Dear Friends,
Welcome to my November news update with the pick of the most interesting stories in health and wellbeing over the last month. Please explore these new findings and be sure to share them with your friends, families and colleagues.
With warmest good wishes,
Dr Rosy Daniel
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Biggest carbon dioxide drop: Real-time data show COVID-19’s massive impact on global emissions
While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten millions of lives around the world, the first half of 2020 saw an unprecedented decline in CO2 emissions — larger than during the financial crisis of 2008, the oil crisis of 1979, or even World War II. An international team of researchers has found that in the first six months of this year, 8.8 percent less carbon dioxide was emitted than in the same period in 2019 — a total decrease of 1551 million tonnes. The groundbreaking study not only offers a much more precise look at COVID-19’s impact on global energy consumption than previous analyses. It also suggests what fundamental steps could be taken to stabilize the global climate in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Click here to read the full Science Daily Article
Mouthwashes, oral rinses may inactivate human coronaviruses, study finds
Certain oral antiseptics and mouthwashes may have the ability to inactivate human coronaviruses, according to a Penn State College of Medicine research study. The results indicate that some of these products might be useful for reducing the viral load, or amount of virus, in the mouth after infection and may help to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Read the full Science Daily Article
Sustainable Fashion
Systems Change and Fashion
This series offers a thought provoking discussion on the connected solutions to the environmental and social issues with the fashion industry, which has many of you calling for a framework to make systems change happen in this sector. Part 1: Soil-to-Sew guests included Nishanth Chopra of Oshadi Collective, Tansy Hoskins, journalist and author of the books Stitched Up and Footwork, Amelia Womack, Deputy Leader of The Green Party. Part 2: Soil-to-Sew guests include Safia Minney MBC, Social Entrepreneur, Babs Behan, Botanical Inks and Bristol Cloth, Anna Bryher, Labour Behind the Label.
Read the full Green Party article
Microplastics Concern
Bottle-fed babies swallow millions of microplastics a day, study finds
Bottle-fed babies are swallowing millions of microplastic particles a day, according to research described as a “milestone” in the understanding of human exposure to tiny plastics. Scientists found that the recommended high-temperature process for sterilising plastic bottles and preparing formula milk caused bottles to shed millions of microplastics and trillions of even smaller nanoplastics. The polypropylene bottles tested make up 82% of the world market, with glass bottles being the main alternative. Polypropylene is one of the most commonly used plastics and preliminary tests by the scientists found kettles and food containers also produced millions of microplastics per litre of liquid.
Read the full Guardian Article
Nutrition and Health
Drinking green tea and coffee daily linked to lower death risk in people with diabetes
Drinking plenty of both green tea and coffee is linked to a lower risk of dying from any cause among people with type 2 diabetes, suggests research published in the online journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. Drinking 4 or more daily cups of green tea plus 2 or more of coffee was associated with a 63% lower risk of death over a period of around 5 years, the findings show. People with type 2 diabetes are more prone to circulatory diseases, dementia, cancer, and bone fractures. And despite an increasing number of effective drugs, lifestyle modifications, such as exercise and diet, remain a cornerstone of treatment.
Read the full Science Daily Article
Beets: Evidence-Based Health Benefits
Beets have always been and remain one of the world’s most underutilized ‘super foods’ with a number of powerful, evidence-based health benefits. In an era where clever marketing has transformed exotic berries, tubers and plant extracts from geographically distant regions into “superfoods,” ostensibly better (and that much more expensive!) than culinary standards found at your local supermarket, e.g. garlic, onion, and kale, we should be reminded that the true nutritional super heroes are too busy performing anonymous feats of healing to garnish that kind of attention.
Read an extract from this Green Med Info Article
To see lots more exciting news and evidence go to www.health-e-learning.org.uk and see the health-e-information platform.
Researcher – Sophie Daniel, Health and Wellbeing Trust
Images bought from iStock Getty images – https://www.istockphoto.com