Tel Aviv, Tiberias and Be'er Sheva

Hey again!

The last days has been quite busy. Me and my friend went to Tel Aviv in the beginning of the week and then continued to Tiberias for one night. Tel Aviv was much nicer then I had thought. I have never been there before so that's why I didn't think of moving there but it was so nice with the beach and everything! We didn't do much in Tiberias as the boats for the sea of galilee only went in the morning because of not many tourists and we missed that boat, but it was still a fun short visit. We have been on a lot of buses and I really like them because they are so cheap and most of them also have free wifi.
After my friend left in the middle of the week, I went to Be'er Sheva again. I really like that city but maybe that is because I have a friend there that finds everything and I can go to the gym he works at. It is also cheaper there so I decided to do my hair and colour the roots which only costs about a third of the cheapest place in Sweden!
The weather was so good in Be'er Sheva (so much better than Jerusalem for some reason) so I got some tanning and laying in the park done. We also went to a beduin tent to eat some food which was a fun experience.
This weekend is also a holiday called Purim here and they are celebrating that Haman didn't kill all the jews in the book of Esther. People put costumes on so you see people everywhere now with these clothes. I didn't go all in but I did a little bit as you can see on one of the pictures below. We also went to a synagogue to hear them read the book of Esther and every time the name Haman was mentioned, everyone made noise so that his name wouldn't be heard. It was really interesting to go on that and see how they do it. The women had to sit seperated from the men so we were on the top floor but I could still see down to where they were reading. Because they made noise every time Haman was mentioned, it was also very easy to follow the text in the swedish bible :)
Now I am back in Jerusalem and will go to a church tonight. But other then that, it's about time for me to start catching up more seriously on my studies!!

Be'er Sheva, the dead sea and Jerusalem

Two days ago, we left Eilat and took a bus through the desert to Be'er Sheva where we celebrated shabbat with my friend there and his dad. It was really cool to experience that and the food was soooo good!! My friend is a spinning instructor so this morning we went on one of his spinning classes and after that, had more amazing (and a lot) of food and then we went to the dead sea. We didn't find any mud but we still floated a little bit in the water :) It is so beautiful around there with the mountains and you can also see Jordan on the other side of the dead sea. We went to Jerusalem after that and that is where we are now but we are heading to Tel Aviv and Tiberias on monday.

The dead sea

Eilat

The dead sea

Israel day 1

I am finally in Israel now and I am sooooo happy to be back! I have a friend with me that will be here for one week so the first week will be a lot of touristing before I start "living life" here. We arrived yesterday to Tel Aviv and took another flight to Eilat (which had the craziest security check ever!!!) where we are now. It has been a bit cloudy today so we didn't lay at the beach as much as we had planned but later on the sun came out and it got really warm. To walk around with shorts this morning felt so weird because yesterday it was snow all around us. How I have missed the sun!!!
It has been been really nice here and it's so cool because you can see both Jordan and Egypt from here.

Tomorrow, we are leaving Eilat to go to Be'er Sheva for one night and then we will continue to Jerusalem where I will be living the coming 2,5 months.

Research

Are vitamin D levels linked to mental health?

Low levels of vitamin D may be associated with an increased risk of depression in mid-life, says a new study from University College London in the UK.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Are-vitamin-D-levels-linked-to-mental-health

___________________________________________________________________________________

Flaxseed-fed cows produce omega-3-rich milk, US researchers claim

Lactating cows fed flaxseed produce milk containing more omega-3 fatty acids and less saturated fat, US researchers have claimed.

http://www.dairyreporter.com/R-D/Flaxseed-fed-cows-produce-omega-3-rich-milk-US-researchers-claim

___________________________________________________________________________________

Green tea supplements may benefit skin from within

Oral supplements containing extracts from green tea may help protect against sunburn and the longer-term effects of UV damage, says a new study from the UK.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Green-tea-supplements-may-benefit-skin-from-within

___________________________________________________________________________________

Antioxidant wood extract shows immune benefits

An antioxidant larch bark extract reduced cold episodes 23% compared to placebo, a German study has found.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Antioxidant-wood-extract-shows-immune-benefits

___________________________________________________________________________________

Chemical contaminant linked to obesity in mice

Food chain contaminant tributyltin (TBT) causes transgenerational obesity in mice, according to researchers in California, suggesting it could raise similar concerns to Bisphenol A (BPA).

http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Packaging/Chemical-contaminant-linked-to-obesity-in-mice
___________________________________________________________________________________

Omega-3 rich diet can boost children’s IQ, says meta-analysis

Supplementing children's diets with fish oil is one of several effective ways to raise a young child’s IQ levels, according to a new report.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Omega-3-rich-diet-can-boost-children-s-IQ-says-meta-analysis
___________________________________________________________________________________

Lutein pills may boost night vision: RCT

Daily supplements of lutein may improve vision and help with tasks such as driving at night, say data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Lutein-pills-may-boost-night-vision-RCT
___________________________________________________________________________________

Beta-carotene may offer diabetes protection for those with genetic risk: Study

Higher intake of beta-carotene could help those with a higher genetic predisposition for type 2 diabetes to lower their risk, while high intake of gamma-tocopherol may increase risk, suggest researchers.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Beta-carotene-may-offer-diabetes-protection-for-those-with-genetic-risk-Study

Updates

Heeey!

So much is happening in my life right now. I am studying physiology again which is so much fun! I have never felt like such a nerd as when I study physiology.. It is so freaking interesting and I can never get enough! The best part is that I understand nutrition better the more I learn about how the body works.
I finished the first part of the course today and will be starting the second one soon which includes my favorite - immunology! I don't know that much about it yet but it's just something about that word that makes me so excited. I have a book called nutrition and immune function which I have only read a little bit of this far.. It is a very deep and difficult book so I had to learn some more about the body before reading it but I think I will start soon with it. It is one of my favorite books, even though I haven't read it yet:) I just get so excited seeing all the molecules and all the connections between different nutrients and our immune system. Will be fun to blog about what I learn there later on!

In a few days, I will be leaving the country to spend 11 weeks in Israel. For you who know me probably knows how deep my love for Israel has been the last 6-7 years. I became saved when I was there 2006, so it really means a lot for me. God changed my life there and saved me from my old life. I still can't believe how only a half year before that, I had been living with a drug addict who was cheating on me while I was cutting myself and had eating disorders along with other things. I will never forget how God changed me there by the western wall :)

In May, I am going to a nutrition conference in Oregon. I am super excited about that and will keep you posted of all the fun things I'll learn there.

So, a lot is going on and I am therefore planning to keep this blog more updated from now on.

Research

Health research!

Calcium plus vitamin D may slash body fat levels

Adding calcium and vitamin D supplements to an energy-restricted diet may boost the loss of body fat, compared to the diet alone, says a new study.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Calcium-plus-vitamin-D-may-slash-body-fat-levels

__________________________________________________________________________________

Coffee waste may be a rich source antioxidants for supplements, suggest scientists

Waste from brewing coffee could be a valuable resource for the production of antioxidants for dietary supplements, say researchers.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Coffee-waste-may-be-a-rich-source-antioxidants-for-supplements-suggest-scientists

__________________________________________________________________________________

Up to half of global food production goes to waste

As much as half of all food produced globally goes to waste, according to a new report that suggests governments in developed countries should instigate policies to change consumer expectations and attitudes to food waste.

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Up-to-half-of-global-food-production-goes-to-waste

__________________________________________________________________________________

High fibre diet ingredient IP6 backed for prostate cancer prevention

The compound believed to one of the ‘active ingredients’ in a high-fibre diet could have clinical potential to control the progression of prostate cancer in patients diagnosed in early stages of the disease, suggest researchers.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/High-fibre-diet-ingredient-IP6-backed-for-prostate-cancer-prevention

__________________________________________________________________________________

Probiotics show allergy, immune system benefits: Nestlé study

A daily dose of Nestlé’s Bifidobacterium lactis NCC2818 probiotic strain may help manage allergic responses during pollen season, says a new study from the Nestlé Research Center.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Probiotics-show-allergy-immune-system-benefits-Nestle-study

__________________________________________________________________________________

Berries show heart boosting power for women: Harvard study

Three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries per week may slash a woman’s risk of a heart attack by as much as 33%, says a new study from Harvard.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Berries-show-heart-boosting-power-for-women-Harvard-study

__________________________________________________________________________________

Probiotic plus aloe shows cholesterol-lowering potential: Animal data

Combining probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG supplements with aloe vera may slash cholesterol levels by over 40%, suggests a new study with lab rats.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Probiotic-plus-aloe-shows-cholesterol-lowering-potential-Animal-data

__________________________________________________________________________________

Coffee fruit extract shows potential brain benefits: FutureCeuticals study

A proprietary extract from the coffee fruit may boost levels of a protein known to influence and support neurons and the central nervous system, suggest new findings from a small pilot study.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Coffee-fruit-extract-shows-potential-brain-benefits-FutureCeuticals-study

__________________________________________________________________________________

Coffee leaf may produce ‘healthy’ tea and other functional products

Tea brewed from the fruit and leaves of coffee plants could be a healthier option than either tea of coffee alone, according to new research.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Coffee-leaf-may-produce-healthy-tea-and-other-functional-products

__________________________________________________________________________________

Cutting the fat: Limiting omega-6 during pregnancy may be key to healthy baby weight

Limiting the intake of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats plus boosting the intake of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy could lead to a healthier baby with less fat and more muscle, say researchers.

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Cutting-the-fat-Limiting-omega-6-during-pregnancy-may-be-key-to-healthy-baby-weight

__________________________________________________________________________________

Junk food linked to 40% rise in childhood asthma and eczema, say scientists

Eating more than three portions of junk food each week could lead to an increased risk of childhood asthma and eczema, say researchers.

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Junk-food-linked-to-40-rise-in-childhood-asthma-and-eczema-say-scientists

The result about the exchange year in America has arrived

Today I got an email concerning the exchange year in America that I applied to about a month ago. There has never been so many applicants as this time which means harder competition, and unfortunately I didn't make it. I got a little bit disappointed but at the same time, I know that I did everything I could and I had everything I needed as well so there's no point of getting upset. I trust God that he leads me where he wants me, so I'm sure he has a better road for me than what I had planned myself :)