healthbriefs
USDA Praises Plant-Based Diets E
very five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture routinely announces dietary guidelines advis- ing Americans about what to eat. Now, for the first time, the agency has broken from tradition to talk about truly good foods, rather than just scientifically discuss nutrients. More, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, released this year, embraces the value of plant-based diets.
In the new edition, the guidelines’ healthy eating patterns may or may not include moderate amounts of meat. At the same time, the guidelines explain clearly that meat is not essential, and that
near-vegetarian and vegetarian diets are adequate and have even resulted in better health. A pertinent excerpt follows.
“In prospective studies of adults, compared to non-vegetarian eating pat- terns, vegetarian-style eating patterns have been associated with improved health outcomes—lower levels of obesity, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and lower total mortality. Several clinical trials have documented that vegetarian eating patterns lower blood pressure. On average, vegetarians consume a lower proportion of calories from fat (particularly saturated fatty acids); fewer overall calories; and more fiber, potassium and vitamin C than do non-vegetarians. Veg- etarians generally have a lower body mass index.
“These characteristics and other lifestyle factors associated with a vegetar- ian diet may contribute to the positive health outcomes that have been identified among vegetarians.”
Source:
Grist.org
DON’T TAKE A SEAT A
S
cientists at England’s University of Manchester have confirmed how some people suffering from chronic pain might benefit from meditation- based therapies. They concluded that people that are more advanced in meditation practices (up to 35 years) are likely to anticipate and experience pain less than less-advanced meditators or non-meditators.
IN PAIN? TRY MEDITATION
multi-ethnic study of 4,757 U.S. adults in a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that those who took the most daily breaks from sitting had, on average, a smaller waist circumference, fewer blood fats and reduced markers for insulin resistance than those who took the fewest breaks. The researchers also noted increased levels of C-reactive protein in the bodies of sed- entary subjects, which is linked to inflammation and many chronic diseases, even in people who regularly exercise. To get moving: Stand up to take phone calls and during meetings; walk to visit a colleague, rather than phoning or emailing; use a bath- room on a different floor; centralize trash and recycling bins and office equipment to encour- age short trips during the work day; take the stairs; and park at the far end of the lot.
Source: European Society of Cardiology
“Meditation trains the brain to be more present-focused, and therefore to spend less time anticipating future negative events,” comments Christo- pher Brown, Ph.D., who conducted the research. When testing the pain tolerance of study participants using a noninvasive laser, the researchers noted unusual activity during anticipation of pain in part of the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain known to be involved in controlling attention and thought processes when potential threats are perceived, but more study is needed. Participants had a diverse range of experiences with various medita- tion practices, spanning from months to decades. All of them perform some form of mindfulness meditation—such as that which is the basis of the Mindfulness- Based Cognitive Therapy recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for recurrent depres- sion, because up to 50 percent of people with chronic pain experience depression. “The importance of developing new treatments for chronic pain is clear,” says Brown. “Forty percent of people who suffer from chronic pain report inadequate management of their pain problem.”
18
Collier/Lee Counties
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com
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