Monday, November 30, 2009

Fruits are healing to your body and life


APPLES: Apple protects your heart, prevents constipation, Blocks diarrhea, Improves lung capacity and Cushions joints.

APRICOTS: It Combats cancer, Controls blood pressure, Saves your eyesight, Shields against Alzheimer's and Slows aging process.
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ARTICHOKES: Its Aids digestion, Lowers cholesterol, Protects your heart, Stabilizes blood sugar and also Guards against liver disease.

AVOCADOS: Battles diabetes, Lowers cholesterol, Helps stops strokes, Controls blood pressure and Smoothes skin.

BANANAS: Banana protects your heart, Quiets a cough, Strengthens bones, Controls blood pressure and Blocks diarrhea.

BEANS: Beans prevents constipation, Helps hemorrhoids, Lowers cholesterol, Combats cancer and Stabilizes blood sugar.

BEETS: Beets controls blood pressure, Combats cancer, Strengthens bones, Protects your heart and Aids weight loss.

BLUEBERRIES: Combats cancer, Protects your heart, Stabilizes blood sugar, Boosts memory and Prevents constipation.

BROCCOLI: It strengthens bones, Saves eyesight, Combats cancer, Protects your heart and Controls blood pressure.

CABBAGE: Cabbage combats cancer, Prevents constipation, Promotes weight loss, Protects your heart and Helps hemorrhoids.

CANTALOUPE: Saves eyesight, Controls blood pressure, Lowers cholesterol, Combats cancer and Supports immune system.

CARROTS: Saves eyesight, Protects your heart, Prevents constipation, Combats cancer and Promotes weight loss.

CAULIFLOWER: Cauliflower protects against Prostate Cancer, Combats Breast Cancer, Strengthens bones, Banishes bruises and Guards against heart disease.

CHERRIES: It protects your heart, Combats Cancer, Ends insomnia, Slows aging process and Shields against Alzheimer's.

CHESTNUTS: Chestnuts promotes weight loss, Protects your heart, Lowers cholesterol, Combats Cancer and Controls blood pressure.

CHILI PEPPERS: It aids digestion, Soothes sore throat, Clears sinuses, Combats Cancer and Boosts immune system.

FIGS: Figs promotes weight loss, Helps stops strokes, Lowers cholesterol, Combats Cancer and Controls blood pressure.

FISH: Fish protects your heart, Boosts memory, Protects your heart, Combats Cancer and Supports immune system.

FLAX: Flax aids digestion, Battles diabetes, Protects your heart, Improves mental health and Boosts immune system.

GARLIC: Garlic lowers cholesterol, Controls blood pressure, Combats cancer, kills bacteria and Fights fungus.

GRAPEFRUIT: Grapefruit protects against heart attacks, Promotes Weight loss, Helps stops strokes, Combats Prostate Cancer, Lowers cholesterol.

GRAPES: Grapes saves eyesight, Conquers kidney stones, Combats cancer, Enhances blood flow and Protects your heart.

GREEN TEA: Green tea combats cancer, Protects your heart, Helps stops strokes, Promotes Weight loss and Kills bacteria.

HONEY: Honey heals wounds, Aids digestion, Guards against ulcers, Increases energy and Fights allergies.

LEMONS: Lemons combats cancer, Protects your heart, Controls blood pressure, Smoothes skin and Stops scurvy.

LIMES: Lime combats cancer, Protects your heart, Controls blood pressure, Smoothes skin and Stops scurvy.

MANGOES: Mangoes combats cancer, Boosts memory, Regulates thyroid, aids digestion and Shields against Alzheimer's.

MUSHROOMS: Mushrooms controls blood pressure, Lowers cholesterol, Kills bacteria, Combats cancer and Strengthens bones.

OATS: Oats lowers cholesterol, Combats cancer, Battles diabetes, prevents constipation and Smoothes skin.

OLIVE OIL: Olive Oil protects your heart, Promotes Weight loss, Combats cancer, Battles diabetes and Smoothes skin.

ONIONS: Onions reduce risk of heart attack, Combats cancer, Kills bacteria, Lowers cholesterol and Fights fungus.

ORANGES: It supports immune systems, Combats cancer, Protects your heart and Straightens respiration.

PEACHES: Peaches prevents constipation, Combats cancer, Helps stops strokes, aids digestion and Helps hemorrhoids.

PEANUTS: Peanuts protects against heart disease, Promotes Weight loss, Lowers cholesterol and Aggravatesdiverticulitis.

PINEAPPLE: Pineapple strengthens bones, Relieves colds, Aids digestion, Dissolves warts and Blocks diarrhea.

PRUNES: Prunes slows aging process, prevents constipation, boosts memory, Lowers cholesterol and Protects against heart disease.

RICE: Rice protects your heart, Battles diabetes, Conquers kidney stones, Combats cancer and Helps stops strokes.

STRAWBERRIES: Strawberries combats cancer, Protects your heart, boosts memory and Calms stress.

SWEET POTATOES: Sweet potatoes saves your eyesight, Lifts mood, Combats cancer and Strengthens bones.

TOMATOES: Tomatoes protects prostate, Combats cancer, Lowers cholesterol and Protects your heart.

WALNUTS: Walnuts lowers cholesterol, Combats cancer, boosts memory, Lifts mood and Protects against heart disease.

WATER: Water promotes Weight loss, Combats cancer, Conquers kidney stones and Smoothes skin.

WATERMELON: Watermelon protects prostate, Promotes Weight loss, Lowers cholesterol, Helps stops strokes and Controls blood pressure.

WHEAT GERM: Wheat Germ combats Colon Cancer, prevents constipation, Lowers cholesterol, Helps stops strokes and improves digestion.

WHEAT BRAN: Wheat Bran combats Colon Cancer, prevents constipation, Lowers cholesterol, Helps stops strokes and improves digestion.

YOGURT: Yogurt guards against ulcers, Strengthens bones, Lowers cholesterol, Supports immune systems and Aids digestion.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Top 10 Reasons To Pardon A Turkey this Thanksgiving

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-friedrich/top-10-reasons-to-pardon_b_145420.html

Joanna Krupa: Angel for Companion Animals (PETA)

http://blog.peta.org/archives/2009/11/joanna_krupa.php?c=pfs

Three Buddhist Verses to Chant Before Eating

http://buddhism.about.com/od/becomingabuddhist/a/mealchants.htm

Healthy Choice: Green Beans



Health benefits of Green beans
■Fresh green beans are very low in calories (31 kcal per 100 g of raw beans) and contain no saturated fat; but are very good source of vitamins, minerals and plant derived micro-nutrients.

■They are very rich source of dietary fiber (9% per100g RDA) which acts as bulk laxative that helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon. Dietary fiber has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids in the colon.

■Green beans contain excellent levels of vitamin A, and many health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene in good amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease process.

■Zea xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid in the beans, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. Therefore, it is helpful in preventing age related macular disease (ARMD) of the eyes in old age.

■Fresh snap beans are good source of folates. Folates diet during preconception periods and during pregnancy helps prevent from neural-tube defects in the offsprings.

■It is also contain good amounts of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), vitamin-C. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals.

■They also contain good amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium which are very essential for body metabolism. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Potassium is important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Green beans, while quite low in calories (just 43.75 calories in a whole cup), are loaded with enough nutrients to not only power up the Jolly Green Giant, but to put a big smile on his face. Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. Plus green beans are very good source of vitamin A (notably through their concentration of carotenoids including beta-carotene), dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron. And, green beans are a good source of magnesium, thiamin, riboflavin, copper, calcium, phosphorus, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and niacin.

Helping You Bone Up

The vitamin K provided by green beans-25% of the daily value in one cup-is important for maintaining strong bones. Vitamin K1 helps prevent excessive activation of osteoclasts, the cells responsible for breaking down bone. In addition, friendly bacteria in our intestines convert some K1 into K2, which activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone. Osteocalcin anchors calcium molecules inside of the bone.

Offer Cardiovascular Protection

For atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, few foods compare to green beans in their number of helpful nutrients. Green beans are a very good source of vitamin A, notably through their concentration of beta-carotene, and an excellent source of vitamin C. These two nutrients are important antioxidants that work to reduce the amounts of free radicals in the body, vitamin C as a water-soluble antioxidant and beta-carotene as a fat-soluble one. This water-and-fat-soluble antioxidant team helps to prevent cholesterol from becoming oxidized. Oxidized cholesterol is able to stick to and build up in blood vessel walls, where it can cause blocked arteries, heart attack or stroke. Getting plenty of beta-carotene and vitamin C can help prevent these complications, and a cup of green beans will provide you with 16.6% of the daily value for vitamin A along with 20.2% of the daily value for vitamin C.

Green beans are also a very good source of fiber, a very good source of potassium and folate, and a good source of magnesium and riboflavin. Each of these nutrients plays a significant cardio-protective role.

Magnesium and potassium work together to help lower high blood pressure, while folate is needed to convert a potentially dangerous molecule called homocysteine into other, benign molecules (the riboflavin in green beans may also serve to protect against the build up of homocysteine in certain individuals). Since homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls if not promptly converted, high levels are associated with a significantly increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Lastly, fiber, which is also found in green beans, has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels. A cup of green beans supplies 16.0% of the daily value for fiber, 10.7% of the DV for potassium, 7.8% of the DV for magnesium, and 10.4% of the DV for folate. What this all adds up to is a greatly reduced risk of atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Promotes Colon Health

Green beans may also help prevent colon cancer. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in green beans help to protect the colon cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Green beans' folate helps to prevent DNA damage and mutations in colon cells, even when they are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals. Studies show that people who eat foods high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, and/or folate are at a much lower risk of getting colon cancer than those who don't.

Green beans' fiber can help prevent colon cancer as well, as it has the ability to bind to cancer-causing toxins, removing them from the body before they can harm colon cells.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients

Beta-carotene and vitamin C both also have very strong anti-inflammatory effects. This may make green beans helpful for reducing the severity of diseases where inflammation plays a major role, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Green beans are a good source of riboflavin, which has been shown to help reduce the frequency of migraine attacks in people who suffer from them. Riboflavin's protective role in energy production may explain why. The oxygen-containing molecules the body uses to produce energy can be highly reactive and can inadvertently cause damage the mitochondria and even the cells themselves. In the mitochondria, such damage is largely prevented by a small, protein-like molecule called glutathione. Like many "antioxidant" molecules, glutathione must be constantly recycled, and it is vitamin B2 that allows this recycling to take place. (Technically, vitamin B2 is a cofactor for the enzyme glutathione reductase that reduces the oxidized form of glutathione back to its reduced version.) A cup of green beans supplies 7.1% of the DV for riboflavin.

Iron for Energy

Green beans are a very good source of iron, an especially important mineral for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency. Boosting iron stores with green beans is a good idea, especially because, in comparison to red meat, a well-known source of iron, green beans provide iron for a lot less calories and are totally fat-free. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And, if you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron. In one cup of green beans, you'll be provided with 8.9% of the daily value for iron.

Rich in Minerals for Energy and Antioxidant Protection

As noted above, green beans are a very good source of iron. Iron is as essential part of hemoglobin, a molecule essential to energy production since it is responsible for transporting and releasing oxygen throughout the body. But hemoglobin synthesis also relies on copper. Without copper, iron cannot be properly utilized in red blood cells. Fortunately, both minerals are supplied in green beans, which also contain 6.5% of the daily value for copper.

In addition to its role in hemoglobin synthesis, copper may be helpful in reducing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Copper, along with manganese (yet another trace mineral for which green beans are an excellent source), is an essential cofactor of a key oxidative enzyme called superoxide dismutase. Superoxide dismutase disarms free radicals produced within the mitochondria (the energy production factories within our cells). Copper is also necessary for the activity of lysyl oxidase, an enzyme involved in cross-linking collagen and elastin, both of which provide the ground substance and flexibility in blood vessels, bones and joints. One cup of green beans provides 18.5% of the DV for manganese.

Vitamins C, A and Zinc for Optimal Immune Function

Green beans' vitamin A (through its concentration of beta-carotene) and vitamin C are part of the sine qua non of a healthy immune system. Beta-carotene and vitamin A are fat-soluble antioxidants, while vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in the water-soluble areas of the body. So, between their beta-carotene and vitamin C content, green beans have all areas covered against damage from oxygen free radicals.

In addition to its antioxidant activity, vitamin C is critical for good immune function. Vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, directly kills many bacteria and viruses, and regenerates vitamin E after it has been inactivated by disarming free radicals.

GM's Money Trees

GM's Money Trees
In Brazil, people with some of the world's smallest carbon footprints are being displaced—so their forests can become offsets for SUVs.
By Mark Schapiro
November/December 2009 Issue Link to full article below

I am standing in the shadow of General Motors' $1 tree. It's a native guaricica, with pale white bark and a spreading crown that looms about 40 feet above my head. Hanging from its trunk is a small plaque that identifies it as tree No. 129. I've come here, to the verdant chaos of Brazil's Atlantic forest, to understand the far-reaching and politically explosive controversies taking shape in diplomatic corridors thousands of miles away over the fate of trees like this one.

No. 129 stands in the heart of the Cachoeira reserve in the state of Paraná—one of the last slivers of a forest that once blanketed much of the country's southeastern coast. Just 7 percent of the Atlantic forest remains, but it is still one of the Earth's richest centers of biodiversity, home to a wealth of plants and creatures comparable to the Amazon's. On the way here, our group—led by Ricardo Miranda de Britez and his team of forestry experts from the Brazilian conservation group Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education (SPVS)—walked past clusters of yellow-and-white orchids, stepped over the footprints of an ocelot, kept an eye out for the endangered golden lion tamarin, and were bitten by, it seems, every one of the thousands of species of insects native to the area.

To read the full article: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2009/11/gms-money-trees

Veg Myth-Busting

Veg Myth-Busting
Veg diets lack protein? Says who?! Here, a few factoids for veggies new and old.
By Dina Aronson, RD & Meghan Fitzpatrick Link to full article below

Now that you've resolved to go vegetarian, phase two of your new-year plan should be arming yourself with veg-related factoids. Why? Because friends, family, and even random strangers are guaranteed to quiz you, grill you, and otherwise bombard you with questions about your new-and-improved lifestyle. Do a bit of myth-busting and show ’em what they're missing by memorizing a few of these fascinating factoids.

Myth: A vegetarian diet lacks sufficient protein, calcium, and iron.
Truth: A well-balanced vegetarian diet certainly can provide enough of these nutrients. What we don't hear too often is that any poorly planned diet—meat-centered or not—can lack adequate nutrients. For well-fed vegetarians, protein, calcium, and iron are rarely issues. Beans, lentils, and soy are the protein standbys, although protein is also found in vegetables and starches. As long as we consume enough calories from a variety of foods, protein needs are easily met.

Roughly two-thirds of the world has difficulty digesting milk, making the majority of us reliant upon non-dairy calcium sources.

Please read the full article: http://www.vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=275&catId=7

Egyptian Mummies Had Clogged Arteries

Egyptian Mummies Had Clogged Arteries
Modern Tests on Mummies Showed the Ancient Egyptians Fought Heart Disease Too
By LAUREN COX
ABC News Medical Unit
Nov. 18, 2009 Link to full article below

Rich Egyptians living 3,500 years ago may have been walking around with the same clogged arteries that modern Americans now battle, according to a presentation Monday at the American Heart Association's annual meeting.

A group of scientists said that, on a whim, they performed a computerized tomography (CT) scan on a collection of 22 mummies housed at the Egyptian National Museum of Antiquities in Cairo to see if they too suffered from the plaque build-up in arteries that lead to coronary artery disease.

To read the full article: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartDiseaseNews/ct-scan-shows-heart-disease-mummies/story?id=9109938&page=4

Cat Declawing Ban Spreads Through Calif.

Cat Declawing Ban Spreads Through Calif.
Beverly Hills and Santa Monica Join Berkeley and L.A. in Outlawing of Practice
Nov. 18, 2009 Link to full article below

(AP) Two Southern California cities have voted to ban the declawing of cats, joining San Francisco and Santa Monica in outlawing the practice.

The Beverly Hills City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday night to approve a declawing ban, except in cases of medical necessity.

The Los Angeles City Council also approved a similar ordinance Tuesday. Berkeley approved the ban last week.

To read the full article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/18/national/main5695478.shtml?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.2

Green Investing: By the Numbers

Green Investing: By the Numbers

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-investing/green-investing-statistics.html

$25.1 trillion: The amount of money currently invested in socially responsible investment funds.

One out of every 10 dollars: The amount of money currently invested in socially responsible funds.

10.4 percent: The amount the Dow Jones Sustainability Index rose in 2007, outperforming the Dow Jones Industrial index, which only rose by 6.4 percent.

260: Socially screened mutual funds in the U.S., with an asset value of $201.8 billion. Mutual funds are the fastest growing option of socially responsible investing.

109: SRI funds available in the U.S. in 2004, compared to 367 SRI funds available in Europe.

348: Number of shareholder proposed environmental and social resolutions in 2007. Of those, 177 of the proposals went to a vote.

40 percent: The amount by which the green energy sector grew, in global sales, in 2007.

50 percent: the amount by which residential solar installations grew in 2007; wind installations grew by 30 percent and organic food production grew by 20 percent over the same period.

Community investing is the fastest growing area of socially responsible investing.

Please read: Global boiling declares war on Thanksgiving

Global boiling declares war on Thanksgiving
by Brad Johnson
19 Nov 2009 Link to full article below

Our increasingly extreme climate is devastating American agriculture. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, strengthened by global warming, caused $1.6 billion in agriculture damage in Louisiana alone. Now it appears that a Thanksgiving mainstay—pumpkin pie—is next on the global boiling hit list. On Tuesday, Nestle Baking, “which controls about 85 percent of the pumpkin crop for canning, issued a rare apology and said that rain appeared to have destroyed what remained of a small harvest this year and that it expected to stop shipping the holiday staple by Thanksgiving.” Paul Bakus, vice president and general manager of Nestle Baking, bemoaned the devastating rains that made it impossible to harvest the Morton, Illinois pumpkin crop used for Libby’s canned pumpkin:

If only we could have changed the weather. We hope Mother Nature is nicer to us next year, hopefully delivering less rain and more sunshine.

In addition, waffles are on the hit list, as supplies of Eggos are disappearing. “Heavy rains that soaked Atlanta last month knocked out Kellogg’s waffle operations,” ABC News reported on Tuesday. September’s epic flooding actually exacerbated a shutdown caused by an earlier virulent outbreak of the deadly bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. Kellogg’s initially only referred to the food poisoning threat as “equipment issues,” preferring to let global boiling take the blame.

Unfortunately, we have changed the weather.

“2009 continues to climb up the rainiest-years-ever chart” in Illinois.

Please read the full article: http://www.grist.org/article/2009-11-19-global-boiling-declares-war-on-thanksgiving

This Friday, don’t just Buy Nothing—use nothing!

This Friday, don’t just Buy Nothing—use nothing!
by Umbra Fisk
23 Nov 2009 Link to full article below

For twenty years, the people behind Buy Nothing Day have been pleading with consumers to avoid the frenzy inherent in “Black Friday,” the no-holds-barred shop-o-rama that comes the day after Thanksgiving. This year, they’re ramping things up and calling for an all-out Wildcat Strike against the “capitalist consumption machine.” Socialists, you say? No, just worried people who want to take a stand in the face of “crises of ecology, psychology, and faith.”

Dearest readers, I’ll let them say it themselves—give this a look, and visit the Buy Nothing Day site to learn more:

This year we’re calling for a wildcat general strike. On November 27/28 we’re asking tens of millions of people around the world to bring the capitalist consumption machine to a grinding – if only momentary – halt. We want you to shut off your lights, your televisions and other nonessential appliances. We want you to park your car, turn off your phones and log off your computer for the day. We’re calling for a Ramadan-like fast. From sunrise to sunset, we abstain en masse. Not only from shopping but from all the temptations of our five-planet lifestyles.

Instead we’ll feed our spirits and minds with a feast of subversive activities: pranks, shenanigans, credit card cut-ups, bicycle swarms, mall invasions and all manner of culture jams and creative détournements … ...

Please read the full article: http://www.grist.org/article/2009-11-23-this-friday-dont-just-buy-nothing-use-nothing

How Well Do You Know Your Planet? [Quiz]

How Well Do You Know Your Planet? [Quiz]
Take Our Odd Earth Facts Environmental Quiz and Find Out
by Brian Clark Howard
November 15, 2008

http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/recycling-design-technology/earth-facts-environmental-quiz-461108?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr&kw=ist

Vegetarian trend helps environment

Vegetarian trend helps environment
Rebecca Young - Staff Writer
November 19, 2009 Link to full article below

Many students on campus have a new way of going green these days and it's all about eliminating the red.

Being vegetarian, or not eating meat, is one way students can contribute to saving the globe. Not to be confused with vegans (people who eat no animal products such as eggs or cheese) vegetarians do not eat meat. Some will eat seafood while others will not, but abstaining from meat has positive effects for the global environment and resources.

"We spend a lot of farmland growing food for animals," Brother Dan Klco, a professor in the biology department, said.

In fact, about 40 percent of food grown worldwide is for animals. In more developed countries the percentage is as high as 70 percent. In addition to using land and food for animals, Americans spend a lot of other resources to maintain a very large and corn-fed cattle population, Klco said.

Please read the full article: http://www.flyernews.com/articles/volume/57/issue/17/id/5353/category/news

5 Major Companies Innovate By Going Green

5 Major Companies Innovate By Going Green
Diverse businesses are learning the benefits of corporate sustainability.
11.18.2009 Link to full article below

While environmentalists, and the public, have many reasons to remain wary about big corporations, it's also true that big business's tremendous wealth and power can be harnessed for good. While no company is perfect, particularly when it operates on an international scale and has a long history, it is worth noting the ways in which companies are going green today.

The following are not necessarily the greenest companies around, but they also aren't niche players. Let's see what lessons in sustainability we can learn from:

Kimberly-Clark
Paper giant Kimberly-Clark has been trying to reverse years of bad environmental press, and earlier this year was recognized by the EPA for being one of the top buyers of green power. After a long conflict with Greenpeace over clear-cutting in Canada's Boreal forest, the company has agreed to source all it's fiber from "eco-friendly sources."

Please read the full article

"Point of View" - by Shel Silverstein


Point of View
by Shel Silverstein

Thanksgiving dinner's sad and thankless
Christmas dinner's dark and blue
When you stop and try to see it
From the turkey's point of view.

Sunday dinner isn't sunny
Easter feasts are just bad luck
When you see it from the viewpoint
of a chicken or a duck.

Oh how I once loved tuna salad
Pork, lobsters, lamb chops too
'Til I stopped and looked at dinner
From the dinner's point of view.

Care - a great quote



"Don't tell me you're serving the Buddha or Christ in their Temples and Tabernacles, if you cannot show them devotion in the slums, the ghettos & the streets. We cannot encounter Jesus in the Sacraments, or Buddha in Pure Light, if we turn our eyes away from Buddha/Jesus in the bodies and souls of the sick, the hungry,...... the homeless & the marginalised. Prayer begins with a servant's heart... and a servant SERVES!"

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Healthy food: Broccoli (continued)


Please read full article (includes nutrition data, history, and more): World's Healthiest Foods


Health Benefits

Protection against Cancer

Like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli contains the phytonutrients sulforaphane and the indoles, which have significant anti-cancer effects. Research on indole-3-carbinol shows this compound helps deactivate a potent estrogen metabolite (4-hydroxyestrone) that promotes tumor growth, especially in estrogen-sensitive breast cells, while at the same time increasing the level of 2-hydroxyestrone, a form of estrogen that can be cancer-protective. Indole-3-carbinol has been shown to suppress not only breast tumor cell growth, but also cancer cell metastasis (the movement of cancerous cells to other parts of the body).

Scientists have found that sulforaphane boosts the body's detoxification enzymes, potentially by altering gene expression, thus helping to clear potentially carcinogenic substances more quickly. When researchers at Johns Hopkins studied the effect of sulphoraphane on tumor formation in lab animals, those animals given sulforaphane had fewer tumors, and the tumors they did develop grew more slowly and weighed less, meaning they were smaller.

A study published in the cancer journal, Oncology Report demonstrated that sulforaphane, which is a potent inducer of Phase 2 liver detoxification enzymes, also has a dose-dependent ability to induce cell growth arrest and cell death via apoptosis (the self-destruct sequence the body uses to eliminate abnormal cells) in both leukemia and melanoma cells.

Sulforaphane may also offer special protection to those with colon cancer-susceptible genes, suggests a study conducted at Rutgers University and published online in the journal Carcinogenesis.

In this study, researchers sought to learn whether sulforaphane could inhibit cancers arising from one's genetic makeup. Rutgers researchers Ernest Mario, Ah-Ng Tony Kong and colleagues used laboratory mice bred with a genetic mutation that switches off the tumor suppressor gene known as APC, the same gene that is inactivated in the majority of human colon cancers. Animals with this mutation spontaneously develop intestinal polyps, the precursors to colon cancer.

The study revealed that in animals fed sulforaphane, tumors were smaller, grew more slowly and had higher apoptotic (cell suicide) indices. Additionally, those fed a higher dose of sulforaphane had less risk of developing polyps than those fed a lower dose.

The researchers found that sulforaphane suppressed certain kinase enzymes. Kinases are cell signaling enzymes that are present not only in animals, but also in humans. The kinases suppressed by sulforaphane signal celluar activites that promote colon cancer.

According to lead researcher, Dr. Kong, "Our study corroborates the notion that sulforaphane has chemopreventive activity…Our research has substantiated the connection between diet and cancer prevention, and it is now clear that the expression of cancer-related genes can be influenced by chemopreventive compounds in the things we eat."

Another study, published in Cancer, the journal of the American Cancer Society, looked at indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a naturally occurring component of Brassica vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. I3C has been recognized as a promising anticancer agent against certain reproductive tumor cells. This laboratory study evaluated I3C's effects on cell cycling progression and cancer cell proliferation in human prostate cancer cells. I3C was shown to suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner by blocking several important steps in cell cycling and also to inhibit the production of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by the prostate whose rising levels may indicate prostate cancer. Researchers noted that the results of this study demonstrate that "I3C has a potent antiproliferative effect" in human prostate cancer cells, which qualifies it as "a potential chemotherapeutic agent" against human prostate cancer.

New research has greatly advanced scientists' understanding of just how Brassica family vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts help prevent cancer. When these vegetables are cut, chewed or digested, a sulfur-containing compound called sinigrin is brought into contact with the enzyme myrosinase, resulting in the release of glucose and breakdown products, including highly reactive compounds called isothiocyanates.

Isothiocyanates are not only potent inducers of the liver's Phase II enzymes, which detoxify carcinogens, but research recently conducted at the Institute for Food Research in the U.K. shows one of these compounds, allyl isothicyanate, also inhibits mitosis (cell division) and stimulates apoptosis (programmed cell death) in human tumor cells.

Crucifers Cut Risk of Bladder Cancer

Human population as well as animal studies consistently show that diets high in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, cabbage and cauliflower, are associated with lower incidence of certain cancers, including lung, colon, breast and ovarian cancer. Now, research published in the International Journal of Cancer (Zhao H, Lin J) suggests that bladder cancer can join the list.

University of Texas researchers analyzed the diets of 697 newly diagnosed bladder cancer cases and 708 healthy controls matched by age, gender and ethnicity. Average daily intake of cruciferous vegetables was significantly lower in those with bladder cancer than in healthy controls.

Those eating the most cruciferous vegetables were found to have a 29% lower risk of bladder cancer compared to participants eating the least of this family of vegetables.

Crucifers' protective benefits were even more pronounced in three groups typically at higher risk for bladder cancer: men, smokers, and older individuals (aged at least 64).

Diagnosed in about 336,000 people every year worldwide, bladder cancer is three times more likely to affect men than women, according to the European School of Oncology.

Crucifers' well known cancer-fighting properties are thought to result from their high levels of active phytochemicals called glucosinolates, which our bodies metabolize into powerful anti-carcinogens called isothiocyanates.

Isothiocyanates offer the bladder, in particular, significant protection, most likely because the majority of compounds produced by isothiocyanate metabolism travel through the bladder en route to excretion in the urine, suggested the researchers.

Kaempferol-rich Broccoli Protective against Ovarian Cancer

A prospective study looking at dietary intake of 5 common flavonoids in 66,940 women in the Nurses Health Study over 18 years of follow up found those whose diets provided the most of 5 common flavonoids (myricetin, kaempferol, quercetin, and luteolin), had a 25% reduced risk of ovarian cancer, compared with those consuming the least.

Women whose diets provided the most kaempferol, a flavonoid concentrated in non-herbal tea (like green tea), broccoli and onions, were found to have a 40% lower risk of ovarian cancer, compared to women with the lowest kaempferol intake. Similarly, women whose diets provided the most luteolin intake had a 34% reduced risk of ovarian cancer, compared those with the lowest luteolin intake. Celery and parsley are some of the most highly concentrated sources of luteolin, which is also found in rutabagas, hot peppers and spinach. (Gates Ta, Tworoger SS, et al., Int J Cancer.)

Cruciferous Vegetables Help Lower Risk of Certain Aggressive Prostate Cancers

Researchers from Canada and the U.S. evaluated the association between prostate cancer risk and intake of fruits and vegetables in 29,361 men in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. While there was no relationship found between overall prostate cancer risk and fruit and vegetable consumption, there was a relationship found between aggressive stage III and stage IV cancers that had expanded beyond the prostate gland (called extraprostatic prostate cancers) and vegetable intake. Consuming at least one weekly serving of cruciferous vegetables was associated with a near 40% reduction in risk of stage III and stage IV tumors risk, with broccoli and cauliflower offering the most protection. Men eating broccoli more than once a week were 45% less likely to develop stage III and IV prostate cancers, and eating cauliflower more than once a week conferred a 52% reduction in stage III and stage IV prostate cancer risk. (Kirsh VA, Peters U, et al., J Natl Cancer Inst.)

Broccoli Teams Up with Tomatoes to More Effectively Fight Prostate Cancer

Broccoli and tomatoes-two vegetables separately recognized for their cancer-fighting capabilities-are even more successful against prostate cancer when working as a team in the daily diet, shows a study published in Cancer Research.

"When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it's because different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways," said John Erdman, Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois.

Starting one month before male rats were implanted with prostate tumors, Erdman and doctoral candidate Kirstie Canene-Adams fed the animals one of 5 different diets. Then they compared the cancer-preventive effects of the diets to treatment with finasteride, a drug commonly prescribed for men with enlarged prostates, or surgical castration.

The diets contained one of the following: 10% tomato, 10% broccoli, 5% tomato plus 5% broccoli, 10% tomato plus 10% broccoli, or lycopene (23 or 224 nmol/g diet).

The tomato and broccoli given as powders made from the whole vegetable to compare the effects of eating the whole food to simply consuming one active compound as a nutritional supplement- in this case, lycopene, a carotenoid found in tomatoes.

After 22 weeks, when the rats' were sacrificed and their prostate tumors weighed, the 10% tomato/broccoli combination was shown to greatly outperform all other diets, shrinking prostate tumors by 52%.

Broccoli alone decreased tumor weight by 42%, and tomato alone by 34%.

Lycopene alone (23 or 224 nmol/g diet) came in last, reducing tumor weight by 7% and 18% respectively.

Only castration-a last resort option for most men, although it resulted in a 62% reduction in prostate tumor weight-approached the level of protection delivered by the tomato/broccoli diet. Said Erdman, "As nutritionists, it was very exciting to compare this drastic surgery to diet and see that tumor reduction was similar."

"Older men with slow-growing prostate cancer who have chosen watchful waiting over chemotherapy and radiation should seriously consider altering their diets to include more tomatoes and broccoli," said Canene-Adams.

To get the prostate health benefits seen in this study, a 55-year-old man would need to consume 1.4 cups of raw broccoli and 2.5 cups of fresh tomato, 1 cup of tomato sauce or ½ cup of tomato paste daily, said Canene-Adams.

Erdman noted that this study shows eating whole foods is better than taking isolated nutrients. "It's better to eat tomatoes than to take a lycopene supplement-and cooked tomatoes may be better than raw tomatoes. Chopping and heating make the cancer-fighting constituents of tomatoes and broccoli more bioavailable," he said.

Practical Tips: While the phytonutrients in tomatoes become more concentrated when they are cooked into a sauce or paste, and more bioavailable when eaten with a little oil, those in broccoli will be greatly reduced if this vegetable is overcooked. Steam or healthy sauté broccoli no more than 5 minutes.

Also, broccoli's cancer-preventive compounds form after it has been cut, but heat denatures the enzyme necessary for this process. For optimal nutrient formation, cut broccoli florets in half or into quarters, depending on their initial size, and let sit for 5 minutes before cooking.

Broccoli and tomatoes can make a delicious team at virtually any meal or snack:

* Healthy sauté broccoli and onion, then add to your favorite breakfast omelet and serve with grilled tomatoes.
* Enjoy a bowl of tomato soup along with a salad including broccoli florets for lunch.
* Add lightly steamed broccoli florets to the tomato-paste toppings on your favorite pizza.
* Healthy sauté broccoli florets along with other favorite vegetables, such as onions and mushrooms, add to pasta sauce and use to top whole wheat pasta or brown rice.
* For a quick snack, serve raw broccoli florets along with the carrot and celery sticks, dip and crackers, and toast your prostate's health with a glass of tomato juice.

Optimize Your Cells' Detoxification / Cleansing Ability

For about 20 years, we've known that many phytonutrients work as antioxidants to disarm free radicals before they can damage DNA, cell membranes and fat-containing molecules such as cholesterol. Now, new research is revealing that phytonutrients in broccoli work at a much deeper level. These compounds actually signal our genes to increase production of enzymes involved in detoxification, the cleansing process through which our bodies eliminate harmful compounds.

The phytonutrients in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables initiate an intricate dance inside our cells in which gene response elements direct and balance the steps among dozens of detoxification enzyme partners, each performing its own protective role in perfect balance with the other dancers. The natural synergy that results optimizes our cells' ability to disarm and clear free radicals and toxins, including potential carcinogens, which may be why cruciferous vegetables appear to significantly lower our risk of cancer.

Recent studies show that those eating the most cruciferous vegetables have a much lower risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancer-even whencompared to those who regularly eat other vegetables:

In a study of over 1,000 men conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA, those eating 28 servings of vegetables a week had a 35% lower risk of prostate cancer, but those consuming just 3 or more servings of cruciferous vegetables each week had a 44% lower prostate cancer risk.

In the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer, in which data was collected on over 100,000 people for more than 6 years, those eating the most vegetables benefited with a 25% lower risk of colorectal cancers, but those eating the most cruciferous vegetables did almost twice as well with a 49% drop in their colorectal cancer risk.

A study of Chinese women in Singapore, a city in which air pollution levels are often high putting stress on the detoxification capacity of residents' lungs, found that in non-smokers, eating cruciferous vegetables lowered risk of lung cancer by 30%. In smokers, regular cruciferous vegetable consumption reduced lung cancer risk an amazing 69%!

How many weekly servings of cruciferous vegetables do you need to lower your risk of cancer? Just 3 to 5 servings-less than one serving a day! (1 serving = 1 cup)

To get the most benefit from your cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, be sure to choose organically grown varieties (their phytonutrient levels are higher than conventionally grown), and steam lightly (this method of cooking has been shown to not only retain the most phytonutrients but to maximize their availability).

For a brief overview of the process through which cruciferous vegetables boost our ability to detoxify or cleanse harmful compounds and examples of how specific phytonutrients in crucifers work together to protect us against cancer, see our FAQ: Optimizing Your Cells' Detoxification/Cleansing Ability by Eating Cruciferous Vegetables.

Broccoli definitely proves the adage, "Good things come in small packages" since by weight they provide an even more concentrated source of sulfur-containing phytonutrients than mature broccoli. Researchers estimate that broccoli sprouts contain 10-100 times the power of mature broccoli to boost enzymes that detoxify potential carcinogens! A healthy serving of broccoli sprouts in your salad or sandwich can offer some great health benefits.

Support Stomach Health

A study published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy provides support for broccoli's ability to eliminate Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). In this study, sulforaphane, a phytonutrient richly abundant in the form of its precursor in broccoli and broccoli sprouts, was able to completely eradicate H. pylori in 8 of 11 laboratory animals that had been infected with the bacterium via the implantation of infected human gastric cells. Results were so dramatic the researchers concluded that sulforaphane-rich broccoli may be of benefit in the treatment or prevention of infection with H. pylori, a primary cause of ulcers. Clinical research is being planned that will hopefully confirm these findings and other similar findings, potentially offering people an effective dietary approach to eliminate H. pylori.

A more recent study published in Inflammopharmacology also supports these findings.

The research team, led by Akinori Yanaka of the University of Tsukuba, Japan, found that in patients with H. pylori infection, a diet including 100 grams of broccoli sprouts per day (about 3 ounces) resulted in a significant reduction of H. pylori and pepsinogen (a biomarker in the blood indicating the degree of gastritis).

The researchers think these beneficial results are due to broccoli sprouts' especially rich concentration of sulforaphane, which can protect against oxidative (free radical) damage in cells that can damage DNA, potentially causing cancer.

An H. pylori infection results in a constant barrage of oxidative damage to the cells that make up the lining of the stomach. Cells can survive against such chronic oxidative stress by increasing their protective arsenal of anti-oxidant enzymes, thereby protecting cells from DNA damage.

Recent studies have shown that the gene encoding Nrf-2 (NF-E2 p45-related factor-2) plays an important role in increasing the production of antioxidant enzymes protective against oxidative stress. Sulforaphane stimulates this nrf-2 gene-dependent production of anti-oxidant enzymes, thereby protecting cells from oxidative injury during H. pylori infection.

The Japanese team recruited 40 patients infected with H. pylori. Each day for two months, 20 patients ate a diet with 100 grams of sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprouts each day for two months, while the remaining 20 ate a diet with 100 grams of alfalfa sprouts instead.

"We wanted to test alfalfa spouts together with broccoli sprouts," Yanaka explained, "because the chemical constituents of the two plants are almost identical, except that 100 grams of broccoli sprouts contain 250 milligrams of sulforaphane glucosinolate whereas alfalfa sprouts contain neither sulforaphane nor sulforaphane glucosinolate."

(Glucosinolates, naturally occurring compounds in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are enzymatically converted into sulforaphane and other bioactive components when the sprouts are chewed or cut.)

At the end of the two-month dietary regimen, patients consuming 100 grams of broccoli sprouts per day showed significantly less H. pylori and markedly decreased pepsinogen (an indicator of gastric atrophy). Those eating alfalfa sprouts did not show any effect.

"Even though we were unable to eradicate H. pylori, to be able suppress it and relieve the accompanying gastritis by means as simple as eating more broccoli sprouts is good news for the many people who are infected," said Yanaka. Infection with H. pylori is very common worldwide, and some experts estimate that nearly 50% of the American public is infected with the bacterium.

In addition, this research provides a deeper understanding of earlier studies suggesting broccoli sprouts have cancer-preventive properties. We now know that by increasing the production of anti-oxidant enzymes that protect against H. pylori-induced DNA damage, these sulforaphane-rich sprouts may also help prevent gastric cancer.

Help for Sun-Damaged Skin

Sulforaphane, an active compound found in Brassica family vegetables has already been shown to boost liver and skin cells' detoxifying abilities. Now, research conducted at John's Hopkins University and published in Cancer Letters indicates sulforaphane can help repair sun-damaged skin.

After exposure to a dose of UV light comparable to that which would be received by a person sunbathing by the sea on a clear summer's day, twice weekly for 20 weeks, test animals were treated with varying doses of broccoli extract applied topically to their backs, 5 days a week for 11 weeks. Broccoli extract counteracted the animals' skin cells' carcinogenic response to UV light.

Recent research has demonstrated that some sun exposure is essential for good health since it is needed for our production of vitamin D, yet tto much may be of concern as skin cancer rates continue to rise due to depletion of the ozone layer. Broccoli sprouts' ability to repair damage done to sun-exposed skin may offer us a way to receive the benefits of sunlight we need without increasing our risk for skin cancer.

A Cardio-Protective Vegetable

Broccoli has been singled out as one of the small number of vegetables and fruits that contributed to the significant reduction in heart disease risk seen in a recent meta-analysis of seven prospective studies. Of the more than 100,000 individuals who participated in these studies, those who diets most frequently included broccoli, tea, onions, and apples-the richest sources of flavonoids-gained a 20% reduction in their risk of heart disease.

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, is known to reduce the risk of a number of cancers, especially lung, colon, breast, ovarian and bladder cancer. Now, research reveals that crucifers provide significant cardiovascular benefits as well.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii have shown that, at the tiny concentration of just 100 micromoles per liter, a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables, indole-3-carbinol, lowers liver cells' secretion of the cholesterol transporter, apolipoproteinB-100 by 56%! Apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB) is the main carrier of LDL cholesterol to tissues, and high levels have been linked to plaque formation in the blood vessels.

When liver cells were treated with I-3-C, not only was apoB-100 secretion cut by more than half, but significant decreases also occurred in the synthesis of lipids (fats), including triglycerides and cholesterol esters. (Maiyoh GK, Huh JE, et al., J Nutr.)

Cataract Prevention

Broccoli and other leafy green vegetables contain powerful phytonutrient antioxidants in the carotenoid family called lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which are concentrated in large quantities in the lens of the eye. When 36,000 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study were monitored, those who ate broccoli more than twice a week had a 23% lower risk of cataracts compared to men who consumed this antioxidant-rich vegetable less than once a month. In addition to the antioxidant potential of broccoli's carotenoids, recent research has suggested that sulforaphane may also have antioxidant potential, being able to protect human eye cells from free radical stressors.

Stronger Bones with Broccoli

When it comes to building strong bones, broccoli's got it all for less. One cup of cooked broccoli contains 74 mg of calcium, plus 123 mg of vitamin C, which significantly improves calcium's absorption; all this for a total of only 44 calories. To put this in perspective, an orange contains no calcium, 69 mg of vitamin C, and 60-about 50% more-calories. Dairy products, long touted as the most reliable source of calcium, contain no vitamin C, but do contain saturated fat. A glass of 2% milk contains 121 calories, and 42 of those calories come from fat.

An Immune System Booster

Not only does a cup of broccoli contain the RDA for vitamin C, it also fortifies your immune system with a hefty 1359 mcg of beta-carotene, and small but useful amounts of zinc and selenium, two trace minerals that act as cofactors in numerous immune defensive actions.

A Birth Defect Fighter

Especially if you are pregnant, be sure to eat broccoli. A cup of broccoli supplies 94 mcg of folic acid, a B-vitamin essential for proper cellular division because it is necessary in DNA synthesis. Without folic acid, the fetus' nervous system cells do not divide properly. Deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy has been linked to several birth defects, including neural tube defects like spina bifida. Despite folic acid's wide occurence in food (it's name comes from the Latin word folium, meaning "foliage," because it's found in green leafy vegetables), folic acid deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency in the world.

Healthy food: Broccoli




Source: http://archives.cnn.com/2000/FOOD/news/04/13/broccoli.benefits.wmd/

April 13, 2000

By Peter Jaret

(WebMD) -- Who would have thought that of all the brightly colored exotic offerings in the produce aisle -- from curvy, golden-yellow peppers to inky purple eggplants -- homely broccoli would become the superstar?

It's true: In the category of most healthful vegetable, this cruciferous contender wins all the top honors.

This past February, when the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a paper that listed foods most likely to prevent colon cancer, what stood out? Broccoli. Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston published an article in the same journal last October and noted that broccoli, along with spinach, helped to minimize risk for cataracts.

When another team of Harvard scientists looked at how diet might protect against stroke, broccoli's benefits again came to the fore, in research published in the October 6, 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Nutritious -- and then some

When it comes to basic nutrients, broccoli is a mother lode. Ounce for ounce, boiled broccoli has more vitamin C than an orange and as much calcium as a glass of milk, according to the USDA's nutrient database. One medium spear has three times more fiber than a slice of wheat bran bread. Broccoli is also one of the richest sources of vitamin A in the produce section.

But the real surprise is this vegetable's potent cancer-fighting components.

At the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, food chemist Dr. Paul Talalay has gone so far as to name his lab after "Brassica," the genus that includes broccoli and cauliflower. Talalay and his team at the Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory have discovered that broccoli is rich in substances called isothiocyanates -- chemicals shown to stimulate the body's production of its own cancer-fighting substances, called "phase two enzymes." According to Talalay, these enzymes, in turn, neutralize potential cancer-causing substances before they have a chance to damage the DNA of healthy cells.

To test broccoli's cancer-fighting power, Talalay fed rats hearty servings of the vegetable for a few days and then exposed them to a potent carcinogen known to trigger a form of breast cancer in the animals. Broccoli-munching rats were half as likely to develop tumors as animals on standard chow, according to results published in the April 1994 Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

"Even those rats that did develop cancer ended up with fewer and smaller tumors, which is an important advantage in itself," says Talalay.

More recently, scientists at Tokyo's Graduate School of Agriculture have shown that isothiocyanates can block the growth of melanoma skin cancer cells, according to findings published in 1999 in the journal "Nutrition and Cancer."
Good news for broccoli haters

If you don't like broccoli, take heart: In 1997, Talalay and his researchers at Hopkins discovered to their surprise that broccoli sprouts, the week-old seedlings of the mature plant, are exceptionally rich in a form of isothiocyanate called sulforaphane -- 10 to 100 times as rich as broccoli itself, in fact. More and more markets now carry the tender shoots, which are delicious on sandwiches and salads.

And keep in mind that broccoli is just one of many members of the cruciferous vegetable family, which includes cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and bok choy -- all of which appear to help protect against cancer.

When scientists at the World Cancer Research Fund reviewed 206 human and 22 animal studies, they found convincing evidence that cruciferous vegetables in general lowered risk for many forms of the disease, including tumors of the stomach, esophagus, lung, oral cavity and pharynx (throat), endometrium (lining of the uterus), pancreas, and colon.


[abridged]

Healthy food: Bell peppers



Want to find out awesome information about many diverse foods?
Check out this site: http://www.whfoods.com

Colorful Protection Against Free Radicals

Want to color your life healthy? Brightly colored bell peppers, whether green, red, orange or yellow, are rich sources of some of the best nutrients available. To start, peppers are excellent sources of vitamin C and vitamin A (through its concentration of carotenoids such as beta-carotene), two very powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants work together to effectively neutralize free radicals, which can travel through the body causing huge amounts of damage to cells. Free radicals are major players in the build up of cholesterol in the arteries that leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease, the nerve and blood vessel damage seen in diabetes, the cloudy lenses of cataracts, the joint pain and damage seen in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and the wheezing and airway tightening of asthma. By providing these two potent free radical destroyers, bell peppers may help prevent or reduce some of the symptoms of these conditions by shutting down the source of the problem.

Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

For atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, peppers also contain vitamin B6 and folic acid. These two B vitamins are very important for reducing high levels of homocysteine, a substance produced during the methylation cycle (an essential biochemical process in virtually every cell in the body). High homocysteine levels have been shown to cause damage to blood vessels and are associated with a greatly increased risk of heart attack and stroke. In addition to providing the vitamins that convert homocysteine into other beneficial molecules, bell peppers also provide fiber that can help lower high cholesterol levels, another risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

Promote Optimal Health

Red peppers are one of the few foods that contain lycopene, a carotenoid whose consumption has been inversely correlated with prostate cancer and cancers of the cervix, bladder and pancreas. Recent studies suggest that individuals whose diets are low in lycopene-rich foods are at greater risk for developing these types of cancers.

For people worried about colon cancer, the fiber found in peppers can help to reduce the amount of contact that colon cells have with cancer-causing toxins found in certain foods or produced by certain gut bacteria. In addition, consumption of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folic acid, all found in bell peppers, is associated with a significantly reduced risk of colon cancer.
Consuming foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in highest amounts in red bell peppers, pumpkin, corn, papaya, tangerines, oranges and peaches, may significantly lower one's risk of developing lung cancer. A study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention reviewed dietary and lifestyle data collected from over 60,000 adults in Shanghai, China and found that those eating the most crytpoxanthin-rich foods showed a 27% reduction in lung cancer risk. When current smokers were evaluated, those who were also in the group consuming the most cryptoxanthin-rich foods were found to have a 37% lower risk of lung cancer compared to smokers who ate the least of these health-protective foods.

Promote Lung Health

If you or someone you love is a smoker, or if you are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, then making vitamin A-rich foods, such as bell peppers, part of your healthy way of eating may save your life, suggests research conducted at Kansas State University.

While studying the relationship between vitamin A, lung inflammation, and emphysema, Richard Baybutt, associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State, made a surprising discovery: a common carcinogen in cigarette smoke, benzo(a)pyrene, induces vitamin A deficiency.

Baybutt's earlier research had shown that laboratory animals fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema. His latest animal studies indicate that not only does the benzo(a)pyrene in cigarette smoke cause vitamin A deficiency, but that a diet rich in vitamin A can help counter this effect, thus greatly reducing emphysema.

Baybutt believes vitamin A's protective effects may help explain why some smokers do not develop emphysema. "There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and are smokers," he said. "Why? Probably because of their diet…The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age are more likely to become vitamin A deficient and develop complications associated with cancer and emphysema. And if they have a poor diet, forget it." If you or someone you love smokes, or if your work necessitates exposure to second hand smoke, protect yourself by making sure that at least one of the World's Healthiest Foods that are rich in vitamin A, such as bell peppers, is a daily part of your healthy way of eating.

Seeing Red May Mean Better Eyesight

Bell peppers appear to have a protective effect against cataracts, possibly due to their vitamin C and beta-carotene content. Italian researchers compared the diets of hospital patients who had cataracts removed with patients who had not undergone the operation. Certain vegetables, including sweet peppers, reduced the cataract operation risk. The red variety of bell peppers also supply the phytonutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been found to protect against macular degeneration, the main cause of blindness in the elderly.

Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis

While one study suggests that high doses of supplemental vitamin C makes osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative arthritis that occurs with aging, worse in laboratory animals, another indicates that vitamin C-rich foods, such as bell and chili peppers, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.

The findings, presented in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases were drawn from a study of more than 20,000 subjects who kept diet diaries and were arthritis-free when the study began, and focused on subjects who developed inflammatory polyarthritis and subjects who remained arthritis-free during the follow-up period. Subjects who consumed the lowest amounts of vitamin C-rich foods were more than three times more likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed the highest amounts.

Green Pepper is a plump bell shaped vegetable that is used in salad, as ingredient to some dishes and is used as garnishing. Bell peppers has a sweet taste and it is not spicy. Green Pepper is a rich source of Vitamins C and A.



Nutritive Values of Green Bell Pepper : Per 100 gm.

* Vitamin A : 630 I.U.
* Vitamin B : Thiamine .04 mg.;
* Vitamin C : 120 mg.;
* Calcium : 11 mg.
* Phosphorus : 25 mg.
* Potassium : 170 gm.
* Carbohydrates : 5.7 gm.
* Protein : 1.2 gm.
* Calories : 25

Green Bell Pepper is beneficial in the following cases :

1. Liver disease
2. Obesity
3. Constipation
4. Arthritis
5. High blood pressure
6. Acidosis (deficiency of alkalinity in the blood)
7. May help prevent cancer in organ and glands lined by epithelial tissue due to its high Vitamin A content.
8. Smaller red pepper, known as hot peppers, have been found to be valuable for :Colds, Asthma, Inflamed sinus, Malaria, Destroying intestinal worms.

Benefits of Rooibos Tea!!


Pronounced "roy-boss" and means "red bush" in Afrikaans. Studies have shown this tea is comparable to green tea in the amounts of polyphenols it contains. It shows anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activity.

Rooibos is totally pure and natural. It contains no colorants or preservatives.

Rooibos helps delay the aging process! The aging of our bodies is caused by toxic compounds called free radicals which are produced as a by-product of normal cell function. These free radicals attack our healthy cells. Over our lifetime this damage contributes to aging and our immune system weakens. Recently, Japanese scientists have found that Rooibos tea contains a mimic of the enzyme Super Oxide Dismutase (S.O.D.), an antioxidant which attacks the free radicals and limits their damaging effects.

Rooibos helps to relieve stomach ulcers, nausea, constipation, and heartburn.

Have a cup of Rooibos before you get ready for bed to ensure a good night's sleep! Rooibos has been found to help with insomnia, disturbed sleeping patterns and headaches. It contains no caffeine and has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system.

Rooibos helps to give you strong bones and teeth because of its calcium, manganese and fluoride content.

Rooibos helps pacify infants with colic, stomach cramps and sleeping problems. Simply mix some Rooibos tea with expressed breast milk or formula. It is 100% natural with no colorants or preservatives. It is a mother's miracle.

Rooibos contains alpha hydroxy acid and zinc for healthy, smooth skin. This wonder tea is especially useful when applied to skin irritations like itchy skin, eczema, sunburns, diaper rash and acne.

Put used rooibos tea bags in the refrigerator or freezer. After a hard day's work, put on tired or red eyes to soothe and relax.

Rooibos contains magnesium which is necessary for a healthy nervous system.

Rooibos increases the absorption of iron in the body.

Rooibos contains potassium and copper minerals that are necessary for several metabolic functions.

Rooibos is often prescribed for nervous tension and mild depression as it makes a relaxing sedative.

Rooibos contains no oxalic acid and can therefore be enjoyed by persons suffering from kidney stones.

Rooibos helps to control your appetite thus can be beneficial in weight loss.

Rooibos helps you recoup after a hangover.

Rooibos makes a great thirst-quencher and sport drink. Because of its mineral content of iron, potassium, zinc, manganese and sodium, it restores the body's equilibrium after strenuous exercise.

Rooibos is very versatile! Drink it hot or cold, with or without milk, sugar or honey. Add lemon or mix it with fruit juices for a lovely blend. Rooibos tea is also used in cooking and baking. It replaces the liquid content in recipes for soups, marinades, sauces, stews and cakes for added flavor and nutrition.

And Rooibos tastes divine! It is less bitter than most teas.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Coconut oil is great for your skin and health

What Coconut Oil DOES NOT Do:

* Does not increase blood cholesterol level.
* Does not promote platelet stickiness or blood clot formation.
* Does not contribute to atherosclerosis or heart disease.
* Does not contribute to weight problems.

What Coconut Oil DOES Do:

* Reduces risk of atherosclerosis and related illnesses.
* Reduces risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions.
* Helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including yeast) infections.
* Supports immune system function.
* Helps control diabetes.
* Provides an immediate source of energy.
* Supports healthy metabolic function.
* Improves digestion and nutrient absorption.
* Supplies important nutrients necessary for good health.
* Supplies fewer calories than other fats.
* Promotes weight loss.
* Helps prevent osteoporosis.
* Has a mild delicate flavor.
* Is highly resistant to spoilage (long shelf life).
* Is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking).
* Helps keep skin soft and smooth.
* Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
* Helps protect against skin cancer and other blemishes.
* Functions as a protective antioxidant."

Healthy food: Cucumber - Part Two

Health Benefits

The flesh of cucumbers is primarily composed of water but also contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and caffeic acid, both of which help soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling. Cucumbers'hard skin is rich in fiber and contains a variety of beneficial minerals including silica, potassium and magnesium.

A Radiant Complexion

The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silica to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber's high water content makes it naturally hydrating—a must for glowing skin. Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis.

An Easy Way to Increase Your Consumption of Both Fiber and Water

Trying to get adequate dietary fiber on a daily basis is a challenge for many Americans. Adding a crunchy cool cucumber to your salads is an especially good way to increase your fiber intake because cucumber comes naturally prepackaged with the extra fluid you need when consuming more fiber. Plus, you get the added bonus of vitamin C, silica, potassium and magnesium.

High Blood Pressure? Cucumber Can Help You Cool Down

When people who participated in the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Study added foods high in potassium, magnesium and fiber, their blood pressure dropped to healthier levels. Those people in the study who ate a diet rich in these compounds in addition to the other foods on this diet (low fat dairy foods, seafood, lean meat and poultry) lowered their blood pressure by 5.5 points (systolic) over 3.0 points (diastolic).

Healthy food: Cucumber


Cucumber is a fruit that came from the same family as pumpkin, zucchini and other squashes. It has a dark green rind and white succulent flesh. There are 2 types of cucumbers the pickling varieties and the slicing varieties. The pickling variety is relatively small (2 - 4 inches long).

Nutritive Values : Per 100 gm.

*
Vitamin A 180 I.U.
*
Niacin Trace
*
Vitamin C 9 mg.
*
Calcium 32 mg.
*
Iron 1.8 mg.
*
Phosphorus 27 mg.
*
Potassium 80 mg.
*
Carbohydrates 17 gm.
*
Calories 70

Reported Health Benefits :

* Cucumber is best natural diuretic known, secreting and promoting the flow of urine.
* Helps in kidney and urinary bladder disease.
* Liver disease
* Pancreatic disease

* The potassium content of cucumber makes it highly useful for conditions of high and low blood pressure.
* Cucumber contains erepsin, the enzyme that helps to digest protein.
* The high silicon and sulphur content of the cucumber is said to promote the growth of hair, especially when the juice of the cucumber is added to the juice of carrot, lettuce and spinach.
* A mixture of cucumber juice with carrot juice is said to be beneficial for rheumatic conditions resulting from excessive uric acid in the body.
* Cucumber juice is also valuable for helping diseases of the teeth, gums, especially in cases of pyorrhea.
* The high mineral content of this vegetable also helps to prevent splitting of nails of the fingers and toes.
* Cucumber, radish and bitter gourd are beneficial in diabetes.

Vegan


"Veganism denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose; and by extension promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals, and the environment." ~ Donald Watson

History of Fasting

History of Fasting
by Ron Kennedy, M.D., Santa Rosa, California
Link to full article below

Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from solid food over any period of time out of the ordinary. The practice of fasting has its origins in religion dating to the beginning of recorded history. The purpose of the religious fast is purification of the soul and preparation to receive atonement of sins. Fasting is practiced to this day amongst Roman Catholics, Orthodox Catholics, Jews and several Protestant sects, notably Episcopalians and Lutherans, as well as Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists and American Indians. Fasting even has a political history, highlighted by the use of the fast unto death's door by Mohandas Gandhi to pressure and/or inspire his followers to observe his principles of nonviolence during India's struggle for freedom from their English overlords.

The early Christian church saw fasting as associated with penitence and purification, a voluntary method to prepare to receive Holy Communion and baptism. Indeed, Christ is said to have fasted voluntarily alone in the desert east of Jerusalem for a full forty days and forty nights, at the end of which he encountered the temptations of Satan.

Fasting traditionally has been associated with a period of quiescence during which most physical activities are suspended, perhaps denoting a symbolic association with the state awaiting birth. In very ancient times, fasts were traditional at the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, and were believed to increase fertility of both the land (through God's grace) and of the human body for reproduction. Fasts were used by American Indians to avert disasters (earthquake, flood, drought, war, etc.) and as penance for sin.

to read the full article: http://www.medical-library.net/sites/framer.html?/sites/_juice_fasting.html

Excellent!! Gobblers are guests, not fare, at vegans' Thanksgiving spread

Gobblers are guests, not fare, at vegans' Thanksgiving spread
By Virginia Kopas Joe
vkjoe@post-gazette.com or 724-837-1725
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Monday, November 24, 2003


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03328/243289.stm


Talk about turning the tables. At this Thanksgiving feast, Tom Turkey gets served dinner with all the trimmings.

Welcome to a vegan holiday at the OohMahNee Farm Animal Sanctuary in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County. Yesterday, 150 guests fed the fowl and sat down to a Thanksgiving dinner that promoted the sanctuary as much as the vegan lifestyle of its activists. Vegans do not eat meat or dairy products.

Based on their strut, the plump poultry, with names such as Tom and Gertrude, seemed to appreciate their version of paradise as they ate both people food and grain from the outstretched arms of visitors.

"I realize that the turkey breast, turkey leg and wing that everyone wants causes incredible suffering to a living animal," said Mia Branthoover of Pittsburgh, who made the hour drive east from Downtown yesterday.

It might be politically incorrect to say that the poultry and people diners pigged out, but they did fill up on a vegan dinner that looked and tasted like traditional Thanksgiving fare, but without meat, dairy products, honey or animal-based flavorings.

The, uh, meat of yesterday's menu -- enjoyed by human and animal alike -- was a product called seitan. Wheat gluten-based, the seitan was stir-fried and served with gravy made of arrow root and cornstarch. There also were mashed potatoes with margarine, lots of vegetables, and pumpkin pie.

Shelter founder Cayce Mell said the feast also was a chance for the community to learn what goes on at the place with the funny name. Mell founded OohMahNee, a play on the word "humane,'' in 1995 to rescue and rehabilitate farm animals, as well as to promote the vegan lifestyle.

There are more than 700 chickens and turkeys and another collection of about 700 cows, pigs, rabbits and sheep enjoying old age at the shelter. Volunteers rescued them all from the slaughterhouse.

"These are beings,'' she said with conviction. "It's not called a leg, a wing, a breast for nothing.''

She believes that animals, on the planet long before man, have a natural evolution that shouldn't include a trip to the dinner table.

"Your compassion shouldn't end at your species,'' Mell said.

Indeed, the farm animals at OohManNee live a in a virtual Eden. They roam free on more than 230 acres of fenced-in land and are fed grain and leftover produce donated by a grocery chain.

They will live out their lives at the non-profit shelter, thanks to the $290,000 annual budget Mell raises through grants, donations, hard work and her vision.

OohManNee has six paid staffers, and the site includes 12 barns, a makeshift office, and an education center in an old farmhouse that contains grisly photographs of animal auctions and slaughterhouses.

Mell, 28, runs it with her husband, Jason Tracy, and the couple live with their son, Aedan, 3, above a garage. The sanctuary has grown from the day the couple took in a handful of abandoned hens.

Mell traces her devotion to animals to her high school days in rural New York when she found her mom crying over a news account of how dogs are treated --- and eaten -- in the Orient. Tracy's interest was local: He grew up around farm animals in Mount Pleasant.

In August, the couple and a dozen volunteers drove to an egg farm in Ohio and picked up 1,048 Rhode Island Reds that an egg producer no longer needed. More than 700 of the hens have been adopted by so-called gentleman farmers and suburbanites who promised to protect them and never put them back in cages.

Yesterday, volunteers promised they will be working for more Thanksgivings for more animals.

"We'll really celebrate on the day when there are more people here than animals,'' Mell said.

Anyone interested in adopting any animals living at OohMahNee should call 724-755-2420. The sanctuary is on Route 819 in Hunker, Mount Pleasant Township. Web site is http://www.oohmahneefarm.org

Excellent site: Gentle Thanksgiving

Gentle Thanksgiving

Please visit their site: http://www.gentlethanksgiving.org/

Millions of vegetarian and other caring folks across the U.S. are celebrating this Thanksgiving with a rich selection of delicious vegetables, fruits, baked goods, and mock meats replacing the carcass of a dead bird on their dinner table. The vegetarian bill of fare may include a 'tofurky,' lentil or nut roast, stuffed squash, corn chowder or chestnut soup, candied yams, cranberry sauce, pumpkin or pecan pie, and carrot cake.

Some are doing it for their health, some oppose the violence, and others are concerned with the environmental consequences.

Most vegetarian Thanksgiving observances are held in the privacy of a home. Many others, in hotel ballrooms, community centers, and church halls, are open to the public. Please click here for a listing of public events
http://www.gentlethanksgiving.org/tevents.htm

Vegetarian homemakers have many choices. Those pressed for time can buy a tofu and seitan 'tofurky,' as well as other wholesome, delicious, ready-to-eat vegetarian dishes in their local food markets. More traditional homemakers can consult a number of vegetarian cookbooks and web sites. Please click here for recipes and other resources.

Much of the credit for the national shift to plant-based eating goes to the overwhelming support of food editors and other media representatives.

= = = = = = = = = = =

About A Gentle Thanksgiving

http://www.gentlethanksgiving.org/about.htm

Many people believe that abusing and killing an innocent bird betrays the life-affirming spirit of giving thanks for our life, health, and happiness.

The 330 million turkeys killed each year in the U.S. spend their entire lives crammed into large sheds with little room to move. Their legs can barely support their genetically disfigured bodies. Their beaks and toes are trimmed to reduce damage from stress-induced aggression. Their eyes and lungs are burned by toxic fumes emanating from their excrement. After 16 weeks of misery, they are hung on a conveyer belt, their throats cut, then they are dumped, sometimes still conscious, into scalding water that strips their feathers.

The birds exact their revenge. Their flesh is laced with cholesterol and saturated fats, which have been linked conclusively with an elevated risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic killer diseases that kill 1.4 million Americans annually.

Turkey flesh is also contaminated with hormones, deadly pathogens, and antibiotics. Hormones disrupt normal growth and sexual development in the consumer. The pathogens, including Salmonella and Campylobacter, are introduced by eviscerating equipment spilling fecal matter into the bird's body cavities. Careful adherence to U.S. Department of Agriculture warning labels and Poultry Hotline directions are required to avoid severe food poisoning. The antibiotics build up the pathogens' immunity to these powerful remedies.

Much of the 10 billion pounds of manure generated by 7,300 turkey farms in 33 states ends up in our drinking water. Grain fed to turkeys is denied to millions of starving Third World people.

Plant-based eating has become increasingly popular, as Americans discover the health, environmental, and ethical benefits of kicking the meat habit.

More than 30 million Americans have explored meatless eating, and nearly one third purchase mock meat products regularly.

One in three teens thinks that being vegetarian is 'cool.'

California and Hawaii legislatures have recommended that schools offer a daily vegetarian lunch option, and other states are considering similar resolutions.

Mainstream health advocacy groups, like the American Dietetic Association, American Cancer Society, and National Cancer Institute are touting plant-based, vegetarian diets.

Major food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, like ConAgra, Kraft, Kellogg, SYSCO, Burger King, and McDonald's, are marketing vegetarian meals.

All supermarket chains carry a large selection of mock lunchmeats, vegetarian burgers and dogs, and ready-to-eat meals containing these items.

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Arranging your own vegetarian Thanksgiving event is easy and satisfying. Please click here for detailed instructions.

http://www.gentlethanksgiving.org/action.htm

PURPOSE
The purpose of the Gentle Thanksgiving campaign is to encourage your friends, family and neighbors to adopt compassionate alternatives to funding the abuse and slaughter of innocent, feeling turkeys. We accomplish this by demonstrating the great taste and superior nutrition of turkey-alternatives and other festive plant-based foods.

REGISTER NOW!
We invite you to plan and Register a public or private Gentle Thanksgiving event that will raise awareness of these delicious alternatives and spread the message that compassion should be an integral part of everyone's vegetarian Thanksgiving celebration. Events can be as simple as a private vegetarian dinner or an elaborate public event. It is important to Register so we can list you and your city in our Events Directory and publicize your event to local and national media, as well as other activists.

HINTS, IDEAS & MATERIALS
For guidance on how you can make your event or celebration as effective as possible, with tips on timing, planning, and materials, please click on our Guide to an Effective Observance. A number of Gentle Thanksgiving materials available for downloading are provided below, and more are available after you Register.

In addition to arranging a festive vegetarian meal for your friends or the general public, you can conduct various educational activities. You can utilize the power of the printed word by distributing Gentle Thanksgiving leaflets at local events, malls, metro stops, natural food stores, or anywhere your inspiration takes you. Leaflets can be downloaded and printed from your computer by clicking on Leaflet Master. Be sure to collect pledges to make this Thanksgiving a truly gentle and compassionate holiday on a copy of our Petition Master.

You can bring your message to the streets with graphic video footage of factory farm and slaughterhouse atrocities. TVs and VCRs can be set up wherever you can find a power source, including your car battery. To find out more, click on Setting Up a Video Rig.

Athletic? Try a charity race (as an individual or with friends). Wear a vegetarian or animal-friendly t-shirt. You could also choose to provide tofurky samples at the finish line. Remember to stay friendly and positive so as not to detract from the sponsored charity.

Sample news releases are provided in our Media section. If you expect to conduct media interviews, please review the Arguments for a Gentle Thanksgiving. You can obtain additional media coverage by following our guidance on Visiting TV/Radio Stations.

Once again, please be sure to Register your event, even if your plans are not finalized. This will allow us to promote your event to activists and media (both local and national).

Give Thanks with the Right Food

Give Thanks with the Right Food
November 2006 Link to full article below

In the hubbub of planning and preparing a Thanksgiving feast for friends and family, it can be easy to forget the environmental impact of our food choices. Growing, harvesting, and transporting the ingredients for a typical Thanksgiving meal consumes a significant amount of water and energy and contributes to air and water pollution, habitat degradation, and global warming.

Fortunately, you can make a holiday meal that is not only delicious but also kinder to the environment and your family’s health. Here’s how:

• Look for food produced in your region. Food travels an average of 1,500 miles or more from the farm to the supermarket, consuming fossil fuels and emitting air pollutants and heat-trapping carbon dioxide. Regionally grown meat and produce not only travel a shorter distance to your table and arrive fresher, but may also come from smaller farms that often follow more environmentally friendly practices.

• Choose organic. Organic standards prohibit the use of synthetic fertilizers, toxic pesticides, and antibiotics (today’s industrialized animal production relies heavily on antibiotics to accelerate growth and prevent diseases that stem from overcrowding). Overuse of these substances generates air and water pollution and makes it more difficult to treat human diseases and ward off agricultural pests. If organic turkey is not available in your supermarket, choose turkey that has been raised without antibiotics. Also look for organic apples, celery, potatoes, and green beans because these holiday favorites are among the fruits and vegetables that typically carry the highest pesticide residues.

• Support genetic diversity.

Please read the full article: http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/

For vegans, turkeys make good pets only

For vegans, turkeys make good pets only
By Natasha Lee
Staff Writer
November 22, 2007
Link to full article below

NORWALK -- The traditional Thanksgiving feast features a golden roasted turkey flanked by mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

But recent emphasis on healthy eating and the environmental effect of meat diets on global warming has many opting for alternatives this Turkey Day.

Vegan Priscilla Feral has ditched typical Thanksgiving dishes for those based on soy and inspired by vegetables.

Feral, president of the Friends of Animals, a nonprofit advocacy group, adopted a vegan lifestyle 15 years ago and has been championing a plant-based diet for more than 20 years.

"I don't think there's a benefit in meat. I dispute it. The more we get away from meat, the better we are," Feral said yesterday from her kitchen as she gathered ingredients for her chestnut soup.

Feral's "veganized" menu has all the fixings with appetizers, a main course and dessert.

For starters, guests will enjoy carrot pate seasoned with olive oil, dill and miso. There are side dishes of green beans with almonds cooked with vegan margarine and Feral's favorite, mashed Yukon potatoes whipped with soy creamer, sea salt and chives.

The main dish, tempeh London broil, a soy bean-based cake marinated in olive oil, wine, lemon juice and tamari -- a wheat-free soy sauce -- is a "crowd pleaser," Feral said.

The meal is topped off with a choice of dairy-free spiced pumpkin cheesecake or apple crisp.

To read the full article: http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/local/scn-gt-a1vegan.11.22sdmnov22,0,5088979.story?coll=green-news-local-headlines
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