EcoWatch

Sea levels in the 20th century rose faster than at any time in the last 3,000 years. And in the 21st century, the tides will climb ever higher—by at least 28 cms (11 inches) and possibly by as much as 130 cms (51 inches), according to two new studies.

Human activity is implicated in both studies and although neither delivers a new conclusion, each represents a new approach to studies of sea level rise as a consequence of climate change and each is a confirmation of previous research.

Robert Kopp, a climate scientist and Earth historian at Rutgers University in the U.S. and colleagues reveal in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they tried to look at the greenhouse century—the 100 years in which oil, gas and coal combustion began to change the mix of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and trigger a rise in planetary average temperatures—in the context of the last 27 centuries.

New Approach

They compiled a geological database that stretched back to the Bronze Age, which lasted, with regional variations, from the fourth to the first millennium before the Christian era. And they developed a new statistical approach to examine the sea-level indicators retrieved from marshes, coral atolls and archaeological sites around the world.

They report that although sea level rise might have happened without human action, it would have been less than half the observed 20th century increase and might even have fallen.

Had humans not piled greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, more than half the 8,000 coastal floods recorded at U.S. tide gauges in the last century might never have happened. On average, sea levels rose 14 cms between 1900 and 2000.

“The 20th century rise was extraordinary in the context of the last three millennia—and the rise over the last two decades has been even faster,” Dr. Kopp said.

In the same journal, a team led by Matthias Mengel, a postdoctoral researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany, report that they took a new look at what might happen to sea levels before 2100.

They modeled three scenarios for greenhouse gas emissions, incorporated the latest 20th-century data on melting glaciers and warming oceans and played with the mathematical approach in a new way to predict a set of outcomes.

Projected Increase

The most hopeful—based on the agreement by 195 nations last December at the UN climate change conference in Paris—led to a projected increase of between 28 and 56 cms. The most alarming outcome proposed a possible range of sea level rise from 57 to 131 cms.

The two studies are designed to give practical information to city authorities and coastal planners.

Even a 60 cm rise means nations will have to think about coastal protection.

“With all the greenhouse gases we have already emitted, we cannot stop the seas from rising altogether, but we can substantially limit the rate of the rise by ending the use of fossil fuels,” said Co-Author Anders Levermann, a professor of climate system dynamics who is based both at Potsdam and at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in the U.S.

“This is quite a challenge, but less expensive than adaptation to unabated sea level rise, which in some regions is impossible,” Prof. Levermann said. “If the world wants to avoid the greatest losses and damage, it now has to rapidly follow the path laid out by the UN climate summit in Paris a few weeks ago.”

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The continuing debate over how much protein the average person needs has done little to change our hunger for it. And who can blame us? Protein is one of the basic building blocks of life.

When most people think of protein though, images of cheese, eggs and a leg of lamb pop into their head. Did you know though that every—yes, every—whole food contains protein. From your morning banana to your evening salad, you’re getting protein. Finding plants packed with protein is easy to do and not only is it easy to do, it is easy for your body to use.

Plant-based foods are free from cholesterol, tend to be high in fiber and are often alkalizing to the body. All animal products, on the other hand, are devoid of fiber and are acidifying to the body, which causes calcium to be leached from your bones, as well as decreasing oxygen levels in the blood and negatively impacting the digestive/lymphatic system.

You may have heard the ongoing debate about “complete” or “incomplete” protein and “food combining,” but be wary; these topics are steeped in misinformation and myth. Here’s what I’ve discovered thus far:

The term “complete protein” refers to foods that have all nine essential amino acids present in the correct proportion for our bodies to build protein with. The term “incomplete protein” refers to foods that have all the essential amino acids, but are simply low in one or more of them. This is called the “limiting amino acid.” While it’s true that most whole plant foods have one or more limiting amino acids and are thus “incomplete,” this shouldn’t send you running for a steak.

Our bodies are brilliant and every food that goes into your system must be broken apart and its nutrients absorbed. During the digestion process, amino acid chains from all sources are broken down and made ready for our bodies to use. If you’re eating a good mix of fruits, veggies, grains and legumes, then your body simply collects what it needs from the “amino soup” that your digestion system has absorbed. There are a growing number of vegan bodybuilders, ultra marathon runners and award-winning athletes out there to prove that meeting your protein needs on a plant-based diet is simple and successful.

Since every whole food has protein in it, you have literally millions of great options to choose from when it comes to creating a balanced diet with the right percentage of protein for your body.* I’ve selected ten nutritious plants to get you started, for both their protein content and other health benefits. You may be surprised at some of the veggies, nuts and grains that made it onto my list.

*More is not necessarily better when it comes to protein. Many healthcare professionals are now arguing that recommended daily allowance for protein is too high. No matter whose recommendation you choose to follow, the fact is that each person’s protein needs are different, but all can be met with a plant-based diet.

1. Pumpkin Seeds

9 grams of protein in one ounce

If you’re like me, pumpkin is one of your favorite fall foods. The last time you steamed up some squash or pumpkin, did you have the seeds though? One ounce of pumpkin seeds contains 9.35 grams* of protein. That’s more than two grams more protein then the same quantity of ground beef. Their high protein content and level of nutrients makes them a wonderful addition to any salad or snack.

Pumpkin Seed Nutrients and What They Do:

Tryptophan: Helps fight depression (converted into serotonin and niacin).

Glutamate (needed to create GABA): Anti-stress neorochemical, helps relieve anxiety and other related conditions.

Zinc: Boosts immune function and fights osteoporosis.

Phytosterols: Reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and up HDL (the good kind); may also be effective in the prevention of cancer.

Pumpkin seeds are also full of manganese, phosphorous, copper, vitamin K, vitamin E, B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), folates, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium and more.

If pumpkin seeds aren’t your thing, don’t worry—there are plenty of seed-based protein powerhouses out there.

*All protein content by gram is pulled from USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, unless otherwise noted.

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Calling your doctor or hightailing it to the drugstore isn’t always an option when you’re facing a malady. And realistically, not every issue requires an appointment or a visit. That’s where your pantry and medicine cabinet come to the rescue.

From athlete’s foot, to a muscle cramp, and even a sore throat, the do-it-yourself option is often the easiest and most convenient. That’s why we’ve collected the best home health remedies from Men’s Health Big Book of Uncommon Knowledge to help save you money and a trip to the pharmacy.

Check out these 13 best home heath remedies to find out how you can do heal some of the top everyday ailments.

1. Athlete’s Foot

Burning feet? Sprinkle baking soda on your feet and between your toes, or apply a paste made with 1 tablespoon of baking soda and lukewarm water. Wait 15 minutes, then rinse and dry your feet thoroughly.

2. Burns on the Roof of Your Mouth

If hot pizza (or an extra-spicy pepper) scorched the roof of your mouth, use an over-the-counter cough lozenge with benzocaine to cut the pain. If you don’t have any, try using sugar.

3. Canker Sores

They’re not cancerous or contagious, but they’re definitely annoying. These frustrating sores, which form on the inside of the mouth, can be treated with a common pantry item. Hold a wet tea bag on these sores—the tannin from the tea acts as an astringent.

4. Charley Horse

The leg muscle spasm—that can occur after a long run or a squat session—leads to some seriously unbearable pain. Here’s what you do: Arch your toes back toward your body while gently rubbing your calf. Start behind the knee and slide your hand down the muscle to the heel, then repeat. Rub along the length of the muscle, not across it.

5. Heartburn

It can be triggered by certain foods or drinks, but acid reflux can sometimes lead to heartburn. Solve it: Chew a stick of sugarless gum. The increased saliva will help your stomach acid flow, and it will also coat and protect the esophagus.

6. Hoarseness

Your vocal cords need rest, so don’t speak. To get rid of the frog in your throat, take a 5-minute hot shower, drink warm herbal tea with a slice of lemon, and avoid caffeine, smoke, alcohol, and large, fatty meals.

7. Indigestion

Holiday meal gone wrong? Mix one of the following items in a glass of water for an emergency antacid: 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (to increase stomach acidity) or 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (to ease bloating). Then take a walk. A postmeal stroll can help you digest your food up to 50 percent faster.

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Hurricane Patricia—the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere—was downgraded to a tropical depression with 35-mph sustained winds on Saturday, and offered to some observers a reminder of the consequences of a warming planet.

No fatalities from the historic storm, which forced the evacuation of some 50,000 people, have yet been reported, and initial reporting indicates no major devastation, damages from potential heavy winds, rains and landslides are still unfolding as the storm makes its way inland.

By Saturday morning Patricia had been downgraded to a Category 2. The National Hurricane Center reports, “On the forecast track, the center of Patricia will move across central and northeastern Mexico today and tonight.”

The New York Times reports:

The hurricane spared the densely populated centers of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo; it appears to have done the most damage to small villages between the two cities. For many in these impoverished communities, it could take much time to recover from even moderate damage.

The Weather Channel notes that flooding and mudslides remain potentially deadly threats, and adds: “El Universal reported that multiple homes were severely damaged and banana and papaya crops were destroyed in Michoacan state. Mud and landslides closed several roads in the region. Some homes in Cuyultan, Colima, were flooded.”

Before making landfall Friday evening along Mexico’s Pacific coast with sustained winds of 165 mph, the then-Category 5 storm was packing winds of 200 mph. “These are the highest reliably-measured surface winds on record for a tropical cyclone, anywhere on the Earth,” meteorologist Jeff Masters wrote.

Masters and fellow meteorologist Bob Henson described Patricia as “stunning, historic, mind-boggling, and catastrophic.” They add that it’s “the fastest-intensifying hurricane ever observed in the Western Hemisphere,” and that Patricia’s “200 mph sustained winds make it the 3rd strongest tropical cyclone in world history.”

“How did Patricia get to be so strong?” meteorologist Eric Holthaus asks at Slate.

The answer, quite simply, involves human-caused climate change. Hurricane Patricia is exactly the kind of terrifying storm we can expect to see more frequently in the decades to come. Although there’s no way to know exactly how much climate change is a factor in Patricia’s explosive strengthening, it’s irresponsible, at this point, not to discuss it.

“Meteorologically,” Holthaus adds, “there are at least four reasons why global warming could have contributed to Patricia’s ferocity: El Niño, exceptionally warm ocean temperatures, increased atmospheric humidity and sea level rise.”

The Washington Post also notes that “record-setting hurricanes are consistent with predictions by climate researchers about the consequences of a warming world.”

The Post continues:

The oceans heating up because of climate change will have consequences, said Michael Mann, a climate researcher at Penn State University. “Hurricane Patricia, and her unprecedented 200 mile-per-hour sustained winds, appears to be one of them now, unfortunately.”

Such consequences were undeniable to Mexico’s climate negotiator at the Bonn, Germany climate talks, which concluded Friday and where delegates sought to hammer out a draft climate treaty ahead of the upcoming COP21 talks in Paris.

Reportedly holding back tears, Roberto Dondisch urged the other delegates to reach consensus on a deal.

“In about four hours, Hurricane Patricia will hit the Mexican coast,” Dondisch said. “I don’t think I need to say more about the urgency to get this deal done.”

Yet climate change campaigners say the Bonn talks failed to make the needed progress.

“The deplorable inaction at the climate negotiations is a calamity for people across the world,” said Dipti Bhatnagar, Friends of the Earth International’s climate justice and energy coordinator. “We are facing a planetary emergency with floods, storms, droughts and rising seas causing devastation. The risk of irreversible climate change draws ever closer, and hundreds of thousands of people have already paid with their lives.”

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For a long time, drinking water has been thought to help with weight loss.

In fact, 30–59 percent of U.S. adults who try to lose weight increase their water intake (1, 2).

Many studies show that drinking more water may benefit weight loss and maintenance (3).

This article explains how drinking water can help you lose weight.

Drinking Water Can Make You Burn More Calories

Most of the studies listed below looked at the effect of drinking one, 0.5 liter (17 oz) serving of water.

Drinking water increases the amount of calories you burn, which is known as resting energy expenditure (4).

In adults, resting energy expenditure has been shown to increase by 24–30 percent within 10 minutes of drinking water. This lasts at least 60 minutes (5, 6).

Supporting this, one study of overweight and obese children found a 25 percent increase in resting energy expenditure after drinking cold water (7).

A study of overweight women examined the effects of increasing water intake to more than 1 liter (34 oz) per day. They found that over a 12-month period, this resulted in an extra 2 kg (4.4 lbs) of weight loss (8).

Since these women didn’t make any lifestyle changes except to drink more water, these results are very impressive.

Additionally, both of these studies indicate that drinking 0.5 liters (17 oz) of water results in an extra 23 calories burned. On a yearly basis, that sums up to roughly 17,000 calories—or more than 2 kg (4.4 lbs) of fat.

Several other studies have monitored overweight people who drank 1-1.5 liters (34–50 oz) of water daily for a few weeks. They found a significant reduction in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and body fat (8, 9, 10).

These results may be even more impressive when the water is cold. When you drink cold water, your body uses extra calories to warm the water up to body temperature.

Bottom Line: Drinking 0.5 liters (17 oz) of water may increase the amount of calories burned for at least an hour. Some studies show that this can lead to modest weight loss.

Drinking Water Before Meals Can Reduce Appetite

Some people claim that drinking water before a meal reduces appetite.

There actually seems to be some truth behind this, but almost exclusively in middle-aged and older adults (11).

Studies of older adults have shown that drinking water before each meal may increase weight loss by 2 kg (4.4 lbs) over a 12-week period (4, 11).

In one study, middle-aged overweight and obese participants who drank water before each meal lost 44 percent more weight, compared to a group that did not drink more water (4).

Another study also showed that drinking water before breakfast reduced the amount of calories consumed during the meal by 13 percent (12).

Although this may be very beneficial for middle-aged and older people, studies of younger individuals have not shown the same impressive reduction in calorie intake.

Bottom Line: Drinking water before meals may reduce appetite in middle-aged and older individuals. This decreases calorie intake, leading to weight loss.

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Supermodel Christie Brinkley is speaking up about Monsanto, genetically engineered foods, or GMOs, and the role these controversial crops play in our health.

The 61-year-old’s new book, Timeless Beauty, provides insights on living a healthy lifestyle. One topic she’s particularly concerned about is food and how Big Food impacts our lives.

“I think there are so many issues with our food industry that are blatantly disrespectful to our planet and us as individuals,” Brinkley told FoxBusiness.com.

Brinkley spoke of the threat of monocultures on the honey bee population, in which enormous tracts of a single type of GMO plant such as corn or soy appear to make it hard for pollinators to thrive.

“The bees are suffering right now and without the bees—well, Einstein said when the bees go, the next thing that goes are people,” Brinkley said.

In response to Brinkley’s statement, Monsanto told FoxBusiness.com:

“We were surprised to hear Ms. Brinkley’s comments. Honeybees are essential in agriculture. Monsanto’s own fruit, vegetable, canola and alfalfa seed businesses depend on healthy pollinators to be successful. We have made significant investments in collaborations and research for the betterment of honey bee health. All GMO crops are tested for potential impact on honey bees, as was glyphosate herbicide. These products, when used as intended, do not impact honey bee health.”

Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup, kills every plant except for the genetically modified (“Roundup Ready“) plants that are designed to grow right through it. While neonicotinoids are usually pegged as a chief culprit to the country’s devastating honey bee decline, scientists have linked the monarch butterfly decline to the near eradication of the milkweed, a critical food source decimated by Monsanto’s flagship weedkiller.

Glyphosate formulations have also been linked to a slew of negative human health effects, including cancer. Monsanto denies these allegations.

During Brinkley’s interview with FoxBusiness.com, she also made it clear that she’s an advocate of GMO-labeling, something that nearly 90 percent of Americans are in favor of.

“What I don’t like about GMOs is that we’re the guinea pigs. The testing—if there’s testing—we’re the ones doing the testing and that is not fair and furthermore it’s not labeled so we don’t know if we’re the ones eating them,” Brinkley said.

“All the time we’re finding various links and I want my food pure and it can be done,” Brinkley added. “Monsanto and these giant companies are just taking over and their disrespect for our health and our rights is really maddening.”

Brinkley, who is a vegetarian, eats organic food but recognizes that not everyone can afford it.

“The more we all join in and demand organic foods, the better off that we’re going to be because every day they’re linking the chemicals, insecticides, pesticides and herbicides to men becoming sterile and with women it could be linked to the breast cancer epidemic that we’re seeing,” Brinkley said.

Brinkley also suggested other ways we can learn more about what’s in our food. “One way that’s very easy to get involved is for people to Google Monsanto and read about what’s going on,” she said.

She urges people to sign online petitions and have discussions about GMO food labeling, and to “make yourself heard so we can clean up the food industry and know what we’re eating.”

Brinkley is not the only celebrity involved in the contentious GMO food fight. Musician Neil Young dedicated his entire last album to taking on big corporations like Monsanto.

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The City of Oslo has, today, become the first capital city in the world to ban investments in fossil fuels, as it announced it will divest its $9 billion pension fund from coal, oil and gas companies.

Today’s announcement follows a previous pledge in March to ban investment in coal.

Lan Marie Nguyen Berg, of the Green Party in Oslo said:

We are very happy to announce that Oslo will take responsibility for the climate, both through our own policies and our investments. The time for climate action is now, and the new city government will address climate change both locally and globally. The reduction in pollution will make the city even better to live in, and ensure that we take our global responsibility.

In June this year, the Norwegian Parliament also announced the country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund—worth $900 billion—would sell off over $8 billion in coal investments.

Oslo’s “brave decision” just weeks away from the UN climate talks in Paris has been welcomed by but national and international environmental groups.

Arild Hermstad of Norwegian environmental NGO Future in Our Hands said:

There’s a strong symbolism when the capital city of our oil producing nation says ‘no’ to investing in fossil fuels. It shows that fossil fuels are history, and that shifting away from them, and to renewables, is the future. We expect and we encourage other oil producing countries to follow suit.

350.org Europe Team Leader Nicolò Wojewoda said:

Oslo sets an example for cities around the world and shows investors like the Norwegian pension fund that if you have committed to divest from coal, it’s time to take the jump to divest from all fossil fuels now. If you want to see climate action, you can’t continue investing in the coal, oil and gas companies that are ruining our climate.

Oslo joins a growing movement of 45 cities around the world that have committed to ban investments in coal, oil and gas companies.

Last month, a study showed that to date more than 400 institutions and 2,000 individuals from across 43 countries, and managing more than $2.6 trillion have pledged to ditch their holdings in fossil fuels.

As it becomes clear that large swathes of known fossil fuels must be left in the ground if the world is going to limit global temperature rise below the internationally agreed danger threshold of 2C, more and more institutions are pulling their funds out of these risky, dirty energy companies, and shifting their investments into fueling a renewable energy future.

What began as half a dozen college campuses in 2011, has grown to a global movement that is reaching right to the heart of the financial sector.

And the pressure is now on other to follow Oslo’s suit as the fossil fuel divestment movement challenges more investors to commit to divest from fossil fuels in the lead-up to the climate negotiations in Paris.

Wojewoda said:

Through this win and strong campaigns in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Stockholm and many more cities, divestment is moving on to an even bigger stage—we hope that national governments in capital cities around the world will take notice, and start breaking their own links with the fossil fuel industry.

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Chronic inflammation has been associated with an increased risk of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and cancer. Sure, some inflammation is good—like the acute kind is a form of self-protection, your body’s immune response to a cut or pathogens entering the body. Chronic inflammation, however, means that your body is constantly producing immune cells, which can damage the body. This harmful inflammation is a result of never-ending stress, being overweight or a diet high in things like sugar, trans fats and various toxins.

But while the wrong diet promotes excessive inflammation, a diet rich in clean foods can help reduce it and its harmful effects on your body. The following foods in particular are anti-inflammatory powerhouses:

1. Spices and Herbs
Herbs and spices like basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, turmeric, peppercorns, ginger and cinnamon are loaded with all sorts of antioxidants that have even been found to reduce pro-inflammatory compounds that build up on meat during grilling. And ginger and turmeric, in particular, have been linked to joint pain relief. Add them to marinades, dressings, spice rubs and teas for a dose of health and flavor.

2. Soy
Soy can reduce the inflammation marker C-reactive protein, which is linked to cardiovascular disease. Incorporate clean sources of soy into your diet, such as tempeh or edamame.

3. Cold-Water Fish
Salmon, black cod, sardines and anchovies are full of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is a particularly good choice—its rosy pink color comes from carotenoids, which also have anti-inflammatory properties.

4. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins C and E and the carotenoids alpha- and beta-carotene, all of which reduce inflammation and promote healthy, vibrant skin.

5. Walnuts
Walnuts contain alpha- linolenic acid—an omega-3 fatty acid that reduces inflammation and is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.

6. Tea
Green, black and white teas contain free radical-fighting catechins, which have recently been associated with reduced muscle inflammation and a speedier recovery after exercise.

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