Heres the evidence on ketogenic diets. Credit: http://www.shutterstock.com.au

Ketogenic diets are back in the news with claims they are a "cure-all". Research shows that in epilepsy not controlled by current treatment, around 50% of children and adults following ketogenic diets have a reduction in seizures. For brain cancer, most research has been in animals. A number of human trials are underway testing safety, tolerance, interactions with other treatments, side-effects and the impact on cancer progression, quality of life and survival.

So what are ketones?

Although the main source of energy for the body is usually carbohydrate, which gets converted to blood glucose during digestion and metabolism, the body can also burn fat for energy. Ketone bodies, or ketones for short, are molecules produced by the liver when fat is metabolised.

Ketones are used as the fuel source to produce energy for the body when glucose is not available. The three ketone bodies resulting from fat metabolism are acetoacetate, -Hydroxybutyrate and acetone. Acetoacetate spontaneously converts to acetone, which is easily vaporised. Acetone crosses lung membranes and gets expired on your breath. That's why people who are ketotic, meaning ketones are their primary fuel source, often have a "nail polish" odour.

As blood levels of ketones rise, acetoacetate and -Hydroxybutyrate cross the blood-brain barrier to become the main source of fuel for the brain. Ketones also appear in urine. Their presence is tested for using "keto" strips that change colour from buff to pink to maroon, depending on the concentration. It's thought the metabolic changes associated with being "ketotic", in combination with lower blood levels of glucose, are the important issues in epilepsy and cancer.

What is a ketogenic diet?

Ketogenic diets should only be used as part of medical nutrition therapy, where diet is used to specifically treat a medical condition, and advice is provided by qualified health professionals, such as accredited practising dietitians. Ketogenic diets aim to drastically reduce carbohydrate and replace it with fat so the liver produces ketone bodies. They require supplementation with specific vitamins and minerals because the severe restriction of food types and amounts means they don't meet a range of vitamin and mineral requirements. Individuals on ketogenic diets also need to be monitored for side-effects, including poor growth in children.

Any diet that leads to the body metabolising mainly fat, rather than glucose, is technically a ketogenic diet. This includes when following a high fat, very low carbohydrate diet, during fasting, starvation or prolonged low to moderate intensity exercise.

The classical ketogenic diets calculate set ratios of fat to the combined total intake of carbohydrate plus protein. The most restrictive ketogenic diet is the 4:1 (four grams of fat to one gram of carbohydrate plus protein), followed by the 3:1 and 2:1 diets. These diets require carefully planned meals with specific amounts of foods so that the liver keeps making a steady supply of ketones and the body uses these ketones as a primary fuel source. This is referred to as being in a state of ketosis or being ketotic.

Other regimes include the Medium Chain Triglyceride diet or Modified Atkins. In epilepsy these diets are monitored relative to symptoms, with the goal to improve seizures, while minimising side-effects.

A typical ketogenic diet limits total carbohydrate to between 20 and 50 grams a day. This is not much. One cup of milk contains about 15 grams of carbohydrate, a medium apple has 20 grams and a regular slice of bread about 15 grams. A well-planned ketogenic diet could include either smaller quantities of these foods or foods much lower in carbohydrate such as vegetables (onion, spinach, cabbage, broccoli) or almond or flax-meal. The amount of fat in a ketogenic diet can be more than 150 grams per day. One teaspoon of butter or margarine contains four grams of fat, a cheese slice has seven grams and a fried egg has about 12 grams.

In Australia current fat intakes are around 70-90 grams per day and carbohydrate intakes 210 to 260 grams per day. By severely limiting foods that contain carbohydrate, you end up not getting enough dietary fibre and other nutrients including folate, B vitamins, calcium and trace elements. This is why ketogenic diets need ongoing monitoring and regular review of dietary supplements based on results of the dietary assessment.

A sample daily eating plan could include scrambled eggs with mushroom, spinach and a grapefruit; a green salad with avocado, cheese, meat, egg and oil dressing; pesto chicken with zucchini. The Charlie Foundation website and state epilepsy organisations offer practical advice on epilepsy and for those following ketogenic diets for medical conditions.

Ketogenic diets for epilepsy

In 400 BC medical teachings from Hipprocrates challenged the notion that epilepsy was of supernatural origin and proposed dietary treatment. But it took until the 1920s before "ketogenic diets" were used as treatment for epilepsy.

A systematic review of seven trials in children found that among those following a 4:1 ketogenic diet, 50% were seizure free and 85% had a reduction in seizure number after three months. Following the less restrictive Modified Atkins diet led to 10% being seizure free and 60% having fewer seizures after six months.

While the 4:1 ketogenic diet was more effective than less restrictive approaches, it was associated with more adverse side-effects, including diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting. These adverse effects were the reason most people stopped the trials, followed by not liking the diets or the diets not working.

A systematic review of 12 studies established using meta-analysis that the proportion of the 270 adults who achieved at least a 50% reduction in seizures was 52% for classical ketogenic diets and 34% for the Modified Atkins Diet. Similar to the child studies, the compliance rate was lower for classical ketogenic diets at 38%, compared to 56% for the Modified Atkins Diet.

Ketogenic diets for brain cancer

Interest in ketogenic diets as part of cancer treatment increased when it was recognised cancer cells need a steady supply of glucose to grow and they can't metabolise ketones. This means it's theoretically possible to selectively starve cancer cells and make them more susceptible to the effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. But there is a major challenge in ensuring any dietary restrictions do not trigger malnutrition, and worsen cancer prognosis.

In malignant glioma, a type of brain cancer, pre-clinical studies in animal models suggest ketogenic diets can lower the incidence or progression of cancer in animals. This doesn't mean, however, they will have the same effects in humans. A number of human trials are underway which suggest that ketogenic diets can be safe and feasible, with two of six studies indicating possible clinical benefits and the remaining were inconclusive.

While trials are currently ongoing, at this stage clinical evidence is limited, but research is seeking to identify what ketogenic approaches may be useful, potential synergistic effects with other cancer treatments, ethical issues and the impact on quality of life for those living with cancer.

While it's always a good idea to cut down on energy-dense, highly processed foods that contain lots of refined sugars, fats and salt, strict ketogenic diets should only be followed under medical supervision.

Explore further: Low-carb, high-fat diets may reduce seizures in tough-to-treat epilepsy

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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What are ketogenic diets? Can they treat epilepsy and brain cancer? - Medical Xpress

Doctor also suggest eating more fruit and vegetables and fewer foods high in saturated fat. However, there are other foods which people can add to their to reduce hypertension.

Experts have suggested a diet high in protein could be a lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

High protein foods include beans, lentils, nuts, mackerel, pulses, tuna, turkey and chicken.

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine - BUSM - found participants consuming the highest amount of protein has a 40 per cent lower risk of having high blood pressure compared to those who didnt eat high levels of protein.

High blood pressure can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and heart attack.

Researchers analysed protein intake of healthy participants from the Framingham Offspring Study and followed them over the 11-year period.

They found adults who ate more protein had lower blood pressure after four years of follow up.

Experts said protein could play a key role in the long-term prevention of high blood pressure.

A further study by researchers from the University of East Anglia, found people who eat high levels of amino acids - which are found in meat and plant-based protein have lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

This means adding spinach, meat, fish and dairy products - food high in protein - could be beneficial.

Experts even believe the link could be as strong as cutting salt intake, exercising, cutting down on alcohol and stopping smoking.

Researchers investigated the impact of seven amino acids on heart health.

They analysed data from 2,000 women with a healthy BMI, looked at their diet and compared it to their blood pressure - and blood vessel stiffness.

They found the women who had eaten the highest amount of amino acids had lower measured of blood pressure - and arterial stiffness.

The experts did stipulate that the food source was important - with plant sources of amino acids associated with lower blood pressure and protein intake from animal sources associated with lower levels of a arterial stiffness.

Dr Amy Jennings, from UEAs North Medical School said: Increasing intake from protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, dairy produce, beans, lentils, broccoli, and spinach could be an important and readily achievable way to reduce peoples risk of cardiovascular disease.

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High blood pressure cure? THIS diet could be the key to lower reading - Express.co.uk

Over the years, Robert Kushner has seen many obese patients get tripped up trying to keep weight off because they rely on fast food, dislike exercise and find themselves stuck juggling too many tasks.

He recently suggested that a patient split meals with his wife when they dined out, rather than each having large portions. When the man said he was uncomfortable sharing a meal with his wife when the couple were out with friends, Kushner said to do it anyway.

I said, Its a strategy that works whether youre with other people or not, Kushner says. I think people dont think about it because they just arent raised to share.

The patient kept track of the food he was eating, learning to avoid larger portions and fattening dishes. He has lost nearly 7kg in six months, cutting about 500 to 700 calories per day.

More than a third of adults in the United States are obese, according to a 2015 report from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. In Hong Kong, the Centre for Health Protection estimates that almost 39 per cent of the population aged 18-64 are overweight or obese, while 21 per cent are obese.

Kushner, who directs the Centre for Lifestyle Medicine at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, says he realised in the 1980s that obesity was a looming problem. He started combining diet, nutrition, exercise and behavioural changes into a plan for patients. Since then, he says whats changed is the maturity of the area [of study].

I call it an exercise machine on a leash. It is a way for people to think about moving their body around in a fun way

Robert Kushner on dog walking

Understanding more about the effects of stress and sleep on bodyweight, and some of the behavioural-change techniques have expanded, he says.

In addition to promoting good sleep habits and stress management techniques such as meditation, Kushner suggests bariatric surgery for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. He also suggests surgery for some people who are less obese, but have medical problems such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea and heart disease.

He and his team also recommends medication for patients with BMIs as low as 30 who have additional medical problems or have failed to lose weight despite lifestyle changes.

While studies havent generally proven that lifestyle changes are effective for weight loss, Kushner says patients often have trouble shedding kilos unless problems like stress are managed.

Kushners approach proposes gentler, moderate changes. Rather than telling patients to cut out every unhealthy food they love, Kushner suggests that patients focus on eating alternative foods that are high in fibre and water but contain fewer calories. (Think beans, vegetables, salads, fruits, broth-based soups and whole grains such as oatmeal.)

For the couch potato who finds exercise overwhelming, Kushner advises walking for short periods, building up to three 10-minute brisk walks daily to boost their energy level and mood while also burning calories.

He also suggests that dog owners walk their pet for 30 minutes a day rather than leave Fido in the backyard. Kushner found that dog walking helped overweight and obese people lose weight in a study, and he wrote a book about it Fitness Unleashed!: A Dog and Owners Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together with vet Marty Becker.

I call it an exercise machine on a leash, Kushner says. It is a way for people to think about moving their body around in a fun way.

Most of his patients lose about 10 per cent of their body weight (some more than 20 per cent) after six months and keep it off during the programme, Kushner says.

Patients say they feel understood and more motivated as they are given personalised direction to make positive changes in their lifestyle, he says.

Kushner created a questionnaire to screen patients for traits that prevent weight loss, such as eating whats convenient rather than planning healthy meals. It was these traits that Kushner and his colleagues found in a study to be strongly linked with obesity. Once you take the quiz and know your factor type, I can personalise a plan to help you lose weight and keep it off, Kushner says.

Another way Kushner hopes to help patients tackle obesity is by teaching medical students about treating and preventing it. He found in a recent study that the US Medical Licensing Examination was focusing much more on diagnosing and treating obesity-related illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea, than on how to counsel patients on diet, physical activity, behaviour changes, the use of medications and bariatric surgery.

But Kushner says his approach isnt only about weight loss. We know that as little as five to 10 per cent weight loss will improve the health and well-being of individuals and can also improve blood sugar, blood pressure, the fats in your blood, arthritis or reflux symptoms, as well as your mood and energy level.

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Not just diet and exercise: lifestyle changes needed to shed the kilos if you're overweight or obese - South China Morning Post

I'll admit I was intrigued when I first spotted the new low-calorie, high-protein ice creams next to my beloved Coconut Bliss and Hagen-Dazs at the grocery store a while back. Who wouldn't want to plow through an entire pint of ice cream for under 300 calories? Well, after giving it a try, this nutritionist is going right back to her high-fat, sugar-laden, calorie-rich ice cream with absolutely zero guilt, and I'll tell you why.

First off, let's take a look at the ingredients. Because they are not made with as much sugar or cream as traditional ice cream, these diet ice creams still have to get their flavor and texture from somewhere; that somewhere is sugar alcohols, natural flavors, added fibers, and thickeners. While these ingredients are not inherently bad, they can be problematic for some people.

Sugar alcohols are pretty popular right now because they are plant-based (unlike artificial sweeteners) and low-calorie. According to Chris Kresser, MS, LAc, these concentrated sweeteners can cause some pretty unpleasant digestive symptoms like gas, bloating, and diarrhea for certain people (mostly those who already have compromised digestion). Thickeners like guar gum and xanthan gum can have similar, ahem, undesirable results. While most people can consume these ingredients without any ill effects, it is something to keep in mind.

It comes down to this I know that I could easily prepare my own ice cream at home using the ingredients listed on the back of several of my favorite store-bought ice creams. I can't say the same for these new diet versions. I wouldn't even know where to find most of the ingredients, much less what to do with them if I did. Whole food is my jam and I will pretty much always choose simple, real ingredients over a mixture of ingredients that can only be manufactured by food scientists in a lab somewhere.

And as for the giant calorie count printed on the front of most of the low-cal ice cream packages, to me it just continues to fuel the notion that fewer calories = healthier. Ice cream is meant to be an occasional treat, and unless you are eating it for breakfast every morning, those few extra calories aren't going to have any lasting impact on your health goals.

I truly believe that when we eat the real deal, we get much more enjoyment out of it than when we try to satisfy our cravings with low-calorie substitutes. So pass me a bowl, a spoon, and a pint all this ice cream talk is making me hungry.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sheila Gim

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You Can Keep Your Diet Ice Cream Give Me the Real Stuff - POPSUGAR

If you're among the estimated 8 million vegetarians and 1 million vegans in the United States, don't think that you have to stick close to home to maintain a plant-based diet. A growing number of resources online and on the ground, as well as changes in the hospitality industry, are making veg-friendly travel easier than ever before.

"I actually believe that travel is more fun as a vegan," said Wendy Werneth, a native Alabamian who has lived in Europe since 1999, first in Switzerland and now in Portugal. "For one thing, vegan travel is like a treasure hunt, a fun challenge. At first, I thought I'd starve looking for sustenance, but the reality is I find too many things to try them all."

Werneth initially feared that traveling while vegan would be difficult and stressful. During a trial vegan trip to Greece in 2014, she discovered that vegan travel was not only doable, it was enjoyable. "Since I had all these fears and misconceptions, I knew that other people out there had the same concerns," said Werneth, who guides fellow travelers with insights and tips at the Nomadic Vegan, a blog for practicing and aspiring vegans.

Here are some trends and tips from Werneth and others.

- Get the app: Since HappyCow.net started in 1999 as a primitive website, it has grown to become the world's top directory of vegan, vegetarian and veg-friendly restaurants around the world. Travelers can use it for advance planning and, while on the road, let HappyCow's mobile app steer them to the nearest options.

The Santa Monica, California-based site, with 157,000 registered members who have left more than 212,000 reviews, continues to grow by about 20 percent each year, said spokesman Ken Spector. HappyCow's nearly 57,000 listings also include retreats and lodging, bakeries and farmers markets. It recently teamed up with Werneth to publish the site's free guide, "9 Steps for Easy Vegan Travel."

- Splurge: High-end hotels, while they might not mention "the V-word," are increasingly catering to their vegetarian and vegan customers. "Without a doubt, there's more movement in that direction," said Paul Eyers, who with his wife, Caryl, writes the blog Vegan Food Quest, which includes luxury hotel reviews. The couple left Britain for Southeast Asia four years ago and are now based in Cambodia. "You've already got eastern religion and western animal compassion," he said, "and now people are turning to veganism because of health and environmental concerns."

Eyers, who also advises properties (and their restaurants) on catering to vegans, says that little things can go a long way. "High-end hotels, which usually ask for your preferences ahead of time, should know you're vegan, so they shouldn't leave chocolate on pillows or milk in the fridge," he said. "If I go into a room and there's fruit, soy milk and a butter alternative, I know they understand my diet, and that makes me confident in the hotel in general."

- Research local cuisine: Even cuisines that have a reputation for being extraordinarily difficult for vegans and vegetarians still dish up plenty of surprises if you dig deep enough, Werneth said. Spain, for example - known for its cured meats and seafood - has gazpacho, vegetable paella and a huge selection of vegan tapas. France - famous for cheese and rich beef flavors - has vegan specialties such as socca, a savory pancake made from chickpea flour that is hugely popular in the southern part of the country.

Researching vegan options, she said, offered her a new way to approach different cultures and cuisines, many of which she explores in her recently published book "Veggie Planet: Uncover the Vegan Treasures Hiding in Your Favorite World Cuisines." "For instance," she said, "there are a lot of what I call accidentally vegan dishes in the Greek cuisine because of religious restrictions in the Greek Orthodox Church."

- Network: Werneth, Spector and Eyers all recommend that travelers research destinations before traveling, including connecting with local vegans via such outlets as Facebook, Couchsurfing, Airbnb, Meetup, local blogs and vegan restaurants and festivals.

- State your needs: Once at your destination, introduce yourself as vegan wherever you stay and eat. When confronting a language barrier, Spector recommended using Google Translate's photo scanner (for menus) and also showing pictures of veg-friendly dishes. In case you run out of options, bring your own vegan snacks and a stash of vitamins and also carry containers, plastic bags and minimal eating utensils to set up your own kitchen.

Above all, the experts say, bring an open mind and an open heart, staying curious, respectful and positive, especially when eating fully vegan is not possible. "The whole point of the vegan movement is to create a more peaceful and compassionate world," Werneth said. "I think it's counterproductive to negatively focus on those small things that might not be vegan. I'd rather that 98 percent of what I'm eating is vegan and that I'm setting a positive example in the hopes that that is going to encourage more people to give veganism a try. That's going to help a lot more animals in the end."

- Book a vegan tour: Donna Zeigfinger, who is celebrating 20 years of running Green Earth Travel in Cabin John, Maryland, recently pored over her notes to prepare an anniversary timeline. "Wow, has it gotten so much easier to find vegan options," she said. "Still, some people think they're going to starve to death if they travel vegan and they're freaked out. That's where I come in."

About 40 percent of Zeigfinger's work these days is arranging custom vegetarian and vegan-friendly trips. For the rest, she collaborates with vegan tour and cruise companies with jaunts to destinations including Indonesia, India, Croatia, Italy and Ireland. Closer to home, she's offering a package-deal trip to the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Baltimore Orioles baseball game on Sept. 26 for PNC Park's first vegan event.

Werneth, meanwhile, next year will lead tours in Italy and Portugal with Veg Jaunts and Journeys, a new company based in Asheville, North Carolina, whose trips often include vegan cooking classes and festivals, as well as visits to vegan-friendly stores. Owner Kim Giovacco also offers customized travel planning.

- Pick veg-friendly destinations: HappyCow recently released its first Top-10 list of vegan-friendly cities worldwide determined by number of offerings, population density and the staff's impression of the "overall vegan-friendliness" of the city. Winners, starting with first place, are: Berlin; Los Angeles; Warsaw, Poland; Taipei, Taiwan; New York City; Singapore; London; Tel Aviv, Israel; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco.

"I think Europe has seen the most tremendous growth," Spector said. "Berlin has had a massive explosion, and of really high quality. In Warsaw, Poland, I had some of the best vegan food I've had in Europe. They have two vegan sushi restaurants that are phenomenal. I'm even speaking at a vegan event in Kiev."

Spector, a frequent visit to the District of Columbia, noted that the Washington area has considerable room for growth, but he praised several spots, including HipCityVeg, NuVegan Cafe, Shouk and Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats.

HappyCow has been invited to dozens of vegan fairs and festivals around the world, which Spector said are growing in number and size. "I remember going to vegan events with 200 or maybe 500 people; now it's up to 30,000," he said. "I'm going to vegan event in China; they're expecting 35,000."

- - -

Daniel is a writer based in the Netherlands. Her website is bydianedaniel.com.

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How to stick to your vegetarian or vegan diet while you're traveling - MyAJC

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. So, what does that have to do with fatty liver?

There is something called Metabolic Syndrome where, to simply put it, patients with hypertension may also have issues with sugar metabolism, high triglycerides, low HDL (good cholesterol), and/or high LDL (bad cholesterol). So, it makes sense to see if someone who is on the DASH diet for hypertension might also help these parameters. Many of these patients with metabolic syndrome may also be overweight and possibly have fatty liver as well, so could the DASH diet help with all of this?

As my patients know, I am a big fan of using food/diet to help diseases. When I saw this study about a diet that could help with many of these metabolic parameters, I was immediately drawn to it. I cant tell you how many people have fatty liver and they dont even know it.

Liver ultrasounds are an easy non-invasive way of doing this. Ask your doctor about it!

And if you have it, this diet apparently helps with not just hypertension, but also weight and fatty liver as well.

In a randomized controlled clinical trial, 60 overweight and obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were randomly allocated to either the control diet or the DASH diet for 8 weeks. Both diets restricted calories and both diets consisted of 52-55% carbohydrates, 16-18% proteins, and 30% total fats. However, the DASH diet was high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and were low in saturated fats, cholesterol, and refined grains.

After 8 weeks, the DASH diet group had significant improvements in liver function test results, weight, body mass index, insulin resistance issues, insulin sensitivity, triglyceride levels, total/HDL cholesterol ratio and hs-CRP. Some of the markers that show liver stress were also improved in the DASH diet group.

If you are someone who is worried about doing a lifelong diet, I recommend trying this diet for 8 weeks. If possible, a lifestyle change into a diet that is mostly vegetable-based and whole-food based that is not processed or sugary or full of saturated fat is ideal. However, if you find that you need a shorter time limit plan where you dont feel as overwhelmed, just try this for 8 weeks and once you start feeling better, you might just want to keep going.

As with any major changes, I highly recommend checking with your doctor before implementing diet or supplement changes to make sure its safe for you. The best part about the DASH diet is that most, if not all doctors, know about it. So, the conversation about whether you should try it or not should be a relatively easy conversation to have with your primary doctor.

Once youve got the go-aheadjust know that Ill be rooting for you.

If there is one thing that helps the most for your overall healthits a healthy diet!

Zade, MR, et al. The effects of DASH diet on weight loss and metabolic status in adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized clinical trial. April 2016. 36(4): 563-571.

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DASH Diet for Your Fatty Liver: More Than Just Hypertension Benefits - HuffPost

DROPPING a dress size after enduring a week of misery on a juice diet may seem worth it.

But crash dieters are being warned that such extreme measures simply do not work in the long run.

A study of 183 dieters shows it is better to adopt a tortoise-like strategy than to be like the hare and try to slim down too fast.

After two years, those content to patiently shed a pound a week were found to have lost significantly more weight than yo-yo dieters.

The studys lead researcher Dr Emily Feig, from Drexel University in Philadelphia, said: It seems developing stable, repeatable behaviours related to food intake and weight loss early on in a weight control programme is really important for maintaining changes over the long term. In the study, obese and overweight people were enrolled into a year-long weight loss programme using meal replacements and were told to cut their calories, exercise and eat more healthily.

Some lost a consistent amount in regular weigh-ins over the first six to 12 weeks, while others fluctuated.

The yo-yo dieters may have seen more exciting and dramatic results early on, but after a year they had lost less weight than those who were consistent. The difference was seen particularly in men.

The study found that dieting too strictly, in people with an all-or-nothing approach to eating, often leads them to lose their willpower and regain weight. It adds: Strict restraint has been associated with poorer long-term weight control.

The study, published in the journal Obesity, supports other research that a large majority of people who lose 5 to 10% of their body weight typically regain it. - Daily Mail

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It's been proven by experts: crash diets really don't work - Independent Online

LEKET ISRAEL volunteers pick produce for the needy..(photo credit:COURTESY LEKET ISRAEL)

The good news is that if you look at the world population who lives with chronic hunger [people who dont consume enough calories in their daily diets], that has dramatically decreased over the past 20 years. There are still about 800 million people in the world who go to bed hungry, Lisa Moon told The Jerusalem Post in an exclusive interview on Monday, adding that they mainly reside in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.

For the past 18 months, Moon has been president and CEO of the Global Food-Banking Network (GFN), an international nonprofit organization working in 32 countries, dedicated to alleviating world hunger by creating, supporting and strengthening food banks around the world that currently serve 57 million people annually.

On her first trip to Israel, Moon is primarily visiting the Leket Israel facilities outside of Raanana, meeting with the staff and observing practices that Leket is using in Israel that can be applied throughout the world to combat hunger.

Leket, Israels national food bank, has rescued some 15,000 tons of produce for the needy which mainly comes from farms throughout Israel.

So far, the biggest takeaway for me is that Lekets approach is really unique, because they focus on fresh fruits and vegetables and working with local producers and focusing on nutrition with the people they are serving and people in food banks all over the world, Moon said.

Moon, an expert on global international policy and food waste, who has been involved with GFN since 2015, explained the shift in world hunger from chronic hunger to hidden hunger.

When people who may have enough to eat on a fairly regular basis but may have to miss meals, and they also dont have access to nutritious foods, and, regrettably, about one in four people globally has micronutrient deficiencies and is subject to hidden hunger thats really the hunger that food banks are working to address, she said.

Moon noted that we are living in a time when there is enough food for everyone, yet the statistics show that one in nine people in the world go to bed hungry.

It doesnt matter how much food we produce; if we dont have a way to distribute it to the people who are in need, we are still going to have a hunger issue, she said. So its an honor for me to work with food banks, because they really work with distribution.

Advocating the need for food banks throughout the world, Moon believes that this is the key element in reducing the number of hungry and malnourished people.

Right now, hunger is not about food production, she said, because, right now, we produce enough food for everyone to have enough. Its a distribution challenge and a logistics problem. And so what is so challenging about that is that a third of all the food that is produced goes to waste.

Explaining the need to provide impoverished communities with food banks, Moon said the challenge facing these organizations is getting this food directly to those in need efficiently and, of course, cheaply.

And so we need a mechanism to take that surplus food which is edible, she said. We need a way to capture that surplus food and redistribute it to those who cant access this at the store maybe the price is too high, maybe theyre too sick. Thats really the role of food banks. And thats why GFN is so passionate about promoting this model to communities around the world.

Moon credits Leket Israel for its unique method of collecting fresh, rescued food from the top of the food chain at the level of agricultural production.

Hoping to apply Lekets model on a global level, Moon said: We must focus on scaling food rescue around the world in order to meet growing demands and enter emerging markets.

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Produce 'rescue': Looking to Israeli initiatives to combat world hunger - The Jerusalem Post

Piper Altman, Claire Paetzel and Jennifer Olsen carefully held 26 newborn bobwhite quail Monday, fawning over the birds theyd grown to love after watching the eggs closely, waiting for them to hatch.

Seeing the quail hatch this weekend was an exciting milestone in the project the girls, all 11, along with 12-year-old Violet Johnson, have been working on to earn their Girl Scouts Silver Award.

It was interesting to watch them hatch and see the way of life. Not all of them hatch; some are strong, some are weak and you can see them grow and get all fluffy, Piper said.

The girls, all Girl Scout cadettes from Mattituck Troop 1971, ordered more than 100 quail eggs and spent weeks raising them in an incubator at Feisty Acres Farm in Jamesport. They checked the temperature and humidity of the incubator daily it must be between 98.5 and 100 degrees with about 60 percent humidity, which is raised to 70 percent for the three days before hatching and said nice words to the eggs in order to spread kindness and encourage them to grow.

Thirty-three of the eggs had hatched by Wednesday morning.

We named the ones that had the most personality, Piper said.

Two of the newborn bobwhite quail the Quail Scouts are helping to raise atFeisty Acres Farm in Jamesport.

The first chick to hatch was named Elvis, and one that had feathers sticking out of his shell while hatching was named Hairy. A third, which was born weak but grew stronger, was named Hercules.

The Girl Scouts said they chose bobwhite quail for two reasons: They are native to Long Island and their diet consists mainly of insects, especially ticks. The hope is that these quail will eat lots of ticks in the area, thereby helping to prevent the spread of Lyme disease.

Related story:Bobwhite to the rescue? Southold Town considers importing quail

Aware that Lyme disease is prevalent locally each of them knows someone personally who has been affected the girls chose that as the community problem they wanted to tackle in their Silver Award project.

The girls also created a social media video in an effort to raise awareness about Lyme disease.

We also did the Lyme Challenge, Piper said. Its take a bite out of lime. Its when you get an actual lime and bite into it and make a video and post it on social media.

You try to challenge others to do the same to raise awareness, Claire said, adding that it mimics the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that gained popularity a few summers back.

Girl Scout Cadettes Jennifer Olsen (clockwise from left), Claire Paetzel, Violet Johnson and Piper Altman work on part of their Silver Award project, which focuses on raising bobwhite quail as a way to prevent Lyme disease.

On Monday afternoon, with help from Feisty Acres owner Abra Morawiec, the girls mentor, Piper, Claire and Jennifer each took a baby bird out of an incubator and placed it in a quail surrogator a self-contained unit that allows the quail to adapt to their new environment safely way by providing food, water, warmth and protection.

We didnt even go online, the girls said. We learned everything from Abra.

To help the birds adapt to their home, where theyll spend the next four to five weeks, the Mattituck seventh-graders giggled as they guided each individual quail to the water source inside, called a nipple feeder, and then placed them under a heater by their food.

All four girls will visit Feisty Acres once a week to check on the birds, adjust the heat and document their progress before releasing them into the wild.

You can follow the rest of the girls Silver Award project on Instagram @QuailScouts. The project will culminate with the release of the quail at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at Feisty Acres Farm.

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Top photo:Piper Altman (from left), Claire Paetzel and Jennifer Olsen, all 11, hold a quail that hatched over the weekend. The girls, along with 12-year-old Violet Johnson, are helping to raise bobwhite quail as part of their Girl Scout Cadettes Silver Award project, which focuses on eradicating Lyme disease.

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Originally posted here:
Girl Scouts raise bobwhite quail to help prevent Lyme disease - Suffolk Times