Overview

Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions. However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains.

The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs. However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.

A healthy diet includes the following:

In the first 2 years of a childs life, optimal nutrition fosters healthy growth and improves cognitive development. It also reduces the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing NCDs later in life.

Advice on a healthy diet for infants and children is similar to that for adults, but the following elements are also important:

Eating at least 400g, or five portions, of fruit and vegetables per day reduces the risk of NCDs (2) and helps to ensure an adequate daily intake of dietary fibre.

Fruit and vegetable intake can be improved by:

Reducing the amount of total fat intake to less than 30% of total energy intake helps to prevent unhealthy weight gain in the adult population (1, 2, 3). Also, the risk of developing NCDs is lowered by:

Fat intake, especially saturated fat and industrially-produced trans-fat intake, can be reduced by:

Most people consume too much sodium through salt (corresponding to consuming an average of 912g of salt per day) and not enough potassium (less than 3.5g). High sodium intake and insufficient potassium intake contribute to high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and stroke (8, 11).

Reducing salt intake to the recommended level of less than 5 g per day could prevent 1.7million deaths each year (12).

People are often unaware of the amount of salt they consume. In many countries, most salt comes from processed foods (e.g. ready meals; processed meats such as bacon, ham and salami; cheese; and salty snacks) or from foods consumed frequently in large amounts (e.g. bread). Salt is also added to foods during cooking (e.g. bouillon, stock cubes, soy sauce and fish sauce) or at the point of consumption (e.g. table salt).

Salt intake can be reduced by:

Some food manufacturers are reformulating recipes to reduce the sodium content of their products, and people should be encouraged to check nutrition labels to see how much sodium is in a product before purchasing or consuming it.

Potassium can mitigate the negative effects of elevated sodium consumption on blood pressure. Intake of potassium can be increased by consuming fresh fruit and vegetables.

In both adults and children, the intake of free sugars should be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake (2, 7). A reduction to less than 5% of total energy intake would provide additional health benefits (7).

Consuming free sugars increases the risk of dental caries (tooth decay). Excess calories from foods and drinks high in free sugars also contribute to unhealthy weight gain, which can lead to overweight and obesity. Recent evidence also shows that free sugars influence blood pressure and serum lipids, and suggests that a reduction in free sugars intake reduces risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (13).

Sugars intake can be reduced by:

Diet evolves over time, being influenced by many social and economic factors that interact in a complex manner to shape individual dietary patterns. These factors include income, food prices (which will affect the availability and affordability of healthy foods), individual preferences and beliefs, cultural traditions, and geographical and environmental aspects (including climate change). Therefore, promoting a healthy food environment including food systems that promote a diversified, balanced and healthy diet requires the involvement of multiple sectors and stakeholders, including government, and the public and private sectors.

Governments have a central role in creating a healthy food environment that enables people to adopt and maintain healthy dietary practices. Effective actions by policy-makers to create a healthy food environment include the following:

The WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (14) was adopted in 2004 by the Health Assembly. The strategy called on governments, WHO, international partners, the private sector and civil society to take action at global, regional and local levels to support healthy diets and physical activity.

In 2010, the Health Assembly endorsed a set of recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children (15). These recommendations guide countries in designing new policies and improving existing ones to reduce the impact on children of the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children. WHO has also developed region-specific tools (such as regional nutrient profile models) that countries can use to implement the marketing recommendations.

In 2012, the Health Assembly adopted a Comprehensive Implementation Plan on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition and six global nutrition targets to be achieved by 2025, including the reduction of stunting, wasting and overweight in children, the improvement of breastfeeding, and the reduction of anaemia and low birthweight (9).

In 2013, the Health Assembly agreed to nine global voluntary targets for the prevention and control of NCDs. These targets include a halt to the rise in diabetes and obesity, and a 30% relative reduction in the intake of salt by 2025. The Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 20132020 (10) provides guidance and policy options for Member States, WHO and other United Nations agencies to achieve the targets.

With many countries now seeing a rapid rise in obesity among infants and children, in May 2014 WHO set up the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. In 2016, the Commission proposed a set of recommendations to successfully tackle childhood and adolescent obesity in different contexts around the world (16).

In November 2014, WHO organized, jointly with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2). ICN2 adopted the Rome Declaration on Nutrition (17), and the Framework for Action (18) which recommends a set of policy options and strategies to promote diversified, safe and healthy diets at all stages of life. WHO is helping countries to implement the commitments made at ICN2.

In May 2018, the Health Assembly approved the 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13), which will guide the work of WHO in 20192023 (19). Reduction of salt/sodium intake and elimination of industrially-produced trans-fats from the food supply are identified in GPW13 as part of WHOs priority actions to achieve the aims of ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. To support Member States in taking necessary actions to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fats, WHO has developed a roadmap for countries (the REPLACE action package) to help accelerate actions (6).

References

(1)Hooper L, Abdelhamid A, Bunn D, Brown T, Summerbell CD, Skeaff CM. Effects of total fat intake on body weight. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015; (8):CD011834.

(2)Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases: report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation. WHO Technical Report Series, No. 916. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003.

(3)Fats and fatty acids in human nutrition: report of an expert consultation. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 91. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; 2010.

(4)Nishida C, Uauy R. WHO scientific update on health consequences of trans fatty acids: introduction. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009; 63 Suppl 2:S14.

(5)Guidelines: Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018 (Draft issued for public consultation in May 2018).

(6)REPLACE: An action package to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids. WHO/NMH/NHD/18.4. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.

(7)Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015.

(8)Guideline: Sodium intake for adults and children. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012.

(9)Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014.

(10)Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 20132020. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013.

(11)Guideline: Potassium intake for adults and children. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012.

(12)Mozaffarian D, Fahimi S, Singh GM, Micha R, Khatibzadeh S, Engell RE et al. Global sodium consumption and death from cardiovascular causes. N Engl J Med. 2014; 371(7):62434.

(13)Te Morenga LA, Howatson A, Jones RM, Mann J. Dietary sugars and cardiometabolic risk: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of the effects on blood pressure and lipids. AJCN. 2014; 100(1): 6579.

(14)Global strategy on diet, physical activity and health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004.

(15)Set of recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010.

(16)Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016.

(17)Rome Declaration on Nutrition. Second International Conference on Nutrition. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization; 2014.

(18)Framework for Action. Second International Conference on Nutrition. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization; 2014.

(19)Thirteenth general programme of work, 20192023. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.

Go here to see the original:
Healthy diet - World Health Organization

If youve ever looked up remedies for digestive issues, youve likely come across the term elimination diet. It has nothing to do with weight loss, but rather is a way to identify problematic foods that could be causing symptoms such as bloating, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea, hives and rashes.

In an elimination diet, you remove specific foods from your diet for a period of time to see if it impacts or alleviates your symptoms, says Maria Conley, RDN, a dietitian nutritionist at the Henry Ford Center for Integrative Medicine. An elimination diet can help pinpoint certain foods youre sensitive, intolerant or allergicto. And, for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), an elimination diet can help manage symptoms.

The foods you eliminate can vary depending upon your specific issue. But whatever type of elimination diet youre starting, its always best to get guidance from a registered dietitian nutritionist, who can ensure youre maintaining proper nutrition.

Here, Conley shares how to get started.

In the first phase, youll avoid foods that you may be reacting poorly to for four to eight weeks. (The end date depends upon how youre feeling and how well youre progressing through the diet.)

If you have IBS, youll want to stick to a low FODMAP diet. Certain fermentable carbohydrates, known as high FODMAP foods, can cause bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. While there is a huge range of high FODMAP foods, a few examples include onions, garlic, apples, avocado, cashews, beans and milk products. A few low FODMAP options include strawberries, oranges, rice, eggs and quinoa. Read more about a low FODMAP diet here.

For those who are trying to diagnose a specific food allergy or sensitivity, an elimination diet will be much more tailored to foods you suspect are the culprits. If youre not sure, you can start with common allergens like dairy, gluten, eggs and soy.

In the second phase, youll slowly reintroduce eliminated foods into your diet. Start with a small portion size of one food at a time, says Conley. Gradually work your way up to larger portions if youre able to tolerate them and keep a food journal to monitor your symptoms.

If a food isnt tolerated well, wait three to four days to allow your symptoms to subside before trying a new food.

The last phase, Conley says, is continued maintenance. By this phase, you should be able to identify foods that do and do not trigger your symptoms and modify your diet accordingly.

Three to six months later, you can retest foods that upset you to see if you can better tolerate them, says Conley. Sometimes, when a problematic food is taken out of your diet, the burden on your immune system declines and your gut has the opportunity to heal. So a problematic food could be reintroduced later on and become tolerable.

Significantly modifying your diet can feel overwhelmingespecially if youre a creature of habit. The key is to plan ahead. Here are a few tips:

Its also important to note that you shouldnt be on an elimination diet for an extended period of time, unless under the supervision of a dietitian. Not only could it lead to nutrient deficiencies, but for some people, theres a risk that adhering to a strict elimination diet in the long-term could lead to disordered eating, says Conley. Its always best to get guidance from an expert and check in with them along the way.

To find a functional medicine doctor or registered dietitian nutritionist at Henry Ford, visithenryford.comor call1-800-436-7936.

Maria Conley, RDN,works with functional medicine patients as part of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Henry Ford Medical Center Novi.

Go here to read the rest:
How To Start An Elimination Diet | Henry Ford LiveWell - henryford.com

Plant-based diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, both for health and ethical reasons. One extreme form of plant-based diet is fruitarianism, a diet based largely on consumption of raw fruit. At first glance, this may sound healthy, but what effect will this type of restrictive diet have on the body? And is it a healthy diet choice?

There is solid evidence that plant-based diets are good for the body. Plant-based diets may reduce the risk of heart disease by 40% and stroke by 29%. Plant-based diets have also been shown to be a useful strategy for helping people lose weight.

While plant-based diets have clear benefits for health and environmental sustainability, fruitarianism is one of the most restrictive diet choices available and has almost no evidence to support health benefits. There is no definitive description of what a fruitarian diet should consist of, although one commonly cited rule is that between 55% and 75% of the diet should comprise raw fruit. Beyond this, there is some variability; some fruitarians eat grains, some also eat nuts and oils.

Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, experimented with a fruitarian diet, supplementing it with nuts, seeds and grains. Some adherents of fruitarianism stick to an 80-10-10 rule: 80% of calories coming from fresh fruit and vegetables, 10% coming from protein and 10% from fat. This rule is mistakenly based on the belief that humans are not omnivores, but frugivores animals that prefer to eat raw fruit. Proponents of this belief state that the human digestive system is physiologically designed to digest fruit and raw vegetables. While this may have once been true, the human body has evolved.

Some fruitarians claim that going raw has had marked benefits including curing cancer and eliminating bloating and body odour. There is no robust evidence to back up these claims.

The idea of consuming a fruit-only (or fruit-heavy) diet might appear a healthy option at first glance, but there are potentially many problems with this form of restrictive eating.

There are clear and significant physical health issues to consider when the human body is provided with a largely fruit-based diet. Following this eating pattern excludes essential food groups and nutrients that the body needs to maintain normal health.

While most fruit is considered to be healthy and nutritious, a diet that almost solely relies on fruits will be deficient in nutrients, including protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B (including vitamin B12) and D, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. Deficiency in these nutrients can have significant health implications including rickets and osteomalacia (a softening of the bones), anaemia and issues with bones, muscles and skin. Put simply, fruit does not contain all the nutrients the body needs.

In addition to what is missing in a fruitarian diet, the high levels of fructose have to be considered. Fructose is a simple sugar, like glucose, but the human body processes it very differently. Fructose is metabolised solely in the liver. Excess fructose consumption can cause fat buildup in the liver, leading to insulin resistance in the liver and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. While there is controversy as to whether fructose from fruit is as bad as fructose syrup, which is added to foods to sweeten them, experiments in rats fed a high fructose diet showed similarities to human fatty liver disease.

Beyond the potential physical effects of fruitarianism, restrictive diets are also often associated with an eating disorder known as orthorexia nervosa, or an unhealthy obsession with eating pure food only. This means that what can start off as a healthy move towards eating more fruit and vegetables and less junk food can lead to an eating disorder, depression and anxiety.

Worryingly, isolated cases of death or significant disease have been reported when a fruitarian style diet has been followed. Examples include a nine-month-old girl dying after being fed a fruit-only diet. The girl died vastly underweight and malnourished. Additionally, a 49-year-old man was recently reported to have developed reversible dementia after subsisting on a fruit-only diet.

With little evidence of the benefits of such a restrictive diet, it is clear that people who follow this restrictive diet are potentially putting their health at serious risk. Supplementation with foods that provide the missing nutrients may help, but may be rejected by some with orthodox views on fruitarianism. Before changing a diet, especially if the change is going to be extreme, it is always wise to speak to your doctor first. Incorporating more fruit and vegetables as part of a balanced diet is a far safer, healthier way to approach fruit consumption.

Follow this link:
A diet consisting mainly of fruit is bad for you - The Conversation UK

Walking past a corner bakery, you may find yourself drawn in by the fresh smell of sweets wafting from the front door. Youre not alone: The knowledge that humans make decisions based on their nose has led major brands like Cinnabon and Panera Bread to pump the scents of baked goods into their restaurants, leading to big spikes in sales.

But according to a new study, the food you ate just before your walk past the bakery may impact your likelihood of stopping in for a sweet treat and not just because youre full.

Scientists at Northwestern University found that people became less sensitive to food odors based on the meal they had eaten just before. So, if you were snacking on baked goods from a coworker before your walk, for example, you may be less likely to stop into that sweet-smelling bakery.

The study, Olfactory perceptual decision-making is biased by motivational state, will be published August 26 in the journal PLOS Biology.

The study found that participants who had just eaten a meal of either cinnamon buns or pizza were less likely to perceive meal-matched odors, but not non-matched odors. The findings were then corroborated with brain scans that showed brain activity in parts of the brain that process odors was altered in a similar way.

These findings show that just as smell regulates what we eat, what we eat, in turn, regulates our sense of smell.

Feedback between food intake and the olfactory system may have an evolutionary benefit, said senior and corresponding study author Thorsten Kahnt, an assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

If you think about our ancestors roaming the forest trying to find food, they find and eat berries and then arent as sensitive to the smell of berries anymore, Kahnt said. But maybe theyre still sensitive to the smell of mushrooms, so it could theoretically help facilitate diversity in food and nutrient intake.

Kahnt said while we dont see the hunter-gatherer adaptation come out in day-to-day decision-making, the connection between our nose, what we seek out and what we can detect with our nose may still be very important. If the nose isnt working right, for example, the feedback loop may be disrupted, leading to problems with disordered eating and obesity. There may even be links to disrupted sleep, another tie to the olfactory system the Kahnt lab is researching.

Using brain imaging, behavioral testing and non-invasive brain stimulation, the Kahnt lab studies how the sense of smell guides learning and appetite behavior, particularly as it pertains to psychiatric conditions like obesity, addiction and dementia. In a past study, the team found the brains response to smell is altered in sleep-deprived participants, and next wanted to know whether and how food intake changes our ability to perceive food smells.

According to Laura Shanahan, a postdoctoral fellow in the Kahnt lab and the first and co-corresponding author of the study, theres very little work on how odor perception changes due to different factors. Theres some research on odor pleasantness, Shanahan said, but our work focuses in on how sensitive you are to these odors in different states.

To conduct the study, the team developed a novel task in which participants were presented with a smell that was a mixture between a food and a non-food odor (either pizza and pine or cinnamon bun and cedar odors that pair well and are distinct from each other). The ratio of food and non-food odor varied in each mixture, from pure food to pure non-food. After a mixture was presented, participants were asked whether the food or the non-food odor was dominant.

Participants completed the task twice inside an MRI scanner: First, when they were hungry, then, after theyd eaten a meal that matched one of the two odors.

In parallel with the first part of the experiment running in the MRI scanner, I was preparing the meal in another room, Shanahan said. We wanted everything fresh and ready and warm because we wanted the participant to eat as much as they could until they were very full.

The team took a scientific approach to baking, using a scale to measure the exact amount of icing to place on each cinnamon roll

The team then computed how much food odor was required in the mixture in each session for the participant to perceive the food odor as dominant. The team found when participants were hungry, they needed a lower percentage of food odor in a mixture to perceive it as dominant for example, a hungry participant may require a 50% cinnamon bun to cedar mixture when hungry, but 80% when full of cinnamon buns.

Through brain imaging, the team provided further evidence for the hypothesis. Brain scans from the MRI demonstrated a parallel change occurring in the part of the brain that processes odors after a meal. The brains response to a meal-matched odor was less food-like than responses to a non-matched meal odor.

Findings from this study will allow the Kahnt lab to take on more complex projects. Kahnt said with a better understanding of the feedback loop between smell and food intake, hes hoping to take the project full circle back to sleep deprivation to see if lack of sleep may impair the loop in some way. He added that with brain imaging, there are more questions about how the adaptation may impact sensory and decision-making circuits in the brain.

After the meal, the olfactory cortex didnt represent meal-matched food odors as much as food anymore, so the adaptation seems to be happening relatively early on in processing, Kahnt said. Were following up on how that information is changed and how the altered information is used by the rest of the brain to make decisions about food intake.

Funding for this research was provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (grant T32HL007909), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (grant R21DK118503) and the National Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorders (grant R01DC015426).

More here:
Your sense of smell may be the key to a balanced diet - Northwestern University NewsCenter

Thanks to today's advanced research and new innovations, it's more than possible for us to live longer, stronger and healthier lives.

While life expectancy in the U.S. dropped one full year during the first half of 2020, according to a CDCreport,much of that was attributed to the pandemic. Prior to Covid, however, life expectancy in the U.S. was 78.8 years in 2019, up a tenth of a year over 2018.

As a longevity researcher, I've spent the bulk of my career gathering insights from world-leading health experts, doctors, scientists and nutritionists from all over the world. Here's what I tell people when they ask about the non-negotiable rules I live by for a longer life:

Early diagnosis is critical for the prevention of disease and age-related decline, so it's important to get yourself checked regularly, and as comprehensively as possible.

At the very least, I make it a point to have a complete annual physical exam that includes blood count and metabolic blood chemistry panels, a thyroid panel and testing to reveal potential deficiencies in vitamin D, vitamin B, iron and magnesium (all nutrients that our body needs to perform a variety ofessentialfunctions).

Poor diet is the top driver of noncommunicable diseases worldwide, killing at least 11 million people every year.

Here are some of my diet rules for a longer life:

Just 15 to 25 minutes of moderate exercise a day can prolong your life by up to three years if you are obese, and seven years if you are in good shape, one study found.

I try not to focus on the specific type of exercise you do. Anything that gets you up out of the chair, moving and breathing more intensely on a regular basis is going to help.

That's why the method I practice and recommend the most is extremely simple: Walking. Brisk walking can improve cardiovascular health and reduce risk of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. It can even ease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Clinical data shows that intermittent fasting an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting can improve insulin stability, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mental alertness and energy.

To ease into the "eat early, and less often" diet, I started with a 16:8-hour intermittent fasting regimen. This is where you eat all of your meals within one eight-hour period for instance, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., or between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

But keep in mind that a fasting or caloric-restricted diet isn't for everyone; always talk to your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet and eating routine.

One of the biggest toxic habits is excessive use of alcohol. Studies show that high and regular use can contribute to damages your liver and pancreas, high blood pressure and the immune system.

Large amounts of sugar consumption is another bad habit. Sure, in the right doses, sugars from fruits, vegetables and even grains play an important role in a healthy diet. I eat fruits and treat myself to some ice cream once in a while. But make no mistake: Excess sugar in all its forms is poison. To lessen my intake, I avoid processed foods and sugary drinks.

Lastly, I don't smoke but for anyone who does, I recommend quitting as soon as possible. According to the CDC, cigarette smoking is behind 480,000 deaths per year in the U.S.

More here:
A longevity expert shares the diet, exercise and sleep rules he lives by for a longer, stronger life: These are 'non-negotiable' - CNBC

Name: The Mediterranean diet.

Age: Coming up for 60 years old.

Effect: Positively tumescent.

Oh no, am I going to need a sick bucket for this? Not at all. The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been well known for decades. The combination of olive oil, legumes, fruit and vegetables, and comparatively low amounts of red meat is incredibly good for the human body.

Why am I so nervous? Dont be nervous. Observational studies have shown that this diet has any number of benefits. It has been claimed to lower the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and dementia.

Right. Plus it could help with erectile dysfunction.

OK, see, there it is. I knew you couldnt keep this wholesome. There is nothing wrong with a better sex life. Erectile dysfunction is thought to affect around a third of men at some point. Its a serious condition.

And olive oil helps? It can, yes. According to research presented at this years European Society of Cardiology congress, men with high blood pressure are twice as likely to experience erectile dysfunction than their peers with normal blood pressure. And the Mediterranean diet is fantastic for lowering blood pressure.

Which can get things working downstairs again? Yes. The researchers found that men who stuck closely to the Mediterranean diet had higher coronary flow reserve (which means they were better able to increase blood flow when needed), and better erectile performance.

Wow! We should all be eating the Mediterranean diet. No, really, we should. Especially the part about red meat. The Mediterranean Diet Foundation states that you should try to eat no more than two servings of red meat a week. Not only is that better for your health, but it is also better for the environment.

This is all well and good, but I dont enjoy sex and therefore cannot see the benefit of the Mediterranean diet. Im glad you brought this up. What if I told you that the diet had another benefit?

Im listening. Well, in 2014, Spanish researcher Fernando Azpiroz examined the Mediterranean diet for other benefits, and found that it can also reduce the incidence of farting by 28%.

Astonishing. It isnt the best fart-decreaser, though. For that you have to adopt a much more regulated anti-fart diet. But nobody is going to knock 28%.

So youre saying that people who eat the Mediterranean diet are healthier, less prone to disease, have better sex and fart almost a third less than their peers? Thats right. Out of interest, what did you have for breakfast this morning?

Three Mars bars and a steak. Well, at least that explains the smell.

Do say: Ill have Greek salad, please.

Dont say: And a cold shower, just in case.

Read more here:
The Mediterranean diet: why it could lead to a more satisfying sex life - The Guardian

The specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) is popular among people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It focuses on simple carbohydrates and unprocessed foods.

In the 1920s, gastroenterologist Dr. Sidney Haas developed the SCD while focusing on treatments for celiac disease. The diet gained popularity when biochemist Elaine Gottschall published Breaking the vicious cycle: Intestinal health through diet in 1994.

Haas and Gottschall claimed the diet could change the gut microbiome.

The SCD involves eating carbohydrates that are easy to digest and avoiding those that are difficult to digest. Although the diets strict nature makes it hard to stick to, some evidence suggests it may help reduce symptoms of intestinal distress.

Read on to learn about the SCD, allowed and restricted foods, potential benefits and risks, and more.

The SCD is popular among people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

IBD refers to conditions that cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. The two main types of IBD are ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohns disease. UC occurs when inflammation affects the colon and rectum. With Crohns disease, inflammation occurs anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus.

The SCD focuses primarily on the type of carbohydrates a person eats.

It allows carbohydrates that are easy to digest. These are monosaccharide carbohydrates, which are made of a single molecule and do not require an enzyme to break them down. They are easy to absorb and digest.

Complex carbohydrates are restricted. Because they are harder to digest, some scientists believe they promote intestinal inflammation.

Harder to digest (complex) carbohydrates include disaccharides, which contain two monosaccharides, and most polysaccharides, which contain a number of monosaccharides.

Learn more about the difference between simple and complex carbs.

The SCD focuses on easily digested carbohydrates and whole, unprocessed foods. Allowed foods include:

The diet restricts carbs that are more difficult to digest, as well as many processed foods. Excluded foods include:

Although some studies indicate the SCD may help people with IBD, the evidence is preliminary. Further research is needed.

One 2015 study of people with IBD showed that the subjects following the SCD had improved symptoms and quality of life. However, all participants disease was in remission, which indicates the SCD may only help people maintain a state of remission.

A 2017 analysis reviewed studies exploring the effect of diet on IBD. Some studies indicated symptom improvement among participants, and another showed that people on the SCD had more diverse bacteria in their gut than those following a Western diet.

A 2016 study showed that the SCD improved symptoms in people with IBD.

However, not all research on the SCD is encouraging.

Although there are potential benefits, there are several risks associated with the SCD.

The SCDs limited permitted foods make it difficult to follow.

Because Gottschall recommends strict adherence, it poses a challenge for people who may not want to follow a restrictive diet.

However, there is some evidence that a more relaxed form of the diet can be beneficial to people long term. This means the strict SCD may be a good starting point for people with IBD, and they can adapt the diet to fit their lifestyle and symptoms going forward.

Some scientists speculate the SCD may result in certain nutritional deficiencies due to its restrictive nature. These include:

The Crohns & Colitis Foundation also notes that the diet has the potential to affect growth in children.

Doctors may not recommend the SCD for everyone with IBD.

Since the eating plan is high in fiber, it may not be a good choice for an individual with a significant number of small bowel structures. This is because the high fiber content could lead to an obstruction.

The SCDs strict criteria make it time-consuming and socially restrictive.

Since a major characteristic of the diet is cooking from scratch, people with families, busy schedules, and demanding jobs may find it too time-consuming. Additionally, people who live in food deserts may not have access to foods on the allowed list.

Due to the possibility of nutritional deficiencies, experts advise people following the SCD to contact a dietitian.

A dietitian can ensure a person is eating a nutritionally balanced diet, and they can also help them manage the issues associated with a restrictive eating plan.

The SCD is popular among people with IBD. It involves eating unprocessed foods and simple carbohydrates. It restricts complex carbohydrates and processed foods.

Some evidence indicates this diet may reduce IBD symptoms and bowel inflammation. However, its restrictive nature has multiple risks and may not be practical for everyone.

If a person is interested in trying the SCD, they should consult a dietitian or doctor.

Original post:
What is the SCD diet? - Medical News Today

Dont smoke.

Dr. Lagergrens team found that tobacco can extend the time it takes for acidic foods to leave the esophagus. In an analysis of 30 studies, GERD affected about 20 percent of smokers, compared with about 16 percent of nonsmokers.

Those who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day were less likely to develop symptoms of GERD, the Harvard team reported.

The risk of GERD was reduced among those who consumed no more than two cups of coffee, tea or soda each day.

Those who followed a Mediterranean-style diet, for example, featuring fruits and vegetables, legumes, fish, poultry and whole grains, but little or no red meat and other sources of saturated fats, were less likely to develop acid reflux.

Genetics can also affect ones risk of developing acid reflux, so people with a family history of the problem would do best to avoid the risks highlighted above. Doing so will also help protect against leading killers like heart disease, diabetes and many forms of cancer.

If you already have acid reflux, theres much you can do to minimize symptoms and perhaps avoid them entirely. Instead of consuming large meals, eat smaller ones more often. Minimize fatty foods and skip fried and fast foods entirely. A friend uses an air fryer to achieve a crispy skin on chicken, but I prefer grilled chicken and skip the skin. Choose lean meats (if you eat meat) and low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and avoid eating within three hours of bedtime. Also, try sleeping as if on a recliner, with the head of the bed propped higher than the foot.

Foods that many people with GERD find most irritating include tomatoes and citrus (like oranges and grapefruit) and their juices, coffee (even decaf for some people), alcoholic and carbonated beverages, spicy foods, garlic, chocolate and peppermint. I long ago switched to low-acid orange juice, consuming only a few ounces a day to dissolve a fiber supplement. Ive also found instant coffee to be less irritating than brewed, and drink the latter only with food to help protect my digestive tract.

Read more from the original source:
5 Diet and Lifestyle Measures to Ward Off Heartburn - The New York Times