Sunday, February 9, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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The blue zones: Where people live the longest in the world

The blue zones refer to five different areas in the world where the population lives and stays healthy longer than anywhere else in the world. For example, there are more 100-year-olds, and fewer middle-aged people are becoming ill. What then, do the people in the blue zones do differently than the rest of us?

Published 1 January 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Sardinia has the most centenarians per capita in the world. The island is one of several counted as "blue zones".

The blue zones as a concept were coined by Dan Buettner, who calls himself a “discoverer”. Buettner made himself known earlier by cycling around the world, setting a number of records in the Guinness Book of Records. He has written several books about the blue zones and in 2004 put together a team along with National Geographic to investigate what the secret is behind the people in the blue zones living and being healthy for so long. Five areas in the world are usually referred to as blue zones:

Seventh-day Adventists

Seventh-day Adventists is a church that has made itself known for emphasizing the importance of a healthy life. In Sweden, the church previously owned the brand Hälsans kök (The Cuisine of Health), under which they marketed various vegetarian products. The Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California, are a group that has been studied for a long time, not just by Buettner’s group. A large proportion of them are vegetarians and vegans and physical activity is an important part of their daily lives.

Ikaria, Greece

Ikaria is an island in Greece and is characterized by the very low incidence of dementia and the very low mortality rate in middle-aged people. At Ikaria, life flows at a leisurely pace and many make their own wine according to old traditions.

Sardinia

In Sardinia, more specifically in the region known as Barbagia, lives the population group that has the most male centenarians in relation to the population in the world. The people traditionally live as farmers or shepherds. The research suggests that they may be descendants of an earlier Bronze Age civilization that was displaced by an invading population and thus driven up to the highlands of Sardinia.

Nicoya, Costa Rica

Nicoya is a peninsula in Costa Rica that comes in second place when it comes to male centenarians, after Barbagia in Sardinia. They also have the lowest mortality rate in the world among middle-aged people. In Nicoya, not only do people grow old, but just like in the other blue zones, they are active and healthy until they pass away.

Okinawa

Okinawa is an island south of Japan where the population has traditionally lived largely on sweet potatoes and fish. Okinawa has the largest proportion of female centenarians in the world.

Based on Buettner’s research, below are some tips for you who in our society want to follow some of the habits in the blue zones.

Everyday exercise

In the blue zones, moving around is part of everyday life. Most people live traditional lives where they work in the field, in the garden, fish or look after the animals. This means that they never have to think about training or exercise as a separate activity. This can be difficult for you who have a job where you mostly sit at a desk all day. A solution can be a lunch walk, a desk where you stand or maybe even a small exercise bike you put under the desk and pedal a little to and fro during the day.

Purpose of life

In the blue zones, everyone states that they know the purpose of their lives, something that few could probably do in the western world. Feeling that life is meaningful is a prerequisite for mental health and it also is evident in how long people live and how happy they are. This is also related to the next item.

Relaxation and de-stressing

Stress is a part of life, even for the people in the blue zones. The difference is how they handle it. Meditation, prayer and reflection are some examples of what they all do, but which very few of us do. In addition to this, the stress level for us is often significantly higher. People who profess to be genuinely religious, no matter what religion they are, live longer and consider themselves happier than others. Studies have shown that those in the West who participate in a religious gathering four times a month live on average four to fourteen years longer than others.

They do not eat until stuffed

Several of the blue zones have traditions that prevent overeating, such as “hara hachi bu” in Okinawa, which means that you should stop eating when you are 80 percent full. Maybe we can also assume that you are not offered cake every week at work in the blue zones? Not eating too much can be easier said than done, but if you try, it probably has some kind of effect.

Mostly plants in the diet

The diet in the blue zones is largely plant-based, supplemented with cheese, fish or meat. Beans are also something that reappears in all the blue zones in different forms and is usually eaten daily. This means that the energy in the diet comes mostly from carbohydrates, 65 percent approximately. It can be said that the diet in the blue zones is starch-based, mostly from root vegetables, whole grains and beans. This is easy to follow in our society, where food from all corners of the world is available all year round.

Alcohol

Alcohol is consumed in all the blue zones except among the Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda. However, people are very rarely drunk and the alcohol is always consumed with food or in social contexts.

Social context

Family, friends and society are factors that play a major role in health. In the blue zones, everyone has somewhere where they belong. They have strong social networks and always put the needs of their families first. This is a very stark contrast to Western society, where the self-realisation of the autonomous individual is often portrayed as central.

The term “blue zone” has gained great popularity and today Buettner works with an entire organisation behind him to try to improve the health of the American population with the blue zones as a model. Perhaps the Swedish population can also be inspired by the lifestyle in the blue zones to live healthier and happier lives in modern society.

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The overlooked health benefits of cranberries

Published 3 February 2025
– By Editorial Staff

Cranberries are packed with antioxidants, support good bacteria, and are known for aiding urinary tract health. Though often overlooked, they grow across most of Sweden and the northern hemisphere, making them more common than many realize.

Most people are familiar with cranberries and have probably tasted juice made from them, perhaps in a drink. Many people probably don’t think of cranberries when it’s time to pick them, but they are actually more common than you might think. Cranberries grow in bogs across much of Sweden, although they are less common on Öland and in the mountains.

Sweeter after frost

Cranberries thrive in moist soil and often grow on bogs. They persist over winter and can therefore be harvested for most of the year, with a harvest season that extends from September to March. Like rowan berries, they are tastier after being frost-bitten, as they otherwise have a more bitter taste. In spring, the berries also become slightly sweeter.

The berries grow close to the ground and are about the same size as American blueberries. There is also a species called the dwarf cranberry, which is sometimes considered a subspecies of cranberry. The two species are nutritionally similar, so it doesn’t matter if you pick the wrong one, according to Skogsskafferiet.

Health

Girls and women suffering from urinary tract infections (UTIs) have probably heard that cranberry juice can help, and it is a popular option that many women use successfully to prevent the infection.

A Finnish study had women with an increased susceptibility to UTIs drink cranberry and lingonberry juice daily to see if infections were reduced. The results showed an average reduction in UTIs of 20%. Cranberries and lingonberries are related and contain similar substances, such as pectin and vitamin C.

A meta-analysis published in 2024, which reviewed 20 studies on the topic, found that 18 of them linked cranberry juice to a 54% lower rate of UTIs compared to no treatment. In addition, cranberry juice use resulted in 59% lower antibiotic use. The conclusion was that cranberry juice can be an effective way to prevent UTIs while reducing the need for antibiotics, which is particularly important in the fight against increasing antibiotic resistance.

UTIs are caused by bacteria and mainly affect women and girls; there are indications that they can be caused by bacteria from both the gut and the vagina. A 2021 study investigated whether cranberries could alter the bacterial flora of both the gut and the vagina. The results showed that consuming cranberries increased the presence of beneficial bacteria and reduced some less beneficial bacteria. However, for the best effect, cranberry juice should be drunk unsweetened, as sugar can raise the pH and increase the risk of UTIs.

Cranberry juice in particular is said to contain some vitamins C and E, as well as magnesium and potassium, according to the medical website WebbMD. Furthermore, cranberries, like many other berries, also contain anthocyanins, which are a strong antioxidant. Since these antioxidants are mainly found in the peel, less of it is found in juice. The berry also contains the flavenoid myricetin, which is supposed to contain antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory components.

Note that you should not eat cranberries or drink cranberry juice if you are taking the blood-thinning drug Waran because substances in the berries counteract the effect of the drug.

Using the berries

Cranberries are similar in taste to lingonberries and are therefore best used in a similar way. They are ideal for making jams, jellies or juices, and thanks to their high content of benzoic acid, no additional preservatives are needed. During Thanksgiving, celebrated in Canada and the United States, cranberry sauce is a traditional part of the turkey dinner, similar to how lingonberry jam is used in Sweden.

Cranberries can be dried and mixed into muesli, for example. They can also be frozen just as they are.

For those who want to use cranberries in their diet for health reasons, such as preventing urinary tract infections, it is best to eat them plain or make an unsweetened drink. Cranberry drinks without sugar can be tart, but are much better for your body. Other tips include adding cranberries to smoothies, porridge or bread baking for a healthy and tasty variety.

Six-fold increase in autism diagnoses among Swedish girls

Published 1 February 2025
– By Editorial Staff
There are several theories as to why autism diagnoses have increased so exceptionally over the last 15 years.

Autism diagnoses are increasing significantly among girls, according to a survey by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. Since 2010, the number of diagnoses has increased sixfold for girls aged 10-17 years.

Last year, around 155,000 people aged 2-64 had an autism diagnosis, representing 2% of the population. The number of people diagnosed has increased in all age groups and among both sexes over the past decade.

However, the increase has been greatest among girls, according to the survey. Since 2010, the number of diagnoses for girls aged 10-17 has increased sixfold.

Previously, it was perceived that young boys in particular were diagnosed more often than girls. Now, boys and girls are diagnosed with autism in equal proportions, and in some cases more often in girls.

Many hypotheses

According to the National Board of Health and Welfare, one possible explanation may be that girls have previously been under-diagnosed, as they often have a different symptom picture than boys. Increased knowledge of gender differences in diagnosis would also explain why more girls are now being diagnosed with autism, it says.

– Girls and women may have different symptoms than boys and may also be able to cope better with their difficulties. The degree of disability may also play a role, where those who receive an early diagnosis may have more severe symptoms, says Peter Salmi, project manager for the survey in a press release.

Others, such as Christopher Gillberg, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry, have pointed out that there is a risk that children and young people are overdiagnosed and argued that today fewer symptoms are required for an autism diagnosis to be made than in the past.

Chemical levels vary widely among Swedish youth

Published 27 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Chemicals are found in products such as makeup and skincare.

Levels of chemicals in Swedish youth vary widely, according to a doctoral thesis from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Factors such as gender, place of birth and place of residence have a major impact on levels.

Chemicals are becoming increasingly common in our environment and accumulate in the human body through constant exposure. Despite their ubiquity, knowledge of their health effects is still limited.

In his doctoral thesis, Sebastian Pineda investigated chemical levels in Swedish adolescents, their exposure to these substances and potential health risks. The samples were collected via the Swedish National Food Agency’s project Riksmaten Ungdom.

Pineda’s research focused on long-lived chemicals that can stay in the body for years, including harmful metals and organic pollutants such as chlorinated, brominated or fluorinated substances, such as PFAS chemicals. He also studied short-lived chemicals that leave the body quickly but are found in everyday products such as makeup, skincare and plastics.

Country of birth can influence

The results show that Swedish adolescents are exposed to a “chemical cocktail” similar to that observed in other highly industrialized countries, such as the United States. However, factors such as gender and place of birth play a crucial role in the levels of different substances.

Young people born in Sweden or other industrialized countries had higher levels of persistent chemicals compared to young people born in developing countries.

– More surprisingly, country of birth also had a clear impact on levels of substances that are excreted from the body quite quickly. However, in our data, there is no information on possible sources of exposure that could help us explain this, said Pineda in a press release.

At the same time, some exceptions were noted, such as a breakdown product of DDT and a component of lindane two insecticides banned in Sweden. Young people born in developing countries had significantly higher levels of these substances compared to Swedish adolescents.

Different for girls and boys

The study revealed clear gender differences. For example, boys had higher levels of chromium, mercury and lead than girls. One possible explanation is that boys generally eat larger amounts of food and thus ingest more metals. Another explanation could be that older girls lose some chemicals through menstrual blood.

Girls generally had higher levels of chemicals found in makeup and skincare products, as well as higher levels of cadmium. In addition, the results showed that exposure to certain substances differs between northern and southern Sweden.

– Levels of these flame retardants and plastic chemicals were higher in young people in the north. We suspect that this is related to living conditions, as we know that the indoor environment is an important pathway for these substances, says Sebastian Pineda.

Chemical mixtures and the immune system

Pineda and his colleagues also investigated the potential impact of chemical mixtures on the immune system of adolescents in the context of vaccination. The study analyzed the link between exposure and antibody levels in the blood after vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP), and measles and rubella (MR). However, the associations were considered weak and uncertain.

– The mixture exposures did not seem to be high enough to have a clear impact on the levels of antibodies against DTP and MMR, but my thesis is only a first investigation of possible chemical mixture effects on the complex immune system in adolescents, says Pineda.

Mel Gibson: “My friends were cured of cancer with Ivermectin and Fenbendazole”

Published 14 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Gibson himself has an interest in advances in regenerative medicine and stem cell research.

In a conversation on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, actor and director Mel Gibson shared a story about three of his friends who he said had stage 4 cancer but are now cancer-free.

– I have three friends, all had stage four cancer. None of them have it anymore,” said Gibson. When asked what treatments were used, he replied “Ivermectin and Fenbendazole.

These drugs are usually anti-parasitic and are mainly used to treat infections in humans and animals. Although Gibson did not go into details about the treatments, he emphasized that the results for his friends were remarkable.

Mr. Gibson also mentioned his interest in medical advances in regenerative medicine and stem cell research. He expressed his fascination with these areas and their potential to improve human health.

Beyond the discussion on health, Gibson reflected on changes in the film industry. He criticized the increased commercialization in Hollywood and highlighted his desire to work on more meaningful projects.

– I want to work on stories that engage and mean something, Gibson said, citing his previous productions as examples. He also mentioned his plans for a sequel to The Passion of the Christ, describing the project as one of his most ambitious ventures to date.