Refined carbohydrates and sugar should not dominate an everyday diet, says our letter of the week. File photo / Duncan Brown
I agree New Zealand is in the middle of a "diabetes epidemic". Our diet is awash with ever increasing amounts of refined carbohydrates and sugar. Like thousands of New Zealanders, I too was marching towards type 2 diabetes and carrying too much weight. Fortunately for me, I was put onto Auckland dietician Dr Caryn Zinn, co-author of the book "What the Fat" with Professor Grant Schofield, both senior lecturers at the AUT. Caryn put me on a low-carbohydrate/healthy-fat eating plan, the results of which were immediate and dramatic. I lost 17kg in weight and the blood sugar levels dropped outside the pre-diabetic zone. My weight and blood sugar levels have since remained stable without the need for any diabetic medication. As Professor Schofield said at a lecture evening I attended: "Taking medication for diabetes is a bit like taking medication for a nut allergy, when all that is needed is to take away the nuts."
The editorial (Weekend Herald, July 27) was correct when it said that the last visit of Prince Harry and Meghan was costed at $200,000 per day; but what it failed to say, was that $165,000 of that $200,000 was attributed to security for the Prince and Duchess while they were here.
Most people should know, however, the total pay earned by the members of the Diplomatic Protection Service (DPS) for the days the royal visitors were in New Zealand, would have been paid to these full-time workers anyway. Attributing pay to a security event is a government ploy to prove that the service is required in the first place. If the DPS were all taken off pay as soon as a VIP left; then indeed, the people of New Zealand would have a genuine gripe about the cost of the visit. The New Zealand taxpayer pay for the airfares of the royal party for the simple reason that the Prime Minister invited them to come in the first place. While I accept that the comments in the editorial were relatively benign; that was not the case with the bile that was submitted to Facebook.
Chris Barradale, Parnell.
If, like the British Press, your journalists persist in denigrating and deriding Boris Johnson such that he is unable through the personal self-interest of politicians in his own party to deliver what the people voted for in a democratic referendum approved by the whole of Parliament, it will have one major advantage for New Zealand. The EU will immediately produce a constitution and declare the EU the United States of Europe. That will make the British royal family a historic nonentity and New Zealand will no longer have to pay millions whenever Charles and Camilla choose to come here and act posh.
Gerald Payman, Mt Albert.
I am the grandmother of a beautiful young woman who is visually impaired, uses a guide dog and has accessed the services of the Blind Foundation in both Parnell and South Auckland.
I am also a frequent donor to The Blind Foundation and am happy that my contribution goes to support my granddaughter plus the spokeswoman from Hamilton and many others.
Your article (Weekend Herald, July 27) omits to say how the Blind Foundation acquired its land and properties. I suspect these assets were a gift from an early Auckland benefactor and were not purchased with donations from supporters.
It is only right that the Blind Foundation should administer its property portfolio on its historic site in Parnell wisely and use earnings from these investments for services and support for the people it represents long into the future.
Has the Otago University professor not heard of the Homai Campus in South Auckland which offers residential care, schooling, guide dog training and many more activities for the visually impaired?
Maureen McDonald, Ohope.
I found the front-page story (Weekend Herald, July 27) very disturbing. For many years I have donated to the Blind Foundation on the assumption that it was a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers to help blind people. I also presumed that 100 per cent of monies donated would go to the people in need.
I was absolutely shocked to learn that, of $27 million donated last year, $2m was paid out to staff, with 12 of the executive team pocketing salaries of $165,000 each. If that wasn't bad enough we are told the top dog paid themselves in excess of $300,000. Then to make matters worse we are told that this so called charity has property portfolios in the Parnell area worth $88.5m.
Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.
Lizzie Marvelly (Weekend Herald, July 27) devotes many column centimetres defending a woman's right to abortion. At no point does she make any reference to the rights of the unborn child. Miss Marvelly fails to acknowledge that the purpose of the 1977 contraception, Sterilisation and Act was to give women conditional, legal access to abortion while protecting the rights of the unborn child at the same time.
Those opposed to abortion speak for the voiceless, the unborn child whose right to life is so often over looked, even ignored, during the abortion debate.
Pamelia Durham, Matamata.
Blowing $8m for a carpark is not a good look for an organisation which regularly seeks donations from kindhearted New Zealanders. H E H Perkins, Botany Downs.
The Weekend Herald's alphabetical order of the 25 major determinants for the upcoming American election missed the single most divisive, emotive, anger inducing issue of them all - where a candidate stands on the issue of abortion. Phil O'Connor, Panmure.
Simon Wilson briefly visited two very politically liberal cities and yet feels empowered enough to make sweeping critical comments and judgements about "Trump's America". Ericson List, Papamoa Beach.
Marvelly's article is a perfect exemplar of the wilful blindness of the pro-choice movement. Gavan O'Farrell, Lower Hutt.
Some people may not like Simon Bridges' accent but I am sure most will like his policies a heap better than those of has-been politicians like Peter Dunne and Richard Prebble. Rod Lyons, Muriwai.
Are voices really more important than appearances? Bill Rowling had a "very weak voice" and his tone gathered no moss in the end, it must be said. Dean Donoghue, Papamoa Beach.
It was interesting to see that one of the comments on Simon Bridges' diction came from serial language mangler Richard Prebble. Among Prebble's many gems was the word "aynother". Alan Tomlinson, Herne Bay.
The media needs to stop the assassination of Simon Bridges, especially about his diction. I have met him, he is actually a genuinely decent guy. Lindsay Dalziel, Westmere.
As a result of the shootings in south Auckland there is a call for more youth workers.
Can't the shooters find other victims? Neville Cameron, Taranto, Italy.
The Springboks handed us a decent lesson that rugby is an 80minute game. At least Kieran Read learnt something from last year's test at the Cake Tin - taking our penalty kicks. We were lucky to get the draw. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
It would have been a different ball game if Ardie Savea (the best at breaking open rush defences in world rugby at present) had been on the park, which begs the question why wasn't he? Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
Beauden Barrett played an excellent "one off" game against the Springboks. The Springboks were not prepared and he had space and time on the ball. Next game at fullback, he will have a big target on his back. Steve Weir, Gulf Harbour.
New Zealand muddled their way to a 16-16 draw – meaning they have now won just one of their last three tests against the side they will meet in their opening test of the Rugby World Cup in Japan. Gary Stewart, Foxton Beach.
Does anyone know of a bakery shop that makes a bacon and egg pie with bacon in it? C C McDowall, Rotorua.
Why can't Air NZ just stick to a normal safety video? It would save a lot of money and wouldn't annoy its passengers. Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.
TV fishing host on his hopes for NZ, his greatest fear and what's left on his bucket list.