The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| Philippines creates haven for endangered duck Posted: 06 Sep 2011 03:32 AM PDT  Philippine Duck or Anas luzonica – Photo by Robbie Taylor/shutterstock.com The 27 hectare "wetland critical habitat" was set up for the Philippine duck, a species found only in the Philippines whose numbers have been falling due to hunting and habitat destruction, the documents said. The environment department order created the protected area in the largely-agricultural Cabusao district in the east of the country. "Ensure that existing ecosystems in the critical habitat are preserved and are kept in a condition that will support the perpetual existence of the Philippine duck," the department order instructed local authorities. The Philippine duck, whose scientific name is "Anas luzonica", is rated as "vulnerable" by the conservation group BirdLife International, which estimated in 2005 that as few as 5,000 of them may be left. On its website, BirdLife said the main threats to the species were excessive hunting and the use of its habitats for drainage and aquaculture – the farming of aquatic organisms – and excessive use of pesticides in rice farms. The duck is described as having a blue-grey bill, a "rusty cinnamon" head and neck, and brown and grey feathers. It feeds on fish, shrimps, insects, rice and other plants. – AFP |
| Walnuts may help fight breast cancer Posted: 05 Sep 2011 02:32 AM PDT  About two small handfuls of walnuts a day may significantly cut your risks of breast cancer, researchers said. – Photo by JKlingebiel The study announced last week was conducted by researchers at Marshall University in the US who found that a daily dose of walnuts – equal to 2 ounces a day for humans – reduces the growth of breast cancer tumours in mice. The study is published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer. "Food is important medicine in our diet," said the study's led researcher Elaine Hardman. "What we put into our bodies makes a big difference – it determines how the body functions, our reaction to illness and health." She adds: "The simple stuff really works: eat right, get off the couch, and turn off the TV." Other good reasons to nibble walnuts? Walnuts are loaded with antioxidant polyphenols, compounds that interact with free radicals to stabilise them and prevent them from wreaking havoc on our cells. Walnuts also have almost twice as many antioxidant polyphenols as almonds, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamias, Brazil nuts, and pecans, researchers said. "A handful of walnuts contains almost twice as much antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut," said US chemistry professor and study researcher Joe Vinson, who completed a separate study on walnuts announced earlier this year. "But unfortunately, people don't eat a lot of them." Plus, like all nuts, walnuts are loaded with protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. – AFP |
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