Gastric bypass surgery has been seen in the past as one of the most effective therapies in treating or reversing type 2 diabetes.

And now we know why.

It isnt the surgery itself, as was once presumed, but the resulting weight loss.

Experts say this means major weight loss through dieting produces the same beneficial metabolic effects as surgery-induced weight loss.

That contention is at the heart of a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

Researchers studied people with obesity and type 2 diabetes who had undergone gastric bypass surgery and then lost 18 percent of their body weight.

They compared these study participants with others who also had diabetes and obesity but had lost the same percentage of body weight through diet alone.

The health improvements across both groups included lower blood sugar levels throughout the day, improved insulin action in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue, and a reduction in the need for insulin and other diabetes medications.

Dr. Vijaya Surampudi, an internal medicine specialist at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in California, says weight loss can have numerous health benefits.

It can improve blood glucose control, blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, improve mood, and reduce depressive symptoms, Surampudi told Healthline.

There is also some evidence of prevention of certain cancers, including breast and colorectal cancer. And weight loss can improve functional capacity, she added.

But that doesnt mean losing weight is necessary for everyones health.

People vary in the ideal body fat/weight range for them, said Krista Scott-Dixon, PhD, the director of curriculum at Precision Nutrition.

What is ideal is not a specific number, but rather a set of indicators about physical function, well-being, and thriving, she told Healthline.

Scott-Dixon adds that different ethnic groups and genetic subpopulations can be healthy and functional with different body mass indexes (BMIs), body weights, and body fat percentages.

For instance, we know that folks whose ancestors have East Asian genetic heritage tend to be less healthy at a lower BMI than folks from other regions, she explained.

When determining if weight loss is recommended, a medical professional will consider not just BMI, but weight distribution (adipose tissue volume and location), medical history, family history, and/or current lifestyle, said Caroline West Passerrello, MS, RDN, LDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Scott-Dixon says high levels of body fat can change the hormonal and chemical environment within the body.

These changes can elevate a persons risk for conditions such as:

And when body fat gets too high, it starts depositing into places where it shouldnt be, or shouldnt be in high amounts, she said.

These areas include the heart, liver, kidneys, muscle tissue, bone, and in and around other internal organs.

Past a certain point, excess body weight loads our structures primarily our joints in the lower body, Scott-Dixon said.

For example, Surampudi says 1 pound of weight loss is 4 pounds off your knees and ankles.

Surampudi says bariatric surgery is simply a tool in ones health journey for weight loss.

She adds that there are several types of bariatric surgeries, but the two most commonly offered are the gastric sleeve and the gastric bypass surgery.

The decision on which surgery [is appropriate] is based on the individual patient, their medical history, and what the individual and their physician feels is the best choice, she explained.

But surgical weight loss, including gastric bypass surgery, isnt for everyone, says Scott-Dixon.

So, individuals looking to improve their glucose control need to know they have options to reduce their adipose tissue volume, she said.

Passerrello has these general tips for weight loss:

Its also accurately stated [in the study] that losing 18 percent of body weight with diet therapy alone is difficult, Passerrello told Healthline.

Scott-Dixon says its also difficult to maintain in the long run.

In part, this is because most traditional diets are not only nutritionally poor and relatively unsustainable, theyre also done in a context where building deep health and the broad foundation for long-term changes arent addressed, she said.

Scott-Dixon defines the concept of deep health as that which addresses a multifaceted set of indicators, including:

There are so many things to consider: your access to food, your schedule, your current medical history, and your lifestyle, to name a few, Passerrello said.

A registered dietitian may use the social ecological model of health to frame a plan that will address these factors, as well as the amount of food to eat and how much movement to strive for, she added.

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Losing Weight by Dieting Has the Same Health Benefits as Surgery - Healthline

A person'sheart beats about 2.5 billion times over the span of an average lifetime. We seem to take that for granted. Heart failure affects more than half a million people a year in the US, brought on by lifestyle choices like being sedentary and smoking, and other risk factors such as eating a meat-based diet, according to a recentstudy. Prioritizing getting daily exercise and eating a whole food plant-based diet is the bestway toboost your hearthealth, naturally.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States according toa CDCreport, outpacing cancer and more than twice the number as COVID-19, yet we don't take extreme measures to stop it in its tracks. There is a simple way to reduce the chances of heart disease, regardless of your age, right now, which is to eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. These 7 foods are among the best to boost heart health without the need for medication, In fact, a new study found that all it takes to move the needle on heart health and diabetes is to eat one more serving of fruits and vegetables a day.

Foods containing high levels of saturated fats like meat, processed foods and pastries may be a leading cause of the risk of heart disease. Choosing a plant-based diet significantly reverses heart failure symptomsbecause wholefoods with fiber naturallylower your cholesterol and help maintain healthy blood circulation.

When you are seeking heart-healthy foods, turn to those that are closest to what you couldgrow inthe earth, like fruits and vegetables and minimally processed foods (potatoes not chips).

Everyone can benefit from eating this way, not just people with heart disease.If you don't know where to start here are7 ways to eat less meatand lower your risk of heart disease by cutting back on saturated fat. And check outTheBeet's new healthy plant-based recipesevery day that you can enjoy too add more plants to your plate, and years to your longevity.

1. Beets

If you've ever heard someone say, "a beet helps the heartbeat," they're right. In fact, these small vibrantly-coloredroot vegetables contain a high concentration of nitrates. Nitratesare a natural chemical found in soil, air, water, andsome foods that can help your body to reduce blood pressure, which can lead tolessrisk of heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. You can't beat eating beets! Mix them into your smoothie or chop them into fine pieces and add them to your salad.

2. Berries

These are berry good for your heart! "Eating a cup of blueberries a day reduces risk factors for cardiovascular disease," according to a study by the National Library of Medicine.To be specific, eating 150 grams (about 5 ounces) of blueberries a day reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 15 percent.

The study examined the effect of six months of blueberry intake on insulin resistance and cardiometabolic function in patients with metabolic syndrome.The research team concludedthat "blueberries and other berries should be included in dietary strategies to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease particularly among at-risk groups." Add berries to your smoothies, yogurt parfaits, salads, or simply enjoy them on their own.

3. Avocados

Avocados have a bad reputation because most people think eating fat will make you fat, but the opposite is actually true in the case of plant-based fat like avocado. The 5 grams of fat in an avocado can help you lose weight and boost heart health because it trains your body to burn fat as fuel. The two fats in avocados are mono andpolyunsaturated fats that take place ofsaturated or trans fats when eaten in moderation. This can help reduce bad cholesterol in the body and decrease your risk of heart disease.Because avocados are full of "good fat" they can help your body absorb nutrients without raising LDL levels (so-called bad cholesterol) in the body. LDL creates plaque, blockages and eventually heard disease. If you'refighting high cholesterol,try eating avocados regularly, or adding them to your smoothies and salads.

4. Tomatoes

When people say, "A Tomato a Day Keeps the Heart Doctor Away," they're actually talking about Lycopene. This chemical that gives tomatoes their bright red color, and can be found in watermelon and grapefruit, is a powerhouse antioxidant that helps to keep cells from becoming damaged.Lycopene may work to lower LDL. Lycopene in the diet also appears to prevent clotting, which can limit the risk of stroke according to health studies.

5. Garlic

Aside from garlic'spowerfulaftertaste, the food has powerful health benefits. Garlic, when chopped releases allicin which can help lower LDL, the "bad" cholesterol that canlead toheart disease. People with high cholesterol should consider taking garlic supplements because they appear to reduce LDL by about 10-15 percent according to a health study by The National Library of Medicine.

6. Edamame

Edamame is neither a fruit nor vegetable, but a powerhouse legume that delivers major benefits when it comes to boosting heart health. Edamameis rich infiber, antioxidants and vitamin Kwhich together work to lower LDLand improve your blood lipids. "Eating 47 grams of soy protein per day can lower total cholesterol levels by 9.3 percent and LDL by 12.9 percent, according to a health study by The National Library of Medicine. In addition, the vitamin K in edamame helps regulate your blood vessels and improves circulation in the body.

7. Oranges

Oranges are the perfect refreshing fruit to enjoy all year round and they appear to protect your heart against aging. Oranges contain flavonoids which is a class of pigments that help give it structure. Specifically, the chemical hesperidinfound in citrus may support heart health according to several studies. In one recentstudy, hesperidinhelped improveblood pressure, and lower cardiovascular risk. Results show that drinking orange juice daily for just four weeks has a "blood-thinning effect and may reduce blood pressure" for overweight men.

Original post:
The 7 Best Foods for Heart Health to Eat Today and Everyday - The Beet

Peggy Liu, University of Pittsburgh

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Peggy Liu, University of Pittsburgh and Kelly L. Haws, Vanderbilt University

(THE CONVERSATION) The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

Dieters looking for a healthier substitute of their favorite high-fat food such as a bag of potato chips typically have two choices in the grocery aisle: a smaller package of the exact same food or a larger portion of a light version. In a series of studies, we put this choice to consumers and found that people who frequently try to cut back on their eating or are essentially always on a diet known as restrained eaters prefer the larger portion size of the light version, even though both contained the exact same number of calories. Participants who indicated that they rarely dieted tended to pick the smaller size with the full flavor.

Our first study involved a vending machine choice between a medium-sized bag of Lays Baked BBQ potato chips and a smaller package of the regular version both 150 calories. Participants who took a survey in which they reported frequently trying to cut back on their eating for example, by taking smaller servings and skipping meals opted for the larger bag of baked chips. We got similar results over four additional studies involving other snacks, such as popcorn and cookies.

Why it matters

People tend to want food to be tasty, healthy and filling. Our studys restrained eaters were definitely interested in choosing a snack that seemed healthier, but their choice of the larger size suggested they wanted a snack that they felt would make them feel full as well possibly at the expense of taste. Feeling full can help people consume fewer calories overall.

The problem is research suggests eating more of lighter foods might not make people feel full, and this may point to a reason why most diets fail. Some psychologists argue that restrained eaters do not achieve the health and weight outcomes they desire possibly because, in depriving themselves of the fattier, tastier food, they may later engage in binge-eating or overconsume.

By opting for the lighter, less pleasurable food, even in larger packages, restrained eaters might be depriving themselves of the food they actually crave regular chips, buttered popcorn or a sugary cookie.

What still isnt known

More research is ultimately needed, however, to test whether the emphasis on increasing the portion sizes that one can eat of light foods, rather than focusing on eating smaller portions of foods that are more satisfying, is a successful long-term strategy. Or, as past research indicates, might it actually backfire and contribute to failed dieting? Its still not entirely clear.

Whats next

At the moment, we are working on new research examining how people decide what to eat, how much to eat and how frequently to eat it. For example, why do some people decide to try to avoid any treats, whereas others try to seek moderation? If they seek moderation in their diet, would they rather have a small treat every day or have a cheat day on the weekend?

Were also trying to understand whether or not consumers actually feel as full as they think they do by eating more lighter foods rather than less of calorie-dense foods.

How we do our work

We use a variety of approaches in our research on food, including conducting lab and online-based experiments, field studies and exploring existing data sets, such as food diary data. For this particular research, we recruited participants to pick chips out of a vending machine and used online panels to simulate real-world choices.

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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/constant-dieters-might-be-choosing-the-wrong-way-to-lose-weight-143961.

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Constant dieters might be choosing the wrong way to lose weight - Alton Telegraph

You don't have to be involved in the antidiet, intuitive eating world to know that dieting messages are everywhere. Registered dietitian Dalina Soto, MA, LDN, shared that sometimes they're disguised as "lifestyle" changes, or maybe you're told to simply cut out certain food groups. When people go on restrictive diets, she said they'll discover that they don't work, "but somehow we all want them to work. We want to be the successful ones," and we work so hard to make it happen.

Soto explained that when we fail, we feel like crap, but it isn't our fault. "The diet and weight-loss industry banks on you failing so they can profit on you for years. They want you to continue to buy their shakes, or the frozen meals they can mail to you weekly," she said, adding that whatever diet you follow, "you're never in control, they are."

In case you're thinking about going on another diet, or you're currently on one and feeling miserable, watch this video to learn five reasons why diets suck. POPSUGAR asked Soto to explain each reason, so read on and you just may feel inspired to ditch that restrictive diet forever!

See original here:
An Antidiet Dietitian Shares 5 Reasons Why Diets Suck and Why You Should Ditch Them Forever - POPSUGAR United Kingdom

Between a quarter and a half of the population of USA suffers from allergies. Allergy testing is widely available in the US and in many other countries but in India, its not common to run these tests. However, it is important to remember that when there are highly stressful situations, like the present time, high cortisol in the body can increase the predisposition towards these allergic responses in many people. So, check out your allergies in time.

Food allergies cause inflammation in the body (Pic credit: Shutterstock)

Let me explain some of these allergens a little more...

Choose gluten free foods if you are allergic to the gluten found in many foods

The very first problem is that most of us have insufficient enzymes and stomach acids to break down gluten, which is a complex molecule. This leads to a wide range of digestive problems from bloating to indigestion to constipation. Gluten increases the amount of zonulin in the body which is responsible for wedging itself in the tight gaps of the small intestine and eventually leading to intestinal permeability.

When our immune system becomes confused, intestinal inflammation increases. Our immune system is on high alert if we keep eating certain foods that do not suit us. Thus, we are not able to actually safeguard ourselves against true pathogens and we become susceptible to many infections.

Our skin tries to help us by releasing some of these toxins via the skin, and this can lead to anything from acne to eczema and urticaria. As our villi, the hot spot for nutrient absorption in the small intestine gets worn down and since different villi absorb different vitamins and minerals, we become deficient in many important nutrients too.

Many people are allergic to dairy as the body cannot breakdown casein and whey. (Pic Credit: Shutterstock)

Many people lack the enzymes needed to breakdown casein and whey in dairy products.

This causes lymphatic congestion which can lead to symptoms like sinusitis, depression, headaches, migraines, swollen joints, joint pain and much more. It also triggers an overactive immune response, where you can become allergic to many more foods.

Nuts are loaded with nutrients, but you may be allergic to them (Pic credit: Shutterstock)

There is a link between gluten intolerance and nut intolerance. A lot of people who do not eat animal protein rely on nuts as a major source of protein. This can become a problem when they do not have the digestive capability to breakdown these nuts. Nut allergies can range from digestive distress, immune challenges and inflammation.

Baking everything with almond flour or eating peanut butter in large quantities can trigger pain in the joints and many other inflammatory conditions as they contain oxalates. These oxalates can also trigger learning challenges in children.

Give eggs a complete break if they cause an allergic reaction (Pic credit: Shutterstock)

Eggs are a great food when they are free range, but they are definitely not for everyone. I know a large number of people who cannot tolerate them, as eggs can create an inflammatory cascade and cause pain.

As you can see, allergies are not black or white. It is different in every persons body. It also depends on the state of inflammation overall. When times are stressful, inflammation is heightened.

One of ways that you can support your body in the fight against COVID, is by keeping away from inflammatory foods. This will help you lower inflammation and strengthen your immune system.

(Images credit: Shutterstock)

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)

Want to make your startup journey smooth? YS Education brings a comprehensive Funding Course, where you also get a chance to pitch your business plan to top investors. Click here to know more.

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Smart eating: Follow diets that do not cause inflammation in the body - YourStory

Aug 26, 2020

This article is provided through a partnership with the USEA and Standlee Premium Western Forage, the Official Forage of the USEA.

What makes a horse a performance horse? Performance is loosely defined as any form of work or forced physical activity. Work or physical activity can include walking, trotting, cantering, running, jumping, and turning. Therefore, performance horses can include any horse that is actively ridden, trained, or that may carry or pull a load. With this broad definition of performance, many of us have horses that are considered performance horses. Since the performance activities of horses vary in both duration and intensity, feeding systems to address the nutrient requirements of these horses must also vary. In the following article, we will begin to talk about feeding performance horses by addressing water and energy needs.

Each and every performance horse requires five key needs:

Nutritionists and horse owners spend a great deal of time and effort balancing the diet for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals; however, water is the single most important nutrient. Small decreases in the amount of water contained within the body (dehydration) can lead to serious health consequences, as well as a decline in performance potential. Performance horses must maintain proper hydration to transport materials to and from the cells within the body and to synthesize and repair body tissues. The amount of water required by a performance horse depends on the amount of water lost from the body and the amount of water utilized for synthesis of protein. For performance horses, water is lost from the body primarily in sweat, urine, and feces. To replace the water lost from the body, performance horses should have free access to fresh, clean water. Important to note: Ice cold water should be avoided for horses still hot and sweaty from exercise, since cold water may cause shock to their system.

Of the remaining nutrients required by performance horses, energy is the dietary factor most influenced by work or exercise performance. Simply stated, the more work a horse performs, the more energy (calories) required to fuel that work. In a sense, performance horses are like automobiles; the more we drive and the faster we drive, the more fuel that is utilized. Horses derive energy from the feeds they consume. Hay, pasture, grain concentrates, and certain supplements contain energy (calories) that horses can metabolize and use to generate mechanical energy for muscle movement.

Within feed, there are four constituents that can be metabolized to produce mechanical energy:

Starch is a carbohydrate that can be broken down within the small intestine of the horse to form glucose, a simple sugar. Glucose is absorbed from the digestive system and can be metabolized immediately to produce energy, or it can be stored as energy within the body in the form of muscle or liver glycogen (sugar), or as body fat. The main source of starch in a performance horse diet is cereal grain (oats, corn, or barley). Since the digestive system of a horse is designed primarily to digest fiber and has a limited capacity to digest starch, there is a restriction to the amount of grain that can be fed to performance horses. If too much grain is fed in a single meal (more than 5 lbs. of grain/meal per 1000 lb. horse) this grain will not be properly digested in the small intestine and may result in digestive upset (colic) or laminitis as it travels further down the digestive tract (1). For this reason, other sources of energy (fat, protein, and fiber) are also incorporated into a performance horse's diet.

Fat is commonly added to the diets of performance horses. Liquid vegetable oil (corn and soybean oil), flax, and rice bran are several fat sources commonly utilized as energy sources for performance horses. Fat is an extremely useful energy source for several reasons. First, vegetable oil is well digested (>90%) by horses. Dietary fat is commonly added to commercial grain concentrates intended for performance horses. It is common for performance horse feeds to have between 6 and 12 percent fat.

The National Research Council (NRC, 2007) estimates the crude protein requirement for mature performance horses at 9-11 percent, depending on work intensity. Protein that is fed in excess of a performance horses requirement can be broken down and utilized for energy. Unfortunately, the use of protein for energy requires the horse to excrete the nitrogen associated with the protein. Excretion of nitrogen requires the horse to drink more water and increases blood ammonia; both situations that are undesirable for performance horses. Thus, feeding excess protein as a source of energy is not a sound nutrition practice.

The most overlooked source of energy for a performance horse is dietary fiber. The digestive system of the horse is designed to digest fiber, and hay and pasture can provide an extensive amount of energy for the performance horse. In fact, for the digestive system to function correctly, horses require at least 1.25 percent of their body weight in hay/pasture per day (1). Since the fermentation of fiber is slow and continues constantly, horses get an uninterrupted supply of energy throughout the day. The use of fiber as an energy source has evolved in recent years. Today, in addition to good quality hay and pasture, we have so-called super fibers that are safe to feed like hay but have the energy equivalent of oats. Examples of super fibers utilized in horse feed include beet pulp, a product of the sugar industry, and soybean seed coats, a product of the soybean industry.

In summary, we begin feeding performance horses by providing free access to fresh, clean water. The next step is to provide adequate energy, but how do we determine how much energy they require? Energy is the only dietary factor that you can visually determine dietary adequacy. If you are feeding too much energy (too many calories), the horse gains weight or becomes fat; on the other hand, if you dont feed enough energy (too few calories) the horse becomes thin or loses weight. You cant simply look at horses and determine the status of other critical nutrients. Therefore, if your performance horse is too thin or too fat, it is your responsibility since we have the ability to offer more, or less, feed to properly balance energy requirements. To provide energy to the performance horse, we begin with feeding good quality forage (pasture/hay) and add additional energy with the use of a combination of starch, fat, and super-fibers.

References:

1. National Research Council. 2007. Nutrient Requirements of Horses: Sixth Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11653

The rest is here:
Feeding the Performance Horse - United States Eventing Association

(Title: Stronger together in the microbiome: how gut microbes feed each other to overcome dietary deficiencies, change host behavior, and improve reproduction)

To study how the microbiome affects their host behavior, a group of researchers at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Lisbon - Portugal, used the fruit fly combined with high-tech tools to show that two gut bacteria establish a metabolic cross-feeding that enables them to grow in diets that lack the nutrients that are essential for their growth and to allow them to change host decision making and reproduction. Results reveal a mechanism through which the right combination of bacteria can lead to microbiome resiliency to dietary perturbations and changes in brain function.

A balanced intake of essential amino acids is crucial to ensure the well-being and health of all animals. The essential amino acids are the building blocks of proteins but they also influence how much offspring animals produce, and what animals decide to eat. Intriguingly, researchers at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown had previously shown that the microbiome plays an important role in dictating how amino acids affect the brain. What was most puzzling was that bacteria could only affect the decisions of the animal when they were present in specific combinations. It is widely known that the microbiome often contains many different species of bacteria but why different types of bacteria are needed to influence brain function and alter host physiology remains a mystery. This is the puzzle Carlos Ribeiro and his team at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown set out to tackle: . "To study how bacteria affect their host physiology is a daunting task in organisms with very complex microbiomes. This is where the fly and its less complex microbiome emerges as a powerful tool. It allows us to precisely dissect the mechanisms used by the microbiota to change the host's feeding decisions.", points out Slvia Henriques, post-doctoral researcher and author of this study published today (August 25th) in the journal Nature Communications.

In the laboratory led by Carlos Ribeiro, principal investigator and senior author of this study, it was previously found that flies deprived of single essential amino acids develop a strong appetite for protein rich foods. However, in flies that were associated with two bacteria that are very abundant in the microbiome (Acetobacter pomorum and Lactobacillus plantarum) their preference for protein was drastically reduced and they prefered to eat sugar. "Interestingly, the association of flies with any of these bacteria alone could not reduce yeast appetite. Thus, in this new study our main focus was to understand why these two particular bacteria need to be present to change the feeding behaviour of the fly." says Ribeiro.

Work from several groups working on the microbiome, including the Ribeiro Lab, has shown that it is typically necessary for a community of bacteria, rather than isolated bacteria, to produce an effect on the host behaviour - and this was most likely due to specific substances bacteria produce, so called metabolites. Therefore the team set out to measure the metabolic interactions established between the bacteria within the microbiome and to map how specific bacteria and their metabolites affect the animal.

To tackle these, the authors runned a series of elegant experiments. To follow the feeding choices of the flies, researchers took advantage of a sensor developed in the lab - the flyPAD - and used it to measure with great detail the feeding pattern of individual flies. Then they used bacterial mutants to understand the impact of specific functions of the bacterial cells in the behavior of the host. And at last with collaborators at the University of Glasgow, they have also used a sophisticated technique called 'Isotope-resolved metabolomics' that enabled them to track the metabolites that were exchanged between the two different bacteria.

"We found that the two bacteria exchange metabolites and that this cross-feeding (syntrophy) enables them to grow and act on the animal even if diets lack the nutrients that are essential for them. Specifically, we now understand that Lactobacillus strains produce lactate which is used by the Acetobacter strains to synthetize amino acids and other metabolites. These are then used by the Lactobacillus strain which cannot synthetize them to continue to produce lactate. Furthermore, these bacterial amino acids are very likely used by the animal for egg production. But most importantly, we now understand that the lactate is also used by the Acetobacter bacteria to change the behaviour of the fly." explains Darshan Dhakan, post-doctoral researcher and author of this study.

By establishing this cross-feeding relation, the bacterial community becomes resilient to drastic dietary changes enabling their growth in the intestines of animals that ingest diets that lack nutrients that are essential to their survival. Ribeiro adds, "It is well established that our diet affects both the microbiome and our brain. What makes it complicated is the microbiome then in turn affects how diet affects us and what animals decide to eat. This makes it a very complex puzzle to solve. But by combining the right technologies with the right experimental system we can get at the heart of the mechanisms by which the microbiome interacts with our diet to affect our brain and our body. Importantly we show that the right associations of bacteria can make the microbiome resilient to dietary perturbations explaining why some animals and people might be more sensitive to the nutrient content of food than others. It is also a beautiful example of how nature establishes circular economies where nothing gets wasted and everybody gains."

In conclusion, this study emerges as an important example of how model organisms can be used to disentangle the influence of diet on the microbiome and to understand the individual contributions of gut bacterial species on brain function and behaviour. "The methodologies that were used in this study will allow us to identify all the metabolic interactions established amongst bacteria and will allow us to understand the precise mechanisms responsible for altering what animals decide to eat and brain function. Those insights can then be used to guide the search for similar mechanisms in animals with much more complex microbiomes, including in humans.", concludes Ribeiro.

Continued here:
Stronger together in the microbiome: How gut microbes feed each other to overcome dietary deficiencies, change host behavior, and improve reproduction...

Almond suppliers working with Kind are making two major changes. Theyve stopped using two types of pesticidesneonicotinoids and chlorpyrifosthat can kill bees. They will also convert between 3% to 5% of their orchards to a habitat that supports bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. (This habitat also supports insects that naturally manage pests, like ladybugs, reducing the need for pesticides.) As you know, theres been an enormous strain on bee colonies, says founder and executive chairman Daniel Lubetzky. And given that almonds are the most important input into Kind products, we wanted to find a way to have a positive impact on bees.

[Photo: Kind]Some growers were already beginning to make changes, but pressure from the brand can accelerate that work. Of the 1.5 million-plus acres of almonds grown in California, only around 20,000 acres are currently bee-friendly. Were making this commitment to help catalyze and crystallize the movement towards these changes, says Jenny Stanley, who manages sustainability at Kind. The company worked closely with academic experts and growers to find solutions that would have a meaningful impact while being economically feasible for the industry.

[Photo: Kind]Changing agricultural practices on a large scale is extremely difficult, says Daniel Kaiser, director of western conservation strategies at Environmental Defense Fund, which is advising the company. It takes thorough research into alternatives, incentives to overcome the cost of adoption, and a clear signal from the market that consumers are demanding change. Pressure from brands like Kind, he says, can help drive that change.

Almond growers rely on honeybees to pollinate orchards every spring, with beekeepers from around the country trucking in the 2 million bees used in the California almond industry. Since the early 2000s, those beekeepers have been struggling with the loss of an unusually high number of colony. (The numbers fluctuate from year to year; the winter of 2019 saw record-high losses, followed by more record losses in the summer, though the die-off was lower than average last winter.) The problem is complex, and its likely that bees are dying from a variety of causes rather than a single factor. Toxic pesticides are one issue. Diet is another, which is why planting wildflowers next to almonds can help give the bees access to multiple kinds of pollen. When you create environments where [bees] are only able to pollinate one single crop, one monoculture, you can actually then potentially weaken them by not giving them enough diversity in their diet, says Lubetzky.

The company is hoping that as more growers implement bee-friendly practices, the entire industry can follow. Five years from now, were hoping itll become the standard, and then well continue evolving and improving, he says.

See the rest here:
Kind is the first food brand to commit to 'bee-friendly' almonds - Fast Company

By Ella Feldman 8/25/20 6:56pm

Every time Anna Margaret Clyburn gets a Slack notification, her computer plays the monotone sound of a British woman saying hummus. Its fitting Clyburn, a senior at Martel College, is a vegan, and gets very excited about hummus, as well as sweet potatoes and peanut butter. She enjoys eating the latter two together after coating the sweet potatoes in ginger, cayenne pepper, curry powder, cinnamon and salt, then baking them for 30 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Now that the servery is not serving their very reliable sweet potatoes, I'm like, a little devastated, Clyburn said. If anyone wants to get together, bake a bunch of sweet potatoes, Im down.

As Student Association president, Clyburn said shes always looking for opportunities to talk to more students whether that means baking sweet potatoes with them, going on a run together, or just emailing back and forth.

It truly makes my day if someone reaches out. Even if it's a piece of feedback, even negative feedback, if someone reaches out to me, I'm like, Today is a winning day! she said. When it comes down to it, truly what I derive the most joy from is just getting to connect with others.

Being SA president also means Clyburn gets a lot of hummus notifications.

I'll be in admin meetings with important people. And then all of a sudden, it will be like, hummus. she laughed. Im like, that was not me.

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Clyburns diet drove her earliest involvement in the SA. As a freshman she was elected as one of Martel new student representatives, and began to work on sustainability projects and improving vegan and vegetarianism options in the serveries. She worked with Grace Wickerson on those projects and developed a strong friendship with them a friendship that lasted through Wickersons term as SA president last academic year and continues today. Her sophomore year, Clyburn became Martels SA senator, and her junior year, she was elected Martel College president. Throughout her time in the SA, Clyburn has worked on projects related to financial accessibility, equity and inclusion and intimate partner violence.

Now, shes preparing for her senior year and the bulk of her term as president, which lies ahead of her. Succeeding Wickerson, she said, is both exciting and intimidating.

We have really similar values, and so in many ways I want to retain the focus that [Wickerson] placed on truly understanding and cultivating a stronger culture of care on campus, Clyburn says. In terms of where I'd like to depart [from their presidency], Id really like to take more of a lead from students and allow students to let me know what they'd like from Senate.

Due to this years events namely, the COVID-19 pandemic and the national movement against anti-Blackness brought on by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvins killing of George Floyd the year Clyburn is preparing for is nothing like the one Wickerson led, or any other year in Rices history. Already, the SA Senate has weathered an untraditional summer, and was much more active than it normally is in summer months, according to Clyburn.

"You come together and you bond with each other when things are kind of going crazy when shit hits the fan, for lack of a better word. And I think I found that as a team, our people have come together, Clyburn said. I have not seen a team work as long or as hard as this one has over the summer.

Much of that work has been related to the pandemic, which led Rice to cancel classes just over one week after Clyburn was confirmed president. In April, the SA Senate passed a resolution asking the Office of Admissions to suspend standardized testing requirements for applicants for Fall 2021 matriculation. The ask was ultimately heeded by the administration. Clyburn and other SA Senate members also advocated for academic accommodations such as a Double A policy, which the Faculty Senate rejected. The Faculty Senate did, however, adopt an optional pass/fail policy for every class, which SA Internal Vice President Kendall Vining told the Thresher was in large part a result of the SAs work.

According to Clyburn, the SA was also actively in conversation with the administration throughout the summer about what reopening Rice would look like.

We've had the opportunity to be in the room for a lot of the conversations about what plans Rice will take to ensure that people are safe, she said. Although I'm not in the room when those decisions are being made about whether we will or whether we won't [reopen], I am in the room for those decisions about, you know, if we are in person, or if we are remote, here's how we're going to do this.

In those conversations, Clyburn said she has tried to be a voice for students who are concerned about what reopening could mean for the health of the Rice community.

Being both someone who is more risk averse and representing people who are more risk averse, I am really intentional about bringing up the necessity of keeping people safe, she said. I'm also really intentional about bringing up, you know, we do have students who cannot return to their homes. We do have students who face really unsafe situations with their families So whatever we do, we need to be sure that Rice is open to provide support for those students.

The SA Senate has also spent a good part of the summer in conversation with students, administrators and Students Transforming Rice Into a Violence-free Environment leaders about the Title IX changes that went into effect on August 14, according to Clyburn. Those conversations have largely been led by Izzie Karohl, Will Rice College junior and director of the SAs Committee for Interpersonal Violence Policy, and Maddy Scannell, Martel College senior and executive director of STRIVE, Clyburn says. In collaboration with STRIVE, the SA Senate has pushed for policies such as a preponderance of evidence standard and amnesty for reporting sexual misconduct, even if the survivor was violating rules such as the Culture of Care agreement. Some of their goals, such as those two policies, were adopted in the new changes. Others were not.

We're fully committed to continuing to advocate for more compassionate policies for survivors, because this conversation isn't over, Clyburn says. These policies aren't perfect, and they'll need to continue to be revised.

Clyburn hopes the successes the SA Senate saw in their advocacy for Title IX policies and survivors of intimate partner violence can serve as a guide for advocacy on behalf of other students, populations who tend to be marginalized from campus conversations.

I really do think there's a difference in the way that we advocate across campus between issues, Clyburn said. Up until recently, I haven't seen the same kind of advocacy for Black students, Latinx students, our LGBTQ+ students, as I've seen for survivors of intimate partner violence and the way that we have addressed assault on campus.

This summer, an anonymous group of Black students published a list of demands titled Tangible Ways to Improve the Black Experience, as Demanded by Black Students: Inaction is Not an Option, which contained a variety of demands for Rice, including that they investment monetarily in Houstons Third Ward and remove the Founders Memorial, known as Willys statue, from the Academic Quad. Clyburn said the list was incredibly beneficial for the SA Senate.

A lot of times we operate on, Oh, this seems like itd be helpful! But that implies an assumption, Clyburn said. This really gave us a very clear list of things, where it's like, this is something that people are saying would be helpful. These are things that we really can work on.

The list, Clyburn said, contained many demands the SA Senate was already working on, such as formally fighting hateful and discriminatory speech on campus and implementing more racial sensitivity trainings for staff and faculty. It also contained many demands that they hadnt considered before, Clyburn said, and she is excited to see how they can organize around that work. However, its important to her that the anti-racism work the SA Senate engages in this fall prioritizes the voices of Black students.

I dont think it should be up to me to decide whether or not something does or doesnt happen, be that the removal of Willys statue or otherwise, Clyburn said. Being someone who doesnt believe in harming others, if Willys statue is inflicting harm on Black students which were learning it is then something must be done. And those being harmed should be the ones directing that change ... As a white person, much of Rice was created to be comfortable for me. At this point, we need to listen to and trust those for whom this campus is not comfortable.

Concerns over the SAs lack of active anti-racism have come up before. Back in February, former Rice student and then-Jones College SA Senator Drew Carter cited SA Senates lack of action against racism and xenophobia as one of the reasons he withdrew from the race for SA president against Clyburn, leaving her uncontested. That the race for president was uncontested was concerning to many across campus, including the Threshers editorial board and Clyburn herself. Just 27.2 percent of students cast a ballot in February, and Clyburn received 91.2 percent of those votes.

I get the feeling that people are still thinking about the fact that I ran uncontested. I just want people to know that, like, I'm not happy that that happened either, Clyburn said. Its kind of damning. Like people must just not, theyre not caring, or we're doing something wrong.

However, Clyburn said that shortly after the election, as the SA Senate began to work with the administration to handle COVID-19s impact on campus, she found surprisingly high engagement from students in the work of the SA.

If anything comes out of [COVID-19], I hope its a reminder to us in this organization that we really do have a voice and that we need to be very intentional about the way that we use it, Clyburn said. And then hopefully it's a reminder to students that like, we really, we really need your engagement and we really need you to help guide us.

Clyburn said she intends to let student voices continue to lead her work on coronavirus policies, Title IX, anti-racism, the November election and anything else that comes up as SA president this academic year. Shell be balancing the demanding job with her personal endeavors as a history and French studies major with a minor in politics, law and social thought which this year, include pursuing a history thesis on the intersection of First Amendment case law and revenge pornography.

I definitely am not someone who feels the need to define every checkpoint, and be the person coming up with each idea, but rather the person that makes those spaces where those ideas can come up and people feel comfortable taking the lead, Clyburn said. I would love to just be a strong, excited supporter, and that's really where I feel most comfortable.

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Meet your SA president: Anna Margaret Clyburn is here to listen - The Rice Thresher