Selcitra

Researcher at the University of Minnesota’s Hormel Institute in the United States have shown that polyphenols- compounds found in green and black tea- can block the cancer-causing effects of ultraviolet light. Conducted on mice, the research could one day lead to the development of topically polyphenols to supplement sunscreens.

A recent study in the American Archives of internal Medicine reports that people with diets high in water- soluble fibre have less chance of  developing heart disease. The study tracked nearly 10.000 people who were follower for an average of 19 years. People with high- fibre diets were found to have a 12 percent lower risk of heart disease than those with diets low in fibre.

The United States government will refashion its Food Guide Pyramid to encourage Americans- two- thirds of whom are overweight or obese- to eat less and exercise more. Developed in 1992, the Food Guide Pyramid offers a general guideline on how much from each of the five major food groups a person should eat per day. The new guide will take into account the fact that most Americans do not exercise regularly.

Fashions made by convicted criminal are causing a stir in Germany, thanks to a new label called Haeftling- Germany for “captive”. The public can’t get enough of the handbags, clothes and sneakers being turned out by inmates of Germany’s Tegel Prison. Products include blue and white striped shirts, authentic prison jackets and shoes. “Lots of my friends on the outside would kill for one of these shirts”, said one 38- year- old prisoner- turned- tailor who is serving a three-year sentence for drug dealing.

Punk lives on this fall with lots of zippers, silver studs and asymmetrical miniskirts. To get this look right, base your outfit around three basic colour schemes: black, white and stripes. Team a short skirt with opaque black tights and flashy footwear , such as stilettos, over- the- knee boots, pointy flats or bright Converse sneakers. If you’re feeling bold, chop the tights off mid- calf or rip in a few runs. Finish the look with plenty of black eyeliner.