Its a frequent sight in diners, restaurants, and family dinner tables the world over. People absentmindedly staring at their phones as they eat. While it makes a certain degree of sense on an entertainment level to browse the web or play an online game while eating, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have just released a new study that illustrates how technology at the table can diminish our dining experience and undermine nutritional needs.

The study found that participants ate far less in general when using technology while eating, potentially leaving some serious nutritional gaps in their consumption habits.

Researchers monitored the eating behaviors of 119 young adults on two occasions; once while simultaneously playing a video game for 15 minutes, and once without the presence of any technological distractions. Half the participants played the game first while eating, and then ate with no distractions on a second day. The other half ate with no distractions first, and then played the game while eating the second time around.

Participants were asked to play a game called Rapid Visual Information Processing, which is usually used to test the attention and memory skills of people suspected of suffering from Alzheimers or ADD.

Its fairly simple but distracting enough that you have to really be watching it to make sure that you dont miss a number and are mentally keeping track, explains lead study author Carli A. Liguori in a press release. That was a big question for us going into this how do you ensure that the participant is distracted? And the RVIP was a good solution for that.

Before both meals participants were told to fast for a full 10 hours, so theres no way they werent hungry. Then, they were told to eat as many quiches as they wanted while either playing the game for 15 minutes or sitting quietly. Next, 30 minutes after each meal subjects were given an exit survey that asked how many quiches they had been provided and how many they ended up eating. Participants also rated how enjoyable the food was, and how full they felt afterward.

Liguori and her team hypothesized that people would eat more food while playing the game; the idea being they would quickly eat as much as possible so they can get back to playing. Surprisingly, the results revealed that people ate less while playing. Predictably, the participants ability to recall the details of the meal was much worse after playing the game while eating.

However, there were notable fluctuations depending on which condition the person participated in first. While both groups ate less while using technology, those who played the game first before coming back for another meal with no distractions ate far less than participants who ate quietly first.

On that note, the participants who played the game first had an odd reaction when they were served the quiches for a second time. These subjects behaved as if they were encountering the food for the first time.

Food is one of the greatest pleasures we can all enjoy in life, and that last finding really drives home the fact that staring at our phones while eating significantly takes away from this universal human experience.

It really seemed to matter whether they were in that distracted eating group first, Liguori comments. Something about being distracted on their initial visit really seemed to change the amount they consumed during the nondistracted meal. There may be a potent carryover effect between the mechanism of distraction and the novelty of the food served.

Researchers theorize that these fluctuations indicate a fundamental difference between mindless eating and distracted eating. For example, mindless eating would be absentmindedly reaching for a nearby candy without even thinking about it, while distracted eating falls more in line with browsing the internet during dinner.

The studys authors made it a point to note that their findings may have been influenced by any number of factors, such as the foods used, the distraction method, and the incorporation of only college-aged participants. That being said, these results are still noteworthy because they contradict previous studies that had found distracted eating leads to more consumption.

Ultimately, it doesnt matter if distracted eating leads to more or less food consumption. Whether were piling food into our mouths quickly so we can get back to our phones, or too preoccupied to finish our meal, it doesnt exactly paint a happy nutritional picture.

Its becoming an almost universally accepted fact that the average adult spends far too much time on their phone already, theres no reason why we cant disconnect for a few minutes while eating.

The full study can be found here, published in the Journal of Nutrition.

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This is the weird reason your diet is so bad - Ladders

(Reuters Health) - Young men who care about their sperm quality might want to lay off the cheeseburgers and fries, according to a new study that links a typical Western diet with a lower sperm count.

Men in the study who ate a mostly Western diet characterized by pizza, fries, sweets, sodas and red and processed meats typically had a lower sperm count - by about 26 million - than men who ate far less of these unhealthy foods. With a Western diet, men also had lower levels of reproductive hormones needed for optimal fertility.

Conversely, men with the healthiest eating habits - with lots of fish, chicken, vegetables, fruits, and water - typically had a sperm count 43 million higher than those who ate the lowest amounts of these foods.

Your sperm is what you eat, said coauthor Dr. Feiby Nassan of the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

Diets rich in seafood, poultry, nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for good sperm production, Nassan said by email.

Our results suggest the possibility of using dietary intervention as a possible approach to improve sperm quality of men in reproductive age, Nassan said.

A normal sperm count can range from 15 million to 200 million sperm per milliliter of semen.

Sperm quality and certain sex hormone levels have decreased substantially over the past few decades, driven in part by worsening diets in many parts of the world, the researchers note in JAMA Network Open.

The current analysis included 2,935 healthy men in Denmark, ages 19 or 20 on average. Researchers divided them according to how closely their diets matched four patterns: a Western diet; a healthy diet described as a prudent pattern of eating; a so-called open-sandwich diet consisting of whole grains and lots of cold cuts, fish, condiments, and dairy; and a vegetarian-like diet with lots of veggies, soy, milk, and eggs and little if any red meat or chicken.

Total sperm count with the Western diet was significantly lower than with any of the other three eating patterns.

The study wasnt designed to prove whether diet directly affects sperm or fertility. Researchers also focused on young, healthy men who might not yet be trying to conceive, and they didnt examine what happened in older men who wanted to become fathers.

Still, the study adds to evidence suggesting a healthy diet is good for mens reproductive health, Dr. Muhammad Imran Omar of the University of Aberdeen in the UK said by email.

And, men, like women, should try to adopt a healthy diet, cut back on alcohol and stop smoking months before they want to start trying for a baby.

However, men should be aware that it takes three months to produce sperm, said Allan Pacey, a researcher at the University of Sheffield in the UK who wasnt involved in the study.

If a man alters his diet on a Friday it wont improve his sperm by Monday, Pacey said by email.

SOURCE: bit.ly/2VQrYmr JAMA Network Open, online February 21, 2020.

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Even among young men, healthier diet tied to higher sperm counts - Reuters

The process of metabolismin the body needs to be in place in order to burn fat. Metabolism is the process by which your body converts thefood into energy. Whatever you may eat or drink, during this process gets converted into the energy that the body later uses for the day-to-day activities. During the complex biochemical process, the calories in food and beverages are combined with the oxygen in order torelease the energy that your body needs in order to function. There are certain foods that will help you burn fat by boosting the metabolism process. In order to lose fat, one must include these food items to their diet.

Also Read:Protein-rich Food For Vegetarians For A Healthy And Fit Body

Also Read:Non-perishable Healthy Food Items That Can Help You Not Touch Junks

The brown rice is the perfect alternative for white rice. Brown rice has fewer calories but leaves you feeling full. When food consumed has lesser calories, the body starts burning fat instead.Brown rice is high in chromium. Chromium is a mineral that helps the body to regulate blood sugar levels.

According to a health website, the salmon fish ishigh in Omega-3 fatty acids. The fish is a source of healthy fats.Salmon fish is easier to digest as compared to carbohydrates whichhelps you to stay full for a longer period of time and thus results in fat loss.Salmon fish is also known to lower blood pressure.

Protein in the eggboosts metabolism which is why eggs are considered as one of the major sources of protein. Hard-boiled eggs contain as much as 6.29 grams which makes it an ideal choice for people who want to speed up their metabolism. The egg reduceshunger and also promoted the feeling of fullness. The ideal time for one toconsume an egg is during breakfast. That way, the metabolism process is improved for the entire day.

According to a health website, coffee is known to stimulate metabolism due to its caffeine content which results in fat loss. The caffeine enhances the mood and also improves the performance in physical activity.Caffeineintake has a stimulating effect on energy expenditure which leads to increased metabolism resulting in fat loss. One importantthing to be considered is that adding cream or sugar to the coffee will not only increase its calorie content but will also work against the caffeine's beneficial effect on metabolism. As per a health websiteresearch has shown that caffeine increases metabolic rate by an impressive 313%.

Disclaimer:The content provided above is for information purpose. This is no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Also Read:Balanced Meal Proportion Map: A Guide To Maintain A Healthy Diet

Also Read:Immunity Booster Foods In India To Include In Your Diet To Help Fight Infections

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Foods that burn fat and should be included to your diet to lose weight - Republic World - Republic World

'The Warrior Diet' is a form of intermittent fasting: that's abstaining from food, or drastically reducing your intake, for a designated period of time anything from 16 hours to three days. The concept is nothing new, but its popularity has swelled in recent years and now every man and his spotter is seemingly singing its praises, whether for performance or for more aesthetic benefits. Here's where The Warrior Diet fits in.

Created by author Ori Hofmekler, this diet is supposedly based on the habits of ancient Roman and Spartan warriors, who would eat very little during their active days, then reward themselves with an epic night-time blowout.

This approach to intermittent fasting might better be referred to as the 20:4 diet. Like the better-known 16:8 eating plan, it consists of a daily fasting window and an eating window. However, in this case, the eating window is much shorter and is most commonly limited to one enormous feast.

There is some scientific basis to support this practice. Not only is this likely to cap your calorie intake by default, letting your body feed on its stored energy for a period of time can improve your ability to burn fat. A study in the Journal of Translational Medicine concluded that "time-restricted" feeding can help you lose weight while maintaining your hard-earned muscle mass.

The problem is that for all his personal experiences in the Israeli Special Forces and his romantic ideas about ancient warriors Hofmeklers diet is lacking in concrete evidence. There is scant evidence that his plan is any more effective than the simpler 16:8 diet, while chronobiologists have pointed out that humans are most insulin sensitive during daylight hours making a large meal in the afternoon, rather than in the evening, theoretically more conducive to weight loss.

Though the warrior diet allows a small amount of snacking on nuts and fruits throughout the day, the prolonged fasting hours could cause your blood-sugar levels to drop. Researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine have found that this can increase junk food cravings, feeding your desire to indulge in low-nutrient, high-calorie foods during your end-of-day feast.

The average office worker isnt a warrior, says Daniel OShaughnessy, director of the Naked Nutritionist. An ancient warrior wouldnt have the opportunity to gorge on processed food like we do. This diet seems likely to promote an unhealthy relationship with food. If your resolve is forged of iron and you fear no hunger, this might not be an issue. But there are easier ways to battle weight gain.

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What Is "The Warrior Diet" and Can It Speed up Fat Loss? - Men's health UK

Nutrition, the study of food and its effect on the body, is a science that is relevant to everyone. Because of this, there is a lot of misinformation of what works and what does not.

With trending diets over the past several decades, a few important facts about nutrition have been lost along the way. To set the facts straight, put aside your thoughts on fad diets and review the following nutrition basics.

Nutrients

Six nutrients help our bodies grow and maintain good health. They are carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water, vitamins and minerals.

Water is the most important nutrient. In fact, we can only live about three days without water.

Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are called macronutrients. We need these nutrients in larger amounts, and all three contain calories. All three macronutrients are important to our health, and we feel our best when they are balanced together.

One idea that has resulted from fad diets is that calories are separate from macronutrients, which is not the case. A gram of carbohydrate or protein contains 4 calories, and a gram of fat contains 9 calories. The amount of calories in a food depends on how many grams of carbohydrate, fat or protein it contains. Vitamins and minerals are also very important nutrients in maintaining our health, but we need them in smaller amounts and they do not contain calories.

Calories

Calories are a measure of energy. Our bodies need calories to maintain our breathing and brain function. An individuals calorie level is determined by their gender, age, height, current weight and activity level.

Calories also play an important role in growth and development. However, around 30 years of age, once we have stopped growing, our metabolisms slow down about 10% per decade. This means we do not need to eat the same amount of calories we did in our teens and early 20s. If we continue to eat the same amount of food simply out of habit, gradual weight gain will occur.

To learn how many calories you need, use a free online food-logging program to estimate your calories and track what you eat.

Variety, balanceand moderation

Eliminating a nutrient can lead to dietary imbalances or nutrient deficiencies over time, and it is not a necessary approach to better health. Carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Overall, carbohydrates are an important energy source. They provide both soluble and insoluble fiber important for both heart and digestive health. Whole grains provide B vitamins and phytochemicals, and are a good source of iron. Every color of fruits and vegetables provides different antioxidants that reduce our risk of cancer and improve our cardiovascular health.

Fats improve the flavor and texture of food and give us better appetite control. Ideally, choose monounsaturated sources like olive oil, almonds or avocados. Omega-3 fatty acids, known to decrease inflammation, are commonly found in salmon and most white fish, walnuts, chia and flax seeds.

Finally, protein is important for maintaining a strong, healthy body, and it also helps with appetite control. Choosing lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs, beans and small portions of nuts keeps fat intake controlled and provides a wider variety of nutrients.

Get back to the basics. A nutrition plan built on science works, and it will support your health for a lifetime.

Niki Kubiak is a sports-certified registered dietitian, competitive runner and owner of Niki Kubiak Sports Nutrition and Weight Loss.

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Forget fad diets and get back to the basics with these nutrition tips - Omaha World-Herald

World Kidney Day 2020: Reduce your salt intake to reduce risk of kidney stones

World Kidney Day is observed on March 12 every year. This day aims athighlighting the importance of healthy kidneys for overall health. It also tries to spread information about different kidney diseases and how to prevent them. Kidney stones are a painful condition. These stones are hard deposits that form inside the kidneys. A kidney stone can cause severe pain in the side and back and below the ribs. Other symptoms of kidney stones may include pain during urination, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, more than usual urination and persistent need to urinate. You can prevent formation of kidney stones by eating theright diet. Drinking enough water is considered as the best practice to keep your kidneys healthy. The more hydrated you are, the lesser is the risk of developing kidney stones and other kidney diseases. Keep reading to knowsome basics of a kidney stone diet.

Add more citrus to your diet: Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, lemon or pineapple are can help you reduce the risk of developing kidney stones. You can consume either fruit or fruit juice.

Also read:World Kidney Day 2020: Know The Early Signs Of Kidney Failure, Causes And Treatment Options

Add more calcium to your diet: Good levels of calcium can also help you prevent the formation of kidney stones. Add more dairy to your diet or other sources of calcium legumes, dark green vegetables, nuts and seeds. Also, add vitamin D to your diet for better calcium absorption.

Kidney stone diet: Add more calcium to your diet to prevent kidney stonesPhoto Credit: iStock

Moderate amount of plant-based protein: It is advised to add plant-based protein to your diet in moderation. Whereas, animal-based protein should be strictly avoided.

Limit salt: High sodium diet can significantly increase the risk of developing kidney stones. Most processed foods are high in salt and sugar. Avoid consuming too much salt.

High sodium diet is harmful to your kidneysPhoto Credit: iStock

Animal protein: Many are dependent on animal-based foods for protein requirements. Adding too much animal-based protein can reduce the levels of chemicals in the urine which prevents kidney stone formation. It is advised to consume animal-based protein in moderation.

Also read:10 Habits That Can Harm Your Kidneys

Disclaimer: 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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World Kidney Day 2020: Do's And Don'ts Of Kidney Stone Diet; Know What To Eat And Avoid - NDTV News

Highlights

Ghee, or clarified butter, is back in limelight and we cannot be happier. You may have heard numerous niutritionists and actors vouching for this desi wonder off late. Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor went on record to say she consumed ghee on a regular basis during her pregnancy. Her nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar has also often posted about the healthbenefits of the healing fat. Ghee has been a crucial part of Indian kitchens since time immemorial. Its benefits are well-known to Indian households, and it is also said that Ghee also has immense significance in Ayurvedic medicines and remedies.

Ghee is traditionally made out of butter with all its water and milk solids removed. Pure, unadulterated ghee could actually do wonders for your digestive and overall health. The butyric acid present in ghee is particularly beneficial for intestines. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help ease pains and discomfort. It also gives your body a burst of energy, which is why it is used in a plethora of winter preparations. The skin benefits of ghee are also widely known. Ghee is also topically applied on skin; it is said that it helps make skin taut and radiant.

Ghee consists of fat-soluble vitamins, which is beneficial for weight loss. Ghee also plays a key role in balancing hormones and maintaining healthy cholesterol, says macrobiotic nutritionist and Health Practitioner Shilpa Arora.

Now the question is, how do you include ghee in your diet in a healthy way? Here is a handy guide:

1. Spread It On Chapatis

Yes, it is time to bring back ghee on our chapatis, but be mindful of the portion. Brushing your roti with ghee on chapattis helps improve the digestibility of chapatti and even bring down glycemic load of the chapatti, as per Bangalore-based nutritionist Dr. Anju Sood. However, one has to be very cautious of the amount, she adds.

Brushing your roti with ghee on chapattis is not a bad idea

2. Tadkas in dals

Tadka is an essential part of our dal preparations; they help add flavour to soaked lentils. Ghee in tadka not only takes the flavour of the dish a notch higher but also add a tinge of health to it, says macrobiotic nutritionist Shilpa Arora.

Tadka is an essential part of our dal preparations

3. With milk

Drinking milk with a spoonful of ghee could be an effective remedy for constipation, writes Dr. Vasant Lad in 'The Complete Book Of Ayurvedic Home Remedies'.

(Also Read:How to Make Ghee from Malai)

4. Swapping oil with ghee to cook veggies

Cooking your veggies in ghee could be another healthy move you could try. Ghee has a high heat point, it is effective for absorption of fat soluble nutrients found in veggies; lycopene in tomatoes are more easily available to the body if they are cooked in ghee. Similarly, vitamin A from veggies like carrots and green is easy to absorb if they are cooked in ghee.

Cooking your veggies in ghee could be another healthy move

5. Fortifying Ladoos

Gond ka ladoo, alsi ka ladoo, badaam ladoo and more, all these delicious and nutrition dense laddoos are mostly made with ghee. Since these ladoos are on a heavier side, it is recommended to not go overboard.

(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.)

About Sushmita SenguptaSharing a strong penchant for food, Sushmita loves all things good, cheesy and greasy. Her other favourite pastime activities other than discussing food includes, reading, watching movies and binge-watching TV shows.

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Benefits Of Ghee: 5 Healthy Ways To Include Ghee In Your Diet - NDTV Food

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) currently affects approximately one in ten adults worldwide(Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

Maintaining healthy kidneys is often overlooked in the fight against chronic diseases.

Yet, chronic kidney disease (CKD) currently affects approximately one in ten adults worldwide and its burden is increasing. By 2040, it is projected to become the fifth most common cause of years of life lost globally.

March 12 is World Kidney Day and this year this years theme is preventive interventions to avert the onset and progression of kidney disease.

As a nephrologist, I would argue there is nothing more powerful than optimal plant-based nutrition to help achieve these goals.

World Kidney Day 2020 will look atpreventive interventions to avert the onset and progression of kidney disease (Photo: World Kidney Day)

The two most common causes of CKD are diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension), which are together responsible for up to two-thirds of cases.

In fact, up to 30 percent of people with diabetes will develop CKD within 20 years of their diagnosis.

Fortunately, there is now established evidence that dietary change is a powerful strategy to treat both diabetes and hypertension, as it addresses their root cause: the highly processed, energy dense, nutrient-poor standard Western diet.

Research shows that shifting to a more whole food plant-based diet can not only prevent but even reverse these conditions.

However, it doesnt stop there. Plant-strong diets seem to be protective against the development of CKD and the initiation of dialysis even with statistical adjustment for people with diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

Diet is critical in the management of all CKD, even if the disease is caused by conditions such as auto-immune diseases, polycystic kidneys or malformations from birth.

In all cases, a standard Western diet contributes significantly to chronic kidney damage and therefore plays a major role in the progressive worsening of kidney function and the development of end-stage kidney failure.

This is good news for anyone with a diagnosis of CKD, as diet change can significantly slow the progression of the disease and enhance both quality and years of life.

A healthy plant-based diet can help in maintaining kidney health(Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

One of the most important dietary factors for kidney health is protein intake, with both observational and controlled trials associating high protein consumption with kidney damage.

Healthy plant-based diets are naturally lower in protein, whilst remaining sufficient. Not only that, but protein from plants also appears to be better for kidney health than animal-based proteins.

Every piece of food we eat is made up of acid and base pre-cursors that affect the acid-base balance in our blood. Animal-derived and refined foods are generally net acid-producing, whilst fruits, vegetables and legumes are net alkali-producing.

Chronic acidosis is not only associated with a loss of bone mass, impaired heart function and increased risk of death, but also contributes to worsening kidney function. It is therefore unsurprising that high dietary acid load (i.e. high consumption of animal foods) has been shown to significantly increase the risk of kidney failure and markers of kidney disease progression.

Lastly, as well as slowing kidney function decline, a whole food plant-based diet addresses many complications seen in advanced kidney disease such as cardiovascular disease, high blood levels of phosphate, and buildup of uremic toxins.

Plant-based nutrition is not only an effective tool for primary prevention of kidney disease onset, but it can also play a powerful role slowing disease progression and averting severe complications.

This World Kidney Day, I encourage everyone to raise awareness of both kidney disease and this underutilized approach to reduce its increasing impact on society.

For a more detailed article by Dr Taeed on plant-based diets for kidney health, visit Doctors For Nutrition.

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World Kidney Day 2020: Plant-Based Diets Offer Hope For Prevention And Treatment Of Kidney Disease - Plant Based News

FREDERICK, Md. (WDVM) Need to lose a few pounds? Many assume the first step is to diet, but not all diets are created equal.

According to Executive Health and Lifestyle Coach at Sweet Life Wellness, Kay Loughrey, 122 million people attempt to lose weight each year, this year, and 97 million of them are disappointed, and dieting is the main reason for that kind of disappointment.

TheKeto Diet is one of the most popular diet trends on the market today.Keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet that helps people lose weight quicker. By not eating carbs you put your body in a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a natural metabolic state that occurs when your body starts burning fat for fuel instead of using carbs.

Normally your body focuses on glucose as a fuel, but when you do the ketogenic diet you alter that fuel source and basically you use ketones as fuel, said Christina Brockett of Encompass Integrative Wellness.

Some research suggests that some people benefitfrom the diet such as cancer patients, but the real question is, is it safe for everyone? Most registered dieticians say no.

While many do report significant weight loss on the Keto Diet, nutritionists say its not an ideal long-term solution.

Your body is always talking to you, its about whereyourechoosing to listen, said Brockett. You go from listening, how do I feel when I eat this, this mindful approach to eating to, this numbers game and as a long term basis. I just found thata lotof people cant do it on a long term

Loughrey says on average most peopletend to gain 7% more than before the diet started. She says, dietingin general, is a vicious cycle.

The quick fix is always alluring, but what happens is theres a boomerang effect and you end up worse than you started, Loughery said.

Regardless of your size, dieticiansand nutritionistsboth agree, if you want to slim down, exerciseand eating healthy will always be the way to go.

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Is the Keto Diet the way to go? - WDVM 25