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Whenever someone is looking to lose weight or get fit, an athletic routine is a part of the planbe it for its calorie-burning aid or to increase overall physical fitness.

But a recent study from the Center for Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Science at Drexel University has linked working out to another benefit when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight: It may actually make it easier to adhere to a new, healthier diet plan by helping prevent overeating.

Previous research indicates a link between being active and eating more fruits and vegetables, but in this study researchers wanted to see how exercise affected people's commitment to new diets. The study specifically considered calorie-restricted diets targeting weight loss.

"Interestingly, our study suggests that exercise may also aid in adhering to a reduced-calorie diet," said Rebecca Crochiere, a graduate student and lead author of the study, "perhaps through improved regulation of appetite or eating behavior."

Specifically, the research found that engaging in physical activity for an hour cut odds of overeating in the following hours in half, from 12% to 5%. Longer workouts resulted in further decreases in likelihood of overeating.

Interestingly, according to the researchers, the results of the study also suggest that lighter physical activity had a stronger correlation to decreased overeating than more vigorous activitybut they do say that further research would be needed to confirm this finding, as that result may be more based on the individual study participant than what sort of workout they did.

The temptation, especially when looking to maintain healthy weight, is to exercise more or harder. But if future research indicates that the more moderate workouts can help with diet maintenance, it may help change the way we think about weight loss.

While this research focused on calorie-restricted dieting (which isn't always a good option), knowing that working out can help prevent overeating may help people trying other diets, like intermittent fasting. Since one of the downfalls of people trying a form of IF can be overeating when not fasting, perhaps this knowledge of working out helping to prevent overeating can be applied.

The big take-away? While these results might have interesting implications, everyone is different. But if you're trying a new diet, why not also try revamping your fitness routine while you're at itit might help.

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Trying A New Diet? Researchers Say This Can Help You Stick To It - mindbodygreen.com

When deciding which diet to follow, most of us rely on friends recommendations, online questionnaires, or internet wisdom. Then again, why not shape your food choices off of your actual breath.

Israel-based startup Lumen gives dining recommendations based off of the amount of CO2 which you exhale into their proprietary device (which reveals whether youre burning carbs or body fat).

We think that breath-based dietary guidance is pretty cool, so we invited Dana Varrone, Lumens VP of Strategic Partnerships, to speak at Customize, our food personalization summit, in NYC later this month. Join us there to hear her talk about how personalization can unlock the power of food as medicine (use code SPOON15 to get 15 percent off those tickets).

But first if you want to learn more about how your breath can indicate what you should be eating, check out our Q&A with Varrone below.

Tell us a little bit about what Lumen does. Lumen is a device and app that helps you take control of your metabolism. Through your breath, the Lumen technology measures your fuel source in real time, telling you if youre using fats or carbs for energy, and provides you with a personalized nutrition plan to help you reach your health and fitness goals.

A metabolic measurement (RQ) that was once costly and time-consuming in a clinical setting is now available through a single breath with Lumen.

Why do you think that there has been a rise in interest around personalized nutrition over the past few years?I think there are three main reasons for the rise. Firstly, people are fed up with going on diets and not getting the results they want, and are starting to recognize that what may work for one person may not work for them. Go Keto as carbs are the devil is on the one extreme and follow the myplate and eat a balanced plate of grains, protein, fruit, veggie and dairy is on the other extreme of the advice spectrum. Couple this with advanced research being published on how various foods may impact your gut and the increase in allergies nationwide, and question marks start going off in peoples minds of perhaps one size does not fit all.

Secondly, with the rise in technologies such as the AppleWatch, fitbit and the like, consumers are seeing the value in getting personalized feedback. Consumers can now see how many steps theyve walked, calories theyve burned and can even get feedback on their heart rate. This immediate feedback empowers consumers to feel like they can now be in control of their own lives, whereas before it was left to your doctor and your yearly physical visits.

Lastly, with the rise in social media and newsfeeds being curated for you, people are demanding speed and instant gratification. This is specifically the case with the millennial generation that have grown up with this being their norm. This results in people wanting answers fast, based on them and their needs, now.

What are the biggest hurdles towards creating personalized dietary guidance towards consumers?I think the biggest hurdles are in asking the right questions to the consumer at the onset and being able to adjust the personalization over time based on both qualitative and quantitative data that takes into account lifestyle changes, life events, food tolerances, goals, and physiology.

What do you think personalized food or drink will look like 5 years down the road?I think data from a variety of touch points will be the primary driver in personalizing a consumers nutrition and will be housed with an engagement app that makes sense of all the data, with Lumen being at the helm of this.

If you want to see Dana speak about how personalization can unlock the power of food as medicine, join us at Customize this month in NYC! Use code SPOON15 to get 15 percent off tix.

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Not Sure What to Eat? Just Breathe (Literally) - The Spoon

By: Malinda Scannell, Nurse Practitioner

February is Heart Month. It is an important time to Know Your Numbers! Blood pressure, Cholesterol,Blood Sugar, and Body Mass Index (BMI)-these measurements help to identify your risk of heart disease.

Additional risk factors include family history, diet, and smoking.

Heart disease remains a major cause of illness and death globally. The American Heart Association(AHA) reports cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke combined) kills about 2,300 persons aday more than all forms of cancer combined. However, seventy-two percent of Americans dontconsider themselves at risk for heart disease. The AHA urges people to take care of their hearts year-round. Heart disease is preventable.

Experts recommend cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk evaluation and prevention planning starting at age20, sooner if you have any history of CVD. A CVD risk assessment offers one the opportunity to bothidentify their CVD risk factors and to develop management strategies of specific and overall risks toprevent heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.

University Health Services (UHS) can provide you with a personalized health screening to determineyour risk factors for cardiovascular disease. From this assessment, the providers at UHS will work withyou to establish a plan to limit your risk and prevent illness.

Utilizing the American Heart Associations Life Simple 7 the seven most important predictors of hearthealth, your risk for cardiovascular disease could be lowered. Lowering your risk for heart disease, alsoreduces your risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, stress and depression.

What is Lifes Simple 7? They include measures to eat better, get active, lose weight (if needed),manage blood pressure, control cholesterol, reduce blood sugar and stop smoking. A healthy diet is keyto fighting CVD. Eating a diet low in sodium and fats (both saturated and trans fats); consuming 2 fruitand 3 vegetable servings each day; avoiding red and processed meats; adding fish 2-3 times a week; andlimiting sugar and other sweeteners is recommended. Another cornerstone to maintaining andimproving cardiovascular health is physical activity. Start moving 2 hours a week or 30 minutes aday for 5 days a week of moderate activity, such as a brisk walk or active yoga, is needed. Over half ofadults do not meet these minimum activity requirements. Adults who are overweight (BMI = 25-29.9) orobese (BMI > 30) are at greater risk of CVD. Weight loss of 5-10% of ones body weight has been shownto make a difference. Hypertension, blood pressure > 130/80, is another modifiable risk for CVD.

Elevated cholesterol and blood sugar are additional risks that can be managed. If you smoke or vape,quitting will reduce your risk. There are many resources available to help one quit.

Join me in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The most important way to prevent heart disease isto practice a healthy lifestyle throughout ones life. The earlier you put healthy lifestyle practices intoplace, the better you are able to lower your risk of disease.

Prevention is intervention for a healthy heart.

Get to know your numbers. Start a plan of action today. Call Health Services for an appointment toassess your cardiovascular risk and to assist you in developing a healthy lifestyle plan. The number tocall is 207-780-5411.

Respectfully submitted,Malinda Scannell, Nurse PractitionerUniversity Health and Counseling ServicesPhone: 207-780-5411

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Be Heart Wise - The - The Free Press of the University of Southern Maine

Akshay Kumars undoubtedly one of Bollywoods fittest actors. Hes extensively trained in martial arts, prefers doing his own stunts and is an overall badass in the gym (yes, this is a subtle cue to the bottle cap challenge he inspired Bollywood stars to partake last year). And, of course, weve all heard the urban legend of Kumar being an early riserwaking up at 4 am and hustling in the gym while were hitting the snooze button again and again.

A part of this urban legend also dictates that he's a teetotaller and eats only healthy, home-cooked meals throughout the day and often even packs extra home-food for his co-stars.

Recently, we came to know that for close to two years now, Pod Supply, a Mumbai-based food service has been assigned the job to prep his meals for him. In a conversation with GQ, Pod Supplys co-owner, Anmol Singhal tells us that theyve curated Kumars diets for Housefull 4 along with other upcoming projects such as Sooryavanshi, Laxmmi Bomb and Prithviraj.

Akshay (Kumar) believes in staying fit and is also in great shape365 days a yeareven when hes holidaying. He doesnt just eat right or stay in shape or a specific movie, role or character, he eats well and takes care of his body for himself. He loves fitness. It is his lifestyle. He likes eating clean, healthy and less spicy food, which is also less in salt, he says.

And, a little over a month ago, hes actually started following a vegan diet plan, he adds.

Akshay Kumars newly turned Vegan and Mumbai-based Pod Supply's curated a Vegan diet plan for him. Image courtesy: Instagram/Akshay Kumar

This vegan diet plan comprises a variety of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which keep changing according to Kumars daily routine and nutritional requirements. We ask Singhal to name a few below.

Chia pudding with berries

Avocado on toast

Plant based milk smoothies/Fruit smoothies

Moong dal chilla/Jowar pancakes, chutney

Spinach green Thai tofu curry, rice

Vegan lentil & mushroom patties, mustard tofu dip

Vegan pasta in tofu spinach sauce

Charred/roasted/grilled/sauted/ stir fry vegetables

Edamame, cashew and roquette salad

Vegan steamed cabbage rolls

ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar shares 2 recipes from his daily diet that help him maintain his ripped body

Also, in case youve ever wondered what his daily routine is like, Singhal tells us about a day in Kumars life from a week ago.

Says Singhal, he wakes up around 4:30-5:00 am in the morning and trains at a gym in his home. Hes built a special gym in his house, which lacks any stairs as he believes that humans were born as monkeys and the only way to go from one floor to another is via ropes or jumping from one point to another. This forms as a great cross training routine.

He trains for an hour or so and at then at 6:30 am he eats his breakfast and right after that hes off to work. Notably, hes the one actor who shoots through the day and has an excellent work ethic.

Let me tell you about his schedule from a week ago: he took a chopper to a studio to finish off an ad film in two hours, came back and went to Yash Raj Studio to shoot for Prithviraj, and from there went to Mehboob Studio to shoot for another film.

He has his lunch anytime between 12-12:30 pm in the afternoon and after that he has his evening snack - for which we serve him walnut milk and berry smoothies and sandwiches and then he has his dinner by 6:30 pm. Only if hes on a night shoot or shooting through the night, which he tries to avoid, because he hates staying up late, he ends up eating his meals by 10:30 pm.

So while clearly early to bed and early to rise is one of Kumar's fitness commandments, let us do you another solid and share this feature on how sleep deprivation affects your appearance.

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Exclusive: Akshay Kumar is now vegan and these are all the dishes he eats throughout the day - GQ India

College Compass is a bi-weekly blog that aims to help students navigate the highs and lows of college life.

The combination of late nights and heavy drinking will eventually take a toll on anyone living such a lifestyle for prolonged periods of time. Since many college students are surrounded by this kind of living, these unhealthy habits can feel difficult to break and when the weather hits freezing temperatures, the mere idea of change feels close to impossible.

When I first arrived at college, my imagination soared with fears about the apparently inescapable freshman 15 that haunted me. But in my experience, the freshman 15 was just another college myth that I quickly forgot once I realized its falsehood. The stress of college life and my new jam-packed schedule kept me away from snacking and I rarely found myself overeating at Market Central.

With that being said, as I acclimated to college life and Market meals, I began to notice the shift that everyone warned me about. While I only gained a few pounds, I couldnt help but feel out of control of my weight. Not only did I abhor working out, but I could rarely find the time to do so between my classes, and I often had meetings at night. So I tried out other less healthy and less effective methods. I would often minimize my meals during the day but my efforts would go to waste when I lost control at night and as someone who never enjoyed cooking, my midnight snacks canceled out all my daytime efforts.

After a couple sporadic sessions at the gym with no reward and weeks spent yo-yoing, I decided it was time to resort to more extreme measures in my case the keto diet. The keto diet calls for a daily intake of 20 grams of carbohydrates per day, which equates to a small apple. While it cuts out all carbs and sugar, it calls for high fat and moderate protein. While I initially planned to follow the diet for a month or two, once my body had adjusted to ketosis, the alternative metabolic state, I found it difficult to wean back to normal food consumption.

While I certainly lost the extra pounds on the keto diet, the constant restriction kept me in a permanently irritable state. As a true food lover, it was physically painful for me to share photos of pasta from Italy on my food Instagram account when I hadnt consumed pasta in around six months. Not only was it difficult for me emotionally, but eventually I had to stop because of the negative health effects.

Not only was I lacking nutritional value from fruits and vegetables, which goes against the diet, but the excessive fat led to other health issues. After officially putting a halt to the diet, Ive spent the last few months trying to figure out how to maintain a weight Im comfortable with while remaining healthy. As someone who has experimented with various diets throughout my life, at 21 years old, Ive finally begun to realize that moderation truly is key. I care about the way I look, but I value my mental and physical health equally, and what I consume or dont consume affects that directly.

Unlike methods focused on losing weight as fast as possible, a slow and steady method will eventually show results and in a less harmful way. Ive learned that the more I deprive myself of food I want to eat, the more Ill end up eating more of it later on. Depriving myself of food is not only unhealthy, but its often unsustainable and leads to metabolic irregularities and binging, which reverses any progress.

In addition, any diet that completely cuts out a certain food group should most likely be avoided. Every food group has its importance and nutritional value and shouldnt be ignored nor overly emphasized. So without a doctors approval and a nutritionist tracking your progress, diets should probably remain moderate, especially at such a young age.

With that said, theres nothing wrong with staying in charge of your body and weight. While portion control, frequent exercise and minimal snacking might be a difficult change to make, eventually itll show its merit. Weight loss may not happen overnight with these alterations, but theyll last longer and feel better than the diet starts tomorrow methodology that often encourages overeating and starvation the next day.

While I dont necessarily recommend a full implementation of Weight Watchers, the diet encourages a healthy mindset towards eating that anyone can adapt. Weight Watchers follows a personalized point system based on each persons individual weight and their goals. However, fruit, vegetables and chicken count as free points so dieters can eat unlimited amounts and as Oprah Winfrey likes to advertise she still eats bread everyday.

If you dont necessarily want to start any actual diet plan, meal prep can be just as effective to cut out snacking and cut down on proportions. Without measuring food intake or determining how much you want to eat ahead of time, it can feel difficult to restrain from overconsumption. Meal prep is not only time-efficient, but it helps limit food intake. Sometimes when I buy a bag of nuts, Ill lose track of how many I eat, and Ill end up going through the bag in one sitting. Meal prep, or preparation, means literally prepping food in advance so you know how much youre eating and rethink exceeding that amount.

And if youre feeling really ambitious, a gym routine wouldnt hurt either. Although working out wont necessarily work wonders if your diet doesnt follow the same pattern, its still a good way to balance out extra calories and stay in shape.

After many years of dieting, Ive learned that these forms are far healthier and more sustainable than calorie-counting, which can create unhealthy eating and obsessive dieting habits. They also encourage mindfulness and portion control, which are the kinds of habits students should learn in college. In many cases, immediate weight loss is synonymous with temporary weight loss. Students dont need to cut out all the sweets, they just need to rethink how frequently they consume them.

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College Compass: College dieting the healthy way - University of Pittsburgh The Pitt News

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Reaching for a snack between mealtimes or postworkout is something we all do. And sometimes that snack is whatever is at the gas station or something packaged and tasty (but not always healthy) from the vending machine at work. But everything we eat can affect our gut health and risk for heart disease, so we can be more strategic about our snacking.

According to new research published in the Journal of Nutrition, swapping out your usual salty or sweet afternoon pick-me-up for walnuts can have some serious heart health benefits.

Researchers looked at 42 participants who were overweight or obese and were between the ages of 30 and 65. Before the study began, everyone was placed on a diet that mirrored an average American diet (where 12 percent of daily calories came from saturated fat) for two weeks. Then, participants switched to diets that were lower in saturated fat, where 7 percent of daily calories came from saturated fat, and incorporated walnuts. After munching on two handfuls of walnuts daily for six weeks in place of snacks like chips or crackers, all participants saw lower cholesterol levels and gut bacteria that improved their risk of heart disease. (Its important to note that typically one serving of walnuts is one ounceabout one handful.)

This is likely because eating whole walnuts daily lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure, study authors Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., distinguished professor of nutrition and Kristina Petersen, Ph.D., assistant research professor, both in the department of nutritional sciences at Penn State University explained to Bicycling. And while the researchers said that this study showed correlation, not causation, previous research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association also found that adding walnuts to a persons diet can help lower blood pressure, especially when they are replacing foods high in saturated fat.

[Want to fly up hills? Climb! gives you the workouts and mental strategies to conquer your nearest peak.]

As for how gut health affects your risk of heart disease? That may be due in part to the fact that walnuts contain fiber, which can positively affect gut bacteria. Additionally, the unsaturated fats and omega-3s in walnuts can contribute to favorable gut microbiomeswhich may aid in lowering blood pressure, leading to a lower risk for heart disease according to Kris-Etherton and Petersen.

Overall, swapping out unhealthy snacks for a serving of walnuts or other nuts is a relatively small change that will have major health benefitsand is easier than doing a radical diet or exercise overhaul, Kris-Etherton and Petersen said.

And, its not just people at risk for heart disease, the study authors explained. Nuts are recommended in many heart-healthy diets, such the Mediterranean diet. Its a great way to encourage people who are already healthy to stay healthy, Petersen said.

In full disclosure, this one study was supported by grants from the The California Walnut Commission. However, there have been ample amounts of independent research on all the heart healthy components of nuts such as omega-3s, unsaturated fats, and fiber. Plus, adding nuts to your diet promotes healthy aging and can help prevent against risk of chronic disease, previous research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found. So, even if you are healthy in your 20s or 30s, as you age, blood pressure and cholesterol levels increase, which is why eating a heart-healthy diet is important no matter your age or activity level, the study authors explained.

The bottom line: snacking on nuts is something people can do now to maintain health, rather than waiting until later in life. While this study looked at walnuts specifically, the researchers pointed out that adding a variety of nuts can help a person keep up this healthy habit, as eating walnuts daily may get boring. Its much harder to reverse disease once it comes about, so prevention is key, Kris-Etherton said.

Originally posted here:
Study Shows the Benefits of Walnuts Include Boosting Gut and Heart Health - Bicycling

The low-carb keto diet might be popular among weight-loss warriors and celebrities today, but did you know it was first given to kids with a particular form of epilepsy?

The ketogenic or keto diet was developed in the 1920s by Dr Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic. He prescribed it to children with severe epilepsy who weren't responding to drugs, and found the diet minimised the frequency and severity of their seizures. Although, a recent study has shown not all children benefit from the diet.

It wasn't until the 1960s when Dr Robert Atkins created his eponymous diet that low-carb eating plans became popular among the masses.

Dr Atkins theorised that when we consume minimal carbohydrate, the body burns fat for energy. This process is known as 'ketosis' more on that in a minute.

So, how does it work? What can you eat on the keto diet? And what does the research say about its connection to weigh loss? Are there any side effects? Let's dig in.

While Dr Atkins recommended dieters limit their carbohydrate intake to 65-100 grams per day, keto requires even greater self-control.

"To become ketotic you need to take your carbohydrate down to 10 grams, 20 grams a day," says Monash University's head of dietetics, Professor Helen Truby.

"That's like half a slice of bread."

Becoming ketotic or entering ketosis is the physiological process when your body stops using carbohydrates for energy and starts using fats.

And the energy can come from fats you've eaten, as well as fats stored in the body, says New York University physician Shivam Joshi, who spoke with Dr Norman Swan about keto on RN's Health Report.

"But when you look at low-carb diets in general, the sentinel feature of their ability to cause weight loss is that they restrict calories," he says.

It can take up to five days to become ketotic, and when you do your body will start producing ketones, which are another energy source.

In addition to using fat as an energy source, Professor Truby says after a few weeks in ketosis, you become less hungry.

This diet could be a valid way to lose weight, but no more so than following a traditional reduced-kilojoule diet.

In a review of the keto diet, Harvard University's School of Public Health points out that "there is not one 'standard' ketogenic diet with a specific ratio of macronutrients [carbohydrates, protein, fat]".

"Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80 per cent fat from total daily calories, 5-10 per cent carbohydrate, and 10-20 per cent protein."

Breakfast: Green smoothie made with spinach, cucumber, avocado, coconut cream and peanut butter

Snack: Low-carb chocolate with peanut butter

Lunch: Baby spinach, egg and parmesan salad

Snack: 100g cheese with cucumber

Dinner: 50g piece of salmon with baby spinach and garlic oil

Dessert: Hot chocolate made with coconut cream and sugar-free drinking chocolate

Beyond pasta and rice, carbohydrates are found in plenty of healthy foods, including fruits and many vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and the natural sugars found in milk and yoghurt.

Due to this, Professor Truby says it's important for people on the keto diet to be mindful of their micronutrient intake.

Micronutrients include minerals like calcium, which is important for bone health, B vitamins in legumes and wholegrain foods, and vitamin C, which is found in fruit.

Professor Truby says keto dieters might need to take micronutrient supplements to ensure their needs are being met.

"It's not impossible, but it's certainly not the easiest diet to do," she says.

Those coming off a keto diet may also experience some weight gain.

"Your body will try and put some of that weight on again, unless you're really careful about how much energy and how many carbs you have," says Professor Truby.

She recommends easing back into carbohydrates slowly, and choosing healthier carbs, like fruits and wholegrains, over sugary items.

"In my opinion, if you're going to try a diet that induces ketosis, you should have a chat with your GP first, particularly if you've got any medical conditions," Professor Truby says.

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The keto diet is no silver bullet.

"Questions remain concerning the long-term health effects of this diet on the gut microbiome and general health given the lack of fruit, vegetables and grains," says this post from Monash University's Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food.

In a paper co-written for the JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr Joshi analysed a series of randomised controlled trials over a year or more.

"This study showed the difference in weight loss between those on a ketogenic diet and those not on a ketogenic diet or a control diet was only 0.9 kilograms, which is of statistical significance but may not be of clinical significance," he says.

And Harvard's School of Public Health ends their assessment of the keto diet with this summary:

"Available research on the ketogenic diet for weight loss is still limited. Most of the studies so far have had a small number of participants, were short-term (12 weeks or less), and did not include control groups.

"A ketogenic diet has been shown to provide short-term benefits in some people, including weight loss and improvements in total cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. However, these effects after one year when compared with the effects of conventional weight loss diets are not significantly different."

Experts say the keto diet may cause a range of side-effects. These include:

Professor Truby says the keto diet may have positive effects for people who are very overweight.

"[Through shedding fat] your blood pressure should come down, your lipid levels will change, and you get better glucose control," she says.

But it's probably not worth it for most people.

"For people who just want to lose a little bit of weight, then I don't think a ketotic type of diet is really necessary because you will actually regain the weight anyway, when you stop being ketotic," says Professor Truby.

But maybe we can all take a slice of advice from this popular eating plan, she adds.

"There's no need for everyone to go on a completely keto diet, but reducing those carb sources that are not nutrient-rich things like cakes, biscuits, chips is a good idea for everyone."

This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner who knows your medical history.

This article has been reviewed by Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM, nutritionist and visiting fellow, School of Medical Sciences, University of NSW. This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner who knows your medical history.

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Everything you need to know about the keto diet - ABC Local

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There's a whole slew of diets out there to choose from, but at the end of the day, it's all about choosing what works for you. One of the latest to surge in popularity is the sirtfood diet, an eating plan stars like Adele and Pippa Middleton swear by. Before you consider trying it out for yourself, let's run through exactly what the sirtfood diet actually is.

The idea behind the sirtfood diet comes from nurtritionists Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten. The two wrote an official guide book about how the diet works and what you can eat on it.

The sirtfood diet works off of the concept that by eating certain things, you can trigger the activation of certain proteins called sirtuins or colloquially dubbed "skinny genes." According to Healthline, sirtuins have many functions and are "a group of seven proteins found in the body that has been shown to regulate a variety of functions, including metabolism, inflammation and lifespan."

By monitoring caloric intake and eating foods that contain a lot of sirtuin proteins in them (a.k.a. "sirtfoods"), this diet aims to have the same effect as exercise and fasting. There are two phases of the diet.

The Sirtfood Diet

$17.99

There are two phases of the sirtfood diet, with phase one lasting a week. For this first week, days one through three are limited to 1,000 calories per day and include three sirtfood-approved green juices and one meal. After the third day, you can consume 1,500 calories per day in the form of two green juices and two meals. In a report by USA Today, it explains that the second phase of the sirtfood diet lasts 14 days and includes "three meals high in sirtfoods, one sirtfood green juice, and one or two sirtfood bite snacks."

The list of approved sirtfoods includes 20 foods, according to SirtFoodDiet.net. The foods are as follows:

Yup, you can still drink red wine and eat chocolate. Although these are the top 20 sirtfoods, there are other foods approved for this diet like asparagus, green beans, raspberries, and popcorn.

You should probably hit the grocery stores and order yourself a juicer before you give this diet a go. There are quite a few moving parts to the phases and a lot of organization required, but it's meant to be fast acting and last about 21 days. When in doubt just think, what would Adele do?

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The Sirtfood Diet Is The Eating Plan That Some Of The Most Fit Celebs Swear By - Delish

Remember that research published last fall that said eating processed and red meat was a-ok? You know, the one that was funded by the meat industry? Turns out it was wrong. Really, really wrong.

Now, new research, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicinethis month, looked at data on thousands of people studied over the course of three decades. The findings point to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease on a dietheaviestin red and processed meat, including poultry.

Study co-author Linda Van Horn, division chief of nutrition in the department of preventive medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, serves as a member of several advisory panels, including one thats working on revising the federal Dietary Guidelines.

Van Horn says the new findings relied on the highest quality data available. In the findings, heart disease risk is reduced when people prioritize eating fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, along with limiting most meats. The worst risk was linked to processed meat, and the lowest increase in risk was among fish eaters. The research also found that limiting refined grains, fried foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages helped to reduce the risk of heart disease even further.

When you eat a diet that is rich in processed and refined foods, it collectively contributes to increased risk of disease, Dr. Van Horntold The New York Times,adding that it also denies you the benefits of the fiber, vitamins, minerals and plant-based proteins that contribute to health.

Cardiovascular risks are largely influenced by genetics, but diet does play a role. According to another one of the study's authors,Norrina Allen, associate professor of preventive medicine at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, it'sa major factor in who will and won't get heart disease in their lifetime. Any increased risk even a small one, is undesirable, she says.I would say that even though it seems to be a small amount of risk, any excess risk for something as major as heart disease and mortality is worth considering."

Last September'sresearch that said eating red and processed meat was not a health risk,has been resoundingly rejected by scientists, doctors, and the entire medical community. The authors had been exposed as having ties to the agriculture industry, and the medical community walked back the news as well as they could.Health experts, including those representing theAmerican Heart Association and the American Cancer Society, said thestudy flew in the face of decades of researchwarning people to eat less meat for the sake of their health.

Even the World Health Organization has classified processed red meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning it's highly likely to pose serious health risks. Other substances classed as Group 1 carcinogens include asbestos, radium, and tobacco.

Originally posted here:
Meat Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Disease, Study Warns - The Beet

Arguments surrounding carbs and their role in optimal health have dominated discussions of the human diet for nearly 5 decades.

Mainstream diet fads and recommendations have continued to change rapidly year after year.

At the same time, researchers continue to discover new information about how your body digests and responds to carbs.

Therefore, you may still be wondering how to include carbs in a healthy diet, or what makes some carbs so hard to say no to at times.

This article reviews the current research on whether carbs are addictive, and what that means for their role in the human diet.

Carbohydrates are one of the main macronutrients your body needs.

In fact, of all the macronutrients, carbs are arguably the most important source of energy for your bodys cells, tissues, and organs. Not only do carbs produce energy, but they also help store it (1).

Still, serving as a good source of energy isnt their only function. Carbs also serve as a precursor to ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), transport molecular data, and aid cell signaling processes (2).

When you think of carbs, often the first types of foods that come to mind are refined carbs like cakes, cookies, pastries, white bread, pasta, and rice.

Their chemical makeup includes three primary elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

However, many healthy foods are also carbs, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole-grain breads, pasta, and rice.

Carbs are one of the main macronutrients required by your body. Theyre needed for many functions, including producing and storing energy.

You may have noticed that it can be hard to resist junk food at times, especially carbs that are high in refined sugar, salt, and fat.

Many people have wondered if this is a matter of willpower, behavioral or psychological traits, or even brain chemistry.

Some people have even begun to question whether carbs could be addictive in the same way that other substances or behaviors can be (3, 4).

One major study revealed strong evidence that high-carb meals stimulate regions of the brain that are associated with cravings and rewards (5).

This study found that men with obesity or excess weight displayed higher brain activity and greater reported hunger after eating a high-GI meal, compared with a low-GI meal (5).

GI stands for glycemic index, a measure of how the carbs in a meal affect blood sugar levels. A food with a high GI increases blood sugar levels more dramatically than a food with a low GI.

This suggests that the human urge for refined carbs could have much more to do with brain chemistry than initially believed.

Additional research has continued to support these findings.

Some researchers have gone so far as to suggest that refined carbs in the form of fructose have addictive properties that closely resemble those of alcohol. Fructose is a simple sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and honey.

These scientists found that, like alcohol, fructose promotes insulin resistance, abnormal fat levels in your blood, and liver inflammation. Plus, it stimulates your brains hedonic pathway (6).

This pathway triggers appetite and influences food intake through a system of pleasure and reward rather than being based on true physical hunger or actual energy needs.

Not only do insulin resistance, inflammation, and abnormal fat levels increase your risk of chronic disease, but repeated stimulation of the hedonic pathway may reset the level of fat mass your body wants to preserve, contributing to increased body weight (7, 8, 9).

High-GI carbs that promote rapid changes to insulin and blood sugar levels also appear to affect dopamine levels. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in your brain that sends messages between cells and influences the way you feel pleasure, reward, and even motivation (10).

Furthermore, some research in rats shows that granting periodic access to sugar and chow food mix may produce behavior that closely mirrors the dependency often seen with drug abuse (11).

A second study used a similar model, allowing rats periodic access to a 10% sugar solution and a chow food mix followed by a period of fasting. During and after the fast, the rats displayed anxiety-like behaviors and a reduction in dopamine (12).

Its important to note that most of the experimental research conducted thus far on carbs and addiction has taken place in animals. Therefore, additional and more rigorous human studies are needed (13, 14).

In one study, women ages 18 to 45 who were prone to emotional eating episodes were more likely to choose a carb-rich drink over a protein-rich one after being induced into a sad mood even when blinded from which drink was which (15).

The connection between carb-rich foods and mood is just one theory as to carbs may sometimes be addictive (16).

On the other hand, some researchers are not convinced that carbs are truly addictive (17).

They argue that there are not enough human studies and believe that most of the research in animals suggests addiction-like behaviors from sugar only in the context of periodic access to sugar specifically rather than from the neurochemical effect of carbs in general (18).

Other researchers conducted a study in 1,495 university students in which they assessed the students for signs of food addiction. They concluded that total calories in a food and unique eating experiences were more influential on calorie intake than sugar alone (19).

Further, some have argued that many of the tools used to evaluate addictive-like eating behaviors rely on self-assessment and reports from people participating in the study, which leaves too much room for subjective misunderstandings (20).

Some evidence suggests that high-carbs meals may stimulate different types of brain activity than low-carb meals. Particularly, carbs appear to affect the areas of the brain related to pleasure and reward.

In 2009, researchers at Yale developed the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) to provide a validated measurement tool to assess addictive eating behaviors (21, 22).

In 2015, researchers from the University of Michigan and the New York Obesity Research Center used the YFAS scale to measure addiction-like eating behaviors in students. They concluded high-GI, high fat, and processed foods were most associated with food addiction (23).

The chart below shows some of the most problematic foods for addictive eating and their glycemic load (GL) (23).

GL is a measure that considers both the GI of a food as well as its portion size. When compared to GI, GL is typically a more accurate measure of how a food impacts blood sugar levels.

With the exception of cheese, each of the top 10 most addictive foods according to the YFAS scale contains significant amounts of carbs. While most cheese still provides some carbs, it isnt as carb-heavy as the other items on the list.

Moreover, many of these foods are not only high in carbs but also refined sugar, salt, and fat. Plus, theyre often eaten in highly processed forms.

Therefore, there may still be much more to uncover about the relationship between these types of foods, the human brain, and addictive-like eating behaviors.

The most addictive types of carbs are highly processed, as well as high in fat, sugar, and salt. They also typically have a high glycemic load.

Even though research shows that carbs display some addictive properties, there are many techniques you can use to overcome cravings for carbs and other junk foods.

One of the most powerful steps you can take to stop carb cravings is simply to plan for them ahead of time.

Having an action plan in mind for those moments when cravings hit may help you feel prepared and empowered to pass up carb-laden junk foods and make a healthier choice instead.

As far as what your action plan should entail, keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer. Different techniques may work better or worse for different people.

Here are a few ideas you can try:

Various techniques may help fight off carbs cravings. These include physical activity, staying hydrated, familiarizing yourself with trigger foods, and filling up on healthy fruits, vegetables, and proteins.

Carbs are your bodys primary source of energy.

Some carbs, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are very healthy. Other carbs can be very processed and high in salt, sugar, and fat.

Early research on carbs does suggest that they might display addictive-like properties. They appear to stimulate certain parts of the brain and even influence the types and amounts of chemicals your brain releases.

However, more rigorous research in humans is needed to uncover exactly how these mechanisms in the brain are affected by carbs.

Some of the most addictive carbs appear to be highly processed junk foods like pizza, chips, cakes, and candies.

However, there are various techniques you can try to combat carb cravings. Consider testing out a few to learn what works best for you.

See more here:
Is Carb Addiction Real? All You Need to Know - Healthline

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