Category Archives: Diet And Food

Every time Rebecca Castle sat down to eat her favorite foods, she says she suffered excruciating abdominal pain.

"I cut out carbs. I wasn't eating dairy," she said. Nevertheless, she experienced sharp, shooting pain, bloating and distention for more than two years.

Castle saw multiple doctors. Then she spent several hundred dollars to take a DNA metabolic test.

What she learned? "I was allergic to starch," she said. "That's mostly root vegetables, corn, peas, sweet potatoes."

Nutritionist Nicci Schock says a typical client for such a DNA test is an athlete looking to improve performance. "And then folks like Rebecca, they know their body and they know something is off."

Proponents of metabolic tests say dietary recommendations are based on a patient's genetic profile.

Nutrigenomix

Ahmed El-Sohemy, the chief science officer at Nutrigenomix, said, "Even though it's a genetic test, it's effectively dietary advice and counseling an individual on how to eat better.

"Individual genetic differences can help us understand why some people respond differently from others."

Nutrigenomix markets a DNA test that looks at 45 genetic markers. The company makes recommendations based on the patient's genetic profile, pointing out attributes like "an elevated risk for low iron."

"We're talking about metabolic tests," El-Sohemy told correspondent Michelle Miller. "They're genetic tests, but they affect the way that you metabolize various substances that you consume."

But Dr. David Agus, a CBS News contributor, says DNA tests for diet and exercise recommendations are not validated by medical research.

"There are very few of them that actually have data behind them," he said. "And to me, that's a problem. You know, you have companies like 23andMe that were taken off the market for several years because they had to show data with regard to human disease. Well, I think this same thing needs to happen with nutrition and exercise."

The FDA says it supports tests "that may provide consumers with direct genetic information that can inform health related decisions."

But the agency points out it "does not actively regulate these products."

"2,400 years ago, Hippocrates did something amazing: he would eat something, and he would write down how he felt after he ate it," Dr. Agus said. "To me, that's the best way in the world to know what's right for you."

Rebecca Castle says the test produced more than 30 pages of results about her body, which means she can now avoid the foods that set off her stomach.

"I think it's worth it," she said. "You don't need your blood taken; you're literally just spitting into a test tube. You could do it in your sleep!"

2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Questions over DNA tests sold for nutritional advice - CBS News

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Washington Redskins tackle Trent Williams does not sit in the cafeteria and gaze at teammates trays or get wistful as he smells whats being cooked. When Williams sits down to another vegan meal, hes not fighting an urge to push his plate aside and dive into one that includes meat.

He's happy with what's on his plate.

Temptation is something that comes along when youre doing something you dont want to do, Williams said. Its a choice. Theres no temptation. No one is policing me saying I can or cant eat meat. It was a decision on my part.

One that hell keep doing. Williams touts the Redskins offensive line as Hogs 2.0, but Hogs 1.0 were full of beer-drinking, meat-eating players. Williams, though, keeps looking for an edge, and this offseason that included altering what he eats. Theres a family history of diabetes, but theres also a desire by the five-time Pro Bowler to play a long time and find any way to maintain an advantage. There has been no drop-off in his performance during camp.

How much longer he continues eating vegan remains uncertain. Williams month doing so ended Sunday, and hes debating if he should stick to it or, per the advice of his nutritionist, add fish a few times a week.

Ill never go back to eating like I used to, Williams said.

Williams started on this path in part because of a documentary called What the Health. But, he said, he was already contemplating a change. When he decided to do it, he went (pun intended) cold turkey.

I set a date that I wanted to do it, and before that day leading up to it, I binged on everything I thought I would miss, Williams said. Barbecue, Mexican food, a good steak. All the stuff I had eaten a lot.

Heres a look at Williams typical meals now, compared with the past:

Breakfast: A smoothie, with fruit and kale. Williams adds a vegan protein supplement given to him by a nutritionist. Hell usually have two smoothies, totaling between 20 and 24 ounces. That suffices until lunch. In the past, Williams ate what he called a typical breakfast: a big omelet, maybe a waffle.

Lunch: Lately, he has been eating pasta with mushrooms or spinach and sometimes tofu. If he wants something with more substance, hell add french fries. Something that sticks to my stomach a little longer, he said. That holds him through the 3 p.m. practice. Before, Williams was like most of his teammates at lunch, eating a variety of food -- but always something with meat.

Dinner: Lately, he has had a lot of stir-fry vegetables or various forms of pasta, topped with vegetables. He goes heavy on the carbs to maintain energy and to help stay hydrated. But his favorite meal so far: a portobello mushroom burger. That was pretty good. Actually, it was real good, Williams said. It had a lot of flavor. After meetings, hell down another smoothie, around 20 ounces. Dinner before his new diet? Meat.

[Before], sometimes Id eat lunch and feel it in my stomach for hours, Williams said. Sometimes, Id feel sluggish. Sometimes I wouldnt eat breakfast before 1 p.m. games because I knew it would make me sluggish. Now I eat breakfast and my body burns it the right way.

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Williams consulted with Redskins nutritionist Jake Sankal. Teammate Jordan Reed tried a vegan diet in the offseason but stopped because he felt he was losing too much weight. That was an issue for Williams early on as well. He played last season at 323 pounds, but he dipped below 310 after going vegan.

To be honest, I was scared to get on a scale, Williams said. I didnt want to scare myself out of it.

But he said he now weighs right around 320.

Hes in a good spot weight-wise, as good a weight as hes ever had around here, said Redskins coach Jay Gruden, who has lost 22 pounds on his own altered regimen of improved diet and exercise. We will see how it goes, but hes in contact with Jake.

The hardest food to give up, Williams said, was cheese and dairy in general. It has forced him to closely scan ingredient lists, and its why he now eats kettle chips as a snack rather than Cheetos or Doritos.

He did indulge one time, celebrating his 29th birthday on July 19 with a burger.

I tried to treat myself, but it ended up hurting, Williams said. It tasted good going down but sat in my stomach all night. During my workout [the next day], I could feel it the whole time. It took longer to digest than it used to.

Teammates pepper him with questions, wondering if they should try it, as well, including safeties D.J. Swearinger, Will Blackmon and DeAngelo Hall, who is looking for any help in recovering from last seasons torn ACL. Guards Arie Kouandjio and Isaiah Williams joined Williams over the last month.

You feel an overall difference with your energy, Williams said. I just feel better. ... If it keeps me healthier, why not?

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Mushroom burgers and tofu: Trent Williams hopes vegan diet helps body, performance - ESPN (blog)

Rice, here in Indonesia, is one of the staples a warming climate will affect. (Dohduhdah / Wikimedia Commons)

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Higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also mean that wheat, rice, maize, potatoes and other staples will grow with lower levels of protein and by 2050, an extra 150 million people in 47 countries will be at greater risk of malnutrition.

Four out of five people on the planet depend mostly on grain staples and legumes for dietary protein. The UN estimates that poor nutrition already accounts for around 3 million deaths among young children every year, and experiments show that higher carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are associated with protein losses of around 5%.

This study highlights the need for countries that are most at risk to actively monitor their populations nutritional sufficiency, and, more fundamentally, the need for countries to curb human-caused CO2 emissions, said Samuel Myers, a research scientist in the department of environmental health at Harvard University in the US.

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The researchers then used available data to calculate the effect of such losses on overall protein intake which varies from region to region, according to the mix of crops, and other dietary supplements.

They assumed no change in animal protein, or in protein in nuts, and then they looked at the probable impact on human health in the coming decades, as humans continue to burn fossil fuels, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and raise planetary average temperatures.

Researchers have repeatedly warned that rising temperatures and particularly greater frequencies and intensities of heat waves, droughts and floods will threaten global food security: they will reduce fruit and vegetable yields, hit grain crop harvests and in particular affect wheat harvests in one of the most populous and poorest nations on the planet.

Ironically, other researchers have repeatedly demonstrated that a switch from a meat to a plant-based diet is likely to become more important than ever in combating climate change and reducing emissions from agriculture.

So protein deficiencies in crop yields could only make an already bad situation worse for the worlds poorest.

And there is a second challenge, this time of mineral deficiency. In another journal, Geohealth, Dr Myers and a different set of colleagues warn that higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are also associated with lower iron content in food crop staples.

More than 350 million children and more than a billion young women of child-bearing age already live in countries with high levels of anaemia: in a greenhouse world, these will face another 3.8% iron deficiency in their staple diet.

Strategies to maintain adequate diets need to focus on the most vulnerable countries and populations, and thought must be given to reducing vulnerability to nutrient deficiencies through supporting more diverse and nutritious diets, enriching the nutritional content of staple crops, and breeding crops less sensitive to these CO2 effects, Dr Myers said.

And, of course, we need to dramatically reduce global CO2 emissions as quickly as possible.

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Nutrition Will Suffer as Global Warming Affects Diet - Truthdig

When it comes to eating a healthy diet, even small changes can make a big difference. Summer is a great time to kick-start healthier eating habits because of all the fresh produce that is available. Here are 5 foods and drinks that you should try to incorporate into your diet every day for cleaner eating.

1. Dark Leafy Greens

Kale, Swiss chard, spinach, arugula

Why are they important? These greens are important to add to your diet because of the high content of vitamins and minerals, especially folate, iron, vitamin K and vitamin C.

How to use them: The most obvious way would be to add them to a salad, but darky leafy greens can be used in lasagna, enchiladas, soups, and even made into chips because of their sturdy texture. And theres the ever-popular option of throwing a handful into a smoothie.

2. Beans and Legumes

Black beans, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans

Why are they important? Beans and legumes are great sources of fiber, protein, and iron. They break down in your body slowly but are used more efficiently than animal proteins.

How to use them: Beans and legumes can be used to replace meat in most dishes, such as lentil taco meat, roasted chickpeas on a salad, or even burgers.

3. Whole Grains

Wheat, barley, quinoa, amaranth, oatmeal, brown rice

Why are they important? The fiber in whole grains can help reduce blood pressure and the risk for heart disease. Whole grains will keep you full longer, helping you avoid mindless eating during the day.

How to use them: Whole grain products are everywhere. The easiest way to start incorporating them is to just switch to whole grain versions of your favorites breads, pastas, and tortillas.

4. Fresh Fruits

Why are they important? Fruits are loaded with antioxidants, substances that help fight free radicals, which are essentially pollution in our bodies. Antioxidants include vitamin C and vitamin E.

How to use them: Shop with the season. Right now, focus on stone fruits such as peaches, plums, and apricots. Berries are also perfect right now. Add a handful of berries to your oatmeal in the morning, slice strawberries on your salad, or my personal favorite, grill peach halves and top with a bit of cinnamon and non fat whipped topping for a sweet treat.

5. Water

Why is this important? Staying hydrated is incredibly important, especially as the weather warms up. Staying hydrated helps to keep your skin glowing and your energy levels up.

How to use it: To drink more water each day, carry around a water bottle when you are on the run, or aim to drink at least one glass of water with each meal. If plain water is boring to you, try making your own infusions with fruit and herbs. Fill a pitcher with water, and add any of these combinations: lime and mint, cucumber and basil, mango, pineapple and mint, grapefruit, lemon, cucumber and mint, watermelon and basil, peach and ginger, blackberry and rosemary.

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5 foods to eat for a cleaner diet - Post-Bulletin

Ancel Keys, arguably the most influential nutrition scientist of the past half-century, died in 2004 at the age of 100. Keys invented the K ration, named for him, that provided our deployed military with portable and complete nutrition. He was among the first, if not the first, to hypothesize that heart disease was not an inevitable consequence of aging but likely related to diet and lifestyle.

Obvious as that now seems, someone had to be the first to consider it and that someone was Ancel Keys. He developed and directed the Seven Countries Study, a colossal undertaking that tested the above hypothesis, concluding that variation in dietary sources of saturated fat notably meat and dairy contributed importantly to cardiovascular risk.

Throughout most of his life, Keys was celebrated as a public health hero. He graced the cover of TIME Magazine as such in 1961. In the years leading up to his death, however, and in the decade since, much of the public commentary about Keys, his lifes work, his seminal Seven Countries Study, and his integrity has been derogatory. There are five apparent reasons for this.

The first is perhaps best described as Newtonian: for every action, an equal and opposite reaction. Maybe we simply cant resist the inclination, whenever someone settles securely on a pedestal weve placed under them, to shift our efforts to knocking them down.

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The second might best be described as Aesopian, as in the Aesops Fable that says: we are all judged by the company we keep. The latter years of Keys life, and those since his death, were concurrent with misguided forays into low-fat dietary boondoggles, and somebody had to be blamed for Snackwells. In many quarters, that somebody wound up being Ancel Keys, for having pointed out the harms of dietary fat albeit only certain dietary fat in the first place.

The third reason is that everyone seems to love a good conspiracy theory. So, there were careers to launch and books to sell, as there are today, by telling us all that everything authorities had advised was wrong, that the real truth was being concealed, distorted or suppressed. As one of the worlds preeminent epidemiologists, Keys was among such authorities, and thus an obvious target of conspiracy theory, revisionist history and alternative facts.

The fourth reason was the advent of the internet.

Once upon a time, you needed actually to know something to broadcast expertise, because an editorial filter stood between you and the public at large. There were ways around this, of course, such as the reliance on celebrity as an alternative to content knowledge as a basis for selling books, lotions, potions or programs. But even so, the means of disseminating messages favored those with some claim to genuine merit.

Now, anyone with internet access can broadcast opinion, masquerading as expert opinion, into the echo chambers of cyberspace, where those who own the same opinion already will amplify it. So, for instance, those totally devoted to eating or selling meat, butter and cheese are also apt to eat up, and regurgitate, any allegations against those pointing out the related liabilities.

The fifth is the most obvious: along with not wearing plaid, dead men dont fight back very effectively, either. Keys has mostly been turned into a scapegoat since dying. By way of reminder, he lived to 100 and applied what he thought he knew about diet and lifestyle to himself. That alone would make him a candidate for both celebrity and expert status today. One imagines the book: Diet of the Century.

The popular allegations against Keys are: (1) he cherry picked countries to enroll in his study to align with the beliefs he already held; (2) he fudged or selectively presented data to make a case aligned with the beliefs he favored; (3) he either failed to study sugar or misrepresented findings about it; and (4) he advocated for a now generally discredited low-fat dietary pattern.

The True Health Initiative, a 501c3 nonprofit organization I founded to identify and disseminate the fundamental truths about lifestyle and the health of people and planet alike, based on the weight of evidence and the global consensus of experts, commissioned a White Paper to determine the veracity of these claims. The paper, with its extensive and fully transparent bibliography of primary source material, was just released, and is accessible to all. The basic conclusion is that all popular disparagements of Keys and his research are demonstrably false.

Lies, repeated often enough, can smother the truth. After a decade of lies about Ancel Keys and the Seven Countries Study, its time for the truth to break free, and strike back clad in plaid or otherwise.

Dr. David L. Katz;www.davidkatzmd.com; founder, True Health Initiative

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Dr. David Katz, Preventive Medicine: Ending a decade of diet lies - Middletown Press

If youre eating the Standard American Diet, a ketogenic diet, Atkins or another high fat diet, then you may inadvertently be increasing your colon cancer risk. Thats because research shows that high fat diets increase the risk of this serious form of cancer.

Recent research in the medical journal Stem Cell Reports found that eating a high fat diet increases the risk of colorectal cancer. The researchers also identified a cellular pathway that drives the growth of cancer stem cells in the colon, thereby contributing to the disease. Colorectal cancer,also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer or rectal cancer, is the third most common type of cancer in North America, next to lung cancer.

Many high fat diets are also high in processed meat, such as bacon, sausage or luncheon meats, and red meat, which also have been linked to colorectal cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). New research in the Journal of Gastroenterology confirmed the WHOs conclusions about these meat products. Diets high in animal protein in general have also been linked to colorectal cancer.

High fat diets are not the only contributors to colorectal cancer. Sadly, many of the processed, prepared and fast foods found in high fat diets also contain two food additives that add insult to injury. Two commonly-used emulsifiers used by the food industry: carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate 80. Carboxymethylcellulose is frequently labeled cellulose gum on product labels. Polysorbate 80 is often just referred to as polysorbate or called Tween 80. According to Georgia State University research, both of these food additives contribute to the risk for colorectal cancer.

Id rather not just be the bearer of bad news. So, heres some good news to counter your risk of colorectal cancer: your daily coffee may actually be helping you to thwart this often-deadly cancer. According to research in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention researchers found that your daily java may significantly reduce your colorectal cancer risk. In this study, researchers found that drinking 1 to 2 cups of coffee daily reduced colorectal cancer risk by 26 percent while drinking at least 2.5 cups daily cut the risk in half.

Eating a diet high in chlorogenic acid has also been found to reduce colorectal cancer risk. In addition to coffee, other foods that contain chlorogenic acid include: apples, carrots, flaxseeds, pineapples, potatoes and strawberries.

Eating a plant-based diet high in fiber can also reduce your risk. Add legumes, whole grains, fruit and vegetables to take advantage of the fiber but also the many plant-based nutrients known as phytonutrients that can cut your cancer risk.

I probably dont need to tell you that it is also important to quit smoking and start exercising to further reduce your colorectal cancer risk.

High fat diets are not only linked to colon cancer. Other research shows that a high fat diet prior to conception of a child and during the pregnancy increases the risk of breast cancer and mental illness in later years in the offspring. Check out my blog High Fat Diet Raises Breast Cancer and Mental Illness Risk in Offspring for more information.

Related:The Vitamins that Protect Your DNA against Air PollutionDont Believe in Herbal Medicine? 10 Things to Change Your MindThe 5 Best Herbs to Soothe Your Nerves

Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is the publisher of the free e-news Worlds Healthiest News, president of PureFood BC, and an international best-selling and 20-time published book author whose works include: The Life Force Diet: 3 Weeks to Supercharge Your Health and Get Slim with Enzyme-Rich Foods.

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Is Your Diet Increasing Your Colon Cancer Risk? - Care2.com

Its the controversial diet that made headlines earlier this week, after it promised to help people shed up to seven kilograms in just seven days.

But as with all these things, it seems that the GM Diet (General Motors Diet) could be a little too good to be true.

According to the Australian dietitian, Susie Burrell, while you might have results with the low carb diet, there is a catch to its success such an approach isnt sustainable.

Any diet will work if people stick to it, the Sydney-based dietitian told news.com.au.

The primary issue with the GM diet is that for the average person it is unlikely to be sustainable There is nothing overly special about it, it is just another novel diet approach.

The dietitian added that if you restrict any type of food group, you will naturally restrict calories, but said the problem comes about because the biggest issue is that most people do not want to eat just one or two things all day, even for a short period of time.

Long term diet success ultimately comes down to choosing the diet that is right for you, and if this approach works for you, go for it, she concluded.

So how does the GM Diet work and where did it come from?

The diet plan works on the principle that the foods you eat will burn more calories than they provide for your body.

This causes a negative caloric effect in the body and thus help in losing weight naturally without any exercise.

Several people have reported weight loss between 10 to 17 pounds per week by following this plan.

Source: GM Diet

The low carb diet was developed by General Motors company to help keep their employees healthy and was a big hit throughout the eighties.

It has now been named as one of the most searched-for diets on Google for 2017.

The GM diet works by way of its followers adhering to a set of very strict rules each day.

It is a week long and lends itself to being a one-week diet and sees people fruit load on day one (basically eating any water-based fruit and no banana).

On day two, people start the day with a large baked potato with butter or olive oil.

As many vegetables as you want can be eaten throughout the day on day two (except for peas, corn and carrots), before you can eat any vegetable you want on day three.

By day four, the banana ban is over and a serving of the GM Wonder Soup is included, which is made with cabbage, celery, onion and green peppers.

The particular soup in this diet is looking at very low starch vegetables which again is fine. You can make yourself a nice vegetable soup. Thats actually fine, Accredited Practising Dietitian, Lisa Renn,told A Current Affair.

On day five, meat is introduced combined with five or six tomatoes and on day six, people can enjoy unlimited lean protein and vegetables but no potatoes are allowed.

On day seven, people have a serving of brown rice in the morning followed by as many vegetables and fruits as they like.

Ms Renn recommends only following this for one week and seeing it as a way to kickstart a healthier way of life.

It can be a good idea but its really important that you learn something about sustainable healthy eating, she said.

Day one: Water-based fruits (no bananas) with no limit. Melon is recommended.

Day two: All vegetables are allowed either raw or cooked and no fruits are allowed. The day is started with a baked potato to provide the body with carbs for the day.

Day three: Blend of the previous two days but no potatoes or bananas.

Day four: Bananas and milk are allowed today as well as vegetables and fruit.

Day five: Beef, chicken and fish are introduced along with five to six whole tomatoes. 10 to 12 glasses of water are recommended on this day.

Day six: Beef and vegetables are encouraged on this day.

Day seven: Brown rice for breakfast followed by fruit juice and unlimited fruits and vegetables.

According to the GM Diet website, most of the weight is lost during the first three days of the programme, when it is at its strictest.

This is due to the food being very low in calories about 1,000 to 1,200 worth of calories each day.

Because it is such a low carb diet and not very sustainable, only very low intensity workouts like yoga are recommended while following the programme.

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Can controversial GM diet really work? Expert weighs in - DeathRattleSports.com

If you want to lose weight, theres always the option of eating less. Of course, that may be too complicated a solution for many of us who want to see quick results, like losing eight pounds before going out for dinner tonight with friends we havent seen since high school.

Instead, you could always follow one of these popular dieting plans:

The Atkins Diet. Named after the renowned guitarist Chet Atkins, this diet requires you to try to eat while you are also trying to remember the chord progression of I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Nutritionally speaking, this is like trying to tap your head, pat your tummy and solve a quadratic equation at the same time. You will become so frustrated trying to do it all you will give up food completely during this diet and never be able to solve a quadratic equation.

The Low-Fat, High-Carb Diet. Whenever you sit down at the table, you divide your food into those with a low amount of fats, like celery stalks and facial tissues, which you put on the left. High-carb foods, like your Subarus carburetor, you put on the right. You stare at both piles, then you pull up pictures of Twinkies on your smartphone and begin to salivate, thus losing water weight.

The High-Fat, Low-Carb Diet. This is exactly like what the Low-Fat, High-Carb Diet feels like when it is staring in the mirror.

The South Beach Diet. Spend all the time you would normally devote to eating walking south on the beach and scorching your toes on burning hot sand. This will keep your mind off Twinkies, unless you happen to step on a discarded Twinkie wrapper. For dietary variety, step on some jagged sea shells, which will take your mind off your scorched toes.

The Mediterranean Diet. On this diet, you are allowed to only eat highly seasoned water that has been imported directly from the Mediterranean and put in an expensive bottle that you might be able to dangle from your belt loop. The premium version of the diet includes an all-expenses-paid trip to Greece and a stay at an AirBnB where the hosts are impossibly thin and extra virgin.

The Paleo Diet. The idea behind this diet is that if you could hunt and gather it, you can eat it. That means yes to meats, fruits and veggies, but no to Devil Dogs, caramel popcorn and Good & Plenty, unless you have a license to hunt Good & Plenty during the fall breeding season.

Remember, no cereal grains, legumes, dairy and potatoes on this diet, which makes it difficult. But while research isn't conclusive, one small study has found that after three weeks on this diet, subjects had dropped an average of five pounds, mainly by tearing their hair out.

The Good & Plenty Diet. For breakfast, eat the white ones first, then the pink ones. Then for lunch, work in the opposite direction, balancing your intake. For dinner, gobble them both up at the same time. You may not lose weight, but youll make your dentist happy.

Neil Offen can be reached at theneiloffencolumn@yahoo.com. Past columns can be found at http://www.theneiloffencolumn.wordpress.com.

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Choosing your diet plan Neil Offen - Durham Herald Sun (blog)

by Brittany Ford, FOX 11 News

A look at one of the items on the menu when Packers players stay at St. Norbert College for training camp. (WLUK/Mike Raasch)

DE PERE (WLUK) -- If you're a Packers player, your diet is just as important as your performance.

During training camp, chefs at St. Norbert make sure the players are served a variety of tasty, and nutritious meals.

In the Michels Ballroom, at St. Norbert College, Packers players eat their meals.

St. Norbert Chef T.W. Stanciu has been cooking at training camp for 13 years.

As the players stay on campus, the university provides both a snack, and dinner.

FOX 11 got a sneak peek at one of the menu items.

T.W. says during the players stay there is usually a rotating menu.

"We'll repeat most of the items, but I'll watch what they eat, if they like it we'll put it on," said T.W. Stanciu.

He says over the years, they have taken a healthier approach to the menu, hints the kale in this burger.

"We like to use buffalo meat, because it's better for the athletes," he said. "Back six year ago, they weren't eating as healthy, we had snacks, candy, malts but we switched that up," he said.

He says the players' diet mostly consist of vegetables, fruits, carbs, and protein.

"You wouldn't think an omelet after 8:30 at night, would be something you want to eat, but they love it," Stanciu said.

As he topped of the burger, and put it out for display.

"This something we'll probably we'll serve for the Green Back Packers during Training Camp," Stanciu said.

He says training camp is a time the college looks forward to each year.

"It's nice to see the progress over the years," he said.

St. Norbert and the Packers have the longest standing relationship between a college and Pro football team. 2017 marks 60 years.

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Packers players' diet includes veggies, fruits, carbs, and protein - Fox11online.com

We've long heard that the Mediterranean Diet is how all of us should eat. The diet, inspired by the coastal cuisine of such countries as Greece, Italy and southern France, is characterized by its abundant portions of fruits and vegetables, frequent meals of fish and poultry, use of olive oil and spices for seasoning, and red wine in moderation. Red meat and butter are limited, and grains are mostly whole. The diet has been studied for its effects on heart disease, weight loss, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. And it's arguably a more pleasurable way of eating than, say, the strict Paleo and Ketogenic diets, or the faddish but not necessarily effective low-carbohydrate diet.

But it won't work if you're poor.

That's the latest finding from a team of Italian researchers, who studied 18,000 men and women over a four-year period. They found that the Mediterranean Diet reduced the risk of heart disease by 15 percent - but only for people who made more than approximately $46,000 a year. There were no observed cardiovascular benefits for people who made less than that amount.

The study, which was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, also found that highly educated people - who may be likely to have higher incomes - did better on the diet, in part because they selected a wider variety of vegetables and were more likely to eat whole grains. The more varied a person's diet is, the more types of nutrients they consume. Highly educated participants were also more likely to buy organic food.

The study "found that higher-SES subjects tend to consume more organic vegetables which can contain higher concentrations of antioxidants, lower concentrations of cadmium and a lower incidence of pesticide residues, as compared with conventionally grown foods. We might then speculate that the quality of the bundle of foods that make up the MD actually differs across SES."

So, it doesn't just matter that you adhere to the tenets of the Mediterranean Diet - it matters what kind of foods you pick within its framework, how that food was grown and how you prepare it. The findings will inevitably contribute to the ongoing discussion of food inequality, or how access to healthful food is a tenet of social justice.

We have long known that poorer Americans lack access to nutritious food and full-service grocery stores. They are more likely to rely on processed or fast foods. One recent study found that this nutritional gap is widening. "Price is a major determinant of food choice, and healthful foods generally cost more than unhealthful foods in the United States," that study said. It also found a link between education and healthy eating, suggesting that programs to teach low-socioeconomic status people how to choose and prepare cheap healthy meals - and the benefits they can derive from such choices - are important.

And that's what the Italian research team's takeaway is. "These results support the need to adopt more effective strategies aiming to reduce socioeconomic disparities in health, not only by promoting the adoption of healthy eating patterns but also by facilitating access to foods with higher nutritional values," they wrote.

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The Mediterranean diet works but not if you're poor, a study finds - Chicago Tribune