People with gastrointestinal (GI) disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often have trouble digesting certain kinds of carbohydrates, which causes a lot of uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation.

In the early 2000s, researchers began looking for ways to describe these carbohydrates: Enter FODMAPs, short for fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, and monosaccharides, and polyols.

"A low FODMAP diet is really only something that needs to be tried if someone has gastrointestinal symptoms," says Jesse Houghton, MD, senior medical director of gastroenterology at SOMC Gastroenterology Associates. "Or if someone has IBS, celiac, food allergies. If a person is not experiencing any frequent bloating, flatulence, diarrhea or discomfort, a low FODMAP diet is not necessary.

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After that, they start slowly reintroducing foods back into their diet one at a time. That way, they can identify which foods trigger their GI symptoms so that they can avoid those foods in the future.

Below are the main FODMAP carbs to avoid:

Fructose: Foods high in fructose include many processed foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup including sodas and candies. But you can also find relatively high amounts of fructose in certain fruits like apples, watermelon, dried fruits, and more.

Lactose: Lactose is a sugar that you can find in most dairy products including milk, cheese (though older, harder cheeses contain little lactose), yogurt, and ice cream. However, it can also turn up in unexpected places including bread, donuts, cookies, processed meats, salad dressings, and more. Check the nutrition label to be sure.

Mannitol: Mannitol occurs naturally in pumpkin, seaweed, celery and mushrooms. But many liquid medications like liquid gel capsules and cough medicines can also contain it.

Galactooligosaccharides: Beans, lentils and other legumes can contain high levels of galactooligosaccharides.

With all of these restrictions, it's hard to figure out what you should eat.

That's because eliminating high FODMAP foods from your diet comes with some risk. Turns out, your body needs these fermentable carbs to feed the good bacteria in your gut. Eliminating all FODMAP-containing foods could starve those bacteria, explains Shawn Talbott, a nutrition and biochemistry expert.

"When those bacteria are at suboptimal levels, we see increases in inflammation, stress, depression and other problems," Talbott says.

The low FODMAP diet "is a short-term elimination diet," says Pierce. "This is not a sustainable long-term diet."

If, however, you find that you need to eliminate the bulk of high FODMAP foods, you should consult a registered dietitian about any key nutrients you might be missing and how to balance your diet so you're still getting enough nutrients.

Consult your physician before starting this diet to make sure it'll work for your personal health needs.

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If you aspire to have a brain like Socrates, eat like a Greek.

The Mediterranean-style diet, full of vegetables, fruits, olive oil, moderate amounts of whole grains, fish, poultry, and nuts is neuroprotective; in other words, it's good for your noggin. In fact, a variation of the Mediterranean diet called the MIND diet intervention, which also limits sodium and processed foods, has been shown to slow brain aging by 7.5 years and reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

"Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain," says Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, PhD, a UCLA professor of integrative biology and physiology. And depending upon what you're eating, that can either help or harm your cognitive ability. For example: "Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain's ability to learn and remember information," says Gomez-Pinilla. "But adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimize the damage."

So, while you're angling to get more fatty fish into your diet, burn some neurons conjuring up ways to eliminate these worst foods for your brain health below. And while you're at it, erase these 11 Worst Frozen Foods from your grocery list as well.

Foods fried in partially hydrogenated oils like French fries, chicken nuggets, battered fish, mozzarella sticks, wontons, and onion rings, contain some of the highest amounts of trans fatty acids. Trans fats are manufactured hydrogenated vegetable oils that stay solid at room temperature, so they won't spoil. Trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol and lower the good stuff, boosting your heart disease risk; studies show they're also harmful to the brain. A 10-year Japanese study involving 1,600 elderly people who did not have dementia found that those with the highest levels of industrial trans fats in their blood were up to 75% more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or dementia by the end of the trial.

Trans fat-laden fried foods showed up regularly in a dietary survey of 1,018 people who were also given a memory test by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. Their study published in PLOS ONE found that young men with the highest intake of trans fats performed the worst on a test of word recall. "Trans fats were most strongly linked to worse memory in men during their high productivity years," said Beatrice A Golomb, MD, a professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "As I tell patients, while trans fats increase the shelf life of foods, they reduce the shelf life of people." Did you know that french fries also happen to fall on the list ofThe 7 Foods Most Likely to Make You Gain Weight?

You're aware of the health benefits of the flavanols found in dark chocolate. But you may not know that some chocolates, cocoa powders, cacao nibs, and even dark chocolates may contain neurotoxic heavy metals. A study of cocoa trees in Peru found that certain tree varieties pull high levels of cadmium from the soil that end up in chocolate bars and cocoa powder. In an analysis of chocolate products currently on the market, ConsumerLab.com found that some chocolate bars contained toxic levels of cadmium. "There's a limit to how much cadmium you should get," says Tod Cooperman, MD, president of ConsumerLab.com. While the United States has set no federal guidelines on cadmium in foods, California recommends limiting consumption to 4.1 micrograms per day. "I wouldn't have more than one cup of cocoa per day," Cooperman says. You can find a review of the tested chocolate products at ConsumerLab.com.

If you're looking to thread the needle between reaping the benefits of chocolate while avoiding the bad, stick to no more than one serving of chocolate per day.

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Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can be detrimental to your mental capacity. They are loaded with refined sugars like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which has been shown to promote inflammation and oxidative stress. "Unfortunately, just like an expensive car, your brain can be damaged if you ingest anything other than premium fuel," writes Eva Selhub, MD, in the Harvard Health Blog. "Multiple studies have found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain functionand even a worsening of symptoms of mood disorders, such as depression," writes Dr. Selhub, who is a clinical associate of the Benson Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. In studies on rats, researchers found that a short-term diet high in refined sugars changed more than 200 sequenced genes (that are comparable to those in humans) in the hippocampus, a brain area crucial to memory. Support your brain health and replace soda with any of these 13 Healthy Foods That Boost Your Memory, According to Nutritionists.

You may have noticed, in other people of course, that booze can impair judgment and make otherwise intelligent people do and say stupid things. But, seriously, heavy alcohol consumption can cause significant cognitive dysfunction. In fact, studies have shown that long-term alcohol dependence can reduce the volume of your gray and white matter. In other words, it can shrink your brain. In work published in the journal Alcohol Research Clinical Reviews doctors using functional magnetic resonance imaging tested chronic alcoholics who had abstained from drinking for at least five days and discovered deficits in areas of the brain involved in verbal learning, processing speed, attention, problem-solving, and impulsivity.

But like most foods and drinks that affect your body, quantity often determines if you suffer a cost or gain a benefit. Recently a large, nationally representative study published in JAMA gave social drinkers something to toast: a few drinks may be good for preserving, not pickling, your brain. The University of Georgia analysis examined data on the more than 19,000 participants involved the decade-long Health and Retirement Study. Compared with never drinkers, low to moderate drinkers were less likely to experience a decline in mental status and such cognitive abilities as word recall and vocabulary. If you're not a drinker and thinking you should start, "don't," say the researchers. But if you're curious, the optimal number of drinks per week was between 10 and 14, according to corresponding study author Changwei Li, MD, PhD, MPH, of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Georgia College of Public Health.

Artificially sweetened beverages don't contain sugar but, as we've reported in the past, they do have negative health effects, namely weight gain and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. A 2019 study in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke points to another potential problem, this one involving the brain. The researchers analyzed data on over 81,000 women and, after adjusting for common stroke risk factors, found that women who consumed 24 or more ounces of artificially sweetened beverages per day were 23% more likely to have a stroke than those who drank less than 12 ounces weekly. For more, don't missDangerous Side Effects of Drinking Soda Every Day, According to Science.

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5 Worst Foods for Your Brain, According to Doctors | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

How does what you eat affect your chances of fighting infection such as the coronavirus? A Virginia Tech professor explains how diet can make a difference.

How does what you eat affect your chances of fighting viruses such as the coronavirus? A Virginia Tech professor detailed how diet can make a difference.

I think the biggest mistake people are making is (thinking) there is nothing they can do beyond social isolation to defend themselves against infections, said Carlin Rafie, an assistant professor at Virginia Tech and a registered dietitian.

Rafie has expertise in nutrition and dietetics, focused on health education of Virginia residents through the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

In addition to social distancing and wearing a mask, there are ways people can boost their personal defense system while waiting to get the coronavirus vaccine.

Rafie said bodies are highly capable of managing disease and defending against disease. One way to start is by eating more fruits and vegetables.

The dietary recommendations recommends about two cups of fruits a day and three cups of vegetables a day. But only one out of 10 Americans actually consume that amount, Rafie said.

Rafie believes that by increasing the number of servings of fruits and vegetables, the risk for disease can be decreased and health may be improved.

Fruits and vegetables high in vitamins A and C boost the immune system.

Vitamin A plays a really important role in the integrity of our skin and digestive tract, the epithelial tissue thats where a lot of infection gets in including respiratory tissue, Rafie said. Respiratory is kind of an epithelial tissue.

So which vegetables should you choose?

They should be the ones you like, otherwise youre not going to eat them, she said.

Think also in terms of varieties of colors and forms and vegetables, fresh, cooked, canned and frozen.

So that you consume them in sufficient quantities and variety, Rafie said.

Its not just fruits and vegetables that can help your body fight off disease, but a dose of dairy can also help, specifically dairy fortified with vitamin D.

Vitamin D plays an important role for balancing immune response in the immune system, Rafie said.

Dont do dairy? Rafie said you can look for alternative milk products or even orange juice fortified with vitamin D.

Rafie also recommends fermented foods with live active cultures, such as yogurt or kombucha, which are good for your digestive system and intestinal tract.

Having a really healthy intestinal tract and digestive system is really important to immune function, Rafie said.

Many people dont associate the two, but 70-80% of immune system lies in our GI tract. You need a healthy microbiome in the digestive tract, which fermented yogurt and such can give, Rafie said.

Other possibilities are sauerkraut that hasnt been pasteurized, kimchi and buttermilk.

But overall, Rafie said it is important to watch how much you are eating, and keep an eye on the scale.

Being obese has lots of health consequences. It also has consequences on your immune function, Rafie said.

Before the pandemic, many had regular routines that kept them eating healthy and exercising. While that doesnt always work with pandemic restrictions, Rafie said its time to create a new normal and get back into healthy habits.

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You probably already know that you can't TV dinner your way into a healthy lifestyle. Frozen foods are quick, easy, and usually pretty affordable, but they're rarely the best way for you to get the nutrients you need. Still, even if you understand in theory that microwaving up a Costco chicken pot pie for dinner isn't the healthiest choice you could be making, you might not be exactly sure what the problem is.

Of course, there's a lot of misinformation out there. Contrary to what some may think, not all frozen foods are bad for you, and many frozen ingredients can be a key part of a healthy meal. Still, if you don't know what you're buying, you could be seriously hurting your body.

Here are some of the dangers you run the risk of exposing yourself to when you shop in the freezer aisle. For more on how to be smart about your frozen food choices, check out the 25 Best Frozen Dinners for Healthier Weeknights.

According to the CDC, more than 70% of the sodium we consume comes from processed and prepared foods like frozen meals. Eating too much sodium can increase your blood pressure, leaving you at an increased risk of stroke and/or heart disease.

Some frozen foods, especially frozen pizza and other pies, contain harmful partially hydrogenated oil, which could be putting your heart in serious danger, according to the American Heart Association. Check the ingredients of whatever frozen food you're buying to avoid this artery-clogging fate.

Many frozen foods contain MSG, which could have harmful side effects for those sensitive to it. Some research suggests the additive has the potential to give you headaches, make your uvula swell up, and cause you to break out in whole-body sweats.

Many of the most popular frozen foods are low-calorie meals like Lean Cuisines, which contain way fewer than the number of calories per meal recommended by nutritionists. When you don't get enough energy from your food, you're hurting your body. As dietitian Kimberly Gomer tells U.S. News & World Report, "The body will start sacrificing muscle, as it is more metabolically 'expensive' to maintain. So you lose weight, then break your diet and overeat."

Frozen meals' biggest advantageyou don't have to cook them yourselfis also their biggest drawback. According to a clinical nutrition study, people who cook for themselves experience more intense positive emotions, less intense negative emotions, and less worry than those who don't, so skip the TV dinner if you want to live a happy life.

A report from health watchdog Environmental Working Group estimated that a whopping 2,000 synthetic chemicals may be used in processed foods like frozen meals, and that these chemicals don't need to be approved by the FDA. "We don't know what the long-term impacts are," Dawn Undurraga, an EWG nutritionist, told Sierra Magazine. "And even the science we do have raises questions."

For more, check out the 11 Worst Frozen Foods to Always Leave on Grocery Store Shelves.

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Immune system activity is enhanced after a viral infection such as COVID-19

Although the immune system is always working to prevent pathogens from invading the body, as well as eliminating those pathogens and generating an immunological memory, the metabolic activity of immune cell types is enhanced following a viral infection such as COVID-19. That heightened activity is accompanied by a higher demand of energy and nutrients, which come from diet, to meet the immune cells requirements.

In a new comprehensive review, Prof. Philip Calder from the University of Southampton provides an update on the role of nutrition in supporting the immune system as part of the current fight against COVID-19.

Different levels of evidence have shown the following as key nutrients involved in reducing infection risk by supporting antibacterial and antiviral defense:

The mechanisms by which each of the nutrients named above support the immune system include the strengthening of innate immune responses and antioxidant systems. Likewise, the gut microbiome also plays a role through its involvement in training the immune system and avoiding excessive inflammatory responses to pathogenic organisms. Furthermore, it has been shown to be altered in patients with COVID-19.

Although zinc and selenium have been shown to be particularly relevant for supporting antiviral defense, there is no single nutrient or diet that will prevent people getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 or have an impact on mortality in COVID-19. The immune system plays a central role in protecting against infection, but due to its complexity and the multiple ways in which it deals with viruses, the best advice is to consume a healthy, diverse and well-balanced diet that will provide the nutrients required to achieve a healthy gut microbiome, which can also benefit the immune system.

Considering that some patients with COVID-19 have been shown to have an altered gut microbiome, coupled with gastrointestinal symptoms, probiotics could be used as means of reducing bacterial translocation and secondary infection. However, even though probiotics containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium have been shown to improve immune function and enhance the response to some vaccinations, it is still early to conclude whether the gut microbiome plays a therapeutic role in preventing or treating COVID-19.

In some COVID-19 patients, an excessive inflammatory reaction (called a cytokine storm) can occur as a compensatory reaction by immune cells for dealing with lung damage. In that regard, Philip Calder acknowledges in the review that the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) seem to be relevant in resolving ongoing inflammatory processes in patients with an outbreak of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Although there is no specific evidence that nutrients alone can help protect against or lessen the effects of COVID-19, eating well and keeping a healthy weight will help the immune system cope better with the demands placed on the body before, during and after COVID-19 infection.

The World Health Organization has stressed the importance of a balanced diet to maintain a strong immune system and to avoid or minimize infections during the COVID-19 outbreak. For instance, the WHO has recommended consuming 9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day, which is more than in the usual dietary recommendations.

Although micronutrients, nutraceuticals and probiotics could be of interest for enhancing immunity during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is too early to make specific recommendations due to the small number of intervention studies that have been published.

In particular, patients with malnutrition, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and respiratory diseaseand especially older peopleare at a higher risk of complications from COVID-19 and will require personalized nutrition advice. In an attempt to provide specific nutritional advice for supporting the proper functioning of the immune system, the International Society for Immunonutrition has suggested increasing the intake of vitamin E, zinc and vitamin C in older people, along with vitamin D if they have a low serum vitamin D status.

So far, the most effective way of limiting the spread of COVID-19 is by preventing contact between people. Although several vaccines have been developed for prevention of SARS CoV-2, mass vaccination roll-out will take months. Meanwhile, nutrition should be considered in any approach to ensure that individuals immune systems are well supported, even though no nutrition studies have been published yet in the context of COVID-19.

References:

Calder PC. Nutrition, immunity and COVID-19. BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2020; 3(1):74-92. doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000085.

World Health Organization. Nutrition advice for adults during the COVID-19 outbreak [cited 3 December 2020]. Available from: http://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/nutrition-infocus/nutrition-advice-for-adults-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.html.

Jayawardena R, Sooriyaarachchi P, Chourdakis M, et al. Enhancing immunity in viral infections, with special emphasis on COVID-19: a review. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020; 14(4):367-382. doi: 10.1016/j.dsx.2020.04.015.

Derbyshire E, Delange J. COVID-19: is there a role for immunonutrition, particularly in the over 65s? BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2020; 3(1):100-105. doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000071.

International Society for Immunonutrition. ISIN Position Statement on Nutrition, Immunity and COVID-19. 2020 March [cited 2 December 2020]. In: ISIN [Internet]. Available from: https://www.immunonutrition-isin.org/docs/isinComunicadoCovid19.pdf.

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I quit smoking. I quit drinking. I even quit exercising. (Maybe I should pick that one back up.) But so help me God, Im not giving up my Diet Coke. And I dont give one shit about what you think.

Understand, I am not a diet soda addict. If a restaurant serves Pepsi, Im out. Id rather choke down a glass of flavorless, non carbonated, lifeless water before Id swish that nasty stuff in my mouth. I dont care to try your ultra-caffeinated Mountain Dew and dont dare offer me a Coke Zero because, It all tastes the same. Ummmmm, no. No thank you, it sure doesnt.

Every morning I get my kids up for school and head straight to the fridge. I grab my first can. Its cold, its refreshing and it centers me. I take my vitamins, serve up some Pop Tarts and Im on my way out the door. By the time we get to school, Im 12 ounces in and feeling great. Depending upon whether I remembered my purse or not, I may hit the McDonalds drive thru for 32 ounces of fun. Did you know McDonalds uses a special water filtration system and to pump just the right amount of carbonation into their D.C.? Well, it does. Youre welcome! Thats why its at the top of my list for a fresh one. I do miss the styrofoam cups, but I guess the environment wins.

Ill work on that one for a while. I enjoy it. I savor it. Those bubbles burst in my mouth like champagne, but that sweet taste is so much better. My husband tells me its bad for my kidneys and other things I ignore. He drinks coffee all day. That cant be much better. Plus, its all hot and my flashing self needs no more heat in my life! And, lets not forget that Im constantly looking for the sales and saving us money. Target hooks me up with 3/$12.00 on the reg. How much are you blowing on those K-Cups, pal?

And now I will rank my Diet Coke experiences. First and foremost, give me a fountain. There is nothing quite like it. I could probably live off those alone. Next, ice cold can. All day long I can pop them and never get bored. Individual bottle is next in line. They just fizz out too quickly. I mean, if its all youve got Ill take it, but its definitely not my fav. Then youve got the 2 liter. Thats my absolute last choice. Especially if its been sitting a while. It loses all of its carb and is just flat. But again, if Ive gotta gag it down, I will.

All of these people I know drink water. And they think that I should too. One, its gross. Two, it tastes like nothing. Three, I have to pee soooo much when I drink it. I have four kids, I dont have time for all that peeing. Give me the dehydration from the aspartame any day. Plus, Diet Coke is delicious!

You call me an addict. I prefer connoisseur, knowledgeable, an expert if you will. There was a time when I was addicted to Salem Slim Lights and Budweiser. Perhaps its my personality. But Ill be damned if I have to give up every vice in my life. Plus, if youre not truly passionate about something, I think it makes you boring.

You may disagree with my choices. You may think youre all healthy and stuff and one day Ill regret my D.C.s. Well guess what? Youre the one whos missing out. Youre the one whos no fun and all judgy with your coconut La Croix. Im living the high life. Im happy. I know whats best for me. Mind your business. And like they said back in the 80s, Im in it, Just for the taste of it! Diet Coke.

P.S. Your La Croix tastes like shit.

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Cashews grow on towering, tropical evergreen trees (some measure more than 40 feet tall!), but these versatile nuts can also appear in salads, stir fries, and tofu bowls and even transform into dairy-free yogurt, milk, ice cream, and queso dip.

Like other nuts, cashews provide a plethora of vitamins and minerals as well as filling protein and fiber. They're not only good for you, but also good for the planet, says Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, Registered Dietitian for the Good Housekeeping Institute.

"All nuts provide a vegan source of protein that promotes a more plant-forward diet, making nuts a more sustainable choice when compared to red meat and other animal products," she says. Get the full lowdown on these nutrition-packed nuts below.

Serving Size: 1 ounce

Not only do cashews taste great and work well in vegan dishes, but they can also boost your body in a number of ways:

Stick to a 1 ounce serving (about cup) per day, Sassos recommends, and you'll reap all of the nutritional benefits of cashews.

Yes, cashews can help support a healthy diet and prevent weight gain. "Cashews and nuts in general may be high in calories, but they are also nutrient-dense and packed with a slew of vitamins and minerals," Sassos explains.

In fact, multiple studies have found that consuming nuts regularly especially in place of less healthy foods like red meat or refined carbs can help prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes. The high protein and fiber content in nuts help keep people feeling fuller for longer.

While all nuts offer their own pros, almonds have the most fiber. They're also rich in Vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps support a healthy immune system.

"Brazil nuts are a less popular nut variety but are a serious nutrition powerhouse," Sassos adds. "They are an excellent source of selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce risk of developing certain cancers." What's more, you only need to eat one Brazil nut to get an entire days worth of selenium.

Roasted pistachios also deserve a special call-out. These vibrant nuts are considered a complete source of protein since they contain adequate levels of all nine essential amino acids. "I also like that pistachios with the shell take some time to eat, forcing you to slow down during snack time and eat a bit more mindfully," Sassos says.

No matter which type of nut you choose, go for a raw or roasted version that's either unsalted or lightly salted. "Pay attention to the nutrition label and ingredients list," Sassos says. "The ingredients should really only include the nut itself maybe salt and a little oil but thats it. Avoid varieties with loads of added sugar and excessively high sodium counts."

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