Category Archives: Diet And Food

Grand Slam-winning tennis champion Venus Williams has launched a vegan protein brand, called Happy Viking.

The first product is a vegan protein shake inspired by the post-workout recipe shes used for the past 10 years. It contains 20 grams of plant protein made from peas and brown rice as well as all nine essential amino acids, which aid in recovery and prebiotic fiber to help digestion. It comes in two flavors: chocolate and vanilla.

The decision to launch the new Happy Viking range was inspired by the prolific athletes own diet.

In 2004, Williams found herself in a battle against her own body. She struggled with fatigue, shortness of breath, and muscle and joint pain. Her symptoms continued to grow progressively worse until she could no longer bear it and in 2011, the highly decorated tennis player was forced to take time off to seek professional help.

It was then that Williams was diagnosed with Sjgrens syndrome, an autoimmune condition that affects the nervous system and is identified by symptoms such as dry mouth and eyes, fatigue, and joint pain. She stepped away from the U.S. Open for the rest of the year and as a result, she fell from the top 100 tennis players for the first time since 1996.

Sjgrens syndrome cannot be cured, but it can be treated with medication and lifestyle changes. In addition to taking medication, Williams adopted a raw vegan diet to help manage her symptoms.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, following an anti-inflammatory diet may help alleviate symptoms of Sjgrens syndrome. This means eliminating common triggers, such as red meat, dairy, refined carbohydrates and sugars, alcohol, and gluten. However, no two bodies are alike, so a change in diet may affect people in different ways.

I learned so much about the food system and how it can affect your body and your health. As an athlete if Im not at optimal performance, someone else will be, Williams told Fast Company. The star athlete returned to tennis in 2012 and finished the season ranked at number 24.

Now, nearly a decade later, Williams has applied her experience with going plant-based to launch Happy Viking.

She no longer follows a strictly raw vegan diet, but she still leaves animal products off her plate. In a 2019 interview with Insider, the tennis player said she introduced some cooked foods into her diet. Lentils are now one of her favorite post-workout meals.

That way of eating was just hard to maintain for long periods of time, she said. Sometimes you just need something more substantial some rice, some potatoes after a workout.

Happy Viking is available through the online store or through Amazon.

LIVEKINDLY is here to help you navigate the growing marketplace of sustainable products that promote a kinder planet. All of our selections are curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, LIVEKINDLY may earn a commission.

Read the original post:
Venus Williams' New Vegan Food Company Is Inspired By Her Diet - LIVEKINDLY

Demi Adejuyigbe conjuring Hawaiian pizza. Illustration: Ryan Inzana

Demi Adejuyigbe is a prolific comedian and writer who has written for shows like the Good Place and James Cordens Late Late Show, hosted two popular podcasts, and been called the funniest person on the internet. (Hes known for his musical bits like the annual September 21 videos, an oeuvre that includes his rejected lyrics to Successions theme and an end-credits song for Green Book in the style of Morrissey.) This year, hes been on a baking tear, graduating from cookies to lemon cakes, but its less about perfectly crimped pie crusts for him. The process of cooking is like saying, I am worth spending this time on, and its just good for my own mental health, he says. Thats continued since he joined the writers room for Peacocks new Amber Ruffin Show, and last week he made two types of pies, along with cinnamon rolls and lemon cakes for friends. He ate salmon and turkey, too.

Tuesday, November 24Sat on my couch at 12:05 a.m. eating Double Milk Chocolate Milano cookies. This is not how I expected this diary to begin.

Around nine, I got out of bed for more Milano cookies. Kinda like that one damn Yoda meme about the olives.

Milanos are up there for me. The shortbread is so good and so crunchy, but chewy, and then the chocolate. Unfortunately, Ill be walking around in Albertsons and Ill be like, All right, no junk food, and then Ill see the Milano cookies. Yeah, theyre great. As someone who keeps trying to make different types of cookies, I think thats the cookie I ate so much as a kid those and the thumbprint cookies, the raspberry ones that Im just like, Oh, if I can make those, game over. But I dont have the patience to make them, not the way they do. Maybe one day.

In the afternoon, I cooked salmon for a salad with arugula and honey-lemon dressing and ate a whole sleeve of raspberry shortbread cookies from Ikea. I got those when I must have been trying to replace one of the pieces of my old bed frame, because I was like, I need this thing or I cant sleep in the bed. So I went to Ikea and of course I can never just get the one thing. I walked through the store, and at the end, they have those raspberry thumbprint cookies, and I was like, Yeah, okay, give me some of those.

Absentmindedly ate dried pineapple slices as I put away groceries. Then I had the last bit of salmon from lunch for dinner. Followed by late-night gummy bears.

After midnight, I baked apple turnovers for my neighbors. Our new neighbors, diagonally from us, gave us some cookies as a welcome. A sorry we cant say hi because of COVID thing. They left us a note with the cookies. So to return the favor, I baked them a box of apple turnovers and left them at their place, and they also loved it.

The turnovers are just a hit. Its so fun to make, and everyone is sort of like, Holy shit, you can do this. Im like, Its very easy, but I appreciate being thought of as impressive.

Wednesday, November 25Couldnt eat before 2 p.m. because of a doctors appointment. I spatchcocked and brined my Thanksgiving turkey in the morning and afternoon. This is the first year Ive ever cooked the turkey for Thanksgiving.

I used Samin Nosrats recipe. She mentioned buttermilk brining the turkey, when I was on her podcast with my friend Hrishi Hirway, and how that makes it really juicy, and I thought, Okay, that sounds like the thing to do. I told myself, I know I want to make the turkey this year, because was already in the throes of it it feels like my entire identity has become quietly cooking through the pandemic.. Her recipe sounded very easy, and I saw another from Williams-Sonoma, I think, about buttermilk brining with herbs and spices, and I thought thats gonna be good at bringing out the flavor. But then I also read the recipe too late, and I needed 48 hours for it, and another day or so to thaw the turkey. I didnt have that time. So I looked up another recipe that was for less time, and sort of mixed the three together. Samins was definitely the most helpful in terms of explaining the process and talking about what spatchcocking is.

Ate some fuckin Kit Kats and a few Cadbury chocolate buttons around 4:30 p.m.

For dinner, I made Beyond Meat burgers with apple-jalapeo jelly, roasted garlic and onion, and kale. Ive been an on-and-off pescatarian for probably five years now. I sort of made a pact with myself to be vegan by the age of 30, which is just for climate reasons and the guilt of, well, I dont have a good reason to continue eating meat. Now Ill give myself salmon. I lean on salmon, so much, and shrimp and other fish, but salmons also just the most malleable fish. I end up cooking it a lot. It tastes really good in so many different ways.

Its the kind of thing where every so often Ill eat a hamburger or Oh, my friend is ordering chicken and Ill get some of that, too. Its sort of that laziness transcends my pescatarianism, but when it comes to cooking, I do pretty closely stick to it, except when it comes to the Thanksgiving meal.

From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., baked mango custard pies, with a graham-cracker crust I needed to cool them overnight from my friends mothers recipe. Specifically, Hrishi, who has been a great friend for so many years. I got to try this mango pie two Thanksgivings ago. It was great. It was a Thanksgiving food that I suddenly made in my head as A Thanksgiving Food. So I decided to make it this year.

I watched Fiddler on the Roof in the meantime. It was a suggestion from a friend. I jokingly called it a Thanksgiving movie, even though its not. But it fits so perfectly in the wheelhouse of things I love. Id never seen it, but watching it, I realized, Oh, I know all of these songs, the dancing is so fun, this movie is so full of joy for the first half. Its so long I dont think I wouldve given myself the opportunity to enjoy it unless I was either sitting in a theater or doing something like baking.

I think because I have a new home I recently moved into, at the same time that I have to cook all this food, I feel very domestic. I keep describing myself as a sort of northeastern Martha Stewarttype Vermont mother. I want gingham patterns everywhere, and I want to cook things and have people come over and get a pie off my windowsill. So I have different friends who are spending Thanksgiving with me, and I asked if there were any drink requests. I was trying to cover the gamut of what weve got. Someone said boozy cider, and I thought that would be nice. So I whipped that up with brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, anise, orange slices, and bourbon.

Last thing I did was make pie crust for another pie and set the dough in the fridge to cool overnight.

Thursday, November 26The turkey had brined for almost 24 hours, so I moved it to the oven to cook for a couple hours.

Breakfast was peanut-butter granola and Chobani strawberry-banana Greek yogurt.

Rolled out the pie-crust dough, cut some nice autumnal shapes, and pre-baked it while watching Grease. Its the movie I saw the most as a kid. I was obsessed with it; they had us do lip-syncing competitions to it at the local mall. I watched it for the first time since being a kid, I want to say, two months ago. The movie still rules. I still think its perfect, despite it being also politically awful in every way. I decided to put it on again as something to have in the background that I could enjoy without paying attention to it.

Once the crust was prebaked, I prepared the filling for the pecan pie off a Dorie Greenspan recipe.

Simultaneously peeled and prepared to bake some candied yams. Three or four years ago for Thanksgiving, another comedian, Jaboukie Young-White, had moved in with me. He lived with me for a year. And he had some friends over for Thanksgiving and they made candied yams and a few other foods that were so good. Ive always valued Friendsgiving more than Thanksgiving, just because Thanksgiving was never a huge thing for me back home. My mom would get a turkey from Popeyes or whatever, and wed eat it. But it wasnt as if we were staunchly about Thanksgiving, and my parents never ask me to come home for Thanksgiving.

Pie finished baking. Looked like shit! My roommate told me it looked fine.

Candied yams were baked, and I was free from my cooking. I absentmindedly ate apples while waiting for my friends to finish cooking.

We had Thanksgiving dinner in my backyard: mango custard pie, turkey, stuffing, candied yams, chicken and dumplings, rolls, spicy cranberry relish, and Brussel sprouts. Way too much food for five people. The chicken and dumplings were my friend Lizs doing. She is from Kentucky; she also made the rolls off a 100-year-old recipe thats been in her family for generations. That was nice, because Im from Texas and it felt very much like a food I wouldve ate growing up.

Around 10:30 p.m., I continued eating this mango pie as we played games and watched Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed. I have to say I ate one whole mango pie. Its delicious.

Friday, November 27I woke up and bit into a Cadbury hazelnut chocolate before even having breakfast.

Around 11 a.m., I had banana-nut granola and Chobani strawberry yogurt.

I offered Thanksgiving leftovers to anyone who wanted some and two friends came by to take me up on that. I offered them all mango pie.

Had a plate of leftovers for lunch. Turkey, stuffing, and yams. The tryptophan in the turkey made me so tired, I napped for like three hours.

At night, my friend came by to paint in the front yard as I baked lemon cakes. I put on Sister Act for us to watch through the window.

For dinner, I made another Thanksgiving plate, this time with no turkey. I wont get fooled again.

Around 11 p.m., the lemon cakes were done, but I decided it was also the perfect time to start baking vegan orange-glazed cinnamon rolls, which was a mistake because they take like two separate periods of 90 minutes to rise before baking. These arent finished until 4 a.m. (and, because I kept pausing it, neither was Sister Act).

Saturday, November 28Woke up and ate graham crackers.

At noon, I ate one of the vegan orange cinnamon rolls (which were made for some friends whoops).

Glazed one of the lemon cakes in preparation for a friend to come and pick it up. In removing the cake from the pan, a bunch of gooey lemon-glazed crumbs gathered and I ate them all like a disgusting little gremlin.

When we had to go into quarantine, I was still enjoying baking, so I would make cookies and wondered what else I could make. I started branching out to lemon cakes and orange cinnamon rolls and all sorts of other things. I realized I really enjoy this time in the kitchen, and I started to realize cooking was a very meditative thing for me. It felt like it sort of gave me time back that I had trouble getting. Part of that is my friend Miel used to tell me that cooking is very good for someone like me because it enriches my self-worth. The process of cooking is like saying, I am worth spending this time on, and its just good for my own mental health. I thought it was baloney back then, but the more that I cook, the more I realize thats exactly what it is.

I made fried rice with carrots, onions, soy sauce, leftover stuffing, and leftover turkey. I have not learned my lesson it knocked me out for another four hours or so.

Around nine, I walked to the corner store to get Gatorade and eat gummy candy. I have a go-to Gatorade color, which is blue. Something about it feel refreshing. I think its Cool Blue, but Im always just like, Gimme the blue one.

Sunday, November 29I woke up and immediately ate gummy candy.

Had peanut-butter granola with Chobani strawberry-banana yogurt.

At noon, a friend swung by to pick up the orange cinnamon rolls and gave me some strawberries he picked up at a farm in return. His girlfriend is vegan, so I thought there was an opportunity to make cinnamon rolls and make them vegan. Cause Id never really made too many baked goods that are vegan, and they turned out really well.

Another friend came by to pick up the lemon cake, along with finally freeing me from all the leftover food I had by taking it to pass out to unhoused neighbors. I think there is something nice about making food and at the end of it having something to share with people, especially during quarantine when its so hard to see anyone. Its just nice to have this thing where I can drop it off at a friends house and have a moment to say hi to them or even show them Im thinking of them. Giving them this thing I spent a lot of time on feels very connecting and enriching and nice. A lot of people feel like its this selfless act, but I think its entirely selfish because I love the process of baking and that I get to give you this thing that you think was a lot of work for me.

I ate a bunch of the strawberries while looking up recipes I could use them in. They were delicious, of course.

Made dinner at 10:30. Beyond Meat burgers again, with the same ingredients as before but additional persimmon and Monterey Jack. Which is wild for me because I decided as a child I do not like cheese and only recently have been like, Oh, maybe cheese can be good in the right circumstances hmmm.

Its such a thing that I feel that whenever I start dating someone this becomes the point of contention. As a kid, I think I had a cheeseburger, I remember it being from McDonalds, that I didnt like. So for years, I was like, Yeah, I dont eat cheese. Its weird, but I dont do it.

Earlier in quarantine, I ordered brisket tacos and they gave me a quesadilla instead and I didnt want to make a stink so I ate the quesadilla. Then I was like, Oh, that was actually really delicious. Even further in the pandemic, I made a grilled cheese off a recipe and it was really delicious and I posted to Instagram saying, I just made and ate my first grilled cheese ever, I wont answer any questions. Everyone was like, Okay, but next time you do it, use mayonnaise. I was like, Shit, this is delicious too. That is also a food I did not really grow up with. I came to know it as a very white people food, and it was not in any dish that I ate as a kid. I didnt really eat sandwiches or anything.

I update my friend every time I make grilled cheese. Now Ill text her and ask, What cheese is good for grilled cheese? What cheese is good with this? Ill try out different cheeses, and its been very fun to open my eyes to one of the most popular foods for the first time, at age 28.

I still dont eat cheeseburgers, but Ill eat cheese pizza, and Ill try to figure out what the difference is. I think maybe its the texture, or how its melted, or how instrumental it is to the meal. I really like Hawaiian pizza. I want to say theres some element of contrarianism involved because I do love it a lot, but I just end up ordering it more because its a thing where everyone says, Hawaiian pizza is so gross. I dont know? Ham is great, pineapple is great, they all taste great together. I think I like it a normal amount, but the fact that people complain about it as if its a controversial food? Its really not. I get a hankering for it every time. I also think it isnt very fun when I order pizza and theres so much tomato sauce and cheese that it melts off. I think whenever its Hawaiian pizza, the cheese and sauce are on there pretty securely. I dont know if theres just less tomato sauce or what. I genuinely am like, This is the best way pizza is.

Sign up for the Grub Street newsletter.

Continue reading here:
Demi Adejuyigbe Is Baking Pies and Cakes and Everything Else - Grub Street

Australia is famous for its gorgeous terrain, underwater reefs, enchanting people and unique animals like koala bears and kangaroos. But the country's popular weight-loss plan called the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet gets little attention outside the land Down Under, especially in the U.S.

"I've never had a single client ask about the CSIRO diet. I think the lack of information about it is a huge limiting factor in the U.S.," says Gabrielle Gambino, a registered dietitian with Weill Cornell Medical Center.

There are few details, Gambino notes, because people in the U.S. aren't eligible to sign up for the program. It was created in 2005 by scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization -- Australia's national science research agency.

The diet website notes that more than 500,000 Australians have lost weight using the program. It's available by either by buying a book ("The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet") or signing up on a website and paying a fee (AU$200 to AU$300) to access to meal plans, recipes, apps, exercise programs and online community forums.

Used copies of the diet book are available to people in the U.S. through various internet retailers.

What Is the CSIRO Diet?

The CSIRO diet is a 12-week, high-protein eating plan that promises big results. Diet developers cite body weight-loss rates of 5% to 21% for people who stay on the program for all 12 weeks.

The diet premise is that protein keeps you full throughout the day so you won't fill up on unnecessary calories. Diet developers claim this approach will:

-- Control appetite by reducing food cravings.

-- Enhance metabolism (converting food into energy).

-- Reduce calories, since your food cravings are under control.

-- Limit muscle loss.

-- Improve fat loss.

Diet developers say these benefits are supported by lots of scientific evidence, although most studies are small or limited in the length of follow-up. "Some of the science has been funded by dairy and meat organizations. Critics suggest those groups had some say in how the diet was created," Gambino says.

Story continues

"I think researchers are exaggerating the findings," says Liz Weinandy, the lead outpatient registered dietitian at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "Protein can help with satiety and help maintain muscle mass, but once you get past a certain amount, it doesn't have any benefits. And while it does take more calories to digest and process protein compared to carbs and fat, it doesn't burn that many calories, maybe another 100 per day."

[See: High-Protein Breakfast Ideas.]

CSIRO Diet Rules

The CSIRO diet sorts participants into plans based on dietary needs ( such as gluten-free foods) and their personalities. "You take a quiz that allows you to figure out your diet type. Within each type, they can give you guidance on eating habits, whether you crave and look for sweet foods, you socialize and eat with friends or you eat whatever is in front of you," says Riley Peterson, a private practice dietitian in Denver.

Participants select a calorie limit based on their personal needs, and then use food categories to determine what they'll eat, with a certain amount of servings per category. It's intended for flexibility that can be utilized at home or out and about. Participants get points to use in each food group including:

-- Proteins.

-- Bread and cereals.

-- Vegetables.

-- Fruit.

-- Dairy.

-- Healthy fats and oils.

"There's also an indulgence category that allows you to bank points and use them for food items planned in advance like chocolate or sausages, chips or muffins -- foods that don't have much nutritional content," Gambino points out.

Emphasis on Protein

All CSIRO diet meals are high in protein, low in fat and moderate in carbohydrates. The allowed carbs are low on the glycemic index, which ranks foods based on how quickly they'll raise blood sugar.

"A really high GI index food would be a muffin with sugar in it, compared to a whole grain muffin with fiber, which is lower," Peterson says.

Protein sources for the CSIRO diet can come from:

-- Lean red meat such as beef, veal or lamb.

-- Pork.

-- Skinless chicken.

-- Fish and shellfish.

-- Eggs.

-- Legumes such as beans, lentils or chickpeas.

-- Tofu, tempeh, edamame beans or fermented bean curd.

"I'm concerned people will eat too much red meat on the diet, which is linked to certain cancers and increased 'bad' LDL cholesterol levels. I've seen CSIRO diet recommendations suggesting 200 grams of red meat four times a week. That's about 7 ounces, four times a week, and that's high in terms of red meat. We tell patients no more than two 4- to 6-ounce servings of lean red meat per week," Gambino says.

[See: The 9 Best Diets for Fast Weight Loss]

How Much Protein Does the CSIRO Diet Include?

The CSIRO diet encourages people to consume between 1.2 and 1.6 grams of protein per kilo of body weight every day. For example:

-- A woman who weighs 65 kilograms or 143 pounds would eat about 78-104 grams of protein per day on the CSIRO diet.

-- A man who weighs 100 kilograms or 200 pounds would consume 120-160 grams of protein per day on the CSIRO diet.

Weinandy says that's too much protein. "Most people don't eat anywhere near that much unless they have big wounds and need protein to heal them, or they're young athletes trying to build muscle," she says.

By comparison, U.S. dietary guidelines recommend a daily protein intake of 46 to 52 grams of protein per day or 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

The Risks of Too Much Protein

Protein consumption is essential for bone and muscle health and other body functions. But eating too much protein can lead to:

-- Kidney damage. "Waste products from metabolizing animal foods, especially protein, are eliminated through the kidneys. Too much protein stresses them. For someone with normal kidneys, in the short term, it's not a problem. But it could cause kidney damage in someone with kidney disease," Weinandy warns.

-- Kidney stones. Eating too much protein increases uric acid levels. Uric acid can form into kidney stones.

[See: 5 Unintended Consequences of Eating Too Much Protein.]

Should You Try It?

Gambino, Peterson and Weinandy all recommend avoiding the CSIRO diet, noting that the eating plan:

-- Focuses too much on protein instead of calories. "The takeaways of most studies that find weight loss are based on how many calories you take in and burn every day," Gambino says.

-- Is potentially risky for people sensitive to eating disorders. "They may find themselves taking it to the next extreme and making it more restrictive or becoming obsessed with the structure of the diet," Peterson says.

-- Is too restrictive to sustain for the long term. "Some people really do lose weight on high-protein diets. But in the long term, unless a person stays on that diet and makes behavior changes, they revert right back to their usual eating habits and the weight comes back," Weinandy says. "If it's not helping you change your behavior, it's just another diet."

Heidi Godman reports on health for U.S. News, with a focus on middle and older age. Her work has appeared in dozens of publications, including the Harvard Health Letter (where she serves as executive editor), the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sentinel and Cleveland Clinic Heart Advisor.

Heidi spent more than 20 years as a TV news anchor and health reporter at ABC affiliate WWSB and more than five years as the host of a daily health talk radio show on WSRQ-FM. Heidi has interviewed surgeons in operating rooms, scientists in laboratories and patients in all phases of treatment. She's earned numerous awards for outstanding health reporting and was the first TV broadcaster in the nation to be named a journalism fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. Heidi graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in journalism.

Connect with Heidi on Linkedin or email her at health@heidigodman.com.

See the rest here:
What Is the CSIRO Diet? - Yahoo News

Olive oil has always been considered as a "healthy fat," and with good reason. Polyphenols, compounds found in olive oil, contain antioxidant properties that protect against the development and progression of various health conditions.

However, how healthy that bottle of olive oil is, depends on the quality and quantity of polyphenols inside it, which comes from how heavily the olives are processed. Among the different types of olive oil, extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the least processed type and therefore the healthiest, says Judy Simon RDN, CD, FAND, a clinic dietitian at the University of Washington Medicine. It is also the most traded type of olive oil worldwide.

When shopping for olive oil, look at the label to check its quality. In some studies, about four tablespoons of olive oil was linked with health benefits like avoiding metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases.

Here are the health benefits of olive oil and how you can incorporate it into your diet.

"What makes olive oil stand out from other types of fats and oil is that it is comprised mainly of unsaturated fatty acids," says Temitope Osinaiya DSc, RDN, Senior Registered Dietitian and Educator at the Baylor College of Medicine.

Unsaturated fatty acids are important for overall health because they reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL or sometimes referred to as "bad cholesterol") cholesterol levels.

Saturated fats, on the other hand, like those found in butter and vegetable oil, can raise LDL cholesterol and potentially increase the risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack.

Therefore, "for optimum health, the majority of fats consumed should be unsaturated," Osinaiya says. Olive oil provides plenty of health benefits, which include:

Because of its numerous health benefits, many individuals frequently consume olive oil.

"Olive oil can be used to grill, roast, marinate, and saut meats, poultry, seafood, and vegetables," says Osinaiya. Easily add it to your diet by replacing ingredients that you commonly use in cooking.

Moreover, "olive oil has a bright, fruity aroma and a nutty, woodsy flavor. It truly enhances the flavor of so many foods," says Simon.

Here are some ingredients that you can substitute with olive oil:

If you're looking for more ways to add olive oil to your diet, the Mediterranean diet may be a good fit for you. It is considered by many nutritionists and dietitians to be one of the healthiest eating plans because of the health benefits of olive oil, its most characteristic component and main source of dietary fat.

Some individuals combine the Mediterranean diet with the ketogenic diet, a high-fat, moderate-protein (with an emphasis on seafood), and low-carbohydrate nutrition plan, by incorporating olive oil as the principal source of healthy fat.

Olive oil is one of the healthier oils because of its high content of polyphenols and unsaturated fatty acids. It provides plenty of health benefits including a reduced risk of colorectal cancer and cardiovascular diseases. You can easily incorporate it into your diet by substituting some ingredients with olive oil.

"Overall, olive oil is a good source of various health-promoting compounds. Its protective role from various diseases makes it worthwhile to include as part of a healthy nutrition plan," says Osinaiya.

Excerpt from:
7 medically-studied benefits of olive oil and why you should use it instead of butter - Insider - INSIDER

Diet culture feels more ubiquitous than ever before. Gone are the days where most folks would grab a hard roll, slather on some butter, and get on with their lives. Now, theres a seemingly endless number of ways one can eat to lose weight, gain muscle, boost focus, and feel healthier in general. And a lot of people are following different diets.

Its estimated that 45 million people go on a diet each year, and Grand View Research claims that the weight management market is valued at $288 billion in 2020.Searching for diet advice online can be exhaustive, and it may lead you to unreliable sources. By having a better understanding of the most common types of diets, you can decide which one works best for your lifestyle and overall goals (whether thats to slim down, bulk up, or be healthier). Here is our list of common diets that you should know about:

Editors note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. Its always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine. None of these supplements are meant to treat or cure any disease. If you feel you may be deficient in a particular nutrient or nutrients, please seek out a medical professional.

Before we dive into the different types of diets, its important to note that none of these options are the be-all, end-all for your health needs. You can lose weight on just about any diet, so long as youre in a caloric deficit (that is, you burn more calories than you consume). (1) The same is true if youre looking toput on some muscle mass. No diet is necessarily better than the other in accomplishing this. Prioritize calories first, and then choose a diet style based on your preference.

Studies have also shown that the quality of food is just as if not more important than the number of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) you take in. (2) In other words: if youre following a low-carb diet, you need to make sure youre eating quality fats and protein, too. On the flip, opt for whole grains over refined starches if eating a diet lower in fat.

Lastly, some diets may lack vital micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) necessary for everyday life vegetarians, for example, are more likely to develop an iron deficiency than their meat-eating counterparts. Iron deficiencies can lead to anemia, the symptoms of which include fatigue, chest pain, and even pale skin. Of course, you should always consult a doctor, but eating a wider variety of food or taking a supplement may help with any deficiencies.

That said, heres a list of the more popular diets in 2020 and what theyre all about.

Unless this is your first time on a fitness website, youre probably already familiar with intermittent fasting (sometimes called IF). For the uninitiated, this isnt so much a diet as an eating strategy where you consume all of your calories in a set time period and then fast for the rest of the day.

There are different approaches to intermittent fasting, with the most popular being an 8:16 split meaning you consume your calories in an eight-hour eating window and fast for the other 16 hours of the day. You can also do a 10:16, 16:10, or even 6:20 eating:fasting split. Some extremists go as far as squeezing a whole days worth of calories into a single hour.

The concept is that youll be eating fewer calories since youre squeezing them into a narrower timeframe, as opposed to consuming them throughout the day.

During the fasting period, youre allowed zero-calorie beverages such as black coffee, herbal teas, and sparkling and flat water.

Several studies have found that IF not only results in weight loss but can help improve insulin resistance, reduce oxidative stress on your cells, stabilize blood sugar levels, and reduce the risk of strokes. (3)(4)

As the name suggests, the Mediterranean Diet is inspired by the eating habits of people who live near the Mediterranean Sea. Those countries include Greece, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Turkey, and more. These countries have some of the longest life expectancies in the world. According to a study in the Lancet Medical Journal, Spains citizens are expected to live to an average age of 85.8 years. (5) The United States life expectancy, for comparison, is about 78.5 years.

The diet is rich in heart-healthy foods such as vegetables, fish, fruit, grains, olive oil, and nuts. Consumption of red meatis kept to a minimum, and dairy intake is moderate and consists of high-quality sources such as yogurt and cheeses.

Experts, however, also point out that people in the Mediterranean have better lifestyle habits than Americans. Typically, these people are less sedentary, drink and smoke less, and have better sleeping habits.

A study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that not only did the Mediterranean Diet lead to weight loss, but it was also the easiest for people to adhere to when compared to intermittent fasting and the paleo diet. (6) When adhered to, the diet has also been found to reverse symptoms of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. (7)

In recent years, the Ketogenic diet has arguably been one of the most discussed and debated diet. Even if youre not a follower, youve no doubt seen specially designed keto snacks on store shelves for its devotees.

But what is it? Keto, as its called for short, is a diet that prioritizes fat (65-75 percent of your daily calories), with moderate protein consumption (20-30 percent) and very few carbs (only about five percent, though some versions prohibit carbs altogether). Which means youll be eating a lot of avocados, eggs, and bunless cheeseburgers.

The Keto diet was designed to keep the body in a near-constant state of ketosis, a metabolic state where the body creates ketones from fat to use as energy instead of sugar from carbs (the bodys primary and preferred energy source). There have also been claims it may help treat cancer and even respiratory illnesses. (8) As mentioned above, weight loss comes down to calories in vs. calories out. Several studies point out keto is no more effective for weight loss when calories are matched with other diets. (9)

Most people fall off their diets because its too regimented you have to eat the same thing day after day. Eating chicken, rice, and broccoli on repeat until your next cheat meal is miserable for most folks. Enter If It Fits Your Macros, a more flexible dieting approach that lets you eat whatever you want as long as you hit your pre-determined protein, carb, and fat targets.

First, you must determine how much of each macronutrient you need to eat per day to accomplish your goals, whether to lose weight or gain weight. How much of each macro a person needs will change based on that specific person and their goals. Heres a good starting point: the acceptable macronutrient range says you should get 45-65 percent of your daily calories from carbs, 20-35 percent from fat, and 10-35 percent from protein. We also have a macro calculator that you can consult as a starting point. Really, though, your best bet is to speak with a registered dietitian.

From there, make sure that everything you eat fits into those macros by tracking what you eat on an app like MyFitnessPal. You can eat a slice of pizza or your favorite Little Debbie cake so long as you dont go over your carb or fat limit. And therein lies the dilemma many people face. If you indulge in one of those treats at lunch, youll need to pay close attention to what you eat for the rest of the day and, theoretically, could be forced to eat a pure protein meal for dinner (which wouldnt be the worst thing).

IIFYM is often touted as an anti-diet, but it is absolutely a diet. Your macros will only allow for so many treats. Most of the time, youll be eating the typical healthy foods, so your macros remain balanced and you stay full.

Veganism is one of the fastest-growing movements in the United States. Six percent of Americans identified as vegans in 2017, up from just one percent in 2014. And the alternative meat industry which includes products such as Beyond Burgers is expected to be valued at $140 billion over the next decade.

While mainstream media considers it a diet, wherein followers avoid animal-based products, some consider it a lifestyle (many vegans avoid wearing any leather or animal hide). A few years ago, vegans would only eat beans, legumes, grains, egg-free pasta, fruits, and vegetables. But advances in technology have allowed the alternative meat industry have provided vegans access to a wider variety of products.

Various studies point to veganisms benefits. One study that followed 250,000 people and their eating habits found that vegans had a 25 percent lower risk of heart disease and an eight percent lower risk of cancer than those who ate animal products. (10)

Vegans, though, are at a higher risk of being deficient in vitamins in minerals such as iron, zinc, vitamin D, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are vital to everyday health.

What if your mothers advice to eat your vegetables was a lie? Thats the essence of the carnivore diet, the antithesis of veganism. Carnivore devotees only eat animal-based products meat, cheese, milk, animal-based fats, and eggs (though some variations only allow meat, no eggs, and dairy). There are no grains, no vegetables, and no fruits. No, thats not a joke.

Also known as the Zero Carb Diet, its basically a variation of the keto diet since its fat and protein is prioritized over carbs. This diet approach flies in the face of scientific research that proves that limiting your meat intake can extend your life and improve cardiovascular health. Still, its followers are have claimed it can fight inflammation and prevent nutrient deficiencies. There is proof that it can lead to weight loss, especially since protein increases the bodys thermic effect of feeding the energy it takes to digest food.

The scientific consensus, though, is that this diet may lead to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and overall risk of death because there are no fruits or vegetables in it. (11)(12)

The Paleo diet, sometimes called The Caveman Diet, could be considered a cousin of the carnivore diet. In addition to meat, youre also eating fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. You need to avoid any grains, dairy, processed foods, beans, legumes, and sugars while adhering to this diet.

Studies have shown that its effective in helping people lose weight, drop their blood pressure, and improve other blood markers. (13)(14) Many researchers, though, point out theres not enough evidence of the diets effects on health and that more research needs to be done. Others also warn against the diets exclusion of whole grains, which has been shown to ward off heart disease and diabetes.

You probably start each morning with a plate of eggs and some oatmeal, but how would you feel about finishing that with a cookie or a slice of cake? Well, you can. The Dessert with Breakfast Diet is exactly what it sounds like a sugary treat first thing in the morning. It sounds too good to be true, but theres evidence it works.

A 2012 study in the journalSteroids found that people who ate a high-carb, high-protein meal that included a dessert lost more weight and kept it off for the duration of the eight-month-long study than those who had a low-carb, high-protein breakfast. (15)

Of course, you need to know yourself before trying this diet. Some studies have shown that sugar may be addictive, and some people can be triggered to eat more tasty food after having a little. (16) Remember the Lays slogan, Betcha cant eat just one? They werent just being cute. Another study had participants bid on snack foods such as Cheetos, Snickers, and Coca-Cola. After tasting the treats, their second bids rose by an average of 38%. (17) Processed junk food is chemically engineered to taste great, so approach this diet with some caution if youre prone to indulging in common junk foods.

Thanks to endorsements from Adele and British royal Pippa Middleton, the Sirtfood Diet has grown in popularity in recent years. Created by nutritionists Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten, the diet focuses on foods high in sirtuins, a group of proteins found in the body that regulate metabolism.

Foods high in sirts include red wine, dark chocolate, walnuts, Medjool dates, walnuts, arugula, coffee, capers, and extra-virgin olive oil.

Following the Sirtfood Diet isnt as simple as just eating those foods. Goggins and Matten prescribe a two-phase approach. In the first, you can only drink three sirtfood green juices and eat one full meal rich in sirtfoods, which amounts to 1,000 calories for three days.

On days four to seven, your caloric intake goes up to 1,500. Then, in Phase two, you eat three sirtfood-rich meals per day and a green juice for two weeks. After that, you can either repeat that process or stick to a diet rich in sirts while continuing to drink at least one juice per day.

The celebrity endorsements aside, theres little proof that the specific diet works for weight loss or better health. One study found that mice with high sirt levels had more fat loss than other mice. (18) That said, no mention was made of total calories consumed or other notable weight-loss factors. So, its difficult to directly link more sirtuins to weight loss.

The word diet refers to anything we eat daily. Remember that the best diet for you is the one that will help you reach your goals but that you can also stick to. Heres some more diet-related content from BarBend:

Featured image: George Dolgikh/Shutterstock

Originally posted here:
9 Types of Diets How They Work and Pros & Cons - BarBend

Photo (c) Fascinadora - Getty ImagesFollowing a healthy diet has been found to be a key component of optimal heart health. Now, experts from the University of Crdoba are encouraging consumers to consider the Mediterranean diet -- which prioritizes fruits and vegetables and healthy fats -- to improve overall heart function.

According to their findings, following the Mediterranean diet can be effective at both boosting cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of a heart attack.

We observed that the Mediterranean diet model induced better endothelial function, meaning that the arteries were more flexible in adapting to different situations in which greater blood flow is required, said researcher Jos Lpez Miranda. Besides, the endotheliums ability to regenerate was better and we detected a drastic reduction in damage to the endothelium, even in patients at severe risk.

The researchers divided 1,000 participants with heart disease who had experienced a heart attack into two groups to determine which one of two diets was more effective in improving heart health outcomes. One group was instructed to prioritize low-fat foods, which included reducing their consumption of sweets and red meat while also incorporating more carbs. The other group followed the Mediterranean diet, which also eliminates red meat but places an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil.

After one year, the researchers assessed the participants heart health based on several different outcomes. They learned that adopting the Mediterranean diet was more effective than the low-fat option in improving overall heart health. It also reduced the participants risk of having a subsequent heart attack and reduced lasting damage to the heart by improving overall heart function.

The researchers are excited about these findings because they show that taking action early in the fight against heart disease can have long-term benefits for consumers.

The degree of endothelial damage predicts the occurrence of future cardiovascular events, as in acute myocardial infarctions, said Lpez Miranda. If we can take action at the initial stages, prompting endothelium regeneration and better endothelial function, we can help to prevent heart attacks and heart disease from reoccurring.

Go here to see the original:
Following the Mediterranean diet can improve consumers' heart health, study finds - ConsumerAffairs

After reaching her goal weight in 2020, Rebel Wilson is revealing how and why she decided to get serious about her health.

Its been, like, a little bit over a year from when I first started and I want you to, first of all, know that Im not frickin perfect about it, the 40-year-old actress began on Tuesday, December 1, via Instagram Live. Its not like Ive had some incredible discipline and Im just, like, every day restricted or worked out like a beast. I mean theres been days where Ive done that, but it certainly hasnt been all the time. What Im more focused on is balance.

During her lengthy Live, Wilson detailed her triangle of health, which included tracking her physical, nutritional and emotional health.

Nutrition was, like, a big deal because you cant out-train a bad diet, which is something that I shouldve known, but really didnt know this year, the Isnt It Romantic star explained. What Ive had to do is really look at what Im eating. Im someone who grew up eating fast food several times a week. Pizza Hut, McDonalds, which is so tasty, its nothing against those companies. Oh, my God, In-n-Out Burger in L.A., love it. But the problem is, I was eating it way too often and I have a real sweet tooth as I was just saying and basically, I only used to eat, like, carbs and sugar.

Earlier this year, Wilson announced her ideal weight was 165 pounds. After she stepped on the scale on Saturday, November 29, she revealed she accomplished her goal and dropped more than 60 pounds.

The goal was never to be skinny, it was never to fit into a certain dress size. I put a goal weight on there because I needed some tangible thing, she explained on Tuesday. But Ive also done some body measurements and stuff like that as well, so the weights not the only thing. But I am really glad that I did it because I think it was time. Ive been overweight for about 20 years and I love playing some of the comedic characters like Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect and everything. I love all that stuff but at a certain point, I knew in my heart that I was engaging in some unhealthy behaviors and that I needed to change those for the better and so what Im proud of myself for is for doing that and having a lot more balance now in my life.

While Wilson admitted that there were people in her life who didnt want [her] to change, boyfriend Jacob Busch wasnt one of them.

At the end of the day, its about balance and being a better version of me. This year, in a global pandemic, one of the most important things is health, she noted. Because if youre healthy and you have a strong immune system, youre less likely to be susceptible to the virus or serious complications and your health is so important.

Scroll through for the biggest revelations from Wilson:

Read more here:
Rebel Wilson Reveals Her Diet Secrets, Battle With Emotional Eating and More After Shedding 61 Pounds - Us Weekly

There was a time when, if you told people you were planning to raise your baby vegan from the get-go, youd be met with raised eyebrows or even indignant comments. How would your child get enough protein and nutrients? Wouldnt they have deficiencies?

(Annnnd this is why we dont always share our child-rearing plans with others, right?)

These days, with the increasing popularity of plant-based diets, its far more accepted to bring your child up on a diet free of animal products.

In fact, according to a 2016 position paper from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, appropriately planned vegetarian diets (including a vegan diet) can be healthful and nutritionally adequate for people of all ages including infants and children.

Still, its important to know that raising a vegan baby does come with some risks and may not be suitable for all children. Heres everything you need to know about raising your child on a vegan diet as a baby, toddler, and beyond.

When it comes to babies and veganism, safety seems to be the question on everyones minds. Is it really okay for a growing 0- to 12-month-old to never eat meat, dairy, fish, or eggs?

For most kids, yes! In general, its safe and healthy to offer a plant-based diet [for this age range], confirms pediatric dietitian Amy Chow, RD.

Of course, for your childs first several months, theyll need only one type of food: breast milk or formula. (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends introducing solids around 6 months of age.) While some vegan soy-based baby formulas do exist, they can be hard to find.

The good news, though, is that breastfeeding is compatible with a vegan lifestyle. Although breast milk is technically an animal product, because it is human milk made for human babies, it poses no ethical conflict.

Even when do you introduce solids, keeping animal products off the high chair tray doesnt have to be problematic for your childs health and safety. However, meal planning probably wont be as simple as it would be for omnivores.

For all diets, its important to keep the three macronutrients in mind: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. But for vegan babies, the right amounts of protein and fat are especially critical.

Protein is usually met through a vegan diet, but only if animal proteins are adequately replaced by plant-based proteins (i.e. beans, peas, lentils, tofu, nut/seed butters), says Chow.

Use caution with feeding your child low-protein vegan milk alternatives like almond, coconut, or rice milk, too. These arent recommended for babies and toddlers, as they will fill up their tiny tummies without much nutrition.

Getting enough fat also supports growing baby bodies and brains. When introducing solids, Chow suggests sticking to healthy plant-based sources of fat, such as vegetable oil, nut and seed butters, hemp hearts, ground flax seeds, chia seeds, and avocado.

Unfortunately, foods that provide DHA omega-3 fatty acids (the kind that contribute to neural and cognitive development in babies) come primarily from animals.

After your child is weaned from breastfeeding or a DHA-fortified formula, talk to your doctor about the possibility of a DHA supplement.

The nutrients of concern on a vegan diet are, of course, those that come in smaller amounts in plants than in animal foods. These include (but arent limited to) vitamin B12, iodine, iron, and calcium.

Vitamin B12 is a micronutrient found in meats, eggs, and dairy products. Many fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals and soy milk, are enriched with B12, so take care to offer plenty of these to your baby.

As for iodine, although seafood, eggs, and milk products are among the best sources, you can find it in some cereals and grains. However, this is one nutrient you may need to supplement in your childs diet, partly because much of our dietary supply comes from fortified salt.

Plant-based diets can be low in iodine, and because added salt is not generally recommended for babies under 12 months, vegan babies may be at risk for iodine deficiency, Chow says.

And theres good reason why youll often see iron touted as an important mineral for growing babies. Iron needs for babies are highest from 7 to 12 months due to the rapid growth rate, Chow explains.

However, non-heme iron from plant-based sources has low bioavailability (has less of an active effect in the body). And the higher amount of fiber from a vegan diet specifically, certain compounds found in grains and beans may actually decrease that active effect even more.

Chow shares some helpful strategies: Combine non-heme iron (i.e. lentils, peas, beans, ground seeds, seed butters, tofu) with a source of vitamin C, use a cast iron pan for cooking, and offer iron-fortified baby cereal.

Last but not least, wed all probably point to cows milk as a top source of calcium but since it comes from a cow, youll obviously need an alternative for your childs vegan diet. Look to other calcium-rich foods like fortified soy milk, tofu, almond butter, sesame butter, and leafy greens.

Although many Americans are deficient in dietary fiber, a vegan diet can actually provide too much fiber of your babys tiny GI tract.

Not only can this cause gas, diarrhea, and extra fussiness, it can have other, less obvious consequences. Too much fiber can lead to poor absorption of important nutrients like iron, zinc, and calcium, says Chow.

So whats a vegan parent to do when introducing fiber-rich foods like grains, soy, veggies, and beans? Try the following:

In an ideal world, everyone who provides care for your baby would understand what does and doesnt belong on your childs vegan diet and be on board with the idea. The real world, of course, isnt so perfect.

Its possible you may face resistance or ignorance from caregivers about the choices youve made for your babys eating. As much as you may provide guidelines for what your child can eat, you may end up having some tough conversations with caregivers.

You also may need to be prepared for the fact that, when outside of your care, your child will eventually consume some animal products (even if accidentally).

As much as possible, do the emotional work to make peace with what you cant control, knowing that an unwitting bite of cheese or hamburger wont ruin your child for veganism forever.

Just like for adults, there are some circumstances where its not the best choice for children to eat a vegan diet.

Kids who are extremely picky eaters or have feeding difficulties may be at higher risk of nutritional inadequacy, says Chow. In fact, any health or medical condition that impedes your childs ability to eat or digest food may be reason enough to forgo a vegan diet.

If your child has this type of health issue, talk with your pediatrician about whether its wise to keep animal products off the menu.

Babies who were born prematurely may also benefit from the growth-promoting proteins and fats animal products provide, so your doctor may recommend a more varied diet until your child has caught up on weight.

Chow notes, too, that a vegan diet poses a health concern for babies at high risk of food allergies. Its recommended to introduce priority allergens early to reduce risk of developing allergies, she says. On a vegan diet, the baby will not be exposed to eggs, dairy, fish, seafood which are part of the top allergens.

Plus, well be honest: If your kiddo has multiple food allergies, such as to nuts, seeds, or soy, it can be a pretty epic challenge to make a vegan diet work.

If you have strong feelings about issues like animal cruelty or the health of the environment, its only natural to want to raise a child whos conscious of these concerns.

On the other hand, since veganism may not be right for certain babies or children at least for a while its best to consult your pediatrician before making the determination to feed your itty-bitty eater a vegan diet.

If you do decide, after consultation with your doctor, that animal-free is the way to go for your whole family, you may be advised to work with a pediatric dietitian. They can help you make a plan for a healthy approach to veganism from infancy on up.

Dont have a referral? Check the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics registry of practitioners in your area.

A vegan baby doesnt have to be a contradiction in terms, even from your childs first days of life. By taking the right precautions, its possible to bring your little one up on a diet free of animal products. Your veggie babe can grow up just as healthy and strong as any omnivore.

Read the rest here:
Raising a Vegan Baby or Toddler: Is It Safe? - Healthline

How can you tell that your health is steadily improving and your weight loss journey is progressing? Here are some factors to indicate that youre moving in a good direction:

If youre losing weight because you changed your diet to include more proteins and fewer carbs and fat, you may notice that you feel full faster.

Thats because the amino acids in dietary protein send a satisfaction signal to your brain and that signal isnt sent by eating the same number of calories in fat or carbs.

Good news here for vegetarians and vegans: A 2013 study found that the satisfaction signal is stronger with vegetable proteins than with animal-derived proteins.

Losing weight can lead to an all-around improvement in your psychological well-being.

In a 2013 study, people who were trying to lose weight reported that they felt more vitality, more self-control, less depression, and less anxiety than they had felt before their weight loss.

If youre not feeling these emotional benefits yet, dont give up: Study participants didnt report these improvements at the 6-month mark. The big psychological changes showed up at the 12-month interviews.

Another important note: If youre losing weight as an unintentional side effect of trauma, illness, or a big life change such as a divorce or job loss, you might not be experiencing the same emotional upsurge.

You may notice that you dont have to jump to pull on your jeans, even before you see a big difference on the scale which can motivate you to keep doing what youre doing.

In one 2017 study, around 77 percent of women and 36 percent of men said theyre motivated to lose weight to improve the way their clothes fit their bodies.

It can take some time usually weeks or months to build strength and see muscle definition. How fast you see changes will depend on your body and the type of exercise youve incorporated into your plan.

One 2019 study found that young women built more muscle mass in their legs when they performed more repetitions of leg curls and presses with a lighter load than with fewer reps and a heavier load.

If you want to keep building muscle as you lose weight, experts recommend that you get enough (but not too much) protein and do resistance-type exercises.

A shrinking waist size is good news for your overall health. Researchers tracked 430 people in a 2-year weight management program and noted that a reduction in waist measurement was associated with improved outcomes in blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.

Other studies have drawn a direct link between your waist circumference and your risk of cardiovascular disease. Whether or not the scale says youre down, a looser waistband means better heart health.

Weight loss can help decrease pain, especially in weight-bearing areas of the body, like the lower legs and lower back.

In one 2017 study, people who lost at least 10 percent of their body weight noticed the greatest improvement in chronic pain around weight-bearing zones.

In another study, losing 20 percent of body weight dramatically improved knee pain and inflammation in people with arthritis.

Changing what you eat may affect your bowel movement patterns.

Eliminating meat and adding more leafy greens and vegetables to your diet can improve constipation, whereas adding more animal protein to your diet (as many paleo and keto diets do) can make some people more prone to constipation.

If youre concerned about the differences in your bowel movements, or if theyre interfering with your productivity, it may be a good idea to talk with a nutritionist or healthcare provider about tweaking your plan to improve your gut health.

Being overweight can have a negative effect on your blood pressure, making you vulnerable to strokes and heart attacks.

One way to bring down your blood pressure is to lose weight with a healthier diet and more movement. If youre losing weight, youre reducing the strain on your heart and beginning to normalize your blood pressure.

Snoring has a complicated relationship with weight. Researchers have found that people (especially women) who have metabolic syndrome (a precursor to diabetes) have a tendency to snore.

In fact, snoring and sleep apnea may even cause weight gain. For that reason, weight loss is often one of the targeted therapies for people who snore and who have sleeping disorders.

Making healthy changes to your eating habits can lead to a better mood and more energy.

In a 2016 study, researchers found that a high glycemic load diet consisting of cookies, potatoes, crackers, cakes, and bagels, which tend to cause spikes in blood sugar, led to 38 percent more symptoms of depression and 26 percent more fatigue than a low glycemic load diet.

If your food choices are causing fewer peaks and valleys in your blood sugar, youre probably feeling some of the emotional and psychological benefits that come from weight loss.

A healthy body weight improves your overall health and well-being in many, many ways. If youve changed your diet and exercise habits with the goal of losing weight, theres more to measure than just the number on the scale.

Some of those indicators are external, like the fit of your clothes and the curve of new muscle. Other measures are internal: less pain, lower blood pressure, better sleep, and a deeper sense of well-being, to name a few.

If youre noticing these positive changes, keep going. If youre seeing negative side effects like fatigue or hair loss, it may be time to reevaluate your strategies. You may want to team up with a dietitian or a doctor to make sure youre progressing safely.

We live in a data-driven society where numbers are often haled as the best measure of success. It might be more motivational to appreciate the whole weight loss journey, however, instead of focusing so intently on the numerical mile-markers by the side of the road.

More here:
10 Signs of Weight Loss to Look for - Healthline

For the first time, researchers have demonstrated how the gut microbiome the community of microorganisms living in the gut can influence the immune system in humans. Their work could lead to new treatments for immune-related conditions.

The researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY, tracked the recovery of patients gut microbiota and immune system after bone marrow transplants (BMTs) following treatment for blood cancers.

Healthcare professionals use chemotherapy and radiation therapy to destroy cancerous blood cells in conditions such as leukemia and lymphoma. After completion of the treatment, which also kills healthy immune cells, specialists inject patients with stem cells from a donors blood or bone marrow.

These donated cells slowly restore patients ability to make their own blood cells.

However, patients have to take antibiotics in the first few weeks after the transplant because they are still vulnerable to infections. These upset the balance of their gut microbiota, killing friendly bacteria and allowing dangerous strains to thrive.

Once patients immune systems are strong enough, they can stop taking the antibiotics, which allows their gut microbiota to recover.

The researchers at Sloan Kettering used this unique opportunity to study how the microbiota affects the immune system.

The scientific community had already accepted the idea that the gut microbiota was important for the health of the human immune system, but the data they used to make that assumption came from animal studies, explains systems biologist Joao Xavier, who is co-senior author of the paper with his former postdoc Jonas Schluter.

The parallel recoveries of the immune system and the microbiota, both of which are damaged and then restored, gives us a unique opportunity to analyze the associations between these two systems, says Dr. Schluter, who is now an assistant professor at NYU Langone Health in New York, NY.

Using blood and fecal samples from more than 2,000 patients treated at the cancer center between 20032019, the researchers were able to track daily changes in their gut microbiota and the number of immune cells in their blood.

Our study shows that we can learn a lot from stool biological samples that literally would be flushed down the toilet, says Dr. Xavier. The result of collecting them is that we have a unique dataset with thousands of data points that we can use to ask questions about the dynamics of this relationship.

The researchers used a machine-learning algorithm to identify patterns in the data, which included information about patients medications and the side effects they experienced.

One of the findings was that the presence of three types of gut bacteria called Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus 2, and Akkermansia was associated with increased blood concentrations of immune cells called neutrophils.

By contrast, two types called Rothia and Clostridium sensu stricto 1, were associated with reduced numbers of these immune cells.

Computer simulations by the researchers predicted that enriching microbiota with the three friendly genera would speed up the recovery of patients immune systems.

This research could eventually suggest ways to make BMTs safer by more closely regulating the microbiota, says co-author Marcel van den Brink.

The study appears in Nature.

Concluding their paper, the authors write:

Our demonstration that the microbiota influences systemic immunity in humans opens the door toward an exploration of potential microbiota-targeted interventions to improve immunotherapy and treatments for immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases.

A previous study found that having a greater diversity of bacterial species in the gut is associated with a better chance of survival after a stem cell transplant. This research also found that a low diversity of bacteria increased the likelihood of potentially fatal graft-versus-host disease, when the donor immune cells attack the recipients tissues.

In 2018, the Sloan Kettering researchers published results from a clinical trial in which they used fecal transplants to restore patients microbiota after treatment for blood cancer.

They used the patients own fecal matter, which had been collected and frozen before the bone marrow transplant and antibiotic treatment disrupted their gut microbiota.

See the rest here:
Gut bacteria can help rebuild the immune system - Medical News Today