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Another Reason to Drink More Water: Study Finds Hydration Can Lower Risk of Heart Failure

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Staying well-hydrated may be associated with a reduced risk for developing heart failure, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Their findings suggest that consuming sufficient amounts of fluids throughout life not only supports essential body functioning but may also reduce the risk of severe heart problems in the future.

Heart failure, a chronic condition that develops when the heart does not pump enough blood for the body’s needs, affects more than 6.2 million Americans, a little more than 2% of the population. It is also more common among adults ages 65 and older.

“Similar to reducing salt intake, drinking enough water and staying hydrated are ways to support our hearts and may help reduce long-term risks for heart disease,” said Natalia Dmitrieva, Ph.D., the lead study author and a researcher in the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of NIH.

After conducting preclinical research that suggested connections between dehydration and cardiac fibrosis, a hardening of the heart muscles, Dmitrieva and researchers looked for similar associations in large-scale population studies. To start, they analyzed data from more than 15,000 adults, ages 45-66, who enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study between 1987-1989 and shared information from medical visits over a 25-year period.

In selecting participants for their retrospective review, the scientists focused on those whose hydration levels were within a normal range and who did not have diabetes, obesity, or heart failure at the start of the study. Approximately 11,814 adults were included in the final analysis, and, of those, the researchers found 1,366 (11.56%) later developed heart failure.

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To assess potential links with hydration, the team assessed the hydration status of the participants using several clinical measures. Looking at levels of serum sodium, which increases as the body’s fluid levels decrease, was especially useful in helping to identify participants with an increased risk for developing heart failure. It also helped identify older adults with an increased risk for developing both heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy, an enlargement and thickening of the heart.

Essential hydration

For example, adults with serum sodium levels starting at 143 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L)—a normal range is 135-146 mEq/L—in midlife had a 39% associated increased risk for developing heart failure compared to adults with lower levels. And for every 1 mEq/L increase in serum sodium within the normal range of 135-146 mEq/L, the likelihood of a participant developing heart failure increased by 5%.

In a cohort of about 5,000 adults ages 70-90, those with serum sodium levels of 142.5-143 mEq/L at middle age were 62% more likely to develop left ventricular hypertrophy. Serum sodium levels starting at 143 mEq/L correlated with a 102% increased risk for left ventricular hypertrophy and a 54% increased risk for heart failure.

Based on these data, the authors conclude serum sodium levels above 142 mEq/L in middle age are associated with increased risks for developing left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure later in life.

A randomized, controlled trial will be necessary to confirm these preliminary findings, the researchers said. However, these early associations suggest good hydration may help prevent or slow the progression of changes within the heart that can lead to heart failure.

MORE: Eating Avocados Twice a Week is Linked With lowering Heart Disease by 16-22%

“Serum sodium and fluid intake can easily be assessed in clinical exams and help doctors identify patients who may benefit from learning about ways to stay hydrated,” said Manfred Boehm, M.D., who leads the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine.

Fluids are essential for a range of bodily functions, including helping the heart pump blood efficiently, supporting blood vessel function, and orchestrating circulation. Yet many people take in far less than they need, the researchers said.

While fluid guidelines vary based on the body’s needs, the researchers recommended a daily fluid intake of 6-8 cups (1.5-2.1 liters) for women and 8-12 cups (2-3 liters) for men. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also provides tips to support healthy hydration.

This research is published in European Heart Journal.

Source: NIH/National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute

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Prunes Can Protect Older Women Against Osteoporosis, Says Penn State Study

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By Megan, CC license
By Megan, CC license

A handful of prunes a day protects older women against osteoporosis, according to new research.

Levels of bone boosting hormone oestrogen drop after the menopause which triggers an increase in inflammation in the body, which can also contribute to bone loss.

The dried plums contain vital chemicals that mimic it.

They are rich in antioxidants which dampen inflammation and destroy harmful free radicals.

Over 50s who regularly snacked on them were less prone to the disease that leaves people with brittle bones that raise the risk of fractures.

The condition affects three million British adults—mostly women. Every year 300,000 people suffer a ‘fragility fracture’ from a fall at standing height or less.

They cause significant pain, disability and loss of independence. More than 1,000 people die from them—every month.

Previous research has shown that prunes contain polyphenol extracts, plant compounds that act as antioxidants and reduce inflammation.

They promote lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in a type of bone cell called osteoclasts.

Researchers from the Integrative and Biomedical Physiology Program and the Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Kinesiology at The Pennsylvania State University explored the effects of prunes on bone health after menopause.

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The study of 235 women with a bone mineral density score that was defined as low is the first to demonstrate the benefit of the simple dietary change.

The postmenopausal women were divided into three groups: one that ate 50 grams of prunes (about six) daily for 12 months, one that ate 100 g of prunes (about 12 prunes) daily for 12 months and a control group who ate no prunes.

The research team looked at blood samples taken from all volunteers before and after the trial and found significant reductions in inflammatory markers in both of the prune-eating groups compared to the control group.

First author of the study, doctoral student Janhavi Damani, said: “Our findings suggest that consumption of six to 12 prunes per day may reduce pro-inflammatory mediators that may contribute to bone loss in postmenopausal women.

“Thus, prunes might be a promising nutritional intervention to prevent the rise in inflammatory mediators often observed as part of the aging process.”

Lead author Professor Mary Jane De Souza, of Pennsylvania State University, said, “It is exciting the data from our large randomised controlled trial in postmenopausal women showed consuming five to six prunes a day demonstrated the benefit of protecting from bone loss at the hip.

“Our data supports the use of prunes to protect the hip from bone loss post menopause.

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“Indeed, this data may be especially valuable for postmenopausal women who cannot take pharmacological therapy to combat bone loss and need an alternative strategy.”

Under 100 calories per serving, prunes are a nutrient-dense fruit that packs a powerful punch of vitamins and nutrients.

They also contain boron, potassium, copper and a cocktail of healthy plant compounds that are good for the bones.

They are regarded as a ‘superfood’ for improving gut bacteria, slowing down ageing, combating iron deficiency, diabetes and heart disease.

This study has been published in Advances in Nutrition.

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“Here is the only thing you need to remember: When considering whether to say yes or no, you must choose the response that feels like freedom.” – Martha Beck

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Quote of the Day: “Here is the only thing you need to remember: When considering whether to say yes or no, you must choose the response that feels like freedom.” – Martha Beck

Photo by: Caspian Dahlström

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

Screening For Breast Cancer Might Soon Use Simple Blood Test Following Milk Discovery

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Peter Boccia

Breast cancer screening could be done via a blood test in the future, following a major breakthrough.

Scientists say a simple blood test for women of all ages could one day be possible—making mammograms history—because a new set of protein biomarkers was identified by using human breast milk.

Study lead author Danielle Whitham, a doctoral candidate at Clarkson University in the state of New York, said, “Although mammograms are a useful tool for catching breast cancer early, they aren’t typically recommended for low-risk women under 40.”

“Because the biomarkers we found in breast milk are also detectable in blood serum, screening could potentially be done in women of any age using blood or breast milk.”

The newly identified biomarkers are for a specific type of cancer called invasive ductal carcinoma—one of the most common types of breast cancers.

However, the researchers say that their approach could be used to identify biomarkers for other types of breast cancer, too.

“If our future studies are successful, it could change how women are monitored for breast cancer and aid in earlier diagnosis,” adds Whitham.

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“This could even lead to a higher survival rate in women.”

For the study, breast milk samples were obtained from three women diagnosed with breast cancer and three women without cancer.

The researchers compared the relative levels of certain proteins between the two groups to identify differences in the women with cancer.

Their analysis revealed 23 proteins that were dysregulated. All the proteins that showed differences were previously shown to play a role in cancer or tumor development.

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Now that a biomarker set has been identified, the researchers plan to confirm it with a larger group of women. Then, they will test the protein biomarkers’ applicability in blood serum.

“If those tests are successful, a blood test could be developed to be used on women of any age to monitor protein changes for detection of breast cancer,” concluded Whitham.

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She is due to present the findings at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting in Philadelphia.

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Queensland Continues to Transfer Millions of Acres of Wilderness Back to Aboriginals in Australia

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Andy Corbley
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PICTURED: Bramwell Cattle Station, part of a recent 131,000 hectare purchase by the Queensland government. PC: Queensland Country Life.

Reprinted with permission from World at Large, a news website of nature, science, health, politics, and travel. 

PICTURED: Bramwell Cattle Station, part of a recent 131,000 hectare purchase by the Queensland government. PC: Queensland Country Life.

Two former cattle ‘stations’ in the north Australian state of Queensland totaling 509 square miles (131,900 hectares) have been purchased by the government as part of their program to return ownership of land on the Cape York Peninsula back to the indigenous people.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said at the time that these two areas have significant, undisturbed ecosystems that will become part of a protected area that includes tropical rainforest, heathlands, warm savannah, and freshwater ecosystems.

“These areas are important on a global scale both naturally and culturally, so it’s fantastic that they will be in safe hands as the Queensland government returns them back to the Wuthathi and Atambaya Peoples,” a spokesperson for Our Living Outback, an advocacy group, said at the time.

“This is one of the most significant purchases in Queensland history – linking close to one million hectares of protected land in a picturesque part of our state,” Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Queensland Premier said in a statement.

The two cattle stations link up with other protected areas, some under state control, others under Aboriginal control, including Batavia National Park, Ampulin National Park, Michingun Nature Refuge, and the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, purchased by the Crocodile Hunter’s foundation set up by the Australia Zoo.

“The lands also provide further opportunity to protect the Great Barrier Reef by stabilizing two catchment areas that flow into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon,” Scanlon added. Cape York is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, but is incredible biodiverse in its own right.

RELATED: Australia Returns Huge Daintree Rainforest to its Aboriginal Owners, Bordering Great Barrier Reef

Environmental Minister and MP Meaghan Scanlon announced the purchase in February. PC: Meaghan Scanlon. Released.

Righting Wrongs

These purchases are two of many that have been conducted under the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program, which since 2007 has been restoring Aboriginal rights to some of the most biodiverse and valuable lands in the state.

By the end of 2021, before the recent cattle stations were acquired, the tenure program had already established 209 protected areas across 8.2% of all of the land space in Queensland (4.5 million hectares.) That’s about the size of Massachusetts and New Jersey together, or for Europeans, about Sicily, Belgium, and Crete combined.

It involved the transfer of control of 22 existing national parks to Aboriginal land holding entities, and managers of the program expect the 11 national parks on Cape York Peninsula which haven’t been, to be transferred over before long.

“Granting Aboriginal land and agreeing to the co-operative management of the national park is a positive step towards reconciliation by recognizing past Indigenous connection to the land,” said former-Minister for Natural Resources, Craig Wallace, after the first titles were given in 2008.

These protected areas are called National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land) or “CYPAL”. A CYPAL gives a “Freehold” title to the land. Normal Freehold Land means absolute ownership to do whatever the Aboriginal community pleases with it, but a Freehold title under CYPAL ensures the land remains managed as a national park.

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Park management responsibilities will be negotiated between the department and the Traditional Owners (represented by a land trust) but will vary from park to park. Traditional Owners will be involved at every stage of management and obtain all the financial benefits that come from managing the land, whether that’s ecotourism, ranger employment, or any other kind of arrangement.

Crocodiles are residents of the Daintree River in the ancient rainforests of Daintree National Park.

A stronghold for biodiversity

CYPALs make up some of the most biodiverse areas on the continent. Among these is the Daintree Rainforest, the oldest surviving rainforest on Earth. It contains 30% of the frog, reptile and marsupial species in Australia, and 90% her bat and butterfly species.

It also includes pine tree species that evolved in the Jurassic period, and ferns like Marattiaceae which evolved after the Devonian extinction, and Osmundaceae which predates the dinosaurs by an era; both of which are the only remaining families of the orders they belong to.

CHECK OUT: Island on California Coast is Returned to Indigenous Tribe in Unprecedented Restoration of Land Rights

The geologic history is old, and part of Australia’s Great Dividing Range reaches up into the peninsula. Sandstone, limestone, schist, and dolomite coupled with the mountain range’s age means that erosion has dramatically shaped the landscape, creating features like Barron Gorge, Blencoe Gorge and Girringun, two areas within the Wet Tropics of Australia UNESCO World Heritage Site, and which are studded with dramatic waterfalls.

The range, which is not a continual range and actually a series of cordilleras, or broken up smaller ranges, also contains Wooroonooran, the highest mountain in Queensland, and an important bird area as designated by BirdLife International.

Wooroonooran contains a large population of the endangered southern cassowary, as well as prime habitat for most of the endemic bird species of the peninsula.

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Tiny Yorkshire Terrier Detects Breast Cancer in Woman, Jumping Up and Down on Her Chest in Alarm

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11-year-old Bella-Boo by Karena Kirk-Drain/ SWNS
11-year-old Bella-Boo by Karena Kirk-Drain/ SWNS

A Yorkshire Terrier saved her owner’s life after jumping up and down on her chest to alert her to a cancerous lump.

Eleven-year-old pooch Bella Boo wouldn’t settle in her usual sleeping place and kept trying to lie on Karena Kirk-Drain’s chest despite being pushed away.

The dog’s odd demeanor continued over the next three weeks, and she even started to cry. When she wouldn’t stop weeping, it left Karena concerned about her health—but baffled vets confirmed that she was fit and healthy.

Karena called it “a heart-breaking cry,” and thought the dog was “obviously trying to tell me something.”

She continued licking and hopping on the 53-year-old’s chest.

“Bella started bouncing on me, and at one point I actually thought she’d bruised me, as I was very sore there.”

“And I was feeling around, and I actually felt a lump, and I was thinking, ‘Is that a lump inside?’”

Then, doctors confirmed it was breast cancer.

The Blackpool, Lancashire woman then underwent life-saving treatment and believes the disease would have been missed if it wasn’t for Bella-Boo’s actions.

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Karena Kirk-Drain / SWNS

“I didn’t think dogs could detect cancer, I thought it was a lot of hoo-ha really, but this proves that they can.”

“I’m just so lucky to be here; little Bella-Boo saved my life.”

“Bella always slept on the back of my legs, but she kept lying on my chest. Every time I took her off me, she’d crawl back on again.”

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The doctor said the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and Karena thinks that’s why Bella was getting more determined—because it was spreading.

After the whole ordeal, the woman travelled around the world, having realized how lucky she was to get her diagnosis early enough.

“I didn’t believe in that type of thing. I didn’t believe that dogs could detect cancer.”

“Once I got the cancer removed, she stopped straight away, and she started lying behind my legs again.”

Karena now urges pet owners to pay attention to their strange behavior in the future.

“Maybe if people see their dog start acting strange, they’ll be able to think twice.

RELATED: After Fatal Disease Arrives, Zoo Calls the Only Team of Turtle-sniffing Dogs to Help Out

“People underestimate dogs and cats and all animals. But they are amazing creatures.”

SHARE the Life-Saving Advice on Social Media…

Pluto Has Giant Ice Volcanoes that Could Hint at Existence of an Underground Ocean With Life

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Andy Corbley
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NASA / Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory-Kelsi Singer
NASA / Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory-Kelsi Singer

As spacecraft New Horizons recently sauntered past Pluto, images sent back to Earth made their way into the hands of a team that confirmed a large part of the dwarf planet’s surface was molded by ice volcanos—and some eruptions are fairly recent on the cosmos calendar.

The findings provide much more detailed evidence about volcanoes on Pluto, and suggest that with all the ice contained there, heat from the planet’s core could maintain a subsurface ocean, a feature known to exist on other planets.

The idea conjures images from mythology or fantasy fiction: a frozen world where volcanoes belch liquid nitrogen and ice, and where underground, close to the pressures and heat of the world’s heart, a vast ocean lies in total darkness. Ce la space.

Ice volcanoes are known from other worlds like Enceladus, the ice-moon of Jupiter, but not like this.

180 miles of Pluto’s surface is ice formed from H20, under which could be a liquid water ocean, according to some existing models in which such a scenario is possible. Back on the surface, nitrogen ice sits at a temperature much closer to its melting point, even in the frigidity of Plutonian weather.

In these conditions, scientists looking at the pictures from New Horizon posit that an area of “hummocky” texture and large rises and mounds located southwest of the famous Sputnik Planitia nitrogen ice sheet was formed by volcanoes.

RELATED: Mysterious Purple Coating Found on Mars Rocks in Every Direction

NASA / Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory-Kelsi Singer

Central in this area are two volcanoes known as Wright Mons, which climbs 13,123 to 16,404 feet, and Piccard Mons, bigger than any land volcano on Earth, at about feet 22,965 feet. The two span an area more than 200 miles wide.

Cryo-volcanoes work exactly like hot ones here on Earth, where heat and pressure force subsurface material, in this case H20 ice, up to the surface to reshape the terrain. In this case it’s almost exclusively water ice, since the freezing points of nitrogen, methane, or ammonia, other chemicals present on Wright and Piccard Mons, are much lower than normal water and can only be achieved on the surface. Below ground they would certainly melt.

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Considering those low temperatures, what would a Wright Mons eruption look like? “A viscous flow of either slushy or solid-state but still mobile material,” write the authors in their paper.

They also note that the unique topography of the region is free of any large impact craters, suggesting a much more recent geological period created these mountains, perhaps 100-200 million years ago.

All things considered, that would mean that subsurface liquid water—an ocean—could still be there today.

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And, any planet with liquid water has the potential to host life, like a liquid water ocean present on our world was the place where life first began.

ORBIT These Icy Pics For Pluto Fans on Social Media…

“The time when you need to do something is when no one else is willing to do it, when people are saying it can’t be done.” – Mary Frances Berry

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Quote of the Day: “The time when you need to do something is when no one else is willing to do it, when people are saying it can’t be done.” – Mary Frances Berry

Photo by: Oleg Laptev

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

Vancouver Couple Converts Their Huge Resort Property into a Ukrainian Refugee Home for Dozens

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Andy Corbley
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Ukrainian Safe Haven
Ukrainian Safe Haven

Owners of a nature resort in British Colombia have put renovations on hold to open up the stunning 81-acre property exclusively for housing Ukrainian refugees.

With their goal of hosting 100 people, the owners and operators of The Grouse Nest on Vancouver Island see the fleeing masses as equivalent to their own people, since Brian’s family comes from Ukraine.

“We’ve got 19 people booked to be coming in about two to three weeks,” Brian told Global News Canada. “We’re in a position, in a place, in a time where we could help make a bit of a difference. And I thought, you know, it’s time to stand up and be counted.”

And, wow. The 15,000 square-foot resort, which they were renovating into an event space and gallery, is nestled into a beautiful pine forest and surrounded by a crystal clear lake. The Holowaychuks decided to even reverse some of the work, in order to ensure a livable space for as many people as possible.

Some local contractors volunteered to help, as well.

They’ve renamed their Grouse Nest property “Ukrainian Safe Haven”, and are now leasing the property for $1 a year to a new organization which a local law firm, McConnan Bion O’Connor & Peterson, helped format into a 501(c)3 nonprofit free of charge.

Ukrainian refugees will be provided with food, education, transportation, and assistance with the settlement process to help get families back on their feet. They are invited to stay as long as they like.

RELATED: Fortnite Raised $144 Million for Ukraine Relief as Video Gamers Do a World of Good

For those who want to help, the Ukrainian Safe Haven is accepting donations and volunteer support on their website.

CHECK OUT: Ukraine Inspires Us With Humanity and Hope: 8 Positive Stories From the Conflict

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Mattel Releases First Carbon Neutral Toys and Tesla Matchbox Car Made From 99% Recycled Materials

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Mattel plant based baby toys, carbon-neutral truck and recyclable Matchbox Tesla
Mattel plant based baby toys, carbon-neutral recycling truck, and Matchbox Tesla made of recycled materials

We all know that plastic toys may be unnecessary or end up in the landfill, but it’s good to know that huge companies like Mattel are now using bioplastic and making their products more sustainable.

They debuted new certified CarbonNeutral toys this week from their popular MEGA BLOKS line for tots, and recently released a Matchbox Tesla Roadster, its first die-cast vehicle made from 99% recycled materials, which is currently sold out.

These are moves toward the company’s goal to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in all its toys and packaging by 2030.

The MEGA BLOKS Green Town collection for preschoolers is the first-ever toy line available at mass retailers to be certified CarbonNeutral. Just in time for Earth Month, four new Green Town building sets are made for helping teach green living strategies to ages 1 and up.

Each playset, like the Eco House or Grow & Protect Farm, are made from a minimum of 56% plant-based materials and a minimum of 26% ISCC certified “bio-circular plastics”.

RELATED: LEGO Unveils First Brick Prototype Made from Recycled Plastic –Watch Their ‘Clutch Strength’ and Smash Testing

They achieved the CarbonNeutral product certification, by purchasing carbon offsets (less than 500 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents) from the Darkwood Forests Conservation project in Canada. Packaging is created with 100% Forest Stewardship Council certified paper or paperboard, plus soy-based inks and water-based varnishes to enhance recyclability, says the company.

[See the toys in action, but please note: GNN does not endorse ads that may appear before the Reuters video below.]

 

Sustainable Barbie, UNO cards, and baby toys

Mattel also launched Barbie Loves the Ocean, its first fashion doll line (which includes curvy and diverse dolls) made from recycled ocean-bound plastic; the Fisher-Price Baby’s First Blocks and stacking rings, made from plant-based plastics; and the first fully recyclable UNO deck without cellophane packing materials; as well as three previously released MEGA Bloks sets made from bio-based plastics.

LOOK: Mom Sparks Creative Imagination in Kids With Her Toys Made From Cardboard Boxes

Future products designed to have less impact on the environment, include new Matchbox EV models from brands like BMW, Nissan, Honda; and more products designed for recyclability, such as those with easy-to-remove and recycle e-waste electronics in their new Recycling Truck and other toys.

MEGA and Matchbox are also part of an innovative toy takeback program called Mattel PlayBack, launched last year in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, and the UK—designed to recover and reuse valuable materials from old Mattel toys.

SHARE the Toy Ideas With Parents and Friends on Social Media…

‘Artificial Pancreas’ is Revolutionizing Diabetes Treatment: ‘I never dreamed this would be developed in my lifetime’

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Andy Corbley
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Charlotte Abbott-Pierce with her artificial pancreas - NHS
Charlotte Abbott-Pierce with her artificial pancreas – NHS

A sensor that is inserted under the skin to take a reading of blood glucose and then send the information to an insulin pump to adjusts body levels sounds simple enough.

In reality though, this could be a life-changing revelation for 400,000 people living with type-1 diabetes in the UK, where this new artificial pancreas technology has been pioneered.

It’s the first country where such equipment has been tested, and it’s allowing some people to get on with large chunks of the day without worrying about their blood sugar levels. Among these is 6-year-old Charlotte from Lancashire—just one of 200 children now using this new system—and Yasmin Hopkins, 27, from London.

“I wake up now and I can do a normal day’s work, or go on a dog walk without being concerned,” Yasmin told the BBC. She was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes 15 years ago, and along with being disrupted constantly during the day, she was always worried.

Developed by the NHS, 875 people have so far received the artificial system, and their results, as part of a long-term trial, will inform an assessment conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence about how and where to roll out more of these devices in the future.

But new research presented this week at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2022 revealed that flash monitoring not only helps to improve blood glucose levels in people with type 1 diabetes, but also has a positive effect on their quality of life.

RELATED: A New Stem-Cell Treatment Looks to Have Cured a Man of Type 1 Diabetes

NHS

“Before I started using a flash glucose monitor, I carried my blood glucose testing kit with me everywhere and would have to test up to eight times per day,” said 25-year-old Olivia, who was diagnosed with type 1 when she was 7. “I was pricking my finger and testing my blood sugar before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner and before bed. Before driving in the car, and after driving for two hours—endless testing!”

“Growing up with diabetes, I’d never dreamed that a device like a flash glucose monitor would be developed in my lifetime—and when I first started using one, I couldn’t quite believe something so small had such a big impact,” she told the NHS. “It’s helped me have more confidence and improved my mental well-being.”

CHECK OUT: Walmart Unveils Low-Priced Insulin to Diabetes Patients Who Can’t Easily Afford it

It’s not a totally automated system, in that the amount of carbohydrates eaten at meals has to be entered into a smartphone app to ensure the insulin levels don’t go too high.

But, Charlotte’s parents have said it allowed her to get back to something she loved to do but hasn’t been able to do for sometime: be a kid again.

“She loves days out with her friends and sleepovers, but we had to stop these as soon as she was diagnosed because other people couldn’t manage her diabetes,” Ange Abbott, Charlotte’s mother, told the BBC.

“Now we can allow her to go out for these social occasions when we’re not there.”

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Wind And Solar Generated a Record 10% of the World’s Power in 2021 – Victory for Paris Agreement

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University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia 2019 report

Wind and solar generated over a tenth of global electricity for the first time last year.

The milestone is more than double the number calculated when the Paris agreement was signed in 2015.

Wind generation rose by 14% and solar power increased by 23% since last year. Combined, they rose by 17% overall worldwide.

Taken together, wind and solar are now the fourth largest source of electricity in the world with its 10.3% market share.

Nuclear energy and bioenergy stayed mostly level in 2021, while hydro’s share dropped. Together, those three sources were responsible for around 28% of global electricity.

50 countries now above 10%

Fifty countries had more than one-tenth of their electricity coming from wind and solar in 2021, up from 43 nations in 2020 and 36 in 2019.

Achieving that landmark for the first time were China (which topped 11.2%), Japan, Mongolia, Viet Nam, Argentina, Hungary, and El Salvador (which reached 12.0%).

Significantly, all 5 of the world’s largest economies have reached this landmark: the U.S., China, Japan, Germany and the UK. Europe leads the way with nine of the ten top countries.

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Three countries have even exceeded 40% of their electricity from wind and solar. In 2021, Denmark, Luxembourg and Uruguay achieved 52%, 43% and 47% respectively, leading the way on technology for high renewable grid integration.

Not surprisingly, oil-producing juggernaut Saudi Arabia’s electricity is still less than 1% wind and solar, and Egypt and the UAE create just 3%.

Which countries evolved the fastest over last 2 years?

From 2019 through 2021, the Netherlands, Australia, and Viet Nam have switched 8% of their total electricity demand to wind and solar—and those sources directly replaced fossil fuels.

CHECK OUT: World’s Biggest Factory to Suck Carbon from the Sky – and Store it For Millions of Years – Turns on in Iceland

In the Netherlands, the share of wind and solar rose from 14% to 25% in just two years, whilst the share of fossil fuels fell from 78% to 63%.

In Australia, wind and solar rose from 13% to 22%, whilst the share of fossil fuels fell from 79% to 70%.

In Viet Nam, the share of wind and solar rose from 3% to 11%, whilst the share of fossil fuels fell from 73% to 63%.

If these trends can be replicated next year—and sustained—the power sector would be on track to achieve the ultimate goal of global warming reduction as calculated by the UN’s IPCC Panel for The Paris Agreement, cutting by 1.5C compared to pre-industrial levels.

RELATED: Tens of Millions Now Have Power Thanks to Off-Grid Solar Systems –Many of Them Recycled

The report was recently published by Ember, an independent energy think tank that “uses data-driven insights to shift the world from coal to clean electricity”.

– Reprintable under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 4.0)

“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; I am large—I contain multitudes.” – Walt Whitman

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; I am large—I contain multitudes.” – Walt Whitman

Photo by: Rostyslav Savchyn

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

Video Gamers Doing a World of Good: Fortnite Raised $144 Million for Ukraine Relief

By
Andy Corbley
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Who says video games are a waste of time?

Game developers are raising money for Ukrainians both inside and outside of the besieged company, with donations rivaling the grants from the U.S. government.

Ahead of the release of their new gaming season, Fortnite developers Epic Games announced that all the proceeds would go to a variety of organizations providing aid and relief to Ukraine—and in the first day they raised $36 million, growing to $144 million in two weeks.

Epic has said that the money will go to Direct Relief, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the World Food Program.

Gamers and the video game industry are renowned for being extraordinarily generous, and other game companies are also pitching in millions.

Microsoft (the creators of the Xbox); League of Legends developer Riot Games; and the Humble Bundle, a company that organizes themed collections of various games at a discount price to help charities, have all announced donations. Net proceeds of those recent sales—totaling more than $26 million—will also go toward Ukrainian relief.

RELATED: Study During Lockdown Shows Video Gaming –Even For Hours– Can Help Your Mental Health

Humble Bundle’s pay-what-you-want model for their game, book, and course bundles have raised more than $200 million through 12 million purchases—benefitting charities such as Make a Wish, One Tree Planted, the ACLU, Girls Who Code, and Charity: Water.

Notably, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s record donation belongs to Blizzard Entertainment, makers of World of Warcraft. Sales generated within their Overwatch game, where a premium in-game cosmetic item was available for purchase, reached $12.7 million and was dedicated to the Foundation, becoming the largest single donation the charity had ever seen.

SEE ALL the Great Things Done By Gamers For Many Years on the GOOD NEWS Gamers Page.

SHARE the Gaming-Good With Your Friends on Social Media…

Nonprofit Protects More Than a Million Acres of Rainforest So Far This Year – All With Public Donations

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Good News Network
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Photo by Trond Larsen / Conservation International

In September, a Virginia nonprofit made a $500 million commitment to preserve biodiversity and, six months later, the Rainforest Trust and its partners have already protected more than one million acres of habitat so far in 2022.

Since 1988, Rainforest Trust has safeguarded more than 38 million acres of vital habitat by establishing protected areas in partnership with local communities—all through public donations.

Studies show that protected areas are one of the most cost-effective ways to safeguard nature and vulnerable Indigenous populations.

Acres protected this year include projects in Belize, Ecuador, Guatemala, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

Dozens of endangered species live in these protected areas, including:

• In Belize, they worked with partner Re:Wild to protect the Maya Forest Corridor, where the critically-endangered Central American river turtle is the last species in its scientific family.

• In Ecuador, they helped protect acres in the Bigal Biological and Rio Canandé Reserves, which contain more than 350 different bird species, the critical Mache Cochran frog, and the largest surviving population of Brown-headed Spider Monkeys—listed as one of the 25 most endangered primate species on earth.

LOOK: A Pod of Whales Adopted a Young Stray Narwhal – and They May Have Little ‘Narwhales’

• In Guatemala, they’ve protected important habitat for the Guatemala spikethumb frog, and endangered Yucatán black howler monkey and Geoffroy’s spider monkey.

• In Bangladesh, they helped establish marine protection areas along the Teknaf Coast and St. Martin Island—a total of nearly 430,000 acres, home to sea turtles, the critically endangered Ganges shark and Staghorn coral, as well as the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin.

• In Myanmar, Rainforest Trust worked with Friends of Wildlife to establish Zalontaung National Park and Maharmyaing Wildlife Sanctuary, for a combined total of over 350,000 acres protected.

RELATED: Woman Races to Save World’s Largest–and Stinkiest—Flower, the 3-ft Wide ‘Corpse Flower‘

Most importantly, 99 percent of the forests protected by Rainforest Trust remain standing today—and the nonprofit is well on its way to protecting 125 million more acres by 2025.

PRESERVE Some Hope for the Planet By Sharing on Social Media…

Students Write Adorable Letters on Behalf of Shelter Animals to Boost Adoptions – And it Worked

By
Andy Corbley
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The persuasive words of an 8-year old written in crayon cracked open the hearts of potential dog adopters to empty the kennel crates of a local shelter.

Their hand-written personalized notes resulted in skyrocketing adoption rates for the pooches least likely to get adopted in the Virginia capital.

No human could resist a plea like, “If you do adopt me, I hope I will brighten up your Sundays like the sun. You’ll be my Sunday Special, and I hope I’ll be yours!”

Kensey Jones, a second-grade teacher at St. Michael’s Episcopal church in Richmond, is also a volunteer at Richmond Animal Care and Control. She needed to come up with an idea for a writing assignment, and had the idea to try and boost adoption rates by giving the dogs their own advocacy voice.

“The idea just came to me to connect persuasive writing with these adoptable pets that need a forever home,” Jones told the Washington Post, adding that it was “a way that I could make their writing real for [the students], and actually make an impact on the world and our Richmond community.”

She pitched the idea to the shelter’s manager Christie Peters, who thought it was wonderful. This particular shelter sees a high adoption rate of about 3 weeks. Animals with medical problems can take much longer, and face being euthanized if the problem is serious enough.

FUN: Sneaky German Shepherd Steals a Baby’s Pacifier And Gets Caught on Camera

All photos by Richmond Animal Care and Control

According to Jones, the kids nearly cheered at the news that their new assignment would be focused on helping 23 dogs and 1 cat get adopted.

“Hi, my name is Cody. I would love to be adopted,” one student wrote. “I would like a loving, caring family with a big fenced-in yard. Please be my owner!”

This kind of representation, pinned in colorful drawings and letters to the animals’ crates, was a huge success, and 21 of the 24 hard-to-adopt animals found new homes before long.

LOOK: Dog is Given Her Own Billboard So She Might Finally Get Adopted and Leave the Shelter After 2 Years

“All dogs deserve a loving home,” a St. Michael’s second-grader Danielle Petrosk, told the Post. “I am so very happy to be able to help neglected animals find great forever families.”

Watch the sweet video below from ABC News…

SEND This Great Idea to Teachers Around the World By Sharing on Social Media…

Livin’ Good Currency – Ep 5: Emmanuel Kelly on Overcoming Disability to Live His Dreams of Stardom

By
Andy Corbley
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The Lesson: No demographic factor can get in the way of a life improved by doing good for yourself and others, and GNN’s friend Emmanuel Kelly is a perfect example of that. As an orphan abandoned in a cardboard box on an Iraq battlefield, half dead, and with no identification of any kind, it’s a miracle that this child of Ugandan-Korean ancestry should be not only alive today, but thriving.

Notable Excerpt: “As a human I’ve made a lot of mistakes and there’ll be a lot of mistakes I’ll have to rectify in the next years and forever in my life, but only probably in the last year, I’ve been able to really define the person I want to be and the person that I can become, and to find my purpose in my own life. Now others define me as the way I want to define myself.”

The Guest: Artist and singer Emmanuel Kelly was a teenage contestant on Season 3 of the X Factor Australia. For 10 years he has toured with Coldplay as a special guest, opened for Snoop Dogg, performed with David Foster, and legendary DJ Paul Oakenfold. Under the tutelage and label of Coldplay’s Chris Martin, his first album will be released later this year. Along with his musical pursuits he is the founder of The Outlier Group, which aims to enable the world differently.

The Podcast: Livin’ Good Currency explores the relationship of time to our lives. It gives a simple, straight-forward formula that anyone can use to be present in the moment—and features a co-host who knows better than anyone the value of time (see below). How do you want to spend your life? This hour can inspire you, along with upcoming guests, to be sure you are ‘Livin’ Good Currency’ and never get caught running out of time.

The Hosts: Good News Network fans will know Tony (Anthony) Samadani as the co-owner of GNN and its Chief of Strategic Partnerships. Co-host Tobias Tubbs was handed a double life sentence without the possibility of parole for a crime he didn’t commit. Behind bars, he used his own version of the Livin’ Good Currency formula to inspire young men in prison to turn their hours into honors. An expert in conflict resolution, spirituality, and philosophy, Tobias is a master gardener who employs ex-felons to grow their Good Currency by planting crops and feeding neighborhoods.

Subscribe to the Pod:  On iTunes… On Spotify… On Amazon Music… Or Google Play.

“I want excitement, and I don‘t care what form it takes or what I pay for it, so long as it makes my heart beat.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “I want excitement, and I don‘t care what form it takes or what I pay for it, so long as it makes my heart beat.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Photo by: Dylan Alcock

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

Metal Detector Left Him Stunned After Unearthing Ancient Ring Belonging to the Sheriff of Nottingham

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Good News Network
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SWNS
SWNS

A 350-year-old ring belonging to the Sheriff of Nottingham is set to fetch thousands at auction after being unearthed by a metal detectorist in a find ‘worthy of Robin Hood’.

The ancient, high-carat gold signet ring was uncovered by chance by a lucky detectorist on farmland in Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire, last summer.

The treasure once belonged to Sir Matthew Jenison, who served as High Sheriff of Nottingham between 1683 and 1684 and looked after trees in Sherwood Forest.

His family were known for gleaning wealth from a hoard of valuables left in their safekeeping during the English Civil War which were never reclaimed.

The ring, which displays the coat of arms of the Jenison family, was sent to be examined by experts from the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Once it was verified as authentic, it was sent back to the finder, who is now set to make a good amount from his incredible discovery.

The historic ring is expected to fetch between £6,000-£8,000 ($7,800-$10,500) when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers.

The find has been described as one the ‘legendary outlaw Robin Hood would have loved’ by auctioneers ahead of its sale.

RELATED: Stunning 2,000-Year-old Glass Bowl is Still Flawless After Archaeologists Dig it Up in Netherlands

Hansons’ consultant valuer Adam Staples said, “The ring has survived in near perfect condition and the front face bears a detailed engraving of the Jenison family arms, two swans separated by a diagonal bend.

“This would have been pressed into melted wax in order to seal the family crest on important letters and documents.

“As a boy I wandered through Sherwood Forest, daydreaming of Robin Hood and his legendary adversary—the Sheriff of Nottingham.

“The ring we are selling is related to a later Sheriff, as tales of Robin Hood emerged in English folklore as early as the 13th and 14th centuries.

“Nevertheless, this find still evokes those memories and gives us a glimpse back into Nottinghamshire life during the turbulent times of the 17th century.”

Born in 1654, Sir Matthew was knighted in 1683 and acted as a commissioner to examine decaying trees in Sherwood Forest while serving as High Sheriff of Nottingham.

LOOK: ‘Most Important Prehistoric Discovery in a Century’ Revealed by British Museum

Sir Matthew was elected to parliament as MP for Newark in 1701, but eventually fell foul of the law. He died in Fleet Prison in 1734.

Originally from county Durham, the Nottinghamshire branch of the Jenison family first appeared as aldermen of Newark in 1580.

MORE: British Museum Unveils Ancient Artifacts Illuminating the World of Stonehenge in New Exhibit

Thereafter, each generation served as aldermen, and, after the 1626 charter, as mayors.

Adam added, “Though the family business had been in apothecaries, local legend has it that the Jenisons gleaned great wealth from valuables left in their safekeeping during the Civil War which were never reclaimed.

“This theory was seemingly corroborated when a buried hoard of Civil War silver coins was unearthed from the very same field where the ring was found.

“It’s such a pleasure to be involved with the sale of this ring.”

SHARE This Fascinating Ancient Find on Social Media..

In Tribute to His First Love, Man Constructs a Wetland Home for Beavers and Frogs

By
Andy Corbley
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Photos by Jonathan Platts (right) and Miguel Teirlinck (left)
Photos by Jonathan Platts (right) and Miguel Teirlinck (left)

We’re often told to follow our dreams, well one person in Nova Scotia has done just that after building a wetland paradise for animals in the spirit of his lost love.

In his own backyard no less, the eight water features which Robert Perkins dug into the ground are now a sanctuary for herons, frogs, snapping turtles, and beavers, in the middle of suburban development.

In 1974, Perkins met a woman whom he calls Rhonda on the sidewalk, and the two of them hit it off. They both loved animals, and she always dreamed of having a place where they could live in harmony with the land. Rhonda, whom Perkins stayed with all his life, had had a difficult life, and a traumatizing childhood.

She committed suicide in 2006, after which Perkins resolved to forge an earthly paradise where her spirit could dwell in peace.

Renting an excavator, and ignoring planning departments and neighbors alike, Perkins began digging large holes and trenches for water to flow. Over the course of nine years his property went from being a neighborly headache to a haven for wildlife.

“I just seen a better way to do it,” Perkins told CBC news. “When we build our subdivisions we clear all the trees, we dry the hills, drive all the water down to the lakes, all the pollution… The beavers hold it back, filter it.”

RELATED: Newly-Identified Species of Transparent ‘Glass’ Frogs Unveiled in Amazing Photos From Ecuador

Wetland habitats of all sorts are not only magnets for wildlife, but probably offer the most complete package of ecosystem services, including preventing erosion, sequestering carbon, enriching the soil, and supporting game populations.

Flooding in straightened canals or waterways can often occur in mere minutes, and be incredibly damaging. Natural water features slowly overflow, dumping water in more even and random distributions around them. This serves to greatly increase the amount of rainwater an area can take before flood problems arrive, and also to irrigate large sections of forest and meadow that might dry up without the ponds, rivers, and marshes.

MORE: Genetic Lineage of Thousand-Year-Old Oak Trees Seed an Experimental ‘Super Forest’

Perkins bought the land and did it himself, but when building backyard water features it’s important to consider the soil characteristics. Rocky soil drains fast, while soil rich in clay will act as a natural sealant, aggregating soil particles together and preventing drainage.

He said he doesn’t need to wonder what Rhonda might think of the place, he feels her presence whenever he walks alone among the trees, the reeds, and the ponds, looking at birds, beavers, or reptiles, and listening to the songbirds and frogs.

“Is it painful? Sometimes,” said Perkins. “But I couldn’t walk away from her… If I’m here, she’s here.”

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