The Effects of Fasting on Skin

Woman examining her skin in the mirror. Photo Credit mheim3011/iStock/Getty Images

Overview

For better or worse, fasting has played an intrinsic role in various cultural, dietary and healing practices for centuries. Skinverse reports that short-term fasting is a natural aspect of healing, citing wounded animals that cease eating until their injuries have healed. Likewise, some findings indicate that short-term fasting may inhibit certain skin conditions and detoxify skin impurities. Consult your doctor before embarking on any fast, which is intended only for short-term use and may have adverse effects.

Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis may benefit from short-term fasting, according to a study published in Toxicologic Pathology. As its name implies, contact dermatitis is a type of skin irritation resulting from contact from a specific object or substance, the Mayo Clinic says. The Toxicologic Pathology study found reduced dermal swelling in mice with contact dermatitis after short-term fasting of up to 48 hours.

Hives

Fasting may also alleviate a specific type of hives called chronic urticaria, according to a case study published in the Journal of Dermatology. Also known as nettle rash, chronic urticaria is a type of hives that lasts more than six weeks, the International Chronic Uticaria Society says. The case study published in the Journal of Dermatology found that fasting was effective in relieving hives in a 28-year-old woman within 11 days. The researchers said the hives returned within three days of breaking the fast.

Acne and Eczema

Skinverse reports that skin conditions such as acne and eczema may clear up more quickly with short-term fasting. This may occur because with the body temporarily freed from digestion, it's able to focus its regenerative energies on other systems. However, Skinverse cautions that when beginning a fast, you may experience headaches or other "withdrawal" symptoms, and suggests that you may opt for a juice fast or one that allows for a small, reasonable dinner.

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How To Quickly Increase Cardio After Quitting Smoking

A man on an exercise bike at the gym. Photo Credit Andres Rodriguez/Hemera/Getty Images

If you just stopped smoking, engaging in regular physical activity could help you reduce your cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms. However, starting a cardiovascular exercise program at a high intensity right after you quit smoking could be dangerous. To increase your cardiovascular exercise endurance after quitting smoking, begin at a slow pace.

Background

Cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercises include those that work large muscle groups and get your heart rate up for a sustained period. Engaging in aerobic exercises regularly helps keep your heart healthy and build your cardiovascular endurance level. Cardiovascular exercises include walking, running, biking, swimming, cross-country skiing, aerobics, using an elliptical machine, stair climbing and rowing.

Benefits

A 2007 review article published in the journal “Addiction” reports that small doses of exercise can help reduce your desire to smoke, your cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms related to smoking cessation. Studies examined in this article reported benefits from exercising at intensities ranging from 24 percent to 85 percent of heart rate reserves, and exercising durations lasting 15 to 40 minutes. According to a Purdue University webpage, your heart rate reserve is the difference between your maximum heart rate and your resting heart rate. Maximum heart rate is estimated by subtracting your age from the number 220.

Concerns

If you just stopped smoking, avoid exercising at high intensities, at least initially. According to a study published in a 2011 edition of “Nicotine & Tobacco Research,” intense exercise can induce pulmonary oxidative stress in male cigarette smokers, which can lead to damage of the lungs. Compounds called oxidants formed in the body can cause oxidative stress, or cell damage. Lung damage caused by oxidative stress can lead to conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The average age of male smokers who participated in this study was 25.9 years old.

Recommendations

If you begin a cardiovascular exercise program after you quit smoking, start by exercising at a low intensity for short durations. Walking, biking or swimming at low intensities for 15 to 20 minutes at a time is a good way to increase your cardiovascular endurance after you quit smoking. Gradually work your way up to moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercises for durations of 30 to 60 minutes at a time. To achieve substantial health benefits, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults participate in at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises every week and strength-training activities at least two times per week.

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Organic production systems: Sustainability assessment of rice in Italy

Published Date
1 June 2016, Vol.225:33–44, doi:10.1016/j.agee.2016.03.046

Title 
Organic production systems: Sustainability assessment of rice in Italy

Author 

Jacopo Bacenetti ^a,,

Alessandra Fusi ^b

Marco Negri ^a

Stefano Bocchi ^a

Marco Fiala ^a

• aDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
• bSchool of Chemical Engeneering and Analytical Science, The Mill, SackvilleStreet, The Universityof Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom

Received 30 November 2015. Revised 18 March 2016. Accepted 31 March 2016. Available online 14 April 2016.

Highlights

• •
  Environmental performance of Organic Rice Production System was assessed.
• •
  Life Cycle Assessment method was applied from a cradle-to-field gate perspective.
• •
  Compost production and fertilizers emissions are the main hotspots.
• •
  Green manure and compost applications involves considerable methane emissions.
• •
  Alternative scenarios can reduce the environmental impact (-13%; −51%)

Abstract

Even though organic practices are getting more and more widespread, there is scant of information on their environmental impacts. A comprehensive approach is needed in order to take into account, on the one hand, the lower amount of inputs normally used (e.g. pesticides) in organic systems and, on the other hand, the lower yield they usually imply.

The aim of this study is to assess the environmental profile of organic rice cultivation in a farm located in Pavia district (Lombardy). To this purpose, a Life Cycle Assessment methodology, with a cradle-to-field gate perspective, was applied. Inventory data were collected in a rice farm located in Lomellina where organic rice has been cultivated over about 70 ha in the past 15 years.

The environmental profile of organic rice was analysed in terms of 11 different impact categories: climate change (CC), ozone depletion (OD), particulate matter (PM), human toxicity (HT), Photochemical ozone formation (POF), terrestrial acidification (TA), terrestrial eutrophication (TE), freshwater eutrophication (FE), marine eutrophication (ME), freshwater ecotoxicity (FEx), and mineral and fossil resource depletion (MFRD).

The results suggest that the main environmental hotspots for organic rice are: the emissions of methane from the flooded fields, the production of compost, the nitrogen emissions associated with the application of fertiliser and the mechanisation of the field operations.

Finally, different mitigation strategies have been proposed and investigated. Among these strategies, the substitution of organic compost with cattle manure appears to bring the greatest benefits in 9 out of 11 impact categories. Such benefits range from approximately 13% up to 51%, depending on the impact categories considered. The introduction of aerations during the cultivation period can reduce only climate change (about −9%) but increase all the other environmental effects.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

• Organic Rice
• Cereal
• Life Cycle Assessment
• Environmental Impact
• Italy

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• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author.

For further details log on website :

Determination of aflatoxins in imported rice to Iran

Published Date
August 2009, Vol.47(8):2064–2066, doi:10.1016/j.fct.2009.05.027

Title 
Determination of aflatoxins in imported rice to Iran

Author 
Mansooreh Mazaheri ^,www ,

• Institute of Standard and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI), P.O. Box 31585-163, Karaj, Iran

Received 31 January 2009. Accepted 20 May 2009. Available online 27 May 2009.

Abstract

Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly toxic and carcinogenic secondary fungal metabolites and have been detected in various food commodities including cereals. Rice were imported to Iran during March 2006–March 2007 analyzed for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) and aflatoxin G2 (AFG2) using immunoaffinity column and quantitated by HPLC. In this regard, 71 rice samples were collected. After dividing samples to sub-samples, AF analyses were done. Among 71 samples analyzed, AFB1 was detected in 59 samples (83% of the total). The mean of AFB1 was 1.89 ng/g for all samples (with the not detected samples taken as zero). Total AF (AFT) was detected in 59 samples (83% of the total). The mean of AFT was 2.09 ng/g for all samples. AFB1 level in two samples (2.8%) was above the maximum tolerated level (MTL) of AFB1 in Iran (5 ng/g). Regarding AFT, the mean contamination level (2.09 ng/g) was lower than MTL of AFT in rice in Iran as well as lower than maximum level of EU for AFT (4 ng/g), and only nine samples had levels above the MTL of EU in AFT.

Keywords

Aflatoxins

Rice

Iran

HPLC

Incidence

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• ⁎ 
  Tel.: +98 912 5474843; fax: +98 261 2808120.

For further details log on website :

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691509002518

The impact of agricultural policy distortions on the productivity gap: Evidence from rice production

Published Date
April 2011, Vol.36(2):147–157, doi:10.1016/j.foodpol.2010.10.004

Title 
The impact of agricultural policy distortions on the productivity gap: Evidence from rice production

• Author 

Manitra A. Rakotoarisoa ^,

• Trade and Markets Division, Economic and Social Development Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Room D-835, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy

Received 29 August 2008. Revised 21 May 2010. Accepted 4 October 2010. Available online 3 November 2010.

Abstract

This article explores how production and trade policy distortions affected rice productivity in 33 rice-producing countries. A rice-productivity index is constructed, and a model linking the productivity gap with policy distortions is presented. After controlling for the differences in infrastructure, access to inputs and equipment, openness, and human capital, this article shows that high levels of rice subsidies and protection in rich countries combined with taxation of rice farming in poor countries widened the gap in rice productivity between rich and poor rice countries.

Research highlights

► New crop productivity index using a different dynamic panel model was constructed. ► Indexes showed the gap in rice productivity between rich and poor countries widened. ► Rich countries subsidized while poor countries taxed their rice production and export. ► An econometric model linking productivity gap to policy distortions was presented. ► Rich countries’ subsidies, protection and poor countries’ tax widened productivity gap.

Keywords

• Agricultural policies
• Trade distortions
• Rice productivity

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• ⁎ 
  Tel.: +39 06 57053809.

For further details log on website :

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919210001077