Green and Growing...
It’s Sunday. Time for a tomato update! Okay, this was last week:
And here's today:
Everyday there’s a new sprout!
Gassy Fitness Mishap
Sorry to lower the integrity of the blog, but I think this is funny. So bear with my sophomoric humor:
Go on, admit it.You laughed too!
Obese People Have Sick Fat Cells
(1).jpg)
Alright, obesity is bad—that's common knowledge—but new research in Diabetes claims that fat people actually have “sick” fat cells that make insulin-resistant proteins. Krisha McCoy of HealthDay News reports:
The fat cells we found in our obese patients were deficient in several areas," study author Guenther Boden, the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Medicine and chief of endocrinology, said in Temple press release.
Boden said that the obese people's fat cells showed stress on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which helps cells synthesize proteins and monitor how they are folded. When the ER is stressed, Boden explained, it produces several proteins that ultimately lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance, in turn, plays a major role in the development of obesity-related conditions.
The differences in the fat cells between obese and lean people may help explain the link between obesity and a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, Boden theorized.
Certainly follows in line with what we already know about obesity and diabetes. As Dr. Fuhrman points out, extra body fat increases risk of type-2 diabetes, which screws up insulin and can eventually cause pancreatic poop out!
People need to eat more mushrooms—they can stop obesity! Speaking of obesity, rocker Ted Nugent recently called obese people vulgar and displeasing to look at. Eep!
Exercise Helps Stroke Survivors
From Yoga and Tai Chi to Zumba and beyond! Exercise is an important part of optimal health and researchers at Johns Hopkins University have determined that simply walking on a treadmill can help stroke survivors improve mobility. Will Dunham of Reuters reports:
Some of the treadmill walkers achieved major improvement despite coming into the study needing a wheelchair or walker to get around, and brain scans revealed positive brain changes following six months of such exercise, the researchers said.
"I think it's one of the better pieces of news in a while -- in a long while -- for the stroke survivor," Dr. Daniel Hanley, a neurology professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore who helped lead the study, said in a telephone interview.
"Improvement can occur a long time -- meaning months and years -- after the stroke," added Hanley, whose findings were published in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke.
Stroke survivors can be left with paralysis or loss of muscle movement. A stroke can impair a person's gait, reducing one's mobility and fitness and promoting chronic disability.
Stroke most commonly occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is stopped or greatly reduced, depriving it of oxygen.
The study involved 71 patients, average age 63, who had a stroke an average of about four years earlier. About half were selected to walk on a treadmill for 40 minutes three times a week for six months, while the rest did stretching exercises for the same amount of time instead of the treadmill.
Of course, if you’re eating a vegetable-based diet, you don’t really need to worry about stroke. Oh, and if you are an exercise nut, keeping a diary of your fitness progress can be very helpful—via That’sFit.
B is for Banana...
Operation Banana Hunt marches on. I just scored a NEW banana. Check it out:
And the zoom in:
Its farm number 695, Hacienda Las Mercedes. Here’s the lowdown via the Dole Organic Program:
- Country: Ecuador
- Location: Province of El Oro
- Crops: Organic Bananas
- Organic Certified since: 2005
Here are some photos from the farm:
You can’t keep a good banana down! So keep looking for those Dole organic bananas. When you find one, run it through the Dole Organic Program and then tell me all about it. Just send an email to diseaseproof@gmail.com. Go bananas! Peace.
Eating to Live on the Outside: Kaffa Crossing
This is my fault, but Eating to Live on the Outside does not spend enough time investigating Ethiopian restaurants. Ethiopian cuisine is VERY veggie heavy. Making it a GREAT choice! Remember Mesob, it was kick ass. So, this week we’re going Ethiopian again.
Kaffa Crossing is REALLY cool. Tons of veggie fare with an ethnic twist. Let’s start with the breakfast. You might not recognize these dishes, but they look yummy. I’m digging the Ful, Ful Special, and FirFir. I know, weird names, but check out the ingredients: crushed fava beans, onions, jalapeno peppers, tomato, cumin, Ethiopian spices, and injera—a pancake-like bread made out of teff flour. Not bad if you ask me!
As for the appetizers, also cool! I like the Timatim Fitfit. It’s made with injera, diced tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, olive oil, lemon juice, and spics. The olive oil is a small concession. The Layered Tofu Wat is another good one; tofu sautéed in onions, garlic, red pepper, and injera. Not bad either. Lastly, the Injera Wraps look interesting. Their made with yellow split pea or spiced split lentil wrapped in injera. Split pea is usually a homerun for me.
Okay, onto the salad and soups. I’m cool with the Mediterranean Salad, the Kaffa Veggie Tuna Salad, the Hummus Platter, and the House Salad. Combined they include Romaine lettuce, olives, tomato, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, sunflower seed paste, walnut, sprouts, lettuce, onion, hummus, roasted red peppers, eggplant, pita bread, and homemade dressing. Out of all this, I’m nixing the feta cheese. Everything else is cool—just limit the dressing.
The vegetarian section of the menu is LOADED. A lot of great stuff here! In fact, I like EVERY fish Kaffa Crossing serves up. My two favorites are the Tikel Gomen and the Ethiopian Vegetarian Combination. The Gomen is made with collard greens, onions, garlic, and spices. Now, the Ethiopian Vegetarian Combination includes yellow split peas, spiced split lentils, collard greens, string beans, carrots, and salad. Can you see why I like these two? The GREENS!
The other vegetarian dishes are worth a look too. Together the Shiro Wot, Misir Wot, Kik Aletcha Wot, Tikel Gomen, Tofu Wot, Okra Wot, and the Egglplant Wot are prepared with spicy ground chick peas, onions, Ethiopian spices, spiced lentils, yellow split peas, cabbage, carrots, ginger, tofu, garlic, okra, and tomatoes. Honestly, how can you argue with that stuff!
Now, if by some bizarre circumstance NONE of this pleases you. Kaffa Crossing allows you to create your own special veggie platter. You can pick from eggplant, cabbage, potato, carrots, okra, beets, tomato salad, lentil salad, and tofu. Again, where’s the problem here. I don’t see any! You’d have to be pretty skilled to screw this up—don’t you think?
Yeah Kaffa Crossing is cool beans—or should I say—cool split peas! One of these days I have to get up off my butt and actually try some Ethiopian cuisine—it’s long overdue. In the meantime, help me out. Check out Kaffa Crossing’s menu and let me know how you handle Eating to Live on the Outside. As always, make a comment or send an email to diseaseproof@gmail.com. Until then, eat and be merry! Peace.
Eco-News: Friday 8.29.08
- America’s obsession with fuel-guzzling trucks may be coming to an end. Ford is spending $75 million to retool its Michigan truck plant for producing small cars. Michael Graham Richard of TreeHugger reports:
The plant will begin converting its body shop in November when the tooling and equipment specific to the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator will be disassembled and transferred to Kentucky Truck Plant [...] in the interim, 1,000 employees will be transferred next door to Wayne Assembly Plant where a third crew will be added in January to accommodate increased production of the hot-selling Ford Focus."
Small Vehicles at Michigan Plant: Only in 2010
Retooling a manufacturing plant of that size isn't easy or quick, so the C-class vehicles will only start production in 2010. If Ford had been a bit faster to react and had make the change a few years ago, it would already have these vehicles now that demand is higher than supply in many areas.
- Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean floats a TEXAS-SIZED island of plastic—indecomposable plastics containing the toxin Bisphenol A. For more, check out this video documentary on VBS.TV:
.jpg)
Before this trip, I was never all that crazy about the ocean. I’ve always appreciated the fact that it generates the majority of the world’s oxygen and keeps us nice and far from places like Britain, but in terms of any sort of awe or “respect” it just never happened. I would say I looked at it less as the primeval womb of all terrestrial life than as an excessive amount of water you sometimes have to fly over.
Part and parcel with this was my attitude toward the Pacific Garbage Patch, or as we willfully misidentified it for the duration of our journey, the elusive Garbage Island. All the journalism I’d read about the patch had carefully danced around physical descriptions of the trash, leading myself and the rest of the shooting crew to fanciful visions of a solid, Texas-size barge of discarded Coke bottles and sporting goods. The idea that people had managed to f**k up a part of the world that nobody even visits, much less inhabits, and on such a monumental scale struck me as interesting and, to be honest, slightly awesome-sounding, but at the end of the day the impact of the mess on the rest of the world failed to register. I mean, sure, sea birds choking to death on deflated balloons and sea turtles whose shells have been completely deformed by soda can rings—all this definitely sucks, but so do a lot of things, you know?
- The Sierra Club has released its energy scorecard for presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama. How will each of them address America’s green energy needs? See for yourself:
Both candidates are talking about energy, high prices and global warming, so it's important to look past the rhetoric and see what is at the heart of their plans," said Cathy Duvall, Sierra Club Political Director. "As this scorecard illustrates, the contrast in this election could not be starker. Barack Obama wants to give tax relief and $1,000 energy rebates to working families, while John McCain wants billions more in tax breaks for oil companies making more than $1,000 a second in profits."
Taking on Big Oil-The scorecard contrasts Obama’s pro-consumer plan for middle class tax relief and $1,000 emergency energy rebates paid for by taxing Big Oil’s billions in record profits with McCain’s plan for another $4 billion in tax breaks for Big Oil.
Investing in the Clean Energy Economy-Obama’s $150 billion plan for 5 million new clean energy jobs is contrasted with McCain’s unblemished record of opposition to pro-clean energy policies and refusal to show up and vote for clean energy incentives necessary to save 116,000 existing jobs and $19 billion in new investments and lay the foundation for the clean energy future that will rid us of our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels.
Fixing Global Warming-Barack Obama will do what scientists tell us is necessary and make polluters pay in order to give back hundreds of billions of dollars to consumers in order to bring energy costs back under control. Meanwhile, McCain has proposed an outdated plan that gives away hundreds of billions to polluters.
Operation Banana Hunt
Okay boys and girls. We’re all going on a mission. I’m calling it Operation Banana Hunt. You’ve probably noticed that I’ve become enamored with The Dole Organic Program. Get a load of these recent posts:
- Look at My Banana!
- I Got My Banana Out Again!
- My Banana, In Hand
- My Mother's Banana!
- Susan Grabbed a Banana!
- Mom's Banana, part deux
- Banana Hamburgo!
- Operation Banana Hunt: Mission 759
- Jayson and Julie's Banana!
- My Blue Sky Banana
- Some Pozo Bananas
- The Banana Rides Again...
- Today is a Good Day to BANANA!
- The Banana Hunt Continues...
- Time for the Banana
- B is for Banana...
- Midnight Banana!
- Behold, Banana!
- Banana Power!
Now, in case you have no idea what The Dole Organic Program is, be sure to visit their homepage. Here’s some of their introduction:
As defined by the Organic Trade Association, organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on using minimal off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony. Basically, organic agriculture puts the focus on improving soil fertility through the use of mineral and natural fertilizers and enhancing biological cycles for natural insect and disease control.
At the forefront of this organic trend is Dole’s Certified Organic Banana Program. In addition to using conventional agricultural production methods, Dole has been exploring alternative growing methods to provide consumers with a choice on how their bananas are grown.
“We see the organic industry as a growing market with good opportunities to learn methods for growing produce in a more earth-friendly manner,” said Frans Wielemaker, Director of the Organic Program for Dole in Latin America.
Alright, back to Operation Banana Hunt. I need your help. Let’s all pull together and see if we can find bananas from every country, and, every farm! It’ll be tough, but we’re already off to a good start. Take a look:
Peru
001: Huangala Palletizing Unit
002: Saman Palletizing Unit
- Gerry Pugliese: Look at My Banana!
- Susan: Susan Grabbed a Banana!
- Sue C.: "Okay, here's mine: Farm 001."
003: Salitral Palletizing Unit
- Gerry Pugliese: I Got My Banana Out Again!
223: Bonanza Farm
- Mom: My Mother's Banana!
- Sue C.: "I got a farm number today with my bananas that I hadn't gotten before: 003."
992: APOQ
993: BOS
- Gerry Pugliese: Behold, Banana!
994: APPBOSA
996: Pacific Organic
- Gerry Pugliese: The Banana Hunt Continues...
997: Agrotumbes SAC
998: Banana Latina SAC
Honduras
060: Esmeralda Farm
- Karen: “How cool! I just checked out the bunch of bananas I got from my organic produce co-op. Mine came from Honduras—a farm that was devastated in Hurricane Mitch, but has been brought back into production. I sent the link to the Dole Organic Program to my co-op members so they can check out their bananas...farms, that is...:-)”
"We got bananas at our organic co-op yesterday and I was all excited to locate a new farm from the number on the sticker. These came from the same farm my last ones did - Farm 060 in Honduras. Oh well - they are wonderfully delicious! Hope everyone is still checking their stickers and reporting in!"
- Jayson and Julie: Jayson and Julie's Banana!
Ecuador
100: Finca Nueva Esperanza
350: Grupo Agrícola Prieto, S.A.
- Kirsten: "Looks like our bananas are coming from Ecuador. In the last week, we've had bananas from Ecuadorian farms number 100, 537 and 542. How great to get to see where our little yellow cuties grew up!"
404: Las Mercedes Farm537: Hacienda Celia María / Agrícola Carmita
- Gerry Pugliese: Banana Power!
542: Lamiformi C. Ltda.
- Kirsten: "Looks like our bananas are coming from Ecuador. In the last week, we've had bananas from Ecuadorian farms number 100, 537 and 542. How great to get to see where our little yellow cuties grew up!"
625: Agrícola La Isla
- Kirsten: "Looks like our bananas are coming from Ecuador. In the last week, we've had bananas from Ecuadorian farms number 100, 537 and 542. How great to get to see where our little yellow cuties grew up!"
- Ilana: "I got Dole bananas, number 542 from Ecuador. If I do say so myself, they're mighty long! I doubt I'll be able to finish one in one sitting. Sorry for replicating your mom. Don't get your bananas in an uproar!"
633: Alba Helena Farm
684: Cesar Encalada
686: Las Tenias
- Sue C.: Gerry another new one for me; Ecuador farm 684. You've got me on the hunt!
- Gerry Pugliese: Time for the Banana
694: Hacienda Pérez Quiñonez.
- Gerry Pugliese: Midnight Banana!
695: Las Mercedes Farm
- Sue C.: New farm from Ecuador 694. I never got that one before.
- Gerry Pugliese: My Blue Sky Banana
- Gerry Pugliese: B is for Banana...
698: La Gloria Farm
759: Mar Plantis
827: Andrea Farm
- Gerry Pugliese: Operation Banana Hunt: Mission 759
Columbia
773: Grupo Daabon Finca Don Diego
775: Finca Hamburgo
- Gerry Pugliese: The Banana Rides Again...
776: Finca Don Pedro
- Gerry Pugliese: Banana Hamburgo!
780: Grupo Daabon Finca Shangrilá
- Gerry Pugliese: My Banana, In Hand
- Karen: "Woo Hoo! More bananas in my organic co-op share this week. And this time they are from a different country - Farm 776 - the Don Pedro Farm in Columbia. Thanks, Don Pedro - your bananas will be delish in my morning smoothies!"
781: El Pozo Farm
- Gerry Pugliese: Today is a Good Day to BANANA!
Dominican Republic
253: Savid Dominicana
I’m not sure how long it’ll take or if we’ll be able to pull it off, but, it should be fun trying. And what’s the downside? Eating too many bananas, what’s the worst that could happen? Eep!
Okay, here’s how it’s going to work. You know I’ll be on the look out for new and exciting farm numbers and blogging about it, but if you find one. Make a comment to this post—just like Karen did—or send an email (with "I've gone bananas" in the subject) to diseaseproof@gmail.com.
And don’t worry. You’ll be able to find this post under Topics (on the left), just look for Operation Banana Hunt. Now, I’ll keep updating this post with your comments and emails, but, if you take a picture of your banana or bananas, I’ll gladly make a post out of it—wink, wink, hint, hint.
Let’s have fun with this. Tell your friends and family. Operation Banana Hunt is on!
Cancer-Risk, Hotdogs of Doom...
This is fitting. Amidst the Maple Leaf deli meat killing spree The Cancer Project has released a TV commercial attacking hotdogs as a cancer-risk. See for yourself:
Finally, a gutsy ad! Hotdogs are not your friend. In fact, Dr. Fuhrman considers processed meats one of the WORST meat options—along with red meat. Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the PCRM and head of The Cancer Project, defends the commercial. Via CBS News:
Check the label of a name-brand hot dog, and chances are fat provides around 80 percent of total calories, more than double what's often advised. What's more, saturated fat and trans fat - the fats most strongly linked with artery-clogging - are common ingredients, in some cases providing at least half the fat content.The hot dog council called the new ad an alarmist scare tactic, but the promoters, a group called The Cancer Project, defend their campaign.
Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, called the ad "a way to raise appropriate concern about a deadly concern." Barnard also heads The Cancer Project, an offshoot of his anti-meat advocacy group.
Hot dogs may be considered as American as apple pie, but Barnard said it's time to change that tradition.
"Children are born with no traditions whatsoever," he said. "You or I might think a hot dog, that just goes with baseball ... We can always change our traditions to be healthful."
The new ad is based on an analysis of five studies in adults by scientists working with cancer research groups not affiliated with Barnard's.
Their report last November said eating 50 grams a day of processed meats for several years increases colorectal cancer risk by 21 percent. That equals about one hot dog a day or two deli slices of bologna or five slices of bacon.
There’s a hotdog council! I’d love to see their cholesterol numbers. Now, despite the wiener consortiums self-preservation exclamations, processed meats DON’T support health and DO increase cancer-risk, but don’t take my word for it. Remember this post: News from The Cancer Project.
Stop Obesity, Eat Mushrooms!
Well, unless you like beef raised on potato chips, you might want to consider this report. New research in Appetite—cool name for a journal—claims mushrooms can help combat obesity; as a substitute for beef. Stephen Daniells of AP-FoodTechnology explains:
The researchers recruited 54 men and women to take part in the study and randomly assigned them to receive either beef or mushroom lunch entrées over four days – lasagna, napoleon, sloppy Joe and chili. Subjects then switched entrées to consume the other ingredient (mushroom or beef) the following week in order to act as their own controls.
The energy content of meat and mushroom lunches was 783 kcal and 339 kcal, respectively, while the portion size was held constant.
Lead researcher Lawrence Cheskin from John Hopkins Weight Management Center and co-workers report that total daily energy and fat intakes were significantly lower in the mushroom condition than the meat, while the subjects did not rate the palatability of the foods differently. Also ratings of appetite, satiation and satiety did not differ between the groups.
“We found that overtly substituting ground white button mushrooms for lean ground beef in a single meal for four consecutive days significantly reduced daily energy and fat intake, while maintaining ratings of palatability, appetite, satiation and satiety,” wrote the researchers.
“The method of substituting one food for another within familiar recipes may be more appealing to many prospective dieters than making more dramatic or restrictive changes in dietary behaviour.
Mushrooms are freaking incredible! Dr. Fuhrman also insists they are a great substitute for meat and you should eat them everyday. The problem is, too many Americans HATE mushrooms—sad, because mushrooms are also potent cancer-fighters.
Cancer, No One "Gets" It
A new survey has determined that people in rich countries and people living in poorer countries don’t really understand cancer. Robert Evans of Reuters reports:
The report, based on a survey sponsored by the International Union against Cancer (UICC) of nearly 30,000 people in 29 countries, was released at the start of a four-day World Cancer Congress in Geneva.
UICC President-elect David Hill of Australia said the survey showed there was a global need for "education programmes to encourage and support behavior change".
In high-income countries like Australia, Britain, Canada, Greece, Spain and the United States, the survey found, refusal to recognize that alcohol consumption increases the cancer risk ran at 42 percent of the population.
By contrast, in middle-income countries like China, Indonesia, Mexico, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and Uruguay, only 26 percent questioned for the survey thought that drinking did not make contracting cancer more likely.
And in the two low-income countries included in the survey, Kenya and Nigeria, recognition of the alcohol danger ran highest, with only 15 percent of those questioned saying that it was not a cause of the disease.
In related news, throat cancer continues to rise in the United States—via Reuters.
Fat Camp for the Whole Family
Patrons of a “weight-loss camp” in North Carolina and New York are finding that parents and kids can lose weight TOGETHER. Paul Smith of the Associated Press reports:
At the Adirondack camp, visiting family members join campers in the mornings for a long walk and at every meal. The rest of the time, parents attend classes on cooking, exercise and how to shop for healthy food. Siblings can tag along with campers to watch the daily activities.
"That had a big impression on her," Kelsey Galer said of her sister's visit to camp. "She just got a taste of my new lifestyle. We had spent a lot of time together (before camp), but it was never time like that -- being active and eating healthy."
The results of a three-year Wellspring survey of campers suggests that family support is beneficial, according to Daniel Kirschenbaum, Wellspring clinical director. The campers who reported having strong family support or used the post-camp program did better at maintaining or continuing to lose weight than those without strong support.
At the Wellspring camp in Pinehurst, North Carolina, about 60 miles southwest of Raleigh, parents join children between the ages of 5 and 14 for sessions that include sports, personal training and a spa.
Therapy is part of both programs to help people understand why they overeat and how to manage stress. Parents learn how to motivate their children to be healthy instead of discouraging them or emphasizing bad body image.
No doubt, families should get healthy together. Heck, we just found out kids will eat veggies if their parents do. Why not get your friends in the mix too?
Eco-News: Thursday 8.28.08
- Here’s a cool idea. A sustainable reading movement, it involves donating used magazines and books to local schools and shelters—as well as using old newspapers as compost. Here’s the lowdown, via Green Living Ideas:
There are several organizations that support the sustainable reading movement. To ease your green mind about the books on your shelf right now, there are several organizations like EcoLibris, whose aim is to balance out the tree to book ratio. For every 2 books you volunteer, they plant one tree.
This online community of fellow readers is easy to join and creates a very simple solution to easing the environmental impact of reading. EcoLibris partners with book clubs, publishers, authors, and book stores.
There is a growing online book swapping community for people who want the real thing, and want to contribute to reforestation while stopping the waste cycle. BookMooch is an international online community for exchanging used books. It has more than 500,000 members who exchange books for free, using a simple points system—every time you send someone a book, you earn a point and can get any book you want from anyone else at BookMooch.
- Hope you like 3-eyed fish! British environmental agencies warn that nuclear waste containers are likely to fail—i.e. become FUBAR—before they can be sealed away underground. Geoffrey Lean of The Independent reports:
The unpublicised report is by the Environment Agency, which has to approve any proposals for getting rid of the waste that remains deadly for tens of thousands of years.
The document effectively destroys Britain's already shaky disposal plans just as ministers are preparing an expansion of nuclear power.
It shows that many containers used to store the waste are made of second-rate materials, are handled carelessly, and are liable to corrode.
The report concludes: "It is cautious to assume a significant proportion will fail." It says computer models suggest up to 40 per cent of them could be at risk.
- Bayer CropScience is under attack from by a German organization for using pesticides that kill honey bees. Very bad, we need bees! More from the Environment News Service—take a look:
The coalition filed the charge in cooperation with German beekeepers who claim they lost thousands of hives after poisoning by the Bayer pesticide clothianidin in May.
Since 1991, Bayer has been producing the insecticide imidacloprid, which is one of the best selling insecticides in the world, often used as seed-dressing for maize, sunflower, and rape. Bayer exports imidacloprid to more than 120 countries and the substance is Bayer's best-selling pesticide.
Since patent protection for imidacloprid has expired in most countries, Bayer in 2003 brought a similarly functionning successor product, clothianidin, onto the market, the coalition alleges.
Both substances are systemic chemicals that work their way from the seed through the plant. The substances get into the pollen and the nectar and can damage beneficial insects such as bees.
California Quits Smoking, Saves $86 Billion
This is amazing. California’s large-scale efforts to curb smoking have saved the state $86 BILLION in healthcare costs. And the kicker is, they only invested $1.8 billion in the program. Here's more, via Reuters:
The benefits of the program accrued very quickly and are very large," Stanton Glantz, director of the University of California San Francisco Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, said in a statement.
Unlike many programs which center on teens, the California program focuses its tobacco-control efforts on adults through an aggressive media campaign and changes in public policy, such as promoting smoke-free environments.
"When adults stop smoking, you see immediate benefits in heart disease, with impacts on cancer and lung diseases starting to appear a year or two later," said Glantz, whose findings appear in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.
According to the study, the program prevented the sale of 3.6 billion packs of cigarettes -- worth $9.2 billion to the tobacco industry -- between 1989 and 2004.
The report may help persuade states to step up funding for such large-scale efforts to counteract the tobacco industry's $13 billion annual spending on smoking-related advertising and promotions.
Pretty cool! Actually, anti-smoking efforts and bans are showing promise. New search in the American Journal of Public Health has determined that banning smoking in the home helps kids develop negative attitudes towards smoking and deters them from experimenting—from Reuters.
Oh, and no incense either! They just found that incense-burning is linked to lung cancers. Moral of the story, smoke plus lungs equals bad.
Rickets, Not Enough Vitamin D for Baby
Vitamin D is powerful. It helps a lot of things like diabetes, artery disease, cancer and good old fashioned death-risk. And now, Roni Caryn Rabin of The New York Times explores how lack-of-it impacts babies and rickets. Here’s a bit:
Once Aleanie started putting weight on her feet, her mother noticed that her legs were curving in a bow shape below the knees. Doctors diagnosed vitamin D-deficiency rickets, a softening of the bones that develops when children do not get enough vitamin D — a crucial ingredient for absorbing calcium and building bone, and the one critical hormone that breast milk often cannot provide enough of.
“I thought I was doing the best thing for her,” said Stephanie Remy-Marquez, of Hyde Park, Mass., after blood tests showed her daughter had no detectable vitamin D. X-ray images of the baby’s wrists and knees showed the edges of the bones and growth plates as blurry and fraying instead of crisp and sharp.
“Breast milk is supposed to be an entire meal, dessert and drinks included,” Ms. Remy-Marquez said. “I thought it was the ultimate cocktail.”
Aleanie’s case was unusual enough to be written up in the journal Clinical Pediatrics in May, but several similar reports have been published in recent years. Some experts fear that vitamin D deficiency, which can be asymptomatic, may be more common than pediatricians realize and that rickets — perceived to be a 19th-century scourge that was wiped out with the fortification of milk — may be going undetected.
Physicians have known for more than a century that exclusive breast-feeding may be associated with vitamin D deficiency and rickets, and that the condition is easily prevented and treated with inexpensive vitamin drops or cod liver oil. But doctors are reluctant to say anything that might discourage breast-feeding.
Now some researchers are also linking vitamin D deficiency with other chronic diseases like diabetes, autoimmune disorders and even cancer, and there have been calls to include blood tests of vitamin D levels in routine checkups.
“I completely support breast-feeding, and I think breast milk is the perfect food, and the healthiest way to nourish an infant,” said Dr. Catherine M. Gordon, director of the bone health program at Children’s Hospital Boston and an author of several studies on vitamin D deficiency, including Aleanie’s case.
Excluding societal hangups, it’s hard to make a case against breastfeeding. Dr. Fuhrman is all about breastfeeding. Take kid’s allergies, breastfeeding helps! Not to mention breastfeeding also helps prevent ear infections and breast milk provides brain-building DHA.
Yeah, Don't Eat Deli Meat...
Canada says 12 people have died after eating listeria-contaminated meats from Maple Leaf Foods. So far there have been 26 confirmed cases of listeriosis and another 29 suspected cases. Reuters has the latest details:
Maple Leaf has said it's unlikely it will be able to determine how its meat was contaminated, explaining that the listeria bacterium is common and pervasive.
"It's very, very, very difficult, if not impossible, to pinpoint a cause," Chief Financial Officer Michael Vels told analysts on Monday before the latest health announcement.
"I don't know how important that is to consumers. I think our perspective is what's more important is we let them know what's going on and we take swift and conservative action to safeguard their health," Vels said.
Maple Leaf is double-checking procedures at all of its 23 plants but has no reason to believe any other products are at risk of contamination, he said.
Reimbursing customers for returned products, cleaning the plant and other direct expenses will cost the company C$20 million before taxes, Vels said.
Maple Leaf Foods CEO and President, Michael McCain, offered this video apology on YouTube: Message from Maple Leaf Foods regarding Listeria Recall.
Now, let’s get down to business. Don’t eat cold cuts. They’re beyond gross. In fact, similar foods like sausage and hotdogs make Dr. Fuhrman’s list of the MOST unhealthy foods. Also, Dr. Fuhrman suggests NOT eating deli meat if you’re pregnant; so does The New York Times.
Seriously, Chocolate Cows
Here’s a NEW reason to avoid beef. As high fuel prices continue to cut into profits, farmers have resorted to feeding their cattle POTATO CHIPS and M&Ms—it’s cheap. Of course, no one knows the health implications of this junk food diet. You’ve got to see this, via The Wall Street Journal.
Eco-News: Wednesday 8.27.08
- Startling! EPA scientists have determined that pharmaceuticals—like hormones, painkillers, and antibiotics—are contaminating the drinking water of 41 million Americans. More from ENN:
While the concentration of drugs in drinking water tends to be low, some medications, such as hormones, are able to operate potently even at concentrations of one part per billion. To make matters worse, there is evidence that the chlorine commonly used to treat drinking water may make some pharmaceutical chemicals more toxic. Thus, the typical claim that "pharmaceuticals are only present in very low concentrations, and therefore could not be dangerous" holds no water (pardon the pun). Not only are some chemicals potentiated (made more toxic) by other chemicals in the water, but to date, there have been absolutely no studies looking at the increased danger posed by combinations of pharmaceuticals now being found.
In other words, nobody knows the level of risk that may be associated with the chemical cocktail of pharmaceuticals now being found in the water supply. No one can say with any degree of honesty that the drug contamination is safe, meaning that the real risks to human remain entirely unknown.
- Could municipal waster—i.e. garbage—be the next super fuel? A California-based company claims it convert biomass into a substitute gasoline that’ll cost $1.70-2.00 per gallon. Via TreeHugger:
Biomass Turned Into Gasoline Cheaply
Developed in conjunction with the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Byogy’s claims its process can convert a wide range of biomass feedstocks directly into “Byolene”, a 95-octane gasoline substitute at a cost of $1.70-2.00 per gallon.
Wide Variety of Feedstocks
Byogy states that the process is designed to run on non-food feedstocks such as garbage, biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, lawn clippings, food waste, and livestock manure, in addition to non-food/feed crops grown for fuel purposes.Initially, Byogy says it intends to use municipal waste in its first plant, which it hopes to have online with two years. By 2022 Byogy says it hopes Byolene can meet 2% of the nation’s transportation fuel demand, and hopes to build an additional 200 biorefineries to do so.
- At next week’s Scientific Advisory Board meeting the EPA will be hearing public comments on pollution prevention activities. Melissa Schober of GreenDaily reports:
The SAB meeting will focus on "consultative advice" from the EPA's Environmental Engineering Committee to the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) "on possible new approaches to measuring results of pollution prevention activities." The OPPT is responsible for oversight of programs falling under the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Pollution Prevention Act. These acts evaluate chemical safety and while "promoting the use of non-toxic or less-toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, and re-using materials rather than putting them into the waste stream." Programs specifics can be found on the EPA website.
Given the EPA's already legendary foot-dragging on pollution standards, the need for public comment now is greater than ever.If you're in or near Washington, DC and would like to register to speak at the event please note the following: "In general individuals or groups requesting an oral presentation at a public meeting will be limited to five minutes per speaker, with no more than one hour for all speakers. Interested parties should contact Ms. Kathleen White,
Designated Federal Officer, EPA Science Advisory Board at 202.343.9878 or via email at white.kathleen@epa.gov." The Federal Register notes that email contact is preferable.
Chemical Companies Say Organic Not More Nutritious
.jpg)
The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) has concluded that organic fruits and vegetables do NOT contain more nutrients cheaper non-organic produce. Wow, no conflict of interest there! The study appears in SCI’s Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
Here’s report, No Evidence to Support Organic is Best, via SCI’s press office:
The first cultivation method consisted of growing the vegetables on soil which had a low input of nutrients using animal manure and no pesticides except for one organically approved product on kale only.
The second method involved applying a low input of nutrients using animal manure, combined with use of pesticides, as much as allowed by regulation.
Finally, the third method comprised a combination of a high input of nutrients through mineral fertilizers and pesticides as legally allowed.
The crops were grown on the same or similar soil on adjacent fields at the same time and so experienced the same weather conditions. All were harvested and treated at the same time. In the case of the organically grown vegetables, all were grown on established organic soil.
After harvest, results showed that there were no differences in the levels of major and trace contents in the fruit and vegetables grown using the three different methods.
Produce from the organically and conventionally grown crops were then fed to animals over a two year period and intake and excretion of various minerals and trace elements were measured. Once again, the results showed there was no difference in retention of the elements regardless of how the crops were grown.
This is awkward. Clearly, the CHEMICAL SOCIETY has some vested interests here—fogging the credibility of this work. Especially since previous studies have shown the opposite, that organic fruits and vegetables DO contain more nutrients.
Now, Dr. Fuhrman prefers organic—reduces pesticide exposure and tastes better—but other experts cite climate change as a GREAT reason to go organic. Here’s what the Soil Association had to say. Jessica Daly of CNN reports:
In 2006 the UK's Manchester Business School assessed the environmental impacts of food production and consumption and concluded that there isn't a clear cut answer to whether the environmental impact is greater on a trolley full of organic food compared to a trolley full of non-organic food.
Not so, was the response from the Soil Association. Do you believe organic food is more nutritional?
It countered that: "Overall, organic farming is better for tackling climate change than industrial agricultural methods. As well as lower average energy use, organic farming also avoids the very large nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer manufacture."
"Additionally, organic farming builds up soil carbon, removing it from the atmosphere. Organic farming also supports more local food marketing, reducing food miles."
While the jury might still be out about whether organic farming is, on the whole, better for the environment, there is little doubt that it's a booming industry which is starting to catch on in other parts of the world.
Take this research by The Society of Chemical Industry with a grain of salt, I’d put more stock in it if were conducted by a third party—although nowadays that’s getting harder and harder to find.
Even still, local organic farming is catching on, like these folks from Los Angeles and some Londoners too! Personally, I do my best to stay organic. I belong to a CSA, grow my own tomatoes and buy organic bananas. So, how organic are you?
Eat Your Veggies and Your Kids will Follow...
Guess what parents? New research by Saint Louis University lays it on the line—if you want your kids to eat their fruits and vegetables, you better eat them too. Reuters reports:
The findings, reported in the journal Preventive Medicine, point to the importance of parents "modeling" a healthy diet for their preschoolers. They also suggest that educating parents on nutrition early on could help address the problem of childhood obesity, the researchers say.
About half of parents in the study were randomly assigned to receive home visits where they learned about nutrition and tactics for getting their children to eat fruits and vegetables. On average, these parents increased their fruit and vegetable intake, and in turn so did their children…
… In the end, parents in the High 5 group boosted their own fruit and vegetable intake, and children's increases correlated with their parents'.
The one exception was children who were already overweight, who generally did not grow fonder of fruits and vegetables.
"Overweight children," lead researcher Dr. Debra Haire-Joshu, of Saint Louis University School of Public Health in St. Louis said, "have already been exposed to salty, sweet foods and learned to like them. To keep a child from becoming overweight, parents need to expose them early to a variety of health foods and offer the foods many times.
Not exactly a new idea. Dr. Fuhrman insists healthy eating is fun for the whole family. Take me for example. My mom has always eaten a TON of veggies and it definitely helped me get hip to a vegetable-base diet. Thanks mom!
Now, parents can govern a lot more than their kid’s diet, bedtime and cell phone minutes. Just check out these reports on weight-loss and exercise.
Behind the Scenes at a CSA
Since we’re talking a lot about organic produce and farming today, check out this cool video I found. This lady tells us all about her community supported agriculture. Take a look:
I think it takes guts to be a small farmer nowadays, but clearly it can be done—turn a buck and eat great. Hard to beat that!
California Shuts Down Little Girl's Veggie Stand
Instead of selling lemonade, 11-year old Katie Lewis has been selling organic homegrown fruits and veggies from a roadside stand in Clayton, California. That was until municipal zoning laws shut her down. Martha Neil of the ABA Journal reports:
Two residents complained, he says, and "I find that for every person who calls you or writes a letter, there are 100 that feel the same."
Opinion is divided about the municipality's no-exceptions enforcement, according to the network. Some feel a rule is a rule. But others, including the girl's father, Mike Lewis, wonder why Clayton officials can't find a way to make an exception. (Officials say the family is welcome to make a formal application for a zoning variance.)
The veggie stand is much like the lemonade stand that many children traditionally have operated at some point in their lives, Mike Lewis says.
"But Mayor Gregory Manning said those, too, are illegal in Clayton, though officials typically don't pay much attention because they don't last more than a day or two," ABC reports.
Okay, I’m a law-abiding citizen, but give me a break! She’s a little girl, selling fruits and veggies. Who cares! Honestly, I find this far less offensive than parents hocking their kid’s fundraising chocolate bars.
Show Katie some support and leave Mayor Manning a voicemail: Clayton City Council.
Eco-News: Tuesday 8.26.08
- I like The Lord of the Rings, but some people REALLY LIKE it. Like this dude, he built his own earthy-friendly hobbit house. More from Rigel Celeste of Green Daily:
This house in Wales is one that he built for his family so they could all live greener lifestyles closer to nature. And it doesn't just look green on the outside -- it's eco-conscious through and through. Dale built the house completely on his own, with very little experience and just a few buddies to help out here and there. The foundation is made from rocks and mud sourced on site, the interior features skylights and natural branch rafters, the water runs via gravity from a nearby spring, solar panels provide lights at night, it has a compost toilet, and the refrigerator is cooled with air from underground.
- With suspicion over pesticides mounting, a company has developed a “biopesticide” that is supposedly safe for humans and animals. ENN reports:
The new biopesticide has active compounds that alert plant defenses to combat a range of diseases, including powdery mildew, gray mold and bacterial blight that affect fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals. The product will be available this October for conventional growers, according to Marja Koivunen, Ph.D., director of research and development for Marrone Organic Innovations. A new formulation has also been developed for organic farmers and will be available in 2009.
In one of the presentations by Marrone Organic Innovations (MOI), the progress toward discovery of an "organic Roundup" — the Holy Grail of biopesticide research — an environmentally friendly and natural version of the world's most widely used herbicide was discussed.
Biopesticides are derived from plants, microbes, or other natural materials and are proven to be safer for humans and the environment. The active ingredient in one of the company's first products, GreenMatch EX, came from lemongrass oil, and microorganisms from around the world are studied in the search for novel and effective natural pesticides. Currently, the MOI R&D team is working on an organic rice herbicide based on an extract from a marine microorganism, as well as on insecticides and nematocides to kill insect pests and soil-inhabiting, parasitic roundworms that affect plants and animals.
- Colorado, it’s high on altitude and apparently eco-friendly jobs too. Colorado is poised to provide more than 2,000 green jobs. Via John Laumer of TreeHugger:
This has nothing to do with political conventions, and everything to do with the wind and the future - a little bit about the tipping of the balance of power among lobbyists.
Vestas expects to employ 2,450 people in Colorado…
…The towers will be built in Pueblo - biggest such in the world. Blades and nacelles in Brighton CO. Blades in Windsor.
That's probably more people than work in "clean coal' combined, the world over: and they don't even have to get filthy. No support columns caving in on poor miners either. Nice. Who would have thought a Danish company would be the light at the end of the tunnel.
Swayze's Cancer, Puff-Puff Pass...
.jpg)
What the heck is Patrick Swayze doing? The dude is labeled a “cancer miracle” and he’s STILL smoking! Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth, surely he knows pancreatic cancer almost always kills.
NFL Players Association Executive Director and Hall of Fame Oakland Raider Gene Upshaw just lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, I bet he’d have some choice words for Swayze and his smoking—GEEZ!
Candy Wars, Chocolaty Science...
.jpg)
Not to brag, but DiseaseProof is earning some chops. For example, I receive press releases ALL the time now. Like this email from Hershey's about new research involving dark chocolate and vascular health. Take a look:
I wanted to share some news that The Hershey Company just released today that I thought might be of interest to you and your readers. As you might know, dark chocolate has come to be recognized for its flavanol antioxidant benefits, but a new study, conducted by the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, has uncovered an important link to its vascular health benefits as well. The study, which used Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate, reported that dark chocolate has a positive impact on blood pressure and blood vessel function. The study's release comes on the heels of Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate, a rich dark chocolate featuring 60 percent cacao, earning renowned health and fitness expert Bob Greene's Best Life seal of approval – the first and only chocolate bar to earn that distinction.
The research appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Treatment and here’s Hershey’s official press release.
Now, originally I balked at this—don’t think promoting chocolate bars for health is a good idea—but then I saw this report. Research by Mars Inc. has determined that flavanols in cocoa may boost blood flow to the brain. Via Kelley Colihan of WebMD:
The ingredient is flavanols, which are nutrients found in cocoa. Flavanols are considered to act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories on cells. These chemicals can protect cells and tissue from damage, which in turn protects against heart disease and cancer.
The research and similar studies were funded by Mars Inc., the maker of Snickers and other foods….
….After one week, blood flow measures increased 8% in the group that got the flavanol-rich drinks. After two weeks that went up to a 10% increase.
When comparing participants drinking the high-flavanol cocoa to those who drank the low-flavanol cocoa, there was an increase in measured blood flow.
The researchers write that flavanols could have a "promising role" to treat brain conditions such as stroke and dementia.
Check out the study in Neuropychiatric Disease and Treatment. I think its interesting that two CANDY companies are talking about HEALTH, I wonder if they trying to convince us that sweets are ACTUALLY good for us—very funny, nice try!
Okay, as for flavanols. You don’t have to eat sugary M&Ms or KitKat bars to get them. Cocoa powder will do just fine and you can use it to make healthy recipes that include other super foods like spinach, walnuts and strawberries. See Banana Split Smoothie or Gerry’s Chocolate Pudding.