Cassidy Hall

By Cassidy Hall

We live in a world full of dietary advice at our fingertips, but, unfortunately, that advice is not always received from experts. In my Extension role, participants often clue me in on trendy dietary advice. Currently, healthy fat is a hot topic. What are healthy fats? Should we still be pruning fat from our diets or is that old news?

Lets start with discussing if we should be pruning fat from our diets the answer is it depends. Our bodies require fat as a source of energy. Fat is essential for our bodies to absorb nutrients, produce hormones, it helps to protect the organs and aids in keeping us warm, according to the American Heart Association.

We absolutely need fat, but like calories, all fats are not equal. This leads to the question of determining which fats are healthy fats. Healthy fats tend to come from plant sources with a few exceptions. Olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados are examples of healthy fats that come from plants. Notice that I did not include coconut oil. Tropical oils such as palm oil and coconut oil are sources composed primarily of saturated fat which make them solid at room temperature. Coconut oil is all the rage right now, trending as a healthy fat. This claim is not backed by science, the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the American Heart Association. Why not?

When you read the label, coconut oil has 14g of total fat. Of the 14g of total fat, 13g are saturated. When you compare this solid fat to olive oil, olive oil also has 14g of total fat, but only 2-2.5g of saturated fat. Due to the difference in saturated fat content, coconut oil is solid at room temperature while olive oil remains liquid. Thus, healthy fats are liquid at room temperature.

According to the AHA, saturated fat leads to increased LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, while unsaturated fats can help improve cholesterol levels by increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. So how much is too much fat? Again, it depends.

A family member recently took an online quiz to see what recommendations shed be given if she chose to follow the ketogenic diet. Let me pause to mention that this keto diet is not backed by medical professionals or dieticians due to its extreme fat content and negative effect on kidney function.

The quiz results revealed that based on a 1,200 calorie diet, my family member should consume 97g of fat. This is far off from the American Heart Associations recommendations. According to the American Dietary Guidelines, no more than 65g of total fat are recommended for a 2,000 calorie diet. The American Journal of Nutrition recommends between 20% to 30% of calories should come from total fat. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 5% to 6% of calories should come from saturated fat.

There are 9 calories per gram of fat, so based on a 2,000 calorie diet, no more than 120 calories should come from saturated fat which equates to about 13g of saturated fat. Keep in mind that 2,000 calories is the average recommendation for adult males. Women, on average, require 1,800 calories.

Swapping fats during cooking is a first step in reducing your saturated fat consumption. Instead of using butter or coconut oil, use liquid oils. When making your dairy selections, choosing low-fat or light dairy helps you to get the same protein, calcium and nutrients without the saturated fat and extra calories. Choose lean cuts of meat with less marbling and visible fat as well as more beans, nuts and seeds. Pruning the (saturated) fat from your diet is a huge step in heart-health maintenance.

Asparagus is entering into its season of availability this month. Get your taste of healthy fats and eating seasonally with this delicious recipe that also works well for grilling, and pair asparagus with grilled or baked fish for a heart-healthy meal perfect for spring. Feel free to add a splash of lemon juice for an added twist.

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Prune the (saturated) fat from your diet - The Wilson Times

My weight gradually dropped from 75 kg to 60 kg. But thats not it. My energy levels were high and I became more active. #OnlineWorkshop #FoodSecrets

Even though it had been two years since shed given birth to a healthy baby girl, Kirti Yadavs postnatal health issuesnausea, constipation, low energy levels and insomniacontinued.

While these health issues were not unusual, the Bengaluru resident did some research and realised that her diet was aggravating them and wondered if a change in her eating habits could provide much-needed relief.

So, in 2017, Kirti, a vegetarian, became a vegan. While her health improved by leaps and bounds, an unforeseen but welcome result of this dietary change was weight loss. Today, she conducts workshops to teach vegan recipes of everyday and gourmet dishes. Join her in her online workshops and give a dairy-free spin to your diet!

Speaking to The Better India (TBI), Kirti says, Before switching my diet, I got a blood check-up done and was shocked to see that my cholesterol levels were very high even though I was eating healthy. I considered the headaches, constipation and such health issues normal because they had always been a part of my life. But they were no doubt, a reason for my struggle. After the blood tests, I started researching diet forms, and I came across many people who had turned vegan and had positive things to say about that lifestyle.

Butter, ghee, cheese, milk and other dairy products are an intrinsic part of the Indian cuisine, and it seems almost impossible to imagine food without them.

But Kirti had her health issues to overcome, and as an experiment, she decided to make the switch, and it took only a few months for her to see the results. Her cholesterol levels were down, there was no constipation or nausea, and happily enough, she was steadily losing the weight that she had gained during pregnancy.

I would average around 75 kg before my pregnancy. When I gave up dairy, my weight gradually dropped to 60 kg, and that is my normal now. But thats not it. My energy levels were high, and I became more active. It became evident to me that this diet was doing more for my body than the previous one, she tells TBI.

To help others like her, who want to switch to a vegan diet, but it impossible to give up dairy, Kirti conducts recipe workshops. Select from them below.

Also read: Experts Answer: How to Make Organic Compost & Fertilisers at Home

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Continue reading here:
Bengaluru Mom Lost Nearly 25 Kg with Plant-Based Diet. And She Will Teach You How - The Better India

Kartik Aaryan is a Bollywood actor who has gained a massive fanbase over the years.Apart from being a talented actor, Kartik Aaryan is definitely close to his family as is evident from his social media handle.He recently celebratedher sister's birthday at home by cooking a special cake for her amidst the Coronavirus lockdown inthe country.

Check out what the SonuKe Titu Ki Sweety actoreats in a day to maintain his health. Here areexcerpts from his interview to an entertainment portal.

ALSO READ|Kangana Ranaut Praises Kartik Aaryan, Calls Him A 'genuine Talent

Image courtesy: Kartik Aaryan Instagram

ALSO READ|Kartik Aaryan Bakes Cake-turned-biscuit For Sister's Birthday, Calls Her 'pride Of Family'

ALSO READ|Kartik Aaryan Goofs Up The New Hand Emoji Challenge; Watch Video

ALSO READ|Kartik Aaryan Pledges Rs 1 Cr To PM-CARES; Says 'whatever I Am Today Is Because Of Fans'

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.

Originally posted here:
Kartik Aaryans diet routine that he follows to maintain a fit body; Read here - Republic World - Republic World

Highlights

With a pandemic outbreak upon us, and all of us safely tucked inside our home, we are counting days when our lives would resume normalcy. More often than not, we are all at some point or the other binge watching our favorite TV series. Nothing comforts us more than a platter of snacks, which completely transforms the experience.

However, at times like these, sometimes we even delve into unhealthy snacking which may add to health-related worries over a course of time. While it is advisable to exercise and spend time following productive pursuits, one cannot deny the importance of a healthy and a balanced diet. Here aresome easy, delicious, healthy and quick recipes that could be yourperfect companion during self-quarantine.

These make for a delicious, refreshing appetizer or a quick bite.

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Cucumber could be a healthy addition to your diet

A different version of fajita vegetables, this snack is all things loaded and lip-smacking.

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Small ragi (nachni) chapattis with a topping of pizza sauce and cheese, make a healthy alternative to regular pizzas. It can also be eaten as a main course by making a big chappati about 7 to 8 inches in diameter, with pizza sauce, cheese and other toppings.

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Ragi is a rich source of protein

Healthy, tasty and vibrant, they can be an amazing appetizer for your family.

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Dhokla is a steamed Gujarati snack

About Author: Renu Dalal, daughter of the late legendary chef and cook book author Tarla Dalal is the author of the books Simple and Delicious Vegetarian Recipes and Modern Vegetarian Recipes.

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

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4 Healthy And Easy Snacks To Munch On During Quarantine - NDTV Food

We can find one revealing answer in the darkest days of the 17th century. In 1629, the British historian Erin Maglaque noted recently, a fearsome plague swept into Italy. In Florence, officials in the local health board tried to cordon off their city, but the disease slipped in anyway.

By August 1630 Florence was burying its dead by the hundreds in broad and deep pits. By the following January, the city had ordered citizens locked in their homes for a 40-day quarantine and then gone about the business of delivering food to the tens of thousands of locked-down households.

The food the Florentine health board had delivered would be exceptionally varied and fine: bread and wine, sausage seasoned with fennel and rosemary, rice and cheese, salads of sweet and bitter herbs. The health board, historian Maglaque tells us, considered the citys enormous outlay for good food a necessary expense. The poor of Florence had been living, city health officials realized, on diets that left them especially vulnerable to infection.

Improving the well-being of the poor, the Florentine health board believed, would be a key to the citys recovery. But this idea of feeding the poor at a high-quality level appalled many of the citys wealthy. They worried, one observer would later write, that the quarantine would give the poor of Florence the opportunity to be lazy and lose the desire to work, having for forty days been provided abundantly for all theirneeds.

Other Italian cities rejected the Florentine health board lead. They refused to provide abundantly for the needs of their poor and paid a price. In Florence, the plague ended with 12 percent of the population dead. In Venice, the death rate ran nearly three times the Florentine rate, in Milan almost four times.

Today, nearly four centuries later, Senator Lindsey Graham and his Republican Senate colleagues are marching right in the footsteps of those 17th-century Italians who found the prospect of anything close to abundance for the poor so scandalous.

This bill pays you more not to work than if you were working, Graham harrumphed before the Senate vote on his benefit-cutback amendment to the corona relief legislation.

What connects our affluent today to the wealthy elites of old Italy? The unnerving impact of inequality on the psyches of the privileged. The more wealth the wealthy of any epoch accumulate, the less they value those without wealth.

In deeply unequal societies, those who hold grand private fortunes must sooner or later come to grips with the vast gap that separates them from everyone else. Why do I have so much, becomes the unspoken question, while so many have so little?

The easiest answer: I must deserve my good fortune. I must be worthy. And if I owe my good fortune to my worthiness, then those without fortune must owe their sad circumstances to their unworthiness. They must be dumb or lazy or profligate or worse. These undesirables, this perspective plays out, do not deserve our generosity. Any generosity toward them would only open up, as Lindsey Graham puts it, a Pandoras box.

So assumed the rich of Florence so many generations ago. So assume their counterparts today. Then as now, that amounts to a deadly assumption.

Sam Pizzigati co-edits Inequality.org. His recent books include The Case for a Maximum Wage and The Rich Dont Always Win: The Forgotten Triumph over Plutocracy that Created the American Middle Class, 1900-1970. Follow him at @Too_Much_Online.

Continued here:
No Fennel in the Sausage, No $600 for the Jobless - Inequality.org

Westbrook, Maine, April 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synergy CHC Corp. (OTCQB: SNYR)With people around the globe told to stay in their homes and businesses closing their doors, its no wonder staying motivated and staying connected is becoming harder than ever.

Flat Tummy Lifestyle Appwhich launched with great success just a few months ago, is looking to help alleviate some of the stress that comes with self-isolation and social distancing.

Gyms around the globe are closed

Gyms can be an easy environment for viruses to thrive and be passed from one person to another, and at this point most have been instructed to close in hopes of slowing down the spread of COVID-19. These changes have left many without a next step to continue their health and fitness goals, but due to the nature of the Flat Tummy Lifestyle App, there are options.

At home fitness is a great way to stay in shape, or to start a positive change, but where so you start? Flat Tummy Lifestyle App has over 450+ individual guided workouts, spanning every category you could want in a fitness app: full body, arms, legs, booty, core, etc. Each category has a beginner, intermediate and advanced version to choose from. Perfect for beginners and pros. Bonus? No equipment or weights are necessary, which means you already have everything you need to get started today.

When eating out is no longer an option

For weeks the public has been advised to stay home and avoid gathering with other people, and while you may not be able to go to your favorite dining spot, that doesnt mean you need to compromise on taste or the experience.

With customizable meal planscatering to standard, keto, vegetarian, vegan, and goal specific diets, the Flat Tummy Lifestyle App offers something for every palate based on the individuals goal to lose, gain or maintain weight. This App takes that information along with personal preferences and develops a custom Monday-Sunday meal plan which includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and two snacks.This includes a full ingredient list, instructions on how to make it and nutritional information.

The plans themselves are modern, and as they consist of real meals women crave. They shouldnt be seen as just a diet gone are the ideas that a plain salad is the key to success.

On top of that, users also have the option to filter through the recipes by diet type, meal type, prep time and calories as the saying goes, abs are made in the kitchen after all. This takes the guesswork out of which foods you SHOULD be fueling your body with to get RESULTS, while also adding some new creative meal ideas to the mix. Even with the 7-day free trial, everyone who downloads the App has access to more than 750 recipes that are fun to make, tasty, and will help you reach your health goals.

Feeling the effects of social distancing

Its no secret that people are social, and generally thrive in the presence of like-minded individuals. This is one reason social distancing can cause loneliness, boredom, and make even the most up-beat people feel down. So how can we bring back the sense of community were missing?

By connecting with people who are facing the same struggle and who want to achieve similar goals to our own.

Flat Tummy Lifestyle App bridges the gap between being a health & fitness App, and social media platform by having a discussion forum built in. With a community of 3.5 million people working on their goals from home, feeling connected is a little bit easier.

How it Helps

Aside from providing the platform for people to connect and work on their fitness & nutrition goals, Flat Tummy is making the decision to download the App even easier. Theyre offering a full 7 day free trial for ANYONE to use, as well as 50% off their yearly subscription. Thats like a years supply of having a personal trainer and nutritionist in your pocket, every day, for what the average monthly gym membership is - they also provide daily progress tracking to help keep you motivated and accountable.

For businesses

Business owners are also feeling the effects of COVID-19 closures. Many have concerns about how to keep their employees and customers on their side and engaged. Providing them access to an online resource to stay fit, healthy and engaged with others at home, is important.

Flat Tummy Lifestyle is extending an invitation to partner with any business who would like help with this - from smaller gyms to large companies, all are welcome to reach out.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, regarding managements expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or Synergys prospects should be considered forward-looking. Readers are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from projections or estimates due to a variety of important factors, including: Synergys ability to integrate any new products into its current operations; the risks and uncertainties associated with Synergys ability to manage its cash resources; obtaining additional financing to support Synergys operations; Synergys dependence on third parties for its research and development, manufacturing and distribution functions; Synergys dependence on its license relationships; protecting the intellectual property developed by or licensed to Synergy; and Synergys ability to build its operations to support its business strategy and promote its products. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Synergys filings with the SEC, copies of which are available free of charge at the SECs website (www.sec.gov) or upon request from Synergy. Synergy may not actually achieve the goals or plans described in its forward-looking statements, and investors should not place undue reliance on these statements. Synergy assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Contact:Jack Ross - CEOSynergy CHC Corp.jack@synergychc.com(902) 237-1220

synergychc.com

More:
Working Out At Home With The Flat Tummy App - Bringing Women Together - GlobeNewswire

We live in interesting times. Health consciousness is in vogue, and so is mistrust of mainstream medicine. Ancient is often understood to mean effective. So its no surprise that kombucha, a fermented tea that dates back some 2,000 years, is the wellness drink of choice for many.

Pronounced kom-BOO-cha, the drink is a fusion of sugar, bacteria, yeast and, sometimes, fruit. Many people enjoy the tart, slight sweet taste of kombucha and may use it as a stand-in for soda or cocktails. But, undoubtedly, kombuchas popularity is also powered by its purported health benefits rumors that can be traced to the fermented teas origins.

Proponents of kombucha say it supports digestion, metabolism, immunity, liver function and more. Staunch kombucha evangelists say it can fight a variety of ailments, from hair loss to obesity to diabetes even cancer and AIDS. A bit of booch, as its affectionately known, is also thought to rejuvenate, revitalize, reenergize and restore ones body and mind.

But is kombucha a legitimate health panacea, or just another wellness fad?

Kombuchas popularity suggests people are interested in incorporating seemingly healthy options into their diet, writes Julie Kapp, an epidemiologist at the University of Missouri, in an email to Discover. However, there is often a gap, unbeknownst to the average consumer, between marketing and science. Kapp co-authored a 2019 review of kombucha studies that was published in the Annals of Epidemiology.

As with many other wellness trends, the jurys still out on kombuchas healing potential. There simply hasnt been much research in humans to support or refute the health claims made about the drink.

That said, kombucha has caught the eye of scientists, who are both studying and sipping the beverage. Athena Aktipis, an evolutionary biologist at Arizona State University, became interested in the science of kombucha after developing an affinity for the beverage herself.

I realized there was a huge gap in our understanding of what kombucha is [and] how it worked, she says. If we dont even understand that, how can we figure out what kind of benefits it has for humans, if it does, if we dont even understand the basics of how it works?

Kombuchas reputation as a miracle elixir isnt a recent development. Kombucha is thought to have originated in China around 220 B.C., where it was first used as a general healing and digestive aid. Over the centuries, the tea of immortality slowly made its way around the globe through trade routes.

In A.D. 414, a Korean physician named Dr. Kombu reportedly introduced the fermented drink to the ailing Japanese Emperor Inkyo. According to legend, the emperor was so impressed with kombucha that he named it kombu-cha, or Kombus tea.

Around 1900 (but possibly earlier) Kombucha made its debut in Russia, where it flourished as a homemade beverage. In the 1960s, a German doctor made unproven claims that his kombucha brew could fight cancer. Around the same time, researchers in Switzerland reported that drinking kombucha was as beneficial as eating yogurt.

Americas first taste of kombucha likely came during the 1970s, as the initial wave of the natural food movement took root. But kombucha never quite found its place on the American table during the processed-foods heyday of the 80s and 90s.

But times have changed. Microbiome research has revolutionized our understanding of our health. Understandably, this has prompted people to search for ways to keep their gut bacteria in good shape. And many view kombucha as the answer.

Inside every batch of kombucha is a diverse and cooperative ecosystem of microbes that work together to make the beverage, Aktipis says. The process starts by introducing a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (also known as a SCOBY) into sweetened green or black tea. This concoction is left to ferment somewhere between a week and a month as several chemical changes occur. Essentially, the yeast and bacteria work on breaking down the sugars into alcohol, and the alcohol is then converted into compounds like acetic acid, or the stuff that gives kombucha its tang.

This is a SCOBY, where the yeast and bacteria that make kombucha live. (Credit: GreenArt/Shutterstock.com)

The end result is a beverage thats rich in B vitamins, antioxidants and other compounds. But its kombuchas probiotics or good-for-you bacteria that has piqued collective interest. And in this regard, kombucha might have a leg up over some other probiotic options out there.

When you are consuming any kind of probiotic, if youre taking a single species that doesnt have an ecological network, my guess is that theres not as many benefits to that as consuming an ecological community of microbes [like those in kombucha], Aktipis says.

How the microbes from kombucha interact with the other 100 trillion that already live in our digestive tract, if at all, remains a mystery. Scientists dont have proof that microbes in kombucha actually colonize our guts. But, technically, the microbes do become a part of our microbiome until they leave our bodies as waste, Aktipis says.

When it comes to consuming fermented foods, if theyre a regular part of your diet, those microbes spend a lot of time in your digestive tract where they can be having effects, even if they arent permanently colonizing, she adds.

Officially, the microbes in kombucha have not been confirmed to be probiotic, or beneficial. And some experts say the probiotics may not be able to survive the acidic environment of the stomach.

Its also important to note that not all kombuchas are created equal. That $4 bottle of kombucha might have a different microbial profile than the one sitting next to it on store shelves. Some have juice or sugar added to them. And some producers pasteurize their kombucha to halt the fermentation process in order to keep the alcohol content low which may cancel out some of the potential benefits of drinking kombucha, Kapp explains.

As kombucha has become more mainstream, some large-scale brewers have gotten into legal trouble, with allegations ranging from falsely advertising probiotic content to not being as low in sugar or alcohol as claimed.

Previous research on kombucha has mainly involved animals or cells in a dish which often dont translate to human health. Studies on the health benefits of fermented foods more broadly dont offer much insight, either. Some studies have found associations between fermented food consumption and improved health measures. But that doesnt definitively prove that fermented foods caused the health benefit.

In 2019, Kapp led a review of 310 studies on kombucha and found just onethat examined the teas effects in humans. In the study, 24 adults with type 2 diabetes consumed kombucha for three months, which resulted in average blood sugar levels normalizing. But there were some major limitations to the work not only was the study small, it didnt include a control group.

Kapp says randomized, clinical trials on people could help clear up some of the misinformation and confusion over kombucha health claims.

If kombucha has health benefits, important subsequent studies will need to address the following [questions]: At what dosage, frequency, and duration? In what populations and subpopulations? Kapp adds.

As kombuchas popularity grows, likely so will interest in studying kombucha. Even if scientists find that it doesnt quite live up to its reputation as a magical healing elixir, we can still enjoy kombucha for kombucha's sake.

When it replaces less-healthy options like sugary sodas, that alone is a health benefit, Kapp says.

See the rest here:
What Science Says About the Potential Health Benefits of Kombucha - Discover Magazine