You’ve probably heard that orange juice and chicken soup can
help kick a cold or combat the flu, but there
are less obvious (and more appetizing) mealtime choices that help
an ailing immune system. Below are five surprising foods that you
might want to
toss in your shopping cart the next time you feel a
tickle in your throat.
Kefir/Yogurt
Many yogurts and almost all kefir, a fermented milk
product, contain probiotics, the so-called “good” bacteria. These
bacteria alter how the immune system in the digestive tract reacts
to microorganisms. Studies have found that probiotics can help with
diarrhea and other intestinal disorders. Although more research is
needed, probiotics may also help reduce the severity of colds and
the flu, according to the Mayo Clinic. Opt for the yogurt and kefir
that contain live and active probiotics to make sure you’re reaping
the benefits of these miracle-workers.
Black/Green Tea
A hot cup of tea can help soothe a sore throat and lift spirits,
but green and black teas are also a good source of polyphenols, or
plant antioxidants, that can help prevent free radical damage in
the body. In the lab, compounds in green tea have been shown to
inhibit viral replication, which may aid in defending against cold
and flu. In addition, a Harvard study found that people who drank
five cups of black tea had elevated levels of a compound that can
help ward off infections like viruses. The benefits also pertain to
decaf black and green teas, so you don’t have to over-caffeinate
while loading up on the good stuff. 10
Spices That Improve Your Health
Garlic
Garlic is indispensible in the kitchen but has recently received
widespread attention for its potential in disease-prevention and
immune-boosting properties. Although some of the claims are
certainly oversold, garlic has shown some promise when it comes to
warding off infections. It’s believed that the sulfur-containing
compound allicin could function as an antibacterial and antiviral
agent. In one study, British researchers found that people who took
a garlic supplement regularly were two-thirds less likely to catch
a cold than those who took a placebo. The best way to reap garlic’s
benefits, however, is consuming it raw or freshly processed.
7 Habits of Happy People
Orange-Fleshed Vegetables
Pumpkins, sweet potatoes, squash, and other
orange-fleshed vegetables are high in beta carotene, which the body
uses to make Vitamin A. A diet low in beta carotene can suppress
the immune system, so stocking up on these
fall veggies is a great way to ensure your body has
the nutrients it needs. Vitamin A also is important in keeping the
skin healthy, which is our body’s first line of defense against
disease-causing microorganisms.
Oysters
Oysters are definitely not the first thing that comes to mind when
a cold or other illness strikes, but the bivalves are a great
source of zinc, among other good-for-you nutrients like omega-3s,
selenium, and iron. Zinc is important in the development of white
blood cells and even a low-to-moderate level of zinc deficiencies
can have negative implications for the immune system. Of course,
there can be too much of a good thing however: too much zinc can
have an adverse effect and inhibit the immune system. Therefore,
it’s best to get zinc from a well-rounded diet. In addition to
oysters, beef and chicken are good sources.
Save money (and cabinet space!) by discovering new uses for your old kitchen standbys.
Electric Griddle with Bacon Photo: iStock
These days, it seems like every recipe requires its own
special pot, pan or gadget. But do you really need a panini press,
mandoline or other expensive gadget just to try out a new dish? Not only
does it make you hesitant to experiment in the kitchen, it can also get
pretty costly.
Tired of shelling out on kitchen equipment—however
handy it may be—we turned to Kate Merker, food & nutrition director
for Woman's Day, and Cynthia B. Keller, a chef instructor at Culinary
Institute of America, for advice on how to use what you already have in
your cabinets to achieve what one of these specialty cooking tools can
do. The results: A win-win for your pocket book and dinner table.
Griddles are great for pancakes and fried eggs because they have a
big, flat surface to cook on. However, their size (which ranges from
20"x10" to 23"x17") make them a beast when it comes to counter space and
storage. But a cast iron skillet
with a flat bottom will do the trick since it doesn’t warp when you put
it on the stove, and you’ll get a relatively even heat conduction,
according to Keller. Plus, she adds, “If well-conditioned, they become
naturally non-stick.” In a pinch, a sauté pan would also work, she says, but they are prone to getting a hump in the middle, which will cause uneven shapes and heating.
A steamer is a terrific way to cook vegetables without adding fat,
but there’s no need to add one to your already-crammed cupboard.
Instead, simply place a wire mesh strainer or metal colander
directly inside your cooking pot filled with water. If your lid won't
fit after placing either inside, place a piece of aluminum foil over the
top and seal it around the pot. Note: Be sure the strainer or colander
is heat-safe or made with stainless steel (it should be clearly
labeled). If you’re not sure what the material is, you should avoid
using a strainer or colander for this type of preparation because it may
contain lead solder, which can leech into your food.
It only takes one mess to learn that, if a recipe calls for a funnel,
you should use it. The trouble is, you never know exactly what size
you’ll need and storing larger diameter funnels is a pain. Fortunately,
it’s a breeze to construct a makeshift one. For wet ingredients, trim
off the bottom section of an empty plastic soda bottle
(about 3 inches down from where the neck slopes) and turn it upside
down. This will work for practically anything except when you’re home
canning jellies or jams, as the high temperature can cause the plastic
to warm and become misshapen. For dry ingredients, create a simple cone
shape from parchment or wax paper, holding it in place or taping the sides.
Juice Reamer
Photo: Joan Vicent Canta Roig/Thinkstock
When a recipe calls for fresh-squeezed juice, forget a reamer or handheld juicer—simply use a large pair of tongs
(about 6- to 8-in long). Place a halved citrus fruit into the V-shape
near the hinge along the top of the tongs and squeeze the handles
together.
A
mandoline will give you precision when slicing fruits and
vegetables—but it’s expensive and can be dangerous if you don’t know how
to handle it properly. Instead, use a vegetable peeler.
It may not be as quick or uniform in slicing, but you can still achieve
paper-thin slices and long curls of vegetables or fruit peels. For
maximum efficacy and control, find one with a handle that comfortably
fits your hand, and (carefully) slice towards the body.
If you like chicken rollups and veal scaloppini, a mallet is a
must—but instead of keeping this Medieval-looking device around just to
occasionally pound out some meat, go for a small sauté pan
instead. Sandwich the meat between two layers of plastic cling wrap and
have at it with your makeshift mallet. Keller likes to use an 8- or
9-in pan, because it has “a nice, broad flat surface and hits the meat
evenly.” You could also use the sides of a heavy can wrapped in plastic,
but a sauté pan will be easier to handle.
A
sauté pan won’t give you those signature grill lines, but it will
provide all the toasty, gooey sandwiches you can handle—without spending
$40+ on a bulky, one-use gadget. Start with a sauté pan that's clean
and not made of copper (which oxidizes). Put your panini in it and place
a heavy cast iron skillet
on top in order to press the sandwich down; flip your sandwich over
once the bread is toasted. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, place a
sauté pan on top, weighing it down with three or four large cans
(around 28 oz) of soup or vegetables. Another option is to place an
aluminum foil-covered brick on top of the panini in lieu of another pan.
Unless
you’re piping an intricate design or delicate embellishments, skip the
pastry bag (which is a bear to clean) and opt for a zip-top plastic bag that you can toss when done. Small sandwich bags
break easily, so it’s best to use a gallon-size, heavy-duty
freezer-safe bag. Like you would a pastry bag, add the frosting or
filling (about halfway up or less), press it down gently into one bottom
corner and twist the leftover bag at top to close it off. Snip the
corner off as desired (the higher up you cut, the bigger the line will
be) and pipe away.
Great as it may be for cooking fowl, the roasting rack doesn’t
get much play beyond Thanksgiving. Skip the hassle (and cost) by
creating a small ring or S-shape “snake” out of rolled foil
that’s about 1/2-in thick. Place it in an aluminum roaster pan and then
set your bird on top of it. For an even easier option, layer chopped
onions, carrots and celery on the bottom of a pan, about 1/2- to 1-in
deep, and set your bird on top. It’s just enough room to let the air
circulate—with the added benefit of roasted vegetables for later.
Unlike some other items on the list, a rolling pin isn’t usually
pricey. But it does take up space and, unless you love to bake, it’s
seldom used. In its place, wrap a wine bottle (full or empty) with plastic cling wrap
and work away as you would with a pin. The wrap will keep it from
sticking and prevents a full-bottle from getting messy. If you’re
working with dough for pie or shortbread cookies, ensure it stays cool
by using a full bottle that’s been chilling in the fridge for a bit.
It is the price we pay for an early summer. As temperatures start to soar, so do our chances of being bitten or stung.
'Some
people are more sensitive to bites and stings than others. You can get
three people walking through a cornfield and they might not all be
affected in the same way,' explains Dr Andrew Wright, a consultant
dermatologist with Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust.
Horsefly bites can trigger severe allergic
reactions. These painful bites will develop into a large, red, itchy
lump within minutes
'A sting
or bite can do anything from triggering minor irritation to causing huge
blisters and, in rarer cases, serious complications. That's why it's
vital to know what has happened and how to deal with it.'
Here,
with the help of experts, we explain what's out there on the attack and
how you can protect yourself during the warmer weather.
WASPS
INSTANT TREATMENT:
'A wasp can sting you several times since it doesn't leave its sting in
you,' explains Dr Shuaib Nasser, a consultant allergist at Cambridge
University NHS Trust. 'You'll feel sharp pain and, depending on how you
react to the venom, you may get a raised lump and swelling. This will
usually last a few days. Apply a cold compress for relief, or use
calamine to calm the pain. Taking an antihistamine tablet or using an
over- the- counter preparation such as Wasp-Eze may help to soothe the
itch and inflammation.'
WHEN TO SEEK HELP: 'If the swelling is larger than the size of your hand then it needs steroid cream to reduce the inflammation,' adds Dr Nasser.
'However,
if you get swelling anywhere else, such as on the lips, have difficulty
breathing or feel dizzy, you must get help immediately as you may be
suffering with anaphylaxis - a severe allergic reaction. In rare
cases, this can be fatal - five people die a year from this.'
Anaphylaxis
can happen without warning, and needs treatment with an injection of
adrenaline. Those allergic to wasps and bees should wear an alert
bracelet and carry two doses of adrenaline with them.
BEES
INSTANT TREATMENT: 'When a bee stings, it leaves its barbed stinger attached in the skin as it flies off,' explains Dr Nasser.
'This has a venomous sac attached to it, which is why you need to
remove the stinger carefully to avoid puncturing the sac and causing the
venom to spread. To do this, gently grasp the sac and flick it out with
something that has a hard edge, such as a bank card.
'Treat pain and swelling in the same way as wasp stings.'
Lloyds
pharmacist Marie Fitzgerald adds: 'Steer clear of treating with
household remedies such as vinegar or bicarbonate of soda, as you can't
always be sure what has bitten you. Treating an acidic bee sting with
vinegar or an alkaline wasp sting with bicarbonate of soda will further
aggravate the skin.'
WHEN TO SEEK HELP: Bee stings can also cause anaphylaxis so seek medical help immediately at the first sign of any symptoms.
FLEAS
INSTANT TREATMENT:
'A single flea will often bite five times, producing a cluster-like
rash,' explains dermatologist Dr Andrew Wright. 'This usually happens
below the knee or around the ankles. Soothe the itching with calamine
lotion, but do not to use too much as it can dry the skin.'
WHEN TO SEEK HELP:
If you are very sensitive to flea bites, they can lead to a condition
called papular urticaria where a number of itchy red lumps form. See
your GP for treatment, which usually involves steroid creams or lotions
that reduce inflammation.
BED BUGS
INSTANT TREATMENT:
'Bites on the face and neck are often caused by bed bugs, although they
can happen all over the body,' explains pharmacist Sean Woodward, a
spokesman for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. 'Wash bed linen at high
temperatures and vacuum your mattress. Steroid cream will help relieve
inflammation.'
WHEN TO SEEK HELP:
Bed bugs can trigger an allergic reaction that can bring on an asthma
attack, so sufferers should be vigilant if travelling to a country or
city where bed bugs are rife.
MOSQUITOES
INSTANT TREATMENT:
'It's rare to feel the moment a mosquito bites as they inject an
anaesthetic before they insert their probe into the skin,' explains Dr
George Kassianos, immunisation expert for the Royal College of GPs and a
spokesman for the Malaria Awareness Campaign.
'The
itch can develop up to several hours later depending on an individual's
sensitivity. Bites produce a red itchy lump.' Treat the bites with a
topical antihistamine such as Anthisan Bite & Sting Cream. This
blocks the histamine receptor sites in your nerve endings, which reduces
swelling and skin irritation.
WHEN TO SEEK HELP: Scratching
a bite can cause a localised infection that may require antibiotics.
Some mosquitoes carry malaria or other diseases. Speak to your GP about
vaccines. Be aware that symptoms may not appear until up to 14 days
after travelling abroad. Even if you haven't been to an affected
country, you can get what is known as 'airport malaria' by picking it up
from planes from malarious places.
HORSEFLIES
Horsefly bite: It's important to seek help if
the bacteria gets into the skin, it can cause cellulitis, an infection
of the soft tissues
INSTANT TREATMENT: These painful bites will develop into a large, red, itchy lump within minutes.
'Try
a weak over-the-counter steroid cream containing hydrocortisone,' says
Dr Wright. 'But don't use too much as these can produce their own
allergic reactions. Ibuprofen gel will help with pain and swelling.'
WHEN TO SEEK HELP:
If bacteria gets into the skin, it can cause cellulitis, an infection
of the soft tissues. Symptoms include hot, swollen skin, nausea and high
temperature. If not treated rapidly this can be fatal. Horsefly bites,
like other bites and stings, can also on rare occasions trigger an
allergic reaction such as dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest pain, a
blotchy rash and severe swelling that may be visible in your lips or
tongue and cause nausea. If you suffer any of these reactions, seek
medical help immediately.
ANTS
INSTANT TREATMENT:
'Red and flying ants can sting but this usually happens only when you
sit on a nest. Try using After Bite, which provides relief from itching
caused by bites and even nettles,' says Lloyds pharmacist Marie
Fitzgerald
WHEN TO SEEK HELP: In a few cases bites can cause localised infection or cellulitis.
MIDGES
INSTANT TREATMENT:
'These usually bite at dusk and dawn, causing itching and swelling.
Apply something soothing to the skin such as a weak topical steroid,'
says Dr Wright.
WHEN TO SEEK HELP: In
rare cases midges can cause cellulitis-which if untreated can be fatal.
Because they send out pheromones to alert others to a feeding site, you
are likely to suffer multiple bites.
TICKS
INSTANT TREATMENT: These
small, blood-sucking members of the spider family cannot jump so latch
on to the skin when you pass by. If the tick has already bitten and
dropped away, a small red lump can develop. 'If the tick is still there,
grasp it gently with a pair of fine tweezers and pull it out steadily,'
says zoologist Wendy Fox.
'Don't
twist or tug as parts of its head can break off and cause an infection.
Once it's removed, wash the area with an antiseptic cream to prevent
further infection,' adds GP Dr Roger Henderson. Tick bites take up to
three weeks to heal.
WHEN TO SEEK HELP:
Lyme disease is contracted from the bite of an infected tick. This
affects about 3,000 people a year and if not diagnosed and treated in
the early stages can cause paralysis. 'If you get a rash around the bite
site within 30 days and develop flu-like symptoms, see your GP
immediately for antibiotics,' says Dr Henderson.
Top 10 most common dreams – and what they mean
Find out what one expert has to say about the most popular dreams.…
Have you ever woken up in the morning after a particularly vivid dream, and thought: “what the hell was that all about?”
Us
too, which is why we decided to ask psychologist and dream specialist
Ian Wallace to give us some expert insight. According to Ian, your dream
might not be as unique and weird as you thought. There are many dreams
that all of us experience at some point, but what do they mean? Lie
back, turn off the lights and find out. The answers might surprise you…
1. You’re being chased “There
is an issue in your waking life that you want to confront but are
unsure how to do so. This issue is often a great opportunity for you to
pursue a particular personal ambition. Although they may seem scary,
your pursuers are actually bringing your attention to your unrealised
talents in your own pursuit of fulfilment.”
2. Your teeth fall out “Your
teeth symbolise how confident and powerful you feel, so some situation
is causing your confidence to crumble in waking life. Rather than seeing
this situation as something that will leave you powerless, just try
calmly chewing over the facts and relish it as a challenge that you can
really get your teeth into.”
3. You’re unable to find a toilet “Toilets
are what we use to cleanly respond to some of our most fundamental
needs, so there is an issue in waking life where you are finding it a
challenge to clearly express your own needs. This can often occur if you
always spend time looking after the needs of other people, rather than
your own.”
4. You’re naked in public “We
choose our clothes to present a particular image to the people around
us, so being naked in public suggests that there is a situation in
waking life that is making you feel vulnerable and exposed. Although it
might be potentially embarrassing, sometimes you just have to open up to
others so they can see your real talents.”
5. You’re unprepared for an exam “Exams
are how we judge our ability to perform, so this indicates that you are
critically examining your own performance in waking life. Rather than
immersing yourself in endless self-examination, the real test of your
character is being able to accept your talents by celebrating your
knowledge and achievements, instead of constantly judging them.”
6. You’re flying “Being
able to fly suggests that you have released yourself from circumstances
that have been weighing you down in waking life. Although you may
regard this feeling of liberation as just luck or coincidence, it is
usually because you have managed to make a weighty decision or risen
above the limitations of a heavy responsibility.”
7. You’re falling “Feeling
yourself falling in a dream indicates that you are hanging on too
tightly to a particular situation in waking life, and need to relax and
let go of it. Rather than being so concerned about losing control,
sometimes you just have to trust in yourself and others by allowing
everything to fall naturally into place.”
8. You’re in an out of control vehicle “The
vehicle represents your ability to make consistent progress towards a
specific objective, so in waking life, you may feel that you don't have
enough control over your road to success. Instead of trying to
over-control the situation, relax your grip and allow your fundamental
instincts and drives to steer the best path for you.”
9. You find an unused room “The
rooms in a house represent different aspects of your character, so
finding an unused room suggests that you're discovering a talent that
you were previously unaware of. The more time that you spend exploring
your dormant talents, the more likely that you will find other doors
opening for you in waking life.”
10. You’re late “Being
late suggests you feel you're losing the opportunity to experience some
sort of fulfilment in your waking life. This may be because you've been
involving yourself in busy and sometimes meaningless activity, rather
than committing to meaningful action. Until you commit to a decision,
you will always find yourself hesitating and using your time
ineffectively.”
Ian Wallace’s new book, 'The Top 100 Dreams',
which describes the dreams that we all have and what they really mean,
is published by Hay House on June 6th.
Your feet are one of the hardest working and most neglected
parts of the human body. In a lifetime, the average person walks more
than 150,000 miles, the equivalent of five times around the world.
The rise in temperature during the summer months along with flip
flops, sandals and summer activities can cause extra problems for your
feet, just at the time you want them to look their best.
Fortunately, it's easy to keep your feet healthy and pain free through the summer months, if you know how.
Say goodbye to sweaty feet
Your feet have over 250,000 sweat glands in each foot alone, so its
hardly surprising that sweaty feet - and the smell that goes with them -
is one of the most common problems people face during hot weather. To
avoid sweaty feet and reduce your chances of fungal infections:
Wash your feet every day in warm soapy water. Don't soak them, as
this might destroy the natural oils causing dryness and dry thoroughly,
especially between the toes.
Wear good quality socks made from fibres that wick sweat away from
the skin. This will help to keep your skin dry and allows your feet to
“breathe”. And change them every day.
Wear well ventilated shoes and change them often. Wearing the same
shoes every day transfers decomposing bacteria onto your feet, so to
keep them smelling sweet, alternate your footwear.
Always keep your trainers well aired, before and after exercise to prevent the build up of fungal spores and bacteria.
Cracked heels
Dry skin and cracked heels are all too common during the summer
months. These are normally caused by wearing open-backed shoes and
sandals which allow the fat pad under the heel to expand sideways,
increasing the likeliehood of the skin to crack.
Prevent cracked heels:
Keep your feet well moisturised by applying a moisturiser twice a
day. Use an abrasive stone such as a pumice stone or a non-metal
footfile when in the shower or taking a bath to exfoliate the build up
of skin which can occur.
Change the type of footwear you wear. Constantly wearing flip-flops
or flimsy sandals increases your likeliehood of unsightly and sometimes
painful cracked heels.
If cracked heels become a serious problem, they can be "strapped" by a
chiropodist or podiatrist (see below). This holds the cracks together
to help them heal.
Blister agony
New sandals can lead to blisters, caused by skin rubbing against a
rough surface such as a sock, flip flop thong or the seam of a shoe. The
rubbing creates heat which can lead to blisters developing.
Any kind of moisture is good news for blisters. Sweaty feet or wet shoes soften the skin and make them more prone to blistering.
To prevent blisters in hot weather:
Keep feet dry at all times. If you have sweaty socks, change them.
If buying new summer sandals or shoes, make sure they fit properly.
Shoes which are too loose or too tight will create pressure points and
lead to rubbing. Blisters are inevitable.
Put your feet up! Your feet need a rest. Over-working feet increases
heat and moisture in footwear and increases the likelihood of blisters.
Blisters should be left to dry out on their own, so don't try to burst them. However if they do burst, apply a clean dressing.
Flip-flop pain
We all guilty of it, but try not to wear flip-flops continuously when
the weather is hot. They don't provide adequate support for your feet
and can cause arch and heel pain if you wear them regularly. When
choosing flip flops, look for ones with arch and heel support.
Sunburn
Your feet are most exposed during summer, so don't forget the
suncream. Use SPF30 and above, and reapply regularly to protect against
skin cancer and leathery skin due to premature ageing.
Other tips for healthy summer feet
Swimming and paddling pools, gym showers and hotel bathrooms are
breeding grounds for athlete's foot and verrucas. Wear flip flops or
Crocs to avoid catching them
Don't hide "ugly" toenails with polish. A thick, discoloured,
cracked or crumbling nail could mean you have a fungal infection. It
won't go away by itself, so get it checked out.
Feet tend to swell during the day so buy new shoes or sandals later in the afternoon when your feet are at their largest
Try to vary your shoe type and heel height from day to day; one day
with low heels, the next with slightly higher ones. Heel heights should
be kept to about 3cm for everyday use.
The truth behind Popeye's strength
Popeye's secret has been revealed - it is the nitrates in spinach that make him strong.
The chemical, abundant in green
leafy vegetables, boosts the powerhouses in cells which provide energy,
scientists have discovered.
A single helping of spinach is enough to increase the efficiency of
mitochondria, small bean-shaped bodies which fuel cell activity and
growth.
Spinach is well known as the superfood that gave Popeye the Sailor
Man his bulging muscles. The famous cartoon character, who dates back to
the 1930s, pops open a can of spinach whenever he needs to get out of
trouble.
Originally it was thought that the iron content of spinach made it a
power-food but now scientists have learned that nitrates are the true
energy-boosting ingredient in the vegetable.
Green leafy vegetables of all kinds are rich in the inorganic
chemical which until recently was not thought to have any nutritional
value. "We're talking about an amount of nitrate equivalent to what is
found in two or three red beets or a plate of spinach," said lead
researcher Professor Eddie Weitzberg, from the Karolinska Institute in
Sweden.
"We know that diets rich in fruits and vegetables can help prevent cardiovascular disease
and diabetes, but the active nutrients haven't been clear. This shows
inorganic nitrate as a candidate to explain those benefits."
Prof Weitzberg's findings are published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
An odd implication of the research is that mouthwash may reduce the
benefits of nitrates as bacteria in the mouth are needed to provide the
first step in the pathway that uses nitrates to generate nitric oxide.
Revolutionising healthcare for the poor
An Indian doctor's mission to deliver low-cost hospitals could revolutionise the provision of healthcare in poorer countries
Dr Devi Shetty at work. Photograph: Rosalind Miller
This year heart disease overtook communicable diseases as the number one killer in India,
mainly affecting breadwinners. More than 2 million Indians need, but
cannot afford, heart surgery. That may be about to change.
While
surveying the blueprint drawings of a new 300-bed speciality heart
hospital in Mysore, Dr Devi Shetty announces that his facility will be
completed within four to five months with a total investment of about
$4m. Traditionally in India, such a hospital would cost nearer $30m and
take around three years to build. Shetty's goal is for his low-cost
model to make heart surgery accessible to the millions in need.
Originally trained as a cardiac surgeon in Britain's NHS, Shetty is famed as chairman and founder of the Narayana Hrudayalaya
"health city" in Bengalooru, where open-heart surgery costs a fraction
of what it does elsewhere in the world. By performing a high volume of
operations in his 1,000-bed "heart factory", Shetty passes on the
efficiency savings achieved to patients. He is pursuing a one-man
mission to drive down the cost of hospital care. "Today, most diseases
can be cured and if you cannot cure a patient, you can give them a
meaningful life," he says. "But what percentage of people can afford it?
If a solution is not affordable, it is not a solution."
In
addition to offering low-cost surgery, he treats the most needy
patients free of charge by subsidising their care through charging those
who can pay a higher rate. He has also set up the Yeshasvini scheme, in
which, for five rupees (about $1) per month, farmers in Karnataka state
can insure themselves against healthcare expenses. The model is proving
to be a vote-winner for politicians, and is being replicated across the
country.
In India, around 40% of the population either
borrow money or sell assets to pay for hospitalisation, and 25% fall
below the poverty line as a result of medical expenses each year. Since
1949, the private health sector has grown from 8% of healthcare
facilities to encompass 93% of hospitals and 85% of doctors. Private
financing accounts for 78% of total health expenditure – one of the
highest proportions in the world.
Shetty believes enormous
savings can be made by changing the way hospitals are built and managed.
"Our concept is first, you reduce the cost of building the hospital;
second, you reduce the duration of building and then how the hospital
runs," he says.
According to his calculations, this new
hospital model will enable him to offer open heart surgery for $800.
The cheapest procedures in the US can be 10 times that amount. When
asked how drastic cost saving can be achieved, Shetty explains that he
has teamed up with the largest construction company in India (Larsen
& Toubro), which will be responsible for building the prefabricated
hospital. It will be designed solely on ground-floor level because
multiple storeys hugely increase the cost of construction. The design
allows for good ventilation and maximum natural light, thus reducing
power requirements. Essentially, the model is a no frills, Ikea-like
approach to hospital design.
His plans also involve
DIY-nursing, whereby family members are responsible for looking after
the non-technical aspects of care. After comprehensive training on the
day of admission they will take over the majority of patient care.
Shetty
was surgeon to Mother Teresa, who, he says, taught him that to achieve
something big, it need not be complicated. Indeed, his simple model may
have the potential to revolutionise the way healthcare is delivered in
low-income settings. Narayana Hrudayalaya exudes an aura of simplicity,
despite the abundance of state-of-the-art technology and techniques
employed there. It is better organised and notably calmer than other
hospitals.
Targeting Africa
Shetty's vision of
low-cost healthcare is not confined to his native country. He believes
African healthcare systems need new mechanisms to deliver better care.
When he has established his model in India, he plans to take both the
model and his expertise to Africa.
"In India, we have hope
because we produce the largest number of doctors and nurses in the
world," he says. "We have a built-in capacity to make medicine for the
whole world. Our only missing link is the capacity to pay for the
healthcare. With micro-health insurance taking off on a large-scale,
that will be addressed. But when we look at African countries, they
don't have medical or nursing colleges, so I strongly believe that the
western world has to create institutions in Africa rather than giving
them money. They should create institutions to train staff and build
hospitals... that will be a long-lasting solution to the healthcare
issues.'"
Shetty is searching for a local partner and a
co-operative government in Africa to undertake a largescale project of
this nature. Narayana Hrudayalaya is involved in India's flagship
information technology initiative – the Pan-African e-Network Project.
This partnership between the Indian and African governments, and
private institutions, allows specialists at his hospitals to share their
expertise with doctors in Africa through video-conferencing.
Shetty
was a pioneer of telemedicine in India. He recognised that healthcare
resources are heavily urban biased, and that people in rural areas faced
difficulty accessing quality care. Many people choose to visit
unqualified medical practitioners, of which there are estimated to be
more than 1.25 million. Despite their lack of formal training and
frequent involvement in potentially harmful practices, they are trusted
and are often the first and sometimes only source of accessible care for
the poor living outside towns and cities.
The Narayana
Hrudayalaya group has dedicated telemedicine centres, where patients in
remote areas can have consultations with doctors in Bengalooru.
Some
may be sceptical as to whether one man can pull off such an ambitious
initiative. Dr Shetty admits that it is his most ambitious venture to
date.
Five causes of bad breath
It can spoil more than your social life. Thu 6 Jan, 2011
Bad breath will kill your social life, so it's reasonable
that you should figure out what may be causing it. Some causes, like
spicy foods, are easy to fix, but others may well point to something
more serious.
But let's take this step by step.
How do you know you've got bad breath? Well, people may be keeping
their distance, but may be too polite to tell you the real reason.
If you're lucky, someone will be direct, but failing that, you can
lick your wrist and smell your saliva - if it stinks, your breath
probably does too.
Ok, so you've got bad breath. Let's look at the possible causes.
Smoking
Are you a smoker? Smoking, aside from the many other obvious ways in
which it is bad for you, will make your breath smell of stale smoke. It
will also irritate your gums and may increase your risk of gum disease,
which can also cause bad breath.
Solution? Stop smoking.
Food
Next is food. If you like your garlic and onions raw, you'll just
have to choose between this particular passion and decent breath.
Alcohol and coffee also affect your breath, but fortunately you can get
rid of your bad breath by limiting your intake.
Solution? Watch what you eat and drink.
Keep in mind that eating infrequently, or dieting can also cause bad
breath. This is also the case if you're not eating carbohydrates. There,
eat that croissant without guilt - it's good for your breath.
Hygiene
Of course, if you're casual about keeping your mouth clean, no amount
of cutting down on garlic will be of help. The old "I'll brush in the
morning" routine doesn't really cut it.
Your mouth is full of bacteria which cause plaque, gum disease and dental decay.
When the bacteria are mixed with saliva and food trapped between your
teeth, a bad odour ensues. The bacteria can also reside on your tongue,
which will also impact your bad breath.
Solution? Obviously, floss and brush, at least twice a day. Use a
toothbrush with soft bristles, and take your time to clean the teeth and
scrape the tongue.
You can also rinse with anti bacterial mouthwash, though this does
not replace brushing your teeth, no matter what your friends tell you.
Visit a dentist.
Gum disease
So, after reading this article you've been diligent and keeping away
from the garlic and brushing furiously, but the bad breath persists?
Well, you might have gum disease or dental decay. This is something that should immediately be addressed by your dentist.
Medical problems
Though this is rare, your bad breath could actually indicate a medical condition.
For instance, your mouth might not be producing enough saliva, or you
could have an infection in your lungs, throat or nose. The bad breath
could also indicate you have diabetes, liver or kidney problems, or that
you suffer from heart burn.
If you've been diligent about your oral cleanliness and the bad breath persists, see your GP.
And if you're not quite concerned enough yet, here is something that
will make you brush as soon as you're done with this article.
Recent studies have confirmed that poor oral hygiene can actually increase your risk of heart attack.
This is because poor hygiene can lead to bleeding gums, which provide
bacteria with a route into the bloodstream, where they can initiate
blood clots leading to heart disease.
Everyone knows that alcohol and colds can give you a
headache, but what else can act as a trigger? We reveal five surprising
triggers which may be behind your headache.
Teeth grinding
If you suffer from morning headaches, your teeth might be to blame!
People who grind or clench their teeth - known as bruxism - are three
times more likely to suffer headaches than the rest of us.
As most grinding takes place while you are asleep, you may not be
aware you are doing it. Constantly grinding your teeth can cause the
facial and neck muscles to tense, making a headache more likely.
Other tell-tale signs of teeth grinding include jaw pain in the
morning, facial and neck pain, worn away tooth enamel and sensitive
teeth caused by roots being exposed as the gum recedes.
If you think teeth grinding may be your headache trigger, then see
your dentist as soon as you can. They can supply you with a mouth guard
which can help to save your teeth and ease the headache.
The week-end lie in
People working flat out Monday to Friday may find themselves with a pounding headache come late Saturday morning.
This can happen when stress hormones circulating in the blood drop
when the body suddenly goes into relaxation mode. This causes a rapid
release of neurotransmitters, the brain's chemical messengers which
cause the blood vessels to constrict and dilate, leading to a headache.
So try to fit in some kind of relaxation or exercise into your busy
schedule during the week rather than waiting for the weekend. And limit
your sleep to no more than eight hours. Too much sleep is also linked to
headaches.
Your computer
Poor posture can cause the muscles of your upper back, neck and
shoulders to tense, which increases your chances of getting a headache.
Sitting in a slouched position for hours at a time or sitting with your head jutted forward should be avoided.
Looking at a computer screen means the eyes have to focus at short
distances, which requires the most effort by our eye muscles, and can
cause eyestrain as well as headache.
So take regular breaks from working at the computer and move around.
Adjust your compute screen so that it's 20 to 30 inches away from your
eyes and positioned at eye level. Avoid glare by making sure there is no
direct sunlight on the computer screen.
Try to use a headset rather than a phone when sitting at a computer.
Cradling a phone between your head and shoulder will only increase
muscle strain on your neck and shoulder muscles.
Your perfume
Perfumes are designed to stimulate the brain. When exposed to the
air, perfume evaporates and the chemicals within activate nerve cells in
the nose, which send signals to the brain. Unfortunately for some
sensitive souls, these signals are strong enough to cause headache and
migraines.
Household cleaners, fragrance air fresheners, soaps and shampoos can all have the same effect.
Ensure that your home and place of work are well ventilated, with a
good supply of fresh air to help minimise your exposure to the offending
fragrance. Make a point of letting work colleagues know how fragrances
affect you, especially if they're the type who like to "splash it all
over!"
One remedy claims that you can fight smells with smells - apply a
small drop of peppermint oil to your forehead - a study suggested that
this can work as well as painkillers for a smell induced headache.
Painkillers
Tense, nervous headache? Are you reaching for painkillers? Perhaps
you should stop and think again, because taking pain medication too
often can itself trigger headaches.
Around one in ten people are thought to suffer from "rebound"
headaches caused by taking too many over-the-counter painkillers such as
ibuprofen, aspirin, codeine and paracetamol.
Typically, rebound headaches happen after taking painkillers a few
times a week for long periods of time. During this period, the headaches
usually become more frequent and more painkillers are taken to deal
with them and so a cycle is established.
If this sounds like you, then see your GP. They will advise you on how to come off the painkillers if necessary.
Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, you should not take
painkillers for headaches more than twice a week or two days in a row.
Always should always go to your GP if you feel you need to regularly
use OTC medicines. You could have an underlying health condition, so
it's best to get it checked out.
Granted there are
foods that can boost your feelings of fullness but how, when and where
you eat your meals can also have a bearing on your full factor too.…
If
you find that you are never feeling satisfied after a meal or just an
hour or so later you are reaching for a snack to pick you up? Well,
we're here to help with some feel-full strategies. Granted there are
foods that can boost your feelings of fullness but how, when and where
you eat your meals can also have a bearing on your full factor too.
Here are 10 ways to keep your dining habits in check to maximise your
feelings of satiety and satisfaction.
Sometimes go it alone
People
can eat more when they dine in company or with the television on
because they become distracted as to what exactly is going into their
mouth. Make sure mealtimes are all about the food, focus on it entirely
and you'll feel full sooner. Avoid fast-paced music too, this can
increase the speed you eat, resulting in a clean plate before your body
is able to recognise it is full.
Smell and chew
When
you eat make sure you give your meal a good sniff as concentrating on
the smell of your food as well as the taste also switches on satiety
signals. Secondly, chew, chew, chew, and chew some more, some of the
hormones needed to send the satiety signals to the brain are released
by your chomping.
Go for bulky and moist
The
rationale behind the bulky and moist rule is pretty straightforward,
simply the more air and water in food the quicker it will fill you up,
calorie for calorie. So, in terms of food swaps have a vegetable soup
rather than a pasty, plain air-popped popcorn instead of crisps and
grapes in place of raisins.
Wait after fat
If
you do have a meal with a high-fat content then make sure you allow
time for that feeling of fullness to come. It can take longer for sense
of satiety to come from a fatty meal compared to meal high in protein
for example, so allow time for the feeling of fullness from the fat to
kick in.
Get enough sleep
When your body is
deprived of sleep it produces more ghrelin and less leptin. These are
the hormones that are involved in the regulation of appetite; ghrelin
is produced largely in the stomach and accelerates your appetite, while
leptin decreases appetite as it's the hormone that signals satiety.
Get hydrated
The
daily recommended amount of water to drink is around the eight glasses
mark, but many of us don't get anywhere near that amount and as a
result when we feel hungry, it is often because we're actually thirsty.
Drink a glass or two of water before a meal, and when you do eat, the
food will feel more filling.
Get a smaller plate
People
tend to fill their plate however big it is, and most of us eat until it
is empty. And the aim of getting a 'clean plate' makes us more likely
to override the satiety signals that stop us eating. So, swap your
normal plate for a slightly smaller one, and you'll find your 'full'
switch will flip a little faster.
Choose fiddly foods
If
you eat foods that take a little time and effort to eat, this will
allow time for your body to recognise the fullness feeling. Good
examples of fiddly foods are corn on the cob, a crunchy salad or fish
with bones, these types of foods force you to eat more slowly and help
you to feel full quicker.
Eat an apple before each meal
Apples
help to promote a feeling of fullness and research has shown that
eating an apple 20 minutes prior to eating a meal reduced the amount of
food that was consumed at that meal. So, including an apple for your
daily snack will not only contribute to one of your daily recommended
fruit or veggie portions but the fibre will fill up your stomach too.
Be natural
Try
to eat food that is as natural as possible as most manufactured foods
tend to be very energy-dense which means they contain more calories
bite-for-bite. However raw fruit and vegetables take a lot of chewing
and occupy a lot of room in your stomach so they fill you up much more
per bite.
Top foods to keep you young 2010.09.30.
7 Anti-aging foods…
Most
of us are keen to stay looking as fresh and young as possible, and
although there's no way to pause or turn back the clock, there are few
age-proof strategies we can employ to make sure we stay looking good.
Maintaining a healthy and well-balanced diet is one approach, and the
good news is that there are some foods that are thought to give you
extra ammunition when it comes to combating the signs of aging.
Green tea There
is no end to the benefits of this super brew; green tea boasts a wealth
of benefits that earns it the top spot in our anti-aging food list.
Green tea is believed to help regulate blood pressure, lower blood
sugar, boost the immune system, lower cholesterol and studies have even
shown that green tea can be effective at preventing cancer. That's as
close to the elixir of life as you can get.
Leafy greens Whilst
eating spinach won't be enough to turn you into Popeye, it's certainly
excellent for boosting the body's immunity from illness. Spinach and
other leafy foods like kale and collard are high in folate which is
vital in preventing DNA and blood vessel damage. If you can maintain a
healthy circulatory system you are reducing your risk of developing
conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease
and dementia.
Dark chocolate Who would have
thought this sweet treat would feature in an anti-aging list, but the
good news is chocolate can help fight against some signs of aging due
to its cocoa content. Cocoa is rich in a group of antioxidants called
Flavinoids which help preserve healthy function of the blood vessels.
And healthy youthful circulatory system lowers risk of high blood
pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and dementia. Don't fill
your boots though, a square a day is a good guide and make sure you go
for the over 70% cocoa stuff.
Soy products Like
fish, soy products such as tofu are also a great alternative source of
protein than red meat or even dairy, since they have little or no
saturated fat. A diet that's low in saturated fat will reduce your
risk of developing heart disease and lower blood pressure. As a staple
part of the Japanese diet, soy products are great at helping keep down
cholesterol and are a useful addition to a healthy diet.
Yogurt Judging
from their frequently bad press, you might assume that all forms of
bacteria are out to get you. Thankfully, this couldn't be further from
the truth. 'Good' bacteria is great for regulating the immune system,
by increasing its antibodies and preventing the rise of pathogenic
organisms like salmonella and E.coli. Many yoghurts include a high
volume of 'good' bacteria that help maintain gut health and diminish
the incidence of age-related intestinal illness. Yogurt is also rich in
calcium, which can help stave off osteoporosis.
Red wine A
glass of red wine tots up a good dose of anti-aging elements including
polyphenol antioxidants, minerals, and resveratrol. Resveratrol which
helps to increase 'good cholesterol' levels in the body and prevents
blood clotting and a healthy circulatory system. Resveratrol found in
red wine may also be beneficial for women during the menopause by
reducing the risk for conditions for example breast cancer and
osteoporosis that result from reduced oestrogen levels. Like the
chocolate, it's not carte blanche to guzzle as much as you want; we
suggest a standard glass every other day is a good approach.
Water Few
people - whether active or not - drink sufficient water, and side
effects of even slight dehydration include headaches, fatigue and low
concentration levels. Yet increasing fluid intake can increase energy
levels, aid digestion, give skin a boost and help boost your anti-aging
armoury. Concentrate on drinking little and often throughout the day,
being extra vigilant after exercise or when you've been confined in a
dry, overheated or air-conditioned environment.
For
the weaker sex, British women do pretty well. Men die sooner, they're
70 per cent more likely to die from cancers that affect both sexes and
60 per cent more likely to develop them in the first place. Why is
this? Is it down to genes?
We don't think so. If you look at the top ten health threats to men living in the UK, you'll find that many can be prevented.
Some can even be stopped in their tracks if you know the warning
signs, have a few tests done by your GP and make some lifestyle
changes.
Heart disease
The number one threat to men’s health in the UK is heart disease,
killing over 50,000 men annually - one in five of all male deaths.
Sadly, most are preventable.
What you can do about it
You're at risk if you are over 40, overweight, have high blood
pressure and cholesterol, are a smoker, are diabetic or have a family
history of heart disease. See your GP for advice and try to modify your
lifestyle: Quit smoking, improve your diet to include fruit, vegetables
and fibre, avoid foods containing saturated and trans fats, limit your
alcohol intake, try to maintain a healthy weight, and incorporate some
exercise into your routine.
Stroke
In 2007, over 20,000 men died of stroke. Strokes cause more death in
men than any single cancer and are the leading cause of disability in
the UK. Around half a million people in England alone have some form of
disability because of stroke.
What you can do about it
Most people think of strokes affecting only the elderly, but anyone
can get one. Strokes are more common in men than women and the vast
majority occur in people over the age of 45. You are more at risk of a
stroke if you have high blood pressure and cholesterol, smoke, drink to
excess, are overweight, diabetic, already have heart disease or have
previously had a heart attack. To reduce your risk, have your GP check
your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, maintain a healthy weight,
stop smoking, cut back on salt in your food and limit your alcohol
intake.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer of men in the UK, with around 16,000 men dying from it every year.
What you can do about it
Smoking causes 90 per cent of lung cancer cases, though a family
history of the disease, exposure to radon gas, air pollution,
second-hand smoke and chemicals like asbestos can also cause it. The
symptoms of lung cancer can include a persistent cough, shortness of
breath, wheezing, coughing up blood, chest pain, weight loss and
fatigue. To prevent lung cancer, stop smoking, Doing so will also
reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of chronic lung
diseases which include chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and annually
cause the death of between 12,000 and 13,000 men in the UK. Eight out
of ten cases are caused by smoking. An estimated three million people
in the UK have COPD, but only 900,000 are diagnosed, probably because
many ignore the symptoms.
What you can do about it
The early signs of COPD include cough, phlegm and shortness of
breath - if have been or are a smoker, and have these symptoms, you
should see your GP. COPD can't be cured, but it can be slowed down by
medication. The best way to prevent COPD is to stop smoking. Stopping
smoking will reduce your risk and help improve your symptoms if you
have COPD.
Influenza and pneumonia
Influenza, pneumonia and bronchitis are all infections of the lower
respiratory tract which kill, on average, over 10,000 men every year.
What you can do about it
Pneumonia is caused by a number of different bacteria and viruses.
Although anyone can be infected, smokers, people with weakened immune
systems, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions are
more at risk. Both diseases are most common during the winter months.
You can get vaccinated for the influenza, as well as against pneumonia.
Make sure you keep your hands clean, as they are often in contact with
germs. Don't smoke as it raises your risk of infection. Eat a healthy
balanced diet and try to get some exercise, even in the winter months.
This helps to keep your immune system healthy.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer in men. Each year
approximately 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and around
10,200 die from it, yet a recent survey found that 60 per cent of men
were unaware of the symptoms.
What you can do about it
Over 70 per cent of new cases occur in men over the age of 65, and
having a close family member who has had the disease makes it more
likely you will get it too. Early symptoms may include the need to
urinate often, passing urine slowly, discomfort while urinating, blood
in urine or semen, pain or stiffness in back, hips or pelvis and
difficulty in having an erection.
If you have any of these symptoms, see your GP. There is no one way
to prevent prostate cancer. However, eating a healthy balanced diet,
rich in fruit, vegetables and fibre is associated with a lower risk of
many cancers. Cutting back on red meat and saturated fat and drinking
alcohol in moderation may also reduce your risk.
Bowel cancer
Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in men and each year
over 20,000 men are diagnosed with the disease in the UK and around
8,500 die from it.
What you can do about it
If caught early enough, it is one of the most treatable of cancers,
with 90 per cent of those diagnosed living for more than 5 years. It
tends to occur in people over the age of 60 and its risk factors
include a family history of the disease, having diabetes, ulcerative
colitis or Crohn's disease, a poor diet, obesity, excessive alcohol
consumption and being inactive. Symptoms might include bleeding from
the bottom, changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain and tiredness.
Liver disease
In 2008 there were 4,764 deaths in England and Wales due to
alcoholic liver disease. Three-quarters were men. Alcoholic liver
disease is a group of illnesses which develop when the liver becomes
damaged due to heavy drinking including fatty liver, hepatitis and
cirrhosis.
What you can do about it
It's a fatal mistake to think that binge drinkers are most at risk
from liver disease. People most at risk are those who drink over the
limit on a regular basis over the years. Alcoholic liver disease does
not usually cause any symptoms until the liver has been seriously
damaged. When this happens, alcoholic liver disease can cause nausea,
weight loss and eyes and skin turning yellow.
The best way to prevent alcohol related liver disease is not to
drink alcohol, or to stick to the recommended daily limits. For men
this means drinking no more than three to four units a day.
One unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal strength
lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure (25ml) of spirits.
Alzheimer's
Nervous system disorders account for 5 per cent of all male deaths
in the UK. Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia are
responsible for around half of this figure, at just over 5,000 deaths
per year.
What you can do about it
The early signs of dementia include an inability to recall recent
events, failure to recognize familiar faces and names, general
confusion about everyday matters, language problems and mood and
behavior problems. Age is the biggest risk factor for dementia, with
about one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six people over 80
has some type of dementia.
There is no way to prevent dementia, but generally speaking
maintaining a healthy lifestyle - exercising, not smoking, keeping
socially and mentally active - can help protect against both mental and
physical decline.
Accidents
Accidents are the 10th biggest killer of UK men. This does not
include deaths from transport related accidents, which adds a further
2,000 deaths to the 3,700 total. Four out of every ten accidental
deaths are caused by falls. Drug related deaths account for another 12
per cent of accidental deaths in men, with choking and suffocating
causing another per cent.
What you can do about it
Most accidents occur in the home. If you are in an accident, or are
witness to one, the first thing to do is to remove yourself from any
immediate danger. Call the emergency services on 999 to get
professional help. Get basic first aid training for yourself and all
members of your family.
Ensure that fire alarms are fitted and working. Check them
regularly. Avoid walking in slippery or icy conditions, especially if
you are older. Try to exercise regularly, and make sure that you have
your eyesight checked regularly. Ensure that your home is free of
obstacles that may trip you up.
Here, nutrition expert Rachael Anne Hill gives you five reasons to think again.
1. Nutrients OK,
so nothing’s going to beat the taste or health benefits of home-grown
produce but some shop-bought fruit and vegetables can be in transit for
up to two weeks before arriving on the shelves, which can result in
them losing up to 50% or more of many vital nutrients. Add to that the
time they may spend sitting in your veg rack before actually being
consumed and nutrient levels will decline even further. However,
frozen fruit and vegetables are grown in peak conditions and frozen,
usually within less than 90 minutes of being harvested. This locks in
essential vitamins and minerals making them nutritionally the same, if
not better than, their fresh equivalents.
2. Convenience Not
only has all the picking, podding, chopping, cleaning and dicing been
done for you but frozen fruit or veg won’t liquidise itself into a pulp
or grow a fur coat if not eaten within a few days.
3. Taste For
a fruit or vegetable to taste its best it needs to be harvested at just
the right time and eaten as soon as possible afterwards. Many fresh
fruit and vegetables, however, are harvested before being allowed to
fully ripen to extend shelf life which can make them tough and
tasteless. Freezing takes care of the shelf life side of things so
produce can be allowed the extra time needed to develop a really full
flavour.
4. Availability Frozen fruit and vegetables are available year round making it easier to keep your diet interesting and varied.
5. Cost Frozen
fruit and vegetables are, on average, 23% cheaper than their fresh
equivalents and tend to result in less waste as you can select the
right amount for your needs and leave the rest for another day. Top five frozen fruit and vegetables no self-respecting freezer should be without:
1. Mixed, summer fruits Many
frozen fruits are preserved in their natural state and contain no added
sugars or preservatives. Use them in smoothies or make a fast, low fat
dessert by eating them with fresh or frozen yoghurt, sorbets or low fat
ice cream.
2. Peas Add to sautéed cabbage
or leeks, eat just as they are or boil up with some good stock then
blend with fresh mint to make a really filling, hearty soup.
3. Sweetcorn Add to stir fries, chowders and sprinkle over pizzas.
4. Spinach Great for adding to soups, pasta dishes, stews and casseroles. 5. Soy beans Add to risottos or eat hot with a little butter and
salt as a pre-dinner snack.
Losing
weight is not just about reducing food intake and cutting things out of
your diet, there are a few additions that you can make to your daily
diet that can indeed help you lose weight. We've found 10 foods stuffs
that incorporated with a healthy eating approach can help you shift
those extra pounds and speed up weight loss.
Grapefruit We've
all heard of the grapefruit diet but you don't have to live on a diet
of grapefruit alone to lose weight. It's been found that that eating
half a grapefruit before each meal or drinking a serving of the juice
three times a day can help you drop the pounds. The magic ingredient is
the fruit's phytochemicals and their effect of reducing insulin levels
which stimulates your body to convert calories into energy rather than
storing as flabby fat.
Cinnamon Cinnamon
is a super spice when it comes to boosting your wellbeing as it has
many health-giving properties. In terms of weight loss, it's all to do
with controlling those post-meal insulin spikes, which is what make you
feel hungry. And you don't need to get much of the stuff to get the
benefits; studies have shown just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon a day
can lower the blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. To up
your cinnamon intake either sprinkle it on to your breakfast cereal, or
maybe mix it into your morning latte.
Chili peppers Adding
a bit of heat to your diet can give you a weight-loss boost. Studies
show that having a spicy start to your morning, i.e. eating chilies as
a part of your breakfast can make you opt for a smaller lunch.
Apparently it's down to capsaicin which is found in chilies and red
peppers that has appetite suppressing properties. Granted - chilies
aren't the easiest of items to face as your morning meal but how about
as a part of a spicy egg-white omelette or stirred into scrambled eggs
for a spicy weight loss kick.
Fennel tea Again
fennel tea is a food stuff that boasts a list of health giving
benefits; it's packed with good levels of potassium, magnesium and
calcium as well as the vitamins B and C. But when it comes to the
weight-loss stakes fennel had a double benefit: working both as an
appetite suppressant and a metabolism booster which really are both
useful if you're trying to lose weight. Fennel tea is widely available
in supermarkets so add it to your daily diet to stave off cravings and
boost your fuel burn.
Salad Eating
a low-calorie salad before your main meals can help you to lose weight
and ensure you get recommended daily intake of veggies. And it's not
rocket science as to how it works for weight loss, the key is the sheer
volume of a salad, which makes you feel too full to pig out when it
comes to your main meal. You need to make sure you don't drown it in a
fatty dressing though - a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar makes
the perfect healthy accompaniment to a fresh salad.
Green tea Another
powerful brew - green tea really has a multitude of health and
wellbeing benefits. And if you are a keen into fitness it makes the
perfect pre-workout drink; it's been found to increase endurance by as
much as 24%, allowing you to exercise longer and burn more calories.
But in terms boosting your weight loss power, a study carried out by
the Journal of Nutrition, drinking five cups of green tea per day can
help you lose twice as much weight, most of it where we want to lose it
most - around the middle.
Celery Celery
rates well as a weight-loss food as you can actually end up burning
more calories eating it than your body will take on consuming it. But
by no means does that make celery low in nutritional value; it's
super-packed with fibre (great for digestion) and foliate (the
essential nutrient for the care and production of new cells within the
body). Get your celery fix by making sure it's featured in your
pre-meal salad, as an accompaniment to your lunch or as a healthy snack
when you want to satisfy that 'munch' craving.
Lentils Lentils
are great weight-loss food as they have the power to really satisfy
your hunger without packing your body with loads of calories and fat -
that's often why lentils feature heavily as a meat substitute - they
can make you feel like you've had a meaty dish minus the calories and
saturated fat that come with eating meat. Again like celery, lentils
are full of fibre and foliate so as well as giving you the full
feeling, they are great for digestion and healthy cell growth.
Dark chocolate Granted
chocolate is not low in calories nor in fat, but dark chocolate has two
major dietary positives that can lead to long term weight loss. First,
it's quite difficult to scoff massive quantities of high-quality dark
chocolate as compared to the milk stuff. Secondly, dark chocolate is
very high in health-promoting antioxidants. In terms of a weapon in
your weight-loss armoury you can use dark chocolate as a way to curb
any sweet cravings, just a few small squares to quell a full on
chocolate pig out is well worth the modest calorie intake.
Quinoa Pronounced
'Keen-wah' quinoa is known as the 'mother grain' by the ancient
Peruvians. Quinoa is good for weight loss as it has the power to keep
you feeling fuller for longer due to its high protein content. Also the
carbs that are present in the grain are released slowly into the body
so you won't get that rush of energy after eating quinoa as you would
with other foods like white rice or pasta. You can eat quinoa raw but
we reckon it's best when it's cooked in a similar way to rice or
couscous.
Me, myself and I: Loneliness can be as damaging for your health as smoking, research shows Obesity and alcoholism may be bad for your health, but there’s a
less obvious condition out there that is just as dangerous –
loneliness.
According to a study the support of family, friends and neighbours
can increase your chances of living to a healthy old age by 50 per
cent.
But the findings, based on an analysis of more than 300,000
people, suggest social isolation is as bad for your health as smoking
15 cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic. It also does more damage to your health than not exercising – and is twice as harmful as obesity.
The American scientists who made the discovery say lack of social
support should be added to the ‘short list’ of risk factors for an
early grave. Dr Julianne Holt-Lunstad, of Brigham Young University in Utah, who
led the study, said friends and family influenced health for the better
by offering a ‘calming touch’ or by helping people find meaning in
their lives. When someone is connected to a group and feels responsibility for
other people, that sense of purpose and meaning translates to taking
better care of themselves and taking fewer risks,’ she said.
The researchers looked at data from 148 previously published
studies that measured people’s social networks and tracked their health
for an average of seven and a half years. The data did not show whether people were in ‘positive’ or
‘negative’ relationships – simply the number of people they were in
contact with regularly.
The authors of the study believe the health benefits of positive
friendships could be even stronger. ‘The data simply show whether they
were integrated in a social network,’ said Dr Holt-Lunstad.
DVT death highlights threat to travellers
A healthy woman's collapse on a transatlantic flight underlines the dangers
travellers face, says Dr Richard Dawood.
By Dr Richard Dawood 23.07.2010
'The human body is simply not designed for deep sleep in a sitting position'
The death from deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) of a 36-year-old passenger on a
transatlantic flight has provided a frightening reminder of the risks of
taking sleeping pills on aircraft, particularly when travelling long-haul
The New England Journal of Medicine reported last week that the woman, an
American citizen, had taken a single sleeping tablet shortly before
departure and spent most of the flight asleep in one position – undoubtedly
the critical factor in her death.
Seven hours into the flight she woke to go to the lavatory, but collapsed in
the aisle. A doctor on board attempted to resuscitate her and the plane made
an emergency landing in Boston, touching down two hours after her collapse.
She was taken to the Massachusetts General Hospital, where tests confirmed
that she had suffered a massive pulmonary embolism – with blood clots from
her legs travelling through the venous system and lodging in her heart and
lungs, causing brain damage from lack of oxygen and an unrecoverable coma.
The doctors caring for her faced an unusual ethical dilemma, which is the main
reason her case was reported in the Journal. Devastated by what had
happened, the woman's family had asked if egg cells could be taken from her
ovaries to enable a child to be conceived. The doctors explored the request
but could not comply with it. Eleven days after she had boarded her flight,
life support was discontinued and she died.
The implications for travellers are broader than this. Here was a fit and
healthy young woman, for whom the only other risk factor for DVT was the
fact that – in common with millions of other female passengers – she was
using the contraceptive pill.
While in the air, many fliers try to shut out noise and – particularly when
travelling long-haul – attempt to catch up on some sleep.
A significant
number – whether to avoid jetlag or because they are nervous fliers – rely
on medication to help them drop off, thinking little of the potentially
fatal consequences.
Unfortunately, the human body is simply not designed for deep sleep in a
sitting position. Sitting compresses the veins of the pelvis, and slows down
blood flow through the veins of the calves. Calf muscle contraction – simply
moving around without restriction – counteracts this effect.
Reduced blood flow leads to stagnation, activation of the blood's innate
clotting mechanism, and therefore an increased tendency for blood clots to
form.
Reduced oxygen pressure in the cabin increases the clotting tendency
still further, and so too can a variety of individual medical factors (see
right). In such circumstances, a sleeping pill can make things considerably
worse – by relaxing calf muscles, reducing movement, and rendering the
sleeping passenger motionless for hours, even in an uncomfortable and
adverse position.
The message is clear. By all means, use mild sleeping medication to avoid
sleep loss and reduce fatigue after a flight, when you have reached your
destination and may be struggling to adapt to a new time zone. But if you
want to use medication to help you sleep on a long-haul flight, you should
only ever do so when you can lie flat and move your legs comfortably. Stick
to short-acting medicines, wear compression stockings, and discuss all of
the issues carefully with your doctor.*
How to minimise the risk
The risk of DVT is highest on long-haul flights, and especially on flights
longer than eight hours. It is also greatest in people who are obese, have
varicose veins, are pregnant, smoke, use hormone replacement therapy or take
the contraceptive pill.
Prevention consists of keeping well hydrated during a flight, stretching and
moving around, and wearing compression stockings.
The risk is even higher for people who have a history of DVT or who have
recently had surgery (particularly to hip or knee) or cancer; for these, a
pre-flight injection of a blood-thinning drug may be advisable.
* Remember, alcohol and flying don't mix - the effect of alcohol on
the body is up to 3 times that on the ground. Alcohol and sleeping
tablets don't mix, and raise the risk of DVT even higher.
Dr Richard Dawood is a specialist in travel medicine at the Fleet Street
Clinic, London (www.fleetstreetclinic.com)
China's 'cancer villages' reveal dark side of economic boom
Polluting factories in rural communities are forming a deadly toxic cocktail for villagers, leading to surging rates of cancer
Zheng Gumei thought she was down with a cold until the doctor told
her to wait outside the room so he could talk to her son alone.
"I knew then that I must have a serious illness," the 47-year-old
farmer recalled, wiping away the tears and then staring into the
distance. "I'm having treatment now. See, my hair has fallen out," she
said, taking off her hat to show the side-effects of chemotherapy.
Like many other residents of Xinglong, a small rural community next to an industrial park in China's Yunnan province, she had little doubt about the source of her cancer. "The pollution in this village is bad, people get sick."
Such stories have become much more common in China in recent years
as breakneck economic growth increasingly takes its toll on the
nation's health.
Since last year, there has been an explosion of lead poisoning cases close to smelting plants. Studies have shown that communities that recycle electronic waste
are exposed to cadmium, mercury and brominated flame retardants.
Elsewhere, there have been protests against chemical factories that are
blamed for carcinogens that enter water supplies and the food chain.
Nationwide, cancer rates have surged since the 1990s to become the nation's biggest killer. In 2007, the disease was responsible for one in five deaths, up 80% since the start of economic reforms 30 years earlier.
While the government insists it is cleaning up pollution far
faster than other nations at a similar dirty stage of development, many
toxic industries have simply been relocated to impoverished, poorly
regulated rural areas.
Chinese farmers are almost four times more likely to die of liver
cancer and twice as likely to die of stomach cancer than the global
average, according to study commissioned by the World Bank. The
domestic media is increasingly filled with reports of "cancer villages"
- clusters of the disease near dirty factories.
The vast majority are on the wealthy eastern seaboard, the first
area in China to accept "outsourced" dirty industries from overseas.
But as these regions have moved up the value chain and tightened
regulations, there are signs that the pollution and cancer belt may be
moving inland to areas that are either less aware of the dangers or too
poor to turn away business.
Deep in the scorched dry countryside of northeast Yunnan, the
residents of Xinglong fear they may soon join the list of sick
villages. An acrid stench assails the senses near the Luliang City
Industrial Park, the thicket of polluting factories that locals blame
for an outbreak of deadly tumours.
Cui Xiaoliang says he lost his aunt and father to cancer after the
village streams changed colour. Pointing to the lurid red discharge
from the Yinhe paper mill and a yellow trickle below the Peace
Technology chemical factory, he said health had declined along with the
environment.
"Before the factories were built, there was no cancer. We were
free of strange diseases," he said, grimacing at the nauseating fumes.
"Now, we hear every year that this person or that person has cancer,
especially lung and liver cancer. My aunt never drank alcohol or
smoked. Her cancer was completely caused by pollution."
At the village clinic, doctor Zhang Jianyou said he has noticed an
increase in cancer cases among the 3,000 residents. "The pollution has
definitely has an impact," he said. "I have been here 43 years. In the
past, cancer was not obvious, but in recent years it has become a very
evident problem. Last year alone, we had five cancer cases."
When locals tried to protest, Zhang said they were blocked by the
authorities because the chemical factories contribute to the local
economy.
Everyone the Guardian spoke to at the village knew of someone who
had died of cancer and most blamed the toxins that flowed from the
chemical factories into the nearby Nanpan river and ground water supply.
Farmers said they have no other source of water for their crops
and animals. Goat herders said a tenth of their animals had died.
The impact may well have spread into the human food chain. Wang
Qingdi, a peach farmer who lives next to the chemical factory, said her
crops were ruined by contaminated water and air, but she still sold
them at the market because she had no other source of income.
"When the wind blows in this direction, a thick layer of soot
settles on my peach trees," he said. "Lots of fruit turn black and fall
to the ground, I dare not eat the rice I plant and harvest because the
pollution is so bad. I sell it on the street."
The county environment department said it was monitoring the
industrial park and paying particular attention to three companies:
Longhai Chemical, Yunnan Luliang Peace Technology and the Yinhe paper
mill. But inspectors lack the authority and the resources to keep close
tabs and impose harsh punitive measures on any factories that break the
rules.
"It is like police trying to catch a thief. It's not easy," said
Song Bin of the Luliang Environmental Protection Department. "Some
factories secretly discharge pollution. Some shut down treatment
devices when electricity is in short supply. Others turn off their
systems at night when they know we are not checking."
He was cautious, however, about the health implications. "It is
hard to say whether there is relationship between cancer and the
factories because the workers do not have unusually high rates of the
disease," he said. "Many officials have suggested we invite experts to
do a systematic study, but we haven't done this yet because of budget
and other reasons."
The Guardian requested data on factory emissions and water
quality. Under the government's information transparency law, such
information is supposed to be publicly available, but officials
insisted their monitoring results were for internal reference only.
Yinhe paper mill refused to comment. The chemical factory - Yunnan
Luliang Peace Technology - said the pollution problems dated back to
previous owners and were now being rectified.
"The cancer situation in the village has nothing to do with us,"
said Candy Xu, foreign sales manager. "The pollution accumulated over
10 years. It can't be solved immediately but we deal with it year by
year. Within three-to-five years I believe we can clear it up. The
previous company was irresponsible to the local residents and it is not
fair to blame us for their mistakes."
The new owners from the rich coastal province of Zhejiang have
invested in new equipment and are trying to shift production towards
cleaner, high-end nutritional supplements and feed additives, but their
website still lists sodium dichromate – a highly carcinogenic chemical
– among its products.
In a recent study of "cancer villages", Lee Liu of the University of Central Missouri
said the problem was exacerbated by the government's tendency to focus
on urban development at the cost of rural areas. This – and a lack of
independent oversight by NGOs and journalists – have mixed into a toxic
cocktail.
"China appears to have produced more cancer clusters in a few decades than the rest of the world ever had," he notes.
Whether the village of Xinglong will join the list cannot be
confirmed without a full study. But rising cancer rates and appalling
pollution levels leave locals in little doubt.
For Zheng, her breast cancer does not just threaten her life, but
the financial well-being of her daughter. She has had to borrow 20,000
yuan (£2,000) for two courses of chemotherapy and estimates it will
cost another 80,000 yuan to cure the disease. She knows that is far
from certain.
"My brother-in law had cancer like me. He is dead already," she
said as her infant daughter pulled at her shirt. "I want to tell the
factories they make too much pollution. Because of them Xinglong
village is sick." Additional reporting by Chen Shi
WHO launches measles and rubella campaign
Europe is set to miss the
WHO target of eliminating measles and rubella by the end of this year -
the sort of rhetoric we normally only hear in the context of developing
nations
It's not so often the UK finds itself on the receiving end, so to speak, of a World Health Organisation campaign. Generally we think we can manage our own health. But the object of the WHO's Europe region campaign for European Immunization Week - beginning on Saturday (April 24) - is to get MMR rates down, which we have noticeably failed to do.
The goal is no less than the elimination of measles and rubella by
the end of 2010 and was set a decade ago, apparently. Thanks largely to
the paper in the Lancet by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues that
undermined confidence in the MMR (measles, mump and rubella)
vaccination in 1998, many parents in western Europe decided not to have
their children immunised and we are nowhere near stamping out those
diseases by the end of this year. It is not only Millennium Development
Goals in poor countries that get missed.
More than 95% coverage of MMR is needed to prevent any cases
occurring. In 2004, according to WHO data, Britain was on 80-90% and so
were other similar European nations like France and Italy. Germany and
Portugal managed 90-95%, while Spain got a gold star for immunising
more than 95% of children. The campaign site is here.
On another issue, Liverpool University
is working with a number of international partners on a £3 million
project to try to use climate change modelling to predict how epidemics
of infectious diseases will spread. Obviously a good hot rainy season
in Africa will swell the numbers of mosquitoes and other potentially
disease-spreading insects. This work is intended to take things a bit
further. Thsi is Dr Andy Morse from the school of environmental
sciences:
We know that climate variability has a significant impact on the
incidence of human and animal diseases. In Africa, where the
relationship between climate change and health is becoming recognised,
human and animal disease has a particular effect on economic
development. It is vital, therefore, that we improve our understanding
of the climate triggers for disease and the forecasting systems used to
predict outcomes.
And Professor Matthew Baylis, from the school of veterinary science:
Rift Valley Fever can spread amongst the human and animal
population during periods of heavy rain, when flood water mosquitoes
flourish and lay their eggs. If this rainfall occurs unexpectedly
during the dry season, when cattle are kept in the villages rather than
out on the land, the mosquitoes can infect the animals at the drinking
ponds. Humans can then contract the disease by eating infected animals.
Working with partners in Africa, we can bring this information together
to build a much more accurate picture of when to expect epidemics.
Pizza Hut has topped a new Pizza League of Shame for having the fattiest, smallest and least tasty dishes on the High Street.
Food experts from the Good Food Guide have drawn up a list of the country's best and worst margheritas after visiting six chain restaurants.
Consumer magazine 'Which?' sent reviewers to examine pizzas at Pizza Hut, Pizza Express, Zizzi, Prezzo, Ask and Frankie & Benny's. The reviewers discovered that the lowest in fat - from Pizza Express - also scored the highest for taste.
.
All six dishes were rated "red" according to the Government traffic light system for saturated fat and salt.
Pizza Hut pizzas were the smallest on average but also the highest in total fat. They contained 70% of a woman's daily recommended maximum amount of saturated fat. The pizza at Zizzi had the highest level of salt, and at Prezzo the highest level of saturated fat.
On average, all the pizzas contained more than half of an adult's recommended daily maximum amount of salt.
Pizza Express came top for taste - 30.5 out of 45 - earning praise for "flavoursome pizzas with good quality, well-balanced ingredients". They were followed by Ask which scored 27 out of 45. Zizzi came a close third with 26.5, and Prezzo scored 25.5.
Meanwhile another 'Which?' feature reveals that children who eat at fast food chains can consume nearly half their recommended daily calories in one sitting. Young people who went to KFC ate two-thirds of their guideline maximum daily salt intake in one meal.
Children aged between 11 and 14 had half the recommended amount of sugar at McDonald's and Burger King. Well... that comes as no surprise!
The 50 best things to eat in the world, and where to eat them
From cake, steak and tapas, to oysters, chicken and burgers, Killian Fox roamed the world to find the 50 best things to eat and the best places to eat them in, with a little help from professionals like Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux, Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray
Killian Fox The Observer, Sunday 13 September 2009
1. Best place to eat: Oysters. Strangfor Lough, Northern Ireland
Richard Corrigan reckons Strangford Lough oysters are the world’s best. Photograph: John Smith/Corbis
"If I were to die tomorrow, I'd walk to Strangford, get a couple of bottles of really cold Chablis, and eat as many Strangford Lough oysters as I could. Then I'd die very happily indeed. There are very few places you can get Strangford Lough oysters now. Last time, we bought some from a company called Cuan and went to a beautiful local pub and opened them ourselves. The speed of the tidal movement, and the huge nutrient richness of the water, is what makes them so good. The only accompaniment you need is lemon juice and black pepper: you'd never ever use vinegar and shallots or Tabasco."
Cuan Oysters, Sketrick Island, Killinchy, Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, 02897 541461, www.cuanoysters.com
2. Best place to eat: Aubergines Ta Kioupa, Athens
"The aubergines were slow- baked for six hours, brought to the table whole, and skinned in front of us. They took out the flesh, crisscrossed the aubergines with two knives, and then added whipped cream with hazelnuts, lemon, sweet pepper, oil, feta cheese, salt and pepper. Incredible."
The best place in the world to eat zabaglione, according to Giorgio Locatelli, is at his uncle's restaurant, La Cinzianell, in Corgeno, northern Italy. "As the sun goes down behind Monte Rosa and it starts getting a bit chilly, the thing I enjoy most is the zabaglione prepared by my cousin Maurizio…"
Via Lago, 26 Corgeno, 0039 0 331 946 337end_of_the_skype_highlighting
5. Best place to eat: Pho Pho 24, Vietnam
Vietnam’s signature dish Pho at 'Pho 24' in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photograph: Krista Kennell/Corbis
Pho, a noodle soup with thin slices of meat (usually beef but sometimes chicken), is Vietnam's signature dish, and the issue of who makes it best is as tangled as white rice noodles in tasty broth. The Hanoi streets throw up a lot of persuasive contenders, such as the shack at 172 Ton Duc Thang Street. However, the sleek chain restaurant Pho 24, with branches around the country and across Asia, produces Vietnam's most reliably good pho. The meat is of a consistently high quality – a rarity in Vietnam – and the stock impresses even the hardest-to-please critics.
5 Nguyen Thiep Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (and other locations). 0084 88226278, www.pho24.com.vn
7. Best place to eat: Macaroons Laduree, Paris
The original M Ladurée opened his bakery on the rue Royale in 1862. In 1930 his grandson invented the double-decker macaroon – two shells of the meringue-like pastry held together by creamy ganache filling. Ladurée has produced the definitive macaroons ever since. In recent years the company has opened shops around the world, but the original is by far the best.
8. Best place to eat: Roast Chicken L'Ami Louis, Paris
This Paris fixture, open since 1924, is the ultimate French bistro. Heads of state (Clinton, Gorbachev) and cultural giants (Welles, Hemingway) have come here to feast on sumptuous roast chicken, served whole with matchstick pommes frites and a simple green salad. It's touristy and expensive and the decor is a bit clichéd, but such details become trivial once the chicken (which inspired Simon Hopkinson to write his much-loved Roast Chicken and Other Stories) turns up at the table.
32 rue du Vertbois, 3e, 3rd arrondissement, Paris, 0033 1 48 87 77 48end_of_the_skype_highlighting
9. Best place to drink: Milkshakes Fosselman's, Los Angeles
The ingredients for the perfect milkshake are extremely good ice cream mixed with just the right amount of milk, and a classic American setting. The award-laden Fosselman's, in the LA suburb of Alhambra, has been offering both since 1924. The milkshakes, made with home-made ice cream, taste like you'd expect milkshakes to taste in the movies. Make a beeline for the double-chocolate malt.
1824 W Main Street, Alhambra, Los Angeles, 001 626 282 6533end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.fosselmans.com
10. Best place to eat: Texas barbecue Snow's, Texas
The title of best BBQ joint in Texas is hotly contested in a state where the consumption of charred meats is as serious as religion. Texas Monthly magazine does the definitive annual poll. Most recently, the magazine awarded the title to Snow's, a rank outsider that has been trading a mere five years. Run by a former rodeo clown and an elderly lady named Tootsie, the restaurant only opens on Saturday mornings and consists of a small number of tables around a smoking pit.
11. Best place to eat: Steak El Carpicho, Jimenez de Jamuz, Spain
Time magazine called it "the perfect steak". American Vogue's exacting food writer Jeffrey Steingarten said it was "probably the greatest steak I've ever eaten". They were referring to an enormous chuletón taken from the central rib section of a 16-year-old Rubia Gallega ox, dry-aged for 90 days, and served in the cellar dining room of a rural bodega named El Capricho, near León in north-west Spain.
Paraje de las Bodegas, s/n, Jimenez de Jamuz, near León, Spain, 0034 987 664224end_of_the_skype_highlighting
12. Best place to eat: Fish and chips The Wee Chippy, Fife, Scotland
The nearby Anstruther Fish Bar wins all the plaudits – it was named Fish and Chip Shop of the Year by the National Federation of Fish Friers last January – but locals swear by its rival, The Wee Chippy, which serves sublime fish and chips on the same street and without the endless queues.
13. Best place to eat: Strawberry tart Restaurant de Bacon, Antibes, France
"When I go to the south of France in the summer, I always visit the Restaurant de Bacon in the Cap d'Antibes and I wait eagerly, in front of the sea and the old town, for the most amazing wild strawberry tart. The crust melts in the mouth, it is deliciously flavoured with butter, and once you have finished it you feel delightfully naughty."
688 Boulevard de Bacon, 06160 Cap D'Antibes, France, 0033 4 93 61 50 02end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.restaurantdebacon.com
14. Best place to eat: Pastrami on rye Katz's Deli, New York
The mail order department of Katz's Delicatessen on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York. Photograph: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
The legendary pastrami on rye from Katz's, New York's oldest (and possibly shabbiest) deli, could qualify as king of all sandwiches by virtue of size alone: a whole pound of brined beef, pre-trimming, is used in each serving. The sandwich – stacks of juicy meat with mustard and pickles between slices of rye bread – is as jaw-dropping, taste-wise, as it is gobstopping. (Recall Meg Ryan's unfaked endorsement of it in When Harry Met Sally.)
205 E Houston Street at Ludlow Street, New York, 001 212 254 2246end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.katzdeli.com
15. Best place to eat: Custard tart Antiga Confeitaria de Belem, Lisbon
Creamy, flaky custard tarts – served warm with cinnamon – are one of Portugal's great culinary gifts to the world. The original pasteis café in the Belém district of Lisbon, next to the monastery where the dessert was invented, is still the best: their secret recipe has been guarded since 1837. Sit down with a plateful, and a strong coffee, and you'll understand why more than 10,000 tarts are baked here every day.
16. Best place to eat: Leg of beef Le Louchebem, Paris
"For the most wonderful leg of beef I can't go past Le Louchebem in Paris, a simple, plain café with a very, very good rotisserie, located in the old meat district of Les Halles. The beef comes with mashed potato and three different sauces."
31 rue Berger, Angle 10, rue des Prouvaires, Paris, 0033 1 42 33 12 99end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.le-louchebem.fr
17. Best place to drink: Tomato juice Happy Girl Kitchen, California
"If you find yourself in Marin County, California, it's well worth the time to drive down the beautiful shoreline road to San Francisco and visit the Ferry Building for the heirloom organic tomato juice from Happy Girl Kitchen, which has a stall there on Saturdays. They blend it with coriander and chilli and it's quite literally the best tomato juice you'll ever taste."
Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market, One Ferry Building, San Francisco, 001 831 750 9579end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.happygirlkitchen.com
18. Best place to eat: Italian slow food Coco Lezzone, Florence
"You can get the most amazing 'slow food' in this tiny family- run restaurant which has been around for about 30 years. It is famous for its pappa pomodoro and ribollita – the two most traditional Tuscan bread soups. And they do the most delicious arista: pork loin cooked on the bone, stuffed with fennel seeds, garlic and rosemary, and served at room temperature."
Via del Parioncino 26, Florence, Italy, 0039 05 52 87 17 8end_of_the_skype_highlighting
19. Best place to eat: Nordic food Olo, Helsinki
"When I'm back home in Finland, I always visit Olo in Helsinki. The chef, Pekka Terävä, has created a brand in its own right, cooking modern Nordic cuisine with the best seasonal ingredients."
20. Best place to buy: Olive oil Turkish embassy electrical supplies, London
Mehmet Murat in his electrical shop. Photograph: Andy Hall
The most unlikely olive oil vendor in the world? At his electrical supply shop in London's Clerkenwell, Mehmet Murat sells wonderful, intensely fruity oil from his family's olive groves in Cyprus and south-west Turkey. Now he imports more than a 1,000 litres per year. His lemon-flavoured oil is good enough to drink on its own.
76 Compton Street, London EC1, 020 7251 4721end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.planet mem.com
And Manni
One of the priciest olive oils in the world, the minimum order of a litre of Manni costs £190. Film director Armando Manni harvests olives from seven plantations at different altitudes on a Tuscan mountain and speed-couriers the oil in small, UV-resistant bottles. The flavours are extraordinary. Chef Thomas Keller, of The French Laundry and Per Se, has called it "the best olive oil in the market".
Monte Amiata, Seggiano, Italy, 0039 069 7274787end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.manni.biz
21. Best place to eat: Tacos El Pastorcito, Mexico City
People drive the length and breadth of Mexico City, causing traffic jams, to get to this neighbourhood taqueria, which spills out onto the street from dusk till dawn. The main draw is their superlative tacos al pastor – a speciality of the capital – made with pork carved from a shawarma-style spit and ultra-fresh salsa served in dramatically massive stone bowls.
22. Best place to eat: Peking Duck Quanjude, Beijing
Beijing's most famous purveyor of Peking duck is nothing if not well-endorsed: more than 115 million ducks have been dished up in the restaurant's 145-year history, and China's first Premier, Zhou Enlai, personally chose the location for the seven-storey Hepingmen branch. Quantity hasn't affected quality: the duck, with its crispy red skin and melt-in-the-mouth flesh, is sublime – 400 versions of the classic dish are available: opt for the classic kaoya.
23. Best place to eat: Pork belly Gramercy Tavern, New York
The dining room at Gramercy Tavern in New York. Photograph: Neville Elder/Corbis
"As far as I'm concerned, the Gramercy Tavern is one of the best places to eat in New York, and the best place to eat pig. It is very relaxed but serves spectacular food. I always have the rack of pork and braised belly and it always tastes perfect."
42 East 20th Street, New York, New York, 001 212 477 0777end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.gramercytavern.com
24. Best place to eat: Vegetarian Indian Sagar Ratna, Delhi
"Sagar Ratna, in Delhi, serves South Indian vegetarian food – pukka food that nourishes the body and soul and is always in harmony with the seasons. My favourite dish there has always been idli sambhar: steamed rice cakes with coconut chutney and sambhar lentils."
18 Defence Colony Market, New Delhi, 110024, Delhi, India, 0091 11 24 33 36 58end_of_the_skype_highlighting
25. Best place to eat: Sushi Daiwa sushi, Tokyo
If you want the world's best sushi, don't even think of looking anywhere but Japan. Empty your bank account and eat at one of Tokyo's swankiest sushi temples, such as the three-Michelin-star Jiro in Ginza. Alternatively, go right to the heart of the action, to the city's overwhelming Tsukiji fish market (the largest on the planet), and eat unsurpassable sushi for a fraction of the price at Daiwa Sushi. It's a fast-moving hole-in-the-wall establishment without tables and it's only open for breakfast, but none of this matters once the expertly prepared rolls come your way. Try the melt-in-the-mouth tai, a type of sea bream that is impossible to get outside Japan.
Building 6, Chuo-ichiba, 5-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 0081 3 3547 6807end_of_the_skype_highlighting
26. Best place to eat: Filipino cuisine Lighthouse Restaurant, Cebu, Philippines
"The Lighthouse in Cebu in the Philippines is my favourite restaurant. We always eat bulalo (beef stew), banana heart salad, adobo (marinaded meat), baked oysters, pancit noodles, lechon de leche (suckling pig) and, to drink, green mango juice – my daughter is addicted to it! The staff are so friendly and welcoming. The chef has been there for more than 20 years, so the food is very consistent."
Gaisano Country Mall, Banilad, Cebu city, Philippines, 0063 32 231 2478end_of_the_skype_highlighting
27. Best place to eat: California cuisine Chez Panisse, Berkeley, California
"Chez Panisse doesn't just do the world's best Californian food: it is quite simply the best restaurant in the world. Superb."
28. Best place to eat: Algerian food Restaurant Gnaoua, Algiers
"To get a really good North African meal in Algeria you have to get yourself invited to someone's house, and as there are so few tourists, people would love to have you to their home for a meal. The few restaurants around tend to serve bad French food. That said, there is a handful of really good grilled-fish restaurants down in the port in Algiers. My favourite is a small, traditional place called Restaurant Gnaoua. The owner, Hamidou, understands Algerian cuisine. It's not an easy cuisine to get, but he just does."
Cite Sahraoui, les Deux Bassins, Ben Aknoun, Algiers, Algeria
29. Best place to eat: Classic French cuisine, Close des Gourmets, Paris
"I eat at Clos Des Gourmets two or three times a week when I'm in Paris. They only use seasonal ingredients and always add a touch of wackiness to very classic dishes. They love creating new things. I suppose it's new classic French cuisine. I'll have roast kidneys or grilled rabbit with fresh herbs in a white wine sauce, asparagus with truffle in early summer, and a lavender crème brûlée to finish. It's always madly busy but the dishes are always perfectly cooked. And it's amazingly cheap: ¤80 for three courses with wine. Unbelievable."
"Cal Pep does completely amazing tapas. It has a brilliant atmosphere, and the bar is presided over by the owner, Pep, himself. Order the langoustines with onions, chickpeas, spinach and bacon, and fried seafood."
Plaça de les Olles 8, Barcelona, 0034 93 31 07 961end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.calpep.com
31. Best place to eat: Pizza Frank Pepe Pizzeria, New Haven, Conneticut
You could generate enough heat to fuel a brick oven with the argument over which country bakes the world's best pizza: Italy, where the concept originated, or America, where it was globalised. Neapolitan purists will make pilgrimages to hotspots such as La Sorrentina, outside Naples, whose chef has won the prestigious Naples Pizza Championship, but we contend that the upstart Yanks do it better. The best American pizza can be found, not in New York as is commonly assumed, but in New Haven, Connecticut, where the Pepe family has been spinning dough since 1925. Their white clam pie has no equals.
Pizzeria La Sorrentina, Via Domenico Pirozzi 37, Fratta Maggiore, Italy, 0039 338 3248615end_of_the_skype_highlighting
32. Best place to eat: Thai curry Krua Apsorn, Bangkok
"When I'm in Bangkok, I go to Apsorn's Kitchen, also known as Krua Apsorn, a small restaurant just up from the National Library. It is a great place to go for incredibly traditional Thai food. I have the crab in curry powder, followed by the deep-fried kingfish with green mango and the yellow curry with prawns and lotus shoots."
503-505 Sam San Road, Dusit, Bangkok, Thailand 0066 2 24 18 52 8end_of_the_skype_highlighting
33. Best place to eat: Simple French food Le Vin et L'Assiette, Besancon, France
"When I go home, I go to Le Vin et L'Assiette in Besançon and order pâté de campagne, a big chunk of crusty bread and a glass of wine. The restaurant is honest, simple, and a wonderful place. It has fantastic wine cellars with local wines that people would never have heard of."
97 rue Battant, Besançon, France, 0033 3 81 81 48 18end_of_the_skype_highlighting
34. Best place to eat: Ice cream Corrado Costanzo, Noto, Sicily
The legend about Romans making the earliest ice creams from the snows of Mount Etna may be apocryphal, but Sicily is still the best place for frozen treats in gelato-crazed Italy, and Italian ice cream, as everybody knows, is the finest in the world. (Gelato is made with considerably less butterfat than the heavier American variants, for starters.) Corrado Costanzo's pastry shop can be found in the crumbling baroque town of Noto, in the south-eastern corner of the island. We defy you to find an ice better than his transcendent mandarin-orange granita.
Via Silvio Spaventa 7, Noto, Sicily, 0039 931 835 243
35. Best place to eat: Kebabs Bade Miya, Mumbai
An entire Mumbai street gets overrun, nightly, by pilgrims to an unassuming grilled-food vendor on a pavement behind the Taj Hotel. People hunch over rickety outdoor tables, or the hoods of their cars, to gorge on cheap, basic but spectacular kebabs, roti rolls and drumsticks hot from the grill. The chicken tangdi kebab is especially delicious.
Tulloch Road, Apollo Bunder, Mumbai, India
36. Best place to eat: Ravioli Babbo, New York
"I love the oxtail ravioli with black truffles and pigeon liver sauce at Babbo in New York, my favourite restaurant. It is a simple neighbourhood Italian, but it has a wonderful atmosphere . The only problem is that the restaurant is so busy you have to book a month in advance."
110 Waverly Place, New York, 001 212 777 0303end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.babbonyc.com
37. Best place to eat: Prawns Casa Bigote, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain
"The logo of this restaurant is actually a prawn, and they get their seafood from little dayboats. They serve the local Sanlucar prawn, which is mild and sweet, a bit like a tiger prawn but pinker. They do mantis shrimps too – prehistoric-looking things which taste like white crab meat. They steam them, and really needn't do anything else."
Restaurante Casa Bigote, Bajo de Guia, 10, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Cádiz, Andalucía, 0034 956 36 26 96/956 36 32 42
38. Best place to eat: Currywurst Konnopke's Imbiss, Berlin
The German obsession with currywurst – 800m portions of chopped sausage with sweet curry sauce are consumed each year – reaches its zenith in Berlin, where countless diners and roadside stalls vie for the currywurst crown. It's hard to improve on Konnopke's, which has been serving superlative sausage since 1930 under raised train tracks in Prenzlauerberg. Consume with fries and a cold bottle of Berliner Pilsner for maximum impact.
"Aracena, 40 minutes north of Seville, feels like a frontier town, because north of it is an area the size of Wales of nonstop forest. Here groups of men disappear for months at a time harvesting the cork bark and tending the oak so the iberico pig may gorge on acorns. Black foot ham from nearby Jabugo is some of the finest in the country, and there is nothing better than sitting down in any of the bars and restaurants in Aracena to a plate of this rich delicacy, sliced and served with unpretentious understanding. Last time we were there we had a memorable revueltos (scrambled eggs) with setas (local wild mushrooms) and jamón at Casas."
40. Best place to eat: Chocolate cake Pierre Herme, Paris
"When Pierre Hermé first let me try his heart-shaped Chuao cake, made with blackcurrants and a chuao couverture from Pralus, I totally forgot where I was. It was a firework of aromas, temperatures and textures. The freshness of the fruit flirted with the roundness of the chocolate. Hermé is a genius – one of my chocolate gods. The cake is seasonal and available on demand, and now made with Valrhona, but it is still my favourite in the world."
41. Best place to eat: Fried potatoes Bomba Bar Cova Fumada, Barcelona
"It's an ancient place, with a marble bar on which they note down what you've had with chalk. Father and son run the bar, while the grandmother and mother look after the stove. Go for the bomba, crushed potato balls with minced meat, bread-crumbed and deep-fried with a spicy sauce."
No 56 Carrer del Baluard, Barceloneta, Barcelona, Spain, 0034 93 221 4061end_of_the_skype_highlighting
42. Best place to eat: Octopus Tholos, Symi, Greece
"On my most recent trip to the Dodecanese islands, outside a tiny taverna in Symi port that overlooked the beautiful bay, we ate monster 4kg octopus cooked in its own water then barbecued and brushed with the juice from the cooking. It was super-tender and crunchy on the outside. The flavours were incredibly intense – the juice had been flavoured with rosemary, garlic and olive oil. The best time to eat octopus here is May or late September."
43. Best place to eat: Bouillabaisse Restaurant de Bacon, Antibes, France
"The most powerful experience I ever had with a bouillabaisse (Provençal fish stew) was at this restaurant by the sea in Antibes. The place itself is nothing fancy but it's very famous for this dish, and people travel a long way for it. They kill you with the price – it costs an arm and a leg – but it's worth it. They use fish from the region that's been caught that same morning, and bouillabaisse is their speciality: they do it better than anyone else on this planet. It's really an experience."
688 Boulevard de Bacon, 06160 Cap D'Antibes, France, 0033 4 93 61 50 02end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.restaurantdebacon.com
44. Best place to eat: Steak and kidney pie The Hinds Head, Bray
Heston Blumenthal in his pub, The Hinds Head. Photograph: Karen Robinson
Heston Blumenthal made hundreds of different versions of steak and kidney pie before deciding that oxtail gave the preferred meaty kick. The result is on the menu at his pub, just down the road from The Fat Duck in Bray, and it is beyond spectacular.
45. Best place to eat: Pasta Trattoria Caprini, Verona, Italy
"This little restaurant in Verona makes the most beautiful pasta in the traditional way, rolling it into wafer thin sheets before cutting it into the various shapes. The pasta is rich and eggy with a slightly tough texture that ensures that it doesn't turn sloppy when cooked. We went recently and loved the pasta so much we bought some back for the chefs at the restaurant. It was so delicious that they ate it with just some olive oil – the pasta spoke for itself."
9 Via Paolo Zanotti, Torbe di Negrar di Volpolicella, Verona, Italy, 0039 0457500511end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.trattoriacaprini.it
46. Best place to eat: Ceviche Sankuay, Lima, Peru
The ceviche craze has gone global in recent years (it now graces the menu at London's Nobu), but to really experience Peru's national dish of raw fish cured in lime juice and hot pepper, you have to venture into the backstreets of Lima. The title of best cebecheria is hotly contested in the Peruvian capital. Javier Wong's Sankuay undoubtedly has the greatest sense of theatre. There's no sign outside, and the building in the anonymous Balconcillo district turns out to be the chef's own home. There are only 10 tables, and no menu. Wong's cebiche, made with lenguado (a type of sole) and accompanied by octopus discs rather than the usual choclo (white maize) and camote (sweet potato), is out of this world.
Garcia Leon 114 (between block 3 and 4 of Av Canada), Santa Catalina, La Victoria, Lima, Peru, 0011 51 1 470 6217
47. Best place to eat: Suckling pig Montimar, Estellencs, Mallorca
"This restaurant is in the tiny village of Estellencs in Mallorca, where our mother grew up. Every time we come to visit we eat here – you actually have to walk through the terrace of the restaurant to get to our house. The suckling pig is delicious."
Plaça Constitució 7, 07192 Estellencs, Mallorca, 0034 971 618 576end_of_the_skype_highlighting
48. Best place to eat: Curry Karim's, Delhi
In a beehive of rooms off a hectic Old Delhi bazaar, the Zahiruddin family, which once cooked for Mughal emperors, has been serving sumptuous curries and grilled meats since 1913. The butter chicken curry, served in a rich tomato sauce, is as much a landmark as the colossal Jama Masjid at the end of the street. Devotees swear it's the best curry in India and therefore, naturally, the world.
Jama Masjid, Gala Kababian, Old Delhi, India, 0091 11 2326 9880end_of_the_skype_highlighting, www.karimhoteldelhi.com
49. Best place to eat: Dim sum Luk Yu Tea House, Hong Kong
"Hong Kong is the best place for dim sum, and Luk Yu Tea House is a Hong Kong institution. It feels very authentic, and the dim sum they do is of an extremely high quality (it's incredible how they've managed to keep both the quality and the authenticity). The menu hasn't really changed since it opened in 1933. You get things here you won't get anywhere else. They buy the best Chinese ham and grill it in small slices as an appetiser – amazing with a glass of red wine. And they still do incredible egg tarts."
24-26 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong, 00852 2523 5464end_of_the_skype_highlighting
50. Best place to eat: Ramen Ramen Jiro, Tokyo
"People in Japan always say ramen (Japanese noodle soup) can't be this and can't be that. Ramen Jiro is very non-traditional, in your face, take it or leave it. You either love it or hate it, but people who like it are good people. It's got pork, it's got cabbage, it's got garlic, and the sauce is sweet. It's gnarly. There are several branches; my favourite is the one near Keio University."
2-14-11 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
WITH THANKS TO
Fergus Henderson, St John, London Anthony Demetre, Arbutus, Soho Skye Gyngell, Petersham Nurseries, Richmond, Surrey Rowley Leigh, Le Café Anglais, London Oliver Rowe, Konstam at the Prince Albert, London Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, The River Café, London. Helena Puolakka, Skylon, London Stuart Gillies, The Boxwood Café, London Jason Atherton, Maze, London John Torode, Smiths of Smithfield, London Atul Kochhar, Benares, London Mourad Mazouz, Momo, London Sally Clarke, Clarke's, London Michel Roux Sr, The Waterside Inn, Bray, Berkshire; author of "Pastry" Jun Tanaka, Pearl Restaurant, London Sam Hart, Quo Vadis, London DavidThompson, Nahm, London Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire Richard Corrigan, Bentley's, London Theodore Kyriakou, More, London Alan Yau, Wagamama, Hakkasan, Yauatcha, all London Sam and Sam Clark, Moro, London Eric Ripert, Le Bernardin, New York Chloe Doutre-Roussel, chocolate connoisseur, buyer and writer David Chang, Momnofuku, New York Eddie Hart, Fino, Barafina, London
Deep-fried locust, anyone? Insects may be the answer to our looming food crisis
Sustainable and nutritious, it's time insects were seen as another source of protein. The problem is how to make them desirable.
Grub's up: fried crickets for lunch. Photograph: KHAM/REUTERS
As with gingerbread men and gummy bears, the dilemma when served a locust is whether to begin eating it head or legs first. I choose to start with the six little legs (sometimes you need to fold them in a bit because they tend to trail out of your mouth otherwise), then the abdomen and finally (gulp) the head. Crunch, crunch, swallow. Think: bbq prawns, but unshelled.
I'll be honest, deep-fried locust is not the most delicious snack I've ever had. But on a long road trip through Cambodia, it was cheap, filling and tasty enough – more than can be said for most motorway service station food in Britain and less frightening than other menu options in the region. Goat-scrotum hotpot, anyone?
In south-east Asia, insects are an important part of the daily diet for millions of people. Crickets, cockroaches and other bugs and grubs are sold across the region by roadside vendors and in smart restaurants. They are harvested commercially and by home producers, providing vital income for struggling farmers. Often, insects are the only source of income for women earners, who rig polythene awnings above a fluorescent tube-light to trap flying insects after dark.
Insects are plentiful, multiply and grow to adulthood rapidly and require little food to sustain them. They are the perfect source of protein. As countries in the west and developing world wake up to the looming threat of food shortages, it's time that governments seriously considered an alternative source of protein. Could insects provide food security for the coming centuries?
Entomophagy (insect eating) is a growing industry with more than 1,400 insect species being gobbled in 90 countries. In terms of how much food insects require per gram of protein produced, they are twice as efficient as chickens and more than six times as efficient as cows. One reason for this is that insects are cold-blooded, so they don't need to eat food to keep warm.
Animal feed is an important consideration as agricultural costs soaring across the world, leaving millions of families unable to meet their basic rice needs. Meat is an unheard of luxury for many in the developing world, leading to protein deficiencies for populations across sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia and Latin America.
The nutritional benefits of insects and better ways of marketing them were probed during an international conference last year in Chiang Mai, Thailand, involving scientists from 15 different countries, but not enough progress has been made since then. Researchers, governments and international agencies such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization need to look seriously at insect harvest and production to meet the world's food needs both in the poor world and the rich west. This doesn't necessarily mean a cockroach burger with grub fries, but it could mean using insect protein to replace soya bean protein in packaged foods. Insects are a far more environmentally sustainable source of protein, because they can be harvested without destruction of forests or food crops.
It's not the perfect food. People allergic to some seafood are likely also to suffer insect allergies. And insects exposed to pesticides retain high levels of toxins in their bodies.
There is a niche market for insects; there are cookbooks, websites, online recipe sites, suppliers and restaurants specialising in bug dishes. But insects need to follow the path of other exotic foods, such as sushi in the 1990s, and become desirable. As entomologist Gene DeFoliart, at UW-Madison, says: "If insects become more widely accepted as a respectable food item in the industrialised countries, the implications are obvious. They would form a whole new class of foods made to order for low-input small-business and small-farm production. International trade in edible insects would almost certainly increase."
Still grossed out by the yuck factor? It's worth realising that most of us do already eat insects. The US Food and Drug Administration allows, for example, up to 75 pieces of insect in 55mm of hot chocolate and up to 60 aphids in a portion of frozen broccoli.
And even before the economy got nasty, seniors were found to be generally happier than Baby Boomers. Some of that owes to the American Dream being lived by past generations, while Boomers work two jobs and watch the dream whither.
In times like this, it's clear how age can have its advantages. While not all seniors are weathering the recession well, for many the impact is much less severe than it is for younger people.
Why? Many people 65 and older retired and downsized their lifestyles before the economy imploded, according to Pew analysts. Most aren't raising kids and many are not so worried about being laid off. Loss of income can be, of course, a source of stress and displeasure. (While money doesn't buy happiness, a study in February showed cash can help, especially when people use it to do stuff instead of buy things.)
If you're thinking that Republicans are happy just because they perhaps make more money, that does not seem to be the case. The study that found Republicans to be happier than Democrats also showed that it held true even after adjusting for income.
It's those age 50-64 who've "seen their nest eggs shrink the most and their anxieties about retirement swell the most," the Pew survey found. It also finds that younger adults (ages 18-49) "have taken the worst lumps in the job market but remain relatively upbeat about their financial future."
Not everyone in any category is blissful, of course. Other research has shown that happiness in old age depends largely on attitude factors such as optimism and coping strategies. Add financial planning to the list.
In the new Pew telephone survey, taken in March and April of 2,969 adults, here's how many respondents in each age group said they had cut back on spending in the past year:
18-49: 68 percent
50-64: 59 percent
65+: 36 percent.
And is the recession causing stress in your family?
18-49: 52 percent
50-64: 58 percent
65+: 38 percent.
Now for the good news: A study in January found that key groups of people in the United States have grown happier over the past few decades, while other have become less so. The result: Happiness inequality has decreased since the 1970s. Americans are becoming more similar to each other on the happiness scale.
Robert Roy Britt is the Editorial Director of Imaginova. In this column, The Water Cooler, he looks at what people are talking about in the world of science and beyond.
LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative explanations with a certain wit and style. Check out our science videos, Trivia & Quizzes and Top 10s. Join our community to debate hot-button issues like stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, register for RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at the LiveScience Store.
Grow your own medicine with James Wong by Marianne Kavanagh...awaiting permissions...
Meet James Wong, an ethnobotanist, who grows his medicine in the garden. This is going to interest students, particularly as Traditional Chinese Medicine is influential and respected in Asia.
James Wang turns to his garden to treat ailments
Most of us look for a dock leaf when we've been stung by a nettle, but that's as far as it goes. We wouldn't dream of using plants to treat everyday ailments like eczema, sore throats, indigestion and insomnia. But James Wong, a 27-year-old ethnobotanist (a scientist who studies how people use plants), wants to change our minds. He passionately believes that safe, natural remedies can be made from the everyday plants you find in hedgerows, the back garden or local garden centres.
''Nowadays we think of plants as pretty objects, as soft furnishings in an outdoor room," he says. "But just two generations ago they were your hardware store and chemist all rolled into one." In Malaysia, where Wong grew up, everyone treated themselves with natural remedies. Food, too, was used as medicine – not only herbs, but ginger, chilli and garlic to ward off the symptoms of a cold. "My grandmother had a tiny patch of garden," says Wong, "which to anyone else would just look like a bunch of flowers, but she could make soup, or a face pack, or something to treat insect bites, in a matter of minutes. It was magical – real Harry Potter stuff.''
The problem, Wong believes, is that there's a big cultural dividing line between conventional medicine, which is thought of as effective, proven and serious, and herbal medicine, which has the reputation of being a bit flaky. But, as Wong says, up to 50 per cent of over-the-counter medicines are based on chemicals that were first isolated from plants. "Aspirin, for example, is made from the same chemicals that were first isolated from willow, which has been used for thousands of years as a painkiller.''
But don't you need green fingers to grow the kind of plants that are good for your health? Not at all, says Wong. ''Most herb species live in poor environments with low water and low fertiliser, and you probably have to keep hacking them back or they'll take over the whole garden. You might as well make something from them instead of throwing them on the compost." Common plantain, for example, which brings down inflammation and is good for insect bites and stings, makes up a quarter of most garden lawns.
Of course you should always consult your GP before using natural remedies, especially if you're already on medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, but Wong, who trained at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, is quick to point out that the herbs and plants he recommends all have a long history of use and no record of toxicity.
They also, in these uncertain times, have the distinct advantage of being cheap. Peppermint tea, which is brilliant if you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion or heartburn, is made from just fresh peppermint leaves and hot water. In his new book, published next month, Wong has also come up with recipes for body scrubs, deodorants and lip balms, most of which use ingredients that you already have in the kitchen cupboard. The basics for a lavender bath bomb, are citric acid, bicarbonate of soda and a splash of vegetable oil.
As a lecturer at Kent University, James is used to making the dry, academic facts about plants relevant and exciting, and he's enjoyed making his first television series, on BBC Two. If pressed to pick a favourite home-grown remedy out of the wealth of recipes he has gathered together, he admits to having a soft spot for the restorative powers of chilli. ''Scotch Bonnet or habanero boosts circulation and numbs pain,'' he says. ''We've used it to treat a whole team of battered rugby players.''
Grow Your Own Drugs by James Wong is published by Collins on March 2 to tie in with the six-part series of the same name on BBC Two, which starts on March 2 at 8.30pm.
New - This brilliantly absorbing 6 part series begins 2009.03.22....
This week's recipes
Find out how to use figs to relieve constipation and hops for a good night's sleep, how to make a soothing face mask from kiwis and papayas, and how to cook an immunity-boosting soup. These recipes are taken from the book 'Grow Your Own Drugs', published by HarperCollins.
Syrup of figs for constipation
18 g dried senna pods 100 ml boiling water 8 fresh figs, quartered 100 g sugar Juice of 1 lemon
1. Place the senna pods in a glass bowl and pour over the boiling water. Leave to steep for about 30 minutes, then strain through a sieve or piece of muslin into a blender.
2. Add the figs and sugar to the senna infusion and whizz until smooth.
3. Pour into a saucepan, and heat slowly to reduce, stirring occasionally. You want to end up with a thick, glossy sugar-like syrup - this will probably take about 25 minutes. Add the lemon juice and stir in well.
4. Take off the heat and pour the syrup into a sterilized 150 ml bottle.
USE: Shake well before use. Take 2 tsp before bed when needed. Don't use for more than a few days at a time, or if you have severe abdominal pain.
STORAGE: Keeps in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Goji berry and chicken soup for colds and flu
2 tbsp dried echinacea root 200 ml water, freshly boiled 5 tbsp goji berries, fresh or dried 2 litres chicken stock (homemade or from stock cubes) 3 chicken thighs or drumsticks (preferably organic) 2 large onions, peeled and sliced 12 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 10 cm root ginger, peeled and shredded 2 fresh medium-sized chillies, finely sliced 8 garlic cloves,chopped extra sliced ginger and chillis, to serve
1. Combine the dried echinacea root with the water in a bowl to make a simple infusion. In another bowl, pour just enough cold water over the goji berries to cover, and leave to rehydrate. Set the echinacea and goji berries aside and leave to stand.
2. Place the stock and chicken pieces in a large pan or slow cooker. Add the sliced onions, mushrooms, ginger and chillies and place around the chicken in the pan. On a very low heat, simmer gently for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the chicken is tender and falls apart. Take off the heat.
3. Five minutes before serving, add the goji berries and chopped garlic. Finally, strain the echinacea infusion and add this to the soup, reheating if necessary.
4. Serve by ladling into bowls and garnishing with sliced ginger and chilli for an extra kick.
USE: Makes enough for 4. Can be eaten with noodles, if wished.
Hops pillow for insomnia
For a pillow about 32 x 23 cm: 4 handfuls dried hops flowers 4 handfuls dried lavender flowers
1. To dry the hops and lavender yourself, tie them in bunches and hang upside down in a well-ventilated space out of direct sunlight for 2 weeks. Alternatively, place in a low oven (about 100C) for 30 minutes or so until dry and crispy. Strip the flowers off the larger or harder stalks.
2. Put equal handfuls of dried hops and lavender flowers into a cotton pillowcase, and seal the end.
USE: Place the pillow under or beside your head to induce sleep.
Kiwi and papaya face mask
1 kiwi fruit, peeled juice of 1 lime 1/2 papaya 2 sachets vegetable gelatine
1. Mash the kiwi fruit through a sieve into a bowl. Add the lime juice to the kiwi mixture.
2. Scoop the seeds from the papaya, and mash the flesh on a chopping board using a fork (this makes it slightly easier to press through the sieve). Press the papaya through a sieve into a separate bowl and mix with the vegetable gelatine using a fork.
3. Put the bowl with the papaya mixture over a saucepan of boiling water and stir constantly until it forms a wallpaper-paste consistency. Take off immediately and continue to stir. Add the kiwi fruit juice slowly, bit by bit, stirring all the time. Leave to cool.
USE When cool or lukewarm, apply the gel to face, avoiding the eye area, and leave for 10 minutes to 1 hour.Wash off with warm water.
STORAGE Most effective when used as soon as possible. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture chart from Hua Shou (1340)
Acupuncture is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine filiform needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes.[3] The word acupuncture comes from the Latin acus, "needle", and pungere, "to prick". In Standard Mandarin, 針砭 (zhēn biān) (a related word, 針灸 (zhēn jiǔ), refers to acupuncture together with moxibustion).[4]
According to traditional Chinese medical theory, acupuncture points are situated on meridians along which qi, the vital energy, flows. There is no known anatomical or histological basis for the existence of acupuncture points or meridians.[5][6] Modern acupuncture texts present them as ideas that are useful in clinical practice.[7][8][9] According to the NIH consensus statement on acupuncture, these traditional Chinese medical concepts "are difficult to reconcile with contemporary biomedical information but continue to play an important role in the evaluation of patients and the formulation of treatment in acupuncture."[6]
Acupuncture originated in China[citation needed] and is most commonly associated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).[citation needed] Different types of acupuncture (Classical Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, Vietnamese and Korean acupuncture) are practiced and taught throughout the world.
Chinese medicine is based on a pre-scientific paradigm of medicine with no biological plausibility, that developed over several thousand years. Its theory holds the following explanation of acupuncture:
Health is a condition of balance of yin and yang within the body. Particularly important in acupuncture is the free flow of Qi, a difficult-to-translate concept that pervades Chinese philosophy and is commonly translated as "vital energy". Qi is immaterial and hence yang; its yin, material counterpart is Blood (capitalized to distinguish it from physiological blood, and very roughly equivalent to it). Acupuncture treatment regulates the flow of Qi and Blood, tonifying where there is deficiency, draining where there is excess, and promoting free flow where there is stagnation. An axiom of the medical literature of acupuncture is "no pain, no blockage; no blockage, no pain."
Many patients claim to experience the sensations of stimulus known in Chinese as de qi ("obtaining the Qi" or "arrival of the Qi"). This kind of sensation was historically considered to be evidence of effectively locating the desired point. (There are some electronic devices now available which will make a noise when what they have been programmed to describe as the "correct" acupuncture point is pressed).
TCM treats the human body as a whole that involves several "systems of function" generally named after anatomical organs but not directly associated with them. The Chinese term for these systems is Zang Fu, where zang is translated as "viscera" or solid organs and fu is translated as "bowels" or hollow organs. In order to distinguish systems of function from physical organs, Zang Fu are capitalized in English, thus Lung, Heart, Kidney, etc. Disease is understood as a loss of balance of Yin, Yang, Qi and Blood (which bears some resemblance to homeostasis). Treatment of disease is attempted by modifying the activity of one or more systems of function through the activity of needles, pressure, heat, etc. on sensitive parts of the body of small volume traditionally called "acupuncture points" in English, or "xue" (穴, cavities) in Chinese. This is referred to in TCM as treating "patterns of disharmony."
Diets damage health. By FIONA MacRAE
Most people pile the pounds straight back on after dieting. The world's largest study of weight loss has shown that diets do not work for the vast majority of slimmers and may even put lives at risk. More than two-thirds pile the pounds straight back on, raising the danger of heart attack, stroke and diabetes*.
Indeed most dieters end up heavier than they did to start with, the researchers found. They warn this type of yo-yo behaviour is linked to a host of health problems. And they say the strain that repeated weight loss and gain places on the body means most people would have been better off not dieting at all.
The findings follow other research that shows the UK is in the grip of a dieting frenzy, with one in four Britons at any one time trying to lose weight.
The University of California researchers analysed the results of more than 30 studies involving thousands of slimmers.
Although the overview did not name specific weight loss plans, popular diets in recent years include the low carbohydrate, high protein Atkins diet and the GI diet, which is rich in slow-burning wholegrain carbohydrates.
Pooling the results of the various studies clearly showed that while people do lose weight initially, most quickly put all the weight back on.
In fact, most people end up weighing more than they did to begin with. Researcher Dr Traci Mann said: "You can initially lost 5 to 10 per cent of your weight on any number of diets. "But after this honeymoon period, the weight comes back.
A four-year study into the health of 19,000 men revealed that most of those who put on weight had dieted in the years before the start of the study. The analysis, published in the journal American Psychologist, concluded dieters may actually be damaging their health.
Research has shown the repeated rapid weight gain and loss associated with dieting can double the risk of death from heart disease, including heart attacks, and the risk of premature death in general. Such yo-yo weight loss has also been linked to stroke and diabetes and shown to suppress the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to infection.
The psychologist, who advises would-be slimmers to swap calorie-controlled diets for a balanced diet coupled with regular exercise, added: "Exercise may well be the key factor leading to sustained weight loss.
The finding comes as Britain fights a rising tide of obesity. A growing reliance on fast food and time-saving technology has led to the UK developing the worst weight problem in Europe, with almost a quarter of adults classed as obese.
Last night, British experts said that fad diets do not work and that the key to maintaining a healthy weight is making gradual, long-term changes.
*Recent studies in the UK show that new cases of diabetes - a disease in which sugars and starch are not properly absorbed into the body, are increasing at the rate of 1 every 3 minutes.
Exercise advice from the TA.
The TA stands for Territorial Army and is a reservist section of the Armed Forces in the UK. Affecionately known as 'The Weekend Warriors', it largely comprises volunteers who meet and train regularly, and are on call for emergencies, in and out of combat.
Recent advice from the TA places emphasis on the need for a healthy, balanced diet, and regular exercise. This does not include regular trips to gyms or membership of expensive Health Clubs, which in the UK can cost £100 (US$ 150, RMB1,000) per month.
They suggest: regular meals, with a balance of high fibre, protein, calcium, minerals and vitamins, such as those found in bread, rice, lentils, fresh fruit and vegetables - with reduced salt and fats. Favourite foods such as a cooked breakfast , or habits such as the occasional alcoholic drink or smoking, need not be prohibited, but should be used in moderation.
Regular exercise is also important, which can incorporated into everyday routines, using facilities which are readily available around your home. Regular brisk walks for example, instead of taking the car or bus. Swimming uses more muscles in your body than any other form of exercise.
You can use a solid piece of furniture at home or work to work out a routine of press-ups, a step or stair to perform step-ups, and exercise with a friend to do rolling sit-ups. Simple, but effective musscle exercise or massage such as rotating / rolling and stretching your arms, head and legs is easy to do in a spare few minutes, or when engaging in other activities.
The overall message is, take exercise regularly every day, and do things in moderation.
Food and Drink are deeply rooted in a Nation's Culture. Much of the things we eat are common foods. Foods that are readily available in the environment in which we live; the surrounding area. Some countries, China is a very good example, cover such a vast area and expansive range of longitude and latitude, from the fertile coastal regions in the east, across the North and South China Plain to the mountains of the west. From the cold climate of the north to the tropical south. Grain, such as wheat in the north, rice in the southern regions, apples and pears in the north; pineapples, oranges and bananas in the south.
We have fresh foods, convenience foods and fast-food . Fresh food, much of it staple food, basic to our everyday diet is usually grown locally .
Fresh food which is produced in other regions or, in the case of the U.K., imported from abroad. At home, we don't grow enough food to feed our population, although it is relatively small. This has never been more severely brought to the attention of the people of Britain, than during the second World War, when the German navy frequently attacked the North Atlantic Food Convoys (ships bringing imported food from across the Atlantic Ocean to British ports). It became such a problem, that the convoys had to have protection from our own Navy. Supplies were cut-off; food rationing was brought in, which lasted until 1953, nine years after the war had ended. Britain was under siege, and became close to within weeks of being starved out.
In the west, people lead busy working lives. In families, usually both adults work; their children too, if they have completed their education and are no longer studying. The family unit is no longer intact as it is in Asia.
Families consist of a closed unit; the couple, or father and mother, plus their children.The extended family of aunts, uncles and grandparents usually live somewhere else. Restaurants are expensive. Yes! There are small restaurants, pubs and transport cafes, serving snacks and hearty cooked breakfasts for truck drivers and lunches, but restaurants and eating out is much less common than in China. It is usually reserved for special occasions, birthdays, romantic evenings with a partner, or a celebration with friends.
In the west, convenience foodis much more common than in Asia . Pre-prepared food. Food that is dried and in packets .Food that is in tins. Frozen food, and food that can be cooked in a micro-wave .
'What are we having for dinner tonight ?'
'Chicken Ping !'
'Chicken Ping ? What's Chicken Ping?'
'It's chicken done in a micro-wave!' (Slams chicken into a microwave. Set the timer... ping!)
Convenience food is high in salt, sugar and other preservatives, which are added to make bland or tasteless, uninteresting food look and taste better.As a result, people tend to be fatter and overweight which, in itself creates health problems, such as heart-disease. When I come to China in 2,000, I weighed 89kg -15kg more than I do today.
Fast food 'the Golden Arches of McDonalds' have spread across the world.Their website gives you nutritional information about their products.It doesn't tell you the bad points and side-effects that it can have on your health . 'KFC' is another global fast-food chain. China doesn't escape either, California Beef Noodle Kingand 'Mr Li's' fast noodle restaurants are examples of traditional Chinese food being swept into the fast food requirement that affects so many people's busy working lives in the city.
I can go to an open-air place in the market, on the street outside my home and buy the creamiest, tastiest home made noodles, with beef or tomatoes with eggs, for a few pence .
A man in the same market ,barbecues mutton (lamb) on skewers, (wooden sticks). What a pleasure it is, to come home in the early evening in the summer, sit outside, with a plate of hot barbecued meat with toasted steamed bread and watch the sun go down. The hustle and bustle of people coming home from work, children playing and women shopping as I sip an ice cold beer!
Anyway ! We had better get on ¡
There can't be many things in life more pleasurable than sitting down with family or friends, chatting and eating.In China , there is a word for the atmosphere in restaurants. It is 'renao', which means 'hot and steamy' . When Chinese people eat out, they have fun !
Here are some of the differences between eating in China and at home; either at home or in a restaurant.
Breakfast: the first meal of the day. Generally speaking it is much more varied in China than in the U.K. , Europe or the United States .
A Traditional English Breakfast is usually cold with crusty bread rolls, jam, cold meats or cheese. Cereals (manufactured from wheat or oats), served with hot or cold milk and sugar are also common. Both are served with tea (Indian black tea) with milk and / or sugar, coffee or fruit juice .
In China, breakfast can be more or less anything. I have had dumplings (jiaozi), chepati(congyoubing), pancake with eggs and sausage, (shaobing), porridge - different to porridge in the west, which is made with oats and milk, served with sugar or salt, noodle soup (mi xian ), long doughnuts(youtiao) with hot soya mike or hundun-a kind of soup with chopped meat in dough, shrimps and herbs. Delicious ! I feel hungry !
Lunch is served at dinner time. Dinner is served at supper time. Supper is served at bed time. Oh dear, how confusing. Let me try to explain!
Forty or fifty years ago, and before that, common people had breakfast first thing in the morning, when they got up. That's OK! The aristocracy, wealthy people did the same, but that is more or less where the where the similarity ended.
Manual workers, labourers, shopkeepers and school children had a mid-morning snack of something like, bread and cheese, a sandwich or biscuits with tea or milk around 11 o'clock. It was called 'elevenses'. Simple so far, aint it ?
At about 12.30, ordinary people had their main meal of the day which was known as dinner at dinner-time. In the late afternoon, they ate a cold meal of bread and butter, jam or cheese, with cold meat, if they could afford it or, if there were left-overs from previous meals. It was accompanied by tea and cake. That was called tea-time and was taken between 4.30 and 5.30 pm .
My mother still follows that routine. When I stay with her, if I want dinner at 1pm it is late. When my father was alive, if tea wasn't on the table by 4.30pm after he returned from work, that was late too.
During the evening, anytime from around 8pm, most people had supper; a light snack before going to bed .
Not so the aristocracy and gentlemen with a good education, money and aposition in society. When common people were eating dinner, the aristocracy had lunch. They had afternoon tea at tea time. A light snack with cucumber sandwiches and fancy cakes was common. When the common people were eating supper gentlemen were sitting down to dinner. When ordinary folk were in bed, people with wealth tucked into supper, slept on a full stomach, and got fat!
In modern society in the west, with our rush here, race there, must get this done yesterday, mentality and life-style, people often skip breakfast altogether, or just 'have a coffee' .Lunch is often 'on the hoof ', which means whilst you are on the move, or sitting at your desk while you continue to work. Tea-time, when you arrive home from work is followed in the early evening by dinner, usually between 6 and 7 pm.
About the only thing that hasn't changed very much, is our traditional Sunday Dinner or Sunday Lunch, the same thing, eaten as a family between 12.30 and 2pm. Home, pub or restaurant cooked, it consists of 2 or 3 courses; soup or a fruit starter to begin. Followed by roast meat cooked in an oven, with roast and boiled potatoes and a selection of vegetables. Something sweet rounds off the meal - apple pie with cream (from milk), custard - a vanilla flavoured sauce made with milk or ice cream. The meal is often served with red or white grape wine.
In Asian countries food is often barbequed, as I have already mentioned. It is often steamed, boiled or stir-fried. In the west, boiling and roasting are more common.
Whether food is sweet, spicy or plain, the types of food are the same; meat vegetables/fruit, and seafood, fish, shrimps and prawns. Wwe eat more sea fish than river or lake fish, as we are surrounded by the sea. There are also foods which come from grains such as wheat, rice, and oats . They are made into bread and pasta or noodles .
Food is flavoured with condiments to make dishes look and taste better. Herbs and spices of endless variety. Black pepper, chili pepper, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, honey, salt, sugar, soy sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar, to name but a few.
We have the same types of drinks which fall into two groups; alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Beer, fruit wines and spirits or strong wine. Boiled water, mineral water, milk and tea. Fruit juices and fizzy drinks or sodas like Coca Cola, Pepsi and lemonade, with a high sugar content. Some food is good for your health, some, not so good. It's all a question of balance. A balanced diet.
'I'm a vegetarian. I eat fried potatoes ice cream and drink Coca Cola!'
Vegetarian Diets
with contributions from Wang Qi: '21st Century' : 2006.08.30.
WHEN Zhang Liping decided to go veggie after having read books about animal rights 10 years ago, she was definitely one the 'weird few' at Peking University.
“I felt so uncomfortable when I thought of animals being killed to be served on our plates. But when I talked to people about my lifestyle, most would ask whether I was a Buddhist.”
When the 33-year-old PhD student from Peking University ’s Communication College talked about the Vegetarian lifestyle on campus this June, no one asked about religion.
“Many showed interest and would like to try being a veggie, though some feared that they couldn’t stick to the lifestyle for long”.
Zhang is a member of the Vegetarian Food Society at Peking University , set up in 2000. Now it has more than 100 registered members, and many more who cannot totally give up meat, choose to become “flexitarians” (occasional meat eaters), according to Zhang. Other universities including Fu Dan University and Zhong Shan University have also set up vegetarian societies.
In China , vegetarian diets have long been related to Buddhism. “But the majority of today’s growing young vegetarian population adopt the lifestyle because of their concerns about animal rights, the environment and their own health,” said Huang Ying, from China Vegetarian Union’s Beijing Office.
According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), vegetarians have lower rates of certain cancers, heart diseases and obesity.
Vegetarian diets were once thought to be lacking in certain nutrients. But experts say that with a little planning, vegetarians can easily meet all their nutritional needs.
“My mother used to force me to eat meat because she thought meat was more nutritious,” said Luo Hao, 23,a veggie from Peking University “But because of diseases, such as bird flu and mad cow disease, my family has given up meat and we are all healthy.”
To ensure adequate nutrition, ADA recommends that vegetarians eat a wide variety of foods including grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and soy products.
“And you don’t have to sacrifice tastes. Vegetarian dishes such as faux pork and faux fish made from soy protein and mushrooms are abundant on the market. They look and taste like meat and fish.”
SUPER FOODS.
American dietician, David Grotto reveals that some foods really are worth eating.Extracted from, '101 Foods That Could Save Your Life' by David Grotto Bantum Press £10.99.
Hardly a week goes by in the UK without us being told by an expert that this or that food is good or bad for us, or that certain diets are good for losing weight. A popular joke is to say, 'I'm a vegetarian. I only eat chips (fries) and ice cream!'
The Ministry of Health in Britain issues guidelines on healthy diets; we must eat 5 or 7 portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day - take your pick, as the information varies. The Government even issues a guide to people working in foreign countries, including China. If we took any notice of what we shouldn't eat - water melon because they may be injected with unsafe water, food from stalls on the street etc., we would all starve. David Grotto has come up with an interesting little book which give positive examples of super foods which are good for our general health. Today we begin a 5 part mini-series exploring the benefits of eating certain food. Lets begin with...
TEA. One of the joys of living or visiting China is the vast choice of tea which is generally available in specialist tea shops and large supermarkets. It contains antioxidants which help prevent some types of cancer, particularly in the mouth, lungs, digestive system and skin. Research in Japan has shown that tea might reduce body fat and bone disease (osteoporosis). Women, in particular, who drink tea regularly, tend to have more bone density than men. The convenient tea bag, is disapproved of by many, but the fact that tea is finely ground, it increases the surface area when boiling water s poured on, thus increasing the amount of antioxidants that are released. Alternatively, you could stir the pot more frequently, I suppose.
CHINESE GOOSEBERRY or KIWI FRUIT is recommended a prevention against heart disease, as it contains a component which makes blood less sticky. It also protects and repair DNA against damage. It is also an excellent source of a number of chemicals including lutein and zeaxanthin which are found in the human eye. Eating it daily can help prevent cataracts - a film which often clouds vision as people get older. The skin, which is often thrown away, is an excellent source of nutrients and fibre.
Next: Eggs, walnuts and strawberries. 2008.06.20.
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
There is considerable debate going on about the value of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This feature is based on a number of reports, some from '21st Century'.
It is ironic that as China embraces western medicine in favour of TCM, in Europe the trend is begining to swing the other way, mainly due to the large number of side-effects that many western drugs produce. The side-effects can be quite unpleasant including; drowsiness - which is dangerous because it affect a person's driving capability, dizziness, upset stomach, sickness, constipation or diarrohea.
In the doctor's practice that was local to my home when I lived in Bristol, one of the 6 consultants was a specialist in TCM. Several main ciities in the UK have Centres for Treatment by Chinese and other 'alternative' forms of medicine.
Chinese medicine focuses on health. The best Chinese doctors are said to be those whose patients remain healthy.
The main difference between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine is that TCM focuses on health rather than disease. It focuses on keeping the body in balance and harmony with nature.
In China , TCM doctors keep their patients healthy BY supporting the body’s natural order to enhance immunity before imbalance and disease occur and reduce the potency of diseases.
Observation plays an essential part in the Chinese practitioner’s diagnoses. Everything about the person is observed, tongue, eyes, skin colour, hearing, pulse, age, weight, body type, voice, hair, posture and body odour.
Reveals weakness.
A complete examination reveals potentially weak areas. Herbal formulas are then prescribed to tone these areas, as well as to bolster the immune system. Acupuncture, which is considered a form of physical therapy, is used as an aid to herbology.
Herbology is particularly effective in helping to eliminate what the Chinese call 'evils' -viruses, bacterial infections, or anything else that invades the body from the outside.
If 'evils' are present, the doctor prescribes herbs, not only for the affected part, but to strengthen other parts which may be weakened by the disease.
In this way body balance is maintained. A well-balanced body is thought to heal itself more efficiently.
Allopathy (Western medicine), eliminates evils without supporting the normal order. The high toxicity of Western drugs often damages vital tissues like bone marrow and those lining the gastro-intestinal system, further weakening the patient.
Some herbs, on the other hand, support or increase the body’s natural killer immune cells, while leaving the body’s vital growth mechanisms intact.
TCM does have its limitations and cautions that some 'evils' do require the intervention of Western medicine. Injuries, traumas and illnesses where time is of the essence, often call for the Western approach. However, even in these cases, subsequent healing can be enhanced with herbs and acupuncture.
Controversy
Even for the Chinese themselves, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can still be controversial. The recent debate about whether TCM should be removed from the nation’s health care system showed this. While Western medicines have been embraced by Chinese, it is still hard for the west to accent TCM, such as herbal medicine and acupuncture.
TCM is often treated as a complementary treatment abroad. Only South Korea has it as part of its health care systems. This means the cost of using it is not covered by health insurance.
The US , for example, doesn’t recognize herbal medicine as medicine. It is often sold as a dietary supplement at health food shops, rather than in drug stores.
Broadly, the reason Westerners are skeptical about TCM, is not because they think it’s unsafe but because there is a lack of hard scientific evidence. Western medicine is based on evidence that can be proved by tests and machines. Remedies are created based on the understanding of infections, cellular structures, and organic chemistry. Chinese medicine, which reflects Chinese philosophy, is a science relying mainly on observation and description. A remedy is sometimes made without seeing the real symptoms.
The differences between the two medical practices make it difficult for Westerners to accept TCM widely. They find more comfort and trust in a medicine that is based on laboratory tests. But, TCM has its strength. It’s green and healthy. Perhaps that as more foreigners get to know Chinese medicine, it will get more popular.
The following table is taken from 21st century, and illustrates the differences in thinking between Western and Traditional Chinese Medicines.
Western medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Human body
Man is a machine which can be understood by taking it apart to its smallest components
TCM regards man’s body as interrelated and constantly interacting with the environment
Illness
Illness is the faulty functioning of various biological mechanisms.
Illness is due to disharmony between internal and external factors.
Treatment
Treatment corrects the malfunction of a particular mechanism.
Treatment activates the body’s self-recovery mechanisms.
The A to Zzz of sleep By Daily Mail Reporter from 'The Sleepyhead's Companion' by Saun Gloughlan
Sleep is one of the most pleasurable and mysterious areas of our lives. It is as necessary as breathing and as nourishing as eating, yet few of us feel we are getting enough of it.
In our overcrowded lives, sleep has become a modern obsession, the thing we crave more than anything else. But how much do we know about this nightly pleasure? Why did the Elizabethans rub dormouse fat on to their feet? Who was the insomniac Prime Minister forced to quit? Does counting sheep work?
A fascinating new book by Sean Coughlan, The Sleepyhead's Bedside Companion, answers these and a host of other nocturnal conundrums …
HEROIC SLEEPERS
In modern life, forsaking sleep is seen as a sign of strength, but this was not always so. In the toughest times of World War II, Prime Minister Winston Churchill would go to bed in the afternoon. He said: 'You must sleep some time between lunch and dinner, and no half measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed. You will be able to accomplish more.'
He did, however, admit to another reason for his siesta. 'Sleep enables you to be at your best in the evening when you join your wife, family and friends for dinner. That is the time to be at your best, a good dinner with good wines.'
Another heroic sleeper was Einstein, who clocked-up 11 hours a night. He developed a napping system in which he would break off from his work, sit in a comfortable armchair and hold a pencil in his hand. When he fell into a deep sleep, the pencil would be dropped and the sound would wake him up. Refreshed, he would return to his desk.
HOW OUR ANCESTORS SLEPT
Going to bed late in the evening and staying asleep until morning is the pattern of the Western industrial working culture, but this single stretch of sleep hasn't always been common practice.
Before the Industrial Revolution and the arrival of the electric light bulb, there was nothing fixed about our sleep patterns. Our intake of sleep was spread out across the day.
According to social historians, our agricultural medieval forebears got up at dawn, started work early and fell asleep in the late afternoon. They awoke in the early evening, revitalised for the big social activity of the communal meal. After eating and drinking, they would crash out in a boozy stupor around midnight, ready to rise again at dawn.
Later, it was traditional to go to bed at 9pm when it got dark (or earlier in winter), sleep till midnight, then wake for a 'watching hour' when people might read in bed, write a letter, talk, prepare a snack or do some light work.
This fits in with an acknowledged spike in the brain's activity around midnight (much utilised by poets and writers), after which a further four hours or so of sleep would follow.
This pattern continued into the early 19th century and, interestingly, this is also the way chimpanzees - our closest animal neighbour - sleep.
In some cultures, there was even sleeping akin to hibernation. Peasants in 19th-century France took to their beds for long stretches of the year. Graham Robb, in The Discovery Of France, writes of a civil servant in Burgundy, in 1844, who found that no one was working after the wine harvest. 'These vigorous men will spend their days in bed, packing their bodies tightly together in order to stay warm, and to eat less food.'
HOW MUCH SLEEP DO WE NEED?
The typical answer is between seven and eight hours, but, in fact, this varies greatly from individual to individual. Margaret Thatcher famously survived on just four hours a night, although one in 50 people is a long sleeper - needing more than nine hours a day. A recent survey found that women slept on average seven hours and 12 minutes, men for six hours and 45 minutes.
But beware, too much sleep can be bad for you. A Californian study found that people who slept more than eight hours a night were at greater risk of dying younger. On the other hand, a study of the sleeping habits of 10,000 civil servants by the University of Warwick found that less than five hours sleep a night increased the chances of dying from cardiovascular problems.
When the civil servants were revisited after a ten-year period, those who slept less than five hours nightly were 1.7 times more likely to have died, and twice as likely to have died from cardiovascular problems.
SLEEPING IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES
How do lone yachtsmen and women sleep? Sleeping for eight hours isn't an option, as there is no one else to keep watch. Instead, they learn to sleep in short bursts.
Ellen MacArthur perfected a system of short naps that balanced physical need for sleep against her need to be awake and alert for as long as possible, before her 2005 record-breaking solo round-the-world trip. She slept for five-and-a-half hours a day, in chunks of 36 minutes. She said: 'I can't describe the mechanism that wakes me up, but if I sleep for 40 minutes and the wind changes, I'll wake.'
Others are not so fortunate. Many astronauts find sleeping in space very difficult. The lack of gravity means they have to sleep vertically and can't have the reassuring pressure of a blanket on them. If they must have a pillow, it needs to be fixed to their heads. However, that doesn't stop astronauts snoring - as proven by the deep nasal tones detected on Nasa scientists' microphones!
DORMOUSE FAT, CANNABIS AND OTHER INSOMNIA REMEDIES
Every year, some 10million prescriptions for sleeping pills are written in Britain, and we are currently a nation struggling to get sufficient shut-eye. So what are the alternative remedies?
The Greeks and the Egyptians relied on opium. In the Middle Ages, the opium was mixed with the henbane and mandragora plants, lettuce seed and ivy. This was applied to a sponge then held to the nostrils of the person needing sleep.
The Elizabethans favoured 'the fat of a dormouse applied to the soles of the feet'. While this might sound strange - and it probably didn't work - dormice have a long-established connection to sleep, through the snoozing dormouse in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland.
In the 1870s, cannabis was the insomniac's drug of choice. A French company advertised its special brand of Indian cigarettes, called cannabis Indica, as possessing 'remarkable virtues against asthma, neuralgia and insomnia'.
DOES CHEESE GIVE YOU NIGHTMARES?
In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Scrooge blames his nocturnal visions on having eaten 'a crumb of cheese' before bed, and we have long associated cheese with nightmares. But a study of 200 people by the British Cheese Board found no connection. (Maybe not such a surprise given who conducted the survey.)
However, researchers did find that different cheeses could affect sleep. Red Leicester was said to create rose-tinted nostalgic dreams, Stilton generated bizarre dreams and Cheshire could inspire a dreamless night's sleep.
SLEEP CONCERTS
For all those who struggle to stay awake whenever their bottom hits the comfy cinema seat, enveloped in dark, with no one talking and no mobile phones - the Japanese have the answer.
Sleep concerts, dedicated to helping stressed workers get some shut-eye, have sprung up across the country. People pay for a ticket, make themselves comfortable in reclining seats, listen to music, and try to fall asleep. Judging by the photos of rows of dozing concert-goers - they work!
WHY CHARLES DICKENS TOOK A COMPASS TO BED
Charles Dickens suffered from insomnia. For a time, he tried a mixture of opium and alcohol. It put him to sleep, but made him feel terrible in the morning. Then he tried to go to sleep with the head of his bed facing due north - which apparently helped. This was in keeping with the Victorians' interest in the influence of magnetic fields. It is also, incidentally, the preferred sleeping position advocated by feng shui exponents.
THE PRIME MINISTER FORCED TO QUIT THROUGH INSOMNIA
When Harold Wilson was asked for the single most important ingredient for staying at the top of the political ladder, he said: 'The greatest asset a head of state can have is the ability to get a good night's sleep.'
The fifth Earl of Rosebery had no such luck. Hailed as the golden boy of late Victorian politics, he had to step down after just 14 months as PM because he couldn't sleep. When he began his tenure in March 1894, the pressures of office rendered sleep impossible and he was regularly driven in his carriage round the streets of London, trying to sleep. In a desperate bid to lull himself to sleep, he used ever-increasing amounts of morphine before admitting he could not go on. He stood down in June 1895 and never regained his political career.
EXTRACTED from The Sleepyhead's Bedside Companion by Sean Coughlan, published by Preface on March 19, ?12.99. ? 2009 Sean Coughlan. To order a copy (p&p free) call 44 + 00 + 845 155 0720.
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Have you ever woken up in the morning after a particularly vivid dream, and thought: “what the hell was that all about?” 
Dr Devi Shetty at work. Photograph: Rosalind Miller
Green tea
1. Nutrients
Food experts from the Good Food Guide have drawn up a list of the country's best and worst margheritas after visiting six chain restaurants.
James Wang turns to his garden to treat ailments
Hops pillow for insomnia
Most people pile the pounds straight back on after dieting. The world's largest study of weight loss has shown that diets do not work for the vast majority of slimmers and may even put lives at risk. More than two-thirds pile the pounds straight back on, raising the danger of heart attack, stroke and diabetes*.
