One of the most promising developments is the link between certain diets and their protective components.

According to Mays Al-Ali, nutritionist at HealthyMays.com

The DASH diet also protects against many cardiovascular risk factors of dementia, said Al-Ali.

The DASH diet plan emphasises high intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, as well as increased potassium and reduced sodium intake.

"Some of the dementia protective effects of DASH include lower blood pressure and blood lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, weight reduction, reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced incidence of diabetes," explains Al-Ali.

Devising a diet to address the drawbacks

As she explained, although both the Mediterranean-based diet and the blood pressurelowering DASH have demonstrated protective effects on cardiovascular conditions that can adversely affect the brain, neither is specific for the levels and types of foods shown to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.

, there are two main diets that have come under the microscope - the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the Mediterranean-style diet.

As Al-Ali explains, a Mediterranean-style diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes and unrefined cereals, with moderate amounts of dairy products, low meat but regular fish intake.

"This seems to deliver all nutrients in adequate amounts to support maintenance of cognitive function and reduce the risk of cognitive decline in healthy older persons," she said.

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The DASH diet also protects against many cardiovascular risk factors of dementia, said Al-Ali.

The DASH diet plan emphasises high intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, as well as increased potassium and reduced sodium intake.

"Some of the dementia protective effects of DASH include lower blood pressure and blood lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, weight reduction, reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced incidence of diabetes," explains Al-Ali.

As she explained, although both the Mediterranean-based diet and the blood pressurelowering DASH have demonstrated protective effects on cardiovascular conditions that can adversely affect the brain, neither is specific for the levels and types of foods shown to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.

Among the different types of vegetables, the green leafy variety has been identified as having the strongest protective effects against cognitive decline, she noted.

"Studies show that adults aged 50 plus who followed a similar eating plan based on the MIND diet for four years did not experience any memory loss and after only four months on this type of eating plan, adults performed as if they were nine years younger on reading and writing speed tests," Al-Ali reported.

According to Al-Ali, these are the main foods to be eaten regularly whilst limiting intake of red meat, processed products and baked goods:

1) Raw leafy greensDarker greens, such as spinach, kale and romaine, have more brain-boosting antioxidants and vitamin K. Try to eat one cup daily.

2) Cruciferous vegetablesBroccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are high in vitamin K and glucosinolates, which have an antioxidant effect. Include at least three 1/2 cup servings in your diet a week.

3) BlueberriesAll berries have a positive effect on brain health, but blueberries have been studied the most. They contain flavonoids, which activate brain pathways associated with less cellular ageing. Try to consume 1/2 cup of any berries three times a week.

4) BeansIts unknown exactly what makes beans, lentils and chickpeas good for brain health, but its likely due to a combination of antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Include 1/2 cup in your diet as a replacement for red meat at least twice a week.

5) NutsUnsalted nuts are high in antioxidants and healthy fats. Walnuts are particularly high in omega-3 fatty acid, a brain-protective nutrient. Aim for a handful of nuts daily.

6) FishThe iodine and iron in all types of fish are thought to help maintain cognitive function. Fattier fish, like salmon and trout, also contain brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids. Aim for one to two servings per week.

7) Whole grainsChoose fibre-rich whole grains like oats, brown rice and whole-grain wheat to offset your intake of refined grains.

8) Olive oilIt contains monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, as well as antioxidants. Aim for extra virgin organic olive oil and try not to fry with it as it has a low smoke point so can go rancid easily and give rise to inflammation. Add it to cooked food once cooled or on salad dressings. Avocado or coconut oil is best for cooking.

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Dementia: The diet proven to protect against brain decline - what foods to eat - Express

Patients with IBD who follow a Mediterranean diet for six months may experience fewer symptom flare-ups as some factors that can trigger active disease like excess weight and too much fat in the liver improve, according to a study published in May 2020 in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

For the study, researchers asked 84 people with ulcerative colitis (UC)and 58 people with Crohns disease to follow a Mediterranean diet for six months. They all received dietary guidance from a nutritionist, who counseled them on how to follow a Mediterranean diet and how to space food intake out over two snacks and three meals a day; people with obesity also got advice on cutting calories.

At the start of the study 14 patients with ulcerative colitis and nine patients with Crohn's disease who had stable therapy throughout the study period and complete follow-up labs had active disease. Six months later, only four people with ulcerative colitis and two with Crohn's disease had active disease, and all of these cases were mild, the study found.

Patients also completed quality of life questionnaires at the start and end of the study, and reported improved quality of life after six months on the Mediterranean diet.

These results matter to the patients with active disease because of the debilitating effects such as abdominal pain and diarrhea they have to endure on a daily basis, says Moon Han, PhD, MPH, a scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, who wasnt involved in the study.

So, any measure of relief is important to these patients, Dr. Han says.

RELATED: Another Benefit of a Mediterranean Diet for Older Adults May Be Better Sleep, Study Suggests

Symptoms may have improved for patients in the study in part because they tended to lose weight, and reduce stores of fat around their midsections and their livers, the study authors write. Obesity, a higher waist circumference, and too much fat around the liver are all associated with inflammation, which can in turn set off processes in the body that lead to IBD flare-ups, the study team writes.

During the study period, ulcerative colitis patients body mass index (BMI) decreased by an average of 0.42 points to 25.3 and their average waist circumference declined 1.25 centimeters. Over this same time frame, Crohn's disease patients BMI dropped by an average of 0.48 points to 24.6 and their waist circumference decreased by 1.37 centimeters.

The number of ulcerative colitis patients affected by an accumulation of fat around the liver, or steatosis, declined from 31 at the start of the study to 18 by the end, while the number of Crohn's disease patients with this problem dropped from 27 to 18.

Long-term consumption of [a] Mediterranean diet reduces levels of inflammation and improves metabolic health, says Krasimira Aleksandrova, PhD, a scientist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke in Nuthetal, who wasnt involved in the study.

A typical Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, and healthy fats like olive oil many foods that have anti-inflammation properties, Dr. Aleksandrova says. By contrast, a typical Western diet heavy in red and processed meats, sugars, and unhealthy fats can increase inflammation.

As a result, switching to a Mediterranean diet may help many people reduce inflammation and IBD flare-ups, Aleksandrova says.

RELATED: A Mediterranean Diet May Alter the Gut Microbiome to Improve Longevity

A study published in June 2020 in Gut also suggested that a Mediterranean diet might help prevent some people from developing IBD. The study followed 83,147 Swedish adults who didnt have IBD for up to 17 years, using food questionnaires to see how closely participants followed a Mediterranean diet.

People who most closely adhered to the diet were 58 percent less likely to develop Crohn's disease. However, this diet didnt appear to impact the risk of ulcerative colitis.

One limitation of the newest study is the lack of a control group of IBD patients who didnt follow a Mediterranean diet, says lead study author Fabio Chicco, a resident in gastroenterology at Cagliari State University in Italy.

We cant rule out that clinical improvement occurred, in some patients, independently of the dietary intervention, Chicco says.

RELATED: Your Everyday Guide to Living Well With Ulcerative Colitis

Other limitations include the reliance on 24-hour diet recall questionnaires to assess what people ate, which dont always accurately capture the type or amount of foods people eat. In addition, its not clear from the study how closely participants followed a Mediterranean style diet.

Still, a Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce inflammation as well as block pathways that tend to make people store more fat in their bodies, including in their liver. And this may benefit IBD patients, says Andrew Chan, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

If someone follows a Mediterranean diet, it might mean lower levels of inflammation that could reduce disease activity in patients with IBD and also reduce the amount of fat stored in the liver and other parts of the body, says Dr. Chan, who wasnt involved in the study.

To help minimize the risk of symptom flare-ups that can result from a radical change in eating habits, patients should still check with a doctor to see if a Mediterranean diet makes sense for their circumstances, Chan advises.

The take-home message is that if you have IBD, it might not be a bad idea to try to adopt a Mediterranean diet, especially since it is likely to be associated with other health benefits, Chan says. However, further evidence is needed to make it a formal recommendation.

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Some IBD Patients May See Symptom Relief With a Mediterranean Diet - Everyday Health

5 liver-healthy foods you must include in your diet to stay hale and hearty  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: The human body is a complex machine. Just like if one part of any machine is unable to work efficiently, or completely breaks down, even if one vital organ of the body is unable to perform its functions, it can lead to complications and problems in the body. The food we eat, directly affects our whole body, including all our internal organs, like the liver.

A healthy, balanced diet, along with regular exercise, and quitting unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking, or drinking can help in keeping the body healthy overall. However, if you are diagnosed with a specific problem, you must change your diet accordingly. While some foods can aggravate the problem, others can help strengthen the organ and aid its functions. According to British Liver Trust, if you have a liver condition, it's important to understand how your liver is affected by the food you eat; the elements of a well-balanced diet suitable for most people; disease-specific dietary considerations and special or therapeutic nutritional diets for those with more advanced liver disease.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.

For full coverage on Coronavirus pandemic, click here.Join the Times Group initiative #MaskIndia.Share a picture with your home-made mask on your social handles using #MaskIndia. The best picture will be featured in TOI and on maskindia.com

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5 liver-healthy foods you must include in your diet to stay hale and hearty - Times Now

That's why the Dirty Vegan Diet is good food for thought for those struggling to go fully plant-based.It still excludesall animal products(seafood, eggs, dairy, meat, and poultry) although you can have processed foods thatmimic animal-based meals.Think jackfruit calamari, soy cheese, beyond burgers and seitan chicken.

According to Peoplemagazine, the term is sometimes used to reference to those who mainly still to a vegan diet butloosen the reigns on occasion (see also: "chegan.")

I tend to call myself a dirty vegan. Im mostly plant-based but if I do need to eat some meat, Ill have it," actress Lisa Rinna told the outlet.

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RELATED:Everything You Need To Know About Getting Protein On A Plant-Based Diet

Yes and no, depending on how often you're indulging in these faux meats.

"I wouldnt advise having heavily processed food,"Melanie Boehmer, R.D tells Men's Health.

She recommends asking yourself sans judgement why you prefer vegan products that look and taste like animal-based dishes. This will better help you assess your motive for adopting the eating regime. For example, do you love steak but want to eat fewer animal products for environmental reasons? If so, make sure you're chowing down on a wide variety of whole foods to ensure you meet your RDI for certain nutrients, for example, protein and iron. Or, maybe you're following a vegan diet because you think it helps with weight loss. If that's the case, know it is totallypossible to reach your goals without restricting any foods.

"You have the ability to make this beautiful plate full of flavours and colours [on the vegan diet]. It can be a nutrition bomb in the best way," she says. That said, if you find yourself replacing well-balanced meals with less nutritious options, say, a grilled chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread vs a plate of deep-fried faux cheese, this might not be the best option for you.

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Start simple, says Boehmer. Why not try your hand at meat-free Mondays or even going plant-based for one meal per week? Then, come up with a list of your favourite recipes and make some simple swaps. Beef bolognese tastes epic when made with lentils and a bean-based pasta is a simple way to sneak in extra nutrients.

She also recommends avoiding super complicated recipes. "If you make this easy for yourself, then its going to be easy," she adds.

RELATED:14 Vegan Foods That Are Loaded With Iron

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Everything You Need To Know About The Dirty Vegan Diet - Men's Health

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.

Eating nuts every single day could help to protect against bowel cancer, according to nutritionists.

READ MORE: How to live longer - the best drinks to prevent an early death

"Nuts are little wonders, loaded with mineral, phytochemical, and essential fats that keep the heart healthy, as well as helping prevent bowel cancer, gallstones and type 2 diabetes," said the nutritionists, in their book Eat Better Live Longer - Understand What Your Body Needs To Stay Healthy.

"Eating peanuts may help protect against colorectal cancer. A study of 24,000 adults found the risk of bowel cancer was cut by 58 percent in women and 27 percent in men when peanuts were eaten twice a week.

"Its believed physic acid, phytosterols, and resveratrol may protect against cancer.

"Eat one 28g [1oz] serving of nuts a day. Always choose unflavoured, plain nuts as flavoured nuts contain seasonings, salt, honey, and/or sugar."

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How to live longer - the 50p snack to protect against early death and bowel cancer - Express

The vitamin is needed to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body.

A lack of vitamin D can lead to serious complications, including osteomalacia, rickets, or some deformities.

But, the symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency can be very difficult to spot.

One of the hidden warning signs of the condition is having severe bone pain, it's been revealed.

READ MORE: Vitamin D deficiency symptoms - what can you smell?

"Severe lack of vitamin D causes rickets, which shows up in children as incorrect growth patterns, weakness in muscles, pain in bones and deformities in joints," said the Cleveland Clinic.

"This is very rare. However, children who are deficient in vitamin D can also have muscle weakness or sore and painful muscles.

"Lack of vitamin D is not quite as obvious in adults.

"Signs and symptoms might include fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness, muscle aches, or muscle cramps, and mood changes, like depression."

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Vitamin D deficiency: The subtle pain you should never ignore - it could be serious - Express

Yeast solutions can play a prominent nutritional role in overcoming the negative consequences of weaning for young piglets. That was the main message of a webinar, held on Wednesday May 27. The webinar is now ready for re-viewing.

3 prominent speakers shared their ideas at the webinar, which was held by Phileo by Lesaffre and powered by Pig Progress and its sister title All About Feed. The broadcast was hosted from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with speakers connected to the studio from all over the planet.

Click here to get direct access to the webinar

The webinar was kicked off by Dr Megan Edwards, independent nutritionist at Integral Nutrition, based in Vietnam. She described the challenges weaner pigs are facing once they are weaned and zoomed in on nutritional solutions that are available for pork producers to alleviate the effects. In her talk, she touched on e.g. nucleotides, myo-inositol, glutamine and threonine. While launching a plea for novel ways to manage gut health, she concluded that heavy metals and antibiotics have potentially covered up some of our nutritional short comings in the past.

She added: We can minimise the need for therapeutic zinc oxide and the potential increase in antibiotic use by better understanding the key needs of the weaner pig during its developmental phase (weaning to 7-10 weeks). Management practices and nutrition, she said, can have a positive and synergistic effect.

The line-up of the webinar with speakers Dr Megan Edwards, Dr Tadele Kiros and Shen Fei Long. - Photo: Company Webcast

The microphone went from Vietnam to Canada, where Dr Tadele Kiros, global R&D manager swine, of Phileo by Lesaffre, addressed the effect of probiotic yeast strain Sc 47 on pig gut microbiota. He said that modification of gut microbiota can be a tool to reduce antibiotics usage. He therefore introduced the results of 2 trials to test whether probiotic yeast can modify gut microbiota of piglets towards beneficial bacteria.

That was the case, he concluded, as yeast supplementation in piglet diets modified the microbial composition of piglets towards beneficial bacteria, increased phylogenetic similarity and homogeneity of microbiota between pigs and enhanced positive correlations among different bacterial genera.

What that all meant in practice for pig performance was presented by the last speaker, Shin Fei Long, PhD researcher at China Agricultural University and North Carolina State University. He also presented the outcomes of 2 trials, where the effects of yeast supplementation was measured on healthy weaned pigs and those challenged with Eschericihia coli.

He concluded: Live yeast can be antibiotic and zinc oxide substitutes on improving growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum immunoglobulin, antioxidant status, and volatile fatty acids in faeces of weaned pigs.

In addition, he said, Dietary live yeast supplementation can replace antibiotics on improving growth performance and intestinal integrity, maintaining the normal body temperature and reducing diarrhoea in pigs after enterotoxigenic E. coli K88 challenge.

Click here to get direct access to the webinar

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Review webinar: Reducing antibiotics and ZnO in weaner diets - All about feed