Category Archives: Diet And Food

ICYMI, fasting diets basically dominated 2019, turning phrases like eating windows and 5:2 versus 16:8 into normal parts of everyday conversation. As far as diets go, fasting looks to be one of the more long-lasting trends: it technically isnt a diet at all, focusing less on overall caloric intake and more on restricting your eating to specific windows of time each day. For the most part, thats just common senseand the health benefits can be huge if youre accustomed to eating all day (and night) long.

Since there are so many different fasting schedules to choose from, its probably worth checking out the actual benefits before you wade in to figure out which option is right for you. Until recently, there wasnt much research to work from; most of the studies were done on animals or small sample populations, making the purported benefits largely anecdotal.

But as fasting becomes more popular, more research is emergingand with it, the list of possible advantages seems to be growing. Here are 10 potential benefits to following your fasting schedule of choice.

Lets start with the biggie: Can a fasting diet really help you lose weight? It dependson everything from the type of fasting youre doing to the research being considered. Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club, says that some research has shown no real difference in weight loss between intermittent fasting and typical calorie-restricted diets. But newer studies are suggesting that earlier eating windows (like from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.) can assist with weight loss.

For example, Harris-Pincus points to a 2013 study in Obesity demonstrating that people who consumed a certain amount of calories eating a larger breakfast and smaller dinner lost two-and-a-half times as much weight in 12 weeks than people who ate the same exact calories but in reverse (with a smaller breakfast and larger dinner).

Obviously more research is needed to draw concrete conclusions about how and why fasting helps with weight loss (for any reason other than the fact that you might be eating fewer calories). Ultimately, we need to create a calorie deficit to lose weight, but it's not as simple as calories in versus calories out, Harris-Pincus explains, suggesting that the time of day you eat (or dont) may contribute to weight loss when combined with less calorie consumption overall.

New Jersey-based dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, author of 2 Day Diabetes Diet, says that in some studies intermittent fasting has been found to reduce blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance, which can be very beneficial to those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The results of a 2018 study published in Cell Metabolism are notable here: Researchers found that even without weight loss, early time-restricted fasting increased insulin sensitivity in men with prediabetes. (Most other similar studies cant definitively say whether insulin sensitivity improves because of the fasting schedule itself, or because most people lose weight when they fast, which also improves insulin sensitivity.)

Okay, the connection between fasting and your body health looks promising so far...but what about your brain health? Palinski-Wade notes that some animal studies have shown intermittent fasting to be protective to the brain by improving its function and structure, like in this 2018 study in Experimental Biology and Medicine, which suggests fasting may protect against Alzheimers disease by reducing the incidence of memory loss.

Obviously, more research is needed to see if this is also true in humans (because you're not a mouse, right?!)but at some point in the future we may see those results apply more broadly. TBD.

One of the reasons fasting can lead to weight loss is because youre eating during daytime hours, e.g., when your body naturally wants to consume calories.

When we eat according to our circadian rhythmmeaning we consume energy during our active hours of the day when the sun is up and eat less in the eveningwe metabolize our food better and see improvements in blood sugar and lipids including cholesterol and triglycerides, explains Harris-Pincus.

5:2 fasting, in particular, may improve cholesterol levels. As WH previously reported, a 2018 study showed that people who followed a 5:2 diet had a lower risk of heart disease than people who dieted by counting calories.

The science here is still emerging, but researchers have been studying the effects of food intake on sleep for years. Some research has shown that eating late at night can disrupt sleep or cause sleep disturbances, though sample sizes are usually pretty small.

Theres also not a lot of direct evidence that fastinginstead of eatingbefore the nighttime hours can have the opposite effect, but it does make sense. Plus, one study from 2003 found that a week of fasting resulted in less sleep arousals (though only 15 people were tracked and that study is fairly old, obviously).

At the root of many of fastings health benefits is a reduction in inflammation, and thats a connection being studied pretty closely by experts interested in the relationship between fasting and overall health.

In 2019, researchers at Mount Sinai found that intermittent-fasting cycles lasting less than 24 hours reduced the number of pro-inflammatory monocytes in the blood. High levels of monocytes have been associated with some chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Similarly, the Yale School of Medicine studied the effects of fasting and diets on the bodys macrophages, or inflammatory immune cells, and found that low-carb dieting, fasting, or high-intensity exercise may help to reduce that kind of inflammatory response.

Ever reach for a candy bar or bag of chips out of habit without even realizing what youre doing? Thats called mindless eating, and most of us do it to some extent. But do it often enough, and it can cause you to fall pretty out of step with your bodys hunger cues.

Many people eat emotionally, particularly at night when it's easy to sit in front of the TV and mindlessly consume extra calories, says Harris-Pincus. But fasting diets, which force you to establish clear eating windows, eliminate this absent-minded noshing and can help you take in fewer overall calories.

In the last two years, proponents of fasting have claimed that restricting caloric intake for even a short period of time can reset your immune system, giving it a much needed power boost.

This theory was born out of a University of Southern California study on both mice and humans, which suggested that fasting for 72 hours could allow your body to flush out damaged immune cells and regenerate new, healthier cells primed to help the body fight toxins. (The effects of fasting on patients undergoing chemotherapy were examined in this particular study.)

At this point, the connection hasnt been well-studied. But a little fasting probably cant hurt your immune system, either.

Can spending some of your week fasting actually add years to your life? Its a lofty claim and it hasnt been studied carefully enough in humans yet, but a 2019 study in Cell Metabolism found that alternate day fasting, specifically, did improve some of the more common markers of aginglike cardio health and fat-to-lean ratioin a small sample of healthy, non-obese people.

Elsewhere, the National Institute on Aging has reported that male mice that ate less frequent meals lived longer compared to mice that ate more frequently, with fewer liver diseases and metabolic disorders.

Weve known for a long time that what you eat can affect your skin health. The American Academy of Dermatology confirms that certain foods, like milk, white bread, and sugary snacks or beverages, can increase acne by spiking your blood sugar.

But can the time of day you eat affect your skin health, too? Maybe...but right now, the evidence is mostly anecdotal, based on what we know about the combined factors that can cause acne, like inflammation, high levels of insulin, and lack of restorative beauty sleep. Because fasting may help with some of these root causes of acne, it couldin theorybe a solution to common skin issues. But more research is needed here, too.

See the original post here:
10 Health Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting, Backed By Science - Women's Health

When will the Government Street Project be completed?

"It's on schedule for late 2020, weather dependent and if there are no unforeseen delays," says Rodney Mallett, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation and Development.

The project involves reducing a 4.2-mile stretch of Government Street from four lanes to three, with one lane in each direction and a center turn lane from East Boulevard to Lobdell Avenue. The most heavily trafficked stretch from North Foster Drive to Jefferson Highway will keep two eastbound lanes, have one westbound lane and include either a left turn lane or a two-way left turn lane.

The project will also substitute a roundabout for the traffic lights at the Government Street, Lobdell Avenue and Independence Park intersection, and add sidewalks and bike paths to Government Street.

The project will cost $11.7 million: Federal safety funds of $5.4 million; city-parish road transfer credits of $4.2 million; state funding of $1.1 million; and $1 million through the Americans with Disabilities Act.

With the almost constant flow of traffic on Bluebonnet Boulevard, shouldn't there be a traffic light in front of the Post Office and the Surgical Speciality Center? This is a dangerous intersection with too many things going on. In addition to cars exiting the Center and the Post Office, there are cars turning left and making U-turns. No U-turns are allowed at the less busy intersections a block or so up and down. Why here at this very busy spot? Is there any solution planned to ease this traffic problem?

P.S. U-turns shouldn't be allowed at the light on Bluebonnet and North Oak Hills either.

Brendan Rush, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation and Development, says, "Our Traffic Engineering Section has looked at this location. Neither the Post Office nor the Surgical Specialty Center has the a volume of cars requiring the installation of a traffic signal at this intersection.

"As for the U-turn issue, generally U-turns are allowed at intersections and median openings where left turn lanes are present and the turn is not hindered by geometry nor a competing signalized protected movement."

Meanwhile, Ingolf Partenheimer, chief traffic engineer for the city-parish, says they'll take another look at the matter once that section of Bluebonnet comer under the control of the city-parish. "The switch-over is imminent," he says.

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Ask The Advocate: Government Street road diet; Bluebonnet traffic blues - The Advocate

FROM kombucha to hemp seeds - 2019 was full of weird and wonderful diet trends.

And it seems as though 2020 isn't going to be any different with droves of trendy and alternative foods emerging.

1

Helen Bond, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, has revealed there will be a continued focus on plant-based food.

And things like freekeh, banana flour and turmeric are bound to fill menus and plates when the new year comes round.

Here, she takes us through each of the key diet trends she predicts will take 2020 by storm...

Lesser known grains such as freekeh and teff are set to fill people's plates in 2020 - as slimmers find other ways to replace carby-food.

Helen says: "Theres never been a trendier way to fill the healthy carb spot on your plate than with unusual grains.

"People will go wild with rice and nutrient-packed grains like freekeh, barley, spelt, bulgar wheat, quinoa, wholewheat couscous, teff, and buckwheat."

Move over kale, nudge over spinach, this'cabbage turnip' is set to become the new green leafy veg of 2020.

It looks something like a Sputnik in vegetable form and the mild, sweet flavour is somewhere between a turnip and a waterchestnut, with a crisp, crunchy texture.

Helen says: "Full of vitamin C and gut healthy fibre and hugely versatile to add to your menu - you can steam kohlrabi, boil it, chop it into a stir-fry or eat it raw grated in a salad."

There is set to be a drive for innovative plant-based replacements for grains and an increased interest in alternative flours made from fruit and veg.

In particular, Helen says to look out for banana flour and coconut flour in supermarkets.

She adds: "The organic movement isnt slowing down, and in 2020 increasing numbers of health-conscious consumers will continue to rebuff food and drink that contains too many additives, and instead embrace natural ingredients and premium organic products."

Cauliflower had a good year this year with cauliflower pizza bases and steaks, and cauli rice, but next year, its all about Caulini.

Caulilinis stalks are more tender and, as a whole, tastes sweeter than your typical cauliflower.

Helen says: "Sweet and slightly nutty in flavour and visually appealing on your plate, as its long stem turns bright green when cooked, while the florets stay light."

There has been a significant rise in health conscious millennials, with a study recently revealing they consume just five units of alcohol a week.

This means there will be more and more non-alcoholic drinks introduced into the market.

Helen says: "Non-alcohol drinks are set to generate some serious thirst in 2020, with wellness-obsessed millennials ditching boozy nights and enjoying more non-alcoholic spirits, cocktails and sparkling quenchers with interesting flavours, like kombucha and botanical mixers."

In the past two years, the UK has launched more vegan products than any other nation - and this is set to continue well into 2020.

"Vegetarian and vegan are likely to maintain their position as the biggest nutrition buzzwords next year", Helen says.

"People will be tapping into in-vogue plant-based choices, such as meat-free burgers and sausages, bean casseroles, lentil shepherds pie, mushroom bolognaise and vegetable curries."

There are growing concerns about the impact of food miles on the environment.

This means people will be looking for food that has come from a nearby farmer, fishmonger, or any other fresh produce creator.

Helen says: "Growing concerns about the impact of food miles on the environment means that eco-conscious diners now want localism to their food with dishes created with ingredients sourced locally, without packaging and taking advantage of seasonal produce."

More and more people will be embracing plant-based protein in 2020 - meaning supermarkets will be full of pulses.

Helen says: "Edible seeds that grow in a pod andinclude, among others, lentils, baked beans, chick peas, black eyed peas, red kidney beans and fava beans are what its all about.

"Theyre little nutrient powerhouses that count as one of your five-a-day, pack a hearty fibre punch, and are friendly on the planet."

Buddha bowls colourful bowls usually composed of vegetables, healthy grains, and protein are one of2020's top emerging food trends.

"Hearty, healthy, moreish, packed with nutrients and oh-so-hip, Buddha bowls are making lunchtime salads exciting again", Helen says.

"Essentially made from colourful veggies, lean protein, whole grains, and a tasty sauce, but theyre endlessly customisable."

Turmeric is the flavour of the moment - with even Starbucks launching its own drink with the spice in it recently.

It's a spice in Indian food taken from the plants underground stems and it's anti-inflammatory properties are said to reduce the risk of cancer, treat brain disorders, improve memory and boost immune systems.

And shelves are set to be brimming with it in 2020 - with droves of celebrities and health experts touting it.

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"This bright orange spice is preparing to climb to the top spice spot in 2020", Helen says.

"And with its reputed anti-inflammatory properties, why not add a little extra vibrancy into your soups, roast potatoes, rice or even eggs."

It comes after it was revealed that turmeric may be "just as effective as medicine" in treating sports injuries.

Read more:
Diet trends predicted to take 2020 by storm from freekeh to banana flour - The Sun

Gibson produced the original short scale ES-350TDN from 1955 to 1963, and then made a full-scale version from 77 to 81. The companion amp is a 1961 Gibson GA-20T Ranger.

After running into session guitarists Hank Garland and Billy Byrd at a Nashville disc jockey convention in 1955, Gibson developed a line of thin-bodied electric guitars using input from the two musicians. The guitars were marketed to players who wanted a smaller, more comfortable instrument, without the weight of a solidbody.

TDN, by the way, stands for thinline, double-pickup, neutral finish.

Gibsons initial thinline series of the mid 50s was made up of three guitars: the Byrdland, the mid-priced ES-350T, and the economy ES-225T. The high-end Byrdland was designed with contributions from Garland and Byrd, and its handle was obviously a combination of the two artists last names. It was meant to be a thin L-5 CES (at 2 1/4" thick) with a shorter 23 1/2" scale neck, instead of the L-5s 25 1/2" scale.

Humbuckers replaced the ES-350TDNs initial double-P-90 configuration in 1957, but the hardware, including the tailpiece with the guitars model number onboard, remained the same.

The ES-350T, which slimmed down the full-bodied ES-350, used the Byrdlands innovative measurements while retaining many of the 350s cosmetic and structural features. With its laminated maple top, back, and sides, the guitar was intended to be a more affordable version of the Byrdland, priced $155 cheaper in its debut year. The 1962 Gibson catalog describes other details of the ES-350T: Matching the all-around excellence of Gibson performance, this distinctive instrument has a thin, narrow, short-scale neck. The choice of many professionals who acclaim these design features, which permit the use of many chords previously beyond reach. Beautifully finished arched top and back of highly figured curly maple with matching curly maple rims, ivoroid binding, and gold-plated metal parts.

The figured maple on this guitars back shows zero damage from belt rash or other blemishes, adding to its charisma.

The nicely figured, natural finish 1963 ES-350TDN featured this month has all the characteristics of the final edition of the model, before its discontinuation that year. (A full-scale version was reissued in 1978.) These include gold hardware, two humbucking pickups (which replaced P-90s as standard-issue in 1957), a deep Florentine cutaway (which replaced the rounded Venetian-style cut in 1961), a 3-piece maple neck (which replaced the original 2-piece in mid-1962), a rosewood fretboard with split parallelogram markers, and a crown-inlayed headstock. TDN, by the way, stands for thinline, double-pickup, neutral finish.

Note the GA-20T Rangers voicing dial, to the left of the headstock. Its a glorified tone control that works this way: 1, in the center, is neutral, while 5, on the left, is darkest and 5 on the right is brightest.

The 1962 Gibson price list has the natural finish ES-350T at $500. A 603 Faultless, plush-lined case was an extra $56. The current value for one in excellent, all-original condition is $7,500. The amp is a 1961 Gibson GA-20T Ranger. Two 6V6 power tubes push 16 watts through a Jensen P12R speaker. This tweed covered amp has five control knobs. The voicing dial controls the tone (1, in the center, is neutral, while 5, on the left, is darkest and 5 on the right is brightest), the volume 1 knob works for the channel with no tremolo, while volume 2 controls the tremolo channel. And, of course, depth regulates how strong the tremolo signal is and frequency manages the speed of the tremolo. The original price was $169.50. The current value is $1,000.

Sources for this article include Gibson ElectricsThe Classic Years by A.R. Duchossoir, Gibson Guitars: Ted McCartys Golden Era 1948-1966 by Gil Hembree, The Gibson Guitar From 1950: Volume 2 by Ian C. Bishop, Gibson Amplifiers 19332008: 75 Years of the Gold Tone by Wallace Marx Jr., and the 1962 Gibson catalog.

Link:
When Gibson Put the ES-350 on a Diet - Premier Guitar

How to create a heart-healthy Indian diet plan during the holidays  |  Photo Credit: Getty Images

New Delhi: Its that time of the year again - perhaps, a special time for all of us to spend with loved ones and indulge in some mouth-watering Christmas feasts. Its also a time for overseas workers to head home for holidays. But, the festive season can pose a huge challenge for individuals concerned about maintaining their heart health. Yet, youcan make holiday feasts happy and healthy - and yes, you can do it without a lot of effort.

It would be wise to assess the heart healthvalue of whats on your plate especially around the holidays when most of us are more likely to overeat. This would mean planning well-ahead of time, enjoying festive treats in smaller portions, and make healthy substitutions where you can.

To help you stay fit and mindful as you spend holidays with your family and friends, Timesnownews.com talked to Dr D Prabhakaran, an internationally renowned Cardiologist and Epidemiologist, Director, CCCI and Vice President (Research and Policy), Public Health Foundation of India. One mayuse this Indian diet sample plan, designed by Dr Prabhakaran, as an example of heart-healthy eating. This nutritionally balanced meal plan (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian) contains 1,600 calories a day, and is suitable for both men and women who want to keep their heart healthy.

Sample menu: Northern India

Bed Tea

1 cup tea/ coffee

1 cup tea/ coffee

Breakfast

2 rotis.(wheat, bajra, maize, missi) with

1 cup vegetable curry/ dhal

OR

2 stuffed roti.

1 cup tea/coffee/milk

2 rotis (wheat, bajra, maize, missi) with

1 egg white

OR

2 stuffed roti.

1 cup tea/coffee/milk

Mid-morning

Lunch

2 rotis (whole wheat),

katori rice,

1 katori dhal,

1 katori seasonal vegetable,

1 katori salad,

1 katori low-fat curd

2 rotis (whole wheat),

katori rice,

1 katori dhal,

1 katori seasonal vegetable,

1 katori salad,

1 katori low-fat curd

Evening

1 cup tea/coffee

1 cup roasted snacks

1 cup tea/coffee

1cup roasted snacks

2 roti (whole wheat),

1 katori dhal/ paneer curry,

1 katori veg curry

1 katori salad

1 seasonal fruit (100-150gms)

2 roti (whole wheat),

2 pieces of (baked/ roasted) fish/chicken,

1 katori veg curry,

1 katori salad,

1 seasonal fruit (100-150gms)

1 cup low-fat milk

1 cup low-fat milk

[1 Katori = 150 ml. The above diet gives Calories: 1615 Kcal, Proteins: 56 gms, CHO: 257 gms, Fat: 40 gms]

Breakfast options: Sweet/salted dahlia, porridge, wheat bread sandwich, chidwa, roti, paratha made with minimum vegetable oil with (any dhal/vegetable curry), sattu roti/ panni.

Salad options: Onion, cucumber, tomato, radish, cabbage, carrot, sprouted dhal flavored with lemon juice, spices and condiments, low-fat curd instead of oil/cream-based salad dressings.

Snacks options: Nuts like groundnut (roasted/soaked), almonds, walnut, dried figs, dates, puffed rice (bhel puri), roasted chhana, any fruit, and baked samosa/patties. Fried snacks like homemade pakoras, potato chips, samosas, kachori, litti, fried namkeens can be taken occasionally.

Sweetmeatoptions: All sweets to be made in low-fat milk without using condensed milk. Sweets made with ghee to be taken occasionally. Sweets made with Vanaspati to be completely avoided.

We hope the above suggested tips would be of great help to you and your family in creating a heart-healthy meal plan.

Happy Holidays!

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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How to create a heart-healthy Indian diet plan during the holidays - Times Now

Not all fat is created equally and visceral fat, which lies deep below the surface, near vital organs such as the heart, liver and intestines, can be life-threatening. The fats proximity to vital organs means that carrying an excess amount of it hikes your risk of developing chronic complications, such as heart and liver disease.

To keep visceral fat bay, evidence backs limiting your intake of foods that lead to the harmful weight gain.

One of the primary culprits is high carb intake so cutting back on this food group can bring fat-burning benefits.

Studies have shown that diets with under 50 grams of carbs per day cause belly fat loss in overweight people, those at risk of type 2 diabetes and women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Lower-carb weight-loss diets may be better for losing visceral fat than higher-carb weight-loss diets, according to a study published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.

You dont have to cut out carbs completely to reap the benefits.

READ MORE:Angela Rippon health: The plant supplement star used to help get rid of visceral fat

Many sugar-sweetened beverages are made with high-fructose corn syrup instead of sugar, according to medical website LiveStrong.

Drinking beverages sweetened with fructose may increase visceral fat, reports an article published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The study involved overweight and obese people, so further research is necessary to determine whether fructose has the same effect in normal weight individuals.

To keep visceral fat at bay, try replacing these beverages with naturally calorie-free options such as water, tea or black coffee, advises LiveStrong.

Findings published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society also makes a case skipping diet fizzy drinks as this may be associated with increases in waist circumference, and thus potentially visceral fat as well.

In addition to dieting, exercising regularly also offers a robust defence against visceral fat gain.

Harvard Medical School recommends getting 30 to 60 minutes of cardio per day, such as brisk walking, swimming, running or aerobics, and notes that exercising with weights may also be helpful.

Evidence demonstrates the visceral fat-burning benefits of aerobic exercise.

Continued here:
How to lose visceral fat: Cut back on this type of food to reduce harmful belly fat - Express

As the new year quickly approaches, the American Medical Association is offering 10 recommendations to help Americans make the most impactful, long-lasting improvements to their health in 2020 and beyond.

"With too many holiday sweets and not enough exercise likely in the rearview mirror, now is the perfect time to consider your personal goals and how you can make positive health choices in the coming year," said AMA President Patrice A. Harris, M.D., M.P.H. "The good news is that there are a few easy steps you can take that will set you on the right track for a healthier 2020."

The AMA's 10 recommendations for a healthier new year, include the following:

1. Learn your risk for type 2 diabetes--take the self-screening test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org. Steps you take now can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

2. Be more physically active--adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity.

3. Know your blood pressure numbers--visit LowerYourHBP.org to better understand your blood pressure numbers and take necessary steps to get your high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, under control. Doing so will reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.

4. Reduce your intake of processed foods, especially those with added sodium and sugar--eat less red meat and processed meats, and add more plant-based foods, such as olive oil, nuts and seeds to your diet. Also reduce your consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and drink more water instead. Drinking sugary beverages, even 100% fruit juices. is associated with a higher all-cause mortality risk, a new study published in JAMA Network Open suggests.

5. If a health care professional determines that you need antibiotics, take them exactly as prescribed--antibiotic resistance is a serious public health problem and antibiotics will not make you feel better if you have a virus, such as a cold or flu.

6. If consuming alcohol, do so in moderation as defined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans--up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, and only by adults of legal drinking age.

7. Talk with your doctor about tobacco and e-cigarette use (or vaping) and how to quit--declare your home and car smoke- and aerosol-free to eliminate secondhand exposure.

8. Pain medication is personal--if you are taking prescription opioids or other medications, follow your doctor's instructions, store them safely to prevent misuse, and properly dispose of any leftover medication.

9. Make sure your family is up-to-date on their vaccines--this includes getting the annual influenza vaccine for everyone age 6 months or older. If you're pregnant, you can receive the flu vaccine during any trimester, but should receive the Tdap vaccine early in the third trimester to protect yourself against flu and whooping cough.

10. Manage stress--a good diet, sufficient sleep (at least 7.5 hours per night), daily exercise and wellness activities, like yoga and meditation, are key ingredients to maintaining and improving your mental health, but don't hesitate to ask for help from a mental health professional when you need it.

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10 health recommendations for successful New Year's resolutions - Midland Daily News

In northern Uganda, nestled in the Western Rift Valley homelands of the Acholi people, Immaculate Omona grows a local groundnut (peanut) variety called Acholi valencia. High yielding and drought tolerant, this variety reliably provides essential nutrients her family depends on. However, this plant provides more than just food, it also embodies her culture, telling a story of resilience and survival.

For many years the north of Uganda was plagued by a brutal warlord named Joseph Kony. Kony and his Lords Resistance Army (LRA) predated on the people of Uganda, abducting tens of thousands of children in his campaign of mutilation, torture, slavery, and rape. His horrific reign of terror led to millions being relocated to Internal Displacement Camps for over 20 years. It is at one of these camps that Omonas aunt waited for the terror to stop. For these 20 years, she saved a single family heirloom, the Acholi valencia. Every year, she cultivated this plant on the side of the camp, growing enough to keep it alive, furthering the very essential characteristics that make it unique. Even during the war, she understood the significance of this variety and did everything she could to keep it alive.

However, it is not just wars that threaten the worlds biodiversity. African governments are giving in to corporate pressure to adopt laws that deny farmers rights to save, plant, exchange and sell their own seeds. Well-funded promotion, subsidies, coercion, and advertising are being deployed in an attempt to roll out industrial seeds designed for monocultures and chemicals and to displace farmers varieties suited to organic farming. The end goal is clear: to prevent farmers from saving seeds so that they buy corporate hybrid seeds instead.

Today, Omona is committed to scaling up her production and is creating a local market for this variety. Supported by farmers organization, the Eastern and Southern African Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF), she has already shared these seeds with many farmers in her community. Omana explained, we have our seed bank; now we dont wait for government or private seed companies to distribute seeds which often come too late in the season. We are now planting good indigenous seeds at the right time and getting good yields. These seeds provide more than just good yields; they weave the cultural fabric of their indigenous community.

Across Africa, this story is echoed as seed saving resists the cultural erosion that industrial agriculture thrives on. Behind every seed is a story. Encoded in their DNA is a rich history of folklore and cultural tradition. With the onslaught of the so-called Green Revolution, these traditional varieties are being lost, forgotten and discouraged by governments and some development NGOs. This has resulted in a form of ecocide where for many crops up to 80% of these local varieties may be lost forever. Seed banks are paramount to protecting this vanishing biodiversity and are the foundation for local food sovereignty. Across the world, farmer organizations, like ESAFF, are critical to building and maintaining these vital seed banks

A local seed variety is developed by the community for the community, in concert with the needs of the community. As seeds are selected each season to be planted the next year, they are chosen for a reason. That reason might be pest resistance, drought tolerance or high yield. These precious varieties were developed over millennia by unnamed scientists the farmers and they hold the answers to growing food with a changing climate and the inevitable extreme weather events that follow. Additionally, these varieties have been a crucial part of local culture, providing a diverse and healthy diet according to local tastes and traditions.

There is an okra variety called Otigo Tung Lacwarthe horn of the antelopea drought-tolerant seed that Vicky Lokwiya got from a friend and now cultivates and shares with other farmers. Lokwiya is the secretary of a seed saving group in St Mauritz parish. She has been with this group for 25 years now and is a mentor to many of the members. Watching her walk the farms of her fellow women farmers, she is a living library, remembering every detail about these seeds. She shares this knowledge freely as she walks the living seed banks, inspecting leaves and pointing out how the government seedsthe hybridsfail to perform. I think the hybrid seed is the one bringing us diseases we were not suffering from before, Lokwiya explains. We had been fooled for so long by private companies and some government officials that our indigenous seed system was backward. Now we have shown them that small-scale farmers can collect, multiply and store seed safely under good quality control.

The seed savers are organized around village savings and loan groups, where members pay into the collective. To illustrate just how much the group has grown in size and value, she says when they started the members contributed 800 Uganda Shillings in dues for the first year. By the year 2000, the members contributed over 500,000 UGS; today it is close to a million. The money is used to create a collaborative support network for farmers in need, as well as take care of health services.

Group member Beatrice Akello explained how this made a difference, I used to buy seeds very expensively, yet I didnt always have money given the other social responsibilities that I have as a widow. Now I sometimes sell seeds. What a good feeling I am independent!

Before the war, local turmeric was grown in the area called Bizali. It is rich in color and flavor but since the war had been removed completely from the local diet. However, Lokwiya found this variety alive in the bush, after 20 years of being left for nature to maintain. Amazed at how this variety continued to survive, she is now committed to not only growing this crop but educating her community on its various health and medicinal benefits.

After the war, many were given land around 4 kilometers away. Instead of waiting for assistance from the World Food Programme, the community wanted to grow their own, and especially cultivate the varieties that were developed by their ancestors. Unfortunately, unlike the Bizali, many crops were lost forever.

Lokwiya points to a cassava hybrid that the government was promoting and laughs as she compares it to a local variety called Oroo Ki Raa that towers over the hybrid even after a dry year. She notes this cassava variety disappeared during the war, but she has since found it again and is on a quest to promote it to her local communities. Oroo Ki Raa does not get spoiled after six months when the hybrid varieties are already rotten. Instead, it has a rich flavor and is drought tolerant. Lokwiya points out that even if animals eat the leaves, the cassava still produces a healthy crop. Seed saving groups empower women like Lokwiya to increase family food and nutrition security while boosting incomes. Here in northern Uganda, women are on the frontlines of climate change adaptation, working heroically together to meet the many challenges they face by affirming their rights to save, use, exchange and sell their traditional seeds.

More information can be found below and at Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and by watching Women Seed Saving in Kenya.

Continue reading here:
Every Seed Has a Story - Food Tank

Lets start with what to eat and the foods to avoid eating. What follows will likely sound familiar to aficionados of a Mediterranean-style diet: a plant-based diet focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and cold-water fish and plants like soybeans and flax seeds that contain omega-3 fatty acids.

A Mediterranean-style diet is rich in micronutrients like magnesium, vitamin E and selenium that have anti-inflammatory effects, and its high-fiber content fosters lower levels of two potent inflammatory substances, IL-6 and TNF-alpha.

Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, strongly recommends limiting or eliminating consumption of foods known to have a pro-inflammatory effect. These include all refined carbohydrates like white bread, white rice and pastries; sugar-sweetened beverages; deep-fried foods; and red meat and processed meats. They are the very same foods with well-established links to obesity (itself a risk factor for inflammation), heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

In their stead, Dr. Hu recommends frequent consumption of foods known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. They include green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collards; fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines; fruits like strawberries, blueberries, apples, grapes, oranges and cherries; nuts like almonds and walnuts; and olive oil. The recommended plant foods contain natural antioxidants and polyphenols, and the fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, all of which counter inflammation.

Coffee and tea also contain protective polyphenols, among other anti-inflammatory compounds.

The bottom line: the less processed your diet, the better.

At the same time, dont neglect regular exercise, which Dr. James Gray, cardiologist at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, calls an excellent way to prevent inflammation. He recommends 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise and 10 to 25 minutes of weight or resistance training at least four to five times a week.

Although exercise is pro-inflammatory while youre doing it, during the rest of the time it leaves you better off by reducing inflammation, and after all you live most of your life not exercising, Stephen Kritchevsky, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine, told me. Independent of any effect on weight, exercise has been shown to lower multiple pro-inflammatory molecules and cytokines.

Read the rest here:
Tackling Inflammation to Fight Age-Related Ailments - The New York Times

We can develop a healthier relationship with food and gain more control over what we eat.

Do you have struggles around eating? If you do, youre not alone. In the United States,millions of peoplewill fit the diagnosis for binge eating disorder at some point in their lifetime. Many more have less severe eating issuessuch as obsessing over calorie counting or feeling shame when they eat bad foodsthat wreak havoc on their health and happiness.

Often, people with problematic eating patterns are worried about their weight and attempt to lose weight by cycling through dieting regimens, which often backfire. Even if a dietdoesresult in weight loss, it can lead to an unhealthy preoccupation with food and eating.

According to Howard Farkas, a psychologist specializing in emotional eating and the author of a new book,8 Keys to End Emotional Eating, part of the problem lies in how our minds work against the goal of weight loss.

Our minds respond negatively to deprivation, says Farkas, and the self-denial that diets usually require is a recipe for failure. Restrictive eating, he says, pits willpower against our basic psychological need for personal autonomymeaning the desire to make our own choices regardless of outside pressures. When willpower fades, as its bound to do, the desire for autonomy tends to win out, causing people to turn to eating as a way of reasserting their personal control over their lives.

To overcome this pattern, says Farkas, requires something different than dieting: an end to emotional eating. After years of working with people who have disordered eating, he believes that understanding how our brains and bodies work, and honoring our desire for autonomy around eating, are the keys to developing healthier eating habits. Here are a few of his recommendations to improve your relationship with eating and food.

People sometimes eat to relieve emotional discomfort in their lives, says Farkas, and these people tend to have certain things in common. Through his work as a therapist, hes learned to identify four common patterns of emotional overeaters:

Each emotional pattern requires suppression in order to keep social relationships and opportunities safe. But suppression requires personal control, and the tension eventually becomes too much. As a result, many binge eaters find that giving up control around eating lets off steam and reasserts their sense of autonomyat least in the moment, even if that relief is followed by guilt or a sense of failure.

Overeaters also tend to have all-or-none thinkingmeaning they judge things in their lives as either all good or all bad. This kind of thinking can affect their eating habits, too. Often, they restrict their eating only to good food and eschew their own desires, not trusting their bodys cues about what they want to eat.

They think about food as either good or badnot based on how it tastes, but in categorical terms that refer to how likely it is to cause weight gain, how unhealthy it is, and even as a moral judgment that reflects on themselves if they eat it, writes Farkas. The problem with this way of thinking is that it ignores the underlying emotional tensions, which he believes will continue to plague us until we deal with them.

Many of us equate control with restraint. But, says Farkas, its better to aim for a different type of controlautonomy. To be autonomous means having the capacity and freedom for self-governance, and its the opposite of feeling externally controlled.

How can you increase your autonomy around eating? By allowing all foods back into your lifeeliminating their cachet as the forbidden fruitwhile learning to choose what you want, when you want it, rather than fighting your bodys cues. To make this easier, he suggests things like staying ahead of your hunger by adding small snacks between meals, taking smaller portions of food initially with the understanding that you can give yourself more later if you need it, and eating more consciously, allowing yourself to fully savor your food while paying attention to when eating more doesnt bring more pleasure.

If youre mindful of how much it would take to satisfy your hunger or desire for whatever youre eating, you can maximize your pleasure while keeping the amount you eat to a minimum, he writes.

While it may seem contradictory to the goal of changing your behavior, practicingacceptanceis an important part of making any healthy habit stick. That doesnt mean resigning yourself to never feeling in charge of your eating; but it does mean accepting yourself, as you are, so that you can be a good coach to yourself as you tackle new behaviors.

Changing habits can be difficulttwo steps forward, one step back. Understanding that can help you to stay on track with your goals and prevent backsliding into a what the hell, I may as well give up attitude at the first slipup. Interestingly, when we accept our feelings and urges, they have less power over us, Farkas writes. So, learning to be patient with the process and acknowledge urges we have to overeat or binge is an important part of becoming more autonomous.

While weight loss may be the goal of many people on a diet, Farkas says that this is the wrong focus, especially when measuring progress. Too many factors affect whether or not we lose weight, and diets often dont work in the long term.

Instead, he suggests, its best to give up on monitoring your weight religiously and focus instead on behavioral changes that are more likely to be sustainable. For example, you can start experimenting with smaller portions of food and paying attention to your feelings of satiety, or going out to lunch at work less often, or walking or biking to work rather than driving. Aiming for behavioral changes that can be measuredinstead of numbers on a scalehelps to keep the focus on building a healthy lifestyle, which (perhaps counterintuitively) will likely result in weight loss eventually.

These are just some of Farkass wise insights. His book contains many more keys to understanding and helping with emotional eatingincluding how to boost your coping skills around stress, how to use reasoning when you feel overwhelmed with emotion, and more. Filled with useful tips and compassionate expertise, this book could help anyone to become more conscious around their eating, whether youre experiencing issues or not. For those who suffer most, it could mean the end of emotional eating and painful dieting, and hope for a better relationship to food and life.

This article first appeared on the Greater Good,the online magazine of The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.

Excerpt from:
How to break free of emotional eating - Ladders