In a world where "meat-free meat" sits next to the beef sausages in the supermarket and ordering an almond milk latte brings nary a flicker to a barista's eye, the once-fringe vegan movement seems to have gone mainstream.

For the uninitiated, followers of a vegan diet eschew all animal products, including dairy, eggs, honey and, of course, meat.

So for an eating pattern that cuts out so many foods traditionally considered essential, is it possible for a vegan diet to meet all your nutritional needs?

Yes, says Clare Collins, professor of nutrition at the University of Newcastle but it requires you to understand food better than the average omnivore, or even vegetarian.

Here are four main nutrients to look out for.

Let's start with this one, because vitamin B12 is something we humans can really only get via animal foods such as meat, fish, dairy and eggs or in the form of supplements.

It's an important vitamin too, essential for making DNA, fatty acids, red blood cells and chemicals called neurotransmitters which help to pass signals around the brain.

"That's the really big one. You don't want to end up with a B12 deficiency," Professor Collins said.

B12 deficiency manifests at first as vague but unpleasant symptoms like heart palpitations, light-headedness, tiredness and bowel or bladder changes, so it's important to keep on top of it.

In severe cases, it can progress to mood changes like depression and paranoia, and nerve problems like numbness, pain and loss of taste and smell.

While trace amounts of B12 have been found in some plant foods such as mushrooms, fermented soybeans and things that have been contaminated by soil or insects, if you're following a vegan diet you should be looking to supplements or fortified foods to ensure you're getting enough.

It's often added to non-dairy milks, but not all, so check the label.

Most people know about the importance of calcium for your bones, but it also plays a role in other parts of your body, including your heart, muscles and nerves.

What's more, your bones actually act as a calcium bank, so if you're not getting enough from your diet, your body will make withdrawals from that bank, which can affect your bone health.

Almonds are a dairy-free source of calcium.

(Unsplash: Juan Jose Valencia Anta)

Almonds are a dairy-free source of calcium.

Unsplash: Juan Jose Valencia Anta

Dairy is often touted as being an important source of calcium, but it's by no means the only source. Plenty of plant-based foods contain it, including some tofu and some nuts, legumes and seeds.

But interestingly, vegans and vegetarians often need even more calcium than omnivores, because some plant foods have chemicals that make it harder for your body to access it.

For example, spinach and beans contain oxalic acid, and some grains, nuts and legumes contain phytic acid, which both interfere with calcium absorption.

You can bolster your calcium intake with fortified plant milks and fortified breakfast cereals again, check the label to make sure the product you are choosing is actually fortified, because not all are.

Iron is used inside your red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body, so a deficiency can leave you feeling lethargic and tired, as well as lowering your immunity.

While omnivores usually get their iron delivered ready-to-use, via red meat, plant-based sources of iron require your body to do a bit more work.

You can help your body absorb your plant-based iron, found in foods like legumes and beans, by eating it at the same time as vitamin C.

That can be as simple as putting veggies like red capsicum and broccoli next to the lentils on your dinner plate.

"The other thing you can do is not have any cups of tea straight after meals because the tannins and the phytates in the tea actually interfere with the absorption of the iron," Professor Collins said.

Combining plant-based iron sources like chickpeas with vitamin C-containing veggies like capsicum helps your body better absorb the iron.

(Unsplash: Edgar Castrejon)

Combining plant-based iron sources like chickpeas with vitamin C-containing veggies like capsicum helps your body better absorb the iron.

Unsplash: Edgar Castrejon

Iodine helps your thyroid to function that little gland in your neck that controls your metabolism, among other things.

Seafood is a source of iodine, and it's also found in some dairy products in Australia, but the main source of iodine for people who avoid animal products is via iodised salt, which is used in commercial breads and some breakfast cereals.

As for some of the other essential nutrients, the symptoms of deficiency can be vague but hint at something serious, Professor Collins said.

"How do you know if you're iodine deficient? It's things like tiredness, weakness, lethargy, and then other things like constipation, heartbeat [changes], facial puffiness and so on."

Iodine deficiency is a particularly big deal for women of childbearing age, as it can affect the brain development of babies during pregnancy and increase the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

Pregnant women have other specific nutritional needs beyond the four mentioned here, and so do children. So talk to your doctor if your kids are on a vegan diet or you're planning to become pregnant.

And for people who follow vegan diets for a very long time, there are other nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, that can become an issue.

If you're following a vegan diet, its worth mentioning it to your doctor so they can check for deficiencies.

Meals based around plant-based whole foods aren't just for vegans.

(Unsplash: Maddi Bazzocco)

Meals based around plant-based whole foods aren't just for vegans.

While most people who choose vegan diets do so because they want to minimise harm to animals or cut down on their environmental impact, others talk about the potential health benefits of being entirely plant-based.

The recent documentary The Game Changers promotes a diet free of animal products as performance-enhancing and implies it might even be the optimal diet for humans.

So ... could a vegan diet be even better for you than a healthy omnivorous one?

It's not as simple as that, Professor Collins explained.

There are plenty of animal-free products that are highly processed, high in salt and fat and low in other essential nutrients.

"People are getting a message that, hey, you're supposed to be a little bit vegan now, and they're just buying these products that are appearing without thinking through what it has really taken to manufacture those things.

"The lazy way to be a vegan is to just leave the meat out and leave the dairy products out and make no effort to bring back in the foods that you need to replace the nutrients that you're missing out on."

So while it's certainly possible to have a healthy, complete vegan diet, it's not the only healthy way to eat, Professor Collins said.

If you're looking for a guide, she recommends the Australian Government's Eat For Health website.

"I know it's boring but it actually does outline how many serves of the five food groups you need, based on age and sex, to meet your nutrient requirements.

"You do not have to be a vegan to eat healthy.

"You can have a normal, healthy vegetarian pattern and unhealthy vegan eating pattern and you can have an unhealthy omnivore eating pattern."

There are definitely things that most of us could learn from veganism though, especially when it comes to plant-based "whole foods".

Many vegan protein sources, such as pulses and nuts, do double time by also being rich sources of fibre and healthy fats.

Do you have a burning health question?

(ABC South West WA: Anthony Pancia)

Do you have a burning question about health or sustainable living you have always wanted to know the answer to? Get in touch via burningquestion@abc.net.au and we can take your question to the experts.

"One of the movements that I think can benefit everyone is what's called flexitarian, which is like being a part-time vegetarian or even a part-time vegan," Professor Collins said.

"So a few days a week, you are consciously trying to boost your intake of vegetable sources of nutrients."

Swapping out a few meals a week with whole-food vegan protein sources is not going to do you harm and will probably do you good.

"It's really about stepping back and saying, hey, what are the things I'm eating? Am I eating nutrient rich foods? And am I not going overboard on ultra-processed junk food?"

Plus, if your impact on animals and the environment is important to you goals that motivate many people to go vegan in the first place then going some of the way is arguably better than going none of the way.

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For a vegan diet to be healthy and complete, you really need to understand your food - ABC News

THE CONVERSATION The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced a preliminary finding that implicates a vitamin E additiveas the potential cause of lung injury from THC vaping.

The agency examined fluid samples from the lungs of 29 patients with vaping-related illness and found vitamin E acetate in all 29 samples. This is a major development in the search for answers, and it was of great interest to me generally as apublic health researcher.

Even more, it was of special interest to me because I previously researched vitamin Es role in lung health and development. For three years, as a post-doctoral research fellow, I studied the role of vitamin Es typical role in lung health, lung development and the epidemiology of childhood lung diseases when it is absorbed from our diet.

Free radical fighter

Vitamin E comes from oily foods in our diet. It has also long been known to be important for child development, especially in the womb, where it contributes to healthy lung and nervous system growth, among other things. Vitamin E has eight different isoforms, or types, and each may do slightly different things in our bodies. The kind of vitamin E you get from your diet can therefore vary widely based upon the types of oily foods that you eat.

When we eat vitamin E, it is absorbed by our gastrointestinal tract along with fats. It then travels throughout our bloodstream in the fatty molecules called cholesterol. Finally, it is taken up into our bodys fatty tissues and cellular membranes.

Once incorporated into the body, vitamin E serves as an antioxidant, protecting us from some of the harmful effects of our metabolism and respiration. Antioxidants stabilize what are calledfree radicals, unstable and highly chemically reactive compounds with extra electrons generated by our metabolism. Free radicals, when left unchecked, can destabilize other molecules around them and cause cellular damage.

When vitamin E comes into contact with certain kinds of free radicals, ittransfers that instability onto itself and neutralizesthose free radicals.

So, in the aftermath of the vaping illnesses and deaths, an important question emerges: What happens if, instead of eating vitamin E in your diet, you inhale vitamin E, along with a vaporized solution of THC?

I have no idea.

There are only a tiny handful of studies in which someone tried to nebulize, or vaporize, vitamin E in experiments related to lung health. All were animal studies with a small sample size, and none were combined with a THC vaping fluid.

Its also not clear in this case why vitamin E acetate was added to the vaping fluid, butreports suggest it is usedas a cutting agent to make the THC oils less thick. Perhaps someone thought it was safe to do this in an inhaled product because vitamin E was a natural vitamin. Importantly, however, many substances that are helpful when taken orally can be harmful when inhaled.

No place for oily molecules

The fact that vitamin E typically has to travel in fat-solublelipidsmay perhaps provide a clue as to the harms vitamin E acetate can cause when vaped. Physicians have long known thatinhaling oils and other lipidscan lead to the deposition of oily droplets in the lungs. They also know that this deposition can in turn canlead to inflammationand the potential for permanent lung scarring, respiratory failure or death. Its not a good idea to consistently inhale particles like small solids or oily liquid drops into your very delicate lungs.

We all know what it feels like to choke on something large enough to block our windpipe. But a small, inhaled particle can go past the large airways and lodge in the tiniest airways and thealveolithat transfer oxygen into our bloodstream, causing damage to these fragile structures.

We may not notice right away that we are being harmed. Only tiny segments of the lung are affected, and our lungs are designed to have some reserve capacity.

But over time, as these small injuries add up, more and more lung tissue becomes involved, and symptoms develop. Such injuries can become fatal. For example, think of the diseases caused by asbestos, silica from sand blasting, coal dust and tobacco smoke.

So, perhaps a vitamin E additive could cause damage in a similar way in this context.

A bigger issue

In addition, I believe this is actually a symptom of a broader problem, brought about in part by the1994 lawthat allows dietary supplements and some devices to go to market without meetingstringent safety and efficacy standards. Supplement makers dont have to provide evidence that their products work, and the FDA allows them to monitor the safety features themselves.

Its a good business for the manufacturers; dietary supplements sales are estimated to be worth aboutUS$120 billion by 2020. But it may not be good for the American public. By taking untested products, or by using products that are safe in one context but not studied in another, consumers end up participating in millions of uncontrolled experiments in which safety data are frequently absent. There is minimal quality control, minimal oversight and minimal knowledge of what might happen.

Any type of minimally regulated product that we inhale into our lungs on a regular basis clearly deserves a special level of scrutiny before use. I would argue that any inhaled product should have to demonstrate significant safety data prior to being allowed on the consumer market. Do these products even work? How do they work? If they do work, whats the right dose so that its safe, but still effective? How long can you safely use it? Without that knowledge, we are sailing in dangerous waters with no map.

So, until the day that our poorly regulated, uncontrolled market of self experimentation in lung health comes to an end, I will share a motto that experiments and experience have equally proven to be true. If you want your lungs to outlast your hair, please dont inhale anything but air.

Link:
Vitamin E and vaping injuries: What's safe in your diet is rarely safe in your lungs - Press Herald

Were inching towards the year end. While its a phase that brings with it a gamut of memories and reasons for revelry; lets not forget that its also that time of the year when diets gets thrown out the window. But, before you sulk over the decadence, remember its never too late to switch back to a healthier way of being that would resent your body post a festive binge. While many diets in general dont guarantee fail-safe results; Mediterranean diets have risen to prominence in the recent past, owing to their effectiveness. So just in case if youre on the lookout for a healthily diet to bounce back to resilience that would fit the bill, you have arrived at a right place!What is Mediterranean diet?For starters, lets get to the basics. What does the term Mediterranean diet really mean? Well, the Mediterranean diet is essentially a diet comprising more plant-based foods with healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, olive oil, whole grains, beans, fruits & vegetables largely & minimal milk products (not vegan though). It is predominantly plant-based diet & largely non-meat based (so meat is included but minimally). The Mediterranean diet is one of the richest diets in the world. But does that equate to the diet being pricey? Well, the answer albeit a subjective one, can be best defined as a diet that could be customized as per ones budget, thus making it a feasible option if enough thought is put into it. For instance, there can be less expansive version of Mediterranean diets mostly limiting to beans, fruits, vegetables & whole grains. Whats important to note is that since eating clean requires a great deal of understanding and perseverance, the money spent is often seen as an investment more than an expenditure.The art of balancing While switching to a Mediterranean diet might seem like a great idea, it is important to strike a balance and not push yourself too hard. Ideally, one should restrict cheat days to once in a fortnight while on this diet. In terms of eating clean, focus on eating invisible (healthy) fats such as fish, nuts, seeds & minimizing visible fats such as oils. Beans, greens and whole grains work best on Asians who want to give this diet a try. Seasonal vegetables, beans, whole grains and herbs are some of the best foods to include into your diet just in case you wish to go the Mediterranean way.Simply put, Mediterranean diet does a fine blending of the basics of healthy eating with the traditional flavours and cooking methods of the Mediterranean. This kind of a diet gained popularity in the 1960s owing to how significantly fewer deaths, due to heart diseases, were recorded in the Mediterranean countries like France, Greece, Italy and Spain. It was also noted that the main components of Mediterranean diet entailed a daily consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats. This was coupled with a balanced intake of fish, poultry, beans and eggs. The diet also includes moderate portions of dairy products and a limited intake of red meat. A fun fact is that red wine forms an integral part of the Mediterranean diet thus making it a lot enjoyable than one mustve assumed. Breaking down to the specifics; the Mediterranean diet is largely plant-based. The meals are ideally conceptualized around plant-based foods. Yet, what needs to be noted is that dairy, poultry, eggs and seafood are also a vital part of the Mediterranean Diet. Red meat is however avoided to a large extent. If youve made up your resolve to eat the Mediterranean way; here are some pointers to keep in mind:

Include more fruits and vegetables into your diet: Aim for 7 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. This is one of the best and most crucial aspects of the diet.

Stick to whole grains. One of the easiest and most important ways to make the Mediterranean switch is by opting for whole-grain bread, cereal and pasta. You may occasionally experiment with other whole grains, such as bulgur and farro.

Use olive oil as a replacement: Olive oil extracted from the fruit of the Olea europaea plays an essential role in Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is highly rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) considered to be a healthy dietary fat which is overwhelmingly beneficiary, as opposed to saturated fats and Trans fats.

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6 Mediterranean healthy practices to reset your body after a food binge - Times of India

When Victoria Jackson began running cross country for UNC in 2000, she was struggling with a long history of depression and anorexia, disorders she developed outside of her love for running. Jackson said her coaches were aware of her condition and made sure she received help to reach a healthy place.

They still cared about me as a person rather than the success of the team and wanted to do what was best for me, both athletically and academically, Jackson said.

Although Jacksons eating disorder stemmed from issues like anxiety early in her life, her navigation through recovery was similar to what other student athletes with eating disorders experience.

'A lot of potential issues'

Jacksons treatment involved meeting with a nutritionist, psychologist and medical doctor. When she was placed on medical release after her sophomore year, her coaches mandated that she could not run or practice with the team until she was cleared by a medical professional, Jackson said.

During her medical release, Jackson did not have to give up her athletic scholarship. Instead, the athletic department paid for her scholarship, and the cross country team was able to give her scholarship to someone else.

That was a huge burden relieved from me that idea that I needed to perform because I felt guilty about getting a free education and then not being able to give anything back for it, Jackson said. That gave me the space to focus on recovery. It gave me the space to ultimately develop a healthy relationship with running and return to the sport."

Endurance sports require optimal weight levels and training to maximize one's potential, which Jackson said causes "a lot of potential issues for both young men and young women, in that they might take things too far.

Rachael Flatt, the 2010 U.S. ladies figure skating champion and a member of that year's U.S. Winter Olympics team, said she witnessed many of her figure skating peers struggle with disordered eating and poor body image.

I struggled with that myself, in large part due to a number of negative comments that I received about my physique and how I looked when I was on the ice, said Flatt, who is now a clinical psychology Ph.D. student at UNC.

These experiences inspired her to research eating disorders in athletes at UNC. Flatt studies how technology-based tools, such as online screening tools and treatment programs, can increase access to mental health care for eating disorders.

With the help of Cynthia Bulik, founding director of the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, Flatt hopes to improve the body image environment of athletics around the world.

Bulik said her research has found a positive correlation between physical activity and anorexia nervosa, possibly due to a genetic component.

Instead of over-exercising to lose weight, many anorexia patients are actually genetically pre-disposed to high physical activity, Bulik said. This can often lead a person into sports.

Eating disorder vulnerability in athletes is also influenced by the sport they choose to play.

Athletes who engage in endurance, weight-class or aesthetic sports, such as gymnastics or figure skating, are most vulnerable. Risk factors they commonly face include an emphasis on appearance, body size, uniforms, perfectionism and pressure to perform well, said Rachel Manor, director of Olympic sports nutrition at UNC.

However, "eating disorders can come in any sport, any gender, any size, Manor said. Eating disorders dont discriminate.

Through nutrition education programs, Manor teaches UNC athletes about the principles of intuitive eating, which include honoring your hunger, rejecting the diet mentality and respecting your body.

Dieting is the number one risk factor for the development of eating disorders, so we tell athletes we dont diet and exercise, we train and we fuel, Manor said.

'We're not about plate-shaming'

When a first-year athlete comes to UNC, they are screened by the sports nutrition department for disordered eating risk factors, Manor said. Should athletes develop an eating disorder, the department refers them to a sports dietician, a sports psychologist and a physician.

Kelsee Gomes, UNC's director of sports nutrition, said her departments focus is on teaching athletes to make their own healthy food choices. It offers resources that include four full-time sports dietitians, team nutrition talks, grocery store tours and individual counseling, she said.

Much of Gomes work focuses on managing nutrition for the football team. She said the team has a dining hall on the second floor of Kenan Stadium, where players are fed a breakfast snack and a post-practice lunch.

The NCAA allows universities to provide one meal per day and unlimited snacks, but players on athletic scholarship are also given dinner, Gomes said.

Gomes meets biweekly with the football teams catering company to go over what players prefer and what should be served. For each meal, both a lean option and heavier option are offered to give weight-gain players an opportunity to increase their calorie intake, she said.

With that, Gomes collaborates with strength staff and coaches to determine weight goals for players based on the needs of their position. She sometimes even helps players make food choices during meals.

Were not about plate-shaming over here," Gomes said. "Were all about fueling for performance.

During Tyler Powell's time as defensive lineman on the UNC football team from 2014 to 2018, he spent many meals with Gomes. Powell said he had to be on a 10,000-calorie-a-day diet for over a year in order to gain weight for his position.

It made eating work," Powell said. "I got to the point where I missed being hungry. I wanted to be hungry so I could enjoy my food again.

Powell said having a certified dietician whom he trusted helped him the most during the weight-gain process.

She did everything she could to make it manageable for me and to figure out the best way to get the calories I needed without pushing me too far to the point where I refused to eat, Powell said.

Weight-monitoring and daily encounters with a nutritionist are largely limited to the football team. For other UNC athletes, the sports nutrition department helps with pre- and post-game meal planning, on-the-road eating recommendations and suggestions for what teams should keep in their fueling stations.

Encouraging options

Ru Mucherera, a fifth year on the UNC womens soccer team, said the sports nutrition department has played less of a role in her eating choices. She simply keeps her nutritionists recommendations in the back of her mind.

I know if I dont eat, I feel sluggish or I just know that I wont be performing my best so I try to eat what I think will help me perform the best that day, Mucherera said.

Mucherera sometimes misses meals because of her busy schedule, but she said a key resource the sports nutrition department provides is the Fueling Station in the Loudermilk Center for Excellence, which supplies a variety of snacks to athletes during early-day hours.

I think having that as an option actually encourages a lot of us to actually go there and eat, Mucherera said. I feel like if it wasnt there honestly a lot of people probably wouldnt be eating, skipping meals, and stuff like that.

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UNC athletes find allies in effort to avoid eating disorder risks - The Daily Tar Heel

A majority of the largest companies in the world are working to advance plant-based protein in the Western diet, according to new report The Future of Food compiled by nonprofit Forum for the Future. The report analyzed the business activities of 132 of the worlds largest food companies to determine if they are working toward the Protein Challenge 2040an international collaboration between NGOs and businesses to solve the dilemma of feeding the growing population while mitigating environmental damage caused by food production. Researchers found that 41 percent of meat and dairy producers (such as Smithfield, JBS, and Nestl) are actively increasing the availability of plant-based protein either in their own product lines or through acquisitions and investments. The majority of food and ingredient manufacturers (79 percent), retailers (52 percent), and food service providers and restaurants (61 percent) are all adding plant-based meals to menus and portfolios, focusing on setting sales-based targets of plant-based foods, and making public commitments to expand their plant-based offerings.

We can be sure that the future of food will look very different and business as usual is not an option, the report states. Food businesses need to urgently future-proof themselves and their supply chains by moving beyond the current surge of product innovations to deliver integrated protein strategies that cover the production as well as consumption of protein and actively drive better outcomes for sustainability and nutrition. To further tip the scales, the report outlines five key points companies must address to fully transform the food system: developing an integrated protein strategy; making public, time-bound commitments to change; embedding a sustainability ethos across their business models from top down; collaborating with companies already working toward sustainability goals; and engaging policymakers and institutions to become better advocates to fight the climate crisis.

Photo Credit: Smithfield

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More Than Half of the World's Largest Food Companies Are Working to Advance Plant-Based Options - VegNews

Anyone who's been through it will tell youthe journey of having a baby is full of highs and lows. It could happen quickly (just one cycle) or take way longer than one thought. Babies come when they want to, and doctors say that the journey is individual and specific to each person. Still, most do a that tweaking what you eat can be game-changing if youre in the process of conceiving. Dietary modification is the most important aspect, mostly because it can easily be changed, says Dr Rupali Goyal, IVF specialist, department of obstetrics and gynaecology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. There are many cases when the immune system attacks the body, including the embryo, and this happens because of inflammation, which is the root cause of most disease, says Lovneet Batra, sports nutritionist and founder, Arbhavya, New Delhi. In most cases just making simple diet switches changes the result, she says. Both doctors also say that haphazard hormone levels, most evidently seen in autoimmune diseases, PCOS and thyroid issues can decrease fertility, so getting these under control is important as well.

Doctors have varied thoughts about the safety and efficacy of certain foods while conceiving and through pregnancy (caffeine is a particularly controversial one,) but Dr Batra likes to err on the side of caution: Avoid diet sodas, caffeine, sugar substituteswomen who consume a lot of coffee have problems with implantations, says Batra. Dr Goyal says that if youre actively trying to conceive, its better to avoid alcohol, cigarettes, refined carbs, and red meat as well.

Both experts are certain that eating foods that reduce inflammation and balance hormones may help to create an ideal environment for pregnancy, and can be easily added to one's diet. Checking with your doctor, nutritionist and OB/GYN is always recommended, though, before making major changes to your eating plan.

This is one of the most potent ways to bring down inflammation, says Batra. She says that if your body is under stress and secreting cortisol, it wont produce progesterone, which is a hormone that helps with implantation of the embryo. Omega 3 boosts progesterone and thereby helps the embryo grow. Natural sources of Omega 3 include walnuts, flax seeds, avocados and chia seeds. However Batra says that plant-based versions arent as potent in the fatty acid ALA, but can work in a pinch. The EPA and DHA in fish oil is more potent and effective. You can take a 100mg capsule everyday for fertility, but check the ingredients in your supplement and choose one that has the highest amounts of EPA and DHA," she says.

Vitamin C and E help lower inflammation. Plus, another impediment to fertility is being either under or overweight, and for that B vitamins help improve energy metabolism, says Batra. She also recommends beta carotene for fertility. Consuming enough of these antioxidants will help regulate the overall metabolism. You can get Vitamin C from amla, guavas and oranges; beta-carotene from carrots, pumpkins and beets; vitamin E from almonds and wheat germ; and B vitamins from lentils and greens.

This is the ultimate superfood for fertility, says Batra, explaining that most of us are struggling with oestrogen dominance these days. Blame it on the xenoestrogens that we get from personal care items or highly oestrogenic dairy and meats, but this condition is also responsible for diseases such as breast cancer and endometriosis. Figs help with clearing excess oestrogen in the body. I have seen this work for women in my own practice, she says. You can eat either two-three fresh figs a day or three round slices of dry figs that have been soaked overnight. Grapes, citrus fruits and pomegranates work the same way.

If the reason for infertility is PCOD or PCOS, then including healthy fats from coconut and cashews help stabilise hormones, including balancing the thyroid. Batra says that if you have hypothyroid, then these fats help bring the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) down. You can have one tsp of virgin coconut oil on an empty stomach or a two-three inch slice of fresh tender coconut, plus seven-eight cashews in a day.

A deficiency in these minerals impacts your thyroid and insulin levels. If theres insulin resistance, youre at higher risk of PCOS. This leads to you not making enough FSH, which prevents fertilisation and implantation. Therefore a stable hormone profile is essential, and selenium, magnesium, even chromium (especially if youre diabetic) is key, she says. Nuts, seeds and lentils are the best groups for these essential nutrients.

Vasudha Rai has been writing on beauty and wellness for more than 15 years. Shes the author of Glow: Indian Foods, Recipes and Rituals for Beauty Inside and Out, and blogs regularly on Vbeauty.co

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Actor, supermodel and runner Milind Soman has set up high standards when it comes to fitness. The actor crossed the age of 50 but his fitness levels are an inspiration to many. Not hard to guess, a healthy lifestyle along with a regular workout regime is the secret behind Milinds fit body. He is a runner and has not gone to the gym in the last 20 years. Milinds cheat mealMasaba Gupta shared in one of her recent Instagram stories a picture of Milind eating chips and chocolate biscuits. He was seen scrolling down his phone and enjoying chips and biscuit without any guilt. Was this his cheat meal?

Well, we cant be so sure of it. But yes, eating our favourite junk once in a while is absolutely normal is what we understand by looking at these pictures.What is a cheat meal?As the name suggests, a cheat meal is a single meal that is completely different from your planned diet. The theory behind having a cheat meal or cheat day is that by allowing yourself a brief period of indulgence, you will be able to stick to your prescribed plan easily. It is a reward-based strategy.

There are no guidelines on how frequently you can have a cheat meal. Some indulge in one per week while others indulge in one in two days. It all depends on what a persons weight is and what his/her goals are.

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Designer Masaba Gupta caught Milind Soman snacking and we are shocked! - Times of India

In 2007, Dr. Terry Wahls found a way to stop the progression of her multiple sclerosis using diet and lifestyle changes and she continues to study her method with University of Iowa Health Care.

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics as seen on Sept 17, 2018.

Katie Goodale

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics as seen on Sept 17, 2018.

Katie Goodale

Katie Goodale

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics as seen on Sept 17, 2018.

Terry Wahls treatment method for multiple sclerosis, the Wahls Protocol, has already gained a large following online but with a best-selling book and a TEDtalk with more than 3 million views, she still has plans to advance her research.

With a new $2 million grant, Wahls, a clinical professor of internal medicine in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, is working to further her method through studying multiple sclerosis patients who elect not to take medication to manage the disease.

There are no studies comparing what happens to people who are newly diagnosed with MS and elect to not take drugs and follow the diet and lifestyle that I outlined, she said.

The study is currently being reviewed by the Institutional Review Board, and Wahls hopes to launch it next year with hopes that the Wahls Protocol will be able to be tested in a randomized, double-blind study once its completed.

Wahls developed her protocol an approach to treating multiple sclerosis and other immune diseases using a modified diet approach while suffering from multiple sclerosis herself.

While managing secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, Wahls began researching vitamins and supplements to treat the disease and then began searching for a way to incorporate those nutrients into her diet.

I had a really big a-ha moment that I should redesign my paleo diet to match my intake of all these key brain nutrients Ive identified in food, she said. I start that new way of eating in December of 2007, and within three months my pain is gone, my brain fog is gone. Im beginning to walk with a cane.

After writing up a case study from her own findings, Wahls began studying the method through a series of small pilot studies.

Wahls said that, although she has faced some criticism for publishing the Wahls Protocol without having gone through a scientific double-blind study, the funding for her research comes from families who have benefited from her treatment protocols.

The fact that I have done this publicly with my TED talk, with my book, has allowed me to have the visibility that has allowed us to have a very successful philanthropic support for my research lab for the last nine years, which is how Ive conducted many of my small pilot studies, Wahls said.

Warren Darling, department head of health and human physiology, has been involved with Wahls research for several years.

RELATED: UI plays key role in groundbreaking multiple sclerosis research study

Darling said research he and Wahls have conducted so far shows improved quality of life for patients treated using the Wahls Protocol diet.

There was a clear reduction in perceived fatigue. These people with multiple sclerosis, they often feel exhausted almost all the time, he said. After being on that program with diet and exercise theyre able to do more without being tired. Weve also found improved quality of life related to feeling less tired and improved motor function.

Linda Snetselaar, a professor of epidemiology and chair of preventive nutrition education, is involved in the experimental design of the current study.

She said the study intends to be more scientifically rigorous than previous small pilot studies.

Maybe the numbers were super small, sometimes there was a sample size of two patients what were trying to do is have a larger number of participants in the study and additionally use a scientifically rigorous study design, she said.

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Research on viral 'Wahls Protocol' treatment for multiple sclerosis continues at University of Iowa - UI The Daily Iowan

Youre dressing up for your friends holiday party, only to find that last years festive ensemble doesnt fit quite right. Maybe your favorite party pants are too tight for dancing, or your dress wont zip up, leaving little room for the apple pie or the red, green, and gold Hersheys kisses youd planned on treating yourself with.

Dont beat yourself up. Its completely normal for weight to fluctuate by a few pounds, even within the same day, says Kim Yawitz, RD, a private practice dietitian in St. Louis, Michigan. On a day-to-day basis, body weight can rise and fall due to fluid retention, hydration levels, bathroom habits, and medication use.

There are several other potential culprits for your fall weight gain.

Celebratory events, for one, can play a part. My birthday was recently and I celebrated last week, over the weekend, last night, and will celebrate with my girlfriends tomorrow night, says Tara Collingwood, RDN, a sports and performance dietitian in Orlando, Florida. I know I am eating more in this week than normal, so I try to have a lower-calorie lunch, or I up my exercise or daily activity a little bit to make up for it so I can indulge without guilt. I am not skipping meals.

So while a little increase of the scale can happen as seamlessly as a change in season, you can do something about it before it gets out of hand. The important thing is to be aware of the fluctuations and correct them before [it is] too late, says Collingwood. If you find you are [consistently] five pounds up after the summer, attack it. Enjoy that vacation, but come back ready to work for a few weeks at getting any extra pounds off right away.

RELATED: 8 Reasons You Gained Weight Over the Summer

Ready for five more reasons the number on the scale may have crept up a little over autumn, plus some solutions that will help you feel healthy and confident again? Here you go:

Soccer games, classroom bake sales, and school musicals equal happy kids but tired parents. Between professional obligations, back-to-school engagements, new routines, and sports practices, many of my clients with kids have very little time and energy left to cook by the end of the day! says Yawitz. As a result, the entire family tends to eat more fast food and takeout when the calendar gets packed.

Convenience meals can but dont have to lead to extra pounds. Restaurant foods tend to be higher in sodium than home-cooked meals, which can lead to temporary water weight gain, notes Yawitz. Over time, Yawitz adds, frequently eating restaurant meals can also cause lasting weight changes due to the fact that they tend to be high in calories with very large portions. In a study published in January 2018 in the American Journal of Health Promotion, each fast food meal in a week was connected with a 0.8 increase in body mass index (BMI). For sit-down restaurants, there was a link with an increased BMI of 0.6. To put this in perspective, if your BMI was 24.5 and increased by 0.8, you would go from a healthy BMI to an overweight BMI, as the National Institutes of Health notes.

As a busy mom, I know how difficult it can be to make time to cook, says Yawitz. On less-hectic nights, I like to make double batches of freezer-friendly meals, like soups and casseroles. I serve one on the night I cook it and schedule a reminder in my phone to reheat the second portion on a night I know Ill be busy. Investing in appliances such as the Instant Pot, which works as a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, and more; or the Brava, a smart oven that rapidly cooks meals, can help speed up meal prep. The Instant Pot starts at $65, while the Brava is a choice for those who want to splurge, coming in at $1,095.

You can also try one of the many healthy meal delivery services popping up that offer heat-and-eat meals. Freshly, for instance, allows you to select meals with less than 500 calories and runs as low as $49.99 per week for four meals. Snap Kitchen offers tailored meals for different eating styles (such as low-carb) with varied costs depending on location. And Fresh N Lean provides portioned meals for plant-based eaters, athletes, and more, coming in at $8.40 per meal for its cheapest option, the vegan standard meal plan.

RELATED: 6 Meal Delivery Services That Make Dinner Prep a Cinch

These days, a holiday doesnt last just one day. For Thanksgiving, you may have the actual day, plus Friendsgiving and a work potluck. And then theres the multitude of other holidays that happen in the fall. You have tailgating for college and pro football games and Halloween candy lying around for weeks, acknowledges Collingwood. Plus, pumpkin spice lattes [PSLs] are consumed because they only come around for a few months of the year. Fall is a season for food-centric socializing, and that can send your calorie intake soaring, thereby increasing weight.

Youll have to make some hard decisions here. I love a PSL like everyone else but the syrup is not sugar-free, and the calories can add up! says Collingwood. I make conscious decisions around how often I might indulge in a sugary coffee beverage, or say yes to the pumpkin cake roll brought into the office. If you know where your major temptations lie, you can be more aware and eat more strategically than reactively.

Eating strategically means making indulgences matter and adjusting your diet choices throughout the day to account for them. Are the cookies in the break room from the grocery store, or are they from a specialty bakery and totally worth it? If you decide to go for the treat, choose one (so a cookie or a glass of wine or a small slice of cake not all three!) and scale back in other areas. For instance, skip the fried rice with dinner and go for cauliflower rice instead; or use zucchini noodles instead of real noodles.

Another strategy: If the treats dont look so tempting, have a lighter snack, such as air-popped popcorn or a couple of tablespoons of almonds instead. A study published in December 2014 in Health Psychology revealed that healthier foods like air-popped popcorn and almonds are just as likely to boost a bad mood as higher-calorie, more traditional comfort foods like ice cream.

We all know that the fall months can cause an increase of stress due to school starting and preparing for the winter holidays, says Jennifer McDaniel, RDN, a private practice dietitian in St. Louis, Missouri. Stress can have a number of negative effects on your body. It increases ghrelin, your hunger hormone, as well as cravings. Stress also increases cortisol. Under chronic stress, cortisol can cause your body to store fat in your midsection, called visceral or belly fat.

Stress can impair activity levels, too. In a review published in January 2014 in Sports Medicine, the majority of research showed that stress gets in the way of efforts to be physically active.

If cooking all the food for a holiday meal is the cause of your stress, get some help. This may mean assigning every guest a dish or even investing in a complete heat-and-eat Martha Stewart Thanksgiving array of sides from Williams Sonoma; the bundle ranges in price from $160.97 to $359.96.

The Sports Medicine review also found that a small group of studies showed that stress can make your sweat session more efficient. Regardless of whether you feel motivated to exercise, getting some movement can make your happy hormones dance. Try Zeamo, a monthly subscription that allows you to sample different gyms in your area. You can search and choose gyms by the equipment or classes offered. Feel like kickboxing your stress out one day but want a relaxing, rejuvenating, restorative yoga class the next day?

RELATED: The Ultimate Diet Plan for a Happier, Less-Stressed You

Fall weather is delightfully cool and crisp and while it may be ideal for sitting outside and roasting marshmallows, its not as appealing for an evening run. People may be more active in the summer months when the weather is nice and they are playing with kids outside, going to the beach, or participating in summer leagues of recreational sports, says Collingwood. When the colder weather comes, people may hibernate more inside, forgoing some of the additional daily activity and staying indoors when the weather chills. Similarly, if youre used to walking or biking to work during warmer weather, you may lose out on calorie burn by driving or taking a bus when the weather gets nippy.

The solution may be as simple as a wardrobe investment. Buy clothes appropriate to maintain your active outdoor lifestyle, and make it a priority to move every day, suggests Ginger Hultin, RD, a Seattle-based spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Since the holidays are coming around, consider asking for an activity tracker, such as a FitBit or an Apple Watch, to help you log your movement and set goals. You can download the free and highly rated Pedometer++ app, which allows you to set a daily step goal and track your activity. Its free on both the App Store and Google Play.

Planning a getaway? Think about making it an active vacation, such as a wellness retreat at Hilton Head Health in South Carolina. (The resort offers portion-controlled meals and a daily agenda of fitness classes.) You could also opt for an all-inclusive ClubMed vacation, where you can schedule in activities like yoga, Pilates, power walking, and meditation. Pricing for these programs varies based on factors including whether youre a first-time or returning guest, and how long you plan to stay.

If youre feeling blue come daylight savings, youre not alone. And seasonal depression can impact your weight. People with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are more prone to emotional eating than people who dont have the condition, says Yawitz.

In fact, past research showed that people with SAD are more likely to eat carbohydrates, and not necessarily the healthy types, during bouts of seasonal depression. Theres also evidence that women with SAD have more frequent and intense cravings for sweet and starchy carbohydrates, possibly because these foods boost levels of a feel-good hormone called serotonin, says Yawitz.

Try light therapy to boost your mood. In a past study, adults with SAD were given light therapy treatment, which researchers found reduced participants depression symptoms. Consider investing in a Happy Light therapy lamp or box, which run as low as $34.95.

As far as food goes, try embracing mindful or intuitive eating. Every time you have the urge to eat, take a moment to reflect on how youre feeling physically and mentally, suggests Yawitz. If youve eaten recently and youre not having any physical signs of hunger like a growling stomach, consider whether you might actually be sad, lonely, or anxious rather than hungry. You might find just as much comfort from calling a friend, meditating, or taking a bath. Even better, bundle up and take a walk if its sunny outside! Our bodies produce more serotonin when were exposed to sunlight, so a bit of time outside can be a great mood boost.

RELATED: 10 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues and Feel Great

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How Come I Gained Weight This Fall? - Everyday Health

5.45amIm up and running on adrenaline and dont eat or drink until after my radio sketch.

8.15amIll have a massive bowl of fruit and greek yoghurt with black coffee. This is my new breakfast since I changed my eating habits in July and cracked the code for shifting that extra stone that most Irish men carry around.

In the old days I tucked into bacon, eggs and rye toast. I was doing weight training, tennis and walking but could not lose the weight that was sitting uncomfortably on me. I tried different avenues, like calorie control, that worked initially, but nothing lasted. I was in a funk and once even gave up alcohol for six weeks and not a pound came off.

In the end the answer was sitting in plain sight of me. This was my wife, Blathnaid, and her mindset of focusing on veg, salads and fruits to such an extent that unhealthy foods are crowded out. In the four months since I started to take her advice my weight has gone from 14 stone 7 down to 13 stone 8 pounds. My vanity weight would be 13 stone 2 pounds but Im happy enough.

1pmNow I embrace salads. And I am talking tasty, substantial ones. This is usually my variation of the salade nioise with good balsamic dressing, tuna, egg, green beans, tomatoes, lettuce and avo. Ill have a black coffee and feel satiated. In the bad old days I would have launched into a big sandwich with chicken and mayo. This was never enough and I found myself in the slippery routine of supplementing with a packet of crisps. The trick to make the salad satisfying is to add extra of whatever it is you like - I love red onion so always request extra in the cafe where I eat my lunch.

4pm I get home and grab a few oranges off our massive fruit bowl.

5pmWe like to eat early with the kids and often have a big piece of fish - cod or salmon - with veg and baked potato, or once a week roast chicken. Other days its meatballs and wholewheat spaghetti, or lentil burgers. Always homemade by Blanath and always with lots of veg and salads.

8pmOne thing I have learned with eating is that if you dont plan, you plan to fail; in the evening I get hungry and previously would have lashed into the cheese and tuc crackers with hot chocolate. Instead Blathnaid makes a batch of healthy flapjacks every week and I allow myself one with a peppermint tea. The herbal tea is a recent adoption of mine and I love it. If I set this limit I dont panic when I get peckish as I know if I stick to my snack I am on course. You have to remain flexible though and if at a relatives house I am handed a plate of lasagna and potato salad, followed by cheesecake, I will eat every scrap. We go out for dinner once a week and then all bets are off.

9.30pmWe are in bed early, but Im no paragon of virtue, and am up later at weekends. I enjoy two pints of lager as much as the next man and have not given up alcohol. Another reason why I think this new approach works is that my digestive system gets a break every day for quite a stretch; between the hours of 6pm and lunchtime I only have the flapjack and fruit and yoghurt - all easy to digest.

My mantra has always been if you apply yourself and work hard, then reward yourself and your self esteem, and throw yourself a party. Im still rewarding myself but have reorientated my eating so that if almost all of my meals in the week are healthy there is less space for the party throwing crisps. I dont call it a diet, there will be no rails to fall off at Christmas, its my new approach to eating.

Finding some sort of balance in your life sounds so boring and mundane and actually, its extremely hard to do but if you find it, you realise its magical. Im fresher, in better form and more giving. Im getting geared up for my nationwide show to celebrate 20 years of Gift Grub and Im excited I can now slip into size 14 Miriam OCallaghan dresses.

in conversation with Mary McCarthy

by dietitian, Conor Kerley

Mario has a plan of meals each day but is not rigid. He is smart to view his new way of eating as a new mindset the minute you say you are on a diet there is an expected expiry date. He mentions that all the exercise he did made no difference, people often get a skewed approach to eating if they exercise a lot but you can never outrun a bad diet.

What with all the information, misinformation and confusion we are all bombarded with, the clear lesson here is: focus on real food with fruit/veg/salad at all meals and allow flexibility for living life. Bravo Mario ... and Im sure he looks lovely in his MOC dresses.

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I cracked the code for shifting that extra stone that most Irish men carry around - The Irish Times