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It's rare that a new diet trend gets a positive review from the health community, but for the most part, Noom has been praised for encouraging people to focus on healthier eating habits. A millennial-friendly app, Noom is a diet service that actually doesn't require you to give up the foods that you love to eat. Dieters, who pay a minimum of $59 each month for access to the app, are pushed to think about the Big Picture. Developed by a team of psychologists, the Noom diet is all about making long-term lifestyle shifts, unlike fad diets that might require a short-term fast or the shunning of certain food groups. It also connects dieters to live coaches and allows you to receive 1-on-1 health coaching during regular business hours.

Noom allows you to log exercise, weight loss over time, and blood sugar levels as well as blood pressure. The diet itself begins after you take an in-depth quiz based on a series of lifestyle questions calorie restrictions are recommended on a case by case basis, and they may recommend a diabetes management plan. Unlike the weight loss plan, the diabetes Noom plan is designed to particularly aid individuals suffering from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and may help prevent overweight or obese individuals from becoming pre-diabetic (it's even recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

But how exactly does Noom enable you to lose weight if it doesn't restrict you? It all has to do with a color-coded system that is subtly different for each user.

Courtesy of Noom

Like Weight Watchers and other popular paid weight loss services, the Noom app helps you lose weight by asking you to track your meals. It measures the caloric value of every item you input and compares it to the exercise and other physical movement you've completed during the day, as well as weighing both those factors against your personal goals. While Noom aims to keep your body fueled with sufficient calories, it doesn't technically restrict you from eating any ingredients or food groups.

But as Jacklyn London, MS, RD, points out in her formal review of the service, dieters only get the best results if they enjoy highly caloric, sugary, or processed snacks in light moderation. Noom doesn't push a strict regiment by any means, but the app rewards you for eating wholesome, nutrient-dense foods through its color-coding system. Even when you do eat an indulgent meal, the app will try to help you reduce caloric blowback by encouraging portion control for certain ingredients that come up red.

It's important to remember that red foods aren't "bad" and green foods can also be considered unhealthy in copious amounts. If you're stuck trying to decide what to buy or eat, using Noom's color-coded list may help you make the best decision in the spur of the moment.

Green List:

Of course, the best foods to eat while on the Noom diet are designated in a bright green color these items are fresh vegetables, nourishing fruits, wholesome grains, and supercharged dairy items that work in tandem to regulate your digestive system. You'll find that you can enjoy bigger portions of these nutritional powerhouses throughout the day, and the more that you incorporate into your meals, the closer you'll get to your daily, weekly, and monthly weight loss goals.

Yellow List:

While the app encourages you to eat less foods that are coded yellow, you may notice that these ingredients are healthy in their own right. Noom has designated these items as second tier to foods on the green list only because they're denser in calories. This doesn't mean you should totally abstain from them, however; the app encourages you to incorporate lean proteins and other nutrient-rich items like tempeh into your meals, albeit in smaller amounts. If you find yourself frequently reaching for items that are on the yellow list, Noom's app is designed to help find a green-list item that you can easily swap for instead. For example, you may swap chicken breast out for tofu in a meal every once in a while because Noom rewards tofu more than it does chicken breast.

What you should limit:

As you've probably guessed, the foods that are tagged on Noom's red list are things that are high in calories, saturated fats, sodium, sugar, and processed carbohydrates. While you're not restricted from enjoying these items once in a blue moon, they should be avoided as much as possible on a daily basis. If you do enjoy a cheat snack, you may want to double up on foods found on Noom's green list throughout the rest of the day, or spend a few more minutes in the gym, in order to stay on par with your weight loss goals.

None of these items should be too shocking; highly processed meats, like bacon, are often restricted on most diets. Some of these items may be surprising, however, such as peanut butter, which can be quiet high in calories and (depending on the brand) sugars or sodium. While each of the items on Noom's red list vary in their degrees of nutritional value, you can always make them better for your own diet by choosing the healthiest variety possible: Stick to dark chocolate, natural peanut butter, or enjoying a sandwich made with low-sodium ham.

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The Full List of Foods You Can Eat on the Noom Diet - GoodHousekeeping.com

Dieting can be an overwhelming experience. Choosing a diet type is tough. So, ask yourself some basic questions to make it a little less stressful.

Choosing a diet isnt easy. Where do you even start? Keto? Paleo? Atkins? Mediterranean? Some variation of all of the above, that includes something you can actually enjoy? Some diet types have been around a long time, while others burst into attention every once in a while, capturing everyones attention before fading away and leaving in even more confusion in an already complex situation. With all the information out there, it can be difficult to narrow down your choices.

But dont fret, because choosing a diet is not as hard as choosing to diet. Youve already taken a hard step, and with a little guidance you can start down the path towards better health.

Answering some basic questions can help narrow down your choices. Be honest with yourself, and use what you learn from the following questions to target a few diet options.

What are My Goals?

The diet you choose should reflect not only your goals, but what you expect from changing what you eat. Think about what you want the outcome to be.

Are you interested in maintaining weight and eating healthier? Or are you trying to lose weight? Do you want to count calories? How about carbs? Maybe a low-carb diet works or focusing on smaller meals throughout the day.

Consider your approach to exercise. Are you interested in fitness or gaining muscle? Diets that are high in protein can help with that.

Focusing on your goals helps you find different paths to the finish line. If youre not sure where to start, try talking to a dietician.

If you want to focus on losing weight only, then you need to consider the calories in and the calories out how much you eat versus how much you consume every day. Consume more than you eat and your weight will drop, but this is a simplistic approach that doesnt consider other aspects related to your health, such as nutrient intake and vitamins. It also doesnt consider your body type.

What is My Body Type?

Having an awareness of your body type is important when it comes to choosing a diet. There are basically three different categories that most people fall into.

While your body type probably most aligns with one of these three, many people have characteristics of all of them. Its also important to know that whatever body type you are, its possible to lose weight and develop muscle. Understanding your body shape can go a long way toward choosing the best diet and improving your health.

How Much Time Do I have to Cook?

The top diets of the year, ranked and explained

Picking the proper diet has to take into account your current lifestyle. Eating home-cooked meals helps with weight loss. But that may not be realistic for you. How much time do you have per week to prepare your meals? Are you comfortable cooking, or do you usually eat out? A new diet can be doomed from the start if it requires too drastic a change to food choice and lifestyle.

Cooking is not mandatory in dieting, but it can be an important ally. Studies have shown that the food we cook tends to be healthier than what we buy, and you also have complete control over what you include in your food.

What is My Budget?

Some diets can be pricey, since they may require special ingredients or meal replacements. Thats not even considering membership to a gym or the cost of exercise equipment. Actually sitting down and coming up with a budget for a proposed diet is key to sustaining it. If you need to, look into different alternatives to minimize the financial stress of an expensive diet although in truth, dieting shouldnt really be expensive.

If you diet is asking you to exclusively eat some things, which also turn out to be expensive, you might want to consider if this is actually the best approach.

When and How am I Going to Exercise?

You may not like to exercise, but it is a vital component to taking your fitness and health seriously. You dont have to train for a marathon or take up kickboxing, but its important to make space for exercise in your plans. In addition to helping control your weight, regular exercise can improve your mood, increase your energy, and even help control food choices.

Healthy adults should try for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. But this can vary depending on factors like weight and age. Talk to your doctor or a personal trainer to help come up with the best plan for you.

What Types of Food Do I Like?

You dont have to torture yourself on a diet. In fact, the more you like the foods that make up your diet, the more likely you will stick with it. Many low-calorie diets will swap calorie-dense foods like meat and bread for more nutritious options like vegetables. If you dont love eating something like fish, dont pick a diet that incorporates a lot of fish. It seems simple. But ask if the food youll be eating is sustainable for you.

Answer Honestly to Find What Works Best

Its important to be realistic about your diet options. If youre looking to simply lose weight, for example, youd think that the diet that can drop the most pounds would be best. But what if it requires you to eat food you hate? What if it is cost prohibitive? These answers are important. They may be the key to finding a sustainable diet. Thats because the bottom line is the best diet for you is the one you can stick to.

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How to Choose a Diet and Stick with It - ZME Science

San Diego Magazine recently published their guide to Eating Healthy.We take a look at some tips and topics that came up in the magazine with Dr. Emily Poccia of Wild Craft Medicine in La Jolla, California.

Healthy eating can be a real challenge. It seems like every day there are news reports quoting studies that claim a particular food is the key to great health or that you should avoid it at all costs. Add to that the battle of marketing between competing commerce like the meat industry versus plant-based protein businesses each trying to take the other down and its hard to know what to believe. The truth is, eating a healthy diet means different things for different people. We sat down with Dr. Emily Poccia, ND to discuss some of the latest trends with diet and health.

How do you maintain a healthy digestive tract?

How can it be healthy to stop eating?

One major skill needed for being aware of what you are putting in your body is the ability to read food labels. Here, Dr. Poccia discusses how to keep that as simple as possible.

Ultimately, what is healthy and what is not is truly dependent on the individual. The next time you hear about that new health craze, be sure it makes sense for you and your condition before you jump on that latest trend.

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Hone in on Healthy Eating and 2020 Diet Trends - yurview.com

Char-Koosta News

ST. IGNATIUS February is American Heart Month and Go Red for Women and the Tribal Health Department Diabetes Program took the lead on the locally acknowledged issue, and informationally celebrated it Friday at the St. Ignatius Tribal Community Center. The event promoted a healthy diet and physical activity. Seventy-five adults signed in for the event, and with all the children the attendance was nearly 100.

Go Red for Women is the American Health Associations national health movement with the goal of curbing better yet, ending heart disease and strokes among women.

There were numerous health related informational booths at the Go Red for Women event.

A good healthy diet and exercise prolongs life, a good quality of life, said Kati Burton, THD Community Dietician. One of the first steps to a long and quality life is knowing what a person is eating; that starts with reading ingredient labels on processed foods. A healthy diet with exercise makes for a healthy body that lowers pain levels in muscles and joints, improves eyesight and blood flow. All foods contain vitamins, minerals and nutrients that keep us alive. The biggest difference a person can do is controlling the amount of fats in the food they eat read the ingredients.

Burton said another contributor to an unhealthy diet is the shift from family dining and fast food dining. The social nature of family dining affects both the body and mind especially when combined with healthy foods on the plates. In the case of American Indians, those foods could include the natural foodstuff that sated the diets of tribal Ancestors.

Burton encourages people to look into gardening or purchasing produce from local gardens, eating and preserving what comes from the garden.

Its good to know where your food comes from, she said.

The Montana State University Food Products Development Lab is researching and promoting the use of natural and healthy foods including foodstuff that were historically a part of the American Indian diet.

Dr. Wan-Yuan Kuo, MSU FPD Lab director said part of the mission of the program is Sustainable food product development sourcing local, specialty, and Indigenous crops to create healthy, eco-friendly, and culturally acceptable food products,

The lab is working with the Billings based Native American Development Corporation to establish research and education efforts to develop Native American food products.

Edwin Allen, MSU Food Products Development Lab, discusses the Lab and what it is doing to use underused healthy foods for healty diets.

Edwin Allen of the MSU FPD Lab said the program is working with the Indian Nations in Montana to incorporate under-utilized crops such as lentils, chickpeas, and peanuts into diets of tribal people. Allen is a MSU graduate student from Ghana who also has promoted such an effort in Senegal, Africa. He has heretofore worked with the Northern Cheyenne, Crow and CSKT tribes to promote heathy natural foods into diets.

On the Flathead Indian Reservation, he and other MSU FPD Lab students worked with the CSKT Fish Keepers to promote the use of lake trout into peoples diets. At the Go Red for Women gathering the group had smoked lake trout fish tacos on the menu in traditional corn tortillas and another with tacos in fish skin, both had huckleberries as an ingredient. They were a smokie spicy and sweet taste that wasnt bad on the palate.

We help people develop underused food products and want to help the Fish Keepers promote the consumption of the lake trout, Allen said. Montana is the third largest producer of lentils and we would like to use that here in food diets.

The lunch at the Go Red for women was a healthy serving of vegetable soups and salads.

In fact, the main luncheon dish was two thick soups with chick peas as the main ingredient.

Allen said the MSU FPD Lab will soon began researching and promoting bison. We will be working with the tribal community to incorporate lean bison meat in their diets, he said. All the ingredients we use for events like this is promoted by the tribal communities we are working with.

Allen said MSU is working on establishing a relationship with Salish Kootenai College on the development of natural and healthy food projects. We want to increase the consumption of Native products, he said.

The diet of Indian women is high on processed foods that increase blood pressure and cholesterol, said THD Diabetes Program manager Brenda Bodner. Its pretty easy to turn that around with improvements in diet. That includes choosing quality foods. Beans are a big emphasis today they are rich in protein, and good for cardiovascular health.

THD nurse Chelsea Kleinmeyer said healthy food and exercise are good ingredients for a healthy lifestyle.

Get away from the TV or computer screen and get outside and be active, she said. Being outside is very beneficial, it reduces stress and lowers blood pressure and improves mental health.

Another highlight of the Go Red for Women event was the Native fashion show that featured all-age models in Native design apparel. The fashions all incorporated the color red.

Symptoms of a Stroke

Signs that you may be having a stroke:

You should never wait more than five minutes to dial 9-1-1 if you experience even one of the signs above. Remember, you could be having a stroke even if youre not experiencing all of the symptoms. And remember to check the time. The responding emergency medical technician or emergency room nurse at the hospital will need to know when the first symptom occurred.

Stroke is not only the number four cause of death in the United States, its also a leading cause of severe, long-term disability. Thats why its important to take action immediately. Research conducted by The American Stroke Association shows that patients who take a clot-busting drug, or thrombolytic, within three hours of their first stroke symptom can reduce long-term disability from ischemic stroke the most common type, accounting for about 87 percent of all cases.

When you know the signs of stroke, the life you save could be your own or someone elses. Learn to spot the signs of stroke, or spot a stroke F.A.S.T. (Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911) with the help of mobile app for iOS or Android. Your life is in your hands.

Learn more about your risk for heart disease and stroke as well as factors that increase your risk.

Knowing the Warning Signs of a Heart Attack, and Acting Quickly can Save a Life

Causes of a heart attack in women

Heart attacks occur when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked by a buildup of plaque in coronary arteries. While the initial causation can often be pinned on the usual suspects heavy smokers, people with high-stress lifestyles, or those who are excessively overweightthe not-so-usual suspects can also be at high risk for heart attack.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women, which is why it is imperative that women learn the warning signs and symptoms, see a doctor regularly, and learn their family history.

Symptoms of a heart attack:

As with men, the most common heart attack symptom in women is chest pain or discomfort. But its important to note that women are more likely to experience the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

What to do during a heart attack

If you experience any of these signs or symptoms:

Why its important to know the symptoms of a heart attack

Women who consider themselves healthy often misdiagnose the symptoms of a heart attack because they dont think it could happen to them. That is why its crucial to learn about heart disease and stroke, know your numbers, live a heart-healthy lifestyle and be aware of the risk factors of heart disease.

Continued here:
Go Red for Women promotes healthy diets, hearts and fun - Char-Koosta News

Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Harrison Ford attends the premiere of "The Call of the Wild" at El Capitan Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Los Angeles.Harrison Ford revealed the secret to his ripped physique at the age of 77.

During an an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that aired on Tuesday, the host took some time to commend Ford for his chiseled looks.

"You look good, you look really good," DeGeneres told the Indiana Jones actor, who jokingly responded, "What did I look like before?"

DeGeneres then showed a photo of Ford looking fit on a bike with his ripped arms exposed, and asked him if he's been working out a lot, which got a big roar from the audience.

"I don't work out like crazy; I just, I work out a bit," he said. "I ride bikes and I play tennis a little bit."

After some fun banter, where the Star Wars legend denied riding an electric bike in the photo, Ford confessed that he pared his diet down to "vegetables and fish, no dairy, no [meat]."

"'The fact that you can stick to it is pretty impressive because it is hard to eat really, really clean," DeGeneres said of Ford before asking if there was a specific reason behind his diet change.

"I just decided I was tired of eating meat and I know its not really good for the planet, and it's not really good for me."

Ellen chimed back in, "It's good to not eat meat, I find."

Ford also revealed that he's poised toput his Indiana Jones hat back on in the fifth installment in the George Lucas franchise that kicked off back in 1981.

Shooting for the still untitled movie is slated to begin this summer.

The last film in the franchise was 2008's Indiana Jones And The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which was one of the highest grossing films of the year.

Ford is currently promoting his new adventure film The Call of the Wild, which opens in theaters Friday.

Slideshow: These 40 fit celebrities over 40 will inspire you to hit the gym (Provided by Prevention)

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Harrison Ford reveals he's been eating a clean diet of 'vegetables and fish' to maintain his fit physique at age 77 - msnNOW

Slices of raw yellowtail fish. Fuumi901/ Shutterstock

When most people think of the paleo diet, they picture a simple, back-to-basics eating style full of real food like grass-fed meats, sustainable seafood, and some fruits, veggies, seeds, and nuts.

What they don't imagine is a bunch of toxic metals, including lead and mercury but that's exactly what researchers found in a new study on the seafood diet of early humans in Norway, published January 28 in Quaternary International.

Researchers from the Arctic University of Norway and Stockholm University looked at 40 samples of skeleton remains of Atlantic cod and harp seal, both food sources for prehistoric humans, from eight archaeological sites in a region called Varanger in northeastern Norway. The bones were between 3,800 to 6,200 years old, representing a period of the Stone Age where humans in that region ate mostly seafood, along with some reindeer, beaver, hare, and occasionally some species of birds.

They found that evidence that both species contained toxic heavy metals cadmium and lead, in dangerous quantities. The amount of cadmium was between 15-22 times higher than what today considered safe for human consumption; the amount of lead was between three and four times higher than considered safe.

Researchers also found elevated levels of mercury, another toxic heavy metal, although not beyond what is currently regarded as safe.

All three types of heavy metals found in the seafood remnants are linked to human health issues. Exposure to cadmium can cause kidney, bone, and liver problems, while both lead and mercury can cause brain damage and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Researchers concluded, based on these findings, that "marine food during the Younger Stone Age in Varanger was unhealthy if not unsafe," according to the study.

However, it's not clear from the data in this study what the health effects of eating contaminated seafood may have been, or even if our Stone Age ancestors lived long enough to suffer the side effects of the toxins.

In trying to account for these results, researchers found a correlation between the surprisingly high levels of toxins and markers of climate change such as sea surface temperature and shoreline levels. They found that the higher levels of metals, at least in Atlantic cod, were linked to rising sea levels and sea temperatures, potentially due to erosion and/or volcanic activity.

However, this study was relatively small, so more research is needed, across more bone samples and a broader region, to better understand how changing temperatures and rising seas may have affected our ancestors' food sources and health.

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The original paleo diet included seafood with 22 times the safe limit of toxic metals, study finds - Insider - INSIDER

When trying to lose weight it can be tempting to drastically cut certain foods your diet plan. While removing unhealthy foods can speed up weight loss, eating more of the right foods can actually give the best results. Having a diet high in protein can speed up weight loss, an expert explained.

It can be tempting to eat less when trying to lose a few pounds but this does not necessarily work.

Tucking into foods high in protein could give the best results, Elliott Upton, personal trainer at Ultimate Performance and Head of LiveUP Online Coaching, said.

He told Express.co.uk: Every meal should be built around a quality source of protein.

It helps to repair, rebuild and maintain muscle tissue, which not only improves body composition - the way your body looks - but also increases metabolic rate.

READ MORE: Gordon Ramsay: How did he shed 3st? TV chef on heartbreaking motivation for weight loss

Speeding up the metabolism makes the body burn more calories which leads to fat loss.

As well as burning fat more quickly, high protein foods reduce hunger so slimmers will probably eat less overall.

Elliot added: It is also satiating, so helps keep you fuller for longer, and the better you can control hunger, the more sustainable your diet will be.

High protein foods include meat, fish, dairy products, nuts, tofu and beans.

DON'T MISS

Ultimately, the best diet is going to be one that is easy to stick to, the expert explained.

He added: There is no best diet or perfect diet to follow.

However, there is a best diet for you, that is always going to be the one that best fits your lifestyle and one that is going to be the most sustainable.

There is nothing overly complicated about dieting the challenging part is adhering to it consistently and long enough to see results.

Following a healthy diet plan can be paired with regular exercise for a weight loss transformation.

Elliot said full body compound exercises and resistance training are the best for burning fat.

Resistance training is the number one tool we use for weight loss and body composition change, alongside nutrition, the expert suggested.

Lifting weights helps to build muscle, lose fat and increase your metabolic rate.

The reason weight training is so efficient for fat loss is that there are so many variables we can change within the same one hour workout to keep challenging the body and progressing through progressive overload.

Some of the variables we can change are: reps, sets, weight, tempo or total time under tension, range of motion, rest, angles, machines vs. free weights, etc.

"This constant manipulation to key variables is the advantage weight training has over traditional cardio, where you essentially need to run further, longer, faster or more frequently to keep progressing and losing weight."

He explained compound exercises can help burn more calories than simply doing cardio.

Pairing exercise and diet can give the best results when trying to get into shape.

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Weight loss diet plan: The one food you should eat more of to help burn belly fat fast - Express

Subject to grueling hours and intense political pressure, Japans elite bureaucrats are beginning to ask themselves whether its all worth it. Political scientist Nonaka Naoto traces the growing crisis to deeply entrenched legislative procedures rooted in de facto one-party rule.

Japanese democracy observed a milestone in October 2019, when the National Diet convened for its 200th session. Unfortunately, the two-month extraordinary session was dominated by opposition grilling over government scandals and bureaucratic malfeasance, leaving important policy issues on the back burner.

The Diet session also called attention to the extraordinary pressures that are causing young bureaucratsand those contemplating such a careerto question whether the benefits of a job in government are worth the costs. Even with a massive typhoon approaching Tokyo, civil servants remained holed up in their offices in Kasumigaseki, frantically preparing their ministers responses to questions from opposition politicians.

The problems afflicting Japans legislative and administrative branches are structurally related. In the following, I would like to trace their origins and clarify their connections in an effort to light the way to a solution.

At one time, the Japanese bureaucracy was regarded as a model of organizational autonomy, technical expertise, and policy leadership. Today, it is more often associated with the phenomenon of sontaku, the apparent willingness of senior administrators to cast aside ethical standards in their rush to curry favor with the prime minister and his cronies. To understand this transformation, we need to examine the changing relationship between the administrative and political spheres in the period since 1955, when the Liberal Democratic Party came to power.

The first and most obvious aspect of this relationship is the system of collaboration that developed between the bureaucracy and the ruling LDP under the so-called 1955 system, which persisted until 1993. The key institutional component of this relationship was the LDP Policy Research Council, whose organization mirrored that of the governments administrative apparatus. The tribes of LDP lawmakers, or zoku giin, appointed to each division of the Policy Research Council lobbied on behalf of specific industries and other interests, serving as a link between those interests and the government agencies with jurisdiction over them. Although bureaucrats of each ministry took the lead in the process of crafting policy and drafting laws, all legislation had to be vetted and approved by the relevant committees of the Policy Research Council before the cabinet could submit it to the Diet. This close collaborative relationship made use of the abilities of Japans elite, highly educated bureaucrats while upholding the democratic principles of the postwar Constitution, under which the democratically elected Diet is the highest organ of the state. It was the price the bureaucracy paid for maintaining its influence.

But the principles of postwar democracy also insisted that the minority parties have a voice in government policy. With no prospect of wresting the reins of government from the LDP, the opposition asserted itself largely through Diet questioning, in which lawmakers grilled cabinet members, who in turn relied on the expertise of the civil service for their responses. Thus, while negotiating and coordinating with the LDP outside of the Diet, Japanese bureaucrats were also obliged to fence with the opposition during legislative sessions. In this sense, the power of Japans postwar bureaucracy during the 1955 setupunlike that of the prewar erawas carefully circumscribed and subject to constraints from the elected politicians of LDP and the opposition alike.

However, the balance began to shift decisively during the turbulent 1990s, as the government decision-making apparatus came under mounting criticism for corruption, sectionalism, and inefficiency. Beginning in the mid-1990s, with the cabinet of Prime Minister Hashimoto Rytar, successive governments enacted a series of far-reaching administrative and civil-service reforms designed to strengthen "political leadership" in the form of top-down, centralized control over the bureaucracy and the policymaking process. The Cabinet Office, headed by the chief cabinet secretary and the prime minister, was given the resources and authority to formulate and coordinate basic policy. These top politicians established completely new types of advisory councils consisting of both government and private-sector experts to draw up recommendations for legislation and other policy measures.

Last but not least, the prime minister and the chief cabinet secretary were given centralized control over the appointment and management of senior administrative personnela change of momentous importance for the autonomy of Japans civil servants and their relationship with the political sector.

Ministries and agencies were stripped of their former organizational autonomy. Now the fate of officials hung on the good opinion of the prime minister and chief cabinet secretary, who had the power not only to block appointments but also to deprive senior officials of authority and prestige simply by denying them a place on a policy council. The reforms dramatically weakened the clout of the bureaucracy, as well as its symbiotic relationship with the LDP, and placed Japans administrators in a position of absolute subservience to the prime ministers office.

At the same time, the bureaucracys relationship with opposition politicians remained fundamentally unchanged. Civil servants still find themselves in the firing line during the oppositions relentless and often hostile questioning in the Diet. In fact, Diet interaction between opposition politicians and civil servants has grown all the more fraught now that the latter are manifestly working for the prime minister and his cabinet.

In this sense, the current crisis facing Japans civil service relates directly to legislative procedures and systems that have taken hold in the Diet since the LDP took power in 1955. Nor is this the only consequence of the Diets peculiarities. Of course, the rules and customs governing parliamentary government vary from one country to the next, but there is no denying that Japans National Diet is among the most peculiar legislative assemblies in the advanced industrial world because of the unique pattern of parliamentary rationalization in postwar Japan.

The first peculiarity is the way that plenary sittings have been relegated to the status of a rubber stamp as Diet committees have taken over the deliberative process. This is especially evident in the small amount of time allotted to itroughly 60 hours a year on average (in the House of Representatives). That is about one-twentieth of the time spent in Britain and France.

Almost all national legislatures feature a combination of committee and plenary deliberation, but in most countries the two play complementary roles in the legislative process. As a rule, the committees are tasked with gathering and evaluating technical information and ironing out differences in a collaborative spirit, while the plenary deliberations are the stage for impassioned partisan debate. In postwar Japan, this basic model has broken down. The plenary sessions have become pro forma, and the committees have taken over as the main arena for partisan posturing. As a result, the committees no longer perform their original legislative function, nor can they be expected to.

The second peculiarity is the inordinate amount of time devoted to question-and-answer sessions (shitsugi), as opposed to parliamentary debate. The difference is twofold. First, debate is a free exchange of views, while questioning is limited to specific queries prepared and submitted in advance. Second, debate typically takes place between legislators, while questioning (in Japan, at least), consists primarily of hostile questions posed by opposition politicians to cabinet ministerswho in turn may call on bureaucrats or private-sector experts to assist in delivering their response. This is partly because almost all the bills put before the Diet are government-sponsored bills, but it also reflects the oppositions use of questioning to highlight real or alleged government misconduct. In either case, the questions are submitted in advance, and bureaucrats are given the thankless and time-consuming task of assembling the data and talking points needed to respond. (They are frequently required to appear in person as well.)

This question-and-answer format, which took hold during the years when the LDP was firmly ensconced as the perennial ruling party, lies at the heart of many of the systemic problems plaguing Diet deliberations. But any effort to change it meets fierce resistance, since it is the single most important institutional weapon at the disposal of an opposition with no prospects for winning an electoral majority.

Even more troubling is the third peculiarity of Diet deliberation: the fact that members of the ruling LDP play almost no part in it. Of course, the LDP accumulated great policymaking clout under the 1955 system, but it wielded that power almost exclusively through extra-parliamentary channels. In fact, the backroom negotiations of the Policy Research Council divisions have eliminated open Diet deliberation for LDP legislators.

Currently, almost 70% of the time set aside for Diet questioning is allocated to the minority parties. While the opposition uses its time for ruthless interrogation, politicians of the ruling party seem to view their meager allotment as a burden. The result is that on average, contribution of LDP politicians to committee deliberation is a mere 5% of that from members of the Communist Party. In short, the role of LDP Diet members is simply to vote on the government-sponsored bills put before themlegislation that has already been vetted, revised, and approved by the party brass. The system simply leaves no room for serious deliberation or debate either in committee or in plenary sittings.

To review, the postwar Diet evolved as a body in which the ruling and opposition parties played their assigned roles, while the bureaucracy took the leading role in the process of formulating policy and drawing up legislation. The LDP, for all its attention to form and procedure, ceased to be an active or meaningful participant in the Diet, as the opposition took center stage. Moreover, it was the bureaucrats who were left to cope with the oppositions grilling.

By correcting the overcentralization of administrative power in the office of the prime minister, it might be possible to create a healthier balance between our politicians and bureaucrats. This would help address the problem of sontaku and mitigate some of the pressures under which our civil servants are obliged to operate. But the problem of overworked, overstressed bureaucrats is inextricably tied to Japans dysfunctional Diet. And Diet reform is a difficult task requiring insightful and decisive political leadership.

As I have stressed, the context in which the Dietspeculiar and anomalous workings evolved was the LDPs monopolistic control of government. Despite the electoral reforms that helped sweep the LDP from power in 2009, a viable two-party system has yet to take hold in Japan. Under the circumstances, it is will be no easy matter to fundamentally change the way the Diet works. But we can start by understanding the origins of the problem and carefully studying the options for reform.

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Prime Minister Abe Shinz responds to questions from Diet members in the House of Representatives, October 8, 2019. Jiji.)

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Untying the Knot of Japan's Bureaucratic and Diet Dysfunction - Nippon.com

New research shows that if you adapt what you eat as you grow older, you can prevent weight gain, muscle loss and a host of chronic diseases before they begin. Consider this your new cribs sheet to graduating from your care-free twenties to the proper dietary 'adulting' of your thirties.

Once you pass this threshold, your metabolism starts to slow and so increases your risk of weight gain and muscle loss. It's hardly ideal. Add to the mix that it'll time to start thinking about your risk of heart disease and things can become a little taxing once you pass the big three-oh.

Cue the numerous health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. Think salmon, mackerel, oysters, tuna, trout and even some white fish like pollock and perch. Each can all deliver a nutritional payload, loaded with good fats that can help lower your risk of heart disease and up your muscle-building macros in one fell swoop.

But, what's the science? Well, dieticians say you should eat at least two 4-ounce portions of fish weekly. And look, you don't have to cook it. Try canned salmon or tinned sardines. All you need is a bed of greens or a bowl of rice to make it a meal. Who needs Joe Wicks?

If you're vegan, chia seeds, flax seeds and walnuts are also a great source of Omega-3. Vegan supplements also exist you neednt rely on fish oil capsules when youre looking to top up your levels of this health-boosting nutrient.

Vegan Omega 3 Softgels

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Protein will also help to keep your metabolism fired up as you move into your fourth decade. It has a high thermic effect as it is digested, which means that it requires more energy to be broken down. Following a high protein diet can help you to burn between 80 and 100 extra calories a day.

There's one habit to try and break, though: binge drinking. From 2009 to 2016, the average annual increase in deaths from cirrhosis was highest in people aged 25 to 34, according to a 2018 study published in BMJ. Repeatedly subjecting your liver to five drinks in two hours how the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines a binge may lead to liver damage. Go easy.

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This Simple Diet Tweak Will Help You Burn Fat and Beat Heart Disease in Your 30s - Men's health UK

In the summer of 2018, Olympic legend Mark Spitz walked to his fridge and almost fainted. His wife called the paramedics, kicking off a harrowing 12 hours at his local hospital.

The incident came out of nowhere. No one was as surprised as Spitz, who, at 70 years old, is still in damn good shape, exercises regularly, and has eaten a low-meat diet for almost 20 years. So what happened?

It turns out Spitz has atrial fibrillation, more commonly known as AFib. Its a condition where the heart beats erraticallyeither too fast (tachycardia), as it does for Spitz, or too slow (bradycardia). Curiously, its relatively common among elite athletes as they age. And in case you need a refresher about Spitzs elite athlete status: In 1972, he won seven gold medals and set seven world records at the Munich Olympics, all while rocking one of the finest mustaches of the 20th century.

Spitz has made a full recovery since his scare in the summer of 2018so much so that hes enthusiastically partnered with AliveCor, which manufactures the portable EKG monitor he now endorses (KardiaMobile). He recently spoke to GQ about living with a chronic heart condition, swimming imaginary races against Michael Phelps in his backyard pool, how training for the Olympics has evolved in the half-century since he competed, and who to watch for in Tokyo this year.

GQ: Can you tell me how you came to be diagnosed with AFib?

Mark Spitz: Well, it was a Sunday I believe, and my wife asked me to grab some blueberries from the refrigerator. When I got out there, I was feeling kind of weird, like light-headed, and I said to my wife, I think Im going to faint. And I dont ever get that sensation. After about five minutes, my wife called the paramedics.

The next 12 hours, they were trying to control me with medication. They had an IV in one arm for blood thinners, and another IV for controlling adrenaline to get my heart rate down. It was coming down but not fast enough, and they thought they could actually shock me into sinus rhythm. I was put to sleep and they shocked me three times in two minutes, like you see in the movies with the paddles. It still didnt go down until later that evening.

Id imagine that was a scary time.

Oh yeah. The disturbing thing I found out is that this stuff doesnt go away. Its not like, Take two Aspirin and call me tomorrow. This is a lifetime experience.

What kinds of lifestyle changes did you make to deal with that?

Having AFib is not a question of changing your lifestyle, its a question of understanding your lifestyle. If in fact you have some bad habits, you have to arrest those. There are three major things that my doctor says you should take into account: monitoring, diet, and exercise.

I have to be able to track my heart activity. A lot of people dont know that theyre in AFib, and a lot of people dont like to go to the doctorwhen you have an EKG, they hook up all these wires to you, and youre afraid of what theyre going to find out. But if you go into a routine of taking your EKG, then it just becomes a standard thing. I think knowing is so much more important than being afraid and not knowing.

I use this device called KardiaMobile. [Spitz is a spokesperson for KardiaMobile.] It can actually create an EKG at any time in 30 seconds. So Im constantly monitoring myself.

Excerpt from:
Mark Spitz: The Real-Life Diet of the Legendary Swimmer Who Still Does Imaginary Races Against Michael Phelps - GQ

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