News for Now Update: Week ending December 18, 2021

The Obesity Pandemic
The 2021 Global Nutrition Report revealed that, despite some progress, most countries are falling short of WHO global nutrition targets for stunting, wasting, low birth weight, anemia and overweight children. The Report found that more than 40% of adults around the world are now overweight or obese and that deaths attributable to a poor diet have increased by 15% since 2010. Dr. Mariachiara Di Cesare of Middlesex University remarked that “One out of every three women is affected by malnutrition and one out of five children is too short for their age.” The report warned of the significantly high economic costs of our current trajectory and the need for more nutrition financing to meet nutrition targets. Learn more at News Medical.

Yoga for Addiction Recovery
In an article for U.S. News, Troy Jackson tells of his struggle with addiction and how finding yoga as a recovery tool helped to change his life around, while Dr. Anna Lembke of Stanford University shares how addiction is built into our modern culture (food, phones, shopping, sex, social media, TV and more). Yoga, and exercise in general, sets into motion not simply the release of dopamine and other feel-good chemicals, but also the expanding and strengthening of the brain’s resilience and ability to function normally. Read the article at U.S. News.

Toxic Metals Increase Risk of Clogged Arteries
New research from the American Heart Association showed that environmental exposure to low levels of the toxic metals arsenic, cadmium, and titanium may increase the risk of developing clogged arteries in the heart, neck, and legs. Arsenic and cadmium are common pollutants in our soil and water (and therefore, our food), while titanium is often a component of orthopedic and dental implants, in addition to cosmetic products. A lead investigator, referencing research from the World Health Organization, said “31% of the cardiovascular disease burden in the world could be avoided if we could eliminate environmental pollutants.” Read more at Science Daily.

Yogurt Can Lower Blood Pressure
A new study conducted by the Universities of South Australia and Maine found that consuming dairy foods and yogurt in particular, can lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. The effect was strongest for those who regularly consumed yogurt, and the researchers identified that the benefit to blood pressure comes from the minerals in dairy (calcium, magnesium, and potassium) as well as yogurt’s probiotic bacteria. Hypertension is the number one risk factor for heart disease, and cardiovascular diseases (including stroke) remain the leading cause of death worldwide. More on the study at the University of South Australia.

Vegans Face Backlash
In a compelling expose in The Guardian, ex-vegans share their stories of reintroducing animal foods into their diet and the social attacks that came from doing so. Many decided to adopt a vegan diet out of health or ethical beliefs, but after seeing their health decline following different periods of time, chose to begin eating animal products again. Some were then branded a “snake,” “sellout,” or “murderer” for no longer being strictly vegan. The article also discusses nutritional requirements that vary from person to person, the polarization of diet adherents, and the potential biases of both sides of the vegan vs. non-vegan argument. The full article at The Guardian.

Featured Social Post: Dr. Pottenger, Jr. on the Optimal Diet
Dr. Francis M. Pottenger, Jr. discusses topics central to vital health and wellness in this excerpt from an article originally published in 1959 in the Journal of the International Institute of Clinical Physiology. 
In addition to his definition of an optimal diet, you’ll learn his thoughts on:
•  Civilizations that have maintained physical perfection on various ancestral diets
• Why he believed an individual’s metabolism determines their optimal diet
• The importance of an optimal diet for pregnant women—and the optimal diet for infants
• And much more…
Click to read the excerpt: https://price-pottenger.org/journal_article/what-we-know-for-sure-about-an-optimal-diet-for-human-beings/