It is precisely with this background that we can feel proud about the starting point of hummus. Right here, among us, and on a daily basis, 7 out 10 Israelis eat hummus and other ready-made dips and spreads as daily features on our plate. With almost 70 million cups of hummus and dips sold each year in Israel, this food category is consistently the seventh-largest segment in the Israeli food and beverage market, with no contest about the place of hummus in our local food culture.

While children prefer eating hummus as a spread in school sandwiches, teenagers already prepare themselves hummus dishes spiced with a “personal statement” (from herbs and olive oil to more original extras), and older people discover the more sophisticated hummus (rich in tahini with a smooth texture) along with a whole range of eggplant, roast peppers, tahini and cauliflower dips as a perfect addition to every meal.

From the perspective of our Achla hummus brand, and as partners in the production of local hummus, this powerful connection to people comes with great responsibility. First and foremost, a responsibility to consumers – the taste and variety experience, nutritional composition and product quality. All these focus the attention of our QA, development and innovation teams, engineers and other employees.

And yet, another responsibility comes into play here. Responsibility for those who have shared the growth and production processes with us throughout the years – tahini suppliers, herb producers, vegetable growers and, of course, chickpeas growers.

Since each of our hummus products contains at least 51% cooked chickpeas (combined with raw tahini, garlic and spices to form the final recipe), one can’t overestimate its importance when determining the final flavor and texture of hummus. Growing chickpeas requires knowledge and expertise, and therefore, the work carried out by farmers with our agronomists and experts is important. Since such collaboration is not self-evident, we greatly appreciate the farmers who work with us to this end. In previous posts, Yaron Bornstein, of the Achla development team, provided more information about the ingredients and nutritional benefits of our hummus.

Last Independence Day (which created many outdoor picnics – a typical hummus occasion) saw another development. Along with pride in our own hummus and in farmers who gain recognition, came the decision that there had to be another angle to this story. We felt that store-bought packaged hummus was perceived as a kind of a compromise compared to freshly-made hummus at a hummus bar. I should point out that while fresh hummus is an indulging delicious experience, the pre-packed alternative is a worthy, delicious option that can be fun as well (and therefore so popular in Israel). And so, in a nutshell, this is how “Avi’s hummus” concept was born.

In the very first days, when we served our hummus slightly heated and garnished with whole chickpeas and olive oil, we wanted to share the story with as many people as possible, so that they, too, could have, very easily and on a daily basis, tasty hummus with their own choice of herbs and plating, and hoped for the best.

We set up “Avi’s Hummus”, a small hummus bar in Tel Aviv that served Achla-brand hummus dishes which didn’t undergo any change except for slight heating with extras: olive oil / whole chickpeas / chopped parsley. The payment method we introduced – “pay to taste” – enabled diners to decide how delicious their hummus was and pay accordingly (or not pay at all). The customer’s did not know that they were eating Achla-brand hummus until after the meal. As the days passed, we came to realize how enjoyable our encounters with diners were, savoring their positive feedback and good hummus conversation that developed.

Most diners chose to pay nicely- over NIS 20 per serving, and all proceeds were donated to “Fat Meir’s Kitchen“, a wonderful feeding initiative that we have accompanied for years. The “behind the scenes” recordings have already been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people, and additional videos showing how to prepare home-made hummus dishes received great feedback. We hope that the developing conversation enabled us to diminish the sense of compromise and demonstrate how good ingredients and good people can create excellent hummus, which is has long become a part of our daily life.

For those who are not yet familiar with the terms, you may still understand the issues. For example, when your kids come home from school, telling you to turn off the tap because you are wasting water, it’s because they have learned about sustainability, even though it might not be called that. When you hear about a factory, such as the recent one in Bangladesh, that just burned down killing almost 400 people involved in manufacturing garments that you wear every day, you might just decide not to buy from a company that doesn’t take elementary precautions for employee safety. You have just made a stand for Corporate Responsibility. Or you might prefer a product that is low in sugar, low in sodium and does not contain harmful saturated fats. This means you have learned about the corporate responsibility of food manufacturers to help us follow a healthy diet, something their products have a significant influence on. Or you may prefer a probiotic yogurt. This is corporate responsibility innovation, helping people eat foods which offer health benefits. There are numerous ways in which we all engage with companies and we may not call it Corporate Responsibility, but it causes us to take a view about a company and its influence on our lives.

In the world, Corporate Responsibility has become quite a movement, with all the largest companies now making some form of public undertaking to be accountable for their impacts on society and on the environment, both the products they produce and the way they produce them. The idea is that it’s not just about being nice or contributing cash to the community. The idea is that it should penetrate the very business model and strategy of a company, so that it determines at an early stage of product development, planning and all processes that the outcome should be positive in many different ways.

In the world, Corporate Responsibility is trending towards companies being accountable at a level which goes beyond what they actually produce. For example, the yogurt tub you throw away after eating. Companies are now understanding they have a responsibility for the waste they cause you to generate, not just the waste they create. In many parts of the world this has now become law – companies are required by law to take back packaging, so that is does not cause an environmental problem. The idea now is to consider what’s called the Value Chain. This means, not only the dimensions that a company is directly responsible for, but the upstream and downstream effects of what a company does.

Unilever, for example, has been campaigning for years to get consumers to lower their washing machine temperatures and use less washing powder, in order to reduce environmental impacts, even though, once the consumer has purchased the product, Unilever has little control of how they use it.

At Strauss, helping consumers change eating habits for a healthy lifestyle is a goal, and, for example, in 2011, Strauss introduced baby carrot sticks as a snack alternative to help consumers add healthy fiber, vitamins and fresh veg to their daily nutritional balance. In the U.S. and Mexico, Strauss is promoting high protein, nutrient-rich hummus as a healthier alternative to high-fat spreads for improved general health, a change which for many consumers is quite significant. Also, in educating Israeli consumers about probiotic and phytosterol- based products, such as Actimel, Activia and Danacol, as Danone’s partner in Israel, Strauss is changing consumer eating and nutrition habits through their core business. Helping consumers improve their health is a significant social benefit, reducing the healthcare costs burden and enabling a more productive population. Being responsible means helping consumers understand where they can modify their behavior to support environment and social benefit.

Another way of looking at Corporate Responsibility is through the lens of the value companies create for society. If companies deliver products which solve a social problem, and do so in a way which makes money, we all win. For example, a product designed specifically for people with special food needs, such as diabetics, is both a commercial proposition and a social benefit. A new service, such as that of telecoms companies in Africa, which allows people to use mobile phones to conduct banking transactions, is a commercially viable business innovation that also solves the problem of access to technology and to economic development, so needed in emerging economies. This is often called “Creating Shared Value”, a concept put forward by a Harvard professor, Michael Porter.

Finally, transparency is a key. Companies are feeling more pressure to open up their practices and let us know not only what they are doing, but how they are doing it. This pressure is coming from different directions, and slowly but surely, consumers are learning what questions to ask. This is a good thing and will result in more responsible businesses, improved business resilience and results, and a more equitable and environmentally safe society for us and our kids and grandkids. Whether or not you can define Corporate Responsibility, you are affected by the practices of corporations, and they must be accountable for the way they impact our lives. From my experience, this is something that the Strauss Group has accepted and is working hard to accelerate programs and practices which meet these expectations, as the only food manufacturer in Israel which has published an annual Corporate Responsibility Report consistently for the past six years.

The cycle is quite simple: Environmental marketing helps consumers become more involved and engaged, boosts profitability for corporations, and, consequently, increases knowledge and awareness. In this sense, it is definitely a win-win situation, with the largest profit being preserving the interest of corporations to promote more genuine environmental action – reducing pollution and consumption of resources, streamlining operations and budgeting environmental costs. But there is certainly a fine line here that may be crossed. On the one hand, environmental marketing is a an important tool for promoting corporate environmental responsibility – without advertising income, it is unlikely that we may convince giant corporations to engage in more corporate responsibility practices.

On the other hand, it is a slippery slope. Advertisers and marketers would be well-advised to carefully examine the campaign they use when touching on such a sensitive issue as corporate environmental activity. In a cynical and informed world, it is difficult to trick consumers, and things can easily deteriorate to greenwashing. In this sense, it is important to “tie all ends” regarding what exactly is being done by the company, which processes become exposed to environmental criticism, what further measures should be adopted and where the company stands in terms of objectives and budgets.

The desire to be rewarded for actions is legitimate, understandable and demonstrated not only by giant corporations. Schools that collect waste under our collection programs seek reward for their actions – whether by contributing back to organizations of their choice or by simply gaining recognition for their efforts in the form of reducing the amount of waste they send to landfilling.

In Israel, for example, schools repeatedly tell us how our snack packs collection program, which is operated with the salty snacks division at Strauss , provides an opportunity for pupils to absorb more environmental contents that are already taught in school, and how the mere collection and separation of waste provides a tremendous reward for pupils who realize first-hand how a change can be created. This, of course, is coupled with a financial contribution attached to each item of collected waste, which goes back to the same given school. Studies show time and again that without substantial external motivation, a relatively low percentage of consumers will choose environmental products. This means that environmental marketing – being a mechanism that shapes ideas and concepts, among other things, and thus becoming a rewarding tool – can serve as a means to promote better environmental choices in both our specific consumer behavior and in our general conduct.

As founder and CEO of TerraCycle – whose goal is to establish nationwide collection and recycling programs for difficult-to-treat waste streams, funded by the manufacturers themselves – I see time and again how a comprehensive marketing message about environmental efforts of a brand (representing a significant activity, of course) can yield massive profit to the companies that work with us.

Such profit – whether a growth in market shares or building a positive reputation – is precisely the reason for other corporations to join in and invest in financing more complex, large-scale and value-driven environmental programs. It is important to understand – companies that work with us, like the salty snacks division of Strauss Israel, and finances the collection and recycling of empty snack packs, choose consciously and clearly to allocate a substantial budget to a comprehensive environmental program that includes nationwide collection and recycling of their products and/or packaging waste.

This is, first and foremost, the purpose of our program – marketing support is a necessary incentive for companies which pay us, to continue to do so! And as they keep funding, we keep collecting more and more waste at increasing pace and quantities (our collection programs tend to grow exponentially every year).

Bottom line: Don’t be a hypocrite – compensation is a necessary motivational element, especially when it comes to a financial expenditure or investment of efforts. If we manage to regard environmental marketing as a reward, for corporations that increase their visibility through it or for consumers who learn to regard the “environmentalism” of products as an attractive element, we can use it to achieve one single goal… leverage corporate environmental activity to ever-increasing scopes with a truly significant environmental impact.

Sustainability can be explored and managed in various references of time and space and within different contexts of environmental, social and economic order. These contexts include the carrying capacity of planet Earth, sustainability of economic sectors, ecosystems, countries, municipalities, neighborhoods, home gardens, private life, goods and services, occupations, lifestyles, behavior patterns and so on.

In fact, this domain involves human and biological activity as a whole and in detail.

At the 2005 World Summit on Social Development, it was noted that this requires the reconciliation of environmental, social equity and economic demands – the “three pillars” of sustainability. The UN definition is not universally accepted and has won various interpretations. The meaning of sustainability, what its goals should be, and how they should be achieved – these are all open to interpretation.

Historically, there has always been a tight connection between economic growth and environmental degradation: When communities develop, the environment is crippled. Economics, which is not viable, is sometimes likened to malignant cancer because it eliminates the ecosystem services of our planet, the same systems that constitute the economy’s “habitat”.

Growing concern has been voiced in recent years that unless over-consumption of resources is stopped, modern civilization will collapse just like ancient civilizations that didn’t apply sustainable use of their resources.

So yes, commercial companies are, of course, among the users of natural resources. From this understanding, many business leaders have embraced the concept of sustainability over the past decade, as a key part in their business strategy. Beyond the profit-making goal of every company, it became clear how important it is to develop methods that minimize as much as possible the damage caused to the environment in particular, and run businesses in a manner that considers social and economic effects in general.

The prevailing approach nowadays is that in order to preserve global resources for future generations – an underlying concept of “sustainability” – business companies must assume an important role in the process. An entire system is working to provide consumers with extensive and accurate information about the nutrients, enabling them to make informed, healthy nutritional choices, and equipping them with options to dispose of waste with minimal impact on the environment.

We are always proud to watch our international business partners and learn from them, even within these contexts of sustainability. For example, PepsiCo’s sustainability was defined as consisting of human, environmental and knowledge sustainability, along with responsible, sustainable origins of raw materials.

Among the components of human sustainability are product quality and health, customer satisfaction, responsible marketing and nutritional labeling. PepsiCo emphasizes its policy about partnerships and community relations regarding all sustainability issues.

Another one of our partners, Danone, outlines its concept of sustainability through the six phases of product manufacturing: raw materials, mass production, conveyance, sales, consumption and the end of the product life cycle. For each of these phases Danone defines key economic, social and environmental issues.

Among the components of environmental sustainability are issues of water, waste, packaging, climate change and agriculture. Among the components of sustainable knowledge are organizational development and learning, health and safety, human rights and diversity and inclusion.

As part of Danone’s policy about responsible, sustainable food sources, they apply a code of ethics for suppliers, authorization of sustainable farmers, and regional development.

What about us?

Strauss Group invests numerous resources and efforts in corporate responsibility and sustainability, defining them as an integral component of its business strategy. Across the company, professionals are implementing diverse work practices that aim to create management of sustainable business operations.

With respect to environmental quality, we are currently defining new, multiple-year environmental goals, having achieved the goals set for 2009 earlier than expected. Regarding the water issue, we highlighted the importance and significance of the fact that we, a leading food company operating in Israel, should save water. We undertook to carry out water-saving processes, recycling of water and quality treatment of wastewater that once treated is used in agricultural irrigation.

Regarding the packaging of our products, for example, we undertook to examine environmental aspects when developing a new product pack, reduce their weight, change the type of packaging materials in accordance with the recycling and recovery infrastructure in Israel, and constantly explore advanced technologies.

Our multiple-year goals, like those of leading food companies, focus on reducing the carbon footprint (affected by greenhouse gas emissions), reducing water consumption, reducing the amount of waste produced by the company while increasing recycling, and reducing the weight of packaging materials used to pack our products.

Unlike the goals in 2009, which were defined “top-down”, the environmental goals, to be ratified in the second half of 2013, will be defined together with all company sites, which, in turn, will take local responsibility for them. The goal for Strauss Israel will derive from the newly-defined goals in all company sites.

We believe that as a leading food company, we must use natural resources responsibly, enabling future generations to benefit from them as well.

So what happened on the traditional media front in Israel last year? Hundreds of journalists were laid off, one newspaper and TV channel were almost closed down, media platforms were consolidated, and one new weekly newspaper was born.

Paraphrasing a recent political election slogan in Israel, the main question that should be asked when forming a PR strategy in Israel of 2013, is “Where’s the content?” Content is where it all starts, and the bulk of our marketing budget should be spent on its creation.

In the past, PR agents operated as external consultants who come into play only at the end of the marketing process, issue a press release that sums it all up, and gain exposure according to the media interest sparked by the product or to their professional skills.

Today, however, in order to become a key player in a changing communication arena, coverage entities are starting to regard PR as an integral part of their marketing arm. Many companies and Strauss among them, have already joined this international trend, hiring an internal PR person along with a company spokesperson and a PR firm.

The Internet, with its blogs and tweets, still doesn’t produce an all-inclusive alternative to traditional media. A study conducted in 76 countries shows that 2.5 billion people still read a daily newspaper, compared to 600 million readers of online editions (and these figures exclude readership of magazines and Sunday papers).

Researchers of communication history reiterate that every time a new medium is introduced it threatens existing media tools, which, in turn, learn how to cope with the new enemy.

In the 1920′s, when radio began to take its place in the media landscape, some predicted that this new medium would lead to the death of print. that did not happen. In their book The Death of the American Press, Robert McKenzie and John Nichols note that while in 1980 there were 45 publicists and 36 journalists per 100 thousand U.S. citizens, the ratio in 2000 was 90 publicists and 25 journalists. And since 2000? According to various estimations, the ratio keeps improving in favor of PR.

The situation in Israel is similar. The ever-changing world of communications is followed-suit by the PR domain, which keeps perfecting its practices, finding diverse ways to gain exposure to the entities it promotes. This is achieved by highlighting corporate expertise (using chefs, dieticians and technicians – as in the case of a food manufacturer like Strauss) and by tracing communication platforms that connect with the content worlds of the organization.

Another developing phenomenon was the rising need to expand a company’s pool of KOL’s (journalists, editors and bloggers) which it keeps in touch with, beyond the official reporters branch that regularly covers the company’s sphere of activity.

Having engaged in PR for over a decade, I can attest to the fact that my work is becoming more complex and challenging. A product’s quality per se can no longer create a media story. The product must also generate innovation and offer a better a value-for-money solution to consumers, who, in turn have become much more aware of their power.

Clearly, the analogic PR is alive and well within our digital world, becoming even more important than ever as social networks and blogs continue to flourish. However, as PR people, we must never stagnate and always provide our partners in the marketing division with the best tools that tap the potential which lies in the marketing process we were asked to support.

Consequently, in my capacity as PR manager who works in the organization and is responsible for 26 brands, I take part in strategy meetings during the preliminary phases of the process, meeting with the development and creative people, and formulating with our PR firm a 360-move that provides a comprehensive solution for all communication arenas. This integrated approach helps many brands to deliver messages and communicate with their target audiences through the media at minimal financial investment, compared to the huge budgets in the advertising world.

So when you plan your next marketing budget, remember that contents start with us, and they can only yield good items.

One health index in which we excel is the Life Expectancy Index that examines life expectancy since birth. Global life expectancy figures have placed us in top places over the past years.

Israel ranked above the average of OECD countries

Life expectancy in Israel is one of the highest in the world, which ranks us fifth among OECD countries. The average life expectancy of OECD member-countries is 79.7 years, while in Israel it stands at 81.7.

The average life expectancy of women in Israel is 83.6 years and of men 79.9. Israeli men rank in second place along with the Japanese and after the Swiss whose average life expectancy is 80.6 years. Israeli women are placed only 3 years after the Japanese, but still in the same league with Australian, Finnish, Swedish, Icelandic, Austrian and other women.

The question always repeats itself – How did we get there? We know that the contribution of genes is important, but they make only 30% of the bigger picture- the rest is attributed to dietary habits, physical activity, family life, happy life, and more.

When it comes to nutrition and longevity, we are typically inspired by the people of Okinawa in Japan or Sardinia in Italy, however, even if we adopt their daily diet (based on the principles of the Mediterranean diet: Rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, nuts, low-fat dairy products, fish and some meat) we couldn’t possibly imitate the peaceful and serene conditions in which they live.

Longevity or extended youth?

Discussions on longevity have undergone many transformations: In the past we talked about anti-aging, then moved to LONGEVITY ie postponing the “end of time” as much as possible, and today we talk about extending our YOUTHNESS for as long as possible, which means preserving our physical and mental functions for older ages, and focusing less on extending our years once we start aging mentally and physically.

Your diet can make you younger

The realms of nutrition and longevity should address foods that shorten our lives. Cutting back on all those fatty foods, sugar and calories will help prevent, or at least delay, heart disease and diabetes later in life.

Many people indicate that calorie restriction improves longevity, although this model has only been proven in mice at this point. A study on monkeys failed to prove this, and there are still no studies on humans that can support this claim.

Recommended Foods Groups

Some foods contribute to quality of life within longevity, and even extend youthness (foods high in antioxidants, for example).

I examined several recent studies that addressed the consumption of foods and their contribution to the prevention of life-shortening illnesses and to improved quality of life. Such improvement is manifested in high mental and physically fitness among old ages in populations that enjoy Western living conditions (this is only a small part of a long list of foods).

Foods rich in resveratrol – Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in grapes, cocoa and berries. Many studies have shown its contribution to the prevention of heart and blood vessel diseases and to improved cognitive abilities, linking it also to the prevention Alzheimer’s disease and more.

Foods rich in betalains – Betalain is a red and yellow (purple) indole-derived pigment in the anthocyanin group, which is found in various foods such as beetroot, raspberry and purple cabbage. This powerful antioxidant is also associated with preventing disease and improving blood vessel function.

Caffeine-rich foods – A recent study published in August 2012 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that average consumption of 2-5 cups of coffee a day with 200-300mg caffeine reduces the risk of developing age-related illnesses such as heart disease, type2 diabetes, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and more. Coffee is rich in antioxidants, magnesium and potassium- all associated with the prevention of these diseases.

Calcium-rich foods such as milk and cheese – a study in the UK, to be published by the Journal of Heart, followed thousands of children between 1948-2005, and found that children who consumed more dairy products lived longer. It also found that they had a lower risk of developing heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

Foods rich in friendly bacteria – One of the indices known today as a contributor to shortened life and a substrate for chronic disease is the inflammation level in our body. Foods known to tackle inflammation are those containing friendly bacteria such as probiotic yogurt, and foods in which bacteria is formed during their preparation process, such as pickles, sauerkraut etc..

Foods containing phytosterols – Studies in recent years have established the contribution of phytosterols (natural ingredients derived from plants) to reducing LDL cholesterol. Small amounts of phytosterols are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, and larger amounts in fortified foods such as yogurt drink with phytosterols.

Stay healthy,

Amali

Apple or pear shape?

In the medical field in general, and particularly in preventive medicine, there are material differences between men and women. Female obesity is typified by accumulation of fat in the thighs and buttocks area (“pear-shaped” obesity), whereas men accumulate fat in the upper abdomen (“apple-shaped” obesity). The location of fat is not the only distinctive characteristic here; the size and number of fat cells vary as well. Fat cells in the thigh area are small and numerous, whereas abdominal fat cells are larger and smaller in number. Male obesity is more dangerous as it contributes to the development of diabetes, increased blood fats, blood pressure and heart disease, but treatment is relatively quick and easy. Female obesity, on the other hand, is not considered a health risk, but proves to be more difficult to treat and produces much slower results. It should be noted that more and more women develop obesity before and during menopause, which puts them on the same level as men in terms of the incidence of these diseases.

Beefy men, sweet women

Food preferences also differ on a gender basis. Most women express craving for carbohydrates and candies, up to the point of eating whole chocolate bars, wafers, cookies, large pasta portions and so on. Men, on the other hand, especially at a younger age, would rather eat meat dishes prepared in various forms and styles.

The reason for such craving and appetite control problems in women is associated with several factors, one of which being lower serotonin level than men. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter secreted in the brain. You might call it the “calm and satiety potion”. Relatively low levels of serotonin in the female brain may also be responsible for the high incidence of eating disorders among women (anorexia and bulimia).

Brain activity associated with appetite control is different among men and women as well. A recent study examined this eating theory and the effect of the brain on appetite control in a group of healthy women and men. Participants were asked to eat a rich selection of dishes. The food they ate was examined, and a CT scan of their brain was conducted. The next day, participants took part in a workshop that taught them how to reduce their food intake. That evening, they were invited to eat again.

It turned out that most participants actually ate less, but the brain scans showed that while the hunger centers in the male brains decreased, the hunger centers in the female brains did not change significantly. The researchers’ hypothesis was that due to the physiological role of women – bearing children for the continuous existence of the human race- they eat to survive, because their brains signal eating whenever they can.

The cultural/social aspect of things plays out as well. Women in our society are typically responsible for most family nutrition practices: Buying products, cooking, baking, hosting and serving. They are always available, despite the fact that an increasing number of men prepare gourmet dishes for the family nowadays.

Clearly, gender-based diet does exist, and should be addressed both physiologically and behaviorally when dealing with weight problems of women and men. Women, for instance, find it more difficult to lose weight.

Findings of a comprehensive survey conducted by Foodborne from May 2006 to April 2007, pertained to more than 14,000 American adults who revealed their eating habits. Overall, this survey showed that men are more likely to report consumption of meat and poultry, whereas women eat more fruits and vegetables. More specifically, men reported eating meat products such as duck, veal, beef and poultry, whereas women reported eating vegetables, mostly carrots and tomatoes. Moreover, eggs and yogurt were given a higher priority among women.

Researchers in this study also looked for behavioral patterns associated with the consumption of six hazardous foods: Raw hamburger, soft or slightly cooked eggs, oysters, unpasteurized milk, cheese made of unpasteurized milk and alfalfa sprouts. Results found that men had significantly more dangerous eating habits and were likely to eat uncooked eggs and raw hamburger, whereas women were more likely to eat alfalfa sprouts.

Tips for female nutrition

I am often asked about what we, women, should eat in order to maintain our health, so I put together several tips for you:

Everybody knows that eating fruits and vegetables can prevent disease, but some vegetables have unique properties, like breast cancer prevention. A new study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and red peppers help prevent breast cancer. The carotenoids in these vegetables are known for their ability to inhibit the aging process, protect the eyes, improve brain function and even reduce solar radiation damage and boost skin rejuvenation.

Consumption of Omega 3, for example, which is found primarily in cooked fish (tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines), can reduce symptoms of depression and contain mood swings, particularly within the context of hormonal changes such as PMS, postnatal depression and the menopause.

And on the subject of PMS, you should increase your intake of vitamin B complex, including B6. Vitamin B can be found in whole grains such as brown rice, oats, wheat, barley, rye and corn. Grains are rich in vitamin B. They also contain minerals, essential fatty acids and fiber.

Legumes are a good source of vitamin B and minerals. They also provide protein with a better phosphorus-calcium ratio than in meat, and excellent fiber content that helps regulate bowel movement, detoxify the body and balance blood sugar.

Recommended daily intake of calcium during menopause is 1000-1500mg. Calcium concentration is clearly high in dairy products, so it’s easy to obtain the required level by simply consuming them. A glass of milk contains 100mg of calcium, and yoghurt contains 240mg calcium per 200ml. But calcium is not the only nutrient involved in building our bones.

Magnesium and vitamin D are needed in sufficient amounts to allow calcium to “perform its job” in bones. If any of these substances is lacking, calcium utilization decreases. The more calcium we consume, the more supplemental nutrients such as magnesium we need. Despite the fact that magnesium level in the bone is smaller than calcium, it improves calcium absorption there. Magnesium sources: Dark green vegetables, whole grains and almonds.

Vegetables and fruits are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, and you can also drink fruit and vegetable juices. They are primary a source of zinc, magnesium and antioxidants, and are high in fiber. Vegetables and fruits, and particularly walnuts and almonds, are rich in phytosterols that have a positive effect on the lipid profile, and mostly the LDL cholesterol.

Probiotics foods help regulate bowel movement affected by hormonal changes, reduce lactose intolerance, strengthen the immune system and intestinal protection tissue, and increase the absorption of nutrients. Probiotics bacteria are found in foods like yogurt.

Reduce the amounts of refined sugar you consume in candies, pastries, cakes and white flour products. There is no need to avoid these foods altogether, but try to eat them in moderation. Consumption of fried foods and foods high in saturated fat should also be reduced.

Drink water regularly – not from a tap, unless it is fitted with a filter – because water is one of the most effective detoxifiers we can give ourselves on a daily basis. I recommend drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. Daily exercise is also advisable, to control weight and metabolism, increase insulin sensitivity and improve bone maintenance.

Going out on a picnic means a packed-full picnic box and barbeque accessories, which Israelis love so much. To help you get a better sense of what to pack just before you take off, I decided to put together some tips that will nutritionally upgrade your outdoor activity.

Careful planning

The amount of food put in the picnic box should match the number of participants. We sometimes tend to forget this, but our outdoor activity is intended for a group, not a battalion … so try to avoid an “overload” situation. Many times we want to finish all the food we brought with us, because there’s no point in taking back thawed meat or unrefrigerated salads that were kept out all day. On the other hand, throwing food away is a shame. Carefully-planned packing is, therefore, the name of the game here, as it will prevent such a situation.

Less fat

Israelis like to eat various types of meat on picnics. As I am often asked about recommended parts, this post might be a good opportunity to tell you that you should always choose parts of meat and poultry that are not high in fat (e.g., meat – sirloin #11, shoulder #4, #5, fillet #6 and Blade (“false fillet”) #12, or poultry- breast or skinless drumsticks ). And no, contrary to popular myth, fat does not drip onto the grill rack…

BBQ-ing and grilling …

To protect the meat and poultry from smoke particles that may penetrate them, you should first prepare the coals, heat them through, and only then place the steel surface on the grill and put the meat on top. This way you prevent direct contact between the burning smoky coals and the meat. As you probably know, pre-prepared outdoor grills are available today for this purpose.

…with all the trimmings

During the meal itself, you should try and have as many dips and spreads as possible, likes chickpeas (hummus), eggplants, tomato salsa, vegetable salad and more. They are rich in vitamins and minerals and enable us to eat more vegetables and less foods that only add more calories to the picnic, such as bread, pitta bread, fatty meat and more.

It is advisable to choose dips and spreads with less added fat and more vegetable oil, like canola oil.

A seasoning season

And how can we forget olive oil, this tasty, health-empowering addition to every meal. You can pre-cut the vegetable salad at home, but season it with salt, olive oil and lemon just before you eat, so as to keep its ingredients intact.

Finishing off with coffee

It is important to know that potentially harmful substances are created by the mere heating of meat (this can happen even during preparation and heating of meat at home – when making meatballs, for example). A recent ground-breaking study by researchers from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and ARO Volcani Center, headed by Prof. Yossi Kanner, found that drinking black coffee next to a meal protects the body from these substances. It is, therefore, recommended to drink black (Turkish) coffee before/after eating meat/poultry.

Enjoy your picnic!

The first time that the brand “Strauss Water” appeared on posters in the London Tube, or the logo “Haier Strauss Water” sparkled in glossy magazines in China, I was very excited, but I was also a little nervous. Every global brand has to pass a few tests: Will its promise be relevant? Will the brand manage to speak to the local audience on one hand and sound similar (at the very least) in Chinese, English and Hebrew on the other?

When we started to define the essence of the Strauss Water brand, we knew it wouldn’t be easy. The idea of building a global brand appealed to us, but the mega-brands everyone knows made us feel small and inexperienced: I-Phone, Apple, Nespresso, Nike, Starbucks … How could we complete on the global stage?. We have Tami4, which is a strong and familiar brand in Israel, but we decided to build Strauss Water as a global brand in countries such as China. Did someone say “ambitious”?

We decided to sweep our insecurities under the carpet in the hopes that we would forget about them entirely..

We went back to Square One and asked ourselves what we would like to do; what we came here for; what we have; and what we want to give. Then we tried to define how to do it so it would be relevant to millions of people in locations around the world.

The definition of products, services, technologies and people, shaped our promise: We are here to Create Wonder out of Water. Water looks different in different places, but it’s always based on the technology and products that transform unsafe water into safe, concern into calm, and routine into a consumer experience.

You know the moment you discover something, and it’s so right and clear that it seems that it should always have been there? That’s how we felt when we realized that all over the world, regardless of the quality of tap water or how people drink it, people always want the same thing – not to have to worry about the water they drink; knowing it’s safe, that this essential resource is always available, and fits their lifestyle and needs.

People everywhere are becoming much more sensitive about the issue of drinking water, especially once they become parents. They prefer not to carry bottles if a more convenient, economical and environmentally-friendly solution is available. People everywhere would like to drink more water because it’s healthy.

I would love to tell you that this revelation solved all our problems and that we are now completely clear about how the brand should communicate and what it should say in every market. But this isn’t the case. We embarked on a long journey of learning, trial and error, and success. We studied the visual language: How to define a language that would shape an ongoing, cohesive picture across various regions and still give us creative flexibility.

We determined the essential elements, the must-haves without which it would be impossible to identify and build our brand in the world: a visible logo, unique graphic elements (flows), white background and a bluish color palette. In China there’s more red – a color that symbolizes wealth and success; in the UK you will always see cup of tea; and the pictures in Israel are more family-oriented. Interesting, isn’t it?

So yes, it’s exciting and challenging, but certainly not easy

But don’t worry; I’ve heard that Coca Cola has branding debates too.