The #1 best protein for your health (and the worst to avoid)

If you’ve ever found yourself arguing about whether eating meat is healthy for you and the planet and, if so, which meat to eat, you now have some answers. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), which brought us the “Dirty Dozen,” a list of the 12 most pesticide-ridden fruits and vegetables, released a report today showcasing the carbon footprint of 20 conventionally grown popular protein sources, from lentils to lamb.

To come up with the carbon impact, the EWG looked at the food’s full “lifecycle”—including the water and fertilizer to grow feed crops, transportation of the food and even the amount of food that’s wasted.

The biggest take-away: eat less meat and avoid wasting it (20% of edible meat ends up being tossed). Why should you care? The implications of this report are twofold—environmental and personal health. On the environmental side, the United Nations recently determined that livestock is one of the top contributors to the world’s most serious environmental problems. Going meatless can reduce water pollution, waste and greenhouse gases, and save energy, land and water. As for personal health, science shows that eliminating or cutting back on meat may improve blood pressure, decrease your risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol and help better manage your weight.

The EWG’s full list of 20 “meats and other protein” sources includes vegetables like broccoli and tomatoes that, while having a low carbon footprint also deliver very little protein (around 1 to 2 grams per serving). So to bring you the 5 best and 5 worst proteins, I’m sticking to the EWG’s abbreviated pocket-guide version and annotating with my own comments as a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor at EatingWellMagazine. (To find out what ranked best, worst and in between on the full list of 20 protein choices, click here.)

5 Worst Protein Choices for the Environment
1. Lamb
Lamb’s carbon footprint comes mostly from the methane the animals produce through digestion and manure and from the crops grown to feed them. The same is true of cattle (which is why beef ranks second in the list of top 5 carbon offenders), but since lambs produce less meat, the carbon footprint is greater per ounce. In fact, eating 4 ounces of lamb is equivalent to driving 13 miles, in terms of your carbon footprint.

What you can do: Lamb isn’t widely eaten in the U.S. and in terms of carbon emissions that’s a good thing. Keep eating it sparingly, according to the EWG.

2. Beef
Like lambs, beef cattle are ruminants and produce the same greenhouse gases while digesting their food. Conventionally grown beef cattle are also shipped during different stages of production, adding to their environmental toll.

What you can do: When you do choose beef, look for grass-fed and organic. While pricier than conventional, it’s a healthier choice for you and the environment. Grass-fed beef is richer in heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Plus, organic, grass-fed cattle are raised in a way that minimizes the carbon emissions from manure. The EWG also recommends avoiding processed beef products, such as sausage, since more processing means a bigger carbon footprint and the processed products are less healthy than unprocessed.
Must Read: 5 Myths About “Natural” Meat Busted
8 Nutrients You Need When You’re Skipping Meat

3. Cheese
I adore good cheese, so I was deeply saddened to see cheese come in at number 3. I was momentarily heartened, though, when I noticed that EWG had compared all the proteins’ carbon emissions per 4 ounces. That ends up being a little less than 3 servings of cheese! Which means that if you stick to a serving, it’s more equivalent to eating 2 eggs, in terms of environmental impact.

What can you do: Stick to a single serving (1.5 ounces for hard cheese)—plus using a sharply flavored cheese can help you get the maximum impact for less. The EWG also recommends choosing organic and low-fat cheese, when possible.

4. Pork
Pigs don’t produce methane while digesting their food, but their manure contributes greenhouse gases. Processing and cooking pork adds to its carbon footprint.

What you can do: The EWG recommends choosing pastured pork, when you can, and avoiding processed pork (yes, that means bacon).

5. Farmed Salmon
Fish feed and electricity on fish farms adds to the carbon footprint of the fish. So does shipping, which means that wild salmon also has a higher carbon footprint when it’s shipped by air to your market. But don’t forget that salmon also delivers heart-healthy omega-3s, so still aim to eat fish a few times a week.

What you can do: Look for wild salmon over farmed, when possible. And don’t snub light tuna and sardines—other sources of omega-3s that have lower carbon footprints.
Don’t Miss: 6 of the Healthiest Fish and Shellfish to Eat, 6 to Avoid

5 Best Protein Choices for the Environment
1. Milk
On the abbreviated top 10 list, milk came in with the lowest carbon footprint (lentils were lowest on the list of 20). However, the EWG looked at the carbon footprint of 4 ounces of milk—that’s only half a serving. So a full cup would be twice as high.

What you can do: Look for milk from local dairies, which should cut some of the carbon footprint caused by shipping. Milk from organic and grass-fed cows will also cut down on some of the carbon emissions caused by raising cattle, suggests the EWG, while delivering the added bonus of extra omega-3s and no growth hormones.

2. Beans
Beans are a smart protein choice. They give you fiber and healthy nutrients, such as folate and iron, and are very low in saturated fat. They’re also one of the best choices for the planet. Unlike animal-based proteins, beans have fewer carbon inputs and outputs (with animal proteins, growing crops just to feed the animals significantly adds to their carbon footprint).

What you can do: Eat beans more often! If you want beans with the lowest carbon footprint, buy them dried, which skips the extra step of processing them.

3. Tofu
Tofu’s carbon footprint (roughly one-third that of beef) largely comes from growing the soybeans and then processing it into tofu.

What you can do: Tofu is a great choice, but keep in mind that if the label doesn’t say it is 100% USDA Certified Organic or non-GMO, there is a good chance it was made from genetically modified soybeans.

4. Eggs
Feeding chickens, and the energy used on poultry farms, adds to the carbon footprint of eggs. But as far as animal proteins go, eggs’ carbon footprint is relatively low. In addition to protein, eggs give you some vitamin D and lutein and zeaxanthin, which are good for eye health. Although eggs contain some saturated fat and cholesterol, eating one a day shouldn’t raise your cholesterol levels.

What you can do: For the lowest carbon footprint, the EWG recommends opting for organic and pastured eggs, from chickens that are given organic feed and are allowed to run around.

5. Chicken
Chicken is the best meat choice, but on the full list of 20 foods, chicken ranks 6th meaning that its carbon footprint is still higher than plant foods and tuna. From an environmental and health perspective, though, eating chicken is better than eating beef.

What you can do: Choose chicken more often than beef, pork or lamb. As with eggs, the EWG recommends choosing chicken that is organic and/or pastured.

"By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Editior-Nutrition forEatingWell Magazine"

Pregnancy Drug Categories: What Do They Mean?

ZZIn 1975, the FDA introduced categories to determine if a medication would be safe for pregnancy. Over the years, it has become clear that drug safety in pregnancy isn’t always quite that easy. A new system of defining drug safety in pregnancy is due out in the future but has yet to be introduced.In the meanwhile, we are left with the system introduced in 1975, and still currently in place, to decidemedication safety for pregnancy. It is important that women who are pregnant, or considering pregnancy, understand the drug categories and what they mean.
What are the categories?
The categories are lettered A, B, C, D, and X.  Their definitions are as follows:

• A – Controlled studies in pregnant women demonstrated no risk to the fetus during any part of the pregnancy, examples are folic acid and vitamin B6.
• B – No adequate controlled studies in pregnant women exist and animal studies show no fetal risk, examples are Tylenol and insulin.
• C – No adequate controlled studies in pregnant women exist and animal studies show adverse fetal risk that may be outweighed by the benefit of the drug, examples are Ciprofloxacin and Diflucan.
• D – Studies in humans, investigational or post marketing data, have demonstrated fetal risk that may be outweighed by the benefit of the drug, examples are Dilantin and most chemotherapy drugs.
• X – Studies in humans or animals, investigational or post marketing data, demonstrate fetal abnormalities or risk that outweighs any possible drug benefit, examples are accutane and thalidomide.

So how does this translate into practice?

Anyone looking at this would think, “well, just take category A drugs of course.” The truth is category A drugs are very few. Controlled studies in pregnant women just don’t happen because of the fetal risk if something goes wrong. The majority of “safe drugs” are actually category B drugs and as a providercategory B always gets the green light.Category C and D drugs are a little trickier. They are used--but only in situations where the benefit of the drug will outweigh the risk to the fetus. That is an important decision that is made by yourprovider prescribing the medication. Finally, pregnant women or those planning pregnancy should never take category X drugs.  So if you are pregnant or planning to be pregnant, review your medications with your provider and make sure they are safe for you and your baby.

"its very important to know the risk of pregnancy especially to those who have no knowledge about it because there are many pregnant women who is taking some medicine when they feel some painful to their pregnancy but they dont know that taking medicine for a pregnant women is very dangerous because this might cause some abnormalities to the fetus  and might cause death ,,so we must be very careful for every drugs that we take."

The 3 Veggies with the Least Nutritional Value

We're not here to demonize any form of produce. After all, every veggie has at least some nutritional value -- and we all need to include more vegetables in our diets, not less! But if you're wondering whether to use iceberg or romaine in your signature summer salad, you may want to check out our list of the veggies with the least nutritional value:

1.    Celery: Sure, you can nosh on 8 inches of celery for only 6 calories, but are you really getting any nutrients in return?

 The answer: Yes, but you'd have to go beyond an 8-inch stalk, which provides a mere 1.6 percent of our daily requirement for calcium and 2 percent of our daily requirement for vitamin C. It does, however, boast a decent amount of fiber and vitamin K. A better alternative: Carrots, which are loaded with eye-protecting beta carotene.Toss them into salads for a low-calorie crunch; braise them as a sweet summer side dish or slice them thin and add them to your favorite stir-fry.

Related: Yoga Moves for Flat Abs

2.    Cucumbers: The cucumber is another low-calorie veggie. One cup of sliced cucumber weighs in at only 16 calories. But it's slim on nutrients, too. In fact, cucumbers contain 5 percent or less of our daily requirement for potassium, manganese, magnesium and vitamin C. On the plus side, cucumber extracts (not the whole cucumber) do have a number of disease-fighting antioxidant compounds, like tannins and flavonoids, says Registered Dietitian and Chef Consultant Michelle Dudash. A better alternative: Purslane, a peppery herb that's high in heart-healthy alpha linolenic acid (a type of omega-3). It's also higher in beta carotene than spinach. Toss it in salads, fold it into omelets or use it as a crunchy green on sandwiches.

See Also: Gwyneth Paltrow's Arm and Abs Workout

3.    Iceberg Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is one of the most commonly consumed vegetables in the U.S., along with potatoes (as French fries) and tomatoes, but that doesn't mean it's the healthiest option. While iceberg is low in calories and offers some vitamins and fiber,other dark leafy greens contain much more vitamin A and C. A better alternative: Romaine lettuce, which offers much more beta carotene than iceberg. Use romaine in a traditional wedge salad with blue cheese crumbles, diced tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette,or layer it on turkey sandwiches.

"here are some vegetables that can help you for your diet that is easy to prepare it saves time and effort in an effective and less expensive way..enjoy reading! "

Why the Mediterranean diet is losing popularity in its own land

The Mediterranean diet may be more popular along the Pacific U.S. these days than it is in Italy, Greece, and Spain, according to an NPR story this week. Ancel Keys, an American military physiologist, was the one to bring news of the Mediterranean diet to America from Pioppi, Italy, where, in the 1940s and 50s, he observed a population poorer, yet healthier than those of wealthier, surrounding nations.

One reason for this is adolescents avoiding the Mediterranean diet to imitate the US diet, aka burgers, fries, and soda, said Dr. Angelo Pietrobelli, associate professor of pediatrics and nutrition at the University of Verona. But the diminishing popularity of the traditional diet is fueled by another force stronger than imitation, the economy. Originally, the Mediterranean diet was an affordable peasant's meal plan, not necessarily one they would choose. Meat, fat, and sugar are the flavors people crave most, and they've become cheaper than the basic units of the Mediterranean diet--olive oil, fish, and produce. In Keys's original studies he asked his subjects how they would eat differently given more money. Their answer? More meat.

"for me this has been a global trend and is not localized to the Mediterranean by any stretch of the imagination. Even if Italy was holding out a bit longer than others, I doubt it is now. Even if native Italians don't eat at American restaurants, tourists will.."

Most Bizarre State Foods

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When it comes to symbolic foods, these states 

have some wacky ones

When thinking about what makes America unique, it's fun to take a moment
 and consider the foods that have come to define this glorious nation.
And while we pledge allegiance to the flag, one nation indivisible — it seems
that many states have taken the act of designating their official foods very
seriously. Just recently the State Senate declared corn the official vegetable
 of New York (even though corn is actually a grain).

In pictures: Most Bizarre State Foods

Some states are represented by foods that seem questionable at best, such as
Nebraska adopting Kool-Aid as their state soft drink. Others seem to have
deeper historical roots, such as Hoosier pie (also known as sweet cream pie),
 which is the official pie of Indiana. Regardless of their origins, when it comes
 to declaring penultimate foods, many state legislators have made truly curious choices.

In pictures: Most Bizarre Food & Drink Laws

Although many of these foods seem perfectly normal in and of themselves,
such as morel mushrooms and Jell-O, they stand out quite bizarrely among
 the landscape of American state foods.

"as i search for this i discovered that kool-aid(or the earliest version of it)was actually invented by a pharmacist in a small Iowa town. He never tried to sell it large scale or patent it, so the employee that ran off to Nebraska and "invented" Kool-aid made the money and fame. But the recipe and idea was actually stolen..how sad :l"

Power Your Brain Hour By Hour

" Great tips to keep us all going during these hot summer days"

We all know what we're supposed to do to keep our bodies healthy, limber, and long-lasting. But how do you start treating your brain better—so it works at its best today and will keep working at its best tomorrow?

Unlike diets—in which you can see that you've lost either weight or inches—brain boosting is a tougher thing to track. Although there has been an explosion in brain research over the past decade, much of the work has been done on the elderly, and a lot of the findings show intriguing levels of correlation but, in fact, fall short of actual cause and effect. And the only true examination of your brain comes when you don't really need it anymore—at autopsy.

Scientists' original goal was to prevent both structural and functional changes. Now researchers are trying to understand why some people have what is called cognitive reserve, which is the ability to maintain most or all normal brain function even after negative changes—such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or decreased memory—occur.

So, even if you have a strong family history of mental decline in later years, what you do or don't do—right now—could make all the difference in keeping your brain in top condition. Follow our guide for an easy tune-up.

6 a.m.

Wake up and smell the coffee. One of the scents most stimulating to the brain is coffee, according to findings from the Kyorin University School of Medicine in Japan. So even if you don't plan to drink any, you should still brew some and take a good, long sniff. Or better yet, actually drink a cup. In one French study, women age 65 or older who knocked back more than three 5-ounce cups a day were 33% less likely to experience decline in verbal fluency than those who drank less than a cup. Voila!

7 a.m.

Enjoy a power breakfast high in brain-healthy foods such as blueberries, on top of cereal or fat-free yogurt. Blueberries' antioxidant properties are wonderful, but they also increase blood flow to the brain, which, in turn, improves your neuronal function.

9 Healthy breakfasts that help jumpstart your brain.

8 a.m.

During breakfast, play a game. Time yourself while working a crossword or Sudoku over your eggs and bacon, recommends Cynthia Green, PhD, author ofBrainpower Game Plan. It's a great way to boost attention, processing speed, and positive intellectual engagement.

9 a.m.

Turn off your GPS. This nifty device actually prevents you from using the parts of your brain involved in spatial navigation, as well as the hippocampus, which controls memory and orientation. The stimulation of your brain peaks at 9 am, so save the GPS for when you're really lost, okay?

10 a.m.

Get a move on. At the gym, focus on cardio, which may increase the volume of the hippocampus. If you can't get to the gym, then park a half mile away from the office. Why? Because one of the surest ways to get enough exercise to maintain brain health is to walk at least 1 mile a day.

11 a.m.

Lighten up! Reconfigure your lighting with full-spectrum bulbs to stimulate alertness and enhance critical brain functions, such as memory, as well as influence mood. Experts say this kind of light actually mimics what humans were accustomed to before electric illumination.

Noon

Get your eyes and ears checked before lunch. By your mid-40s, it's time to start making sure you're regularly checking both your vision and your hearing—vision, annually; hearing, right away to get a baseline and then intermittently with an audiogram, so input to the brain remains optimal.

Prevention readers who followed this plan boosted their everyday memory by up to 78% Try our 4-week brain-boosting game plan today—you won't forget it!

1 p.m.

Make a lunch with crunch. Carrots, celery, and green bell peppers are easily some of the best sources of luteolin, which may contribute to reducing the risk of dementia. You can also cook more often with olive oil or drink peppermint and chamomile teas, which contain luteolin.

2 p.m.

Have a nap attack. While we've all heard about the benefits of a delicious 30-minute afternoon snooze, Matthew Walker, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, recently published a study in which subjects napped for 90 minutes to test a more radical sleep strategy called a biphasic sleep schedule. The people who took the longer nap increased their ability to learn, which Dr. Walker believes is due to the fact that during stage 2 non-REM sleep, the brain clears short-term memories, leaving room for new and fresh learning.

3 p.m.

Get Web-search savvy. The more experienced people are at doing Internet searches, the more parts of their brains are engaged, according to Gary Small, MD, of the UCLA Longevity Center. So push yourself beyond the basic Google search by exploring its many other options (Google books, blogs, news, etc.), or look at other search engines altogether. Also try spending less time at the sites you usually check every day, and devote more time to exploring some new ones.

4 p.m.

Give up smoking once and for all. French scientists from the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale recently proved that middle-aged men and women who smoke almost double their risk of "memory deficit and decline in reasoning abilities." The Whitehall II study—which started examining individuals as young as 35 and followed them for more than 2 decades—also showed that the biggest cognitive benefits of stopping smoking became evident 10 years after cessation. Call this reason #578 to stop puffing and start breathing better now!

5 p.m.

Drive home via a different route. One of the keys to brain health is breaking routines, says Paul Nussbaum, PhD, author of Save Your Brain. It's the small changes in rote procedures that give your brain a workout. So tonight at dinner, make sure to change where you sit at the table.

6 p.m.

Prepare a dinner rich in omega-3s. Increasing your intake of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA—found in salmon, tuna (especially bluefin), sardines, and herring—has been linked with better nonverbal reasoning and vocabulary.

10 More foods that make you smarter.

7 p.m.

Eat with family or friends. One of the factors most protective of the brain later in life is regular social interaction, showed a 2008 study at Johns Hopkins. "An engaged lifestyle can modify genetic risk of dementia," comments lead author Michelle Carlson, PhD.

8 p.m.

Toss the remote. Turns out every hour spent watching the tube when you're between ages 40 and 59 increases your risk of developing dementia by 1.3%. Each hour spent on intellectual activities decreases Alzheimer's risk by 16%, and an hour of socializing causes an 18% decline in risk.

9 p.m.

Say it in Spanish! People who are bilingual are better multitaskers, according to Judith Kroll, PhD, director of Pennsylvania State University's Center for Language Science. You can achieve a similar effect by mastering a new song on a musical instrument you already know how to play.

10 p.m.

Get your groove on—as often as you can. Sex not only engages the brain, but in lab rats, it also contributes to the creation of brand-new brain neurons. When rats had sex more than once—and up to 14 days in a row—the critters got the same brain-building effects, plus less anxiety.

11 p.m.

Unplug well before you hit the pillow. The quality and quantity of light you take in just before you turn in makes a big difference in how well you'll sleep. Frisca Yan-Go, MD, director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center, recently said that backlit displays—like those on laptops, iPads, and other devices—bombard you with stimulating blue light just when you want your brain to calm down. After all, you can continue reading War and Peace on your iPad tomorrow. Then the next day, start all over again!

" Power up your brain! An hour by hour guide how to energize your grey matter "

Men and Women Face Different Threats When Traveling

Men and women may want to take different precautions when traveling abroad, suggests a new study in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. Researchers found that men are much more likely to get sick from the bites of mosquitoes,ticks, lice, and fleas, while women are more likely to get hit with diarrhea.

The details: Researchers from the University of Zurich in Switzerland analyzed travel data from nearly 60,000 international travelers. They discovered that the men were more commonly treated for malaria, dengue fever, rickettsia, and mosquito- or tick-borne illnesses, as well as for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) contracted from sex abroad. However, the women were significantly more likely to be treated for diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome; a quarter of the women suffered acute attacks of diarrhea.To explain these differences, the researchers hypothesize that women may simply be more open than men to seeking treatment for diarrhea, and men may be more prone to bug bites because of excessive sweating, which washes off insect repellent and attracts insects. But there may be other forces at play, as well.

Get away without going far away: 10 Great escapes in America.

What it means:

The study points to some tendencies, but women should certainly still protect themselves from STDs, mosquitoes, and ticks. And men need to remain vigilant about contaminated drinking water and other causes of diarrhea.Regardless of your gender, these travel health tips will help ensure that you're happy and healthy on the plane ride home.

Know what you're up against Always check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Travelers' Health website to learn about destinations, diseases related to travel, recommended vaccinations, and travel-medicine clinics here in the U.S. If you opt to use a clinic, it's best to make an appointment at least six weeks before you depart, as some vaccinations are given in a series. These can take several weeks to complete.

Manage those mosquitoes When traveling to such areas as Africa, Central and South America, and southern China, you'll need to be especially wary of malaria,dengue, and yellow fever. In other areas, including the United States, West Nile virus is the bigger concern. While DEET-containing repellents do work, this harsh chemical comes with risks, including risks of birth defects and damage to your nervous system. Permethrin is a chemical treatment you apply to your clothing rather than your skin, but studies have found it makes its way into waterways and can cause pollution. But you don't need powerful chemicals to keep the little bloodsuckers off your skin. A Canadian study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the plant-oil-based product Bite Blocker All Natural repelled pests just as effectively as DEET.

9 Foods that help boost your immune system.

Take care of ticks Ticks may carry all sorts of nasty diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, bartonella, and ehrlichiosis. To help keep you safe, there are a number of effective tick repellents on the market, but many contain the same powerful chemicals found in mosquito repellents. So it's a matter of weighing the risk of bites versus the risks associated with exposure to the bug spray. Consider nonchemical options as well. For example, last year researchers at the Yale School of Public Health found that taking a shower within two hours of spending time outside, along with performing a tick check within 36 hours of being outside,provided significant protection against Lyme disease.

Ditch the diarrhea This highly unpleasant malady usually happens when you consume water or food contaminated with E. coli, which is more common in developing countries and can be serious if your immune system is compromised. Over-the-counter medicines normally work, but if you develop bloody stools or severe cramping, you need to see a doctor, who may prescribe antibiotics. Preventing traveler's diarrhea can be difficult, but if you spot common food-safety perils like undercooked meat at an outdoor stall or buffet, pass on it.Cocktails made with ice from unfiltered water are also suspect; bottled beer or wine is a safer choice.

Pretend it's flu season. Women tend to come down with colds more often while abroad,but it's important (and easy) for everyone to practice proper hand-washing techniques to help guard against viral infections.

How to stop the spread of flu in just 15 seconds.

Carry cranberry. To combat urinary tract infections, take along cranberry juice or pills. Drink it regularly before your trip, too, as research has shown that it helps prevent E. coli from attaching to your bladder walls. Yogurt and celery are also known to boost urinary tract health. If you get a urinary tract infection while you're away, don't hesitate to visit a clinic for antibiotics.

Seek motion control. Motion sickness isn't life-threatening like malaria or yellow fever, but it can be horribly unpleasant, especially if it goes on for hours. To stop it before it starts, try sitting over the airplane's wing when you fly and focusing on the horizon, opt for the frontseat of a car (in the driver's seat is best of all) when you drive, and hang out in the midship area when on a boat. For further protection, take along ginger supplements, or chew on a quarter-ounce piece of fresh ginger.