THE NEW YEAR Saying goodbye to 2019 and welcoming 2020 is a few short days away.

Many of us are still reveling in rich, decadent Christmas foods (mmm, pies) while ignoring the calories and that particular shortness of breath that comes when your belly is way too full. But no matter how hard we try, the New Year will still creep up on us, and for many, the New Year means new resolutions.

The "Christmas diet" of 5,200 calorie meals may or may not be what pushes many people to make health-related goals at the start of the New Year, but regardless, diet and exercise seem to be top of mind for many when it comes to resolutions.

If a diet is part of your 2020 goals, and youre not happy about it, youre not alone. Many humans (and dogs) feel the same way.

In this video, youll meet a French bulldog on a diet, and he is definitely N-O-T happy. The clip starts in the first stage of grief denial. With his back to the camera and soft woofs, hes attempting to gently remind his owner that she forgot to give him all his food.

When its clear that she will not budge, a full tantrum appears, with anger and bargaining coming in hot.

The noises this dog makes while whining and complaining is something that may shock you not into a state of horror, but into a state of puredee delight. The only way to describe it to imagine a sort of mix between a toddler, an angry cat, and of course the (sort of) classic howl of a dog's wolf ancestors.

It's glorious to behold, and it is clear that this frenchie on a diet is all of us.

About the Author: Martha OstergarMartha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to write about.

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Have You Seen This? French bulldog on diet is all of us - KSL.com

Long life expectancy can be attributed to a persons diet - a healthy, balanced diet has been proven to improve longevity. Experts recommend eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day, basing meals on higher starchy foods like potatoes, bread and rice, having some dairy or dairy alternatives, eating some protein, choosing unsaturated oils and spreads, and drinking plenty of fluids.

But new research, published this week, has found the times of day a person eats holds the most benefits.

Dr Mark Mattson, a professor of neuroscience at John Hopkins University School of Medicine, in the US, has said intermittent fasting could be part of a healthy lifestyle."

Intermittent fasting diets usually involve daily time-restricted feeding, which narrows eating times to six to eight hours per day and so-called 5:2 intermittent fasting, in which people limit themselves to one moderate-sized meal two days each week.

A range of human and animal studies have shown that alternating between times of fasting and eating supports cellular health, probably by triggering an age-old adaptation to periods of food scarcity called metabolic switching.

READ MORE:Type 2 diabetes symptoms: How often do you go to the toilet? Warning sign of the condition

Such a switch occurs when cells use up their stores of rapidly accessible, sugar-based fuel, and begin converting fat into energy in a slower metabolic process.

Dr Mattson says studies have shown that this switch improves blood sugar regulation, increases resistance to stress and suppresses inflammation.

Because most Americans eat three meals plus snacks each day, they do not experience the switch, or the suggested benefits.

In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr Mattson said four studies in both animals and people found intermittent fasting also decreased blood pressure, blood lipid levels and resting heart rates.

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Evidence is also mounting that intermittent fasting can cut risk factors associated with obesity and diabetes.

Studies also suggest intermittent fasting could boost brain health too.

Experts say people adopting intermittent fasting regimes should gradually increase the duration and frequency of the fasting periods over the course of several months, instead of "going cold turkey."

Many studies have highlighted the benefits of a vegetarian diet.

The authors of a large, long-term study concluded vegetarianism is associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease.

The study featured in the British Medical Journal looked specifically at plant based diets and their effect on the risk of ischemic heart disease and also stroke.

As part of the study, scientists took data from 48,188 people whom they followed for an average of 18.1 years.

The participants who had an average age of 45 years at the start of the study had no history of ischemic heart disease or stroke.

They were then assigned to one of three groups:

Using food questionnaires, the researchers assessed their overall food intake and nutrient levels.

They also collected information about factors such as body mass index (BMI), height and blood pressure.

During the 18.1 years of follow-up there were 2,820 cases of ischemic heart disease and 1,072 cases of stroke.

After adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, the analysis revealed both positive and negative relationships between cardiovascular health and reduced meat intake.

The rate of ischemic heart disease among pescatarians was 13 per cent lower than that of meat eaters, while vegetarians had a rate that was 22 per cent lower.

Putting this into perspective, the authors of the study explained: This difference was equivalent to 10 fewer cases of ischemic heart diseasein vegetarians than in meat eaters per 1,000 population over 10 years.

Continue reading here:
How to live longer: The best diet to increase life expectancy according to new study - Express

In order to tone his muscles and appear fit onscreen, Henry Cavill says he gave up drinking water altogether. The Witcher actor dehydrated himself over the course of several days to get his skin really thin, so it sits on the muscles in scenes requiring him to be shirtless. Heres what Cavill had to say about his experience without water:

That diet sounds a bit unhealthy, though Henry Cavill clarifies that it wasnt that he had absolutely no water for all three days. Rather, he had a dwindling amount over a period of time. In his December 27 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Cavill explains that he drank a liter and a half of water on the first day, a half a liter on the second, and absolutely no water on the third.

After the fourth day shooting these shirtless scenes sans water, Henry Cavill admits to being the most miserable person on the planet. However, Cavill revealed that, though this regimen was for aesthetic reasons, it was also used to remain fit without injuring the body.

You can watch the clip of Henry Cavill discussing his health regimen below!

Thankfully, the regimen didnt last very long and Henry Cavill seems to be in good health and spirits. However, its likely hell have to get back to drinking less water fairly soon since The Witcher Season 2 is due to start filming as early as the spring of 2020.

The Witcher Season 1 is currently available to stream on Netflix. For more on what to watch in the new year, be sure to check out our 2020 midseason schedule to find out when new and returning shows are premiering.

See the article here:
The Witcher's Henry Cavill Had A 'Miserable' Dehydration Diet To Look Ripped Shirtless - CinemaBlend

If you're like most of us, you overindulged a bit too much in 2019. No, not on calories (well, maybe those too!), but on "noise." That's the name for the dizzying onslaught of information from work emails, app notifications, the 24/7 news cycle, social media updates, and other forms of screen time that leaves us unable to focus, listen, or do deep work.

A smidgen of noise now and again is okay. (We all have our guilty pleasures!) But consuming it mindlessly, all day long, is as bad as keeping a bag of chips, a monster-size soda, and a can of frosting at our desk and reaching for them every few minutes.

Too many empty brain calories won't make you fat but they will make you mentally anemic. Noise keeps you in a constant state of distraction. And like actual junk food, a high-noise digital diet is addictive, yet it never satisfies or nourishes you.

The real problem with giving into noise temptation isn't what you're doing; it's what you're not doing. You're tuning out what really matters. You're skimming the surface. When you're scrolling Facebook, for instance, you aren't learning a new language, refining that career-changing presentation, or engaging with your kids in a meaningful way.

The new year is the perfect time to put yourself on a noise diet. To help with your calorie count, let's take a look at what noise junk food looks like:

The irritatingyet addictiveparade of social media stock characters in your newsfeed. This band of noisemakers assaults your brain with their cries for attention. For instance:

The humble bragger. Your college rival who subtly slips into her post that she just got another promotion at her swanky company. #blessed #gag

The cryptic drama-stirrer. That self-righteous friend who calls out people anonymously for perceived slights or makes vague "poor me" pity posts. (Cue the wave of very concerned commenters.)

The over-sharer. We don't need a play-by-play of your colonoscopy. Thanks.

The drop-of-a-hat ranter. Whose day would be complete without a furious recounting of how the barista screwed up your nonfat, dairy-free, double-shot, decaf, extra-hot mochaccino with extra foam? The nerve!

The overly zealous kid promoter. Yes, yes, we know Junior is the smartest, cutest, cleverest tot around your other 15 posts this week made that perfectly clear.

The amateur political pundit. Do not engage...just don't.

Dumb@$$ shows on TV. You don't need to waste your precious attention span watching Jerry Springer, B-list celebrity lip-synch contests, or those morning talk shows. Substance-free television combined with the lure of a cozy couch can quickly turn into a lost day or evening.

The 24/7 news carousel-of-darkness. Sadly, most news is bad news, and during a controversial election year it can also be fodder for controversy, vitriol, and the loss of civility with friends, family, and neighbors. (Hint: You don't need to totally disengage, but it's good to be discerning about what you let in and about how often you engage in debates with the people in your life.)

Your work email. Your boss just had to email you at 9:30 p.m....again. The moment you jump out of the bath to write back is the moment work email becomes yet another source of noise.

Are you feeling that noise hangover settle in? Don't worry, you can kick off the new year with a different kind of dietone that cuts the empty "brain calories" of digital distraction and gives you what you're really craving: a more intentional life. Join my "Just Say No to Noise" Movement and tip the scales in the other direction. A few suggestions:

Try going a week without social media. (We promise, you'll survive.) A short detox from social media is a pretty painless way to unplug and reclaim a lot of lost time. When the week is over, you can see if you even want to go back to occasional scrolling.

Reduce temptation by "hiding" distracting devices from yourself. Okay, you probably can't hide your computer but you can shut the office door. As for cell phones and tablets, treat them like what they are: gateways to digital distraction (and it is a very slippery slope). Find an out-of-the-way place to charge and store your devices so you're not constantly reaching for them.

Break the idiot-box "background noise" habit. It's easy to mindlessly turn on the TV when you get home. Problem is, it's broadcasting nonstop noise into your work-free hours. Instead, plan a time to watch your favorite shows. Daily exposure to the depressing litany of pain and conflict we call "news" isn't making your life better. Neither is watching the "Fatty McButterpants" episode of King of Queens for the 50th time. (Okay, we admit that one is pretty funny.)

Set some work/life boundaries with the 7-to-7 rule. The company won't crash if you stop answering emails around the clock. After 7:00 p.m., put away your devices for the night. Don't pick them up again until 7:00 a.m. the next day.

Insist on phone-free family dinners... Yes, the kids might whine at first, but soon enough they'll get used to conversing with the out-of-touch "Boomers" and "Karens" at the table.

...and screen-free family fun days. For instance, make video games and TV completely off-limits every Wednesday and Friday. Yes, even if the kids swear they have no homework. Instead, do something fun or productive as a family. Play a board game. Go bowling or skating. Cook a great meal together. Volunteer at the local animal shelter. Heck...maybe even read.

Learn to save your "appetite" for the stuff that really matters... Your "appetite" is really your attention span, and it's your most precious resource. Filling up on headlines, emails, and social media means there's little left over for doing the deep and meaningful work that helps you reach big goals at work and in your personal life. Before you cozy into an hour of lurking on your ex's Facebook page, close the laptop and find something productive to do.

...and choose some meaningful goals to pursue. When you are able to sharpen and aim your focus, you can do some pretty impressive &%$#. Want to start a website? Get a better job? Learn to code? These "North Star" goals are the best incentive to rethink your relationship with noise and see how your life changes.

We don't realize that very often our addiction to information is the thing holding us back from getting a huge promotion, becoming valedictorian, or training for a marathon, but that's exactly what happens as time passes. Once you think of it this way, it's so much easier to put yourself on a noise diet. Make this the year you take back your time and use it to do something that matters.

The New Year's Noise Diet:

Why You Should Cut the Empty "Brain Calories" in 2020

By Joe McCormack

If you're like most of us, you overindulged a bit too much in 2019. No, not on calories (well, maybe those too!), but on "noise." That's the name for the dizzying onslaught of information from work emails, app notifications, the 24/7 news cycle, social media updates, and other forms of screen time that leaves us unable to focus, listen, or do deep work.

A smidgen of noise now and again is okay. (We all have our guilty pleasures!) But consuming it mindlessly, all day long, is as bad as keeping a bag of chips, a monster-size soda, and a can of frosting at our desk and reaching for them every few minutes.

Too many empty brain calories won't make you fat but theywillmake you mentally anemic. Noise keeps you in a constant state of distraction. And like actual junk food, a high-noise digital diet is addictive, yet it never satisfies or nourishes you.

The real problem with giving into noise temptation isn't what you're doing; it's what you're not doing. You're tuning out what really matters. You're skimming the surface. When you're scrolling Facebook, for instance, you aren't learning a new language, refining that career-changing presentation, or engaging with your kids in a meaningful way.

The new year is the perfect time to put yourself on a noise diet. To help with your calorie count, let's take a look at what noise junk food looks like:

The irritatingyet addictiveparade of social media stock characters in your newsfeed.This band of noisemakers assaults your brain with their cries for attention. For instance:

Dumb@$$ shows on TV.You don't need to waste your precious attention span watching Jerry Springer, B-list celebrity lip-synch contests, or those morning talk shows. Substance-free television combined with the lure of a cozy couch can quickly turn into a lost day or evening.

The 24/7 news carousel-of-darkness.Sadly, most news is bad news, and during a controversial election year it can also be fodder for controversy, vitriol, and the loss of civility with friends, family, and neighbors. (Hint: You don't need to totally disengage, but it's good to be discerning about what you let inand about how often you engage in debates with the people in your life.)

Your work email.Your boss justhadto email you at 9:30 p.m....again. The moment you jump out of the bath to write back isthemoment work email becomes yet another source of noise.

Are you feeling that noise hangover settle in? Don't worry, you can kick off the new year with a different kind of dietone that cuts the empty "brain calories" of digital distraction and gives you what you're really craving: a more intentional life. Join my "Just Say No to Noise" Movement and tip the scales in the other direction. A few suggestions:

Try going a week without social media. (We promise, you'll survive.)A short detox from social media is a pretty painless way to unplug and reclaim alotof lost time. When the week is over, you can see if you even want to go back to occasional scrolling.

Reduce temptation by "hiding" distracting devices from yourself.Okay, you probably can't hide your computer but you can shut the office door. As for cell phones and tablets, treat them like what they are: gateways to digital distraction (and it is a very slippery slope). Find an out-of-the-way place to charge and store your devices so you're not constantly reaching for them.

Break the idiot-box "background noise" habit.It's easy to mindlessly turn on the TV when you get home. Problem is, it's broadcasting nonstop noise into your work-free hours. Instead,plana time to watch your favorite shows. Daily exposure to the depressing litany of pain and conflict we call "news" isn't making your life better. Neither is watching the "Fatty McButterpants" episode ofKing of Queensfor the 50th time. (Okay, we admit that one is pretty funny.)

Set some work/life boundaries with the 7-to-7 rule.The company won't crash if you stop answering emails around the clock. After 7:00 p.m., put away your devices for the night. Don't pick them up again until 7:00 a.m. the next day.

Insist on phone-free family dinners...Yes, the kids might whine at first, but soon enough they'll get used to conversing with the out-of-touch "Boomers" and "Karens" at the table.

...and screen-free family fun days.For instance, make video games and TV completely off-limits every Wednesday and Friday. Yes, even if the kids swear they have no homework. Instead, do something fun or productive as a family. Play a board game. Go bowling or skating. Cook a great meal together. Volunteer at the local animal shelter. Heck...maybe evenread.

Learn to save your "appetite" for the stuff that really matters...Your "appetite" is really your attention span, and it's your most precious resource. Filling up on headlines, emails, and social media means there's little left over for doing the deep and meaningful work that helps you reach big goals at work and in your personal life. Before you cozy into an hour of lurking on your ex's Facebook page, close the laptop and find something productive to do.

...and choose some meaningful goals to pursue.When you are able to sharpen and aim your focus, you can do some pretty impressive &%$#. Want to start a website? Get a better job? Learn to code? These "North Star" goals are the best incentive to rethink your relationship with noise and see how your life changes.

We don't realize that very often our addiction to information is the thing holding us back from getting a huge promotion, becoming valedictorian, or training for a marathon, but that's exactly what happens as time passes. Once you think of it this way, it's so much easier to put yourself on a noise diet. Make this the year you take back your time and use it to do something that matters.

The rest is here:
The New Year's Noise Diet: Why You Should Cut the Empty "Brain Calories" in 2020 - Kilgore News Herald

Fitness and healthy eating are a big part of Carrie Underwood's wide range of interests, especially since the launch of her athleisure clothing line, CALIA, in 2015.

She opened up to PEOPLE in a recent interview and revealed that fitness and eating is more about being healthy than being skinny.

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Its been more about health, and being strong, and setting a good example for my kids, and working out because it makes me feel good, Underwood said. And just kind of shifting my mindset about why Im into health and fitness.

She continued:

When it comes to her diet, the longtime vegetarian thinks balance and moderation are important, and says shes not a huge fan of trendy fad diets. Underwood told PEOPLE, I dont eat meat because its kind of a conscious decision that I make, but anytime anybodys like, I dont eat carbs, Im like, Oh, but carbs are important!

Underwood eliminated beef from her diet as a teenager, and by age 21 she was a complete vegetarian. She said that no eating meat makes her body feel and function better.

But she insists that she definitely still eats carbs. I eat my carbs. Most of the time I eat more quinoa, rice, veggie carbs, but I eat my cake too,

She also talked about her workout routines. I have to make sure and work extra hard on my hamstrings and my glutes and stuff like that, because whatever Im doing, a lot of times my quads will take over, Underwood said. I dont feel like anything is super complicated. I dont do anything crazy.

Underwood said that her body recovered quickly after her first son, Isaiah, was born, but took longer after her second child.

After having my first kid,I felt like I bounced back fast. And then with Jake, it was like my body took a minute to get back to me.It was frustrating, because Im like, Why wasnt it like the first time? Underwood told PEOPLE. But Im four years older. That also helped me shift my mindset Im still working hard, wanting to be the best me possible, but cutting myself slack and just thinking, Be kind to yourself. Its amazing what we [women] do to ourselves. Were probably all our toughest critics.

Go here to read the rest:
Carrie Underwood Reveals That Eating Carbs Is Part Of Her Healthy Diet - Yahoo Entertainment

As the president of Mahindra recently discovered, the bike business is hard. Indias still the biggest market in the world for bikes, but that doesnt mean it hasnt seen a slowdown in sales. That, in turn, means that manufacturers in India have had to ask themselves what they can do to attract new ridersa problem that U.S. manufacturers have also been struggling with.

As weve seen in this country, some of those youth-courting decisions have been both questionable and cringe-worthy. Frankly, as a U.S. rider who is not a) a boomer, b) white, or c) male, Ive often been left shaking my head. I mean, Id like to think that I want what most riders want: A selection of interesting bikes that fit me well and a culture that makes me feel like I belong. Also, interesting roads. Are these things really so much to ask? Sometimes, it seems like they might be, and those are the issues our little niche needs to address.

Anyway, a new report from the Economic Times of India about Royal Enfields J1C bike development program has me cautiously optimistic, but also not a little bit skeptical. The companys stated goal with this program is to make its bikes more accessible to a younger and more female demographic. To that end, its creating lighter-weight bikes with lower seat heights. So far, thats definitely not sounding terrible. Still, I cant help but wait for the other shoe to drop and find out its not what wed hope.

According to ET, a tenth of motorcycle licenses in India are held by women, and women also account for around 7 to 8 percent of existing Enfield new bike sales. Therefore, it makes sense that the company would want what other companies want: to keep existing customers, as well as attract new ones. Making it easier for all existing riders to progress within the brand as their skills develop is also a logical move.

Enfield executives told ET that theyve been listening to feedback from customers, and think they have a better grasp on what women and younger riders want. Confusingly, the publication referred to younger riders as Gen X in its piecebut it turns out, thats simply because India has a different definition of Gen X than the West. Per the Times of India, the terms Gen X,Gen Y, and Gen Z are often used interchangeably in Indian culture to simply denote any younger generations, and arent as rigidly defined as they are here.

Weight reduction and lower seat heights sound like promising changes, but as always, the proof will be in build quality and rider reviews of the J1C bikes after theyre released. I have to say, though, that centering those practical considerations for bikes aimed at less experienced and likely shorter riders seems like a positive step. It makes a lot more sense than, say, offering a bunch of hideously bedazzled, atrociously pink gear and then wondering why more women dont buy it when you didnt even bother to ask them what they wanted in the first place.

Sources: Economic Times of India, The Times Of India

Go here to read the rest:
Royal Enfield Is Putting Some Of Its Bikes On A Diet - RideApart

Consuming a diet high in sugar and fat is a known risk factor for a number of health problems, including obesity and type-2 diabetes. A new study from the University of Illinois has found that consuming caffeine from coffee, tea, and other sources may help protect against some of the health consequences often resulting from poor dietary habits. Similar benefits were also associated with consuming synthetic caffeine.

The researchers behind the study fed lab rats a diet composed of 45-percent carbohydrates, 40-percent fat, and 15-percent protein. As well, these same rats were given caffeine equivalent to the amount humans would get from drinking four cups of coffee every day. The caffeine was sourced from a herbal tea called mate and from coffee; synthetic caffeine was also used.

A control group of rats were given a decaf version of mate tea, which is notable for its high level of flavonoids, phytochemicals, and amino acids. Despite those beneficial compounds, the mice given decaf mate tea and coffee didnt experience the same benefits as rats given some form of caffeine. After four weeks, the caffeinated rats gained 22-percent less body fat and 16-percent less weight despite eating the same high-fat and high-sugar diet.

The researchers note that the lean body mass in these rats differed significantly in each group. The researchers conclude that both caffeine and mate tea are potentially anti-obesity agents, helping people avoid weight gain and the metabolic conditions that can result from obesity.

The studys co-author Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia said:

Considering the findings, mate tea and caffeine can be considered anti-obesity agents. The results of this research could be scaled to humans to understand the roles of mate tea and caffeine as potential strategies to prevent overweight and obesity, as well as the subsequent metabolic disorders associated with these conditions.

Read more:
Study finds caffeine helps protect against the damage of a poor diet - SlashGear

These days, there's a lot of vegans out there.

And for every vegan, there's a vegan myth.

For years, there has been an abundance of misconceptions about the diet.

Everything from 'you'll be malnourished' to 'vegans will always tell you when they're a vegan' has been spouted from the mouths of those who enjoy basking in miseducation, or those who are simply naive.

So, as Oprah once posited: what is the truth?

Are all vegans really missing out on nutrients? Are supplements enough? Is being vegan simply too difficult and nobody should bother?

According to vegans - and non-vegans alike - the most common misconception is that somebody following a vegan diet simply cannot access all the vitamins and nutrients that we need to survive.

And although we absolutely don't need a professional to tell us this - just look at all of the entirely healthy vegans there are around us - we found one anyway.

Dietician Maeve Hanan from Orla Walsh Nutrition says that although documentaries like Netflix's Game Changers make it look like everybody needs an entire team around them to be a healthy fit vegan, it's really all about making sure that you've got balance in your diet.

"What you need is a good variety of plant based foods, especially lots of different types of plant based proteins so youre getting all of the essential ammonia acids that your body needs," she says.

Another really important thing is the supplements. Anybody living in Ireland should be considering taking vitamin D around this time of year anyway - we just dont get the sunshine here - so we should be taking about 10 mcg.

"Women of childbearing age should also be considering 400 mcg of folic acid supplement. Again, thats whether youre vegan or not. The most important ones to supplement for vegans are vitamin B12, iodine, and omega 3."

Bronwyn Slater, founder of information website The Irish Vegan, says that she finds much of the confusion around nutrients in a vegan diet comes from the assumption that vegans are missing out on all of the good stuff that meat-eaters aren't.

However, a lot of the time, this simply is not the case.

"In fact, a lot of meat eaters also need to take a B12 supplement because they don't get enough from their diet," she says.

"For meat eaters, B12 comes from animals who ingest the B12 directly from the soil. Because we wash all our vegetables nowadays we remove any soil that might contain B12, hence the need for supplementation.

Another myth about veganism is that anyone who follows the diet struggles to get enough protein when, in actual fact, most people in Ireland are already getting more than enough of the stuff.

"All plants contain some protein," says Bronwyn. "Foods that are high in protein include tofu (made from soya beans), seitan (made from wheat gluten), lentils, chickpeas, beans, soya milk, nuts, and many more."

But it's not just the science that people are misled on. There also seems to be a lot of confusion around the use of the words: 'plant based' and 'vegan.'

While the word 'vegan' means a diet that avoids the use of any animal products, 'plant based' (although sometimes used as a synonym), actually means something else entirely.

Dietician Maeve says that despite what a lot of people think, there is actually "no single definition of what a plant based diet is."

"Its this really broad spectrum of anything from someone having a few meat-free meals during the week to someone who is completely vegan," she says.

"I think the flexitarian approach, where you have lots of plants in the diet, is a really healthy way of living where you dont need to exclude food groups or put a strict label on it. That works for a lot of people."

And although the label might be strict, it's also incredibly common.

Walk into any supermarket in Ireland and you'll be sure to find a selection of products actively marked as vegan friendly.Following the diet is, contrary to what many people still believe, not half as difficult as it used to be.

Sam Pearson, owner of Vegan Sandwich Co, can attest to that. Having been a vegan for three years - and a chef of vegan food for almost as long - he knows first hand the incredible increase of varied vegan options over the past few years.

"You can walk into any restaurant and any shop and find a vegan option," he says.

"What Im doing and what other vegan businesses are doing is trying to make these options as delicious as their meat and dairy counterparts."

And what about the the, ahem, joke that 'vegans will always tell you when they're vegan'? Sam says that at his stall, it's actually the opposite.

"Youll know a meat eater at the stall because theyll tell you," he says."Theyre like: Im not vegan, just so you know but this food is nice."

You can read more of Her's in-depth look at veganism in Ireland here.

View original post here:
Vegan myths: the most common misconceptions about the diet - Her.ie

Heres why Keto should be canceled. Follow Jezebels Cancel Tournament to see what ultimately gets canceled

Food is truly a mystery for the ages, which is perhaps why this year has unearthed new diets based on old ways of eating before subsequent debunking these diets as being obscenely unhealthy. Yet out this tsunami of branded wellness diets is a single conquerer, the now thankfully vanquished keto diet.

Keto is cruel and unusual punishment on the body and the tastebudsa regiment where dieters are banned from eating carbs, the best and most important food group. (If anyone thinks otherwise, we can fight about it.) Followers of the keto diet rave about how cutting carbs entirely and eating only proteins and fats result in extreme weight loss and a correctly functioning microbiome. They ignore gross and inconvenient evidence such as keto flu and funky genitals.

Nasty smelling junk should be grounds to cancel anything. But in reality, keto, like almost all of the other diet fads this year, used the concept of wellness to disguise the latest crash diet. The keto diet wasnt even intended for mass consumption or weight loss. It came about as a way to help people diagnosed with epilepsy manage their seizures through diet and medication. Its not even for every type of epilepsy patient; only a doctor familiar with a persons seizure history can prescribe the keto diet. Much of the success of the keto diet is strictly anecdotal: Its the flat tummy tea of the food pyramid. You lack a ton of nutrients by adding so much fat and eliminating important foods, wrote Caitlyn Edson, a New York-based registered dietician. Theres just not enough research on it yet for people to do it safely. Plus, carbs are delicious.

All forms of bread and noodles are the earths gift to human beings. Any diet that would seek to remove such a vital part of any meal should be globally shunned.

See more here:
'Is Butter a Carb?' and Other Questions to Stop Asking Now That Keto Is Canceled - Jezebel

Darth Vader in a scene from The Empire Strikes Back. Associated Press File Photo

In an era when it feels as though every studio release is destined to become a billion-dollar blockbuster, its a question that wont go away.

How soon is too soon to spoil a movie?

One week, one month, six months, a year how long should we wait to give other fans a chance to see a motion picture like Rise of Skywalker, the Star Wars movie that debuted on Dec. 19? How long until we can safely assume that any big plot twists from Episode IX have become common knowledge, so we can post about them on social media?

Do ordinary people and media outlets have an obligation to preserve the surprise for moviegoers who havent had a chance to see the new Star Wars flick? Is a spoiler warning all thats required? Or is it up to the individual to go on a media diet in order to make sure they remain ignorant before they see the film?

Many of us have stories from when we were kids waiting to see 1980s Empire Strikes Back and that one doofus who walked out of the theatre announcing very loudly, in front of the long line of people who were waiting to see the first Star Wars sequel, I cant believe Darth Vader is Lukes father!

Nor do these questions apply only to Star Wars. In 1999, it was considered bad form to say out loud when you guessed Bruce Willis was dead in The Sixth Sense.

I posted a spoiler a few months ago about the Orson Welles cinema classic Citizen Kane on a friends Facebook page Rosebuds the sled! and she immediately took the post down for fear it would spoil the movie for her other online friends. Citizen Kane came out 78 years ago.

London graphic novelist and Tingfest founder Diana Tamblyns answer is that its never appropriate to spoil a movie for someone.

I dont think its ever OK for someone to spoil a movie for someone else. I always ask the group Im talking to if theyve seen the movie in question. If most people havent, I shut up, if someone hasnt, I tell them to leave the room or put their hands over their ears! Tamblyn said.

I will frequently put my hands over my ears and say La, la, la I havent seen this movie, stop talking! so someone doesnt spoil something for me, she added.

Freelance theatre critic Jay Menard has a different take. He doesnt appreciate people who are militant about not spoiling movies he believes people should be considerate, but has no rule about waiting a certain amount of time.

We used to be able to gather with friends and share our feelings, experiences, and thoughts about events we enjoyed whether it was live TV or major events, he said. Now, with the rise of convenience culture, where people PVR content, or wait until they can torrent it, now society is expected to wait until people have been able to consume media at their convenience? That seems selfish.

Tamblyn goes out of her way to avoid spoilers.

I actively try to avoid any articles, reviews, interviews, etc., on any movies Im really excited about prior to viewing. I will save these articles and put them aside, then after seeing the film, Ill read them all, she said. I dont like other peoples opinions colouring my thoughts on a movie. As much as possible, I like to keep it fresh for myself.

This includes trailers: If I know Im going to see a movie, I dont need to see a trailer for it. These days they give away big plot points in the trailer and it takes away from the surprise and joy of seeing them in the film. What Hollywood says in response is that people want to know what theyre getting into before they see a film, hence trailer overexposure.

If you choose or are unable to enjoy something, then its your responsibility to avoid the societal constructs wherein spoilers may appear. Until such time as you choose to view it, Menard said. Again, its about choice. And not selfishly preventing (or worse, chastising) others who want to share an important event with friends and community. There is no burden of responsibility on people who have made an effort to enjoy an event as an appointment.

In other words, its up to the individual. If you want to remain ignorant, there are ways to do so. If you have to go on a media diet to preserve your own viewing pleasure, then thats up to you, not the rest of us, so Menard sets no time limits: You should be courteous, but you should also be allowed to share and talk about your experience. Thats part of the fun and its equally abhorrent for others to take that away just because theyve been unable to participate.

When it comes to spoiling, I am more of the Menard school of thought if you dont want to learn anything about a movie like Rise of Skywalker before you see it,what are you doing online? You will inevitably come across spoilers. Theres only one way to protect yourself.

If you value surprise, dont make any visits to cyberspace. Come to think of it, why are you reading this column?

danbrown@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/DanatLFPress

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Warning: This column contains spoilers (and is that really my problem?) - The London Free Press