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Vitamin C is a common remedy that some people believe will cure the common cold and flu. Although it helps us maintain good immune function, theres little evidence that it can prevent or substantially reduce either of these diseases. But in the midst of the novel coronavirus outbreak, some influencers are claiming that taking mega-doses of vitamin C can cure COVID-19 (the disease caused by novel coronavirus).

So lets cut to the chase. Can vitamin C cure the coronavirus? Considering that novel coronavirus belongs to the same family of viruses coronaviruses as the common cold and flu, its unlikely that taking vitamin C will prevent or cure you of a COVID-19 infection.

I have written before that using vitamin C to treat the common cold was an idea popularised by double Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Linus Pauling, and further promoted by the dietary supplements industry. Unfortunately, ever since Paulings claim in the 1970s, there has been little evidence to back it up.

Vitamins or vital-amines were first discovered at the beginning of the 20th century as elements present in low amounts in our diets that were vital for health. Certainly, people lacking certain vitamins will develop deficiency diseases. For example, people deficient in vitamin C will develop scurvy. However, it wasnt until the early 1930s that it was discovered that scurvy was caused by lack of vitamin C, and that taking the vitamin could cure the disease.

The science of nutrition was born with the discovery of vitamins, and has since become a competitive, unregulated industry, often with scientific fact competing against those spreading misinformation and looking to profit: the novel coronavirus outbreak is just the latest example.

These misleading articles have spread quickly, and are likely to be behind the shortage of vitamin C in Asia and a five-fold spike in demand for vitamin C and multivitamins in Singapore.

Vitamin C is important to maintain redox balance in the bodys tissues these are types of reactions in cells that add or remove oxygen, and are essential for many processes such as generating energy in cells. These same reactions, though, can create products harmful to human cells such as reactive oxygen species, which react with lipids (fat), proteins and nucleic acids. Vitamin C can lessen these harmful reactions. It also help enzymes build collagen, which is necessary for supporting our bodys tissues.

Although vitamin C doesnt have miraculous disease-curing properties, some research has also shown it can help the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses. Its role in protecting against viral infections was shown in a recent review which found that immune cells need vitamin C to produce proteins that activate the immune system throughout the body against virus attacks.

Having said that, we can easily obtain sufficient levels of vitamin C in our diet that will keep our immune system fully functional. Vitamin C is plentiful in many fruits and vegetables, including oranges, broccoli and potatoes. And while it is relatively non-toxic, since its high water solubility makes it easy to excrete from the body, excessive doses can result in unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea and cramps.

Though I have said vitamin C is unlikely to be a dramatic cure for COVID-19, the fact that it can promote good immune function means it would be going too far to say there will be no effect. And although a review found that vitamin C has no effect on reducing the frequency of colds, it did find that for the average person, there was a small decrease in the duration of common cold symptoms. But for people that participate in brief periods of severe physical exercise (such as marathon runners and skiers), vitamin C halved the duration and severity of their common cold risk.

These slight effects of vitamin C on the coronavirus that causes the common cold have spurred a new clinical trial looking to cure COVID-19 infections using very high intravenous doses of vitamin C. These trials have just started and no results are yet posted. Intravenous application of vitamin C will result in much higher and faster levels of the vitamin in the blood than any amount found in vitamin C supplements taken orally. Though this approach could increase vitamin Cs mild protective effect, this is yet hypothetical and intravenous injection comes with its own risks, such as infection, blood vessel damage, air embolism or blood clots.

So alhough vitamin C does have some small effect on the common cold, its unlikely that taking large amounts of vitamin C supplements will cure a COVID-19 infection or have a large effect at all. Even if intravenous vitamin C works to shorten or cure COVID-19, it will likely only be a stop-gap before therapies directed at the virus, such as vaccinations, take over. The most effective way to avoid the virus still remains washing hands, not touching the eyes, nose or mouth, and keeping your distance from anyone exhibiting symptoms.

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Coronavirus: it's time to debunk claims that vitamin C could cure it - The Conversation UK

CNN Is breakfast still the most important meal of the day? We used to know the answer to that question, right?

And now we're not so sure.

As a registered dietitian, I always recommend starting the day with a healthy breakfast. And during the past 20 years, I've never met a nutritionist who has suggested skipping it. The morning meal can boost energy, control cravings and weight, and improve focus and performance.

When planned well, breakfast can also add important nutrients to your diet, such as protein, healthy fats and calcium, explained Cordialis Msora-Kasago, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

But popular intermittent fasting regimens often banish breakfast in an effort to improve health and lose weight. In a recent New York Times article, Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Aging and at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explained that most people trying to lose weight should strive for 16 calorie-free hours, and that "the easiest way to do this is to stop eating by 8 p.m., skip breakfast the next morning and then eat again at noon the next day."

Mattson, who for the past 30 years has consumed all of his 2,000 calories between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m, recently told me that once your body adapts to skipping breakfast, you don't get the negative side effects of doing so.

But there is a way that you can have your breakfast and your fast, too.

Complicating matters in the breakfast debate is that current research on breakfast and weight control is conflicting. For example, a recent BMJ review that analyzed 13 studies on the meal concluded that "the addition of breakfast might not be a good strategy for weight loss."

The BMJ study used many small and extremely short-term studies, and was skewed toward those including a very poor quality breakfast, explained Tamara Duker Freuman, a New York City-based registered dietitian who closely follows the research literature on meal timing in terms of disease risk.

"If the intent was to settle the breakfast debate once and for all, this was not the study selection or design that was going to do it."

What's more, these findings are a stark contrast from other research, which suggests that when you front-load your calories by eating a big breakfast and a smaller dinner, you have a much better chance of shedding pounds and you are likely to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, too.

That's because eating most of our calories earlier in the day is more in sync with our bodies' circadian rhythms, which influence metabolism and decrease the risk of weight gain, compared to eating more calories later in the day. Circadian rhythms may also help explain why breakfast skipping is associated with increased risk of weight gain even among those who consume comparable amounts of calories in a day.

Indeed, a small recent study examined differences in diet-induced thermogenesis or calories expended as the result of processing and storing food among people consuming larger breakfasts and smaller dinners versus smaller breakfasts and larger dinners. What it found was consistent with these earlier findings: Participants who ate a big breakfast rather than a large dinner both with identical calories had 2.5 times greater calorie-burning benefits compared to when they swapped their meal pattern around. Blood sugar and insulin levels were diminished after breakfast compared to dinner as well.

"What we've seen from very large cohort studies conducted over years and even decades is that people who eat breakfast are more likely to have lower BMIs and a variety of better metabolic health outcomes particularly related to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes" and cardiovascular disease, Freuman said.

Just this week, a meta-analysis published in Clinical Nutrition concluded that eating breakfast regularly may promote cardiovascular health and decrease all-cause mortality while skipping the morning meal increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.

But this doesn't mean that every breakfast skipper is destined to gain weight or develop heart disease or type 2 diabetes, nor does it mean that a particular individual who skips breakfast and is perfectly healthy must start eating breakfast. "I think the takeaway is that if you are a breakfast skipper who struggles with blood sugar, triglycerides or cholesterol, or weight despite consuming a reasonably healthy diet it may be worth considering establishing a daily, healthy breakfast habit and pulling back a bit on the nighttime intake in tandem," Freuman said.

Following a daily fasting regimen that restricts eating during a certain time window doesn't have to mean eliminating breakfast. For example, you can stop eating at 7 p.m. and not eat again until at least 7 a.m. the next morning, and you will still get the benefits of a 12-hour fast while fueling your mind and body with important nutrients to start the day, Msora-Kasago explained.

Eating earlier will mean eating in sync with your circadian rhythms, which is favorable for weight control, and at the same time you will avoid the trap of nighttime nibbling, where calories can pile up without you even realizing it.

Should you eat or skip breakfast before exercising? Some research has revealed that you can burn more fat if you exercise on an empty stomach.

But depending on your needs, it may not be a wise decision to do so. "Some people are able to work out in the fasted state and not feel ill effects, but others may feel weak, dizzy or unable to complete their workout," Msora-Kasago said.

"I always advise my clients to eat before exercising," said Wendy Sterling, a board-certified sports dietitian. "I work with athletes, and my job is to help them gain a competitive advantage by maximizing every workout.

"Skipping breakfast could mean they might be working out on a 14-hour fast, depending on when they ate last. Performance suffers greatly, and they look sluggish and tired," said Sterling, who is the team nutritionist for the Oakland A's.

When choosing a breakfast, look for a meal that includes protein, which will promote satiety and decrease daytime snacking, Msora-Kasago said.

A healthy breakfast should also include whole grains, healthy fats, a fruit or vegetable, and a calcium-rich food or beverage. Msora-Kasago recommends a veggie egg scramble with cheese and avocado on whole-grain toast; hummus on a whole-grain bagel with tomatoes and cucumbers and low-fat milk; and oatmeal with some almonds and low-fat milk and berries.

Keep in mind, if you tend to wake up and not feel hungry, you might be eating too much during the evening. Simply cutting back on nighttime snacking may give you more of an appetite for breakfast.

Or, if you're not up for a full meal in the morning, you can also try eating smaller portions of what you would normally eat, or pick something quick and easy like a small handful of nuts with dried fruit to give your body something to get your day started, Msora-Kasago added.

Is breakfast the most important meal of the day?

The-CNN-Wire & 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

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To eat, or not to eat breakfast that is the question - KSL.com

BY SANDRA GUY

Experts say training to be an athlete ready to run marathons, compete in endurance trials and eat and train seriously -- should represent the culmination of proper nutrition, smart exercise and committed lifetime habits.

It's a timely topic, since March is National Athletic Training Month.

The founder of several Chicago runners groups for African-American men and women remembers how he discovered the hurdles of transitioning to outdoor running after sticking to a treadmill for two years.

I didnt have the confidence to go outside, said Terrance L. Lyles, a resident of Greater Grand Crossing who grew up in Chicagos West and South Sides.

Lyles said he overcame his hesitation to run outdoors by starting a training program that focused on completing a certain distance.

I started during a hot summer, and it was rigorous, Lyles said. You run outdoors in the elements with no excuses whether its in rain or ice, or cold or hot weather, he said. Other than lightning and thunder, its Game on.

Lyles running high was cemented after he lost 30 pounds early on in his training, saw his skin clear up, quit drinking liquor, and got in tune with how good he felt after a long run.

The journey had its moments.

My first eight-mile run, I remember like it was yesterday, Lyles said. I didnt think I was going to die. I knew I was going to die.

Yet his perseverance led him to become a certified running coach and create and mentor 57 members of Men Run Deez Streets, and Black Chicago Runners, with 225 women members. Men Run Deez Streets counts 12 other active members spread among Atlanta; Houston; Little Rock, Ark.; Tampa, Fla., and St. Louis.

Its not a fad. Its a lifestyle, he said.

Others whove transitioned into serious athletes say theyve overhauled their diets: Theyve quit soda pop, cut back on eating favorite cakes, donuts and cookies, and started munching on nuts instead of chips.

In fact, running outside puts extra demands on breathing, and, when its cold, can blunt a persons thirst reflex, said Audra Wilson, a dietitian at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in west suburban Geneva, Ill.

Wilson, who ran the 2018 Chicago Marathon, advises runners to weigh themselves before and after trial runs not to become obsessed with each ounce one way or the other but to see how much water weight theyre losing, and to plan to hydrate to make up for the loss.

I lose three to four pounds on a (marathon) run, she said. I need to drink at least 64 ounces before the run and then drink every 15 minutes if Im running for an hour or longer.

The best way to know if youre staying properly hydrated? Your urine should be light yellow to clear throughout the day, said Alicia Glass, senior sports dietitian for the United States Olympic Committee.

The latest research shows runners should beware eating too many calories and too many carbs.

You cant outrun a bad diet, Wilson said. Half of our plates should be non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, onions, peppers, cauliflower, and/or a salad; one-quarter of the plate should consist of carbs, such as oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice and, on a heavy running schedule, a glycogen drink to maintain the bodys main form of fuel for long-term energy; and one-quarter should include protein, such as eggs, tofu, fish, legumes, chicken breast and lean meat.

Dairy products such as milk, soy milk, other milk substitutes, and yogurt also fall under high-quality proteins, Glass said.

After eating enough proteins and carbohydrates, dietary fats should fill in to balance out our energy needs, Glass said. The best choices are fish and plant sources rich in essential fatty acids, which act as anti-inflammatories for the heart and body. Salmon, avocados, olive oil and nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, are great examples.

Yet Glass also noted that 30 minutes of running may burn 200 to 300 calories. Thats less than a cup of pasta not a huge entree dish of spaghetti.

Originally posted here:
What Does It Take to Strive to be a Professional Athlete? - ChicagoNow

Media Release

Wednesday, 11 March 2020-IGD research reveals a big appetite from consumers to be healthier and more sustainable in their food choices and consumers are looking for support to make positive changes

Two-thirds (66%) of consumers are already changing their diets or are considering making changes to be healthier and more sustainable. However, consumers are also confused, with most overestimating how healthy and sustainable their diet is.

These are the findings from new research, Appetite for Change, launched today by research and training charity IGD. The research explores a subject area around which the food and consumer goods industry and IGD share a joint ambition.

Susan Barratt, CEO of IGD commented: Working with our colleagues in the industry we hope the Appetite for Change report will provide tangible inspiration to encourage steps towards behavioural change in consumers diets.

Working with behavioural change experts, stakeholders from across retail, manufacturing, catering providers, government and academia and drawing on data from 1,000 UK consumers, the research found that while many understand the principles of a balanced diet, the reality of what they eat doesnt reflect this, resulting in a gap between knowledge and action. Consumer food diaries, completed as part of IGDs research, show that the balance of food groups people consume were not aligned with public health recommendations set out in the national dietary guidelines, The Eatwell Guide.3

Susan Barratt continued: Our food system sustains us, nourishes us and supports our health and wellbeing. We produce, consume and waste more food than ever before and with the health of the nation and the future security of our environment at risk, how the food system currently operates and delivers requires a significant shift. While the Eatwell Guide provides a useful direction of travel for consumers, we are a long way from meeting this guidance. This new research focuses on consumer behaviour, as we believe the real opportunity comes from changing diets; if we work with our industry to empower and enable consumers, they will help drive the change required.

Extensive studies have shown that education alone will not change behaviour6, which is why we have collaborated with behaviour change experts and a wide range of stakeholders to understand how, together, we can advocate and support consumers on this journey.

The research reveals that consumers fall into three mindsets; those who are making changes to be healthy and more sustainable, those who are considering it, and those who see no reason to change. And because the majority (66%) of people in the UK are open to making changes to what they eat and drink, the scale of change can be phenomenal. It is this group of people that, with the help of industry, are actively looking for products and solutions that meet their needs.

We also identified actions that companies can take for those who have not yet thought about changing their diet, bringing them on the journey by helping to normalise healthier and sustainable choices.

Those consumers who rate the health and sustainability of their diets as eight or more out of 10 say some of the actions they are taking include increasing their intake of plant-based foods (42%), reducing their intake of meat (39%) and reducing their intake of dairy (23%)4. Consumers who rate their diet between five and seven out of 10 say they are increasing the amount they cook from scratch (58%) and increasing their fruit and vegetable consumption (58%)5.

While health is the primary driver for 58% of consumers to make improvements to their diet, concern for the environment is growing, especially among younger consumers. Almost a quarter (22%) of 18-24-year-olds are motivated by concerns about the environment to pursue a sustainable and healthy diet.

Some 41% of consumers perceive healthy and sustainable eating to be more expensive, making this the biggest barrier to change. Other barriers include liking the taste of their current diet (19%), being creatures of habit (18%) and the convenience of their current meal choices and the ease of cooking them (18%).

IGD has identified practical steps the food and grocery industry can take to encourage behaviour change for each of the different mindsets based around five core principles:

Susan Barratt adds: Appetite for Change identifies huge opportunities to start shifting peoples behaviour and recommends next steps the food industry can take in this direction. We all have a role to play, but our impact will be much greater if we come together to drive the change required. We are keen to continue this work with industry and academia to test different approaches and identify the most effective initiatives to drive positive change.

Industry can use Appetite for Change to help shape strategy, understand which mindset their customers are in and help identify the most relevant solutions. The full and summary reports are available to download at igd.com/healthysustainablediets.

ENDS

For media enquiries and interview opportunities please contact Laura John at [emailprotected].com or 01923 851986

Notes to editors:

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An Appetite for Change: driving behavioural change in consumers through the food and grocery industry - IGD

It takes a lot of guts to play the role of the guinea pig especially when it comes to the types of foods you put in your gut.

For Sault-native and fitness vlogger Steve Rimmer, taking on the guineapig role is something he craves, if it means finding the most effective way possible to get fit.

Currently residing in Torontothe 28-year-old says he hopes to shedlight on some of the biggest myths and fallacies in todays fitness industry by personally testing out various diets or routines to determine their effectiveness.

And though some of these diets have limited or no clinical data in relation to their effect on the human body, Rimmer is willing to take them on so that others can have a better understanding of the health benefits or concerns associated witheach diet.

Most recently, the Carnivore Diet has been growing in popularity throughout the health and fitness realms. There has not yet been a solidified assessment of the potential health risks associated with this diet, which has caused some uncertainty.

Contrary to the vegan diet, the carnivore diet consistsentirely of meat and animal products, excluding all other foods. No fruit, no vegetables, no dairy.

Just meat.

Rimmer is exploring the impact the carnivore diet will have on his body, hoping toprovide insight to those who remain unsure whether it is a safe routine. He has started a 90-day trial of the diet, where he will consult with a doctor, nutritionist, and other health professionals to track the effects it has on his body and mind.

What I'm going to do is just eat meat and follow the exact diet that people are recommending to their clients and to their followers and see what does happen, Rimmer says. People can look and see someone who's not tied to either end of the spectrum and say, how does it affect me? Is it something that's worth trying? and, what can I actually expect based on all of these different metrics?

In reviewing the data collected throughout the course of the diet and providing that evidence to his audience,Rimmer hopes those following his story can make an informed decision based on their own goals.

This isnt Rimmers first taste of the carnivore diet. He tried the diet for three weeks in 2018, but did not complete a comprehensiveanalysis of his health. He says he experienced leg cramps and noticed that his cholesterol and triglyceride levels increased pretty significantly while on the diet, sohe is eager to see whether these trends will continue in the same trajectory.

I'll be getting updates on bloodwork as I'm working with a doctor and nutritionists, he explained. We're going to be evaluating the blood labs along the way so if anything crazy happens we can pull the plug. It would have to be something pretty catastrophic for that to happen.

Rimmer began working out in high school when training for St. Marys Colleges football and hockey teams. Once his competitive sports days came to an end, his commitment to fitness had taken a hit. It took a personal wake up call to shake himself from the unhealthy lifestyle he was leading, and he wanted to get back on track to becoming fit and feeling better about himself.

I remember I ate a pizza for breakfast one morning and thought to myself, What are you doing? he said. You have to take some responsibility for what youre doing.

That is exactly what Rimmer did. He began researching different diets, workouts and supplements, and worked his way back into the best shape of his life. And although he does not have any educational background in health or nutrition, he became informed by reading articles and listening to podcasts related to fitness.That allowed him to question and test some of the theories being taught in educational institutions, and challenge what was being recommended by health experts.

I decided if I'm struggling with this by encountering the issue, I'm sure it's something that a lot of other people are struggling with, too, Rimmer says. So I decided that I would start doing it and releasing it through a YouTube channel.

His YouTube Channel called SHREDucated currently has almost a half-million views since it was created in August of 2014. Itis where Rimmer will be keeping viewers updated on the progress and analysis of the carnivore diet.

Rimmer emphasizes that he is not an advocate for the carnivore diet. He says there seems to be two very opposite camps: those who believe in the legitimacy of a carnivore diet, and those who believe in a vegan diet. In some ways, he believes the carnivore diet is a reactionary movement against the vegan diet; but he isfocused solely on clearing up any misconceptions.

Theres all this information out there that red meat is bad for you, yet there are people on the carnivore diet who are saying red meat has cured all of their health ailments, he said. This is the absolute pinnacle of what I was experiencing in university testing out a new diet there are two exact opposite ends of the spectrum arguing that they have the best solution for your health.

Overall, Rimmer acknowledges this experiment may not be indicative of the effects a diet like this might have on a wide range of people; but it will at least give a small sample size of how the diet could affect your body.

Im not going to be representative of everyone in the population, but at least you will be able to see a case study on what actually happens if all you do is eat meat.

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Nothin' but meat: Sault native goes carnivore in YouTube experiment - SooToday.com

The close-up dry period is a critical period in the last three weeks before calving.

It is essential to the success of the next lactation and rations should change to prepare the animal for lactation.

Forages low in energy are a must as it is essential cows dont put on or lose weight.

See also:How to assess if your dry cow ration is working effectively

Together with independent nutritionist Mark Price, we take a look at five options for dry cows.

What it is?The Goldilocks diet is low in energy and high in low-quality forage, typically straw, and fed for the entire dry period.

The term Goldilocks is derived from the fact cows are provided with just the right amount of nutrition. This means the cows energy requirements will be met, but not exceeded when they are fed the diet ad lib.

How does it work? By feeding the cow just right amount of energy, there is a lower rate of fat mobilisation. This is because cows tissues become more insulin sensitive, and insulin is a hormone that reduces fat mobilisation.

Many Goldilocks diets are also dietary cation anion balance (DCAB) diets. This means they contain a balance of minerals that acidify the blood, which promotes calcium mobilisation from the bones (see point 2).

Vital elements of the ration/inclusion rates Typically, the diet will contain:

Pros

Cons

What type of herd is it suited to? This diet is suited to mid- to high-yielding herds (7,000-12,000 litres) because it is effective at controlling milk fever and ketosis, both of which are present in higher yielding herds.

What it is?The DCAB system is probably the most common modern dry cow feeding approach to help prevent milk fever. It involves balancing the minerals naturally present in the feeds to create the most favourable, slightly acidic conditions in the blood.

The difference between a high-DCAB and a semi-DCAB is the level of acidification a high-DCAB (full) diet causes the blood to be more acidic.

A semi-DCAB (partial DCAB) contains less anionic salts meaning the blood is less acidic. Magnesium chloride is the main anionic salt used in both diets.

A high-DCAB diet involves the use of a commercial mineral pack (supplement) containing a balance of anionic salts and additional calcium. This works well under careful management, but high calcium can make milk fever worse if the supplement is not fed accurately every day.

How does it work? It acidifies the blood which allows calcium to be mobilised from the bones.

To acidify the blood, you need to offset the inputs of positively charged cationic salts such as potash and sodium, which make the blood less acid, with acidifying, negatively-charged anions like chloride and sulphate.

This essentially causes the cow to get mild, metabolic (not rumen) acidosis which triggers the metabolism of calcium from the bone reserves to redress the balance and prevent milk fever.

Vital elements of the ration/inclusion rates The rations of a high-DCAB and semi-DCAB diet are similar except for the mineral pack.

The diet includes:

Pros and cons

What type of herd is it suited to? High-DCAB to high yielding herds and semi-DCAB to high- (10,000 litres plus) and medium- (7,000-9,000 litres) yielding cows.

Grazing dry cows on standing hay is the cheapest form of feeding. Rhian Price/Mark Allen Group

What it is?Calcium binders are granular compound clay pellets that bind excessive calcium in the diet (for example, if a high amount of silage is being fed.) They have been found to decrease the incidence of milk fever and are often used where high amounts of grass silage is fed in the dry cow diet.

How do they work? Some of the products are based on sodium aluminium silicate, which is a synthetic zeolite clay that binds calcium. This causes the cow to mobilise calcium from her bones when she needs it. Binders are often sold as a compound dry cow nut.

Vital elements of the ration/inclusion rates

Pros

Cons

What type of herd is it suited to? Small herds/all year round (AYR) small calving groups or herds that may struggle to source and chop straw, and where grass silage is the main source of feed. It also suits farmers that graze dry cows.

What it is?This is where a field is left to grow for two months and then strip grazed. It provides cows with a high fibre, low-energy diet.

How does it work? Instead of incurring the cost of baling long, stemmy grass for silage or hay, cows harvest it themselves by strip grazing it. The paddock can also double up as a calving area.

Vital elements of the ration/inclusion rates

Pros

Cons

What type of herd is it suited to? Smaller cows and low-yielding cows (below 7,000 litres). It also works better logistically for an autumn calving herd.

What it is?A forage-based ration such as haylage supplemented with a dry cow nut is the simplest dry cow ration available.

How does it work? This diet is reliant on forage. The dry cow nut is used to address any protein and energy needs with minerals often fed in addition. The diets are often semi-DCAB which helps acidify the blood slightly and causes mobilisation of calcium from the bones.

Vital elements of the ration/inclusion rates

Pros

Cons

What type of herd is it suited to? Lower yielders and cows housed in smaller groups where feeding multiple diets would be hard. i.e. if there are only a few cows in each group.

Original post:
Pros and cons of 5 close-up dry cow feeding options - FarmersWeekly

Studies point to yes, so long as you're willing to commit.

March6, 20206 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The following article is based on excerpts from Ben Angel's book, Unstoppable: A 90-Day Plan to Biohack Your Mind and Body for Success. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | IndieBound. And be sure to order The Unstoppable Journal, the only journal of its kind based on neuroscience, psychology and biohacking to help you reach your goals.

Youre on the right track if youre working on your diet to give you optimum performance. You understand the negative impact of processed foods and the inflammation sugar can cause in your body, but youre wondering if the ketogenic diet is the best choice to keep your energy levels up for the day ahead.As defined on Medical News Today, "The keto diet is an eating plan that focuses on foods that provide a lot of healthy fats, adequate amounts of proteinand very few carbohydrates. The goal is to get more calories from fat than from carbs." For most people wanting to shed some pounds and kick the sugar habit, its a win-win call to action, and the ketogenic diet is a great, therapeutic way to get you started and see results.

There are other benefits as well. Researchers are now using the ketogenic diet alongside cancer treatments to help reduce blood glucose, which in turns reduces the insulin hormone that can cause complications in certain cancers. As that same Medical News Today summary notes, "In a 2013 meta-analysis of 13 different randomized controlled trials, researchers found that people following ketogenic diets lost twopoundsmore than those following low-fat diets over oneyear." People on the diet also experienced a significant drop in levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well asan increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol.

Its also been proven that the ketonescreated in our liver help create a protective barrier for neurological functions. Many scientistsare now using it in Alzheimer's studies, with excellent results.Thats obviously very promising and motivating, but is this diet for everyone?

Related: 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Maintain Keto on the Road

Keto-endorsing nutritioniststeachtheir clients to recognize that if youre already struggling with low energy, brain fog, fatigue and anxiety, the amount of time you put into preparation and mental fortitudemay push you over the edge. In other words,you may fail before you even begin.

There is a way to identify where a person currently sits on the continuum of resiliency I call The "Identity Gap Formula For Success." It takes a comprehensive approach by factoring in triggers that impede our ability to have unstoppable energy, focusand drive through biohacking. I represent this through identity types in the same way a battery is charged. There are four identity types:the Catalyst, Synergist, Guardianand Defender. Our goal should beto ensure our physical and psychological energy is above 50 percent,which is where the Synergist and Catalyst reside astate in which we are conscious creators who aremotivated, focused and driven. But its the Defender and Guardians who should think twice about taking on a new dietary challenge.

If you are currently procrastinating, making excuses or experiencing intense fatigue or depression, then you are most likely a Defender. Youre in self-preservation mode because youve run out of physical and emotional energy, like when your mobile phone turns on battery-savemode. You may make rash decisions or find yourself acting out of character because you are no longer operating from your prefrontal cortex, which is in control of personality, rational thinking and emotional control. The Guardian is not much better, since they are only operating at 25-50 percentof their capacity. They are barely protecting their energetic resources to get through their day.

The keto diet features a "detox"period when you begin. The first week or two can cause side effects known as the keto flu. This is a time when you often betray symptoms of illness since your body is burning off the last reserves of glucose in your blood. You should start to feel better after a couple of weeks, but if you still feel awful, you may not be properly fueling your body.

As a Defender or Guardian type, you cannot maintain this new stressor, and you will likely fall off the program, experiencing that infamous "hangry"by eating carbsand processed sugars just to feel better again. Then, of course, you beat yourself up for failing before even beginning.

There is a way, though, to get the help you need. First, youll need to start slowly cleaning up your diet by getting rid of sugars and highly processed carbs, so the drop in blood-glucose energy isnt so drastic that it triggers intense brain fog. Guardians and Defenders can then begin to incorporate intermittent fasting, which has many benefits,such as weight loss, increased growth of human growth hormones, lowerblood-glucose levels, better insulin resistanceand even a lighter wallet.

Then, by working closely with a functional-medicine doctor, you can find out the root cause of your lack of energy, focus, brain fog, depression and anxiety. Functional medicine looks deeper into the causation of your illness, which could actually be side effects of food intolerance, inflammation or medication you may be on. A functional-medicine doctor can also look closely at any essential mineral or vitamin deficiencies you may be experiencing that can mimic psychological disorders.The keto diet can be the next best step for you, as long as you easeinto the process by working on your diet and slowly incorporating intermittent fasting.

Synergists and Catalysts are prime identities that could easily segue into the keto way of eating and gain its many neurological and physiological advantages, in addition to employingintermittent fasting as a great way to stack its many benefits. As with any eating protocol, its all about personalization. Do whats right for you,and adjust as you need to.

Related: 5 Products to Help You With the Keto Diet

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Can the Keto Diet Give You a Mental Edge? - Entrepreneur

This article by Peter McCaffery is republished here with permission from The Conversation. This content is shared here because the topic may interest Snopes readers; it does not, however, represent the work of Snopes fact-checkers or editors.

Vitamin C is a common remedy that some people believe will cure the common cold and flu. Although it helps us maintain good immune function, theres little evidence that it can prevent or substantially reduce either of these diseases. But in the midst of the novel coronavirus outbreak, some influencers are claiming that taking mega-doses of vitamin C can cure COVID-19 (the disease caused by novel coronavirus).

So lets cut to the chase. Can vitamin C cure the coronavirus? Considering that novel coronavirus belongs to the same family of viruses coronaviruses as the common cold and flu, its unlikely that taking vitamin C will prevent or cure you of a COVID-19 infection.

I have written before that using vitamin C to treat the common cold was an idea popularised by double Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Linus Pauling, and further promoted by the dietary supplements industry. Unfortunately, ever since Paulings claim in the 1970s, there has been little evidence to back it up.

Vitamins or vital-amines were first discovered at the beginning of the 20th century as elements present in low amounts in our diets that were vital for health. Certainly, people lacking certain vitamins will develop deficiency diseases. For example, people deficient in vitamin C will develop scurvy. However, it wasnt until the early 1930s that it was discovered that scurvy was caused by lack of vitamin C, and that taking the vitamin could cure the disease.

The science of nutrition was born with the discovery of vitamins, and has since become a competitive, unregulated industry, often with scientific fact competing against those spreading misinformation and looking to profit: the novel coronavirus outbreak is just the latest example.

These misleading articles have spread quickly, and are likely to be behind the shortage of vitamin C in Asia and a five-fold spike in demand for vitamin C and multivitamins in Singapore.

Vitamin C is important to maintain redox balance in the bodys tissues these are types of reactions in cells that add or remove oxygen, and are essential for many processes such as generating energy in cells. These same reactions, though, can create products harmful to human cells such as reactive oxygen species, which react with lipids (fat), proteins and nucleic acids. Vitamin C can lessen these harmful reactions. It also help enzymes build collagen, which is necessary for supporting our bodys tissues.

Although vitamin C doesnt have miraculous disease-curing properties, some research has also shown it can help the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses. Its role in protecting against viral infections was shown in a recent review which found that immune cells need vitamin C to produce proteins that activate the immune system throughout the body against virus attacks.

Having said that, we can easily obtain sufficient levels of vitamin C in our diet that will keep our immune system fully functional. Vitamin C is plentiful in many fruits and vegetables, including oranges, broccoli and potatoes. And while it is relatively non-toxic, since its high water solubility makes it easy to excrete from the body, excessive doses can result in unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea and cramps.

Though I have said vitamin C is unlikely to be a dramatic cure for COVID-19, the fact that it can promote good immune function means it would be going too far to say there will be no effect. And although a review found that vitamin C has no effect on reducing the frequency of colds, it did find that for the average person, there was a small decrease in the duration of common cold symptoms. But for people that participate in brief periods of severe physical exercise (such as marathon runners and skiers), vitamin C halved the duration and severity of their common cold risk.

These slight effects of vitamin C on the coronavirus that causes the common cold have spurred a new clinical trial looking to cure COVID-19 infections using very high intravenous doses of vitamin C. These trials have just started and no results are yet posted. Intravenous application of vitamin C will result in much higher and faster levels of the vitamin in the blood than any amount found in vitamin C supplements taken orally. Though this approach could increase vitamin Cs mild protective effect, this is yet hypothetical and intravenous injection comes with its own risks, such as infection, blood vessel damage, air embolism or blood clots.

So alhough vitamin C does have some small effect on the common cold, its unlikely that taking large amounts of vitamin C supplements will cure a COVID-19 infection or have a large effect at all. Even if intravenous vitamin C works to shorten or cure COVID-19, it will likely only be a stop-gap before therapies directed at the virus, such as vaccinations, take over. The most effective way to avoid the virus still remains washing hands, not touching the eyes, nose or mouth, and keeping your distance from anyone exhibiting symptoms.

Peter McCaffery, Professor of Biochemistry, University of Aberdeen

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Coronavirus: Its Time to Debunk Claims That Vitamin C Could Cure It - Snopes.com

Anyone who turned on the radio in the 2000s has probably heard of JoJo. She was a young singer who became popular with hit songs like Leave (Get Out) and Too Little Too Late.

However, after a few years of immense fame, JoJo seemingly disappeared from the limelight. She recently made a triumphant return to the music industry. The singer also opened up about what happened during those years when fans did not hear much from her, which included a dangerous diet and some substance abuse.

JoJo was recognized for her musical talent in the late 1990s when she was just a kid. She competed onAmericas Got Talent Kids and attracted the attention of executives at Blackground Records. After she auditioned for them, she was signed to the company and started recording music professionally.

In 2004, JoJo released her first single, Leave (Get Out), which quickly became an international success. The song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 but landed in the top five in several countries.

Two years later, JoJo returned with her second album,The High Road. It included the song Too Little Too Late, which became her next hit single. The track charted at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became JoJos most successful song to date.

JoJo seemed like she was heading for superstardom in the late 2000s. She was also making herself known as an actress in movies like Aquamarine(2006) andRV (2006).However, after a while, JoJos name practically disappeared off of the radio.

JoJo was recording a lot of songs after her second album, but her record label was keeping them from being released. At the time, JoJo did not understand why and she attributed the reason to her body.

She shared in a recent interview with Uproxx: I thought that maybe it was the way that I looked because when I was 18, I remember being sat down in the (now defunct Blackground Records)office and the president of the label being like, We just want you to look as healthy as possible.'

JoJo did not understand it because she believed that she looked like a healthy girl who eats and is active. However, JoJo also knew that in showbiz, being healthy was not the only thing that mattered. Thus, she agreed to be put on a diet of just 500 calories a day.

I was on these injections that make you have no appetite, JoJo revealed. I was like, Let me see how skinny I can get, because maybe then theyll put out an album. Maybe Im just so disgusting that no one wants to see me in a video and that they cant even look at me. Thats really what I thought.

It was later revealed that Blackground Records was going through difficult times as it was losing important distribution rights. JoJos career was being severely affected, and this had a lot of negative impacts on her self-esteem.

She shared with Uproxx that she turned to other places for affirmation. The star said: I started getting really (expletive) up, drinking, making out with strangers, looking for validation and attention and looking to feel pretty, looking to feel good, looking to feel worthy. I mean, there were definitely nights that I stumbled out of clubs and that I blacked out and was just completely reckless, did not care I need to be buzzed to feel OK.

JoJo decided to change when she realized that she did not want to end up like her father, who died from substance abuse in 2015.

Since JoJo admitted that she was not in a cushy situation with a home that she could return to, she decided to strengthen herself and learn how to work out problems on her own.

In February 2019, JoJo released the song Say So with singer PJ Morton. It put JoJos name back on the map as the pair won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

JoJo has plans to release her album,Good to Know, in May of this year. She will also embark on a tour in April.

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'Leave (Get Out)' Singer JoJo Reveals the Dangerous Diet that Led to Substance Issues - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Plenty of attention has been paid to the ketogenic diet in recent yearsits supporters have touted its potential health benefits when it comes to weight loss, cardiovascular health and even brain health. A new study explores this idea further when it comes to the brain, and has delved into whether a low-carb diet could potentially reverse, or at least slow down, aging in the brain.

The study, led by Stony Brook University professor Lilianne Mujica-Parodi, suggests that early signs of aging in the brain can be prevented by a low-carb diet, or whats commonly referred to as the ketogenic diet.

The ketogenic diet aims to release ketones into the bloodstream for the body to use stored fat as its main source of energy, rather than blood sugar or glucose from carbohydrates. Once the body starts breaking down ketone moleculesa process called ketosisit begins to run on the energy provided by fat, rather than glucose.

The ketogenic diet needs to be pretty substantial with fats and proteins in order to be sustainable. It typically includes things like grass-fed meats, eggs, cheese, butter, oils and avocados, and almost entirely avoids common carbs like bread, wheat or rice.

In the latest study, Mujica-Parodi and her team wanted to examine whether the effects of a low-carb diet could be seen in the brains of people who may be showing some early signs of aging, but who were presymptomatic.

First, the researchers found that aging in the brain, seen in the form of destabilized communication between brain regions, typically starts to set in when a person is in their late 40s, particularly around age 47. This tends to be associated with weaker cognition.

They identified brain network stability as a biomarker for aging, and found that having type 2 diabetes increased this destabilization of brain networks. They then tested how the brains network stability would respond to diet changes.

One group of participants was placed on a standard diet, which metabolizes glucose as its primary fuel. The second group was given a low-carb diet, meaning they were only eating things like meat or fish with saladand no sugar, grains or starchy vegetables. In the low carb diet, the main fuel source was ketones.

The researchers found that the people who were metabolizing ketones on the low-carb diet saw increased brain activity and stabilized networks in brain regions.

The bad news is that we see the first signs of brain aging much earlier than was previously thought, Mujica-Parodi said in a news release.

However, the good news is that we may be able to prevent or reverse these effects with diet, she continued, by exchanging glucose for ketones as fuel for neurons.

Part of the power behind ketones, Mujica-Parodi argues, is that the brain eventually loses its ability to use glucose as fuel, something known as hypometabolism.

Therefore, if we can increase the amount of energy available to the brain by using a different fuel, the hope is that we can restore the brain to more youthful functioning, she said.

The medical consensus on the ketogenic diet is varied. Some experts note that it can be restrictive and possibly even dangerous for people with certain conditions, while other research has shown it may hold protective benefits when it comes to the brain and overall health.

In the Alzheimers research world, ketones are actually being explored for their potential as a therapeutic pathway for the disease. One recent study conducted by a researcher at the National Institute on Aging found that increasing the number of ketones in the body may help fight Alzheimers.

Diet, overall, has been examined in various studies to better understand how its linked to improved brain function and mental health. Some experts say that a healthy diet and exercise are some of the most effective interventions for preventing, or slowing down, the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

Mujica-Parodi says her next steps are to examine brain fuel further, and to extend the research to older populations.

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Could a Low-Carb Diet Reverse Aging in the Brain? - Being Patient

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