The New York Times recently reported that those who eat their biggest meal in the early hours have better success losing weight. Buried in the article was a comment which would catch the attention of anyone who has had close contact with Theravadin monastics, or, like me, has been one:

The lowest B.M.I.s were recorded in the fraction of peopleabout 8 percent of the total samplewho finished lunch by early afternoon and did not eat again until the next morning, fasting for 18 to 19 hours.

This is a similar eating practice followed by Theravadin monasticsbhikkhus and bhikkhuniswho follow the dietary rules of the Vinaya, the monastic code believed to have been written by the Buddha himself. According to the Vinaya, monastics can eat food only between dawn and noon.

Although this diet was intended to meet the specific needs of the Buddhist community in 5th-century India, some lay people have chosen to take on a version of the practice. Theres even a book advocating the Buddhas diet.

The original logic of the monastic eating practice aimed to avoid causing aggravation to both monastics and laypeople, as explained in the Latukikopama Sutta (MN 66). The diet is neither intended as a health regimen, nor explicitly, as some have claimed, as an expression of a middle way between indulgence and asceticism. While its true that Buddhist monastic life was generally designed to be such a middle way, originally the Buddha allowed his monastics to go on alms round whenever they pleased. The Latukikopama Sutta explains that the Buddha forbade monastics from going on alms rounds after noon to avoid dangers that they might meet later in the daystumbling into natural dangers in the dark, being propositioned for a tryst in the twilight hours, random hooligansand to prevent inconveniencing or frightening lay people.

Considering that weight loss is only a significant issue in societies of satiety, the following of the bhikkhu diet as a health regimen is almost certainly an innovation of modern Western Buddhism. Some Theravadin lay people do follow the bhikkhu diet for a day every quarter moon as part of uposatha practice, where some monastic rules are followed for the sake of cleansing the defilements of the mind and making good karma, but not to slim their waistlines.

Since Im an ex-monastic, you might think that I am against the use of the bhikkhu diet as a mere dieting toolbut youd be wrong. I have used it that way myself from time to time, and recently, several weeks before I read the Times article, I had decided to take it on indefinitely.

The reason was simple: approaching 41 years of age, I found myself overweight and feeling the stressful, impermanent, and uncontrollable nature of my body. I needed to do something.

When I was a monk, the dietary rule turned out to be a profound practice for me. Learning how to tolerate hunger for hours a day became training for tolerating difficult emotions and physical pain. Restricting eating to the morning acts on your desire like focusing a camera lens: the way that the mind relates to the craving for pleasure and safety becomes clearer and easier to witness.

To use a metaphor of Ajahn Chah, the great Thai Forest teacher, the eating rule is like a Thai lizard hunter. He finds the mound where the lizard lives and closes off all the holes but one, then he waits, watching that one hole. Sooner or later the lizard comes out where he can catch it. In the same way, when you stop foraging for food whenever you want and limit yourself to the morning only, you can see your minds behavior around food more clearly.

Related: Dogen Said Not to Waste a Single Grain of Rice. Heres How.

As a layperson, following the bhikkhu diet is of course much more difficult. As a monk, I did not have to cook dinner for others while I myself was not eating or resist the urge to wake up my brain with a meal when I had to stay up late at night working. It was initially difficult as a layperson to adjust to the need to schedule a reasonable amount of healthy food before the noon cutoff. It was also hard to acclimatize myself to the season of hunger that began sometime in the late afternoon and continued until nighttime. After a week or two, however, the diet was feeling energizing. I was losing weight. There was an ironic, one might even say Epicurean, enjoyment in being able to eat freely in the morning, and also in not having to think about food after noon.

A sense of excitement began to grow about the diet. After feeling a little tired in the first week, I did as the monastics do: I began taking tonics in the late afternoon and evening (sugar, honey, and medicine are allowed according to all the different lineages). I would have tea and honey or a particular scandalous treat that is allowed for monastics courtesy of a loophole: dark chocolate. Due to the ingredients of pure dark chocolate being cocoa (a medicine) and sugar, monks in the Thai Forest tradition munch on the little dark squares at tea time. This might make us on the diet seem like dandies to you, but believe mewhen dark chocolate is the only food stuff you are allowed, its flavor begins to turn ascetic pretty quickly.

That adjustment made, I began to settle into the diet comfortably, at least for the most part. I slipped occasionally due to a birthday party dinner or needing to work late at night. I decided to accept that there might be a cheat day once a week, a practice actually recommended in The Buddhas Diet as good for your metabolism.

I also began to feel the mood that comes from settling into any difficult discipline, a mixture of increased self-confidence, self-respect, and a decrease in the kind of anxiety that results from not feeling able to rely on oneself. Other benefits included increased mental clarity and lightness in the latter half of the day, and better sleep at night.

Clark Strand, another ex-monk who tried the bhikkhu diet and wrote about it in Tricycle, fell off the wagon after a few months and gave it up. The friend whose bhikkhu practice inspired Strand to stop eating after noon also happens to be my former abbot, Thanissaro Bhikkhu. After Strand began eating after noon again, Ajahn Thanissaro reportedly told Strand, Its supposed to be part of a whole lifestyle. You take the bhikkhu out of the bhikkhu diet and all youve got is this guy who wont eat anything after twelve noon because it keeps his weight down. Hard to have much commitment to that!

Time will tell how I fare, but Im inclined to think that Ajahn Thanissaro was right. Neither the Times nor even a slim waistline is enough inspiration to keep on the bhikkhu diet. So although one might take up the bhikkhu diet out of a desire for health, longevity in its embrace will require seeing its personal spiritual benefits (and I think its clear that it would not be beneficial for everyone). It will also require having a little of the bhikkhu or bhikkhuni in you. But then isnt that supposed to be true of every follower of the Buddha?

[This article was first published in 2017.]

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I Tried the Buddhist Monk DietAnd It Worked - Tricycle

The study, published in theJournal of Physiology, fed male mice a poor-quality low protein diet which was found to impair the way blood vessels functioned in their offspring, a key indicator of heart disease.

The research team, led by experts from the University of Nottingham's School of Medicine, noted the growing evidence suggesting maternal diet and well-being at the time of conception can impact offspring development and may often lead to cardiovascular conditions and metabolic disease in later life. However, they noted that little research has been done into the impact of a father's diet and the effects this can have on the cardiovascular health of his offspring.

"Our findings indicate that a poor quality paternal low-protein diet may have altered the genetic information carried in the sperm or the composition of the seminal plasma, commented Dr Adam Watkins, lead author of the study. Our study shows that a father's diet at the time of conception may affect how the blood vessels form, which then leads to permanent changes in how the blood vessels work, resulting in 'programmed cardiovascular ill-health in his offspring.

"These findings are significant for people's health, as it shows that some conditions are attributed to a disturbance in early development processes which can be affected by a father's diet."

Study details

Using a mouse model to explore the long-term cardiovascular health of offspring from males fed a poor quality, low protein diet, the new study aimed to bridges gap in understanding of the impact of paternal diet on offspring health.

Mice were fed a controlled normal protein diet (18% protein) or low protein (9% protein) diet for a minimum of 7 weeks prior to conception.

Results showed that the poor-quality diet may have altered the genetic information carried in the sperm which changed the way blood vessels formed in the developing foetus, and so affected the cardiovascular function in the offspring.

The study also showed that the fluid the sperm are carried in, the seminal plasma, also influenced offspring cardiovascular health. The researchers looked at the effect of low protein diets on both the sperm and seminal fluid of male mice studying the impact on offspring in four conditions: when the sperm was from a dad with a poor diet, when the seminal fluid was, when both were, and when neither was.

They found that the heart health of offspring was negatively impacted when there was mismatch between the sperm and seminal fluid, meaning that one was from a poor dietary dad and the other from a dad with a normal diet, or vice versa.

Watkins and colleagues noted seminal fluid suppressed maternal uterine inflammatory and immunological responses that are essential for a healthy pregnancy.

"It is important that we understand how and why paternal diet impacts on the offspring, so we can suggest preventative measures for couples who are trying to conceive, such as dietary recommendations, said Watkins.

Men on crash diets may be affected by the findings, said the team, noting that the quality of seminal fluid changes quickly, while sperm only changes after a few months meaning that there might be a mismatch in the first few months of a diet, and this time may coincide with when they are trying to conceive.

The findings may have also implications for couples using assistive reproductive technologies such as IVF because IVF uses only the sperm, and this might result in a mismatch between the quality of sperm and seminal fluid, they added.

Source: The Journal of PhysiologyPublished online, Open Access, doi: 10.1113/JP278270Paternal diet impairs F1 and F2 offspring vascular function through sperm and seminal plasma specific mechanisms in miceAuthors: Hannah L. Morgan, et al

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Dads diet may have long-term impact on baby's health - NutraIngredients.com

The quest to lose weight is immensely exhausting, to say the least. Something similar happened with 34-year-old Mangesh Singh who tried gymming for 7 years but to no avail. He even tried swimming and several other diets to lose weight, but he did not find anything even remotely sustainable. This is his incredibly motivating journey of losing 20 kilos in just 2 months. Here is how he did this.Name: Mangesh SinghOccupation: IT Head

Age: 34 years

Height: 5 feet 5 inches

Highest weight recorded: 103 kgs

Weight lost: 20 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 2 months

The turning point: There wasnt any particular moment that led to the realisation that I needed to lose weight but actually a series of events. For example, I am the youngest in my family but because of all the excess weight, I used to look overweight. I also tried to go for a morning walk daily but I could not continue it.

In addition to several diets, I also tried working out in a gym for seven straight years but to no avail. Those diets were not sustainable and I gained double the weight after stopping them. While looking for a sustainable diet plan, I stumbled upon the intermittent fasting which is the 16/8 plan.

While I was very sceptical about following it initially, I witnessed incredible weight loss after following this diet. The best part? I felt extra energetic throughout the day and my focus also improved.My breakfast: I do not eat anything in the morning.My lunch: 2 boiled eggs with fruits

My dinner: 1 bowl of dal, a portion of brown rice, one chapati and a portion of chicken/fish

Pre-workout meal: I do not eat anything before working outPost-workout meal: I vouch on chana sattu drinkI indulge in: I have an eating window of eight hours, so I dont really avoid eating any specific food during that time.

My workout: I go for a walk in the evening.

Fitness secrets I unveiled: I have realised that contrary to popular notions, it is very crucial to eat on time to lose weight. However, at the same time, it is important to cut down all the junk and processed food items.

How do I stay motivated? Once I began to see the change in my energy levels, it was enough to keep me motivated to continue my journey to lose weight and stay fit.

Go here to read the rest:
Weight loss story: I followed THIS simple diet to lose 20 kilos in just 2 months! - Times of India

Star of The Hills, Whitney Port, has an amazingly toned figure & the mother-of-one revealed to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, how lean protein & hot yoga help her stay in tip-top shape.

Whitney Port, 34, who is known for her role on the hit TV series, The Hills, and the newest show, The Hills: New Beginnings, has always had a petite, toned figure and she shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, what she does to stay in shape. I try to live my life completely in moderation, Whitney admitted. I try to work out three times a week and eat mostly lean proteins, veggies, and fruits but, I also allow myself to enjoy myself when I feel like it! I dont believe in strict diets or limitations. Its all about a healthy balance, she shared. While she doesnt necessarily stick to a specific diet, she makes sure to incorporate certain foods into her everyday meals.

For breakfast, I have been eating scrambled eggs with a few cheddar chives mixed in, a cappuccino, and a banana. For lunch, Ill eat a salad with a light dressing, a protein, and a kombucha. Dinner varies, but I LOVE a good steak with grilled onions and roasted potatoes, she revealed. When it comes to dinner though, Whitney always makes sure to have, Usually a protein with a veggie and or salad with lots of different veggies in it and a homemade sherry wine vinaigrette. While she tries to maintain a healthy diet, Whitney also revealed there is one workout that she swears by. Hot yoga is my jam. Its the only thing I do and I absolutely love it. It tones me, gives me the release of any stress I have, and just feels so good for my body. Its a physical and mental treat, she gushed.

Whitney is currently promoting her partnership with Excedrin, as she frequently experiences migraines, and admits that migraines sometimes prevent her from feeling present during moments with her adorable two-year-old son, Sonny Sanford Rosenman. Whitney partnered with the brand to launch Excedrin Take Two, which invites sufferers of migraines to share a moment they missed or were affected by, due to a migraine, in order to get a second chance living migraine free. Ive had headaches since I was a little girl that developed over time into frequent migraines. When I get a migraine, I will usually wake up to a throbbing pain that feels like someone is hitting me on the head over and over again, Whitney revealed.

As for how it has affected motherhood, Whitney explained, My migraines can really affect my productivity, which means taking care of Sonny sometimes feels impossible. Migraines make me feel like I cant be present with him, play with him, or sometimes even just have patience with him. The hardest part about getting them in the morning is I have a difficult time feeling motivated to get out of bed and see Sonny. Hes in the best mood when he wakes up so missing out on seeing his smiling face before he starts his day makes me so sad. Excedrin Migraine is the one thing I found that really works for me to get relief fast so I dont miss those special moments with him, Whitney concluded.

Excerpt from:
The Hills Star Whitney Port Reveals Lean Protein & Hot Yoga Are Key Factors To Getting Her Toned Figure - Hollywood Life

The claim of raw pet food advocates is that eating raw meat is what dogs are supposed to do, since they descended from wolves. But according to Tufts University and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, theres no science to back up this claim. On the Tufts Veterinary Medical Center blog, Petfoodology, its clinical nutrition team notes that while its true wolves eat raw meat, the average life span of a wolf in the wild is only a few years. In turn, what works for a wolf doesnt work for a dog that you hope has a long, healthy life.

That researchers also note that, in their own clinical practice, theyve seen a number of commercial raw meat diets whose nutrient profiles either dont make sense or dont meet current nutritional requirements, despite labeling to the contrary. Many raw meat diets are very high in fat compared to typical canned and dry diets, and they lack the vitamins and minerals dogs need for a balanced diet.

In the end, giving dogs a raw food diet is an attempt by owners to give dogs the best life they can. Traditional dog food is sometimes recalled for Salmonella, too, and some dog food marketed as grain free has been linked to canine dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of cardiac muscle. Pet food trends also tend to mimic human health food trends the raw pet food diet mirrors the Paleolithic diet, cans like Fancy Feast emerged after people got into gourmet food in the 1980s, and the desire for grain free came from our own rejection of gluten.

But good intentions dont always equate to healthy choices. For now, scientists say raw pet food is something to be cautious about both for our pets sakes and our own.

Original post:
Raw pet food: The trendy diet can put humans and animals in danger - Inverse

Type 2 diabetes occurs when a persons pancreas cannot produce or doesnt produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels. Consistently high blood sugar levels is a precursor to deadly complications such heart disease or stroke. As a result, people with type 2 diabetes must turn to their diet to regulate blood sugar levels. Increasing evidence suggests chickpeas may help.

Chickpeas are a culinary ingredient long used in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian cookery. The legume has been been touted for its myriad health benefits, which include lowering blood sugar levels.

One of the primary benefits of eating chickpeas is that they have a relatively low glycemic index (GI). As Diabetes UK explained: Different carbohydrates are digested and absorbed at different rates, and GI is a ranking of how quickly each carbohydrate-based food and drink makes blood glucose levels rise after eating them.

Research has shown that choosing foods with a low GI index, such as chickpeas, can particularly help manage long-term blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Second, chickpeas are a good source of fibre and protein, which are both known for their role in blood sugar regulation.

As Mayo Clinic explains, fibre can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels. Equally, protein is broken down into glucose less efficiently than carbohydrate, which slows down the rise in blood sugar levels.

In one study, 19 people who ate a meal that contained 200 grams of chickpeas had a 21 percent reduction in blood sugar levels, compared to when they ate a meal that contained whole-grain cereal or white bread.

Furthermore, a 12-week study found that 45 individuals who ate 728 grams of chickpeas per week had a notable reduction in their fasting insulin levels, which is an important factor in blood sugar control.

Key dietary tips

A person should not focus solely on the GI of foods, however.

As the health body explains, this could make a persons diet unbalanced; high in fat and calories, which could lead to weight gain. This makes managing blood sugar levels harder and hikes the risk of heart disease.

Its important to think about the balance of your meals, which should be low in saturated fat, salt and sugar and contain more fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, nuts and oily fish, it advised.

According to Diabetes UK, people should include the following blood-sugar friendly options in their everyday meals:

What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?

According to the NHS, symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:

A plant extract has also been shown to lower blood sugar.

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Type 2 diabetes: Add this ingredient to your meals to lower blood sugar - Express

Visceral fat, belly fat, muffin top, spare tyre, blubber, or beer belly - whatever it may be referred to, fat stored in the stomach is known as active fat and could be extremely dangerous. The main problem with this kind of fat, apart from looking unsightly in most outfits, is that it could be a major health warning sign. Belly fat that is stored around the midriff and if there is more than an inch to pinch, it could put a person at a higher risk of dangerous health complications. What is the best diet to remove visceral fat?

Carrying a high amount of visceral fat is known to be associated with insulin resistance, which can lead to glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes.

It is important to define the difference between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat.

Subcutaneous fat is the fat that is stored just under the skin. Visceral fat is the fat that is hidden and found near vital organs.

Having a growing belly can be the result of both types of fat.

What diet is the best one to follow to help lose visceral fat, according to health experts?

The ketogenic diet involves eating foods high in fat, low in carbs and with a moderate amount of protein.

Keto-friendly foods include meats, fish, nuts, avocados and eggs, and a general rule is to try and avoid eating foods that grow under the ground.

Try sticking to products with a 5g or less carb content per 100g of product.

Foods that should be reduced or eliminated on the diet include sugary foods like sodas, cakes, ice cream and candy, grains or starches like rice and pasta, all fruit except some small portions of berries, beans or legumes, low-fat foods, condiments and sauces, unhealthy fats and alcohol.

Foods that can be eaten on the diet include meat, fatty fish, eggs, butter and cream, nuts and seeds, healthy oils, avocados, and most vegetables.

The diet shares similarities with the Atkins diet and could help with banishing visceral fat.

The main foods to avoid on the diet include no sugary foods, grains or starches, beans or legumes, alcohol, and sugar-free diet foods.

A relatively good indicator of how much visceral fat one is holding is to take a waistline measurement, said Harvard University.

The university noted that around 10 per cent of our total fat is likely to be stored as visceral fat, therefore if you are carrying higher amounts of body fat than is recommended, it is, therefore, more likely that you are also storing more visceral fat than is healthy.

The ketogenic has been proven to help a person to lose a significant more amount of weight than a low-fat diet.

It has also been proven to help with diabetes, reduce heart disease, certain cancers, Alzheimers disease and to banish dangerous visceral fat.

Read more from the original source:
How to get rid of visceral fat: This diet has been proven to help shed the dangerous fat - Express

Behind the gates of Wat Yannawa temple, barefoot monks emerge, their saffron robes a pop of color in the early morning light. From the youngest to the oldest, they do this same routine every day: collect alms, or offerings, from the Buddhist faithful.

In metal pails that sway near their hips as they walk, they collect food, drinks and the occasional cash donation for the temple. They pray with the person who offers it, and then return home to prepare the meal with what they've been given.

More than 90% of Thailand's population follows Buddhism and the monks here are held in high regard, but there is growing concern about their health: Thailand's monks are gaining too much weight.

Thailand's National Health Commission Office says there are nearly 349,000 monks in Thailand, and almost half are considered overweight or obese.

There are several factors, but it largely centers around the morning routine -- and the changing nature of the offerings placed into the monk's pails.

The monks aren't able to control their own diet -- it's at the mercy of the offerings they receive each morning. Traditionally, those alms are calorie-rich foods, either processed or homemade -- with the Buddhist faithful wanting to offer something of high value and taste.

The monks are also forbidden from eating anything after 12 p.m., having only one or two meals a day between the hours of 6 a.m. and noon.

This means it's hard for monks to change their diet.

Professor Jongjit Angkatavanich, a pharmacist, dietician, and nutritionist who has been studying the health of Thailand's monks for the past eight years, describes the situation as a "ticking time bomb."

"When we look at the obesity rate, it's kind of like the first landmark that we used as an indicator," Jongjit said.

The monks are experiencing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, eye issues and osteoarthritis in knees, but they know very little about them.

For example, one of the most shocking things Jongjit has seen is monks with amputated toes and feet because of diabetes, but the monks had no knowledge of the condition -- many had never even heard of diabetes.

A taste for soda

Obesity rates among Thailand's monks are higher than the wider population -- 48% of them are obese compared to 39% of the Thai male population, according to Jongjit's research. While people might think the monks are simply eating more, Jongjit said that isn't the case. The monks consume 150 less calories than Thai men.

So what's happening to Thailand's monks?

"After midday, they have to rely on a drink or beverage," Jongjit explained. "It has changed over time, from the ancient time -- right now, it is a soda, a soft drink, a sweetened beverage."

What's more, she said, is the monks often consume the sugary drinks on an empty stomach. "The sugar in the liquid is absorbed faster," she said. "It means the effect or consequence of the added sugar is even worse for a monk."

To complicate matters even further, the monks aren't supposed to exercise -- it's considered vain. Navigating those restrictions is an important part of the long-term solution.

Somdet Phra Mahathirajarn is the Abbot of Yannawa temple -- its highest-ranking monk. He's been leading the charge in implementing changes suggested by Jongjit and her team, including finding a way around the exercise restrictions and healthier menu options for the novice monks' midday meal, as the novices get one meal prepared by the temple before noon in addition to the morning alms.

"We consider their intention" when it comes to exercise, he said, allowing exceptions for health reasons. "My department has to coordinate with the government to dispatch mobile medical units to educate the monks, so they can learn about proper exercise, proper rest and proper living."

Keeping track

One of the mobile medical units arrived later that day. A fleet of health workers armed with scales and blood pressure cuffs descended on Yannawa temple, measuring and tracking the health of the youngest novice monks. From blood sugar levels to weight and body mass index, the numbers are recorded and entered into a database -- no small task, considering the sheer number of temples and monks in Bangkok alone.

"We started this health check-up for the monks in temples all over Thailand, and especially in Bangkok," said Dr. Somchai Teetipsatit, director of the Health Promotion Division for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. "We have 454 temples in Bangkok, with about 16,000 monks."

To cover everyone, both public and private healthcare clinics are involved, spurred on by a unique health charter implemented by the government and the National Health Commission Office in 2017. The goal is to teach not only the monks, but the public, about proper nutrition, so they can take care of each other.

Phupha Srichalerm is a 17-year-old novice monk from a province in southern Thailand. He's been studying at Yannawa temple for nearly five years, and now his Buddhist education also includes nutrition.

"It's good because it makes me aware about diet," he said. "I've changed my dietary habits." For starters, he's begun swapping out the sugary afternoon drinks in favor of water. Otherwise, he now understands that the risks of obesity and the diseases that come with it are serious.

In the eight years since Jongjit first started this work, she has seen some progress.

"We started small," she said. "But we have to spread [the message]. Now we call it 'one temple, one hospital.' And with this national health strategy, we will distribute our [educational] media to at least 11,000 hospitals in Thailand -- from the main hospitals in the provinces to the primary care district hospitals, the roots of our community" -- going to the root of the community, to help the heart of the community.

Read more here:
Why Thailand is putting its Buddhist monks on a diet - CNN

Slimmers may want to lose weight for a number of different reasons, whether to lose fat or improve health. When doing this, changing diet habits and exercising more can be the best way to get results. Apple cider vinegar is a drink which is thought to speed up fat loss and help slimmers get into shape. How does it work? An expert issued an important warning.

READ MORE:Shayne Ward used this diet trick to shed an incredible 3st 7lb

When adding apple cider vinegar into the diet plan, studies have shown even a small amount can speed up the fat burning process.

One study of 175 obese people showed having the condiment daily lead to reduced belly fat and weight loss.

Those who had just one tablespoon lost an extra 2.6 pounds during the three month test and those who had two tablespoons lost 3.7 pounds.

Research has shown having the drink helped slimmers feel fuller which meant they were less likely to overeat later in the day.

When having the drink, dieters can choose to take the tablespoon neat or soften the taste by mixing it with water and lemon.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, personal trainer and nutritionalist, Harry Smith, explained the possible benefits of the drink.

He said: There is a line of thought that apple cider vinegar can improve health by reducing insulin response after meals, reducing body fat and improving blood triglyceride profiles.

However, he issued an important warning to those hoping to have the tipple and explained it may not be all it seems.

None of these claims are backed by any substantial scientific evidence, there is some weak evidence at best, he explained.

It has a largely insignificant effect on health like a single raindrop in the sea. It just isnt noticeable.

Original post:
Weight loss diet: Having this drink can help you burn fat fast - expert issues warning - Express

Some time ago, a large food company approached psychiatrist Valerie Taylor, whose work focuses on the intersection between body weight and the mind, for insight into what drives humans to eat. She didnt bite on their offer. But it speaks to the fact that people selling us this food understand its not just about hunger, she says. Psychological influences are also critical to understanding why one in four adults in Canada are now obese.The National Post spoke to Taylor, the chief of psychiatry at the University of Calgary.

Q: We often hear that no one chooses to be obese. It was the opening line in a recent report by the British Psychological Society, whose authors also stressed that obesity doesnt simply come down to a lack of will power. So, what is making us overeat, or eat when we arent hungry?

A: Sometimes people get more joy from food than other areas of life. It is a consistent, reliable pleasure, and certainly we see it sometimes in individuals whom have experienced certain types of childhood trauma. The people in their lives couldnt consistently be depended on to be positive, and food was the only thing that always made them feel better. Food was a comfort, a consistent source of happiness. And it becomes difficult to break that pattern when they become adults. Any time of discomfort or stress, food is going to be the go-to mechanism.

It can be like substance use. Some people eat to bring them pleasure, and some eat to avoid distress. Hunger can be associated with increased stress hormones. You start to get hungry, your glucose level drops. Your brain uses glucose for fuel, it mobilizes your body to get food, and the cravings start. Stress hormones like cortisol get released. People get hungry, they get angry, they get irritable, and they want to eat. Some people really dislike that feeling and will eat to prevent it.

Q: Why do most diets fail miserably in the long run? Arizona State University scientists recently estimated that Americans alone have collectively tried to lose weight more than two billion times over the past 40 years, yet obesity rates tripled over the same period.

The problem is with the whole diet concept. Its the forbidden fruit analogy: You cant eat chocolates, you cant eat doughnuts, you cant eat anything thats on the off list so you start to obsess more about (those) foods. Your body psychologically starts to crave them. I often tell people that nothing should be forbidden. You should not eat 12 doughnuts. But you can certainly eat one. Its important to move away from the bad food idea.

For every diet there is often an equal and opposite binge that occurs afterwards. Diets arent sustainable. As soon as the diet stops, people often revert back to their previous eating patterns. Especially if youve been on a very restrictive diet, your body starts to worry when you lose weight. Your brain slows your metabolism down. If suddenly you revert back to that pattern of eating that was problematic for your weight in the first place, youre going to gain more weight.

A diet should be whatever type of eating pattern you can adhere to that can make you physically and psychologically happy and is sustainable over time.

The other problem is that maintenance isnt psychologically rewarding. People get a buzz when they step on the scale and every day its gone down by 0.2 pounds, and then they reach a plateau and the numbers dont change. Theyre no longer getting that reward, and so they quit. But nobody can lose weight indefinitely we cant go to nothing. At some point the weight loss is going to stop, or at least stall while the body resets itself. Its important that people recognize that.

Q: How much does stress affect our sensitivity to food cues and cravings?

A: With stress, we often make impulsive choices. When the stress hormones are ramped up, it drives the urge for certain foods that are going to up your glucose quicker. Its not going to be broccoli.

Some people also drink alcohol to cope with stress. But alcohol reduces self-control, it increases impulsivity and it sometimes makes food appear tastier. It can also disrupt our bodys ability to self-regulate, so the normal satiety signals dont get fed back if youve been drinking and you start to eat.

Many people can identify their go-to foods in times of stress. But for some people, they need it for everystress. Theyre unable to stop. They anticipate bad things happening youre worried this exam is going to be hard, so you eat. Youre worried youre going to have a conflict with your partner, you eat. They use it almost as a drug. But you just go up and down. Youll eat, there will be an increase in glucose, there will be an increase in positive emotions, but then the food starts to move through your system and your mood starts to crash. And, so, you take the drug again. Or you just keep eating constantly to avoid ever experiencing that low emotion.

Q: How are we being manipulated by food manufacturers?

A: Look at family-sized portion bags. It seems like a good deal, except people open it up and eat all of it as a single serving. Avoid family-sized anything. The companies making them dont assume that this is going to be eaten by the family. Food companies also pay to have certain foods placed on shelves at eye level. Theyre not placed randomly. Bright, colourful boxes also appeal to the brain when someone is hungry.

Ultra-processed foods are also problematic. We didnt evolve to eat ultra-processed, convenient foods. Your body doesnt know what to do with it and your brain doesnt know how to react to it. (A study published in May in the journal Cell Metabolism found that, even when two diets are matched for the same amount of carbs, fat, sugar, salt and calories, people eat more food and gain more weight on ultra-processed diets.) If people want to do low-carb, high-carb or keto or vegan or Paleo all of those things are fine, if thats important to them. It is important to recognize the one thing all of those eating plans have in common is that they make people avoid significant amounts of highly processed foods. Eat in a way that makes you happy, is sustainable and involves as much food as it can that you prepare yourself. These are the keys.

Q: Some experts have said that what we really need to focus on is the primary biological drive of overeating what psychologists call wanting and help people self-regulate against that wanting, that its something that can be taught.

A: Cognitive restraint is a little bit like willpower. Its learning to understand your triggers and think, I dont need to eat right now. Im not hungry. Its about being less vulnerable to external cues and internal stressors. You can slowly increase your capacity for restraint over time, with teaching and with learning. But its also depleteable. If youre restricting avoiding those forbidden foods your willpower runs out after a while. You snap. You go from eating 900 calories a day to 3,500 calories a day.

Q: What other coping strategies can we use?

A: I think because of busy lifestyles, we eat fast. Slow down, be mindful, and really try to focus on what youre eating. Make a grocery list and dont buy anything thats not on the list, nothing thats an impulsive buy. Food diaries can feel like a pain, but they make people pause. I try to get people to do it in the moment, not the end of the day, because it stops this mindless eating. Dont eat in front of the television, or while youre on the computer, because you lose focus on your eating and you fail to recognize the cues that your brain is giving you. Set a reasonable goal for yourself and dont weigh yourself every day. There should be no food that is forbidden, there should be no place that you dont go to eat. We need to understand that food does bring us joy, and should bring us joy.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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'Some people eat to bring them pleasure and some eat to avoid distress' - National Post