We must face facts - meat is the problem

[mspohr]

Meat Isn't Manly When It Comes to Erectile Function

A urologist certified in lifestyle medicine explains how a plant-based diet for men with erectile dysfunction can eliminate the need for Viagra.

www.medscape.com

That was really good news, and it's a win-win. There is no reason not to counsel our patients to eat more plant-based foods. Meat is not masculine. Meat is associated with a higher risk for erectile dysfunction and is considered carcinogenic. It's just something that we should try to stay away from

Loeb: Great question. A little bit is very much better than nothing. In fact, in the health professionals follow-up study, we actually looked at quintiles of people who ate the most meat and animal-based foods and the least plant-based foods all the way up to the most plant-based and the least animal-based diets. Along that spectrum, it really does make a big difference. Anywhere that patients can start from is definitely better than nothing. Simple things such as Meatless Monday or choosing a few days that they will give up animal-based foods will help. For some people, trying new things is easier than cutting things out, for example, trying a milk substitute such as oat, almond, or soy milk instead of dairy milk. That could be a great first step, or trying some dishes that don't include meat — maybe a tofu stir fry or a taco or burrito without the meat.

Loeb: It's definitely not too late, even if you've already been diagnosed with these conditions. In my own practice, I have seen changes in patients. In fact, one of the case scenarios that I submitted for the lifestyle medicine boards was a patient who adopted a whole food, plant-based diet and no longer uses Viagra. This is definitely something that's possible to do with intensive lifestyle modification. Rubin: Maybe vegetables are the new sexual health aide. How can people find out more? I know you have a Sirius XM radio show.

(Link to interview may be restricted to medical professionals)

 

[mspohr]

Unlike cattle, bison seem to improve the environment and help store carbon

Research shows reintroduction of bison herd may have unexpected impact on air pollution: 'These creatures evolved for millions of years'

A group of European bison in Romania could be an important carbon sink, storing huge amounts of planet-heating carbon in the soil.

www.thecooldown.com

These creatures evolved for millions of years with grassland and forest ecosystems, and their removal, especially where grasslands have been plowed up, has led to the release of vast amounts of carbon," the study's lead author Oswald Schmitz of the Yale School of the Environment told the Guardian. "Restoring these ecosystems can bring back balance, and 'rewilded' bison are some of the climate heroes that can help achieve this."

 

[mspohr]

The next pandemic is brewing in US animal farms.

Bird flu pandemic risk high as cow cases appear and officials warn of humans’ role

USDA report finds transmission likely happening when workers, cows, vehicles and equipment go to multiple farms

www.theguardian.com

Poultry operations have reported cases likely linked to dairy farms, indicating the virus may be spilling back from cows into birds. Nearly 97m domesticated birds in the US have been affected by the highly pathogenic influenza since 2022. Although officials believe this outbreak was originally sparked by a single introduction from migratory birds into cows – for instance, via feed contaminated by bird feces – late last year, genomic analyses now suggest it is being spread between animals and farms by human activity, according a report released by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Thursday. The report, which focused on cases in Michigan, found that transmission is likely happening when workers, cows, vehicles and equipment go to multiple farms.

The fact that it’s in 20% of our milk supply should be disturbing to everyone because that means it’s gone around already,” Xavier Becerra, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said last week. “If it starts to jump, that’s when we really have to worry.” Yet testing has lagged, in a situation reminiscent of the Covid-19 pandemic.