Must Have Cookbook This Christmas

Must have addition to a cookbook shelf : Formally the domain of eccentric celebrities, now polititions, business men such as Richard Branson, and mainstream health professionals are recognising the benefits of eating less meat for both optimal health and the environment.

It's getting to the stage where you'll soon be branded a food fascist or culinary racist if you can't provide a delicious and innovative healthy vegan dish at your restaurant.

The chance of a vegan guest at your Christmas celebration or dinner party is now greater than at any time in history - there has been a massive surge in interest in vegan diets and swanky new vegan restaurants such as Saf in London have helped to destroy preconceptions about limitations on cooking with plant foods.

If you are thinking "where do I start" then this cookbook is the book for you. If your friends are frightened by cooking without meat then this is the cookbook for them.

If you you are short of a Christmas Present for someone this cookbook may bring a sigh of relief to someone with a hole on their kitchen shelf.

Continue reading →

Alzheimer's Society + Bupa Research Funding

Alzheimer's Society and Bupa unite to improve lives of people with dementia - Alzheimer's Society

At last! Someone looking to address the serious lack of funding into Altzheimers - let's hope as much as possible goes towards research into preventative measures and protecting the brain rather than just all gobbled up by drug companies looking for a silver bullet that doesn't exist.

Neil Hunt, Chief Executive, Alzheimer's Society said,

'One in three people over 65 will die with dementia, the aim of this partnership with Bupa is to jointly seek new, beneficial initiatives for people with dementia and their carers.'

“Dementia research is seriously under-funded. Much more needs to be invested if we are to see the same advancements in dementia care and treatment as we have seen for cancer. By delaying the onset of dementia by just five years we could halve the number of deaths from the condition, saving 30,000 lives a year, but without progress in research the economic cost of the disease is likely to rise to £27 billion by 2018.”

More information on the £1.5m fund:

The closing date for applications is 28 February 2010. Grants would be awarded in line with guidelines issued by the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC).

The topics that may be considered for funding in the areas of cause, cure, care and prevention include:

• Epidemiology of all forms of dementia
• The causes of dementia and mechanism of disease progression
• The causal relationship between genetics and lifestyle factors predisposing people to dementia
• Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dementia
• Slowing the progress of dementia
• Developing (non-embryonic) stem cell therapies with translational benefits for people with dementia
• Evidence for dietary supplements or complementary therapies as an alternative to drugs
• Improving Quality of life for people with dementia in their own homes or care homes
• How to best train staff in all health sectors, at all levels, in communicating with, understanding the needs of, and caring for people with dementia
• Management of anxiety, agitation and other behavioral symptoms, without the use of antipsychotic drugs
• The impact of acute hospitalization of people with dementia

For details on how to apply go to: www.bupafoundation.co.uk or www.alzheimers.org.uk/research

For more information contact:

Brett Lowther
BUPA Corporate Affairs
Tel: +44 (0)20 7656 2638
Email: lowtherb@bupa.com

Notes:
• One in three people over 65 will die with dementia
• Alzheimer’s Society research shows that 700,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer’s disease. In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051.

Continue reading →

Spanish eggs blamed for salmonella restaurant outbreak | BigHospitality.co.uk

Spanish eggs blamed for salmonella restaurant outbreak | BigHospitality.co.uk

Eggs poison 150 - 2 deaths

A batch of Spanish eggs linked to an outbreak of salmonella in a number of restaurants and catering establishments, has sparked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to warn caterers to cook their eggs properly.

Almost 150 cases of salmonella across England and Wales, including five hospitalisations and two deaths, are being linked to several restaurants and cafes who may have been using eggs sourced from an ‘approved establishment’ in Spain.

Continue reading →