Category Archives: Diet And Food

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The protein powder aisle is beginning to look like the cereal aisle. Dozens of options, an abundance of ingredients and colorful packaging, with promises of better health. The market for more protein in the American diet has arrived and its not going away. The attraction to protein as a weight-loss and muscle-building nutrient has exploded so exponentially that many of us may be getting more than medical experts think we need.

Recently, a story came out about a woman who died after consuming an extremely high-protein diet. She was a body builder and suffered from a rare genetic condition called urea cycle disorder. This condition is an inborn error of metabolism and can be diagnosed in both children and adults. Those who have it may have a diminished ability to break down protein in the correct manner. As a consequence, the byproducts of protein don't leave the body like they should. Instead, they build up in the blood, and can cause coma or death.

Why You Should Eat More Protein at Breakfast Play Video - 1:07

Why You Should Eat More Protein at Breakfast Play Video - 1:07

According to the National Urea Cycles Disorder Foundation, the condition may be mild, and undiagnosed for years if the individual carrying it produces enough enzymes to remove these protein byproducts from the blood. Its when the body is pushed to the limit that problems may occur. An excessively high intake of protein can be one of these stressors.

Death from too much protein intake is not something you hear of every day, but there are certainly people who should focus on getting less (not more) protein in their diets. For example, individuals who have chronic kidney disease, certain diseases of the liver as well as phenylketonuria (PKU) and other inherited disorders all require a low-protein diet.

On the opposite end of this are populations that need more protein: endurance or weight-training athletes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, individuals recovering from surgery or injury and elderly. Then, there's the rest of us. Whats the protein sweet spot for everyone inside the extreme ranges and can we keep including all the bars, powders and liquids safety and effectively?

Unlike other macro and micronutrients, there remains no official standard defining an upper limit for protein consumption, and most government standards recommend a bare bone minimum to be assessed by a universal calculation that takes your weight in kilograms multiplied by 0.8. For example, if you are a healthy, 150-pound woman, your low end of protein would start at 54.5 grams per day, and as for your high end, theres really no agreement on what that is.

Breakfast protein (without eggs): Try Joy's chocolate banana oatmeal! Play Video - 1:16

Breakfast protein (without eggs): Try Joy's chocolate banana oatmeal! Play Video - 1:16

Many experts believe we are getting way more than we need, but despite the very clear evidence that too many protein-rich foods like red and processed meat can lead to heart disease and cancer, its unclear whether doubling down from other sources (such as plants) is negatively impacting health.

Protein has often been described as the building block of life. Thats because all of our cells including those that make up your hair, skin, bones, muscles and organs like your heart, brain and liver contain protein. Youd be dead without it. Protein is a must if you want to grow and thrive.

What has more protein: Eggs or Greek yogurt? Play Video - 4:08

What has more protein: Eggs or Greek yogurt? Play Video - 4:08

Thats probably not whats driving the protein craze though. After all, how often do you think of your cells, or whats keeping them all alive? Whats driving this is our desire to be thin and maintain, or build muscle. Protein, according to research, appears to play a positive role in both. This explains why new protein powders are coming out every week and why so many of us are turning to them to get that added boost.

Bottom line: Should we take a chill on this very hot macronutrient? Will death by protein be the next fear derived from food?

My advice to my patients is this: Embrace protein and the many benefits it can provide to health, but resist the urge to triple or quadruple your recommended amounts on a regular basis by downing protein drinks the way you would water. Going to this extreme may mean you're skimping out on other important macronutrients, like healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. While it may not lead to death in relatively healthy individuals, too much for too long may put too much stress on your kidneys, which can lead to other serious problems.

4 ways to add more protein to your salad Play Video - 5:35

4 ways to add more protein to your salad Play Video - 5:35

Some liquid forms of protein and protein powders and drinks can be loaded with additional supplements and herbs, added sugar or excess amounts of sugar alcohols (which can lead to diarrhea) or artificial sweeteners.

Just like any other dietary choice, youll want to find the options that best fit your goals. If youre a vegetarian or dairy intolerant, your best bet is a plant-based option made with pea, soy, hemp or rice. If you're not interested in a plant-based form, then whey, or bone broth products may work best for you.

Do your research, and try a few single packet options before you settle on buying an entire vat of it. A powder or drink can never mimic whole foods, so use them as a way to boost your protein for one meal, or after a workout, for example, but not exclusively.

You can get plenty of protein in the day by adding in small amounts at each meal, like sprinkling hemp seed in your yogurt in the morning, enjoying canned wild salmon over a salad for lunch, munching on roasted chick peas as a snack and ending the day with a grilled tempeh sandwich. In the world of food, you can have too much of ANY good thing. Protein included.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, R.D., is the manager of wellness nutrition services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, and the author of "Skinny Liver." Follow her on Twitter @KristinKirkpat. For more simple swaps to improve your life, sign up for our One Small Thing newsletter.

Continued here:
Is our love of protein hurting our health? Make sure you're eating the right amount - Today.com

This is the diet that has absolutely nothing to do with eating but thats proven to bewaymore effective in getting you healthy than any other regimen.

According to a study published inThe Lancet, sleep is crucial for metabolic function and hormone stability. Hormones and metabolism play a pivotal role in health, affecting everything fromdiabetes preventionto heart disease risk.

When participants sleep was restricted,they experienced an increase in stress hormonesand a decrease in the speed of their metabolism.

Another studyfound that a lack of sleep contributed to a sharp decrease in leptin the hormone responsible for regulating fat storage. They also witnessed an increase in ghrelin a hormone that increases appetite.

If youre not sleeping enough,youre obviously going to be tired. Your body is going to get stressed and start sending signals to your body to put on weight. The weight, from your bodys perspective, is there as a reservoir of energy. When you feel tired, its suspicious that it might need it.

You dont have tocut the carbs off your hamburger, start drinking wellness shots that taste more like grass than juice, orchoke down harsh sips of apple cider vinegarto foster a better relationship with your body.

All you have to do is simple: Sleep.

Not before you eat, not excessively, not five times a day, or whatever other wild ideas are ricocheting through your mind.

Just sleepenough. And sleep well.

Of course, this is easier said than done. Thats where the concept of the diet comes in. Diets are often seen as temporary a short-term set of rules to carry you through a healthy change or two that hopefully sticks after its over, when the clock strikes midnight andboomyou can eat pasta again.

With food,diets dont work. Theyre often extreme, restrictive, andleave you drooling desirously over a cupcakeyou never even blinked at before. That doesnt happen on a sleep diet. You dont crave consciousness when you start to get enough sleep. If youre somehow taking it to the extreme (i.e., getting toomuchsleep) youll just wake up. Its the equivalent of accidentally eating a doughnut if youve gone too far and prohibited dessert.

The sleep diet, if done effectively, works. Its just not easy. Heres how to do it:

1. Set a time frame for the diet. One week is a good place to start.

2. Set your own rules. How much sleep do you want to get each night? Figure out the bedtime you would need to follow to accomplish the desired number of hours. Write it down.

3. For the time frame of your diet,stick to your bedtime. Thats the only rule to which this diet adheres. Its easy to remember, but surprisingly difficult to do.

But before you say, No, I cant do that, think about it for a second. Is it any harder than a typical diet? With those, you often have to eliminate entire sectors of your life. Happy hour with your coworkers?No drinking. Birthday cake with the kids for their birthday? Not for you!

Why do we perceive sleep asmoreextreme than those other restrictions restrictions that arent even all that good for you?

Sleep, on the other hand, is great for you. With a few extra hours of rest under your belt,youre likely to gravitate naturally towards your healthiest weight andfeelmuch better, too.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Meal

Here is the original post:
The 'sleep diet' may be the simplest way to maintain a healthy weight - Fox News

Screenshot: Serenity Kids

The Paleo diet may well turn out to be the fad diet our decade is remembered fornever mind that it probably has very little to do with how our Stone Age ancestors actually ate.

Now someone has dressed up the diet and bottled itliterallyso that Paleo dieters everywhere can also feed the paleo diet to their offspring. A company named Serenity Kids plans to launch this month with a line of liquid baby food that has the highest meat content of any pouched baby food on the market. Offerings for little cave babies include liquified uncured bacon with organic kale and butternut squash, free-range chicken with peas and carrots and grass-fed beef with kale and sweet potato. A pack of six 4-ounce pouches goes for $27.

I just couldnt believe that nothing existed that would be something I would want to feed my own baby, proprietor Serenity Heegel, AKA Paleo Mom, explained to Food Navigator.

Now, there is something troubling about packaging a fad diet for babies.

Paleo dieters stick to foods that supposedly would have been available to Paleolithic humans the idea being that these foods are easier for our body to process. That means non-processed foods uncovered by foraging or killing animals for meatso no dairy and no grains. The diet has faced its fair share of criticism. For starters, there is pretty significant evidence suggesting its nothing like like the diet actual Paleolithic human sustained. And while some research has suggested it may have health benefits and help with weight loss, at this point that work is still inconclusive, giving people little to rely on besides anecdotal evidence.

None of that is to say that the diet is actually unhealthy. But some have suggested it might be when it comes to kids.

In 2015, when Australian publishers sought to release a Paleo diet book aimed at new moms, health experts stepped in with concerns. Doctors said that the recipes contained ten times more vitamin A than is considered safe for children. The recipes also lacked other important nutrients. The book was never released.

Experts have suggested that the diets restrictions on carbohydrates and extremely high levels of protein could hamper childhood development. Eating less sugar and processed foods sounds like a good idea, but it could mean kids arent kidding all the nutrients they need.

I do not advise parents to put their children on a Paleo diet, Angela Lemond, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and registered dietitian nutritionist wrote in Food and Nutrition.

You wouldnt feed your kid Soylent or SlimFast right? Bottom line: Fad diets are probably not a great idea for babies.

See the original post here:
Um, You Can Now Buy the Paleo Diet in a Bottle for Babies - Gizmodo

Men who took high doses of vitamin B for years had a significantly higher chance of getting lung cancer, according to a new study.

Vitamin B6 and B12 has been previously found to have a protective effect against the disease but researchers who studied more than 77,000 people in the US concluded it appeared to be a double-edged sword.

Taking supplements containing thousands of times the recommended daily dose over a period of 10 years was associated with a 30 to 40 per cent increased risk of lung cancer, but only among men, not women, they found.

Smokers appeared to be more strongly affected by regularly taking vitamins B6 and B12 in high doses, with a three and four times higher risk of getting lung cancer for the two supplement respectively.

However other experts commenting on the research suggested the findings had been "over-dramatised" and should be taken with a "pinch of salt".

The researchers, from Ohio State University and the National Taiwan University, pointed out that most Americans already received enough vitamin B in their diet and so did not need to take more.

The people in the survey may have been taking extra vitamins in the belief that it would help stave off cancer. But the researchers wrote in the Journal of Clinical Oncology: These B-vitamins may have a double-edged sword effect on lung cancer in possessing dual effects that [are] time and dose-dependent.

Our study found that consuming high-dose individual B6 and B12 vitamin supplements over a 10-year period is associated with increased lung cancer risk, especially in male smokers.

Consistent with prior evidence of harm for other vitamin supplements on lung cancer risk in male smokers, the associations we observed provides evidence that high-dose B6 and B12 supplements should not be taken for lung cancer prevention and may, in fact, increase the risk of this disease in men.

They noted that half the US adult population uses at least one form of dietary supplement.

Dr Theodore Brasky, one of the researchers, stressed their results related to people who were taking unusually large amounts of the two vitamins.

Our data shows that taking high doses of B6 and B12 over a very long period of time could contribute to lung cancer incidence rates in male smokers. This is certainly a concern worthy of further evaluation, he said. These are doses that can only be obtained from taking high-dose B vitamin supplements, and these supplements are many times the US Recommended Dietary Allowance.

They are now carrying out two further studies: one to see whether the results among men are repeated in another similarly large study and another to examine whether there is no elevated risk among post-menopausal women.

However the other experts expressed caution about drawing any firm conclusions from the study.

Dr Kourosh Ahmadi, of Surrey University, described it asa credible and powerful prospective observational study but added it was likely that very, very few people would take such high doses of the vitamins.

And he added that: First and foremost, I think the take-home message would be that the study shows that normal supplemental use is not observationally associated with lung cancer per se.

This is not emphasised enough in the paper and I feel the over-dramatization of the conclusion may have a negative influence on the lay public.

Dr Ahmadi also raised methodological concerns, saying that there are only two or three nominally significant results for the highest dose categories which suggest very few subjects contributed to the highlighted associations.

And Professor Paul Pharoah, of Cambridge University, said the studys headline results should be taken with a pinch of salt.

The most likely explanation for those findings is statistical chance, he said.

The authors have investigated many sub-groups and they have focused on the results that are most significant.

Previous randomised controlled trials have found little evidence of association for supplementation of these vitamins on lung cancer risk.

In summary, this in an intriguing finding, but it cannot be considered definitive. While it is possible that the findings are real, the most likely explanation is statistical chance.

He recommended people should get the essential vitamins required for good health from a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, rather than from taking supplements.

The Department of Health pointed to the "clear guidance" provided on the NHS Choices website about vitamins. For vitamin B6, it recommends about 1.4mg a day for men and 1.2mg a day for women. "You should be able to get all the vitamin B6 you need from your daily diet," it adds.

But the website warns: "When taking a supplement, it's important not to take too much. Taking more than 200mg a day of vitamin B6 for a long time can lead to a loss of feeling in the arms and legs known as peripheral neuropathy.

"This will usually improve once you stop taking the supplements. But in a few cases when people have taken large amounts of vitamin B6 particularly for more than a few months the effect can be permanent.

"Taking doses of 10-200mg a day for short periods may not cause any harm. But there's not enough evidence to say how long these doses could be taken for safely."

For B12, it recommended adults need about 1.5mcg a day and that people who eat meat, fish or dairy should get enough from their diet. Vegans, however, might not get enough this way and should get specialist advice.

NHS Choices said there was "not enough evidence to show what the effects may be of taking high doses of vitamin B12 supplements each day".

Continued here:
Vitamin B supplements linked to lung cancer in men, finds new study - The Independent

When it comes to nutrition, most people have a pretty good handle on what foods are healthy and what foods have a negative impact on their overall health. The bigger question though is: whats missing? While eating fresh fruits and veggies, good fats like those from olive and coconut oil, and protein and fiber-rich foods may be very important to your nutrition, you may be missing one key ingredient: the sun.

The sun provides UV rays, which our skin cells use to manufacture vitamin D. The caveat to sun exposure is that too much is just that too much. Overexposure to the sun can actually destroy all of the vitamin D your skin produces, and, not only that, can lead to increased risk of skin cancer (Yikes! No thank you.). Depending on their complexion, the average person only needs 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight in order to create enough vitamin D to reach their daily needs. So, as much as youd like to work on your tan, do it safely, and keep in mind that youre affecting your overall health when you get a sunburn.

Ok, so whats so important about vitamin D?

There are some pretty awful effects that having a vitamin D-deficient diet can have on the human body. A lack of vitamin D has been associated with heart disease, an increased risk of various cancers, depression, and fatigue in men and women alike, with women also being susceptible to osteoporosis later in life. Aside from all of that, vitamin D is necessary to metabolize calcium, which our body uses to strengthen our bones.

The precursors for vitamin D deficiency may be a little less obvious in men, as the only symptoms they may have are muscle weakness or fatigue, but for women it may play a factor in their menstrual cycle. A regular cycle can be an indicator of bone health, and having an irregular or light cycle can be the bodys way of saying, Your estrogen levels are out of whack!. Estrogen plays a significant role in maintaining healthy bones in both men and women (Im man enough to talk about my estrogen levels, are you?). But according to studies, most women delayed seeing their doctor because they didnt consider having irregular cycles as being that significant. While your bone density may not seem like your biggest concern in your 20s or 30s, maintaining healthy bones will help you avoid brittle bones and conditions like osteoporosis later in life, especially as women reach menopause.

Ok, I get it. I need to get outside more.

Youre damn right you do, especially during the spring/summer months while there are so many events, free classes, and different goings-on to see. Here is a short list of free classes and events to help get you motivated to get outside this month:

Weekly FREE Classes:

Bidwell Park

Saturdays Yoga 10 a.m.

poweryogabuffalo.com/events/free-summer-yoga-classes

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Colby Park

Wednesdays Yoga 5:30 p.m.

bnmc.org/events/fitness-parks-free-community-yoga

Buffalo RiverWorks

Saturdays FreeStyle Barre 10 a.m.

buffaloriverworks.com/event/fitness-in-the-park-riverworks

Delaware Park

(Rose Garden)

Sundays Yoga 10 a.m.

http://www.facebook.com/events/1804944059728976

Larkin Square

Mondays Yoga 5:30 p.m.

Thursdays Cardio Kickboxing 5:30 p.m.

larkinsquare.com/independent-health

Outer Harbor

Tuesdays & Thursdays Power Pilates 6 p.m.

outerharborbuffalo.com/events/event/ymca-fitness-parks-power-pilates

EVENTS

Williamsville, NY Tops 5K & 10K Run for Roswell and Family Walk

Saturday, August 26 @ 9:30 a.m.

http://www.tops5k.com

North Tonawanda, NY Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish 5K

Saturday August 27th @ 11 a.m.

http://www.itsyourrace.com

Buffalo, NY WNY Running Hall of Fame Presents: Tom Donnellys Hall of Fame 5K

Friday, September 1st @ 6:30 p.m.

wnyrunninghof.com

Its widely known that Buffalo has its fair share of dreary days during the wintertime. That means the we need to rethink our health strategies according to the seasons. The only other way to get our daily dose of The D (yeah I said it) is through food or supplementation. Studies in the U.K. have shown that during the month of January it would take the average person 150 minutes of UV exposure in order to achieve sufficient vitamin D levels!

To be fair, we dont need too much of The D (I couldnt resist) in order to hit our daily intake goals, but standing outside in January just isnt logical. Eating foods such as eggs, salmon, tuna, cheese, tofu, pork, and some types of mushrooms will keep you at healthy vitamin D levels. If youre vegan you will have to take a daily vitamin D supplement, which can be found at almost any drugstore or supermarket; the recommended daily dose is 600-800 IU per day for adults.

With the amount of fun family events and FREE classes there is no excuse to NOT to go outside during this last bit of summer. The gym is a great place to stay fit, but dont forget that exercising in the sunshine can have an amazing effect on your mood and overall health; just try your best not to go for the crispy look.

Read more:
Stayin' Alive: The Big 'D' with Jeordan Hill - Buffalo Rising

Add another one to the list

There has been a recent trend in the NFL, and Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson is the latest to convert to a plant-based diet.

Apparently, popular Netflix documentaries What the Health and Fork Over Knives had some influence on Johnsons decision to adopt a plant-based diet.

Johnson quickly realized that his new diet was causing significant weight loss. He reported to camp at 223 pounds, which is lighter than he was in the past. But running back is a grueling position and with Johnson being a work-horse back, he needed to maintain his target weight, so he added some meat-based protein back into his diet.

But, after cutting most meat from his diet, he has noticed he has significant increase in energy.

Like Johnson, many other NFL players have joined the movement after watching the popular Netflix documentary, notably QB Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, to name a few.

We as Americans are conditioned to eat meat and programmed to think that meat is the only way to get quality protein. Now, by weeding out meat, how does Johnson get the necessary calories to sustain full NFL season?

According to ESPN staff write Josh Weinfuss, Johnson eats nuts between meals to help increase the necessary calories to maintain his weight.

Could this be a trend? If Johnson has another spectacular season on this new diet, could more and more NFL players adopt a plant-based diet? Will this be a fad that comes in goes or could we really see a change in the eating habits? Only time will tell.

Read the original here:
How Netflix changed Cardinals running back David Johnson's diet - ClutchPoints

M

ove over, low-fat diets. More and more experts are recommending plant-based diets to reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions such as diabetes and cancer. But are all plant-based diets equally beneficial? And must they be all-or-none eating strategies, or is there a role for a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian approach?

The term plant-based diet often conjures up images of vegetarian or vegan fare. But it really means a diet that emphasizes foods from plants vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and the like not one that necessarily excludes non-plant foods.

The results of studies on the health effects of plant-based diets have varied widely, largely due to how these diets were defined. Some focused on vegetarian or vegan eating habits, others included some foods from animals. Notably, these studies tended to treat all plant foods equally, even though eating certain foods from plants, such as refined grains and sugar-sweetened beverages, is associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes or having a heart attack or stroke, while eating whole grains and produce are associated with lower risks.

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Thats why we were so interested to see the results of a recently published study performed by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Led by Ambika Satija, the team catalogued the diets of nearly 210,000 nurses and other health professionals based on their answers to food frequency questionnaires every two years for an average of 23 years. From these data, the researchers defined three versions of a plant-based diet: an overall plant-based diet that emphasizes the consumption of all plant foods and reduced the intake of animal foods; a healthful plant-based diet that emphasizes the intake of healthy whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; and an unhealthful plant-based diet that emphasizes the intake of less-healthy plant foods, such as refined grains.

In addition to detailing their food choices, the study participants also recorded other lifestyle choices, health behaviors, and their medical histories.

Over the course of the study, 8,631 participants developed coronary heart disease, which the researchers defined as a nonfatal heart attack or dying of heart disease. Those who followed an overall plant-based diet were slightly less likely (an 8 percent reduction) to have developed coronary heart disease than those who didnt.

But heres where things get interesting. Those who followed a healthful plant-based diet had a substantial 25 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, while those who followed an unhealthful plant-based diet had a substantial 32 percent increased risk.

This study is certainly not the last word on the subject. As an observational study, it cant prove cause and effect like a randomized trial can. And the diet data came from self reports, which arent always accurate at measuring an individuals diet. However, these diet assessments were validated against multiple-week diet records and biomarkers. Overall, this work adds to the substantial evidence that a predominately plant-based diet reduces the risk of developing heart disease.

It has two important take-home messages. One is that a plant-based diet is good for long-term health. The other is that not all plant-based diets are equally healthy. The kind that deserves to be highlighted in dietary recommendations is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fats, and contains minimal animal protein, refined carbohydrates, and harmful saturated and trans fats.

In practice, this translates into eating mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and soy products in their natural forms; sufficient good fats, such as those in fish or flax seeds, nuts, and other seeds; very few simple and refined carbohydrates; and little or no red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. It also means choosing quality over quantity.

As we wrote in a commentary on the Harvard study, just as physical activity is a continuum some activity is better than none, and more is better so is diet. For anyone following a traditional American diet, heavy on the meat, its easier to make a change by starting with small dietary tweaks instead of embracing a precipitous shift to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Try the elimination game: cut out red meat from your diet then, after a couple weeks, eliminate other types of meat; and then do the same with dairy foods and eggs. Or try the Meatless Monday approach dont eat meat on Monday then gradually add more meatless days each week. No matter what approach you take to cutting out foods, try to add one or more new plant-based recipes to your cooking repertoire every week.

What you stand to gain is so much more than what you would give up.

Hena Patel, M.D., is a cardiology fellow and Kim Allan Williams Sr., M.D., is chief of the division of cardiology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Originally posted here:
Not all vegan or plant-based diets are equally healthy - STAT

Photo: PAUL BUCKOWSKI, Albany Times Union

A view of Delaware Ave. on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Delmar, N.Y. This area of Delaware currently has four lanes for traffic. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of Delaware Ave. on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Delmar, N.Y. This area of Delaware currently has four lanes for traffic. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of Delaware Ave. on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Delmar, N.Y. This area of Delaware currently has four lanes for traffic. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of Delaware Ave. on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Delmar, N.Y. This area of Delaware currently has four lanes for traffic. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of Delaware Ave. on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Delmar, N.Y. This area of Delaware currently has four lanes for traffic. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of Delaware Ave. on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Delmar, N.Y. This area of Delaware currently has four lanes for traffic. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of Delaware Ave. on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Delmar, N.Y. This area of Delaware currently has four lanes for traffic. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of Delaware Ave. on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Delmar, N.Y. This area of Delaware currently has four lanes for traffic. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

*Date range for data is from January 2015 to December 2016

*Date range for data is from January 2015 to

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Read the original post:
Is Delmar willing to go on a 'road diet' on Delaware Avenue? - Albany Times Union

What if I could prescribe a pill that could prevent or treat high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, even depression and dementia? And what if researchers had extensively researched this pill and the result was: ample proof that its effective. On top of that, its practically free and has no bad side effects. As a matter of fact, its only side effects are improved sleep, increased energy, and weight loss.

Actually, folks, this powerful medicine exists. Its real and readily available for everyone. Its called intensive lifestyle change. Its active ingredients are physical activity and drastic improvements in diet, and it works well. Amazingly well. If it were an actual pill, no doubt millions of people would be clamoring for it and some pharmaceutical company would reap massive profits. But heres how you can get it. Intensive lifestyle changes involves knowledge and action which many doctors think is just too difficult to teach, and many patients think is too difficult to do.

Im here to report that intensive lifestyle change is doable, sensible, and essential for good health. Cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish is a pioneer of intensive lifestyle change. I had the opportunity to hear him speak at the Harvard Medical School Lifestyle Medicine Conference in July. (You can listen to his TED talks here.) Dr. Ornish and his team started researching this program decades ago, and they have consistently found positive results.

So, what exactly that does their program look like? It emphasizes nutrition and exercise, as one would expect, but it also addresses psychological factors like loneliness, isolation, depression, and anger. Why? Because research shows emotional and social health is associated with a reduced risk of disease and premature death. He spoke about the importance (research-proven) of connection, intimacy, and love. He points out that a lot of bad behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and overeating are actually peoples attempts to self-medicate emotional pain.

Heres how it works: nine weeks of nutrition and meal prep instruction on a plant-based, low-refined-carb and low-trans-fat diet, as well as shared meals with the group; recommendation for and guidance in three to five hours of moderate physical activity, along with two or three strength-training sessions per week; stress management, communications skills, and relaxation instruction; and a support group. The goal is for patients to adopt these health-promoting strategies for the rest of their lives.

The overall message for physicians is this: an intensive lifestyle change program wont work if its just ordered by docs, or if patients are expected to engage with it based on threats and warnings. During the course I learned the importance of avoiding guilt, shame, and scare tactics, and getting away from labels such as good or bad. Any lifestyle change has to be meaningful and pleasurable. If its meaningful and pleasurable, people will do it. For these changes to be most effective, people have to want to continue them for the rest of their lives. The physicians job is to act as a coach for the patient, encouraging and guiding their efforts, without judgment.

The Ornish program is just one approach to diet, exercise, and psychological lifestyle changes. Dr. Ornish is honest about this, and he himself points out that many programs emphasize the same things as his does:

He also emphasizes that any increase in physical activity is desirable, and patients can follow the specific recommendations from their physical therapists, doctors, or trainers. And of course, people can use a variety of resources and methods to improve stress management, coping, and communication skills.

Interested in online resources for healthy diet, exercise, and psychological change? Heres some additional reading.

Continued here:
Intensive lifestyle change: It works, and it's more than diet and exercise - Harvard Health (blog)

Bright red elderberries ripe for bears to harvest. (Photo courtesy of Caroline Cheung/United States Fish and Wildlife Service)

Climate change may be throwing off the Kodiak bears eating equilibrium.

On years with warmer spring temperatures, research says that elderberries ripen several weeks earlier than normal.

Oregon State Universitypostdoctoral researcher William Deacy just published findings from a multi-year study of bears on the southwest side of Kodiak Island.

The paper looks at how climate change affects the relationships between two species that have evolved to rely on one another.

Elderberries are the Kodiak bears favorite snack, Deacy said, even more than salmon.

The salmon is essentially the super Aktins diet for the bears, he said. Its just lean protein, almost no fat, and they end up gaining very little weight eating that, and the elderberries have a really perfect amount of protein for bears, and that allows them to gain weight really rapidly.

Bears normally feed on salmon,Deacy said, and then switch over to elderberries.

This new pattern means that the elderberries are available at the same time as salmon spawn in tributary streams.

Deacy said the bears sense that, and once they switch over from one food source to the next, they stick with the berries.

Its probably because theyre very, very good at detecting what foods are valuable to them, and they have instincts that tell them that these berries are the best food, and so they go and just eat those berries instead of having a mixed diet.

Deacy said the warming temperatures force bears to choose between salmon and elderberries.

Meanwhile, the salmon spawn out and die.

He says that leaves a gap where bears dont have access to either elderberries or salmon.

The bears usually stick to one area with its own resources and salmon run patterns,partly due to how much energy they expend while moving from point A to point B,

Bears dont appear to be suffering from these changes so far, Deacy said, and reproductive rates are about the same, if not better.

He said one possible effect of the timing change is that during early elderberry years, salmon may spawn more successfully.

Just cause the bears arent there and the salmon can kind of do their thing without being killed, so thats pretty intuitive, but we dont know whether that would show up four, five, six years later as increase in returning salmon because theres just so many other things that could happen to salmon in their life cycle before they come back.

This study is one example of how climate change can scramble the timing of two closely tied species and disrupt a food web, he said.

Originally posted here:
Warmer temperatures may disrupt the Kodiak bear's diet - KTOO