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Quebec to ban public prayer in sweeping new secularism law

Quebec to ban public prayer in sweeping new secularism law

Bill 9 would outlaw prayer and face coverings in public institutions, sparking fears it targets Muslims in Canada Quebec says it will intensify its crackdown on public displays of religion in a sweeping new law that critics say pushes Canadian provinces into private spaces and disproportionately affects Muslims. Bill 9, introduced by the governing Coalition Avenir Québec on Thursday, bans prayer in public institutions, including in colleges and universities. It also bans communal prayer on public roads and in parks, with the threat of fines of C$1,125 for groups in contravention of the prohibition. Short public events with prior approval are exempt. Continue reading...

Love Cheese? It May Mean A Lower Dementia Risk, Study Says

Love Cheese? It May Mean A Lower Dementia Risk, Study Says

Following some research into red meat and dementia risk, the British Medical Journal said that some dietary changes “may” lower your likelihood of developing the condition. Data from the UK Biobank , for instance, suggested that drinking coffee and tea , choosing soy milk instead of the dairy kind, and sticking to a Mediterranean diet may be linked to decreased dementia risk. And now, a paper published in Nutrients has some promising news for cheese lovers: in a recent Japanese study, the food appeared to be linked to less dementia incidence. Why might cheese affect dementia risk? In this study, researchers looked at data from 7,914 people aged 65 or over. They asked participants about their cheese intake (they were asked whether they ate cheese once a week or more, or not at all), and tracked their health for three years. Over that time period, 134 cheese eaters (3.4%) and 176 (4.5%) of non-cheese-eating participants developed dementia. There were the same number of participants in both groups. That means those who reported eating cheese at least once a week appeared to have a 21–24% lower risk. “These findings are consistent with prior observational evidence linking dairy intake to cognitive health,” the paper reads ( a 2021 study is one of a few others to have discovered the association between cheese and reduced dementia risk). “Although the effect for each person is modest, at a population scale, especially in countries [like Japan] with low cheese intake, such differences could contribute meaningfully to dementia prevention strategies.” This study didn’t prove that cheese itself definitely caused the change: it only found a link. But, the scientists wrote, “Although the present study did not include biomarker or mechanistic assessments, several nutritional characteristics of cheese may provide a plausible explanation for the observed association.” Does this definitely mean eating cheese will prevent dementia? No. Again, this just showed a correlation, not a causal relationship. And, after conducting a second round of research, the authors of this study learned that the participants who ate cheese tended to have healthier diets overall. “Further research is warranted to clarify dose-response relationships, cheese subtypes, and underlying mechanisms,” the researchers wrote . Related... Boosting A Protein May Clear Dementia-Linked Plaques 'Like A Vacuum Cleaner' Signs That You're In 'Time Poverty' (And The Impacts On Dementia Risk) Can Resetting Your Body Clock Help Prevent Dementia?