A host of musicians, actors and sports stars have joined up with businesses and environmental groups in what they hope will be a successful push to get more people to ditch meat, fish and dairy in the new year.

Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Sir Paul McCartney, Ricky Gervais, Lily Cole and Alan Cumming have all signed a letter calling for people to change their diet for Veganuary next month. We cannot tackle climate change while we farm and eat animals on an industrial scale, the open letter written by the Veganuary association says.

Other signatories include Chris Packham, the environmental campaigner and TV presenter, Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, cricketer Jason Gillespie, businesswoman Deborah Meaden and comedians John Bishop, Sara Pascoe and Jon Richardson.

Packham said there was a clear link between the climate crisis, large-scale meat-eating and coronavirus. This virus leapt from animals into us as Sars, Ebola and HIV did all because we were abusing the natural environment and the animals that live there, he told the Observer. So nature has taught us a very harsh and cold lesson. If we dont start understanding that we are all connected implicitly to nature, and that what we eat impacts on nature, were in deep trouble. Thats why the environmental aspect of veganism or vegetarianism or anyone changing their diet has come to the forefront.

Veganuarys organisers hope to persuade 500,000 people to try veganism in January. Some 350,000 took part last year.

Global meat sales had begun to decline in 2019, after rising from around 71 million tonnes a year in 1961 to 340 million tonnes in 2018, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. In the UK, sales of beef, lamb and pork dropped by up to 4% last Christmas, and supermarkets cater for rising numbers of flexitarians those who cut back on meat.

However, lockdown has fuelled a boom in meat consumption. According to researcher Kantar, sales of turkeys were up 36% on last year, and sales of red meat and poultry grew by more than 10% each month until September.

The Veganuary letter sets out the environmental arguments against meat. Animal agriculture is responsible for an estimated 14.5% of all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, it says. In recent years, more than 80% of deforestation in Brazil was to graze farmed animals, and still more forests are destroyed to grow crops to feed animals on farms around the world. Deforestation is serious for lots of reasons. It pushes wild species to extinction. It displaces indigenous peoples. It drives climate change. And it brings us in ever closer contact with wild animals and any viruses they may harbour, raising the risk of another pandemic.

Packham said there was evidence that soya produced in felled Brazilian rainforest had been used to feed chickens sold in UK supermarkets and fast-food outlets: If you put that chicken in your mouth, youre connecting yourself very directly with deforestation in South America.

But ethical eating was difficult even for vegans, he added. Palm oil has led to the deforestation of Indonesia and Malaysia, and its in biscuits, shampoo its frankly everywhere. We each of us consume 8kg to 9kg every year.

He said the solution was not for the whole population to turn vegan. The people I call ultra-vegans just want to stop all meat consumption overnight. But that would be no good for meat farmers. It would be no good for our landscapes, where low-intensity, good-quality animal husbandry and livestock farming are actually good for biodiversity. What we need is a transition where we eat less meat and pay more for it so we can put the profit in the farmers pocket.

Toni Vernelli of Veganuary said that while 2020 had brought hardship and heartbreak, it had also brought an opportunity to change and build a better future.

Our united message is one of hope, but we must all act now.

This article was amended on 20 December 2020 because changes made during the editing process led an earlier version to say that Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth wrote the letter. Those organisations were among the letters signatories, however, the letter itself was written by the Veganuary association.

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Celebrities rooting for Veganuary in UK to combat new rise in meat sales - The Guardian

Does putting the needs of the group first leave the forgiver dissatisfied? What about their emotional needs?

The question is whether emotional forgiveness follows decisional forgiveness in collectivistic people, says Toussaint. Something called cognitive dissonance might interfere. In short, its difficult for people to say one thing and believe another our brains struggle to allow two contradictory thoughts to exist and it creates additional psychological stress. As a result, if we say we believe something, that belief tends to materialise.

To decide you will forgive and then withhold it emotionally for most individuals would be very disconcerting, says Toussaint. Sometimes, especially when acts of forgiveness are made public, they draw us emotionally in line with those commitments.

This reasoning is one reason why vegetarianism and veganism can become an entire life philosophy for some people, and not just a diet. They believe the reasons for their diet are important and it permeates elsewhere such as in the clothes they buy and charities they support. Likewise, for someone who arrives at a cold, calculated reason to forgive, it is likely that the emotional satisfaction will follow suit. Perhaps then, if you want to benefit from being more forgiving, you can start by deciding to forgive even if you are not yet emotionally invested.

How do you say I forgive you?

Language plays an important part in our interpretation of emotions. Its very common for feelings to manifest in different ways depending on the language you speak. The people of Tahiti, for example, have no word for sadness, writes Lisa Feldman Barrett, a neuroscientist at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and author of How Emotions Are Made.

When Tahitians are in a situation that a Westerner would describe as sad, they feel ill, troubled, fatigued or unenthusiastic, all of which are covered by their broader term pe'ape'a, which means worries, she writes. Sadness is not one of their worries, instead their language is more specific and sophisticated. So, when a Westerner might say they feel sad, a Tahitian might say they feel physically sick, and due to cognitive dissonance, a physical sensation follows.

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What other cultures can teach us about forgiveness - BBC News

After years of trying all sorts of different "healthy" diets, from low-cal to low-carb to vegetarian to vegan to paleo, I've finally found the diet that works for me. While my diet has no catch-all name, it's the best and healthiest I've ever felt in my life. Getting here, however, was a journey of broken "rules" and failed regimens that ultimately taught me that perhaps the safest and gentlest way to define your diet is to stop trying to.

Its not a rare story, but it is mine: I have always struggled with my weight.

I came from a household where we ate quickly, and food was always copious. While my mother eschewed processed sugars and candy, and snacks were always either fresh fruit or crudits, there was always more than enough pasta to go around. I wasn't a particularly active child, and I loved food, often eating beyond the point of fullness. Comparing my body to that of my skinny sister was something that I did frequently by the time I was ten or eleven, but I didnt have the tools or the self-awareness to realize that portion control was probably the best way forward.

Instead, when I was thirteen, I started a long chain of fad diets that I didnt understand. I would drink my fathers Slim Fast shakes for breakfast or use websites in an attempt to count calories. I would eat meal replacement bars or emulate my sister's eating habits. By fourteen, I had tried both Atkins and Weight Watchers; with the latter, I started to see my still-adolescent body shrink.

For years, I had decided what to put in my body solely based on what tasted good. It wasnt until I was fifteen and my boarding school roommate sent me a Michael Pollan article about steer farming in America that I began to think about the morality behind my food. I quickly became a vegetarian, which, at boarding school, meant I ate a lot of pasta and bagels. But I also frequented the salad bar and began a life-long love affair with vegetables. I liked the sense of fullness they gave me: a fullness that made me feel revitalized instead of sluggish. But I must admit, now, that I also liked the fact that putting a name on my diet made it easy for me to refuse food, to hide behind the name of something that was morally driven rather than inspired by vanity.

Theres nothing wrong with trying a new eating regimen for whatever reason or even being gung-ho about it, as so many vegetarians and vegans are. But when we define ourselves by what we eat, things get complicated.

Theres a little bit of a slippery slope, explains Elise Museles,certified eating psychology & nutrition expert. Because on the one hand, we dont want to discourage people from being curious. Where you get into trouble is when you think that you have to stick to these super-rigid rules, and they were defined by somebody else, not by you.

In doing exactly this, Museles explains, I was refusing to listen to what my body needed.

You become disconnected from your body and you become more concerned with the rules instead of how you actually feel.

This was certainly true for me. Weight was pouring off me, but I couldnt get enough sleep, and my usually thick curly hair thinned. It wasnt until moving to France that I would reject this unhealthy diet but my journey towards healthy eating was far from over.

Food is nourishment, yes, but its also social, something that contributed to my abandonment of my vegetarian diet at the age of sixteen. While studying abroad, I was housed in a homestay with three other girls and an elderly French host. On our first night, she served everyone ham-and-cheese-stuffed cordon bleu, looking at me and saying, "Don't worry, I have something special for you!"

She returned to the kitchen and emerged holding a baked whole fish.

Aghast at the prospect of explaining the difference between vegetarianism and pescatarianism to my elderly host, I made an exception. Afterwards, I felt so guilty that I Googled meat production in France, discovering to my pleasure and surprise vastly different standards than those I knew back home. In rural France, which was far from veggie-friendly in 2004, this was a welcome relief.

Soon, I started integrating not just fish but meat into my diet. By the time I enrolled at the University of Toronto, I was an omnivore once more.

At university, I began to teach myself to cook, a skill my mother possessed but never passed down. I made meals to share and also went out to restaurants with friends. But as I embraced the social aspect of dining, I also gradually put on thirty pounds over the course of my freshman year.

This doesnt surprise Museles. While she notes that "socializing and connecting with other human beings" is, itself, "a form of nourishment," it's all about finding equilibrium.

"If I'm going to end up eating something that isn't as healthy as I would make at home, I'm OK with that, because I would like to be connected to other people," she says.

But I wasnt quite there yet. While I enjoyed sharing foods with my friends, I hadn't reached a balance that made me feel both physically and emotionally sated. Over the next decade, I found that my eating vacillated widely depending on whether I was alone or in a group. With others, I would eat omnivorously and with gusto, often punishing myself for it later by cutting calories... or cutting out food groups entirely. I attempted all sorts of things to get my eating back on track: Weight Watchers, Whole30, and more.I would tell people that I was taking some time away from booze, or grains, or gluten, or meat, or dairy, only to change my mind weeks or months later.I never felt satisfied, and food, despite having become my job, was a source of profound stress and anxiety for me.

For Museles, the rulemaking I subjected myself to is not uncommon.

Women have a tendency to vilify entire food groups, she says, citing carbohydrates or gluten or fat as examples. This tendency to restrict based on what works for someone else's body often inspires cravings, especially if that food group is one your bodyreally needs.

Often a binge will follow a cycle of restrictive eating," she says.It creates this loop that makes us feel bad about ourselves, when the truth is that it's really our body doing its job.

In 2015, I came down with a bout of bronchitis that I could not shake for six months. After two rounds of antibiotics, chest x-rays, and more, my doctor put me on a cortisol inhaler. Knowing that a constant intake of steroids couldn't be good long-term, I explored an anti-inflammatory diet, using the principles of Whole30 and GAPS to cut vast swaths of foods from my diet. From there, I slowly reintegrated them, all the while focusing on how I felt: were my lungs inflamed? Was I coughing? How was my breathing? It was the first time in my life that I examined so closely how individual foods made me feel, and in doing so, I finally stumbled upon the diet that has cleared up my skin, helped me shed unwanted pounds easily, improved my mood, and kept me full. And it has no name.

I had learned back in high school that I do well on a diet mostly made of plants, and that remains true to this day. I love to feel full, and every day, I consume multiple servings of leafy greens, orange veggies, and crucifers, as well as quite a bit of seasonal fruit.

I do believe strongly in the moral and environmental ramifications of eating plant-based. The only non-vegan foods I keep at home are small, sustainable fish (pickled anchovies are a favorite, as are canned sardines) and free range eggs sourced from local farmers. I also know that I need a decent amount of fat to feel full: tahini and avocado are my favorite sources.

I know that dairy and alcohol make me break out, and most carbs make me hangry and cranky. I avoid these foods most of the time, and frankly, I don't miss them. I've never had much of a sweet tooth, and when a craving arises, I truly, honestly do feel better with a piece of seasonal or frozen fruit.

This is how I eat when I'm at home, and it's no hardship. I look forward to hearty meal salads of beans and kale and chili-spiced tahini dressing. But also live in Paris, where I work as a restaurant critic. And you can bet I'm not asking Alain Ducasse to make me a kale salad.

"Food should work with your life; it shouldn't define your life," says Museles. "It should enhance it.

I love eating out with friends, exploring new restaurants and flavors. White flour might make me cranky, but depriving myself of a truly exquisite Saint-Honor makes me even crankier.

But even when deviating from my base diet, I make choices that make me feel good.I prefer skipping breakfast and eating my first meal at lunchtime, and when I indulge in a croissant in the morning (as my countrymen are wont to do), I find it makes me hangry two hours later. So instead, I save my croissant consumption for the 4pm goter or snack.I've noticed that while I tolerate meat fine, I rarely get excited about it. I probably eat meat once a month, if that, and only when a particularly enticing option presents itself on a menu (90 percent of the time, this is tacos al pastor or nduja). At restaurants, I usually eschew dessert, because eating sweets late at night gives me a stomach ache.

It took me 33 years to know that about myself. And I'm still learning.

There is no one word to define the diet I follow, which I suppose bridges the gap between flexitarian and pegan. But I don't need a name for it. All I know is its the best Ive ever felt in my whole life.

Related on Organic AuthorityGuide to Non-Toxic Cookware to Keep Chemicals Out of Your FoodIs It Time to Bring Animal Fats Back Into Your Kitchen?9 Pegan Recipes to Embrace This Paleo-Vegan Hybrid Diet

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My Diet Doesn't Have a Catch-All Name, But It's the Healthiest I've Ever Felt - Organic Authority

Linda Knieriemen, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Holland, responds:

Wine was a staple beverage in the ancient world. Jesus consumed wine, in fact at the wedding of Cana turned water into wine! If Christians want to live like Jesus, they should enjoy their Cabernets and Chardonnays! But there are also warnings about excess consumption of alcoholic beverages in the pages of the Bible, so thoughtful consideration is prudent and has been plentiful.

In the PC(USA) there are no dietary restrictions, neither is alcohol prohibited. My congregation opens its doors to 12-step recovery group meetings for the community so the life altering effects of alcohol addiction are an omnipresent reality. Out of respect for those who choose to not consume alcohol we maintain an alcohol-free building. Similarly, out of respect for potential addictiveness, the Presbyterian Church requires that if a congregation serves wine for the Sacrament of Communion that we always provide the option of a non-fermented grapejuice. My congregation has long kept it simple by only serving Welchs grape juice. (Welchs is not specified, but it tastes the best of all the option!)

Dr. Welch, by the way was a physician, dentist and Methodist minister in New Jersey in the At the time, Methodists were strongly opposed to the consumption of alcohol which made the use of wine for communion problematic. Dr. Welch experimented and using the then new technique of pasteurization succeeded 1869 to preserve the juice of the grape without its fermenting. It wasnt until the rise of the temperance movement more than 20 years later that the beverage took off both for residential and church use.

Id summarize our position on alcohol this way:

Dr Sahibzada, the Director of Islamic Center and Imam of the Mosque of Grand Rapids, responds:

God is Creator of all things. Therefore, he also guides about the discipline of life. Food requirements are also regulated by God Himself in His words. Two terms are used in Islam for lawful and unlawful (halal & haram) food.

Muslims will eat only permitted lawful food and will not eat or drink anything that is considered unlawful. Lawful foodrequires that Gods name is invoked at the time an animal is killed. Lamb, beef, goat, and chicken arelawfulas long as they are killed by a believer invoking name of God.

Following are some items which are unlawful and forbidden to be consumed:

Intoxicants, carrion, blood, pork, animal dedicated to other than God, prohibited methods of slaughtering: an animal whose meat is lawful must be slaughtered applying Islamic methodology by invoking name of God.

Fred Stella, the Pracharak (Outreach Minister) for the West Michigan Hindu Temple, responds:

There are no absolute hard and fast rules on diet in most of Hinduism. As with many religions, there is a spectrum of observance, and individuals may place themselves anywhere within it. The only thing that is pretty much universal is refraining from eating beef. Ive never met a practicing Hindu who does. But consumption of fish, fowl, goat and lamb is not unpopular. Vegetarianism is considered the ideal, but many do not meet that high standard. There are some denominations where a plant-based diet is required for membership, but for the most part personal choice is honored.

There are also those who follow an Ayurvedic diet, which encourages the intake of certain foods and avoidance of others depending on ones constitution and body type. Ayurveda is the ancient science of healing within Hindu Dharma.

Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Adjutant Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds:

In the Roman Catholic Church, the only dietary restriction is abstinence from meat during the liturgical season of Lent. The action of not eating meat on Fridays in Lent is a spiritual discipline. From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards (www.usccb.org).

My response:

Judaism is known for its complicated dietary laws known as kashrut, based on verses from the first five books of the Bible. To be kosher, poultry or meat must be killed by kosher slaughter, severing the carotid artery with a slicing motion with a very sharp knife. The meat must then be soaked and salted to remove the blood. Dairy products and meat products may not be cooked or eaten together, or even prepared using the same utensils. Products which are neither dairy nor meat are called parve, and can be eaten with either dairy or meat. Parve products include fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Many types of processed foods have a symbol on the label indicated that it contains no forbidden ingredients. In very traditional communities, open containers of grape juice and wine products may only be touched by Jews and bread must be prepared by Jews only. There are no other prohibitions on alcohol.

This column answers questions of Ethics and Religion by submitting them to a multi-faith panel of spiritual leaders in the Grand Rapids area. Wed love to hear about the ordinary ethical questions that come up in the course of your day as well as any questions of religion that youve wondered about. Tell us how you resolved an ethical dilemma and see how members of the Ethics and Religion Talk panel would have handled the same situation. Please send your questions to [emailprotected].

The Rapidian, a program of the 501(c)3 nonprofit Community Media Center, relies on the communitys support to help cover the cost of training reporters and publishing content.

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If each of our readers and content creators who values this community platform help support its creation and maintenance, The Rapidian can continue to educate and facilitate a conversation around issues for years to come.

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Ethics and Religion Talk - Dietary Restrictions - The Rapidian

We all know that fitness is more than simply going to the gym, and staying on top of your mind, body, and lifestyle wellness is more important than ever. Weve put together a list of four trends to add to your active lifestyle and help you maintain all-around fitness. Whether youre an active aging expert, or are just starting on your journey, these trends are a great addition to your day-to-day wellness routine.

Sharp & Focused

Its been a bit of a stressful year for everyone, and stress tends to reduce our mental capacity and focus. Thats okay! It just means we need to be intentional about maintaining, or regaining, our focus--and we have the perfect suggestion:

This tip has multiple benefits. Harvard Health explains that novel tasks and information (learning something new) stimulate the brain and help keep it sharp and agile. If you track your progress in writing, with quick summaries of the new information or skills you learn each day, you add another layer to your brain workout. The process of writing, particularly by hand, improves retention and memory, and can also boost your mood.

Staying Fit

Lets face it: as the weather gets colder, this years health and safety guidelines mean well be spending more time inside than usual. If youre someone who walks, runs, bikes, or hikes every day, you may be wondering how youll keep up your exercise routine through the winter. Thats where this active aging trend comes in:

The advantages of body weight training cannot be understated. First of all, its always accessible, no matter the time of day or night, the weather outside, or the health and safety considerations in the community. With body weight training, its you making yourself more fit.

Beyond convenience, body weight training offers the advantage of meeting your ability where its at and improving your strength, balance, and coordination based on your bodys unique needs. Try these five SilverSneakers bodyweight exercises for a simple, but effective, do-anywhere workout.

Internal Insights

Youve got the mind and the body taken care of, but lets not forget your gut. What we eat has the power to give or take energy, and increase mental and physical wellness. One of the top trends this year (and the last few years) continues to be big, but also flexible enough to fit into your personal dietary needs:

Plant-based has become a broader dietary term that encompasses more than just vegetarianism and veganism. Plant-based eating emphasizes fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and grains. For some, it means going strictly vegan, and for others it means simply reducing the amount of meat and dairy products they eat on a daily or weekly basis. If you fall into the latter category, choose a meal or two each week to go veg, or find ways to pack your meal plan with even more fruits and veggies.

Benefits of plant-based eating include improving heart health, gut health, and mental acuity. Plant-based eating is also good for the environment.

Active Living

Active living involves all the ways you fill your time with friends, family, entertainment, and hobbies. While travel and large gatherings are somewhat restricted at the moment, the changes are allowing for new experiences. Try this new trend to keep active this fall:

Many restaurants have expanded their seating areas onto sidewalks and streets. Its a refreshing way to support local establishments and enjoy fresh air and community ambiance. Some are even petitioning for the permanent adoption of expanded dining areas. Make a list of places to lunch, and meet up with your friends or family outside for some good food and crisp, fall air.

Active aging is an art, and the trends that support it evolve along with the times. Use these suggestions to help you keep your routine fresh and keep yourself fit inside and out.

Active Aging is presented by (sponsor). (2-3 sentences about sponsor)

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The Pillars Of Active Aging: Top Tips For Staying Fit In Mind, Body, And Lifestyle - NOLA.com

Mario Canseco - Sep 21, 2020 / 1:54 pm | Story: 311190

Photo: Colin Dacre

A seal at the Vancouver Aquarium

Late last year, Research Co. and Glacier Media took an initial look at the relationship between Canadians and animals.

At the time, the countrys residents appeared to express outright dismay at practices like trophy hunting and killing animals for their fur, but sizable majorities had no problems with eating animals or hunting them for meat.

In 2020, we wanted to once again review the feelings of Canadians but adding the perspectives of our southern neighbours. The two-country survey shows that the views of Canadians and Americans are common on some crucial topics, even if the prevalence of certain attitudes related to animals is not as significant in some parts of the United States.

Across the two countries, about three in four residents (76% in Canada and 75% in the United States) are in favour of eating animals. Opposition to this custom is highest among women (24% in each country) and residents aged 18 to 34 (27% in Canada and 25% in the U.S.). Quebec (23%) and the Northeast (26%) are the North American regions with the largest appetite for vegetarianism or veganism.

The numbers are also consistent when it comes to hunting animals for meat, with 65% of Canadians and 67% of Americans having no qualms about this practice. In both countries, men are more likely to endorse hunting animals for meat than women.

One of the biggest differences between Canadians and Americans is observed in their opinions on zoos and aquariums. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the activities of these venues, some of which are bringing in fewer visitors in an attempt to abide by social distancing guidelines. Others have temporarily closed their doors.

In Canada, half of residents (51%) are opposed to keeping animals in zoos or aquariums, while 39% are in favour of this custom. Support varies across the country, from a low of 35% in Ontario to a high of 46% in Alberta. Almost half of Canadian men (47%) do not have a problem with animals in captivity, compared to just one third of women (33%).

There are some sizable differences on political allegiance, with support for keeping animals in zoos or aquariums climbing from 35% among Liberal Party voters in the 2019 federal election, to 40% among New Democratic Party (NDP) supporters, to 50% for Conservative Party voters.

The findings change in the United States, where there are no major regional fluctuations. Almost two-thirds of Americans (64%) are in favour of keeping animals in zoos or aquariums, and just over three in 10 (31%) are opposed.

The issue of using animals in rodeos is decidedly more contentious in the United States. Americans are evenly divided on this practice, with 46% saying they are in favour of it and 46% opposing it. The gender gap is large, with 58% of men supporting the use of animals in rodeos compared to only 34% of women. Republican Party sympathizers are also significantly more likely to be in favour of rodeos (65%) than Independents (37%) and Democrats (36%).

In Canada, as was the case last year, opponents of the use of animals in rodeos outnumber enthusiasts by a two-to-one margin (62% to 32%). In Alberta, 49% of residents are in favour of using animals in rodeos. Support is significantly lower in British Columbia (33%), Quebec (27%) and Ontario (25%).

Two other customs are unquestionably less popular in North America. Only 25% of Americans and 19% of Canadians are in favour of killing animals for their fur. Aversion to the practice is highest among women (85% in the United States and 83% in Canada).

On the issue of hunting animals for sport, positive perceptions in Canada have fallen to single digits, with just 8% of Canadians favouring this practice. Support for trophy hunting plummets to just 5% among Canadians aged 55 and over.

In the United States, 25% of Americans are in favour of hunting animals for sport. The expected gender gap persists (39% among men, 11% among women). Also, while only 16% of Democrats favour trophy hunting, support climbs to 44% among Republicans.

There are several disparities in the way Canadians and Americans relate to animals. On the convoluted issue of entertainment, the views of Canadians have evolved at a faster pace. Both countries hold roughly the same opinions on food and are developing a greater disgust for the use of animals as garments and trophies.

Mario Canseco is president of Research Co.

Results are based on online studies conducted from September 4 to September 6, 2020, among representative samples of 1,000 adults in Canada and 1,200 adults in the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian and U.S. census figures for age, gender and region in each country. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points for Canada and plus or minus 2.8 percentage points for the United States.

The Canadian Press - Sep 21, 2020 / 12:38 pm | Story: 311180

Photo: The Canadian Press

RCMP officers prepare to enter an apartment complex in connection with the mailing of ricin to President Trump Monday, September 21, 2020 in St. Hubert, Que.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

RCMP are searching a residence on Montreal's south shore in connection with envelopes containing the poison ricin that were sent to the White House and to various locations in Texas.

Cpl. Charles Poirier said Monday the home is connected to a woman arrested Sunday night at the New York-Canada border who authorities suspect is involved in the case.

"We don't know if she lived here but there is a clear link between her and this residence," Poirier told reporters at the scene.

The home is located in a multi-unit building on Vauquelin Blvd. in St-Hubert, bordering a forest and not far from an airport. Some of the units in the building were evacuated after police arrived around 10 a.m.

The RCMP's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives team is leading the operation with support from local police and firefighters. Police say all necessary measures have been taken to ensure public safety.

"We don't know what we're going to find, that's why we've deployed multiple resources," Poirier said. "We also have a specialized unit to make sure that if we find something that is highly toxic inside the residence, we are prepared."

The Associated Press reported Sunday that three U.S. law enforcement officials said a woman suspected of sending a toxic envelope to the White House was arrested at the New York-Canada border. They said the letter had been intercepted last week before it reached the official residence of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Poirier said Monday that envelopes containing ricin a toxic substance found naturally in castor beans had also been sent to various locations in Texas.

Canadian law enforcement was called in to help the FBI investigate after American authorities found evidence the suspicious letter to the White House had originated in Canada.

The woman was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Fort Erie, Ont., and she is expected to face federal charges. Her name was not immediately released.

Poirier said police are expected to be at the residence south of Montreal for a few hours.

There have been several prior instances in which U.S. officials have been targeted with ricin sent through the mail.

A Navy veteran was arrested in 2018 and confessed to sending envelopes to Trump and members of his administration that contained the substance from which ricin is derived. The letters were intercepted, and no one was hurt.

In 2014, a Mississippi man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after sending letters dusted with ricin to President Barack Obama and other officials.

The Canadian Press - Sep 21, 2020 / 11:53 am | Story: 311172

Photo: The Canadian Press

RCMP investigators search for evidence at the location where Const. Heidi Stevenson was killed along the highway in Shubenacadie, N.S. on Thursday, April 23, 2020. Court documents released today describe the violence a Nova Scotia mass killer inflicted on his father years before his rampage, as well as the gunman's growing paranoia before the outburst of shootings and killings.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Court documents released today describe the violence a Nova Scotia mass killer inflicted on his father years before his rampage as well as the gunman's growing paranoia before the outburst of killings.

Fifty-one-year Gabriel Wortman took 22 lives on April 18-19 before police killed him at a service station in Enfield, N.S.

In documents that a media consortium, including The Canadian Press, went before a provincial court judge to obtain, Wortman's spouse and cousin both describe how in 2016 he smashed his father's head against the pool during a family vacation in the Caribbean.

The May 5 police application for a search warrant quotes a cousin, who was a retired RCMP officer, telling investigators that the killer was "a strange little guy" when they were growing up, and he'd come to believe Wortman was a career criminal capable of killing others.

The gunman's spouse says in the documents her partner once wooed her with flowers, but he had grown increasingly paranoid and violent in recent years.

She recalled that he once told her he believed it would be easy to murder police officers, and on the night of the rampage he had "snapped" as he went from making plans and chatting with her to burning his property in Portapique, N.S.

The documents also contain a detailed account of how Wortman received $475,000 in $100 bills from a Brinks facility in Dartmouth, N.S., on March 30, as he grew increasingly anxious about COVID-19.

Investigators also describe a series of 2019 transactions the gunman made as he assembled the replica police vehicle he drove during the rampage.

The purchases included police cars, light bars, siren light controls, a dashboard camera, vinyl decals and a push bar for the front of the car to create an almost identical replica.

Witnesses quoted in the documents cast fresh light on the assistance Wortman received in creating decals for the vehicle he drove during the rampage.

Peter Griffon provided a cautioned statement to police describing how he'd made the RCMP decals for Wortman's car, without the knowledge of his employer, using a computer at the back of the shop to research RCMP emblems.

The owner of the graphics company is quoted in the documents saying he'd told Griffon not to make the decals, as "he should not be messing around with stuff like that."

Griffon, who was on parole from prison, has since had his parole revoked as a result of the assistance he provided Wortman.

The 40-year-old man had been on parole, and living with his parents in Portapique, N.S., doing odd jobs for Wortman, when he completed the decal work.

A National Parole Board decision provided to The Canadian Press says Griffon was convicted of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking in 2017, and received parole a year later.

The board said in its decision, "the consequences of your (Griffon's) most recent flawed decision-making contributed to a horrific end that touched every life in your province. Those decisions are inconsistent with being on parole."

The newly released court documents also contain statements from a Canada Border Services Agency officer who provided a database analysis indicating Wortman had travelled to the United States frequently in the past decade and had imported car parts.

He crossed the Woodstock, N.B., border crossing 15 times in the past two years, according to the document.

The Canadian Press - Sep 21, 2020 / 11:52 am | Story: 311171

Photo: The Canadian Press

Ships are framed by pieces of melting sea ice in Frobisher Bay in Iqaluit, Nunavut on Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Satellite pictures say Arctic sea ice is now at its second-lowest level in more than four decades. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Satellite pictures show Arctic sea ice is at its second-lowest level in more than four decades.

And scientists say they believe the defining feature of life in northern waters could shrink even further before the melt season is over.

The U.S.-based National Snow and Ice Data Centre has decided that today is likely to be when the overall level of sea ice across the Arctic stops melting and starts growing again.

Centre director Mark Serreze says the amount of Arctic sea ice is at least 1.5 million fewer square kilometres less than the average.

The ice barely beats that from 2012, the year with the all-time lowest level in the 42 years satellites have been photographing the Arctic.

Sea ice is a crucial factor in Arctic ecosystems, determining the fate of everything from one-celled animals to polar bears.

It is also thought by many to have a strong role in southern weather patterns.

The Canadian Press - Sep 21, 2020 / 11:00 am | Story: 311164

Photo: The Canadian Press

The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be gaining steam across Eastern Canada as Ontario and Quebec report a surge in infections.

Health authorities in Quebec reported 568 new COVID-19 cases today, a jump of more than 100 compared with Sunday, while Ontario's numbers increased to 425 from 365 a day prior.

In Montreal, which saw over 200 new cases in the last 24 hours, regional Public Health Director Mylene Drouin says all COVID-19 indicators are worsening, suggesting the beginning of a second wave.

Quebec announced tighter restrictions on public and private indoor gatherings on Sunday as it raised the alert level for several regions of the province, including Montreal and Quebec City.

In Quebec and in Ontario, the jump in new cases is being driven by people under the age of 40, who Drouin says are less likely to get seriously ill from COVID-19 but who can still transmit the virus to others who are more vulnerable.

Authorities are reporting COVID-19 outbreaks across the country today, including in schools, workplaces and on the main campus of the University of Alberta, which prompted officials there to suspend varsity athletics for 14 days.

The Canadian Press - Sep 21, 2020 / 10:58 am | Story: 311162

Photo: The Canadian Press

Social Development Minister Ahmed Hussen

The federal Liberals plan to spend $1 billion over the next six months so cities and other housing providers can keep people from becoming homeless.

The rapid-housing funds can be used to buy properties being sold because of the COVID-19 pandemic, or to build new modular units.

The Liberals expect the program will create 3,000 new affordable housing units across Canada.

They want all the funds to be committed by the end of March 2021.

The funding will be available to municipalities, provinces, territories, Indigenous governing bodies and agencies and non-profit organizations.

Social Development Minister Ahmed Hussen says Ottawa will provide an additional $237 million to the federal homelessness strategy for pandemic-related expenses.

The Canadian Press - Sep 21, 2020 / 9:50 am | Story: 311127

Photo: The Canadian Press

The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of Sept. 21, 2020:

There are 144,662 confirmed cases in Canada.

_ Quebec: 68,128 confirmed (including 5,804 deaths, 59,131 resolved)

_ Ontario: 47,274 confirmed (including 2,829 deaths, 41,146 resolved)

_ Alberta: 16,381 confirmed (including 255 deaths, 14,702 resolved)

_ British Columbia: 7,842 confirmed (including 223 deaths, 5,797 resolved)

_ Saskatchewan: 1,807 confirmed (including 24 deaths, 1,643 resolved)

_ Manitoba: 1,586 confirmed (including 16 deaths, 1,216 resolved)

_ Nova Scotia: 1,086 confirmed (including 65 deaths, 1,020 resolved)

_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 272 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 267 resolved)

_ New Brunswick: 196 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 191 resolved)

_ Prince Edward Island: 57 confirmed (including 56 resolved)

_ Yukon: 15 confirmed (including 15 resolved)

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Canadians, Americans divided on issue of zoos and aquariums: poll - Canada News - Castanet.net

This is not the first time a war over eggs has broken out in the state. In 2015 too, the Chouhan-led government had asked officials to do away with eggs in mid-day meals in anganwadisadecision the short-lived Congress government under chief minister Kamal Nath had proposed to overturn last year. The then leader of the opposition, Gopal Bhargava, had suggested that this serving of eggs would turn children into cannibals" and was not in sync with our culture", which prohibits non-vegetarianism.

This "vegetarian versus non-vegetarian" debate continues to rear its head over and over again. But it is important to understand why activists are making a case for eggs in mid-day meals children. A 2015 report on theNational Public Radio(NPR) quoted food rights activist Sachin Jain as saying that eggs were an easy way to provide much needed protein and fat to malnourished children. They are easy to procure locally, and storage and transportation arent a problem," he had said.

For a state with the highest stunting rate, of 42%, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), a state where a Unicef report says 2.7 million children under age 5 are wasted, this could perhaps have been a significant intervention. Hunger and malnutritioncan adversely affect students performance by lowering their cognitive ability during school hours," says Farzana Afridi, associate professor, economics and planning unit, at the Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi.

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In 2005, she analysed the findings of a survey of the mid-day meal programme in Madhya Pradesh. She has also been studying the efficacy of child welfare programmes and child nutrition in India. In an interview withMint,Afridi talks about the role school meals can play in childrens overall health. Edited excerpts:

Your thoughts on the Madhya Pradesh governments decision to replace eggs with milk in mid-day meals at anganwadis.

My previous work on the nutritional impact of school meals in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh shows that there is a significant role that school meals can play in meeting the nutritional requirements of children. Since protein deficiency is significant in our children, it is important to ensure that school meals fill that gap by giving wholesome meals that provide proteins, iron and other micronutrients, besides carbohydrates.

There have been news reports that some anganwadisin the country are not able to provide even the most basic meals. What should the mid-day meal programme be focusing on?

Ensuring that children receive their daily nutritional requirements should be the main objective of school meals. Even with social distancing, this goal can be achieved because the cook lives in the community and the foodgrains are stored locally. The public distribution system has continued to function reasonably well through the lockdown period and beyond. Millions of children depend on these meals for their daily food requirements.

What did your surveys suggest about the implementation and nutritive content of the mid-day meal programme across states?

Utilizing the data that I collected in Madhya Pradesh in 2003-04, I examined the extent to which children benefit from the targeted public transfer. Relying upon built-in randomness in whether a childs 24-hour food consumption recall was for a school or a non-school day, I found that the daily nutrient intake of programme participants increased substantially by 49% to 100% during the transfers.The findings suggest that for as low a cost as 3 cents per child per school day, the scheme reduced the daily protein deficiency of a primary school student by 100%, the calorie deficiency by almost 30% and the daily iron deficiency by nearly 10%. At least in the short run, therefore, the programme had a substantial effect on reducing hunger at school and in proteinenergy malnutrition.

The southern states, such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, have implemented the programme better in the sense of ensuring the meals are wholesome and regular. In a 2005 article in theEconomic And Political Weekly,I compared the programmes of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka and suggested some changes in policy, which are still relevant.Comparison of the new suruchi bhojan with the old daliya programme in the government primary schools in the survey area, and observations on programme implementation in Karnataka, suggested a pressing need to overhaul the administrative and financial organization of the scheme in order to increase its effectiveness. Urgent improvements in the nutritive content of meals and related infrastructure require earmarked funds and a transparent and representative agency for effectively implementing and monitoring the scheme at the grass-roots level.

States like Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh have a high tribal population, which has a non-vegetarian diet. How important is it for the mid-day meal programme to take the sociocultural background of the children into account while devising the meal plan?

While designing the menu, the local eating habits of the population should be taken into account. But at the same time school meals should ensure that these meals diversify the diet of children such that the deficiency in their diets is reduced. For instance, rural populations tend to have a carb-heavy diet with lower consumption ofdaland iron-rich food. School meals should be designed such that these deficiencies are lowered for the children by supplementing the local diet.

You conducted a novel school-based experiment between 2009-10 to study whether the provision of meals to malnourished students during school hours could improve their performance in cognitive tasks in the classroom How did you conduct the survey?

I, along with co-authors Bidisha Barooah and Rohini Somanathan, conducted a lab-in-the-field experiment, leveraging the extension of Indias school meal programme from primary to middle grades in 16 Sarvodaya schools of the directorate of education of Delhi in the academic year 2009-10. The idea was to study the effects of school-based supplementary nutrition on students cognitive effort in the classroom. We found that the provision of meals improved the cognitive performance of students by 13% to 16%. Our findings suggested that improvements in classroom attention and concentration due to school meals can be a mechanism through which long-term learning outcomes may improve in developing countries.

We conducted the tests before and after the extension of an ongoing free school meal programme to upper primary grades (VI-VIII) in public schools in Delhi, which were providing free cooked meals to primary grades as part of a federal programme, popularly known as the mid-day meal scheme since 2003. Sampled schools were revisited for a second round of data collection (endline) between February and April 2010, when all public schools were providingthe meals in upper primary grades.

What were the findings of this survey?

We found that school meals significantly improved performance of grade VII students. Between baseline and endline, the gain in the number of maze puzzles correctly solved in treated schools showed a 13% improvement in performance. Since we did not observe grade VII students in the rest of the schools before they received the meals, we could not be sure that the gains were due to different school-level trends or not. We addressed this by analysing data for grade V students. When we disaggregated students performance into pre- and post-recess, we found that the overall improvement in performance of students could be attributed to higher maze scores in the post-recess sessions (following the consumption of school meals in recess) and in the relatively more difficult maze puzzles.

This suggests that alleviating classroom hunger can impact learning outcomesviaimproved effort and cognition.

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Why is the Madhya Pradesh government replacing eggs with milk in midday meals? - Livemint

After more than a decade of being vegetarian, I dont know why I went vegan. Allow me to explain.

It was a little more than two years ago, and I was looking at Twitter as all burned-out journalists are wont to do. I follow a cavalcade of accounts spanning the political and culinary spectrum, and if memory serves, a video of a calf appeared on my feed. It was happy and frolicking in a field of grass, making quick movements toward her handler. She acted just like a dog.

This is it, I thought: No more excuses. How can I, a self-described animal lover, support a dairy industry that would rip this calf from her mother, force her to live in an area a few feet bigger than her body, then impregnate her until her udders can no longer produce milk, only to then chop her up into steak and hamburger.

If shes lucky. The unlucky ones get processed into veal. I quit animal products that day. Vegetarians dont meat, while vegans also avoid all animal and animal-derived products, including honey, milk and eggs.

I havent had one animal product since. The problem is: Ive had this exact thought countless times over my adult life since going vegetarian when I was 18 (Im 30 now).

So here I am, wondering why I went vegan. Maybe it was just time.

Like a rite of initiation, its a question vegans and vegetarians often ask one another. And if we dont, others do it for us. Either extending an olive branch or looking to pick apart a lifestyle. Either way, its a big moment. One you dont often forget.

And unlike me, its a moment many in our community remember and remember well.

Dont just take it from me. Here are three stories.

Sheila Evans knows Spokane. No, really.

As a lover of art, animals and mushrooms (the edible kind, not psychedelic), she has a another more distinctly Inland Northwest paramour: Seor Froggy.

Im not kidding. For years, Evans would enjoy a burrito or taco weekly. At some locations, she could even eat for free an extension of gratitude reserved only for close friends and family, both of which she was to the Seor Froggy employees, blood relations be damned.

It was that love of dairy (cheese, specifically) that kept Evans from making the full plunge to veganism despite being vegetarian for most of her adult life.

That all changed last fall when she opened her exhibition at Kolva-Sullivan Gallery titled Sanctorium: a Celebration of Animals Both Farm and Domestic her tools of festivity photographs, paint and canvas.

The art show just provided a good date, Evans said. I cant in good conscience stand here in a room full of portraits of animals and tell their stories, some of them horrific, and not be vegan. I just couldnt do it.

Lucky for her, the change wasnt drastic. For years, shed been working toward the inevitable, assuring the coffin was secure before hammering home the last nail.

And as for cheese, what cheese? She hardly knew it.

I think being vegetarian so long kind of burned me out on cheese, she said. Im so happy I did it. Its been absolutely wonderful. I havent missed it.

Sara Maleki is living proof even lawyers a subset of people who are not only driven enough to graduate law school, but also pass a bar exam can fail.

In 2008, after being vegetarian since age 14, she tried to go vegan. She lasted six months.

That type of story isnt uncommon. As little as 10 years ago, vegan options were rare. There were hardly any options in restaurants unless you lived in progressive cities like Seattle and Portland.

But as the industry moved toward plant-based options, so, too, did Malekis diet. All it took to push her over the edge once more was meeting and talking to vegans at Washingtons Animal Law Summit.

I dont see myself falling back into vegetarianism, Maleki said. Its permanent now.

Like many others, Maleki doesnt just enjoy being vegan: She thrives being vegan. At home, she enjoys vegan Reubens with grilled seitan or tofu tacos, and, on the road, whatever she can get her hands on.

She and her husband even make food pilgrimages to Portland, which she calls probably the best in the world for vegan options (others tend to agree).

In Spokane, you can often find her at Allies Vegan Pizzeria and Caf or Stellas Caf in the Saranac Commons.

She hopes one day youll join her.

Weve got a climate problem. Weve got environmental issues. Theres the health impact, she said. Theres really no reason not to go vegan. At least sometimes.

If vegans had a dream similar to the American variety, Karla Bays would be our Aunt Samantha.

She: vegan. Husband: vegan. Son (who is 9 years old): vegan. Against all odds, theyve won the plant-based jackpot. After all, before joining the lifestyle, she and her husband, Carl Bays, took weekly trips to Churchills Steakhouse. And they enjoyed it, too.

I would have never thought I would be vegan, Bays said. My dad is a hunter. They raised us on venison.

Meat was life for the Bays family until a few years ago, when Karla Bays mother got sick. Doctors suggested she try a plant-based diet.

That proposal and a few documentaries about factory farming (especially the staples like Earthlings, Dominion and Cowspiracy, to name a few) later, and Karla was ready to ride the vegan train.

Then her husband hopped on. Then her son Alexander who to her surprise loves broccoli, tofu and pho.

It wasnt long before she says the diet started improving her health, as well. Since switching over, she said she no longer uses her inhaler for asthma, and she cant recall the last time shes had a cold.

Whether thats due solely to a diet is anyones guess. Point being, it works for her.

And if it aint broke, dont fix it.

I just think people in our society dont know, Bays said. They dont connect. The light does not go off in their head. A lot of people dont realize what is truly happening to these animals. What is truly happening.

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Powered by Plants: Why we go vegan - The Spokesman-Review

While fossil fuels offer an easily transportable, affordable, and energy-dense fuel for everyday use, the burning of this fuel creates pollutants, which can concentrate in city centers degrading the quality of air and life for residents.

The world is looking for alternative ways to ensure the mobility of people and goods with different power sources, and electric vehicles have high potential to fill this need.

But did you know that not all electric vehicles produce their electricity in the same way?

The world obsesses over battery technology and manufacturers such as Tesla, but there is an alternative fuel that powers rocket ships and is road-ready. Hydrogen is set to become an important fuel in the clean energy mix of the future.

Todays infographic comes from the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA) and it outlines the case for hydrogen.

Some scientists have made the argument that it was not hydrogen that caused the infamous Hindenburg to burst into flames. Instead, the powdered aluminum coating of the zeppelin, which provided its silver look, was the culprit. Essentially, the chemical compound coating the dirigibles was a crude form of rocket fuel.

Industry and business have safely used, stored, and transported hydrogen for 50 years, while hydrogen-powered electric vehicles have a proven safety record with over 10 million miles of operation. In fact, hydrogen has several properties that make it safer than fossil fuels:

Since hydrogen is the most abundant chemical element in the universe, it can be produced almost anywhere with a variety of methods, including from fuels such as natural gas, oil, or coal, and through electrolysis. Fossil fuels can be treated with extreme temperatures to break their hydrocarbon bonds, releasing hydrogen as a byproduct. The latter method uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Both methods produce hydrogen for storage, and later consumption in an electric fuel cell.

Battery and hydrogen-powered vehicles have the same goal: to reduce the environmental impact from oil consumption. There are two ways to measure the environmental impact of vehicles, from Well to Wheels and from Cradle to Grave.

Well to wheels refers to the total emissions from the production of fuel to its use in everyday life. Meanwhile, cradle to grave includes the vehicles production, operation, and eventual destruction.

According to one study, both of these measurements show that hydrogen-powered fuel cells significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. For every kilometer a hydrogen-powered vehicle drives it produces only 2.7 grams per kilometer (g/km) of carbon dioxide while a battery electric vehicle produces 20 g/km.

During everyday use, both options offer zero emissions, high efficiency, an electric drive, and low noise, but hydrogen offers weight-saving advantages that battery-powered vehicles do not.

In one comparison, Toyotas Mirai had a maximum driving range of 312 miles, 41% further than Teslas Model 3 220-mile range. The Mirai can refuel in minutes, while the Model 3 has to recharge in 8.5 hours for only a 45% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not widely available.

However, the world still lacks the significant infrastructure to make this hydrogen-fueled future possible.

Large scale production delivers economic amounts of hydrogen. In order to achieve this scale, an extensive infrastructure of pipelines and fueling stations are required. However to build this, the world needs global coordination and action.

Countries around the world are laying the foundations for a hydrogen future. In 2017, CEOs from around the word formed the Hydrogen Council with the mission to accelerate the investment in hydrogen.

Globally, countries have announced plans to build 2,800 hydrogen refueling stations by 2025. German pipeline operators presented a plan to create a 1,200-kilometer grid by 2030 to transport hydrogen across the country, which would be the worlds largest in planning.

Fuel cell technology is road-ready with hydrogen infrastructure rapidly catching up. Hydrogen can deliver the power for a new clear energy era.

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Vegetarianism: Tapping Into the Meatless Revolution - Visual Capitalist

New Delhi: People worldwide are recognising the devastating toll of the animal agribusiness on the environment, human health, and our collective sense of ethics. Theres still a long way to go, however, the tide is turning. With vegan (non-dairy) variants of almost every food product and ingredient available, people are increasingly turning towards sustainable eating as their food preference.

The notion of living a vegan lifestyle as being an expensive one is nothing but a myth. India is culturally inclined to vegetarianism. Many are turning to vegan by excluding the dairy element in their daily diet. The growing inclination towards conscious eating habits, backed by health benefits is set to drive veganism as a way of life in the days to come, says Chef David Edward Raj.

How does this eating habit help in keeping ones immunity in check?

Plants contain no cholesterol, unlike animals, they provide all that we need in terms of fiber to macro and micronutrients. Studies consistently show that people who eat fruit and vegetables tend to enjoy better health.

Research also suggests that vegans have lower rates of heart disease and diabetes. This reduced risk is partly because vegans are statistically leaner and much less prone to obesity than the general population, Raj, who is the Director Culinary development and Innovation, Elior India, told IANSlife.

The vegetables and spices we use in our daily meals are great immunity boosters which help us overcome the Covid-19 threat. It has been medically proven that including ingredients like mushrooms, tomato, bell pepper and green vegetables like broccoli and spinach are also good options to build resilience in the body against infections. A high amount of vitamins and mineral content found in them which helps the body ward off diseases and keeps one healthier.

Food items like ginger, gooseberries (amla) and turmeric are natural immunity supplements. Some of these superfoods are common ingredients in Indian meals and snacks. Several herbs like garlic and basil leaves help in boosting immunity. Seeds and nuts like sunflower seeds, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds and melon seeds are excellent sources of protein and Vitamin E.

Veganism also contributes to nature in terms of reducing emissions into the environment. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, after beef production, cattle milk is responsible for the most emissions (20 percent) on a commodity basis, he points out. The two major greenhouse gases that are emitting due to animal agriculture are methane and nitrous oxide, because of manure storage and the use of fertilizers, respectively. Hence, veganism as a lifestyle is not just caring about oneself but caring about nature as well.

How is veganism being accepted in the corporate sector?

Raj explains: With the growing awareness of conscious eating along with the need to maintain a healthy immunity, people are looking for a vegan option in corporate cafeterias. Also, one out of six of Eliors recipes is vegetarian that further turns towards veganism. Elior India caters to Fortune 500 companies across India such as Godrej, Goldman Sachs, Cognizant, Linked In, Ashok Leyland, Visa Master, Daimler, Pfizer, Cisco, MRF, Vellore Institute of Technology, Larsen & Toubro, Panasonic, etc.

(IANS)

For 36 years, Sambad Group has been redefining Odia journalism and bringing you the news from all corners of the state and beyond. During this pandemic, support Sambad and Kanak News by making a contribution today for our various digital platforms. Help regional journalism survive during these challenging times.

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Is vegetarianism the future of food in post-COVID era? - Sambad English

In a new German study, researchers looked at how vegetarianism may be linked to a persons personality, mental health and body type, regardless of age, gender and level of education, in nearly 9,000 participants.

The findings are published in the journal Nutrients.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) found that vegetarian or vegan nutrition is linked to one of the five major personality factors known as extroversion. It was shown that people with predominantly plant-based foods in their diet were more introverted than those who mainly fed on animal products.

It is difficult to say what the reason for this is, said study leader Dr. Veronica Witte. It could be because more introverted people tend to have more restrictive eating habits or because they are more socially segregated because of their eating habits.

However, the team could not confirm that a plant-based diet was associated with a tendency towards neurotic behavior, as other studies have suggested.

Earlier analyses had found that more neurotic people were generally more likely to avoid certain groups of foods and to behave more restrictively. We focused here solely on the avoidance of animal products and could not observe any correlation, said Witte.

The researchers also looked at whether a predominantly plant-based diet is more often associated with depressive moods. Here previous studies had also suggested a link between the two factors.

We could not detect this correlation, says Witte. It is possible that in previous analyses other factors had blurred the results, including the BMI or conspicuous personality traits that are known to be associated with depression. We accounted for them, said Witte, explaining a possible reason for the different results.

In addition, the plant-based diet is now more common and more accepted and not anymore restricted to a certain group.

Regarding body type, the researchers found that the less animal food found in a persons diet, the lower their body mass index (BMI) on average and thus their body weight. One reason for this could be the lower proportion of heavily processed foods in the plant diet.

Products that are excessively rich in fat and sugar are particularly fattening. They stimulate the appetite and delay the feeling of satiety. If you avoid animal foods, you consume fewer such products on average, said doctoral student and first author Evelyn Medawar.

In addition, vegetarian food contains dietary fibers and has a positive effect on the microbiome in the intestine. This is another reason why this diet could fill you up earlier than those made from animal ingredients.

People who eat predominantly vegetable foods may therefore absorb less energy, Medawar said.

In addition to a changed feeling of satiety, lifestyle factors such as more physical activity and greater health awareness could also play a decisive role.

It also appears that different types of animal products may have varying impacts on BMI. For example, if an individual primarily eats so-called primary animal products, such as meat, sausage and fish, that person usually has a higher BMI than someone who eats primarily secondary animal products like eggs, milk, dairy products, cheese and butter.

The study data was acquired through the LIFE project, a broad-based study in cooperation with the University Hospital of Leipzig. The researchers determined the personal diets by means of questionnaires in which the participants were asked to fill in how often they had eaten the individual animal products in the last 12 months, from several times a day to never.

Personality traits such as extraversion and neuroticism were assessed via a personality inventory (NEOFFI), while depression was assessed by the CESD test, a questionnaire that records various symptoms of depression.

Source: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences

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Vegetarians Tend to Be More Introverted Than Meat Eaters - PsychCentral.com

As the world hangs its hope on a new vaccine for COVID-19, it is easy to forget how controversial these life-saving treatments have been throughout history. People may have heard some of the divisive and controversial arguments of todays anti-vaxxers. But it is perhaps more surprising to learn that there was a significant backlash from vegetarians and animal rights advocates when the first smallpox vaccines were being introduced almost 200 years ago.

When smallpox vaccination was introduced in England in 1840, the government abolished inoculation using the live smallpox virus taken from the blisters of humans with the infection. The live virus was dangerous because it infected people with smallpox and so carried the risk of death, disfigurement and bringing smallpox into an area which was previously disease-free.

This made cowpox lymph the only option. This is where lymph containing white blood cells which fight against the disease are extracted from calves which had been inoculated with smallpox. But using calf lymph (also taken from blisters) was unacceptable to vegetarians and anti-vivisectionists who were growing in number from the mid-19th century.

Smallpox vaccination was made compulsory for children in England in 1853. In the following years, groups opposing compulsory vaccination began to appear across England. They had coalesced into a more structured movement by the mid-1860s under the leadership of Richard Butler Gibbs, a noted vegetarian and food reformer.

Many of the leading opponents to compulsory smallpox vaccination had connections to the vegetarian movement of the time. These included Francis William Newman (the brother of Cardinal Newman) William White, James John Garth Wilkinson, William Scott Tebb, Councillor JT Biggs and Dr Walter R Hadwen all were vegetarians.

Studies have shown that many also belonged to non-conformist groups, including Unitarians, Swedenborgians, Quakers and spiritualists. Some may also have been part of the Cowherdite Bible Christians, a vegetarian sect based in Salford. The cleric who preached the moral virtues of vegetarianism was the Rev William Cowherd, and his Beefsteak Chapel was the countrys first vegetarian church. A list of Vegetarian Society members from 1848 shows that of 265 members, 136 of these were Cowherdites. However, it is difficult to say with certainty how many of these also opposed the smallpox vaccine.

Compulsory vaccination was introduced in Scotland in 1864 and, as with England, within a few years anti-vaccination sentiment began to manifest itself. My own research has involved examining the few existing Scottish records held at the University of Edinburgh. My studies have shown that the membership of the Scottish Anti-Vaccination League (SAVL) included lawyers, local businessmen, tradesmen and non-conformist clergymen in addition to members of the labouring classes.

Some of the leading Scottish anti-vaccinators also had connections to vegetarian societies. William James Begg, joint secretary of the SAVL was a member of the committee of the Scottish Vegetarian Society, which shared its premises with Beggs offices in 1896. Two other SAVL committee members were also vegetarians.

Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow were all locations where vegetarian restaurants and anti-vaccination activities became established by the 1890s. Between 1870 and 1900, Vegetarian Associations sprang up in Aberdeen, Arbroath, Dundee, Dumfries, Dunfermline, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

In November 1903, a publication which predominantly supported a vegetarian lifestyle The Scottish Health Reformer and Advocate of Rational Living was first published. It promoted a healthy lifestyle, included a regular vegetarian cookery feature and provided a voice for Scottish anti-vaccinators.

The publication promoted membership of the Scottish league, included running adverts, and reported on their meetings and sold anti-vaccination propaganda material. And by February 1905 the Scottish anti-vaccination movement had a monthly column.

Another vegetarian anti-vaccination sympathiser and frequent contributor to the Scottish Health Reformer was Agnes S Hunter the widow of Dr Archibald Hunter. Dr Hunter had established a hydropathic establishment in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling, which provided cures based on the use of fresh air, water and a vegetarian diet.

Agnes Hunter took over its management following his death and was a prolific writer and speaker. A leaflet she authored in 1905 entitled No More Vaccination was promoted in the Scottish Health Reformer. It set out her belief that vaccination was a legal fraud, a medical delusion an illogical absurdity and an abominable crime against the nation.

Conscientious exemption from compulsory vaccination was permitted in England from 1898, although the law did not extend to Scotland. The SAVL began campaigning in earnest to achieve abolition of the vaccination law. The anti-vaccination and vegetarian networks ensured English sympathisers wrote letters to the Scottish press and made speaking tours in Scotland.

Anti-vaccinators across the UK had networks which enabled them to learn and share experiences. Working together, English and Scottish anti-vaxxers campaign for the abolition of the Vaccination Acts partially succeeded when the conscience clause was finally extended to Scotland in 1907. The abolition of compulsory smallpox vaccination was finally achieved when the National Health Service was created in 1947.

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Meet the vegetarian anti-vaxxers who led the smallpox inoculation backlash in Victorian Britain - The Conversation UK

My sons first taste of tofu was at a restaurant. He didnt know what tofu was, or that it was coming. Having never caught wind of tofus bad reputation among non-Asians, he took a bite of its sauce-drenched, crispy fried goodness with an open mind. He chewed through its golden barrier and into its moist, pillowy interior. Grunting his approval, he kept eating. That, ideally, is how you meet and greet tofu.

Most tofu virgins know its out there. Theyve heard the stories of what this personality-free substance doesnt taste like. Unless their first bite is at a restaurant, their fears are likely confirmed. Statistically speaking, non-Asians do a poor job cooking tofu, my dad included.He called tofu bean curd, like you did back in the 1970s. He explained it was something I would be eating in place of meat, which I had recently sworn off at age 7 for ethical reasons.

Dad was a good cook, and while bean curd was not his strong suit, he made a well-researched attempt. I vividly remember its chalky, flaccid, absent presence.

His intentions were pure, but dad could not have devised a more effective way to change my mind about vegetarianism.

If dad had known then what I know now about freezing tofu, I might still be a vegetarian. But at least in my lifetime I have been able to finish what he started. Im not referring to the fact that I have become one of those weirdos who likes raw, unseasoned tofu, but the fact that I now know how to cook it like the pros.

This time of year, with so many new veggies in season, stir-fries are in play, and some proper tofu can make any stir-fry seem royal. But tofus default state is lame and flavorless, characteristics that will carry through to the finished product unless you take measures. Namely, put your brick of firm tofu in the freezer for a few days.

Thats mostly it, actually. That, and some cornstarch and sauce, and youre set.

It isnt law that you put golden cubes of crispy, meaty, succulent tofu into every stir-fry. It is, however, something of a tradition for a reason. And adding tofu doesnt mean skipping meat, depending on your inclinations. Tofu is great with every type of animal protein, from chicken to eggs to bacon to seafood.

There is a lot going on in a stir-fry, and its easy to overlook the tofu, which would be a mistake. Just ask generations of disappointed tofu tasters. Or ask my son, who lights up for restaurant tofu.

Restaurant tofu has a resilient, fleshy quality, a tasty brown skin that holds onto sauce, and a springy, moist interior. Tofu is mostly water, and when you freeze it that water expands, rupturing channels through the tofu as it tries to push its way out. Those channels will soon act as portals to allow in what we call restaurant sauce. You can guess the kinds of restaurants we frequent from its recipe below.

I dust the saucy cubes with cornstarch and deep-fry them into golden blocks of joy that explode with flavor when you crunch through, like restaurant tofu should.

For a fun side dish, save the onions from the marinade, roll them in extra cornstarch, and deep fry into a tasty side, snack or garnish.

Marinated Restaurant TofuServes 2 1 (12 oz.) brick firm or extra-firm tofu, frozen for at least three days, thawed overnight, squeezed of excess water and cut into -inch cubes 1 tablespoon each soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar 1 teaspoon each fish sauce, hoisin sauce, hot sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar teaspoon black pepper onion, sliced and teased apart 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cubic inch ginger, peeled and sliced 2 cups vegetable oil 4 tablespoons cornstarch (more for onion ginger garlic fritter rings)

Mix all of the sauces, along with the onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar and black pepper, and toss the tofu in the sauce. It will absorb every last drop.

Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees in a small, deep pan suitable for frying. While the oil is heating, toss the tofu cubes and cornstarch in a bowl until the tofu is coated. Save the onions for later.

Deep-fry the cubes 2 to 4 minutes, depending on how dark and crispy you want them. Remove and allow to drain and cool in a colander or on paper towels.Toss the onion sections in the cornstarch, adding more if necessary, and then fry these onions in the hot oil. They take a bit longer to cook because of all of the water. Dont stir them. Let it fry into a 3D matrix.

If serving your tofu with a stir-fry, prepare the tofu first. Dont add to the stir-fry until serving time, or serve it on the side, ready to mix in.

Read this article:
No foolin: Tofu can be tasty, crunchy, cooked with meat and more - Aurora Advertiser

A new, polarizing study of diet and mental health suggests there may be a link between eating meat and psychological wellbeing.

Previous research shows an association between vegetarianism and a higher risk of depression and anxiety, according to the study, a systemic review of 18 other studies on meat consumption and mental health, published April 20 in Critical Reviews of Food Science and Nutrition.

A team of researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of Southern Indiana found that 11 of the papers suggested meat eaters had better psychological health than vegetarians. Of the remaining 7 studies, three showed that vegetarians had better mood or mental health symptoms than meat eaters, and the other four had mixed results.

The researchers concluded that there is "clear evidence that meat-abstention is associated with higher rates or risk of depression, anxiety, and self-harm."

However, it's not so clear-cut.

Dr. Edward Archer, a co-author of the study and chief science officer for the data analytics firm Evoving FX, told Insider that the research does not show that meat can improve mental health, or that avoiding it can cause mental health issues.

"We were very careful to say no causal inference should be made.We offered lots of information for both sides of the debate," he said in an interview. "We cannot say that meat-free diets cause mental illness. What we did find is that the research doesn't supportthe idea that eliminating meat can improve mental health."

But that nuance got lost as the study was shared widely online.

Crystal Cox/Business Insider

Several media publications reported the research as showing that meat improves mental health outcomes.

Archer said that's not an accurate portrayal of the study.

"That's patently false, you can't make that statement. We did not claim that," he said.

Epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz noted on Twitter that the research shows that there may be a relationship between vegetarian and depression and/or anxiety, but it doesn't prove that eating a meat-free diet causes those issues.

In fact, one of the main studies included in the analysis found that some of the vegetarians had started a meat-free diet after being diagnosed with depression.

Archer said there could be many factors to explain the link the study found between mental health and vegetarianism. A few possible explanations could that people try vegetarian diets to address existing health issues, or that people who are sensitive to ethical issues may be more likely to be both depressed and vegetarian.

"What we've shown clearly is that there's some relationship.There's a million ways of looking at this individuals who are suffering from depression and anxiety will treat themselves with changes in dietary patterns," Archer said. "Or,individuals who are very sensitive to the suffering of others may take and ethical stance, and if you look at the amount of suffering, those people may become depressed and anxious because of that."

What the researchers actually conclude is that a vegetarian diet probably doesn't make depression or anxiety any better.

"Our study does not support meat avoidance as a strategy to benefit psychological health," the authors wrote.

An important take away, though, is that diet and psychological health are clearly related, according to Dr. Wendy Bazilian, a registered dietitian with a doctorate in public health. This kind of research can help us better understand that relationship, and make choices according to our unique circumstances and preferences, she said.

"I think there is some strength to what the study suggests that we need to look at that, whether you're a meat eater or not, maybe there isn't a one-size-fits-all," Bazilian told Insider. "I think some next steps are to make sure we're looking at nutrients that may be of concern to mental health, and checking in with mental health of our patients regardless of what diet they follow."

Crystal Cox/Business Insider

Meyerowitz-Katz also notes a glaring issue with the study: that it's funded by the meat industry.

The paper states it was "funded in part via an unrestricted research grant from the Beef Checkoff, through the National Cattlemen's Beef Association."

A Facebook post from the University of Southern Indiana notes that the study's lead author, assistant professor of psychologyUrska Dobersek, receiveda $10,555 grant from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association "to conduct a systematic review on 'Beef for a Happier and Healthier Life.'"

Archer, who said he was not involved in that grant for the study, said the funding was primarily used to pay student researchers, and that it did not influence the design or analyse of the research. He added that all of the studies his team reviewed were funded by public health, not industry organizations.

"I think it's a legitimate point to look at the funders, but you have to make that next step to see if something was done wrong and if funders caused that," he said.

Bazilian agreed that it's not uncommon for industry funding to be involved in nutritional studies. While it's important to be aware of, it doesn't necessarily mean the research is flawed, particularly if the funding is transparent.

"Funding is a slippery slope and you definitely have to pay attention. Industries that have a vested interest want to know what the research says," she said. "It's important to important to know thatand look beyond one study, even a review. Idon't think that any one study is ever going to be the bottom line on a topic."

The statistic, which led most of the media coverage, that "one in three vegetarians is depressed" is taken from just one of the studies in the analysis, a 1998-99 survey that included just a small percentage of vegetarians.

A small sample size can make the results of the study less certain. As the researchers noted in their report, the studies included in their analysis vary widely in how they were conducted, how the conclusions were made, and how strong the evidence was to support those conclusions.

Archer has previously written extensively about the limits of nutritional research, and so cautioned against drawing hard conclusions about health based only on studies of diet.

"There are many other factors and components to health than what you eat," he said. Archer said that as a result, it's important to consider the information, but also take it (and other nutritional research) with a grain of salt.

"The things we can say are to eat a varied diet, enjoy it, exercise, and repeat daily, I think that's the most important point," he said.

Read more:

Why vegans and meat-eaters can't stop trolling each other

Author of 'dietary guidelines' encouraging people to keep eating red meat received industry funding

Vegans are holding sit-ins at Starbucks because dairy-free drinks cost more

See the original post:
Does meat-consumption affect mental health? What you need to know - Insider - INSIDER

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Eating Trends: Meat, Dairy, Vegetarian, and Vegan" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This Eating Trends report provides a topline data overview of continuity and changes in U.S. consumer retail shopping patterns for meat products, dairy products, and meat & dairy alternatives.

The purchasing, demographic, and psychographic data presented draws on the MRI-Simmons national consumer survey series, primarily referencing the Spring 2019 survey release, but also providing for historical perspective selected data back through Spring 2009.

Trended data and current key demographics are provided for the following topics:

Key Topics Covered

1. Introduction: Scope and Methodology

2. Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Products

3. Dairy Foods & Beverages

4. Vegetarianism, Meat Alternatives, and Dairy Alternatives

List of Tables

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/j0yajy

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United States Eating Trends Report 2019: Meat, Dairy, Vegetarian, and Vegan - Overview of Continuity & Changes in Consumer Retail Shopping...

It's an emerging question for the communities waging battle over methodological weaknesses in the dietary sciences, one highlighted by a recent, widely reported Mayo Clinic clinician-authoredpaperon the association between diet and prostate cancer.

The publication, a Journal of the American Osteopathic Associationstudy by the Mayo oncology and hematology fellow Dr. John Shin and four Mayo Clinic Scottsdale colleagues, reviewed 47 studies dating back 11 years. It rendered a timely, vegan-friendly conclusion that diets high in dairy products "may be associated" with increased prostate cancer risk, and diets high in plant-based foods "may be associated" with decreased prostate cancer risk. The study was reported in new outlets across the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

For those who heard the news and came away with new reasons to swear off animal foods, a valuable piece of context went missing, however. Shin, like thousands of other clinicians across the country, is Seventh-Day Adventist. Sermon-hosting sites offer links to the physician's religious lectures and he serves as a speaker in the Adventist Medical Evangelical Network (AMEN), an independent organization with the goal of "uniting the church to restore Christs ministry of healing to the world, hastening His return."

Why should a nutrition researcher's faith tradition matter? Because an Adventist ministry of healing includes the promotion of a plant-based diet. In response to a recent Forum News Service question asking if Adventism seeks to move the public towards a plant-based diet in keeping with religious beliefs about the foods that promote health, Shin responded in the affirmative.

"Yes," he replied, "because the original diet given to man in the garden of Eden as described in the Bible was a plant-based diet, Seventh-day Adventists believe that this is the ideal diet for maintaining and restoring health." Shin added that the purpose of the AMEN organization is to inspire Christian medical professionals "to incorporate whole person care into their practices," and he disputed that its mission is to bring about dietary change.

Like much of the research that now informs the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, the 47 studies the Shin paper analyzes to impugn dairy are of a methodologically weak form of science known as nutritional epidemiology, so-called case-control and cohort studies that contain no information about cause and effect. The studies were of varying size and quality, moreover, and their findings were all over the place. Most showed no effect, protective or harmful, for any foods in relation to prostate cancer.

Given these results, how did the Mayo group come to their dairy-cautioning, plant-promoting conclusions? By citing the plentiful number of studies with no finding, alongside the few studies showing plants were good and dairy was bad, all as part of the same trend. Shin says this step was justified because the vast majority of papers with findings, outnumbered though by null findings, showed plants to be protective and dairy harmful, a "pattern" favoring his vegan-friendly findings on foods and cancer.

Earlier this year, however, a team of Canadianresearchersconducting a more rigorous statistical method found dairy to be without effect as often as harmful in relation to prostate cancer. The diagnosed rates of prostate cancer within the US during the period studied, moreover, are widelyrecognizedto be inaccurate thanks to the overdiagnosis of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screenings. When it comes to diet and prostate cancer, in other words, the room for investigator bias to affect an outcome is high.

Adventist dietary beliefs derive from the writings of Ellen White, its mid-19th century co-founder and spiritual prophet.

"She would go into trances and receive what she called visions from God," says Ronald L. Numbers, a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin and expert on the history of Adventism. Numbers says White began to describe visions on diet and health, leading her to become a vegetarian "distinguishing between clean and unclean meat according to the Levitical laws."

Among the hundreds of passages concerning diet which are attributed to White are several that look decidedly vegan or vegetarian. These include "meat eating deranges the system, beclouds the intellect, and blunts the moral sensibilities," and, "people everywhere should be taught how to cook without milk and eggs, so far as possible," and, "grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator." Numbers says Adventists have a diversity of views about the dietary positions of Ellen White.

But Adventist scholars have takencreditfor over 100 years of moving food practices away from animal foods and toward plants. White's contemporaries were early cereal pioneers in Battle Creek, Mich., and their products were instrumental in diverting Americans from bacon and eggs towards carbohydrate-laden breakfasts of today, changes believed to have contributed to the skyrocketing global burden of Type 2 diabetes and secondary illnesses of heart disease, hypertension, Alzheimer's and some forms of cancer.

Contemporary Adventism has figured in over300health outcome studies of its communities, often conducted with NIH funding and in partnership with researchers from Harvard School of Public Health. Though studies of church-going populations have characteristics that limit their usefulness, this sustained appeal within the medical literature to the benefits of Adventist so-called lifestyle medicine is cited widely, including by the so-called "Blue Zones" longevity initiative adopted in cities like Albert Lea, Minn.

In perhaps the most direct position of influence on the direction of dietary policies today, Joan Sabate, an acknowledged Adventist and professor at the SDA-affiliated Loma Linda University School of Public Health, currently sits on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee of the USDA.

Shin says"Adventists focus on health because we believe that when the body is healthy, the mind is better able to comprehend spiritual truths, thus enhancing ones relationship with God." He adds that the teetoling, tobacco- and caffeine-avoiding faith also promotes exercise, adequate sleep and spending time with family. But while exercise, sleep, and family time is largely uncontested in medicine, a rigorous debate exits over the wisdom of the advice to avoid animal foods.

Should being Adventist while studying nutrition require a disclaimer?

"The real issue for me is that Seventh-Day Adventists began their religion as a health religion, so they are compromised in making broad decisions about society's health"

"The real issue for me is that Seventh-Day Adventists began their religion as a health religion, so they are compromised in making broad decisions about society's health," says Belinda Fettke, an Australian who blogs on the subject of Adventism and health. "We should be asking them how best to do a vegetarian or vegan diet, because they understand it. But they shouldn't be telling the world that animal fats and protein are dangerous, which is what they do ... I don't think I've ever come across a religion that's so involved in a health message, and I think that's a concern."

Shin counters that all researchers approach their work with a bias, it's just that his is visible.

"My Seventh-day Adventist faith provides me with the predisposition to believe that plant-based foods are healthful, and therefore I have an interest in conducting research to show whether or not this is true," he says. "In this sense, my ability to maintain my objectivity in conducting diet-related research would be no more compromised than any other dietary researcher, the only difference being that my predispositions can be more readily traced to my religion."

He says he believes requiring a disclosure "would imply that someone of that faith is somehow less qualified or trustworthy to conduct the research in question. It would be a form of discrimination."

When asked if a devout Adventist could make a dietary recommendation contrary to the faith, the historian Ronald Numbers is skeptical. "That would be difficult," he says.

"If you even found that eating pork contributed to health, you would be in a bad quandary ... I assume that the nutritional studies that show Adventists live longer, healthier lives are reasonably accurate. But then of course, studies of Mormonism show they live longer lives. And they're not vegetarian."

So, should Adventists be asked disclose their faith when conducting nutrition studies?

"That is an incredibly interesting question," he says.

See the rest here:
Adventists believe the Bible favors vegetarianism. Shouldn't their dietary studies tell us that? - PostBulletin.com

The global bean pasta market will cross a valuation of US$ 7 Bn during 2019 2029, as projected by a new Fact.MR report. Key players in the bean pastas market are eying profitable opportunities to leverage sales through distribution channels such as departmental stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets, driven by clean labeling and product visibility trends.

High growth in vegan and vegetarianism, the consumption of bean pasta will be supported by producers expanding their portfolio. Branding on the basis of environment and nutrition will gain importancesays the Fact.MR report.

Request PDF Sample of 170-page study on bean pasta market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=4584

Bean Pasta Market: Key Findings

Bean Pasta Market: Key Driving Factors

Bean Pastas Market: Key Restraint

For More Detailed Information about Methodology @https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RM&rep_id=4584

Competition Landscape

Manufacturers are leveraging organic and gluten-free labels for bean pasta products to meet the nutritional demands of end users. Industry heavyweights are pasta fortification trends, to target varying consumer groups on the basis of health standards. Prominent companies operating in bean pasta market include, but are not limited to, Trader Joes, Harvest innovations, Gold Harbor, and Pedon SPA, among others.

About the ReportThis 170-page study offers detailed market forecast on the bean pastas market. The key categories covered in the report include nature (organic and conventional), product type (white bean pasta, black bean pasta, mung bean pasta, adzuki bean pasta, soybean pasta, edamame, and green bean), pasta type (spaghetti, fettuccine, rotini, penne, elbow, shell, and others), packaging type (pouches, cartons, and cans) and distribution channel (store based retailing and online retail). This analysis has been tracked on a country-wise level, with a total of 30+ countries across 5 key regions.

Press Release: https://www.factmr.com/media-release/1356/global-bean-pasta-market

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Bean Pasta Market Bolstered by Research and Development Initiatives 2019 to 2029, Fact.MR Study - The Cloud Tribune

For most Hollywood filmmakers right now, a shooting day is the true unobtanium. But self-proclaimed King of the World James Cameron has managed to call thats a wrap! in the age of coronavirus. He has announced that, despite numerous obstacles, the sequel to his 2009 mega-success Avatar is 100 percent done filming, and the third installment in the series is about 95 percent complete.

The visionary sci fi director appeared on a video call with his old cybernetic pal Arnold Schwarzenegger for the Austrian World Summit, part of the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative. Other speakers include the U.N. Secretary General Antnio Guterres, Prince Charles, Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Jane Goodall, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, and others.

Camerons return to Pandora has been met with eight different release day changes, but his crew in New Zealand have come out the other side. We lost about four and a half months of production, he said.

We've rolled around one more full year for a release in December of 2022, he said. Now that doesn't mean I have an extra year to finish the film, he added, lest physical fitness enthusiast Schwarzenegger think his old boss would then sit on the couch eating Pringles and streaming Pluto TV. The day we deliver Avatar 2 well just start working on finishing Avatar 3.

The 2009 film Avatar was the first to surpass the $2 billion mark at the box office. It also ushered in a now mostly-abated resurgence of 3D filmmaking. Its final $2,790,439,092 tally was eventually surpassed in worldwide gross by Avengers: Endgame, by a little over seven million. (Cameron can lick his wounds, though, knowing he doesnt just have the silver medal, but also the bronze with a little picture called Titanic.)

In the conversation with Schwarzenegger, which was mostly about climate change and cutting edge technology, Cameron said he was not an environmentalist in the sense of having credentials or a degree, but he considers himself an environmental advocate. Schwarzenegger said that it was Cameron who first brought environmental issues to his attention back in the 1980s when they made the first Terminator film. Cameron discussed the negative environmental impact of eating meat, sharing an anecdote about explaining vegetarianism from a Econ 101 point-of-view to Rupert Murdoch.

Cameron declined to give any story information about the Avatar sequels (or as Schwarzenegger calls it, Ovitahhh), citing his "love for the mystery," but made it clear that his friend Arnold was welcome to come down and see the studio any time. It's clear that these two men have a great affection for one another.

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Despite It All, Avatar 2 Has Wrapped Production - Vanity Fair

Selbyville, Delaware Market Study Report adds 2019-2026 North America Pea Protein report that offers an exhaustive coverage of the industry with brief analysis, data charts, figures, statistics that help take business decisions, company profiles and more.

Rising trend of veganism and vegetarianism, alongside extensive use of product in bakery items, sports supplements, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and as meat substitute are driving the growth of pea protein market in North America. High digestibility, anti-allergen properties, significant iron content and various health benefits such as weight loss, muscle growth, and improved heart health are encouraging the adoption pea protein in everyday diet.

Request sample copy of this Report: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/2525412/?utm_source=Marketwatch.com&utm_medium=AN

Elaborating on the end-use spectrum, North America pea protein market is classified into strips & nuggets, meatballs, burgers, and others including ground meat and sausage. The others segment is expected to accrue considerable gains by the year 2026. Ground meat and sausages made from pea proteins offer similar characteristics to that of original meat, including the aesthetic appeal and taste, which serves a major growth impetus for the industry. Citing an instance, Beyond Meat, plant-based meat producer added vegan sausage called Beyond Sausage among its various offerings. The product is prepared from rice, fava beans, and pea protein, rendering same aroma, texture, and taste as regular pork sausages. Such innovations and increase in number of vegan meat producers are expected to boost the segment growth in the coming years.

Based on the product type, concentrates segment is slated to witness sizeable growth over the forecast duration. Pea protein concentrates require minimal processing, are available in finely powdered form, and possess several nutritional benefits. They are used in protein shakes as gluten, allergen and lactose-free substitutes. This factor coupled with extensive product use in pet food formulation are bolstering the demand for pea concentrates.

As per the regional analysis, Mexico held over 4.5% share of North America pea protein market in 2018 and is expected to witness significant gains over the forecast timeline. Consumer inclination towards veganism in tandem with changing dietary preference for animal cruelty-free products and plant-based meat substitutes are supporting the Mexico industry expansion.

Major players operating in North America pea protein market are Cargill, Roquette Freres, The Scoular Company, Emsland Group, Axiom Foods, Inc., Puris Proteins, LLC, DuPont, Ingredion, and A&B Ingredients.

Questions & Answers: North America Pea Protein Market

Q1: What are the key growth parameters of North America Pea Protein Market?

A: Rising trend of veganism and vegetarianism, alongside extensive use of product in bakery items, sports supplements, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and as meat substitute are driving the growth of North America pea protein market.

Q2: Why is Mexico pea protein market witnessing remunerative growth?

A: Mexico pea protein market will record significant gains in the coming years, owing to consumer inclination towards veganism in tandem with changing dietary preference for animal cruelty-free products and plant-based meat substitutes.

Q3: Which are the leading players in North America pea protein market?

A: Prominent players in North America pea protein market are Cargill, Roquette Freres, The Scoular Company, Emsland Group, Axiom Foods, Inc., Puris Proteins, LLC, DuPont, Ingredion, and A&B Ingredients.

Complete Report At: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/north-america-pea-protein-market?utm_source=Marketwatch.com&utm_medium=AN

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North America Pea Protein Market Analysis with Key Players, Applications, Trends and Forecasts to 2026 - Illadel Graff Supply

ByAmanda Bell/Sept. 15, 2016 6:09 pm EST/Updated: Dec. 17, 2020 1:24 pm EST

Cutting out meat from your diet can be tricky, but luckily there are many products on the market that make it a bit easier these days. That's good news because becoming a vegetarian may yield great results for your physique that make the effort worthwhile. Not only is it more environmentally friendly to skip these animal proteins, but it can reduce your risk factor for certain diseases, have positive effects on your appearance, and potentially increase your lifespan. There are also drawbacks that may require preventative measures on the new vegetarian's part, so here's a breakdown of what will happen to your body, inside and out, if and when you decide to declare yourself a herbivore.

Cutting out meat and switching to a veggie-centric diet may be good news for your waistline. According to research by Dr. Neal Barnard at George Washington University, the average person who turned to a plant-based diet under their project supervision lost about 10 pounds in the span of about 44 weeks. "The take-home message is that a plant-based diet can help you lose weight without counting calories and without ramping up your exercise routine," the physician reported.

The downside? A lot of new vegetarians report experiencing some temporary bloating when making the big change to a meatless lifestyle, especially if the new diet includes an increase in carbohydrates like beans.

Believe it or not, if you stop eating meat your skin might even start to look better, but only if you're eating plenty of nutritious fruits and veggies. The vitamins in fruits and vegetables (including our friends A, C, and E) are known to combat free radicalsin the body, which are common causes of skin blemishes. Some foods that have been shown to have high levels of antioxidant activity include berries, cherries, citrus, prunes, and olives.

Of all the things you can do to prevent cancer, no longer eating meat could be one of the easiest.

According to research, at least 30 percent of cancer cases have been linked to dietary habits, and in a patient study, it was shown that vegetarianism of the milk- and egg-eating variety tended to have a lower risk of contracting cancers than those who ate meat. Vegetarians tend to have a reduced rate of various types of cancer, including that of the colon (since the added fiber helps move carcinogens through the digestive tract more quickly), stomach, bladder, ovaries, breast, and lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues (due to the antioxidants contained in plant-based foods).

Not eating meat has also proven to be a heart-healthy approach to nommage. Researchers have found that those who choose the eliminate meats from their diets enjoyed a significant drop in cholesterol levels (up to 35 percent for those who subbed in other proteins, like soy or nuts), which in turn reduced their risk for cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and strokes.

Not only that, but it's also been linked to a reduction in blood pressure levels (hypertension), obesity, inflammationthroughout the body, and Type 2 Diabetes. Chronic inflammation is associated with a ton of long-term issues, including arthritis, cancer, heart disease, asthma, and other degenerative disorders, and vegetarian-friendly foods like kale, cauliflower, spinach, and certain fruits, among others, are rich in anti-inflammatory properties, while meat tends to cause an inflammatory reaction.

If you have chronic upset stomach, you may want to stop eating meat (or at least think about it). Several academic studies have shown that there are positive microbial effects associated with ditching the consumption of animal by-products, including a reduction of harmful pathogens and an increase in protective microorganisms. This may be connected to the reduction in inflammation throughout the body that's been associated with vegetarianism, which has other major health benefits (we'll get to that).

Other digestive benefits to vegetarianism include the fact that studies show a reduction in risk for diverticular disease that is, a buildup of pockets or sacs in the walls of your colon associated with the diet, and the increased fibers that'll come with that extra helping of vegetables will help make your bathroom habits more regular.

Experts caution that these benefits are only available to those who engaged in a "well-planned vegetarian diet," which incorporates a high intake of fruits and vegetables. If approached correctly, your tummy will likely thank you for resisting the carnivorous route to sustenance.

The decision to stop eating meat comes with a lot of pros, but it isn't all good news. A vegetarian diet may require the use of certain supplements, which can ensure the requisite amounts of nutrients that might be lost in transition.

One common problem people have when flushing out the flesh foods is a zinc deficiency, since that vitamin is most often found in red meat and shellfish. Plus, vegetarian foods are high in phytic acid which interferes with zinc absorption. The effects of that deficiency may include a weakened immune system, loss of memory, eyesight and tastebuds, an onset of diarrhea, allergic reactions, hair loss, and body rashes.

Other essential vitamins that may become depleted in the process of becoming a meat-free eater include B12, calcium, iron. For those that are careful with their menus, however, this can be addressed without the use of vitamin supplements. Vitamin B12 is found in yeast and certain cereals, while calcium can be derived from foods like almonds, bread, milk, and sesame seeds. Nuts, dried fruit, beans, and broccoli are all high in iron and would be assets to a vegetarian's diet.

Vegetarians should also make sure that they're incorporating enough protein into their daily meals, which can be accomplished by eating eggs, cheeses, lentils, black beans, and tofu.

Studies are mixed on whether a decision to stop eating meat and adopting a vegetarian diet will improve or impair your mental wellbeing. Some doctors have found an increase in lethargy, anxiety, and depression associated with patients who adopted the lifestyle, while others have found that non meat-eaters have no worsening of mood conditions.

Psychologists suggest a supplementation of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 to counter any potential ill effects of going meat-free on mental health (supplementation is particularly important for vegans). Vegetarians who would rather not take supplement pills can find Omega-3s in salmon (if you eat fish, practically any fish will do), walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed and egg yolks.

Giving up eating meat and becoming a vegetarian can be extremely gratifying for your body and mind and not just because you're reducing your carbon footprint. It also has proven health benefits that include certain disease prevention and digestive health increases. However, it requires some attentive planning on the meal front to ensure that you're getting all of the nutrients your body needs.

The best way to avoid the unpleasant effects of nutritional depletion is by formulating a solid plan for your daily diet. Make sure that you consider which nutritional elements you'll lose from excluding meat and adjust your food intake accordingly this is the best way to ensure that your body reaps all the potential rewards from increasing your intake of plant-based goods.

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What Happens To Your Body When You Stop Eating Meat