Health and Healing

Current issues, news and ethics
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kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

What the science says about vinegar

Hi Karim,

Vinegar’s proponents tell us it can help fight heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and excess weight — and that it can stop harmful germs and viruses in their tracks.

But critics tell us that it’s just an overhyped and very sour salad dressing ingredient and that it can be bad for your teeth, your esophagus, and your potassium levels.

So what does the science tell us?

Here’s what you need to know about vinegar.

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/what-is ... ant-2-of-2

Yours for the not-so-sour truth,
kmaherali
Posts: 25106
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Can Pizza Be Healthy — and Delicious? 6 Must-Try Plant Based Pizzas

SUMMARY

Pizza is one of the most popular foods on the planet. It's known for being gooey, savory, tasty, and a great party and finger food. Only problem is, most pizzas also deliver a heavy dose of salt, empty calories, and saturated fat. Can the pizza be saved so that health-conscious, plant-based eaters still get to enjoy it? Let’s give it a try!

More...

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/healthy ... rn-members
kmaherali
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Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Arthritis

Hi Karim,

The medical profession treats arthritis like it treats most other diseases… by ignoring what people eat and providing them with drugs. These drugs sometimes reduce the symptoms, but rarely address the underlying cause.

Fortunately, there is in fact a lot you can do to prevent, slow, and even reverse arthritis. And it all starts with the food you eat.

Here are 5 foods you should avoid, and 9 you should eat (a lot) more of if you want arthritis out of your life.

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/best-an ... ant-1-of-2

Yours for healthy and nimble joints,

Ocean Robbins
kmaherali
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Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Osteoporosis

Hi Karim,

More than 54 million Americans, and hundreds of millions of people worldwide, have osteoporosis.

Is this just an inevitable consequence of growing older? Or are there things you can do to prevent and even reverse it naturally?

Here’s what you need to know about osteoporosis.

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/how-to- ... rn-members

Yours for strong bones throughout your entire lifetime,

Ocean Robbins
kmaherali
Posts: 25106
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Pandemic highlights the importance of mental wellness

According to the American Psychiatric Association, 36 per cent of Americans say coronavirus is having a serious impact on their mental health. This means that in every group of three friends, at least one could be at risk of developing a mental health condition.

It’s true that the pandemic is causing most of us to adjust and make changes in our lives, and managing stress is a part of life — but not everyone copes in the same way.

“While some people can adjust and do well, others may find it difficult to cope,” said Dr Shamin Ladhani, who has a doctorate in psychology.

Knowing what to look for is key in getting someone the help they may need.

“What we are looking for is when someone just cannot cope with the pandemic. They may be having trouble getting out of bed, engaging with friends and family, or they may be fearful of getting the virus,” she said. “If stress is getting in the way of someone living their life, then they may need attention.”

If mental wellness is neglected, people miss out on living the best version of their lives. Often, people wait too long before getting help.

“Sometimes it takes a couple of unfortunate events for someone to realize that something may be wrong,” noted Dr Ladhani.

There are several mental health conditions prevalent today, with depression and anxiety being the most well-known. Mental health issues are characterized by changes in emotions, thinking, and/or behaviors that impact one’s ability to function optimally at work and school, with family, and in relationships.

Additionally, for Ismailis, the temporary closure of Jamatkhanas has had an impact on many people. Our Jamatkhanas are not only places to seek peace and solace, helping many cope with the stresses of everyday life, they are also where we find and enjoy social connection.

A Harvard study on longevity suggests meaningful relationships and social connectedness have a positive impact on emotional, mental, and physical health.

Dr Salim Zulfiqar, MD, noted that mental and emotional health are interrelated. As a psychiatrist and an associate professor of psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University, his experiences meet at the intersection of the body and the mind.

“Mental health covers the whole of the human being — if you do not have mental health, there is no health,” he said, offering five simple ways to keep our body and mind healthy:

-Paying attention to our diet — less meat and more plants.

-Engaging in routine exercise, even if it’s mild — sedentary routines are harmful.

-Getting good sleep — the quality of sleep matters just as much as the number of hours slept.

-Keeping away from harmful substances such as nicotine, alcohol, drugs, and excessive caffeine.

-Staying socially connected.

Mental health conditions can affect anyone at any age and all generations should take steps toward managing their mental wellness. Dr Zulfiqar shares his own family as an example to provide perspective.

“We are three generations living in the house… at various stages of life, we all need support,” he remarked, as he underlined the need to have open conversations about mental wellness as a family. “This will help us understand our family members better, their struggles, and give them reassurance and support when needed.”

Today, many elderly members live alone. They are isolated and their pre-pandemic routines, often including morning or evening Jamatkhana, have been severely disrupted.

“As a son, it is my responsibility to compensate for the loss of social contact,” he said, emphasizing the need to check in on aging parents.

It all comes down to us as a family, and as a Jamat, to ensure we remain cognisant of mental health and the very real effects that poor mental health can have on all of us. Staying aware allows us to see people differently without judging them. It allows us to understand the pressures our children may be facing in school or with friends, or perhaps the loneliness our aging parents may be feeling. Maybe it tells us to have more conversations with our spouse or to check in on a friend to see if they need a confidant.

We tend to know more about our bodies than our minds. The pandemic has given us an opportunity to get to know our minds. Having open conversations about mental wellness is a start — and awareness and connectedness can go a long way.

https://the.ismaili/global/news/feature ... l-wellness
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

MAGNESIUM

Did you know magnesium is involved in over 600 reactions in your body? It's incredibly important to keep your body running right and today's featured blog from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily shares 7 signs your body is craving magnesium...

7 Signs You NEED Magnesium

https://thenutritionwatchdog.com/top-7- ... =magnesium

******
Do THIS 1 hour before bed to pee out stubborn fat in the morning

Recent studies are now showing how a simple tweak to your bedtime ritual can have dramatic effects in shrinking fat tissue while reversing the signs of premature biological aging every time you fall asleep.

In fact, Lisa used this 2 minute hack to finally rid herself of 62 lbs of baby weight, which not only resulted in a reversal of Type 2 Diabetes, but also forced her to buy a whole new wardrobe! And her brother John used this same daily ritual to drop 54 lbs of stubborn abdominal fat that had been making him miserable for years, all while sleeping much deeper too...

>> Here's how (no plastic surgery needed)

https://resurge.com/welcome/?hop=haysge ... Y%26&atid=
kmaherali
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Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Top US Doctor: Sugar Is Not The Problem (This Is)

Dr. Gundry has an incredible special message for you today...

-Jeff
-------

We’ve been told for years now that sugar is the cause of all our problems.

Weight gain. Digestive problems. Sluggishness. Insulin resistance and disease… More and more health experts put the blame on too much sugar in the diet for all these health issues, and more.

However, according to Dr. Steven Gundry — a world-renowned heart surgeon — eliminating sugar isn’t the answer to feeling good again.

"About 75% of the food we eat has sugar added to it," says Dr. Gundry. “It’s unrealistic to ask people to stop eating sugar."

Instead, he says he’s discovered a way to fight back against the negative effects too much sugar has on the body - without having to stop eating it.

Consistent overconsumption of sugar can cause a harmful condition known as "metabolic slowdown." Warning signs include unwanted belly flab, "brain fog", slower metabolism, tiredness, constipation, and even difficulty concentrating. Metabolic slowdown currently affects tens of millions of Americans.

Dr. Gundry explains, "Metabolic slowdown usually develops over a matter of years, and sometimes even decades. But the damage caused by sugar-laden foods is not normal."

The good news is, this problem can be easily fixed from your own home, with a method Dr. Gundry has developed himself. "It's very simple. My technique is a way to help your body better process the sugar you eat, so that it’s being used as energy - not stored as fat," he says.

By employing this relatively basic process, Dr. Gundry has seen thousands of people make swift recoveries. (In fact, he even lost 70lbs himself!)

People are also reporting dramatically improved digestion, more energy, and feeling healthier than they have in years.

Now, after years of research, Dr. Gundry has decided to release a free informative video to the public showcasing exactly how his Metabolic Slowdown solution works- without changing your diet, and enjoying the foods you love to eat, guilt-free.

"My mission is to help everyday Americans achieve good health," he explains. "So, if this video can help people achieve that, I'll be thrilled."

The video has since gone viral, first being shared by users on various social media platforms, then being featured on news sites like ABC and CBS.

Click here to watch the presentation:

https://thesugartruth.com/index200410A.php?n=db



Watch The Video

Dr. Gundry also serves as the personal physician to many A-list celebrities.

Most notable of which include legendary self-help guru Tony Robbins, Oscar award winning actor Alan Arkin, Grammy award winning singer Usher, and countless fortune 500 executives.

Now, there is one thing Dr. Gundry asks from his viewers: "If watching this helps you take control of your weight back, fight unwanted cravings, increase your energy, ease gas and bloating, or find relief from stiff, achy joints," Dr. Gundry says... "Then please share this video with your friends and loved ones. Together, we can help as many people avoid these health issues as possible."

Click here to watch the presentation

https://thesugartruth.com/index200410A.php?n=db
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

swamidada
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Post by swamidada »

Is Ghee Good For Your Health?

August 24, 2020, 6:24 AM CDT

Is Ghee Good For Your Health?

Your grandparents (and even parents) might have put a lot of ghee in your food, on your skin and maybe even on your hair for its immense benefits - but it’s likely that you’ve decided to remove it from your diet. This is probably because although Ayurveda recommends the consumption of ghee for its many medicinal benefits, Western science and medicine have not been able to back these claims to the same extent.

In fact, you might even believe that eating ghee can lead to unwanted weight gain and heart disease. And while that may be true for most fats used for cooking - from sesame oil to butter and lard - ghee has benefits which indicate that its inclusion in your diet is more of a good thing than bad.

The elixir of life

In Ayurveda, ghee or ghrita is considered to be one of the five elixirs or panchamritas (the others are milk, honey, yoghurt and jaggery or sugar), and is as auspicious as it’s healthy. According to the Sushruta Samhita, an ancient text on medicine, ghee boosts memory and intelligence, aids digestion, heals wounds, reduces inflammation, lubricates the connective tissues between bones and promotes overall health and longevity.

What’s more, unlike olive oil, ghee is a type of fat that people from the Indian subcontinent have been locally producing and consuming for centuries, which, nutritionists like Rujuta Diwekar believe, is the reason why its absence from your diet might actually not be good for your health. It’s a centuries-old healthy practice, so how can it be deemed wrong simply because Western science isn’t able to catch up with its benefits yet?

The following are some benefits of ghee that you can garner from consuming it:

A study published in the Journal of Research in Ayurveda in 2010 suggests that diets supplemented with ghee can help reduce the risk of high cholesterol and triglycerides. This, in turn, indicates that ghee might be good for heart health too.
Ghee has a high smoking point at 320 degrees Fahrenheit or 160 degrees Celsius. This means ghee doesn’t release the toxin called acrylamide and is the safest fat to deep fry food in.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2004 indicates that ghee consumption can reduce inflammation and promote gut health.
Another study in the same journal but published in 2007 shows that the conjugated linoleic acids in ghee might help reduce body fat to some degree.
Ghee, though derived from dairy, is free of lactose and casein. This makes it safe for consumption for those who are lactose intolerant or have food allergies related to casein.


The flipside of consuming ghee

Too much of an elixir can also be poisonous, and consuming too much ghee has its own set of negatives. All said and done, ghee is still a type of fat, and too much of it can lead to obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart diseases. If you’re already obese or have any chronic illnesses, having ghee as a part of your diet may not be an option at all. Too much ghee-soaked or deep-fried foods can lead to indigestion and diarrhea. Ayurveda itself recommends that ghee shouldn’t be given to women early in their pregnancy or to jaundiced patients.

So, proportion is the key you need to keep in mind when adding ghee to your diet. Once or twice a week on top of your roti or paratha might do you good, but adding it to all your meals will definitely not.

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/rec ... 57089.html
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Health Insights: Brain Health and Alzeihmer’s - Myth and Realities

Image

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... bHupRvDqPA
swamidada
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Post by swamidada »

Akshay Kumar Says He Drinks Cow Urine Daily, Now Indians are Looking up its 'Medicinal Properties'
Buzz Staff
News18 September 11, 2020, 12:35 AM CDT

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has revealed that he drinks cow urine every day for ayurvedic reasons.

The actor, who is currently shooting in Scotland for his upcoming film "BellBottom" with Huma Qureshi and Lara Dutta Bhupathi, joined British adventurer and host Bear Grylls for an Instagram Live, to talk about going on a jungle adventure with him.

When Huma asked Akshay how he convinced himself to drink elephant poop tea on the show, Akshay said: "I wasn't worried. I was too excited to be worried. I have cow urine because of ayurvedic reasons every day, so that was okay."

Soon after Akshay Kumar made the revelation, hundreds of his fans were Googling to see if cow urine actually had medicinal properties.

For long, there has been a debate on whether cow urine can actually magically cure a number of diseases, like cancer or even coronavirus. In fact, several Indian politicians have recommended drinking cow urine if they want to ward of the novel coronavirus.

Don't believe us? Here's a recent example.

In July 2020, West Bengal BJP President and Lok Sabha MP, Dilip Ghosh, said that cow urine can cure coronavirus.

"If I talk about cows, people fall sick. I tell them a donkey will not understand the worth of cow. This is India, the land of Lord Krishna and here cows are God, we worship. We will have cow urine to stay healthy. Take ayurvedic medicine and don't worry," said Dilip Ghosh.

Now we do not know if Akshay Kumar has been drinking cow urine to fight coronavirus, but for those wondering, here's what we know - cow urine cannot miraculously cure diseases, there's no scientific evidence to prove it does yet.

Back in April this year when the coronavirus pandemic was in its initial phases, fake news and WhatsApp forwards also suggested something similar - that cow urine can strengthen immunity and fend off the virus.

But a group of scientists on a warpath to fight the fake news infodemic, debunked all such claims.

Not just coronavirus. There have also been claims that cow urine, or gaumutra, can cure cancer. Well, to put it clearly and simply, it does not.

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/aks ... 19242.html
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

What causes breast cancer?

Originally Answered: What are the major causes of breast cancer?

Neither do underwire bras, nor do any personal hygiene stuff cause breast cancer. These are all misconceptions. The major causes of breast cancer are in fact very different. Here is a quick overview:

Breast cancer has a lot of risk factors, some you can control while some you can’t. Let’s go through them one by one:

1. Weight

If you are overweight, especially after you’ve been through menopause you are probably at risk of developing breast cancer. High levels of estrogen after menopause increases your risk of developing breast cancer. Estrogen levels in your body rise due to the accumulation of fatty tissues. To avoid or minimize your chances of developing breast cancer, adopt a healthy lifestyle, eat fresh organic food, and workout!

2. Alcohol intake

Alcohol is bad for your health, and once taken in excess it just plays its role as a vital risk factor.

3. Oral contraceptives

Birth control pills have both an upside and a downside. On the upside it prevents pregnancy, bone thinning, reduces menstrual cramps, lightens periods, and lower your risk of ectopic pregnancy and ovarian cancer. However on the downside it does increase chances of breast cancer and stroke. Oral contraceptives have been placed in Category 1 of WHO's ‘Known and Probable Carcinogen list.’ If possible look for alternatives for protection against pregnancy, if that’s your main reason for taking it. But try avoiding birth control pills if you smoke or if you’re over 35 years as the combination they create is definitely deadly.

4. Radiation Exposure

If you work in a high radiation zone, implement international standards of radiation exposure because it contributes as a vital risk factor. Don't stay overtime, take breaks, go on vacations and use personal protective equipments for your safety.

5. Gender

Being a woman is a significant risk factor for developing breast cancer. It’s the matter of X and Y genes that make us more prone in developing it. But it doesn’t mean that men can’t get breast cancer, they get it too!

6. Age

As you age, you are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer. It is important to make the right lifestyle choices for yourself to avoid more risk. According to research, 1 in 229 women acquire breast cancer, from age 30 to 39. This escalates to 1 in 29, as you cross into your 60s.

7. Family History

Your family history is also an uncontrollable risk factor for developing breast cancer. If you have a first-degree relative (mother, daughter, sister) with a history of breast cancer, or multiple relatives with ovarian cancer cases, you are most likely to develop breast cancer.

8. Exposure to Estrogen

Estrogen is a female hormone that stimulates breast cell growth. If it exceeds its required amount you are going to develop breast cancer. There are certain events that increase the amount of estrogen in your body:

- Early menstruation
- Menopause at a late age
- Environmental exposure to estrogen. You get it from meat, and pesticides such as DDT, which produce estrogen-like substance when broken down by the body.

Note that there are other risk factors but here we mentioned the most common of all of them. For more information, you could sign up at Abudo’s online platform for health and wellness.

https://www.quora.com/
swamidada
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Post by swamidada »

What dreams are made of: Scientists discover true purpose of why we, and other animals, need to sleep
21 Sep, 2020 12:34

A team of scientists has discovered a dramatic change in the purpose of sleep, which takes place when humans reach roughly two-and-a-half years of age, switching from rapid growth to a permanent damage-control function.
Before this milestone, the brain grows very rapidly, making use of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep to build and strengthen synapses, the connections between neurons in our brains, as babies learn at an extraordinary rate.

Once the two-and-a-half-year threshold is passed, however, the researchers now say that sleep's primary function permanently switches to one of maintenance and repair.

All animals experience ongoing background brain damage as a simple consequence of being alive. This low-level degradation results in debris, in the form of damaged genes and proteins, which can accumulate over time and cause brain disease in later life.

Sleep is the necessary mechanism used to help clear this debris out and nearly all of this maintenance occurs during sleep, according to senior author Van Savage and the team of boffins from the University of California, Los Angeles.

“I was shocked how huge a change this is over a short period of time, and that this switch occurs when we’re so young,” Savage said. “It’s a transition that is analogous to when water freezes to ice.”

Savage and a cross-disciplinary team of neuroscientists, biologists, statisticians and physicists took data from over 60 sleep studies involving both humans and other mammals and examined the impact of factors such as total sleep time, total REM sleep time, the brain’s metabolic rate, and brain size relative to body size.

Their findings were published in the journal Science Advances.

The team collected all the data from each of the 60 studies and used it to build and test a mathematical model to examine the function of sleep over time and the changes that take place therein.

Across all species tested, including rabbits, rats and pigs, the results were uniform: a dramatic decline in REM sleep when they reached the developmental age equivalent of two-and-a-half human years.

The researchers noted an inverse relationship between brain growth and the amount of REM sleep; as we age and our brains develop, we get less and less REM sleep.

For example, in newborns, roughly 50 percent of their sleep is REM sleep, which facilitates extraordinarily fast brain growth. However, in 10 year-olds, REM sleep drops to roughly 25 percent of total sleep, whereas in adults over 50, this drops to just 15 percent of sleeping time.

“I fought sleep and pulled all-nighters when I was in college, and now think that was a mistake,” Savage said. “I would have been better off with a good night’s sleep. Now when I feel tired, I don’t have any guilt about sleeping.”

The researchers advocate sleeping when needed, to stave off potential problems with brain disorders in later life such as dementia and other cognitive disorders, diabetes, and obesity, among others.

However, some have expressed a degree of skepticism about the fresh research. Jerome Siegel, who studies REM sleep in mammals and was not involved in the research, argues that the UCLA-led team failed to consider factors such as day length, diet and climate, all of which can impact the sleep patterns of humans and other mammals, disputing the accuracy of the study’s findings, citing a dearth of more complete data.

https://www.rt.com/news/501268-sleep-pu ... led-study/
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Google translation of the original article in Portugues:

https://the.ismaili/portugal/os-princip ... sa%C3%BAde

The main health benefits of walking

Walking is an aerobic physical activity that can be performed by anyone, regardless of age and physical condition, and has several health benefits, such as improving the cardiovascular system, reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety, muscle strengthening and decreased swelling.

In order to have health benefits, it is important that the walk is done on a regular basis and is accompanied by good eating habits because, thus, it is possible to stay healthy.

The main benefits of walking are:

Decreases swelling

Walking helps to reduce swelling in the legs and ankle, as it favors blood circulation and decreases fluid retention. However, in order for the swelling to be combated, it is important that the person drinks plenty of fluids during the day, has a healthy diet and practices walking regularly for at least 30 minutes.

During pregnancy, walking is also indicated to reduce swelling of the feet at the end of the day. In addition, walking during pregnancy helps to relax, prevents weight gain and decreases the risk of pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. However, the practice of walking should be guided by the obstetrician.

Prevents disease

Regular walks help to prevent some diseases, mainly cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. This is because the various muscles work during physical activity, contributing to greater energy expenditure, in addition to promoting improved blood circulation.

Walking also promotes the integrity of veins and arteries, decreasing the likelihood of fat on the walls of blood vessels, thus preventing atherosclerosis, in addition to improving cardiorespiratory capacity.

In addition, walking is effective in preventing osteoporosis because it promotes increased bone density, preventing wear and tear over time.

For disease prevention to be effective through walking, it is important to have healthy eating habits, avoiding sweets, sugars and excess fat.

Strengthens muscles

Muscle strengthening happens because with regular exercise, the muscles start to take in more oxygen, increasing its efficiency. In addition, as walking is an aerobic exercise, there is the involvement of a group of muscles that need to act together, which results in strengthening.

Improves body posture

As walking is a physical activity that involves several muscles and joints, regular practice can help to reduce pain and improve body posture.

Promotes relaxation

The relaxation promoted by walking is due to the release of hormones responsible for the feeling of well-being, especially endorphins and serotonins, during physical activity. These hormones act directly on nerve cells, being able to combat psychological changes such as anxiety and stress, in addition to being able to promote relaxation of the neck and shoulders muscles, since this tension can be associated with stress, for example.

Improves memory

It is believed that regular exercise also improves memory, because physical activity stimulates greater blood circulation in the brain, favoring the production of catecholamines during exercise. In order to have this benefit, walking must be practiced daily, at a moderate pace and for about 30 minutes.

How to lose weight with walking

The walk can be done at any age and anywhere, such as at the gym, on the beach or on the street. For walking to be healthy and burn calories it is important to walk fast, maintaining speed, so that breathing speeds up and it is not possible to talk easily. In addition, it is recommended to contract the belly muscles simultaneously in order to maintain the correct posture and swing your arms vigorously, as this gesture helps to improve blood circulation.

If done daily, the walk will contribute to weight loss and belly loss, and you can burn up to about 400 calories per hour and approximately 2.5 cm of belly per month. In addition, when done in a quiet place with a good landscape it can be a great treatment to control stress.

Fasting walking is not beneficial for health, as it can cause dizziness, nausea and fainting, as the person may not have enough blood sugar to walk. Thus, the ideal is to eat a light meal before exercise, with carbohydrates and fruit, such as cereal bread and fruit juice, for example, avoiding too large meals so as not to feel uncomfortable.

Important precautions during the walk

It is important to take some precautions during the walk so that there are no injuries or situations that can compromise the person's well-being, being recommended:

Wear comfortable shoes and light clothes;
Drink 250 ml of water for each hour of walking;
Use sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat or cap to protect yourself from the sun;
Avoid warmer times, such as between 11 am and 4 pm and very busy streets;

Do stretching exercises before and after walking, such as stretching your legs and arms, to activate circulation and prevent cramps.
This walking care helps to prevent health problems, such as injuries, dehydration, heat stroke or sunburn.
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

A Guide to Powers of Attorney

This is a short basic guide to Powers of Attorney; together with a case study in the Appendix.

What is a Power of Attorney?

A Power of Attorney is a legally-binding document that allows someone to make decisions for you, or act on your behalf, if you are no longer able to, or if you no longer want to make your own decisions.

It is always worthwhile considering these matters while one is in good health, and taking the opportunity to discuss your preferences with your loved ones. If you decide to put in place a Power of Attorney, please do inform your loved ones, and satisfy yourself that the ‘Attorney’ you have appointed is trusted, and of good character.

Why should I have a Power of Attorney?

It is useful to consider putting in place a power of attorney (e.g. for health matters or for your financial affairs) in order to safeguard your interests in the event that you are unable to look after your own affairs and are unable to make decisions for yourself.

There are a number of reasons why you might need someone to make decisions for you or act on your behalf:
This could just be a temporary situation: for example, if you are in hospital and need help with everyday tasks such as paying bills.
You may need to make longer-term plans if, for example, you have been diagnosed with dementia or other debilitating illness which means that you may lose the mental capacity to make your own decisions in the future.

What is mental capacity?

Mental capacity means the ability to make or communicate specific decisions at the time they need to be made.
To have mental capacity, you must understand the decision you need to make, why you need to make it at that point in time, and the likely outcome of your decision.
Some people will be able to make decisions about some things but not others.

For example, they may be able to decide what to buy for dinner, but be unable to understand and arrange their home insurance. Alternatively, their ability to make decisions may change from day to day.

Needing more time to understand or communicate does not mean you lack mental capacity. For example, having dementia doesn't necessarily mean that someone is unable to make any decisions for themselves. Where someone is having difficulty communicating a decision, an attempt should always be made to overcome those difficulties and help the person decide for themselves.

What happens if I do not have a Power of Attorney when I have lost mental capacity?

If you lose mental capacity and do not have a Power of Attorney then the Court of Protection will need to be involved so that your affairs can be handled on your behalf.

Different types of Powers of Attorney and more...

https://the.ismaili/uk/guide-powers-attorney
kmaherali
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Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Pasta

Hi Karim,

Pasta can be delicious and fun. But can it also be part of a healthy diet? (And did Marco Polo really introduce pasta to Italy following his travels in China?)

Here’s what you need to know about pasta and how to make it healthy as well as delicious.

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/plant-b ... ant-1-of-2

SUMMARY

When you think of pasta dishes, what comes to mind? A heaping plate of spaghetti and meatballs? A gooey steaming lasagna in a casserole dish? Stir-fried lo mein from a Chinese restaurant? Pasta can be delicious and fun, but can it also be part of a healthy diet? In this article, you’ll discover a wide variety of pastas from around the world, and get introduced to seven plant-based pasta and noodle recipes that are sure to delight your taste buds while supporting your health.

Yours for nourishing noodles,

Ocean Robbins
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

I Traced My Covid-19 Bubble and It’s Enormous

And if you have kids, yours probably is, too.


Experts and officials are unequivocal: Stay home for the holidays. Getting together with family for Thanksgiving without quarantining beforehand is like “bringing a loaded pistol for Grandma’s head,” Jared Polis, the governor of Colorado, warned earlier this month.

Mark Horne, the president of the Mississippi State Medical Association, sketched out Grandma’s demise in even more horrifying detail. “You’re going to say ‘Hi’ at Thanksgiving, ‘It’s so nice to see you,’” he said in a recent briefing, and then “you’re either going to be visiting her by FaceTime in the I.C.U. or planning a small funeral by Christmas.”

So there should be no question about my plans. Rather than traveling 300 miles to celebrate Thanksgiving with my sister and my parents — among them my diabetic father, age 71 — my wife, my two kids and I should stay home and binge-watch bad TV.

And yet, for weeks, I’ve been on the fence. After all that has happened this year, the idea of skipping Thanksgiving has brought me low. I am blessed not to have lost anyone close to me to the coronavirus. For my family, the pandemic’s most crushing hardship has been its enforced isolation, especially the cruel way it has cleaved us apart at generational seams, separating my kids from their grandparents.

There are psychological and physical dangers to isolation, but I’ve been mourning the most basic loss: We are all missing out on a lot of time with one another. As we squander our days apart, alone, glued to screens, kids keep growing up, grandparents keep growing older, babies are born, people die. I worry about life passing us by just as we’re trying to save it. If 2020 has taught me anything, it is to resist taking the future for granted and to impose an actuarial frankness on all of our planning. Sure, we could skip Thanksgiving this year — but how many future Thanksgivings will we all have together, anyway?

To find some empirical foothold in a debate mired in uncertainty, I decided to investigate my own potential lethality to the older people in my life. Among other things, I contact-traced myself — an exercise that ended up being nearly as vulgar as it sounds. I went to all of my regular close contacts, then I went to all of their contacts, and so on, asking everyone about their potential exposure to the virus.

What I found floored me.

diagrammatic illustration of the bubble and more...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/opin ... 778d3e6de3
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Here’s Why Vaccinated People Still Need to Wear a Mask

The new vaccines will probably prevent you from getting sick with Covid. No one knows yet whether they will keep you from spreading the virus to others — but that information is coming.


The new Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna seem to be remarkably good at preventing serious illness. But it’s unclear how well they will curb the spread of the coronavirus.

That’s because the Pfizer and Moderna trials tracked only how many vaccinated people became sick with Covid-19. That leaves open the possibility that some vaccinated people get infected without developing symptoms, and could then silently transmit the virus — especially if they come in close contact with others or stop wearing masks.

If vaccinated people are silent spreaders of the virus, they may keep it circulating in their communities, putting unvaccinated people at risk.

“A lot of people are thinking that once they get vaccinated, they’re not going to have to wear masks anymore,” said Michal Tal, an immunologist at Stanford University. “It’s really going to be critical for them to know if they have to keep wearing masks, because they could still be contagious.”

In most respiratory infections, including the new coronavirus, the nose is the main port of entry. The virus rapidly multiplies there, jolting the immune system to produce a type of antibodies that are specific to mucosa, the moist tissue lining the nose, mouth, lungs and stomach. If the same person is exposed to the virus a second time, those antibodies, as well as immune cells that remember the virus, rapidly shut down the virus in the nose before it gets a chance to take hold elsewhere in the body.

The coronavirus vaccines, in contrast, are injected deep into the muscles and quickly absorbed into the blood, where they stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies. This appears to be enough protection to keep the vaccinated person from getting ill.

Some of those antibodies will circulate to the nasal mucosa and stand guard there, but it’s not clear how much of the antibody pool can be mobilized, or how quickly. If the answer is not much, then viruses could bloom in the nose — and be sneezed or breathed out to infect others.

“It’s a race: It depends whether the virus can replicate faster, or the immune system can control it faster,” said Marion Pepper, an immunologist at the University of Washington in Seattle. “It’s a really important question.”

This is why mucosal vaccines, like the nasal spray FluMist or the oral polio vaccine, are better than intramuscular injections at fending off respiratory viruses, experts said.

More...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/08/heal ... 778d3e6de3
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Vitamin D

Hi Karim,

Vitamin D is good for your bones, immune system, muscles, heart, and cells. It might also help to prevent viral infections.

But how much do you need? Can you get too much? And should you be taking a vitamin D supplement?

Here’s what you need to know about the “sunshine” vitamin.

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/health- ... ant-1-of-2

Yours for living on the bright side,

Ocean Robbins
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Post by kmaherali »

What the Vaccine Side Effects Feel Like, According to Those Who’ve Gotten It

Here is what some of the first Americans to be vaccinated against Covid-19 are saying about how they felt afterward, with some side effects but no second thoughts.


Two and a half hours after being injected with a Covid-19 vaccine, Dr. Taneisha Wilson was hit with the worst headache of her life.

In her home office in Cranston, R.I., Dr. Wilson, 36, an emergency physician with a constitution she calls “horse-like,” laid her head down on the desk. Fighting a wave of nausea, she let out an involuntary groan loud enough to be heard by her husband in a room down the hall.

“Are you OK, babe?” he called.

“It felt like I got smacked,” Dr. Wilson recalled in an interview.

That is not how most people who get the vaccine feel afterward, but reactions like Dr. Wilson’s were not uncommon in the clinical trial results of the two coronavirus vaccines now being distributed across the country. Pfizer, the company that makes the one she received, reported that some 13 percent of recipients aged 18 to 55 had a bad headache after the first dose. About 16 percent of those who received the other vaccine, made by Moderna, in a late-stage trial had a reaction strong enough to prevent them from going about their daily routine.

As tens of millions of Americans await their turn for a shot, many are hungering for details about what to expect. So, at the request of friends, colleagues and reporters, some people like Dr. Wilson who were in the vanguard of the biggest vaccination program in U.S. history are beginning to offer their personal accounts.

The New York Times interviewed several dozen of the newly vaccinated in the days afterward. They recounted a wide spectrum of responses, from no reaction at all — “Can’t even tell I had the shot,” said a hospital worker in Iowa City — to symptoms like uncontrolled shivering and “brain fog.” A nurse assistant in Glendora, Calif., wondered whether the fever he ran was a side effect of the vaccine or a sign that he had been infected by one of his Covid-19 patients.

And there was a dizzying variety of sore arms. Some likened the pain to that from a flu shot; for others, it was considerably worse.

Like nearly every vaccine recipient who spoke to The Times for this article, Dr. Wilson stressed that she had no regrets about getting the shot, despite the headache, which was gone within 36 hours. The Food and Drug Administration has found the vaccines to be safe and remarkably effective. And public health leaders say mass vaccination is the only hope for controlling the virus that is now claiming the lives of close to 3,000 Americans a day.

But in these first weeks of vaccination, there is an inescapable element of suspense.

Along with a card reminding them when to get the necessary second dose, vaccine recipients are handed information on how to report side effects to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through an app called V-Safe.

More...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/us/v ... 778d3e6de3
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Post by kmaherali »

Vaccines Take a While to Kick In. Experts Say That Means the Body Is Doing Its Job.

Reports of Covid-19 cases that appeared shortly after a single shot of a two-dose vaccine shouldn’t cause concern.


A flurry of headlines this week flooded social media, documenting a seemingly concerning case of Covid-19 in a San Diego nurse who fell ill about a week after receiving his first injection of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine.

But experts said the sickness is nothing unexpected: The protective effects of vaccines are known to take at least a couple of weeks to kick in. And getting sick before completing a two-dose vaccine regimen, they said, should not undermine the potency of Pfizer’s product, which blazed through late-stage clinical trials with flying colors.

Reporting that a half-vaccinated person has Covid-19 is “really the equivalent of saying someone went outside in the middle of a rainstorm without an umbrella and got wet,” said Dr. Taison Bell, a critical care physician at the University of Virginia. Dr. Bell received his first dose of Pfizer’s vaccine on Dec. 15, and will be getting his second shot soon.

The California nurse, identified as Matthew W., 45, in an ABC10 News report, received his first dose of Pfizer’s vaccine on Dec. 18. Six days later, according to news reports, he began to feel minor symptoms, including chills, muscle aches and fatigue. He tested positive for the virus the day after Christmas.

Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician at Brown University, said this should not prompt concern. “So what????” she tweeted on Wednesday in response to a Reuters article on the nurse’s illness. “It’s a 2-shot vaccination.” Dr. Ranney received her first dose of Pfizer’s vaccine on Dec. 18.

Framing the nurse’s illness as news, Dr. Ranney said in an interview, implies that it was a departure from the expected — and that there should have been protection about a week after the first vaccine dose. That’s not the case at all.

Vaccines take at least a few days to exert their protective effects. Pfizer’s recipe is designed around a molecule called messenger RNA, or mRNA, which, once injected, enters human cells and instructs them to manufacture a coronavirus protein called spike. None of these components are infectious or capable of causing Covid-19. But they act as coronavirus mimics, teaching the body to recognize the true virus and vanquish it, should it ever come around.

The production of spike is thought to occur within hours of the first shot. But the body needs at least several days to memorize the material before it can unspool its full arsenal of defensive forces against the virus. Immune cells take this time to study up on the protein, then mature, multiply and sharpen their spike-spotting reflexes.

Data from Pfizer’s clinical trials suggests the vaccine might start safeguarding its recipients from disease around one or two weeks after the first injection. A second jab of mRNA, delivered three weeks after the first, helps immune cells commit the virus’s most prominent features to memory, clinching the protective process.

The timeline of the California nurse’s illness falls well within the window of post-vaccination vulnerability, Dr. Ranney said. It’s also very likely he caught the virus right around the time he got the shot, perhaps even before. People can start experiencing the symptoms of Covid-19 between two and 14 days after encountering the coronavirus, if they ever have symptoms at all.

A similar situation appears to have recently unfolded with Mike Harmon, the Kentucky state auditor, who this week tested positive for the virus the day after receiving his first dose of an unspecified coronavirus vaccine.

“It appears that I may have been unknowingly exposed to the virus and infected either shortly before or after receiving the first dose of the vaccine on Monday,” Mr. Harmon said in a statement. Mr. Harmon reaffirmed his “full faith in the vaccine itself, and the need for as many people to receive it as quickly as possible.”

Jerica Pitts, a spokeswoman for Pfizer, noted that the vaccine’s protective effects are “substantially boosted after the second dose, supporting the need for a two-dose vaccination series.”

“Individuals may have contracted disease prior to or right after vaccination,” she said.

Pfizer’s vaccine, when administered in its full two-dose regimen, was found to be 95 percent effective at preventing symptomatic cases of Covid-19 — a figure that was hailed as very welcome news amid soaring coronavirus caseloads. Still, that leaves a small percentage of people who won’t be protected after vaccination, Dr. Ranney said. “There’s no vaccine that’s 100 percent effective.”

It’s also unclear how well Pfizer’s vaccine can guard against asymptomatic infections, or if it will substantially curb the coronavirus’s ability to spread from person to person. That means measures like masking and distancing remain essential even after full vaccination.

Data collected by Pfizer during its late-stage clinical trials hinted that the vaccine could confer at least some protection after a single dose. But the study wasn’t intended to specifically test how potent a one-shot regimen would be.

Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease physician at the Medical University of South Carolina, said a couple of her colleagues tested positive shortly after their first shots. “None of this surprises me, given how rampant cases are right now,” she said. Given the expected delay in the vaccine’s effects, “this should not be thought about as vaccine failure.” Dr. Kuppalli, who received her first dose of Pfizer’s vaccine on Dec. 15, added that getting Covid-19 between vaccine doses should not dissuade someone from getting a second shot, with consultation from a health care provider.

In the past few weeks, more than 2.7 million people in the United States have received their first dose of Pfizer’s vaccine, or a similar shot made by Moderna. Both vaccines require a second injection — and as they are rolled out to more and more people, it’s important to maintain clear communication about how vaccines work, and when, Dr. Bell said.

“For the time being, we should stick with doses the way the trials were done,” he said. “That’s what will get you the maximum efficacy.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/heal ... 778d3e6de3
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Post by swamidada »

I spoke to 99 big thinkers about what our ‘world after coronavirus’ might look like — this is what I learned
In the months that followed, I learned many things. Most importantly, I learned there is no “going back to normal.”
Adil Najam Published 2 days ago
Back in March, my colleagues at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future at Boston University thought that it might be useful to begin thinking about “the day after coronavirus.” For a research center dedicated to longer-term thinking, it made sense to ask what our post-Covid-19 world might look like.

In the months that followed, I learned many things. Most importantly, I learned there is no “going back to normal.”

My season of learning
The project took on a life of its own. Over 190 days, we released 103 videos. Each was around five minutes long, with one simple question: How might Covid-19 impact our future? Watch the full video series here.

I interviewed leading thinkers on 101 distinct topics — from money to debt, supply chains to trade, work to robots, journalism to politics, water to food, climate change to human rights, e-commerce to cybersecurity, despair to mental health, gender to racism, fine arts to literature, and even hope and happiness.

My interviewees included the president of the US National Academy of Sciences, a former CIA director, a former Nato supreme allied commander, a former prime minister of Italy and Britain’s astronomer royal.

I “Zoomed” — the word had become a verb almost overnight — with Kishore Mahbubani in Singapore, Yolanda Kakabadse in Quito, Judith Butler in Berkeley, California, Alice Ruhweza in Nairobi and Jeremy Corbyn in London. For our very last episode, former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon joined from Seoul.

For me, it was truly a season of learning. Among other things, it helped me understand why Covid-19 is not a storm that we can just wait out. Our pre-pandemic world was anything but normal, and our post-pandemic world will not be like going back to normal at all. Here are four reasons why.

Disruption will accelerate
Just as people with preexisting medical conditions are most susceptible to the virus, the global impact of the crisis will accelerate preexisting transitions. As Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer highlights, a year of a global pandemic can pack in a decade or more of disruption as usual.

For example, Phil Baty from “Times Higher Education” warns that universities will change “profoundly [and] forever,” but mostly because the higher education sector was already screaming for change.

Pulitzer Prize-winning editor Ann Marie Lipinski arrives at the same prognosis for journalism, and Princeton economist Atif Mian worries similarly for structural global debt.

At Harvard, trade policy expert Dani Rodrik thinks the pandemic is hastening the “retreat from hyperglobalisation” that was already in train before Covid-19. And Pardee School economist Perry Mehrling is convinced that “society will be transformed permanently … and returning to status quo ante is, I think, not possible.”

Politics will become more turbulent
While the clouds over the global economy are ominous — with even the usually optimistic Nobel Prize-winning economist Sir Angus Deaton worrying we might be entering a dark phase that takes “20 to 30 years before we see progress” — it is political commentators who seem most perplexed.

Stanford University’s political theorist Francis Fukuyama confesses he has “never seen a period in which the degree of uncertainty as to what the world will look like politically is greater than it is today.”

Covid-19 has underscored fundamental questions about government competence, the rise of populist nationalism, sidelining of expertise, decline of multilateralism and even the idea of liberal democracy itself. None of our experts — not one — expects politics anywhere to become less turbulent than it was pre-pandemic.

Geopolitically, this manifests itself in what the founding dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School, Graham Allison, calls an “underlying, fundamental, structural, Thucydidean rivalry” in which a rapidly rising new power, China, threatens to displace the established power, the United States. Covid-19 accelerated and intensified this great power rivalry with ramifications across Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

Pandemic habits will persist
Not all turbulence, however, is unwelcome.

Across sectors, expert after expert told me that habits developed during the pandemic won’t go away — and not just the habits of Zoom and working from home.

Robin Murphy, engineering professor at Texas A&M University, is convinced that “we are going to have robots everywhere” as a result of Covid-19. That’s because they became so pervasive during the pandemic for deliveries, Covid-19 tests, automated services and even home use.

We hear from both Karen Antman, dean of Boston University’s School of Medicine, and Adil Haider, dean of medicine at Aga Khan University in Pakistan, that telemedicine is here to stay.

Vala Afshar, chief digital evangelist at Salesforce software company, goes even further. He argues that in the post-Covid-19 world “every business will be[come] a digital business” and will have to take a great deal of its commerce, interactions and workforce online.

Crisis will create opportunities
Science journalist Laurie Garrett, who has warned about global epidemics for decades, imagines an opportunity to address the injustices of our economic and societal systems. Because “there will not be a single activity that goes on as it once did,” she says, there is also the possibility of fundamental restructuring in the upheaval.

Environmentalist Bill McKibben says the pandemic could become a wake-up call that makes people realise that “crisis and disaster are real possibilities” but can be averted.

They are not alone in this thinking. Economist Thomas Piketty recognises the dangers of rising nationalism and inequality, but hopes we learn “to invest more in the welfare state.” He says “Covid will reinforce the legitimacy for public investments in [health systems] and infrastructure.”

Former Environmental Minister of Ecuador Yolanda Kakabadse similarly believes that the world will recognise that “ecosystem health equals human health,” and focus new attention on the environment. And military historian Andrew Bacevich would like to see a conversation about “the definition of national security in the 21st century.”

Achim Steiner, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, is awestruck at the extraordinary amount of money that was mobilised to respond to this global crisis. He wonders if the world might become less stingy about the much smaller amounts needed to combat climate change before it is irreversible and catastrophic.

Ultimately, I think Noam Chomsky, one of the most important public intellectuals of our times, summed it up best. “We need to ask ourselves what world will come out of this,” he said. “What is the world we want to live in?”

John Prandato, communications specialist at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, was series editor for the video project and contributed to this essay.

This article was first published in The Conversation and has been reproduced with permission.

Dr. Adil Najam is a professor of Earth and Environment and the Dean of the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. He is a former Vice Chancellor of LUMS.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1601485/i-spo ... -i-learned
swamidada
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Post by swamidada »

Muslims and Hindus rejecting vaccine due to fake news that jab contains meat or alcohol, doctors warn
Gareth Davies
The Telegraph Fri, January 15, 2021, 3:29 AM

Fake news about the Covid vaccine containing meat and alcohol is causing some Muslims and Hindus to reject the jab and put their lives at risk, doctors have warned.

Doctors have reported some South Asian patients have refused the vaccine when offered due to it conflicting with their religious beliefs.

Dr Harpreet Sood, who is leading an NHS anti-disinformation drive, told the BBC: "We need to be clear and make people realise there is no meat in the vaccine, there is no pork in the vaccine, it has been accepted and endorsed by all the religious leaders and councils and faith communities."

"We're trying to find role models and influencers and also thinking about ordinary citizens who need to be quick with this information so that they can all support one another because ultimately everyone is a role model to everyone", he added.

"There's a big piece of work happening where we're translating information, we're making sure the look and feel of it reaches the populations that matter."

Some of the fake news appears to be targeting Muslims and Hindus, with messages spreading on WhatsApp falsely claiming the vaccine contains animal produce or alcohol.

Muslims do not drink and do not eat pork, and Hindus consider cows to be sacred.

Reena Pujara - a beauty therapist in Hampshire and a practicing Hindu - told the BBC she had been bombarded with false information.

"Some of the videos are quite disturbing especially when you actually see the person reporting is a medic and telling you that the vaccine is going to alter your DNA," she said.

"For a layman it is very confusing. And also when you read that the ingredients in the vaccine derive from a cow - and as Hindus the cow is sacred to us - it is disturbing."

A Royal Society of Public Health poll suggested just over half of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people would happily get the coronavirus vaccine.

It found 57% said they would take the vaccine - compared with 79% of white people.

Around 100 mosques are using Friday prayers to raise coronavirus awareness and dispel myths around vaccinations.

The campaign, run by the Mosque and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), will also include Imams and community leaders filming themselves being vaccinated to reassure communities the jabs are permissible and vital to defeat the virus.

Leeds-based Imam Qari Asim, who is chair of MINAB, said: "MINAB strongly recommends people to take the vaccines.

"The Covid vaccines administered in the UK are halal, permissible from Islamic perspective, and there should be no hesitation in taking them from a moral perspective.

"MINAB is advocating this position through its proactive endeavour for the BAME communities to be vaccinated, as BAME communities are at very high risk of being infected by this lethal virus."

Imam Asim has written a special sermon which tackles some of the "fake news" about the vaccine which is circulating on social media.

"My message to Muslim communities is to make an informed choice and take up the offer when their turn for being vaccinated comes," he said.

"Don't miss the opportunity by believing in 'fake news' about the vaccines.

"It is our ethical duty to protect ourselves and others from potential harm.

"By taking the vaccine, we are protecting ourselves and others from being infected by this deadly virus that is sweeping through our country and potentially saving lives."

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/mu ... 20315.html
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Leaky brain

Hi Karim,

You might have heard about leaky gut syndrome. But did you know that many people also suffer from leaky brains?

This is when your blood-brain barrier has been breached, and harmful intruders (like viruses, bacteria, or aberrant proteins) are able to flow freely into your brain.

It can lead to depression, anxiety, brain fog, and autoimmune problems. And it’s directly linked to diet and lifestyle choices.

To shed light on the link between your gut, your brain, and your everyday choices, my friends, health researchers Sarah Otto and Matt Potts, have created a powerful and thoroughly documented new ebook. And right now you can get it for free.

>> Click here to get “What Leaky Gut Does to Your Brain” for no charge.
https://start.gutbrainseries.com/free-r ... b=1cd0d7ef

You’ll discover:

How a leaky gut evolves to become a leaky brain
What the studies tell us about the actual causes of a leaky gut (some of these will almost certainly surprise you!)
12 powerful and science-backed steps you can take starting today to repair your gut lining and your blood-brain barrier
>> Download “What Leaky Gut Does to Your Brain” here.
https://start.gutbrainseries.com/free-r ... b=1cd0d7ef

Yours for healing foods and a healthy mind,

Ocean Robbins

P.S. Along with this ebook, Sarah and Matt will give you complimentary access to their brilliant new masterclass series called ‘The Gut-Brain Solution.’ Each episode highlights proven and practical remedies to unleash the power of the gut to heal your mind. Get your free report and reserve your seat for the masterclass series here.
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

What are the benefits of eating peanuts every day?

1. Help the human body anti-aging

Peanuts have the reputation of longevity fruit because they can delay aging. The main reason is that peanuts contain a lot of nutrients such as catechins, resveratrol and iron, which can delay the aging of human cells and organs. Therefore, regular consumption of peanuts can be effective Prolong life.

2. Help the body to replenish calcium

Peanuts are rich in calcium, so they are a good calcium supplement. Teenagers in the growth and development period can promote bone growth and development by eating peanuts, while middle-aged and elderly people who lack calcium can eat peanuts to prevent osteoporosis.

3. Help the body protect the stomach

Peanuts contain a lot of protein and phospholipids. The protein has the effect of neutralizing gastric acid. Phospholipids can promote the secretion of large amounts of gastrin in the intestinal mucosa of the human body, indirectly inhibit the secretion of gastric acid, and can protect the gastric mucosa. In addition, the high content of peanut fatty oil and fibrous tissue can effectively lubricate the intestines and promote the excretion of feces and waste, helping to prevent constipation and reduce the incidence of bowel cancer.

4. Help the development of the brain

The zinc content of peanuts is much higher than other foods, and it has a unique effect in helping the development of the brain. Children who use their brains regularly or are in the growth and development period can eat peanuts, which can effectively improve intelligence and enhance memory.

5. Help the human body to stop bleeding and cool blood

Peanuts can increase the level of platelets in human blood and have hemostatic and coagulation effects. Usually, the coagulation effect of peanut shells is about fifty times stronger than that of peanut kernels. This is because peanut shells can resist the dissolution of fibrin and can correct the problem of abnormal coagulation factors. In addition, it also has a cooling effect. It is recommended to eat peanuts with the skin.

6. Help prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

The linoleic acid in peanuts has the effect of breaking down cholesterol, can promote the excretion of cholesterol from the body, help the human body to reduce cholesterol content, prevent arteriosclerosis and reduce the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

7. Help pass the breast

Peanuts have the effect of promoting lactation. This is because the protein and fatty oil in peanuts play a role, so Baoma can use peanuts as food for lactation and lactation.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-bene ... -every-day
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Post by kmaherali »

Intellectual activity throughout life

Psychotherapist and author of books with exercises to exercise cognitive functions, neuropsychologist Vasco Catarino Soares says that it is necessary to combat passivity and mental routine in order to keep your head in shape, especially during confinement.

Portuguese

Known for implementing programs to recover memory, attention and concentration, in patients who have had a stroke or head trauma, the specialist in human behaviour and neuropsychology ensures that "the more we challenge our cognitive abilities, the more they evolve". The opposite also applies: “If we divest from them, they do not disappear, but they decrease, although they can return with training.” This is due to neurogenesis, that is, the ability to produce new neurons, ready to be recruited to perform mental functions. For this to happen in the best way, it is necessary to prevent the brain from falling into routine and entering a passive mode.

The secret to strengthening capacities as diverse as mental flexibility, the ability to focus and make decisions, lies in fitness programs for our command centre, where are the executive functions that allow us to think and adapt to the challenges imposed by the circumstances of the our daily lives.
Neuronal plasticity: the ability to create new connections.

"These exercises began to be studied by neuroscientists after the Second World War", he says. The goal was to recover functions lost due to injuries and trauma, to be able to create new connections and to allow certain parts of the brain to perform functions that were previously performed by specialized neurons”. From there, came the idea to adopt the concept to people of all ages as a way of maintaining and to optimize cognitive abilities.

The author of the publications “150 Exercises for an Active Brain and “Exercise your Brain”, explains that it is important to do them without comparing individual performance with that of others. Why? The idea is to practice and progress, instead of trying to do the most. This training allows you to fine-tune your cognitive skills, as it happens when we leave our comfort zone, to do new things and to “pull by the brain”. This is a safe way to prevent diseases or delay their eventual appearance. "People who stimulate the brain and maintain intellectual activity throughout life, are less likely to have Alzheimer's and, when they do, the disease appears later in time”, says the neuropsychologist.

Besides investing in mental activity, there are factors that contribute to keeping the brain in shape and food is one of them: although the gains obtained are small, if they are continued and combined with good sleep hygiene, they will make a significant difference in the way we think and behave, and also have a protective effect against infections by bacteria and fungi that hinder brain performance.

https://the.ismaili/portugal/intellectu ... ghout-life
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Post by kmaherali »

Don’t Assume Your Coronavirus Test Is a False Positive

It’s rare for the tests to return incorrect positive results. And behaving as if you aren’t contagious can put others at significant risk.


A friend recently announced on social media that her husband had tested positive for the coronavirus. He had no symptoms, and the rest of his family tested negative. Almost immediately, people began questioning his test results in the comments. “I think it’s a false positive!” someone wrote. Two others suggested the same; one said she was sure she’d recently had a false positive coronavirus test result, too, because she hadn’t had symptoms and everyone else in her household tested negative. A scientist I know told me about an acquaintance who tested positive for the virus in January, decided his test was a false positive and did not isolate from family members who were visiting to meet his new baby.

Just to be clear: “It is very ill advised to ignore a positive result just because you don’t have symptoms,” Daniel Diekema, the director of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, told me. “It puts others at risk.” An estimated one in five people who develop Covid-19 never have symptoms, and they can still infect others.

More important, all the data we have so far show that when tests for the coronavirus come back positive, they are rarely wrong. A large majority of cases in the United States are found with a test that uses a technology called polymerase chain reaction, or P.C.R. These tests should come back positive only if they detect genetic material that is specific to the coronavirus — which makes them far more accurate than many other kinds of diagnostic and screening tests, such as one for prostate cancer that assesses blood levels of a protein that can increase for many reasons other than malignancy.

In most cases, “the rate of false positives is extremely low ­— much lower than 1 percent,” said Ilan Schwartz, an infectious disease clinician and researcher at the University of Alberta. Many of the commonly used P.C.R. tests in the United States had no false positives when tested in labs.

More...

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/opin ... 778d3e6de3
kmaherali
Posts: 25106
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Healing from trauma

Hi Karim,

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kmaherali
Posts: 25106
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

11 Foods to Avoid With Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that has reached epidemic proportions among adults and children worldwide .

Uncontrolled diabetes has many serious consequences, including heart disease, kidney disease, blindness and other complications.

Prediabetes has also been linked to these conditions

Importantly, eating the wrong foods can raise your blood sugar and insulin levels and promote inflammation, which may increase your risk of disease.

This article lists 11 foods that people with diabetes or prediabetes should avoid.

Why Does Carb Intake Matter for People With Diabetes?

Carbs, protein and fat are the macronutrients that provide your body with energy.

Of these three, carbs have the greatest effect on your blood sugar by far. This is because they are broken down into sugar, or glucose, and absorbed into your bloodstream.

Carbs include starches, sugar and fiber. However, fiber isn't digested and absorbed by your body in the same way other carbs are, so it doesn't raise your blood sugar.

Subtracting fiber from the total carbs in a food will give you its digestible or "net" carb content. For instance, if a cup of mixed vegetables contains 10 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber, its net carb count is 6 grams.

When people with diabetes consume too many carbs at a time, their blood sugar levels can rise to dangerously high levels.

Over time, high levels can damage your body's nerves and blood vessels, which may set the stage for heart disease, kidney disease and other serious health conditions.

Maintaining a low carb intake can help prevent blood sugar spikes and greatly reduce the risk of diabetes complications.

Therefore, it's important to avoid the foods listed below.

1. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Sugary beverages are the worst drink choice for someone with diabetes.

To begin with, they are very high in carbs, with a 12-ounce (354-ml) can of soda providing 38 grams .

The same amount of sweetened iced tea and lemonade each contain 36 grams of carbs, exclusively from sugar .

In addition, they're loaded with fructose, which is strongly linked to insulin resistance and diabetes. Indeed, studies suggest that consuming sugar-sweetened beverages may increase the risk of diabetes-related conditions like fatty liver .

11 Foods to Avoid With Diabetes

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages. Sugary beverages are the worst drink choice for someone with diabetes. ...
Trans Fats. ...
White Bread, Pasta and Rice. ...
Fruit-Flavored Yogurt. ...
Sweetened Breakfast Cereals. ...
Flavored Coffee Drinks. ...
Honey, Agave Nectar and Maple Syrup. ...
Dried Fruit.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-key- ... t-diabetes

******
What are the key foods to avoid to prevent diabetes?

Originally Answered: Which are the foods to avoid for diabetics?
I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes last March, 2017. I chose not to take any medications so I changed my diet and lifestyle.

This is for Type 2 diabetes, not Type 1.

For the first 6 weeks I went on a low carb high fat diet, LCHF. I did not eat more than 20 grams of carbs a day. That lowered my blood sugar to the normal range. Then I adjusted that diet for me. I did not eat more than 50 grams of carbs a day and low to moderate fat. NO sugar, NO sugary drinks, NO fruit juices, NO sweet fruits, No refined flour, no potatoes or potato products.

It was not easy changing so drastically but I did not want to end up like my Dad, who had Type 2 diabetes, injecting insulin every day and dying of diabetes anyway. That imagery helped. Also, I created a specific mindfulness meditation and recorded it for myself to help get through all the changes. I even make it available now to others as an audio that can be downloaded called the Dieting Mindfulness Meditations. Stress will also raise your blood sugar levels. You can meditate to reduce stress.

Now, 9 months later, my blood sugar is perfect everyday. I now live in Italy so I do eat pasta and pizza when I feel like it. I also eat a lot of salads with olive oil and vinegar. Fish, chicken, eggs, veggies, nuts. I make my own sugar free BBQ sauce and salsas. If I want something sweet I eat chocolate with Stevia. Still no sugar, no sweet fruits. I will eat apples, berries. Also, I walk every day at least 4km usually more. Especially after a high carb meal like pizza. As long as I do all of this my blood glucose and A1C stays perfect. I am hoping that after a year I will be able to eat some of the beautiful pastries around here. :)

So to summarize…

Read as much as possible about diabetes.

No sugars, no maple syrup, no honey, no fruit sugars, no sugar substitutes except Stevia.

No refined flours, starches

Low carbs

Eat moderate portions

Exercise

Meditate

Lower stress levels

This worked for me and works for most other people. I have lost about 15 lbs doing this so far. Losing weight helps as well.

Anyone who tells you that you can eat moderate amounts of sugar does not have to deal with diabetes and does not check their blood glucose level every day.

Maybe one day you will be able to eat sugar again, but not now.
finni
Posts: 41
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:54 am

Martin Luther's advice

Post by finni »

Martin Luther's pastoral advice during the Black Plague:

"I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God."
—Martin Luther, Works v. 43, p. 132. Letter "Whether one may flee from a Deadly Plague" written to Rev. Dr. John Hess.
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