Category Archives: Diet And Food

Even if a transient microbiome is not associated with you, says Alison Ravenscraft, a microbial ecologist and entomologist at the University of Texas at Arlington, if youre swallowing bacteria adapted to the environment, its possible that you could still derive a benefit from them. It would just be much harder to measure.

Even in humans, she points out, the microbiome (including transient microbes) can shift with changes in diet or behavior. Studying living systems that dont depend on a stable microbiome could help scientists disentangle the effects of those shifts. It could also allow them to better pinpoint the costs of having a microbiome and gain new insights into its evolution.

If you think about it, theres lots of reasons not to have an established microbiome, Agashe says. Its actually not surprising that there are animals that have gone a different route. But the key thing is, we dont know whywhat factors lead to and enable the formation and maintenance of a microbiome, and conversely, what factors might prevent those relationships.

Caterpillars, dragonflies, certain ants, and other animals provide a way to investigate the potential disadvantages of long-lasting symbiotic relationships with live-in microbes; such disadvantages tend to be difficult to measure and test. Researchers suspect that these animals might be selectively avoiding certain potential penalties of symbiosis: Bacteria might compete with their host for nutrients, for instance, or aggravate the immune system.

For some animals, those risks might outweigh the potential benefits. If they have already evolved whatever enzymes or behaviors they need to live on their own, theyre no longer bound by selective pressures to acquire a microbiome. That might be the case for Hammers caterpillars, which eke out their herbivorous lifestyle simply by eating massive amounts of plant material. A microbiome might theoretically enable the caterpillars to manufacture additional important nutrients or go after more nutrient-dense vegetation, but the insects can make up for quality with quantity.

Another factor that might bear on the presence or absence of microbes seems to be anatomy (although Agashe does not consider it a plausible explanation, given the blurred line between cause and effect). Many of the organisms carrying few bacteria have a short, simple gut structure, essentially a tube through which food gets rapidly swept and processed. That doesnt give microbes the time or space to gain a foothold and grow.

Ecological factors must also be considered. If you think about how a symbiosis should or could get up, Agashe says, its actually pretty incredibly amazing. Generation after generation, an organism has to encounter another species often enough to start a partnership thats consistently and mutually beneficial, even under changing conditions. Agashe speculates that because her butterflies and dragonflies are constantly flitting from place to place, consuming diets that change with the location and the season, they may not meet up frequently enough with the same bacteria to establish a stable microbiome.

The rest is here:
The Case of the Missing Bacteria - The Atlantic

Editors note: Beginning this week, the WJ brings back a column that was loved by readers in the past: Cooks Corner will offer tips, insights and recipes for towboat cooksand anyone interested in good food and towboat life. The column is planned to appear monthly.

Introduction: My name is Mary Ann Kuper. I currently work as a cook for American Commercial Barge Line. I have proudly worked here for 3-1/2 years. The vessel I work on is the mv. Capt. Carl Page. I am a young grandma at age 60 who enjoys her job very much. Prior to my years on the boats, I was a family and consumer science teacher in the bootheel of Missouri. A family and consumer science teacher is the good old home economics class where you learn to cook, sew and understand child care as well as health classes.

I am married and live in a cute little log cabin home. Being married to my husband has brought me 32 years of blissful love and three grown kids. OK, that sounds a little corny, but Ive got a great family. I also have three brothers and three sisters. We all love to cook. Family gatherings bring plenty of food with always exchanging recipes. I grew up in Wisconsin and moved to Missouri. I mostly enjoy and cook comfort foods. My husbands favorite meal is meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans and pecan pie, but Im pretty good at making homemade apple pies.

During my education years I had the opportunity to prepare foods for the hospitality room, veterans dinner and the school board. I also guided my students in lessons on how to run a restaurant and prepare foods. Before being a teacher, I worked at a nursing home as an activity director. During this job, I engaged the elderly in cooking. This brought them many memories. Before that, in my early 20s, I was a flight attendant serving food on airplanes.

I enjoy developing strong relationships, professionally and personally. My crew I work for today is like family. They are terrific people to be with for 28 days on the river. The sunrises and sunsets on the river are remarkably beautiful. With that I would like to close with stating:

Live well, laugh often and eat much!

Being a barge cook, my crew members rely on my ability to serve nutritious and tasty meals. This also means I need to follow the norms and expectations that each boat follows. Because the vessel works 24 hours a day, meals are offered at 5 a.m., 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day. In addition to that, weekends also have their expectations. Friday night is fish fry. Saturday is steak day, and Sunday is fried chicken day. We like to roll in taco Tuesday.

However, there is nothing worse than eating the same old thing every week. Yes, it is easier to cook something that you know how to prepare. However, how about trying something new? Still offer the same fried fish that is expected, but sneak in a little twist on the side to see how well it goes. I worked for a captain for a couple of years who shared a shrimp touffe recipe with me. It is really good and better than a couple of restaurants that serve this. The recipe may call for a few canned goods, but it is very tasty. Best of all, this recipe is so simple, it wont take away too much time from your busy day frying fish.

Marks Shrimp touffe

Ingredients:

2 lbs. shrimp (peeled and deveined is best)

1 stick butter

1 large sweet onion, largely chopped

1 large red pepper, largely chopped

1 large green pepper, largely chopped

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or Tony Chacheres Creole seasoning

1 teaspoon all-purpose Greek seasoning

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can Rotel tomatoes

Directions:

Peel and prepare shrimp. Melt stick butter in a kettle over medium heat. Add onion, peppers and garlic. Cook until tender. Remove vegetables from kettle. Add peeled shrimp to kettle and rest of butter. Cook until pink. Add seasonings, soups and Rotel tomatoes. Return vegetables to kettle. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice. Serves 4-6.

Being a cook on a boat is just like being a cook anywhere. However, the galley is yours. Youre pretty clear to cook what you want with the exception of your weekend expectations of fish (Friday), steak (Saturday) and chicken (Sunday).

It is a good idea to know your crew. Why is this important? Someone could be severely allergic to mushrooms and may not have seen this in the food you have prepared. Now you have a problem. So get to know your crew! This makes for great introduction conversation if youre just starting or a new person comes aboard. Showing a real appreciation for them with the foods they like and dislike will build a sense of trust. Besides, youre there to cook for them just like a cook anywhere.

Try to understand a diet your crew member may be on so you can fulfill those needs. By offering healthy eating choices that work with someones diet, the food will be eaten. Why prepare something that will not be eaten? When at the workplace, you will want your crewmembers to feel comfortable and tell you what they like to eat. This only gives you ideas what to make, so roll with it.

One captain I worked with liked the Keto diet. This is a fun diet because you get to eat foods high in fats but low in carbohydrates. The recipe below calls for cream cheese, which is a good source of vitamin A, low in lactose and a good source of antioxidants.

Rodneys Lemon Fluff

Ingredients:

3 bricks of cream cheese (8 ounces each)

1 quart heavy cream

2 boxes sugar free lemon pudding (1 ounce boxes)

cup Splenda

Directions:

Use a standard mixer with whisk attachment. Be sure to chill the bowl. This can be done quickly with ice for a minute. Cut up your cream cheese into small, 1-inch chunks. Add one brick of cream cheese and 1/3 of the heavy cream. Whip until smooth. Continue to add rest of cream cheese and heavy cream until all is whipped. Mix in pudding and Splenda until fully combined. Continue to whip until soft, smooth and silky. Using a spatula, spread into a 9 x 13 pan. (I like using a glass pan.) This dessert is really good with any chopped up fruit.

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Cook's Corner Returns To WJ Pages - The Waterways Journal - The Waterways Journal

By Laura Stec

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As of April 16th, South Dakota reported a COVID outbreak of 598 workers at Smithfield Foods, a pork processing facility in Sioux Falls responsible for 5% of U.S. pork production, causing the plant to close indefinitely. The Chinese-owned company released a statement that the virus is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply, making it impossible to keep our grocery stores stocked if our plants are not running.

Several other U.S. meat processing plants have also closed temporarily, including a Tyson Foods plant in Iowa, and a JBS USA Colorado factory, which both had two deaths.

Part of the problem may be the high concentration of the U.S. meat industry in the hands of a few. Four companies control 80% of the beef industry. Five companies control about 60% of the chicken market, and four companies control nearly 70 percent of pork.

Oh darn, we might run out of meat.

The Food Party! isn't crying over closures, or spilt milk in the news however. On the contrary, we feel empowered. Most Americans need to cut down on meat. (On average, we ate more than 217 pounds of beef, pork and/or chicken in 2019 (over 4 pounds weekly). Time to learn more about the secrets of vegetables and the endless options, and unique tastes and textures achieved when incorporating more plants into your diet.

Decreasing or eliminating animal flesh, while increasing plant consumption, is better for our health, and as many are realizing, also the health of animals and our planet. Actually, one of the best things you can do as an individual for the environment begins on your breakfast, lunch and dinner plates. With the 50th anniversary of Earth Day coming next week, April 22nd, consider using this time to flex your plant-based cooking muscles and create more meals with less, or no, meat.

Graphic from Cool Cuisine Taking the Bite out of Global Warming (2008)

Track results of your meat-free days by joining the Darwin Challenge (and local environmental group Acterra).

We also have all kinds of recipes, diatribes, and options at the Food Party! to help:What's the Hottest Trend in Eating?

Global Warming DietThe Impossible Burger

City Supper the Future of FoodBurger Please, Side of IntegrityOom is Moo Spelled Backwards

Lastly, Insider Tips, our new, weekly feature for those stuck in the house, can also assist.

Inside Tip #3

I gave some of the sauerkraut (and juice) we made last week to a client, leaving me with some partially fermented cabbage, sans juice. I could have topped off with salt water to keep fermenting, but instead chose to sauted it up with raw onion,

And made a quick dinner topping for my frozen Trader Joes veggie wontons.

Add a splash EZ Seasoning (salt and pepper with a college education) of umeboshi vinegar, mirin, brown rice vinegar and soy sauce, and you got an easy, filling meal with the perfect touch of sour pucker power. Top with sauted seitan, tempeh or chicken for your protein kick.

Photos by LSIC

Originally posted here:
Oh Darn, We Might Run out of Meat - Try #2 - Palo Alto Online

Let us step away from the dreaded C word that has engulfed us and focus on how one can focus on ones well-being and how Mother Nature provides both the means and the solutions to balance ones life. Both an art and a science, one of mankinds oldest forms of plant-based wellness and healing methodology from India, which dates back more than 5,000 years, is Ayurveda (translated as the science of life in Sanskrit), also referred to as Mother of All Healing.

Ayurveda finds mention in the ancient Vedic culture, and its knowledge was passed down orally from the gurus (masters or teachers) to their disciples for many thousands of years. This practice of wellness places emphasis on prevention and encourages the maintenance of health through close attention to balance in ones life, right thinking, diet, lifestyle, and the use of herbs.

It is said that knowledge of Ayurveda enables one to understand how to create this balance of body, mind, and consciousness according to ones own individual constitution and how to make lifestyle changes to bring about and maintain this balance.

Like many beliefs from India, where energy fields are at the focal point, Ayurveda also says that each person has a particular energy pattern a unique combination of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics that comprise their own constitution. This constitution is determined at conception by a number of factors and remains the same throughout ones life.

Many factors, both internal and external, act upon us to disturb this balance and are reflected as a change in ones constitution from the balanced state. Examples of these emotional and physical stresses include ones emotional state, diet and food choices, seasons and weather, physical trauma, and work and family relationships. Once these factors are understood, one can take appropriate actions to nullify or minimise their effects or eliminate the causes of imbalance and re-establish ones original constitution. Balance is the natural order; imbalance is disorder. Health is order; disease is disorder. Within the body, there is constant interaction between order and disorder. When one understands the nature and structure of disorder, one can re-establish order.

In Ayurveda, body, mind, and consciousness work together in maintaining balance. They are simply viewed as different facets of ones being. Ayurveda identifies three basic types of energy, or functional principles, that are present in everyone and everything. Since there are no single words in English that convey these concepts, we use the original Sanskrit words vata, pitta, and kapha. These principles can be related to the basic biology of the body. Vata is the energy of movement, pitta is the energy of digestion or metabolism, and kapha is the energy of lubrication and structure.

All people have the qualities of vata, pitta, and kapha, but one is usually primary, one is secondary, and the third is usually least prominent. The cause of diseases, according to Ayurveda, is a lack of proper cellular function due to an excess or deficiency of vata, pitta, or kapha. Disease can also be caused by the presence of toxins. According to Ayurvedic philosophy, the entire cosmos is an interplay of the energies of the five great elements space, air, fire, water, and earth.

Vata, pitta, and kapha are combinations and permutations of these five elements that manifest as patterns present in all creation. In the physical body, vata is the subtle energy of movement, pitta is the energy of digestion and metabolism, and kapha is the energy that forms the bodys structure. To learn how to balance the body, mind, and consciousness requires an understanding of how vata, pitta, and kapha work together. Diet and lifestyle appropriate to ones individual constitution strengthen the body, mind, and consciousness.

Western allopathic medicine currently tends to focus on symptomatology and disease and primarily uses drugs and surgery to rid the body of pathogens or diseased tissue. However, drugs, because of their toxicity, often weaken the body. Ayurveda does not focus on disease. Ayurveda maintains that all life must be supported by energy in balance. When there is minimal stress and the flow of energy within a person is balanced, the bodys natural defence systems will be strong and can more easily defend against disease.

It must be emphasised that Ayurveda is not a substitute for Western allopathic medicine. There are many instances when the disease process and acute conditions can best be treated with drugs or surgery. Ayurveda can be used in conjunction with Western medicine to make a person stronger and less likely to be afflicted with disease and/or to rebuild the body after it is treated with drugs or surgery.

Ayurveda encompasses various techniques for assessing health. Basic techniques such as taking the pulse; observing the tongue, eyes, and physical form; and listening to the tone of the voice are employed during an assessment.

Palliative and cleansing measures are used to help eliminate an imbalance, along with managing the causes of the imbalance. This includes the implementation of lifestyle changes, starting and maintaining a suggested diet, and the use of herbs. In some cases, participating in a cleansing program, called panchakarma, is suggested to help the body rid itself of accumulated toxins to gain more benefit from the various suggested measures of treatment.

Plant- and animal-based treatments in Ayurveda may be derived from roots, leaves, fruits, bark, seeds such as cardamom and cinnamon, and milk. In addition, fats are prescribed both for consumption and for external use. Ayurveda also uses alcoholic beverages, which are said to adjust the doshas. The sedative and pain-relieving properties of opium are also used in Ayurveda.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises Ayurveda, among other complementary health systems. It is also a part of the 2013 WHO-WIPO-WTO TRIPS study on health innovation and access to medicines. The WTO mentions Ayurveda in its intellectual property strategy. Although Ayurveda originated in India, it has now become a common heritage of mankind, and millions of people around the world use its principles and techniques to lead a healthy life.

According to some sources, up to 80 per cent of people in India use some form of traditional medicine for personal wellness. The Indian government has a Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha Medicine and Homeopathy (AYUSH) for the development of Ayurveda in India.

In essence, Ayurveda touches all facets the body, mind, and spirit and also recognises that each of us is unique, each responds differently to the many aspects of life, each possesses different strengths and weaknesses.

This ancient system of Indian medicine presents a vast wealth of information on the relationships between causes and their effects, both immediate and subtle, for unique individual that is in us.

As for coronavirus, it shall pass, but it will present us with a new normal, whatever that may be the key, as this ancient system of wellness promotes will be to strike the equilibrium between the mind, body and spirit. Right now, we need all the positive affirmations, however diverse we may be as humans, let us spread positive energies and help to heal each other.

Background information courtesy of the High Commission of India in Jamaica. amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com.

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The art and science of Ayurveda | Art & Leisure - Jamaica Gleaner

Eating a "diverse and varied" diet provides the best chance of boosting the immune system to fight Covid-19, according to a scientist.

Philip Calder, a professor of nutritional immunology at the University of Southampton, has produced a report advising the public to ensure they eat a mixed diet to help combat the virus.

His research also shows that supplements are a "safe, effective and low cost way to support an optimal immune system".

A university spokesman said: "A diet with a diverse and varied mixture of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and pulses, along with some meat, fish and dairy products provides the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients the immune system needs for optimal function."

Prof Calder said: "The strength of somebody's immune systems will not influence whether they get coronavirus; handwashing and social distancing are the best ways to avoid that.

"However, the immune system helps the body deal with the virus if they are infected and what we want is a system that functions properly when it's challenged with bacteria and viruses."

The university spokesman added: "Among the foods Professor Calder recommends are a variety of fruits and vegetables which are a good source of vitamins and minerals that are important for supporting the immune system.

"Foods that are high in fibre are also important as some of the undigested fibre in the gut can promote the growth of good bacteria which interact with the immune system to make it work better.

"The third recommendation is oily fish which is a source of omega 3 fatty acids that help to regulate and control the immune system.

"Finally, meat is important as a good source of nutrients such as iron and vitamin B12, so people who do not eat meat should consider supplements.

"Whilst consuming commercial probiotic products can have a role to play - by seeding good bacteria in the gut - Professor Calder recommends plant-based food and fibre as an alternative as these provide an environment to grow the good bacteria that are already in the large intestine."

Professor Calder added: "The present situation with Covid-19 shows that we cannot just rely on vaccinations to limit the impact of respiratory infections.

"Improving our nutrition is a very straightforward step that we can all take to help our bodies deal with infections and limit the emergence of new, more virulent strains of viruses.

"We therefore strongly encourage public health officials to make sure nutritional strategies are included in all their messaging about coping with viral infections."

See the article here:
Top foods that will help boost immune system in coronavirus outbreak - Mirror Online

Every 10 years, everyone in the United States is counted through the census. A lot is at stakethe census determines funding for programs like special education, health care, and more.

On top of that, the U.S. Census Bureau considers people with disabilities a hard to count population. Even with many self-isolating, it is easy to complete the census. It takes just a few minutes to fill out and can be done safely right in the comfort of your home. When everyone is counted, communities get their fair share of federal funding to help keep all people safe and healthy. Health care, education, and emergency planning all depend on getting an accurate census count.

Pop available for sale

If you are interested in purchasing pop, please call 507-433-8994 or email info@lifemowercounty.org and we can have it ready for pick-up or to request free delivery. Costs are the same as they are in the machine right now.

Pop Bottles (Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper) $1.50

Pop Cans (Brisk Iced Tea with Lemon, Diet Cherry Pepsi, Diet Mug Root Beer, Sunkist Orange, Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi) 75 cents

VITA ICE Bottles (Orange Mango, Blueberry Pomegranate, Grape Berry) $1.25

Upcoming Events

Tuesday: Bingo-Cancelled

Wednesday: MCSO Bowling Rock and Bowl-Postponed, Date To Be Determined

Thursday: Movie and Munchies: Playing With Fire- Cancelled

April 26: 10th annual Taste of Mower County-Postponed, Date To Be Determined

April 27: Board of Directors Meeting-Phone/Video Conference; Taste of Mower County Committee Meeting-Phone/Video Conference

People First Aktion Club

April 28: Officers Meeting-Cancelled; People First Aktion Club Meeting-Cancelled

April 29: Community Connections: Home Free Concert (Lottery) Postponed to Oct. 21

April 30: Creative Arts: Melted Crayon Art- Cancelled

May 1: 4-H Adventure Club- Cancelled

May 2: Community Connections: Kenny Chesney Concert (Lottery)- Postponed, Date To Be Determined; Community Connections: Lunch and a Movie Cancelled

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The importance of taking part in the census - Austin Daily Herald - Austin Herald

A man crosses an empty street in Detroit, Michigan on March, 24, 2020. - At 12:01 am Tuesday March 24,2020 Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered a 'Stay at Home and Stay Safe Order' to slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) across the State of Michigan which now has 1,791 confirmed cases and 24 deaths due to the virus. SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A man crosses an empty street in Detroit, Michigan on March, 24, 2020. - At 12:01 am Tuesday March 24,2020 Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered a 'Stay at Home and Stay Safe Order' to slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) across the State of Michigan which now has 1,791 confirmed cases and 24 deaths due to the virus.

Americans like to think of ourselves as rolling up our sleeves to do a hard job.

But these days, we have to remind ourselves first: wash your hands!

The coronavirus has made some of our long-time slogans and clichs about confronting a crisis sound a just a little tinny.

There is no way to "get tough" with a virus. As the medical staff so staunchly at work in hospitals now can attest, viruses are the truly tough characters. No regimen of aerobics, running, weight training, or Pilates will make anyone so fit they become immune to Covid-19. No paleo, macro, low-carb or vegan diet will make anyone impervious. No slogans or official bluster can make Covid-19 cower.

And, no faith, optimism, good vibes, or philosophy can protect any human being from becoming infected.

It's a time not just for determination and grit, but hand-sanitizer and disinfectants. Churchillian blood, tears, toil, and sweat won't help humans prevail through this virus so much as soap, water, masks, and a sense of humor, which, by the way, Churchill also possessed.

It may be a time that's less for the courage to sail out into the world than for the audacity for those who can to stay inside, and explore places through books, music, friendships, and our own imaginations.

It may be a time to be intrepid enough to be even-tempered and good-humored, even as we spend hour after hour looking at the same walls and people with all family members home, hungry, and noisy with no restorative respite from even those we cherish.

It's a time to have the simple human consideration not to be a risk to those we love or total strangers by paring down our presence in the streets, stores, and workplaces, which is the only way known right now to try to keep people from becoming infected, or endangering others.

Theories are being traded now, among scientists and public officials, about what markers must be met before more people can begin to safely move about the world again. We like to look for dates and timelines. We ask people their opinions. But viruses don't abide by clocks or calendars.

They don't sign surrenders. The biggest victory for a while may be just getting by. A country on hold, in so many ways, is hard on all especially those who have lost their jobs, who may be poor, who may be sick, and who may be lonely.

The wisest rallying cry for weeks like this, and perhaps ahead, may be just: Patience.

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Opinion: There Is No 'Get Tough' With Coronavirus; We Need A New Slogan - NPR

When trying to lose a few pounds, slimmers can change their diet plans and start to exercise more. The government has urged Britons to stay at home amid the coronavirus pandemic which means many are struggling to stick to their usual fitness regime. A man shed one stone and carved six pack abs in just 12 weeks with at home workouts.

Mat Smith, 40, from Cheltenham, first decided to get into shape after becoming a father-of-two.

With two young children in the house, he wanted to set a good example and started to workout at home.

Mat said: "My biggest motivation for maintaining a healthy lifestyle is our four-year-old son.

"Both in terms of my desire to set a positive example for him, but also remain an active part of his life as we both grow older."

READ MORE: Kimberley Walsh weight loss: Singer shed three stone and toned slim waist with this diet

Tipping the scales at 13st 2lb, Mat focused on losing body fat and improving his fitness as well as losing weight.

In the past, the dieter ate foods high in protein but switched to eating whole foods with a LiveUP fitness plan.

"The biggest change in terms of my nutrition was the focus on eating a balanced diet based solely on whole foods," Mat added.

"Previously I had always prioritised protein above all other macronutrients and significantly under eating fresh fruit and vegetables."

DON'T MISS

By focusing on eating the whole foods and a balanced diet, Mat cut out the need to count calories.

He explained: "In addition historically when I have paid specific attention to my nutrition I have always closely counted my calories.

"However as the LiveUP Plan is designed to simplify achieving your fitness goals and educating you adopt sustainable habits.

"It eliminates the need for calorie counting and focuses on quantified serving sizes with the ultimate longer term goal of educating you how to visually determine your serving sizes without needing to measure them out."

More:
Weight loss: Man shed one stone in just 12 weeks with this home workout plan - Express

We're bombarded with diet, exercise and health facts and figures but just how much weight can we put behind them?

Does eating after 8pm really make you pile on the pounds? And will 100 sit-ups a day give you washboard abs?

With so much conflicting information, its no wonder we sometimes feel overwhelmed and confused.

But today, the Sunday People is here to bust the myths and the big fat lies.

Weve asked the experts to delve into eight common diet and fitness fables and separate the truth from the porkies.

MYTH: Some foods burn more calories while being digested than they actually contain.

FACT: Negative calorie foods simply dont exist.

Anita Bean, author of The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition, says: People will fall for anything that promises results without effort.

Sure, drinking ice cold water can lower body temperature slightly but in order to see that translate to significant caloric benefits, you would have to drink about 200 pints of it!

That same rule applies to celery and green peppers. Eating 50 calories of either veg may take a little more energy for your body to metabolise than 50 calories of something filled with fat and sugar, such as ice cream or cake.

But Anita says: That doesnt mean theres no calorie contribution from the celery or the green pepper.

In fact, starving or withholding certain food groups only makes the body panic and shut down its metabolism making it even harder for you to lose weight.

MYTH: Doing 100 sit-ups a day will give you a six-pack.

FACT: Sit-ups can strengthen your rectus abdominus, or six-pack, but they wont reduce stomach fat. So to reveal your abs, you must reduce your body weight. Combine high-intensity activities, such as running or swimming, with breathing and postural exercises, like pelvic tilts.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, push your lower back flat into the floor, suck in your abdomen hard and hold for five seconds. Repeat 50 times, twice a day.

MYTH: Lifting weights makes you look too bulky.

FACT: Building large muscles occurs only after years of serious weight-training and strict diet. Its even more difficult for women to bulk up as they lack the testosterone levels necessary to do so.

But weight training can help strengthen your bones, increase your metabolism so you burn more calories and improve your balance, posture and recovery.

Combining weights with cardio will create a greater proportion of lean body mass to body fat, making you look more streamlined.

MYTH: Reducing your calorie intake is the best way to lose weight.

FACT: If you sink below your bodys basic energy requirements (about 1,200 calories a day for women, 1,500 for men), it goes into survival mode to slow down your metabolism and save energy.

So while you may lose weight in the short term, youll put it back on when you start eating normally.

Aim to cut 500 calories a day and eat more lean protein, such as poultry and fish. Also eat regular meals that include complex carbs from fruit and veg and essential fats from nuts, seeds and olive oil. Proteins and fats tell the body it has had enough food and keep your metabolism revved up.

MYTH: You have to do at least 20 minutes of exercise before you start burning body fat.

FACT: Your body starts tapping fat for fuel the moment it creates an energy deficit. If you create that deficit by exercising regularly and cutting calories, you will burn off flab all day long.

It was once believed you needed to exercise in a range between 60 per cent and 80 per cent of your maximum heart rate. Any lower was thought to be too easy and any higher made it difficult to use fat for fuel.

But your body uses up more energy during high intensity exercise just look at the physique of a sprinter so stick to interval workouts with short bursts of high-intensity movement, followed by active recovery periods.

Walk briskly between two lampposts, run between the next two and repeat. This will be better for your heart and for fat loss.

MYTH: Carbs will make you fat.

FACT: Nobody is going to say that a diet of chips three times a day will be good for you, but theres more to chips and almost any other comfort food than carbohydrates.

Weight loss is independent of the micronutrient composition of the diet, says Dr Richard Cottrell, nutritionist at The Sugar Bureau.

If you eat less energy than you expend, you lose weight.

And that is the truth, no matter what you eat. In fact, Richard says: Carbs and protein are more satiating than other foods, so are better for weight control.

Its easy to confuse high-carb foods with high-fat ones because the two ingredients often appear together, especially in baked or fried products like cakes and chips.

But Richard says: Its high-fat foods that obese people crave, not the carbs.

MYTH: We all gain weight as we age.

FACT: An inactive retirement or a desk job is more to blame for your belly than getting older, according to Amelia Lake, of Newcastle Universitys Human Nutrition Research Centre.

She says: When you adopt a more sedentary lifestyle, you lose muscle mass so you burn fewer calories.

Losing two or three pounds of lean tissue means youll burn around 100 fewer calories a day 10lb in a year.

Amelia says: Its a misconception that your metabolism naturally slows as you get older. Its all about activity.

The best way to maintain muscle mass is strength training working those muscles once a week.

MYTH: Eating after 8pm will make you pile on the pounds.

FACT: It doesnt matter what time of day you eat its how much you have eaten during the whole day and how much exercise you have done that will make you gain or lose weight.

Your body will store extra calories as fat, no matter when you eat. But if you fancy a snack before bedtime, try to think about how many calories you have already eaten that day.

Anita Bean says: Try not to snack while doing other things like watching telly, reading or using the computer.

If you eat in the kitchen or dining room, youre less likely to be distracted and more likely to be aware of what, and how much, you are eating.

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18 April 2020, 18:00 | Updated: 18 April 2020, 18:01

Simon Cowell has been on an impressive weight loss journey over the past year, but what did he do and how much weight has he lost?

As Britain's Got Talent returns to screens, people have been quick to compliment judge Simon Cowell on his slender new figure.

Simon, 60, has lost just over a stone and a half since he changed his lifestyle and diet, and is looking great for it.

READ MORE: Who is Simon Cowell's girlfriend Lauren Silverman and how many children does she have?

But how did the star drop the weight, was he on a diet, and what did he look like before?

The music mogul is believed to have lost a huge 20lbs since her changed his diet and lifestyle.

In an interview with The Sun, Simon told them: "The most dramatic period was the first month where most of the weight comes off and you look at yourself and think wow.

I used to be 36 inch waist and now Ive lost four inches. Im really happy now."

Simon is believed to have lost weight by cutting out sugar in his diet entirely, as well as cutting down on his meat intake.

Talking about his diet, Simon said that you have to keep "the food sensible", but that it's also has to be interesting and tasty to make it "surprisingly easy".

He explained: "All I do is avoid just red meat - white meat is fine - and I eat loads of vegetables, salads and drink this great beer.

If youre on a diet you have to keep the food sensible, but its got to be interesting and tasty, then the diets surprisingly easy."

He added: "Im on a diet but it doesnt feel like it now because the food I eat is really healthy and I dont find it tedious. If its boring you wont stick to it.

This summer, Simon showed off the extent of his weight loss as he was pictured on holiday with his family in Barbados.

Walking along the beach with his son Eric and partner Lauren Silverman, the X factor star looked slender and confident with his new physique.

READ MORE: What is Simon Cowell's net worth? How the Britain's Got Talent judge made his millions

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Simon Cowell weight loss: How did the Britain's Got Talent host lose weight and what did he look like before? - Heart