Consuming folate rich leafy green vegetables and citrus fruits slows down the decline in brain function and memory skills related to aging, states a recent issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Folate is a member of the vitamin-B family. It is found in broccoli, spinach and citrus fruits. High levels of folate are also present in chickpeas, kidney beans, strawberries, green peas and romaine lettuce.
A study was conducted on 300 elderly men in Boston for a period of three years. A series of memory and brain function tests were taken at the start of the study and repeated at the end of three years. Blood folate levels were measured and diet noted. The results showed that men who ate more folate rich vegetables and fruits were protected against some of the declines in memory and thinking skills associated with aging. Men with high folate levels showed less loss of language skills compared to men with a lower folate level in blood. High folate blood levels also protected against declines in the ability to copy various shapes and figures or spatial copying.
The mechanism of this protection is possibly through homocysteine, which is linked to heart disease in higher concentrations. It can lower mental skill scores. It is also established that folate supplementation as folic acid, reduces blood homocystein levels and this could be the protecting factor for the brain. It is thus recommended that folate-rich foods should be included in the daily diet as veggies may keep an aging brain sharp. — Dr Fatema Jawad
How green is your game?
A ‘green team’ will be taking part in next year’s World Cup to ensure that football’s top tournament is the most environmentally-friendly ever. An agreement was signed between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the organizers of the 2006 World Cup and the German Federal Government, aimed at making the World Cup a low pollution, eco-friendly competition.
This is the first time that the world’s leading sports event — the FIFA World Cup — has incorporated environmental considerations in the preparation and staging of its games. There is an increasing realization by organisers of major sports events that they must seriously integrate the impact of their events on the environment. The Green Goal initiative is one of the most comprehensive programmes seeking to reduce the environmental impact of sport.
UNEP will provide technical and communications support to the World Cup Organising Committee (OC), aimed at seamlessly integrating environmental considerations and projects with preparations for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and the staging of the tournament itself.
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) will be broadcast on local, national and international television stations to stimulate environmental action and provide information on the Green Goal project. Environmental messages will also appear on public transport and billboards in the hosting cities, as well as on scoreboards during the matches themselves.
A 2-day conference on Sport Events and Sustainable Development will be organized in Munich Stadium in early 2006. During the FIFA 2006 World Cup, there will be a special information day dedicated to the Green Goal, with press conferences and other events. A brochure will be developed on the Green Goal initiative, as well as individual brochures for media and commentators outlining the environmental merits and achievements of each of the hosting stadia and cities in Germany.
UNEP Executive Director Klaus Tvpfer will assume a role as the first Green Goal Ambassador. The 2006 FIFA World Cup is well on the way to becoming the first-ever ‘climate-neutral’ FIFA World Cup finals. Green Goal incorporates measurable environmental targets in four key areas: water, refuse, energy and mobility.
UNEP has developed an active Sport and Environment Programme to promote the links between sport and the environment. — Samina Iqbal
