Category Archives: Diet And Food

A movement born without a face tends to acquire one. Since August 2018, when 15-year-old Greta Thunberg began a solo school strike for the climate, the teenager has become the unlikely face of climate activism. Our House Is On Fire is, among many other things, the story of how and why Greta came to be sitting on the pavement outside the Swedish parliament with a home-made placard. The book is co-authored by Greta, her mother Malena Ernman (the primary narrator), her father Svante and her sister Beata. It is an urgent, lucid, courageous account.

The personal is political was a rallying cry for 1960s demonstrators, and the slogan applies neatly here. The first quarter of Our House Is On Fire describes events in 2011, when Greta sank into depression and the familys expectations went off-script for good. She was slowly disappearing into some kind of darkness and little by little, bit by bit, she seemed to stop functioning. She stopped playing the piano. She stopped laughing. She stopped talking She stopped eating.

The book wastes no time in dispelling any notion that Sweden is a utopia of public services. The description of getting help and a diagnosis out of the adolescent psychiatric services Where everyone is burned out from struggling with a constantly growing workload and where much of the time is spent putting out fires will have parents across the world groaning with grim recognition. Not a lot better is mainstream education, where all pupils must function in exactly the same way and where overworked teachers on a conveyor belt end up hitting the wall. Greta was bullied, her school was indifferent, she lost 10kg in two months and reached the brink of hospitalisation before she was, eventually, diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, selective mutism and Asperger syndrome. Her sister, in time, was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. To live with these conditions is very tough: to care for children living with them and to keep your marriage afloat is also very tough, and behind the books matter-of-fact prose, Gretas parents emerge as involuntary superheroes and recipients of no awards but hard-won wisdom: Perhaps we will never be fine, but we can always get a little bit better, and there is strength in that. There is hope in that.

The middle quarters of the book stay in touch with the up-and-down progress of Gretas family, but focus on the climate crisis and its effects on politics, feminism, economics, ecology, psychology and sociology. Dont be put off by these ologies: the book is a highly readable sequence of shortish scenes written in the direct language Greta uses in her speeches. The life-vest of humour inflates more often than youd expect, and the text is studded with subversive, persuasive maxims: Carbon offsetting is like paying poor people to diet for us; The truth is just another of those things that can be bought with money; When youre used to privilege, equality feels like oppression. I wrote down several pages of quotations for this review until it got ridiculous: I was copying out half the book.

While many readers will be familiar with much of the science and the contradictions of all you can eat consumerism, the book also explores the less obvious circuitry that connects apparently disparate things. One impactful passage links our winners take all culture with the explosion of mental illness suffered by the losers (as defined by the winners) who are disproportionately female, neuro-diverse and/or socially maladroit people not unlike Greta Thunberg. Autistic people, as Greta noted in her 2018 Ted Talk, tend not to be good liars, either to others or to themselves. Gretas initial depression was triggered by her lack of the neurotypical talent to compartmentalise fact A We know we are destroying our planet with orgiastic overconsumption (my words) safely away from fact B We carry on regardless. This talent lets us neurotypicals function as inconvenient truths pile up but it also prevents us from making the systemic changes needed to avert ecological collapse. Famously, Greta has described her Aspergers as a superpower and the point is well-made. Single-mindedness and immunity to flattery and abuse are crucial qualities for activism. (Writing as the dad of an autistic young man, I view Greta Thunberg as a default autism advocate as well as a climate activist.) In some quarters, however, this way of thinking is a red flag to a bull. Greta provokes, observes her mother. In certain cases to such an extent that normally respectful people lose their composure. Not only does she say that everything has to change, she has autism too. And she has the gall to brag about it. Thats not how things are supposed to work.

Gretas parents emerge as involuntary superheroes and recipients of no awards but hardwon wisdom

To engage with the climate crisis is to engage with climate crisis denial. A revolution in how we live is needed, and no revolution can succeed without broad support: otherwise, its a doomed putsch. Our House Is on Fire makes this engagement with acuity drawn from a deep well of hard-won experience. Our future ecological state has been reduced to a political game where its word against word, and the most popular wins. And guess which climate and sustainability story sells the best? The one that demands changes or the one that says we can continue shopping and flying for all eternity?

Piety these days rebranded as virtue signalling is notable in the book by its absence: They say that climate change deniers are idiots. But everyone is a climate change denier. Every single one of us. The trolls of Greta Thunberg (whose prestigious ranks include Presidents Trump, Bolsonaro and Putin) are considered with an emotional intelligence that is rarely, if ever, reciprocated. The message that business as usual is the enemy is not a welcome one for those of us conducting business as usual. Far comfier to dismiss the messenger as a mentally ill brat, or the stooge of eco-fascist lizard people hellbent on establishing their own World State, than to admit culpability in ecocide. Far easier to dismiss the science as biased, as false, as not settled. The problem is that with every swath of Australia or California burned, every never-before flooded city flooded, every hurricane of record-breaking destruction, and every Floridasized ice-shelf splitting off from Antarctica, the same message gets affirmed: that business as usual will roast us, drown us or starve us.

The final quarter of the book describes the tension-filled days leading up to Gretas Skolstrejk fr klimatet outside the Swedish parliament. There are reasons some things go viral and some things dont. There is an ancient power in symbol and narrative. There is a powerful magnetism in the defiance of the powerless. These are glimpsed in a scene during a meeting with climatologists and family friends in Uppsala: There is a pause. These thoughts take over the room that the almost invisible little girl on the chair by the window is planning to put herself at the very centre of the spotlight, and, all alone, in her own thoughts and words, question the foundation of the prevailing world order. Gretas parents anxieties about exposing their 15-year-old daughter to incoming flak from any ill-disposed passerby in Stockholm are matched by Gretas resolve to stage her strike no matter what, and by a growing sense that activism is a strange kind of cure. What happened next on that pavement in Stockholm is well-documented elsewhere but everyone with an interest in the future of the planet should read this book. It is a clear-headed diagnosis. It is a glimpse of a saner world. It is fertile with hope.

David Mitchells novels include Cloud Atlas. He translated, with Keiko Yoshida, Naoki Higashidas The Reason I Jump: One Boys Voice from the Silence of Autism. Our House Is on Fire by Malena Ernman, Svante Thunberg et al is published by Penguin (16.99). To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com. Free UK p&p on all online orders over 15.

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Our House Is on Fire by Greta Thunberg et al review a family and planet in crisis - The Guardian

Minhyuk and Jungshin will not return for duty in the military (Picture: Instagram)

CNBLUE singers Kang Minhyuk and Lee Jungshin are set to be discharged from the Korean military this month due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The K-pop stars have been enlisted in the military since 2018 but it emerged this week that they will be released from duty in line with health and safety policy.

In a statement, Minhyuk and Jungshins agency FNC Entertainment said: Kang Min Hyuk and Lee Jung Shin will be discharged on March 19 without returning [to their bases] from their ETS leaves according to the Ministry of National Defenses policy.

According to Soompi, the Ministry of National Defense have made sweeping changes in an attempt to combat the coronavirus strain Covid-19, which originated in China but has since spread worldwide.

This has included regulating and restricting leave and visits for military personnel, adjustments to holiday dates to ensure that those on approaching their final vacation dates will be discharged without returning to their bases.

Minhyuk and Jungshin will follow suit of 2PM singer Wooyoung, who was also reportedly discharged from the Korean military last month.

Its reported that Minhyuk and Jungshin stuck to their scheduled respective leave dates of 3 and 4 March and are not required to return.

The singers announced they were enlisting in the Korean military to fulfill their mandatory duties as citizens in July 2018.

Ill be going now, Minhyuk wrote on Instagram at the time.

He also posted a photo with his gym trainer, saying: Im worried because Im leaving without working out. After leaving you, Im going to become so lean again. Ill miss you.

Jungshin also uploaded a photo of him getting a haircut, posting: A clean cut.

The pair enlisted at the same time but different locations which were not disclosed by FNC Entertainment to allow Minhyuk and Jungshin to enter the military camp quietly and without any fanfare.

CNBLUE member Lee Jonghyun also enlisted into the military that summer.

At the time, Jonghyun told fans: Im receiving so many gifts saying for me to return safely from the military. I will eat them well! I gained weight, so I should take care of my diet a bit before entering.

However, he quit the group last year after being accused of sending inappropriate messages to women.

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If youve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page wed love to hear from you.

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CNBLUEs Minhyuk and Jungshin discharged from military over coronavirus - Metro.co.uk

A growing assault against glyphosate in the U.S. and Europe is threatening the future of the widely used weed killer in Africa due to the perceived concerns that it causes cancer.

The onslaught, which started with lawsuits in the U.S. before mutating to bans in Europe, is slowly gaining momentum, with regulatory authorities across the globe monitoring the unfolding events before deciding on the next course of action.

In Africa, a continent that largely gets precedent from the West, regulators have adopted a cautious approach while keenly following the events surrounding the controversial herbicide. This is despite pressure from civil society organizations to ban the weed killer developed by Monsanto.

German giant Bayer acquired Monsanto in a deal worth U.S. $62.5 billion in 2018 and is feeling the pressure of defending the product from mounting lawsuits, which currently number about 42,000 in the U.S. alone.

We are monitoring the debate going on globally, but as far as we are concerned, glyphosate will continue to be available for use by farmers in Kenya because there is no scientific proof it causes cancer, Peter Opiyo, Kenyas Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) Managing Director, says.

Malawi is the only country in Africa that early last year temporarily suspended the importation of glyphosate before rescinding the decision.

Although glyphosate remains in use in Africa, the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) is running a campaign to push governments on the continent to ban the product. It is imperative that African leaders heed the precautionary principle now and take urgent steps toward protecting their people and the environments of which they are custodians against any further damage, ACB stated in a petition.

Despite the growing attacks, Bayer maintains that Africa should desist from looking at events in other parts of the world but look at their own interests, bearing in mind the benefits of the herbicide in the continents agricultural sector and the fact there are not many viable alternatives.

In Africa glyphosate is the basis of a number of agriculture systems, particularly the conservation tillage, a technique in which farmers stop plowing and plant immediately after the previous harvest. The technique helps to preserve the soil structure, reduce erosion, and save fuel.

Banning of glyphosate may happen. I cannot say that it cannot happen, but in case a country takes that decision, it will not be science based; it will be a political and emotive decision, Eric Bureau, Bayer East Africa Managing Director, says.

In Europe and the U.S., politics and emotions have been the common denominator pushing the glyphosate ban, following a 2015 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) study that classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans.

Numerous scientists have contested the study, including a joint Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization review on the risks associated with glyphosate that concluded the herbicide is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans through diet.

Also giving Roundup a clean bill of health have been the European Food Safety Authority, U.S. EPA, Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, Canadas Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency, and New Zealands Environmental Protection Authority.

This has not stopped Austria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and many other countries from banning or imposing partial bans on the use of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides. France and Germany have also embarked on the process of banning the popular weed killer, both announcing plans to stop its use in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

In the U.S., Bayer/Monsanto was ordered to pay $2 billion in damages to a man whose cancer was alleged to have partly been caused by Roundup herbicide, a ruling that opened a floodgate of lawsuits. The $2 billion was later reduced and is under appeal.

Despite its ban in some countries, and others lining up to halt its use, glyphosate is approved for use in more than 160 countries globally. It is important to distinguish the position of science and regulatory authorities and the position of emotions in the public around the potential risks of cancer. What is clear is that science has demonstrated that Roundup is not carcinogenic and can be safely used, Bureau says.

This is the position propagated by the Agrochemicals Association of Kenya (AAK), which reckons that, based on current scientific evidence, glyphosate-based products pose no undue health risks, including cancer, to the public. There is overwhelming evidence from extensive scientific research involving more than 800 studies on the safety of glyphosate, which has led to the conclusions of regulators worldwide that glyphosate is not carcinogenic, says Eric Kimunguyi, AAK Chief Executive Officer.

South Africa, which accounts for 2% of global pesticide use, is the largest consumer of pesticides in Africa, mainly because the country has adopted genetically modified organisms. The country has 96 glyphosate formulation-registered products.

In Kenya there are over 70 products registered containing glyphosate out of 1,540 pest control products approved for various uses in crop production. Forty-two of the 300 chemicals in the Uganda market are glyphosate-based. Based on the import permits and data the last two years, about 2.6 million kilograms of glyphosate-based products are imported in Kenya annually.

Statistics show the market value of glyphosate worldwide is forecast to increase from $8 billion currently to $10 billion by 2022.

John Njiraini is a Kenyan-based freelance writer with 10-plus years of experience covering the East Africa region. He can be reached at [emailprotected] See all author stories here.

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The Tenuous Future of Glyphosate in Africa - Agribusiness Global

By: Wendy Wesley, RDN, LDNRegistered/Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist

For News Talk Florida

Its easy. It tastes great. Its affordable. Its lauded by doctors and scientists around the world as the number one diet. What is this miracle plan of eating?

Its the Mediterranean Diet and it exists 100% at your produce stand and grocery store. No pills, shakes or supplements, Just 100% real food.

Heart-healthy?Check. Preventative of diabetes? Check. Cancer and dementiaprevention? Check. Fresh, simple and recognizable? Check, check andcheck.

TheMed Diet blends the basics of healthy eating with the flavors andcooking methods of the Mediterranean. It is based on fruits,vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, seafood, some whole grains,some lean protein and some unsweetened dairy, olive oil and red wine in moderation.

Itis not, as some think, based on the never-ending pasta bowl or pizza.Nor is it based on fancy cooking with esoteric ingredients. Basickitchen skills and equipment apply here: a sharp knife, cutting boardand a series of simple pans or a grill.

Willyou lose weight of the Med Diet? Yes. Can you reduce blood pressureand blood glucose? Yes. Can you reduce or eliminate medications? Yes?

Willyou doctor endorse the Med Diet? Yes. Will you have more energy andstamina? Yes. Want more fiber to keep your gut moving along happily?Yep.

Worriedabout dementia and Alzheimers? The Med Diet is for you.

Whythe Med Diet?

Interest inthe Med Diet began in the 1960s with the observation that coronaryheart disease caused fewer deaths in Mediterranean countries, such asGreece and Italy, than in the U.S. and northern Europe. Subsequentstudies found that the Med Diet is associated with reduced riskfactors for cardiovascular disease.

TheMed Diet is one of the healthy eating plans recommended by theDietary Guidelines for Americans to promote health and preventchronic disease.

Whatis the Med Diet?

TheMed Diet is a way of eating based on the cuisine of countries thatborder the Mediterranean Sea. It is typically high in vegetables,fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and olive oil.

Themain components of Mediterranean diet include:

Otherimportant elements of the Mediterranean diet are sharing meals withfamily and friends and being physically active.

PlantBased, Not Meat Based

Meals are built around plants and thefoundation of the Med Diet is fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans,legumes, pulses, herbs, fruits, spices, herbs and seafood. Someunsweetened dairy, poultry and eggs are permitted. Red meat anddesserts are enjoyed occasionally.

HealthyFats

Healthyfats, all unsaturated, are a mainstay of the Med Diet. Theyre eatenin lieu of saturated fats found in animal products and trans fatsfound in highly processed and shelf-stable foods which contribute toheart disease.

Oliveoil is the primary source of added fat in the Med Diet which providesmonounsaturated fat found to lower total cholesterol and low-densitylipoprotein (LDL or bad) cholesterol levels. Nuts andseeds also contain monounsaturated fat.

Fishare also an important in the Med Diet. Fatty fish like mackerel,herring, sardines, albacore tuna, salmon and lake trout are rich inomega-3 fatty acids. They also help decrease triglycerides, reduceblood clotting, and decrease the risk of stroke and heart failure.

Recipe

Thevinaigrette below is a beautiful and easy homemade dressing thatworks as a salad and vegetable dressing plus a marinate for roastedor grilled vegetables, poultry and fish.

LemonyGreek Vinaigrette

cup freshsqueezed lemon juice1 cup olive oil3 cloves garlicpressed or minced1 and tsp dried oregano or 3 tbs fresh,copped1 big pinch each salt and fresh ground pepper

Putall the ingredients into an old jar or mason jar and shake. Thelonger it sits, the stronger the flavor. Serve with fresh vegetablesand salad greens. Buy what is in season and what you can afford.

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The never-ending pasta bowl: what the popular Mediterranean Diet is and what it is not - News Talk Florida

Alex Rodriguez is no stranger to a workout. The Major League Baseball superstar has played 22 seasons and put his body through the ringer when it comes to training and athletic prowess. But even since retiring from the sport, A-Rod hasnt shown any signs of slowing down or wanting to, for that matter.

Perhaps its the fact that he now finds himself betrothed to the ever-svelte and incredibly fit Jennifer Lopez, but the pair have been known to enjoy a sweat-fest together, often sharing their workout to their fans on Instagram.

Earlier this year they ditched sugar and carbs for 10 days (which is the very definition of hell), and now they are championing the latest fitness craze as their workout-of-choice: fasted cardio.

The term has been around for a while, dating back to 1999 when former competitive bodybuilder Bill Phillips published his book, Body for Life. But is it just a matter of waiting 30 minutes after your last meal, or is there more involved?

As the name suggests, the technique involves performing 20 minutes of intense aerobic activity after an overnight fast. Phillips believed this type of workout was more effective in burning fat than performing an entire hour of cardio post-breakfast, according to an article in Strength & Conditioning Journal.

For Phillips, his mentality was that exercising on an empty stomach means that stored fat is burned first, rather than the carbohydrates one would have consumed for their morning meal.

Bypassing your morning breakfast before hitting the gym wont harm you, but it also isnt entirely risk free. Those who do it may feel lightheaded, dizzy, or too weak to complete their workouts.

According to Dr. Ankit Shah, M.D., Director of Sports & Performance Cardiology at MedStar Health hospitals, the evidence is inconclusive. In an interview with Mens Health he said, Theoretically, when exercising in a fasted state, your body preferentially burns fat for energy as your carbohydrate levels and insulin levels are low when fasting. This can help trim your body fat percentage.

But Shah does not believe fasted cardio is a good long-term solution to fat loss. The reason for his view is that the body eventually burns fewer calories in an attempt to preserve stored fat.

As Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D. suggests in the book Strength & Conditioning, Fat burning must be considered over the course of days not on an hour-to-hour basis to get a meaningful perspective on its impact on body composition.

Schoenfeld adds, As a general rule, if you burn more carbohydrate during a workout, you inevitably burn more fat in the post exercise period and vice versa.

In a 2016 study, scientists discovered that people who fasted may burn more fat, but other research conducted in subsequent years has shown no difference between fasted and fed cardio states.

Ultimately, theres a small chance you could burn a little more fat by doing fasted cardio but this isnt a proven strategy and its also one that could be unsustainable for most. If youre really focused on cutting fat, do the basic, known methods: cut out junk food and simply move more. Yep, its that simple.

As Shah advises, For most people, I recommend focusing on skipping that extra soda, cookie or bag of chips, and eating a well-balanced diet which includes a mindful caloric restriction. This should be combined with increasing the amount of aerobic exercise to achieve sustainable results with respect to aerobic fitness, weight loss, and cardiovascular health.

via gq.com.au

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What is fasted cardio? The diet that claims to burn fat fast - GQ India

Dr. David Katz argues that poor nutrition is a greater threat than the coronavirus, but we think both are concerning.

Everyone is talking about the coronavirus, and how far it will spread in the coming weeks and months. People are nervous about being in public spaces and travelling abroad, and many are busy preparing their homes for a self-imposed quarantine that the CDC has said is "not so much a question of if this will happen anymore but rather more a question of exactly when." It's enough to spook anyone, even the most rational of thinkers.

Amid this frenzy, Dr. David L. Katz is offering an alternative perspective. The family physician and founder of Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center has just co-written a book with Mark Bittman called How to Eat, which he says "adds a lens of sense" to the conversation about diet and health in America, and he follows in a similar vein in an article for Heated, the food blog founded by Bittman. Titled "There's an epidemic that's a bigger threat than the coronavirus," Katz argues that, when we crunch the numbers, poor diet threatens far more of us than COVID-19 and should be a much bigger concern.

"[Let's say] we now have an infection rate of (800/2000), or a very alarming 40 percent. But we now also have a fatality rate of only (8/800), or 1 percent. If we repeat the prior calculation for your personal risk of getting the virus and dying from it, we have: {(800/2000) X (8/800)}, or... the exact same 0.4 percent as before."

Meanwhile, poor diet is linked to one in six deaths in the U.S. annually, causing around 500,000 premature deaths per year. Katz writes, "That is more than ten times worse than a fairly bad strain of influenza, monumentally worse than coronavirus thus far, and happens every year... The exposure risk for diet is 100 percent; everyone eats. So for coronavirus to rival diet, every last one of us would need to be exposed." (It's a powerful point, but his influenza numbers are challenged by an article in the Guardian that says the seasonal flu kills between 290,000 and 650,000 people globally, putting it more on par with diet-related deaths, and that another estimate of COVID-19's fatality rate at 1 percent makes it 10 times deadlier than the seasonal flu.)

Obviously a poor diet does not kill as rapidly as the coronavirus does, but Katz maintains we should be giving the virus "far less preferential respect" and focusing more on the aspects of our lifestyle that are statistically more likely to cause us harm. Even when a poor diet does not kill, it compromises quality of life significantly and is linked to pre-diabetes, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, obesity and overweight, not to mention neurocognitive impairments, even in the short-term.

I find Katz's comparison to be intriguing, as it lends some much-needed perspective to just how big a problem poor diet is in our lives and how easy it is to forget about it on a daily basis, but I do not share his dismissive approach to COVID-19. We don't yet know what we're dealing with here in the U.S. and Canada, and many of the traditional agencies and experts in charge of handling a health crisis like this are no longer in positions of power, due to cuts by the current administration. As my editor explained, "COVID-19 is an essential test of and learning moment for our readiness to handle a pandemic, even if this one doesnt feel as alarming as ebola or the plague. " So it is nothing to scoff at, but neither is the epidemic of poor dietary health. They just don't need to be compared so closely, as they are false equivalencies.

By all means, keep your eye on the spreading coronavirus and do what you need to be ready. But also take this opportunity to examine how your eating habits could also be threatening your long-term health, and what you can do to fix that. If you care about your health, you'll be doing both.

Dr. David Katz argues that poor nutrition is a greater threat than the coronavirus, but we think both are concerning.

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Why aren't people more worried about the epidemic of poor diet? - Treehugger

An animal expert has warned that pet owners who inflict their vegan views on their dogs and cats could be putting them at risk of fatal conditions.

TV and radio dog guru, Anna Webb, has issued the stark warning, after some pet food brands released vegan ranges claiming that it is nutritious to feed dogs and cats in this way, and helps to reduce their 'carbon pawprint'.

Anna has studied natural nutrition and therapies with the College of Integrated Veterinary Therapies (CIVT).

She said, You would never give a rabbit a steak, and its the same thing. Dogs and cats are carnivores and by feeding them diets which dont contain meat, instead of being ethical you are actually being very unethical, and putting your pets at risk of health issues overtime.

All of these products are very processed, and just like humans are being discouraged to eat processed foods, the same logic applies so are our pets.

Obesity related conditions like heart disease and diabetes in dogs is at record levels and that is because most complete pet food is 30 to 70 per cent grains, which dogs cannot metabolise.

"These foods are bulked out with ingredients like rice, barley and beet pulp, which are all sugars. Not only bad for their teeth, these grain heavy foods pile on the pounds, evident with one in two dogs now considered obese or overweight in the UK ."

Anna advocates feeding dogs and cats a biologically appropriate raw food diet, and practices what she preaches with her own pet dogs, Mr Binks and Prudence, and her cat, Gremlin.

'Cats and dogs have to eat meat, and we dont'

Anna, who is a vegetarian herself, said, You should feed a natural diet to dogs and cats, ideally organic meat. Vegans think that they are giving a vegan diet to their pets because they love animals, but the irony is they are being unethical, even cruel to their own canine best friends.

In her new A Dogs Life podcast, Anna discusses the stark truth about canine nutrition (Photo: Anna Webb)

I cannot bear the thought of the unethical treatment of animals, and Im not a fan of industrial farming. I choose to be a vegetarian, but I wouldnt impose my diet choices onto my dogs as I understand that were different species.

Dogs have to eat meat, and we dont. Humans consume 75 per cent of the meat produced globally, so if every human became a vegetarian or a vegan we just might make a difference and save the planet.

Meat is actually bad for humans, because it causes high cholesterol, but dogs - because they are carnivores - cannot get high cholesterol.

Anna advises that, if vegans feed plant-based diets to their dogs and cats for long periods of time, the pets will lack key fatty acids and amino acids only found in meat and be prone to disease.

She said, Cats in particular will die being a vegan because they are obligate carnivores and they need taurine in their diet, which they can only get from meat.

You would think they were fine for a year, maybe longer but eventually they will begin to fall apart.

A Dog's Life

In her new A Dogs Life podcast, Anna discusses the stark truth about canine nutrition as well as a number of other subversive animal topics, including animal and owner telepathy, and the environmental impact of having a pet dog.

The podcast, which launched on 1 March 2020, features interviews with scientists and experts, and there will also be appearances from celebrity dog lovers as Anna explores all levels of modern dog ownership.

Anna also co-hosts the Barking Hour on BBC Radio London, and was a regular presenter on ITV1s The Titchmarsh Show.

See more here:
People who feed dogs and cats a vegan diet could be killing their pets - Shields Gazette

As interest in the keto diet grows, researchers have found another population that could benefit from the high-fat, low-carb diet: women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

One of the most common hormone disorders in women, PCOS is associated with irregular menstrual periods, infertility, and in many cases, increased facial and body hair growth. PCOS has also been linked to insulin resistance, and is worsened by obesity.

A keto diet holds promise as a way to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce visceral body fat, potentially helping to manage symptoms of PCOS, according to a small study published February 27th in the Journal of Translational Medicine.

Researchers from several Italian universities looked at 14 women before and after a 12-weekMediterranean keto diet, focusing on fat sources like fish and olive oil and including plenty of leafy greens and other veggies. The diet limited red meat, processed foods, and sugar.

They found that the diet improved numerous markers of health, including hormone imbalances, body composition, and cholesterol levels.

The study was very small and more research is needed, particularly to understand how diet affects PCOS in the long term.

PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility and affects between 6% to 15% of women of reproductive age, according to research. It occurs when excessive follicles in the ovaries prevent ovulation, or the release of eggs, creating a hormonal imbalance. It's not entirely clear what causes PCOS, although genetics and environmental risks (like certain toxins) are believed to play a role.

Obesity is thought to worsen PCOS, and both are linked to metabolic issues like insulin resistance. However, not all people with PCOS are obsese, and those with a normal BMI can still have the same metabolic issues as obese patients.

In healthy people, insulin is used to help manage blood glucose, the body's preferred source of energy. But metabolic disorders can cause the body to stop responding to insulin. Over time, this causes the pancreas to produce more insulin, and raises blood sugar levels, leading to symptoms like fatigue, infections, persistence hunger, and eventually type 2 diabetes.

Researchers found that participants on the Mediterranean keto diet improved their sensitivity to insulin. Previous research has shown that carbohydrates in particular can spike insulin levels, so restricting them using a keto diet can help balance blood sugar and insulin levels.

Participants on the diet also lost weight and body fat, and had more balanced hormone levels than before the diet research has found that too much adipose tissue, or body fat, can worsen hormone problems.

However, the study didn't look at how the keto diet affected other aspects of PCOS, such as infertility and irregular periods.

Prior to this study, research on the keto diet for PCOS was extremely limited. One other small study found similar effects of keto on 11 women with PCOS after six months.Other research has found that a low carbohydrate diet could be a promising way to help manage PCOS, but didn't specific a ketogenic diet.

So far, there's not enough evidence to conclusively recommend any dietary approach for PCOS, but with more research, a balanced keto diet could offer an option beyond medication, researchers said in the recent study.

Read more:

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A Mediterranean keto diet may help treat PCOS, the most common cause of infertility in women - Insider - INSIDER

Pixabay Keto diet mainly promises to support weight loss. Advocates claim the very low-carb, high-fat diet helps burn fat more effectively and improves overall health at the same time.

Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian and Vanessa Hudgens are just some of the famous names who have been on keto and experienced incredible results. The celebrities claimed the eating plan helped them shed some pounds and achieve their desired physique, according to Health.com.

However, to some people, weight loss is not one of the visible effects of keto diet. Despite following the same rules and avoiding high-carb foods, there are simple mistakes that could slow down progress and even cause unintentional weight gain.

Reasons Why Keto Fails To Promote Weight Loss

Too Much Keto Sweets

Keto-approved brownies and other sweets can be the reason why your weight changes slowly or does not change at all. This food contains high amounts of calories and so eating one or two each day may delay your weight loss.

I would recommend people limit keto friendly treats or desserts to only a few times per week, Drew Manning, New York Times best selling author of "Fit2Fat2Fit," said. There isn't really a best or worst keto dessert; the problem is that they are calorie dense and can trigger more cravings, which can lead to over-consuming.

Too Much Fake Sugars

Another common mistake by people on keto diet is relying on artificially sweetened foods and drinks to limit their intake of carbs and get more fats. But it is important to know that some foods marked as "low" or "no sugar" can still contribute to increase in blood glucose levels, according to Melanie Boehmer, a dietitian at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

She recommends that people replace artificially sweetened products with whole, unprocessed foods. Such healthier alternatives could help avoid overeating and provide more nutrients while on keto diet.

Hidden Effects Of Dairy Products

Some dairy products, particularly flavored yogurt and 2 percent milk, could contain high amounts of carbs. Eating such products may stop ketosis, the metabolic state that gives most of the health benefits of keto diet, according to Mens Health.

Eating High Calories

Keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet that requires a calorie deficit to see results. However, some people consume more calories when trying to cut carbs and increase their fat intake.

Meeting a dietitian before trying the keto eating plan could help determine the right amount of calories you should consume each day.

A ketogenic diet is designed to use fat for fuel ... but if you're consuming too many calories for your needs, it is still possible that you'll be storing fat just as you would on any dietary pattern, Ginger Hultin, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said.

Medical Condition

In some cases, people may have an undiagnosed condition that blocks the weight loss effects of keto diet. These health problems include food allergies and intolerances that could trigger inflammation.

Another condition is hypothyroidism that has been linked to weight gain, fatigue and muscle aches.

Your Diet Is Not Causing Ketosis

Achieving ketosis is very important. However, your body may not be fully in ketosis because of miscalculated carb intake per day.

There are different ways to confirm ketosis. You can try testing strips for urine and a blood test to see that your body is in such metabolic state.

Related video: Is Fiber the Secret Ingredient to Weight Loss? (Provided by Shape)

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Things That Delay Weight Loss While On Keto Diet - msnNOW

Pets suffering with too much weight is a problem that stretches beyond the four-legged kind, a leading vet has revealed.

Daniella Dos Santos, President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), said that she saw a large number of pet snakes with obesity issues whilst working as a small animal and exotics vet.

Daniella believes that this can be caused by a lack of space to exercise coupled with overfeeding.

Her concerns chime with a recent BVA survey of the profession which showed that vets estimated that almost half of exotic pets brought into their practice were not having their five animal welfare needs met.

The need for a suitable environment was the most common with 89% saying that that this was the most common need that was lacking.

Daniella said: Obesity in pet snakes can have a serious impact on their health and welfare, including leading to issues such as liver problems.

The perfect size of a snake enclosure will depend on the species but all pet snakes should have enough space to roam as well as a place to hide.

They also really benefit from enclosures with appropriate enrichment.

Accepted research and husbandry practice says that snakes should have enough room for physical activity.

An inability to maintain an appropriate body temperature means that snake enclosures should also be large enough to provide an appropriate environmental heat level.

Other research talks about the necessity for snakes to be able to stretch.

One such study, published in Vet Record followed some 2018 guidance issued by Defra on selling pet animals and the care of snakes.

A draft version contained an acknowledgement that all snakes should ideally be allowed enough space to stretch out in full.

However, this passage was later removed before final publication and remains controversial for some veterinary professionals.

Snakes are carnivorous, and their perfect diet will depend on the size and species of the snake.

Daniella added: Getting the diet right for a pet snake is essential in making sure that they are healthy, as well as ensuring an appropriate environment is provided.

It is worth bearing in mind that most types of common captive snakes can live to a minimum of 15 years.

The royal python can live up to 30 years and the corn snake, 20 years, so keeping them as pets is a long-term commitment.

I would urge anyone considering getting an exotic pet of any kind to really do their research around the animals needs and think carefully about whether they can realistically provide for these.

Your vet will be happy to help if you have any questions.

BVA recently published an action plan for vets to support them in tackling obesity in companion animals and says that obesity and overfeeding of pets was among their most pressing animal welfare concerns.

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Pet snakes pile on the pounds due to diet and lack of space to exercise, say vets - Deadline News