Category Archives: Diet And Food

Even in the best of times, spring's long days, warming temperatures, greening landscapes, and sunshine represent a time of growth and optimisma time to open windows, go outdoors, perhaps even try one's hand at gardening or fishing.

This spring, during a moment in history that will be remembered for its uncertainty, the arrival of spring feels especially welcome and fishing is among the activities that people will be engaged in as the weather warms.

For some, fishing is a means of outdoor recreation. For others, it is a livelihood. And for others, it represents an affordable way to meet their nutritional needsespecially pressing now, given the economic hardship and potential supply-chain disruptions brought on by the novel coronavirus virus.

Since the pandemic began, grocery store fish and shellfish sales in the United States have risen and the consumption of self-harvested fish and shellfish may also increase as a result of this pandemic.

Changes in dietary patterns have public health and environmental implications, and it is important for health and environmental professionals to consider revisiting the usual approach to weighing benefits and risks of fish and shellfish consumption to better reflect a full scope of considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In some cases, this may mean shifting the narrative around fish consumption advisories from the current harm-prevention framework, to more of a risk-reduction model.

Fish advisory sign in Monroe County, Indiana. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Fish consumption presents a critical tradeoff to consumers even under normal circumstances.

Fish are a major source of protein and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, a class of lipids associated with a wide range of health benefits, including decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Unfortunately, environmental contaminants accumulate in fish tissue, posing health risks to consumers.

Contaminants known to be associated with adverse health effects that are commonly found in fish include methylmercury; per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs); and other organochlorines.

In the U.S., state agencies use a traditional risk assessment process to establish fish consumption advisories. The process is predicated on harm prevention and estimates how much fish can safely be consumed from a specific body of water or region that is contaminated.

The advisories state the frequency with which fish servings of a given size (e.g., two 4-oz servings of locally-harvested trout per month) should be consumed by sensitive populationsusually women of child-bearing age and young children.

While fish consumption advisories are considered best practice for protecting fish consumers there are key shortcomings. Common limitations include:

A Yakama Nation member fishing at the Horn Rapids in Washington State. Most current fish advisories don't account for cultural or personal significance of fish in one's diet. (Credit: Scott Butner/flickr)

For example, the evaluation of risks of mercury exposure and benefits of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids improves the recommendations about fish species and vulnerable populations.

In the North American Great Lakes region, about half of advisories would be more stringent if they considered inter-chemical interactions.

Further, communities fish for different reasons. A study on residents of Robeson County, North Carolina, found that the African American and native Lumbee communities sought local fish for cultural reasons, whereas Latino community members procured local fish for reasons of economic necessity.

In sum, fish consumption advisories are not well-equipped to address the complex simultaneous cost-benefit analyses of fish consumption.

Despite these limitations, fish consumption advisories have proven effective in altering consumers' perceptions and behaviors.

These results indicate that fish consumption advisories can be an effective tool if they contain clear, comprehensive recommendations.

While the advisories attempt to balance the risks of contaminant exposure with the health-protective benefits of fish intake, the relative importance of these competing factors may shift given individual circumstancesor a global pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned people's lives upside-down, including shifts in diet, lifestyle, and finances. Established fish consumption advisories are based on assumptions about fish consumers' behaviors and the availability of alternative sources of nutrition. Yet, the validity of these assumptions may be tested by cultural preferences or abrupt circumstantial changes such as natural disasters.

As individuals face economic hardship, disruptions in access to other protein sources, and the loss of recreation options, the relative benefits of fishing and of consuming self-harvested fish and shellfish may change in ways that existing consumption advisories did not anticipate.

As the pandemic and its fallout continues, health and environmental professionals need to reevaluate fish consumption advisories to ensure that they reflect the current needs of their constituents.

In some instances, this will require shifting the consumption advisories from a harm-prevention framework to a risk-reduction model. It is not reasonable, or even safe, to expect consumers to prioritize minimizing contaminant exposures if doing so will undermine their basic food security.

For example, public health professionals and risk assessors should consider making recommendations about where people can most safely fish and which species are safest to consume locally. This will help people minimize their risk of exposure to contaminants, while recognizing the importance of self- and locally-harvested fish in their lives.

Angler on the Milwaukee River. (Credit: Brandon Blanke/flickr)

Environmental and health authorities should consider prioritizing additional seafood tissue monitoring in 2020 to ensure that risk assessors and public health professionals have the best available data when making recommendations about areas where fish are the least contaminated.

Clinicians should consider asking patients whether their dietary patterns have changed during the pandemic, particularly changes in their reliance on self-harvested foods, including fish and shellfish.

Clinicians should also consider recommending that patients prioritize other sources of protein for members of their family who are most vulnerable pregnant women; children; women of childbearing ageto the adverse effects of contaminants in fish.

Fish and game agencies and other environmental organizations should make additional efforts to publicize fish consumption advisories to ensure that anglers have the available information to make the best choices for themselves and their families. Distributing local advisories with fishing licenses and/or posting new signs in all languages commonly spoken in a region are examples of how the information could be better disseminated.

Researchers should consider asking questions about commercial and self-harvested fish and shellfish consumption patterns among participants in new and existing studies to document how the pandemic has affected fish consumption.

Finally, it is important for health and environmental professionals to identify their own communities' specific needs with respect to self-harvested fish. While we know that fishing confers many nutritional and psychological benefits, the salience of different benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic will vary across populations.

Advising the public effectively about fish consumption requires an understanding of the risks presented by contaminant exposures, but it also requires a willingness to listen.

Knowledge about environmental hazards is only as valuable as knowledge of their context, and as the context shifts, so must we all.

Kathryn Crawford is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Brittany Cleary is a Junior at Dartmouth College. Caredwen Foley is a graduate student at the Boston University School of Public Health, Wendy Heiger-Bernays is a Clinical Professor of Environmental Health at the Boston University School of Public Health.

Their views do not necessarily represent those of Environmental Health News, The Daily Climate or publisher, Environmental Health Sciences.

Banner photo: Fishing in New York City. (Credit: Liz/flickr)

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Reevaluating fish consumption advisories during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis - Environmental Health News

While the Mediterranean Diet is not one specific diet plan, it reflects an eating pattern common to many countries in the Mediterranean region (Greece, Italy, Crete, Turkey, etc.) that is associated with decreased health risks and increased longevity.

Principles of this eating pattern include incorporating more whole grains, nuts, and legumes/beans; eating more fruits and vegetables; using olive oil as the primary fat in the diet, choosing fish and beans as the primary protein source, and limiting refined flours, sugars and high fat meats.

Studies have shown that for people with Type 2 diabetes, following a Mediterranean meal plan can decrease fasting glucoses, decrease A1C levels, and increase insulin sensitivity. It can also improve markers for heart disease, including decreasing blood pressure levels, and improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

If youre not already following a meal plan that is Mediterranean based, it is easier than most people think. Its a good idea to start with small changes. For instance, start with one of these steps at a time and before you know it, youll be eating healthier.

1. Substitute one meat meal a week with a fatty fish based meal. Examples of fatty fish include salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines.

2. Substitute one meat meal a week with a vegetarian based meal using beans or lentils.

3. Try a new whole grain once a month. Ideas include brown rice, quinoa, farro, barley or oats.

4. Increase your vegetable intake by at least one more serving per day

5. Use olive oil when sauting, roasting and in homemade salad dressings. This will help to reduce your intake of other fats.

During COVID-19, it is still possible to incorporate Mediterranean eating principles into your diet. Canned and dried beans and lentils are readily available, as are canned tuna, salmon and sardines.

These, plus whole grains like farro, barley and oats, keep for long periods of time. Fresh vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, onions, turnips and carrots also store well. Take advantage of frozen vegetables, too.

Tip #1 recipe: Mediterranean Tuna Salad

2 (5 ounce) cans chunk light tuna in water, drained

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Combine tuna, onion and parsley in a medium bowl.

2. Whisk oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and pepper to make the dressing. Toss with the tuna mixture.

Serve on lettuce/spinach leaves with whole grain crackers

Serves: 4; Calories: 165; Carbohydrate: 2g; Protein: 17g; Total fat: 9.5g; Sodium: 200mg

Tip #2 recipe: Instant Pot Curry Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or 1 tsp dried ginger

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 (13.5 oz) can lite coconut milk

1 (28 oz) can low sodium crushed or diced tomatoes

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

2 cups fresh spinach or unthawed & drained spinach

1. Add all ingredients except spinach into an instant pressure cooker.

2. Seal instant cooker and set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.

3. Once the 5 minutes are complete, do a quick release of the pressure. Wait to open the lid until all the pressure has been released.

Serves: 12; Calories: 188; Fat: 12g; Protein: 9 g; Carbohydrate: 28 g; Fiber: 6 g; Sodium: 307 mg

Melissa Gaither is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist and provides both nutrition counseling and diabetes education and support. Melissa works with patients at the Healthpark, in Madisonville and Ohio County. She is also a certified lifestyle coach for the Diabetes Prevention Program. She helps with the diabetes support group and cooking programs for the public.

Amanda Owen is the founder and executive director of Puzzle Pieces. Follow Amandas Blog: Pieces of Me: Perspectives on Inclusion and Acceptance, http://www.piecesofme.org.

Amanda Owen is the founder and executive director of Puzzle Pieces. Follow Amanda's Blog: Pieces of Me: Perspectives on Inclusion and Acceptance, http://www.piecesofme.org.

Originally posted here:
Diabetes and the Mediterranean diet | News - messenger-inquirer

On St. Pauls West Side, the Minnesota Department of Transportation plans to put more than a half-mile of Robert Street south of the Mississippi River on a road diet.

New lane stripings will be laid in advance of a road resurfacing project this summer that will close the Robert Street Bridge over the Mississippi River for six weeks through August.

MnDOT recently unveiled plans to restripe Robert from Plato Boulevard to Congress Street down to three lanes one travel lane in each direction with a two-way turn lane in the middle. That 0.6-mile stretch of Robert Street is currently five lanes, or two lanes in each direction with a turn lane in the middle.

The five-to-three conversion encompasses an area by Wood Street where a seven-year-old boy crossing the street for a school bus was struck and critically injured by a pick-up truck in late February.

This road diet is so desperately needed, said City Council Member Rebecca Noecker, noting MnDOT had been finalizing plans for a simple road resurfacing when community feedback convinced officials to add the traffic-calming improvements.

The St. Paul City Council approved a resolution on Wednesday supporting the $45,000 road diet, which will be state-funded.

Beginning this summer, MnDOT plans to make minor drainage repairs and road surface improvements to the Robert Street Bridge over the Mississippi River, which will close the bridge for six weeks. Bridge work will take place from July 11 through August.

Robert Street will be seal-coated between 11th Street in downtown St. Paul and Annapolis Street in West St. Paul. More extensive work on the Robert Street Bridge and the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge is scheduled to take place in 2022 and 2025.

In a letter to the city council, officials with the West Side Community Organization said they were generally supportive of anything that makes Robert Street more pedestrian-friendly, but they expressed concern they had been given limited time to gather public feedback on the 5-to-3 lane conversion.

The neighborhood organization recommended adding painted bicycle lanes on Robert Street between Cesar Chavez and Plato Boulevard to connect to the Robert Piram Regional Trail, which is being added to Plato. The St. Paul Bicycle Coalition has also highlighted the fact that the citys bicycle plan calls for bike lanes on Robert.

In addition to a link to the regional trail, the lanes would allow West Side residents better access to Harriet Island and the Mississippi River, as well as the U.S. 52 bike trail into Lowertown, the East Side and Lake Phalen.

This modification is a small revision to the current MNDOT proposal, reads the letter. WSCO believes that this revision is important because it relates to the most densely populated part of the West Side.

More information about the MnDOT project is online at tinyurl.com/RobertStreet2020.

Looking further out, state and city staff have debated the best way to approach more extensive repairs to Robert Street between Kellogg Boulevard and 11th Street by Interstate 94.

The state has proposed to substantially fund a full wall to wall road reconstruction for the half-mile section, which would be led by the city, said Nick Peterson, a city street design engineer.

That portion of the road, currently managed by MnDOT, would be turned back to city ownership. I do believe it is a good thing in the long term for the city, Peterson said.

In response, the city council on Wednesday authorized entering into a memorandum of understanding with MnDOT regarding the future reconstruction and turnback to the city of Robert Street between Interstate 94 and the Mississippi River.

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Robert Street in St. Paul will go on road diet where boy was struck by pick-up - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

BATON ROUGE Since 2018, orange cones have been lining Government Street while crews work on the road diet project.

The project has been delayed with rain being the biggest problem. But DOTD says they have a completion date, and the lack of drivers on the road during the coronavirus pandemic is helping in this.

This has allowed us to come back and reclaim some of the time that weve lost, DOTD Secretary Dr. Shawn Wilson said. Maybe not necessarily finish it early, but it may help us finish on time based on the weather delays that weve experienced.

Wilson says the contractor has been able to move extra crews to work during the day rather than at night for the past couple of weeks.

Working at night is difficult because you have to set up your safety, do your work, and then demobilize your safety. So you dont get the full time of work that you work during a day time configuration, Dr. Wilson said.

Right now, the project is looking to be done in the Fall. Crews are now adding in left-turning lanes and medians.

This will reduce some of the congestion in this corridor, Dr. Wilson said.

The medians are only being built in certain spots, including in front of Jays Bar-B-Q.

Which means if anyone is traveling east they will not be able to turn in. They have to turn in on the corner over here, the owner, Melton Leblanc said. Its going to be a bit on an inconvenience, but I dont think its going to kill us.

The roundabout on Lobdell will likely take the longest to complete.

Roundabouts are built in segments and in phases, so I suspect that it will be one of the latter ends because of the sequencing and needing to manage traffic through there during construction, Dr. Wilson said.

The road diet includes reducing a 4 mile stretch of Government St. from four lanes to three, with one lane in each direction and a center turn lane.

Excerpt from:
Less traffic helped keep Government Road Diet on track for completion - WBRZ

As the shooting guard for the Utah Jazz, NBA player Donovan Mitchell always has to be in shape. Mens Health recently chatted with the basketball star to talk about his diet and how it helps keep him game-ready.

Mitchells morning typically starts out by drinking the first of eight bottles of water that he drinks throughout the day. He also prefers to drink ginger tea for his morning beverage, because he isnt the biggest fan of coffee. Mitchell will indulge himself in a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and turkey bacon.

Then comes the training. On a workout day, Mitchell spends 45 minutes in the weight room. But he also has a secret weapon to ensure that he gets the most out of his fitness routine, and its something that his trainers gave him. I drink 1-2 cups of BeetElite, he says. The Jazz training staff introduced me to it and I really fell in love with having that pre-workout. Once his workout is over, he tends to go for a healthy smoothie, which he had to learn to make after a slight mistake in his rookie years.

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I used to go to certain stores that have sugar smoothies and I thought were healthy for methey werent, Mitchell says. I ended up having my chef help me out and get me some healthy smoothies, and I think thats really helped me. His favorite smoothie ingredients include apples, oranges, and some basic yogurt.

When it comes to lunch, Mitchell tries to keep it simple by eating grilled chicken and pasta. But he does have an interesting deal with his personal chef about trying new foods. There are times where there are things I dont like, but I tell my chef to put them in there, he jokes. Just dont tell me what they are! Mitchell just started to appreciate spinach.

Its dinner where the NBA player eats his favorite foods. He particularly loves sweet potatoes and duck. "Duck is something I really fell in love with, he says. My chef cooks it, prepares it, and he does a really great job.

Its particularly important for Mitchell to make sure that he sticks to his perfected routine, because he cant risk feeling heavy or bloated on the court.

The biggest thing I see athletes do is go through hills, going down and then picking back up, he says. I think for me, its easiest when you just stay at a consistent basis with little peaks. Those are things that I put my focus into as I got into the NBA and really understand my body.

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NBA Star Donovan Mitchell Shared the Diet That's Keeping Him Game Ready - menshealth.com

Peter Turnbaugh and a group of scientists from UC San Francisco have been conducting studies on how Ketogenic Diets (KDs) are altering the gut in a favorable manner

In 1923, Dr. Russell Wilder designed a special diet to fight against epilepsy. Today, it is one of the top diet trends which promises effective fat burn.

The body enters ketosis when 'Instead of carbs for energy, the body burns fat' as defined by Mayo Clinic.

Although there are several variations to the Ketogenic Diet, a general guideline is that one's consumption is "high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates. This combination changes the way energy is used in the body, converting fat into fatty acids and ketones in the liver.'

Turnbaugh's new study zooms into how the Ketogenic Diet affects gut bacteria or microbiomes.

17 people were chosen to participate in an 8-week long study. They were non-diabetic, overweight, and were provided with two different diets.

Within a controlled hospital environment, the scientists compared the differences between four weeks on a ketogenic diet and four weeks on a standard diet.

19 types of bacterial genera were detected to have significant changes as a result of a shift in diet.

Turnbaugh shares that 'that the effects of ketogenic diets on the microbiome are not just about the diet itself, but how the diet alters the body's metabolism, which then has downstream effects on the microbiome.'

Read Also:A Single Meal Containing High Saturated Fat Could Cause Your Focus to Dwindle, Study Finds

Another revelation from their study is 'that the KD-associated gut microbiota reduces the levels of intestinal pro-inflammatory Th17 cells.'

Th17 cells are 'are critical mediators of the cellular immune response' as defined by Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

'Functionally, Th17 cells play a role in host defense against extracellular pathogens by mediating the recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages to infected tissues. Moreover, it has become evident that aberrant regulation of Th17 cells may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of multiple inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.'

As Ketogenic Diets have aroused exciting research, there still remains a few arguments against the trend.

Mayo Clinic reminds us that 'very low carbohydrate diets tend to have higher rates of side effects, including constipation, headaches, bad breath, and more. Also, meeting the diet's requirements means cutting out many healthy foods, making it difficult to meet your micronutrient needs'

A high ratio of fat incorporated in one's diet also raises the concern over the risk of heart failure and diabetes.

Dr.Neel Chokshi from theSports Cardiology and Fitness Program at Penn Medicine says 'not all fats are created equal. Consuming a lot of saturated fats, like the ones found in fast food and red meat, increases a person's risk for atherosclerosis, which promotes coronary disease and heart attacks. Healthier fats - called monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats - are found in foods like eggs, fish, and nuts. '

On the favorable side of KDs, Turnbaugh states 'For many people, maintaining a strict low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet is extremely challenging, but if future studies find that there are health benefits from the microbial shifts caused by ketone bodies themselves, that could make for a much more palatable therapeutic approach.'

Read Also:Reduced Parental Pressure on Children to Eat Meals Lessens Risks of Obesity and Leads to Healthier Lifelong Eating Behaviors

Read the rest here:
New Study Favors the Ketogenic Diet and its Effect on the Gut Microbiome - Science Times

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables given over a relatively short period of time was associated with significantly lower levels of markers for subclinical cardiac damage and strain in adults without preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD), say researchers.

Observational studies show that a healthy diet is linked to a reduced risk for CVD events, leading many to advocate for stronger public policy to promote healthy food choices. For the findings, published in the journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in the US, studied data and stored serum specimens for 326 participants of the original DASH trial to compare the effects of diets rich in fruits and vegetables with a typical American diet in their effects on cardiac damage, cardiac strain, and inflammation in middle-aged adults without known preexisting CVD.

The DASH diet is a lifelong approach to healthy eating thats designed to help treat or prevent high blood pressure (hypertension). The DASH diet plan was developed to lower blood pressure without medication in research sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health. It includes lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

The DASH diet also includes some fish, poultry and legumes, and encourages a small amount of nuts and seeds a few times a week.The study found that after eight weeks, participants in both the fruits and vegetables and the DASH diet groups had significantly lower concentrations of the biomarkers for subclinical cardiac damage and strain compared with control group.

The authors hypothesize that dietary factors common to both the DASH and fruit-and-vegetable diets, such as higher amounts of potassium, magnesium, and fibre, may partly explain the observed effects. These findings strengthen recommendations for the DASH diet or increased consumption of fruits and vegetables as a means of optimising cardiovascular health, the researchers noted.

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Diet rich in fruits and vegetables may protect heart health: Study - The Hindu

1. In this observational study derived from the DASH feeding trial, both diets that were rich in fruits and vegetables were found to be associated with lower levels of biomarkers indicative of cardiac damage and strain.

2. These findings add to the body of evidence supporting existing dietary guidelines.

Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good)

Study Rundown: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, and risk factors that have been identified include hypertension, diabetes, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption, and a poor diet, among others. While observational studies have linked a healthy diet with a reduced risk for CVD injury, very few studies have attempted to establish direct causality. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial was a randomized feeding study that investigated the effects of 3 different diets on blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in middle-aged adults without known preexisting CVD. In this observational study that utilized stored specimens from the DASH trial, it was found that the two diets rich in fruits and vegetables were associated with lower subclinical cardiac damage and cardiac strain. However, inflammation did not vary significantly between groups. These findings strengthen current dietary guidelines aimed at maintaining cardiovascular health, but it remains unclear whether these dietary features are beneficial in those with established heart failure. Strengths of this study include the analysis of highly sensitive biomarkers and the use of isocaloric diets to minimize the confounding effect of weight change. The study was limited by a short follow-up period, missing data from over 30% of the original study population, and the inability to isolate the physiological effects of specific food groups or micronutrients.

Click here to read the study, published today in Annals of Internal Medicine

Click here to read an accompanying editorial in Annals of Internal Medicine

Relevant Reading: A Clinical Trial of the Effects of Dietary Patterns on Blood Pressure

In-Depth [retrospective cohort]: In this study, specimens belonging to 326 of the 459 original DASH trial participants were examined for 3 biomarkers corresponding to cardiac damage, strain, and inflammation: high-sensitivity troponin I (hs-cTnI), N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), respectively. Participants were fed 1 of 3 dietsa control diet that was low in fruits, vegetables, and dairy but high in fat; a fruit and vegetable diet that was also high in fat; or the DASH diet, which was high in fruits, vegetables, and dairy but low in fatand tracked for 8 weeks. Weighted baseline characteristics were similar between groups despite the missing data. Decreases in hs-cTnI levels from baseline were observed in both the fruit and vegetable group (-0.9 ng/L [95% confidence interval (CI), -1.5 to -0.3 ng/L]) and the DASH group (-0.4 ng/L [95% CI, 0.6 to 0.2 ng/L]). Several participants in both groups had hs-cTnI levels that fell below the limit of detection of 1.6 ng/L. NT-proBNP levels also decreased in the fruit and vegetable group (-4.6 pg/mL [95% CI, -7.9 to -1.2 pg/mL]) as well as the DASH group (-4.0 pg/mL [95% CI, -7.3 to -0.8 pg/mL]). Compared with the control diet, the fruit and vegetable diet reduced hs-cTnI levels by 0.5 ng/L (95% CI, -0.9 to -0.2 ng/L) and NTproBNP levels by 0.3 pg/mL (95% CI, -0.5 to -0.1 pg/mL). Hs-CRP levels were similar between all groups, and the fruit and vegetable and DASH groups did not differ with respect to any of the three biomarkers.

Image: PD

2020 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. All rights reserved. No works may be reproduced without expressed written consent from 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. Inquire about licensing here. No article should be construed as medical advice and is not intended as such by the authors or by 2 Minute Medicine, Inc.

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Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may protect heart health - 2 Minute Medicine

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and stay hydrated. Read here to know more about what WHO suggests to stay fit and healthy at home.

COVID-19 nutrition: Eat moderate amount of fats and avoid trans fats

In times of COVID-19, importance of good nutrition cannot be stressed enough. Consuming a healthy and nutritious diet can improve your immunity and your ability to fight infections. You need to ensure that your diet includes a healthy mix of fruits and vegetables. You need to ensure that you wash them properly before cooking. Before handling them, you need to wash your hands with soap and water, and then wash fruits and vegetables, especially if you are eating them raw.

In one of its recent posts on Instagram, the World Health Organization shares a few nutrition tips that can help in maintaining your health at home.

Including diversity in your diet is important to provide you with all essential vitamins, minerals, fats, carbs, protein, fibre and antioxidants. An effective to make your diet diverse is by including a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Prepare traditional subzis or eat them in the form of salads every day.

Also read:Amla, Ginger And 3 Other Superfoods That Will Give Just The Right Kind Of Boost To Your Immunity

Do not give up on fats entirely in the name of weight loss. Fats are an important part of complete nutrition. Not only are fats important weight loss, they are also important for efficient cognitive function and for assimilation of Vitamins A, D, E and K (fat-soluble vitamins). Eat moderate amount of fats from food sources like ghee (clarified butter), avocado, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, eggs and dairy products.

Cutting back on salt intake needs to be done just the way you cut back on white sugar. Add lesser salt to food and ensure that you consume no more than 5 gms (1 tsp) of salt in a day. It may seem like a task for the initial few days but you will eventually develop a taste for it. Eating less salt is especially recommended for people with high blood pressure and heart disease.

Also read:High Salt Intake And Cardiovascular Disease: Know The Link And Some Salt Substitutes

Sugar and sugary foods give you empty calories. This means that these foods provide you with no nutrition and only add up to your daily calorie intake. Limit intake of sweets and sugary drinks to a bare minimum. They can increase risk of weight gain, diabetes and obesity to name a few.

Dehydration can harm you in more ways than you can imagine. From dry skin to rapid heartbeat, breathing, sleepiness, lack of energy, confusion and irritability, the side effects of dehydration are many. Make sure you drink eight to 10 glasses of water every day. Hydrating foods like watermelon, cucumber, milk, bananas, strawberry, spinach, lettuce and radish must also be a part of your diet.

Drinking sufficient water is important to keep yourself hydrated and healthyPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:11 Quick Tips To Beat The Heat And Stay Hydrated During Summer

No amount of alcohol is beneficial for your health. Binge drinking increases risk of several diseases. WHO recommends avoiding drinking alcohol or keeping its intake minimal.

Stay indoors and stay safe everyone!

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Make Your Diet Diverse, Avoid Drinking Alcohol And Other Nutrition Tips To Stay Healthy At Home - Doctor NDTV

Many of us are trying to get back on a healthier track after two months of quarantine snacking, bread baking and stress eating.

But it's hard to pick up a magazine, check your Instagram feed or even talk to your friend without being given some diet tip, welcomed or not. Some advice out there is good, some not so much. There are a few tips that Ive heard over and over that make me want to scream, nooooo!

Read on, and you may be happy to learn you can ditch these diet tips (along with that cereal that tastes like cardboard):

It is true that certain foods (even healthy ones) like bananas and carrots are slightly higher in carbohydrates and sugar (respectively) compared to other fruits and vegetables. But it's also true that our country did not become obese by over consuming either of them.

Just how many carbs are in a banana? A small one has 23 grams of carbs compared to a small apple which has 21 grams. If youre trying to lose weight, you do need to watch your total carb and sugar consumption (even from foods like fruit), but that doesnt mean you cant have a cup of berries after dinner one day and a banana in your oatmeal the next morning.

The key is not to over-consume anything. Stick to this advice and dont point that finger at the beets in your salad. Also, dont lump carbohydrates or sugar found naturally in fruit and veggies into the same category as sugar from jelly beans, cake and cookies.

Related: How the pandemic is altering our food choices (hint: more carbs).

If you dont have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, going gluten-free may be unnecessary and could even cause you to gain weight and consume unhealthy artificial ingredients. A healthy diet for anyone should be naturally gluten-free, for the most part.

If you eat a whole, real-food diet of vegetables, fruit, lean protein, healthy fats with the proper amounts of unprocessed whole grains thrown in, you wont be consuming much gluten at all. If you dont have a specific medical need to cut it out, this should be sufficient for most of us.

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The problem is that most of us consume gluten in the form of unhealthy foods like pasta, cake and refined breads. When a lot of people go gluten-free, they view it as a free pass to indulge in gluten-free products, like four pieces of gluten-free bread at breakfast and two gluten-free cookies after lunch. Sorry, friends but a cookie is still a cookie, even when it's gluten-free. Gluten-free products generally dont have any less fat, sugar or calories than the traditional counterparts.

So should we all reduce (or eliminate) gluten-laden products from our diets? Absolutely, yes, do away, to a large extent, with pasta, cakes, cookies and refined breads. But dont substitute with gluten-free versions.

Related: Make these small changes to your diet and feel better instantly.

Still ordering the egg white omelet at your favorite diner? Stop. Studies have shown that there is no direct correlation between the regular consumption of whole eggs and an increased risk of heart disease. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans was adjusted to reflect this by eliminating any recommended limit on dietary cholesterol (which eggs are high in), because they found it to have no effect on blood cholesterol. Something many of us dietitians have been chatting about for years.

Research also shows that adding up to one whole egg daily to your diet may lower your risk of stroke. Eating the whole egg also offers you inflammation-fighting antioxidants as well as vitamins D, B12 and minerals selenium, zinc and iron. Egg yolks are also the most concentrated source of choline, an under-consumed, essential nutrient important to brain health.

Related: What to eat and what to avoid to help boost your immunity.

Still pulling out your calculator and adding up the calories you eat in a day? Save the math for your finances. While watching your total calorie intake is important, 100 calories of a cupcake or pretzels is not the same as 100 calories of avocado mash or almonds. These foods will vary greatly as far as what nutrients they provide for your health (a cupcake provides sugar and unhealthy fats, while avocado mash will give you fiber, healthy fat and antioxidants). They will also vary as far as how these nutrients affect hunger hormones and how they play a role in our satiety (staying satisfied), both of which will affect how much we end up eating and how much ends up on our waistline.

When youre indulging in that cupcake, choose to see it as just that, an indulgence, and when youre choosing a calorie-controlled snack, like pretzels, make a more nutrient dense choice that will work for you, not against you.

Related: Fat is not the devil.

Fat. Is. Your. Friend. Fat does not make you fat. It made some kind of sense years ago to explore the idea that high-fat foods turned to fat in our bodies, but that scientific pursuit just didnt pan out. Researchers have found that a diet low in fat and high in carbohydrate actually causes weight gain.

Were fat smart now and we know that you need roughly 30 percent of your calories to come from fats (healthy fats!) in order for you to be your leanest and healthiest self. This means there is room at every meal for some kind of fat. Think peanut butter on toast at breakfast, cashews at snack time and sliced avocado on your lunchtime sandwich. Low-fat foods generally have added sugar (to add flavor) when the fat is removed. This ends up making you feel less satisfied, craving more food and triggering your fat-storing hormones. Instead of going for low-fat products, go for the real version and listen to your body. It will thank you.

For more ways to live a nutritious life, follow Keri on Instagram @nutritiouslifeofficial.

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