More benefits of olive oil. A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who consumed more than 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil per day have been found to have a lower risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease and respiratory diseases. People who consumed the most olive oil were found to have a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular death, 17% lower risk of cancer death and 29% lower risk of neurodegenerative disease. https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.10.041
Dr Paz Comments: While the benefits of olive oil are quite clear, the brand and type of olive oil definitely makes a difference. Extra-virgin olive oil contains the highest amount of polyphenols and oleic acid which are most likely responsible for the health benefits. Many olive oils may be labeled as "extra virgin", but may not actually be so. This is especially true for olive oils that are obtained from multiple sources. If you look at the list of ingredients and the olive oil lists multiple source countries, it is most likely of poor quality. This is a typical signal that the company may have been shopping around for the cheapest source. I would strongly urge you to get olive oils that are 100% sourced from California. These are regulated quite carefully and you can be guaranteed of a high quality extra-virgin source. My personal favorite brand is from California Olive Ranch–100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This is also a Top Rated olive oil by Consumer Labs.
Fish Oil and Dementia. New research has confirmed another benefit of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reviewed fish oil supplementation in over 200,000 participants aged 60-73 years of age. It showed a significant reduction in dementia of all types in the fish oil supplemented participants. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261561422000048
Ready to buy that EV? Maybe you should wait. EV’s, or Electric Vehicles are predicted to be 50% of the automobile market by the year 2040. While devoid of carbon monoxide or other pollutants, high-tech electric cars are instead emitting a gasless pollutant: Electro-Magnetic Field radiation, or EMF radiation. While they may be better for the environment, are they better for human health?
An acronym you will be hearing a lot over the next few decades is ELF. ELF stands for Extremely Low Frequency radiation—the invisible areas of energy that are produced by electricity. This is the type of EMF emitted by Electric Vehicles. These have long been suspected to be carcinogenic or cancer causing. In 2002, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a component of the World Health Organization, appointed an expert Working Group to review all available evidence on static and extremely low frequency(ELF) electric and magnetic fields. The Working Group classified ELF-EMFs as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” based on limited evidence from human studies in relation to childhood leukemia. (https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/electromagnetic-fields-fact-sheet )
There may be other symptoms related to chronic exposure of ELF/EMF including:
- headache
- tremor
- dizziness
- memory loss
- loss of concentration
- sleep disturbance
In essence, when you drive in an electric vehicle you are sitting on a large electromagnetic. While the passenger compartment is shielded from the battery, some exposure is inevitable. ELF’s are also emitted by all the other electronics in the car, such as the video screen. The question then becomes, how much is too much exposure? This remains unclear. The organization that sets the standards for exposure, the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) , is sponsored and funded by companies that make vehicles and components for the EV industry, raising issues of conflict of interest. (https://ncrponline.org/related-organizations/corporate-sponsors/). The FCC and other government agencies rely on the NCRP to set its emission standards. (https://www.fcc.gov/general/radio-frequency-safety-0)
For my part, I would like to see more independent, long-term research on acceptable (if any) levels of ELF radiation in cars. I would be especially concerned regarding anyone who spends significant time in their EV, such as truck drivers. For now, I’ll stick with the devil I know, and keep driving my gas-powered car.