Dakota Access Pipeline - The Latest!

Dear bloggies, I’ve been long-wanting to cover this issues which has been unfolding in North Dakota. It’s heavily tangled in emotion, involving economics and social justice. Or more simply, corporate America vs. Native America. The issue is the Dakota Access Pipeline. It's been all over social media, but peculiarly devoid from most mainstream news.

What’s the Issue?

The Dakota Access pipeline, if fully constructed, would run 1,100 miles from oil fields in northwest North Dakota to a refinery and port in Illinois. Although most of the pipeline would cross private land owned by Energy Transfer Partners, the project still needs U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval as there are portions that cross federal waterways. Since April, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe along with hundreds of Native protestors have been demonstrating on tribal land near the Missouri River in opposition to the project. The gathering represents one of the largest Native protests in ages.

In July, following approval of the project, the Standing Rock Tribe sued the U.S. Army Corps, alleging that the pipeline’s construction would destroy nearby sacred and burial sites. They also claimed it would contaminate the tribe’s drinking water if the pipeline ever leaked. The tribe sought a temporary injunction to halt construction. Sadly this attempt would be in vain as the court declined the request for an injunction. James Boasberg of the D.C. district court stated that federal law had been appropriately followed in approving the pipeline.

However, almost immediately following this devastating defeat last Friday the tribes won an enormous victory, at least temporarily, as the Obama administration made a surprise announcement that it would not permit the project to continue for the time being. The U.S. government has requested that the pipeline company “voluntarily pause all construction activity within 20 miles east or west of Lake Oahe,” said a joint statement from the Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Army. The Army Corps will now “reconsider any of its previous decisions” regarding whether the pipeline adheres to federal law, especially concerning the National Environmental Policy Act, said the statement.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Does industry have the ethical right to build this pipeline, potentially threatening sacred sites of the Native Americans? Is this merely another egregious marginalization of the priorities of Native Americans? What about securing oil for the U.S. economy, how should this tie in? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave your comments below and we can get a discussion going. And if you’ve missed any of the action, here is a video clip filmed by Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, who captured the heart of the demonstration. There is currently a warrant out for her arrest for trespassing during the demonstration, I might add. Do some of your own research too in order to learn more, and visit YouTube for more videos of the action!

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                                                            Shahir Masri
                                                            Doctor of Science
                                                            Environmental Health Science

Health & Science – Questioning What You "Know"

Imagine a recent conversation where you recommended dietary advice to someone. Or maybe you suggested how best they rid their cold. Or perhaps you were explaining climate science. Now take a step back. Reflect on the assertions you made and the “facts” you knew. Where did you learn your facts? A health magazine? CNN? Online? A family friend? Maybe they were facts you’ve simply always known.

My focus in grad school was to understand the world of chemical exposures. Before grad school, I knew a bit about chemical toxicity through word of mouth and reading. While school reinforced and expanded this knowledge, near the end of grad school there were still previously held “facts” of mine that professors failed to mention. Why was this? One such issue was surrounding the chemical Teflon™ used to coat non-stick pots and pans. Since I was a kid I had known Teflon™ was toxic, so I should be careful not to use metal cooking utensils because this would scrape off the toxic Teflon™ particles into my food. Why didn’t my professors know about this public health concern? Why didn’t they discuss it? I decided to dig on my own through the peer-reviewed scientific literature. I discovered info on the inhalation of Teflon™ fumes (still not healthy!), but nothing about consuming particles while cooking. My search yielded negative results. Why were these articles so hard to find?? I gave up my initial search for a while. It wasn’t until another year that I resumed. Still, negative results! I began to question this “fact” I had always known. Was it fact at all? 

By chance the following month a guest lecturer spoke at my class. She was an expert on Teflon™-like chemicals. Yes! Finally I could ask an expert who specialized in this stuff. But disheartened I would remain, for her response did not support my “fact.” Rather than push forward with my search, it was time to sit back and reflect. Where had I first heard this fact? Well I had always known it. This meant I must have heard it when I was a kid…so either from another kid, a grown-up, or the T.V.  Really?! Neither children nor the media are trustworthy sources of information. And most grown-ups are no better. I would not cite any of these sources if I was writing a paper! Yet this was the basis of my long-held “fact” about Teflon™. Something I was told as a kid and simply accepted into adulthood. What a disappointing realization! But it made sense. I wasn’t finding scientific support for my fact, because it wasn’t fact. This was not the finding I sought, but an important one nonetheless. And I’m glad I got to the bottom of it.

I’m sharing this story with you because it’s imperative for each of us to sit back and reflect on our sources before we propagate information forward. We all know “facts” about a variety of issues, from climate change to healthy eating. But just because we know “facts” doesn’t mean we know facts. And facts we’ve “always known” may be nothing more than well-intentioned messages that imprinted on our minds during childhood. Facts from magazines and websites are just as worthy to question. In an age where reading is becoming increasingly rare, people are relying on ever-smaller volumes of literature to establish their known beliefs; thus leading to the increased propagation of misinformation. This has been no thanks to the wealth of biased websites on the internet (discussed in a later blog)! So let us remember to think critically about the facts we hear and read, and to not cling stubbornly to previously held beliefs. Beliefs come from somewhere. Ask yourself where yours came from. Are they credible?

Please join this blog to help support my upcoming projects. Cick “join this site” at the top right of this page, log into your account, and click “follow publicly.”  Thanks!!

                                                            Shahir Masri
                                                            Doctor of Science
                                                            Environmental Health Science

A Word on Potatoes

             While often lumped into the “vegetable” category, potatoes are not a great way to meet your daily vegetable needs. You may have noticed in his Healthy Eating Plate that Dr. Willett has removed potatoes from the vegetable category, instead placing them in the “use sparingly” category. This is because potatoes have undesirable effects on levels of blood sugar and insulin in the body. That is, as with blended fruit/veggie drinks discussed previously, potatoes act more like carbohydrates than they do like veggies or fruits in the body. They are rapidly broken down, leading to insulin spikes and the over absorption of blood glucose. This means they do not keep you full for very long as well as contribute to insulin resistance (higher risk for obesity and diabetes). Further, studies show that potatoes are not linked to the same health benefits as are other fruits and vegetables. 

              Does all this mean that potatoes are bad? No. However, it does mean that you should treat them more like carbohydrates than vegetables. That is, on your dinner plate, potatoes should not be replacing your salad, Brussels sprouts, or roasted carrots. Instead, think of them as replacements for bread, rice, pasta, etc. However, even in this comparison potatoes stand to lose. Potatoes are more akin to a refined grain. So if you have already made the recommended switch from refined to whole grain products, then don’t use potatoes as a substitute. Whole grains are the better choice, for reasons described in my previous blog.

              In my diet, I have mostly done away with potatoes. Sure, everyone loves mashed potatoes, French fries, and hash browns. And don’t get me wrong, I allow for these things in my diet every now and then, particularly at a restaurant or if I'm a guest at dinner. On a daily basis, however, and especially in my own cooking, I avoid potatoes. A great substitute for potatoes that I use is corn. Corn is broken down by the body more slowly, leaving you fuller longer, and contains beta-carotene for vitamin A production as well as healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids. What’s more, an ear of corn is generally much lower in calories than a medium sized potato, so it’s easier to not go overboard with eating. A final perk is that corn is SUPER quick and easy to cook. Unlike potatoes, which you have to boil or fry for a long time, you need only cook an ear of corn for two minutes in the microwave! And don’t worry, microwaves are not “bad” ways to cook food, which I can discuss in another blog.

              Another great potato substitute is sweet potatoes. Though similar in calories, compared to regular potatoes sweet potatoes have a much richer nutritional profile. They are higher in fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Sweet potatoes are also broken down slower by the body than regular potatoes, therefore having a lower glycemic index.

              It is worth mentioning that there is also something called glycemic load, and that corn and sweet potatoes also have lower glycemic loads (a good thing!) compared to ordinary potatoes. However, I will save the distinction between glycemic index and glycemic load, as well as the importance of each, for another blog. For now, happy eating!! 

Please join this blog to help support my upcoming projects. Simply click “join this site” at the top right of this page, log into your account, and click “follow publicly.”  Thanks!! =D

                                                            Shahir Masri
                                                            Doctor of Science
                                                            Environmental Health Science

Happy Summer - With New Topics to Come! =)

I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer! I know mine has been busy transitioning back to California after graduating and moving home from Boston. I’m super excited though to return to the blogging world this fall, with a bunch of new topics to discuss. You’ll probably notice this blog has begun to incorporate quite a bit of nutrition as I’ve become more passionate about shedding light on “total” health as opposed to simply chemical-induced toxicity. I hope you like this change. It is for everyone’s benefit. I will continue to blog in both areas now moving forward. Some topics you can look forward to over the following months include:

• Cosmetics – How to avoid toxic ingredients
• The politics of the USDA Food Pyramid
• The role of potatoes in your diet
• Sunscreen – Better or worse than the sun? How do brands differ?
• Got calcium? – Why milk isn’t the answer
• Climate Change - Understanding the science

If you have additional topics you’d like me to cover, please let me know in the comments section below!! :D  And be sure to “follow” this blog, otherwise you'll be unable to leave comments.

                                                                                                        

                                              Shahir Masri

                                              Doctor of Science
                                              Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 

Happy Earth Day! - Special Video

Hello blog world!

     Happy Earth Day 2016 to you all!! After a few month hiatus from blogging, I am overjoyed to report back to you as doctor of science! Yes, after many years in grad school, I have successfully defended and submitted my dissertation =) Aka the long road has ended, and a new chapter has opened. And what better day to return to the blogging world than Earth Day?! It’s only the funniest coincidence that the end of my long road as a student of environmental science has reached its climax on this particular day, Earth Day! Yes, my dissertation was officially due to the Registrar today. A suitable conclusion date to say the least!

      To shed light on important news, today also marks a very special Earth Day for the international community and world as it relates to climate change. Today at the United Nations headquarters in New York, representatives from 175 nations have gathered to sign the historic Paris Climate Accord. Following years of U.N. climate negotiations, this marks a critical first step in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Importantly, the treaty is non-binding. However, drawing from history, this does not necessarily render it less effective. Rather, because it is non-binding, nations from across the globe have joined the table. And with voluntary reduction targets and annual follow up, we have finally set in motion important and widespread climate action. Actions and future commitments will only strengthen in time.

         Finally, given this wonderful Earth Day, what better time to debut my first public service announcement (PSA)?? This PSA, titled “Help Save the Oceans with the Beach Boys,” advocates for the cleanup and prevention of water pollution, and is set to display on cable networks and city website throughout the country! Importantly, garbage and chemical waste run-off affects more than just the beauty of our rivers, lakes, and oceans. It damages marine life, threatens aquatic ecosystems, and even works its way into the human body through fish consumption. It’s therefore critical to dispose of waste properly and encourage others to do the same.

        Shedding light on this issue is something I am proud to be a part of. I owe an enormous thank you to Frank Lane at COLAnow.org for inviting me aboard this project. His committed efforts are what made this PSA possible. And a big thanks to the classic rock band The Beach Boys for taking part in our important message! Without further delay, I present to you...

Help Save the Oceans with the Beach Boys

Please help spread awareness of this issue by sharing this video on Facebook and other media outlets! It can be your earthly Earth Day deed! :D For more information, visit COLAnow.org.

Also, be sure to join this blog! Simply click “join this site” at the top right of this page, log into your account, and click “follow publicly.”  Thanks and happy Earth Day!!!

                                                                                                  -Shahir Masri, S.D. 

More on Alcohol

          Hey health nuts! In my last post I highlighted the benefits of drinking alcohol. Not too much, not too little. To expand, we’ve often heard of the importance of drinking red wine (and let’s not forget the dark chocolate!). This raises the question… what about beer, liquor, and other alcoholic drinks? As it turns out, the early publicity red wine received was because the French happened to be the population that caused scientists to first suspect alcohol to be beneficial. France maintained low rates of heart disease in spite of a typically high-fat diet; the so called “French paradox.” Red wine was thought to be the reason. As science matured, however, it became apparent that alcohol, and not necessarily red wine, explained the paradox. A number of recent studies continue to reinforce this, showing that people receive the same benefits regardless of drinking beer, wine, or liquor.  What does matter is quantity, and studies point to an ideal consumption rate of about 1-2 drinks/day, probably on the lower side for women. The greatest benefit of alcohol consumption is the substantially reduced risk of heart disease, with many studies showing a 30-40% reduced risk of heart attack in men. Other benefits include increased “good” cholesterol and lower risk of diabetes and ischemic stroke, not to mention the benefits that come with reduced stress.

        There is an important side note worth mentioning for women. That is, studies have shown that 2 drinks/day raises the chances of developing breast cancer by about 20-25%. Before you get freaked out, let me provide some good news. This increased breast cancer risk is mostly among women whose diets are deficient in the vitamin B known as folic acid. This suggests that simply taking a daily multivitamin can offset this risk. Aside from folic acid, it is also important to put this seemingly large increase in risk into perspective. The current rate of breast cancer in the U.S. is about 12 cancers in every 100 women. A 25% increase in this risk means that if women began drinking 2 drinks/day, the new breast cancer risk would be about 14-15 cancers per 100 women. By comparison, about 10 times as many women die from heart disease in the U.S.—about 500,000 compared to 41,000 deaths/year. So while there may be a slight increase in breast cancer risk from a drink a day (or maybe not), from a population perspective this is not nearly as substantial as deaths due to heart disease. With that said, a drink a day for women, particularly given a daily multivitamin, appears worthwhile and healthy. But this can be for you to decide. 

        Lastly, alcohol can be dangerous. Overdrinking leads to liver disease, high blood pressure, various cancers, and weakening of the heart muscle. Additionally, alcohol is implicated in one-third of all fatal traffic accidents and can tear families apart. So if you already drink, drink moderately and responsibly. And stay within the daily consumption recommendations to achieve the described health benefits. If you don’t already drink, don’t feel compelled to do so as there are other things you can due in terms of diet and exercise to realize similar benefits without taking on the dangers of alcohol. 

If you read this blog you are probably a member of my "What's Toxic?" Facebook group. While I thank you for this, please join my "actual" blog here which will help me achieve support for upcoming projects. Simply click “join this site” at the top right of this page, log into your account, and click “follow publicly.”  Thanks!! =D

                                                                                     -Shahir Masri, M.S. 

Healthy Eating Tip #6 – Alcohol in Moderation

“When the first reports appeared linking moderate alcohol consumption with lower rates of heart disease, many scientists thought that some other habit shared by drinkers, not the drinking, accounted for the benefit. Today the evidence strongly points to alcohol itself. Based on the best estimates available, one drink a day for women and one or two a day for men cuts the chances of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease by about a third and also decreases the risk of having a clot-caused (ischemic) stroke.

Like many drugs, alcohol’s effects depend on the dose. A little bit can be beneficial. A lot can eventually destroy the liver, lead to various cancers, boost blood pressure, trigger so-called bleeding (hemorrhagic) strokes, progressively weakening the heart muscle, scramble the brain, harm unborn children, and damage lives.

If you don’t drink alcohol, you shouldn’t feel compelled to start. You can get similar benefits by beginning to exercise (if you don’t already) or boosting the intensity and duration of your physical activity, in addition to following the eating strategy we describe. But if you are an adult with no history of depression or alcoholism who is at high risk for heart disease, a daily alcoholic drink may help reduce that risk. This is especially true for people with type 2 diabetes or those with low HDL that just won’t budge upward with diet and exercise. If you already drink alcohol, keep it moderate.”

                             Dr. Walter Willett

                             Professor of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

In my next blog I will expand on this quote by discussing red wine versus other alcoholic beverages, as well as the importance of folic acid for female drinkers. Additionally, as a special treat I will include the recipe of one of my favorite winter cocktails! 

Dear friends, if you read this blog you are probably a member of my "What's Toxic?" Facebook group. While I thank you for this, I encourage you to join my "actual" blog here. Blog membership is important for me to achieve support for various upcoming projects I am working on. Simply click “join this site” at the top right of this page, log into your account, and click “follow publicly.”  Thanks so much! =)

                                                                                                      -Shahir Masri, M.S.