When you're following a weight loss diet, the humble spud is usually the first carb to be cut from the shopping list which makes the rise of the potato diet all the more remarkable. This extreme way of eating involves consuming nothing other than cooked potatoes for a set period of time with the goal of achieving rapid weight loss.

The potato diet can last anywhere from three tough days to several gruelling months, and while many claim to have lost significant weight following it, no scientific studies have been done to support these claims. Away from the deep fat fryer, this versatile root vegetable has a host of health benefits but is the potato diet safe, and should you try it for weight loss?

We explain how the potato diet works, examine the nutritional profile of the spud and put our health concerns to Pixie Turner, a registered nutritionist for Discover Great Veg:

The potato diet essentially involves eating nothing but potatoes for days, weeks or months. There are several ways to do it, the most popular being a crash diet popularised by Tim Steele, author of The Potato Hack: Weight Loss Simplified. Commit to eating plain, cooked white potatoes for three to five days, and you could lose up to one pound (0.45 kg) per day, the book claims. All condiments and toppings are vetoed except salt, which is allowed but advised against.

Other, longer-term versions of the potato diet have cropped up in recent years, such as Spud Fit Challenge. It was created by Aussie dieter Andrew Taylor, who ate nothing but tatties for an entire year, shedding 117 pounds (53.07 kg). In his version of the drastic diet, sweet potatoes, herbs and spices, and even certain fat-free condiments are allowed, like sweet chilli, tomato sauce or barbecue sauce.

Generally, the rules for the potato diet vary in three ways:

You'll notice that it isn't called the French fry diet. High-fat, high-salt potato foods such as crisps and chips are off the menu, no matter what. As for washing those spuds down with a drink usually only water, coffee, and tea (without milk or sugar) are recommended.

The potato diet will initially help you lose weight, because it's very low in calories. One medium-sized skin-on potato contains 110 calories, so even if you ate 10 whole potatoes over the course of a day, you'd only consume 1,100 calories far below the recommended daily calorie intake of 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men.

'There's nothing special about the potato in terms of weight loss,' says Turner. 'It simply does whatever any diet tries to do: limits foods in order to limit total energy consumption. Most likely someone would get bored of eating nothing but potatoes pretty quickly and therefore end up eating less food overall compared to usual.'

The potato diet simply does whatever any diet tries to do: limits foods in order to limit total energy consumption.

Flavourful foods set off the reward system in your brain, and unsurprisingly, plain cooked potatoes don't quite have the same effect so it's almost impossible to overeat them. This means you're only likely to eat when you're hungry, and only enough to curb your hunger.

Potatoes also contain proteinase inhibitor 2, a compound that may help to reduce appetite and food intake and stimulate satiety hormones, though more research is needed on that.

While the potato diet has a great deal of worrying downsides and health risks, there are a few potential benefits worth examining:

One potato (around 180g) contains more than a quarter of your daily potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium intake, plus a substantial helping of folate, niacin, phosphorus, and manganese. They're a rich source of antioxidants specifically lutein and zeaxanthin in white potatoes, and anthocyanins in purple and red potatoes.

Each potato contains around 3.7g fibre, about the same as an apple. Not only is fibre essential for a healthy digestive system, it makes you feel fuller for longer and keeps your blood sugar levels stable. Potatoes are also full of resistant starch, which resists digestion and feeds good bacteria in the gut.

Potatoes are cheap, readily-available, and less perishable than other vegetables. They also offer bang-for-buck in terms of fullness, topping the satiety index, which ranks foods according to their ability to satisfy hunger. You'd need to eat seven croissants to feel as full as you would from one tatty.

The potato diet is straightforward, we'll give it that. Some people claim the simplicity of the rules alters their relationship with food that they become more aware of when they are eating out of boredom or tiredness and gain a greater understanding of when they are hungry and full. However, there are far healthier ways to reach this understanding. For example, adopting mindful eating practices or intuitive eating.

There's no question that potatoes deserve a place on every dinner place, but following the potato diet for any period of time can have drastic health consequences, such as:

Strict dieting is a form of disordered eating that can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food. 'Eating only potatoes flies in the face of everything we know about a healthy pattern of eating,' says Turner. 'It's restrictive, hugely limiting, boring, anti-social, and it's impossible to obtain all the micronutrients the body needs from just potatoes.'

Potatoes don't contain all the vitamins and minerals you need for optimal health including vitamin B12, vitamin A, calcium and zinc. They're also incredibly low in protein and fat, containing 4.3g and 0.2g respectively per potato. You need protein to help build muscles and bones and make hormones, while fats help the body absorb certain vitamins.

Even though you may lose weight rapidly, it doesn't mean you're losing fat. Muscle loss is extremely common when dieting, particularly on low-calorie, low-protein diets. In one small study, 18 per cent of the weight lost by participants on a 500-calorie diet was lean muscle.

Eating fewer calories that your body needs interferes with your metabolism. One of the ways this happens is through muscle loss, since muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat. Following a low-calorie diet can decrease your daily calorie burn by as much as 23 per cent, and this effect can persist long after the diet ends.

When your metabolism slows and your body burns fewer calories in response to eating very few calories, it's called adaptive thermogenesis. This makes it difficult to maintain your new weight once you return to your normal way of eating. Long-term studies have shown that as many as 90 per cent of dieters return to their previous weight.

Acrylamide is a toxic chemical substance that forms when starchy foods like potatoes are cooked at high temperatures. High doses are known to damage the human nervous system and cause cancer in animals. If you intend to follow the potato diet long-term, don't keep raw potatoes in the fridge and soak them in water before baking.

While it may help you lose weight, the safety of the potato diet hasn't been tested in a scientific setting. However, it's extremely restrictive, lacks important nutrients, and may interfere with your metabolism. 'Just don't do it,' says Turner. 'It's not worth it. Food is a wonderful thing, but eating nothing but potatoes is dull and unnecessary.'

For healthy, sustainable weight loss, balance complex carbohydrates with 'plenty of fruit and vegetables, including leafy greens like kale, cavolo nero, and spinach; protein sources like meat, fish, beans and tofu; sources of fat like oily fish, avocados and cheese; and some foods you enjoy just for the fun of them,' she says.

Last updated: 28-01-2021

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Potato diet: is it safe, and does it work for weight loss? - Netdoctor

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

What are your favorite foods? Pizza? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Potato chips? Ice cream? Are any fruits or vegetables on your list?

Would you say that you have a healthy diet? Do you make an effort to eat healthy foods and avoid or limit unhealthy ones? Has the pandemic made it harder for you to eat healthy?

In 5 Ways Teens Can Get More Fruits and Vegetables Into Their Diets, Christina Caron writes about how parents can help their children to improve their eating habits:

If youve been watching your teenager devour processed foods like potato chips, chicken nuggets or sugary cereals and drinks, you are not alone. Comfort food has been especially alluring during the pandemic, for parents and kids alike.

But according to a report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this has been a problem for teens long before the pandemic: Most teenagers in the United States have not been eating enough fruits and vegetables.

Dietary guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend that girls 14 to 18 years old should eat at least 1.5 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables each day and boys in the same age range should eat at least 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables. But the new report, which presented survey data from more than 13,000 high school students across the country, found that in 2017, only about 7 percent of the students met the daily recommendations for fruit, and just 2 percent met the recommendations for vegetables.

Its really insufficient across all groups, said Samantha J. Lange, a research fellow at the C.D.C. and the lead author of the study.

Those percentages might even be lower, the researchers added, because the students may have overestimated the amount of fruits and vegetables that they actually ate. And of course the findings do not account for the ways eating habits may have changed in the pandemic, when many people have reported weight gain.

Ms. Caron shares five tips from nutrition experts for parents, such as find fruits and veggies that fit your budget and make meal planning a family affair.

The article concludes with a recommendation to teach your teen about the many benefits of healthy eating. Among other tips, she points out that:

Remote learning, the isolation of quarantine and the uncertainty of the pandemic have been especially challenging for teenagers. Research suggests that consuming healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables, can help reduce anxiety and improve mood. Emphasizing this to your teenagers might provide a compelling reason for them to switch up their diet.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Do you have a healthy diet? Tell us about your eating habits and preferences. How has the pandemic affected your eating? Do you agree with the author that comfort foods have been especially alluring this year?

How health conscious are you about the foods you eat? Do you pay attention to the fat, salt and sugar content in the foods that you eat? Do you consider the nutrition value of food when choosing a snack or meal?

A new report by the C.D.C. says that only about 7 percent of the students met the daily recommendations for fruit, and just 2 percent met the recommendations for vegetables. Do these findings ring true for your own eating habits? How many fruits and vegetables do you eat on average each day? Did the article persuade you to start eating more produce?

Ms. Caron writes that research suggests that consuming healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables, can help reduce anxiety and improve mood. Does this resonate with your own experiences? Have you ever noticed how different foods affect your moods or behavior?

The article notes several barriers to eating healthy, such as the abundance of inexpensive and unhealthy food options in certain areas. What factors get in the way of you having healthier eating habits? What questions do you still have about healthy diets?

What do you think of Ms. Carons tips for parents? For example, she writes that when teenagers feel like they have some ownership over the process, they might be more likely to choose healthier options when deciding what to eat. Would that work for you? Do you help choose, shop for, or even prepare meals and snacks for you and your family? If not, do you want to start taking on that role? What other kinds of advice would you give to parents to help them improve their childrens healthy eating habits?

Would it be challenging for you to shift to eating more healthy foods? Why or why not? What is one way you can improve your diet?

About Student Opinion

Find all of our Student Opinion questions in this column. Have an idea for a Student Opinion question? Tell us about it. Learn more about how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

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Do You Have a Healthy Diet? - The New York Times

The South Beach Diet and Nutrisystem are two popular programs often used by those looking to lose weight.

While both programs have several things in common, many key differences set them apart.

This article takes a closer look at the South Beach Diet and Nutrisystem to determine which is better for weight loss.

Heres a brief overview of how each program works.

The South Beach Diet is a low carb diet designed to promote weight loss and improve heart health. Its based on a book by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist.

The diet promotes lean sources of protein, non-starchy vegetables, and heart-healthy fats while limiting added sugars and high carb ingredients.

Although you can follow the diet using the principles described in the book, the South Beach Diet also offers plans that provide fully prepared meals and snacks delivered to your door.

The company has three plans, including:

The program also has a 1-week reboot kit. According to the companys website, this contains an array of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks specifically selected to help you lose up to 7 pounds (3 kg) in 1 week.

Nutrisystem is a commercial weight loss program that offers an assortment of fully prepared fresh and frozen meals each week.

The company offers several plans with varying meals, prices, and customization options.

Here are some of the plans offered by Nutrisystem:

The program is designed to be followed for 24 weeks but can be repeated as many times as necessary to help you reach your goals.

In addition to the meals and snacks provided by Nutrisystem, dieters are encouraged to enjoy two additional healthy snacks per day to round out their diet.

Heres what kind of foods you can find on the menu of each program.

The South Beach Diet features a large menu with a variety of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.

When placing your order, you can mix and match items to create your own meal plan.

You can also filter items to view meals that are vegetarian or diabetes-friendly, as well as those that contain specific allergens and ingredients.

Additionally, you can sort items by their carb content, storage needs, and preparation required.

The nutrition facts and ingredients are also listed for all meals and snacks on the menu, along with customer reviews and details on the preparation method.

Nutrisystem offers an extensive menu with over 150 fresh and frozen meals and snacks to choose from.

The menu also includes a selection of diabetes-friendly, high fiber, high protein, low sodium, and vegetarian options.

Each menu item is accompanied by a list of ingredients and its nutrition facts. You can also filter the menu to exclude items that contain certain ingredients, including pork, wheat, or milk.

With the Basic Plan, you can choose from 100 items on the menu to create a custom meal plan. All other plans allow you to select from the full menu.

Heres how the two programs vary in terms of cost.

The South Beach Diet offers several plans, each of which varies in price and its selection of meals and snacks.

Heres how much 1 months worth of meals costs on each plan:

All plans include free shipping, and additional discounts are available if you prepay for multiple months or sign up for auto-delivery.

You can also add other items to your order for an extra fee, such as meal bundles, protein bars, and shaker bottles.

The prices for Nutrisystem differ depending on which plan you select.

Heres how much each plan costs:

All plans include free shipping, as well as a discount if you preorder multiple shipments.

You can also add an assortment of protein shakes to your order for an additional fee.

Both programs have been shown to increase weight loss and fat loss.

While theres very little research on the South Beach Diet specifically, several studies have found that high protein, low carb diets may aid weight loss.

One study in 331 people with obesity noted that those who followed a low carb, low calorie, high protein diet lost significantly more body weight and fat mass over 9 months than those following a standard low calorie diet (1).

Another study in 164 people showed that reducing your carb intake may help you burn more calories throughout the day, thus promoting weight loss (2).

One older study found that people with metabolic syndrome who followed the South Beach Diet for 12 weeks lost an average of 11.5 pounds (5.2 kg) (3).

Plus, they experienced significant reductions in total percent body fat, belly fat, and body mass index (BMI), an estimate of body fat thats calculated using your height and weight (3).

Increasing your protein intake may also enhance feelings of fullness and affect certain hormones that control hunger and appetite, such as ghrelin (4, 5).

Although theres limited research on the effectiveness of Nutrisystem for long-term, sustainable weight loss, several studies show that it may be beneficial for increasing short-term weight loss.

For example, one small study in 69 people with type 2 diabetes indicated that following the Nutrisystem program for 3 months was more effective for weight loss than attending a diabetes support and education group (6).

Similarly, a review of 39 studies reported that participants who used Nutrisystem for 3 months achieved an average of 3.8% more weight loss than those who received behavioral counseling or education (7).

Whats more, another study found that people who used Nutrisystem for 12 weeks lost an average of 17.8 pounds (8 kg) and more belly fat than those who followed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet (8).

However, keep in mind that this study was directly sponsored by Nutrisystem.

Finally, any low calorie diet is likely to result in rapid weight loss. The Nutrisystem diet that resulted in the 17.8-pound (8-kg) weight loss mentioned above contained only 1,0001,500 calories per day, which is much too low for the energy needs of most adults.

Both the South Beach Diet and Nutrisystem may also offer additional benefits.

The prepared meals offered by the South Beach Diet make it easy to follow a low carb diet and can help save you time and energy throughout the week.

Unlike many other prepared meal services, the South Beach Diet book also offers clear guidelines on healthy eating and physical activity, which may help transition off the service.

In addition to increasing weight loss, the South Beach Diet may improve several other aspects of your health.

For instance, one older study in 20 people showed that following the South Beach Diet decreased levels of fasting insulin, which may help support healthy blood sugar levels (3, 9).

Another study found that participants who followed a diet pattern similar to the South Beach Diet for 24 weeks experienced greater improvements in blood sugar control and triglyceride levels than those following a high carb, low fat diet (10).

With a variety of fully prepared meals and snacks on the menu, Nutrisystem offers a quick, convenient, and simple solution for weight loss.

It may be a particularly good option for people looking to save time during the week, without having to worry about monitoring their portion sizes and counting carbs or calories.

Plus, it may help support healthy blood sugar levels.

In fact, most Nutrisystem meals have a low glycemic index (GI), which means that the meals are less likely to significantly affect your blood sugar levels (11).

In addition to improving blood sugar control among people with type 2 diabetes, some research suggests that low GI diets may be beneficial for weight loss (12).

Both diet programs also have a few downsides to consider.

Although its possible to follow the South Beach Diet by employing the guidelines in the book and preparing your own food at home, the meal plans offered by the company use highly processed and prepackaged foods like cookies, snack bars, and nacho puffs.

While some may enjoy the ease and convenience of these meals and snacks, regularly consuming processed food has been linked to chronic conditions like obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes (13, 14).

Plus, easing back into a regular diet may be more difficult if youre relying solely on these prepared meals, and it could potentially increase your risk of weight regain.

Additionally, the meal plans offered by the South Beach Diet only provide 1,2001,500 calories per day. While the diet may result in short-term weight loss, this calorie range is far too low for most adults, unsustainable, and may result in weight regain.

Furthermore, the South Beach Diet is expensive and more costly than many similar services, including Nutrisystem, with prices starting at $12.50 per day.

Options to accommodate specific dietary restrictions are also limited. This may not be ideal if you have any food preferences, allergies, or intolerances.

Unlike other programs that promote healthy dietary and lifestyle changes, Nutrisystem relies on premade, preportioned meals and snacks to encourage weight loss.

While this may be effective for short-term weight loss, its likely to lead to weight regain once you resume your typical diet.

It can also be expensive to follow long term, with plans starting at almost $9 per day.

Nutrisystem may not be a good option for those with certain dietary restrictions, including people following vegan or gluten-free diets.

It can also be somewhat restrictive and may not provide enough calories for many adults.

In the long run, decreasing your calorie intake too much can slow your metabolism and make it harder to lose weight (15).

There are several factors to consider when determining which program is right for you.

With a large menu of meals and snacks that require little to no preparation, Nutrisystem is a simple and convenient option for weight loss.

Its also more affordable than similar services, including the South Beach Diet.

On the other hand, while the meals provided by the South Beach Diet are a bit more expensive, you can also follow the diet using the guidelines described in the book instead of purchasing the premade meals.

Doing so can not only make it easier to incorporate other foods into your diet but also ease your transition back to a regular diet to maintain weight loss long term.

Nutrisystem is a weight loss program that offers fully prepared meals and snacks to support weight loss and save you time during the week.

Meanwhile, the South Beach Diet is a low carb, high protein diet based on a book that also offers a variety of prepared meals.

Although the premade meals from the South Beach Diet may be more expensive, the book offers additional guidelines on healthy eating and physical activity, which may ease your transition back to a typical diet once youve reached your goals.

Read more here:
The South Beach Diet vs. Nutrisystem: Comparison and Review - Healthline

Throughout 2021, Good Housekeeping will be exploring how we think about weight, the way we eat, and how we try to control or change our bodies in our quest to be happier and healthier. While GH also publishes weight loss content and endeavors to do so in a responsible, science-backed way, we think its important to present a broad perspective that allows for a fuller understanding of the complex thinking about health and body weight. Our goal here is not to tell you how to think, eat, or live nor is to to pass judgment on how you choose to nourish your body but rather to start a conversation about diet culture, its impact, and how we might challenge the messages we are given about what makes us attractive, successful, and healthy.

The dawn of a new year is when many scramble to make resolutions, and in the U.S., these are often earnest pledges to shrink, tone, chisel or otherwise alter our bodies. Like years before, in the first weeks of 2021, new signups for virtual workout subscriptions and searches for diet on Google are spiking, because after all, every January were flooded with urgent broadcasts from every societal megaphone reminding us that its time to detox our poor, puffy bodies of the bad food choices we made over the holidays

Wait. Stop. Just there.

...detox our bodies of the bad food choices we made...

This language and the entire concept implies that our bodies have been poisoned by peppermint bark, cookies, latkes, and eggnog, and that an antidote must be administered urgently, or else. It assumes that certain foods are bad and whats more, we are bad for eating them, when in reality, this moralization of food and our collective desire to fix any perceived wrongdoings is a prime example of diet culture and just how easily it can sneak in under the radar. We can even fall into that trap here at Good Housekeeping, despite our best efforts, when we describe desserts as "sinful" or "no-guilt. (Editors note: Now that the brand is becoming more aware of diet culture and its effects, we are actively looking for ways to be more careful with our language choices.)

There's a whole lexicon, says Claire Mysko, CEO of National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). When we say we need to burn off or make up for the cheeseboard we shared with friends; when we skip the dessert we want and ponder if even snagging a bite of our partners dessert is worth it; whenever we ascribe virtue to our food choices, giggling that its naughty when we choose to eat what we crave or what comforts us, or good when we opt for low-calorie, low-carb, or other foods diet culture has deemed healthy. All of that talk is part of diet culture, says Mysko. And it is so inextricably woven into the fabric of our culture that many people arent even consciously aware of the daily inundation.

So what is "diet culture"?

Diet culture has many definitions and facets but, in a nutshell, its a set of beliefs that worships thinness and equates it with health and moral virtue, according to anti-diet dietitian, Christy Harrison, M.P.H., R.D., C.D.N., author of Anti-Diet and host of the Food Psych podcast. And it has become our dominant culture often in ways we don't even notice since it's the water in which we swim.

Think of diet culture as the lens through which most of us in this country view beauty, health, and our own bodies; a lens that colors your judgments and decisions about how you feel about and treat yourself. Diet culture places thinness as the pinnacle of success and beauty, and in diet culture, there is a conferred status to people who are thinner, and it assumes that eating in a certain way will result in the right body size the correct body size and good health, and that it's attainable for anybody who has the 'right' willpower, the 'right' determination, says therapist Judith Matz, L.C.S.W., author of The Body Positivity Card Deck and Diet Survivor's Handbook.

In actual fact, there is no right body size, and even if there were, its not attainable to whomever does the right thing (or whatever weight loss trend may be viewed as right at the moment), as evidenced by the 98% failure rate of diets. This stat alone is proof of the no-win norm that we, as a society, have been groomed to abide by. In one fell swoop, diet culture sets us up to feel bad about ourselves and judge other people, too while also suggesting that losing weight will help us feel better.

Urging people to examine, question, and ultimately reject diet culture is at the heart of the anti-diet movement, whose prominent voices include Harrison, NEDA, a crowd of activists in the Health at Any Size movement, the body positivity movement, and many others. The anti-diet movement is, in part, working to debunk the diet culture myth that thinness equals health and raising awareness of and helping to end fat phobia and discrimination against people in larger bodies. And because a tenet of diet culture is, well, endlessly dieting to be thinner no matter the mental and physical cost, the anti-diet movement rejects diets for the purposes of weight loss.

Anti-diet does not mean anti-health.

And heres the thing: We are all products of diet culture, so its understandable why roughly half of adults have been on a weight loss diet in the last year alone. Dieters are just doing what weve always been told is the best thing for our health and appearance, and by implication, will bring us the perceived shiny futures of the people in the after photos. To be clear, the anti-diet movement [is not] anti-dieter, says Harrison. Rather, the anti-diet movement challenges diet culture and, as result, takes issue with the many restrictive diets that are scientifically proven to have a negative impact on cognitive function, heart health, and mortality, while contributing to social injustice and weight prejudice.

Anti-diet aims to free people from spending every waking moment policing their bodies, wasting precious time and energy obsessing over food choices, calories, macros, and the like. It aims to help people fill their bellies with the food they want and need, and without the distraction of constant hunger, allow their minds to see issues that are much bigger and more important than the way we look and how we eat. It helps us realize that the secret to happiness and freedom is not, in fact, locked within a smaller body requiring a "willpower" key, as diet culture has long made us believe.

Even if youre not consciously trying to lose weight per se, diet culture often crops up in choices we think were making for health, to feel or look good, fit in, or even just make conversation amongst friends over dinner (oh, I know, I feel this cake making my hips bigger as I eat it, or, ugh, we need to go to the gym after this). But subconsciously, diet culture creates this idea and reinforces it at every turn that you have to be thin in order to be successful, accepted, loved, healthy: All of these things that we want for ourselves that are just understandable human desire, says Harrison. It tells us that weight loss is the secret to that. It tells us that weight loss is a way to attain those things. And it's a house of cards, because it's not.

Diet culture can be found in Barbies thigh gap and 18-inch waist, which influences perceptions of what an ideal body should look like. Its Lululemons founder saying publicly that it's a problem when women's thighs touch. Its Kim Kardashian explaining how necessary it is to squeeze into shapewear beneath a dress, saying, without shapewear, youd see cellulite and I just wouldnt feel as confident. (Also, that her shapewear brand, SKIMS, allegedly sold $2 million of product in minutes when it launched.) Its the fact that you may have been told (or recited!) that at the first sign of hunger, instead of giving your body the food its asking for, you should delay and drink a glass of no-calorie water first in case youre actually just thirsty. Even Good Housekeeping's own article on 1,200-calorie diets is a tricky juxtaposition: The article aims to serve the approximately 40,500 people who search for 1,200-calorie meal plans on Google every month despite a 2015 study that shows this number of calories falls within the realm of clinical starvation. Although GH strives to provide safe, nutritionist-backed advice, we also realize how this can contribute to the bigger problem.

As anyone whos ever looked into the mirror and wished for a flatter this or a bigger that can likely attest, theres an unattainable and rigidly narrow Western, white beauty ideal to which many of us often compare ourselves, and to which many of us are held by other people. Nobody ever wakes up in the morning and says, Gosh, I look terrific. I feel so healthy, I'm so attractive: I think I'll go on a diet, Matz points out. It always starts with negative thoughts.

Instagram influencer culture, movies, runways, fashion ads, and media outlets including magazines are rife with one type of person: A normatively feminine, usually white woman who is slim and tall and seemingly living fabulously. Could their charmed lives be because of those perfect bodies? The sample size for many designers is 0-2, while a 2018 study by National Health Statistics Reports published by the CDC places the average American adult woman in a size 18-20, and teen girls in a size 12.

While what is truly average varies greatly on genetics, family history, race, ethnicity, age, and much more, size and weight are actually not good indicators of health in the first place you can be smaller-bodied and unhealthy, or larger-bodied and fit. Even so, we're exposed to the steady stream of images and messages that reinforce diet culture and reinforce the idea that to be happy and successful and well-liked you have to look a certain way, have a certain body, and follow a certain fitness or meal plan or diet, says Mysko, which keeps people unhappy in their bodies, chasing something they can't ever catch, and spending loads of money to do so.

Anti-diet advocates argue that diet culture harms everyone with a body, particularly (but certainly not limited to) people who are in larger bodies. Though healthy bodies come at every size and shape, our societal experiences vary greatly depending on a given persons size weight stigma and thin privilege are both very real and no one is safe from feeling othered by diet culture. Even those in "average" or slender bodies can feel that they're not thin enough in the exact right places. This all leads to people feeling a lot of shame about their body and feeling that being thinner is worth pursuing at all costs, says Matz.

The result: People choose from hundreds, if not thousands, of diet plans or restrictive food plans. In November 2020, the CDC reported that more people are actually dieting now compared to 10 years ago. Part of the problem is that the term wellness is often now used as a euphemism for diet. But understanding diet culture and how it impacts us isnt only about how any given individual responds to it: Its about recognizing that diet culture is baked directly into American culture and is intrinsically linked with racism and patriarchy. What constitutes good behavior is going to be far more accessible to white persons, to men, to wealthy persons, than people who do not fit into those categories, says Sabrina Strings, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology at the University of California at Irvine and the author of Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia. This includes conventional thinness.

When you have been told that you should only have [a certain number of] calories or that you must keep your BMI here, you will always feel like you are doing either good or bad, right or wrong by sticking to these dictates, Strings adds. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths, [including the concept that] if you just restrict your food, then you'll be able to attain that weight, says Matz. Whats more, says Strings, Whenever we create standards about how we all should live, these norms always benefit those individuals who are already in power. Here are some key issues with diet culture:

And according to a 2010 study, stigma and discrimination toward obese persons are pervasive which threatens their psychological and physical health, creates health disparities, and contributes to a looming social injustice issue that goes widely ignored. Then, in an attempt to gain equal access, fat people are led to diets that further harm them physically and mentally: Consider that one study showed the calorie intake for many popular diets is "comparable to that of the most undernourished global regions, where severe hunger interferes with individuals ability to thrive and make meaningful contributions to society.

Matz agrees: Our weight regulation system is beyond our conscious control. This is evidenced by a 2010 F1000 Medicine Report that shows there is an active, biological control of body weight at a given set point in a 10-20 pound range. The message this culture gets is that you can decide what weight you want to be with enough willpower, but its just not true, says Matz. So, Harrison wonders, Why do 100% of dieters think they're going to be in the 2%? Perhaps the larger problem is that because of diet culture, when we do gain weight back post-diet, we have learned to internalize it as a failure of self instead of accepting that it is ultimately a success for evolution and our bodies way of protecting us from starvation.

98% of diets fail Why do 100% of dieters think they'll be in the 2%?

If we lived in a society where neighborhoods were walkable and people could get access to clean drinking water and plenty of sleep, people would already be far healthier than they are now," says Strings. But, she continues, diet culture gives a permission structure for the finger to be pointed elsewhere. Rather than focusing on these larger structural issues that could have a global impact on a population, we want to target individuals and tell them to change their bodies in ways that are unrealistic and unproductive.

A 2008 survey sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill showed that a whopping 75% of women reported disordered eating behaviors that cut across racial and ethnic lines, and occurred in women in their 30s and 40s ... at the same rate as women in their 20s. That means disordered eating is the norm in the U.S. for women of all ages and race. Its a staggering statistic, and one that goes under reported since a lot of these behaviors support the very underpinnings of diet culture itself.

How can I resist diet culture?

Diet culture can foster a toxic way of living for many people, but because of its pervasiveness, it can feel intimidating and deeply personal to pick it apart. Anti-diet culture aims to dismantle this oppressive system of beliefs ... so that people have the chance and the choice to be able to be free of those stigmatizing and body shaming beliefs, says Harrison.

Being resistant to diet culture is also not anti-health or anti-nutrition: Its quite the opposite. With this movement, It's absolutely possible that we can encourage and also give people the resources to eat healthy and to move their bodies in a healthy way without having to be the disciplinarians that tell people they must weigh a certain amount, says Strings. The anti-diet movement advocates for evidence-backed measures of health that are not about body weight, and there are even anti-diet dietitians and health professionals, like Harrison, who help guide patients out of diet culture and into decisions that are healthy for body and mind and that dont aim to modify the bodys appearance.

Here are some aspects of anti-diet culture that can actionably put an end to the restriction and guilt cycle of diet culture:

With intuitive eating, instead of eating from the outside in, instead of following rules from a diet, people learn to use their internal physical cues to decide when, what, and how much to eat, says Matz. By destigmatizing food choices, intuitive eating steers you back into your own body. Most people have gotten so used to eating what they should and shouldnt eat, whats good and bad, theyve really lost touch with What do I want? What would satisfy me?, says Matz. There are a host of professionals trained and certified in intuitive eating standards, from counselors to psychotherapists to registered dietitians, who can help guide you through the process too.

Getting reacquainted with your bodys natural hunger cues, cravings, and needs can take time, but can ultimately free you from the learned shoulds of diet culture. The irony: Most find that once you grant yourself permission to eat the things you want when you want, your "fear foods" (you know, the things you declare you cannot have in the house or Ill eat the whole bag!) have less of a siren song. When the scarcity mindset drops, so does the need to overeat out of fear of never having it again. Remember that we come into this world born knowing how to do this, says Matz. Babies, when they're hungry, cry. So really, we're going back to the way we were born: Eating.

HAES is built on pillars of weight inclusivity, health enhancement, respectful care, eating for well-being, and life-enhancing movement, all with the ultimate goal of tuning into your bodys innate guidance to make food and movement choices that help you feel confident, nourished, fulfilled, and healthy inside your body without trying to change its appearance. It looks at people's health status, separate from weight, says Matz, and its really doing a great job of giving people information that you can be healthy regardless of your size, says Strings.

Strings adds that HAES is built upon the belief that you are worthy of love and respect, regardless of your size. In a society that demonizes fatness, its a simple but novel concept. As Strings says: Just to love yourself and to know that you can be healthy regardless of your weight is really a revelation to probably most Americans.

Anyone feeling like they are suffering from disordered eating or an eating disorder can and should reach out for help immediately. The NEDA helpline at (800) 931-2237 is available daily via call or text, and officials also are on standby in digital chats, ready to help you find resources in your area. If you are concerned about a loved one, learn more about how you can help.

Note: This article was originally published on January 23, 2021, and edited on January 29, 2021 to offer clarification on the anti-diet movement.

Originally posted here:
What Is Diet Culture? The Reasons Why Diet Culture Is Toxic - GoodHousekeeping.com

There is no specific diet for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, scientists believe that some foods may help ease the swelling that causes pain and stiffness.

This article explains what RA is and looks at some of the foods that might help relieve the symptoms. It also investigates whether some foods make RA worse and highlights some other ways that people can manage their symptoms.

RA is an autoimmune condition. This means that a malfunction of the immune system causes it.

More specifically, RA occurs when the bodys natural defenses attack the joints. This leads to painful swelling called inflammation. RA usually affects the joints in the hands, wrists, and knees. Sometimes, it can affect several joints at once.

The symptoms include painful aching or stiffness in the joints. People may feel extremely tired and weak, and occasionally, the condition can cause a low grade fever. Over time, RA can damage the joints permanently.

RA is a chronic, long-term condition, and there is currently no cure. Most people will have periods of remission, during which they have few or no symptoms. Other times, their symptoms will get worse. Doctors call these periods flare-ups.

People with RA can usually manage the condition by taking medications and making certain lifestyle changes.

Some experts believe that diet can help prevent flare-ups and manage the symptoms of RA. There is no specific diet that research has shown to help people with RA, but some foods may help control the painful swelling and support the immune system.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, many of these foods are part of the Mediterranean diet. They include:

Salmon, tuna, sardines, and anchovies are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids. According to the Arthritis Foundation, these fat molecules help fight the inflammation that causes joint pain in RA.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which support the immune system. The fiber in fruits and vegetables may also help reduce inflammation.

Some of the best sources of antioxidants include blueberries, blackberries, cherries, strawberries, spinach, kale, onions, and broccoli.

Olive oil contains antioxidants, polyphenols, oleuropein, and oleocanthal. According to preclinical studies, these compounds have anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Nuts and seeds are useful for fighting inflammation. Walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, and almonds are great sources of monounsaturated fat, protein, and fiber.

Experts recommend eating around one handful of nuts and seeds per day.

Beans are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, including:

People with RA could try adding pinto beans, black beans, red kidney beans, or chickpeas to their diet.

Fiber is very important for heart and gut health. It can also help lower inflammation.

Some food sources of fiber include:

The Arthritis Foundation note that fats play a role in inflammation. As a result, people with RA should try to avoid trans fats. These are often present in baked goods, margarine, and fried foods.

Fats that people with RA should try to limit include:

Processed foods such as some ready-made meals, fast food, and cookies are often high in these fats. It is best to avoid these food items as much as possible.

The Arthritis Foundation also recommend that people with RA remove nightshade vegetables from their diet for 2 weeks to see whether or not they notice any difference in their RA symptoms.

Nightshade vegetables include eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. However, scientists need to do more research to investigate this theory before drawing any conclusions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer the following advice to people living with RA.

Many community and patient advocacy groups offer RA self-management courses and workshops. These tend to be free or inexpensive to attend.

During these workshops, people usually learn ways to manage pain, exercise safely, and stay in control of their condition.

When a person has RA, getting regular physical activity eases pain and helps the joints work better. It can also help people with the condition stay healthier for longer.

The CDC recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every week.

Having excess weight places pressure on the joints. In turn, this can make RA pain worse and prevent people from being active.

Losing just 1 pound (lb) (0.45 kilograms [kg]) of body weight will take 4 lb (1.8 kg) of pressure off the knee joints, for example.

The best way to lose weight and keep it off is by eating a healthful, balanced diet and exercising regularly.

People with RA should speak with a healthcare provider regularly. There are lots of treatment and management strategies available.

By working with their doctor, people with RA can usually maintain a high quality of life.

There is currently no cure for RA. It is a long-term condition that causes painful swelling in the joints.

Some scientists believe that certain foods can help with the symptoms. This is because some foods contain antioxidants, which support the immune system. Others contain compounds that may fight inflammation.

Some other ways to manage the symptoms of RA include staying active and maintaining a moderate weight.

Original post:
What is the best diet for rheumatoid arthritis? - Medical News Today

Llewellyn King| InsideSources.com

Ambitious US efforts on climate change launched

In the most ambitious U.S. effort to stave off the worst effects of climate change, President Joe Biden is aiming to cut oil, gas and coal emissions and double energy production from offshore wind turbines through orders signed Wednesday. (Jan. 27)

AP

In politics, any idea can be pressed into service if it fits a purpose. The one I have in mind has been snatched from its Republican originators and is now at work on the left wing of the Democratic Party.

The idea is starve the beast. It came from one of President Ronald Reagans staffers and was used to curb federal spending.

It was a central idea in the Republican Party through the Reagan years and was taken up with vigor by tax-cutting zealots. It was on the lips of those who thought the way to small government was through tax cuts --financial starvation.

Now starve the beast" is back in a new guise: a way to cut dependence on oil and natural gas.

More: Biden prioritizes climate change as national security concern, pauses oil drilling on public lands

This is the thought behind President Joe Bidens decision to revoke the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, bringing oil to the United States from Canada, even after the expenditure of billions of dollars and an infinity of studies.

It is the idea behind banning fracking and restricting leases on federal lands and waters. Some Democrats and environmental activists believe that this blunt instrument will do the job.

But blunt instruments are unsuited to fine work.

It also is counterproductive to set out to force that which is happening in an orderly way. The Biden administration shows signs of wanting to do this, unnecessarily.

Lumping coal, oil, and gas as the same thing under the title fossil fuel is the first error. In descending order, coal is the most important source of pollution, and its use is falling fast. Oil continues to be the primary transportation fuel for the world. World oil production and use hovers around 100 million barrels a day and that has been fairly steady in recent years.

More: Industry decries President Joe Biden's extended ban on Gulf of Mexico oil leases

In the U.S., the switch to electric vehicles is well underway and in, say, 20 years, they will be dominant. Likewise, in Europe, Japan, and China. That train has left the station and is picking up steam.

Government action, like building charging stations, wont speed it up but rather will slow it down. The market is working. Willing buyers and sellers are on hand.

Every electric vehicle is a reduction in oil demand. But the world is still a huge market for petroleum and will be for a long time. What sense is there in hobbling U.S. oil exports? There are suppliers from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria keen to take up any slack.

Natural gas is different. It is a superior fuel in that it has about half the pollutants of coal and fewer than oil. It is great for heating homes, cooking, making fertilizers and other petrochemicals. Starving the production just increases the cost to consumers.

The real target is, of course, electric utilities. They rushed to gas to get off coal. It was cheaper, cleanerand more manageable. Also, gas could be burned in turbines that are easily installed and repaired. Boilers not needed; no steam required.

But there are greenhouse gases emitted and, worse, methane leaks at fracking sites and from faulty pipelines throughout the system. These represent a grave problem. Here the government can move in with tighter regulation. If it is fixable, fix it. But methane leaks are no reason to cripple domestic production.

The question for the beast-starvers comes from Clinton Vince, who chairs the U.S. energy practice and co-chairs the global energy practice of Dentons, the worlds largest law firm. He asks, Is it better to sell natural gas to India and China or to let them build more coal-fired plants? Particularly if carbon-capture and sequestration technology can be improved.

More: Louisiana lawmakers help sponsor bill in Congress aimed at blocking Biden's oil restrictions

If we are to continue to reduce carbon emissions in the U.S., we need to take a holistic view of energy production and consumption. Does it make sense to allow carbon-free nuclear plants to go out of service because of how we value electricity in the short term? A market adjustment, well within government purview, could save a lot of air pollution immediately.

The hydrocarbon beast doesnt need to be starved, but a diet might be a good idea.

-- Llewellyn King is executive producer and host of White House Chronicle on PBS.He wrote this forInsideSources.com.

Originally posted here:
Opinion: Don't starve the energy beast when a diet will do - Houma Courier

Using a body mass index (BMI) calculator can help a person determine whether their weight is within the recommended range for their height. However, BMI calculations have several important limitations in everyone, including men.

BMI is one measure of body size. It is a calculation of a persons body mass based on their weight relative to their height.

Doctors generally consider people whose BMI is within the normal range to have a healthy BMI. Individuals below this range may have underweight, while those above this range may have overweight or obesity.

However, BMI may not be the most accurate indicator of whether a persons weight is healthful for several reasons.

This article explores what BMI is and looks at how to calculate it. It also considers the recommended BMI ranges, the potential limitations of using BMI as an indicator of health, and tips to maintain a moderate BMI.

A BMI calculator for men assesses a mans target weight range based on his height.

Doctors use the same calculator for all people over the age of 20 years. The calculation is the same regardless of age, sex, race, body composition, and other factors.

It is possible to calculate BMI by dividing a persons weight in kilograms (kg) by their height in meters squared (m2).

For example, a person who is 5 feet 6 inches (or 66 inches) tall has a metric height of 1.6764 m. If that person weighs 150 pounds, their metric weight will be 68.0389 kg. To calculate their BMI:

Many health advocates argue that BMI is not a good measure of whether a person has a moderate weight.

Some argue that even if a person has overweight or obesity, this does not necessarily reveal much about their health.

A handful of recent studies support this claim, so a person should not use BMI as the sole measure of their health.

Some shortcomings of BMI include:

The BMI ranges are as follows:

BMI does not take into account body composition, age, race, sex, athletic involvement, or other factors. It does not assess lifestyle, diet, or anything else that may help mitigate the potential health effects of having a high body weight.

A persons ideal BMI does not change with various health conditions. However, certain health issues may affect their ability to maintain a BMI within the recommended range.

For this reason, it is sometimes important to discuss weight changes, diet, and exercise with a doctor.

People should discuss their BMI with a doctor if:

Not everyone can maintain a BMI in the normal range, even with a healthful diet and plenty of exercise.

Elite athletes with high muscle mass, for example, may fall into the overweight range.

Similarly, being in the normal range does not necessarily mean that a person is healthy. People who eat unhealthful foods and never exercise may still have a moderate BMI.

For this reason, the best strategy is to focus on promoting general health.

For most people, this will make it easier to attain a BMI in the normal range. People looking to promote their health can try:

BMI is one way to assess a persons weight and predict how it might affect their health.

In the absence of other measures, however, it does not reveal much about a persons well-being.

A person who wants a better understanding of the possible effects of their weight on their overall health should discuss these concerns with a doctor or dietitian.

Excerpt from:
BMI calculator for men: What a healthy BMI is and how to measure it - Medical News Today

FUPA is the slang term for belly fat, with the acronym standing for fat upper pubic area. Some people may find fat around the belly the most difficult type of fat to lose.

The scientific word for FUPA is panniculus, which refers to a growth of dense, fatty tissue on the lower abdomen that sometimes hangs over the pubis and genitals.

This article explains what FUPA is, what causes it, and how a person can reduce it.

It is not possible to lose weight only in one area of the body. No exercise or diet will have this effect. As a person loses weight, it will reduce fairly proportionally all over the body.

However, certain exercises and dietary changes can help a person reduce body fat.

If a person wants to reduce fat in the upper pubic area specifically, they can consider a surgical or nonsurgical procedure.

Workouts targeting the lower abdominal muscles (abs) will help work and strengthen the deeper core muscles.

Below are some exercises that focus on and strengthen the lower abs.

People may initially find this position challenging, but with practice, they can extend the length of time they hold this pose.

People new to abs exercises may wish to start by performing this move with one leg at a time.

This exercise also requires an exercise ball.

The hundred is a classic Pilates exercise.

Those who find this too challenging can try the bent-knee version instead:

A person will need an exercise ball to perform pike rollouts. These are available to use in many gyms.

Performing this exercise might be more comfortable on an exercise mat.

People can take other steps to reduce their body fat, including the FUPA.

There are many myths about cardio for fat burning.

Some people say that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is the most effective approach. HIIT involves short bursts of intense cardio that a person alternates with brief periods of rest.

Others state that a moderate cardio level that someone can sustain for longer periods will keep them in the fat-burn zone.

However, most research in this area has shown that exercise type does not have a significant effect on fat loss.

In a 2017 study comparing HIIT with moderate intensity training, all of the participants lost weight, but the difference was negligible between the two exercise groups.

As there may be little difference between the fat burning capabilities of different types of exercise, a person should choose the cardio exercise that they most enjoy. Options include walking briskly, running, cycling, and joining a group exercise class, among many others.

A common saying states that abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.

Losing the FUPA is the same. Even those who start working out intensely and regularly will likely also need to change their diet to see a significant difference in their belly.

If a person cuts 5001,000 calories a day from their typical diet, they may lose about 12 pounds (lb) a week. Eating healthful foods, such as nuts, lean protein, and vegetables, while avoiding sugary or processed foods will make it easier to create a calorie deficit.

The only way to remove fat from a specific area of the body is with a medical procedure. These can be surgical or noninvasive.

These medical procedures do not require any surgery, anesthesia, or recovery time.

CoolSculpting is one such option. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved this method, which uses ultracold temperatures to freeze fat cells through the skin. The freezing destroys the cells, which the body removes in the urine over the next few weeks.

CoolSculpting might be a good option for those looking to tighten and tone small pockets of fat.

Surgical procedures will produce more dramatic and rapid results in a specific area of the body.

Some surgical options to reduce the FUPA include:

Having a moderate amount of fat in the upper pubic area is normal and natural, despite what popular culture may sometimes suggest.

Fat in this area may develop during puberty as a natural part of body growth. Female bodies generally have a higher percentage of body fat than male bodies and distribute a greater proportion of it around the hip area.

Several factors can cause a FUPA to increase in size, including weight gain and body fat distribution changes.

As a person ages, it is common for the body to start holding more fat around the stomach than in other areas of the body. Certain life changes, such as menopause, are associated with weight gain and changes in body fat distribution.

Adults in the United States gain an average of 12 lb of body weight per year. This rate of weight gain may lead people to develop overweight or obesity as they age. Obesity comes with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among other health conditions.

People can classify belly fat as either subcutaneous or visceral, depending on where the body stores it. Subcutaneous fat sits right under the skin all over the body, and a person can pinch it. Meanwhile, visceral fat is located in the abdominal cavity between the organs.

Studies have linked visceral fat to an increased risk of several diseases. This fat releases more detrimental hormones and proteins into the body than fat elsewhere. These substances can trigger low level inflammation, which is a risk factor for heart disease, and cause blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to rise.

In a FUPA, the fat is just under the skin, so it is subcutaneous fat rather than harmful visceral fat. However, developing a larger FUPA may indicate general weight gain, which could include visceral fat. The presence of visceral fat may also cause the lower belly area to protrude, making a FUPA appear more prominent.

It is important to accept that the body will naturally change with age. However, people should be aware of these changes and, if necessary, make adjustments to their diet and exercise to avoid the health risks associated with excess weight gain.

The FUPA is an accumulation of fat right above the pubic bone.

The best way to lose it is to focus on losing weight across the body as a whole by consuming a healthful diet and increasing cardio workouts to create an overall calorie deficit.

While it is not possible to lose weight only in a specific area, there are ways to strengthen certain parts of the body with exercise. Lower abdominal exercises will help tighten and tone the area above the pubis.

People who only want to remove fat from their lower abdomen can consider a few surgical and nonsurgical procedures.

Read the original post:
How to get rid of FUPA: Exercises, dietary tips, and more - Medical News Today

Sandor Katz, David Quammen and Antonia Trichopoulou will be among the experts involved on the Terra Madre Salone del Gusto platform.

A good diet and an active lifestyle are the best way to ensure a long, healthy life. Whats more, choosing foods made using methods that preserve agrobiodiversity and have a low impact on the climate crisis is the most effective and concrete individual everyday action we can all take to protect the planet.

Those are the principles on which Slow Food has based its work to understand and show how the secret to the health and well-being of individuals, the community and our planet lies in our everyday food. Slow Food believes that the global production system of highly processed foods is the cause of many public health problems, like obesity and malnutrition, around the world. Instead, an approach based on a healthy, pleasure-filled way of eating is not only good for us, it also helps protect the already fragile state of the planet by contributing less to biodiversity loss and the climate crisis.

The Slow Food network has long been active in food and taste education, with initiatives around the world like school canteen projects, school food gardens and campaigns. Slow Food is working hard to increase consumer awareness about health-related issues and to change the food system and food policy in order to ensure everyone can access good, clean and fair food.

Since 2019, this work has been organized more formally, offering anyone who is interested all the tools they need to orient themselves in the subject, available in different languages and at different levels of depth. Articles, interviews, stories about Slow Food Communities, tips for a climate-friendly diet, in-depth topic explorations, scientific studies, videos, online conferences, podcasts: a treasure trove of content, the result of extensive research at the Italian and international level and contributions from the worldwide network, coordinated by the international movement and made possible by the support of Reale Mutua, an Official Supporter of Slow Food Italy. Visit the Food and Health section of the website to find out more.

Starting on January 30 and continuing for a month, there will be a special focus on food and health on the Terra Madre Salone del Gusto platform. Conferences and food talks will feature names like David Quammen talking about the loss of biodiversity and zoonosis, internationally renowned fermentation guru Sandor Katz and Antonia Trichopoulou on the Mediterranean diet and natural food production. Read on for a taste of the program:

January 30 at 11:00 CET

To participate you need to register

here

The nutritional value of the Mediterranean diet is widely recognized by researchers and scientists. At the base of its food pyramid are large amounts of fruit and vegetables, bread and pulses, less animal proteins and more vegetable proteins, and daily consumption of extra-virgin oil as a seasoning. But is it sufficient to talk about bread in general? Are all oils the same? What are the best choices for our health? Are all fruit and vegetables as good as each other, or should we take into account the way theyre grown? Do hybrid and native breeds have the same nutritional characteristics?

Slow Food believes we have to go beyond a simplistic conception of the Mediterranean diet and pay more attention to the quality of the foods we eat, and their effects on our bodies. We should ensure that our food is natural, meaning it should be cultivated with respect for natural resources, and without the use additives, preservatives, starters, colorants, antioxidants, industrial yeasts.

Discussant: Antonia Trichopoulou, MD, PhD, President of the Hellenic Health Foundation and Professor Emeritus, School of Medicine, University of Athens.

With:

Moderator: Nina Wolff, Acting Chairwoman of Slow Food Deutschland

Event languages: IT, EN, FR

February 5 at 18:00 CET

To participate you need to register

here

The effects are being felt in every country around the world, where it has put a strain on human health as well as our economic and social well-being. The outbreak of the pandemic and its devastating consequences have reaffirmed the importance of radically changing our lifestyles and food choices, as they have a massive impact on our health and that of the planet. Scientists, together with the World Health Organization, see the decline of biodiversity as one of the main causes for the spread of new contagious diseases. The struggle to protect biodiversity is crucial: it is the only way to ensure the survival of the human race and indeed the countless other species on that call this planet home.

Can we deal with malnutrition by protecting and promoting biodiversity? Will biodiversity help us preserve the health of ecosystems? What role can policy play in promoting sustainable food systems and healthy diets?

Slow Food will release and discuss its position paper on food and health during the conference.

The conference and the position paper are organized with the support of Reale Mutua.

Event languages: IT, EN

With:

The dialogue will be moderated by Andrea Pezzana, MD, PsyD, Slow Food scientific advisor and contact person for Food and Health. The conference will open with a Food Talk of David Quammen, focusing on the relationship between the loss of biodiversity and the outbreak of zoonoses.

(All Food Talks are available in their original language, with subtitles where necessary).

Jessica Fanzos Food Talk, The Well-Being of the Planet and People, is also part of the Food and Health program within Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, and can be viewed here.

Is it true that eggs are bad for you, and if you stop eating them youll reduce your cholesterol? Is salmon really the best addition to a low-calorie

diet and a good source of omega-3s? Are there equally delicious alternatives that are better for the environment and our health? These and many other questions will be answered in an animated series produced by Slow Food to expose some of the fake news around food and health.

Common beliefs around eggs, salmon, dairy products, meat and light foods will be explored using simple language and illustrated by animated drawings and subtitles, explaining how with a little bit of care, we can make more conscious choices that are better for our health, the environment and even our wallets!

What is the best investment in immediate pleasure that ensures future health? Simple! The secret to a good, clean and fair diet lies in balancing a range of quality foods in our weekly diet and dedicating a little more time and care to food shopping and what we do in the kitchen. Its easier to do than you think! Slow Foods booklet, What Should We Eat? Weigh Your Options! is a great place to start.

See the original post:
FOOD AND HEALTH: A MONTH OF THEMED EVENTS - Slow Food International

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, the need to support your immune system arguably becomes even more urgent. Yet, there are a few habits you may be doing each day that are working against your body's ability to fight off viruses and even certain diseases.

Of course, there are factors that are out of our control (such as older age) that can hinder immune function. This makes it all the more important to focus on the things we can address now to prepare our immune systems for the worst-case scenario later. (Related: The One Vitamin Doctors Are Urging Everyone to Take Right Now).

The experts at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health recently published the Healthy Living Guide 2020/2021, and from it, we extracted seven key factors that can depress your immune system.

Habits you have more control over

Eating a diet that's predominantly made up of processed foods andlacking fresh fruits and vegetablescan weaken your immune system. Processed foods are often either high in saturated fat or loaded in added sugars. Sometimes, they're high in both of those things, and consuming them in excess (and over time) can lead to chronic inflammation in the body, which can tax the immune system.

For more, be sure to check out: Here's Exactly How a Plant-Based Diet Can Protect You From Disease, According to Experts.

As the experts at Harvard point out in this year's guide, lack of sleepor rest, in generalcan hinder the body's ability to fight off infection. As we sleep, a cytokine (which is a molecule that is crucial for immune function) is released that helps to fight infection. So, cutting your sleep short can then decrease the number of cytokines and other important immune cells.

Hint: There are several foods and diet changes that may help you to improve your sleep.

Many of us look forward to having a glass of wine, whiskey, or beer at the end of the workday. But, drinking too much can negatively impact your immune system, too. More specifically, alcohol can impair or suppress the normal activity of immune cells, say Harvard experts.

Try to limit your alcohol consumption to just one drink each day, if not cutting it down to just three or four days a week.

According to the CDC, not only can smoking cigarettes harm the immune system by and making it less successful at fighting disease, but it can also compromise its equilibrium, increasing the risk for several autoimmune disorders.

Chronic stress can silently wreak havoc on your immune system. Stress, which releases the hormone cortisol, can suppress the inflammation necessary to activate immune cells and, as Harvard experts point out, the action of white blood cells. White blood cells, also known as lymphocytes, help to fight off infection, as per the Cleveland Clinic.

As the experts at Harvard point out, having obesity is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation. Adipose, or fat, tissue produces adipocytokines, which can promote inflammatory processes.

"Research is early, but obesity has also been identified as an independent risk factor for the influenza virus, possibly due to the impaired function of T-cells, a type of white blood cell," the experts write.

Working to shed excess weight could potentially tack years onto your life.

Now for the one that you can't always prevent or control

This isn't a habit. For some people, chronic diseases such as autoimmune disorders are unavoidableno matter how healthy they eat or how many hours a week they spend exercising. Many times, people are born with an autoimmune disease, or they develop it later in life without warning. Some of these disorders can attack and potentially disable immune cells, Harvard experts point out.

For more, be sure to read25 Late-Night Habits That Are Ruining Your Weight Loss Efforts.

Read more:
7 Habits That Are Hurting Your Immune System, According to Harvard | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That