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The 5:2 diet is a popular intermittent fasting plan that focuses on fasting for two days a week, while eating a normal diet for five days a week. As with all diets, there are a few variations of the 5:2 diet, particularly when it comes to how many calories you eat on your fast days, and what foods you should or shouldnt eat on your days off.

The term intermittent fasting refers to meal plans that revolve around regulated, periods of eating and then not eating, and there are several ways you can use intermittent fasting for weight loss. The most popular variations of intermittent fasting are the 5:2 and the 16:8 diets. On the 16:8 diet you only eat during an eight hour period, and therefore fast for 16 hours a day (obviously, the period when you are asleep is included in this, which helps a tad.)

The 5:2 diet applies the principle of intermittent fasting to days, rather than hours, and so you fast for two out of every seven days. It works by significantly restricting your calorie intake on those days, which means your overall calorie intake is lower, providing that you dont compensate and eat more than usual on your off days.

The original 5:2 diet plan, popularised by the Doctor and journalist Michael Mosley, recommends that on fast days women should consume 500 calories and men should consume 600 calories, which equates to roughly 25% of their normal recommended daily intake.

Since the publication of Mosley's first 5:2 diet plan, The Fast Diet, in 2013, variations have arisen, including from Moseley himself. His most recently-revised plan, published as the blood sugar diet because of the benefits of intermittent fasting on blood sugar levels well touch on this later recommends eating no more than 800 calories on fast days.

(Image credit: Pexels)

One thing that makes the 5:2 diet so popular is that in theory you can eat whatever you want on your 'off' days. It's true that no food is off limits and you don't have to totally deny yourself the foods you love. However, its important to be aware that what you eat on your 'off' days will impact your weight loss.

While the 5:2 diet only requires you to restrict and count calories for two days a week, naturally the better you eat on your 'off' days, the more likely you are to a significant amount of weight. If youre looking to lose weight fast youll need to be reasonably strict on your 'off' days and follow a Mediterranean diet on the non-fasting days.

If, however, youre looking for a sustainable diet that will help you lose weight and keep it off long term, then you can expect to lose around 1lb a week by fasting for two days and eating normally for five.

So what should you eat on your fast days? Its important to choose nutrient-dense foods that will fill you up more, making the calories you consume work harder for you. Vegetables, eggs, fish, lean meat and natural, unsweetened yogurt and are all good choices.

(Image credit: Pixabay)

The most obvious benefit of intermittent fasting is weight loss, because of the restriction on calorie intake. Whatever you eat, weight loss essentially comes down to calories in versus calories out: also known as your calorie deficit. In short, if you consume more calories than you burn in a day, the excess energy will be stored as fat. If, however, you burn more calories than you consume, your body will start to take energy from your stored fat, resulting in weight loss.

As well as this, intermittent fasting also benefits our blood sugar levels. When we fast whether thats not eating or eating less the insulin levels in our blood drops. Insulin is used by our cells to absorb sugar from the food we eat, so without insulin the cells are less able to use sugar for energy and so the rate of fat oxidation increases. Fat oxidation simply means when fat molecules are combined with oxygen to provide energy its what you or I would call burning.

What's more, some studies have shown that intermittent fasting helps you to lose fat without losing muscle, because fasting increases the level of human growth hormone in your body which in turn helps build muscle mass.

(Image credit: Pixabay)

The main difference between the 5:2 and 16:8 diets is the period of time for which you fast. On the 5:2 you fast for two days out of seven, but fasting is defined as consuming 500 - 600 calories. On the 16:8 you fast for just 16 hours at a time, but this means you consume nothing but water during the fast period.

Importantly, the weight loss principle is the same for both diets. By restricting your calorie intake for an extending period of time 16 hours or 24 hours your body runs out of carbohydrate to burn and instead begins to burn fat for energy.

Because neither diet restricts what you can eat, which one will work better for you comes down to lifestyle more than the diet itself. For people who have a regular routine around which they can plan meals, or who prefer not to eat early in the morning or late in the evening, the 16:8 diet is arguably easier to follow than the 5:2. On the other hand, the 16:8 requires you to fast every day, whereas the 5:2 only requires it two days a week.

What's more, the 5:2 is more likely to have a positive impact on your overall eating habits. People who normally skip breakfast and eat dinner around 7pm may find themselves accidentally following the 16:8 diet (providing they don't snack after their last meal). This could mean they don't make any conscious changes to what they eat. It's very unlikely that anyone's normal diet limits them to 500 - 600 calories, and so with the 5:2 there has to be a conscious effort to adapt your diet and make healthier choices. We think that's a good thing if you're serious about losing weight well and keeping it off.

Some users have found that it takes a little while for the weight loss to kick start, but nevertheless, the 5:2 diet works: "Initially there were two weeks when nothing happened, but after four weeks I started to lose weight," says Jackie, who began the 5:2 diet in January 2018.

Before starting the 5:2 diet Jackie weighed 9 stone 6 lbs, which put her towards the top end of the healthy weight range for her height and age. She wanted to lose half a stone on the diet, but ended up losing 1 stone 3 lbs in around five months.

"The 5:2 diet made methink more about what I was eating and how much I was eating on my 'off' days. While I didnt give anything up, I did reduce my portion sizes, particularly when it came to treats like cheese and cake. I found that fairly easy to do," says Jackie.So eating cheese and cake is compatible with losing weight? It seems so.

What Jackie found hardest was getting into the routine of cooking the lunchtime meals suggested in Mosley's book, and instead she found herself eating easier to prepare but less satisfying lunches like a sandwich made from one piece of bread. "I was always relieved to get to the end of the second fast day. Not so much because I was hungry, but because of the thought that the next day I could have things I really wanted - just not in great portions," she says.

As well as the necessity of good meal prep, users not surprisingly note that following the 5:2 diet requires willpower in order to overcome hunger on fast days. Other side effects include tiredness and low energy levels, and so its vital that you speak to a healthcare professional before starting the 5:2 diet if you are at all concerned about your health, are pregnant or have previously suffered from an eating disorder.

Want to keep track of your progress?

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Weight loss with the 5:2 diet: requires willpower but can be powerfully effective - T3

This hot-dog based diet claims it can turn you into one hot dog.

The military diet is a two-week-long regimen that claims it can help you drop 10 pounds, according to its website, and though the name may be striking, this diet is not followed by any branch of the armed forces.

The name comes from the discipline and willpower it takes to stay on the diet and follow it, just like the willpower and discipline it takes to stay in the military, the site creators say.

Along with other fads, the eating plan has been growing in popularity this month, thanks to the New Years resolution dieting craze that comes every January. Google Trends shows that online searches for the military diet plan peaked in the last few days of 2019 as dieters gear up for their goals.

While most diets require eschewing processed foods for all-natural ingredients, the cornerstone dish of the military diet is heavily processed.

The meal plan is comprised of three meals and snacks consumed in a three days on, four days off pattern. Breakfasts include half a grapefruit, one egg and a slice of toast and five saltine crackers. For lunches, dieters can munch on half a cup of tuna, one cup of cottage cheese and one egg. Dinners are based around three ounces of meat, two hot dogs without buns and one cup of tuna. Followers can have extras, like pieces of broccoli, carrots and vanilla ice cream, as a treat.

After three days on the plan, dieters take four days off, then repeat the process again.

Though you may be able to drop pounds on this diet, many of the allowed foods are heavily processed and high in fat. This is cause for concern for Deena Adimoolam, M.D., an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai St. Lukes.

I dont think its that nutritious, she tells The Post of the hot dogs, because they often include many other ingredients than meat, and the ice cream, because of the high sugar content.

Adimoolam explains that since the diet requires eating less than 1,500 calories a day, followers will drop pounds. However, if theyre not making permanent lifestyle changes to maintain that lower weight, theyre going to put those pounds back on.

For those looking for similar results but who want to make sure theyre getting the nutrients their body needs, Amidoolam recommends downloading a calorie counting app to get to know their body. Start by decreasing caloric intake, which would mimic this fad diet without dangerous foods, Adimoolam says, but never decrease intake to under 1,000 calories a day.

Its good to work with a nutritionist or a doctor, she says, to find the right plan for your body that is sustainable.

Amidoolam also warns eager dieters to be wary of the promises they might read online. A good diet will be balanced between carbohydrates, protein and fat, she says. Diets that restrict one type of food, like the Keto diet, may be difficult to sustain.

Continue reading here:
The military diet includes bunless hot dogs and ice cream, but is it safe? - New York Post

DASH stands fordietary approaches to stop hypertension and was developed in the early 1990s when the National Institutes of Health was researching ways to lower blood pressure.

It emphasizes low-sodium, nutrient-dense foods like fresh vegetables and fruits, along with whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. It also includes low-fat dairy and lean meat in moderation.

Although not specifically intended for weight loss, the DASH diet has been shown in some studies to help people lose weight by helping them cut back on processed foods and salty or sugary snacks.

No foods are forbidden on the diet, but the plan suggests limiting sugary items like candy, cookies, and soda to fewer than five servings a week, and limiting alcohol to no more than one serving a day for women and two for men, per CDC recommendations.

The diet also recommends cutting back on red meat, fat, and sodium.

If you are looking to lose, maintain, or gain weight, the DASH diet offers several calorie levels, from 1,600 calories a day to 3,000.

While the diet "is very safe and sustainable for anybody who's looking to eat healthier," registered dietitian Lisa Sasson previously told Insider,a possible pitfall of the plan is that it includes very broad recommendations, and some people may need more specific guidance if they lack experience in cooking or meal planning, according to Harvard Health.

Otherwise, here's what you can expect to eat on DASH.

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The DASH diet is one of the healthiest ways to eat, and more than half of the calories come from carbs - INSIDER

If youre one of the unlucky 11 percent of people currently living with the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, youve probably wondered if your diet plays a role in when you feel good and when you dont. (And even if you dont think you have IBS, theres a chance you do it's estimated that only 30 percent of people with the condition actually see their doctors.)

Luckily, theres a simple way to go about testing yourself for different food sensitivities, and it doesnt necessarily require setting foot in a doctors office. (Though, as with any medical advice you read on the internet: Please talk to your doctor before doing anything dramatic.)

Its called an elimination diet, and the premise is simple: Eliminate all but the most benign foods from your diet. That means cutting out all the things that make different people sick, from the most famous culprits dairy and gluten to more surprising contenders like onions and mushrooms.

If, after a while, youre feeling better, then it was probably something in your diet that was giving you trouble. Then, to figure out which, you add foods back in, one group at a time, to see what happens. (And if you didnt feel better, well, then at least you know you tried.)

Heres a quick run-down of why this works its not just trial and error. (Though, admittedly, its a little bit of that, too.)

Youre probably already aware that some people are lactose intolerant, that beans give you gas and that too much fruit can cause diarrhea. But it wasnt until more recently that scientists began to figure out what these foods have in common when it comes to how they upset peoples stomachs.

It turns out these foods and lots of others that give people tummy trouble all have a really pesky carbohydrate in them. These carbs are small molecules, and theyre rapidly fermentable meaning the bacteria in your gut turn them into CO2. What's important to know is they're carbs that are hard to digest.

There are four main types of carbohydrates that fit this bill: fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. They're often called FODMAPs for short.

Now, its not that FODMAPs directly cause symptoms in some people and not others, like a true allergy or intolerance. FODMAPS are hard to digest for everyone. But how a body reacts to them does vary from person to person. For instance, different people will have different gut microbes that might ferment different foods in different amounts. And when people experience luminal distension medical-speak for your intestines are getting pushed on from the inside out from gas or other blockages, some will simply feel the pain from it more than others thanks to differences in their nervous systems.

Some of the worst FODMAP perpetrators in a North American diet are oligosaccharides (the O) called fructans. Theyre commonly found in foods like onions, garlic, artichokes and wheat. Other high-FODMAP foods include fruits like apples and pears (polyols), veggies like broccoli and peas (oligosaccharides) and dairy products like milk and yogurt (disaccharides).

You don't necessarily need to learn that mangoes are high in fructose (a monosaccharide), beans are high in galactans (an oligosaccharide), and ice cream is high in lactose (a disaccharide). There's an easier step-by-step way to figure out which foods in which groups are going to affect your digestive system the aforementioned elimination diet.

The first step is the elimination phase sometimes called the substitution phase. Cut all the foods that are high in FODMAPs out of your diet, and swap them out for low-FODMAP alternatives. There are a ton of these lists online that can point you in the right direction. Instead of a banana, have some cantaloupe. Have sorbet instead of ice cream. Green beans, not kidney beans. Its a lot to keep straight and requires some serious meal planning and attention to ingredients, but its certainly doable.

Keep this up for 2-6 weeks until your symptoms noticeably improve. But dont keep it up forever, even if you feel better. Its probably not all the FODMAPs that are giving you grief, and a balanced diet is really important for good nutrition. You need to know if you can eat apples and broccoli, you know?

So next youll want to introduce one FODMAP group back into your diet at a time. For instance, since milk, yogurt, ice cream and ricotta all have lactose as their disaccharide, you can bring those back in all at once. And dont be timid: You want to be really confident in your this is fine or this food makes me sick decision!

If your symptoms return, that FODMAP is O-U-T. Wait a few days for your system to recalibrate before trying a new group. And if the FODMAP didn't give you any trouble? Congratulations! But still wait a few days before trying the next one, just in case.

If youre an expert Googler, you should have no trouble finding out which foods fit into which FODMAP category. But you can also ask your doctor for a recommendation for a dietician who can help guide you through this process.

In the end, hopefully youll have found just one or two FODMAP groups that you can avoid without too much trouble.

If you want to get really precise, you might revisit the foods in your trigger group in different quantities, to see how much you can tolerate before your symptoms show up. For instance, you might identify onion as a trigger but maybe you can tolerate it enough that you can still dip your fries in ketchup (which always has onion powder in it), you just can't get a slice of raw onion on your cheeseburger. Or maybe you can stomach enough garlic to eat pepperoni on a pizza but if you eat the leftovers three days in a row, you'll start to feel sick.

The goal is to test everything in increments, so you can confidently learn where your limits are. With that knowledge in hand, you might find yourself with bowels that aren't so ... irritable.

Read the original post:
Is Something in Your Diet Screwing With Your Stomach? Here's How an Elimination Diet Could Help - Discover Magazine

Making progress! New TLC stars Amy Slaton and Tammy Slaton are just embarking on their weight loss journeys on TLCs newest reality TV series, 1,000 Lb Sisters. Before they can qualify for weight loss surgery, Dr. Charles Procter Jr. asked that they both lose some weight on their own with the help of a dietician. In an exclusive interview with In Touch, Amy and Tammy opened up about their new diet and revealed some of the tips they use to help keep themselves on track.

The food part is okay. The sodas were really hard. But I ended up doing it and I havent had a soda in what, four months now? I havent even thought about sodas really. Well, every now and again, Ill crave one. But mostly, Ill just drink water and coffee, Amy, 31, exclusively told In Touch.

For me, it was giving up the soda too, and the fried foods. I mean, Im still having trouble giving up soda and fried foods, but I think Im doing a lot better than what I used to do, Tammy, 32, added.

When Amy and Tammy met with their dietician, Taylor, she asked the sisters what types of foods they normally like to eat and they listed off a variety of them. In her confessional, Taylor revealed her thoughts on what they might need to do in order to help them reach their weight loss goals which included cutting back from eight to 12 cans of diet soda a day to at least just one can a day.

What Im hearing is too many calories, too much carbs, too much fat. Just too much food overall and so we are going to have a lot of work to do, Taylor said.

But even if Amy and Tammy may still struggle from time to time, they are still making progress in their weight loss journey and theyve also learned tips on how to swap out some of the not-so-healthy foods they crave for a healthier or lower-calorie option.

Well instead of like, macaroni and cheese, well have cauliflower macaroni and cheese, or instead of the [mashed potatoes], well have cauliflower potatoes. So you can find an alternative that is healthy. Like, if were craving a candy bar, well get a protein bar, or if we want a milkshake, well drink a protein shake. If we wanted a Reeses Cup, well get the sugar-free Reeses Cups, Tammy explained. So were still complying to the diet, but yet were still having that chocolate fix or the fix that we needed at the time, the craving but just doing it at a healthier alternative.

Sounds doable! Fans can continue to follow along on Amy and Tammys weight loss journeys on 1,000-Lb Sisters which airs on TLC Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.

Read more from the original source:
Exclusive: '1000-Lb Sisters' Stars Amy and Tammy Slaton Reveal Their Diet Tips - inTouch Weekly

Most peoples relationship with seaweed is not a pleasant one. Memories of getting tangled and caught while swimmingmeans that many automatically thinkof the slimypieces of marine plant floatingin the ocean, rather than the delicious, nutrient-packed source of umami flavor they are when used in cooking.

Seaweed products are prized ingredientsand anindispensablepart of Japanese cuisine. A variety of seaweed is included as a staple in the Japenese diet not only for taste but healing - and with good reason. Seaweed is chockfull of nutrients and minerals including iodine, iron, and Vitamins A, C, E, K and D. All while being low in calories, making them an easy ingredient for vegan dishes.

If possible, stay away from the popular dried seaweed snacks as those are quite processed, often containing added sugars and oils and offering little in the way to satiate hunger. Instead, venture into incorporating seaweed into your main dishes and youll reap the benefits of this nutritional powerhouse.

I try to eat a dish with seaweed twice a week. Ive included my favorite recipe below. In the meantime, here is a list of the most popular varieties, their benefits and how to use them.

Nori: I once read that nori is the gateway seaweed as it is the least seaweed tasting of them all. The variety used for the dried snacks you can now find everywhere, noris paper-like consistency provides the wrap for sushi or can be used as a topping for salads or added to brown rice for taste.

Hijiki: Although it is one of the more expensive varieties, hijiki is one of my favorites with its slightly sweet and nutty taste. Soak it in water for at least a half-hour, drain and sautee in coconut oil with onion, kale and shaved carrots and some coconut aminos, and youve got a nutrient-dense meal.

Arame: My second favorite. I prepare it in a similar way to hijiki.

Kombu: Often added to soups, kombu provides an umami flavor and can help make beans more digestible. Add a 4-6 strip of kombu to a pot of cooking beans. After an hour or two, the kombu will disintegrate when stirred. (Any stray pieces should be tender enough to eat, or you can remove them.)

Dulse: With a chewy, leather-like texture and salty taste, dulse is often prized by vegans as a great substitute for bacon when cooked on high heat in some coconut oil. Use as a substitute for bacon in a No B.L.T. (and of course, my favorite, A for avocado!)

Here is my favorite simple dish using seaweed.

Dressing

Bowl

Dressing

Add all ingredients to a small magic bullet container or handheld blender and blend until smooth. Add as much water necessary to reach desired consistency. If you dont have a small personal blender you can try an immersion blender or whisk it together in a small dish.

Soak either arame or hijiki in water for 20 minutes up to several hours. When ready to use, rinse well and drain.

Bowl

In a large skillet or saucepan, melt 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add kale and shave carrot into long strips with a vegetable peeler. Saut for approximately 5 minutes and add seaweed and Braggs or coconut aminos. (I usually do 5-10 dashes.) Continue to saut until all vegetables are to desired texture (I like mine soft and well cooked) Toss in cooked edamame and saut for an additional 2 minutes.

Split seaweed mixture over two bowls of brown rice and drizzle with dressing.

Top with sliced avocado.

Sprinkle with dulse flakes or gomasio.

Continued here:
Add the Benefits of Seaweed to Your Diet With This Tasty Recipe - The Beet

Although diet can influence mental health and cognitive function, evidence of benefit for many specific diets is actually quite weak, a new review suggests.

In the "most up-to-date overview of the new field of nutritional psychiatry," investigators with the Nutrition Network of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) found strong evidence that following a ketogenic diet of high fat and low carbohydrates may reduce seizures in children with epilepsy. They also confirmed that the Mediterranean diet guards against depression and anxiety.

In addition, there is a strong link between vitamin B12 deficiency and an increased risk of fatigue, depression, and memory problems.

However, evidence of any efficacy of vitamin D supplements or any nutrient in mitigating symptoms of autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is "inconclusive," the researchers note.

"We have found that there is increasing evidence of a link between a poor diet and the worsening of mood disorders, including anxiety and depression," principal investigator Suzanne L. Dickson, PhD, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, said in a press release.

"However, many common beliefs about the health effects of certain foods are not supported by solid evidence...[and] with individual conditions, we often found very mixed evidence," she added.

The findings were published in the December issue of European Neuropsychopharmacology.

As previously reported by Medscape Medical News, there have been numerous studies linking diet and mental health, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet that has been tied to lower depression risk.

Large population-based studies have also suggested links between mental health and specific nutrients, but they often "do not demonstrate cause, benefit, or remedy," the current investigators note. However, they add, there is "reason for optimism."

The review showed there are "strong correlations" between a healthy diet and better mental health, especially with increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

However, although several recent studies and analyses have shown a link between the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk for depression or even a protective effect against the disease, a meta-analysis of 14 cohort studies published in 2019 and consisting of more than 56,000 participants showed no significant association.

Still, "when cross-sectional studies were analyzed an inverse significant association was found between depression odds and the adherence to the Mediterranean diet," the researchers write.

"Together, these studies provide a reasonable evidence base to further investigate the effect of specific dietary interventions on mental health," they add.

When assessing the effect of vitamins, investigators found that "the link is strongest" between deficiencies inB12and fatigue, lethargy, depression, mania, psychosis, and depression; in thiamine and CNS symptoms; in folic acid and neurodevelopment in utero and infancy and depression in adults; and niacin and dementia.

"Yet even for these deficiencies, the role of mild 'subclinical' or multiple mild deficiencies in the genesis of mental dysfunction is unclear," the researchers write.

For example, research into the role of vitamin D supplementation has shown conflicting results.

Overall, the investigators note that a diet rich in polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and nutritional supplements "has been reported to exert favorable effects on mental health, including on cognitive performance, mood, stress, reactivity, and neuroinflammation."

As for ADHD and autism, several studies have suggested a benefit from particular dietary elements or risk from a poor diet.

"We can see an increase in the quantity of refined sugar in the diet seems to increase ADHD and hyperactivity, whereas eating more fresh fruit and vegetables seems to protect against these conditions," Dickson said.

However, "there are comparatively few studies, and many of them don't last long enough to show long-term effects," she added.

"Results of nutritional interventions...in autism are also very diverse and have not been subjected to rigorous meta-analyses," the investigators note.

On the other hand, there is strong evidence that nutritional decisions in early life can affect later-life brain function. A high-quality diet is strongly linked to a reduced risk for cognitive decline and improved cognitive function in older adults, whereas a poor diet appears to increase cognitive decline and other health problems.

However, "at present we lack a detailed understanding of the metabolic and cellular mechanisms that underpin these associations," the researchers note.

This is also true of gut microbiota. Although "it is clear" that it can potentially affect mental health, the mechanism "has yet to be elucidated."

Future research will need to focus on "provable dietary causes" associated with psychiatric conditions, the investigators note in the release.

"There is a general belief that dietary advice for mental health is based on solid scientific evidence. In reality, it is very difficult to prove that specific diets or specific dietary components contribute to mental health," said Dickson.

She noted that some individuals may respond better than others to dietary changes because of subtle differences in their metabolism.

In addition, "a food is not a drug, so it needs to be tested differently to a drug." For example, there are no "placebo" foods that can be used in a randomized controlled trial, she said.

"Nutritional psychiatry is a new field. The message of this paper is that the effects of diet on mental health are real, but that we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions on the basis of provisional evidence," Dickson said.

Commenting on the findings for Medscape Medical News, Wolfgang Marx, PhD, head of the Nutraceutical Research stream at the Food & Mood Centre, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia, said the investigators provided a "clear and objective overview" of the current state of nutritional psychiatry.

This includes the "largely consistent epidemiological, clinical, and meta-analytic data supporting the link between diet quality and depression," he said. "Crucially, the authors also identify key research questions that are required to be addressed to advance the field, including the need for large clinical trials to further test efficacy and mechanistic studies to improve our understanding of how diet, and dietary components, may improve symptoms."

Marx, who was not involved with the research, noted that the researchers "rightly highlight" some of the challenges of developing evidence in this area, such as the difficulty of blinding dietary interventions.

"It is important to note that in addition to the emerging data supporting the role of diet in reducing risk of mental illness, dietary interventions can be effective in reducing the elevated risk of cardiometabolic diseasescommon in people with mental illness," he said.

"While more research is required to support the role of dietary interventions as a therapy for mental disorders, there is already sufficient evidenceto suggest that dietary interventions, as well as other lifestyle interventions such as physical activity, should be incorporated into routine clinical care from the outset to address the physical comorbidities associated with mental illness," Marx said.

"This review is an important and scholarly contribution," Andreas Reif, MD, PhD, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany, said in the release.

Reif, who was not involved with the research, is also chair of the ECNP Scientific Program Committee.

"The interface between gut and the brain on the one side and diet and mental health on the other side is one of the most debated issues in biological psychiatry at the moment, and is an exciting development which has gained momentum in the last decade," he noted.

He added that the high-quality evidence from mostly animal studies published in recent years contrasts with the "comparative shortage of hard evidence" in humans.

"This leaves room for speculation and flawed science," Reif said. "This comprehensive review is therefore much needed as it sheds light on hypes and hopes, facts and fiction."

"As the potential societal impact of this rapidly developing field is enormous, we must be scientifically sound in making our recommendations," he concluded.

The study was supported by the ECNP. Dickson and Marx have reported no relevant financial relationships.

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2019;29:1321-1332. Full article

Follow Deborah Brauser on Twitter: @MedscapeDeb. For more Medscape Neurology news, join us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Diet and Mental Health: The Evidence to Date - Medscape

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Boris Johnson said during a BBC Breakfast interview yesterday that he will not be participating in Veganuary because it means giving up cheese. While Johnson tipped his hat off to vegans who can handle it, he added that eating vegan was a crime against cheese lovers.

I mean, you cant eat cheese, can you, if youre a vegan? Johnson asked, also saying that trying to be vegan would mean too much concentration.

You most definitely can enjoy cheese as a vegan, says the team behind Veganuary: The idea that trying vegan means depriving yourself of cheesy foods is outdated and untrue. Vegan-friendly cheeses are available in every grocery store and you can now even upgrade to vegan cheese at Papa Johns and Pizza Hut, refutes Toni Vernelli, Veganuarys International Head of Communications. There are really no more excuses.

Here are 5 ways to enjoy vegan cheese this January

Related

Originally posted here:
Boris Johnson Thinks You Can't Eat Cheese on a Vegan Diet - Not So, Says Veganuary - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

The main goal of the Keto diet is to lose weight

by: Len Rome

Have you heard of that Keto diet?

It was one of the most searched for diets online in 2019.

The Keto diet involves cutting your carbohydrate intake to about five percent of what you take in now.

Camille Skoda, RD of the Cleveland Clinic says the diet helps your body burn off fat.

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, moderate protein, eating plan. What it does, is it switches your bodys fuel source from the normal carbohydrates which is your glucose stores over to ketones. Your body produces ketones, and in turn, it can burn its own fat for fuel.

The main goal of the Keto diet, for many people, is to lose weight.

But its not for people with a history of eating disorders, who are pregnant, or people with chronic conditions such as type-one diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

A typical Keto diet contains moderate protein such as chicken and fish, but it limits beans and soy protein, which are higher in carbs.

The focus is on healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, coconut oil and olive oil.

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Len Romes Local Health: Looking for a new diet this year? - WYTV

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I was a vegan for three years and some change. I read this book about how our bodies were not made to consume any animal productsabout how dairy was causing me to be constipated and causing mucus buildup, eggs were something my body literally rejected, and meat rotted inside of our intestinesand I was hooked on veganism. I also didnt mind the drastic weight loss I experienced when I first became a vegan (it was really just because I didnt know what to eat, so my refrigerator wasnt stocked enough). I thought Id be a vegan for life. I was certain there was no going back for me.

Today, Im a full dairy-eating, meat-consuming, egg-gobbling individual. Veganism, it turned out, almost killed me. Im sorry if thats hard for some people to hear, but it did. I confirmed this was my physician. A vegan diet was so lacking in important nutrients, that my blood tests came back nearly toxic. That explained the insane headaches, muscle pains, fatigue, and depression Id been experiencing.

I understand veganism has its merits. Im not blind to the ethical and health reasons behind it. I mean hi, hello, I was a vegan for three years. I did see the light on many of the reasons people stop eating animal products. It was not easy for me to just flip a switch and stop being a vegan. I put a lot of thought into it, and I had to ease my body back into animal products slowly. But I did ultimately decide, without a doubt, that it was the right choice for me. I think everyone should be able to decide whats best for their body. We seem to accept that surrounding things like birth control and abortion, so why not diet? Heres why I stopped being a vegan, and how it saved my life.

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B12, zinc, proteinthese are all nutrients that can be hard to get on a vegan diet. B12 exclusively exists in animal productsat least in a natural way. You can buy vegan products fortified with the stuff, but even then, they wouldnt have naturally contained it. It had to be added. Zinc is another food thats tough to find in plant-based foods. It exists in them, but you must eat massive quantities of the stuff to get enough zinc.

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Migraines. Depression. Bruising easily. Three to four colds a year. Fatigue (sleeping 14 hours a day, and still tired). Being low on these important nutrients destroyed my body. I had blood work done, and my doctor told me that had my B12 levels dropped any lower, I would have had to be hospitalized. My blood was nearly toxic. P.S. if youre wondering if youre low on B12, there are signs.

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You may say, So, just take supplements. Supplements are a great thingno doubt. But I did get to thinking: shouldnt my diet provide me with the supplements that I need? If the foods I am choosing leave me so deficient in vitamins that, if I dont take the artificial stuff (aka supplements) Ill die, perhaps thats a sign that that diet isnt meant for my body.

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I know what some may say here: that a diet full of animal products can still leave a body slightly deficient in nutrients, and even non-vegans need to take some vitamins. Yupthats absolutely true. But the nutrient deficiency caused by a meat-eating diet is minimal. The consequences of not taking vitamins, while eating meat products, are puny compared to the consequences of not taking vitamins on a vegan diet.

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Its right in the name: supplements. That means that they should give your nutrient profile a little boost, but they shouldnt be your entire nutrient profile. Your food should do most of that work. Lets put it this way: vitamins are to an omnivore diet as the cherry on top is to a cake. On a vegan diet, the supplements are the whole cake and youre screwed without them.

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I didnt want to rely on vitamins and supplements in order to just function. I did try staying a vegan and taking supplements, and the supplements helped a lot! They really did. But if I forgot to take my B12 for three days, migraines and fatigue would come back. If I forgot to take my zinc for a few weeks, Id get a cold. I didnt like being so reliant on something (supplements) created in a lab. What would happen if I went on a multi-week trip and didnt have access to a place to buy said supplements?

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Look, this isnt a pretty thought. Its not. I understand that. But heres the thing about me not eating animals, so the animals can live: I was dying. My body was falling apart so that I could theoretically save animals. If you really want to get macro about it and analyze it to death, if I had to choose between saving the life of a human and a chicken, Id choose the human. Humans do things like cure cancer and develop solar energy products.

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Heres another thought that may not be appealing but is true. As humans, we are cursed with consciousness and empathy. When we kill animals for food, we feel bad about it, so many of us dont want to do it. But umdo you think that animals in the wild give a sh*t what their prey feels when they hunt them for food?

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Do you think a lion sees a goat and says to his lion friend, Leave him alone. Hes a living being. We shouldnt hurt him. Im just saying: the food chain is one of the oldest systems in the history of life. We as humans are just cursed with empathy, so we struggle with the concept. But just because we, people, stop eating other living things doesnt mean that we in any way will stop the fact that out there, in the wild, animals eat each other all of the time.

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You know how humans actually do get the whole food chain thing right? When we push for humanely-raised livestock and fish. Death is inevitable, but at least, in these circumstances, we ensure the life was good. And we also make sure the death was peaceful and humane.

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Do you think a lion who rips his prey to shreds in the wild concerns himself with the peaceful and humane death of his meal? Absolutely not. At least when I buy humane animal products, I gain some control over the controllableaka the quality of life of the animalwhile understanding that the food chain is something I cant stop.

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Hello there you pet-owning vegans. Yes, Im talking to you. What do you feed your pet? Is your German Shepherd eating kale and chickpeas? What about your cat? Is she happy to eat pureed carrots all day? The insane hypocrisy of it all is that many vegans do, without realizing it, acknowledge that the food chain is essential because they feed their pets animal products.

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I understand there are pet owners who keep their pets on a vegan diet. But if youre one such pet owner, then you know that that diet has to be so precariously and specifically prepared, and typically is most safely prepared by a professional, rather than yourself, if you dont want to put your pets health at a huge risk. And thats because, once again, pets arent really meant to be vegan. If the tiniest mistake in this direction or that direction in a vegan diet could mean fatal consequences for Fido, its because hes not supposed to be a vegan.

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When I was a vegan, I dropped from a healthy 122 pounds to a terrifying 108 pounds. It happened in a matter of six weeks or so. If youre going to eat healthy vegan foodaka dont just pound tofu and fake cheeseyou need to eat massive amounts of food. Eating a truly balanced vegan diet required immense quantities of food. Its like all I did was eat all day, and I could still barely keep weight on.

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I cannot surround my life around eating. As a vegan, I had to. I had to pack all of these carefully prepared snacks to bring everywhere. It ruled my life. I need a meal that is so densely and overwhelmingly packed with nutrients and calories that I can just eat a few times a day and move on with my life. You know how they say veganism is a lifestyle? Yeah, its more like your whole damn life because preparing the food takes so much time that you have to give up on other pursuits.

Read the original here:
I Quit Veganism And It Saved My Life - MadameNoire

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