With its focus on eating a variety of plant-based foods like leafy greens, vegetables and fruit, along with limiting sugar and saturated fat, many experts agree that the MIND diet is a healthy eating plan with a number of benefits.

Michele Rudolphi, a registered dietitian in Fort Wayne, Ind., recommends the diet to her clients. Not only is this diet whole-foods based, it is high in plant foods (specifically vegetables) which are typically lacking in the typical American diet With my clients, I also find that not only does it help to stabilize their blood sugar throughout the day, preventing cravings, it also helps them enjoy the flavors found in whole foods again, Rudolphi explained.

Dr. Susan Fox, a vascular surgeon in Hollywood, Florida, also encourages her patients to adopt the MIND diet. Fox explained that the diet is high in vitamins and minerals naturally occurring in beans, legumes and vegetables which promote a brain-healthy diet without the peaks and valleys of insulin and sugar disruption.

She also pointed to the diets benefits to both gut health and mental health. "There is definitely a link between what we eat, [and] how we feel, Fox said.

Whether you go all in, or take a slow and steady approach, the MIND diet may be a great first step towards adopting healthier eating habits.

Start by adding in more color in your diet, especially green, blue, red and purple fruits and vegetables. Swap refined grain foods with more whole grains like quinoa, brown rice and 100% whole grain bread. Limit your consumption of red and red processed meat to no more than once a week and cut down on sweets by eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages.

If your lifestyle goals include better brain health, along with maintaining healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels, the MIND diet is a good option to try.

Kristin Kirkpatrick

Kristin Kirkpatrick is the lead dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Wellness & Preventive Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a best-selling author and an award winning dietitian.

Link:
MIND diet plan and foods to eat: What is the MIND diet? - TODAY

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Pumpkin seeds, which can be enjoyed with or without their white shell, are a tasty and nutrient-rich food.

Research shows that they offer a number of health benefits, such as lowering blood sugar levels, improving heart health, and even reducing your risk of certain cancers (1, 2, 3).

Many people wonder whether pumpkin seeds can also help you lose weight.

This article examines whether pumpkin seeds are beneficial for weight loss, plus tips for incorporating them into your diet.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in nutrients known to support weight loss, such as fiber, protein, and unsaturated fatty acids.

One 6-month study in 345 adults on a low calorie diet examined the effects of dietary composition on weight loss. It found that fiber intake promoted dietary adherence and weight loss, independently of calories or any other nutrient (4).

Fiber helps increase feelings of fullness, preventing overeating between meals that may otherwise lead to weight gain or prevent weight loss (5).

The minimum fiber recommendations for adults to support overall health and weight maintenance are 1938 grams per day (6).

A 1/2-cup (72-gram) serving of pumpkin seeds with their shells removed provides 5 grams of fiber, while a 1/2-cup (23-gram) serving with shells provides 1.5 grams (7).

Protein is also known to play a supportive role in weight loss, helping improve appetite, prevent overeating, and promote feelings of fullness (8, 9).

A 1/2-cup (72-gram) serving of pumpkin seeds without their shell provides 21 grams of protein, and a 1/2-cup (23-gram) serving of seeds with their shells on provides 7 grams (7).

While pumpkin seeds are a nutritious, high fiber snack that can help support weight loss, its important to remember that moderation is key when it comes to your intake of any food.

Like other nuts and seeds, pumpkin seeds are energy-dense, meaning that they contain a substantial number of calories and fat in a small serving size.

For example, 1/2 cup (72 grams) of pumpkin seeds with their shells removed contains approximately 415 calories and 35 grams of fat (7).

If you were to eat 1/2 cup (23 grams) of pumpkin seeds with their shells intact, you would still be getting approximately 130 calories and 11 grams of fat (7).

When it comes down to it, just be sure that the quantity of pumpkin seeds youre eating fits into your overall calorie goals for weight loss.

While some people may be able to fit 1/2 cup (72 grams) of shelled pumpkin seeds into their diet, others may need to restrict themselves to a smaller serving size.

To minimize added calories and sodium, choose raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds, with or without their shell, to best complement a healthy weight loss diet.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in fiber, protein, and unsaturated fatty acids, which can all play a supportive role in healthy weight loss and maintenance. Choose raw, unsalted seeds to minimize your intake of added fat, calories, and sodium.

Pumpkin seeds can be enjoyed both with and without their shell. Pumpkin seeds without their shell are often called pepitas and can be identified by their smaller, green appearance.

Pumpkin seeds can be enjoyed in a number of ways, such as:

Note that pumpkin seeds contain phytic acid, which may inhibit the absorption of other vitamins and minerals.

If you regularly eat pumpkin seeds, consider roasting them or soaking and sprouting them to reduce their phytic acid content (10, 11).

Pumpkin seeds can be enjoyed raw with or without their shell and added to pasta dishes, smoothies, yogurt, and baked goods. If youre concerned about their phytic acid, roast or soak and then sprout them before eating.

Pumpkin seeds are a healthy food rich in nutrients that may support weight loss and maintenance goals, such as protein, fiber, and unsaturated fatty acids.

As with other nuts and seeds, pumpkin seeds contain a substantial amount of fat and number of calories in a small serving, making moderation important if youre on a calorie-restricted diet.

To best complement a weight loss diet, choose raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds either with or without their shells. These seeds can be added to a number of dishes or eaten on their own as a healthy snack.

Shop for raw, unsalted pepitas or in-shell pumpkin seeds online.

Link:
Pumpkin Seeds for Weight Loss: Are They Beneficial? - Healthline

Keith Roach, To Your Health Published 12:00 a.m. ET June 12, 2020

Dear Dr. Roach: My husband is a 50-year-old prediabetic who has recently experienced burning feet. He refuses to think its his high-carb diet (bread three times a day, chips, ice cream) and instead thinks he just needs some vitamins for foot pain. Could you please explain why and how what he eats affects everything hes experiencing?

Anon.

Dear Anon.: Diabetic neuropathy is a condition found in people who have had diabetes for years. It causes different symptoms in different people, but pain (often burning in character) and numbness are most common. The underlying cause is uncertain, but seems to be a combination of factors leading to nerve damage.

Prediabetes, often along with the other components of metabolic syndrome including high blood pressure, excess abdominal fat and high cholesterol or triglycerides may also bring on a neuropathy with very similar symptoms. Other causes, especially vitamin B12 deficiency, are appropriate to evaluate before determining the condition is most likely due to diabetes or prediabetes.

There are no specific treatments for the neuropathy, although there are medications to ease symptoms. Treatment of the underlying metabolic syndrome is therefore of the utmost importance, and the two most important treatments are diet and exercise. Avoiding simple carbohydrates, such as found in bread and chips, or the sugars in ice cream, is paramount. Regular exercise has an independent effect that adds to the effectiveness of the dietary changes.

Your husband is at risk, and the fact that the symptoms are recent means he should look at this as a wake-up call. Changing his lifestyle dramatically now can lead not only to improvement in symptoms (or at least they wont get worse), but it will also reduce his risk of heart attack and stroke.

There are many places to get help: His doctor, a registered dietitian nutritionist and a diabetes nurse educator all are excellent potential sources of information, but he has to make the decision to start the lifestyle change. Vitamins do not help diabetic neuropathy. If he can start making the changes, I hope he will find, as most people have, that his quality of life and sense of well-being are so much better that he will not want to stop his healthier lifestyle. Medications may be helpful, but the primary treatment is diet and exercise.

Dear Dr. Roach: My wife smoked for many years and finally quit with the help of nicotine gum that is 4 milligrams each. Since quitting almost 20 years ago, she continues to use about 12 pieces of nicotine gum per day. Does ingesting this much nicotine in this manner put her at risk for developing some type of cancer from the nicotine?

T.D.

Dear T.D.: No, nicotine is not carcinogenic, that is to say cancer-causing. In large doses, it is dangerous, but the doses she is taking are not at least, for a person used to them. Early signs of nicotine toxicity are excess salivation, nausea and vomiting.

There are many toxic substances in tobacco, some of which are cancer-causing. The tobacco does not need to be burned; chewing tobacco and snuff increase the risk of oral cancer. About half of all people who smoke will die because of smoking-related illness. Even one cigarette a day has significant long-term health risks.

Although its not ideal that she continues to use nicotine gum (and its not cheap), there is no doubt that the gum is much, much safer for her than continuing to smoke.

Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

Read or Share this story: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/life/advice/2020/06/12/keith-roach-diet-exercise-first-prescription-prediabetes/111949154/

Original post:
Dr. Roach: Diet, exercise are first prescription to try for prediabetes - The Detroit News

Sweet snacks and dishes can shut down important signals which would normally tell us we have had enough to eat, scientists have found. Sensors in the mouth become dulled from sending fewer messages to produce a neurotransmitter known as dopamine, which plays a key role in the reward system.The process is thought to lead to people piling on pounds as they eat more.

Scientists at the University of Michigan found that feeding fruit flies a high-sugar diet reduced and delayed the activity of their neurons. The insects are used in health research as they share many genes with humans.

The neural circuits fruit flies use to process the taste of sugar also involve dopamine.

So the researchers bred flies with a genetic marker in the neurons, so they could observe the process.

When the neurons activated normally, the flies ate the equivalent of a single cookie even when they were offered an entire box.

But when they were fed a high-sugar diet which had inhibited the process the flies gorged themselves for hours. Dr Monica Dus, assistant professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology, who led the study, told how the brain was prevented from receiving messages that enough food had been eaten.

She said: "On a high-sugar diet, we find that the fruit flies' dopaminergic neurons are less active, because the [sugary] intake decreases the intensity of the sweetness signal that comes from the mouth.

"Animals use this feedback from dopamine to make predictions about how rewarding or filling a food will be.

"In the high-sugar diet flies, this process was broken.

"They got less dopamine neuron activation and so ended up eating more than they needed, which over time makes them gain weight." The team also found that taking the insects off the high-sugar diet could reverse the process, restoring the dopaminergic neurons to their normal functioning level.

Dr Dus added: "We think that essentially this processing of sweetness in the dopaminergic neurons is probably used as a cue, as an alarm to tell the brain to start slowing down.

"If that process is not there any more, then you have to wait for other cues to tell you that you're full.

"By that time, you've already eaten a lot of cookies."

The findings of the research were published in the journal Nature Communications.

Continued here:
Why we'll never feel full up on a sweet treat diet - Express

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Cashews are a kidney-shaped seed sourced from the cashew tree a tropical tree native to Brazil but now cultivated in various warm climates across the world.

Although commonly referred to as tree nuts, and nutritionally comparable to them, cashews are really seeds. Theyre rich in nutrients and beneficial plant compounds and make for an easy addition to many dishes.

Like most nuts, cashews may also help improve your overall health. Theyve been linked to benefits like weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and a healthier heart.

This article reviews the nutrition, benefits, and downsides of cashews to determine whether theyre good for you.

Cashews are rich in a range of nutrients. One ounce (28 grams) of unroasted, unsalted cashews provides you with around (1):

Cashews are especially rich in unsaturated fats a category of fats linked to a lower risk of premature death and heart disease (2, 3, 4).

Theyre also low in sugar, a source of fiber, and contain almost the same amount of protein as an equivalent quantity of cooked meat (5, 6, 7).

In addition, cashews contain a significant amount of copper, a mineral essential for energy production, healthy brain development, and a strong immune system. Theyre also a great source of magnesium and manganese, nutrients important for bone health (8, 9, 10).

Cashews are low in sugar and rich in fiber, heart-healthy fats, and plant protein. Theyre also a good source of copper, magnesium, and manganese nutrients important for energy production, brain health, immunity, and bone health.

Nuts and seeds are considered antioxidant powerhouses, and cashews are no exception (11).

Antioxidants are beneficial plant compounds that keep your body healthy by neutralizing damage-causing molecules known as free radicals. In turn, this helps reduce inflammation and increases your bodys ability to stay healthy and free from disease (12).

Cashews are a rich source of polyphenols and carotenoids two classes of antioxidants also found in other tree nuts (13).

Studies link antioxidants in nuts like walnuts, pecans, and almonds to lower levels of oxidative cell damage (14, 15, 16).

Due to their similar antioxidant profile, cashews may be expected to offer similar oxidation-fighting benefits. This may be particularly true of roasted cashews, which appear to have an increased antioxidant activity compared with their raw counterparts (17).

That said, the number of cashew-specific studies are limited and more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made (17).

Cashews are rich in carotenoids and polyphenols, two categories of antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation and offer protection from disease. However, more cashew-specific research is needed.

Nuts are rich in calories and fat. Hence, people wishing to lose weight have traditionally been advised to limit the amount of nuts in their diet.

However, research is starting to link nut-rich diets to greater weight loss and overall lower body weights than nut-free diets (18, 19).

This may in part be explained by the fact that cashews appear to provide the body with fewer calories than once thought.

According to the FoodData Central database of the Unites States Department of Agriculture (USDA), cashews provide 157 calories per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving (1).

However, recent research suggests that the human body may only digest and absorb around 84% of these calories. This is likely because a portion of the fat they contain remains trapped within the cashews fibrous wall rather than being absorbed during digestion (20).

On the other hand, roasting or grinding nuts may increase your bodys ability to fully digest them, thereby increasing the number of calories absorbed (20, 21).

As a result, weight loss benefits may be strongest for whole, raw cashews, although more research is needed to confirm this. And you may be sacrificing the antioxidant benefit that comes with roasting cashews.

In addition to providing fewer calories than expected, nuts are also rich in protein and fiber, which are known to reduce hunger and promote feelings of fullness, both of which can further promote weight loss (22, 23, 24).

Cashews appear to provide fewer calories than once thought. Their rich fiber and protein content can help reduce hunger and increase feeling full. Put together, all of these factors may help you lose excess weight.

Diets rich in nuts, including cashews, have been consistently linked to a lower risk of disease, such as stroke and heart disease (25, 26, 27).

A few studies have focused on the specific heart health benefits of cashews.

One found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed 10% of their daily calories from cashews had lower LDL (bad) cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol ratios than those who ate no cashews at all (28).

A low LDL to HDL ratio is typically viewed as a marker of good heart health (29).

Two other studies link cashew nut consumption to higher HDL cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure, as well as lowering total and LDL cholesterol levels (30, 31).

However, a recent review shows conflicting results. One of the included studies suggests that regular intake of cashews may lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels. However, it finds no effect on total, LDL, or HDL cholesterol levels (32).

Similarly, another review failed to find any significant changes in cholesterol or triglyceride levels following the consumption of 13.8 ounces (28108 grams) of cashews per day for 412 weeks (33).

Researchers suggest that these inconsistent results may be due to the limited number of studies and their small participant sizes. They conclude that although cashews are just as likely to benefit heart health as other nuts, more research is needed to confirm this.

There also may be differences based on whether participants in these studies replaced more unhealthy snacks with cashews or just added cashews to their current eating patterns.

Nut-rich diets are consistently shown to be beneficial to heart health. Cashews appear to offer some benefits to lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol. However, more studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.

People with type 2 diabetes may benefit from adding cashews to their diet.

Thats in part because cashews are a good source of fiber, a nutrient that helps prevent blood sugar spikes and which is believed to offer protection against type 2 diabetes (34, 35).

Studies looking at the effects of cashews on blood sugar levels are limited.

However, in one study, people with type 2 diabetes who ate 10% of their daily calories from cashews had overall lower insulin levels a marker of blood sugar control than those who ate no cashews at all (28).

Moreover, cashews only contain 8 grams of net carbs per portion, of which less than 2 grams come from sugars.

Net carbs refer to the total amount of carbs in a food, minus the amount of fiber it contains providing a value for the net amount of carbs that your body can actually absorb.

Substituting foods higher in net carbs and sugar with cashews is likely to help reduce blood sugar levels (11).

That said, more research is needed to examine the effects of cashew-rich diets in people with type 2 diabetes.

Cashews are low in sugar and rich in fiber two factors which, when combined, may help reduce blood sugar levels and protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. However, more research is needed to confirm these benefits.

Cashews are very easy to add to your diet.

They can be eaten raw or roasted, and make for an easy portable snack.

Whole or ground cashews can also be incorporated into a variety of dishes, ranging from scrambled tofu and stir fries, to soup, salads, and stews.

Cashew butter is another way to add cashews to your diet. Spread it on toast or stir it into yogurt or oatmeal. You can also process cashew butter together with oats and your favorite dried fruit to make homemade, bake-free energy balls.

Cashews can also be soaked and blended together with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to make your own dairy-free sour cream or cream cheese. Use these to add flavor to meals or make dairy-free versions of your favorite desserts.

Just keep in mind that some roasted and salted cashews can contain significant amounts of added oils and salt. If your goal is to limit excess salt or added fats, consider choosing dry roasted or raw unsalted cashew varieties whenever possible (36).

Cashews are a versatile addition to any diet. Eat them on their own, add them to your favorite dishes, or use them to make cashew-based sauces and desserts. Choose dry roasted or raw unsalted varieties whenever possible.

Cashews are generally a safe addition to most peoples diets.

Keep in mind that roasted or salted cashews can contain high levels of added oils or salt. For this reason, it may be best to opt for unsalted dry roasted or raw varieties instead.

Some research suggests that roasted cashews may contain higher levels of health-promoting antioxidants than raw cashews. Consider roasting raw cashews yourself at home without extra oils (17).

To do so, simply spread your raw cashews in one layer on a baking tray. Then, dry roast them at 350F (188C) on the middle rack of your oven for 815 minutes. Remember to stir the cashews in 35-minute intervals to avoid burning.

Alternatively, toss your cashews in a skillet over medium heat for 35 minutes, or until the cashews become slightly brown.

Moreover, cashews contain phytates which can make it more difficult for your body to absorb the vitamins and minerals they contain. Soaking your nuts overnight before adding them to dishes will help reduce their phytate content and improve their digestibility (37).

Finally, cashews are classified as tree nuts. Therefore, people allergic to tree nuts, such as almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or hazelnuts, may have a higher risk of also being allergic to cashews.

Cashews are generally considered safe. For most benefits, consider purchasing raw, unsalted cashews and soaking them before eating, whenever possible. Dry roasting cashews improves the antioxidant activity.

Cashews are rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats. They also contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and health-protective beneficial plant compounds.

Similarly to nuts, cashews may promote weight loss, blood sugar control, and heart health. However, theres less research on cashews than on other nuts. Therefore, more cashew-specific studies are needed to confirm these benefits.

That said, there are little downsides to adding more cashews to your diet. Just remember to pick unsalted dry roasted or raw varieties whenever possible.

Shop for raw, unsalted cashews online.

See the original post:
Are Cashews Good for You? Nutrition, Benefits, and Downsides - Healthline

Community members were invited to attend a virtual meeting with Corvallis Public Works staff to speak out about slimming down part of Circle Blvd. on Monday, June 8. A so-called road diet will reduce the number of vehicle lanes and add buffered bike lanes through pavement re-striping.

Though the primary project goal is resurfacing the road, a study found it is feasible to cut Circle from five lanes to three between 29th and Highland to improve safety while promoting walking and bicycling. The intersections of Highland, Kings, and 29th will remain unchanged. Traffic flow and emergency vehicle access, particularly for the fire station on Circle, were among the concerns raised in the meeting.

City Engineer Greg Gescher said the road diet study revealed higher than posted average speeds averaging 5-8 mph above the posted speed limit occurring in the corridor, along with elevated traffic volume. He said crashes were below state averages for similar roadways in the past decade. After the project is complete, public works will measure the effectiveness of the changes and how traffic reacts, including fire department response times. There is no plan to change the posted speed of 35 mph.

Well be looking at any increase in crashes, severity, and our response times, Corvallis Fire Chief Ken McCarthy said. He added that there is some uncertainty concerning how the limited travel conditions under the coronavirus pandemic will affect the post-project study.

Following staff presentations, around 30 people spoke for more than an hour on the road diet plan. Some were concerned that the plan would cause traffic congestion without improving safety for what they see as a relatively safe stretch of road, fearing a possible increase in crashes. Most of the commenters supported the plan, calling the road too wide and unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross even at intersections.

The plan for repeated changing from three lanes back to four at intersections, as one person called it a yo-yo road diet was questioned a number of times as being inconsistent and potentially hazardous. There were calls to uniformly reduce the lanes at the intersections as well. Several people said speeding on Circle is a growing danger and that a combination of confusing lane schemes and speeding drivers could be troublesome.

Daniel Lowery, owner of Corvallis Martial Arts on Circle Blvd., said hes happy with the resurfacing aspect of the project, which he feels is overdue given the condition of the road. Noting the college towns reputation for bicycle friendliness, Lowery said the lane reductions in the road diet are understandable. He is, however, concerned about the continuously tight parking on the street. He already sees issues with parking overflow.

Theyre a very bike-friendly city, so making that accommodation will probably increase the number of people on bikes, and then obviously less people on the road, Lowery said.

Also on Circle Blvd., Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis CEO Helen Higgins said the clubs busy campus already gets its share of cut-through traffic, and on any given day, close to 1,000 people could be there. Higgins believes the road diet will cause bottlenecks, tempting motorists to find shortcuts off the main road, spilling onto neighborhood streets and other areas that arent designed for heavy traffic.

I think without an alternative east-west route that can handle high volumes of traffic, the 12,400 cars a day that travel up and down Circle are going to go somewhere, Higgins said. I actually think thats going to create a more dangerous situation, because the amount of traffic probably wont reduce by much, but youre going to have frustrated drivers, and a frustrated driver is a dangerous driver.

Time and data will tell whether the road diet is helpful or not. Higgins emphasized the need for community-defined metrics and publicly available reporting to document the success or failure of the project, adding that data shows Circle is already among the safest arterial corridors in the state. She worries that if the desired outcome is not achieved, undoing the unintended consequences could be difficult or impossible.

We are highly concerned about an increased safety risk on this campus, Higgins said. And we have experience of it happening during the gas line work.

Higgins said the Corvallis City Council should weigh-in on the road diets possible effects on the community, and also suggested increased police presence and deterrents such as speed-monitoring equipment could be more effective than a lane reduction. The road diet is a city staff project that did not require a vote of the council, but has been discussed in previous meetings.

There will be an unintended consequence of pushing traffic onto any road that has a cut-through the neighborhoods are going to see those cars, Higgins said.

A start date for the resurfacing project was expected to be set in a pre-construction meeting Wednesday, June 10. Work is expected to begin in the next couple of weeks and continue during the summer with striping to follow the resurfacing.

By Cody Mann

Excerpt from:
Not Everyone Pleased About Circle Boulevard Road Diet - The Corvallis Advocate

Beyonc is one of the most famous women in the world with one of the most loyal fan bases of any artist in the modern era. Members of the Beyhive are interested in many aspects of the singers life from her marriage to Jay-Z to what her beauty routine is to what she eats and drinks on a daily basis.

When it comes to her diet and favorite foods, the songstress has revealed a bit about her eating habits over the years as well as how she makes guacamole. Read on to find out what foods Queen Bey eats and why the Beyhive is obsessed with her guacamole recipe.

RELATED: How Is Beyonc Related To Queen Elizabeth II?

In 2018, before headlining Coachella, Beyonc announced via Instagram that she was going back on a vegan diet to get fit for the big performance. Bey tried the diet with her husband a few years before as well.

The benefits of a plant-based diet need to be known. We should spend more time loving ourselves, which means taking better care of ourselves with good nutrition and making healthier food choices, the Formation artist explained.

Beyonc doesnt stick to a vegan diet all the time but she still watches what she eats and previously talked about what her other meals consist of during an interview with Shape Magazine.

I always have breakfast, say, scrambled egg whites, a vegetable smoothie, or whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk. For lunch and dinner, I eat a lot of fish and vegetables, she said, adding that she sometimes replaces rice and pasta with quinoa for a low-calorie diet.

In addition to wanting to know about Beyoncs diet, some became curious about if she enjoys cooking and has any homemade recipes to recommend.

Well, we can tell you that recipe writing isnt really Beyoncs thing. However, a few years back she did share how she makes guacamole and since then many of her fans have tried and now cherish it because its the one and only recipe Bey has ever published.

If you still havent tried Beyoncs famous guac recipe theres no need to wait any longer. Its so easy to prepare, yet its sure to impress every guest.

To make the guacamole at home youll need these ingredients:

Then follow Beys instructions:

Related: How to Make Kris Jenners Layered Guacamole That the Kardashian-Jenner Sisters Go Crazy Over

See the rest here:
Why Beyonc's Fans Are Obsessed With Her Guacamole Recipe - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

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Incontinence can refer to the involuntary leaking of urine (urinary incontinence, which signifies a problem with the bladder) or faeces (faecal incontinence, which points to an underlying problem in the bowels).

Both can be equally debilitating and embarrassing, but there is no reason why both urinary and faecal incontinence cant be managed. Your diet as one of many lifestyle factors is often overlooked when it comes to managing incontinence. And there is one component of your diet that may help manage both urinary and faecal incontinence.

Why your body needs fibre

Fibre, an important yet underrated part of any healthy diet, plays a key role in the way your body functions. This is the indigestible part of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans and legumes and is key in keeping your digestive system healthy.

As fibre absorbs water, it helps to keep us fuller for longer, and helps to lower cholesterol and blood glucose levels, which can help prevent conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, cardiovascular problems and diabetes.

Fibre and the bowels

But if fibre is meant to make your bowel movements more regular, isnt this defeating the purpose of helping to manage faecal incontinence?

Actually, quite the opposite.

When dietary fibre is not digested, it adds more bulk to the stools, which helps you stay more regular and avoid constipation, which can lead to faecal incontinence. Chronic constipation may lead to faecal incontinence, as the constant strain on the rectum can damage the surrounding nerves.

As the rectum and intestinal muscles stretch from too much straining to pass stool, they can eventually become weak, which allows the watery stool deeper in your intestines to seep through.

As fibre absorbs water, it can also bulk up faecal matter, which causes less watery stool.

Fibre and the bladder

Although we dont associate what we eat with bladder health, diet can have an effect on the severity of urinary incontinence, which is usually the symptom of an underlying cause such as nerve damage.

Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of urinary incontinence. Fibre is an important aspect of weight management and a healthy balanced diet, as it keeps us fuller for longer. Therefore, including fibre in your diet can indirectly increase your overall health and improve your weight, which is important in the management of urinary incontinence.

But the bowels and constipation can also cause urinary incontinence when bowel movements are strained, extra pressure is placed on the pelvic floor muscles, which can weaken them and affect bladder control. This is referred to as stress incontinence.

A full bladder can also cause pressure, leading to urge incontinence, which makes you feel the need to urinate frequently, or cause your bladder to leak. This is referred to as overflow incontinence.

If you are experiencing urinary incontinence, its important to discuss with your doctor whether you are also experiencing chronic constipation, as these two conditions can be linked.

How to include more fibre in your diet

If you suspect that you are not eating enough fibre, its important not to overdo it in the beginning, as too much fibre can cause unwanted side-effects such as bloating and gas. If you suffer from any food allergies or conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, you should also discuss this with your doctor or a registered dietitian to help you determine a way to eat more fibre.

Here are ways to gradually add more fibre to your diet:

According to the Simon Foundation for Continence, fibre therapy is a great way to alleviate incontinence and increase your overall health. This should, however, not be seen as a complete cure, and other treatment options and management methods under the guidance of a healthcare provider should also be considered.

READ | 5 reasons why you need to pee all the time

READ | Caregiving in the time of Covid-19: Can coronavirus spread through urine?

READ | What your bladder is trying to tell you about your health

Image credit: Nathan Cowley from Pexels

Marelize Wilke

More:
Why adding more fibre to your diet is a good idea - your body will thank you - Health24

Ashwagandha is a powerful herb with medicinal properties. It has been used as part of traiditional Ayurvedic medicine to boost memoery. Here are the health benefits of including this herb in your diet.

Ashwagandha is known to offer multiple health benefits

Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb with some remarkable health benefits. Not only can it help in combat stress, it can also benefit the body and brain in multiple ways. Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, lowering blood sugar and improving brain function are a few of the many ways how ashwagandha can help you. An interesting way to include ashwagandha in diet to add its power in honey and warm milk at bedtime.

1. Blood sugar: Ashwagandha can increase insulin secretion and improve insulin sensitivity. This can help in reducing blood sugar levels, which may in turn be helpful for people with diabetes.

2. Cortisol: The medicinal herb has been found to reduce cortisol levels. It can be especially helpful for people with chronic stress, depression and anxiety.

Also read:Lockdown Stress: 6 Quick And Simple Ways To Make You Feel Better

3. Depression: A few studies have shown that ashwagandha can help in alleviating depression. More research is needed to testify this claim.

4. Fertility: Supplements of ashwagandha can have powerful effects on testosterone levels and reproductive health. It can boost sperm quality and improve fertility in men.

Also read:Male Fertility: 6 Most Useful Herbs

5. Muscle mass and strength: Regular intake of ashwagandha can help in improving body composition and increase body strength. So for those focusing on gaining muscle mass, including ashwagandha in diet can be beneficial.

6. Inflammation: Ashwagandha can reduce markers of inflammation like C-reactive protein (CRP). This marker has been linked to an increase in risk of heart disease.

7. Cholesterol: Cholesterol reducing properties of ashwagandha is another reason why the herb can be beneficial for people with heart disease.

8. Brain function and memory: Ashwagandha can mitigate memory and brain function problems caused by injury or disease. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha has been used traditionally to boost memory.

Ashwagandha can improve brain function and memoryPhoto Credit: iStock

Pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with autoimmune diseases must include ashwagandha in diet only if it has been recommended by their health expert. Also, if you have thyroid issues should talk to their doctor about it as the herb may increase thyroid hormone levels in some people, reports healthline.com. All in all, the herb is fairly safe to consume.

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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Ashwagandha: 8 Reasons To Include It In Your Diet - NDTV Doctor

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a well-rounded diet is crucial to prolonging your lifespan.

You could also boost your lifespan by doing regular exercise. Its the miracle cure weve all been waiting for, according to the NHS.

Making some small diet or lifestyle changes could help to increase your life expectancy and avoid an early death.

But eating bananas could be one of the easiest ways to boost your overall health, it's been revealed.

READ MORE: How to live longer - one behaviour may add years to your life

"Whether you like your bananas slightly green or freckly, they all come with triple levels of mood-boosting powers," they said in their book 'Eat Better Live Longer - Understand What Your Body Needs To Stay Healthy'.

"They are good sources of carbohydrates [fuel for the brain and muscles], and of tryptophan and vitamin B6 [both of which are needed for production of feel-good chemicals].

"Whats more, bananas improve digestion and may help regulate blood pressure.

"Bananas will ripen at home - if you want to speed up the process, keep them in a bunch or with other fruits."

Eating bananas could also make you feel fuller for longer, as theyre rich in a fibre called pectin, the nutritionists added.

Everyone should aim to eat between three and four bananas every week, they said.

Raw bananas provide the highest nutrient benefits.

While everyone has their own preference for whether they like their bananas yellow or green, their nutrients vary depending on their ripeness.

Continued here:
How to live longer - how many bananas should you eat every week? - Express