Author: Catherine

Sesaminol - a chemical abundantly found in empty and waste-thrown shells of sesame, reveals protective effects against Parkinson's disease, as per a study at Osaka City University. Sesame seed oil (known for its nutty aroma and high burn-point) is made by extracting the fatty oils from sesame seeds with the empty shells thrown out as waste. The findings fit the age old saying - "one man's trash is another man's treasure". Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement due to loss of nerve cells - neurons that produce a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) in the brain called dopamine (black substance). It is mostly caused due to oxidative stress i.e., neurons in the brain come under extreme pressure from an imbalance between antioxidants ...

You’ve probably seen the sensational media headlines in the last few days telling you to ditch the humble OJ and opt for a Diet Coke instead - and if you’re confused by it, I don’t blame you. So, I thought I’d throw in my own two cents to try and help you make sense of the whole conundrum. The cause of this ruckus is the impending changes to the algorithm the government’s Health Star rating system is based on. The changes will see 100 per cent fruit juice dethroned from its five star status to just three and a half stars, or less. To give you some context, that’s the same score given to Diet Coke. Keep reading at Body and Soul.

The global food system is the biggest driver of destruction of the natural world, and a shift to predominantly plant-based diets is crucial in halting the damage, according to a report. Agriculture is the main threat to 86 per cent of the 28,000 species known to be at risk of extinction, the report by the Chatham House think tank said. Without change, the loss of biodiversity will continue to accelerate and threaten the world’s ability to sustain humanity, it said. The root cause is a vicious circle of cheap food, the report said, where low costs drive bigger demand for food and more waste, with more competition then driving costs even lower through more clearing of natural land and use of polluting fertilizers and pesticides. The report, supported by the UN Environment Programme ...