gciosgeneralfederation@gmail.com
GCIOSGF is a federation registered with the Ministry of the Interior.本會為內政部立案成立的非營利組織。
GCIOSGF is a borderless follow-up exchange, friendship, communication, innovation, competition, and elite federation that integrates graduates after graduating from various schools abroad.
.大中華留學生全球總會是一個在國外學校畢業後的留學生一個各校融合，無國界的 後續交流，友誼，溝通，創新，競技，菁英的聯合總會。
在地球暖化嚴重之當前，大中華留學生全球總會時尚蔬食薈的目的是集眾人力量每月吃一次蔬食救地球，給自己和家人積福德，同時也給自己的腸胃每月清爽一次。讓自己活得更健康長壽。蔬食薈勿政治，勿宗教，勿直銷，勿拉保險。只針對當前環保綠能議題與自我提升增進友誼等相關議題推廣活動。時尚蔬食薈任何人都可參加無年齡學歷要求.歡迎大家加入這個非常有意義的社團。謝謝！At a time when global warming is serious, the purpose of the Fashion Veggie of GCIOSGF is to gather everyone’s efforts to eat vegetarian food once a month to save the earth, accumulate merit for yourself and your family, and also refresh your stomach every month once. make yourself healthier and live longer. Fashion Veggie Club is not about politics, religion, direct sales, or insurance. We only promote activities related to current environmental protection, green energy issues, self-improvement and friendship enhancement, etc. Anyone can join Fashion Veggie Club, no age or academic requirements required. Welcome everyone to join this very meaningful club.Thanks!
Eating 15 vegetarian meals can reduce 12 kilograms of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to planting a tree.
Everyone actively participates in eating vegetarian food, planting trees, and loving the earth!
◎The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Chairman Dr. Pachauri and world leaders, experts and politicians all unanimously pointed out that meat is the main cause of global warming, and eating vegetables can immediately reduce carbon emissions.
◎The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a 1kg carbon reduction campaign per person per day. As long as we don’t eat meat for one meal a day, we can reduce 780g of carbon dioxide.
◎Amount of carbon dioxide emitted by diet:
*Producing one kilogram of beef produces 36.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide.
*Meat eaters produce 1,500 kilograms of carbon dioxide a year from their diet.
*Vegetarians’ diet produces 430 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year.
*If people in Taiwan don’t eat meat for one day, they can reduce 161,000,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide.
This article is part of our Summer reads series. Visit the full collection for book lists, guest essays and more seasonal distractions.
Aglistening roast turkey. Rounds of golden, roast potatoes and parsnips. Pigs in blankets (because what meat-based meal is not improved by a side of sausages wrapped in bacon?). Brussels sprouts. Bread sauce. Cranberry sauce. Gravy. And, to finish, brandy-sodden pudding topped with butter.
Countries vary in their Christmas-meal traditions. Poles prefer fish, often carp. A Swedish julbord groans with variety, though herring will never be far off. But the repast served at most British tables on December 25th is iconic, and has been (with goose sometimes standing in for turkey) since the time of the Victorians.
A good meal has a positive impact on one’s mood. Part of that pleasure is immediate. Those who avoid overindulgence and family squabbles will enjoy a postprandial rise in their blood sugar. That will prompt a flood of endorphins—chemicals that act as happy hormones—to rush through their brains.
But the pleasure goes deeper. Animal proteins, such as roast fowl, hams or fish, contain all the amino acids that the body needs including many it cannot make for itself. Tyrosine and tryptophan are needed for the production, respectively, of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls feelings of pleasure and reward, and serotonin, another such, which helps regulate mood. Brussels sprouts contain folate, a vitamin without which the brain cannot function properly. And cranberries are high in vitamin C, which is involved, among other things, in converting dopamine to noradrenaline, another neurotransmitter, and a lack of which seems to be associated with depression.
With mental-health disorders rising, a growing number of scientists are investigating how food or nutritional supplements affect the mind. Brains, being the most complex and energy-demanding of the body’s organs, almost certainly have their own specialised, nutritional needs. Welcome, then, to the emerging field of nutritional psychiatry.
An adult human brain, which accounts for about 2% of a body’s mass, uses 20% of its metabolic energy. A host of vitamins and minerals are necessary to keep it going. Even in one small section of the brain’s metabolic pathways, many essential nutrients are needed. The conversion of tryptophan to serotonin alone requires vitamin B6, iron, phosphorus and calcium.
Disentangling the brain’s nutritional needs from those of the rest of the body is tricky. Recommended daily allowances (rdas) are little help. They were formulated during the second world war on the basis of the nutrients needed for the physical health of troops. No such rdas exist for the brain. Not yet, at least.
Compared with other fields, nutritional science is understudied. That is partly because it is hard to do well. Randomised controlled trials (rcts), used to test drugs, are tricky. Few people want to stick to an experimental diet for years. Instead, most nutritional science is based on observational studies that try to establish associations between particular foods or nutrients and diseases. They cannot be used to definitively prove a causal connection between a disease and a particular contributing factor in a diet. But as with smoking and lung cancer, put together enough of these kinds of trials and causal narratives begin to emerge.
It is now clear that some diets are particularly good for the brain. One recent study concludes that sticking to the “Mediterranean diet”, high in vegetables, fruit, pulses and wholegrains, low in red and processed meats and saturated fats, decreases the chances of experiencing strokes, cognitive impairment and depression. Other recent work looking at a “green” Mediterranean diet high in polyphenols (the antioxidants found in things like green tea) found it reduced age-related brain atrophy. Another version, the mind diet, emphasises, among other things, eating berries over other kinds of fruit and seems to lessen the risk of dementia.
Scientists think such diets may work by reducing inflammation in the brain. This, in turn, may affect areas such as the hippocampus, which is associated with learning, memory and mood regulation—and where new neurons grow in adults. Studies in animals show that when they are fed a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids (from walnuts, for example), flavonoids (consumed mainly via tea and wine), antioxidants (found in berries) and resveratrol (found in red grapes), neuron growth is stimulated and inflammatory processes are reduced. This fits with research suggesting that those who regularly eat ultra-processed, fried and sugary foods, which increase inflammation in the brain, heighten their risk of developing depression.
The hanger games
That Christmas feast is often lambasted as an orgy of gluttony. In fact, with its sides of multiple vegetables, its nutritional density may make it among the healthier meals some people eat throughout the year. Only 10% of adults in America consume their recommended daily serving of vegetables, and just 12% get enough fruit. It is a similar story in much of the world. As a result, many turn to vitamin and mineral supplements to make up for their dietary deficiencies.
In 2018, 54% of North Americans and 43% of Asians were taking a nutritional supplement. The most common types are multivitamins, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. America spends the most on dietary supplements, followed by western Europe and Japan. One estimate put the global market at $152bn in 2021, with 9% annual growth expected until 2030. But in many places the regulation of the supplement industry is either weak or non-existent and little rigorous research has been carried out on either their benefits or risks.
The story of nutritional supplements starts in 1912 when Casimir Funk, a Polish-American biochemist, proposed that unidentified organic substances were required in tiny amounts to maintain human health. It was a revolutionary idea. And he was correct. Along with macronutrients such as protein and carbohydrates, there were undiscovered components of foods—micronutrients. The first vitamin to be isolated and then synthesised in 1936 was thiamine or B1. Deficiency causes beriberi, a disease that can affect both the cardiovascular and the central nervous systems. The discovery prompted a race to isolate, characterise and manufacture vitamins and ultimately launched the supplement industry.
Half a century after Funk’s discovery, the notion that nutrients might be able to treat mental illnesses took hold. Abram Hoffer, a Canadian psychiatrist, tried treating schizophrenics with high doses of vitamins B3. Then in 1968 Linus Pauling, a Nobel-prize-winning chemist, coined the term “orthomolecular psychiatry” to describe the theory that varying the concentration of substances normally present in the body could treat mental disease. But there was little evidence to support their claims and in 1973 the American Psychiatric Association released a report dismissing orthomolecular psychiatry, highlighting the lack of controlled experiments and concluding that large doses of B3 were “useless and not without hazard”.
The absence of any large-scale, serious studies in the field of nutritional psychiatry left an opening for those keen to promote the potential of supplements far beyond any existing science. Autumn Stringam is one such case. After her first baby was born in 1992 Ms Stringam, a Canadian, was admitted to a psychiatric ward with severe post-partum psychosis. Her family had a history of mental illness, including bipolar disorder, psychosis, depression and suicide. Her prognosis was grim. But then her father, together with a friend working in the animal-feed business, developed a supplement containing a range of vitamins and minerals that they claimed were based on supplements that reduced anxiety and stress in pigs. Ms Stringam credited the supplements with her recovery. Her story spread and the family started selling the pills widely.
There were, however, no trials proving efficacy or safety. The suggestion that the supplements were a cure-all led one schizophrenic to abandon his prescribed medication. He subsequently murdered his father and seriously injured his mother. In 2003 the Canadian drug regulator, concerned about the use of untested supplements for serious mental-health disorders, seized the pills. The episode cemented the idea in many minds that using micronutrients to treat mental-health conditions was pure quackery.
And yet today much science does support the idea that there is a strong link between what people eat and their mental health. Studies have shown that b12 shortages cause depression and poor memory and are associated with mania and psychosis. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased risks of dementia and stroke, and are implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. A recent rct found that high doses of B6—100mg per day rather than the rda of 1.3mg—reduces anxiety. In a study by Robert Przybelski of the University of Wisconsin of geriatric patients attending a memory clinic, 40% were deficient in one vitamin (of five that were looked for), and 20% in two.
Epicurious
So why not simply pop a handful of vitamins rather than bother with a complex, and perhaps expensive, diet? In part because you rarely know exactly what you’re getting. Ted Dinan, a professor of psychiatry at University College, Cork describes the supplement industry as the “Wild West”. Unlike tightly regulated drugs, supplements may contain more, or less, of what they claim. Too much vitamin A can be harmful in pregnancy. There are a variety of health risks from taking beta carotene and vitamin E. High doses of one nutrient can interfere with the absorption of others.
Any testing of the use of micronutrients in mental-health conditions in Canada stalled after the episode with Ms Stringam. And yet some remained intrigued. Julia Rucklidge, a clinical psychologist at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, was approached in 2003 by a Canadian colleague to see if she might be interested in running such trials. She was sceptical: “I had been taught that nutrition is completely irrelevant to brain health.” At the time, she recalls, she was immersed in positive data showing the efficacy of Prozac, an antidepressant, and stimulants such as methylphenidate for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd). She was excited, she explains, to have these new drugs as tools to treat mental-health problems.
Then she was forced to question those views. She had been treating a child with obsessive compulsive disorder for a year with no success. The family did not want medication. One day when they were leaving she remembered she had a box of supplements under her desk for a trial she was planning. She offered them to the parents with the caveat that she had no idea whether they would work. Two weeks later they returned, saying the child’s obsessions were gone.
Dr Rucklidge was sceptical that any improvement was due to the supplements but it nudged her towards conducting more trials. A few decades on and she has shown that supplements are helpful in children with adhd—particularly those who struggle to regulate their emotions. The trial was recently replicated in America. Other evidence of the efficacy of supplements is emerging. The results of a large rct published in September showed that taking a daily multivitamin may improve cognition in those over 65. Researchers followed more than 2,000 people and estimated that three years of supplementation led to a 60% slowing of cognitive decline.
Nutritional psychiatry is still in its infancy. As it becomes clearer which micronutrients affect the brain, the next stage is to determine how they do so. Another new field of research could help with that.
One of the most intriguing scientific developments of recent years is the discovery of the importance of micro-organisms in the gut as intermediaries between what goes into the mouth and what happens in the brain. Researchers now know that microbes form a complex ecosystem in the gut—known as the microbiome. These microbes need micronutrients. A diet lacking in them, such as that consumed by many in the West, may lead to an imbalance in the gut microbiome.
Could this affect how people think and feel? Evidence is mounting for a link between the gut and the brain in what is termed the psychobiome—part of the microbiome—that does just that. The substances that the various bacteria, viruses and fungi produce may go directly into the bloodstream and infiltrate blood vessels, or they may stimulate the vagus nerve that connects the gut and the brain. The bacteria in the gut produce, among other things, tryptophan, the amino acid thought to have come entirely from the diet.
The sorts of microorganisms found in yogurt specifically, and fermented foods generally, have also been shown by trials to reduce anxiety. Most astonishing to Dr Dinan is the finding that a person’s capacity to deal with stress can be altered by a single strain of bacterium. Studies show that two species of Bifidobacterium and one of Lactobacillus each reduce stress. In a trial on germfree mice, an abnormal stress response was reversed when they were given oral doses of Bifidobacterium infantis. These findings have given rise to the notion of “psychobiotics”—bacteria that, when ingested, may have similar effects to antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication.
The difficulty with developing this new field of researchlies in the economics. Unlike drugs, vitamins, minerals and microbes are not patentable. Pharmaceutical firms have nothing to gain commercially from running trials on pills that anyone can flog. It is difficult to trust industry-sponsored research since it has a bias towards favourable findings. Governments, universities and health systems are better placed to run such trials. None of this will replace the need for a good diet. But it would provide food for thought. ■
The strongest ability of rich people: knowing what money should not be spent
A survey in the United States found that even among high-income earners, more than half of them rely on their monthly salary to cover their expenses and have no savings to deal with any unexpected situations.
Financial experts believe that true financial freedom is not about how much money you have in your pocket, but the ability to respond to environmental changes.
Don’t just use income as a criterion to measure wealth. Plan your expenditures, control unnecessary waste, and accumulate net worth to enjoy the freedom of wealth.
When ordinary people define wealth, most people think of driving luxury cars, carrying designer bags, flying first class, and experiencing luxurious travel. However, the other side of these social status symbols may be debt or pennilessness. Financial experts say that in a modern society with such extreme wealth distribution, true wealth freedom is no longer about how much money you have in your pocket, but the ability to respond to environmental changes.
Many experts criticize social media for changing the young generation's concept of wealth. When young people are constantly exposed to influencers who have become rich overnight and live a luxurious lifestyle, and view many posts about luxury consumption, they are bound to have questions about their own financial situation. Negative effects include unrealistic expectations of wealth and success. When young people strive to imitate this lifestyle, they may fall into unhealthy money habits such as impulsive spending.
High-income earners do not necessarily have freedom of wealth
A recent study in the United States shows that 64% of consumers live on salary, even for high-income earners. More than 50% of those with an income of more than 100,000 US dollars rely on monthly salary to cover all expenses, which means that most people have almost no emergency savings. .
How to create a corporate education, training and learning blueprint? Understand the planning steps and course topics at once
Many people with a bright appearance may have a high income but little savings. When interest rates rise or unemployment occurs, life becomes unsustainable. In the eyes of financial experts, these people are not truly wealthy.
Experts believe that a person who is truly wealthy should drive a Toyota car and go to hypermarkets to buy affordable goods. But they have the freedom to make major decisions, such as retiring early, resigning, and traveling where they want. When the general environment changes, such as the Federal Reserve (Fed) raising interest rates or temporary unemployment, it will not put any pressure on their financial burden. .
More important than income, net worth is the value of a person's or family's assets minus debts or financial liabilities. Wealth experts say that the label of being rich does not necessarily mean that a person can control his or her finances or achieve financial freedom. Because a person may be considered wealthy but still be in a financially unstable situation because they are highly leveraged and spend as much as they earn, often even spending more than they earn. These people sometimes appear to be doing well, but then become penniless after a while.
Controlling expenses is more important than super high income
Financial freedom represents the ability to say no to anything you want and the ability to do anything you want, independent of your employer or interest rate changes. Experts suggest that a super high income is not necessary, the focus is on controlling expenses. Even if you can afford it, you won't buy luxuries that will only depreciate in value, such as luxury cars, expensive clothes, and similar lavish spending.
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People who are truly financially free are usually very cautious about debt. They think further and will not squander their income on things that can only bring short-term happiness. They are only willing to take on good debt, things that will increase in value like real estate or growing businesses. Really wealthy people also typically have multiple sources of income, which may include salary, dividends, business ownership, property ownership, etc.
In this era of extreme inequality, some people advocate that instead of pursuing financial freedom, it is better to achieve spiritual freedom, but this kind of practice is unrealistic. Don’t only use income as a criterion to measure wealth. Plan your expenditures, control unnecessary waste, and accumulate net worth. You don’t need to be in the top 1% or 10% of income earners to enjoy the freedom of wealth.
Instead of standing in the abyss and envying fish, it is better to retreat and build a net.
What is more meaningful than looking up to others is to improve yourself.
Six tips to help us continue to grow.
Set clear goals
There is a saying that describes it well: A life without goals is a puzzle, but a life with goals is the blueprint.
Targets are like navigation lights. A clear goal will stimulate a person's imagination and enthusiasm and illuminate the way forward.
Rather than wandering aimlessly, it is better to set some clear small goals. You will work hard for them and arrange your work and life in an orderly manner.
Practice expression skills
Clear expression and effective communication are the basic elements of harmonious interpersonal relationships.
If you want to talk about a topic with someone, you might as well try to sort out the key words before speaking and sort out a smooth logic. Learn to control your speaking speed during conversations and respond appropriately.
Keep your eyes firm and talk to people with a smile. The way you speak is the way you behave.
Start reading and keep reading
There are always people complaining that with the accelerated pace of life nowadays, there is no time to calm down and read.
In fact, you can try to make use of the fragmented time and read every opportunity. When you wake up in the morning, spend five minutes listening to an article; on the way to work, take advantage of the break to read a few pages; before going to bed, read some more books. The superposition of several fragments of time will eventually make you gain something.
Never be afraid of being late when studying, just afraid that you won’t do it.
Create your own action list
Whatever you do, you must learn to be targeted. Plan everything in advance and make directed efforts to achieve your goals more easily.
Make a to-do list every day, preferably in order of priority. Try to finish the things for the day on that day and don’t push it to tomorrow.
As one thing is completed, we will become more and more motivated to do things, and our efficiency will become higher and higher.
Polish the "glass heart" into a "diamond heart"
Life is not always smooth sailing. The attitude towards adversity determines a person's height.
When you encounter setbacks, don't give up easily. When you survive adversity, you will find that you are stronger than you thought.
Growth is a process of slowly grinding a "glass heart" into a "diamond heart". When faced with a problem, calm down for three minutes before speaking, and work hard to practice your skills. When you have irreplaceable abilities, you have more choices.
Turn dependence into initiative
We all have times when we are at a loss. It is normal to seek support. However, if we follow the same pace in everything, we will only lose our original intention and achieve nothing.
If you can learn to appreciate the achievements of others with a straight eye and seek support from others with an open mind, you will likely open up a new world in your cooperation with others.
If you can learn other people's wisdom in dealing with things and at the same time digest it into your own logic, integrate information efficiently, and develop learning abilities, you will have a stronger grasp of the initiative in your life.
