From Bruce McClure at www.earthsky.org We have been receiving a number of inquiries about some upcoming Blood Moons in the years 2014 and 2015. And we want to say, first of all, that the Blood Moons most people are asking about are not part of astronomy. Instead, their origin is religious, at least according to Christian pastor John Hagee, who wrote a 2013 book about Blood Moons. More about that below. Still, since they’re moons, and since people are asking us, we wanted to reply.

Carob Powder: It’s one of the hot food items recently, a best seller at Whole Foods Market, written up by newspapers, and touted by Dr. Oz on TV. Long considered a healthy substitute for chocolate or cocoa powder, it’s only recently that the many health benefits have been researched. Whether you add it to a smoothie, or replace the cocoa powder in your favorite baked items, you will want to add carob powder to your healthy pantry.

The Miracle of Magnesium by Carolyn Dean, MD When I first wrote The Magnesium Miracle, I realized that many people can’t take oral magnesium because of the laxative effect. Therefore I began researching and then advising people to put supersaturated magnesium chloride–called magnesium oil on their skin to bypass the intestines; stimulate DHEA production that occurs in the skin; use it in baths and foot baths for muscle aches, joint pain, and foot pain and neuropathy.

Six Foundation Foods That Build Your Bones And Hydrate Your Ski n from Vivian Goldschmidt at www.saveourbones.com Wintertime can be very hard on your skin and hair. When indoor heating systems warm the dry winter air, you’re surrounded by “thirsty” air that draws moisture out of your skin, hair, and nails. That kind of environment can dehydrate and shrivel your skin like a prune, exaggerating the effects of aging and making life pretty uncomfortable. Lotions and creams can only provide temporary relief on the surface, and many of them contain toxic chemicals.

Biceps Curls and Down Dogs May Help Lower Diabetes Risk by Nancy Shute at www.npr.org Women who work out with weights an hour a week cut their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and yoga or stretching exercises count, too, according to a study that tracked the health of almost 100,000 women. Doctors have long known that regular exercise reduces the risk of diabetes, but that’s always been translated as aerobic exercise like jogging or brisk walking.

The January Newsletter is out! Merlian News is now translated into over 50 languages. Just go to www.merliannews.com, upper right hand corner to Google Translate and use the drop down menu. Also, don’t forget to check us out on Facebook & Twitter and please take a look at our Website of the Month!

Why is this baby smiling? Maybe because he knows that Cheerios just said no to Monsanto. Responding to growing customer concern over GMO ingredients, parent company, General Mills, has announced that the best selling brand will no longer contain any genetically modified products. In the wake of failed legislation to label all GMO products, many consumers have resorted to boycotting the companies and brands that contributed to anti-labeling lobbies, including the top 3 cereal makers: General Mills, Post and Kellogg….

2014: Happy New Year from Merlian News to all our readers and podcast listeners! We wish you all a very blessed New Year for 2014 with love, good health, prosperity and increased awareness for all. This year we start the New Year with a New Moon in Capricorn! A SuperMoon with some strong aspects at play calling us to activate and unearth that which has been lying dormant within. The New Moon is also associated with new beginnings and fresh starts, so 2014 may be the year to really start over.

I AM is an utterly engaging and entertaining non-fiction film that poses two practical and provocative questions: what’s wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better? The filmmaker behind the inquiry is Tom Shadyac, one of Hollywood’s leading comedy practitioners and the creative force behind such blockbusters as “Ace Ventura,” “Liar Liar,” “The Nutty Professor,” and “Bruce Almighty.” However, in I AM, Shadyac steps in front of the camera to recount what happened to him after a cycling accident left him incapacitated, possibly for good. Though he ultimately recovered, he emerged with a new sense of purpose, determined to share his own awakening to his prior life of excess and greed…