'Pope' of French cuisine Paul Bocuse dies age 91

PARIS, France - Paul Bocuse, one of the greatest French chefs of all time, died on Saturday aged 91 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Dubbed the "pope" of French cuisine, Bocuse helped shake up the food world in the 1970s with the Nouvelle Cuisine revolution and create the idea of the celebrity chef.

French President Emmanuel Macron led the tributes, calling him a "mythic figure who transformed French cuisine. Chefs are crying in their kitchens across France."

"He was one of the greatest figures of French gastronomy, the General Charles de Gaulle of cuisine," said French food critic Francois Simon, comparing him to France's wartime saviour and dominant postwar leader.

A giant in a nation that prides itself as the beating heart of gastronomy, Bocuse was France's only chef to keep the Michelin food bible's coveted three-star rating through more than four decades.

The heart of his empire, L'Auberge de Collonges au Mont D'Or, his father's village inn near Lyon in food-obsessed southeastern France, earned three stars in 1965, and never lost a single one.

"Monsieur Paul," as he was known, was named "chef of the century" by Michelin's rival guide, the Gault-Millau in 1989, and again by The Culinary Institute of America in 2011."

A great upholder of tradition as well as an innovator, several of his trademark dishes at the Auberge remained unchanged for decades including the black truffle soup he created for French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing in 1975, who named him a commander of the Legion of Honour.

- Lover of food, wine and women -

Born into a family of cooks since 1765, Bocuse began his apprenticeship at the age of 16 and came to epitomise a certain type of French epicurean -- a lover of fine wine, food and women.

He slept in the same room where he was born, and managed to maintain a relationship with his wife Raymonde and at least two lovers.

"I love women and we live too long these days to spend one's entire life with just one," Bocuse told the Daily Telegraph in 2005.

Polygamy was part of his huge appetite for life, he insisted. Married to Raymonde since 1946, he also shared his life with Raymone -- with whom he had a son -- and Patricia, who looked after his image for the last 40 years.

With the Gault-Millau guide, Bocuse became a driving force behind the Nouvelle Cuisine in the 1970s, sweeping away the rich and heavy sauces of yesteryear in favour of super-fresh ingredients and sleek aesthetics.

The term was invented by Gault-Millau to describe food Bocuse helped prepare for the maiden flight of the Concorde airliner in 1969.

Slashing cooking times, paring down menus and paying new attention to health, Nouvelle Cuisine was a craze that fizzled out but left a lasting legacy.

Personally, Bocuse prefered to eat more hearty traditional fare. "I love butter, cream and wine," he said, "not little peas cut into four."

And he drew the line at some of Nouvelle Cuisine's excesses, shunning its extreme minimalism.

Even so, the movement's insistence on the freshest of ingredients and the introduction of technology into the kitchen helped pave the way for the "chemistry set cuisine" which now dominates fine dining.

"It was a real revolution," said Simon. "They coined a concept that came at exactly the right moment -- at a time when gastronomy was a bit dull and heavy and not sexy at all."

"Bocuse is respected for the fact he kept things in proportion," said France-based critic Rosa Jackson.

- Great showman -

"Good cooking for me is when you lift up the lid and it smells delicious, and you reach for a second helping," Bocuse wrote a few years before his illness struck.

His status as the giant of haute cuisine owed as much to his showmanship and pioneering business sense as it did to his culinary genius.

"His cuisine was built around the classic French repertoire," said Simon. "But people came for the emotion, for his banter, his personality, his sense of humour."

"He wasn't a pain in the arse -- unlike some who reckon they are great chefs. And he always played the part, greeting people with a smile.

"And he taught his colleagues how to get people talking about you," paving the way for today's celebrity chefs, Simon said.

"Chefs had a completely ridiculous image back then," he said. "The cook was seen as a simpleton slaving away backstage in a greasy kitchen, who would emerge at midnight smelling of fish."

In 1965, Bocuse left his kitchen for Japan, the first of many trips to promote French culinary know-how around the world.

"He's been hugely influential. He trained a lot of chefs, including from Japan," said Jackson.

From his travels he picked up a flair for marketing, going on to launch an international range of Bocuse branded products and a successful chain of open-plan brasseries, setting up catering schools and competitions.

He also gave his name to the world's top international cookery competition, the annual "Bocuse d'Or".

In 2007, more than 80 top chefs flew to France from around the world to celebrate his 81st birthday and his legacy.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74

LOS ANGELES, United States - Boxing icon Muhammad Ali died on Friday, a family spokesman said in a statement.

"After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74," spokesman Bob Gunnell said.

Ali, whose fame transcended sport during a remarkable heavyweight boxing career that spanned three decades, had been hospitalized in the Phoenix, Arizona, area with a respiratory ailment this week.

Concern for the three-time heavyweight world champion had grown throughout Friday amid reports that his respiratory trouble was complicated by the Parkinson's that had left the fighter called "The Greatest" increasingly frail.

Known globally not only for his storied ring career but also for his civil rights activism, Ali had been hospitalized multiple times in recent years.

He spent time in hospital in 2014 after suffering a mild case of pneumonia and again in 2015 for a urinary tract infection.

His Parkinson's, thought to be linked to the thousands of punches he took during a brutal career studded by bruising battles inside the ropes, had limited his public speaking for years.

But he continued to make appearances and offer opinions through his family members and spokespeople.

In April, he attended a Celebrity Fight Night Dinner in Phoenix that raised funds for treatment of Parkinson's.

In December, he issued a statement rebuking US presidential hopeful Donald Trump's call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.

"Muhammad Ali transformed this country and impacted the world with his spirit," said longtime boxing promoter Bob Arum. "His legacy will be part of our history for all time."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Coffee-drinkers less likely to die from certain diseases

People who report drinking three to five cups of coffee per day are less likely to die prematurely from heart disease, suicide, diabetes or Parkinson's disease, US researchers said.

Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were shown to have benefits, said the study by researchers at the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health published in the November 16 edition of the journal Circulation.

The study compared people who don't drink coffee, or drank less than two cups daily, to those who reported drinking "moderate" amounts of coffee, or up to five cups daily.

The study did not prove a cause-and-effect for coffee and the reduced likelihood of certain diseases, but uncovered an apparent link that aligns with previous research, and that scientists would like to probe further.

"Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation," said first author Ming Ding, a doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition.

"That could explain some of our findings. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects."

No protective effect was found against cancer in this study. Some previous research has pointed to a link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of certain cancers.

The study was based on data gathered from three large, ongoing surveys including some 300,000 nurses and other health professionals who agree to answer questionnaires about their own medical conditions and habits at regular intervals over the course of 30 years.

"In the whole study population, moderate coffee consumption was associated with reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, and suicide," said the findings.

Researchers also accounted for potential confounding factors such as smoking, body mass index, exercise, alcohol consumption, and diet. But the fact that the research relied on surveys, which use self-reported behavior, could raise questions about its reliability.

And experts warned that coffee -- a substance adored by many devotees -- may not be right for everyone.

"Regular consumption of coffee can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet," said senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard.

"However, certain populations such as pregnant women and children should be cautious about high caffeine intake from coffee or other beverages."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Advocates pitch benefits of medical marijuana

MANILA -- Advocates of medical marijuana on Tuesday attempted to convince lawmakers of the positive use of the illegal plant in the field of medicine.

Various experts attended the hearing of the House Committee on Health to convince lawmakers to pass House Bill 4477, or the "Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act,'' which was filed by Isabela 1st District Representative Rodolfo Albano III and has 69 co-authors.

The advocates, including a foreign doctor who shared his expertise through a video message, explained the medical significance of cannabis or marijuana.

They insisted that cannabis is a unique drug that has vast potential for treatment.

Marijuana is the only known plant that produces large amounts of a class of chemicals known as cannabinoids, which is naturally produced by the human body.

The cannabinoid system, only discovered roughly two decades ago, is responsible for the regulation and protection of the the body. Cannabis has been used to manage pain, fight inflammation, battle depression, and regulate appetite and sleep, among others.

It has been proven as an effective treatment against serious ailments like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), epilepsy, Parkinson's Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis.

Albano clarified that HB 4477 only seeks to legalize marijuana strictly for medical use only. The bill seeks to regulate the use of cannabis for treatment and medication of patients with debilitating medical conditions.

If enacted, a Medical Cannabis Regulatory Authority under the Department of Health will be established to regulate the medical use of marijuana.

Qualified patients will be given identification cards that will protect them from criminal liability for the use of medical cannabis.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Disease or syndrome: Know the difference

MANILA -- A syndrome is different from a disease, and it usually affects more than just one body part.

In an interview on DZMM's "Magandang Gabi Dok," Dr. Joseph Lee, a urologist and surgeon, explained that unlike diseases, syndromes do not usually get treated.

"Ang syndrome kasi, ang classical, sabihin natin, manifestations and symptoms. Ganun naman, lahat naman ng sakit meron tayong any substance or medications na pwedeng gamutin ano, from medications, marami tayo," Lee said.

He added that medications are used merely to manage the symptoms of syndromes.

The causes of most syndromes are usually unknown.

"That's why it is a syndrome. It's never a disease because you are not specific, hindi tayo specific on that point," Lee said.

Diseases, on the other hand, can be treated, with its cause known.

An example of a syndrome is Parkinson's Disease. Although it is called a disease, doctors consider it as a syndrome, since it affects a person's motor system.

Also known as hypokinetic-rigid syndrome, Parkinson's disease is caused by the build up of lewy bodies, abnormal aggregates of protein, inside the nerve cells and the midbrain, or the substancia nigra.

The substancia nigra is a part of the brain that plays an important role in reward, addiction, and movement

Symptoms of Parkinson's include tremors and rigidity. Patients also tend to have what is called the Parkinsonian gait.

Patients also have difficulties in speaking, finding it difficult to move muscles in the mouth.

"Nagsasalita siya pero medyo may kabagalan o hindi mo na naiintindihan ang lenggwahe na lumalabas sa kanyang bibig," Lee said.

Among celebrities suffering from Parkinson's are Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali and Freddie Roach.

The exact cause of Parkinson's is unknown, but is connected to different factors such as genetics, exposure to pesticides and toxins, and in case of boxers, head injury.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Muhammad Ali hospitalized with pneumonia

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has been hospitalized with pneumonia and is expected to recover because the illness was caught early, a spokesman said on Saturday.

Ali, 72, was admitted to a hospital in an undisclosed location Saturday morning and is being treated by a team of doctors and remains in stable condition, spokesman Bob Gunnell said.

"Because the pneumonia was caught early, his prognosis is good with a short hospital stay expected," Gunnell said in a statement.

He declined to give any further details of the boxer's condition and said Ali's family was asking for privacy.

The boxing great, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, made a public appearance in September to attend a ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, for the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards.

A three-time world heavyweight champion, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's about three years after he retired from boxing in 1981.

(Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Robert Birsel)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao won't sue doc over Parkinson's claim

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing idol Manny Pacquiao is not going to sue a medical doctor who claimed that Pacquiao is showing signs of Parkinson's disease.

In an interview with ABS-CBN's Dyan Castillejo, Pacquiao said all he wants is an apology from Dr. Rustico Jimenez, who said in a radio dzMM interview that he had observed signs of the disease when Pacquiao gives TV interviews, such as stuttering and hand-twitching.

Pacquiao said he feels 100% fit, and that he plans to fight twice in 2013.

Jimenez, the president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP), said he only gave his personal observation, adding that Pacquiao should subject himself to more tests.

"I'm not labeling Congressman Pacquiao as having Parkinson's disease," he told ABS-CBN News. "Observation ko lang 'yun... Ang sinasabi ko, magpatest siyang mabuti."

"Kung nasaktan siya because of my observation, e humihingi na ko ng apology sa kanya," he added.

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA), for its part, said Jimenez may have violated ethical standards when he said Pacquiao was showing signs of Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Santiago del Rosario, a member of the PMA ethics committee, said Pacquiao’s primary physician has the sole authority to make public statements on the boxer’s physical state.

“The channeling should be from the primary physician and nobody else can make any opinion or express any position as far as the health of any patient. That is not his patient,” said Del Rosario, when asked about the controversy during a PMA press conference.

The PMA said it is a fundamental duty of any doctor to maintain confidentiality of any information concerning their patients.

It added that issuing a statement even without personally examining a person would lead to misunderstandings.

“Especially on the case of Congressman Manny Pacquiao, I will just keep quiet and not say anything else ... I don't want the public to misunderstand me,” said PMA president Dr. Modesto Llamas.

Jimenez said he's prepared to appear before the PMA ethics committee if summoned. -- report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

source: abs-cbnnews.com

WBC president 'worried' about Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – World Boxing Council (WBC) president Don Jose Sulaiman expressed his concern for Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, who suffered a devastating knockout loss to Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez in December.

In a statement released to Boxing Scene, Sulaiman called Pacquiao’s knockout loss “dramatic.”

“No one could withstand such a powerful punch, right on the button, and that is worrying,” Sulaiman said.

“I pray that Pacquiao has no health problems, because he’s been the biggest star of the past decade and the world of boxing owes so much to the Filipino,” he added.

Sulaiman noted that the WBC named Pacquiao their “best of the decade.”

Last week, a neurologist said the “Pacman” may be showing early signs of Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Rustico Jimenez, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, told DZMM that he observed Pacquiao showing early signs of Parkinson’s, including stuttering and hand-twitching.

Jimenez said that he has not met with Pacquiao personally to check on his condition, but added that the boxer’s hand twitches, which he saw during TV interviews, is a cuase of conern.

Pacquaio, however, has stressed that he is in good health and criticized both Jimenez and forensic expert Dr. Raquel Fortun for being irresponsible and showing “a total lack of ethics.”

After Pacquiao’s loss to Marquez, Fortun called on the boxer to retire in order to prevent further head trauma.

But Pacquiao insisted that there was nothing to worry about. “I am 100% healthy,” Pacquiao told Boxing Scene.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao showing early signs of Parkinson's disease?

MANILA, Philippines – A neurologist on Thursday said he has been observing early signs of Parkinson's disease from Filipino boxing icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.

Dr. Rustico Jimenez, President of Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, told radio dzMM that among the early signs of Parkinson's being exhibited by Pacquiao include stuttering and hand twitching.

Jimenez urged the Filipino champion to retire from boxing in order to avoid what happened to Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) and award-winning trainer Freddie Roach who were both afflicted with the progressive disorder of the nervous system.

"Kung ako naman ang tatanungin, siguro dapat mag-retiro ang ating pambansang hero na si Manny," he said.

"Lalo pong nadadagdagan ang trauma, lalo pong magkakaroon siya ng problema. Pwedeng later on Alzheimer's disease naman."

In a separate phone interview, Jimenez clarified that he could be wrong with his observations, but nevertheless told Pacquiao to be cautious.

He said while he has not met Pacquiao to personally check on his condition, his hand twitches during television interviews should be a cause for concern.

"Yung movement, although mabilis ang reflexes, napapansin ko lang - another view or personal view lang naman ang sa akin - parang may early signs," he said.

"May mga movements napapansin mo sa kamay. Sa kamay usually, sa ulo hindi natin makikita agad, nagtu-twitch ng konti. Although I haven't seen very close, parang nakikita ko lang mayroong ganoon."

Chronic trauma

This is not the first time that a medical expert raised concerns over Pacquiao's health.

Dr. Raquel Fortun, a renowned forensics expert in the country, earlier said she is not convinced with the CT scan results clearing Manny Pacquiao following his knockout loss to Mexican foe Juan Manuel Marquez.

She said severe head trauma could lead to Alzheimer’s disease or a form of dementia that worsens over time.

She said several studies have been done on the effect of chronic trauma or repeated hits to the head among athletes, particularly boxers and football players.

Fortun said the knockout punch that hit Pacquiao was actually 2 hits: when Marquez's fist connected with Pacquiao's face and when the boxing champ fell face down on the canvass.

"Delikado yun. Pag naalog yan yung utak mo kasi hindi fixed na fixed yan sa bungo so pag naaalog ang utak, may napu-putol putol na connections. May mga small hemorrhages ka," she said.

She said a severe blow to the head could damage the dura mater, which is a membrane that surrounds the brain. Once damaged, it could lead to a subdural hematoma.

The forensic expert expressed alarm over reports that Pacquiao allegedly had a slight seizure after falling unconscious from Marquez's hammer blow to the head. – with David Dizon, ABS-CBNnews.com

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Stem cell therapy a cure-all? Not so fast

MANILA, Philippines – It’s supposed to cure various illnesses such as cancer, spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s disease. Is stem cell therapy the cure-all that it is touted to be?

Health Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa said it is important to note that stem cell treatments are still at the experimental stage.

"The advisory is very clear. This is still an investigative form of therapy. Anecdotal reports are not enough evidence to say there is treatment,” he said in an interview on ANC's Talkback with Tina Palma.

He said there are only two standard stem cell therapies considered effective and acceptable to the medical community.

"To date, I can only name two cases that are considered standard therapy. That is bone marrow transplantation--one for severe cancer, blood cancer and the other one is bone marrow transplantation after chemotherapy for any type of cancer,” he said.

Herbosa said the Department of Health cannot confirm yet if stem cell treatment is indeed effective against certain diseases.

Dr. Tranquilino Elicaño Jr., an oncologist who availed of the treatment in April in Frankfurt, Germany, said stem cell therapy cured his high blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol and uric acid.

He had 12 injections of cells, which came from lambs.

“After a month, I had my blood tests. Everything went down to normal,” Elicaño said.

Elicaño also said he is not taking medication anymore because he has regained his health.

Anecdotal case

Dr. Michelle de Vera, deputy director of the Institute of Personalized Molecular Medicine at The Medical City, said that while Elicaño’s illnesses seem to have been cured, his is still an anecdotal case.

"There's not a whole lot of people with the same kinds of illnesses that are treated with the same kind of treatment. It cannot be generalized yet," she said.

She said out of the 350 patients who underwent stem cell therapy at The Medical City, they had no records of any patient whose condition worsened.

She said some patients did not get any better despite the treatment.

"People have to be very careful in claiming," de Vera added.

Herbosa also clarified that having a younger skin after the therapy is just a side effect, and is not the treatment's main purpose.

Role of media

Herbosa said the media played a role in the sudden popularity of stem cell treatment.

"You have popularized it beyond what the knowledge can actually support," he said.

"It may have side effects that are not yet known."

He said the health department is not regulating the proliferation of stem cell treatment facilities but urged the public to listen to official advisories.

"We won't regulate but we'll make a research protocol, validate it scientifically."

De Vera also said that each case has to be documented and they would have to determine which laboratories are capable of providing the treatment.

source: abs-cbnnews.com