In these uncertain times, most people are experiencing increasing levels of stress about what the future holds. And with that stress can come eating behaviors that dont benefit our overall wellbeing. Though following a vegan diet is a step in the right direction when it comes to optimizing our health, there are still some of us who struggle with emotional eating. The behavior is typically triggered by emotions such as stress, sadness, or boredom, and the need to fill a void. It might feel satisfying to eat when these feelings occur, but it is only a temporary sense of relief, and doing it on a regular basis can lead to unneeded weight gain, digestive issues, or other health-related difficulties. By applying these four tips, the good news is that these issues can be managed with a little time and practice.

1. Eat more fiber from whole foods.Eating more fiber is one of the best ways to combat emotional eating on a vegan diet. Fiber is important for digestion, but it is also a key component for our emotional wellbeing. New studies from UCLA prove that our gut and its microbiome are related to neurological health and balance. When fiber intake is sufficient, it triggers an I am satisfied switch in our brain, called propionate. Propionate is a short-chain fatty acid caused by your gut bacteria breaking down fiber that alerts the body when it reaches the necessary amount of food intake. Most vegans will obtain plenty of fiber if theyre eating enough whole-food plants. As a result, those who have an issue with emotional eating will likely feel more satisfied and in control of their habits eating whole, plant-based foods than those who do not.

2. Learn to eat in balance.A lack of nutrition can trigger cravings for sweet, comforting, or salty foods that some people struggle with. To overcome emotional eating, consciously following a balanced vegan diet is an important piece of the puzzle. The human body is a complex organism that thrives when its fueled with the proper diet, which allows it to receive all the necessary nutrients from different components of our meals, making us less tempted to grab a snack or binge while watching Netflix. It also helps regulate our digestive system. Our stomach is referred to as the second brain because serotonin is created in our stomach and in our brainso a happy belly will help stabilize the mood. There are many resources online that give examples of what a balanced meal looks like, but a basic rule of thumb is to eat at least two servings of vegetables or greens, and fill one-quarter of your plate with whole grains and another one-quarter with protein (a meal that can cover all these categories is a classic Buddha Bowl).

3. Learn what it feels like to be truly hungry.The feelings of true or physical hunger can be characterized by how hunger comes up during the day. If hunger is brought on slowly and many different kinds of foods sound appetizing, this will most likely be true hunger. When a craving comes up suddenly and it is aimed toward one particular type of food, such as sweets, this can be categorized as emotionally driven hunger. Another way to tell the two apart is by identifying what feelings are coming up after eating. If these feelings are of being satisfied and content at the end of the meal, this is likely from physical hunger. If its emotionally driven, the food does not give the same satisfaction. Eating for emotional satisfaction can also cause feelings of guilt and shame after eating food that was not needed. Keeping a journal close by to record these sensations is a great first step in identifying the source of your hunger. If emotional cravings come up, drinking a glass of water can also keep you from acting on your emotions. Instead, sit with the sensation for a minutedoing so can help ease the trigger and it might pass quicker than you think.

4. Be kind to yourself.Being kind to yourself might sound clich but it can help tremendously when dealing with negative eating habits. Some people might experience guilt or remorse that comes along with the type of foods they are consuming during stressful moments. Creating new and better eating habits might take a little more time than expected and that is okay. Celebrating small victories help keep the marathon going instead of seeing the change as a short-distance sprint. Creating kindness can be as simple as enjoying a vegan dessert or vegan pizza on occasion. Remember that food is not the enemy. If emotional eating does happen, a better way to handle the situation is to be kind to yourself instead and beating yourself up. Youll overcome it, in time.

Hilary Hinrichs is a holistic nutritionist who helps women overcome emotional eating habits and ditch the overwhelm around food.

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4 Ways to Finally End Emotional Eating With a Vegan Diet - VegNews

Its no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the lives of people who follow a consistent fitness schedule. So how do you actually stay fit and maintain, even improve, your body while undergoing the lockdown? Here are some tips to follow.

Tips To Improve Your Body And Diet Amid The Lockdown

Its safe to say that the lockdown that came as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder for all of us to stay fit and exercise, what with the closure of gyms and the stay-at-home restrictions. And while exercising is definitely possible at home, its still not the same without the proper equipment, especially if you live in a smaller space alongside other people.

And with everyone suddenly learning how to cook, its no surprise that people have started earning an extra inch or two in their waistline. So how do you actually improve your body and diet amid all this?

Well, according to health experts, you should better control what you eat and resist the urge to snack all the time while at home. And if you do, opt for more whole foods and less packaged snacks.

Fresh fruit or vegie sticks, paired with a healthy dip like hummus or tzatziki, is a really good choice for ramping up fibre intake. Plain dairy products like milk and yoghurt are also good choices because theyre high in hunger-busting protein and bone-strengthening calcium, dietitian Melissa Meier said.

And if you need any help with motivation, a great deal of fitness organizations are also offering free online fitness classes and apps that can help keep your spirit up and moving.

Were doing it free of charge for our clients as we want them to enjoy the experience online, Ben Lucas, director and co-founder of Flow Athletic, said.

As for how much you should work out, 30-45 minutes a day should be good while also making sure that you get proper sleep at night. Be mindful of intense stress as well and make sure you have time for your hobbies to keep you happy and occupied.

When it comes to food, opt for a more plant-based one, ignore fads and keep drinking to a minimum, if not at all.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and health experts said it is important to maintain proper nutrition amid the COVID-19 pandemic and that people should get more foods that help boost the immune system. Pixabay

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How To Improve Your Body And Diet While In Isolation - Medical Daily

Dopamine diet is a process of boosting dopamine levels in our brain. Dopamine is considered to be the happy hormone. So, heres everything you need to know about this diet plan.

Dopamine Diet, also known as Tom Kerridge Diet, is a method to increase the level of the happy hormone, dopamine, in your brain. This diet plan is also widely popular for weight loss. TV Chef Tom Kerridge made this diet plan popular and hence it was named after him. This has several versions but the base of this plan is to consume all kinds of foods that boost our dopamine levels.

This diet plan also restricts our consumption of alcohol, processed sugar, carbohydrates and caffeine. Some of the common foods that are consumed in the dopamine diet plan are eggs, bananas, dark chocolates, nuts, etc. These all are known to increase the dopamine level in our brain. So, what is the science behind this dopamine diet? Lets find out.

Dopamine diet is used for weight loss and to boost the levels of happy hormone:

What is dopamine?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter.This chemical sends signals to the nerve cells in the brain. It has its positive impacts on the pleasure centres of the brain which improves the mood. It has been seen in research that people with overweight have a lower dopamine leveldue to the consumption of sugar and fatty foods. So, people have to reduce the intake of sugary and fatty foods along with maintaining a good dopamine level. Lower dopamine levels can also lead to overeating among people.

In this case, it is important to increase proteins intake because proteins have amino acids in it which is an essential factor for dopamine production. And it will also reduce your food cravings as proteins give you the feeling of satiety, which will directly aid in weight loss.So, the research concluded that eating a protein-rich breakfast can boost dopamine levels and also aid in weight loss. And through this, the consumption of fatty and sugary foods will also be prevented.

Foods to eat in dopamine diet

In dopamine diet, you can have these foods:

Dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese, etc.

Eggs.

Fruits, especially bananas.

Vegetables.

Nuts like almonds and walnuts.

Unprocessed meat like chicken.

Dark chocolates.

Salmon fish.

Here are the tips for maintaining dopamine diet:

1-Never skip your regular meals, because it will prevent sudden swings in hormones and regulate appetite.

2-Try to have more lean protein breakfast including eggs, high protein yoghurt, nuts and seeds, fruits, etc.

3-Try to incorporate monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in your diet plan. These are found in olive, sesame, safflower oils, walnuts, avocado, flaxseeds, etc.

4-Have lean proteins in lunch and dinner by adding chicken, fish, lentils, etc.

5-Practice yoga regularly as this can also increase dopamine production.

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Dopamine Diet for Weight Loss: Heres how the happy hormone aids in shedding extra kilos - PINKVILLA

Here is a milkshake recipe brimming with nutrients and a delectable flavour.

Highlights

Summers are in full swing. It's time we must make a few changes to our diet. Adding seasonal foods and some summer drinks to our diet is one of the things that we can do. Talking about drinks, there are a plethora of interesting summer coolers that you can make at home to keep yourself hydrated and energised during these hot summer days. The perfect summer coolers like milkshakes are not just delicious but are also quite nutritious too. And the best part is that you can play a bit with ingredients to make this healthy drink even more interesting and nutritious. From chocolates to nuts, to ice-cream and to dry fruits - there are options galore to try.

Milkshakes are not just healthy and delicious, but are also quick to make. If you are pressed for time in morning or not in a mood to make a wholesome breakfast, simply put together milk and your favourite fruit or veggies and blend together! You can even add some chia seeds, flaxseeds or oats to up the nutritional value. But you know what can be even more fulfilling? A creamier, nuttier milkshake packed with the goodness of almonds!

(Also Read:10 Best Milkshake Recipes To Try At Home)

We've got a stellar almond and saffron milkshake that can be your go-to milkshake recipe when you need a wholesome quick fix for instant energy.

The recipe has the goodness of ground almonds, walnuts and flaxseeds blended with milk, honey and saffron, and served chilled. You can top it with leftover ground almonds and saffron strands with ice and do away with summer heat.

Saffron, since ages, is known to have various health benefitting properties, including boosting immunity. On the other hand, almonds when included in shakes and smoothies automatically take the taste quotient a notch up. Besides, they are a powerhouse of essentials vitamins, minerals and nutrients that our bodies need to function properly. Do we need any more reasons to try this goodness of a milkshake?

Find the recipe of almond and saffron milkshake here.

Try at home and let us know your experience in the comments section below.

About Aanchal MathurAanchal doesn't share food. A cake in her vicinity is sure to disappear in a record time of 10 seconds. Besides loading up on sugar, she loves bingeing on FRIENDS with a plate of momos. Most likely to find her soulmate on a food app.

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Summer Diet: This Chilled Almond Saffron Milkshake Can Be Your Go-To Wholesome Beverage This Season - NDTV Food

Eating a healthy, balanced diet - including at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day - could lower your risk of an early death, according to the NHS. But, you could also boost your life expectancy by regularly eating nuts, it's been claimed.

Doing regular exercise can help to boost your lifespan. Its the miracle cure weve all been waiting for, said the NHS.

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

One of the easiest ways to lower your chances of an early death is to add nuts to your daily routine.

They're part of a nutrition 'supergroup' that could help to boost your lifespan, according to dietitian Juliette Kellow and nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer.

READ MORE: How to live longer - snack to boost life expectancy

Nuts contain a number of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that could help to protect against some cancers, they said.

You could also lower your chances of dying from diabetes by 39 percent by simply eating a handful of nuts every day, they added.

They can protect against a number of other medical conditions, including kidney disease, infectious diseases and respiratory diseases.

The best nuts available that could boost longevity include almonds, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and cashew nuts.

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

In addition, eating them regularly may help with weight management, and cleaning up your diet.

Nuts vary in the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals they contain, so enjoy eating a selection to gain the maximum health-promoting nutrients.

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

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How to live longer - best snack to prevent diabetes and an early death - Express.co.uk

Try the COVID diet plan to say fit and healthy with stronger immune system during lockdown  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Good nutrition and regular physical activity are the backbone to a healthier, fitter life. Eating well is even more crucial in times like these when your immune system might need to fight back and defend you against viruses, including the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Excess body fat, especially belly fat, triggers immune cells that can harm your body. Eating a varied, balanced diet will also help you maintain a healthy weight with stronger immunity. Given the link between nutrition, body weight, immune system and COVID-19, weve listed some key nutrients that you can include in your healthy COVID diet plan to help you stay hale and hearty, maintain weight loss during the lockdown.

Perhaps, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have shifted our focus to healthful behaviours, particularly immunity-boosting foods, in the absence of a safe vaccine and treatment for the virus. But figuring out what to eat to stay fit can be yet another daily challenge. This simple diet plan that includes several vital nutrients involved with the normal functioning of the immune system such as copper, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, iron and dietary fibre (COVID) can come in handy when meal prepping.

The bottom line is, a healthy, balanced diet - consisting of plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and wholegrains - along with physical activity will strengthen your immune system, keep you fit.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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Try the COVID diet plan to stay fit and healthy with stronger immune system during lockdown - Times Now

There has been much talk about nutrition as a defence mechanism to reduce the chances of contracting the Coronavirus. How important is a change in our dietary intake towards fighting the virus?

Till now, the exact nature of the Coronavirus is unknown. We are practically functioning in the dark regarding the treatment protocol against Covid-19. But it's been proven long ago that a good immune system can save us from any viral or bacterial infections. Even if infected, a strong immune system can help us overcome the pathogen. So, during this pandemic, our utmost effort should be to bolster our immune systems.

To boost immunity, we need to enrich our diet with enough vitamin C (found in abundance in guava, citrus fruits, amloki, bitter guard, etc); zinc (found in spinach, beef, nuts, milk and milk products); vitamin D3, which the body can make through exposure to sunlight from 10AM to 3PM); and anti-oxidants (found in colourful fruits and vegetables); selenium, magnesium, etc.

Why is hydration considered so important?

Hydration is key to regulating the temperature of the body. And it can help lessen existing fever. Staying hydrated also means healthy membranes. When we cough, sneeze or just breathe, membranes in our nose and mouth eliminate any bacteria.

Moisture helps heal the damaged membranes so foreign organisms cannot enter the body. And also, we need to replace our lost body fluids to make the respiratory secretion thin. When we are dehydrated our respiratory secretion thickens and it becomes hard to clean our lungs naturally, which may even lead to pneumonia.

How should fruits, vegetables and other ingredients be treated before storing/consumption? Is it wise to eat takeaway from restaurants?

The main challenge for takeaway services are physical distancing, and packaging. Even if a responsible restaurant owner maintains social distancing as per protocol, there is a risk of contamination through the packaging of the foods.

The coronavirus can live for hours to days on various surfaces. Some strains of coronavirus live for only a few minutes, while others live for up to 5 days. So, it is best to disinfect all the sealed packaging with disinfectant spray or wash with detergent thoroughly. But when the packaging is not sealed, then its better to keep it in a place of the house out of reach of the family members for 5 days before storing. And for wet groceries like fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish, the packaging materials should be removed as soon as possible. Coronavirus doesn't seem to spread through exposure to food. Still, it's recommended to wash fruits and vegetables under running water and soak in lukewarm salted water for 40 minutes before eating. And finally, after storing the groceries, hands must be cleaned with disinfectant solutions.

Current evidence on other coronavirus strains shows that while it appears to be stable at low and freezing temperatures for a certain period, food hygiene and good food safety practices can prevent their transmission through food.

The amount of time coronavirus survives on food packaging depends on the material it is made from; for example, 5 days on metal; 4 days on wood; 2 to 3 days on plastics like milk containers; 2 to 3 days on stainless steel like walls of refrigerators, pots and pans, sinks, some water bottles; 2 to 8 hours on soda cans, tinfoil, water bottles; up to 5 days on drinking glasses, measuring cups; 5 days on ceramic dishes, pottery, mugs etc.

The coronavirus crisis has led people to unprecedented financial hardships. What types of food would you suggest for people to include in their diet at an affordable price?

At this moment, not only for the economic crisis, even for those who do not want to go to the grocery shops to maintain social isolation guidelines, sprouted Bengal gram is a rich source of vitamin C. If there is crisis of meat and fish, we can prepare khichuri (the mixture of lentils and rice) as a source of first-class proteins. We should depend upon seasonal colourful vegetables as a rich source of vitamins and minerals.

What should be included in the dietary chart of those who have unfortunately contracted the coronavirus? Should the diet change as they recover?

A Covid-19 positive patient must include high protein diet to stabilise the immune system. Also, as per World Health Organization (WHO) guideline, a patient needs a minimum intake of 2.5 litres of fluid, and fresh and healthy vitamin rich foods, restrict raw sugar, and include at least 5 servings of vegetables and 4 servings of fruits per day.

Black cumin, ginger, honey, turmeric these all have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, so they can be included in the diet as well.

Lastly, can diet alone help prevent Covid-19?

No, diet alone cannot fight the coronavirus. Proper and balanced amount of exercise, sound mental health and to maintain all the protocols of hygiene and physical distancing are equally important.

Photo: LS Archive/ Sazzad Ibne Sayed

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FAQ on diet and Covid-19 - The Daily Star

A tender bell pepper stuffed with spiced beef and rice makes a tasty dinner, and it's a great way to get a few veggies into your diet.

Look for large peppers. We used red, but green peppers (which are less expensive) work too.

This recipe uses the short cut of bottled pasta sauce.

Makes 4 servings. Recipe is adapted from Cooking Light.

cup cooked rice

4 medium red bell peppers

pound ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon paprika

teaspoon salt

2 cups bottled tomato-and-basil pasta sauce (such as Classico), divided

cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

cup dry red wine

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.

2. Cut tops off bell peppers; reserve tops. Discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut sides down, in an 8-inch square baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Cool.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, onions, parsley, paprika and salt. Cook until beef is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from heat.

4. Add rice, cup pasta sauce, and cheese to beef mixture, stirring to combine.

5. In a sauce pan, combine 1 cups pasta sauce and wine and bring to a boil.

6. Spoon about cup beef mixture into each pepper. Place peppers in a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; add wine mixture to pan. Cover with foil.

7. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve peppers with sauce. Garnish with pepper tops.

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Cook This: Stuffed Peppers are a tasty way to add some veggies to your diet - The Advocate