When Does Human Life Begin?

This is an ancient and important question. People try to debate the ethics of abortion but how can they have an intelligent discussion when there is no agreement on precisely when human life begins. Sure, there are philosophical opinions and religious ideas but those are not facts.

I came across a fairly full discussion of this question at Development Biology Online. Read it if you want to be prepared for any sort of argument over abortion. Points that stand out for me include:

• At week 5 the first neurons begin to appear
• At 7.5 weeks the embryo displays its first reflexes in response to stimulus
• Around week 8 the embryo has a basic three-neuron circuit
• Not until around 20 weeks is the completion of the development of the thalamus, a region of the brain which enables the integration of the nervous system.

If you are concerned about causing pain, you might support an early abortion but not a later one. I'm not seeking to start an argument but it's something to think about.

Truvia Post Draws 50 Comments

The post on Truvia and gastric distress has had 50 comments to date. I still don't know why so many people have had a reaction to the product. I suspect that my personal unpleasant experience was due to the erythritol but it could also be due to the unspecified "natural sweeteners."

Since writing the original post, I have discovered that I no longer tolerate significant quantities of fructose. This is a huge challenge in planning meals. I will ask the doctor to test me for fructose intolerance.

Anyway, here is what Cargill says about erythritol:

"Erythritol is an all-natural, non-caloric sweetener, used as an ingredient that provides bulk for the tabletop form of Truvia™ rebiana. Bulking agents are additives that increase the bulk and contribute to the texture of a food. Erythritol has been part of the human diet for thousands of years as it is present in fruits such as pears, melons and grapes, as well as foods such as mushrooms and fermentation-derived foods such as wine, soy sauce and cheese. It is added to foods and beverages to provide sweetness, as well as to enhance taste and texture."

I don't tolerate any of the foods mentioned very well, so I guess I should have done more research before trying something that contained erythritol. Fermented products are a problem for many of us who have allergies to yeast and mold.

Also, the online FAQ for Truvia gives this evasive answer to a question about what are the natural flavors in the product:

"Natural flavors are used to bring out the best of Truvia™'s natural sweetener, like pepper or salt or any other spice that would be used to heighten the taste of food."

Huh, that tells me nothing. Must have been written by a political speechwriter!

Click to Help

The Child Health Site provides help for children in need and all you have to do is Click.

Another place where your click makes a donation is Click to Help Haiti. These sites work because they have advertisers who pay for donations in return for internet exposure.

The Endobarrier May Reverse Diabetes and Obesity

An amazing medical device is being tested and shows great promise as a non-surgical alternative for weight-loss surgery: The Endobarrier Gastrointestinal Liner. Read about it and see what you think.

I'm a bit put-off by the fact that it's inserted through the mouth, but that's much safer than surgery. Also, the photo suggests a lengthy cellophane condom topped by barbed wire... they really need a better illustration!

Does low-fat food cause weight gain?

Nutritionist Jonny Bowden contends that low fat diets caused the obesity epidemic. I suspect he's right on some counts. He goes back to the start of the low-fat craze.

"The race was on to produce low-fat and no-fat foods, and to engineer the saturated fat out of everything. This, in turn, led to a slew of "food-like" products, manufactured and processed edible substances bearing little resemblance to whole foods, and to idiotic experiments like margarine. Add to this witches' brew the invention of high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils (to replace saturated fat) and you had the perfect dietary storm."

Sally Fallon wrote about the fallacies of low-fat cooking in her book Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. She tells us how

• Your body needs old-fashioned animal fats.
• New-fangled polyunsaturated oils can be bad for you.
• Modern whole grain products can cause health problems.

Disclosure: If you buy her book from the link above, I get a small credit from Amazon which I can eventually use for buying my own books.

How Cows (Grass-Fed Only) Could Save the Planet

This is heartening for those of us who crave a little beef: How Cows (Grass-Fed Only) Could Save the Planet - from TIME.com

Experts Say a Big Butt is Healthy!

Having a big bum, hips and thighs 'is healthy' reports on the BBC. Here are highlights from the report:

1. Hip fat mops up harmful fatty acids and contains an anti-inflammatory agent
2. Having too little fat around the hips can lead to serious metabolic problems, as occurs in Cushing's syndrome.
3. "Fat around the hips and thighs is good for you but around the tummy is bad."
4. Fat around the thighs and backside is harder to shift than fat around the waist.

Ha, tell me about it!

Read the article.

Can Stevia Help Fight Osteoporosis?

A self-healing website published a page on stevia as a fighter against brittle bones. Japanese researchers have found that the herb stevia increases calcium density in animals. It also decreases body fat. Whether this translates to a medical use in humans remains to be proven. But as a stevia user, I find it intriguing.

By the way, always read the labels on sugar substitutes. The inactive ingredients (fillers) can be a problem for some people.