Latest news with #cleanEating
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Off-grid mother who starved her three-year-old son to death before giving him ritualistic burial in back garden admits living in a harmful 'bubble'
A mother whose obsession with 'clean eating' led to the death of her severely malnourished toddler has expressed regret at her lifestyle saying she now realises she was living in a harmful 'bubble'. Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah, 43, said she now 'wished she had done more research diets' but was 'trying to protect myself from all the bad things in the world'. She and her husband Tai, 42, were jailed for a total of 44 years in December over the death of three year old Abiyah, whose remains were found buried in the back garden of their former Birmingham home. The couple, both degree-educated, lived in squalor after turning their back on society, surviving only on fruit, nuts and seeds having established a 'kingdom' in which they lived under their own religion and laws. They were found to have willfully neglected Abiyah by failing to provide him with enough food and to necessary medical attention - prioritising their 'distorted system of beliefs' over his welfare. A review by Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership, published today, suggests health and social care workers and police may have been put off challenging to couple's religious beliefs over fears of being seen as discriminatory. The report said Abiyah became 'invisible and lost from professional view' following a lack of 'exploration or curiosity' by health visitors while the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 likely contributed to the 'lack of follow-through activity'. Abiyah's birth in 2016 was registered but he was not seen by medics or professionals after 2018 and his death in January 2020 went unnoticed. Officials only discovered the boy had died almost three years later, after police were asked to conduct a welfare check on the couple. They admitted burying him in the garden after laying with his body for eight days in the hope he would be reincarnated. When his remains were exhumed, he was found to have had severe malnutrition, rickets, anaemia and stunted growth thanks to his limited diet. His decaying teeth were falling out and he had five fractures that would have caused terrible pain. The review said the case demonstrated the need for 'professionals to be confident to ask questions about different cultures and belief systems without fear of being perceived as discriminatory'. Abiyah was last seen by medical professionals in 2018 after which there was a 'catastrophic deterioration in his health and welfare between that point and his death in early 2020 due to the appalling neglect by his parents'. Report author Kevin Bell said the last months his life 'must have been unimaginably sad and painful'. Both the mother and father were said to be members of Royal Ahayah's Witness described as an 'obscure religious movement that has ties to Black Israelites and is based on the belief that mainstream Christianity is designed to subjugate the Black Community.' The sign on the front door of the couple's home in Birmingham The review said their hostility towards those in authority caused the focus of professionals to be 'diverted or distracted' from the children's welfare while the couple's numerous name changes and aliases made it more difficult for agencies to track and share information effectively. It noted that Abiyah 'was only ever seen by a small number of professionals during his lifetime, and for a limited time only'. According to records, he was seen by a health visitor in April 2016 shortly after his birth, and the following month for a check-up. There was some contact in 2018 with a local authority social worker in London and four visits to a children's centre in Birmingham, but the review said: 'Records of these contacts and interactions are very limited, reinforcing that there was very little insight into (Abiyah's) existence, health or welfare.' Abiyah's parents' trial heard police visited the Clarence Road property in Handsworth three times, including in February 2018 when Abiyah was alive. The review stated that with regard to this visit 'no details were recorded' about Abiyah, with his presence 'almost invisible on review of records'. Elsewhere, the review noted 'no exploration or curiosity' from the health visiting service, run by Birmingham Community Health Care NHS Foundation Trust, about Abiyah's mother's desire for a home birth with no medical intervention. In March 2020, health visitor records said it had been noted at a safeguarding meeting that Abiyah had not been seen by them since his six-week assessment, with appointments at the one and two-year marks since his birth not attended. He had also not received any routine immunisations. While a follow-up inquiry was planned, there was no record of why it never happened, although the review stated that the coronavirus lockdown which began that year likely contributed. The various authorities coming into contact with the child's family showed a 'general lack of knowledge or assessment of the parents' belief systems', leading to an 'insufficient understanding about the impact on his care, the review said. It added that his parents' behaviour 'often distracted or diverted professional attention' away from his safety and welfare. The review stated: 'Parental resistance of advice, support or authority ultimately resulted in (Abiyah) becoming invisible and lost from professional view.' The report included reflections that while social workers had been aware of the family's culture and parents' beliefs and lifestyle, they appeared not to have considered 'with detailed curiosity' the impact on Abiyah's safety and wellbeing, 'such as if indeed his overall needs were being met'. Tai, the 42-year-old son of a former Nigerian government official, was jailed for 24-and-a-half years at Coventry Crown Court in December while 43-year-old Naiyahmi received a 19-and-a-half-year sentence after being convicted of causing the death of Abiyah, child cruelty and perverting the course of justice. Judge Mr Justice Wall said the fact the couple had taken no photographs of the boy in the last four months of his life was 'a clear sign that you realised by then how sick he was'. The judge told them: 'Abiyah died as a result of your wilful neglect of him. He was severely stunted in his growth - at almost four years of age, he was buried in the clothes of an 18-month-old. 'It is difficult to imagine a worse case of neglect.' As part of the review, the views of both parents were sought. Tai refused to be interviewed but Yasharahyalah agreed telling the review it was now 'hard to accept that my approach did not lead to the best outcomes for my child and that it took the court process to take me out of that bubble'. She said at the time, she did not think Abiyah needed help with any illness. In a statement, James Thomas and Sue Harrison Co-Chairs of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership, said the review had 'identified important learning'. They said: 'Learning includes agencies working together collectively to safeguard children who become 'out of sight' and working more effectively with families who find themselves on the fringes of society, helping them to access support and intervening where necessary when children are at risk. 'Protecting children out of professional sight is a real challenge, given the limits of statutory powers to ensure all children are regularly seen. Our Partnership has made this one of our top strategic priorities to ensure that we do everything we possibly can to identify risk to those children who are out of sight.' An NSPCC spokesperson said: 'While the parents of little Abiyah are ultimately responsible for his death, this review brings into sharp focus why it is crucial that professionals demonstrate curiosity and scrutiny. 'This means asking probing questions, joining up and sharing information and undertaking quality assessments to inform an understanding of the impact of the parents' behaviour on the child. 'This is particularly challenging when parents are reluctant and resistant to engage, which in this situation took the focus away from the safety of this little boy until tragically it was far too late. 'Having the confidence to recognise and know how to enquire about ethnicity, cultural and belief related behaviours, while keeping an open mind, can help child safeguarding practitioners across agencies build better relationships with families and identify the impact and potential risks to children. 'It is acknowledged that this and the other learning points raised by the review have been taken on board by the organisations involved and changes have been made to better protect children.'
Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Being called a nepo baby is hurtful, says Sainsbury's great-granddaughter
A food writer who is related to the supermarket Sainsbury family has called being described as 'a nepo baby ' unfair. Ella Mills, a blogger known for her recipe blog and brand Deliciously Ella, is the great-granddaughter of Lord Alan John Sainsbury, of the supermarket-owning family. She told Good Housekeeping UK magazine: 'I passionately wanted to do Deliciously Ella on my own. Of course, it didn't take journalists long to link the dots and I felt so bad in retrospect. 'I knew people would say I was just a nepo baby, but you don't sell 100 million products because 40 years ago Sainsbury's went public. At the same time, having that connection meant I had a subconscious wish to do something quite different, against the odds, as my great-grandfather had done.' In the mid-2010s, Mills was touted as a pioneer of the 'clean eating' movement, despite telling a magazine in 2016 that 'I would never use the word 'clean''. The concept, promoting minimally processed foods, was controversial, with Nigella Lawson telling BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour that 'behind the notion of clean eating is an implication that any other form of eating is dirty or shameful'. During this time, Mills received backlash for her gluten, meat and dairy-free recipes, as well as her personal wellness journey, which was associated with the clean eating movement. She told the magazine: 'It [the backlash] was instigated more by the media than by social media. I don't have it as bad as some people who've been trolled, but I'm aware that a fair share of people don't like me, for sure. 'I accept that if you have a public platform and you share your opinion with the world, the world is quite right to have an opinion back. If I can help people to eat more plants and have a more natural diet, then that's more important than anything a troll can say about me. 'You have this bizarre, quite ironic dichotomy – as our collective health gets worse, the wellness industry gets bigger, noisier, more confusing and more niche. If you go online, people are following these extreme morning routines, achieving so much by 9am. Plants 'changed my life' 'My concern is that too many people think that their health is synonymous with expensive powder and wildly elaborate routines. Everything I suggest is evidence-based. It's not about gimmicks or fads. I changed my diet [to plant-based] and it changed my life.' In the summer of 2011, Mills was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which is when the heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from sitting or lying down, according to the NHS website. In her book, Deliciously Ella, published in 2015, she said that changing her diet meant 'in less than two years I was off all the medication I should have been on for life'.
Daily Mail
12-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Popular health food eaten by millions found to be riddled with toxic metals linked to autism, cancer
Gluten-free may not be risk-free. An investigation has found that dozens of gluten-free products are riddled with toxic heavy metals linked to cancer and autism. The gluten-free market has boomed in the past decade, amid a wider shift toward 'clean eating', endorsements from celebrities like Victoria Beckham, and the perception that the foods under this label are 'healthier'. Cassava is a large root vegetable, popular among people on the diet because it doesn't contain gluten and is versatile; it can be ground into a flour to create gluten-free versions of snacks like cookies. The watchdog Consumer Reports tested 27 Cassava-based chips, cookies and crackers, among other products — and found some of them contained more lead than they had ever seen in more than a decade of product tests. Overall, two-thirds of the products contained more lead in a single serving than the organization's maximum level recommended — up to 2,000 percent above safe levels. Experts suggest Cassava may absorb lead from the ground, with the toxic metal either naturally occurring or left there by contaminated sewage sludge or fertilizers. Lead is dangerous because it can damage brain cells, with studies suggesting the toxic metal can leave people with learning difficulties and possibly even autism. James Rogers, the director of food and safety research at the organization, said: 'Some of these cassava products had the highest level of lead that we've ever tested, and I've been with Consumer Reports for eight and a half years. 'We never want consumers to panic, but we do want them to be aware so they can take proper measures to reduce their lead intake, since long-term lead exposure can lead to adverse health outcomes.' Eight products — mostly Cassava flour — contained such high levels of the toxic metal that the organization said people should avoid them entirely. Lead is a toxic heavy metal that is absorbed into the blood from contaminated foods and then travels to the brain, damaging cells. Studies have already linked lead exposure to a higher risk of learning difficulties and communication problems, with some even suggesting exposure in early life or in the womb may raise the risk of developing autism. The FDA says there is no safe level of lead exposure, while California says people should not be exposed to more than 0.5 micrograms of lead per day. Cassava is particularly popular among the more than 3 million gluten-free people in the US because it can be used to replicate much-loved snacks without exposing them to gluten. Among paleo-diet followers, it is a popular source of carbohydrates when many others — like bread and pasta — are off the menu. Between one and three million people in the US follow this diet, estimates claim. For the report, Consumer Reports tested one serving of Cassava-based products including chips, flour, crackers, bread, cookies, cereal, pasta, puff snacks, bars, and soda. Of the eight flours tested, four had lead levels that were so high consumers were told not to eat them. Three others had lead levels per serving between 200 and 600 percent the recommended level. Of the eight Cassava chips tested, two had levels that were so high that Consumer Reports said they should be avoided. In total, lead levels in the chips ranged from 600 to 1,700 percent. Overall, Bob's Red Mill Cassava Flour — sold in Walmart, health foods grocer Sprouts and others — was found to have the highest lead levels, at 2,343 percent higher than the recommended level. Also in the top ten were Whole Foods-own brand Sea Salt Cassava Tostones Cassava Chips, with lead levels 1,723 percent above the recommended level. Processing the vegetable into flour concentrates it, which experts say makes lead levels higher. The report tested the Cassava products for four heavy metals, with the other three being mercury, arsenic and cadmium. Mercury was found in none of the products, while there was a measurable amount of arsenic — commonly linked to pesticides, and can cause brain damage and cancer — in half. Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal that damages organs, was also detected in almost all of the products. Consumer Reports uses a much lower recommended lead level exposure of 0.5 micrograms per day, which it bases on California's safe limit. For comparison, the FDA says that exposure for adults should not exceed 8.8 micrograms per day. For children, it said this shouldn't exceed 2.2 micrograms. The difference is because California's limit is based on health concerns, while the FDA's indicates where damage has previously been observed. Rogers added: 'The negative effects of lead happen over time when there's chronic exposure, so you won't get lead poisoning if you eat one serving of these products. 'However, I would strongly urge consumers to reconsider using the seven products we listed to avoid.' Consumer Reports contacted 18 of the companies mentioned before publishing its findings, and also sent them their test results. Nine of them responded, with many saying that lead was a naturally occuring element that could not be completely avoided. Some also said that they test their ingredients or finished products for heavy metals. Several companies said that the products tested for the report have since been discontinued, with some acknowledging that concerns about lead in cassava played a role in the decision. Eight of the companies products carry warning labels on the back over higher lead levels. This is in line with California's Proposition 65, which requires any products with lead levels above 0.5 micrograms per serving to carry the warning.
