Ever since she's declared 2020 her "Year of Health," Rebel Wilson is opening up about how hard she's working on her goals in frequent workouts, training sessions, and of course, in a brand new diet. The Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect star says she's trying to reach a goal weight of 75 kilograms, about 165 pounds, by the end of the year: "Even if you have to crawl towards your goals, keep going [and] it will be worth it, she shared on Instagram.

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Having opened up about her journey on Instagram over the last year, Rebel's fans have returned the favor by letting her know how she's inspired them. "You are looking so fantastic!!!!!!! You give me motivation," one fan shared on a new photo, where Rebel got dolled up for a friend's wedding in what fans call a "stunning" dress by Australian-based designer Wayne Cooper. "Looking fly these days. Motivation... I cant get myself together like you!" another commented on a photo of Rebel in a garden. "You're the best motivation."

The 40-year-old Australian actor and comedian reportedly found her inspiration for her new health journey after visiting a well-known wellness center in Austria. According to People, Rebel's 2020 goals stem from a trip to VivaMayr with pal and TV host Carly Steel in 2019 where she saw "amazing results" based on the center's plan. What kind of treatment did she encounter there, you might ask? As shared in a personal review published in Grazia, Viva Mayr helps guests through a signature detox that involves certain spa treatments, mental health sessions, and a thorough diet and fitness revamp.

Not everyone can jet off for a stay in a medical center in Austria or locations in London, Mumbai, Istanbul, or Moscow for a consultation at the clinic (which costs around $211, according to The Guardian). But Viva Mayr's diet program specifically has been made popular by Harald Staussier, one of the clinic's founders, in a 14-day diet plan that's now known as the Mayr Method Diet, which promises to help you "revamp your health and feel years younger."

Believe it or not, the Mayr Method has been around for more than a century, according to VivaMayr personnel it's based on the "Mayr Cure" created by Franz Xaver Mayr, also known as F.X. Mayr. The basics of the program have to do with a "clean" gut, and a focus on eating foods that massage digestive systems. Maximilian Schubert, the medical director of VivaMayr, told NBC's Today that the Mayr diet has rarely changed over time: "The main idea behind this if people have a healthy gut system and healthy digestive system, then they are going to have a holistic approach of health," Schubert explained.

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Usually, people are first introduced to this diet by visiting VivaMayr or one of its many wellness retreats around the world during a prolonged stay and a series of consultations. "VivaMayr combines modern complementary medicine with traditional diagnostics and therapies according to F.X. Mayr, the VivaMayr website reads. Once we have treated your condition, proper nutrition combined with exercise and improved mental awareness become the building blocks of your new life.

Schubert told Today that the first recommendation made to many clients is to start a new fasting regimen: "In general, the first step is always a monotone and restricted diet, to really calm down the body system, food-wise," he said. In addition to adopting a short-term fast, the program will also include a prescribed cleanse, taking new or expanded vitamins, and supplements in what Schubert calls a "detoxification process." It's unclear which vitamins or supplements are used at clinics or Viva Mayr retreats, but there's a good chance that both have to do with aiming to lower the body's pH level based on the tenets of the alkaline diet.

According to our friends at Women's Health UK, in addition to establishing a fasting schedule, dieters will also refrain from eating sugar or drinking coffee (anything containing caffeine) and alcohol during the program. "Quite often, people will have some headaches and mood changes in the first three or four days afterwards, they recover very well again," Schubert told Today.

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While the suggestions above are made within the 14-day diet guide, there isn't clear restrictive guidelines for the diet program, and you may adapt the program over time: "It's perfectly acceptable to create your own meals rather than following suggested menu plans, although you may want to try them for a few days first, to get the hang of the way food is prepared at Viva Mayr," the meal plan's introduction reads.

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Ultimately, the diet is often purported to be based on the basics of an alkaline diet, but Stefani Sassos, MS, RD, CDN, the Good Housekeeping Housekeeping Institute's registered dietitian, explains that the foods on the diet plan's shopping list aren't actually included in true alkaline-forward diets. "Many foods on this list, including polenta, risotto, meat, and dairy aren't normally allowed on an alkaline diet as they are thought to be 'acidic.'" It may not matter in the end though, Sassos explains, because the alkaline diet's benefits have to do with eating more vegetables, reducing sugar and processed foods intake, and drinking more water (all things you can do without prescribing to a diet!).

Here's a majority of the Mayr Method Diet shopping list as highlighted in the book's introduction:

The 14-day diet plan also comes with a prescribed meal plan and recipes to help you get started.

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Because most of the consultations happen at the clinic, Sassos says she's judging what's in the diet's book alone. Overall, the prescribed shopping list and meal plans in the book wouldn't be harmful, per se: "Would the foods on this list do you harm? No, I don't think so." Like every other diet, Sassos says you should enjoy everything on the Mayr diet's approved list in moderation and you should also feel comfortable having prohibited items, like coffee, in moderation as well. "The quality of macronutrients matters in any food, but you could easily gain weight if you're eating an excessive amount of certain foods on this list that are very calorically dense, like cheese, butter, and polenta."

If you attempt the Mayr Method Diet at home, there are a few takeaways you should focus on above all else, including the suggestions to eat more mindfully at mealtimes. "Many of us rush our meals and don't chew our food enough, and chewing is important to ensure proper digestion and maximum absorption later on in our digestive tract," Sassos explains, adding that somewhere between 30-40 chews per mouthful is something you should aim for. "It takes about 20 minutes for your body to signal to your brain that it is full. If we are eating too quickly, we can easily overeat before our brain is able to register that we are full."

One thing you shouldn't try at home is finding supplements to mimic any clinic treatment. "If you see [any product] with cleanse or detox slapped on it, be suspicious and ask questions," Sassos says. "For gut health in particular, staying hydrated and incorporating probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, and kombucha into your diet is ideal. I always say food first before reaching for a supplement or pill."

The bottom line: You should always consult your doctor before making a long term change to your diet, but most principles of the Mayr Diet shouldn't be harmful. Remember, any diet needs to be paired with exercise (Rebel is also working hard on her fitness routine, Women's Health reports) for healthy, long-term weight management. The best principle of the VivaMayr program may be to focus more at mealtime: "Take time to actually register what you are eating, savor the flavor, and properly digest your food," Sassos says. "It can also improve your relationship with food and enhance the enjoyment of mealtime."

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What Is the Mayr Method Diet? Breaking Down Rebel Wilson's Reported Weight Loss Program - GoodHousekeeping.com

New Delhi, August 19

Highlighting thekey role played by healthy food in combating morbidities and building ones resilience and immunity towards various kinds of diseases, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said people of the same household have been showing different responses to COVID-19 based on their immunity acquired through nutrition.

Vardhan, whopresided over an online orientation workshop organised by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as part of its Eat Right Challenge, emphasised that 61.8 per cent deaths from non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular complications, etc are directly or indirectly related to faulty diet, a Health Ministry statement said.

Even communicable diseases like tuberculosis disproportionately affect people who are undernourished. People of the same household have been showing different responses to COVID based on their immunity acquired through nutrition, he was quoted as saying in the statement.

He also launched FSSAIs Eat Right India Handbook and the website eatrightindia.gov.in to help various stakeholders scale up Eat Right India initiatives across the country.

Addressing officials of 197 cities and districts,the Union Health Minister highlighted the pressing need for the campaign.

He stated that of the 135 crore people inhabiting India, 196 million are victims of chronic hunger while another 180 million suffer from obesity. 47 million children have stunted growth while another 25 million are wasted. 500 million are deficient in micro-nutrients and 100 million suffer from food-borne diseases.

This movement will sharpen our focus towards prioritising food, nutrition and awareness about our eating and dietary habits to prevent and address these challenges. This will also bring into sharper focus the problem of food wastage and disposal of food, Vardhan said.

The Eat Right India movement initiated by FSSAI under the aegis of the Ministry of Health has been creating awareness among people about safe, healthy and sustainable dietary habits.

To achieve this end and to convert the program into a peoples movement, the FSSAI recently announced the Eat Right Challenge, an annual competition for 197 districts and cities in a unique way to strengthen the food safety and regulatory environment, build awareness among the consumers and urge them to make better food choices.

The Food Safety Commissioners and district officials such as District Magistrates and Designated Officers of the cities also joined the online workshop.

Releasing the Eat Right Handbook, a useful reference guide for officials to adopt and scale-up Eat Right India (ERI) initiatives in their respective jurisdictions, Vardhan said, Food is not only about hunger or taste but about health and nourishment. The workshop is unique in that it brings big restaurant chefs to roadside eatery owners under the same umbrella to achieve a single goal.

Minister of State for Health, Ashwini Kumar Choubey highlighted the role of age-old wisdom and traditional Ayurveda in guiding people to right eating practices by categorizing food based on the effect they have on the body.

Reminding everyone of the Prime Ministers commitment of creating a new India by its 75th year of independence in 2022, Vardhan said, The Prime Minister initiated Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan on October2, 2014 to rid the country of diseases arising out of poor sanitation. Through the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide potable piped water which will aid in prevention of water borne illness in the country while the Ujjwala Yojana provides access to clean fuels to tackle smoke and lung diseases.

Highlighting the importance of Poshan Abhiyaan, Anaemia Mukt Bharat and Fit India movement, he added that they are cornerstones of Prime Ministers New India by 2022.

The main focus of the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness centres is on preventive, positive and promotive health, the minister stated. The HWCs form an integral component of the prime ministers vision of a healthy India, he added. PTI

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Diet, nutrition play key role in preventing deaths due to diseases including COVID: Vardhan - The Tribune India

The scale isnt your only tool in determining how fit and healthy you are. Other measurements, like body fat percentage, waist circumference, and BMI tell as much or more aboutyour overall health and fitness picture as the number on the scale. Heres the best news: All of these can be improved on a plant-based diet.

If youve ever tried to lose weight, you know how obsessed with the scale you can become. Yet while knowing your weight can be a useful tool, it only gives you a fraction of the story. Other measures like body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, both of which are tied to body fat, play into this as well. Heres the scoop on what each of these measurements indicate, how you can check them at home, and why you should eat even more plants to improve all of them.

How many times have you heard people refer to fat as a four-letter word? Maybe youve even said the same. Heres the catch: When people say this, theyre usually referring to the pinch an inch type of fat, essentially the kind that sits right under your skin. Yet subcutaneous (or surface) fat isnt the big issue. Instead, you need to direct your attention to two other types of fat in your body, namely visceral and intramyocellular fats which sit deeper and cause more harm.

While intramyocellular fat are essentially fat droplets stored in muscle cells, visceral fat is the fat in your belly, around your waist and around your organs, and both lead to poor health. Increase in intramyocellular fat leads to insulin resistance that can cause a myriad of problems, diabetes included, says Kim Scheuer, M.D., plant-based lifestyle medicine physician and founder of DOKS Lifestyle Medicine in Aspen, Colo. Meanwhile, visceral fat is even more indicative of disease, as it causes inflammation in the body which is paramount to heart disease and many other chronic diseases.

So how can you check your body fat? There are several ways, including the gold standard of hydrostatic weighing where youre dunked underwater while holding your breath, DXA which is similar to bone testing, and skinfold calipers that pinch the fat you can squeeze. Yet there are drawbacks to each. The first two require special equipment while the calipers check only subcutaneous fat and arent that accurate, Scheuer says.

Fortunately, there are ways you can keep tabs on your body fat at home, and the first is BMI. While BMI has come under fire as less than ideal as a way to gauge the population, many experts still consider it a useful tool. BMI is an excellent indicator, as its practical and easy to determine, and it reliably correlates with the percentage of body fat and body fat mass, says Charles Elder, M.D., internal medicine physician in Portland, Ore.

To determine your BMI, divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in meters) squared. If you know both, you canuse a BMI calculator to do thematch for you. In general, a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal, 25 to 29.9 is overweight and 30 orhigher is considered obese, Scheuer says.

Yet because BMI may overestimate the degree of body fat in people who are technically overweight but have a lot of muscle mass, such as athletesor bodybuilders, you should also measure waist circumference. Increased waist circumference, which assesses abdominal obesity, has been shown to be a predictor of cardiovascular complications and provides useful additional information beyond just BMI, Elder says. Measure this at home by placing a measuring tape around your middle, just above your hipbones. If you're a man and have a waist circumference of 40 inches or youre a womanand have a waist measures of 35 inches or more, youre considered at risk of having heart disease and other issues, Scheuer says.

When it comes to maintaining a leaner physique, plant-based eaters typically have always had the leg up in this department. Numerous studies suggest that plant-eaters have lower BMI than their meat-eating counterparts, including a smaller waist circumference, and lower body fat. The studies also indicate that a strategy to lose weight is to adopt a plant-based diet.

Whats the magic? Simple: The more whole-food, plant-based you eat, the more nutrient-dense ... your diet will be, so that youll lose more fat and weight overall, Scheuer says. Eat a low-fat diet, and youll do even better. She quotes John A. McDougall, M.D., founder of the McDougall Program and Dr. McDougalls Right Foods, whos famous for saying that the fat you eat is the fat you wear.Thats because while fat has nine calories per gram, whereas carbohydrates and proteins have just four calories per gram. As a result, plant-based foods, most of which are low in fat, are much less calorie-dense than meat, cheese, and other animal products. Yet because the meat and dairy both lack fiber, these calorie-dense foods are easy to eat faster and thus lead you to overeat, Scheuer says.

Plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains also have other ways in which they aid your physique. Theyre rich in water and fiber, both of which fill you up, and they feed good gut bacteria, which improves satiety and helps boost metabolism, Scheuer says.

And while most animal foods consist of long-chain fatty acids, which promote fat accumulation and insulin resistance in the body (which signals your body to store fat to be used later), plants have higher levels of short-chain fatty acids, which help your body burn fat for fuel. Short-chain fatty acids help increase fat burning for energy and are associated with many other health benefits, Elder says.

Want to improve BMI, waist circumference and carry around less body fat? Make sure youre loading yourplatewith as many plants as possible, knowing that going 100 percent plant-based is healthiest for you, as well as the planet, andfactory-farmed animals, Scheuer says. Its not just what you eat but when you eat, that matters. Because your digestion is naturally strongest in the middle of the day at around noon when the sun is highest in the sky, have your main meal at mid-day with a lighter dinner and no snacking at night, Elder says.

And dont forget that other lifestyle habits are important too, including exercising daily for 30 minutes or more, reducing stress by enjoying time doing what brings you joy, and logging sevenor more hours of sleep at night. Another strategy that works to lower BMI, fat and overall weight: Try limiting the hours you eat (Scheuer recommends stopping eating at 7 p.m.), and drinking plenty of water. Shoot for two glasses of cold water before breakfast, lunch and dinner, she adds. Then know that you've done everything you can to be your fittest, healthiest self.

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How Healthy Are You? The Truth About BMI, Body Fat, and Diet - The Beet

Lentils are loaded with some essential nutrients that should be a part of your diet. Here are notable health benefits of lentils you need to know.

Lentils are loaded with fibre which can help in weight loss

Lentils are a part of the legume family. These are edible seeds loaded with several health benefits. Lentils are available in different shapes, colour and texture. There is a wide variety to choose from. These are easy and quick to prepare. You can add them to your diet in several healthy and nutritious ways. Adding these to your diet can also help you maintain a healthy weight. Lentils are a blessing for vegetarians as these are an excellent plant-based source of multiple nutrients. Not just these, there is a wide variety of health benefits that lentils can offer. Here's a list of reasons why you should add lentils to your diet.

These tiny seeds are well-packed with nutrients. Lentils contain- folate, vitamin B6, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, carbs, fibre, calcium and much more. You can prepare these in different ways. In India, lentils are commonly used to prepare curries. These can also be added to your soups, salads and dips.

Lentils are loaded with several essential nutrientsPhoto Credit: iStock

Lentils are loaded with fibre which can help you keep full for longer. These can help you reduce your calorie consumption by keeping you satisfied for longer.

Also read:Weight Loss: Protein-Rich Pulses Can Help You Lose Weight, Here's How; Know Other Health Benefits

Several properties of lentils can help you boost heart health. These can help control bad cholesterol levels and blood pressure (potassium in lentils control blood pressure). Fibre also plays an important role in promoting heart health.

Also read:Pulses Can Control High Blood Pressure: Here's How

Fibre is also responsible for keeping your digestive tract healthy. It can ensure better bowel movement, keeping constipation at bay.

Lentils may help promote digestion and keeps constipation at bayPhoto Credit: iStock

Protein should be an essential part of your diet. It is the building block of the body. Protein also keeps you full for longer and helps you lose weight. Lentils are a good source of plant-based protein.

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Also read:3 Plant-Based Sources Of Protein And Why They Must Be A Part Of Your Daily Diet

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Reasons Why You Should Add Nutrient-Dense Lentils To Your Diet: Know Impressive Health Benefits - NDTV Doctor