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The University of Kent researchers carried out the study analysing food supply data for 171 countries from the 1960s to 2010s.

Research carried out by the University of Kent has shown that diets are changing in complex ways worldwide. International food supply patterns are supporting healthier diets in parts of the world, but causing underweight and obesity elsewhere, according to the research. They are also said to be having important effects on environmental sustainability, with potentially worrying consequences.

The team discovered that South Korea, China and Taiwan have experienced the largest changes in food supply over the past five decades, with animal source foods such as meat and eggs, sugar, vegetables, seafood and oil crops all becoming a much larger proportion of diet.

In contrast, in many Western countries the supply of animal source foods and sugar was found to have declined, particularly in high-income English-speaking countries such as the UK, US, Canada and Australia. The researchers also found that many countries around the world have seen an increase in vegetable-based diets. The sub-Saharan Africa region showed the least change, with a lack of diverse food supply, and this could be an explanation for the regions malnutrition.

The declines in diets based on animal source foods and sugar and corresponding increases in vegetable availability is said to indicate a possible trend towards more balanced and healthier foods in some parts of the world. However, in South Korea, China and Taiwan in particular, the increase in animal source and sugar availability has occurred at the same time as a dramatic rise in obesity, and also suggests that changes in diet may be having a substantial negative effect on the environment.

Dr James Bentham, Lecturer in Statistics at Kents School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science, who led the research, said: There are clear shifts in global food supply, and these trends may be responsible for strong improvements in nutrition in some parts of the world. However, obesity remains a long-term concern, and we hope that our research will open doors to analysis of the health impacts of global diet patterns. Equally, we must also consider carefully the environmental impacts of these trends.

Advances in science and technology, together with growing incomes, have allowed many nations to have access to a diversity of foods. We must harness these advances and set in place policies that provide healthier foods for people everywhere, especially those who can currently least afford them, added Professor Majid Ezzati from the School of Public Health at Imperial College, and part of the research team.

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Research finds that global diets are converging, with benefits and problems - New Food

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food is a phrase credited to Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician thought to be the father of medicine. In other words, the notion is nothing new.

But its hold over us is as strong as ever.

The way health influencers and diet gurus talk about certain trendy health foods, youd think they could cure cancer. In fact, there are people who say that certain foods can cure cancer and other illnesses. Anthony William, known as the Medical Medium, published a book about celery juice and told Goop that he has seen thousands of people who suffer from chronic and mystery illnesses restore their health by drinking sixteen ounces of celery juice daily on an empty stomach. Dr. Oz has promoted certain foods as having cancer-starving benefits, suggesting that eating them in particular quantities may literally prevent cancer from spreading in your body.

Though at first glance these claims might seem hopeful, or harmless, thinking of food as medicine can actually be dangerous. For one thing, it downplays the importance of actual medicine in the treatment of diseases. Not to mention its manipulative (and sometimes insulting) to suggest that a person could solve their health problems with a simple diet change.

Food does play a central role in the treatment of a few diseases, but these are relatively rare.

In the case of certain diseases, the effect of diet is well supported by evidence. People with diabetes need to be mindful of how food affects their blood sugar levels, and children with epilepsy might benefit from following a ketogenic diet.

Jeffrey Hamilton via Getty Images

Then there are specific conditions where you need to avoid a specific nutrient, said Christopher Labos, a cardiologist and epidemiologist at McGill University in Montreal. Phenylketonuria (PKU) occurs when babies are born without the ability to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine. So, it must be removed from the diet to avoid the neural complications of PKU.

And there are allergies. The obvious example is celiac disease, which is an allergy to gluten, Labos said. That said, the gluten thing has been blown out of proportion people avoid it even though they dont have celiac disease, which is pointless.

Food also plays a role in digestive conditions. People with IBS, Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis may need to be more careful about their diets, because certain foods might trigger their symptoms, Labos said. Still, these conditions affect people differently, and its not true that avoiding one food or loading up on another will cure any one of them.

But for many diseases, theres not enough evidence to say that food is a part of treatment.

If you come across someone on social media claiming that a certain restrictive diet can prevent or cure a disease lately, this seems to be happening with low-carb diets and dementia there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical. Even if they cite a scientific study as proof of their claims, this doesnt mean those claims are legitimate.

Theres so much research being produced, and not all of it is good quality, Labos said. If you only look at one study and dont look at everything thats been done in that particular field, youre going to get a very skewed view of whats out there. Put another way: If the nine studies that came before you were negative, and yours came out positive, youre not groundbreaking, youre an outlier. If you ignore all the stuff that contradicts what were trying to say, youre just cherry-picking the data.

If you want to make sure youre getting legitimate, evidence-based information, you can look to sources like the Agriculture Departments Dietary Guidelines, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health. If you do choose to follow health influencers, its a good idea to do some research on the claims theyre making. If they cite a study as evidence, make sure that the study was done in humans, that the sample size was large and that it was published in a legitimate journal. Then search for other studies on the topic to make sure that the results line up.

Conversations such as the one in the clip above can convince people that food can be as effective as medicine in curing certain diseases.

A quick look into those claims about low-carb diets curing and preventing dementia, for example, is illuminating. There is currently no evidence in the research that certain diets, such as low-carb, keto or whole foods, help in the treatment or prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS or Alzheimers, said Shannon Hughes, a Colorado-based registered dietitian and physician assistant. Whats more, when individuals with these diseases are placed on these kinds of diets ... harm may be done, as this population is already at risk for malnutrition. These diseases often cause unintentional weight loss due to increased metabolism, loss of appetite and difficulty swallowing, so adding a restrictive diet to the mix can be dangerous.

An overall healthful diet can help prevent certain health problems but cant replace actual medicine as treatment.

All of this isnt to say that nutrition doesnt play a role in health. A healthy diet overall is going to decrease the probability of you developing any number of medical problems because youll be an overall healthier person, Labos said. We know that trans fats are probably bad, unsaturated fats are probably better than saturated ones, and that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is probably good.

Theres plenty of epidemiological evidence for this that is, large population-based studies have consistently found strong correlations between certain eating patterns and lowered disease risk. For example, a 2018 review of the literature looking at research on diet and heart disease found that dietary patterns that include a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains (mostly whole grain), reduced-fat dairy, lean protein foods (meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives), nuts, seeds and vegetable oils can promote health and reduce a persons risk for heart disease. And a 2018 study of 776 American adults added to the already large body of evidence that eating a lower-sodium diet can help reduce blood pressure. Still, Lobos pointed out that correlation isnt the same as causation. Following evidence-based dietary recommendations can help manage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases but definitely cant guarantee prevention or cure.

Beyond this, theres really no evidence supporting any one food, or any specific diet, will be the magic bullet to the prevention of all maladies. People who are dogmatic about eat this, not that often arent backed by research, Labos said. Theres just not enough evidence.

And prevention is different than treatment. For instance, there is strong evidence that a high-fiber diet may prevent colon cancer, but that is not the same thing as saying fiber will treat colon cancer, Hughes said. Forgoing potentially lifesaving chemotherapy and instead looking to a high-fiber diet to cure colon cancer could literally be the difference between life and death.

The idea of food as medicine might seem empowering, but it holds individuals responsible for things out of their control.

Nutrition has gained a lot of traction in the popular and social media, and is a big focus of everyday life for many people, Hughes said. It gives people a strong sense of control and individualism in terms of their health.

The problem is, theres so much more to health than food and nutrition. Food as medicine elevates the idea that food and nutrition is a cure-all and that a person has complete control over their health, dismissing other factors such as genetics and social determinants of health, Hughes said.

Though advocates of the message sell it as empowerment, holding someone (and their diet) fully responsible for their health outcomes just isnt fair. For instance, it is your fault you got cancer because you did not eat a good diet, or you didnt care enough to eat right, Hughes said. Really, though, theres so much more to it. A person could eat a diet rich in polyphenols and still get cancer, or follow a Mediterranean diet and still get cardiovascular disease, she said.

Food is only one of many factors that influence health. Though a healthful overall diet can indeed help in preventing certain diseases, its not a bulletproof defense. And no food or diet is an adequate substitute for real medicine or medical treatment.

This piece has been amended to correct the location of McGill University.

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Food Isn't Medicine. Here's Why It's Dangerous To Believe It Is. - HuffPost

Lemon coriander soup is the ultimate comfort food for the winter recipe you need to try.

Highlights

Winters are for all kinds of indulgences - one of which is the indulgence of being lazy. Nothing beats the feeling of wanting to sit on the couch, binge watch one's favourite shows on the internet without having to move an inch. Entering the kitchen seems a Herculean task and the willingness to cook is at an all-time low. In such cold weather when one is at a loss of what to make for dinner, Thai food and recipes may be the unlikely champion. The delicious taste of lemon - which is integral to Thai cuisine - is just the taste you would want to try this season. For the people who resonate with these words, this recipe for Thai lemon coriander soup is just perfect!

(Also Read:Red or Green Thai Curry? All You Have To Know About The Two Before Ordering)

The health benefits of the soup are numerous such as making immunity stronger and keeping the body warm. The citrus content of the Thai lemon coriander soup is also high, thus enriching the dish with good amounts of vitamin C. This vitamin is even more important in winters as it helps naturally beat the cold. Coriander, too, is a great antioxidant for the body and adds an additional element of good health to the soup.

The best thing about the Thai lemon coriander soup is the fact that you can make it your own. Whether you like your soup plain or whether you prefer to add loads of veggies, meat or even condiments like vinegar or soya sauce - the Thai soup is yours to customise. The basic ingredients of lemon juice and coriander are the only ones that stay constant, and everything else can be fine-tuned to the Indian tastes.

(Also Read:Healthy Diet: 3 Low-Calorie Vegetarian Clear Soup Recipes For A Light Meal)

Talking about the taste, the reason this simple soup stands out in your winter menu is its lemony zing. The flavour that we get in abundance during summers in the form of lemonade or lime soda is something we crave during winters without even realising it. The additional crunch of coriander and veggies or meat is something that adds another layer of texture to the dish, and also satiates the appetite.

So try this wonderful recipe next time you're struggling to decide what to make for dinner!

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Winter Diet: 3-Ingredient Soup To Keep You Warm This Winter (Recipe Inside) - NDTV Food

The family of veteran lawmaker Kunio Hatoyama, who died in 2016, has been found to have failed to declare some 700 million in taxable inheritance, according to sources.

The Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau found the discrepancy last year. Hatoyamas family is believed to have excluded the late lawmakers loans to his fund management body from inherited property by error, the sources said Monday.

Hatoyama held numerous Cabinet positions, including the internal affairs, justice, labor and education portfolios. His brother, Yukio, was prime minister from 2009 to 2010.

According to a report by Hatoyamas fund management body, Shinseikai, it had received loans totaling 450 million from the politician before it was dissolved following his death.

The family also mistakenly underestimated the value of real estate, the sources said.

The family has already paid some 200 million in back taxes and penalties, they said.

Hatoyama, who died in June 2016 at the age of 67, was a scion of a prominent political family. He had been given massive assets by his late mother, Yasuko, whose father founded tire-maker Bridgestone Corp.

Hatoyamas wife and three children are believed to have inherited more than 10 billion in total.

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Family of Diet member Kunio Hatoyama failed to report 700 million inheritance - The Japan Times

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA TV) - Millions of Americans make health-related resolutions for the New Year, but finding what diet plan works for you can be a task. To help, U.S. News worked with physicians and dieticians who compared 35 diet plans and found the ones that actually work.

For the third consecutive year, the mediterranean diet ranked first for the best overall diet.

"That diet is focused on plants with some meat you know for protein. What we really see is we're getting rid of the packaged and processed foods," said Registered Dietician, Marni Whalen.

According the U.S. News, Weight Watchers was voted the best diet for weight-loss by health professionals. But Whalen says if you aren't ready to take on a whole diet plan, utilizing the 'plate method' for meals is a good start.

'Vegetables, non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli. Then we have about three to four ounces of meat and a serving of potatoes. That would be an appropriate plate method meal," said Whalen.

With the KETO diet being one of the worst diets on the 2020 list, Whalen says most of the time, people will do restrictive diets like KETO for a short period of time, then go back to old habits.

"Some of the worst diets out there are the ones that are really restrictive and I always find those to be red flags. When you have a list of 'you can have these but you can't have this,'" says Whalen.

Whalen says a good rule of thumb for healthy eating is to start the day with a good, protein-rich breakfast.

For the full list of the best and worst diets in 2020 ranked by U.S. News, click here.

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Best and worst diets in 2020; staying on track with your health - Kotatv

Fox News medical correspondent Dr. Marc Siegel discusses the declining rate of cancer deaths and the health of singer Adele following her dramatic weight loss.

Hello,body transformation.

Adele reportedly shed nearly 50 pounds after hiring a personal trainer and following the Sirtfood Diet, a regime of eating specific foods that trigger a group of proteins in the body called sirtuins (SIRTs) that are said to boost metabolism and reduce inflammation. And personal trainers attribute the majority of her transformation to her diet.

Adele lost a reported 50 pounds after hiring a trainer and following the Sirtfood Diet. (AP/Backgrid)

"Ninety-percent is from the diet, and of course exercise helped," Camila Goodis, a Los Angeles-based celebrity fitness trainer who worked with Adele and actressSophia Vergara, told FOX Business.

GOOGLE'S MOST-SEARCHED DIETS OF 2019

"We did pilates, nothing strenuous. It was very gentle. She's not a big fan of exercising. I believe she changed the way she was eating and cut out a lot of the processed foods and started to eat a clean diet with lean proteins, fruits and of course consuming fewer calories and burning more," Goodis said.

Goodis, who charges up to $280 per session,uses a combination of Pilates and core strength training exercises, she said.

The "Hello" singer has reportedly also been following the Sirtfood Diet, which ranked as Googles No. 7 most-searched meal plan of 2019. Itadvises eating a diet rich sirtuins -- a family of proteins -- found in foods like kale, strawberries, soy, buckwheat, blueberries, walnuts and dark chocolate that increase the level of proteins in the body. And the diet plan even allows drinking wine.

TOP 3 INTERMITTENT FASTING DIETS ON GOOGLE

The diet also incorporates calorie restriction, which can also trigger the bodys ability to produce a higher level of sirtuins, Healthline.com explained. Followers of the diet start off drinking green juices and one Sirtfood-based meal a day for the first three days consuming just 1,000 calories per day. Then theyre allowed 1,5000 calories per day, which includes sirtuin-filled juices such as green juices made from celery, parsley, green tea, lemonand kale -- and two meals.

But nutritionists and registered dietitians say following the diet without exercise isnt sustainable for long-term health goals.

The foods the diet is touting are good for you, but its a low-calories diet,"registered dietitian and author of Finally Full, Finally Slim Lisa Young told FOX Business. "If youre going to limit your calories, youre going to lose weight regardless of what youre eating so its not really a sustainable diet.

Goodis agreed: "Whenyou work with so much restriction sometimes your body doesnt like it. It's fine if it's just for a couple of weeks, but I bet any amount of money once you stop the diet you could gain everything back."

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The U.S. weight loss market is now worth $72 billion, according to data from Research and Markets. And with New Year's resolutions in full swing, the diet and weight loss market will likely see a boost in the next few months.

While the U.K.-based Sirtfood Diet has amassed more than 13,000 people on social media and has resulted in a fan following from the likes of Pipa Middleton, no scientific evidence has proven the diet to be effective on humans.

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Sirtfood diet linked to Adele transformation: Does it work? - Fox Business

Lately, Adele has been making headlines beyond her stunning voice: After stepping out looking slimmer than usual, a frenzy of reports claim that the 31-year-old Someone Like You singer lost weight by following the Sirtfood Diet, a calorie-restricting eating plan, after her breakup with her husband Simon Konecki.

This isnt the first time Adeles name has been associated with the Sirtfood Diet. Back in 2016, the New York Post claimed the singer lost 30 pounds by eating foods rich in sirtuins, a.k.a. proteins that can be found in certain foods (they also occur naturally in the body). Her former Pilates instructor Camila Goodis also told The Sun that she believed the stars weight loss was 90% diet.

Adele hasnt publicly commented on the rumors swirling around her figure (why should she?!), but her trainer Pete Geracimo (who also works with Pippa Middleton) supposedly likes to put his clients on the Sirtfood Diet.

And as the seventh most Googled diet in 2019, people clearly want to know what its all about. Here, dietitians and a doctor explain what the Sirtfood Diet entails, the foods it encourages, and whether or not its a legit way to lose weight long-term.

The Sirtfood Diet is based on the book by the same name that was written by Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten. The diet focuses on eating so-called sirtfoods, a group of wonderfoods that include nutrient-rich options like kale, cocoa, strawberries, and coffee.

The idea is that certain foods activate sirtuins in your body (a type of protein found in plants) that allegedly boast a slew of benefits, like protecting cells from inflammation, kick-starting your metabolism, reversing aging, and activating your skinny gene pathways, according to the diets website.

Some research, like one 2018 review published in the journal Circulation Research, suggests that sirtuins may help prevent age-related decline (in mice, at least). Another review published in Frontiers in Endocrinology concludes that sirtuins may help prevent insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. But again, this was based on animal studies.

While sirtuins are considered healthy, theres still a lot people dont know about them. The research on sirtuins is promising but more is definitely needed, especially on humans, to determine if any of the claims can be conclusively substantiated, says Keri Gans, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., a nutrition consultant based in New York City.

The Sirtfood Diet only mentions a few sirtfoods on its website and blog, but these options make the cut, all of which are nutrient-dense and healthy to eat regularly:

The diet is divided into two phases, and followers are encouraged to do them whenever they feel like they need a weight loss boost.

This lasts for seven days and its also split up. During the first three days, youll have three sirtfood green juices and one regular meal thats rich in sirtfoodsfor a total of 1,000 calories a day. On days four through seven, youll have two green juices and two daily meals for a total of 1,500 calories a day.

This is a 14-day maintenance phase thats designed to help you lose weight at a steady pace. During this phase, youll eat three balanced meals that are rich in sirtfoods, along with one green juice. Its unclear whether this phase has a set calorie intake.

The juices usually consist of matcha, the herb lovage, and buckwheat. As for the meals, recipes include soy yogurt with berries, walnuts, and dark chocolate, an omelette with bacon, red chicory, and parsley, a pita with turkey, cheese, and hummus, and stir-fried prawns with kale and buckwheat noodles.

Once youre done with the phases, youre supposed to look at the Sirtfood Diet as a way of life. You are encouraged, once youve completed the first three weeks, to continue eating a diet rich in sirtfoods and to continue drinking your daily green juice, the diets website says.

The official site also recommends that you stop working out or cutting back on your usual routine during the first phase, since youre not taking in many calories. But, once the diet becomes a way of life for you, it encourages exercising (and eating protein an hour after you work out to repair muscles and reduce soreness).

Yes, youll probably lose weight on the diet. Most people definitely will lose weight during phase one, since they are probably consuming way fewer calories than they usually do, says Gans. While a lot of this may be water weight, its possible to lose actual body fat too.

But that doesnt mean its healthy. It seems gimmicky, says Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. Any diet where theres a cycle of super restrictive eating and maintenance isnt really sustainable.

First, phase one of the diet is a bit extreme, says Scott Keatley, R.D., of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. A 1,000 calorie-diet is below what is used in almost all human research studies because it is deemed unsafe. People can lose fluid and lean muscle mass while having a caloric intake this low, and it can mess with your metabolism, he says.

Restricting your caloric intake this heavily can only be OK for a few days, but its really not ideal, says weight loss expert Michael Russo, M.D., a bariatric surgeon at MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. Its really important to pay attention to what types of calories youre getting in, he says. Getting adequate protein is crucial, because theyre the building blocks of the body.

The juicing part isnt exactly a hit with experts, either. Im not a huge fan of making juice out of foods, especially when were talking weight loss, as the blender is doing a lot of the work your body should be doing, Keatley says. Green juice is often much lower in gut-filling fiber than youd get if you just ate the ingredients themselves, Cording says, which is bound to leave you hungry.

The diet is also lacking an educational component of helping people better understand what foods are good for their health, and how to develop healthy eating patterns due to how restrictive it is, Cording adds. Finally, there are really no guidelines beyond the two phasesunless you buy the Sirtfood Diet books.

You should also speak with a dietitian or doctor before your dramatically reduce your calorie intake and glug a ton of juice in the name of weight loss.

Ultimately, the Sirtfood Diet isnt backed by significant research, so youre likely better off following a healthy diet you know you can stick to consistently (or a more scientifically-proven option, like the Mediterranean diet), exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep.

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What Is the Sirtfood Diet? Inside Adele's Reported Weight Loss Plan - Prevention.com

The experts have spoken and eaten.

U.S. News and World Report this week released its annual ranking from 1 to 35 of the worlds best (and, yes, worst) diets for 2020. A team of 25 panelists of nationally recognized professionals in diet, nutrition, obesity, food psychology, diabetes and heart disease named the Mediterranean diet as the No. 1 diet for 2020 based on seven criteria: short-term weight loss, long-term weight loss, effectiveness for cardiovascular disease prevention, effectiveness for preventing diabetes, ease of compliance, nutritional completeness and health risks.

The Mediterranean diet focuses on olive oil rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein like fish and chicken, with the occasional piece of red meat.

Its generally accepted that the folks in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea live longer and suffer less than most Americans from cancer and cardiovascular ailments, U.S. News and World Report said. The not-so-surprising secret is an active lifestyle, weight control, and a diet low in red meat, sugar and saturated fat and high in produce, nuts and other healthful foods.

The Mediterranean diet may also help with heart and brain health and cancer prevention, the report added. By following the Mediterranean Diet, you could also keep that weight off while avoiding chronic disease. There isnt a Mediterranean diet. Greeks eat differently from Italians, who eat differently from the French and Spanish. But they share many of the same principles.

The diet also emphasizes beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil, and flavorful herbs and spices, as well as cheese and yogurt in moderation and a glass of red wine in moderation.

Dont miss: This is the most deadly time in your life to put on weight

It narrowly beat out the Dash diet, which recommends fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, poultry, fish and low-fat dairy products, while reducing salt, red meat, sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages. It is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, but recommends cutting out two more things: full cream (in favor of low-fat dairy products) and alcoholic beverages. Dietitians also advise against snacking and takeouts, and 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise per week such was walking, Jazzercise, gardening or Pilates.

Last on the ranking, according to U.S. News and World Report: the Dukan diet, which focuses on protein instead of calorie counting. Its a weight-loss powerhouse its filling, takes time and work to digest, and has very few calories for each gram of food compared to carb-heavy foods. Limiting carbohydrates forces the body to burn stored fat.

By following the Dukan Diet, its claimed you can lose up to 10 pounds within the first week and continue to lose 2 to 4 pounds a week after that until youve reached your goal, the report said. People on the Dukan diet lost, on average, more than 15 pounds after the diets two action-based phases attack (pure protein) and cruise (vegetables on selected days) according to a 2010 online survey.

But the experts also listed downsides: Prepare for lots of rules. All four phases of the Dukan Diet named after French physician Pierre Dukan are heavy on dos and donts, and even the slightest slip-up is considered destructive. The U.S. News & World Report also said this diet could fall short nutritionally.

Dukan was not immediately available for comment.

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The No. 1 best diet for 2020, according to a panel of 25 health professionals - MarketWatch

Can diet impact mental health? A new review takes a look at the evidence. Overall, the authors conclude that although nutrition certainly does appear to have an impact, there are still many gaps in our knowledge.

Nutrition is big business, and the public is growing increasingly interested in how food affects health. At the same time, mental health has become a huge focus for scientists and the general population alike.

It is no surprise, then, that interest in the impact of food on mental health, or "nutritional psychiatry," is also gathering momentum.

Supermarkets and advertisements inform us all, at great volume, about superfoods, probiotics, prebiotics, fad diets, and supplements. All of the above, they tell us, will boost our body and our mind.

Despite the confidence of marketing executives and food manufacturers, the evidence linking the food we eat to our state of mind is less clear-cut and nowhere near as definitive as some advertising slogans would have us believe.

At the same time, the authors of the new review explain, "neuropsychiatric disorders represent some of the most pressing societal challenges of our time." If it is possible to prevent or treat these conditions with simple dietary changes, it would be life changing for millions of people.

This topic is complex and convoluted, but trying to understand the nuances is vital work.

Recently, a group of researchers reviewed the existing research into nutrition and mental health. They have now published their findings in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology.

The authors assessed the current evidence to gain a clearer understanding of the true influence of food on mental health. They also looked for holes in our knowledge, uncovering areas that need increased scientific attention.

That diet might affect mood makes good sense. First and foremost, our brains need nutrients to function. Also, the food we eat directly influences other factors that can impact mood and cognition, such as gut bacteria, hormones, neuropeptides, and neurotransmitters.

However, gleaning information about how specific types of diet influence specific mental health issues is incredibly challenging.

The reviewers found, for instance, that a number of large cross-sectional population studies demonstrate a relationship between certain nutrients and mental health. However, it is impossible, from this type of study, to determine whether or not food itself is driving these changes in mental health.

At the other end of the scale, well-controlled dietary intervention studies that are better at proving causation tend to recruit smaller numbers of participants and only run for a short period of time.

Lead author Prof. Suzanne Dickson, from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, explains the overarching theme of the team's findings:

"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. However, many common beliefs about the health effects of certain foods are not supported by solid evidence."

One diet that has received a great deal of attention during the past few years is the Mediterranean diet. According to the recent review, there is some relatively strong evidence to suggest that the Mediterranean diet can benefit mental health.

In their review, the authors explain how "a systematic review combining a total of 20 longitudinal and 21 cross-sectional studies provided compelling evidence that a Mediterranean diet can confer a protective effect against depression."

They also found strong evidence to suggest that making some dietary changes can help people with certain conditions. For instance, children with drug resistant epilepsy have fewer seizures when they follow a ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and low in carbohydrates.

Also, people with vitamin B-12 deficiencies experience lethargy, fatigue, and memory problems. These deficiencies are also linked with psychosis and mania. For these people, vitamin B-12 supplementation can significantly improve mental well-being.

However, as the authors point out, it is not at all clear if vitamin B-12 would make a significant difference to people who are not clinically defined as deficient.

For many of the questions the researchers explored in this review, it was not possible to reach firm conclusions. For instance, in the case of vitamin D, some research has concluded that supplementation improves working memory and attention in older adults. Other studies have found that using vitamin D supplements might reduce the risk of depression.

However, many of these studies were small, and other, similar studies have concluded that vitamin D does not have any impact on mental health.

As the review's authors point out, because "a substantial proportion of the general population has a vitamin D deficiency," understanding its role in mental health is important.

Similarly, the evidence for a nutritional role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was quite mixed.

As Prof. Dickson outlines: "[W]e can see [that] 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. But there are comparatively few studies, and many of them don't last long enough to show long-term effects."

"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."

Prof. Suzanne Dickson

The authors go on to explain some of the inherent difficulties in studying the impact of diet on mental health, and they offer some ideas for the future. Overall, Prof. Dickson concludes:

"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 base of provisional evidence. We need more studies on the long-term effects of everyday diets."

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Does diet influence mental health? Assessing the evidence - Medical News Today

New Year, New Nutrition: How to embrace the paleo diet in 2020

Updated: 11:51 AM EST Jan 10, 2020

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JAZMIN: YOUVE PROBABLY HEARD OF DIETS LIKE PALEO, WHOLE 30, AND KETO. BUT COMMITTING TO A NEW DIET CAN BE HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE. THIS MORNING, JULIE FOX FROM JULIES REAL IS HERE TO HELP MAKE THAT JUMP A LITTLE EASIER. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ON THE TABLE. THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE. WE WILL START ON THIS SIDE AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PALEO IN GENERAL. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN NOT JULIE: THE PALEO DIET IS A SIMPLE WAY OF EAING. IT IS VERY CLEAN FOOD, VERY SIMPLE INGREDIENTS, PRODUCTS YOUR BODY CAN DIGEST VERY WELL. JAZMIN: YOU BROUGHT IN, I SEE BARRYS, YOGURT. JULIE: WHEN YOURE EATING PALEO, YOU ARE NOT EATING DAIRY, GREENS , NOT EATING PROCESSED FOODS OR REFINED SUGARS. JAZMIN: I SEE THE DIFFICULTY THERE. JULIE: IT IS VERY EASY. YOU CAN FIND PALEO-SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENTS EVERYWHERE. I BROUGHT SOME NON-DAIRY SUBSTITUTES. THIS IS ALL MEANT MILK. -- I BROUGHT IN ALMOND MILK AND IT IS REALLY YUMMY. I BROUGHT REALLY AWESOME NON-DEAR YOGURTS. THIS IS VANILLA UNSWEETENED AND PLAIN UNSWEETENED AND THEY HAVE NO CANE SUGAR, WHICH MAKES THEM PALEO. MY FAVORITE WAY TO EAT THEM IS TO TOP THEM WITH GRANOLAB AND ERRIES. JAZMIN: YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE LABELS? JULIE: IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ INGREDIENTS. IT MAY SAY SOMETHING MADE FROM ALMONDS, BUT BE MADE FROM CANE SUGAR. JAZMIN: ANOTHER BIG THING IS GRAINS. JULIE: I BROUGHT GREAT SUBSTITUTIONS FOR GRAINS. MY FAVORITE IS RICE CALLA FLOWER. IT IS A GREAT SUBSTITUTE FOR RICE AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRAINS. I LIKE TO SAUTE IT ON THE STOVE AND PUT IT IN SOUPS AND IS A GREAT SUBSTITUTE FOR BEANS AND LENTILS. JAZMIN: YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN CHINESE AT HOME. IT TASTES PRETTY GOOD. JULIE: YOU CAN STOP OR BURRITOS WITH IT. IT IS TERRIFIC. I BROUGHT SOME REALLY GREAT PALEO SNACKS WITH ME. THESE ARE GRAIN-FREE TORTILLA CHIPS. THESE ARE SWEET POTATO CHIPS. JAZMIN: WHAT ABOUT THE TASTE? DO YOU GIVE ANYTHING UP? JULIE: NOT IF YOU PICK THE RIGHT THINGS. I BROUGHT MY FAVORITE BRANDS IN. THEY ARE REALLY YUMMY. YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THAT THEY ARE GOOD FOR YOU OR ARE PALEO. THE TASTE REGULATORY TO YOU CHIPS. ANOTHER GREAT PRODUCT IS THE ALL MEANT FLOUR TORTILLAS -- ANOTHER GREAT PRODUCT IS THE ALMOND FLOUR TORTILLAS. THESE ARE AWESOME. JAZMIN: I KNOW PEOPLE BACON WANT FOR SWEETS AND DESSERTS, AND YOU THINK YOU CANNOT HAVE ANYTHING. JULIE: EXACTLY. ONE OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS WITH PALEO IS THAT YOU CANNOT EAT DESSERT. YOU CAN. YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS. GREAT SUBSTITUTE ARE USING ALMOND FLOUR OR TAPIOCA FLOUR. AND COCONUT FLOUR. YOU CAN USE COCONUT SUGAR. ORGANIC COCONUT SUGAR IS HOW WE SWEETEN OUR DESSERTS. YOU CAN EAT DESSERT ON PALEO. YOU CAN ENJOY REALLY YUMMY DESSERTS THAT ARE REALLY RICH AND DECADENT. JAZMIN: QUICKLY, WE HAVE 30 SECONDS, BUT FOR PEOPLE AT HOME, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS USING SOME OF THESE PRODUCTS? JULIE: THE REASON I STARTED EATING PALEO WAS BECAUSE OF MY HUSBAND. HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A HEALTH ISSUE, SO WE GAVE UP GRAINS, PROCESSED FOODS AND IT HELPED OUR DIGESTION. ANOTHER BIG BENEFIT FOR US, IT IMPROVED OUR SLEEP. WE FALL ASLEEP WHEN OUR BODIES ARE TIRED AND WE WAKE UP WHEN OUR BODIES ARE RESTED. PALEO HAS A LOT OF GREAT BENEFITS. JAZMIN: MIGHT HAVE MORE ENERGY IN 2020. JULIE FOX, THANK YOU FOR C

New Year, New Nutrition: How to embrace the paleo diet in 2020

Updated: 11:51 AM EST Jan 10, 2020

Julie Fox of Julie's Real discussed ways to incorporate paleo-friendly foods into your diet with WESH anchor Jazmin Bailey.

Julie Fox of Julie's Real discussed ways to incorporate paleo-friendly foods into your diet with WESH anchor Jazmin Bailey.

Read more here:
New Year, New Nutrition: How to embrace the paleo diet in 2020 - WESH 2 Orlando

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