Other Nutrition Commons^™

Association Of Serum Γ-Tocopherol Levels With Mortality: The Multiethnic Cohort Study, Weiwen Chai, Gertraud Maskarinec, Adrian A. Franke, Kristine R. Monroeuniversity Of Southern California, Song-Yi Park, Laurence N. Kolonel, Lynne R. Wilkens, Loïc Le Marchand, Robert V. Cooney

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives—γ-Tocopherol has unique properties that protect against nitrogen oxide-mediated cellular damage. To elucidate the potential role of γ-tocopherol in the aging process, we examined the associations of serum γ-tocopherol levels with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Subjects/Methods—Among participants in the biorepository subcohort of the Multiethnic Cohort Study, pre-cancer diagnostic serum γ-tocopherol levels were measured in a subset of 3904 men and 4461 women. Of these, 22.7% of men and 13.5% of women died during a mean follow- up time of 9.6±2.6 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for mortality associated with γ-tocopherol were estimated by Cox proportional hazards …

Effectiveness Of Individual Nutrition Education Compared To Group Education, In Improving Anthropometric And Biochemical Indices Among Hypertensive Adults With Excessive Body Weight: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Danuta Gajewska, Alicja Kucharska, Marcin Kozak, Shahla M. Wunderlich, Joanna Niegowska

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Objective: The study aims to compare the effectiveness of individual and group nutrition education methods in improving key anthropometric and biochemical markers in drug-treated, overweight-obese hypertensive adults. Methods: The randomized trial included 170 patients with pharmacologically well-controlled primary hypertension and body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m². For six months, the patients received six sessions, either one-to-one individual nutrition education (IE, n = 89) or group education (GE, n= 81), developed by dietitians. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, and fasting measures of biochemical parameters were obtained at baseline and after six months of intervention. Results: 150 patients completed the …

Effects Of Dietary Copper, Zinc And Manganese Source And Level On The Acute Inflammatory Response Of Broilers, Chelsea Ellington

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Trace minerals, particularly copper, zinc and manganese, play a role in ensuring optimal immune function. To examine the effects of diets containing different levels and sources of trace minerals on the inflammatory response, Cobb 500 broilers were fed four experimental diets containing 5 mg/kg Cu and 45 mg/kg of Zn and Mn or 10 mg/kg Cu and 90 mg/kg Zn and Mn in either the sulfate or hydroxychloride form. When the broilers were 5 weeks of age, 16 μg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected into the pulp of growing feathers (GF; 16 GF per chicken; 1 μg LPS per GF). …

The Effects Of Caffeine Ingestion On The Hemostatic Response To Simulated Firefighting Activities, Sierra Wassell

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

The leading cause of death among firefighters is sudden cardiac event, and it is acknowledged that most ischemic events are due to an occlusive thrombus formation. In addition, due to the demanding job requirements and shift work, firefighters are commonly known to overuse caffeine as an ergogenic aid. The purposes of this study were to examine the potential effects of caffeine on the hemostatic response to simulated firefighting activity.

Dietary Depletion Of Milk Exosomes And Their Microrna Cargos Elicits A Depletion Of Mir-200a-3p And Elevated Intestinal Inflammation And Chemokine (C-X-C Motif) Ligand 9 Expression In Mdr1a−/− Mice, Di Wu, Hatem Kittana, Jiang Shu, Stephen D. Kachman, Juan Cui, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Janos Zempleni

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Exosomes transfer regulatory microRNAs (miRs) from donor cells to recipient cells. Exosomes and miRs originate from both endogenous synthesis and dietary sources such as milk. miR-200a-3p is a negative regulator of the proinflammatory chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 9 (CXCL9). Male Mdr1a−/− mice spontaneously develop clinical signs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Objectives: We assessed whether dietary depletion of exosomes and miRs alters the severity of IBD in Mdr1a−/− mice owing to aberrant regulation of proinflammatory cytokines.

Methods: Starting at 5 wk of age, 16 male Mdr1a−/− mice were fed either milk exosome– and RNA-sufficient (ERS) or milk exosome– and …

Breakfast Consumption Is Positively Associated With Usual Nutrient Intakes Among Food Pantry Clients Living In Rural Communities, Yibin Liu, Janet A. Tooze, Yumin Zhang, Heather J. Leidy, Regan L. Bailey, Breanne Wright, Mengran Ma, Suzanne Stluka, Dan T. Remley, Lacey A. Mccormack, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Rebecca Henne, Donna Mehrle, Heather A. Eicher-Miller

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Breakfast consumption has declined over the past 40 y and is inversely associated with obesity-related diet and health outcomes. The breakfast pattern of food pantry clients and its association with diet is unknown.

Objective: The objective is to investigate the association of breakfast consumption with diet quality and usual nutrient intakes among food pantry clients (n = 472) living in rural communities.

Methods: This was an observational study using cross-sectional analyses. English-speaking participants ≥18 y (or ≥19 y in Nebraska) were recruited from 24 food pantries in rural high-poverty counties in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, …

Effect Of Collagen Supplementation In Broiler Feed: Influence On Productive Performance And Muscle Quality In Broiler Chicken, Ramesh Nurubhasha, Vijaya R. Dirisala, Satish Thirumalasetti, Hanumohan Reddy Konatham, Simhachalam G, Satheesh Ingilala, Sampath Kumar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Present study was conducted to evaluate different strategies for feed formulation in commercial broiler production. A total of 16 male newly hatched broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were fed with different formulated diets in 3 feeding phases, starter (1–11 d), grower (12-22 d) and finisher (23–33 d). Four strategies of feed formulation (F1, F2, F3 and F4) were compared; where in F1 group was fed with traditional diet, F2 and F3 were fed with traditional diet after supplementation with 10% & 20 % paneer respectively. The last group (F4) was fed with traditional diet supplemented with 10% collagen …

Sex-Specific Relationships Among Iron Status Biomarkers, Athletic Performance, Maturity, And Dietary Intakes In Pre-Adolescent And Adolescent Athletes, Marni E. Shoemaker, Zachary M. Gillen, Brianna D. Mckay, Nicholas A. Bohannon, Sydney M. Gibson, Karsten Koehler, Joel T. Cramer

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among biomarkers of iron status, athletic performance, growth and development, and dietary intakes in pre-adolescent and adolescent male and female athletes.

Methods: Two-hundred and forty-nine male (n = 179) (mean ± standard deviation for age = 12.0 ± 2.1 years, height = 156.3 ± 13.9 cm, and weight = 49.1 ± 16.5 kg) and female (n = 70) (12.0 ± 2.2 years, 152.4 ± 12.3 cm, 45.3 ± 14.5 kg) athletes volunteered for capillary blood sample, anthropometric, athletic performance, and dietary intake assessments. Outcomes included maturity offset from peak height …

Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Derived Resolvin D2 Regulates Human Placental Vascular Smooth Muscle And Extravillous Trophoblast Activities, Arzu Ulu, Prakash K. Sahoo, Ana G. Yuil-Valdes, Maheswari Mukherjee, Matthew Van Ormer, Philma Glora Muthuraj, Maranda Thompson, Ann Anderson Berry, Corrine K. Hanson, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Tara M. Nordgren

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Omega-3 fatty acids are important to pregnancy and neonatal development and health. One mechanism by which omega-3 fatty acids exert their protective effects is through serving as substrates for the generation of specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPM) that potently limit and resolve inflammatory processes. We recently identified that SPM levels are increased in maternal blood at delivery as compared to umbilical cord blood, suggesting the placenta as a potential site of action for maternal SPM. To explore this hypothesis, we obtained human placental samples and stained for the SPM resolvin D2 (RvD2) receptor GPR18 via immunohistochemistry. In so doing, we …

A Multi-Year Examination Of Gardening Experience And Fruit And Vegetable Intake During College, Daniel Staub, Sarah Colby, Melissa D. Olfert, Kendra Kattelmann, Wenjun Zhou, Tanya M. Horacek, Geoffrey W. Greene, Ivana Radosavljevic, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Anne E. Matthews

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Gardening has been positively associated with fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption based on short-term studies among children, but long-term data among adolescents and young adults are lacking. This investigation sought to elucidate the association between gardening experience and FV intake among college students over a two-year period. Students (N = 593) from eight universities were assessed at the end of their freshman (Y1) and sophomore (Y2) years during the springs of 2016 and 2017, respectively. At each time point, participants completed the NCI FV Screener and questions related to gardening experience and FV-related attitudes and behaviors. Students were then categorized …

Hydrophobic Sand Is A Viable Method Of Urine Collection From The Rat For Extracellular Vesicle Biomarker Analysis, Jessica F. Hoffman, Ivan J. Vechetti Jr, Alexander P. Alimov, John F. Kalinich, John J. Mccarthy, Charlotte A. Peterson

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Previously we have shown in rats a new method of urine collection, hydrophobic sand, to be an acceptable alternate in place of the traditional method using metabolic cages. Hydrophobic sand is non-toxic, induces similar or lower levels of stress in the rat, and does not contaminate clinical urine markers nor metal concentrations in collected samples (Hoffman et al., 2017 and 2018). Urine is often used in humans and many animal models as a readily-attainable biosample which contains proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) within extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can be isolated to indicate changes in health. In order to ensure hydrophobic sand …

Decomposing Trends In Child Obesity, Ashley Wendell Kranjac, Robert L. Wagmiller

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

We unravel the absolute level and relative prominence of two demographic processes that are relevant for childhood obesity, and that will ultimately determine the long-term course and pace of change in child obesity rates. We leverage data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to decompose change in child obesity from 1971 to 2012. We partition change into that attributable to (1) healthier, more nutritionally and economically advantaged cohorts in the population being replaced by cohorts of children who are less advantaged (between-cohort change), and (2) the health habits, nutrition, and social and economic circumstances of all cohorts of …

The Effects Of Branched Chained Amino Acid Supplementation On Acute Markers Of Fatigue And Performance, Joseph Walters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this dissertation were to investigate the acute effects of branched-chain amino acids on psychological, physiological, and subsequent performance changes following high volume resistance training. The rationale for this study design was based on abrupt or contiguous training/ competitions that specific athletes encounter in a competitive season. This study design also sought to fill some gaps in the scientific literature concerning the efficacy of BCAAs for subjective fatigue in a resistance training paradigm. To address the purposes of this dissertation, a one-week study was conducted on resistance trained males, in which half of the subjects were randomly selected …

Prediction And Evaluation Of Breast Myopathy, Barbara De Almeida Mallmann

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Broiler breast myopathies, including woody breast, white striping, and spaghetti breast, negatively impact the industry. Therefore, evaluation, prediction, and frequency of these muscle abnormalities on modern birds are important for decision making. Modern broilers are not highly active and often sit with the breast of the bird resting on the floor. Therefore, the first experiment was to promote bird movement and explore the impact on the breast myopathies. The movement was stimulated by human interaction (walking through pen) and higher light intensity so that birds walked around the pen more often throughout the day. The control group had normal low …

Diets And Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Zahra Darabi, Amin Mokari-Yamchi, Masoomeh Hajizadehoghaz, Arezoo Rezazadeh

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder, which is characterized by the presence of abdominal pain or discomfort associated with altered bowel habits. This systematic review aimed to assess the nutritional factors (dietary patterns and food groups) associated with IBS.

Methods: Articles were collected via searching in databases such as Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar using relevant keywords and phrases, including irritable bowel syndrome, pattern, intake, behavior, habit, meal, nutrition, food, lifestyle, and prevalence. The articles were confined to the original human studies that were published in English since 2010. …

Inter- And Intra-Individual Differences In Emg And Mmg During Maximal, Bilateral, Dynamic Leg Extensions, John Paul V. Anders, Cory M. Smith, Joshua L. Keller, Ethan C. Hill, Terry J. Housh, Richard Schmidt, Glen O. Johnson

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to compare the composite, inter-individual, and intra-individual differences in the patterns of responses for electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) amplitude (AMP) and mean power frequency (MPF) during fatiguing, maximal, bilateral, and isokinetic leg extension muscle actions. Thirteen recreationally active men (age = 21.7 2.6 years; body mass = 79.8 11.5 kg; height = 174.2 12.7 cm) performed maximal, bilateral leg extensions at 1801 until the torque values dropped to 50% of peak torque for two consecutive repetitions. The EMG and MMG signals from the vastus lateralis (VL) muscles of both limbs were recorded. Four …

Cooking And Meal Planning As Predictors Of Fruit And Vegetable Intake And Bmi In First-Year College Students, Andrea J. Hanson, Kendra Kattelmann, Lacey A. Mccormack, Wenjun Zhou, Onikia N. Brown, Tanya M. Horacek, Karla P. Shelnutt, Tandalayo Kidd, Audrey Opoku-Acheampong, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Melissa D. Olfert, Sarah E. Colby

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The objective was to determine if cooking skills and meal planning behaviors are associated with greater fruit and vegetable intake and lower body mass index (BMI) in first-year college students who are at risk for excessive weight gain. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data from a multi-state research project aimed at preventing weight gain in first-year college students. Cooking type, frequency and confidence, self-instruction for healthful mealtime behavior intention, self-regulation of healthful mealtime behavior, and cup equivalents of fruits and vegetables (FV) were measured using validated surveys. BMI was calculated from measured height and weight. First-year students (n …

Potential Of Prebiotic Butyrogenic Fibers In Parkinson’S Disease, Thaisa M. Cantu-Jungles, Heather Rasmussen, Bruce R. Hamaker

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Recent evidence supports the involvement of the gastrointestinal tract in PD pathogenesis, including alterations in microbiota and intestinal permeability. Apart from being the preferred energy source for colonic epithelial cells, butyrate is involved in anti-inflammatory, enteroendocrine and epigenetic mechanisms that influence colonic and systemic health, including brain function. A few studies using oral administration of sodium butyrate indicate beneficial effects in PD animal models; however, prebiotic fibers that generate butyrate locally in the gut may be more effective. The design and selection of …

Mobile Phone Text Message Intervention On Diabetes Self-Care Activities, Cardiovascular Disease Risk Awareness, And Food Choices Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients, Martha J. Nepper, Jennifer R. Mcatee, Lorey A. Wheeler, Weiwen Chai

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

This study examines the effects of educational text messages on diabetes self-care activities, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk awareness, and home food availabilities related to food choices among patients with type 2 diabetes. Quasi-experimental design was used with 40 patients (58.0 10.6 years) in the intervention group and 39 (55.7 12.2 years) in the control group. In addition to the usual care provided for all participants, the intervention group received three educational text messages weekly for 12 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention measures were collected for both groups. Ninety-four percent of the participants receiving text messages indicated the usefulness of this program. …

Redesign, Field-Testing, And Validation Of The Physical Activity Campus Environmental Supports (Paces) Audit, Tanya M. Horacek Phd, Rd, Elif Dede Yildirim, Dean Seidman, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Sarah Colby, Adrienne A. White, Karla P. Shelnutt, Melissa D. Olfert, Anne E. Mathews, Kristin Riggsbee, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Jesse Stabile Morrell, Kendra Kattelmann

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

+is paper describes the redesign, field-testing, and convergent validity of a practical tool—Physical Activity Campus Environmental Supports (PACES) audit. Methods. +eaudit includes two parts: (1) PACES-Programs, which is comprised of questions regarding populations served, fees, programs (recreation/fitness classes and intramurals), proximity, adequacy of facilities, and marketing, and (2) PACES-Facilities, which is comprised of questions regarding built environment (aesthetics, bike racks, stairs, and universal design), recreation equipment, staff, amenities, and access. Each item criterion is specifically scored using a fivepoint, semantic-differential scale ranging from limited to extensive environmental support. A few questions utilize select all that apply for a summed score. …

Increasing Food Security: Developing And Testing A Nutrition Education Curriculum For A Mobile Food Pantry, Alexandra Lepecha, Kathleen M. Kraft

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Background: The Neighborhood Produce Market (NPM) is a food distribution model similar to a mobile food pantry. NPM stakeholders observed a lack of community engagement and familiarity with produce offered.

Project Description: The objective was to develop a nutrition education curriculum for NPM volunteers to better engage families and community members by providing food samples, recipes, and nutrition education. A stakeholder steering committee guided the needs assessment, curriculum development, volunteer training, and pilot test. The curriculum consisted of food safety, cultural considerations, and nutritional information for nine produce items and food tasting procedures and recipes. Seven student volunteers were trained …

Smartphone Ecological Momentary Assessment: Adherence, Stress, And Sleep Study, David Massabni

Honors Scholar Theses

It is known that lack of sleep correlates with more stress throughout the day. In this unique study, we utilize participants smartphones to complete surveys through a hyperlink via text message. The use of smartphones could help because stress and sleep can only be measured at a moment’s notice. A sample of 8 participants were assessed for Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), College Student’s Stressful Event Checklist (CSSEC) along with their height, weight, and blood pressure at baseline. Next, participants were asked to respond to five scheduled surveys over the next two days where they completed …

Effects Of Polystrene Foam On The Growth And Development Of Darkling Beetles (Tenebrio Molitor), Nick Langlois

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

The growing field of entomoremediation explores the use of insects and other invertebrates as biological agents for the natural removal of hazardous substances, and recent research has investigated the potential for using mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) to digest and decompose polystyrene. Two experiments conducted over two years tested the tolerance of mealworm populations to the inclusion of polystyrene in their diet, and the ability of these diets to support multi-generational populations. The first experiment compared mealworms raised on a diet of 100% polystyrene foam with mealworms raised on a control diet of wheat bran and potatoes. The second experiment …

Bovine Milk Extracellular Vesicles (Evs) Modification Elicits Skeletal Muscle Growth In Rats, Hailey A. Parry, C. Brooks Mobley, Petey W. Mumford, Matthew A. Romero, Cody T. Haun, Yufeng Zhang, Paul A. Roberson, Janos Zempleni, Arny A. Ferrando, Ivan J. Vechetti, John J. Mccarthy, Michael D. Roberts, Andreas N. Kavazis

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The current study investigated how bovine milk extracellular vesicles (EVs) affected rotarod performance and biomarkers of skeletal muscle physiology in young, growing rats. Twenty-eight-day Fisher 344 rats were provided an AIN-93G-based diet for 4 weeks that either remained unadulterated [EVs and RNA-sufficient (ERS; n = 12)] or was sonicated [EVs and RNA-depleted (ERD; n = 12)]. Prior to (PRE) and on the last day of the intervention (POST), animals were tested for maximal rotarod performance. Following the feeding period, the gastrocnemius muscle was analyzed at the histological, biochemical, and molecular levels and was also used to measure mitochondrial function and …

Elevating Communities Into Self-Sufficiency Through Federally-Funded Health Partnerships, Nalleli Martinez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: This qualitative study is to identify programing that encourages increased self-sufficiency in SNAP recipients. The goal was to identify themes related to successful self-sufficiency programming at federally-funded health centers/health programs (HCHPs). The study also investigated the role of social determinants of health in relation to achieving self-sufficiency.

Method: A series of 45-minute to 1-hour-long interviews were conducted to explore the perspectives of seven total staff at seven federally-funded HCHPs across the U.S. western region. Using Nvivo, a qualitative data analysis software, responses were categorized into six themes: patient-centered care, one-stop-shop/integrated care model, community partnerships, organizational and staff support, leadership …

Development And Validation Of The Policies, Opportunities, Initiatives And Notable Topics (Points) Audit For Campuses And Worksites, Tanya M. Horacek, Marlei Simon, Elif Dede Yildirim, Adrienne A. White, Karla P. Shelnutt, Kristin Riggsbee, Melissa D. Olfert, Jesse Morrell, Anne E. Matthews, Wenjun Zhou, Tandalayo Kidd, Kendra Kattelmann, Geoffrey Greene, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Sarah E. Colby, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Onikia Brown

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Workplace or campus wellness/obesity-prevention policies and initiatives can improve health. Research tools to assess worksite or campus policies/initiatives are scarce. Thus, the aim of this research is to develop and validate the policies, opportunities, initiatives, and notable topics (POINTS) audit. Methods: POINTS was developed and refined via expert review, pilot-testing, and field testing. Trained researchers completed a web-based review from a student-focus or employee-focus regarding 34 health-promoting topics for colleges. Each topic was evaluated on a 0–2 scale: 0 = no policy/initiative, 1 = initiatives, 2 = written policy. When a written policy was detected, additional policy support questions …

Cooking Frequency Associated With Dietary Quality In Icook-4h Youth Participants At Baseline, Amber D. Ford, Sarah E. Colby, Marissa Mcelrone, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Melissa D. Olfert, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Adrienne A. White

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Increased intakes of ready-made and fast foods paralleled with decreased homemade food consumption have been associated with increased rates of obesity. Researchers have shown associations between cooking self-efficacy (SE) and cooking frequency (CF) with dietary quality and weight status. Some cooking interventions have shown positive associations with dietary outcomes, such as increased fruit and vegetable intake and decreased fast food consumption. There is still much unknown about SE and CF, especially among youth.

Objective: Determine baseline SE and CF and the associations with dietary quality and body mass index (BMI) of youth enrolled in iCook 4H.

Methods: Youth (n …

Micrornas In Bovine Milk Exosomes Are Bioavailable In Humans But Do Not Elicit A Robust Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Response, Ezra Mutai, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Janos Zempleni

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Bovine milk exosomes are studied for their roles as bioactive food compounds and as vehicles for drug delivery. Both lines of investigation converge on immune function, e.g., immune regulation by absorption of microRNAs encapsulated in milk exosomes across species boundaries, and the possibility of exosomes and their cargos triggering an immune response if used in drug delivery. This study assessed the bioavailability of immune-related microRNAs from bovine milk and changes in plasma cytokine concentrations after milk consumption in humans, and the secretion of cytokines by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cultured with milk exosomes transfected with immune-relevant microRNAs. …

The Land Of Meat And Potatoes? Exploring Ireland’S Vegan And Vegetarian Foodscape, Corey Lee Wrenn

Dietary Choice and Foods of Animal Origin Collection

While it would not be accurate to suggest that Ireland is a hub of veganism or vegetarianism, too often it is written off as inherently unsympathetic to the ethics of plant-based eating and anti-speciesist politics. While it is true that Irish culture is historically tied to speciesism and its economy is especially dependent upon “meat” and dairy production, Ireland’s relationship with other animals is complex and sometimes forgiving. This essay seeks to bring shape to the Irish vegan ethic, one that can be traced along its history of animism, agrarianism, ascendency, adaptation, and activism. From its pagan roots to its …

Disease Prevention With A Plant-Based Lifestyle, Sabina V. Vyas

Dietary Choice and Foods of Animal Origin Collection

Animal experiments are commonly conducted to understand human diseases and responses to treatment. As decades of research indicate, the use of nonhuman animals (hereinafter referred to as animals) to translate the side effects, benefits, and impact of medications and treatments on the human body has been demonstrated to be ineffective; while billions of animals and humans have suffered (Shanks, Greek and Greek, 2009). Due to misleading safety and efficacy data from animal experiments, humans are often prescribed medications that may not be as effective or as safe as the patient, or even physician, may have been led to believe (Akhtar, …