Five nutrients you're not getting enough of -The Independent

According to a report in The Independent ripped from health and fitness magazine Men's Health 77 per cent of men aren't getting enough magnesium, are vitamin D deficient, and perhaps even short on vitamin B12.

What all those big steak eating macho hunks forget is that most of the vitamins and minerals we need are in plant foods - fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds - burgers, fried chicken, pizza and chicken curry just doesn't deliver guys.


Guys, next time you are throwing stones and ridiculing a Plantarian, vegetarian or vegan just be aware you could be in a nutritionally deficient greenhouse.

Here's what you need to know about what may be missing in your diet says the Independent

1. Vitamin D - Great for bone health but it's so much more: A study in Circulation found that people deficient in D were up to 80 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. Ask your doctor to test your blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. "You need to be above 30 nanograms per milliliter," said Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University, in the report. If you come up short, Holick recommends taking 1,400 IU of vitamin D daily from a supplement and a multivitamin.

Nutritionist London Yvonne Bishop-Weston "Vitamin D is now considered more important than Vitamin C for a healthy immune system scientists are now finding it in plants but Sunshine is your best source, your body then makes it."

2. Magnesium - Surveys reveal that men are lacking in this mineral, consuming only about 80 percent of the recommended 400 milligrams per day. Fortify your diet with magnesium-rich foods, such as halibut and navy beans. Or supplement with a 250 mg supplement, but look for magnesium citrate, which is best absorbed by the body, states Men's Health.

Yvonne says "Magnesium is important for women too - find it in hazelnuts, good for relaxing muscles"

3. Vitamin B12 - While most men do consume their daily dose of 2.4 micrograms, some medications, such as acid-blocking drugs and diabetes medications, can interfere with the vitamin's absorption in the body. Try eating lamb, salmon or fortified cereals to be sure you're covered.

Yvonne says "many of the men I see in clinic are B12 deficient even though they eat meat, one reason may be that due to modern farming methods meat no longer contains as much B12. There is some evidence that true vitamin B12 can be found in algae such as Chlorella as well as added to various food such as Dairy free milk and cereals. We recommend a good regular multivitamin and mineral complex with B12 as health insurance as B12 is so important for heart health and Brain health"

4. Potassium - Nutrition surveys report men are eating just 60 to 70 percent of the recommended 4,700 mg a day. Fix the problem by eating half an avocado (contains about 500 mg potassium) or a banana (about 400 mg). One large russet potato contains 1,600 mg of potassium.

"Please note that's potatoes not McDonalds french fries guys!" says Yvonne "Avocado is also a good source of good fats"

5. Iodine - Think table salt is the answer? When researchers tested 88 samples of iodized table salt, they found that half contained less than the recommended amount of iodine. Try getting more iodine not from salty foods but from milk. Or eat at least one serving of eggs or yogurt a day.

"Seaweed is the best source of iodine - try some miso soup or sushi!" says Yvonne "milk has saturated animal fat in it as well as natural hormones that you probably don't need more of unless you are a calf!"

Zahi now tells his side of the story on the clothing line

I was so happy a few days ago to announce that my clothing line is going to be sold, as it will represent my adventures in archaeology. The profits from the sale will go to benefit the 57357 Children’s Cancer Hospital here in Cairo.This story begins in June 2010, when Lora Flaugh, the CEO of Art Zulu, a clothing company in New York City, approached me about starting a clothing line. I felt honored by this suggestion, because I don’t think any company would invest the time and money to do this unless they thought it would be a success. I wrote back to Lora in June 2010 to thank her and tell her how privileged I felt by her idea. I accepted her business proposal on the condition that the profits be donated to the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Cairo. I told her about how I sell my replica hats in order to benefit the Children’s Museum in Cairo. I am glad that the sales from these business ventures are going to benefit the children of Egypt.


I called Dr. Sharif Abul Naga, the Director of the Children’s Cancer Hospital, to tell him the good news. Two years ago, he asked me to help the hospital, and I am glad that I am now able to participate in fundraising for it. I told Dr. Naga to be in contact with Lora in order to find out when this line of clothing will make a profit and fund the hospital, and he informed me that a foundation has also been established in the States to raise funds for it as well. He asked me to become a member of the board, and I accepted with pleasure. I also asked Lora to put an advertisement next to where the clothing will be sold explaining how the profits will go to fund the hospital. I am very happy that my hat and clothing line will be able to help the children of Egypt and make them happy.

Unfortunately, stories and rumors have recently been going around about this project. In October of last year, the design company had a photo shoot in the King Tut exhibit in New York City to create advertisements. Now, months later, stories about this photo shoot are circulating, claiming that it happened in the Egyptian Museum, and that they had a model sit on actual antiquities. I can say firmly that of course none of this is true. It was, in fact, shot in New York City, at the King Tut exhibit there and nowhere near Cairo, and the photographer and crew showed the utmost respect for the antiquities there. I have never been in contact with this photographer or his crew; they were hired by the design company, but I know they at no time touched any of the artifacts or used flash photography. They used replicas for some shots and also used Photoshop in some images. The museum’s security was with them at all times to ensure the safety of the objects. It makes me sad that people are willing to believe such rumors, and I hope that the clothing line’s critics will understand that the intention of this project is for the good of the children.

The Dutch researchers found the women with the least amount of the vitamin B12 nutrient

The Dutch researchers found the women with the least amount of the vitamin B12 nutrient in their blood had babies who were eight times more prone to crying.Leading UK Nutritionist, London Yvonne Bishop-Weston explains the implications of the new findings.The new study (reference) has shown a link between the level of vitamin B12 in the mother and excessive infant crying (more than 3 hours a day for more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks). The reasons for this are not fully understood but it could be due to the fact that a lack of vitamin B12 and folic acid hinder the foetal development of the nervous system before birth and also that in the first 6 months after birth lack of these vitamins can affect the development of the protective myelin which surrounds the nerve cells and helps them communicate.


Excessive infant crying is also called infant colic and may also be due to B12 deficiency. Excessive infant crying was found to be stronger when the mother experienced high levels of psychological problems so could affect the circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm of the body controls the sleep/wake cycle, the development of which starts in the womb.It also takes about 3 months after birth to settle into a rhythm. As lack of B12 has been seen in people with sleep disorders it is suggested that lack of B12 may the infant circadian rhythm interfere with serotonin melatonin and trigger gut cramps and crying.

The developing baby relies on the mother to provide B12 and if it is deficient in her diet and her stores are too low the baby is likely to be deficient too. B12 is made by bacteria in the gut and meat, fish and eggs the usual source recommended by NHS dietitians.

Plantarians and Vegans maintain there are healthier, safer, more sustainable sources of vitamin B12 that come without the extra calories and detrimental effects of saturated animal fat and natural hormones but with essential fats and a range of useful vitamins, minerals, anti oxidants and fibre.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? That question has been on the mind of Bahram Arjmandi, professor and chair of the department of nutrition, food and exercise sciences at Florida State University.
His answer, presented at the Experimental Biology 2011 meeting in Washington this week, is that "Apples have a profound effect on total cholesterol, and also on the “good” and “bad” types of cholesterol. They caused a major reduction in inflammatory proteins that are implicated in a number of serious diseases."
Arjmandi rounded up 100 women who had just passed menopause — a time when dropping levels of estrogen lead to unhealthy changes in cholesterol levels that allow women to catch up with the male rate of cardiovascular disease.

Randomly dividing his volunteers, Arjmandi asked one group to supplement their normal diet with dried prunes. The treatment group got one-a-day packages containing 75 grams — about 2.5 ounces — of dried apple.
Arjmandi used dry apples rather than the equivalent one or two fresh apples as a way to standardize the “dose,” but he says fresh fruit is likely to be even more healthy.
If the object of these tests was a pill, the results after one year would certainly boost the stock of the drugmaker: among the apple-eaters, total cholesterol fell by 14 percent and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the harmful fraction of cholesterol) fell 23 percent. High levels of both total cholesterol and LDL are linked to damage to blood vessels, heart attacks and strokes.
Meanwhile, the level of a protective type of cholesterol called high-density lipoprotein (HDL) rose 3 to 4 percent.

(Anti-) inflammatory results

Moving beyond cholesterol, the level of C-reactive protein fell 32 percent. “This is significant, and not just in a statistical sense but in clinical relevance,” says Arjmandi. “CRP is associated with inflammation, and is considered a marker for cardiovascular disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.”
The study was partly funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, and got no funding from the apple industry.

And the active ingredient is…

What makes apples so healthy? Although both pectin, a soluble fiber, and chemicals called polyphenols are thought to confer health benefits, Arjmandi says, “an apple is more than these compounds. I’ve been working on functional foods [which give health benefits] for 20 years, and I find it’s not good to approach whole fruit or whole vegetables like drugs. If you isolate the component chemicals and take them, you get some benefits, but you will deprive yourself of greater benefits.”


The World's Healthiest Foods www.whfoods.com tells us that

The phytonutrients in apples can help you regulate your blood sugar. Recent research has shown that apple polyphenols can help prevent spikes in blood sugar through a variety of mechanisms. Flavonoids like quercetin found in apples can inhibit enzymes like alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. Since these enzymes are involved in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars, your blood sugar has fewer simple sugars to deal with when these enzymes are inhibited. In addition, the polyphenols in apple have been shown to lessen absorption of glucose from the digestive tract; to stimulate the beta cells of the pancreas to secrete insulin; and to increase uptake of glucose from the blood via stimulation of insulin receptors. All of these mechanisms triggered by apple polyphenols can make it easier for you to regulate your blood sugar.

Scientists have recently shown that important health benefits of apples may stem from their impact on bacteria in the digestive tract. In studies on laboratory animals, intake of apples is now known to significantly alter amounts of two bacteria (Clostridiales and Bacteriodes) in the large intestine. As a result of these bacterial changes, metabolism in the large intestine is also changed, and many of these changes appear to provide health benefits. For example, due to bacterial changes in the large intestine, there appears to be more fuel available to the large intestine cells (in the form of butyric acid) after apple is consumed.

Organophosphates are one of the most widely used pesticides in agriculture to protect crops and fruits and vegetables

"Organophosphates are one of the most widely used pesticides in agriculture to protect crops and fruits and vegetables," according to lead author Maryse Bouchard, Ph.D., adjunct researcher, department of environmental and occupational health, University of Montreal and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre, Canada. "For children, the major source of exposure would be the diet -- fruits and vegetables in particular."
Organophosphate pesticides account for approximately half the insecticide use in the U.S. and are applied to many conventionally grown foods important in children’s diets.

In 2008, the USDA conducted tests that found malathion (one of the 40 organophosphate pesticides) residues in 28% of frozen blueberries, 25% of strawberries, and 19% of celery.
Previous Pesticide Exposure Research Links Pesticide Exposure During Pregnacy to Developmental Problems in Offspring
Previous research has shown an association between both prenatal and postnatal organophosphate exposure and developmental problems in young children. But most prior studies have focused on excessive rather than average exposure to organophosphates.

he growing number of full-time working moms in the past few decades

The growing number of full-time working moms in the past few decades could be one of the factors contributing to the concurrent rise in childhood obesity, new research hints.

In a study of more than 8,500 UK adults followed since their birth in 1958, researchers found that the study participants' young children were 50 percent more likely to be overweight or obese than they themselves had been back in the 1960s.


When the researchers looked at factors that could be associated with the trend, they found that mothers' full-time employment, which was more common in the younger generation, appeared to be one.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, do not prove that moms' full-time work, per se, contributes to the risk of childhood obesity.

One possibility, according to the researchers, is that children of full-time working moms have fewer family meals or less-healthy diets in general.

So the trend in mothers' employment over the past few decades may be one of the variables contributing to a general erosion in children's diets; the explosion in sugary junk foods on the market, food advertising aimed at kids, and the increasing availability of high- fat, high-sugar fare in schools are among the other factors that have been blamed.

The current study lacked information on the children's diets and exercise habits, so it is not known whether kids of working moms did in fact have poorer-quality diets or were less active.

For the study, Dr. Leah Li and colleagues at the University College London analyzed data from a project that has followed a large group of Britons since their birth in 1958. They focused on 8,552 participants who, in 1991, had a total of 1,889 children between the ages of 4 and 9.

Overall, the children were more likely to be overweight or obese than their parents had been back in 1965: 12 percent of boys were overweight or obese, versus 8 percent of their fathers in childhood; and 18 percent of girls were heavy, versus of 11 percent in their mothers' generation.

Li's team found that both parents' current weight and mothers' employment status were associated with the risk of their children being overweight.

Children of mothers who worked full-time were 48 percent more likely to be overweight or obese than children of non-working mothers. That was with factors such as socioeconomics, parents' weight and breastfeeding (which some studies have linked to a lower risk of childhood obesity) taken into account.

When parents were obese, the odds of the child being overweight were three to six times greater than when parents were normal-weight.

Rates of both parental obesity and full-time work among mothers increased between the two generations. In 1991, 60 percent of mothers worked, including 15 percent who were full-time; that compared with 45 percent and 10 percent, respectively, in 1965.

Similarly, about 12 percent of parents were obese in 1991, versus 5 to 7 percent of the first generation's parents in 1965.

So it's possible, according to Li and her colleagues, that both factors (parents' weight, in particular) contributed to the intergeneration increase in childhood weight.

However, even if mothers' employment is a factor in the rise of childhood obesity, it would only account for a small portion of that increase, the current findings suggest.

Based on their data, the researchers estimate that in 1991, less than 8 percent of cases of childhood overweight or obesity could be attributable to mothers' employment.

In general, experts believe that a complex mix of societal factors -- from shifts in eating habits, to greater reliance on cars and increasing hours logged in front of the TV or computer -- has been behind the rise in childhood weight problems in recent decades.

Children of abused women are at increased risk of being obese by age 5

The study included almost 1,600 children born between 1998 and 2000. Their mothers were interviewed when the children were born and again after one-, three- and five years of age. Height and weight measurements were taken when the children were 3 and 5 years old.

Some form of intimate partner violence was reported by more than 49 percent of the women and 16.5 percent of the children were obese by age 5, the researchers found. Children whose mothers were victims of abuse were more likely to be obese by age 5 than children of mothers who didn't experience such violence. The link between obesity and an abused mother was stronger in girls than in boys, and also among children whose mothers said they lived in unsafe neighborhoods.


There may be a number of reasons for this association, the study authors noted in their report, which is published in the June issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

"First, if intimate partner violence influences maternal responsiveness to the socioemotional needs of the child, then feeding practices may be influenced," wrote Dr. Renee Boynton-Jarrett, of the Boston University School of Medicine, and colleagues. "Second, witnessing family violence may be associated with emotional distress and emotion-focused coping using food to self-soothe and address negative emotions."

It's also possible that early-childhood disruption of the body's neuroendocrine system, which affects hormones and the nervous system, could increase the risk for disordered eating and changes in how the body stores and distributes fat, the study authors suggested.

"Medical and public health practitioners must consider the impact of family violence on obesity risk when designing and implementing primary obesity prevention interventions," the researchers concluded.

"Interventions to prevent intimate partner violence, particularly those aimed at educating adolescents about healthy relationships prior to childbearing, may play a crucial role in prevention of early childhood obesity. Moreover, interventions aimed at improving neighborhood safety may have a benefit on reducing obesity risk, even among those exposed to family violence," the authors wrote.