Leading Story
Pet Reptiles
Salmonella poisoning from reptiles is increasing in Australia, as families take a shine to snakes, turtles and lizards as household pets. Reptile expert Robert Johnson said many pet owners were unaware of the risks posed by reptiles and needed to practice good hygiene to eliminate their chances of infection. Symptoms of salmonellosis from reptiles include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea and many cases go undiagnosed or are dismissed as food poisoning. Salmonella carried by reptiles is transmitted to humans through handling the animal or coming into contact with its faeces. "'The guidelines are simple wash your hands after touching reptiles; don't allow reptiles to roam free; don't eat, drink or smoke after touching reptiles; [and] don't clean reptile equipment in kitchen sink,'' Dr Johnson said. He said children under five should avoid contact with reptiles because they were prone to contracting infections and were likely to touch their mouths. Elderly people and people with poor immune systems, such as cancer sufferers, should also avoid contact with the animals.
In 2009, a four-month-old baby girl was taken to an ACT hospital emergency department after contracting salmonella through indirect contact with an eastern bearded dragon. Testing revealed the girl had been infected with a type of salmonella known as rubislaw. A subsequent article published in the Medical Journal of Australia revealed that between nine and 19 cases of rubislaw had been detected in Australians between 2000 and 2009. Dr Johnson said the risk of salmonella poisoning should not deter people from owning reptiles. ''They are great little pets. They don't create a noise and you can keep them in reasonably small areas. But you have to maintain good hygiene.'' He said owners can reduce their risk by regularly cleaning out their pet's enclosures. ''It is a bacteria that is shared during times of stress, so a reptile is more likely to have it if it's not being kept in adequate conditions, [if it] is too cold.'' An estimated 50,000 people own reptiles in Australia and Dr Johnson expects this number to increase as more families move into apartments and smaller homes. He will speak about salmonellosis at the Australian Veterinary Association's annual conference in Adelaide this week. *Canberra Times
Seals
Advertisers often tell us how life-changing hair loss can be, but it actually is a matter of life and death for the Australian fur seal. These seals depend on a thick coat of fur to maintain their body temperature. Seals in the Bass Strait off southern Australia are losing clumps of their fur. Damage to this insulation means that the animals must spend more energy maintaining a core body temperature, negatively affecting their health and survival. The current issue of the Journal of Mammalogy reports on the two-and-a-half year study of an Australian fur seal colony at Lady Julia Percy Island. Since 1989 a hair loss syndrome, or alopecia, has been particularly prevalent among this population of about 30,000 seals. *Underwater Times. Read more ... http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=28390415106
Californa Parks Closed
In an attempt to reduce California's severe budget problems, officials will be closing 70 state parks across California, eliminating 220 jobs and closing redwood forests, historic sites and coastal woodlands. This move will save California $33 million, as part of a larger plan to close a deficit of roughly $15 billion. All together, the parks that are scheduled to be closed attract 5.6 million visitors a year. Environmental activists are understandably upset about the decision. "This is a pretty devastating list," said Elizabeth Goldstein, executive director of the California State Parks Foundation. "It represents 25 percent of the park system and, for the Bay Area, it's a big hit." * Read More http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/california-will-close-up-to-70-state-parks-to-save-money/
Wildlife Pets
Millions of live animals have been imported into the United States for commercial purposes since 2004, with more than 3.1 million collected in the wild coming through Miami alone. Some imported animals, such as iguanas, have established populations in South Florida. Search our database to see where the animals originated, how may were brought in and who brought them here.
Keppel Island Treeclearing
Resort developer Tower Holdings says it will work with contractors to ensure there are no future breaches of tree clearing restrictions on Great Keppel Island off Yeppoon in central Queensland. The company and a water sampling contractor were warned by the Department of Environment and Resource Management for clearing tracks in about 2,000 square metres of bush in Lot 21. In a statement, Tower Holdings says it has reaffirmed expectations and requirements with its contractors. Michael McCabe from the Capricorn Conservation Council says the breach is a concern despite the small scale. "There were a number of what we call push tracks put in by people doing some water core sampling we believe," he said. And I think there's several hundred metres by bulldozer width of trees knocked down, some mature trees and remnant vegetation damaged or destroyed. "In the grand scale it's not a huge area but in the context of Keppel Island and what we're hoping to see there with improved environmental management by resort developers it does concern us that these things can happen. *ABC
Panda Dies
The oldest panda in the world, 34-year-old Ming Ming, has died, Chinese state media reported overnight. Ming Ming was rescued in Pingwu county in the southwest province of Sichuan in 1977 and had lived in Xiangjiang Wild Animal World, a safari park in the southern province of Guangdong, since 1998, the Global Times reported. Experts found that her kidney had failed due to old age. The China Panda Protection Center in Sichuan confirmed that Ming Ming died May 7, but the death was only reported by media overnight. The life expectancy of pandas is around 15 years for wild pandas and 22 years for those in captivity, according to experts. Ming Ming was sent to live in the UK in 1991, but after fighting with male Berlin panda Bao Bao and failing to mate, she was shipped back to China in 1994. *Adelaide now
Forestry
Tasmania's forest peace talks have been rocked by the decision of a key green group, The Wilderness Society, to suspend its involvement over a lack of action. The talks agreed on a historic blueprint to end conflict over the island's wild forests eight months ago, but are yet to fully implement a logging moratorium, months after it was due. It is the first loss of a central participant from the year-old talks between industry, unions and green groups. The Environment Minister, Tony Burke, warned last night that federal government help would only be possible if these groups kept working together. 'The only reason that we have an opportunity for an outcome that works for jobs and conservation is because of the goodwill that's been shown in the community-led agreement,'' Mr Burke said. The peace talks have identified 570,000 hectares of high conservation value forests in Tasmania up for protection as the biggest timber company, Gunns Limited, ends native forest logging. The Premier, Lara Giddings, said the state government had protected 98 per cent of high conservation value forests, with just 2 per cent remaining to fill legally binding contracts and to keep forest workers employed. But TWS's Tasmanian campaigns manager, Vica Bayley, yesterday showed reporters a logging access road into public old growth forests in the Esperance Valley. He said the road was built this year, while the moratorium was supposed to be in place. *Mercury
Slow Loris
Quarantine officials have euthanised two tiny primates smuggled into Brisbane on an international flight this morning. The slow lorises were found running free in the cabin of a plane that had left Dubai. A number of passengers are being questioned. Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) spokesman Colin Hunter says although the South-East Asian primates are endangered, they had to be put down. "Our standard operating procedures require us to contain any potential biosecurity or human health risk," he said. "The animals arrived without documentation so therefore under standard operating procedures; unfortunately we're required to euthanise." *ABC
Wildlife Smuggling
A Pilbara mine worker has been fined $3700 after he was convicted of illegally possessing four native snakes and a skink. James El-Saj, 29, was arrested at Perth Domestic Airport on September 8 last year after two Stimson's pythons and a broad banded sand swimmer skink were discovered when he arrived on a flight from Newman. Department of Environment and Conservation wildlife officers found a third Stimson's python and a pygmy python at El-Saj's Welshpool home later that day. The fly-in fly-out mine worker was charged with unlawful possession of the pygmy python and skink under the Wildlife Conservation Act. He was also charged with illegally keeping three Stimson's pythons in captivity. DEC wildlife officer Matthew Swan said El-Saj claimed to have taken the skink from his workplace and purchased the four pythons from a man who advertised online. "These animals are protected species in WA and it is illegal to take protected fauna from the wild without a licence," he said. "It is also illegal to purchase reptiles from anyone other than a licensed reptile dealer." The matter was heard in the Perth Central Law Courts last week. In addition to the fine, El-Saj was ordered to pay $119 in court costs. Mr Swan said the skink was able to be returned to its natural habitat but the Stimson's pythons could not be released because of the risk of introducing disease to the wild population. Anyone with information about the illegal removal of reptiles is asked to phone the DEC Wildcare hotline on 9474 9055. WANews
Alligators
Alligator hunter Johnny Douglas says his job is now tougher than gator hide. For more than a quarter-century, Douglas, 46, like his father before him, made a decent living in Central Florida stalking, snaring and skinning alligators that strayed into a backyard or some other place where the reptile wasn't welcome. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission called on him 170 times last year. But this week he'll stop answering their calls and will tend lawns instead. Old-school trappers such as Douglas, whose livelihood depended largely on the sale of alligator hide, are calling it quits as the price of gas has soared and the price of alligator skins has plunged on the world market. He is the fifth in the past year to resign from the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, which pays a stipend of $30 per gator to trappers who kill or remove alligators posing a threat to people, pets and property. Lucas, who has taken on a part-time job cutting greens for a floral company to make ends meet, traces his woes to competition from alligator and crocodile farms, the consolidation of tanneries and a changing marketplace that has seen a rise in the international supply of crocodilian hides and a fall in demand. Wild alligator hides that once commanded $60 a foot now fetch just $15 a foot — if you can sell them at all. *OrlandoSentinel
HoneyBees
Soon we may face the serious conundrum of having to hang up moblie phones to save the honey. A new Swiss Federal Institute of Technology study (PDF) has concluded that cellular phone calls disrupt a vital honeybee communication signal (known as "worker piping"), causing the bees to become terminally confused and die (a condition known as Colony Collapse Disorder). The worldwide decline in the honeybee population has been closely watched and documented by scientists, and has for the most part been attributed to chemical toxins, such as the controversial hive-killing pesiticide clothiadin. This study is the first to present hard evidence of a technology-based cause for the bee-pocalypse. Scientists point out that the ever-growing disappearance of honeybees may have devastating ripple-effects for the environment and for the world's human population. Since 70% of food crops are pollinated by honeybees, the prevalence of Colony Collapse Disorder among bees could easily impact agriculture and world hunger. *Read more http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/your-calls-may-be-killing-the-bees/
Whales
Attempts to free a distressed whale believed to be tangled in ropes from cray fishing pots off Rottnest Island have been hampered by an electrical storm. The Department of Environment and Conservation’s marine mammal team has been forced to change its plans to cut 10m of rope wrapped around the mammal’s pectoral fins and across its back. The crew has attached a satellite tag to the trailing rope and is returning to port. The whale, an 11m humpback, will be monitored overnight and the crew will return to sea tomorrow, if it is safe, to try and free it. DEC was alerted by Water Police following a report from a recreational boater about midday. This is the first report of an entangled whale this year. Whales – predominately humpbacks – began their northern migration from the Antarctic earlier this year with confirmed sightings off Rottnest in March, which is earlier than normal. Usually, whales migrating north are seen off the metropolitan coast from May onwards and generally are further out to sea. *WA News
Climate Change
Scientific evidence linking climate change to the intensity and frequency of natural disasters such as bushfires, floods and drought is mounting, the head of the world's peak climate science body says. Dr Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said a new report on extreme weather events to be released later this year will support previous findings natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity around the world. Dr Pachauri said Australia was one of the countries more vulnerable to an increase in natural disasters, but its wealth and knowledge means it was better prepared to adapt than other countries which would be significantly impacted, such as Bangladesh and Burma. *SMHRead more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/australia-more-vulnerable-but-prepared-says-un-climate-chief-20110516-1epzx.html#ixzz1MYQ3ZyX3
Meanwhile, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leading climate scientist Dr Terry Callaghan says the climate is changing faster than previously thought as he explains the 2011 SWIPA (snow, water, ice, permafrost in the Arctic) report. *
Crows Killed
A murder of crows has died in mysterious circumstances in a suburban neighbourhood in Hervey Bay. Lynn Nayda and Peter Ryan are neighbours in Bruce St, Torquay, and they believe three of the native birds have been poisoned by baits left out by an unknown person for unwelcome cats. Two of the crows died on Monday and a third died yesterday, with Ms Nayda describing the drawn-out death of one of the birds as “terrible”. “It was just slowly flapping around next to the mail box until it finally died,” said an upset Ms Nayda, who works as an RSPCA ambulance driver. “It’s obvious it was baited.” Mr Ryan agreed with Ms Nayda, and said that he had seen plenty of crows dissecting and eating cane toads. So, he believes a poisoned bait must be a factor. According to Ms Nayda and Mr Ryan, people on Bruce St were having some issues with stray cats roaming the surrounding backyards and they believe someone decided to take matters into their own hands. The crows, say Ms Nayda and Mr Ryan, must have been collateral damage in someone’s clandestine war against the cats. Colin Zemek from the Fraser Coast Regional Council said it was illegal to put poisoned bait anywhere within five kilometres of town. Mr Zemek said if it was shown the birds had died from a bait, there was certainly no council authorisation to do so, although he made it clear that only an autopsy on the crows could prove they were poisoned. He said if anyone was having trouble with stray animals such as cats, they should always contact the council to trap the animals, rather than take personal action which could create other dangers. *FraserCoast Chronicle
Kangaroos
The unlawful shootings of two kangaroos in Bathurst and Cowra have been condemned by the Game Council NSW and the Orange and Districts Bowhunters club. Earlier this month a kangaroo in Bathurst had to be put down after it had an arrow lodged in its head for two days. That incident was followed last week when a female kangaroo at Wyangala Dam near Cowra, which was carrying a joey, was shot with two target point arrows, through its ears and right leg. The kangaroo died mid-week despite the best efforts of Cowra rangers and WIRES. They managed to save the joey. The two attacks have outraged a government industry and members involved in legal hunting such as bowhunting clubs. Former captain at Orange and Districts Bowhunters club Gary Collins was livid about the attacks. “It’s a couple of clowns giving us and archers a bad name,” Mr Collins said. “We don’t endorse people running around and doing this illegal act.”
It is illegal to hunt and kill native animals such as kangaroos. But like many who have expressed their anger over these senseless attacks Mr Collins said the person or persons who did this had no experience in shooting legally. “Nobody connected with the Australian Bowhunting Association would ever do this,” he said. “They have done more damage to the sport of archery and bowhunting.” People wishing to hunt must have a game hunting licence and can only shoot feral animals like rabbits, hares, foxes and wild pigs at designated areas. Game Council NSW communications manager Greg McFarland also believes anyone with a hunting licence would not have done it. He said the Game Council was appalled at the attacks and have asked anyone who knows about it to tell the authorities. “They should be dobbed in,” Mr McFarland said. “We work very closely with police, and the national parks and wildlife. “It’s difficult to track these sort of attacks because they [the culprit] are probably not in the system [have a hunting licence].” Anyone found guilty of hunting illegally could face a fine of up to $5500 and face a 10-year ban. *Central Western Daily
Flying Foxes
The 22,000-strong colony of bats at Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens have been given a reprieve. A plan to chase them out of the park has been postponed for a year. The Domain Trust was scheduled to drive the grey-headed flying foxes out of the gardens this month, using speakers mounted on buggies that were to blast out recorded sounds of engines starting and metal being banged. But the trust's acting executive director, Brett Summerell, said staff wanted to collect more information about the bats before they were pushed to resettle in other flying fox camps in Cabramatta, Ku-ring-gai and Parramatta. "It's important we collect more information on fitting radio and satellite collars so we can reduce any potential impact on the flying foxes," he said in a statement released by the trust today. Dr Summerell said the additional monitoring would help researchers get baseline data on the movements of the bats during May and July - the period when the relocation is due to be carried out. May and July are when the colony at the gardens is believed to be at its lowest.
The monitoring would include calculating the monthly population of Sydney's bats and tracking their movements using radios and satellites. The bats were blamed for killing 27 trees and jeopardising another 300 since moving in two decades ago. Dr Summerell said gardens staff would "do everything we can to limit damage" to the affected trees, which include the red cedar and kauri, in the meantime. "We're working for a balanced approach to address the welfare of the flying fox population and preserve our much-valued trees," he added. The grey-headed flying foxes are listed as a threatened species under NSW and federal laws. As such, the mating spell during March and April, the pregnancy term after July, and the birth and growth of the bat pups from mid-October to February are all no-go periods for the noise project. Groups such as Bat Advocacy opposed the eviction, saying it would be unsuccessful. *SMH
Meanwhile, flying foxes in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens have been moved on using loud noise. The Environment Department said the colony had grown to about 150, having flown in from eastern Australia in search of food. While a small number can live happily in the city gardens, officials said the colony had grown too large. Department staff banged on metal to drive some of the flying foxes to another location. Regional ecologist Jason van Weenen said they did not need to move far. "This all we wanted, we wanted to see them moved just a short distance," he said. "They can actually start defoliating some of the trees and certainly species in the garden can be quite sensitive to that." Officials will keep monitoring the flying foxes' habits over the next few months. *ABC
But an advocacy group says using loud noise to move flying foxes from their roost in Adelaide's Botanic Gardens is inhumane. Environment Department staff have been banging metal to disturb a colony of about 150 grey-headed flying foxes because they are stripping foliage and damaging rare plants. But Nick Edards from the group Bat Advocacy says the technique is depriving the tiny animals of sleep. "The females especially, they're going to be in the first trimester of pregnancy now so stressing animals that are part of a species that's in decline and possibly causing any problems with the breeding cycle is a concern for us," he said. "The longer these sort of stressful techniques are applied, the more risk they present to the animals, so if the project doesn't achieve the objectives quickly we would hope that the ecologists would step back and reassess how the project is going." *ABC
Scallops Killed
Tasmania's scallop industry wants the Victorian Government to compensate it for the death of 24,000 tonnes of shellfish. The Tasmanian Scallop Fishermen's Association says the shellfish died after intensive seismic testing in Bass Strait last year. Association president Bob Lister has written to Victorian Premier Ted Bailleu seeking compensation and assurance such testing will not be done over scallop beds again. Mr Lister said the dead scallops would have been worth about $70 million and that Tasmania's 24 scallop fishermen suffered individual losses of up to $8 million last season alone. "It has now been shown that environmental conditions were not to blame for the deaths," he said. "The intense seismic testing was conducted by Geoscience Victoria over known scallop beds in the middle of Bass Strait between March and August. "Tasmanian fishermen have serious money tied up in the industry and need to be compensated for their losses." Mr Bailleu told the TSFA the Victorian Government would look into the issue.
Mr Bailleu's office did not respond to calls from the Mercury yesterday. The scallop industry feared the impact of the seismic testing may affect scallops for years to come. The State Opposition said Fisheries Minister Bryan Green should also shoulder some of the blame for the situation. Opposition fisheries spokesman Rene Hidding said Mr Green had shrugged off concerns raised by the scallop industry many months ago. But Mr Green said all research done to date had failed to show any link between scallop mortality and seismic surveying. "This included specific research by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority following the scallop harvest this year," Mr Green said. He said he asked for assurances from the Federal Government last year that an investigation would be done, and that he met the TSFA and facilitated research involving the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. *Mercury Ed Comment; If this seismic testing killed all these scallops, what else did it kill?
Forests
Some of Australia's most popular stores are driving the destruction of native forests, according to a report by a new environmental group Markets for Change (MFC). Furniture, building materials, and paper products were found to be coming at the expense of native forests in Australia and being sold by over 30 businesses in the country, such as Freedom Furniture, Bunnings, Officeworks, Staples, Target, Coles, and Woolsworths. "Australian families do not want to buy into this destruction. They want to know that the everyday products they buy are not endangering wildlife or leading to increasing climate pollution. Well known retailers need to become part of the solution and not the problem—that means rapidly moving away from using native forests to environmentally responsible plantation timber for their products,” said Tim Birch, CEO of Markets for Change, in a press release. Markets for Change is asking these stores to commit to a procurement policy that would ban products made from native forests or from old growth forest destruction abroad. The organization encourages consumers to purchase products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) only if products have 'full FSC certification', and to avoid products with 'FSC-controlled wood' or 'mixed source certification'.
According to the report: "This level of certification is unacceptable because it continues to be given to companies that are undertaking logging operations in native forests in Australia. These logging activities are destroying native forest ecosystems." Industrial logging is currently permitted in 76% of Australia's nearly 150 million hectares of native forests. Currently, logging is ongoing in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia. Businesses in Australia selling products made from native forests according to Markets for Change: Australian Floor Style, Australia Post, Bedshed, Bunnings, Decorug, Dick Smith, Domayne, Embelton, Everyday Living, Freedom Furniture, Focus on Furniture, Forty Winks, Furniture Court, Furniture One, Harvey Norman, Home Trimber and Hardware, Hudson Building Supplies, IGA, Mitre 10, Office Choice, OfficeMax, Office Products Depot, Officeworks (which also stocks paper from Indonesia), OzDesign, Perfect Timber Floors, Sleep City, Snooze, Staples, Target, and Woolsworths. *MongaBay.com
Snakes Alive!
Gordon Ramsay has been labelled "offensive" by animal welfare groups after eating the still-beating heart of a snake on television. The Michelin-starred chef was filmed swallowing the raw cobra organ after watching the struggling creature being slit open at his table in a restaurant. The scene was recorded in Vietnam, where eating snake is associated with virility and enhanced male sexual performance. It will be shown on Channel 4 on Monday night as part of his new series Gordon's Great Escape. Andrew Tyler, director of charity Animal Aid, said: "Clearly Gordon Ramsay is complicit in an act of cruelty to an animal, something that would be a criminal offence if it happened in Britain. Snakes can feel pain like any other animal and there is no excuse for this. "His macho posturing, and this disgusting scene in particular, suggests he is insecure in his masculinity." Kim LeBreuilly, chairman of the education committee at the British Herpetological Society, added: "The idea of treating any animal in this way, presumably just for the shock value, is offensive." Ramsay, 44, has a five-year, £5m deal with the channel that is due to expire this summer. His F Word series average 3.5m viewers but the first episode of his current series attracted less than half that number. Last week, viewers saw him eating a raw duck foetus on a visit to Cambodia.
For the latest episode he was taken to a Ho Chi Minh eatery that serves reptiles including lizard, which according to his local guide "tastes like chicken". The six foot cobra was taken from a tank and slit open, its heart removed and suspended in liquid in a glass where the organ was seen still beating. "The thought of eating that turns my stomach," remarked Ramsay, before grimacing and downing the dish in one go. He was warned that a snake's heart is often felt moving inside the stomach because it can continue to beat for several minutes after a snake has died. The rest of the snake was then served, including a glass of bile, curried guts, chopped skin and fried bone. "I think I'm going to become vegetarian," remarked Ramsay. A spokesman for Channel 4 said: "The series is about authentic food throughout Asia and illustrates how local food is sourced as well as the local customs and rituals associated with it in each of the countries featured. "Viewers are made aware before the start of the programme that some sequences feature animal slaughter so they know what to expect and the series is appropriately scheduled after the watershed." Ramsay's business empire almost collapsed in the credit crunch, and needed an injection of several million pounds from his £40m personal fortune to stay afloat. *Telegraph UK
Turtles
A seaturtle feast for Tonga's Methodist ministers has sparked a clash with a Kiwi woman, who has made a life's work out of saving the endangered reptiles. Jo Kupu, known in Tonga as the "turtle lady", said something good might actually come out of the incident, which saw 10 turtles eaten. Originally from Mt Cook Village, Kupu has rescued around 600 turtles in the last decade, buying them at the Nuku'alofa market and releasing them. Green turtles are endangered, although there is evidence they are making a comeback in the South Pacific. But, for the fishermen of Ha'apai, when the arrival of mating turtles coincided with the Free Wesleyan Church annual conference in Nuku'alofa, it was an opportunity too good to miss. Fourteen were netted alive and shipped to Nuku'alofa, to lie in the sun on their backs awaiting their fate. "They suffocate when they are upside down, they choke and drown on their own saliva," Kupu said.
She and husband Levini heard about the turtles but, by the time they got to the market, 10 had gone to the Methodists. The remaining four were rescued, but one, thought to be about 150 years old – nearly as old as Methodism in Tonga – died soon after it was returned to the sea. "All the years I've been involved buying turtles and releasing them, we've never seen turtles that big, and so many," Kupu said. Last year, she heard of a 200-year-old turtle being caught, but the fisherman hid it from them and they could not save it. "It made me really angry because no one cared. The fisherman swore at me," she said. In the past decade, she has been funding people to go into the markets to buy the turtles. "I've bought hundreds, I've been doing it for years, since I was about four. I think they are amazing creatures and deserve to be in the sea." With breeding programmes in Tahiti, Samoa and Vanuatu, turtles are starting to return to Tonga, but the law is vague over whether they are protected. A turtle tagged in Tahiti in 1990 recently turned up in the Nuku'alofa market and was later eaten. *Underwater Times
Hunting
The NSW Primary Industries Minister, Katrina Hodgkinson, is being accused of pandering to the Shooters and Fishers Party by proposing to allow recreational hunting in more than 140 state forests for 10 years - twice the period allowed by the previous government. The Herald revealed last week that the Game Council NSW allowed hunting to take place illegally in 31 state forests after failing to notice that the period during which hunting was permitted had expired. It is understood that about 1300 permits were issued by the Game Council during this period, exposing hunters to criminal prosecution for unlawful firearms use. The same day, Ms Hodgkinson began the process of declaring 142 state forests open for hunting by publishing a proposal in the government gazette. The notice proposes that hunting would be allowed until June 2021. The previous gazetted period, signed off by the then primary industries minister, Ian Macdonald, was for five years. Ms Hodgkinson said she proposed to double the previously gazetted period to ''cut red tape''. ''The five-year period was the first time NSW forests were opened for conservation hunting,'' she said. "Given our responsibility to control feral animals that have a devastating impact … and our determination to cut red tape, we believe a 10-year period is appropriate.''
But a Greens MP, David Shoebridge, accused Ms Hodgkinson of attempting to appease the Shooters and Fishers Party, whose vote the government may need to rely upon in the upper house. ''The previous government had an unhealthy relationship with the Game Council and the Shooters Party. It is looking like the current government is going to continue this.'' Mr Shoebridge said most people who use state forests are not hunters and ''their interests are being ignored … to appease the Shooters''. The proposal coincides with delicate negotiations over the government's workplace safety reform bill with the crossbench MPs who hold the balance of power in the upper house. The workplace reforms are being opposed by Labor and the Greens. The government needs three out of the four votes of MPs from the Shooters and Fishers Party and the Christian Democratic Party to get its legislation passed. It has been forced to delay a vote for at least two weeks to shore up crossbench support. Ms Hodgkinson said permission to hunt in 31 state forests expired before the election. "'I have made it clear … to the Game Council of NSW and Forests NSW that they are to immediately review their administrative processes to ensure such errors do not occur again,'' she said. *SMH
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Weight Loss...do you need to lose weight?
Weight loss is a tricky subject in America, where so many young girls (and boys) are turning to anorexia, bulimia, and other eat disorders. While weight loss can be a very good and necessary thing, it can also turn into something horrible that affects millions across the nation and can even cause death. Knowing when you need to lose weight and when you do not is important in the fight against both your personal poor health and the terrible disease that are sweeping across the United States.
You can know that losing weight is often a very personal option. However, if you are more than 20 pounds overweight, losing the pounds is important for your health. Look at the recommended weight for someone of your size as a start. However, because everyone’s bodies are different, because of fat and muscle ratio to body weight, you should really see your doctor if you feel like you need to lose weight. A doctor can confirm this or put your mind to rest by telling you that your weight is normal. This is the best way to make sure that you are being healthy.
There are also times, however, when you definitely do not need to lose weight. First, if you aren’t as thin as your favorite actor or model, that doesn’t mean you need to lose weight. Often, models and actresses are airbrushed in photos to look more toned and they have personal trainers that work with them for hours every day in order to help them stay in shape. If your body weight is normal, you do not need to lose weight, even if you are a pants size bigger than your ideal celebrity.
Your also don’t need to lose weight just because you gain it. People gain weight for a number of reasons, and this is especially common during puberty and for the few years after. If you gain weight check out the rest of your body—are you going through a growth spurt in height as well? Also, don’t worry about gaining weight when you are lifting at the gym. As you tone your muscles, you will look better, but because muscles are heavier than fat, you may actually gain weight.
Lastly, you don’t need to lose weight simply because someone else makes a rude comment about your looks. People are cruel, but everyone has a different body make up. If you are happy with your weight and it is within the normal range for someone of your age and height, than chances are that the rude comment is stemming from other issues, not because you actually do need to lose weight. Be happy with yourself and eat a healthy diet and you shouldn’t need to worry about losing weight.
You can know that losing weight is often a very personal option. However, if you are more than 20 pounds overweight, losing the pounds is important for your health. Look at the recommended weight for someone of your size as a start. However, because everyone’s bodies are different, because of fat and muscle ratio to body weight, you should really see your doctor if you feel like you need to lose weight. A doctor can confirm this or put your mind to rest by telling you that your weight is normal. This is the best way to make sure that you are being healthy.
There are also times, however, when you definitely do not need to lose weight. First, if you aren’t as thin as your favorite actor or model, that doesn’t mean you need to lose weight. Often, models and actresses are airbrushed in photos to look more toned and they have personal trainers that work with them for hours every day in order to help them stay in shape. If your body weight is normal, you do not need to lose weight, even if you are a pants size bigger than your ideal celebrity.
Your also don’t need to lose weight just because you gain it. People gain weight for a number of reasons, and this is especially common during puberty and for the few years after. If you gain weight check out the rest of your body—are you going through a growth spurt in height as well? Also, don’t worry about gaining weight when you are lifting at the gym. As you tone your muscles, you will look better, but because muscles are heavier than fat, you may actually gain weight.
Lastly, you don’t need to lose weight simply because someone else makes a rude comment about your looks. People are cruel, but everyone has a different body make up. If you are happy with your weight and it is within the normal range for someone of your age and height, than chances are that the rude comment is stemming from other issues, not because you actually do need to lose weight. Be happy with yourself and eat a healthy diet and you shouldn’t need to worry about losing weight.
Warming up befor Exercise! 17/5/11
When you have to fit an exercise routine into your already busy schedule, you might be tempted to simply skip the warm up routine, even though you’ve heard horror stories about people getting injured while working out. Three words: don’t do that. When you skip your warm up, you are not only putting your body as risk for personal injury, but you are also making the workout more difficult and less effective. For the best results, it is important to warm up every time you work out.
Warming up doesn’t have to eat up the time you allotted for exercise into your day. In fact, a decent workout only has to be 5 minutes long to do its job. It doesn’t have to be boring either—you can mix up a number of great moves to make your warm up as fun as the rest of your exercising. Remember that a good warm up gets all of your muscles moving, even if you don’t think that you’ll be intensely working out a set of muscles on any particular day. Warming up is also important regardless of if you’re doing cardiovascular exercises or lifting weights.
The moves you do for a warm up shouldn’t necessarily be difficult or make you break a sweat. The main goal of the warm up isn’t to become a part of your workout, but simply to slowly move muscles that you haven’t really thought about all day to wake them up. Good moves, therefore, include things like jogging in place, doing jumping jacks, lunging, and jumping rope.
A good warm-up can also including slowly stretching your muscles in a variety of ways, although this is usually more effective for a cool-down. Also consider exercises that work on balance and form in order to prepare you for the exercises you will be doing in the workout.
If you’re really short on time, why not try warming up before you even get to the gym. Slowly jog or power walk to the gym, park as far away as possible and lunge to the door, and take the stairs instead of the elevator. That way, when you get to the gym to workout your warm up routine is already half way done.
A good workout always builds in intensity. This is the best way to shed pounds and maintain a healthy weight. Weight loss workouts are only risky if you don’t warm up, because otherwise your body will respond to prevent injuries. Although you may be tempted to skip this step, that is never a good idea.
Warming up doesn’t have to eat up the time you allotted for exercise into your day. In fact, a decent workout only has to be 5 minutes long to do its job. It doesn’t have to be boring either—you can mix up a number of great moves to make your warm up as fun as the rest of your exercising. Remember that a good warm up gets all of your muscles moving, even if you don’t think that you’ll be intensely working out a set of muscles on any particular day. Warming up is also important regardless of if you’re doing cardiovascular exercises or lifting weights.
The moves you do for a warm up shouldn’t necessarily be difficult or make you break a sweat. The main goal of the warm up isn’t to become a part of your workout, but simply to slowly move muscles that you haven’t really thought about all day to wake them up. Good moves, therefore, include things like jogging in place, doing jumping jacks, lunging, and jumping rope.
A good warm-up can also including slowly stretching your muscles in a variety of ways, although this is usually more effective for a cool-down. Also consider exercises that work on balance and form in order to prepare you for the exercises you will be doing in the workout.
If you’re really short on time, why not try warming up before you even get to the gym. Slowly jog or power walk to the gym, park as far away as possible and lunge to the door, and take the stairs instead of the elevator. That way, when you get to the gym to workout your warm up routine is already half way done.
A good workout always builds in intensity. This is the best way to shed pounds and maintain a healthy weight. Weight loss workouts are only risky if you don’t warm up, because otherwise your body will respond to prevent injuries. Although you may be tempted to skip this step, that is never a good idea.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Diet Smorgasborg 10/11/10
The Diet Smorgasbord, Come Take a Pick
Obesity is one of the leading "killers" of modern society. As a counter-attack, one must need to know its root cause to be able to choose the right slimming method. Being obese could be hereditary or something that you "did to yourself". This article will be able to help with the you-did-it-to-yourself part. So let's begin. In no particular order.
Raw Foods Diet- as its name suggests, the food to be consumed should be raw. This method assures that the dieter gets the freshest nutrients. The adverse effect? Nutrient intake is restricted plus bacteria may be present on raw food.
DietWatch- an online diet program that helps you track carbohydrates, calories, fat, weight, and all other factors relevant to weight loss. This can be customized to fit the dieter’s needs. DietWatch claims that it is not a fad diet.
Sonoma diet- is a Mediterranean diet that centers its weight loss technique in cooking and planning meals. It is highly advisable to those who look forward to losing weight with only some restrictions on food. This would be scowled at by those who are not ‘into’ cooking.
Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle- this is supported mainly by men because it is focused on cardio, nutrition and training on weight. While burning fat, muscles do develop on this type of diet. It boasts of a track record that has gone a long way. Motivation is a key factor to stay in this program.
Weight Watchers- this is an online support group where members continuously get help on achieving weight loss.
Diet.com- believe it or not, a weight loss program that is based on personality traits! Diet.com believes that behavior and nutrition are inseparable.
eDiets- a more personal approach to dieting is central to this program’s continuous existence. Diet plans are customized to suit the person’s needs.
Apple Patch diet- this program believes that metabolism should be increased to be able to achieve weight loss. As its name suggests, a ‘patch’ is placed on the body to reduce food cravings. Its principle is comparable to nicotine patches that controls cravings for nicotine. The patch should stay on the skin for 3 days to ensure its effectivity.
Mayo Clinic diet plan- this centers on eating food in unlimited quantity, well, except that these foods should be fruits and veggies. The goal of this program is to reduce sugar cravings as the diet progresses.
South Beach diet- this was developed, originally, for obese patients with heart ailments by Dr. Arthur Agatston. This isn’t a low fat or low carbohydrates diet (although on the first two weeks, carbs should be shunned). It gives meal plans that are good for the heart and the weight. A vegetarian diet is also available.
SparkPeople- a holistic way of dieting. Comparable to eDiets but SparkPeople is less expensive.
Medifast- a program that can be bought online. This has long been given by physicians to their obese patients and is a surefire way to lose weight in a short span of time.
Biggest Loser Club- yup, it all began on a television show. This program focuses on exercise and meal plans.
Change One diet- this originated from the Readers’ Digest. It advises to change one aspect in your lifestyle or diet every week then weight loss can be achieved.
Zone diet- ever heard of the 40-30-30 program? This is it and Dr. Sears developed it.
Slim Fast- drinks and power bars that are used to substitute a meal. They became famous with their ‘shakes’ that promote weight loss.
Beach Body- exercise routines and cardio workout that will trim the body in 6 weeks.
Jenny Craig- this is actually a brand on weight loss programs. Meals are delivered or shipped to the dieter (low-calorie meals), these being planned and based on the USDA.
Subway diet- this may sound absurd but this diet advises a dieter to eat ‘only’ subway meals. Wow.
Grapefruit diet- the name tells it all. A dieter thrives only on grapefruit that is believed to contain something that makes a person lose weight.
Hollywood 48 Hour Miracle diet- do you want to lose 10 pounds in as little as 48 hours? Then this is meant for you, or so as they claim. It’s a juice diet that cleanses the system and promotes weight loss.
Well, there are a lot more of diets out there. This is but a short list. Review each one thoroughly before engaging in any of their programs. Stick only with the one that promotes health and well-being.
Please note I do not endorse any or all of these diets. Just remember, you are what you eat,
Cheers, Patrick
Obesity is one of the leading "killers" of modern society. As a counter-attack, one must need to know its root cause to be able to choose the right slimming method. Being obese could be hereditary or something that you "did to yourself". This article will be able to help with the you-did-it-to-yourself part. So let's begin. In no particular order.
Raw Foods Diet- as its name suggests, the food to be consumed should be raw. This method assures that the dieter gets the freshest nutrients. The adverse effect? Nutrient intake is restricted plus bacteria may be present on raw food.
DietWatch- an online diet program that helps you track carbohydrates, calories, fat, weight, and all other factors relevant to weight loss. This can be customized to fit the dieter’s needs. DietWatch claims that it is not a fad diet.
Sonoma diet- is a Mediterranean diet that centers its weight loss technique in cooking and planning meals. It is highly advisable to those who look forward to losing weight with only some restrictions on food. This would be scowled at by those who are not ‘into’ cooking.
Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle- this is supported mainly by men because it is focused on cardio, nutrition and training on weight. While burning fat, muscles do develop on this type of diet. It boasts of a track record that has gone a long way. Motivation is a key factor to stay in this program.
Weight Watchers- this is an online support group where members continuously get help on achieving weight loss.
Diet.com- believe it or not, a weight loss program that is based on personality traits! Diet.com believes that behavior and nutrition are inseparable.
eDiets- a more personal approach to dieting is central to this program’s continuous existence. Diet plans are customized to suit the person’s needs.
Apple Patch diet- this program believes that metabolism should be increased to be able to achieve weight loss. As its name suggests, a ‘patch’ is placed on the body to reduce food cravings. Its principle is comparable to nicotine patches that controls cravings for nicotine. The patch should stay on the skin for 3 days to ensure its effectivity.
Mayo Clinic diet plan- this centers on eating food in unlimited quantity, well, except that these foods should be fruits and veggies. The goal of this program is to reduce sugar cravings as the diet progresses.
South Beach diet- this was developed, originally, for obese patients with heart ailments by Dr. Arthur Agatston. This isn’t a low fat or low carbohydrates diet (although on the first two weeks, carbs should be shunned). It gives meal plans that are good for the heart and the weight. A vegetarian diet is also available.
SparkPeople- a holistic way of dieting. Comparable to eDiets but SparkPeople is less expensive.
Medifast- a program that can be bought online. This has long been given by physicians to their obese patients and is a surefire way to lose weight in a short span of time.
Biggest Loser Club- yup, it all began on a television show. This program focuses on exercise and meal plans.
Change One diet- this originated from the Readers’ Digest. It advises to change one aspect in your lifestyle or diet every week then weight loss can be achieved.
Zone diet- ever heard of the 40-30-30 program? This is it and Dr. Sears developed it.
Slim Fast- drinks and power bars that are used to substitute a meal. They became famous with their ‘shakes’ that promote weight loss.
Beach Body- exercise routines and cardio workout that will trim the body in 6 weeks.
Jenny Craig- this is actually a brand on weight loss programs. Meals are delivered or shipped to the dieter (low-calorie meals), these being planned and based on the USDA.
Subway diet- this may sound absurd but this diet advises a dieter to eat ‘only’ subway meals. Wow.
Grapefruit diet- the name tells it all. A dieter thrives only on grapefruit that is believed to contain something that makes a person lose weight.
Hollywood 48 Hour Miracle diet- do you want to lose 10 pounds in as little as 48 hours? Then this is meant for you, or so as they claim. It’s a juice diet that cleanses the system and promotes weight loss.
Well, there are a lot more of diets out there. This is but a short list. Review each one thoroughly before engaging in any of their programs. Stick only with the one that promotes health and well-being.
Please note I do not endorse any or all of these diets. Just remember, you are what you eat,
Cheers, Patrick
Monday, August 23, 2010
Drink Water and Lose Weight!
Close the diet books and skip the pills. The latest weight-loss trick may be as simple as gulping a couple of glasses of water before you eat.
A new study found that middle-aged and older adults who drank two cups of water before each meal consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who skipped drinking water.
Researchers divided two groups of overweight and obese men and women aged 55 to 75 into two groups: one group was told to follow a low-fat, low-calorie diet; the other group was told to follow the same diet and to drink two cups of water before breakfast, lunch and dinner.
After 12 weeks, those who drank water before meals had lost 15.5 pounds, compared to 11 pounds for the non-water drinkers, a nearly 30 percent difference.
The researchers got the idea for the weight-loss program from their prior research, which found that when middle-aged and older adults drank water before meals, they ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories at the meal.
What they weren't sure about, however, was if water drinkers would compensate by eating more throughout the rest of the day, said senior study author Brenda Davy, an associate professor in the department of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Tech. But after 12 weeks of dieting, that didn't happen.
"Drinking more water is a pretty simple strategy that may be helpful to people trying to lose weight," Davy said. "We're not saying, 'Drink more water and the body fat will melt away'. But for people who are trying to lose weight and trying to follow a low-cal diet, it's something they can do as part of that."
The research was to be presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.
One of the most vexing issues with dieting is how difficult it is to keep the weight off long-term, Davy said. After the 12 weeks were up, Davy and her colleagues have continued to follow the participants.
one year, preliminary data shows that those who continued to drink water before meals not only kept those pounds off, but have even continued to lose a bit more -- about 1.5 pounds on average.
Yet pre-meal water chugging comes with one caveat: it may only work if you're middle-aged or older, Davy said.
Prior research has shown that in those aged 18 to 35, drinking water before the meal did not cause them to eat fewer calories at the meal, Davy said.
In older people, it takes longer for the stomach to empty, which may be why the water helps them feel fuller and less hungry, while in younger people, water begins leaving the stomach almost immediately, Davy said.
Barry Popkin, director of the University of North Carolina Nutrition Obesity Research Center, called the findings "promising." His research has shown people who drinks lots of water drink fewer sugary beverages, eat more fruits and vegetables and overall consume fewer calories throughout the day.
One culprit in the obesity epidemic is that Americans consume some 300 calories more a day in sugary beverages than they did 30 years ago, Popkin added. That includes soda, punch and fruit juices with added sugar, sports drinks and sweetened tea.
"If you drink some more water right before a meal and fill up a little bit right before, there is the potential you may reduce your food intake," Popkin said. "But what we're concerned with is encouraging people to drink water to replace all the caloric beverages we're drinking."
Another challenge to the water-before-meals weight-loss strategy is getting people to do it, said Carla Wolper, an assistant professor in the Eating Disorders Center at Columbia University and a research faculty member at the New York Obesity Research Center at St. Luke's Hospital in New York City.
"The question is, do people continue to drink the water in a non-study situation?" Wolper said. "We know there are a lot of simple things people could do to lose weight. Clinical trials have shown if people write down what they eat, they lost twice as much weight. Yet it's very hard to get people to write down what they eat. Or, if people would reduce portions just a little bit, they would lose weight. But people don't do it."
The same goes for drinking more water. Even seemingly small changes require commitment. "Changing a pattern of behavior is complicated, and requires time and energy," Wolper said.
Still, it could be worth a try, she added. "Unless people overload on water, it's harmless, inexpensive. And if over the course of the entire day, it reduces the amount of food people take in, then of course it's a good idea," Wolper said.
Dieticians often will suggest a non-caloric drink such as club soda with lemon, diet soda or tea to help resist the urge to snack after dinner, Wolper said.
*Source, Business Week
*************************************************************************************
Check out our new WeightBuster Herbal Tea at
http://www.home-herb-garden.com/weightloss.html
**************************************************************************************
A new study found that middle-aged and older adults who drank two cups of water before each meal consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who skipped drinking water.
Researchers divided two groups of overweight and obese men and women aged 55 to 75 into two groups: one group was told to follow a low-fat, low-calorie diet; the other group was told to follow the same diet and to drink two cups of water before breakfast, lunch and dinner.
After 12 weeks, those who drank water before meals had lost 15.5 pounds, compared to 11 pounds for the non-water drinkers, a nearly 30 percent difference.
The researchers got the idea for the weight-loss program from their prior research, which found that when middle-aged and older adults drank water before meals, they ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories at the meal.
What they weren't sure about, however, was if water drinkers would compensate by eating more throughout the rest of the day, said senior study author Brenda Davy, an associate professor in the department of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Tech. But after 12 weeks of dieting, that didn't happen.
"Drinking more water is a pretty simple strategy that may be helpful to people trying to lose weight," Davy said. "We're not saying, 'Drink more water and the body fat will melt away'. But for people who are trying to lose weight and trying to follow a low-cal diet, it's something they can do as part of that."
The research was to be presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.
One of the most vexing issues with dieting is how difficult it is to keep the weight off long-term, Davy said. After the 12 weeks were up, Davy and her colleagues have continued to follow the participants.
one year, preliminary data shows that those who continued to drink water before meals not only kept those pounds off, but have even continued to lose a bit more -- about 1.5 pounds on average.
Yet pre-meal water chugging comes with one caveat: it may only work if you're middle-aged or older, Davy said.
Prior research has shown that in those aged 18 to 35, drinking water before the meal did not cause them to eat fewer calories at the meal, Davy said.
In older people, it takes longer for the stomach to empty, which may be why the water helps them feel fuller and less hungry, while in younger people, water begins leaving the stomach almost immediately, Davy said.
Barry Popkin, director of the University of North Carolina Nutrition Obesity Research Center, called the findings "promising." His research has shown people who drinks lots of water drink fewer sugary beverages, eat more fruits and vegetables and overall consume fewer calories throughout the day.
One culprit in the obesity epidemic is that Americans consume some 300 calories more a day in sugary beverages than they did 30 years ago, Popkin added. That includes soda, punch and fruit juices with added sugar, sports drinks and sweetened tea.
"If you drink some more water right before a meal and fill up a little bit right before, there is the potential you may reduce your food intake," Popkin said. "But what we're concerned with is encouraging people to drink water to replace all the caloric beverages we're drinking."
Another challenge to the water-before-meals weight-loss strategy is getting people to do it, said Carla Wolper, an assistant professor in the Eating Disorders Center at Columbia University and a research faculty member at the New York Obesity Research Center at St. Luke's Hospital in New York City.
"The question is, do people continue to drink the water in a non-study situation?" Wolper said. "We know there are a lot of simple things people could do to lose weight. Clinical trials have shown if people write down what they eat, they lost twice as much weight. Yet it's very hard to get people to write down what they eat. Or, if people would reduce portions just a little bit, they would lose weight. But people don't do it."
The same goes for drinking more water. Even seemingly small changes require commitment. "Changing a pattern of behavior is complicated, and requires time and energy," Wolper said.
Still, it could be worth a try, she added. "Unless people overload on water, it's harmless, inexpensive. And if over the course of the entire day, it reduces the amount of food people take in, then of course it's a good idea," Wolper said.
Dieticians often will suggest a non-caloric drink such as club soda with lemon, diet soda or tea to help resist the urge to snack after dinner, Wolper said.
*Source, Business Week
*************************************************************************************
Check out our new WeightBuster Herbal Tea at
http://www.home-herb-garden.com/weightloss.html
**************************************************************************************
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Wieght loss helps avoid heart attacks!
Eating the wrong food and gaining too much weight can clog arteries with fatty deposits, potentially leading to life-threatening heart attacks and strokes.
A new study suggests this process works both ways: Eating healthy and losing weight may actually reverse -- rather than simply slow down -- the accumulation of these fatty deposits, a condition known as atherosclerosis.
In the study, middle-aged people with heart disease or diabetes who lost more than 12 pounds over a two-year period successfully reduced the size of the deposits (or plaques) clogging their arteries, rather than merely halting their growth.
What's more, the type of diet the study participants followed didn't seem to make a difference, as long as they lost weight.
A low-carb, low-fat, or Mediterranean-style diet all had positive effects on artery health, according to the study, which was published in the journal "Circulation."
Most studies that have examined the effect of weight loss on atherosclerosis have also involved putting people on powerful drugs like cholesterol-lowering statins, says James O'Keefe, M.D., the director of preventive cardiology at the Mid-America Heart Institute, in Kansas City, Missouri.
"This [study] is just relying on diet alone and got very impressive results, as good as you see with drugs," says O'Keefe, who was not involved in the current research.
The study looked at 140 people in Israel between the ages of 40 and 65 who were at least moderately overweight and had heart disease or type 2 diabetes. In addition to following one of the three diets, 20 percent of the participants took a statin, and roughly 30 percent took blood-pressure medication.
After two years on a diet, roughly two-thirds of the study participants had less clogging in their neck arteries than when the study began. (Although the carotid artery in the neck is not responsible for heart attacks, its condition would likely be similar to that of the coronary arteries, which are more difficult to image, the researchers say.)
Health.com: 10 best foods for your heart
The volume of the plaques in their neck arteries declined by about 5 percent, on average, or slightly more than the average annual increase in people with atherosclerosis, as other studies have shown.
People who had greater weight loss and reduction in blood pressure tended to have healthier arteries, the researchers found. The people whose arteries became less clogged lost about 12 pounds, on average, while their systolic blood pressure (the top number) fell by around 7 points.
By contrast, the people whose atherosclerosis worsened lost just 7 pounds, on average, and reduced their systolic blood pressure by just 1 point. (The use of statins did not seem to be a significant factor, the researchers reported.)
"Long-term adherence to weight-loss diets are effective for reversing carotid atherosclerosis as long as we stick to one of the current options of healthy diet strategy, [and] even if we experience some partial weight re-gain over time," says the study's lead author, Iris Shai, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and researcher in cardiovascular epidemiology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Health.com: A sample menu for a low-fat diet
In a previous paper, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2008, the same team of researchers reported that the three diets used in the study were equally likely to lead to weight loss.
Both the low-fat and Mediterranean diets limited daily calorie intake to 1,500 for women and 1,800 for men. In addition, both emphasized grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes, and cutting down on high-fat snacks and sweets. The people on the Mediterranean diet were also instructed to consume 30 to 45 grams of olive oil and a handful of nuts every day.
Men and women on the low-carb, Atkins-style diet didn't have to restrict their calorie intake, but they were limited to 20 grams of carbs per day for the first two months of the study, gradually increasing their intake to 120 grams daily. Alice Lichtenstein, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University, in Boston, Massachusetts, says that the new findings confirm what experts have been saying for years.
"Weight loss improves cardiovascular health," says Lichtenstein. "The way you lose the weight isn't the critical factor; the critical factor is actually that you lose the weight."
The three diets featured in the study aren't the only way to lose weight, Lichtenstein adds.
"Different people will adhere to different types of approaches to restrict calories," she says. "Some will do well if they cut fat out of the diet; some will do well if they have a higher fat content and eat lots of fruits and vegetables."
The one type of diet Lichtenstein doesn't recommend is fad diets.
"You don't want people to go off on these really wild or extreme diets because history suggests people don't stick to them," she says.
Losing weight is easier said than done, of course. The study participants had access to resources that most dieters do not. They met regularly with dietitians, and they chose their lunches from a selection of foods labeled with their calorie, carb, and fat content.
Following a similar regimen on your own would be difficult, says Shai. In fact, she says, most people would need a dietitian's help to stick to any of the three weight-loss approaches.
O'Keefe agrees. While some people can achieve lasting weight loss on their own, he says, they will be more likely to succeed if they get some professional help.
"People tend to sort of fall off the diet with time," he says. "If it's continually reinforced, if they have a lot of feedback, they tend to do better."
health.com
A new study suggests this process works both ways: Eating healthy and losing weight may actually reverse -- rather than simply slow down -- the accumulation of these fatty deposits, a condition known as atherosclerosis.
In the study, middle-aged people with heart disease or diabetes who lost more than 12 pounds over a two-year period successfully reduced the size of the deposits (or plaques) clogging their arteries, rather than merely halting their growth.
What's more, the type of diet the study participants followed didn't seem to make a difference, as long as they lost weight.
A low-carb, low-fat, or Mediterranean-style diet all had positive effects on artery health, according to the study, which was published in the journal "Circulation."
Most studies that have examined the effect of weight loss on atherosclerosis have also involved putting people on powerful drugs like cholesterol-lowering statins, says James O'Keefe, M.D., the director of preventive cardiology at the Mid-America Heart Institute, in Kansas City, Missouri.
"This [study] is just relying on diet alone and got very impressive results, as good as you see with drugs," says O'Keefe, who was not involved in the current research.
The study looked at 140 people in Israel between the ages of 40 and 65 who were at least moderately overweight and had heart disease or type 2 diabetes. In addition to following one of the three diets, 20 percent of the participants took a statin, and roughly 30 percent took blood-pressure medication.
After two years on a diet, roughly two-thirds of the study participants had less clogging in their neck arteries than when the study began. (Although the carotid artery in the neck is not responsible for heart attacks, its condition would likely be similar to that of the coronary arteries, which are more difficult to image, the researchers say.)
Health.com: 10 best foods for your heart
The volume of the plaques in their neck arteries declined by about 5 percent, on average, or slightly more than the average annual increase in people with atherosclerosis, as other studies have shown.
People who had greater weight loss and reduction in blood pressure tended to have healthier arteries, the researchers found. The people whose arteries became less clogged lost about 12 pounds, on average, while their systolic blood pressure (the top number) fell by around 7 points.
By contrast, the people whose atherosclerosis worsened lost just 7 pounds, on average, and reduced their systolic blood pressure by just 1 point. (The use of statins did not seem to be a significant factor, the researchers reported.)
"Long-term adherence to weight-loss diets are effective for reversing carotid atherosclerosis as long as we stick to one of the current options of healthy diet strategy, [and] even if we experience some partial weight re-gain over time," says the study's lead author, Iris Shai, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and researcher in cardiovascular epidemiology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Health.com: A sample menu for a low-fat diet
In a previous paper, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2008, the same team of researchers reported that the three diets used in the study were equally likely to lead to weight loss.
Both the low-fat and Mediterranean diets limited daily calorie intake to 1,500 for women and 1,800 for men. In addition, both emphasized grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes, and cutting down on high-fat snacks and sweets. The people on the Mediterranean diet were also instructed to consume 30 to 45 grams of olive oil and a handful of nuts every day.
Men and women on the low-carb, Atkins-style diet didn't have to restrict their calorie intake, but they were limited to 20 grams of carbs per day for the first two months of the study, gradually increasing their intake to 120 grams daily. Alice Lichtenstein, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University, in Boston, Massachusetts, says that the new findings confirm what experts have been saying for years.
"Weight loss improves cardiovascular health," says Lichtenstein. "The way you lose the weight isn't the critical factor; the critical factor is actually that you lose the weight."
The three diets featured in the study aren't the only way to lose weight, Lichtenstein adds.
"Different people will adhere to different types of approaches to restrict calories," she says. "Some will do well if they cut fat out of the diet; some will do well if they have a higher fat content and eat lots of fruits and vegetables."
The one type of diet Lichtenstein doesn't recommend is fad diets.
"You don't want people to go off on these really wild or extreme diets because history suggests people don't stick to them," she says.
Losing weight is easier said than done, of course. The study participants had access to resources that most dieters do not. They met regularly with dietitians, and they chose their lunches from a selection of foods labeled with their calorie, carb, and fat content.
Following a similar regimen on your own would be difficult, says Shai. In fact, she says, most people would need a dietitian's help to stick to any of the three weight-loss approaches.
O'Keefe agrees. While some people can achieve lasting weight loss on their own, he says, they will be more likely to succeed if they get some professional help.
"People tend to sort of fall off the diet with time," he says. "If it's continually reinforced, if they have a lot of feedback, they tend to do better."
health.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
