Impossible burgers. Macrobiotics. Keto. With all the different diet trends out there today, its becoming more and more difficult to figure out which one might be right for you. It seems like a new way of eating pops up with each passing day, which just adds to the confusion. Should you eat mostly meat, or no meat at all? Is the vegan diet extremist and unhealthy (some places have declared it illegal to raise your kids veganyikes!) or is it the best diet out there? Or maybe the paleo diet has it right?

Related: Is a Vegan Diet Safe for Kids? We Weigh the Pros and Cons

Arguably, the vegan and paleo diets are two of the most popular diets in recent years. Thats a bit of a head scratcher, since the two diets seem diametrically opposed in the foods they promote and restrict. More recently, the pegan diet has gained popularity as a hybrid of these two eating plans. Sound bizarre? We thought so, too! But, says John OConnor, founder of the startup Gene Food, which works to identify the right diet based on your genetic makeup, In some respects, the pegan diet is the best of both the paleo and vegan worlds, since it removes the most inflammatory foods from each diet.

In this article, well fill you in on everything you need to know about the pegan diet, including what you can and cant eat, and some of the main benefits and drawbacks as well.

The concept of the pegan diet was first introduced by Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solutionand the hilariously titled, Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? (because who hasnt been there?). In an attempt to avoid the extreme restrictions placed by both the vegan and paleo diets, Dr. Hyman envisioned a hybrid that would allow followers to enjoy a wider array of foods while still avoiding processed foods high in sugar and fat and devoid of nutrients.

Like vegans, followers of the pegan diet seek to fill about 75% of their plates with fruits and vegetables at all meals. A small amount of high-quality meat is OK, but beans, a veritable staple of the vegan diet, are a no-no, since they can lead to a spike in blood sugar. OConnor says, The pegan diet, as a low-sugar, mostly plant-based diet, focuses on plant foods less likely to spike insulin, thereby helping you keep your blood sugar under control.

Wondering exactly what you can and cant eat as part of the Pegan diet? Here are lists of each for easy reference.

Related: Tips on Following a Plant-Based Diet From Top Vegan Chefs and Bloggers

Perhaps the biggest benefit of the pegan diet is that its much more flexible than the two diets it came from. It restricts legumes, but those who dont struggle to keep their blood sugar under control can enjoy a small serving each day. It allows for small amounts of meat, which is a huge draw for anyone whos uninterested in following the vegan lifestyle, but the amount of meat is small as to avoid causing high cholesterol.

The pegan diet is going to be a good option for those looking to decrease inflammation or eat a more nourishing diet, since it focuses predominantly on nutrient-dense veggies and whole, real foods. Its a great option for anyone coming away from a standard American diet, interested in becoming healthier, and reducing their reliance on processed foods, says Samantha Presicci, the Lead Registered Dietitian (RD) at Snap Kitchen.

Eat an apple to boost heart health. High-fiber foods can lower triglycerides, or fatty lipids found in your blood. Aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day with picks like oatmeal, beans and pears.

Any time a diet restricts large food groups, such as meat or dairy, two concerns immediately arise: how to get enough calories to fuel your body, and how to replace nutrients that may be lost by cutting foods out of your diet. Thats why followers of diets like veganism, paleo and as an extension, peganism, need to have a thorough understanding of what theyre doing.

OConnor says, The biggest challenge with the pegan diet is getting adequate calories. Since the diet does restrict many different food groups, it can be a challenging diet for someone who is underweight or trying to gain weight. Many versions of the pegan diet allow for omega-3 rich fatty fish and eggs. But if the diet is strict pegan, nutrient deficiencies can be a concern, especially vitamin D, B vitamins, and vitamin A and K.

For example, the pegan diet calls for followers to avoid beans, which contain not only protein, but loads of soluble fiber, which is key to lowering cholesterol. And dairy is also banned, which is a common source of calcium and protein for most Americans.

When deciding which diet to follow, here are a few things that might help reduce confusion and help you determine whats best for your individual situation.

You should always consult your physician before making any sort of drastic changes to your diet. He or she can help guide you in making the right choices. Furthermore, a baseline physical and blood test can give you key insights into your health before making a change. For example, if you have high cholesterol but dont want to give up meat entirely, the pegan diet could be a good solution for you. Your medical professional can also advise you of any supplements you might need.

Today, there are a host of genetic tests you can take that will give you insight into your bodys unique needs. GenoPalate and Gene Food are two that will give you a complete nutritional profile based on your genetic makeup. And remember, its always a good idea to discuss your findings with your regular doctor.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Home Medical Tests, Including Which Ones Are Most Accurate

Lets face itits hard to make drastic lifestyle changes. If you sign up for something too extreme, youre less likely to stick to it in the long run. So if youre considering going pegan in a family of die-hard steak eaters, youve got a tough road ahead of you. OConnor agrees, saying, Combining these two diets leaves you somewhat limited in terms of your food choices. So be sure to consider your day-to-day when deciding whether you can stick to the diet or not.

Find out whether keto or Whole30 is better for weight loss.

More here:
Pegan Diet 101: What Foods to Eat on the Pegan Diet, Plus Pros and Cons - Parade

Healthy eating is a popular topic on the Pulmonary Fibrosis News Forums. Members discuss their attempts to promote optimal pulmonary wellness by improving their eating habits. They also share what foods they avoid because of side effects and what foods help them feel better.

Someone once said, Eat food as your medicine. Otherwise, you will have to eat medicine as your food. However, I always wonder how this applies to people with a chronic illness, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). I am not suggesting that patients with IPF neglect their antifibrotic medications and focus solely on eating healthy. But it is important to ensure that the two are working in tandem to benefit you.

I recently attended a session of this years PFF Summit called Health and Wellness with Pulmonary Fibrosis. The session was facilitated by two physicians, a senior dietician, and a respiratory therapist who specializes in pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with IPF. I sat next to Noah Greenspan, who started the Pulmonary Wellness and Rehabilitation Center.

Needless to say, I was surrounded by brilliance.

Weight loss isnt the only benefit of healthy eating. Real food and a balanced diet fuel, protect, and optimize bodily functions. Diets for rapid weight loss, including keto diets, vegan diets, and paleoorAtkins diets, emerge regularly. They may help people achieve their weight loss goals, but they often arent a sustainable way of eating.

Barbra Swanson, a senior dietician at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, had a simple message for us: Its best to eat a balanced diet of protein, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. I tend to be a fairly healthy eater, and I am grateful that I enjoy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. However, the session showed me how the food we consume affects our bodies, particularly our lungs.

According to Swanson, everything we eat produces carbon dioxide, energy, and water. Unsurprisingly, sugar produces the greatest amount of carbon dioxide, so patients with IPF must avoid frequent consumption of sugar. However, the natural sugars in various fruits do not affect the body the same way that processed sugar does. It is important to consume fruit as part of a balanced diet.

Swanson also spoke about the importance of foods that are high in bioflavonoids, which are beneficial to the lungs. Citrus bioflavonoids can be consumed orally or via supplement and are particularly helpful in boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation, and working as an antioxidant. I had never heard of bioflavonoids before the summit and am trying to incorporate them into my diet.

Unfortunately, patients with IPF often struggle with excess mucus in the lungs, which can complicate or stifle the cough that accompanies IPF. I learned that even though dairy is part of the food pyramid, it isnt necessary to consume. Dairy consumption is beneficial, but some patients with IPF might be unable to tolerate the increase in mucus.

I also attended a session on the lung transplant experience, facilitated by Doctor Timothy Whelan from the Medical University of South Carolina. He said the two most common comorbidities post-transplant are diabetes and hypertension. Both can be influenced by the food we consume, which emphasizes the importance of healthy eating habits, especially for people with a chronic illness such as IPF.

Understanding the impact of food consumption on our bodies, particularly our lungs, was beneficial. I hope this information is helpful to you as well.

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Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.

Thanks for stopping by my column! My name is Charlene Marshall and I was diagnosed officially with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) on April 7 2016 after 13 months of various tests, hospitalizations and misdiagnoses, such as bronchitis and asthma. Due to my age, the specialist disclosed that he was unsure how the IPF would manifest itself in terms of progression, and whether it would be fast or slow and what the course of my illness might look like. Not much has changed since then, meaning there is still a lot that remains unknown, which is largely due to my age and how rare it is for someone under 30 to receive a diagnosis of IPF. That being said, a lot has changed for me in the time since diagnosis and I am looking forward to sharing some of those changes with you through this online platform, and I invite you along for the ride! Throughout this column I intend to chronicle the experience of living with an invisible, yet fatal disease as a young adult and share some stories about how IPF has impacted every aspect of my life, both good and bad, thus far. I plan on highlighting the challenges (and where I can, the positives) that come with living with IPF and the impact on social and intimate relationships, finances, family dynamics, facing mortality, infertility, travelling, medication side effects, career goals and so much more as it arises for me as a new patient. I hope others with similar experiences will reach out as no story trumps any other, nor should any go unheard. For now, let me leave you with some personal details about who I am, outside of my IPF diagnosis. I grew up in a small town in south-western Ontario and still live within Ontario, although in a much bigger city. My favorite sport is/was underwater hockey (yes, it is a thing: look it up on YouTube), I love working with people, I work full-time in the Social Work/Social Services field, I am an avid learner filled with heaps of curiosity for the world, which lead me to start my Masters Degree in 2014. I am in the last few months of my Masters Degree and am looking forward to an upcoming trip to Australia more than Ive looked forward to anything before. Welcome to the shambles and chaos that is my life!

Continue reading here:
The Direct Influence of Healthy Eating on the Body - Pulmonary Fibrosis News

SALT LAKE CITY The holiday season brings social gatherings, family parties, special events and holidays meals: all of which likely involve an abundance of food.

For some, this can feel overwhelming. It can be difficult to know how to navigate so many food situations.

The food culture we live in makes us all vulnerable to extremes in eating. We are either "on" or "off," "good" or "bad," eating "clean" or not. People are particularly vulnerable to all-or-nothing, black-and-white thinking during the holiday season. Its easy to throw all caution to the wind over the holidays with the promise of a diet in the new year.

As such, heres the best holiday eating advice youll ever get: Dont plan to start a diet in January.

If you know that a diet, restriction or deprivation is around the corner, youll make sure to get all the food right now before its gone. You may lack respect for your body because you think food will soon be scarce. Might as well enjoy yourself now before the suffering begins, right?

Instead, give yourself full permission to enjoy a variety of nourishing and satisfying foods during the holidays and beyond. If you know you can have it later, it will be easier to respect your bodys fullness cues.

Food habituation studies support the evidence for giving yourself permission to eat. Essentially, the more often you are exposed to a food, the less your brain fixates on it. Alternately, the less often you are exposed to a food, the more your brain fixates on it.

Its easy to feel guilty and beat yourself up about haphazard and chaotic eating patterns. Instead, Id encourage you to explore a few questions:

Instead of trying to "fix" overeating with more food rules, you may want to assess if your eating patterns are consistent, adequate, flexible and inclusive of a wide variety of foods. As you work to make them so, youll find you become much more level headed about food.

So, as you navigate food abundant holidays, Id encourage you to reassure yourself that you have permission to eat whatever you want, whenever you want it. By doing so, you can eat what tastes good in amounts that also feel good to your body because its not going anywhere.

To avoid the all-or-nothing mentality that leads to extremes in eating over the holidays, simply dont plan to start a diet in January.

The rest is here:
This is the best holiday eating advice you'll ever get - KSL.com

You probably know chia seeds as that superfood component of your favorite smoothie recipe. Now, theyve grown so popular that people are drinking them straight as chia seed water. Some commercial chia seed beverages are even available in grocery stores. But are chia seeds all theyre cracked up to be? We asked a nutritionist to give us the details.

Chia seeds are robustly nutritious seeds that originate from the plant Salvia Hispanic L, says Alicia Romano, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., C.N.S.C., registered dietitian at Tufts Medical Center and media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. The seed itself is a complete protein and one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. One thing that makes chia seeds unique is that they absorb water quickly and can take in up to 10 times their weight in liquid, creating a gel-like texture.

How do you drink chia seeds with water?

Chia seed water is essentially just chia seeds and water, although some recipes call for flavorings such as citrus or sweeteners, says Romano. The benefits would be the same as the general health benefits of eating chia seeds. However, suddenly adding a ton of fiber to your diet can result in stomach discomfort, so if youre new to chia seeds you might not want to down a whole glass of the stuff. Romano recommends increasing your water intake and adding chia seeds gradually to your diet, whether you mix them into oatmeal or a smoothie, or drink a smaller amount of chia seed water. Remember, everything should be done in moderation.

OatmealStoriesGetty Images

Read more from the original source:
Chia Seed Water Health Benefits Chia Seeds Nutrition - GoodHousekeeping.com

To the Editor:

Re Go Ahead. Eat Your Holiday Feelings, by Christy Harrison (Sunday Review, Nov. 24):

Emotional eating is when you are hungry from the heart, not the stomach. There is a large spectrum of problematic eating behavior: overeating, compulsive overeating, binge eating, bulimia, self-starvation, laxative abuse, orthorexia (an obsession with eating foods that one believes are healthy), compulsive exercise and chronic dieting.

No matter where people fall on the spectrum from an 80-pound anorexic to a 450-pound binge-eater their relationship with food and their bodies is fueled and driven by emotions too hard to digest: depression, anxiety, frozen grief, trauma, anger, sexual abuse, feelings of abandonment and rejection.

Ms. Harrison tries to normalize the humanity of overeating: We all do it, and it is often fueled by restrictive dieting and undereating. But she does not go far enough. She minimizes the truth that many people suffer from eating disorders that are psychiatric disorders and require a full scope of treatment interventions, including nutrition support, psychotherapy and sometimes medication for depression and anxiety.

And lets remember: Everyones eating problem is as unique as a fingerprint. One size does not fit all.

Mary Anne CohenBrooklynThe writer is director of the New York Center for Eating Disorders.

To the Editor:

Re Banished for 5 Years, Youth Football Roars Back in a Texas Town (front page, Nov. 17):

The human capacity for self-delusion is profound and resilient. But especially when it concerns the health of children, we must be relentless in pursuit and acceptance of the truth.

There is a growing body of evidence that American football is highly toxic for the brain, especially the preadolescent brain. Recent studies have indicated that boys who begin playing tackle football when very young are at much higher risk of developing brain-wasting chronic traumatic encephalopathy in later life.

No appeal to cultural norms or character formation can justify such a risk. Adults who encourage young boys to play a sport that is so insidiously damaging are engaging in child abuse.

David HaydenWilton, Conn.

To the Editor:

Re What if You Always Had Friday Off? Why Dont You? (Business Day, Nov. 11):

I used to work as a computer animator. I noticed that animators are far more productive when working in union shops. In businesses with 10-to-12-hour days, less was accomplished.

The pace was slower because people werent fresh, and they naturally slow down to survive the longer hours. In the eight-hour shops, we came in fresh, eager to work and easily worked harder to accomplish goals in shorter hours.

J. HauptmanNew York

Read the original post:
On Emotional Eating - The New York Times

Our bodies are home to an abundance of tiny organisms, collectively called the microbiome, which are essential to human health and longevity. But not all microbiomes are equal, according to an essay published on Tuesday in PLOS Biology that spotlights how access to healthy microbes is profoundly interlinked with social and economic inequities.

A team led by Suzanne Ishaq, an assistant professor at the University of Maine and an expert in animal microbiomes, outlines examples of the human microbiomes sensitivity to discrepancies in healthcare, nutrition, and safe environmental standards. This microbial inequality, as the essay calls it, raises the question of whether a healthy microbiome should be a right or a legal obligation for governments to pursue on behalf of people.

The diet that you eat and your lifestyle can have dramatic impacts on the gut microbes that you recruit and the benefits or the negatives that you derive from them, said Ishaq in a call. If you dont even have access to a good quality diet, you might be suffering the effects of not having those beneficial microbes and products in ways you might not have imagined.

Gaps in microbial health can emerge before a person is even born, because some of the most important microbes are fostered in utero. The fetal microbiome is influenced by the mothers access to healthy foods as well as her stress levels, which can be amplified by economic inequities. The availability of maternity leave or social support also affects the amount of time that new mothers can devote to breastfeeding their babies, which is another critical factor in the establishment of a healthy microbiome.

These microbial patterns play out over our entire lifetimes. Populations with access to quality nutrition will have better physical and mental health outcomes than those that do not, and that is reflected on a gut microbial level. The environmental quality of the buildings where we live and work also influence what lifeforms are inside us, as does our general proximity to greenspace, on the positive side, or polluting industrial and agricultural facilities, on the negative end.

Ishaq had been ruminating about these connections in her research for years, and decided to teach a special course on the subject at the University of Oregon over the summer. Fifteen undergraduate students with a wide variety of majors participated in the class, and are now co-authors on the new paper. Because the majority of the class were not science majors, the essay has an interdisciplinary approach that concludes with legal and political implications of microbial inequality, in addition to the medical dimensions.

They were actually much more familiar with the social policies than I was, given their background, which was really cool, Ishaq said of her students.

One of the questions the team explored is whether a healthy microbiome can be considered a human right or a legal obligation. One 2011 paper touched on this issue through the lens of biobanking, or archiving of human tissue, but there has never been a major legal case that establishes who owns an individuals microbiome, or if people are legally entitled to a healthy microbiome.

From the perspective of Ishaq and her colleagues, the dynamic nature of the microbiome suggests that legal arguments should emphasize access to healthy microbes, rather than ownership over ones microbiome.

Youre picking up and putting off hundreds of thousands of microbial cells every day so to think that whats in your gut is completely yours is probably the wrong way to think about it, Ishaq explained. They are more like passengers than things that you own.

In other words, healthy microbes could potentially be categorized as an essential resource or common good, like clean water, safe environments, and quality public health. Ishaq hopes the essay will encourage researchers across disciplines to think about the human microbiome as both a metric of social inequities, and a roadmap to more effectively bridge those divides.

It tends to be people that werent even involved with polluting water or growing too much food or pouring chemicals everywhere that end up being the ones that have to deal with these microbial-related problems, she said.

Addressing this problem will require restructuring our societies on the largest scales, in order to ensure that the small-scale lifeforms inside us can thrive, so that we can too.

View post:
Rich People Have Access to Better Microbes Than Poor People, Researchers Say - VICE

MICHELLE Mone has revealed the 29 diet rules she stuck to that helped her shed 11lbs ahead of her wedding.

The bra queen, 48, and her billionaire fianc Doug Barrowman got engaged in December last year and two years of dating.

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She announced in August that she had hit her target weight and was down to a svelte size 10 in just a few months.

Writing on Instagram at the time, she said: "After 7 years Ive finally made my target weight!! There is only one way to do it...eat less, eat healthy & work out 1 hour a day...finally lost my last 11lbs in the past few months. Size 10 & wedding ready."

Earlier this month, the Ultimo founder showed off her incredible weight loss in a baby blue swimsuit on a luxury holiday in the Maldives.

Now she's revealed how she did it - with a 29-rule plan that involves avoiding eggs, reduced fat cheese and fruit juice.

There is only one way to do it...eat less, eat healthy & work out 1 hour a day

Instead, the Glasgow-born businesswoman recommends drinking low fat milk, small amounts of natural yoghurt and wholegrain bread.

She also says you should limit the amount of seafood, pasta and rice you eat a week but enjoy as many fresh vegetables as you can.

Michelle added that cooking in clingfilm and tin foil should be avoided - and only use olive oil.

Michelle Mone's 29 diet rule plan

1. Low fat milk- cows milk is bad for you; lactose intolerance. Humans intestines arent designed to process milk effectivelysubstitute for almond milk or soy milk or coconut milk

2. Natural Yoghurt- small quantities only; lactose issue and full of natural sugar

3. Eggs- completely avoid- cholesterol issues; animal based protein

4. Reduced fat cheese- avoid completely, as an animal based protein with similar properties to eggs and milk

5. Juices- avoid fruit juices as they are full of sugar; if used, need to be freshly squeezed and taken in moderation

6. Fresh Fruit- full of sugar so take in moderation

7. Fresh Vegetables- eat as much as you like.complex carbohydrates are good for you and will also produce enough protein to live on

8. Wholegrain Bread- eat in moderation. Avoid any bread that isnt wholegrain

9. Fish and Seafood- three potions per week maxavoid fish with high mercury content. Fish and seafood is good for 3 servings per week max! Avoid fish that are high in mercury content- tuna, mackerel, halibut, swordfish

10. Lean meats- avoid meat as animal protein is bad for you; both white and red meat. Use protein substitutes eg chick peas, quorn, tempeh, seitans, jack fruit, egg plant. Just as much nourishment to be derived compared to animal proteins

11. Olive Oil- very healthy; 3 table spoons per day

12. Rapeseed Oil- bad for you; carcinogenic!

13. Baked beans- bad for you; full of sugar and salt; a simple carbohydrate that is starchy and bad for you. Natural Legumes (eg lentils. Pulses, garbanzo beans etc)

14. Natural Nuts (almonds, brazil nuts etc etc) are good for you

15. Tinned pulses- are fine but I would avoid tinned ones and go for bagged ones

16. Tinned tomatoes- fine. Fresh ones are better as they are a superfood and an antioxidant

17. Sweet corn - avoid tinned and go for fresh

18. Tomato Puree- fine

19. Herbs- fine

20. Dried fruit- in moderation, due to sugar content

21. Pasta and rice- maximum of 3 serving per week with no one serving greater than 40grams (wholegrain pasta and brown rice or wild rice)

22. Porridge oats- fine, providing they are natural and do not have sugar additives added

23. Legumes - are fine, apart from cranberries (full of sugar)

24. Fry nothing

25. Batter nothing

26. Only cook in olive oil; nothing else

27. No cream or butter in cooking

28. Stocks- use vegetable stocks; not meat

29. Avoid cooking in clingfilm and tin foil

At the end of her tips, she summarised: "Basically its a limited pescetarian diet with lots of legumes and vegetables. Meat substitutes can be used to bulk up meals. The key is to avoid, sugar, starches, and simple carbs at all costs.

"Sounds madhowever, it can be done and made very interesting as per the recipes that I will share with you.

"Every year our diet are costing the NHS billions.

"Changing into this lifestyle means that we all get to live longer and healthier.diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and body motor diseases (MS and Parkinson's) all get stalled and/or reversed."

The key is to avoid, sugar, starches, and simple carbs at all costs

Michelle has three kids from her previous marriage to Michael Mone, who she divorced in 2011, Rebecca, Declan and Bethany, and Doug has four children from two earlier marriages.

The baroness, who founded lingerie company Ultimo in 1996 at the age of just 25, said all of them are super excited for her wedding.

She told The Sun earlier this year: They were around the house within 30 mins of finding out. They love Doug to bits so its just moving and they get on so well with him.

We were just talking about it just now, whether we want a big occasion or a small occasion, and where its going to be and when its going to be.

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WEIGH TO GO I lost 13st to turn 30 in style after living off KFC banquet meals for years

HULA WHOOP Bride-to-be drops 6st by hula hooping and eats McDonald's and Frankie & Benny's

SING WHEN YOU'RE SLIMMING BGT star Kieran Sutcliffe drops 10st after ditching McDonalds

HERBI-PHWOAR! Vegan diet 'can boost sex lives by making men last four times longer in bed'

AISLE SAY Bride waits 18 YEARS to get married after proposal to lose eight stone

Michelle sold all of her multi-million pound business Ultimo in 2014, describing her 17 years at the helm as a "roller coaster ride".

Shes gone on to found her own interior design company, Michelle Mone Interiors, aimed at hotels and net worth individuals.

Doug is the founder and chairman of the Knox Group of Companies, which is worth a staggering 3billion, and he owns six homes, two superyachts, 15 cars and a private jet.

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Excerpt from:
Weight loss: Michelle Mones 29 wedding diet rules revealed after losing 11lbs - The Sun

Australia produces some of the best food in the world, from the fresh produce we grow, to our award-winning dairy, world-class wine and the coffee we brew. But, increasingly, Australians are recognising foods impact beyond its ability to contribute to a delicious meal.

Australians want to eat more sustainably. Dr Denise Hamblin, of market research firm Colmar Brunton, says there is rapid movement towards choosing food that supports a healthier planet. As we see social values moving, we also see diet and food preferences changing, she says. Were looking for a better way of doing things and were courageous enough to scrap the old methods and start fresh.

In fact, research shows that making good choices for our bodies is almost always better for the environment, too. So, what should be on our plates?

In a nutshell, we should be eating food that is more nutritious and has a smaller footprint. CSIRO researchers call this a higher quality and lower emission (HQLE) diet. Compared to eating lower quality and higher emission diets - usually those with lots of processed junk food - an HQLE diet cuts greenhouse gas emissions by almost half, CSIRO research has found.

Principal Research Scientist from the CSIRO, Brad Ridoutt says Dairy in Australian diets represents around 10% of the carbon footprint and around 15% of the water footprint, which in other words, means that 90% of greenhouse gas emissions are coming from other kinds of foods.

Weve also looked at the water footprint of plant alternatives and some have a lower water footprint, and some have a higher water footprint - so even if you stop drinking cows milk, its not that simple and there are trade-offs . Its best if you can consume an appropriate amount of food and avoid wasting it, he says.

A sustainable diet considers the whole life cycle of food, from paddock to palate. Food production is a complex system that includes farming, logistics, processing and distribution - and thats just to get it into the store. With so many working parts, making the right choices in the supermarket aisle can be tricky.

The CSIRO recommends we make three fundamental shifts:

1. Think about what your body needs and stick to it. We should be aiming for smaller serving sizes with higher value. Australians perform poorly when it comes to getting the right balance. The bigger the serving, the higher the impact on the environment and our health.

2. Eat in line with Australian Dietary Guidelines. That means eating a wide variety of food from five groups: wholegrains; vegetables and legumes; fruit; dairy; and lean meat, fish and nuts. And it means consuming fewer chips, lollies and soft drinks. Tools such as the CSIRO Healthy Diet Score can show you how you measure up.

3. Reduce your food waste. In Australia, 3.7m tonnes of household food waste ended up in landfill in 2016-17 thats a waste of food, but also of the environmental impact of making it.

The food system is estimated to account for 19-29% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, Dr Maartje Sevenster, from the CSIROs Climate Smart Agriculture group, says the relationship between food and the environment is complicated.

Just looking at the percentage contribution doesnt tell the whole story, she says. While the food industry contributes relatively high emissions, it has positive impacts, too, from employment (agriculture is the biggest employer in the world) to our mental wellbeing. With no alternative to food, its impossible to cut emissions entirely. Instead, we need to think about how we can eat more efficiently for our health, and in a way that justifies the environmental and economic impacts.

The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health says drastic changes in diet, food waste and production practices are required on a global scale. As well as having a positive impact on climate crisis, this shift would be likely to result in significant health benefits and reduce the worldwide burden of disease.

The EAT-Lancet report recommends setting boundaries for food production in a number of areas, including greenhouse gas emissions, water use and cropland use. Ideally, it says, world agriculture will shift from carbon contributor to carbon sink - absorbing more than it emits.

Climate health would not be the only benefit - eating this way is actually better for our bodies. Research shows that adopting an HQLE diet could reduce current adult mortality rates by as much as 23.6%.

What does all of this mean for the way we eat? In Australia, farmers are finding innovative ways to be more sustainable from the very beginning of the cycle.

Sevenster says sustainable agriculture has a dual benefit. Its on the boundaries of environment and economy, she says. Farming more sustainably, through innovation and land care, often makes better financial sense, too.

Dairying contributes about 1.6% of Australias total greenhouse gas emissions, and the industry has committed to keeping its nutrient-rich products on the menu while lowering its environmental impact. Dairys sustainability goals include taking stewardship of natural resources to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% and reducing water use by 20%. Its all about striking the right balance between impact and output.

This activity aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), which take an inclusive, big-picture approach to sustainability. Sustainable practice builds on itself - every innovation drives global progress forward.

True sustainability provides food and nutrition security for current and future generations. It meets multiple UNSDGs - not just zero hunger but also clean water and sanitation, life on land, and responsible consumption and production.

Hamblin says consumers really want this level of equity, and are tired of waiting. Were looking for absolute transparency and honesty in everything, from the animals and staff involved in creating a product, to where and how it is made and the impact on the environment, she says.

Sustainability starts to come out as really important because we are seeking fairness.

Its true: a sustainable diet means cutting back on the sweet stuff we love and reducing some other macronutrients but there is still plenty to enjoy - and cheese lovers will be pleased to find dairy is still on the menu. For inspiration, check out EAT forums tasty, healthy and planet-friendly recipes.

The upshot? Choose a diet that minimises your environmental impact by opting for one that is composed predominantly of foods with high nutritional value and small carbon footprint.

Your body will thank you - and so will the planet.What matters to you, matters to us too. Learn more about Australian dairy from Dairy Australia.

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Turns out eating healthy is good for the planet's health too - The Guardian

Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, talked about her growing food empire and played with puppies in New York's Bryant Park. USA TODAY

Food Networkwants to move from your TV to the kitchen.

The cooking-centric channellast month debuted Food Network Kitchen, an app that combines a library of its shows and recipes with live cooking classes taught by its famous chefs. You can make pancakes on Sunday morning with Bobby Flay or Thanksgiving stuffing with Alex Guarnaschelli, asking questions about best practices along the way.The app ($6.99/month) also allows you to order ingredients for the recipes.

It's an ambitious way for the network to evolve as Americans change how they cook and where they get their food content, be it Netflix's food competition series or the delightful YouTubelibrary fromBon Apptit magazine. Now, instead of just watching Ina Garten roast her famous chicken, you can ask her about the one you're roasting at home alongside her.

Bobby Flay makes Buttermilk Pancakes with Blackberry-Blueberry Butter and Cinnamon Maple Syrup on Food Network Kitchen Live.(Photo: Brian David Photography)

But how easy and practical is it to actually cook in real time with a professional chef? How watchable is it? Is it a better option than all those food blogs I find when I google "easy chicken dinners"?

As a hobby cook and TV critic, I wanted to find out just how good the new app is, both for cooking and entertainment.

More: 'Fat and happy, thats my motto:' Scott Conant dishes up decadence at USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience in Chicago

First I had to pick a recipe. I have dietary restrictions requiring the Ketogenic diet, so it was a little difficult to find a meal with a live cooking class that would work for me (the only diet with its own section is vegetarianism). I settled with a replay of a class with Ree Drummond(aka The Pioneer Woman), who taught me how to make "Lower Carb Eggs Benedict," because I've never made the signature breakfast dish before. If Food Network Kitchen is going to be effective at teaching cooking, it has to get me to a halfway-decent hollandaise and poached eggs, at least as well as "The Joy of Cooking" would.

Ree Drummond's dish Lower Carb Eggs Benedict.(Photo: Anders Krusberg)

After choosing my recipe, I tried to use the app's integrated shopping function, which allows you to orderthe ingredients of your recipe through Instacart, Amazon Fresh or Peapod. This didn't work so well for me. I'm a frequent Instacart user, yet the integration never opened the Instacart app on my phone, only the mobile website in a Safari browser window. It also didn't translate all the ingredients correctly (eggs somehow became egg noodles) and I had to delete pantry staples Ialready had, such as white vinegar and salt. I ended up ordering the ingredients manually through Instacart as I would for any other recipe.

Two hours later, I had my suppliesand my stove ready to go.I brought my iPad into the kitchen, pulled up Drummond's course and began. I prepped all of the ingredients as directed on the class page(separated eggs, melted butter, minced garlic). But after I pressed play,I discovered Drummond had prepped some items but chopped others during the class. She also had a pot of water already simmering for poaching eggs, which I didn't, and I had to pause the lesson to avoid falling behind.

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As someone who usually reads recipes once or twice before I start cooking, just following Drummond's verbal instructions was scary you want to look at the screen without burning yourselfbut ultimately successful. Drummond walked me through two tasks making hollandaise and poaching eggs that are notoriously tricky for home cooks. But for me, they were easy, and achieved on the first try. She didn't move too fast, although the number of steps she did at once such as leaving the bacon to brown on the stove while blending the hollandaise was more than I usually do. But I'm happy to try to pick up this time-saving habit.

Some key parts of the recipe appear on-screen but are left out of the verbal instructions:At what heat to saut the kale that replaces the English muffin, or how much white vinegar to add to the egg-poaching water.They were a little too easy to miss, and I had to rewind the video twice to make sure I was on the right track. However, if I incorporated this kind of cooking into my everyday life, I'm pretty sure I could adapt to paying attention to the screen when necessary.

Ree Drumond walked me through cooking this Low Carb Eggs Benedict. How did I do?(Photo: Kelly Lawler/USA TODAY)

Overall, I burned nothing, consumed no raw eggs or meat, and finished almost at the same time as the professional chef. I'm almost ashamed to admit that keeping up with Drummond gave me a slightly greater sense of satisfaction than just following any old recipe. I didn't just cook; I cooked professionally. And, critically, my dish tasted delicious when I ate it for lunch.

Other than the classes, the app is a lot of fun to play with. It offers many videos you can see in other places (on TV orInstagram)that are classic Food Network, but the best videos are the kitchen-specific ones, whether or not you catch them live.

More: Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond on food, puppies, keto diet and why she's not like the Gaineses

They have a laid back, loosey-goosey vibe, from a producer shoutingaudience questions at the chefs off-mic to how frequently the chefs mess up while multitasking. It offers a more real view of their personalities that hyperedited TV shows and shiny, slickInstagram posts lack. Flay gets adorably flusteredwhen he drops an egg. Guarnaschelli cheekily blames audience members when she burns toast.

Alex Guarnaschelli gets cooking on Food Network Kitchen Live.(Photo: Brian David Photography)

As a one stop-shop for all my cooking needs, the app doesn't get it all done. It lacks the ability to bookmark recipes for later use, despite its big library. And although Thanksgiving is on everyone's mind,it's a bit too holiday-centric right now, with other types of meals not as prominently featured.

Inevitably, Food Network Kitchen isn'tall that revolutionary. It's really just a combination of Facebook Live andPinterest. But that's not a bad thing! The internet has given rise to an incredible number of recipes, blogs, videos and hacks for home cooking, and trying to find something to make for dinner on a Tuesday can be overwhelming. The app offers a clean, easy-to-use, and most importantly,funway to spice up getting dinner on the table.

If you're already paying for a meal kit, online cookbook or similar service, your money won't buy you much. But if you adore all things Food Network and love to cook, the price tag might be worth it.

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Can the Food Network app revolutionize home cooking (and Thanksgiving)? We tried it to find out - USA TODAY

Crohns disease is an inflammatory condition that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Together with ulcerative colitis, Crohns is one of the two main types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohns affects approximately 500,000 Americans and is a chronic, lifelong condition that typically alternates between periods of relatively stable or absent symptoms (remission) and periods of symptom flare-ups that can last for days, weeks, or even months.

The goal of treatment is to induce remission and then to maximize the chance that patients stay in remission. However, almost everyone with Crohns disease will experience a flare-up at some point. If you have Crohns disease, it is important to understand what you can do to reduce the risk of a flare, to recognize symptoms of a flare, and to manage flares when they do happen.

Flare-ups can be triggered by a variety of factors including changes in diet, new medications, infections and antibiotics, stress, and changes in the underlying disease itself. In some cases a specific trigger can be identified, but in many cases the trigger remains unknown.

Symptoms of Crohns disease can vary widely. Some people primarily have abdominal pain and diarrhea, while others may have lack of appetite, nausea, or abdominal distension, and still others may have less specific symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, mouth ulcers, or eye symptoms.

The key is to have a good sense of your baseline symptoms at remission, and how your Crohns disease manifests when it is more active. A number of smartphone apps, including Oshi: IBD tracker and myColitis, can help patients better monitor their condition, prompting you to track things like bowel movements, symptoms, and medications. The Crohns & Colitis Foundation has developed an easy-to-use symptom tracker. These types of records can help you provide your gastroenterologist with a more complete picture of your disease activity between office visits.

You should contact your doctor if you think you are experiencing a flare so he or she can test to see if the flare is due to an infection, or determine if any new medications or exposures, such as recent antibiotics, might have triggered the flare. In the absence of infection or another reversible cause of the flare, your gastroenterologist may recommend a treatment course of corticosteroids, either topical (applied to the lower colon through enemas or suppositories) or systemic (body-wide).

Symptom flares can also indicate a change in your bodys response to your current treatment. For example, each year a portion of patients who take either immunomodulator or biologic medications such as infliximab (Remicade) or adalimumab (Humira) stop responding to their medication. Sometimes a major symptom flare can signify that these medications are no longer working. Your doctor can perform tests to confirm if this is the case and, if necessary, switch you to a different medication.

There are a number of additional measures you can take to help manage flares when they do occur.

Avoid NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) can impair the ability of the GI tract to protect and heal itself, and can precipitate a flare. If you are having pain, take acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead of NSAIDs.

Quit smoking. Smoking is a strong risk factor for developing Crohns disease and can also set off a disease flare. Quitting smoking is strongly associated with fewer flares, decreased medication requirements, and reduced risk of surgery.

Reduce stress. Although stress does not directly cause Crohns disease, it does strongly impact IBD symptoms. Many people with Crohns disease find the regular use of stress management and stress reduction techniques to be helpful. These can include meditation, deep breathing, biofeedback, yoga, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Simplify your diet. There is no specific diet that prevents or cures Crohns disease, but you may identify specific foods that tend to worsen your symptoms. Keeping a food journal can help you make these connections. There are also several general principles that help most patients feel better when they are experiencing a flare:

Minimize caffeine and alcohol. They may make symptoms worse during a flare.

Most people with Crohns disease will experience a flare at some point, even if they take their maintenance medications as directed. Carefully monitoring and tracking symptoms every day will help you recognize a flare-up when it begins. Let your gastroenterologist know about a flare-up and to be sure to follow recommendations for medications and tests. Dietary and lifestyle modifications can also help manage flare-ups when they do occur.

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Living with Crohn's disease: Recognizing and managing flares - Harvard Health Blog - Harvard Health