Category: Life & Culture

The retired admiral behind Turkey’s so-called Blue Homeland doctrine, which lays claim to expansive territorial waters in the Aegean, Mediterranean and Black seas, dismissed accusations that he and other retired naval officers were threatening a coup, Cumhuriyet newspaper reported on Sunday.

Cem Gürdeniz, who served as head of the Plans and Policy Division in Turkish Naval Forces Headquarters as a rear admiral, spoke to the newspaper in an interview prior to his arrest on Monday for lending his name to a letter penned by 103 retired Turkish admirals. The letter was critical of any decision to abandon the 1936 Montreux Convention and what the authors saw as an “Islamisation’’ of the Turkish armed forces.

Gürdeniz said that he found both topics to be saddening and defended the letter as a continuation of the admirals interest in protecting the national interests.

“For years, we operated on Turkey’s interests and took ownership of the Blue Homeland (doctrine). As such, the statement made was to protect Turkey’s interests and the Blue Homeland,”  he said.

The former admiral added that the letter should not be interpreted as a “coup attempt” as President Recep Tayyip Erodogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) have called it after its publication.

Since the start of the republic in 1923, Turkey has seen civilian governments overthrown in three military coups. The latest attempt came in July 2016 when members of the armed forces connected to the movement of exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen failed to overthrow Erdogan. This prompted many purges aimed at other Gulenists within the Turkish military.

On Sunday, Ankara’s Public Prosecutor’s Office announced an investigation into the admirals’ letter on grounds of committing a crime against the constitution. The next day, Gurdeniz and nine other admirals were arrested and four more were ordered to report to police because of their advanced age in the coming days instead of being detained.

Gürdeniz was previously arrested as part of the controversial Ergenekon investigations into the Turkish military in 2008. He was later released after the case was dismissed several years later.

Beyond Erdoğan’s rejection of their letter, other Turkish politicians were dismissive of its ambigous warning about a “risk” to Turkey’s political survival. Several, including opposition leaders Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the secular People’s Republican Party (CHP) and Meral Aksener of the centre-right Iyi Party (IYIP) disagreed with the move to arrest the former admirals.

Gürdeniz said it was within his and his co-signatories’ right of freedom of expression to make their objections known.

“We have the freedom to make a statement and a grievance should not be created from this. It is a statement made and it is extremely wrong to interpret it as a ‘coup call,’” he told Cumhuriyet.

Stuck for inspiration for your weeknight meals? You’ve come to the right place.

Stuff and My Food Bag have combined for a series of themed collections to provide you with a range of easy meal options to see you through the week.

First up was that family favourite, Asian-inspired recipes. This week, we can help you hit your 5+ a day target (experts say the target is 10+ a day if you’re over 40) with these vegetarian crowd-pleasers.

READ MORE:
* This week’s dinner sorted: Five easy Asian-inspired meals
* Can an earth-loving vegetarian partake in convenience food culture, guilt-free?
* Neat Places: Where to find the best vegan meal
* 17 habits of people who cook dinner every night
* Recipe: Spiced haloumi, spinach and pumpkin curry

1.CHEAT’S HALOUMI AND SPINACH CURRY

This mild tomato-based curry can be ready in 35 minutes and will feed a family of four.

SEE THE FULL RECIPE FROM MY FOOD BAG

2.GRILLED CORN AND BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH TORTILLA TOASTIES

Nicola Galloway’s Mexican-inspired dinner for a cold autumn night takes 15 minutes to prepare and needs 25 minutes to cook.

“I like to serve our soup dinner with toasties, and often salad on the side, so it feels like a complete meal,” she says.

SEE THE FULL STUFF RECIPE

3.GREEK FALAFEL MEZZE PLATES WITH HUMMUS, BULGUR PILAF AND OLIVES

This 30-minure recipe will feed four and saves times by using a store-bought falafel mix.

SEE THE FULL MY FOOD BAG RECIPE

4.MUSHROOM AND COURGETTE PIZZA

The mushrooms on this delicious vegan pizza are caramelised with maple syrup.

SEE THE FULL MY FOOD BAG RECIPE

5.SAM MANNERING’S SUPER-EASY VEGETARIAN CURRY

This pumpkin, bean and cashew curry only takes 15 minutes to prepare but needs an hour to cook. It’s worth the wait, however, and can feed up to six people.

The recipe uses snake beans, but if you can’t find them, normal green beans or flat beans are just as delicious, says Sam.

The rest of the country will be put into so-called Level 2 restrictions that limit public gatherings, among other restrictions.

Ms Ardern said the latest patient had experienced symptoms since earlier in the week and could have infected others.

“Based on this, we are in the unfortunate but necessary position to protect Aucklanders again,” Ms Ardern said.

The Ministry of Health said the case, a 21-year-old man who is being called Case M, is an older sibling of a student at Papatoetoe High School. Several cases have been linked to the high school.

The student is a so-called “casual plus contact”, which means they may have been exposed to the virus.

But the student has returned three recent negative tests and is asymptomatic.

Public health officials are now interviewing the case to try and determine how they became infected.

Case M developed symptoms on Tuesday this week, and, as a result, they are regarded as being potentially infectious from Sunday last week.

The lockdown in Auckland, with Level 3 restrictions, will allow people to leave home only for essential shopping and essential work, Ms Ardern said.

Got questions about the COVID-19 vaccines being used in Australia? We have answers.

The restrictions will start at 6:00am on Sunday.

The new restrictions also complicate the America’s Cup Event yacht race scheduled to start on March 6 in Auckland’s harbour.

Organisers said they were working “through the implications” in a tweet.

Almost two million people in Auckland were forced into a snap three-day lockdown in mid-February after a family of three were diagnosed with the more transmissible UK variant of COVID-19.

Health authorities are trying to find out whether the new case was linked to the earlier February cluster, now at 12 infections.

New Zealand has seen just over 2,000 cases of the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.Reuters

It was just a few months ago that experts were declaring the end of meat. Earlier this year, consultancy firm AT Kearney predicted that by 2040, animal products will have become so socially and environmentally unacceptable that most “meat” eaten across the globe will come in the form of plant-based or lab-grown substitutes.

But a major study released this week just might put the brakes on the rapidly accelerating plant-based trend. According to Oxford University research, published in the British Medical Journal, vegetarians and vegans have a 20 per cent higher risk of stroke than those who regularly tuck into a plate of bacon and sausages. The authors of the study, which tracked almost 50,000 Britons for 18 years, said this might be because veggies did not have enough cholesterol in their blood.

The finding flies in the face of much conventional wisdom, which says that vegetarianism is a healthy alternative to a carnivorous lifestyle.

But nutritionists say the increased risk of stroke is just one of the many health risks that any would-be vegetarian should be made aware of before they take the plunge.

She says that those who cut out meat entirely don’t always understand the full health implications of their lifestyle choice: “I think people shouldn’t just embark on a vegan diet because it’s on trend, and they’re following some Instagram guru. They should delve deeper and understand that there are nutrient shortfalls.”

Last week, nutritionist Emma Derbyshire told the BMJ that vegans may find themselves deficient in choline, a crucial nutrient for brain health commonly found in eggs, milk and beef that influences memory, mood and muscle control. With planning, the British Dietetic Association said, it was possible for vegans to reach requisite levels, but not everyone who avoids meat plans carefully enough.

Such diets, Bond adds, are usually devoid of vitamin B12, which is found only in animal products. Without it, you run a greater risk of becoming fatigued and your immune system can be weakened, although she says “full-blown B12 deficiency is not very common in today’s society”. More concerning is getting enough vitamin D, the so-called “sunshine vitamin”, which is important for our bones, teeth and immune system, and can be difficult to include in your diet if you are vegetarian, and very difficult if you are vegan. “Vitamin D-rich foods are mainly oily fish, eggs and things like that,” Bond says. “There is some in mushrooms, but sadly [it is in] very few foods.”

Bond thinks Britain is gradually moving towards a vegetarian way of life, pointing to Public Health England’s latest Eatwell Guide, which stressed the health benefits of plant-based foods; according to research published at the end of last year, one in eight Britons is now vegan or vegetarian, while a fifth of the population describes themselves as “flexitarian”.

Ian Marber, a nutritionist, adds that vegetarians and vegans might miss out on some of their essential amino acids, a source of protein. A lack of protein can mean weight loss; skin, hair, and nail problems; and increased risk of bone fractures.

Although it is usually vegans whose culinary choices make headlines, he thinks they are usually better prepared than vegetarians, with a steady supply of vitamin supplements lining their cupboards. “I find that vegans tend to be quite motivated and do it quite well – they are aware that they need omega-3 fats, for example. Vegetarianism tends not to be done with the same attention to detail.” Previously, his clutch of vegan clients “knew what they were doing”; now that meat-free numbers have swelled, he finds himself more frequently doling out advice on how to stay healthy and plant-based at the same time.

Many newly signed-up vegans have also noted cognitive effects – known as “brain fog” – and there’s plenty of science to back that up, according to Sophie Medlin, a lecturer in nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London.

“Anyone following a plant-based diet is likely to have suboptimal levels of vitamin B12 and an essential fatty acid called DHA [a type of omega-3],” she says. “These are vital for the health of our neurons or brain cells. When we are deficient, we suffer symptoms such as brain fog, short-term memory loss, changes in mood, difficulty sleeping, agitation, and anxiety.”

“In the battle between meat eaters and non-meat eaters, everyone’s looking for one answer,” says Ian Marber. “If we can only declare that one’s better than the other. But it’s not better, it’s just different.”The Telegraph, London

Though there is no causal link, consuming sugar-based drinks like soda and fruit juice could lead to a higher chance of developing cancer, a new study suggests. Experts suggest a tax hike would help.

Consuming sugary drinks is linked to a higher risk of developing cancer, according to a study published on Thursday in the British Medical Journal.Researchers in France monitored participants’ daily consumption of sugar and artificially sweetened beverages, as well as 100% fruit juices.After a nine-year period, it was noted that a 100-milliliter (3.4-fluid ounce) daily increase of sugar-based drinks led to an 18% increase in the risk of contracting cancer. The team surveyed more than 100,000 adults, with an average of age of 42, 79% of whom were women.Read more:

The study’s observational design means it can show patterns in the data it collects but cannot prove a definitive link between cause and effect, which means scientists could not say that consuming sugary drinks causes cancer.The study’s authors, however, suggested that taxing sugary products could have an effect on lowering cancer rates.

Exhaustive study garners reliable results

“This large, well-designed study adds to the existing evidence that consumption of sugary drinks may be associated with increased risk of some cancers,” Graham Wheeler, from Cancer Research UK said.

Both sugar-sweetened drinks and fruit juices saw a similar higher risk association while sugar-free drinks did not

Sugar-based drinks are being drunk more than ever across the globe and their consumption is linked to obesity, which itself increases the chances of getting cancer.

The World Health Organization advocates that people should limit their daily intake of sugar to less than 10% of their total energy intake.jsi/sms (Reuters, AFP)

Labor MP Peta Murphy has urged her colleagues to take seriously warnings about the state of Australia’s healthcare system, while making clear a cancer diagnosis will not prevent her taking her place in Parliament.

In her maiden speech to the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Ms Murphy said she has every intention of staying on in Parliament, and using her position to fight on the issue.

“I am neither unique, nor alone,” she said.

“But I am someone who has a platform that I can use to benefit others.

“And as long as the people of Dunkley continue to vote for me to represent them in this place, I intend to use it.”

Ms Murphy told Parliament her first breast cancer diagnosis came just days before a planned move to the United States.

She said with hindsight, she could see she was “lucky”.

“We had strong, loving families and friends,” she said.

“We had the resources that come with professional careers.

“We could access and afford the best quality care.

“I am acutely aware that this is not everyone’s story, and that it should be.”

Labor MP Peta Murphy making a speech in Parliament
PHOTO: Ms Murphy pledged to stay on in the role, and advocate for change in health care and her constituents in Dunkley. (ABC News: Luke Stephenson)
‘Listen to the experts’
Ms Murphy used her maiden speech to issue a warning to the parliamentarians around her on the state of Australia’s healthcare system.

“Fellow Members of Parliament, listen to the experts who warn the promise of universal health care is under threat,” she said.

“Commit to the reform and funding that our health system needs, and do whatever is required to ensure that Australia trains, retains and invests in the health care professionals and researchers who make our system great.”

She said she was fully aware that her own experience of cancer, while difficult, did not come with the additional challenges that face others.

“Let’s be frank though, cancer sucks,” she said.

“It changes the way your body feels and the way you feel about your body.

“The treatments can make you sick. Sometimes you are scared, sometimes you are angry. In my experience, often you are both at the same time.

“You worry about how your friends and family are coping. You value their support but resent the fact that you need it.

“And for too many people, on top of all of that, is the worry about how to pay the bills if you can’t work, who is going to look after the children while you’re getting treatment, how they are going to get to and from their appointments.

“And so it goes on.” ..abcnws

his is best served at room temperature and will become thicker as it cools.

200g chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water

2 fresh bay leaves

flaked salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

30g grated parmesan cheese

80g taleggio cheese, rind removed and cut into small pieces

crisps or corn chips, to serve

In a large pot, add the drained chickpeas, bay leaves and plenty of cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, skim and reduce heat to a steady simmer. Cook until they have become very soft – 30 minutes to 11/2 hours – this will depend on the chickpeas. You may need to add more water.

Drain, reserving liquid. While still hot, place chickpeas in a blender or food processor with a teaspoon of salt and blend until you have a very smooth puree. This will take several minutes and you will need to add a little of the reserved liquid as the chickpeas are quite dry.

Once you have a very smooth consistency, add the rest of the ingredients and blend until combined. Season to taste and pour into a dipping bowl.

Serve with crisps or corn chips.

LONDON: A big helping of blueberries each day can improve blood pressure in healthy people, research shows.Scientists tested the effect on healthy volunteers of consuming 200 grams, or two cupfuls, of blueberries for a month.

Over the course of the study participants’ systolic blood pressure was lowered by an average 5mmHg (millimetres of mercury).

Systolic pressure is the pressure that builds up in blood vessels with each pump of the heart. It reduces when blood vessels relax and dilate and increases when they contract.

The level was similar to that seen in patients taking blood pressure-reducing drugs.

For the study, 40 volunteers aged 18 to 70 were randomly given either a drink containing 200 grams of blueberries or a similar tasting drink containing no blueberries.

Effects on blood vessel function were seen in as little as two hours after consuming the blueberry drink.

The “control” drink, which was varied to be neutral or to contain fibre or vitamins and minerals, had no significant effect.

The scientists traced the blood pressure benefits of blueberries to anthocyanins, plant pigments responsible for the blue, red and purple colour of some fruits and vegetables.

Drinks containing purified anthocyanins led to improvement in the function of endothelial cells that control blood vessel relaxation and contraction.

Lead researcher Dr Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, from King’s College London, said: “Although it is best to eat the whole blueberry to get the full benefit, our study finds that the majority of the effects can be explained by anthocyanins.

“If the changes we saw in blood vessel function after eating blueberries every day could be sustained for a person’s whole life, it could reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease by up to 20 per cent.”

The research is published in the Journal of Gerontology Series A.AAP

Skin is our largest organ and something we may take for granted when it’s healthy.As an academic dermatologist I frequently hear misleading “facts” that seem to be stubbornly enduring.Here are some of the most commonly shared myths that can be cleared up immediately, and some truths you can rely on.

The skin provides a dynamic barrier between your body’s internal environment and the outside world.Cells called keratinocytes in the epidermis (the outer layer of skin) are constantly dividing to produce a supply of cells that move up through this layer and are shed from its surface.Skin is a rich source of stem cells with the capacity to divide and renew themselves.A good skin-care regime starts with removing dirt from skin.

The amount of water you drink does not directly affect your skin.

Water is supplied to the skin by blood flowing through the dermis, the inner layer of skin; water is lost from the epidermis, especially in a dry environment. Water is needed to maintain skin hydration and when you become seriously dehydrated your skin appears dull and is less elastic.

In a healthy person the internal organs — kidneys, heart and blood vessels — control the amount of water reaching the skin.

There is no fixed volume of water that you need to drink, it simply depends on the amounts you are using and losing.

There are many health issues in modern life that we blame on stress.But several skin conditions have been shown in scientific studies (see below), to be worsened by life events, possibly via stress hormones including cortisol (a steroid hormone made in the adrenal glan

Notable examples are alopecia areata, an auto-immune condition where the body’s immunity begins to attack the hair follicles, causing hair to fall out; psoriasis, another auto-immune condition that causes skin thickening, scaling and inflammation; and eczema, itchy red skin inflammation often occurring alongside asthma, hay fever and other allergies.Unfortunately a flare up of these skin conditions is exactly what you don’t need when you are feeling stressed or under pressure.

Acne vulgaris, the common “teenage” acne which can actually persist into your 30s and 40s, occurs as a result of the interaction between hormonal effects on grease glands in the skin, plus the skin’s immune response to blocked pores and microbes living on the skin.

Eating a high-fat diet is unhealthy for many reasons, but it doesn’t cause acne.

In fact some tablets prescribed for severe acne such as oral isotretinoin are better absorbed when pills are swallowed with a fatty meal — and that could include chocolate.

Eczema is a condition where the skin is dry, itchy and red.

It is caused by a combination of genetic factors (how your skin is made) and environmental effects, leading to inflammation.

Soap, detergents and washing powders can irritate the skin and contribute to dryness because they remove oil from the skin (just as washing-up liquid removes grease from your dishes).

Biological washing powders contain enzymes — proteins that break down fats and other proteins to remove stains — and these can irritate sensitive skin, so they may worsen eczema.

It is important that any washing power is thoroughly rinsed out of clothing before it is worn, to avoid skin irritation.

If the matrix is traumatised, bumped or bitten, an irregularity in the developing nail occurs and air can become trapped.

This appears as a white mark as the nail grows out.

Calcium is important for healthy nails (as well as bones and teeth), but these white marks are not a sign of deficiency.

Many people have experienced the feel-good factor of a sunny day, but there are good and bad effects of sunlight.Light from the sun includes a mixture of different wavelengths of light: some are visible to the human eye, some are shorter than the colours we can see — these are called ultraviolet (UV) — and some are longer, the infrared. Different wavelengths have different effects on skin.

UVB is used by skin to manufacture vitamin D, which is essential for bone health. Without sun exposure this vitamin must be obtained from the diet.

Dermatologists use specific wavelengths of UVA and UVB in carefully controlled doses to reduce skin inflammation, a valuable treatment for some skin conditions.

But when the skin is exposed to too much UV it can damage the skin cells’ DNA, leading to uncontrolled growth — the basis of cancer.

As a simple rule, unless you have a disease or treatment that suppresses your immune system, sunshine is good for you in moderation, but always avoid getting sunburned.

The basic principles of keeping skin healthy are mainly common sense.

You should wash your skin regularly to remove dirt, but not so much that you remove the essential moisture and water-proofing substances.

Use a moisturiser if your skin feels tight or dry — a greasy ointment works best unless you have acne-prone skin, in which case you should use a non-greasy water-based cream.

Avoid stress if possible, eat a healthy diet and drink water when you feel thirsty. And finally, protect your skin from too much sun with a hat and clothing or sunscreen.

Sara J Brown is a Professor of Molecular and Genetic Dermatology and a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow at the University of Dundee. This article originally appeared on The Conversation. With/By Sara J Brown

Vegan and vegetarian food is very much a rising trend across Europe but now, if the European Parliament’s Agricultural Committee has its way, the word veggie may have to disappear from some of the sector’s most popular products.

The committee has decided that animal product names for plant-based foods are misleading for consumers.

Critics suspect pressure from the meat lobby but Éric Andrieu, a member of the Committee, denied that was the case.

“The meat lobby is not involved in this. It was a debate in the Parliament, and more than 80% (of the committee) approved the proposal. It’s about common sense for consumers. We need to use the word steak for an actual steak.”

The European Parliament would have to approve the proposal before it could be adopted into legislation.