Talk about an unusual diet plan. During a recent Q&A session with her social media followers via her Instagram Stories, Brielle Biermann revealed some interesting tidbits about her eating regimen.

The information came out when one fan noted that she was eager to run into the Dont Be Tardy star, 23, out and about in Atlanta. In response, Biermann noted that the easiest way to track her down would be to catch her when shes chowing down on her first meal of the day.

I go to [Chick-fil-A] there EVERYDAY (except Sunday) around 3 for my breakfast/lunch, she replied. I only eat between 3-8 everyday!

The KAB Cosmetics co-creator has a longstanding love of Chick-fil-A, and in January 2020 she confirmed via her Instagram Stories that she visits the restaurant on a daily basis. When I say I eat this everyday I mean everyday she wrote above a photo of a spicy chicken sandwich and french fries.

The Bravo personality previously opened up about her choice to start intermittent fasting an eating pattern that alternates between periods of fasting and eating in August 2019. I get this all the time and youre not gonna believe me but [I] worked out 3-4x a week for 2 years and the second I stopped going to the gym I lost weight, she wrote via Instagram at the time. Not just muscle. I was actually thinner.

Biermann hypothesized that she shed several pounds because she began eating less once she stopped hitting the gym on a regular basis. I think working out made me eat more because [I] was so hungry, she explained. So now [I] just intermittent fast and eat whatever I want but in moderation!

Believe it or not, this isnt the first time the reality star has used the Atlanta-based chain to help with her diet. I swear by the [Chick-fil-A] diet! she declared on Instagram in June 2019, per Bravo. In high school I would eat it for breakfast and dinner [literally] every day and when I wanna lose weight I only eat [Chick-fil-A]! I get 12 count well done nuggets fries and a Diet Coke.

As it turns out, intermittent fasting with Chick-fil-A is just the start of Biermanns odd eating habits. Scroll down for more!

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Brielle Biermann Practices Intermittent Fasting With Chick-fil-A and More of Her Odd Eating Habits - Us Weekly

Whether youre consideringswitching to a plant-based diet or youve just recently made the decision to go vegan, its easy to feel a little lost or stuck with all of the information thats available out there. From endless advice articles online to stacks of books on the subject, how can you decide if and why its right for you? One easy way to ease yourself into veganism is to simply watch a movie or two.

Conveniently, Netflix has a nice selection of vegan-related films for you to stream right now from the comfort of your home. Depending on your motivation for pursuing this lifestyle change, you may find yourself more drawn to one movie over another, but theres bound to be at least one that whets your appetite. Grab some popcorn, get cozy, and press play on one of these movies on Netflixor keep them going for a mini-movie marathonso you can get a better idea of what being vegan is all about.

For those who: are curious about how diet affects disease management.

You should set aside: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Taking a close look at the idea of food as medicine, Forks Over Knives (directed by Lee Fulkerson) promotes eating a whole-food, plant-based diet as the solution for reversing certain chronic diseases. Much of the movie centers on the work of two scientists, nutritional biochemist Dr. T. Colin Campbell and physician Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. Using the fact that health issues like obesity and diabetes affect a significant portion of the countrys population, this documentary wants viewers to see that theres a clear path toward a healthier tomorrow: leaving behind the consumption of animal products and processed foods.

For those who: want to understand how diet relates to health and the healthcare industry.

You should set aside: 1 hour and 37 minutes

Co-directed by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, What the Health takes a look at how consuming animal products correlates to various health issues, such as diabetes and cancer. Taking things a step further, the investigative documentary explores how big industries (like food and pharmaceutical companies), as well as the government, might be invested in people eating meat and dairy. This approach is what gives the movie its sensational tagline: The Health Film That Health Organizations Don't Want You To See. Overall, What the Health is an invitation to reassess what you eat in light of alarming chronic diseases sweeping the country and the major players who are involved.

For those who: are interested in sustainability and environmental concerns.

You should set aside: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Cowspiracy also comes from the same director team behind What the Health (Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn). With this documentary though, the focus isnt on the health implications of eating animal products, but the impact farming animals has on the environment. Touching on deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and other important environmental concerns, Cowspiracy argues the devastating extent of destruction caused by the animal agriculture industry. It also investigates what environmental organizations, such as Greenpeace and Sierra Club, might be sidestepping or trying to cover up about the issue and how we can create a more sustainable future.

For those who: want to see veganisms relation to human performance and strength.

You should set aside: 1 hour and 48 minutes

The Game Changers is the work of Louie Psihoyos, the director behind the Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove, and it was an official selection at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Mainly following UFC fighter James Wilks journey of recovery, this film zeroes in on top athletes who have found benefits in plant-based eating. As a whole, it challenges the common misconception that consuming animal protein is needed to have elite physical performance. The film features a number of high-profile individuals, including one youre sure to recognize: Arnold Schwarzenegger.

For those who: want to watch something thats not a documentary.

You should set aside: 2 hours

Documentaries arent the only way to explore veganism through film. A Netflix original film and official selection of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, Okja tells the story of young Mijas fight to save her best friend Okja, a genetically modified super pig that was created by a powerful corporation to fight world hunger and given to her family to raise. The movie is a star-studded affair with a cast that includes Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal. Its also important to note that its directed by Bong Joon-ho, who recently won multiple Academy Awards for his hit film Parasite. With its heartfelt story and harsh portrayal of the meat industry, Okja effectively incites a conversation on going vegan.

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These 5 Documentaries and Films Will Inspire You to Go Vegan - The Beet

Science even says that the caffeine in your first cup of coffeeattaches to the part of your neurons thatnormally attract adenosine, the hormone that makes yousleepy,and causes yourendocrine system to release glutamate, a neurotransmitter that increases your ability to learn and remember... so yeah: Coffeekick-starts your day.

All of which might makecoffee sound like asuperfood.

Especially when you factor in the effect caffeine can have on weight gain and cholesterol production.

Recent research from the University of Illinoisindicates that caffeine seems to slow weight gainfrom anobesogenic(likely to make you gain weight)diet by reducing the storage of lipids in fat cells and the production of triglycerides.

For four weeks, researchers fed different groups of rats the same diet, one that contained40 percentfat, 45carbohydrates, and 15 percentprotein; think an anti-Mediterranean diet.

Some rats also ingested the equivalent of four cups of coffee per day from a variety of sources.

After four weeks, caffeine-consuming ratsgained 16 percentless weight and added 22 percentless body fat thancaffeine-abstinent rats.

To determine whythat happened, the researchers did what researchers tend to do and dug deeper, exposing adipose (fat)cells from mice to various forms of caffeine.

The result? Caffeinedecreased the accumulation of lipids in adipose cells by 20 to 40 percent.

They then tracked the expression of several genes associated with lipid metabolism and obesity. The result waslower production of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well astriglycerides in the liver.

The consumption of caffeine from mate or from other sources alleviated the negative impact of a high-fat, high-sucrose diet on body composition due to the modulation of certain lipogenic enzymes in both adipose tissue and the liver...

... (and) brought about lower synthesis and accumulation of triglycerides in the adipose tissue.

I know what you're thinking: Conventional wisdom saysdrinking fourcups of coffee per day is three cups too many.

But while caffeine tolerance differs from person to person,multiple studies show that drinking three to five cups of coffee a day poses no health risksfor the average person, and six to eight cups provides the greatest benefits.

Considering the findings...caffeine can be considered anti-obesity agents. The results of this research could be scaled to humans to understand the roleofcaffeine as potential strategies to prevent overweight and obesity, as well as the subsequent metabolic disorders associated with these conditions.

And you can lose a little fat as well.

Sounds like a series of win-wins to me.

Published on: Mar 24, 2020

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

Read more from the original source:
Science Proved Drinking Coffee Helps Improve Brain Functioning and Slow Aging. Now Research Shows Coffee Can Also Help You Lose Weight and Body Fat -...

The EFF, created by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Brussels, aims to promote an open dialogue on sustainable food systems among policymakers, food supply chain actors, civil society organisations, research and academia, and other public institutions.

The European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA) has announced that it has joined the European Food Forum (EFF) to step up efforts to ensure the food sector and health of European citizens remain top priorities for European policymakers during challenging times and throughout the Brexit transition period.

Within this forum, ESSNA will work to raise awareness on the importance of supporting European citizens in improving their health by providing them with the right products to complement balanced diets and support active lifestyles. ESSNA will also use the forum to work with policymakers and stakeholders towards achieving its key objectives, as outlined in the recently launchedESSNA manifesto: Towards a Healthier and Fitter Future, including:

Food safety, healthy nutrition and sustainability are of said to be of primary importance for EU citizens. The EFFs purpose is to provide a platform for policymakers and the industry to work together to ensure that policies regulating the food supply chain do not hamper the constant evolution of the sector and the ever-changing societal needs.

Joining the European Food Forum represents a tremendous opportunity for ESSNA to engage even more in the narrative around the topic of food. The food supply chain is constantly changing, and it is of utmost importance for the sports nutrition industry to be involved in such a high-level dialogue to ensure that healthy and safe products, combined with balanced diets, can continue to contribute to the health and wellbeing of European citizens. We look forward to stepping up the efforts to achieve this objective, alongside the EFF, said Dr Adam Carey, Chair of ESSNA.

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ESSNA joins the European Food Forum to promote healthy and safe foods - New Food

The Pima Indians, an American Indian tribe in southern Arizona, may hold a key to understanding the relationship between diabetes and Alzheimers disease, two diseases rapidly increasing in the United States.

Diabetes affects 30 million Americans, with an additional 84 million Americans having prediabetes. The disease is known to cause nerve damage in limbs and damage to kidneys, the eyes and other organs.

Eva L. Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the NeuroNetwork for Emerging Therapies and ALS Center of Excellence at Michigan Medicine, is working with Robert Nelson, M.D., at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, located in Phoenix, to study these conditions. Dr. Nelson has spent his academic career understanding diabetes and its complications in the Pima Indians.

Recent studies are beginning to uncover how diabetes may structurally alter the brain, and increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimers disease. Over 5.8 million Americans suffer from Alzheimers disease, which robs people of their mental capabilities. As the U.S. population ages, the number of people with Alzheimers disease is predicted to reach 14 million by 2050.

SEE ALSO: 4 Takeaways from The Lancet Report on Alzheimers Disease Burden

Were looking into the phenomenon of cognitive decline in the Pima population, says Feldman, who is also the Russell N. DeJong Professor of Neurology at U-M.

In their most recent visits, members of the tribe are volunteering to undergo magnetic resonance imaging of their brain. We are also assessing functional cognition. Once all these data are collected on the brain, we will determine whether any correlations exist between brain abnormalities and diabetes and obesity. We suspect that we will find associations between worsening cognitive decline and abnormal brain structural changes and diabetes and greater obesity.

LISTEN UP: Add the Michigan Medicine News Breakto your Alexa-enabled device, orsubscribe to our daily updates oniTunes,Google PlayandStitcher.

The Pima Indians participated in one of the longest running diabetes studies, dating back 50 years. The Lancet reported in 1971 that diabetes is almost a way of life for the Pima, where type 2 diabetes and obesity are highly prevalent and occur at a younger age than in the general population. Although the main study ended in 2007, today, Pima Indians continue to participate in several studies of diabetes and its complications.

Thanks to their continued participation, the scientific community has gained insights into the relationship between metabolic dysfunction and brain structure and function, Feldman says.

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For instance, we found that neuropathy was more prevalent in diabetic patients who were also obese, says Feldman. Moreover, Pima patients with cardiac autonomic neuropathy are also more likely to have kidney disease. Most recently, we found a correlation between the presence of specific types of fats in the blood and the risk of kidney disease. These studies help us identify at-risk patients.

Feldman and Nelson also counsel study participants on dietary habits that could help them prevent some of these complications.

SEE ALSO: Does Exercise Affect the Brains Aging Process? U-M Research Aims to Find Out

These studies are truly underscoring the importance of a healthy, balanced diet, says Feldman. Its not enough to control glucose levels as previously thought. Patients need a more thorough approach and they need to do it early on, or they could be facing issues further on in life.

Currently, Feldman and Nelson are investigating how diabetes and obesity can affect brain health. We have discovered that obesity correlates with a decreased size in selected brain areas, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They are presenting these new findings at the American Diabetes Association in Chicago this June. These new discoveries continue to emphasize how important diet and exercise are to nervous system health, states Feldman.

Link:
Disease Connection Answers May Exist within this Arizona Tribe - Michigan Medicine

Gavin Newsom, governor of California, announced he would deploy the National Guard to help protect the food security of California residents most in need.

The guard will help stabilize food banks and other crucial services to the most vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis. The National Guard will help set up systems to get food banks operating and stabilized, setting up the next wave of volunteers and non-profits to continue the food bank work during the crisis.

Its in these times of crisis that Californians are at their best, coming to the aid of those in their community who are most in need. Food banks provide a critical lifeline for families and are needed now more than ever. Families across our state are suddenly losing work, and millions of Californians most vulnerable to COVID-19 are staying home to protect their health and the health of others. I ask all Californians who are able to join our Neighbor-to-Neighbor campaign to safely assist those in need in your community, said Governor Newsom.

Food banks are facing a reduction in volunteers due to the coronavirus crisis, a resource that will be replaced by the California National Guard.Newsom urges California residents to lookat serve.ca.gov for ways they can assist their neighbors and communities during this time. This is part of the Neighbor-to-Neighbor campaign, where neighbors act to help those most vulnerable that have been asked to stay home.

Read more about protecting yourself from coronavirus. Check the CDC website for more information on how to protect yourself and check our latest article to learn how COVID-19 differs from the flu.

Scientists believe that the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus, started at an exotic animal market in Wuhan, China. You can help stop the incidence of viruses like these by signing this petition to ban the wildlife trade.

Eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

Interested in joining the dairy-free and meatless train? We highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Catch up on our coronavirus coverage in One Green Planet, check out these articles:

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!

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Governor Newsom Deploys National Guard to Protect Food Security in California - One Green Planet