Our relationship to Neanderthals has been a point of contention for over a century. It all began with an inaccurate reconstruction of the first Neanderthal ever found, which portrayed them as brutish, stooped-over cavemen (turns out, that Neanderthal was an injured old man with arthritis).

But within the last half century, scientists have noticed the many biological and behavioral similarities that show just how close our species are. While these similarities are clear from hard objects like bones and tools, perishable objects, which comprise the majority of material culture items in humans, have been lacking.

Now, scientists have discovered a Neanderthal feat that hammers another nail in the coffin of supposed Neanderthal inferiority. Last month, an international team of researchers found a small section of a twisted cord attached to a stone flake in Neanderthal site in southeastern France, dated to over 40,000 years old. This constitutes the oldest direct evidence of fiber technology ever found.

A stone flake with three distinct twisted fibers preserved (indicated by the box).

M.-H. Moncel

When artifacts are recovered from archaeological sites, they are generally imaged using high powered microscopes to zoom in on tiny marks and details on the stones. Previously, plant fibers had been found on stones at this site, but they were too poorly preserved to be interpreted. When the team examined this particular flake, they were surprised to find three distinct twisted fibers, which were then twisted together in the opposite direction to form a 3-ply cord.

While it may not sound like much, this piece of string hints at something much more significant. For one, extracting and manipulating plant fibers requires working memory, as well as understanding plant seasonality and the concept of numbers. Also, such cords are the building blocks for creating other textiles, such as baskets, fabrics, and nets. Once adopted, these objects would have been indispensable in daily life.

This little piece of string provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our extinct relatives, which, despite an abundance of genetic, archaeological, and skeletal data, have been extremely difficult to interpret. It seems as though we humans arent as unique as we like to think.

See the article here:
Fat cells remember their diets early in life - Massive Science

Starting a new plant-based diet can be intimidating. Where do you begin? Now there is a three-hour course, taught online by The Beet's regular contributor, Elysabeth Alfano, to help answer all your pressing questions, like where do I get my protein? And what can I eat for dinner? Alfano has interviewed major vegans like Chef AJ who lost 100 pounds on a plant-based diet, and now she is ready to help you get started on your healthy eating journey.

The course,Jumpstart Your Plant-based Life, helps Zoom attendees get started on a plant-based diet.As a Food For Life Instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and with a Certificate in Plant-based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell,Elysabeth helps students understand the relationship between diet and chronic disease and ultimately gives them the tools to take back their health. From figuring out fiber to developing a personalized meal plan and strategy, Elysabeths 3-hour, June 20th on-line class ($46) is for beginners and flexitarians alike.

Since we have an in with this vegan thought-leader, The Beet asked Elysabeth to share her Top Ten Tips for Jumpstarting Your Plant-based Life.

Ultimately, finding your path to plant-based eating is about taking back your health and your power: your power to feel good and to be your best self. An unhealthy you is a weakened you. A healthy you can take on the worldor just go jogging. Either way, it is your right to feel good and to live a life without unneeded medication. So, we raise our glasses of sparkling Kombucha to you for having the courage to fight for your health.

For more information on Elysabeths June 20th Jumpstart Your Plant-based Life class, click here.

Read the original:
How to Start Eating a Plant-Based Diet, in Just Three Hours - The Beet

Those who get migraines know theres absolutely no way to explain the reign of terror they bring. Those who dont get them well, there's just no way to make them understand.

Editors note: Part of my problem, which Im guessing others have, is that I wait until Im getting a migraine to go searching for help. That doesnt make much sense, since Im already on the verge of agony. Staring at a bright screen in an aimless search while the pain settles in isnt exactly the smartest route to take.

So I set out on a mission to find home remedies that real people have tried and approved.

Now, I realize everyones migraines and their triggers for migraines can be different. Therefore, I think its safe to say each persons approach at easing the pain will be different.

I am not a doctor, and these are not recommendations that have been made by doctors, but these are remedies that real, migraine-suffering people have tried and verified. And if youre anything like me, Im willing to try just about anything to kick the pain.

Planning for future migraines (bookmark this page and come back migraine-free):

There are other, more preventative things that migraine-sufferers recommend.

If migraines happen to you regularly, take note of the recommendations below. They have all been tested and verified by migraine-sufferers.

Magnesium supplements

Not only have dozens recommended this to me, but I have also jumped on this bandwagon, and Im telling you -- I swear by it. According to Healthline, its estimated that about 75% of Americans dont get enough magnesium, so really, this is quite possibly an option that could help tremendously with your migraines, and at a very small cost.

Dry needling

For those who suffer from tension migraines (hello, stress), dry needling targets muscles that become stiff or tight.

Physical therapist Brittany Elliot, who was specially trained in the procedure, said the thin, solid needles have no fluid transfer, as with injections, and are inserted directly into the knots in the muscles.

The needle insertion itself can cause a small muscle contraction, which is what breaks up the knots and releases the tension in the muscle, Elliot said.

The needle targets those tight muscles that have palpable trigger points that can cause dysfunction and referred pain that lead to headaches and tension.

Diet and exercise

This seems to be the answer to an abundance of problems, but I would be remiss not to mention diet and exercise.

I understand the convenience of fast food and the financial benefit of spending less at the grocery store by getting items that are packaged and ready to eat (or ready to microwave), but a lot of those items have preservatives and additives in them. Though some have been deemed safe by the Federal Drug Administration, some studies have shown that many others can trigger migraines. Migraine-sufferer or not, eating fresh food will always promote a healthier lifestyle.

Plain and simple: Exercise. According to the American Migraine Foundation, the body releases endorphins when you exercise, and those endorphins are the body's natural painkillers. Exercise can also help to reduce stress, which can aid in lack of sleep -- both things that can trigger a migraine.

Botox

I know what most people's first thought is: That is financially unrealistic. But some insurance companies will actually cover this. When injected, Botox enters the nerve endings and blocks the release of chemicals involved in pain transmission, according to the American Migraine Foundation, preventing the activation of pain networks in the brain. I have heard praises from so many people about this remedy for migraines. It's definitely worth a call to your insurance company.

Pierce your daith

This remedy aligns with the acupuncture family of treatment. The theory is that wearing an earring in your daith gives constant compression to a pressure point in the ear that many believe to relieve pain. If youve had good results from acupuncture in the past, this is one remedy worth trying.

Ice cap

This is exactly what it sounds like. The cap has inserts for ice packs. When you put it on your head, it allows you to tighten it for the appropriate amount of pressure needed as well. "During a migraine or other type of headache, inflammation in the head and neck causes severe pain," the website says. "Cold therapy can reduce this inflammation, therefore reducing headache pain."

Have you tried any of the above recommendations? Did they work? Do you have other recommendations? Let us know in the comment section below.

This story was originally published in 2018.

Read the original post:
Migraines: Home remedies that work, according to real people - KSAT San Antonio

We cant really take vacations. The cells need to be taken care of. Its like having a dog, Korbyn Dahlquist 20 explained with only a hint of sarcasm last summer. At the time, the biochemistry and chemistry double major and Associate Professor of Chemistry Angela Stoeckman were embarking on a year-long Edgren Scholarship-funded research project focused on understanding the dietary influence on markers of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.

To achieve that, the team has been treating liver cancer cellsH4IIE, which can be bought online through distributorswith control substances or a saturated fatty acid called palmitate. The hope is to determine when cells are going through apoptosisdying because of the presence of extra lipidsand if theyre secreting an anti- or pro-inflammatory response in the form of cytokines. Thats like a chemical call for help that could flag the presence of further injury through a simple blood test.

To create the ideal setting for this type of work on fussy mammalian cell cultures, the team has created an intricate and incredibly hands-on process of sterilizing a biosafety cabinet with UV rays before growing cultures in optimal conditions over several days. Then they have to time their assays perfectly with the death of the cells to get the data they need.

They stain the apoptotic cells with fluorescent markers and run them through a flow cytometer. A million cells can be run through the machine at once, and it quantifies the amount of lipids present in specific populations, within a split second.

If people with the cancer have high levels of a certain cytokine, theres morbidity in the disease, Stoeckman explains. If person A is secreting, and B is not, perhaps A is more likely to die from their cancer. What Korbyn is noticing is that if these cancer cells are seeing palmitate, a saturated fatty acid, thats inducing them to secrete more cytokines, which is responsible for high morbidity. And maybe we can keep cytokines under control simply by recommending a certain diet!

NAFLD is a condition that impacts an estimated one in three Americans, and it can progress into hepatocellular carcinoma, the fastest-growing type of liver cancer globally. Its responsible for the third highest number of cancer deaths, so detecting NAFLD early could mean saving lives in the long term. Currently, it can only be identified by biopsy, which is both invasive and expensive.

Read the original post:
Student-faculty Research Team Assessing Early Markers and Dietary Treatment of Liver Cancer - Bethel University News

MOST people think losing weight involves sticking to a rigorous diet and ditching the food you love.

However, blitzing body fat doesn't need to be as taxing as this, according to medics and dietitians.

1

In recent weeks, countless experts have been encouraging slimmers to try intuitive eating if they want to trim down.

As Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and Clinical Director of Patientaccess.com, tells us: "Intuitive eating is about rejecting the diet mentality, recognising your hunger (and taking notice when youre full), respecting your body and learning not to use food as a coping mechanism.

"It also means no foods are off limits, and many people worry that if they let go of control, they will end up gaining more weight.

"But intuitive eating is also about learning to value your body and the foods that make it feel good."

Intuitive eating is also about learning to value your body and the foods that make it feel good

The eating plan was developed in the Nineties by two American dietitians based on their experiences of working with overweight people, and the growing popularity of the non-diet movement.

And a recent review of about 25 studies showed that people following intuitive eating generally weigh less than those following restrictive diets.

According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), there are ten basic principles slimmers need to know if they're following intuitive eating...

Intuitive eating is all about rejecting diets, constraints or schedules that surround food and learning to listen to the body.

Throw out the diet books and magazine articles that offer you the false hope of losing weight quickly, easily, and permanently.

It is all about eating when your body tells you that youre hungry and stopping eating when you are full.

Learning to honour this biological signal sets the stage for rebuilding trust in yourself and in food.

No foods are off limits. Allowing yourself to have the foods banned by restrictive diets removes any guilt you might feel about eating them.

And when its no longer forbidden, the food may not seem so appealing.

"Eating what you actually want can mean you feel more satisfied with your meal if you deny yourself, you might go on to have unhealthy snacks anyway," say the BHF.

How to work out if you're a healthy weight

The body mass index (BMI) is a measure that uses your height and weight to work out if your weight is healthy.

The BMI calculation divides an adult's weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared. For example, A BMI of 25 means 25kg/m2.

For most adults, an ideal BMI is in the 18.5 to 24.9 range.

For children and young people aged2 to 18, the BMIcalculation takes into account age and gender as well as height and weight.

If your BMI is:

If you want to calculate your BMI, you can try the NHS'healthy weight calculator.

Source: NHS

We've all experienced that feeling off guilt after we've dived into the biscuit tin or helped ourselves to another slice of cake.

Be aware of and challenge internal negative thoughts that categorise foods as good or bad and lead to feelings of failure or guilt when you cant stick to a diet plan.

Think before you eat. Tune into your hunger levels, and only eat when you are hungry.

Pause during the meal to think about how it tastes and how full you are.

Stop eating when you are comfortably full, even if that means leaving food on the plate or saying no to dessert.

Dont eat while you are in the car, rushing to an appointment or distracted (whether its by television, work or something else).

Studies show that people who eat while doing something else are likely to eat more, either at the time or at their next meal.

Concentrate on your food while you are eating so you can appreciate and enjoy it.

From moments of stress to times you're feeling sad and lonely - we're all guilty of using food to deal with our emotions from time-to-time.

However, while it might offer a short-term fix, it doesnt resolve the problem and it certainly won't help when it comes to your waistline.

The BHF say: "Find another way of dealing with the emotion whether its going for a walk, or trying to fix the issues that are causing negative emotions."

NHS advice on calorie intake

As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight.

For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day.

These values can vary depending on age, size and levels of physical activity, among other factors.

Our bodies need energy to keep us alive and our organs functioning normally.

When we eat and drink, we put energy into our bodies. Our bodies use up that energy through everyday movement, which includes everything from breathing to running.

To maintain a stable weight, the energy we put into our bodies must be the same as the energy we use through normal bodily functions and physical activity.

An important part of a healthy diet is balancing the energy you put into your bodies with the energy you use.

For example, the more physical activity we do, the more energy we use.

If you consume too much energy on one day, do not worry. Just try to take in less energy on the following days.

Source:NHS

Letting go of unrealistic expectations of body image, will help you keep on track with your weight loss journey.

In particular, accepting and respecting your body at every size will help you to feel better and make choices about food and exercise that are logical, rather than emotional.

Often find yourself setting targets to burn a certain amount of calories in one gym session?

Well, if you're trying intuitive eating, experts say you should be focusing on how exercise makes you feel rather than the amount of calories it is burning.

"Choose something you enjoy, whether its dancing, walking, running, gardening or team games, rather than forcing yourself to do something you dont enjoy," say the BHF.

Lastly, those behind intuitive eating encourage slimmers to pick meals and snacks that are nutritious, but also satisfying and tasty.

And remember that one slip does not mean a fall.

One meal or one day where you dont eat particularly healthily wont make a difference in the long term its what happens on most days that matters.

Dr Jarvis credits intuitive eating for helping people to lose weight - as it removes the obsession with food and the cycle of yo-yo dieting.

She said: "Many factors have contributed to the rising levels of obesity in the UK.

"Among them are ever-rising levels of ultra-processed foods and unhealthy carbs; increasing portion size; grazing between meals and mindless eating while were not concentrating on our food.

"But our obsession with food and the cycle of yo-yo dieting many people go through plays a major part too.

Fat loss becomes much harder to predict when enjoyment of calorie dense food is left unaccounted for

"Intuitive eating isnt for everyone but I often discuss it with patients. If they feel it is right for them, I encourage them to try it, often with real success."

On the other hand, fitness expert Graeme Tomlinson cautions that intuitive eating could leading to slimmers overeating.

He wrote on Instagram: "Of course one can lose fat whilst following intuitive eating structures.

"But in doing so, fat loss becomes much harder to predict when enjoyment of calorie dense food is left unaccounted for.

HOME FREEIve done up my house for free - I found my bath at the road & rug at the tip

STEP UPWoman revamps porch step for just 9 using B&Q tester pots but vows never again

HINCH HAULMrs Hinch slams eBay seller for DOUBLING price of 8 jumpsuit after she wore it

Exclusive

OVARY-ACTIONI gave birth to my own twin grandchildren - but it was hard letting go

BLIND FAITHWoman cleans up mouldy 15 year old blinds she was about to bin with 99p spray

THE ONE WITHOUT A BRAAmanda Holden & Rita Ora bring back Rachel Rack by going braless

"By listening to our desire, it is highly likely that we will consume favourite foods in excessive quantities."

He added that people should instead control their calorie intake if they want to lose weight.

He said: "Whilst calorie counting is not the only way to lose fat, it is the closest mechanism to the principles of calorie balance - which is fundamental to fat loss/gain."

Read the original post:
Intuitive eating can help burn fat the 10 diet principles to know - The Sun

We need to focus on three things that will help us to be a better person as a whole and help us balance our life in all aspects of life

Stay informed and join our daily newsletter now!

June12, 20204 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Life is like walking on a rope where you have to balance yourself and everything in your life to successfully reach the end. To be successful in life, one has to balance well between their job and personal life.

Work-life and your personal life are two very important pillars of life. While work gives you money and fulfills your material needs, your personal life gives you the happiness and medium of living. Working is an essential part of our lives and everyone has to work to survive. But at the same time, we must provide time to ourselves, our families, and friends. Our personal development is as necessary as our career growth.

Apart from work, we need to focus on three things that are very essential for our growth as a person and growth in the field of our jobs. These are physical health, mental health, and spiritual health. So lets see how they help us to be a better person as a whole and help us balance our life in all aspects of life.

We work to fulfill our basic needs and wants. However, we sometimes forget how important it is to maintain a healthy diet and stay fit by exercising regularly. Its important to sleep well and take a balanced diet. Every working person should take care of himself/herself along with people dependent upon him/her. A proper schedule should be followed by every working person to ensure physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization needs. Our physical health is very important to be efficient in our work and increase our potential to work and balance your personal life well.

Physical health and mental health are co-related. If we are physically healthy, it will make us feel better mentally and vice-versa. Our mental health and internal happiness are very essential to achieve success in our careers and personal life. How can you succeed in your life if you are not internally happy?

Our spirituality plays a vital role in our lives. What we believe, what we think, how we look at the world, everything affects us and our lives.

Along with this, it is very important that whatever we are doing, it is helping us to grow, to evolve, to accept. Along with earning money, we also need to get knowledge, get experiences, and developing into mature and good human beings. And for this, we need to focus on our personal life too.

Working hard all day and night will make a steep growth on your career scale. You can become very rich, owns all the luxuries in life but if you lose yourself into your work, you miss out on a lot of things in personal life. Our work should provide us four things for sure. A good amount of money which can help us lead a quality life, constant growth in work as well as a person, a sufficient amount of time for ourselves to spend with our families, friends and ourselves for our betterment, and satisfaction and happiness with what we are doing in our lives.

Surely our lives are not as idealistic as we make it sound. We do have ups and downs in any part of our life but we should learn how to balance them and not affecting others, because of one. We also need to make sure that there is a clear distinction between our work-time and leisure-time and we should make the best possible utilization of it.

Today if youre a working person, it is very important that you have to be on your toes maintain a balance between your personal and professional life. Sure working is good but along with that, emotional support from your family, partner, and friends is also a must. Work is an important part of our life and for many people, it is often the most important and biggest part of their lives but we need to realize that it should remain a part of our life and not our life. Success doesnt only count getting a huge number in your accounts or getting fame. Yes, people might term you as a very successful man but it is not true until you are happy with it and feel it from within because obviously, money cant buy you internal peace, happiness, and satisfaction.

Go here to read the rest:
How to Draw a Work-life Balance and Succeed in Both Fronts - Entrepreneur

With the easy availability of health-related information on the internet, it has become easy to get confused. Today, people have become more conscious about their health than ever.

Many of them are keeping themselves fit by following the balanced diet hacks and tips present on the internet. But this has given birth to lots of fake information and misconceptions about health and wellness. Therefore, it becomes important to consult a health expert who is qualified and can provide the right information, which is practical and logical, rather than sensational.

Today, were going to have a look at the inspirational life of Dietitian Lavleen Kaur from Chandigarh who is changing the way people think about dieting.

Dr. Lavleen Kaur is an award-winning dietitian, clinical nutritionist, and a lifestyle coach who is changing the lives of hundreds and thousands of people around the world. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, she currently provides personalized programs to clients and patients across the world through a mobile app and her clinic.

She founded the clinic Diet Insight in Chandigarh in the year 2014 on the idea of helping people realize the power of food and if the intake of can help heal prevailing lifestyle disorders like diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension, thyroid and PCOD.

She holds a masters in Food and Nutrition. Also, she completed her post-graduation in Health and Family Welfare from Punjab University. In just six years of starting her clinic, she has had over 10,000 satisfied clients from all corners of the world. Her coaching is purely based on balanced healthy food and nutrition. She believes in creating a healthy lifestyle rather than promoting quick weight loss diets, pills or use of supplements.

Through her Diet Insight Clinic, she provides various programs for patients. From common problems like weight loss, weight gain, to specific issues like kids nourishment, pre-wedding, and pregnancy care, she provides loads of personalized diet plans. Further, she posts simple and entertaining videos on Facebook and YouTube to educate the masses about various diet tips in a fun way. This helps her to connect and engage with the audience on a personal level.

She has won many accolades and awards recently for her impeccable work in the field of diet and nutrition. One such recent award is the Most Promising Youngest Dietitian by International Healthcare Awards, Malaysia, in the year 2016. She received the honors from the Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Lavleen Kaur knows well how to handle her professional and personal life. Her mobile app and online consultation process gave her an ample amount of time to spend with her family and children. She is a mother while at home and a head dietitian as well as an entrepreneur when in the clinic.

Being a lifestyle coach, she also gets to interact with people who need assistance in maintaining their overall wellness. Under her Therapeutic Program, she gives consultation to special types of groups of people who are having diabetes, thyroid, or blood pressure.

Kaur handles her patients with extra care and in a professional approach. Her clients become a part of her family. She has a small team of professionally qualified dietitians and nutritionists who are available to assist people throughout their journey with them and keep them constantly motivated and goal-oriented.

In todays era, there are many dietitians and nutritionists making claims of quick and easy methods of weight loss and taking advantage of peoples emotions. While a person may lose weight following these fad diets, not only these methods are dangerous in the long run, but they deprive you of the food thats in your kitchen that your ancestors have been eating since decades. This is where Kaur steps in and educate the people to follow a diet that is sustainable. She is known for her dietary advice that does not feel like being on a diet, because there are no restrictions. She focuses on lifestyle change measures rather than counting the calories!

With her special guidance program, she helps patients to overcome such problems or diseases with the help of real food that is easily available in Indian kitchens. Her clients get results gradually as she focuses on identifying the root cause rather than suppressing the symptoms. However, the results stay permanent since no quick fixes are used. She believes that to lead a healthy lifestyle, you must focus on four aspects. These are stress, sleep, water intake, and exercise. If anyone of these is an imbalance, youre not going to see the results youre aiming for your health.

The impact of her videos on social media is incredible. People feel so connected with her that they call in just to hear her voice and give her blessings for the work she is doing. When asked on what has been her biggest achievements, Lavleens humble response was I get my reward every day when I feel the happiness of my women clients who conceive naturally, when I see my patients drop medicines, and when I see my clients spreading the learnings further in their community.

The award-winning dietitian is one of the most trusted dietitians in North India. We believe this trust comes from the connection that she is able to build with people and feel their worries. As an entrepreneur, she is trying to expand her reach to the global audience especially Indians abroad via the mobile app Diet Insight, which makes it possible for anyone from anywhere to connect with her and her team to get the advice that matters.

Read the original:
Lavleen Kaur, an award-winning Dietitian, Lifestyle Coach transforming lives through her unique dietary advice - The Statesman

Its painful, leaves marks, cannot be hidden with makeup and you think youre too old to get it. Adult acne can be quite a hassle, and most people who do get it, immediately assume that its because of something they ate. Now, most doctors usually dont agree with this assumption and are more likely to ask you to get complete blood work done to find out the underlying cause behind adult acne.

This is because medical opinion and most researches, like a study published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology in 2018, indicate that adult acne has a higher prevalence among women above 25 years than men in that age group -- and that the primary cause is endocrine disorders like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In other cases, adults with a history of dermatological disorders and skin diseases since adolescence continue to be more prone to acne even when theyre middle-aged.

Does diet have anything to do with acne?

A new study published in JAMA Dermatology in June 2020 indicates that consuming certain foods has a higher likelihood of causing adult acne. The study involved the observation of 24,542 French adults between November 2018 and July 2019. The participants were given a questionnaire at the beginning of the study where they were categorised into three groups: people who had never had acne, those who had past acne (but not at present) and those who had acne currently.

A 24-hour dietary record of the participants was taken once every six months on a random basis. The participants reported everything they ate from midnight to the following midnight and were even asked to share portion by measuring exact grams and litres. Of the 31,539 individuals who completed the questionnaire, only 24,452 were finally included in the study because they had completed at least three dietary records, had a normal calorie intake, and had reported their acne status. About 75 percent of the participants were women.

Milk, sugar and fat is the enemy of glowing skin

The results of this one-of-a-kind nutritional survey of adult acne showed that participants who had acne currently consumed considerably more of the following foods compared to those who had never had any acne:

The same people also consumed considerably fewer amounts of the following foods when compared with those who had never had acne:

Of course, single-day measurements need adjustments. And once the researchers made those adjustments, they found that three foods were independently associated with current acne: Milk, sugary beverages and fatty and sugary products. These three foods have something in common, and thats the fact that theyre high in carbohydrates and saturated fatty acids.

The results of this study clearly indicate that adults with an unhealthy dietary pattern who eat more carbs and saturated fats in the form of milk, sugary foods and drinks, and fatty foods are at a much higher risk of suffering from adult acne. Now, if youre in this group and have acne -- have it looked at by a dermatologist in case it is because of an underlying cause. But in the meantime, you know just what you should stop eating, right?

For more information, read our article on Acne: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Prevention.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

Updated Date: Jun 12, 2020 12:05:58 IST

Tags : Adult Acne, Blood, Dermatology, Endocrine Disorder, Fatty Foods, Health, Milk, Myupchar, NewsTracker, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Reuters, Sugary Beverages

Originally posted here:
Diet and adult acne: New study shows how theyre connected and which food to avoid - Firstpost

Slaughterhouse workers are dying - but is meat really an 'essential' product? (Image: Rob Halhead. Do not use without permission)

I last ate meat on Thanksgiving Day, 1968. I'd been looking into vegetarianism, but at not quite 19, I wanted to practice adulting and make a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner in my tiny apartment.

Baking a turkey seemed intimidating so I opted for Rock Cornish game hens. Expecting to look proudly at my decorated table, I could instead see only six tiny corpses. I was done with meat. Eventually, fish, eggs and dairy products fell away, too.

How much being vegan contributes to my being healthy and medication-free at 70 is open to debate, but when it was announced in late April that U.S. meat-processing workers would have to report for duty despite the obvious danger of COVID-19, I was taken aback.

Slaughterhouses were deemed 'critical infrastructure'. Providing 'protein' to Americans was crucial, even if it meant that many more workers were likely to contract the disease and some would die.As one who hasn't eaten beef, pork, or poultry in over half a century, I realize that eating meat is conventional, but hardly essential.

Protein is in every plant food: beans, peanuts, whole grains, leafy greens - even the humble spud. This macronutrient is so easy to get that a person eating a standard Western diet typically consumes twice the recommended amount, which can lead to problems from kidney and liver disorders to increased cancer risk.Even vegans, eating no animal products, easily meet their protein needs by consuming adequate calories from whole plant foods.

Eating meat is conventional, but hardly essential(Image: Rob Halhead. Do not use without permission)

A substantial body of science attests to the benefits of this way of eating, and this dates back to a groundbreaking study led by Dean Ornish, MD, published in 1990. It was first to show that a low-fat, plant-based diet, moderate exercise, stress management, and group support could not simply prevent but actually reverse coronary heart disease.

Later work by Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD, at the Cleveland Clinic produced the same results using diet alone. It is important to note that heart disease was then, and is now if you exclude COVID-19, the number one cause of death in the U.S. and the UK.

More recent studies have shown that a diet based on whole plant foods can control and in some cases reverse not only heart disease but also hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, among the underlying medical conditions that make COVID-19 more serious.

A diet that eliminates animal food and most 'junk food' has also been shown to be protective against conditions as diverse as Alzheimer's, erectile dysfunction, and certain autoimmune conditions. Knowing this, it is deeply troubling when an industry, and a government, require workers to risk their lives in the short term to provide a product that is risking consumer lives, and quality of life, in the long term.

There has never been a better time to look at our food choices and their myriad ramifications. Raising animals for food on the scale it's done today is an environmental disaster, consuming one-third of the world's water, ravaging rainforests for grazing land and to grow feed crops for livestock, and turning the American plains not into amber waves of grain for people to eat, but to feed to doomed cows, pigs, and chickens.

We also know that the novel coronavirus is almost certainly zoonotic in origin. This is also true of MERS, SARS, swine flu, the ominous avian flu - even the 1918 flu epidemic was believed to have originated on a farm in Kansas. Modern agriculture, with animals confined indoors, ups the odds for infections, viral and bacterial.

While these arguments might be compelling, so is the lure of meat. It's good news, then, that mouthwatering offerings from Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and the like are meat. Plant meat. They grill and sizzle and satisfy our taste for that umami flavor. While certainly not 'health foods', these do provide as much protein as a beef or turkey burger, and they're cholesterol-free.

Pythagoras to da Vinci to Gandhi showed us that ditching meatwas the right thing to do(Image: Rob Halhead. Do not use without permission)

But even before turning from meat was easy or convenient, it was the right thing to do. Our predecessors from Pythagoras to da Vinci to Gandhi showed us that. It's been known for centuries that meat is not necessary and even schoolchildren can define 'vegetarian' and 'vegan'.

But as long as meat is seen as essential for the rest of us, we're still asking people to make a sacrifice, even as they tear into an Impossible Whopper. I believe we combat this most effectively with our ordinariness, e.g., "I'm vegan. My husband is 'vegan at home' and the kids are vegan and doing fine. I hold down a job, travel for work twice a month, and love country music."

This kind of real-life resume, with the specifics differing for each of us, says: "Meat is not essential - not for health, and not for living a normal, happy life."

The more we can dissipate the "essential" message, the closer we come to a vegan world, one in which today's threatened slaughterhouse workers have good jobs in the new plant meat industry, or elsewhere in healthy economies that are part of healthy societies.

It's a world in which people who find the thought of killing an animal unpleasant, find it unacceptable to expect someone else to do it for them. In this world, you don't have to be 'outdoorsy' to know that we depend on Mother Earth for everything and anger her at our peril.

While a largely vegan world might not be heaven on earth, it's our best shot at life on earth, and that is really enough.

See the original post here:
Meat Is Not 'Essential' - Yet We Are Risking Lives To Produce It - Plant Based News

What type of protein is best for human health? (Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

We need protein because it is a vital component of our muscles, hair, nails and collagen a connective tissue protein that holds your body together. Protein is also needed to make your brains messengers (neurotransmitters), hormones, red blood cells and DNA. Another important role that protein plays is in maintaining a healthy immune system.

But not all protein is created equal. Each protein molecule is made up of small building blocks called amino acids. We can make some amino acids ourselves but there are nine that the body cannot make, so they must be obtained from the diet. These are called essential amino acids. A varied plant-based diet provides more than enough protein and all the essential amino acids in sufficient amounts (1, 2, 3, 4).

All plant wholefoods contain all essential amino acids. However, some plant foods contain less than perfect amounts of one or more amino acids they do not lack them altogether, they simply contain less than the ideal amount. Because of that, it was suggested that we should always combine certain plant foods to ensure the optimal amino acid intake at every meal. This theory has long been rebutted science has proven that protein combining is absolutely unnecessary, provided you eat a varied diet with enough calories and not just one plant all day every day (1, 5).

Meat contains all the essential amino acids in sufficient amounts, which is why some people believe its a better protein source but it certainly isnt good for your health. Excess animal protein has been linked to some cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis and kidney damage more on this below.

An average person needs 0.8 gram of protein daily per kilogram of bodyweight (or 0.36 gram per pound). So for example if you weigh 70 kg/ 155 lb, you need around 56 grams of protein a day. If youre building muscle, do challenging physical work or train hard, youll need to increase your protein intake up to 1.4-2 g per kg of body weight daily.

Its so easy to get enough protein on a plant-based diet that protein deficiency is virtually unheard of in developed countries. In fact, most of us get too much protein thats how easy it is.

Excellent sources of protein include soya products (edamame beans, tofu, tempeh, soya milk, soy yogurt), black beans, kidney beans, baked beans, lentils, chickpeas, whole grains and products made from them (brown rice, whole wheat pasta, wholemeal bread, oats, quinoa, buckwheat), nuts and seeds of all types. Plant protein powders may also be useful if youre busy, prefer liquid meals or want to increase protein content of your meals.

Tofu is an excellent source of plant-based protein(Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

Foods are not just single ingredient items. Protein-rich foods also contain many other nutrients, other compounds and sometimes toxins, too. Thats one of the reasons why plant and animal protein have such different health effects.

Plant protein usually comes together with fibre, antioxidants, complex carbs, beneficial phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals a health-promoting package. Animal protein usually comes with some vitamins and minerals, is devoid of fibre, but has plenty of unhealthy saturated fats and a diverse mixture of toxic and cancer-causing compounds (6, 7).

Another reason why plant protein is beneficial for us whilst animal protein can cause harm is the different amino acid proportions. Animal protein containing more sulphur amino acids than plant protein these form sulphuric acid in the body which is very strong. Your body neutralises it by using calcium readily available in the blood or muscles but if there is a consistent supply of animal protein, theres too much acid in the body and some calcium may be released from the bones (8).

Animal protein also sends the kidneys into overdrive for hours after ingestion their blood vessels dilate and let some protein molecules through into the urine (9). The kidneys should not let any protein through so protein in the urine is a sign of abnormal kidney response. Plant protein doesnt trigger this response and has been recommended over animal protein for people at risk of or suffering from kidney disease for many years (10, 11).

Lastly, theres one more reason why animal protein is bad news for our health - it contains high amounts of phosphorus and these can, over time, lead to kidney and bone mineral disorders (12). Plants also contain phosphorus but its bound in a hard-to-digest form so much less of it is absorbed by the body in a nutshell theres no risk of excessive intakes.

Kidneys are our trustworthy filtration system, removing waste products from the blood and excreting them in urine. If we eat foods that dont put an extra strain on them, they work well. However, animal protein makes them work hard and it may result in a reduced filtration capacity and some molecules leaking through not ideal. If we overload them daily, theres a higher chance we develop kidney disease. Data from a study spanning over 23 years suggest that animal protein from red and processed meat in particular seriously increases the risk of kidney disease later in life (13). The same study also revealed that plant protein from pulses and nuts has the opposite effect it lowers the risk and seems to have a kidney-protective effect. And a recent review agrees, plant-based diets significantly lower the risk of kidney disease and can even halt the degree of damage in people with compromised kidney health (14, 11).

The higher volumes of acid resulting from animal protein also stress the kidneys. On the other hand, plant protein producing much less acid is not only gentler on the kidneys - it also helps us not to waste calcium to neutralise large amounts of acid, which is important for healthy bones (15, 16, 11).

Several studies highlighted that its because plant protein comes with a number of other nutrients that it has such a beneficial effect on our kidneys and bones (17,18, 19, 20).

You can reduce yourrisk of heart disease by swapping outanimal protein in favor of plant protein(Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

Plant protein is also great for the heart. If you swap plant for animal protein, it markedly lowers your risk of heart disease (21). Its not only the effect of the protein but the whole plant foods that support a healthy heart and circulation. Substituting plant protein for animal protein decreases cholesterol and other fats in your blood and helps to keep your blood vessels healthy (22).

And theres yet another reason why animal protein is bad news insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Its a growth hormone naturally produced by your liver, vital to childhood growth and stimulating cell growth and reproduction in adults. However, IGF-1 also promotes cancer cell growth and thats why increased IGF-1 levels are dangerous (23). Scientists warn that whey proteins from dairy products cause a rise in insulin, IGF-1 and growth hormone levels in the human body (24). The association between IGF-1 and cancer is the strongest for prostate cancer (25) and there is also substantial evidence for the same mechanism and breast cancer (26).

Plant protein doesnt stimulate these changes and vegans have been found to have significantly lower levels of IGF-1 than meat-eaters (27, 28, 29).

We have billions of bacteria in our guts. They help us process food and our diet determines which bacteria species thrive and which do not. These bacteria are also called gut microbiome and they have a huge influence on our immunity, gut health, inflammation and energy levels. Some are good and beneficial, others not so much and can even produce toxic by-products.

Animal products rich in protein and fat promote the bad bacteria that release toxins into our bloodstream. Some of these bacteria use a meat compound - carnitine - as an energy source, and produce trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) as a waste product. TMAO is a dangerous substance that stimulates the build-up of cholesterol plaques in your blood vessels (30). It means a regular meat intake increases your risk of heart disease through yet another mechanism.

Plant wholefoods, rich in plant protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates feed the good bacteria that have a positive effect on our health (31). Thats why vegan diets keep your gut wall strong and healthy, lead to lower levels of body inflammation and a stronger immune system (32, 33, 34).

The health consequences of consuming animal or plant protein cannot be more different. Whilst plant protein offers a vast array of benefits, animal protein harms our health.

A comprehensive study spanning over two decades found that animal protein increases the risk of premature death by up to 23 percent (35). Do we need another reason to switch to a wholefood plant-based diet for good?

1 Marsh KA, Munn EA, Baines SK. Protein and vegetarian diets. Med J Aust. 2013;199(S4):S7S10.

2 Clarys P, Deliens T, Huybrechts I, et al. Comparison of nutritional quality of the vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and omnivorous diet. Nutrients. 2014;6(3):13181332.

3 Karlsen MC, Rogers G, Miki A, et al. Theoretical Food and Nutrient Composition of Whole-Food Plant-Based and Vegan Diets Compared to Current Dietary Recommendations. Nutrients. 2019;11(3):625.

4 Mariotti F, Gardner CD. Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets-A Review. Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2661.

5 Hever J, Cronise RJ. Plant-based nutrition for healthcare professionals: implementing diet as a primary modality in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2017;14(5):355368.

6 Abid Z, Cross AJ, Sinha R. Meat, dairy, and cancer. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;100 Suppl 1(1):386S93S.

7 Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association [published correction appears in Circulation. 2017 Sep 5;136(10 ):e195]. Circulation. 2017;136(3):e1e23.

8 Rodrigues Neto Angloco L, Arces de Souza GC, Almeida Romo E, Garcia Chiarello P. Alkaline Diet and Metabolic Acidosis: Practical Approaches to the Nutritional Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. J Ren Nutr. 2018;28(3):215220.

9 Kontessis P, Jones S, Dodds R, et al. Renal, metabolic and hormonal responses to ingestion of animal and vegetable proteins. Kidney Int. 1990;38(1):136144.

10 Moorthi RN, Vorland CJ, Hill Gallant KM. Diet and Diabetic Kidney Disease: Plant Versus Animal Protein. Curr Diab Rep. 2017;17(3):15.

11 Rose SD, Strombom SJ. A Plant-Based Diet Prevents and Treats Chronic Kidney Disease. JOJ Urology & Nephrology. 2019;6(3).

12 D'Alessandro C, Piccoli GB, Cupisti A. The "phosphorus pyramid": a visual tool for dietary phosphate management in dialysis and CKD patients. BMC Nephrol. 2015;16:9.

13 Haring B, Selvin E, Liang M, et al. Dietary Protein Sources and Risk for Incident Chronic Kidney Disease: Results From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. J Ren Nutr. 2017;27(4):233242.

14 Kim H, Caulfield LE, Garcia-Larsen V, et al. Plant-Based Diets and Incident CKD and Kidney Function. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019;14(5):682691.

15 Knurick JR, Johnston CS, Wherry SJ, Aguayo I. Comparison of correlates of bone mineral density in individuals adhering to lacto-ovo, vegan, or omnivore diets: a cross-sectional investigation. Nutrients. 2015;7(5):34163426.

16 Burckhardt P. The role of low acid load in vegetarian diet on bone health: a narrative review. Swiss Med Wkly. 2016;146:w14277.

17 Dai Z, Butler LM, van Dam RM, Ang LW, Yuan JM, Koh WP. Adherence to a vegetable-fruit-soy dietary pattern or the Alternative Healthy Eating Index is associated with lower hip fracture risk among Singapore Chinese. J Nutr. 2014;144(4):511518.

18 Sahni S, Mangano KM, McLean RR, Hannan MT, Kiel DP. Dietary Approaches for Bone Health: Lessons from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2015;13(4):245255.

19 Gluba-Brzzka A, Franczyk B, Rysz J. Vegetarian Diet in Chronic Kidney Disease-A Friend or Foe. Nutrients. 2017;9(4):374.

20 Kalantar-Zadeh K, Moore LW. Does Kidney Longevity Mean Healthy Vegan Food and Less Meat or Is Any Low-Protein Diet Good Enough?. J Ren Nutr. 2019;29(2):7981.

21 Richter CK, Skulas-Ray AC, Champagne CM, Kris-Etherton PM. Plant protein and animal proteins: do they differentially affect cardiovascular disease risk?. Adv Nutr. 2015;6(6):712728.

22 Li SS, Blanco Mejia S, Lytvyn L, et al. Effect of Plant Protein on Blood Lipids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017;6(12):e006659.

23 Jenkins PJ, Mukherjee A, Shalet SM. Does growth hormone cause cancer?. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2006;64(2):115121.

24 Melnik BC. Evidence for acne-promoting effects of milk and other insulinotropic dairy products. Nestle Nutr Workshop Ser Pediatr Program. 2011;67:131145.

25 Travis RC, Appleby PN, Martin RM, et al. A Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data Reveals an Association between Circulating Levels of IGF-I and Prostate Cancer Risk. Cancer Res. 2016;76(8):22882300.

26 Bradbury KE, Balkwill A, Tipper SJ, et al. The association of plasma IGF-I with dietary, lifestyle, anthropometric, and early life factors in postmenopausal women. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2015;25(2):9095.

27 Allen NE, Appleby PN, Davey GK, Key TJ. Hormones and diet: low insulin-like growth factor-I but normal bioavailable androgens in vegan men. Br J Cancer. 2000;83(1):9597.

28 Allen NE, Appleby PN, Davey GK, Kaaks R, Rinaldi S, Key TJ. The associations of diet with serum insulin-like growth factor I and its main binding proteins in 292 women meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002;11(11):14411448.

29 McCarty MF. GCN2 and FGF21 are likely mediators of the protection from cancer, autoimmunity, obesity, and diabetes afforded by vegan diets. Med Hypotheses. 2014;83(3):365371.

30 Koeth RA, Lam-Galvez BR, Kirsop J, et al. l-Carnitine in omnivorous diets induces an atherogenic gut microbial pathway in humans. J Clin Invest. 2019;129(1):373387.

31 Tomova A, Bukovsky I, Rembert E, et al. The Effects of Vegetarian and Vegan Diets on Gut Microbiota. Front Nutr. 2019;6:47.

32 Glick-Bauer M, Yeh MC. The health advantage of a vegan diet: exploring the gut microbiota connection. Nutrients. 2014;6(11):48224838.

33 Craddock JC, Neale EP, Peoples GE, Probst YC. Vegetarian-Based Dietary Patterns and their Relation with Inflammatory and Immune Biomarkers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Adv Nutr. 2019;10(3):433451.

34 Rinninella E, Cintoni M, Raoul P, et al. Food Components and Dietary Habits: Keys for a Healthy Gut Microbiota Composition. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2393.

35 Virtanen HEK, Voutilainen S, Koskinen TT, et al. Dietary proteins and protein sources and risk of death: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;109(5):14621471.

See the original post here:
Vegan Or Animal Protein? The Science Shows Which Is Better - Plant Based News