Issue 127

5110 Kali Era, Sarvadhari Year, Ashadha month
2066 Vikramarka Era, Sarvadhari Year, Ashadha month
1930 Salivahana Era, Sarvadhari Year, Ashadha month
2008 AD, July

Contents

Home

Management
AJIN

TSJ

MS

Vegetarian Links

Disclaimer

Soliciataion

Contact

VPC

More Links

Vedah

Diet and Exercise

Watermelons
Alzheimer’s and Exercise

Miscellaneous

Respiratory diseases and antibiotics
Obesity and Men's Fertility
Transgenic Tomatoes for Alzheimer’s
Malaria

Recipes

America's Best Vegetarian-Friendly Large Cities
Vegetarian Dining Out
Vegan Mayonnaise
Avocado Fudge

Diet and Exercise

Watermelons
Watermelons contain an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels, similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra, said scientists in Texas, one of the nation's top producers of the seedless variety.
Found in the flesh and rind of watermelons, citrulline reacts with the body's enzymes when consumed in large quantities and is changed into arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory and immune systems.
The nitric oxide can also help with angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems, according to the study, which was paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More citrulline -- about 60 percent -- is found in watermelon rind than in the flesh
“Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it," said Bhimu Patil, a researcher and director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center. "Watermelon may not be as organ-specific as Viagra, but it's a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side effects."

Alzheimer’s and Exercise
People with early Alzheimer's disease may be able to preserve their brain function for a longer period of time by exercising regularly and potentially reducing the amount of brain volume lost. Evidence shows decreasing brain volume is tied to poorer cognitive performance, so preserving more brain volume may translate into better cognitive performance. Mild Alzheimer's disease patients with higher physical fitness had larger brains compared to mild Alzheimer's patients with lower physical fitness, according to a study published in the July 15, 2008, issue of Neurology®.

Miscellaneous

Respiratory diseases and antibiotics
Doctors in the UK state's health system should not prescribe antibiotics for most cases of sore throats, colds, bronchitis or other types of respiratory infections, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE, said. They should also delay writing such prescriptions and reassure people the drugs are not needed immediately and would make little difference because most respiratory infections are viral, the new guidelines said.

Obesity and Men's Fertility
Obesity may affect men's fertility, according to a new study presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology meeting in Brussels. Researchers looked at some 5,000 men in Scotland. They analyzed sperm samples from the men and categorized them by BMI. They found that obese men had a 60% higher chance having low sperm volume, and a 40% chance of having some sperm abnormalities. The decrease was seen even after alcohol intake, history of drug abuse, and age were factored in, the Associated Press reports.

Transgenic Tomatoes for Alzheimer’s
The humble tomato could be a suitable carrier for an oral vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) in Korea and Digital Biotech Inc. and the Department of Biological Science at Wonkwang University. Although the research, published online in Springer’s journal Biotechnology Letters, is still in the early stages, it is a promising first step towards finding a plant derived vaccine against the neurodegenerative disease.

Malaria
Researchers in Melbourne believe their discovery could be a major breakthrough in the fight against the disease. The malaria parasite produces a glue-like substance which makes the cells it infects sticky, so they cannot be flushed through the body. The researchers have shown removing a protein responsible for the glue can destroy its stickiness, and undermine the parasite's defence. The malaria parasite - Plasmodium falciparum - effectively hijacks the red blood cells it invades, changing their shape and physical properties dramatically. Among the changes it triggers is the production of the glue-like substance, which enables the infected cells to stick to the walls of the blood vessels. This stops them being passed through the spleen, where the parasites would usually be destroyed by the immune system.
Malaria is preventable and curable, but can be fatal if not treated promptly. The disease kills more than a million people each year. Many of the victims are young children in sub-Saharan Africa and India.

Recipes

America's Best Vegetarian-Friendly Large Cities
1. Portland, Oregon
2. Seattle, Washington
3. San Francisco, California
4. New York, New York
5. Atlanta, Georgia
6. Washington, D.C.
7. Minneapolis, Minnesota
8. Austin, Texas
9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10. Chicago, Illinois

Vegetarian Dining Out
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/diningouttravel/Dining_Out_Travel.htm?nl=1

Vegan Mayonnaise
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/guideproductpicks/qt/vegenaise.htm

Avocado Fudge
Ingredients: 1 avocado, ripened; 1/2 cup margarine; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 cup cocoa; 3 cups powdered sugar; 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preparation:
In a medium sized saucepan, melt the margarine over low heat. Once margarine is melted, puree with avocado in food processor or blender until perfectly smooth. Be sure there are no chunks of avocado left! Return mixture to saucepan over very low heat and add the rest of the ingredients, except the walnuts, adding the powdered sugar a portion at a time. Once all the sugar has been added, the mixture should be thick. Add walnuts if desired, and transfer to a loaf pan. Refrigerate until firm. Now, be patient! If you don't let it firm up, you won't be able. http://vegetarian.about.com/od/desertrecipes/r/avofudge.htm?nl=1

Health and Nutrition

Issue 127