Category Archives: Diet And Food

Fruit growers and processors say they are crushed by a decision to cut the health star rating (HSR) for 100-per-cent no-added-sugar juices from five stars to as low as two stars.

The decision came down to a vote at the Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, a group made up of state and territory ministers as part of its ongoing response to the five-year HSR review.

Food is rated from half-a-star to five stars depending on how its healthy and risk nutrients compare but the system has come in for criticism.

The Federal Government's aim in developing the ratings is to give shoppers an easy way to identify better choices of packaged and processed foods, something Agriculture Minister David Littleproud asserts is undermined by this decision.

"What I don't accept is the insanity of this decision, which really has no basis on nutritional value it really just is mind-numbingly dumb," he said.

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The forum's July communique revealed Mr Littleproud's initial push to see 100-per-cent fresh fruit and vegetable juice with no added sugar receive an automatic HSR score of five stars not supported and the review recommendations were maintained.

The Minister's last chance to improve the rating was Friday's meeting, when he put forward a proposal aiming for an automatic four HSR, a rating he said was supported by the Commonwealth and the farm industry.

"This was it, this was my second crack at it. I had a go in July and got rolled and then rolled again," Mr Littleproud said.

"It would appear that our bureaucrats are working off some other scientific sheet that what reality is."

Citrus Australia chief executive Nathan Hancock said he was disappointed with the decision.

"It sends a really poor message to our consumers, who, let's face it, need to have more fruit and vegetables," he said.

"Being told that diet soda is better for them than a juice product, we think, is confusing.

"Ministers across the country were given the opportunity to review the information that we provided them on the health benefits of natural juices, and unfortunately states like Queensland let us down."

What's going on behind the star ratings? ABC Fact Check investigates.

Mr Hancock said the forum had overlooked the nutritional benefits of drinking juices that cannot be gained from a manufactured product with artificial sweetener.

"The message that they've been giving us is that they want people to drink more water, because it's better for hydration, and they want to take sugar out of the diet," he said.

"Because diet soft drinks have artificial sugars, it elevates them above juices which have natural sugars."

Mr Hancock said the campaign against sugar was painting every type of sugar in a bad light.

"The desire to stamp sugar out of the consumers' diet has been misconstrued and taken off in a different direction," he said.

"There's so many other products consumers are eating these days, unwittingly eating sugar it's added sugar, it's not naturally in the product."

Mr Hancock said although he was not sure in reality how many people used the HSR when selecting products, it was bound to have a knock-on effect.

"If you do use that system and you let it guide you in the choices that you make, then you're going to be given a bum steer here.

"The other effect is that producers will stop using the HSR system on their products.

"They don't have any faith in it, they don't trust it it's sending a poor message to the consumer and I think we'll see businesses stop using it."

Major juice processors like Nippy's in South Australia are disappointed in the outcome and fear the new downgraded rating will have a significant impact on the industry.

Jeff Knispel, joint managing director of Nippy's group of companies, said the decision to rate Diet Coke higher than fresh juice was counterintuitive.

He believed a health star rating implied a full package of health benefits.

"If you take out all of the nutrients in how you score well in this rating system and focus on sugar, the question is then raised: 'Well, why are we calling it a health star rating?'

"If you are so insistent on the sugar focus, why don't you call it a sugar star rating, because to call it a health star rating is bordering on deceptive."

Nippy's companies in South Australia alone produce about 12.5 million litres of juice per year.

Mr Knispel said they now decided to remove the health star rating from their packaging to limit the negative impact on their products.

"As a company, we don't want to promote a negative message with anything we do with our packaging, so we will remove the logo.

"It's not good news for us, but we will just deal with it as best as we can."

Citrus SA chair Mark Doecke said the group feared it could be faced with less fresh fruit sales, impacting growers and processors.

"If you look at sugar only, of course the Diet Coke has got less sugar in it so it is going to get a higher rating, but it's a bit of a silly way of looking at a product," he said.

Granite Belt Growers Association vice president Nathan Boronio said it certainly made him question the relevance of the HSR.

"I can't understand why they would want to encourage people to move away from fresh fruit juice."

He said he feared the worst outcome would see people shying away from fruit juice, reducing demand and resulting in fruit being wasted.

"We want to ensure that fruit wastage in this country is reduced; if you discourage people from drinking apple juice, we are going to have more apples being dumped."

Mr Hancock shares those fears and said he was worried about what would happen if juice was widely thought of as unhealthy.

"As an industry we can't afford to have that happen.

"There's a lot of pressure on growers to look at what variety of crop they grow we might start to see this isn't a viable industry for them into the future, and we may see less and less orange juice produced in Australia."

Continue reading here:
Juice industry in damage control after health star rating changed to rank lower than diet cola - ABC News

This winter, tohave a stronger immune response to the invaders (virus particles that enter your lungs, blood cells, and organs and wreak havoc and cause inflammation) you need to eat a diet high in plant-based foods. Doctors have begun recommending to patients that they switch to a mostly plant-based diet, especially those in the highest risk groups: Overweight, diabetic, over 60, and male. One doctorurges his patientsto eat mostly fruit and vegetables and stay away from inflammation-causing meat, dairy, and processed food, in light of COVID-19.

Your immune system's response is the only thing that can fight COVID. All other therapies are in support of your immune system. If your system is weak or overtaxed with other existing conditions, including obesity or diabetes, it can over-react, creating the "cytokine storm" of inflammation that leads to a cascade of complications that make it harder for your body to self-regulate as it attempts to create antibodies to the virus (essentially molecules that recognize the virus invaders and deploy through the bloodstream to neutralize them)

Immunity is built when your body has to fight off everything fromeveryday aging to infections. And the building blocks of your immunity arehelped by the micronutrients in your food, such as antioxidants and vitamins and minerals, and nothing delivers those better than fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts and seeds. The flip side is also true, that studies show a diet high in red meat and processed foods can cause inflammation, and in the case of COVID-19, inflammation is the enemy. Patients who do the worst when confronted with this virus are those who are overweight, have chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, or are otherwise immune-compromised.

Here are the foods that are shown to fight inflammation and boost immunity. Eat them now for a stronger immune system, whether you are dealing with COVID-19 or another potential disease that requires your body to be healthier now and later. That includes almost every disease known to man. To be healthier, meaning to build cells that are able to function without bombardment from toxins, oxidization, infection, and internal destruction, plant-based foods are your best bet.

These foods are known to supercharge your immune system, which is your body's defense against infection and illness. It works by recognizing cells that make up your body and will fight off anything unfamiliar. It destroys germs (bacteria and viruses) and parasites. Eat these to bolster your white blood cells and the supporting teams that keep them ready for battle.Healthline compiled the listand The Beet added even more research to bolster the facts.

Your body does not produce vitamin C, which means you need to get it daily to have enough to create healthy collagen (the building blocks for your skin and healing). Also known asascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient found inleafy greens and citrus, especially grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and clementines. It acts as an antioxidant,protecting cells fromdamage caused by free radicals.

How much do you need a day:The recommended daily amount to shoot for is 65 to 90 milligrams a day, which is the equivalent of one small glass of orange juice or eating a whole grapefruit. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C. With such a variety to choose from, it's easy to get your fill.

Want even more vitamin C,add red bell peppers to your salad or pasta sauce. One medium-sized red bell pepper contains 152 milligrams of vitamin C, or enough to fulfill your RDA.

Peppers are also a great source of beta carotene, aprecursor of vitamin A (retinol). VitaminAis important for healthy skin, your mucous membranes and your immune system.Beta carotene helps keep your eyes and skin healthy, as well. One cooked pepper has 19 percent of your daily recommended amount of beta carotene.

How much beta carotene do you need a day:You should try to get 75 to 180 microgramsa day which is the equivalent of one medium bell pepper a day. But a red pepper has more than two and a half times your RDA for vitamin C so eat them all winter long.

3. Broccoli, But Eat It Nearly Raw, to get the Most Nutrients Out of It!

Broccolimay be the most super of superfoods on the planet. It's rich in vitamins A and C as well as E. The phytochemicals in it are great for arming and strengthening yourimmune system.

Broccoli is a good source of lutein, a powerful antioxidant, and sulforaphane, another potent antioxidant. Itcontains additional nutrients, including some magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron. The key to keeping its powerful nutrients intact and ready for helping the body's immune response is to cook it as little as possible or even eat it raw.

Lutein is one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids and is found in high quantities ingreen leafy veggies such as spinach and kale.

There's another thing you need to know aboutbroccoli,and why it's important to not overcook it. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a gas that is a killer to a bug in the gardenand in the body.Sulforaphane is a sulfur-rich compound found in several cruciferous vegetableslike bok choy, cabbage, and kale, butbroccoli delivers the most. When a bug bites into the stalk, leaf, or flowering bud of the plant it releases this sulfuric gas that kills the invaders, thereby protecting the plant. This is the same agent that gives broccoli that sulfuric smell when you cook it, so don't overcook it since you'd rather all of that end up in your body than in the kitchen air. Cook it too much and the gas escapes into your kitchen, so if you want to keep it in the plant, and delivered it to your body, lightly steam the green and add it to your meal barely cooked through.

How much lutein should you eat in a day: There is no RDA for lutein, but experts say get at least 6 milligrams.

Garlics immune-boosting propertiesare tied to itssulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin. Allicin is thought to improve your immune cells' ability to fight off colds and flu, and viruses of all kinds. (Smelling more garlic on the subway? It could be smart coronavirus management.) Garlic also has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties thought to fight off infections.

5. Ginger is a Power Player for Immunity and Digestion

Ginger is another ingredient that has super properties when it comes to fighting off illness. It has been shown todecrease inflammation, which can helpif you get swollen glands or a sore throat or anyinflammatoryailment.

Gingerol,the main bioactive compound in ginger, is a relative of capsaicin, can be used in sweet or spicy dishes. It has been found to alleviate pain and fight nausea, which is the reason ginger ale was given for upset stomachs, back when it contained actual ginger. Now few store-bought formulations do. Make your own ginger tea. Gingerol is responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidantbenefits.

How muchshould you eat a day: Most recommendations land on 34 grams of ginger extract a day, or up to four cups of ginger tea, but no more than 1 gram a day if you are pregnant. Some studies have linked high dosages to an increased risk of miscarriage.

Spinachis not only packed with vitamin C but also antioxidants and beta carotene, both of which give your immune system the healthy boost it needs to fight off invaders.

Don't overcook your spinach, since the more it's cooked the less active the antioxidants will be. If you eat it raw or lightly steamed you'll keep more of the nutrients intact.

How much should you eat a day:Aim for 1 cup freshspinachor 1/2 cup cooked perday, but this isthe right moment to try the raw or slightly wilted approach. Order warm or wilted spinach salad when you go out, or make it yourself with olive oil, pine nuts, and vegan parm.

7. Almonds for the Win, Pop Them Like Candy

Vitamin E in almonds will help ward off colds and flu and is key to your immune system humming along. Its afat-solublemolecule, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed, so nuts arethe perfect package for E to make it into your system.

How much should you eat in a day:A half-cup serving, or46 whole, shelled almonds, providesalmost 100 percent of your RDA of vitamin E. Almonds are great for you but they don't come with a "free" pass, since 1/4 cup is a serving and has 162 calories, so double that for your RDA and you're eating about 325 calories. Throw them into smoothies instead.

If you ever feel healthier for eating curry, it is probably because of the Tumeric, which is an ingredient that gives it its burnt orange color. But this highly pigmented spice is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. The ingredientcurcumin hasbeen found to decrease muscle soreness after a hard workout. How it helps immunity? decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.

Tumeric bolsters theimmunesystem by stimulating antibody formation and people with auto-immune diseases are told by their doctors to take 500 mg of curcumin daily to reduce inflammation and stave off soreness.

How much should you eat in a day: Try adding extra Tumeric to your diet during periods of stress or during flu season. Or take500-2,000 mg ofcurcuminto help fight inflammation and power up your immune system.

9. Green Tea by the Gallon, Skip the Coffee andSipthis Instead

Whether you prefer green tea or black tea, you will benefit from the compounds calledflavonoids, powerful antioxidants.Green tea has highlevels of EGCG, (epigallocatechin gallate) another hard-working antioxidant.

EGCG is known to boost immune function, and originally all tea leaves contain this anti-oxidant, but when black tea is fermented it deactivates mostof the EGCG. Green tea is steamed so the EGCG isstill active when you drink it.

Green tea also containsL-theanine, an anti-oxidant which appears to help in the production of T-cells in your body, the killerL-theanine may aid in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.

How much green tea should you drink in a day: The optimal amount isthree to five cups in a day,but most people won't get to that level. Any amount is better than nothing. Swap out ausual beverage dailyfor green tea could improve your health.

10. Papaya, The Tropical Healer to Keep You Vacation-Healthy All Year Round

Papaya deliversover twice yourrecommended daily amount of vitamin C inone fruit -- though you're likely to eat a few slices on a salad or in a smoothie.It also contains an enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects -- and inflammation is one factor in most illnesses, so avoiding it can help your body fight off bacterial infections like sinusitis.

Papayas containpotassium, vitamin B, and folate, which is a powerful cell rebuilder. Exactly how folic acid works to build immunity is linked to its role inprotein synthesis, and researchers think that any mechanism in which cells proliferate can be affected (which is why it's critical for pregnant women). People who are folate-deficienthave compromised immune systems.

How much folate should youeat a day: Whether you are pregnant or not, folate (vitamin B9) is a great vitamin to keep your cells healthy and strong. The recommendation is 400 micrograms a day, or get it from legumes, spinach, papayas, and avocados.

When you think of anti-oxidants, you should think of fruits that grow in the sun, since their vitamin pack comes from having to fight off the oxidation of the strong rays that beat down on them in the tropics. Kiwis are a great example. They are full of folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium.

These vitamins in combination work in the body to build healthy cells, fight infection and keep your immune system humming along. Vitamin K deficiency is rare but when people don't have enough they suffer from weak bones and compromised immune systems. The inflammation system in the body is also dependent on vitamin K, especially your killerT cells that mobilize and fight cancer and other diseases.

How much should you eat in a day: Vitamin K is one of the unsung heroes of the body. Women shouldget 90 micrograms a day, and menshould have120 micrograms.

12. Sunflower seeds to sprinkle on salads or eat by themselves

Most seeds are chock-o-block with nutrients since they give the plant its healthy start. But sunflower seeds are especially healthy since they provide phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B-6 as well as vitamin E.Your immune system needs vitamin E to function at full throttle.You can also get vitamin E fromavocados and spinach and broccoli.

How much should you eat in a day:Anywhere from1 ounce (30 grams) per dayto a healthy handful is considered healthy, but because they are high in sodium you might want to refrain from eating the entire bag. The raw seeds have 204 calories per quarter cup.

13. Miso, Soup or Paste to Add to Your Soups and Salad Dressings

You've had miso soup at your favorite Japanese restaurant and perhaps even thought: "This tastes incredibly healthy! If a bit salty." Both thoughts are true. Miso is a fermented paste that adds a salty umami flavor to many Japanese dishes and soup. Most miso is made in Japan, where the ingredient has been used since the eighth century.

Misoneeds no preparation andadds a touch of saltiness to soups,marinades, and dressings. Some people credit miso as a factor in Japanese longevity. Japan has more centenarians per capita of the population than anywhere else in the world and Japan has one of the lowest rates of obesity.

The nutrients in miso -- which is a soybean paste that has been fermented with salt and a koji starter -- boostsimmune system functionby delivering healthy probiotics tothe gut, making yourmicrobiome healthier. How doesMiso benefit your immune system?It is a "sirt" food, which are foods that contain high levels of sirtuins or proteins that regulate cells and activate metabolism. A diet high in sirts is believed to lead to weight loss, increased wellness, and longevity.

How much should you eat in a day?

Researchersbelieve that consuming one bowl of miso soup per day, as is the tradition in Japan,lowers the risks of breast cancer. Other than its high sodium content there is no reason to stay away from miso with all its varied health benefits. We say cheers to that.

See more here:
13 Foods to Boost Your Immune System and Fight Sickness - The Beet

Heads up to plant eaters: Sugary foods and stress arent a good combo for your gut. Get the scoop on how these factors and others can put that gut out of balance, possibly driving you to have too much of a fungus called Candida.

Time for some truth-telling: While I follow a whole-food, plant-only diet, Ive let my habits slip. As this pandemic has raged, so, too, has my sweet tooth, and even though everything Im indulging in is vegan, Ive nonetheless splurged more than normal. Add to that increased stress, which has caused numerous sleepless nights, and although Im not battling any health woes, have maintained a normal weight, and am still an avid exerciser, I knew there would be consequences.

So I wasnt surprised when a gut microbiome test (where you sendan excrement sample through the mail to be analyzed) revealed the effects: The balance between my bacteria and fungi was off, and I was veering higher in a fungus called Candida. That left me wondering: How common is this, and what can you do if you suspect Candida is a problem?

Although your gut is composed of trillions of microorganisms, all of which make up your gut microbiome, bacteria and fungi consist of the majority. When theyre in balance, they work together to break down food, supporting each other while benefiting you as the host, says Mahmoud Ghannoum, Ph.D., M.B.A., co-founder and chief scientific officer of BIOHMHealth, director of the Center for Medical Mycology at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio, and author of Total Gut Balance.

Beneficial bacteria (like Saccharomyces, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus) act as a police officer, keeping bad guys or pathogens under control, producing small molecules that play a role in supporting your immunity and sending signals to the brain that aid in stress and mood. Meanwhile, fungi can support gut health by regulating immune responses throughout the body. When the two are in harmony, the bacteria outnumber the fungi so that you should have higher levels of ones like Saccharomyces and lower levels of Candida.

Yet when theres an imbalance in your microbiome, whats called dysbiosis, those bacteria and fungi still work together but against your detriment, Ghannoum says. The fungi gain the ability to invade their host (aka you) while the bacteria develop an antibacterial tolerance. The result? Unwanted gastrointestinal symptoms as well as inflammation.

While there are numerous fungi that might be out of whack, Candida is often the main one. Its responsible for the majority of fungal infections worldwide and is the third most common infection in hospitals, Ghannoum says. Based on data from the BIOHM gut test, about 94 percent of individuals have Candida in their gut, and although studies to determine how common Candida overgrowth is are lacking, BIOHM data shows that 18.5 percent of people have Candida overgrowth.

Numerous factors may contribute to gut imbalance, but the most impactful is sugar, especially when referring to Candida. Candida overgrowth is most often triggered by excess sugar in the American diet, says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., Hawaii-based board-certified internist and author of From Fatigued to Fantastic and The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction.

The average individual consumes 18 percent of his or her calories from sugar, eating a whopping 140 pounds of sugar every year. That sets up the perfect condition in your gut for yeast-like Candida to grow. Yeast grows by fermenting sugar, leaving millions of people who have had their gut transformed to a fermentation tank, Teitelbaum says.

And it doesnt matter if the sugar occurs naturally or is in organic, junk, or even vegan food. You could be vegan and slug 36 ounces of soda a day, consuming 27 spoons of sugar, and your gut will still suffer. If its fermentable, it increases Candida growth, Teitelbaum says.

While eating a sugar-rich diet can lead to Candida overgrowth, there are other factors involved. Lifestyle habits like having elevated stress levels and not logging adequate sleep can cause an imbalance, Ghannoum says. Antibiotics, immune system problems, gut permeability issues, and vitamin deficiencies may even set you up for trouble.

So how do you know if youve got issues in your gut balance? While you can undergo a stool test, Teitelbaum says the best way is to look for digestive symptoms. If you have gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, that suggests a microbial imbalance in your gut, he says, adding that Candida is the most common cause of these symptoms. In fact, if one of his patients has irritable bowel syndrome and/or chronic nasal congestion, which can happen in tandem, hell suspect Candida overgrowth until proven otherwise.

You can also use the dysbiosis risk checklist provided by Ghannoum (see the bottom of the article). Note that its not meant to diagnose an issue and just because youre at higher risk doesnt mean you have it now. You may have suffered from microbiome imbalance in the past thats now resolved, he says. For instance, if you were born by C-section and were on antibiotics as a child, you may have not have had as diverse or robust a microbiome, but if youve lived healthy for many years, you may have overcome that microbiome imbalance.

If you dont get this type of overgrowth under control, you can suffer yeast-related health issues like athletes foot, thrush, and vaginitis. Candida can also cause or worsen many other health issues like antibiotic-associated diarrhea, IBD and possibly IBS, Candida arthritis, allergies, inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, and serious infections like those on the skin and in the kidneys, Ghannoum says.

Because so much of Candida overgrowth depends on what you put in your mouth, making dietary changes is your first step to getting that gut in balance. The obvious switch? Cut your sugar intake and avoid fruit juices, which have similar amounts of sugar as soda, Teitelbaum says. Instead of drinking the fruit juice, eat the whole fruit so choose oranges over orange juice, for instance.

Along with all sugar (although Ghannoum notes that maple syrup and honey may have benefits for the gut), avoid alcohol. And if youre not yet fully plant-based, ditch high-fat red meat, processed meat, and full-fat dairy products.

Then load your diet with polyphenols, which you can find in vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Polyphenols feed the bacteria that keeps Candida under control, Ghannoum says. At the same time, increase plant-based proteins and fats and make sure youre eating plenty of anti-inflammatory foods, especially cruciferous vegetables. Ginger, turmeric, deglychrrhizinated licorice, and marshmallow root can also help fight inflammation.

What Ghannoum calls microbiome power foods should also be part of your diet. They include green tea, sweet potatoes, pistachios, onions, brown rice, mushrooms, and fermented foods. Just dont overdo the carbohydrates or excessive carbs could wind up feeding Candida. Instead, stick with one serving of whole-food carbs at each meal.

Supplements may even help. Ghannoum recommends three: A multivitamin; probiotic with S. boulardi, a fungal strain that works to balance Candida levels and support overall microbiome health; and anti-fungal supplements, notably those that include garlic, polyphenols and grapeseed extract.

And of course, youll need to make some lifestyle changes. Get that stress under control, and while its impossible to avoid all antibiotics, avoid unnecessary ones, which can open the door for Candida excess, Ghannoum says. Although you shouldnt go against your doctors advice, always ask if an antibiotic is truly necessary.

With all of these strategies in place, you can expect to see changes in any symptoms youre having within two to four weeks.

Use this checklist created by Ghannoum to determine if youre at greater risk for dysbiosis. The more questions you answer 'yes' to, the higher your risk for dysbiosis may be. As always, consult your healthcare professional to learn more.

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Everything You Need to Know About Boosting Your Gut Health - The Beet

Shawn Mendes opened up about the pressure he was under to have a perfect body, which led him to sacrifice sleep so he could wake up early and exercise.

"Some days I would have three hours of sleep, [because] I'd get up two hours early just to be able to work out," the 22-year-old singer told British GQ in a new interview.

Mendes said the constant need to be the "pinnacle of fitness" negatively affected him, and he'd think to himself, "If you don't work out, you're going to lose fans."

The "Wonder" singer, who rose to fame as an internet personality on the now-defunct app Vine, also said that his 2019 Calvin Klein campaign exacerbated his concern.

He credited meditating, journaling, and girlfriend Camila Cabello with helping him to come to terms with his physique.

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello in November 2019. Steve Granitz/WireImage

Regarding Cabello, Mendes said that her classy and "empathetic" reaction to public scrutiny about her own body "really changed my view of mine. It really changed my life."

"Taking that extra few hours of sleep, instead of waking up to pump iron, is a better choice sometimes," the singer said.

Mendes also previously discussed his diet and exercise routine in a 2018 interview with Rolling Stone.

"I eat tons of carbs," the "Treat You Better" singer said.

"I just work out a lot, dude. I go to the gym every morning, and I'm obsessed with fitness and just staying active. But I'm not the best to talk about when it comes to diet. If there's fries in front of me, I'm definitely not gonna say no."

Link:
Shawn Mendes lost sleep to work out and thought he'd lose fans if not - Insider - INSIDER

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CANADICE A scalpel in her right hand, Chloe Bliss begins cutting into the brownish-pink organ she holds in her left.

This is part of her job as a work-study student at Finger Lakes Community College. Her boss is professor John Van Niel, coordinator of the colleges fish and wildlife technology program. The work entails studying the stomach contents of fishers, a carnivorous North American mammal related to the weasel.

These solitary animals are fairly small, weighing up to 14 pounds, and have long bushy tails. Trapping for fishers is allowed in the fall in most of the state, largely in the Adirondacks, Hudson Valley and North Country, with a brief season in the Southern Tier.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation dropped off 500 frozen fisher stomachs at FLCC last year as part of an effort to gather data on New Yorks fisher population. Fur trappers provided the carcasses so the DEC could study the teeth (to determine age), uteruses of females (to see how many kits they had) and the stomachs (to find out what they really eat).

Van Niel and his students can answer the last question: Fishers eat smaller mammals, as you might expect, but plenty of berries, fish, frogs, birds and, it seems, other fishers.

The students are earning a paycheck, learning research procedures and gathering data for further study or decisions about wildlife management. They understand their work will long outlast their time at FLCC.

Its like a good kind of pressure, said Bliss co-worker, Jessica Froebel. Weve added to what the DEC can use and thats important.

DEC biologist Scott Smith saidthe work of Bliss, Froebel and other students before them saves DEC biologists and technicians untold hours and provides training for the next generation of wildlife professionals.

Having this snapshot of a fisher diet will allow the DEC to identify any potential difference in feeding strategies between historic fisher range and the more recently occupied habitats across central and western New York, Smith said. Fisher were once considered a creature of the big woods, but in recent times have been found to excel in non-traditional habitats of mixed agriculture and even suburbia.

The information has value to non-scientists, too. The students have not found evidence that fishers eat domesticated animals like chickens or pets.

We often hear concerns from the public about the potential impact of fisher on other species like turkey and gray squirrel, Smith added. It's important to know for a fact what fisher are preying on. This study is showing that fisher rarely, if ever, consume wild turkey.

Fishers are known for their strategy in attacking porcupines they go for the face first to incapacitate but the project results suggest they may not resort to this tactic very often.

The data collection process starts with thawed organs, numbered in batches of 10, in an outbuilding at the FLCC Muller Field Station at the south end of Honeoye Lake. Froebel and Bliss open the stomachs, then remove and rinse the contents in strainers. They have gotten used to the smell, they said, except for the instances when a fisher has preyed on skunk. Next, they place the contents on numbered petri dishes and take a look under a microscope.

Im seeing a lot of fur here, Bliss said, as she pickedthrough the material. There are two different animals in here, based on the feet I found, and theres some red fur, possibly a squirrel.

Looking at another small pinkish-red mass, Bliss continued, I can tell this is a head because I can see the jawbone here.

The students identify the undigested materials using field guides and information they have learned from doing this over and over again. The contents of each stomach arematched to anumber and will be uploaded into a database that also contains the sex, age and location and date of capture. Since trapping is permitted only in the fall, the results are limited to the animals fall diet.

Van Niel checks their work, but even he gets stumped sometimes. Its humbling, he said. I guess its a good thing I like learning because Im still doing a lot of it.

Van Niel, a Seneca Falls resident, is a 1983 graduate of FLCC and holds a doctorate in teaching and curriculum from the University of Rochester. He teaches black bear management and wildlife management in addition to serving as director for both of FLCCs field stations, the 48-acre Muller property in Canadice and the 85-acre East Hill Campus in Naples. He has been teaching at FLCC since 1995.

Bliss, 21, a Canandaigua Academy graduate, will get her FLCC degree in fish and wildlife technology in December. She has a two-year degree in animal management from Niagara County Community College and works part time at Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester.

Froebel, 25, went to Alden High School in Erie County and will graduate with an associate degree in fish and wildlife technology next spring. She plans to use some of the fisher data for a mapping project in her geographic information systems class to see if diet varies by location. She was recently accepted into Cobleskills wildlife management bachelors degree program.

Four others took part in the fisher research in previous semesters.

Jacob Ameele, a 2020 fish and wildlife technology graduate, and Allison Pellett, a 2020 environmental science graduate, were the primary student workers on the project. Courtney Renner, a 2020 environmental science graduate, and Gina DeBlieck, an environmental science major, also contributed to the research. FLCCs conservation degree programs include environmental conservation law enforcement and natural resources conservation.

Bliss and Froebel are enjoying the hands-on aspect of the project and the unpredictable nature of research. Unlike a lab exercise, there is no answer key.

My grandfather used to say, Every day you dont learn something new is a day wasted," Froebel said. This helps me learn something new. You never know what you are going to find.

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What do fishers eat? Theres only one way to know for sure - MPNnow.com

For those that celebrate the holiday, Thanksgiving dinner is a meal unlike any other. From the stuffing to the turkey, for many its hard to imagine the holiday without its variety of traditional dishes.

For students that have dietary restrictions though, the holiday presents more challenges to navigate.

Morgan Boyer, sophomore in theatre, has been gluten-free since January, meaning she consumes no wheat, grains or bread products.

This is my first Thanksgiving so Ive been trying to figure it out, Boyer said.

Boyer said her dermatologist recommended she cut gluten out of her diet to help with her psoriasis, and she eventually became intolerant to it.

Were not a dry stuffing family so Im solid for the turkey and a decent number of sides, but the rolls, that cuts deep, Boyer said.

Anna Cochenour, sophomore in medical laboratory sciences, is vegan and more restrictions than Boyer.

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I chose to be vegan because I believe your body inherits the energy of food after you consume it, Cochenour said. You literally are what you eat.

Cochenour said she decided to stop eating meat due to concerns with environmental impacts.

I have found my dietary switch to be both beneficial to my mind and body, Cochenour said.

When it comes to sides, vegetables dishes, such as vegan mashed potatoes or soups, are Cochenours go-to. She said it can be hard to keep herself to the strict diet sometimes, but she plans to use tofu to substitute for traditional Thanksgiving meats.

Tofu has also really helped when trying to replace the meats like the turkey or ham, Cochenour said. Tofu turkey is pretty easy to make or a tofu loaf, theyre pretty flavorful.

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Students navigate dietary restrictions during the Thanksgiving holiday - K-State Collegian

Americans ate 45 million turkeys for Thanksgiving in 2017, according to an article from CNBC. Those who practice vegetarianism, veganism or other plant-based diets, however, forgo the classic main dish.

Plant-based eating is nothing new. People have practiced vegetarian diets, or abstained from certain kinds of meat, for thousands of years based on cultural and religious reasons. In the last few decades, however, the number of people transitioning to plant-based diets has been on the rise. More and more people are giving up meat not for cultural or religious reasons, but because of concern for animal welfare and the environment.

In 2018, Izy Dobbins became a vegetarian after cutting down on meat when she started college, she said. Dobbins, a senior advertising major from Savannah, said the primary reason she made the switch was the impact eating meat has on the environment.

My first semester of freshman year I took a class where we had a unit on sustainability and we talked a lot about the impact of our diets on sustainability and how meat is such a great personal contributor to climate change, Dobbins said. And I thought, well, I don't eat that much meat anyway I might as well just not eat it at all.

Abby Winograd, a junior international affairs major from Miami, Florida, decided to become a vegetarian when she was 10 because of her love for animals. Then, when she was 18, she decided to make the switch to veganism out of environmental concerns involving the meat and dairy industries. Her family has also made the switch to a more plant-based diet over the last decade, now only occasionally having eggs or dairy, she said.

After making big lifestyle changes, the holidays can be difficult. Diana Richtman, a senior womens studies and English double major, has been a vegetarian for almost five years, she said. During her first holiday season after going vegetarian, she missed some of the foods she used to enjoy, like her familys stuffing, she said. In addition to missing some of her favorite foods, some of her family members didnt understand her new diet.

I have tofurkey every year and I don't go a year without [my immediate family] commenting on that, Richtman said. I think my extended family because they see me lessthey're very curious about what I'm eating, not necessarily in a bad way but when you're just trying to have a meal it could be a little frustrating to have someone asking you what you're eating.

Dobbins has experienced similar sentiments from her family, she said, not necessarily during Thanksgiving, but during other holidays like Christmas and the Fourth of July. Her grandparents will still sometimes ask her if shes eating meat again, she said. Even though Winograds family is mostly plant-based, shes faced challenges when it comes to her diet as well. When shed go to a friends house for Shabbat or other Jewish holidays, there wasnt always food she was able to eat there, she said.

While the holidays can pose some problems for vegans and vegetarians, the season can bring joy as well. Richtmans sister recently went vegan, and the two have been sharing recipes theyre excited to try together. Last year, Winograd got to host her family for a vegan Thanksgiving at her apartment in Athens, she said.

For the first time, my family came to Athens and I hosted them in my apartment, and we all did a big vegan Thanksgiving, Winograd said. That rocked and it brought a lot more meaning to it for me, because I wasn't just miserable.

Even though lots of holiday foods include meat or animal-based ingredients, there are many holiday foods vegans and vegetarians get to enjoy. Dobbins said she enjoys making stews, soups and chilis. She said these recipes can easily be made into vegetarian dishes, while still including protein and fiber. For her familys vegan Thanksgiving, Winograd made vegan mac and cheese using ingredients like cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast and Panko breadcrumbs, she said. Even though Richtman misses her familys stuffing, she said she still gets to enjoy her moms brown sugar and cinnamon sweet potatoes.

Entering into your first holiday season after going vegan, vegetarian or plant-based can be intimidating. Richtmans advice? Dont take things too seriously. If youre planning on bringing a dish to a gathering, aim to make it something everyone will enjoy even if it is vegetarian or vegan, she said. Dobbins said going easy on yourself during the holidays can also be helpful. If youre new to your plant-based diet, allowing yourself to have a few animal products will make the transition easier, she said.

During the holidays I would say if you're someone who's trying to cut down on meat, only eat the best meat, Dobbins said. Instead of eating meat for every meal, like when you're at home making a turkey sandwich, make that lunch something vegetarian. And then when it's fancy dinner time and you're getting a steak or ribs, or you're getting the juicy ham, enjoy that because that's the good stuff.

Winograd also shared Dobbins sentiment that when transitioning to a plant-based diet, it doesnt have to be all or nothing. Everyone is at a different step in the process of having a vegan, vegetarian or plant-based lifestyle, she said.

You can't make fun of or look down on other people that are in the process of becoming vegan and might be breaking it sometimes or enjoying the food they grew up eating, Winograd said. We're all on this journey of making the world better.

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A turkeyless Thanksgiving: Celebrating the holidays on a plant-based diet - Red and Black

YouTuber and Pro Body Builder, Aseel Soueid, is well known for his ate like challenges. After trying the diets of Lionel Messi, Arnold Schwarzenegger, LeBron James, and many more, Soueid tried to eat like WWE icon John Cena.

The former WWE Championsdiet mantra is simple, Stay away from the junk. If its breathes or its green, eat it and overall make good decisions.

Soueid tried following his diet for one day. Cenas daily diet consists of approx 3,613 calories from seven clean meals and 290g of protein.

Before having the first meal, Soueid confessed, Id be lying if I say Im not scared. He started with a breakfast of six egg whites, two whole eggs, 100g of oatmeal with raisins on top, and one apple sauce cup. There were no condiments, and he cooked the oats in water instead of milk. Soueid mixed all of these as he got to meal number 2.

For this, he ate a protein bar before the third meal. Then, he enjoyed lunch with chicken breast, a cup of brown rice, and a cup of mixed vegetables.

The fourth meal was the post-workout meal. Soueid joked he had had some depressing post-workout meals, but Cenas was the worse of them. He ate gluten-free Pita bread with a can of Tuna due to his physical condition.

Not only did the apartment stank, but also Soueid could not finish the meal by itself. To gulp down the nasty taste of Tuna, he added some honey mustard to it.

For meal number five, he had the John Cena protein smoothie. It consisted of one banana, ice cubes, a cup of unsweetened almond milk, and one scoop of vanilla-flavored whey protein powder. This smoothie made up for the tuna disaster, according to the YouTuber.

With only two meals to go, we moved to the wholesome dinner. The dinner had cooked chicken breasts, a cup of brown rice, half a cup of pasta, and one cup of mixed vegetables. This meal was also gluten-free, high carb, and with lots of protein.

He still had one more meal left before the challenge was over. The last meal consisted of half cup of low-fat cottage cheese with vanilla-flavored casein protein powder.

After the challenge was over, Aseel revealed he was very full. He clarified the video was for entertainment purposes, and he is not trying to look like John Cena. The experience was definitely fun.

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WATCH: Pro Bodybuilder Tries To Follow The Insane Diet of WWE Superstar John Cena - Essentially Sports

This article was originally published here

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2020 Nov 24;100(43):3407-3413. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20200806-02292.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore the histopathology, monocytes phenotypes and brain mRNA transcription of angiogenic and atherogenic factors preliminarily in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs) fed with high salt diet and subjected to chronic focal hypoperfusion. Methods: A total of 21 SHRs were randomly assigned into SHR with normal diet (SHR-ND group, n=7), SHR fed with high salt (8%) chows (SHR-HSD group, n=14) groups. After induction of high salt diet for 20 weeks, unilateral carotid artery occlusion was applied to one half of SHR-HSD (SHR-HSD-UCAO, n=7) group for 10 weeks to mimic chronic focal cerebral hypoperfusion. The neuropathology, monocytes phenotypes and brain transcription of fibroblast growth factor (FGF-b), platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), angiogenin (ANG), transforming growth factor- (TGF-) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) among three groups were compared. Results: The systolic blood pressure ((24612) mmHg vs (22016) mmHg, P=0.0291, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) and diastolic blood pressure ((18915) mmHg vs (16412) mmHg, P=0.0143) of SHR-HSD group were elevated significantly compared with those of SHR-ND group. Compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), SHR-ND, SHR-HSD and SHR-HSD-UCAO groups demonstrated lipohyalinosis, vessel wall thickening, lumen narrowing and multiple enlarged perivascular space and diffuse disarrangement of nerve fiber and myelin vacuolation in corpus callosum pathologically. The ratio of CD11b(+) CD68(+) monocytes in peripheral blood of SHR-HSD group was higher compared with both SHR-ND and SHR-HSD-UCAO groups (P=0.000 8). The mean inflorescence index (MFI) of CD86 and CD206 showd considerable decline in SHR-HSD-UCAO group compared with those of SHR-HSD group (P=0.018 7 and 0.016 8, respectively). The CD86 MFI of CD11b+CD68+ monocytes in SHR-HSD-UCAO group was remarkably higher than that of SHR-ND and SHR-HSD groups (P=0.000 5). Compared with SHR-ND and SHR-HSD groups, the brain mRNA transcription of angiogenic factors including PD-ECGF and ANG were down-regulated (P=0.004 6 and 0.000 2, respectively), while the atherogenic factors including TGF- and VEGF-A were up-regulated in SHR-HSD-UCAO group (P<0.000 1 and P=0.045, respectively). Conclusion: SHR-HSD-UCAO group shares the pathophysiological characteristics with advanced stage arteriosclerotic cerebral small vessel disease (aCSVD), including neuropathology, imbalanced circulating monocytes phenotypes and down-regulated angiogenic factors.

PMID:33238670 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20200806-02292

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The proatherogenic effect of high salt diet combined with focal hypoperfusion on spontaneous hypertension rat - DocWire News

This almond soup recipe is perfect for immunity diet.

Highlights

Nothing feels better right now than tucking in the couch or bed, wrapped in a cosy blanket and enjoying some really warming foods. And when we think of soul-warming winter meals, soup always elicits a 'yes' from us. Soup is healthy, tasty and instantly soothes our senses and body. Be it for weight loss, for easy digestion, for cold and cough, or just for pleasure, a delicious soup is the best thing we can ask for in winters. Don't deny it!

A close cousin of soup - shorba - also tops our winter favourites. Shorba is just like a soup, except it is thicker and infused with strong herbs and curry spices. Shorba is more popular in Middle-Eastern countries but has many fans in India too. If you want to try having a decadent shorba this winter, we suggest you try subz badam ka shorba. This spiced almond soup with the goodness of almonds is just what you need to give a quick boost to your immunity.

Almonds are a powerhouse of various nutrients and healthy fats that works together to strengthen our body's layer of defence against seasonal illnesses. When combined with a range of other nutrient-rich veggies, and simmered with some powerful spices, this shorba is just undeniable.

(Also Read:5 Almond Soup Recipes You Must Try For A High Nutritive Meal)

Almonds are loaded with essential nutrients that can help boost immunity.Photo Credit: iStock

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This healthful soup can be made in around 30 minutes, which is nothing for a hearty meal that you're going to love.

Click here for the step-by-step recipe of subz badam ka shorba.

The spicy almonds soup is a dense broth made by simmering almonds along with nutritious vegetables of onion, carrots, green peas, beans and cauliflower. The shorba is imbued with loads of aromatic spices like cumin, ginger, garlic and khada masala (a mixture of whole spices in powdered form).

The recipe is very easy to follow and we are sure you'll end up making this immunity-boosting soup again and again, all through the winter.

About Neha GroverLove for reading roused her writing instincts. Neha is guilty of having a deep-set fixation with anything caffeinated. When she is not pouring out her nest of thoughts onto the screen, you can see her reading while sipping on coffee.

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Winter Immunity Diet: Have Spicy Almond Soup 'Subz Badam Ka Shorba' To Warm Up From Within - NDTV Food