|
|
|
Issue 132
|
5110 Kali Era, Sarvadhari
Year, Margasira
month
2066
Vikramarka Era, Sarvadhari
Year, Margasira
month
1930
Salivahana
Era, Sarvadhari
Year, Margasira
month
2008
AD, December
|
Contents
|
Home
Management
AJIN
TSJ
MS
Vegetarian Links
Disclaimer
Soliciataion
Contact
VPC
More Links
Vedah
|
|
Diet and Exercise
Broccoli Protects Against Cancer
A compound found in broccoli may help protect against lung cancer, according
to results of a study with mice reported in Cancer Prevention Research December
2008. The results suggest smokers and second-hand smokers could
benefit from upping their intake of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli
and cauliflower that contain the compound indole-3-carbinol (I3C).
The expert advice is clearly to avoid tobacco smoke altogether and eat broccoli.
An increased intake of cruciferous vegetables may slash the risk of bladder
cancer by 36 per cent, according to research that attributes the benefits
to the isothiocyanate content in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention
1st April 2008. Writing in the journal Food Chemistry, Canadian researchers
agree that extracts from cruciferous, dark green and Allium vegetables show
the highest anti-cancer potential.
The anti-cancer properties of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and
cauliflower, are not new and previous studies have related these benefits
to the high levels of active plant chemicals called glucosinolates. These
are metabolised by the body into isothiocynates, and evidence suggests these
are powerful anti-carcinogens. The main isothiocynate from broccoli, for
example, is sulforaphane. Other studies have proposed that the compound
indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytochemical found naturally in cruciferous vegetables,
could also have potential prevention activity against hormone-responsive
tumours, such as breast, ovarian and prostate cancer.
Fruits
and Veggies Reduce Risk
Certain breast cancer survivors who load up on fruits and vegetables, eating
far more than current U.S. guidelines, can slash their risk the tumors will
come back by nearly a third, according to a U.S. study released. The
finding only held for women who did not have hot flashes after their cancer
therapy, the researchers said -- a finding that suggests fruits and vegetables
act on estrogen. The report is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
As estrogen drives the most common type of breast cancer, this suggests that
eating extra servings of fruits and vegetables -- above and beyond the five
servings a day recommended by the U.S. government -- may lower harmful estrogen
levels in cancer survivors, the researchers said. Such a diet
has been shown to lower overall risk of ever getting breast cancer in the
first place. Women who had been through menopause lowered their risk
by 47 percent if they loaded up on salads, fruit and other plant food.
Fruit
Extract Improves Cognition
Old lab rats fed a diet supplemented with a compound from berries and grapes
called pterostilbene performed better in mental challenges than their un-supplemented
counterparts, says a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry. The results indicated that in aging rats pterostilbene
was effective in reversing the decline in cognitive function that occurs
with naturally with age, and that precedes diseases such as Alzheimer's.
The improvements in the working memory of the animals was associated with
pterostilbene levels in the hippocampus region of the brain. The study
adds to the growing body of science supporting intakes of berries and grapes
to potential health benefits that has filtered through to consumers and boosted
sales of berries and foods formulated with them.
The same researchers reported previously that extracts from blueberries and
strawberries could protect against the oxidative stress behind aging, and
could even protect astronauts from dangerous galactic radiation. The study,
partly funded by NASA and published in the journal Neurobiology and Aging
(doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.05.031), reported that rats fed a diet
supplemented with either strawberry or blueberry extracts for eight weeks
before exposure to the radiation were protected from some of the reductions
in brain function.
Dementia,
Carbohydrates and Taichi
A new study from the psychology department at Tufts University shows that
when dieters eliminate carbohydrates from their meals, they performed more
poorly on memory-based tasks than when they reduce calories, but maintain
carbohydrates. Glucose is the fuel for humans. While the brain
uses glucose as its primary fuel, it has no way of storing it. Rather, the
body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is carried to the brain
through the blood stream and used immediately by nerve cells for energy.
Reduced carbohydrate intake, naturally, reduces the brain’s source of energy.
Therefore, diets low in carbohydrates would affect cognitive skills.
Mice that were fed a fast food diet rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol for
nine months developed a preliminary stage of the morbid irregularities that
form in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. The study results were published
in a doctoral thesis from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet
(KI). Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, there being
roughly 90,000 patients with the disease in Sweden today. The underlying
causes of Alzheimer’s disease are still something of a mystery, but there
are a number of known risk factors. The most common is a variant of a certain
gene that governs the production of apolipoprotein E, one of the functions
of which is to transport cholesterol. The gene variant is called apoE4 and
is found in 15-20 per cent of the population. Previous research has
shown that a phenomenon known as oxidative stress in the brain and a relatively
low intake of dietary antioxidants can also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Reducing the amount of dietary fat and empty calories may improve memory
and help reduce the negative effects of stress and aging on thinking and
learning, recent animal studies suggest.
Those diagnosed with early stage dementia can slow their physical, mental
and psychological decline by taking part in therapeutic programs that combine
counseling, support groups, Taichi and qigong, researchers report. Some of
the benefits of this approach are comparable to those achieved with anti-dementia
medications. The findings are detailed in the American Journal of Alzheimer's
Disease and Other Dementias. Qigong is a series of integrated exercises
believed to positively affect the mind, body and spirit. Taichi is a type
of qigong that melds Chinese philosophy with martial and healing arts.
Nuts Reduce
Risk of Cancer
Eating a handful of nuts a day for a year -- along with a diet rich in fruit,
vegetables and foods containing omega-3 oils -- may help undo a collection
of risk factors for heart disease. Spanish researchers found that adding
nuts worked better than boosting the olive oil in a typical Mediterranean
diet, reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Both regimens cut the
heart risks known as metabolic syndrome in more people than a low-fat diet
did. the people who improved most were told to eat about three whole walnuts,
seven or eight whole hazelnuts and seven or eight whole almonds. They didn't
lose weight, on average, but more of them succeeded in reducing belly fat
and improving their cholesterol and blood pressure. Nuts are rich in
anti-inflammatory substances, such as fiber, and antioxidants, such as vitamin
E. They are high in unsaturated fat, a healthier fat known to lower blood
triglycerides and increase good cholesterol.
Peanuts
A recent study has revealed that peanut protein is good for heart health.
It has been known for sometime that peanut oil is conducive to good heart
health, but new research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural
Research Service shed light on the other health benefits of peanut protein.
A previous study on the health benefits of eating peanuts revealed that the
risk of heart disease could be reduced by as much as 50% by eating just one
serving of peanut butter or raw peanuts every day. Additionally, the
risk of developing diabetes was reduced by 25% by the same peanut consumption.
At the time these results were understood to be due to the oils and fats
within peanuts. This new study revealed the benefits of peanuts outside of
the fat and oil content. Peanuts provide a variety of different nutrients
including antioxidants, fats, fibre, arginine, foliate, vitamin E and niacin.
In the U.S. it is the most commonly consumed nut. The study details
and results were revealed at the New Orleans meeting of the Institute of
Food Technologists 2008.
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B-3 is part of the B complex group and is commonly known as niacinamide
or niacin. The best sources of Vitamin B-3 are peanuts, cereal bran
or germ, whole grain or lightly milled cereals. Niacin is present in plant
products such as grains, cereal, beans, peas and other legumes; while niacinamide
is present in animal products such as milk. Like other B vitamins, grains
and cereals are the main source of vitamin B-3 in the human diet. Because
processing and preservation methods destroy vitamins, flour, rice, pasta,
breakfast cereal, infant formula and baby food are routinely fortified to
ensure that people have an adequate amount in their diets. Vitamin B-3 is
also available in multivitamin tablets and capsules for over-the-counter
use by consumers.
As food is digested, vitamin B-3 metabolizes the carbohydrates, fats and
proteins. Our bodies produce vitamin B-3 from the amino acid tryptophan.
In the 1940s, recognizing the diseases and other problems associated with
vitamin deficiencies, food manufacturers began fortifying grains, cereals,
baby formula and other foods to ensure adequate amounts of vitamins in the
diet. For example, prior to the 1940s, a deficiency in vitamin B-3 would
often result in pellagra - a disease that causes diarrhea, skin disorders,
fatigue, muscular weakness and mental disorders. Today, the disease is almost
unheard of in industrialized countries, because most foods are fortified
with vitamin B-3. Also, vitamin B-3 may aid in the treatment of diseases
such as high cholesterol, diabetes and schizophrenia. As a vitamin,
the daily recommended intake is 15 milligrams, but niacin is used in much
larger doses to treat various conditions, e.g., Niaspan, Simcor, Advicor
etc.
Toxic side effects from taking large amounts of niacin include skin irritation,
nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and life-threatening reactions such as liver
toxicity, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and disrupted heart rhythms.
Processed Foods
Common food additives known as phosphates may help lung cancer tumors grow
faster, at least in mice, South Korean researchers reported in the American
Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Their tests in mice
suggest the additives found in many soft drinks, baked goods and processed
meats and cheese may also help tumors develop in the first place. Lung cancer
is by far the most common cancer killer around the world; killing 1.2 million
people a year. Smoking is the most common cause. However, many smokers
do not develop lung cancer. Other factors like diet may help tumors
develop and spread.
|
|
Miscellaneous
Sleep well and be healthy
Sleeping an extra hour a night may help control coronary artery calcification,
a major risk factor for heart disease. The effect, reported in the
Dec. 24 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, was so
strong that the researchers concluded that one extra hour of sleep was the
equivalent of lowering systolic blood pressure to a normal 120 from 136.
Over all, the test group averaged 6.1 hours of sleep a night. But after controlling
for age, blood pressure, cholesterol and other factors, those who averaged
an extra hour’s sleep every night reduced their risk of calcification by about
one-third.
Depression and Obesity
Older people with depression are at risk of developing visceral fat associated
with increased risk of diabetes and heart disease, according to a study published
in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Antidepressant use didn't change
the result, the researchers found. The researchers did not take into account
the participants’ eating habits, but they found no link between depression
and BMI or percentage of body fat. Other researchers have suggested
that depression triggers high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which
in turn lead to visceral fat building up.
A Few Pounds
Can Kill You
Being just seven pounds overweight can raise the risk of heart failure, a
study has found in the journal Circulation. Heart failure, also known
as congestive heart failure, is a deadly condition in which the heart is
unable to pump enough blood round the body. The risk of suffering from
the condition increased by 180 per cent in men classed as obese according
to their body mass index (BMI) and by 49 per cent in men classed as overweight.
It also found that regardless of how much exercise a person does, those with
a higher body mass index also have a higher risk of heart failure.
According to the British Heart Foundation, heart failure affects more than
900,000 middle-aged and elderly men and women in the UK, most of which have
permanent, irreversible damage to the pump function of the heart. In rare
cases it can also affect the young. Heart failure can lead to conditions
such as coronary artery disease and high blood pressure which leave the heart
too weak or stiff to fill or pump blood efficiently.
Family
Behavior Responsible for Obesity Equally
Obesity can run in families, but family lifestyle has just as much to do
with teenagers' weight as their genes do, new research shows in American
Journal of Sociology, December 10, 2008. What we do as a family -- our family
lifestyles -- matters for weight. Lifestyles aren't just about individual
behaviors. The study is the first to demonstrate that the connection
between parents and children's weight is social as well as genetic.
In fact, the influence of inactivity and meal frequency on the likelihood
that a child would be overweight was as powerful as the effect of having
a parent who was obese.
Obese children may be damaging their thyroids, creating a vicious cycle of
metabolism and overweight, Italian researchers reported in the Journal of
Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Obesity may cause inflammation
that damages the thyroid, which secretes hormones to regulate metabolism
and other important functions. Low thyroid function can be linked to weight
gain, although stimulating the thyroid does not automatically cause weight
loss. Losing weight, however, has been shown to restore thyroid function
in some cases.
Cancer
in RICh (Russia India China) Countries
Concerned about smoking’s impact on cancer rates in developing countries
in the decades to come, the American Cancer Society announced that it would
provide a smoking cessation counseling service in India.
Cancer will overtake heart disease as the world's top killer by 2010, part
of a trend that should more than double global cancer cases and deaths by
2030, international health experts said in a report. Rising tobacco use in
developing countries is believed to be a huge reason for the shift, particularly
in China and India, where 40 percent of the world's smokers now live.
So is better diagnosing of cancer, along with the downward trend in infectious
diseases that used to be the world's leading killers. Cancer diagnoses
around the world have steadily been rising and are expected to hit 12 million
this year. Global cancer deaths are expected to reach 7 million, according
to the new report by the World Health Organization. An annual rise of 1 percent
in cases and deaths is expected -- with even larger increases in Russia,
India and China (RICh). That means new cancer cases will likely mushroom
to 27 million annually by 2030, with deaths hitting 17 million. Underlying
all this is an expected expansion of the world's population -- there will
be more people around to get cancer. By 2030, there could be 75 million
people living with cancer around the world, a number that many health care
systems are not equipped to handle.
Positive Psychology
Positive Psychology is a new branch of psychology which focuses on the empirical
study of such things as positive emotions, strengths-based character, and
healthy institutions. It has been demonstrated that it is possible to be
happier — to feel more satisfied, to be more engaged with life, find more
meaning, have higher hopes, and probably even laugh and smile more, regardless
of one’s circumstances. Positive psychology interventions can also lastingly
decrease depression symptoms. The research underlying these rigorously tested
interventions is presented in the July/August 2005 edition of the American
Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychology Association. http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx
The term "positive psychology" encompasses a variety of techniques that encourage
people to identify and further develop their positive emotions, experiences
and character traits. It was developed as a way to foster well-being and
optimal functioning in healthy people. But positive psychology techniques
are now being promoted as a complement to established forms of therapy.
University of Pennsylvania psychologist Martin E.P. Seligman, Ph.D., a well-known
advocate of positive psychology, has described its core philosophy as a "build
what's strong" approach that can augment the "fix what's wrong" approach
of more traditional psychotherapy. Seligman and a fellow psychologist, Christopher
Peterson, Ph.D., have identified various strengths or qualities that enable
people to thrive: curiosity, zest, wisdom and courage. http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Entry.aspx?rurl=http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/tests/SameAnswers_t.aspx?id=266
Another pioneer in the field, Harvard psychiatrist George E. Vaillant, sees
positive psychology as a way to encourage patients to focus on positive emotions
and build strengths. It supplements psychotherapy, which focuses on negative
emotions, like anger and sorrow.
When you're smiling, the whole world really does smile with you. A paper
published in a British medical journal concludes that happiness is contagious
and that people pass on their good cheer even to total strangers.
Dangerous
Drug Combos for Older Adults
Millions of older Americans are using risky combinations of medications and
supplements, according to a study published in the Journal of the American
Medical Association. The risky combinations included the clot-fighting
drug warfarin with aspirin, both of which raise the risk of bleeding; aspirin
with over-the-counter ginkgo supplements, which also increase the risk of
bleeding; the blood pressure drug lisinopril with potassium, which can cause
abnormal heart rhythms; and statins with over-the-counter niacin, which increases
the risk of muscle damage.
Antibiotics
Cause Liver Damage
Antibiotics are the single largest class of agents that cause idiosyncratic
drug-induced liver injury (DILI), reports a new study in Gastroenterology,
an official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)
Institute. DILI is the most common cause of death from acute liver failure
and accounts for approximately 13 percent of cases of acute liver failure
in the U.S. It is caused by a wide variety of prescription and nonprescription
medications, nutritional supplements and herbals.
History of Veganism
Rig Veda, thousands of years old oral scripture of ancient Indians, says:
"You must not use your God-given body for killing God's
creatures, whether they are human, animal or whatever." - Yajur Veda 12.32.90
(>10,000 -5,000 BC)
Indian vegetarianism dates back to about 10,000 BC and beyond. However,
vegetarianism in India, whether in ancient India or modern India, is very
much limited to a tiny percent of the population, ranging from about 2% to
about 10% depending upon the region. Accordingly, Vedas clearly indicate
the existence of ritualistic meat eating practices, together with vegetarian
practices. During Ramyana period, Rama was a meat eater, but his devotee
Sabari was a fruitarian and Mathanga Rishi and his disciples were fruitarians
too (http://members.rediff.com/saivani/Sabari.htm).
Similarly, most Rishis, Priests, and Brahmins were vegetarians during Ramayana
and Mahabharata times.
Below is an article from Time magazine on Veganism in the Western world,
where vegetarianism or veganism is considered strange or extreme.
(http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1854996,00.html)
November 1 is World Vegan Day, a celebration of people who don't eat meat.
Or eggs. Or cheese. Or mayonnaise. Or honey. Or whey. Or gelatin. Or anything
that comes from or includes an animal. Nor do they use any clothing, accessory
or object made from an animal. No leather, no wool, no pearls, no ivory-keyed
pianos. The animal-free holiday began in 1994, to commemorate the 50th anniversary
of the Vegan Society.
Veganism is an extreme form of vegetarianism, and though the term was coined
in 1944, the concept of flesh-avoidance can be traced back to ancient Indian
and eastern Mediterranean societies. Vegetarianism is first mentioned by
the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras of Samos around 500 BCE.
In addition to his theorem about right triangles, Pythagoras promoted benevolence
among all species, including humans. Followers of Buddhism, Hinduism, and
Jainism also advocated vegetarianism, believing that humans should not inflict
pain on other animals.
The meatless lifestyle never really caught on in the West, although it would
sometimes pop up during health crazes and religious revivals. The Ephrata
Cloister, a strict religious sect founded in 1732 in Pennsylvania, advocated
vegetarianism — as well as celibacy. The 18th century utilitarian philosopher
Jeremy Bentham believed that animal suffering was just as serious as human
suffering, and likened the idea of human superiority to racism.
The first vegetarian society was formed in 1847 in England. Three years later,
Rev. Sylvester Graham, the inventor of Graham crackers, co-founded the American
Vegetarian Society. Graham was a Presbyterian minister and his followers,
called Grahamites, obeyed his instructions for a virtuous life: vegetarianism,
temperance, abstinence, and frequent bathing. In November 1944, a British
woodworker named Donald Watson announced that because vegetarians ate dairy
and eggs, he was going to create a new term called "vegan," to describe people
who did not. Tuberculosis had been found in 40% of Britain's dairy cows the
year before, and Watson used this to his advantage, claiming that it proved
the vegan lifestyle protected people from tainted food. Three months after
coining the term, he issued a formal explanation of the way the word should
be pronounced: "Veegan, not Veejan," he wrote in his new Vegan Society newsletter,
which had 25 subscribers. By the time Watson died at age 95 in 2005, there
were 250,000 self-identifying vegans in Britain and 2 million in the U.S.
Moby, Woody Harrelson and Fiona Apple are vegans. So is Dennis Kucinich.
Strict veganism prohibits the use of animal product, even if it isn't food,
but like any lifestyle choice that ends in "-ism," there are plenty of people
who cheat. The vitamin B12 is found almost entirely in animal products, so
many vegans eat fortified food or take a vitamin to get the right amount.
And while American vegetarianism has broken free of its philosophical and
religious roots, becoming an accepted health choice — many restaurants offer
vegetarian options and most dinner party planners now ask "is anyone vegetarian?"
before planning the menu — veganism is still tied to the animal-rights movement
and is out there on the fringe.
Vegans can be as strict or lax as they want to be in their food choices:
the International Vegetarian Union's website includes vegan-friendly reminders
about baking pans greased with animal fat, grain cereals that include animal-based
glycerin, and sugar refined with bone charcoal. Then there's raw veganism,
which is an offshoot of veganism in which none of the food can be cooked.
Take that a step further and you get "mono meals," the idea that the stomach
should only digest one type of food at a time. Basically, if you eat it,
there is probably someone else out there who won't.
|
Recipes
|
Vegetarian
Chestnut Soup
Ingredients: 3 tbsp margarine; 1 carrot, minced; 1 rib celery, minced; 1
onion, minced; 6 cups strong vegetable broth; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley;
1/4 tsp ground cloves; 2 bay leaves; 12 oz roasted and peeled chestnuts;
1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk; Salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation: In a large soup or stock pot, sautee the carrot, celery and
onion in margarine until very soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the vegetable
broth and stir well. Add the parsley, cloves, bay leaves and chestnuts. Bring
to a boil and allow to simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove from
heat and puree the soup in a blender or process until desired consistency
is reached. Return the soup to the pot. Over medium low heat, stir in the
soy milk and allow to cook until heated through. Season generously with salt
and pepper before serving. http://vegetarian.about.com/od/soupssalads/r/chestnutsoup.htm?nl=1
Top 10 Vegetarian
Recipes
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/shoppingproducts/tp/topten2008.htm?nl=1
|
|
Notice: This material contains only
general descriptions and is not a solicitation
to sell any insurance product or security, nor is
it intended as any financial, tax, medical or health care advice.
For information about specific needs or situations, contact
your financial, tax agent or physician.
Back
to the Top
|
Source: The
primary sources cited above,
New York Times (NYT), Washington
Post (WP), Mercury News, Bayarea.com,
Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Intellihealthnews,
Deccan Chronicle (DC),
the Hindu, Hindustan Times, Times
of India, AP, Reuters, AFP, womenfitness.net,
about.com
etc.
|
|
|
|
