In today’s quote Hamlet’s point was that humans are a remarkable species — though Hamlet himself has lost all appreciation for mankind. Humans have created phenomenal architectural structures ranging from pyramids to skyscrapers. We’ve explored the depths of the ocean and the surface of the moon. We’ve created works of art that can affect emotions and provoke thoughtful conversations.

Perhaps what makes us even more remarkable is that we have this seemingly infinite capacity to achieve great things, and yet our history is filled with violence toward one another. How can we dedicate countless hours to matters of art, science, and other sophisticated pursuits and still commit acts of murder or wage globe-spanning wars?

We have a tendency to think of ourselves as existing apart from other species. Humans have the ability to reason and pass down knowledge to future generations. This ability makes it seem like we base our actions mainly upon rationality. But how do we reconcile that with the act of eliminating other members of our own species?

It’s a complex problem. Part of the answer may be that we’re not as separate from other animals as we imagine. It’s dangerous to ascribe traits to other species — we run the risk of anthropomorphizing animals and assuming the reasons they behave a certain way are the same as our own. Anthropomorphizing is attribution of human form or other characteristics to anything other than a human being. But in general, it seems that animal behavior is the product of instinct, emotion and reason. Some animals demonstrate a greater aptitude for reasoning than others. Humans are at the top of that list.

But that doesn’t mean all our decisions are based upon cold, calculating rationality. Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio’s research indicates that emotions play an important role in decision making. He conducted experiments with people who had suffered brain damage that affected the part of the brain that allows us to experience emotions. In his studies, Damasio found that the patients had trouble making choices. They could identify solutions to a problem but couldn’t decide upon a specific course of action [source: Wrangham and Peterson]. Why is that important? It indicates that while we’re not slaves to our emotions, they play an important part in how we behave.

One of the reasona we kill is because our ancestors killed. By killing, our ancestors removed rivals and ensured the survival of their offspring. In other words, we’re violent because all the peaceful ancestors to humans were killed off by the violent ones. We’ve inherited our nature from our predecessors. We call this evolutionary biology.

This view is by no means universal. Scientists from different disciplines have criticized evolutionary biology, saying that it oversimplifies human behavior and serves as a genetic excuse for bad behavior. While there is scientific consensus that the human brain is the product of evolution, there’s a gap between those who think our brains are in Stone Age mode and those who say the brain is much more flexible than evolutionary biologists admit. What do you think?

One counterargument to evolutionary biology states that our minds are adaptive and evolve far faster than evolutionary biology. Stating there is no universal human nature — the environment and our adaptation to it means that each culture has its own unique nature [source: Begley]. Though another thing to take into account is history does repeat itself. Could we change it? Yes but the main question is do our people ALL around the world want that, and obviously no.

There is another debate on why we kill and that is on a superficial level we kill because it comes down to nature versus nurture. The nature side suggests that we are inherently a violent species and it should come as no surprise that we sometimes kill one another. The nurture side says that we are an adaptive species and that our environments — including everything from family structure to political influences — shape our behaviors. The truth is probably that we’re a product of both. Ignoring one set of influences while concentrating on the other is missing the story.

If we’re the product of both inherited traits and environmental influences, what would give us the reason to kill? Many answers boil down to survival. In some cases, it’s as simple as access to resources. Whether it’s a conflict between two people or multiple nations, the reason to kill may be linked to the fact that one party wants what the other party possesses. That might motivate people to kill in order to take or protect those resources. The intellectual and emotional need for those resources is often greater than the reluctance to kill.

So why else would a human kill? A person with antisocial personality disorder feels no empathy toward others. Not all violent conflicts are over resources, though. This is where people we call psychopaths and sociopaths come into play. Example criminals like Charles Manson may kill — or inspire others to kill — based on fundamentally flawed reasoning. They feel very little emotion at all and may seek out dangerous or thrilling situations to get an emotional response. They tend to be deceitful and feel no shame or guilt for misleading others. While they may recognize right from wrong, they may not care about the distinction.

According to a hypothesis posed by Ervin Staub, genocide is a result of a combination of environmental hardships and psychological coping. Staub suggests that when times are hard, people look for an excuse or scapegoat. That can include identifying a subsection of the population as being responsible for the hardship the community experiences. Wiping out that population is a way to cope with the hardship. It’s a means to solve a problem, even though the solution and problem aren’t necessarily connected in reality. Is this what is going on now in NY with the people rioting?; not protesting since this is done peacefully. It is not blocking traffic, burning down businesses, hurting people to killing people which all have happen regarding incidents that involved policeman in taking an action to someone who did something illegal by NYS law but the individual retaliating rather than being cooperative and investigations took place but because a certain group didn’t like the results it resorted to violence. The judicial system they did not follow. Have criminals been set free by court and no violence took place? Many times. So you decide is this the reason why we are violent to killing people?

What about the rest of us? What could drive us to kill? Since our decisions are based upon both emotions and reason, we can sometimes favor one over the other. In emotionally charged situations, we may allow ourselves to act impulsively, ignoring rationality. These so-called crimes of passion can happen between people with strong emotional bonds. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 30 percent of all female murder victims were killed by their spouses. Another 18.3 percent were killed by ex-spouses. Only 8.7 percent of all female victims were killed by a stranger [source: Bureau of Justice Statistics].

This is scary and a very complicated discussion. Humans kill because we’re not dispassionate, robotic beings. We have wants and needs and possess the ability to pursue them. We may never know the full explanation of why we behave the way we do, but as we learn more we may find ways to improve ourselves and make murder a thing of the past. Yet that goal is very, very far away in reach.

Sources

• “Crime in the United States.” U.S. Department of Justice. Federal Bureau of Investigation. (Sept. 23, 2010) http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/data/table_12.html
• Jonathan Strickland from the blog In How Things Work.
• “Homicide Trends in the U.S.” Bureau of Justice Statistics. (Sept. 23, 2010) http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/homicide/gender.cfm#vorelgender
• Baumeister, Roy F. “Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty.” Henry Holt and Company. New York. 1997.
• Begley, Sharon. “Why Do We Rape, Kill and Sleep Around?” Newsweek. June 20, 2009. (Sept. 22, 2010) http://www.newsweek.com/2009/06/19/why-do-we-rape-kill-and-sleep-around.html
• Hill, Gerald and Hill, Kathleen. “insanity.” The People’s Law Dictionary. Law.com. (Sept. 23, 2010) http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=979
• Koenigs, Michael, et al. “Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgments.” Nature. April 2007, 446, pp. 908 – 911 Kelly, Dave. “Antisocial Personality Disorder.” PTypes Personality Types. 2010. (Sept. 23, 2010) http://www.ptypes.com/antisocialpd.html
• Lykken, David T. “The Antisocial Personalities.” Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Hillsdale, N.J. 1995.
• Mattiuzzi, Paul G. “Why do people kill?” Everyday Psychology. July 30, 2008. (Sept. 21, 2010) http://everydaypsychology.com/2008/07/why-do-people-kill-typology-of-violent.html
• Polk, Kenneth “When Men Kill: Scenarios of Masculine Violence.” Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, U.K. 1994.
• Staub, Ervin. “The Roots of Evil: The Origins of Genocide and Other Group Violence.” Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, U.K. 1989.
• Wrangham, Richard and Peterson, Dale. “Demonic Males: apes and the origins of human violence.” Mariner Books. 1997.
• Wrangham, Richard. “Why We Kill.” bigthink.com. April 2, 2010. (Sept. 22, 2010) http://bigthink.com/ideas/19361

“Self-control is the key to a well-functioning life, because our brain makes us easily [susceptible] to all sorts of influences. Watching a movie showing violent acts predisposes us to act violently. Even just listening to violent rhetoric makes us prone or more inclined to be violent. Ironically, the same mirror neurons that make us empathic make us also very vulnerable to all sorts of influences.”

Richard E. Nisbett Professor in Psychosociology
Ph.D., 1966, Columbia University, Department of Social Psychology

“Soups are a perfect match for  winter dry days and when trying to eat healthy during holliday season.”

Chris Cordani  Born 05/05/69 Executive Producer.

So what’s the solution? Here are four simple ways to avoid winter weight gain.

1. Stock up your kitchen cupboards

Keep your store cupboard stocked with staples such as cans of tomatoes, spices, beans and pulses, dried wholewheat pasta, wholewheat cereals, noodles, couscous and dried fruit. Keep some extra bread in the freezer if there’s space. That way, you’ll be able to create a quick and nutritious evening meal, such as a lentil or vegetable soup or stew, at short notice. You’ll save money and avoid the temptation to order a high-calorie takeaway.

2. Exercise more

When the outside temperature drops, it’s easy to give up on outdoor exercise. In winter, we stop doing calorie-burning outdoor activities like short walks and gardening. But reducing the amount of physical activity you do is one of the biggest contributors to winter weight gain.

Cold weather and shorter days don’t mean you have to abandon exercise completely. Instead, rearrange your schedule to fit in what you can. You don’t need formal exercise to burn calories.

A brisk walk can be revitalizing after being indoors with the central heating on, and it’ll also help boost your circulation. Put on some warm clothes and jog around the neighborhood or start a snowball fight with the kids. Most leisure cents have centers heated swimming pools and indoor tennis and badminton courts (EX.YMCA). If you’d rather stay at home, buy some dance or workout DVDs, and always walk up the stairs at work rather than using the lift. “These little things can make all the difference when it comes to avoiding that pound of weight gain over winter,” says Porter.

3. Drink smart

It’s important to consume hot drinks throughout winter as it will help you keep warm. However, some hot beverages are high in calories. Milky, syrupy coffee shop drinks and hot chocolate with whipped cream can add a lot of calories to your diet. A Starbucks medium caffe mocha, for instance, contains more than 360 calories. Stick to regular coffee or tea, or ask for your drink to be “skinny” (made with skimmed milk). Also, limit your alcohol intake as much as possible.

4. Get your winter greens

Eating a wide variety of foods ensures you get a range of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Don’t get stuck eating the same food every day.

Look out for root vegetables, such as swedes, parsnips and turnips, and winter veggies such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale and artichokes. They’re filling as well as nutritious so will help you to resist a second helping of trifle.\

Ways you can create a winter wellness plan that works for you:

Again I reinforce that works for you!:

1. Bring out the crock pot! Emphasis slow cooked, warm, moist meals this season. Soups are a perfect match for the cold, dry days.
2. We gravitate toward richer foods in the winter for good reason — we need to stay warm, lubricated and healthy.  Allow yourself to indulge in high quality dairy, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, organic meats, and healthy fats — you can feel satisfied without jumping on the sugar train.
3. With the increase in heavier foods, be sure to increase spices and foods that help keep digestion lively. Many of these foods and spices have the added benefit of boosting your immune system because they are antibacterial. Try adding dark leafy greens, berries, garlic, onions, ginger, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon to your recipes whenever you can.
4. Pay attention if your skin feels tighter these days; you may need to switch to a hardier natural moisturizer like cocoa butter.
5. Use humidifiers to keep the air you are breathing moist.
6. If you use a neti pot to help keep your sinuses clear,  swab your inner noise with a q-tip dabbed in coconut oil or olive oil when you are done to be sure you don’t over dry that area.
7. Be proactive about preventing ear infections.  Warm up garlic oil (sold in natural health food stores) to body temperature and put a dropper full into each ear canal.
8. We breathe a lot more indoor air in the winter, so be especially careful to keep it clean and free of toxins. Rotate an air purifier into different rooms.
9. Let indoor green plants help keep your air clean and fresh.
10. Diffuse essential oils to increase the negative ion count in your air (shown to help mitigate the effects of seasonal affective disorder).
11. Prioritize sleep and follow the sun’s lead. As the days get shorter, shift your sleep routine toward going to bed earlier and to allow your body more hours to rest and repair.
12. Keep physically active during the winter to bolster mental health and physical immunity.
13. If you are a walker or runner, invest in a set of cold weather workout clothes so your can keep up your routine as the temperature dips.
14. Shift to indoor activities : yoga, stretching, dance, toning and aerobics can all be done via a DVD in your living room.
15. Join a gym or group workout class to keep connected and accountable to getting your workout in.
16. Get social! Stay connected to others, even as your activities shift more and more indoors. Join a moms’ group or book club that meets regularly.
17. Replace outdoor kid’s outings with indoor ones, like book time at the library or trips to the museum.
18. Strengthen your body’s defenses by keeping your gut healthy.  Consume foods that have natural probiotics (like yogurt, kefir, miso soup, cultured vegetables, sauerkraut), or take a high quality supplement.
19. If you take fish oil supplements, shift to cod liver oil supplements for the winter. These have the added benefit of vitamin A and D (great for months when our access to vitamin D producing sunshine is limited).
20. Finally, make a Feel Good menu specifically for winter. Take a moment to brainstorm all the things you can do in winter that you enjoy, that feel indulgent, and that make you happy. Keep this list posted and draw from it to make your days more special and when you need a little extra pampering.

“There’s good evidence that people put on weight over the winter”. “The more overweight you are, the more you tend to put on. And the most worrying aspect of this seasonal weight gain is that the pounds tend to stay on. People don’t seem to lose the extra weight.”

Sian Porter – American Football Player on the NFL

Although winter comes as no surprise, many of us are not ready for its arrival. If you are prepared for the hazards of winter, you will be more likely to stay safe and healthy when temperatures start to fall.

Many people prefer to remain indoors in the winter, but staying inside is no guarantee of safety. Take these steps to keep your home safe and warm during the winter months.

• Winterize your home.
  • Install weather stripping, insulation, and storm windows.
  • Insulate water lines that run along exterior walls.
  • Clean out gutters and repair roof leaks.
• Check your heating systems.
  • Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly and ventilated to the outside.
  • Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys.
  • Install a smoke detector. Test batteries monthly.
  • Have a safe alternate heating source and alternate fuels available.
  • Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) emergencies.
    • Install a CO detector to alert you of the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas. Check batteries regularly.
    • Learn symptoms of CO poisoning: headaches, nausea, and disorientation.

Get your car ready for cold weather use before winter arrives.

• Service the radiator and maintain antifreeze level; check tire tread or, if necessary, replace tires with all-weather or snow tires
• Keep gas tank full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
• Use a wintertime formula in your windshield washer.
• Prepare a winter emergency kit to keep in your car in case you become stranded. Include
  • blankets;
  • food and water;
  • booster cables, flares, tire pump, and a bag of sand or cat litter (for traction);
  • compass and maps;
  • flashlight, battery-powered radio, and extra batteries;
  • first-aid kit; and
  • plastic bags (for sanitation).
  • Be prepared for weather-related emergencies, including power outages.

• Stock food that needs no cooking or refrigeration and water stored in clean containers.
• Keep an up-to-date emergency kit, including:
  • Battery-operated devices, such as a flashlight, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio, and lamps;
  • extra batteries;
  • first-aid kit and extra medicine;
  • baby items; and
  • cat litter or sand for icy walkways.
  • Many people spend time outdoors in the winter working, traveling, or enjoying winter sports. Outdoor activities can expose you to several safety hazards, but you can take these steps to prepare for them:

• Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: layers of light, warm clothing; mittens; hats; scarves; and waterproof boots.
• Sprinkle cat litter or sand on icy patches.
• Learn safety precautions to follow when outdoors.
  • Be aware of the wind chill factor.
  • Work slowly when doing outside chores.
  • Take a buddy and an emergency kit when you are participating in outdoor recreation.
  • Carry a cell phone.
• Protect your family from carbon monoxide.
  • Keep grills, camp stoves, and generators out of the house, basement and garage.
  • Locate generators at least 20 feet from the house.
  • Leave your home immediately if the CO detector sounds, and call 911.

When planning travel, be aware of current and forecast weather conditions.

Avoid traveling when the weather service has issued advisories.

• If you must travel, inform a friend or relative of your proposed route and expected time of arrival.
• Follow these safety rules if you become stranded in your car.
  • Stay with your car unless safety is no more than 100 yards away, but continue to move arms and legs.
  • Stay visible by putting bright cloth on the antenna, turning on the inside overhead light (when engine is running), and raising the hood when snow stops falling.
  • Run the engine and heater only 10 minutes every hour.
  • Keep a downwind window open.
  • Make sure the tailpipe is not blocked.

Above all, be prepared to check on family and neighbors who are especially at risk from cold weather hazards: young children, older adults, and the chronically ill. If you have pets, bring them inside. If you cannot bring them inside, provide adequate, warm shelter and unfrozen water to drink.

No one can stop the onset of winter. However, if you follow these suggestions, you will be ready for it when it comes.

Also regarding health lets look at what most people do in the WINTER as opposed to the SUMMER (hot weather):

Winter weight gain isn’t just an urban myth. Research has shown that most of us could gain around a pound (half a kilo) during the winter months. That may not sound like much, but over the course of a decade, it can add up.

“There’s good evidence that people put on weight over the winter,” says dietitian Sian Porter. “The more overweight you are, the more you tend to put on. And the most worrying aspect of this seasonal weight gain is that the pounds tend to stay on. People don’t seem to lose the extra weight.”

The three main reasons that people put on weight in the winter are lack of physical activity, comfort eating and over-indulging at Christmas.

Cold weather and shorter days make it harder to exercise outdoors, so it’s easy not to do any exercise over winter. If you’re not outside as much, there’s more time and temptation to reach into the kitchen cupboard for high-calorie sweet snacks, such as biscuits and cakes.

Then of course there are the festivities that surround Christmas. “What used to be a couple of days of parties and over-eating now seems, for some, to be six weeks of over-doing it,” says Porter.

“With 30,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations from the seasonal flu, those numbers are certainly higher than what we’ve seen of the swine flu. Protecting yourself from both viruses is very important.” *                                                                                                                                                                                                             Kristi Yamaguchi (born July 12, 1971) is an American figure skater. She was the 1992 Olympic Champion in ladies’ singles.

“Flu” is an illness caused by a number of different influenza viruses that usually bear the name of the locality where they originated. Most college-age students are susceptible to the virus because of their proximity with others in classrooms, in dormitories, in the dining halls and elsewhere on campus. The influenza virus is very contagious and spreads easily in crowded areas by droplets of respiratory fluid that become airborne or by direct contact with recently contaminated surfaces.

People infected with an influenza or cold virus become contagious 24 hours after the virus enters the body (often before symptoms appear). Adults remain infectious (can spread the virus to others) for about 6 days, and children remain infectious for up to 10 days. Factors that may increase the risk of catching a cold are fatigue, emotional stress, smoking, mid-phase of the menstrual cycle, and nasal allergies. Factors that do not increase the risk of catching a cold include cold body temperature (Example being out in the cold or enlarged tonsils). General health status and eating habits do in that they have impact on your immunity and “fight or flight” in fighting off infection as opposed to getting sick due to a healthy body overall.

Watch for flu symptoms and in comparison here with the cold symptoms when trying to decipher what you have before going to the doctor.  Signs and symptoms (S/S):

Flu s/s=High Fever lasting 3 to 4 days, prominent headache,  general aches and pains which are often and severe, fatigue & weakness that lasts up to 2-3 wks., extreme exhaustion-early & prominent chest discomfort, cough-common & severe at times.  *Note weakness and tiredness can last up to a few weeks with the Flu.

Cold S/S-Fever-rare, headache-rare, slight aches, mild fatigue if even present, extreme exhaustion (never occurs), Chest discomfort-mild if present, cough-moderate and hacking cough with sore throat sometimes present.

Common symptom: Stuffy nose is present, a common symptom for children is diarrhea and vomiting.

Regarding cold symptoms also be aware for these specifics, which include:

-Sore throat-usually is going away in about a day or three; nasal symptoms include runny nose and congestion to follow, along with a cough by the fourth or fifth day.  Also, fever is uncommon in adults but a slight fever is possible.  For children fever they can have with their cold.

-With the symptoms above you can also have the nose that teems with watery nasal secretions for the first few days later these become thicker and darker. Dark mucus is natural and does not mean you have developed a bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection.

**Know several hundred different viruses may cause your cold symptoms. A virus cannot be treated with an antibiotic since antibiotics can only fight off bacterial infections.**

Now let’s review what we know now, which is the common cold and the types of flu (Types A,B, and C), we know their symptoms (the cold versus the flu), we even know  The Flu statistics of how many are affected yearly with what complications can arise, based on Part 1 and part of Part 2.   The most important part of this article is letting my readers know or be aware of factors in prevention.

Let’s prepare ourselves in knowing factors for prevention of these 2 BUGS THE COLD and THE FLU (particularly) with knowing what to do when you or someone in the home has it.

The biggest factor in prevention of the COMMON COLD or THE FLU is living out your life utilizing great healthy habits and that would be washing your hands with soap and water often, especially:

• Before, during, and after preparing food

• Before eating

• After using the bathroom

• After handling animals or animal waste

• When their hands are dirty

• When someone in your home is sick
• FOR AVOIDANCE IN GETTING THE FLU OBTAIN YOUR VACCINE YEARLY!  The flu virus enters through the eyes, nose, and mouth, so those with the flu or a simple cold should never touch their faces unless they’ve just washed their hands.Avoid sharing food, drinks, and utensils.   Do not share drinking glasses-and to break off portions of food and to pour off beverages before consuming them.  Keep tissues handy. The flu spreads when infected people cough or sneeze. So adults use them and encourage your kids to cough and sneeze into a tissue or their upper arm if tissues aren’t available. (Coughing into a bare hand can also spread germs if kids touch something before they can wash.)Ask your doctor about antiviral medications. Although not approved for use in children under 1, these drugs can be used in older children & adults to prevent influenza or even can treat the flu in the first 2 days of onset.
• Keep your face off-limits; This means the following:
•  Live a healthy lifestyle. MOST IMPORTANT!!! A healthy lifestyle may help prevent them from getting sick in the first place.
• Use those wipes! Flu germs can live for several hours on surfaces such as countertops and doorknobs. Wipe down contaminated objects with soap and water.
• Let your kids, including adults stay home when they’re sick. They’ll feel better sooner and won’t pass their illness on to their classmates or for an adult passing it on to colleagues at work especially the first few days when contagious so don’t go into work those few days.
• For a child and an adult keeping the same routine schedule.  For a child – keeping the same schedule for play time, bath, pajamas, bottle, story, then bed. Keeping a routine helps, that is one that is healthy of course.
• Make sure you or your sick child who is sick gets enough sleep.  Too little sleep can cause the feeling of run-down and lower the immunity. Yet a National Sleep Foundation poll found that most children need 1 to 3 more hours of sleep than they’re getting every night usually. How much should they be getting? Experts recommend 11 to 13 hours a night for preschoolers and kindergartners and 10 to 11 hours for school-aged children. Adults 8 hours of sleep a day if not more when sick with a cold or the flu. How to make sure this can be accomplished: Establish an earlier-bedtime routine, this just takes discipline by the parent or yourself if an adult that is sick.
• Keep your distance. Stay clear of people who are sick-or feel sick.
• What to do when you have the cold or, worse, the flu:  Take care of yourself with rest, eating and drinking properly, going to sleep earlier, going to your doctor for treatment and changing your life style to a more healthier one with always practicing good health habits in your daily living=PREVENTION if your not already or just improving on those good habits your doing now.
• ****Recommended is to check with your MD on any changes with diet or exercise or daily habits especially if diagnosed already with disease or illness for your safety.****

• REFERENCES FOR PART 1,2, AND 3 ON THE COLD AND THE FLU ARE:
• 1-Wikipedia “the free encyclopedia” 2013 website under the topic Influenza.
• 2-Kimberly Clark Professional website under the influenza.
• 3-Web MD under “COLD, FLU, COUGH CENTER” “Flu or cold symptoms?” Reviewed by Laura J. Martin MD November 01, 20115-Scientific American “Why do we get the flu most often in the winter? Are viruses virulent in cold weather? December 15, 1997
• 4-2013 Novartis Consumer Health Inc. Triaminic “Fend off the Flu”
• 5-Scientific American “Why do we get the flu most often in the winter? Are viruses virulent in cold weather? December 15, 1997