Category Archives: Diet And Food

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Alicia Silverstone Says Feeding Her Son a Vegan Diet Is 'Such a No-Brainer' PEOPLE.com Since giving up meat at the age of 21, Alicia Silverstone has been a major advocate for going veganand she's raising her 6-year-old son, Bear Blu, to do the same. In a video for the nonprofit Farm Sanctuary's Compassionate Meals program, the 40-year ... and more »

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Alicia Silverstone Says Feeding Her Son a Vegan Diet Is 'Such a No-Brainer' - PEOPLE.com

There are a few tiers of this food pyramid that are off limits on the Whole30 plan. (Photo: bloody/Shutterstock)

On day five of my voluntary participation in the Whole30 program, I posted this as my Facebook status.

The diet claims to "eliminate the most common craving-inducing, blood sugar disrupting, gut-damaging, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days" and says it will change your life by resetting your eating habits.

Those food groups are sugar, grains, dairy, beans and alcohol. Except for the alcohol, I stuck with the diet, not counting a few slip-ups that I could count on one hand. Since I write extensively about wine, there were times I had to drink, but I kept it to a minimum, even cancelling some tastings that weren't mandatory.

You may be wondering what you can eat on the program. The diet consists mainly of meat and seafood, vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and nut butters (except peanut), eggs and healthy oils. You are also allowed ghee on the program, even though you can't have any other dairy.

Nuts, except peanuts, are allowed on the Whole30 diet and they are one of the foods that kept me sane. (Photo: prasit jamkajornkiat/Shutterstock)

I've put on a lot of weight over the past year and a half. The stress of divorce got to me, understandably, and I'd been having trouble getting back to healthy habits. But, that's not the reason I chose such a restrictive diet. I chose this diet because my feet hurt. I had swelling along with planter's fasciitis that made it painful to walk, and at night, the aching in my feet and ankles would keep me awake. A friend had told me she learned that she was allergic to dairy and gluten, and when she eliminated those from her diet, her foot pain went away.

I figured Whole30 could be a way to see if my foot pain was being caused by something I was eating without having to go through allergy testing, plus it could put me back on the road to not eating whatever the hell I wanted, whenever the hell I wanted.

Did it work? Somewhat. Although the underlying planter's fasciitis is still an issue, the swelling in my feet, and my hands, has gone down. I can get out of bed in the morning without searing pain in my feet when they first hit the floor. Aching that I had in the ligaments in my forearms also went away. There were other positive benefits. The skin under my eyes is now skin color and not gray. My rosacea has tamed down a bit. Some digestive problems that I've had for years improved. I sleep much better and there have been several nights where I've slept through the night. (That's incredibly rare.)

The 30 days were very hard at times, but I think they were worth it. There were a few foods that kept me from going insane: sweet potatoes, almond butter, nuts, bananas and ghee (not all together, of course). Now comes the even harder part, though, taking what I have learned, keeping what's good, and figuring out how to keep a lot of these ingredients down to a minimum in my diet. And while the better health I've experienced over the past 30 days have been wonderful, there have been things I've learned that are also important.

The first week on Whole30, I spent a lot of money on food, went to the grocery store almost every day, and got incredibly frustrated. Almost everything has sugar in it. I know that many foods that shouldn't have sugar in them do, but I didn't realize just how many. I spent hours in Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, reading ingredients, trying to find a nitrate-free bacon that also didn't have sugar. I couldn't do it. I asked both of the local meat vendors at the farmers market if their nitrate-free bacons had sugar. They did. I did find a sugar-free, nitrate-free turkey bacon and it was vile.

I had to read every jar of almond butter and every container of nuts two things that should never need sugar to make sure they were sugar-free. After reading the ingredients in all the mayonnaise on the store shelf, I ended up making my own. (That turns out to be time-consuming but really worth it and makes the best deviled eggs I've ever had.)

You know what else has sugar in it? Store-made rotisserie chicken. I bought one my first day to have something to pick on, and when it dawned on me the next day there might be sugar in the solution, I read the ingredients. I cursed.

This what I learned: even packaged or prepared foods that I normally think of as not-so-bad choices have ingredients in them that I'm unaware of. I already cook a lot of my foods from scratch. I need to do even more of that, and I need to keep reading ingredient lists, even when I think I know what's in a food.

If you don't expect these zucchini strips to taste like zucchini, you probably won't be disappointed in them. (Photo: Robin Shreeves)

In the first week, I went crazy with new recipes and new ingredients. I tried to make chicken nuggets with almond flour. I made meatballs without breading or cheese but with way too many spices. The dog really liked both of those dishes. The worst, though, was the beef fried cauliflower rice. I've heard great things about riced cauliflower. I've seen moms rave on social media that their children had no idea their rice had been replaced with cauliflower. I call B.S.

The beef fried cauliflower rice was made entirely with Whole30 compliant ingredients, and at a glance it looked like rice. It was made with fresh vegetables, grass-fed beef, and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. This is when my 15-year-old rebelled against the plan. Did I forget to mention he decided to do it with me? He did great until day five when I made this dish. Not only does riced cauliflower not soak up any juices, making it incredibly soupy, the coconut aminos make it smell like a pina colada. Coconut is not what you're supposed to smell when you're bringing beef fried rice up to your mouth.

This is what I learned: I was much better off cooking up steak or chicken and having a bunch of vegetables on the side than trying to make Whole30 recipes. If I was going to try something different, I decided to look at for what it was, not what it was supposed to be. For example, I used a spiralizer to make what some people would refer to as zucchini noodles or "zoodles" as a substitute for pasta. There is no way I could be satisfied if I tried to think of zucchini as pasta, even if is in pasta-like strips. So, when I made the dish above sauted tomatoes and garlic in sheet and olive oil with zucchini and cooked chicken I chose to just think of it as zucchini, tomatoes and chicken, nothing more. It was quite yummy, but it was nothing like pasta.

That day five Facebook status was not the only one I made. Here's one from day nine.

This is what I learned: some good comes out of thinking your unpleasant thoughts all the way through, and that may be one of the biggest benefits of the elimination diet. I did a lot of sorting through my feelings during the 30 days not just my feelings about food, but things that were going on in my head about my work, my dating life, and even my kids. It was certainly an unexpected benefit.

Crab Bruschetta Eggplant Toast isn't really on toast, but the combination still works well. (Photo: Robin Shreeves)

I'm still figuring out what comes next. As I write this, I'm a few days out of Whole30. I haven't eaten much of what isn't allowed on the diet. Yesterday I had oatmeal and some milk in my mashed potatoes, but ate Whole30 the rest of the time. Today, it's been all fruit and almond butter so far.

There are several foods I learned to appreciate on the plan that I'm going to keep eating. I really enjoyed one of my go-to breakfasts of roasted sweet potato slices, mashed avocado, diced cherry tomatoes and a fried egg. I'll keep eating that. Larabar's Pecan Pie bars were something I could keep in my bag to eat on the run that I'll continue to buy. I made Crab Bruschetta Eggplant Toast that was so good I'll make it again, and spring for better crab next time. But, let's be real. You can't make toast out of eggplant so I'll just call it Crab Bruschetta on Eggplant.

And, here's the most amazing thing. I have no craving at all to add sugar back into my diet. Last night, I was upset and couldn't sleep. No one would have blamed for grabbing a pint of ice cream over this particular upset, but I didn't even open the freezer. Instead, I cut up a banana and strawberries and ate them. I do feel as if my sugar cravings have been reset. I'm also aware that it wouldn't take too many bowls of ice cream to bring them back.

There's one big problem that I always knew would be a problem. By eliminating all those foods at once, it's unclear which one or ones were contributing to some of my health issues that improved. I think I'll be adding foods back in slowly and watching my reaction. I'm also considering doing a Whole30 before 6 p.m. sort of plan, completely knocking off Mark Bittman's Vegan before 6 p.m. idea.

Maybe I'll have to do another post a month from now to talk about the next 30 days.

It should be noted that in a study of 38 diets, U.S. News & World Report ranked Whole30 as number 38. They had this to say about the health and nutrition of the plan:

The panel from U.S. News said that while the diet is not particularly unsafe, it is relatively likely to spur temporary weight loss. One expert noted that it is "the antithesis of a long-term healthy dietary pattern."

See the rest here:
My month on the Whole30 diet - Mother Nature Network (blog)

A lot of people have asked me about developing a weight-loss plan that revolves around baby food. Because I deliver babies, they think that I know all about baby food; so I looked into this diet.

Below are the facts about it, including its plan and how it works.

Dieters are proceeding with risks to their safety.

The diet.On the so-called Baby Food Diet, you literally do as the name suggests. You replace several meals and snacks with jars of baby food, from sweet potato mash to pureed peas and blended chicken. Many people on the diet will eat 10-14 jars of baby food throughout the day and end with a regular-sized dinner.

Why do people like this diet? It gives them an easy way to control their portion sizes while still getting in fruits and vegetables.

Related: Biggest Mistake Youre Making at Mealtime

Since the snack and meals take little time to make, they also dont have as much motivation to eat out and can get on with their busy lives. They do not have to spend half an hour or more cooking meals.

Health concerns.There are many health concerns that come with replacing adult-sized meals with portions made for little babies. First of all,babies digestive systemsare just developing, meaning that they have to take eating slowly and easily so that their stomachs can process it.

On the other hand, adults have fully developed digestive systems. They get great satisfaction from tasting and chewing food, then letting the heavy substance settle in their stomachs.

Their active digestive systems will zip right through baby food, leaving them hungry and unsatisfied throughout the day. You can probably guess what will happen if this cycle of hunger continues. The person will launch right into a binge after a while, undoing any "progress" he may have made.

Second, adults can suffernutritional deficiencies. Aside from needing over a dozen baby food jars to accommodate an adult's metabolism, adults can easily get too fewnutrients.

Baby food does not have enough fiber for a grown human body, and some people may limit their choices if they do not like the taste. For example, adults might find it hard to stomach pureed meats. Also, while baby food consists of mainly fruits and vegetables, its small size likely will not suffice for an adult's nutrient needs.

Related: Hands Down, These Are the Six Best Ways to Beat Aging

In addition, health professionals have no research to show that the Baby Food Diet is actually safe for people to use. Therefore, dieters are proceeding with unknown risks to their safety.

Not an effective diet program.While many people do not realize this fact, those promoting the Baby Food Diet actually use it formaintainingweight, not losing it. They recommend losing weight on a different diet regimen before starting the Baby Food Diet.

In fact, you should not rely on this diet for weight loss at all. It does not provide a safe, effective route for it. The Baby Food Diet may lead to severe caloric restriction, slowing down your metabolism. In addition, because you need high motivation to keep up with it, you risk binge-eating or resorting to your old habits.

Also, professionals have absolutely no research to back this diet, making it entirely unsafe. The diet does not even have rules or guidelines to help each person obtain similar results.

One person might replace two entire meals with one or two jars of baby food. Another person might eat four or five at a meal and pick through a few more for snacks.

Related: The Most Nutritious Nuts Around

Then, on a busy day, a person could forget to eat all of herdozen jars and experience dizziness, nausea or weakness. They have no consistency.

Last but definitely not least, the Baby Food Diet does not teach adults the essential rudiments of a healthy diet. Adults who go back and forth between normal food and baby food will find themselves regaining any weight they may have lost before or during this diet. They may also have more temptation to cheat, undercutting their health and learning little about a truly healthy lifestyle.

The Baby Food Diet simply does not work unless you're a baby. It does not have adequate research to prove its safety nor guidelines to help people gain consistent, healthy results. Dieters risk getting nutritional deficiencies due to the small portion sizes and lack of fiber, and they do not learn the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

Related: Apple Cider Vinegar: 10 Amazing Health Benefits

Do yourself a favor and toss out this diet fad in place of a more balanced plan. You will see healthier, longer-lasting results.

Dr. Manny Alvarez serves as Fox News Channel's senior managing health editor. He also serves as chairman of the department of obstetrics/gynecology and reproductive science at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. This Fox News article is used with permission; it also appeared on AskDrManny.com.

Read more at Fox News: New Health Benefit of Chocolate: Reduced Risk of AFib? Why Your Brain Has 2 Halves New Avocado Bar Helps You Eat the Healthy Fruit for Every Meal

More here:
The Problem with the 'Baby Food Diet' - LifeZette

The mushroom Amanita thiersii dots American lawns from Texas to Illinois, a small white button on the grasss emerald expanse. Unlike similar mushrooms, A. thiersii does not live in a symbiotic relationship with nearby trees; instead, it gets its energy by feasting on the corpses of its neighborsthat is, dead grasses. That predilection means that the mushroom is uniquely suited to report on what those grasses were like before they perished, according to a new paper in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. In fact, an analysis of 40-odd A. thiersii samples taken from lawns across the Midwest over 27 years suggests that the mushrooms, as a result of the grasses they eat, may be able reflect the changing climate of the last few decades in their chemistry.

The reason it might be possible to trace climate change in grass at all is because plants can be distinguished by the different ways they handle photosynthesis. The new paper looks at two methods of photosynthesis in particular: C3 and C4, named after the structure of the molecules the methods produce. The majority of plant species perform C3, which produces energy at higher concentrations of CO2 and at lower temperatures. C4 plants, meanwhilemost of which evolved in hotter and drier climatesare more efficient in higher temperatures, but too much CO2 is hard for them to deal with.

Lawn grasses in the U.S., as it happens, can include both C3 and C4 plants. Wherever C3 and C4 plants grow together, its possible to tell from the chemistry of the soilwhich is made up, of course, of decayed plantswhat their ratio was in past growing seasons. Using this, scientists have been exploring how temperature and CO2 can affect the competition between the two types. In the new study, the researchers, led by Erik Hobbie, an ecologist at University of New Hampshire, looked to see whether the ratio of carbon isotopes in the lawn mushrooms, picked up from dead grasses, could be explained by climate differences.

First, they examined the isotope levels in the samples, which were gathered between 1982 and 2009. I thought wed see small shifts in the carbon isotope values, says Hobbie. But we saw these quite dramatic shifts that can only be explained by shifts in the competition between C4 and C3 grasses. Then, they ran regressions to see how much of the shift could be explained by factors like temperature, rainfall, and CO2. They found that despite the rise in temperatures across that period, the relative contribution of carbon from C3 grasses increased. That was in apparent response to the rise in carbon dioxide concentrations, which C3 grasses are better at handling.

Its intriguing that environmental differences could show up in fungi, because it suggests that researchers interested in the climate change of the very recent past could look to mushroom samples in collections to get a glimpse at changes that have only just begun. I think its an interesting new proxy, says Hobbie. To me it points to the potential for archived specimens of fungi as integrators of past environmental conditions.

Still, Hobbie wonders whether its possible to be more precise about exactly how old the carbon is that these mushrooms are eating, and thus a little more certain about their connection to the grasses and environmental change. Is it this years carbon? Or last years? Or the last couple years? We havent done those kinds of measurements yet, he says.

Hobbie notes that people can be carbon-dated, thanks to radiocarbon isotopes in tooth enamel and other human tissues put together after the thermonuclear tests of the mid-20th century. The same should be true of mushroom tissue, with the level of radiocarbon serving as an indicator of the year in which the carbon was assimilated. That would be the way I would want to look, he says.

Follow this link:
Tracking Climate Change Through a Mushroom's Diet - The Atlantic

More grocery stores now include gluten-free products, and for some people, it's not just a trendy diet but a necessity.

Most people can pick from almost anything they find on grocery store shelves. People with celiac disease, though, have to spend more time searching for food that is specifically labeled gluten-free.

The diet helps keep thedisease in remission.

"Gluten is hidden in so many different things that it's not easy to go to the annual picnic and find things that you can actually eat," said Cleveland Clinic gastroenterologist Dr. Donald Kirby.

Kirby said celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. It causes people to feel stomach and intestinal distress after they consume foods with gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

Celiac disease is one of the most common genetic diseases in the world, affecting about 1 percent of the population. Adult women are more frequently diagnosed with it than men.

WRAL Health Team's Dr. Allen Mask says people should be screened for the disease if they experience chronic bloating and alternating between diarrhea and constipation. People who have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome should be screened for celiac disease.

Screening for the disease can be done with a simple blood test. If the test comes back positive,a small bowel biopsy should be performed during an upper endoscopy procedure.

If someone is diagnosed with celiac disease, the person's parents and children should also be tested because it is a genetic disease. If it's left untreated, it can lead to other auto-immune disordersas well as nutrient deficienciesand disorders such aslymphoma.

The cure is a gluten free-diet, which can be challenging.

However, more products with gluten are now more clearly labeled, and a wider variety of gluten-freeproducts can be found in more stores.

"By changing the diet to exclude wheat, rye and barleyhence, a gluten-free dietyou can treat the disease very well have the disease go into remission," Kirby said.

Mask recommends people diagnosed with celiac disease should seek a registered dietician to help them make the necessary dietary changes.

People should also work with their doctors to make sure they remain in remission and keep their vitamin levels where they should be.

Link:
Gluten-free diet helps manage celiac disease - WRAL.com

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to weight-loss, and a flexible approach can be as beneficial as a structured one, according to a new study by the CSIRO.

The four-month study is, they say, "one of the largest and most comprehensive clinical studies on intermittent/alternate day fasting and meal replacements".

One hundred and sixty-four participants were divided into two groups. The first group was placed on a "flexi"diet where they "fasted"for three days of the week ((in this case "fasting"days involved between 2500 kilojoules and 4500 kilojoules depending on the individual's body size), were calorie-controlled for three and had one day where they could eat as they pleased. The second controlgroupwas on a calorie-controlled diet seven days a week consisting of two meal replacements and one "healthy"meal of vegetables and protein.

All of the participants were provided with recipe ideas and virtual consultations with dietitians.

At the end of the 16 weeks, participants had lost an average of 11 kilograms, which they had maintained in the eight-week follow-up. They also all experienced health benefits including improvements in cholesterol, insulin, glucose and blood pressure.

"It tells us that both diets work equally well in assisting people to lose weight and get health benefits there are options out there, so if a certain style of dieting does or doesn't suit someone, they can try something different," said CSIRO Research Dietitian Dr Jane Bowen.

Intermittent fasting has surged in popularity in recent years.

Bowen believes it is because people are searching for solutions to combat the rising rates of obesity (currently about two-thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese).

"There have been many studies to show that a huge proportion of the general population are trying to lose weight at any one time and it's about exploring strategies that might be a little bit different but are more effective because we know that maintaining weight-loss is very challenging," Bowen said.

Prior to recent research highlighting the benefits of fasting, it was deemed ineffective and even unsafe.

"Science does evolve and change over time and becomes increasingly sophisticated," Bowen explained. "There have been some interesting studies to show that there are a range of health benefits from periods of fasting ... We've seen that when following that diet people have improvements in blood pressure, they had improvements in their lipid profile and even their insulin levels went down which is a good thing in terms of diabetes risk. Fasting, as a strategy for weight-loss, does come with health benefits."

While the CSIRO research was funded by meal replacement company Impromy, other experts say that meal replacements, intermittent fasting and calorie restriction are all potentially effective options.

"All of the scientific research to date, including a recent clinical trial of 12 months, suggests that popular intermittent fasting diets are equivalent to conventional diets in terms of weight loss and health benefits," said Associate Professor Amanda Salis from the University of Sydney's Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders. "This means that if intermittent fasting diets appeal to you as a means of weight loss or weight management, and if your health care provider has given you the all-clear, then they are a valid option to try."

Salis added:"Meal replacement products are a highly effective but undervalued and under-utilised tool for weight management. It is good to see them being used in an intermittent fasting regime, because meal replacement products help people to meet their needs for essential nutrients despite consuming very few kilojoules."

Dietitian Melanie McGrice agreed adding that most studies on intermittent fasting have been conducted using meal replacements.

"The advantage of intermittent fasting with meal replacements is that people can maintain a low intake of kilojoules, whilestill meeting their nutritional requirements and having the flexibility to be able to eat out with friends and family," McGrice said.

Bowen said it's important to provide people with different options as some thrive off the structure of constantly controlled calories while others struggle.

"The concept of eating less on some days in order to give the flexibility to eat more on another day is appealing for a lot of people," Bowen said.

"A lot of people might try the constant energy restriction and feel like it's just too difficult on the weekends and if they blow their diet they just give up, whereas this legitimises having a day off and acknowledges that social situations happen, parties happen and it allows people to build that into their weight management."

Link:
'Flexible' eating is as effective as controlling calories, CSIRO study finds - The Sydney Morning Herald

Sacramento Bee

India's limits on selling cattle could hurt industry, diets Sacramento Bee FILE - In this Sunday, March 26, 2017, file photo, Mehta, 40, stands at a slaughter house where he used to work after it was shutdown by authorities in Allahabad, India. The Indian government has banned the sale of cows and buffaloes for slaughter in a ... and more »

The rest is here:
India's limits on selling cattle could hurt industry, diets - Sacramento Bee

The awareness to Celiac Disease has been increasing in the United States over the past 10 years. With this increased awareness comes an improved ability to diagnose this autoimmune disease that causes intestinal destruction with even the smallest consumption of foods that contain gluten.

Following a gluten-free diet is an essential part of successfully healing the gut and successfully managing Celiac Disease. While the gluten-free diet brings therapeutic benefits to the body, it has been reported to impact the quality of life for many who have been diagnosed with this disease.

Eating a gluten-free diet decreases the ability to be spontaneous in eating out, impacts the shared meal experience, and can affect the way in which individuals with Celiac Disease travel and experience other cultures.

Americans eat out an average of four to five times per week its become a prominent part of American culture. Eating out for a person with Celiac Disease is difficult and likely detrimental to their health. In order to eat out safely, a restaurant would need to ensure they are avoiding cross contamination of gluten to the size of a breadcrumb. This would be a difficult task for any restaurant that serves gluten-containing meals.

Since the chance of getting cross-contaminated is so high, many individuals with Celiac Disease choose to avoid eating out at restaurants but that can have a negative impact on their social life. People who do choose to eat out spend significant amount of time researching restaurants to determine how safe it is to eat at a particular place.

Calling ahead to restaurants is key to determining the level of awareness a restaurant has to avoiding or minimizing cross-contamination. A few key criteria to look for include: separate preparation areas, designated gluten-free colanders and cutting boards, separate ovens and grills (or cookware) for gluten-free foods. It is important to note that any restaurant serving gluten cannot guarantee a gluten-free food item is free from cross-contamination in that kitchen. Only a restaurant or bakery serving only gluten-free items can guarantee items have not been cross-contaminated.

Further, the social life of an individual with Celiac Disease is also impacted by the strict adherence to the gluten-free diet. Individuals with Celiac Disease often report avoiding social events or eating prior to arriving in an attempt to normalize the social eating experience. This is the most challenging aspect of managing Celiac Disease as social experiences are so tightly tied to eating experiences. One way to maintain the social experiences is to hold gatherings at your home. This will allow you to eat safely while entertaining but will also introduce friends and family to gluten free foods. If you are invited to a potluck or gathering, ask if you can bring an entre and salad to share with everyone so that your food will be part of the meal rather than separate from the meal.

Finally, traveling can be challenging to an individual with Celiac Disease. The lack of safe gluten-free foods in restaurants and the inability to be spontaneous with food choices impacts the travel experience. First, careful investigation to restaurants or grocery stores is an important first step in planning a vacation. Most hotels will provide you with a mini-ridge and microwave free of change if you explain you have a medical condition that requires medical foods. Airport restaurants have limited if any safe gluten-free options, so bringing along your own food is an essential when traveling. While this requires planning for extra luggage, check with your airline to see if you can take a small cooler that is marked medical for your gluten-free food. Focus on visiting museums, athletic events, parks, hiking routes, and other historic places of interest rather than focusing on the food culture.

Eating gluten-free is essential to successfully managing Celiac Disease reducing complications from chronic exposure to gluten. Following a gluten-free diet can impact quality of life for those with Celiac Disease as it relates to shared eating experiences and traveling. Dietitians specializing in management of Celiac Disease can assist individuals in adopting a gluten-free lifestyle while minimizing adverse impact to quality of life and maximizing nutritional management of the illness.

See the article here:
Living gluten-free has challenges, but you can manage them - MyDaytonDailyNews

With Arthritis Awareness Week kicking off on Sunday, Medibank Better Health Index have released new data which outlines the concerning rise of osteoarthritis, and links between the condition and obesity.

Over the last nine years, the number of Australians living with osteoarthritis has increased from 6.2 to 8.5 per cent, which is equal to more than half a million additional cases.

The findings show the incidence of the condition has grown in line with the national trend towards obesity -- with 28.4 per cent of Australians falling into the obese Body Mass Index (BMI) category, compared to just 25.2 per cent in 2007.

Its an alarming trend given the already astute issues surrounding obesity in the country, and how much it is costing our healthcare system.

Medibank Chief Medical Officer Dr Linda Swan said the data should come as a wake-up call to Aussies.

Its concerning to see that the incidence of osteoarthritis is continuing to climb year-on-year, with almost one in ten Aussies now living with the condition.

We know osteoarthritis can be exacerbated by being overweight or obese, so its essential that we continue to encourage healthy eating habits and regular exercise as these can help both prevent and improve osteoarthritis symptoms.

While generally any type of activity is good, people's health risks can vary, so consulting your GP about the type of exercise that's right for you is always a wise step, Dr Swan said.

In South Australia alone, there are 124,000 patients living with osteoarthritis, 33,000 more than in 2007.

These findings support the need for ongoing research into osteoarthritis -- which the Medibank Better Health Foundation is committed to. Through this research, we aim to help those affected by musculoskeletal conditions improve their quality of life, and better understand, prevent and manage the condition, Dr Swan said.

In releasing the data, Medibank also provided some tips for preventing and managing osteoarthritis.

Keep Moving, safely: Exercise is vital in both managing the condition, and preventing it, as regular exercise helps to strengthen muscles and joints. There is a warning, however, not to overdo it. Too much exercise can cause injury and put an unnecessary stain on joints.

Follow a healthy diet: With obesity one of the leading causes of osteoarthritis, its extremely important to maintain a healthy, well0-balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight.

Opt for supportive footwear: Medibank writes thats having the right show means having the required support to carry your body. They recommend speaking to a podiatrist about choosing the appropriate footwear.

View post:
Link between obesity and arthritis - Ten Eyewitness News

Recent editorials published in Nebraska newspapers McClatchy Washington Bureau A Eustis woman, 19, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor vehicular homicide in a plea deal after her can ran a stop sign, slamming into another vehicle and killing a 59-year-old passenger in that car and seriously injuring her husband, 64, the driver ... and more »

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Recent editorials published in Nebraska newspapers - McClatchy Washington Bureau