Tag: Nuts

Zinc, Selenium and the Immune System

Zinc and selenium are important micronutrients required for the immune system to function effectively along with vitamins A, C, E, B6, B12, C, D, E and folic acid and the trace elements iron and copper.

Both insufficient and excessive intakes of zinc and selenium can have negative consequences on the immune status.

For the majority of people, low selenium intake is not a major issue. Whole-grains provide provide a more than adequate supply for vegans.

A serum selenium test shows a short-term status of selenium whilst red blood cell selenium reflects a long-term status.

Before consuming large amounts of selenium in foods or supplements, it is important to know the true status of your selenium.
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6 August 2021
Lyon Diet Heart Study

The Lyon Diet-Heart Study was a

“randomized, single-blind secondary prevention trial aimed at testing whether a Mediterranean-type diet, compared with a prudent Western-type diet, may reduce recurrence after a first myocardial infarction.”

The study consisted of 605 patients who had recovered from a myocardial infarction at a hospital in southern France. The experimental group emphasised “more bread, more root vegetables and green vegetables, more fish, less meat (beef, lamb and pork to be replaced with poultry), no day without fruit, and butter and cream to be replaced with margarine” which was high in alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).
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23 June 2020
Rural Indian Regional Diets

Despite India's reputation for a healthy, vegetarian cuisine, it is not justified. Only 1.6% of Indians are vegan, 24% are lacto-vegetarian. 3% add eggs to their lacto-vegetarian diet which leaves 72% consuming meat.

The Indian population has the highest prevalence of diabetes worldwide and exhibits high-risk metabolic profiles at younger ages and lower body mass index than their Western counterparts. There are significant regional variations to this observation.

The reasons why Asian populations exhibit diabetes at a lower threshold than western populations are not known.

According to WHO mortality statistics, India is ranked 17 for Low Birth Rate, 37 for Diarrhoeal Diseases, 40 for Tuberculosis, 60 for Malnutrition and 62 for Influenza & Pneumonia out of 183 countries.

Given the current increase in consumption of meat and oils and a decrease in grains, the prevalence of obesity and diabetes is likely to continue.
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29 February 2020
Bean Patties

It is difficult to find a recipe for a vegetarian patty that does not fall apart at some stage. These patties are delicious and hold their shape and can be eaten hot or cold.
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26 February 2020
Impact of Gluten-free Diets

There is a substantial difference between a standard western diet and a gluten-free diet. If a gluten-free diet is no warranted, a gluten-free diet may have unintended health consequences that are not beneficial as well as creating an additional inconvenience.

Consumption of complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) and dietary fibre can be significantly less.
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1 January 2020
2040 Documentary

2040 is a documentary by Damon Gameau that targets a young audience to convince them that they can make a difference to planet Earth’s well-being using technology that we all ready have at our disposal.

The key areas addressed in the documentary are transport, electricity production, agriculture, marine permaculture (kelp farming) and education.
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14 September 2019
When Vegan Diets Do Not Work

It is not uncommon for people to claim that they have tried a vegan diet and it simply did not work for them. Not all vegan diets are healthy.

Much publicity is given to the longevity of the people of Japan and Okinawa (an archipelago that stretches from southern Japan to Taiwan). However, the population with the longest lifespan and the highest levels of health on the planet is the vegan Californian Seventh-day Adventists.

People are not predisposed to vegan diets or otherwise. When it comes to nutrition, we are pretty much the same – allergies being one significant difference.

Below are components of a healthy whole-food, plant-based diet. Many people on a unhealthy vegan diet are missing a number of important components of an optimal diet.
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27 April 2019
Macadamia and Cashew Dukhah with Australian Bush Spices

Dukkah (pronounce the u as in duke, dū’ka) originated in Egypt. It is made a mixture of seeds, nuts various roasted nuts and spices. It can be used as a topping over salads, pasta or anything else that takes your fancy.

The recipe below uses Australian spices but you can try any spice, herb or nuts that takes your fancy.
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4 November 2016
Men’s Shed Morpeth – 28 February 2014

The transcript of a talk given at Morpeth Men's Shed on 28 February 2014.
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27 February 2014
Muesli

Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner was born in Switzerland in 1867. He studied medicine in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. He created muesli based on a dish he and his wife was served on one of his mountain hikes.

He operated a small private clinic and advocated a diet based on fruits, vegetables and grains. He believed that people should consume a large proportion of uncooked food.
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8 August 2013