Sataahar

Category: Public Health Concerns

  • 6 Highly Impactful Ways to Help Reduce Climate Change From an Individual Level

    6 Highly Impactful Ways to Help Reduce Climate Change From an Individual Level

    Climate change is one of the biggest issues we are facing as a generation. Our every action, every little action has a carbon footprint. Carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gasses (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions (the way we live, entertain and consume).

    When we search on the internet about daily activity on an individual level to help tackle climate change, different suggestions come up. Many blogs or articles mention using your own water bottle, carrying your own shopping bag, avoiding using single use plastics such as straw and so on. Well, these actions definitely help but there are actions that are much more impactful. Such impactful ways are often not well communicated or talked about enough. In today’s scenario, where climate change impacts are increasing day by day and there is not much time, we need to do much more than just carrying our own bottle. 

    Just to give you a background, countries have gathered and signed the Paris Agreement establishing a worldwide framework to keep global warming below 2°C and to pursue efforts to keep it below 1.5°C in order to prevent severe climate change. However, many countries are still hesitant to do the required and playing a blame game. Every inactive and inefficient day will jeopardize our and our children’s future. In this scenario, individual action plays a crucial role not just to lead by example but also to advocate for action. Today, we will discuss 5 ways we can help tackle climate change while reducing our own carbon footprint. We compiled a list of the most realistic changes you can do. Individual action is essential to raise the importance of issues to policymakers and businesses., even while individuals may not make significant emissions reductions that keep climate change to manageable levels.

    Eat Less Meat and Other Animal Products

    Avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the biggest ways to reduce your environmental impact on the planet. Raising animals for meat, eggs and dairy is not just one of the most inefficient ways to nurture our health, it is also harmful to the environment. You might be surprised to know that 77% of the world’s agricultural land is used for livestock. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United States (FAO), between 2000 and 2010, large-scale commercial agriculture—primarily cattle ranching and soya bean (primarily to feed animals for our use) was responsible for 40% of tropical deforestation. No wonder, animal agriculture is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gasses.

    But, there is a solution in our hands. Cut off your animal based foods.  If your diet consists of a large amount of meat, avoiding it all at once might not be possible. Start by eating fewer or smaller portions of meat, especially red meat, which has the largest environmental impact, and reduce dairy products or switch them for non-dairy alternatives. If eating 100% plant based is not possible for you, do it most of the time. Find alternatives, if there is none, think about creating one. Also, there is big buzz about sustainable meat. However, to lower your carbon footprint, less meat is almost always better than sustainable meat.

    Think About Consumption than Emission

    In today’s fast paced consumeristic and materialistic world, having less things has become a sign of dearth. Today, we buy much more than we need and ultimately throw them out without even using them properly. Take an example of your clothes. How many pairs of clothes do you have and how many of them do you use regularly? How much unused kitchen equipment and utensils do you have? How often do you change your mobile phone?

    According to a research titled “Environmental Impact Assessment of Household Consumption,” up to 60% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are caused by our daily consumption. Additionally, the manufacture of goods imported for use from other nations has also constantly expanded, which only increases carbon emissions. Therefore, using less items will directly lead to leaving behind a lower carbon footprint. Less items, less waste, simple as that!

    Buy what you need! Understand the difference between need and wants. Make more environmentally conscious purchases. Avoid single-use items and fast fashion. Repair and reuse.

    Reduce Food Waste

    Food waste has significant implications on both a national and international level.

    One-third of the food produced worldwide is thrown away uneaten. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, is produced when food waste decomposes in landfill. According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, if food waste were a nation, it would rank third in terms of greenhouse gas emissions behind the US and China. 

    How much of a food waste do you do? Watch your refrigerator. Watch your plate. Do not impulse buy your food. Buy not so good looking veggies and fruits-ugly produce. They do not have to look perfect or be medium sized to be eaten. Preserve foods and learn ways of doing it. 

    Reduce On Flying / Use Flights Less Often

    The aviation industry contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Unfortunately, flying culture is increasing day by day. 

    Flights or flying are extremely energy-intensive and depend on fossil fuels.

    Evidence shows that, In 2018, 2.4 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions came from the aviation industry. You may think, well it’s just 3.4 percent, what’s the big deal? Keep in mind that if the global commercial aviation sector was a country, it would rank sixth globally,in the 2019 national GHG emissions rankings.

    Walk or bicycle. If that’s not possible, use public transportation such as trains or buses. If that is not possible, use your motorbike or car and try to share the ride. Use flight only if there is no other way.

    Protect Greenery / Forests

    Forests and green spaces are the heart of climate solutions. By absorbing carbon dioxide and storing it in soils and forest biomass, forests play a vital role in tackling the effects of climate change. Unfortunately, it is estimated that about 10 million hectares of forest are cut down each year. According to the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), agriculture, poor forest management, mining, infrastructure projects, and an increase in the frequency and intensity of fires, are the main drivers that lead to deforestation and severe forest degradation. Research shows that a successful method of reducing climate change can be achieved through the preservation of forests, especially the ones with high plant diversity and those providing habitat for endangered vertebrate species. 

    Moreover, green spaces are crucial especially in urban areas as the number of people living in urban areas is increasing every day. Cities are becoming more crowded. Urban heat island effect, which refers to heat trapped in built-up regions, can be reduced by green spaces in cities, which also lessen the effects of pollution. Thus, respecting and protecting green spaces is vital to tackle climate change. How can you do so: by supporting forests conservation organization, by planting trees, connecting with nature, by speaking up! 

    Speak Up/ Transfer the Knowledge

    Even if you know every fact but you do nothing about it, it is not going to change things for the better. Oftentimes, it is difficult to communicate about climate change when a lot of false information and lies are being sold. Thus, learning from credible sources is of paramount importance. While it’s important to learn things, it is equally important to unlearn some things as well. Remember, big changes begin with small talks.  Speak up as individuals and as organizations, discuss these issues with your coworkers, friends, and family on a daily basis, and write to your political leaders. Use your voice and vote to support effective climate action.

    Takeaway

    A journey of thousand miles begin with a single step. Learn about it, internalize the facts, assess your lifestyle and start making changes. You are not just an individual, you are a consumer, buyer, producer, citizen and most of all, a voter. Be a responsible one! And always show up when needed, always speak up whenever you get a chance.

  • Salty Method of Reducing Salt in Your Diet

    Salty Method of Reducing Salt in Your Diet

    We may have heard several times from about the importance of reducing salt intake from our food. Salt is made up of sodium and chloride (Nacl). Chloride in salt in not of concern, however sodium is a big concern in our diet today. Thus, reducing salt intake essentially means reducing sodium.

    Why Should We Reduce Our Sodium Intake?

    Excess intake of sodium can lead to high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Too much sodium also causes fluid to accumulate in the lower legs or abdomen, which is fatal for people with chronic kidney disease and heart diseases.

    How Much Sodium is Recommended?

    Sodium is an essential nutrient required for our body. However, it’s not needed much. According to World Health Organization, adults should consume less than 5 g (just under a teaspoon) of salt per day. Since salt is 40% sodium and 60% chloride, our daily sodium consumption should be below 2000 mg.

    How Much Sodium Do We Consume?

    According to World Health Organization, most people around the globe consume double the amount of sodium that the recommended. In the case of Nepal, the dietary salt intake is 9.1g per day which is about double the amount world health organization recommends (Step Survey 2019). No wonder, about 24.5% of adults (15-69 years) are hypertensive as per Step Survey 2019. Since 2013, hypertension has been reported to have increased by 4.5% (5). According to a meta-analysis 2019, prehypertension is also very high in Nepal (35.4%) (6).

    What are the Sources of Sodium?

    Sodium is naturally found in many foods in small amounts. However, they are not something to be worried about. Added sodium should be used with caution. Other than salt, sodium is also high in fish sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, ketch up, picked achar etc. Thus, be extra cautious.

    SALTY Method in Reducing Salt/Sodium

    Say No to Ultra Processed Foods

    A big source of salt in our diet is highly processed foods. Instant noodles, biscuits, chips, crackers, etc. are high in sodium. Even eating too much chatpatey, panipuri, daalmot can increase your amount of sodium intake. Thus, always opt for less processed whole foods. Try to reduce the overall intake of highly processed foods.

    Add Natural Seasoning Such as Herbs for Better Flavor and Taste

    We love salty foods because it tastes good. However, you can still enjoy less salty (less sodium) but delicious meals using lovely favors from several herbs and spices. Herbs and spices such as coriander, parsley, oregano, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, cumin, ginger, lemongrass tec. Adding lemon or lime juice, or lime zest makes foods even better. Herbs and spices not just add flavors to your food, they are health promoting too. Experiment with different herbs and spices. May be, you want to learn more about some flavors from others culture. For example, Thai use galangal, basil, and lemongrass a lot while Nepalese use cumin and coriander. Experiment with such flavors and gradually reduce your salt intake.

    Limit Salt While cooking and Preparing

    One of the many strategies to reduce sodium intake at home can be eating salty meals only once or twice a day. If that’s not possible, reducing salt intake overall in your meal is also beneficial. Whatever you cook, whether its curries, soups, legumes, or chutneys, always add less salt. If you use flavoring with high sodium content such as soy sauce, fish sauce etc., be cautious. This way, not just you, your entire family member’s sodium intake is reduced.

    Take Salt and Salty Sauces Off Your Table

    Many people have saltshaker in their tables. Even if saltshaker is not there, they add extra salt or salty sauce while eating. Remember, the threshold of your salty sensation is increased when you constantly consume too much of salt in food. Thus, when the meal at your home or restaurant is there for you to eat, eat as it is, do not add extra salt even if it is not as salty as you desire.

    Yes to Reading Nutritional Facts/Labels

    Nutritional labels are facts that are on the back side of packaged foods, showing what nutrients and other ingredients are in the food. It also shows amounts of different nutrients of concern in percentage form. Just like carbohydrates, protein, fats and sugar content, sodium content is always listed on the label. So, always check if sodium content is too high for a serving of a product. If you start reading nutritional labels of packaged foods, you will also learn to choose low salt versions, reduced salt versions and/or no-salt-added versions of same foods of same brand.

    Take Away

    Though sodium is an essential nutrient, too much sodium has negative health consequences. Thus, use EASY method of salt reduction. Try following a step at a time and make it a habit before trying to do everything at once and failing.

  • 6 Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid

    6 Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid

    Losing weight sometimes can be tiring, frustrating and rough. We might be thinking that we are doing all the right things and not getting the desired results. Here are 6 of the mistakes people make while losing weight.

    Falling for Short Term Gimmicks

    In today’s world, fitness is a multi-million-dollar business. Here, countless fad diets are promoted, and many false promises are sold. Fad diets continue to be incredibly prominent and popular in the area of weight control, regardless of their scientific foundation or lack thereof. However, to lose weight quickly, people often fall for such diets. Research shows that many fad diets are nutritionally imbalanced, with worse diet quality ratings, especially when macronutrient composition is prioritized above micronutrient consumption. Not just that, some fad diets are difficult to maintain owing to boredom, monotony, expense, and unsociable eating patterns, and consumers are blamed if they are unable to adapt to the fad diet’s excessive expectations, resulting in a decrease in self-esteem and body image (1) (2). Furthermore, people, who adhere to such fad diets frequently regain the weight (3). Sometimes they even gain more than they lose (4).

    Setting Unrealistic Goals

    Unrealistic goals simply mean goals that are difficult to attain or least doable. Moreover, they are mostly ‘will power’ focused. Many of us have done this mistake, right? One fine day, we feel like, “oh I am going to change, I will start doing this and that or not doing this and that”. When we set such goals, and could not fulfil, we will get disappointed. We feel like we cannot do anything, right? In the excitement, we set such goals, however it is crucial to assess your reality, possibilities and focus on taking small but long-lasting steps. Take assistance from health care professionals, they are there to support! Seek peer support! Make your environment as such that it encourages you to choose healthier lifestyle.

    Eliminating Entire Food Category

    Many popular diets ask us to eliminate some foods or food groups entirely! Unless there is a solid health or other reason to eliminate some foods or food groups, we should be eating every food groups. It’s also equally important that our eating pattern is culturally suitable. You may have heard some people saying, ‘Do not eat rice, it makes you fat.” Or ‘Do not eat peanuts, it has a lot of fat in it’ etc. Some people entirely remove gluten without having a solid reason. Well, there are many examples. While focusing on macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, those people often ignore micronutrients. Most of them also do not honor hunger cues. Unlike what we often here in social media, neither carbohydrates nor fats are our enemies. A well balanced and proportionate meal including all macronutrients and micronutrients is absolutely possible and healthy too.

    Not Being Consistent

    The biggest mistake we make while losing weight is not being consistent. Take an example, if you are a student and you just study first month of your degree, will you get your degree? No, right? Why? Because there is no consistency. To be knowledgeable and get a degree, one should study during the whole year or years with consistency, need to complete assignments and appear to exams.

    One reason that we fail to be consistent with your actions is focusing too much on result. Often, we forget to enjoy the process and honor small growth steps. We tell ourselves that we aren’t very close to accomplishing our goals instead of reminding ourselves of the little wins we make each day. Thus, it is better to focus on one thing at a time and taking mini steps towards your goal. Identify the areas that you can do more. Take Professional Help! We can help you, if you would like. Here is the link: https://sataahar.com/services/

    Eating ‘Healthy Foods’ in Higher Quantities

    Undoubtedly, we should eat more of healthier options rather than nutrient poor foods. However, if we consume more than our needs (even the healthier foods), it is more likely that we still gain you extra kilos. We have seen many people categories foods as ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ and thinking that healthy foods are healthy no matter how much we eat, and unhealthy foods are unhealthy and should not be eaten at all. But that’s not the complete truth. Usually, minimally processed foods are healthier in many ways than processed foods. However, if we go too much with them, it will still affect your weight. This is because, foods rich in essential nutrients can still be calorie dense. For example, you eat white bread every day. Now you realized that ‘oh, I will eat whole wheat bread now on’. If you eat even that whole wheat bread in quantity that your body does not need, it is still going to contribute to your overall calorie. Thus, checking your portion size and being mindful are crucial.

    Too Much Stress

    Chronic stress is associated with plethora of diseases. It can significantly impact our ability to maintain a healthy weight. High level of stress fluctuates our hormones and alters many bodily processes.  Even if you are so much stressed about your weight loss, it affects your appetite, hormones and ultimately may become a barrier in your weight loss journey. Thus, take it easy! Do not stress too much.

    Takeaway

    Every mistake we have made in the past are the learning experiences we gathered. With those learning experiences, we can definitely move towards progress. Remember, there is no shortcut to health, neither to weight loss. Take professional help if necessary!

  • Role of Flax Seeds in Hypertension

    Role of Flax Seeds in Hypertension

    Flax seed is the seed of the flax plant, an annual herbaceous plant, belonging to the flax family. The Latin name of flaxseed is Linum usitatissimum L. which means very useful. It has two basic varieties: brown and yellow or golden.

    One tablespoon-7g of ground flax seed contains 37 calories, 1.3g of protein, 3g of fat and 2g of carbohydrates. Almost all carbohydrate in flax seed is dietary fiber, so the net carbohydrate is only 0.1g. Of all fat in flaxseed (approximately 30%), 53% are α-linolenic acid (omega-3), 17% linoleic acid (omega-6), 19% oleic acid (omega-9), and remaining saturated fat, which provides an excellent omega 6: omega 3 fatty acid ratio of approximately 0.3:1. The omega 3 fatty acids (alpha linolenic acid) content of a tablespoon of ground flax seed is 1,597 mg which makes it one of the richest sources of omega-3 in plant-based food (1) (2).

    Because of these extraordinary components, it has gained huge popularity nowadays and often termed as ‘superfood’. Flax seeds have been used since centuries for several health conditions and has a huge role in traditional medicine. Besides its excellent nutritional profile, flax seed is also shown to have myriad of benefits in several disease and health conditions.

    One of which is, its role in hypertension.

    High blood pressure is a major health burden associated with the increased risks of heart, brain, kidney, and other diseases (3). A study* shows that patients who ingested a variety of foods that contained 30 g of milled flaxseed over 6 months were found to have decreased blood pressure as compared to group that did not consume flax seeds. The presence of omega 3 (ALA), lignans, fiber, peptides, or a synergistic action of all 4 components together are considered to be the reasons for decreased blood pressure (4). Consumption of flax seeds has shown to reduce high blood pressure in many other animal and human studies (5). Thus, consumption of flax seed can be a cost-effective way to reduce the burden of hypertension among risk groups.

    *Prospective, Double Blind, Placebo- Controlled, Randomized Trial

  • Moringa Seed in Water Purification, Does it Work?

    Moringa Seed in Water Purification, Does it Work?

    Clean and readily available water is a basic human right. Target 6.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals also aims for universal and equitable access to clean and affordable drinking water.

    Having said that, many people especially the low-income groups still have difficulties in accessing sufficient clean and safe water. In the face of changing climate, the problem of poor availability of safe water is expected to increase. According to World Health Organization statistics as of March 2022, at least 2 billion people worldwide drink polluted feces-infected water. Microbiologically contaminated drinking water can spread diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio, and it is estimated that 485 000 diarrheal diseases occur each year.

    What is Moringa (drumstick)?

    Moringa (M. oleifera), commonly known as drumstick, has gained huge popularity these days because of its versatile nature. Traditionally it has been used in herbal medicine in many parts of the world including India, Africa, and Nepal.

    It contains a wealth of beneficial nutrients in every part of the plant. The bark, pods, nuts, leaves, seeds, tubers, roots, and flowers of the Moringa tree are all edible (1). Minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper are abundant in the leaves. Pods are also nutritious and are rich in dietary fiber and protein (2).

    Moringa Seed in Point of Use Water Purification

    Apart from Moringa’s nutritive and medicinal properties, it is being known as an excellent water purifying agent.

    Moringa seeds contain proteins that have active coagulation properties and are being used for turbidity removal in many countries.

    As a purifying agent, powder of dried moringa seed is used. When the seeds are dried, dehusked, and crushed, powder is obtained. When the powder is added to water, the powder acts as a coagulant binding colloidal particles and bacteria to form agglomerated particles (flocs), which settle allowing the clarified supernatant to be poured off. 

    The seeds of the Moringa family are very efficient water coagulants and are safe. Till now, no toxic side effects have not been noted.

    Does it really work?

    Yes. Let’s refer to a recent study published in 2020 in Scientific African Journal (3). The researcher collected river water and used moringa seed and copper wire to purify it. Copper is traditionally known to have antibacterial properties. By using moringa seed powder and soaking copper wire in water, clean water was obtained. They left the water for 4 hours to stay still and analyzed for turbidity and E. coli counts. In all treated samples, the turbidity level was between 3 and 5 NTU, and the E. coli count was Non-Detected (N.D), both of which were within the acceptable threshold for drinking water.

    Moringa seed alone can also be used to purify water of lakes and pools for other purposes. Dosage might vary according to the level of pollution in the water. It can provide alternative to current water purification agent such as chlorine

    As a Point–of–Use (PoU) method, it is remarkably useful in supplying drinking water as an immediate solution in disaster areas affected by floods, earthquake etc. In countries like Nepal, where drinking water supply is not accessible to all and where flood occurs every year, such method should be referred in detail and applied in emergency setting without having to need technical assistance or big budget.

    Takeaway

    Moringa seed extracts could probably be promising natural antibacterial agents with potential applications in controlling bacteria that cause waterborne bacterial diseases. Together with copper, it has a great potential to be an instant yet cheaper water purification solution in low-income and disaster affected areas.

    Theme picture credit: Bret From LovePik.com

  • The Best Cookware For Your Kitchen

    The Best Cookware For Your Kitchen

    Which is the best cookware?

    *Go to takeaway for the short summary if you do not have time to read the whole article.

    People use different materials as a kitchenware or cookware in their kitchen. Some use stainless steel, aluminum while others with Teflon coated non sticky cookware such as frying pan. Today, let us find out which cookware is which is the best and which is the hazardous one for your health.

    1. Aluminum cookware

    Aluminum is a metal used in variety of stuffs such as antiperspirants, medications and as food additives. Cookware made from aluminum are reported to have toxic effects in health. Cooking in aluminum container constantly leaches aluminum and probably other harmful chemicals as well. People exposed to aluminum are shown to have higher oxidative stress, DNA damage and reduced antioxidant capacity (1). The effect is greater if the cooked or stored food is acidic in nature (such as yogurt, tomato pickle, fruit juice). Even aluminum bottles or pots are source of exposure (2). A research conducted in 2017 shows that locally made aluminum cookware by casting liquid aluminum melted from scrap metal (waste engine parts, vehicle radiators, lead batteries, computer parts) are potential sources of lead, arsenic, and aluminum (3). It is also less durable.

    In Nepal, aluminum cookware is often called silver or silteko bhada.

        2. Non sticky cookware

    In non-stick cookware, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), a synthetic polymer, is used as an inner coating substance, which is commonly known as Teflon. This type of cookware gives a non-sticky surface which is easy to use and simple to clean but less durable.

    Recent research has found that at normal cooking temperatures (179°C to 233°C), PTFE-coated cookware emits a variety of gases and compounds that have mild to severe toxicity. Even though some nonstick pans are labeled as PFOA*-free, they have been found to emit harmful vapors at normal cooking temperatures. Due to toxicity concerns, PFOA is being replaced with other chemicals such as perfluoro-2-propoxypropanoic acid (PFPrOPrA, Trade name: GenX) in the polymerization process of Teflon. However, these new chemicals are also suspected to have similar toxicity effects (but less accumulated in the body) (4). Aside from the gases created during the heating of the frying pans, the coating itself begins to deteriorate after a while. When cooking on Teflon-coated pans, it is usually recommended to use low heat, but in a consumer level, it is usually disregarded. It is also reported that well-known toxic environmental pollutant PFOA is also used in the synthesis of PTFE. 

    Moreover, in countries like Nepal, we do not have such legal or regulatory practice where we buy such cookware from. Thus, non-sticky pan found in Nepal may contain PFOA. Remember, PFOA is linked to serious health conditions including thyroid disorders, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, and several cancers. It has also been associated with infertility and low birth weight.  Although research on the health risks of products with PTFE coatings is still in its early stages, the cookware is advertised as though it has been proven to be healthful and toxic-free (5). Note that, birds are sensitive to these fumes produced heat heating of Teflon.

       3. Cast iron cookware

    Cast iron cookware such as Karai, Tawa, Dadu, Paniu etc are traditionally used in Nepal. However, due to urbanization such utensils are being replaced by non-stick cookware especially in urban areas. Such cookware is known to be very beneficial specially to improve iron status among vulnerable population especially children and women of reproductive age (6). Among all other strategies to improve iron status among people who do not consume meat, cooking iron rich foods especially the legumes and green leafy vegetables in cast iron pot can be a beneficial strategy (7). Also, cast iron utensils are durable and have no other harms in day-to-day cooking. Yes, cast iron utensils are little heavier and has chance to get rusting, that is not a good excuse to not use it. It is cheap, beneficial, and durable, are not they enough to use them?  This way, you will protect your tradition as well.

    Pro tip: When the food you are cooking is rich in sourness (like making tomatoko achar), make it quick and you may immediately transfer it into another pot for storage to avoid metallic taste.

    How to avoid rusting in cast iron cookware?

    Clean properly after cooking, dry using a cloth towel and store in dry place.

       4. Stainless steel

    Stainless steel is an iron-based alloy containing at least 10.5 % chromium and maximum of 1.2 % carbon. Other alloying elements may be added during melting such as nickel, that may help to keep it unrusted. Stainless steel cookware is generally safe and cause no harm to human health. While cooking for prolonged time (usually more than 2 hour-which is less likely), nickel and chromium are leached from the stainless steel. However, the leaching is only when the utensil is new. Metal leaching decreases with subsequent cooking cycles and stabilizes after the sixth time you cook with it (8) (9).

       5. Ceramic cookware

    Ceramic cookware made from pure ceramic is safe for cooking purpose. Their handling needs care, and they are pricier as well. However, utensils named ‘ceramic coated’, ‘ceramic base’ etc. are not pure ceramic.  Note that, different glazes are used to make ceramic utensils of desired texture, smoothness, and color. This might be source of lead leaching from ceramic utensils. So, when you buy ceramic cookware, look at the glazing material used and always go for quality product (10).

       6. Copper cookware

    Copper is widely famous in Hindu culture especially as a utensil to offer holy water to God. Copper cookware usually has a copper-coated base made of another metal, such as stainless steel. Cooking in copper cookware may leach copper in food, which if leached in small amount is healthy but if in large amount might be toxic. When acidic foods are cooked in unlined copper cookware or in lined cookware where the lining has worn through, toxic amounts of copper can leech into the foods being cooked.  Continuous use of copper vessels for preparing and storing food and prolonged use of water stored in copper vessels over a long period of time is likely to cause copper toxicity and induce serious health conditions (11) (12). Note that, water stored in copper pot for about 16 hour is considered good for health as it has anti-microbial properties and leaching of copper in less amount (which is often desirable) (13). To summarize, day to day cooking in copper utensil is not advised due to its potential bioaccumulation and toxicity.

    Takeaway: Analyzing potential safety, durability, and cost, cast iron and stainless steel are better options for cooking and preserving foods. Drinking water can be stored in copper pot overnight for health benefits and water purification. Aluminum, Teflon coated, and copper cookware are not recommended for day-to-day cooking and storage of foods. 

  • Hypertension in Nepal: Causes and Solutions

    Hypertension in Nepal: Causes and Solutions

    What is hypertension?

    Hypertension is commonly called as high blood pressure. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood pumped by the heart and the resistance of arterial blood flow. The more blood the heart pumps and the narrower the arteries, the higher the blood pressure. Blood pressure is written with two numbers. The first number (systolic blood pressure) represents the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart contracts or beats. The second number (diastolic blood pressure) represents the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart rests between beats (1).

    Hypertension is often regarded as a “silent killer” because most hypertensive patients are not aware of this problem. If left untreated, high blood pressure can cause persistent chest pain, heart attack, heart failure, and irregular heartbeat, which can lead to sudden death. 

    Hypertension is also likely to cause block or burst the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain and damage the kidneys, leading to strokes, which can lead to kidney failure. Hypertension can harden the arteries, reduce the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart, and cause damage to the heart. Unfortunately, 1.13 billion people worldwide have hypertension (2). 

    Diagnosis

    When measured on two different days, if the systolic blood pressure reading on both days is ≥140 mmHg and/or the diastolic blood pressure reading on both days is ≥90 mmHg, hypertension is diagnosed (1).

    Prevalence of Hypertension in Nepal

    A nationwide study conducted in 2018 as a part of May Measurement Month (MMM) shows that 27.8% adults (>18 years) are hypertensive. The MMM screening of consequent year (2019) showed similar prevalence level. The research also showed that smokers had higher BPs compared to non-smokers. Likewise, alcohol drinkers who consume alcohol one or more times per week as compared to those that never/rarely drink had higher BP levels. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in people with higher body mass index (3) (4).

    Similarly, STEP survey of 2019 reported the similar statistics as 24.5% of adults (15-69 years) were found to be hypertensive. It was highest in Gandaki province while lowest in Province number 2. Economic status did not affect hypertension while increased level of education was associated with lower prevalence. Since 2013, hypertension was reported to be increased by 4.5% (5).

    According to a meta-analysis 2019, prehypertension is also very high in Nepal (35.4%) (6). 

    Salt Intake

    STEP survey 2019 also found that the dietary salt intake is 9.1g per day which is about double the amount world health organization recommends. People reported often adding salt to salty sauces to food while eating while the consumption of processed food is also found to be the source. Younger adults, who are more educated, wealthier and live in rural municipalities consumed processed foods more frequently than others (5). 

    Consumption of processed foods such as instant noodle, potato chips etc is also in increasing trend in Nepal. Frequent consumption of processed foods which are high in salt has considerably increased (11.5% in 2013 vs 19.5% in 2019). This increase nearly doubled for younger adults aged 15-29 (16.3% in 2013 vs 30.3% in 2019) (5).

    So, what next?

    From the recent data, we can conclude that situation of hypertension is alarming in Nepal. There are several modifiable risk factors for hypertension. These include unhealthy diets (excessive salt intake, diets high in saturated and trans fats, low intake of fruits and vegetables), lack of physical activity, smoking and drinking, and being overweight or obese. Behavior change modification is primary in non-communicable disease. Limiting heavily processed food or foods high in salts, not adding extra salt or salty sauces to food can be advised on a consumer level. This can be achieved by creating and implementing policies to reduce salt intake (food product reformulation; establishing supportive environment in public institutions; communication and mass media campaigns; front-of-pack labelling) at population-level. Besides, it is important to fill the diagnosis and treatment gap in hypertension and other non-communicable diseases.

    Takeaway

    Hypertension affects about a quarter of adults and is in increasing trend in Nepal. As, higher sodium intake is a risk factor, it is recommended to reduce salt intake. Limit/avoid highly processed foods, add lesser amount of salt in curries, avoiding adding salt to fruits or salads and eating more organic raw fresh salads ( make sure it does not have pesticide above the upper limit) without adding any form of salt. However, it is equally important to wash vegetables properly (using methods such as adding salt on warm water and soaking veggies for 15 min etc.-there are other methods too.) or grow or buy organic vegetables. Besides, avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption, regular physical activity and weight control is crucial for preventing hypertension and other diseases as well.