People in the Mediterranean already eat a balanced and healthy diet copied the world over. But there is a new trend in the United States and Canada. People that were once adherents to raw food and vegan diets are now eating more meat and are following a keto diet which high in protein and low in carbs. And studies are supporting the notion that unprocessed red meat is good for you. Are the rules of what’s healthy being overturned? What are the non-meat eaters saying?

There is conflicting but supportive evidence to eat less red meat and environmentalists say it’s good for the planet as it contributes to less cow farts and greenhouses gases. There is a huge debate now on whether methane-reducing Bovaer being added to a cow’s diet is good for people. The planet perhaps, but is it worth the risk?

Let’s look back:

Meatless Mondays was one trend years ago that started people tasting the trend of a diet with no meat. Veganism became mainstream. Around the same time there was the whole animal trend begging the question: are you prepared to eat testicles and bull penis soup and stew?

Limiting red meat consumption, especially meat that is processed, may be a key to a sustainable and healthy diet, yet Americans are among the world’s largest consumers of red meat.

A new study reveals the demographics of American adults who choose not to eat red meat and finds that environmental concerns may matter more to them than health risks.

Researchers at Baruch College and the University of Southern California (USC) surveyed more than 7,500 adults as part of the Understanding America Study – a probability-based Internet panel of individuals 18 and older. They will present their research at the December annual meeting of the Society for Risk Analysis in Austin, Texas.

When they analyzed the survey results, the researchers found that only 12 percent of participants reported they did not eat red meat. Adults who reported not eating red meat were more likely to have indicated that they:

• were female

• were 65 years of age or older

• had a college degree

• had an annual income of $60,000 or less

• had voted for Democrats or Independents (vs. Republicans), and

• self-identified as non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or Asian (vs. non-Hispanic whites).

When asked to choose their top two concerns of the past year, the non red-meat eaters were equally likely to choose “environment and climate change” or “health/healthcare.”

In the analysis of survey results, environmental concerns were associated with self-reports of not eating red meat while health concerns were not.

“People may be more familiar with the environmental benefits of not eating red meat than with the potential health benefits,” says lead author of the study Patrycja Sleboda, assistant professor of psychology at Baruch College in New York City.

The authors suggest that public awareness of the environmental impacts of eating red meat may be increasing due to rising climate change concerns.

Red meat production is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water usage, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Production of meat and dairy contribute to 72-78 percent of global food-related greenhouse gas emissions and 15 percent of total global emissions. By eating less red meat, people can lower their own contribution of greenhouse gas emissions.

The lack of a significant association between health concerns and red-meat eating may reflect a lack of clear dietary recommendations in the United States. Studies have shown that high levels of both unprocessed red and processed meat have been associated with elevated risk for colorectal, stomach, and pancreatic cancers.

The American Cancer Society recommends “limiting red and processed meat,” while the American Heart Association suggests people eat more plant-based proteins and meatless meals.

The post Who is eating less meat in America? And why? appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Green Mediterranean Diet Shows Promise in Keeping Brains Young

Age-related brain atrophy, the gradual loss of neurons and shrinkage of brain tissue, is a natural part of aging, which can lead to cognitive decline and other neurological issues. While so far aging cannot be prevented, recent research from an 18-month dietary intervention offers hope that lifestyle and dietary changes can slow brain aging. A new international study, led by Ben-Gurion University, as part of the DIRECT PLUS Brain MRI trial, has brought to light how blood sugar control can significantly impact brain health.

Brain age, as evaluated by MRI measurements of the hippocampus and lateral ventricles, reflects the biological aging of the brain, which can differ from a person’s chronological age. Chronological age is the number of years lived, while brain age indicates the brain’s actual health. Typically, as we age, the hippocampus shrinks and the lateral ventricles expand, serving as markers of brain aging. Some individuals have a brain age younger or older than their chronological age. A younger brain age suggests better cognitive health, while an older brain age may indicate accelerated aging and increased risk of cognitive decline.

Related: Where is love in your brain?

The study, which was published recently in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was conducted by an international team of brain and nutrition experts, including researchers from Ben-Gurion University, Harvard University, Leipzig University, and more. The research was primarily carried out by Ph.D. student Dafna Pachter and overseen by Prof. Iris Shai, along with several international collaborators.

A previous study published two years ago American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reported that Mediterranean (MED) and green-MED diets significantly attenuated age-related brain atrophy by ∼50% within 18 months.

In the current study, the researchers aimed to understand the mechanism by which the slowing of brain atrophy occurs.

The study found that a decline in HbA1c, and key markers of long-term blood sugar levels, are associated with significant positive changes in specific brain regions commonly affected by age-related atrophy. Brain MRI results showed that lower HbA1c levels corresponded to greater deviations in the thalamus, caudate nucleus, and cerebellum – areas crucial for cognitive function, motor control, and sensory processing. The study suggests that improved blood sugar control could be one of the most important factors in slowing down age-related brain changes.

Earlier research has highlighted the benefits of the Green Mediterranean (Green-Med) diet, including better blood sugar control. The Green-Med diet is rich in polyphenols from plant-based sources like Mankai (a high-protein aquatic plant) and green tea, while being low in red and processed meats. The current study further strengthens this connection by suggesting that the Green-Med diet may not only support metabolic health but also exert protective effects on brain structure and function.

One of the Largest Brain MRI intervention Studies in the World

The DIRECT PLUS trial, one of the longest and largest brain MRI studies conducted to date, involved approximately 300 participants who were divided into three dietary groups. Whole-brain MRI measurements were taken before and after the 18-month trial to track changes in brain health. The researchers used Hippocampal Occupancy (HOC), as a proxy for brain age which predicts future risk of dementia. HOC typically decreases with age. Interestingly, some participants exhibited a brain age either younger or older than their chronological age.

Using NeuroQuant, an FDA-authorized fully automated tool, the research team quantified and segmented the brain MRI-derived data. The study aimed to examine whether improved glycemic control and specific dietary components could slow down brain aging. The results indicated that participants who managed to improve their blood sugar levels and achieve normal glucose status experienced a more pronounced attenuation of brain aging. Notably, those who consumed higher amounts of green tea and Mankai duckweed shakes demonstrated the most significant improvements in both blood sugar levels and brain health.

Related: Knitting for brain health

Glycemic Control and Polyphenols: The Key to a Younger Brain Age?

The study’s lead researcher, Prof. Iris Shai, from Ben-Gurion University, an adjunct professor at Harvard University, and an Honorary Professor at Leipzig University, explains, “Maintaining low blood sugar levels, even within the normal range, shows promise for preserving a younger brain, especially when combined with a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Specifically, polyphenols found in plant-based foods may cross the blood-brain barrier and help reduce brain inflammation, which is crucial for memory”.

Dafna Pachter, a Ph.D. student and the first author of the paper, adds, “This trial offers a safe approach to potentially slow down our brain aging—by adopting the components of a green-Mediterranean diet.”

A Pathway to Reducing Age-Related Cognitive Decline

This study is one of the first large-scale trials to directly link dietary changes, particularly those associated with the Green-Med diet, to improved glycemic control and slower brain aging. While further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms at play, these results suggest a potential avenue for reducing the risk of age-related cognitive decline through relatively simple dietary adjustments.

The DIRECT PLUS trial was funded by grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG), Israel Ministry of Health, Israel Ministry of Science and Technology, and the California Walnuts Commission. None of the funding providers were involved in any stage of the design, conduct, or analysis of the study, nor did they have access to the study results before publication.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet isn’t a strict diet plan but rather a way of eating based on the dietary traditions of Crete, Greece, and Southern Italy during the mid-20th century. This area now includes food from Lebanon and Israel. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, fish, olive oil, small amounts of dairy, and red wine offered extensive health benefits.

Green Prophet has thousands of recipes that follow the Mediterrean Diet. Start here.

The post Blood sugar control keeps your brain young: Eat the Med Diet! appeared first on Green Prophet.

Pack your kid’s lunchbox with wholesome foods to help her gain health, not weight.

Across the Western world, parents and schools have woken up to the crucial link between the foods a child eats during school hours and his/her health. To control obesity, children are being encouraged to acquire a taste for real foods and to form healthy eating habits. Hopefully, the days of soda and snack machines in school corridors and cafeteria trays loaded with greasy, starchy messes are on their way out.

In the U.S., efforts such as the Farm to School movement integrate food and nutrition education in the  classroom. Through their efforts, more American children eat fresh local foods in school cafeterias, and local farmers benefit too.  Turning to Europe, we see that, according to the WorldWatch Institute, “Seventy percent of all school cafeteria food in Rome is now organic, with ingredients coming from 400 Italian organic farms.” France, where at lunch children are routinely served 4-5 courses freshly cooked in the school kitchen, has the lowest rate of childhood obesity in Europe.

And what of those of us who live in the Middle East, where the majority of school children take their lunches to school from home? As a mother living in Israel, I’m sad to report that many kids fill up on soy-based or meat-glued chicken “shnitzels” nuked in the microwave a few minutes before running off to school. (See our post on the perils of soy and meat glue here.) The horrible white bread sandwich with a layer of cocoa-flavored margarine known as “chocolate spread” is still the favorite 10:00 am snack.

The solution? Dedicate time to preparing real food for your precious children

It means deciding what “quality time” really means to you. Is an hour spent in front of the TV emptying your mind as valuable as an hour cooking ? If you encourage your child or teenager to help out, you might find you’re having fun together. And your child will like being the one to determine what his lunch foods will be. Even cooking alone, the manual labor (and good smells coming from the pot) soothe and relax.

Helpful equipment:

• A standard thermos for hot cocoa or soup.
• A food thermos to contain hot foods like stews or drier hot foods like rice and beans, or majadra.
• 2 frozen packs to keep sliced fresh fruit or vegetables, or salads, fresh. Frozen packs also keep sandwiches with fish or chicken cool.
• 3 light but sturdy containers with tight lids. They should be microwaveable.
• TV-dinner style boxes with separated areas inside for different foods.

Nice but not essential:

• A small insulated carrying bag.
• An insulated bottle container with a shoulder strap, for home-made iced tea or other cold drink.

Just having those thermoses and packs gives you lunch ideas.

The plan

During the school year, I sit down with my teenage daughter once a month or so and we draw up the food plan in two columns. Column A: something satisfying but portable for breakfast, since that’s food she might snatch up as she’s flying out the door to make her bus. The snack foods for the 10:00 o’clock break are interchangeable with the foods in Column A. Lunch foods go to Column B.

I undertake to cook and pack the the food either the night before or in the mornng. She has to put up with my choices, since she dictated the list.

Rather than suggest menus item by item, here are lists of kinds of foods that you can turn out in your kitchen with just a little effort.

Column A: Breakfast and Mid-Morning Snack

Muffins and quick breads of all kinds. As long as they’re whole-wheat and have chunks of fresh fruit or grated vegetables (zucchini, carrots). For a savory muffin, try cheese, with or without oven-dried tomatoes.

Low-sugar cookies or cupcakes. Add dates or other dried fruit. This allows you to reduce the sugar in the recipe.

A variety of favorite whole-grain breads, sliced or ready to fill as sandwiches (like a half-pita or tortilla).

Breakfast sandwich fillings:  whatever he/she likes to put on bread in the morning.

A slice of leftover pizza (we’re talking about a teenager here). With slices of whatever raw vegetable is in favor at the time.

Sliced fresh fruit. Sliced is key here. A child might ignore an entire apple or bell pepper, but one sliced, arranged, and kept cool in a box always gets eaten up.

Dried fruit and nuts. Mix a few varieties or pack them individually.

Dairy. Natural yogurt with a dollop of maple syrup or your jam, or chopped nuts and raisins. Natural cheese slices wrapped around cucumber sticks.

Let’s not forget healthy drinks. One glass of natural juice . Cold herbal tea, sweetened or not, as you will. How about plain cool water?

Column B: Lunch

Protein foods give energy; starchy foods put kids to sleep.Pack a minimal amount of carb-heavy foods – enough to satisfy but not act as a soporific.

Eggs, hard-boiled and kept cool in a bag with a frozen pack. Or an omelet. Omelets are handy protein vehicles for chopped vegetables, or to use as wraps. Or chopped up and added to pasta salads or brown rice.

Dairy: a container of low-fat cottage cheese (add a spoon). Put some olives or pickles on the side or in a small bag to go with it.

Whole grains, hot in food thermos or cold with dressing, as a salad. Rice and beans, hot. Quinoa tabbuleh, cold. Lentils.

Pasta and other carb-heavy foods: mix with cold or hot vegetables, leftover meat or fish and pack into the appropriate container.

Vegetables.  A mixture of  raw vegetable sticks for dipping into choumous or to eat as is. Your child will decide which vegetables. A whole baked potato. A whole small baked sweet potato (add his favorite topping in a small separate container).  Leftover stir-fry. Vegetable fritters. Mixed salad with 4 colors of vegetables in it.

Soup or stew left over from dinner, re-heated in the morning and stored in a thermos. (In my kosher kitchen there is a dairy thermos and another for chicken soups.)

Leftover meat or poultry, sliced or chopped and packed into a hot/cold container. Again, sliced or pre-chopped is important. Provide a fork, and your kid will eat. Expect him to pick up an entire drumstick and eat it in front of his friends, and he won’t. Meatballs are good.

Tips:

• Choose menus for the next week and cook accordingly. At the end of the month, review the lists with your child and let him/her choose to repeat, or omit, or add whatever healthy foods he wants for the next month.
• Cook ahead. Freeze individual portions at least twice a week.
• When cooking dinner, keep the next day’s lunch in mind. My daughter doesn’t mind repeating last night’s dinner at lunch, but if she did, I would separate a portion to freeze, thawing it out another day.
• Every once in a while, dedicate time to making two condiments. Pesto, labneh, jam, chutney, salsa, pickles, salad dressing. Anything your child likes that adds relish to his food. Pesto, by the way, freezes well.
• Cook and pack  foods your child likes, being mindful of quality ingredients. Is he/she going through a phase of only peanut butter sandwiches? My daughter did, at age 6 – three weeks of only PB sandwiches, with an occasional apple or yogurt to make me happy. I made sure the bread was whole wheat and the PB natural and sugar free. She grew out of it.

Still looking for specific recipes? Try some of these on Green Prophet:

• Muhamarra Red Pepper Spread
• Crunchy Chickpeas for Healthy Snacking
• 5 Fast and Delicious Sandwich Ideas
• Eating Well With Leftovers

The post Best back to school lunches, inspired by the Mediterranean Diet appeared first on Green Prophet.

Over the past three decades, rates of colon and rectal cancers—collectively known as colorectal cancer—have steadily risen among people under the age of 50. It’s particularly striking to researchers because rates have been declining among older people during the same time period.

Young people tend to be diagnosed at later stages of the disease, making it harder to cure.

“In past years, we’ve thought of colorectal cancer as a disease of aging,” said Joel Mason, a gastroenterologist and Senior Scientist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts. “If you look at the absolute incidence rates, it’s still higher amongst older people, but the rate is going up steadily in young people, whereas it’s going down in older people. It’s a disturbing trend.”

Mason said that the rates are rising too quickly to be attributed to genetic changes. “It seems most likely to be an environmental factor or combination of factors,” he said, “but we can really only speculate at this point.”

Working in stressful environments like online businesses where work never stops can be one of the problems. Social media and stress about where one fits in could be another.

Read related: Fast Food causing colon cancer in Cairo

The obesity epidemic may be partly to blame, because having excess body fat is associated with a higher risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Mason said declining rates among older people may be due to effective screening and an increased awareness of protective lifestyle factors like a healthy diet and regular exercise.

For those looking to reduce their risk of colorectal cancer, Mason said studies have consistently found that a healthy diet and exercising at least three times a week are associated with lower rates, while being overweight and smoking are associated with higher rates.

“Among all the common cancers,” Mason said, “colorectal cancer is one where the risk is most sensitive to dietary factors.” Over the past few decades, multiple studies have shown that colorectal cancer risk can be reduced with a diet that contains plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and much less (if any) processed meat, red meat, and alcohol. Processed meat includes bacon, sausage, ham, hot dogs, and luncheon meat.

Some common symptoms of colorectal cancer are rectal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, and a distinct change in bowel habits. All of these symptoms also can be caused by other less dire conditions, such as hemorrhoids, menstrual bleeding, and food sensitivities. In light of rising rates of colorectal cancer in young people, Mason said providers and patients shouldn’t be too quick to attribute rectal bleeding to hemorrhoids or iron-deficiency anemia to menstrual bleeding.

“I hate to raise the anxiety level of younger people,” he said, “but the trends are very disturbing and in balance maybe it is worth making our younger population a little more vigilant about symptoms that need to be paid attention to.”

Some tips to start changing lifestyle habits? We have all the reasons here to start getting acquainted with the Mediterranean Diet, low in meat and high in fresh vegetables, fruit and fish.

The post Why colon cancer is rising for under 50s appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Mediterranean diet is gaining popularity as a healthy and sustainable eating plan. Health professionals recommend it to individuals with chronic conditions like heart disease or high blood pressure to reduce the risks of heart disease, dementia, and depression. 

Our food choices have a significant impact on our physical and mental well-being, as well as our daily functioning. Adopting healthy and natural eating practices like the Mediterranean diet benefits both our bodies and the planet. 

What is the Mediterranean diet? 

The Mediterranean diet isn’t a strict diet plan but rather a way of eating based on the dietary traditions of Crete, Greece, and Southern Italy during the mid-20th century. They believed that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, fish, olive oil, small amounts of dairy, and red wine offered extensive health benefits. 

The diet emphasizes healthy fats, with olive oil being a recommended primary fat source. It highlights other foods like avocados, nuts, and oily fish for their beneficial fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts and fish.

The Mediterranean diet suggests consuming fish at least twice a week, while people should consume poultry, eggs, and dairy products in smaller portions daily or weekly. Eating red meat is limited to a few times per month. 

A typical breakfast on the Mediterranean diet could consist of mashed avocado spread on whole-grain toast, accompanied by fresh fruit and a low-fat Greek yogurt. For lunch or dinner, a recommended meal might include a vegetable and grain dish cooked with olive oil and seasoned with herbs. This could include roasted root vegetables, leafy greens, a side of hummus, and small portions of pasta or whole grain bread. As a source of lean protein, grilled fish is often suggested.

The diet encourages water as the primary beverage, with moderate consumption of wine allowed during meals. 

The ultimate hummus recipe

According to a Harvard nutrition study the Mediterranean diet effectively reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and overall mortality. For instance, a study involving nearly 26,000 women found that those who followed this diet had a 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease over 12 years.

Similarly, a meta-analysis of 16 studies with over 22,000 women showed that individuals with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet had a 24% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 23% lower risk of premature death than those with insufficient compliance. Sustainability has become a significant focus of the food discussion, particularly concerning climate change and food security. Researchers, farmers, and policymakers are seeking effective ways to feed the growing global population of 9.7 billion by 2050. 

In what ways is the diet personally and environmentally sustainable?

The diet conserves water by choosing less water-intensive foods like whole grains compared to beef. Fruits and vegetables are also more water-efficient choices  It also conserves land by reducing reliance on agricultural land for animal-based products. 

The Mediterranean diet decreases the need for fertilizers by incorporating nitrogen-absorbing legumes like chickpeas. Legumes such as beans, lentils, and peas, decrease fertilizer requirements and enrich the soil when decomposing, benefiting subsequent crops. This sustainable process allows pulses to be grown eco-friendly and reduces the resources needed for other Mediterranean diet staples like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. 

The Mediterranean diet is personally sustainable because it offers an enjoyable eating experience. It includes delicious foods, promotes physical health, and encourages mindful consumption. While following this eating pattern can lead to weight loss and improved health, it primarily involves adopting a long-term lifestyle change with sustainable benefits!

The post Why the Mediterranean Diet? appeared first on Green Prophet.

No one on earth like to age. The aging process is irreversible, it cannot be stopped or reversed, but you can try to slow down the process. Of course, doctors can help with a scalpel and injections. Injections of a wide variety of products that rejuvenate the skin and address aesthetic problems is an alternative to the plastic surgery. However, injected substances can cause allergic reactions, infections, and the death of skin cells or even more serious side effects. It should be mentioned that plastic surgery can have a variety of side effects. For example, decreased sensitivity of the operated area.

This can be a consequence of tissue removal, and if the nerve is damaged during the operation, the operated area can become insensitive for life. Another inconvenience of plastic surgery is the rejection of tissues when an infection develops or the immune system rejects the tissue. It is a known fact that people often suffer psychological problems after the operation because people can suffer side effects of plastic surgery, feel unsatisfied with the changes or even wanting more and more these changes. Nevertheless, there are some natural products and ways that can help to slow down the aging process. So, let’s take a look at efficient, cheaper than plastic surgery and injections, and natural reverse aging methods.

Drinks to make you younger

Let’s start with drinks. For many people, the morning begins with a cup of tea or coffee. Tea is a storehouse of antioxidants that can help to prevent heart disease and reduce the incidence of breast cancer in women. Coffee (decaffeinated) reduces the risk of aggressive common cancers, and caffeinated coffee prevents a person from developing diabetes. In turn, milk drinks strengthen the bones, make the hair silky and fill the muscles with strength. Daily consumption of milk and dairy products (and even fermented fish) has been shown to significantly lower blood cholesterol. Of course, the most important drink is water. Water keeps your body hydrated and helps maintain your skin’s elasticity and reduces wrinkles.

Healthy diets

NMN can be found in fruits and vegetables including avocados, broccoli, cabbage, edamame and cucumbers. Including these as part of your daily diet can increase levels of NMN. But the levels of NNM found in supplements is much higher than you could possibly consume through a natural diet.

Vegetables are another helper against ageing. Carrots and pumpkins are high in carotenoids, which are processed into vitamin A in our body. Thanks to this vitamin, the skin glows and vision is restored. The risk of diseases such as osteoporosis, cancer, and other diseases is also reduced. Tomatoes contain the very valuable pigment lycopene, which is why tomatoes are so bright red. It protects against vascular diseases, macular degeneration, and various types of cancer.

This pigment absorbs better if the product is heat treated. According to various scientific articles, it is recommended to include NMN-rich food in our daily meals. NMN is nicotinamide mononucleotide, an organic compound naturally occurring in life forms.

In numerous studies, supplementation with NMN has increased NAD+ biosynthesis, suppressed age-related adipose tissue inflammation, enhanced insulin secretion and insulin action, improved mitochondrial function, and improved neuronal function in the brain. NMN is naturally found in small amounts in fruits and vegetables such as avocados, broccoli, cabbage, edamame, and cucumbers.

What is NAD?

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) IV therapy is a type of intravenous treatment that can stimulate cell regeneration in your body. NAD is a coenzyme that binds with elements in your body, offering a host of benefits like reduced withdrawal symptoms during addiction recovery and enhanced cognitive processing. NAD infusion is a method of increasing these coenzymes in your body quickly.

Exercise for life

Scientific publications in recent years have shown that moderate-intensity physical activity lasting 30 minutes and at least 5 times a week, consuming about 200 kcal of energy per day (e.g., 30 minutes of brisk walking), improves adult health. Researchers have found that moderate-intensity physical activity strengthens the capacity of the cardiovascular system, and skeletal muscle, and helps maintain a healthy weight. Extensive research has shown that physical inactivity increases the risk of spreading chronic diseases. Physical activity in old age strengthens functional capacity and helps not to lose independence.

Physically active people are less likely to be depressed than passive ones. Research has provoked a new term – sedentary death syndrome. The term is intended to emphasize that physical inactivity increases the mortality of the population. Signs of a sedentary lifestyle death syndrome: weak muscles, decreased bone density, high blood, and urine sugar, obesity, poor aerobic endurance, and tachycardia at rest.

These symptoms cause disorders of the whole organism or individual systems, or organs. Exercising daily with aging is even more important if you want to prevent disease and maintain skin elasticity.

Conclusion

In other words, it’s never too late to start to eat healthier, take supplements, exercise, and being happy! – try to implement many other reverse ageing methods to make you look a bit younger.

Green Prophet does not endorse any of these therapies. Speak to you local nutritionist or doctor if any of these methods are right for you.

The post How real and efficient are reverse aging methods? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Planning on living on a bowl of rice a day in India, or under the age of 25 and hostel jumping in dorms with bed bugs? This article is not for you. Mature-ish, aging hipsters read on: Artjuna is your first stop in India

With the world at our fingertips, working remotely from anywhere, and more time for leisure as many of us skip the high-stress jobs, why not go to India? Home to yoga, ancient mystics, and the kindest people on the planet, India is one of those places that can change your soul and course of life. I was always dreaming of India but hadn’t managed to get there before I had kids. With 2 small ones, I wondered, how do I jump in? Known as “India Light” Goa on the coast is a perfect first stop to exploring India. Come in the fall when the weather is drier and less hot and make sure that you start everything off at Artjuna Cafe in Anjuna, Goa. This is what I did with my family of four and parents.

Moshe Inbar and his life partner Anastasia run the dynamic cafe-cum-community center cum-DJ hub. Even if you don’t love trance music and late night dance parties which the town is famous for, you will meet a wonderful community of kind souls from around the world who can help you navigate your first steps in India. Where should we go and when? How can we rent a house? Where should we eat, is it safe? Where can the kids go to school? I asked all these questions to Moshe before arriving to Goa and throughout our 6 weeks in Anjuna and Vagator he was the best ambassador to the region, connecting locals from Goa and Mumbai to a rich and varied international crowd. He gave his his best advice with all his heart and I feel with left Goa with a new friend.

Moshe’s cafe on one of the main streets provides healthy and clean sustenance in mornings and afternoons. Walk in and you will enter a quiet little kingdom with treehouses for kids to explore.  I appreciated the high level yoga classes run by his Iyengar teacher friend Ian Teger.

This is how it started before we travelled to India:

After hearing Moshe’s name a few times from my friends in Israel, I was on a quest to meet him. We connected by WhatsApp and he was answering any questions I had. I found a place on AirBnB, asked him if it sounded reasonable and after yes, booked. The first things we did after arriving to Goa, via Mumbai, was drop our bags, rent a car through our host, get a SIM card and then we visited Moshe.

We put his café in Waze and found it immediately. A kind guard helped us into a parking spot across the road from the café and there we would find our new home in India for 6 weeks at Artjuna Café.

Artjuna functions as the cultural center of India, a drop off point for newcomers, aging hippies, DJ’s, locals, Indians from Mumbai, yoga enthusiasts and people who value good, healthy food, health drinks and coffee. Back in the days when I was a backpacker I would sail from hostel to hostel asking the guy in town a week before me about what’s going on, what I should do. Today, 20 years later, I like my privacy, have an aversion to bed bugs most hostels aren’t for me anymore. This time around we would rent a small house with a bedroom and bathroom for everyone in the family.

Now we have the Internet beyond the Lonely Travel guides and travelling becomes less about being the lone wolf and finding new frontiers, and more about building community, the community you always wanted and how to have authentic experiences with people you meet along the way. In India, Artjuna is the place to start building those foundations.

At its core, Artjuna’s beating heart and brains is Moshe, and his less-public partner Anastasia who runs the boutique selling her own designs in clothes and jewelry, with a collection of things hand made by others. A couple for a couple of decades with two young girls, they both started in the trance scene in Goa years ago. Some fifteen years on with lots of lessons learned, they run the most successful café in the region, for many reasons. Great food, reliable information and advice you would give to your best friend, yoga, community events, and a great clothing shop if you want to avoid the overheated markets.

Food

There is really something extremely yummy for everyone. My daily meal after an hour and a half of yoga every morning was often a Greek salad with bread, or a granola bowl with fresh fruit. Moshe is from Israel so he really knows how to serve up fresh and healthy Mediterranean food. While it’s not hard to find fresh fruit and veggies in Goa, it is a labor making sure that you can eat them, that they’ve been cleaned appropriately. His staff is local. Try the ABC juice.

Vibe

Alcohol is not served at Artjuna and there is a no drugs policy. There is an annual art show where you can buy art made by Goans and travellers from all over the world. A woman in a yoga class (from Italy) gave me her pants. The people there are amazing.

Yoga

What kept me coming back daily to Artjuna was the yoga sessions, though about half of the cafe seemed to be just in it for the friendship. Like an Indian version of entering a Cheers set. Many are throwbacks from the 90s rave scene, but there is a great mix of ages, younger and older too.

I enjoyed Iyengar yoga sessions with in-house yoga teacher and good friend to Moshe, Ian Teger. He teaches multiple levels at once, from the just-past-beginner to the master class level student. The very beginners can start studying with Ian’s protégés (one has a great clothing shop too nearby – see Ondi) in a beginner class after the first of the morning.

The classes are challenging, restorative and a lot of fun. Ian takes the less serious route that most Iyengar teachers embrace. The class is full of jokes, sometimes in Yiddish. Ian is originally from the UK and was a close student of BKS Iyengar, a yoga guru who brought yoga to the western world.

While many people struggle to book week-long or longer detox of yoga sessions before they travel to India, I think the best way to get the most for your money and social life is to find a local place to stay (we stayed with a local Goa family) and spend most of your time at Artjuna with Moshe and his crew.

For those with kids, try the Holistic Yellow School, where hippy kids get educated. Drop-ins allowed, even for weeks at a time. Meet you there next winter?

::Reach out to Artjuna and Moshe via Facebook

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The Mediterranean diet consists of on vegetables and legumes, cereals, olive oil,  and moderate consumption of fish, meat, and red wine. The diet is largely plant-based, requiring fewer natural resources than animal production, so it’s relatively light on environmental impact. In 2010, UNESCO recognized it as Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

But the report warns that tourism, urbanization, and a loss of traditional knowledge are contributing to a rapid diminishing of genetic diversity in crops and animal breeds across the Mediterranean, altering menus for the worse. Add a regional uptick in consumed processed “convenience” food,  meat and dairy products, and hear the death knell for this way of eating long linked to healthy living. Food products are increasingly sourced from outside the region, monoculture production is replacing local farms (producing a variety of crops). The study estimates that just 10 percent of traditional local crop varieties are still being cultivated across the region, the rest replaced by a limited number of improved non-native crops. How do you spell Big Food?

Southern Mediterranean countries continue to struggle with under-nutrition and “stunting” – low height for age – among children under five years of age, but other countries across the region increasingly struggle with obesity and overweight and the region is seeing a rise in chronic diet-based diseases that lead to disability and death. Paradoxically, in several MENA countries malnutrition and obesity coexist as equally weighted health problems.

So what can be done?

On an personal level, vote with your fork.  Buy seasonal, local, and ideally organic food products.

On a political level, FAO and CIHEAM are working to increase international understanding of how to make Mediterranean diets more sustainable. The collaboration aims to develop local case studies on ways to increase production sustainably, support local producers and promote adherence to traditional diet patterns.

Policy makers, researchers and the food industry need to increase collaboration to better understand food systems and trends, the report says. More attention needs to be paid to increasing food consumption and production in ways that protect local resources and knowledge. Awareness campaigns could drive up consumer demand for traditional Mediterranean products, with an eye on better integrating current food trends and consumer habits with the use of local products across the region.

The report also calls for a three-year pilot project in CIHEAM countries – 13 nations cooperating in agriculture, food, fisheries and rural territories in the Mediterranean – to be developed together with FAO, along with specific guidelines for improving regional diets.

“The Mediterranean diet is nutritious, integrated in local cultures, environmentally sustainable and it supports local economies,” said Alexandre Meybeck, Coordinator of FAO’s Sustainable Food Systems Program, said in a statement on the FAO website. “This is why it’s essential that we continue to promote and support it.”

Image of Mediterranean foodstuffs from Shutterstock

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We love olive oil and hummus, but there is more to the Mediterranean diet than just food. UNESCO has recently added the rituals, knowledge, and skills associated with the food common to residents of Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco, and Portugal to its list of heritage “intangibles” that are worthy of protection.

To eat cous cous, chickpea soup or other spicy Moroccan dishes means to consume not just the plate of food at hand, but also a long history of rich cultural tradition, ritual, and knowledge – from animal husbandry to water management and terraced agriculture.

This accumulated knowledge and tradition is so rich and so important that UNESCO, which is also tasked with protecting physical landmarks and historical monuments as heritage sites, believes they deserve urgent safeguarding.

Which is why they added The Mediterranean Diet and other intangible cultural relics from the Middle East and North Africa to their heritage site.

“The Mediterranean diet involves a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking, and particularly the sharing and consumption of food,” writes the group.

“The Mediterranean diet emphasizes values of hospitality, neighbourliness, intercultural dialogue and creativity, and a way of life guided by respect for diversity.”

Turkish coffee – that potent caffeinated soup common throughout the region – has also been added to the list of cultural relics that should be preserved.

“Turkish coffee combines special preparation and brewing techniques with a rich communal traditional culture,” according to UNESCO.

“Traditionally, Turkish coffee is made in a finjan,” according to our in-house food writer Miriam Kresh to preface this fantastic recipe.

“It’s a special pot with a long handle, wider at the bottom so that most of the grounds stay behind when you pour the coffee out. In the Middle East, they’re commonly available. But if you don’t have a finjan, any small pot still makes good coffee.”

UNESCO calls the tradition itself a symbol of hospitality and friendship that “permeates all walks of life.”

“An invitation for coffee among friends provides an opportunity for intimate talk and the sharing of daily concerns.”

Other rituals from the region include the annual pilgrimage to the mausoleum of Sidi And el-Qader Ben Mohammed, a trip that nomadic and settled Sufi communities undertake a pilgrimage beginning each year on the last Thursday of June, as well as practices and knowledge linked to the Imzad of the Tuareg communities of Algeria, Mali and Niger.

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Within Islam there are many herbs, plants and fruits that are believed to have medicinal and healing properties. Olive, pomegranate, dates and figs are amongst those that are directly mentioned in the Quran as blessed foods. However, there is only one that can stake a claim as a super food and that is black cumin, fennel flower, or ‘Habbat ul Sawda’ as it is known in Arabic.

According to hadith, or Muslim teachings, Muhammed is believed to have said: “In the black seed is healing for every disease except death.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Indigenous to the Mediterranean region, the black seed plant (Nigella sativa, also Roman coriander) has been used medicinally by Muslims and non-Muslims alike for hundreds of years. In fact the earliest written reference to the black cumin is in the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament where Isaiah talks of the harvesting of the black seed.

It was also mentioned in the Bible as the curative ‘black seed’ and has been used by Asian herbalists and the Romans for culinary purposes. However it never really held any place of importance until the rise of Islam.

Black cumin seeds and oil –  a superfood

Within Arabo-Islamic culture, the black seed has been prescribed for various ailments including fever, asthma, chronic headaches, diabetes, digestion, back pain, infections and rheumatism. In fact, since its rise in popularity in the Seventh century the black seed has remained a staple of family medicine within the Muslim world. The black seed is believed to have 100 components and is a significant sources of fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

Whenever I get a cold or flu, the first things that gets added to my hot drinks is black cumin and although it leaves no taste in the drink- the trick is to chew the seeds rather than just swallow them whole.

They have a slightly bitter and peppery taste but nothing too strong so it is a relatively pain-free medicine. My mother constantly tells me about its amazing properties and it seems that there science out there to back it up.

Black cumin revives natural medicine

Black seed has been scientifically proven to demonstrate strong anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties which support its claims to be of medicinal value for various ailments. There was also interesting studies carried out which found that black cumin had inhibitory effects on carcinogens  and was also helpful for fighting tumours.

Nigella sativa has been used as traditional medicine for centuries. The crude oil and thymoquinone (TQ) extracted from its seeds and oil are effective against many diseases like cancer, cardiovascular complications, diabetes, asthma, kidney disease, breast and pancreatic cancer.

It’s like the Middle East version of chaga mushroom tea.

Black cumin is effective against cancer in blood system, lung, kidney, liver, prostate, breast, cervix, skin with much safety. The molecular mechanisms behind its anticancer role is still not clearly understood, however, some studies showed that thymoquinone has antioxidant role and improves body’s defense system, according to this study.

The issue with treating cancer however means that one needs to be “proactive” in consuming disease fighting foods before the cancer gets rooted. Oftentimes people react with natural medicines such as CBD oil, black cumin, chaga tea, juicing, or apricot seeds hoping that the mix will stop the cancer. All of us need to take care of our health today with a balanced diet, heavy in Mediterrean food to stop cancer before it starts.

A rise in interest of Mediterranean cuisine and herbs has highlighted the uses of the black seed which seems to be enjoying a revival in popularity across the Muslim world and in the West.

Like CBD oil is added to drinks in America, black cumin seed has been introduced to recipes and is even an ingredient in Evoca cola which is also known as ‘Islam Cola’. The extract is said to be tasteless.

Evoca is a London-based soft drinks company, and is sold in the United Kingdom, The Channel Islands, Europe and the Far East.

Black seed can also be used as a spice and particularly as a substitute to pepper: although with its additional properties it really does give flavour with added health benefits.

For more on natural cures and medicine see:

Bee Stings Are Sweet in Israel: An Interview with a Beekeeper

Nightshades: Vegetables To Be Careful With

Keep Your Arteries Clean With These Dietary Tips

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