• THE WEEK’S EXTENDED TOP NEWS PICKS •

A Multitude of Vaccine Benefits, Yet Controversy Persists

“Vaccinations are among the most important health advances in history. Death rates for 13 diseases that can be prevented by childhood vaccinations were at all-time lows in the United States in 2007. Rumors persist that some immunizations, or the vaccine preservative thimerosal, cause autism. Public health experts generally agree that after clean water and flush toilets, the most important health advances in history have been vaccinations….” BY Suzy Allman. NT Times: March 29th, 2008.

Resveratrol In Grape Skins Could Stop Diabetic Complications Such As Heart Disease, Retinopathy And Nephropathy

“Research carried out by scientists at the Peninsula Medical School in the South West of England has found that resveratrol, a compound present naturally in grape skin, can protect against the cellular damage to blood vessels caused by high production of glucose in diabetes, according to a paper published in the science journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism this week.” By Andrew Goul, adopted from a press release by Medical News Today.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Display An Anti-Inflammatory Response To The Vegan Diet

“Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who eat a gluten-free vegan diet could be better protected against heart attacks and stroke. RA is a major risk factor for these cardiovascular diseases, but a gluten-free vegan diet was shown to lower cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidizedLDL (OxLDL), as well as raising the levels of natural antibodies against the damaging compounds in the body that cause symptoms of the chronic inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis….” By Charlotte Webbe, adopted from a press release by Medical News Today.

Prayer, Faith and Doctors

“Religion isn’t often talked about in medicine, but should it be? I asked New York psychiatrist Dr. Robert Klitzman, author of “When Doctors Become Patients,” to tell us about his experiences with patients, prayer and faith. — Tara Parker-Pope

‘I will pray for you,’ a senior psychiatrist told my patient.
His comment surprised me. I was in training, and the patient was a petite Latina woman who had remained despondent despite medication, psychotherapy or anything else I did. Would he really pray for her?” By Robert Klitzman, NY Times March 24, 2008.

A Turn to Alternative Chemicals

“Joel Tickner is trying to build a greener future one molecule at a time. Dr. Tickner directs the chemicals science and policy program at the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. The center researches and promotes environmentally sound chemicals policy and production…

‘We’re at a turning point,’ Dr. Tickner said. ‘Companies and states are taking leadership where the federal government isn’t.’ He spoke to a reporter before flying to Pittsburgh to speak to executives at Bayer’s United States headquarters about European and American chemicals policies. ‘It’s not about banning chemicals one by one, but about thinking more holistically about how we use chemicals in the design process itself.’” By SUSAN MORAN, NY Times: March 26, 2008

• THE WEEK’S HEALTHY RECIPE •

A recipe for the localvore and urban forager interested in Stinging Nettles:

NETTLE DIP
Serves 6

Ingredients
6 cups fresh nettle
2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts (unsalted)
1 tbsp Miso Paste
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
freshly ground pepper (optional)

 

Instructions
Make sure that you use gloves or tongs when handling the nettles. Blanch the nettles in boiling water for a minute (this removes the “sting”). Drain, remove stems, and chop up the leaves. Transfer leaves into a blender or food processor. Add pine nuts, miso, nutritional yeast and pepper to taste. Blend the mixture until the mixture is smooth.

This dip goes well with raw vegetables and whole grain bread.

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