Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village

Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village is tucked away in a small residential neighborhood of Simi Valley, California. In an area one-third of an acre, there are over thirty sculptures and sixteen houses built by Tressa Prisbrey out of an estimated one million bottles and other discarded items which she collected from a nearby dump.

Grandma Tressa Prisbrey began building the Bottle Village in 1956, when she was sixty years old. Tressa was collecting pencils, as a hobby, for the last few decades and had amassed 17,000 of them. She needed a place to keep them. At first she thought she would build a storehouse, but when she realized that cinder blocks are too expensive, she decided to make one out of bottles instead. Tressa got the idea after seeing a bottle house at the Knott's Berry Farm theme park in Buena Park, California.

Wakakusa Yamayaki: The Mountain Burning Festival

Fireworks are a great way to celebrate any occasion, but like NuanQuan’s molten iron throwing festival, the Japanese city of Nara (the city of deer) has taken their festivities a notch higher.

Just behind Nara Park, stands an old, extinct volcano, called Mount Wakakusa, that rises gently to a height of 350 meters. From its peak, one can have unobstructed views of the entire city. Mount Wakakusa is hence very popular for walking and strolling. The mountain is covered by grass, and lining the slope of the mountain are cherry trees that are usually in full bloom around early April. But as winter approaches, the grass begins to die and the cherry trees lose their leaves and the mountain looks very bald. This is when the famous Wakakusa Yamayaki festival takes place.

This Golden Carved Nissan GT-R Made A Huge Impression At The Tokyo Motor Show 2016 (18 pics)

Kuhl-Racing Nissan GT-R is something that you could not miss at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon. Its appearance is by far and away the most insane the world has ever seen. That engraved gold metal paint job is a masterpiece. Yup, it is a paint job, not a wrap. First, they made the engravings to the body panels and then painted them to achieve this unique look.

These Most Popular Household Items Cause Liver Tumors, Weight Gain, Asthma in children and a wide range of cancers

Sandwich plastic bags and plastic wrap are a wasteful, single-use, petroleum products that I am convinced are not an acceptable part of natural living.  When used to store or heat food, plastic leaches toxins into our food that we then consume.  Many studies have now proven that BPA, a chemical that is in many plastics, causes a number of unacceptable health issues in those who consume food products in contact with it.  All plastics contain chemicals, and some are not well-studied to prove their safety. 

 

New evidence suggests that heat makes chemicals in plastic storage boxes and bottles leach into food and drink: two major reports last year linked 175 compounds to health problems connected to cancers, fertility and foetal development.

Here’s a list by recycling code number:

 #1 PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate ethylene) is a common plastic used to package a variety of foods and drinks. PETE is considered a safe, non-leaching plastic, even though some studies have found that it can release the toxic metallic mineral antimony over time, especially when subjected to heat.
• #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene) is another common plastic used for milk and water jugs, dairy product tubs, and plastic bags. HDPE is not known to leach toxins.
• #3 PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride) is found in plastic wrap, especially commercial varieties used to package deli and similar items. These plastics use hazardous compounds called phthalates to maintain their pliability. Phthalates have been found to easily leach out of PVC products. PVC can also release a material called di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) when in contact with fatty foods. The use of #3 plastics is not recommended.
• #4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene) is used for bread and frozen food bags, squeezable bottles, other types of packaging, and reusable containers. It is not known to leach toxins.
• #5 PP (polypropylene) is found in bottles and food tubs, and reusable containers. It is not known to leach toxins.
• #6 PS (polystyrene) is often found in foamed food containers. It can leach a number of chemicals into foods and is not recommended in the kitchen.
• #7 OTHER is a catch-all category that includes everything else. One common #7 plastic is polycarbonate, a shatter-resistant material used in things like baby bottles and reusable water bottles. Polycarbonates readily leach a toxic compound called bisphenol-a (BPA) into food and drink. But new corn-based polylactic acid (PLA) plastics, which are generally recognized as safe, are also labeled #7. It can be hard to tell if a given #7 container is kitchen-safe without additional identifying information, so look for bottles that say they are BPA-free.

Researchers have linked BPA, phthalates, and other chemicals known as endocrine disruptors (these act like hormones in our body and affect our natural hormone production) to cancer, problems in the reproductive organs, and several other health problems. That’s why six phthalates are banned by law from children’s products, and why the FDA is studying BPA to determine if it should be banned from baby bottles and the lining of food and beverage cans. Plastic wrap does not typically contain BPA or phthalates, although in tests done by Good Housekeeping magazine in 2008, the labs found very low levels of phthalates and BPA in Glad brand “Press n’Seal” wrap.

Plastic wrap in the United States is made of polyvinyl chloride or PVC and contains a “plasticizer” called di(2-ethylhexyl)adipateor DEHA. DEHA is not a phthalate but is chemically very similar to the phthalate DEHP, which is di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate).

Studies in the 1990s showed that DEHA can cause liver tumors in mice, and other studies showed that DEHA migrates from plastic wrap into food—particularly high fat foods such as cheese. A 1998 study by Consumers Union tested plastic-wrapped foods and found DEHA levels higher than what is recommended and even permitted by European advisory committees and regulatory agencies. The FDA, however, has not established a limit for how much DEHA is safe in our food because there is insufficient data on its health effects on humans and no government body has classified it as a cancer-causing chemical.

A University of Texas study published last month in Environmental Health Perspectives confirms that hormone-disrupting chemicals leach from almost allplastics, even BPA-free plastics.

This is more likely to happen when the plastic has been heated or when it’s old and has been subjected to repeated use or washings.

8 Foods to Eat Tonight to De-Bloat by Tomorrow

You’ve been eating right and working on sculpting your side abs for weeks. But for some reason, you woke up this morning feeling bloated AF. (It happens to this best of us, just check out this fit blogger’s pics.) Whether the culprit is dehydration, your menstrual cycle, or something you ate, the good news is that you can set your body straight by loading up on these eight nutritionist-backed noms.


CAYENNE PEPPER
Time to whip out the hot sauce! Spicing up your dinner with something fiery can work wonders for your pooch. “The capsaicin in cayenne pepper reduces gas and bloating because it increases the flow of digestive enzymes through your intestines,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D., wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Capsaicin also kills the bad bacteria in our bellies that causes gas and bloating.


Yogurt
“Yogurt is packed with probiotics—good bacteria that helps your gastrointestinal system digest and absorb food appropriately,” says Tara Coleman, a clinical nutritionist in San Diego. Instead of having a sugary dessert post-dinner, try mixing fresh fruit, like blueberries or grapefruit slices, into non-fat yogurt. It has a fraction of the calories and is full of nutrients that will help lengthen you out as you sleep. “Skip the sugary fruit yogurts if you can and buy plain,” says Kirkpatrick.

Ginger
One of the oldest herbal medicines around, ginger’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties work wonders on bloat. “Ginger contains a digestive enzyme called zingibain, which helps the body break down protein,” says Coleman. “This is one of the reasons sushi is typically served with a whole side of it." The best way to enjoy it is by making a warm cup of homemade ginger tea. Sipping it before, during, or after a meal will help your body stimulate saliva, bile, and gastric juices that aid in digestion. “It also has a nice relaxing effect on your intestines, reducing inflammation in your colon, which will help the food you eat pass through your system more easily, and in turn, reduce the bloat and gas you experience,” says Kirkpatrick.

FENNEL SEEDS
Just like ginger, chewing on a small amount of this all-natural herb (half a teaspoon) has been a remedy for gas, bloating, and breath freshening in Eastern India for thousands of years. “The compounds anethole, fenchone, and estragole in fennel seeds have antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties that relax intestinal muscle and allow trapped gas to dissipate,” says Coleman. While you can certainly sip it in a cup of tea, fennel is a great ingredient in various dishes from dinner to dessert.

Bananas
They’re one of the most low-maintenance eats around—and they also happen to contain some of the highest levels of potassium, a go-to nutrient for belly-flattening. “Potassium is the reason your bloat may go away with banana consumption, and this mineral also helps to regulate your body’s sodium intake,” says Kirkpartrick.

Lemons and lemon juice
Yep, the old lemon water trick actually works. “The atomic composition of lemon juice is very comparable to our stomach’s digestive juice, as well as saliva and bile, so it actually helps relieve symptoms of indigestion such as bloating and belching,” says Coleman. “Many people with digestive issues are simply not yielding enough hydrochloric acid to properly digest everything they’re putting in their bodies, particularly animal proteins, dairy, gluten, and complex carbohydrates.” By drinking lemon juice on the reg, your helping your body move things along faster and more efficiently. Time to practice your sour face!


Garlic
Bad breath might be worth it to beat bloat. “Eating garlic with other foods, especially those high in sodium, can cause bloating, but eating it alone will actually help relieve gas,” says Coleman. “Garlic soup is super easy to make and it helps deliver the garlic directly to your system in no time.” Simply mince up two to three cloves and sauté or roast them with olive oil on low heat. Add low-sodium vegetable broth and let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

Melons
Don’t let their sweet and satisfying taste fool you—melons are nearly all water (90 percent!). “The high water content in melons (as well as watermelons and cucumbers) is equivalent to having water from a glass, thus increasing your body’s overall hydration levels and reducing bloating,” says Kirkpatrick. “They’re also natural diuretics, so they help you urinate excess water and salt from your body.” Fill up on a colorful mix of various melons to help prep and hydrate your bod for sunny beach days ahead.

7 Foods That Can Make You Feel Totally Anxious

If you've ever found yourself pouring the crumbs from a bag of potato chips down your throat after a particularly stressful day, you know that emotions can affect what you eat. But did you know that what you eat could also mess with your emotions, exacerbating anxiety and leaving you feeling on edge, worried, and unable to concentrate?

It's true, says Ali Miller, RD, LD, CDE, registered dietitian and author of Naturally Nourished. While food may not be the main cause of these feelings, it can certainly affect their severity and how often they occur.

"Anxiety can be caused by inadequate brain levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA, which help reduce the influence of stress hormones, as well as excessive excitatory hormones such as glutamate and epinephrine, which can cause an anxiety and stress response," says Miller.

And, you guessed it, certain foods help aid in the production of those feel-good chemicals, while others elevate the anxiety-inducing ones. "Processed foods especially tend to perpetuate a vicious cycle of guilt, anxiety, cravings, and overeating, making it hard to stop eating them once you start." (Here's how to prevent a binge before it starts.)

The good news: Quelling your anxiety may be as simple as knowing your food triggers, then cutting them out or reducing your intake. Here, we've identified seven surprising foods that might be throwing your anxiety and sour mood into overdrive. (Try replacing them with these 13 stress-fighting foods.)

1. Coffee
Now hear us out—we're not telling you to stop drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages altogether. (In fact, java can deliver some pretty amazing health perks.) But if you're feeling on edge, downing cup after cup could be partly to blame. Caffeine has a stimulant effect on the nervous system, says Miller—it causes a release of the stress hormone cortisol, triggering our "fight or flight" response, and has been shown to exacerbate anxiety and sleep problems, particularly in those with panic disorders and social anxiety.

And while caffeine does initially increase serotonin levels to make you feel pretty awesome, chronic release of serotonin due to excessive coffee consumption over time can actually cause you to become depleted in this neurotransmitter. To lessen caffeine's influence, consider scaling back to one or two 8-ounce cups of coffee per day. (We like Prevention's Don't Burn Out Roast Organic Coffee Beans.)

2. Diet Soda
Diet soda and energy drinks may be delivering a double dose of anxiety: Not only do they contain caffeine, but many also contain artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, which may significantly reduce levels of "feel good" serotonin in the brain. In fact, in one study, researchers at the University of Northwestern Ohio looked at the effect of aspartame on people with a history of depression and found that it significantly worsened symptoms, including feelings of anxiety. If it's a fizzy fix you crave, consider swapping your soda for a naturally flavored seltzer; if you use artificial sweeteners in your coffee or tea, try using a bit of stevia instead.


3. Beef Jerky
Jerky is increasingly being touted as a healthy snack—and it definitely can be, as long as it's not full of crappy additives. The problem with most options at the grocery store is they're loaded with monosodium glutamate (MSG), which can elevate brain levels of glutamate—one of the excitatory hormones we mentioned in the intro—and thereby increase anxiety and stress. One option that's actually good: The New Primal Original Beef Jerky, which is sourced from grass-fed cows, free of MSG, and far lower in sodium and sugar than most conventional picks.

But jerky isn't the only source of MSG, of course. Countless packaged and fast foods contain the stuff (think: flavored potato chips, cold cuts, dressings, frozen dinners), so opt for whole foods whenever possible.


4. Non-Dairy Creamer
Many conventional non-dairy creamers are sneaky sources of partially hydrogenated oils—aka trans fats, which also lurk in other ultraprocessed foods like French fries, cookies, doughnuts, and mozzarella sticks. That's a problem because these fats have been linked to impaired blood flow, including blood flow to the brain, which may be one reason why studies have linked them to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. One study found that people who mainly ate fried foods, processed meats, high-fat dairy, and sweetened desserts had a 58% greater risk of depression than people following a diet rich in whole foods, while another study found that chronic trans fat consumption increased anxiety in rats.

5. Pasta
Refined carbs like white pasta, white bread, doughnuts, candy, and sugary drinks can wreck your mood by causing rapid spikes and dips in blood sugar. Recently, researchers at Columbia University found that the higher a woman's blood sugar rose after eating sugar and refined grains, the higher her risk of depression. And in 2010, researchers from Princeton University found that rats fed a sugary diet became nervous and anxious when the sugar was removed, similar to what people experience when withdrawing from drugs. The good news, however, was that the Columbia study also found the reverse to be true: A diet high in whole grains, such as brown rice and quinoa, and produce actually lowers a woman's risk of depression. (Discover how to heal 95+ health conditions naturally with Eat for Extraordinary Health & Healing.)

6. Ketchup
Condiments like salad dressing and ketchup can be a sneaky source of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which, like pasta and doughnuts, can cause anxiety-inducing spikes and dips in your blood sugar. Even worse: HFCS is sweeter than table sugar, which leads to increased consumption and perpetual cravings along with weight gain, says Miller. Opt for low-sugar condiments that are free of HFCS, like True Made Foods ketchup, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce.


7. Alcohol
While many people who feel anxious may turn to alcohol for relief (an estimated 20% of people with social anxiety disorder also suffer from alcohol dependence), the mood boost of booze is only temporary and can worsen anxiety over time. And even those who have never suffered from anxiety-related issues can develop problems as a result of alcohol abuse. That happens for a few reasons. One, alcohol is a depressant and messes with the proper functioning of your central nervous system, which controls how you process emotions. Two, alcohol can cause anxiety-inducing spikes and dips in blood sugar. And three, alcohol is a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration, causing impaired cognitive function and an inability to focus—both of which can contribute to feelings of anxiety. If you do need a little something to take the edge off after a long hard day, consider tipping back a mug of hot or iced chamomile tea instead of making that glass of wine a nightly habit.

7 Foods That Guard Your Body From Everyday Toxins

Our bodies are exposed to a lot of contaminants on a daily basis. When we sit in traffic, we're breathing in air pollution; when we eat seafood, we're sometimes exposed to mercury; when we drink water, we might have to worry about lead contamination; when we choose milk alternatives, we need to check for carrageenan. Luckily, there are some foods that can help fortify your body's natural defenses against these toxins. Click through the slideshow to see what they are.


1. Broccoli Sprouts
A study performed in the Yangtze River Delta region of China, an area with severe air pollution, found that consuming a beverage made from broccoli sprouts may lessen the long-term health risks associated with air pollution. According to the study, broccoli sprouts are especially high in glucoraphanin, a type of antioxidant that can promote excretion of some airborne toxins from the body. The sprout juice is highly concentrated, and study authors say more research is needed to determine if the sprouts are as effective at lower concentrations. For now, it wouldn't hurt to add them to more of your sandwiches and salads or even in green smoothie recipes for a potentially toxin-blocking benefit.

2. Kale
People who have asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are more vulnerable to air pollution if they're low on vitamin C, according to a UK study. The authors recommend eating lots of fruits and veggies that are rich in vitamin C, like kale, to help bulk up your defenses.


3. Olive Oil
Move over, fish oil supplements. A study comparing the effectiveness of fish oil and olive oil capsules at guarding against air pollutants found that olive oil was the clear winner. Breathing polluted air is hard on the body, and it can trigger high blood pressure, which can potentially lead to heart attack and stroke. After taking olive oil supplements, participants had an easier time breathing, thanks to improved blood vessel function and more tPA in the blood, a compound that dissolves blood clots.

4. Sunflower Seeds
Researchers at King's College London believe that vitamin E can improve lung function and help mitigate the damage done by particulate matter, one of the most harmful forms of air pollution. Sunflower seeds are one of the highest vitamin E foods, according to Harvard's TH Chan School of Public Health; add them to your salads or tote them around for a healthy midday snack.


5. Green Tea
Research shows that green tea can offer relief from airborne allergens like pet dander, pollen, and certain toxic chemicals. Scientists think that green tea's main antioxidant, EGCG, may block histamines and immunoglobulin E, the compounds responsible for triggering reactions.

6. Probiotic Foods
Heavy metals like lead and mercury pollute our air, water, and food. Researchers are now looking into how certain types of probiotic bacteria, like lactobacillus, can help detoxify these contaminants and prevent your body from absorbing them. Cue the sauerkraut.


7. Milk
According to the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services, eating a healthy diet high in calcium can help prevent lead from being absorbed by the body. Load up on dairy and other high-calcium foods like leafy greens.