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Sonia Azad, WFAA 5:45 PM. EDT May 16, 2017

Most of us at some point in our lives have tried something to lose weight. So we can relate to Monica Fair.

Ive always had this 12 to 15 pounds that I couldn't get rid of," said Fair, 47, who has experimented with trendy exercise programs and fad diets to no avail.

I never could lose the weight, said Fair. As a matter of fact, I would gain muscle which would push the fat out and make me look bigger."

It turns out the answer may be on the inside.

DNA testing

"We're looking at genes that are responsible for your body composition, said Kurt Johnsen, co-founder of a Dallas-based company called Simplified Genetics.

Hes a Kung Fu master, founder of American Power Yoga, and overall a pretty fit guy with a passion for helping others get healthy, too.

I'm not a doctor, I'm not a scientist, said Johnsen, who sat down with WFAA at Plum Yoga, along Dallas popular stretch of Lower Greenville.I want to make sure what we do makes a difference."

Since 2012, Johnsen says his company has tested the DNA of 11,000 people, analyzing genes to match you with the best type of workout, diet, and vitamins for your body.

This is the most revolutionary thing I have seen in over 35 years," said Leisa Hart, the blonde bombshell behindBuns of Steel. Now shes 49, a mom, and still a beautiful fitness trainer.

This is my job! I'm in good shape, said Hart, admitting that there is a side of her that the public didn't see.

Working out that often and that intensely -- my face would be red, my head pounding. I would have to take a nap many times throughout the week, she recalled. That was my body screaming at me saying -- please just slow down! You're not supposed to work out that hard that often."

Then Hart got genetic testing, which is really just a simple cheek swab. The swab is sent to a lab in Louisiana where your DNA is extracted and prepared for analysis. Results are put through algorithms that generate specific recommendations for you.

I found out that when I was working out intensely, I was working out at much too high of a heart rate and I was working out for too long of a duration, said Hart.

Based on her results, she actually needed to do less.

To the eye, 53-year-old Rosanne Lewis is similar to Hart. But her genetic makeup is completely different.

I stopped eating all this bread because I thought it wasn't very good for me. I started having nuts instead or I would eat cheese -- things I thought were healthier-- and I gained four pounds."

Lewis results showed she can get away with mostly low-intensity exercise. But this type of DNA analysis goes deeper: identifying your idea diet. The bread-lover, Lewis, is more sensitive to fats than carbohydrates, meaning she can eat her bread and do yoga in peace.

I know now for the rest of my life what I'm supposed to do, said Lewis.

With people putting a lot of stock -- and money -- into these tests, we wanted to get a doctors take on them.

This is the start, at the very least, of something very interesting, said Dr. Leslie Cler, chief medical officer of Methodist Dallas Medical Center.

Dr. Cler told us that this type of genetics testing has been on the market -- offered directly to consumers -- for a decade, but still is in its infancy.

Further, according to Cler, while different companies may get you the same results, their recommendations are open to interpretation.

I don't think these tests are recommending anything dangerous to the patients -- not at all, said Cler. But as a doctor, if you came to see me and you said, I heard about this test, if I get it do you think that I'd be likely to lose weight? The answer is -- I don't know."

Fair enough. But losing weight isn't always the goal. Remember Hart -- who scaled back on her workouts since getting her results?

I feel so much better, said Hart. I feel like I could actually do more but I don't have to.

Then theres Fair, who went from a size 10 to a size 6 after putting her results to use. She added fish to her vegetarian diet, and now incorporates a blend of low-and-high intensity workouts.

It was life-changing to be able to actually get to my goal," Fair said.

But what works for Fair wont work for everyone. Makes perfect sense if it boils down to DNA.

Medical Study 1 by wfaachannel8 on Scribd

Medical Study 2 by wfaachannel8 on Scribd

2017 WFAA-TV

Originally posted here:
DNA test tells you which workout, diet is perfect for you - First Coast News

May 16, 2017 6:09 PM

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) Low-fat, no fat youve had those drummed into your head so often that you probably think thats the only way to lose weight and be kind to your heart.

But lately, people have been going back to full-fat foods. As CBS2s Dr. Max Gomez explained, doctors agree with the trend sort of.

There are two reasons for the low-fat and non-fat diet recommendations. One is for heart health, and the other is for weight loss.

For years weve been told that the same foods are best for both goals. It turns out that might not be true.

Fat is high in calories very high, its also what clogs our arteries. So why are so many people going in the other direction and putting fat back in their diets?

I feel like low-fat food they take out the good fat in it, so I do mostly full-fat, Maria Batista said.

Diet experts say theres a good reason to put some fat back in our diets.

Higher fat intake gives us a greater sense of fullness and you can cut down on consumption of starches and sweets, Dr. Louis Aronne, Weill Cornell Medicine said.

Dr. Aronne, an internationally known obesity expert said that eating somewhat less fat is a good way to lose weight for some people, but theres a problem.

What are you going to substitute for the fat, he said, If you substitute fat with starches and sugars, youre probably going to gain weight.

Theres a better way to think of things.

I dont think of it as low-fat, I think of it as good and bad fat, Lauren Prince said.

In fact, there are large studies that show people who ate diets very, very high in good fats olive oil and nuts actually lost weight, and reduced their risk for heart attack and stroke.

The critical factor is what you combine those good fats with.

The lethal combo is fat plus carbs. So you can have protein and carbs, you can have protein and fat, but you cant have fat and carbs, Dr. Aronne said.

The more processed those carbs are white flour, white pasta, sugar, etc. the worse the combination for your heart and waist.

The bottom line; no one diet is best for everyone, if one doesnt work try a different one, and some fat is okay.

More here:
Experts: There's A Good Reason To Put Fat Back In Your Diet - CBS New York

May 16, 2017 by Megan Ritchie Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A study in mice finds that development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could be arrested by switching from a high-glycemic diet (starches as are found in white bread) to a low-glycemic (starches found in whole grains). For the same amount of total carbohydrate, high-glycemic diets release sugar into the blood stream more rapidly than low-glycemic diets.

Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University also believe that the study, published in PNAS, points to potential biomarkers of AMD. These can be used to predict when a person is at risk for this disease, which is the leading cause of vision loss in adults over the age of 50.

In early stages, AMD results in blurred vision. In advanced stages, AMD can make life very challenging. The National Eye Institute estimates that the number of people with AMD will double by 2050, from 2.07 million to 5.44 million. In the United States, white Americans are most likely to develop AMD and, in 2010, 2.5 percent of white adults aged 50 and older had AMD. The disease is typically diagnosed only when vision loss has already begun. Unfortunately, there is no cure.

Using an aged mouse model, the researchers randomized 59 mice into two groups: 19 low-glycemic fed mice and 40 high-glycemic fed mice. The diets differed only in carbohydrate source. Carbohydrates comprised 45 percent of the diet in both cases. The carbohydrate source varied in the ratio of amylose and amylopectin, the two starches used for this work. The high-glycemic starch was 100 percent amylopectin while low-glycemic starch was 70 percent amylose and 30 percent amylopectin.

After six months, the high-glycemic group of mice either remained on the high-glycemic diet or were switched to the low-glycemic diet.

The researchers observed that a high-glycemic diet resulted in the development of many AMD features, including loss of function of cells at the back of the eye called retinal pigmented epithelial atrophy (RPE) and of the cells that capture light, called photoreceptors precursors to dry AMD whereas a low-glycemic diet did not. Importantly, switching from a high-glycemic diet to a low-glycemic diet arrested damage to the retina.

"We were genuinely surprised that the retinas from mice whose diets were switched from high- to low-glycemic index diets midway through the study were indistinguishable from those fed low-glycemic index diet throughout the study. We hadn't anticipated that dietary change might repair the accumulated damage in the RPE so effectively. Our experimental results suggest that switching from a high-glycemic diet to a low-glycemic one is beneficial to eye health in people that are heading towards developing AMD," said lead author Sheldon Rowan, Ph.D., scientist in the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

Potential Biomarkers

The researchers also identified potential biomarkers of AMD features. Such biomarkers can be used to predict who will get the disease. The biomarkers included advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that are formed when sugar metabolites react with proteins. They also included oxidized fats, C3-carnitine and serotonin levels. The low-glycemic diet limited the accumulation of AGEs and the oxidation of long-chain polyunsaturated fats. AGEs can be a factor in aging and the development of many degenerative diseases, in addition to AMD. Fat oxidation results in the degradation of fats in cell membranes, which can lead to cell damage.

The researchers also found that higher levels of C3-carnitine and serotonin in the blood were related to consuming the low-glycemic index diet and less AMD features. C3-carnitine, also known as propionylcarnitine, plays a role in fatty acid metabolism in cells and is found in many low-glycemic foods, such as whole wheat and legumes. Serotonin is made in the intestine, in response to signals that are produced by microbes in the gut. The researchers showed that the composition of gut microbes, collectively called the gut microbiome, changes in response to the diet. Higher serotonin levels are associated with retinal health and reduced frequency of AMD features. The researchers identified several other metabolites that were associated with protection from AMD and with the composition of the gut microbiome, which together led the authors to speculate on a potential gut-retina axis that may communicate diet to eye health.

Altogether, the findings suggest that changes in metabolism associated with the different glycemia diets, AGEs accumulation, production and oxidation of fats, and C3-carnitine and serotonin levels are related to development of AMD features.

These findings add to a growing body of research on the relation between dietary carbohydrate control and the development of AMD, led by senior author Allen Taylor, Ph.D., senior scientist and director of the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Taylor holds secondary positions as professor of ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine and also serves as faculty in the Biochemistry and Cell, Molecular & Developmental Biology programs at the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts.

"Currently, there are no early biomarkers to anticipate the disease. Our findings show an interaction between dietary carbohydrates, the gut microbiome, specific biochemical molecules, and AMD features. This work should lead to new approaches to understand, diagnose and treat early AMD perhaps before it affects vision. Already anticipated by our human epidemiologic studies, the findings imply that we can develop dietary interventions aimed at preventing the progression of AMD, a disease which impacts millions and costs billions worldwide," said Taylor.

"Clinical tests are already available to test for some of these potential biomarkers. A screening of C3-carnitine levels is a standard part of the newborn screening profile, so it would not be challenging to adapt the existing screening to evaluate levels in AMD. There are also efficient clinical measures for serotonin. AGEs, however, are still emerging biomarkers, and have not been used on large-scale human studies yet. Even so, AGEs are among the most exciting potential AMD biomarkers, since we understand their damaging molecular effects very clearly," added Rowan.

Explore further: Low glycemic index diet linked to drop in uric acid levels

More information: Sheldon Rowan et al. Involvement of a gutretina axis in protection against dietary glycemia-induced age-related macular degeneration, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1702302114

(HealthDay)Reducing the dietary glycemic index is associated with a reduction in uric acid levels among overweight and obese adults, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.

(HealthDay)Patients with acne vulgaris have significantly higher glycemic index and glycemic load levels and significantly lower serum adiponectin levels, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal ...

The glycemic index of a given food, a value that aims to quantify how fast blood sugar rises after eating it, can vary by an average of 20 percent within an individual and 25 percent among individuals, report scientists from ...

Feeding older mice a lower glycemic index (GI) diet consisting of slowly-digested carbohydrates delays the onset of age-related, sight-threatening retinal lesions, according to a new study from the Laboratory for Nutrition ...

(HealthDay)A one-week high glycemic index (HGI) diet increases hepatic fat and glycogen stores in healthy adults compared with a low glycemic index (LGI) diet, according to a study published online Sept. 4 in Diabetes, ...

The brave new world of 3-D printed organs now includes implanted ovary structures that, true to their design, actually ovulate, according to a study by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and McCormick School ...

A mutation in an immune system gene rapidly rose in frequency in Southeast Asia approximately 50,000 years ago because it likely conferred protection against leprosy, which spread to the region from Africa around the same ...

The blood-brain barrier is biology's proverbial double-edged sword.

A team of University of Kentucky researchers has discovered that macrophages, a type of immune cell that clears debris at injury sites during normal wound healing and helps produce scar tissue, are required for complex tissue ...

A study in mice finds that development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could be arrested by switching from a high-glycemic diet (starches as are found in white bread) to a low-glycemic (starches found in whole grains). ...

Stem cells that seem key for maintaining and repairing the body's knee joints have been identified by scientists.

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Switching to a low-glycemic diet may stop age-related eye disease, study suggests - Medical Xpress

If we want to cut the environmental impact of livestock, switching to insects and imitation meat products is our best bet, according to a new report.

The inevitability of turning to insects to feed the world's growing population has been looming for a while. And now we finally have some data on how much this shift would actually help the planet.

As more people move to live in cities and have higher incomes, meat consumption is steadily growing, which sucks up an enormous amount of resources. Livestock takes up 60 percent of all agricultural land, and on top of that a third of all crops we grow are livestock feed.

For now, projections are based on the assumption that this current trend will continue. But what if our preferences for meat changed - how would that impact sustainability?

With this question in mind, a team led by scientists from the University of Edinburgh in the UK analysed various alternatives to conventional animal products, looking specifically at their impact on agricultural land use.

The researchers examined what would happen if we swapped half of our current animal products to one of these alternatives: edible insects;lab-made meat;imitation meat and soy-based products; or aquaculture.

Rather than trying to predict our future, their goal was to simply provide new data on potential scenarios of cutting back rampant meat production.

"The approach is explorative, rather than predictive, and assumes half of existing animal products are substituted by each alternative food, to provide at least equal energy and protein," they write.

"The 50 percent replacement assumption is largely arbitrary, but is simply used as a reference point against which to compare alternative diets."

These alternative diets also included several unlikely scenarios, such as calculating what would happen if people around the world all shifted to the average Indian diet (low in animal products), or the average US diet (high in animal products).

After standardising and comparing the options, the researchers arrived at the most sustainable ones.

They found that if we replaced half of all animal product use with either soybean curd (tofu) or mealworm larvae products, we'd save a third of the land currently used for the world's agriculture.

And that would reduce knock-on effects such as greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.

As the team point out, this is just a benchmark. Replace more or less, and the land savings will scale accordingly.

But that doesn't mean they're advocating that we all shift exclusively from steak to mealworms.

Instead, you can view this report as a tool for assessing our future options. If helpful scenarios include growing more worms and fewer sheep, then perhaps it's time to start seriously considering it.

"The efficiency of insects and their ability to convert agricultural by-products and food waste into food, suggests further research into insect production is warranted," the team writes.

Besides, the idea of crunching on crickets is stomach-churning for a relatively small minority of western cultures, while people elsewhere have already been eating bugs for millennia.

"It is very widespread, especially in Asia, and not seen as unusual in those cultures," lead researcher Peter Alexander told Damian Carrington at The Guardian.

"We are not trying to mandate or even suggest some policy that you eat insects every day [but] our work indicates the potential benefits that are there."

And if you're one of those people holding out for lab-grown meat, the news is not so good - according to the report, there are still too many unknowns with this technology, which makes it difficult to assess its potential sustainability. For now, cow-less burgers are still not very cost-efficient or nutritious.

If you care about increasing the sustainability of our land so that we can keep feeding future generations, looks like the best answer right now is to actively work for a new balance between livestock and its substitutes.

"A mix of small changes in consumer behaviour, such as replacing beef with chicken, reducing food waste and potentially introducing insects more commonly into diets, would help achieve land savings and a more sustainable food system," says Alexander.

The report was published in Global Food Security.

More:
Switching just 50% of our meat to insects can seriously reduce land use - ScienceAlert

These hacks can make a major dietary transition less intimidating and ultimately more successful.

Eating habits are a tough thing to change. From the time were babies, whatever our parents choose to feed us affects our taste buds and preferences. We learn to love certain flavors and dislike others, and often these arent good for us. The evolutionary urge to binge on salt, sugar, and fat nutrients that were once rare but now exist in abundance is difficult to overcome, as is the tendency to eat meat when its cheap and widely available.

Increasing numbers of people, however, are consciously choosing to rethink their diets for environmental and ethical reasons. Reducing meat or cutting it out completely is becoming more normal. You can see it in the number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants opening in every town, the expansion of healthy school meal programs, Meatless Monday campaigns, and salad bars in cafeterias. Documentary films like Forks Over Knives and Cowspiracy have got people thinking about plant-based eating.

If youre wanting to do this but feel overwhelmed by such a change, do not fear! There are ways to make it easier, less daunting, and more successful in the long run. Ive gathered the following list of hacks from The Reducetarian Solution, a collection of essays that examines the many benefits of reducing meat in ones diet. These ones stood out for me and have certainly helped in my personal journey toward significant dietary meat reduction.

There are countless meat-free options available involving exotic ingredients like seitan, tofu, Quorn, and tempeh (not to mention cultured meats and possibly insects), but if youre new to the world of meatless eating, these might seem intimidating, or even unappetizing. Focus instead on making meatless version of favorite, familiar foods. For example, try bean chili, veggie lasagna, bean-and-rice-filled burritos, lentil soup, and salads topped with nuts.

Its not all or nothing. Youd be setting yourself up for failure if you went from a faithful carnivore to vegan overnight. Build up to your goal slowly in order to ensure lasting success. Start with one meatless meal a week and work up to more. Try always ordering vegetarian when you go out to eat, or do it the other way around, allowing yourself meat only when youre at a restaurant. The more vegan/vegetarian food you incorporate into your diet, the easier it will get.

This suggestion comes from Elisa Museles in an essay called Listen to your body. She explains that many of us eat for the wrong reasons, filling our bodies steadily because were bored, tired, stressed, or because the clock says its dinner time:

How will you know whether your body can handle less animal protein at every meal if youre multitasking and rushing? How will you notice if youre satisfied when you eat your meals standing up, while reading your texts?

She wants you to take the time to hear listen to what your body is telling you. Sit at the table, chew slowly, put down your fork. Pay attention to the aftermath, i.e. Are you energized or lethargic? Does your gut feel good or uncomfortable? Are you still hungry or full? Whats your mood and how are your cravings? Pay attention to these details and youll find yourself making food choices to get the outcome you want.

If youve spent years giving meat a central position on your dinner plate, then it will seem scary to think of removing it. It requires a completely different approach to meal preparation. I know because Ive been through this. I used to cook meat every day and loved it, but as Ive delved into more plant-based eating, Ive discovered countless glorious replacements. Now I get excited about beautiful heritage beans and pans of oven-roasted vegetables. No longer does it seem like Im missing out, but rather that Ive discovered a new world I knew little about.

Another wise suggestion from Museles: The food that works for todays long-distance run might not work next week when youre battling a cold. The meals that energized you while you were pregnant might make you feel slow and groggy when youre chasing toddlers.

In other words, be flexible. Listen to your body and your cravings (within reason), as they are trying to tell you something. For example, Ive noticed that I crave animal protein much more in the winter than I do in summer, when Im happy to subsist mostly on salads and fruit. Make feeling your best more important than fulfilling expectations of what you should be eating.

Community makes everything easier. Find friends or coworkers that follow plant-based, reducetarian diets. See if local vegan restaurants offer cooking classes. Look for Facebook groups or blogs where you can connect with similar-minded individuals. As Nick Cooney writes, At heart were all a bunch of copycats, so surrounding yourself with people who follow the same habits will be a recipe for success.

Note: Be sure to consult your doctor or health care provider when implementing a major dietary change.

More:
6 strategies for reducing meat in your diet - Treehugger

BOSTON (May 15, 2017, 3 pm EDT)A study in mice finds that development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could be arrested by switching from a high-glycemic diet (starches as are found in white bread) to a low-glycemic (starches found in whole grains). For the same amount of total carbohydrate, high-glycemic diets release sugar into the blood stream more rapidly than low-glycemic diets.

Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University also believe that the study, published in PNAS, points to potential biomarkers of AMD. These can be used to predict when a person is at risk for this disease, which is the leading cause of vision loss in adults over the age of 50.

In early stages, AMD results in blurred vision. In advanced stages, AMD can make life very challenging. The National Eye Institute estimates that the number of people with AMD will double by 2050, from 2.07 million to 5.44 million. In the United States, white Americans are most likely to develop AMD and, in 2010, 2.5 percent of white adults aged 50 and older had AMD. The disease is typically diagnosed only when vision loss has already begun. Unfortunately, there is no cure.

Using an aged mouse model, the researchers randomized 59 mice into two groups: 19 low-glycemic fed mice and 40 high-glycemic fed mice. The diets differed only in carbohydrate source. Carbohydrates comprised 45 percent of the diet in both cases. The carbohydrate source varied in the ratio of amylose and amylopectin, the two starches used for this work. The high-glycemic starch was 100 percent amylopectin while low-glycemic starch was 70 percent amylose and 30 percent amylopectin.

After six months, the high-glycemic group of mice either remained on the high-glycemic diet or were switched to the low-glycemic diet.

The researchers observed that a high-glycemic diet resulted in the development of many AMD features, including loss of function of cells at the back of the eye called retinal pigmented epithelial atrophy (RPE) and of the cells that capture light, called photoreceptors precursors to dry AMD whereas a low-glycemic diet did not. Importantly, switching from a high-glycemic diet to a low-glycemic diet arrested damage to the retina.

We were genuinely surprised that the retinas from mice whose diets were switched from high- to low-glycemic index diets midway through the study were indistinguishable from those fed low-glycemic index diet throughout the study. We hadnt anticipated that dietary change might repair the accumulated damage in the RPE so effectively. Our experimental results suggest that switching from a high-glycemic diet to a low-glycemic one is beneficial to eye health in people that are heading towards developing AMD, said lead author Sheldon Rowan, Ph.D., scientist in the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

Potential Biomarkers

The researchers also identified potential biomarkers of AMD features. Such biomarkers can be used to predict who will get the disease. The biomarkers included advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that are formed when sugar metabolites react with proteins. They also included oxidized fats, C3-carnitine and serotonin levels. The low-glycemic diet limited the accumulation of AGEs and the oxidation of long-chain polyunsaturated fats. AGEs can be a factor in aging and the development of many degenerative diseases, in addition to AMD. Fat oxidation results in the degradation of fats in cell membranes, which can lead to cell damage.

The researchers also found that higher levels of C3-carnitine and serotonin in the blood were related to consuming the low-glycemic index diet and less AMD features. C3-carnitine, also known as propionylcarnitine, plays a role in fatty acid metabolism in cells and is found in many low-glycemic foods, such as whole wheat and legumes. Serotonin is made in the intestine, in response to signals that are produced by microbes in the gut. The researchers showed that the composition of gut microbes, collectively called the gut microbiome, changes in response to the diet. Higher serotonin levels are associated with retinal health and reduced frequency of AMD features. The researchers identified several other metabolites that were associated with protection from AMD and with the composition of the gut microbiome, which together led the authors to speculate on a potential gut-retina axis that may communicate diet to eye health.

Altogether, the findings suggest that changes in metabolism associated with the different glycemia diets, AGEs accumulation, production and oxidation of fats, and C3-carnitine and serotonin levels are related to development of AMD features.

These findings add to a growing body of research on the relation between dietary carbohydrate control and the development of AMD, led by senior author Allen Taylor, Ph.D., senior scientist and director of the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Taylor holds secondary positions as professor of ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine and also serves as faculty in the Biochemistry and Cell, Molecular & Developmental Biology programs at the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts.

Currently, there are no early biomarkers to anticipate the disease. Our findings show an interaction between dietary carbohydrates, the gut microbiome, specific biochemical molecules, and AMD features. This work should lead to new approaches to understand, diagnose and treat early AMD perhaps before it affects vision. Already anticipated by our human epidemiologic studies, the findings imply that we can develop dietary interventions aimed at preventing the progression of AMD, a disease which impacts millions and costs billions worldwide, said Taylor.

Clinical tests are already available to test for some of these potential biomarkers. A screening of C3-carnitine levels is a standard part of the newborn screening profile, so it would not be challenging to adapt the existing screening to evaluate levels in AMD. There are also efficient clinical measures for serotonin. AGEs, however, are still emerging biomarkers, and have not been used on large-scale human studies yet. Even so, AGEs are among the most exciting potential AMD biomarkers, since we understand their damaging molecular effects very clearly, added Rowan.

In order to accomplish this work, Taylor assembled an international team comprised of Shuhong Jiang, Min-Lee Chang, Jason Szelog, Kalavathi Dasuri, and Donald Smith of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University; Tal Korem, Adina Weinberger, Tali Avnit-Sagi, Maya Lotan-Pompan, Eran Segal, and Jedrzej Szymanski of the Weizmann Institute of Science; Christa Cassalman, Christina McGuire and James D. Baleja of Tufts University School of Medicine; Ryoji Nagai, of Tokai University; Xue-Liang Du and Michael Brownlee of Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Naila Rabbani and Paul J. Thornalley of the University of Warwick; and Amy A. Deik, Kerry Pierce, Justin M. Scott, and Clary B. Clish of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

This work was supported by awards from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health (EY13250, EY021212 and EY026979) and bythe U.S. Department of Agricultures Agricultural Research Service.

Rowan, S., Jiang, S., Korem, T., Szymanski, J., Chang, M., Szelog, J., Cassalman, C., Dasuri, K., McGuire, C., Nagai, R., Du, X., Brownlee, M., Rabbani, N., Thornalley, P.J., Baleja, J.D., Deik, A.A., Pierce, K., Scott, J.M., Clish, C.B., Smith, D., Weinberger, A., Avnit-Sagi, T., Lotan-Pompan, M., Segal, E., Taylor, A.. Involvement of a gut-eye axis in protection against dietary glycemia induced early age-related macular degeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Published online May 15, 2017. DOI and link: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1702302114

Written by Megan Ritchie. Image credit: National Eye Institute.

About the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts

For three decades, the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University has studied the relationship between good nutrition and good health in aging populations. Tufts research scientists work with federal agencies to establish the Dietary Guidelines, the Dietary Reference Intakes, and other significant public policies. The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University is the only independent school of nutrition in the United States. The schools eight degree programs which focus on questions relating to nutrition and chronic diseases, molecular nutrition, agriculture and sustainability, food security, humanitarian assistance, public health nutrition, and food policy and economics are renowned for the application of scientific research to national and international policy.

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Switching to a low-glycemic diet may stop age-related eye disease, study suggests - Tufts Now

About 85 million Americans have high blood pressure, a condition where the blood flowing through your blood vessels is consistently too high. Anyone, including children, can develop high blood pressure. It greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the United States, the Center for Disease Control reported. How do you know if you have high blood pressure? A doctor will run lab tests to help conclude whether or not the blood pressure issue is consistent or not. Based on the results of your tests, a doctor will identify whether or not the condition warrants medication, a lifestyle adjustment or maybe both. Clyde Yancy, MD, Chief of Cardiology at the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute in Chicago explained that most people will likely have the condition. The best data demonstrates that hypertension is almost unavoidable as we age, he told the Huffington Post. "Once we reach age 55, we have a 90 percent chance of becoming hypertensive." That is not exactly great news. However, you can make changes in your lifestyle that could help you. Here are 6 ways you can address high blood pressure.

Prayer is powerful and will also make you feel good to vent about current struggles. Sometimes we just need to be heard and praying can help this process. Not only this, but prayer will also make you a calmer person and it will get your mind off your troubles. There is no magic words or a particular flow, just communicate from your heart. Before you hit the grind of the morning, try to be still. Starting your day this way will set the tone. Author Rebecca Barlow Jordan prescribed a simple prayer: "I can't handle these times alone, Lord. Will you speak peace and calm my storms, or hold my hand while we walk through them together? Will you bring the reassuring wisdom of those who have come through similar times into my life? Thank you, Lord. I'm trusting you. In the name of the One who makes the wind and the waves stand still, Amen."

High blood pressure is a serious matter. Work on changing your lifestyle and incorporating things like prayer, yoga to lower stress and eating better to improve your overall health. Meanwhile, it will keep your heart happy.

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6 Ways to Address High Blood Pressure - Beliefnet

Weight loss is hard work. No one likes to restrict themselves, most people enjoy chocolate and carbs, but these are things people often cut out when trying to shred the pounds.

The majority of diets require you to cut calories because they want you to see quick results. In reality, this isn't great biologically. Your body actually starts to think its actually starving, which makes you more hungry and causes stress eating.

Turns out, a lot of popular diets aren't actually all that good for you, and could cause weight gain.

Gluten free diets are trendy. They've been touted as a popular way to lose weight - despite the fact lots of nutritionists saying there's nothing wrong with eating gluten.

However, a recent study from Spain warns that exchanging foods containing gluten with a gluten-free alternative can increase risk of obesity.

This is because many of these gluten-free products actually contain high levels of fat. In the study, researchers compared 655 standard food products with 654 gluten-free options and found that on average, gluten-free bread had more than twice the fat of standard loaves, as well as substantially less protein.

Skipping meals, particularly breakfast, might seem like an obvious way to lose weight, but in reality it's very very unhealthy.

Statistics gathered over 20 years by the National Weight Control Registry,found that among dieters who lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year, 78 percent ate breakfast every day.

Eating breakfast will also boost your brainpower as well asbanish cravings and help to maintain weight loss, as well as stopping you from over-eating at lunchtime. Your metabolism increases after eating, so by skipping meals your metabolism can slow down and lead to weight gain.

A 'cheat day' refers to a concept where people will diet strictly six days a week and then binge on one day, to "reset" their metabolism, but unsurprisingly it's not a good idea. James Collier, Registered Nutritionist & Cofounder of Huel.com, told The Independent.

A full day of cheat eating is excessive and can be an excuse for the dieter to consume copious amounts of junk food.

Often they consume more than they would usually because they have been restricting themselves for the rest of the time, and hunger can be amplified.

Yo-yo dieting, or very low-calorie diets don't actually help you get healthier or shred pounds, at least in the long-term.

Research shows that very low-calorie diets might make you lose weight quickly, but due to the lack of lifestyle change, people gain the weight back very quickly once they hit their goal weight.

While exercise is critical, spending hours and hours in the gym might seem like an obvious and healthy way to lose weight, but it can be counter-productive.

Firstly, sticking to one type of exercise stops your body from being challenged and burns fewer calories than optimum, according to Eat This.

Secondly, over-exercising can lead to getting burned out. High intensity training for 20 minutes, 35 times per week is an appropriate amount, along with strength training is a better option.

A lot of populist diets encourage cutting out carbs, because it helps to drop water weight and melt away the pounds at first.

Carbs are essential to make our brain and central nervous system work properly, and cutting them out can lead to cravings and overeating.

Eating nothing but leaves can mean you lose out on essential nutrients.

Furthermore, if you're eating out, often salads are actually the most calorific item on the menu. Famously, there's more calories in a McDonald's salad than a Big Mac.

Juicing is a popular diet where people only drink fresh fruit juice and water, and no real food - which basically leads to you just drinking sugar and vitamins for the duration of the 'cleanse'.

Smoothies, while delicious and nutritional, aren't great for weight loss. Angela Ginn-Meadow, RD, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Prevention

People aren't very conscious of what they're putting in their smoothies and bowls. They just toss it all in

The problems crop up with the additional calories from too much fruit, peanut butter, and protein powder.

Paleo or 'the caveman diet' is a popular diet which encourages you to eat lots of fruit, vegetables and lean meats while avoiding dairy, grains and strarches.

However, a recent study from researchers at the University of Melbourne shows thatPaleo could actually make you put on pounds.

For the study, researchers put mice on the Paleo diet, after nine weeks, the mice eating Paleo gained 15 per cent of their body weight and their insulin levels rose. The mice that ate a 'regular diet' didnt experience the same changes.

More: The reason why you're likely to gain weight with more diets

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9 diets that might be making you gain weight - The indy100

The reported benefits of apple cider vinegar range from helping you lose weight, protecting your heart, preventing cancer, and even banishing bad breath. So when I saw a fitness influencer attribute an ACV cleanse to her killer abs, I broke the one diet rule I've always kept and tried a fad diet prescribed on social media.

I always thought that diets shared by fitness influencers on Instagram tend to come across as shady and inauthentic, but when my by BFF sent me the Instagram post below, I forgot all about that skepticism. The post talked about a cleanse to eliminate bloat, help digestion issues, and get those much-coveted obliques. I was game.

I figured I didn't have anything to losethe ingredients are "real" food and ACV was having a moment. I'd seen other fitness peeps snap shots of gallon jugs, talking about their own concoctions. So, I committed to giving it a try.

Day 1: I'm just gonna say it: The shake tasted disgusting. I didn't even finish the whole serving. I drank what I could first thing in the morning when I woke up. I ate regularly at work and did an extra-long endurance run in the evening. I also worked in a few new abs exercises into my workouts. After all, this cleanse was about to give me abs, right? The post also recommended a magnesium supplement at night, so I took one after dinner.

Day 2: The shake still tasted sour (IDK why I was surprised about that; there's vinegar in it), but I managed to down the whole thing and felt kickass for it. The only major change waswarning: TMI aheadthat I went to the bathroom more than usual that day. Otherwise, I ate regularly again, went for a shorter run and did some weight lifting after work, and popped another magnesium pill. Day two of the cleanse, check.

Day 3: The taste of the drink got better (or I was getting used to it). I spent decent time in the bathroom again, which debloated me and made my stomach flat. I felt less hungry throughout the day and didn't feel a surge of early-afternoon fatigue like a normally do. Later, after I completed an endurance run at the gym, I lifted up my shirt, looked in the mirror, and...there they wereabs! Yes, legitimate abs (a first for me). At home, I piled my plate high with veggies andtook another magnesium supplement.

Day 4: The shake was tolerable, but I felt queasy in the morning, and I wasn't very hungry at lunch. I decided to take a rest day from my workouts. I completed my day with another round of magnesium, but little did I know this was the beginning of the end of my temporary abs.

Day 5: My stomach felt terrible. I dealt with a nauseous, acidic stomach all day. I tried to do my long run, but my stomach wouldn't allow it. I still took my magnesium pill with dinner.

Day 6-7: I woke up with the worst stomach ache I've ever had. I hesitantly made the shake and told myself I was almost done and maybe this was just part of the process. The post suggested trying the cleanse for at least 7 days. (I know now that I should have listened to my body.)

Day 8: No shake, no magnesium pill, continued stomach ache, and fading abs. This cleanse ended on a(nother) sour note.

So, sure, I got abs, kinda, and for a day or so, but the side effects were obviously not worth that mini reward. I knew I'd never do it again. I was curious about whether my circumstances were abnormal, or if there was actually some secret abs-sculpting benefits to an apple cider vinegar cleanse that I just missed somehow. So I talked to Jessica Crandall, R.D.N., a certified diabetes educator. Crandall says she's never prescribed ACV to any of her clients, and she doesn't see that changing anytime soon.

"Because it tastes nasty, it might curb your appetite," says Crandall. "But it's just a diet fad."

The other ingredients in the cleanse fared a little better from Crandall's expert point of view, though. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties; blueberries are high in fiber and antioxidants; lemon juice is high in vitamin C; and spinach is a great source of vitamin K (and boosts your fitness performance). The magnesium in the evening helps relax your muscles and blood vessels and (ironically) helps normalize your bowel movements. All good stuff, "but nothing in there will give you six-pack abs," says Crandall. In fact, she tells me that the acidity of the ACV may have been too much for my stomach to handle, which makes a lot of sense considering my frequent bathroom breaks and tossy-turny stomach.

So besides some obvious dehydration, to what does she attribute my day-long abs? Simply put, being aware of my goal and my diet. In theory, people who follow an influencer or fitness figure who suggests a diet, food, or detox will likely "eat something healthy they otherwise wouldn't and it kickstarts other habits like trying new exercises or eating better," hypothesizes Crandall. It's true. Remember, I did start doing a few new abs exercises during the cleanse.

Stay skeptical of words like detox and cleanse. While some may have their benefits, most are nothing more than fluff. Regardless, the moral of the story here to is listen to your body. I should have known something was up when I could barely stomach the first shake on day 1, or at least on day 4 when I was so queasy. Next time, I'll listen to my gut (pun intended).

Read more here:
An Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse Gave Me Abs...and an Awful Stomach Ache - Shape Magazine

Sonia Azad and WFAA , WFAA 6:16 PM. EDT May 11, 2017

Most of us at some point in our lives have tried something to lose weight. So we can relate to Monica Fair.

Ive always had this 12 to 15 pounds that I couldn't get rid of," said Fair, 47, who has experimented with trendy exercise programs and fad diets to no avail.

I never could lose the weight, said Fair. As a matter of fact, I would gain muscle which would push the fat out and make me look bigger."

It turns out the answer may be on the inside.

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"We're looking at genes that are responsible for your body composition, said Kurt Johnsen, co-founder of a Dallas-based company called Simplified Genetics.

Hes a Kung Fu master, founder of American Power Yoga, and overall a pretty fit guy with a passion for helping others get healthy, too.

I'm not a doctor, I'm not a scientist, said Johnsen, who sat down with WFAA at Plum Yoga, along Dallas popular stretch of Lower Greenville.I want to make sure what we do makes a difference."

Since 2012, Johnsen says his company has tested the DNA of 11,000 people, analyzing genes to match you with the best type of workout, diet, and vitamins for your body.

This is the most revolutionary thing I have seen in over 35 years," said Leisa Hart, the blonde bombshell behindBuns of Steel. Now shes 49, a mom, and still a beautiful fitness trainer.

This is my job! I'm in good shape, said Hart, admitting that there is a side of her that the public didn't see.

Working out that often and that intensely -- my face would be red, my head pounding. I would have to take a nap many times throughout the week, she recalled. That was my body screaming at me saying -- please just slow down! You're not supposed to work out that hard that often."

Then Hart got genetic testing, which is really just a simple cheek swab. The swab is sent to a lab in Louisiana where your DNA is extracted and prepared for analysis. Results are put through algorithms that generate specific recommendations for you.

I found out that when I was working out intensely, I was working out at much too high of a heart rate and I was working out for too long of a duration, said Hart.

Based on her results, she actually needed to do less.

To the eye, 53-year-old Rosanne Lewis is similar to Hart. But her genetic makeup is completely different.

I stopped eating all this bread because I thought it wasn't very good for me. I started having nuts instead or I would eat cheese -- things I thought were healthier-- and I gained four pounds."

Lewis results showed she can get away with mostly low intensity exercise. But this type of DNA analysis goes deeper: identifying your idea diet. The bread-lover, Lewis, is more sensitive to fats than carbohydrates, meaning she can eat her bread and do yoga in peace.

I know now for the rest of my life what I'm supposed to do, said Lewis.

With people putting a lot of stock -- and money -- into these tests, we wanted to get a doctors take on them.

This is the start, at the very least, of something very interesting, said Dr. Leslie Cler, chief medical officer of Methodist Dallas Medical Center.

Dr. Cler told WFAA that this type of genetics testing has been on the market -- offered directly to consumers -- for a decade, but still is in its infancy.

Further, according to Cler, while different companies may get you the same results, their recommendations are open to interpretation.

I don't think these tests are recommending anything dangerous to the patients -- not at all, said Cler. But as a doctor, if you came to see me and you said, I heard about this test, if I get it do you think that I'd be likely to lose weight? The answer is -- I don't know."

Fair enough. But losing weight isn't always the goal. Remember Hart -- who scaled back on her workouts since getting her results?

I feel so much better, said Hart. I feel like I could actually do more but I don't have to.

Then theres Fair, who went from a size 10 to a size 6 after putting her results to use. She added fish to her vegetarian diet, and now incorporates a blend of low-and-high intensity workouts.

It was life-changing to be able to actually get to my goal," Fair said.

But what works for Fair wont work for everyone. Makes perfect sense if it boils down to DNA.

On Tuesday morning Sonia Azad, Ron Corning, and Alexa Conomos got their tests back -- see their results below!

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Medical Study 1 by wfaachannel8 on Scribd

Medical Study 2 by wfaachannel8 on Scribd

2017 WFAA-TV

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DNA Test Tells You Which Workout, Diet Is Perfect For You - WFMY News 2

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