Don't Worry Be Happy

Sad Dads May Lead to Crying Infants
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

Don't automatically blame mom: A crying, colicky baby can be just as much the result of dad's state of mind, Dutch researchers report.

Other studies have found that depression among mothers can be related to excessive crying or colic, a common problem with newborns, but the researchers said that little was known about whether fathers' emotions and behavior also have an effect.

"Up to now, almost all attention went to the prenatal effects of maternal depression on child development, leading to the development of detection and treatment programs that focused on mental well-being of mothers," said lead researcher Dr. Mijke P. van den Berg, a psychiatrist at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam.

"This study showed the importance of taking paternal factors and well-being during pregnancy into account, next to maternal," she said.

The report is published in the July issue of Pediatrics.

To see how parental depression was related to excessive crying, van den Berg's team gathered data on symptoms of depression among parents of 4,426 infants who were 2 months old.

Excessive crying was defined as crying for more than three hours a day on more than three days in the past week.

Overall, just 2.5 percent of the infants in the study fit the excessive crying criteria. But, the researchers found a 30 percent higher risk for depression among parents whose infant cried excessively.

"This finding could not be attributed to co-existing depressive symptoms of the mother, which is already known to be a risk factor for excessive infant crying," van den Berg said. It could be related to genetics, a depressed father or, indirectly, through factors such as marital, family or economic stress, she said.

In fact, a dad with symptoms of depression was twice as likely to have an infant who cried excessively as was a dad who was not depressed, the study found.

"Fathers do matter, so take care for the mental well-being of fathers during pregnancy," van den Berg said.

Dr. Jon Shaw, a professor and director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Miami Miller of School of Medicine, said that the study shows how depression can lead to infant's excessive crying.

"This study demonstrates in a paradoxical way the importance of fathers, in that fathers' measurable depression during pregnancy is a risk factor for excessive infant crying at 2 months of age," Shaw said.

"This seems to be related perhaps to the enduring effects of fathers' depression on the family ambience, the parental relationship, child parenting and, perhaps as the authors suggest, there may be a genetic factor involved," he said.

The ABC's Composting

A composting testimony I’d like to share
by Harameeyah B. Israel
KOY - Office of Environmental Affairs

Last March, I began composing my kitchen wastes and those from Soul Veg Tallahassee. These wastes include just about everything: carrot shavings/stems, onion peelings, tomato stems, rotten fruit, fruit cores (i.e., apple, etc.), avocado skin, shredded paper, coffee grounds, paper towels, etc. The main wastes, however, were green stems from the restaurant. Since we cook greens everyday, my composter was full of greens.

In January, I started to notice an odor that got worse and worse. So in March I finally buried the compost (which had become a putrid smelling sludge--like what greens or lettuce looks like when it goes REALLY bad) in an empty garden plot in my back yard that had previously been only grass and dirt. About a month later I noticed some greens coming up--a nice size plant, as if I had planted it there myself. Needless to say I was amazed.

About a month ago (early May) I found some more things growing that looked like weeds, so I turned them over and figured when I got back from Israel I’d have a nice fertile plot to start with. When I returned from Israel (4 weeks later) I found the entire plot filled with plants! I assumed they were weeds, but when I took a closer look I saw little green bulbs. The compost became a tomato garden! I could not have done better if I’d done it on purpose.

This speaks to the importance of composting. It is a simple matter of separating biodegradable wastes from trash. Not only does this reduce the amount of waste in landfills but since the decomposition of organic material sent to landfills is a principal cause of methane gas (an important greenhouse gas), this reduction is also key in fighting against climate change. It also speaks to the idea of following a divine natural order and eliminating our negative impact on the planet.

Note: The reason my compost was smelling bad is because I had too many “greens” and not enough “browns“. I currently have a successful compost pile which consists of the same kitchen/restaurant wastes as well as shredded paper (usually my junk mail), dirt, and dead leaves. This has solved the odor problem.

The Benefits of Flaxseed

Is flaxseed the new wonder food?
By Carol Sorgen
WebMD Feature

Preliminary studies show that flaxseed may help fight everything from heart disease and diabetes to even breast cancer.

Flaxseed may be on everyone's lips -- and in everyone's cereal -- but this new darling of the plant world has been around for more than 4,000 years, known even in the days of Hippocrates for its healthful benefits.

Flaxseed has been a part of human and animal diets for thousands of years in Asia, Europe, and Africa, and more recently in North America and Australia, says Kaye Effertz, executive director of AmeriFlax, a trade promotion group representing U.S. flaxseed producers. As flax gained popularity for its industrial uses, however, its popularity as a food product waned, but it never lost its nutritional value. "Today flax is experiencing a renaissance among nutritionists, the health conscious public, food processors, and chefs alike," says Effertz.

The reason for the increasing interest in flaxseed is its apparent benefits for a host of medical conditions, says Roberta Lee, MD, medical director of the Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in New York.

Flaxseed is very high in omega-3 essential fatty acids, Lee explains. It's the omega 3s -- "good" fats -- that researchers are looking at in terms of their possible effects on lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar, lowering the risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancers, and reducing the inflammation of arthritis, as well as the inflammation that accompanies certain illnesses such as Parkinson's disease and asthma.

Click here to see complete article: The Benefits of Flaxseed

Dimona eliminates Tigers in semis

Dimona holds on for a thrilling extra inning victory
Jerusalem Post Sports

Dimona scored four runs in the top of the eighth and then held on for a thrilling extra inning victory to eliminate the Tigers in the Israel Softball Association semifinal on Monday night.

Pitchers Yarone Ben-Israel (6 K's) and Goose Gillett (3 K's) were locked in a scoreless pitching duel through five.

In the sixth, Tabie Ben-Israel scored on Amithan Ben-Israel's single after stealing second and third, but the Tigers answered in their half of the inning when Shlomi Mor Hayim singled in Ilan Spira.

In the extra eighth inning, Dimona unloaded. Akhaziya's 2-run single made it 3-1 and RBI hits from Elyaeed BenIsrael and Amithan stretched the lead to four.

The Tigers, not to be outdone, tallied three on RBI singles by Hernan Guinguis, Gil Nehemkin and Avi Shamir, but Yarone bore down to fan Guy Bender, representing the winning run, to end the Tigers' season.

KNN: "Go Judeans!!!!!!"

Communicators Press Launches New Web Page

Visit Communicators Press new user-friendly web page
KNN-DC

Order your books and audio visual materials online!!!!!

This collection of books and audio visual materials is dedicated to the truth, not according to the words of men but according to the universal principles that govern the earth.

Communicators Press specializes in publishing and distributing spiritually uplifting works by renowned scholars and thinkers around the world. The TRUTH is knowable...look no further.

Click Here to see CP's new web page: http://www.africanhebrewisraelitesofjerusalem.com/CP-Israel/index.htm
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Shabbaht Shalom from the Village of Peace!

KNN-Dimona, Israel

The Holy Hebraic Shabbaht commences weekly at the setting of the sun each Yom Sheshe (6th day or Friday) and ends at sunset on Mohtsai Shabbaht (Saturday evening).

This day is set aside each week to allow our minds, bodies and souls to totally rest, be repaired, restored and rejuvenated.

The sunset time at Kefar HaShalom (the Village of Peace) this Yom Sheshe, (Friday) June 12th is 7:33PM.

Please click here to find sunset times for your area.

Shabbaht Shalom. (Have a peaceful, restful Sabbath.)

The Future of the State of Africa

Africa is enormously rich in potential
by Kofi Annan, Graca Machel and Michel Camdessus
The Huffington Post


Africa's potential is often overlooked. Yet the continent abounds in untapped natural and human resources. The United Nations, for example, estimates that there are over 800 million hectares of unused, cultivable land that could provide the basis for a green revolution in food production -- land which could be used to tackle food shortages in Africa and in other continents.

The remarkable progress that Africa has made in the past decade is also not widely recognized. Across the continent there are numerous success stories. We have seen the spread of free and fair elections, an increase in school enrollment rates and determined efforts to combat malaria. The boom in mobile phones has transformed communication and helped business.

The tragedy is that when millions of Africans believed their countries and continent were finally on the right track, their hopes are being dashed by problems whose roots lie elsewhere. While the global crisis and climate change are creations of the North, it is Africa which is worst affected and least able to cope. The social and political consequences are profound.

Yesterday, the Africa Progress Panel, on which we sit, launched its 2009 State of Africa report in Cape Town. We recognize that the roots of the development crisis often begin outside Africa. But the reality is that the main responsibility for tackling the challenges Africa faces lies with its own leaders.

This does not mean that the rest of the world can walk away. Africa's international partners have a critical part to play in supporting the continent's progress, and share responsibility for tackling imported problems. They also have an interest to do so: social tension and political instability in Africa have clear international costs and consequences.

At a time when other financial flows are dropping, G8 and donor countries have an even greater responsibility to honor their international aid commitments and to ensure that global deals, whether on trade, climate change, intellectual property, illicit drugs, crime or migration, are supportive of Africa's development needs. Aid, effectively used, can leverage other financial flows, strengthen capacities and meet urgent social and humanitarian needs.

But without bold, focused and sustained leadership from African Governments, outside assistance won't safeguard the continent's people or protect the progress already made.

Big problems create the opportunity for big thinking. Africa's leaders, who have already shown what can be achieved, now need to redouble their efforts to guide their continent through these challenges.

They also need the active participation of their citizens. Accountability of leadership is paramount. Holding those in authority to account is a tradition and practice that has long roots in Africa's culture. But in many parts of the continent, it is frayed. There are too many instances of corruption, growing inequality in wealth and opportunity, and the abuse of power.

Alongside determined and accountable leadership at the national level, a strong, united position on the global stage is vital. A forcefully negotiated common African position on climate change, for example, is needed for Copenhagen Summit. We have already seen how effective unity can be. The meeting of African leaders in London ahead of the G20 Summit ensured the needs of the developing world were not forgotten. It played a major role in the G20s funding pledges, including the $100 billion for international development banks to lend to the poorest countries.

Clear-sighted African leadership, supported by effective international partnership, can turn the challenges Africa is facing into an opportunity. The APP believes that Africa can take the lead in pioneering a new, low-carbon development model. The take off of the mobile phone in Africa ended the need for an expensive network of landlines to be put in place. In the same way, the continent can make use of its vast solar, hydro, wind, thermal and biomass resources to drive forward its renewable energy sector, leapfrogging the outdated, fossil fuel based system.

The scope for investment in Africa's infrastructure, agriculture and communications are vast. So are the benefits it could bring. The spread of financial services to the poor has shown the potential for innovative investments. A drive for investment in these sectors will not only create jobs and increased trade in Africa, but also create markets for developed countries in these difficult times.

Africa is enormously rich in potential. Amidst the gloom, there is an opportunity to be seized. If we have the courage and vision to rise to the challenge, it will benefit the 900 million people who live on the continent and create a valuable growth platform for the global economy.

Kofi Annan, Graca Machel and Michel Camdessus are members of the Africa Progress Panel (www.africaprogresspanel.org)