Category Archives: Diet And Food

Its Thanksgiving time. A lot of Americans are thinking about food. But a lot of them are also thinking about a diet a diet that is much more than a diet. Its a lifestyle. Its a culture. Its keto. Ketosis is this Holy Grail fat-burning state that people on the ketogenic diet quest after, explains Vox senior health reporter Julia Belluz.

The ultra-high fat, low-carb diet has you eating things like eggs, bacon, avocados, steak, and vegetables and staying away from items like fruits, bread, pasta, pizza, and birthday cake, Julia says on this episode of Today, Explained. People on the keto diet get about 5 percent of their calories from carbs, 15 percent from protein, and around 80 percent from fats.

Some scientists say the keto trend sweeping the nation could help fight epilepsy and cancer, too. Listen to the full episode of Today, Explained Voxs daily explainer podcast to hear Julia separate fat from fiction. Heres a lightly edited transcript of her conversation with host Sean Rameswaram.

Subscribe to Today, Explained wherever you get your podcasts, including: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and ART19.

Where did this come from? Was this like the Atkins diet where theres some dude who just said, Heres an idea? Is there a Mr. Keto?

Theres no one figurehead. And it is sort of a repackaging of the Atkins diet. Its sort of like this streamlined Marie Kondo version of Atkins. ... Where he had this multi-phase plan and you eventually reincorporated carbs, with keto you just cut all that out and you stay that way and you live that way.

I sometimes see promotions for this diet on social media. Is keto big on the Gram? Is it big with the influencers?

Yeah, I think its this combination of things, so some communities that are quite influential in the diet and exercise space embraced it, like Cross Fitters. There are celebrities in Hollywood like Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian. Silicon Valley has glommed on to it, people like Tim Ferriss. Theres an ex-Jersey Shore character who has this massive Twitter following and Instagram following. Hes called Vinny Guadagnino: The Keto Guido.

[Keto] taps into the market of men who have often been forgotten in this diet space. So when you think about Weight Watchers, right? Its something that middle age-ish suburban moms are doing. I dont know if this is all sexist. But then with keto its sort of, its meat heavy. Its something you can do by yourself. You can quantify whether youre on the diet so it has this interesting self-quantification aspect.

Its data driven. You can buy breathalyzers, pee strips that you pee on and they tell you, wow, basically, yeah, whether youre in ketosis or not. And theres blood tests as well.

How does it work? What are you measuring with these urine and blood tests?

Youre just measuring the ketone levels in your body. When were eating the typical high-carb diet, our bodies are fueled primarily by glucose or blood sugar. So when we eat a bagel or a peach at lunch, the glucose levels in our blood rise and the pancreas secretes insulin to turn glucose into a usable energy source, so its able to move the glucose from the blood into our cells.

But our body didnt evolve to actually keep glucose on storage so we just get it basically after we eat. Theres no long-lasting glucose stores around our body. So, if we stop eating carbs, our body has this amazing ability to adapt to whatever else were putting in there and turn that into a usable energy source.

Its kind of like you think about our bodies like flex-fuel vehicles. They can sort of adapt to whatever were putting in them.

Like a hybrid car.

Exactly. One of those adaptations is this process called ketogenesis. And when were in ketogenesis, the liver starts to break fat down both from the food were eating and from the fat thats stored in our body into this usable energy source called ketone bodies, or ketones for short. And basically ketones can stand in as glucose for fuel when were not eating carbs.

Just to break it down again: On the high-carb diet you eat carbs like pasta or bread, your glucose levels rise, the pancreas secretes insulin and then the insulin moves the glucose into our cells to power our body. On the keto diet, a person eats fats like steak and eggs. The glucose and insulin levels in the body fall. The liver converts the fat into ketones and then the ketones fuel the cells and tissues of the body. Youre making the body find a way to use fat as a source of fuel.

Is there another way to get the body into ketogenesis?

Starvation. When you fast think about it again, our bodies dont have glucose stored up anywhere. When youre not eating, it has to turn to fat stores to start to get energy to keep going. Thats part of the reason people can survive for as long as 73 days without food, because we start to just use the fat stores in our body and we can keep going.

If the body thinks this is kind of like itself starving or its similar to that, does this actually work for obesity? I dont believe Vinnies photos where hes all of a sudden got like a beautifully-carved six-pack out there on the streets. But does this help reduce obesity? Could this be, like, a potential cure to Americas obesity epidemic, which I hear is pretty bad, right?

The obesity epidemic is serious and Vinnies abs are probably attributed to more than the keto diet. Hes probably been to CrossFit. And the data we have so far suggest keto performs a lot like basically every other diet. There are some people who see tremendous success. There are some people who just absolutely miserably fail and maybe even gain weight on the diet. On average, most people will lose a few pounds but have a tough time sticking to it in the long run.

But keto does have this real potential as a treatment for a few diseases. And thats the really serious and fascinating scientific exploration thats happening right now.

Listen to the full episode of Today, Explained to learn more about the science behind the keto diet.

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The keto diet: what to know about the extreme diet phenomenon - Vox.com

Rome, November 27, 2019 Promoting traditional healthy diets is important for advancing our efforts towards a food system that respects the environment, culture and well-being of people, which is a fundamental element of sustainable development.

That was the main message at an event today organized by the Government of Italy with support from FAO aimed at deepening understanding of the Mediterranean and other traditional diets from around the world and their nutritional benefits, as well as raising awareness on how they can help achieve progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Promoting and protecting healthy diets and making them available, accessible and affordable is critical for having a fulfilled and happy life, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said in his opening remarks.

He cited some good examples of traditional healthy diets that contain the wisdom of our ancestors and the cultural essence of generations. These include the Mediterranean diet which implies high intakes of diverse vegetables, fruits, legumes, herbs and olive oil, the New Nordic Diet, traditional Japanese Diet, and the South of Chinas Regional Cuisine. All of them can boast a number of benefits, for example, they can lower cholesterol, prevent heart diseases and diabetes, Qu added.

However, the FAO Director-General warned that despite the numerous benefits of these diets they are often neglected due to a combination of factors such as population growth, globalization, urbanization, economic pressures and the fast pace of life which are driving change in our diets and consumption patterns.

Qu called on all the stakeholders to join our efforts in ensuring that traditional diets regain their importance and well-deserved position in the peoples mind, and encouraged particularly the young generation to re-discover enjoyment of cooking healthy meals at home as opposed to opting for fast-food meals.

The event, which took place at FAO headquarters, in Rome, also saw the participation of Italys Secretary-General, Ministry of Health, Giuseppe Ruocco, and Deputy Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Michele Baiano, as well as nutritionists and other diet-related experts from around the world, UN agencies and academia.

Need to transform food systems to ensure healthy diets

Malnutrition in all its forms is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st Century. While the causes of the current state of malnutrition around the world are complex, unhealthy diets remain one of the major contributors to malnutrition as recognized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Noting that traditional and indigenous healthy diets play an important role in eliminating hunger and malnutrition, Qu highlighted the need to transform our food systems to become more nutritious and inclusive, to produce food that not only feeds the people but also nourishes them.

He reassured that FAO will continue to support its member countries to develop Food-based Dietary Guidelines, so governments can advise their citizens on healthy eating that is suitable to their local context.

Qu also referred to the recently released Guiding Principles on Sustainable Healthy Diets developed jointly by FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) to support countries in their efforts of promoting healthy diets.

Transforming our food systems is essential in ensuring healthy eating patterns, he said, stressing the need to make sustainable healthy diets affordable to all, especially to the most vulnerable.

Celebrating Mediterranean Diet

The Year 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the declaration of the Mediterranean Diet as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, and FAO and Italy are organizing a series of seminars focusing on different aspects of the Mediterranean Diet in preparation for this celebration next year.

Todays event Being and well-being: Traditional healthy diets from the Mediterranean and beyond the second of a series of Mediterranean diet-related events focuses on the nutritional aspects of the Mediterranean diet and other traditional diets from around the world.

This initiative will continue throughout the 2020 with further events designed to explore the different aspects of the Mediterranean and other traditional healthy diets, such as environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation, women empowerment, urban-rural relation, as well as the management of food loss and waste.

The rest is here:
Putting Mediterranean and other traditional diets back on the consumer's plate - YubaNet

Gunnar Peterson: 3:45 a.m., which means I have to handle my sleep differently than other people. It's an ongoing thing, right? Some people have a problem getting their training up to speed, some people have a problem locking their nutrition in, and some people just can't drink enough water. My problem is my sleep and my other forms of recovery. Starting about three years ago, I got really diligent with recovery protocols. NormaTec massage, Headspace [a meditation app], all of those things.

I love that you just grouped Headspace into the recovery suite. Do you track your sleep?

Yeah, I use SleepScore. I try to think of it like this: I'm trying harder, and I'm not perfect at it, but I'm doing better. If I'm keeping tabs on myself and I'm holding myself accountable and I'm not doing it in a stressful way, then I'm already way better off than I was. Sometimes the knee-jerk reaction is to be angry at the app when it tells you that youre not sleeping well, but I can't be angry at it. It's like getting the test back when you know you didn't study. You can't be pissed that you got a D, you know? You earned that. You didn't do the work.

Do you eat before you leave your house at the crack of dawn?

I eat a Split, which is essentially nut butter and jam. That way, I don't train while fasting. I used to do that for years. I talked to my nutrition guy and told him, "I just feel like I come in flat all the time." So he told me to try this routine. The nut butter slows the absorption of sugar, so you don't spike and then fall off. I feel like I get more out of my workouts with this.

I also drink 25 ounces of water first thing when I wake up. We know so much about hydration, especially if you read some of the stuff that comes out of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Guys are making way better choices on that front nowadays. Some of the guys I work with are drinking, like, six liters a day.

Whoa. And after you drink all that water?

I get in workout clothes and get to the gym by 4:30. I answer any e-mails, then I'm on the bike or doing another form of cardio by 5:00. I do 30 to 45 minutes of cardio unless, God forbid, I have a cancellation, and then I'll knock out an hour. But cancellations are rare.

Are you a post-workout-protein-shake kind of guy?

Yeah. I use Transformation protein powder and water. It's egg and pea protein.

Do you have any feelings on the whole I only eat plant-based proteins trend?

I think you have to go with what works for you. I watched the movie The Game Changers [a film about the benefits of a plant-based diet], and of course you're swayed right out of the gate. But then youve got to pump the brakes and look at it for what it is. It's interesting, there's definitely some take-home information, but its not going to swing me all the way.

So what happens after the protein shake?

At 10:30 a.m. I have another Split, and then around 1:00 p.m. I have lunch, which is typically salmon and a carb. The carb is usually a yam or rice. Sometimes quinoa. I also like eating spinach and sliced tomatoes.

And for dinner?

I get home and I usually have something right out of the gate, maybe some chicken. And then Ill have dinner with the family, but I eat my own stuff. They'll do Taco Tuesday or get pizza. And of course, who doesn't like that stuff? I just don't like the way it makes me feel, so its not worth it for me.

The rest is here:
Gunnar Peterson: The Real-Life Diet of the Trainer for the Los Angeles Lakers and Other Assorted Stars - GQ

For nearly 30 years, this little-known nonprofit has been cooking and delivering medically tailored meals to sick, homebound people throughout Eastern Massachusetts, today serving about 1,000 clients a day. And now spreading its wings after a $24 million expansion, with its founding concept of food is medicine gaining traction nationwide Community Servings is poised to start serving the entire state next month.

On a recent afternoon, the scent of cinnamon filled the room as Nick Bruning, a packaging manager who also has a special interest in dessert, slathered a thin piece of amber cake with cream cheese filling and curled it into Swiss pumpkin roll.

In another room redolent of roasted meat, a worker sliced a golden-skinned turkey breast; another slid a knife through a chunk of roasted ribeye. Elsewhere, a tray of pumpkin truffles coated in dark chocolate awaited packaging, and workers peeled the deep purple skin of eggplants about to be chopped and roasted.

Mission No. 1 is to make people want to eat the food were making, says executive chef Brian Hillmer, who has previously worked at such restaurants as Legal Sea Foods, Not Your Average Joes, and Tavern in the Square.

In addition to the turkey and ribeye, the Thanksgiving menu options include cranberry-apple braised chicken, roasted sirloin, spaghetti squash gratin, spiced citrus baked fish, and roasted vegetable risotto.

The clients live with conditions in which diet plays a role including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, HIV, and kidney disease and are unable to shop or cook for themselves. Most have multiple diagnoses. The average age is 53.

Community Servings provides each with two meals plus snacks for five days a week. The meals are free to patients, the vast majority of whom live below the poverty line.

The meal becomes almost like a prescription, says chief executive David B. Waters. If I said to you, Go to the store and make a meal that controls for glucose, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and vitamin K, no matter who you are, youd probably find that impossible. For people without access to quality food or too sick to get off the couch, Waters says, the system sets you up to fail. Thats when you become that high-cost patient.

But food cant promote health if it goes in the trash instead of the stomach, and many sick people have no appetite.

Thats why the menu starts with the chef. Hillmer dreams up something delicious, and then shows his plans to Valerie Machinist, director of nutrition services, who employs a computerized recipe analysis program to break down the nutrient content.

A back-and-forth ensues between the guardians of nutrition and taste. Swapping an ingredient here, reducing a portion there, they collaborate to devise meals that are appealing, nutritious, and medically appropriate.

For example, everyone who eats meat received Thanksgiving turkey, but only breast meat with a small piece of skin. The Swiss pumpkin roll was lightened with whipped egg whites and low-fat cream cheese in the frosting.

The menus address 15 medical diets. Kidney-disease patients have the most restrictions, needing to avoid whole grains, potatoes, beans, and legumes. Heart-disease patients get dishes with little sodium and saturated fat. People with diabetes must limit carbohydrates.

Menus take into account a weeks worth of meals, rather than individual dishes. To compensate for cake, there may be fewer carbohydrates in the other components, for example.

By nutritional necessity, the food doesnt contain as much salt as the American palate has come to expect. Hillmer says the dearth of salt is one complaint he cant address.

A few days before Thanksgiving, an assembly line of workers was packing the food, weighing each component before spooning it into the container, which they then sealed in plastic, labeled, and froze. (The agency can serve only people with refrigerators to store the food and microwaves or stoves to heat it.)

Community Servings has 60 employees, their efforts boosted by about 75 volunteers a day. Additionally, much of the food preparation is done by participants in a 12-week food service training program for people emerging from incarceration, addiction, homelessness, or other challenges.

The agency has its roots the AIDS epidemic, and was founded in 1990 by the American Jewish Congress. At the time, with no treatment available, AIDS patients were dying of a wasting syndrome.

We became the only medicine, Waters said. We were trying to keep people we loved alive in hopes of a cure, in those early, scary years. A dozen similar groups sprang up across the country in the cities most affected by AIDS, but Community Servings is the only one of its kind in New England.

Though no cure ever came along, medications now enable most HIV and AIDS patients to live full lives, and in 2004 Community Servings expanded its mission to other sick people. Still, HIV patients make up a third of its clients.

In the ensuing years, Community Servings has sought to demonstrate that its charitable work also makes business sense, by partnering with food researcher Seth A. Berkowitz. He has published studies in major journals showing that Community Servings clients spend fewer health care dollars, use hospital emergency departments less frequently, and experience dramatically fewer hospital admissions.

Those findings caught the attention of health insurers, and cleared the way for Community Servings to win contracts with managed care organizations. Such arrangements have boosted its resources beyond the federal grants and charitable donations on which it has relied.

In December the agency will expand beyond the 21 communities it now serves to reach the entire state, shipping its frozen meals by UPS to the farthest reaches of the Berkshires.

At our core, says chef Hillmer, we just want to feed our neighbors and make sure theyre healthy.

Felice J. Freyer can be reached at felice.freyer@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @felicejfreyer

Original post:
This Mass. nonprofit makes Thanksgiving feasts for people with dietary restrictions - The Boston Globe

Carrie Underwood's not only known for her flawless vocals and successful music career, but also for her healthy lifestyle choices.

Despite the country star's desire to be as healthy as possible, she admits that during the holidays, she lets some of that go. Although the Oklahoma native doesn't always know where she'll be spending Thanksgiving, she always makes sure to eat her favorite foods every year.

"We don't have too many set-in-stone Thanksgiving traditions," Underwood shares with her record label. "I find myself a lot of time working on or around Thanksgiving or unable to get home or whatever. We try to be together, but sometimes that just doesn't work out."

"We eat. I eat a lot every year on Thanksgiving," she says with a laugh. "I never skip that tradition."

She continues, "But yeah, that's the gist of it, and I'm kind of lucky. I get two Thanksgivings because I also get to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with my husband's family, so if I don't hit one, I'll definitely be able to get the other one."

Underwood's had quite the year, giving her plenty to be thankful for, including her husband, Mike Fisher, and her two songs, Isaiah and Jacob. The country star also recently wrapped up her wildly successful "Cry Pretty Tour 360."

"My list of things I'm thankful for is too vast," she explains. "First and foremost, my family. We had a baby earlier this year, which is crazy to think about all of the things that we've done. Starting off this year pregnant, having a baby, and all of the places that he's already seen. I'm thankful for health and safety along all of our travels."

"Of course, I'm thankful for the tour, and I'm thankful to the fans that have come out to see us," she continued. "There's a lot to be thankful for. God has blessed us with some incredible stuff, and hopefully, we've done good with what we've been blessed with."

Underwood recently received an American Music Awards for Favorite Country Album for Cry Pretty and Favorite Female Country Artist.

The country star's latest single, "Drinking Alone," follows up previously released singles from her Cry Pretty record including "Cry Pretty," "Love Wins," and "Southbound."

Read the rest here:
Carrie Underwood Happily Gives Up Healthy Diet Every Year On Thanksgiving - iHeartRadio

Mixed martial arts and boxing champion Conor McGregor is one of the best-known and most successful fighters in the world.

He has had an incredible trajectory to worldwide fame, beginning his professional career in 2008. McGregor has received numerous honors for his success in the world of fighting and although his career has not been without controversy, fans love him for his dedication to the sport.

Still, that level of accomplishment doesnt come easily, and McGregor follows a strict diet and training regimen that is truly impressive.

Keep reading to learn about Conor McGregors diet, how he works out, and what he prefers to indulge in on his cheat days.

Although Conor McGregor is well known for his fitness, the truth is, he likes to go with the flow when it comes to his training routine. He has admitted that variety is the best way and that he doesnt stick to any one particular type of exercise in order to stay in tip-top shape. McGregor has talked about how he likes to mix things up by combining fitness classes, gym sessions, and lots of flexibility training.

There are a few signature exercises that McGregor likes to incorporate during the week, including leg swings, hip circles, push-ups, pull-ups, air squats, and the seated butterfly. Its clear that whatever he is doing, it is working, because McGregor is widely known as one of the fittest fighters in the industry.

As with his workout regimen, McGregor tries to incorporate a lot of variety into his meals. Still, that doesnt mean hes ordering takeout every night. McGregors diet focuses mainly on healthy carbohydrates and real food. McGregor doesnt follow a fad diet but simply sticks to good habits throughout the day in order to look and feel his best.

Although he is limited in the things that he eats, McGregor makes sure to always eat plenty, so that he stays full and focused for training.

McGregors breakfast includes plenty of healthy fats like eggs and avocados, while his lunches usually include lean proteins such as seared tuna, grilled fish, or chicken, paired with lots of vegetables and carbs such as sweet potato or squash.

Dinners for McGregor are also healthy and filling, and usually feature delicious roasted chicken with rice and even more vegetables. Conor McGregor also loves pasta, and while he rarely indulges in dishes such as fettuccine alfredo, he sometimes fills his plate with three-bean pasta and grilled shrimp.

McGregors chef also makes sure to fill up his fridge with fruit and nuts, so that the champion always has healthy snacking options available and isnt tempted to reach for candy or salty snacks.

Conor McGregor might have to stick to a healthy diet but that doesnt mean hes immune to delicious treats from time to time. McGregor has admitted to having cheat days and has said that he definitely has a sweet tooth.

In fact, McGregor loves cakes and coffee and has stated that those two things would cause him to on some weight out of fighting.

McGregor also loves to indulge in a beer from time to time. He actually has a partnership with the beer company Budweiser and has posted several images to his Instagram account over the years featuring the champion kicked back with a cold beer.

Its clear that even prize-winning fighters have to take days off in order to feel their best.

Original post:
Conor McGregor Cheats on His Diet in the Best Way Possible - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

It was a landmark report, meant to recast the way we think about humankinds approach to foodaddressing global nutrition deficits and the agricultural impacts of climate change alike.

But when the 49-page, Harvard University-backed EAT-Lancet report and its planetary health diet was finally released to the public, it landed with a thud.

To address the challenges of food security, nutrition, and sustainability, the reports authorsprominent researchers from institutions across the globecalled for big changes. Britons were urged to cut their beef intake to one burger every two weeks. Much of the western hemisphere was urged to rely more on plant-based foods.

There were criticisms: The report omitted the role food technology companies might have in building a sustainable future. And scientists have questioned whether, if followed, the dietary guidelines would actually make food unaffordable for more than 1 billion people.

Amidst all the discussion, though, one subset of people was especially vocal: meat eaters.

According to an analysis by researchers at Stockholm University and published in The Lancet, a group of meat-eating proponents started the hashtag #yes2meat up to a week before the report was published on January 17, 2019. Many of those responses were critical of the report, and some of them were defamatory, according to the researchers. (The group includes Victor Galaz, deputy director at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, which is a scientific partner of the EAT Foundationthough the researchers state they were not funded by EAT.) Some of the negative posts accused the EAT-Lancet report of being part of a larger vegan agenda. Others went straight for the reports lead author, Harvard professor Walter Willett, accusing him of having conflicts of interest.

By analyzing Twitter data encompassing 4,278 users and 8.5 million tweets, the researchers dissected how the movement built steam and shaped discussion of the report. By actively promoting #yes2meat right before, during, and after the EAT-Lancet Commission launch, this counter movement was approximately ten times more likely to be negative about the Commission than positive or neutral, the researchers wrote.

Most of the interactions were by actual skeptical humans, as opposed to bots, according to the analysis. Among the critics were proponents of the fat-heavy keto diet and the Nutrition Coalition, a group affiliated with Nina Teicholz, an author who has criticized nutrition movements that suggest eating less meat.

That kind of infighting isnt new, and it isnt over either. In September, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggested the health benefits of cutting out meat were minimal, sparking a fierce rebuke from Willetts colleagues at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Those findings, too, have been accused of falling prey to the influence of corporate funding.

This new analysis shows that social media can have a significant effect on public perception of these scientific spats. Ostensibly, there were three groups of people chattering online about the report: those promoting it, those skeptical of it, and a third, ambivalent group that was found to have grown more skeptical over time as more and more interactions about the report were negative. Of the tweets mentioning EAT-Lancet, the researchers found 29% were positive, 32% were negative, and 38% were neutral. The combined audience was about 60 million people.

The finding raises important questions about how to communicate scientific findings in a world increasingly connected by social media. Given the difficulty in designing definitive nutrition studies and tabulating lifetime environmental impacts, the debate over the medical and environmental health of meat consumption is far from over.

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How pro-meat Twitter scrambled the rollout of the planetary health diet - Yahoo Finance

Life expectancy is largely determined by how well you protect yourself from developing diseases that cause irreversible damage to your vital organs, such as your heart and brain.

Cancer and heart disease, for example, often loom large in peoples minds, and for good reason - they are major killers both in the UK and worldwide.

Fortunately, steps can be taken to stave off the risk of developing deadly diseases and certain foods have been shown to offer a robust defence.

It is well understood that diet plays a key role in protecting against life-threatening complications, and mounting evidence suggests specific food items can offer a host of health benefits.

Eating medjool dates, an edible sweet fruit, is a prime example, and numerous studies point to the nutritious benefits of eating the Moroccan fruit.

The sweet snack is rich in fibre and antioxidants which may help to protect your heart.

Evidence suggests that fibre can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol and keep your arteries clean, reducing your risk of heart disease.

READ MORE:How to live longer: Five diet tips to prevent disease and boost life expectancy

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood and high levels of LDL cholesterol leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries and can act as a precursor to heart disease.

One test-tube study found that Medjool and other date varieties lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol and prevented the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

Plaque accumulation can eventually block blood flow, leading to a heart attack or stroke.

Medjool dates are also a rich source of antioxidants, which help fight damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals.

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The specific antioxidants found in Medjool dates - carotenoid and phenolic acid - have both been studied for their beneficial effects on heart health.

The antioxidants found in Medjool dates have also been shown to protect your cells from oxidative damage - a chemical reaction that takes place in the body that can lead to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and brain ailments.

In addition, fibre plays an essential role in keeping your digestion healthy and eating enough fibre may also reduce your risk of digestive diseases like colorectal cancer.

In a three-week study, 21 people ate seven dates (168 grams) per day and significantly improved their bowel movement frequency, compared with when they didnt eat dates.

Animal studies have also been linked to the antioxidants found in dates to improved brain health, associating them with lower levels of inflammatory markers and reduced brain plaques associated with conditions like Alzheimers disease.

One study in dried fruit found that dates had the highest antioxidant content when compared with figs and prunes.

In addition, the nutrients found in dates may also support bone health as they contain a small amount of calcium and are a good source of potassium, manganese, and copper, all of which are important nutrients for bone health.

In addition to eating certain food items, regular exercise can extend your longevity by fighting off a wide-range of deadly complications.

As Harvard Health noted: Regular exercise helps fend off high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and a host of other chronic diseases.

In a recent article in The American Journal of Medicine, Dr. Harvey Simon, associate professor of medicine at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital reviewed current research on the health effects on both ends of the exercise spectrum, from minimum to maximum.

Modest activity - even as little as one hour of walking or gardening per week was linked to lower rates of heart attack, stroke, and death from all causes, according to an analysis of 22 studies that included more than 320,000 adults.

One study found that people who did moderate exercise just 15 minutes a day tended to live an average of three years longer than their inactive peers.

Read this article:
How to live longer: Eating this sweet snack could increase life expectancy - Express

Lorraine Kelly is the presenter of the daytime TV show,Lorraine. During her long career, she has fronted shows including GMTV, ITV Breakfast, and Daybreak. In recent years, some fans have noticed her staggering weight loss and Lorraine has revealed she dropped two dress sizes by cutting out one thing - what did she cut out?

Previously Lorraine revealed that after noticing herself gaining weight, the Scottish journalist decided to change up her lifestyle.

During her weight loss transformation, Lorraine decided to adjust her diet and exercise routine and after doing so managed to slim down from a size 14 to a size 10.

Speaking on This Morning, she said regular aerobic exercise helped kick start her weight loss and she has since released a DVD sharing her routines.

I really look forward to my classes, and with the new DVD we wanted to show what a class was like, she said.

READ MORE:Harry Melling:Harry Potter 'Dudley Dursley' actor unrecognisable after dropping 4st 5lb

"Its great going to keep fit but mentally it also makes me feel better.

Lorraine told presenters her weight loss made her more confident and prompted her to make bolder choices with her fashion outfits.

The TV personality has managed to keep the weight off by sticking with the athletic habits and she can be seen regularly posting about her intense workouts on her social media accounts online.

Previously, Lorraine posted about her love of fitness classes and even shared on Instagram a video of one of the dance fit classes she attends.

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She captioned the post: Shes on fire! Great class tonight with @maxicise.tv#happy #fit #healthy#wellbeing".

Lorraine is also known for regularly going on long walks with her border terrier pup, Angus, which keeps her active and fit with minimal effort.

But, what did she cut out, in particular, to trim down?

Speaking of her diet, the journalist opened up about struggling with portion sizes and she has tried to cut out snacking, in particular, to trim down.

Lorraine said: I dont think diets work. Its all about portion control. My husband cooks for me and sometimes I ask, How many people are cominground?

She admitted that she isnt a big fan of diets, instead, she found cutting back on how much she ate at each meal helped her shape up.

She said: Portion control and not snacking so much are important, as well as being sensible.

Fellow British TV presenter, Kate Garraway has also noticeably trimmed down, but how did she do it?

Previously it was revealed that the Good Morning Britain presenter lost two stone ahead of entering the Im A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! jungle.

She revealed that she cut out one particular food group out of her diet to trim down. Speaking to Fit & Well magazine, she said: I tried different popular diets and realised, because of the crazy shifts I do, I regulated my energy with sugar bursts.

I dont think I ate a lot of sugar but by 8am Ive always had loads of chocolate.

She also cut out caffeine in her new diet plan. She explained: Now I eat avocados obsessively because I found one of the diets was high in good fat, medium protein, and zero sugar which is a bit extreme for me.

But eating avocados and low-sugar foods help keep my energy levels up.

Read more here:
Lorraine Kelly weight loss: ITV star drops two dress sizes by cutting out one thing - Express

A recent review published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology looked at how low-carbohydrate (10 to 25 percent of total daily calories from carbs) and very low-carb diets (less than 10 percent of total daily calories from carbs, including the ketogenic diet) affected body weight and other cardio-metabolic risk factors, such as blood lipids, glycemic control, and high blood pressure.

What the National Lipid Association found was that following a very low-carb diet, such as keto, for an extended period of time had no long-term advantages. Whats more, the keto diet and other carb-restrictive diets actually may severely restrict nutrient-dense foods that can offer cardio-metabolic benefits, explained co-authors Carol Kirkpatrick, Ph.D., R.D.N., Director and Clinical Associate Professor at Idaho State University, and Kevin C. Maki, Ph.D., C.L.S., Adjunct Professor in the Department of Applied Health Sciences at the School of Public Health at Indiana University Bloomington.

The review found that while those following keto diets may see more short-term weight loss than those following low-fat diets, after 12 months or more, there is no difference in weight loss. That said, long-term compliance with these diets can be challenging, and the long-term risksand benefitsof low-carb diets, especially keto, are not yet fully understood, noted Kirkpatrick and Maki.

Starting very low-carb diets like keto can also come with some serious side effects. People may experience symptoms known as the keto flu, which includes lightheadedness, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty exercising, poor sleep, and constipation, said Kirkpatrick and Maki.

When it comes to cholesterol, the effect of very low-carb and ketogenic diets on LDL (bad) cholesterol is variable. Some individuals may see an increase in LDL levels with these diets, especially due to high intakes of saturated fatty acids and dietary cholesterol. Thus, baseline and follow-up lipid/lipoprotein assessments are recommended for individuals choosing to follow these diets, said Kirkpatrick and Maki.

Its also important to note that very low-carb or keto diets are not for everyone. People with type 2 diabetes may experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if they dont adjust their medication, and those who take vitamin K-dependent anticoagulants may need more frequent monitoring due to a potential change in vitamin K intake. Its not recommended that people who have elevated blood levels of cholesterol try the diet, and those who have atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a history of atrial fibrillation, or the presence or history of heart failure, kidney disease, or liver disease should talk with their doctor before trying the diet.

On the flip side, low and very low-carb diets lowered triglyceride levels in study participants compared to those following high-carb, low-fat diets. And while these low-carb diets increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the short term, the beneficial effect diminished after six months or longer, especially in people with type 2 or pre-diabetes, said Kirkpatrick and Maki. There was also a reduction in the use of diabetes medication when people with type 2 diabetes followed low-carb diets, but the carb intake was not low enough to be considered a keto diet.

Current evidence supports that a low-carb diet or moderate-carb diet (26 to 44 percent of total daily calories), may benefit individuals who are overweight or obese in the short term (two to six months) to kickstart weight loss, people with type 2 diabetes, and to lower triglyceride levels and help increase HDL cholesterol, explained Kirkpatrick and Maki

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While fitness or physical activity performance was not reviewed for this statement, current evidence does not support that very low-carb or ketogenic diets are more beneficial for fitness or physical activity performance in either recreational or elite athletes and, in fact, have resulted in decreased performance in some athletes, explained Kirkpatrick and Maki.

The ideal dietary pattern to promote weight loss, as well as cardiovascular health, fitness, and general health depends on the person striving to lose weight. Its important to take into consideration personal preferences and behavioral, family, cultural, and social dynamics, as well as ethnic or economic influences, the researchers added.

But, if youre looking to clean up your diet and dont know where to begin, the diet that has the most evidence to date to support weight loss and have beneficial health effects, such as lowering cardio-metabolic risk factors is the Mediterranean diet, which involves eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, seeds and nuts, legumes, and fish or seafood, as well as moderate carb intake.

See the article here:
How Exactly Does the Keto Diet Affect Your Health? - runnersworld.com