Herds of cows producing skimmed milk could soon be roaming our pastures, reports Cath O’Driscoll in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. Scientists in New Zealand have discovered that some cows have genes that give them a natural ability to produce skimmed milk and plan to use this information to breed herds of milkers producing only skimmed milk.

The researchers also plan to breed commercial herds producing milk with the unique characteristics required to make a butter that is spreadable straight from the fridge. They have already identified a cow, Marge, with the genes required to do this and say a commercial herd is likely by 2011. The milk is very low in saturated fats and so should be high in polyunsaturates and monounsaturated fats.

My favorite interview yet with the lovely and gracious Veronica Atkins

When I started blogging about the low-carb lifestyle two years ago, what I wanted more than anything else was to carry on the torch of advocacy for livin' la vida low-carb that had been conspicuously absent since the untimely death of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins.  It was as if all the defenders of this way of eating fell off the face of the planet or decided to suddenly clam up. I for one felt that somebody needed to stand up on behalf of Dr. Atkins to defend his life's work.

Dr. Atkins left behind an incredible legacy that will continue to postively impact the lives of millions of people around the world for decades and generations to come. My only regret is that I was never privileged enough to meet him and shake his hand for helping me lose over 180 pounds in 2004. I am a permanently changed man today because of the Atkins diet and nobody can ever take that away from me.

Regular exercise appears to modestly increase levels of high-density lipoprotein, or "good," cholesterol, according to a meta-analysis study in the May 28, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

A low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide, according to background information in the article. There is strong evidence that individuals who are more physically active have higher HDL-C levels. "Thus, the value of regular aerobic exercise in increasing serum [blood] HDL-C level and in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease has received widespread acceptance," the authors write. "In contrast, results of aerobic exercise studies vary considerably, depending on the exercise program (e.g., duration, intensity or frequency) and characteristics of subjects at baseline."

Tennis great Andy Roddick has said that his picture on the cover of Men’s Fitness magazine has been messed with, and that while he’s in shape, his arms certainly are not of the 22-inch variety.  Clearly this photo has been altered to portray what the editors at Men’s Fitness feel is the embodiment of fitness and masculinity. 

Despite pumping out a magazine that’s supposed to be about what makes a guy fit, these people haven’t got a clue.  Big arms have nothing to do with fitness or athleticism.  The moral of the story is “Don’t believe ANYTHING that you read or see in Men’s Fitness magazine.”