The Sweet Smell of … Cardiovascular Hazards?

The Sweet Smell of … Cardiovascular Hazards?
By Jennifer McPartland , Ph.D., is a Health Scientist
and
Kyle Ward is an intern in EDF's Health Program
August 15, 2012

When you think of air fresheners what is the first thing that comes to mind? Fresh spring flowers? French vanilla? Reduced Heart Rate Variability? While that last one may not be on everyone’s mind, it certainly has been for one team of scientists. They have recently conducted the first study ever to examine the potential for exposure to household cleaning sprays, air fresheners and scented products to adversely affect people’s cardiovascular systems. Their findings, published in last month’s Environmental Health Perspectives, show a linkage between long-term use of household sprays and scented products and reduced heart rate variability (HRV). Reduced HRV is associated with increased risk for a host of negative health effects ranging from heart attack to death.

READ FULL ARTICLE: http://blogs.edf.org/nanotechnology/2012/08/15/the-sweet-smell-of-cardiovascular-hazards/?utm_source=NewsSlice%3A+October+is+Children%27s+Health+Month%21&utm_campaign=NewsSlice&utm_medium=email

Is Earth Screwed? Scientist Says Yes, and He's Not Even Talking About the Outcome of COP18

Is Earth Screwed? Scientist Says Yes, and He's Not Even Talking About the Outcome of COP18
by Mat McDermott
December 4, 2012

Talk about great timing: COP18 is over, after two weeks of the usual brinksmanship bargaining adding up to virtually nothing worthwhile (if the goal is still to actually come up with a political deal to combat climate change).

And now, as io9 reports, we have scientific data proving something that many TreeHugger readers, climate change politics watchers, biodiversity wonks, anti-deforestation activists, consumer culture critics already probably know, or at least fear, deep down in their hearts: Earth is fucked.

READ FULL ARTICLE: http://www.treehugger.com/economics/is-earth-fcked-scientist-says-yes-and-hes-not-even-talking-about-outcome-cop18.html

Runner Rich Roll: Vegan diet helped me lose 50 lbs and become an ultra-athlete

Runner Rich Roll: Vegan diet helped me lose 50 lbs and become an ultra-athlete
BY SAMANTHA CHANG
OCTOBER 30, 2012

Excerpt; link to full article below
"After day three [on a vegan diet], I had so much energy. I was bouncing off the walls."

Ultra-marathoner and fitness-book author Rich Roll lost 50 pounds, kicked a longtime alcohol and drug addiction and became an elite athlete thanks to a vegan diet.

Roll, a Stanford-educated entertainment attorney, got a huge wake-up call in 2007, when was 40 and overweight. Fearing he was on a brink of a heart attack, Rich made the drastic switch to a plant-based, vegan diet in 2006 and has never felt healthier or looked fitter. READ THE FULL ARTICLE: http://www.examiner.com/article/runner-rich-roll-vegan-diet-helped-me-lost-50-lbs-and-become-an-ultra-athlete

Walnuts (nutrition data & recipes)

Walnuts

Walnuts have been with us for quite some time. While the first historical accounts of them date back to 2000 BC, archeologists have found fossils suggesting walnuts first appeared considerably earlier. In fact, they are known as the oldest tree-food. Walnuts were brought to the United States from England in the mid19th century, and are now cultivated in many countries around the world.

As for the health benefits and stress-reducing qualities of the nut: It contains alpha-linolenic acid, an Omega-3 fatty acid, plus other polyphenols that aid in the prevention of memory loss. And a study by the National Institutes of Health reported that the Omega-3 fatty acids present in walnuts help regulate the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. READ THE FULL ARTICLE: http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/foods-we-love-walnuts?source=email&utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Foods+We+Love%3A+Walnuts&utm_content=dlyplzr%40yahoo.com&utm_campaign=7Gen+-+October+25%2C+2012

Eating More Produce Could Prevent Cancer: Study

Eating More Produce Could Prevent Cancer: Study
By Bridget Goldschmidt
Oct 22, 2012

An estimated 20,000 cancers could be prevented if half of all Americans just ate one more serving of fruits and vegetables daily, a recent peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology has found. Read the full article: http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/health-wellness/id36508/eating-more-produce-could-prevent-cancer-study/

Listeria concerns prompt meat, poultry recall

Listeria concerns prompt meat, poultry recall

LJD Holdings Inc., doing business as B and D Foods, a Boise, Idaho establishment, is recalling 33,500 pounds of fully cooked meat and poultry products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Friday.

Please read article by Tom Johnston: http://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/39239

The woman bringing horror of 'human branding' to Britain: Vegan to mark volunteer with hot iron in protest against animal cruelty

The woman bringing horror of 'human branding' to Britain: Vegan to mark volunteer with hot iron in protest against animal cruelty

 

...on March 21, in broad daylight on a London street, grammar school-educated BeckyFolkard will brand a man, on his chest, with the # 269, in order to protest animal cruelty.

Please read this article with details by Jo Macfarlane:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2265109/The-woman-bringing-horror-human-branding-Britain-Vegan-mark-volunteer-hot-iron-protest-animal-cruelty.html

[Click to read 192 comments:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2265109/The-woman-bringing-horror-human-branding-Britain-Vegan-mark-volunteer-hot-iron-protest-animal-cruelty.html#comments ]

Sue Austin: Deep sea diving … in a wheelchair

When Sue Austin got a power chair 16 years ago, she felt a tremendous sense of freedom -- yet others looked at her as though she had lost something. In her art, she aims to convey the spirit of wonder she feels wheeling through the world. Includes thrilling footage of an underwater wheelchair that lets her explore ocean beds, drifting through schools of fish, floating free in 360 degrees. (Filmed at TEDxWomen.)

In repurposing her wheelchair to create fantastical art, Sue Austin reshapes how we think about disability. 

Please view this wonderful video about this incredible woman! http://www.ted.com/talks/sue_austin_deep_sea_diving_in_a_wheelchair.html

Vegan recipes: Spicy Pumpkin Soup, Nara’s Potato Veggie Vegan Yum Soup

McDougall Recipes

PLEASE SEE MANY MORE AT THEIR SITE: http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2012nl/nov/recipes.htm

Spicy Pumpkin Soup
This soup is spicy, yet creamy, a perfect first course for your holiday dinner. It’s easy to prepare ahead and reheat just before serving, another plus for those busy family mealtimes.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8-10 as a first course

2 ¼ cups vegetable broth
1 small mild onion, diced
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 15 ounce can plain pumpkin
1 ½ cups non-dairy milk

Place ¼ cup of the vegetable broth in a large soup pot with the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until onion becomes very soft. Stir in all the spices and mix well. Add remaining broth and pumpkin and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the non-dairy milk and heat through.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot until smooth. (Or remove in batches to a blender and process until smooth. Return to pan.) Soup may be refrigerated for later reheating at this time.
Heat slowly, being careful not to boil, and serve in small soup bowls as a first course for your holiday meals.
Hints: 1 ½ cups of any type of cooked, pureed winter squash may be used in place of the canned pumpkin. Try Butternut or Acorn for the richest flavor. If using canned pumpkin, be sure to buy the plain pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie mix variety.

Nara’s Potato Veggie Vegan Yum Soup 
Serves 4

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced small
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, diced large
1 patty pan squash, diced large* 
4 cups (or one carton) of veggie broth
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 large handful of spinach
¼ cup cashews
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

*(or whatever tickles your fancy from the farmer’s market)

Saute garlic and onion in a splash of veggie broth. Add the remaining veggie broth, potato and patty pan squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Turn off heat. Take 1 cup of soup (broth, veggies and all) and place in blender with cashews and nutritional yeast to make a “cheesy” sauce. Add spinach, garbanzo beans and blended sauce to the pot. Stir and cook 3 minutes more. Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper as desired. Enjoy! Yum!

Mary’s note: This recipe was sent to me by a long-time follower, Jen Duffie. She says her daughter, Nara, age 9, is very adventurous in the kitchen. She goes to the farmer’s markets and spends her own money on whatever interesting fruits and vegetables her $5 will buy and then comes home and concocts her own recipes and names them. This recipe is a particular favorite and Nara asked her mom to send it to me. I think it is fantastic that Nara is starting out at an early age loving to cook delicious foods in her family kitchen. She is an inspiration for all young people to get in the kitchen and start cooking!

Growing consideration for hemp

Growing consideration for hemp
December 19, 2012 

Excerpt; click link below to read full article
In this year's November elections, history was made as Washington and Colorado became the first states to pass ballot initiatives to legalize the use of marijuana for recreational use. However, advocates of hemp, a plant you cannot get high from, are still working to change laws that will legalize its production in the U.S., the only industrialized country in the world where it is illegal to grow.

Why does hemp get a bad rap? Simply put, it is part of the Cannabis sativa L species, which also includes marijuana. However, unlike marijuana, hemp is a low THC variety that will not act as a psychoactive drug, and is grown for the use of its seeds, oil and fiber. READ THE FULL ARTICLE : http://www.supermarketguru.com/articles/growing-consideration-for-hemp.html

Focus on the Fight Against Obesity with Coca-Cola

Focus on the Fight Against Obesity with Coca-Cola
Monday December 24, 2012

Excerpt; Click link below to read full article
Established in 1886, The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company offering more than 500 sparkling and still brands that include Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Fanta®, Sprite®, Coca-Cola Zero™, vitaminwater®, POWERADE®, Minute Maid® and Georgia™ Coffee. Consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of nearly 1.8 billion servings a day. We talked to the Coca-Cola Live Positively team in 2010 about their initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where they operate. Recently, we caught up with Ben Sheidler, Sr. Manager, Public Affairs & Communications for Coca-Cola, about their current efforts to tackle one of our planet’s biggest health crises – the fight against obesity.

Why is the fight against obesity an issue related to sustainability?

At Coca-Cola, we believe our business is only as strong as the communities in which we operate. That means we have a role to play when it comes to addressing global challenges, like obesity.  Read the full article: http://www.foodnutritionscience.com/index.cfm/do/monsanto.article/articleId/697.cfm

Superfoods that Fight Colds

Superfoods That Fight Colds
by Amanda MacMillan
Saturday, January 5, 2013

Excerpt; Click link to read full article

They say you are what you eat, so it makes sense that eating healthy foods can help you stay, er, healthy.

"You can't underestimate the importance of good nutrition when it comes to...your immune system," says Karen Ansel, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants—these are what keeps your body strong, and without them you're not giving your body the edge it needs to ward off infection."  Read the list of foods and full article: http://health.yahoo.net/articles/healthcare/photos/superfoods-fight-colds#0

Neal Barnard MD -- Go vegan to avoid Alzheimer's (VIDEO)

Neal Barnard MD -- Go vegan to avoid Alzheimer's (VIDEO)
12/17/12

TO WATCH VIDEO (10 minutes):

http://www.vegsource.com/news/2012/12/neal-barnard-md----go-vegan-to-avoid-alzheimers-video.html

Everyone knows by now that fruits and vegetables promote health, and animal products promote disease.

Just this month another in the thousands of studies -- this one showing that over the 20 year study period, of men who had prostate cancer, those who ate a lot of fruits and veggies were 40% less likely to have the aggressive, fatal form of prostate cancer than those who ate more animal products. 

That's cancer. But what about your brain? 

Today we bring you a fascinating excerpt from a recent presentation by venerated researcher and PCRM president -- Neal Barnard MD. 

Listen as Dr. Barnard tells what research clearly shows about the decline of the brain -- and most importantly, how you can dramatically reduce your chances of becoming an Alzheimer's statistic.

Do not miss this! Share it with everyone you know.

More Chickens May Be Boiled Alive Under USDA’s New Proposed Rule

More Chickens May Be Boiled Alive Under USDA’s New Proposed Rule
by Piper Hoffman
December 18, 2012

Excerpt; click link to read full article
At poultry slaughterhouses, chickens whiz past workers at the rate of 35 per minute per inspector, getting various parts cut off. At one of the early stations their throats are cut, so it wouldn’t seem to make any difference to the chicken how fast the rest of the production line goes, except for this: some of them are still conscious.

Now the USDA is preparing to implement a rule that would increase that speed to 175 per minute per inspector. Inspectors would have less time to examine birds, meaning that “plant employees [would] replace federal government inspectors for certain inspection activities.” In other words, slaughterhouses would, to a significant extent, police themselves. READ THE FULL ARTICLE: http://www.care2.com/causes/more-chickens-may-be-boiled-alive-under-usdas-new-proposed-rule.html

Sign the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/472/776/333/dont-speed-up-the-lines-in-poultry-slaughterhouses/

Who will serve on Obama’s second-term green team?

Who will serve on Obama’s second-term green team?
By Lisa Hymas

Excerpt: Click link to read article

Who will the president pick to fill all these empty chairs?
Much of President Obama’s green team is moving on to greener pastures. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced last month that she’ll be retiring soon, and Energy Secretary Steven Chu is expected to follow suit. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is said to be mulling over his future. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood appears to be undecided as well, and there’s a chance that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack could leave.

Lesser-known but still critical positions are up in the air too. Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has announced her resignation.  Read the full article: http://grist.org/politics/who-will-serve-on-obamas-second-term-green-team/?utm_campaign=daily

Eating veggies could slow cancer

Eating veggies could slow cancer: studies
by Graham Osborne
October 2, 2012 

Excerpt; click link to read full article

Can eating your veggies really help to fight cancer and other chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes?

New research has found that dozens of plant-based compounds can slow the spread of many common cancers – including breast, skin, lung, prostate, colorectal and others – by turning on cancer-fighting, metastasis suppressor genes.

The discovery ... gives us a mechanism to explain the observations that people on ‘healthy diets’ are less prone to developing cancer.  FULL ARTICLE: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/eating-vegies-could-slow-cancer-studies-20121001-26v4n.html 

How to Lower Blood Pressure: Eat a Pomegranate

How to Lower Blood Pressure: Eat a Pomegranate
By Mehmet C. Oz, MD, and Michael F. Roizen, MD
Excerpt; to read full article click link

Considering how many things don't live up to their hype (e.g., door-buster sales, Congressional committees, Snooki), you gotta give it to the pomegranate. Every year or so, another study rolls in reinforcing its rep as a superfood that’s good for fighting everything from inflammation to tumor growth. Soon they'll be up there with blueberries and walnuts.

The latest report: If someone you love (you?) has high blood pressure, heart-threatening high triglycerides (over 100), or low heart-protective HDL cholesterol (under 50), put pomegranate juice on your weekly grocery list. Drinking just 10 ounces of it a week for a year could impressively improve all three. READ FULL ARTICLE: http://www.realage.com/high-blood-pressure/how-to-lower-blood-pressure-eat-a-pomegranate?eid=1010665719&memberid=50816488

Tai chi: A gentle way to fight stress.

Tai chi: A gentle way to fight stress. 
By Mayo Clinic staff

Excerpt; for full article click link

Tai chi involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner. 

If you're looking for a way to reduce stress, consider tai chi (TIE-CHEE). Originally developed for self-defense, tai chi has evolved into a graceful form of exercise that's now used for stress reduction and a variety of other health conditions. Often described as meditation in motion, tai chi promotes serenity through gentle, flowing movements. 

What is tai chi?
Tai chi is an ancient Chinese tradition that, today, is practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing. 

Tai chi, also called tai chi chuan, is a noncompetitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion. 

Full article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tai-chi/SA00087/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=housecall&pubDate=10/10/2012

What does "free range" really mean for your eggs?

What Does “Free Range” Really Mean For Your Eggs?
by Piper Hoffman
October 10, 2012

Article Excerpt here; Follow link for full article

Would you prefer to buy eggs from hens who lived a pleasant life, with access to the outdoors and the chance to play, instead of eggs from factory-farmed, intensively confined hens?

That’s nice, but good luck trying. The claims egg producers make on their packages, like “free-range,” mean nothing, and more specific claims about happy chickens may be false. READ FULL ARTICLE: http://www.care2.com/causes/what-does-free-range-really-mean-for-your-eggs.html 

Never Throw Food Away Again

Never Throw Food Away Again
ARTICLE EXCERPT: Follow Link below to read full article
By Leah Zerbe

Americans waste almost half of their food, according to a new report.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—America wastes an astounding 40 percent of its food, a statistic that has doubled since 1974, according to new research published in the journal PLoS ONE found. And it's not just trashed food that gets wasted, but also tons of the food and water used to grow, harvest, process, and transport the food, the study authors say.

"Food waste in America has become a very large problem that significantly drains national resources," explains study coauthor Kevin Hall, PhD, of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. For example, about one quarter of the total consumption of fresh water in the United States is used to produce food that is not eaten, the study authors found. Furthermore, more than 300 million barrels of oil, or about 4 percent of the nation's oil consumption, is used to produce wasted food—and that figure doesn't even include the costs for processing and transporting food. Read full article: http://www.rodale.com/food-waste?cm_mmc=TheDailyFixNL-_-1084162-_-10242012-_-never_throw_food_away_again