Brain health rests on heart health: Guidelines for lifestyle changes

Linseed oil Market is expected to gain significant momentum, and register a growth of 5.5% in terms of value between 2018 and 2027

These Are the World’s Healthiest Nations

5 tips for a healthy diet this New Year

Eat a variety of food

• In your daily diet, aim to eat a mix of staple foods such as wheat, maize, rice and potatoes with legumes like lentils and beans, plenty of fresh fruit and veg, and foods from animal sources (e.g. meat, fish, eggs and milk).

• Choose wholegrain foods like unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice when you can; they are rich in valuable fibre and can help you feel full for longer.

• For snacks, choose raw vegetables, unsalted nuts and fresh fruit, rather than foods that are high in sugars, fats or salt.

• When cooking and preparing foods, use salt sparingly and reduce use of salty sauces and condiments (like soy sauce, stock or fish sauce).

• Avoid snacks that are high in salt, and try and choose fresh healthy snacks over processed foods.

• When using canned or dried vegetables, nuts and fruit, choose varieties without added salt and sugars.

• Remove salt and salty condiments from the table and try and avoid adding them out of habit; our tastebuds can quickly adjust and once they do, you are likely to enjoy food with less salt, but more flavor!

• Check the labels on food and go for products with lower sodium content.

Reduce use of certain fats and oil

We all need some fat in our diet, but eating too much – especially the wrong kinds - increases risks of obesity, heart disease and stroke.  Industrially-produced trans fats are the most hazardous for health. A diet high in this kind of fat has been found to raise risk of heart disease by nearly 30%.

 

Video: Zero trans fat: Eat less fat … live a healthier life!

Some tips to reduce fat consumption:

• Replace butter, lard and ghee with healthier oils such as soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, safflower and sunflower.

• Choose white meat like poultry and fish which are generally lower in fats than red meat, trim meat of visible fat and limit the consumption of processed meats.

• Try steaming or boiling instead of frying food when cooking.

• Check labels and always avoid all processed, fast and fried foods that contain industrially-produced trans fat. It is often found in margarine and ghee, as well as pre-packaged snacks, fast, baked and fried foods.

Limit sugar intake

Too much sugar is not only bad for our teeth, but increases the risk of unhealthy weight gain and obesity, which can lead to serious, chronic health problems.

As with salt, it’s important to take note of the amount of “hidden” sugars that can be in processed food and drinks. For example, a single can of soda can contain up to 10 teaspoons of added sugar!

Some tips to reduce sugar intake:

• Limit intake of sweets and sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, fruit juices and juice drinks, liquid and powder concentrates, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, ready-to-drink tea and coffee and flavoured milk drinks.

• Choose healthy fresh snacks rather than processed foods.

• Avoid giving sugary foods to children. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods give to children under 2 years of age, and should be limited beyond that age.
  
  
  

Avoid hazardous and harmful alcohol use

Alcohol is not a part of a healthy diet, but in many cultures New Year’s celebrations are associated with heavy alcohol consumption. Overall, drinking too much, or too often, increases your immediate risk of injury, as well as causing longer-term effects like liver damage, cancer, heart disease and mental illness.

WHO advises that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption; and for many people even low levels of alcohol use can still be associated with significant health risks .

• Remember, less alcohol consumption is always better for health and it is perfectly OK not to drink.

• You should not drink alcohol at all if you are: pregnant or breastfeeding; driving, operating machinery or undertaking other activities that involve related risks; you have health problems which may be made worse by alcohol; you are taking medicines which directly interact with alcohol; or you have difficulties with controlling your drinking.

• If you think your or someone you love may have problems with alcohol or other psychoactive substances, don’t be afraid to reach out for help from your health worker or a specialist drug and alcohol service. WHO has also developed a self-help guide to provide guidance to people looking to cut back or stop use.

 

Watch: Facebook live on healthy diets

Could red dates help fight cancer? Trendy superfood from Asia KILLS the disease, reveals lab study (and they cost just £1.99 a bag)

The trendy superfood ‘red dates’ from Asia kill cancer cells in the lab, new research suggests.

Jujube fruits, which are known as red dates due to them looking similar to the Middle-Eastern staple, programme lung, breast and prostate cancer cells to commit suicide, a study published in the journal Food & Function found.

Red dates are thought to trigger cancer cell death by causing 'internal stress' in tumours, according to researchers from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

The results occurred after cancer cells were exposed to jujube in the lab. It is therefore unclear if the fruit helps to prevent or treat the disease in humans.

Jujube fruits, which are used in Chinese medicine to treat insomnia, a loss of appetite and diarrhoea, are available in the UK for just £1.99 for a 40g bag.

The researchers exposed human lung, breast and prostate cancer cells to eight compounds found in jujube fruits.

Results suggest four of the compounds reduce the survival rate of these cells.

In addition, three red-date compounds trigger cancerous cells to kill themselves. 

Internal stress caused by the compounds is thought to damage tumours' structures. 

The researchers believe jujube extracts could be used in cancer treatments in traditional Chinese medicine. 

They add, however, further research is required to determine how jujube fruit's compounds trigger cancer cell death.  

What are red dates?

Although jujube fruits look like dates, they are believed to contain 32 times more vitamin C, as well as being higher in antioxidants, than the sticky Middle-Eastern treat.

A portion of three dates contains 54 calories and 12g on sugar, on average, while the same amount of jujube has just 28 calories and 6g of sugar.

Jujube fruits also contain 18 out of the 24 amino acids that help with the formation of proteins in the body.

Helen Wang, founder of Abakus Foods, previously told MailOnline: 'The Chinese saying goes "three jujube berries a day, keeps you young forever".

'It's not easy to find something that tastes good and is good for you at the same time.' 

Blackcurrant supplement can burn as much fat as four weeks of exercise

This comes after research released last May suggested a blackcurrant-extract supplement can burn as much fat as four weeks of regular exercise.

When taken twice a day for just one week, the vitamin increases fat burning by an average of 27 per cent, with one study participant achieving a rise of 55 per cent.

Known as CurraNZ, the supplement is made from New Zealand blackcurrants and costs £21.75 for a pack of 30.

The berries contain nutrients, called polyphenols, which are thought to encourage fat burning during exercise by increasing blood flow, according to the researchers.

Study author Dr Sam Shepherd, from Liverpool John Moores University, said: 'Seven days is not a very long time to see such big changes.

'Anything above 20 per cent is typically what we expect to see with three-to-four weeks of regular endurance exercise training.'

DO HAIR PRODUCTS CONTAIN CHEMICALS LINKED TO CANCER?

Have we fallen off the climate precipice?

Jimbin

Is it too late to stop climate change?

One prominent author and winner of the coveted Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism says yes. He has concluded that we have already "fallen off the climate precipice" and that we can now focus only on some "serious mitigation." He is Dahr Jamail and is featured prominently in this BSB.

Background. Exactly thirty years ago, in June of 1988, Dr. James Hansen told a Senate committee about the dangers of climate change--and what actions we must take to avoid its worst effects while we still had time. As you know, Congress did not listen then and is not listening now.

Twenty five years later, in December of 2013, Dahr Jamail wrote wrote a provocative piece entitled, "Are we falling off the climate precipice? Scientists consider extinction." It begins with these two paragraphs (which are discussed in the attached video):

I grew up planning for my future, wondering which college I would attend, what to study, and later on, where to work, which articles to write, what my next book might be, how to pay a mortgage, and which mountaineering trip I might like to take next.

Now, I wonder about the future of our planet. During a recent visit with my 8-year-old niece and 10- and 12-year-old nephews, I stopped myself from asking them what they wanted to do when they grew up, or any of the future-oriented questions I used to ask myself. I did so because the reality of their generation may be that questions like where they will work could be replaced by: Where will they get their fresh water? What food will be available? And what parts of their country and the rest of the world will still be habitable?

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Last week, Stuart Scott (of upfsi.org) published a new, 11-minute video (provided below), of his recent interview with Dahr Jamail on this topic. I share that video with you now as another perspective on how a highly-regarded journalist comes to grips with the uncertainties and challenges associated with climate change.

In this short video, Jamail explains how we humans have failed in our lame "efforts" to stop climate change or "anthropogenic climate disruption," as he calls it. Dahr has concluded that, since nothing we can do will stop climate change, we're just going to learn to live with it.

Eleven minutes re climate change worth watching

Now that you've seen the video, I recommend that you take the time to carefully read Jamail's entire 2013 piece in order to understand the depth and breadth of his research on this crucial topic. You may also want to read his 2015 piece on the same topic: Mourning Our Planet: Climate Scientists Share Their Grieving Process.

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It is clear from the above video that Jamail believes that we are clearly beyond the climate change tipping point and that the life of every human on Earth will be negatively affected because of it. Here is what he said at the end of the above video:

"We are into unknown territory now and I feel that it is impossible at this point to change what is happening. Best case scenario might be some serious mitigation, but even on that front, there's nothing to indicate that the type of globally coordinated, government mandated response that would really be necessary for that--there's really very little to indicate that is happening."

The Bottom Line. What exactly does all of this mean? To me, it means several things:

By the year 2100, the Earth's temperature is likely to greatly exceed the IPCC targeted maximum of two degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline. And we'll probably cross that "IPCC maximum" before 2030.

We will never see atmospheric CO2 parts per million below 400 again. Already over 410, it turns out that the 350 ppm safe level target was more about hoping than anything else.

Because of abrupt "anthropogenic climate disruption" we are seeing now, many aspects of our lives will get a lot worse before they, hopefully, start getting better.

I agree with Scott and Jamail's conclusions in the video--that we have no chance of having capable and effective political leadership when it comes to fighting climate change as long as we have an out-of-control, environmentally insensitive, global economy based on never-ending growth.

Finally, despite all of the above, we must never give up hope as we continue to do all that we can to foster a global human society that survives and thrives in harmony with nature--indefinitely.

In closing, here are two of my recent BSBs featuring credible scientists on the topic of climate change and what it means to the future of humanity. Dr. Peter Wadhams, in the first one, offers a possible remedy whereas Dr. McPherson in the second one, has no optimism whatsoever.

"Our Only Chance for Survival," says top scientist (6-16-18)

One scientist predicts imminent collapse (6-21-18) 

What about "prepping?" If you're the type of person who is inclined to do that sort of thing, then now might be a good time to think about starting. FYI, my family hasn't started prepping, but if and when we do, this Sept. 2017 NY Times article might come in handy.  

Be well,

J. Morris (Jim) Hicks

CEO, 4Leaf Global, LLC

PS: As long as I can envision a viable pathway for humanity going forward, I will not give up hope. I welcome your feedback and/or your questions at: jmh@4leafglobal.com

***************

Looking for Opportunities to Speak. Since 2016, my research, writing and speaking has been focused on the sustainability of our ecosystem and our future as a species. With a primary emphasis on food choices, I call it the "most important topic in the history of humanity."

After all, what could possibly be more important to humans than the survival of our species?

Latest/future talks: Earlier this year, I spoke at a VegFest in Ft. Myers, Florida, at the vsh.org in Honolulu and Kahului, Maui, and at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. Upcoming talks are being scheduled at the NYC PlantPure Pod in October and in South Haven, Michigan in November.

Later this year, my co-author, Dr. Kerry Graff, and I may be speaking at a Chinese Nutrition Association event in Nanjing, China. For more info, Visit our speaking page.

To schedule a presentation at a venue near you, please contact me at  jmh@4leafglobal.com

Promoting health, hope and harmony on planet Earth

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More Details about Plant-based Milk

Since we are into the subject of plant-based milks, we might as well dig down to the bottom of it to learn more about the general nutrition of them in comparison of the gold stand, cow' milk.  To facilitate our discussion, a table of comparison is compiled below to facilitate our discussion.

In terms of protein, soymilk is most close to cow’s milk followed by hemp milk.  If you are to choose plant-based milk based on its protein content, I would not recommend the choice of either rice or almond milk.   However, for fat content, coconut milk has a whopping 552 Kcal due to its high fat content of 57g per 8oz or 240g serving.  The fat contents of both walnut and cashew milks also exceed that of the cow’s whole milk.   None of the milks presented here are sugar-added.  All the sugar comes from the original milk including lactose and other simple sugars.  

Now the choice is yours for your personal flavor and nutritional preference, I have done my part and good plant-based milk drinking!

How to Choose Plant-based Milk?

Since we are on subject of the plant-based something, I might as well elaborate a little bit on the plant-based milk since we had already touched upon plant-based hamburger last time.

I spent 17 years of my career using soy protein isolates in the development and formulation of protein-containing neutral and acidic beverages including powdered dry blended and liquid ready to drink versions.  Of the name brand touched are Amway, Herbalife, Ensure, Slim Fast, Carnation Instant Breakfast, Boost, Bolthouse, Odawalla, V8 and Naked Juices, etc. In them, soy protein isolates are used to replace dairy protein for economic reason.  Let’s leave out technicality but just focus on the definition of “milk”.  Cow’s milk is the gold standard   On a per 8 oz. or 240 ml. serving basis, it needs to contain at least 8 g of protein or it can only be called drinks.  Furthermore, milk is high in calcium content as well as rich in vitamin A, therefore, for a plant-based milk to claim for milk nutrition in plant-based milk, fortification is necessary other than meeting the protein requirement

These have been the rules strongly lobbied by the dairy industry as well as enforced by both FDA and USDA.  However, time seems to have changed recently because of the trendy demands for plant-based products, the regulatory agency like FDA has loosened up the definition. Therefore, we saw in the news that Just Mayo egg-free mayonnaise by Hampton Creek had won the legal battle against the famous Hellmann’s brand by Unilever.  However, the French food regulation had just forbidden all the non-meat products to use the meat name like hamburger, meat ball and/or meat pie, etc.  Interesting!

As a wise consumer, I just want you to shop wisely.  Shop for your health and nutrition but also shop for your hard-earned money making sure the products you buy is well worth the money you spent.

On the market places now we can see commercial coconut milk, pea protein milk, soy milk, rice milk, cashew milk, almond milk and may be soon peanut milk.  I did some shopping around and want to share with you their nutrition labelling.  Using the name brand Silk for example, their soy milks contain between 6-7g per serving of 8oz.  For their coconut milk, the protein claim is 0g/8oz, for almond milk 1g/8oz and cashew milk<1g/8oz.  However, they do have other version claimed with high protein milk and fortified with pea protein.  

If we have some Chinese readers here asking about your famous brand of “6 Walnuts”, I did some homework there, too.  By calculation based on its nutritional labeling of 0.6g protein/100 ml, it contains about 2 walnuts but not 6!  They have about 1.44g/240 ml of protein, not much better than either almond or cashew milk here in the States.  So, be wise when you shop for plant-based milk!

Plant-Based Proteins

Last month we discussed about the trendy human nutrition topics.  Among them, protein appeared to be one of the most important and hot item in different areas of human nutrition such as sport nutrition, weight management, and health & wellness.  This month we are to focus on the plant-based proteins.

According to Lux Research, plant-based protein could represent one-third of overall protein by 2054.  Introduction of new products with plant-based proteins grew 14.7% in 2014 as compared to that of animal protein at 7.5% by Innova Market Insights.  U.S. sales of plant-based proteins were $553 million in 2012, according to Mintel.  The global plant-based protein market is projected to reach to $5 billion by 2020 as reported by Markets and Markets.  The plant-based food sector experienced overall growth of 8.1% since 2017 as compared to a decline of 0.2% of all foods sold in the same channel, according to Nielsen.

The plant-based milk category has grown 3.1% last year while cow’s milk sales experienced decrease of 5% as by Nielsen.  U.S. sales of almond milk topped $1 billion in 2014 as reported by Packaged Facts.  Globally, dairy alternatives market is predicted to be worth $19.5 billion by 2020.  

Consumers want plant-based products.  About 36% of consumers buy plant-based meats and 60% of the millennials consume plant-based meats according to a survey conducted by 210 Analytics.  About 26% of consumers reported eating less animal meat in the past 12 months according to Nutrition Business Journal.  Nowadays about 36% of consumers prefer plant-based milks.

Most importantly, plant-based is better for the environment.  Producing plant-based meat alternatives generates 10X less greenhouse gas emissions than producing similar beef-based products.  Producing 1 Kg of kidney bean protein requires 18X less land, 10X less water, 9X less fuel, 12X less fertilizer and 10X less pesticides than producing 1 Kg of beef protein, according to study by Sabate et al.  Plant-based eaters contribute approximately half as much dietary greenhouse gases as meat-eaters.  It takes 10g of vegetable protein to create every 1g of animal protein according to a study by Reijnders et al.

If beans replaced beef in the US diet, the US could meet up to 75% of its 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target as reported by Helen Harwatt et. Al.  Substituting beans for beef in the US diet would free up 42% of US cropland or 400 million square acres, or 1.6 times the size of California.

When the meatpacking giant Cargill sold off its last cattle feedlots in April 2017, it said that it wanted to free up funds to invest in alternatives like insects and plant-based protein.  Four months later, along with Bill Gates and Richard Branson, the company joined a $17 million round of investment in Memphis Meats, a startup that grows beef and chicken from cells instead of farms.   Tyson Foods, the largest meat producer in the U.S., was part of a $55 million round of investment in Beyond Meat.  Nestle acquired Sweet Earth Foods, which sells products like “Harmless Ham” and “Benevolent Bacon”.  Maple Leaf Foods strong in the meat product categories acquired Lightlife, a company that makes products like “Chick’n” and plant-based hot dogs.  

Newer companies in the industry, such as Impossible Foods and Memphis Meats, aren’t targeting vegetarians with their products; instead, their burgers are designed to appeal to meat eaters who are concerned about issues like the carbon footprint of beef, or the overuse of antibiotics on farms.  Companies like Morning Star Farm that have been around longer, making veggie burgers for a niche market, are also realizing that their products can evolve.  Technology is making meatless meat truly realistic and will continue to improve.

When Impossible Burgers are compared against Beyond Burgers side by side, a reporter testified both were extremely good and couldn’t tell them from the regular burgers.  I tried to buy the Beyond Burgers from Wegman’s and cooked them at home and served them to my family members of four.  Everybody liked the burgers.  Beyond Meats distributed in 19,000 retail stores while Impossible Burgers are sold in burger outlets like TGIF’s.  It just got another round of investment total up to $40 million.

As for plant based milks, almost all the major beverage brands are having their products on the shelf.  There are coconut milk, peanut milk, soy milk, pea milk, cashew milk, walnut milk and almond milk, etc.  During my time in the soy milk industry, the milk industry lobbied that the standard identity of milk is sacred and the other protein beverages to be called milk should meet the nutritional profile of milk before they can be called milk or they should be called milk drinks.  The Just Mayo court battle is well known between Unilever’s Hellman’s Mayonnaise and Hampton Creek Foods.  FDA seemed to loosen up the standard of identity quite a bit.  For consumer buying plant-based milk, I urge you read the nutritional labels.  Usually, I won’t buy almond, walnut, coconut or cashew milk, their proteins are extremely low per serving of 8 oz. as compared to true milk.

Talk to you next month!

Study says meat protein is unhealthy, but protein from nuts and seeds is heart smart