Category Archives: Diet And Food

If you love to cook, a built-in butcher block can be a godsend. The ability to slice and dice to your hearts content, never worrying about a cutting board sliding around on a counter, is truly freeing. They tend to be significantly larger than any cutting board and can take a serious beating. They also tend to get more beautiful with age and use. Think about some of the old-school butcher shops you have visited, the ancient wooden blocks worn to rounded smoothness on the edges from decades of use.

Top quality butcher blocks are made from end-grain hardwoods, and many producers use woods that are healthy. Larch Wood Canada makes both cutting boards and custom built-in products from the larch tree, whose wood is naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial as well as self-healing. You can chop away for years, and the surface will still look unmarred. Built-in butcher blocks are usually custom-order items, so you can add the features you most want, from thickness to built-in knife slots or garbage holes, drawers, or towel racks.

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But that doesnt mean the built-in cutting board is without its issues, and the primary one is cleaning and care. Built-ins cannot be just plopped in the sink for a proper wash, nor run through the dishwasher for sanitation (never put wooden items in the dishwasher), so cleaning them is a bit more complicated. And depending on the one you choose, they can be porous, so you have to think about how you want to use them.

Your built-in butcher block will last forever if you follow some basic rules. Firstly, keep it clean. More on that later. Secondly, keep it moisturized. Buy a good quality butcher block wax or oil (we like Boos Cream, $13) and once a week, after cleaning, put a generous layer on the top of your block right before bed and let it sit overnight to absorb, giving it a good wipe down in the morning to remove any excess wax or oil that was not absorbed. This will help to protect the wood from drying out.

Dry wood can be easily damaged and split, so if you dont keep yours in good health, it can crack or little bits of wood can begin to flake off during use. We should all be eating a high fiber diet, but I draw the line at wood shavings! This waxing will also help prevent any moisture from foods getting absorbed into the surface of your wood. If after many years of use you find that you do have surface damage that is either preventing you from safely cutting food or is creating opportunities for contaminants to get absorbed into the wood, most blocks can be carefully sanded back down to reveal fresh wood. Just remember every layer you remove makes your block a bit shorter!

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I have a two-foot by two-foot, four-inch-thick, built-in butcher block in my kitchen, and I made a decision when it was installed that I was going to generally avoid prepping raw meats on it for food-safety reasons. This is because most often I am not just breaking down meats, I am doing so in the midst of preparing multiple dishes, and I did not want to ever risk cross-contaminationor have to prep the meat and then properly clean the butcher block before starting on the vegetables. If I am only prepping meat, like breaking down a larger piece into smaller portions for freezing, and not doing other cooking at the same time, then I will use the block.

Regardless, for everyday cleaning, I keep a spray bottle filled with a quart of water that has 3/4 of a teaspoon of chlorine bleach mixed in, which is a standard restaurant kitchen sanitizing liquid. After I use the butcher block, I spray it down, let it sit for a minute, and then wipe off. This amount of bleach will not cause any harmful effects to the food you prepare on the surface but will kill any bacteria or contaminants that might be on your block.

Once a week I give it a more thorough cleaning before I wax it, and this process helps remove any surface build-up of either wax or food and helps to remove any odors that might be embedded in the wood. I got the technique from a friend of mine who tells a story about when she was working for a television chef and Jacques Pepin came to be a guest on the show. The first thing he did was lean over and sniff the butcher block. Then, not liking what he smelled, called for salt and lemons so he could clean it properly. She was mortified that the great chef was cleaning the block, but also watched carefully so she could repeat his technique.

RELATED: 6 Common Ingredients In Your Kitchen That Can Clean Your Home

He sprinkled a generous layer of kosher salt all over the block, cut a lemon in half, and took a half in each hand, and used the cut sides to begin to work the salt into a paste, going in small, even circles all over the board. He did this for a good few minutes, until most of the salt was dissolved, and the lemon halves were flattened and spent. Then he wiped the salt and lemon juice off the surface and went over it with a damp towel to be sure that there was no salt or lemon residue on the block. Then he sniffed again and nodded. This process is simple, sort of meditative, will fill your kitchen with fresh lemon scent, and will keep your butcher block at its best. I do this at the end of my Sunday evenings and then do my waxing, so that I wake up Monday morning with my block ready for another week of great cooking!

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How to Care for and Clean Built-in Butcher Block - Yahoo Lifestyle

CLEVELAND Research shows only about ten percent of Americans who make resolutions keep them beyond the first few months. Dr. Frank Esper from Cleveland Clinic joins Whats New to take a closer look at the myths associated with the ambitious New Years Resolutions people make.

Roughly 40 percent of Americans make New Years resolutions each year and the most common New Years Resolutions are about health and well-being.

We took some of the most popular resolutions and broke them down explaining whether they are a myth or fact below:

Most people want to lose weight or at least start eating healthier. So first up: Choosing foods that are gluten-free is healthier (Myth)

Lets Talk Diets! If youre looking for the number one ranked diet to start, its Keto. (MYTH)

Working out more is a big one! So Myth or Fact, Physical activity only counts if you do it for long periods of time. (Myth)

Some people want to be more active parents in 2020. So Myth or Fact, Doctors recommend little kids only have one hour of screen time a day. FACT

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True or False: Debunking New Year's Resolutions Myths on What's New - WKYC.com

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects as many as 75 million Americans. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.

Here are the best ways to lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of health complications.

Common causes of hypertension include a lack of regular exercise, a high-sodium diet, being overweight, and smoking cigarettes. Working to make positive changes in these areas can have a big impact on your blood pressure, says Sanjiv Patel, MD, and cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center.

If you're overweight, losing even a small amount of weight can help lower your blood pressure. Shedding 10 pounds can drop your systolic blood pressure (the top number on your blood pressure reading) by as many as 10 to 12 points, Patel says.

For those with hypertension, research has found that regular physical activity can lower systolic blood pressure by an average of seven points and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in the reading) by an average of five points.

To get these benefits, Patel recommends at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity each day. This can be a combination of aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, or bike riding and strength training with low weights and high repetitions.

Reducing your sodium intake can also improve your heart health and lower your blood pressure. For reference, the FDA recommends that people with hypertension consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

To decrease your sodium intake, steer clear of processed foods and don't add table salt to your meals. Research has found that the the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) which is low in sodium and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean meats can lower blood pressure in adults with hypertension.

Patel says the severity of hypertension and a patient's individual medical history determine the best course of treatment. These blood pressure levels range from:

According to Patel, how quickly you're able to lower your blood pressure depends on the lifestyle factors you're addressing, and how high your blood pressure is to begin with.

For example, if you have moderate to severe hypertension and begin exercising regularly, you are likely going to see a sharper reduction in your blood pressure when compared with someone who has mild hypertension and already works out regularly.

"It takes a few months to see good results, although some lifestyle changes can make a bigger impact," Patel says. "Blood pressure can drop by 10 to 20 points depending on what kind of change you're implementing."

Whether or not you notice any physical changes from lowering your blood pressure also depends on how you felt before. Many people don't notice any physical symptoms of hypertension, Patel says, but if you are someone who experienced headaches or blurred vision as a result of high blood pressure, those symptoms should go away once it's under control.

Even if you are able to lower your blood pressure, you'll need to continue monitoring it, because it can creep back up as you age. Overall, the key to lowering blood pressure with lifestyle changes is maintaining those healthy practices over the long-term.

"Lifestyles changes need to be permanent, not just for two or three months," Patel says. "Once you break that cycle, [your health] gets better and then you need to sustain that."

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How to lower blood pressure with a heart-healthy diet and exercise - Insider - INSIDER

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Phoenix family helps another obese beagle go on doggie diet - AZFamily

Washington: Intermittent Fasting, Mediterranean diet and Paleo diets benefit people affected with overweight issues. But the study proves that people tend to give up easily.

The University of Otagos research on 250 participants shows an intermittent diet that proves to be more efficient in weight loss than others. Here one limits his or her energy intake to 500 kcal (for females) or 600 kcal (for males).

The Mediterranean diet also helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels.Co-lead author Dr Melyssa Roy, a Research Fellow in the Department of Medicine, said that the amount of weight loss was modest (on average two to four kilograms for the 250 participants), but for those choosing the fasting or Mediterranean diets, clinically significant improvements in blood pressure were also seen.

The aim of the research was to examine how effective all three diets were in reality, where participants self-selected which diet they wished to follow, without any ongoing support from a dietician.

Dr Roy said that the evidence showed that for some people the Mediterranean diet, fasting or paleo (Paleolithic) diets can be a healthful, beneficial eating habit.

This work supports the idea that there isnt a single right diet there is a range of options that may suit different people and be effective. In this study, people were given dietary guidelines at the start and then continued with their diets in the real world while living normally, explained Melyssa.

About half of the participants were still following their diets after a year and had experienced improvements in markers of health.

Like the Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting and paleo diets can also be valid healthy eating approaches the best diet is the one that includes healthy foods and suits the individual.

Co-lead author Dr Michelle Jospe, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Medicine, said that the results showed people found the Mediterranean diet to be the easiest to adhere to.

54 per cent participants chose the fasting diet, while 27 per cent chose the Mediterranean and 18 per cent the paleo. After 12 months, the Mediterranean diet had the best retention rate with 57 per cent of participants continuing, with 54 per cent still fasting and 35 per cent still on the paleo diet.

Reduced systolic blood pressure was observed among those participating in the fasting and Mediterranean diets, together with reduced blood sugar levels in the Mediterranean diet.

Dr Jospe explains participants who said they were still following their diet at 12 months lost even more weight, showing the importance of choosing a diet that is sustainable.

She believes the results of this study are relevant to the thousands of people following self-chosen diets with little supervision and indicates more realistic outcomes.

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Effective diets to boost weight loss and improve health - The Siasat Daily

Its estimated that one in 10 adults will deal with bone spurs in the heel in their lifetime

But bone spurs can appear throughout the body and they can happen to anyone, for many reasons: age, weak bone structure, level of physical activity, pH imbalances, or anywhere there has been an injury, poor blood supply, or scar tissue. But they dont have to be inevitable.

In healthy bone, osteoblasts add fresh mineralsprimarily calciumand osteoclasts remove older bone tissue by breaking down minerals and reabsorbing them into the bloodstream. Both processes are intricately interlinked and crucial for health. Unfortunately, the bone-building process doesnt always work the way it should. Sometimes, a person can build up areas of what is essentially dead calcium, which results in painful bone spurs (osteophytes) or kidney stones.

Often, the standard American diet is to blame for the development of weak bones, bone spurs, and kidney stones. Contributing foods and ingredients include high-fructose corn syrup, soda, apple juice, fluoridated water, other refined sugars, and animal protein.

Virtually any fast-food meal sets the stage for making the body prone to kidney stones. Because the American diet is so high in these types of acidic foods, the body pulls calcium out of the bones to act as a buffer against them.

The problem is, once this calcium is removed from the bones, it cant be properly reabsorbed, and instead forms clumps in the body that can cause problems. Combine that with the fact that most people dont hydrate enough during the day, and you have a perfect storm of conditions.

Of course, bone spurs in the heel can result from repetitive activity, like pitching or carpentry. The irritation, pain, and stiffness people feel might not just be muscle aches, but an actual change in the structure of their joints. In these cases, bone spurs can often appear in the shoulders, where bones, muscles, and ligaments wear against one another, and in the heels, which take a lot of punishment from exercise, work, and everyday life.

Fashion can take a toll as well. Tight shoes can restrict the movement of tendons and damage bones in the feet. The plantar bones of the bottom of the feet are covered with tough fibrous fascia tissue. Plantar fasciitis results when this tissue is stretched, damaged, and inflamed. This muscle-based damage can be the first step in developing heel spurs, because in the course of trying to repair damage to the feet, extra emergency bone can develop, becoming a spur of unwantedand potentially debilitatingcalcium.

And in other cases, body chemistry is the culprit. To function at its best, the body must maintain a proper and delicate acid-to-alkaline (pH) balance. If a persons pH tends toward the more alkaline end of the scale, it sets the stage for calcium to build up where it shouldnt.

The strange thing about bone spur development and the connection to pH is that most peoples diets are so acidic that the body has a tough time keeping things equal (close to a 7 on the pH scale). But high alkalinity canand clearly doeshappen nonetheless.

An over-alkaline system struggles harder to absorb calcium, which is essential for strengthening bones. In this case, when load-bearing bones are under stress, they try various ways of protecting themselves, one of which is the formation of bone spurs in the heel.

No matter the cause, dead calcium or dead bone needs to be removed from the body to stop pain and discomfort. What the body actually needsironically is a group of acidifying ingredients to bring the system back into balance and dissolve the dead calcium and other minerals.

The question is how.

Conventional treatments for bone spurs can be risky and unnecessary, especially when the right nutrients can help put the body back on track naturally and non-invasively.

Ammonium chloride sounds like a potentially unhealthy thing, but its absolutely essential in helping support the normal growth cycle of bones. It is mildly acidic and can help the body return to a healthy pH balance. It is actually a component of digestive juices and stomach acid, and is crucial for mineral absorption.

Smaller amounts of calcium chloride and calcium phosphate (the same form that makes up bones and teeth) help keep the overall bone resorption process running smoothly. People shouldnt cut calcium from their diet and supplement regimen in order to fight bone spursthey are actually more likely to develop them without appropriate calcium intake.

Betaine hydrochloric acid mimics the stomach acid created naturally by the body to help break down minerals properly. In an over-alkaline environment, where calcium and other minerals arent prepared for the body to absorb well, youll see the formation of bone spurs in the heel, calcium deposits, and kidney stones. When calcium crystals collect at the site of an injury or a weak bone, a bone spur is likely to follow.

Vitamin C is crucial for collagen formation during the tissue rebuilding phase after injury or other heavy activity. A deficiency of vitamin C can weaken ligaments and tendons. It is thus essential to keep the cushioning and connective tissue of the joints healthy so that the body doesnt overcompensate by creating bone spurs. Plus, vitamin C fights oxidative stress that can hinder joint repair.

Vitamin B6 in the pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) form is readily absorbed by the body and doesnt need to be converted by the liver. It is the perfect nutrient to combine with magnesium to ensure proper calcium absorption and use by the body.

After all, most people will still get calcium through diet and supplementation, even while theyre getting rid of bone spurs in the heeland thats a good thing. Its just important to be sure the calcium stays fluid and doesnt form into clumps that can cause improper buildup at the joints or form kidney stones. Since the P-5-P form of vitamin B6 works so well with magnesium, its essential for this type of regimen.

Magnesium glycerophosphate is the acidic form of the mineral, so it will not alkalize body tissues and potentially add to the problem of bone spurs in the heel. Magnesium is an important mineral for health, and yet is often missing from the diet. Thats unfortunate, because magnesium helps cells build energy, assists calcium in bone-building, and helps relieve pain by blocking NMDA pain receptors.

While there is no specific body of clinical research yet concerning a nutritional protocol for ridding the body of bone spurs, if your patients try this approach, they will likely get good results. In the future, clinical trials should prove what years of practical experience have shown: bone spurs can be resolved naturally without resorting to invasive surgeries.

Terry Lemerond is a natural health expert with more than 40 years experience. He has owned health food stores, founded dietary supplement companies, and formulated more than 400 products.A published author, he appears on radio, television, and is a frequent guest speaker. He can be contacted through europharmausa.com.

References:

1American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Plantar Fasciitis and Bone Spurs. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00149. Last reviewed June 2010. Accessed October 27, 2014.

2 Mohseni-Bandpei MA, et al. Application of ultrasound in the assessment of plantar fascia in patients with plantar fasciitis: a systematic review. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2014;40(8):1737-54. Epub 2014 May 3.

3 Rogers J, Shepstone L, Dieppe P. Bone formers: osteophyte and enthesophyte formation are positively associated. Ann Rheum Dis. 1997;56(2):85-90.

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Dietary strategy to prevent bone spurs in the heel - Chiropractic Economics

Baton Rouge, LA, Jan. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- If you're looking to start 2020 with a leap towards a healthier lifestyle, a heart-healthy diet is one of the best places to start. Heart healthy diets can go a long way toward protecting and preserving your body's most important muscle. They also tend to have an obviously, positive impact on the rest of the body and mind. A focus on heart healthy eating is one way to promote longevity, youthfulness and weight control in your own life. Currently, a few popular heart healthy options stand out the most according to telemedicine weight loss leader, Diet Demand.

TheDASHDiet. According to Dr. Burns - Diet Demand's Medical Director, "DASH was created as a way to lower blood pressure based on the theory of sodium causing hypertension. It stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and works for a percentage of the population who are hypertensive." For these sodium sensitive individuals (maybe only 25% of the population), this method can provide some benefit. It also helps to restore some mineral imbalances that contribute to high blood pressure. However, Dr. Burns believes that there is more to improving heart health, "Avoiding processed foods are sound, however the guidelines on specific macronutrient intake are missing. Also, weight management should be a key aspect of heart healthy dieting. Being that DASH was created for hypertension, the primary purpose of this diet is not weight management." As far as weight loss is concerned, only lower calorie versions of DASH would trigger weight loss, but that would apply to them doing any lower calorie diet. Additionally, for people who are following lower carb diets for weight loss, the sodium requirement actually goes up, along with the other electrolytes of potassium and magnesium due to the effect of the kidneys wasting electrolytes more rapidly while the body goes into ketosis. Believe it or not, the daily sodium requirement is actually higher on a lower carb diet than a high carb diet.

The Mediterranean diet is also touted for its heart-healthy benefits. Unlike the DASH diet whose primary purpose is the reduction of salt, Mediterranean style eating is more heavily focused on the incorporation of heart-healthy omega3s and fats such as olive oil, fatty fish and avocados. Since whole foods are implemented, sodium reduction is somewhat a part of this diet since processed foods are minimized. Diet Demand, a nationally recognized virtual weight loss program incorporates heart-healthy strategies in its customized diet and weight loss coaching methods. It's Jumpstart Diet, focuses is on balanced nutrition and initial calorie reductions between 800-1200 calories to help patients at risk for heart disease with quick weight loss.

Diet Demand provides certified weight loss doctors and coaches available by phone 24/7 to help with meal planning, grocery shopping, dining out and more. There's nothing better than having personalized help via certified weight loss professionals who can review your plan and help you along the way.

A better solution. Most diets have a one-size-fits-all strategy, so it's assumed that what works for some people will work for you as well. Unfortunately, many factors can determine how well a specific diet works for you. Diet Demand takes a personalized approach by gathering information on your individual body macros in order to develop a diet that is specific to your needs. Due to the success of this customized model, Diet Demand clients have a 94 percent success rate.

See what Diet Demand can do for you by easily and effortlessly visiting http://www.dietdemand.com/ to complete an initial comprehensive, yet simple, health questionnaire and schedule an immediate personal, no-cost consultation. DietDemand's physicians all received specialized training in nutritional science and fast weight loss. DietDemand reviews each patient's health history to create a personalized diet plan geared for fast weight loss, or that addresses life-long issues causing weight loss to slow down or stop. Nutritionists work personally with each patient and use their own algorithm to craft meal and snack plans that are compatible with each patient's age, gender, activity level, food preferences, nutritional needs and medical conditions. They combine these state-of-the-art diet plans with pure, prescription diet products that enable their patients to resist the temptation to reach for sugary snacks, eliminate fatigue and curb the appetite. Over 97% of DietDemand patients report incredible weight loss results with the majority losing 20 or more pounds per month.

At DietDemand, all patients gain unlimited access to the best minds in the business. Their staff of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and coaches are available six days per week to answer questions, offer suggestions, address concerns and lend their professional guidance and support. Because of this, more and more people are turning to DietDemand for their weight management needs. Diet plans are tailored to be specific to the needs of those of any age, gender, shape or size and for those who are struggling to lose that final 10-20 pounds to those who must lose 100 pounds or more. Call today to request a private, confidential, no-cost online consultation.

About the Company:

DietDemand is the nation's leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, DietDemand has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long-term weight loss.

DietDemand Providing Care Across The USA

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Diet Demand Touts Benefits of Heart Healthy Diets for Longevity and Weight Loss - Benzinga

For the last 40 years, Marilu Henner has been all about health. The Taxi star (and Hallmark Channel favorite) first went on what she describes as a personal health journey after losing both of her parents in their 50s. She kicked her diet-soda obsession, then moved on to eliminating dairy from her life, and then made more healthy changes, which she discovered all led to increased energy, improved digestion and glowing skin. At 67, shes still seeking out new information on how to keep her mind and body operating at full capacity, such as new vegan diet-friendly cheeses or trying out new supplement lines, likeYoungevity. Shes also big on keeping herself calm and finding ways to purgestress. Parade.com caught up with Henner to discuss 20 things shes vowing to do every day in 2020, her favorite mood-boosting mantra, and the Goop-approved beauty practice shes been doing long before Gwyneth Paltrow.

What was it like ringing the NASDAQ closing bell during Wellness Week?

Its nice that were moving so into a time where we talk about overall wellness rather than fitness.Thats something that Ive believed for a long time. And thats why I called my first health book written 22 years ago Total Health Makeover. Its not just how you eat or how you exercise, but how you move through your day, how you relate to other people, how you feel about yourself, how you set up your home, just everything. Its a total picture.

What are your secrets to looking absolutely fabulous at 67?

My father died at 52 of a heart attack. I was 17. I was a senior in high school and I found myself eating my feelings and became veryI cant even call it a depressionit was a kind of a silent depression that manifested in my habits rather than in my being. And then my mother took ill a few years later with rheumatoid arthritisand I know a lot of it had to do with the stress of my fathers death. I made a commitment to myself and I said, Its not going to be about my weight anymore. Its going to be about my health.

So when she passed away at 58, it was a real epiphany for me. I said that Im going to learn everything I can about the human body and save my brothers and sisters and myself from this genetic hand weve been dealt. I had just turned 26 and I was a crazy yo-yo dieter. I could gain and lose 20 pounds in a week, which is very stupid and its very damaging to your body. But once I really discovered this path to health, it just changed everything for me and there was no looking back.

I feel healthy and strong and Ive kept eating the way I eat for 40 years now, which is no dairy, no refined sugar, no meat. Im a vegan who has fish once in a while. And I just feel better. I was able to do a Broadway show last year and keep up with the whole cast. In fact, everybody was like, man, youre never tired. I danced my little heart out. I did Dancing with the Stars. I think a lot of it is energy and attitude and food and relating to people and taking the right supplements and just living your life. So thats my secret, I guess.

They approached me because somebody knew both of us and they said, You are likeminded people. You have this focus on health and the whole picture and the title sounds great for you. And so I became their brand ambassador and Ive just fallen in love with the people in the company and the supplements.

Did you start with dairy and move on to eliminating other animal products from there?

It started, believe it or not, with Tab. I was drinking close to two gallons a day. So I gave up Tab first for three weeks and tried it again and it tasted horrible. My stomach felt bloated even from one sip. And Ive never had another diet soda or even a soda since that time. So it started with Tab and then it went to sugar, then meat, then dairy. The day I gave up dairy, August 15, 1979, I consider my health birthday.

Related: 10 Vegan Podcasts to Add to Your Feed for Plant-Based Inspiration

What immediate effects did you notice?

My breathing was better, my digestion. This is TMI, but I was once in a clinic because I didnt go to the bathroom for 17 days. I was on what I used to call my Jarlsberg cheese diet where Id buy a pound of Jarlsberg cheese and chip away at it cause it was 1700 calories. Id chip away at it for the day and call it my healthy diet. I was a crazy dieter. The diets that I used to go on were so stupid and theyre so counterintuitive to the human body and how we digest. I always say, learn to love the food that loves you. Once I realized how much dairy hated me, it was an easier thing to give up.

Any other beauty secrets?

I drink a lot of water. You want to know how to drink a lot of water? Buy a plant and youll see what happens to it if you dont give that plant water at least two times a week! Its really a visual manifestation of what it is were supposed to be doing to our own bodies, only were supposed to be doing it every day.

Aside from diet, what is your health and fitness routine like?

I try to break a sweat every day for at least 10 minutes. If you ever see me standing in line at the airport, youll see that Im doing like crunches or squats or leg lifts or while waiting in line at a bank window or something. Im trying to move as much as I can. And I love Pilates.

Okay, tell us about your plan to do 20 things in 2020:

One of the things I did for 2020 is I wrote down 30 things that I could do every day. And I give myself points for everyone one that I do. The list includes everything from flossing to skin brushing, which Ive been doing since the 70s, way before Gwyneth Paltrow! Also doing my arm exercises, my butt exercises. You write down your sleep, you write down if youve been drinking. Im doing Dry January, although I kind of broke it last night. Im allowed to break it four times during the year and I broke it last night. That was one of my little indulgences cause we were all out.

So of that list of 30, I have to do at least 20 every day, because its 2020. And 2020 has such a great ring to it. It has such a powerful message in those numbers because its sort of visionary. It makes me feel like Ive got 20/20 not only hindsight, but I can see the future with 2020, because Im going to use my brain and my memory. Im going to use everything that Ive been through to not only make me aware of the present and the mistakes or the good things that Im doing, but its also going to inform a better future for me.

Do you do Dry January every year?

Yeah, I do it because it feels like a reset, especially if youve been partying over the holidays. I dont drink anything but sake and tequila, cause Im allergic to wine and champagne. But Im always looking for little things to challenge myself. And plus I get points on my little 2020 chart!

Related: Struggling Through Dry January? Check Out These Mocktail Recipes

What do you do for your mental health?

Because I have this unusual memoryIm sure youve heard that I can remember every single day of my life and Im one of very few in the world who canmy meditation is usually as Im falling asleep. I will say, OK, what was I doing exactly a year ago today, two years ago, today, three years ago? What was I doing when I was exactly to the day as old as my two sons? Theyre 24 and 25 right now. So I think like, Oh, lets see this is four months and four days before Nicks 26th birthday. So what was I doing four months and four days before my 26th birthday? Im always doing a little mental exercises because I think that thats really helpful to keeping your brain fresh. But I also take this incredible supplement from Youngevity called Synaptiv.

I love to read so Im always reading. I also love to organize something cause sometimes just that mindlessness will help you feel like, OK, I set my brain straight again. Or Ill go work out or something like that. Something that makes me feel good. Also I have the mantra, Do something small to make yourself feel better.

What are some of those small things that you do?

It could be anything in a given hour. It could be fixing up my jewelry box. People are always bringing me tangled things and I pride myself in being able to unravel tangled things. There are just so many things that you can look at in your life, that say, OK, this needs a little fixing or I will make a list or take a walk around the block or look at old pictures or do something to reset my brain. It all adds up!

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Marilu Henner: The Actress' Aging and Self-Care Secrets - Parade

Health

Learn to embrace the Health at Every Size principles, and stop judging people based on their size.

Photo via Getty Images

When it comes to the representation of bodies in health and fitness, weve come a long way. Granted, we have some work to do, but were finally seeing all shapes, sizes, and colors embody what it means to be healthy in their own way.

Unfortunately, we still have some nonbelievers.

Lets take this back a few weeks, when Jillian Michaels received intense criticism for her comments about Lizzos body in a BuzzFeed video. To recap: Michaels said it wont be awesome when the singer gets diabetes, claimed she was glorifying obesity, and that we shouldnt be celebrating her body. Which is a shame, because Lizzo brings nothing but light and positivity to her fans, and inspires people in all kinds of bodies to love themselves unapologetically. Shes shaking up the notion of what celebrities shouldlook like, in the best way possible.

It seems pretty obvious, but apparently it must be stated: Its really no ones right to judge someone based on their size, much less do so with a huge public platform. Illnesses like diabetes can be connected to weight problems. But it isnt always the casesometimes, people just get it.

You never know what someones health situation is, and overweight people get the lions share of unqualified, unwanted advice. Which brings me to the principles ofHealth at Every Size.

The concept was first developed in 2003 by the Association for Size Diversity and Health as a way to approach both health policy and individual decision-making with a non-weight approach. The ASDAH website says it was created based on discussions among healthcare workers, consumers, and activists who reject the use of weight, size, or BMI as a proxy for health. Thanks to a popular 2008 book by the same name written by health and nutrition professor and public speaker Dr. Lindo Bacon, the movement continues to gain traction.

To quote an excerpt from Bacons book, Weve lost the war on obesity. Fighting fat hasnt made the fat go away. And being thinner, even if we knew how to successfully accomplish it, will not necessarily make us healthier or happier. A healthier attitude about your body starts from within, which is exactly what people like Lizzo, Lindy West, and plenty of local activists are saying.

And while the conversation may have gained renewed attention thanks to Michaels comments, plenty of Bostons fitness professionals say theyve been incorporating the Health at Every Size principles into their work for a long time.

Local registered dietitian and personal trainer Jessi Haggerty instills the Health at Every Size principles into her practicewith her clients so they can work to build better relationships with food, exercise, and their own bodies.

I take a more behavioral approach to health, she tells me. Which means were not using weight as a proxy for health or using it as a health status for their body. She helps clients to find what works for them regarding nutrition and exercise through counseling and coaching.And thats what the Health at Every Size principles really hone in on. They are:

Haggerty adds that its important to realize that someone can be making behavior changes to improve health markers and the number on the scale wont change at all. This is important for health practitioners and personal trainers to note as well. Its also about access. From a public health standpoint, some people just dont have access to a trainer or healthy food options, she says. Any efforts to help people improve their health should plan to work around those issues as well.

She adds that from a social justice standpoint, everyone has the right to pursue health as much or as little as they want. To tie it into the conversation around Jillian Michaels, Lizzo never asked for her advice and Jillian is not her health care provider. Its just concern trolling.

Our local government is also making strides to not only protect young people from eating disorders, but to work on changing the messages people are receiving about body types. Back in May, state representative Kay Khan proposed a bill to incentivize corporations in the state to avoid digitally altering models appearances in their advertisements. And for Eating Disorder Prevention Day, actress Jameela Jamil even swung by the State House to show her support for the legislation.

At the end of the day were talking about human beings, Haggerty says. Size exists as a problem of our culture. We are trying to solve a problem that doesnt actually exist. So, how exactly do we change the narrative and begin to right the wrong weve created? Haggerty says it begins with adjusting what youre reading, listening to, and who youre following on social media channels. Unfollow accounts that promote diet culture, stop reading books that reinforce societal beauty standards, and fill your mind with body positive and self-love promoting messages. Why not just turn on a Lizzo album? Thats a great place to start.

Read more here:
Why You Should Stop Assuming Size Has Anything to Do with Health - bostonmagazine.com

A major new scientific study of diets shows that intermittent fasting sheds most weight but the Mediterranean diet is healthier as well as easier to stick with long-term.

Overall they found the Med diet is the most effective way to lose weight because more people were on it a year after starting than other fad diets like the paleo or 5:2.

A study found almost six in ten (57 per cent) were still on the Med diet at the end of the year.

This compared to 54 percent of those who chose the 5:2 diet and just a third (35%) who opted for the paleo 'caveman' eating plan.

Those on the Med diet also saw big improvements in their blood pressure and glucose levels - reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

It encourages consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds and olive oil with moderate amounts of fish, chicken, eggs and dairy and red meat once a week or less.

The paleo diet consisted of less-processed foods with an emphasis on eating fruit and vegetables, animal proteins, nuts, coconut products and extra-virgin olive oil.

While "original" Paleo diets strictly exclude all legumes, dairy and grains, this study used a modified version including some dairy as well as up to one serving daily of legumes and grain-based food.

Co-lead author Dr Michelle Jospe aid the results showed people found the Mediterranean diet to be the easiest to adhere to.

She said: "Our participants could follow the diet's guidelines more closely than the fasting and paleo diets and were more likely to stay with it after the year, as our retention rates showed."

But the study found those who managed to stay on the fasting diet where participants ate a quarter of their normal calories on two days of the week lost slightly more weight - an average of nine pounds over the 12 months.

This compared to six and four pounds for the Med and paleo diets respectively, reports the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The researchers at the University of Otago in Canada said the findings supported the idea there wasn't a single "right" approach to diet.

Co-lead author Dr Melyssa Roy said: "In the real world, the one right way to lose weight and eat right is that you can find what suits you the best, and whatever diet is the best is the one you stick to.

"If you choose something that suits you, and is basically a selection of healthy foods, and perhaps eating a bit less often, you can actually get real-world benefits and just live a normal life, and lose weight and see improvements in your health."

The study also showed expensive weight-loss products or ongoing dietitian advice were not necessary to help.

Dr Roy said: "You can actually just choose a particular way of eating and apply it to your own life."

The average weight loss didn't sound like a lot but it was enough to have health benefits.

Dr Roy said: "These people just literally got given advice on how to follow a diet then got left alone and then at least half of them actually managed to lose an amount of weight that from a medical point of view is clinically significant.

Most of the 250 participants (54%) chose the fasting diet, while 27 per cent chose the Mediterranean and 18 per cent the paleo.

The aim of the research was to examine how effective all three diets were in a "real world" setting, where participants self-selected which diet they wished to follow, without any ongoing support from a dietitian.

Dr Roy says the evidence shows that for some people the Mediterranean, fasting or paleo (Paleolithic) diets can be "healthful, beneficial ways to eat".

She said: "This work supports the idea that there isn't a single 'right' diet - there are a range of options that may suit different people and be effective.

"In this study, people were given dietary guidelines at the start and then continued with their diets in the real world while living normally.

"About half of the participants were still following their diets after a year and had experienced improvements in markers of health.

"Like the Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting and paleo diets can also be valid healthy eating approaches - the best diet is the one that includes healthy foods and suits the individual."

Dr Jospe said participants who were still following their diet at 12 months lost even more weight, showing the importance of choosing a diet that is sustainable.

She believes the results are relevant to the thousands of people following self-chosen diets with little supervision and indicates more realistic outcomes.

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Which diet you're most likely to stick to and which works best - Cambridgeshire Live