Healthy eating means providing your body with the necessary nutrients to maintain your health, feel good, have energy and sustain or boost your performance. Whatever your sporting level might be, good nutrition is important for everyone.

The food we eat provides the necessary energy we need to survive and perform. Your body requires the following nutrients to thrive:

A healthy diet will include a good balance of all the nutrients above. On a basic level, food sustains every bodily function through the energy it provides our bodies with it is, plainly, the fuel we need to survive.

There are, of course, many qualities of fuel. Providing our bodies with healthy food, especially for athletes, is not only important to lead a better life but to have enough energy to exercise and, more importantly, recover and improve.

Take control of your health.

Good eating habits will vary from individual to individual based on their activities and lifestyles, yet there are overall guidelines all fitness enthusiasts should follow to ensure success in their sporting journey.

Eating healthy does not only prevent many forms of disease, but also helps athletes perform to the best of their ability, as it impacts strength, injury risk, performance and recovery.

Good nutrition will ensure that the hours you spend training are not wasted.

Follow these seven healthy eating habits to succeed in your fitness journey.

The key to healthy eating is to balance the energy you consume with the energy you expend. You should eat enough calories to sustain your daily activities without topping over what your body needs, as this will lead to weight gain.

Conversely, eating and drinking too little will lead to weight loss and, in the case of athletes, poor performance and an increased risk of injury.

For most people, eating the right amount of food (a balance between calories consumed and calories burnt) is the most important eating habit to follow to stay healthy.

A good and easy way to invest in your health is a quality blender, as a good one will last a lifetime, give you full control over what you add to your food, and provide you with easily digestible, nutrient-rich foods, creams or sauces.

Generally, the more processes your food has gone through, the lower its nutritional value.

The term whole foods describes natural, unprocessed foods (usually comprising a single ingredient). Whole foods tend to be nutrient-dense and have fewer calories per serving than processed foods.

To make sure youre getting the most out of the beneficial elements packed in fruits and vegetables is to, largely, eat them in their natural form.

While there are many (often conflicting) diets out there, one consistent finding is that a diet of minimally processed foods close to nature, predominantly plants, is decisively associated with health promotion and disease prevention.

Having full control of what goes into your food is not only cost-effective but also the healthier option, as you can avoid empty calories and the added preservatives and sweeteners that come in most packaged food. It also means you can make meals and snacks based on your personal eating preferences and taste.

For example, with a blender you can make your own nut butter out of 100% peanuts, or a whole fruit smoothie.

Get up to $190 off select Vitamix blenders only this weekend or while supplies last

Often overlooked, an important way to stick to healthy eating habits is to enjoy the food you eat.

A plain rocket salad, while excellent for athletes with its rich vitamin stores, is simply quite boring. But preparing rocket in a fun way or adding it to your daily morning smoothie are great ways to include this excellent ingredient in your diet.

Find ways to make good food interesting (and delicious) and youre more likely to consume it.

A Vitamix Blender and accessories such as the Aer Disc Containerlets you whip, emulsify, muddle or foam ingredients according to your needs and taste. The Vitamix allows you to get creative with your diet, adding different textures to your dishes and presenting new ways to enjoy your food.

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Progress takes time, so consistency is key when it comes for forming and following healthy eating habits.

Just as one meal wont throw off your whole diet, you cant expect one healthy dish to suddenly make you feel great. You shouldnt feel bad about including refined sugars in your diet as athletes these are sometimes good sources of energy for exercise but make sure you stay consistent in your healthy choices.

Unless you have a specific disease or dietary requirement, no food needs to be entirely off limits. By basing the vast majority of your diet on whole foods, youll be able to enjoy occasional treats while still achieving excellent health.

A sustainable diet is one you can see yourself following for the next two or three years. An extreme diet might work wonders at first, but will prevent you from developing long-term, healthy eating habits.

Generally, foods that are easy to cook are more likely to be consumed. As humans with limited time, were more likely to choose to eat something hassle-free, even if its less nutritious, over a healthy meal if this requires a long time to prep or is complicated to cook.

Having meals pre-planned and ready enables you to consistently meet your fitness and performance goals. Pre-preparing your meals brings consistency and gives you more room to think about what youre eating (and will eat) and the amount of carbs, fats and protein in your food.

Proper regimented meal prep ensures youre getting the right amounts of:

Chopping or preparing your food in advance can also make your decision making easier in future as theres less hassle involved around your food, so youre less likely to stick a frozen pizza in the oven.

The Vitamix Certified Reconditioned Venturist V1200comes with a SELF-DETECT blending cup that allows you to quickly make your food, store it easily or take it to go.

Its nice and comforting to have a cookie cupboard, but having easy access to unhealthy choices makes us more likely to succumb to temptation. While you dont have to go to the lengths of forbidding yourself to have cookies, not having a separate, special place for them in your kitchen will reduce the chances of you eating them.

Create a new environment for yourself that makes healthier choices easier and bad ones harder.

For example, avoid the junk food isles when grocery shopping or add small barriers to unhealthy eating (such as putting a small amount of money away every time to finish a bar of chocolate, then donate the money to charity). Adding friction to unhealthy choices makes you less likely to take them.

Conversely, make healthier choices easier. Chopping an apple at the start of the day or replacing sweets with dates are both good places to start.

Another important healthy eating habit is to eat a wide range of foods to make sure youre getting a balanced diet and your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs.

A variety of colours and textures in your food is a good way to make sure youre meeting your nutritional needs. These include:

The chemicals that give foods their colours each have unique health benefits (for example, red foods contain important antioxidants, orange foods are high in carotenoids and green foods are packed full of fibre, vitamins and minerals). Eating the full rainbow means consuming a variety of foods so your body gets all the essential nutrients it needs.

Variety in your dishes is important for good health. With a Vitamix blenderyou can create steaming-hot soups or frozen sorbets, chunky salsas or silky smoothies. Best of all, you can pack full rainbows in all of them.

GO BEYOND BLENDING

When physically active, your body will use up more energy. This can help with weight control or loss if that is your aim, or you might find that you need to consume more food to replace the extra energy used.

Healthy eating habits for athletes can have many benefits, including:

Healthy eating is not just going to improve your quality of life now, but also ensure you live more years free of chronic disease in the future.

Athletic performance and recovery from exercise are enhanced by optimal nutrition. During times of high physical activity, all athletes should ensure they meet their nutritional needs to maintain body weight, replenish glycogen stores and provide protein for the building and repair of tissue.

Fuel yourself properly!

A blender is a great step towards healthy eating. Enjoy Cyber Weekend deals of up to $190 off on Vitamix blenders.

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All content within this article is provided for general information only and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Always consult a dietitian before making big changes to your diet.

Original post:
7 Healthy Eating Habits All Fitness Enthusiasts Should Follow - BOXROX

DENVER (CBS4) Staff at the Denver Zoo spends each morning preparing food for more than 3,000 animals living on the grounds. They have to take into consideration the nutritional needs and dietary restrictions for each species.

The daily feedings are one of the many procedures that happen before guests ever arrive. They also take place behind the scenes while guests visit.

It takes a lot of thought, and a lot of effort and a lot of experience to get it right, even for domestic animals, said Jason Williams, the nutrition director at the Denver Zoo.I love it, I look at what I do everyday and even 20 years in, I still pinch myself.

Williams says along with a nutrition manager he decides what goes in the diets while she handles the logistics of bringing in the food and making sure they have enough. The zoo spends $1 million on food each year for its animals. It must consider where the species come from, what is in season and if any medical conditions might impact their diet.

We do try to mimic as closely as we can what their nutrient profile would be in the wild, he told CBS4 on Wednesday.Its tough job, its a challenging job, and its important job. And getting nutrition right for each and every species is incredibly important to their overall animal health.

Williams creates diet sheets for every animal. He says there is a lot of math involved, and the range of animals include Asian elephants to porcupines. The work he and others do help to create a bond with animals that the staff love and care for each day.

I hope our guests know that when they see their animals enjoy enrichment as food or just seeing the eat their diet, that theyre watching the hard work of everyone at the Zoo, said Carlie McGuire, the public relations coordinator for the zoo.

The Denver Zoo was closed for 87 days but the keepers, nutritionists, and veterinarians remained at work the entire time. During the shutdown, the nonprofit was unable to earn the revenue they depend on from visitors.

When you include the operating expense and the income they were unable to make at that time, the Denver Zoo is losing $1 million a month.

ZOOtrition is a campaign to help people support the Denver Zoo while measuring the food they could provide to an animal for a period of time, like the hay for an elephant to eat in one week. While the organization collects donations all year, they hope the public will continue to contribute to their work during Giving Tuesday and Colorado Gives Day in December.

Williams says the work they do is complex and tough but important to the overall health of the animals. He wants guests to know how intricate the process is for all involved.

If youre able to do that, it really gives you a sense of accomplishment because youve made that animals life better, he said. Its a big responsibility but its rewarding in ways I probably cant put in words.

For more information about the campaign, and to donate, visit denverzoo.org/support/.

Original post:
Denver Zoo Launches ZOOtrition Campaign To Help Feed Animals During COVID Pandemic - CBS Denver

You may have heard the term yo-yo dieting before, but what does it actually mean?

Yo-yo dieting refers to the cycle of changing your diet to lose weight, and then putting it back on once you have lost it... and so the cycle continues.

Many people find themselves stuck in a rut with food and get caught up in the yo-yo diet culture. This not only affects your body shape and composition, but also affects your mental health too.

So, lets take a look at how you can remove yourself from this cycle.

Firstly, and possibly the most important point, understand that a calorie is not a bad thing. A calorie is simply a unit of energy that our body needs to function. Some people need more than others depending on their height, weight, and age. If you want to find out what your calorie range is, I recommend using Myfitnesspal to calculate yours. Focus more on nutrient intake of foods rather than how many calories it has.

Secondly, do not starve yourself! Your body needs fuel to move, operate, and function. If your body is lacking in nutrients, you will feel tired and deflated. Not to mention deficient in vitamins and minerals which affect things like hair, eye, and skin health.

Incorporate more fruits and vegetables in your diet. On average, fruits and vegetables are significantly low in calories compared to other foods and are nutrient rich. This means that you can include more of these types of foods in your diet without going over your daily calorie intake. The added nutrients will help with cell function, and the high fibre aspect will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

A diet which may be working for your friend, may have the complete opposite affect for you. Its important to remember that there is no such thing as a 'one box fits all' diet. Factors that affect your diet are age, height, muscle mass, body fat mass, metabolism, intolerances, allergies, microbiome composition, physical activity, stress levels, smoking, sleep, etc. As you can see, there are many factors that affect your diet. Thats why its important to find what works for you and only you. A food diary is a good way of tracking your diet to see what foods are working for you, and what foods are not.

Lastly, life is all about balance, and that goes for your diet too. When you eat something that you consider 'bad', dont feel guilty for it. If its a one off, it will not affect you. If you have a takeaway on the weekend, it will not affect you. Yes, our body doesnt need that food and there is no nutritional value to it. But realistically, its a treat and not part of our usual diet.

Start looking at food as a healthy energy source rather than a negative aspect of your life and improve your relationship with food for good.

Adam Robinson is an online-based fitness and nutrition coach in North Wales.

For more details visit http://www.coachadamrobinson.com

If you have any questions for Adam, email claire.pierce@newsquest.co.uk

Continued here:
How to stop yo-yo dieting, and improve your relationship with food - LeaderLive

During a recent interview, trainer Jillian Michaels reignited an ongoing feud over the keto diet with hosts Andy Cohen and Al Roker. While appearing on the #ADULTING podcast hosted by Zack Peter and Abigail Fraher, the Biggest Loser host recounted the beginning of the feudand may have started a new one with Teddi Mellencamp.

Like with keto Al Roker and Andy Cohen I was like, Great, lets have this debate! [They were] gone. Vanished! Bye, bye. Gone! said Michaels, who denounced keto in 2019 (in a Women's Health interview) and said it's "bad for a million reasons." She believes that keto is not a sustainable nutrition plan for weight loss. You know, anybody who paleo, vegan I mean, bring it! So, you have to do your work and be prepared in order to put something out in the world that has staying power and that delivers on the results.

After her impassioned argument against keto, Roker (who was following the keto diet in 2019) tweeted that Michaels "promoted on camera bullying, deprivation, manipulation and more weekly in the name of weight loss. Now those sound like bad ideas

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Cohen made Michaels his "Jackhole of the Day" on Watch What Happens Live and said, "a lot of people think Jillian Michaels is a bad idea."

On TheSkimm's podcast last year, she doubled down on her claims about keto. Whats so disappointing is that for years Ive done the Today show. For years Ive done segments with this guy. I was always greeted with the Kiddo, right? And the big hug and the Hows the family? and, like, I always thought we were homies, she said of Roker. Im not just a fitness trainer. I have three certifications. I do continuing education. Im a certified nutritionist." Andy Cohen, she said, "is just not a nice guy. And Ive said that for many years.

During this latest podcast appearance, she also commented on Real Housewives alum Teddi Mellencamp's fitness accountability program called All In by Teddi, which came under fire in September after it became clear that there are no nutritionists or licensed healthcare providers on staff. The program can cost as much as $599 in the first few weeks.

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You know, these women are not, theyre not nutritionists. Theyre not registered dietitians. It sounds like theyre not certified fitness experts, Michaels said. And it doesnt sound like they got all of those individuals behind their program. And I could very well be wrong I dont know but it doesnt sound like they did. So, this is where I would say, look, get out of your lane. You dont see me commenting on politics? I dont understand half of these policies. Im not an economist. I didnt go to school to study foreign policy. You know what I mean? Thats not my lane I would say, stay in your lane. And when youre in your lane, do your work.

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Jillian Michaels Reignites Feud With Andy Cohen And Al Roker, And Maybe Starts A New One With Teddi Mellencamp - Women's Health

New research- shows that almost three quarters of Kiwis agree that red meat is good for their health and nutrition, with only seven percent disagreeing. This overwhelming recognition for the nutrition credentials of red meat coincides with the release of The Role of Red Meat in Healthy and Sustainable New Zealand Diets report, produced for Beef + Lamb New Zealand.

Beef + Lamb New Zealands Head of Nutrition Fiona Windle was pleased that the substantial body of evidence supporting sensible consumption of red meat was recognised by the vast majority of the public.

"The role red meat plays in the diets of Kiwis has received plenty of consideration over recent years. The aim of this report is to provide a New Zealand-centric, peer-reviewed summary of the evidence to help inform and bring balance to a discourse that has too often become binary and, at times, unconstructive in its attempt to charter a pragmatic path forward. It is so encouraging to see so many of us feel good about eating red meat."

The Role of Red Meat in Healthy and Sustainable New Zealand Diets report is a fourth evolution of a piece of work that has been underpinning Beef + Lamb New Zealands nutrition work for 20 years. Contributors and reviewers of the report - who collectively have well over a century of expertise between them, have assessed the current body of evidence relating to nutrition and environment, and the interfacing areas of food systems and sustainable nutrition, when it comes to New Zealand beef and lamb.

Professor Derrick Moot an, agricultural expert from Lincoln University said: "In New Zealand, at least 90% of our land cannot be farmed for crops, making our pasture-fed system unique in the global context. Often our voice is lost in the global conversation around food production systems, however we know that overseas academics are looking to learn from us and how we have embraced our environmental challenges. Unlike the rest of the world, our animals spend their whole lives outside - 365 days a year. Not only that, but we are close to being carbon neutral, making New Zealand a leader in carbon sequestration. Our production systems are as natural as we can get right now. We are good at agriculture and need to be proud of that."

Other interesting conclusions drawn from the consumer research include close to two thirds of Kiwis stating that red meat was an excellent source of both iron and protein. However, it was the functional benefits the nutrients in red meat contribute that New Zealanders have less awareness of.

Fiona Windle added, "For any New Zealanders feeling like your consumption of grass-fed New Zealand beef and lamb is being challenged, I encourage you to feel reassured with your decision, and remember the benefits of including red meat in your diet are wide-ranging and significant. Your energy levels, your immune system, helping you focus at work or school, your skin health, fertility and muscles are all supported by the nutrients from red meat.

"To see for yourself, I encourage you to read the report and look at the hundreds of studies supporting this position."

Read more here:
Majority of Kiwis recognise the role of red meat in a healthy diet - Beef and Lamb - Voxy

Jaggery or Gur is an ultimate winter superfood. The natural sweetener is not only a healthier alternative of refined sugar but also has numerous potential health benefits. Loaded with iron, vitamin C, protein, magnesium and potassium, gur is something that every person must include in their diet, especially when the temperature drops.

Winters as we all know can cause or aggravate myriad of health conditions like asthma, allergy, cold and flu. Making jaggery a part of your daily diet can help boost your immunity, reduce the risk of respiratory disorders, throat problems and digestive issues. Celebrity Nutritionist Rujuta Dewakar also vouches for having jaggery in the winter season. In her Instagram post, she wrote that when jaggery is mixed with other superfoods "it uses its power to improve their efficacy." She shared 10 combinations that can help to provide relief from different health ailments.

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Jaggery (gudd) for winters: 10 jaggery combinations that work wonderfully in boosting health - Times of India

ITS the little things that matter. When it comes to diet and nutrition, our little daily habits are the things that make a real impact on our health for better or for worse.

Some of these habits will be so ingrained that you do them without even thinking about them. Like the daily ritual of cleaning your teeth, or putting the kettle on as soon as you go downstairs first thing in the morning.

What if changing your health was as simple as changing one small thing?

One of the things I ask all my clients to do it to keep a food diary. Not so that I can check up on them, but so that they can really see what their daily habits are. At the end of each week I get them to take a look and notice the little things in their diet that are having a positive impact on their heath.

We all have daily habits and rituals that are part of our routine. If you can change one thing at a time, and keep this change going, this will have a much bigger impact on your health than any diet or quick fix out there.

It doesnt have to be a big game changer, it just has to be a little adjustment to what you already do. Once this becomes a habit, then shake it up again and adopt a new habit. If you made one small change each week, by the end of the year you could make a massive difference to how you feel.

Here are some ideas for you:

1 Get outside: We are not made to hibernate. Fresh air, daylight and daily exercise are essential for our wellbeing. Make time for a walk, run, skip or bike ride every day, and especially if it is cold, wet and grey, as it is on those days that we need our nature fix more than others. Even just a 15-minute walk around the block will help you feel more energised, refreshed and bouncy than sitting at your desk, or looking out at grey skies.

2 Make one new recipe every week: Dust off your cookbooks, or get browsing the internet (I have lots of healthy recipes for you at vitalnutrition.co.uk). Making one new recipe every week will add variety and interest to your diet. It doesnt have to be time consuming, or anything fancy. In fact it is more likely to become part of your weekly menu plan if it is quick, handy and tasty.

3 Drink some water: As the weather gets colder it can be easy to pop the kettle on for yet another cup of tea or coffee. Too much caffeine can leave us feeling tense, nervous, jittery and anxious, so why not skip one cup of caffeine and replace it with a big glass of water? One of the first signs of dehydration if fatigue, so upping your water intake can help you get your bounce back.

4 Pack more colour on your plate: We all known that we should be eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, and this is never more important than in the middle of a pandemic as we all do our best to protect our health. Stock up with some frozen fruit and vegetables for days when your dinner needs a little extra pop of colour, add one extra portion of veg to your favourite recipe, or stick some extra veg into the steamer.

5 Eat three square meals a day: See how you get on without the snacks in between meals. Eat enough at breakfast to keep going to lunchtime, a substantial enough lunch that will keep you sustained for five hours or so, and then once you have had dinner stop eating for the day. This might mean you eat more at main meals than usual, but thats OK.

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Nutrition with Jane McClenaghan: The secret to better health? Make a habit of it - The Irish News

Fruit growers and processors say they are crushed by a decision to cut the health star rating (HSR) for 100-per-cent no-added-sugar juices from five stars to as low as two stars.

The decision came down to a vote at the Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, a group made up of state and territory ministers as part of its ongoing response to the five-year HSR review.

Food is rated from half-a-star to five stars depending on how its healthy and risk nutrients compare but the system has come in for criticism.

The Federal Government's aim in developing the ratings is to give shoppers an easy way to identify better choices of packaged and processed foods, something Agriculture Minister David Littleproud asserts is undermined by this decision.

"What I don't accept is the insanity of this decision, which really has no basis on nutritional value it really just is mind-numbingly dumb," he said.

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The forum's July communique revealed Mr Littleproud's initial push to see 100-per-cent fresh fruit and vegetable juice with no added sugar receive an automatic HSR score of five stars not supported and the review recommendations were maintained.

The Minister's last chance to improve the rating was Friday's meeting, when he put forward a proposal aiming for an automatic four HSR, a rating he said was supported by the Commonwealth and the farm industry.

"This was it, this was my second crack at it. I had a go in July and got rolled and then rolled again," Mr Littleproud said.

"It would appear that our bureaucrats are working off some other scientific sheet that what reality is."

Citrus Australia chief executive Nathan Hancock said he was disappointed with the decision.

"It sends a really poor message to our consumers, who, let's face it, need to have more fruit and vegetables," he said.

"Being told that diet soda is better for them than a juice product, we think, is confusing.

"Ministers across the country were given the opportunity to review the information that we provided them on the health benefits of natural juices, and unfortunately states like Queensland let us down."

What's going on behind the star ratings? ABC Fact Check investigates.

Mr Hancock said the forum had overlooked the nutritional benefits of drinking juices that cannot be gained from a manufactured product with artificial sweetener.

"The message that they've been giving us is that they want people to drink more water, because it's better for hydration, and they want to take sugar out of the diet," he said.

"Because diet soft drinks have artificial sugars, it elevates them above juices which have natural sugars."

Mr Hancock said the campaign against sugar was painting every type of sugar in a bad light.

"The desire to stamp sugar out of the consumers' diet has been misconstrued and taken off in a different direction," he said.

"There's so many other products consumers are eating these days, unwittingly eating sugar it's added sugar, it's not naturally in the product."

Mr Hancock said although he was not sure in reality how many people used the HSR when selecting products, it was bound to have a knock-on effect.

"If you do use that system and you let it guide you in the choices that you make, then you're going to be given a bum steer here.

"The other effect is that producers will stop using the HSR system on their products.

"They don't have any faith in it, they don't trust it it's sending a poor message to the consumer and I think we'll see businesses stop using it."

Major juice processors like Nippy's in South Australia are disappointed in the outcome and fear the new downgraded rating will have a significant impact on the industry.

Jeff Knispel, joint managing director of Nippy's group of companies, said the decision to rate Diet Coke higher than fresh juice was counterintuitive.

He believed a health star rating implied a full package of health benefits.

"If you take out all of the nutrients in how you score well in this rating system and focus on sugar, the question is then raised: 'Well, why are we calling it a health star rating?'

"If you are so insistent on the sugar focus, why don't you call it a sugar star rating, because to call it a health star rating is bordering on deceptive."

Nippy's companies in South Australia alone produce about 12.5 million litres of juice per year.

Mr Knispel said they now decided to remove the health star rating from their packaging to limit the negative impact on their products.

"As a company, we don't want to promote a negative message with anything we do with our packaging, so we will remove the logo.

"It's not good news for us, but we will just deal with it as best as we can."

Citrus SA chair Mark Doecke said the group feared it could be faced with less fresh fruit sales, impacting growers and processors.

"If you look at sugar only, of course the Diet Coke has got less sugar in it so it is going to get a higher rating, but it's a bit of a silly way of looking at a product," he said.

Granite Belt Growers Association vice president Nathan Boronio said it certainly made him question the relevance of the HSR.

"I can't understand why they would want to encourage people to move away from fresh fruit juice."

He said he feared the worst outcome would see people shying away from fruit juice, reducing demand and resulting in fruit being wasted.

"We want to ensure that fruit wastage in this country is reduced; if you discourage people from drinking apple juice, we are going to have more apples being dumped."

Mr Hancock shares those fears and said he was worried about what would happen if juice was widely thought of as unhealthy.

"As an industry we can't afford to have that happen.

"There's a lot of pressure on growers to look at what variety of crop they grow we might start to see this isn't a viable industry for them into the future, and we may see less and less orange juice produced in Australia."

Continue reading here:
Juice industry in damage control after health star rating changed to rank lower than diet cola - ABC News

This winter, tohave a stronger immune response to the invaders (virus particles that enter your lungs, blood cells, and organs and wreak havoc and cause inflammation) you need to eat a diet high in plant-based foods. Doctors have begun recommending to patients that they switch to a mostly plant-based diet, especially those in the highest risk groups: Overweight, diabetic, over 60, and male. One doctorurges his patientsto eat mostly fruit and vegetables and stay away from inflammation-causing meat, dairy, and processed food, in light of COVID-19.

Your immune system's response is the only thing that can fight COVID. All other therapies are in support of your immune system. If your system is weak or overtaxed with other existing conditions, including obesity or diabetes, it can over-react, creating the "cytokine storm" of inflammation that leads to a cascade of complications that make it harder for your body to self-regulate as it attempts to create antibodies to the virus (essentially molecules that recognize the virus invaders and deploy through the bloodstream to neutralize them)

Immunity is built when your body has to fight off everything fromeveryday aging to infections. And the building blocks of your immunity arehelped by the micronutrients in your food, such as antioxidants and vitamins and minerals, and nothing delivers those better than fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts and seeds. The flip side is also true, that studies show a diet high in red meat and processed foods can cause inflammation, and in the case of COVID-19, inflammation is the enemy. Patients who do the worst when confronted with this virus are those who are overweight, have chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, or are otherwise immune-compromised.

Here are the foods that are shown to fight inflammation and boost immunity. Eat them now for a stronger immune system, whether you are dealing with COVID-19 or another potential disease that requires your body to be healthier now and later. That includes almost every disease known to man. To be healthier, meaning to build cells that are able to function without bombardment from toxins, oxidization, infection, and internal destruction, plant-based foods are your best bet.

These foods are known to supercharge your immune system, which is your body's defense against infection and illness. It works by recognizing cells that make up your body and will fight off anything unfamiliar. It destroys germs (bacteria and viruses) and parasites. Eat these to bolster your white blood cells and the supporting teams that keep them ready for battle.Healthline compiled the listand The Beet added even more research to bolster the facts.

Your body does not produce vitamin C, which means you need to get it daily to have enough to create healthy collagen (the building blocks for your skin and healing). Also known asascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient found inleafy greens and citrus, especially grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and clementines. It acts as an antioxidant,protecting cells fromdamage caused by free radicals.

How much do you need a day:The recommended daily amount to shoot for is 65 to 90 milligrams a day, which is the equivalent of one small glass of orange juice or eating a whole grapefruit. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C. With such a variety to choose from, it's easy to get your fill.

Want even more vitamin C,add red bell peppers to your salad or pasta sauce. One medium-sized red bell pepper contains 152 milligrams of vitamin C, or enough to fulfill your RDA.

Peppers are also a great source of beta carotene, aprecursor of vitamin A (retinol). VitaminAis important for healthy skin, your mucous membranes and your immune system.Beta carotene helps keep your eyes and skin healthy, as well. One cooked pepper has 19 percent of your daily recommended amount of beta carotene.

How much beta carotene do you need a day:You should try to get 75 to 180 microgramsa day which is the equivalent of one medium bell pepper a day. But a red pepper has more than two and a half times your RDA for vitamin C so eat them all winter long.

3. Broccoli, But Eat It Nearly Raw, to get the Most Nutrients Out of It!

Broccolimay be the most super of superfoods on the planet. It's rich in vitamins A and C as well as E. The phytochemicals in it are great for arming and strengthening yourimmune system.

Broccoli is a good source of lutein, a powerful antioxidant, and sulforaphane, another potent antioxidant. Itcontains additional nutrients, including some magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron. The key to keeping its powerful nutrients intact and ready for helping the body's immune response is to cook it as little as possible or even eat it raw.

Lutein is one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids and is found in high quantities ingreen leafy veggies such as spinach and kale.

There's another thing you need to know aboutbroccoli,and why it's important to not overcook it. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a gas that is a killer to a bug in the gardenand in the body.Sulforaphane is a sulfur-rich compound found in several cruciferous vegetableslike bok choy, cabbage, and kale, butbroccoli delivers the most. When a bug bites into the stalk, leaf, or flowering bud of the plant it releases this sulfuric gas that kills the invaders, thereby protecting the plant. This is the same agent that gives broccoli that sulfuric smell when you cook it, so don't overcook it since you'd rather all of that end up in your body than in the kitchen air. Cook it too much and the gas escapes into your kitchen, so if you want to keep it in the plant, and delivered it to your body, lightly steam the green and add it to your meal barely cooked through.

How much lutein should you eat in a day: There is no RDA for lutein, but experts say get at least 6 milligrams.

Garlics immune-boosting propertiesare tied to itssulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin. Allicin is thought to improve your immune cells' ability to fight off colds and flu, and viruses of all kinds. (Smelling more garlic on the subway? It could be smart coronavirus management.) Garlic also has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties thought to fight off infections.

5. Ginger is a Power Player for Immunity and Digestion

Ginger is another ingredient that has super properties when it comes to fighting off illness. It has been shown todecrease inflammation, which can helpif you get swollen glands or a sore throat or anyinflammatoryailment.

Gingerol,the main bioactive compound in ginger, is a relative of capsaicin, can be used in sweet or spicy dishes. It has been found to alleviate pain and fight nausea, which is the reason ginger ale was given for upset stomachs, back when it contained actual ginger. Now few store-bought formulations do. Make your own ginger tea. Gingerol is responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidantbenefits.

How muchshould you eat a day: Most recommendations land on 34 grams of ginger extract a day, or up to four cups of ginger tea, but no more than 1 gram a day if you are pregnant. Some studies have linked high dosages to an increased risk of miscarriage.

Spinachis not only packed with vitamin C but also antioxidants and beta carotene, both of which give your immune system the healthy boost it needs to fight off invaders.

Don't overcook your spinach, since the more it's cooked the less active the antioxidants will be. If you eat it raw or lightly steamed you'll keep more of the nutrients intact.

How much should you eat a day:Aim for 1 cup freshspinachor 1/2 cup cooked perday, but this isthe right moment to try the raw or slightly wilted approach. Order warm or wilted spinach salad when you go out, or make it yourself with olive oil, pine nuts, and vegan parm.

7. Almonds for the Win, Pop Them Like Candy

Vitamin E in almonds will help ward off colds and flu and is key to your immune system humming along. Its afat-solublemolecule, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed, so nuts arethe perfect package for E to make it into your system.

How much should you eat in a day:A half-cup serving, or46 whole, shelled almonds, providesalmost 100 percent of your RDA of vitamin E. Almonds are great for you but they don't come with a "free" pass, since 1/4 cup is a serving and has 162 calories, so double that for your RDA and you're eating about 325 calories. Throw them into smoothies instead.

If you ever feel healthier for eating curry, it is probably because of the Tumeric, which is an ingredient that gives it its burnt orange color. But this highly pigmented spice is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. The ingredientcurcumin hasbeen found to decrease muscle soreness after a hard workout. How it helps immunity? decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.

Tumeric bolsters theimmunesystem by stimulating antibody formation and people with auto-immune diseases are told by their doctors to take 500 mg of curcumin daily to reduce inflammation and stave off soreness.

How much should you eat in a day: Try adding extra Tumeric to your diet during periods of stress or during flu season. Or take500-2,000 mg ofcurcuminto help fight inflammation and power up your immune system.

9. Green Tea by the Gallon, Skip the Coffee andSipthis Instead

Whether you prefer green tea or black tea, you will benefit from the compounds calledflavonoids, powerful antioxidants.Green tea has highlevels of EGCG, (epigallocatechin gallate) another hard-working antioxidant.

EGCG is known to boost immune function, and originally all tea leaves contain this anti-oxidant, but when black tea is fermented it deactivates mostof the EGCG. Green tea is steamed so the EGCG isstill active when you drink it.

Green tea also containsL-theanine, an anti-oxidant which appears to help in the production of T-cells in your body, the killerL-theanine may aid in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.

How much green tea should you drink in a day: The optimal amount isthree to five cups in a day,but most people won't get to that level. Any amount is better than nothing. Swap out ausual beverage dailyfor green tea could improve your health.

10. Papaya, The Tropical Healer to Keep You Vacation-Healthy All Year Round

Papaya deliversover twice yourrecommended daily amount of vitamin C inone fruit -- though you're likely to eat a few slices on a salad or in a smoothie.It also contains an enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects -- and inflammation is one factor in most illnesses, so avoiding it can help your body fight off bacterial infections like sinusitis.

Papayas containpotassium, vitamin B, and folate, which is a powerful cell rebuilder. Exactly how folic acid works to build immunity is linked to its role inprotein synthesis, and researchers think that any mechanism in which cells proliferate can be affected (which is why it's critical for pregnant women). People who are folate-deficienthave compromised immune systems.

How much folate should youeat a day: Whether you are pregnant or not, folate (vitamin B9) is a great vitamin to keep your cells healthy and strong. The recommendation is 400 micrograms a day, or get it from legumes, spinach, papayas, and avocados.

When you think of anti-oxidants, you should think of fruits that grow in the sun, since their vitamin pack comes from having to fight off the oxidation of the strong rays that beat down on them in the tropics. Kiwis are a great example. They are full of folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium.

These vitamins in combination work in the body to build healthy cells, fight infection and keep your immune system humming along. Vitamin K deficiency is rare but when people don't have enough they suffer from weak bones and compromised immune systems. The inflammation system in the body is also dependent on vitamin K, especially your killerT cells that mobilize and fight cancer and other diseases.

How much should you eat in a day: Vitamin K is one of the unsung heroes of the body. Women shouldget 90 micrograms a day, and menshould have120 micrograms.

12. Sunflower seeds to sprinkle on salads or eat by themselves

Most seeds are chock-o-block with nutrients since they give the plant its healthy start. But sunflower seeds are especially healthy since they provide phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B-6 as well as vitamin E.Your immune system needs vitamin E to function at full throttle.You can also get vitamin E fromavocados and spinach and broccoli.

How much should you eat in a day:Anywhere from1 ounce (30 grams) per dayto a healthy handful is considered healthy, but because they are high in sodium you might want to refrain from eating the entire bag. The raw seeds have 204 calories per quarter cup.

13. Miso, Soup or Paste to Add to Your Soups and Salad Dressings

You've had miso soup at your favorite Japanese restaurant and perhaps even thought: "This tastes incredibly healthy! If a bit salty." Both thoughts are true. Miso is a fermented paste that adds a salty umami flavor to many Japanese dishes and soup. Most miso is made in Japan, where the ingredient has been used since the eighth century.

Misoneeds no preparation andadds a touch of saltiness to soups,marinades, and dressings. Some people credit miso as a factor in Japanese longevity. Japan has more centenarians per capita of the population than anywhere else in the world and Japan has one of the lowest rates of obesity.

The nutrients in miso -- which is a soybean paste that has been fermented with salt and a koji starter -- boostsimmune system functionby delivering healthy probiotics tothe gut, making yourmicrobiome healthier. How doesMiso benefit your immune system?It is a "sirt" food, which are foods that contain high levels of sirtuins or proteins that regulate cells and activate metabolism. A diet high in sirts is believed to lead to weight loss, increased wellness, and longevity.

How much should you eat in a day?

Researchersbelieve that consuming one bowl of miso soup per day, as is the tradition in Japan,lowers the risks of breast cancer. Other than its high sodium content there is no reason to stay away from miso with all its varied health benefits. We say cheers to that.

See more here:
13 Foods to Boost Your Immune System and Fight Sickness - The Beet

Shawn Mendes opened up about the pressure he was under to have a perfect body, which led him to sacrifice sleep so he could wake up early and exercise.

"Some days I would have three hours of sleep, [because] I'd get up two hours early just to be able to work out," the 22-year-old singer told British GQ in a new interview.

Mendes said the constant need to be the "pinnacle of fitness" negatively affected him, and he'd think to himself, "If you don't work out, you're going to lose fans."

The "Wonder" singer, who rose to fame as an internet personality on the now-defunct app Vine, also said that his 2019 Calvin Klein campaign exacerbated his concern.

He credited meditating, journaling, and girlfriend Camila Cabello with helping him to come to terms with his physique.

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello in November 2019. Steve Granitz/WireImage

Regarding Cabello, Mendes said that her classy and "empathetic" reaction to public scrutiny about her own body "really changed my view of mine. It really changed my life."

"Taking that extra few hours of sleep, instead of waking up to pump iron, is a better choice sometimes," the singer said.

Mendes also previously discussed his diet and exercise routine in a 2018 interview with Rolling Stone.

"I eat tons of carbs," the "Treat You Better" singer said.

"I just work out a lot, dude. I go to the gym every morning, and I'm obsessed with fitness and just staying active. But I'm not the best to talk about when it comes to diet. If there's fries in front of me, I'm definitely not gonna say no."

Link:
Shawn Mendes lost sleep to work out and thought he'd lose fans if not - Insider - INSIDER