Sugar feeds cancer cells. This is the key finding of a nine year research project published in Nature Communications. This article summarises the findings. And today on Radio NZ Jesse Mulligan interviewed Robert Lustig about the various ways that we are addicted, and sugar is possibly the most ubiquitous addiction. Here is the interview. Robert … Continue reading Sugar feeds cancer and addiction
Category: health
Climate change hope
The Drawdown project has raised my optimism about climate change. There are plenty of doomsayers who think that we are stuffed. For a whole lot of people, its a problem that is just too big to handle, so the strategy is to ignore it. In New Zealand our government tells us that we are too … Continue reading Climate change hope
Child obesity – another damning report
Hot on the heels of the New Zealand Beverage Guidance Council released a policy brief on a sugary drink tax comes the University of Auckland's Health Food Environment Policy Index. Professor Boyd Swinburn claims the Government lacks the political will to stand up to the food industry and push the necessary policies through. Professor Swinburn … Continue reading Child obesity – another damning report
No more agrochemicals please
I've stopped using glyphosate on our land a couple of years ago - and I think that Papatuanuku likes that I am not pouring poison on her anymore. I only sprayed paved surfaces and now my efforts at weed control are more labour intensive - but its worth it. I know when I harvest food … Continue reading No more agrochemicals please
Out of the (water) closet
I have finished reading Gut: The Inside Story of our Body's Most Under-rated Organ by Giulia Enders. It has challenged my identity. The microbes in me out-number my human cells ten times and I have about 100 trillion microbes in my gut! So am I a person, or a colony? Perhaps I should refer to … Continue reading Out of the (water) closet
Food evolution and health in Aotearoa
Our focus at Local Food Northland is about the shift from industrial food systems to sustainable food systems. For us to better understand our current food system reality, we look back to look forward. This is the first of three posts to explore the tides of history that have shaped our food system. Two hundred … Continue reading Food evolution and health in Aotearoa
The nutritional value of local bananas
Professor Barbara Burlingame provided a compelling case study about the nutrient content of local bananas at our February conference. Before returning to New Zealand she spent 16 years with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation including the last four as Deputy Director of the Nutrition Division as was closely involved with the research referred to here. Professor … Continue reading The nutritional value of local bananas
Food as medicine
By Dr Melissa Gilbert This is the first of hopefully many posts by Dr Melissa Gilbert. It was first published on her blog, The Integrative Doctor. I've read all the modern whole food books on the trendy bookstore shelves at the moment and I LOVE what's happening. I love that our attitudes towards food are … Continue reading Food as medicine
Who to vote for in the DHB elections?
A big issue we face in local body elections is knowing who to vote for. For those of us interested in moving to more sustainable food systems, the District Health Board (DHB) elections are very important. Our health system remains largely focussed on dealing with primary health care based on orthodox approaches. The massive investment … Continue reading Who to vote for in the DHB elections?
Aotearoa Food Policy Network 