The quality of drinking water in South Africa has improved significantly in the past year, with a “blue drop” score nationally of 87,6% — 15 percentage points higher than the national score for last year.

The blue drop report, released on Monday by Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa , measures the quality of drinking water against an international water quality measure known as SANS 241.

But in sharp contrast to the improved national score, the department has red-flagged 14 municipalities of largely smaller rural towns where the tap water is unsafe to drink and should be boiled before being consumed. The 14 towns are in seven of the nine provinces. [Read more...]

When is the last time you consumed a Big Mac or McChicken meal? Did you consider the effects your 99-cent meal had on the environment, your health and animals?

Buda-ba-ba-ba, I’m hatin’ it.

Or, at least animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is. Animal rights is the No. 1 reason PETA promotes vegetarian diets. The McCruelty campaign aims to impose less cruel forms of slaughtering upon McDonald’s meat suppliers. [Read more...]

A diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can help preserve a person’s memory later in life.

A new study finds eating foods containing Omega 3s, including fish, chicken, and nuts, may lower blood levels of a protein called beta-amyloids, which is often linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

“Diet does matter, but it matters sooner than we might have expected. This should be implemented as part of your early meal plan and this is usually something that is 30 years before the actual diagnosis of dementia is made,” said Carolyn Snyder, a registered dietician at the Cleveland Clinic. [Read more...]

Tips on foods, fruits and vegetables that can help prevent and cure illnesses

Apples and bananas are good for the digestive system and can help treat diarrhea. “One apple a day keeps doctors away,” as the fruit’s antioxidants and flavonoids reduce the risk of large intestine cancer and strokes.

Eat bananas and fresh ginger to treat digestive disorders or indigestion. The banana with its rich vitamins and minerals can help stabilize the stomach. Ginger can also cure nausea and tiredness after getting up in the morning. [Read more...]

British and Italian researchers have found that eating three bananas cuts the risk of a stroke.

They said that having one banana for breakfast, one for lunch and one in the evening would provide enough potassium to reduce the chances of suffering a blood clot on the brain by around 21 per cent.

The findings suggest that thousands of strokes could be prevented by the consumption of other potassium-rich foods such as spinach, nuts, milk, fish and lentils, reports the Daily Mail.

Although some previous studies have suggested bananas could be important for controlling blood pressure and preventing strokes, results have not always been consistent. [Read more...]