1983) beats many more recent films by coming in at number 10. The Instant Video Streaming version is in HD though; so perhaps people just can't resist seeing that "Bad to the Bone" Plymouth Fury regenerate itself all over again.

Christine is not the oldest film to make the Amazon UK's Instant Video Streaming Top Ten List today. The 32-year-old horror is not as popular as the wartime drama Julia (1977), but with a young Jane Fonda in the starring role, it still has a lot going for it and may sit in the Top 10 list for quite some time.

But what of Shaun the Sheep The Movie (2015), I hear you ask. It has been available on Amazon UK's Instant Video Streaming since the first of this month and has, so far failed to make the Top 25 Videos streamed in the UK. Somewhere a very unhappy little sheep is probably standing with its arms folded, shaking its head, and saying, "Baaaaah!"

There may have been changes since this blog post was written. Check out the latest list of Top 10 Streaming Videos in the UK.

#Rant: Are We Brits Turning into a Nation of Whingers?

Summer is a funny old time of year. After months of complaining about how cold it is, how wet it is, and much they are looking forward to summer, many Brits change their tune and start saying it's too hot for them: "I'm melting, I am.  I'll be glad to get home and into some shade."

So on a good day, in winter, if anyone asks we are always "better than the weather". But in summer we seem to spend our time complaining about the heat, saying it's too hot for work, or dreaming about our Summer Holidays.

Then the worrying starts: how good will we look on the beach?

We all seem to want to exhibit a body to die for, but feel we may die of embarrassment if anyone notices our__ (fill in the blank).

Yep! Everybody wants to look good! If they didn't plastic surgeons would be driving around less sporty cars and watching the pennies like the rest of us.

Not everyone can afford to go under the knife, but shelling out the cash for a gym membership is seen as an affordable investment—even though we soon find:

• It's too hot to go to the gym today.
• I'm too tired to go to the gym today.
• I can't face going out in that rain!

But wait!

The countdown has already begun and we still haven't sorted out that not-so-little problem with our __ (probably the same thing we were worried about before) and beer guts, bingo wings, or cellulite don't look good on the beach.

Bummer!

(Oops! Probably best not to think about bums when you are worrying about the best way to prize yourself into your Speedos (guys) or bikini (girls and a few very strange guys that don't bear thinking about.)

Yikes! If that doesn't curb your appetite, nothing will.

So what's next?

The magic pills of course. The ones that can turn your body into a 24-hour fat-burning machine and make all your problems disappear.

Please! Wake up and smell the coffee!

Admittedly, there are a few good weight loss supplements available that can speed up the weight loss process, but the magic usually only works if you put in the effort and go to the gym. It also usually helps a lot if you learn to walk down the cake isle in your local supermarket without adding a few extra treats to the trolley. This can be very hard to do due to the fact that most people feel they deserve "a little treat" because the weather has been so miserable/hot or because they have "been really good lately" and already been to the gym twice this week.

But do you know what? Some people actually do have the commitment necessary to banish their belly fat and get into their Speedos/bikinis (what is it with guys and bikinis, anyway?) without looking like a beached whale. You know the ones. The people who have easy jobs, more time (to work out at the gym), more money (for the best supplements), and just have a much easier live than the rest of us. They probably have air-conditioning in their cars as well—lucky ba&~@rds!

Don't you just hate them?

But do you know what? We can do it as well. Yes we can, if we really try. If we workout hard, cut back on bad foods (just say no), eat plenty of healthy ones, and find a decent supplement to boost the results.

Yes we can all have that perfect beach body!

The only problem is, when we finally arrive at our destination, the chances are we will spend so much time drinking cerveza/tequila, and pigging out on all that yummy, cheap food (well, it's a holiday, right?) that it may not last long.

But that's okay, because we can do it all again next year, and when we get home we can start complaining that the food was so much nicer in __ (fill in the blank), the drink was so much cheaper, and—of course—the weather was so much better.

Big Brother is Listening to You Via Mobile Phone

These days it's difficult to take a leak without worrying you may be making a splash on YouTube and having a private life just keeps on getting harder. It has now emerged Big Brother may be listening in on people's mobile phone conversations in the UK via fake mobile phone towers called Stingers.

According to a recent report in The Independent, stinger technology is currently being used by police forces all over the world and is very useful for catching criminals. But there is a sting in the tail—the towers are unable to differentiate the difference between criminal and non-criminal activity. So if you went out and had too much to drink last night, urinated somewhere you shouldn't, and shared the tale via mobile phone, don't be surprised if the Thought Police come knocking at your door.

Investigators from Sky News located more than 20 of the mobile phone-tapping towers in just 3 weeks, so how many are actually active in the UK is anybody's guess.

When Sky News quizzed the London Metropolitan Police about the controversial technology Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe appeared to be determined to protect the force's privacy.

Refusing to confirm or deny allegations made about the use of the suspect technology he said: "The only people who benefit are the other side, and I see no reason in giving away that sort of thing."

Keith Bristow, director-general of the National Crime Agency, was equally loathed to speak on the subject. "Some of what we would like to talk about to get the debate informed and logical, we can’t, because it would defeat the purpose of having the tactics in the first place," Bristow said. "Frankly, some of what we need to do is intrusive, it is uncomfortable, and the important thing is we set that out openly and recognize there are difficult choices to be made."

A legal expert who specializes in surveillance law told Sky News: "We don’t know how they’re being overseen. We don’t know the statutory basis that’s being relied on, as a consequence we don’t know who—if anyone—is overseeing that use."

The Stinger masts work by tricking phones into thinking they are normal towers and then hi-jacking the signal and recording the information as it passes through them.

Pretty scary stuff! It just keeps getting harder and harder to have a private conversation these days. So if you think your iPhone is a smart phone you might want to think again. Big Brother is smarter and he could be listening to you right now.

photo credit: (c) Catherine (2014) CC Licence 

Google Beef-up User Account Security with Google My Account

Google always make a big deal about the many steps they take to protect their user's safety online and to be fair to the Big G they have always been pretty good at protecting their user's security. Continuing in their fight against hackers and other online miscreants, Google have now introduced a new feature called My Account.

What is Google My Account?

My Account provides Google users with  quick and easy access to a range of tools and settings that enable them to manage their "Google Experience" when using Google products like Gmail and maps and (yes) that includes the Big G's search engine as well.

Google has launched 'My Account', a new hub for privacy and security settings from which users can manage their information shared with different Google products, such as Maps and Search, as well as adjust the security settings for these services.

The new My Account hub is divided into three sections:

• Sign-in and security settings
• Personal information and privacy settings
• Account preferences

Google accounts holders will be able to change their passwords, see what apps are connected to their profiles, update personal details, and monitor / control many other aspects that relate to their "Google Experience".  As with most things in life, some learning curve may be involved, but most users will probably appreciate the new feature and the obvious benefits it provides.

Amazon Say New Kindle for Kids is More than a Toy

Amazon UK has just announced the release of a new kid-friendly kindle. It's going to retail for £119 so it's not going to be the cheapest way to occupy little hands and curious minds, but customers who buy a children's Kindle are being offered a two year guarantee. Amazon are promising "if they break it we'll, replace it" and they say there will be no questions asked.

The official release day is June 18, so parents who want to treat their children by giving them something that may give them an educational "head" start only have about a week to wait before it is all systems go. And parents who are worried initial stocks may sell-out fast and don't want their children to wait can pre-order a Kid's Kindle.

The choice of colour appears to be limited to blue or pink, and with such traditional colours (blue for a boy, pink for a girl) it seems unlikely that Amazon will offer an expanded choice of colours in the future, but  if the colour choice is limited the reading choice is not. Amazon is offering a year's unlimited access to thousands of books, videos, games, and educational apps. As a free bonus that's not bad at all because parents will not be required to pay additional costs if they wish their children to get the most from their kindles.

As with a "grown up" versions the Kindle fire for Kids has front and rear cameras that will enable youngsters to make their own videos and develop those all-important selfie taking skills that are so handy for populating social media accounts with interesting pictures.

Whether or not it will set the world on "Fire" remains to be seen, but all-in-all the new Kid's Kindle appears to be a pretty well thought out piece of kit and the specifications are quite impressive.  This blog is no place for all that technical stuff though. Neigh I say; if you want to know more you will need to head on over to Amazon and get it from the horse's mouth.

Will the Sugar Tax Be Implemented in the UK?

A new study has revealed the cost of eating healthy continues to rise, but price of high-calorie processed foods has dropped. With obesity on the rise, on a worldwide scale, this is a situation that does not bode well for the future. Now researchers in the UK are suggesting the British Government introduce a special tax for junk food and use the proceeds to subsidise the costs of fruit and vegetable production.

Data collected in the study, conducted  by the Overseas Development Institute shows cost of fruit and vegetables has soared over the last two or three decades, but in the years between 1980 and 2012 the cost of ice cream has dropped by 50% and ready meal prices have been slashed by 20%.

The UK is not the only culprit though. In China the costs of vegetables have doubled in the last 20 years, in Brazil the prevalence of sugary drinks and crisps and biscuits has been rendered more attractive by low prices, and cabbage lovers in Korean are now paying around 60% more green for their greens.

In Mexico nearly halt the adult population is obese, but little wonder. The cost of fruit and vegetables has increased significantly since 1990, but the Mexican government has already taken a proactive stance in the fight against obesity. In January 2014, a tax was introduced and applied to high calorie food and drinks.

Obesity can shorten the average person's lifespan by around nine years so the Mexican sugar tax could prolong lives, whether or not such a tax will actually become a reality in the UK, remains to be seen.

Six Little-Known Facts about Testosterone

1. Women have it too!

I know if I tell you that women produce testosterone you are going to shout "Balls!", but it's true. Women really do produce testosterone.  Most people are aware the male testes produce testosterone, but if you want to be really accurate about it the testosterone is actually manufactured by the leydig cells that are located in the testicles. Well guess what, women have leydig cells as well. They are located in the ovaries, and they are not as productive as male leydig cells, but they can and do secrete testosterone each and every day.


2. Testosterone Can Make Your Gal Feel Horny
Although testosterone is generally associated with the male sex drive, if your lady is acting a little friskier of late it could be due to elevated testosterone levels. Testosterone can enhance the female libido by targeting the receptors in the brain that are responsible for regulating the sex drive.


3. Testosterone can make you Big and Strong

Testosterone is a natural steroid hormone that can help speed up post-exercise recovery rates, aid the anabolic (muscle building) process and assist protein synthesis.


4. Testosterone Burns Fat

There is somewhat of a paradox here, because when people become overly fat or obese the extra poundage can restrict the body's ability to produce testosterone. But when the body contains a sufficient quantity of testosterone it can assist the fat burning process and help keep you slim.


5. Testosterone Levels Decline with Age

Yep! It's a scientific fact I'm afraid. The older you get the less testosterone your body is likely to produce.  It's not an ideal situation at the best of times, but when you are trying to remain big and strong so you burn off a little extra fat with your significant other, whose producing so much she's turned into a rampant beast, it can be a particularly daunting state of affairs. But do you know what the worst thing is guys? Testosterone production often starts to diminish during adolescence. After that it's downhill all the way.


6. Testosterone Supplements Began as a Piss-Take

Testosterone was first synthesized in 1935 and the production process was strange to say the least. It required a sufficient quantity of the male hormone aldosterone, which had to be distilled from around 4,000 gallons of donated human urine.

Book Talk: A Few Audiobook Advantages

Everyone knows the reasons why eBook readers are supposed to a better option than normal books (no trees are slaughtered in their creation, take up less room on the shelf etc.), but there is another option out there. Yep, I'm talking audiobooks. You know—books that talk to you! And it could be argued that audiobooks are even better than eBooks because you listen to them while eating a bag of chips and not need to worry about getting grease all over your Amazon Kindle, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. Let's have a look at a few more reasons why any getting your story fix from an audiobook may be a better option than you ever realized.

You can get your Stories on the Go

Yeah, I know what it sounds like, but I'm not suggesting you listen to your favourite book while you're sitting on the John—although it's certainly doable. But there are many occasions where flicking a few pages or consulting the Kindle are not really possible.

• At the gym:  Thank God for headphones and Terry Pratchett (now if only there was something you could do about the guy next to you with the terminal BO!)
• Driving the car:  always a good option and a real life-saver in a traffic jam.
• Travelling on the bus/train: Well you didn't really want to listen to the lady in front of you banging on about her verruca and varicose veins, did you?

No Glasses Required

After a long day at work the eyes can feel pretty tired and sore, and they can feel even worse if some smelly guy in the gym has given you a good hiding for complaining about his personal hygiene, so it can sometimes be nice to just put up your feet, close your eyes, and listen to a few chapters of a good book (a good book, not The Good Book—all the begatting that went on may have been fun at the time, but hearing about it thousands of years later ain't much fun and the Bible leaves out all the juicy bits that could have made kids actually want to read it last thing at night.)

Space Saving Stories

Although audiobooks were traditionally sold on CDs, and the really old may even have listened to them on cassettes or Long Playing Records, these days most people just purchase an audiobook download and downloads are famous for their space-saving capabilities. And in the case of Audible audiobooks there is no need to even worry about retaining a back-up copy of the file because Audible customers can log-in to their account and access all of the books in their library any time that they want to and download them as many times as required.

Great for Learning Languages

Budding language students or people who need a pre-holiday brush up on their Spanish chat-up lines can study on the go, any time they want, and speak along with the native speaker. Audiobooks are a great way to learn or improve your language skills, even if it does mean you sometimes get a few funny looks when you are talking to yourself at bus stops.

A few other Audiobooks Benefits

• No lights are required
• Audiooks don't discolour and go smelly with age
• Audiobooks can be a brilliant way to avoid listening to your partner during nagging sessions
• Paper cuts are extremely unlikely

Overeating Could Damage Your Liver

Binge drinking may be a big problem in the UK, but it appears overeating may is catching-up fast because a leading health expert is warning that, by the year 2020, most liver transplants are likely to be the results of overeating rather than alcohol abuse.

Dr Quentin Anstee, consultant hepatologist at Newcastle University and the Freeman hospital, says he UK is facing a "major and growing challenge" as an escalating number of Brits succumb to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Around 33% of the British population is already believed to suffer from the condition and researchers are putting it down to greed—people are quite simply cramming themselves with more food than their livers can handle.

"Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the major and growing challenges facing the UK," Anstee said."

But with so much of the population at risk, Anstee says it may be hard to decide which individuals to "home in on".

"There has been a shift in the entire population," Anstee explained. "The truth is that the man in the street is carrying a few more pounds than a decade ago. The rate of liver disease has increased 400% since the 1970s."

The figures are already frightening enough, but Anstee's forecast for the future does not suggest there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

"It’s predicted that by the end of this decade, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease will be the most common underlying reason why people are required to have liver transplants, overtaking alcohol," he said.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a blanket term that covers a number of condition that are caused by a build-up of fat within the liver cells, but the condition is more common in those who are overweight or obese.

Obesity is on the rise on a worldwide scale though, so Brits are not the only culprits when it comes to going large on their meals and growing large a consequence. Unfortunately, once overeating has become a habit it can be a hard habit to break and many people lack the necessary motivation to exercise regularly and eat healthy, even when the stakes are so high, so Anstee's predictions for the future will likely be all too accurate.

Was the Virgin Queen a King of Deception?

Elizabeth I never married, was proud to be called 'The Virgin Queen', and claimed that people needed to feel their monarch was wedded to the whole country, rather than one man. On other occasions, she hinted that the debacle of her father’s six wives, and her mother’s death at the block, had put her off marriage for life, but many people believe that Elizabeth's aversion to marriage was due to the need to hide a terrible secret that, if it were to be exposed, would bring the nation to its knees. What was her—supposed—terrible secret? Shocking as it may sound; some evidence suggests she was a drag queen monarch, rather than a true Queen.

Although many people have heard nothing of this rumored high-level deception, it is a subject that more people may soon become aware of because noted author, Steve Berry, has worked it into the plot of his controversial new novel The King's Deception. The book is part of Berry's Cotton Malone series.

From the Amazon sales page:

"Cotton Malone and his fifteen-year-old son, Gary, are headed to Europe. As a favor to his former boss at the Justice Department, Malone agrees to escort a teenage fugitive back to England. But after he is greeted at gunpoint in London, both the fugitive and Gary disappear, and Malone learns that he’s stumbled into a high-stakes diplomatic showdown—an international incident fueled by geopolitical gamesmanship and shocking Tudor secrets."

Berry is not the only writer to have been aware of this rumor. Dracula author, Bram Stoker was aware of it as well, and was so convinced of its credibility that that he included the story in the final chapter of his lesser-known work Imposters.

But what is this story that Stoker found so convincing, and has now inspired Berry's new novel?

Apparently Henry VIII sent his young daughter to a manor house in the Cotswold village of Bisley, not for a holiday, but as a precautionary measure because he was afraid that she, like so many Londoners, would fall victim to the plague. This much is known is an historical fact, subsequent events are, however, harder to prove, but this is the story . . .

The King's sensible precaution proved to be a futile because Elizabeth caught a fever and died, a terrible turn of events that would surely have entailed terrible consequences for those who had been assigned to protect her, so the whole matter was hushed up. Elizabeth was buried in secret and a substitute was sought in the village. Unfortunately the only substitute that could be found was a young boy and, with the king's imminent arrival at Bisley there was no time to find a better option.

The two people who manufactured this incredible deception—if deception it was—were Lady Kat Ashley (her governess) and Thomas Parry (her guardian) and, fortunately for them, certain circumstances worked to their advantage. The King had rarely spent time with his daughter and even when he did so she was such a quiet child that he was used to her sitting in silence; so in the dim light of the manor, the King had no reason to suspect that anyone other than his daughter stood before him. Opportunity for a better replacement was never forthcoming, so the boy was taught to be a princess, while the real Elizabeth was buried in the manor's grounds.

It is this clandestine burial that proved to be of particular interest to Stoker, who heard persistent rumors that a coffin had been unearthed at Bisley, during the 1800s, that contained the remains of a young girl, fully garbed in Tudor finery with precious gems sewn into the fabric.

Stoker could easily see how such a deception explained the Virgin Queen's failure to marry, even though one of her most important duties was to provide an heir, and her refusal to give her hand to the Prince of Spain provoked a war.

Berry believes that when the Queen said she had the heart of a man she was telling the truth. Stoker believed it too, so much of this story is heresay; the rest is a mix of heresy and history, while the truth of the matter remains a matter of personal opinion. Queen of the Realm, or drag Queen King? Maybe this is one piece of history that is better forgotten.

More at the Mail Online

Woman Gives Up Eating in Favor of a Strict Diet of Sunlight

Sixty-five-year-old Navene Shine has decided that it is perectly possible to live on sunshine all washed down, of course, with plenty of water. A firm believer in the Breatharian Diet, she has not eaten solid food since May 30th.

Exponents of Breatharianism believe that sunlight provides all the nourishment the body needs. Sadly none of  many thousands of people who are starving in Africa have come forward to back up this theory and all of the western world practitioners who managed to find the will power to stick with the Breatharian diet are now dead.

Mrs. Shine, who has been sharing her experience via Facebook and YouTube, and has set up eight cameras around her home to track her progress, admits that her new diet has not been easy. She occasionally gets twinges of something that ‘feels like hunger ‘ and has been constipated, and claims to feel short of energy.  She also says she has suffered from nausea.

So far she has lost more than six inches from her belly and has dropped from a weight of 159lbs to 130lbs and on her 30th day of the diet she wrote:
‘I have the feeling that my body has reached a point where it has used up all its stored fats and is now looking around for what next to consume.’

If someone doesn’t get her on a sunbed pretty soon the old dear may well starve to death, but she is one lady who knows what she wants out life and appears to be ready to fight to the death to get it.

More on this story from the Mail Online

Queen Guitarist Brian May Leads Protest to Stop Badger Cull

It’s official. June 1^st is the start of culling season and one of the worst things about this is the sad fact that this outrageous and barbaric state of affairs has been fully sanctioned by the British government.

Five thousand badgers may be killed in two pilot badger culls in West Gloucestershire and West Somerset and it is likely that it will cost around £4 million to provide enough police officers to cope with the inevitable disruptions caused by animal right protestors.

Brian May, Bill Oddie, and hundreds of protestors—some wearing badger masks—have already stormed the streets of London and delivered a petition against this cruel practice. The petition had been signed by 228,000 people, but the powers that be refuse to be moved and continue to claim that course of action is necessary to prevent the spread of bovine TB.

Many experts disagree and consider the cull do be an ill-advised act that may cause the disease to spread faster than normal, meaning the government will have spent millions of pounds of the British taxpayer's money to create a bigger problem than they had before.

Philip Mansbridge, chief executive of animal charity Care for the Wild, has stated: "The badger cull has no scientific, economic or animal welfare justification.

"The Government and the NFU are blindly embarking on one of the worst agricultural policies of the past 30 years, which will lead to senseless slaughter, chaos and disruption in the countryside, huge cost to the taxpayer and no meaningful reduction in the spread of bovine TB."

Dental Visit Results in Amazing Weight Loss

Four years ago Denise Petty sat in the dentist's chair, but instead of a dental checkup she had a life changing experience. Denise weighed a hefty 36 stone and the dentist's chair was unable to lift her. The embarrassment of the experience, couple with the realization that, if she did not take action and diminish her weight, she would be lucky to survive to the end of the year, provided Denise with the necessary encouragement to lose and incredible 21 stone in 4 years.

Denise had been aware of the severity of her problem long before her Dental chair disgrace and had even picked up the courage to discuss the matter with her GP, who warned her she was morbidly obese. But even the worrying words of her GP failed to move Denise enough to make her try and remove some of her excess baggage.

At 42-years-old she was unable to walk father than 20 yards. A fact made all the more alarming by the fact she was employed as a health care assistant. Talking the talk was one thing, and being unable to walk the walk was setting a very poor example, but she still lacked the necessary fat-busting motivation until the straining dental chair finally forced her to face facts and stop stuffing her face.

In 2009 Denise was garbed in tent-like size 34 dresses; now she is a much healthier size 14 and happily states, “It’s about smaller portion sizes and about moderating what you eat

More on this story at: http://www.thisisjersey.com/news/uk-news/2013/05/18/amazing-slimmer-loses-21-stone/

New Research Reveals the Reason Why Women Can Expect to Live Longer Than Men

According to figures provided by the World Health Organization, the life expectancy for UK men is 79 years. On average women can expect to live 3 years longer and new research reveals that the reason for this is all in the blood.

The research was conducted at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Scientists took blood samples from 356 men and women, aged between 20 and 90, and counted the amount of white blood cells and cytokines (immune system signaling molecules).  It was found that the level reduced with age, for both sexes, but in men the rate of decline of T-cell and B-cell lymphocytes was much higher—these lymphocytes have a significant role to play in the human immune system.

The samples also revealed that in men the two cytokines, IL-6 and IL-10 also showed a more rapid rate of decline.

The human immune system relies on CD4 T-cells to destroy bacteria that invade the body. The amount of these increases with age, but in women the increase was shown to be much faster than in men.

After completion of all the tests the scientists concluded that, ‘Age-related changes in various immunological parameters differ between men and women. Our findings indicate that the slower rate of decline in these immunological parameters in women than in men is consistent with the fact that women live longer than do men.’

More on this story at the Mail Online:   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2324783/Women-live-longer-men-immune-systems-age-slowly.html

Outrageous New Guidelines Pressure Pregnant Women into Smoking Tests

Mothers and the Midwives who take care of them have got together in angry response to newly proposed smoking tests.

The new proposals, due to come into effect later this year, will make it standard practice for midwives to test the carbon monoxide levels of mothers to be by giving them a breath test at their first antenatal appointment.

It is believed that many women are too embarrassed to admit to their doctor or midwife that they continue to smoke. The proposed breath tests are the idea of the health watchdog NICE, who believe that up to 20% of women lie about their smoking habits.

Mothers are furious about the proposed changes and members of the website 'Mumsnet' are stating that the plans are 'utter meddlesome nonsense' and 'intrusive nannying'.

In the words of one Mumsnet member the plans are a ‘Really terrible idea. Women are not just baby incubators once they’re pregnant.’ And midwives are in agreement because they feel that such tests could undermine the trust between them and the mothers in their care, with Louise Siverton, director of midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives, calling the plans 'draconian'.

Even the director of the smokers' lobby group, Simon Clark, has spoken up against the plans, stating that "This seems incredibly invasive."

More on this story at The Daily Mail:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2323252/Fury-smoking-breath-test-mothers-revealed-light-pregnancy.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490