Soy foods 'reduce sperm numbers'

A group of US researchers have found a potential link between high
levels of soya in the diet and low sperm concentration. The findings were
reported in the journal Human Reproduction.
Dr Jorge Chavarro led the study at the Department of Nutrition at
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, which looked at 99 men who had
visited a fertility treatment clinic for fertility evaluation between 2000
and 2006. They were asked how often and how much soy-based food they had
eaten in three months, including tofu or soy sausages, bacon and mince, soy
milk, cheese and yoghurt.
The men were divided into four groups according to their intake of soy
foods and, after adjusting for other factors such as age, BMI, alcohol and
caffeine intake and smoking, Chavarro found that men in the highest intake
category had on average 41 million sperm per millilitre less than men who
did not consume soy products. The 'normal' sperm concentration is between 80
and 120 million sperm per millilitre.
The study 'suggests that soy foods could have some deleterious effect on
the reproductive system and especially on sperm production', said Chavarro.
The correlation was also exacerbated in men who were overweight or obese.
The findings do not explain why soy foods have this effect on sperm
concentration, but Chavarro speculates that it could be because of the
levels of 'isoflavones'; plant-derived compounds with oestrogenic effects,
something that may affect sperm production by interfering with hormonal
signals. Obese men have higher levels of natural oestrogen in their body,
further supporting the theory of a hormonal role.
In other parts of the world such as Asia, however, the normal intake of
soya is much higher than in the study, and there is no evidence of higher
levels of infertility in these areas. Chavarro said that this study is not
sufficient to draw firm conclusions and further larger studies would be
needed to determine whether soy intake has implications in infertility.

The Deck at LaVaSa

In architecture, a deck is a flat surface capable of supporting weight, similar to a floor, but typically constructed outdoors, often elevated from the ground, and usually connected to a building. The term is a generalization of decks as found on ships. The Deck at Lavasa is special. It talks to the clouds & is friends with the pristine mountain air and the early morning fragrant mist from the Mose valley! Maybe I have this Obsessive Compulsive Disorder about Lavasa and the deck at Lavasa! Let me educate you all about Lavasa. Lavasa, free India’s largest Hill Station, embodies the spirit of human nature to Live, Work, Learn and Play.Nature trails that zigzag across the hills, offer a perfect recreational activity for nature lovers.

Imagine a home nestled in a picturesque valley, where the tranquil old world blends seamlessly with the cosmopolitan way of life. Lavasa offers a vibrant, self-contained world which is part of 25,000 acres of land (almost 1/4th the size of Mumbai) declared as Hill Station with an extensive Master Plan covering half that area. The rest of the region is left untouched to preserve the natural beauty. Cradled in the heart of mystic Sahyadri mountain range, Lavasa is well connected to both Pune and Mumbai.
Envisioned as a complete Hill Station offering a balanced life in harmony with nature, Lavasa is an aspirational destination for lifestyle seekers. 
Lavasa is located at an altitude of 2000-3000 feet above sea level, with state-of-the-art roads, robust infrastructure and a salubrious climate all year round. It is the largest Hill Station to be planned and developed using the Geographical Information System (GIS).An exhaustive GIS architecture has been designed which would integrate into other systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Document Management Systems (DMS) and Customer Relationship Management System (CRM). Through GIS, accurate information will be provided to its facility managers anywhere in the world regarding the status of the Hill Station. Lavasa is located on a hilly terrain, which was one of the basic reasons for the development of a digital elevation model. Nature trails have been mapped with GPS and points of interest are described. A significant contribution has been made towards trail guides highlighting the rich diversity of flora and fauna at Lavasa. I could go on and on about the technology embedded into this Indian hill-station , which will be a show-case to the world. Move over first world, the new India beckons!

Coming back to the Deck. This is my favorite haunt with an unopposed view of the swelling Warasgaon lake & the Mose Valley. The pristine green valley overlooking the placid lake is a perfect setting to rejuvenate and refresh your mind, body and spirit. Lavasa is home to the Karvi flower also called the blue bloom, which blooms only once in 7 years- 2007 was the year of the bloom. The Malabar Whistiling Thrush, the singer bird of Lavasa is popularly called the "whistling Schoolboy". This deck with the view,crops out from the multicuisine restarant that serves World cuisine. Sushi, Beer & roasted almonds & the Whistling Schoolboy alongwith with 50 inches of rain last Saturday made the "deck" a semi-permanent home for this writer. The Lavasa deck would beat any "Deck of The Month" hollow! Check them out on http://www.decks.com/DeckOfMonth.aspx

The Deck introduces you to nature & the clouds. Nature is at its best in the monsoons in this part of the world. Standing on the Deck and bathing with the rolling moisture laden clouds that almost caress you is a sublime experience that causes a neural crackling & hyperactivity in the satiety centers in the human brain. You are numbed and be-numbed time and again thinking that just three hours out of Mumbai and you get a fresh lease of life on the Deck! Just look at the photographs and admire the deck changing its appearance with the different hours of the day - almost like the four seasons of mother nature! The Walk in the Clouds just got better!

I doff my hat and salute the people with the vision to make a new India & Lavasa! Jai Hind & Jai Maharashtra!

Angelina Jolie's Twins Conceived Through In Vitro

Angelina Jolie's new born twins Knox and Vivienne were conceived through in vitro (IVF) treatment, it has been revealed.

According to American magazine US Weekly, Jolie, 33, turned to fertility treatments in order to conceive quicker.

A source tells the publication, "They conceived through in vitro fertilization

"They both desperately wanted more babies soon."

The chance of having fraternal twins naturally at Angelina's age is under 1 percent; with in vitro, the chances are 25 percent. Says Dr. Arthur Wisot of L.A.'s Reproductive Medical Group (who did not treat the couple), "We live in an era of reproductive freedom, so anybody can do anything they want within legal limits."

The oldest patient reported to deliver after IVF was Omkari Panwar, a 70 year old woman from India who delivered a set of twins in 2008.

The Tomb Raider star chose the procedure -- which can cost around $12,000-a-time -- so "she wouldn't have to deal with the stress of trying to get pregnant," the source said. "She could just knock it out."

Jolie -- who also has three adopted children, Maddox, Pax, and Zahara, as well as her eldest biological child, Shiloh, with partner Brad Pitt -- recently spoke of her desire to have a large family at a young age.

She told Elle U.K., "If we're going to have 10 kids, we'd like to raise them while we're young."

A source adds, "They were too impatient."

TAKING THE DOG FOR A WALK!

A friend just sent me this "you-will-definitely-laugh" email:) I christened it the Monday Morning Scorcher & want to share this with you. Smile.

"A little girl asked her Mom, 'Mom, may I take the dog for a walk around the block?'

Mom replies, 'No, because she is in heat.'

'What's that mean?' asked the child.

'Go ask your father. I think he's in the garage.'

The little girl goes to the garage and says, 'Dad, may I take Belle for a walk around the block?

I asked Mom, but she said the dog was in heat, and to come to you.'

Dad said, 'Bring Belle over here.'

He took a rag, soaked it with gasoline, and scrubbed the dog's backside with it to disguise the scent, and said 'OK, you can go now, but keep Belle on the leash and only go one time round the block.'

The little girl left and returned a few minutes later with no dog on the leash.

Surprised, Dad asked, 'Where's Belle?'

(YOU'RE GONNA LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!! )

The little girl said, 'She ran out of gas about halfway down the block, so another dog is pushing her home.'

If you ain't laughing'....You ain't livin'...

The Last Three Decades

The Next Three Decades

Not Everybody Pays

A little old lady was walking down the street dragging two large plastic garbage bags behind her. One of the bags rips, and every once in a while a $20 bill falls out onto the sidewalk. Noticing this, a policeman stops her, and says, 'Ma'am, there are $20 bills falling out of your bag.'

'Oh, really? Darn!' said the little old lady. 'I'd better go back, and see if I can find them. Thanks for telling me.'

'Well, now, not so fast,' says the cop. 'How did you get all that money? 'You didn't steal it, did you?'

'Oh, no', said the little old lady. 'You see, my back yard is right next to the football stadium parking lot. On game days, a lot of fans come and pee through the fence into my flower garden. So, I stand behind the fence with my hedge clippers. Each time some guy sticks this thing through the fence, I say, '$20 or off it comes'.'

'Well, that seems only fair' laughs the cop. 'OK. Good luck! Oh, by the way, what's in the other bag?'

'Well, you know', said the little old lady, 'not everybody pays'.