Category Archives: Diet And Food

The disruption to shift workers natural bodily rhythms may play a part in their increased risk of disease, according to a new study.

Every human body runs on a 24-hour clock. This system, known as the circadian rhythm, uses factors such as daylight to determine when a person sleeps and wake.

It also has an effect on bodily functions such as metabolism and cognition. However, in the modern age, technology and varying working hours can disrupt this delicate balance.

Conflict between a persons natural bodily rhythm and the way they live can have a number of detrimental effects, including hormonal changes.

These alterations can lead to metabolic syndrome. This is a condition that increases a persons risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Night shift workers, who make up almost around a fifth of the United States workforce, are more likely to experience these effects than others. Not only are they more likely to develop sleep disorders, they are also at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes than other workers.

Also, people who work irregular or rotating shifts may face an even greater risk of sleep problems and metabolic syndrome.

Previously, researchers believed that the lifestyle habits that tend to go hand-in-hand with shift work was responsible for this increased risk. However, no solid evidence exists to back up this belief.

Researchers are therefore beginning to dig deeper into the relationship between shift patterns and metabolic syndrome.

A new review in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association did exactly that, focusing on the circadian rhythm.

Examining a number of studies and clinical trials from 2018, the review authors used the findings to propose ways of reducing the circadian impact of shift work, such as optimizing sleep and diet.

Its true that getting enough sleep, eating right, and exercising are critical to everyones health, says lead study author Kshma Kulkarni, from the Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in California.

However, the nature of shift work is so disorienting and discordant with those principles, we really need to help people in those jobs strategize ways to get what they need.

It is not only individual workers who can help. Employers and healthcare professionals also have a responsibility to make changes.

Good quality sleep is one of the simplest ways to prevent detrimental health effects. Shift workers themselves should try to sleep for 78 hours at the same time every day, suggests Kulkarni.

In order to aid the bodys natural cycle, workers should try to sleep in the evening, or as close to the evening as possible. They can take naps earlier on, and these should last between 20 and 120 minutes.

Moving away from rotating shift patterns is one way employers can help in this area. Kulkarni also suggests that employers should ensure that shifts begin before midnight and last for no longer than 11 hours.

Nutrition is another element to tackle. Research has shown that shift workers tend to miss meals and opt for sugary snacks instead.

Eating three meals per day is vital, says Kulkarni. These meals, along with any snacks a person has, should include a good amount of protein and vegetables.

Consuming more calories earlier in a persons day is also a beneficial step to take. Employers should therefore try to schedule breaks earlier in a shift and offer more healthful snack options.

Shift workers should also try to take exercise levels into account. Kulkarni recommends working out around the same time each day, at least 5 hours before bedtime.

It may be best to prioritize aerobic exercise, such as running and dancing, as this may boost the quality of a persons sleep.

These three factors are not the only lifestyle choices that may benefit shift workers.

Sufficient light exposure may also help. Certain light sources can alter a persons circadian rhythm to their advantage.

Night workers should try to increase their exposure to light before shifts and throughout. Installing high intensity lights in workplaces can also help employees feel more awake.

It is also important to avoid blue light 23 hours before going to sleep.

Kulkarni and colleagues also believe that medical treatment is of interest.

Medications that help control the sleep cycle, such as certain benzodiazepines and antidepressants, may benefit people at risk of metabolic syndrome.

Similarly, a physical technique called osteopathic manipulative treatment can reduce the amount of time shift workers spend trying to fall asleep.

It is critical we address the health issues facing people in this line of work, Kulkarni explains, particularly because the strength of our economy and safety of our society depend heavily on night shift workers.

To prevent metabolic syndrome, healthcare professionals should check workers especially those in sectors including hospitality and the emergency services for signs of a disrupted circadian rhythm.

With early detection, a person can successfully implement lifestyle modifications and treatment regimens.

However, further research is necessary to determine the most effective strategies.

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Using the bodys natural cycle to improve shift workers health - Medical News Today

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. The combination ofgreen tea extract and exercise reduced the severity of obesity-related fatty liver disease by 75% in mice fed a high-fat diet, according to Penn State researchers, whose recent study may point to a potential health strategy for people.

The outcome is important, explained Joshua Lambert, associate professor of food science, because nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a significant global health problem that is expected to worsen. Because of the high prevalence of risk factors such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease is forecast to afflict more than 100 million people by 2030. And there are currently no validated therapies forthedisease.

In the study, mice fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks that consumed green tea extract and exercised regularly by running on a wheel were found to have just a quarter of the lipid deposits in their livers compared to those seen in the livers of a control group of mice. Mice that were treated with green tea extract alone or exercise alone had roughly half as much fat in their livers as the control group.

The results of the experiment are shown clearly in these slides showing liver tissues. Mice that consumed green tea extract and exercised regularly had just a quarter of the lipid deposits in their livers compared to those seen in the livers of a control group of mice. Mice that were treated with green tea extract alone or exercise alone had roughly half as much fat in their livers as the control group.

IMAGE: Joshua Lambert research group/Penn State

In addition to analyzing the liver tissues of mice in the study, which was published recently in ScienceDirect, researchers also measured the protein and fat content in their feces. They found thatthe mice that consumed green tea extract and exercised had higher fecal lipid and protein levels.

By examining the livers of these mice after the study concluded and by screening their feces during the research, we saw that the mice that consumed green tea extract and exercised actually were processing nutrients differently their bodies were handling food differently, Lambert said.

We think the polyphenols in green tea interact with digestive enzymes secreted in the small intestine and partially inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates, fat and protein in food, he added. So, if a mouse doesn't digest the fat in its diet, that fat and the calories associated with it pass through the mouse's digestive system, and a certain amount of it ends up coming out in its feces.

It may be significant, Lambert explained, that mice treated with both green tea extract and exercise had higher expression of genes related to the formation of new mitochondria. That gene expression is important, he said, because it provides markers that will help researchers understand the mechanism by which green tea polyphenols and exercise might work together to mitigate fatty liver deposits.

People should engage in more physical activity, and replacing high-calorie beverages with decaffeinated, diet green tea which has no calories is a smart move, according to Penn State researcher Joshua Lambert. Combining the two might have health benefits for people, he added, but we don't have the clinical data yet to prove it.

We measured the expression of genes that we know are related to energy metabolism and play an important role in energy utilization, Lambert said. In the mice that had the combination treatment, we saw an increase in the expression of genes that wasn't there before they consumed green tea extract and exercised.

More research is needed to see if there is a synergy created by green tea extract and exercise working together to reduce fat deposited in the liver, or if the effects are simply additive, Lambert pointed out. His research group in the College of Agricultural Sciences for 12 years has studied the health benefits of polyphenols often called antioxidants from green tea, cocoa, avocados and other sources.

In previous related research, Lambert and colleagues demonstrated that green tea extract and exercise together sharply reduced body mass and improved cardiovascular health of high-fat-fed mice. But because no human trials assessing the health benefits and risks of green tea combined with exercise have been conducted, he urges caution for people who decide to experiment with the health strategy on their own.

I believe people should engage in more physical activity, and replacing high-calorie beverages with decaffeinated, diet green tea which has no calories is a smart move, he said. Combining the two might have health benefits for people, but we dont have the clinical data yet.

Also involved in the research were Weslie Khoo, Benjamin Chrisfield and Sudathip Sae-tan, graduate students in the Department of Food Science.

The National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture supported this work.

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Green tea extract combined with exercise reduces fatty liver disease in mice - Penn State News

A new study investigating factors that contribute to psychological distress in adults has found that that risk of malnourishment is linked to psychological distress among Canadians aged 45 years and older.These findings are consistent with other research which has found links between poor quality diet, and depression, bipolar disorder, and psychological distress, says study lead Dr. Karen Davison, Health Science faculty member at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, BC. Collectively, they indicate that nutrition may be an important consideration in mental health care.

Adults who have insufficient appetite, face challenges in preparing food, or consume low-quality diets are identified to be at risk of malnourishment. Indicators of a poor diet found in the study that were associated with psychological distress included low fruit and vegetable intake and higher levels of chocolate consumption.

Given that lower grip strength is a measure of poor nutrition, the researchers also explored the relationship between grip strength and psychological health. Men with low grip strength had 57% higher odds of psychological distress.

This finding is consistent with previous studies which suggests that psychological problems such as depression are associated with an increased risk of frailty says co-author Shen (Lamson) Lin, a doctoral student at University of Torontos Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW).Other factors associated with psychological distress among older CanadiansIn addition to nutrition indicators, other factors found to be associated with psychological distress include chronic pain, multiple physical health problems, poverty and immigrant status.

One in five older adults with three or more chronic health problems were in distress compared to one in 17 who did not have any chronic conditions. One-third of women and one-quarter of men in chronic pain were in distress.

Distress is common among those experiencing uncontrollable and chronic pain. Furthermore, dealing with multiple physical health problems can be upsetting and can make day-to-day activities, work and socializing much more difficult. says senior author, Esme Fuller-Thomson, professor at FIFSW and director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging. Fuller-Thomson is also cross-appointed to the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Faculty of Nursing.

The prevalence of distress was highest among the poorest respondents; One in three older adults who had a household income under $20,000 per year were in distress.

It is not surprising that those in poverty were in such high levels of distress: Poverty is a chronic and debilitating stressor. It can often be challenging even to pay ones rent and put healthy food on the table. Poverty may also result in poorer housing and neighborhood quality, and greater residential turnover which are also stress-inducing, says co-author Yu Lung, a doctoral student at FIFSW.

The study also found that immigrant women living in Canada less than 20 years had a higher prevalence of distress than women who were Canadian-born residents (21% vs 14%).

Unfortunately, this survey did not identify the reasons for the greater distress among immigrant women, but we hypothesize that it may be due to the difficulties of resettling in a new country, such as language barriers, financial strain, complications of having ones qualifications recognized, distance from family and other social support networks and perceived discrimination says co-author Hongmei Tong, Assistant Professor of Social Work at MacEwan University in Edmonton.

Although immigrant men also face many of these settlement problems, they were not at elevated risk of distress compared to their Canadian-born peers, says co-author Karen Kobayashi, Professor in the Department of Sociology and a Research Affiliate at the Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health at the University of Victoria. One idea we hope to explore in future research is whether these gender differences could be due to the fact that the husbands initiated the immigration process and the wives may have had limited or no say in the decision to leave their homeland.

The study team analyzed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging which included 25,834 men and women aged 45-85 years.

The teams findings suggest that policies and health care practices should aim to reduce nutrition risk, improve diet quality, address chronic pain and health problems and poverty among those experiencing poor mental health, adds Dr. Davison. Given that mental health conditions place a large burden of disability worldwide, such program and policy changes are becoming critically important.ReferenceDavison et al. (2020) Psychological distress in older adults linked to immigrant status, dietary intake, and physical health conditions in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Journal of Affective Disorders. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.024

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Study Highlights Link Between Nutrition and Psychological Wellbeing - Technology Networks

I know there are a lot of dumb diets out there. I have said this before. There are some that maybe aren't THAT dumb but this one takes the cake.

I will give this guy props because he didn't start eating this food to start some new diet crave. He did it so he could say that he stands behind the product his company makes and sells.

Did I mention this guy works for a dog food company? Well he does and he decided that he would ONLY eat his company's dog food for a month. He said "we're not going to feed your dog something unless we've eaten it first." So he put his dog food where his mouth is.

I give him kudos because this is definitely not something I could do. He said that the first four days were his toughest. He also said that at the end of the month he actually felt fantastic.

He said he did miss the flavor of normal food but he lost about 25 - 30 pounds. So I guess if you wanted to lose weight this drastically. You can try it. It might also save you some money. I don't know if he ate dry food or the wet food.

I guess if you really want to find out you can watch it HERE.I'm not sure I could stomach watching them eat dog food. But hey, that is just me.

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806 Health Tip: A Guy Tried This Diet For Some Dumb Reason - mix941kmxj.com

Want to lose some weight? Opt for low carb and high protein diet! This is the go-to suggestion every second person advises. But did you know this may lead to alleviation of hospital-acquired infections? A recent study says so. Published in mSystems, an open access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, the study by University of Nevada, Las Vegas, surrounded the hospital-acquired infection Clostridioides difficile. The researchers found that interaction between "antibiotic use and a high-fat/high-protein diet exacerbate C. diff infections in mice". On the other hand, their research inferred that a high carbohydrate diet nearly eliminated symptoms.

As per an ANI report, C. diff is defined as an intestinal infection which is often acquired when antibiotics wipe out the 'good' bacteria in the gut. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention termed it an urgent threat.

"Every day, we are learning more about the human microbiome and its importance in human health. The gut microbiome is strongly affected by diet, but the C. diff research community hasn't come to a consensus yet on the effects of diet on its risk or severity. Our study helps address this by testing several diets with very different macronutrient content. That is, the balance of dietary carbohydrate, protein, and fat were very different," said Brian Hedlund, a UNLV microbiologist and study co-author, as per the report.

Though the study shows that dietary protein aggravates C. diff, there's almost no existing research on the link between high-fat/high-protein diet and the infection.

However, Hedlund and the co-author of the study, Ernesto Abel-Santos, a UNLV biochemist, cautioned that the study was conducted using an animal model and that ore work is underway to establish a link between these diets and infections in human being.

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Your Choice Of Diet May Be Linked To Fighting Against Hospital-Acquired Infection, Says Study - NDTV Food

The last thing any athlete wants is to get injured. Despite sometimes being an inevitable consequence of being an athlete, missing out on training or competition is never ideal. If you're training hard but your nutrition isn't where it should be, injury is unavoidable. Consider the following recommendations to help prevent injury:

Supplements and processed sports foods can be practical choices when it comes to busy schedules. However, a lot can be said for prioritizing whole foods in the diet.

Whole foods provide optimal amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to meet the body's needs, combat the stress of training and decrease injury risk. There is also the added benefit of a "synergistic effect" of whole foods that scientists in a lab and supplements just can't match.

Aim for whole food options, like fruits, vegetables, fish, lean proteins, legumes, dairy, and nuts and seeds as often as you can. Allow supplements and bars to fill gaps in your diet or provide nutrition during impractical fueling times.

Many whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts and seeds are rich in stress-reducing antioxidants. Training is great for competition but it is a source of stress on the body. To reduce your risk of injury, counteract this stress with sources of antioxidants at each meal and/or snack.

If you keep getting injured, you may want to take a look at your pre- and post-training fueling regimen. Carbohydrate intake before, during and/or after training can help optimize the recovery of energy stores, repair muscles and reduce injury risk.

Protein intake after training can also help recover energy stores and limit markers of muscle damage. The combination of both of these nutrients within 30-60 minutes of finishing a workout can decrease fatigue, reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness, limit muscle breakdown and optimize muscle recovery.

No time for a recovery meal? Look for a recovery snack with 3-4 times the amount of carbohydrates (in grams) to protein and at least 5-10 grams of protein. Chocolate milk, energy or protein bars, Greek yogurt and fruit, or trail mix mixed with dry cereal are just a few great options.

When it comes to injury prevention, overall calorie intake is just as important as the quality of your diet. Athletes can eat the healthiest options out there but if they aren't eating enough, they will be prone to injury.

Training and recovery, on top of daily living activities, require adequate intake on a consistent daily basis. A lack of energy (or calorie) intake to compensate for daily needs is termed "Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport" or RED-S, a condition that can occur in both men and women. This mismatch can be a result of intentional restriction for weight loss, disordered eating, high training loads, busy schedules, inadequate meal planning, lack of knowledge, food preferences or medically necessary dietary restrictions.

Inadequate calorie intake, also known as low energy availability, has been linked to poor bone mineral density and reduced neuromuscular function. This condition has been known to inhibit athletic performance and put athletes at higher risk of injury, fatigue and compromised immunity.

Unsure if you are meeting your energy needs? Meet with a Certified Sports Dietitian to determine your needs and come up with a fueling plan for optimal health and performance. The human body is very adaptive and if energy intakes aren't supporting needs, the body will make do in the moment, but performance and health will suffer in the long run.

Healthy fats help promote healthy hormone levels, decrease inflammation and promote muscle recovery, and can therefore help limit the risk of injury. Include a source of fat, like avocados, nuts, seeds, dairy, oils, fatty fish or nut butters, and non-lean protein options, with each meal.

Female athletes should consider about 30-35% of their calories from fat to support healthy hormone levels, and male athletes should aim for about 20-35% of their calories from fat. Omega-3 fatty acids, which come from sources like fatty fish and flaxseeds, are thought to be particularly helpful for avoiding injury. Aim for at least 6 ounces of fatty fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, etc. per week.

Several studies have pointed out a potential link between low vitamin D status and higher injury occurrence. Vitamin D's role in bone health is undeniable due to its effects on calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Whether there is a direct link between vitamin D levels and injury or not, it's safe to say that vitamin D has positive effects on the musculoskeletal system and overall bone health. Be sure to include sources of vitamin D, like milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, egg yolks, cheese and fatty fish, regularly in your diet.

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Is Your Diet the Reason You Keep Getting Injured? - STACK News

They dont call high blood pressure a silent killer for nothing. Turns out, about half of Americans have this condition, which, left unaddressed, can cause hardening of the arteries, stroke, kidney damage, and even early cognitive decline and dementia. Yet most people with high blood pressure (also called hypertension) have no idea theyre affected.

High blood pressure, in most cases, is asymptomatic, says Lawrence Phillips, M.D., cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health. So people dont feel that they have it, which is why regular screening is so important. (If you havent had your numbers checked in two years, see a doc.)

In the simplest terms, blood pressure is the force of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels and arteries, and it is expressed as two numbers: The top number (systolic blood pressure) represents the pressure or force in the arteries when your heart beats, and the bottom number (diastolic blood pressure) is the pressure measured between heart beats, explains Amnon Beniaminovitz, M.D., a cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology.

Anything over 130/80 mmHg is considered high blood pressure.

While normal blood pressure is necessary for survival, high blood pressure is dangerous because it means your heart is working much harder to pump blood throughout your body. You can sort of think of high blood pressure as your blood punching the walls of the heart and other organs over and over again, says Dr. Philips. If that punching is at a high force, youre going to develop thickening and damage over time.

According to the American Heart Association, anything above 120/80 mmHg is considered elevated blood pressure, while anything over 130/80 mmHg is considered high blood pressure. The good news: Elevated and high blood pressure can often (but not always) be addressed with diet and lifestyle modifications, says Dr. Philips.

Step one: Figure out whats causing your high blood pressure in the first place. For most people, its multifactorial, meaning a bunch of factors work in tandem to spike your levels into unsafe territory. Here, the most common causes of blood pressure and how to address them to bring your numbers back down.

Excessive sodium intake has a direct impact on blood pressure. More salt equals more sodium in the blood, which then pulls water from the surrounding tissues into your vessels and increases blood volume, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. More blood volume leads to higher blood pressure.

But if youre thinking, I dont even use that much salt, its probably still hiding elsewhere in your diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans are consuming an average of 3,400 mg of sodium per day, which is well beyond the recommended cap of 2,300 mg per day. And of that, more than 70% of a persons sodium intake is coming from processed and restaurant foods, including things like bread, breakfast cereal, chips, cookies, pizza, canned beans and veggies, canned soups, and pasta saucenot the salt shaker itself.

Additionally, a diet heavy in processed foods can cause weight gain, and when people are overweight, the body has to pump blood to more tissue, which can increase blood pressure, says Dr. Philips. We see an extremely large amount of high blood pressure in obese patients.

Instead, load up on whole foods rich in beneficial nutrients, like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, fish, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, suggests Dr. Beniaminovitz. Potassium and magnesium are both minerals that help blood vessels relax, which in turn can help lower blood pressure; and recent research links high-fiber diets to significant reductions in systolic blood pressure.

If you want to follow a specific dietary plan thats been proven to lower blood pressure, Dr. Beniaminovitz recommends either the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet or a well-formulated Mediterranean Diet.

For people who already drink, moderate alcohol consumption (one drink a day for women, two a day for men) is often not a problem, and some research suggests it may even help prevent heart disease. However, heavier alcohol consumptionespecially frequent binge drinking episodescan lead to chronically elevated blood pressure, says Dr. Philips. Research has also tied binge drinking to an increased risk of developing atherosclerosisbuildup of fatty plaque in the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.

One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of spirits. And if its really more about the ritual than the alcohol itself, consider periodically swapping out your glass of cabernet for a kombucha or one of those trendy new non-alcoholic cocktails from brands like Curious Elixirs, Seedlip, and Kin.

Sitting too much or leading a sedentary lifestyle can mess with just about every aspect of your health, and your cardiovascular health is no exception. Being sedentary leads to elevated blood pressure, both indirectly and directly, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. Sedentary people tend to be overweight or obese, and, as mentioned above, weight is one of the main driving causes of high blood pressure.

Additionally, getting regular aerobic activity helps you maintain a healthy blood pressure by making blood vessels more compliant (or flexible) and less sensitive to hormonal influences, he explainsso a lack of such activity may accelerate arterial hardening, forcing the heart and blood vessels to work that much harder.

A research analysis of nearly 400 studies suggests that regular exercise could be as effective as commonly prescribed blood pressure drugs. In the pantheon of physical activity, aerobic exercising is the best for blood pressure, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week (about 20 to 30 minutes a day) such as biking, brisk walking, swimming, a barre class, or even higher-speed varieties of yoga like vinyasa.

From an evolutionary standpoint, stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are released into the blood to help us escape danger (to fight or flee)they increase heart rate, elevate blood pressure, constrict blood vessels, and enlarge our pupils to help us think and move fast, explains Dr. Beniaminovitz.

In the past, the stressful event was typically over pretty quicklybut today, relentless work demands, overbooked schedules, challenging relationships, and even social media have led to an epidemic of chronic stress, which triggers the same release of stress hormones. But unlike our ancestral past, theres often no reprieveits constantand thus, blood pressure may remain elevated. One study found that logging more than 41 hours a week at work raised the risk of hypertension by 17%.

Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to reduce levels of stress hormones and minimize their impact on blood pressure, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. Mindfulness practices like deep breathing, meditation, and yoga, or even reading a book or listening to your favorite music, can also keep stress hormones in check.

You may also need to cut out certain activities, like checking those work emails at all hours. People have to get to know themselves and their triggers, and how they may be able to remove themselves from situations that increase stress and anxiety, says Dr. Philips.

You may not necessarily feel stressed when you experience loneliness or social isolation, but these feelingswhen they persistcan trigger the same dangerous release of stress hormones that spike blood pressure, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. Not to mention, chronic loneliness is associated with depression, and research has shown a correlation between depression, subsequent weight gain, and increase in blood pressure.

We are social beings and we need a certain amount of social interaction to function optimally, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. But if the idea of putting yourself out there seems impossible, start small. Send a friend a quick DM to say youre thinking of them, and see where things go. Combine physical activity and social time by committing to a weekly Saturday morning yoga class with a pal. Want to make new friends? Try volunteering to meet like-minded people. (Here are eight actionable ways to deal with loneliness.)

In general, inadequate sleep may lead to high blood pressure by increasing stress hormones, or by increasing your cravings for junk food and thus contributing to weight gain, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. But the biggest sleep-related cause of hypertension is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)a disorder that causes someone to stop breathing for brief periods of time while sleeping due to an obstruction of their upper airway.

With higher obesity rates, more and more people are developing OSA, says Dr. Philips. This leads to broken sleep and decreased oxygen levels in the body, and part of the bodys response is to increase blood pressure. In fact, its estimated that half of people with hypertension also suffer from OSA. Some signs you may have sleep apnea? Your partner says you snore or gasp in your sleep and youre always tired despite going to bed at a reasonable hour.

If you suspect OSA, see your doctor ASAP so they can conduct a sleep study in which your oxygen levels will be measured throughout the night, says Dr. Philips. If you are diagnosed, you will likely be prescribed a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine to wear over your mouth and nose at night to help you breathe.

If you do have high blood pressure, your doctor will likely take into consideration the range of other diseases and disorders that, when poorly managed, cause your blood pressure to become elevated. These include thyroid problems, renovascular disease, Cushings syndrome, and a number of others. The key to all these conditions is the correct diagnosis, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. When the proper diagnosis is made, working with your doctor to reverse and or treat these conditions often cures high blood pressure.

Additionally, a number of common medications can increase blood pressure such as antidepressants, decongestants, St. Johns Wort, oral contraceptives, NSAIDs, and prednisone.

If your doc says your BP is high, bring up any strange symptoms that could indicate an underlying cause (for example, if youre experiencing weight gain, exhaustion, and hair loss, it could be hypothyroidism), and always provide them with a list of your current medications and supplements.

If your meds are the issue, ideally they would be discontinued or changed to ones that have no or less effect on blood pressure, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. If a change in medication is not possible, often your doctor will prescribe optimal lifestyle and blood pressure medication to combat the effects.

Genes do play some role in high blood pressure, which is why younger people in seemingly great health can still be diagnosed with hypertension, says Dr. Philips. However, more often than not, its also likely that people with a family history of high blood pressure share common environments (similar diets, similar sedentary lifestyles, etc) that increase their riskand these are very much modifiable.

Our genes also interact with the environment and we can influence them by the choices we make, says Dr. Beniaminovitz. While lifestyle changes may not help you in never developing high blood pressure if you have a strong family history, optimal lifestyle will aid in delaying the onset of blood pressure and the need for early medications. Instead of developing high blood pressure in your 30s or 40s, with optimal diet and lifestyle you may delay the onset of high blood pressure to your late 60s or 70s.

Theres no magic bullet, but if you have a strong family history, thats even more reason to implement all of the dietary and lifestyle recommendations aboveeat whole foods, move your body more, manage stressand get your blood pressure checked regularly.

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What Causes High Blood Pressure? 8 Reasons for High Blood Pressure - Prevention.com

The catalyst came when Corbett moved from her position as interim chief executive of Australia Post to consulting at PwC in 2018, when her coffee consumption skyrocketed to five or six skim cappuccinos a day.

Corbett says it was almost a year before she noticed the extra coffees were adding kilojoules and sugar to her diet. I just went,Im not doing anything different, whats happening?, she says.

Corbett no longer follows her meal plan to the letter, but she does observe three or four alcohol-free days each week, hits the gym with her personal trainer three times a week and avoids carbs after lunchtime.

Maintaining a healthy weight is a common challenge in the C-suite. In the face of long work days, frequent travel, lunch meetings and boozy evening events often on top of taking care of a family eating healthily can easily fall by the wayside. But some executives, like Corbett, say they have cracked the code.

Intermittent fasting and gym workouts proved the right combination for Cameron Holland.Supplied

Cameron Holland, chief executive of holiday package company Luxury Escapes, lost 14 kilograms over three months using a combination of the Fast 800 intermittent fasting regime and dawn gym sessions. In general, I find that the age-old rule of calories in and calories out is about as sophisticated a diet plan that anyone ever really needs, Holland says.

In the travel and hospitality industry, eating out is practically in the job description, he says. I love the old adage about the difference between a director and a shopping trolley you get more food in a director and get more direction from a shopping trolley, Holland quips.

When he cant avoid corporate dining, Holland observes three rules: portion control, always choose the fish, and avoid that second glass of wine. While not successful every time, it helps to at least know the boundaries, he says.

David Brewster, chief legal officer of Coles Supermarkets, says his companys no gifts policy is a blessing in disguise because it means he usually has to turn down lunch and dinner invitations. I think thats what really kills executives eating those meals that are high in salt and fat and you cant control the menu, he says.

Brewster has been an avid runner for the past decade and runs marathons to stay in shape.

If taking clients out for a meal is non-negotiable, Vanessa Bennett, chief executive of business coaching company Next Evolution Performance, suggests opting for lunch instead of dinner.

Its safer over lunch than dinner, eating-wise and drinking-wise, Bennett says, noting that the days of the long lunch have passed. People do still tend to go back to work these days.

Nicole Dynan, a dietitian and spokeswoman for the Dietitians Association of Australia, suggests looking at the restaurant menu online before arrival. Have a look so youre a little bit informed and dont have to make a rushed decision, she says.

In addition to dietary changes, all the executives who spoke to BOSS have incorporated exercise into their day, whether its a seven-minute workout app or running marathons.

Hugh Alsop, chief executive of biotechnology company Kinoxis Therapeutics, shed seven kilograms in four weeks by eating ready-made keto meals from BeFit and eliminating alcohol.

Keto is a fantastic option for people and it just really goes back to the way people used to eat. We never used to eat heaps of carbs, Alsop says. But its tough, so you need to be committed.

He no longer eats the BeFit meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but he finds them handy for lunch on the go.

Despite the popularity of the keto diet, Dynan warns that cutting all carbs can make it harder to concentrate at work, which would be an issue for executives.

Theyre doing a lot of mentally draining work and need to be firing on all cylinders, Dynan says. If theyre starving from lack of carbs, their brains going to be running on empty.

She recommends filling one quarter of your plate with healthy carbohydrates such as brown rice or sweet potato, one quarter protein such as lean meat or tofu and the remaining half plate with vegetables.

Alsop says he didnt find concentration an issue, but craving carbs was a challenge. He helped curb these cravings by having healthy snacks, such as protein balls, on hand.

Travel can be another stumbling block for executives watching their weight. Bennett and Dynan recommend eating plant-based foods, avoiding alcohol and drinking plenty of water. Dynan also recommends eating relatively little on flights to help the digestive system.

Corbett and Brewster both say they do what they can to avoid eating during flights."Oh no, I just avoid aeroplane food," Corbett says, laughing.

The rest is here:
Executives reveal which fad diets actually work - The Australian Financial Review

Atop a royal purple blanket arranged on the floor of a midtown Manhattan hotel, surrounded by about as many handlers and press people as your average presidential candidate, Siba is resting. Her immaculately styled hair, all enviable volume and glossy Bettie Page bangs, looks better than mine ever has in my entire life. Siba is noticeably silent and refuses to make eye contact, mostly because it is impossible to see her face under the hair. Multiple people approach asking to say hello, which she will graciously oblige, but only after this interview is over.

Siba is a 3-year-old black standard poodle, though from far away and also from up close, she doesnt resemble a dog as much as a topiary somebody wished would come to life. Every sculpted fur tuft is as close as one can come, mathematically, to a perfect sphere. But not only is she a dog, she is currently Americas most famous dog: on Tuesday, Siba won the coveted Best in Show at the 2020 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, a victory that was followed by a whirlwind day of press appearances and a celebratory lunch at Sardis.

Her win was a fraught one, though, as the obvious crowd favorite was a 5-year-old golden retriever named Daniel who had the audience going wild chanting his name. (Daniel, for his part, is recovering well: his owner told the New York Times that the morning after his loss, he dug himself a nice hole in the backyard and decided to lie in it.)

We love to see it.

GQ spoke to Sibas handler, Pennsylvania resident Connie S. Unger, about her dogs dietSiba famously ate a McDonalds grilled chicken sandwich before the competitionelaborate grooming routine, not being the crowd favorite, and more.

GQ: What time does Siba wake up in the morning?

Connie S. Unger: She wakes up when I do. If I want to sleep in, she wont get up. So sometimes its 6:30 in the morning, sometimes its 8:30. And then she goes out for her run.

Whats the run like?

She has a pretty big paddock field that she goes out in. She really likes to run there, and then shell go out with my son and they just kind of do shenanigans.

Does she play fetch or do anything like that?

She plays fetch with himshe fetches him. He runs and giggles and laughs and she just runs circles. And if he runs away, its actually awesome, because she will go get him and bring it back.

How much active time does she need a day?

To keep her in condition for this show, a fair bit. We actually have her outside running for maybe two hours a day. But when shes not in a competitive condition, sometimes we get lazy. She turns into a couch potato. She eats lots of pancakes.

Pancakes, really?

She has a really great food shes on, ProPlan, and its always chicken-flavored. And then she pretty much gets any snack my son feeds her.

Yeah, I read that shes really into chicken. Is that a poodle thing?

Loves chicken. I think thats a her thing. Her kibble has to be chicken, her treats have to be chicken. Its all about the chicken.

With handler Connie S. Unger post-victory.

Can you tell me more about her grooming routine? Her hairstyle is even more involved than I was expecting.

Its a lot. Her bath usually takes about two to three hours. She has a very dense, thick coat and to properly blow it out takes about two, three hours.

And how often does she get that treatment?

Once a week.

What are the shampoo and conditioner brands that you use?

There are some dog brands the shampoo and conditioner we really like is Coat Handler. Every now and then well switch to a people thing, well use Pantene and different products like that.

How do you go about sculpting her, and how often does she get a trim like this?

Its all scissors. I do everything myself. Thats the nice thing about poodles: the hair will just grow and grow and grow. So she gets trimmed like this for every competition but in between, we dont really bother. She can get pretty scruffy.

Does she ever get stressed out, and how does she relax?

She never gets stressed out by the competition at all. In fact, I think she would be more stressed out if we were to ever leave her at home. A lot of show dogs that really love this, they live off that energy, the constant attention. Poodles just absorb that attention, thats all they want.

I think you said in another interview that she knows when shes won. Can you elaborate on that some more?

She definitely knows shes won. For example, last night, the energy in that building was so intense that she was just on her toes the whole time. She gave 110% the whole night.

What was the preparation like going into the show?

Actually, she slept most of the day. And then we got to the show around 5 oclock in the afternoon. She got her feet washed and stuff like that. We perfected the trim a little bit more.

Was there one moment when you thought shes clinched this?

Not at all. He said the poodle and I just remember standing there, thinking, that cant be right. And then everyone came up and congratulated me and here we are.

I read some reports that she was not the crowd favoriteDaniel the golden retriever was. How have you two been handling that?

Actually, I think its so funny because the dog show community is a smaller community but it is one big family. And we all think its so funny hearing the crowd react like that. The lady that shows the golden is a dear friend of mine, she is so professional, so amazing, I look up to her so much and that dog is beautiful. Any of us couldve won last night and we all wouldve been so happy for the other. I know shes happy for us.

Must Knit Dogs: Meet the People Who Turn Stray Pet Hair Into Sweaters

You can't teach an old dog new tricksbut you can knit its hair into a sweater.

Originally Appeared on GQ

See original here:
The Grooming and Diet Secrets of the Fancy Poodle That Won the Westminster Dog Show - Yahoo Lifestyle

SHREVEPORT, La. - Heart disease often starts with diabetes. That's something Army Airborne veteran Bobby Sterling knows all about.

Sterling comes from a military family. His father was a Marine and later served in the Air Force for 28 years. Heart disease took his father's life. Sterling didn't know how close he was to following in his father's footsteps.

"I'm Bobby Sterling. Shreveport transplant here. 51 years old. On Dec 18, 2019, I had a triple bypass," he said.

Exercise has always been a part of Sterling's routine. "If you walk the outside perimeter it's about 3/4 of a mile," he said of Betty Virginia Park, where he walks about two days a week.

But Sterling used to run 5Ks.

"It's hard to outrun heredity. You think you're in really good shape," he said.

Although his father died of a heart attack at 58 years old, that didn't stop Sterling from enjoying a traditional Filipino meal.

Bobby Sterling and family

"The Filipino diet is lots of fried foods. There are some gumbo style choices too. But the fried food is hard to resist," said Sterling.

Dr. Trey Baucum with Advanced Cardiovascular Specialist said there is a connection between diet and heart disease.

"We eat a diet that has so much sugar in it and it's sugar in ways you don't think of," said Baucum.

Fried foods are usually blanketed in white flour, which is high in sugar or glucose. Over time a high glucose diet can damage blood vessels.

"In your retina, in your kidneys, your heart, in your lower extremities," Baucum said.

Sterling was having problems with his ankle when doctors discovered he had diabetes. Then, three months later, when he went for a routine colonoscopy.

"It was difficult to rouse me from the anesthesia," recalls Sterling.

Then a few days later, he had difficulty breathing so he went to Christus Highland emergency room. Doctors discovered a blockage in his arteries.

"The left anterior diagonal LAD is one of the most important of your arteries and that one was 100-percent blocked," Sterling said.

He couldn't believe it. He could have died.

"A lot of time diabetics, even type 2 diabetics, don't have symptoms of heart disease as they're developing heart disease," Baucum said.

Sterling's heart wasn't even strong enough for doctors to operate.

"I actually had to do cardiac rehabilitation for two months to get my heart strong enough to withstand the surgery," Sterling said.

Finally, his heart was strong enough for the triple-bypass surgery.

"Because of the intervention of the staff at Christus I'm here talking to you today," Sterling said.

Baucum said a diagnosis of diabetes doesn't have to end up with heart disease.

"If you go on a low very strict, very low calorie diet, you can actually reverse the process. You can actually become a non-diabetic," Baucum said.

Bobby Sterling and Brenda Teele

It's been just two months since Sterling's triple bypass surgery. For now, he's constantly monitored and wears an external wearable defibrillator.

His close call has been a wake-up call for the whole family. Doctors tell Sterling he won't have to worry about his heart for another 15 years. Hes fortunate his heart disease was discovered before it was too late.

Baucum said diabetics usually don't have chest pain even when they have advanced heart disease. They'll experience shortness of breath or fatigue and sometimes the first symptom a diabetic will experience is an actual heart attack.

More:
Shreveport man has close call because of undiagnosed heart disease - KTBS