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In July 2016, The Washington Post published a story about an Italian couple who lost custody of their 14-month-old son.

The boy had been admitted to the hospital weighing about as much as an average 3-month-old baby.

He required emergency surgery for a congenital heart condition aggravated by low calcium levels.

The reason for the low calcium levels and general malnourishment?

His parents had been keeping their young son on a strict vegan diet since birth without providing any supplements to make up for the nutrients he was missing out on.

According to the Post, this case was not unique.

In fact, it was the third case of a child in Italy being hospitalized as a result of a vegan diet.

And there have been similar cases around the world dating back to 2004. In one case, a couple in the United States was sentenced to life in prison after their baby died as a result of malnourishment.

Read more: Best vegan blogs of 2017

At the 50th annual meeting of the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) earlier this month, experts decided to speak up about the dangers of a vegan diet for children without proper supplementation.

It is difficult to ensure a healthy and balanced vegan diet in young infants, and parents should understand the serious consequences of failing to follow advice regarding supplementation of the diet, Dr. Mary Fewtrell, chair of ESPGHANs nutrition committee, said in a press statement. The risks of getting it wrong can include irreversible cognitive damage and, in the extreme, death.

Dr. Myriam Van Winckel, a professor in the department of pediatrics and medical genetics at Ghent University in Belgium, had something similar to share.

The more restricted the diet of the child, the greater the risk of deficiency, and this is by far highest in vegan children, Van Winckel said in a press statement. But the risk does not stop there. Vegan mothers who breastfeed also need to be aware that their children can develop vitamin B-12 deficiency between 2 and 12 months because of the lack of reserves in their body at birth, even if the mother is not showing any signs of deficiency herself.

Officials at ESPGHAN are not the only ones to sound an alarm.

A 2010 article by the Canadian Paediatric Society showed data compiled from several studies of strict vegan preschoolers and school-age children.

Concerns were raised regarding protein, fiber, essential amino acids, iron, zinc, calcium, fat, fatty acids, vitamins B-12, D, A, and riboflavin.

The researchers added that energy levels may be impacted as well, requiring calorie dense foods to provide for adequate growth.

The article concluded that while a vegan diet can be safe for children, those children should be closely monitored for appropriate nutrition, growth, and energy levels.

Read more: 8 great sources of vegan protein

Members of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also expressed their concerns.

Childhood is a critical time for growth and brain development, Dr. Sheela Magge, an endocrinologist at Childrens National Health System, told Healthline. There are critical vitamins and minerals which can be deficient in a vegan diet, particularly vitamin B-12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, zinc, and riboflavin. Vegan diets can also increase the risk of vitamin A deficiency. B-12 comes from milk and eggs and is a specific concern for people on a vegan diet. A lack of sufficient vitamin B-12 can lead to neurological symptoms. Children on vegan diets may also have slightly higher protein requirements than non-vegan children.

She added that the first few months and years of life are particularly important.

Infancy is a special consideration, Magge said. The ideal first nutrition for babies is breast milk, but if a mother does not or cannot feed the baby breast milk, the only other option is a soy-based formula. Also, during infancy and weaning the amount of food needed to meet energy needs on a vegan diet may be increased and can exceed gastric capacity. Therefore, frequent feeds are recommended.

Read more: The 10 most vegetarian-friendly cities

So what are the options for parents who are committed to a vegan lifestyle?

According to Magge, it can be done but only with careful monitoring.

A child can be on a vegan diet safely, but it should be done in consultation with the childs pediatrician or primary caregiver, she said. A nutritionist may also be involved. Childhood is a critical time for growth and development, and it is very important that adequate amounts of critical vitamins and minerals are taken in the childs diet at specific times in development.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD, a licensed, registered dietitian, who is a wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic, agreed, but she added parents need to carefully assess the willingness of the child to go along with such a strict dietary plan.

This plan will most likely not work in a very picky eater and could lead to nutrient deficiencies, she said.

When considering a vegan diet for a child, experts say consulting with a pediatrician is the best way to ensure proper nutrition.

More here:
Is a Vegan Diet Safe for Children? - Healthline - Healthline

What would you eat if you could eat anything you wanted with zero consequences and maybe even a little weight loss as a welcome bonus? If youre like us, it would probably look something like this: ice cream and more ice cream.

This healthy ice cream really is too good to be true. (Photo: Halo Top Creamery via Instagram)

One brand is claiming that you can, selling pints of ice cream that only set you back by about 240 calories, depending on the flavor. Thats about one-fifthas many calories as generic brands. It also has only one-sixthof the fat content, one-thirteenthas much sugar, and boasts a whopping 25 percent more protein than typical ice cream. But most importantly, it actually tastes like ice cream.

Created by a small L.A. creamery, Halo Top is marketed as a healthy ice cream. And to the untrained eye, it seems like something of a miracle. Of course, its gained a cult-like following of people eating nothing but Halo Top, evenincluding Yahoo editors, who attempted a three-day Halo Top diet with a goal of losing weight.

But if you havent heard of Halo Top, dont get too excited, and definitely dont ditch all of your regular foods for ice cream. I would definitely not recommend eating Halo Top ice cream every day, especially more than one [serving], says holistic nutritionist and wellness coach Dorit Jaffe of Whole Healthy Glow. Also, just because products are marketed as being healthier than something else, for example Halo Top being healthier than full fat ice cream, doesnt mean you need to eat this every day. You can indulge from time to time, but overeating any food, healthy or not healthy, isnt beneficial for the health of your body.

And all of that protein with such low sugar content? Its not as healthy as you might think. Halo Tops emphasis on protein is a marketing ploy, says Jaffe. Whey protein [the ingredient in Halo Top] can be a good source of protein, but the ingredients in Halo Top are highly processed and sweetened with chemical sugar substitutes, which dont have a high glycemic index but are not beneficial for your digestive system.

You may think that chemical, low-calorie sugar substitutes are preferable because of the misconception that they are less likely to cause weight gain, but this isnt the case. These kinds of chemicals can kill healthy gut flora.You might notice symptoms like bloating, gas, indigestion, or stomach pains after eating this ice cream, says Jaffe.

Also, studies have shown that low-calorie sweeteners, even natural ones like stevia and erythritol, both used in Halo Top, can actually cause more weight gain in the long run than just eating sugar. This is in part because when your body tastes sweetness without the calories to go with it, it negatively impacts appetite control mechanisms, causing greater food cravings.

Even Halo Top CEO Justin Woolverton agrees that Halo Top can be addictive. Honestly, if youre the type of person who can take a bite of ice cream and put it back, youre a better person than I am, Woolvertontold the New York Post. Most people sure as hell arent eating only a quarter of a pint.

Still not convinced? If you eat too much Halo Top at once, you might not be able to eat it at all later on. Your body can develop intolerances to the foods that you eat all the time, says Jaffe. Thats why its important to include a variety of real whole foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and animal protein. Emphasis on the quality of the food youre including in your diet is important. Halo Top ice cream is a prime example of a manmade food thats marketed as being as beneficial as whole foods, but this isnt the case.

But if you want to eat a lot of ice cream with little sugar and high protein, youre not at a loss. You can make your own banana nice-cream and add your protein powder of choice to it and blend different fruits in this as well, says Jaffe. This is a healthier and even more flavorful substitute.

Read More

Banana nice-cream has no weird ingredients. (Photo: Whole Healthy Glow)

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Why the Halo Top Diet Is 'Dangerous' - Yahoo Health

Under a new version of the citys proposal, diet drinks would not be taxed, in addition to other changes. A final vote by the full council likely will be scheduled for Monday.

Seattle City Council members moved a proposed soda tax Wednesday toward a final vote and amended it to exclude diet drinks.

Mayor Ed Murray sent legislation to the council in April calling for a tax of 1.75 cents per ounce on distributors of sweetened beverages, including sugary and diet soft drinks, among others.

Under the new version of the proposed tax, diet drinks would not be taxed, small manufacturers would be exempted and medium-sized manufacturers would pay a reduced rate.

The amended plan would raise about $8 million less annually than Murrays plan, according to city estimates.

The councils finance committee made the changes Wednesday before voting 5-2 to move the ordinance forward.

For me, the main object of this legislation is to reduce the consumption of this unhealthy product, Councilmember Mike OBrien said.

Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Kshama Sawant cast the dissenting votes, while Councilmembers Tim Burgess and M. Lorena Gonzlez were behind the major changes.

Herbold proposed lowering the tax rate to 1 cent per ounce and keeping diet drinks in the tax, but her amendments were rejected by the committee.

Councilmember Rob Johnson proposed taxing syrups and powders based on their dry weight rather than their weight once mixed into drinks, saying that would be simpler. His amendment also was rejected.

Herbold and Sawant said they couldnt support a tax that would disproportionately burden low-income people and people of color. Herbold called the existing proposal unfairly regressive and warned a rate set too high could expose the tax to repeal via citizen ballot measure.

A final vote by the full council likely will be scheduled for Monday.

Many health advocates are supporting the tax, while soft-drink companies, some business owners and unions with workers in the beverage industry oppose it.

The Martin Luther King County Labor Council and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce issued a joint statement Wednesday against the tax, saying it would harm the local economy.

Revenue from the tax would be used by the city to support healthful eating and education.

Seattle leaders have been having trouble agreeing whether to tax diet drinks.

Diet drinks werent included in Murrays initial plan. The science on sugary drinks being unhealthful is solid, but evidence of artificially sweetened drinks being harmful is less clear.

The mayor added diet drinks to his plan after a racial-equity analysis showed their popularity among wealthy people and white people. And now council members have taken them back out.

In pushing for diet drinks to be excluded from the tax, Burgess pointed to unclear health findings on artificial sweeteners and to concerns about the tax leading to job losses.

Leaving diet drinks untaxed gives consumers an alternative, he said. And Im concerned about what weve heard from labor.

Taxing sugary and diet drinks at 1.75 cents per ounce, as the mayor proposed, would initially raise about $23 million annually, while taxing only sugary drinks at that rate would raise about $15 million, according to estimates Herbold obtained from the citys budget office.

Herbold argued for taxing sugary and diet drinks at 1 cent per ounce in order to raise 15.5 million annually.

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Diet drinks excluded as Seattle soda-tax moves toward final City ... - The Seattle Times

Kansas City Star

Vegan bloggers say their diets can stop menstrual 'toxins,' and doctors aren't pleased Kansas City Star Freelee the Banana Girl seemed so excited to tell her YouTube following how she lost her monthly period. It happened when I first came to a 100 percent raw vegan diet, the popular Australian health blogger said in a 2013 video called How I lost my ...

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Vegan bloggers say their diets can stop menstrual 'toxins,' and doctors aren't pleased - Kansas City Star

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- With protection over his surgically-repaired right wrist, and off away from the rest of his position group, Theo Riddick started to run. Then, the Detroit Lions running back began to cut.

He was doing it without a helmet and he was doing it without cones or any sort of drill expectation, but there seemed to be progress during Wednesday's OTA. Riddick was moving. He looks like he hasn't lost any of his speed or his elusiveness after a 2016 season marked with injuries -- including wrist injuries that ended his season and required surgery.

"I'm getting a lot of mental reps right now," Riddick said. "And I'm just trying to sharpen my game in terms of reading defenses, seeing stunts, fronts and all things around that nature."

When he's healthy, Riddick is one of the more valuable players in the Lions offense. He is one of the more dynamic pass-catching backs in the NFL with 133 receptions for 1,068 yards over the past two seasons. That's almost equal to his rushing totals of 135 carries for 490 yards over the same span.

It's tough to gauge much from the minimal work Riddick did on the side, but entering his fifth season he looks a bit more built than in years past. When he was asked about that, he fired back, jokingly, "You trying to say I'm fat? Nah, I'm good."

Actually, Riddick said he's been eating better. He said he cut junk food from his diet -- although he wouldn't say exactly what -- but that "it's helping out."

Helping out is what he does best with the Lions. He's the change-of-pace back Detroit has been looking for and he showed some inconsistent flashes of being an improved runner last season, averaging 3.88 yards per carry. But he's best-used as a 2-minute back who can make players miss with good cuts and reliable hands.

The 26-year-old is expected to continue in that role as a change-of-pace back for starter Ameer Abdullah. Lions coach Jim Caldwell once again said Abdullah is the team's starting running back and he took the majority of first-team reps during Wednesday's open OTA.

Of course, Riddick wasn't participating. He was vague about his potential participation in the future. He wouldn't confirm either surgery and shrugged off any questions about his health -- changing the focus to mental reps and the playbook.

When asked if he would be ready for training camp, Riddick was also non-committal.

"Guess you'll see," Riddick said, smiling.

Until then, all the Lions -- and their fans -- can do is watch him work out on the side and wait.

Read more here:
Theo Riddick, recovering from wrist injury, cut junk food from his diet ... - ESPN (blog)

Clinical Nutrition Coordinator

Abdominal pain and a swollen belly, gas, constipation, or diarrheathese symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affect one in seven American adults. A common gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, IBS is a long-term but not life-threatening condition. Still, it can interfere with many aspects of daily life, and is one of the top reasons for missing work.

There is no specific test for IBS, so gastroenterologists typically diagnose it only after testing for and ruling out all other GI problems. We do not know exactly what causes it, and so far there is no cure, so treatment focuses on controlling symptoms.

Traditionally, IBS has been managed in many different ways, including dietary intervention, supplements, and medications like anti-cramping and anti-diarrheal drugs. A relatively recent approach, called the low-FODMAP diet, has helped many people with IBS and is fast becoming the new gold standard for managing symptoms.

What Does FODMAP Mean?

FODMAP is an acronym for a group of carbohydrates: fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. These are sugars that occur naturally in a variety of foods and are added to many processed foods. They are normally good for us, but people with IBS tend to be sensitive to them. FODMAP foods include:

Fructose. Typically found in many fruits, like watermelon, apples, and cherries, as well as honey and high-fructose corn syrup.

Lactose. Found in dairy products, like milk, cottage cheese, and thin yogurt.

Fructans. Found in wheat, including many bread products, as well as garlic and onions.

Galacto-oligosaccharides. Typically found in beans.

Polyols. Found in mushrooms and peaches, and in artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol.

Formalized in 2010, the low-FODMAP diet was developed by a team of researchers at Monash University in Australia. They found that removing foods with the highest concentrations of FODMAPs from the diet improves IBS symptoms. A low-FODMAP diet can also help people with other ailments, like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and in some cases Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis. This is specifically when they are in remission and have IBS symptoms.

The diet, which should be followed under the guidance of a registered dietitian, involves eliminating FODMAP-containing foods for two to eight weeks, depending on the person and the severity of their symptoms. Once all GI distress has disappeared, the person slowly adds the foods back to their diet to determine the level they can handle before IBS symptoms start to return.

There are many different ways to accomplish this reintroduction process. I have found it most helpful to eat a small amount of food in one FODMAP category once a day for three days, while observing how the body reacts. This method isolates each sugar and will show clearly how your body reacts to it.

For example, if you eat a couple of teaspoons of honey once a day for three days and find you are perfectly fine, you have passed the fructose test. You would then take fructose back out of your diet and go on to lactose. (You remove the category of food you have tested to avoid building up these sugars.) If you have a negative reaction, you would take that category back out of your diet, give yourself a few days without any FODMAPs, then go on to the next category.

This system helps empower people by teaching them which foods make them feel better or worse. They can then decide how and when they want to manage their symptoms. For instance, if ice cream upsets your stomach, you might choose to avoid it during the week because you want to focus on your job and avoid stomach rumblings during meetings. While on weekends, you may not worry about that and decide to have a scoop.

The Low-FODMAP Diet Is Not Forever

We do not know the long-term effects of adhering to this restrictive diet, but we do know you should not stay on it indefinitely. It is healthier to have some FODMAPs in our diet because fermentable carbohydrates are necessary to provide energy to the good bacteria in our colon.

Keep in mind that people with IBS are not allergic to these foodsthey are intolerant of them at varying levels. It is important to determine how much of the problematic food types you can tolerate by retesting them in smaller amounts. If fructans trigger your IBS symptoms, say, you might still be able to eat a small amount without reacting. So instead of cutting out garlic entirely when cooking, use the level you can tolerate, which might be a half or quarter clove.

Also, try to avoid consuming multiple FODMAPs all at once, because the cumulative effect can be challenging. Monash University offers a helpful app that uses a traffic light system to indicate whether a food is considered low, moderate, or high in FODMAPs.

The diet takes time and patience, and you need to be very organized. Having the right information is critical. There is a lot of FODMAP data on the internet, but some of it is incorrect or outdated. The diet is constantly being updated, with researchers continuing to test different foods, and adding items to the list of tolerable and intolerable foods. While on this diet, it is also important to make sure you are still getting all the essential nutrients, as well as plenty of fiber. These are all reasons it is important to work with a registered dietitian (RD) who is well versed on the low-FODMAP diet and can help you follow it in the most effective and healthy way.

As an RD in gastroenterology, I have seen how difficult living with IBS can be. But I have also seen how managing the disease by changing how one eats has been incredibly helpfuleven life-changingfor many people.

See more here:
How The 'Low-FODMAP Diet' Can Help Manage Irritable Bowel Syndrome - HuffPost

Since giving up meat at the age of 21, Alicia Silverstone has been amajor advocate for goingveganand shes raising her 6-year-old son, Bear Blu, to do the same.

In a video for the nonprofitFarm Sanctuarys Compassionate Meals program, the 40-year-oldCluelessstar explains why she is so passionate about this lifestyle.I just have always been really interested in the truth in all areas of life, she saysas they eat veggie burgers and kale salad. And so knowing the truth about where our food comes from is just so disturbing to me. Once you see it, theres no way to go back from that for me.

Additionally, she believes that people inthefood industryare intentionally deceiving the public into eating meat. Our food is being hijacked and theyre telling you lies about what your food is, says Silverstone. Its just constant lies so that youll make choices that go against your nature.

When Bear is asked what his favorite thing about being a vegan is, he responds: That you dont have to eat yucky meat.

FROM PEN:How Alicia Silverstone Maintains a Strict Vegan Diet For Her Son Without Judging Other Moms

Silverstone says she has no trouble feeding her child vegan foods, whipping up dishes like tacos and stir fry at a moments notice.I can make all those things based on whats in the fridge. You always have a bean, you always have a whole grain.

The amazing thing about it is that its turned me into a health nut, because youfeelso good, you feel so different, she adds. So being able to do something that is good for the Earth, good for the animals and good for you all at the same time seems like such a no-brainer. Its like the biggest Duh!'

RELATED: Zendaya Reveals Why She Became a Vegetarian

The actress previously made headlines in 2012 when she posted a video of herself chewing up food and feeding it directly into Bears mouth from her own.Its his favoriteand mine. He literally crawls across the room to attack my mouth if Im eating, she said at the time.

Andeven as some have criticized the idea of feeding children a vegan diet, Silverstone has staunchly defended her familyslifestyle.[Bear] lovesthe food I give him, she told PEOPLE in 2014.Hes not being deprived of anything. For him, having amazing fruit is like candy!

Despite her passion on the subject, Silverstone has beenclear that she doesnt force her eating habits upon others.I totally dont judge anything anyone else does, she recentlysaid on thePeople/Entertainment Weekly Network. Im only interested in helping provide information in case you want to know a piece of this secret Ive found If you dont, all love and peace.

Original post:
Alicia Silverstone Says Feeding Her Son a Vegan Diet Is 'Such a No-Brainer' - PEOPLE.com

May 30, 2017 Waterfowl beaks vary along a duck-to-goose gradient (left to right), primarily because of differences in diet. Credit: Aaron Olsen

From Charles Darwin's famous finches to a new study that takes a rare look at a common order of birdswaterfowlevolution has a tendency to reveals itself through bird beaks.

And this new study confirms through a rigorous analysis that the main evolutionary force driving the shape of duck, goose and other waterfowl beaks is their diet.

"This is the most comprehensive look to date at the relationship between diet and beak shape," said Aaron Olsen, author of the study in Functional Ecology and a postdoctoral researcher in Brown University's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

"Waterfowl have really interesting beaks relative to other birds," Olsen said. "They are very curvy with very diverse shapes."

Working at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum of Natural History, Olsen sought to determine what accounts for that diversity.

He expected that diet might play a substantial role, but rather than just compare simple dietary categories with beak caliper measurements as many naturalists have, he engaged in a more detailed analysis. He carefully measured the 3-D form of the beaks of 136 specimens of waterfowl, covering 51 species and 46 genera, including two extinct species. One fossil, Presbyornis, dates back tens of millions of years. Then he paired those measurements with detailed data that he gathered from the research literature on the diet of each bird.

Regardless of his expectation, if diet and beak shape had little to do with each other, the math would have yielded low correlations.

"What this analysis asks is, 'What are the patterns of correlation between these two datasets?'," Olsen said. "What's nice about that is you are going in a little bit naively about the relationship between the two."

More for pruning than preening

But the mathematical result was a strong correlation between dietary preferences and beak shape. It makes physical sense, Olsen said. Ducks, which primarily filter-feed little bugs and seeds from the water, have relatively long, wide-tipped bills that can bring in a lot of water. Geese, which evolved to prefer the leaves and roots of plants over filter feeding (though some still do), have shorter, narrower beaks that give geese a more forceful bite for pruning tough plant parts.

The correlation is so strong, Olsen said, that diet likely dominates other influencers of beak shape that researchers have demonstrated, such as preening and shedding body heat. But Olsen said his analysis doesn't preclude those factors from still having roles, too.

Duck then goose

The data Olsen gathered, combined with several lines of prior research, also led him to hypothesize that the early ancestors of modern ducks, geese and other waterfowl were duck-like. Geese-like beaks are newer phenomena, though they've evolved several times in several places.

First of all, Olsen said, a mathematical reconstruction he performed that accounted for modern waterfowl and the early ancestor in the waterfowl phylogenetic (or evolutionary family) tree, Presbyornis, showed that the duck-like beak is the most likely ancestral form. Moreover, the widespread emergence of grasses occurred after the origin of waterfowl, supporting a later origin for geese within waterfowl.

The other extinct specimen whose bill Olsen surveyed, the fern-eating moa-nalos goose, may be a good example of the kind of transition he suspects played out multiple times over waterfowl's evolutionary history. Other researchers have shown the moa-nalos likely had a duck-like ancestor, but after its ancestors ended up in Hawaii, it adapted to its final plant-eating status by evolving goose-like features over time.

All that said, Olsen acknowledges his assessment of waterfowl lineage remains an open hypothesis. He said he invites further research, even if it ultimately ruffles his feathers.

"I would love to see someone publish a paper and argue the opposite," he said.

Explore further: Up to 600 waterfowl die in western Idaho from avian cholera

More information: Functional Ecology (2017). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12890

An estimated 500 to 600 ducks and geese have died due to avian cholera in western Idaho.

A study of the super-diverse bird groups, which include Darwin's finches, has found that modular skull parts helped them adapt to different roles.

Citizen scientists and bird lovers across the world have helped researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of South Florida uncover new secrets about the evolution of bird's beaks over time in a ground-breaking ...

Migratory waterfowl around the world travel hundreds to thousands of miles annually, stopping at lakes, ponds and marshes to refuel and breed. Some of these aquatic rest stops may be at sites polluted by remnants of radioactive ...

(Phys.org) To female coastal plain swamp sparrows, male bill size matters.

Beak shape variation in Darwin's finches is a classic example of evolutionary adaptation, with beaks that vary widely in proportions and shape, reflecting a diversity of ecologies. While living birds have a beak to manipulate ...

Faceless fish and other weird and wonderful creatures, many of them new species, have been hauled up from the deep waters off Australia during a scientific voyage studying parts of the ocean never explored before.

With prices down and weather patterns unpredictable, these are tough times for America's cotton farmers, but new research led by Z. Jeffrey Chen at The University of Texas at Austin might offer a break for the industry. He ...

From Charles Darwin's famous finches to a new study that takes a rare look at a common order of birdswaterfowlevolution has a tendency to reveals itself through bird beaks.

Biologists have always been fascinated by the diversity and changeability of life on Earth and have attempted to answer a fundamental question: How do new species originate?

Researchers have identified key genes associated with flowering time in the pigeon pea, a finding that could lead to more productive plants for this important source of protein.

A research group at the University of Helsinki discovered the fastest event of speciation in any marine vertebrate when studying flounders in an international research collaboration project. This finding has an important ...

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The author of the article continues to interject the words like "evolution" and "evolutionary force" (whatever that means---very unscientific) and "which evolved to prefer". Fact is that none of these are supported by any science, and is complete guesswork.

We can observe animals that may prefer something. But to say as a scientific fact that evolutionary forces made this happen is complete nonsense. Those are 2 completely unrelated propositions. Scientists should not be so confused.

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Fowl-mouthed study finds that diet shaped duck, goose beaks - Phys.Org

Greens are among the healthiest foods on the planet and theyve been a staple of the human diet since prehistoric times. While the greens we consume today probably bear little resemblance to those consumed by our Paleolithic ancestors, there is still good reason to eat them every day.

Dark green leafy vegetables have a particularly comprehensive nutritional profile. They contain water, carbohydrates, and a surprising amount of protein. They are also rich in vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants that can protect cells from cancer, promote heart health, improve bone health, and prevent inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

If thats not enough to convince you to include these vegetables in your diet then consider that dark leafy greens are very low in calories and high in fiber. This combination makes them an excellent choice for those interested in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

This category of vegetable includes lettuces such as romaine, green leaf, and arugula. Also included are cruciferous greens such as kale, collard greens, cabbage, and broccoli. Spinach and Swiss Chard are a couple of my personal favorites and are easy to grow in your garden. There also are many plants dandelions and beets among them that provide edible green leaves. Even the leaves of carrots are edible.

A daily salad is a great way to get a serving or two of greens. Start with a base of spinach or lettuce and add other vegetables to provide color and texture. Use fruits and nuts for sweetness and crunch. Include a lean source of protein such as beans, chicken, or a boiled egg to turn your salad into a meal.

If youre not a salad lover, there are other ways to incorporate greens into your meals. For example:

Add lettuce or spinach to your sandwiches or wraps.

Add greens to soups, stews, and casseroles.

Add broccoli, spinach, or bok choy to stir fries.

Steam or saute greens until they are slightly soft and serve as a side dish. I also like to mix steamed greens into mashed potatoes.

Make pesto to serve over pasta or as a sandwich spread. Although traditionally made with basil, pesto can be made with baby spinach, arugula, or even the carrot greens mentioned above.

Add to smoothies. My favorite combination is two handfuls of baby spinach with a frozen banana, a cup of almond milk, and two tablespoons of peanut butter powder.

With this many options and ways to prepare them, it should be no problem to get your greens every day.

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Beyond Trim: Go green in your diet - SaukValley.com

Venezuela descends into chaos. Its people, once the wealthiest in Latin America, starve. Even the New York Times runs headlines like Dying Infants and No Medicine.

My Venezuelan-born friend Kenny says his relatives are speaking differently. Cousins who once answered Fine or Good when asked, How are you? now say, Were eating.

Eating is a big deal in the country thats given birth to jokes about a Venezuelan diet. A survey by three universities found 75 percent of Venezuelans lost an average 19 pounds this year.

So are American celebrities who championed Venezuelas peoples revolution embarrassed? Will they admit they were wrong?

No, says linguist and political writer Noam Chomsky. I was right.

Sigh.

Actor Sean Penn met with Hugo Chavez several times and claimed Chavez did incredible things for the 80 percent of the people that are very poor.

Oliver Stone made a film that fawned over Chavez and Latin American socialism. Chavez joined Stone in Venice for the films premiere.

Michael Moore praised Chavez for eliminating 75 percent of extreme poverty.

Hello?! In Venezuela, Chavez and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, created extreme poverty.

Chomsky, whose anti-capitalist teachings have inspired millions of American college students, praised Chavezs sharp poverty reduction, probably the greatest in the Americas. Chavez returned the compliment by holding up Chomskys book during a speech at the U.N., making it a best-seller.

Is Chomsky embarrassed by that today? No, he wrote me. He praised Chavez in 2006. Heres the situation as of two years later. He linked to a 2008 article by a writer of Oliver Stones movie who said, Venezuela has seen a remarkable reduction in poverty.

John Stossels logic is undeniable and refreshing dont miss his latest book, No, They Cant Why: Government Fails, but Individuals Succeed

I asked him, Should you now say to the students whove learned from you, Socialism, in practice, often wrecks peoples lives? Chomsky replied, I never described Chavezs state capitalist government as socialist or even hinted at such an absurdity. It was quite remote from socialism. Private capitalism remained. Capitalists were free to undermine the economy in all sorts of ways, like massive export of capital.

What? Capitalists undermine the economy by fleeing?

I showed Chomskys email to Marian Tupy, editor of HumanProgress.org. I like his response: If lack of private capitalism I assume he means total abolition of private enterprise and most private property is his definition of socialism, then only North Korea and Kampuchea qualify.

Tupy also asks how Chomsky thinks capitalists sabotaged the economy by taking money out if capitalists are superfluous to a functioning economy.

Good questions. Chomskys arguments are absurd.

As Tupy wrote elsewhere about another socialist fool, As much as I would like to enjoy rubbing (his) nose in his own mind-bending stupidity, I cannot rejoice, for I know that Venezuelas descent into chaos hyperinflation, empty shops, out-of-control violence and the collapse of basic public services will not be the last time we hear of a collapsing socialist economy. More countries will refuse to learn from history and give socialism a go. Useful idiots, to use Lenins words will sing socialisms praises until the last light goes out.

I fear hes right. This love for state planning is especially outrageous today because anyone who pays attention knows what does work: market capitalism.

Socialism failed in Angola, Benin, Cambodia, China, Congo, Cuba, Ethiopia, Laos, Mongolia, Mozambique, North Korea, Poland, Somalia, the Soviet Union, Vietnam and now Venezuela. We are yet to experience the blessed event of seeing one socialist country succeed.

Yet during the same years, capitalism brought prosperity to Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, most of Western Europe, and years ago, to a mostly poor and undeveloped country we now call America.

In 1973, when Chile abandoned its short-lived experiment with socialism and embraced capitalism, Chilean income was 36 percent that of Venezuela. Today, Chileans are 51 percent richer than Venezuelans. Chilean incomes rose by 228 percent. Venezuelans became 21 percent poorer.

Venezuela has greater oil reserves than Saudi Arabia, but because some people believe socialism is the answer to inequality, Venezuelans starve.

What should Venezuela do once the tyrant falls?

It should do what Dubai and Hong Kong did, and what America should do next with Guantanamo Bay and Puerto Rico: create prosperity zones. Ill explain in my next column.

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Did you hear the one about the 'Venezuelan diet'? - WND.com

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