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How does CO2 contribute to increasing temperatures?

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Hello friends! Today on the blog we are chatting about CO2, and going to answer the question: “How does CO2 contribute to increasing temperatures?”

Rising levels of CO2 are frequently mentioned in news articles and media clips, but what does rising CO2 mean, and how exactly, does this lead to increased global temperatures? Read on for more!

First of all, what is CO2?

CO2, or carbon dioxide, is a colorless gas that consists of a carbon atom paired with 2 oxygen atoms, and occurs naturally in the Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas, and is absorbed by plants for photosynthesis.

CO2 is a natural greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gasses (GHG) selectively absorb some of earth’s outgoing infrared radiation. GHG usually selectively absorb and emit radiation at longer wave radiation (infrared) lengths, emitted from earth, and let shorter wave radiation (emitted from the sun) to pass through. 

Without the presence of greenhouse gases, radiation wound go out to space, and the earth would be about 33℃ cooler than it is today.

Where does CO2 come from?

CO2 is emitted from natural sources like volcanoes, hot springs, and carbonate rocks. CO2 is also emitted in large amounts my human activities, including fossil fuel combustion. 

Before the industrial revolution, the global average CO2 was about 280 parts per million (ppm). In 2018, the average ppm was 407.4 ppm, which is higher than they’ve been at any point in at least the last 800,000 years. 

In 2017, CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels made up for 93% of the total CO2 emissions in the US, and about 76% of the country’s total GHG emissions. Put another way, burning fossil fuels is a major contributor to increasing levels of CO2. 

Although levels of CO2 have historically cycled through highs and lows, they have never gone above 300ppm in recorded history. Furthermore, the rate at which CO2 is rising today is unprecedented; the annual rate of increase in atmospheric CO2 over the past 60 years is about 100 times faster than previous naturally occurring increases in CO2 levels (such as those during the last ice age).  

How does CO2 contribute to increasing temperatures?

Before we can discuss global temperatures increasing, it is first important to understand what happens under normal atmospheric conditions.

The earth has an energy budget. According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, energy can neither be created, nor destroyed. The amount of energy entering from the top of the atmosphere must equal the amount leaving the top of the atmosphere back into space. This is known as radiative equilibrium. 

Energy that enters the atmosphere from the sun is called incoming solar radiation. The radiation is shorter wave radiation, and bounces off the surface of the earth, heading back out into space. Energy leaving the atmosphere is known as outgoing solar radiation. This radiation is longer wavelength radiation, making it ideal for preferential absorption by GHGs, including CO2. 

If more energy enters the atmosphere than leaves it, the amount of energy within the earth’s system increases, and thus, the temperature of the earth increases. If more energy leaves than enters, the amount of energy in the earth’s system decreases, and thus, so does the temperature.

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What to Eat and Avoid If You Have GERD

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Hi friends! Today we are going to talk about GERD, also known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease, and/or known colloquially as “acid reflux” and/or “heartburn.” Specifically, we are going to discuss what GERD is, and how to manage it, including what to eat and avoid when you have GERD. This is an issue that impacts a lot of people (up to one in ten adults!), so if you experience GERD, I hope you find this post useful!

GERD is something I’ve had since undergrad. It can be super distracting and inconvenient at times, so if you suffer from it, know that I see you, I feel you, and I want to help provide you with up-to-date information on how to manage your symptoms and avoid any potential long-term or dangerous complications!

Read on for more about what to eat and avoid when you have GERD!

*Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

What is GERD? What causes GERD?

GERD stands for Gastroesophageal reflux disease. GERD occurs when acid and other contents from your stomach are not properly contained in the stomach; rather, they creep up  into the esophagus, causing ‘reflux,’ or irritation to the esophagus. 

In most individuals, a muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter, found at the bottom of the esophagus/entrance of the stomach, is able to tightly contain acid and other stomach contents by opening to allow food to enter the stomach from the esophagus, and keeping closed most of the rest of the time.

However, the lower esophageal sphincter can become loose or open from time to time, allowing stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus and cause irritation, or GERD.

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Mid November Recents Vegan Eats

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Hello again my friends! I hope you have been well. I write to you from the comfort of my futon, as I wrap up a more-social-than-usual weekend and prep for a busy week ahead. Today’s post is another recent vegan eats! If you’re newish around here, in these posts, I share some photos and descriptions of what I’ve been noshing on lately, in hopes that it might provide some entertainment and/or food inspiration for you if you like eating plant based on a budget. I also hope to show that most things I eat are totally unglamorous. So it goes!

I feel a bit all over the place lately. I am so looking forward to going home for Thanksgiving and the holidays. I feel like going on always refreshes me. I cannot wait to spend time with people I love in my cozy hometown! #MidWestBestCoast

I’ll stop chattering and get to the recent vegan eats, mid-November edition!

Maple Salt Bananas:

Me, eating bananas? Shocking, I know! This is a snack I made up recently that I am SO into. Bananas sliced with a sprinkle of sea salt, some raw almond butter, and a drizzle of syrup. Delish!

Cinnamon apples

On repeat! The recipe for cinnamon apples can be found here. Individual apple crisp for one recipe coming soon.

Tempeh stir fry:

I made stir fry for dinner on Friday night. I typically grocery shop on Saturday or Sunday so I’m usually low on produce and other staples by Friday night, and this Friday night was no exception.

But, I was able to make a stir fry using some Banza rice, and some leftover fresh cauliflower, which I bulked up with a bag of frozen vegetables, and I marinated half a brick of tempeh in a milk of liquid + coconut aminos, ginger, Sriracha, and maple syrup.

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Eating Disorders, Defined

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Hi friends! Today’s post is a rather serious. As you can tell from the title “Eating Disorders, Defined,” I want to chat about eating disorders. I am going to follow this post up with a post about why we need to stop normalizing disordered eating behaviors, but I thought this was a good intro post to lay out the definitions of eating disorders to refer back to.

I hope you learn a little bit more about what eating disorders are, and why they are serious. I remember one of my favorite child/adolescent mental health professors in undergrad always telling us to strive to “understand, rather than judge,” and I hope this post encourages you to do the same.

Whether you are struggling silently, out loud, or just reading for general information, know that there is hope.

Read on for for more!

Disclaimer: As always, this is general information. Please never replace individualized clinical care with generalized health information you read online. If you or someone you know suffers from an eating disorder, please see the National Eating Disorders Association website or text ‘NEDA’ to 741741 for 24/7 crisis support.

Eating Disorders, Defined:

First let’s get something really clear: eating disorders are serious, often debilitating and potentially deadly psychological illnesses; they are not ‘phases’ or something someone can just ‘snap out of.’ And something I cannot stress enough: they are rarely about vanity. For those of you who like to get technical, I’ve thought I’d provide some current definitions below.

Eating disorders come in many shapes and sizes. Eating disorders are serious and sometimes deadly mental illnesses in which the individual is functionally impaired due to severe disturbances in their eating behaviors and food-related thoughts.

Often times, eating disorders are characterized by an immense preoccupation with food and the body, and the preoccupation often impacts to emotional well-being of the individual.

What causes eating disorders?

There is no one single cause of eating disorders. Likely, eating disorders emerge as a complex result of genetic, social, environmental, and/or psychosocial variables that lead to an individual to have a preoccupation with food and body.

What are important things to know about eating disorders?

As mentioned above, eating disorders are serious, debilitating diseases, and can be life-threatening.

Eating disorders have a higher death rate compared to any other mental illnesses; every 62 minutes someone dies from a direct result of an eating disorder.

At least 30 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder (according to ANAD). There are likely more who have not been diagnosed.

Eating disorders are found most commonly in adolescents and young adults but may present at other ages. Both males and females are impacted by eating disorders.

Eating disorders are not diseases of vanity. They can severely and significantly impair an individuals social, functional, and occupational and emotional well-being.

Weight loss may be a sign or symptom of some eating disorders, but individuals of different weights may have eating disorders.

Those with eating disorders often take immense measures to hide their disorder and may become socially isolated.

Early detection is crucial. If you or someone you know suffers from an eating disorder, seek help. Treatment is available, and there is always hope.

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How to Roast Peppers

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Hey everyone! Today’s blog post is going to be short and sweet. It’s going to teach you how to roast peppers in the oven. Aka how to immediately upgrade any pasta dish, salad, or sandwich with absolute minimal effort.

These peppers remind me of my childhood. Growing up, my Italian grandmother, who was the best cook ever, used to make roasted peppers to go alongside her amazing penne arrabbiata. There is something about these sweet, juicy, flavorful roasted peppers that instantly upgrades a meal.

The best part? They are so so easy to make. I remember when I learned how to roast peppers, I kept thinking that the end result was much more delicious than you’d expect given the minimal amount of effort they require; furthermore, I couldn’t believe such a deep, complex roasted sweet pepper flavor had developed from a single ingredient: bell peppers.

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What are GMOs? Are GMOs Safe? Can GMOs Be Useful?

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Hi friends! Today on the blog, we are talking about GMOs. GMOs (or genetically modified organisms), have gathered quite a clout of controversy in recent years. Depending on who you ask, GMOs are either horrific, potentially useful, unnatural, necessary, toxic, harmful, helpful, and everything in between. With all the noise surrounding GMOs, it can be hard to decipher the truth. So what are GMOs? Are GMOs bad for you? Or are GMOs safe? Are GMOs bad for the environment? And Can GMOs be useful? Read on for all the details.

What are GMOs? 

There is actually no universally agreed-upon scientific definition for the phrase “GMO,” nor is there any regulation around its use for labeling in the US.

That means things that are labeled “non-GMO,” have not had to meet any specific standards or regulations. The FDA has released voluntary guidelines, but there is no formal inspection or enforcement of the phrase “Non-GMO” on food labels.

The FDA doesn’t even use the phrase “GMO,” as most crops we eat today are genetically modified in some way.  The FDA does recognize some foods as “genetically engineered” (GE), which it states is a “more precise term.” 

Genetic engineering refers to genetic modification practices that utilize modern biotechnology to target a plant’s genetic makeup to give the plant a desirable trait. 

This brings up an important point: there are actually very few genetically modified/engineered crops allowed.

In the US, the list includes things like alfalfa, canola, cotton, maize, papaya, rice, soybeans, roses, sugarcane, wheat and a few varieties of “Arctic” potatoes and apples, as well as FLAVRSVR tomatoes, which are rarely grown these days. Besides the major crops (rice, wheat, soy, etc), it’s actually very unlikely the produce you buy at the grocery store is a ‘GMO.’

Yup, that’s right. A vast majority of what you find in the produce section of US grocery stores is not genetically modified (the exception being papayas, which are always genetically modified in the US, read on for details).

The process for a crop to get “GM” approved costs millions to billions of dollars, and the import/export taxes upon them are also steep. Thus, even if the technology exists, very few GM crops are approved to be grown, unless they are going to be utilized widely, because of the high cost barrier for approval. 

Many crops may have been selectively bred to foster certain flavors or growth characteristics, but this is not the same as genetic modification. Humans have used selective breeding techniques for thousands of years to develop crops with a range of desirable features, including various sizes, shapes, and colors of crop foods. 

Perhaps you did experiments with pea plants growing up that required you to cross pollinate different pea plants to get different color flowers, etc. This is sort of like what plant breeders do to create different varieties of produce. 

For example: say you see an apple in the store that’s new-to-you. You read the description. It says it’s a mix of honeycrisp and another variety (Hi, Snapdragon apples!). This is not a genetically modified apple. It’s a result of plant breeding.

Are GMOs Safe?

food security

To date, existing evidence suggests that genetically engineered crops are safe for human consumption. 

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, WHO, National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and FDA have all stated that genetically modified crops are safe for consumption, based on the plethora of available data.

In the US, the FDA holds foods from GE plants to the same food safety standards and requirements as foods derived from traditionally bred plants. 

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Air Pollution and Human Health: How Poor Air Quality Leads to Chronic Illness and Death

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The current air quality emergency in Delhi, where the AQI has reached 999 (which is well above the “safe” level of 100 set in the US by the EPA), has raised recent awareness about air pollution and human health.

I recently shared some articles on the #DehliAirEmergency on my social feeds, adding a comment about how air pollution caused over 8 million deaths per year. Several people reached out to me, surprised that air pollution could cause death or chronic illness, and so I thought I’d devote a post to address the health impacts of air pollution.

I must say I myself was shocked to learn about the serious and sweeping dangers of air pollution. I always assumed it could cause some respiratory distress, but didn’t think it could do much more than that.

Then, I took a job where I spent a semester researching air pollution as a justice issue for a lawyer at Mailman (she’s a legend and I learned so much…but that’s another story for another time) and I was surprised to learn it caused not only respiratory illness, but also cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurological illnesses, and even death.

What’s alarming about air pollution, and many other environmental health exposures, is that they are, for many, unavoidable. While we can choose whether or not we smoke, do drugs, or engage in other risky health behaviors, we must all breathe air, we do not have the luxury of choosing how clean or dirty that air is. 

Obviously, air pollution levels vary by geographical location, and there are luxuries afforded to privileged individuals to reduce their risks. However, air pollution, like climate change, is a threat to us all. 

I hope by spreading awareness about these topics I can help others understand how and why we need to take action. I don’t think anyone wants their family, friends, and pets breathing in toxic air, because as you will learn in the text that proceeds this, air pollution can do a lot of damage to health. 

So with all that said, here’s a post about how air pollution can impact human health. I hope you enjoy it As always, please feel free to leave questions or comments below, and/or reach out to me on  Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube!

What is air pollution?

Air pollution is a mixture of natural and human-created substances in the air. According to the WHO, the 6 major air pollutants include ground-level ozone, particle pollution (read all about PM 2.5 here), carbon monoxide, sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxides and lead. 

Air pollutants are typically divided into two main categories: outdoor air pollution, and indoor (ambient) air pollution.

Outdoor air pollution is, as the name suggests, pollution you would be exposed to the outside of the built environment, and includes things like fine particles produced by the burning of fossil fuels, ground-level ozone (which is produced from the reaction of oxygen and urban smog), tobacco smoke, and noxious gasses such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and chemical vapors. 

Indoor air pollution (also known as ambient or household air pollution) is found within buildings and homes and is considered one of the most important environmental health risks worldwide. 

Indoor air pollution involves exposure to household particles like building materials such as asbestos, formaldehyde, and lead, allergens from pests like cockroaches and mice, tobacco smoke, mold, and pollen. Indoor air pollution may also contain carbon monoxide, radon, and household products and chemicals found from cleaning, building, or pest control products. 

In developing countries, indoor air pollution is often generated by incomplete combustion of fuels for cooking, heat, and lighting, without ventilation. Coal, charcoal, wood, kerosene, and dung are commonly burned using ‘dirty’ technologies, which do not completely burn these fuels, and emit air pollution into the home. People who spend more time around the source of the air pollution, like women and children, are at highest risk for adverse health effects.

Both forms of air pollution are important to address and both can contribute to each other. 

Air Pollution and Human Health: How many people die each year from air pollution?

Air pollution is responsible for an estimated 8 million deaths each year (some estimates go up to 8.8 million deaths per year), with about 4 million of those deaths coming from indoor air pollution. 

Yes, you read that correctly – over 8 million people die from air pollution each year. 

To put that in perspective, the WHO estimates 7 million smokers die each year from cigarettes (and an additional 1.2 million die from secondhand smoke), meaning deaths from air pollution are roughly on par with deaths from smoking. Except individuals have the choice to smoke. AIr pollution is something people can’t escape. 

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Easy Cinnamon Apples for One

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Welcome to one of my favorite childhood snacks! Aka Easy Cinnamon Apples for one. This warm and comforting treat comes together in mere minutes, and is made from a couple ingredients you likely have on hand. It’s also a great way to use up apples that may be on their last limb(s)! Hooray for wasting less food.

I adore these Easy Cinnamon Apples for one as is as a mid-morning or bed time snack. Even though these apples couldn’t be simpler in concept or execution, I find them divine.

I remember many cold winter evenings as a wee one asking my mom for “cinnamon apples” late at night when I should have been sleeping, but instead stayed up later than I would dare stay up now, deeply engrossed in a book or writing stories in my diary. Oh, nostalgia: you taste amazing!

Now, I should clarify: this recipe hardly even qualifies as an actual recipe. Truly, this is just a set of loose, simple instructions to guide you through the process of making easy cinnamon apples, which taste amazing as is for a snack, piled on top of a heaping bowl of oatmeal, paired with your favorite yogurt or ice cream, on pancakes, waffles, or toast with almond butter, or whatever your heart desires!

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Fall 2019 Recent Vegan Eats

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Hello internet friends of my mind! It’s been a couple weeks so I thought I’d do another recent vegan eats. In this mini-series on my blog, I take a break from facts and recipes, and share little bites of my life and every deal meal and snack ideas along with the occasional interesting food highlight.

I have been busy and stressed and anxious lately and not on my phone as much (in fact I’ve taken a couple weeks of Instagram here and there) so I may not have photographed all of my foods. In fact, I realized while typing up this post that I included very few dinners/meals (hanger happens), but as always, this is just a random compilation of food choices meant to review new products, and offer budget-friendly plant-based meal ideas to you all, and is never intended to depict an ideal or perfect diet.

Okay, now on to the eats!

Toaster waffles

On a serious kick lately! I get Vans or natures path or 365 brand when I can (both are vegan) and top with nut butter, cinnamon, bananas, and real maple syrup.

So scrumptious! #toasterwafflesarelife

Amy’s burritos

These were on super sale at Wegman’s and so I got myself some to keep on hand. I love all things Amy’s and these are great for when I feel like I need to mix things up and/or don’t want to think about lunch or dinner.

I tried the new Tagine wrap. It was good! I still think my favorite might be the tofu breakfast burrito – that is a true gem. I love amys burritos because you can get them without rice. While I like rice I feel like sometimes in small frozen burritos it just takes up half the potential flavored filling space, so I appreciate that amys has options.

These burritos run a bit small to fill me up for a meal, so if I eat them for dinner I always pair them with avocado, salad, beans, and/or veggies. Yummy!

Peanut butter and banana sandwich…dipped in syrup?

Im not sure how or why I did this the other day. But my stomach was feeling really off and it sounded good. And it was. Basically I just dipped my peanut butter & banana sandwich in a wee bit of maple syrup. I was really craving sweet and my stomach felt super off so I followed my cravings which lead me here. Honestly, it was good. A little sweet for the everyday in my opinion, but I wouldn’t not do it again if that makes sense…ha!

The last of the Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls:

I’ve been slowly eating these Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (made with beans!) out of my freezer and finally finished them. Perhaps another batch is in order!

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Is Coconut Oil Good for You?

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Coconut oil falls under the category of foods that some people consider to be a miracle food, and others claim to be poison. Some diets and blogs applaud embrace the oil and speak highly of its alleged health benefits, while others see it as toxic goo that should be avoided at all costs. Which begs the question: is coconut oil good for you?

Let’s take a look at the current state of the science, and see what it says about coconut oil, and I’ll let you make your own conclusions. 

*Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults to gather general information. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical ca

What is Coconut Oil?

Coconut oil is a tropical oil made from the kernel (aka the white ‘meat’) of mature coconuts.

There are two types of coconut oil found commonly in the marketplace: copra oil, which is typically made from dried coconut meat, and virgin coconut oil (VCO), which is processed from fresh coconut meat within 24 hours. The two forms have similar nutrient profiles, but VCO is considered “unrefined.”

So what does the science say? Is coconut oil good for you?

Many people believe the fat in coconut oil has beneficial properties; it is often touted upon for containing medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs). MCFAs are absorbed differently than short and long chain fatty acids, and there has been some data to suggest that MCFAs have some unique and potentially beneficial properties.

It is true that MCFAs are considered to be absorbed more efficiently than long chain fatty acids. Unlike other fatty acids, which must be transported through the lymph, MCFAs are transported from the gut directly to the liver, and can enter the mitochondria independently of the carnitine transport system. They also undergo preferential oxidation, meaning they are quickly harvested as fuel for the body.

However, coconut oil is not primarily composed of MCFAs; in fact, it typically contains no more than 14% MCFAs, and is about 80-90% saturated fat.

High levels of saturated fatty acid consumption has been consistently and strongly associated with increased LDL levels. 

LDL is a type of cholesterol often referred to as ‘the bad cholesterol,’ as it allows cholesterol to build up in the blood, and can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, which is currently the number one killer in the United States.

It’s recommended that most people consume only 7-10% of their total calories from saturated fat; even less (usually 5-6%) is recommended for those with elevated LDL levels. 

Seeing as coconut oil is rich in saturated fats, many major scientific and medical regulatory advisory boards, including the American Heart Association, have suggested limiting or avoiding coconut oil consumption, and replacing it with other types of fat (like mono and polyunsaturated fats, see this article for more).

A review of coconut oil and cardiovascular risk factors published in 2016 supports this recommendation.

Some news headlines and health influencers have also given the public the impression that coconut oil can be used for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, bone loss, and glycemic (blood sugar) control. 

An actual look at the data behind these claims suggests all studies on these disease topics are limited, and fail to show significant or consistent properly-powered results.

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