Category Archives: Diet And Food

While it didn't enjoy the same spotlight this January, the DASH diet was crowned as one of the best diets in the United States in 2019 by U.S. News and World Report, putting it on the fast-track to cause buzz on Instagram feeds all year long. In fact, the DASH diet had earned this distinction for most of the 2010s, but unlike many of the other diets we've seen percolating in our social media feeds for the last few years, the DASH diet actually has overwhelming support from the medical community largely in part because it was developed in the 1990s by a team of researchers funded by the National Institute of Health.

Believe it or not, scientists first created this diet plan in response to the rise of cardiovascular disease in the United States, and many doctors only speak about the specifics of the DASH diet with their patients if high blood pressure is a factor for them. The DASH diet targets high sources of sodium and artery-clogging sources of fat to empower dieters to better their own heart health, but in the process, it targets some ingredients that some experts may find controversial.

Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, CSO, CDN, a registered dietitian within the Good Housekeeping Institute, says that while the Mediterranean diet is worthy of it's "best" title this year, the DASH diet remains one of her favorite picks of all time. If you're dealing with elevated blood pressure or other cardiovascular risks, there's no question about it; but even if you're looking to lose weight before hitting the beach this summer, the DASH diet may be safer for you compared to the keto diet or Whole30.

Here's everything you need to know about the DASH diet, including what you can (and can't eat), how it could help you eat healthier and lose weight, and how to get started.

Sassos has a clinical background in treating cancer patients in the New York area, but also has found herself thrust into understanding the ins-and-outs of the DASH diet as heart disease is actually the number one killer in the U.S., she says. "I had quite a few patients who passed away from heart disease rather than their actual cancer," she explains. "There's a huge sodium issue in America, and the DASH diet is specifically known to fight this trend."

Ginger Meyer, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD, a registered dietitian specializing in sports dietetics within the University of Missouri Health Care system, says the DASH diet successfully lowers blood pressure in patients with hypertension by targeting dietary sources of fat and largely scaling back or eliminating red meat and sugar altogether. In studies since its inception, the DASH program can further lower blood pressure if sodium is also targeted, she says.

"Some may experience lowering of blood pressure in a few weeks," Meyer explains. "Other important lifestyle factors include achieving or maintaining a healthy body weight, participating in two hours and 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity each week, and limiting alcohol consumption."

This diet, unlike others, isn't truly designed to be used for the short term. Results vary on a case by case basis, Meyer says, but this approach to eating is often recommended for many years before true results are seen and doctors relax on restricting certain items.

Those following the program aren't given a particular meal plan, but follow general guidelines. Here's everything you'll be able to enjoy on the DASH diet:

Sassos says this diet plan is most in-line with what a regular, healthy lifestyle should look for most a dietary routine that consists of 2,000 calories each day (or a higher or lower caloric intake recommended by your healthcare provider) consisting of wholesome ingredients. She says the diet recommends an adequate intake of non-fat and low-fat dairy products, two to three servings a day, as well as the appropriate servings of whole grains each day.

She believes that the best DASH diets are those that restrict sodium, as high-sodium diets can cause issues for otherwise-healthy patients. "When you go out to a restaurant, so many of us are drowning in salt, but this approach fixes that," she says.

Here's what you should avoid and limit as much as possible:

These items shouldn't come as too much of a shock: they're all high in fat, sodium, and calories. Not to mention, they're often highly calorically dense, but not in actual nutrients. "The DASH plan is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and limits saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol," Meyer explains.

Here's the catch the DASH diet wasn't actually created to promote weight loss. Some health experts believe that asking those that don't suffer with elevated blood pressure levels to restrict their sodium intake could promote unwarranted restrictions elsewhere (why restrict something if you're consuming normal levels, right?).

But pro-DASH-diet supporters like Meyer and Sassos acknowledge that the average meal plan based on this diet inevitably promotes weight loss for most people. "Although the DASH diet was not designed to promote weight reduction, this eating plan can be followed at a lower calorie level for weight loss, and as you replace high-calorie, high-fat foods with low-calorie vegetables and fruits, weight will likely trend down," Meyer explains.

For the best weight loss results, both experts agree: you'll need to incorporate exercise into your routine. Plus, a 2010 clinical study found that, in a trial, people who exercise while enjoying the DASH diet were more likely to lower their blood pressure compared to those who didn't.

You'll need to consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before you make any radical changes to your diet. If you've determined that you should work on your blood pressure levels, don't jump to change everything just yet. "Keep a food diary for several days and identify ways you could gradually increase servings of vegetables, fruits and whole grains," Meyer says.

If you're looking for particular meal plans or more tips for crafting DASH-friendly meals, both Sassos and Meyer recommend resources provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which include an illustrated guide of the recommended number of servings on each food group by calorie level and serving size.

Link:
What Is the DASH Diet? - Here's What You Can and Can't Eat on the Dash Diet - GoodHousekeeping.com

Many of the important benefits of a plant-based diet particularly for climate health and animals are well known. Yet despite the science being very clear, there remains confusion about the impact on human health.

We have long known for example, that a diet centred around whole plant-foods fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, beans, nuts and seeds significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain cancers. In fact, a low fat plant-based diet is the only diet to have been shown to actually reverse established coronary artery disease. It has also been seen to reverse type 2 diabetes, enable effective and sustained weight loss without portion control or exercise, and arrest the progression of early stage prostate cancer.

Here are five additional benefits of a plant-based diet that may surprise you.

Diet choices can have a major impact on mood and mental health, and there is a very good reason for this. Diet affects the health of our gut bacteria, which produce many of the hormones active in the brain. Gut bacteria thrive on fibre, which is only found in whole plant foods. So it is no surprise to find that a plant-based diet can benefit mental health.

In one US study conducted at a large insurance company, participants who were overweight or had a history of type 2 diabetes were either prescribed a low-fat vegan diet or asked to continue their usual diet for 18 weeks. The results showed a significant improvement in mental health, wellbeing and work productivity in those on the vegan diet, as well as lower levels of depression and anxiety.

Osteoarthritis, the painful breakdown of cartilage in the joints, appears to be an inevitable consequence of ageing. It is not reversible but it is manageable, usually with pain medication and sometimes surgery.

So what role could a plant-based diet play here? One small study looking at the diets impact showed a significant improvement in self-reported pain and functioning in people with osteoarthritis. One reason for this could be the anti-inflammatory properties of the micro-nutrients present in plant foods, as inflammation is the main cause of pain in arthritis. Meat-based diets have the opposite effect and, in general, increase the level of inflammation in the body.

So if a plant-based diet can improve arthritis pain, could it also perhaps improve other types of pain? Some research suggests it could help with period pain in women.

For this study, women swapped to a low-fat vegan diet for two menstrual cycles, and then back to their usual omnivorous diet for their next two. Pain duration and intensity and pre-mentrual symptoms were recorded and levels of a hormone affecting oestrogen levels were measured.

On the low-fat vegan diet, women reported less pain duration and intensity, shorter duration of premenstrual symptoms and tests showed a lower level of oestrogen. People are often surprised to hear that diet can impact hormone levels in the body. This study shows exactly that, and how lower oestrogen levels can benefit womens health in a number of ways.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common causes of infection in the general population with the bacteria Escherichia coli (E coli) often being the culprit. Infection can occur because E coli from the intestine finds its way into the urinary tract. But UTIs can also be caused by E coli strains commonly found in farm animals such as chickens and pigs, so eating contaminated sources of meat can lead to infection.

Given the link between E coli and UTIs, It might seem obvious that those on a plant-based diet who avoid meat might have a lower risk of infection, but whether this was the case was not known for sure until recent research came out.

The analysis of several studies shows that vegetarians have a 16% lower risk of UTIs compared to non-vegetarians. This confirms previous data suggesting that meat-bourne bacteria are a major contributor to the risk of UTIs. Increasingly these food borne bacteria are displaying antibiotic resistance.

So if those following a health plant-based diet have a lower risk of ill health then surely this will save on health costs.

In a large Taiwanese study, vegetarians were found to have a lower rate of outpatient visits, which translated into a 13% lower outpatient expenditure and a 15% lower total medical expenditure. So it is interesting to hypothesise the health economic impact of a plant-based diet on the UKs cash-strapped National Health Service.

In 2017, spending on healthcare in the UK totalled 197 billion approximately 2,989 per person. If everyone in the country shifted to a vegetarian diet, this could (using the 15% reduction as a guide) reduce healthcare expenditure by 30 billion.

Plant-based diets then, not only have the potential to dramatically improve human and planetary health, but could have significant benefits for the health of the economy too.

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Five surprising benefits of a plant-based diet - The Conversation UK

Humberto Leon, probably thinking about rice rolls, in Chinatown. Photo: M. Cooper

Opening Ceremony is, at the end of day, kind of a sidekick to our personal wishes and desires, says Humberto Leon, who co-founded the company in 2002 with Carol Lim. Food, he adds, has always been almost more important. After helping turn Opening Ceremony into as our friends at the Cut put it a haven for stylish weirdos, Leon will try on another look: restaurateur. He, his mom Wendy, and their family will next open a Los Angeles restaurant, Chifa, where theyll serve both Chinese and Peruvian dishes. Its a reflection of what we grew up with at home, Leon explains. Over the last week, he spent a few days in the Cayman Islands before returning to New York, where he made Japanese curry and Chinese borscht soup, fed his rice roll obsession, and visited a couple Park Slope favorites. Read all about it in this weeks Grub Street Diet.

Friday, February 21I was in the Cayman Islands. We went because it was winter break for the kids and Id heard about our friend Gerardo Gonzalez cooking at this hotel, the Palm Heights Hotel. I thought it was super cute. It was also Carols birthday, and the night before Gerardo went off course from the menu and cooked this really special meal.

I started my day with a Now Foods Fiber with orange juice. Breakfast was at Tillies in the hotel. I had steak and eggs, local sweet potato, fried plantains, a kale salad, and coffee with soy milk. It was super cool to be able to go to the Cayman Islands and be able to experience top-notch New York food in a hotel. I love the local cuisine, there were lots of amazing spots that we found, but normally hotel food is, you know, hotel food. Where I want to travel, and where Carol and I have set a lot of travel places and wish lists and where weve discovered young people, a lot of it starts from where theres a food scene, where theres a restaurant scene thats opening that were super excited about.

Lunch was also at Tillies. I had the sprats escovitch and a romaine salad with an ice coffee with soy milk. Gerardos food there is super local, when it comes to the fish and produce, but with his touch. The flavoring is really him.

We were heading back home to New York, and at the airport I bought a Subway sandwich tuna, mayo, jalapeos, and mustard and Cool Ranch Doritos. I had those on the plane.

Im normally more of a Nacho Cheese person. Cool Ranch is one of those things where its a special occasion for me. But Im a big ranch fan, maybe because Im from California. Im definitely more for the ranch dressing with chicken nuggets than anything else. Except if Im at McDonalds, Ill eat the sweet and sour sauce. Otherwise, Im a ranch type of guy.

I hope this thing doesnt make it seem like Im a Subway eating guy. Ill also go to a nice restaurant and eat a somewhat fancy-ish meal. But I think its all about balance, and I couldve easily faked this out and wrote every top-notch restaurant known to man, but thats so not like us.

Back at home in New York, I made Japanese curry chicken with carrots, potatoes, onion, sweet potato, and rice. I discovered this amazing curry mix in Japan that Ive been using. Theres obviously Chinese curry, which is a lot more watery and I would say more of an Indian curry. The cool thing about Japanese curry is it has that really thick texture. I feel like growing up my mom always skimped a little bit on how much of the Japanese curry she put in, because she wanted it to be more Chinese. And Ive decided to really make it more Japanese in my home.

Breaking down the meat is one of the first things I try to do. Chicken is a bit quicker, but Ill do it with beef, too, where Ill almost kind of simmer the meat for a much longer time. Then I like to throw in the sweet potato, because I think it adds that nice sweetness to it thats different then what you normally get out. Sometimes, because Im a huge fan of peas, I like throwing in peas, too. I love pasta and peas I also do a really random dish that my mom taught me as an 8-year-old cooking for himself. Wed take a can of creamed corn, and have some minced beef and throw in peas and throw it over rice. Itd be a really kind of easy, quick cream of corn over rice dish.

I did cook for myself a lot as a kid. My sisters were teenagers by the time I was 8, and my mom always left out all the ingredients for me to cook. She was working at a cafeteria, she would call me and say do this, do this, do this now. Probably by eight, I was cooking by myself.

In the beginning, it wasnt novel, like how kids are like, oh I want to cook. It was more like cook for the family, cook for your sisters when they get home. It felt more like a chore. But I grew to really enjoy it because I learned to do it my own way. I oddly still use these recipes. I have kids now, so I use the recipes for them. In a more natural way.

Saturday, February 22I drank Peruvian coffee at home with oat milk.

For brunch, we went out to Bricolage. Its really close to my place. For my Park Slope neighborhood, you get good experimental food.

Bricolages brunch, I will say, theres something kind of magical about it. I had the pho bo, with beef brisket; the croissant French toast with condensed milk; and a Vietnamese iced coffee. Taking a Croissant and French Toasting it? And putting condensed milk on top? Its kind of a next level move for French toast.

Also, they dont do pho in the evenings. Brunch is the only time they make it. Im obsessed with noodle soups for breakfast. I think its kind of, number one if youre in an immigrant Chinese family maybe this is just my experience what you eat for breakfast is basically what you had for dinner.

My mom would do this thing where shed make soup, then bring it to a boil at night and leave it on the stove top with a lid on top. Itll sit for at least a day. In China, they didnt have fridges and thats how you naturally kept the soup from going bad. You can have it the next morning. Its kind of like a soup stock that just continues. Ive definitely followed this tradition. My kids love soup in the morning, and I found a place recently that serves pho at 7 in the morning in Sunset Park. Which, of course, for me and my nerdy Asian friends I had to give them this juicy gossip, they were like, give me the place now.

For dinner, we got Wangs Chicken. Which I think is the most hidden secret known to man, because it should be like Kentucky Fried Chickens rival. Its so good. Its kind of no-nonsense, its kind of for everybody. We got the Asian fried chicken with sweet sauce, the mac and cheese, coleslaw, and kimchi. The chicken is kind of Southern-style but with an Asian flair.Its not trying to be like what the Korean versions are. Its really just a KFC type of menu but with Asian flavors.

Sunday, February 23I met friends at Pings in Chinatown for dim sum. Its one of my local spots around there, where our offices are. I feel like with dim sum, youll go to a place down here in Chinatown and its a lot of staples. What you try to look for are places thatll do something a little bit more special. Like Jing Fong will have their station for the turnip stew and all that stuff on the side, which is nice. Its a bit chaotic in there so I dont really love to go in there.

At Pings, I think the staples are good. The har gow, the shui mai, the rice rolls. Then you can also get fresh fish congee that comes out in a sharing portion, thats amazing, and soy sauce noodle on the side.

We got a lot. The har gow, siu mai, steamed rice roll with cruller (my favorite kind of rice roll), pineapple bun with BBQ pork filling, sticky rice in lotus leaf, turnip cake, fried taro dumpling, shrimp and chives dumpling, peanut mochi filled with black sesame, mango pudding, and fresh tofu with ginger molasses soup. I think theyre willing to go the extra mile, and they have some special dim sum. Like the pineapple bun with barbecue pork on the inside isnt typical. Places normally either have a pineapple bun or a barbecue pork bun, this is a fusion of the two.

Back at home, I made Korean galbi ribs with rice, cucumber, sweet potato, and Chinese borscht soup. The soup comes from this Hong Kong caf type of cuisine. In that you can get a baked pork chop over fried rice and over the pork is cheese and theres the tomato sauce which is really rare I kind of call it Chinese lasagna even though theres no pasta and on the side you get the Chinese borscht. Which is not made out of beet. We make it with oxtail at home, then you have celery, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic. You boil it all down and it becomes what Hong Kong people call a Chinese borscht soup. Its definitely not classic Chinese. Its its own thing.

For the galbi, I called up my two Korean friends. Carol being one of them. She gave me her suggestion for what I should do, and then I asked my other friends husband, Dan, and he gave me his recipe. Cause I do know that Koreans like to say theres always a secret ingredient you put in your kalbi marinade. Carols was Asian pear, which isnt that secret, its kind of a known item. She told me that I could do my marinade in an hour, and Dan told me that my marinade needed to be overnight. So I was like I have to do something in between.

I think maybe the pear has some type of agent that makes it cure quicker or makes it soft quicker. So I kind of got recipes from them, and theyre like, you can put Coke in it, to really break down the meat. Thats one secret ingredient. Pineapple juice could be another secret ingredient because it has a lot of acidity, but almost too much so its good for a fast cure. I had eight or nine hours, so I had time. I skipped the Coke, I just went kind of classic, and I used honey instead of sugar.

At night, I went to Tang Hotpot with family and friends. I make hot pot at home, so if Im going to have normcore hotpot thats where Im going to eat it. If Im going to go out and eat it, I want something I cant make at home. Ill go to a couple of hot pot places in Flushing, sometimes I like the New World Mall weirdo hot pot where they kind of pre-mix it for you. It depends on my mood. Theres hot pot in every Asian culture.

At Tang, they do cuts of meat that are super special, they do multiple stocks that you can get, I like that they do the one pot for two people shared, which is not that common. Normally you have a big pot for everybody to share. But I feel like when youre eating out, especially in New York, you have friends who all have their own dietary restrictions. If youre with a group of people, its a good place to go. If youre a vegetarian or only eat seafood, you can do your own thing and not feel like you arent welcome.

Monday, February 24Im up at 7 a.m., so Ill do a coffee in the morning at my home. By the time Im at work Im on my second already, so Ill switch it up and have tea. For breakfast, I went to New Cameron Bakery. Its right up the street. Thats kind of a classic breakfast for me.

They have egg tarts, they have the classic buns that every bakery has but they also have this warm section with this little grandma. They have these rice rolls that are pre-rolled, almost like grab and go, that are amazing, amazing. Nothing like the ones with crullers, at dim sum, or roast pork. Its its own flavor, its super salty, it has minced meat and scallions. You can buy as many as you want. I will get two of those rolls, one if I want to eat lighter, then a milk tea with no sugar.

For lunch, I had more rice rolls. Im obviously a steamed rice roll fanatic. I went to Yin Ji Chang Fen. I was really curious about this place, because it had lines out the door. For a while, it was insane.

The rice rolls are a lot hardier than Joes Steam Rice Roll. The place is from Guangzhou, so its from a different region, and it has a lot more stuff in it so its like a proper meal. Its a perfect way of eating rice because youre not indulging in that much, theyre just mashing it up into powder form.

I also ordered congee. Its good here. Congee to me is the perfect late night, after youve gone out and partied, I love going to Great New York Noodle Town and having it there, too. Theirs is no fuss, just really good, hardy congee. At Yin Ji Chang Fen, there was a lady next to me eating toast with condensed milk youll realize Im obsessed with condensed milk. I think its because when youre given it as a kid you become addicted to it. Whats not to love about condensed milk?

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Originally posted here:
Opening Ceremonys Humberto Leon Is a Ranch Kind of Guy - Grub Street

Chances are you or someone you know has tried to lose weight on a low-carb diet. Even more likely, you read tons of news headlines about the keto diet, an extremely low-carb diet, and have wondered whether it would work for you and if its even possible to go low-carb while on a plant-based diet.

Its normal to internally freak out at the thought of eating less carbs because many people who embark on a plant-based diet tend to pile on processed foods and whole-grain carbs like cereal and pasta to compensate for lack of animal products. People tend to go overboard on the carbs when they go vegetarian, plant-based, or flexitarian, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, author of Read It Before You Eat It.Its easy to fill up on our favorite food group. Heres why:

One of the reasons plant-based dieters are likely to overdo it on carbs is that theyre really easy to make, find, and eat, says Taub-Dix. Especially for people who are on the go oftenmuffins, crackers, bread or rollsthose are the kind of the foods that sometimes get overeaten because they're so easy, portable, and their prep is basically nonexistent.

In some cases, the economic ease of eating carbs comes into play. A carb-heavy snack like pretzels may be less expensive than buying another plant-based snack, like nuts or seeds and a piece of fruit.

One of the main reasons we all love carbs is that they are the king of comfort, says Taub-Dix. When you eat carbohydrates, especially carbohydrates that are kind of pure, like a piece of whole-grain toast, the carbohydrates get absorbed and stimulate the release of a brain chemical called serotonin, which provides comfort feelings. Thats why youre more likely to reach for a carb-based snack or treat when youre feeling stressed, rather than carrots and hummus. Your body is wired to crave carbs for that serotonin release that will improve your mood.

When you first decide to reduce carbs from your plant-based diet, assess how many grams youre eating daily so you know how much you need to dial it back. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans say that 45 to 65 percent of your diet should be carbohydrates (about 225 to 325 grams per day). Thats if youre following a 2,000-calorie diet, which is often used as an example.

Not everyone needs a 2,000-calorie diet, says Taub-Dix. And for some people, 325 grams is a lot of carbs each day and not necessary. If youre trying to lose weight, experiment within that range, suggests Taub-Dix. Download an app that will help you track carb counts to find a range you feel satisfied with while creating balanced meals. We like MyFitnessPal, Carb Manager, Senza, and Macros to name a few.

Remember that carbs arent just grains, potatoes, pasta, and rice. Sources of naturally occurring carbs include fruits, vegetables, dairy, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

Some meal delivery services allow you to choose meals that are lower in carbs, like Purple Carrots Spaghetti Bolognese with zucchini noodles and ground beef crumbles, Macro-Mediterraneans Roasted Tomato and Black Walnut burgers on their weight loss program, or one of Thrive Foods Directs meals.

Cut carbs without feeling like youre eliminating them by slicing your current carbohydrate consumption in half and doubling up on vegetables. Portion out a -cup of brown rice at dinner. Have an open-faced sandwich using one slice of bread. Cook 1/3-cup dry oats with low-carb fruits, like berries, to round out your breakfast.

Youre patting yourself on the back for following a plant-based diet, but if most of your veggie intake is potatoes, corn, and peas, you could be making smarter choices. Pile your plate with leafy greens, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, and green beans. Swap starchy vegetables for cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Choose avocadoes and berries as low-carb fruits instead of oranges, bananas, and blueberries.

In order for you to feel satisfied while reducing carbs, you may want to increase the amount of fat and plant protein youre eating. A study published in The Lancet found that mortality increased among the study subjects when they exchanged carbohydrates for animal-derived fat or animal protein, but it decreased amongst people when the carb substitutions were plant-based choices. Round out your meals with low-carb sources like nuts, seeds, tofu, coconut oils, nut butter, chia seeds, and hemp seeds.

Originally posted here:
Put Down the Pasta: How to Cut Carbs on a Plant-Based Diet - The Beet

36-year-old Renuka Pamnani Vaswani was done with the constant body-shaming. Her weight had touched a whopping 127 kilos and she realised that it was now or never. This is her weight loss journey where she shares how she lost a whopping 43.5 kilos by revamping her lifestyle. Read on to know her incredibly motivating journey and get inspired to lose weight.Name: Renuka Pamnani VaswaniOccupation: BankerAge: 36 years

Height: 5 feet 7 inches

City: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Highest weight recorded: 127 kgs

Weight lost: 43.5 kgs

Current Weight: 83.5 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 2.5 years

The turning point: There was a point where I weighed a massive 127 kilos and was about to hit 130 kilos. I started feeling really low and depressed and used to wonder whether I will ever have a partner or not. Since I was the only kid in the house. I used to get really pampered but I had never thought that my weight would touch 3 digits. I decided to get in shape and started my weight loss journey. My dietician Khyati Rupani and my fitness coach Rakesh Pawar helped me immensely to achieve the same.

My breakfast: I have smoothies with oats or egg whites with a toast. At times I go for idli and dosas as well.My lunch: I eat a bowl of salad, some protein in the form of dal or chicken accompanied with 1 roti or rice and a portion of sabzi made in low oil.

My dinner: I choose from grilled chicken or sauteed vegetables with paneer and whole wheat pasta.Pre-workout meal: Bullet coffee

Post-workout meal: Dymatize ISO 100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder.I indulge in: I do not believe in the concept of cheat days.

My workout: In the year 2019, I realised that I was not really taking care of my body as my skin had started to sag. Hence, I decided to start my journey to fitness. My coach Rakesh Pawar helped me a lot during this journey. He used to correct my posture and helped me understand the purpose behind each and every movement. My work out routine includes cardio, strength training and functional training.

Fitness secrets I unveiled: The word diet itself is a negative word as it just makes you feel that you are depriving yourself of certain things. Hence, I have removed the word diet from my life as I solely focus on lifestyle changes.

How do I stay motivated? When you hit the gym every day and follow a healthy lifestyle, it is enough to keep you motivated. When you workout, your body releases happy hormones. Once you begin to see the difference in your body and when people begin to compliment you on your transformation, there is no going back!How do you ensure you dont lose focus? Looking at how far I have come and how hard I have worked, I don't want all of it to go to waste. This in itself is enough to keep me focussed and motivated. My parents and husband are the pillars of my support, so whenever we are out, they support my choices of eating.Whats the most difficult part of being overweight? When you are overweight, you have to constantly battle low-self-esteem and lack the confidence to lead your life. No matter how much you say that you are comfortable in your own skin, deep down you know that is not the case. You cannot wear the clothes of your choice as they dont have your size in it. Being overweight also brings a lot of health conditions including PCOD, joint pain, rising levels of cholesterol and even diabetes. You feel lethargic and down and out all the time.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I want to lead a healthy and energetic life and also want to have a super fit physique.

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Weight loss story: This banker lost 43.5 kilos WITHOUT dieting and her transformation is jaw-dropping! - Times of India

It's easy to criticize everyone else's use of social media: the unwanted photo flash for Instagram posts, the interruption of a deep conversation by the blink of Twitter. We admonish people to get off screens and put phones away while adding more features to our own online lives.

Perhaps that's because it's easier to tell others what to do than to curb our own behavior. Social media operates on our physiology in a way that's similar to other addictive behaviors. While there's a growing awareness of the danger of social media addiction, our understanding of what it takes for people to actually change their behavior is less well documented.

Supersize portions of screen time are becoming normalized, with dire results. We talk about binge-watching shows as if there is no harm in it, when in fact binge behavior of any sort is unhealthy.

Complicating any effort to curb an addiction to social media is that, unlike alcohol, drugs, smoking, sex and gambling, which we can live without, screens have so infused our society that total abstinence isn't an option for most of us. In fact, there is a growing subset of people who are required to have active presences online as part of their jobs.

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I am increasingly seeing people with this predicament in my psychotherapy practice. One such patient has a marketing job that requires her to be on social media. In order to be successful, she was spending most of her day (and much of her night) creating and responding to posts on various platforms. She couldn't afford to quit her job, but her deepening depression stemming from an addiction to technology meant she was very dissatisfied with her life.

We know from research that social media sites and apps increase the release of dopamine in our brains, which gives us a jolt of pleasure. When we connect a behavior to our sense of pleasure, we want to scratch the itch repeatedly, and withdrawal is painful. But we also know from research that addictive behavior exacerbates loneliness and sadness.

As I pondered my patient's dilemma, I realized what I was hearing from her was very similar to what I hear from my patients who suffer from eating disorders (be it bulimia or compulsive overeating). In fact, with PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay and Amazon, technology's omnipresence also means our access to food is 24/7. We are not going back to the way of the landline or pay phones, any more than we are going back to curtailing store hours or delivery services. So we can apply the research done on eating disorders to dealing with addiction to social media.

Because we need to continue to consume food and social media, these dependencies can't be handled by the most effective means of ending addictions going cold turkey. The feedback loop between our behavior and the part of our brain that responds to pleasure makes moderation very difficult to achieve. Few people can take one bite of a delicious chocolate cake and feel satisfied. Our hunger for more is powerful, and, as hard as it might seem, not taking the first bite can be easier than trying to stop after just one bite. I've had patients tell me that they recognize their helplessness in the face of food and wish they could totally give it up.

So. like patients who need to take control of their eating, could my patient use similar techniques to take control of her online life and start to feel better while keeping her job? Substituting the word "screen" for "food," I asked my client to assess her relationship to social media and screen use in general. For example: Is my relationship to social media healthy? Does it reflect my values? At the end of each day, how has my time on screens helped me improve myself? What is one modification I can commit to to bring about sustained change with screen time in my life? If I think of every megabyte as a bite of food, what percentage of what I consumed online today was empty calories?

As my client and I began to address these questions, she saw ways she could modify her behavior with screens and find mechanisms for setting limits. She needed to do that because, to change her emotional response to her online engagement, she first needed to go through withdrawal. We used cognitive behavioral techniques to address her irrational fear that being separated from her phone would mean she wouldn't know if there was an emergency. This mirrors patients' initial fears of going hungry if they don't have access to food at all times.

So she made her bedroom a screen-free environment. She bought an alarm clock to use instead of her phone. She no longer went to sleep with Netflix playing on her laptop. She stopped consuming Facebook posts as a way to stay connected with friends. She began to take a 24-hour break from all screens every month.

By making these changes, she started to feel in control of her life again, and her self-esteem improved. Delayed gratification entered her repertoire, which meant she was no longer a slave to instant gratification. And she had to create more fulfilling patterns of behavior to fill the social media void. She found her phone conversations with friends more satisfying than looking at their posts, and she was able to sleep better with no screens in her bedroom.

Once she regained control of screen time in her personal life, she was motivated to engage her employer in a conversation about setting limits on her online availability after hours. On the surface, her request was well received, but the jury is still out. She is waiting to see whether she continues to be promoted at work. There may be consequences for limiting her use of social media and her availability but there are consequences for her not changing, as well.

Supersize portions of screen time are becoming normalized, with dire results. We talk about binge-watching shows as if there is no harm in it, when in fact binge behavior of any sort is unhealthy. Addiction is a complex phenomenon, and unfortunately recidivism is very high. But if we tame the beast of social media by moderating our diet of screen time, hopefully we can realign our priorities and live healthier lives.

Maggie Mulqueen

Maggie Mulqueen, Ph.D., is a psychologist in private practice in Brookline, Massachusetts. She is the author of "On Our Own Terms: Redefining Competence and Femininity," as well as essays inThe Boston Globe,Psychotherapy Networker,Psychotherapy.netand other publications.

Original post:
A social media addiction is like binge eating. Here's how to find the right diet. - NBC News

WANT to lose weight and achieve glowing skin at the same time? Don't we all.

Increasing your collagen intake might be the answer, says best-selling author Dr Josh Axe in his new book The Collagen Diet.

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Through various research studies and food plans, Dr Axe has pinpointed collagen to have invaluable benefits including weight control and clearer skin.

Having gone through his own personal journey with collagen after he found its benefits to improve his gut health and irritable bowel problems, he has since identified collagen to be the "missing link to modern health".

Collagen is a strong fibrous protein woven into your bodys thread of tissues, all inter-connected like one big fusion of wires.

"Collagen is the glue that holds you together", says Dr Axe.

Naturally found in our bodies, from skin to nails to bones, muscles, blood vessels and in lining of our gut, collagen is hidden everywhere throughout our bodies.

For a small substance it ranks highly for anti-ageing benefits which is why its found in so many beauty products promoting healthy and radiant skin.

Research has shown collagen can:

Besides these glorious benefits, it can also support weight loss and help you to achieve glowing skin.

Collagen being the strong fibrous protein that it is, helps to maintain your skins elasticity and springiness by working alongside the proteinelastinwhich is found mainly in the dermis layer of your skin thats the toughest layer of your skin that helps keep tissue strong and flexible.

But as we age, these features unfortunately start to lose their benefits as your bodys natural collagen reserves start to decline from the start of your mid-twenties at a rate of one percent per year.

Collagen is the glue that holds you together

Before you know it by the time youre in your early fifties and above,research has shown that there is a significant decrease in the rate of collagen production by 75 per cent compared to those younger than thirty.

Lifestyle factors can play a key role in reducing your natural collagen levels, such as increased sun exposure, smoking, stress and poor gut health.

Although hard to resist, high sugar consumption is one of the main culprits in destroying your bodys natural collagen production.

Often weight loss can lead to more sagging skin.

But adding collagen to your diet can protect your muscle tissue as you shed pounds and help you keep the weight off for good, asserts Dr Axe.

Research published in theAmerican Journal of Physiology- Regulatory, Integrative, and Comparative Physiologyfound that rats given a diet high in glycine (an anti-ageing building block found in collagen) were protected from accumulating fat in the abdominal area.

The study also showed the rats were able to break down fat at a higher rate, implying the role of collagen may affect your weight in a positive way by also heavily reducing your risk of developing serious diseases associated with extreme weight gain such as diabetes and heart disease.

A low-carb, low-sugar diet rich in collagen is the best way to reduce the deep fat that surrounds the organs in your belly known asvisceral fat this is the kind of fat most often found around the middle of the body.

This kind of fat can put pressure on your collagen-rich tissues such as those found in knee and spine cartilage, causing collagen production to diminish at a quicker rate than normal.

High levels of this abdominal fat can also cause a spike in inflammatory cytokines, which are proteins that promote inflammation, leading to a greater chance of developing inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. These proteins can also damage your natural production of collagen too.

The foods to avoid which increase inflammation, destroy your collagen production and also reduce the quantity of collagen in your body are:

To achieve a diet high in collagen and anti-inflammatory whole foods pack your meals with the following:

NO WEIGHLose weight fast by avoiding overeating at these three 'danger times' every day

WEIGH TO GOLose weight by cutting calories - but eat MORE to blast fat faster, expert says

LOSE WEIGHT FASTSpeed Keto diet boosts weight loss but experts warn of side effects

WEIGH TO GOWhat is the keto diet and what are the best keto recipes?

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Read more here:
The collagen diet could help you lose weight and leave you with glowing skin - The Sun

You havent been eating your greens all these years just to appease your grandparents, parents, concerned uncles and doctors, have you? The latest research suggests that your diet doesnt just affect your physical health, it plays a significant role in regulating your mood and mental health as well.

Here's how: low blood sugar, low levels of hydration, use of alcohol and caffeine can all affect our mood that can devolve into feeling anxious. Similarly, eating meals at different times every day, without a set routine can also lead to hypoglycemia and cause emotional dysregulation.

Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.

Recently, a large study done by the University of Toronto looked into the connection between diet and the chances of getting an anxiety disorder. The study, published in theInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that unhealthy diets caused significant emotional impairment and were one of the risk factors for anxiety disorders.

All of this leads us to one clear conclusion: well-balanced diets that consist of complex carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and vegetables are our best bet for overall good health. But how do you get the requisite three to five servings of fruit-and-veg daily, without getting tired of eating the same seasonal fruits every day? Here are some ideas:

Getting the requisite servings of fruits and vegetables can feel boring and repetitive. Here are some ways you can make these targets more appetizing:

1. Start right:Include fruits and vegetables in your breakfast to get off to the right start and cover a part of the requirement before you even leave home. Have a banana or an apple as youre getting ready. Or a mushroom and spinach omelette. You can also add grilled tomatoes to your egg sandwich or have a hearty with vegetable juice with carrots and apple. A spinach-banana smoothie is another winning combo.

2. Keep the fruit visible:This is a handy trick since fruit is inviting to look at and is an easy snack to consume. If the fruit is accessible as you are leaving the house, or foraging for food, you are more likely to eat it over sugary snacks. Try setting up a gorgeous fruit basket in your living room, and notice if it encourages you to grab an extra orange while watching TV or guava on your way out of the house for work.

3. Make desserts a little healthier:Desserts allow us a touch of indulgence - often it is not practical to give them up entirely but you can modify desserts to remove the sugar and add fruit for sweetness instead. Try using a mix of fruits - mix seasonal berries with cream for a quick treat. Or have a baked pear with honey and walnuts if your sweet tooth can wait for the 40 minutes it takes to prepare this dish.

The recent study in Canada focused on women and found that those who consumed less than three fruits and vegetables a day had 24% higher odds of getting anxiety disorders. Diets lacking balance and containing a limited amount of fruits and vegetables were associated with being overweight. If total body fat exceeded 36%, the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder increased significantly - by 70%.

Poor diets leading to excess body mass are known to cause inflammation in the body which, in turn, can cause anxiety. Consuming highly processed foods and avoiding nutrient-dense ones can lead to nutrient deficiencies and lead to inflammation as well.

An emerging field of study, the gut-brain axis is beginning to show the relationship between gut health and emotional wellbeing. The neurotransmitter serotonin is synthesized mostly by the gut microbiome (about 95% receptors are also in the lining of the gut) and alterations in this chemical affect brain functioning and mental health.

In short, eating at least three pieces of fruit a day and an equal number of veggies daily is the key to fitness as well as happiness. Eat five, and you get a thumbs-up from preventive cardiologists, too!

Read HowFruits Lower the Risk of Depressionfor more information.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

Updated Date: Feb 28, 2020 14:28:25 IST

Tags : Balanced Diet, Benefits Of Fruit, Diet And Anxiety, Diet And Depression, Diet And Mood, Diet For Good Mood, Diet News, Diet Study, Fruit In Diet, Good Diet News, Happiness Diet, Is Fruit Good For Health, NewsTracker, Vegetables For Health, Weight Loss

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Live to eat: How to add the right number of fruits and veggies to your daily diet - Firstpost

I believe convenience, time and lack of discipline are three blockages that can be hard to work with. Changing habits takes a discipline and if a person is not committed its easy to deviate from a healthier routine. Being busy, which is part of our culture, can make eating healthier and spending time getting exercise a little harder because it might be more convenient to just grab food out, rather than taking lunch or forgoing exercise to work longer or sleep longer.

As a part of my series about 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing, I had the pleasure of interviewing Val Minos. Val has been practicing yoga for 18 years and teaching for over five years. When she teaches she tries to create an experience for students that will leave them feeling strong, powerful and flexibility both physically and mentally. She currently teaches private and group yoga classes and is a holistic wellness coach both online and in-person, while also spending time writing on her blog where she speaks to yoga, holistic nutrition and wellness.

Thank you so much for doing this with us, Val! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in fitness and wellness?

Istarted swimming and dancing when I was 8. When I was 10, I started running and have been a distance runner ever since. Spending much of my life as an athlete, yoga seemed like the next step which has allowed me to slow down, listen and enhance inner and outer strength and flexibility.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

When I was a public educator, I would teach yoga to my kindergarten students. It turned out one of my students dads, who was single, was interested in yoga because his 5 year old would tell him about the poses she did in school. We ended up bonding over our similar interests in yoga and wellness. Eight years later, hes my husband and we practice yoga together while our four year old jumps all over us!

Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

When I started teaching yoga and fitness classes I was really bad at keeping my left and rights straight. I would say left when I was stepping my right foot forward and have to correct myself. Its gotten better but now I have decided to laugh and make little jokes about any mistakes or mixups. It helps my students to see that Im human and that I dont take myself too seriously.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

After spending almost two decades working in health and fitness as a school classroom and physical education teacher, yoga instructor and holistic wellness coach on top of living with an autoimmune disease, I have found that family, friends and fitness class students have asked for help. Living with Celiac Disease means I have to be careful with my dietary choices and I have days where I need to tone exercise down. Im able to support clients in picking up the intensity to get results while allowing for self-care and down time.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I taught yoga, mostly for free my first year after teacher training mainly because I lived in a small town that only had two yoga studios and too many yoga teachers to count. I took a year off from my full-time job to have a child and focus on making private yoga my new career. Being super pregnant and later having a newborn, proved to be very difficult in starting a brand new business all on my own. I ended up getting a very flexible yoga teaching position at a local recreation center. It turned into the best opportunity. I build many relationships that ended up allowing me to continue to grow my yoga business by teaching private groups and at a local private golf club community. I owe the coordinators at the recreation center a lot for taking a chance on a pregnant lady with a dream!

Ok thank you for all that. Now lets move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that its important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, its often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

I believe convenience, time and lack of discipline are three blockages that can be hard to work with. Changing habits takes a discipline and if a person is not committed its easy to deviate from a healthier routine. Being busy, which is part of our culture, can make eating healthier and spending time getting exercise a little harder because it might be more convenient to just grab food out, rather than taking lunch or forgoing exercise to work longer or sleep longer.

Can you please share your 5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)

As an expert, this might be obvious to you, but I think it would be instructive to articulate this for the public. Aside from weight loss, what are 3 benefits of daily exercise? Can you explain?

Numerous studies have been done showing that exercise helps fight many life threatening illnesses like cancer and heart disease. Exercise can also help improve cognitive function for a time after exercise. It also boosts mood!

For someone who is looking to add exercise to their daily routine, which 3 exercises would you recommend that are absolutely critical?

Strength training, aerobic exercise and stretching is very important for aging. Specific exercises would depend on the person and her/his current activity level. Walking or biking might be a great way to start with aerobic exercise. Starting with simple body weight exercises like push-ups, planks and air squats would be a great place to start for strength training. Yoga or pilates are good places to start for working on flexibility.

In my experience, many people begin an exercise regimen but stop because they get too sore afterwards. What ideas would you recommend to someone who plays sports or does heavy exercise to shorten the recovery time, and to prevent short term or long term injury?

Making sure to stay hydrated and add protein right after or very soon after playing sports or working out can help keep the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) from kicking in at high gear. Adding some active recovery or massaging of sore spots can also help bring some relief as well. The most important thing to remember is to continue with physical activity!

There are so many different diets today. Can you share what kind of diet you follow? Which diet do you recommend to most of your clients?

Food as medicine and having Celiac Disease means I cant eat gluten but I also have other sensitivities so Ive found sticking to a grain free diet is the most helpful for me to maintain optimal health. Diets are hard to stick too and many people end up restricting food too much so I tell clients to make little sustainable changes that can be lifelong not just short term.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?

Born to Run has been one of the best books Ive read in the past few years. I enjoy books that have real stories that inspire me to be better. Running has been a big part of my life and reading that book gave me the confidence to train for and run a full marathon, which is something I never thought I would do.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Using yoga and wellness practices to bring more awareness to the crisis our Earth is in. Being someone who is into health and fitness, taking care of myself goes hand in hand with taking care of the Earth. Consuming less, re-using and actively staying away from plastics and toxins as much as possible. If we put toxins into our body, we are basically undoing all the good from focusing on health and wellness.

Can you please give us your favorite Life Lesson Quote? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

Being like a tree, let the dead leaves drop. -Rumi

Ive always had a hard time letting things go. Keeping this in mind has allowed me to move forward, face things that seem scary or difficult and pursue my dreams.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

Honestly, there is not one specific person I admire. There are traits I see in successful people that I aspire to like honesty, drive, willingness to help others and who dont apologize for their beliefs. People who stay true to themselves no matter how successful they are.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Im on Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and Facebook.

Instagram: @altyogavibe

Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM2uqunvOX3k8hZhyLvuRow

Pinterest:www.pinterest.com/altyogavibe1

Facebook: @altyogavibe

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Read more:
5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One's Wellbeing, with Val Minos and Dr. William Seeds - Thrive Global

Muscle at rest burns very few calories compared to the brain, heart, and kidneys. iStock

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that break down the food we eat into energy and muscle.

Though many people think that they will lose weight if they speed up their metabolism, this isn't necessarily true. Here's what you need to know about the complicated relationship between metabolism and weight-loss.

When people refer to metabolism being "fast" or "slow" what they are really referring to is a measure of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR determines the number of passive calories that you burn these are the calories that your body uses up while at rest.

A popular misconception is that adding muscle will help you metabolize calories faster and while this is partially true, muscles at rest actually burn very few calories. Most of the metabolizing energy you expend is through your brain, heart, kidneys, and other organs that are constantly at work keeping you alive and healthy.

There is evidence that cardiovascular exercise can help boost your metabolism for a short period after you work out, but this effect only lasts for an hour or so and is not usually enough to cause significant weight loss.

There's also the myth that eating certain foods will speed up your metabolism. But the reality is that even if certain foods can affect your BMR it's not nearly enough to make a noticeable difference in your weight.In order to lose weight, you must create a deficit between the calories you consume through food and the calories you burn through a combination of diet, physical activity, and passive metabolic processes that are largely out of your control.

The sad truth is that it's hard to change your BMR in any significant way. The fact that some people naturally have a faster BMR than others is largely due to genetics.

A review, published in 2011 in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, that examined 9 twin studies and 19 family studies found that metabolic syndrome and some of the symptoms associated with it including obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance are common among families, suggesting a significant heritability factor.

The exception to this rule comes up only for rare illnesses like Cushing's syndrome or hypothyroidism, which both slow metabolism.

As you age, your metabolism becomes less efficient, or what we think of as "slowing down," says Heather Seid, a registered dietician and Bionutrition Program Manager at ColumbiaUniversity.

There are many reasons your metabolism slows down, including losing muscle mass and changes in your cells. But the main reason for metabolism change is that people become less active as they get older.

Unfortunately, you can't completely stop your metabolism from slowing down as you age but exercise may give you a boost. Studies show that keeping active as you grow older can help curb a metabolism slowdown.

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How metabolism works and why you can't speed it up to lose weight - Insider - INSIDER