The holiday season is quickly approaching, and among with it comes more opportunity for gatherings centered around food and sweets. Regardless of whats being celebrated, eating during the holidays typically consists of family recipes and delicious desserts. Because of this, food can become a major source of anxiety for anyone trying to diet or even just maintain their current health goals.

Concern and stress regarding holiday food can lead some to completely concede their health goals -- swearing to themselves that when the first of the year rolls around theyll change their ways for good. But contrary to popular belief, you can still participate in all your favorite holiday traditions and foods without compromising your progress or goals.

Concern and stress regarding holiday food can lead to destructive comments like, Ill just not eat today so I can save up for an extra plate/dessert tonight, or Ill need to run this off later or Ill gain weight or I cant be trusted around this food, Ill eat the whole dish.

Most of us have heard or even said a variation of one of these phrases before. They sound innocent enough, but upon further inspection they all promote a restrictive mindset toward food.

Restricting yourself with food can be unintentional, hiding in the name of discipline. You might think that by holding back and not eating your favorite things youre being strong and controlled, not letting the holidays be a reason to break your diet. By holding yourself back from enjoying your favorites, you could be feeding into diet culture and end up doing more harm than good in the long run.

What is diet culture? It's a belief system that focuses on and values weight, shape and size over well-being. More often than not, toxic diet culture promotes an unhealthy pattern of eating with a sole focus on being skinny.

Diet culture can be a weapon, rendering those who fall victim to it to believe theyre not supposed to eat foods that aren't labeled good. It promotes an unhealthy idea of discipline and dieting thats unsustainable to follow for long periods of time, and leaves the person feeling guilty and unworthy of eating certain foods.

Labeling certain foods such as cookies, cake, pie, etc., bad is a move that traditional diet culture profits off immensely. Doing so can unintentionally lead you to subconsciously glorify these foods. If you hold yourself back from enjoying them, its more likely youll trick your mind into wanting the food more. At the worst level, this could lead into a permanent unhealthy relationship with food and diet culture.

So what does this mean you should do for the holiday if you have a goal of weight loss, but your most treasured part of the holiday season is enjoying the familiar flavors of a home-cooked meal? In short, enjoy your meal. Being a healthy person requires a delicate balance, and it is certainly attainable to eat a meal you mightve once considered bad and still lose weight.

Remember that while holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are centered around eating a huge meal, lots of options are still bound to be healthy. Corn, turkey, green beans, potatoes, etc., are all traditional Thanksgiving foods that might even be healthier than a typical dinner.

Ultimately, whatever your holiday food is going to consist of depends solely on your personal goals and your relationship with food. The most imperative thing is to be in touch with your personal goals and what you want out of the holiday.

If you have a goal to lose weight, thats totally achievable even while enjoying yourself and treating yourself. Instead of punishing yourself the next day and attempting to burn off all the food you ate, simply treat the next day as you would any other day.

If youre not comfortable setting aside your usual dietary patterns for a celebration, or you know its impossible for you to eat certain foods without feeling guilty, thats okay too. If this is the case, it would be beneficial to talk to whoever youre celebrating with to make sure they know how much you value sticking to a certain diet. Portion control is key.

Its important to remember that just as one healthy meal wont make you skinny, one holiday dinner or dessert wont blow your diet or slow your progress. Its normal to fall off routine during the holidays, so dont beat yourself up for it.

Avoiding that all-or-nothing mindset is whats going to help keep you on track and get right back to your healthy habits when the holidays are over.

@BussertMaddie

mb901017@ohio.edu

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How to prioritize your health over the holidays without restricting, missing out - The Post

LONDON A new study is illustrating just how important a balanced, healthy diet is during childhood. Researchers from Imperial College London examined the height and weight of millions of school-aged kids from all over the world. Their analysis shows a staggering 20 centimeter (7.9 inches) height difference between adolescents of the same age living in the tallest and shortestcountries.

A childs height and weight are considered indicators of overall health and quality of diet. In all, researchers analyzed a dataset of 65 million kids (ages five through 19) living in 193 different nations between 1985 and 2019. That work reveals the nearly eight-inch gap between 19-year-olds living in the tallest and shortest countries.

Researchers say the numbers suggest an eight-year growth gap for girls and a six-year growth gap for boys. For example, the average 19-year-old girl in Bangladesh and Guatemala is about the same height as the average 11-year-old girl living in the Netherlands.

The studys authors stress that their findings clearly show why a healthy diet during school years is so important. Lack of proper nutrition during these formative years can lead to stunted growth and obesity.

So, where do the tallest 19-year-olds live nowadays? In 2019, that distinction belonged to central and northwest Europe. Teens living in nations like Denmark, The Netherlands, Montenegro, and Iceland all rank as the tallest on average. Conversely, 19-year-olds living in areas like Papua New Guinea, Guatemala, and Bangladesh come in as the shortest.

The research team noted that many children living in poorer nations show a healthy height and weight around age five, but start to show signs of poor diet (minimalheight increases, gaining too much weight) after that.

Children in some countries grow healthily to five years, but fall behind in school years. This shows that there is an imbalance between investment in improving nutrition in preschoolers, and in school-aged children and adolescents. This issue is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools are closed throughout the world, and many poor families are unable to provide adequate nutrition for their children, says Professor Majid Ezzati, senior author of the study from Imperials School of Public Health, in a university release.

Throughout the study, many countries in Asia such as China and South Korea showed big improvements in average adolescent height over time. It likely isnt just a coincidence that such countries have also emerged as economic powers over the same period. In comparison to 1985, the average 19-year-old Chinese boy is now three inches taller. On the other end of that spectrum, average heights among many African nationshave worsened over the past few decades.

Regarding body mass index, 19-year-olds with the largest BMIs live in the United States, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East. Researchers report the lowest BMIs are in nations including India and Bangladesh.

Our findings should motivate policies that increase the availability and reduce the cost of nutritious foods, as this will help children grow taller without gaining excessive weight for their height. These initiatives include food vouchers towards nutritious foods for low-income families, and free healthy school meal programs which are particularly under threat during the pandemic. These actions would enable children to grow taller without gaining excessive weight, with lifelong benefits for their health and wellbeing, says lead study author Dr. Andrea Rodriguez Martinez.

Thestudyis published inThe Lancet.

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Poor nutrition in childhood linked to 8-inch height gap between nations! - Study Finds

If you were one of the millions of TV-watching Americans clicking around the news on election night, theres a good chance you landed on MSNBC and saw Steve Kornacki at work.

His round-the-clock coverage, encyclopedic memory of political minutiae and skillful use of the touchscreen generated an avalanche of accolades on social media, from his own hashtag #trackingKornacki (complete with emoji) to a "Kornacki-cam" to hilarious celebrity shout-outs, including a running Twitter commentary by former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Leslie Jones.

This is how I like my reporters to look, disheveled and concerned, she said of Kornacki.

We caught up with the Massachusetts native for an interview on the Tuesday after Election Day, and it turns out he got a kick out of Jones' videos.

Things I didnt see coming, he reflected.

Jimmy Fallon surprise-visits journalist Steve Kornacki to see how he's doing after a stressful 2020 election coverage cycle.

What does he make of all the attention? Honestly, I dont know what to make of it. And I honestly didnt expect anything like this.

And exactly how long was he awake starting with Election Day? 5 a.m. Tuesday morning until 2 a.m. Thursday morning.

That would be 45 straight hours -- fueled mostly by Diet Cokes, Kornacki said.

Live Election Results

He did manage to change his clothes, a question he's been getting a lot, even from his mother.

In my defense, what I will say is, we were on around the clock. This is not a situation where I was sleeping in the clothes and then wearing them on air. I just stayed on the air.

Even his clothes made headlines, most notably the Gap khakis: straight fit in palomino brown. He even got an email from a Gap representative but, given the potential conflicts, he hasnt written back.

MSNBC's Steve Kornacki joins Primary Source to discuss the pros and cons of Bernie Sanders.

The "#chartthrob" doesn't just have roots in Massachusetts, he has roots at our sister station, NECN, where early in his career he was a writer.

The Boston University graduate hails from Groton and went to Groton-Dunstable High School, where he was named most likely to succeed. His high school history teacher, Keith Woods, remembers Kornackis success in the classroom -- He just had a mind like a steel trap -- almost as much as his intensity as basketball team manager.

He was doing things like analytics before we knew what analytics were," Woods said. "I swear to you, he would come up to us during the games and hed say, 'Hey you know, you have these guys shooting the fourth quarter from the right side, 20% less if you' Were like, 'We dont even know what youre talking about Steve.' We thought he was crazy.

Kornackis father, Steve Sr., says his son's interest in politics started at an early age.

They were having a mock election in the sixth grade class where Steve played the part of John Silber. And he really took to that like a duck to water.

Success for his son, he says, hardly happened overnight: When he took his first job in New Jersey after college, he lived an absolutely Spartan existence, because he had no money. And he didnt have a bed. He slept on the floor.

Kornacki has come a long way since then, even earning on-air praise this week from none other than Bob Woodward, of Watergate fame.

It was an honor to hear it, obviously. But I mean, part of me was sort of like, are you sure hes talking about the right person here? Kornacki said.

Theres another beloved Kornacki quality: humility.

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Steve Kornacki Stayed Up 2 Straight Days for the Election, Powered by Diet Coke and Passion - NBC10 Boston

Over and over again, we hear that an excess of added sugar in our diet can put us at risk for developing health problems like heart disease, chronic inflammation, metabolism changes and dental issues. Our love of sweet foods has driven the production of sugar alternatives and we are now inundated with options. But what are the best and healthiest sugar substitutes? And how do these compare to natural sugar when it comes to our health? Here, nutrition scientists and registered dietitians explain the different types of sugar substitutes and what you need to know to protect your health.

Artificial Sweeteners

Examples: acesulfame K, aspartame, neotame, saccharinn, sucralose

Some name brands: Equal, Splenda, Sugarly Sweet, SweetN Low

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic chemicals added to foods so that our tastebuds perceive a sweet taste without adding any calories to our diet. They are 200 to 600 times sweeter than sugar, says Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., nutrition scientist at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. That means such a tiny amount is needed to sweeten things up that theres virtually no caloric impact. If you think about those little yellow, blue and pink packages of sweetener in a coffee shop, most of that is filler, explains Gardner. If they just put in the sweetener, you'd rip it open and say, Ah, they forgot to put it in here!

Sounds like the magical solution weve all been waiting for, right? Not so fast. One 2019 study found that women who consume a lot of artificial sweeteners have a higher risk of stroke. Other research on animals shows a link between artificial-sweetener intake and obesity and diabetes. Artificial sweeteners are tricky in that they trick the brain into thinking that you had sugar but ultimately your body knows that you did not eat it so what ends up happening is that you're likely to end up craving more sugar! says Laura Iu, R.D.N., certified intuitive eating counselor and owner of Laura Iu Nutrition. On top of that, theres the issue of psychological compensation, according to Gardner. For instance, you might have an afternoon snack that contains an artificial sweetener and then give yourself permission to have a sugary dessert after dinner because you didnt treat yourself to it earlier.

My biggest problem with all the sugar substitutes has been that people put sugar in crappy food, says Gardner. Did it make it a tiny bit healthier? Sure, but it didnt make it a healthy food. He says the simplest example is Coke versus Diet Coke. Theres nothing of nutritional value in either option, but the diet version lacks sugar and calories. At the end of the day, I would say Diet Coke is better than Coke, but water would be best of all, says Gardner. You might slightly reduce your overall caloric and sugar intakes if you make the switch to Diet Coke, but it wont put you on the fast track to better health unless you make other dietary changes as well.

Natural Non-Nutritive Sugar Substitutes

Examples: allulose, malt, monk fruit, stevia, yacon syrup

Some name brands: It's Just! Monk Fruit Extract, Organic Traditions Yacon Syrup, PureVia, Sweet Leaf, Truvia, Wholesome Allulose

This category of sweeteners is similar in that theyre essentially zero-calorie, but because they are derived from plants and other foods, theyre not technically artificial. Some research even suggests that natural sugar substitutes might help people with diabetes manage the condition better than artificial sweeteners.

For messaging purposes, I'm a little worried about things like stevia and monk fruit, says Gardner. Someone might think, Oh I wasn't going to switch from sugar because artificial sweeteners sound bad, but this is natural. Now the cookie or cake I had has a natural sugar substitute so I have a license to have more. Plus, as Gardner points out, unless youre sprinkling actual stevia leaf on your food, the naturally-derived sweetener still undergoes a chemical extraction process so its not completely natural and ultimately youre still eating a cookie or cake thats likely packed with refined grains.

You also have to consider what these sugar alternatives mean for our long-term relationship to sugar. The same parts of your brain light up when you have cocaine and when you have sugar and you don't even have to eat it. You can look at it, or you can know you're going to have a cookie and those parts in your brain fire, says Gardner. So one of the challenges is if, if it's another reason to have something sweet, then you have now perpetuated this addiction to sweet taste.

Some options: erythritol, xylitol

Some name brands: Sweet Natural Natural Birch, Swerve

Sugar alcohols can be found naturally in some produce or created in a lab. Theyre often used in packaged foods to add bulk or moisture or change the general texture (as well as provide sweetness). Some brands of sugar alternatives (like Purecane and Better Body Foods Monk Fruit Blend) combine a sugar alcohol with a natural non-nutritive sugar substitute.

The sugar alcohol that most people are familiar with is xylitol. When used in chewing gum, xylitol makes it taste just as sweet and they've done studies that show it actually really helps for not getting cavities from sugar, says Gardner. It doesn't act like a sugar, but it tastes like a sugar. However, it's actually not quite as sweet as sugar, and you have to have more grams of xylitol than sugar to be as sweet, and it has calories. The result? We cant call it non-nutritive, meaning it doesn't provide any nutrients. The other thing worth noting is that research shows some sugar alcohols like xylitol can cause digestive issues in some people.

Some options: agave, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, molasses

Some name brands: Bobs Red Mill Organic Coconut Sugar, Grandmas Original Molasses, Madhava Organic Amber Honey, Organic Agave in the Raw, Runamok Maple Syrup

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Sugar Shock: The Hidden Sugar in Your Food and 100+ Smart Swaps to Cut Back

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These are just sugar by another name. A gram of sugar is a gram of sugar, says Iu. Your body really does not discriminate between the different regular sugars like white sugar, brown sugar, honey and molasses. Only your taste buds can tell the difference. Some may hit your bloodstream faster than others (giving them a higher glycemic index), but they have similar effects on your overall health.

However, its important to note that theres a difference between the naturally occurring sugars in fruits and vegetables and the added sugars that are found in many packaged foods. Research has shown that consistently high intakes of added sugars reduces the proportion of beneficial bacterial in the gut while decreasing the diversity of gut bacteria, says Maya Feller, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., owner of Maya Feller Nutrition. Additionally, when you regularly provide your body with an excess of sugar, it struggles to keep up and you end up with too much in your bloodstream. In the case of elevated blood sugars, the body is under consistent stress, says Feller. This can negatively impact the heart, eyes and vascular system increasing the risk of developing additional metabolic conditions.

Sugar substitutes can be helpful if youre aiming to reduce your intake of sugar and calories. However, in order to avoid to avoid weight gain and other health complications, you have to make sure youre not using zero-calorie sweeteners as an excuse to eat more unhealthy foods. At the end of the day, its also not necessary to cut out sugar completely. If you pick a sugar that is not very satisfying, it's very likely that this will increase your craving for a different type, or even more sugar, than if you were to just eat the type you wanted, says Iu. I work within an intuitive eating framework and a lot of my clients come to me afraid of eating sugar, but what always ends up happening is that when they allow these foods into their life they are less likely to binge on it!

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Sugar Substitutes: The Truth About Natural Sugar Alternatives - GoodHousekeeping.com

Migraine can negatively impact many aspects of your day-to-day living, including work, family relationships, and your social life.

Thats why learning what triggers your migraine attacks, and how to avoid those triggers, is so important, as is learning which pharmaceutical and complementary therapies help to prevent or reduce the frequency or severity of your attacks. Its also important to find professionals who can help you manage your symptoms, your mood, and the many challenges that come with having a chronic condition like migraine.

The following tools, tips, and resources can help you to live well with migraine.

What you eat and drink and when you eat and drink can play a role in managing migraine.

Most important is not to skip or miss meals.

Eating regularly for some people is really important some people have to eat every two hours, says Kathleen Digre, MD, a distinguished professor of neurology and ophthalmology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Dehydration is a common trigger of migraine attacks, so make sure you drink plenty of water or other liquids throughout the day.

Certain foods or types of food have long been identified as common migraine triggers: aged cheese, chocolate, caffeine, nuts, citrus fruits, aspartame, fatty foods, and food containing nitrates, the chemicals found in hot dogs and other processed meats.

But according to an article inMigraine AgainbyAndrew Charles, MD, the director of headache research and treatment and a professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, theres little evidence these foods trigger migraine attacks. In fact, Dr. Charles writes, a craving for a particular food might instead signal the onset of a migraine attack, rather than trigger one.

Red wine, however, may indeed be a trigger for some people, and the food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG) may similarly be a trigger.

If you suspect that foods or beverages trigger your migraine attacks, its worth keeping a food diary to look for patterns and discuss it with your neurologist.

According to Dr. Digre, some doctors have prescribed a ketogenic diet to control migraine, and theres some evidence such a diet may have positive effects, as noted in anarticle published in November 2019 in theJournal of Headache and Pain.

Magnesium and vitamin B2, or riboflavin, can reduce migraine frequency, according to theAmerican Migraine Foundation, so you may want to incorporate magnesium-rich foods like dark leafy greens and legumes, and foods rich in B2 such as fish, almonds, and eggs, into your diet. Or speak to your doctor about taking supplements.

There is some evidence that obesity is linked to the transformation of episodic migraine (attacks that come and go and occur no more than 15 days per month) into chronic migraine (more than 15 headache days per month), so maintaining a healthy weight may help keep the number and severity of your headaches at bay.

RELATED: Can a Ketogenic Diet Help Prevent Migraines?

Regular exercise can reduce both the frequency and intensity of migraine, so its beneficial to get in some exercise.

You don't have to do a lot to gain benefits, says Robert G. Kaniecki, MD, the director of the UPMC Headache Center in Pittsburgh. A pattern of regular, moderately intense exercise can be valuable, but so can a simple regular walking program, he says.

Movement can exacerbate a migraine attack already in progress, though, so you should not work out once you begin to experience symptoms. Exercise-induced migraine attacks can also occur, particularly with more vigorous or strenuous sports or activities such as weight lifting, running, tennis, or swimming. These headaches are sometimes related to other factors, such as inadequate hydration or not eating properly before a workout.

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Migraine: Your Everyday Guide to Living Well - Everyday Health

Calling all Fantasia Taylor fans and healthy eaters, the season threeAmerican Idolwinner is hosting a vegancooking lesson on Instagram and Facebook live this coming Sunday, November 15th at 2 pm EST. The best part? You can join in on the live-action and make the same meals as Fantasia loves, completely free of meat, fish, and dairy. Mark your calendars! Grab a friend, Pull together your plant-based ingredients. It's going to be a fun time.

Fantasiaannounced the eventon Instagram and boasted about the vegan meal she was eating, as part of her new vegan diet -- which looked from where we sat like delicious vegan mac and cheese, plant-based 'ribs' and a glass of red wine. Her caption: This "Food will make you want to smack Yourself Seriously."That sold us! Now we planon tuning into her live video and preparing our kitchens for vegan soul food masterpieces, wine included!

If you haven't heard or been following the story of her transformation,FantasiaTaylor revealed less than a month ago that she has switched over to a vegan diet,andannouncing the news to her4.2 million followers on Instagramwith three words, saying, "Taylors gone vegan."

Ever sinceherswitch to eat healthier, plant-based food,Fantasiahas been sharingher secret recipes regularly on IG. She is clearly on a mission to make eatinga vegan diet look delicious, enjoyable, satisfying, and creative. Last week, the singer shared a healthytaco bowldinner that husband of six years, Kendall Taylorcooked up. She was quick tocredit his hard work, captioning, "#husbandswhocook." The taco bowls were made with a crunchy tortilla shell, shredded romaine lettuce, fresh diced tomatoes, slices of avocado, dairy-free cheddar, and dairy-free sour cream.If you want to make this exact dish for yourself, try The Beet's7 Layer Vegan Taco Bowl recipewhich is madeusing similar ingredients.

Fantasia also showed off a decadent dessertthat looked like a peach cobbler or a crumble, saying, " This Vegan DESSERT!!!!!!!! Omg."If you want to make this dessert at home,The Beethastwo Fantasia-inspired recipes that are easy to make: Warmpeach pieand the perfectpeach cobbler.

Now, we can't help but wonder what Fantasia will be teaching us how to cook on Sunday afternoon. It could be vegan soul food, vegan tacos, delicious vegan desserts, or another type of healthy meal.Go ahead and make a guess, in the comments below. Stay tuned for more info and updates from Fantasia as she dives deeper into a vegan lifestyle.

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Fantasia Taylor Will Teach You to Cook Vegan. Here' How to Join - The Beet