Viva! Health
A unique Polish study set out to investigate and compare the impact of diet on the blood fats and cholesterol in vegan and omnivorous volunteers. All participants were healthy, between 23 and 38 years old and not overweight. The aim was to discover whether diet influences the blood lipids (fats) to such an extent in healthy people that it can reduce or increase the risk of atherosclerosis – narrowing and hardening of the arteries – that leads to heart disease.
A new review of evidence shows how fantastic plant foods are for your heart
New study shows how a healthy vegan diet can cut your risk of type 2 diabetes in half
This was the first study to distinguish not just between animal and plant-based diets but also between healthy and unhealthy plant-based diets. Healthy foods included wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses, vegetable oils, tea and coffee; whilst unhealthy foods included animal products, fruit juices, sweetened beverages, refined grains (white bread, cornflakes etc.), potatoes, sweets and desserts.
Scientists say there’s still no clear evidence that fish oils are healthful
Dairy and other animal fats have been shown to put you at risk of heart disease and stroke
Dairy products contain varying amounts of fat but a considerable portion of it is always saturated fat. This study investigated the link between dairy fat intake and the incidence of heart disease and stroke among 220,000 people whose diets and health were followed for decades.
Phthalates are man-made chemicals used as plasticisers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials such as food packaging, flooring and some medical equipment and are added to cosmetics and personal care products as solvents, fixatives and adhesives. They are also very prone to leaching into the environment and entering our food chain. Phthalates are classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals – they can affect your hormones –and have been linked to adverse health effects, especially in infants, children and adolescents.
The results of a large scale, 25 year study of the Swedish population has revealed some interesting facts. The study began in 1986 and in the first seven years the fat intake and cholesterol levels of the participants slightly decreased in line with the dietary recommendations for reduced fat intake. However, from 2004 on, the scientists observed a significant change – the intake of fat, especially animal fat, increased, and so did the cholesterol levels.
Jamie Oliver has forced Turkey Twizzlers off the school menu – a junk food made up of
The Royal College of Physicians’ report on diet and heart disease in 1976
The Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation's senior health campaigner, Amanda Woodvine, explains why the world just keeps on getting fatter...
Obesity is now the most important nutritional disease in the Western world. And in even the poorest countries it is increasing at an alarming rate.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that vegan women have significantly more omega-3 fats (the good fats we are constantly being told to eat) in their blood than fish-eaters, meat-eaters, and lacto-ovo vegetarians. Vegan men had slightly lower levels than vegan women but the same pattern was observed in the other groups as well and was thought to be linked to female hormones influencing the metabolism to a certain extent. An astonishing 14,422 men and women aged 39 to 78 participated in this study.
One of the arguments used to promote oily fish is that it provides the long chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA important for health. Omega-3 from plants (ALA) is converted in the body to EPA and DHA but conversion rates may be low. However, new research indicates that vegetarians convert ALA at a better rate than fish-eaters. This may explain why fish-eaters and non fish-eaters have a smaller than expected difference in omega-3 levels.
Juliet Gellatley, founder & director of Viva!Health looks at the link between eczema, asthma and hayfever and how diet can help you
The sun is here and for some brings with it the summertime blues.
