Category: General news

A new study says that whether or not we serve vegetables with meals carries significant emotional meaning.

Researchers set out to determine if the addition, or lack of, a vegetable with a meal altered the eater’s attitude towards the meal as well as about the person who made the food. Turns out, there’s a lot to be said about serving vegetables beyond providing a range of health benefits.

The link between vegetables and perception

The two-phased study involved interviews in addition to a national survey involving 500 American mothers with more than two children age 18 or younger. Study participants were asked to describe their feelings about both the meal and the food preparer based on whether or not a vegetable accompanied the meal. Descriptors such as “loving” and “selfish” were among the list to choose from.

When greens were on the plate, not only was the overall meal ranked as “tasty” compared to dishes that did not include vegetables, but the preparer was viewed as “loving” and “thoughtful.” Meals that did not include vegetables were given negative descriptors. People who served meals with vegetables were deemed more capable and attentive while people who did not serve vegetables were considered boring and selfish.

The overall conclusion of the study was that incorporation of vegetables enhances enjoyment of meals and creates positive feelings towards those who prepared them that way.

The psychology of food and why vegetables may make a difference

Several theories can help explain the study’s findings. Clearly raw foodists and those who enjoy whole, organic fresh foods already know that enjoying vegetables is a positive experience.

However, many people also think that enjoyment of foods extends beyond nutritional value.

Appearance can make a difference in food consumption, since reaction to meals and inclination to consume them vary depending on factors like color, or absence of it. Therefore, it’s thought that the addition of colorful vegetables, which are beneficial for health anyway, increases the odds that they will be consumed, as will the accompanying foods. Many suggest adding a salad that includes a lot of raw vegetables.

In many instances, it boils down to food psychology and is reason why some restaurants add the artistic flair of a curled lemon peel near the entree or decoratively sprinkle parsley flakes on the perimeter of a plate. Even food photography is big business where once again, the importance of colorful extras come into play and resonates favorably with others. There’s even such a thing as food stylists.

Meals that have more color and vegetable content make for more positive perceptions. Not only does a meal feel more thoughtfully prepared, but is more apt to be considered tasty and exciting,which reinforces these findings. Once again, all the more reason to eat raw, organic fresh vegetables!

Sources for this article include:
http://www.naturalnews.com/038262_veggies_emotions_influence.html
http://thelovevitamin.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121127191256.htm
http://www.learnfoodphotography.com

About the author:

Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general.

Republished from naturalnews.com

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s small business helpline has responded to more than 50,000 calls from small business operators since it was launched in December.

The priority service was created to provide reliable and credible information to the small business sector in recognition that many small business people are time-poor.

“Small business operators engage in a wide variety of tasks every day, and sometimes they need extra assistance with payroll and human resources issues that arise in their workplace,” Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said today.

She said 3000 calls a week was a positive response to the initiative.

Ms James says most of the callers had sought advice on wages, employee leave entitlements and dismissal processes.

“Small businesses often don’t have the benefit of in-house human resources and payroll staff, so we place a high priority on assisting them to get the information and advice they need as easily as possible,” she said.

“I acknowledge small business people are juggling a multitude of tasks – and this helpline allows them to get the information they need in a fast and convenient way.

“This is a priority service that has been designed to help people who want to do the right thing. It is an education and advisory service, not a compliance tool.”

Ms James says her Agency has expanded – and will continue to expand – its suite of free tools and resources to assist businesses ensure they are getting things right.

A guide to hiring new employees has recently been produced to aid small business operators with straight-forward advice about recruiting staff.

It gives plain-English advice about the best way to employ new workers and outlines workplace obligations in simple terms.

“We want to assist small business recruit the right people and grow their business by understanding the process of hiring staff,” Ms James said.

The guide, which has step-by-step processes and best practice recruitment tips, can be downloaded at www.fairwork.gov.au/hiring.

The resource is complemented by a free interactive online learning course employers can use to improve their skills in hiring and inducting new staff.

The course includes an interactive tool to help employers build a profile of the employee they want to hire and a video activity to help them practice their interview skills.

The course is available at the Online Learning Centre on the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website at www.fairwork.gov.au/learning.

Feedback was sought from a number of representative bodies and business groups when creating the guide and online learning course.

“We’re serious about getting input from those who are part of the small business community, and tailoring our services to be of genuine help in day-to-day operations, so consultation is a really important part of our work,” Ms James said.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has a particular focus on assisting small businesses to understand and meet their obligations to employees.

In March, the Fair Work Ombudsman met with members of the small business community at a Roundtable in Melbourne to discuss how the Fair Work agencies can better assist small business.

The discussion was co-hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission General Manager Bernadette O’Neill and Director of Fair Work Building and Construction, Nigel Hadgkiss.

The Commonwealth Small Business Minister, the Hon. Bruce Billson, also attended the forum, spoke to participants and fielded questions.

Ms James says the aim of the Roundtable was to hear first-hand how the small business community could be further supported to make their interactions with workplace laws as straightforward as possible.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has recently established a dedicated Small Business Strategy Team that has been tasked with responding to the needs of small businesses.

A dedicated webpage for small business, including free tools and resources, is available at www.fairwork.gov.au/smallbusiness

Employers and employees seeking further information and advice can visit the website or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. A free interpreter service is also available on 13 14 50.

The South West Chamber of Commerce is holding its next Breakfast with Benefits at The Loft in West End at 7am on Thur April 3rd. It features Mathhew Snelleksz, author of “Break the Entreprenurial Struggle. Two copies will be given away as benefits to those attending. More details at www.chamber.org.

Matthew Snelleksz, is a CPA, business owner and founder of Snelleksz &Co., Velocity Accountants and Velocity Venture Capital.

He has studied at Harvard Business School in Boston and makes money for their clients by inspiring them to achieve success. He has over 20 years’ experience in helping business owners, large and small, all over the world “Fix” their businesses – giving back the money and lifestyle they had always wanted and deserve.

He is author of the ground-breaking business book “Break the Entrepreneurial Struggle” and is much sought after keynote speaker and business and financial commentator.

Most businesses are broke and you will learn from Matthew Snelleksz what to do about it. Matthew is “The Business Fixer”. Hundreds of business owners have attended his Success Seminar Series and the Break the Entrepreneurial Struggle Master Class. In these Matthew reveals specific tools and strategies so you can implement these immediately to “Fix” your business and “Break the Entrepreneurial Struggle!”

So you will hear some war stories of broken Businesses and how he turned them around.

Matthew’s book “Break the Entrepreneurial Struggle” a roadmap for business owners on how to earn more money, work less hours and get the lifestyle they deserve.

He will donate two books to the morning breakfast.

Ultra-marathon runner, Chris Pye, will combine his passion for running with his passion for social justice when he runs around the SAME block of Brisbane’s CBD for 24 hours starting at noon on Friday 4th April.

His aim in deliberately confining himself to the same restricted space during his “Nowhere to Run “marathon is to focus awareness on the situation faced every day by incarcerated refugees and asylum seekers.

British born Chris who has a background in theatre and has his Masters in counselling only took to the streets, so to speak, 4 years ago.  He will compete in his third 24 hour marathon in Sydney in June followed later in the year by an ultra-marathon in India which will raise money for vulnerable women and girls.

Chris will have a dedicated team of volunteers based in Reddicliffe place (outside Treasury Casino) for the duration of his marathon.  He and they, by engaging with the public during the 24 hours in this unique way, hope to counter some of the misinformation and ill feeling currently generated towards refugees and asylum seekers.

Visitors to the support stall will have the opportunity to sign a petition to the House of Representatives. There will also be a Visitors Book in which people can leave comments about their feelings on refugee policies.  The book will be delivered to the Dept of Immigration in Brisbane.

Four out of 10 immigrants of non-English speaking background arriving between 2000 and 2010 reported relatively high levels of discrimination on the basis of ‘skin colour, ethnic origin or religion’, according to a report from Monash University.

Most Australians support multiculturalism and recent migrants are positive about life here, despite occasional pockets of community dissatisfaction, according to the latest Mapping Social Cohesion Research.

Two new reports – the Recent Arrivals Survey and the Local Area Survey – written by Monash University’s Professor Andrew Markus and produced by the Scanlon Foundation, build on the Foundation’s annual Mapping Social Cohesion Research. It is Australia’s largest study of social cohesion, attitudes to immigration and cultural diversity.

The reports provide the first detailed findings in the last decade on recent immigrant experience of Australia – and the first detailed research into social cohesion in specific local areas outside Sydney and Melbourne.

The Recent Arrivals survey of 2300 respondents focused on skilled and highly educated migrants who arrived between 1990 and 2010, with particular interest in the nature of contact with former home countries, and engagement with Australian society and identity.

Most – 81 per cent – were satisfied with life here. However about four out of 10 immigrants of non-English speaking background arriving between 2000 and 2010 reported relatively high levels of discrimination on the basis of ‘skin colour, ethnic origin or religion’. This is more than double the national average.

Professor Markus said the immigrant experience had been transformed by the communication revolution brought about by low-cost mobile phones and the internet.

“Some seven out of 10 recent migrants are in frequent contact with overseas relatives and friends and close to 45 per cent of migrants from a number of Asian countries visit their former home countries at least once a year,” Professor Markus said.

“However, this does not necessarily result in disengagement from Australian society.”

Like most other Australians, immigrants tend to embrace multiple identities: six out of 10 considered themselves as ‘world citizens’ as well as Australians, and also identified with their country of birth. Those from India or Sri Lanka were most likely to identify as an Australian, and those from New Zealand least likely.

The local surveys were conducted in two urban regions, Logan in Brisbane and Mirrabooka in Perth, and three regional areas ­– Murray Bridge in South Australia, Shepparton in Victoria and the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland. All are characterised by relatively high socio-economic disadvantage.

The Atherton Tablelands residents were most positive about life in their neighbourhood, with 75 per cent agreeing multiculturalism had been good for Australia. However, 59 per cent said the current immigration intake was too high.

Findings varied in Logan and Mirrabooka, two areas of immigrant concentration, but safety concerns were prominent in both, with more than 65 per cent – double the national average – saying they felt unsafe on the streets at night.

Professor Markus said that, overall, Australia remained a socially cohesive nation – and the immigration program, which prioritises immigrants with high levels of education and with skills in demand, is a world leader.

The reports can be found at http://monash.edu.au/mapping-population/public-opinion/surveys/scanlon-foundation-surveys/mapping-social-cohesion-national-report-2013.pdf

WILPF Peacewomen Awards recognise women’s dedication to peace.

Four outstanding Queensland women will be publicly recognised for their important work promoting peace, justice and human rights at the WILPF Peacewomen Awards on 2 May at COTAH restaurant / South Brisbane TAFE.

This year’s awardees are UNAA National Vice President Virginia Balmain, refugee rights advocate Frederika Steen, and Gitie House, President of the Toowoomba International Multicultural Society. For the first time ever, WILPF also recognises the work and dedication of a young and emerging peace woman: Claire Maizonnier has just completed a dual degree in peace and conflict analysis and development, and is currently volunteering for Centro de Bartolome de Las Casas  in Peru, an organisation that focuses on the development and inclusion of Andean culture in Peru’s cultural and economic development.

The Peacewomen Awards were established by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) to acknowledge women’s important contributions to a more peaceful society.

“The event has been an outstanding success in the past”, convenor Patricia Dwyer said. “We are looking forward to another inspiring and uplifting awards ceremony in 2014.”

“This year’s chosen theme is Freedom, a concept with many connotations ranging from freedom from war and oppression to freedom of speech, or freedom of expression,” she said.

The Peacewomen Awards were established in the lead up to the centenary of WILPF, an international organisation dedicated to promoting peace and disarmament. Next year, the first national Peacewomen Awards will be held in Canberra to celebrate 100 years of women standing up for peace.

The Peacewomen Awarrds also raise awareness of UN Security Council resolution 1325 that urges to increase the participation of women in peace processes.

The 2014 awards will be celebrated in an early evening cocktail format with a high profile guest speaker and live entertainment by the Brisbane Combined Unions Choir. The cost for the event is $40 or $20 for full time students, which includes wine and fingerfood. Registrations by 22 April are essential, please refer to http://www.wilpf.org.au/qld-peace-women-awards.

For more information on the registrations please contact Norma Forrest on  3207 7929 or  0407 768 873, email: normarod@bigpond.com