This page is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and updates about vegans and vegetarians.  Check back often for updates.

October 9, 2011

www.emaxhealth.com

Soy protein shows some promise for keeping arteries clean and free from plaque in postmenopausal women. Researchers found soy protein might help prevent clogged arteries in healthy women when soy protein is introduced into the diet soon after menopause.

Heart disease is a concern for women after menopause because of estrogen decline.

Howard N. Hodis, MD, USC Keck School of Medicine and lead author of the study, published in the November issue of the journal Stroke said,

"The literature demonstrates that there is a 'window of opportunity' of a potential beneficial effect on coronary heart disease for products that bind to the estrogen receptor including hormone-replacement therapy, soybean isoflavones or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) when initiated in women within 5-6 years of menopause."

The study, which is the longest and largest showing soy protein could help prevent clogged arteries from fatty deposits in the arteries, compared postmenopausal women given soy protein to those given placebo. The research was performed from 2004 to 2009 and included 350 postmenopausal women aged 45-92 years of age in the Los Angeles area.

None of the women had heart disease or diabetes. For the study, the women consumed nutrition bars from Solae, LLC.

Elaine Krul, PhD, nutrition discovery lead, Solae said "The high compliance suggests that the clinical study products provided by Solae were very palatable and were not associated with any significant adverse effects as confirmed by the data, "an important note for women who think they might not enjoy soy products.

The women in the study received 25 g soy protein containing 91 mg aglycon isoflavone equivalents or placebo for 2.7 years in two evenly divided daily doses.

The finding shows young healthy women who consume soy protein within 5 years after menopause could have lower chance of progressive coronary disease that can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Soy is also known to promote healthy cholesterol levels.

More studies are needed to confirm the benefits of soy protein for preventing heart disease in women. The research shows soy protein may be cardioprotective for healthy postmenopausal women who consume products within 5 years of menopause.

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October, 2, 2011

from:  www.pcrm.org

How to Eat Right to Reduce Stress

During times of stress, we often turn to traditional "comfort" foods such as macaroni and cheese, pizza, and ice cream. Ironically, these high-fat foods are usually the worst possible choices because they can make us feel lethargic and less able to deal with stress. Not only that, but stress can drive up our blood pressure and raise serum cholesterol levels, wreaking havoc on our arteries and increasing our risk of heart attack.

The best solution? Low-fat, high-fiber, carbohydrate-rich meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables. They soothe us without sapping our energy and give us the nutrients we need to boost our immune system. Here's a guide to which foods reduce stress and which foods make it worse:

Foods to Include

High-fiber, carbohydrate-rich foods: Scientists believe carbohydrates cause the brain to produce more serotonin, a hormone that relaxes us. And lots of fiber is helpful in preventing late-night binging. Some examples of healthy comfort food include baked sweet potatoes, minestrone soup, or sautéed vegetables over rice.

Fruits and vegetables: Chronic stress can weaken our ability to fight disease. By upping our intake of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, we can boost our immune system. Acorn squash and carrots, for example, are great sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene. And citrus fruits provide plenty of vitamin C, another stress-busting antioxidant.

Foods to Avoid

High-fat foods: Fatty foods such as meat or cheese dishes and many baked goods thicken our blood which in turn makes us feel tired, even lethargic. This is clearly not a good way to reduce stress! Even just one high-fat meal can increase our risk of a heart attack.

Caffeine: Many of us deal with a stress-induced lack of sleep by turning to coffee, tea, and colas. Unfortunately, caffeine stays in our systems longer than many realize. Cutting back on caffeine can help with both sleeping problems and jitters.

Sugar: As a carbohydrate, sugar tends to calm us. The problem with sugar is that it's a simple carbohydrate so it enters and leaves the bloodstream rapidly, causing us to, in effect, "crash." On the other hand, complex carbohydrates such as pasta, beans, and lentils, the starchy parts of foods soothe without bringing us down.

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September 25, 2011

from:  www.thirdage.com

Plant-Rich Diets Linked To Lower Breast Cancer Risk

An array of vegetables.

Plant-rich diets and breast cancer may be related, as a new study has found that women who eat a lot of vegetables, fruit and legumes have a lower chance of developing a certain type of breast cancer.

Researchers looked at an ongoing study of over 86,000 women who have been followed for 26 years. Less than one percent of them developed ER-negative breast cancer. The findings revealed that women with diets rich in plant foods and low in red meat, sodium and processed carbohydrates were less likely to develop the cancer.

More specifically, women who were on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet – an eating regimen recommended for lowering blood pressure – were at a 20 percent lower risk for developing breast cancer than the others.

Still, the study does not prove that eating vegetables prevents breast cancer. According to Teresa T. Fung, an associate professor of nutrition at Simmons College in Boston and lead author of the study, the basic finding of the study is that healthy nutritional habits may also be associated with lower breast cancer risk, and vegetables may be the key. It is worth it to introduce healthier foods to your diet.

"Any improvement is better than no improvement,” said Fung, as quoted by Reuters. "Find one item you can work on.”

The DASH diet recommends getting four or five servings of vegetables per day, and the same amount of fruit as well, in addition to four or five servings of legumes, seeds and nuts each week.

Results were published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

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September 18, 2011

from: www.helpingyoucare.com

Vegan Diet Lowers Cholesterol

A new study conducted by Canadian scientists has found that a special vegetarian diet including soy, nuts, viscous & plant sterol, lowered bad cholesterol significantly, without the assistance of drugs, over a six month period. In fact, study participants on this diet showed a significantly greater lowering of bad cholesterol than those on an ordinary vegetarian diet of low-fat and whole grains, over the same period.

The new study, conducted by David J. A. Jenkins, M.D., of St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto, and colleagues, is published in the August 24/31, 2011 issue of JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association.

The new study “represents the first randomized trial to our knowledge to assess the ability of an intervention that counsels for consumption of these cholesterol-lowering foods to reduce LDL-C at 6-month follow-up in real-world conditions,” the researchers wrote.

Methodology

In the study, a group of 345 Canadian who volunteered for the study were selected to participate on the basis of having initially high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (“LDL-C” or bad Cholesterol), ranging from 135 to 205 mg/dL for the men in the study, and from 116 to 178 mg/dL for the postmenopausal women in the study. None of the participants had a personal or family history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, or diabetes, and none of the participants were currently taking any cholesterol-lowering medications.

The participants were randomly divided into three groups — two “intervention groups” who went on the special vegetarian diet, high in soy protein, nuts, viscous, and plant sterols, and a control group who went on a vegetarian low-saturated fat diet with high fiber and whole grains, including whole grain cereals, fruit and vegetables, but not containing any of the four mentioned cholesterol-lowering foods (soy, nuts, viscous, and plant sterols). Over the six months of the study, one of the intervention groups (routine) received counseling in two one-hour visits, and the other intervention group (intensive) received seven such counseling visits.

According the the study report, the special foods selected for the intervention diet (soy, nuts, viscous and plant sterols) have previously been recognized by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), based on prior studies, as being associated with lowering of cholesterol and improved heart health. “Many of these foods [also] have other attributes, including lowering the glyceimic index, which may aid in reducing disease risk for cardiovascular heart disease, diabetes, and obesity,” the researchers stated. However, according to the authors, the long-term effect of diets rich in these foods compared to conventional dietary advice had not previously been measured.

A sample of the special diet assigned to the intervention groups in the study, compared to the control group diet, is shown in a chart called “Representative Diets Followed in Control and Dietary Portfolio Treatment Groups,” that is linked with the published study report in JAMA.

Here is a sample of the foods included in the special cholesterol-lowering diet, provided by the study authors:

Breakfast:

Hot oat bran cereal, soy beverage, strawberries, sugar and psyllium, oat bran bread, enriched margarine (enriched with plant sterols), and double-fruit jam

Snack: ( all Snacks could be eaten with meals, if desired)

Almonds, soy beverage, fresh fruit

Lunch:

Spicy black bean soup, Sandwich (soy deli slices, oat bran bread, enriched margarine, lettuce, tomato, cucumber)

Snack:

Almonds, psyllium, fresh fruit

Dinner:

Tofu bake with ratatouille (firm tofu, eggplant, onions, sweet peppers), pearled barley, vegetables (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower)

Snack:

Fresh fruit, psyllium, soy beverage

The researchers measured the LDL-C levels of the study participants at the beginning of the study, at each of their counseling visits, and at six months, to determine the effect of the assigned diets on the participants’ LDL-C cholesterol levels over six months.

The overall attrition rate of the participants was not significantly different between the three study groups (18 percent for intensive dietary group, 23 percent for routine dietary group, and 26 percent for control group).

Findings

The researchers found that at the end of six months on the assigned diets, the LDL-C cholesterol levels of those on the special cholesterol-lowing diet who received 7 counseling sessions (intensive group) were reduced by an average of 13.8 percent, the LDL-C cholesterol levels of those on the special diet who received two counseling sessions (routine group) were reduced by an average of 13.1 percent, and the LDL-C cholesterol levels of those in the control group were reduced by 3.0 percent.

“Percentage LDL-C reductions for each dietary portfolio were significantly more than the control diet,” the authors wrote. “The 2 dietary portfolio interventions did not differ significantly. Among participants randomized to one of the dietary portfolio interventions, percentage reduction in LDL-C on the dietary portfolio was associated with dietary adherence,” the researchers stated.

The special diet achieved these significant reductions in LDL-C (bad cholesterol), “without lowering HDL-C [good cholesterol],” according to the study authors.

The researchers also found that the intensive cholesterol-lowering diet let to a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure of 2.1 mm Hg, compared with the control diet. In addition, the Cholesterol-lowering diet reduced the calculated 10-year cardiovascular heart disease risk by 11.3% in the intensive intervention dietary group, and by 10.8% in the routine intervention group, according to the study authors. These reductions were significantly greater than the .5% reduction in cardiovascular heart disease risk in the control group, the researchers found.

“In conclusion,” the authors wrote, “this study indicated the potential value of using recognized cholesterol-lowering foods in combination. We believe this approach has clinical application. A meaningful 13 percent LDL-C reduction can be obtained after only 2 clinic visits of approximately 60-and 40-minute sessions.”

The authors observed that upon joining the study the study participants, “were already consuming an acceptable background diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.” Therefore, they further concluded “this approach may underestimate the effectiveness of the diet when applied to those individuals who are not already following therapeutic diets.”

Implications – Is Changing Your Diet Enough?

“A lot of people rely on the medication, but diet is really powerful actually,” Dr. Jenkins, the study’s lead author, who is a professor of nutrition and metabolism at University of Toronto, told Reuters Health. He suggested that doctors should encourage their patients with high cholesterol to try diet changes, if they’re interested, according to Reuters. “A couple of visits to a nutritionist might be enough for motivated patients to make the switch to a plant-based, higher-fiber diet,” he added.

“The diet only is enough for the majority of the people that have a not-so-good lifestyle,” Dr. Joan Sabate, head of nutrition at Loma Linda University in California (who was not involved in the study), told Reuters Health. “By changing the diet and their lifestyle they can establish good control of their cholesterol,” she said.

“The main takeaway here is that people can lower their cholesterol with diet if they put their minds to it,” Dr. Jenkins, lead author of the study, told ABC News. “These can be small changes. We’re not asking people to live behind bars,” he said.

More Information

The full study report is available in the August 24/31, 2011 issue of JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association.

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September 4, 2011

from: www.pcrm.org

Americans with diabetes almost doubled their spending on medications in the past six years. But two new studies led by PCRM experts provide powerful evidence that a low-fat vegan diet is an effective approach to type 2 diabetes.

In a long-term clinical trial published in a May supplement to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, PCRM researchers found that a plant-based diet helps people with diabetes lose weight and improve their blood sugar and cholesterol. An earlier publication showed that the diet is effective over the short term. The new report shows that benefits persisted a year beyond the initial 22-week study period.

Participants following a vegan diet lost an average of 9.7 pounds, compared with 6.6 pounds for those following a more conventional diabetes diet. Improvements in hemoglobin A1c—a measure of blood sugar control—and total and LDL cholesterol were also greater in the vegan diet group.

The new study is the longest and best-controlled study of diet and diabetes management to date. Previous studies collected data for six months or less.

The second paper, a scientific review of observational and interventional studies in May’s Nutrition Reviews, found that vegetarian and vegan diets are consistently associated with lower rates of diabetes, heart disease, and overweight.

Both studies are authored by PCRM president Neal Barnard, M.D., and other doctors and dietitians with PCRM, the George Washington University, and the University of Toronto.

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August  28,2011

from:  www.cnn.com

(CNN) -- By the time he reached the White House, Bill Clinton's appetite was legend. He loved hamburgers, steaks, chicken enchiladas, barbecue and french fries but wasn't too picky. At one campaign stop in New Hampshire, he reportedly bought a dozen doughnuts and was working his way through the box until an aide stopped him.

Former President Clinton now considers himself a vegan. He's dropped more than 20 pounds, and he says he's healthier than ever. His dramatic dietary transformation took almost two decades and came about only after a pair of heart procedures and some advice from a trusted doctor.

His dietary saga began in 1993, when first lady Hillary Clinton decided to inaugurate a new, healthier diet for her husband. In a meeting, she asked Dr. Dean Ornish to work with the White House chefs, who were accustomed to high fat, French cuisine.

What your cholesterol numbers really mean

"The president did like unhealthy foods, and we were able to put soy burgers in White House, for example, and get foods that were delicious and nutritious," said Ornish, director and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California. Other new menu items included such healthy fare as stir fry vegetables with tofu, and salmon with vegetables.

Ornish: Asking the right questions about health care

Even with the revamped White House menu, Clinton battled his weight throughout his two terms as president. At his annual physical in 1999, the White House physician noted the president had put on 18 pounds since a checkup two years earlier. The prescription: refocus on exercise and a low-calorie diet.

Clinton didn't know it, but weight was not his biggest health concern. The 42nd president has a family history of heart disease, and plaque was building up in the coronary arteries leading to his heart, undetected by White House doctors.

American Heart Association: Learn and live

In 2004, less than four years after leaving office, the 58-year-old Clinton felt what he described as a tightness in his chest as he returned home from New Orleans, where he was promoting his memoir, "My Life." Days later, he underwent quadruple bypass surgery to restore blood flow to his heart.

"I was lucky I did not die of a heart attack," Clinton told CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta. After the surgery, the former president cut down on his calories and lowered the cholesterol in his diet, but his heart troubles were not over.

Last year, the former president went to Haiti to support the relief efforts but he felt weak. When he returned home, he learned he needed another heart procedure: two stents to open one of the veins from his bypass surgery, which had become, in Clinton's words, "pretty bent and ugly."

Ornish recalls meeting with Clinton a few days after his angioplasty. "I shared with him that because of his genetics, moderate changes in diet and lifestyle weren't enough to keep his disease from progressing. However, our research showed that more intensive changes change actually reverse progression of heart disease in most people."

Will you have a heart attack? These tests can tell

"I told him, 'The friends that mean the most to me are the ones that tell me what I need to hear, not necessarily what I want to hear. And you need to know your genes are not your fate. And I say this not to blame you but to empower you. And I'm happy to work with you to whatever extent you want,'" Ornish recalled. They met a few days later, he said.

Clinton then decided to make profound changes in the way he eats.  "I essentially concluded that I had played Russian roulette," Clinton said, "because even though I had changed my diet some and cut down on the caloric total of my ingestion and cut back on much of the cholesterol in the food I was eating, I still -- without any scientific basis to support what I did -- was taking in a lot of extra cholesterol without knowing if my body would produce enough of the enzyme to support it, and clearly it didn't or I wouldn't have had that blockage. So that's when I made a decision to really change."  The former president now says he consumes no meat, no dairy, no eggs, almost no oil.

"I like the vegetables, the fruits, the beans, the stuff I eat now," Clinton told Gupta.

The former president's goal is to avoid any food that could damage his blood vessels. His dietary guides are Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr., who directs the cardiovascular prevention and reversal program at The Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Both doctors have concluded that a plant-based diet can prevent and, in some cases, actually reverse heart disease.

"All my blood tests are good, and my vital signs are good, and I feel good, and I also have, believe it or not, more energy," Clinton said. His latest goal: getting his weight down to 185, what he weighed when he was 13 years old.

Clinton is trying to spread his newfound zeal for healthy eating to children. The Clinton Foundation has teamed up with the American Heart Association and is helping 12,000 schools promote exercise and offer better lunches so decades from now, today's children will not face the same heart troubles he has.

"It's turning a ship around before it hits the iceberg, but I think we're beginning to turn it around," Clinton said.

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August 14, 2011

from:  www.seabirds.com

The rumors are true! The Seabirds Truck with team Nicole, Stephanie & Raya (pictured above left to right) were contestants on Season 2 of The Great Food Truck Race. Unfortunately, we cannot reveal the outcome (thats a HUGE fine) but we can tell you that it was awesome, stressful, hard as hell, crazy and exciting.

Once the show airs we will be able to talk more about it, so for now, sit tight and be sure to watch the premier on Aug 14th &  check out our promo clip. Personally, I think it’s hilarious that they chose our closing line in our clip to be half of a sentence, “We’re vegan and we can’t eat everything-.” (get out!) … Hmmm, next T-shirt slogan?

The Great Food Truck Race airs Sunday nights at 9pm ET on the Food Network! No cable? Watch on Hulu.com

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July 31, 2011

from:  www.msnbc.msn.com

Loading up on fruits and veggies makes you live longer

Study: Increasing vegetable intake promotes cardiovascular health and overall longevity

To the likely delight of nagging parents, a new study shows that people who eat more fruit and veggies tend to live longer.

Plants from the mustard family -- including broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower -- seem particularly beneficial, although the study can't prove that eating more vegetables automatically increases longevity.

It's possible, for instance, that those who consume lots of produce also have a healthier lifestyle in general.

Still, the findings "provide strong support for the current recommendation to increase vegetable consumption to promote cardiovascular health and overall longevity," study researcher Dr. Xianglan Zhang, of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, told Reuters Health.

Mustard-family vegetables are high in vitamin C and fiber and also contain other nutrients that may have health benefits.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is based on a survey of nearly 135,000 adults from Shanghai, China.

Participants filled out questionnaires about their eating habits and health history, and the researchers then divided them into five categories according to how much produce they ate.

Over five years, four percent of the people died. Those who downed the most vegetables or fruits, however, were 15 percent less likely to die over that period than those who ate the fewest.

For mustard-family vegetables, there was an even bigger difference in death rates between people with high and low intakes.

The researchers found a similar pattern when they looked at people dying from heart disease -- about a quarter of all deaths in the study. But there was no evidence that eating fruits and vegetables was linked to cancer risk.

According to Dr. Lydia Bazzano, who was not involved in the study, the results are promising. But they don't prove that just eating more fruit and vegetables will necessarily make people live longer.

"Unmeasured health habits may account for some of the association,"

Bazzano, of Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, told Reuters Health.

The researchers did try to rule out alternative explanations -- such as age, weight, exercise, vitamin use, and smoking -- but acknowledge there could be more factors at play.

Still, they encourage people to eat more produce, especially vegetables from the mustard family, as a step toward living longer, healthier lives.

Heart disease is the leading killer worldwide, causing more than 600,000 deaths every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends eating two to four cups of fruit and vegetables daily.

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July 24, 2011

from: www.farmusa.org

FARM's President Celebrates Birthday by Distributing Vegan Ice Cream

How did FARM Founder and President Dr. Alex Hershaft celebrate his birthday this past Friday, July 1st? By distributing free vegan ice cream sandwiches  to more than 200 folk dancers at the historic Glen Echo Park in Montgomery County MD! Alex is a regular dancer at these events, and for his birthday, he fulfilled his own wish by getting nearly every attendee to give a a tasty vegan treat a try.

The So Delicious Mini ice cream sandwiches were a huge hit, and each was accompanied with one of FARM’s popular “Live Vegan” brochures. Some of the dancers were so impressed they even took the time to take photos for us and help distribute the ice cream!

Ice cream feed-ins are continually proving to be a very well-received type of vegan activism. Please contact us [Farm USA] for tips on hosting your own event. Special thanks to Turtle Mountain for donating the vegan ice cream.

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July 17, 2011

from:  www.prnewswire.com

Red is the New Green

and other topics from Food Nutrition and Science

Red-hued fruits are rich in antioxidants that can tamper inflammation and can be effective as cancer fighting agents, according to an article in the June issue of Food Nutrition & Science. According to her article, Registered Dietician Donna Fields suggests eating foods such as tomatoes and tomato products, watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava, apricots, red peppers, papaya, and especially Caribbean Red papaya.

According to Fields, what makes these fruits so vibrantly colored are naturally occurring yellow, orange and red pigments called carotenoids. Primary dietary carotenoids include lutein, beta-carotene, lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin, all of which act as antioxidants in the body. Results from a variety of epidemiological studies indicate that a high intake of lycopene-rich foods can reduce the risk of several types of cancers, most notably prostate cancer.

"We continue to learn that bright colored fruits and vegetables are best for our bodies," says Phil Lempert, founder of Food Nutrition & Science and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com. "This gives retailers an opportunity to merchandise their stores year round with bright colored fruit and also make a personal connection with their customers to help them better understand the health benefits and what they should be buying."

Also in the June edition of Food Nutrition & Science, the results of study conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut and published in the recent issue of The Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that although supplemental calcium use and calcium density were highest in older age groups, they were not sufficient in meeting recommended levels. Researchers believe that the decline of dietary calcium in supplement users could potentially result from a false sense of security created by taking a calcium supplement, and thus leading to less attention, over time, to dietary sources.

In addition, this month's Food Nutrition & Science highlights a recent partnership between Eco MV, a packaging and food service disposables company, and D'Agostino's Supermarkets and Murray's Chicken.  Eco MV is taking their 100 percent plant-based compostable, biodegradable meat and poultry trays to all 18 D'Agostino's supermarkets in the New York City-Westchester area, and Murray's Chicken. Murray's Chicken will be the first poultry producer to embrace the compostable, sustainably-produced, gluten-free trays.

"Fresh food packaging at supermarkets has become one of the biggest eco-challenges facing retailers today," says Lempert. "Tens of millions of foam trays are used annually in supermarkets for packaging fresh food so I applaud these companies. I know it will make a difference."

Other articles include news about the technological advancement taking place in greenhouse crop products; results of a study on climate change and its effect on agriculture; an interview with John Flocchini, a third generation bison farmer in Gillette, Wyoming; and an interview with Chef Julie Hasson, author of a new cookbook titled Vegan Diner.

Food Nutrition & Science is a free monthly newsletter with articles relating to retailers, manufacturers, farmers, nutritionists, educators, government agencies and more. It's also a newsletter that services members of the National Grocer Association and offers breaking food news and articles on food safety and industry-wide green initiatives.  Food Nutrition & Science is committed to covering topics and trends that interest anyone with a stake in the food industry including supermarket retailers, food manufacturers and consumers.  Each issue contains an interview with a farmer.

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July 10, 2011

from:  www.vegsource.com

Vegetarian diets HEALTHIER IN EVERY WAY than diets with meat

Vegetarian diets are not just better for weight management, they are more nutritious than diets that include meat, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. With two out of three Americans needing to lose weight, the message is more urgent than ever.

The new findings are based on a study including 13,292 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Not only were vegetarians slimmer than their meat-eating counterparts, their fiber intake was 24 percent higher and calcium intake was 17 percent higher. Vegetarians also consumed more magnesium, potassium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E, and less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

The study was accompanied by an editorial concluding that “the benefits of following a plant-based diet can be valuable beyond weight loss goals.” Specifically, the editorial noted, vegetarians have lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and “lower risk for many disease states including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and hypertension.”

At PCRM, we have often used vegan diets to help people lose weight or improve diabetes or other health problems. In our 2006 review, 38 of 40 published studies comparing vegetarians and nonvegetarians showed that vegetarians weighed less. We also found that adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet brings a dramatic improvement in nutrition. Cholesterol and saturated fat intake plummet, while fiber, beta-carotene, and important vitamins increase. Using the Harvard School of Public Health’s Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) score, we have found that vegan participants excel in every AHEI category.

So this raises the question: If meat tends to crowd out nutritious vegetables, beans, and whole grains, and increases the risk for disease, why would anyone recommend it? The answer is that they shouldn’t.

When the USDA released its new MyPlate diagram on June 2, it looked very much like PCRM’s Power Plate developed in 2009 in that it included no meat group. However, instead of PCRM’s “legume group,” USDA opted for a “protein” group that includes beans and soy products, as well as meat. While USDA is slowly moving in the right direction, there is no scientific reason to include meat at all. Avoiding animal products is a key step for maximizing good nutrition and good health.

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July 3, 2011

from: www.arconference.org

The Animal Rights 2011 National Conference is the world's largest and oldest animal rights gathering.

The Conference will take place on July 21-25th in Los Angeles, CA at the Westin LAX Hotel.

Check out the AR2011 Program Schedule

HIGHLIGHTS

•More than 100 speakers from 60 organizations

•Sessions on animal abuse, organizing, tactics, issues

•Eyewitness reports on key campaigns

•Diverse approaches to animal liberation

•Talks by other social justice leaders

•Awards to celebrities and activists

•Extensive learning and networking options

•90 exhibits (free & open to the public)

•40 videos, including premieres

•Highly discounted sleeping rooms

•Free morning & evening vegan snacks

NEW PROGRAM FEATURES

•Each day starts with a morning plenary

•A special plenary on arguing animal rights

•Speed touting - a one-minute slot to promote your project at a plenary

•Several hands-on training workshops on public speaking, negotiation, street interactions, and more.

SELECTED SPEAKERS (click for complete list)

Gene Baur - Farm Sanctuary

Marc Bekoff - University of Colorado

Michael Budkie - Stop Animal Exploitation

Karen Davis - United Poultry Concerns

Debra Erenberg - Amnesty International

Bruce Friedrich - Farm Sanctuary

Camille Hankins - Win Animal Rights

Alex Hershaft - Farm Animal Rights Movement

Melanie Joy - author, Why We Love Dogs Eat Pigs

Shannon Keith - Animal Rescue

Anthony Marr - Global Anti-Hunting

Shirley McGreal - Int'l Primate Protection

Erica Meier - Compassion Over Killing

Dawn Moncrief - A Well-Fed World

Peter Muller - League of Humane Voters

Jack Norris - Vegan Outreach

Alex Pacheco - 600 Million Stray Dogs Need You

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau - Compassionate Cooks

Will Potter - Green Is the New Red

Becky Robinson - Alley Cat Allies

Nathan Runkle - Mercy For Animals

Sam Simon - co-creator, The Simpsons

Brenda Shoss - Kinship Circle

Peter Young - Voice of the Voiceless

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

•People who care about animals

•People who want to learn about animals

•Animal activists

•Leaders of animal protection organizations

•Producers & retailers of animal-friendly products

•Providers of animal-friendly services

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June 19, 2011

from: www. encognitive.com

Kale, Collards And Spinach Beat Carrots For Protecting Aging Eyes

When you hit 40, you know reading glasses are not far behind. But as you pass 50 and 60, age-related eye diseases become a much bigger worry. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness for people 65 and older, while cataracts contribute to nearly half of blindness worldwide.

Researchers don't know for sure what causes either of these sight saboteurs, but they do know that older age, light-colored eyes, smoking and exposure to sunlight increase a person's risk. Researchers speculate that oxidative damage may be the crux of the problem and, thus, may hold the solution. For ARMD, that's critical, because unlike cataracts, for which surgery is available, treatment options for ARMD are few.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Can anything stave off ARMD, which occurs when macular cells in the center of the retina deteriorate? One clue: The retina is rich in fatty substances, making it susceptible to oxidation.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Researchers at the National Eye Institute found that people with higher intakes of antioxidant carotenoids--particularly betacarotene, lutein and zeaxanthin--have less risk of ARMD. When they narrowed the foods that provided apparent defense, dark green leafy vegetables were found to offer a degree of protection carrots couldn't muster.

They then zeroed in on lutein and zeaxanthin, found in dark greens like kale and spinach, because these two carotenoids are concentrated in the yellowish macular pigment of the retina. As antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin help defend the retina against free radicals plus help maintain blood vessels in the macula. They also filter out blue light, which researchers believe is the most damaging to eyesight.

Consider recent evidence. Two separate studies show that eating foods rich in lutein can increase macular pigment. The Eye Disease Case-Control Study found that those with the highest blood levels of lutein and zeaxanthin were 70% less likely to develop ARMD than those with the lowest levels. And people who ate spinach and collard greens five or more times a week (averaging 6 milligrams of lutein a day) had 43% less risk of ARMD than those who consumed the greens less than once a month. Moreover, the Nurses' Health Study found that eating spinach more than five days a week lowered risk by 47%.

Some research suggests that other antioxidants, notably vitamins C and E, may be needed for lutein and zeaxanthin to effectively protect the retina.

Glutathione. Paul Sternberg, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, is currently researching another powerful antioxidant, glutathione. Certain compounds in fruit, especially apples, have been shown to boost levels of glutathione in the retina. Now, Sternberg is studying whether oral glutathione supplements can prevent retinal damage.

Cataracts

Cataracts occur when the protein portion of the lens clumps together and clouds small areas of the lens, interfering with vision. Researchers believe this results from oxidative damage.

Vitamin C. Researchers from San Francisco reviewed government surveys and found that people with high blood levels of vitamin C were much less likely to have cataracts. Another study showed that people who took C supplements for 10 years or more had 77% fewer "early" cataracts and 83% fewer moderate cataracts.

Vitamin E. Studies have found fewer cataracts in people with high blood levels of vitamin E as well as in those who take E supplements--in one study, the risk was cut in half. However, not all research has been as positive.

Carotenoids. Just as leafy greens are thought to help fend off ARMD, they also may guard against cataracts. The Nurses' Health Study found that women eating cooked spinach more than twice a week had about one-third fewer cataracts needing surgery than those who ate spinach less than once a month.

Weight. The weight gain that often accompanies aging may be a risk factor for cataracts, perhaps because of a link to high blood pressure. Data from the Physicians' Health Study found that those with a Body Mass Index (BMI)-a measure of body weight compared to height--of nearly 28 and above were 25% more likely to develop cataracts than those with a BMI under 22.

Eye on Supplements. Should you take supplements marketed to protect your eyes, such as ICaps by Alcan Labs? No, says the National Eye Institute (NEI). Although researchers have linked foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin to healthy eyes, the NEI cautions there's little evidence that supplemental lutein can reduce the risk of ARMD or cataracts.

"Whether supplements can improve eye health has not yet been shown," says Emily Y. Chew, M.D., deputy director of epidemiology and clinical research at NEI. "We don't yet know if [supplemental] lutein has adverse effects." Other substances found with lutein and zeaxanthin in foods may play roles just as important; isolating only two carotenoids may not be wise.

As for other supplements, Chew is currently heading the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, a 10-year trial of 5,000 older men and women testing whether the development of ARMD or cataracts is slowed by supplemental antioxidants (vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc, plus copper to prevent zinc deficiency). Results of the study are due out this year. Other research shows that simply taking a multivitamin can reduce cataract risk by one-third. And vitamin E supplements might cut risk even more.

EN's Bottom Line. For now, food sources are your best bet for eye-protective antioxidants. For one, lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the macula in a ratio similar to that found in foods. Moreover, some research suggests that lutein is most effective when accompanied by other antioxidants, as naturally occurs in fruits and vegetables. Most important, almost all the research to date has linked disease prevention to foods, not supplements. EN advises focusing on these sight-saving tips:

* Eat dark green vegetables and other lutein-rich foods every day (see chart, above).

* Eat two servings of fruit every day.

* Consume at least two rich sources of vitamin C every day, especially citrus fruits and juices, kiwi, sweet and hot peppers, strawberries, broccoli, papaya, cantaloupe and kale, plus a moderately rich source like Brussels sprouts, mango, cauliflower, tomatoes, cabbage and potatoes.

* Incorporate vitamin E-rich foods, like wheat germ, seeds and nuts (especially almonds, peanuts, pistachios and walnuts) into daily menus. Consider a natural vitamin E supplement (100 to 400 IU a day).

* Take a daily multivitamin/mineral.

* Maintain a desirable weight.

* Shade your eyes with sunglasses and a hat whenever you are in the sun.

* Don't smoke.

Looking for Lutein

Foods Lutein and

zeaxanthin

(combined milligrams)

Kale, 1/2 cup cooked 10.3

Collard greens, 1/2 cup cooked 6.9

Spinach, 1/2 cup cooked 6.7

Turnip greens, 1/2 cup cooked 6.1

Spinach, 1 cup raw, chopped 6.0

Cornmeal, yellow, 1 cup uncooked 1.9

Broccoli, 1/2 cup cooked 1.7

Corn kernels, 1/2 cup cooked 1.5

Zucchini, 1/2 cup raw with skin 1.3

Peas, canned, 1/2 cup 1.1

Brussels sprouts, 1/2 cup cooked 1.0

Persimmon, 1 medium 1.4

Orange juice, from concentrate,

8 ounces 0.3

Orange, 1 medium 0.2

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June 12, 2011

from:  www.myplate.gov

Your food and physical activity choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future.

These tips and ideas are a starting point. You will find a wealth of suggestions here that can help you get started toward a healthy diet. Choose a change that you can make today, and move toward a healthier you.

Tips to help you:

  • Make at least half your grains whole grains

  • Vary your veggies

  • Focus on fruit

  • Get your calcium rich foods

  • Go lean with protein

  • Find your balance between food and physical activity

  • Keep food safe to eat

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June 5, 2011

Vegan Chef and Food Justice Activist Inspires Students

By Fatima Mirza

from:  www.highlandernews.org

Bryant Terry is definitely not just a vegan chef. And when he came to speak to UCR students and staff on Tuesday, May 17th, he did not just deliver a speech—he did so much more. Terry inspired the audience with his charismatic presence and spoke about much deeper matters than the culinary arts.

In the past, Bryant Terry has been described as an "eco-super hero," a food justice activist and not to mention a great chef. Amongst his other many accomplishments, he is the author of two critically acclaimed books—"Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African- American Cuisine" and "Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen." His popular books were on sale at the event and audience members had an opportunity to meet with him and have their book signed.

To an audience of approximately a hundred students and faculty, Terry spoke of topics such as food justice, explaining how important it is that everyone has access to healthy food options. He described the disadvantages that low-income communities face when it comes to acquiring resources and how often times they have no choice but to purchase unhealthy processed food.

Lazaro Cardenas, a first year student who was moved by Bryant Terry's talk said, "Bryant Terry broke down how the social justice movement cannot exist without the existence of some kind of conscious food movement. His presentation, charismatic yet sincere, really went along with issues that I have been studying in my health psychology class. There are many urban communities that struggle with just getting healthy food, organic or otherwise, rather than the convenient McDonalds."

Aside from educating the UCR community on food justice, Terry gave many tips to audience members. One thing he suggested was for communities to partake in collective gardening and dinners as well. That way, members can pool their resources together to create a successful, healthy meal.

Rhiannon Little, the Program Coordinator for African Student Programs was very pleased with the event. "He gave tips on how to prepare vegetables so that it maintains its nutritional value," said Little.

Little and Cardenas both noted that the highlight of the night was when Terry did a food demonstration for audience members. He prepared one of the recipes from his book—Chilled Citrus Broccoli Salad. The dish was something that was refreshing, simple to make and very healthy to eat. Twenty or so audience members jumped at the chance to line up and sample his creation once he finished.

"Making a fresh salad for the audience was a delicious end to a very heartwarming and inspirational talk," noted Cardenas.

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May 29, 2011

Cheryl Ladd's take on junk food

by: Mike Bundrant

from:  www.naturalnews.com

I was scheduled to speak with Charlie's ex-angel Cheryl Ladd about menopause, osteoporosis and hormone therapy, but that wasn't the most interesting part of our 30-minute conversation. In that brief phone call, Cheryl revealed the secret that keeps Hollywood greats in great shape - superhuman personal discipline, with just a tad of junk food indulgence. You'll be shocked at what a "tad" means.

Cheryl was engaged in a campaign to encourage women to speak to their doctors upon entering menopause, as many women are hesitant to do so and simply do not understand the hormonal consequences of the change. For Cheryl, the adjustment to menopause came slowly and with a price.

"I was suffering," she told me. "It took a lot of patience on my husband's part! I personally suffered for over a year before he finally said, 'honey, we've got to go to the doctor because something is going on with you. You're just not yourself.' You can imagine how brave he was to say anything at the time because of my tendency to cry for two hours at the slightest provocation!"

When I asked about the role of diet and exercise at this point in her life she replied, "They've been enormously important. Statistically, if you look at people who are obese and the amount of complications that come with that - diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure - eating well and exercising is extremely important to reduce the risk of these diseases. It isn't a magic bullet that will keep you from having any health issues, but it really helps you maintain general health."

How much does Cheryl Ladd in indulge in junk food? Here is her answer: "I believe we can have some of the things we want and like to use this analogy: I love cinnamon rolls and I eat two of them every year. I make it a really specially occasion on my birthday I'll have a big ole cinnamon roll dripping with butter! And, you know, that's it! You can't live a rule that's says no cinnamon rolls ever! So I have them a couple of times per year and make it a really special time."

Rules and discipline about junk food and other reality distortions.

First of all, it is mind boggling that we are attracted to foods that kill us and need to figure out how to control ourselves around them. So, the starting point for the issue of discipline around food is a distorted reality that was "imagineered" by the food industry and embraced by the populace. Sugar bombs, chemically laden non-foods with artificial colors and greasy, partially hydrogenated treats are pushed upon us by the food giants as if they are man's best friends. In reality, bad food is our worst possible enemy. Think about it. Most people struggle daily to control their compulsion to ingest substances that poison their bodies and kill them from the inside out! Reality distortions aren't mere mind games. They make their way into every cell of your body.

If we accept the mind blow that we are attracted to poison, then Cheryl Ladd's approach is clearly the only way to go. Pick your favorite poison and indulge in it once or twice a year. But what if there were a better solution, one that didn't involve invoking incredible will power within the distorted reality that poisonous food is yummy?

This is where we need to be thoroughly reeducated and even re-socialize ourselves in order to get clear. We should learn to question even the most basic premises that we have been taught, not only about our food, but also our government, communities and families. When we question the reality that is presented to us, even by the most "trusted" sources, our inner paradigm reorganizes and we begin to have real choice.

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May 22, 2011

from:  www.stopagingnow.com

These Superfoods Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Bioactive compounds found in the full spectrum of berries, and especially blueberries, are shown to lower blood pressure and prevent hypertension, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The results provide fresh proof that this great tasting source of beneficial phytonutrients can lower the risk associated with a heart attack.

“Our findings are exciting and suggest that an achievable dietary intake of anthocyanins may contribute to the prevention of hypertension,” said lead author Professor Aedin Cassidy of the Department of Nutrition at the University of East Anglia’s Medical School. Approximately one-quarter of all adults worldwide and as many as one in three Americans suffer from hypertension, a leading cause of heart disease and death from a heart attack.

Blueberry Consumption Linked to Lower Blood Pressure Readings

The team of scientists followed nearly 200,000 men and women over a period of 14 years and assessed their intake of flavonoids from a variety of natural foods including apples, orange juice, blueberries, red wine and strawberries. They found that the group consuming the highest amount of anthocyanins (found mainly in blueberries and strawberries in the US) were 8% less likely to develop hypertension over the period of the study.

A more in-depth analysis showed that consumption of blueberries in particular conveyed the highest degree of protection against developing high blood pressure with a 10% lower incidence for those eating the fruit once a week. Dr. Cassidy noted, “Our findings are exciting and suggest that an achievable dietary intake of anthocyanins may contribute to the prevention of hypertension.” Hypertension is a leading risk factor for heart attack, and this finding could translate to a significant reduction in the number of people suffering a cardiovascular event.

Members of the Berry Family Lower Risk of Chronic Disease

Nutrition researchers will now begin to identify the different sources of anthocyanins as well as the ideal dose necessary to prevent hypertension. Most berry varieties are packed with flavonoids and anthocyanins that have been shown to lower the risk of chronic illness from heart disease, stroke, diabetes and premature brain aging.

Extensive scientific studies now exist showing how berry consumption, and especially blueberries help to prevent diseases of the brain that result in cognitive decline and dementia. The special compounds that give berries their deep purple and reddish colors are able to cross into the brain where they exert a powerful effect to thwart functional decline.

The bottom line: We now have evidence that berry consumption can prevent hypertension and lower heart attack risk. Until exact standards are developed, nutrition experts advise eating one-half to a full cup of berries several times a week to protect the heart and the brain.

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May 15, 2011

from:   www.usnews.com

Vegetarian Diet Cuts Kidney Patients' Levels of Toxic Phosphorus

Diet made it easier to eliminate potentially hazardous substance from blood, urine

Eating a vegetarian diet lowers kidney disease patients' levels of potentially toxic phosphorus in the blood and urine, says a small new study.

Kidney disease patients have to limit their intake of phosphorous -- which is found in dietary proteins and is a common food additive -- because their bodies have difficulty ridding themselves of the mineral. In these patients, high levels of phosphorus can lead to heart disease and death.

This study examined the effects of vegetarian and meat-based diets on phosphorous levels in nine patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Each patient ate a vegetarian or meat-based diet for one week and then waited two to four weeks before eating the other diet for a week.

The researchers conducted blood and urine tests at the end of each week on both diets. Even though the two diets had equivalent protein and phosphorus concentrations, patients had lower blood and urine phosphorus levels after they ate the vegetarian diet.

The investigators didn't examine the reasons for this difference, but they noted that a grain-based diet has a lower phosphate-to-protein ratio and much of the phosphate is in the form of phytate, which is not absorbed in humans.

The findings show that the source of protein in a diet has a major effect on phosphorous levels in chronic kidney disease patients, concluded Dr. Sharon Moe, Indiana University School of Medicine and Roudebush Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, and colleagues.

"These results, if confirmed in longer studies, provide rationale for recommending a predominance of grain-based vegetarian sources of protein to patients with CKD. This diet would allow increased protein intake without adversely affecting phosphorus levels," they wrote in a news release.

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May 8, 2011

from:  www.doctoroz.com

The Nutrition Plan That Will Save Your Life

Three simple, cost-effective changes can help prevent and reverse heart disease, and reduce the risk and progression of cancer. The facts will have you overhauling your kitchen, your eating habits and your bill of health.  Dairyless Calcium, Potassium and Vitamin D.

It may surprise you, but meat isn’t the highest source of bad fat. That title goes to dairy. Additionally, casein, a protein found in milk, has been linked to the growth rate of cancer. Give up dairy without depleting your supplies of calcium, potassium and vitamin D.

Boost your diet with leafy green vegetables, like collards, Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli, for calcium, and fruit, like oranges, for potassium.

Sunlight is the natural and best source of vitamin D. The vitamin D found in milk is artificially added – you’ll notice that products will boast of being “vitamin D fortified.” Soy, almond, rice and oat milk can also be fortified with vitamin D, and they are lower in saturated fat than dairy milk.

The Ultimate Diet Don’t: Processed Foods

Processed foods are stripped of nutrients and injected with sugar, salt and trans-fats, three substances that lead to obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Swap out these health saboteurs in favor of whole grains, including bread, pasta and seeds. Ditch processed sweets for fresh fruits – and enjoy as much as you like.

It’s important to remember that added vegetable oils, like olive oil, can be considered processed. Get creative with your cooking and experiment with lemon and lime juices, vinegar and spices. Plant-based foods contain natural oils, so added oils aren’t necessary during cooking.

This type of eating isn’t a diet; it’s a nutritional commitment. While vegans avoid animal and dairy products, they don’t ideologically avoid processed foods like potato chips.

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May 1, 2011

from: www.planetgreen.com

Vegan Diets Sweeping the Mainstream:

Not Just For Crunchy Hippies Anymore From fringe to center stage.

By Sara Novak

It seems only yesterday that those who chose to embark on a vegan diet found themselves on the periphery of society. A fringe, more militant version of vegetarianism, they were forced to stay at home and cook every meal with little respite from the kitchen. Not anymore.

Today, thanks to celebrity converts and more restaurant and food choices, veganism has made its way to the mainstream, at least according to a recent article in the Washington Post. My eyes were first opened to the diet in 2005 when I read the Skinny Bitch and it turns out I wasn't the only one. It seems books like this are what turned the tide for the movement.

"It's definitely more diverse. It's not what you would picture 20 years ago, which is kind of hippie, crunchy," said Isa Chandra Moskowitz, author of vegan cookbooks like the new Appetite for Reduction. She says it's easier being a vegan now because there is more local produce available and more interesting ways of cooking.

According to the Washington Post, in a 2009 survey, Vegetarian Resource Group reported about 1 percent of Americans are vegan, roughly a third of the people who reported being vegetarians.

Actress Alicia Silverstone added a dose of star power to the vegan cause more recently with The Kind Diet, a No. 1 best-seller. Planet Green released a list last year of the top Vegan Celebrity Hotties which included Natalie Portman, Cassie Affleck, Singer Fiona Apple, and Ginnifer Goodwin. It's a welcomed foodie trend as far as I'm concerned.

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April 24, 2011

from:  www.examiner.com

Getting vitamin A the vegan way prevents chronic disease

Vegan diets don’t contain preformed vitamin A, but they’re packed with compounds that the body converts to this essential nutrient. And scientists have long-known that getting vitamin A from the pro-vitamin compounds in plant foods has important benefits for health and possibly even appearance.

Findings published today in the medical journal Archives of Internal Medicine link the pro-vitamin A compound  alpha-carotene to lower risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease. The researchers, who are from UCLA and the Centers for Disease Control, looked at blood concentrations of alpha-carotene and risk of death over nearly fourteen years in 15,318 adults. The subjects were part of the government’s NHANES study which is an ongoing survey of health and nutrition among U.S. citizens.

Alpha-carotene is a chemical cousin to the better-known beta-carotene. Both are found in dark orange and green vegetables and are converted to vitamin A in the body. Although beta-carotene is the more familiar compound to most consumers, studies suggest that alpha-carotene is more effective against liver and skin cancer. The protective effects of alpha-carotene have also been observed in populations in Japan and the Netherlands.

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April 17, 2011

from:  www.suntimes.com

High-fiber diet seems to cut risks to your heart

Here’s another reason to eat your broccoli, and your beans, whole-grain bread and other fiber-rich foods. A high-fiber diet appears to reduce your lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease, according to research presented Wednesday at an American Heart Association meeting in Atlanta.

Northwestern University researchers analyzed data from more than 11,000 people who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

People in the top 25 percent in dietary fiber intake — who consume more than 22 grams of dietary fiber a day from fruits, whole grains, beans and other vegetables — were more likely to have a lower lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease, according to lead study author Hongyan Ning, a statistical analyst in preventive medicine at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

That was especially so among people 20 to 39 and 40 to 59, Ning said, adding, “The association also applies to older adults, but it’s not as strong.”

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April 10, 2011

from:  www.pcrm.org

Increased Animal Products in Diet Leads to Increased Cataract Risk

Eating animal products increases the risk of cataracts, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Based on findings from 27,670 participants in the European Prospective Investigation in Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford) study, meat intake was positively associated with risk of cataracts. The participants were divided into six diet groups: highest meat consumption, mid-range meat consumption, least meat consumption, fish-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Compared with those who ate the most meat, the risks for developing cataracts after adjusting for multiple confounders including age and smoking were as follows: mid-range meat consumption participants decreased their cataract risk by 4 percent, least meat consumption group by 15 percent, fish-eaters by 21 percent, vegetarians by 30 percent, and those who followed a vegan diet by 40 percent.

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April 3, 2011

from:  www.personalliberty.com

Healthy Cholesterol Levels May Prevent Bowel Cancer

Researchers analyzed the health data of 2,400 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study and found a correlation between high levels of healthy HDL cholesterol and a lower risk of bowel cancer.

Individuals with the highest levels of HDL cholesterol were about 20 percent less likely to have the disease, even after the authors adjusted for diet, weight and lifestyle.

The effect may be explained by the fact that HDL has been shown to be anti-inflammatory, and chronic inflammation is associated with the development of cancer, the study authors noted.

The Mayo Clinic has reported that lifestyle habits like exercise, healthy diet, non-smoking status and drinking alcohol only in moderation may influence healthy cholesterol levels. Additionally, whole grains, nuts, omega-3 fatty acids and plant sterols — like those found in certain margarines — may also help individuals increase HDL cholesterol levels.

The institution also recommends requesting a cholesterol screening from a healthcare provider if an individual is unsure about their current level, since high LDL cholesterol has been linked to various chronic illnesses, like cardiovascular disease

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March 27, 2011

from:  www.foodconsumer.org

Retinol tied to risk of prostate cancer

A new study led by researchers of the United States National Cancer Institute suggests that high intake of meat and dairy products may increase risk of prostate cancer.

The study released on March 9 2011 in the American Journal of Epidemiology found high levels of serum retinol, which is high in meat and dairy foods, were associated with increased risk of prostate cancer.

For the study, Alison M. Mondul measured retinol levels in blood samples from 29,104 men at baseline and from 22,843 after three years.

The researchers found men with their levels of serum retinol at baseline in the highest quintile were 19 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer and aggressive prostate cancer.

Data from both time points showed that the increase in the risk of prostate cancer in those with the highest quintile of retinol was 31 percent higher than that in those with the lowest quintile.

Retinol is a vitamin A found in animal-based foods such as meat and dairy foods.  It is unknown whether retinol may play any role in the carcinogenesis of the prostate gland. 

But in this study, retinol served at least as a biomarker to indicate the risk of prostate cancer.

Another type of vitamin A is carotenoids which are found in plant-based foods. Numerous studies have suggested that eating lots of fruits and vegetables has been associated with lower risk of prostate cancer.

Eiichi Kotake-Nara of Hokkaido University and colleagues published a study in 2001 in Journal of Nutrition suggesting that eating "leafy green vegetables and edible brown algae rich in neoxanthin and fucoxanthin may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer."

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March 20, 2011

from:  www.jonbarron.org

Iodine & Detoxing For Nuclear Fallout

Written by: Jon Barron

Certainly, everyone now knows about the major earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last week. And certainly, everyone who has been following this great human tragedy is also aware that three nuclear power stations are at risk. After that, however, accurate information is spottier, and speculation is far, far higher. Words such as meltdown and partial meltdown and containment are being bandied about with little understanding of what they actually mean. And far too many people outside of Japan are panicking with little justification for panic…yet.

Let me quickly explain over the next few minutes:

•What we know is happening.

•What might happen in the near future.

•What the potential dangers are.

•What precautions you might want to take -- for yourself and your children.

China syndrome -- not really

Several decades ago, it was hypothesized that in an extreme nuclear reactor accident, the reactor's core could get so hot that it might possibly melt down, burn through the containment barriers beneath it, and then continue to flow downwards through the floor of the containment building -- ultimately melting all the way through the crust of the earth and popping out on the other side in China. Thus, the name: "China syndrome."

In truth, this scenario is likely as fictional as the movie based on the name. Since the surrounding ground beneath the reactor would absorb most of the heat during a meltdown -- transferring the heat ever outward to the surrounding ground. For that reason, it is likely that the uranium core of a nuclear reactor would not melt down into the earth more than about 90-100 feet (about 30 meters), which is a bit short of the 8,000 miles needed to realize the China syndrome. So, the bottom line is that a meltdown by itself would be unlikely to pose a danger to the world at large -- although it would be severely damaging to the area immediately surrounding the reactor for many, many years to come.

Into the atmosphere

For the world at large, the danger comes when containment is broken, not downwards in a China syndrome type event, but rather in an upward direction from an explosion, which then releases substantial amounts of radioactivity high into the atmosphere by some subsequent event. For example, in the case of the Chernobyl reactor in 1986, the Number Four RBMK reactor went out of control during a test, which demolished the entire reactor building. It was a subsequent fire that then spewed large amounts of radiation high (a critical point) into the atmosphere. Once in the upper atmosphere, high winds and jet streams can carry the radioactivity all around the world, ultimately dropping radioactivity on everyone. But the reactors at Chernobyl were very, very different from the reactors in Japan. Unlike most reactors used in the developed world (including Japan), the Soviet Union RBMK reactors were built without a containment structure, the concrete and steel dome over the reactor designed to keep radiation inside the plant in the event of such an accident.

The bottom line is that even if there is a meltdown in one of the Japanese reactors, it is unlikely to breach containment in an upward direction. In fact, there has already been an explosion in one of the reactors with no breach of containment. (Understand, containment structures in nuclear reactors are really, really strong. In the United States, for example, they must be strong enough to withstand the impact of a fully loaded passenger airliner without rupture -- for obvious reasons.) And if there is any breach of containment, it is likely to be small in scope and unlikely to reach the upper atmosphere, in which case, damage would be localized, not global.

That said, it is important to recognize that "unlikely" does not mean "impossible." In other words, there is some degree of risk, no matter how small, that substantial amounts of radiation may leak from one or more of the Japanese reactors, make its way into the upper atmosphere, and ultimately drop down on the United States and the rest of the world. The amount of exposure to citizens outside of Japan would ultimately be small; but unfortunately, in the case of some types of radiation, small amounts of exposure can have significant health consequences -- particularly for the vulnerable. The particularly nasty forms of radiation that we're talking about include plutonium, iodine-131 and 134, strontium-90, and cesium-137.

Given exposure to radioactive fallout, you will want to focus on three things:

•Protecting your thyroid, the most vulnerable organ in your body

•Removing as much of the radiation as possible from your body, as quickly as possible

•Protecting your DNA from genetic mutation

Let's now talk about how we do this.

Iodine

As mentioned above, radioactive iodine-131 is one of the elements likely to be released into the upper atmosphere after a nuclear event. Carried great distances on high speed winds, it can then drop down into the lower atmosphere, where it may be breathed into the lungs. It can also contaminate crops on the ground and get into the body through food and drink. (Fruits and wines are particularly susceptible.) The problem is that your thyroid gland has a tremendous affinity for iodine, radioactive or otherwise. In other words, the thyroid gland quickly absorbs radioactive iodine, where it can injure or even kill the gland. In fact, radioactive iodine is often administered by doctors specifically to kill the thyroid as a treatment in some thyroid diseases such as Grave's disease.

If, on the other hand, you want to protect your thyroid from exposure to radioactive iodine as might be experienced through fallout, taking non-radioactive iodine just before (or immediately after) exposure will block radioactive iodine from being taken into the thyroid gland. It will thus protect this gland from injury. However, it is important to note that it will not prevent radioactive iodine, or any other form of radiation for that matter, from entering your body. It will not repair damage to the thyroid; nor will it remove the radioactive iodine once it has entered your body. Taking non-radioactive iodine before exposure will merely "pre-fill" your thyroid with iodine so that there is no room for the radioactive iodine to be taken up by your thyroid; thus the need to take the non-radioactive iodine before or immediately after exposure. Likewise, if radioactive iodine is not present or imminent, taking prophylactic non-radioactive iodine offers no protection, not to mention some risk from reactions to the high levels of supplemental iodine.

Ideally, the best time to take supplemental iodine is an hour or so before exposure, or immediately upon exposure, for maximum protection. Take it too soon in advance, and it will begin to clear the thyroid before the radioactive iodine enters the body, thus diminishing its effectiveness. (Iodine pretty much clears the thyroid in about 24 hours.) Take it too late, and the radioactive iodine will have already been taken up by the thyroid, in which case there will be little benefit. One thing to keep in mind is that a good liquid form of iodine, such as is available at most health stores will be taken up by your body almost immediately after ingestion, thus allowing you to wait until the last possible second.

Note: you don't have to jump the gun. Public health officials will advise you when you need to take supplemental iodine as protection. (Yes, I understand, they may prevaricate about the events leading up to a nuclear event. But once the event has happened and the radiation has escaped into the atmosphere, it will be impossible to hide. You will be told.) The trick is to make sure you have a supply of iodine on hand when you need it. Public health officials are prepared to provide everyone supplies of potassium iodide after a localized incident in areas surrounding a single nuclear plant, for example. But they certainly do not have enough iodine on hand to cover broad areas of a country to protect from exposure settling down from the upper atmosphere. Unfortunately, if you wait until the last minute, stores are likely to be sold out in a spree of panic buying -- as we are seeing now. Just keep an emergency supply on hand for you and your family, and you'll be fine.

The standard form of iodine used in nuclear power plants to protect workers against radiation exposure in case of a leak is potassium iodide (also called KI). It is a salt of iodine that has the virtue of being stable. It will also be the kind you hear recommended most often on television since newscasters get their marching orders from the medical community and governments. But potassium iodide is not the only form of stable iodine. In fact, all food grade sources (and extracts from those sources) such as kelp are equally stable and may be used instead. You just have to make sure you use enough.

How much iodine should I take?

According to the FDA, the following doses are appropriate to take after internal contamination with (or likely internal contamination with) radioactive iodine:

•Adults up through age 40 should take 130 mg. (Note: this is about 700 times the normal daily recommended dose of 150 mcg. Also note that most iodine supplements sold in health food stores are sold in microgram doses, not the milligrams you need for thryroid blockage.) People over the age of 40 should only take supplemental iodine if they are exposed to a large dose of radiation. Older adults are the least likely to develop thyroid cancer and the most likely to have allergic reactions to the iodine. Obviously, the older you are, the less you should think about taking prophylactic doses of iodine.

•Women who are breastfeeding should take 130 mg. Pregnant women should take only one dose. And, I hate to say this, but nursing mothers should probably stop breastfeeding if they are exposed and use formula if available. If formula is not available, continue breastfeeding.

•Children between the ages of 3 and 18 should take 65 mg. Children who weigh 150 lbs or more should take 130 mg, regardless of their age.

•Infants and toddlers between the ages of 1 month and 3 years (either nursing or non-nursing) should take 32 mg.

•Newborns from birth to 1 month (both nursing and non-nursing) should be given 16 mg. Note: newborns less than 1 month old who receive more than one dose of KI are at particular risk for developing hypothyroidism. If not treated, hypothyroidism can cause brain damage. Infants who receive supplemental iodine should have their thyroid hormone levels checked and monitored by a doctor. Avoid repeat dosing.

Note: The thyroid glands of a fetus and of an infant are most at risk of injury from radioactive iodine. Young children and people with low stores of iodine in their thyroid are also at risk of thyroid injury.

A single dose of KI protects the thyroid gland for 24 hours. A one-time dose at the levels recommended above is usually all that is needed to protect the thyroid gland. In some cases, radioactive iodine might be in the environment for more than 24 hours. If that happens, local emergency management or public health officials may tell you to take one dose of KI every 24 hours for a few days. You should do this only on the advice of emergency management officials, public health officials, or your doctor. Avoid repeat dosing with KI for pregnant and breastfeeding women and newborn infants. For those individuals, evacuation may be the best alternative until levels of radioactive iodine fall.

Taking a higher dose of iodine, or taking iodine more often than recommended, does not offer more protection and can cause severe illness or death.

Also do not take iodine:

•If you are already taking medication with high levels of iodine.

•You are allergic to iodine.

•If you have a thyroid disease that is iodine sensitive such as Grave's disease, do not take supplemental iodine without your doctor's permission and guidance.

And finally, if panic buying has cleaned your local store's shelves of iodine tablets, there is an alternative. Most people probably went to the "iodine" section of their health food store. There's a good chance they didn't check out the herbal extract section. You may find an iodine extract there that might have been ignored because the dosage "seems" low at first glance. I particularly like the Tincture of Iodine with Kelp from Vitality Works. The dosage seems low since it's listed by the drop, but each bottle contains about 195 mg of iodine, making it easy to divide as necessary to get the appropriate dose. Uptake by the body is really quick. In most cases, two-thirds of a bottle will provide 130 mg. That means 2-3 bottles will cover most families.

Is there anything else you should do?

Absolutely!

Iodine only protects the thyroid, and only protects against radioactive iodine (iodine-131 and iodine-134). It doesn't offer any protection against plutonium, cesium-137, and strontium-90, which are also likely to be present.  It doesn't clear radioactive matter from your body. It doesn't protect against damage to your genetic material. If worst comes to worst, then I recommend a three-pronged approach.

•Use supplemental prophylactic iodine as described above.

•Use a good colon detox formula that contains substantial amounts of apple pectin and montmorillonite clay. As I've said for years, apple pectin actually draws radioactive waste from your body and passes it out through your colon. It's one of the reasons I include it in my Colon Detox formula -- to remove everyday contamination. This is not wishful alternative health thinking. Apple pectin was used in the aftermath of Chernobyl to reduce the load of radioactive cesium in children. Montmorillonite clay also has a strong affinity for radioactive matter.

•Use a supplement such as a good antioxidant formula or blood cleansing formula that contains chaparral extract. The primary biochemical in chaparral, NDGA (nordihydroguaiaretic acid), has been shown to protect the body against genetic damage caused by exposure to radioactivity.

•(Addendum -- added 3/17) Keep in mind that plutonium, cesium, and strontium are all metals and so, to some degree, can be chelated from the body. Look for a heavy metal detox formula that contains both chlorella and cilantro.

Again, remember!

•We do not have an emergency situation yet.

•You don't want to take prophylactic iodine prematurely since it clears out of the thyroid in 24 hours.

•Overdosing on iodine is a distinct possibility if you get carried away. Don't get carried away.

The bottom line is that there is no need for panic. Outside of Japan, nothing has happened yet. Chill out. The odds of anything serious happening outside of Japan are very, very low. Your best bet is to make sure you have some iodine locked away for some future emergency.

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March 13, 2011

from:  www.thestreet.com

Newly released research from Penn State University highlights phytosterols, found in pistachios, may  improve cholesterol, a factor in cardiovascular health. 

"We already know that pistachios are a naturally cholesterol-free food, but this new study suggests that phytosterols, or plant sterols, in pistachios may help to reduce the absorption of cholesterol," said Constance Geiger, PhD, RD, CD and nutrition expert for the Western Pistachio Association. "Lowering cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease, so these findings give people even more reasons to snack on delicious pistachios."

Plant sterols, naturally found in many fruits, vegetables and nuts, have been long studied for their cholesterol-lowering properties. These chemical compounds help lower total cholesterol levels by blocking the amount of cholesterol absorbed in the body.

Geiger offers three easy ways to eat pistachios for improved heart health:

In the car: toss a bag of pistachios in the glove box for an easily accessible go-to food option when out running errands. Having a nutritious option within arm's reach will help you avoid drive-thru binges.

At home: fill a bowl with pistachios and set it out in the kitchen next to an empty bowl for shells for a healthier snack option.

After the gym: pistachios may help lower blood cholesterol levels, and they also offer fiber, which satisfies hunger. Munch on pistachios on your way to or from the gym.  They offer more than 20 important nutrients to keep you powered up for the day.

Pistachio Facts

Pistachios are a naturally cholesterol-free snack that contains just 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 13 grams of fat, the majority of which comes from monounsaturated fat. A one-ounce serving of pistachios equals 49 nuts, which is more nuts per serving than any other snack nut. One serving of pistachios has as much potassium (300mg, 8 percent) as an orange (250mg, 7 percent), making it a nutritious snack choice or ingredient to incorporate into daily diets

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March 6, 2011

from:   www.sciencedaily.com

New research suggests eating vegetables gives you a healthy tan. The study, led by Dr Ian Stephen at The University of Nottingham, showed that eating a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables gives you a more healthy golden glow than the sun.

The research, which showed that instead of heading for the sun the best way to look good is to munch on carrots and tomatoes, has been published in the Journal Evolution and Human Behaviour.

Dr Ian Stephen, from the School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, led the research as part of his PhD at the University of St Andrews and Bristol University. He said: "Most people think the best way to improve skin colour is to get a suntan, but our research shows that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is actually more effective.

Dr Stephen and his team in the Perception Lab found that people who eat more portions of fruit and vegetables per day have a more golden skin colour, thanks to substances called carotenoids. Carotenoids are antioxidants that help soak up damaging compounds produced by the stresses and strains of everyday living, especially when the body is combating disease. Responsible for the red colouring in fruit and vegetables such as carrots and tomatoes, carotenoids are important for our immune and reproductive systems.

Dr Stephen said: "We found that, given the choice between skin colour caused by suntan and skin colour caused by carotenoids, people preferred the carotenoid skin colour, so if you want a healthier and more attractive skin colour, you are better off eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables than lying in the sun."

Dr Stephen suggests that the study is important because evolution would favour individuals who choose to form alliances or mate with healthier individuals over unhealthy individuals.

Professor David Perrett, who heads the Perception Lab, said: "This is something we share with many other species. For example, the bright yellow beaks and feathers of many birds can be thought of as adverts showing how healthy a male bird is. What's more, females of these species prefer to mate with brighter, more coloured males. But this is the first study in which this has been demonstrated in humans."

While this study describes work in Caucasian faces, the paper also describes a study that suggests the effect may exist cross culturally, since similar preferences for skin yellowness were found in an African population.

The work was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Unilever Research, and published with support from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the British Academy and Wolfson Foundation.

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February 27, 2011

from:  www.online.wsj.com

Fiber-Rich Diet Linked to Longevity

People who consumed higher amounts of fiber, particularly from grains, had a significantly lower risk of dying over a nine-year period compared to those who consumed lower amounts of fiber, according to a new National Institutes of Health study released online Monday.

Fiber, found in whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruits aids the body with bowel movements, lowers blood-cholesterol levels and improves blood glucose levels.

Other studies have suggested that fiber may lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, but there's been conflicting evidence on whether there's any mortality benefit from consuming fiber.

The study involved about 388,000 people who are part of a larger NIH-AARP diet and health study who were between ages 50 and 71 years old when the study began.

The findings will appear in the June 14 print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers, led by the National Cancer Institute, concluded that "a diet rich in dietary fiber from whole plant foods may provide significant health benefits."

Specifically, researchers analyzed data from 219,123 men and 168,999 women who had completed a detailed food questionnaire in 1995 and 1996 to figure out the amount of  fiber consumed on a daily basis.

People with diabetes, heart disease and most cancers were excluded at the study start. Researchers also excluded those who reported "extreme" intakes of fiber.

Participants' fiber intake ranged from 12.6 to 29.4 grams per day in men and from 10.8 to 25.8 grams per day in women. Current U.S. dietary guidelines recommended people consume 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories consumed per day—or about 28 grams a day for a typical adult diet of 2,000 calories.

Over an average of nine years of follow-up, 20,126 men and 11,330 women died. More than half of the deaths were attributed to cardiovascular disease and cancer, based on an analysis of Social Security data and other sources.

Researchers divided study participants into five groups ranging from the lowest to highest dietary intake of fiber. Those who consumed the highest amount of fiber were 22% less likely to die over a nine-year period compared to people who consumed the least amount of fiber.

By gender, men with the highest fiber intakes had a 23% reduction in the risk of dying, while women had a 19% reduction compared to those eating the least amount of fiber.

There were significant reductions in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, infectious and respiratory diseases among both men and women, with the greatest benefit seen among those who consumed the largest amount of fiber. There was also a reduction in the risk of dying from cancer among men, but not in women.

That may be because men have higher mortality rates of cancers of the head and neck, esophagus, liver, bladder and kidney—types in which the risk is lowered by eating a diet rich in fiber, says Dr. Yikyung Park, one of the researchers and a staff scientist at the cancer institute.

The study also looked at the type of fiber consumed and found that the most significant health benefits in both men and women came from whole grains, as well as beans, although the benefits of beans was stronger for women than for men. There also appeared to be a benefit from eating vegetables, but improvements didn't result in statistically significant increases in lifespan. Fiber from fruit had no impact on longevity.

Researchers controlled for other factors that impact health such as smoking, exercise and body weight.

Write to Jennifer Corbett Dooren at jennifer.corbett-dooren@dowjones.com

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February 20, 2011

from:  www.dailyhealthreport.org

Broccoli, Vegetables Effectively Fight Cancer, Researchers Discover

While vegetables have long been known to have antioxidant and other health benefits, researchers have recently discovered exactly how vegetables, including broccoli, can fight cancer.

For the first time ever, scientists uncovered a specific substance found in vegetables that may help block cancer-causing genes.

The study can be found in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

Experts believe this study will help provide new research and nutrition strategies to prevent and treat cancer.

Previous studies have shown that isothiocyanates (ITCs) have cancer-stopping principles. These ITCs can be found in cauliflower, broccoli, and other vegetables.

In nearly every form of cancer, tumor suppressor gene P53 is mutated. The gene normally prevents abnormal growth and works as a protector.

Vegetables are believed to be so effective because the ITCs may target this gene, removing mutated aspects of the gene.

Experts suggest that drugs can be formulated based on this information, creating potentially life-saving cancer treatments.

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February 13, 2011

from:  www.pcrm.org

New Dietary Guidelines Back Plant-Based Diets to Fight Obesity

Federal Recommendations Highlight Vegetarian and Vegan Meals and Increased Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

 

WASHINGTON—The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, unveiled today, highlight the benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets, drawing praise from nutrition experts at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). The new Guidelines go further than previous federal policies in acknowledging the power of plant-based diets for health.

The Dietary Guidelines—issued by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services every five years—are the blueprint for all federal nutrition programs, including school meals. The new Guidelines devote two full pages to vegetarian and vegan nutrition, and point out that these eating patterns provide nutritional advantages and reduce obesity, heart disease, and overall mortality. Vegetarian diets may include dairy products and eggs, while vegan diets avoid all animal products.

“People who avoid meat cut their risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, and those who also avoid dairy products and eggs are healthiest of all,” says PCRM nutrition education director Susan Levin, M.S., R.D. “It’s good to see that these diets are now part of federal policy.”

The new Guidelines resonate partially with PCRM’s own nutrition recommendations, represented graphically in The Power Plate (www.ThePowerPlate.org), and presenting whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes as dietary staples.

The Guidelines are far from perfect, however. Like previous versions, they specify foods to eat more of (e.g., fruits and vegetables), but avoid listing foods people need to eat less of (e.g., meat and cheese), apparently out of fear of upsetting food producers. Instead, the Guidelines call for limiting “cholesterol” and “saturated fat.” Similarly, while dairy products account for more than 30 percent of the saturated (“bad”) fat in the American diet, the Dietary Guidelines disguise this fat by splitting dairy products into many categories, including cheese (8.5 percent), butter (2.9 percent), whole milk (3.4 percent), reduced-fat milk (3.9 percent), dairy desserts (5.6 percent), and pizza (5.9 percent), so their contribution to ill health is harder to see.

For more information or to speak with Susan Levin, please contact Vaishali Honawar at 202-527-7339 or at vhonawar@pcrm.org.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.

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February 6, 2011

From:  www.news-medical.net

Eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce risk of heart disease:

New research indicates that eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce your risk of dying from heart disease. According to a new study from the University of Oxford and published in the European Heart Journal, people who consumed eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day were 22 percent less likely to die from ischemic heart disease than those who consumed three or fewer servings a day.

Even among those who didn't eat a full eight servings each day, the more fruits and vegetables consumed consistently indicated a lower heart disease risk. For every additional serving above two per day, researchers found a four percent decrease in the rate of heart disease deaths.

"The CDC says that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.," said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation, the nonprofit entity behind Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® national public health initiative. "Here is a scientific study that gives everyone another good reason to add at least one more serving of fruits and veggies every day."

An ABC News report noted that, "in the U.S., the recommended consumption of fruits and vegetables has often been promoted as 'five a day.' The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved away from that recommendation in 2007, to a more flexible approach, dubbed Fruits & Veggies—More Matters."

Pivonka says that Fruits & Veggies—More Matters is all about showing how easy it can be to add more nutritious, delicious fruits and vegetables to meals and snacks.

"It can be remarkably easy to fit eight servings of fruits and vegetables into your day," said Pivonka. "Start the day with two servings at breakfast by having one small banana and a four-ounce glass of 100 percent fruit or veggie juice. At lunch, have a salad with one cup of your favorite leafy greens and toss in a cup of your favorite fruit or vegetables like bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, garbanzo or kidney beans, sliced pears, or canned pineapple. Now you're up another three servings! Toss a quarter cup of raisins or dried cranberries on top and make it four. That's a total of six servings so far. At dinner, quickly microwave a frozen mixed vegetable side-dish, have your favorite fruit for dessert and you're there."

While most people realize that eating fruits and vegetables is important to a healthy diet, they still don't eat enough. According to PBH's 2010 State of the Plate report, the average person consumes about 1.8 cups of fruit and vegetables each day. Only eight percent of us eat the recommended amount of fruit each day and just six percent eat the recommended amount of vegetables in an average day.

Pivonka points out that if increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you're currently eating up to eight servings per day seems daunting, the study shows that adding even one serving per day can provide extra heart protection.

"Simply make a promise to yourself that you will add one additional fruit or vegetable serving every day this week. You'll find it's easier than you think. When this week is over, promise to continue with the added serving next week too. Pretty soon you're eating more nutritious, real foods and less empty-calorie foods that provide little real nutrition. To help keep you focused on eating more fruits and veggies for better health, Fruits & Veggies—More Matters has developed the America's More Matters Pledge: Fruits & Veggies . . . Today and Every Day!"

The America's More Matters Pledge can be found at www.FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org, and it's easy to pledge online. Over 2,000 pledges have already been made! The Fruits & Veggies—More Matters website also has the tools you need to follow through with your pledge. Tips and advice on the website make it easy to add more fruits and vegetables to meals and snacks including; a recipe database with over 1,000 recipes, many of which can be made in 30 minutes or less, and a video center loaded with informational and entertaining short clips that offer fruit and veggie selection and storage advice, varietal comparisons, as well as fun facts and preparation ideas.

Need more help? The Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Menu Plan of the Week offers a full day's eating plan that includes, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and either two or three snacks that total less than 2,000 calories and less then 2,300 mg of sodium. The Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Recipe of the Week is a great way to add new recipes to your collection. Each is low in total fat, sodium, and added sugar, while being high in fiber.

For this new study, researchers from the University of Oxford in England analyzed data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) heart study, in which more than 300,000 participants, age 40 to 85, provided information about dietary intake. The EPIC study started in 1992 gathered data until 2000.

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January 30, 2011

from:  www.topnews.us

Blueberries Cut Risk of High Blood Pressure

Consumption of blueberries can protect one against high blood pressure, as found by a new study carried out by the researchers from the University of East Anglia and Harvard University.

Blueberries contain bioactive compounds known as anthocyanins that help protecting one against hypertension. Anthocyanins come from the family of flavonoids compounds that are present in considerable levels in blackcurrants, raspberries, aubergines, blood orange juice and blueberries.

Prof Aedin Cassidy of the Department of Nutrition at UEA's Medical School said, "Our findings are exciting and suggest that an achievable dietary intake of anthocyanins may contribute to the prevention of hypertension".

The study analyzed data on 134,000 women and 47,000 men who were participants of the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for a period of 14 years. None had hypertension at the start of the study and they were made to fill health questionnaires after every two years. Their diet pattern was evaluated every four years.

During the course of the study, 35,000 participants got affected with hypertension. It was found that those participants who were taking the highest amounts of anthocyanins had 8% less chances to develop hypertension in comparison to those who were taking the lowest servings.

Benefits of anthocyanins were more apparent in people under the age of 60 and also, blueberries casted more effects. Thos who had a habit of consuming at least one serving of blueberries per week were 10% less threatened to develop hypertension.

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January 16, 2011

from:  www.themedguru.com

Olive oil and green vegetables keep the heart healthy--study

A diet rich in green leafy vegetables with a moderate but regular intake of olive oil, known for its culinary versatility and exceptional health benefits, could be the natural weapon against heart disease, suggests a new study.

According to researchers, women who eat at least one serving of green leafy vegetables and consume three to four table spoons of olive oil every day can keep their heart strong and arteries clear in the long run.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Domenico Palli from the Cancer Research and Prevention Institute in Florence explained, "Probably the mechanisms responsible for the protective effect of plant-origin foods on cardiovascular diseases involve micronutrients such as folate, antioxidant vitamins and potassium, all present in green leafy vegetables.”

Details of the study

In a bid to investigate the co-relation between consumption of vegetables and olive oil and the risk of coronary heart diseases, the researchers conducted a large national health study.

They tracked nearly 30,000 women for a span of eight years to find out who developed heart disease.

The average age of the study subjects at the start of the study was 50 years. The investigators collected information pertaining to their dietary habits.

In addition, factors such hypertension, smoking, education, menopause, physical activity, alcohol intake were also taken into account.

Major events of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular incidents were identified through a review of clinical records.

Revelations of the study

It was noted that in the follow-up period, 144 major heart disease-related events such as heart attack or bypass surgery occurred.

The investigators found that women whose diet comprised of at least one daily serving (about two ounces) of green vegetables, (a salad of raw lettuce or endives, or cooked vegetables like spinach or chard) cut their risk of developing heart ailments by nearly 40 percent compared to those who ate not more than two portions of vegetables in a week.

In addition, it was noted that females who consumed around an ounce of olive oil in a day reduced their risk of coronary heart disease by 44 percent as opposed to women whose intake was half-ounce or less every day.

However, no benefits for a healthy heart emerged from high consumption of other vegetables, such as roots, cabbages, tomatoes or fruits.

The study has been published in the 'American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.'

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January 9, 2011

from:  www.peta.org

The health benefits of a vegetarian diet are impressive. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, nutritional researcher at Cornell University and director of the largest epidemiological study in history, says, "The vast majority of all cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and other forms of degenerative illness can be prevented simply by adopting a plant-based diet."

The American Dietetic Association, the nation's largest organization of nutrition professionals, states that vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and other health problems. By adopting a nutritious vegan diet, you will likely lose unwanted weight, have more energy, and dramatically lower your risk of various diseases. Here are a few pointers on how to maximize the benefits:

Top Tips

Eat a variety of "whole foods," with plenty of beans, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. 

Avoid unhealthy foods like trans fats, which are usually listed as partially hydrogenated oils. Deep-fried foods often contain trans fats. Choose margarines that use nonhydrogenated oil, like Earth Balance or Smart Balance. Although a diet consisting of Coke and French fries is technically vegan, you can't be healthy if you eat nothing but junk food.

Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is produced by bacteria, and some experts believe that vegetarians used to get plenty of this vitamin from bacteria in drinking water. Since drinking water is now treated with chemicals that kill the bacteria, it's important to make sure that you get enough vitamin B12 from fortified foods (like most brands of soy or rice milks, some breakfast cereals, and many brands of nutritional yeast) on a daily basis or by taking a sublingual B12 tablet of 10 mcg per day.

A healthy, balanced vegan diet rich in beans, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—along with a bit of vitamins B12 and D—will give you everything that your body needs. But if you often eat on the go and don't always have time to eat nutritious meals, taking a regular multivitamin might be a good option.

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January 2, 2011

from:  www.health.usnews.com

Vegetarian Diet Cuts Kidney Patients' Levels of Toxic Phosphorus

Diet made it easier to eliminate potentially hazardous substance from blood, urine

Eating a vegetarian diet lowers kidney disease patients' levels of potentially toxic phosphorus in the blood and urine, says a small new study.

Kidney disease patients have to limit their intake of phosphorous -- which is found in dietary proteins and is a common food additive -- because their bodies have difficulty ridding themselves of the mineral. In these patients, high levels of phosphorus can lead to heart disease and death.

This study examined the effects of vegetarian and meat-based diets on phosphorous levels in nine patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Each patient ate a vegetarian or meat-based diet for one week and then waited two to four weeks before eating the other diet for a week.

The researchers conducted blood and urine tests at the end of each week on both diets. Even though the two diets had equivalent protein and phosphorus concentrations, patients had lower blood and urine phosphorus levels after they ate the vegetarian diet.

The investigators didn't examine the reasons for this difference, but they noted that a grain-based diet has a lower phosphate-to-protein ratio and much of the phosphate is in the form of phytate, which is not absorbed in humans.

The findings show that the source of protein in a diet has a major effect on phosphorous levels in chronic kidney disease patients, concluded Dr. Sharon Moe, Indiana University School of Medicine and Roudebush Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, and colleagues.

"These results, if confirmed in longer studies, provide rationale for recommending a predominance of grain-based vegetarian sources of protein to patients with CKD. This diet would allow increased protein intake without adversely affecting phosphorus levels," they wrote in a news release.

The study appears online Dec. 23 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about chronic kidney disease.

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December 26, 2010

from:  www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Almonds Lower Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk

A new research suggests that consuming an almond-enriched diet may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The study, one of the first of its kind to quantify prevention data, illustrates that consuming almonds may help improve insulin sensitivity and decrease LDL-cholesterol levels in those with prediabetes.

Researchers looked at the effects of consuming an almond-enriched diet on factors linked to the progression of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adults with prediabetes.

After 16 weeks of consuming either an almond-enriched or regular diet, both in accordance with American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommendations, the group that consumed an almond-enriched diet showed significantly improved LDL-cholesterol levels and measures of insulin sensitivity, risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

A caveat is that although study participants in both groups were instructed to consume the same amount of calories from carbohydrates, there was less self-reported carbohydrate intake among those in the almond group.

"We have made great strides in chronic disease research from evidence of effective treatment to evidence of effective prevention" says Dr. Michelle Wien, Assistant Research Professor in Nutrition at Loma Linda University's School of Public Health and Principal Investigator for this study, which was conducted at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Wien adds, "It is promising for those with risk factors for chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, that dietary changes may help to improve factors that play a potential role in the disease development. It would be beneficial to conduct tightly controlled metabolic feeding studies and postprandial studies that feature controlled amounts of carbohydrate to confirm the findings of this study, which was performed in a free-living population."

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December 19, 2010

from:  www.foodconsumer.org

Plant-based Diet May Help Depression, Dementia

A new study in the July 6, 2010, issue of Neurology suggests that having depression boosts the  risk of developing dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease.

The study merely showed an association; the results do not determine whether or not depression causes demention, or vice versa.

The study involved 949 people at an average age of 79 years, who were free of dementia; however, 125 of them were diagnosed with depression at the beginning of the study.

At the end of the 17-year follow-up, 164 participants developed dementia; of those participants, 136 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Jane Saczynski, PhD, author of the study from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA and colleagues found that 22 percent of those who had depression at baseline ended up developing dementia at the end of the study, compared to 17 percent of those who were not depressed. 

Dr. Saczyynski said that even though depression may not necessarily cause dementia, it is possible that something like inflammation of brain tissue contributes to depression and an increased risk of dementia.

Indeed, that is a possibility.  Diet is most assuredly one thing that may affect risk of both depression and dementia.

A study led by Nanri A and colleagues from the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, Japan shows that a plant-based diet protects against depression.

Nanri found a healthy Japanese diet, consisting of high amounts of vegetables, fruit, mushrooms and soy products was associated with fewer depressive symptoms.

Nanri's findings were reported online in the May 19,2010 edition of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Another study led by Hughes T.F.(and colleagues) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine suggests that those who consume moderate or high amounts of fruit and vegetables in midlife may help cut their risk of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, in later life.

The association was particularly significant among women,especially those with angina pectoris in midlife, according to the study published in the May 2010 issue of the American Journal of Geriatry and Psychiatry.

In addition to Nanri's dietary findings, the Mediterranean diet may also help those with dementia.

Peart C. and colleagues from Université Victor Ségalen Bordeaux 2 in Bordeaux, France wrote in their report "A high adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been associated with slower cognitive decline, with reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment conversion to Alzheimer's disease and with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease."  "Mild cognitive impairment" is a prestage of Alzheimer's.

The study was published in the Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care.

Additionally, the Mediterranean diet may also stave off depression.

A new study reported in the October 2009 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that eating a Mediterranean style diet may reduce risk of depression.

Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, B. Pharm., Ph.D. and colleagues surveyed 10,094 healthy Spanish men and women between 1999 and 2005 for their consumption of various foods including fat, alcohol, dairy products, meat, legumes, fruit, nuts, cereals, vegetables and fish, which are commonly used in Mediterranean diet.

After the 4.4-year follow-up, the researchers identified 480 new cases of depression, including 156 in men and 324 in women and they found those who most closely adhered to the Mediterranean diet had a greater than 30 percent reduction in the risk of depression than those who least adhered to the diet.

In a word, both depression and dementia may share the same cause(s).  A healthy lifestyle, which includes a healthy diet,  could be extemely important in preventing these disorders.

By David Liu and editing by Rachel Stockton

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December 12, 2010

from: www.chealth.canoe.ca

Beans, beans, they're good for the heart... and the breasts? Maybe so, according to two studies in the International Journal of Cancer that deal with how beans and other foods can affect your breast cancer risk.

The first study investigated the link between consumption of flavonols - substances in plant-based foods that are thought to offer protection against a variety of diseases - and the risk of developing breast cancer in premenopausal women.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, analyzed data from more than 90,000 premenopausal women who participated in the Nurses Health Study II. Using information on the women's diets gleaned from food frequency questionnaires, the researchers compared the women's intake of a variety of flavonols with their chance of developing breast cancer. Over the course of the study, 710 of the women were diagnosed with breast cancer.

While the researchers found no association between breast cancer risk and consumption of the types of flavonols contained in tea, onions, apples, string beans, broccoli, green peppers, and blueberries, they found that women who ate beans and lentils on a regular basis were less likely to develop breast cancer. In fact, they found that women who ate beans or lentils at least twice a week were 24% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who ate those foods less than once a month.

The second study examined the link between breast cancer risk and glycemic index in the diet. A food's glycemic index value is a ranking of the effect of its carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Foods with high glycemic index values cause a quick rise in blood sugar, whereas low-glycemic-index foods raise blood sugar more slowly.

In the study, a team of researchers looked at the overall glycemic index and other factors in the diets of nearly 50,000 Canadian women who had participated in the National Breast Cancer Screening Study. During a follow-up period of 16 years, 1,461 women developed breast cancer.

While the researchers found no link between glycemic index and breast cancer risk in the overall study population, in postmenopausal women, they found diets with a high glycemic index were associated with an 87% greater risk of breast cancer. The association was even stronger among postmenopausal women who reported no vigorous physical activity, those who had been treated with hormone replacement therapy and women who were not overweight.

There are many factors that can affect a food's glycemic index, including how processed it is and how it is prepared. Generally, wholesome, high-fibre foods such as whole grains, legumes, beans, fruits and vegetables tend to have better glycemic ratings than most starchy or processed foods.

In premenopausal women, a high glycemic-index diet was actually associated with a 22% reduction in breast cancer risk.

Both studies note that further investigation must be done before any broad conclusions may be drawn.

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December 5, 2010

from: www.topnews.co.uk

Consuming Variety Fruits Can Reduce Lung Cancer Risk

The consumption of a variety of fruits may help cut the risk of lung cancer by up to 23%, as revealed by the European EPIC study.

The study was carried out by researchers from 10 countries. It suggests that not only consuming fruits but taking a variety of juices could save one from getting affected by lung cancer.

There were involved 23 centres from 10 nations in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Those ten countries were Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Greece, Holland, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and Sweden. So, a sample of around 500,000 European people was taken.

The findings of the study include that the lung cancer risk reduces by up to 23% by consuming more than eight varieties of vegetables in comparison to taking less than four varieties. Also, this risk drops by 4% with the consumption of an additional unit from another sub-group.

"Aside from the amount consumed, it's also important to take into account the variety. A varied diet reduces the risk of developing this cancer, above all in smokers", said Maria Jose Sanchez Perez, co-author of the study.

The study's findings are especially beneficial for smokers because with every two additional unit intake of different fruits and vegetables, the risk pertaining to lung cancer decreases by 3%. So, smokers by eating more fruits and vegetables could cut their risk of developing lung cancer.

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November 28, 2010

from:  www.thenews.com.pk

Take whole grain for lower body fat

New research from scientists at the Jean Mayer U.S.D.A. Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University suggests people who eat whole grains instead of enriched grains may be less susceptible to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The study appeared on The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’s web site on Sept. 29 and in the November print edition.

Nicola McKeown, a scientist with the Nutritional Epidemiology Program at the U.S.D.A. Human Nutrition Research Center, said scientists observed lower volumes of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in people who ate mostly whole grains.

Visceral fat, also known as “belly fat,” has been found to be associated with the development of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms including hypertension, unhealthy cholesterol levels and insulin resistance, which may develop into cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes.

The study examined diet questionnaires submitted by 2,834 men and women ages 32 to 83 enrolled in The Framingham Heart Offspring and Third Generation study cohorts.

“VAT volume was approximately 10% lower in adults who reported eating three or more daily servings of whole grains and who limited their intake of refined grains to less than one serving per day,” Ms. McKeown said.

“For example, a slice of 100% whole wheat bread or half a cup of oatmeal constituted one serving of whole grains and a slice of white bread or a half cup of white rice represented a serving of refined grains.”

The researchers noted that just eating more whole grains was not enough to reduce risks, though. They found people who ate lots of whole grains didn’t have the same benefits if people also consumed a lot of refined grains as well.

“Whole grain consumption did not appear to improve VAT volume if refined grain intake exceeded four or more servings per day,” Ms. McKeown said. “This result implies that it is important to make substitutions in the diet, rather than simply adding whole grain foods. For example, choosing to cook with brown rice instead of white or making a sandwich with whole grain bread instead of white bread.”

In addition, the researchers noted the study only shows an association, and more work in a larger, more diverse population will be needed to confirm the findings.

The study was funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, the U.S.D.A. and a research grant from the General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition.

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November 21, 2010

from: www.cornellsun.com

Meat-y Diets Linked to National and Global Health Concerns

By Nicholas St. Fleur

Today, America is in the midst of a health crisis: the leading cause of death is heart disease, two-thirds of the nation’s adults are obese and increasing proportions of children are being diagnosed with Type II diabetes. These health problems threaten a new generation of Americans, and as a consumer-mentality pushes Americans toward prescription drugs, retired Prof. T. Colin Campbell, nutritional science, advocates that the healing process must begin with a fork and knife at dinner tables.

Campbell is the author of The China Study, a 2005 book that describes the correlation between consumption of meat products and illnesses, particularly heart disease, diabetes and cancer. It has been called “the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted” because it describes the relationship between mortality rates and dietary, lifestyle, and environmental factors in rural China. The book recommends minimizing the consumption of animal products to reduce the occurrence of chronic conditions.

On Oct. 29 Campbell lectured about his work in nutrition, “a biological symphony that involves infinitely complex mechanisms orchestrated together to produce comprehensive health.”

“Unfortunately,” he said, “America regards nutrition as a third- or second- rate science. Here it is poorly understood by the public, not taught to doctors in medical school and underfunded and underexplored as a result of [a] national policy corrupted by the food and drug industries.”

Campbell said that his research in China can provide the necessary steps for solving America’s nutritional plights. He explained the differences between “poverty diseases” – pneumonia, intestinal obstruction, peptic ulcers, rheumatic heart disease and diseases of pregnancy development – and “affluent diseases” – colon cancer, lung cancer, diabetes, coronary disease, stomach cancer and liver cancer.

A “western diet” leads to the development of affluent diseases. The major component of the western diet is animal protein.

Campbell stumbled upon this conclusion early during his career in the Philippines while investigating the unusual development of liver cancer in young children. Normally, liver cancer occurs in middle-aged to older people, and it occurs only rarely in children.

He discovered that these children were experiencing third-degree malnutrition, and were not getting enough calories or high quality protein.  The majority of their protein came solely from animal sources. After further research, Campbell came to the conclusion that there was a link between the development of certain types of cancer and the consumption of animal protein.

The prevalence of Western diseases, like various cancers, in China’s rural counties was the direct result of their adherence to the “Western diet.”

From these and many other experiences, Campbell developed eight main principles of food and health that define his central dogma of nutrition. His nutritional advice is this: stick to a plant-based diet of beans, legumes vegetables and fruits, and abstain from animal products, including meat and dairy.

Though this design may seem radical, the results show significant results.  Of the people who have followed this diet regime since 1986, 82 percent have demonstrated great success in breaking up arteriole blockage and clearing their hearts up from calcium.

Campbell’s work has received national acclaim, including recognition from former President Bill Clinton.

“Food needs to be our medicine, and the future as far as nutrition is concerned will be a plant-based diet … the field of plant science, joined with what we now know, can work together to benefit human nutrition,” Campbell said.

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November 14, 2010

from: www.pcrm.org

Milk and Prostate Cancer: The Evidence Mounts

By Neal D. Barnard, M.D.

Could milk cause prostate cancer? Here are the facts: Major studies suggesting a link between milk and prostate cancer have appeared in medical journals since the 1970s. Two of six cohort studies (research studies following groups of people over time) found increased risk with higher milk intakes. Five studies comparing cancer patients to healthy individuals found a similar association. One of these, conducted in northern Italy, found that frequent dairy consumption could increase risk by two and one-half times.1

In 1997, the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research concluded that dairy products should be considered a possible contributor to prostate cancer. And yet another research study came out in April 2000 pointing to a link between dairy and prostate cancer: Harvard’s Physicians’ Health Study followed 20,885 men for 11 years, finding that having two and one-half dairy servings each day boosted prostate cancer risk by 34 percent, compared to having less than one-half serving daily.2

A Smoking Gun?

Researchers are looking, not only at whether milk increases cancer risk, but how. The answer, apparently, is in the way milk affects a man’s hormones. Dairy products boost the amount of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) in the blood. In turn, IGF-I promotes cancer cell growth.3-5 A small amount is normally in the bloodstream, but several recent studies have linked increased IGF-I levels to prostate cancer and possibly to breast cancer as well.

Milk does other mischief. Its load of calcium depletes the body’s vitamin D, which, in turn, may add to cancer risk. Most dairy products are also high in fat, which affects the activity of sex hormones that play a major role in cancer.

And it would come as no surprise that milk might affect the growth of cancer cells. After all, its biological purpose is to support rapid growth in all parts of a calf’s body. After the age of weaning, calves (like all mammals) have no need for milk at all, and there is never a need to drink the milk of another species.

Researchers are investigating whether dairy products might be culprits in other forms of the disease. Ovarian cancer, in particular, may be linked to galactose, a sugar produced from the milk sugar lactose. Yogurt, cheese, “lactose-free” milk, and other dairy products contain substantial amounts of galactose.

Other parts of the diet affect cancer risk, too. Meat and fatty foods in general are implicated in increased risk, while tomatoes, watermelons, and other bright red fruits contain lycopene, which reduces cancer risk.

The bottom line: While researchers will study the causes of cancer for years to come, health-conscious families may well want to trade dairy—and all animal products—for a healthy, vegan diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. When to make the switch? Evidence suggests that the earlier in life healthy diet habits begin, the better your protection.

What!? Does Everything Cause Cancer?

As a matter of fact, no. Whole grains, beans and other legumes, vegetables, and fruits are cancer fighters. Plant foods are low in fat, high in fiber, and loaded with protective cancer-fighting nutrients. But animal products—meat, dairy, eggs—are linked to several forms of the disease. They contain plenty of fat to harbor cancer-causing chemicals and to drive up the levels of cancer-promoting hormones in your body. They have no fiber that would normally sweep carcinogens from your digestive tract and are low in cancer-fighting antioxidants. And under cooking temperatures, the creatine, amino acids, and natural sugars in meat can actually turn into cancer-causing chemicals.

A cancer-prevention diet includes plenty of:

Vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach, asparagus

Fruits: strawberries, kiwi, melon, bananas, apples

Whole grains: breads, cereal, oatmeal, pasta, rice

Legumes: beans, peas, lentils

The most healthful diets eliminate meat, dairy products, eggs, and fried foods. To make the transition easy, you may wish to use rice milk, soymilk, meat substitutes, or egg substitutes.

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November 7, 2010

from:  www.gentlethanksgiving.org

Turkey-Alternatives

Think you'll be missing out on something if you eliminate turkey from your Thanksgiving dinner? Guess again! Here are some of the most delicious turkey alternatives on the market:

Tofurky - The Tofurky Roast, brought to you by Turtle Island Foods, is a pre-cooked vegan feast. Made from a revolutionary tofu-wheat protein blend, Tofurky is known for its incredible, turkey-like texture and flavor. Enhanced with a flavorfully moist stuffing, Tofurky will far exceed your expectations. For nutritional information and product details, visit www.Tofurky.com!

Celebration Roast - Field Roast has created a delicious vegan stuffed entrée that is perfect for the holidays and at any celebratory meal. Each roast is made by hand, wrapped in a cotton netting, and simmered to perfection. A tasty delicacy, it is complete with a stuffing made with butternut squash, apples, and mushrooms. Visit www.FieldRoast.com for more information!

Veggie Turkey Breast - Garden Protein International brings to the table the Veggie Turkey Breast with Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing. Bursting with healthful ingredients, including several vital minerals and five essential B vitamins, its made with pure canola oil, so it contains no trans fat. Garden Protein’s Veggie Turkey Breast is available at the Whole Foods Market deli along with vegan versions of all the traditional side dishes

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October 31, 2010

from: www.mensnewsdaily.com

Fruits and Vegetables Improve Memory

By Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and low in meat and other animal products, has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of those top two killers, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Now, a newly published public health study, from Norway, suggests eating your fruits and veggies may also be good for your brain, as well.

In this study, which appears in the current issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, 2,013 research volunteers between the ages of 70 and 74 underwent extensive cognitive testing and evaluation of their dietary habits.

Overall, memory and other higher cognitive functions were significantly improved among those patient volunteers who consumed the most fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, and mushrooms. Among these foods, the frequent intake of both fruits and vegetables (up to 500 grams per day) was, specifically, linked to the highest level of cognitive function in these older men and women.

Further study of dietary preferences revealed that cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, among others), carrots, citrus fruits, and whole-grain breads were the foods most closely associated with improved cognitive function. (On the other hand, white bread consumption was associated with decreased levels of cognitive function!)

This interesting little study, therefore, suggests that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (and cruciferous vegetables and carrots, in particular) may help to preserve memory, and other higher cognitive functions, in the aging brain. The findings of this study are especially interesting in view of the rapidly aging populations of many countries around the world, including the United States.

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author.

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October 24, 2010

from: www.smh.com.au

Sweet news, chocolate may be good for the heart

Chocoholics are less likely to have heart disease than those without a sweet tooth, a US study has found.

People who ate chocolate more than five times a week were 57 per cent less likely to have coronary heart disease than those who never ate it, according to the study of almost 5000 Americans.

This was after taking into account other factors such as overall energy and fruit and vegetable intake, and family history of heart disease.

Advertisement: Story continues below People who ate chocolate less frequently, between one and four times each week, were 26 per cent less likely to have heart disease.

"Even smaller amounts of chocolate [with few extra calories] may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health," the study authors wrote in Clinical Nutrition.

Jonathan Hodgson, a research professor at the University of Western Australia, said the study reflected a growing body of evidence linking antioxidants known as flavonoids - found in cocoa - with lower risks of cardiovascular disease.

"These antioxidants are also found in fruits and vegetables, and particularly in tea,'' he said. ''I think you need to be a little careful promoting chocolate because the flavonoids may be beneficial but it also has saturated fats which may be detrimental.''

He said 20 to 30 grams of chocolate three times each week would have little impact on a person's energy and saturated fat intake, and has been linked with heart health. But trials were needed before researchers could definitively say eating chocolate would protect against heart disease.

The national director of healthy weight for the Heart Foundation, Susan Anderson, said she was concerned people could be misled into thinking chocolate has health benefits when it should be an occasional treat.

"The commercial chocolate you buy on the supermarket shelves is fermented and roasted and is not a very good source for antioxidants," she said.

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October 17, 2010

from: www.kbcn.com

Red meat and breast cancer in women

Dr. Tim Harlan, aka Dr. Gourmet, explains the latest research linking red meat consumption and cancer rates.

 

We've know for some time of an increased risk of some types of cancer in those who eat higher amounts of red meat. In a study published recently a group of researchers looked at a large number of women to determine whether there might be a link between higher consumption of red meat and breast cancer.

Dr. Eunyoung Cho and her colleagues reviewed data from the Nurses Health Study II and follow-up information on over 90,000 women. The initial results showed no correlation between eating red meat and breast cancer. When the researchers looked at women with cancers that were hormone receptor positive vs. those with negative hormone receptors the findings were much different.

In those with breast cancers showing positive hormone receptors there was a marked increase in cancer in those women consuming the most red meat. The researchers assessed intakes of total red meat including beef, pork, lamb as a sandwich or mixed dish, bacon, hot dogs as well as other processed meats. The association held true when the measurement of red meat was in servings or by total weight consumed.

The scientists consider a number of theories about the higher risk for red meat eaters. Charring meat creates hetero-cyclic amines that can act as cancer promoting chemicals. The second concern is that cattle in America has often been treated with hormones and that residual hormones might somehow have triggered the cancers in hormone receptor positive cases. Red meat is also a source of heme iron which has been shown to enhance hormone tumor function. Lastly, fat intake has been considered as a mechanism that might raise steroid levels (although most research has not shown this to be the case).

Eating more red meat has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and also appears linked to at least the hormone receptor positive type of breast cancer. The healthiest approach is to eat red meat and enjoy it but limit yourself to about one serving of lean red meat per week.

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October 10, 2010

from: www.sciencedaily.com

A diet rich in walnuts and walnut oil may prepare the body to deal better with stress, according to a team of Penn State researchers who looked at how these foods, which contain polyunsaturated fats, influence blood pressure at rest and under stress.

Previous studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids -- like the alpha linolenic acid found in walnuts and flax seeds -- can reduce low density lipoproteins (LDL) -- bad cholesterol. These foods may also reduce c-reactive protein and other markers of inflammation.

"People who show an exaggerated biological response to stress are at higher risk of heart disease," said Sheila G. West, associate professor of biobehavioral health. "We wanted to find out if omega 3-fatty acids from plant sources would blunt cardiovascular responses to stress."

The researchers studied 22 healthy adults with elevated LDL cholesterol. All meals and snacks were provided during three diet periods of six weeks each.

The researchers found that including walnuts and walnut oil in the diet lowered both resting blood pressure and blood pressure responses to stress in the laboratory. Participants gave a speech or immersed their foot in cold water as a stressor. Adding flax seed oil to the walnut diet did not further lower blood pressure. They report their findings in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

"This is the first study to show that walnuts and walnut oil reduce blood pressure during stress," said West. "This is important because we can't avoid all of the stressors in our daily lives. This study shows that a dietary change could help our bodies better respond to stress."

A subset of the participants also underwent a vascular ultrasound in order to measure artery dilation. Results showed that adding flax oil to the walnut diet significantly improved this test of vascular health. The flax plus walnuts diet also lowered c-reactive protein, indicating an anti-inflammatory effect. According to West, that could also reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

The researchers used a randomized, crossover study design. Tests were conducted at the end of each six-week diet, and every participant consumed each of the three diets in random order, with a one-week break between. Diets included an "average" American diet -- a diet without nuts that reflects what the typical person in the U.S. consumes each day. The second diet included 1.3 ounces of walnuts and a tablespoon of walnut oil substituted for some of the fat and protein in the average American diet. The third diet included walnuts, walnut oil and 1.5 tablespoons of flaxseed oil. The three diets were matched for calories and were specifically designed for each participant so that no weight loss or gain occurred. The walnuts, walnut oil, and flax oil were either mixed into the food in such offerings as muffins or salad dressing or eaten as a snack. About 18 walnut halves or 9 walnuts make up the average serving used by the researchers.

After each diet, the participants underwent two stress tests. In the first test, they received a topic; and they were given two minutes to prepare a three-minute speech, which they presented while being videotaped. The second stressor was a standard physical test of stress consisting of submerging one foot in ice-cold water. Throughout these tests, the researchers took blood pressure readings from the participants.

Results showed that average diastolic blood pressure -- the "bottom number" or the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting -- was significantly reduced during the diets containing walnuts and walnut oil.

Walnuts are a rich source of fiber, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids, particularly alpha linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, and these compounds could be responsible for the beneficial effects on blood pressure. Flax oil is a more concentrated source of omega-3 fatty acids than walnut oil, but this study did not test whether flax oil alone could blunt cardiovascular responses to stress.

"These results are in agreement with several recent studies showing that walnuts can reduce cholesterol and blood pressure," noted West. "This work suggests that blood pressure is also reduced when a person is exposed to stress in their daily life."

Also working on this research were Penny Kris-Etherton, Distinguished Professor of nutrition; Laura Cousino Klein, associate professor of biobehavioral health; Andrea Likos Krick, recent doctoral recipient, biobehavioral health; Guixiang Zhao, recent doctoral recipient, nutritional sciences; Rachel M. Ceballos, recent doctoral recipient, biobehavioral health; Todd F. Wojtowicz and Matthew McGuiness, former Penn State undergraduate students; Deborah M. Bagshaw and Paul Wagner, Penn State and Bruce J. Holub, university professor emeritus, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

The California Walnut Commission, Sacramento California, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Ontario, Canada and the National Institutes of Health supported this research.

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September 19, 2010

from:   www.aacr.org

Diverse Diet of Veggies May Decrease Lung Cancer Risk

The embargo has been lifted on the AACR press release: “Diverse Diet of Veggies May Decrease Lung Cancer Risk,” due to a violation by AOL Health. Reporters may post their stories effective immediately.

• Variety of vegetables and fruits may decrease risk of squamous cell lung cancers.

• Eating a variety appears to produce the benefit regardless of quantity.

• Reduction in cancer risk was only seen among current smokers.

Adding a variety of vegetables to one’s diet may help decrease the chance of getting lung cancer, and adding a variety of fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of squamous cell lung cancer, especially among smokers.

Study results are published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

“Although quitting smoking is the most important preventive action in reducing lung cancer risk, consuming a mix of different types of fruit and vegetables may also reduce risk, independent of the amount, especially among smokers,” said H. Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., senior scientist and project director of cancer epidemiology at The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, The Netherlands.

Using information from the ongoing, multi-centered European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, Bueno-de-Mesquita and colleagues evaluated 452,187 participants with complete information, 1,613 of whom were diagnosed with lung cancer.

Information was obtained on 14 commonly eaten fruits and 26 commonly eaten vegetables. The fruits and vegetables evaluated in the EPIC study consisted of a wide variety of fresh, canned or dried products.

Previous results from the EPIC study showed that the quantity of vegetables and fruits may decrease risk of lung cancer; in particular the risk of one specific type of lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, decreased in current smokers.

Regardless of the amount, the researchers on the current study found that risk of lung cancer also decreased when a variety of vegetables were consumed. In addition, the risk of squamous cell carcinoma decreased substantially when a variety of fruits and vegetables were eaten. However, Bueno-de-Mesquita said that they “cannot exclude that these results can still be explained by smoking.”

“Fruits and vegetables contain many different bioactive compounds, and it makes sense to assume that it is important that you not only eat the recommended amounts, but also consume a rich mix of these bioactive compounds by consuming a large variety,” he said.

While previous research has shown the influence of the quantity of fruits and vegetables on cancer development, Stephen Hecht, Ph.D., editorial board member for Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, believes this study is one of the first to evaluate diversity of fruit and vegetable consumption, rather than quantity.

“The results are very interesting and demonstrate a protective effect in smokers. There are still over a billion smokers in the world, and many are addicted to nicotine and cannot stop in spite of their best efforts,” added Hecht, who is the Wallin Land Grant Professor of Cancer Prevention at the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota.

Tobacco smoke contains a complex mixture of cancer-causing agents. Therefore, a mixture of protective agents is needed to have any beneficial effect in reducing one’s chance of lung cancer, Hecht said.

“Nevertheless, the public should be made aware and be reminded that the only proven way to reduce your risk for lung cancer is to avoid tobacco in all its forms,” he said.

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September 12, 2010

from:  www.baltimoresun.com

Blueberries, walnuts, black rice are good for the brain

We’ve all heard that blueberries are good for our brains, but scientists now say they do it in a previously unrecognized way.

The scientists presented the findings at the 240th national meeting of the American Cancer Society. The berries, and maybe even walnuts, activate a mechanism in the brain that cleans up and recycles toxic proteins linked to memory loss and mental decline as people age.

It’s been known that natural compounds called polyphenolics from fruit, vegetables and nuts have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against mental declines, as well as disorders such as cancer and heart disease, said Shibu Poulose, from the U. S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.

This new research shows a link to the brain’s “house-cleaning” process. He said cells called microglia are the housekeepers. The process is called autophagy, and in it, cells remove and recycle biochemical debris that normally would hamper brain function.

“But in aging, microglia fail to do their work, and debris builds up,” Poulose said in a statement. “In addition, the microglia become over-activated and actually begin to damage healthy cells in the brain. Our research suggests that the polyphenolics in berries have a rescuing effect. They seem to restore the normal housekeeping function.”

Berries and walnuts are good sources of polyphenolics, but they are contained in other fruits and vegetables, too. Look for deep red, orange or blue colors. Frozen fruit also counts.

And in a separate study presented at the same conference, scientists said those who don’t want to spend so much on fresh blueberries, can turn to black rice for antioxidants.

“Just a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants,” said Zhimin Xu, associate professor at the Department of Food Science at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, in a statement.

He suggested manufacturers start using black rice in cereal, cakes and other foods. Xu said it would be even better than brown rice, which is more healthful than white rice. Black rice is used mainly in China for food decoration, noodles, sushi and pudding, but farmers have shown interest in growing it in Louisiana.

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September 5, 2010

from:  www.medicaldaily.com

Children's vegetable intake linked to Popeye cartoons

Popeye cartoons, tasting parties and junior cooking classes can help increase vegetable intake in kindergarten children, according to new research published in the journal Nutrition & Dietetics.

Researchers at Mahidol University in Bangkok found the type and amount of vegetables children ate improved after they took part in a program using multimedia and role models to promote healthy food.

Twenty six kindergarten children aged four to five participated in the eight week study. The researchers recorded the kinds and amounts of fruit and vegetables eaten by the children before and after the program.

Lead researcher Professor Chutima Sirikulchayanonta said: "We got the children planting vegetable seeds, taking part in fruit and vegetable tasting parties, cooking vegetable soup, and watching Popeye cartoons. We also sent letters to parents with tips on encouraging their kids to eat fruit and vegetables, and teachers sat with children at lunch to role model healthy eating.'

Professor Sirikulchayanonta and her colleagues found vegetable intake doubled and the types of vegetables the children consumed increased from two to four. Parents also reported their children talked about vegetables more often and were proud they had eaten them in their school lunch.

She said there was no significant change in the kinds of fruit eaten by the children, but this was probably because they were already eating more fruit than vegetables at the start of the study.

According to Australia's last children's nutrition survey, Australian children are eating too much saturated fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit and vegetables. Only 61 per cent of the four to eight years olds surveyed ate the recommended amounts of fruit, and less than one in four ate enough vegetables.

Studies have shown the food habits and eating patterns picked up in early childhood 'track' into later childhood and adulthood. Professor Sirikulchayanonta said focusing on healthy food choices at an early age can have a major impact on the future health of adults.

The research also highlights that:

* Sitting next to children and eating the same foods as them makes children feel special

* 'Tasting' parties are an enjoyable way for children to compare tastes of fruit and vegetables

* Involving children in food preparation activities, like measuring, pouring and stirring helps them learn the names and colours of foods, and develops their hand-eye coordination.

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August 29, 2010

from:  www.nation.com.pk

Low-fat vegan diet may be best for diabetes:

A low-fat vegan diet may be the best way to fight diabetes, says a new study. It is estimated that as many as 18 million Americans have type-2 diabetes, which results from a combination of genetics and poor eating and exercise habits. The condition greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and limb loss.

Neal Barnard and researchers from George Washington University, the University of Toronto and the University of North Carolina tested 99 people with type-2 diabetes, and then randomly assigned them to a low-fat, low-sugar vegan diet or the standard American Diabetes Association diet.

The researchers found that after 22 weeks on the diet, 43 percent of those on the vegan diet and 26 percent of those on the standard diet were either able to stop taking some of their drugs such as insulin or glucose-control medications, or were able to control their condition with lower doses, reported science portal News Medical.

The vegan dieters lost 14 pounds (6.5 kg) on an average while the diabetes association dieters lost 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg).

An important level of glucose control, which gives a measure of how well controlled blood sugar has been over the preceding three months, fell by 1.23 points in the vegan group and by 0.38 in the group on the standard diet.

It was also found that LDL or "bad" cholesterol also fell by 21 percent in the vegan group and 10 percent in the standard diet group.

"The diet appears remarkably effective, and all the side effects are good ones -- especially weight loss and lower cholesterol," said Barnard.

A vegan diet is plant-based and consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes and avoids animal products, such as meat and dairy and is low in added fat and sugar.

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August 22, 2010

from:  www.technorati.com

Benefits of Green Leafy Vegetables

A potential benefit of green leafy vegetables and fruits in providing vitamins and other trace materials has long been known. New research from University of Leicester concludes their beneficial effect on type II diabetes.

Green leafy vegetables traditionally include cabbages, cauliflowers, lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, and some herbs like parsley and dill. These contain a lot of fiber, polyphenols, Group B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C and other trace elements.

The fibers, soluble and insoluble, increase colon transit time of food residue, help to form bulk of stool, absorb toxins and provide an ideal environment for growth of good bacteria. Recently a group of scientists propose that a low level of endotoxin flow exits from the intestine to circulation and particularly those following sedentary lifestyle.

Endotoxin is produced by the bacterial flora that naturally inhabit intestines. These endotoxins flood liver, set inflammation, derange the glucose metabolism, set insulin resistance and, in this way, may help diabetes to set in.  It is possible that the fibers from the vegetables may flush away the toxins along with it and thus prevent diffusion into the circulation. This mechanism may play a role in preventing diabetes.

Fiber in the diet eases constipation and lessens the contact period of toxins with the colonic inner cell lining, and thus may prevent colon cancer. Polyphenols, beta-carotene, vitamin C, magnesium and polyunsaturated fatty acid contents in fruits and leafy vegetables may act as an antioxidant.

It is paradoxical that consumption of some vegetables may give rise to certain diseases. Ingredients present in cabbage may cause hypothyroid and form goiter. Absorption of iron, calcium and certain other minerals is decreased if taken along with green leafy vegetables. These fibers after fermentation in the intestine may cause flatulence and discomfort in the abdomen.

The beneficial effects may not be seen if given in form of food supplements.   

Balanced consumption of green leafy vegetable and fruits may help people in many ways.

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August 15, 2010

from:   www.torontonews.com

Meat Causes Weight Gain

People who eat a lot of meat are more likely to gain weight, even if they're consuming the same amount of calories as their less-carnivorous peers.

A new European study of almost 400,000 people shows meat consumption is linked to weight gain, even after taking into account calorie intake and physical activity.

Participants from 10 European countries monitored their food consumption and weight fluctuation over a five-year period.

The study found that with people who consumed the same number of calories, those who ate 250 g of meat a day — about the size of a small steak — were more likely to be 5 lbs. heavier within five years.

Processed meats are the most likely to pack on the pounds, according to the study out of Imperial College London.

“Meat intake may be related to weight gain because of its high energy and fat content,” wrote the study's authors. “Our results suggest that a decrease in meat consumption may improve weight management.”

The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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August 1, 2010

from:  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fruits, veggies slash breast cancer risk

Certain breast cancer survivors who load up on fruits and vegetables, eating far more than current U.S. guidelines, can slash their risk the tumors will come back by nearly a third, according to a U.S. study released on Monday.

The finding only held for women who did not have hot flashes after their cancer therapy, the researchers said -- a finding that suggests fruits and vegetables act on estrogen.

Their analysis suggests an explanation for why some studies have shown that eating more fruits and vegetables lowers the risk that breast cancer will come back, while others do not. It may depend on the individual patient, they report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

"Women with early stage breast cancer who have hot flashes have better survival and lower recurrence rates than women who don't," said Ellen Gold of the University of California Davis, who helped lead the study.

Several studies have shown this. And this study showed that women who had hot flashes after treatment for breast cancer had lower estrogen levels than women who did not.

As estrogen drives the most common type of breast cancer, this suggests that eating extra servings of fruits and vegetables -- above and beyond the five servings a day recommended by the U.S. government -- may lower harmful estrogen levels in cancer survivors, the researchers said.

"It appears that a dietary pattern high in fruits, vegetables and fiber, which has been shown to reduce circulating estrogen levels, may only be important among women with circulating estrogen levels above a certain threshold," said John Pierce of the University of California San Diego.

The researchers took a second look at data from 3,000 breast cancer patients in a study aimed at seeing whether a diet low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables might keep their cancer from coming back.

Such a diet has been shown to lower overall risk of ever getting breast cancer in the first place.

The women were on average 53, and half were told to double their fruit and vegetable intake to 10 servings a day, eat more fiber and lower fat intake more than government recommendations. "We compared the dietary intervention group to a group that received '5-a-day' dietary guidelines," the researchers wrote.

About 30 percent of the original 3,000 breast cancer survivors said they did not have hot flashes -- a common side-effect of breast cancer treatment.

The researchers looked at the data on these women specifically and found that only 16 percent of those who doubled up on fruits and vegetables had their tumors come back after seven years, compared to 23 percent of those merely given advice on food guidelines.

Women who had been through menopause lowered their risk by 47 percent if they loaded up on salads, fruit and other plant food.

(Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Julie Steenhuysen)

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July 25, 2010

from:  www.foodconsumer.org

Lycopene from tomatoes may suppress the activity of a hormone that would otherwise increase the risk of colorectal cancer, according to a Dutch study published in the American journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded crossover study of 71 subjects showed lycopene supplements may increase production of proteins that bind to insulin-like growth factors or IGF reducing the cancer risk.

Earlier studies have linked lycopene to reduced risk of prostate cancer.  And the current study provides an explanation as to why this compound could reduce the cancer risk.

Alina Vrieling of the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam, lead author of the study said increased levels of IGF-binding protein(BP)-1 and IGFBP-2 would decrease IGF-I bio-availability and cut risk of a number of cancers including prostate, colorectal and potentially breast cancers.

In the study, the researchers gave a tomato lycopene supplements at a dose of 30 mg per day or a placebo to 40 men and 31 women with a family history of colorectal cancer and or a personal history of colorectal adenoma for a period of eight weeks.

Blood samples were analyzed for a range of protein compounds including IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-3.

The study showed lycopene supplementation increased IGFBP-1 by 21.7% in women, IGFBP-2 by 8.2% in men and 7.8% in women as compared to the control group.

However, no significant change was observed in total IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3. 

"Serum concentrations of IGF-I and -II which are associated with increased prostate, pre-menopausal breast, and colorectal cancer risk," said the researchers, quoted by nutraingredients.com.

The researchers hoped a large study could lead to a more solid conclusion.

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July 11, 2010

from:  www.peta.org

The results are in—and actor Olivia Wilde and NBC's The Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper have been crowned the Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2010!

Animal lover and activist Olivia Wilde proves that being vegan helps one shine from the inside out. She has saved lives on Fox's hit show House and has saved the lives of animals off-screen by choosing a vegan diet. Going vegan saves the lives of about 100 animals a year! Olivia explains, "Beyond my desire to boycott the torture factories, I am also way happier when I eat a plant based diet, and I feel about a thousand times more energetic." Whether she's helping animals and the environment or starring in upcoming films like Tron and Cowboys & Aliens, we can't wait to see more from Olivia.

Bob Harper whips people into shape on NBC's The Biggest Loser and relies on a vegan diet to keep him in top form. "I enjoy living a plant-based diet because it makes me feel clear headed and strong, not to mention my genetically high cholesterol dropped more than 100 points," says Harper. "That was all the motivation I needed.". In addition to an animal-friendly diet, Bob showed his love for animals by adopting an adorable pooch he named Karl.

They may choose to go vegetarian to improve their health, help end climate change, or avoid contributing to the inexcusable cruelty to animals on factory farms and in slaughterhouses, but one thing's for sure: All the vegetarian celebrities have won both our hearts and the hearts of animals.

So what about you? Become as sexy as our winners and Pledge to Be Vegan for animals, the environment, and your health.

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July 4, 2010

from:  www.pcrm.org

Proposed Dietary Guidelines Highlight Benefits of Vegetarian Diets

WASHINGTON—The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine today praised the findings of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which highlighted the value of vegetarian diets for Americans. Although vegetarian diets have been thought of as a fad, they are clearly established as a powerful way to prevent obesity, diabetes, and cholesterol problems.

Previous advisory panels have noted the value of vegetarian diets, but they have never been officially recommended in final guidelines, which are often altered by political forces. The current language is the strongest to date—it notes that vegetarian diets are associated with a lower body mass index, lower blood pressure, and improved health outcomes.

People who avoid meat products have much lower risk of health problems, and those who also avoid dairy products and eggs (following a vegan diet) are healthiest of all. For example, vegetarian and vegan diets reduce the risk of diabetes, and healthy plant-based diets also can help people who already have type 2 diabetes manage the disease and reduce the need for medications.

“Vegetarian diets can dramatically cut the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other problems,” says Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition education for PCRM. “America now spends more than $100 billion a year on obesity-related health care costs, and it’s clear that meatless meals can help us stay trimmer and healthier and cut our medical bills.”

PCRM’s own nutrition recommendations, represented graphically in The Power Plate (www.ThePowerPlate.org), focus on presenting whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes as dietary staples. The Power Plate rests on dozens of scientific studies showing that plant-based eating habits are associated with lower obesity rates and a reduced risk of heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.

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June 27, 2010

from:  www.green.yahoo.com

Vegetarian diet promotes healthy mood state

By Marie Oser

It has been well documented that people who choose a vegetarian diet enjoy superior health with lower risks for a variety of disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.1  Now, science has presented us with yet another reason to choose the healthful vegetarian lifestyle.

A new study published in Journal Nutrition has linked the vegetarian lifestyle with healthier mood states.2  It turns out that vegetarians are not only a lot healthier than the rest of the population, apparently, they are a lot happier, too. How does this finding challenge current recommendations?

Vegetarian diets exclude fish, long touted as a major dietary source of omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that cannot be synthesized in the body and must be obtained from dietary sources.

Omega-3 fats, in the form of DHA and EPA are critical regulators of brain cell structure and function. Omnivorous diets low in EPA and DHA have been linked to impaired mood states.

According to the researchers at Arizona State University, the vegetarians in their study experienced significantly less negative emotion than the omnivores. This is good news for everyone, because consuming fish is often the subject of government health advisories.

The oceans are increasingly polluted and contain unacceptable levels of contaminants, such as dioxin and PCPs, and a recent government study revealed widespread mercury contamination of fish in streams across the U.S.3 Consuming farmed fish can also be problematic, as raising fish in this way relies on a processed diet and requires the use of antibiotics and other elements to prevent the spread of disease.

Nuts, seeds, and polyunsaturated vegetable oils are rich sources of fat soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids and in fact, the omega fats in plant foods may be even more important to your health than that found in fish.

A Pennsylvania State University study showed that omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources actually promote bone formation and may help to reduce the risk for osteoporosis by inhibiting excessive bone loss.

Omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and a variety of vegetable oils.

Plant sources of essential fatty acids:

•Dark green leafy vegetables

•Flaxseed

•Flaxseed oil (also called linseed oil)

•Chia seeds

•Pumpkin seeds

•Sunflower seeds

•Canola oil

•Hemp oil

•Soy oil

•Wheat germ

•Soybeans

•Tofu

•Tempeh

Additionally, plant sources of this essential nutrient tend also to be rich in vitamin E, which has many benefits including promoting cardiovascular health.

Certainly, vegetarians attain optimal health by consuming plant-based meals.  They are leaner and have more energy than their omnivorous counterparts and now it is apparent that they enjoy a healthier mood state, as well.

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June 13, 2010

from:  www.greenyourdiet.org

United Nations Urges Worldwide Shift Away From Animal Products

Over the last few years, report after report has surfaced, conclusively linking animal agriculture to global warming, air and water pollution, and land degradation. The most prominent of these reports, the UN FAO’s Livestock’s Long Shadow, famously credited 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions to animal agriculture, and blamed the sector for a myriad of other environmental troubles. The report stopped short, however, of actually recommending a change in diet, and instead called for improved agriculture practices.

A new United Nations report entitled Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production is the first of its stature to actually stress the necessity of moving away from meat and dairy. Specifically, the paper says that “impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth [and] increasing consumption of animal products [...] A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.”

The report goes into detail about the consequences we can expect if business continues as usual. Increases in population and wealth have historically resulted in increased consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs, which they blame for the bulk of agriculture’s environmental impact. Agriculture is said to be responsible 70% of global freshwater consumption, 38% of the total land use and 19% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

It is now undeniable that we need to substantially reduce our use of animal products in order to prevent global catastrophe. The simplest way to do this is to adopt a vegan diet, which, in addition to avoiding all of animal agriculture’s ecological impacts, also spares the lives of dozens of animals each year- amounting to thousands over one’s lifetime. The American Dietetic Association calls a well planned vegan diet “healthful and nutritionally adequate […] for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes” and adds that it “may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

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June 6, 2010

from:  www.medicinenet.com

Brown Rice Tied to Better Heart Health in Study

 

Two kinds of rice -- brown and half-milled rice -- may reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure by interfering with a protein linked to those conditions, research suggests.

In a new study, researchers report that the findings could indicate that brown rice is better than white rice when it comes to protecting the body from high blood pressure and artherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

"Our research suggests that there is a potential ingredient in rice that may be a good starting point for looking into preventive medicine for cardiovascular diseases," said researcher Satoru Eguchi, an associate professor of physiology at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

Eguchi and colleagues said their experiments show that an ingredient in brown rice appears to combat a protein known as angiotensin II that contributes to high blood pressure and clogged arteries.

The ingredient is in a layer of rice that is stripped away when brown rice is converted to white rice. But the layer can be preserved in half-milled (Haigamai) and incompletely milled (Kinmemai) rice, which are popular in Japan.

The study is slated to be released at the Experimental Biology annual conference, April 24-28, in Anaheim, Calif.

-- Randy Dotinga

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May 30, 2010

from:  www.themedguru.com

Barbecued meat ups bladder cancer risk--study

by Kangna Agarwal

The aroma of barbecued meat may simply mesmerize your taste buds. However, a new research provides strong evidence that eating lots of overcooked, barbecued or grilled meat significantly raises the odds of developing bladder cancer.

Findings of the study suggest that over doing the meat until it is charred produces cancer causing chemicals which may cause the condition.

More than 1600 individuals studied

To reach this conclusion, researchers from the University of Texas looked at 884 patients with bladder cancer and compared them with 878 health people without the condition. For the study, they were matched by age, gender, and ethnicity.

To arrive at better comparative results, the participants’ were asked to fill in questionnaires and provide complete detail of their dietary habits.

The researchers also collected their DNA samples to identify any variations in the way each individual metabolized the cooked meat.

The participants were then followed for a period of 12 years.

Outcome of the study

Analysis revealed that cooking meat at higher temperatures produces three major types of the cancer-causing chemicals, collectively known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that can cause cancer.

It was found those who had consumed more amounts of red meat such as steaks, pork chops and bacon were two-and-a-half times more likely to have bladder cancer than others who consumed very less of the red meat.

However, chicken and fish when fried were also found to be equally culpable in causing cancer-like condition.

Previous research has linked charred meat to pancreatic and bowel cancer.

Lead author of the study, Professor Xifeng Wu, told the American Association for Cancer Research, "This research reinforces the relationship between diet and cancer.

"These results strongly support what we suspected - people who eat a lot of red meat, particularly well-done red meat, such as fried or barbecued, seem to have a higher likelihood of bladder cancer."

Despite the convincing evidence shown by the study, cancer experts have outlined the need for more research to confirm whether or not regular consumption of red meat could enhance bladder cancer risk together with its cooking method.

The study was presented at a U.S. cancer research conference.

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May 23, 2010

from:  http://live.psu.edu

First course of veggies may appeal to hungry preschoolers

University Park, Pa. -- Increasing the amount of vegetables in the first course of preschool lunch could be a smart way to get children to eat more vegetables, according to Penn State nutrition researchers.

"We have shown that you can use portion size strategically to encourage children and adults to eat more of the foods that are high in nutrients but low in calories," said Barbara J. Rolls, Helen A. Guthrie Chair of Nutritional Sciences.

Rolls and her Penn State colleagues study how varying the portions of fruit and vegetable side dishes can be used to raise vegetable consumption in children and adults.

Researchers served lunch to 51 children at a daycare center on four occasions and measured their vegetable intake. Children were provided with no carrots or 30 grams (about 1 ounce), 60 grams (about 2 ounces), or 90 grams (about 3 ounces) of carrots as the first course of their lunch.

The children had 10 minutes to eat the carrots, after which researchers served them pasta, broccoli, unsweetened applesauce, and low-fat milk.

They found that when preschool children received no first course of carrots, they consumed about 23 grams (nearly 1 ounce) of broccoli from the main course.

When the children received 30 grams (about 1 ounce) of carrots at the start of the meal, their vegetable intake rose by nearly 50 percent compared to having no carrots as a first course. But when the first course was increased to 60 grams (about 2 ounces) of carrots, average vegetable consumption nearly tripled to about 63 grams -- or a third of the recommended vegetable intake for preschool children.

The extra carrots eaten at the start of lunch did not reduce the amount of broccoli eaten in the main course, but added to the total amount of vegetables consumed. The team's findings appear in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"We gave the children carrots first without other competing foods," explained Rolls. "When they are hungry at the start of the meal, it presents us with an opportunity to get them to eat more vegetables."

According to Maureen Spill, graduate student in nutrition and study co-author, the findings challenge the conventional belief that children won't eat vegetables. It also provides parents a simple strategy to get their children eating a more healthy and nutritious diet, she added.

"The great thing about this study is the very clear and easy message for parents and care-givers that while you are preparing dinner, put some vegetables out for your children to snack on while they're hungry," said Spill. "Parents also need to set an example by eating vegetables while children are young and impressionable."

Other researchers in the two studies include Leann L. Birch, Distinguished Professor of human development; Liane S. Roe, research nutritionist, and Jennifer S. Meengs, lab manager, all at Penn State

The National Institutes of Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supported this work.

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May 16, 2010

from:  www.mensnewsdaily.com

Soy Foods & Stomach Cancer Risk

By Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS

The information in this column is intended for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice or recommendations by the author.  Please consult with your physician before making any lifestyle or medication changes, or if you have any other concerns regarding your health.

There is a great deal of interest regarding the potential effects of soy-based foods (like tofu and soy beverages) on cancer risk. As discussed in my forthcoming book (“A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race”), there is a growing body of laboratory and human research data suggesting that dietary soy isoflavones might be able to reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancer.

Now, a newly published clinical research study from Korea suggests that high levels of soy isoflavones in the blood may also be linked to a reduced risk of stomach cancer, as well. (Korea has one of the highest incidences of stomach cancer in the world.) This study appears in the current issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

As most of the published research in the area of cancer prevention is based upon the subjective recall of patient volunteers regarding their diet (and other habits), the authors of this study chose, instead, to directly measure the levels of soy isoflavones in the blood of patient volunteers.  This study included 131 patients with recently diagnosed stomach cancer, and 393 “control” patients who did not have stomach (gastric) cancer. Blood levels of the two major dietary soy isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) were directly measured in all 524 of these research volunteers, and these results were compared between the patients with stomach cancer and the “control” patients without gastric cancer.

Study volunteers with the highest levels of genistein in their blood, when compared with those with the lowest levels, were found to be 46 percent less likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer. Even more impressive was the finding that study volunteers with the highest daidzein blood levels were 79 percent less likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer when compared to the volunteers with the lowest levels of daidzen in their blood

While there may be other health-related factors at work among the study volunteers with high levels of soy isoflavones in their blood that could explain the much lower stomach cancer risk observed in these same patients, this study’s results are nonetheless intriguing enough to justify a large scale, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled soy isoflavone clinical research study to confirm the findings of this relatively small Korean public health study.

To learn more about the role of soy isoflavones as potential cancer prevention nutrients, look for the publication of my new landmark evidence-based book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” in the summer of this year.

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author.

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May 2, 2010

from:  www.healthyschoollunches.org

Actor Woody Harrelson Urges Congress to Pass Healthy School Meals Act

Actor Woody Harrelson is best known for the TV show Cheers and for his challenging film roles, such as his Academy Award-nominated performance in last year's The Messenger. Now he's taking on another challenge: unhealthy school lunches. In a recent letter to Congress, he urges support for the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010, H.R. 4870, a bill that would reward school districts for offering plant-based vegetarian options and healthful nondairy beverages.

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April 25, 2010

from: www.fao.org

New FAO report assesses dairy greenhouse gas emissions

Study covers the global dairy business from nomadic herds to intensified dairy plants

Dairy production and global climate change

Rome - The dairy sector accounts for around four percent of all global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) according to a new FAO report. This figure includes both emissions associated with the production, processing and transportation of milk products as well as emissions related to meat produced from animals originating from the dairy system.

Considering just global milk production, processing and transportation and excluding meat production, the sector contributes 2.7 percent of global anthropogenic GHG emissions.

In 2007, the dairy sector emitted 1 969 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent, of which 1 328 million tonnes are attributed to milk, 151 million tonnes to meat from culled dairy animals, and 490 million tonnes from calves from the dairy sector that were raised for meat. The CO2 equivalent emission is a standard measurement for comparing emissions of different GHGs.

The global average of GHG emissions per kilogram of milk and related milk products is estimated at 2.4 kg CO2 equivalent.

Methane contributes most to the global warming impact of milk, accounting for about 52 percent of the GHG emissions in both developing and developed countries. Nitrous oxide emissions account for 27 percent of GHG emissions in developed countries and 38 percent in developing countries. Carbon dioxide accounts for a higher share of emissions in developed countries (21 percent) than in developing countries (10 percent).

The FAO report, Greenhouse gas emissions from the dairy sector, covers all major milk production systems from nomadic herds to intensified dairy operations. It focuses on the entire dairy food chain, including the production and transport of inputs (fertilizer, pesticide and feed) used for dairy farming, on-farm emissions and emissions associated with milk processing and packaging as well as the transportation of milk products to retailers. The margin of error of the estimates is ±26 percent.

"This report is fundamental to understand and identify opportunities for reducing the environmental impact of the dairy sector while providing safe and nutritious foodstuffs," said Samuel Jutzi, Director of FAO's Animal Production and Health Division.

The assessment is part of an ongoing programme to analyse and recommend options for climate change mitigation. The next step is to use a similar approach to quantify GHG emissions associated with other major livestock species, including buffalo, poultry, small ruminants and pigs. The effectiveness, welfare and trade implications of policy options will then be carried out through economic modelling. A final report will be published in 2011.

In its landmark 2006 report, Livestock's Long Shadow, the FAO found that 18 percent of all greenhouse emissions were caused by the livestock sector, using an aggregate life cycle approach. The final report on livestock GHG emissions will use the same approach but with updated  data and providing a breakdown into different production systems, as well as indicating solutions for policy-makers, producers and processors.

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April 18, 2010

from:  www.biteglobalwarming.com

Livestock a major threat to environment

Remedies urgently needed

Which causes more greenhouse gas emissions, rearing cattle or driving cars?

Surprise!

According to a report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.

Says Henning Steinfeld, Chief of FAO’s Livestock Information and Policy Branch and senior author of the report: “Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems. Urgent action is required to remedy the situation.”

With increased prosperity, people are consuming more meat and dairy products every year. Global meat production is projected to more than double from 229 million tonnes in 1999/2001 to 465 million tonnes in 2050, while milk output is set to climb from 580 to 1043 million tonnes.

Long shadow

The global livestock sector is growing faster than any other agricultural sub-sector. It provides livelihoods to about 1.3 billion people and contributes about 40 percent to global agricultural output. For many poor farmers in developing countries livestock are also a source of renewable energy for draft and an essential source of organic fertilizer for their crops.

But such rapid growth exacts a steep environmental price, according to the FAO report, Livestock’s Long Shadow –Environmental Issues and Options. “The environmental costs per unit of livestock production must be cut by one half, just to avoid the level of damage worsening beyond its present level,” it warns.

When emissions from land use and land use change are included, the livestock sector accounts for 9 percent of CO2 deriving from human-related activities, but produces a much larger share of even more harmful greenhouse gases. It generates 65 percent of human-related nitrous oxide, which has 296 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. Most of this comes from manure.

And it accounts for respectively 37 percent of all human-induced methane (23 times as warming as CO2), which is largely produced by the digestive system of ruminants, and 64 percent of ammonia, which contributes significantly to acid rain.

Livestock now use 30 percent of the earth’s entire land surface, mostly permanent pasture but also including 33 percent of the global arable land used to producing feed for livestock, the report notes. As forests are cleared to create new pastures, it is a major driver of deforestation, especially in Latin America where, for example, some 70 percent of former forests in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing.

Land and water

At the same time herds cause wide-scale land degradation, with about 20 percent of pastures considered as degraded through overgrazing, compaction and erosion. This figure is even higher in the drylands where inappropriate policies and inadequate livestock management contribute to advancing desertification.

The livestock business is among the most damaging sectors to the earth’s increasingly scarce water resources, contributing among other things to water pollution, euthropication and the degeneration of coral reefs. The major polluting agents are animal wastes, antibiotics and hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and the pesticides used to spray feed crops. Widespread overgrazing disturbs water cycles, reducing replenishment of above and below ground water resources. Significant amounts of water are withdrawn for the production of feed.

Livestock are estimated to be the main inland source of phosphorous and nitrogen contamination of the South China Sea, contributing to biodiversity loss in marine ecosystems.

Meat and dairy animals now account for about 20 percent of all terrestrial animal biomass. Livestock’s presence in vast tracts of land and its demand for feed crops also contribute to biodiversity loss; 15 out of 24 important ecosystem services are assessed as in decline, with livestock identified as a culprit.

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April 11, 2010

from:  www.news.iastate.edu

Iowa State NWRC study finds flaxseed lowers high cholesterol in men

AMES, Iowa -- A new study from Iowa State University's Nutrition and Wellness Research Center (NWRC) may give men a way to combat high cholesterol without drugs -- if they don't mind sprinkling some flaxseed into their daily diet.

Suzanne Hendrich, an ISU professor in food science and human nutrition, led a study that examined the effects of flaxseed lignan in 90 people diagnosed with high cholesterol. The results showed that consuming at least 150 milligrams of flaxseed lignans per day (about three tablespoons) decreased cholesterol in men, but not women, by just under 10 percent over the three months that they were given the flaxseed.

While Hendrich admits that's considerably less than the expected outcome from cholesterol-lowering drugs -- approximately 10 to20 percent for three months, depending on the individual -- it's still enough to make flaxseed a more natural option for some men.

"Because there are people who can't take something like Lipitor, this could at least give you some of that cholesterol-lowering benefit," Hendrich said. "The other thing is, there are certainly some people who would prefer to not use a drug, but rather use foods to try to maintain their health. So this potentially would be something to consider."

Americans suffer from high blood cholesterol

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 17 percent of Americans suffer from high blood cholesterol -- a fat-like substance found in the body that can clog arteries and contribute to heart disease.

Hendrich developed the study with ISU master's student Kai Ling Kong and doctoral graduates Zhong Ye, Xianai Wu, and Sun-Ok Lee to determine whether the main lignan in flaxseed, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, could lower cholesterol. They'll be presenting results of the research at the American Society for Nutrition's annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2010, April 24-28, in Anaheim, Calif.

The study's 90 subjects -- which included twice as many men as women -- all had high cholesterol, but no other underlying health conditions. The participants were divided into three groups and were randomly assigned to daily consume tablets that contained zero, 150, or 300 milligrams of flaxseed lignans for 12 weeks.

It's the flaxseed lignans -- a group of chemical compounds found in plants that are known for their protective health effects -- that may help lower cholesterol, according to Hendrich. These compounds are converted to their bioactive forms by gut microbes. Hendrich reports that they made a healthy conversion in the subjects in this study, with no adverse health consequences.

No cholesterol-lowering effect in women

While the study found that the flaxseed lignans lowered cholesterol in men, it did not produce a significant change in women.

"We're really puzzled about that because we were looking at post menopausal women and these lignans are known as plant estrogens, so they have a very weak but measurable estrogen effect," Hendrich said. "So potentially, they would have a mild effect for substituting some estrogens in women. It's really hard to know why [there was no effect in women] and whether these substances are counteracting, possibly, some testosterone in men, which of course women don't have. It's definitely something we'd like to investigate further."

Hendrich reports the flaxseed lignan tablets used in this study are not currently available in the U.S. to her knowledge. In the absence of tablets, she says flaxseed can also be sprinkled on cereal, or added in a muffin mix or bread, although whole seeds are not very digestible. Ground flaxseed meal can also provide the desired cholesterol-lowering lignans, according to Hendrich, but it will oxidize over time and could potentially affect the flavor of the foods that it's in. She points out that the oxidation of the product also would diminish the flaxseed's omega-3 fatty acids, which can prevent heart attacks, so freshness is important in the product's impact.

The ISU researcher hopes to publish the study in a professional journal. She also plans further investigation on whether flaxseed can be taken in combination with other known cholesterol-lowering substances, and whether it could prevent high cholesterol in the first place.

The $190,000 research study was jointly funded by the Archer Daniels Midland Company and Grow Iowa Values Fund.

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April 4, 2010

from:  www.themedguru.com

In a notable study, researchers have found that selenium intake can reduce diabetes risk in men.

Researchers at the University of Montpellier, France, established that high plasma selenium concentrates in foods like nuts could slash dysglycemia incidence--pre-diabetic state associated with insulin resistance.

Lead researcher, Tasnime Akbaraly, University of Montpellier said, “Our results showed that for elderly males, having (blood) selenium concentrations in the top third of the population was significantly associated with a lower risk of developing dysglycemia over the following nine years.”

1162 people studied

The research team studied 1,162 healthy French men and women, aged 59 to 71 for nine years.

The subjects’ plasma selenium concentrations and blood sugar levels were taken into consideration.

After analyzing the results, researchers found that the dietary supplement, also taken in the form of pills, was more effective with men than women.

It was revealed that men who had high levels of selenium in the blood were half as likely to develop dysglycemia in contrast to those with low levels of selenium.

The researchers also found that during the study, 127 new dysglycemia cases developed, out of which 70 were men and 57 women.

Hence, it was established that elderly males with plasma selenium concentrations had a significantly lower risk of falling prey to the pre-diabetic condition.

“The reason we observed a protective effect of selenium in men but not in women is not completely clear, but might be attributed to women being healthier at baseline, having better antioxidant status in general and possible differences in how men and women process selenium,” said Akbaraly.

Intake of selenium

Selenium, an essential micronutrient, is known to regulate the insulin levels in the body.

It is used by the body in selenoproteins--antioxidant enzymes that prevent cell damage, monitor thyroid functioning and also play a role in enhancing immune system functioning.

According to the Dietary Reference Intakes guidelines provided by the Institute of Medicine, adults over 19 years of age should aim for 55 micrograms selenium per day, contrary to pregnant and lactating women who should consume less of selenium.

Selenium can be obtained from plant foods and nuts especially Brazil nuts which have extremely high content of selenium, containing 544 micrograms per serving.

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March 28, 2010

from: www.naturalnews.com

Back in 1890, about one American child out of every 100,000 died each year from type 1 diabetes. Fast forward to the 21st century and the number is as high as 24. Each year, scientists estimate that the number of deaths among children due to type 1, or juvenile, diabetes increases by three percent with no signs of slowing down.

Type 2 diabetes, the kind most often associated with obesity and excessive sugar consumption, is often referenced in media reports and medical journals as increasing at a dangerously high rate, but type 1 is rarely addressed despite the fact that it is rising at a similar rate.

Dan Hurley, an investigative journalist who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1975, is compiling a report on his findings about the disease, noting that it is much more prevalent than people have been led to believe. Evidence is showing that, despite the widespread belief that type 1 diabetes is rare and develops from a genetic predisposition, juvenile diabetes is probably being triggered by environmental or lifestyle factors in a similar manner as type 2.

In his book, Hurley outlines five potential causes of the disease and its rapid increase. These include a lack of natural sunlight exposure, the destruction of natural skin pathogens that create immunity, exposure to cow’s milk at a young age, persistent exposure to pollutants and carcinogens, and the accelerated production of insulin-producing beta cells due to overall growth in height and weight averages among children.

Hurley believes that a comprehensive, national tracking system of type 1 diabetes cases will help researchers to determine the causes of the disease.

Comments by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

Someday western medicine will catch up to the truth that the natural health community already knows: That drinking pasteurized, processed cow's milk can promote autoimmune disorders such as type-1 diabetes.

Vitamin D deficiency, meanwhile, is an epidemic in our western world, and if you take a vitamin D deficient population and pump all the people full of vaccines and dairy products, it shouldn't be a big surprise to start seeing a huge rise in autoimmune disorders like type-1 diabetes.

But conventional medicine, as usual, remains entirely clueless about the real causes of type-1 diabetes (or even cancer or diabetes, for that matter). And because the medical system refuses to acknowledge the fact that environmental influences (chemicals, dietary choices, etc.) can cause these conditions, it is unable to offer any solutions for patients. So patients are simply put on a lifetime regimen of dangerous pharmaceutical chemicals instead of being taught real solutions for avoiding autoimmune disorders altogether.

It's just another day in the U.S. sick-care system, it seems...

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March 21, 2010

from: www.nutrition.suite101.com

How Leafy Green Vegetables May Prevent Cancer

Phytochemicals Reduce DNA Methylation

James Cooper

Debate about vegetables and cancer risk continues among scientists. One reason: no way to explain possible cancer prevention has been found. A new study proposes one way.

 

People who eat more leafy green vegetables have less risky DNA, the study found. The “better” or less risky DNA has less methylation in certain genes. Here’s how the proposed model works:

•More Vegetables → Less DNA Methylation → Lower Risk of Lung Cancer

This can be expressed in an opposite model:

•Less Vegetables → More DNA Methylation → Higher Risk of Lung Cancer

Significance of Methylation

Methylation is the addition of a simple four atom molecule to a substance, in this case a gene in a person’s DNA. When the gene is methylated, it changes how it works. Higher methylation of certain genes is associated with increased risk of cancer. Apparently the methylation interferes with normal control of cell division, allowing some cells to grow wildly, which is cancer.

Study Finds Potentially Reduced Lung Cancer Risk

Over 1,000 subjects coughed up sputum from deep in their lungs. Samples from deep in the lungs contain some lung tissue cells. The lung cells were analyzed for methylation in eight key genes, selected because the genes were known to be associated with cancer risk. Researchers counted cells with high methylation, and used that as a marker for cancer risk.

Then the researchers looked at the subjects’ diets. They found that cancer risk, as defined in this study, was lower in those who ate more leafy green vegetables. It was also lower in those who took multivitamins.

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March 14, 2010

from:  www.veganbakesale.com

What Is the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale?

On April 24 through May 2 (two weekends and the weekdays in between), groups from across the world will hold vegan bake sales. Each participating group gets to choose its venue, what to sell, and how it uses the proceeds. We invite you to participate! You can hold the bake sale on any day during the period—or on more than one day if you like. Just about anyone can join in.

In 2009, the first year of the event, a hundred groups participated and raised over $25,000 for a variety of causes. Some of the bake sales were remarkable; all were memorable (here are some highlights). The Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale was named the 2009 "Veg Event of the Year" by VegNews Magazine. Nearly every 2009 participant has vowed, with enthusiasm, to return in 2010.

WHY participate?

1.It's a fun way to introduce people to the joy and tastiness of vegan foods.

2.Raise money for your cause.

3.Be part of an event that will publicize the many benefits of an animal-free diet.

HOW do you participate?

Vancouver, British Columbia

•Plan to hold a vegan bake sale sometime between April 24 and May 2.

•Let us (and the world) know by using our handy signup form (preferred) or emailing us at info@veganbakesale.org.

•Hold the bake sale.

•If inclined, please let us know how you did. Send a photo, or a link, whatever you'd like—celebrate and inspire.

It's that simple.

If you want to participate but cannot do so during the "official" time period, get in touch with us—we've got you covered. We strive to be as inclusive as possible.

There are only two rules:

1.Goods sold must be vegan. For baking, most importantly this means no dairy or eggs.

2.Don't sell or distribute anything during the bake sale (books, brochures, etc.) that contributes to the intentional harming of animals.

You don't have to be a vegan group or even an animal group to participate. We're inviting school clubs, Girl Scout troops, church/temple/mosque organizations, even bunches of friends who want to join.

It's an easy and enjoyable way to raise funds, and to raise awareness about food that is delicious and satisfying but does not involve exploiting or mass-killing animals. (Note that animals are slaughtered in huge numbers, and at all ages starting at newborn, in the dairy and egg industries). In addition, many people are allergic to dairy or eggs, and holding a vegan bake sale shows that you can make super-tasty versions of cakes, pies, cookies, and other desserts without these ingredients.

Sydney, Australia The Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale is sponsored by Compassion for Animals (CfA), a Washington, DC-area grassroots group that “works to reduce human-caused harm to animals, primarily through educating people on animal-friendly lifestyles and cultivating empathy and respect for the nonhumans with whom we share the earth.” Our website (perpetually under construction) is www.compassion4animals.org.

Building on the connections we made in 2009, we expect to have increased "mainstream media" coverage of the event in 2010, in addition to fantastic (and greatly appreciated) promotion by cookbook authors, vegan chefs, food bloggers, podcasters, animal activists, humane groups, and others across the world.

The web site is filled with useful information to help you get your vegan bake sale going. For instance, we have links to over a thousand vegan baked good recipes and possibly the web's most complete collection of bake sale tips. Here are few that are handy to know right off the bat...

Tips for Getting Started

•You need to secure your venue. Possible locations include community centers, public squares, shopping centers, strip malls, pet supply stores, and theaters or sports arenas before or during an event. School groups and religious groups may want to hold the event in their respective schools and places of worship. Farmers markets, craft fairs, and festivals are other possible places for a vegan bake sale, although you often have to register early. Also, any vegan-oriented store will probably be receptive (if not wildly enthusiastic) about a vegan bake sale at or near their business.

•You need to get all the necessary permissions for holding a bake sale at your desired location. This can range from almost nothing to dealing with multiple levels of officials and obscure regulations. For shopping centers and strip malls, you may need permission from the owner of the property, not just store management. Health ordinances vary from place to place, and sometimes a city code will override a state code. But the good news is that in most instances, bake sales are very easy to set up, in terms of legalities and permits.

Note: In some European countries, additional restrictions may apply. Watch this space for more information and suggestions to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

•The bigger and busier the venue, the earlier you may need to reserve it. For best results, start those phone calls soon.

New to Vegan Baking?

  It's easier than you think. Just follow any of the million vegan baking recipes on the net or in cookbooks. Or, if you're an advanced baker, you can usually make one or two minor changes (e.g., use nondairy milk instead of cow's milk) and you're good to go. Either way, with vegan baking you can create brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and other delectables—even cheesecakes—that are as tasty as you've ever had—or better! We've got some vegan baking tips, recipes, and links on the site, and eventually we'll have tons, but in the meantime, in any search engine, just enter "vegan recipe" followed by whatever you want to bake, such as "chocolate chip cookies"or "zucchini bread," and you'll get plenty of good recipes and cooking hints.   

OK, that's it for now. Please email us at info@veganbakesale.org if you have any questions or suggestions. Check back often for updates and new information. The signup form is here. If inclined, check out our Facebook page or follow us on twitter.

Spread the news and the love.

Second Annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale—April 24-May 2, 2010!

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February 28, 2010

from: www.livestrong.com

Gluten-Free Vegan Diet Might Help With RA

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sufferers might find some relief with a gluten-free, vegan diet. A study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy found the diet helped reduce inflammation and pain.

For one year, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm observed 66 patients, age 50 and older with active RA. Some subjects ate a gluten-free vegan diet; others had a well-balanced non-vegan diet. The study’s conclusions showed that the vegan, gluten-free diet was anti-inflammatory and atheroprotective.

Although, currently, there is no cure for RA, it often can be managed to some extent with proper medical care, physical and occupational therapies, medications and diet.

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February 21, 2010

from:  www.meatout.org

What is Meatout?

On (or around) March 20 — the first day of spring — thousands of caring people in all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries get active to host educational Meatout events. Activities include colorful festivals, lectures, public dinners, feed-ins, cooking demos, food samplings, leafleting, information tables and more.

The occasion is Meatout, the world's largest and oldest annual grassroots diet education campaign. Meatout 2010 is the 25th Anniversary! Every spring, thousands of caring Meatout supporters educate their communities and ask their friends, families, and neighbors to pledge to "kick the meat habit (at least for a day) and explore a wholesome, compassionate diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains."

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February 14, 2010

from: www.foodconsumer.org

Vitamin K2 May Cut Coronary Heart Disease Risk

Saturday Jan 23, 2010 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking vitamin K2 supplements or eating lots of green vegetables may help cut risk for coronary heart disease, a study in the Sept 2009 issue of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases suggests.

Previous studies have already shown that vitamin K dependent proteins inhibit vascular calcification, a precursor for cardiovascular disease.

The study, led by Gast G. C. and colleagues from University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands, was meant to examine the association between the intake of dietary vitamins K1 and K2 and incidence of coronary heart disease.

For the study, the researchers followed 16,057 women, aged 49 to 70, for an average of eight years.  The participants were surveyed when entering the study for their intake of vitamin K and other nutrients.  The average intakes of vitamin K1 and K2 were 211.7 microg/d and 29.1 microg/d, respectively.

The women were free of CHD at baseline. During the follow-up, 480 incident cases of CHD were recorded.

When other risk factors and dietary factors were considered, an inverse association became apparent between intake of vitamin K2 and incidence of coronary heart disease.

Specifically, intake of each 10 microg/d vitamin K2 was associated with a nine percent reduction in coronary heart disease.

The researchers found the association was mainly due to vitamin K2 subtype MK-7, MK-7 and MK-9.

No similar association was found for vitamin K1.

Coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, is a condition in which plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries, leading to atherosclerosis.  The plaque consists of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances.

Vitamin K is found in large quantity in vegetables, including raw parsley, Swiss chard, kale, broccoli, watercress, green leafy lettuce, spinach.  Small quantities of vitamin K are also found in soybean oil and canola oil and other plant-based foods.

A health observer said this study suggests that eating vegetables may prevent coronary heart disease; conversely, eating insufficient vegetables may increase the risk.

Reporting by David Liu and editing by Rachel Stockton

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February 7, 2010

from: www.pcrm.org

Animal Protein Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk

Diabetes risk increases with higher intake of total protein and animal protein, according to a new study in this month’s issue of Diabetes Care. Researchers analyzed the diets of 38,094 Dutch participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study and found that for every 5 percent of calories consumed from protein instead of carbohydrate or fat, the risk of developing diabetes increased 30 percent. Increased animal protein intake coincided with increased intakes of saturated fat, cholesterol, and heme iron, and with increased body mass index, waist circumference, and blood pressure. Vegetable protein intake was not associated with diabetes risk.

Sluijs I, Beulens JWJ, Van Der A DL, Spijkerman AMW, Grobbee DE, Van Der Shouw YT. Dietary intake of total, animal, and vegetable protein and risk of type 2 diabetes in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-NL study. Diabetes Care. 2010; 33:43-48.

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January 31, 2010

from:  www.supervegan.com

Animal Relief in Haiti

by Samantha Cohen

Headlines flashing about the death tolls in Haiti report crazy high numbers of casualties, and those just account for human lives. If you're thinking what we're thinking, you're wondering WHAT ABOUT THE ANIMALS?? We've compiled a list of groups that are helping domestic and feral animals and wildlife post-quake. We haven't evaluated all of them but we wanted to let you know what's up, right here, right now. If you know of other groups aiding animals, or if you come across more animal-related quake news, please comment or e-mail. We'll update this post as we find out more.

Groups helping animals in Haiti

•Sodopreca (Spanish)

This is the only Dominican animal group going to Haiti specifically to rescue animals. Want to go with? E-mail Marco fast; they leave for Haiti on Friday.

•International Fund for Animal Welfare

It looks like they're focusing on human needs first and animals second. They say on their website, "After ... immediate human needs are met, IFAW's Emergency Response team will be ready to assist the animal victims in any way that we can. In the meantime, please keep the people and animals of Haiti in your thoughts."

•Christian Veterinary Mission

•Veterinarians Without Borders

They haven't mentioned Haiti yet, but we hope they'll get involved!

•UPDATE: We are having a bake sale! Proceeds go to Sodopreca. It'll be at Vegan Drinks on Thursday, January 28, 7 to 9 p.m. Help us by baking and/or emptying your wallets for cupcakes!

•And so are these guys, Mooshoes, Saturday, January 31, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Can you make it/bake it for both?

Animal-related news on Haiti

•You can find the Humane Society of the United States' statement here. HSUS says, "Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States are working with other animal welfare and humanitarian organizations to determine how best to assist animals and people affected by the disaster. We have offered our support in providing care to affected animals and will post updates as they become available."

•The World Society for the Protection of Animals is keeping tabs on their Animals in Disasters blog. With the IFAW, the WSPA will be working on ground-level relief for animals. You can donate at the blog.

•Best Friends Animal Society is delivering updates via Facebook.

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January 24, 2010

from: www.dailygleaner.com

VEGETARIAN KIDS

By MIKE STOBBE

The Associated Press

Sam Silverman is co-captain of his high-school football team - a safety accustomed to bruising collisions. But that's nothing compared with the abuse he gets for being a vegetarian.

Enlarge Photo APSam Silverman, 16, of Westborough, Mass., works out at the YMCA gym, in Westborough. Silverman, co-captain of his high school football team, and a vegetarian, says he’s pleased with his health and has no problems sticking to his diet. "I get a lot of flak for it in the locker room," said the 16-year-old junior at Westborough High School in Massachusetts.

"All the time, my friends try to get me to eat meat and tell me how good it tastes and how much bigger I would be," said Silverman, who is 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds. "But for me, there's no real temptation."

Silverman may feel like a vegetable vendor at a butchers' convention, but about 367,000 other kids are in the same boat, according to a recent study that provides the U.S. government's first estimate of how many children avoid meat. That's about one in 200.

Other surveys suggest the rate could be four to six times than among older teens who have more control over what they eat than young children do.

Vegetarian diets exclude meat, but the name is sometimes loosely worn. Some self-described vegetarians eat fish or poultry on occasion, while others - called vegans - cut out animal products of any kind, including eggs and dairy products.

Anecdotally, adolescent vegetarianism seems to be rising, thanks in part to YouTube animal slaughter videos that shock the developing sensibilities of many U.S. children.

But there isn't enough long-term data to prove that, according to government researchers.

The new estimate of young vegetarians comes from a recent federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study of alternative medicine based on a survey of thousands of Americans in 2007. Information on children's diet habits was gleaned from about 9,000 parents and other adults speaking on behalf of those under 18.

"I don't think we've done a good job of counting the number of vegetarian youth, but I think this is reasonable," Amy Lanou, a nutrition scientist at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, said of the government estimate.

She works with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a vegan advocacy group.

Vegetarians say it's animal welfare, not health, that most often causes kids to stop eating meat.

"Compassion for animals is the major, major reason," said Richard Schwartz, president of Jewish Vegetarians of North America, an organization with a newsletter mailing list of about 800.

"When kids find out the things they are eating are living animals - and if they have a pet...."

Case in point is Nicole Nightingale, 14, of Safety Harbor, Fla. In 2007, Nightingale was on the Internet to read about chicken when she came across a video on YouTube that showed the birds being slaughtered.

At the end, viewers were invited to go to the website peta.org - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Nicole told her parents she was going vegan, prompting her mother to send an angry letter to PETA. But the vegan diet is working out, and now her mother is taking steps to become a vegetarian, too, said Nightingale, an eighth-grader.

She believes her experience was typical for a pre-adolescent vegetarian.

"A lot more kids are using the Internet. They're curious about stuff and trying to become independent and they're trying to find out who they are," she said.

Vegetarians are most often female, from higher-income families and living on the East or West coasts, according to previous studies. One good place to find teen vegetarians is Agnes Scott College, a mostly white, all-women's private school in suburban Atlanta with about 850 students. Roughly five to 10 per cent of Agnes Scott students eat vegetarian, said Pete Miller, the college's director of food service.

Frequently, the most popular entrée at the college dining hall is a fresh mozzarella sandwich with organic greens. And the comment board (called "the Beef Board," as in "what's your beef?") often contains plaudits for vegetarian dishes or requests for more. "They're very vocal," Miller said of his vegetarian diners.

Eating vegetarian can be very healthy - nutritionists often push kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, of course. For growing children, however, it's important to get sufficient amounts of protein, vitamins B12 and D, iron, calcium and other important nutrients that most people get from meat, eggs and dairy.

Also, vegetarian diets are not necessarily slimming. Some vegetarian kids cut out meat but fill up on doughnuts, french fries, soda or potato chips, experts said.

"Vegetarian doesn't mean low-calorie," said Dr. Christopher Bolling, who directs weight management research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

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January 17, 2010

from: www.emagazine.com

Don’t Doubt Sprouts

Growing Your Own Power-Packed Greens

By Matthew Kadey

The whimsical sprout comes in many guises. It shoots up from crunchy legumes such as lentils, soy and chickpeas; whole grains like sweet quinoa and wheat berries; and vegetable seeds including alfalfa, broccoli and biting radish. Food bloggers, nutrition experts and savvy chefs are increasingly trumpeting the nutritional density and culinary potential of these “baby” plants.

When a seed comes in contact with moisture, it begins to germinate, or sprout. During this process, vitamin, mineral and protein levels increase substantially over those found in the original seed or mature plant of the same name, says Erin Palinski, a registered dietitian and fitness trainer in New Jersey. “So the plant is at its nutritional peak,” she says.

The array of intensified compounds includes vitamins A, B12, folate and C; minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, iron and magnesium; essential fatty acids; fiber; and various enzymes and antioxidants. Case in point: broccoli sprouts. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, spicy broccoli sprouts contain up to 100 times more sulforaphane than mature broccoli.

“Sulforaphane is a naturally occurring phytochemical that enhances the cancer-protective capacity of cells,” Palinski says.

Sprouted lentils have four times more vitamin C than their unsprouted mates. Plus, when eaten shortly after sprouting, there is no loss of nutrients that occurs when fruits and vegetables sit for long periods of time on trucks, in warehouses and on grocer shelves.

On top of a myriad of nutritional benefits, organic sprouts are very economical; growing several times their initial weight, they can be reared anywhere, during any season and, unlike their grown-up brethren, can go from seed to salad with virtually no environmental impact in just a few days.

Good for much more than sandwich fillers, sprouts can gussy up curries, sushi, soups, dips, scrambled eggs, stir-fries and even baked goods. Eating a variety is the best way to take advantage of all their unique flavors and health benefits. To learn more about this crunchy living food, pick up Steve Meyerowitz’s Sprouts: The Miracle Food (Sproutman Publications).

Sprouting at Home

There is one garden that can be cultivated in January or July, in Alaska or Florida: a garden of sprouts. Sprouting indoors is as easy as 1, 2, drain, no green thumb required. Raw food chef Tina Jo Stephens, host of the online “Splendor in the Raw,” explains how to get it right.

What You’ll Need

Wide-mouth jar, preferably about ½ gallon

Porous non-metal screen (available at most hardware stores)

Rubber band

Seeds sold specifically for sprouting

How to Do It

1) Pour 2 tablespoons of smaller seeds such as broccoli and mustard or up to ½ cup of larger seeds like garbanzo and lentils into a jar, cover with water and soak for 6-8 hours.

2) Secure porous lid to the top of the jar with rubber band.

3) Drain the water; rinse and drain again with fresh water.

4) Invert jar and prop at a 45-degree angle in a bowl to catch the liquid and encourage air circulation.

5) Keep the seeds in a warm, dark place for the first three days.

6) On the fourth day, place them in diffused or indirect sunlight to develop chlorophyll and begin to green. 7) When the sprouts are ready to harvest, rinse well and wash off as many hulls as possible, then refrigerate for up to one week.

Safety Note: To minimize contamination risk, purchase seeds and mature sprouts from companies that test for pathogens and are dedicated solely to sprouting and not livestock production as well. As long as you begin with uncontaminated seeds, use clean jars and water and refrigerate the sprouts, the risk of growing illness-inducing pathogens is minimal.

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January 10, 2010

from: www.articles.latimes.com

"Fruits and vegetables, good for the bones?"

For proponents of a low-acid diet, vinegar and citrus aren't the suspects -- meat and dairy products are.

by:  Elena Conis

Don't think dairy when it comes to building strong bones, say proponents of the low-acid diet. Focus instead on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, these nutrition scientists say.

The low-acid diet (also called the alkaline acid diet) has been the subject of scientific debate of late, as doctors and researchers question what, precisely, it takes to keep bones strong. The thinking behind the diet goes like this: Blood is slightly alkaline, with a pH just above 7. If the diet is rich in acids, the body tries to restore alkalinity by eliminating minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium, which the blood essentially pulls from the bones.

Following a low-acid diet doesn't mean avoiding vinegar and citrus fruits. On the contrary, it means not overloading on proteins, which are made up of amino acids that, as the name suggests, are acidic in nature. Low-acid diet adherents point out that because humans did not evolve on a diet heavy in meat and dairy, the modern Western diet, which is rich in animal proteins, may be contributing to illness and disease -- including osteoporosis.

That's the theory. What about the science?

"There's good evidence to suggest that pH in diet can make a difference" when it comes to bone health, says Dr. Bart Clarke, an endocrinologist specializing in osteoporosis and an associate professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

However, Clarke adds, the difference is small.

The theory was first proposed in the 1960s by scientists who hypothesized that human bones might be giving up calcium to compensate for pH imbalances caused by protein-rich Western diets. Evidence to support the theory accumulated in the 1980s, as scientists began to show that in rats, even small shifts in pH (such as a drop to pH 7.15 from 7.25) increased bone loss up to six-fold.

In test tube studies, acidity was shown to ramp up the activity of osteoclasts, cells that promote bone loss, and dampen that of osteoblasts, cells involved in bone formation.

Small studies in humans soon began to suggest that the body excreted more calcium, or less, depending on the acidity of the diet.

In a 1994 study by scientists at UC San Francisco that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, calcium levels in urine decreased in 18 post-menopausal women who took potassium bicarbonate daily to neutralize the acid in their diets. The authors concluded that taking the potassium bicarbonate reduced the women's bone loss and increased bone formation.

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January 3, 2010

from: www.mb.com.ph

We are what we eat

MORE CRITICAL THAN EVERBy SENATOR EDGARDO J. ANGARA

A nutrition researcher at the University of Washington found that the most reliable predictor of obesity is a person’s wealth. Logic would tell us that it is the poor who suffer from a shortage of calories, not an excess. So how is it that the people with the least amount of money to spend on food are the ones most likely to be overweight?

The reason is that one could buy the most calories for a cheaper price among the processed food and soft drink aisles of the supermarket. Processed foods are more “energy dense” than fresh foods: they contain less water and fiber but have more fat and sugar, which makes them both less filling and more fattening.  These particular calories also happen to be the least healthful ones, which is why we call them “junk.”

This results directly in “hidden hunger” or vitamin and mineral deficiency, the most widespread cause of malnutrition in the world today. Micronutrient deficiency does not result in hunger as we traditionally know it, but it strikes at the core of one’s health and vitality. It has devastating effects, such as stunted mental and physical growth.

The current economics of food dictates that if you are on a low budget, the most rational strategy is to eat badly. But that should not be the case. The truth is that eating vitamin- and mineral-rich vegetables is the most sound and cost-effective way to eating healthy.

A higher consumption of vegetables will supply the body’s nutrient needs such as calcium, ferrous, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins C and A. It is the solution micronutrient deficiency, which can occur in both overweight and underweight children.

Sadly, a 2007 study by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) on the changing eating habits of Filipino children revealed they are now eating less vegetables and more food with empty calories. The same study said the consumption of vegetables has declined by more than 50 percent from 1978 to 2003.

The influence of adult members of the family has a lot to do with children’s eating habits. Children eat what their parents eat, says the study. Therefore, we need to remind parents of the simple but often forgotten fact: eating vegetables is the way to good health. That is why I chose to build a massive campaign on this.

Oh My Gulay! or OMG! takes inspiration from highly successful awareness campaigns such as ONE.org and Al Gore’s The Inconvenient Truth, but this time tackling the equally important issue of malnutrition.

The campaign includes print, music, TV, DVD, and online media, tapping popular artists to lend their names and talent to the cause.

It is a call-to-action to address the problem of hidden hunger. It is a simple, powerful, and urgent message that talks about solving micronutrient deficiency by eating vegetables. It teaches kids, in an accessible and fun way, about the health benefits of eating vegetables.

Promoting healthy eating will go a long way towards ensuring our children’s future

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December 27, 2009

from:  www.coastweek.com

Local Vegetables May Cure

Ovarian-Prostate Cancer

'Sukuma wiki' is a good source

of the highly valued vitamin C

SPECIAL REPORT BY XINHUA CORRESPONDENT MARTIN SHADOW

NAIROBI, (Xinhua) -- Over the years, sukumawiki has been grown as a cheap vegetable by Kenyans, but it has been found that it is one of the healthiest with lots of vitamins capable of reducing both overian and prostate cancer in women and men.

Kale, popularly known as sukumawiki, has been consumed in Kenya as a stable vegetable food in most households despite attempts by some organizations to push for planting of traditional vegetables, arguing that they are more nutritious than sukumawiki.

Recent research on the kales show that it is not only a cheap vegetable but one of the healthiest with lots of vitamins, of which some help to reduce ovarian cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.

According to findings released in the Organic Farmer, an African Insect Science for Food and Health (ICIPE) publication for organic farmers, kales belong to a family of vegetables with high nutrients that help in fighting and reducing the occurrence of different kinds of cancers.

Other vegetables in this family include cabbages, Brussels , sprouts and collards that do well in a well manured soil and are relatively drought resistant, meaning that they can be easily grown in most homes in the country.

Kale is rich in plant pigments (flavonoids) called kaempferol.

Research in 66,940 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study between 1984 and 2002 revealed that women whose diets provided the most kaempferol had a 40 percent reduction in risk of ovarian cancer, compared with women eating the least kaempferol-rich foods.

In addition to kale, foods richest in kaempferol include non- herbal tea like green tea, onions, broccoli, leeks and spinach.

For men, recent research by ICIPE show that those eating the most cruciferous vegetables of the brassica family have a much lower risk of prostate, lung and other types of cancer.

In a study of 1,200 men conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle ( Canada ), those eating 28 servings of vegetables a week had a 35 percent lower risk of prostate cancer.

Those consuming just three or more servings of cruciferous vegetables each week had a 44 percent lower prostate cancer risk.

According to ICIPE, sukumawiki is useful in keeping away other ailments.

For Instance, the vegetable has a nutrient called beta- carotene that helps in good vision.

The nutrient reduces the growth of cataracts that lead to gradual loss of sight. Sukumawiki is a good source of the highly valued vitamin C which reduces the likelihood of developing colon cancer.

Just one cup of the cooked kale vegetable supplies 88.8 percent of the daily value for vitamin C.

It is also rich in minerals calcium, potassium, manganese, iron and potassium. It also contains an insoluble fiber that is associated with protection against heart disease in both men and women.

ICIPE advises the kale consumers when buying the sukumawiki to select deep colored leaves that have moist hardy stems.

Small leaves are usually tender and have a more mild flavor than larger, more mature leaves.

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December 20, 2009

from:  www.jn.nutrition.org

Regular Consumption of Nuts Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Higher nut consumption has been associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) events in several epidemiologic studies. The study examined the association between intake of nuts and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a cohort of women with type 2 diabetes. For the primary analysis, there were 6309 women with type 2 diabetes who completed a validated FFQ every 2–4 y between 1980 and 2002 and were without CVD or cancer at study entry. Major CVD events included incident myocardial infarction (MI), revascularization, and stroke. During 54,656 person-years of follow-up, there were 452 CHD events (including MI and revascularization) and 182 incident stroke cases. Frequent nut and peanut butter consumption was inversely associated with total CVD risk in age-adjusted analyses. After adjustment for conventional CVD risk factors, consumption of at least 5 servings/wk of nuts or peanut butter [serving size, 28 g (1 ounce) for nuts and 16 g (1 tablespoon) for peanut butter] was significantly associated with a lower risk of CVD (relative risk = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.36–0.89). Furthermore, when we evaluated plasma lipid and inflammatory biomarkers, we observed that increasing nut consumption was significantly associated with a more favorable plasma lipid profile, including lower LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and apolipoprotein-B-100 concentrations. However, we did not observe significant associations for HDL cholesterol or inflammatory markers. These data suggest that frequent nut and peanut butter consumption is associated with a significantly lower CVD risk in women with type 2 diabetes.

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December 13, 2009

from: www.health.usnews.com

Soy Beneficial for Breast Cancer Survivors: Study

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay News) -- Regular, moderate consumption of soy foods can help lower the risk of death and cancer recurrence in women who've had breast cancer, new research shows.

What's more, the association between soy and a reduced risk of death held true even for women with estrogen receptor-positive cancers and women taking tamoxifen, according to the study published in the Dec. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"We found that women with a history of breast cancer who consumed moderate amounts of soy food were doing better in terms of prognosis. They had reduced mortality and reduced recurrence," said study author Dr. Xiao Ou Shu, a professor of medicine and a cancer epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

There has been some concern that soy might increase the risk of breast cancer or worsen the prognosis for women already diagnosed with the disease because soy is what's known as a phytoestrogen. That means that it can act like a weak form of estrogen in the body.

However, it appears those concerns may have been unfounded because Shu and her colleagues found that soy actually reduces the availability of naturally occurring estrogen by binding to its receptors.

"In our study, we found that soy food has a very similar effect to tamoxifen," said Shu. Tamoxifen is a drug that blocks the action of estrogen in the body, which can be helpful for treating cancers that are fueled by estrogen.

Shu's study included just over 5,000 Chinese women who had been previously diagnosed with breast cancer between 2002 and 2006. The women were aged 20 to 75, with the majority of women between 40 and 60 at the time of diagnosis.

The researchers collected information on cancer diagnosis and treatment, lifestyle factors (including diet) and disease progression at six months after diagnosis, and then again at 18, 36 and 60 months after diagnosis.

Women who had the highest intake of soy had a 29 percent reduced risk of death and a 32 percent decrease in the risk of cancer recurrence compared to those who ate less than 5.3 grams of soy per day.

"There was a linear response, and we found the higher the intake, the lower the mortality, up to 11 grams of soy protein," Shu said, adding that after 11 grams daily the benefit leveled off, but didn't decline.

Eleven grams of soy translates to about one-fourth of a cup of tofu each day, she said.

Both Shu, and Dr. Gina Villani, chief of hematology/oncology at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City, said it's important to note that Chinese women tend to get their soy from natural sources, such as tofu, edamame or unsweetened soy milk, instead of the processed types of soy foods that many Americans eat, such as sweetened, flavored soy milk or soy-based protein bars.

"The take-home lesson is that whole foods are what we need to eat more of," said Villani. "Try to stay away from the processed stuff. Don't bulk up on soy milk or soy candy bars."

Shu also pointed out that Chinese women may be replacing unhealthier food choices, such as red meat, with soy. In an accompanying editorial in the same issue of the journal, experts from the U.S. National Cancer Institute noted that the average daily soy intake for people living in China makes up 10 percent or more of their daily protein intake.

Both Shu and Villani advise against loading up on soy supplements, as these haven't been proven to be beneficial, and Villani said it's unclear if such high levels of soy could cause harm.

And, Villani added, "supplements don't replace food. We haven't even begun to understand the interactions between nutrients in food and the body. Soy as a bean may react different than soy from a candy bar in the body."

"Soy food intake has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer, and it may have cardiovascular benefit, so overall, whether or not you have cancer, soy could be very beneficial to you and could become an important component of a healthy diet," Shu said. "But try to get it in natural sources, not from processed food."

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December 6, 2009

from: www.planetgreen.discovery.com

In a Vegetarian World, What Happens to the Cows?

By Rachel Cernansky

Boulder, CO, USA

A ridiculous question, you might say, yet it's one I get asked all the time. As if we're doing cows a favor by eating them.

Come on now. The world's 1.5 billion cattle didn't appear by their own doing, and most don't roam free enough to decide to reproduce on their own. The factory farms that produce most of our meat and dairy depend on unnatural reproduction and growth rates, employing tactics like artificial insemination (classes available!) and injections of growth hormones that are making even humans develop faster.

In addition to the health effects of such chemicals on the cows and the people who eat them is the impact that the whole system of production has on the environment. The chemicals work their way into our water supply, the hormones into our own bodies, and then there's the methane emissions—tons and tons of a gas 25 times worse for the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Kind of a problem. Some efforts are being made to harness that methane as an energy source instead of a pollutant, but a much better situation for the earth is if we turn to a plant-based, or at least plant-dominated, diet.

A vegetarian world?

If the world went vegetarian tomorrow, methane emissions wouldn't come to an instantaneous halt, but reproduction of the current generation of cows, for the most part, would. Methane would follow suit, and slow down in a matter of months. We would have some serious cleanup to do of our waterways, air, and, well, all the poop. We'd also have a lot of animals on our hands, but without forced reproduction, we would need only a temporary solution (albeit a damn good one).

Fortunately, plenty of sanctuaries already exist that could provide guidance on how to care for abused and overworked animals that will gain more weight, when they're allowed to live out a full life, than their bodies can comfortably bear. (That's part of what the hormones are designed to do—grow animals faster than normal, to achieve maximum weight gain before they are sent to slaughter.) Once we dealt with the immediate situation, cow populations could return to healthier, more natural levels and to a grazing, self-sustaining lifestyle.

There are as many cows (and pigs, chickens, etc.) as there are today because we demand that there be. So what would happen if the world stopped consuming them? I don't know for sure, but for the sake of the planet, the cows, and ourselves, I sure would like to find out.

Vegetarian Awareness Month seems a great time to start.

Green your diet

Why not show the cows (and pigs, goats, chickens) some love by not eating them. If you're not ready to go full-time veg, start with one consistent meal: try eating a veg meal for lunch, or go vegan, say, two days a week. Set a realistic goal you can feel good about achieving.

Give some new vegetarian and vegan recipes a shot—Emeril has a few tofu recipes to try, until you're comfortable experimenting on your own.

Or, take meat recipes you already know and love, and just try a soy- or seitan-based substitute: there's all kinds of faux meat products out these days, you'll never need to miss the 'real' thing.

Find substitutes for dairy as well—more people are lactose-intolerant than realize it anyway, and soy is a great alternative. So is rice milk, though my favorite is probably hemp milk. And in the vegan cheese category, Follow Your Heart is unbeatable, though it's also worth trying to make your own.

And, it's never a bad time to adopt a farm animal or, if you live near a sanctuary, visit the critters in person. Say the world does go vegetarian tomorrow—you'll help the cow saviors be one (tiny) step ahead of the game.

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November 29, 2009

TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL JUICE FEAST DAY!!!

From 5pm-7pm (PST), a spectacular event will be taking place all over the world. Dave the Raw Food Trucker is hosting an international juice feast day to honor Gabriel Cousens (Tree of Life) and all he has done for mankind. Please join us, host your own house party or get together with friends and celebrate health. The idea is to drink low glycemic juices or smoothies for as long as you feel you need to; it could be 1 day or 100 days. Give your body a chance to relax, heal, recuperate and get back on track as we all experience the top notch health our bodies deserve.  (Dave lost about 200 pounds on a raw food diet.)

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November 22, 2009

from www.examiner.com

Diet and mood: Benefits of a vegetarian diet on mood

Disease Prevention ExaminerPeggy KrausPrevious

Diet and mood: Benefits of a vegetarian diet.

Currently, the American Public Health Association is holding its 137th Annual Meeting and Exposition in Philadelphia, PA.  A pilot randomized control trial was presented on November 9, 2009, in poster format to show the connection between diet and mood, and more specifically, the benefits of a vegetarian diet on mood.

Arizona State University researchers studied 39 participants all who were omnivores (eating both meat and plants). They divided them into into three groups: the control group made no changes to diet, the fish group at three to four servings of fish per week and eliminated all other meat, and the vegetarian group consumed no meat and no eggs.

Researchers found that while the control and the fish groups showed no significant mood changes, the vegetarian group experienced both less tension and less confusion.

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November 15, 2009

from www.tofurky.com

The Meat of the Matter

Turtle Island Foods Considers the Environmental Consequences of Dietary Choices 

Average percentage of monthly budget spent on food:

(David Pimentel, Professor of Entomology, Cornell University.)

•in the U.S.: 15 %

•in Europe: 30 %

•in Indonesia: 60 %

Percentage of:

•soybean crop grown to feed livestock: in the US: 90%

•corn crop grown to feed livestock: in the US: 80%

•all grains grown to feed livestock: in the US: 70%

World meat production:

(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Livestock’s Long Shadow, 2006.)

•1950: 44 million tons annually

•Today: 253 million tons annually

Percentage of overall greenhouse gas emissions:

(United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization)

•due to livestock: 18%

•due to transport vehicles (cars, trucks, airplanes, etc.): 13%

If 1/3 of Americans switched from eating one 3 ½-ounce serving of beef, one egg, and a one-ounce serving of cheese each day to a mix of vegetables, fruit, beans, and whole grains:

(United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization, 2006.)

•Acres of cropland spared: 180 million (an area larger than the state of Texas)

•Tons of pesticides eliminated: 9,375

•Tons of fertilizer eliminated: 2 million

•Tons of manure eliminated*: 570 million (* Livestock manure and flatulence generate 30-40% of total methane emissions from human-influenced activities.)

Pounds of grain needed to produce enough meat and other livestock products to support a person for a year: 2,000

(M.E. Ensminger, former chair of the Animal Sciences Department, Washington State University.)

Pounds needed to support a person for a year if grain is eaten directly: 400

(M.E. Ensminger, former chair of the Animal Sciences Department, Washington State University.)

Total area of ice-free terrestrial surface of the planet occupied by grazing: 26%

(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Livestock’s Long Shadow, 2006.)

Livestock production accounts for 70% of all agricultural land and 30% of the surface of the planet.

(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Livestock’s Long Shadow, 2006.)

Number of additional people who could be fed if all grain grown in US for livestock was used to feed people: 800 million

(David Pimentel, Professor of Entomology, Cornell University.)

Amount of meat consumed by the average person worldwide 50 years ago: 45 pounds, today: 90.3 pounds

Tons of American cropland lost to erosion each year due to animal production: 2 billion

(Center for Science in the Public Interest.)

Percentage of human-influenced nitrous oxide* generated by livestock: 65% (* Nitrous oxide has nearly 300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.)

(United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization, 2006)

Methane is 23 times more powerful in global warming potential than carbon dioxide.

(Center for Science in the Public Interest, in the book Six Arguments for a Greener Diet, 2006.)

Average American diet produces more than 15 pounds of CO2 per day which equals 5,600 pounds of CO2 emissions per person per year.

A vegan diet results in eliminating 1.5 tons of CO2 emissions annually, or eight pounds per day, when compared with a non-vegan diet.

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November 8, 2009

from www.foodnavigator-usa.com

Changing dietary fats could reduce disease risk

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Consuming a diet rich in monounsaturated fats could lower the risk of metabolic syndrome – even without weight loss, says a new study.

Metabolic syndrome is a condition that encompasses a number of risk factors for overweight and obesity, such as a large waistline, hypertension, high blood pressure, and low levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol – so-called ‘good’ cholesterol. This latest study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adds further weight to the idea that monounsaturated fat can help reduce LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol while diets high in saturated fat are linked to higher rates of tissue inflammation.

Inflammation related to obesity is known to contribute to the development of a range of disorders, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease.

“Several studies have show increased inflammation in adipose tissue of obese subjects and revealed its possible role in the development of insulin resistance,” the authors wrote. “Our study suggests that the type of dietary fat is an important component in the cause of adipose tissue inflammation.”

Dietary composition

The Dutch researchers selected twenty ‘moderately overweight’ subjects for the study on the basis of a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or over, or a waist circumference of at least 80cm for women and 94cm for men. All subjects consumed a diet rich in saturated fat for a two-week ‘run-in period’ and then ten continued on this diet for a further eight weeks, while ten received a diet rich in monounsaturated fats, mainly in the form of refined olive oil.

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The diets were similar in terms of total fats, protein, carbohydrates and dietary fiber, but the saturated fat diet contained 19 percent saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and 11 percent monounsaturated fatty acids(MUFAs), while the monounsaturated fat diet contained 11 percent SFAs and 20 percent MUFAs. The researchers monitored weight and adjusted energy intake in order to prevent weight changes.

Monounsaturated fat, reduced cholesterol

The researchers found that the MUFA diet led to reduced total and LDL cholesterol, but did not affect insulin sensitivity, although they hypothesized that the intervention period may have been too short to observe changes in insulin sensitivity.

However, they noted that it was difficult to distinguish whether the beneficial effects of the MUFA diet were due to higher levels of monounsaturated fat or lower levels of saturated fat. “It could be a combination of both,” they wrote.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Published online ahead of print

“A saturated fatty acid–rich diet induces an obesity-linked proinflammatory gene expression profile in adipose tissue of subjects at risk of metabolic syndrome”

Authors: Susan J van Dijk, Edith JM Feskens, Marieke B Bos, Dianne WM Hoelen, Rik Heijligenberg, Mechteld Grootte Bromhaar, Lisette CPGM de Groot, Jeanne HM de Vries, Michael Müller, and Lydia A Afman.

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November 1, 2009

from: www.pcrm.org

Milk and Prostate Cancer: The Evidence Mounts

By Neal D. Barnard, M.D.

Could milk cause prostate cancer? Here are the facts: Major studies suggesting a link between milk and prostate cancer have appeared in medical journals since the 1970s. Two of six cohort studies (research studies following groups of people over time) found increased risk with higher milk intakes. Five studies comparing cancer patients to healthy individuals found a similar association. One of these, conducted in northern Italy, found that frequent dairy consumption could increase risk by two and one-half times.1

In 1997, the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research concluded that dairy products should be considered a possible contributor to prostate cancer. And yet another research study came out in April 2000 pointing to a link between dairy and prostate cancer: Harvard’s Physicians’ Health Study followed 20,885 men for 11 years, finding that having two and one-half dairy servings each day boosted prostate cancer risk by 34 percent, compared to having less than one-half serving daily.2

A Smoking Gun?

Researchers are looking, not only at whether milk increases cancer risk, but how. The answer, apparently, is in the way milk affects a man’s hormones. Dairy products boost the amount of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) in the blood. In turn, IGF-I promotes cancer cell growth.3-5 A small amount is normally in the bloodstream, but several recent studies have linked increased IGF-I levels to prostate cancer and possibly to breast cancer as well.

Milk does other mischief. Its load of calcium depletes the body’s vitamin D, which, in turn, may add to cancer risk. Most dairy products are also high in fat, which affects the activity of sex hormones that play a major role in cancer.

And it would come as no surprise that milk might affect the growth of cancer cells. After all, its biological purpose is to support rapid growth in all parts of a calf’s body. After the age of weaning, calves (like all mammals) have no need for milk at all, and there is never a need to drink the milk of another species.

Researchers are investigating whether dairy products might be culprits in other forms of the disease. Ovarian cancer, in particular, may be linked to galactose, a sugar produced from the milk sugar lactose. Yogurt, cheese, “lactose-free” milk, and other dairy products contain substantial amounts of galactose.

Other parts of the diet affect cancer risk, too. Meat and fatty foods in general are implicated in increased risk, while tomatoes, watermelons, and other bright red fruits contain lycopene, which reduces cancer risk.

The bottom line: While researchers will study the causes of cancer for years to come, health-conscious families may well want to trade dairy—and all animal products—for a healthy, vegan diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. When to make the switch? Evidence suggests that the earlier in life healthy diet habits begin, the better your protection.

What!? Does Everything Cause Cancer?

As a matter of fact, no. Whole grains, beans and other legumes, vegetables, and fruits are cancer fighters. Plant foods are low in fat, high in fiber, and loaded with protective cancer-fighting nutrients. But animal products—meat, dairy, eggs—are linked to several forms of the disease. They contain plenty of fat to harbor cancer-causing chemicals and to drive up the levels of cancer-promoting hormones in your body. They have no fiber that would normally sweep carcinogens from your digestive tract and are low in cancer-fighting antioxidants. And under cooking temperatures, the creatine, amino acids, and natural sugars in meat can actually turn into cancer-causing chemicals.

A cancer-prevention diet includes plenty of:

Vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach, asparagus

Fruits: strawberries, kiwi, melon, bananas, apples

Whole grains: breads, cereal, oatmeal, pasta, rice

Legumes: beans, peas, lentils

The most healthful diets eliminate meat, dairy products, eggs, and fried foods. To make the transition easy, you may wish to use rice milk, soymilk, meat substitutes, or egg substitutes.

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October 25, 2009

Parents can help their children grow to love vegetables 

from www.usatoday.com

By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY 

Although children's diets have improved modestly in recent years, many babies and toddlers are still eating too much sugar and salt, but not enough fruits and vegetables, according to a study, released Sunday, of 3,378 children under age 4.

Sugar. Babies 9 to 11 months old who had a dessert, candy or a sweetened drink on a daily basis: 43% in 2008 vs. 59% in 2002.

Fruits and vegetables. 25% of children ages 9 months to 4 years get no fruit each day 30% Get no vegetables, about the same percentage as in 2002.

Salt.  71% of 1- to-2-year-olds and 84% of 2- to-4-year-olds consume too much sodium.

Breastfeeding. On the bright side, babies 9 to 11 months old still get some breast milk: 33% in 2008 vs. 21%  in 2002.

HOW TO AVOID A FOOD FIGHT

Create a healthy home

• Keep junk food out of the house, or at least out of sight.

•Limit TV, and endless commercials for junk food.

• Plan ahead to avoid buying fast or processed foods: Pack a lunch before school or an outing; keep chopped vegetables in the fridge for quick snacks.

Avoid power struggles

• Praise kids for taking even a tiny taste.

• But don't use sweets and dessert as a prize, especially as a reward for finishing healthier foods.

• Meet kids halfway. Mix half a bowl of sweetened cereal with a whole-grain cereal, for example.

• Dish out kid-sized portions, not intimidating mounds. For a 1-year-old, a single serving is just two to three broccoli florets or one skinny stalk of asparagus.

• Don't react, even if kids make a fuss about refusing food. Don't make them clean their plates, but don't cook them anything else, either.

Make every calorie count

• Blend vegetables, such as pureed eggplant or peppers, into spaghetti sauce. Add shredded vegetables, apples or other fruit to meatloaf and meatballs.

• Sneak vegetables into soups, lasagna and even desserts, such as carrot cake, pumpkin bread or even spinach brownies.

• Make your own fast food, such as chicken nuggets or fish sticks coated in bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.

•Avoid juice.

At an age when many toddlers subsist on macaroni and pizza, Mitchell loves hummus, peas and cottage cheese. He snacks on tomato and cucumber salads. And he begs for his dad's zucchini bread, made from vegetables Mitchell helped grow.

He hasn't always had such a good appetite, says his dad, Chuck Collins.

At 2, Mitchell ate no vegetables and got most of his calories from milk, formula and grits, Collins says. That changed when Mitchell began attending an Omaha child-care center, where children learn about nutrition along with the ABCs.

Toddlers there help tend a 60-foot table garden — watering, weeding and picking vegetables that they serve and eat together. Teachers don't force kids to clean their plates. But they do require children to taste everything, by asking for a "No-thank-you bite" when they don't want a full portion, Collins says.

"They eat stewed green tomatoes because they grew them," says pediatrician Laura Jana, owner of the Primrose School of Legacy and co-author of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Food Fights. "I didn't do that well with my own kids."

With one in three children overweight or obese, experts say it's never too early to help kids learn healthy eating habits.

Emerging research now suggests that parents can begin to shape a child's palate even in the womb, says Stanford University pediatrician Alan Greene, author of Feeding Baby Green, published this month.

A healthful 'imprint'

Babies actually have more taste buds before birth than at any other time of life. They can detect subtle flavors from their mothers' diet through their amniotic fluid, Greene says. These early exposures create a lasting "imprint" on children's tastes, Greene says. One study showed that babies of women who drank carrot juice while pregnant were more likely than others to enjoy carrots when they were 6 months old.

Infants are surprisingly adventurous from the age of 6 months to 13 months, a critical time for the formation of their future preferences. They can learn to like almost anything, although it may take six to 10 tastings, Greene says.

Yet few parents make the most of this crucial window. Research shows that 94% of parents give up offering new foods after only five tries, Greene says. While children's diets have improved modestly in recent years, a new study of kids under age 4 shows that nearly a third eat no vegetables a day.

Introducing new flavors and textures gets harder as kids grow. After age 2 or 2½, when food preferences solidify, it could take 90 attempts to get a child to like something new — at least until puberty, when some kids rediscover their love for new things, Greene says.

Picky eaters often develop bad habits, filling up on familiar fast foods instead of eating more wholesome family meals, Greene says. That helps explain a worrisome trend: Nearly 25% of our meals today come from fast food, compared with 10% of meals two decades ago, Jana says.

Many parents don't realize the problem with letting babies have sweets. "If you start potato chips and sweets early, then everything else will taste bland," says Atlanta pediatrician Jennifer Shu, co-author of Food Fights. "It trains their taste buds."

Everyone wins

With so many temptations, parents who want to raise healthy eaters need to expose their children to the sights, smells and feel of vegetables early and often, Greene says. He encourages parents to take children to farmers markets, letting them hold lumpy sweet potatoes and smell ripe peaches.

Preparing homemade baby food with a food grinder is far cheaper than buying jarred foods, says Greene, who carries a small food mill to show parents how to do it.

Because these purees taste more like the "real" food eaten by adults, they help babies make the transition eating a family meal, says Annabel Karmel, author of Top 100 Baby Purees.

"We're conditioning our children to like something that doesn't taste like real food," she says. "Parents think they're saving time, but they're really causing themselves trouble down the line."

Like the kids in Jana's child-care center, children are more willing to try something if they've had a hand in preparing it, Karmel says.

Training toddlers to enjoy the family meal also saves parents time in the long run, because it keeps them from becoming short-order cooks, Greene says.

"Every bite of food is either an investment in your child's body, or a debt that we'll have to repay somehow," Greene says. Teaching children to love healthy food, he says, "is such a wonderful gift for the rest of their lives."

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October 18, 2009

from: www.pcrm.org; by Dr. Ferdowsian

New Heart Disease Findings Suggest Meatless Meals Could Cut Health Care Costs

Scientific Review Finds Vegan Diet More Effective than ‘Lean Meat’ Approach in Fight Against America’s Number One Killer; Congress Urged to Take Findings to Heart

WASHINGTON—A scientific review in October’s American Journal of Cardiology finds that vegetarian and vegan diets rich in nuts, soy, and fiber cut cholesterol and triglyceride levels more effectively than other dietary approaches commonly used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, America’s number one killer. Study co-author Hope Ferdowsian, M.D., M.P.H., says these findings have clear implications for the debate over health care reform.

In “The Effects of Plant-Based Diets on Plasma Lipids,” Dr. Ferdowsian and her co-authors reviewed 27 previously published scientific studies and compared the effects of four diet interventions on cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Individuals following a vegetarian or vegan diet combined with nuts, soy, and fiber experienced the greatest reduction in risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including up to a 35 percent reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Dietary interventions including small amounts of lean meat were less effective at reducing total cholesterol and, thus, preventing a cardiac event.

“If we don’t find ways to cut the cost of treating cardiovascular disease, our health care system is headed for intensive care,” says Dr. Ferdowsian, associate director of the Washington Center for Clinical Research. “Heart-healthy plant-based diets could dramatically reduce spending on cholesterol-lowering drugs, cardiac surgery, and blood pressure medication.”

Between 2003 and 2005, the federal government spent more than $20 billion subsidizing corn, soybean, and sorghum, mainly for animal feed, and an additional $1.3 billion for dairy subsidies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently purchased $30 million of surplus pork products for distribution to schools and other institutions.

More than 48 percent of the adult population in the United States has total cholesterol levels above the desirable upper limit established by the National Cholesterol Education Program. High blood pressure affects 74 million Americans; coronary heart disease affects 17 million. Diseases related to high cholesterol, including heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke, account for more than 885,000 deaths and $634.2 billion in direct and indirect costs annually.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.

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October 11, 2009

from www.treehugger.com

80,000 Baltimore Students Join Meatless Monday Movement

by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY 

By now you've probably heard that adopting a vegetarian diet, or at least cutting way down on you meat consumption, is a great way to reduce your ecological footprint and get some great health benefits at the same time. Now students in the Baltimore City Public School System will have a little help in doing that. The BCPS has begun participating in the Meatless Monday program, becoming the first school system in the country to do so, Forbes reports:

Tony Geraci, chairman of BCPS says he hopes that by instituting the Meatless Monday program the system's 80,000 children will understand that they are other dietary options than meat and potatoes at every meal, and that Baltimore will lead the country in reconnecting our next generation with food cultivation and food preparation.

BCPS Establishes Teaching Farm, Plans School Gardens

Helping with that food education, the school system has been working with farmers to provide locally-grown produce. It has also begun a teaching farm and is developing building resources to establish gardens at each of the 200 schools in the Baltimore public school system.

In recognition of BCPS' efforts, the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future presented the school system with its 2009 Award for Visionary Leadership in Local Food Procurement and Food Education.

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October 4, 2009

from www.agnews.tamu.edu

Plums poised to give blueberries run for the money

By: Kathleen Phillips 

COLLEGE STATION – There’s an emerging star in the super-food world.

Plums are rolling down the food fashion runway sporting newly discovered high levels of healthy nutrients, say scientists at Texas AgriLife Research.

Plainly, “blueberries have some stiff competition,” said Dr. Luis Cisneros, AgriLife Research food scientist."Stone fruits are super fruits with plums as emerging stars."

Far from fruit snobbery, the plum is being ushered in after Cisneros and Dr. David Byrne, AgriLife Research plant breeder, judged more than 100 varieties of plums, peaches and nectarines and found them to match or exceed the much-touted blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients associated with disease prevention.

The duo acknowledge that blueberries remain a good nutritional choice. But Byrne said their findings are plum good news, especially in tight economic times, because one relatively inexpensive plum contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a handful of more expensive blueberries.

“People tend to eat just a few blueberries at a time – a few on the cereal or as an ingredient mixed with lots of sugar,” Cisneros said. “But people will eat a whole plum at once and get the full benefit.”

Discovery of the plum’s benefits – along with that of fellow stone fruits, the peach and the nectarine – came after the researchers measured at least five brands of blueberries on the market. Against those numbers, the team measured the content of more than 100 different types of plums, nectarines and peaches.

The first comparison was for antioxidants, molecules that sweep through a body looking for free radicals to knock out. Free radicals are atoms or molecules that lurk where diseases like cancer and heart disease are found.

"If the radicals aren’t taken care of,” Cisneros said, “they will cause the problems that lead to disease.”

But the scientists didn’t stop at knowing that plums and peaches were flexing their antioxidant muscles.

“Knowing that we had all these varieties with high levels of antioxidants, then the possibility of preventing these diseases would also be high with their consumption, so we went to the next step – how these compounds could actually inhibit chronic diseases,” Cisneros said.

The team examined the full content of plums and peaches, then tested the effect of the compounds they found on breast cancer cells and cholesterol in the lab.

“We screened the varieties again with the biological assays,” Cisneros said. “And that had never been done before, because it is expensive and a lot of work. But that investment is small in terms of the information we got, and how it can be used now for breeding efforts to produce even better fruit.”

Byrne noted, for example, that one benefit the team found was that the phytonutrients in plums inhibited in vitro breast cancer growth without adversely affecting normal cell growth.

He said this type of research needs further study but is an indication that breeders ultimately will be able to produce new crop varieties with the best ratio of various phytochemicals to have an impact on disease prevention and inhibition. And these fruits will be available as fresh produce as well as in extracts for dietary supplements.

"Future work with stone fruits will focus on cardiovascular and cancer using animal models and identification of specific compounds that exert the properties," Cisneros added.

Bottom line from the researchers: “We suggest that consumers take seriously the recommendation to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables – or even more – every day and to make sure that plums are part of that,” Byrne said.

Funding comes from the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center at Texas A&M University and the California Tree Fruit Agreement.

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September 27, 2009

from www.examiner.com

Manhattan Vegan Examiner: Lindsay Nixon

Is a vegan diet the cure for diabetes?

 

Approximately 7.8 percent of Americans have diabetes, a disease that affects the body's ability to produce or use insulin properly. Presently there is no cure for diabetes, but diabetes can be controlled or possibly reversed with a vegan diet.

Veganism as a Cure for Diabetes:

Studies also suggest a vegan diet, in addition to controlling diabetes, may also reverse diabetes. "Diabetes is not necessarily a one-way street" explains Andrew Nicholson, M.D. "Early studies suggest that persons with type 2 diabetes can improve and, in some cases, even reverse the disease by switching to an unrefined, vegan diet."

Working with Georgetown University, Dr. Nicholson compared two different diets: a high-fiber, low-fat, vegan diet and the more commonly used ADA diet. At the end of the study, the vegan group had the best results. For starters, fasting blood sugars decreased 59 percent more in the vegan group. The vegans also needed less medication to control their blood sugars while the ADA group needed just as much medicine as before. In other words, the vegans were taking less medicine, but were in better control of their diabetes. The vegans also lost a whopping 16 pounds on average when the ADA group only lost 8 pounds on average. Cholesterol levels were also lower in the vegan group at the end of the study.

These results were also reproduced in a similar study by Neal D. Barnard, M.D. and his collegues which concluded that a low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardivascular risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Likewise, in a 2006 study published in the journal Diabetes Care, 43 percent of people with type 2 diabetes who ate a low-fat vegan diet reduced their need for diabetes medications. "Some research indicates that a vegetarian diet makes your body more responsive to insulin — which is a very good thing if you have diabetes" explains Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.

Giving up meat can also help a diabetic gain better blood glucose control. “Generally, vegetarian diets tend to be higher in fiber and [full of] lower glycemic index foods … that can impact someone’s blood glucose in a positive way,” says Amy Campbell, MS, RD, CDE, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

Testimonials:

Participants in Dr. Nicholson's study at Georgetown University boasted their positive experiences: “I was amazed at how powerful the vegan diet was right from the beginning. The blood sugars and weight just started falling off” one participant said. Another commented, “[After 12 weeks] I managed to lose, at last count, 17 pounds. I am no longer on medication for diabetes, and I am no longer on medication for blood pressure. So, actually, it’s been a very, very positive result for me.” Others even found unexpected benefits: “My asthma has really improved. I’m not taking as much asthma medicine because I can breathe better. The overall mental outlook on how I feel about myself as a diabetic is much more hopeful now, as I am self-sufficient with a diet that makes sense for me.”

Vegan Blogger, Natala C., also recently shared her own experiences in an interview, "I have been obese since the age of 11. I tried every single diet known to man between 11 and 30 years old. When I was 25 I was diagnosed with diabetes. At the time, it was so severe that my systems were starting to shut down." Natala continued, "For 5 years I went to doctor after doctor, trying to get help. My diabetes kept getting worse. Last year I got an infection in my right calf, and there was a possibility that if it did not go away I would have to have part of my calf amputated. My blood sugar numbers were on a constant roller coaster, despite trying every medication and every diet." Then Natala went vegan. "Before going vegan my health was a disaster. I was on over 100 units of insulin per day and 8 medications for various problems. Currently I am taking no insulin and I am not on any medications, and my blood sugar is completely in control and I continue to lose a lot of weight."

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September 20, 2009

from www.sciencedaily.com

High Fruit And Vegetable Intake Linked To Antioxidant Status And Cognitive Performance In Healthy Subjects

Researchers at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I of the Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany, investigated the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake, plasma antioxidant micronutrient status and cognitive performance in healthy subjects aged 45 to 102 years. Their results, published in the August issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, indicated higher cognitive performance in individuals with high daily intake of fruits and vegetables.

Subjects with a high daily intake (about 400 g) of fruits and vegetables had higher antioxidant levels, lower indicators of free radical-induced damage against lipids as well as better cognitive performance compared to healthy subjects of any age consuming low amounts (< 100 g/day) of fruits and vegetables. Modification of nutritional habits aimed at increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, therefore, should be encouraged to lower the prevalence of cognitive impairment.

The work was performed in collaboration with the Department of Pharmacology at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Department of Geriatrics at Perugia University, Italy, and the Department of Neurology of the St. Elisabeth Hospital in Cologne, Germany.

Dr. M. Cristina Polidori, currently at the Department of Geriatrics, Marienhospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany, explains: “It is known that there is a strong association between fruit and vegetable intake and the natural antioxidant defenses of the body against free radicals. It is also known that bad nutritional habits increase the risk of developing cognitive impairment with and without dementia. With this work we show a multiple link between fruit and vegetable intake, antioxidant defenses and cognitive performance, in the absence of disease and independent of age. Among other lifestyle habits, it is recommended to improve nutrition in general and fruit and vegetable intake in particular at any age, beginning as early as possible. This may increase our chances to remain free of dementia in advanced age.”

These findings are independent of age, gender, body mass index, level of education, lipid profile and albumin levels, all factors able to influence cognitive and antioxidant status. The relevance of the findings is also strengthened by the large sample that included 193 healthy subjects.

Further studies are planned that will include larger subject cohorts, patients with Alzheimer’s disease at different stages and patients with mild cognitive impairment without dementia.

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September 13, 2009

From www.News.Curtin.edu.au

Curtin study explains link between fat intake and Alzheimer’s

Author: Ann Marie Lim

New Curtin University of Technology research has revealed the link between Alzheimer’s disease and fat intake.

In one of the first studies of its kind, Curtin Alzheimer’s expert Professor John Mamo has explained why foods high in saturated fat can increase the likelihood of a person developing Alzheimer’s disease.

“Before now, there has been no dietary driven approach to the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Professor Mamo, National Director of the Australian Technology Network’s Centre for Metabolic Fitness at Curtin.

“Our study found that some dietary fats damaged the ‘blood-brain-barrier.’ The blood-brain-barrier is an important membrane that regulates what is normally allowed in and out of the brain, like important nutrients.”

Professor Mamo said Alzheimer’s disease was characterised by the presence of a protein in the brain called amyloid, which caused inflammation and cell death.

“Stopping amyloid deposits from forming is the key to slowing or preventing Alzheimer’s disease,” he said.

Professor Mamo’s Curtin research team found that saturated fats, like those found in poor quality processed meats, caused an increase in amyloid delivery from the blood to the brain, resulting in a “brain overload” of amyloid.

“There are several fundamentally important aspects of this study,” he said.

“For example, it has provided an explanation for population studies that have shown an association between Alzheimer’s disease and saturated fat intake.

“Our research identifies that diet can critically modulate what’s happening at the blood-brain-barrier. This leads us to think there could be further dietary and environmental factors which could cause irritation to the membrane.

“If the causes of damage and inflammation to the blood-brain-barrier are identified and stopped early, it may be possible to reverse this devastating disease.”

The research paper, Differential effects of dietary fatty acids on the cerebral distribution of plasma derived apo B lipoproteins with amyloid-b, will soon be published by the British Journal of Nutrition.

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September 6, 2009

Get The Most Nutrition From Your Veggies

by Allison Aubrey

from www.npr.org

Tomatoes are certainly nutritious — a good source of the antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene. But consider this: if you eat a tomato without adding a little fat — say a drizzle of olive oil — your body is unlikely to absorb all these nutrients.

Scientists at Iowa State University figured this out a while ago. They recruited graduate students to eat bowls of salad greens with tomatoes and various types of salad dressings — from fat-free to regular Italian. "Basically once a month for several months we'd show up first thing in the morning," recalls participant Gregory Brown, now a professor of exercise science at the University of Nebraska. Researchers put IV lines into the participants' veins and drew blood samples before and after they'd eaten the salads in order to get precise measurements of the absorption of nutrients.

"The salads all tasted the same to me," says Brown. But when researchers went back and analyzed the blood samples they realized that people who had eaten fat-free or low-fat dressings didn't absorb the beneficial carotenoids from the salad. Only when they had eaten the oil-based dressing did they get the nutrients.

Carotenoids are the pigments responsible for red-, yellow- and orange-colored fruits and vegetables. And carotenoids are also found in dark green vegetables such as spinach. The compounds convert to Vitamin A in the body, and studies have found that carotenoids have anti-oxidant activity which may help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Human studies have linked high consumption of fruits and vegetables to reduced risk of cancer.

Beta-carotene researchers were not particularly surprised by the findings of the fat-free vs. regular Italian salad dressing study. "We already knew that carotenoids were fat soluble," explains Wendy White, a professor of Human Nutrition at Iowa State University. The results helped reinforce the idea that a little fat is healthy.

Chop And Chew

There are other ways to help maximize the absorption of carotenoid nutrients. Chopping or grating breaks down the plant material. "The finer the particle size ... the better the absorption of beta-carotene," explains White.

The findings of nutrition research often go against the grain of trendy food ideas. For instance, many people have heard that raw vegetables are best. But if you're eating carrots, it may be helpful to cook them gently. The heat can soften the food allowing more nutrients to be released.

A recent study in the Journal of Food Science suggests that some cooking methods may be better than others. Researchers at the University of Murcia in Spain cooked 20 different kinds of vegetables six different ways. Then they analyzed how well the foods retained antioxidants. They found that microwaving helped maintain the antioxidants, whereas boiling and pressure cooking led to the greatest losses.

Green beans, beets and garlic all did well with heat — maintaining beneficial phytonutrients after most kinds of cooking. The antioxidant value in carrots actually increased after cooking.

Experts explain that boiling may allow nutrients to leach into the pan water that people end up tossing out, especially with water-soluble nutrients such as Vitamin C and the B Vitamins.

Eat Plenty Of Colors

As testing methods have become more sensitive, scientists have the ability to peer into our foods and tally up all the phytonutrients that may be beneficial. But experts say the ways in which our bodies may use and absorb these compounds are complicated. Therefore, many experts say it's best not to fixate too much on how food is prepared. Instead, focus on eating more plant foods — of all colors.

Jeffrey Blumberg, an antioxidant expert at Tufts University, says "What's important is that you find a way to cook that's palatable to you so you're getting lots of plant foods."

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August 30, 2009

From www.foodconsumer.org

Men Don’t Need to Fear Soy Foods

Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN

American Institute for Cancer Research

It’s no wonder that men who have read the recent stories circulating about soy are confused. Some stories claim that soy foods, such as tofu and soy milk, can lead to breast growth or reduce testosterone levels. Other stories tout the benefits of soy, suggesting soy may help protect against prostate cancer. Women have wondered for years whether phytoestrogens affect their health, from menopausal hot flashes to breast cancer. Now men are left to wonder about soy foods possible unwanted effects.

Soy contains compounds called isoflavones that are known as phytoestrogens, which are weak plant versions of the hormone estrogen. Fears that the amount of phytoestrogens in moderate amounts of soy foods could stimulate men’s breast tissue or reduce their testosterone are not based on sound research. A study of children fed soy protein formula for more than six months showed no hormonal effects. A study of men in their 50s and 60s found that the men who ate soy foods twice a day for three months showed no change in testosterone levels, but had a 14 percent drop in levels of PSA (an indicator of prostate growth used in screening for prostate cancer).

Concerns about lowering sperm count and affecting fertility also do not seem to hold up in human studies of realistic dietary consumption.

Whether or not soy foods offer protection from prostate cancer is still an open question. One recent analysis that combined results from many studies found that men who consumed the most soy foods or the isoflavones they contain were 26 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer. Yet studies overall suggest that men may differ in their response to soy.

Asian populations tend to show a much greater drop in prostate cancer risk with soy foods than Western populations. Japanese men with highest consumption of soy or blood levels of isoflavones have shown 40 to 60 percent lower risk of prostate cancer than those with lowest consumption or blood levels. Yet European studies on the effect of soy are inconsistent.

The difference between Asian and Western populations could stem from several sources, such as the bacteria in our gut. All people carry millions of useful bacteria in our digestive tract that help metabolize food, yet different populations (and people) carry varied types of bacteria. Some bacteria break down food isoflavones into a compound (equol) that is linked with lower prostate cancer risk. Overall, Asian populations show a higher proportion of equol-producers, which could be one reason why soy is more often linked with prostate protection in these groups.

The type of soy food also makes the research challenging. Fermentation may change how easily our bodies absorb isoflavones, which means that fermented soy foods (miso, tempeh, natto) may have a different effect on prostate cancer risk than non-fermented soy foods (soy milk, tofu and edamame). Some studies suggest that the effect of soy foods may depend on its interaction with other food compounds; the lycopene from tomatoes is one such interaction under study.

While we wait for more answers about the possible protection from soy, men can feel safe eating one or two servings of soy foods daily. Soy foods are nutritious, low in saturated fat, and men have consumed them for generations without harm. However, until we know more about isoflavone safety, research does not show benefit or safety of consuming large amounts of isoflavone supplements in hopes of achieving protection.

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The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the cancer charity that fosters research on the relationship of nutrition, physical activity and weight management to cancer risk, interprets the scientific literature and educates the public about the results. It has contributed more than $87 million for innovative research conducted at universities, hospitals and research centers across the country. AICR has published two landmark reports that interpret the accumulated research in the field and is committed to a process of continuous review. AICR also provides a wide range of educational programs to help millions of Americans learn to make dietary changes for lower cancer risk. Its award-winning New American Plate program is presented in brochures, seminars and on its Web site, www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.

August 23, 2009

From www.vegnews.com

Are your favorite foods secretly sabotaging your diet? VN helps you to get smart at the supermarket.

By Melody Schoenfeld

With our jam-packed schedules and supermarket shelves filled with a cornucopia of vegetarian convenience foods, it’s often easy to choose the quick-prep, prepackaged route for easy eating. While whole foods are undoubtedly full of nutrients, faster-food alternatives can’t be that bad, right? Unfortunately, many of these items are full of any combination of processed flour, sugar, salt and oil—the very culprits that lead to obesity and ill health in mainstream omnivores. Commonly used labels like “organic,” “trans-fat free,” and “all-natural” invite consumers to indulge, providing a safety blanket of health-conscious endorsements. Even the most educated consumers can fall prey to masterful marketing. While some products may, in fact, be healthy, many labels can be misleading. Read on for VegNews' guide to some of the most commonly used packaging language.

“No Trans Fat”

Trans fats are definitely something to avoid. Over the years, consumption of trans-fatty acids has been linked with diabetes, coronary heart disease, and sudden cardiac death. Looking for a “no trans fat” label on your food is a step in the right direction. But beware—the FDA allows products to contain half a gram of trans fat and still be labeled “zero.” The key is in the ingredients list: partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is a red flag. In addition, “no trans fat” does not mean that the product is free of artery-clogging saturated fats, nor does it mean that the product is low-fat.

“Fruit Sweetened”

When we think of fruit, we think of a healthy part of our daily diets, and rightly so. So if a product is sweetened with fruit sugars, it’s logical to conclude that the product is also a much healthier alternative to one sweetened any other way. However, as far as the human body is concerned, sugar is sugar is sugar, no matter what the source. There really is no “healthy” sugar, and this includes “natural” sweeteners. As a general rule, try to limit foods with added sugars.

“100 Percent Organic”

Organic products have been grown in accordance with organic standards—without the use of irradiation, genetic modification, pesticides, sewage sludge, or artificial fertilizers. This is great news for your health; eating organic products will certainly keep you from consuming hidden food dangers. Remember, though, that organic foods can still be fried, sugary, and full of ingredients that give little nutritional bang for their caloric buck.

“All Natural”

The FDA held a 1970 proceeding to define the then-blossoming label “natural,” but has yet to regulate the term nearly 40 years later. Without regulation, the updated “all natural” term can be slapped on just about any product on supermarket shelves and still contain large amounts of decidedly unnatural ingredients.

What does all this mean for those who want to have their vegan cake and eat it, too? Should we just give up on our beloved meat analogs, crackers, and cookies? Absolutely not. Just read labels and make sure that you understand all of the ingredients in your food. This way, you can make informed decisions on what you’re consuming. Monitor portion sizes, eat plenty of whole foods, and make sure you get at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day. If you’re doing all this, you can safely include your favorite foods into your diet, in moderation. Because let’s face it—we could all use a cookie now and then.

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August 16, 2009

From St. Petersburg Times

Brooke English gave up eating meat for ethical reasons: She loves animals.

Sometimes, though rarely, she eats fish. But she hasn't had a bite of chicken or beef or pork in two years.

Brooke is 6. She recently munched a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a salad in her Brandon home, where there's an ideological divide. Brooke lives with her mother, who eats meat.

These days, Brooke is not alone. Young children are deciding to cut meat out of their diets and many of their meat-eating parents are backing them.

"I think she's 100 percent right," said Brooke's mother, Heidi English. "I'm so proud of her. She tells kids in her class not to eat meat. She really stands behind it."

Debby Magill, public relations director for Tampa Bay Vegetarians, which has more then 120 members, occasionally hears from parents of such precocious children. She was approached recently by a mother of a 10-year-old girl who wants to be vegetarian.

Magill, who gave up meat at 14, encouraged the mother to support her daughter's heartfelt desire, but cautioned her to avoid supplementing meat with junk foods.

"I applaud them," she said of the kids. "It's taking the high road. It's hard but so much easier than before."

Magill became a vegetarian in the 1970s in New York City. Her parents, both doctors, opposed the decision, convinced she wouldn't get enough protein. They sneaked meat onto her plate.

Back then, there weren't many vegetarian options in restaurants or stores, Magill remembers.

But today, children are signing on to vegetarianism faster than adults. Sales of veggie burgers and bean burritos are burgeoning, even offered daily in schools.

On TV, kids are shown herbivores, such as 8-year-old Lisa from The Simpsons. They sometimes convert after seeing YouTube animal slaughter videos.

A survey by Vegetarian Times magazine of 5,050 adults found that 3.2 percent are vegetarians. They were equally divided on their reasons, to improve their health or animal welfare.

Brooke, like many younger vegetarians, chose the latter.

In the grocery store with her mother, she doesn't see meat. She sees cows and pigs, the kind that talk in movies.

"Mommy, why do you have to eat animals?" she asks.

"Sometimes, I think they're yummy," English tells her. But she, too, has cut way back on her consumption.

Brooke also constantly asks what things are made from.

It started for Brooke one Saturday when she went with her mother to the Attorney General's Office in Tampa where English is an office manager. On a door, Brooke saw an anti-circus picture of an elephant with chains on its legs. She asked her mother about it. English told her that's how they make circus animals do tricks. Brooke decided she wouldn't go to the circus, which they had been planning. She didn't like the idea of animals being mistreated.

Soon after, she made another connection — she quit eating meat.

English is single and wants her daughter to be strong in her convictions. She thinks by encouraging her to make her own decisions she'll be empowered to continue doing so.

English remembers when her own mother made her eat what she cooked, including cooked carrots, which she won't eat today.

English consulted Brooke's doctor, and was told vegetarian diets can be healthy for kids. In fact, Brooke had often been sick before she gave up meat and has not been since.

Her mom makes sure she eats plenty of nuts and beans. Brooke likes macaroni and cheese, spinach, broccoli and celery. She wants people to know: "You can still eat healthy but you don't have to eat meat."

She loves "pizza and olives and lima beans . . . all kinds of healthy stuff," she says. Just not animals.

Last Thanksgiving, English cooked a big turkey and Brooke almost passed out when she saw that it had no head.

"I was like no ma'am," said Brooke. "I do not want it."

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August 9, 2009

By Tamsin Blanchard

From www.independent.ie

THERE is a charming, seemingly random, video on YouTube of Paul McCartney demonstrating how to make mashed potatoes. It's a recipe from Linda McCartney's On Tour book (he is following the instructions from his own well-thumbed copy), and there is something endearing about the way he shows you Linda's tip on how to chop an onion, as he hacks away with the knife in a way no professional chef would.

He is no Jamie Oliver. Obviously, Sir Paul has other talents, and his guide to making mash the Macca way, a video he made as the president of the UK's Vegetarian Society, is just a bit of fun -- the perfect accompaniment to a couple of Linda's vegetarian sausages.

Food was a key part of Paul and Linda's relationship, and when they went vegetarian in the Seventies, it was a spontaneous and joint decision, he says. "We were on the farm and we saw lambs gambolling and we were eating leg of lamb. So it was a compassionate thing. That seems to be the least important thing to people these days. It seems to have gone right out of the window, unfortunately."

Linda's food still brings the family together. They are actively involved in Linda McCartney Foods, which recently had a bit of a dust-off and a rebranding. They all taste and approve new recipes, and I imagine their freezers are well stocked with Linda's burgers and sausages. It is important to them; it is their way of keeping her legacy alive. So when Sir Paul decided to launch the campaign Meat Free Monday -- the aim of which is to persuade people to go veggie once a week to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock -- it was the perfect opportunity to get together for a rare public group hug.

As he muses over a suitable recipe for another cookery video to promote the campaign, he remembers one of his father's favourite recipes: "Pea sandwiches. I remember my dad making one for John once." His daughters -- Mary, the photographer, and Stella, the fashion designer -- groan. "It has to be Mum's lasagne," Mary says. We are in a leafy private garden in Notting Hill, at the back of the Portobello Hotel where, legend has it, Kate Moss took a champagne bath with Johnny Depp. Grand west London villas overlook the garden.

A small girl in a school boater is peeping out of her window, watching one of the most famous men in the world being photographed. Sir Paul waves at her cheerily, and she disappears. While Mary prepares to take the photographs, Sir Paul takes a tiny mouth organ from his pocket and plays as Stella, wearing a vintage powder-blue dress, her high heels making her long legs look even longer, sings along.

"This is why Bob Dylan wants to write songs with you," she laughs. It's a family joke. Despite news reports that the two musicians are about to record together, Sir Paul tells me later that the rumour is unfounded. "No, that's a newspaper thing. He just said some very complimentary things about me in some interviews, and I love him. I think he's a great poet and writer, so I've always admired him. I don't rule it out and I admire him. But we're not the kind of people who would ring each other up."

Mary, dressed in a kimono-style top, has her mother's angular elegance. She takes her place in the picture, arranges her father's hair, which is blowing in the wind, and presses the shutter. The McCartneys are famously vegetarian, but Stella says that for the sake of this particular debate she wishes they weren't -- this is not an evangelical mission to make the world veggie but an attempt to slow climate change.

"It's an environmental conversation, not a vegetarian one," Stella says. "It's OK to just give up meat for one day, it doesn't make you a vegetarian, it doesn't make you a cranky, hemp-wearing pot-smoker, it doesn't make you the kind of person you don't want to be."

Sir Paul read about the campaign in America and decided he needed to get involved. Meatout Mondays have been promoted by the American charity Farm (Farm Animal Rights Movement) since 1985, and the Meat Free Mondays campaign was set up in Australia by a health food company, Sanitarium, in 2005.

Cynics might say that Paul McCartney's campaign is a marketing strategy to sell more of Linda's frozen foods -- veggie bangers and mash is a great quick and healthy Monday supper -- but despite the battering that the McCartney investment portfolio is reported to have taken of late, he is hardly short of money. As he says, he doesn't need to be here promoting this cause. And Stella, who is in multi-tasking overdrive, editing a photo shoot in between having her picture taken, certainly doesn't. But he is here, and part of Paul McCartney's charm is the fact that he is 100 per cent believable.

Over the past year, he has been writing letters to celebrities and chefs, talking to schools and galvanising support from as many people as he can, including Woody Harrelson, Doris Day and Ricky Gervais. A few weeks ago, he held a press conference to launch the campaign at Oliver Peyton's London restaurant Inn the Park. Peyton, a fully fledged bone marrow-sucking carnivore, has agreed to promote meat-free dishes every Monday at the restaurant.

The musician Moby, a vegan for 22 years, was there. Yoko Ono turned up, looking suitably eccentric in a jaunty naval outfit, her Meat Free Monday badge pinned alongside another that said simply, Imagine Peace. She chatted to Sir Paul's son, James, also a musician, as they tucked into Linda McCartney burgers and hotdogs. The campaign has some weighty research behind it, not least from the United Nations. "Dad got the report," says Mary, who is softly spoken but has a cool air of authority about her. "You were sent the report weren't you?" She looks at her father, who is quietly whistling to himself.

He is a great advertisement for a vegetarian diet, looking far more youthful than his 67 years. "Yeah, Livestock's Long Shadow, it was called. The UN, who are our appointed global watchdog, said, 'Hey, cattle rearing is more harmful than all transport'. That is the statistic I thought was shocking, because until then I thought it was aeroplanes, cars and trucks..." According to the 2006 report, livestock is responsible for 18 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, which is indeed a bigger share than that of transport, which accounts for 13 per cent.

"We're not talking about just a few cows, we're talking billions," Sir Paul says. "I took a drive from Santa Fe down to El Paso, and you go past about 15-20 miles of cattle and it's the same cow -- it's a brown and white cow. There are billions of them! And that's where it hits home. That's where the methane's coming from, not just a couple of cows on a farm. It's not just Daisy and Buttercup any more."

It seems that environmentalists and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation have come to the same conclusion as the McCartneys: that rearing billions of cows to make beef burgers is not a good idea. It's the first time not eating meat is being promoted by scientists -- "traditional eaters", as Sir Paul calls them, not vegetarians with a vested interest. For Stella and Mary, following their father's lead is perfectly natural. Linda would certainly have been there, waving her placard. She was talking about the relationship between food and the environment long before the UN decided to act. "Ideally, yes, be vegetarian," Mary says. "But if not, just reduce your meat intake."

Listening to them running through the arguments and the statistics, you feel this is a typical discussion that would happen over a family nut roast. Occasionally, they talk over each other and finish each other's sentences.

"It can be so overwhelming," Stella admits. "You can feel so, 'Oh God, but I've got to get that plane to there and I've got to drive my car with my three kids to here'. You are led to believe that transport is the main problem, but actually it's diet. To be honest, we could sit and bang on about it..."

Sir Paul: "... but we don't want to bang on, we don't want to say to you, 'Look, you have to go veggie.' The idea is that it's for the environment, for your children's future: would you consider just one day a week changing your habits? And then if you decide to do two days, three, four, then so much the better, it would have a huge impact."

Stella: "If everyone gave it up on a Monday, it would be more effective than everyone stopping driving their car on a Monday. We are not perfect. It's so important to get that across because it's like, 'Oh, those bloody Maccas, talking again about not killing cows!' But the reality is, I like to think I am trying to do my little bit. I will turn off a light when I leave a room; I will turn off a socket if I don't want to be using the socket. And those are tiny little things."

Paul: "Even President Obama tells you to do that."

On average we are eating twice the amount of meat we ate in 1961, the year the Beatles first performed at the Cavern club in Liverpool.

"The idea of having one type of meat for your breakfast and another type of meat for your lunch, and then another type for your dinner, and in between having your sandwiches with another kind of meat, we really do eat too much of it," says Paul.

To produce a single kilogram of beef, farmers have to feed a cow 15kg of grain and 30kg of forage. It is a highly intensive business that is ultimately not sustainable. Livestock production is responsible for 70 per cent of the deforestation of the Amazon jungle and, by 2050, the world's livestock population is expected to rise from 60 billion farm animals to 120 billion. It is a scary fact when you consider that a single cow can produce 500 litres of methane per day, which has around 25 times the global warming impact of CO2.

"I think we forget more and more that we are animals," says Stella, "and we are part of a planetary system where all of the animals are on this planet together and you are made to feel like a hippy-dippy jerk that should go and live in a tipi for even making a point of remembering."

Stella is the most vocal of the three, passionately backing up her father, shaking her head, saying "it's all money, money, money!" about the projected growth of the meat industry (world demand for meat is estimated to double by 2050) and butting in with the odd comment like: "Greed is not a good look. I was brought up to think this was not a good look. Everything in moderation." And she knows her stuff. She urges me (and you) to watch a film called Home that was made by the aerial photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, and launched recently on World Environment Day. You can link to it from her website steelamcartney.com.

As she says, she tries to do her bit. Although she already incorporates sustainable and organic fabrics in her mainline collection, she also designs a capsule Green Collection which is as purely ethical and sustainable as she can make it and is sold at Barneys in New York and Harvey Nichols in London. On her website, in between pictures of models looking supremely cool and confident in her clothes, if you click on the "Green me" button, you can read Stella's eco tips -- small things we can all do to help slow down global warming. Her London shop is powered by Ecotricity. Her skincare range, Care, is made using 100 per cent organic active ingredients and is Ecocert--certified. And of course, she tells her celebrity friends off for wearing fur and she doesn't use leather.

"In my industry, there is no alternative in people's minds to leather shoes. Now I'm not making a leather shoe. I'm doing all right. We can get by. Things change. Humans are the best animals -- the best adapters on the the planet. We adapt quicker than a tree does in the rainforest."

In March, she was given an award by the Natural Resources Defence Council (which works to protect wildlife and wild places) in New York. "I was lucky enough to present that to her," says Paul. "I said that when she joined the fashion world, she first of all was employed by Gucci and my first thought, and Linda's, was 'Uh-oh, Gucci is leather city.' When you think of Gucci, you think of leather. We thought how long is it going to be before she caves in on her principles? And we waited, and we waited, and we waited, and she never did. That is a fantastic achievement... and that's what's great about new ideas, different ideas, people catch the fire, they get excited."

While Stella feels she has been pilloried for her principles, her determination seems to have paid off. Just as the fashion world has finally come round to her big idea of wearing jumpsuits and your boyfriend's jacket, we seem to have arrived at a moment when having principles is not such a bad thing.

It is perhaps no coincidence that she is the only fashion person to be included in Time magazine's annual 100 most influential people this year. Just as any father would, Sir Paul admits to having the magazine on his kitchen table, open at the relevant page -- a tribute written by Stella's friend, Gwyneth Paltrow: "Even if you are not vegetarian, somehow Stella gets you to believe. She manages to convince you (never sanctimoniously from a soapbox) that killing animals is needless and cruel and bad for the environment."

Sir Paul: "She could have caved in and we almost would have forgiven her. The pressures were so huge, but the fact is that she did not..."

Stella cuts in: "I just think I've been very lucky. I think I've been brought up in a certain way. Mary's like that, my brother [James] and sisters [Heather from Linda's first marriage, and Beatrice from her father's second] are like that. My husband's like that. It was very hard in my industry especially to have those kind of principles and I did have the mickey taken out of me until about a year ago. And people will probably read this and chuck it on their barbie and cook beef on it, but the reality is I'm more impressed by people who take a risk, and I think in this day and age..."

Sir Paul: "It's how the world changes."

Stella: "I try to keep my head down and get on with it and design pretty frocks. That's my job. And Dad makes pretty good records when he's given half an hour in between his potato mashing, and Mary's a fantastic photographer. We don't want to come across as forcing people to think a certain way, I think it's just a very valid issue and life's too short to not do something you believe in. You've only got a short little period on the planet to make something of your life."

With all of this passion and desire for change, I wonder if Sir Paul will be writing a Dylan-style protest song to promote the cause. "I do have a few sort of animal awareness songs, but they are very difficult to write. I wrote one called Looking for Changes that was applauded by Peta [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals], which started off with 'I saw a cat with a machine in its brain', you know that picture? A hardcore picture. That made me write that, but it's very, very hard to do and it's not my forte. I wish it was, that would be kind of nice to be driven in that direction.

"We're going to get a bit of flak for this campaign," he adds. He can't resist singing into my Dictaphone before turning it off. "Why do we feel we need to do it? Because Meat Free Monday is a damn good idea. I mean, what are you going to tell your kids? That we can do something about it. This is one of those things that you can do."

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August 2, 2009

from www.eatright.com

Veggies Boost Brain Power

Have you had your veggies today?

If you are over age 65, you may want to get some greens to keep your brain healthy.

According to a new study by the Chicago Health and Aging Project, older adults who consume at least three servings of vegetables a day — especially green, leafy vegetables like lettuce and spinach — maintain their mental abilities 40 percent longer than those who eat less than one serving per day. The study of more than 3,700 men and women tracked mental function at three years and again at six years.

This study is not the first to link mental function with vegetable intake. The Nurses Health Study also found that women who consumed more green, leafy vegetables had a slower mental decline than women who consumed the least. These studies add to the many reasons to eat your veggies.

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team

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July 26, 2009

From www.medicalgeek.com

Vitamin C Intake Linked to Lower Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

Higher plasma vitamin C level and, to a lesser degree, fruit and vegetable intake, are associated with a decreased risk for type 2 diabetes, according to the results of a population-based, prospective cohort study reported in the July 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"Epidemiologic studies suggest that greater consumption of fruit and vegetables may decrease the risk of diabetes mellitus, but the evidence is limited and inconclusive," write Anne-Helen Harding, PhD, from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, and colleagues from the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer–Norfolk study. "Plasma vitamin C level is a good biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake, but, to our knowledge, no prospective studies have examined its association with diabetes risk. This study aims to examine whether fruit and vegetable intake and plasma vitamin C level are associated with the risk of incident type 2 diabetes."

From 1993 to 1997, a total of 21,831 healthy participants aged 40 to 75 years underwent baseline measurement of plasma vitamin C level and evaluation of habitual intake of fruit and vegetables with use of a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Between February 1993 and the end of December 2005, there were 735 clinically incident cases of diabetes diagnosed during 12 years of follow-up.

Plasma vitamin C level was strongly inversely associated with diabetes risk. After adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and anthropometric variables, the odds ratio (OR) of diabetes in the top quintile of plasma vitamin C was 0.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 - 0.52). Adjusted OR of diabetes in the top quintile of fruit and vegetable intake was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.60 - 1.00).

"Higher plasma vitamin C level and, to a lesser degree, fruit and vegetable intake were associated with a substantially decreased risk of diabetes," the study authors write. "Our findings highlight a potentially important public health message on the benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables for the prevention of diabetes."

Limitations of this study include possible measurement error in the determination of dietary intake, lack of data on actual vitamin C content of individual components of fruit and vegetable intake, reliance on self-report for diagnosis of diabetes, and potential confounders.

"Our findings of a striking inverse association between the risk of diabetes and plasma vitamin C or fruit and vegetable intake should be confirmed in other prospective studies in different settings and in specifically designed clinical trials," the study authors write. "However, the strong independent association observed in this prospective study, together with biological plausibility, provides persuasive evidence of a beneficial effect of vitamin C and fruit and vegetable intake on diabetes risk. Because fruit and vegetables are the main sources of vitamin C, the findings suggest that eating even a small quantity of fruit and vegetables may be beneficial and that the protection against diabetes increases progressively with the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed."

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July 19, 2009

From Newsletter by Jon Barron--Baseline of Health

Green tea is one of the best known supplements in the world. It has been touted for everything from weight loss to cancer prevention to longevity. It's used by serious herbalists (who actually understand it), and it's used in some of the most basic formulas in the world such as One A Day WeightSmart, albeit at meaningless pixie dust levels. But more to the point, it's back in the news with the release of a new study that shows it may actually help slow the progression of prostate cancer. But this newsletter isn't about the virtues of green tea, although we will explore them. Instead, it's about some of the shenanigans going on behind the scenes concerning not just green tea, but all supplements, and even some basic vitamins – specifically B6. But first, let's talk about some of the virtues of green tea as demonstrated in clinical studies.

The biochemicals of health in green tea:

Green tea antioxidants are of the same family as grape seed and pine bark extracts. They are polyphenols, chief of which are the flavonoids called proanthocyanidins. In green tea, the main proanthocyanidins are the catechins, and the most powerful of the catechins is Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), found in the high concentrations in green tea. Why don't other teas have similar properties – particularly since many of them come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis? Quite simply, what sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are lightly fermented and steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from heavily fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

And while on the topic of green tea, I should probably mention its lesser known sibling, white tea. The main difference between white and green tea is that white tea leaves are harvested at a younger age than the green tea leaves. It should be noted that white tea actually trumps green tea in several ways. First, whereas green tea is lightly fermented, white tea is totally unfermented leaving even more of the EGCG intact. Second, studies have shown that the young, white tea leaves retain antioxidants in higher concentrations than does green tea. In fact, the concentration of antioxidants in white tea is approximately three times higher than in green tea. Bottom line: anything we say about the health benefits of green tea also apply to white tea, but even more so.

Note: if you drink your tea (as opposed to taking a supplement), adding cream or milk to the tea "may" destroy the antioxidant benefits (1, 2, 3). Although the studies are conflicting, it's probably best to err on the side of caution. The studies are far less conflicted when it comes to milk reducing the antioxidant potential found in dark chocolate. The mechanism is simple. The caseins in the dairy interact with the polyphenols in the tea or chocolate and decrease their effectiveness. Then again, if you use a concentrated, full-spectrum green tea extract, you avoid the problem altogether.

Green tea health benefits:

As I mentioned earlier, the reported benefits of green tea are multitudinous…and well studied. For example, green tea inhibits tumor growth in a variety of cancers, including: breast, lung, and prostate cancers. Specifically, the EGCG in green tea works to suppress angiogenesis, the growth of blood vessels that tumors need to survive. And if that's not enough -- stopping the growth of cancer at the front end -- green tea polyphenols have been shown to inhibit metastasis, the spread of cancer at the back end. And finally, EGCG is the first known natural telomerase inhibitor. That is to say, it eliminates the "immortality" of cancer cells which is their trademark and which makes them so deadly. The bottom line is that green tea is particularly effective in destroying the causes of leukemia, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and seems to provide the best protection known in terms of preventing lung cancer. And green tea seems to be able to almost totally prevent cancer causing DNA damage in smokers -- a possible explanation as to why the Japanese, who are among the world's heaviest smokers, have such a low incidence of lung cancer.

And the benefits of green tea don't stop there. It has also been shown to be effective in regulating blood sugar, reducing cholesterol and triglycerides, and in reversing the ravages of heart disease. (Incidentally, the Japanese, who drink large amounts of green tea, have some of the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease in the world.)

And finally, green tea has great benefits for the brain as well. It serves as an effective MAO inhibitor. It also protects against brain-cell death from glucose oxidase, over-production of nitric oxide, and it lowers the amount of free iron reaching the brain (a bad thing). The net result is that there are strong indications that green tea extract may play a major role in protecting against both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Green tea slows prostate cancer:

Now let's turn to the study in the news that triggered this newsletter. The headlines started making the media rounds a couple of weeks ago, "Green tea slows prostate cancer." In summary, according to the results of a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in a green tea extract demonstrated a significant reduction in serum markers predictive of prostate cancer progression.

"The investigational agent used in the trial, Polyphenon E (provided by Polyphenon Pharma), may have the potential to lower the incidence and slow the progression of prostate cancer," said James A. Cardelli, Ph.D., professor and director of basic and translational research in the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport.

The study included 26 men, aged 41 to 72 years, diagnosed with prostate cancer and scheduled for radical prostatectomy. Patients consumed four capsules containing Polyphenon E until the day before surgery – four capsules are equivalent to about 12 cups of normally brewed concentrated green tea, according to Cardelli. The time of study for 25 of the 26 patients ranged from 12 days to 73 days, with a median time of 34.5 days.

Findings showed a significant reduction in serum levels of HGF, VEGF and PSA after treatment (HGF and VEGF are good prognostic indicators of metastatic disease), with some patients demonstrating reductions in levels of greater than 30 percent, according to the researchers.

Cardelli and his colleagues found that other biomarkers were also positively affected. There were only a few reported side effects associated with this study, and liver function remained normal. Said Cardelli, "There is reasonably good evidence that many cancers are preventable, and our studies using plant-derived substances support the idea that plant compounds found in a healthy diet can play a role in preventing cancer development and progression."

The Polyphenon E curve ball:

So what is this miracle antioxidant Polyphenon E found in green tea and used in the study? Well, according to the National Cancer Institute, Polyphenon E "is a substance being studied in the prevention of cancer. It is made from decaffeinated green tea, and contains chemicals called catechins, which are antioxidants."  And according to its manufacturer, Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd., Polyphenon is a highly purified tea catechin extract, and is going to be the first pharmaceutical grade green tea catechin in the world.

That sounds pretty amazing…and pretty unique. The reality, however, is a tad less dramatic. The Polyphenon E used in the prostate study came in a 416.7 mg capsule with a breakdown as follows: 200 mg EGCG, 48.5 mg EGC, 34.2 mg EC, 20 mg ECG, and other tea catechins, 28.8 mg pregelatinized starch, 2.25 mg colloidal silicon dioxide, and 2.25 mg magnesium stearate. In other words, there's nothing particularly special about Polyphenon E. It's a fairly standard mix of green tea catechins. And as far as being "pharmaceutical grade," green tea extracts now come standardized to 95-98 percent polyphenol content. That's about as pharmaceutical grade as you're going to get.

So, does it matter that tests were being conducted using a standardized green tea extract with a registered trademark for a name and that the National Cancer Institute is singling out for special attention?  And the answer in this case is, "Yes, big time!"

The FDA seeks to outlaw pyridoxamine (vitamin B6):

Your first thought might be, "How could it matter?" Lots of companies trademark names of ingredients. Heck, I've done it with some of my formulations. But in those cases, you're just talking about marketing differentiation. But with Polyphenon E, you have a whole different ballgame.

First, think about the status of green tea in the world. It's only known side effect is that it might make it more difficult for you to sleep if you took too much of it too close to bedtime. In exchange for this minor effect, you get all of the benefits cited above (cancer, heart disease, longevity, etc.), all demonstrated in study after study after study. In point of fact, you would be hard pressed to find a single drug in the world that has so few side effects and so many benefits and so many studies to back it up. Even the so-called miracle drug, aspirin, is not as clean. Remember, the smallest dosage of aspirin causes internal bleeding.

And yet, given green tea's remarkable safety record and proven benefits, not a word of these benefits can be mentioned in connection with any product being sold that contains green tea -- not in the US, not in Europe, not anywhere. And yet, Polyphenon E is being pitched as a potential cancer cure all over the internet and in medical literature. It even has a featured position on the Prostate Cancer Foundation website.  How can this be?

Perhaps we can find the answer by looking at the curious case of pyridoxamine – the only form of B6 that can be taken without fear of peripheral neuropathy, and the only form, according to some experts, that should ever be used in supplements. And yet, given all this, pharmaceutical interests have filed a petition with the FDA seeking to ban the use of pyridoxamine in supplements. And the FDA is seriously considering it. Why? Because pyridoxamine has shown promise in protecting against diabetic complications! According to the FDA, if low cost pyridoxamine was available in supplements, there would be no incentive for the pharmaceutical industry to invest the money necessary to get it classified as a prescription drug! In other words, if there is enough money involved, the FDA is quite willing to reclassify everyday supplements as pharmaceutical drugs.

For a more detailed look at this issue, check out William Faloon's article in the most recent issue of Life Extension Magazine. But for now, let's cut to the heart of the matter.

The green tea squeeze play:

When it comes to herbs and supplements, governments all over the world do everything in their power to prevent you from ever seeing any information at all that might indicate they offer any real health benefits. But like Catch 22, they catch you coming and going.

•If you can't prove the benefits to their satisfaction (and how much more do we need to see on the benefits of green tea), you can't talk about the benefits because they would amount to unsubstantiated health claims.

•On the other hand, if you can prove the benefits, you can't sell the supplements because they would no longer be supplements. They would be drugs and therefore too valuable to be left in the hands of anyone but the pharmaceutical companies.

•Damned if you do. Damned if you don't.

So is there any way out of this conundrum? Absolutely! Just join the club – aka, the pharmaceutical industry. And get your supplement classified as pharmaceutical grade. Then you can make all the health claims you want, and charge 600% more for essentially the same supplement. This appears to be the route that Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd has chosen to follow. And who gets hurt by this squeeze play? Only you, the consumer!

You're denied mountains of information on a plethora of supplements that can potentially save your life. Or you're forced to pay many times over the actual cost to get an "officially sanctioned" version of the same supplement that actually comes with information.

Over the years, I've sounded off repeatedly on how the alternative health community continually gets itself hung up on the pinstripes of major legislation that is highly, highly unlikely to ever pass -- all the while missing the true threat to health and nutrition, the co-option that goes on in the background…without the requirement of any legislation being signed.

You are witnessing that co-option as a potential walk-off home run with pyridoxamine -- and as a squeeze play in the making with green tea and Polyphenon E.

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July 12, 2009

Appropriate Planned Vegetarian Diets Are Healthful, May Help in Disease Prevention and Treatment, Says American Dietetic Association

Media contact: Jennifer Starkey

media@eatright.org

CHICAGO – The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on vegetarian diets that concludes such diets, if well-planned, are healthful and nutritious for adults, infants, children and adolescents and can help prevent and treat chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.

ADA’s position, published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, represents the Association’s official stance on vegetarian diets:

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes.

ADA’s position and accompanying paper were written by Winston Craig, PhD, MPH, RD, professor and chair of the department of nutrition and wellness at Andrews University; and Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, nutrition advisor at the Vegetarian Resource Group, Baltimore, Md.

The revised position paper incorporates new topics and additional information on key nutrients for vegetarians, vegetarian diets in the life cycle and the use of vegetarian diets in prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. “Vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle,” according to ADA’s position. “There are many reasons for the rising interest in vegetarian diets. The number of vegetarians in the United States is expected to increase over the next decade.”

Vegetarian diets are often associated with health advantages including lower blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure levels and lower risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, according to ADA’s position. “Vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and have higher levels of dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. These nutritional differences may explain some of the health advantages of those following a varied, balanced vegetarian diet.”

The position paper draws on results from ADA’s evidence analysis process and information from the ADA Evidence Analysis Library to show vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. Additionally, an evidence-based review showed a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease.

A section in ADA’s paper on vegetarian diets and cancer has been significantly expanded to provide details on cancer-protective factors in vegetarian diets. An expanded section on osteoporosis includes roles of fruits, vegetables, soy products, protein, calcium, vitamins D and K and potassium in bone health. “Registered dietitians can provide information about key nutrients, modify vegetarian diets to meet the needs of those with dietary restrictions due to disease or allergies and supply guidelines to meet needs of clients in different areas of the life cycle,” the authors said.

The American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.

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July 5, 2009

From farm-usa

It's Not Too Late for AR2009 in Los Angeles

More help for animals!

We're thrilled to announce that our Celebrity Animal Activist Awardee is a famous TV anchor. TV and film actresses Charlotte Ross and Elaine Hendrix will also be recognized at the Saturday night Awards Banquet. Get the tickets now!

The Final Program with speakers and new T-shirt designs are now online! See also our Fast Facts Overview page for quick answers to all your questions.

Pre-register online by July 12th or call 800-632-8688 for a printed badge and fast check-in. On-site registration (full, weekend or single day) is also available.

Limited exhibit space is still available at great rates.

Save money with our low-income discounts, conference staffing, discounted meals, free snacks and room-sharing options.

This year's event will be held at the Westin LAX, a magnificent convention hotel located at 5400 West Century Blvd (near LAX Airport, west of I-405), Los Angeles, CA.

Highlights include:

•114 Sessions about animal abuse, organizing, tactics, and ideological discussions

•97 Speakers from 60 groups representing assorted views on animal liberation tactics

•90 FREE exhibits, Fri-Sun, 9am-6pm, featuring animal rights literature & vegan snacks

•58 Videos documenting various types of animal abuse and activist campaigns

•Eyewitness Reports of Whale Wars & CA Prop 2 Campaign

•Celebrity and activists Awards at festive Saturday Banquet

•Delicious vegan cuisine and compassionate shopping

Animal Rights 2009 is the world's largest and longest-running animal rights gathering, hailing back to 1981. It is a forum for sharing knowledge, discussing strategies, networking, and "recharging our batteries" with old friends and new. Whether you're a seasoned activist or just curious, AR2009 has something for everyone! We're only in Los Angeles, every two years, so don't miss it!

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June 28, 2009

It’s official: Carrots do help boost vision

From health.targana.net

LONDON - Antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables such as carrots can help slow down sight loss in older adults, say scientists.

In a five-year study, scientists in Belfast and Waterford showed that the intake of high levels of both carotenoids - rich antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables - preserved macular pigments, slowing down the progression from early to late age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD is an incurable eye disease which causes blurring of central vision because of its effects on the macula, the central part of the retina.

To reach the conclusion, Professor Usha Chakravarthy, from the Queen’s University Centre of Vision and Vascular Science, looked at nutritional supplements for patients with AMD and found they helped sharpen vision.

More than 400 people with an average age of 77 took part in clinical trials investigating whether carotenoids could prevent progression to the more serious late AMD, reports Sky News.

The supplement contained the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, combined with vitamins C, E and zinc.

Prof Chakravarthy said: “These findings are important because this is the first randomised controlled clinical trial to document a beneficial effect through improved function and maintained macular pigment.

“Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to identify the numbers needed to treat to prevent one case from progressing from early to late AMD.” (ANI)

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June 21, 2009

From OrganicConsumers.org

Study: Conventionally Grown Vegetables Have Lower Nutrient Value Than Organics and Days of Old

Eating Your Veggies: Not As Good For You?

By Donald R. Davis

Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What Is the Evidence? By Donald R. Davis Journal of HortScience; February 2009, 5 pp.

The Gist:

If the economy isn't grim enough for you, just check out the February issue of the Journal of HortScience, which contains a report on the sorry state of American fruits and veggies. Apparently produce in the U.S. not only tastes worse than it did in your grandparents' days, it also contains fewer nutrients - at least according to Donald R. Davis, a former research associate with the Biochemical Institute at the University of Texas, Austin. Davis claims the average vegetable found in today's supermarket is anywhere from 5% to 40% lower in minerals (including magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc) than those harvested just 50 years ago.

Highlight Reel:

1. On the Difficulty of Comparing "Then" and "Now:" Davis is quick to note that historical data can sometimes be misleading, if not altogether inaccurate. Take early measurements of iron in foods: because scientists failed to sufficiently remove clinging soil, iron levels appeared unusually high in certain vegetables like spinach, (which gave rise to the myth that it contained exorbitant amounts of the mineral - a myth further propagated by the popular cartoon character, Popeye). Then again, good historical data provides the only real-world evidence of changes in foods over time, and such data does exist - one farm in Hertfordshire, England, for example, has archived its wheat samples since 1843.

2. On the So-Called "Dilution Effect:" Today's vegetables might be larger, but if you think that means they contain more nutrients, you'd be wrong. Davis writes that jumbo-sized produce contains more "dry matter" than anything else, which dilutes mineral concentrations. In other words, when it comes to growing food, less is more. Scientific papers have cited one of the first reports of this effect, a 1981 study by W.M. Jarrell and R.B. Beverly in Advances in Agronomy, more than 180 times since its publication, "suggesting that the effect is widely regarded as common knowledge." (See pictures of fruit.)

Less studied, though, is the "genetic dillution effect," in which selective breeding to increase crop yield has led to declines in protein, amino acids, and as many as six minerals in one study of commercial wheats grown in 1996 and '97 in South Carolina. Because nearly 90% of dry matter is carbohydrates, "when breeders select for high yield, they are, in effect, selecting mostly for high carbohydrate with no assurance that dozens of other nutrients and thousands of phytochemicals will all increase in proportion to yield."

2. On the "Industrialization" of Agriculture: Thanks to the growing rise of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, modern crops are being harvested faster than ever before. But quick and early harvests mean the produce has less time to absorb nutrients either from synthesis or the soil, and minerals like potassium (the "K" in N-P-K fertilizers) often interfere with a plant's ability to take up nutrients. Monoculture farming practices - another hallmark of the Big Ag industry - have also led to soil-mineral depletion, which, in turn, affects the nutrient content of crops.

The Lowdown:

If you're still not buying the whole "organic-is-better" argument, this study might convince you otherwise. As Davis points out, more than three billion people around the world suffer from malnourishment and yet, ironically, efforts to increase food production have actually produced food that is less nourishing. Fruits seem to be less affected by genetic and environmental dilution, but one can't help but wonder how nutritionally bankrupt veggies can be avoided. Supplementing them is problematic, too: don't look to vitamin pills, as recent research indicates that those aren't very helpful either. 

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June 14, 2009

From worldhealth.com

Carotenoids, antioxidant pigments found in fruit and vegetables, may help to keep bones strong and healthy, new research suggests.

Katherine Tucker and colleagues used a 126-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to determine the total and individual carotenoid intake (including alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein plus zeaxanthin) of 213 men and 390 women aged 75 and over. Participants bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip, spine, and radial shaft, was determined at the start of the study and again 4-years later.

Results showed that lycopene appeared to offer significant protection against BMD loss in the lumbar spine in women and in the hips of men. Total carotenoid intake was also found to protect against BMD loss in the hips of men. The researchers suspect that carotenoids may help to preserve BMD by combating oxidative stress, which is thought to increase bone resorption.

The authors concluded: “In summary, although we observed few cross-sectional associations between carotenoid intakes and BMD, we observed several inverse associations between carotenoids (except for beta-cryptoxanthin and alpha-carotene) and four-year loss in BMD in men and of lycopene and bone loss at the lumbar spine in women. These results suggest a possible protective effect of carotenoids, particularly of lycopene, against bone loss in older adults.”

Sahni S, Hannan MT, Blumberg J, Cupples LA, Kiel DP, Tucker KL.

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June 7, 2009

H2-Oh No!

By Mark Hawthorne

from VegNews magazine

Forget the gas guzzler. Do you have a drinking (water) problem?

From space, Earth looks like a cool, thirst-quenching ball of liquid. But less than three percent of the world’s water is fresh, and only about one-third of that is potable, since much of it is inaccessible in aquifers and icebergs. The one percent of the planet’s water that is safe to swallow is unevenly distributed, with some countries awash in freshwater lakes and underground sources and other populations left high and dry. For example, Brazil, the world’s wettest nation, has an average annual renewable freshwater supply of 8,233 cubic kilometers per year (roughly twice the amount of H2O annually consumed worldwide), while Rwanda only has about five. Such disparity has international water experts and leaders debating the fairest and most efficient way to deliver a scarce supply. Is water a natural resource and free to all, like air? Or is it a commodity, like oil, for which people should pay?

Of course, people are already paying for their liquid’s pedigree. Annually, it’s a $50 billion worldwide industry that has become the new SUV, but bottled water is more than just a symbol of waste to many social activists. It represents a host of other problems, including unsustainable and expensive water delivery. “In this state and across the globe, water corporations are transforming a public resource into a high-priced luxury,” says Deborah Lapidus, national organizer with the Think Outside the Bottle campaign in Boston, Mass. “And to add salt to the wound, corporations like Coke are disparaging public tap water, bottling it, and then selling it back to us for more than the price of gasoline.” (An average 20-ounce bottle of water costs about $1.39—that’s nearly $9 per gallon.) The Think Outside the Bottle campaign works to reduce the negative effects of bottled water and stimulate support for public water systems. The campaign is led by Corporate Accountability International, which in 2007 successfully pressured Pepsi-Cola into revealing the source of its Aquafina water. Turns out the second-best-selling bottled-water brand in the US is purified tap water. Same for Coca-Cola’s Dasani, the number-one brand. Whether it’s purified, mineral, or spring water inside, the bottle itself usually ends up as litter or in a landfill. US consumers discard an estimated 60 million water bottles a day, most of which are not recycled. Fortunately, there is some indication the reduce-reuse-recycle message may be getting through. For the first time in a decade, sales of bottled water slowed in 2008, growing just 6.7 percent, versus 6.9 in 2007, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, a US trade group. Not much, but it’s a start.

Perhaps the most disturbing issue, however, is pollution caused from raising animals for food. Much of the 500 million tons of waste generated by billions of chickens, pigs, cows, and other animals confined in US factory farms every year is stored in huge manure “lagoons.” These holding pools can leak or spill and pipelines can rupture, tainting surface and ground water. Just last year, a lagoon pipe at a Maryland dairy burst, spewing 560,000 gallons of liquid manure—nearly enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool—into a nearby creek and contaminating the town’s water supply with E. coli.

The good news is being water-wise doesn’t mean resorting to a monthly bath. Lifestyle changes such as eating a plant-based diet, installing low-flow shower heads, opting for public tap water over bottled water, and simply being mindful about water use all help make the most of the planet’s limited supply.

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May 31, 2009

AARPMagazine.com

The Island Where People Live Longer

Longevity Quest: Ikaria, Greece

Making it to 90 years old is awe-inspiring in much of the world. But on a tiny Greek island in the North Aegean Sea, nonagenarians barely merit a second glance.

The island of Icaria could be the newest of the world's so-called blue zones — places where residents have unusually long life spans.

Dan Buettner has crossed the globe many times over the years in search of blue zones, and he recently teamed up with AARP and National Geographic to study Icaria.

Buettner and a team of demographers work with census data to identify blue zones around the world. They found Icaria had the highest percentage of 90-year-olds anywhere on the planet — nearly 1 out of 3 people make it to their 90s.

Plus, Buettner says, "they have about 20 percent lower rates of cancer, 50 percent lower rates of heart disease and almost no dementia."

Our life spans are about 20 percent dictated by our genes, Buettner says. The rest is lifestyle. People in Icaria live in mountain villages that necessitate activity every day. "They have gardens," he says, for example. "If they go to church, if they go to their friends' house — it always occasions a small walk. But that ends up burning much more calories than going to a gym for 20 minutes a day."

"They also have a diet that's very interesting," Buettner continues. "It's very high in olive oil; it's very high in fruits and vegetables." It's also very high in greens; about 150 kinds of veggies grow wild on the island. "These greens have somewhere around 10 times the level of antioxidants in red wine."

And though they live on an island, Icarians don't eat much fish. Buettner says pirates pushed the culture up in the highlands and villagers couldn't depend on the sea as much as might be expected.

Particularly unusual to this new blue zone are the villagers' drinking habits. Tea drinking, that is. Icarians drink herbal teas every day, morning and night, Buettner says. This seems to be one of their secrets to longer living.

"We had five of these herbal teas sent to Athens and analyzed for their chemical composition," Buettner reports. "We found out that most of them were diuretics."

"It turns out that diuretics actually lower blood pressure," he says, "so when you're chronically lowering blood pressure every day with these herbal teas, that does help explain why there's lower rates of heart disease."

"That's something we haven't seen in Okinawa or Costa Rica or Sardinia or any of the other blue zones," Buettner says.

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May 24, 2009

New Study Finds Dangerous Carcinogen In Fast-Food Grilled Chicken

MEDICALNEWSTODAY.COM

A new study published in Nutrition and Cancer shows that consumers are exposed to a known carcinogen when they consume grilled chicken. One hundred samples from seven popular chain restaurants were analyzed by an independent laboratory, and PhIP, a known human carcinogen, was found in every sample.

PhIP forms when meat, especially chicken, is grilled or pan-fried at high temperatures, and, for more than a decade, it has been on the California governor's list of chemicals known to cause cancer. The carcinogen-containing grilled chicken samples, including salads, sandwiches, and entrées, were collected from McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, Chili's, TGI Friday's, Outback Steakhouse, Burger King, and Applebee's.

"Grilled chicken is the largest source of PhIP, a potent carcinogen," says Kristie Sullivan, M.P.H., lead author of the new study and a toxicologist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. "We found this carcinogen in every single sample of grilled chicken taken from restaurants in every part of California."

PhIP is one of a group of carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and it is a known mutagen that can cause DNA damage that can lead to cancer. In human studies investigating well-done meat consumption and cancer risk, the highest risk is for cancers of the prostate, colon/rectum, and breast. In 2005, the federal government officially added HCAs to its list of anticipated human carcinogens. Even small amounts can increase a person's risk of developing cancer.

People consuming PhIP and similar compounds are more likely to develop cancer, compared to other people. The new study shows that PhIP is pervasive in grilled chicken products. "You don't want fried chicken, obviously, with all its fat and cholesterol, but it turns out that grilled chicken is peppered with chemicals clearly linked to cancer," Ms. Sullivan said. Chemist Michael Erikson, M. S., toxicologist Chad Sandusky, Ph.D., and Neal Barnard, M.D. are co-authors.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)

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May 17, 2009

You Are What You Eat

from emagazine.com

reporting by Brita Belli

Just a few days of exposure to harmful chemicals in our everyday food and toiletry items can have dramatic effects. A new Canadian book, Slow Death by Rubber Duck: How the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Life Affects Our Health, reports how coauthors Rick Smith, the executive director of Environmental Defence (ED) and Bruce Lourie, ED’s chairman of the board, abstained from toxic chemicals and then loaded up on them to test the effects on their bodies.

Smith ate canned foods heated by microwave exclusively for two days—the levels of hormone-disrupting BPA in his body increased 7.5 times as a result. When Smith used scented bath products and room air fresheners for two days, the level of phthalates in his body, chemicals linked to reproductive abnormalities, increased 22 times. After removing fish from his diet for a month, Lourie ate tuna sandwiches, tuna sushi and tuna steak for lunch and dinner over two days. The levels of mercury in his blood increased 2.5 times.

While the sudden increase in body toxicity over such short periods were alarming, the authors write that there is a positive message. “Anybody can reduce their levels and their children’s levels of these and other chemicals in a similarly quick fashion simply by making different purchasing choices at the supermarket."

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May 10, 2009

Mushrooms may boost the body's natural immune system

The potential for mushrooms to fight influenza is being examined following United States research suggesting the body's natural immune response against viral infections and tumours is boosted through the consumption of white button mushrooms.

Tufts University laboratory research published in The Journal of Nutrition showed mushroom intake was able to enhance the body's own bug fighters, killer cells and cytokines, the latter being hormone-like proteins that play an important role in defending the body against viral infections and tumours.

Accredited Practising Dietitian and healthy eating specialist, Glenn Cardwell, said the research highlighted that mushrooms may boost the body's natural immune system.

"Laboratory research found that the intake of mushrooms may promote innate immunity - the body's first line of defence - against viruses. Further studies involving influenza infection are now underway to test these findings."

Mr Cardwell said the current trials are examining the impact of different mushroom intake levels against the influenza virus, looking at both the immune response and the clearance of the virus.

"The evidence gained in the study will assist researchers to better understand the underlying mechanism of immune response and lead to longer term plans to directly test the effectiveness in human clinical trials."

"What they are essentially looking for is how mushrooms - one of Nature's true superfoods - can be used as a real food 'elixir of immunity' to help prevent influenza.

Mr Cardwell said current concerns over the impact of influenza, particularly the swine flu, highlighted the need to eat a balanced diet that includes foods that can naturally boost the immune system.

"While it is always tempting to reach for a quick fix vitamin or medical supplement, real food alternatives, such as the mushroom, are a healthier long term choice," he said.

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May 3, 2009

New York Times

Vital Signs

Regimens: Broccoli Sprouts May Be Germ Fighters

Eating broccoli sprouts may be an effective way to control the germ that causes most peptic ulcers and is strongly associated with stomach cancer, a small study has found.

Dietary Sulforaphane-Rich Broccoli Sprouts Reduce Colonization and Attenuate Gastritis in Helicobacter pylori–Infected Mice and Humans (Cancer Prevention Research) In the study, published in the April issue of Cancer Prevention Research, researchers examined 50 people who were infected with the germ, Helicobacter pylori, and divided them into two groups. Over eight weeks, one group ate two and a half ounces of broccoli sprouts a day while the other consumed an equal amount of alfalfa sprouts.

Using standard blood and fecal tests, the researchers found that the broccoli eaters had significantly reduced levels of infection with H. pylori, while levels in the control group remained unchanged.

There are antibiotic treatments for H. pylori infection, but Jed W. Fahey, a co-author of the study and a researcher at Johns Hopkins, notes that drugs are not always effective and can have unpleasant side effects.

“We’re enthusiastic about the results, but we have to be careful not to overinterpret it,” Dr. Fahey said. “A reduction in H. pylori should lead to a reduction in inflammation, but we have not proven that in this small clinical trial.” Still, he added, “On a public health scale, a relatively small shift in dietary habits can have a large effect on chronic disease.”

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April 25, 2009

Osteoporosis International

Summary  This cross-sectional study showed that, although vegans had lower dietary calcium and protein intakes than omnivores, veganism did not have adverse effect on bone mineral density and did not alter body composition.

Introduction Whether a lifelong vegetarian diet has any negative effect on bone health is a contentious issue. We undertook this study to examine the association between lifelong vegetarian diet and bone mineral density and body composition in a group of postmenopausal women.

Methods One hundred and five Mahayana Buddhist nuns and 105 omnivorous women (average age=62, range=50–85) were randomly sampled from monasteries in Ho Chi Minh City and invited to participate in the study. By religious rule, the nuns do not eat meat or seafood (i.e., vegans). Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (FN), and whole body (WB) was measured by DXA (Hologic QDR 4500). Lean mass, fat mass, and percent fat mass were also obtained from the DXA whole body scan. Dietary calcium and protein intakes were estimated from a validated food frequency questionnaire.

Results  There was no significant difference between vegans and omnivores in LSBMD (0.74±0.14 vs. 0.77±0.14 g/cm2; mean ± SD; P=0.18), FNBMD (0.62±0.11 vs. 0.63±0.11 g/cm2; P=0.35), WBBMD (0.88±0.11 vs. 0.90±0.12 g/cm2; P=0.31), lean mass (32±5 vs. 33±4 kg; P=0.47), and fat mass (19±5 vs. 19±5 kg; P=0.77) either before or after adjusting for age. The prevalence of osteoporosis (T scores≤−2.5) at the femoral neck in vegans and omnivores was 17.1% and 14.3% (P=0.57), respectively. The median intake of dietary calcium was lower in vegans compared to omnivores (330±205 vs. 682±417 mg/day, P<0.001); however, there was no significant correlation between dietary calcium and BMD. Further analysis suggested that whole body BMD, but not lumbar spine or femoral neck BMD, was positively correlated with the ratio of animal protein to vegetable protein.

Conclusion These results suggest that, although vegans have much lower intakes of dietary calcium and protein than omnivores, veganism does not have adverse effect on bone mineral density and does not alter body composition.

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April 19, 2009

The Low-Carbon Diet

Change your lightbulbs? Or your car? If you want to fight global warming, it’s time to consider a different diet.

By Mike Tidwell/Photography by Catherine Ledner

Full disclosure: I love to eat meat. I was born in Memphis, the barbecue capital of the Milky Way Galaxy. I worship slow-cooked, hickory-smoked pig meat served on a bun with extra sauce and coleslaw spooned on top.

My carnivore’s lust goes beyond the DNA level. It’s in my soul. Even the cruelty of factory farming doesn’t temper my desire, I’ll admit. Like most Americans, I can somehow keep at bay all thoughts of what happened to the meat prior to the plate.

So why in the world am I a dedicated vegetarian? Why is meat, including sumptuous pork, a complete stranger to my fork at home and away? The answer is simple: I have an 11-year-old son whose future—like yours and mine—is rapidly unraveling due to global warming. And what we put on our plates can directly accelerate or decelerate the heating trend.

That giant chunk of an Antarctic ice sheet, the one that disintegrated in a matter of hours, the one the size of seven Manhattans—did you hear about it? It shattered barely a year ago “like a hammer on glass,” scientists say, and is now melting away in the Southern Ocean. This is just a preview, of course, of the sort of ecological collapse coming everywhere on earth, experts say, unless we hit the brakes soon on climate change. If the entire West Antarctic ice sheet melts, for example, global sea-level rise could reach 20 feet.

Since the twin phenomena of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Gore, most Americans have a basic literacy on the issue of climate change. It’s getting worse, we know, and greenhouse gases—emitted when we burn fossil fuels—are driving it. Less accepted, it seems, is the role food—specifically our consumption of meat—is playing in this matter. The typical American diet now weighs in at more than 3,700 calories per day, reports the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, and is dominated by meat and animal products. As a result, what we put in our mouths now ranks up there with our driving habits and our use of coal-fired electricity in terms of how it affects climate change.

Simply put, raising beef, pigs, sheep, chicken, and eggs is very, very energy intensive. More than half of all the grains grown in America actually go to feed animals, not people, says the World Resources Institute. That means a huge fraction of the petroleum-based herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers applied to grains, plus staggering percentages of all agricultural land and water use, are put in the service of livestock. Stop eating animals and you use dramatically less fossil fuels, as much as 250 gallons less oil per year for vegans, says Cornell University’s David Pimentel, and 160 gallons less for egg-and-cheese-eating vegetarians.

But fossil fuel combustion is just part of the climate–diet equation. Ruminants—cows and sheep—generate a powerful greenhouse gas through their normal digestive processes (think burping and emissions at the other end). What comes out is methane (23 times more powerful at trapping heat than CO2) and nitrous oxide (296 times more powerful).

Indeed, accounting for all factors, livestock production worldwide is responsible for a whopping 18 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gases, reports the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. That’s more than the emissions of all the world’s cars, buses, planes, and trains combined.

So why do we so rarely talk about meat consumption when discussing global warming in America? Compact fluorescent bulbs? Biking to work? Buying wind power? We hear it nonstop. But even the super-liberal, Prius-driving, Green Party activist in America typically eats chicken wings and morning bacon like everyone else. While the climate impacts of meat consumption might be new to many people, the knowledge of meat’s general ecological harm is not at all novel. So what gives?

Roughly three percent of all Americans are vegetarians, according to the Vegetarian Resource Group, a nonprofit that educates people on the benefits of a meat-free diet. Part of the reason, I know, is the unfortunate belief that vegetarianism is a really tough lifestyle change, much harder than simply changing bulbs or buying a better car. But as a meat lover at heart, I’ve been a vegetarian (no fish, minimal eggs and cheese) for seven years, and trust me: It’s easy, satisfying, and of course super healthy. With the advent of savory tofu, faux meats, and the explosion of local farmers’ markets, a life without meat is many times easier today than when Ovid and Thoreau and Gandhi and Einstein did it. True, many meat substitutes are made from soybeans, a monocrop with its own environmental issues. But most soy production today is actually devoted to livestock feed. Only 1 percent of U.S. soybeans become tofu, for example.

One day I get carryout veggie Pad Thai. The next I cook stir-fried veggies at home with soy-based sausage patties so good they fool even the most discriminating meat connoisseurs. Bottom line: Of the most difficult things I’ve ever done in my life, vegetarianism doesn’t even make the chart.

Some folks, I realize, have a deep-down, gut-level (so to speak) reaction to vegetarianism as “unnatural.” We humans have canine teeth, after all. We evolved to include meat in our diets. To abandon such food is to break thousands of years of tradition and, in some cases, ritual behavior bordering on the sacred.

All true. But we also evolved as people who defecated indiscriminately in the woods and who didn’t brush our teeth. Somehow we’ve moved to a higher level on those counts. Now, with potentially catastrophic climate change hovering around the corner and with our briskets and London broil helping to drive the process, it’s time to evolve some more.

A compromise in recent years, of course, has been the idea of animals raised locally and organically. Becoming a “locavore” who eats regional fruits and vegetables in season as much as possible makes abundant sense, of course. And animals from your area can lower the environmental impacts of your diet in many ways while simultaneously saving cherished local farmland and progressive farm families.

But with global warming, here’s the inconvenient truth about meat and dairy products: If you eat them, regardless of their origin and how they were produced, you significantly contribute to climate change. Period. If your beef is from New Zealand or your own backyard, if your lamb is organic free-range or factory farmed, it still has a negative impact on global warming.

This is true for several reasons. Again, the biological reality of ruminant digestion is that methane is released. The feed can be local and organic, but the methane is the same, escaping into the atmosphere and trapping heat with impressive efficiency. Second, no matter the farming method, livestock makes manure that produces nitrous oxide, an even more awesomely impressive heat trapper. Livestock in the United States generates a billion tons of manure per year, accounting for 65 percent of the planet’s anthropogenic nitrous oxide emissions.

Even poultry, while less harmful, also contributes. Ironically, data released in 2007 by Adrian Williams of Cranfield University in England show that when all factors are considered, organic, free-range chickens have a 20 percent greater impact on global warming than conventionally raised broiler birds. That’s because “sustainable” chickens take longer to raise, and eat more feed. Worse, organic eggs have a 14 percent higher impact on the climate than eggs from caged chickens, according to Williams.

“If we want to fight global warming through the food we buy, then one thing’s clear: We have to drastically reduce the meat we consume,” says Tara Garnett of London’s Food Climate Research Network.

So while some of us Americans fashionably fret over our food’s travel budget and organic content, Garnett says the real question is, “Did it come from an animal or did it not come from an animal?”

Which brings us back to vegetarianism and why I live a meat-free life. The facts speak for themselves. If we really want to fight climate change, we should change our lightbulbs and purchase hybrid cars and, above all, vote for politicians committed to a clean energy future. But we should also eat less meat, a lot less, or none at all.

I believe consumer habits are starting to change similarly to the way they’ve shifted with compact fluorescent bulbs. Ten years ago people complained about the harsh quality of light from fluorescents and the hassle of switching them out. But the bulbs are now made to produce a much warmer quality of light and the price has come down. What’s more, in seven years of using only CFLs at my home, I’ve never had a guest make a single comment.

In the near future, as we increasingly discuss the climate “facts” of meat consumption, and as veggie cuisine gets still easier at home and at restaurants, we’ll see more and more people changing their diets in the same way they’re switching to CFLs in droves now. Of this I’m sure.

But when it comes to food, the facts are not enough for many people. Of this I’m also sure. A holistic nutritionist in my neighborhood says one’s ideas about food reside in the same part of the brain that houses our ideas and beliefs about religion. It’s not all rational, in other words. Facts abound about the harm of fatty, sugary foods, yet the obesity epidemic grows. And I can’t count the number of environmental conferences I’ve attended where meat was served in abundance. Even Michael Pollan’s 2006 bestseller The Omnivore’s Dilemma, wherein he dissects with encyclopedic thoroughness the eco-hazards and animal cruelty issues surrounding meat and egg production—even this book astonishingly mentions the words global warming only two times and climate change not at all. In 464 pages. That’s highly unreasonable, in my view.

All of which is to say that for people to care, the climate–food discussion must be about more than just facts, more than pounds of greenhouse gases per units of food. It’s got to be about morality, about right versus wrong. And I don’t mean the usual morality of environmental “stewardship.” Or even the issue of cruelty to farm animals. I’m talking here about cruelty to people, about the explicit harm to humans that results from meat consumption and its role as a driving force in climate change. Knowingly eating food that makes you fat or harms your local fish and birds is one thing. Knowingly eating food that makes children across much of the world hungry is another.

I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the mid-1980s, living in a tiny rural village where the staple crop was hand-tilled corn. It was harvested twice a year, in May and December. This meant the two annual “rainy seasons” had to begin right on time, in January and September, and continue for several months afterward. Any deviation from this rainfall pattern virtually guaranteed a lower corn harvest. And given the total absence of grocery stores, community granaries, or the money to buy extra food even if it existed, this meant hunger.

A signature impact of global warming, of course, is a dramatic shift in precipitation patterns worldwide, including longer and more severe droughts as well as extreme rainstorms and flooding in non-drought areas. Many scientists believe these impacts are already being felt by farmers worldwide and could spell future disaster, especially for subsistence farmers like those I lived with in Africa. Global wheat prices have jumped about 100 percent in the past year in part because a record drought in Australia—made worse by global warming—has devastated farmers across the continent. Food production in China alone could drop 10 percent as early as 2030, United Nations scientists warn.

The people I lived with in Africa contribute almost nothing to the problem of global warming, through their diet or otherwise. Coal-fired electricity versus wind power? They don’t have electricity. SUVs versus hybrid cars? They don’t have cars—none at all, or roads for that matter. And meat consumption? Tiny, tiny portions maybe twice a week.

If we in the West don’t alter course in the coming years, if we allow extreme global warming to become reality, an impact on the U.S. diet could very well be a great reduction in the amount of meat on our tables—a reduction imposed on us by nature instead of achieved by us through enlightened lifestyle changes. The wide and guaranteed availability of agriculturally productive land may simply cease. The crop yields we see now could shrink significantly, thanks to everything from weird weather to pest invasions. But it’s a safe guess to say we’ll have space for a national diet of plant-based foods (some crops are expected to benefit from global warming), just not the option of consuming all those animals.

But in the Congo and other poor countries, in places like Bangladesh and Peru and Vietnam, where meat consumption is already low, severe climate change means food off the table. It means hungry children. It means the rains don’t come on time or at all in tiny villages like the one I lived in. It means, in the end, cruelty to people.

Are we clear now on the raw facts and urgent morality of our present meat consumption in America?

We need much more than just a few magazine readers to voluntarily stop eating meat, of course. It’s a good start, but what we really need are national policies that encourage lower meat consumption by everyone. This could be achieved using fees or other market mechanisms that properly price greenhouse-gas emissions according to the harm they cause. The bad news, I suppose, is that the cost of meat could rise. The good news is we would finally have a fair and honest way to judge its danger, and thus more incentives to do the right thing, more incentives to switch to a healthy and convenient vegetarian diet of the sort I’ve joyfully embraced for years, despite my great appreciation for the taste of meat.

We could also, as a nation, just eat a lot less meat as an alternative to full vegetarianism. Anthony McMichael, a leading Australia-based expert on climate change and health issues, has crunched the numbers. He estimates that per capita daily meat consumption would need to drop from about 12 ounces per day in America to 3.1 ounces (with less than half of it red meat) in order to protect the climate.

I suppose I could measure out 3.1 ounces of meat per day, cook it, eat it, and still feel morally okay. But frankly I’d rather just go without. I’d rather be a vegetarian. It’s easier to explain. It’s easier to defend. And I just plain like it.

Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, is the author of The Ravaging Tide: Strange Weather, Future Katrinas, and the Coming Death of America's Coastal Cities (Free Press).

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April 12, 2009

Vegan and vegetarian diets protect health of teen girls

Virginia Messina, MPH, RD

Soymilk and soy yogurt: good food for young girls.

What young girls eat—especially during puberty—can impact their risk of getting breast cancer in adulthood. Researchers theorize that certain compounds in food affect breast tissue as that tissue is developing. The result can be an increase in lifelong protection against cancer or an increased risk.

For example, scientists have been speculating for decades that the anti-estrogen effects of isoflavones—compounds that are unique to soyfoods—are responsible for differences in breast cancer rates between Western and Japanese women. But, there is no clear consensus that adding soyfoods to the diet in adulthood will lower breast cancer risk.

However, some very interesting studies suggest that when young girls consume soyfoods, their risk for breast cancer later in life is much lower. A National Cancer Institute study found that risk for breast cancer was 58% lower for women who had consumed soyfoods between the ages of 5 and 11 years. A study in China—where soy consumption differs greatly across different regions—found that consuming soy between the ages of 13 and 15 was associated with a 49% reduction in breast cancer risk.

While the studies aren’t conclusive, it clearly makes sense for young girls to consume soyfoods that are rich in isoflavones. Soymilk (choose a brand that is fortified with calcium and vitamin D) and tofu are the best sources.

More recently, Harvard researchers looked at the effect of red meat consumption during adolescence. They asked more than 40,000 women what they ate in high school, and then followed their health over the next seven years. Those who reported eating the most red meat and processed meat during their teen years had a more than 30% higher risk for getting breast cancer as adults.

Vegan teens are most likely to reap these benefits since they don’t eat meat and are more likely than non-vegans to consume soy products. Studies also show that young vegetarians and vegans have higher intakes of fruits and vegetables and whole grains—all of which may protect against chronic disease. And that’s important since eating patterns and preferences are often established early in life. And signs of certain chronic diseases are showing up earlier in children than ever before.

So do your daughter a favor. Replace the hamburgers in her diet with veggie burgers and pour her a glass of fortified soymilk. Her lifelong health may depend on it.

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April 5, 2009

Dairy Health Hazards

Health issues related to the consumption of dairy

By: Leilani Farm Sanctuary

Cow's milk is suited to the nutritional needs of calves, who, unlike human babies, will double their weight in 47 days, grow four stomachs, and weigh 1,100-1,200 pounds within two years.

It is not natural for humans to drink cow's milk. No other species drinks milk beyond infancy, and no other species drinks the milk of another species.

Dr. Frank Oski from John Hopkins University says, "There's no reason to drink cow's milk at any time in your life. It was designed for calves, not humans, and we should all stop drinking it today."

The late Benjamin Spock, America's leading authority on childcare, spoke out against feeding cow's milk to infant humans, saying it can cause anemia, allergies, and insulin-dependent diabetes.

Cow's milk is deficient in fiber, niacin, vitamin C, and iron.

Cow's milk is linked to allergies, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.

Dairy products are loaded with fat and cholesterol, and frequently contaminated with drugs and pesticides.

Milk and cheese may actually cause osteoporosis, since their high-protein content leaches calcium from the body. Foods high in animal protein leach calcium from the body in order to buffer the acidic byproducts that result from the breaking down of the excess protein; this causes a net loss of calcium.

A ground breaking Harvard study of more than 75,000 nurses indicates that the incidence of osteoporosis rises with an increase in milk consumption.

The best sources of calcium are beans, figs, and green leafy vegetables.

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March 29, 2009

Fast Food Diet May Raise Alzheimer's Risk

by Craig Weatherby

An estimated 5.2 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and the toll it takes on their families may well exceed the patients' own suffering.

The results of a study from Sweden heighten suspicions that diets dominated by junky fast food meals damages brains, in addition to harming heart and overall health.

By "fast food meals" we mean ones high in sugars, starches, and bad fat but low in colorful, fiber- and antioxidant-rich plant foods. Sugary, starchy foods tend to promote generation of pro-oxidant, pro-inflammatory free radicals, as do fried and browned foods. The damage done to brain (and other) cells by free radicals and the inflammation they induce raise the risk of Alzheimer's.

Population studies link diets rich in antioxidants (and omega-3s) to reduced rates of Alzheimer's, and studies in dogs with Alzheimer's-like disease show clear improvements after increasing their intake of dietary antioxidants.

There's a genetic component to Alzheimer's though it's far from the whole story.

About one in five Americans possesses a gene that raises their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease ... which is by far the most common form of dementia. The risky gene, called apoE4, is a variant of the gene that governs the production of a cholesterol-transport protein called apolipoprotein E. People who carry the apoE4 gene are more likely to develop the brain abnormalities characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, and to later show symptoms of Alzheimer's.

But once again, genes "load the gun" but environment pulls the trigger.

A doctoral student at Stockholm's famed Karolinska Institute tested the effects of fast-food-like diets in mice genetically at risk for Alzheimer's- these mice had been specifically bred to carry the risky apoE4 variant of the apolipoprotein E gene. Researcher Susanne Akterin fed the Alzheimer's-prone mice a simulated fast-food diet for nine months.The mice developed brain abnormalities like those seen in Alzheimer's patients.

The moral of the story: You can't do much about your genes, but you can sure increase the odds of keeping your brain healthy by staying away from fast food and making sure you stock up on antioxidants.

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March 22, 2009

BOCA brand responds to animal-rights campaign with promise to eliminate eggs.

By Stacy Blondin--VegNews Daily

No matter which came first, the chicken or the egg, you can rest assured knowing that neither will make its way into your next bite of BOCA. By 2010 the brand expects to have re-worked its recipes with one intentionally missing ingredient—the egg. Less than two months after Compassion Over Killing, Mercy For Animals, and the Animal Protection & Rescue League teamed up, urging consumers to take action, BOCA responded with the rewarding news that it has agreed to willingly eliminate eggs from all of its products. A special thanks to those of you who did your part to protest the perpetuation of egg factory farms and battery-caged hens. Hopefully this trio will keep the “egg’ rolling with petitions against other not-yet poultry-free products!

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March 15, 2009

What is Meatout?

On (or around) March 20 — the first day of spring — thousands of caring people in all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries get active to host educational Meatout events. Activities include colorful festivals, lectures, public dinners, feed-ins, cooking demos, food samplings, leafleting, information tables and more.

The occasion is Meatout, the world's largest and oldest annual grassroots diet education campaign. This year is the 25th annual observance! Every spring, thousands of caring Meatout supporters educate their communities and ask their friends, families and neighbors to pledge to "kick the meat habit (at least for a day) and explore a wholesome, compassionate diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains."

This year's theme is "Change Your Diet - Change the World!"

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March 8, 2009

Meat Moves Over

To satisfy a growing market for vegetarian-friendly meals, chefs are taking a fresh, new approach to meat-free dishes worthy of the spotlight.

By Allison Perlik, Senior Editor -- Restaurants and Institutions, 11/1/2008

Protein-rich quinoa bolsters vegetarian fare at UC-Santa Cruz.

Beef is the big player at upscale burger restaurant Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, D.C., yet its “Vegetarians Are People Too ’Shroom Burger,” the lone meatless option, is among the top three sellers on a menu of about a dozen sandwiches.

For Chef-owner Spike Mendelsohn, menuing something to satisfy non-meat-eaters was essential, but it needed to be more than an afterthought. “I wanted to still give that sense of fulfillment,” says Mendelsohn, whose hearty sandwich features roasted portobello mushroom caps that are stuffed with Muenster and Cheddar cheeses, coated in panko crumbs and flash-fried. “With this portobello burger, you get the same experience biting in as you would with one of our hamburgers.”

Taste is the biggest draw, Mendelsohn says, but the ’Shroom Burger’s success also stems from the fact that whether for dietary reasons, environmental concerns or just a desire to try something different, sometimes even the most dedicated meat eaters gravitate to dishes without beef, pork, chicken or seafood. It’s an observation that rings true across foodservice, and operators are warming up to the idea that meatless entrées can be more than marginal menu items.

Indeed, recent data also show meatless meals as a growing opportunity. Nearly one-quarter of Americans say that they sometimes go meatless at restaurants, reports R&I’s 2008 New American Diner Study. And although only a small percentage of Americans identify themselves as dedicated vegetarians—3.2%, or 7.3 million people, according to a 2008 Harris Interactive poll for Vegetarian Times—the same study finds that 10% of consumers say they largely follow vegetarian-inclined diets and 5% more are “definitely interested” in shifting to vegetarian-based diets in the future.

“A lot of people are eating vegetarian,” says Bill Fuller, corporate chef for Pittsburgh-based chain Mad Mex, where guests can get burritos stuffed with spicy chickpea chili in roasted tomatillo sauce. “They’re doing it because they believe it’s healthier; they’re doing it because of moral reasons. And people are spending money on vegetarian food, so you have to give it as much consideration as you do regular dishes.”

Hoppin’ John, a classic Southern side dish, is reimagined in entrée form as crispy fritters at Cafe Flora.

Fuller’s burritos illustrate another point in favor of vegetarian fare: Although not all vegetarian dishes cost out lower than regular menu items given the rising cost of cheese, flour and other components, a broad range of recipes can be crafted around budget-friendly ingredients such as grains and legumes, making meatless entrées even more appealing for operators and diners.

Create a Craving

The challenge of developing innovative recipes is one reason some chefs don’t put much effort into vegetarian choices, says Executive Chef Aaron Deal of upscale-American restaurant Tristan in Charleston, S.C. “There will be that one dog on the menu, and that’s the vegetarian option. To me, that’s a cop-out,” says Deal, who regularly menus a selection of meatless appetizers and entrées. “If someone who doesn’t eat meat comes to our restaurant, I want them to have the same kind of experience as the [meat-eating] person sitting beside them.”

Instead of plating a thrown-together mélange of cooked vegetables and grains and calling it a vegetarian entrée, Deal aims to create well-balanced, elegant presentations such as Soybean-Miso Cakes with Sake-Soy Emulsion. For this dish, Deal seasons white soybeans and short-grain brown rice with ginger, garlic, miso paste and shallots and then binds them with egg yolks into palm-sized cakes that are browned on both sides and finished in the oven. A sweet sauce of sake, soy sauce, rice-wine vinegar, sugar, cream and butter complements the savory cakes, which are served atop blanched broccolini and garnished with pickled daikon radish.

When he does spotlight vegetables, Deal pays special attention to products and preparation. Because vegetarian recipes don’t require costlier center-of-the-plate proteins such as beef or seafood, he spends more on premium and specialty produce, which he often cooks sous vide to maximize their flavor.

Jacob Zachow, executive chef at Bella Luna in Jamaica Plain, Mass., says most restaurants that try to create a vegetarian dish fail to tempt diners because the recipes don’t sound exciting.

Cafe Flora’s Portobello Wellington swaps meaty mushrooms for beef. 

“I wanted to create something that would stand out, that people would come back for over and over,” he says. Zachow’s Eggplant Puttanesca began as an attempt to craft eggplant “ravioli,” but he found that the individual pieces didn’t hold their shapes. Instead, eggplants are cut into short cylinders, hollowed out and stuffed with a purée of chickpeas, roasted red peppers, ricotta cheese, roasted garlic and lemon juice. The stuffed eggplant is baked for 30 to 40 minutes and served over spicy puttanesca sauce and arugula, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

Do the Twist

Reference to meat’s culinary traditions can be seen in Executive Chef Patrick Connolly’s mushroom-based play on barbecued pulled-pork sandwiches at white-tablecloth restaurant Bobo in New York City. Connolly poaches mushroom stems in olive oil, suffusing them with juicy, fatty flavor that mimics pork’s meatiness. Once tender, the mushrooms are simmered in house-made barbecue sauce that includes red-wine vinegar, tomato juice, maple syrup, tamarind paste, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. The sauce is spiced with fennel, cumin, coriander and cardamom. Connolly piles the mixture atop kaiser rolls and adds melted cheese and crisped onions.

“It’s not that [so many people] are vegetarians, but people are more conscientious about what they put in their bodies and having a balance,” he says. “Everybody, including myself, on occasion just wants something simple.”

Not only is the sandwich recipe cost-efficient, utilizing mushroom trim and ingredients already on hand, but without cheese, it also works as a vegan meal, Connolly says.

Tristan's Soybean-Miso Cakes strike a balance of sweet and savory.

Janine Doran, executive chef of Cafe Flora in Seattle, says that finding a focal point around which to build dishes is key to the upscale vegetarian restaurant’s approach. For example, local products inspired the Yakima Valley Polenta, a menu signature that features port-soaked plums, sautéed green beans and Walla Walla onions over crispy sage polenta with Cambozola blue cheese. Classic beef Wellington informs another staple that layers grilled portobello mushrooms, leeks and mushroom-pecan pâté in puff pastry with Madeira sauce.

“We like to combine many different things to give you not just a one-note dish, but something that leaves you surprised,” Doran says. “We create the focal point but also add little extras that bring the dish to a different level.”

Hoppin’ John Fritters exemplify this idea. Instead of cooking black-eyed peas with ham hocks or salt pork and tossing them with rice and vegetables, the peas—minus the pork—are combined with sautéed red onion, carrot, celery and garlic. The mixture is seasoned with sage, parsley, thyme, green onions and chipotle chiles, then dusted with cornstarch and fried into crisp cakes. Cayenne aïoli, roasted-red-pepper-and-corn relish, smoked mushrooms, collards and cheesy grits round out the dish.

Grains Elevators

Rising expectations and interest from consumers inspire kitchens of all kinds to get more creative with meatless recipes. “Back in the ’90s, vegetarians were pretty easy to satisfy with cheese enchiladas or pasta,” says Dwight Collins, executive chef at the University of California in Santa Cruz. “Now we’re doing a lot more curries, Southeast Asian flavor profiles, more Thai and Vietnamese dishes. [The students] are more sophisticated, so every year it’s more of a challenge to keep them interested.”

Delivering the protein students need is a priority. Gluten-based seitan and soy foods such as tofu and tempeh are go-to ingredients, but Collins also turns to nutrient-rich whole grains such as quinoa and farro. For zesty jambalaya, he sautés farro with onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic. Tomatoes, mushrooms, okra, zucchini, bay leaves and thyme are added next, and then the grains are cooked risotto-style with simmering vegetable broth until the liquid is absorbed and the farro is tender. Three kinds of pepper—black, white and cayenne—ramp up flavor.

At Reed College in Portland, Ore., Bon Appétit Management Co. Chef Bhrigu Hickman relies on lesser-used whole grains as well as legumes to build nutritionally sound meatless entrées. Mild-flavored millet has great binding capabilities and works well as a filler, he says, while nutty kasha (roasted buckwheat groats) has a toothsome quality similar to that of wild rice.

To make buckwheat enchiladas, Hickman sautés sliced yams and mixes them with seasoned kasha as a stuffing for rolled corn tortillas. For another entrée, he mixes legumes such as chickpeas and mung beans with flour and spices and deep-fries them to make falafel that pair well with flavor-boosting dipping sauces.

“Most Americans grow up learning very little about how to eat grains, beans and vegetables, so we’re doing what I call transitional cooking,” Hickman says. “It’s about getting people to come from more meat-based to more vegetarian-based eating by making things that are really flavorful.”

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March 1, 2009

Vegetarian Athletes Share:  Top 5 Sources for Animal-free Protein by Joanna Steven -- Vegan sources of protein lead to an increase in energy and a dramatic decrease in recovery time, as reported by top vegan athletes. --

24-7PressRelease/ -- When alternatives to the Standard American Diet are discussed, protein is on everyone's mind. There are many reasons why someone might want to eat a plant based diet, whether for allergy concerns, health reasons, or more variety. But nagging doubts often come up; Are plant proteins adequate for athletes and body builders? Are they really the preferred protein source of the human body? Are they better than animal based protein or are they just consumed for environmental reasons? To answer these questions, why not ask the experts: triathletes, professional dancers, bodybuilders and extreme sport racers? Here are the answers from some of the most competitive athletes in their respective fields.

HEMP SEEDS

Over the past 3 years, Tim VanOrden has transformed himself from a sedentary couch potato, suffering from severe depression and chronic fatigue into one of the world's fittest 40 year athletes. He did this by adopting a simple raw vegan diet.

Looking to expand the limits of human possibility, Tim has re-written the record books in some of the world's most grueling sports. In September of 2008 Tim shocked the world of skyscraper racing by defending his title at the 75 story US Bank Tower Stair Climb in Los Angeles. Not only did he best the two most dominant stair climbers in US history, but he smashed the course record in the process.

Tim is opening the eyes of athletes around the world to the possibility that a simple, raw, plant based diet can provide performance and health beyond that which has been previously experienced. In the winter of 2009 The Food Network will for the very first time venture into the world of raw foods, airing a prime time show that follows Tim and his adventures with the Running Raw Project.

"The most common question that I get as a raw vegan athlete is, "Where do you get your protein?". At first I would become defensive or annoyed when I would hear this query on a daily basis, but I've learned to use it as an entry point and eye opener. Not only are protein requirements grossly exaggerated in America, but the sources of these proteins are also quite skewed. Proteins come in many forms, some better known than others. My favorite of the lesser known proteins are present in all fresh fruits and vegetables. They go by the name "enzymes". That's right, those wonderful enzymes that get so much attention in the world of raw foods for their digestive properties are also made of complex chains of amino acids; a.k.a. proteins. It is crucial to eat fruits and veggies in an uncooked state to keep the enzymes/proteins intact and bioavailable. Due to the abundance of proteins/amino acids in fresh fruits and veggies, I don't feel that it's necessary to consume concentrated forms of plant protein ... but if I were to recommend a plant based protein source to someone I would definitely go with hemp seeds in their whole, natural form - not broken down or refined into a powder. The added benefit of hemp seeds are the high quality essential fatty acids and soluble fibers that accompany the proteins, making hemp a very powerful food."

In addition to being rich in complete protein, hemp is also a great source of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber and chlorophyll. Hemp protein is a quality source of the amino acids arginine, histidine, methionine and cysteine and also contains all the branched-chain amino acids crucial for repair and growth of lean body mass. Almost two-thirds of hemp protein is comprised of edestin, a protein found only in hemp and the form of protein most similar to that of the human body. Hemp protein is easily digested and assimilated, making it one of the finest sources of protein in the plant kingdom. As a crop, hemp is nitrogen fixing, making it beneficial to the soils in which it is grown in and is naturally pest resistant, requiring no pesticides in it's production.

ALMONDS

"The greater the percentage of raw food in the diet, the greater the health benefits" is Koya Webb, fitness model, personal trainer, triathlete and body builder's personal motto. Koya's sculpted physique won 1st place in the Ultimate Fitness Events "Fitness Model" and "Bikini Model" competitions and has modeled for Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Muscle and Fitness, Her Sports, Royal Caribbean and Triathlete magazine, to name a few. As a living-foodist (one who eats 60% or more uncooked veggies, nuts, seeds, and super foods) Koya believes eating all natural "fruits of the earth" can help heal cancer, diabetes, and other diseases plaguing our society today.

As a certified personal trainer, Koya is improving her clients' lifestyles by providing exercise prescriptions, healthy diets, fitness training, professional advice, and aerobics classes through her company, Lifestyle Revelations. Koya holds a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and uses this knowledge to give people the science behind living a healthy lifestyle. She is a published author and shares her personal raw recipe preferences in the book, Koya's Kuisine.

She has tested her wits in Fear Factor and recently American Gladiator to prove that a strong mind and spirit are as essential as a strong body. After a strained Achilles halted her training for the Olympics in the 400 hurdles, Koya began cycling and swimming everyday to speed her recovery, and since has competed in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon. This Track and Field and High Jump Champion knows how to get the best out of her sport and her lifestyle.

"I absolutely love almonds! I soak them for six hours and can make every meal of day "protein packed" with these nutritious sources of balanced fat and protein. I make Pina Coladas, broccoli casserole, and apple pie to name a few."

Almonds* are phytochemical powerhouses - containing massive amounts of this natural compound, effectively lowering cholesterol with the same effect as the drugs called statins. Patients eating nuts five times a week have a 50% reduction in risk of heart attack and as the best whole food source of vitamin E, in the form of tocopherol, almonds may even help prevent cancer. Almonds' high calcium and magnesium contents are good for strong bones, with 18 grams of protein per 3 oz serving - the same as fish fillet or steak, but without the detrimental fats.

* NOTE: in September of 2007, without public notification, the FDA required that all almonds sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico be pasteurized. With no truth in labeling, almonds may still be labeled "raw", but are not unless purchased by small farmers at private market stands. For more info and to sign the counter petition, http://www.gopetition.com/online/11754.html.

YELLOW PEA POWDER

In the spring of 2005 this natural body builder became a champion bodybuilder - all on a strict vegan diet. Robert Cheeke, an activist/athlete raised on an Oregon farm, went vegan when he was 15 years old and transitioned to full on vegan only two months later. Winning titles in Portland, OR and competing at the Natural Bodybuilding World Championships held in California, Robert maintains his intense mass building workout regime on a 100% animal-free diet.

In 2006 Robert was selected as one of VegNews Magazine's "15 Most Influential Vegan Athletes", and is considered one of the most recognized vegan athletes in the world. Robert's cruelty-free training philosophy and accomplishments have been featured in more than 20 international magazines, 200 websites and in television commercials for VegSeattle and PETA.

Co-founder of C-VEG, a Corvallis Oregon based vegan group, board member of OrganicAthlete and Northwest VEG, Robert's animal advocacy expands beyond personal convictions and deep into the global community's roots. Robert is the President of Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness, is co-organizer of Portland VegFest, and is currently on an 18 month speaking tour presenting about topics including "Thriving On A Plant Based Diet" and "Careers in Environmental and Animal Activism".

"In North America, we are taught from a young age to believe that the only "good" sources of protein come from animals. It is proven by scores of scientific studies that plant-based sources of protein are easier for the human body to assimilate and plant-based foods do not come with many of the negative health implications associated with a diet rich in animal protein such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

As a vegan bodybuilder, I compete in a sport dominated by meat eaters, most of whom scoff at the idea that one could get sufficient protein from plants to be competitive. I do not consume any animal products whatsoever, not even dairy or eggs. Instead, I get as much protein as possible from whole foods, often supplementing with plant-based protein powders to help me meet my target of 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight for building muscle mass.

Great commonly available plant-based protein powders include yellow pea, brown rice and soy. Though soy protein has been a staple in my diet for years, I have recently reduced my consumption of it because I am concerned about developing food sensitivities and/or allergies. Too much of a good thing can be detrimental to overall health and my feeling is that soy is becoming overly pervasive in vegan and vegetarian diets. There are so many good alternatives such as yellow pea, that I feel I don't need to rely on just soy protein powder anymore.

A high protein diet can be taxing on the liver and kidneys so it is important to drink a lot of water (I personally drink over a gallon a day) to help the body's organs process the large amounts of protein. As a vegan bodybuilder, I want to show others that it is possible to gain significant muscle and strength on a vegan diet and believe that a plant-based diet is one of the best things you can do for your health, and the well-being of our environment."

Yellow pea protein is the ideal preworkout fuel. Higher in the amino acid arginine than whey, casein, egg and soy proteins, yellow pea powder dilates blood vessels and delivers more blood, nutrients and anabolic hormones to the muscles. Yellow pea protein is hypoallergenic as opposed to the 90 per cent of protein still sourced from soy and milk-derived caseinates. And with 25g of protein per 35g, yellow pea protein powder is the perfect source of cholesterol-free and gluten-free protein for vegan athletes.

GREEN LEAFIES

Brendan Brazier is one of only a few professional athletes in the world whose diet is 100% plant-based. He's a professional Ironman triathlete, bestselling author on performance nutrition, and the creator of an award-winning line of whole food nutritional products called Vega. He is also a two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion.

Brendan's professional athletic career began in 1998. Over the course of only a few years, his performance quickly climbed, improving each year in Ironman triathlon racing. At Ironman Canada, in 1999 he finished 21st, the following year he placed 14th, then 11th, followed up by an 8th place finish in 2002 in Ironman Utah. In 2003 and 2006 Brendan won the National 50km Ultra Marathon Championships. Other results include 3rd place at the National Long-Course Triathlon Championships and both 3rd and 2nd in consecutive years in the Royal Victoria Marathon.

Brendan is the author of the Canadian best selling book, Thrive, and in 2005 launched his 100% raw whole food energy bar, Vega. In 2006, Brendan also invited to address US Congress on Capitol Hill, where he spoke of the significant social and economic benefits that could be achieved by improving personal health through better diet. In 2007 Brendan returned to Capital Hill to lobby against the Farm Bill and was named one of the most 25 Fascinating Vegetarians by VegNews magazine.

"It's advantageous to maintain a neutral pH. Eating too many acid-forming foods will promote inflammation, reduce immune function and cause calcium to be pulled from the bones in order to keep the blood in its neutral state of 7.35. This, of course, leads to lower bone density and, in many cases, osteoporosis.

One of the big advantages of properly balanced whole food (plant-based protein over animal protein) is its slightly neutral pH. In contrast, highly processed foods are acid forming, as are animal based foods. The most alkaline forming foods are those with chlorophyll, the green pigment in many plants - leafy greens for example.

I eat a big salad each day that's full of dark leafy greens, since they comprise of about 45 percent protein. If the salad is big enough, that's a lot of protein and the quality is high since it's in amino acid form, which means the body doesn't need to convert it from protein into amino acids, therefore its digestion conserves energy. And conserving energy is as good as getting more."

The one food that is most highly associated with longevity is leafy greens. Because of their high magnesium content and low glycemic index, green leafy vegetables are valuable for persons with type 2 diabetes. Major sources of iron and calcium, green leafies are also packed with Quercetin, a bioflavonoid found with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Green leafy vegetables are dense with easily-assimilated amino acids as well as other life-extending nutrients.

AVOCADO

Professional dance is of most challenging sports requiring athletes to perform at expert levels of flexibility, strength, coordination and emotional fitness in order to entertain their audiences. Having been vegetarian since age 7, Tonya Kay has built her glorious professional dance career entirely on a vegetarian diet.

A vegan since age 17, Tonya Kay has pushed her physical body to the limits on tour in STOMP for 3 years and has broken bones performing aerial work with Off-Broadway's aerial stunt show De La Guarda. She has performed in concert dance companies in NYC and Los Angeles, and recently played two sold out shows at Madison Square Garden as part of Panic At the Disco's rock-n-roll tour.

Six years ago, Tonya Kay transitioned from cooked vegan to raw vegan and is thankful for the improved energy and recovery time now that she's dancing in Hollywood's film and television industry. Excessively long shoot days are common and last year Tonya Kay danced in a 30 hour shoot in Tokyo for pop artist Namie Amuro's "New Look" video.

Look for Tonya Kay performing a solo whip artistry dance piece in Showtime's "Live Nude Comedy" series with Andy Dick. Upcoming television appearances also include knife throwing stunt features on the History Channel's "More Extreme Marksman" and TBS's "Ellen Degeneres Really Big Show". Past industry dance and stunt features include NBC's "America's Got Talent", Death Angel's "Dethroned" music video and the Progressive Auto Insurance "Gremlins" campaign.

Active in the environmental and health communities when not on stage, Tonya Kay recently published the first ever conclusive Raw Nutritional Analysis, wherein her diet is analyzed for one month to reveal exactly "Where do raw vegan athletes get their protein from?" And their calcium .... And iron ... And ...

"I've heard it all from athletes regarding the cruelty-free diet - "But I need protein," "I won't have enough energy," "I tried that but I felt weak." Those excuses are just that; excuses. Excuses are self-imposed limits preventing you from taking a risk, trying something new, and potentially being your greatest yet.

If you are someone with excuses, forgive yourself. Most of these excuses are subconscious and filled with well-intent. Seriously ... if you actually thought you were depriving yourself of "nature's building blocks", for goodness sake, it would be irresponsible of you to eat that "deficient" diet. Unfortunately, our well-intent is misguided by heavy marketing. Corporately-pushed consumerism compels our purchase with a mere High Protein label or fancy Low Carb wrapper - forget that most consumers don't know what the word carb is short for, let alone even know what one does in the body!

As a professional dancer training 10-25 hours/week, the foods I find most beneficial to my performance are the water-rich, and amino acid-rich fruits. My body builds muscle amazingly quickly as a raw vegan athlete, based on activity and a clean diet, which is why I eat more ripe avocados than any other food under the Southern California sun!

Comprised of 74% water by weight, the avocado digests like a fruit, rather than a fat, keeping me sweating clean all day. And with it's full spectrum of all 18 amino acids including those elusive essential amino acids, I know that the delight I receive from eating one is not intellectual, but instinctual - is there any doubt humans were born to eat this food - and a lot of it!"

Avocados may just be the perfect food. Providing all of the 18 amino acids, avocados are bursting with nutrients, including vitamins A, C, E, H and B complex. Avocados are exceptional sources of vitamin K, potassium and essential fatty acids and users report softer skin, lustrous hair and hormonal balance.

Athletes who experiment with plant-based protein, consistently report a substantial increase in energy and a dramatic decrease in recovery time. This fact might surprise some skeptics, however its scientific basis is completely supported. Plant-based proteins are easily absorbed by the body, and when eaten raw, they maintain all their original living enzymes and nutritional value. They are rich in disease fighting fiber, minerals, vitamins, chlorophyll, and healthy fats and their production has astounding positive environmental impacts.

Plant-based proteins are the healthiest naturally available sources of fuel for the human body. And the world's top vegan athletes agree. To quote Tonya Kay, "If you want average results, do what average people do. But if you want extraordinary results..."

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February 22, 2009

Viva! Heather!

By Juliet Gellatley, founder & director, Viva! and the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation

I first met Heather Mills at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards (where I was being given their Award for Animal Welfare) in 1999. I then read her autobiography, A Single Step, and felt huge empathy with this determined woman – Heather is a born campaigner!

Heather started working actively with Viva! in 2005. She called me for info on hunting prior to an appearance on Question Time, and joked about putting her artificial leg up the backside of one of the pro-hunter’s on the panel. At that point, I knew we’d get on!

Talking to Heather, she immediately puts you at ease. There’s no sniff of arrogance – instead she’s down to earth and has a wicked sense of fun. She is passionate about animal welfare, a committed vegan and unusually and refreshingly – turns words into action. I’ve met and worked on campaigns with her many times and are now firm friends. I’m honoured that she became a Patron of both the organisations I founded – Viva! and the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation (VVF).

The first major campaign Heather poured herself into for the VVF is called White Lies. I thought of Heather because she is one of the few well known personalities who does not shy away from controversy, who is prepared to research the facts behind a campaign and is eloquent. White Lies breaks new ground - and includes the first scientific review on the health impact of consuming dairy products. The evidence is overwhelming – cow’s milk and dairy products are neither natural nor healthy, in fact they are harmful to health and have been linked to a wide range of illnesses and diseases. Heather wrote several articles on the subject, ensuring widespread publicity.

Sadly, at one point the media’s attack on Heather directly prevented her from being able to continue with this charity work but she worked with us behind the scenes to ensure the success of the campaign and made a donation to pay for the main booklet, It’s easy to be Dairy Free distributed throughout the UK in health shops.

In March 2007 Heather agreed to do a photocall for Viva!’s campaign to end the use of a cruel system – where most of the UKs mother pigs are incarcerated in cages called the farrowing crate. Heather did what no other celebrity ever has – and came to film the state of pigs in a typical factory farm , not because she wanted to as she knew she’d find it very upsetting – but because we told her it would guarantee the footage being shown worldwide. And it was: the plight of these poor animals was shown twice on GMTV, on many UK channels and went worldwide and the target – M&S – promised to stop using the farrowing crate.

Heather agreed earlier in 2007 to be our figurehead for Viva!’s national Incredible Veggie Show which attracted 5,000 visitors. I worked in a photo studio with her from 9am to 6pm, directing the shoot. She is always a pleasure to work with – uncomplaining, funny and easy going. Again she worked behind the scenes to help us and gave a packed cookery demo at our event.

Heather is quite incredible in the challenges she is prepared to take on – never afraid of failing and seeing only the positives. In 2007 she participated in a national USA TV show, Dancing with the Stars, surely this was a challenge to beat them all! Heather wanted to show it’s possible to overcome a disability and to raise funds for Viva!. The fact that each week’s survival meant more money for Viva! became almost incidental as I willed her on simply to see her succeed. She deserved success, she deserved to be cheered and she deserved the warmth she has been shown in the US. The donation from the show helped to fund the setting up of investigations into animal cruelty for Viva! – exposing the horrors of factory farming and slaughter. She also helped set up a youth wing for Viva!.

Also in 2007, Heather launched another groundbreaking campaign for Viva! – showing how eating animals is destroying the planet. She featured on billboards, leaflets and posters which show how the global consumption of 55 billion land animals a year are the major cause of loss of wildlife species, global warming, desertification, loss of rainforests and antibiotic pollution.

Heather has worked tirelessly to ban landmines, help amputees and their families and to promote veganism and protect animals. Obviously not everyone agrees with her standpoint but her passion and fight for her causes is beyond doubt.

The work Heather has done to actively help our campaigns against factory farming and promote vegetarianism and veganism has been an enormous boost to Viva! and VVF. The fact that she has volunteered her time to us over and over again - particularly as it has often been during a difficult period in her life, is very much appreciated. Her contribution towards our campaigns has been invaluable.

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February 15, 2009  Globe Life

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: STUDY: TYPE 2 DIABETES

Vegan diet has surprising stick-to-it-iveness

A meat-free menu is easier to maintain and lowers blood sugar better than a traditional diabetes food plan, according to a new study

LESLIE BECK

Is a vegan diet the new "non-diet"?

The question isn't if a diet works, but if it's sustainable. Any number of diets can lower blood sugar, reduce cholesterol or promote weight loss over its initial three months. But the real winner is the one that can accomplish these tasks over the long term.

Enter the vegan diet - a low-fat eating plan that shuns all animal foods including meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Such a diet has been shown to improve blood sugar in people with diabetes, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, promote weight loss and even help reverse heart disease.

A study published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association has concluded that a vegan diet - no calorie counting or measuring foods required - is easier to stick to than you might think.

In the study, researchers from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the George Washington University and the University of Toronto assigned 99 people with Type 2 diabetes to follow either a low-fat vegan diet or a conventional diabetes diet for 18 months.

The conventional diabetes diet, based on guidelines from the American Diabetes Association, controlled calories, carbohydrates and monounsaturated fat (e.g. olive oil, canola oil, avocado) according to each participant's need to lose weight and lower blood cholesterol. The diet was low in saturated (animal) fat and cholesterol.

The low-fat vegan diet avoided animal products and fatty foods and favoured foods low on the glycemic index such as sweet potatoes, legumes and green vegetables. (Low-GI foods are digested more slowly and, as a result, don't produce large spikes in blood sugar.) There were no restrictions on calories, carbohydrate intake or portion size. In fact, the vegan diet followers consumed more of their daily calories - 75 per cent worth - from carbohydrate-rich foods than did folks on the diabetes diet.

Each group met with a registered dietitian for one hour to establish a meal plan and then attended weekly meetings for nutrition and cooking lessons for 22 weeks. This was followed by optional biweekly nutrition sessions for a year.

The vegan diet dramatically cut consumption of cholesterol, fat and saturated fat and increased fibre intake compared to the conventional diabetes diet.

People on the vegan diet lost weight, lowered their blood sugar and LDL cholesterol, and reduced the need for diabetes medication. Among people whose diabetes medications remained unchanged, those following a vegan diet achieved better blood-sugar control as indicated by bigger improvement in a blood test that measures hemoglobin A1c.

The fact that people assigned to the vegan diet ate as much as they wanted, increased their daily carbohydrate intake and still experienced favourable blood-sugar and weight-loss results may seem surprising. Researchers believe that a low-fat, plant-based diet improves how the body uses insulin. And because vegan diets are low in fat and high in fibre, they're typically lower in calories, which can facilitate weight loss and result in better blood-sugar control.

Sounds good so far, provided you can follow such a plan for the long term. According to this study, you can. While the vegan diet initially required a little more effort in meal preparation, this complaint was no longer heard at 18 months. In contrast, those following the standard diabetic diet reported more discomfort with restrictions such as watching calories and limiting portions of carbohydrate and fat.

While neither diet triggered increased cravings for fatty foods, the vegan diet followers were less likely to crave such foods after 22 weeks on their diet.

Other studies have also reported the acceptability of a vegetarian diet.

In a study of 250 young women who had tried both calorie-controlled weight-loss diets and vegetarian diets, most abandoned their calorie-restricted diet after four months but were able to stick with a vegetarian diet for two years.

A vegetarian diet has the advantages of being lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher in fibre and low-GI carbohydrates, but it does require planning (and supplementation) to ensure you meet daily requirements for protein, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D and iodine.

If you've considered going vegetarian, but don't want to give up all animal foods, consider moving toward a plant-based diet - one that emphasizes grains, vegetables and legumes rather than meat, poultry and dairy. When you do eat meat or poultry, eat a smaller portion.

Start by replacing animal foods with meatless protein sources at three meals a week and build from there. Vegetarian protein foods include fortified soy beverages, tofu, soy burgers, tofu dogs, veggie ground round, tempeh, legumes and lentils.

Other types of vegetarian diets limit - but don't exclude - all animal foods. Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products along with plant-based foods.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat eggs, dairy products and plant-based foods.

While these diets may not lower your blood sugar or cholesterol to the same extent as a vegan diet, if planned properly they still have the advantage of being lower in saturated fat and higher in fibre.

One final note: If you have diabetes, consult your dietitian or doctor before making any changes to your diet. Do not stop taking your diabetes medication without checking with your doctor.

Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday.

Going vegan

If you adopt a vegan diet, the following foods and supplements will help you meet daily nutrient needs:

Protein

Tofu, soy products, tempeh, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy beverages.

Calcium

Fortified soy beverages (about 300 milligrams per 250 millilitre), tofu made with calcium, almonds, dark green vegetables. To meet calcium requirements of 1,000 milligrams (aged 19 to 50) or 1,500 milligrams (50+), a supplement is likely needed.

Vitamin B12

Fortified soy products, nutritional yeast, multivitamin with 5 to 10 micrograms of B12.

Vitamin D

Fortified soy beverages supply 100 international units of vitamin D per 250 millilitres. To get the recommended 1,000 IU per day you need to take a supplement.

Iron

Legumes, lentils, nuts, whole grains, enriched cereals, leafy green vegetables. To help absorb plant sources of iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C (citrus, strawberries, broccoli, red pepper) with iron-rich foods.

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2/8/09

THE GREAT AMERICAN MEATOUT

World’s Largest Annual Grassroots Diet Education Campaign

25th ANNUAL MEATOUT OBSERVANCE TO FOCUS ON CHANGE

In March, animal, consumer, environment protection, and health advocates in a thousand communities throughout all 50 states and two dozen other countries will welcome Spring with the slogan “Change Your Diet -Change The World.” They will ask their friends and neighbors to “kick the meat habit on March 20th (first day of Spring) and to explore a healthy plant-based diet.”

Some will offer passersby samples of wholesome, convenient, delicious veggie burgers, soy dogs, and “chicken” nuggets. Others will hold a wide gamut of colorful educational events ranging from elaborate Lifestivals to public dinners, cooking demonstrations, exhibits, and simple information tables. They will promote plant-based deli slices, veggie burgers, soy dogs, ready-made dinners, and soy-based milk and ice cream -all widely available in local supermarkets.

A vigorous billboard and bus card advertising campaign, combined with extensive media coverage and letters to the editor, will carry the Meatout message to millions. A number of governors and mayors are expected to issue Meatout proclamations promoting consumption of vegetables and fruits.

This is the 25th annual observance of the Great American Meatout, the world’s largest annual grass-roots diet education campaign. Celebrity headliners include Joaquin Phoenix, Alicia Silverstone, Bill Maher, James Cromwell, Casey Kasem, Mary Tyler-Moore, and Ed Asner.

Meatout draws massive support from consumer, environmental and animal protection advocates, as well as from public officials, health care providers, meat-free food manufacturers and retailers, educators, and the mass media. They believe that consumers are entitled to a respite from and a response to

the relentless barrage of meat industry propaganda in schools, in the media, and in the streets.

This year’s observance reflects major dietary developments:

* Hardly a month passes without another study linking consumption of animal products with heart disease, stroke, cancer, or other chronic diseases that kill 1.4 million Americans annually.

* All mainstream health advocacy organizations now encourage greater consumption of vegetables and fruits including meat substitutes such as dried beans, peas, lentils or tofu.

*Young people are increasingly embracing vegetarian diets.

*Meat and dairy replacement products are now available in every supermarket.

*Burger King offers a veggie burger in all U.S. outlets and an increasing number of other fast-

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1/30/09 From Nutra Ingredients -- Europe

Fruit and veg may boost bone health: study

By Stephen Daniells, 04-Dec-2008

Related topics: Research, Bone & joint health

Increasing the alkali content of the diet by eating food such as fruit and vegetables may reduce calcium excretion and boost bone health, says a new study.

Diets high in protein and cereal grain produce an excess of acid in the body, which may increase calcium excretion, according to results to be published in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

"When it comes to dietary concerns regarding bone health, calcium and vitamin D have received the most attention, but there is increasing evidence that the acid/base balance of the diet is also important," said lead author Bess Dawson-Hughes from Tufts University in Boston.

Bone health is becoming a major segment of the supplements and functional foods market, as ageing populations and the additional strain from obesity swell the numbers affected by osteoporosis. Already the lifetime risk for a woman to have an osteoporotic fracture is 30-40 per cent and in men the risk is about 13 per cent.

As adults age they become less able to excrete the acid produced via dietary metabolism, explained Dawson-Hughes. Reacting to the increasing acid levels, the body counters this by bone resorption, a process by which bones are broken down, releasing minerals such as calcium, phosphates, and alkaline (basic) salts into the blood. Bone resorption weakens the bones and increases the risk of fracture.

Tufts researchers, in collaboration with scientists from Northeastern University in Boston, recruited 171 men and women aged 50 or older and randomly assigned them to receive supplements of potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium chloride or placebo for three months.

Dawson-Hughes and her co-workers report that only bicarbonate-receiving volunteers had significant reductions in calcium excretion, which indicated a reduction in bone resorption.

“When fruits and vegetables are metabolized they add bicarbonate, an alkaline compound, to the body," said Dr. Dawson Hughes. "Our study found that bicarbonate had a favorable effect on bone resorption and calcium excretion. This suggests that increasing the alkali content of the diet may attenuate bone loss in healthy older adults."

Major changes

“Achieving alkali-producing diets would require drastic changes in food choices and be challenging in older people who tend to have long-established dietary patterns,” wrote the researchers.

“Should it be shown to be beneficial, an alternative approach may be to administer bicarbonate in supplement form or to lower the acid-producing capacity of selected foods through alkali fortification,” they added.

Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

January 2009, doi:10.1210/jc.2008-1662

"Treatment with Potassium Bicarbonate Lowers Calcium Excretion and Bone Resorption in Older Men and Women"

Authors: B. Dawson-Hughes, S.S. Harris, N.J. Palermo, C. Castaneda-Sceppa, H.M. Rasmussen, G.E. Dallal

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1/23/09  From BBC News

Soy may benefit stroke patients 

Soy products contain isoflavone

A chemical found in soybeans and chickpeas could benefit people who have suffered a stroke, say researchers.

The University of Hong Kong team say the treatment effect of the chemical, isoflavone, is comparable to that of cholesterol-busting statin drugs.

The European Heart Journal study showed isoflavone helped improve blood flow through the arteries.

Previous research has suggested that eating soy may help prevent breast and prostate cancer and lower cholesterol.

Protective effect

Soya isoflavones in particular have been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk as they inhibit the growth of cells that form artery-clogging plaque.

All of the 102 patients in the latest trial had suffered a first or recurrent ischaemic stroke -caused by a blood clot - in the previous six months and had established heart disease.

The patients were split into two groups, with one receiving a 12-week course of isoflavone as an 80mg daily dietary supplement, and the other given a dummy pill or placebo.

  Diets with higher isoflavone contents might be beneficial in reducing cardiovascular risk in ischaemic stroke patients

Lead researcher Professor Hung-Fat Tse

The scientists measured the way the brachial artery - the main artery of the arm - dilated in response to an increase in blood flow.

This measurement, the flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), is an indicator of the functioning of the cells that line the inner surfaces of blood vessels - the endothelium - which are implicated in cardiovascular disease.

At the start of the study the prevalence of impaired FMD was similar between the two groups.

But after 12 weeks, the FMD improved significantly in the patients given the isoflavone supplement.

High-soy diet

Lead researcher Professor Hung-Fat Tse said: "These findings suggest that isoflavone reverses endothelial dysfunction."

He said there were important clinical implications, as the benefit of the treatment was conferred to the group of patients with the highest risks for cardiovascular events, and the effect persisted, even at a rather late stage of disease.

Professor Tse said it was too early to recommend the use of isoflavone supplements.

But he said: "Diets with higher isoflavone contents might be beneficial in reducing cardiovascular risk in ischaemic stroke patients."

He said the mechanism by which isoflavone produces these changes in FMD were still not completely understood.

Isoflavone is a major class of phytoestrogens, naturally occurring chemicals that mimic the effect of the human hormone oestrogen. Oestrogen is known to protect against heart disease.

Dr Peter Coleman from The Stroke Association said: "This is an important and interesting study showing that dietary supplementation with isoflavones in people who have had a stroke may reduce their risk of further stroke or cardiovascular disease.

"Whilst this is a positive finding, it was a small study and further research is needed to discover how plant isoflavones could reduce stroke risk."

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01-22-09

LaLanne Still a Leg Up on Fitness

The Orange County Register, Calif.

(Note from Mary: Jack LaLanne used to be vegan, he now eats egg whites and fish--the important message here is the importance of exercise.)

SANTA ANA, Calif. - Agile and upbeat, fitness fanatic Jack LaLanne is still tossing lifelines to those he says are "exceeding the feed limit."

His advice has outlived diet and exercise fads promoted long before America was declared an obese nation.

Remember, he's the guy who, at age 60, swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf towing a 1,000-pound boat. Ten years later, he wore handcuffs while pulling 70 boats with 70 people in them 1.5 miles in Long Beach Harbor.

OK, maybe his biceps don't bulge as much today.

But at 94, who's measuring?

LaLanne and his wife of 54 years, Elaine, traveled from their Morro Bay, Calif., home to Fullerton College this month to motivate the staff to stress a healthy lifestyle in the classroom.

Meeting first in an administrative office, the guests were greeted by balloon hobbyist Jack Mattson's blow-up rendition of the legendary bodybuilder.

"Holy cripes," said LaLanne, squeezing the pumped up balloons. "These muscles are soft. He's got to put on a lot more weight. But he looks a heck of a lot better than I do."

That's debatable when you learn the 5-foot-5, 150-pound nonagenarian still exercises twice a day in his home gym and swims a half hour daily.

"I tell people, in the morning Jack rolls out of bed, and I roll over," Elaine LaLanne interrupted.

The couple enjoys throwing their wit around, but at the same time they are dead serious about keeping humanity fit.

For the most part, it's Jack LaLanne who takes control of a room, soliciting questions, and then diving into his litany for life.

He subscribes to a daily breakfast of four egg whites with three pieces of fruit. The whole egg, he says, is 70 calories; the egg white is 15 and holds all the protein.

He only eats at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. with no between-meal snacking.

And his juicer regimen has survived seven decades from the time he had to use a press type for ground-up fruits and vegetables to today's version with a high-output induction motor still sold at major department stores.

"People should exercise a half hour, three times a week," LaLanne said. "And when you work out, don't take a rest."

He changes his routine every 30 days to avoid monotony.

"For one month, exercise real fast, and then the next month slow down," he said.

It's hard to imagine the San Francisco Bay-area native was a sickly child with acne, headaches and an uncontrollable temper. His mother sculpted a "sugarholic" when she regularly rubbed her toddler's teeth with a blend of cornstarch and sugar to keep him happy.

At age 15, LaLanne met a lecturer, Paul Bragg, who would change the teenager's devil-may-care lifestyle.

The gangly kid learned that the food one eats does the walking and talking for life, that exercise increases circulation to the brain.

LaLanne went on to devise some of the nation's first health equipment, to open the first health studio and to stay a course of helping others "obey the laws of nature."

In his hourlong talk to the college staff, LaLanne said it is sad many schools are eliminating physical education classes.

"Every high-end hotel has a gym; P.E. should be compulsory in the schools," he said, drawing the attention of campus athletic trainer Scott Giles. The instructor said he has gone back to teaching the same basic weight-bearing exercises LaLanne initiated years ago.

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January 16, 2009

Fellows From Diverse Backgrounds Will Promote a Healthy Food System

Minneapolis - The Food & Society Policy Fellows program named nine new Fellows with backgrounds in farming, public health, filmmaking and policy research to promote strategies for achieving a more sustainable, healthy and equitable food system.

The Food & Society Policy Fellows program was jointly launched in 2001 by the Jefferson Institute and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Classes have ranged in size from 8 to 12 Fellows, with a total of 63 selected Fellows over the last seven years. The Fellowship buys a portion of the Fellows time for two years, allowing them to focus on media outreach and participate in policy and communications trainings.

"This new class has some of the nation's top and emerging leaders on food, agriculture, public health and social justice," said Mark Muller, director of the Fellows program. "The way food is grown, processed and distributed has a tremendous influence on health, the economy and our culture. The Fellows are building on the momentum for a fresher, healthier, more sustainable and more equitable food system."

The program is designed to facilitate the Fellows use of mass media channels to inform and shape the public agenda for food. Together, they will work to affect local, regional and national policy through strategic communication efforts.

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January 9, 2009  Issue of Meat of Mondays

Vote Vegan Meals into Schools!

We really can be the change we seek in the world, and Ideas for Change in America is determined to prove it. The mission of this citizen-driven project is to identify and advance concrete solutions to the challenges confronting the country, the Obama Administration and 111th Congress. Beginning in November, they accepted ideas and tallied votes from across America, then compiled the top 3 rated ideas from nearly 30 issue categories for the final vote.

Cast your vote for Vegan School Lunch Options! Our proposal is to require the USDA to facilitate daily, healthful plant-based school lunch options as a means of promoting public health, environmental quality, and animal protection.

Vote before January 14th! Here’s how:

Sign up on the Change.org website.

Visit our Vegan School Lunch proposal and click on the number to cast your vote.

Another way you can create change is to spread the message of compassion. Click here to request colorful postcard-sized handouts (pictured above) in time for the Presidential Inauguration and distribute them to friends, family, and community members.

Find out more about Ideas for Change in America at www.Change.org!

Meatout Mondays is published each week by:

FARM - Farm Animal Rights Movement

10101 Ashburton Ln Bethesda, MD 20817

info@meatoutmondays.org

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April 2008

What’s for Lunch? Schools Bring Vegetarian Options to the Table

By Juliann Schaeffer

Today’s Dietitian

Vol. 10 No. 4 P. 36

Recognizing students’ nutritional needs and preferences, districts across the country are revamping their menus—and receiving kudos for their healthy efforts.

While peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cheese pizza have long reigned as vegetarian option kings in school cafeterias, the face of the vegetarian meal is starting to change for the better of children’s health—and for good reason. A recent report from Johns Hopkins University predicts that if current trends continue, 24% of children and adolescents will be overweight or obese by 2015. And children enjoying vegetarian lifestyles aren’t necessarily immune to this plight.

Just as labeling a food organic doesn’t make it healthy, saturated fat and cholesterol can easily find their way into a vegetarian school lunch when oily cheese pizza is an afternoon mainstay. “A lot of vegetarian foods aren’t necessarily low in fat or saturated fat, and they can be very high in cholesterol and sodium,” says Susan Levin, MS, RD, a staff nutritionist at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). She names cheese pizza as an example: “That to me is not an acceptable alternative to any other junk food like chicken nuggets. Dairy is the No. 1 source of saturated fat in kids’ diets, so you’re not only not getting that out, you’re giving them more.”

But on a brighter note, another trend is also emerging. Not only are more students boarding the meatless train to a vegetarian lifestyle, but schools are also catching on and offering more plentiful and healthful vegetarian options such as Italian pasta fagioli, veggie burger wraps, and build-your-own bean burritos.

With more students screaming for meat-free foods, school foodservice directors are having to fight a double battle: how to increase vegetarian offerings in general and how to make those foods nutrient rich without being saturated fat and calorie dense. Many schools have proven they’re up for the fight and are getting creative to please vegetarian students.

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