Abortion can cause harm to mental health

One of the main cited reasons that more than 18,000 women have abortions each year in New Zealand is that to give birth would harm the woman's mental health.

But abortion increases the risk of mental health problems by 30 percent according to a recent Otago University study published in the December issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry. Does this mean that both giving birth and an abortion is harmful to the woman's mental health? Or is it just that giving birth is likely to increases the risk and having an abortion is even more likely to harm the woman's mental health. If so, an abortion is not really the best option, is it?

Perhaps they should compare women who are married and solo women on a benefit or at school and see who is more likely to have mental problems.

Not surprisingly, the study supports international research on the subject which also revealed a link between abortion and mental health. Like this one from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK more than 18 months ago that shows that continuing with an unwanted pregnancy does not outweigh the risks of living with the possible regrets of having an abortion. Their statement is here[PDF].

The nutters from the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand, who would like the law reformed to fit in with current practice - try that with child abuse - have called for more research, that subscribes to their views. This is their view:

Whether or not a woman is more likely to suffer mental health problems as a consequence of having an abortion should not be the determining factor in making a decision about abortion.

The decision is not about abortion. The law states the decision is about whether to give birth or not and whether a woman is more likely to have problems, including mental problems, in giving birth. Abortion is the intended consequence of a decision not to give birth. If a woman was to have greater mental problems after an abortion than she would were she to give birth is exactly the test that should be applied for every abortion in this country.

But isn't. But that's the law. And the group that is paid to supervise this law is advocating that the law be broken for every single abortion in this country. That is why this group should be scrapped.

GI News—December 2008

• 32 chews: why slowing down could help you slim down
  
• Squelch hunger pangs with low GI low-energy-dense foods
  
• Prof Trim on alcohol and weight
• Celebrate with dealcoholised wines and beers
  
• Johanna's sensational Spiced Pears with Zabaglione Sauce
  

This issue of GI News is packed with tips to help you keep the pounds at bay over the festive season from eating slower and leaving the table feeling as though you still had room for a little more, to choosing low-energy-dense foods and cutting back on alcohol. News Briefs looks at glycemic control: how tight is right and how to get there while Alan Barclay reminds us that treating diabetes is a team effort and the most important member of the team is you. With four delicious recipes and a new low GI chocolate treat from Canada, there's plenty for good eating, good health and good reading.

Season's greetings.

GI News Editor: Philippa Sandall
Web Design and Management: Scott Dickinson, PhD

Food for Thought

Slow down and you could slim down
When Uncle Percy came to dinner, we always found it hard to keep a straight face with the inevitable lecture on chewing each mouthful 32 times! We later discovered he was a huge fan of The Great Masticator, Horace Fletcher, who believed that ‘prolonged chewing precluded overeating, led to better systemic and dental health, helped to reduce food intake, and consequently, conserved money.’ (J. Hist. Dent. 1997 Nov.) At 45, Fletcher had been ‘overweight, short of breath and in poor condition’. At 60, thanks to his new regimen, ‘he outdid college athletes in gymnasium tests of endurance, went on long tramps and climbed mountains with the vigour of youth. He had considerably reduced his weight and was living on a much smaller ration than formerly,’ according to his bio in The American Journal of Public Health.


Horace Fletcher

The evidence is piling up that Percy, Horace and Grandma were all onto something when they told us to sit down to eat (elbows off the table), chew our food properly (the mouth is where digestion begins), and to leave the table feeling as though we still had room for a little more rather than stuffing ourselves until we were FTB (full to the brim).

In the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Researchers Ana M. Andrade and her team report that eating slowly may help to maximise satiation (basically how quickly and to what extent we feel full while we eat) and reduce energy intake within meals. In their study, 30 young, healthy volunteer women ate around 70 fewer calories (294 kJ) in a meal when they slowed down. They also felt fuller and more satisfied after eating. The women tucked into the same meal (pasta with tomato-vegetable sauce and grated parmesan cheese, plus a glass of water) on two separate occasions. They ate ‘meal one’ as fast as they could with no pauses between bites, and took their time over ‘meal two’ with small bites, chewing each mouthful 20–30 times and putting their spoon down between bites. Check out the difference. They put away an average of:

• 646 calories (2713 kJ) in about 9 minutes when eating fast.
• 579 calories (2432 kJ) in about 29 minutes when eating slowly.

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal reports that people who wolf down their meals until they are full to the brim are more likely to be overweight. Koutatsu Maruyama and colleagues measured the BMI of some 3,300 adults in Japan and asked them to complete questionnaires about their eating habits over the previous month. After adjusting for confounders including calorie intake, they found that those who reported eating until they were full had roughly twice the odds of being overweight, compared with those who stopped eating sooner. Those who ate quickly were also about twice as likely to be overweight as those who ate more slowly. Being overweight was especially common among those who ate fast and until bursting. However, because it’s difficult to estimate cause and effect in a cross-sectional survey like this, further studies are needed to ‘validate these associations between eating behaviour patterns and being overweight,’ say the researchers.



In an editorial in the same issue of the British Medical Journal, Drs Elizabeth Denney-Wilson and Karen Campbell, suggest how eating patterns might be contributing to the obesity epidemic. On the one hand fast food and fewer families eating together may promote speed eating, while the availability of inexpensive energy-dense foods served in larger portions may encourage eating beyond satiety. So what’s the good news? Speaking to GI News, Dr Denney-Wilson says there’s evidence that we can learn to eat more slowly. Here’s how:

• Make sure your meals include plenty of 'chew foods' such as lean meat, crunchy salads and vegetables, wholegrains like brown rice and pearl barley.
• Put your fork down between mouthfuls.
• Take small bites. Cut your meat into tiny bites, before you begin eating.
• Pace yourself. Don’t take your lead from the ‘bolters’ at the table.
• Take a break between second helpings or dessert to let your stomach have a good chat to your brain.
  
• Don’t get so hungry you could eat the proverbial horse. Wolfers are often skippers. Have a healthy snack between meals to keep the pangs at bay.
• Eat meals as a family (or with partners/friends/flatmates) with the TV off – look at mealtimes as a time to catch up and enjoy the company you keep.

As for eating until you are not quite full, let your plate be your guide while you learn to listen to your tummy for starters. Don’t fill it to the rim. Amanda Clark compares a modest, 350 calorie (1470 kJ) dinner plate with a rim-to-rim, 450 calorie (1890 kJ) dinner plate in her new book, Portion Perfection. And parents, don't force your children to eat more than they want to – let them learn to recognise the cues from their bodies that tell them when they are full.

Food of the Month with Catherine Saxelby

Chocolate – pleasurable indulgence or antioxidant-rich super food?


Catherine Saxelby

Chocolate is the world's favourite flavour for ice cream, cakes, sweet sauces and milk shakes and those who say they don't like it are few and far between. Each new study on the alleged benefits of chocolate’s antioxidants is greeted with glee (and headlines), and has given chocoholics and health-conscious consumers the green light to indulge. Is it any wonder sales of dark premium-end chocolate are booming and trendy chocolate cafes from Guylian, Max Brenner and Lindt are springing up in our city centres?

The good news on antioxidants Cocoa and dark chocolate have been found to be abundant in a class of antioxidants known as procyanidins (OPCs). You’ll also see these referred to as flavonols or polyphenols (which is the general term for this whole class of related antioxidants including those found in tea and red wine). These cocoa flavonols are platelet inhibitors which research now shows have a mild anti-coagulation effect as well as being anti-inflammatory. They can also keep arteries elastic, lower blood pressure, prevent cholesterol from being oxidised and even prevent cancer. But it’s still early days in the research department. And not all chocolate is created equal. This research applies to dark chocolate (where the level of cocoa solids is high from 35–70%). Milk chocolate has much less (and the milk may actually interfere with the absorption of the antioxidants into the body); white chocolate has none. Some manufacturers have modified their dark chocolate so it’s less bitter with slightly lower cocoa solids but still high in the important flavonoids (eg, Mars Cocoapro, Nestle Club).



Guiltless sweet? Antioxidants aside, chocolate remains a rich, high-fat/high-sugar (30% fat and 50% sugar), concentrated food that packs a lot of calories into a very small piece – which explains why hikers take it on long treks and soldiers are never denied a bar in army survival rations. Take the average 50 g (just under 2 oz) bar of chocolate. It supplies 1100 kJ (260 cals). This is twice as much as you get from 50 g of steak (410 kJ/98 cals) or even 50 g of fried potato chips at 500 kJ/120 cals). That 50 g bar slaps on 15 g of fat plus 25 g sugar. The good news is that even though the fat is mainly saturated, much of the saturated fat is in the form of stearic acid, which has little effect on blood cholesterol. So even those wanting to follow a ‘heart healthy’ diet can still happily eat a piece in moderation.

But, however much some people would love to hear it, chocolate does not qualify as a super food alongside vegetables, fruit and whole grains. It’s a treat food, and even then you need to keep the doses small. And small means SMALL, about 20 g or 3 squares a day as part of a healthy diet.

For more information on super foods and healthy eating, visit Catherine’s website: www.foodwatch.com.au



Zest: The Nutrition for Life Cookbook Offer
Dietitian and nutritionist Catherine Saxelby has a TWO FOR ONE offer with copies of her popular cookbook Zest from now until Christmas from her online nutrition & health bookshop. Buy one, get one free to give to a friend or relative. Last delivery to make it in time for Christmas is Monday 15th December.

News Briefs

How tight is right and how to get there
With the explosive development of new classes of blood glucose-lowering medications offering an increased number of treatment choices, the question for physicians and for people with diabetes is how tight is right and how to get there. In an editorial in Archives of Internal Medicine, Dr David Nathan says: ‘For now, the approach to the type 2 diabetes epidemic should include attempts to prevent the disease and to treat it with the medications known to be safe and effective. Given the magnitude of the epidemic and the central and demonstrated role of glycemic control in ameliorating the toll of microvascular and neuropathic complications, we should continue to emphasise a goal of HbA1c levels of less than 7.0% for patients likely to benefit and the aggressive application of other interventions that reduce cardiovascular disease risk as demonstrated in clinical trials.’



Step 1 in treating new-onset type 2 diabetes and reducing the risk of complications, according to the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in its 2006 consensus statement, is lifestyle interventions to improve glucose, blood pressure, and lipid levels and to promote weight loss or at least avoid weight gain – and lifestyle interventions should remain an underlying theme throughout the management of type 2 diabetes, even after medications are used. The 2008 update published in Diabetes Care (PDF) advises that:

• People with diabetes should strive to achieve and maintain hemoglobin A1c (2–3 month average blood glucose) levels under 7%.
• Physicians should begin treatment with lifestyle intervention and metformin (because of its effect on glycemia, absence of weight gain or hypoglycemia, good tolerability profile, and relatively low cost).
• If that does not achieve or sustain the glycemic goals, then step 2 is adding another medication (eg, sulfonylureas, basal insulin) within 2–3 months.
• If the above therapies do not work, then step 3 is starting or intensifying insulin therapy.

GI Group: Treating diabetes is a team effort and the most important member of your team is you.



‘Working with a healthcare team is the best way you can avoid the serious complications that diabetes can cause,’ says Dr Alan Barclay, coauthor of The Diabetes & Pre-diabetes Handbook (New Glucose Revolution for Diabetes in the US and Canada). ‘That’s the clear message from numerous studies of people with diabetes in recent years. Make sure you know as much as possible about your diabetes, are involved in the decisions about treatment and act on the advice that you are given. If the combination of weight loss (if necessary), a healthy diet, physical activity and medication delivers near normal blood glucose levels, your diabetes is well managed and your risk of complications is much lower. Knowledge is your best defence. Working with your healthcare team, here’s what you need to aim for:

• Hemoglobin A1c – under 7%
• Blood glucose levels 4–8mmol/L (72–144 mg/dL)
• Blood pressure – under 130/80
• Cholesterol – under 4 mmol/L (156 mg/dL)
• A healthy weight
• A healthy eating plan
• Regular exercise
• Regular eye checks, and
• Regular foot examinations.
  

Australia/New Zealand: The Diabetes & Pre-Diabetes Handbook
USA/Canada: New Glucose Revolution for Diabetes

Squelch hunger pangs with low GI low-energy-dense foods
In October GI News, Catherine Saxelby reported that researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found they could drop the calorie (kilojoule) content of a lunch meal by half if they substituted ground (minced) white button mushrooms (a low calorie, low-energy-dense food) for beef mince (much higher in both departments) in familiar dishes like lasagna, ‘sloppy Joe’ (a kind of savoury mince) and ‘chili’ (as in con carne). The study participants didn’t rate the taste of the mushroom meals any differently from the beef meals. And despite consuming fewer calories with the mushroom meals, they didn’t compensate by eating more later in the day.

‘Energy density’ simply means how many calories there is in each mouthful of a food.

• A food that is high in energy density has a large number of calories in that mouthful. Most modern-day snacks for example are energy-dense. They pack a lot of energy (the scientific term for calories/kilojoules) into a small volume (your mouth).
• A food that has a low energy density has fewer calories for the same mouthful of food.

It’s not rocket science to work out that tucking into too many energy-dense foods will pile on the pounds. This is because most of us tend to eat roughly the same weight of food each day regardless of calories. If we can choose foods that offer fewer calories for the same amount of food, we will be able to manage our weight more effectively. We may also reduce our risk of type 2 diabetes according to a large prospective study published in Diabetes Care that suggests that the energy density of our diet may itself be a risk factor for diabetes, regardless of BMI, total energy intake and other known risk factors for diabetes.

The bottom line: Don’t worry about calculating numbers or investing in another diet book. A healthy, low GI diet rich in fruit and vegetables, unprocessed or minimally processed fibre-rich grain foods (the low GI ones of course) and lean protein – legumes, fish, skinless poultry, low-fat dairy foods – is a low-energy-density way of eating that squelches those hunger pangs and helps you manage blood glucose levels.

What's new?
Hot Flashes, Hormones, and Your Health
Dr JoAnn E. Manson with Shari Bassuk, McGraw-Hill



Although subtitled ‘Breakthrough findings to help you sail through the menopause,’ this book is more a guide to the latest scientific evidence on the risks and benefits of hormone therapy and whether you should start or stop from the Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital. Chapters cover treating the symptoms of menopause; the rise, fall and (cautious) return of hormone therapy; evaluating the risks and benefits; and how to calculate (and reduce) your risk of five health outcomes associated with hormone therapy.

Regarding type 2 diabetes, here’s the ‘bottom line’ according to Manson: ‘Hormone therapy may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, many women at risk for diabetes are also at heightened risk for developing coronary heart disease and stroke and therefore are not good candidates for hormone therapy.’ So check it out and talk to your doctor.

Dr Neal Barnard, The Reverse Diabetes Diet
Australian lecture and book signing tour
All lectures will be followed by a book signing and are free and open to the public.
To RSVP to any of these events, please e-mail: contact@zeitgeistmediagroup.com

Brisbane Monday, Dec. 1, 6:30 pm
Where: State Library of Queensland Cultural Centre Auditorium 2
Sydney Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6:30 pm
Where: State Library of NSW, The Dixson Room
Melbourne Thursday, Dec. 4, 6:30 pm
Where: The University of Melbourne, Elisabeth Murdoch Building, Theatre A, Building 134
(Gate 3 entry off Swanston Street)

Low GI Recipes of the Month

Our chef Kate Hemphill develops deliciously simple recipes for GI News that showcase seasonal ingredients and make it easy for you to whip up healthy, low GI meals and snacks. For more of Kate’s fabulous fare, check out her website: www.lovetocook.co.uk. For now, prepare and share good food with family and friends.


Kate Hemphill

Cardamom & blueberry smoothie
It might seem obvious to throw a few things together for a smoothie, but this is such a great combination I thought I'd share it. If are a lassi fan, you'll like the addition of spices. If you're not using frozen berries, add a couple of ice cubes for a nice chilled smoothie. This is very much a summertime smoothie, when nectarines aren’t in season, use half a pear, peeled of course.
Serves 2

1 large ripe banana (about 200 g/7 oz), peeled and chopped
5 tablespoons fresh or frozen blueberries
1 ripe nectarine, peeled, stoned and cut into chunks
1½ cups (375 ml) semi-skimmed milk
1 teaspoon runny honey
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

• Combine all ingredients in a blender or blitz with a hand blender until smooth. Drink within 30 minutes or the solids will separate.

Per serve
Energy: 1030 kJ/ 245 cals; Protein 6 g; Fat 3 g (includes 1.5 g saturated fat and 13 mg cholesterol); Carbs 43 g; Fibre 5 g

Low GI fare from Johanna’s kitchen: In GI News American dietitian, Johanna Burani shares her recipes photographed by husband Sergio. (Adapted with permission from Good Carbs, Bad Carbs, Da Capo Lifelong Books, New York.)


Johanna Burani

Baked spiced pears with zabaglione sauce
Pears with cinnamon and cardamom are a marriage made in culinary heaven. Adding the most ‘divine’ of all Italian sauces, zabaglione, makes this dessert a truly ethereal experience. This full-bodied dessert relies exclusively on the wholesome flavours of its ingredients and not added fats, making it an excellent finish to a hearty holiday meal – or even Christmas dinner.
Serves 4



2 ripe Bosc pears
2 tablespoons sugar, divided
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons marsala wine

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
• Peel, halve and core the pears. Place them cut side down in a rectangular baking pan with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.
• Combine 1 tablespoon of the sugar with the spices, and sprinkle half of this mixture over the pears. Bake the pears for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn the pear halves over, sprinkle with the remaining sugar-spice mixture and continue to bake for another 5 minutes. Pears are done when they are easily pierced by a fork but still hold their shape. Large pears may take a little longer to cook. Remove from the oven, place in individual dessert dishes and set aside.
• To make the sauce, combine the egg yolk and remaining tablespoon of sugar in a very small saucepan and mix vigorously for at least 5 minutes with a wooden spoon. Slowly add the marsala and mix well. Heat over low heat stirring constantly for approximately 1 minute or until the mixture thickens WITHOUT COMING TO A BOIL. Pour the sauce over the pear halves and serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serve (Serving size: ½ pear with 2 tablespoons of sauce)
Energy: 416 kJ/ 99 cals; Protein 1 g; Fat 2 g (includes less than 1 g saturated fat and 55 mg cholesterol); Carbs 21 g; Fibre 2 g

Visit Johanna’s website: www.eatgoodcarbs.com.

The following recipes from The Low GI Family Cookbook are perfect for the festive season.



Australia/New Zealand: Low GI Family Cookbook
USA/Canada: The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Family Cookbook

Frozen Berry Yoghurt
Anneka Manning's frozen yoghurt is easy to prepare and perfect for summery desserts. You can refreeze it in single serve containers in Step 3 rather than 1 large container if you prefer and have it on hand as an after-school snack.
Serves 6 (see photo above on the Family Cookbook)

250 g (9 oz) fresh or frozen
mixed berries
3 x 200 g (7 oz) tubs low fat
vanilla yoghurt
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons pure floral honey

• Place the berries and yoghurt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
• Whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until stiff peaks form. Add the honey a tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition until thick and glossy. Fold into the berry yoghurt mixture until just combined.
• Pour the mixture into an airtight container and place in the freezer for 4 hours or until frozen. Use a metal spoon to break the frozen yoghurt into chunks. Blend again in a food processor until smooth. Return to the airtight container and refreeze for 3 hours or until frozen. Serve in scoops.

Per serve
Energy: 540 kJ/ 129 cals; Protein 7 g; Fat 0.3 g (includes less than 0.1 g saturated fat and 6 mg cholesterol); Carbs 22 g; Fibre 1.4 g

Vegetable roasties
Make the most of moderate and low GI root vegies. They are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and fibre and simply scrumptious roasted this way as a side dish with a roast dinner. We promise you won’t miss the baked spuds.
Serves 6



1 medium orange sweet potato (about 500 g/17 oz)
2 medium parsnips (about 400 g/14 oz)
2 medium carrots (about 250 g/9 oz)
1/2 medium butternut pumpkin (about 700 g/24 oz)
3 teaspoons olive oil
Pinch salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs rosemary, thyme or oregano, leaves removed from stems

• Preheat the oven to 220ºC (440ºF) and line a roasting pan with non-stick baking paper.
• Peel all the vegetables, deseed the pumpkin and cut the vegetables into 2.5 cm (1 in) chunks. Place them in the prepared roasting pan, drizzle with the olive oil and a tiny sprinkle of salt (if using), pepper and herbs. Use your hands to toss the vegetables to coat with the oil and seasonings.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until golden and tender, tossing the vegetables about 3 times during cooking so that they brown and crisp evenly. Serve immediately.

Per serve
Energy: 762 kJ/ 181 cals; Protein 6 g; Fat 3 g (includes 0.3 g saturated fat and 0 mg cholesterol); Carbs 29 g; Fibre 6.5 g

Healthy Kids with Susie Burrell

Lifestyle lesson number 4: Christmas is just one day!
Christmas and the school holidays can be a challenge for families with too many high calorie, high fat foods in the home along with all those hours to be filled as structured activities go on hold, friends go away for the holidays and screens (TV, computer, movie) beckon. Not surprisingly, weight gain is common for parents and kids. In fact, the average weight gain for adults in Australia over the summer holiday period is 1–2 kg (2–4 pounds)!



Remember, Christmas is just 1 day, not 6 weeks. Here are some tips to help you keep yourself and your kids a healthy weight over the break.

• Over the festive season, place a limit on treats your children eat each day – for example 1–2 chocolates a day so children are aware they can have extras but not overeat.
• Don't buy too much food – if it's there and in the fridge or on the pantry shelf, it will be eaten.
• Buy treats in small amounts only.
• Structure in treats each week over the holidays so your children know when they will be having them. And remember, treats don't have to be food! Doing things and having fun together as a family can be a real treat.
  
• Use your veto power. Ask family and friends not to give your family food gifts or treats like cookies, lollies (candies) or chocolates.
• Choose water instead of high-calorie soft drinks and fruit juices which can pile on the pounds quick smart.
• Look as the holidays as a time to do more activity not less. Children need to be active for at least 1–2 hours every single day. Enjoy a daily family walk or bike ride or ball game in the park, or trip to the beach or local pool.
• Have firm limits on the amount of television your children watch and computer time you allow. Aim for 1–2 hours each day. Discuss it beforehand so everyone knows where they stand.
  
• Enrol the kids into as many structured holidays activities as you can afford. Check out your local council website or school holiday camp websites to see what's on offer.
• Stick to standard meals times (at the table, TV off) to avoid constant grazing, which promotes overeating.
  
• Eat before you head out to the mall or the movies, so that the kids don't get hungry.
• Make a pre-emptive strike if you are going to be out for a long time – have a chat before you leave the house about what food you are prepared to buy.
• Pack a snack pack to deal with hunger pangs – keep apples and healthy wholegrain snack bars in your bag along with a bottle of water.
• Low fat smoothies, sushi, burgers (with one meat pattie), wraps and low fat muffins are the best options when eating out. Try and avoid deep fried fries, pies and pizza as well as soft drinks at all times.

Susie Burrell is a specialist Weight Management Dietitian at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. In her private practice, she balances her clinical work with writing for print and electronic media. For more information check out: www.susieburrell.com.au


Susie Burrell

Busting Food Myths with Nicole Senior

Myth: Sea salt is healthier


Nicole Senior

Fact: All salt contains sodium harmful to your health
Not to be too dramatic, but the saying “pure, white and deadly” is quite fitting for this ubiquitous food ingredient. If it’s good luck you want, you’re better off throwing a pinch of salt over your shoulder than into your dinner. Professor of Medicine at Sydney University Bruce Neal, chair of the Australian division of World Action on Salt and Health (www.awash.org.au) says, “reductions in dietary salt consumption have greater potential to avert death and disability than stopping smoking”. His comment, surprising to many, arises from an investigation published in The Lancet medical journal exploring the costs and benefits of salt reduction and smoking cessation for chronic disease prevention. In short, the study showed we can save lives if we desalinate our food. The problem is, too much salt increases blood pressure and high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke: our biggest killers.



Sea salt is not healthier Sea salt oozes natural food cred, while exotic and expensive gourmet sea salt is revered in the foodie world. Kosher salt and many other weird and wonderful kinds jostle for our attention. A quick online search revealed extraordinary claims for sea salt that take unhealthy marketing hype to new levels such as: ‘one of God’s gifts,’ ‘salt-deficiency is the cause of many diseases,’ ‘evidence for healing,’ and ‘contains 80 mineral elements the body needs’. The fact is, while sea salt (or any other kind) may add subtle differences in flavour and texture, it contains just as much harmful sodium as regular table salt. In terms of mineral content, the amounts are so small you would need to poison yourself with sodium in order to obtain useful quantities of minerals otherwise found in nutritious foods. For instance, one posh French sea salt with the highest amount of magnesium I could find only contained 0.71g/100 g. If you were to add a very generous 1 teaspoon (5 g) of this stuff to your food on a single day, you would obtain a paltry 0.0355 g (35 mg) of magnesium. This is around 8–11% of the Recommended Dietary Intake of magnesium for adults, but comes with a hefty 2400 mg of sodium: one and a half times the 1600 mg a day Suggested Dietary Target (SDT, Australia and New Zealand). Cheaper sea salts would offer an even worse sodium bang for your magnesium buck.

The bottom line is to add as little salt as possible and recent advice suggests using salt with added iodine (‘iodised’ salt) in order to increase your intake of this essential but hard-to-get trace element. Importantly, check the label of processed food to find the lowest in sodium as this is where the majority of the salt in our diet comes from. If you’d rather starve than cut back on salt, you’re underestimating the marvelous ability of human taste buds to adapt to less salt over time. If you reduce the salt in your diet gradually, the suffering will be minimal. Get into taste sensations offered by garlic, onion, lemon, herbs and spices and soon a whole world of real food flavour will open up.

For more interesting food facts and great tasting heart-friendly recipes with less salt, go to eattobeatcholesterol.com.au . If you’d like great ideas for simple, heart-friendly food made with the goodness of healthy fats and oils with less salt , try Heart Food or Eat to Beat Cholesterol. Both titles available from www.greatideas.net.au.

Move It & Lose It with Prof Trim

Why alcohol is not totally innocent in the lard production department
Of the three biochemical means of metabolising alcohol, none result in its direct conversion to fat. However, research from several centres shows that our inhibitions go down when we have a drink. Hence those fattening salted peanuts look more appealing, and the means of resisting are less after a few drinks. Food intake also tends to increase when alcohol is drunk with a meal. Some studies show this could be as much as 200 calories (840 kilojoules) per meal, which could mean an extra kilo (couple of pounds) every month or so. This is particularly so if the meal is preceded by high fat pre-dinner snacks and alcohol (eg, beer and peanuts or chips/crisps).



It’s also true that too much alcohol (ie, a binge) is not only bad for the overall health, but tends to cause changes in eating behaviour the next day. How often have you felt like a salad and fruit, rather than bacon and eggs the morning after for example? So while the odd drink may not be a cause of concern (except in those aggressive types), there’s no reason to take it up if you are a nondrinker. If you like a tipple, here’s some advice for the health (and weight):

• Drink small amounts frequently (rather than binge infrequently)
• Have a couple of AFDs (alcohol free days) per week
• Avoid high energy mixes (soft drinks, fruit juice etc.)
• Watch what you eat when you drink
• Be conscious of how much you are eating when drinking with meals.

Dr Garry Egger aka Prof Trim

For more information on weigh loss for men, check out Professor Trim.

Curly Questions

Any tips for enjoying a low GI Christmas dinner without piling on the pounds? The roast turkey is non negotiable!
Putting on weight over the Christmas period is a problem for many of us – all that eating with family and friends. But, it’s more likely to be all the trimmings and treats that pile on the pounds rather than The Dinner itself. A word of warning: a single mince pie contains about 250 calories! Here’s what the British Dietetic Association suggests:



‘Turkey is a low fat meat – most of the fat is stored in the skin, so remove the skin and you cut down on fat. Adding plenty of seasonal vegetables such as unbuttered Brussels sprouts, peas and carrots will contribute to your 5-a-day fruit and vegetable intake … Smoked salmon makes a good starter and is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which helps keep your heart healthy; alternatively try a hearty vegetable soup or a refreshing melon starter. Christmas pudding is rich so a small portion should be satisfying enough, or you could go for fresh fruit salad or baked apples as a virtuous alternative … (For snacks) have healthy options to hand, such as fresh or dried fruit like dates, figs and apricots. Satsumas (type of plum) are handy, so keep a large bowl of these other fruits close by. Chestnuts are lower in fat than most nuts so roast a few and leave the salted peanuts to one side.’

All we would add is ditch the Yorkshire pud, cut back on the roast potatoes and include some lower GI options like roasted pumpkin, sweet potato and parsnips along with carrots and onions. And keep those portions moderate, eat slowly and say no thanks to seconds – remember Grandma’s words: ‘you should leave the table feeling as though you still have a little room in your tummy’.

I have seen a number of articles now suggesting that drinking fruit juice is not a good idea for those of us trying to maintain a healthy weight and glucose levels. I know we are encouraged to drink water, but it’s not always what you want when you sit down with friends on a summer’s evening or join colleagues for that after-work drink.
It’s a great idea to choose non-alcoholic alternatives to enjoy the spirit of the occasion without the side effects and (possibly) half the calories. You don’t have to toss a coin to decide between energy-dense juice or soda with a dash of lime or verjuice. There are plenty non-alcoholic beers and wines to choose from, although you may have to BYO, as they aren’t widely available in restaurants and bars. You can, however, pick up a bottle from your supermarket, maybe your local liquor store, and of course online.



Non-alcoholic wines are actually de-alcoholised wines. The wine is made the traditional way (even ‘aged in oak’ at times, and then the alcohol is removed. The legal definition of a non-alcoholic beverage means it has less than 0.5 percent alcohol. This is because it is just not possible to remove 100% of the alcohol. It’s a pricey process and the end result isn’t the same as regular wine or beer so it’s best not to compare them. But do check them out, you’ll be surprised at the range on offer and you are sure to find one that appeals. Joe Timmins of Clearmind who distribute dealcoholised beverages such as Ariel wines and Lowenbrau Alkoholfrei in Australia and New Zealand says that the market isn’t niche at all – it is growing in leaps and bounds and includes large numbers of people who don’t drink for religious or health reasons including pregnant women and, he says, ‘there are many people who simply want an alternative because they are on duty or on call like doctors or airline pilots, or simply want an alcohol-free option’. Joe agrees that there’s a big range in the quality of what’s on offer in the supermarket, so it pays to be choosy, just as you would with any wine or beer. ‘I really love the Ariel reds as my favourite food is Italian,’ he says. For more information on dealcoholised wines or beers (or to opt for a clear head over Christmas/New Year and order some), check out Clearmind.

In The Diabetes and Pre-diabetes Handbook (The New Glucose Revolution for Diabetes in North America), dietitian Dr Alan Barclay says: ‘Low alcohol and alcohol-free beers contain roughly the same amount of carbohydrate as the alcoholic varieties and will have little effect on your BGLs if you drink them in moderation. Many low- and non-alcoholic wines, on the other hand, are based on grape juice, and give you about 10–15 g of carbohydrate per 100 mL (a bit under ½ cup) serve (do check the label). They probably won’t cause your blood glucose levels to rise rapidly, but just because they are alcohol free, don’t think you can drink them freely if you are watching your BGLs or your weight. If you want something a bit more exotic, you could always try a mocktail.’



Email your curly question about carbs, the GI and blood glucose to: gicurlyquestions@gmail.com

Your Success Stories

‘How I Lost 80 Pounds (36 kg) with Smart Carb Eating.’ – Richard Price
‘I became a type 2 diabetic about 15 years ago, and have learned how to control my weight and blood glucose with diet and exercise. I lost 80 pounds (36 kg) and am a member of the National Weight Loss Registry (US). Two of my secrets are eating food with a low energy (calorie) density and eating food with a low glycemic impact. Energy density is a measurement of calories per gram of food. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University, led by Barbara Rolls, concluded that we eat by weight volume and not by calories. I did a twist on these two principles, by coming up with the concept of Glycemic Density which is a measurement of glycemic load per gram of food. Eating carbohydrate dense foods with a low Glycemic Density allows us to maximize hunger satisfaction while minimising glycemic impact. As I am not a professional, I am not able to further examine this concept other than on a philosophical basis. I do not have the resources of a university or major nutritional clinic. I would love for someone who has these resources to pursue this concept further.’

The Latest GI Values with Fiona Atkinson

Chocolate #9 GI 46
This tasty chocolate treat was GI tested by GI Labs in Toronto. It is thick gel that’s a blend of organic low GI agave and Belgian-style dark chocolate. Although it’s much lower in fat and calories than the equivalent amount of dark chocolate, remember it’s still a ‘sometimes’ food, especially for anyone watching their weight. Packaged in 29.5 g (around 2 tablespoons) single serve foil pouches, it is suitable for people on vegan and vegetarian diets. For more information and the nutrition facts about Chocolate #9, check out the manufacturer’s website.



Where can I get more information on GI testing?
North America
Dr Alexandra Jenkins
Glycemic Index Laboratories
36 Lombard Street, Suite 100
Toronto, Ontario M5C 2X3 Canada
Phone +1 416 861 0506
Email info@gilabs.com
Web www.gilabs.com

Australia
Fiona Atkinson



Research Manager, Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service (SUGiRS)
Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences
Sydney University
NSW 2006 Australia
Phone + 61 2 9351 6018
Fax: + 61 2 9351 6022
Email sugirs@mmb.usyd.edu.au
Web www.glycemicindex.com

New Zealand
Dr Tracy Perry
The Glycemic Research Group, Dept of Human Nutrition
University of Otago
PO Box 56 Dunedin New Zealand
Phone +64 3 479 7508
Email tracy.perry@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
Web glycemicindex.otago.ac.nz

See The New Glucose Revolution on YouTube

GI Symbol News with Alan Barclay

Oh what a difference your bread choice can make!


Alan Barclay

‘A lack of satisfying, filling foods is a hurdle for many people when trying to maintain a balanced, healthy diet. There are a lot of diets and food fads that claim to improve satiety – which is why we were keen to conduct a study in this area,’ said Prof. Jennie Brand-Miller. ‘We found that your daily bread choice can play a role in satisfying hunger and decreasing food intake at a subsequent meal.’

Researchers in the Human Nutrition Unit at Sydney University carried out the lab-based study for George Weston Foods from January–March 2008. Twenty healthy weight (BMI 18-25) volunteers aged 18–45 who were non smokers and had normal glucose tolerance took part in the study. All completed a restrictive-eater questionnaire to ensure only those with normal eating habits were taking part.

On two separate occasions, the researchers randomly asked the volunteers to eat either two slices of Burgen Wholemeal & Seeds bread (83 g) or two slices of standard white sandwich bread (74 g) with margarine and jam and a glass of water as a breakfast meal and rank their feelings of fullness. They also had to list their subsequent meal’s food intake. There was a washout period of at least three days in between test sessions.



The volunteers felt fuller for longer after the Wholemeal and Seeds bread breakfast and, on average, reduced their intake at the next meal by 500 kilojoules (120 cals) and 4 g of fat compared with the standard white bread breakfast. They also had a lower glycemic response to the meal with the low GI (39) Wholemeal and Seeds bread compared with the white bread meal, which may have contributed to keeping hunger pangs at bay. The Wholemeal and Seeds bread is also a good source of dietary fibre and provides protein – both of which may have also helped to provide the greater satiety response.

Email us for more information: alan@gisymbol.com

Contact
Dr Alan W Barclay, PhD
CEO, Glycemic Index Ltd
Phone: +61 2 9785 1037
Mob: +61 (0)416 111 046
Fax: +61 2 9785 1037
Email: mailto:alan@gisymbol.com
Email: alan@gisymbol.com
Website: www.gisymbol.com.au

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'Kind of Blues' Suite

The Blues legends' suite 'Kind of Blues' contains eight separate limited print editions signed and numbered by Krüger. Each print comes together with mat board.

More information at: KRÜGER PUBLICATIONS

Huntsville, Texas: the execution capital of the free world

Texas Death Chamber

In the execution capital of the free world, death sentences have declined precipitously thanks in part to the institution of life-without-parole sentences.

Juan Leonardo Quintero was on the expressway to Texas death row. Prosecutors had the 34-year-old on video confessing to gunning down a police officer who had just handcuffed him and sat him in the backseat of his patrol car on September 21, 2006. Despite having his hands cuffed behind his back, Quintero had managed to get a grip on a pistol that 40-year-old police officer Rodney Johnson had overlooked during the pre-arrest pat-down. He shot Johnson 4 times in the back of the head while the 12-year police veteran and father of five was filling out the routine paperwork before taking his suspect downtown.

Quintero was in custody in the 1st place because he had no driver's license when Johnson stopped him for speeding. Quintero had no license because he was in the country illegally, for at least the second time. Seven years before, the landscaping laborer had been deported back to Mexico after being convicted of indecency with a child. To make his fate look even more cut-and-dried, Quintero didn't kill just any Texas police officer. He killed an officer from Houston. That meant he'd be tried in Harris County. And since the U.S. Supreme Court gave the green light for a resumption of executions in 1976, Harris County has condemned 222 capital murderers to die. If Harris County were a state unto itself, it would rank 2nd behind the rest of Texas in the number of executions carried out in the modern era of the death penalty.

On May 8 this year, jurors rejected out of hand Quintero's plea that he was insane on the day of the killing. They convicted him of capital murder. The jurors then had 2 options: Sentence him to die by lethal injection in Huntsville, or send him to prison for the rest of his life. Had Quintero been convicted 20 years ago, or even 5 years ago, a death sentence would have been all but automatic. Back then, a life-in-prison sentence meant that the killer could be eligible for parole 40 years after being locked up. And the notion that a cop killer could one day walk free was anathema to most Texas juries.

But Quintero was convicted at a time when once rock-solid support for the death penalty was developing fissures in Texas and around the nationand shortly after the hard-fought 2005 passage of a state law that gives juries the option of sentencing murderers to life without parole.

The Harris County jury chose that alternative. So instead of awaiting execution, Quintero is one of at least 14 killers in Texas who, having been convicted of capital murder, will live out their lives in prison.

"You know there's a shift in attitude in Texas when a Houston jury sentences an illegal immigrant who shoots a police officer 4 times in the back of the head to anything other than death," says Larry Fitzgerald, who witnessed more than 200 executions as a Texas prison system spokesman from the mid-1990s until his retirement in 2003.

In the 2 decades before the Legislature enacted the life-without-parole law, Texas courts sent an average of 35 murderers per year to death row. Despite the international spotlight shining on Texas as the execution capital of the free world, those numbers were showing no sign of abatement when state Sen. Eddie Lucio launched his effort in the late 1990s to give juries the life-without-parole option. Lucio, who represents a heavily Roman Catholic district anchored by Brownsville, is among a handful of South Texas Democratic lawmakers who express equal misgivings about the death penalty and about legalized abortion. "I'm Catholic and I'm pro-life," says Lucio. "So whether we are talking about taking the life of an unborn child or someone who has committed a terrible murder, I'm going to have some problems with it."

It was not surprising when Lucio's initial bill went nowhere in 1999. A solid core of police groups, prosecutors and crime victims' groups was staunchly opposed. Their chief concern was that such a law would "weaken" the death penalty in Texas. Undaunted, Lucio filed his bill again in 2001 and 2003, with opponents bringing to bear the same arguments and the pace of executions in Huntsville continuing to make headlines.

But by the time lawmakers convened in Austin in 2005, public opinion was starting to pull back from a broad embrace of capital punishment. And so, apparently, were the attitudes of at least some Texas prosecutors. Richard Dieter, who heads the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C., chalks up that shift to the escalating drumbeat of documented problems with the application of capital punishment. Between 2000 and 2004, at least 38 death row inmates around the country had been exonerated based on systematic re-examination of the evidence used to condemn them. The most dramatic examples came from Illinois, where then-Gov. George Ryan, a Republican, ordered a halt to all executions in his state and commuted more than 150 death sentences after a group of journalism students from Northwestern University reopened inmates' old files and found widespread evidence of faulty convictions.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court had delivered twin blows to the administration of the death penalty. The Supremes ruled in 2002 that executing mentally retarded inmates violated the Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. 3 years later, they used the same rationale to prohibit the execution of inmates who had committed capital murder before their 18th birthdays.

"What we began seeing in polling data was a re-thinking of public support for the death penalty," Dieter says. "A majority of people still supported it, but not the overwhelming majority that we were used to seeing."

Evidence of that re-thinking manifested in Texas with a dramatic drop in the number of convicted killers being sentenced to death. In 2005, 14 death sentences were handed down, the fewest in nearly a decade and less than half of what the state had been averaging since the 1980s.

Steve Hall, who runs the StandDown Texas Project, which has long pushed for a moratorium on executions in the state, says it's hard to pinpoint a single reason for that decline. But he echoes a line of argument that attorneys often use in their efforts to exempt youthful offenders and those with diminished mental capacity. "I don't know that I would call it exactly an evolving standard of decency,'" Hall says, "though perhaps that captures it." That standard, he believes, has filtered down to many of the district attorneys who prosecute capital cases, as well as to the jurors who ultimately determine punishment.

Huntsville Unit, Huntsville, Texas

During the 2005 debate on Lucio's 4th attempt to pass life-without-parole laws, most of the state's urban prosecutors remained entrenched in oppositionat least publicly. "My problem is [juries] might use it as a compromise instead of reaching a true decision," Roe Wilson, an assistant district attorney in Harris County, told the Senate Criminal Justice Committee in March 2005.

But by that time, Lucio had put together a bipartisan coalition of key lawmakers, including Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat, and Sen. Chris Harris, a hard-line conservative from Arlington. Pivotal to Lucio's argument were the well-documented flaws in death sentences around the country, along with his long-held assertion that life-without-parole sentences would spare crime victims' families the agony of reliving their tragedies each time a death row inmate attempted an eleventh-hour appeal. "It still gives victims' families the closure they need," Lucio says, "but it doesn't put them through that endless
appeals process."

Lucio says that "a lot of people who opposed my bill said I was trying to undermine the death penalty. The truth is, it was all these false convictions and exonerations that were undermining the death penalty."

Hall says that Gov. Rick Perry, an ardent death-penalty supporter who has allowed more than 200 executions since taking office 8 years ago, provided some cover to his fellow Republicans in the Legislature. In May 2004, the notoriously hard-line Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles had recommended that condemned inmate Kelsey Patterson be spared execution on grounds that he was severely mentally ill. Perry rejected their suggestion that Patterson's sentence be commuted to life in prison, but his rationale was significant.

"Governor Perry said at the time, 'Texas has no life-without-parole sentencing option, and no one can guarantee this defendant would never be freed to commit other crimes were his sentence commuted,'" says Hall, who has so far been unable to persuade legislative leaders to debate a moratorium proposal introduced by Rep. Elliott Naishtat. "I think Governor Perry, in saying that, was sending a clear message to the Legislature that he would sign a life-without-parole bill that landed on his desk." A year later, he did.

It's unclear how much of the decline in death sentences in Texas can be linked to the life-without-parole option, or whether it's more a symptom of growing public uncertainty about the ultimate punishment. "Whether you can chalk that up to the life-without-parole statutes that have gone on the books in Texas and other states in recent years remains to be seen," Dieter says, pointing out that death sentences across the nation are down about 60 % over the past 5 years. "But all indications are that people, and juries, want that option.

"When you present life without parole to juries, it lifts any confusion they might have about whether someone is ever going to walk the streets again. Even though a traditional life sentence in Texas meant there was no possibility of parole for at least 40 years, there's always that misapprehension that someone could be out in a matter of a few years. So there might not be any difference in the eye of a juror who's just seen those 8x10 glossy photos of a horrible murder scene who wants to be assured that the person responsible never walks free among us again."

Juan Quintero's trial was a powerful example. When Harris County jurors began deliberating his punishment for killing Rodney Johnson, defense lawyer Danalynn Recer laid a foundation to show that despite her client's heinous act, his life still had value. Jurors were told that he had no record of past violence and was both deeply religious and deeply remorseful.

The prosecution painted a starkly different picture. "You look for some humanity in this defendant. You look for some emotion, some heart, some soul in this defendant," said prosecutor John Jordan. "You can watch [his videotaped confession] 20 times and you won't find it."

Despite pleas from Johnson's family and police colleagues that Johnson's killer be sentenced to die, the jury sided with the defenseand clearly responded to Recer's arguments. "I believe he has value," juror Letty Burkholder told the Houston Chronicle. "He's loved by many of his family and friends, and that was number one. I felt like he has potential." Added Tiffany Moore, another juror: "I still feel we came to the right decision. We could never bring Rodney back. I feel very sad for the family, losing a loved one."

Recer declined to be interviewed for this story, but after the trial she told Scott Henson, an Austin activist who blogs about criminal justice issues at gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com, that she had seen an obvious shift in attitudes about capital punishment during jury selection. Five times as many potential jurors were excluded for saying their consciences would not allow them impose a death sentence, she said, than were scratched for ruling out consideration of life without parole. She also told Henson, a consultant for the Texas Innocence Project, that Quintero was so guilt-ridden, he had considered abandoning his defense and waiving his appeals, essentially volunteering for the death sentence. But he had changed his mind, she said, when his children intervened, reminding him that "his life is not over, he's still a dad."

For Texas prosecutors, the increasing appeal of the life-without-parole option might have as much to do with basic economics as with an evolution in opinions about the fairness of the death penalty. "The dirty little secret about life without parole is that it gives the DAs peace with honor, so to speak," says Henson. "Death penalty cases are getting so expensive, especially when you add in all the appellate costs, that it just decimates their budgets. But with life without parole, they still get a capital conviction without all that cost."

The cost issue weighs heavily on county governments, says Larry Fitzgerald. Since his retirement from the prison system, Fitzgerald has been engaged by defense lawyers as an expert witness in several cases where prosecutors have pushed for the death penalty, assuring jurors that life without parole is really for life. "Basically, taxpayers are paying for both sides of the freight," says Fitzgerald, who supports the death penalty but believes that it has been overused in Texas. "The vast majority of the defendants are indigent, so they get court-appointed lawyers. Plus, with every death sentence, there's an automatic appeal, so that means the taxpayers are on the hook for that one, too."

The cost to the state of lifetime lock-ups is far less by comparison, experts say. Since the mid-1990s, when lawmakers enacted sweeping get-tough-on-crime legislation that tripled the size of the prison population to more than 150,000 now the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has added geriatric units and even a hospice system. "With the relatively small number of life-without-parole inmates we've received so far, there shouldn't be a significant impact" financially, says Michelle Lyons, the department's spokeswoman.

But neither shifts in public opinion nor economic factors have swayed prosecutors like David Weeks, the Walker County district attorney, who fiercely opposed the new sentencing option every time Sen. Lucio introduced it. "I never thought life without parole was a good idea, but it hasn't affected my business here one bit," says Weeks, whose office prosecutes crimes committed on the prison properties of Huntsville. "We've only had one capital case since it went into effect, and we're pushing hard for the death penalty."

That case involves a September 24, 2007, escape attempt by two prison inmates who managed to wrest a gun away from a correctional officer supervising an outdoor work crew. The inmates and guards exchanged gunfire, and one of the inmates took control of a prison pickup truck and rammed it into a horse being ridden by another officer supervising the crew. 59-year-old Susan Canfield was thrown from the horse and smashed into the truck's windshield. She died from her injuries. The horse was shot in the crossfire and later had to be euthanized.

Both inmates were in prison for violent crimes but had behavioral records that qualified them for outside work. Jerry Martin was serving a life sentence for murder. John Ray Falk was doing 50 years for the attempted murder of a police officer. The escaped men were caught within a few hours. Weeks expects the pair to be tried together this spring.

"If some folks are worried about the high cost of death penalty cases, I'm not," says Weeks, the legislative liaison for the Texas Association of District and County Attorneys. "I have no trouble going to the taxpayers and saying, 'We need to pony up and make sure justice gets done.'"

But even though many prosecutors still don't like the life-without-parole statute, Weeks says he doubts that any serious effort will be made to repeal it.

One of the compromises Lucio made to win passage of the bill was to eliminate the option for juries to hand down a sentence of life with the possibility of parole after 40 years in capital murder cases. Some lawmakers who had opposed keeping that option argued that it might confuse juries, and possibly anger crime victims' families who would worry about the killers' eventually gaining their freedom. But Lucio says that one unintended consequence of the bill in its final form was to give defendants who might have been parties to a killingbut not the actual killersan incentive to plea bargain for a lesser charge, which means that they might one day win parole and that their cases can be disposed of more swiftly.

"The way it's working so far, we are still able to hold out that parole option in some of these unique circumstances," Lucio says.

During the years when he was gathering support for life without parole, one of Lucio's frustrations was that state leaders had no system for determining how many capital murder trials ended with death sentences and how many resulted in lesser sentences. So two years after the life-without-parole law took effect, he pushed successful legislation requiring that Texas' 506 district courts submit reports to the Texas Office of Court Administration documenting the outcome of each capital case.

The early findings show that 58 capital cases were decided between July 31, 2007, and October 13, 2008. Jurors opted for life without parole in 15 of those cases and imposed the death penalty in six. One defendant was acquitted. (The others either involved cases where murders were committed before the new law took effect, meaning that life without parole could not be considered, or where convictions fell short of capital murder or were plea-bargained to a lesser charge.)

In states like Florida, controversy has swirled over younger killers some in their teens being sentenced to life without parole. In Texas, case reports are not broken down by ages, but 3 defendants under 21 -- the youngest being 18 -- have so far gotten life without parole in the state. Lucio says that if his law means underage killers spend 5 or 6 decades behind bars, it's all right with him. "Hopefully," he says, "these people who get locked up come to terms with that fact and manage to make something of their lives, even if it's in prison."

Juan Quintero's life now goes on in the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, which is also home to death row. When capital offenders like Quintero are sentenced to life without parole, they are assigned to the general prison population and can be eligible for jobs within the system based on an evaluation that looks at such factors as education levels and in-prison behavior. One of a growing number of Texans given the chance to live in a case that not long ago would have meant near-certain execution Quintero now works on a supervised squad that tends to the crops grown on the unit's sprawling property.

Source: Texas Observer - John Moritz is a freelance reporter in Austin who has covered the Texas criminal justice system for more than a dozen years and has been a media witness to 20 executions in Huntsville.

HELL HOLE NEWS #4, November 25, 2008

Well, it’s been another lovely two weeks under the guns of senator Whitmire’s little inquisition. This fellow is a real turd. It must really make him feel powerful to attack and smash on death row prisoners who’re restrained and defenseless. Who’ve done nothing to deserve it.

We were put on lockdown yet again, for 5 more days, searched, strip searched, wanded, scanned, strip searched again, had all our property confiscated, even our mattresses and bedding. We were put in empty cells with vents blowing ice cold air all night and left like that until 2:30 AM the next shift. Now many of the guys are sick. Ol’ man Woody was trying to talk to the rank about his property while in cuffs and being held on the run by two field force officers with another behind him. They tried to jerk his eyeglasses out of his hand and slammed him face first into the wall. Captain Bryant walks up and tells him “what the f---k is your problem?” Woody tells him what’s up and the captain gives him grief, the field boss tells Woody “you need to shut the f—k up” and they slammed him again then dragged him to F-pod level III. I’m told Lieutenant Duff even was shocked at Bryant’s actions and said “what’re you lockin’ him up for?” Bryant supposedly said, “What, did I stutter or something?” This is typical of the sorts of unnecessary uses of force going on here now. Woody says they upgraded him to Level II, now.

The property officer, D. Smith is continuing her depredations on death row prisoners’ property. Confiscations unfounded, for reasons not even listed on the form, calling new property “altered” etc. I’m told she’s making a killing at the flea market selling prisoners books, boots, fans, radios, hot pots. Selling the radios to some electronics shop in Livingston.

Meanwhile, the media continues to print Michelle Lyons’ lies and half truth issued from TDCJ’s public information office. They’re issuing false, aggrandized and/or embellished statements about criminal matters they allege occurred as if they’re absolute truth or fact instead of the as yet untested and unproven allegations they are. Even death row prisoners accused of new crimes are entitled to the presumption of innocence guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution unless and until they are convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction by a jury of their peers. Michelle Lyons, who used to be a reporter for a small time newspaper, should know to use works like “accused”, “alleged” or “believed” in making allegations against prisoners in this fashion. Lawsuits will follow her slanderous and libelous words, which also constitute s blatant denial of due process.

All of this, merely in effort to lick Whitmire’s boots and cater to his campaign of hate. What’s more sad is that Whitmire, a politician and lawmaker, is encouraging TDCJ heads and investigators publicly to violate the law and violate not only prisoners’ rights but the citizens’ rights too. You voters out there need to wake up and see this clownish buffoon for what he really is.

For all you visitors, the Ombudsman’s office issued a statement saying that “due to reasonable suspicions” that a visitor may smuggle contraband into the unit, all visitors will now be searched This is 100 % illegal and in direct contravention of controlling federal and supreme precedents.

In the first place, the “reasonable suspicion” standard is what’s applied to prisoners outside of random cell searches, which require no suspicions. This standard is applied to prisoners only, because “criminal convictions and lawful imprisonments permit some limitations on constitutional freedoms, compatible with incarcerations.”

However, free world citizens (visitors) retain the full panoply of constitutional rights and protections. The constitutional guarantees of the fourth amendment protect citizens from all unreasonable, suspicionless, searches and seizures. Before TDCJ or any other law agency can search you, there must be individualized suspicion amounting to probable cause. TDCJ cannot lay a blanket of suspicion on all visitors because of the actions of one or, TDCJ’s otherwise unfounded beliefs. In short, their “new policy on visitor searches” seeks to treat you as if you are convicted prisoners and you should not stand for it! It’s egregiously violative of your constitutional rights. You should all get together and hire an attorney to file suit on TDCJ and or call your local ACLU office for assistance. That’s what they’re there for.

Thanks to ilanziv.wordpress.com and executionchronicles.org for pointing out the obvious about the recent accusations leveled against me and Mark. I’m not sure about the cover up, but I’m of the opinion it’s definitely retaliation against me and Mark for our writings. There’s virtually no doubt of that. As to the things I’ve alleged in my previous New Hell Hole News articles (three, 3 of them) I have proof of them otherwise I’d not have written it. You should see the inept, inane responses TDCJ officials (V. L. Brisher, Lindy Richey and Kevin Mayfield) have made to my grievances at Step 2. They’re merely quoting policy, not making any substantive factual responses to the evidence at all. Of course I know the policy already – I’m alleging direct violations of the policy resulting in violations of my constitutional rights. They’re making such non-responsive answers because they well know they cannot answer on the merits, unless it were to concede the validity of my claims and rule in my favor -- which, of course, they’re not about to do. Deny, lie, deny, and deny some more. It’s the TDCJ way.

I’ve read in the papers that Whitmire was very rude to witnesses, interrupting, overtalking them, being belligerent and asking non-material question. Some think he just doesn’t know how to run a decent hearing. I think otherwise. I think he’s using these tactics to limit the record and prevent any witness who testified from revealing the truth about his little inquisition -- like him, it’s a shame.

Best regards to all,

Hank

P. S. Anyone who wants to respond can do so at hwskinner@yahoo.com or write me at my hard mail address:

999143 Polunsky Unit
H W Hank Skinner
3872 FM 350 South
Livingston TX 77351-8580

Please click on the 'Hank Skinner" tag below to read previous 'Hell Hole News' bulletins by Hank Skinner on this blog.

Nuva, Truvia and now Steviva

Where will it all end? There is now going to be huge competition in the low-carb/low-calorie sweetener department. There is no patent on the product, so anyone can produce it. Interesting! One really needs a granular or powdered bulk product instead of the packets for baking. Opening a gazillion packets for baking something is simply not practical for most bakers. Well, isn't that something? I just went to their site and they are ahead of the game. They do indeed have a Steviva blend that is great for baking!

What is the catch? It costs $16.95 for 1 lb and $14.95 on sale. It was half the price for the same amount of powdered erythritol. I don't know about you folks, but that is too much money for me to spend. I'd rather combine Splenda Granular (or even a nice-tasting Stevia, although I'm used to Splenda) and powdered erythritol in my own kitchen than spend that kind of money. Yikes and double yikes! It's too bad. They are on the right track but have sadly priced themselves out of my budget! Otherwise, I may have been interested.

Sad News

Powdered Erythritol which I used to order from Netrition is no longer available as the manufacturer has discontinued the product. Granular Erythritol (not my first choice) can be powdered in a powerful blender, food processor, coffee grinder or something called a magic bullet. It is also a good idea to dissolve it in liquid first, as the crystals can be a problem in baking when they don't all dissolve.

It is sad news indeed. Too bad more people didn't know about this great product: Powdered Erythritol. The same story at Carbsmart. I am hoping this is only a temporary situation. There are other manufacturers of the product and I'm hoping Tom at www.Netrition.com will think to order from one of them soon. It is so convenient to order from Netrition. They are reliable and speedy.

UPDATE: Thanks to Gharkness, we now have this good news: "Netrition has already replaced their original brand of powdered erythritol and I have already received my first order. It's as good as - or better - than the original brand (not as "rocky"). Did you not get their update? This has been more than a week ago."

Here is the product I found upon searching Netrition - it comes in the granular and powdered form: Sensato Erythritol

Iran court upholds stoning death sentence

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's Supreme Court upheld a stoning death sentence for a woman convicted of adultery in the southern city of Shiraz, an independent newspaper reported Saturday [November 29, 2008].

The daily Etemad Melli, or National Confidence, reported that the court also upheld another death sentence, this one by hanging, against the woman, who was also convicted of killing her husband with the help of a male accomplice.

The man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he was convicted of being an accomplice in the murder. He was also sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery, but was not given the death penalty because he was married.

Judiciary officials were not immediately available for comment. It was not known when the slaying took place or when the two were convicted.

While the ruling is final, Iran's judiciary chief or the country's supreme leader are authorized to stop death sentences from being carried out.

Under Iran's Islamic laws, adultery is the only capital offense punishable by stoning [Caution! Highly graphic content!]. A man is usually buried up to his waist, while a woman is buried up to her neck. Those carrying out the verdict then throw stones until the condemned dies.

In July, Iran stoned a man convicted of adultery to death.

Stoning was widely imposed in the early years after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, but it has seldom been applied in recent years, though the government rarely confirms when it carries out stoning sentences.

Reformist legislators have demanded an end to death by stoning as a punishment for adultery, but opposition from hard-line clerics has sidelined their efforts.

Source: guardian.co.uk, November 29, 2008

Recent Work of the American Research Centre in Khonsu Temple, Karnak – Pamela Rose, Brett MacLean

Pamela Rose
The current temple is a Ramesses III structure incorporating an Amenhotep II bark shrine. Recently they have been working looking at the foundations of the temple. There are three projects going on
1) Conservation of the wall paintings – Ed Johnson
2) Restoration and repair of the temple access – Danny Roy
3) Epigraphic study of the reused blocks – Chicago House
Pamela Rose is an archaeologist who is investigating and recording the foundation material. This work is not disturbing the temple in any way as they are using ancient holes that have been filled with rubble. Once they clear these they are backfilling with sand and repaving the floor. They have found mud brick and limestone blocks but as to giving a clear idea of what these things are it is like making a novel out of post it notes. A lot of her work can be called key hole surgery as some of the spaces are very tiny.

Temple Axis’s
In late Roman times they removed the paving and dug large pits, these are enormous and contain nothing pharaonic. It is possible they were looking for gold. At one point the hypostyle hall contained a church. They have found no foundation deposits only late Roman and medieval material. From this they are able to deduce there was a medieval occupation of the temple but they are not sure exactly what it was although the evidence points towards a domestic use. They also found a 1979 newspaper!

The construction follows set patterns and there are multiple layers of foundation including blocks, mud brick structures and debris

Sanctuary
In the sanctuary there were lots of reused blocks and they have cleared a large area. There were mud brick platforms on a trench of soft sand. It is possible the stones were part of an earlier structure but not sure the purpose of the mud brick. There was a mud brick covering to a hole but it was empty except for a limestone plaque.

It is possible the earlier structure had lime stone blocks as the current temple is made of sandstone but these reused foundation blocks are limestone. They were only able to remove 2 blocks one of which was inscribed.

They have spent a lot of time clearing rubble and in it they found another piece of the late 18 dynasty triad which is now 15 cm taller.

Brett MacLean
He talked about the epigraphic survey. Although the temple was only partly decorated it was recorded in a survey done in 1924 of all Ramses III structures. It is built of reused blocks from
• Amenhotep III’s peristyle hall from his mortuary temple
• Amenhotep son of Hapi mortuary temple
• Ay
• Horemheb
There are reused and recarved pillar drums of Amenhotep and architraves of Horemheb. On the roof there is an Akhenaton chariot scene. Bark shrines of Tutmosis III, Amenhotep II, and Amenhotep III. They wanted to record these blocks in the floor of the temple while they were available as when the temple is backfilled and repaved these will be hidden again. There are 150 reused fragments in the floor and 70% have inscriptions. Some were extremely difficult to access; where possible they use clear plastic and take a 1:1 traced copy. In some places they had so little space; they used aluminium foil to take rubbings.

One block was a lintel with inscriptions of Tutmosis IV on one side. There was only a 1cm gap the other side making recording really difficult but they found it was Tutmosis III on the other side.

After they make the 1:1 they then make a smaller copy and double check each other’s results and Ray Johnson does the final check. Where possible photographs are taken with film and digital.

One limestone block had raised relief dating to the middle kingdom or very early new kingdom.

A door jamb fragment of Tutmosis III, with a piece of graffiti of Khonsu so they think there was an earlier structure to Khonsu on the site.

There are three square pillar fragments approximately 70-75 cm wide with Khonsu in raised relief on one side and sunk relief on the other side. There is Amarna damage and restoration. They are not sure which king as the piece that would contain the glyphs is missing. Another fragment with a falcon headed god which could be Khonsu or Montu which must have come from the same building.

There were 5-6 blocks with raised Tutmosis style with pharaoh and Khonsu showing Amarna damage that had been recarved.

Some blocks show Tutmosis IV recarved in a Ramses II style or Horemheb changed to Ramses II

All the blocks are in the back area so all part of a single previous structure

Conclusions
It is a closed set of blocks there are none in the walls or roof
Lots of Khonsu or a flacon headed god
So it is possible there was a previous temple is a style similar to the small Tutmosis temple in Medinet Habu

It was built by Tutmosis III and finished by Tutmosis IV, there was damage in the Amarna period and it was recarved. An Atum figure was left intact. Ramses II changed it adding his long transparent robe and changing the design of the kilt. He also changed the nose and ear of a Tutmosis king, carving it more deeply and making it look more like Ramses II. Ramses II added an annex that was original to him and usurped something built by Horemheb

These are prelimary conclusions as the work is not finished.

Next week Karnak the Quintessential Sacred City of Egypt by Sylvia Caville