Category Archives: Diet And Food

It's the weekend before Election Day, which comes with a lot of mixed emotions: excitement, anxiety, fatigue, information overload. You name it, we've probably felt it in the last 48 hours.

To help you navigate all of these feelings, here's a little care package to help you self-soothe ahead of this major political moment.

In 2016, Dr. Ellen Slawsby told WBUR shed never seen her patients so stressed by an American election.

Today, amid a raging pandemic, a deepening recession, racial inequities and yet another unprecedented election year, shed like to update that remark: 2020 breaks the election stress record.

Im hearing true fear in the voices of the people I speak with, the Boston-based psychologist said. Plain and simple: They truly are afraid their lives and their worlds will crumble. Theyve already lost so much because of COVID their social support, often their jobs, their finances may be in shambles, their children arent in school.

And they just dont see how they can take one more blow.

The American Psychological Association warned that the nation faces a mental health crisis in its annual Stress in America report released earlier this month. Among several alarming figures, the study found 77% of adults up from 66% in 2019 say the future of the nation is a significant source of stress.

Oof. OK, lets take a breath, everyone. These stressors are heavy, and while breathing more mindfully wont magic problems away, Slawsby, a director at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, says small exercises like that can help people build resiliency, maintain control over what they can right now and ward off some of the tough physical, mental and social impacts of stress.

While much of the ultimate outcomes in both politics and the pandemic are beyond any one individuals control, WBUR thought it worthwhile to talk to Slawsby about what more people can do to help manage their mental health. She offered the following tips:

1. Carve out 20 minutes for breathing and mindfulness exercises.

Slawsby recommends practicing some sort of relaxation response for 20 minutes a day even twice a day to reduce your bodys fight or flight response. Even if you dont have much time, mini meditative sessions could help when a wave of stress hits. These exercises can be as simple as inhaling while uttering a word with a positive connotation (she uses peace) before exhaling a negative word (her go-to is tension), or as involved as guided meditations on YouTube or apps like Headspace. But dont get overwhelmed by how long you should inhale and exhale. Slawsby uses the analogy that its like picking an ice cream flavor: They are all generally pretty good, and youll have to find your favorite.

2. Avoid knee-jerk reactions to bad news.

Language, and the logic we apply behind it, can impact our ability to build resilience in times of stress. Slawsby explains with an example: A knee-jerk reaction is, The world is falling apart. A response might be, Let me wait and see what happens. Stress, by its definition, is about "the perception of a threat" and the belief that one cannot cope with that threat, Slawsby says. She suggests that the next time you're under stress, notice the language you use and see if you could find other words to capture the facts of the situation.

3. Move your body outdoors, if you can.

Exercise, or even less intensive forms of movement like walking, increase endorphins, which help the body cope with stress. Slawsby recommends things like yoga or stretching. Here & Now, earlier in the pandemic, created this list of simple exercises you can try.

4. Get creative about connecting with others.

We are social creatures whose mental health gets a boost from connecting with others. Slawsby acknowledged that this can be a real challenge because living in a pandemic completely upends what is considered a safe hang out. Earlier this fall, she installed a TV in her garage so friends could be outside but still watch games or shows safely together. She said several clients were at the time innovative about meet ups with loved ones, making park lunches safer by asking everyone to bring their own supplies.

Now, as the weather gets colder and the state faces a rise in cases, Slawsby said people should try to remember that for their mental health, social distancing does not mean social isolation. If in-person gatherings are unsafe, she encouraged people to set up Zoom or phone dates and make them more fun by centering them around an activity like tea time or, as one client of hers did, making get-out-the-vote postcards in a group. She recommends marking these hangs on your calendar, so that all parties can be best set up to be relaxed when the conversations begin.

5. Seek out (like-minded) company. Set boundaries.

While Slawsby said it would be disappointing for people to forever avoid loved ones with different political views, in the days around the election, its more than OK advisable even to seek out those with similar perspectives and cut down on stress related to political disagreements. It may, she acknowledged, be hard to shut out parents. So she suggested taking steps to politely set boundaries by being strategic. You could say you only have 10 minutes to tell them something specific that is non-election-related. Or, even say directly, We can talk, but not about politics.

6. Tend to basic needs: good nutrition and sleep are essential right now.

Slawsby said difficulty sleeping is the most common symptom of stress she hears about. She recommends getting a solid eight hours. Here & Now explained earlier in the pandemic why sleep disruptions due to anxiety are so common as well as a few tips on how to cope with them. On sustenance, she says: Try to provide yourself with a good diet and not load up on carbs that are going to give you a big high and crash. (If youre craving more on how to have a healthy relationship with food, check out our podcast, Food, We Need To Talk.)

7. Get a pet.

Ah, cats, dogs and other animal friends really are the greatest. Theres quite a bit of science backing up the idea that pets improve ones mental health, and throughout the pandemic, weve seen lots of people seeking out new furry companionship. Slawsby says that simply petting your animal can function as a form of mindful relaxation.

As a final acknowledgement of how difficult times may be, Slawsby says that if stress is so unmanageable it is interfering with your daily life in a significant way, there is help available. The pandemic has expanded remote access to health care services like therapy. In the heaviest of moments there are also emergency resources at hospitals and people willing to help those in a crisis.

What better way to get into the Election Day spirit than a podcast? WBURs podcast team has compiled a list of interesting listens that cover all things politics, from the basics on voting and polling, to the obscure moments in political history that speak to the current moment.

Civics 101:Yep, it's what it sounds like, but not nearly as sleepy as your average college introductory course. The show helps you understand clearly and simply how civic engagement works in the U.S. A recent breakout episode,Civic Action: Voting, Part 1,is a great place to start, especially if you want a guide from three experts on how voting works in the U.S. and what you should know as a voter in this presidential election.

Endless Thread:This episode,QAnon Casualties,delves deep into the reality of the QAnon conspiracy theory and its followers, but with a different angle than much of the media coverage about the group of people supporting President Donald Trump. Listen to the story of a follower who got in deep, and then, got out. (Yes, this podcast is a WBUR original another reason to listen!)In the Thick:This podcast from Futuro that looks at the latest political news through the perspective of journalists of color will change the way you think about the political landscape in 2020. Try starting with the episode Free The Vote.The episode unpacks Floridas recent court decision that restricts returning citizens eligibility to vote and voter suppression nationwide.Left, Right and Center:"Diaries of a Divided Nation: 2020"is a special project from this KCRW podcast. "Over the past year, a team of audio journalists have documented the lives of seven ordinary people with different views, living in different places, and with different stakes in politics. Each participant has recorded their thoughts and experiences as the extraordinary events of 2020 have unfolded. These are their stories." Give it a listen.

This Day In Esoteric Political History: This Radiotopia show tells you a ton about the present by exploring strange and specific moments of the past. We recommend starting with Wilson Gets The Flu.

FiveThirtyEight:When it comes to the polls and horse race coverage of the election, these guys are your experts. Listen to this episode on how early voting affects the forecast (in addition to other listener questions).

For journalists, nothing says election night like newsroom pizza. But alas, many of us like many of you arent working from the office yet. So does that mean no pizza? Of course not! Pizza on election night is the little taste of normalcy I think we all need right now. So celebrate voting and making your voice heard with a slice on Tuesday. If youre feeling more adventurous than ordering from your local pizza joint, try making it yourself! Here & Now resident chef Kathy Gunst has some tips for making really good pizza at home:

Making pizza at home doesnt have to mean heating up a pie from your local pizza joint. Its actually way easier than you might think. Pizza dough in the grocery store used to be inferior, but things have vastly improved in the past few years. Look for a locally-made dough. You can also make your own dough or buy some from your favorite local pizza parlor. In terms of toppings, you can use virtually anything.

Here are two dough recipes from Kathy (one for beginners and one for advanced cooks), as well as three ideas for toppings.

- The Atlantic wants to help you de-stress with an election anti-anxiety playlist.

- And if you want a throwback, earlier this year we asked our readers what tunes were getting them through the challenging times of 2020. We got so many suggestions that we broke them out into two playlists one for quiet days and one for loud days so you'd have something to listen to regardless of your vibe.

Read the rest here:
Your Election Weekend Care Package | The ARTery - WBUR

This is Eater Voices, where chefs, restaurateurs, writers, and industry insiders share their perspectives about the food world, tackling a range of topics through the lens of personal experience.

When peak blackberry season arrived at the end of August, wildfire smoke soon followed, casting a claustrophobic haze in martian shades of orange, red, and yellow. I wheezed behind my mask, squinting to find ripe fruit through the razored canes in West Seattle. My arms felt grimy, coated in a fine layer of ash. This was not the idyllic Instagram scene that berry picking normally elicits, but months of quarantine had elevated my anticipation of blackberry season to a level of excitement that rivaled all the summers canceled concerts.

Once inside, I washed away the berries gray sediment and prepared a fillet of salmon to be served with a white wine shallot blackberry sauce. After sauting the shallots, I deglazed the pan with a splash of chardonnay. I pressed the blackberries through a mesh sieve to remove the seeds, then simmered the sauce on low heat. I missed restaurants and going out, but cooking at home with seasonal ingredients had been a welcome alternative to punctuate the monotony of sheltering in place. Seeking small joys like this helped me navigate the searing isolation of COVID. It also reminded me of when I was a homeless teenager, foraging and dumpster diving to survive.

At age 14, I was homeless, living alone in the woods of the Olympic Peninsula. Before hitchhiking to Seattle, I lived in the woods south of Dungeness Bay. I also found shelter in other places: a cave above the Elwha River; near Lake Angeles and Hurricane Ridge; Salt Creek; an abandoned house in Eden Valley; the banks of the Hoh River; and in the goat barn of a hippie commune.

I could not stay in a shelter or ask for help: I would have been arrested as a runaway or returned to my abusive family, who had kicked me out for being gay, although I am bi. Until you turn 18, it is essentially illegal to be on your own unless you have the resources for a lawyer to help you legally emancipate.

Cooking with a compact backpacking camp stove, I foraged for roughly half my food and kept the rest locked in a bear canister. Misidentifying species and unknowingly eating something poisonous can be deadly, so I only consumed wild plants that I could confidently identify.

Occasionally, I returned to check on my two younger siblings in Port Angeles, and I continued attending high school so my mom wouldnt get in trouble with Child Protective Services. I worked seven days a week, rotating between jobs as a caterer, maid, pastry chef, landscaper, barista, caregiver, and organic arugula farmhand. I also worked for a Sequim deli, where I prepared salads and sandwiches in between German-American retirees ordering head cheese. I stole precious moments to sit in the walk-in freezer, my favorite perk of working in food service. In the summer, I worked for a catering company that cooked for the Sequim Lavender Festival, where the purple perfumed haze made me dizzy. Feeling nauseous from the pounds of fragrant flower spices, I escaped out the door of the prep kitchen to gasp for breaths of unscented air.

When I realized that living feral in the forest would not be sustainable forever and that I wanted to go to college, I hitchhiked to Seattle. The first night, I cowered from the rain beneath the eaves of Pike Place Market. In the morning, an elderly homeless man found me in the Westlake tunnel. He jostled me awake and warned that I would get arrested for sleeping. He bought me coffee and advised me to go to the U District, where I could safely blend in as a disheveled-looking freshman.

I hid in the basement of the University of Washington undergrad library, where I scavenged for discarded bagels and pizza, and dodged security guards when they did their nightly rounds. (I would later be diagnosed with celiac disease, but when I was homeless I subsisted on whatever I could find.) During summer months, I looked forward to blackberries in the U District and Capitol Hill to supplement my diet of dumpster-dived pastries tossed out by cafes. Decades later, I would work for the UW as an administrative specialist, inundated with imposter syndrome as I walked past the places where I used to sleep as a teenager.

Since COVID-19 first shut down Seattle, I have tried to creatively stretch ingredients to reduce trips to the grocery store and practice social distancing. In spring, I carefully cut stinging nettles for a cassoulet, blanching the greens so they would be safe to eat before adding them to the haricot beans. The herbaceous spinach flavor added a brightness to the cassoulets rich flavor. Although nettles are not a classic ingredient, they added a contrasting color and texture to the humble dish that was traditionally composed with whatever was available. In summer, I gathered thimbleberries, salmonberries, and osoberries that looked like tiny clusters of cherries and tasted like grassy plums. But no matter how much I forage and cook during quarantine, I cant distract myself from thinking about how so many of the places I relied on for shelter as a teenager are closed now.

Libraries, cafes, and college campuses saved me and provided a safe place to rest when I was overwhelmed and without a home. There is only so much I can do to help now that I am housed, but I pack lunches for homeless neighbors who have no choice but to live outside during pandemic months that have included violent clashes between protestors and police, as well as blanketing wildfire smoke. I help friends who are homeless search for housing and jobs and navigate college. It is daunting and feels insurmountable, but I do whatever I can because I know that I did not survive and make it off the streets alone.

When it finally rained this year, the blackberries dripped with soot. I reached to pick a berry and the dregs of West Coast wildfires ran down my wrist in a brown river. Birds that had fallen silent for a week during the heavy smoke cover began to sing again. I felt hopeful. And not just because I could breathe again. Fall is my favorite season, and I looked forward to chanterelle hunting as the weather turned colder and precipitation slowed alerts of new wildfires. In areas that have burned this summer, it is unlikely there will be any chanterelles this year, according to Paul Stamets, Olympia mycologist and author of Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World. When I asked Stamets if ash from distant fires might have any impact on soil acidity or mycelial fruiting bodies, he told me that it should not have any influence because ash and wildfire smoke is quickly neutralized by rain. Most hopeful is Stametss forecast of a bountiful morel harvest when it warms enough after winter months in late March or April.

Last week I left extra kale, tomatoes, and tomatillos that I grew on my neighbors doorstep to safely socially distance, and I made food for local homeless neighbors because I bought way too many beans in March. For now, this is how I can stay connected. After surviving homelessness, I know what it feels like to be completely alone and isolated. Cooking for others and foraging makes me feel calm, especially when all the stresses of this year can make it difficult to concentrate or feel like anything I do is enough.

Now, when I make salmon with blackberries or hunt for mushrooms, I do it more for the meditative qualities and less out of the resourceful necessity it was when I was a homeless teenager. Like everyone else, I look forward to someday throwing dinner parties and going out to restaurants again. But for now, reconnecting with the skills that helped me survive keeps me from burning out when it feels like the world is burning. I love how cooking cultivates a hyperfocus and the rest of the world melts away, much like searching for the first yellow pop of a chanterelle through the autumn leaves.

Fall mushroom season began a little late this year because of how dry September was, but I still hope to gather enough that I can share with my neighbors.

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Originally posted here:
What Foraging in the Pacific Northwest Means in a Time of Uncertainty - Eater Seattle

Your healthy lifestyle might not be that healthy after all - especially if diet and exercise become extreme.

Dr. Deborah Michel, regional clinical director of Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center, The Woodlands, explained that what appears to be a healthy habit on the surface could, in reality, be obsessive exercise and disordered eating.

The difficult part is knowing the difference, she said.

Compulsive exercise, sometimes referred to as exercise addiction, occurs when physical activity becomes too much. Injury, illness, socializing with friends or an incoming storm cannot stop an individual who exercises obsessively.

Similarly, what begins as a restrictive diet can become obsessive and result in disordered eating and heightened concerns about body image.

Another area of concern is nervosa orthorexia - an obsession with eating healthy, explained Dr. Sophie Schneider, assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine.

Individuals with this disorder become so preoccupied with eating right that it actually becomes damaging.

Schneider agreed that it is tricky to identify when exactly a behavior goes from improving health to hurting an individual.

We dont have well-defined definitions of when we cross the line, she said.

And quitting is complicated.

You can stop drinking alcohol, but you cant stop eating or exercising, Schneider said.

Dr. Kimberly James, at Stepping Stone Therapy, said that increasing awareness of disordered eating and compulsive exercise is critical to early intervention by licensed psychologists and medical professionals.

Here, these three local experts offer advice for staying healthy - and avoiding extremes:

Watch for warning signs. Exercise becomes obsessive, when it interferes with other important activities, like work, school or relationships, Michel said. Individuals might treat exercise as permission to eat or to purge when they consume too many calories.

Exercise becomes something that you must do, Michel said. When you dont work out, you become angry, your mood changes. You exercise regardless of whether youre sick, exhausted or injured.

While exercise can help lift moods and manage stress, too much physical activity can result in more anxiety.

It becomes a way to escape at the cost of everything else and negatively impacts interpersonal relationships, Michel said. Exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle, but it cant become the only way to cope. You need to have a wide array of coping skills.

Disordered eating can manifest in overly restrictive dieting, as well as bingeing and purging.

Symptoms of orthorexia include eliminating entire categories of food from a diet, believing self-esteem is directly tied to ones ability to stick to a diet, spending too much time planning meals, restricting calories or hiding food from others.

Reach for more realistic expectations. Schneider said both men and women feel pressured to not only be trim but also muscular.

For women, its not enough to just be skinny anymore, she said. You also have to be toned.

Men are also trying to lose weight and bulk up simultaneously. Theres been a heightening of this message to men, Schneider said. With male movie stars, for instance, theyre not just muscular, theyre cut down and have a physically not-possible body.

She said that younger generations are often more aware that photos are retouched. Still a number of people aspire to look like the images of actors and models in magazines, movies and social media, she added.

Michel encourages patients to view these images with a critical eye and recognize that societal messages of what is perfect are often unattainable.

This thin ideal is unrealistic, she said. Everyone has to accept their own body types. When a person is trying to mold their body into someone elses ideal, that is a problem.

Consider your whole body. Individuals might say they only want to fix their arms or drop five pounds. In the meantime, they arent paying attention to their whole body and how they feel in general.

Take a patient who doesnt like their nose, says Schneider: Suddenly, thats all they see in the mirror.

It distorts the way they see themselves, she said. Only paying attention to your flaws can stop you from seeing your whole appearance.

Does a day off from diet or exercise make you nervous? It shouldnt. When exercise becomes obsessive, it can affect an individuals ability to get enough sleep, Michel said. Maybe they stay up late or wake up early to fit in a workout.

Or they totally ignore that a body needs time to rest or recover after a workout, she said.

That time off from exercise shouldnt be a problem, she explained.

Schneider added that anxiety can also result when people stray from their diets. She recommends seeking balance in both exercise and nutrition.

Group exercise might be the solution, she said. Not only will individuals learn healthy routines from trainers, they also benefit from the social aspect of a class.

Jamesworks with a professional trainer - and in her practice, often focuses on the relationship between nutrition, fitness and mental health.

The trainers help James work on different muscle groups during each session - and also time the routines.

Im not there for three or four hours, she said. I go, and I love the way I feel afterwards. But if a friend is in town or a family member - or theres a ballet I want to see, I go. Exercise does not stand in my way.

Make decisions that are sustainable. Schneider suggests asking Is this something I could continue for a while? when making a change in diet or exercise.

For example, walking a certain amount of steps or exercising for a certain amount of time can be a sustainable goal. Its easy to want to continue these healthy habits. But ruling out an entire group of food items like carbs is unsustainable, Schneider added.

Balance is key, she said.

There are no such things as good foods or bad foods, Michel added.

Diets dont work, she said. We really encourage a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Its about lifestyle, not slashing calories or fad diets.

Is negativity part of your program? If so, get rid of it. Exercise should be fun, Michel said. People sometimes lose the ability to see exercise as something that can be enjoyable, she cautioned.

Consider it a warning sign if you no longer enjoy a stroll with friends and family or walking out in nature, because you would rather be pounding the pavement instead. Michel said to be careful if a workout routine shifts from being pleasant to being a punishment.

Theres a difference between I shouldnt have eaten that donut and Im a really bad person because I ate that doughnut, Schneider explained.

Individuals who have struggled with weight can carry criticisms they have heard from others, even after losing weight.

There are also fears of regaining weight, or a desire for the positive reinforcement that comes with shedding pounds.

If youre being unkind to yourself mentally thats a good sign that you could use some support, Schneider said.

James recommends giving yourself grace. You have to be compassionate with yourself, she said. Get out of that punishing mentality.

Remember, were still in a pandemic. Stress, anxiety and depression caused by COVID-19 can also exacerbate obsessive exercise and disordered eating.

For example, individuals can exercise continually at home without anyone knowing, or miss miss eating with others who can model healthy behaviors.

Isolation can also increase risk of eating disorders and compulsive exercise. The Eating Recovery Center, is currently experiencing a higher number of patients than normal.

The demand for treatment right now is incredible, Michel said.

Build a team. James recommends working with a physician, a registered dietitian who can check nutrition plans and a psychologist or therapist to address issues that could come into play.

You need a team, she said. Then youre operating from a place of knowledge.

Stress from work or school could be behind obsessive behaviors. And if a person is an emotional eater, its impossible to kick the habit without addressing its root cause.

My job is to get in there and find out why, to help you feel more aligned, James said.

Individuals sometimes carry fear that if they gain weight, they will no longer be attractive or loveable, she added.

Weve got to tackle those issues - and unpack all of that, she said. You have to recognize whats stirring up inside of you, to know it, to name it and move onto something else.

Lindsay Peyton is a Houston-based freelance writer.

Originally posted here:
How to know if eating healthy and exercising crosses the line to compulsion or worse - Houston Chronicle

At a time when many of us have put on a quarantine-15, this specialized diet says it can help you eat healthier.

SAN ANTONIO Like many of us, Carey Anderson is at home more due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemicso much so that the retail company district manager has found a new hobby in recent months.

Anything called a cookie or any type of ice cream. Those are my favorite pastimes, Anderson said.

His sweet tooth, though, has led to some extra weight.

Probably gained a good 15 to 20 pounds since COVID, he said.

He's not new to dieting...or to ditching a diet.

Ive done a vegan diet at one point," he said. "I actually did that for a year. Ive done low-carb diets. I havent tried Keto, but Ive done some Keto dishes. Its really hard to be consistent with it. Its easy to get really discouraged if you dont(know) if its really working.

A health condition creates an extra eating challenge for Anderson.

I found out I had Type 2 diabetes, he said. I was doing a good job of managing it, however, this is what happened: I was managing it with diet and exercise, but then the gym closed.

He is now trying a DNA-based diet from Genopalate. The test kit asks you to swab your cheek and then drop the sample in the mail.

It was really easy, Anderson said.

The results takes a few weeks to come back. The report he will receive includes recommendations for the quantities of fat, protein, sugar and carbohydrates he should intake, as well as which vitamins and minerals. He will also get a list of 100 foods from which he can benefit by eating.

Its really the starting point of a journey versus the endpoint, said Sherry Zhang, the founder and CEO of GenoPalate.

Zhang created the DNA test to help people eat healthier by better understanding which foods are best for their individual bodies. She makes it clear Genopalate is not a diagnostic tool or treatment; it's one part of a healthy lifestyle.

Zhang said genetics play about a 30% role in weight, while behavior plays 40%.

We hear a lot of different trends all the time, she said. People are being bombarded. Its making the decision-making even harder.

She said the DNA test can help people looking to lose weight make decisions about food that are science-based. It can take some of the experimenting out of healthy eating.

If you drink coffee. we have insights for how slow, how fast you are metabolizing your caffeine, your cup of tea or coffee, alcohol, Zhang said. We also touch upon lactose intolerance. So we have insights for lactose intolerance or tolerance and sensitivities or gluten sensitivities. We also provide you your personal ranked food list that you can use to shop for your genetic nutrition.

Zhang said she studied obesity for more than a decade and saw people living in the same household had different responses to food, which is why she created the test.

Each of us are born into this world with nutritional ancestry, she said. Those are the genetic codes that our ancestors figured out for us during the 2.5 million years of evolution.

Zhang said she tested the kit on herself.

I have a principle that I will not let other people try our products until Im confident and proud of it, she said.

Test kits range from $40 to $180. The less expensive plans allow you to upload your data already on 23andMe or AncestryDNA. Other plans include the kit to do your DNA analysis. You can also get recipes with your kit. Zhang said the company offers continued support to clients through newsletters.

Do you think you are counting your carbs? Jennifer Wimpee, a dietitian and diabetes nutrition educator, asked a client during a phone consultation.

Wimpee said some people might find the DNA test useful, but everyone basically has the same general nutrition needs.

What I saw was exactly what we recommend towards our patients and clients, she said after reviewing a sample report. So keeping your saturated fat less than 10%, limiting your sugary foods, making sure youre getting high-fiber foods. The reason people want something like this is because they like rules and regulations; however, its nothing new. Nutrition really hasnt changed over the years.

She said the results could be limiting for some people.

Its not going to give you the whole gamut because it lists 100 foods that are good for you. Wimpee said. Theres a lot more than 100 foods out in the world. So it might give them a list where they might not actually try eating other foods that are not on the list.

She said another draw back could be the level of support offered after getting results.

Youre just getting information, Wimpee said. No one is sitting down with you and going over with you what this actually means and how you can make it work for you. I think you get five recipes with it. I mean, I want to have more than five recipes in my list.

Anderson said his drive to take off the weight has changed. He is ready to ditch his quarantine 15. He wants to see if a personalized food list will help him slim down.

You know, sometimes the food is just like really bland and not very tasty, he said.

He knows he will have to do without the sugary, tasty treats he loves. Yet he is encouraged the results will provide him with some delicious and healthier alternatives.

Before starting any diet, make sure you consult your doctor first to find out what is best for you.

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DNA-based diet says it can take the guesswork out of deciding what food is and isn't good for you - KENS5.com

The first question people ask when you tell them you are vegan or eat a plant-based diet is Where do you get your protein? The average American diet has ledmost of us to believe thatwe have to eat meat to get enough protein in our diet, but that is simply not the case. Many plant-based foods contain more than enough protein to feel satisfied and meet the daily protein goal, which is roughly 46 grams a day for women and 56 grams a day for men. (Add up to 10 more grams if you are extremely active or training for an event.) By eating a well-balanced plant-based diet you can easily get the recommended amount of protein you need, without a steak or chicken breast in sight. Plant-based protein comes from foods such as nuts, legumes, vegetables, grains, seeds, and manyunlikely sources, like Brussels sprouts or onions or mushrooms. This means that as long asyou eat a variety of differentfruits and vegetables, grains, and legumes,youwill easily makeyour daily protein goals, and probably surpass it.

Here we have 4 days worth of eating vegan or plant-based meals and snacks, that in the course of a full day of healthy eating meet or exceed the daily protein recommendation. Each of the days contains one breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack with protein values of each. If your biggest concern about trying out a plant-based (or vegan or vegetarian) diet is whether you will be able to get enough protein without animal products; after trying these meals you will realize how easy it is, and how delicious and filling the food tastes, without leaving you feeling like you need to take a nap

These recipes can also be used as inspiration, so feel free to add ingredients to them, especially if you want to get even more of a protein kick.

Formore tips and easy ideas ofhow to get your proteinfrom plant-based sources,and what to shop for the next time you head to the supermarket. You'll never need to go to the meat and dairy section again.

The first day starts with oatmeal and plant-based milk. This alone will start your day right with nearly27 grams of protein and bysimply adding in some pumpkin seeds or fruit you willspike that protein infusion well into the 30s. Over halfway there and it's still early!

Lunch is a kidney bean and arugula salad, which is not only well balanced and filling but contains 23 grams of protein.

For an afternoon snack grab a handful of spicy roasted cashews with turmeric this snack will give you an extra 6 grams of protein and this recipe is also immune boosting with turmeric. Immune-boosting foods is always helpful especially during the colder months and with the current pandemic.

Dinner is a warm and cozy recipe of lentil meatballs, this meal will fill you up and packs 34 grams of protein.

On this first day, there are 90 grams of plant-based protein that tastes amazing but is surprisingly easy to reach a high level of protein. A note: You actually can get too much protein and if you are not careful you can end up gaining weight or bulking up and since this generally is not the goal of any healthy diet plan, you may want to pick and choose which meals and snacks you eat in this plan, and substitute out lighter choices to bring your protein totals more in line with the daily guidelines of 45 grams for women and 56 grams for men.

For Breakfast, start your day with overnight chia pudding with fresh fruit and granola. It is easy to prepare the night before andquick to grab and go in the morning before work or school. This breakfast contains 15 grams of protein for a great start to the day.

Lunch is gluten-free tortillas with fresh salsa, beans and guacamole. This is easily shareable and to serve for lunch that your family and friends will love and contains 14 grams of protein.

For a sweet snack try the low-calorie vegan birthday cake protein bites, and as it says in the name they pack a lot of protein or about 5 grams of protein per ball so if you eat three of them you're racking up 15 grams.

Dinner is a filling sweet potato and lentil tandoori curry. This dinner has a ton of flavor and has 27 grams of protein.

Your day just got you well above the goal, to 71 grams of protein if you ate all of that.

The third day starts with a superfood smoothie with plant-based protein, this lets you start your day with a quick 17 grams of protein.

Lunch is a buddha bowl with tofu that has an easy almost 30 grams of protein. Buddha-protein-bowl

A snack of healthy oil-free beet hummus helps hold you over until dinner and contains 23 grams of protein.

The final meal of the day is curried quinoa and vegetable tacos with a garlic-tahini dressing that will finish your day off with 14 grams of protein.

This brings your daily total to84 grams of protein, this satisfies the daily recommendation for both men and women.

The fourth day starts with a tofu scramble with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes for breakfast that contains 27 grams of protein.

Lunch is an easy everyday lentil soup that can easily be stored and kept. This soup provides 19 grams of protein.

A yummy snack of crunchy toast with fresh spinach, avocado and tomato contain 6 grams of protein.

The final dinner is a crispy tofu satay bowl that packs a ton of protein in the tofu containing 40 grams.

The grand total of protein for day four is 92 grams!

The take away from this is that it is surprisingly easy for anyone to reach or even exceed the recommended daily protein intake on a plant-based or vegan diet. As long as you eat a variety of well-rounded meals and eat enough during the day you don't need to think twice about getting enough protein.

Originally posted here:
How to Get Your Protein from Plant-Based Foods: 4 Days of Meals - The Beet

For such a small fruit, apples pack a huge health punch, potentially helping with:

Apples are packed with a variety of disease-fighting phytochemicals, says Kristin Kirkpatrick, RDN, a dietitian at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. There are many lifestyle forces working against your health, like stress, lack of sleep, or sitting too much, that generate free radicals. Of course, an apple cannot alone make up for any of those, but getting more antioxidants into your diet will help support your bodys defenses against diseases like cancer, notes the American Cancer Society. (3)

Whats more, apples contain vitamin C (one medium-size fruit has 9 percent of your DV). Thats not as much as an orange, but vitamin C is important for immunity, says Kirkpatrick. Because maintaining a healthy immune system is likely on your mind as you head into winter, when cold and flu season is in full swing, any extra bump in C helps.

Finally, apples are impressive in their 4 g of fiber. This comes from a combination of both insoluble fiber (from the peel) and soluble fiber (from the pectin in apples), explains Kirkpatrick. Fiber in general slows down digestion to help keep blood sugar balanced. Insoluble fiber will promote bowel movement regularity, while pectin is associated with both cardiovascular and gut health, according to research in June 2015 in the journal Nutrients. (4)

See the rest here:
Apples 101: Benefits, Weight Loss Potential, Side Effects, and More - Everyday Health

Los Angeles, CA, Oct. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Martez Houseis currently living the American dream. Not only is he a proud father and family man, but he is an entrepreneur and owner of abrand that changes peoples lives for the better.

TheOfficial Wealth Brandoffers a unique opportunity to individuals who are overweight or suffer from depression and anxiety. Through a series of coaching programs and diet and fitness plans, Houses clients can overcome similar obstacles that he overcame in his own life.

When I tell people that I used to be homeless and disabled, they cannot believe it, said House. The truth is that I was a broken person on the inside as well as the outside. To overcome this problem, I had to put those broken pieces of myself back together, starting from the inside out.

House focused on his diet first. He had a nasty habit of eating lots of meat because he thought the high protein would give him huge muscle mass. While he was homeless, House took it upon himself to research topics related to health and nutrition. Based on his research, he came to realize that meat was likely the cause of his depression and weight gain.

People dont realize that meat impairs your digestive health, which then hurts your metabolism, said House. Once I made this discovery, I decided to switch to a completely plant-based diet while cutting out meat from it entirely. Over the next couple of months, I saw my bodyweight decrease dramatically, and my energy levels go through the roof. Switching to plant-based foods was the best decision I ever made. House lost 115 lbs in a year.

Now, through his company Wealth, House guides other people and encourages them to switch to a plant-based diet. He credits this diet as giving him the strength to pull himself out of homelessness and to build a business for himself that does a lot of good for other people.

You can manifest anything you desire into your presence when you are present, said House. Dont ask how and dont ask when. See what you want and just go for it. You have to start in order to finish. The best part is it doesnt matter where you start, just as long as you do start.

When House was 17 years old, he spent nearly a month in the hospital with walking pneumonia, pericarditis and a mass growing on his heart. The doctors told him he had less than 30 days to live. On his 20thday in the hospital, House got a visit from his professional football hero, Tim Tebow. The two of them prayed together and helped restore Houses confidence in himself and his situation. That was when he learned the most valuable lesson in life, which is that happiness heals all.

It was like a miracle from God, said House. Even though I was in a bad situation, everything slowly started to get better from that point forward. The doctors released me from the hospital, and I found myself eager to work hard and pull myself out of homelessness and depression. Sometimes, when were in despair, we need somebody to come into our lives and give us hope. Thats what Tim Tebow did for me. And now, thats what I do for others.

Contact:Martez HouseFounderOfficial Wealth Brandmartez@officialwealthbrand.comhttps://www.officialwealthbrand.com

More:
Plant-Based Diet Changes Life of Homeless Man and Encourages Him, Martez House, to Launch Official Wealth Brand to Help Others - GlobeNewswire

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and opposition lawmakers collided head-on in their first formal questioning session, the official kickoff for the 41-day autumn extraordinary Diet session.

The opposition camp assailed the administration over its decision to reject six academics to the Science Council of Japan members during the session, which ran from Wednesday to Friday. However, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition force, also dedicated time to the governments coronavirus measures, presenting questions and making proposals of its own.

The CDP increased its number of lawmakers this summer through a partial merger with the Democratic Party for the People. While its leader Yukio Edano did criticize Suga, his attacks were relatively measured.

The toned-down rhetoric apparently reflected criticism of the party that it is single-mindedly focused on attacking the government without making concrete policy proposals that could be considered seriously as an alternative to those of the Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition. Such a move is also designed to undercut the DPP by positioning the CDP as the party that offers solutions to problems, which is the formers major talking point.

Here are some highlights from the three days of questioning at the parliament.

Edano, who began the questioning, essentially set aside one-third of his speech Wednesday to address his partys platform, asking for improved treatment of workers in health care, elder care, education and child care, as well as the beefing up of staffing at the Labor Standards Inspection Office and temporary child custody centers.

Edano refrained from launching a full-scale attack on the administration, welcoming one of Sugas signature initiatives enabling infertility treatment to be covered by national insurance.

The opposition party leaders tone in relation to Suga was restrained compared with times he criticized then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with Edano apparently holding reservations about throwing hard punches at the prime minister just yet. He took a jab at Sugas slogan self-help, mutual help and public help as something that is conveniently used by the government to refuse assistance.

Whats being questioned is the general vision of what were going to do about Japans future, Edano said, invoking criticism that Sugas policy speech Monday lacked a greater plan for the country. The CDP will hold up a goal of realizing a cooperative society in which politics bears a responsibility to create a system that promotes mutual support as a new alternative to neoliberalism.

On the science council scandal, which opposition parties had been expected to embrace enthusiastically, Edano pressed Suga to publicly explain his rationale for breaking with precedent and not nominating six scholars, all of whom had been vocal in their criticisms of the previous administration, of which the prime minister was a part.

Suga did not answer his questions on the matter and repeated his previous statements that the decision was made from the standpoint of enabling the organizations collective and comprehensive activities and not leaning toward certain types of academics. He also noted the membership is skewed toward certain universities and does not have enough young scholars and those who have experience working in the private sector.

His response prompted jeers from opposition lawmakers. Appearing irritated, he paused his speech and turned to Speaker of the House of Representatives Tadamori Oshima asking him to silence the noisy lawmakers.

As for the membership of the Science Council of Japan, theres no obligation that the prime minister has to nominate all of the recommended individuals, and that is the governments coherent position approved by the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, the prime minister said.

Other opposition groups have also gone after Suga about the issue, but he largely stuck to his script. He also said the administration will not reappoint those six individuals.

Further asked to explain his justification by the Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Akira Koike, Suga noted that 45% of the council members belong to seven universities that are known collectively as Imperial Universities: University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Tohoku University, Kyushu University, Hokkaido University, Osaka University and Nagoya University. In contrast, council members belonging to private universities, of which there are 615 nationwide, account for 24%.

Members whose age is 49 or younger or those who work outside academia account for 3%, respectively, Suga said.

Edano welcomed the prime ministers declaration on going carbon neutral by 2050 but chided him for using it as an excuse to boost reliance on nuclear energy. Although Suga said the governments position on reducing dependence on nuclear power plants as much as possible has not changed, he did not rule out using them in addition to renewable energy to achieve the difficult goal.

Seiko Noda, the LDPs executive acting secretary-general, asked Suga on Wednesday about lifting entry restrictions to spur the economy while keeping new infections low. He did not offer an elaborate answer, only repeating past comments on gradually rolling back regulations based on outbreaks domestically and abroad.

Asked by Noda about the Japan-U.S. alliance, Suga stressed that bilateral relations will be further enhanced to deal with issues such as North Korea regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential race.

Tetsuro Fukuyama, CDP secretary-general, inquired whether Chinese leader Xi Jinpings state visit is still on the horizon. Suga merely recited a past statement that both countries should focus on containing the coronavirus and that they are not at the stage of scheduling a visit.

The prime minister defended Japans decision not to take part in a United Nations treaty to ban nuclear weapons, saying that although the country agrees with the ultimate objective, it wants to incorporate countries that possess nuclear weapons into the framework. Even countries such as Germany and Canada that do not have nuclear weapons do not agree with it, he said.

We think its appropriate to pursue a path where we advance nonproliferation carefully and realistically while we deal with national security threats in real life, including by maintaining or strengthening deterrence, as the national security environment around us gets even harsher, he said, adding that Japan needs to carefully consider even whether to participate as an observer to the treaty.

On the economy, Suga responded to a question from Fukuyama on the possibility of compiling an additional supplement budget by signaling that he is looking to do so.

CDPs Edano even demonstrated a willingness to reach across the aisle to develop additional economic packages to refuel the economy, which has been badly hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.

Keiichi Ishii, secretary-general of the LDPs junior coalition partner, Komeito, quizzed Suga about extending housing and job aid for those experiencing severe economic hardship as a result of the coronavirus. The prime minister did not give a concrete promise but pledged to make appropriate decisions while taking things such as the employment situation into consideration.

In response to questions by the DPPs Masao Kobayashi, Suga re-emphasized his administrations commitment to carrying on with Abenomics and further promoting it by weaving it into his own policy ambitions regarding digitalization.

Nippon Ishin no Kais Nobuyuki Baba asked Suga about dissolving the Lower House. As expected, the prime minister did not mention whether he would hold a general election, but he made clear that coronavirus measures and the economic recovery are the administrations priorities.

I want to think hard about it as theres a time limit, meaning the general election must be held within a year, Suga said. The Lower House lawmakers term expires in October next year.

Suga expressed his gratitude to Nippon Ishin and the DPP with regards to their cooperative attitude toward constitutional amendment.

Asked about the administrations strategy on achieving that goal, Suga repeated multiple times that it ultimately needs to be decided in a referendum and stressed the need for debates at the Commission on the Constitution, which has barely held any active discussions due to the long-term absence of opposition party lawmakers. He even went beyond his policy speech and said Friday that it is lawmakers responsibility to hold debates on constitutional reform at the commission, in line with Abes position.

But for now, I hope for constructive debates at the Commission on the Constitution regardless of party affiliation, Suga said.

PHOTO GALLERY (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

View original post here:
Suga grilled in Diet on science council scandal and policy agenda - The Japan Times

Stress and fatigue are just some of the feelings you experience when you have a fussy baby.

If your baby is not the calm and quiet bundle shown in the formula advertisements, there are some techniques that have been used over time to help calm a fussy baby.

If your baby is fussy but you know theyre not hungry, in pain, or dealing with a wet or dirty diaper, you can try one or more of these techniques to help calm them.

Use a large, thin blanket to wrap up your baby like a burrito. If youre unfamiliar with the swaddling technique, check out our how-to article.

Sounds that might remind your baby of being in your womb can be calming. There are devices that make calming noise such as white noise, but sometimes the low humming sound of a fan is adequate. Your gentle humming may do the trick as well.

Sometimes walking your baby, in your arms or a body carrier, will remind them of their time in your womb and calm them down. The motion of riding in a car, in a proper baby car seat, may also have a calming effect.

If its not time for a feeding, helping your baby find a thumb or finger to suck on may calm them. You might also consider an age-appropriate pacifier.

Your baby may just be lonely. Consider holding your them on your chest; breathe calmly while gently patting their back.

Consider making a chart of feeding times and then keep your eyes out for pre-fussy signs of hunger, such as moving hands to mouth or smacking lips.

Talk with your pediatrician about how long to wait between feedings. Often that period is 2 to 2 1/2 hours from the beginning of one feeding to the next.

If you feel indigestion may be making your baby uncomfortable and fussy, hold your baby in your arms with their body resting on their left side and gently rub their back.

Your baby may be fussy due to discomfort from a food sensitivity, though this is uncommon.

If youre breastfeeding, try cutting out certain foods one at a time to see if this results in a reduction of fussiness. Consider reducing or avoiding your consumption of:

Its important that if youre breastfeeding, you should talk to your doctor first before trying any elimination diets, as these may pose health risks for you and they havent been reliably shown to help with fussiness.

The same holds true if youre bottle-feeding and may be concerned that the formula may be causing your babys fussiness. Talk with your pediatrician first before changing formula brand or type.

Pee or poop in their diaper can make your baby fussy. You might be surprised by how often your baby will soil or wet their diaper and how sensitive a newborn is to a full diaper.

Yes, it could be that easy. Your baby could be too warm or too cold. As a rule of thumb, your baby should be wearing about the same layers of clothing that you are.

Is your baby getting enough sleep? Its not unusual for newborns to sleep 16 or more hours a day.

Your baby may be sick. Take your babys temperature using a rectal thermometer. Call your pediatrician immediately if your baby is younger than 2 months old and has a fever.

If your baby is spitting up a lot or vomiting often, they could be experiencing GER (gastroesophageal reflux).

If the excessive vomiting and spitting up is accompanied by fussiness after feeding and not gaining weight, discuss it with your doctor.

Talk with your doctor about other signs of illness to look for, such as:

If you feel youve tried everything to calm your baby and havent had satisfactory success, consider gathering information in a diary.

Write down all your babys activities and behaviors and bring this diary to your pediatrician for their review. Daily information to collect includes:

Remember one of our mantras: Take care of you so you can take care of them. A fussy baby can put a lot of stress on you. Some tips to help handle it include:

Having a newborn can be exhausting. Having a fussy baby can ratchet up the stress level. There are some quick and easy techniques that might calm your baby, including:

You can also look for and then address causes such as:

But if none of these seem to be the issue, remember that many babies go through a fussy period in the first 3 months of life.

And while trying to calm a fussy baby, remember to take care of your overall health for your own well-being, so you can care for them.

Read more here:
Fussy Baby: Causes and Solutions That Work - Healthline

Hundreds of people have signed a petition launched last month that aims to get the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) to stop feeding sheltered dogs and cats food made of farm animals.

The petition was started in September by Nathan Herschler, the executive director of the 125-year-old animal advocacy group Rise for Animals, formerly known as the New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS).

Herschler, who adopted six hens from the MSPCA at Nevins Farm in Methuen last month, claims the organization feeds dogs and cats in its care food made of farm animals. The Cape Cod man wants that practice to end.

Its important for MSPCA to take a leadership role on this," he told MassLive. Its such a unique opportunity for the organization to lead consumer behavior and the behavior of other shelters.

The Sandwich resident argued most major pet food brands, including Pedigree, Purina, Natural Balance and Halo, offer cruelty-free, plant-based options as well as fish, egg or dairy alternatives to meat.

However, within the organization, some individuals still refuse to use cruelty-free dog foods, according to Herschler.

Im shocked with MSPCAs hypocrisy. Some parts of the organization rescue chickens, pigs and other farm animals, lobby for farm animal rights and send out newsletters about the horrors of factory farming, Herschler wrote in a statement. Yet other members of the organization apparently have no regard for this important work and actually support the cruel confinements and killings of the same animals they are charged to protect.

As of Thursday, Herschlers petition had garnered 643 signatures and the support of former MSPCA veterinarian Martha Smith-Blackmore, who currently works as a clinical professor at the Cummings School Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

The internationally recognized veterinarian is calling on animal rescue organizations to respect the welfare intent of their donors and feed vegan or vegetarian diets when possible, and feed humanely raised meat diets when choosing an animal based diet," she wrote in a LinkedIn post.

When asked about the petition, an MSPCA spokesperson said the organizations No. 1 priority is the health and comfort of the animals in its care.

Animals sheltered by the MSPCA are only with the organization for a short amount of time, whether that be for treatment at Angell Animal Medical Center or for temporary housing at one of its adoption centers, according to the spokesperson.

Changing a rescued animals diet while it is already under stress can be detrimental to its health and comfort, the spokesperson noted.

Because of this, while undergoing treatment at Angell or seeking a home from inside one of our adoption centers, we provide a diet that is as close to what the animals in our care normally eat, the spokesperson said. Changing a pets diet is a longterm decision that should be made by their owner and in consultation with their veterinarian."

According to Herschler, part of the issue is inertia. The MSPCA, considered the second-oldest humane society in the U.S., has been using meat-based food to feed dogs and cats it shelters for forever, he said.

He urged the MSPCA, which he has worked with in the past, to take action as soon as possible, though, and reassume its leadership role in this space.

I love MSPCA. I worked with them. Theyve led a lot of the advocacy efforts surrounding animals in Massachusetts," Herschler said. I just want them to live up to their mission.

The animal rights advocate pointed out around a quarter of the roughly 9 billion farm animals killed in the U.S. every year are used for dog and cat food.

That ties into polluted water, polluted air, major climate change impacts and, obviously, the billions of animals killed for this industry," he said.

Originally posted here:
Petitioners claim MSPCA is feeding sheltered dogs and cats food made of farm animals; 600-plus signers seek t - MassLive.com