A study has found that middle-aged monkeys fed a plant-based Mediterranean diet were more resilient to stress than those fed a Western diet containing a lot of animal protein, saturated fat, salt, and sugar.

According to a survey by the polling organization Gallup in 2019, people living in the United States reported some of the highest levels of psychological stress in the world.

Chronic stress not only increases a persons risk of depression and anxiety but also their chances of developing diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and Alzheimers.

Reducing stress is not easy at the best of times, however, and it is even more difficult in the face of circumstances such as political turmoil and an ongoing pandemic.

The idea that simply changing our diets could improve how our bodies cope with stress may seem far-fetched. But observational studies have found that people who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables or, specifically, follow a Mediterranean diet, report less stress.

Conversely, researchers have discovered associations between high sugar and saturated fat intake and high blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

The trouble with such studies is that they do not prove a causal relationship between the diet and stress. Other factors that might influence peoples diets, such as where they live, their level of education, or their socioeconomic status, are equally likely to determine how much stress they experience daily.

Controlling for all these variables in a longitudinal study involving people is all but impossible.

Instead, researchers at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, NC, compared the long-term effects of a typical Western diet with those of a Mediterranean diet on stress resilience in macaques under controlled experimental conditions.

Unfortunately, Americans consume a diet rich in animal protein and saturated fat, salt, and sugar, so we wanted to find out if that diet worsened the bodys response to stress, compared to a Mediterranean diet, in which much of the protein and fat come from plant sources, says Carol A. Shively, a professor of pathology and comparative medicine at the Wake Forest School of Medicine and the studys principal investigator.

Prof. Shively and colleagues found that monkeys fed a Mediterranean diet were more resilient to the effects of stress and were slower to develop age-related increases in stress sensitivity.

Their study has been published in the journal Neurobiology of Stress.

The researchers compared the effects of two diets on 38 middle-aged female macaques over a period of 31 months, which is roughly equivalent to 9 human years.

They formulated their experimental Western diet to be similar to that consumed by middle-aged American women. It contained protein and fat mainly from animal sources, and it was high in salt and saturated fats and low in monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids.

The Mediterranean diet contained protein and fats derived mainly from plants, some lean protein from fish and dairy, and a high monounsaturated fat content, which came principally from extra virgin olive oil. The diet incorporated more complex carbohydrates and fiber and less salt and refined sugars than the Western diet.

The scientists report that the Mediterranean diets ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was similar to a traditional hunter-gatherer-type diet.

Both of the studys diets had equivalent contents in terms of calories and cholesterol.

In the course of the experiment, the animals eating the Western diet ate more, accumulated more fat tissue, and had a different profile of gut bacteria, compared with those who received the Mediterranean diet. They also developed greater insulin resistance and fatty liver disease.

To determine the interaction between diet and the effects of chronic stress, the researchers took advantage of the stable social hierarchy that groups of female macaques naturally establish.

They explain that the monkeys with a subordinate status in the group are more likely to be a target of aggression and less likely to be groomed, and they spend more time fearfully scanning the group.

The scientists created brief, acute stress by isolating individuals from the rest of the group for 30 minutes at a time.

The macaques on the Mediterranean diet were more physiologically resilient to these stress challenges. Activity in the sympathetic nervous system, which enacts the fight or flight response, was lower compared with that of the animals on the Western diet.

In response to acute stress, their heart rate recovered more rapidly and they produced less of the stress hormone cortisol.

This suggests a stronger response from their parasympathetic nervous system, which enacts a relaxation response to restore the body to a restful state after a stressful experience.

Cortisol responses and activity in the sympathetic nervous system increase as an animal ages, but in the animals that ate the Mediterranean diet, these changes were delayed, compared with those on the Western diet.

Our study showed that the Mediterranean diet shifted the balance toward the parasympathetic nervous system, which is good for health, says Prof. Shively. By contrast, the Western diet increased the sympathetic response to stress, which is like having the panic button on all the time and that isnt healthy.

The studys authors conclude:

Based on the findings reported here, the Mediterranean diet pattern may serve as a dietary strategy to reduce the deleterious effects of stress on health without the side effects of medications typically prescribed to manage stress responsivity, and [adopting it] may have a significant public health impact.

It is worth noting, however, that the effects of different diets on stress in monkeys may not closely reflect their effects in humans.

The researchers also acknowledge that the Mediterranean diet that they created for this experiment had not previously been tested in nonhuman primates. In addition, they say, future investigations need to determine the effects of the diet on stress responses in males.

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Eating a Mediterranean diet may reduce the effects of stress - Medical News Today

So youve been diagnosed with diverticulitis, a form of diverticular disease. Eating and avoiding certain foods can help you manage and prevent symptoms but theres a lot of misinformation out there.

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The best diet for diverticular disease depends on whether youre having a flare-up, says registered dietitian Anna Taylor, MS, RDN, LD.

Here, she clears up the confusion about how to manage diverticular disease with diet.

Diverticular disease means you have polyps (small growths) called diverticula in your gut. These polyps can exist without causing any symptoms and without you even knowing theyre there. This is called diverticulosis.

If the polyps become inflamed or infected, they can cause symptoms such as abdominal cramping, pain or tenderness in the area, swelling, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. This is called diverticulitis.

Constipation often contributes to the development of diverticula. People develop polyps due to years of excessive muscular contractions as the body attempts to move small, hard stools, explains Taylor. A high-fiber diet helps fight constipation by softening stool, which then moves through the GI tract more comfortably and easily. Theres also less pressure against the polyps, which prevents diverticulitis flare-ups.

To eat a diet rich in fiber (doctors recommend 25 to 35 grams per day), choose minimally processed plant foods such as:

Years ago, doctors thought that eating corn, popcorn, nuts and seeds could inflame the polyps and cause diverticulitis, but theres no research to support that. Its safe to eat these types of foods, including tomatoes and strawberries with seeds, Taylor notes. All that normal roughage and fiber is fine.

To get the most out of a high-fiber diet, Taylor also recommends:

Diverticular disease may be common in Western societies because our diets are so low in fiber, Taylor says. Americans, on average, eat around 14 grams each day about half of whats recommended.

On the flip side, when you have diverticulitis, the polyps are upset, inflamed and maybe even infected. We want to reduce traffic in your GI tract so that nothing else irritates them, says Taylor. Decreasing the fiber in your diet helps with that.

During a diverticulitis flare-up, your doctor may recommend rest, antibiotics and either a clear liquid or low-fiber diet.

If a diverticulitis flare-up is severe or requires surgery, your doctor may recommend a clear liquid diet. After a day or two, you progress from clear liquids to a low-fiber diet, says Taylor. Even if your pain does not subside, you still move toward regular food. You cant be on a liquid diet long-term because you can become malnourished.

On a clear liquid diet, you can eat:

For milder cases of diverticulitis, eat a low-fiber, or GI soft, diet. A low-fiber diet limits fiber intake to between 8 and 12 grams of fiber, depending on the severity of the flare-up.

Good low-fiber food options include:

Foods to avoid with diverticulitis include high-fiber options such as:

Follow the low-fiber diet until diverticulitis symptoms subside. Usually they start to improve after several days of being on antibiotics, Taylor says.

If they do, your doctor will have you gradually increase your fiber intake over several days to weeks to avoid constipation and bloating. The goal is getting back to a high-fiber diet to decrease your risk for future bouts of diverticulitis, Taylor adds. But if youre not feeling better within a few days, talk to your doctor.

Talk to your doctor about a long-term plan, too. And if youve recently been diagnosed with diverticular disease, meet with a dietitian to learn practical and sustainable ways to get more fiber into your diet. Dietitians can also give you more specific recommendations to feel better during a diverticulitis flare-up, Taylor says.

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What Foods Should You Eat and Avoid on a Diverticulitis Diet? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

High-protein total replacement diet helps burn fat: Here's how you can switch to it for effective weight loss  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Obesity has now become a global epidemic, with millions of people all around the world who have an unhealthy body mass index. A recent report also found that with current diet trends, more than 4 billion people are likely to be overweight by 2050. obesity or being overweight is more than just vanity. Being obese is a risk factor for many diseases, physical and mental. Obesity has proven to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, kidney troubles, depression, anxiety, and even COVID-19. Therefore, watching what you eat becomes just more vital.

While a healthy diet and regular exercise, accompanied by quitting unhealthy habits such as smoking or drinking can help manage weight to a great extent, if you have to shed many kilos to get to the right BMI, you may need to undertake certain specific diets. One such diet is called the total meal replacement.

Many would agree that one way to lose weight is to stop eating how you normally do and incorporate changes in your diet and routine in order to get desired results. Total diet replacements do just that. They take a person's normal diet menu and substitute it with options that follow a careful formula. This helps in ensuring that people lose weight, but at the same time, receive the right nutrition.

Apart from total diet replacements, researchers also noted that high-protein diets show a lot of promise in reducing weight, and improving muscle strength. Therefore, researchers from the University of Alberta set out to combine the two approaches and see if they are effective in weight loss.

Considering the prevalence of obesity worldwide and its impact on health, its not surprising nutritional strategies such as total diet replacements and high-protein diets are becoming increasingly popular as weight management strategies; however, research around these topics has not kept pace with their growth in popularity, explains lead author and doctoral student Camila Oliveira in a media release.

For the study, researchers examined a group of 43 healthy-weight individuals, separated into 2 groups. One group switched to a high-protein total replacement diet. The high-protein replacement provided the participants with a balance of 35 per cent carbohydrates, 40 per cent protein, and 25 per cent fat. The control group ate a diet typically seen in North America, containing 55 per cent carbohydrates, 30 per cent fat, and just 15 per cent protein. Despite the differences, each volunteer consumed the same number of calories throughout the study. After spending 32 hours in a metabolic chamber, the results reveal high-protein replacement diets create higher energy expenditure, increased fat oxidation, and negative fat balance. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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High-protein total replacement diet helps burn fat: Here's how you can switch to it for effective weight loss - Times Now

Egg recipes for winter diet: Make the most of winter season with these egg recipes.

Highlights

Winters are here and the cold days bring with them a bevy of interesting foods. As the air gets nippier and we snuggle up into our cosy blankets, all we want is to be tucked in with a comforting dish. Egg is one versatile ingredient which can be used in cooking in winters in a number of ways. It's not just enriched with vital nutrients, but is also extremely delicious to taste in various recipes, especially in the winter season.

With exceptional protein content and a range of essential nutrients, there's no doubt why egg is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Vitamin A, B2, B6, D, E and Calcium are abundantly found in eggs. Further, eggs are said to keep us full for longer and thus, aid weight loss too. According to the book 'Healing Foods' by DK Publishing, eggs help in boosting the metabolic activity of the body. Macrobiotic Nutritionist and Health Practitioner Shilpa Arora notes, "With their high quality proteins and fat soluble vitamins, eggs are the perfect delicious treats for anyone looking to lose weight." Eggs also come with healthy fats such as Omega 3, which keep the body healthy and warm in the chilly winters.

1. Egg Biryani

When Biryani meets Egg - it's truly the best of both worlds! Aromatic and flavourful Egg Biryani will become your go-to recipe in no time. Click here for the full recipe.

(Also Read:Looking For Unique Yet Quick Eggs Recipe? Make Turkish Eggs With This Easy Recipe)

Egg Biryani is one recipe which you must try this winter.

2. Shakshuka

Warm, comforting and so delicious - the one-pot Mediterranean dish is tastier than you can imagine. Its spicy flavours and the zingy taste of tomatoes go perfectly with the Indian palate. Here is the full recipe.

3. Akuri

This Parsi recipe takes on the classic scrambled eggs and reinvents it with just a hint of onion, garlic and spices. Best paired with hot, warm buttered toast or buns! Click here for the full recipe.

4. Egg Roll

We all have this one recipe that we just can't refuse - and egg roll is one of them! Make this street-style delicacy in the comfort of your own home with this yummy recipe. Here is the full recipe.

(Also Read:How To Make Spicy Egg Bonda: A South Indian Pakoda Recipe For Ideal Evening Snacking)

Street-style egg rolls can make for an interesting dish in winters.

5. Baked Eggs

Boiled, poached, and fried egg is something we all have tried. But how about baked eggs? Soul-satiating and warm, these creamy and delicious baked eggs spell comfort in every bite. Click here for the full recipe.

6. Shahi Egg Curry

Indian curries have a big comfort factor of their own, which is why this Shahi egg curry is something we would definitely recommend trying this winter season. Feast fit for royalty, we'd say! Find the full recipe here.

7. Egg And Garlic Fried Rice

If you want to tingle your taste buds with something fiery hot, this egg and garlic fried rice is the way to go. You won't be able to go back once you try it! Here is the full recipe.

(Also Read:Give Your Regular Egg Curry An Interesting Twist With This Egg Drop Curry Recipe)

Try egg fried rice with garlic for an interesting meal today.

8. Egg Parantha

Can a winter fare ever be complete without a piping, hot parantha? This unique parantha is stuffed with a spicy and crunchy egg mix which will make you want more with every bite. Click here for the full recipe.

9. Nargisi Kofta

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Regular koftas are passe, as the zesty Nargisi kofta beats them all hollow. Fried eggs coated with a flavorsome minced meat mixture, this heartwarming curry is something you truly can't resist. Find the full recipe here.

So, what are you waiting for? Don your apron, whip out the ingredients and enjoy these delightful egg dishes all of winter season.

About Aditi AhujaAditi loves talking to and meeting like-minded foodies (especially the kind who like veg momos). Plus points if you get her bad jokes and sitcom references, or if you recommend a new place to eat at.

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High-Protein Diet: 9 Yummy Egg Recipes You Have To Try This Winter - NDTV Food

Also known as hyperlipidemia, high cholesterol means there's too many fats in your blood - notably cholesterol and triglycerides. These can clump together and stick to the artery walls in a process known as atherosclerosis.

The American Heart Association (AHA) asserted that "high cholesterol can be lowered".

"The best way to lower your cholesterol is to reduce your intake of saturated fat and trans fat," stated the AHA.

What are saturated fats?

Typically solid at room temperature, the majority of saturated fats come from animal sources.

Fatty cuts of beef, lamb, and pork are examples of foods high in saturated fat.

In addition, so are lard, cream, butter, cheese and dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat (two percent) milk.

Many baked goods and fried foods can contain high levels of saturated fats too.

What are trans fats?

There are "naturally-occurring and artificial trans fats", clarified the AHA.

READ MORE:How to live longer: Five habits to adopt into your life to increase life expectancy

As trans fats can be labelled as "partially hydrogenated oils", look out for it on nutrition labels, in particular keep an eye on:

In order to minimise how much saturated fat and trans fats you have in your diet, you need to focus on healthy eating.

A heart-healthy diet is usually best when it comes to reducing your cholesterol levels.

This type of diet emphasises fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, nuts and "nontropical vegetable oils".

Healthy cooking oils

Otherwise referred to as "nontropical vegetable oils" by the ADA, these are the following cooking oils:

If you do want to choose lean cuts of meat (with minimal visible fat), consider the following:

Do trim all visible fat from meat before cooking, and if you're opting for "ground beef" then choose the "extra lean" version.

Fish

Choose oily fish, such as salmon, trout and herring these are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Shrimp, crab and lobster are also good choices in place of many cuts of meat and poultry.

Meatless meals featuring vegetables and beans are an easy way to lower your cholesterol.

Examples of tasty vegetarian meals include aubergine lasagna, or a big, grilled mushroom burger.

Vegetables

Adding herbs and spices to vegetables can really make them taste delicious. If you'd like any ideas, the ADA suggests the following:

Chopped parsley and chives sprinkled on before serving can also add a burst of flavour to your meals.

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Do you have high cholesterol? The best diet plan to protect your arteries - Express

Winter diet should have all kinds of nutritious foods that will keep you warm and healthy to tolerate the chilled weather. So, here are 6 foods that you should consume regularly to stay warm in winter.

Winter is one of the most favourite seasons of Indians. It is time to indulge in different delicious foods. But we have to keep ourselves warm during this time, otherwise, we can easily catch cold. And foods play a major role in keeping us warm and this helps to tolerate the chilled weather as well.

These foods should be added to your regular winter diet to stay warm and healthy. So, here are 5 foods to eat in winter to tolerate the cold.

Foods to include in your winter diet:

Dry fruits

Dry fruits are packed with proteins and calcium and they are helpful to boost your energy. So, consume dates, anjeer or figs and other dry fruits during this time. You can also have milk with them at breakfast.

Root veggies

Try to have more root veggies in winter like garlic, onions, radish, potato, carrots, etc. They take a longer time to get digested which produces heat in the body, thus keeping you warm.

Cooking in ghee

Ditch oils and replace them with ghee for cooking in winter. It's rich in unsaturated fats that keep you naturally warm. It is a popular Ayurvedic remedy as well.

Honey

Add honey to your winter diet. You can drink it with warm water in the morning or simply add it as a dressing for salads. It is a powerhouse of different nutrients that keep you warm for a long time.

Spices

Add ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom to your foods to stay warm this winter. Ginger and cardamom can also be added to tea.

Protein

Dont forget to eat a sufficient amount of protein-rich foods also like chicken, lean meat, fish, eggs, etc. These are helpful to stay healthy in winter.

Also Read:5 Effective ways to include Apple Cider Vinegar to your diet for weight loss

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6 Foods to include in your winter diet to stay warm and healthy - PINKVILLA

On a mission! From Not to Hot reality star June Shannon, better known as Mama June, reveals the diet and fitness changes she is implementing into her daily lifestyle to lose 70 pounds in an exclusive interview with In Touch.

Im doing gluten-free and dairy-free as much as possible, the mother of four, 41, shares about her switch-ups. For me, everybody says cut out bread and pasta. Im not a really big bread or pasta person anyway, so thats not a big issue for me.

Outside of that, thats pretty much all that I do. I mean, I barely eat anyways. I was surprised when I actually gained that much weight, June adds.

The Sunshine State resident reveals she faced a setback in her weight loss journey amid the coronavirus quarantine. June admits it was difficult to stay on her grind while focusing on her health and well-being after a stint in rehab with boyfriend Geno Doak for struggles with addiction. In recent weeks, she started exercising outdoors again when possible.

Honestly, because were in South Florida, theyre starting to shut stuff down and theyve been restrictive, she tells In Touch. It just pretty much is being able to walk on the beach or kind of just do my own thing because it is hard, the TV personality explains. Theyre [stricter] down here, especially with the [coronavirus] numbers starting to go up again.

June even opens up about her meal plan and what she likes to eat on a regular basis. I love breakfast, but Im not a big breakfast eater. I dont normally get up [until around] 12 oclock, the Georgia native says. Ill just boil like a bunch of eggs and only eat a boiled egg and then those P3 protein packs, [Geno and I] love. So, Im more of a snacker instead of a full-meal kind of person.

After completing rehab, June and Geno, 45, celebrated moving into a new condo in Fort Pierce, Florida. They also both touched up their appearances together. The Toddlers and Tiaras alum opted to get chin and neck liposuction as well as a new set of veneers. Geno got new veneers of his own and underwent gastric sleeve surgery in addition to getting a lipoma removed from his neck and head.

It looks like 2021 will be an even more transformative year for June and Geno.

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Exclusive: Mama June Reveals Diet and Fitness Changes to Shed 70 Pounds - inTouch Weekly

Fibre-rich foods can help reduce constipation and piles discomfort

Piles or hemorrhoids are swellings within the rectum or around the anus that consist of swollen blood vessels. Piles in the majority of cases are light and most people are uninformed of their existence. Serious cases however have bleeding bright red blood and itching after the stools. Piles are common but the exact cause of this condition is unknown as many people do not consult their doctor for piles due to societal stigma and embarrassment. It is estimated that almost half of the population above 50 years of age suffer from piles.

Food plays a very important role in this condition. Certain types of food can worsen piles and some foods can make it better naturally. However, if you don't seem to improve or worsen, see your doctor for the best treatment. Whether or not you are suffering from piles, it is important to eat a healthy balanced diet that contains sufficient fibre. People with this condition are recommended to eat a lot of fibre. Fibre makes stools softer, making it easy to pass them out. It is also important to eat a lot of liquids in the form of water and fruit juices. There are a number of foods that worsen the condition of piles. Foods that are low in fibre should be avoided as they increase constipation which triggers piles.

Also read:Forget Surgery, These Home Remedies For Piles And Hemorrhoids By Luke Coutinho Will Help You Provide Instant Relief

Avoid too much caffeine to prevent worsening of pilesPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:Top 5 Natural Ways Which Can Help Treat Piles At Home

Add fibre to diet and stay hydrated to avoid constipationPhoto Credit: iStock

Also,

Maintain a healthy weight through regular exercises

To calm the pain sit in a warm bath or use an ice pack

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(Dr. Nanda Rajaneesh is a Surgical Oncologist, Laparoscopic Surgeon at Apollo Spectra Hospital Koramangala, Bangalore)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

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Diet Tips For Piles: Here's What You Should Eat And Avoid To Fight Hemorrhoids - NDTV Doctor