Issue 148

5112 Kali Era , Vikruthi Year, Chaitra month
2068 Vikramarka Era, Vikruthi Year, Chaitra month
1932 Salivahana Era, Vikruthi Year, Chaitra month
2010 AD, April

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	Diet and Exercise Blue Berries, Yoga and Nap Flax Reduces Cholesterol Genetic Obesity Hot Chili Peppers Breastfeeding Butter Ban Protein Needs High Sugar and Salt Fruits and Vegetables Chocolate Depresses Walking Lowers Women's Stroke Risk	Miscellaneous Being Nice Boosts Willpower Cigarette Sitting Disease	Recipes Vegan Polenta Vegetarian Tofu Pasta Main Dish Tempeh Taco

Diet and Exercise

Blue Berries, Yoga and Nap
One of the most natural ways of preventing dementia is blueberries according to results from a new study. This Most recent study confirms what was discovered in a study conducted in 2008, that eating Blueberries improves memory and word list recall. The study entitled “Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults” was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

New research is showing that just very small amounts of meditation are able to considerably improve the level of clarity and other cognitive abilities. The research psychologists conducting the study found that the study participants who were trained for just 20 minutes a day over four days gained significant progress in their critical cognitive skills as well as in comparison to the control group. Participants were instructed to relax, with their eyes closed, and to simply focus on the flow of their breath occurring at the tip of their nose. If a random thought arose, they were told to passively notice and acknowledge the thought and to simply let 'it' go, by bringing the attention back to the sensations of the breath. As the training progressed it built on from this foundation to focus on specific cognitive abilities. The paper entitled "Mindfulness Meditation Improves Cognition: Evidence of Brief Mental Training" was published in the Consciousness and Cognition journal.

A study conducted in the U.S. has shown that a mid-day nap can improve brain power. The researchers believe that the rest enables people to process short term memories into long term ones which in turn ‘frees up’ some brain memory space for new information. This was based on the observation using electrical brain activity sensors that showed that during the sleep the participants were in between dreaming and deep sleep during which time the short term memories held in the hippocampus moved to the pre-frontal cortex.

Flax Reduces Cholesterol
The results of a recent study indicate that men may be able to reduce high cholesterol without using drugs. The study conducted by the Nutrition and Wellness Research Center (NWRC) at Iowa State University looked at the effect of Flax seed on cholesterol levels. Over a period of 3 months the volunteers were given tablets every day that contained either zero, 150, or 300 milligrams of flaxseed lignans. Over the three months cholesterol levels reduced by 10% in the men taking 150 milligrams of flaxseed, but not the women. The researchers were surprised at the difference in results from the men versus the women.

In addition, flax contains omega-3 fatty acids that are very important for health for both men and women.

Genetic Obesity
Despite the powerful influence of genetics, studies show that exercise can enable children to reduce obesity. According to a person’s physical makeup and metabolism, some will find it easy to remain slim whereas other people find it a constant battle to keep off the pounds.

A recent study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine reveals that the correct diet, good will power but most of all regular exercise can enable those people genetically predisposed towards obesity can lose weight and keep it off. The study especially focused on teenagers.

Hot Chili Peppers
Peppers contain a substance called capsaicin that not only adds spice to our foods but can actually cause our body to heat up. It is hypothesized that plants evolved to contain capsaicin because it protected them from being eaten by insects and other pesky predators. However, certain traditional cuisines such as Indian and Mexican rely on capsaicin-packing peppers to add pungency and zing to many traditional foods, and “pepperheads” often choose their meal to purposefully turn up the heat. There is growing evidence that the body-heat-generating power of peppers might lend a hand in losing the extra inches accumulating around the waistline. A non-burning version of capsaicin called dihydrocapsiate (DCT) that may have the benefits of peppers without the pungency is also available.

Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding could save the lives of about 900 babies a year in the United States, researchers said. This could occur if 90% of U.S women breastfed for the first 6 months of life, the researchers said. The estimate was based on other research that shows breastfeeding reduces the risk of other illnesses. These include stomach and ear infections, asthma, type 1 diabetes and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. About 43% of U.S. mothers do at least some breastfeeding for 6 months. But only 12% feed their babies only breast milk for 6 months. That's what expert guidelines recommend. The study appeared in the journal Pediatrics. Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight infections; it also can affect insulin levels in the blood, which may make breast-fed babies less likely to develop diabetes and obesity. About $13 billion in estimated losses due to the low breast-feeding rate includes an economists' calculation partly based on lost potential lifetime wages — $10.56 million per death. The methods were similar to a widely cited 2001 government report that said $3.6 billion could be saved each year if 50 percent of mothers breast-fed their babies for six months. Medical costs have climbed since then and breast-feeding rates have increased only slightly.

Butter Ban
A ban on butter is being called for by a British heart surgeon. The call made by Dr. Shyam Kolvekar is because he is worried about the young age of some patients requiring heart bypass surgery. He said excessive consumption of saturated fats is a cause for the rising numbers of heart bypass operations in the UK sometimes on people only 30 years old.
The doctor is recommending that people reduce their daily saturated fat intake by 8 grams as this will help a lot in “preventing some of the serious diseases that he believes are caused by saturated fat.”

The Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) of saturated fat in the U.K. is 20 grams for women and 30 grams for men. By reducing or skipping butter intake and by drinking reduced fat milk can enable people to stay under these recommended maximums. Trans-fats are already known to be a major cause of serious health problems such as heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes. For this reason they are already banned in many countries including Switzerland and Canada.

Protein Needs
It is easy to get plenty of protein on a vegetarian or vegan diet. What many people don’t know is that whole grains contain protein. Other non-animal food that contain protein in addition to brown rice and whole grains are tofu, seitan, veggie burgers, soy, lentils, chickpeas, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. If you’re eating a well-balanced diet, you’re probably consuming more than enough protein without even thinking about it. The little known truth about protein is that most of us get too much, not too little of it. Women need about 45 grams per day and men need around 55 grams.

High Sugar and Salt
A lot of sugar in our diet leads to unhealthy cholesterol levels, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes. Added sugars do not include natural sugars, such as those in fruit. People who took in more added sugar had lower levels of HDL (high density lipoproteins – good for health) and had higher triglycerides (bad for health). Added sugars amounted to about 16% of total calories. That's up from an average of 11% in the late '70s.
Independent experts called for the U.S. government to set limits on salt in prepared foods. The request came from the Institute of Medicine. This expert group was chartered by Congress to advise the government. The institute said most Americans eat twice as much salt as they need. It said rules are needed because food makers have not done enough to cut back. Changes should be gradual to get people used to less salty food, the group said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it would consider the request.

Fruits and Vegetables
A study published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on the effect of eating fruits and vegetables on cancer revealed that a modest benefit in cancer prevention was derived by the thousand of people involved in the study. There was a noticeable reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease however. In this population, a higher intake of fruits and vegetables was also associated with other lifestyle variables, such as lower intake of alcohol, never-smoking, short duration of tobacco smoking, and higher level of physical activity, which may have contributed to a lower cancer risk.

Chocolate Depresses
Research in Archives of Internal Medicine shows those who eat at least a bar every week are more glum than those who only eat chocolate now and again. Many believe chocolate has the power to lift mood, although scientific proof for this is lacking. But scientists say that they cannot rule out that chocolate may be a cause rather than the cure for being depressed. It may simply be that people who are depressed crave chocolate as a "self-treatment" to lift mood, or depression may drive the craving without any beneficial effect. Alternatively, analogous with alcohol, there could be short-term benefits of chocolate to mood with longer-term untoward effects. Chocolate could even be a direct cause of depression, the researchers added.

Walking Lowers Women's Stroke Risk
Brisk walking may lower women's risk of stroke, a study published this week finds. Women who walked briskly had a 37% lower stroke risk than non-walkers. Women who walked at any pace for at least 2 hours a week had a 30% lower stroke risk. Researchers did not find a lower stroke risk with more vigorous exercise, such as running and cycling. But they said they may not have had enough people in these groups to show a difference. It was published online by the journal Stroke.

Miscellaneous

Being Nice Boosts Willpower
Harvard University researchers have completed a study that show that moral actions may increase willpower. They found that the participants in the study who did good actions or who visualized themselves doing good to others had more stamina to complete a physical endurance task straight afterwards. The Institute for Humane Studies and Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council supported the study which was published in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal.

Cigarette
Cigarette smoking is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. But it is a complex behavior, and how much people smoke, how hard they find it to quit, and the impact of long-term smoking on health varies greatly among individuals. A substantial portion of this variability is genetic. Two years ago, deCODE discovered the first common, single-letter variation (SNP) in the sequence of the human genome, on chromosome 15q25, associated with nicotine addiction and risk of lung cancer. Today, deCODE scientists and academic colleagues from 23 institutions in a dozen countries build on this work with the discovery of common SNPs on chromosomes 8p11 and 19q13 that among smokers increase the number of cigarettes smoked per day (CPD), a measure of nicotine addiction, and increase risk of lung cancer.

Sitting Disease
More and more people are finding that their average day is spent a great deal sitting. In fact if you add up commuting by car, sitting in the office and then returning home, whilst sitting, only to sit in front of the TV, that all adds up to a very large amount of time sitting. There are several potential health risks associated with an excessively sedentary lifestyle the most notable being cardiovascular disease. Get up from that chair and walk.

Recipes

Vegan Polenta
Ingredients: 4 cups water or vegetable broth; 1 cup cornmeal; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 3 tbsp nutritional yeast; 1/4 cup soymilk; 1-2 tbsp vegan margarine; salt and pepper to taste
Preparation: Bring water or vegetable broth to a slow simmer. Stir in cornmeal. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently for and scraping the bottom to avoid burning. Cornmeal is done cooking when is smooth and thick. Stir in soy milk and remaining ingredients before removing from heat. Serve as is for a creamy polenta dish, or, omit the soy milk, press into a lightly greased loaf pan and chill until firm for a thick polenta loaf.

Vegetarian Tofu Pasta Main Dish
Ingredients: 1 box (14.5-ounces) family size macaroni and cheese; 1/2 (14- or 16-ounce) package firm water-packed tofu; 1 to 2 tablespoons soy oil; 1 can (15-ounces) black beans; 1 can (15-ounces) corn; 1 1/2 cups prepared salsa
Preparation: Heat water in large saucepan or pot to cook macaroni as package directs. Meanwhile, drain the tofu and cut the block in half. Put one half in plastic bag or refrigerator container, cover with water and refrigerate for another use within a few days. Cut the remaining half of the tofu into small cubes and place on paper towels. Pat dry with additional paper towels. In skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add tofu cubes and brown, stirring occasionally, to brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let tofu heat while preparing macaroni and cheese according to package directions. In colander, drain and then rinse black beans and corn. In same large saucepan or pot used to cook macaroni, combine tofu, black beans, corn and salsa into macaroni and cheese. Heat over medium-low heat until all ingredients are heated through, about 10 minutes.

Tempeh Taco
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 1 package tempeh, sliced into 1/2 inch cubes; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp cumin; 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro; other taco fillings such as lettuce, tomatoes, or sour cream (optional); flour tortillas or taco shells
Preparation: Sautee the onion in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add tempeh, soy sauce and cumin. Allow to cook for about five more minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. Fill your taco shells or tortillas with the tempeh mixture and top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa or sour cream if desired.

Health and Nutrition

Issue 148