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'Diet' products can make you fat, study shows Science Daily Researchers found that rats fed a diet high in sugar but low in fat -- meant to imitate many popular diet foods -- increased body fat mass when compared to rats fed a balanced rodent diet. The high-sugar diet induced a host of other problems, including ... and more »

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'Diet' products can make you fat, study shows - Science Daily

Around 1 in 100 people have celiac disease worldwide (1).

The only known treatment is a strict gluten-free diet, which is not easy to do.

This article takes a detailed look at managing celiac disease and how to do a gluten-free diet.

Celiac disease (also called coeliac disease) is an autoimmune condition that can damage the small intestine.

Specifically, the small intestine hasmany small projections (villi) along it, which help absorb nutrients from food. In celiac disease these are damaged and nutrients cant be absorbed properly.

Normal villi vs. celiac disease villi in the small intestine. Image source. Click to enlarge.

Celiac diseasecauses the immune system to see gluten as a threat, attacking both the gluten and the villiof the small intestine. Therefore, people with celiac disease need to avoid foods containing gluten.

Gluten is a naturally occurring protein that gives bread its elasticity. Its found in:

Celiac disease should not be confused with gluten intolerance.

Also known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), gluten intolerance is now formally recognised in the scientific community.

Gluten intolerant individuals can tolerate small amounts of gluten up to a certain threshold, whereas celiacs cannot tolerate any gluten at all.

Dont self-diagnose though see your doctor to rule out celiac disease first.

Summary: Celiac disease is a genetic condition that causes damage to the gut lining when gluten is eaten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Make sure to rule out celiac disease before considering gluten intolerance.

Celiac disease affects many organs.

It can sometimes be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as they share similar symptoms.

Symptoms can include (2):

Celiac disease symptoms. Click to enlarge.

Summary: Celiac disease has a wide range of symptoms that can impact many organs. Many are similar to what you would experience with IBS.

If poorly managed, celiac disease can cause a host of serious health problems.

Many of these stem from malabsorption of nutrients in the gut.

Complications include (2):

Fortunately, a strict gluten-free diet can help reduce the risk of these complications.

Summary: Celiac disease can cause many serious health problems if left unmanaged.

Celiac disease is difficult to diagnose, which is why its commonly under-diagnosed (3).

Symptoms can vary a lot between individuals, and some may have no obvious symptoms at all.

Conditions including Type 1 diabetes and hypothyroidism can also put you in the high-risk category (3).

Additionally, family history plays a part:

For blood tests to work you must be eating gluten beforehand for several weeks.

This is often referred to as a gluten challenge.

With gluten back in the diet, testing for celiac disease may involve:

If you dont have these genes its unlikely you have celiac disease. In saying that, having the genes doesnt mean you have the disease. The only way to be sure is from the small bowel biopsy.

Unfortunately, celiac disease can develop at any time.

The trigger for the disease is a complex relationship between genetics, the environment, and the immune system.

High-risk individuals may need repeat testing. This is particularly important for children, as the tests can be unreliable until they have been eating gluten for some time.

Summary: High risk individuals should be tested for celiac disease, which usually involves a blood test and small bowel biopsy. As celiac disease can develop at any time, repeat testing is needed.

A gluten-free diet is the only effective dietfor celiac disease.

Although we call it gluten-free, its near impossible to remove 100% of gluten. The exact safe amount is unknown, but less than 10 mg per day has been suggested (5).

In the US, Europe, and Canada, a food must have less than 20 ppm (parts per million) of gluten to be labelled gluten-free (4).

Australia is stricter, requiring foods to have no detectable gluten.

Aside from actual grains of wheat, rye and barley, gluten can hide in many everyday foods.

Watch out for these:

As you can see, learning to read food labels is important when on a gluten-free diet.

Many foods are naturally gluten free and help to create a balanced and nutritious diet.

Theseinclude:

Technically oats are naturally gluten-free.

However, they are often cross-contaminated from other grains during the harvesting or packaging process.

For this reason certified gluten-free oats exist, which are processed and packaged on separate equipment from other grains.

Additionally, some celiacs may react to a unique protein in oats called Avenin, which is structurally similar to gluten (4, 6).

Its best to work with your doctor and dietitian if youd like to include oats in your diet.

Following a healthy, balanced gluten-free diet is difficult but not impossible.

A recent study found several common problems (shown in the image below) for someone following a gluten-free diet.

The main concern is nutrient deficiencies that can develop over time, including zinc, magnesium, iron and folate deficiency.

A gluten-free diet relieves symptoms and allows the small intestine to heal.

The length of time this takes can vary between individuals, from several months to years (2).

One study of 215 patients showed that symptoms of diarrhea took four weeks on average to improve after starting a gluten-free diet (7). Your doctor will monitor symptoms and blood tests regularly to check for improvements.

A strict gluten-free diet includes avoiding cross-contamination from all foods containing gluten.

Something as simple as sharing butter with family members who eat regular bread containing gluten could be harming your intestine, even if you dont feel symptoms.

You can find great tips on how to avoid cross-contamination here.

Summary: Celiac disease is managed with a gluten-free diet, which allows the small intestine to gradually heal and symptoms to resolve. Gluten can be hidden in many food sources and cross-contamination must be avoided.

If symptoms remain on a gluten-free diet there are a few things to consider.

There may be some hidden sources of gluten in your diet, even though you think its gluten-free.

Other reasons could be confusing symptoms with another condition like lactose intolerance, fructose malabsorption, irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

This is why its important to work with a dietitian where possible.

If damage to the small intestine remains after a strict gluten-free diet for 6-12 months, it may be a refractory celiac disease.

About 1-2% of those with celiac disease have this condition, which is typically treated with immunosuppressants or steroids (2).

Summary: If symptoms persist on a gluten-free diet, working with a dietitian can help rule out gluten contamination or other conditions with similar symptoms. Refractory celiac disease could also be an issue.

Gluten can also be found in non-food sources including:

Its best to check the label or contact the manufacturer.

Some medications may contain gluten, often in the form of wheat starch. Talk to your doctor about appropriate medications if you are unsure.

Summary: Possible non-food sources of gluten include lipsticks, supplements and medication.

Your doctor, dietitian or gastroenterologist will be the best source of reliable information about celiac disease.

If youd like to read more, these online resources are a great start:

To interact with others that have celiac disease or for some light-hearted humour check out the Reddit forum. Just know that not all information in online forums is accurate.

As celiac disease shares symptoms with other gastrointestinal conditions, you may also want to also read one of our guides about Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) to understand the differences.

This article originally appeared on Diet vs Diseaseand is republished here with permission.

Photo credit: Getty Images

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Celiac Disease and Diet: The Beginner's Guide - The Good Men Project (blog)

Fuel doesn't have to come in the form of gel or protein bar. By making your own endurance eats, you'll be arguably more energized wherever your adventures take you. Photo: jacoblund / iStock

A year ago, I solved an energy crisis. I had signed up for a 24-hour, unsupported, military-style team endurance event that would involve carrying hundreds of pounds of gear over 50 miles, a bit of swimming, and a thousand or so burpees tossed in for good measure. All things considered, I would burn just north of 15,000 calories during the event.

As I stood scanning the energy bar aisle at my local outdoor store, I realized thatcarrying even half my calorie requirements in my favorite bars,at $3.50 a pop, would run me $73.50half the cost of feeding a family of four for an entire week.

I decided to improvise and pointed my truck toward a nearby discount grocery store. There, I considered my needs: a huge amount of calories in a small package and, preferably, something tasty. I grabbed peanut butter, jelly, and a seedy wheat breadand some thin-sliced mozzarella, because why not. The resultant sandwich, while admittedly strange, packed in more than 30 grams of proteinthe magic number for refueling working muscle, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Associationand nearly 700 calories. Yet it took up no more room in my pack, cost just 80 cents each, and was truly delicious. The math: per calorie, the bars would have been ten times more expensive.

Figuring out what the hell to eat is a common dilemma for anyone whos ever gone for a long run or ride or embarked on a multiday adventure. Sure, energy bars and goos are quick and convenient, but after a while, the awful taste and high sugar content can wreak havoc on your stomach. Instead, with a little planning, you can make some killer DIY endurance eats at homejust as packable but infinitely better-tasting and cheaper.

With the help of Trevor Kashey, Florida-based registered dietitian and owner of Relentless Dietetics, and Rachele Beck, a nutritionist based in Utahs Wasatch Frontas well as a few ultra-athleteswe developed seven endurance recipes packed with high-value nutritional-impact ingredients that are easy on your stomach and so tasty you might even eat them when your heart rate is below 100 beats per minute.

The average American consumes 1,500 PB&Js before graduating high school. And with two simple tweaksswapping peanut butter for cashew butter and jelly for mashed bananathe classic pulls double duty as an ideal endurance fuel. The only thing you shouldnt tweak? The breadstick to old-fashioned Wonder Bread. Wrap it in tinfoil, and force the malleable sandwich into any miniscule bag or pocket space you can find.

Why It Works: Bananas deliver the electrolyte potassium and an equal ratio of glucose and fructose, a combo researchers in New Zealand say can boost endurance and gut comfort. Cashewsone of the highest-carbohydrate nutspack in magnesium, a critical electrolyte that almost half of Americans dont get enough of, according to a study in Nutritional Reviews. Why Wonder Bread? Its cheap, fortified with vitamins and minerals, and highly processed, which means your stomach wont have to work as hard digesting it compared to a whole-wheat, seedy bread. Thatll help you avoid GI issues.

How to Tweak It: Want a bigger protein punch? Stir protein powder into the mashed banana. If youre on a budget, swap the cashew butter for regular old peanut butter, which drops each sandwichs cost to 53 cents.

How To Make It: Simply make a sandwich with the following ingredients.

Calories: 395 Carbs: 53 grams Fat: 20 grams Protein: 9 grams Price Per Serving: $1.20 Calories Per Dollar: 329

Most people who drop out of ultramarathons cite gastrointestinal issues, according to researchers at Gettysburg College. Thats because intense exercise pulls blood from your digestive system and shuttles it to your working muscles. Set up your breadbasket for success: harness the power of a root that man has been eating for 7,000 years and that scientists are now realizing has GI benefits.

Why It Works: Arrowroot, a starch made from the roots of several tropical plants, may reduce stomach issues, suggests a small study published in 2000 in the Brazilian journal Arquivos De Gastroenterologia. Eggs are a complete protein, meaning they contain the nine essential amino acids your body needs to function optimally, and offer less risk of stomach issues compared to dairy-based proteins, which appear in classic flapjacks.

How to Tweak It: Add an extra egg white to increase the protein content. Or slather your favorite nut butter or honey between pancakes to boost the calories. You can drop the cost to just 45 cents per serving by using regular white flour, if your stomach allows.

How To Make It: Mix the following ingredients into a batter. Pour the batter onto a hot pan and cook until done, flipping once.

Calories: 397 Carbs: 83 grams Fat: 5 grams Protein: 7 grams Price Per Serving: $1.25 Calories Per Dollar: 318

Ill never forget one of the best meals Ive ever had: a cup of hot broth in a foam Dixie cup, handed to me by a race volunteer at the finish line of a cold October Jersey Shore half marathon. When youve spent the past hour or two pouring sweat, nothing beats salty, savory comfort foods. Thats what this turkey-and-beet wrap delivers, along with extra carbs and proteinplus bacon. Wind it tight and itll take up the same space as an energy bar.

Why It Works: Turkey delivers protein and endurance-boosting vitamins and minerals like B6, B12, niacin, choline, selenium, and zinc. Opt for the sliced deli variety, which has more salt (youll need it). The nitrates in beets may boost your endurance and improve blood flow, according to a study in the Applied Journal of Physiology, and white tortillas digest quickly.

How to Tweak It: If youre working at a high heart rate, use two tortillas and reduce the turkey to one ounce. That ups the quick-digesting carbs and reduces the load on your digestive system. Toss in a handful of spinach for an antioxidant and potassium boost.

How to Make It: Construct a wrap using the following ingredients.

Calories: 285 Carbs: 32 grams Fat: 10 grams Protein: 20 grams Price Per Serving: $1.40 Calories Per Dollar: 204

Performance waffles might be convenient, but they dont have as much flavor, value, or protein as this at-home variety, which features honey, tofu, and timeless Eggo waffles.

Why It Works: Honey is natures energy goo. Researchers at the University of Memphis described it as a cocktail of various sugars that improved the performance of cyclists just as much as an expensive endurance goo. Tofu offers easy-to-digest, taste-free protein thats high in the electrolyte calcium. Waffles are a secret weapon of endurance champions; the frozen variety is convenient and fortified with vitamins and minerals.

How to Tweak It: Use half the ingredient quantities for shorter efforts. If you cant stand tofu, keep the protein high by subbing in a piece or two of thin-sliced, salty deli ham.

How to Make It: Simply make a sandwich with the following ingredients.

Calories: 399 Carbs: 63 grams Fat: 11 grams Protein: 14 grams Price Per Serving: $1.22 Calories Per Dollar: 318

Ultrarunner Nickademus Hollon, who won the notoriously difficult Barkley Marathons in 2013 and has routine dealt with stomach issues, discovered these treats while testing out different on-trail foods. The secret ingredient? Ginger, which the Chinese have been using to aid digestion and treat upset stomach for more than 2,000 years. Hollon says the balls are cheap (this is the cheapest recipe here) and easy to make.

Why It Works: Sticky rice delivers an easy-to-digest endurance fuel. Science backs the ancient Eastern remedyginger can settle your stomach, say researchers in the UK, and may also relieve post-exercise soreness, according to a study in the Journal of Pain.

How to Tweak It: Splash a dash of soy sauce into the mixture to increase the salt content and to add the complex flavor of umami, a Japanese word that roughly translates to deliciousness. Or toss in some chopped pecans for a boost of high-energy fat and tasty texture. Theyre the highest-antioxidant nut, according to a USDA study.

How to Make It: Mix the following ingredients together and shape into ping-pong-sized balls. Recipe makes about eight.

Calories Per Ball: 48 Carbs: 11 grams Fat: 0 grams Protein: 1 gram Price Per Serving: $0.12 Calories Per Dollar: 400

Avocadosonce a rare, seasonal treatare now mainstream. Sales of the fruit quadrupled from 2000 to 2015, and you can find them in grocery stores from Bangor to Beaverton and everywhere in between. And thats a good thing for all you ketogenic converts. Mashed in a Ziploc with a little salt, avocado is the perfect packable keto fuel.

Why It Works: A medium avocado has 250 calories and 20 vitamins and minerals. Beyond endurance, the avocados general health benefits are stellar. Eight studies show that their fats can boost heart health and promote healthy aging. Sea salt contains more of the electrolytes and minerals you lose through sweat compared to regular salt.

How to Tweak It: If youre not on the keto bandwagon but like the idea of an all-natural endurance paste, add carbs to the mash in the form of a slow-roasted sweet potato.

How to Make It: Dump all ingredients into a sealable plastic bag. Mash them together. Mid-endurance effort, bite off a corner the bag and squeeze the contents into your mouth.

Calories: 250 Carbs: 13 grams Fat: 23 grams Protein: 3 grams Price Per Serving: $1 Calories Per Dollar: 250

Consider these 13-ingredient bites as miniature power plants. Becks recipe takes a bit more prep work than the others on this list, but the magic is that the balls are designed to be made in bulk and frozen. Beck says her clients will grab a couple power balls from the freezer for shorter efforts or fill a sack for lower-intensity, multihour runs and rides.

Why It Works: The nut mixture delivers a huge amount of selenium and essential fatty acids, which are key for energy. Oats and honey offer complex, instant energy. Coconut counteracts inflammation. Indeed, with so many natural ingredients, your body wont be missing much.

How to Tweak It: However you want. Beck says the best way to make these is to experiment with ingredients and flavors you love. For example, you could swap the honey for Grade B maple syrup or pitted dates, or add any nuts or ingredients you like, such as cocoa nibs, which pack in cardio-healthy polyphenols. You could also swap the almond milk for canned pumpkin, which is high in vitamin C and potassium.

How to Make It: Dump all the ingredients except the almond butter and almond milk into a food processor or blender and pulse. After a minute or two of pulsing, add the almond butter and almond milk, continuing to pulse until the mixture is sticky and moist. Shape the mix into small one-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer for a few hours.

Calories Per Ball: 81 Carbs: 3.6 grams Fat: 6.6 grams Protein: 3.1 grams Price Per Serving: $0.25 Calories Per Dollar: 324

Read the original:
The Definitive Guide to the Ketogenic Diet - Outside Magazine

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a serious and growing problem. Previously linked with obesity, a new study also connects it to maternal obesity - meaning that what your mother ate during pregnancy may affect your future liver health.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by a buildup of fat within the cells of the liver. Although having fat in the liver is normal, if there is an excessive amount, it can lead to liver scarring and cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis describes a process during which liver cells are gradually replaced by scar tissue, hindering the liver's capacity to work effectively.

NAFLD is estimated to affect 20 to 30 percent of people in the Western world, and this level appears to be on the rise.

Individuals with type 2 diabetes and morbid obesity are among the worst affected; in these groups, the rates of NAFLD are 70 and 90 percent, respectively.

Although some of the risk factors are understood, it is not always clear why one person develops NAFLD while another, similar person, does not. Because of the rising prevalence of NAFLD, a great deal of research is currently under way that attempts to generate an understanding of the pathways behind the condition.

The latest research comes from a team headed up by Dr. Michael Thompson, Ph.D., a pediatric endocrinology fellow at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio. The results are presented today at the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, held in Chicago, IL.

Using a mouse model, the research explores the effect, if any, of a maternal high-fat diet on the offspring's liver health.

Dr. Thompson explains the reasons for his decision to embark on the current project: "Complications of obesity are a significant cost burden for the medical system, especially given the prevalence of obesity. Understanding how maternal exposures impact obesity-related disease such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease will allow us to develop lower-cost preventative therapies to utilize up front rather than awaiting complications down the road."

Once the data had been analyzed, they found that exposure to a high-fat diet during development produced changes in the liver that persisted through to adulthood. These changes remained even if the offspring were fed a low-fat diet after birth.

If this effect is confirmed in humans, it would mean that someone of a healthy weight could still be at risk for NAFLD if their mother had been obese during pregnancy.

When the team looked further into the data, they found that levels of bile acid and the genes involved in its regulation were altered in the offspring of obese mothers. This suggests that the offspring might have cholestasis, a condition in which the normal flow of bile is interrupted.

"If human offspring from obese mothers have a similar risk for developing fibrosis as we see in mice, we may be able to predict who is going to develop more serious disease.

Knowing who is most at risk for more serious disease will guide us on which patients should be treated more aggressively. Furthermore, understanding the biological mechanisms involved in this increased risk could lead to preventative therapies."

Dr. Michael Thompson

The results will need to be confirmed, but they open the door to a raft of new questions. Thompson and his team are now planning research to further investigate the risk of disease progression. Using the same mouse model, they are also designing studies that will examine preventative therapies able to be administered during pregnancy or shortly after birth.

Due to the rising rates of NAFLD, research in this vein is likely to continue at breakneck pace. Preventing or slowing this condition could have huge health benefits for the population at large.

Learn how eating meat may increase the risk of developing NAFLD.

See original here:
Your mother's diet may influence your liver's health - Medical News Today

Fish has long been Paul Greenbergs bread and butter. But last year, the fisherman, journalist, and author of Four Fish and American Catch took his relationship to seafood to a new level. While researching his next book, The Omega Principle, Greenberg spent a year eating fish multiple times a day, every day with the goal of raising his bodys level of omega-3 fatty acids. Meanwhile, he also traveled to Peru to visit the worlds largest wild fishery, to Norway to see the birthplace of modern aquaculture, and to Alaska, the last thriving wild salmon habitat in the world.

Greenbergs journey is also at the center of an episode of FRONTLINE called The Fish on My Plate, which airs Tuesday, April 25 on PBS. We talked to him about the film, his experimental diet, and the future of the fish on our plates.

You ate seafood every day for a year while filming this segment. Lets start with that. Why did you do it?

I have marginally high blood pressure, marginally bad cholesterol, and my triglycerides are on the high side, so I was hoping that those things would get addressed. Theres this thing that happens where you see around the corner of 45 and catch a glimpse of 50 in the middle distance and you just dont feel as sharp. And all the things that fish and omega-3s are supposed to do seem to relate to all the problems that you have when you realize that you truly are middle-aged. So, I was hoping to have a better, a less burdened, middle age than I might have had.

We wont spoil it for the audience, but it didnt quite work out how you planned. It has been six months since you stopped; what is your relationship to eating seafood now?

Well, Ive also been evaluating it for next my book and Ive come to the conclusion that a diet where pescatarianism is a large element is probably a good thing for the planet and a good thing for a persons health. That doesnt mean fish every day, but something more like the pescatarian Mediterraneanso it has all the qualities of the Mediterranean diet, but your primary protein more often than not would be fish.

But the other thing that you have to take into consideration is mercury and other pollutants. If you think about not wanting to push the gas pedal on mercury above a certain level, and attuned your fish consumption accordingly, you could strike that balance between pollutants and nutrition and probably get to a point where youd have a pretty healthy diet.

Id always been led to believe that if youre eating fish that is low on the food chain, and focusing on wild salmonwhich also eat relatively low on the food chainyoud avoid mercury. But it just turns out that there is trace mercury in almost every piece of seafood. As [the biologist] said in the film, its like death by a thousand cuts. And so you really do need to be conscious of it.

This filmand the forthcoming bookis much more health-focused than your other work. Do you want to talk about your decision to go that route?

My audience keeps expanding, which is great, but every time the audience expands I have to take a step back and find the right altitude at which to fly to explain these things. And you know to some degree the omega-3 in the film is the MacGuffin. Its important, but its also a way to talk about all these other things.

Omega-3 is also the Forrest Gump molecule. In the film, Forrest Gump shows up at these key moments throughout history and youre not quite sure what he does, but you know its important. And if you look at it from a health perspective, omega-3 exactly reflects our obsessions of the moment. In the 70s and 80s everyone was afraid of dropping dead of a heart attack, so Omega-3s were immediately plugged into cardiology.

They used to think it was connected with lowering cholesterol, but it seems like the evidence is it doesnt lower cholesterol. But that was our obsession and now that we have angioplasty and statins people arent as worried about heart attacks anymore. Now theyre worried about losing their minds and becoming demented. So, where has the Forrest Gump molecule wandered now? Its into the brain. So, thats the altitude that Ive chosen to take in my next book. And at the same time, it frees me up to talk about food systems which is to me the really important stuffmuch more important than my own heart and brain.

Lets talk about changing perceptions about fish farming. Do you find it ironic that while a small percentage of the population has questioned many of the methods behind aquaculture in the last decade, the actual numbers of pounds of farmed fish that were consuming has grown enormously?

Yes, its like [the moment in] Casablanca where Louie comes in and raids the casino and says, Im shocked, shocked to see gambling going on in this establishment! Then the croupier goes up to Louie and says, Your winnings, sir? and he says, Thank you very much. Thats kind of the way we feel about farmed fish.

But the fact is that fish farming is getting better. Theres one very basic metric that has really changed, and thats the amount of fish eaten by farmed fish. The fish-in-fish-out ratio has really come down. The possibilities of alternative feed really have risen. And I actually think in about five years things like algae and soldier flies will be a really major part of the aquaculture portfolio. And well start to see that argument [against farmed fish] getting dropped.

In 2007 and 2008, when I was doing the bulk of the research for Four Fish, the aquaculture industry was in a certain place. But it has changed. You had Ted Danson screaming at the top of his lungs and the celebrity on the Oceana board, saying, Nobody should be farmed fish. Now you have people like Leo DiCaprio who came out and strongly urge that everybody eat more farmed fish.

Any piece of seafoodbe it farmed or wildis going to have a smaller carbon footprint than any piece of land food meat, so its hard to argue against it in a much bigger sense.

A lot of folks are pointing to open-ocean or offshore aquaculture as a promising solution. What are your thoughts about that?

I certainly have thoughts about it; I dont know if Ive made a decision about it. On a basic level, putting aquaculture pens in the open ocean with more current and more water [for circulating the waste] certainly seems to make more sense. A few years ago I wrote an article for Conservation Magazine about open-ocean aquaculture and I kind of stressed a somewhat positive vision of it. I ran it by an ocean conservationist and he was just livid that I would even suggest this idea because he argued that if you had tons and tons of sea pens out there, youd essentially change the chemistry of the ocean and it could have large consequences. And I suppose thats true but its also a hypothesis.

If you could irrefutably prove that any addition of aquaculture will result in an offset of wild fish capture then aquaculture wins. But so far we havent been able to prove that. And I dont know that we ever will. So, that to me is the larger question. If we were to add a bunch of open-ocean pens and introduce these additional nitrates and so forth into the offshore environment but it meant taking away thousands of miles of long lines that [inadvertently] catch turtles and other aquatic life, maybe it would be okay to have a few ocean pens. But that hasnt happened yet.

Do you want to talk about the good actorslikeKvary Fiskeoppdrett,the fish farm you visited in the Arctic Circle?

As far as I could see, if youre going to do net pen aquaculture, that is about as good as it could get. For one thing, they have much lower stocking densities than the industrial guys further to the south [of Norway]. They were using lump suckers to eat the sea lice off of the salmon. They create this artificial kelp bed that the lump suckers cling to and the salmon swim in and they get kind of cleaned off like in a car wash. The feed they use has a low fish ratio and its all coming from waste from other fisheries.

So, you know, theyve pushed the model as far as it could go [sustainability-wise]. On the other hand, there are people who say theres a limit to how far that model can go. And thats what drove us to go see Bren Smithsmussel and oyster operation in Connecticut because that is truly different and truly less impactful than salmon farms. But do you want to eat mussels as often as you eat salmon?

Yeah, Ill be really curious to see if Bren can grow his operation in the current market.

Were flesh eaters. As Americans, weve really gotten used to wanting a big chunk of meat-like flesh on our plate and its going to be very hard to change that.

One of my favorite parts of the film was the scene in the fish market, where you talked about what you buy and why. Youre the person I think a lot of us should be going to the fish market with.

Thanks. Maybe Ill start a little side business after my next book is done.

Yeah, you could probably give thousand-dollar tours to women from the Upper East Side. Anything else you want to add about the film?

If folks want to learn more they should read my books, Four Fish and American Catch. Films take you places that you couldnt normally go and show you images that you wouldnt see, but to really ponder things, I still believe in the power of the written word.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Here is the original post:
Paul Greenberg's All-Fish Diet - Civil Eats

You may have come across some pretty alarming takes on diet soda going into this past weekend. "Daily dose of diet soda tied to triple risk of deadly stroke," blared Fox News . Outlets like the Washington Post and CNN repeated the assertion that drinking artificially sweetened beverages may increase the risk that your brain just maybe headed for a blood clot or serious mental deterioration because you like to drink Diet Coke. Don't believe the hype; the situation probably isn't nearly as dire as that.

Some of the reports about this "deadly diet soda" study have been more nuanced than others. But there's a common theme among a lot of themthey don't outline some of its most crucial and relevant caveats until way past the headline. And if they did, the titles would be pretty boring. Like, "Study determines minor observational link (but no direct cause-and-effect) between certain people who drink artificial sugar beverages, but it has a small sample size that doesn't include minorities or account for a whole bunch of other critical factors."

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That's not exactly as sexy as claiming that a Diet Coke a day will bring Alzheimer's in its wake, or triple the chances of a stroke. But science, fortunately (or unfortunately if you're trying to grab clicks at the expense of good information), isn't meant to be sexy. It's meant to test hypotheses and express facts. And when the results of scientific experiments are presented without context, they lead to misleading, panicky headlines like the ones that dominated the Internet on Friday.

Physician Aaron Carroll, who writes for one of the most clear-eyed, if wonky, health care websites out therethe Incidental Economist and has a delightfully no-BS, data-driven column on the New York Times' Upshot site, highlights several reasons why you should take this new sugar study with a grain of salt.

Did the participants differ by race or ethnicity? I have no idea. I do know, however, that the authors write about the absence of ethnic minorities, which limits the generalizability of our findings to populations of non-European decent. Was that in the coverage you read?

Did they differ by socioeconomic status? No idea. Did they abuse drugs? Work or retire? Live alone or with someone? Have a family history of disease? No idea.

Did they acknowledge that different artificial sweeteners are different molecules with likely different effects or implications? No.

Were there multiple comparisons, meaning some results might be due to chance? Yep. Did they rely on self-report, which might mean recall bias comes into play? Yep.

Was this an observational study? Of course.

Was all of that in the coverage you read?

Carroll's explanation is a lot more in-depth than that, digging into nerdy-but-important factors like the actual models the study's authors used, the limitations they openly admitted to, and information we simply don't know about their analysis.

But this does reflect a common theme in mainstream media science reporting. The drive to report the most provocative (in many cases, concerning) headlines obscure the incremental, nuanced, and decidedly not -reductive nature of good science. If you were to rely on flashy media headlines alone, you might think that everything causes cancer or prevents it !

None of this is to say that sugar alternatives don't come with health risks; they very well might. But limited, observational studies about public health trends can only take you so far down the path to real knowledge. So don't feel pressured to freak out about that diet drink because the Internet told you to.

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Stop Freaking Out About That Study Linking Diet Soda to Alzheimer's and Strokes - Fortune

Cutting out certain amino acids the building blocks of proteins from the diet of mice slows tumour growth and prolongs survival, according to new research published in Nature.

Researchers at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute and the University of Glasgow found that removing two non-essential amino acids serine and glycine from the diet of mice slowed the development of lymphoma and intestinal cancer.

The researchers also found that the special diet made some cancer cells more susceptible to chemicals in cells called reactive oxygen species.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy boost levels of these chemicals in the cells, so this research suggests a specially formulated diet could make conventional cancer treatments more effective.

The next stage would be to set up clinical trials with cancer patients to assess the feasibility and safety of such a treatment.

Dr Oliver Maddocks, a Cancer Research UK scientist at the University of Glasgow, said: Our findings suggest that restricting specific amino acids through a controlled diet plan could be an additional part of treatment for some cancer patients in future, helping to make other treatments more effective.

Professor Karen Vousden, Cancer Research UKs chief scientist and study co-author, said: This kind of restricted diet would be a short term measure and must be carefully controlled and monitored by doctors for safety. Our diet is complex and protein - the main source of all amino acids - is vital for our health and well-being. This means that patients cannot safely cut out these specific amino acids simply by following some form of home-made diet.

Amino acids are the building blocks that cells need to make proteins. While healthy cells are able to make sufficient serine and glycine, cancer cells are much more dependent on getting these vital amino acids from the diet.

However, the study also found that the diet was less effective in tumours with an activated Kras gene, such as most pancreatic cancer, because the faulty gene boosted the ability of the cancer cells to make their own serine and glycine. This could help to select which tumours could be best targeted by diet therapy.

Dr Emma Smith, science communication manager at Cancer Research UK, said: This is a really interesting look at how cutting off the supply of nutrients essential to cancer cell growth and division could help restrain tumours.

The next steps are clinical trials in people to see if giving a specialised diet that lacks these amino acids is safe and helps slow tumour growth as seen in mice. Wed also need to work out which patients are most likely to benefit, depending on the characteristics of their cancer.

Reference

Maddocks, O. D., Athineos, D., Cheung, E. C., Lee, P., Zhang, T., Niels J. F. Van Den Broek, . . . Vousden, K. H. (2017). Modulating the therapeutic response of tumours to dietary serine and glycine starvation. Nature, 544(7650), 372-376. doi:10.1038/nature22056

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Diet Therapy Could Be Effective at Starving Cancer - Technology Networks

Weve all heard of the notorious diet of billionaire investor Warren Buffett. If you havent, apparently Buffetts been a coke man and a burger man for nearly 50 years. Buffett explained, If I eat 2700 calories a day, a quarter of that is Coca-Cola. I drink at least five 12-ounce servings. I do it everyday.

Ill have one at breakfast, he explains, noting that he loves to drink Coke with potato sticks. What brand of potato sticks? I have a can right here, he says. U-T-Z Utz is a Hanover, Pennsylvania-based snack maker. Buffett says that hes talked to Utz management about potentially buying the company.

Investors in Berkshire Hathaway may feel relieved that the CEO isnt addicted to Utz Potato Stix at every breakfast. This morning, I had a bowl of chocolate chip ice cream, Buffett says. Asked to explain the high-sugar, high-salt diet that has somehow enabled him to remain seemingly healthy, Buffett replies: I checked the actuarial tables, and the lowest death rate is among six-year-olds. So I decided to eat like a six-year-old. The octogenarian adds, Its the safest course I can take.

As crazy as Buffetts diet sounds, theres another familiar face who you might be surprised beats out Buffetts odd choices. That man is Alex Trebek: For several years, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebeks breakfast of champions consisted of a Snickers and a Diet Pepsi. After his nutritionist reprimanded his routine, he switched his meals accordingly; he replaced them with Milky Way bars and Diet Cokes.

So now you know that. Isnt that funny?

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Alex Trebek has a Much Filthier Diet than Warren Buffett - TVOvermind

Ever wondered how to live a long and healthy life? Here are some tips we can learn from our brothers and sisters overseas!

Fad diets are putting young people at risk, experts warn.

YOUNG people could be putting their health at risk by following dieting fads such as going dairy free, experts have warned.

A survey by the National Osteoporosis Society found a fifth of under 25-year-olds are cutting out or reducing dairy in their diet, which can be dangerous if they do not get enough calcium from other sources, reports The Sun.

The charity said that many young people take their dietary advice from bloggers and while some of it is sound, it is not always based on science and may not be right for everyone.

Here, Sun nutritionist Amanda Ursell sorts fact from fiction and answers eight of the most common questions about our diets.

Does grapefruit help with weight loss?

The grapefruit diet was created in the 1920s and has been praised by celebrities like Kylie Minogue.

But scientists at Oxford University found no difference in weight between groups taking grapefruit or a placebo.

Is chocolate a health food?Source:Supplied

Is chocolate a health food?

Chocolate is low on the glycaemic index, which measures how quickly carbohydrates are digested and how quickly they raise the level of blood sugar.

Chocolate squeaks into the low-GI bracket because digestion of the 24g of sugar in a 50g bar is slowed down by the 15g of fat it also provides.

But it will never be the same as a bowl of strawberries, so keep it as a treat.

Which kind of milk has the most calcium?

Full-fat, 2 per cent and skim milk all contain roughly the same amount of calcium, as the bone-building mineral is found in the watery part of milk, not the fatty part.

So when fat is removed for 2 per cent and skim milk, none of this vital mineral is lost.

Does eating celery use more calories than it holds?

There is little scientific evidence either way for this claim. But given that a stick of celery provides just two calories, the numbers really arent worth worrying about.

If you enjoy it, eat it. If you dont, choose another vegetable you like.

Are all processed foods bad for you?

Not always. Wholemeal bread and pasta, natural yoghurt, oats, and frozen vegetables all undergo processing and these foods are not considered bad for us.

In fact, some processed foods, such as red kidney beans, are better for you than before they are treated.

On the other hand, overly refined processed foods, such as cakes, pies, and cookies, should be limited.

Are fad diets doing you more harm than good?Source:Supplied

Could my diet be giving me pimples?

Good news there is no strong conclusive evidence that chocolate or dairy products cause acne. Dark chocolate provides antioxidants that may actually help to protect the skin.

For healthy skin, you should drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet.

Foods with vitamins A, C and E, zinc, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and selenium will also help.

What is the best source of calcium?

Dried fruits, beans, and seeds do contain calcium.

But they also have substances known as oxalates and phytates that grab on to the calcium they contain and reduce how much you can absorb.

The British Dietetic Association advises that they should not be used as your main source of calcium.

Milk, yoghurt, almond milk and fortified oat, rice and soy milk are much better sources.

How much oily fish should I eat?

We should have at least two portions of fish a week, including one serving (about 5 oz) of oily types such as salmon and mackerel. Oily fish is full of omega-3 essential fats, which are good for our hearts and the nervous systems of babies and children.

But some oily fish contain low levels of pollutants that build up, so pregnant or breastfeeding women are advised to stick to a maximum of two servings per week.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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The shocking facts and fictions behind the latest fad diets - NEWS.com.au

Most diets fail. Whether the goal is losing weight or just generally eating healthier, a commonly cited (and probably overstated) statistic says 95 percent of diets dont work. But new research suggests the secret of a better diet could be hiding in our DNA.

Our eating habits are complex, and are shaped by environmental, cultural, and psychological factors as much as by genetics. But a better understanding of the latter could help people design diets that are optimized to their most fundamental food preferences, according to researcher Silvia Berciano of the Autonomous University of Madrid. Presenting her research teams work Saturday at the Experimental Biology 2017 conference in Chicago, Bercianorelated how a study of 818 men and women revealed links between genetic variation and dietary choices.

For instance, how the brain expressed a particular gene associated with obesity was linked to how much vegetable and fiber intake a person got. Another gene connected to the hormone oxytocin played a role in a persons fondness for chocolate. Still other genes shaped how much salt and how much fat a person tended to have in their diet. There were a few other links the researchers found, but there was less evidence these connections were significant.

In theory, this sort of research could help build better, more personalized diets. Somebody who, for instance, has a genetic predisposition toward chocolate but not toward salt would do better to cut down on the latter and be more likely to not quit on such a diet. Understanding how specificgenes affect food preferences could also tell us more about the genetic risks behind diseases that are in part shaped by peoples diets, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Those who participated in the study sites in Minneapolis and Salt Lake City were all of European ancestry, so an important next step will be to see whether these results hold for people of different ethnicities. Previous studies found genetic components to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, but this is the first time researchers have studied how genes might shape eating habits more generally.

Its early days yet for gene-based dieting, but even these preliminary results are intriguing for everyone hoping for a better diet to come along.

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Knowing Your Genetics Could Help Design Just The Right Diet - Vocativ

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