Nigerian Newspapers
Health hazards of processed meats
The consumption of red and processed meats has been linked with heart disease, cancer and now Type 2 diabetes. A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health looked at a variety of meats such as beef, dried meats and sausages to determine their impact on blood sugar control.
The study involved 123 000 people over a 20-year period and found that an elevated red meat intake over a four-year period resulted in a 48 per cent elevated risk of diabetes in the following four years. This link equates to an even greater risk of death via associated heart attacks and strokes.
One’s diabetic risk dropped significantly when red meat consumption was reduced by more than a half serving per day. A half serving per day equates to approximately half the size of a deck of cards of meat.
“The association of red meat and cardiovascular disease are quite clear,” said Walter C. Willett, Harvard School of Public Health’s chairman of the department of nutrition. “It does look as though replacing red meats with other major sources of quality protein — nuts, legumes, chicken and fish — is a good thing to be doing.”
Not all meats are created equal and some should not even be suitable enough to be considered food. Processed meats often contain more sodium, preservatives and nitrates that, according to Willett, “cause chemical reactions that may create compounds that are toxic.”
A similar study analysed nutritional data from 184 000 cancer-free individuals and found people who at the most red and processed meat died earlier. The results found the amount of meat a person ate before their colon cancer diagnosis was tied to their risk of dying within eight years. About 43 per cent of the test group that ate 10 servings of red or processed meat per week died during the follow up period.
“It’s another important reason to follow the guidelines to limit the intake of red and processed meat,” said Marjorie McCullough, the study’s lead author from the American Cancer Society.
Three or four servings of red or processed meats per week are a good target for people, according to McCullough. “We’re not saying people need to be vegetarians. It’s really just limiting intake and making it more the exception than the rule.”
Distinguishing good meats from bad
It’s important to note that most studies fail to effectively distinguish between processed meat and unprocessed, as well as overcooked or charred meats. A “red-meat-is-bad” approach is a major mistake as not all red meats are bad for you.
However, processed meats such as sausages, deli meats, etc. contain high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, mold called mycotoxins, nitrates and a variety of preservatives. All of these compounds can be correlated to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
One common problem historically with nutritional questionnaires is that they are not highly specific in regard to the type and quality of meats. The good news, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a systematic review to distinguish between the types of meat. They defined unprocessed red meat as any meat from beef, pork or lamb that hasn’t been smoked, cured, salted or have any chemical preservatives.
The outcome of this review confirmed processed meats caused a 19 per cent higher risk of Type 2 diabetes. The researchers did not find a higher risk among individuals eating unprocessed healthy red meats, such as beef, pork or lamb.
Heart disease, cancer and diabetes are chronic diseases that are affected by the amount of inflammation in one’s body. One’s diet is an important determining factor through the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory while omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory.
This is the mechanism by which processed meats produce inflammation and disease in the body. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is between 2:1 and 4:1 according to health experts across medical specialties. Processed and fried foods have been found to produce ratios between 20:1 and 50:1.
All meat contains some omega-6s but processed, preserved, cured and overcooked meats contain higher levels of oxidized toxins and these toxins have been found to be readily absorbed into bodily tissues and cause inflammation.
Dry-cured meats are commonly contaminated with mold toxins. Mold toxins – also called mycotoxins—can cause cancer, heart, liver and kidney disease. Unhealthy red meats and poor-quality processed meats can also suffer the effects of antibiotics, growth hormones and other unnatural animal raising techniques. Antibiotics have been found to affect healthy gut bacteria that are needed to absorb many vitamins, minerals and nutrients from one’s diet.
The nitrates in processed meats, especially bacon, have received a lot of negative press. They can contain up to 50 per cent more nitrates than healthier, unprocessed meats. Nitrates have been found to impair the release of insulin that is characteristic in diabetes. The negative effects on insulin and blood sugar control helps explain the Harvard School of Public Health’s findings that processed foods increased the risk of diabetes.
To compound the issue, the British Journal of Cancer found eating processed meats increased the development of pancreatic cancer by up to 38 per cent. A similar study conducted in Hawaii concluded that those who ate the most processed meat showed a 67 per cent greater risk of pancreatic cancer over those who did not eat processed meat. Pancreatic cancer is one of the types of cancers that boast the highest mortality rate amongst all cancers.
A compound called nitrosamines in processed meats have been linked to increased risk of stomach cancer as well. The best way to avoid nitrosamines is to avoid overcooking and charring processed meats. It’s important to cook meat on moderate-to-low heat to avoid charring.
Foods to look out for
Foods that are high in nitrates include canned meats, corned beef, smoked and frozen fish, bacon and sausages. Convenience foods and pre-prepared frozen dinners are often the worst offenders. Bologna, ham, pastrami, prosciutto, roast beef, salami, pepperoni and other cured sandwich meats should be limited.
Processed foods often have food labels to help identify the chemical culprits. The major chemicals to look out for include phosphates, nitrates, texturizers, stabilizers, thickeners and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Phosphates are added to help retain moisture and add flavour in meats. Sodium nitrate basically stains the meat to look fresh and extends its saleability. MSG is a powerful flavour enhancer but has been linked to numerous medical conditions and should be avoided altogether.
Become an informed consumer and protect yourself and family from processed meat induced heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Substituting fish, nuts, legumes and lean meats instead of chemical-laden processed meats will help promote a healthy omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, reduce inflammation and reduce your chance of becoming a statistic.
Couillard, an international healthcare speaker and columnist for numerous newspapers, magazines, websites and publications, works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and global healthcare education. He can be reached via [email protected]
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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