Category Archives: Diet And Food

Instead of creating its own edibles, tinctures, topicals and vaporizer cartridges, the Bronnor Corporation makes them for other companies that don't have manufacturing facilities in the state.All of that deal-making has resulted in quite the fantasy factory up at 4809 Colorado Boulevard, which is evident the second you set foot inside the lobby.It's hard to pick just one item to focus on; this place manufactures an assortment of creations that could either take you to the moon or get you ready to knock out a full day of work and then cross off a list of errands afterward.

I was lucky enough to visit the factory recently when photographer Scott Lentz captured the smorgasbord of pot-infused products that are churned out each day. Between products from Bullet Concentrates, Medamints, Myaderm THC and Zoots, you could create an entire cannabis regimen and that's exactly what I did for two days. What else was I supposed to do with a goodie bag, give it away? Here's my fantasy diet:

Morning: I started the day with a ZootBlast, a shot of yerba mate infused with thirty milligrams of THC. The shot, apply named "Carpe Diem," kicked in about an hour after I drank it, pulsating my heart for about five minutes before my body settled down. The burst of energy gave me a can-do vigor that I usually don't have at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and the edibles high allowed me to harness that energy into productivity rather than the aimless wandering I've been known to do after too much caffeine. While I wouldn't recommend taking the entire shot before work or if you have a low tolerance, splitting it in half makes for a helluva micro-dose.

Zoots Carpe Diem shots come in ten- and thirty-milligram doses.

Scott Lentz

Afternoon: BulletConcentrates isBronnor's partner for distillate vaporizer products, which have become all the rage among the hash-pen crowd. Creating a reliable vaporizer cartridge has proved challenging for even the well-established concentrate brands, however; Bullet's take on the cartridge is a little less discreet because of its clear casing and unique mouthpiece, but the quality and consistency are solid. While I'm not a huge fan of reintroducing terpenes into concentrates for vaporizing (the flavor is rarely authentic) which Bullet does for its strain-specific products the flavor enhancement is kept to a minimum.

My afternoon delight from Bullet came in the form of a Green Crack cartridge. The flavor was mild, though it could be much more present if the battery temperature were turned down. The potency was intense, however. Users have a tendency to underestimate hash pens when they first hit them, and a distillate is even more dangerous. Start small, or you'll be hacking out a lung in public.

Evening: After already consuming enough THC to put Jimi Hendrix to bed for a day, I didn't need much to calm down, so I popped a few indica Medamints. The THC-infused mints come in five-milligram doses, making them easy to regulate. My Medamints flavor was infused with myrcene, a terpene found in cannabis and other plants like hops and mangoes, so choosing mango berry as the flavor makes sense but that doesn't mean it'll taste good. The flavor was bitter, hash-y and would be tough on the tastebuds if you wanted to eat more than one or two at a time.

The effects checked out, though. Fifteen milligrams was more than enough to gently relax me to sleep without getting me too stoned, and they kicked in within an hour. The other Medamints indica flavor, vanilla mint with chamomile, might be more up my alley.

If oil is black gold, what does that make this? Amber gold?

Scott Lentz

Day Two

Morning: Zoots makes much more than energy shots, with a lineup of cookies, candies and infused drink enhancers to get you through the day. Dessert for breakfast is a perfectly nostalgic way to enjoy the final mornings of summer, so I nibbled on some caramel espresso brownies infused with ten milligrams of THC (five milligrams each), though I couldn't taste it. Although smaller-dosed edibles aren't the best for high tolerances, the lack of hash oil or infused butter creates a much more authentic taste without the earthy overtones.

Still craving sweets, I washed down my brownies with a glass of strawberry-orange-banana juice enhanced with a few Zoot Drops. The mandarin-lime-flavored liquid drink enhancer, which measures five milligrams of THC per capful, added a sharp citrus tartness to my morning glass, readying me for the day in a way that Tropicana or even Folgers could never accomplish. The concentration of THC in each small drop makes it an easy shot of cannabinoids for those looking for a quick hit, but Zoot Drops are much easier to enjoy mixed in a drink or cocktail. Think of it like Mio, Kool-Aid or any other concentrated liquid for drinks but with a definite twist.

Afternoon: Bullet cartridges had proved themselves potent and reliable on my first Bronnor diet day (and many days thereafter), but I was much more interested to see how the disposable pen worked. Unlike cartridges, disposable pens have been consistent from the beginning consistently bad. Known for short lives, terrible inhalation and dying if too long unused, disposable hash pens are usually found in the clearance bin. However, new advancement in vaporization and packaging technology has made disposable pens worth another look.

While EvoLab has beaten Bullet to the punch in releasing a quality, reliable disposable pen, the Bullet disposable distillate vaporizer is one of the best I've come across. Bullet's new method of packaging, which Bronnor keeps close to the vest, has enabled enough air flow for even the heaviest dabbers to get a strong buzz. And, oddly enough, I think my Sour Tangie disposable tasted better than the cartridge, which could mean I was vaping the cartridges at too high a temperature at three-plus volts.

Myaderm THC cream on display at the Bronnor facility.

Scott Lentz

Evening: Already a little aloof from one hit too many from the disposable pen, I wasn't in the mood for any more psychoactiveeffects. But some high-CBD cream was just what the Stoner ordered for a stiff shoulder and neck. Myaderm THC, a transdermal cream infused with cannabinoids, is the house topical specialist at Bronnor. With each squeeze, or "pump," of the Myaderm bottle, you should get about five milligrams of THC and two milligrams of CBD. While two pumps wasn't as fast or numbing as Icy Hot or Bengay, the Myaderm did provide a soothing effect, as though someone was gently massaging my painful areas with a warm towel.

As a spry, barely-out-of-shape person in his twenties, I don't need daily doses of Myaderm as much as I do Bronnor's recreational products, so I gave it to my girlfriend, who has chronic elbow pain. She reported less burning pain than usual after two days of application in the morning, and got through her much-dreaded day of moving into a new home with minimal discomfort. My next move might be giving it to my stubborn dad, who has a hurting back that's more stubborn than he is, without telling him what's really inside.

Continued here:
A Fantasy Diet from the Bronnor Corporation's Pot-Infused Factory - Westword

Los Angeles Lakers second year small forward Brandon Ingram struggled in his rookie season. Ingram picked things up after the All-Star break, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team. The Lakers are hoping that he can carry that momentum over into his sophomore campaign and backed him this offseason.

After a rough rookie season, it would not surprise anyone if the Lakers got a little impatient with Ingram. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft finished the season with a well below average 8.5 Player Efficiency Rating and -0.3 win share.

Despite the poor rookie season, the Lakers have confidence in Ingram. They rebuffed any calls from opposing teamsthat included Ingram in trade talks, and the calls were plentiful. Los Angeles wanted no part of including Ingram in trade packages, putting their faith in him. Now, it is time for Ingram to prove them right in putting faith in him.

This offseason Ingram has already been working on his jump shotand has been praised for his improvements. Ingram showcased that jump shot in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Ingram played in only one game because of precaution, but he dominated that game. Ingram poured in 26 points against the Los Angeles Clippers and looked like the best player on the court. The injury was disappointing, but it didnt slow Ingram down.

Ingram has worked hard this summer. He discussed some of his workout plans, as he is in the gym every day. He said he has a different mentality this offseason; hopefully, that translates to the court come the regular season.

In addition to the work Ingram is putting in on the court, he is working on himself off the court. Ingram has revamped his whole diet as well. He revealed what has changed in his eating habits with BiPro USA.

Im eating healthier, getting more vegetables. Ive been picking and choosing more, not eating as much junk food, Ingram said. Ive been getting my nutrition up and drinking more BiPro protein shakes every day as well.

In the article, it was mentioned that Ingram has cut down on junk food such as sweets and fried food. Instead, heenjoys eggs, fruit, potatoes, grilled meat and BiPro shakes.

Here is an example of what Ingram eats in a day.

Breakfast:Omelet with a side of bacon. I also love waffles or French toast when Im craving something sweet.

Pre-workout:BiPro protein shake.

Post-workout:Another BiPro protein shake. Protein rebuilds muscle, so I always have a BiPro Protein Water or smoothie after working out.

Lunch:Sandwich with brown rice and a side salad.

Snack:Peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly is a great snack before a game. I like extra grape jelly on mine.

Dinner:Steak, mashed potatoes and spinach. I like grilled chicken a lot, too. Its a great protein source on top of BiPro.

It is good that Ingram is on an eating plan. Taking one look at him it is evident that he needs to add some bulk to his body to handle the rigors of an NBA season. Eating junk food will help him gain weight, but it wouldnt be good weight gain. By cleaning up his eating habits, Ingram can still gain the necessary weight. However, it will be beneficial to his body more than junk food would be.

Changing your diet is not something that is easy to do, especially when you are a 20-year old kid with the world in your hands. Ingramdedicating himself to cleaning up his diet and working hard in the offseason has to make the Lakers comfortable about investing their future in him.

Read more here:
Los Angeles Lakers Brandon Ingram has revamped diet - Lake Show Life

What really matters about diet and climate, both as independent priorities and at their vital intersection, is not the wild conspiracy theories and whiplash-inducing headlines that bedevil both topics routinely- but what we choose to do daily about each.Climate and diet responses, independent and overlapping, are actionable by each of us, every day.

To inform such action, then, I propose the application of this very brief (two questions, to be exact) Q&A:

Q1) If, despite the application of genuine, hard-earned expertise; volumes of relevant evidence; and substantial if not overwhelming global consensus among actual experts in both cases - we still manage to be UNsure that the prevailing views are right about either diet and health, or global warming and our implication in it- then how can we possibly be sure- based on relative lack of expertise, evidence, and consensus- that they are wrong?

A1) Well, theres this.

Q2) Given the possibility of error (for all of us except these folks) in either direction about climate and/or diet, which way would you rather be wrong?

P.S. for those interested, heres a deep dive into why the most recent round of everything we thought we knew about nutrition is wrong is pure nonsense; and heres a perspective on why we keep going around and around that same circle, getting nowhere.

Senior Medical Advisor, Verywell.com

Continue reading here:
Diet And Climate: A VERY Short Q&A - HuffPost

Chieftain File Photo

A wolf researcher says that an incremental approach to culling wolves from Oregons Harl Butte Pack will likely fail if the wolves have become habituated to eating cattle.

Some wolves may have become habituated to eating cattle. Northeast Oregon cattle ranchers have called for two entire packs to be killed, saying the states incremental approach wont deter voracious wolves.

Tracks indicated a 500-pound calf churned 150 feet up a slope, leaving blood splattered on four logs, before going down in a pile of Meacham Pack wolves. There wasnt much left when a ranch hand found the carcass Aug. 19, perhaps two or three days after the attack.

Most of the calf had been devoured, except the vertebrae with ribs, pelvis and tail still attached. The calfs lower jaw and contents of its rumen were nearby.

It was the packs fourth confirmed attack within a week, all on livestock grazing on a 4,000-acre private forested pasture in the Sheep Creek area of Umatilla County. The producer asked ODFW to take lethal control against the Meacham Pack as allowed under Phase 3 of Oregons wolf management program.

The rancher wanted them all dead. The wildlife agency authorized killing two of them, an incremental approach it had taken earlier in August with Wallowa Countys Harl Butte Pack, which had attacked livestock eight times since July 2016.

In that case, ODFW quickly shot two adult Harl Butte wolves, then a third and fourth in the days that followed as it appeared the pack was still going after calves.

The Oregon Cattlemens Association argued that ODFWs approach was a waste of time. Even with four dead, the Harl Butte Pack consisted of six adults and three growing pups a 33-pound pup was unintentionally trapped, then released unharmed, as ODFW pursued the adults.

The Meacham Pack, meanwhile, had seven members at the end of 2016 and added at least four pups this past spring. As Wallowa County rancher Todd Nash put it, big dogs eat a lot of meat.

The apparent spike in livestock attacks in August raised questions. ODFW said Oregons unusually warm and dry summer even Portland went 57 days without rain caused deer and elk to move to higher ground. With their natural prey more scarce, wolves then turned to attacking cattle, went the explanation.

But as Northeast Oregon research scientist Jim Akenson pointed out, deer and elk go to higher ground every summer. Thats not new, although conditions were more severe this year.

Instead, Akenson believes the packs may be habituated to eating cattle. For that reason, he said, ODFWs incremental response killing two adults at a time and monitoring the effect on pack behavior probably wont work. Once the pack members flip that switch in terms of prey selection, it is tough to deter them, he said.

Theyre habituated to easy pickings, Akenson said. Plucking out a couple individuals is probably not going to change that behavior.

Akenson is conservation director for the Oregon Hunters Association. His wife, Holly Akenson, is a wildlife biologist and member of the ODFW Commission, which is expected to revise and adopt the states wolf management plan this year.

The Akensons live in Enterprise and have extensive wildlife and wilderness experience in the Pacific Northwest.

ODFW does not characterize the wolves as habituated to livestock.

Spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy noted that only one confirmed calf kill was attributed to the Harl Butte Pack in a months time, meaning the wolves are clearly relying on native prey (deer and elk) as their primary food source.

John Stephenson, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist based in Southwest Oregon, said larger packs tend to go after livestock.

Theres a relationship between pack size and increased incidents of depredation, he said.

Location is another factor. He said the Harl Butte Pack operates where several herds graze on a mix of public and private land. All of its attacks over the past year were within nine miles of each other, according to ODFW.

The Imnaha Pack formerly prowled the territory and was known for attacking livestock. ODFW shot four Imnaha Pack wolves in April 2016 after repeated attacks on calves and sheep.

Dennehy, the ODFW spokeswoman, agreed deer and elk move to higher elevation in late summer and fall. The Harl Butte Pack has not followed them to higher ground, but remains in a more limited geographic area than the predecessor Imnaha Pack used.

This may be due to another pack or group of wolves using territory at higher elevation, she said in an email. Meanwhile, all of the Meacham Packs attacks in August took place on the same private pasture.

As of Aug. 30, none of the Meacham Pack had been killed.

Conservation groups oppose killing wolves and have asked, without success, for Gov. Kate Brown to intervene in ODFWs decisions. The groups, including Oregon Wild, believe ODFW should not be taking lethal action until Oregons outdated wolf management plan is reviewed and revised. The ODFW Commission is expected to take action on the plan this year.

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More:
Scientist: Wolves 'habituated' to eating cattle never change their diet - Wallowa County Cheiftain

A new therapy changes the balance of osteoblasts (pictured here) and fat cells in the bone marrow, leading to stronger bones.

Science Picture Co/Science Source

By Emma YasinskiSep. 5, 2017 , 2:59 PM

A drug that can reverse diabetes and obesity in mice may have an unexpected benefit: strengthening bones. Experiments with a compound called TNP (2,4,6-trinitrophenol, which is also known as picric acid), which researchers often use to study obesity and diabetes, show that in mice the therapy can promote the formation of new bone. Thats in contrast to many diabetes drugs currently in wide use that leave patients bones weaker. If TNP has similar effects in humans, it may even be able to stimulate bone growth after fractures or prevent bone loss due to aging or disuse.

As more and more patients successfully manage diabetes with drugs that increase their insulin sensitivity, doctors and researchers have observed a serious problem: Thedrugs seem to decrease the activity of cells that produce bone, leaving patients prone to fractures and osteoporosis.

There are millions and millions of people that have osteoporosis [with or without diabetes], and it's not something we can cure, says Sean Morrison, a stem cell researcher at University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. We need new agents that promote bone formation.

Morrison and his colleagues have shown that a high-fat diet causes mice to develop bones that contain more fat and less bone. The diet increased the levels of leptina hormone produced by fat cells that usually signals satiety in the brainin the bone marrow, which promoted the development of fat cells instead of bone cells. That suggests that nutrition has a direct effect on the balance of bone and fat in the bone marrow.

After reading Morrisons work, Siddaraju Boregowda, a stem cell researcher at the Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Florida, was reminded of genetically altered mice that dont gain body fat or develop diabetes, even when fed high-fat diets. He and his boss, stem cell researcher Donald Phinney, wondered whetherthose mice were also protected from the fattening of the bone marrow that accompanies a high-fat diet.

They contacted Anutosh Chakraborty, a molecular biologist who was studying such mice down the hall at Scripps at the time. The animals lack the gene for an enzyme called inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 1 (IP6K1), which is known to play a role in fat accumulation and insulin sensitivity. The scientists suspected that the lost enzyme might affect the animals' mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)stem cells found in the bone marrow that are capable of developing into both thebone cells and fat cells that make up our skeletons. If too many fat cells develop, they take the place of bone cells, weakening the bone.

The researchers fed genetically altered and normal mice a high-fat diet for 8weeks. Not only did the genetically altered mice develop fewer fat cells than their normal counterparts, but their production of bone cells was higher than that of the normal mice, the team reported last month in Stem Cells.

The scientists then set out to see whetherthey could use a drug to achieve the same effect in normal mice. For 8weeks, they fed normal mice a high-fat diet and gave them daily injections of either TNP, a well-known IP6K1 inhibitor, or a placebo. When they analyzed the animals bones and marrow, they found that mice that had received TNP had significantly more bone cells, fewer fat cells, and greater overall bone area. The IP6K1 inhibitor apparently protected the mice from the detrimental effects of the high-fat diet.

The study provided thesurprising result that one new therapy currently being explored to lower insulin resistance promotes, rather than decreases, the formation of bone in mice, says DarwinProckop,a stem cell researcher at Texas A&M College of Medicine in Temple, who was not involved in the work.

The researchers still need to figure out how to deliver TNPs effects only to MSCs, instead of the entire body, given that it sometimes blocks other enzymes along with IP6K1. Inhibition of IP6K1 is a promising target for patients with both diabetes and obesity, Boregowda says. He says he and his colleagues are now enthusiastic about testing their findings in a wide range of bone-related diseases and disorders. It might even help heal broken bones, he speculates.

Phinney, on the other hand, is aiming even higher. He wonders whetherthe therapy could also be useful for space travel, because bones are especially vulnerable to deterioration in zero gravity. Its a whole new field of science and drug discovery.

The rest is here:
New therapy could protect diabetic bones - Science Magazine

Baltimore, MD, Sept. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Plant based diets are commonly used to promote weight loss as well as a healthier lifestyle and as a result, people are flocking to this style of dieting without seeking medical guidance. Dr. Nishant Rao, medical director of Diet Doc medical weight loss warns that these assumptions arent based on the facts and can lead to some serious health consequences. Dr. Rao says that, Plant based dieting is based in large part on The China Study. The China Study is a pro-vegan book written by Colin T Campbell which observes the connection between animal products and common illnesses. While the book presents a compelling link between protein and such illnesses, Dr. Rao states that The China Study is, severely flawed using rat models with no following through on long term outcomes, since the study omitted the data that the rats fed higher protein actually lived longer than the ones on the lower protein plant based diet.

Nevertheless, adding more plants to the diet is always a good decision. However, Dr. Rao says that, Omitting various types of protein with the sole intent of reducing fat to help with coronary artery disease was the initial purpose. Since then, weve come to understand that dietary fat is not a large contributor to CAD and that inflammation and other factors play a larger role. Essentially, adherence to a plant based diet tends to have more philosophical reasons than health based reasons (which are often cherry picked and lacking the bigger picture). Dr. Rao reiterates the importance that protein has within the human diet. Humans are generally best served by following an omnivorous diet to which we are biologically suited for with macronutrient guidelines based on body metrics and activity level. Plant based diets offer no metabolic advantage and in fact, over an omnivorous, medically-supervised eating program tailored to suit each individuals metabolic requirements like Diet Docs is the surest bet for rapid and healthy weight loss.

New Diet Doc patients can call or easily and effortlessly visit https://www.dietdoc.com to complete an initial comprehensive, yet simple, health questionnaire and schedule an immediate personal, no-cost consultation. Diet Doc Physicians all received specialized training in nutritional science and fast weight loss. Diet Doc reviews each patients 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 patients 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 Diet Doc patients report incredible weight loss results with the majority losing 20 or more pounds per month.

At Diet Doc, all patients gain unlimited access to the best minds in the business. Their staff of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and coaches are available 6 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 Diet Doc 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:

Diet Doc Weight Loss 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, Diet Doc 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.

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Providing care across the USA

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800-311-5610

Info@DietDoc.com

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Original post:
Diet Doc's Dr. Nishant Rao Challenges the Health Assumptions of Plant-Based Diets - GlobeNewswire (press release)

While What the Health? gets some things right about plant-based diets, local dietitians were shocked by some of its overstatements and nebulous health claims.

When I watched the documentary What the Health? a few months ago, I quickly realized that I wasnt watching a documentary about the benefits of plant-based diets I was watching a propaganda film. What the Health? has a very strong pro-vegan agenda, with information tailored to support that agenda and footage edited for maximum drama. Whats more, the film makes a number of nebulous health claims, including miracle cure type testimonials that are literally too good to be true.

The final straw came when some of my patients who had watched the film told me they felt guilty and even scared that they had been poisoning themselves by eating milk, meat, poultry, eggs and fish. But before totally writing the film off, I decided to consult two of my favorite Seattle dietitians: Chris Vogliano, MS, RD, LD, who speaks frequently on how plant-based diets can improve the health of people and the planet, and Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN, CSO, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and past chair of the Academys Vegetarian Nutrition dietetic practice group.

After hearing rants and raves about this film for weeks, I decided it was time to check it out myself, Vogliano said. Within the first 20 minutes, I was shocked by the overstatements and bias presented. While there are sprinkles of validity, this film is ripe with cherry picking and over-exaggerations. What the Health? is promoting a 100 percent plant-based, vegan diet. Can vegan diets be healthy? Absolutely. Must we all be vegan to be healthy? Absolutely not.

Hultin said she loves to hear people becoming more interested in plant-based diets whether vegan, vegetarian or simply eating less meat. There are a lot of reasons to eat less meat but none of them should stem from fear, she said. I worry that this is the approach What the Health? took.

The research in support of plant-based diets is strong, likely because they are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber, while being lower in saturated fat. Hultin said theres good reason to learn more about the benefits and versatility of plant-based meals. Vegetarians and vegans are at reduced risk of many health conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity, she said. There are a lot of very valid, supportive resources on how to incorporate more plant foods or even become a vegetarian or vegan if that sounds interesting.

On the environmental front, Vogliano said the film makes a valid point that industrial animal mega-farms disproportionately affect the health of their neighbors. Animal agriculture is the leading source of water pollution, and one of the leading causes of air pollution in the United States, he said. As you can imagine, those living around these mega-farms are subject to higher rates of this pollution simply due to proximity. These neighbors are mostly of a lower socioeconomic status, and mostly people of color. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Also true, he said, are the films claims that dioxins are primarily found in meat and pose major health concerns especially for small children and pregnant women. Dioxins are a byproduct of our coal-based energy industry, and these chemicals settle onto cereal grains. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that dioxins travel up the food chain from cereal grain to animals, and most of our exposure comes in the form of animal fat. Trimming fat and eating low-fat dairy can help reduce exposure.

Dioxins aside, the film exaggerates what science says about health risks of animal foods while dismissing concerns about sugar. Research does show that excessive amounts of animal protein and fat may not do our health any favors, but the filmmakers make the leap that a little is just as bad as a lot. Research does not support that. The film also claims that processed meats are as dangerous as cigarettes because the World Health Organization lists both as Group 1 Carcinogens, which means that there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenity. It doesnt mean they carry equal risk.

The promotion of a plant-based diet is strong in this film, almost to a fault, Vogliano said. If you eat meat youre not going to die, consuming eggs is not as bad as smoking cigarettes, and cheese is not basically cow pus.

The idea that we can completely control our health based on how we eat is an enticing one. The reality is that a healthful diet can reduce but not eliminate our risk of disease. In todays food culture, its easy to demonize a specific food or food group, but the truth is that its your overall eating pattern that matters most. Studies show that diets without meat are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases, Hultin said. That doesnt mean that if you eat meat, automatically you are unhealthy. And it doesnt mean that every vegetarian or vegan is automatically healthy.

Are food documentaries little better than entertainment or do they offer some valid food for thought? Hultin thinks they can inspire change and offer a new perspective, but that its important to assess whether the information is balanced and evidence-based.

Some documentaries take a black-and-white, all-or-nothing approach, but health and nutrition just dont work that way, she said. I hope that post-What the Health? people dont radically change their diets without assessing whether or not these changes are right for their bodies and their lifestyles. I also hope that people dont get frustrated and discredit vegans and vegetarians as extremists because of this one documentary.

Its a sentiment Vogliano echoes. There are some major truths in this film that are unfortunately hidden by overstated embellishments wrapped in fear, he said. Sadly, this is a missed opportunity for those like myself who advocate for a predominantly plant-based diet to improve the health of our bodies and reduce our environmental footprint.

See the article here:
'What the Health?' documentary takes pro-vegan agenda too far - The Seattle Times

It will likely be some time before common wisdom admits that a proper diet, as it relates to health, is multifactorial. Scores of diet books released every month, which sell thousands of copies until the next crop of diet books is published, usually point to a single factor: sugar, processed food, blood type, ketosis, kale.

Nutrition is complex. Genes matter, but so does environment. What you ate growing up. How much sleep youre getting. Cortisol levels. The amount of sex youre having. Psychological stability. Microbiome. Fitness regimen. Technology addiction. Health is not just what you put into your body. This is why diet books, and diets in general, mostly do not work.

This is not to imply that your diet doesnt matter. Its an important factor, arguably more relevant for body composition, obesity, and mental health than others. While the benefits and detriments of what we eat is often debatable, there are certain facts we can be confident about, such as the damaging and deadly effects of too much sugar.

One major problem is study size. A sample of a hundred people is not going to be that trustworthy. But the recent Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE)study followed 135,335 adults in eighteen countries. It factored in what few other studies do: income level. And it followed each individual for over seven years, linking diet with mortality and cardiovascular disease, as well as strokes and non-cardiovascular disease mortality.

Specifically the team, led by Dr Mashid Dehghan, an Investigator for the Nutrition Epidemiology program at the Population Health Research Institute, looked at the effects of nutrients:

Participants were categorised into quintiles of nutrient intake (carbohydrate, fats, and protein) based on percentage of energy provided by nutrients. We assessed the associations between consumption of carbohydrate, total fat, and each type of fat with cardiovascular disease and total mortality.

Their conclusion upends decades of dietary guidelines:

High carbohydrate intake was associated with higher risk of total mortality, whereas total fat and individual types of fat were related to lower total mortality. Total fat and types of fat were not associated with cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular disease mortality, whereas saturated fat had an inverse association with stroke. Global dietary guidelines should be reconsidered in light of these findings.

PURE participants who consumed at least 35 percent of calories from fat were 23 percent less likely to die than those who received 10 percent or less from fat. Interestingly, the higher the fat intake, the less their chances of a stroke. More revealingly, those who took in 77 percent of calories from carbohydrates were 28 percent more likely to die than those who consumed under 46 percent.

Being an observational study, researchers stopped shy of speculating on cause and effect. They point to previous advice regarding lower saturated fatty acids being key to health is based on only one ecological study and a handful of observational studies in only a few countries. They also challenge the notion of a linear relationship between cardiovascular disease and LDL cholesterol.

Interestingly, researchers even challenge the wisdom of eating too many vegetables. There was no difference in mortality rates between those who ate three-four servings of veggies and those eating eight or more every day. Instead they placed emphasis on the role of fruit and seeds.

In a nutshell, a healthy diet based on the PURE results would be rich in fruits, beans, seeds, vegetables, and fats, include dollops of whole grains, and be low in refined carbohydrates and sugars.

As stated, health is multifactorial. Income levels matter. Employment conditions matter. Stress matters. But the more researchers tease apart these factors and hone in on an optimal diet, its clear that a carbohydrate-heavy diet, especially one including processed foods and added sugars, is not leading anyone on the road to optimal health.

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Derek is the author ofWhole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body For Optimal Health. Based in Los Angeles he is working on a new book about spiritual consumerism. Stay in touch onFacebookandTwitter.

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New Study Reveals a Diet Rich in Fats and Fruits Is Optimal - Big Think

In the ever-more masochistic world of wellness-boosting, pound-shedding diets, the latest trend involves putting your body into a controlled state of starvation known as ketogenesis, by cutting out nearly all carbs. If that doesnt sound like your particular brand of torture, guess what? Youre already on it. Well, at least while youre sleeping.

Two independent studies published Tuesday in the journal Cell Metabolism raise hopes that ketogenic diets, if followed full-time, do more than just slim waists. They also appear to improve the odds of living longer and remembering better if youre a mouse. The same effects have yet to be proven in humans, and plans for that are in the works. But in the meantime, self-experimenting biohackers (i.e. dieters) are collecting anecdotal evidence all around the world.

Every time you wake up from a solid snooze and exhale out the fiery iron breath of a thousand rotting apple cores, thats the taste of the keto lifestyle. That smell is acetone, and a little bit of it in the morning is a normal sign of a healthy metabolism. Over millennia, humans evolved a backup energy production system, for when glucoseyour bodys main fuel sourcegets depleted. Like during a famine, or just a good long nap. The goal of keto diets is to switch your body over to to this alternative metabolic pathway not just at night, but during your waking hours as well. By limiting carbs to just a few grams per day, your body begins to rely on its fat stores instead, and voila, epic weight loss.

That works pretty well for things like your heart and lungs and muscles. But your brainthat electrical power suck, which consumes about a quarter of your daily caloriescant burn fats. So in the absence of glucose, it snacks on something called ketone bodies, which are a byproduct of fatty acid metabolism in the liver, hence keto diets. Now, you dont have to run a clinical trial to start selling keto cookbooks, and you dont have to present statistically sound results to buy out late-night infomercial slots for bulletproof coffee. But the popularity of keto lifestyles has so far outstripped the scientific evidence for not only how it works, but even whether or not it works at all.

(Unless you're an epileptic; the altered metabolism reduces levels of glutamate in the brain, which has been proven to lower the risk for seizures. In fact, the first ketogenic diet was developed by the Mayo Clinic as an epilepsy treatment.)

There have been some clues though, over the years, that ketone metabolism might have some additional benefits. Back in 2010, molecular biologist Eric Verdin changed the way people thought about ketone bodiesin particular, one called beta hydroxybutyrate, or BHB. Scientists in his lab at the Buck Institute for Research and Aging observed that BHB wasn't just a passive fuel floating around the brain. It was sending out signals and modifying molecular pathways in the brain to reduce inflammation and other damage caused by free radicals. That got researchers thinking that BHB could have anti-aging propertiesand so would ketogenic diets.

So three years ago, Verdin and other scientists at the Buck and UC Davis began raising young mice, feeding them standard lab chow until they were a year old. For some of them, that was the last time a carb ever crossed their lips. About a third of the mice went on a ketogenic diet, spending the next few years consuming 90 percent of their calories from fats and the rest from protein supplements. In one of the studies, that steady supply of soybean oil and lard made them live longer by about four months. In the other, the sugar-starved mice performed better than their carbed cohort at a variety of maze problems designed to test their memory and ability to recognize new things.

Were very excited to see such a profound effect on brain function, says Verdin. But he says its important to remember that mice studies are just the first step. Our results dont imply this is going to work in humans. For that, well need extensive clinical trials.

In some ways, the mouse brain is a very good model for what happens inside a human skull. After all, electric signals zipping around a mouse brain have to follow the same laws of physics that they do inside a persons. But there are some key differences when it comes to ketones. For one thing, humans have more capacity to metabolize the molecules than almost any other animal. Thousands of years ago, as early humans were gathering tubers and greens and learning how to kill big game, mice were doing what theyd done since the demise of the dinosaurseat seeds and grains. With such different systems for digesting and breaking down proteins, fats, and sugars, it's far from sure that human brains will respond identically to an all-ketone-all-the-time routine.

Its a harder question to ask in humans, one that hasnt been studied very extensively, says Emily Deans, an evolutionary psychologist who specializes in the connections between nutrition and mental health. We dont have a good way to get into the brain to see exactly whats happening with metabolism. Healthy people arent exactly going to line up for elective brain biopsies.

Deans says what scientists really need are some well-controlled clinical trials to see how ketogenic diets impact people over the long term. She has hopes they might one day help some of her patients, who suffer from things like bipolar disorder and PTSD. But getting people to participate in a trial that takes away things that help to cope with their diseaseslike candy and other pleasure-center-hitting foodsis no small task. Thats something Verdin has thought about too. Which is why his lab is already moving forward to capture the protective effects of ketogenic diets in something more palatable: a pill.

Theyve begun synthesizing precursors to BHB and feeding them to mice. After following the rodents for a few years, they'll look to see if the molecule on its own provides the same protective effects as an all-Crisco diet. If it works, clinical trials would be next. And unlike a diet, which can't be patented or easily monetized, a supplement could be something pharma companies (and bread-lovers) can get behind.

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These Mice Stopped Eating Carbs So You (Maybe) Don't Have To - WIRED

TONIGHT ITV begins its brand new diet comparison show, Save Money: Lose Weight, which will help make you lighter without making your purse light.

Here's all you need to know about the novel new series...

Save Money: Lose Weight begins at 7.30pm tonight (Tuesday, September 5).

The show is preceded by Emmerdale at 7pm.

It lasts an hour and a half, finishing at 9pm, and isthen followed by Lisa Riley's Baggy Body Club.

The show will then return for five more episodes - focusing on other subjects - in a 30-minute format, under the title Save Money: Good Health.

Mixing factual analysis with a TV experiment, the show aims to find out which "off the shelf" diets are the best value for money.

Six overweight Brits will be put on six of these diets for a period of 28 days.

Then, the amount they spend will be compared to how much weight they lose, in order to work out which diet is the best deal - in terms of cash saved and weight lost.

The diets that will be tested in the show are Diet Book by Tom Kerridge, Slimming Club by Slimming World, the On-line Meal Replacement by Exante, the Weight Watchers diet, Juicing Reboot With Joe Cross and the Jane plan of Home Delivery Meals.

The results of the diets will be revealed in the show.

The presenters in charge of finding out the truth behind the diet fads are Sian Williams and Dr Ranj Singh, the resident This Morning medic.

Welsh presenter Sian is known for her work presenting BBC news programmes including BBC Breakfast and Sunday Morning Live - plus Crimewatch and 5 News At 5.

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CHRISTINE'S DOGGY BAG TV presenter Christine Lampard, 38, takes her beloved dog Minnie to the pub inside a designer bag

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When is Save Money: Lose Weight on ITV tonight, who are Sian Williams and Ranj Singh and which diets are featured? - The Sun