Justin Medeiros is the current Fittest Man on Earth and the winner of last years CrossFit Games, which was only his second appearance at the sports annual flagship competition.

Over the course of the weekend, Medeiros showed a similar consistency as the previous Fittest Man on Earth, Mat Fraser. Of the 15 events, Medeiros finished outside the top 10 only twice, which allowed him to edge out veterans of the sport, like Pat Vellner, Brent Fikowski, and Noah Ohlsen.

This year, the former wrestler and football player is on track to do it all again. He placed third in the Open, the online, worldwide competition that serves as the first stage of the CrossFit season, and he won the next stage, the Quarterfinals. If he can maintain that dominance through the Semifinals in May, hell be back at the Games in August and a likely favorite to win again.

So, we sat down with the 23-year-old, whos currently training out of Vancouver, Washington, to discuss lifting, nutrition, motivation, and how to choose what to improve on in a sport that encompasses nearly everything.

Every training days different. Throughout the whole week, we try to touch on all of our bases, so we normally have two track sessions and machine work every day (the rower, the Rogue Echo bike, the C2 bike, and the ski erg). Each day, trainings broken up into two sessions, one in the morning and one at night. They can range anywhere from two to three and a half hours. I start off with strength and then do METCONs, that machine work, and maybe some accessory work.

As the season goes on, thats when you start ramping up the volume because youve got to be able to handle multiple workouts in a day, like at Semifinals, or even 15 workouts in a weekend, like at the Games.

Consistency is the biggest thing. You get people that hit it hard one week and then fall off the next week and then try to hop back on the wagon the week after. Its all over the place. From the beginner level all the way to the elite level, the body loves having consistency and repetition. So find two or three days a week and make sure that you get into the gym and make progress that way.

Courtesy of Justin Medeiros

I think that there's always those days where you feel so good and give it 100%, but all of us, especially me, have those days where you go in and you don't have that kind of juice in the tank. And those are the days when youre going to get better and push through by working on your mental discipline.

That being said, even though Im not training every day, I am active. And on those active recovery days, I want to do something that's obviously low impact on the body and kind of fun, right? So Ill go on walks or go for a jog or a hike. Or Ill go to the park and throw the football or frisbee with friends, or try to incorporate things like swimming and biking, anything to make sure I'm going out and moving around and getting fresh air.

A huge part of this sport is training your weaknesses, but that isnt always the most fun thing to do every day. So, sometimes, if I want to go in and have some fun, Ill give myself a home run workout and program everything Im good at so my friends see how fit I am.

I think that having a good time while you train is huge, especially because that's what's awesome about CrossFit you get to go in every day and do it with a group of friends. You have that community that you do these workouts with to help you hold yourself accountable.

I've trained by myself the past couple years. I mean, obviously there are other people at the gym, but Im the only one who is doing my training. Going into this new season, I really want to have a training partner that I can do the sessions with so its not just me whos going through these workouts. Theres some conjoined suffering, and I have someone to pull me along.

Courtesy of Justin Medeiros

Im training six hours a day, so Im never going to overeat. Im always in a caloric deficit, so Im eating as much as I possibly can. I try and make sure theyre well balanced, but I dont follow anything too strict.

Again, consistency is huge, and you have to adjust your diet based on your level of activity.

I just did a seminar with Chris Hinshaw, and he was saying that, in a training cycle, you should identify three different movements that you're trying to improve. One of those is the primary movement, which you should focus on 50%, and then you choose two secondary movements, and you give 25% of your focus to each. Other than that, its kind of hard to focus on too many more.

Thats a secret. Im not going to tell everybody what Im doing bad, but Ive got lots of stuff to work on, especially running and higher-level gymnastics.

When I'm practicing doing muscle-ups, that doesn't mean that I'm going to program a workout that has a bunch of muscle-ups in it and try to work on it there. I have a separate piece of training where the goal for this work out specifically is to practice my technique. I wont refuse to do muscle-ups at all because my technique isnt perfect. It just means that I need to also dedicate some time to practice that technique. In CrossFit, youre doing everything for time, so going as quick as possible, and its easy to let your technique suffer.

We have so many different types of movements, and theres a lot of people that come into the sport and are already really good athletes. They can muscle their way through things, but thats not always the most efficient way and often leads to injuries. So every time I'm learning something new or doing something different, I just always make sure that my technique comes first because you don't want your strengths to limit what you can do.

Having a good coach is obviously one way, but also set up a camera and film yourself, especially on the more technical movements. I just remember filming myself doing muscle-ups and going and looking at footage of the CrossFit Games and watching Mat Fraser and Rich Froning. Id put the videos side-by-side and see what I was doing differently than them. There are so many videos out there online. Look up Olympic weightlifters doing snatches and clean and jerks, slow them down to super slow motion, and notice things that you didnt see.

Re-evaluate what you did last season and pick one or two things to improve on. Confidence comes in preparation, so when the next season rolls around, you want to know that youve done all you can to get better.

The more I competed, the more I thought that the nerves would go away. They havent. When doubt creeps into your mind, when youre scared you wont perform, thats when you have to remember all that you did to prepare.

Courtesy of Justin Medeiros

The night-time routine is huge for me. About an hour before bed, I try to wind down and make that routine as consistent as possible. I have an app called GOWOD, and you can pick a routine thats 9, 15, or 20 minutes. That helps you stretch the muscles that are tight. Right when I finish that, I take cbdMD, which has melatonin and a few other things to help you calm down and relax. Im also a hot sleeper, so I use a mattress that I can adjust to keep cool. Combining those three things every night has been huge for me because sleep is the biggest thing that helps me.

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CrossFit Games Winner Justin Medeiros Shares Diet and Workout Advice - Men's Health

Chanel West Coast is one of the many stars who used the Coachella music festival as their swimwear runway. The rapper flaunted her fabulous figure in a retro print swimsuit at the Revolve Festival during the annual gathering in Indio, California. "All the vibez," she captioned a series of snaps, highlighting her curves. How does the 33-year-old keep herself so fit? Read on to see 6 ways Chanel West Coast stays in shape and the photos that prove they workand to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

Chanel revealed her stay-fit theory to HollywoodLife: Focus more on exercise than diet. "You need to work out! I mean a lot of people like to start themselves on cute diets but the truth is you can really eat whatever you want as long as you workout on a daily basis. I try to eat healthy but since I work out I still enjoy a large pizza by myself! But In & Out burgers and all those things, you can have those as long as you workout," she said.df44d9eab23ea271ddde7545ae2c09ec

Chanel knows her body and focuses on the areas she wants to change. In this YouTube video of one of her workouts, she revealed how she keeps her arms toned. "That is a big problem area for me," she said before executing a minute of push-ups using floor hooks, squats with a cross punch with dumbbells, dumbbell curls, and dumbbell iron crosses.

Chanel revealed to Flaunt magazine that she prefers working out at home. "Well I have a trainer," she started. "During the pandemic, I got really into working out on my own. Figuring out all of my own workouts. I have a mini Barbie looking gym in my garage, it's really cute. The cuter the gym is, the cuter your workout clothes are, you get more 'oh, I'm trying to look cute and do this.' I know a lot of good home workouts, I posted a couple of workout videos on my YouTube."

How often does Chanel work out? "As much as I can," she told Flaunt. "I film a lot so on average, I workout 3 days a week. That's a good amount to stay in shape. If I wanted to be a real fitness person and get really into it, I'd work out every single day. But I don't have the time for that."

Like many people Chanel's mental health was impacted during the pandemic. "At some point during the pandemic, I might've been going crazy. It was all the time I spent at home, people sending me conspiracy stuff. People made me feel like I was going insane," she told Flaunt. "Meditation has changed my life honestly," she said. "Meditation is key. Everyone needs to meditate, set aside time to mentally decompress."

Chanel does more cardio than anything else. "I wouldn't say any workout is bad or I hate it but for women focus on your cardio, because if you do too much weights and you are a woman then you are going to bulk up a little bit you know," she told HollywoodLife.

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Chanel West Coast in Bathing Suit Feels "All the Vibez" Celebwell - Celebwell

Lindsay M. McCoy| Capital News Service

Lansing Dangerous metals such as arsenic and mercury have been found in wild rice beds located on the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation and surrounding areas, according to research from Michigan Technological Universityscientists and their associates.

The contamination is a toxic legacy of copper mining in the western Upper Peninsula.

Samples of sediment, water and rice were taken from LAnse Bay, located on the reservation, and Lake Plumbago, a nearby inland lake in Baraga County.

According to the study, published in the journal Applied Sciences, the uptake of toxic metals by aquatic plants and algae poses a major risk to ecological and human health.

Wild rice, known as manoomin in the Ojibwe language, is a semi-aquatic wetlands grass that is abundant in the Great Lakes region and is an important food source for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community as well as wildlife and migratory waterfowl. It is also considered a sacred plant to the Anishinaabe tribes in Michigan.

Beyond the cultural significance of wild rice, its an important part of the food web in the area, said Scott Herron, a biology professor at Ferris State University.

All the other parts of the ecosystem depend upon the calories, energy and, thus, food that wild rice provides to insects, birds, waterfowl, fish and later to their predators, Herron said.

Heavy metals migrate to the grain of the rice and can be consumed by the species ingesting it, Herron said.

Arsenic was found to have the highest presence in wild rice seed samples from both locations, the study said.

Exposure to arsenic through diet can result in a higher risk of cancer, as well as liver and kidney disorders, according to the study.

Erin Johnston, a wildlife biologist with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, said that, fortunately, wild rice in the two test areas has not been ready yet to harvest for human consumption since efforts began to restore it there.

The study attributed the contamination to the dumping of millions of tons of stamp sand from mining operations into the lakes during the copper boom of the early 1900s. Stamp sand is coarse sandlike material resulting from the waste created by the mining industry.

There are a lot of areas throughout this region that are still dealing with legacy mining, said Johnston. There were no environmental regulations at that time to hold anyone accountable for the negative environmental impacts.

They would take out the portion of the ore they could use, in this case copper, and everything else was considered waste rock and crushed really finely, she said.

High levels of heavy metals such as copper, aluminum and others were found in the wild rice tested by the researchers.

For decades, the tribe has been studying this area to better understand the stamp sands, how theyre moving along the shore and other potential impacts theyre having on the landscape, said Johnston.

In 2006, the tribe worked to put down a 6-inch to 10-inch soil cap in an attempt to keep the stamp sands from moving along the LAnse Bay lakeshore.

We continue to battle every year the issue of the stamp sand moving because its located next to Lake Superior and you cant control the weather, said Johnston.

Researchers say it is the first such study on an inland lake where wild rice restoration is underway.

Johnston said there was some earlier indication that 19-acre Lake Plumbago had elevated levels of heavy metals, but not to the extent found in the new research.

Of course, that is, you know, concerning and something we definitely need to look into further, she said.

Roger LaBine of Trout Creek has had a lifelong relationship with wild rice, whether it was working to harvest it back in 1972 or to restore it to the U.P. today.

I harvested with my family, my grandparents and my uncle, he said. But we had to go to northern Wisconsin to harvest wild rice because the bed on our traditional waters, and where our village was, was destroyed.

LaBine is a member of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, whose reservation is in Gogebic County, about an hour south of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation.

LaBine said wild rice is so important to the tribes in the region,the Ojibwe, Potawatomi and Odawa,because it was a staple in sustaining life in the area.

The Three Fires people believe this was a sacred gift sent by the Creator and placed in the Great Lakes Basin, he said.

This cultural significance is why tribes throughout the state are working to bring wild rice back to its natural habitats.

I would not want it to be a commercial crop because then you start getting into that GMO and hybrid rice, said LaBine.

It would be good to see wild rice like it was before colonization.

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Upper Peninsula tribes work to restore wild rice in areas contaminated by mining - Detroit News

How much do your actions as an individual matter when it comes to climate? The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change from the United Nations is the first time the group has tackled this thorny question head-on. It turns out some actions really do matter more than others, and the report makes clear that the wealthiest, who are also the worlds biggest polluters, are obliged to move first, fastest, and furthest in slashing carbon pollution.

In as little as a year, the IPCC says, rapid change in societal norms and infrastructure support can slash global end-use emissions meaning pollution from satisfying consumer use of buildings, transit, and food by 5 percent.

Still, it isnt always that simple. When I interviewed Felix Creutzig the lead coordinating author of a chapter in the report that tackled the question of individual and societal change I fell into a common trap by asking about lifestyle changes.

We talk about behavior and lifestyles, but it wasnt the main focus, Creutzig, one of hundreds of scientists who worked on the report, said over Skype from Berlin. And thats mostly because the space where we can make choices is limited and restricted by infrastructure and by political regulation. Yes, every choice is important, but it really depends on what kind of structure we are living in.

While there are clearly some individual choices that are more impactful than others one is focusing on transportation, like taking fewer long-haul flights and living car-free he said the report also bluntly characterizes individual behavioral changes as insufficient ... unless embedded in structural and cultural change.

In other words, a single person taking well-meaning steps to lessen their footprint doesnt change the fact that billions of people are living off fossil fuels. Its the default, and sometimes, its the only option. But there are things individuals can do at work and in their communities that will do more to push structural change.

To limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the world needs to aggressively cut emissions as soon as possible and slash them by half by 2030. Were nowhere near these numbers. Nor will the world get there by only following the messaging, pushed by the oil industry, of taking marginal steps to tackle our own carbon footprints without thinking more structurally about the reasons so many are still tethered to fossil fuels.

So the bottom line of the IPCCs first look at individual action is this: By reexamining the way we live, move around, and eat, the world has the potential to slash up to 70 percent of end-use emissions by 2050. Change is even possible in the very short term. And while hard data and peer-reviewed science show individual actions do matter, ultimately, the world has to think beyond the individual carbon footprint in addressing the climate crisis, including thinking about how individuals can bring about structural change.

Just as richer countries have accounted for the most cumulative pollution since the 1850s (the United States being No. 1), theres robust evidence that richer individuals also contribute a disproportionate amount to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the IPCC, the bottom 50 percent of households account for less than 15 percent of global pollution, while the top 10 percent of households in the world are responsible for up to 45 percent of global greenhouse pollution.

The top 10 percent is a broad category that includes more than the jet-fliers and yacht-owners. According to the IPCC, the top 10 percent includes households that spend more than $23 (in US dollars, compared using a metric called purchasing power parity) per person a day. The bottom 50 percent spend less than $3 per person per day.

If you fall in that top 10 percent category and there is a good chance that if you live in the United States, you do then one action you can take is to limit consumption, especially of travel, food, and energy. To those of us who are in that privileged category, we have a huge responsibility to respond and to do all that we can to immediately solve this problem, Creutzig said.

Generally, the biggest contributor to this pollution is the way the wealthiest get around. This isnt just for those flying private jets or owning a yacht. The top 10 percent of households have plenty of other potential for slashing emissions.

Taking one fewer long-haul flight per year, for instance, can have the biggest effect, and so does ditching ones car. For many people, living car-free is impossible, but reducing car usage by telecommuting more, taking public transit, and walking and cycling can help, along with getting an electric vehicle. There are also other reasonable options, including using air conditioning less, shifting to a mostly plant-based diet, and reducing food waste.

To be clear, were not going to hit climate pollution benchmarks on the timeline thats needed by hoping people take one fewer flight a year. Its important to think much bigger than ones own life and habits to usher in the kind of social and behavioral change thats necessary. And thats where the IPCC takes a closer look at the other policies and actions that can make the biggest difference.

Discussion around how to address climate change tends to exist in polar opposites. You can find guides across the internet on how to reduce your carbon footprint and then find thousands of articles, many of them at Vox, on the political change needed to usher in a clean energy transition.

But it turns out there isnt such a hard-line distinction on where individual action ends, because even individual actions can have network effects. In between, there are schools, counties, cities, professions, and peer groups that can push for climate action. The IPCC calls these middle actors.

Professionals have a lot of potential to do more. Some examples include building managers, landlords, technicians, car dealers, and city planners, each of whom can bring about change in a number of different directions (as can journalists). In these kind of professions people can make a difference by organizing their job differently, Creutzig said.

For example, many of these professions have formal standards or informal networks where they can form new norms that prioritize climate change. Architects choices can mean the difference between new buildings reliant on heat pumps or gas-powered appliances. Landlords can help ensure that rentals are energy-efficient, keep appliances well maintained, and adopt clean energy use, all while decreasing energy costs for the building. City planners can make roads safer to bike and walk, and discourage road traffic, all through smart design. Investors can influence clean energy and fossil fuel investments in the private sector.

The pandemic has supported that rapid collective change in behavior is possible. Global travel fell dramatically in 2020, even for the most frequent fliers who take business trips throughout the year, and workday commutes shortened or disappeared for millions.

The IPCC isnt arguing that global governments should reengineer the dramatic shutdowns of the early pandemic that brought travel to a standstill. But the science body noted that the pandemic is proof that broad, structural behavioral change can and does happen.

Policy plays a big role in nudging people into making more climate-friendly decisions, basically making it as easy as possible to lessen ones footprint. The IPCC authors write that judicious labelling, framing, and communication of social norms can also increase the effect of mandates, subsidies, or taxes. Interventions that change the choice architecture so people have an easier time taking the cleaner option include: default enrollment in green programs, increasing taxes on carbon-intensive products, and substantially tightening regulations and standards.

Lets take food as an example. In a school cafeteria or restaurant, the way a menu or choices are presented can make a difference in how people decide what to eat. Because of a psychological effect called priming, whatever you see first can guide your decision. So a beef steak getting prominent placement on a menu tends to prime people to choosing the meat-heavy option over the vegan dish. The same rule can work for supermarkets, nudging people to healthier choices and alternative meat products with prominent placement in the store.

Another example of a smart nudge could be using feedback to help reduce energy consumption. A meta-analysis of 122 studies published last year in Nature Energy compared the effect different interventions had on household energy use. Offering households a financial reward for energy efficiency had the biggest effect; after that, providing consumers with more information on their energy usage, and a benchmark to compare it to, also had a measurable medium-sized effect over the short-term period that most of these studies covered. These nudges could account for a little over 6 percent of annual global residential emissions, a relatively small effect, but one that adds up year after year.

The world wont hit its climate goals without policymakers speeding up the transition to clean energy, investing in large-scale projects, and ending fossil fuel subsidies. But the same holds true for behavioral change.

The number one takeaway from the IPCC is that to take action on climate change, you have to also direct your attention to changing the structures in which you operate.

IPCC vice chair Ko Barrett, a top scientist at NOAA, explained the importance of tackling the question of what individuals can do in inspiring greater change. I love the storyline about individuals, not because Im being Pollyanna-ish that that can solve the problem. But she thinks that, in looking at what people can do in their own lives and, more importantly, their communities, we actually magnify the value of our individual actions to a scale that matters in cities and towns. Thats the scale that we can really engage because people can see the broader impact of collective action.

Take one example of how individual action can have broader network effects: The IPCC report looks at what happens when a neighbor installs a rooftop solar panel. Sure, it reduces that households footprint, but it also makes it more likely for others in the neighborhood to adopt solar energy too, because of how it nudges social norms and expectations. The house with solar panels also serves as something like a role model for a new way we could all live.

Now think bigger than a solar panel: A person connects with others in their community to pass an ordinance that updates energy efficiency measures for the towns buildings. Thats organized collective action. Collective action as part of social or lifestyle movements underpins system change, the report says. The scientists nod to the climate strikes that have given voice to youth in more than 180 countries, which help build social trust and citizen-led networks.

These social movements have exploded as the first generation growing up with the harsher realities of climate change becomes a political force globally. Barrett recognizes that more and more, the readers of the science reports are not just policymakers at the national level. There are very many well-informed citizens on climate science now. Bringing more information that is immediately useful to them is really powerful.

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For Earth Day, look beyond solar panels and diets to combat climate change - Vox.com

TECUMSEH The Tecumseh City Council has approved a list of 18 roads that will be resurfaced this year with approximately 1.8 mills as part of the $2.5 million bond issue voters approved in November 2020.

Were continuing to utilize the citys millage fund that voters approved back in November of 2020. Obviously, we continue to complete that work and we will complete a number of local streets around the city this year, 18 different streets within the city, city manager Dan Swallow said, noting that the city has contracted with Gerken Paving of Toledo, which has an asphalt operation in Adrian for the work. Were continuing to rate the streets to make sure were addressing those that are in the worse condition first.

The city spent about $1 million on roads last year and is expected to spend about $800,000 this year. The payments on the bond issue go for five years. The roads on its project list this year are: Bramblewood, Partridge, Pitman, Red Maple, Chestnut, Hickory Ridge, Red Oak, Pontiac Trail, Nokomis, Bidwell, North Pearl, North Division, West Cummins, West Patterson, Spafford, Sutton, Blanchard and Murray.

In addition, the road diet on Chicago Boulevard running through town is expected to be completed by the Michigan Department of Transportation in mid-June at no cost to the city.

Of course, were working with MDOT, the Michigan Department of Transportation,on resurfacing Chicago Boulevard. As part of that, this year there will be a lane reduction on our road diet to improve pedestrian safety as well as to make on-street parking more accessible, Swallow said.

Currently,there is a mix between four and five lanes as Chicago Boulevard goes through downtown Tecumseh. After the road work is complete,there will be aconsistent three lanes comprised oftwo travel lanes, one in each direction, and a continuous left hand turn lane throughout the downtown area.

This will also allow us to provide a buffer between the travel lanes and the on-street parking. It will make it easier for people to park on Chicago Boulevard. Also, it will be striped as a bike lane so that those people who ride on the sidewalks of downtown, they have now a bike lane to get through the center of downtown, Swallow said. Speaking with MDOT it will be either mid-June or later depending on how their contracts work out and when the contractor schedules are finalized. That one is being completed by the Michigan Department of Transportation, so we do not have a cost for that. There is no cost directly to the city.

Swallow indicated that the city will be doing the bulk of its roadwork during the first three years of the millage. While the city has partnered with the Lenawee County Road Commission on projects in the past, it will not be this year.

The road commission is a separate agency. We have partnered on projects, but they are a completely separate entity with a separate funding source, Swallow said. We do partner with them from time to time on the borders of the city, but this year we dont have any joint projects.

Swallow said the voters havesupported funding local roads to make Tecumseh a great city in which to live, work and play.

We appreciate the additional funding that the voters of the city of Tecumseh have provided so that we can complete all of the road work that weve been able to do over the last few years, Swallow said.

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Tecumseh has list of 18 road projects, road diet to be completed this summer - The Daily Telegram

Paris Hilton, the entrepreneur, singer, model, socialite, DJ, actress, and more even makes her workouts fabulous. That was evident in a new swimsuit photo. "Find me at my happy place Happy#EarthDay! #ParisAroundTheWorld," she captioned it, with her location Tulum, Mexico. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Paris Hilton stays in shape and the photos that prove they workand to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

Paris plays on the reputation she has of being a little materialistic to say the least. She's got a closet full of designer goods and even her workouts, at times, reflect that. When the gym shut down for quarantine, Paris posted videos of her working out by riding a bike around the inside of her house or lifting purses filled with weights. Granted, this obviously isn't a normal work out, but having a sense of humor can be good for your health. "A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:df44d9eab23ea271ddde7545ae2c09ec

Shockingly, she loved fast food. "I used to eat that way, but I decided to change things this year,' she said. 'Now I don't do that. There are times when I will stop at a Carl's Jr, but I will maybe get a turkey burger or something healthier instead of a cheeseburger and fries. I am more careful now."

Paris does resistant workouts through various exercises like lunges, seated curls, buck kickbacks, and more to work her upper and lower muscles. She also prioritizes aerobic activity that could include anything from jogging, and dancing to climbing and swimming. "Before you even hit the pavement or track, boost your confidence with the rightrunning shoes," says the Cleveland Clinic. "Your foot should fit snug in the heel, with a little wiggle room around your toes, says exercise physiologist Christopher Travers, MS.To guarantee the best fit, get a proper fitting at a specialty running store and wear your usual running socks when you go."

Green veggie packed smoothies? That's hot. "I like green smoothies, they taste good and they make me feel more energetic," she said. "I also like regular juices. I get a lot more vitamins these days, more fruits too, more vegetables, more protein, more salads."

Paris Hilton gets her tall, lean body from focusing on getting enough protein and balancing it out with healthy fats and fresh produce. She generally avoids high carb, high sugar foods like cakes, treats, chocolate, and bread. "If you want to follow a high-protein diet, choose your protein wisely. Good choices include soy protein, beans, nuts, fish, skinless poultry, lean beef, pork and low-fat dairy products. Avoid processed meats," says the Mayo Clinic. "The quality of the carbohydrates (carbs) you eat is important too. Cut processed carbs from your diet, and choose carbs that are high in fiber and nutrient-dense, such as whole grains and vegetables and fruit."

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Paris Hilton in Bathing Suit is in "Happy Place" Celebwell - Celebwell

image:Food list compiled during the reign of King Ine of Wessex (c. 688-726), part of the Textus Roffensis view more

Credit: Chapter of Rochester Cathedral

Very few people in England ate large amounts of meat before the Vikings settled, and there is no evidence that elites ate more meat than other people, a major new bioarchaeological study suggests. Its sister study also argues that peasants occasionally hosted lavish meat feasts for their rulers. The findings overturn major assumptions about early medieval English history.

Picture medieval England and royal feasts involving copious amounts of meat immediately spring to mind. Historians have long assumed that royals and nobles ate far more meat than the rest of the population and that free peasants were forced to hand over food to sustain their rulers throughout the year in an exploitative system known as feorm or food-rent.

But a pair of Cambridge co-authored studies published today in the journal Anglo-Saxon England present a very different picture, one which could transform our understanding of early medieval kingship and society.

While completing a PhD at the University of Cambridge, bioarchaeologist Sam Leggett gave a presentation which intrigued historian Tom Lambert (Sidney Sussex College). Now at the University of Edinburgh, Dr Leggett had analysed chemical signatures of diets preserved in the bones of 2,023 people buried in England from the 5th 11th centuries. She then cross-referenced these isotopic findings with evidence for social status such as grave goods, body position and grave orientation. Leggetts research revealed no correlation between social status and high protein diets.

That surprised Tom Lambert because so many medieval texts and historical studies suggest that Anglo-Saxon elites did eat large quantities of meat. The pair started to work together to find out what was really going on.

They began by deciphering a food list compiled during the reign of King Ine of Wessex (c. 688-726) to estimate how much food it records and what its calorie content might have been. They estimated that the supplies amounted to 1.24 million kcal, over half of which came from animal protein. The list included 300 bread rolls so the researchers worked on the basis that one bun was served to each diner to calculate overall portions. Each guest would have received 4,140 kcal from 500g of mutton; 500g of beef; another 500g of salmon, eel and poultry; plus cheese, honey and ale.

The researchers studied ten other comparable food lists from southern England and discovered a remarkably similar pattern: a modest amount of bread, a huge amount of meat, a decent but not excessive quantity of ale, and no mention of vegetables (although some probably were served).

Lambert says: The scale and proportions of these food lists strongly suggests that they were provisions for occasional grand feasts, and not general food supplies sustaining royal households on a daily basis. These were not blueprints for everyday elite diets as historians have assumed.

Ive been to plenty of barbecues where friends have cooked ludicrous amounts of meat so we shouldnt be too surprised. The guests probably ate the best bits and then leftovers might have been stewed up for later.

Leggett says: Ive found no evidence of people eating anything like this much animal protein on a regular basis. If they were, we would find isotopic evidence of excess protein and signs of diseases like gout from the bones. But were just not finding that.

The isotopic evidence suggests that diets in this period were much more similar across social groups than weve been led to believe. We should imagine a wide range of people livening up bread with small quantities of meat and cheese, or eating pottages of leeks and whole grains with a little meat thrown in.

The researchers believe that even royals would have eaten a cereal-based diet and that these occasional feasts would have been a treat for them too.

These feasts would have been lavish outdoor events at which whole oxen were roasted in huge pits, examples of which have been excavated in East Anglia.

Lambert says: Historians generally assume that medieval feasts were exclusively for elites. But these food lists show that even if you allow for huge appetites, 300 or more people must have attended. That means that a lot of ordinary farmers must have been there, and this has big political implications.

Kings in this period including Rdwald, the early seventh-century East Anglian king perhaps buried at Sutton Hoo are thought to have received renders of food, known in Old English as feorm or food-rent, from the free peasants of their kingdoms. It is often assumed that these were the primary source of food for royal households and that kings own lands played a minor supporting role at best. As kingdoms expanded, it has also been assumed that food-rent was redirected by royal grants to sustain a broader elite, making them even more influential over time.

But Lambert studied the use of the word feorm in different contexts, including aristocratic wills, and concludes that the term referred to a single feast and not this primitive form of tax. This is significant because food-rent required no personal involvement from a king or lord, and no show of respect to the peasants who were duty-bound to provide it. When kings and lords attended communal feasts in person, however, the dynamics would have been very different.

Lambert says: Were looking at kings travelling to massive barbecues hosted by free peasants, people who owned their own farms and sometimes slaves to work on them. You could compare it to a modern presidential campaign dinner in the US. This was a crucial form of political engagement.

This rethinking could have far-reaching implications for medieval studies and English political history more generally. Food renders have informed theories about the beginnings of English kingship and land-based patronage politics, and are central to ongoing debates about what led to the subjection of Englands once-free peasantry.

Leggett and Lambert are now eagerly awaiting the publication of isotopic data from the Winchester Mortuary Chests which are thought to contain the remains of Egbert, Canute and other Anglo-Saxon royals. These results should provide unprecedented insights into the periods most elite eating habits.

S. Leggett & T. Lambert, Food and Power in Early Medieval England: a Lack of (Isotopic) Enrichment; Anglo-Saxon England (2022). DOI: 10.1017/S0263675122000072

S. Leggett & T Lambert, Food and Power in Early Medieval England: Rethinking Feorm, Anglo-Saxon England (2022). DOI: 10.1017/S0263675122000084

Tom Almeroth-Williams, Communications Manager (Research), University of Cambridge: tom.williams@admin.cam.ac.uk

Anglo-Saxon England

People

Food and Power in Early Medieval England: a Lack of (Isotopic) Enrichment

20-Apr-2022

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Anglo-Saxon kings were mostly veggie but peasants treated them to huge barbecues, new study argues - EurekAlert

HRP (Capsicum annuum L.) is a spice that is widely used in human food.

The review, published inPoultry Science, was aimed at highlighting the effects of HRP as a phytobiotic in broiler nutrition and its mode of action as a possible alternative to antibiotics.

Various studies, said the authors, suggest that the addition of HRP to broiler feed results in improved bird performance, notably in terms of weight gain, feed intake and FCR.

HRP supplementation, they saw, could also have an antimicrobial effect and that it might enhance intestinal histomorphology in the birds as well.

However, the reviewers said further studies are warranted to investigate the various effects of such feed supplementation, particularly in relation to the claims for HRP around immunomodulation, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity.

Several studies have demonstrated the effect of HRP on the performance of broiler chickens, said the reviewing team.

The beneficial impact of capsicum in poultry nutrition may be related to capsaicin, which has a bactericidal effect against intestinal pathogens, such as E. coli, Salmonella spp., and Clostridium spp., they noted, referencing work by Omolo et al., 2014; Agarwal et al., 2017; and Salem et al., 2021.

They saw that HRP may boost pancreatic and intestinal enzyme activity, enhance bile acid secretion, and increase body weight in broiler chickens, as well as improve feed digestibility, feed intake (FI), feed conversion efficiency, mortality, carcass features, blood parameters, and production cost, noting the paper by Munglang and Vidyarthi, 2019.

Chili pepper is a rich source of carotenoids such as vitamins C, E, and provitamin A ( carotene), which have well-known antioxidant functions to fight against the hazardous effects of free radicals, including oxidative stress in broilers, according to the findings of studies by Krinsky, 2001, Droge, 2002, and Tawfeek et al., 2014.

And, as HRP is rich in vitamin C, its supplementation could potentially mitigate heat stress in birds, noted the reviewers, citing studies by Yoshioka et al., 2001, Al-Kassie et al., 2012, Abd El-Hack et al., 2018, and Abdelnour et al., 2018.

Meanwhile, Kogure et al. (2002) and Luqman and Razvi (2006) reported that capsicum was more effective than vitamin E in inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Capsaicin can potentiate the activities of pancreatic and intestinal enzymes (Platel and Srinivasan, 2004), increase bile acid secretion (Abdel Salam et al., 2005), and increase weight gain (WG) in broiler chickens (Puvaa et al., 2014, 2015b).

Capsaicin also increases appetite in poultry, so the addition of HRP to the diet influences broilers' feed consumption (FC), said the reviewers, citing the work done on this by Yoshioka et al., 2001.

Capsaicin may also protect the gastric mucosa through the afferent stimulation of nerve endings, they saw. Approximately 85% of capsaicin is absorbed by passive diffusion, mainly in the jejunum, which improves the digestibility of feeds in broilers, noted Kawada et al., 1984; Iwai et al., 2003.

See the original post:
Hot to trot: Reviewers see plenty of benefits from capsicum use in broilers - FeedNavigator.com

Posted by Scott Elliott, Public Affairs Specialist, Agricultural Research Service in Research and Science

Apr 22, 2022

As we celebrate our planet this Earth Day, we highlight ongoing research being conducted at USDAs Agricultural Research Service (ARS) exploring how a seaweed species could potentially reduce methane emissions in livestock production.

According to NASA, it is a misconception farm flatulence leads to excess atmospheric methane. In fact, the natural, digestive regurgitation and belches from livestock ruminants contribute most to environmental methane emissions. Ruminants are grazing animals with digestive systems that ferment the cellulose in grasses and other vegetation they eat. Methane gas is released as a fermentation byproduct.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says methane accounts for about 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and enteric (intestinal) fermentation accounts for approximately 2.7% of that. To help this issue, scientists are turning to a seaweed compound called bromoform, which could reduce enteric methane emissions by as much as 82% when fed to ruminants as a small portion of their diet.

Studies are underway to determine the seaweed species with the greatest potential to reduce methane. Researchers at the USDA-ARS U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center plan to include seaweed as part of dairy cattles diet to evaluate both lactation performance and enteric methane emissions. Expanding this nutritional supplement nationwide, and perhaps globally, could markedly reduce methane emissions, and thats something worth boastingnot belchingabout this Earth Day.

Follow this link:
Happy Earth Day! Scientists Working to Reduce Methane Emissions - USDA.gov

In this episode, Lisa Jones interviews Annamarie Rodriguez, RDN, LD, FAND, and Abbie Gellman, MS, RD, CDN, on the impact of plant-based nutrition on health, misconceptions about plant-based eating, and what is on the horizon for plant-based eating dietary interventions.

Additional Resources:

Abbie Gellman, MS, RD, CDN, is a spokesperson, recipe and product developer, author, and educator. Shes also a member of the Science Advisory Board for Nutraceutical.

Annamarie Rodriguez, RDN, LD, FAND, is a renal clinician retention specialist at Pentec Health, a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, the State Coordinator for Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group in WI, MI, IN, and northern CA, a board member of Plant-Based Prevention of Disease Inc., SE WI Region Representative-elect for WAND, and owner of Nutrition Directions LLC.

Lisa Jones, MA, RDN, LDN, FAND,is a registered dietitian nutritionist, speaker, and author based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

TRANSCRIPTION:

Moderator: Hello, and welcome to Nutrition411: The Podcast, a special series led by registered dietician and nutritionist Lisa Jones. The views of the speakers are their own and do not reflect the views of their respective institutions.

Lisa Jones, MA, RDN, LDN, FAND: Hello, and welcome to Nutrition411: The Podcast, where we communicate the information you need to know now about the science, psychology and strategies behind the practice of dietetics. I am Lisa Jones and excited to have two fantastic guests joining me today. Annamarie Rodriguez and Abbie Gellman. Today, we'll be discussing plant-based nutrition in a world of opportunities.

First, I will start by introducing Annamarie. Annamarie has worked as a renal dietician for almost 25 years in a variety of settings from clinical to pharmaceutical, including clinical sales, education, and renal medical affairs. She is on the Academy's Quality Management Committee, the State Coordinator for Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group for several states, a board member of the Plant-based Prevention of Disease organization, the Vegetarian DPG chair-elect and the Wisconsin and Southeast region representative-elect. Welcome, Annamarie.

Annamarie Rodriguez, RDN, LD, FAND: Thank you, so glad to be here.

Lisa Jones: Yay. Next, I will introduce Abbie. Chef Abbie Gellman is a spokesperson recipe and product developer, author and educator. She creates, produces and hosts cooking and nutrition videos, and works with a wide variety of food companies, brands, commodity boards, food service operators, health professionals, and private clients. Welcome, Abbie.

Abbie Gellman, MS, RD, CDN: Thank you.

Lisa Jones:So, glad that you're both here. First, I want to start with Annamarie, if you can just give a little background about your expertise.

Annamarie Rodriguez: My background has been a severe deep dive in CKD and ESKD, which is chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. And because of that, I've had a wide variety of roles that range from clinical to educator, sales, medical affairs, and I've been acclimated to every aspect of patient care surrounding these specific roles in the care of CKD patients.

Currently, though, my focus is on the prevention of chronic disease in general, but namely on CKD. It is my passion and I want to focus on this through nutrition. And, the main component is delaying the progression of CKD to ESKD. I am on a mission. And as I'm a plant-based dietician, my degree plan is on health and wellness. My focus is on a more holistic approach and this is where food plays a vital role. I've also worked with hospice, wound care, diabetes and weight management. So, I kind of wear a lot of different hats, which makes my life very exciting.

Lisa Jones: Very exciting. And I love that you are on a mission. Missions are amazing and I like your mission. It's a good one. So, I will go over to Abbie. If you want to tell us about your expertise and background. Although, the chef kind of gives it away a little bit.

Abbie Gellman:

So, the short version is that I went to culinary school about 20 years ago and I worked in corporate America for a really long time consulting and some other things. Eventually, I left corporate America and left restaurants to get my nutrition degree and that's when I learned that most dieticians don't cook. Which was shocking, to me, at the time. Fast forward to now, where I have a culinary degree, worked in restaurants, did all those things, plus now I'm a dietician. So, I've spent the last 10 plus years doing what I call culinary nutrition.

So, a lot of the work I do now is teaching health professionals. Mostly dieticians, but also diet techs and physicians and any health professional I get in front of, how to cook, how to get that base of culinary skills that we need. And then also, culinary nutrition for our clients and our patients. So, disease states like diabetes and heart disease or nutrition issues like aging and that kind of thing. So, I spend a lot of time doing cooking demos, speaking, and presentations. And, I have an online course to get you culinary nutrition certified and a bunch of other things. And then, do some work with consumers and such, as well.

Lisa Jones: Thank you, Abbie. That's fantastic. I took her course over the summer and highly recommended it. I'm your target market. I am the dietician that's not cooking, and that's fine.

Abbie Gellman: And, you get 53 CEUs, if you take the basic and advanced-

Annamarie Rodriguez: Oh, my gosh.

Abbie Gellman: Program.

Annamarie Rodriguez: I would love to take this course.

Abbie Gellman: Come over.

Annamarie Rodriguez: I'm so sorry. I interrupted.

Abbie Gellman: No, go to culinary nutrition studio.com. I'm sure that it'll be in the show notes.

Lisa Jones: We'll put it in the show notes. But you're filling a gap that is much needed. So thank you, Abbie.

Abbie Gellman: Thanks.

Lisa Jones: All right, so let's begin. I'm going to ask you a couple of questions. The first one is, how does following a plant-based diet impact your health? Annamarie, do you want to start with that one?

Annamarie Rodriguez: Yeah, sure. I want to mention about Abbie's response. I'm so sorry. One of the first things my grandma said to me, when I was going to school to become a dietician, she said, please be sure to know how to cook. So, I kind of took that with heart, and I love cooking since I was a child. So, it was easy for me.

But, following a plant-based diet affects health in so many different ways. Plant-based nutrition improves the gut microbiome, making it healthier, overall. Nutrients are absorbed much more efficiently. Immunity is enhanced. Inflammation is reduced. Plant-based nutrition, it's high in fiber. That's just the natural fact of plants. And, it's beneficial in lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar, reducing intake from protein, also from animal sources by increasing plant-based eating reduces gut toxins, such as p-Cresyl sulfate, indoxyl sulfate, TMAO, which is Trimethylamine N-oxide. Which, is known to favor the growth of proteolytic bacteria in a gut microbiome.

And historically, we've thought of this in regards to cardiovascular disease. But now, we know it's also very, very heavily regarded with CKD. These toxins are known as key uremic toxins. And interestingly now, TMAO is also known simply as a renal toxin.

Plant-based nutrition lowers BMI, blood pressure, blood sugar control, favors lipid management. And, we identify the positive effects with CKD because, plant-based nutrition is effective because of the less acidity of it. It favors a more alkaline approach. We know that metabolic acidosis is not only a contributor to kidney disease, but it's a consequence of kidney disease. So, this is a strong tactic in reducing in the progression of CKD. So, plant-based nutrition has really come a long way. Historically, this CKD diet has always been adverse to using fruits and vegetables. Where now, it is just now starting to be embraced, because we now recognize the fact that this is kidney saving.

Lisa Jones:Thank you, Annamarie. You know what I love about what you decided? It's like the beginning part when we were talking about the TMAO was more the questions that dietician want to know. So, they want to know the 'why' behind it. But, if you're flipping it to think about, what do our patients and clients want to know, and they really want to know the benefits. And, that's what you just so nicely explained. So, thank you for that.

Annamarie Rodriguez: You're welcome.

Lisa Jones: Abbie, how about your take?

Abbie Gellman: I mean, she touched on a lot of the... Obviously it decreases our risk of a variety of diseases. Helps with cognition and mental health. And, fruits and veggies are an antidepressant, essentially. So, there's not a ton I can add from a clinical point of view.

We know that whole foods in the form of plants are helpful for a myriad of reasons. The thing that goes in my brain, also, because of the chef's side, is you can eat more. So, you can eat a lot of vegetables and a lot of fruit. And, a lot. You can eat more plants versus... A serving of beans is a much higher quantity of food than a serving of beef. So, if you are someone who likes quantity of food, like me, you can have a lot of veggies just pile them on there. So, that's a plant-based option. That is a benefit, I think.

Lisa Jones: Yeah. That's definitely a benefit. That's terrific that you're saying that because a lot of people think, oh, I'm put on a diet or I'm put on a restriction and they hear the word restrict. They think, I have to eat less. When really, you're telling them, no, you don't, you have to eat more.

Abbie Gellman: Yeah.

Lisa Jones: So, you probably just made so many people's day when they get to listen to this. So, thank you.

My favorite part, which is the next question, is what are some common misconceptions about plant-based eating because it's in the media so much, we hear all these different things. So, let's go to Abbie for a second for this question, first.

Abbie Gellman: Okay. So, for me, I have screaming in my face, is it is not vegan, right? So many people think that if you're plant-based, that means you are vegan. And for me, and what I tell people, and what I generally think, the actual definition is, that it's just a majority of plants. So maybe, half of your meals are plant-based. Maybe 50% of your diet is plants, or 95%, or somewhere in between. But, that if a majority is plants, then that, to me, is plant-based. So, my plate might have 25% animal protein in some form, but 75% of it is plants. So, that's the most common misconception that I see constantly.

Lisa Jones: Yeah. And, you probably see a lot in your current day to day what you do and-

Abbie Gellman: Yeah, well, people automatically go to well, especially because, plant-based meat is a big thing now. So, people are confused there too. They think plant-based means Beyond Burger or Impossible Burger or tofu or things like that. Where, we're talking more broadly about fruits, and vegetables, and beans and everything that's a plant, right? So.

Lisa Jones: That's an interesting point that you bring up because I think, as they continue to develop more products.

Abbie Gellman: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Lisa Jones:That I think, we're going to start seeing more confusion, and we just go back to the basic. This is a plant-based diet, you're not a vegetarian.

Abbie Gellman: Right? Exactly.

Lisa Jones: Thank you. Annamarie, how about you? What, what are your thoughts?

Annamarie Rodriguez: Yeah, I totally echo what Abbie is saying. And, although I consider myself a vegan, I do get a little bit, I won't say the word annoyed, but I do try to steer people the right way when they're talking about plant-based nutrition. Because, it means so many different things to so many different people. But, some of the more common myths that come across my way is the perception that persons following a plant-based nutrition plan won't meet their protein needs. But, we've seen through different studies such as the Adventist Health study, British Oxford study, that persons are able, following a vegetarian diet, to meet their RDA for essential amino acids. They often exceed the minimum requirement for protein. And, another myth is the focus on biological value. That is an antiquated method of looking at protein. This rant, at all, has illustrated there's no significant difference in protein needs.

And, this is associated with the source of protein that's consumed. And, another myth is the protein complementing myth. We don't need milk with cereal, and we don't need rice with beans. The body doesn't care what is being put into it at any given time. It's a matter of specifics. Our body is able to maintain a storage pool from hours to days and it will use what it needs. The key is a very nice, well-balanced, diverse diet. And, a red flag to a dietician or a healthcare provider is an overly restrictive diet. So, that's one of the keys that I look to, when I'm talking with clients, is if the meal pattern is overly restrictive, then I want to dig in a little bit more. But, as long as someone is taking in a very nice, well-balanced nutritional intake, they're going to meet their needs.

Lisa Jones: Yeah, that is so true. It's such a great point. And, I really like how you highlighted the biological value. Cause, I remember, back in the day when I was working, in clinical more specifically, and I would chart, and a lot of dieticians would write like encourage high BV foods. That was something we'd write a lot.

So, it's interesting to hear that you're saying no, there's a different approach now. And, it just goes to show everything changes, everything evolves, and it's good that we're keeping up with, as dieticians, keeping up with everything in our field.

Annamarie Rodriguez:You're right. Lisa, that term is... It really needs to be kind of ditched. The newer current term is the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score. And, that's per referred by the World Health Organization. And, that term, biological value, it's really dated.

Lisa Jones: Yes. All right. Listeners take notes of that. Don't don't use HBV.

Annamarie Rodriguez: Yeah. Toss it.

Lisa Jones: All right. Abbie, what questions, I'm curious about this, have you received about plant-based nutrition?

Abbie Gellman: Everyone wants to know how to make plants, mostly vegetables, taste good. That's a big one. Everyone, not everyone. I shouldn't say that. A lot of people who don't enjoy vegetables, or grew up being told that they need to steam them, or aren't comfortable in the kitchen and don't really know how to cook them so that they taste good.

There's a lot of questions around that. So, I'm told I'm supposed to eat kale, but I don't like it. So, the answer is, for me, is you don't have to eat kale. But, if you want to learn different ways, let's talk about different ways to make it taste good. Or cauliflower, or brussel sprouts or broccoli. Because, those can be very bitter. But, just talking a lot about how to cook them properly so that they taste good. And, to use oil and to use other ingredients. And, you don't have to eat steamed broccoli all the time. That's a huge question. And then again, back to the plant-based meat and things. Just, do I have to eat that? Is that better than a burger? Or is that better than.. Why can't I eat a black bean burger? Why do I, should I be eating an alternative plant-based meat burger? So, a lot of questions about that lately too.

Lisa Jones: No, I can really relate to how confusing it must be. I try to put myself in the position of a patient, or client. And, if you're in the grocery store, there's so many products, it's overwhelming. You're like, should I be buying everything that says plant-based? If I was not a dietician, that's one of the questions I'd be asking you. Should I start buying everything that says plant-based?

Abbie Gellman: That made me think of something else too. I feel like a lot of people who are going dairy-free assume that it's an equal one-to-one swap. And, there's a lot of confusion there too. They don't necessarily understand that the protein level is different or that the vitamins are coming from supplements in the plant-based milk versus cows milk. And, you can't just swap it out one-for-one in cooking. There's things that kind of, when you make a change from animal to plant, there's sometimes other changes that are helpful to be aware of. I guess, kind of to have the education along with it.

Lisa Jones: Yeah. That's so important because, you can't just assume. And then, they're just following kind of, not to say a trend, but yeah, a trend in a sense, and thinking this is healthier. I should do this. When they're missing potential nutrients and other things that can happen from switching. That's a great point. Annamarie, how about you? How about some questions that you received about plant-based nutrition?

Annamarie Rodriguez:Well, since I work mainly with CKD, my questions are very different and most of my questions have to do with mineral intake. So, my questions from patients will vary from those that I receive from healthcare providers. But, the bulk of my questions have to do with phosphorus and potassium and the clinicians that I work with they're so afraid that these minerals are going to become elevated.

When patients begin to use a plant-based nutrition plan, whether they're CKD before dialysis or end-stage kidney disease and on dialysis, but the fact is that phosphorus it's not well absorbed from plant-based nutrition, because it isn't a form of vitae. And, we lack that enzyme, vitae, to break this down. So, it's not readily available or bioavailable, I should say, in the gut. It must be hydrolyzed to make this more available for absorption. There's additional data, also by Picard, and all that illustrates that this is likely true for potassium as well. Which, is very exciting, especially based on the new guidelines that were put out for CKD, in 2020. Regarding potassium though, the bottom line is fiber. And, with a plant-based nutrition, it's high in fiber. Fiber is the key, because it increases, I should say, stool quantity, the frequency, it facilitates the potassium excretion in itself.

But also too, if we really consider where patients are getting their potassium. It comes from beef. It comes from chicken, Mexican food. It comes from legumes. But, if we look at that and consider the fact that when we look at handouts that are generally provided to the patients, they're generally listing fruits and vegetables as the high potassium sources. But, the high potassium source are actually the meat, the beef, the chicken, the hamburgers. So it's easily to maintain those swaps. As long as we're teaching patients, simple fact of portion sizes. What actually is a serving and that's the bottom line, is instruction.

We need to teach patients how to cook. We need to teach patients what constitutes a serving, a swap, in general. And often too, clinicians tend to forget other factors that surround hyperkalemia, such as wounds, starvation, other medications, constipation, and there's other medications now that help with hyperkalemia such as those once daily potassium binders. So, those are very helpful, but the bottom line comes down to education and this is where dieticians play a key role in instructing their patients to keep potassium homeostasis. So, our job is really more than just a mission. It comes down to education. Both on the patient level and then the healthcare provider level.

Lisa Jones:Yeah, that's tremendous what you just said, all that information. And in addition-

Annamarie Rodriguez:A little bit too much.

Lisa Jones:No, no. I think it's great.

Annamarie Rodriguez:So much.

Lisa Jones:But, what you just highlighted, as well, is something that Abbie was saying. Which goes back to is... And, you said it as well, many times, Annamarie. Which is, educate. We have to continue to provide education. Educate, educate, educate. I can't say it enough.

Annamarie Rodriguez:Correct.

Lisa Jones:Provide more education. Cause, as these new products come out, there's going to be room for... So, dieticians will always have a job.

Annamarie Rodriguez:Yes, this is true.

Lisa Jones:There we go. All right. Another question I have is what is on the horizon for plant-based dietary interventions in the promotion of health? Annamarie, do you want to start with that one?

Annamarie Rodriguez:Sure. I read about a year ago in an article, I wish I could put my hands on it immediately. But, plant-based nutrition was cited to be the fastest growing job opportunities for dieticians. As the leading five opportunities. And, I kind of chuckled to myself, because that's basically my whole world and it was exciting to me, as well, because I promote plant-based nutrition for CKD, as well. So to me, it just illuminated the fact that we're on definitely the right path. But, people are focusing on functional medicine, improving immunity, stress reduction and COVID brought this a little bit to the peak as well. But, plant-based foods are functional medicine. And, I hate to use the quip so often because so many people say it, but Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food", for a reason.

It's very distinct, but people are supporting their local community for nutrition. And, I'm a master gardener. I love gardening more than of being a dietician truth, be known. I see a great interest in people desiring to grow their own food. And, this is very exciting. People are concerned about climate change as well. Plant-based nutrition leaves less of a carbon footprint.

And, what I also note is that people are more willing to take the middle ground. I use an approach more or less as a flexitarian. People don't need to go completely to a vegan lifestyle or vegetarian lifestyle. Even simple swaps. Swapping a few plant-based meals for animal based or just increasing plant-based ingredients can make significant changes. And I think that, overall, people just want really good food. And, just choosing locally sourced foods with convenience is important. I think clinicians truly need to focus on individual food journeys. And, that's what I call a person who's desiring change. It's their own food journey. And, I try to look at it in that regard. It's individualized. We need to instruct patients to use food as their own purpose and look at those factors that incorporate society and health as well.

Lisa Jones: Now that's great. I love when you said food journeys because that is the most important thing. I really don't like the word diet. It has 'die' in it and we all heard that before.

Annamarie Rodriguez: I hate the word 'diet'.

Lisa Jones: But, your food journey and it's your own food journey. And, the other thing that stuck out when I was listening to what your answer is flexibility.

Annamarie Rodriguez:Yes.

Lisa Jones:And, just keeping it flexible. What really works for you. And, I want to hear what Abbie has to say about plant-based in interventions and the promotion of health. Cause, I know a lot of your recipes are very diverse and everything that you put out is catering to different wants and needs. So, if you wanted to speak to that for a moment.

Abbie Gellman:So, as far as plant-based dietary interventions, I think as far as consumers are concerned, it's broadening. People are becoming more into the idea. Younger people seem to already be open to the idea. Whereas, all the way up through boomers, are becoming a little more open to the idea, maybe, than they were before. So, I do a lot of workarounds, even things like, taking a beef bolognese and replacing half the beef with lentils.

And, baby steps, right? So, they don't have to get rid of all the beef. But, let's manage the portion size, cut back, and add some things, and work with those changes. So for me, a lot of the interventions involve creativity and cooking. So, if you're working with someone, you don't tell them, you can't eat this anymore. You try to figure out, well, first you...

This is also why I harp on culinary nutrition and dieticians needing to know how to cook because, if you're working with someone who eats foods that you're not familiar with, you need to be able to ask them how they make it, what's in it? And, to understand what the food is and the cooking technique, because they might... Why would you tell them to stop eating that food? It's probably fine. And, that's a whole cultural competency aspect, too.

So, I think we need to start involving all of that in there. And, if someone eats rice and beans every day, that's fine. That's great. It's rice and beans, but what else are they eating? How is that made? What is happening there? If they have diabetes or some other disease state, how can we work with the food that's currently happening and supplement with other options to enhance what they're already doing? For example. If, that makes sense.

Lisa Jones: No, that makes total sense. And, I'm thrilled that you mentioned the creative aspect and combining it with cooking and not taking away. If somebody needs to... You're not taking it all away. So they don't feel like they're missing anything. And that goes back to the restriction piece that we were talking about earlier. So, thank you.

Abbie Gellman: Yeah. I think, a lot of people... Our job is not to impart what we eat, on other people. Our job is to understand what they are eating and why they're eating it and help them with where they are. Not just tell them to eat a smoothie. Right?

Lisa Jones: Start where you are. Don't you don't need to be me. Eating my diet. That is so true. Because, often I'll hear, oh, you need a high fiber diet. Here's a diet. Follow this. I know you're following low fiber, now go to high fiber. It's a huge gap. And then, we wonder why people aren't listening to us.

Abbie Gellman: Yeah. Right. Exactly.

Lisa Jones: We're working with them, meeting them halfway. I love that.

Abbie Gellman: Yeah.

Lisa Jones: So how about we move into... Abbie, if you would share one story or example showcasing your work with plant-based nutrition and you kind of already mentioned it-

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Plant-Based Nutrition in a World of Opportunities: Nutrition411: The Podcast, Ep. 3 - Consultant360