The bacteria in our guts plays a bigger role in our health and performance than we may think. Research has shown that having a healthy gut microbiomewhich is comprised of all the microorganisms in your GI tractcan boost your metabolism, energy availability during a workout, and recovery after a workout. A healthy gut microbiome can improve your brain function and reduce your risk of heart disease, too.

Time for the million dollar question: How do you ensure that your gut microbiome is up to snuff? According to new research presented at United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Week 2019, consuming plant-based foods or foods part of the Mediterranean diet can help.

When researchers from the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands assessed the diets and gut bacteria of over 1,400 people, they found that those whose diets were rich in bread, legumes, fish, and nuts had less potentially harmful bacteria and less intestinal inflammation in their guts. Those whose diets were rich in meat, fast food, and refined sugar had less of the good types of bacteria in their guts, as well as more intestinal inflammation.

According to the study, plant-based foods help your body produce short-chain fatty acids (SFCAs), which are the main sources of energy for the cells that line your colon. Plant proteins, specifically, increase the amount of Bifidobacteriaa friendly type of bacteriafound in your gut.

Foods part of the Mediterranean dietsuch as fish, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and red winealso increase the amount of friendly bacteria in your gut and provide the cells in your gut with the energy they need. These foods reduce the amount of bacteria associated with inflammation and obesity.

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What was surprising was to see such a clear association between what we consider a healthy diet and a healthy gut microbiota composition, and on the other hand, less healthy dietary patterns associated to pathobionts [organisms associated with chronic inflammatory conditionssuch as inflammatory bowel disease] and inflammatory markers, lead study author, Laura Bolte, B.Sc., told Bicycling.

Bolte goes on to say that diet can be a good way to help prevent these chronic inflammatory symptoms like bloating or diarrhea from occurring in the first place.

The bottom line is this: Not only can following a plant-based or Mediterranean diet can improve your heart and brain function, but they can improve your gut health, too.

Here is the original post:
How to Eat to Give Your Gut Health a Boost - Bicycling

Vegans tend to get poor press when it comes to nutrition. But vitamin deficiency is not a problem exclusive to those who eat plant-based. It can happen to anyone who is not getting enough variety in their diet. Many people vegan or not opt for supplements to boost their vitamin intake.

Nearly 10 percent of Americans have a nutritional deficiency, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the UK, NHS England has referred to malnutrition as a common problem that affects millions.

Nutritional deficiencies occur when the body isnt getting enough of a certain vitamin or mineral. Deficiencies can cause a number of health problems; they can stunt growth, cause hair loss, and even contribute to serious medical conditions, like dementia.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, affecting more than 25 percent of people. Severe iron deficiency can cause anemia, which can lead to heart problems, issues during pregnancy, such as premature births, and delayed growth and development in children.

Vitamin D deficiency is also common, as is B12 and calcium deficiency. One study found that fewer than 15 percent of teenage girls and fewer than 22 percent of teenage boys in the U.S. have enough calcium in their diet.

The best way to get vitamins and minerals into the body is through food but that is not always as simple as it sounds.

Vegetables grown decades ago were richer in vitamins and minerals than they are today. Rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere can impact a plants overall chemical composition or its ionome. This can lead to lower concentrations of important vitamins and minerals. Soil erosion, caused by intensive agricultural methods, has also led to nutrient loss in staple crops.

Its not just crops that have changed. Diets have, too.The Standard American Diet began in the mid-1900s. Calorie-dense and nutrient-poor foods became mass-produced and easily-accessible. Nowadays, processed food is everywhere. Fast-food joints are on every corner, selling burgers loaded with bacon and cheese, fries, and sugary soft drinks. These types of food can pose serious health risks.

While the nutrient quality of fruits and vegetables has decreased over time, this doesnt mean you should give up on them. Following a balanced, whole food-based plant-based diet is still considered by many as one of the healthiest ways to eat.

According to American physician and author Dr. Michael Greger, following a balanced vegan diet may help to prevent many causes of early death. Greger promotes the increased consumption of plant-based foods especially greens, berries, legumes, flaxseeds, and turmeric.He told Fox Business Network, some of our leading killers can be reversed. For example, heart disease, the number one killer of men and women arteries can be opened, heart disease reversed without drugs, without surgery, just a healthy enough diet centered around whole plant foods, the doctor continued.

Theres only one diet thats ever been proven to reverse heart disease in the majority of patients: a plant-based diet.

According to The Vegan Society,well-planned vegan diets contain all the nutrients we need to remain strong and healthy.But life is busy, and its not always possible to maintain a well-planned diet 100 percent of the time.

Vegan or not, if youre not getting a varied enough diet, this is when you may need to consider supplementing your vitamins. If youre concerned about whether youre getting enough of the right vitamins and minerals in your diet, first, consult with a physician.

Anyone who doesnt eat a balanced diet or supplement not just vegans are at risk of B12 deficiency. Every day, adults should be getting about 1.5 micrograms.

B12 deficiency can lead to a number of serious health conditions, including paralysis, psychosis, blindness, and nervous system damage. Depending on how much B12 the body has stored, it can take several years for a deficiency to become known.The National Institute of Health recommends taking a vegan-friendly B12 supplement. B12 can also be found in mushrooms, fortified cereals, fortified nutritional yeast, and fortified dairy-free milk.

Meat-eaters and vegans both find it difficult to get enough vitamin D. According to the NHS, one in five people in the UK suffers from low vitamin D levels, which can cause fatigue, depression, and muscle pain, amongst other symptoms.

Vitamin D helps you to absorb calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, the nutrients that keep your bones, teeth, and muscles healthy. It also helps your body in other ways, improving brain development, as well as muscle and heart function, and even the function of your immune system. Every day, adults should be getting 10 micrograms of vitamin D.

Mushrooms, fortified dairy-free milk, tofu, orange juice, and the sun are all good sources of vitamin D. There are also many vegan supplements on the market.

Children are often told they need to drink cows milk and eat dairy products in order to grow up big and strong. This is because dairy is rich in calcium, which is essential for bone health. It also helps to regulate heartbeat and helps the blood to clot normally.

It is possible to get more than enough calcium from a vegan diet. Soy milk is rich in calcium, as are dark leafy greens, tofu, tempeh, almonds, orange juice, figs, chickpeas, and poppy seeds. Every day, you should be getting 700 milligrams of calcium.

If youre concerned about not getting enough, there are plenty of vegan supplements on the market. Together Health even offers a Seaweed Calcium supplement.

Iron is a mineral that helps with the proper function of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein that transports oxygen in the blood. When humans do not have enough iron, they are at risk of anemia. Iron deficiency isnt exclusive to vegans. According to Medical News Today, around 10 million people in the U.S. have low iron levels.

Male adults over 18 should be getting 8.7 milligrams of iron a day. For women aged 19 to 50, the recommended daily amount is 14.8 milligrams. For women over 50, its 8.7 milligrams a day.

Vegan foods rich in iron include dark leafy green vegetables, beans, nuts, and dried fruits. If youre concerned about your iron levels, you should discuss it with your doctor, as supplementing too much can be dangerous. If your doctor recommends you supplement iron, there are plenty of options available.

Many iron supplements are made with animal-derived heme, but Holland & Barrett offers a vegan iron and vitamin C tablet, VegLife offers berry-flavored iron chewables, and Myprotein offers Iron & Folic Acid supplements.

Humans cant make omega-3 fatty acids but they can get them from their diet. They benefit mental health, eye health, heart health, brain health, and prevent inflammation.

Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids with two ends - carboxylic acid and methyl - that make up the beginning and tail of the chain. Three important omega-3 fatty acids to know about when discussing human physiology are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are usually found in marine oils, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is commonly found in plant oils.

EPA and DHA are difficult to find in plant sources. However, the body can use ALA to create the long-chain EPA. EPA can then be used to create DHA, commonly believed to be the most important fatty acid. Some foods are fortified with EPA and DHA.

Vegan food sources of omega-3s include walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, Brussel sprouts, algae oil, wild rice, plant oils, and tofu.

There are a variety of omega-3 supplements on the market. Myprotein offers vegan omega 3 soft gels and Together Health makes its vegan fish-free supplements from algae.

Zinc is vital for our immune system. It helps to fight off bacteria and viruses and helps to heal wounds. It also helps with the sense of smell and taste. If the body doesnt get enough zinc this can lead to a number of conditions including hair loss, impaired immune function, diarrhea, impotence, and the delayed healing of wounds.

Good vegan sources of zinc include whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and tofu. Every day, male adults need 9.5 milligrams of zinc. Women need 7 milligrams.

If youre not getting enough zinc, you can opt for a supplement. Garden of Life offers vegan zinc supplements, as does Holland & Barrett, and Myprotein.

Summary

Article Name

Do You Need to Take Supplements On a Vegan Diet?

Description

Are there vegan supplements best for a plant-based diet? Which ones should you take and what's better to get from whole foods?

Author

Charlotte Pointing

Publisher Name

LIVEKINDLY

Publisher Logo

Originally posted here:
Do You Need to Take Supplements On a Vegan Diet? - LIVEKINDLY

Researchers at the University of Toronto found that a lower intake of fruits and vegetables was associated with a higher incidence of depression in both men and women. The same study also found that middle-aged and older women who immigrated to Canada were more likely to suffer from depression compared to Canadian-born women.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in various minerals and vitamins that are known to reduce the plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein, which is associated with low-grade inflammation.

Important nutrients affect brain chemistry, impacting mood, memory and cognitive function. Take a moment to realize that about95% of your serotonin the neurotransmitter that regulates sleep and appetite, but also mediates mood and inhibits pain is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, which, by the way, is lined with overa hundred million nerve cells.

Whats more, simply eating at regular intervals, regardless of the food you intake, can have a significant impact. Research carried out by theUniversity of Illinois Extensionfound that eating regular meals and snacks at the same time every day helps keep your blood sugar levels steady, which also helps keep your mood steady.

The researchers analyzed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study, which involved 27,162 men and women aged 45 to 85 years, of whom 4,739 are immigrants.

The results suggest that men were more likely to experience depression if their diet consisted of high-fat food and lower levels of omega-3 eggs. The low intake of fruits and veggies was linked to depression in both men and women. Additionally, lower grip strength was also associated with depression.

We were interested to learn that omega-3 polyunsaturated fats were inversely associated with depression among men. said co-author Yu Lung, a doctoral student at University of Torontos Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW). Future research is needed to explore the pathways but it is plausible that increased omega-3 fatty acid concentration in the diet may influence central nervous system cell-membrane fluidity, and phospholipid composition, which may alter the structure and function of the embedded proteins and affect serotonin and dopamine neurotransmission.

The Canadian researchers note that these findings highlight the mind-body connection, where an unhealthy body can cause changes in mood and brain chemistry, and vice-versa. The Canadian researchers found, for instance, that depression was associated with experiencing chronic pain and at least one chronic health condition.

For immigrant women, the study also found a higher likelihood of experiencing depression when compared to Canadian-born women. Interestingly, this connection did not apply to men.

The older immigrant women in this study may have reported depression as a result of the substantial stress associated with settling in a new country such as having insufficient income, overcoming language barriers, facing discrimination, adapting to a different culture, reduced social support networks, and having their education and work experiences unrecognized, said Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson, senior author of the paper.

Although we did not have the data to explore why there was a gender difference, it may be that in these older married couples it was the husband who initiated the immigration process and the wives may not have as much choice about whether or not they wanted to leave their homeland, said co-author Dr. Karen Kobayashi, Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

The findings, which were published in the journal BMC Psychiatry, could define programs and policies that might help immigrants ease their transition to a new country.

This isnt the first study to highlight the importance of a healthy diet for mental health. Previously, other research groups showed that eating a healthy diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish, and lean meat, is associated with reduced risk of depression

Link:
Diet lacking in fruit and vegetables linked to depression - ZME Science

MILLIONS of Brits say they don't have a balanced diet - because they're clueless.

Most admit to not knowing about portion sizes, food groups ornutritional information on food labels.

1

A study of 2,000 adults found half have no idea how much protein, fat, carbohydrates, sugar, dairy and fruit and veg they are supposed to eat.

And around 49 per cent are left scratching their heads when it comes to the correct portion sizes.

As a consequence, a staggering nine in 10 say their diet probably lacks balance.

It also emerged one third of adults choose not to eat fruit in a typical week and 46 per cent have no vegetables at all over the same period.

To help baffled Brits better understand food and nutrition, a team of nutritionists, diet and health professionals, researchers and agricultural experts have joined forces to form the Food Advisory Board.

Nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire, said: People are being continuously bombarded with nutritional and dietary information.

"This is leaving them confused as to what they should and shouldnt eat, and ill-informed about the impact dietary restrictions, or fad diets, can have on their health.

To ensure you get the key minerals and nutrients needed for maintaining good health, it is recommended you eat a healthy, balanced diet.

"This should contain at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day, as well as starchy carbohydrates, choosing higher fibre or wholegrain varieties and potatoes in their skins.

"It should also include dairy products, such as milk or yogurt, protein, such as lean red meat, beans, pulses, fish, eggs, and small amounts of unsaturated oils or spreads, like rapeseed or olive oil.

There is no need to cut out food groups to be healthy.

The study also found that instead of the recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day, adults are favouring foods which are high in saturated fat and sugar, with the average adult eating sugary foods four times a week and foods high in saturated fats three times a week.

This is despite advice showing saturated fat shouldnt exceed 11 per cent of the daily calorie intake, and sugar should be just five per cent of total energy.

But Brits are also lovers of dairy, consuming products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt 29 times each week - great sources of protein which is an essential nutrient to support growth in muscle mass and maintenance of normal bones, as well as calcium, a vital mineral in helping to maintain normal bones and teeth.

According to the OnePoll study, 96 per cent of adults are also eating potatoes every week - despite the low carb diet topping a list of food schemes which have been trialed at some point.

However, despite the current interest in vegan and vegetarian diets, the majority admitted have no intention of giving up meat, with experts advising there is no need to cut out this food group from a diet.

Researchers also found that only a fifth cook their meals from scratch, and even then, only do so twice a week or less, blaming the length of time it takes to prepare.

The Food Advisory Board is aiming to help support more consistent nutrition messaging and to debunk common food myths and provide a balanced and honest approach to dietary advice.

Dr Derbyshire, added: Try cooking from scratch more often, and in bulk if you can.

"Any surplus food can then be divvied up and frozen, or the leftovers can be eaten one of the following days as a lovely lunch, which will save time on busy days in the future.

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It helps make it easier to get important nutrients that can help support good health if you use a mix of delicious ingredients, so think variety.

Slow cooking dishes like stews, soups and curries with plenty of veg and pulses is a great way to cook over the winter months.

"You can add tender pieces of lean meat such as pork, beef or lamb and serve with wholegrain starchy carbs or potatoes with skins.

Go here to see the original:
Millions of Brits clueless about healthy diets and portion size - The Sun

Breakfast

A wholesome meal had first thing in the morning will ensure that you do not give in to your cravings. Therefore, consuming a glass of skim milk (or non-dairy milk, if you are lactose intolerant) with a big bowl of papaya salad can fill you up and support the working of good bacteria in the digestive system. This is absolutely nutritious and healthy.

Lunch

For lunch, you can choose to have something like whole grains or steamed vegetables. Have it alongside a glass of papaya juice. You can also cut up papayas and make it into a smoothie, top it with some nuts and consume it as a mid-meal snack. A good alternative to mindless junking!

Dinner

For dinner, have something light yet filling. Soup is a good meal to choose from. Eating fresh papaya can act as a sweet serving for your diet. Following this diet religiously for 2 days straight will prove to be extremely helpful

Read more here:
Weight loss: Here is why you must add papayas to your diet to burn belly fat - Times of India

Myself and Dave have been eating a wholefood plant-based diet for more than 16 years. We had grown up as meat-eating, dairy-swilling jocks and ate whatever food our mom put in front of us. It was only when we went travelling and discovered different ways of eating, beyond the classic meat and two veg, that we started to move our diets towards being plant-based, and realised just how much the food we ate could impact our wellbeing.

We felt so good eating a plant-based diet that we returned to Ireland with a dream of starting a vegetable revolution.We bought a fruit and veg shop in our hometown of Greystones, called it The Happy Pear, and embarked on a mission to make the world a healthier and happier place.

However, back then, eating a vegan diet was practically unheard of and people were highly suspicious of it unable to understand how anyone could survive without consuming any animal products.

Since then, things have changed a lot and the move towards plant-based eating has grown exponentially. We have witnessed the benefits that eating a plant-based diet has had on so many peoples lives from the many customers who have visited our cafes and shared their stories with us, to the thousands of people worldwide who have taken part in our online courses.

We know it can be confusing for people to know what to eat these days, especially when some medical professionals, researchers and even qualified dietitians are funded by the meat, dairy and egg industries to help them promote their products. Often, these paid professionals will portray a healthy plant-based diet as dangerously deficient in vitamins and minerals that are easily available without eating animal products, including calcium (which cows get by eating plants), vitamin D (made by your own body when you are exposed to bright sunlight) and vitamin B12 (which is made by soil bacteria).

The truth is that industrialised livestock production means that most of the meat sold in the shops comes from animals who were given supplements of all three of these important nutrients, and more.

The good news is that the benefits of a plant-based diet are now being embraced by the global medical community. Building on the work of pioneers in the field of plant-based nutrition, such as Dr Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr Dean Ornish, doctors and health organisations around the world are now recognising that a balanced, plant-based diet has many health benefits.

Over the years, weve been delighted to form friendships with medical professionals, including Dr Esselstyn and representatives of the newer generation, like Dr Michelle McMacken and Dr Alan Desmond. These clinicians continue to impress us with stories of how plant-based nutrition has benefited their patients and transformed their medical practices.

For us, a pivotal moment came in January of this year, when one of the worlds oldest and most respected medical journals, The Lancet, endorsed a plant-based diet as the best choice for human health and planetary health. For the EAT-Lancet Report, an independent panel of about 40 scientists, doctors and health experts reviewed decades of evidence on diet and human health. They defined the best diet for human health as approximately half a plate of vegetables and fruits, the other half should consist primarily of whole grains, plant-protein sources and unsaturated plant-oils. They recommended that small amounts of animal-sourced proteins, like meat, eggs and dairy, should be considered as purely optional.

The EAT-Lancet version of a healthy diet is definitely plant-based and is completely consistent with healthy eating guidelines published by other expert groups, like the World Cancer Research Fund. In the United States, the American Heart Association now strongly endorses a plant-based diet to help prevent and treat heart disease, stroke, obesity, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

The plant-based medical movement is also growing on this side of the pond. In March, we were honoured to speak at the Mater Hospital, alongside a panel of esteemed medical professionals at a conference set up by Plant-Based Doctors Ireland. We met lots of enthusiastic GPs there, eager to learn about the science that supports a wholefood plant-based diet as the optimal diet for human health.

So, the next time you hear a doctor or dietician who is funded by the meat, egg or dairy industry telling you that those foods are really healthy and you should just eat more of them, pause for a second. Ask yourself, Whose interests do they really have at heart? Are they motivated by my health and happiness, or do they just want to sell more meat, eggs and dairy?.

Read:Benefits of a plant-based diet now backed by science

See the article here:
Vegan diet: Benefits of a plant-based diet now backed by science - The Irish Times

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What is the MIND diet and is it right for you - Firstpost

DEAR ABBY: My companion of many years and I are retired and live a few hours away from some of his family. When one of them plans a visit, she always insists on taking us out for a meal. She doesnt ask if we would like to eat out but rather commands it. Then she insists on paying for the meal.

I enjoy cooking and visiting with family during and after meals. I know what our dietary restrictions are, and most restaurant meals do not meet those requirements, which include low sodium, fat and sugar and no gluten. According to my companion, Im a good cook, and he enjoys everything I make.

I know I should say something, but what? I need a suggestion on how to deal with the situation without hurting anyones feelings. THANKS, BUT NO THANKS

DEAR T.B.N.T.: This relative may not mean to seem overbearing and may only be trying to be nice. Thank her warmly for wanting to take you to dinner, but tell her no. Explain that because of medical reasons, both of you must strictly limit the sodium, fat, sugar and gluten in your diet, which is why the two of you have decided it is safer to eat at home, where you can control what goes into your food. Then invite her to join you because you would love to see her and spend time with her while shes in town.

DEAR ABBY: I am in a difficult situation. My dear friends and bosses, Rebecca and Caesar, are selling their home. They had offered to sell it to me and, at the time, I was interested in buying it. Then I did the one thing I never thought I would do. I found love. Because its no longer just me, their house wont work for us. I was honest with my friends. They have been giving me the silent treatment ever since, and its causing problems at work. What is a girl to do? IN LOVE IN THE MIDWEST

DEAR IN LOVE: Recognize that Rebecca and Caesar are understandably upset that what they thought would be a quick and easy sale has now become more complicated. Explain to them again that you didnt mean to cause them a problem, but your circumstances changed. And if they continue to take out their disappointment by punishing you at work, look for another job.

DEAR ABBY: I agreed to pay for a cellphone for a friends daughter while she went to school in the U.S. She was supposed to be here for three years. WELL, it is now year four, and shes planning to stay here after graduation. How do I tell her that I am not willing to continue paying for her phone after graduation? TRIED TO HELP IN TEXAS

DEAR TRIED TO HELP: You have several choices. You can tell her parents, write to her or call her on the cellphone you have so generously underwritten. And after you deliver the message, you should be thanked for your generosity not only by her but also her parents.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at http://www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Good advice for everyone teens to seniors is in The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It. To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

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Dear Abby: Couple on a diet avoids eating out, but relative insists - Chicago Sun-Times

Opinion Nov 14, 2019 FEATURES, Opinion

By Ember, Contributor

cw: fatphobia, disordered eating

Food is what fuels our bodies. So why is it that there is an ever increasing rise of popularity in dieting and diet culture? A movement that encourages us to deprive ourselves; to aspire to be thin. To put it plainly? A hatred for fat bodies that results in widespread disordered eating.

The way we frame different topics and discussions is very important. This especially applies to the way we talk about food, our bodies and other peoples bodies.

Caloric science is based on outdated Western scientific methods from the nineteenth century by Wilbur Atwater. It is the estimate of how much energy is contained in a portion of food by burning it in a tank submerged in water, and measuring how much burning the food increased the temperature of the surrounding water.

However, it is hard to accurately predict the energy stored in food; our bodies do not work as simply as a furnace burning fuel. There are many factors that influence the calories of the foods we eat, like how the food is prepared, if cellulose is present and how much energy it takes to digest the food.

Not to mention, there are additional factors that affect digestion, such as metabolism, age, gut bacteria and physical activity. Labels on food do not accurately represent what were putting into our body nor what were getting out of it.

Ever since Canada enforced the Healthy Menu Choices Act back in 2016, which requires food establishments to list the amount of calories in their products, there has also been an increasing number of discussions surrounding the negative impact of the addition of calories to menus.

Another measurement that is often used to determine how healthy we are is body mass index, even though it is an inaccurate measurement of health for multiple reasons. It was meant to analyze the weight of populations, not individuals, and doesnt take into account whether mass is fat or muscle. As a result, BMI is a biased and harmful method to gauge health.

Along with measurements like calories and BMI, language surrounding food can also be dangerous. You may hear things like carbs are bad, or you may hear discourse on healthy versus unhealthy foods, cheat days and clean eating, to name some examples. This language can contribute to the notion that we should feel bad for eating food, when it simply is a way to nourish ourselves and additionally, something to enjoy.

Diet culture is so pervasive and present in society. It is encouraged by menus listing calorie amounts, peers, elders and healthcare professionals in various ways. Thoughts like nothing tastes as good as skinny feels stem from conflating health and weight, which has roots in racism, classism and fatphobia.

Diet culture is so pervasive and present in society. It is encouraged by menus listing calorie amounts, peers, elders and healthcare professionals in various ways. Thoughts like nothing tastes as good as skinny feels stem from conflating health and weight, which has roots in racism, classism and fatphobia.

Hannah Meier, a dietitian who contributed to a project tackling womens health, writes about how society glorifies dieting. In Meiers article titled A Dietitians Truth: Diet Culture Leads to Disordered Eating she writes, I was half-functioning. I remember filling pages of journals with promises to myself that I wouldnt eat. I planned out my week of arbitrary calorie restrictions that were shockingly low and wrote them all over my planner, my whiteboard, the foggy mirror in the bathroom.

For many of us, the mindset of diet culture swallows you whole, consumes your every thought and waking moment, then spits you out like rotten food.

Oftentimes, people arent advocating for diets because they want to be healthy. Instead, they often feel passionate about dieting because of their hate and disdain for fat people since they associate being fat with unhealthy, unhappy or unlovable.

Its also important to note that views on fatness and fat bodies change depending on the time period and culture; renaissance paintings often depict fat women in angelic and celestial aesthetics. As well, certain cultures, both past and present, value fatness as a symbol of privilege, power, wealth and fertility.

Diet culture, eating disorders, and fatphobia are so tightly knit together that they are like an ill-fitting sweater woven by your grandmother that you didnt want or ask for. Sometimes you think about wearing it, to make things easier or simpler. But it wont. You will only become a shell of your former self; a husk that is barely scraping by.

Any joy derived from depriving yourself is temporary. A scale will weigh how much of you is there, but it wont weigh how much of you has been lost to an eating disorder. It is a mental illness, a distortion of reality and external factors that influence how you think. You cant just stop having an eating disorder on a whim.

Calorie counting isnt healthy, demonizing certain foods isnt healthy and having preconceived notions about someones health based on how their body looks isnt just caring about their health. Stop calling food unhealthy or healthy, start calling it nourishing or not/less nourishing. Eat food that makes you happy and makes you feel good. Bodies are so many things, including wonderful and complex. You only have one so treat it with kindness.

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OPINION: You can't spell diet without ED - The Silhouette

Four ways to eat better in order to sleep better

Think about the quality of your diet

Whilst there is no such thing as good or bad food, research does show that individuals who have a balanced and varied diet armoire likely to sleep well,

Rhiannon explains. For each meal, make sure to get a varied plate, focussing on protein, carbohydrates, vegetables and healthy fats.

"Deficiencies, in particular vitamins and minerals such as iron and vitamin B12, can cause fatigue and tiredness and may cause problems for your sleep.

"High iron foods include red meat, salmon and dairy and eggs. However, if you are a vegan, then the only reliable sources are fortified food and supplements.

READ MORE: How to sleep: Best drink to have before bed to help you get a good nights rest

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How to sleep: Four tips from a nutritionist and sleep expert for a good nights rest - Express