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Chocolate Is Good For The Heart | Earth Wise

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At last a good news story about what we eat, or more specifically, about what we like to eat.   According to research published recently in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, eating chocolate at least once a week is linked with a reduced risk of heart disease.

In the past, clinical studies have shown that chocolate is beneficial for both blood pressure and the lining of blood vessels.   The new study suggests that chocolate helps to keep the heart’s blood vessels healthy.

The researchers conducted a combined analysis of studies from the past five decades examining the association between chocolate consumption and coronary artery disease.  The analysis included data from over 300,000 participants who reported their chocolate consumption.  About 14,000 participants in the study ultimately developed coronary heart disease.  Compared with consuming chocolate less than once a week, eating chocolate more than once a week was associated with an 8% decreased risk of coronary heart disease.

Chocolate contains heart-healthy nutrients such as flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols, and steric acid.  These substances may reduce inflammation and increase good (HDL) cholesterol.

The study did not examine whether any particular type of chocolate is more beneficial or whether there is an ideal portion size.  So, while chocolate appears to be promising for reducing the occurrence of coronary heart disease, it will require more research to determine how much and what kind of chocolate could be recommended.

Not to be spoilsports, but the doctors who conducted the study warned against overeating.  Eating large quantities of chocolate products laden with calories, sugar, milk and fat, is not a recommended path to improved health.

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Chocolate is good for the heart

Photo, posted February 22, 2014, courtesy of Jan David Hanrath via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Microplastics And Florida’s Birds of Prey | Earth Wise

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Plastic debris comes in all different shapes and sizes, but those that are less than five millimeters in length are called microplastics.  Some microplastics come from larger plastic debris that degrades into smaller bits over time.  Another type of microplastics – called microbeads – are intentionally manufactured tiny plastic beads that are added as exfoliants to some health and beauty products. 

According to a new study published in the journal Environmental Pollution, researchers have confirmed and quantified the presence of microplastics in terrestrial and aquatic birds of prey in Florida for the first time.  This research is important because these birds of prey, including ospreys, hawks, and owls, are critical to maintaining a healthy ecosystem.  The accumulation of microplastics in their digestive systems could lead to a myriad of health issues, including starvation.  

Working with the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Florida, the research team from the University of Central Florida was able to examine the stomachs of 63 deceased birds.  The team found microplastics in every bird it examined, extracting nearly 1,200 pieces of plastic in total.  Microfibers represented 86% of the plastic pieces. 

It’s common for plastic microfibers to enter ecosystems through the wastewater from washing machines.  A 2016 study found that 700,000 plastic fibers come off in a typical wash.  While there are lots of variables, synthetic fabrics account for 60% of the material used in clothing worldwide. 

To help cut down on plastic in the environment, the research team suggests removing plastics from open landfills, purchasing only natural fabrics and clothing, and modifying water treatment facilities to capture microplastics. 

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Microplastics found in Florida’s birds of prey for first time

Photo, posted April 15, 2016, courtesy of Andy Morffew via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Immersion In Nature Is Good for You | Earth Wise

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There is a growing body of research that shows that getting outdoors in nature can be good for people’s health and well-being. There are so many studies supporting this idea that policymakers, employers, and healthcare providers are increasingly considering this need for nature in how they plan and operate.

A new study of 20,000 people by researchers at the University of Exeter in the UK actually looked at how much exposure to nature was enough to make people say they feel healthy and have a sense of well-being.   The answer turned out to be 2 hours a week.  And the correlation was strong.  People who didn’t meet that threshold did not report the benefits.

Studies have shown that time in nature – as long as people feel safe where they are – is an antidote for stress.  It can lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reduce nervous system arousal, enhance immune system function, increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and improve mood.  Most of these studies are correlational rather than causal, but the results tend to be robust.

Given all this, cities are adding or enhancing parks, and schools and other institutions are being designed with large windows and access to trees and green space.  The Scandinavian tradition of “forest schools” – where learning takes place in natural settings outdoors -.is finding a home in the US.   Japanese researchers study the effects of “forest bathing”, a poetic term for walking in the woods.

With two-thirds of humanity projected to be living in cities by 2050, we are awakening to the idea that we need to be able to spend time in nature for our own wellbeing, even if it’s just a walk in a park.

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Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health

Photo, posted November 6, 2011, courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Mealworms And Plastic | Earth Wise

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Mealworms are widely cultivated beetle larvae that people feed to pets and to wild birds.  But it turns out, they may have an even more valuable purpose:  they can eat plastic and even plastic containing dangerous chemical additives.

Four years ago, researchers at Stanford discovered that mealworms can actually subsist on a diet of various types of plastic.  They found that microorganisms in the worms’ guts actually biodegrade the plastic.  It might be possible to cultivate the worms using unrecyclable plastic, rather than feeding them grains and fruits.   However, there is the issue of whether it would be safe to feed the plastic-eating worms to other animals, given the possibility that harmful chemicals in plastic additives might accumulate in the worms over time.

Recently, the Stanford researchers studied what happens when the worms ingested Styrofoam or polystyrene.  The plastic commonly used for packaging and insulation typically contains a flame retardant called hexabromocyclododecane, or HBCD.  Studies have shown that HBCD can have significant health and environmental impacts, ranging from endocrine disruption to neurotoxicity.

According to the study, mealworms in the experiment excreted about half of the polystyrene they consumed as tiny, partially degraded fragments and the other half as carbon dioxide.  With it, they excreted the HBCD.  Mealworms fed a steady diet of HBCD-laden polystyrene were as healthy as those eating a normal diet.  And shrimp fed a steady diet of the HBCD-ingesting mealworms also had no ill effects.

It is true that the HBCD excreted by the worms still poses a hazard and must be dealt with in some manner, but mealworms may have a role to play in dealing with unrecyclable plastics like Styrofoam.

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Stanford researchers show that mealworms can safely consume toxic additive-containing plastic

Photo, posted May 11, 2015, courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Monster Tumbleweeds

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Tumbleweeds have long been seen as symbols of America’s old west.  Tumbleweeds are a structural part of the above-ground anatomy of a number of species of plants known as diaspores.  Diaspores are essentially seed dispersal units.  In a few seed plants, they comprise most or all of the plant.  Once they are mature and dry, they detach from the roots and roll around due to the force of the wind.

There is a new species of gigantic tumbleweed – the Salsola ryanii – that is expanding its territory in the American west.  It is the result of a relatively unusual genetic process known as polyploidy, which produces offspring with multiple sets of chromosomes.  Researchers believe that that the new hybrid species of tumbleweed is healthier than earlier versions.  As a result, one geneticist described Salsola ryanii as a nasty species replacing other nasty species of tumbleweed in the US.

These tumbleweeds can grow up to 6 feet tall.  Tumbleweeds in general are invasive plants that cause traffic accidents, damage agricultural operations, and cause millions of dollars in property damage.  Last year, the town of Victorville in the California desert was buried in them, piling up to the second story of some houses.

Salsola ryanii has a relatively small range, but it is expanding rapidly.  The new study determined that it is more vigorous than its predecessors, which are invasive in 48 states.  The plant is an annual but tends to grow on the later side of winter.  It is one of the only things that is still green in late summer.  With summer rains increasing as the climate changes, these monster tumbleweeds are poised to wreak havoc.   The experts are warning that there should be efforts to suppress them before they take over.

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Monster tumbleweed: Invasive new species is here to stay

Photo, posted February 27, 2018, courtesy of Tracie Hall via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Climate Change And Economic Inequality

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A new study by Stanford University looked at the effects of climate change on global economic inequality.  The study found that the gap between the economic output of the world’s richest and poorest countries is larger today than it would have been without global warming.

The warming climate has enriched cooler countries like Norway and Sweden while dragging down economic growth in warm countries such as India and Nigeria.  The results of the study showed that most of the poorest countries on Earth are considerably poorer than they would have been in the absence of rising temperatures.  At the same time, the majority of rich countries are richer than they would have otherwise been.

Detailed analysis of 50 years of annual temperature and GDP measurements for 165 countries demonstrated that growth during warmer than average years has accelerated in cool nations and slowed in warm nations.  Historical data clearly show that crops are more productive, people are healthier, and they are more productive at work when temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold.  That means that in cold countries, a little bit of warming can help but the opposite is true in places that are already hot.

For most counties, whether global warming has helped or hurt economic growth is pretty certain.  Tropical countries in particular tend to have temperatures far outside the ideal for economic growth and they are already among the poorest countries.  It is less clear how warming has influenced growth in countries in the middle latitudes, such as here in the United States.  Some of the largest economies are near the perfect temperature for economic output but continued warming in the future is likely to push them away from the temperature optimum.

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Climate change has worsened global economic inequality

Photo, posted November 1, 2011, courtesy of CIAT via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Strategies For Limiting Global Warming

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A new study published in Nature Energy shows that the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius could be achieved by a combination of dramatic improvements in the energy efficiency of everyday activities.

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Renewable Powered Cities

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Cities are responsible for 70% of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions and it appears that they are taking responsibility for reducing them.  Over 7,000 mayors around the world have signed up to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, thereby pledging to act on climate change.

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Myths About Organic Food

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There is much to be said in favor of organic food.  The organic produce industry took in $65 billion in 2016 and that farming method is clearly increasingly popular and is here to stay.   Nevertheless, there are various misconceptions and inaccuracies related to organic food.

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Whales In The Big Apple

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For the first time in a century, humpback whales have returned to the waters of New York harbor.   These are not rare sightings, either.  The whales are showing up in enough numbers that a company is taking tourists out into the harbor to see whales with a backdrop of Manhattan skyscrapers.

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Americans And Beef

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There’s ample evidence over the past decade or so that Americans are gradually changing their diets, driven by health concerns among other factors.  But there’s one change that really stands out.  According to a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Americans have sliced their beef consumption by 19% between 2005 and 2014. 

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Some Good News For Coral Reefs

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Most recent news about coral reefs around the world has been bad news.  There has been unprecedented coral bleaching in places like Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.   The effects of climate change – including warming temperatures and rising seas – as well as the recent El Niño event have led to damaged reefs across the globe.

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The State Of The Air

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For the past 17 years, the American Lung Association has analyzed data from official air quality monitors to compile the State of the Air report.  The State of the Air 2016, which was released late last month, revealed some troubling statistics about the health of the air here in the United States. 

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Coexisting With Dangerous Carnivores

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We come across many things that we don’t like but that are nonetheless good for us or good for the world in general.   On some level, we all make cost-benefits analyses to decide what to do about various things that we might just as soon do without.

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