This March 27, 2007, image is one of many taken by NASA’s Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) satellites, which have provided the first three-dimensional images of the sun. For the first time, scientists will be able to see structures in the sun’s atmosphere in three dimensions. The new view will greatly aid scientists’ ability to understand solar physics and thereby improve space weather forecasting.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/NRL/GSFC

Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer, er, Walker, er, Racewalker. Walking speed is a function of stride length and turnover (how fast you move your legs.) There is a limit to how much you can lengthen your stride, so when fitness walking and racewalking, concentrate on increasing turnover. Artificially increasing your stride, overstriding, can actually slow you down as your heel comes down too far in front, causing a braking action. And there’s good news for shorter people Long legs take longer to bring around, and some of the best racewalkers are of less than average height (think Speedy Gonzales.)

6 formerly forbidden snacks that are actually good for you

By: Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D., Photographs by: Philip Habib

SOUR CREAM
Why you think it’s bad: You know 90 percent of its calories are derived from fat, at least half of which is saturated.

Why it’s not: The percentage of fat is high, but the total amount isn’t. Consider that a serving of sour cream is 2 tablespoons. That provides just 52 calories — half the amount that’s in a single tablespoon of mayonnaise — and less saturated fat than you’d get from drinking a 12-ounce glass of 2 percent reduced-fat milk.

Eat this: Full-fat sour cream. Unless you actually prefer the taste of light or fat-free products (and who does?), opt for the classic version; it tastes richer, and the fat will help keep you full longer.

COCONUT
Why you think it’s bad: Ounce for ounce, coconut contains more saturated fat than butter does. As a result, health experts have warned that it will clog your arteries.

Why it’s not: Even though coconut is packed with saturated fat, it appears to have a beneficial effect on heart-disease risk factors. One reason: More than 50 percent of its saturated-fat content is lauric acid. A recent analysis of 60 studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that even though lauric acid raises LDL (bad) cholesterol, it boosts HDL (good) cholesterol even more. Overall, this means it decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease. The rest of the saturated fat is almost entirely composed of “medium-chain” fatty acids, which have little or no effect on cholesterol levels.

Eat this: Shredded, unsweetened coconut.Have a handful as an anytime snack, straight from the bag. (Don’t gorge; it’s still high in calories.) It’ll be filling, and won’t spike your blood sugar.

CHOCOLATE BARS
Why you think they’re bad: They’re high in both sugar and fat.

Why they’re not: Cocoa is rich in flavonoids — the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine and green tea. Its most potent form is dark chocolate. In a recent study, Greek researchers found that consuming dark chocolate containing 100 milligrams (mg) of flavonoids relaxes your blood vessels, improving bloodflow to your heart. What about the fat? It’s mostly stearic and oleic acids.

Eat this: CocoaVia chocolate bars. Each 100-calorie bar is guaranteed to contain 100 mg flavonoids. As an added benefit, the chocolate has been beefed up with phytosterols, compounds that have been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Find the bars at many Wal-Mart stores, or online at cocoavia.com.

…your choice of hues: study

A study released today reveals that the long-held stereotypes about men’s and women’s favourite colours have some scientific basis.

CBC News

A study in the Aug. 21 issue of Current Biology reports some of the first conclusive evidence of a gender divide over favourite colours. Indeed, the researchers found that more women than men really do prefer pink - or at least a redder shade of blue.

“Although we expected to find sex differences, we were surprised at how robust they were, given the simplicity of our test,” said Anya Hurlbert of Newcastle University.

The test asked young men and women to choose, as quickly as possible, their preferred colour from each of a series of paired, coloured rectangles. Results showed blue is a universal favourite, but that tastes still differ between the sexes.

“Females have a preference for the red end of the red-green axis, and this shifts their colour preference slightly away from blue towards red, which tends to make pinks and lilacs the most preferred colours in comparison with others,” Hurlbert said.

The researchers found the divide predictable enough that they can now usually tell the sex of a participant based on their favourite-colour choices.

To clarify whether the results were more cultural than biological, the researchers tested a small group of Chinese people against the other 171 British Caucasian participants. The results were similar, strengthening the idea that the sex differences might be biological.

Hurlbert theorized the female preference for red could date from humans’ hunter-gatherer days when women - the primary gatherers - would have benefited from an ability to key in on ripe, red fruits.

“Evolution may have driven females to prefer reddish colours - reddish fruits, healthy, reddish faces,” Hurlbert said. “Culture may exploit and compound this natural female preference.”

Hurlbert also offered ideas as to the universal preference for blue, but said it’s mostly speculation.

“I would favour evolutionary arguments again here,” she said. “Going back to our savannah days, we would have a natural preference for a clear blue sky, because it signalled good weather. Clear blue also signals a good water source.”

The researchers plan to test infants as well to gain further insight into colour preferences.

Dream On…Counting sheep instead of enjoying sleep? Six ways to ruin your night.

If you’re tossing and turning instead of falling asleep at night, it’s probably not because the bed bugs are biting. Rather, a number of simple mistakes we make when trying to grab some shuteye are often to blame. We consulted with Alex Chediak, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, to learn about the most common things we do to spoil a great night’s sleep.

Avoid the following six habits and sweet dreams should be near in your future:

Source: MSNBC

Early Bedtimes: While heading to bed at 8 p.m. might seem like a great way to get your sleep schedule on track, such an early bedtime will likely deter your good intentions. That’s because hitting the sack before (or too soon after) the sun has started setting usually does not align with your circadian rhythm, the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. In order to keep pace with your circadian rhythm, Dr. Chediak recommends waiting until you’re drowsy to fall asleep and then waking up at the same time each morning, giving your body a set schedule to sleep by.

Bedroom Gadgets: No, not those kinds of gadgets. We’re talking about ordinary computers, BlackBerries, and televisions–all of which are probably best left outside the boudoir. Mingling electronics with your sleep site sends your body mixed messages about whether it should be turned on or off. In order to keep your bedroom a restful place, keep it free of digital devices.

Having a Nightcap or Two: If you’re having trouble falling asleep, drinking is not the right remedy. A few beers will definitely make you drowsy, but that does not translate into a solid night of sleep. Instead, sleeping after drinking is one of the surefire ways to guarantee a miserable morning. You’ll usually get about four hours of light sleep, Dr. Chediak explains, but wake up afterward feeling lousy and unable to fall back asleep. If you’re looking for more solid sleep that will leave you well rested, then the bar scene should not be part of your bedtime ritual.

Working Until Bedtime: Think you’ll be able to fall asleep if you move right from checking your e-mail to bed? Think again. Actually stop thinking. If you’ve got work-related matters buzzing around in your head, give them a chance to calm down before you consider sleeping. Putting a time barrier between work and sleep should ensure that you’re having sweet dreams instead of stressful nightmares.

Watching the Clock: Watching each minute–or second–pass by is not going to help you drift off. Instead, it will likely make you more anxious about the time you’re spending without sleeping. Instead of counting the passing minutes, Dr. Chediak recommends getting up to do a calming activity, such as a crossword puzzle or reading a book and then heading back to bed when the drowsiness hits again. (And turn that clock face away from the bed.)

Dark Mornings: Your morning routine can actually have a pretty big impact on your sleep success. You need to let your body know when it’s time to rise and shine and the best way to do that is by exposing yourself to some bright lights. Doctors recommend getting about 20 minutes of early-morning light exposure. It will let your body know that it’s time to get going and reduce drowsiness.