Eat your vegetables! – study
Meat and spuds is a staple in every Irish home but a new study has suggested that staving off the poultry might reduce your chances of cognitive decline.
According to research carried out by Prof. Koh Woon Puay which has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains with low animal products like meats and dairy lowers the risk of cognitive decline in later life.
The study began in the early 1990s and tracked the dietary habits of thousands of Chinese people living in Singapore.
The researchers found that people who had adhered to a strong plant-based diet during midlife were less likely to develop cognitive impairment later on. The findings indicate that cutting back on read meats, especially if they’re processed, and including lots of plants-based foods in your diet has a positive effect on the mind.
A Christmas of songs
There’s no better time to sing than during Christmas where hymns are aplenty and carollers are close by. If you’re really into your Christian music at this time of year, then Cork’s Christmas at the Cathedral event on December 7 will be right up your street.
Fiona O’Reilly and Dan Twomey will be joined on the evening by actors and singers from CADA Performing Carrigaline Gospel Choir, Cór Scoil Oilibhéir, Gaudete Choir Rochestown and Music Mash Up Hip Hop Choir.
The evening is directed by Catherine Mahon Buckley, aided musically by Tom Doyle and guarantees to deliver an evening of festive fun and God-inspired tunes. It takes place in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral at 8pm and tickets are priced at €22, which are available online or by phone at 0214215125.
Light up your tree
Decorating a Christmas tree is an important part of the holiday festivities where the whole family can come together and show off their artistic skills and argue who gets to put the angel on the very top! Essential to any tree are the lights which swirl and twist around it – however these bright bulbs can take up a lot of energy. Most people probably use incandescent lights to decorate their Christmas tree but using LEDs are a more efficient alternative. You’ll know the difference between the two because incandescent lights get hot very quickly.
Whiles LEDs are more expensive, the pros undoubtedly outweigh the cons. They produce a very bright light and there’s an assortment of rich colours available. They also have a longer lifespan typically around 10,000 – 50,000 hours compared to a mere 1,000 for their incandescent counterpart and they’re much more durable so you won’t need to replace them every few years.
