For generations, we've understood the concept of "the fat gene." Obesity runs in families, after all, and if Mom and Dad are both heavy, there's little you can do about it. But emerging science says that's not so. In fact, what we're learning now is that weight gain is caused not by genetics but by epigeneticsbasically, the science of how genes are turned on and off by different environmental factors, including stress, chemical exposure, and, yes, diet.

A study in the journal Advanced Nutrition reported that obese and diabetic people have a different pattern of epigenetic markers than those who are not obese or diabetic. Simply put, their fat genes have been tripped.

"What you eat, and don't eat, can influence which genes are turned on and when," says Kevin L. Schalinske, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University. "Eating the wrong foods, deficiencies in the diet, and lifestyle choices like smoking, can turn things on."

So being born with the genes for fat storage doesn't cause you to become fat. Those genes need help getting started. Read on to learn some unexpected ways to throw a damper on your fat genes and keep them stuck in neutral for good. And for more great weight-loss advice, make sure you're up to speed on the 21 Best Healthy Cooking Hacks of All Time.

1

Increased levels of B vitamins have long been associated with a higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes. Researchers believe that fortified infant formula may trigger the fat genes. If you're more comfortable taking a daily multivitamin, it's probably fine, but megadosing may do more harm than good.

2

The concern here is a compound called BPA, or bisphenol-A. Used to make plastic softer, it's found in some plastic containers and also in the thin plastic linings of food cans. Research has indicated that it may have an epigenetic effect on humans. BPA leaks into foods that are acidic or fatty, like tomatoes, tuna, and baby formula. BPA is used by most manufacturers, but Eden Organic and Trader Joe's both sell BPA-free canned goods. And for more on the insidious effects of BPA, read how it can actually shorten your lifespan.

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3

Bizarre but true: research published in the journal PLOS ONE found that getting direct exposure to sunlight between 8:00 a.m. and noon reduced your risk of weight gain regardless of activity level, caloric intake, or age. It's "possible that morning light synchronizes your metabolism and undercuts your fat genes."

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You know fat and sugar is bad for you, but what's really interesting is the new research on how they conspire with your genes to set you up for weight gain. Foods high in saturated fats seem to cause weight gain even if calorie intake stays the same. Researchers believe there's an epigenetic factor at work. The combination of sugar and fat has been dubbed an "obesogenic environment," much in the same way a toxic waste dump linked to a cancer outbreak might be referred to as a "carcinogenic environment." For more foods you should definitely avoid, keep this list handy of the 50 Worst Foods for Weight Loss.

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Our gut bacteria play a big role in keeping our fat genes in check by chomping on fiber and creating short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate. SCFAs help tame our genetic propensity for weight gain and diabetes. When we take antibiotics for every sniffle, we create disorder in our gut bacteria and undermine their ability to create the SCFAs that keep our fat genes in check."

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Surprising Weight Loss Tricks That Totally Work, Say Experts - Yahoo Lifestyle

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic prompted New Zealand and much of the world to undertake something few of us had ever contemplated: a near-total lockdown of society. In this Lockdown legacies series, James Dann explores the impacts of those extraordinary measures, intended and otherwise. Today: the lifestyle changes it brought on.

This project was made possible thanks to support from the Aotearoa New Zealand Science Journalism Fund.

For most of us, the lockdown meant massive changes to the way we lived. It changed how we worked, where we worked, what we could do in our spare time. It changed the supermarket from somewhere to drop past on the way home to a place for visiting as rarely as possible, and with military precision. Makeshift classrooms were assembled in homes around the country, while many who had become reliant on eating out or taking away had to reacquaint themselves with the nuances of the kitchen. Taken together, these were big changes, and they had flow-on effects. In this final article in the Lockdown Legacies series were looking at what the lockdown did to our eating habits, sleep patterns and exercise routines, as well as the stress of losing jobs and income and the impacts on our mental health.

The way we ate

The full findings of the Covid Kai survey arent yet published, but some preliminary data is available. It shows that people cooked and baked more during lockdown, and that the increase in the number of sourdoughs you saw on Instagram wasnt just the algorithm people were baking a lot more bread. Many people in fact found cooking less stressful during lockdown. The same couldnt be said for trips to the supermarket, which people reported finding both less enjoyable and more stressful. People were also choosing to cook comfort foods more, perhaps as a way to try and escape from the chaotic news coming in from around the world.

Walking more, sleeping less

Researchers from Massey, Lincoln, and Canterbury Universities are part of a global study that is looking into physical activity during lockdown. The results wont be published for a bit, but preliminary findings show that people were participating in activities like gardening and walking the dog more. Waka Kotahi, the NZTA, was also measuring the way peoples movements changed during lockdown. Though they werent looking at exercise per se, researchers were able to show that both walking and cycling increased, especially towards the end of level four. There were regional variations, with Dunedin being the most into walking, and Christchurch living up to its reputation as New Zealands most cycle-friendly city.

With all the changes to our daily routine, and the existential stress of a global pandemic, its not a surprise that many of us werent sleeping as well. Massey Universitys Sleep Wake Centre surveyed to see how our sleep patterns were affected by the lockdown, and while the full results havent been published yet, early findings show that almost half of us were sleeping worse. As the studys lead Associate Professor Mirjam Munch commented, sleep quality may be influenced by feelings of worry and anxiety during the lockdown. An increase in these feelings has been noted by a couple of other studies.

The Ministry of Health has been running a Covid health and wellbeing survey since the pandemic reached this country, sampling peoples mood on a weekly basis. Between 12% and 13% of people reported feelings of anxiety back in April, with the numbers dropping down as we moved out of lockdown. Around a third of us were feeling nervous about our circumstances in April, a number that had halved by June (though this went back up again in August with the re-emergence of the Auckland Covid cluster).

Where the childcare burden falls

Perhaps the most comprehensive survey that looked into how the lockdown affected peoples lives was the Life In Lockdown study run by Victoria University of Wellington. As they explained in the studys aims, it focussed on examining consequences of lockdown for peoples economic and employment situations, their individual wellbeing, their family relationships, and the intersection of work and family life.

The survey asked a number of questions, about parenting, working from home, and work status. They found that people with the lowest income were most likely to have lost their jobs, with the rate of job loss declining as you went up the wage brackets. It also found that only 13% of those in low-income households were able to work from home, compared to 45% of people in higher-income households. NZ Europeans were least likely to have lost their jobs a finding supported by a survey from Massey that found Mori were twice as likely to have lost their jobs.)

The analysis of men and women with children of different ages was particularly interesting. They found that 70% of working mothers with young children (0-4 years old) reported an increase in family demands, compared to 49% of working fathers in the same group. While the gender gap narrowed as the children got older, it shows the responsibility for raising small children continues to fall largely on mothers.

As the authors note, there are implications for this research that stretch beyond the lockdown, and into government policy settings. Access to and affordability of childcare appears key to any semblance of work-life balance for parents of young children, as shown by the larger impact on mothers with pre-schoolers, they write. If we want mothers to be part of the workforce and our economic recovery, we must ensure all families have access to high quality and affordable childcare. While lockdown was difficult for everyone, this period highlights how much we rely on schools and early childhood education to enable work in the paid economy. It also highlights how work flexibility, when coupled with affordable and high quality childcare, could promote more gender equality in parenting.

The experiment of working from home on a mass scale may have flow-on effects to the shape of our workforce in the future. A University of Otago study suggests that 73% of people were equally or more productive when working from home, and that nine out of 10 respondents hoped that they would be able to continue to work from home, at least part of the time, as we return to whatever normal might look like.

The loneliness toll

With so many changes to work, life, and routines, as well as daily updates on a world that appeared to be falling apart in real time, its not a surprise that people started to feel different. The enforcement of social isolation meant a loss of our regular social networks, and put many people at risk of developing loneliness. This was something looked at by Holly Walker, for the Helen Clark Foundation, and previously covered on the Spinoff.

Using some of the survey responses from the Life In Lockdown study mentioned above, Walker was able to look into how lonely people were feeling. While the number of people reporting feeling lonely most or all of the time went from 3.5% pre-survey, to 10.6% during lockdown, these numbers were even higher for some groups. Those with income under $30,000, people who were unemployed or lost their jobs and young people all saw big increases in the rate of loneliness. The burden of the lockdown did not fall equally across our society, with those at the margins disproportionately affected by it.

Research is ongoing into the impact on the lockdown on people with previous histories of mental health issues, but it has yet to be published. There was a discussion around the number of suicides during the lockdown, with some erroneously claiming that the rate had increased. The chief coroner pushed back against this, and the figures for the year to June show both a drop in the number, and the suicide rate.

Many researchers continue to examine the changes the lockdown had on our society, and we will learn more about its impact as the results and analysis emerge over the next couple of years. We can already see that it entailed changes in the way we ate and cooked, the way we moved around, and how we slept. The impact on how we worked, and the relationship between that and our family life, has broader implications for how we manage the work-life balance as a society.

The full impact of enforced social isolation on our mental health isnt yet known, but the increase in the rates of loneliness, especially in some of our most vulnerable, paints a striking picture of one unintended consequence of locking down, one which will help inform future decisions about moving in and out of lockdown.

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How the lockdown changed our diets, affected our sleep, and left us lonely - The Spinoff

Anxious or stressed? (Who isn't right now?) The key is to figure out the right foods to reach for when stress, anxiety, and everyday worry takes over your brain. Other than getting exercise and a good night's sleep, food is the most powerful medicine you can reach for, says this doctor. Here is his prescription for what to eat and drink when you need to feel calmer fast.

"When it comes to that natural stress reaction, we need something crunchy," says Dr.Jonathan Dr.Clinthorne, a Ph.D. in Nutrition, who has researched extensively on the connection between nutrition and mood, is the nutrition communications manager for Atkins, and has written a new paper: Good Mood, Good Food: A Wellness Guide to Superfood Mood Balancers."For me, that means almonds and nuts and seeds. And those are great sources of magnesium and that helps calm the neurotransmitters in our brains."

Why do humans find solace in crunching down on foods that make that satisfying sound as we mash our teeth? "For some reason crunching on foods can be helpful to our brains," Dr. Clinthorne says. It's practically caveman-like. Hearing our own crunching in our head is calming, and makes us realized we are eating something. A Mental Floss story on the science of why we love loud crunchy foods adds this: "Humans love crunchy, noisy snacks, that loud rattling that travels to our inner ear via air and bone conduction and helps us identify what it is were consuming. Depending on the snack, the noise can reach 63 decibels."

So whether you're eating nuts, celery, snap peas, or other "loud" foods you can tell yourself that just the act of hearing yourself chew these crunchers is a therapeutic endeavor."It's easy to slurp down something not good for us. but crunchy food, on the other hand, helps us since it signals the brain that we know we are eating. When you eat nuts, it is both crunchy and savory. When you eat nuts you are satisfying your brain by bringing in food that tells the brain, all is well, we are being fed. It turns out we need that reward."

Some people need to satisfy their stress with comfort food, especially chocolate, which contains chemical compounds that are beneficial to your brain chemistry called methylxanthines, which are in cacao and chocolate and coffee. In a study calledHealth Benefits of Methylxanthines in Cacao and Chocolate, the authors studied why humans throughout time have brewed drinks with these compounds and discovered that they help your brain focus and result in more efficient thinking, but without the serious side effects of drugs. So these phytochemicals in chocolate and coffee allow your brain to process the work at hand, which can lead you out of a stressful situation.

The study adds: "Apart from the benefits for day-life activities, methylxanthines may even be considered instrumental for health-maintenance.... In fact, chocolate/cacao does not generally produce insomnia or cause anxiety."

We all know to stay away from sweets, which sends us on a rollercoaster of highs and lows throughout the day, but the most dangerous foods are those packed with hidden sugarsthat trick us into thinking we're eating healthy food when in fact we are surging our insulin response and then crashing again.

"A lot of foods you would not expect to have sugar do, and in America, we are so programmed to eat sugary foods we don't think about it," says Dr.Clinthorne. "The worst thing to eat when you're stressed is sugar. You start consuming it when you're stressed and want more sugar and more sugar and then end up feeling bad about ourselves. So tell yourself: "I am just staying away from sugary foods"is the best idea.

Does alcohol count as sugar?"I think alcohol is a great question We know that in higher doses it activates our flight and flight mechanism, so if stress is the issue, definitely stay away from higher levels," says Dr.Clinthorne. "People who do not have trouble with sleep, a little is fine. But as long as you stay away from sugary mixes, it's fine. But even tonic water has sugar in it. What is a small amount? For a lot of people, that's two or more drinks. You can tell when your heart rate goes up when you're drinking."

A day of stress-free eating:

Breakfast looks like a smoothie with some veggies like frozen spinach, avocado, coconut milk or oat milk, then add any fruit or veggies you have lying around. Start with a mix of healthy fats like the avocado and then add fiber from the spinach and fruit and the carbs are built-in. The oat milk adds protein. Those healthy fats and fiber will make me feel good all morning.

Lunch is usually what I call my big-ass salad. I add as many vegetables as I can get in there. and usually not afraid of putting it in the calories in the form of nuts and seeds. I get most of my calories at lunch. Make it the highest caloric meal of the day.

Then I like a smaller dinner. I choose a plant-based protein source like whole grains or a sheet pan of roasted vegetables we may crumble some cheese on top, and that can be dairy-free cheese if you're eating plant-based, saysDr.Clinthorne. I am one of those people who sees the benefits of eating more plants.

This is important. "Exercise. I am an exercise junky. I think everyone should get physical activity in some ways shape or form," says Dr. Clinthorne. "Be active whether gardening or walking or mowing the lawn. It doesn't have to be a 100-mile bike ride, just has to be something you enjoy. But don't want you to get intimated or turned off so just get out there."

"The reason is that our bodies release anti-stress compounds that are almost like CBD in response to exercise," says Dr. Clinthorne. "The brain works by responding to the stress of exercise with endorphins and they stick around long after you stop working out."

The anti-stress hormones are endorphins he adds. "I am evidence-based, and they can measure these in the lab. Some people feel worse after exercise and if you are one who struggles with endorphins either you are doing the wrong exercise or going too hard... if you do that you will feel awful. So switch it up or go easier on your body."

So exercise is the first and most important thing you can do, for stress, every day. get it done in the morning. It doesn't have to be running 5 miles. You can get it in much faster. A tone-upsession on your livingroom rug works, but get your heart rate up.

"Everyone needs to eat more vegetables since they help us by delivering important antioxidants and nutrients to keep us healthy. But they are also high in fiber which makes you feel fuller longer and keeps your gut healthy, which sends the right signals to our brains for our mood," says Dr. Clinthorne.

"But it's also smart to eat berries, especially blueberries, and since they actually have alow glycemic index, you can use berriesto satisfy your cravings if you have a sweet tooth. We should all eat more raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries which are full of antioxidants to make us feel good.Eating high fiber foods helps us by keepingthe gut healthy, since healthy with probiotics help us improve our overall mental health as well."

Surprising fact: Dehydration is related to your mood. "There is really fascinating research being done around dehydration and mood. Just being dehydrated can cause you to have a negative outlook. You might be bummed out and feeling irritable or angry and in fact, you're just dehydrated," saysDr. Clinthorne. "So drink a little extra water and you might pop out of it.

"Think of how important water is to all our physiological functions, and as human beings not being able to find water is a source of survival, which means being dehydrated activates our fight or flight responses in the brain. So instead of eating, go drink a tall glass of water."

Sunlight in the morning has been proven to help elevate mood. Studies on light cycles show that while bright light at night can depress mood, sunlight in the morning boosts your brain mechanisms and mood. Still, the changing seasons can affect your mood, so in the fall, it's even more important to get sunlight for your wellbeing, studies have found.

"There is extensive research on how UVA and UVB raysfrom sunlight affect our brains," Dr. Clinthorne adds, "Since the UVB rays are important for vitamin D synthesis, while the UVA rays on our skin help us feel our neurotransmitters and help boost our mood." So first thing as the sun gets up, you should open your blinds and check the weather and if it's sunny, get outside.

The second half of that equation is to get to bed earlier so that you don't have to struggle to get out of bed in the morning. The earlier you get to bed, the better it is for your health, your mood, and your overall ability to fight stress and stay away from junk food the next day.

"Everyone is stressed out and many of us have put on pounds during this time, so if that is stressing you out orimpacting your mood, there are strategies to lose weight during this time that work effectively and quickly.

"If you controlblood sugar,you are going to lose weight, and there are a lot of different eating patterns you canchoose and still lose weight."The key is to find the plan that is right for you: Mediterranean or vegetarian or vegan diets are compatible with the Atkins Diet," he says.

Or try The VegStart Diet, which is a healthy weight loss plan that helps you shed pounds in 14 days on a plant-based diet.

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The 9 Best Ways to Boost Mood, Including What to Eat and Drink - The Beet

This article was published in the September 2020 issue of Pet Food Processing. Read it and other articles from this issue in our September digital edition.

Farm-raised animals and staple crops have long been the go-to sources of protein for pet food formulators. Chicken, beef, lamb, salmon and even turkey, as well as legumes, pulses and soybeans are familiar ingredients and tolerated by most pets. However, some cats and dogs have allergies and sensitivities, requiring special diets and often alternative sources of quality protein. There are other reasons pet owners may seek out foods that include alternative proteins, including environmental platforms and personal preferences.

These non-conventional proteins may come from other animal species, as long as they are approved for use, as well as plants. They may even be microbial and produced through fermentation. Navigating the growing number of options can be exhausting, yet essential. It is paramount that scientists identify new sources of protein for the growing population of both humans and pets.

Recent interest in incorporating non-traditional proteins into companion animal diets stems from factors related to trends such as pet humanization, functional nutrition and sustainability, said Elizabeth Donald, vice president of research and development, AFB International, St. Charles, Mo. Once primarily observed in human-geared products and now emerging in the pet arena, consumers demonstrate elevated awareness of and interest in food label complexity, origin and nutritive value. As such, pet food manufacturers now increasingly strive to simplify labels and include ingredients perceived as simpler, cleaner and more sustainable, offering specialized nutritional support. To enable incorporation from the taste and acceptance standpoint, there is ongoing research to understand and maximize the palatability of non-traditional protein sources.

The future state of leveraging alternate protein sources in part or as total replacement could prove a significant supply risk management tool, said Elizabeth Donald, AFB International. It must be kept in mind, however, that many non-traditional proteins face unique regulatory challenges, which can limit the degree to which they may be explored.

Beyond nutrition and consumer perception, alternative proteins can support efforts to reduce dependency on traditional proteins, Donald continued. Typically used animal-origin protein sources are often susceptible to supply disruption threats to product and manufacturing facilities and personnel, such as the spread of disease and incidences of natural disaster. As such, the future state of leveraging alternate protein sources in part or as total replacement could prove a significant supply risk management tool. It must be kept in mind, however, that many non-traditional proteins face unique regulatory challenges, which can limit the degree to which they may be explored.

Deena Krestel-Rickert, chief executive officer, Four Paws Solutions, St. Louis, added that many pet food companies have initiatives to lower carbon footprints.

Energy and water conservation are associated with the production of some alternative proteins, she said.

Freely Pet LLC, Brentwood, Mo., a new pet food company offering limited-ingredient products, focuses on the needs, wants and eating habits of millennials and their pets by offering flexitarian and vegetarian options. Freely Pet uses varied proteins, including animal-derived, such as eggs, lamb, rabbit and turkey, as well as whole grains, namely quinoa.

Millennials understand that pet food isnt just to nourish their pet, said Reed Howlett, owner of Freely Pet. They recognize what and how their pets eat is a lifestyle and at times a reflection of their social values.According to Wild Earth, the process of turning yeast proteins into a finished dog food product takes only three days and requires fewer resources than traditional proteins.

Sara Gilbert, DVM, veterinarian for Freely Pet, added, These recipes thoughtfully take into account the specific biological requirements of our canine companions rather than treating them simply as small humans. This allows their parents the freedom to pursue a less ecologically impactful style of feeding without having to risk the imbalances veterinarians frequently see in exclusively homemade diets over time.

Kent Cooper, co-owner, Evolve Consulting Group, Fremont, Neb., said, Assuming the protein source is defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), product developers are free to use ingredients in the way they best work within their companys processing capabilities. Formulations that are nutritionally complete need to consider marketing claims and packaging options.

For example, a company may want to have alligator on the label, but the profile or availability limits its inclusion. An option is to formulate with just over 3% alligator to be able to utilize the with claim provided by AAFCO, suggested Lisa Schole, co-owner of Evolve.

From land and water

Formulators are exploring the use of many varied animal proteins, including duck, venison, bison, and fish other than salmon. The most common format is as a dried ingredient ready to be extruded into kibble. Fresh is also an option for wet foods.

Duck contains more iron than other poultry and delivers a flavorful, moist texture.Duck, for example, is a nutritious and flavorful lean meat, Krestel-Rickert said. Its comparable in fat and calories to a skinless chicken or turkey breast and an excellent source of selenium and zinc, nutrients critical for proper cellular metabolism. Since duck is a red meat, it contains higher amounts of iron than other poultry. Couple that with its robust flavor and moist texture, and you have a perfect combination of nutrition and rich taste.

Alligator meat is emerging as a sustainable ingredient for pet food. It is typically processed into a dry format, making it a concentrated source of protein that is well tolerated by cats and dogs.

Farm-raised alligators are fed a diet specific to their needs, which results in a higher-protein, lower-fat and lower-calorie alternative protein, said Scott Sprinkle, senior director, quality, food safety and regulatory, LinkOne Ingredient Solutions, Monett, Mo. It also contains higher levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, which have been used to treat canine arthritis and chronic kidney disease.

While most people associate fish with cats, Leslie Gillette, DVM, explained that smaller, younger, wild-caught fish are good options when adding fresh or processed fish to dog food. Examples include cod, flounder and herring. These fish are generally less likely to have high tissue mercury levels or significant parasite burdens, according to Gillette.The Billy+Margot brand from Real Pet Food Company includes a diverse range of ingredients including wild protein sources and different food formats for variety, flavor and optimal nutrition.

In general, fish provide a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids, which aid in healthy skin and coats and provide anti-inflammatory component to a dogs diet, Krestel-Rickert added.

Kemin Nutrisurance, Des Moines, Iowa, markets hydrolyzed spray-dried whitefish that is about 90% protein and less than 0.5% fat. This composition makes it useful in low-density cat diets, as it allows formulators to hit nutritional requirements, while maximizing topical fat application to drive palatability in these challenging formulations.

Further, more than 80% of the protein has a molecular weight under 10kDa, which is the range typically associated with being weakly immunogenic, said Alberto Muoz, marketing director, pet food and rendering technologies, Kemin. This premium protein is a cost-effective option for formulators seeking functional benefits in hypoallergenic and low-density cat diets.

The dried whitefish is also rich in anserine, a bioactive peptide that has been shown to support cognition in mice and humans, according to Muoz. It is compatible in dry, wet and treat applications.

Theres also growing interest in insects as a source of protein. Berkeley, Calif.-based Jiminys manufactures treats using crickets as a sustainable source of protein. Brighton, United Kingdom-based Yora Pet Foods produces kibble that is 40% insect, specifically Hermetia illucens larvae, also known as the black soldier fly. Another potential insect protein source includes mealworms.

Dog treats produced with crickets offer more than 10 grams of protein per bag and emit far less greenhouse gas than protein sourced from chickens or cows, Jiminys reports.Insects provide a great protein source for pets and people alike since they reproduce in great numbers, have high nutritional quality with very low water and land utilization, Krestel-Rickert said. Crickets, for example, are a complete protein and contain a useful amount, comparable to soybeans. They have dietary fiber and mostly unsaturated fat, along with essential vitamins and minerals.

Alternative plant-derived proteins are also trending. These include tree nuts, peanuts and edible seeds. They are also a source of fiber and healthy fats, with many contributing desirable flavor to the pet food or treat. Flaxseed is one example.

Heat-treated flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids, plant-based protein and fiber. It is the highest source of lignans in the plant-based world, said Myles Hamilton, president, CanMar Foods Ltd., Saskatchewan, Canada. Flax is commonly added to pet foods and treats for improving skin and coat health as well as improving digestibility and true metabolized energy. The omega-3 to -6 ratio of flax is anti-inflammatory and so companion animals with hip problems may benefit.

Milled flax seed is most common in kibble, whereas treats can use either milled or whole seed. The inherent oil in the seed helps facilitate extrusion.

We decided to pursue a primarily plant-based approach due to the immediate commercial readiness, proven demand in human food and alignment with the unique taste and nutritional considerations of dog food, said Garrett Wymore, chief executive officer, Petaluma, Oakland, Calif., which will soon be rolling out a dog food described as radically sustainable.

The omnivorous physiology of dogs enables plant-based ingredients to provide a complete and balanced nutrient profile with limited supplementation, Wymore added. Dogs respond positively to many plant-based food flavors, such as peanut butter.

Yes to yeast

Other novel protein sources are beginning to be used in pet foods and treats, Krestel-Rickert said. Algae, yeasts and fermented proteins are just a few of the alternatives to consider.

Tom Asquith, director, research and development, The F.L. Emmert Co., Cincinnati, said, Many pet food companies are embracing brewers yeast as a rich source of protein, indispensable amino acids, vitamins and beta-glucans. It satisfies nutrition and marketing needs for vegan/non-animal, sustainable, local and edible diets.

The protein content of dried brewers yeast ranges from 35% to 48% with relatively low amounts of fat (2% to 3%) and ash (5% to 8%). Essential amino acid content is comparable to dried egg product. This unique composition enables formulators to boost protein levels in high-meat diets as well as in diets with higher-ash content.

Brewers yeast is highly palatable, Asquith added. Published studies also show that beta-glucans in brewers yeast boost gut immunity and can improve gut function.

Bond Pet Foods treat bars for dogs are designed for easy portion control and feature novel dry yeast protein.Bond Pet Foods Inc., Boulder, Colo., has been working with biotechnology to make animal-free and protein-rich pet food. Its first product is the Protein-Packed Dog Treat Bar, a snappable, portable and sustainable snack that provides high-quality, supplemental nutrition to a dogs existing diet.

Approved by veterinary nutritionists for high digestibility and palatability, the bar is made with a novel dried yeast protein as the foundation of its recipe. While standard baked treats typically range from 12% to 20% protein, Bonds recipe boasts a 29% minimum protein content, which can help supplement a dogs primary diet to support sustained energy and overall health. A more sustainable alternative to other conventional animal and plant-based proteins, Bonds selected yeast protein requires less land, water and energy to produce.

Bond is part of a progressive movement aimed at reducing the social and environmental impacts of what our pets eat through new protein and ingredient solutions, said Rich Kelleman, co-founder, chief executive officer, Bond.

This is a first step in the companys product and nutrition roadmap. The science team at Bond is also working on production of chicken and other conventional meat proteins made through a similar fermentation process used to make dried yeast.

With our proprietary approach, were producing proteins that are nutritionally identical to their meat counterparts without the environmental, animal welfare and safety downsides, said Pernilla Audibert, co-founder, chief technology officer, Bond. Utilizing microbial fermentation and the biochemistry of yeast, were harvesting cultured animal proteins like chicken, turkey and fish, without the animal, and then using the ingredients as the foundation of our complete recipes. Products made with these meat proteins will be commercially available within the next three years.

We need new and alternative proteins to feed a growing global pet population, and also to minimize the environmental impact of feeding that growing population, said Ryan Bethencourt, Wild Earth.

Berkeley, Calif.-based Wild Earth, a biotech startup and maker of koji-protein dog treats, uses cultured protein made from human-grade koji (Aspergillus oryzae), an ancient Asian protein and member of the fungi kingdom containing all 10 amino acids essential for dogs. It is eco-friendly and renewably sourced. The company has also launched its first complete-and-balanced diet for dogs that is meatless and utilizes yeast protein as a main ingredient and source of protein. Using a fermentation process, fungal yeasts are transformed into concentrated yeasts then incorporated into Wild Earths dog food as a source of protein, B vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. According to the company, the veterinarian-developed food offers 31% complete proteins in every scoop of kibble.

We need new and alternative proteins to feed a growing global pet population, and also to minimize the environmental impact of feeding that growing population, said Ryan Bethencourt, chief executive officer of Wild Earth. Using biotechnology gives us the ability to scale and to get a product to market safely, quickly and affordably.

As technology has advanced, novel proteins are becoming about more than the nutrition they provide. For many, novel protein ingredients support a purpose broader than feeding the worlds pets.

We make dog food and treats but our purpose is combating climate change, said Anne Carlson, chief executive officer, Jiminys. I expect this [COVID-19] pandemic will reposition sustainability to the forefront as we continue experiencing firsthand the effects of relentlessly encroaching on forests for croplands and water. For the first time and on a large scale all Americans are facing the truth of exactly how traditional practices put us all at risk. I believe were due for a rethink and the embrace of novel, safe and sustainable proteins like Jiminys food and treats can help guide us to a better world.

Read more about product development, ingredients and formulation.

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Exploring alternative proteins and their place in pet food - Pet Food Processing

A persons diet affects almost every aspect of their health, from heart disease to mood regulation. For 30 years, Penn States Diet Assessment Center has collected and analyzed high-quality dietary data in order to help researchers clearly understand what, how, and when people are eating.

Measuring what people eat in the course of their normal lives is notoriously difficult. When asked, people often fail to report their intake accurately. Remembering every food and beverage consumed and estimating the amount of food consumed can be a daunting task for many.

Despite the challenges, understanding diet is critical. The Diet Assessment Center, housed within Penn States Department of Nutritional Sciences, has been providing expert data collection to address this need for decades. It has developed a reputation as one of the best resources for researchers who need to plan, collect data, or analyze data in the field of nutrition.

The Diet Assessment Center provides data collection and research expertise that is central to understanding nutrient intake and to analyzing the behavioral aspects of what, when, and how people eat. A lot of training and experience is required to be able to query adults and children about their diet and get reliable information from them. Diet assessment is a cornerstone of nutrition research and many other types of studies, for example of the microbiome or metabolic diseases. It is well established that diet underlies about half of the risk of many chronic diseases, so learning what people -- individuals and groups -- actually consume is essential to public health science. said A. Catharine Ross, professor of nutrition and physiology, and Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair in the Nutritional Sciences department.

Researchers in the Diet Assessment Center collaborate with nutrition researchers, government agencies, and private companies to collect and analyze data. The researchers in the center have worked on dozens of studies, large and small.

Collaborating for a healthier population

The Geisinger Rural Aging Study has been one of the hallmark studies of the Diet Assessment Center, said Diane Mitchell, associate research professor of nutritional sciences and director of the Diet Assessment Center. The original principal investigator was Gordon Jensen, former head of Penn States Nutritional Sciences department. Currently, Christopher Still at Geisinger is the principal investigator. Under their leadership, the study has investigated a broad array of topics that can improve the health of rural Americans.

In many ways, the Geisinger Rural Aging Study has served as the bread and butter of the center, allowing us to continually improve our methods, Mitchell continued. Funded through a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture and Geisinger Health System, it has provided resources to develop and test dietary methods to assess nutrition risk and diet quality.

According to Mitchell, the study has collected and analyzed dietary and other health-related data for more than 21 years on over 20,000 older adults in Central Pennsylvania. It is the longest running study conducted in the Diet Assessment Center. The study has helped researchers better understand how diet affects health as people age and has led to dozens of scientific publications.

Recently, the investigators uncovered new insights about the connection between diet quality and mortality. In the next several years, the project will focus on other neurological outcomes such as Parkinsons disease and dementia. This work is being guided by Xiang Gao, professor of nutritional sciences.

Data collection, instrument validation, and more

Over the life of the Diet Assessment Center, researchers have collected more than 75,000 dietary recalls. During a dietary recall, researchers call study participants at random times on select days over the course of the study, which prevents participants from consciously or subconsciously editing their responses in advance. The participants explain what they ate during the 24 hours before they received the call. For most dietary recall studies, the center uses the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR), a software program developed by the University of Minnesota. The NDSR database allows for automatic calculation of over 150 nutrients and food components participants are consuming such as fat, protein, calories, vitamins and minerals.

Though the center is best known for collecting dietary recalls, the Diet Assessment Center also provides research support for studies involving the collection and analysis of food records; the development, validation, and collection of food frequency questionnaires; and the collection of a variety of other types of telephone or self-administered questionnaires including physical activity, functional status, and health history.

We recently wrapped up a collaboration with the American Cancer Society on the modification and validation of a food frequency questionnaire, Mitchell explained. We used detailed food data to modify an existing food frequency questionnaire to reflect the diets of the Cancer Prevention Study-3 participants. The American Cancer Society uses dietary data collected via food frequency questionnaires to study the effect of diet on the development of cancer in over 300,000 Americans, so it is important that these data represent the population being studied.

Promoting undergraduate research

One unique aspect of the Diet Assessment Center is that they train undergraduate students to collect data. This gives students a unique opportunity to be involved in research collecting high-quality dietary data for ground breaking nutritional studies. It prepares the students for graduate school and employment by grounding them in rigorous research protocols while enhancing communication skills. For the investigators who collaborate with the Diet Assessment Center, employing a highly trained student staff results in a more efficient and cost-effective approach to data collection.

Looking forward

Thirty years into its existence, the Diet Assessment Center shows no signs of slowing down.

Im very excited about the future, Mitchell said. Advances in nutritional sciences require that we continue to develop and refine approaches to better capture diet, and this is a top priority for government-sponsored nutrition research. This aligns very well with the expertise of the Diet Assessment Center.

Researchers who are interested in collaborating with the Diet Assessment Center are encouraged to visit the centers website or email Diane Mitchell at dcm1@psu.edu.

Visit link:
30 years of supporting nutrition research - Penn State News

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Sugar rush. Sugar high. Sugar buzz. Sugar slump.

We've all heard these phrases that describe what our brains feel like when we've had too much of a sweet treat. But heres the thing about sugar and your brain: Your noggin needs it because sugar is its main fuel. Our brains run on glucoseit fuels our cells, including our brain cells. Were evolutionarily programmed to like sweets since theyre a great energy source. And when glucose levels are low in the blood (say, if you have hypoglycemia, or sometimes if it's just been a while since you've had something to eat), brain fog sets in, you fumble for words, you forget where you put down your phone, you look for a place to curl up for a quick nap.

When theres too much sugar in the system, however, that can set off some really bad stuff in your body and your brain.

When sugar hits our tongue, it activates certain taste buds that send a signal up to the brain, including the cerebral cortex, says Nicole Avena, Ph.D., assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, who wrote a book about sugar addiction. The signal activates the brains reward system; dopamine (a feel-good brain chemical) is released and the behavior is reinforced, which makes us want to repeat it (mmmm, thats nice, give me more!).

Sugar is rare among dopamine-producing foods, Avena points out. Most of the time when we eat something new and tasty, dopamine is released the first time we taste it, she explains. This is an evolutionary advantage to help us to pay attention to new and different tastes, in case they make us sick. If we eat something new and don't get sick, typically the dopamine response then goes away the next timeso basically we only release dopamine in response to eating new foods. However, sugar is different. Its more like what happens with a drug of abuse, where dopamine is released every single time its consumed. Eating lots of sugar will continue to feel rewarding because the dopamine level doesnt balance out, which it does when eating healthier foods. So sugar does act a bit like a drug in our system which is why people get hooked on sugary foods.

We used to have to forage for sweet foodsbut no more, of course. Our world is filled with sugary foods and not just the obvious donuts and super-sweetened, super-large latte drinks. A host of surprising foods from ketchup to salad dressing to marinara sauce have sugar added to them. But our brains still function like sugar is a rarity.

When you repeatedly activate that reward system, your brain adapts and actually rewires itself, and you crave more and more. And research on rats turned up this finding: When they were fed high-sugar diets, the rats brains released less of a certain chemical that helps bodies put on the brakes, so they were less able to stop eating it.

Those sugar-saturated rats also werent as good at certain memory tasks, which showed that certain brain functions in the prefrontal area and hippocampus (an important area for memory formation and retention) were impaired. Other rat studies showed that a high sugar diet increased inflammation in this area, which also affected short term memory.

You may not be aware that theres a strong connection between our gut and our brainand sugar comes into play here as well. When that sugary thing youve eaten hits your gut, Avena says, it activates sugar receptors there too, which signal the brain to release insulin to deal with the extra sugar youve eaten. To explain further: Excess sugar drives the pancreas to produce extra insulin, a hormone involved in blood sugar regulation. The insulin signals fat cells to store excessive amounts of glucose, fatty acids, and other calorie-rich substances. As a result, too few calories remain in the bloodstream, so the brain thinks its now low on fuel (since it has those very high energy needs). So your hunger level rises quickly. And sugar is appealing then because it provides quick energy. Thus, the cycle begins again. And thus, cravings for more and more brownies or ice cream or candy.

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

Want to get your brain in line with a healthier sugar level? Your brain can readapt when you cut back on sugar, and you wont crave it as much, says Avena. However, it can take awhile, even months, for this to happen, depending on the severity of dependence on sugar that one has.

To find out more about how to start cutting back on sugar and shake off a sugar dependence, try a 7-day detox plan. When you can successfully cut back, there's a payoff, besides a much healthier body: Just a small taste of, say, that delicious chocolate brownie will be enough of a sweet treat to satisfy you.

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The Effects of Sugar on the Brain How Sugar Affects the Brain - GoodHousekeeping.com

October 27, 2020

By: AdventHealth, and Adventist Review

The holidays have a way of throwing off our routineseven during a typical year. With added levels ofstress and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be even more challenging than usual to focus on nutritious foods, exercise, and other components of a healthy lifestyle.

First,giveyourself some grace.Guiltoveran extra dessert or a missed workoutis unnecessary and unhelpful. Criticizing yourself, or your family, for imperfection might lead to even more tension and anxiety.

That said, taking care of your health can help you cope better with lifes ups and downs. Plus, poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity can increase your risk of other health problems in the long run, from obesity to heart disease to certain cancers. Some of these conditions also put youatan increased riskfor complications from COVID-19, according tothe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

You might have to be a little more creative to ease stress and incorporate movement this fall and winter. But if 2020 has brought anything, itsa mindsetofflexibility. Hereare some strategies totrythis holiday season.

Focus on the Positives

Instead of dwelling on what will happen if you eat poorly and stay sedentary, consider the perks of eating better and getting moving.

If you eat a healthy diet, youll live longer and reduce your risk for chronic health conditionsor manage the ones you already have. The perks of exercise begin nearly immediately after a workout and include reduced anxiety and depression and better sleep.

Dont Deny YourselfFamilyFavorites

Many traditional holiday foods wouldnt necessarily appear on a list of the healthiest dishes. Theyre often high in calories, saturated fat, or added sugars.

Thats OKyou can still enjoy them. Just choose one or two of your favorites, and eat them in small portions. Balance them out with vegetables or other nutrient-rich ingredients.

You can also try modifying recipes for instance, grilling or baking your proteins instead of frying them, or swapping out heavy cream for lighter versions. Or, try an entirely new dish. You might find a new holiday favorite.

Sneak in Extra Vegetables

Good nutrition isnt all about what you dont eat, anywayits often just as important to add in more nourishing nutrients. After all, fewer than one in 10 children and adults eat enough vegetables, the CDC reports.

Eating more plants can ensure you get enoughessentialvitamins and minerals. Try slicing up raw veggies and keeping thembagged in the fridgeas snackstheyre far easier to grab when theyre already bite-sized. Add beans or peas to soups andsalads.

Turn Your Plate into a Party

Another simple, festivetrick to up your fruit and veggie intake? Eat as much of the rainbow as you can. Orange citrus fruits, bright-red tomatoes, purple eggplants and berries, and dark, leafy greens all contain different vitamins and minerals.

At each meal, see if you canintroduceone more hue to your main or side dish.Fresh herbs add a dash of green to brothy soups; orange andredpeppers can brighten up a dull egg dish; berries can provide a pop of blue andpurpleto yogurt.

Fill Up on Fruits

Some call them natures candy for a good reason. Fruits make excellent desserts, and theyre also a key part of a healthy diet, filled with disease-fighting nutrients. Plus, theyre lower in fat and added sugars than other sweet options.

Cut up melon, papaya, and mango, and top with fruit-flavored yogurt for a tropical treat. Sample a more exotic variety, like pomegranate orstarfruit. And when it comes to pies, pumpkin beats pecanits still sweet, butit has aboutone-third of the sugar and calories.

Start the Day Right

Skipping breakfast will likely only make you hungrier later in the day and more prone to overeating unhealthy foods. Plus, your morning meal represents a prime opportunity to boost your diet with produce. Only 10 percentof foods typically consumed at breakfast are fruits or vegetables,according to the CDC.

Upgrade your day early with a veggie-rich omelet swap out one egg or half the cheese and stir in spinach, onions, and mushrooms. Slice bananas or strawberries into cereal. Or, try a special holiday-themed bowl stir dried cranberries or cooked canned pumpkin, and pie spices like nutmeg and cinnamon into oatmeal.

At Night, Sleep Tight

Finishing out the evening with a good nights rest can also go a long way in keeping you on track. When youre sleep-deprived, youre more likely to eat mindlesslyand crave high-fat, high-sugarfoods.

Aim for seven to eight hours a night. Try to go to bed and get upat thesame time every day. Keep your bedroom quiet, relaxing, darkand free of lighted screens, which disrupt your slumber.

An evening routine, such as listening to calming seasonal tunes, can help you wind down. And try not to eat a large, heavy meal too close to bedtime.

Take a Walk

Walking is always an excellent way to fit more activity into your day. Start your mornings with a walk around the block or up and down the stairs. If you have holiday errands, park farther away from your destination so you can get in a few more steps.

When youre doing sedentary activities whether working, writing holiday cards, or watching seasonal movies take periodic breaks for a stroll in your neighborhood. Try to make your motion add up to 150 minutes per week that's at least 20 minutes a day, or 30 minutes five days aweek.

Try Some Music

Weather outside too frightful? Get creative with indooractivities.Turn on your favorite holiday tunes with their spritely rhythmsits a sure-fire way to get the whole family moving.

Some gyms or fitness instructors offer holiday exercise challenges, such as doing a certain number of squats or push-ups each day. Search YouTube for options, or start your own. You can award prizes to your family or recruit faraway friends as a way to stay connected.

Make Time for You

Clearing space in your day for activities you enjoy isnt selfish or a luxury its a critical way of managing stress and your mental health. Whether it's a nap, a hot bath, an engaging book, or relaxing music, carving out a few minutes for you will restore your energy so you can handle the next challenge.

Or, simply unwind and take a few deep breaths. Remind yourself that your emotions arevalid andrealbut even strong ones will fade.

Create New Holiday Memories

Many of our normal holiday activities will look different this year. Plan new activities focused on connection, movement, and fun and not just around sitting and eating.

Sign up for a turkey trot family run or holiday dash race, either in real life or virtually. Walk-and-talk dates with your family and friends, ice skating, or taking a bike ride past holiday lights when the weather is safe can add a festive mood to your day, all while boosting your health and well-being. There's no time like the present to start a new tradition.

The original entry was posted by AdventHealth.

More:
11 Ways to Stay Healthy This Season - Adventist Review

Before Covid-19, an ordinary evening for Tim Ludford, a charity worker, looked something like this: after-work drinks with colleagues; an Uber home; a takeaway. Not healthy takeaways, either, says Ludford, 37, from London. He would polish off a curry for two people before nailing a bag of Maltesers or a packet of biscuits.

Ludfords relationship with food began to deteriorate after the death from cancer of his father in 2013. I was unhappy, first of all, and I was bingeing on food and alcohol as a coping mechanism, he says. A lot of it was related to my dad, but I was also stuck in a rut and food was an easy way to make myself feel good. By the time lockdown was introduced, he was severely obese, with a BMI of 40. (A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9, according to the NHS.) Sometimes Id do crazy things, he says. If I was on the way to meet someone for dinner, Id go to KFC on the way. And then Id eat dinner as well.

Then Covid-19 hit. Ludford was too scared of the transmission risk to order a takeaway. The pubs were not open. I started cooking at home, he says. Soups, salads healthy stuff. He was furloughed and began to struggle with anxiety, in part related to the pandemic, but also related to his health. His dad had had a heart attack before he died, and Ludford began to panic that he would, too. The sudden death of a friend from a heart condition, in April, sent him to a dark place. It was like all this anxiety I had been pushing away, about my health and my weight, suddenly opened a crack, he says. And, because I was on furlough, I had time to focus on it. Everything fell apart. My brain decided that this was my comeuppance: I was going to have a heart attack, as payback for the irresponsible lifestyle Id been leading.

Ludford spoke to a GP about his anxiety, who recommended exercise and referred him for counselling. So, he started walking: 2km became 5km became 10km, he says. And he exercised to videos he found on YouTube. At first, he could not manage a single burpee, but after a few months, he was flinging himself on and off the floor with ease. The exercise was the only thing that really helped me to get a handle on my anxiety, he says. Exercise kept the wheels on the bus. Seven months on, Ludford has lost 34kg (5st 5lb) and is no longer severely obese. But the weight loss is secondary to his mental wellbeing he feels like himself again. Everything came together at the same time, he says. Lockdown was the trigger.

While lockdown was a period of indulgence for many of us who can blame anyone for looking at a world in freefall, with political leaders squabbling like children, and reaching for the biscuit tin? the enforced stillness of 2020 gave some people the time and headspace to embrace a more active lifestyle. Freed from the shackles of the commute and the lure of late-night pub sessions, an overhaul was in reach. Fiona Gillison, a chartered psychologist and behaviour-change expert at the University of Bath, says: The pandemic reduced the barriers that many people have to leading healthier lifestyles by giving them more time at home or dedicated time to exercise.

Gillison believes that the fact the government made exercise one of the only exemptions from the Covid-19 restrictions during lockdown helped reinforce the notion that it was a priority, even during a pandemic. We were allowed out for one hour a day for exercise, and that was one of the only things we were allowed to do, she says. Thats quite strong public health messaging. In effect, the government was saying: Look, this is worth leaving the house for; this is worth the risk. Exercise also became social: families traipsing out for walks together, friends meeting for a hike.

Plus, during lockdown, there was not much else to do. Sue Wild, 67, a retired midwife from Birmingham, says: I thought to myself: what else am I doing? I might as well try to get fit. Wild has never been an exercise fan: she completed the NHSs Couch to 5K app a few years ago, for a bet, but it did not stick. This summer, for want of anything to do, she downloaded it again and started running once more. It was strange, she says. I never enjoyed it before. But I think, because Im not going out as much, its nice to have a bit of time to look around and feel like things are normal.

Initially, I was only doing this because I had nothing to do. But it went on for so long that it became a habit

The pandemic is more dangerous for older people, obese people and those with underlying health conditions. I know that Covid-19 isnt going anywhere, says Wild, who is just outside the age bracket (70-plus) in which she would be most at risk from the virus. So, I have to be the fittest that I can be. I just feel like, if I did get it, Id want to give myself the best shot possible for a good recovery.

She is not alone. A recent study from University College London, which tracked 5,395 people via a smartphone app, found that over-65s were among the most active of all the groups surveyed throughout lockdown and increased their physical activity levels the most once the lockdown restrictions were eased. It was also the only age group to become more active during the pandemic than beforehand.

In July, prompted largely by the prime ministers spell in intensive care Johnson believes he was hospitalised with the virus due to his weight the government announced an anti-obesity strategy. (Critics pointed out that the measures did little to address the structural reasons for obesity, such as inequality.) The messaging appears to be working, at least for Ludford. I am very aware of how obesity is a risk factor, he says. That was a big motivation to get down to a healthy BMI.

For Shae Eccleston, 42, a consultant from Dunstable in Bedfordshire, it was a way to sort out her chronic insomnia, not just for her own health, but so that she could be there for her family. Five members of her family fell ill with Covid-19 at the same time her mum, her grandfather, her grandmother and two aunts. I was doing a lot of supermarket shops and making sure they were taken care of, she says. I just knew that I could not afford to get sick. I had to be resting. I couldnt afford to be knocked down as well.

Before the pandemic, she averaged two to four hours sleep a night. Ive always been bad at sleeping. My mum says that, even when I was a baby, I was always awake. It was a good night, if I fell asleep before the sun came up, she says. But her familys brush with Covid-19 thankfully, everyone pulled through was a wakeup call. Now, she puts her phone on Do Not Disturb, listens to ASMR videos, and has made her bedroom a screen-free zone. (Previously, she would often work on her laptop in bed.) Ive been getting a good six hours sleep a night, she says. To other people, thats nothing. But its huge for me.

It is easier to form better habits if your lifestyle has been upended. Covid disrupted all of our routines, says Gillison. When you have to create a new routine, your old habits are disrupted and youre more in charge of how you shape your own life. That will play a role in why people may be embracing healthier behaviours. Covid-19 acted as a jolt for many. Ludford had tried dry January and health kicks before, but nothing stuck. Suddenly, going on as normal wasnt an option, he says. Before, Id been able to live a certain lifestyle. And then this big interruption came along. Eccleston, too, thinks she would have continued in her old ways late-night phone calls to friends, working in her bedroom until the early hours were it not for the shock of lockdown. Suddenly, everything changed and I got a new mindset, she says.

When so much is out of your hands, exercise is something you can control. Theres something about the sense of autonomy you get from exercise, says Gillison. Youre doing it for your own reasons, rather than because someone told you to. With Ludford on furlough, exercise gave him a sense of drive and purpose. Ive felt so stuck this year, he says. You cant plan ahead in your life the way you want to or are used to. Exercise has enabled me to focus on a series of goals that I can achieve.

For many people, upping their exercise helped them deal with the stress and anxiety of living through a pandemic. I know my own mental health quite well, says Tom Firth, 33, a teacher from Yorkshire. If I dont do something productive with my day, I start to dislike myself. Before lockdown, he often worked 12-hour shifts, treating the summer holidays as a period for recharging. Id think that I should be healthier, but I never had the time, so I just gradually ignored it and got more and more unfit, he says.

In Firths defence, British people work some of the longest hours in Europe an average of 42 hours a week in 2018, two hours more than the EU average and the equivalent of an extra two and a half weeks a year. Studies have shown that working longer hours is bad for your mental and physical health, contributing to physical inactivity and an increased risk of depression. In the early weeks of Covid-19, Firth took advantage of his downtime to watch appalling amounts of TV: The entirety of Tiger King in an afternoon, that sort of thing.

But he could feel his mental health deteriorating, so he got on his exercise bike. Firth set himself the goal of cycling 1,000 miles a month, tracking his miles on a spreadsheet. During the Tour de France, he cycled along; now, he watches Parks and Recreation on the bike. Firth credits his exercise regimen with giving him the resilience to get through the pandemic. He has also lost 20kg. Exercising for an hour a day has done wonders for my mental health, he says. It releases all these lovely chemicals. Its literally addictive.

Will these habits stick when people return to their old lifestyles? Firth thinks so: even though the new school year has started, he is keeping to his routine. Initially, I was only doing this because I had nothing to do, he says. But it went on for so long that it became a habit. And Im proud of that. The best way to make anything stick is to build it into your everyday routine. It is much easier to do something over the long term if it becomes a habit, says Gillison. Habits occur when youve already done the decision-making, so the cue to act becomes an automatic part of your day.

She also recommends that people embark on diet or fitness changes with friends, for motivation and accountability. Social support is key, Gillison says. Finding someone to do the activity with, in person or virtually, or even just showing interest and encouraging you to keep going, is helpful, she says.

After gaining 3.6kg during lockdown, Wild has been following the NHS weight loss plan, a diet devised by doctors to help people lose weight at a safe and sustainable rate, with her husband. Ive tried to lose weight before, but it was a nightmare, making two meals and having all this tempting food around, she says. Whats been great this time is having my husband do it with me. I want to get fit for my older age, Wild says. I dont feel old at all. But I know that Covid is worse if youre older, and overweight.

Gillison warns that health anxiety is not in itself enough to sustain a long-term change: it is easy to become complacent once the initial alarm has worn off. The public will hear the message that Covid is more dangerous for the obese and it will get them out of the door a few times, she says. But unless they find something they enjoy doing, it will be a short-term fix.

The most important way to make fitness a habit is to make it fun. We are only able to make ourselves do something for a short amount of time, says Gillison. Its hard to stick at something you find unpleasant, plus you dont get the benefits in terms of the sense of wellbeing when youre doing something you dont like. So, if lockdown was a time of experimentation with various activities, pick the one you enjoyed.

Ludford is confident that he wont slip back into old ways. Ive seen such a huge change in my life, he says. Covid gave me the opportunity to focus on the things that were undermining my mental health. Im not going to go back to how things were before. Its been transformational.

Read more here:
I got a whole new mindset: the health secrets of people who got much fitter in lockdown - The Guardian

The global Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets market report offers an understanding of the dynamics, growth aspects, and functioning of theglobal Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets market. The report evaluates the market over the years with a comprehensive study. The Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets market assessment puts forth all-inclusive data that enriches the scope, understanding, and application of this report. Further, it provides the market competition landscape along with a thorough assessment of the key players (GlaxoSmithKline, Herbalife, Abbott Nutrition, Nestle SA, Danone, Glanbia, Kellogg Company, Pepsico, Atkins Nutritionals, Amway, NutriSystem Inc, Jenny Craig Inc, Creative Bioscience, Weight Watchers, Iovate Health Sciences, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem) in the market.

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Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets Market Competition by Key Players/Top Manufacturers:

GlaxoSmithKline, Herbalife, Abbott Nutrition, Nestle SA, Danone, Glanbia, Kellogg Company, Pepsico, Atkins Nutritionals, Amway, NutriSystem Inc, Jenny Craig Inc, Creative Bioscience, Weight Watchers, Iovate Health Sciences, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, among others.

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The report also specifies the computed expected CAGR of the global Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets market rooted in the earlier and current records in relation to the market. Apart from this, it also presents a pin-point analysis for the altering competitive dynamics that aids in recognizing the key products/services and their development potential during the projected period.

Key parameters which define the competitive landscape of the Global Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets Market:

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Analysis of Global Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets Market: By Type

Meal Replacement Products, OTC Obesity, Slimming Teas, Supplement Nutrition Drinks, Weight Loss Supplements, Other

Analysis of Global Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets Market: By Application

Retail Stores, Online Stores

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Global Weight Loss and Weight Management Diets Market : Industry Analysis and Forecast (2019-2026) by Type, Application, and Region - re:Jerusalem

Most people wouldnt pick up on these nuances, but Carlos Velasco does. A professor of marketing at the BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, he has devoted years to studying how seemingly inconsequential features of packaginglike color, typeface, and soundcan recalibrate what we taste. Hes discovered that angular, asymmetrical fonts make us perceive foods as sour, while we tie round, symmetrical writing to sweetness. That cloud-like Airheads lettering? To your brain, its positively saccharine.If theres a case in which typeface clearly contributes to the taste, it is this one, Velasco says.

You can see this phenomenon all across the candy aisle: Reeses deploys fonts that look almost creamy. Starburst lettering seems to curl backward, like someone scrawled it across a sphere. On the flip side, companies selling sour candieslike Warheads or Brain Blasterzpackage their products with far more angularity. The writing on Brain Blasterz, a line of sour candies and candy sprays, looks claustrophobic, with sharp angles on the B andZ.

Candy companies, with their eccentric fonts and sharp flavors, offer a clear illustration of a broader shift in grocery stores. Over the last two decades, food and drink packaging has become far more scientificand companies have figured out how to use tiny details, like typeface, to guide what we taste.

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