As Nirma returns to villages in Mahuva, ‘can we eat cement’, ask residents - The Indian Express

“What do we want to do with so much of development? It is needed for the growth of country’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product). But development should be people-centric too,” said Manish Choriya, one of the several villagers of Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar district, who attended an “environmental hearing” organised by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) for the three proposed limestone mining projects of Nirma Limited coming up in the area.

Manish, sporting a red-shirt, was one of the many villagers who vehemently opposed the projects during the hearing conducted under the chairmanship of Bhavnagar district Collector R K Mehta. The projects are expected to affect 1,16,055 people in seven villages.

“The attempt should be to see that human lives are not adversely affected. You said there are no elephants or tigers in this region. But are you not able to see humans. For all those who can hear us from here today, this is our world and we are happy in it. We do not want any other form of success. This land is everything for us and we are happy with it,” Manish said, as he was cheered on by fellow villagers at Padharika village – one of the seven “affected” villages.

The villagers who spoke during the hearing not only remembered the agitation they had held against Nirma Limited’s proposed plant in Doliya village – now part of the limestone mining project – in 2008 but also expressed concern that the mining projects will destroy the natural limestone barrier that protects the villages against salinity ingress. They said that the mining will turn the underground water saline and adversely affect the annual three-crop cycle of farmers, who will be forced to migrate.

The proposed mines, spread over 1,600 hectare, are located adjacent to each other in Mahuva taluka.

A partly-built 1.91 million tonne per annum cement plant of Nirma that had seen protests nearly 12 years ago — located less than a kilometer from the sea shore — could be seen from Padharika village, which was the venue of the GPCB hearing.

Some of the villagers even went ahead and reminded Gujarat government officials of the targets set by BJP governments at Centre and state with regard to milk and crop production. (Express Photo)

Officials of the company present at the meeting clarified that when Nirma had proposed to set up a cement plant at Doliya village in 2008, the Gujarat government had given the Letter of Intent for three limestone mines spread over 3,400 hectare. This was reduced to 1,600 hectares in 2017.

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Between 2008 and 2011, the company’s cement plant faced agitation from farmers in Mahuva. The agitation then was led by BJP MLA Kanu Kalsaria, who undertook a 350-km-long padyatra from Doliya village to Gandhinagar in 2011 along with 5,000 farmers.

The project was challenged in the Gujarat High Court and then in the Supreme Court. The environmental clearance given to the cement plant was revoked by Union environment ministry in December 2011 after it observed that the plant site was a wetland.

In 2015, the National Green Tribunal set aside the revocation of the environmental clearance to the cement plant – a decision that was subsequently challenged in the SC and remains sub-judice till date.

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The GPCB meeting on Friday also faced opposition from local BJP leaders. Mohan Makwana, who identified himself as ‘Mandal Adhayaksh’ (person in charge of Assembly constituency) of BJP at Mahuva, said: “The people and farmers are completely opposed to the projects. Not a single person is ready to give their land. There are three big wetlands in this area. Once mining starts, these wetlands will be destroyed.”

“Why is the company lying that nothing grows in the soil here? Please come to my farm and see the standing bajra crop. Nirma will finally end up producing cement. But can we all eat cement? You all (company and government officials) are also sitting here. Can you eat cement?” asked Khimji Bariya, as the crowd consisting of a large number of women broke into laughter.

Some of the officials present also could not resist a smile, as A J Rathod, Regional Officer of GPCB intervened, restored order, and told Bariya that his complaint has been recorded.

Some of the villagers even went ahead and reminded Gujarat government officials of the targets set by BJP governments at Centre and state with regard to milk and crop production. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared this year as the millet year. The head of Mahuva APMC has sent a sample of bajra grown in our region to the United States. One mun (20 kg) of bajra fetches Rs 1,200. It would be great if the government helps in stopping the mining projects and helps in promoting agriculture. This will ensure that families from this region do not become migrants,” said Jashu Makwana, a young farmer.

“I am fully against mining. It might be true that industries bring in prosperity. We do not want those pleasures of life. We fully boycott the projects,” he added.

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Vishwas Rathwa (22), deputy sarpanch of Dhudheri village, was among those who spoke against the projects. Rathwa also asked the audience for a show of hands to impress upon the officials present about their opposition.

On Friday, the hearing for the three mines we held in Vangar, Madhiya, Padhiarka, Doliya, Gujarda, Dhudheri and Dhudhala villages. During the hearing for Padharika and Doliya village, there was not a single voice in support for the projects.

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Suraj Kasabhai Bhil of Doliya village said, “Around 70-80 per cent of the people in my village are connected to animal husbandry. There are no gauchar in our village and the government has given its wasteland for mining projects. Shouldn’t those engaging in animal husbandry be prioritised over industrialists for waste land? This land should be given for gauchar and not for mining.”

Tejal Patel, who handles environment issues for Nirma, gave a presentation about the projects to the villagers. “The company is setting up a cement plant at Padhiarka village, which is in Mahuva taluka. The soda ash plant of company is also in Bhavnagar district,” Patel said while introducing the company.

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As Nirma returns to villages in Mahuva, ‘can we eat cement’, ask residents - The Indian Express
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How to eat healthy: Tips, healthiest foods and unhealthy ones to avoid - USA TODAY

5 school staffers charged after boy told to eat own vomit - ABC News

Five staff members at a suburban Indianapolis school have been charged with neglect or failure to report neglect after a 7-year-old special education student was told to eat his own vomit in February

ByThe Associated Press

April 26, 2023, 5:35 PM

BROWNSBURG, Ind. -- Five staff members at a suburban Indianapolis school have been charged with neglect or failure to report neglect after a 7-year-old special education student was told to eat his own vomit.

The Hendricks County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday charged a teacher and instructional aide at Brown Elementary School in Brownsburg with neglect and they as well as a second teacher, a second aide and a behavioral technician have been charged with failure to report the incident.

The teacher charged with neglect told the student during lunch that if he vomited, he would need to eat whatever he threw up, Brownsburg police said. The child vomited on a tray provided by the second teacher, and the aide charged with neglect then gave the child a spoon, police said.

The boy ate some of the vomit, then used paper towels to clean up what remained, police said. The alleged incident occurred in February.

The Brownsburg Community School Corp. said it learned of the incident on April 12 and removed the five staffers from contact with students and placed them on administrative leave.

Superintendent Jim Snapp said in a statement, “We are deeply saddened by the actions of these staff members and will work in conjunction with our local law enforcement as they move forward with possible criminal charges.”

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How to Eat More Protein: 6 Easy Hacks - The Everygirl

Before sea moss gel, green powders, and celeb-backed Erewhon smoothies (hi, Hailey and Bella) became the “it” superfoods, incorporating enough protein in your diet was the name of the wellness game. Derived from the Greek word for “primary,” meaning “first place” or “in the lead,” you could call it the OG of nutrition trends.

Hot take: Protein is making a comeback and for good reason. Eating the right amount of protein is a must for our muscles and bones to repair and grow. When protein is consumed, the body breaks it down into amino acids, absorbs it, and uses it to build muscles and organs, to make hormones and antibodies, and as an energy source. Bottom line: Protein is essential to keep your body in top-notch condition.

So just how much protein do you need to eat? While it depends on factors such as age and activity level, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that the average individual should consume 0.35 grams per pound of body weight per day for general health. For example, a person who weighs 165 pounds should consume an average of 60 grams of protein per day. Use that formula as a starting point, and then talk to your doctor or a nutritionist to find out how many grams you should aim for based on your needs, goals, activity level, and body. 

While you may think that sticking to grilled chicken and hardboiled eggs is the only way to pack more protein in your diet, there are simple tricks to satisfy the proper macronutrient intake that aren’t so blah. Ahead are six simple tips to help you eat more protein. Spoiler: They deliver on taste and variety.

1. Meal prep protein into every meal

Planning your meals ahead of time ensures that every meal is built around a high-quality form of protein. Eggs or breakfast sausage may be the obvious picks for a make-ahead, protein-filled brekkie, but don’t sleep on high-protein breakfast burritos, casseroles, pancakes, and overnight oats. When it comes to lunch or dinner, season or marinate your go-to lean sources of protein, like chicken, fish, and tofu, and cook them up in bulk so you have them at the ready for bowls, salads, pasta, tacos, wraps, and stir-fries.

If you just can’t be bothered to prep large portions of protein ahead of time, make a little more than you need when you’re making dinner and save it for lunch the next day. To up your protein consumption, don’t forget to sprinkle any (and every!) meal or snack with nutritional yeast (a seasoning high in protein), chia seeds, or nuts, like almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts. 

2. Add a protein powder to the routine you already have

From the ever-trendy collagen to the common whey and plant-based assortments (such as pea or hemp), you can take your pick of protein powders to give you a morning kick, afternoon zing, or post-workout recovery boost. Protein powders are one of the easiest ways to sneak protein into your routine because you can add them to pretty much anything: smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, and more.

Another easy way to seamlessly incorporate protein powder? #Profee, or protein coffee, ICYMI. TikTokers and wellness girlies alike are taking their morning cup of joe with protein powder to get a leg-up in protein for the day (insider tip: Starbucks fans can also take part with Protein-Blended Cold Brew–you’re welcome). Is matcha more your cup of tea? Whip up a matcha latte with a vanilla protein powder and milk of your choice for a healthy pick-me-up and hit of protein. Just make sure that the protein powder you choose is ideally organic or clean without additives and artificial sweeteners. 

 

3. Have protein-rich snacks on hand

Snacks are there for us when we’re hangry, the munchies strike, or we need to increase our intake of protein. You want to get the most bang for your buck, so load up on high-protein snacks like a smoothie, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, sliced turkey and cheese, smoked salmon and avocado toast, apple slices with peanut butter, and roasted edamame (I could go on and on). Bonus points: They’ll also help keep your blood sugar levels stable and prevent that all-too-familiar afternoon crash. If you’re always on the go, have handy snacks readily available that you can easily grab on your way out. Think: beef jerky, clean protein bars, and nuts or seeds.

4. Incorporate more legumes 

They say good things come in small packages, and beans are no exception. Soybeans, lentils, and white beans are chock-full of protein, and not only do they serve up a good portion of plant-based protein, but they also help meet your fiber, iron, and vitamin requirements. Other protein-packed beans to add to your grocery list: split peas and the kidney, black, navy, and pinto varieties. Stock your kitchen pantry with these protein powerhouses for an inexpensive and easy way to whip up versatile meals and snacks. Eat them on their own or make them into a soup, dip (hummus, anyone?), or bean-based veggie burger, or toss them in an omelet or salad for a healthy dose of protein that’ll keep you full and satisfied. Another hack? Replace your processed carbohydrates with legume-based options, such as chickpea or lentil pasta. 

 

5. Add protein to baked goods and desserts

You might think of muffins, bread, or cookies as a nutrient-void treat, but homemade options actually make for the perfect vehicles to add protein into the mix (literally). With the addition of protein powder, greek yogurt, beans, ground flaxseed, or a nut or seed butter, you can satisfy your sweet tooth and reach your protein goal in one swoop. Take a stab at these brownies complete with chocolate protein powder and almond butter, blueberry cake donuts that include almond flour, vanilla protein powder, and Greek yogurt, or red lentil cookies jam-packed with protein from red lentils, peanut butter, oats, and whole wheat flour (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!). And if no-bake desserts are more up your alley, try these lemon coconut flaxseed balls, peanut butter cups, or vegan cookie dough on your next self-care night in (now that’s my kind of multi-tasking). 

6. Replace refined grains with whole grains

Food for thought: Whole grains are packed with important nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, and–you guessed it–protein. When we process grains (turning them into refined carbohydrates, like white flour), it strips them of nutrient goodness, including removing protein. For example, whole wheat flour has 28% more protein than refined wheat flour. When purchasing bread, pasta, or other wheat products, look for whole wheat as the first ingredient for a range of benefits, including more protein.

Better yet, opt for grains in their whole form such as quinoa, farro, barley, bulgur, brown rice, or millet. Most grains have about 25% more protein when eaten in their whole form because the protein typically gets processed out. Add whole grains to salads, make a whole-grain side dish, or whip up pilafs, stir-fries, and bowls.

30 Superfoods You Can Sneak Into Your Go-To Meals

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How to Eat More Protein: 6 Easy Hacks - The Everygirl
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5 school staffers charged after boy told to eat own vomit - ABC News

Five staff members at a suburban Indianapolis school have been charged with neglect or failure to report neglect after a 7-year-old special education student was told to eat his own vomit in February

ByThe Associated Press

April 26, 2023, 5:35 PM

BROWNSBURG, Ind. -- Five staff members at a suburban Indianapolis school have been charged with neglect or failure to report neglect after a 7-year-old special education student was told to eat his own vomit.

The Hendricks County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday charged a teacher and instructional aide at Brown Elementary School in Brownsburg with neglect and they as well as a second teacher, a second aide and a behavioral technician have been charged with failure to report the incident.

The teacher charged with neglect told the student during lunch that if he vomited, he would need to eat whatever he threw up, Brownsburg police said. The child vomited on a tray provided by the second teacher, and the aide charged with neglect then gave the child a spoon, police said.

The boy ate some of the vomit, then used paper towels to clean up what remained, police said. The alleged incident occurred in February.

The Brownsburg Community School Corp. said it learned of the incident on April 12 and removed the five staffers from contact with students and placed them on administrative leave.

Superintendent Jim Snapp said in a statement, “We are deeply saddened by the actions of these staff members and will work in conjunction with our local law enforcement as they move forward with possible criminal charges.”

---

---

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5 school staffers charged after boy told to eat own vomit - ABC News
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How to Eat More Protein: 6 Easy Hacks - The Everygirl

Before sea moss gel, green powders, and celeb-backed Erewhon smoothies (hi, Hailey and Bella) became the “it” superfoods, incorporating enough protein in your diet was the name of the wellness game. Derived from the Greek word for “primary,” meaning “first place” or “in the lead,” you could call it the OG of nutrition trends.

Hot take: Protein is making a comeback and for good reason. Eating the right amount of protein is a must for our muscles and bones to repair and grow. When protein is consumed, the body breaks it down into amino acids, absorbs it, and uses it to build muscles and organs, to make hormones and antibodies, and as an energy source. Bottom line: Protein is essential to keep your body in top-notch condition.

So just how much protein do you need to eat? While it depends on factors such as age and activity level, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that the average individual should consume 0.35 grams per pound of body weight per day for general health. For example, a person who weighs 165 pounds should consume an average of 60 grams of protein per day. Use that formula as a starting point, and then talk to your doctor or a nutritionist to find out how many grams you should aim for based on your needs, goals, activity level, and body. 

While you may think that sticking to grilled chicken and hardboiled eggs is the only way to pack more protein in your diet, there are simple tricks to satisfy the proper macronutrient intake that aren’t so blah. Ahead are six simple tips to help you eat more protein. Spoiler: They deliver on taste and variety.

1. Meal prep protein into every meal

Planning your meals ahead of time ensures that every meal is built around a high-quality form of protein. Eggs or breakfast sausage may be the obvious picks for a make-ahead, protein-filled brekkie, but don’t sleep on high-protein breakfast burritos, casseroles, pancakes, and overnight oats. When it comes to lunch or dinner, season or marinate your go-to lean sources of protein, like chicken, fish, and tofu, and cook them up in bulk so you have them at the ready for bowls, salads, pasta, tacos, wraps, and stir-fries.

If you just can’t be bothered to prep large portions of protein ahead of time, make a little more than you need when you’re making dinner and save it for lunch the next day. To up your protein consumption, don’t forget to sprinkle any (and every!) meal or snack with nutritional yeast (a seasoning high in protein), chia seeds, or nuts, like almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts. 

2. Add a protein powder to the routine you already have

From the ever-trendy collagen to the common whey and plant-based assortments (such as pea or hemp), you can take your pick of protein powders to give you a morning kick, afternoon zing, or post-workout recovery boost. Protein powders are one of the easiest ways to sneak protein into your routine because you can add them to pretty much anything: smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, and more.

Another easy way to seamlessly incorporate protein powder? #Profee, or protein coffee, ICYMI. TikTokers and wellness girlies alike are taking their morning cup of joe with protein powder to get a leg-up in protein for the day (insider tip: Starbucks fans can also take part with Protein-Blended Cold Brew–you’re welcome). Is matcha more your cup of tea? Whip up a matcha latte with a vanilla protein powder and milk of your choice for a healthy pick-me-up and hit of protein. Just make sure that the protein powder you choose is ideally organic or clean without additives and artificial sweeteners. 

 

3. Have protein-rich snacks on hand

Snacks are there for us when we’re hangry, the munchies strike, or we need to increase our intake of protein. You want to get the most bang for your buck, so load up on high-protein snacks like a smoothie, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, sliced turkey and cheese, smoked salmon and avocado toast, apple slices with peanut butter, and roasted edamame (I could go on and on). Bonus points: They’ll also help keep your blood sugar levels stable and prevent that all-too-familiar afternoon crash. If you’re always on the go, have handy snacks readily available that you can easily grab on your way out. Think: beef jerky, clean protein bars, and nuts or seeds.

4. Incorporate more legumes 

They say good things come in small packages, and beans are no exception. Soybeans, lentils, and white beans are chock-full of protein, and not only do they serve up a good portion of plant-based protein, but they also help meet your fiber, iron, and vitamin requirements. Other protein-packed beans to add to your grocery list: split peas and the kidney, black, navy, and pinto varieties. Stock your kitchen pantry with these protein powerhouses for an inexpensive and easy way to whip up versatile meals and snacks. Eat them on their own or make them into a soup, dip (hummus, anyone?), or bean-based veggie burger, or toss them in an omelet or salad for a healthy dose of protein that’ll keep you full and satisfied. Another hack? Replace your processed carbohydrates with legume-based options, such as chickpea or lentil pasta. 

 

5. Add protein to baked goods and desserts

You might think of muffins, bread, or cookies as a nutrient-void treat, but homemade options actually make for the perfect vehicles to add protein into the mix (literally). With the addition of protein powder, greek yogurt, beans, ground flaxseed, or a nut or seed butter, you can satisfy your sweet tooth and reach your protein goal in one swoop. Take a stab at these brownies complete with chocolate protein powder and almond butter, blueberry cake donuts that include almond flour, vanilla protein powder, and Greek yogurt, or red lentil cookies jam-packed with protein from red lentils, peanut butter, oats, and whole wheat flour (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!). And if no-bake desserts are more up your alley, try these lemon coconut flaxseed balls, peanut butter cups, or vegan cookie dough on your next self-care night in (now that’s my kind of multi-tasking). 

6. Replace refined grains with whole grains

Food for thought: Whole grains are packed with important nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, and–you guessed it–protein. When we process grains (turning them into refined carbohydrates, like white flour), it strips them of nutrient goodness, including removing protein. For example, whole wheat flour has 28% more protein than refined wheat flour. When purchasing bread, pasta, or other wheat products, look for whole wheat as the first ingredient for a range of benefits, including more protein.

Better yet, opt for grains in their whole form such as quinoa, farro, barley, bulgur, brown rice, or millet. Most grains have about 25% more protein when eaten in their whole form because the protein typically gets processed out. Add whole grains to salads, make a whole-grain side dish, or whip up pilafs, stir-fries, and bowls.

30 Superfoods You Can Sneak Into Your Go-To Meals

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How to Eat More Protein: 6 Easy Hacks - The Everygirl
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Eat fibre first – and ditch the juice: five quick and easy tips for a much healthier meal - The Guardian

Whilst researching my latest book, Food for Life, I learnt that we’re very short of practical advice on food choices which are the most important things we can do for our health (humans and our gut microbes) and also to help the planet. I also learnt that how we eat can be as important as what we eat. Here are my top five, practical everyday tips to help you make small but sustainable changes across the year that will be far better for you than a few weeks of crash dieting or restrictive eating.

Start your meal with fibre and a simple vinegar and extra virgin olive oil dressing

One of the simplest ways we can help our bodies thrive and prevent over-eating is to change the order in which we eat our food. Reaching for the bread basket or bowl of crisps at the start of a meal results in a rapid increase in blood glucose levels and a subsequent insulin response. This will likely leave you feeling tired, hungry and irritable just a few hours later. This is because glucose is rapidly absorbed from starchy foods, and this is even quicker on an empty stomach.

Why not start with a grilled vegetable platter, a selection of crunchy veggies or zesty fresh chopped herbs with a simple extra virgin olive oil and vinegar or lemon dressing. The extra acidity can reduce overeating on your next course, by reducing hunger signals and may also reduce harmful blood sugar spikes.

Choose high-quality, non-meat protein

This can be grains, legumes, fungi or sustainable seafood sources. The importance of good quality protein in our diet is well known but what is less understood is that the classic combination of “meat and two veg” is not the only way to ensure we get the protein we need. Smoked tofu is surprisingly tasty and can be added to salads and stir fries for added protein.

I realised that not all fish is that healthy for us or the planet, but shellfish, such as clams and mussels, are an untapped source of sustainable, nutrient-rich seafood protein. These small and delicious foods are packed with protein, zinc, iron and B vitamins, as well as choline and iodine, making them a great addition to our diet.

Another unsung hero group in our diet is mushrooms. Mushrooms can replace meat in many dishes, bringing umami flavour, nutrients, protein and even vit D, if left on a sunny shelf, with a satiating and satisfying texture plus a positive impact on the environment.

Choose your drinks wisely

Many of us find plain water a bit boring and Brits are world famous for their love of builder’s tea: the mix of black tea, milk and sugar can contribute quite significantly to our energy intake, especially when it’s the gateway to a biscuit or two.

Try some of these delicious swaps, to make your next drink choice healthier by choosing something polyphenol-rich, probiotic or both.

If you like hot drinks, simply opting for black coffee over your builder’s brew will make a big difference. Coffee is rich in polyphenols and contains fibre and won’t contribute to excess energy intake if you drink it black or with a drop of unsweetened plant or whole cow’s milk. Green tea, especially matcha powder, has a host of well-known benefits thanks to specific polyphenols, including green tea catechins and fibre.

For cold drinks, avoid fruit juices and soft drinks. Opt instead for unsweetened live kombucha, which has a natural fizz and flavour with the added benefit of probiotic strains and no added sugar as it is fermented by the microbes.

For a hearty, filling alternative to shop-bought milkshakes and smoothies, natural kefir (made yourself or shop-bought) is a delicious and healthier alternative for adults and children alike. Add some almonds for crunch or chopped fruit for different flavours.

Add colour to your plate

The colours in our plants are there thanks to chemicals called polyphenols, also known as phytonutrients. These chemicals are produced by plants to protect themselves against environmental stressors, including drought, cold weather, hot weather, insects and parasites. A great example of this is the dark red colour of the oranges which grow in the foothills of Mount Etna in Sicily, where the nights are very cold and the days are very hot and dry.

It turns out these protective chemicals are also helpful for humans. This is why you should aim to eat lots of different colourful plants, choosing variety over the same familiar favourites, like iceberg lettuce and apple.

Different polyphenols are beneficial for different things. Beetroot is well proven to improve blood pressure and post-exercise recovery. Black beans are a staple in some of the longest-living humans and are the beans richest in polyphenols. A great way of introducing polyphenols is also to opt for colourful versions of your favourites, such as sweet potato and purple potato, purple carrots and purple sprouting broccoli, too.

Make simple tweaks to your daily staples like bread and yogurt

Pick bread with high levels of fibre, seeds and no added sugar. Many supermarket breads have lots of added ingredients to make them last longer on the shelf and increase their palatability. True sourdough bread only needs a simple base of flour, with the sourdough starter, water and salt, which can be found in supermarkets (thanks to brands like Bertinet bakery) or can be made at a local bakery or at home. Choose to eat breads with whole grains, seeds and different types of flour, like dark rye, and always look for a high fibre content, rather than a healthy-looking label.

Before doing the ZOE programme, I thought my breakfast of muesli with skimmed milk was exactly what I needed for the day ahead. I soon learned that this breakfast, washed down with a glass of orange juice, pushed my blood sugar to diabetic levels and I quickly changed the menu. Adding mixed nuts and seeds to plain natural yoghurt with some polyphenol-rich berries is a great way to enjoy a nutritious breakfast that won’t spike your blood sugar.

Natural yoghurt is also a great way to introduce probiotics to your diet so, if you want to give your yoghurt an extra probiotic boost, simply add a splash of kefir. This is also great for those who don’t yet love the taste of kefir and want to find a way of including it in their diet. Kefir is also a great addition to soups and stews; just make sure you don’t actually cook the kefir as it will kill the live microbes.

Another easy way to include more fermented foods every day is to use miso paste, rather than stock cubes, to add flavour and umami to your dishes. Simply stir a teaspoon of miso into your pasta sauce or into your steamed greens or to add flavour to a fish recipe.

Finally, swapping white rice and white pasta with whole grains is an easy win. Replace white rice with pearled barley, choose buckwheat over couscous (which is just mini pasta balls), and enjoy spelt spaghetti instead of plain white spaghetti, keeping your favourite dishes but making them more nutritious with these simple tweaks.

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How to eat a healthy, local diet. Tips from a Haudenosaunee dietitian - CBC.ca

Have you ever wondered what foods are good for you throughout the different seasons of the year? 

The short answer: whatever is growing near you. The long answer is a bit more complicated.

Teri Morrow is a Haudenosaunee registered dietitian from Six Nations of the Grand River. She focuses on traditional foods "in a cultural and spiritual sense."

Morrow is also the chair of the Indigenous Nutrition Knowledge Information Network.

She said the sciences she studied are "ridiculously interconnected" with the teachings she received from her community.

Morrow said the most nutritious foods to eat during spring are whatever is currently growing in your area. 

One example she gave was maple syrup. She explained that, in her culture, the year begins when maple trees are ready to produce sap.

Deyowidron't Teri Morrow is a Haudenosaunee registered dietitian from Six Nations of the Grand River. She says in her practice she combines western knowledge with the traditional teachings from her culture to help her patients. (Submitted by Deyowidron't Teri Morrow)

"When we get the maple syrup out, we know that we're tapping into that new kind of fresh nutrition source from the earth because the groundwater feeding those trees is always circulating," she said.

She said maple sap is especially important during early spring, because it provides manganese and zinc, which are important for immune function.

Morrow said this is how Haudenosaunee people would prepare for the spring, when they were exposed to more people and were expected to start planting.

Morrow said she doesn't recommend people just go out and start foraging. Instead, she said people should look for Indigenous people in their area who can help them do so responsibly and respectfully.

"You're probably on people's land," she said. "What's Crown land? What's traditional land? And how much are you even allowed to forage?"

"[Foraged food] is really great way for people that have never had the opportunity to connect with somebody from a First Nation or somebody that carries traditional knowledge," she said.

Morrow said seeking these foods with Indigenous people is also a good way for those who can't go out and gather to support local communities.

She said Haudenosaunee foods and are typically high in:

• Zinc, which helps growth and maintenance of body (vision, immune, blood clotting, thyroid function, wound healing)
• Protein, for cell growth and maintenance
• Iron, a component of red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body.
• Vitamin D, which helps absorb calcium, maintains healthy bones and teeth, helps muscle, nerves and the immune system work properly.
• Vitamin B12 and B6, which are needed to keep nerve and blood cells healthy (proper development of the brain).

CBC Hamilton spoke with Morrow, here's some of that conversation:

The discussion has been edited for length and clarity.

Traditional knowledge

How does Haudenosaunee knowledge inform your work and approach?

When I was at school, I used my understanding of our cultural teachings and the little bit of language that I had at that time to look at my Western teachings [and] it made more sense for me. 

I think that's kind of where I took my dietetic practice today because I worked for a good five years with clients and a full medical community support, but there wasn't a lot of support for cultural language.

It was really difficult to help somebody when your clients need to make necessary changes to affect their health and wellness but they are really limited in cultural knowledge, traditional food practices, due to genocide and colonial constructs that support the health system and the health perception today.

Morrow says maple sap is an important part of the Haudenosaunee diet during spring because it helps immunization during a time where we start seeing more people. (Sumbitted by Deyowidron't Teri Morrow)

I really tried to just made it more important in my practice, too, if people didn't have access to those foods to help them to find access to promote people that were holding on to those traditional knowledge pieces and processes — hunting, fishing, gathering, language ceremonies — to support them, and to uplift them, so that later, more people had access and ability to utilize that same knowledge that has been passed on through generations.

What to eat in the spring

What are some nutritious foods to eat in spring?

Right now, we're getting some different greens ... Protein, you know, we have actual meat protein sources available, like wild turkeys. And fish are always available, [they have] different omega threes, Omega sixes, and protein."

Proteins are really important because we're going from that rest stage to more physical exertion and movement, because of the work that we're supposed to be doing.

A bowl of walleye and white lyed Haudenosaunee corn with peas and sweet potato. Morrow said fish and other proteins are important during spring in order to get from the resting state during winter to a more active lifestyle during spring and summer. (Submitted by Deyowidron't Teri Morrow)

Ramps or wild leeks and fiddleheads have nutrients such as manganese, vitamin A, C, B3, B6 folate and iron amongst others.

Ramps also have allium that helps to support cardiovascular health and prevent blood vessel damage. 

Vitamin D

People often think of the need for Vitamin D in winter for boosting your mood, does that continue to be the case in the summer?

A lot of the vitamin D that our body uses comes from the sun, so if you have your skin accessible to the sun, your body is able to make use of it. But in the wintertime, it's not typically like that, because we're either inside or bundled up.

But if you're in the office, and you're not allowing yourself to reconnect to your spirit in that way, then you're going to be off balance. 

You'd have to make the same concerted effort that you're taking in the winter. Be more mindful of vitamin D. I think it's hard, too, unless people have gone and got their blood checked.

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How to eat a healthy, local diet. Tips from a Haudenosaunee dietitian - CBC.ca
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The Items on the 'Food Disgust Test' That Are Actually Unsafe to Eat - Lifehacker

Photo: Konmac (Shutterstock)

The Food Disgust Test is the latest silly way to waste time online, and like any good test, it reveals things about ourselves we may never have thought to question. Is it gross to be served a fish with its head on? Do you eat bananas with black spots on the peel?

The test, based on the Food Disgust Scale developed by scientists Christina Hartmann and Michael Siegrist, divides your disgust into eight distinct scales. For example, you might be more grossed out by seeing that fish head than by eating jam where the mold was scraped off—or vice versa.

But after you take the test, you may be wondering: How many of these things are actually bad for us? The mold items in particular have sparked a lot of discussion: If I’m not grossed out by the mold-adjacent jam, should I be?

Let’s see how some of the most controversial items on the test compare to food safety recommendations.

Mold on jam

The quiz contains this statement, which you have to decide whether you agree with: “I will not eat marmalade from which mold has been removed from the surface.”

This one is confusing because the advice has changed over the years. It used to be thought that the molds that grow on the surface of jams and jellies are not harmful and haven’t spread throughout the jam. Scoop them out and you’re good. Healthy Canning has collected answers to this question from a variety of sources around the world, and found that UK celebrity chefs, for example, tend to say it’s fine to eat the jam as long as you’ve removed the mold with a healthy margin around it.

But more recent research has found that mycotoxins (toxins produced by mold) are sometimes found in jams and jellies that have mold on the surface.

It is common to scrape the mold off jams and jellies and eat the rest, but it’s not without risk. So, yes, people have scraped the mold off, eaten the jam, and been fine. But the current recommendation from the USDA and others is to throw out the whole jar if you find mold on the surface.

Mold on tomato sauce

What about tomato sauce? This wasn’t included in the quiz, but it’s another jarred product where mold commonly grows on the surface or on the upper parts of the jar while the sauce still tastes fine.

Unfortunately, this one is clearer: Moldy tomato sauce has a body count. Healthy Canning quotes Putting Food By on a case where two people died from botulism poisoning after eating tomato sauce that had Botulinum toxins in it. Botulinum is a bacteria, not a mold, but the problem is that the mold altered the chemistry of the tomato sauce.

Tomato sauce, like jams and jellies, keeps so well after canning because it is too acidic for Botulinum and other bacteria to grow. But once mold gets a foothold, the mold can raise the pH of the sauce, making it less acidic. (This is a potential danger with moldy jam as well.) So chuck that moldy tomato sauce, too.

Mold on bread

“It is sickening to eat bread from which mold has been cut away,” the quiz prompts. Agree or disagree?

The quiz wants to find out how disgusted you are by the idea. The USDA, on the other hand, simply says: “Discard.”

There are many different species of molds that grow on bread, although they tend not to be deadly. Some can cause allergies or respiratory issues if you sniff the spores, though. In rare cases, they have made people sick. And they tend to make the bread taste gross.

By the time you see soft fuzzy spots on the surface of the bread, you can be pretty sure that the nearly invisible, thread-like mycelia (the “roots,” in a sense) have been growing throughout the bread for a while. If you cut off a large chunk—say, half the loaf—you may have gotten rid of the mold on that part of the bread. But there’s a good chance you have more mold spots forming on what looks like the still-fresh part of the bread.

Again, this is a case where people have cut off the visible part of the mold and lived to tell the tale, but if you don’t want to consume mold, you really should chuck the loaf.

Mold on cheese

“I find it gross to eat hard cheese from which mold has been cut off.” How do you feel about that one? If you disagree, congratulations—you can eat hard cheeses once you cut off the mold.

The USDA recommends cutting away a full inch of cheese around the moldy spot, and making sure your knife doesn’t cut through the mold in the process. (It could then contaminate other foods.)

Soft cheeses don’t get off so easy, though. If you’re eating a cheese that was prepared with mold—like brie, with its soft Penicillium rind—that mold is fine. So if you find some old brie in your fridge, and the mold has grown over the cut edges of the cheese, don’t worry about it. But if you find mold on your soft cheese that was not the kind used to make the cheese, it’s time to say goodbye. The USDA doesn’t give guidance on how to tell the difference, but if it’s not obviously the same as the rest of the mold, you should consider it an interloper.

When you can eat mold

Before we move on to non-mold gross food questions, I’d like to bring you some more good news from the USDA: it is totally fine to eat moldy hard salami; just scrub the mold off.

You can also eat the non-moldy parts of hard fruits and vegetables like cabbage and bell peppers. You should not eat soft fruits and vegetables after they go moldy, like peaches and tomatoes.

Blood in steak

The quiz asks us whether we agree or disagree with the statement, “I do not like to eat steak that is still bloody inside.”

Technically, it’s not blood; you’re seeing the myoglobin (a protein in muscle) leaking out of the meat. In any case, myoglobin appears red at rare and medium-rare temperatures, but turns into tan or gray colored compounds at higher temperatures.

So if “bloody” steak grosses you out, you probably won’t be eating anything cooked less than medium. That means your steaks will be cooked to 140-145 degrees or more, neatly matching the USDA’s advice to cook steaks to an internal temperature of 145 and then allow them to rest for three minutes.

While rare steaks are riskier than medium-well, they’re safe-ish to eat because they’re a solid piece of meat. Harmful bacteria are likely to stay on or near the surface, and the searing should take care of those germs even if the internal temperature is still lower than recommended. Again: not zero risk, but low enough that many people choose to risk it.

Ground beef is another story, though. Germs from the surface can end up getting mixed throughout the batch, so the inside of your hamburger isn’t inherently any safer than the outside. The USDA recommends cooking burgers to 160 degrees.

Worms in apples

“I would not eat part of an apple that had a worm in another part of it,” the quiz prompts. I’ve made applesauce from homegrown apples, and if I had to discard every apple that a worm had touched, there would have been no applesauce.

Fortunately, wormy apples are safe to eat. Unlike the issues with mold, you can see the worms. And their trails, and their frass (the dry brown stuff that, I regret to inform you, is worm poop). In fact, you could probably eat the worms themselves if you really wanted; they’re not known to be poisonous.

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The Items on the 'Food Disgust Test' That Are Actually Unsafe to Eat - Lifehacker
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Let's Eat: Bojan's Cafe is new addition to north downtown culinary scene - Tbnewswatch.com

Three skilled entrepreneurs have galvanized their resources, partnering to create Bojan’s Cafe.

Bojan Todorov is the building owner from Southern Ontario. Maria Harrison has extensive management experience, planning the design and operations of the cafe. Mitchell Argue is the owner of Sleeping Giant BNB, and Urban North Property Services.

Argue says the cafe is a result of encouragement from locals and businesses in the area.

“The opportunity arose with our business partner, Bojan, who had the space available to start a new business in a prime location.” Argue said, who operates boutique hotels and vacation rentals in the area.

“We really want to promote our fresh breakfast and lunch meals at a reasonable price. The highlight of the cafe is the large space and unique design which allows customers to comfortably connect with friends over coffee and food.”

So far their most popular offerings have been their fresh made sandwich specials, and breakfast tortillas. Local bakeries supply their pastries, the Cinnamon Swirls from 5-Star Bakery and cookies from Marvellous Makings have been favourites.

Several gluten-friendly and vegan alternatives, such as chia seed pudding, cheesecake and gluten-friendly tortillas are available too.

Bojans Cafe offers a bright, luminous location for socializing over lunch or getting some online work done. In the future they plan to use the large space to also include local vendor displays and host local events. 

The revitalization of the Cumberland St historic buildings is a welcome sight. Bojan’s Cafe is a dynamic addition to the downtown of Port Arthur. 

Visit them at 30 Cumberland Street S., where they are open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m to 4 p.m., and Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Nutritionist pinpoints the worst foods you can eat if you want to lose weight - The Mirror

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Local business makes eating healthy easy - Timmins News - TimminsToday

For several years, a local business has made it easy for residents to serve up healthy meals. The trick is they do the shopping and prep work.

 Lonnie Bouvier is the owner of Little Northern Meals, based in South Porcupine. She emails customers menus weekly and they can order prepped meals. 

She thought of starting the business after her family moved North. 

“I’m originally from the London area. My husband and I moved here four years ago,” Bouvier said. “He has background in Cochrane. He got an opportunity for a job here, so we relocated. “I’ve been in hospitality and the food industry for 20-plus years. Working in restaurants, I did wedding and event planning. Before we moved here, I did catering and was working for another company, Urban Jars, that did the same kind of idea of prepared meals. 

“When I moved here, I thought it was a great idea to start something different.” 

Little Northern Meals makes it easy to eat healthy. 

“We do prepared meals pre-ordered,” she said. “I send a menu out on Sunday and they have until Monday to order. I make the meals fresh and send them out on Thursday and Friday. “Some examples are stir-fry mixes, ready to fry up. Soups that are ready to heat up. Smoothie bowls. Easy to grab, prepared meals.” 

She is pleased with the reaction from the greater Timmins area.

“There’s been a great response,” Bouvier said. “I kind of thought that nobody would notice or I would just get a couple of people, but there has been a really great response. People really enjoy the salads. I think it’s nice to have something fresh to grab from your fridge. People feel a little bit better eating a salad once in a while. It’s so easy.” 

Meals offered include items for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are even healthy snacks available. 

“On the menu, we offer overnight oats,” she said. “Everything’s all mixed up and ready to go. It’s the easiest, because you just grab it out of the fridge and eat it, or warm it up first. 

“We do lunch bowls, so it’s like salads and we offer 11 different kinds every week. We also have smoothie bowls, and I change up the flavours every month. I have four flavours of smoothies so you just put them in the fridge to thaw them. 

“I do stir fry mixes. You can pick your own grain and pick your own sauce. It’s all the veggies ready to stir fry. Right now, I’m offering soup, but not for too much longer. Also, energy bites, a quick protein snack I do up.” 

Whether customers want to have a couple of snacks or salads on hand or plan a whole week of eating, it’s up to them.

“I have some customers who just buy a couple salads every week,” she said. “Some buy several salads if there are lots of people in the household who enjoy it.” 

Little Northern Meals is developing relationships with local farms, making the farm-to-table experience easier.

“I do get microgreens from Sandhill Lane Farm,” Bouvier said. “He connected with me just before the holidays. Two of my salads that are on the menu every week has his microgreens in them. He harvests them on Tuesday nights, delivers them on Wednesday and I can put them in the salads on Thursday. So, it’s super fresh, which is really nice.” 

She also plans to get some produce from Rubber Boot Farm when in season. 

“What’s fun with them is I take all my vegetable trimmings and deliver them on Friday mornings and he feeds them to the chickens and pigs,” she said. “It’s kind of a fun way to get rid of my waste without going to the dump.” 

RELATED: Local farm grows from rehab project into family business

For some holidays, the business offers special meals. 

“I’ve done some special menus, like on Valentine’s Day,” she said. “I’ve had someone reach out for a special menu for their parents’ anniversary, so I did a special basket for brunch foods. I have another one coming up where they asked for some special things for a meeting. 

“So maybe the world is changing again and after COVID there will be more catering opportunities. I really love the prep like this, but I really love the opportunity for catering.”

All the meals are plant-based. But customers can also opt to build on the provided meals. For example, add some chicken to make it a chicken stir fry. 

“Everything is plant-based, I don’t work with animal products,” she explained. “I’m not against it. Some people buy it and add their own protein. Not everybody in my own household is plant-based. I have some regular customers who are plant-based, but lots of them aren’t. 

“When I make, for example, the (taco) soup for my own household, my husband will add cheese to it. They are ready-to-go meals.” 

She enjoys every part of the business. 

“I like cooking. I love to cook and feed people,” Bouvier said. “It makes me really happy to prep all this food and deliver it. I enjoy the whole process.” 

Contact Little Northern Meals via email at [email protected] or follow them on Facebook.

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Local business makes eating healthy easy - Timmins News - TimminsToday
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Why You Should Eat More Live Microorganisms - SciTechDaily

Foods with live microorganisms include yogurt and other fermented foods, as well as raw fruits and vegetables. The study found that increased consumption of these foods was linked to better health markers such as lower blood pressure, better blood glucose and insulin levels, lower inflammation, and lower waist circumference and body mass index.

A recent study reveals that individuals who consume higher amounts of live microorganisms on a daily basis tend to have lower weight and improved overall health.

Live microorganisms that are safe to consume can be found in many of the foods we eat daily, including fermented foods like yogurt and raw fruits and vegetables. Despite the common perception that these blends of live bacteria promote good health, there has been a shortage of concrete evidence supporting the link between live dietary microorganisms and improved health.

A recent study has presented some of the first real-world evidence that consuming more live microorganisms can have a positive impact on health. Researchers from the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) led the study and used the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to categorize over 9,000 foods into three groups based on the concentration of live microbes they contain. By analyzing the reported food intake of NHANES participants, the scientists were able to quantify the amount of food consumed that had moderate to high levels of live microbes.

Then they determined how these intakes correlated with various markers of health such as blood pressure and weight.

The scientists found that increased consumption of live microbes in the diet was linked with multiple measurements of better health: more favorable blood pressure, better blood glucose, and insulin, lower inflammation, as well as lower waist circumference and body mass index. This established that those who consumed higher quantities of live dietary microbes showed tangible, if modest, health benefits.

While the scientific approach did not allow researchers to conclude that the live dietary microorganisms directly caused the health benefits, the results are consistent with plausible arguments that dietary exposure to live microorganisms, in general, could benefit health by increasing the diversity of microbes in the gut or by supporting immune function. In the past century, a reduction in the amount of fermented foods in the diet and increased consumption of processed foods have led to a dramatic reduction in the number of microbes most people consume on a daily basis.

This trend may be reversing, however, since the dietary data used in the study showed that US adults have gradually increased their live microbe consumption over the 18-year study period. This may bode well for the health of the population.

This study was built on two previously published papers, here and here, which conducted the preliminary work necessary to make this assessment of live dietary microbes and health.

”Although the dose-response associations we found were relatively modest, it was notable that these estimated benefits applied to several plausible and important health outcomes and were robust to adjustment for available confounders, including body mass index,” says co-lead author Prof. Dan Tancredi, Ph.D., of the University of California – Davis. “More research that extends these findings to other populations and research that uses study designs that permit stronger causal claims is needed, especially given the potential benefits that might be available by simply substituting into the diet more foods that have safe live microbes.”

ISAPP Executive Science Officer Mary Ellen Sanders, Ph.D., points out the research focused not just on probiotics, but on all microbes in foods, including environmental microbes associated with raw fruits and vegetables as well as lactic acid bacteria associated with fermented foods. Thus, the study differs from probiotic research, which focuses on microbes defined to the strain level, specific dose, and proven health benefits.

Co-first author Prof. Colin Hill, Ph.D., of University College Cork, Ireland, says it’s possible that dietary advice of the future could include a recommendation for the daily consumption of high levels of live dietary microbes.

“Those foods with high levels of microbes (fermented foods, raw vegetables, and fruits) are all nutritionally valuable parts of a healthy and diverse diet,” he says. “Secondly, these same foods could be providing an additional, hitherto unrecognized, health benefit due to live microbes themselves that enter the gut and interact with the host microbiome, immune system, and even the enteric nervous system”.

Reference: “Positive Health Outcomes Associated with Live Microbe Intake from Foods, Including Fermented Foods, Assessed using the NHANES Database” by Colin Hill, Daniel J. Tancredi, Christopher J. Cifelli, Joanne L. Slavin, Jaime Gahche, Maria L. Marco, Robert Hutkins, Victor L. Fulgoni, Daniel Merenstein and Mary Ellen Sanders, 22 February 2023, The Journal of Nutrition.
DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.02.019

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Why You Should Eat More Live Microorganisms - SciTechDaily
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