Is a Vegetarian Diet Best for Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease that affects millions of people worldwide. But diabetes can also be caused by autoimmunity, known as type 1 that develops early in life. Pregnant women are at risk for gestational diabetes from hormones released during pregnancy that raise blood sugar levels. Can diabetes be avoided or controlled with a vegetarian diet?

Diabetes risk lower with less meat before pregnancy

According to a finding from the NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, published January, 2012 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who ate a high animal fat diet prior to becoming pregnant had a higher risk of gestational diabetes that persisted even for women who exercised to thwart high blood sugars during pregnancy.

Study author Cuilin Zhang, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., of the Epidemiology Branch at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) said in a press release, "Our findings indicate that women who reduce the proportion of animal fat and cholesterol in their diets before pregnancy may lower their risk for gestational diabetes during pregnancy.”

The recommendation from the researchers is that women who are planning pregnancy reduce their intake of animal fat and cholesterol to 5% of total daily calories. Less animal fat in the diet was associated with a 7% lower risk of gestational diabetes.

Vegetarians at lower risk for diabetes from metabolic syndrome

An April 2011 study published in the journal Diabetes Care indeed suggested vegetarians have a 36% lower chance of developing metabolic syndrome that leads to heart disease, stroke and diabetes, compared to meat eaters.

Vegetarians can still develop metabolic syndrome but eating a plant based diet was found to lower the chances from 39% for meat eaters to just 25% for vegetarians. Semi-vegetarians risk for metabolic syndrome was 37% per the study results.

Lead researcher Nico S. Rizzo, PhD said the finding, which came from a long-term study lifestyle and health of almost 100,000 Seventh-day Adventist Christians across the United States and Canada, was a ‘surprise’.

"I was not sure if there would be a significant difference between vegetarians and non-vegetarians, and I was surprised by just how much the numbers contrast," he continues. "It indicates that lifestyle factors such as diet can be important in the prevention of metabolic syndrome”.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the two most important risk factors for metabolic syndrome that can lead to diabetes and complications of stroke and heart disease are increased waist circumference and insulin resistance.

Gary Fraser, MD, PhD who headed the Adventist Study 2 says, "Trending toward a plant-based diet is a sensible choice."

Switching to a vegetarian diet, combined with exercising at least 3 times a week might also offer significant protection against diabetes for African-Americans who are at greater risk for developing the disease.

Blacks are also more likely to experience type 2 diabetes complications that include kidney disease and amputation of the extremities, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Humana Services.

"These findings are encouraging for preventing type 2 diabetes in the black population, which is more susceptible to the disease than other populations," said Serena Tonstad, MD, a professor at Loma Linda University and lead author of the research, published in the October, 2011 issue of Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases.

Just adopting a Mediterranean diet that includes plenty of plant-based foods such as olive oil, grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables, fish and is low in meat, dairy products and alcohol might cut your chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 35%, according to findings published in 2008 in the British Medical Journal.

Plant based food could cut risk of type 2 diabetes complications

Eating nuts, such as almonds, fiber food that include oats and barley, plant sterols and soy proteins that are part of a vegetarian diet can help keep cholesterol levels in check. High cholesterol is a major contributor to heart disease for people with type 2 diabetes.

A 2003 report published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition also suggested reducing meat in the diet can protect the kidneys from harm and “could produce very significant metabolic advantages for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications.”

Eating a plant-based diet is also humane, considering current factory farming methods, found by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP) to “…threaten public health, the environment, animal health and well-being, and rural communities.”

If you’re considering a vegetarian diet for preventing or managing type 2 diabetes, speak with your doctor first.

Studies show vegetarians have less chance of developing type 2 diabetes from metabolic syndrome and that eating a plant based diet has benefits for controlling the disease that is expected to affect 1 in 10 people by the year 2030. Women might also cut their risk of gestational diabetes by lowering their intake of meat before getting pregnant.

Resources
NIH News
“High animal fat diet increases gestational diabetes risk”
January 25, 2012

Source: http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/vegetarian-diet-best-diabetes

Vegetarian Diet May be Necessary to Prevent Global Water and Food Shortage

If you’ve ever considered being vegetarian but just couldn’t cut it, you’re not alone. I myself have struggled with going completely meat-free. However, a new report is sending a strong warning that may force us all in that direction.

Findings from water scientists at the Stockholm International Water Institute (SWIW) suggest that if the world’s population neglects to adopt a vegetarian diet over the next 40 years, we may face a global food and water shortage crisis.

Although U.S. meat consumption has reportedly seen declines – estimated to down more than 12 percent by the end of this year since 2007 – that amount still equates to about 165.5 pounds per person per year; or around one half pound per day.

As reported by the Huffington Post, the SIWI suggests that around 20 percent of the protein in our diets comes from animal-based sources. Additionally, unless that drops 5 percent by 2050, there may not be enough food to feed the additional 2 billion people estimated to be alive by that time.

The surprising solution to this global issue? Water supply. All of these warnings stem from the world’s water supply, which is rapidly declining. At the annual world water conference in Stockholm, Sweden, the UN predicted that “we must increase food production by 70 percent by mid-century” to feed the world’s growing population, which will place additional stress on our already-low water supply.

In a statement issued by Torgny Holgren, executive director of the SIWI, the heightened need to conserve our water is becoming all-the-more urgent. “More than one-fourth of all the water we use worldwide is taken to grow over one billion tons of food that nobody eats. That water, together with the billions of dollars spent to grow, ship, package and purchase the food, is sent down the drain,” he said. “Reducing the waste of food is the smartest and most direct route to relieve pressure on water and land resources. It’s an opportunity we cannot afford to overlook.”

The SIWI contends that a vegetarian diet will help alleviate some of the strain on our water supply since animal-rich protein consumes five to 10 times more water than a vegetarian diet. In fact, an article from Guardian reported that one-third of the world’s dry land is currently used to grow crops that feed animals.

In addition to reducing the amount of meat we consume, the SIWI also recommends making a concerted effort to save water by reducing food waste, plant breeding, waste water recycling, and increasing trade between countries in food surplus and those in short supply.

For those unfamiliar with alternative protein sources, plant-based proteins include foods like quinoa, edamame, black beans, nuts and seeds. For information on how much protein our bodies need as well as how many grams of protein plant-based sources provide, check out this all inclusive vegetarian protein guide. It’s amazing to think that making small changes in our diet now could have such a huge impact on future generations’ food and water supply.

Source: http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/08/vegetarian-diet-may-be-necessary-to-prevent-global-water-and-food-shortage/

Vegetarian Diet Healthy: Medical Study

Australian doctors are being assured their patients will benefit if they adopt a diet that's free of meat.

An Australian-first scientific research review, published in the Medical Journal of Australia today, has found vegetarians receive more health benefits than risks from their plant-based diet.

The Journal examined deficiencies traditionally thought to affect those who have adopted a vegetarian diet and found they were receiving adequate levels of protein, iron and zinc.

Nutritionist Rosemary Stanton, who has written an accompanying editorial to the research papers, says the scientific evidence shows a well-planned, plant-based diet can meet the nutritional needs of adults and children.

"The evidence is quite good that people who follow a vegetarian diet are likely to have less heart disease, less colorectal cancer, less type-2 diabetes and they're less likely to be obese," she said.

While those who don't eat fish may be receiving less omega-3 fatty acids than considered desirable, the study also found vegetarians do not exhibit signs of a clinical deficiency.

Deficiencies in vitamin B12 were noted in vegans; people who shun any animal-based product including milk and eggs.

B12 is required to help make red blood cells and to keep nerves functioning and the study recommended vegans receive supplements either through eating B12-fortified foods or by taking a daily supplement.

Dr Stanton said the study was also prompted by the increase in the number of people who are looking to reduce their intake of meat for both health and sustainability.

"The question they've been asking, which this supplement aims to answer, is: 'Is there a problem if I don't have meat every night?' And the answer is almost certainly no, but it doesn't mean that you just have a bucket of chips," she said.

Source : The Sydney Morning Herald

Vegetarians 'Cut Heart Risk by 32%'

Ditching meat and fish in favour of a vegetarian diet can have a dramatic effect on the health of your heart, research suggests.

A study of 44,500 people in England and Scotland showed vegetarians were 32% less likely to die or need hospital treatment as a result of heart disease.

Differences in cholesterol levels, blood pressure and body weight are thought to be behind the health boost.

The findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Heart disease is a major blight in Western countries. It kills 94,000 people in the UK each year - more than any other disease, and 2.6 million people live with the condition.

The heart's own blood supply becomes blocked up by fatty deposits in the arteries that nourish the heart muscle. It can cause angina or even lead to a heart attack if the blood vessels become completely blocked.

Scientists at the University of Oxford analysed data from 15,100 vegetarians and 29,400 people who ate meat and fish.

Over the course of 11 years, 169 people in the study died from heart disease and 1,066 needed hospital treatment - and they were more likely to have been meat and fish eaters than vegetarians.

Dr Francesca Crowe said: "The main message is that diet is an important determinant of heart health, I'm not advocating that everyone eats a vegetarian diet.

"The diets are quite different. Vegetarians probably have a lower intake of saturated fat so it makes senses there is a lower risk of heart disease."

The results showed the vegetarians had lower blood pressure, lower levels of "bad" cholesterol and were more likely to have a healthy weight.

Tracy Parker, from the British Heart Foundation, said: "This research reminds us that we should try to eat a balanced and varied diet - whether this includes meat or not.

"But remember, choosing the veggie option on the menu is not a shortcut to a healthy heart. After all, there are still plenty of foods suitable for vegetarians that are high in saturated fat and salt.

"If you're thinking of switching to a vegetarian diet, make sure you plan your meals carefully so that you replace any lost vitamins and minerals, such as iron, that you would normally get from meat."

Source : BBC News Health

Chinese Athletes Turn Vegetarian

BEIJING, May 8 (PTI): Chinese athletes training hard to take part in London Olympics virtually turned vegetarian, giving up meat products due to fears of disqualification by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Yang Hongbo, head of catering for 700 always-hungry, high-performance athletes at the Jiangsu Sports Training Centre, said he is having a terrible time to find beef that is “safe” for his charges to eat.

He is worried if the athletes eat the meat of animals that were raised on feed containing clenbuterol, they may end up being disqualified.

Yang said he had contacted many slaughter houses throughout the province, and even travelled to Beijing several times to search a supplier that can guarantee additive-free beef.

“No company dares to sign a contract promising their meat does not contain clenbuterol or ractopamine,” Yang told state run Global Times.

Both chemicals are added to animal feed to produce leaner meat. Ractopamine was banned in China late last year, but clenbuterol remains legal. Neither is clenbuterol banned in many other countries, including the US and Canada.

The WADA has banned numerous athletes from competition who tested positive for clenbuterol, but those are presumed to be athletes who self-medicated with the drug to reduce fat and enhance their performance.

Eating A Red Meat-Rich Diet Have Potentially Lethal Health Risks

Eating a red meat-rich diet not only raises cholesterol and blood pressure levels but can also have potentially lethal health risks, according to new research.

Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, warn that high consumption of red meat, especially processed meats, can dramatically increase heart disease and cancer risks.

During the study, researchers looked at the data of 121,342 men and women over a 20-year period.

Their eating and diet habits were questioned and after two decades, 23,926 deaths were recorded, including 5,910 from heart disease and 9,364 from cancer.

Scientists claim they found a striking link between red meat consumption and premature death. When the deaths were divided into specific causes, researchers discovered that eating any kind of red meat increased the chances of dying from heart disease and cancer by 21%.

Researchers added that a daily serving of unprocessed red meat, for example beef, pork or lamb the size of a deck of cards, raised the risk of death by 13%.

In comparison, processed meats, like a hot dog or bacon, caused death risks soaring by 20%.

“This study provides clear evidence that regular consumption of red meat, especially processed meat, contributes substantially to premature death,” says senior author professor Frank Hu in a statement.

“On the other hand, choosing more healthful source of protein in place of red meat can confer significant health benefits by reducing chronic disease morbidity and mortality.”

The study urges people to cut out red meat from their diet as it can lead to significant health benefits as well as slashing death rates by 7%. Scientists from the study believe that if red meat consumption is reduced, it could prevent 9.3% of deaths in men and 7.6% of deaths in women.

Nuts, for example, are said to reduce mortality rates by 20%, low-fat dairy products lowered it by 10% and whole grains by 14%.

Harvard Declares Dairy NOT Part of Healthy Diet

The Harvard School of Public Health sent a strong message to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and nutrition experts everywhere with the recent release of its “Healthy Eating Plate” food guide.  The university was responding to the USDA’s new MyPlate guide for healthy eating, which replaced the outdated and misguided food pyramid.

Harvard’s nutrition experts did not pull punches, declaring that the university’s food guide was based on sound nutrition research and more importantly, not influenced by food industry lobbyists.  The greatest evidence of its research focus is the absence of dairy products from the “Healthy Eating Plate” based on Harvard’s assessment that “…high intake can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.”  The Harvard experts also referred to the high levels of saturated fat in most dairy products and suggested that collards, bok choy, fortified soy milk, and baked beans are safer choices than dairy for obtaining calcium, as are high quality supplements.

Kudos to Harvard for promoting greater consumption of vegetables and fruits, as well as healthier protein options such as fish, beans or nuts.  And kudos to Harvard for ignoring the lobbyists and showing the USDA what healthy eating is all about.

Source : Care2

Venus Williams Switch to Raw Vegan Diets for Health in 2012

Celebrity athlete Venus Williams is putting the spotlight on the benefits of eating a raw food diet to help improve her health as part of a New Year's resolution. Her sister Serena Williams is joining her. Both tennis players are role models for women and say they plan to fully embrace vegetarian diets in 2012. Other famous faces and sexy star celebs like Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, Olivia Wilde, Pamela Anderson, and Chelsea Clinton are also vegetarians, and the news the Williams sisters have joined the list of Hollywood women who don't eat meat is helping draw more attention to the growing health food movement.

According to The Daily Mail, the professional tennis player first revealed that reason for her drop out of the U.S. Open during the summer of 2011 was due to her discovery she suffers from an incurable disease of the immune system called Sjogren's Syndrome.

The painful and debilitating symptoms caused her to cancel her second U.S. Open match, after winning the first.

Ecorazzi reports, "She says, though, that the diagnosis was a relief after years of going to doctors without results. 'I would go to the doctor and start crying. I couldn't help it. I just want a chance to play on the same field as other people, I want to feel normal, but as frightening as the diagnosis was, it was also a relief.'"

Her sister has pledged to join her on the raw foods diet in 2012, and the two women have already started.

Making preserving and improving health and fitness levels a New Year's resolution is a noble goal for both men and women. However, if the William sisters use their collective star celebs power wisely as fit and trim celebrity athletes in the new year, they stand to help not only the African-American community who looks up to them as fashion icons and role models but also to help promote the heath of all women.

Cheers for going vegetarian, eating a raw foods diet, and promoting all celebrities who care about their heath think about going vegan, Venus Williams! Bravo for your sister Serena Williams taking on the New Year's resolution challenge to make the diet work for both you and her in the 2012 year as well, as her move to support a lifestyle change (as a family member) makes her a hero as well.

May both of you enjoy good health and continued success playing tennis again for many years. Are you a vegan or vegetarian who has seen your health improve after eliminating meat or animal products from your diet? If so, leave a comment below to tell other readers how your life and health have improved.

40,000 Deaths a Year Due to Junk Food, Says Health Watchdog Nice

More than 40,000 Britons are dying unnecessarily every year because of high levels of salt and fat in their diets, the Government’s public health watchdog Nice has warned.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) says that unhealthy foods have wreaked a “terrible toll of ill health” on the nation and placed a “substantial” strain on the economy.

For the first time, the organisation publishes landmark guidance on how to prevent the “huge number of unnecessary deaths” from conditions such as heart disease that are linked to the consumption of ready meals and processed food.

It calls for sweeping changes to food production and government policy to encourage lifestyle changes, and to reduce significantly the amount of salt and saturated fat the nation consumes.

It says “toxic” artificial fats known as trans fats, which have no nutritional value and are linked to heart disease, should be banned. The organisation says that ministers should consider introducing legislation if food manufacturers failed to make their products healthier.

Nice says it has brought together all the available evidence to illustrate the link between unhealthy food and public health, partly in response to increasing concern about obesity in Britain, particularly among children.

It says there are about five million people in the country suffering the effects of cardiovascular disease — a “largely avoidable” condition that includes heart attacks, heart disease and stroke — and that it causes 150,000 deaths annually. Nice says 40,000 of these deaths could be prevented, and hundreds of millions of pounds saved, if its measures were introduced.

The guidance, which was commissioned by the Department of Health, also recommends that:

• Low-salt and low-fat foods should be sold more cheaply than their unhealthy counterparts, through the use of subsidies if necessary;

• Advertising of unhealthy foods should be banned until after 9pm and planning laws should be used to restrict the number of fast food outlets, especially near schools;

• The Common Agricultural Policy should focus more on public health, ensuring farmers are paid to produce healthier foods;

• Action should also be taken to introduce a “traffic light” food labelling system, even though the European Parliament recently voted against this;

• Local authorities must act to encourage walking and cycling and public sector caterers must provide healthier meals;

• All lobbying of the Government and its agencies by the food and drink industry should be fully disclosed.

Prof Klim McPherson, the Chairman of the Nice Guidance Development Group and professor of epidemiology at Oxford University, said: “Where food is concerned, we want the healthy choice to be the easy choice. Going even further, we want the healthy choice to be the less expensive, more attractive choice.

“Put simply, this guidance can help the Government and the food industry to take action to prevent huge numbers of unnecessary deaths and illnesses caused by heart disease and stroke.” The average person in Britain consumes more than eight grams of salt a day. The body only requires one gram to function. Targets are already in place to reduce salt consumption to six grams by 2015 and this should be extended to three grams by 2050, the guidance says.

Nice says children should consume considerably less salt than adults and that, because the bulk of salt in their diets comes from prepared food such as bread, cereal, soups, meat and cheese products, manufacturers have a significant role to play in reducing it.

The organisation says that most consumers did not even notice a difference in taste if salt levels were reduced by

5-10 per cent a year because their taste buds adjusted.

Prof Mike Kelly, the public health director at Nice, added: “This isn’t about telling individuals to choose salad instead of chips — it’s about making sure that the chips we all enjoy occasionally are as healthy as possible.

“That means making further reductions in the salt, trans fats and saturated fats in the food we eat every day.”

Betty McBride, the director of policy and communications at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Creating an environment that makes healthy choices easy is vital. Government, the health service, industry and individuals must all play their part. We must see industry making major efforts now to reformulate products with less saturated fat.

“Cutting our 'sat fat’ intake would have a major impact on heart disease.”

Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, added: “The Nice guidance demonstrates conclusively why we need to change radically our approach to this vast and silent killer.

“Many of the diet-related recommendations made by Nice have the added benefit of costing the public purse little to nothing, while creating an opportunity to reduce the tens of billions of pounds of associated costs the UK loses every year to heart disease.”

While the guidance was welcomed by health experts, representatives of the food and drink industry said significant progress on salt and fat had already been taken.

The Food and Drink Federation accused Nice of being “out of touch with the reality”. Julian Hunt, its director of communications, said: “We are surprised that Nice has found the time and the money to develop guidance that seems to be out of touch with the reality of what has been happening for many years.

“The food industry is leading the world when it comes to voluntarily changing the recipes of popular food brands so that they are lower in salt, fat or sugar; introducing better-for-you choices at the same price as standard lines; and improving the quality of nutrition information available on packs.”

Source : The Telegraph

Study Links Pesticides to ADHD

A new study from researchers at University of Montreal and Harvard found a link experts call "persuasive" between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and exposure to common pesticides.

The study examined more than 1,100 children, 150 of which were previously diagnosed as ADHD. The findings, published in Pediatrics, revealed that around 94% of children examined had detectable levels of organophosphate pesticides in their urine. Children with higher levels of residue had increased chances of ADHD.

Said Maryse F. Bouchard of the University of Montreal Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center and lead author of the study: "Previous studies have shown that exposure to some organophosphate compounds cause hyperactivity and cognitive deficits in animals. Our study found that exposure to organophosphates in developing children might have effects on neural systems and could contribute to ADHD behaviors, such as inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity."

Previous studies have linked ADHD and attention deficit disorder to exposure to food additives, lead and phthalates. Which, or which combination, is the real culprit? Dr. Philip Landrigan, a 2010 Heart of Green Award winner, is trying to find the cause of autism, adhd, obesity and other chronic childhood illnesses through the ambitious Children's Health Study.

The most common route of organophosphate pesticide exposure for most children is through eating foods that have a high pesticide residue. Organic produce is grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. A 2008 study found that when children switched to organic produce, detectable pesticide levels dropped to undetectable levels.

Important to note: Some produce has markedly higher levels of pesticide residue than others. The produce most likely contaminated with pesticides frozen blueberries, strawberries and celery topped the list.

Source : The Daily Green

Why Vegetarian? Consider it!

As World Meatless Day falls on Nov 25, it’s appropriate that we review our eating habits, and reconsider the role of vegetables in our diet.

In the booklet, Why Vegetarian? A Beginner’s Guide, produced by the Malaysian Vegetarian Society in the late 90s, the society’s first president, Sona Zakariya, voiced her hope that one day, instead of people asking, “Why are you a vegetarian?”, the question would instead be, “So how do you become a vegetarian?”

We often are bombarded by messages and advice telling us to “quit smoking”, “lessen sugar intake” and “cut down on fatty foods”. Some habits die hard, others die even harder. But habits can be broken, what more in human beings who are the most adaptable creatures on the planet.

According to Dr P. Vythilingam, current president of the Malaysian Vegetarian Society, there are more than one billion vegetarians in the world today, with about one million in Malaysia. And the numbers continue to grow, which should be proof enough that human beings can and do survive on a non-meat diet.

Dr Vythilingam pointed to industrial farming practices that indirectly leads to the health problems faced by non-vegetarians – how the animals are bred and slaughtered, and the meat produced.

“There are a lot of antibiotics pumped into the animals (to keep them healthy in otherwise harsh living conditions),” he said. “There are the pesticides and DDT sprayed on the corn used for feeding livestock. And chickens, to make them grow faster, they are injected with hormones. This is why some people have hormone-related cancers.”

Prof Nick Day of the University Of Cambridge and the European Prospective Study Into Cancer stated that there are 40% fewer cancers among vegetarians compared to the general population.

“It’s never too late to start a vegetarian diet,” advised Dr Vythilingam. “Human beings are the only ones on earth who can adapt to anything. You can’t give a cow a piece of chicken and condition the cow to eat it. And you don’t give grass to a tiger. But human beings can be ‘conditioned’.”

FDA Admits Chicken Meat Contains Cancer-Causing Arsenic

After years of sweeping the issue under the rug and hoping no one would notice, the FDA has now finally admitted that chicken meat sold in the USA contains arsenic, a cancer-causing toxic chemical that's fatal in high doses. But the real story is where this arsenic comes from: It's added to the chicken feed on purpose!

Even worse, the FDA says its own research shows that the arsenic added to the chicken feed ends up in the chicken meat where it is consumed by humans. So for the last sixty years, American consumers who eat conventional chicken have been swallowing arsenic, a known cancer-causing chemical.
(http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/burlington_county_times_news/fd...)

Until this new study, both the poultry industry and the FDA denied that arsenic fed to chickens ended up in their meat. The fairytale excuse story we've all been fed for sixty years is that "the arsenic is excreted in the chicken feces." There's no scientific basis for making such a claim... it's just what the poultry industry wanted everybody to believe.

But now the evidence is so undeniable that the manufacturer of the chicken feed product known as Roxarsone has decided to pull the product off the shelves (http://www.grist.org/food-safety/2011-06-08-fda-admits-supermarket-ch...). And what's the name of this manufacturer that has been putting arsenic in the chicken feed for all these years? Pfizer, of course -- the very same company that makes vaccines containing chemical adjuvants that are injected into children.

Technically, the company making the Roxarsone chicken feed is a subsidiary of Pfizer, called Alpharma LLC. Even though Alpharma now has agreed to pull this toxic feed chemical off the shelves in the United States, it says it won't necessarily remove it from feed products in other countries unless it is forced by regulators to do so. As reported by AP:

"Scott Brown of Pfizer Animal Health's Veterinary Medicine Research and Development division said the company also sells the ingredient in about a dozen other countries. He said Pfizer is reaching out to regulatory authorities in those countries and will decide whether to sell it on an individual basis." (http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2011-06-08-fda-chicken-...)

Arsenic? Eat more!

But even as its arsenic-containing product is pulled off the shelves, the FDA continues its campaign of denial, claiming arsenic in chickens is at such a low level that it's still safe to eat. This is even as the FDA says arsenic is a carcinogen, meaning it increases the risk of cancer.

The National Chicken Council agrees with the FDA. In a statement issued in response to the news that Roxarsone would be pulled from feed store shelves, it stated, "Chicken is safe to eat" even while admitting arsenic was used in many flocks grown and sold as chicken meat in the United States.

What's astonishing about all this is that the FDA tells consumers it's safe to eat cancer-causing arsenic but it's dangerous to drink elderberry juice! The FDA recently conducted an armed raid in an elderberry juice manufacturer, accusing it of the "crime" of selling "unapproved drugs." (http://www.naturalnews.com/032631_elderberry_juice_FDA_raid.html) Which drugs would those be? The elderberry juice, explains the FDA. You see, the elderberry juice magically becomes a "drug" if you tell people how it can help support good health.

The FDA has also gone after dozens of other companies for selling natural herbal products or nutritional products that enhance and support health. Plus, it's waging a war on raw milk which it says is dangerous. So now in America, we have a food and drug regulatory agency that says it's okay to eat arsenic, but dangerous to drink elderberry juice or raw milk.

Eat more poison, in other words, but don't consume any healing foods. That's the FDA, killing off Americans one meal at a time while protecting the profits of the very companies that are poisoning us with their deadly ingredients.

Oh, by the way, here's another sweet little disturbing fact you probably didn't know about hamburgers and conventional beef: Chicken litter containing arsenic is fed to cows in factory beef operations. So the arsenic that's pooped out by the chickens gets consumed and concentrated in the tissues of cows, which is then ground into hamburger to be consumed by the clueless masses who don't even know they're eating second-hand chicken sh*t.
(http://www.naturalnews.com/027414_chicken_disease_cows.html)

Source : Natural News

 

Anti-foaming Found in Chicken McNuggets

Ever wonder what's really found in Chicken McNuggets? Some of the ingredients, it turns out, seem to belong more to an industrial factory of some kind, not a food retailer. According to the McDonald's Corporation, its famous Chicken McNuggets are made with ingredients including autolyzed yeast extract (which contain free glutamate, similar to MSG), sodium phosphates and sodium aluminum phosphate. But that's not the freaky part. According to McDonald's own website, Chicken McNuggets are also made with "hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness" and "Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent."
(http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/ingredientslist.pdf)

At least two of these ingredients are artificially synthesized industrial chemicals. TBHQ, a petroleum derivative, is used as a stabilizer in perfumes, resins, varnishes and oil field chemicals. Laboratory studies have linked it to stomach tumors. "At higher doses, it has some negative health effects on lab animals, such as producing precursors to stomach tumors and damage to DNA. A number of studies have shown that prolonged exposure to high doses of TBHQ may be carcinogenic, especially for stomach tumors." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TBHQ)

Dimethylpolysiloxane, a type of silicone, is used in caulks and sealants, as a filler for breast implants, and as key ingredient in Silly Putty. Says Wikipedia:

"PDMS is also used as a component in silicone grease and other silicone based lubricants, as well as in defoaming agents, mold release agents, damping fluids, heat transfer fluids, polishes, cosmetics, hair conditioners and other applications. PDMS has also been used as a filler fluid in breast implants, although this practice has decreased somewhat, due to safety concerns. PDMS is used variously in the cosmetic and consumer product industry as well. For example, PDMS can be used in the treatment of head lice..."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimethylpolysiloxane)

Not that the other ingredients are any better. Because cotton is not regulated as a food crop, cottonseed oil may contain chemical pesticides that are banned in food production. It is also almost always genetically modified. Hydrogenated oils, of course, typically contain trans fats, the artificially produced fats that are unusable by the body and that studies have linked to a number of detrimental health problems. And autolyzed yeast extract is a chemical taste-enhancing ingredient containing free glutamate that manufacturers use as a friendlier-looking replacement for MSG.

And what about the chicken in Chicken McNuggets? It's factory-farmed chicken, not free-range chicken. So it's the kind of chicken that's typically treated with vaccines and hormones while being fed conventional feed products that are medicated with pharmaceuticals and grown with pesticides.

Yum!! Don't forget to ask for extra dipping sauce. We haven't even talked about what you'll find in there...

Source : Natural News

Steve Jobs, Innovator and Vegetarian

Vegans, like vegetarians, do not eat meat. However, vegans are more strict and will not even eat animal by-products such as dairy foods. Jobs first became a vegan after an enlightening trip to India in 1974.

Steve Jobs may be remembered most for his innovations in technology, but all Vegetarians/Vegans and all green groups in the world will also remember the Apple co-founder for his kindness to animals and efforts to help the environment.

PETA praised Jobs for his vegetarianism and his support of animals through the "Pixar film studio [that] created heartwarming and thought-provoking movies about unlikely animal heroes."

They said of Jobs, "If his movies or his lifestyle inspired even one person to become a vegetarian, he no doubt saved hundreds of animals' lives, and for that we thank him."

Honoring the greener moments in Jobs' career with Apple, TreeHugger praised him for withdrawing Apple from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce because of the organization's climate change denial.

Why Do People Become Vegans/Vegetarians? Survey Says: All of the Above

CORVALLIS, Ore. – A growing number of Americans are choosing to follow vegetarian or vegan diets, but their reasons for doing so differ greatly, according to a new survey.

For some people, their decision to quit consuming meat – or animal products of any kind – stems from their opposition to killing or using animals for food. Others are seeking a healthier lifestyle and say they are concerned about chemical or hormonal additives. And still others associate red meat with heart disease, cancer and “mad cow” disease, among other concerns.

“There is no single reason why people choose to become vegans or vegetarians,” said Peter Cheeke, a professor emeritus of animal sciences at Oregon State University, who launched thesurvey. “In many cases, their reasons are multi-faceted. But if there was a single reason cited by most people, it was the idea of becoming healthier.”

Cheeke presented the results of the survey recently at the American Society of Animal Sciences national convention in New Orleans. His interest in the topic is both personal and professional.

An animal science professor in OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences for more than 40 years, Cheeke ran a couple of small farms and raised four children. Two of them are vegans, one is a vegetarian, and the other is a farmer and rancher who raises livestock. One son, Robert Cheeke, is a well-known vegan bodybuilder and co-author on the survey.

Since Robert Cheeke was speaking at numerous vegetarian/vegan events, the elder Cheeke decided to take advantage of that to launch the informal survey.

“The goal was to find out what prompted all of these people to become vegans or vegetarians,” Peter Cheeke said. “So we decided to take advantage of the people who came to these trade shows and festivals and learn their motivation.”

Over a two-year period, the Cheekes, along with Steve Lukefahr – a former OSU doctoral student in animal sciences, now at Texas A&M University-Kingsville – surveyed vegans and vegetarians in 14 states. In addition to their rationale for choosing their lifestyle and diet, the researchers tried to learn more about people’s background, including experience in living on a farm, participating in 4-H, or having pets.

They went to such places as the Northwest Vegetarian Potluck in Portland, Ore.; an animal rightsconference in Los Angeles; the Vegan Thanksgiving feast in Logan, Utah; a vegan bodybuildinglecture in DeKalb, Ill.; and the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival in Massachusetts.

In general, most of the people who completed the survey were female, over the age of 20, and had little experience living on a farm or participating in 4-H projects. Most, Cheeke said, were strongly opposed to all aspects of livestock production. Almost all sought a healthier lifestyle.

This and other surveys should serve as a wakeup call to the livestock industry, Cheeke said. A 2008 study by the Vegetarian Times found that there were 7.3 million vegetarians in the United States, and another 22.8 million people who followed a “vegetarian-inclined” diet. Harris surveys have put the number of vegans in the U.S. at between 1 and 2 percent of the population.

“That’s quite a few people who for one reason or another are choosing not to eat meat,” Cheeke said. “There may be a bigger role for niche marketing of animal products, including organic meats and free-range poultry.

“Thirty or 40 years ago, the biggest challenge for the livestock industry was producing things more efficiently,” he added. “Now the challenge is healthier products and less-intensive production practices.”

About the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences: The college contributes in many ways to the economic and environmental sustainability of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. The college's faculty are leaders in agriculture and food systems, natural resources management, life sciences and rural economic development research.

Source : Health Canal

Why Bill Clinton Became a Vegetarian

As the 42nd president of the United States, Bill Clinton has changed positions a few times before. But that the man who famously favored fast food for breakfast and countless other occasions has turned to veganism is a noteworthy shift.

In a highly publicized interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon and frequent anchor/correspondent at CNN, Clinton said that he now considers himself a devout vegan and abstains from eating meat, dairy products, eggs and most oils. The main reason for his adherence to a strictly plant-based diet is to slow down the progression of heart disease, which has plagued the former president for quite some time.

“I essentially concluded that I had played Russian roulette,” Clinton said in the interview, “because even though I had changed my diet some and cut down on the calorie total of my ingestion and cut back on much of the cholesterol in the food I was eating, I still […] was taking in a lot of extra cholesterol. So that’s when I made a decision to really change.”

In 2004, four years after leaving office, the 58-year old Clinton had to undergo quadruple bypass surgery to restore blood flow to his heart. “I was lucky I did not die of a heart attack,” he told Dr. Gupta. But last year, he needed another heart procedure, having two stents implanted to re-open one of the veins from his bypass surgery. After consulting with his physicians, Clinton realized that moderate diet- and lifestyle changes were just not enough to keep his disease from further progressing. More radical steps were required – measures that actually could help reverse some of the damage that had already been done.

Two of the president’s medical advisors are Dr. Dean Ornish, director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who directs the cardiovascular prevention and reversal program at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Both doctors are strong advocates for a plant-based diet to prevent and, in many cases, reverse the damage from heart disease.

If you consider following a similar dietary regimen, you need to know that keeping to a strict vegan diet is easier planned than done. “‘Vegan’ is not a synonym for ‘healthy,’” said Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and author of “The Flexitarian Diet.” It’s a common mistake among newbie vegans to remove meat from their diets without knowing how to add sufficient amounts of complete plant-based proteins.

According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), a strictly vegetarian diet can be healthy, but vegetarians, and especially vegans, need to make sure they’re getting enough of the important nutrients that are mostly present in animal food products. A vegan diet (the strictest form of vegetarianism) may lead to an increased risk of deficiency in vitamin B12, vitamin B2, calcium, iron and zinc. Some of this can be avoided by taking supplements.

A particular challenge for vegans is access to high-quality protein. Only animal- and soy proteins are considered “complete” proteins because they contain all the essential amino acids the human body requires. Amino acids are the building blocks that make up protein. Plant foods, such as grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, are “incomplete” because they lack one or more of these essential amino acids.

Fortunately, vegans can make up for the missing nutrients by taking a mix and match approach. For instance, grains consumed with legumes (beans, peas) make complete proteins. So do combinations of vegetables and legumes, vegetables and nuts as well as grains and nuts. Because amino acids stay in the blood stream for several hours, complementary proteins don’t have to be eaten all at once but can be stretched over several meals throughout the day.

A healthful vegan diet should more or less look like a healthy non-vegan one, according to Blatner. “The plate should be about half veggies and fruits, a quarter whole grains and a quarter protein. And vegans should be sure to include healthful fats like guacamole, nut butter or tahini dressing in their diets,” she said.

Also, keeping tabs on calories is still a must. You can gain too much weight from any kind of food if you overindulge. Surely, the president has been reminded of that little fact, too.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also be interested in reading “Vegan Nation,” “Are Vegetarians at Higher Risk for Iron Deficiency?” and “Strictly Vegetarian, Too Radical?”

Source : SeattlePI

Oriental Medicine Doctor Endorses Vegetarianism

By Kelly Frances

Oriental medicine doctor and nutritionist Sun Hyun-joo says the benefits of vegetarianism are numerous, including positive physical and emotional changes as well as a reduction in the potential for disease.

As a vegan herself, who does not consume any animal products, Sun also condemns the unethical and environmentally harmful nature of the meat industry, emphasizing the heavy use of additives.

“Most people are unaware of the large amounts of antibiotics, hormones and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in animal products,” she said.

She also serves as an executive secretary of Vegedoctor, an organization of vegetarian doctors in Korea. Sun believes the perception of vegetarianism in Korea is changing.

“Ten years ago, many of my colleagues were viewed as ‘eccentric,’” she said. “Nowadays, I feel that increased awareness has led to vegetarianism being regarded as ‘smart.’”

In the wake of last year’s foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, media in Korea unintentionally created a remarkably effective advertising campaign for vegetarianism, causing a dramatic surge in traffic to vegetarian websites such as the Korean Vegetarianism Union website (www.vege.or.kr). The website’s average of 3,000 to 4,000 visitors per day jumped to 15,000 last winter.

Still, going green in a land that is world renowned for its BBQ isn’t easy, and Sun believes few accommodations are made for those who opt to go flesh-free.

“We have limited restaurant options for vegetarians,” she said. “With the exception of housewives or toddlers, most people eat out one or two times a day, and most restaurants serve meat or fish. Seasonings often include animal ingredients, so a strict vegetarian diet is tough.”

Sun also noted that standard social, school and military meals include meat or fish.

“Korean drinking culture is a prominent obstacle to vegetarians. Common get-togethers are based on alcohol, and meat or fish dishes. The association between these meals and harmony creates a challenge,” she explained.

According to Sun, the belief that vegetarianism leads to malnutrition is unfounded.

“Key nutrients suspected to be deficient in vegetarian diets are protein, calcium, iron, vitamin 12,” she explained. “However, this is a myth.” She elaborated, using calcium as an example of a “misunderstood nutrient.”

“A serving of beef contains 19 mg of calcium,” she said. “Interestingly, the same portion of sesame, kelp, sea mustard and laver contains 1,245 mg, 763 mg, 720 mg and 420 mg of calcium respectively. Additionally, the absorption rate of plant calcium is higher than that of animal food, because the excessive phosphorus found in animal food obstructs the intake of calcium. Calcium from vegetables works with the body in perfect harmony.”

Sun added that most Koreans get a healthy dose of Vitamin B12 effortlessly through foods such as soy sauce, soybean paste and seaweed.

In regard to children, Sun is eager for the findings of a current study, led by colleague Dr. Hwang Seong-soo.

“Dr. Hwang is studying the relationship between vegetarianism and learning ability at a high school in Daegu, which is the first of its kind in Korea and, though the study is in progress, we are seeing great things,” she said. “With proper education, all essential nutrients are abundant in a plant-based diet.”

The writer is a guest columnist from Ontario, Canada, and is currently living in Seoul. She welcomes topic suggestions from readers and can be reached at kellyfranceesm@gmail.com

Source : The Korea Times