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In addition to math and reading lessons, many third graders in Alabamas low-income communities learn about nutrition from animated characters like Shining Rainbow, who loves colorful vegetables, and Muscle Max, who eats plenty of lean protein. The students also take the Vow of the Warrior in their classrooms. I will enter into the quest for health, strength, and wisdom. I will try new fruits and vegetables, the vow begins.

Its all part of a state SNAP-Ed curriculum called Body Quest, which applies what Sondra Parmer, the administrator of SNAP-Ed programs for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, calls multilevel intervention and it turns out it has had a significant impact on children and families since its launch in 2010.

Most people are familiar with SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, which help address food insecurity among vulnerable populations. SNAP-Ed is a companion program that provides comprehensive nutrition education to many of the same families, who may be struggling to put together healthy meals on a limited budget.

When we look at the data for the program, we can say with certaintybecause were comparing a treatment and a control groupthat because of Body Quest, these kids are eating better, said Parmer.

Now, a new study has aggregated data across eight states in the Southeast to evaluate the broader impact of programs like these for the first time. Published in the Journal of Nutritional Science at the end of September, the study found adults and children in SNAP-Ed programs are more likely to make a number of positive behavior changes, including eating more fruit and vegetables.

And while the data is from 2017, the results come at a time when advocates say helping food-insecure families eat well is more important than ever. Since the pandemic began, millions of Americans have lost their jobs and joined the ranks of those struggling to feed their families, prompting various calls for an increase in SNAP benefits. One analysis found nearly a quarter of American households faced food insecurity during the pandemic, more than double the number that did before COVID-19. In households with children, food insecurity tripled.

In the face of hunger, prioritizing healthy eating is even harder, especially in low-income communities where few nutritious foods are even available. And those communities have long suffered higher rates of diet-related diseases such as diabetes.

Those statistics now also point to risk factors for COVID-19. COVID has really highlighted the impact of underlying conditions like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, said Tracy Fox, a nutritionist by training who has been working on federal nutrition and nutrition education policy for more than 20 years. They have such a significant impact on whether or not you get COVID and how well you handle it.

Based on the study results, then, SNAP-Ed may be one effective tool to help people in low-income communities eat more of the foods that prevent diet-related diseases and the devastating impact of COVID-19.

How Does SNAP-Ed Work?

The entire SNAP program is funded by the farm bill; about 95 percent of the money goes directly to SNAP benefits, and the small remaining slice includes funding for SNAP-Ed. While states began to operate the education program as far back as 1998, it transformed during the Obama administration to focus on evidence-based projects and emphasize community and public health approaches to nutrition education.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) distributes annual funds to states, which then administer the educational programs through cooperative extension services at land-grant universities, public health departments, and nonprofits. In 2020, the USDA distributed $441 million for the program. (Because SNAP-Ed funding is distributed entirely separately from benefits themselves, calls to raise benefits would not affect SNAP-Ed.)

The programs aim to educate SNAP recipients, but there is a lot of flexibility in terms of what each program looks like.

They include direct education programs such as lessons and cooking classes, and social marketing campaigns to disseminate messages about healthy eating. And in recent years, there has been emphasis placed on the implementation of policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changesor long-term shifts that make healthy choices easier. For example, a school might ban soda and other sugary beverages (policy), install new water-bottle-filling fountains with promotional posters nearby (environment), and make a plan to stock vending machines with healthier alternatives (systems).

In Alabama, the Body Quest program includes direct education in the form of classroom nutrition lessons as well as many PSE changes, such as lunchroom posters with animated characters encouraging healthy choices and school wellness committees that create action plans to make school environments healthier. For example, at a school in Conecuh County, the committee identified a need for daily physical activity breaks, and the SNAP-Ed educator trained teachers in how to conduct them.

Body Quest is just one cog in the wheel when it comes to SNAP-Ed programs in the state, Parmer noted. Educators also plant and maintain teaching gardens, teach food bank clients how to cook with produce they are unfamiliar with, and more.

Evidence of Impacts

The flexibility given to each state to craft programs that meet the needs of its unique communities is one of SNAP-Eds biggest strengths, Fox said. But it also makes collecting consistent data and evaluating that data in a uniform way difficult.

To undertake the research, the Public Health Institute created a working group with representatives from SNAP-Ed agencies in eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

We selected the common indicators, and then we came up with a plan on how to gather that information from everyone, explained Amy DeLisio, the director of the Center for Wellness and Nutrition at the Public Health Institute and a co-author of the study. The 25 participating agencies used pre- and post-tests with SNAP-Ed participants, and then re-coded the results to match standardized indicators.

Results showed participants ate about a third of a cup of more fruit and a quarter of a cup more vegetables per day than they had before participating in the programs. And while that little bump might not sound significant, experts said its more meaningful than it may appear.

It may seem like a very small amount of fruits and vegetables on your plate, said Julia McCarthy, interim deputy director at the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education and Policy, but it is a significant increase, especially given most Americans fall far short of meeting dietary guidelines in this realm. Furthermore, behavior change is slow and hard to come by, she said.

Researchers also found that individuals in the study reported that they were more likely to increase the variety of produce in their diets, drink more water and fewer sugary beverages, and read nutrition labels while shopping.

The study was limited by the lack of a control group, DeLisio said. But in general, [the data] is showing SNAP-Ed works, she concluded.

McCarthy said she was excited to find more than 700 policy, system, and environmental changes being used within the SNAP-Ed programs they analyzed, which she thought pointed to the fact that changing peoples environments is a crucial component of nutrition education.

You cant teach people how to eat well without healthy foods, just like you cant teach people how to read without books, she added.

And the fact that the study aggregated data across states in the entire Southeast region, Fox said, made it much more impactful and interesting. You have higher numbers reporting, and therefore you have a little more confidence in the data . . . and what theyre showing, she said. I think its a really good model for other regions, hopefully, to use.

Timely Information

All the experts said the study was a starting point for more research that needs to be done across the country. But at this moment in time, the results are especially meaningful.

There are a lot of Americans who have lost their jobs and are now in poverty, and they might not know how to stretch their food dollars or select healthier foods on a budget, DeLisio said. Its relevant to that new population.

SNAP-Ed programs have also been affected by the pandemic in significant ways, since most are facilitated in person. Some programs have moved online, while some educators have had to pause their efforts entirely.

The USDA has so far denied state requests for waivers that would allow SNAP-Ed educators to temporarily participate in hunger relief efforts that dont directly include nutrition education. Fox has been working with groups who are asking Congress to step in to allow that flexibility, and while a draft of the second HEROES Act did include language to allow for that, the legislation is still a work in progress and negotiations are currently stalled.

Regardless of what the future brings, DeLisio said she believes the data supports ongoing funding for SNAP-Ed.McCarthy echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the unnecessary division that has often existed between hunger and nutrition work.

Families want to feed their members healthy, delicious food, and any sort of food insecurity efforts that dont consider nutrition are not going far enough, she said. COVID-19 has exposed just how vulnerable diet-related diseases have made us. Healthy eating has to be a top priority.

More here:
Nutrition Education is Helping Low-Income Families Eat Healthier - Civil Eats

Actress Natalie Portman appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon via video call from Australia to dish about her intense workouts and vegan diet for her role in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder movie. (She is in the country prepping for shooting.) The fourth film in the Thor series is based on the popular comic book The Mighty Thor, where Jane Foster (played by Natalie) becomes Thor.

"I don't know if people understand the training that goes into these movies. Are you doing these crazy workouts and stuff?" Jimmy asked Natalie.

"Im trying!" Natalie responded, laughing.

"It's insane!" Jimmy said.

"Ive had like months of pandemic, eating baked goods and laying in bed and feeling sorry for myself. Im, like, super tired after working out. And during. And dreading before," the actress told Jimmy about what it's been like getting back to her workouts.

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Jimmy also asked her about Natalie's vegan cooking show, which she regularly posts on her Instagram.

"I'm obsessed with your cooking videos. You should do a show! I would watch it very single week, I love it," Jimmy told her.

"That's so nice! I don't really have a lot of skill, so I always feel like if I can do it, anyone can do it," Natalie said. "I've gotten so many great recipes from Instagram from other people that I follow. And it's definitely easier that we're cooking every meal pretty much."

She also opened up more about her vegan diet: "I'm vegan, and a lot of people think we're eating alfalfa, so I like showing that there's really delicious, varied, easy things that you can do at home that your kids will eat that are plant-based. And I've been lucky enough to learn a lot of other people I admire a lot."

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Natalie Portman Talks About Her Tough 'Thor' Workouts And Vegan Cooking On The Tonight Show - Women's Health

Each year, tons of people set New Years resolutions to better themselves mentally and physically. For many people, that consists of trying out one of the many popular diets circulating around social media.

If youre eager to jump on the next dieting fad, we know three diets that everyone is talking about. Heres what you need to know:

What Diet is Right for You?

Before you dive into one of the tops three diets of 2020, you should know that you can lose weight without committing to a strict diet. You should always consult with a professional dietitian before making any big changes, but any doctor will encourage you to try the following tips:

An easy way to cut a lot of unnecessary sugar and calories from your diet is by taking a break from juices, sodas, and alcohol. However, this is hard for those who enjoy their nightly ritual of red wine and frozen yogurt. Some people even experience sweetalcohol withdrawal symptomswhen they try to cut back.

If you struggle to limit your alcohol intake because of your body, know that its possible with the right professional help.

Try to sneak some vegetables in every meal you eat, and youd be surprised what a difference it can make. Omelets pair well with vegetables, and veggies can fit easily into any lunch and dinner plan.

Go for a walk in the morning or on your lunch break for some fresh air and to wake up your body. If you cant make it outside, you can still actively work on standing more often and taking more active alternatives whenever possible, such as taking the stairs as opposed to an elevator.

The Top 3 Diets

If youre not willing to settle for small changes and youre prepare to commit to a diet, try these three:

You may have heard of the Mediterranean diet within the past few years, and you should get used to hearing about it. This diet centers around a heart-healthy meal plan full of whole grains, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables.

Aside from the obvious pros of this diet, it has been utilized by people as a way of life for so many years. This alone gives it surprising credibility- theres even data that suggests the diet impacts chronic diseases and weight control.

Intermittent fasting requires you to adjust your eating patterns. You will cycle between a period of fasting and then eating. This diet doesnt provide a specified category of foods to stick to, so it is more of an eating pattern than a diet. A common method involves fasting for 16 hours each day, so you only have an 8-hour window of eating.

The Keto diet is based around a low-carb, high-fat meal plan that is popular among many, thanks to its fast-acting promises. If cutting sugar and carbs is completely out of the question for you, then this might not be the best fit.

While obviously a lot of people have found personal success with this diet, this option is ranked last due to its difficulty to maintain and the possibility of nutrient deficiencies.

Bottom Line

Health experts, for the most part, encourage diets that involve a variety of healthy food groups consumed in moderation. Diets that have you restricting yourself when eating can be tricky to keep up with in the long run, which is why people are choosing these three diets in 2020; theyre easier to commit to and still rewarding.

Consider these three diets if youre ready for healthy, natural weight changes in 2020!

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What are the Top 3 Diets of 2020? - Times Square Chronicles

Remedies for period pain: Painful periods can be because of iron and folic acid deficiency

Period pain is a tough to endure. For many women, it requires taking an extra leave or a forced break from daily commitments. Health experts believe that moderate amount of period pain is normal, and shouldn't be much of a concern. However, if the pain is excruciating and occurs every time you get periods, then it can be because of an underlying health condition like iron deficiency, and must be checked by an expert. You will be surprised to know that moderate and recurring period pain can be dealt with the help of simple kitchen ingredients like raisins, kesar and ghee.

Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, in a recent live session on YouTube talks about these home remedies that can effectively reduce and even help you get rid of painful periods.

Take two small bowls. In one add black raisins (4-5), and in other add a few strands (1-2) of kesar or saffron. Have them first thing in the morning. "This is one of the most useful food interventions for the likes of period cramps and bloating. It can also help in reducing constipation and meeting iron deficiency," says Diwekar.

Start your day with soaked raisins and kesar to reduce period painPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:Exercising During Periods: This Is The Workout You Should Do When You Are On Your Period

These vegetables are rich in fibre, polyphenols and naturally-existing hormone-like substances that help you have smoother periods and better skin and hair health. Cook them how they have been cooked in your family for generations.

Have a fresh fruit or a banana by 4 or 6 pm in evening, every day. It will help you have a smaller portion size for dinner. This in turn helps you sleep better and wake up fresher. Banana is rich in potassium, fibre and Vitamin B.

Eat a banana at around 4 pm or 6 pm every dayPhoto Credit: iStock

Apart from eating the banana, you can also bank on the banana flower. It is therapeutic in nature and has medicinal properties.

"Not having anything between 4 or 6 pm in evening can either lead to overeating during dinner, or lead to consumption of stimulants like tea, coffee or cigarette. Junk food and comfort food cravings also tend to shoot up if you don't eat at this time of the day," Diwekar explains.

Also read:Try These 7 Foods That Have More Potassium Than A Banana To Control High Blood Pressure

They are extremely useful as they add more diversity to your diet. They help in improving gut flora, which can improve the health of your ovaries and reproductive system, she says and adds that it can be helpful for women who get painful periods and even those who have endometriosis. Kuttu or buckwheat, rajgira, makai, etc are good grains for winter.

Aliv seeds or garden cress seeds of halim seeds can ensure smooth and pain-free periods. These seeds are a good source of folic acid and iron. These seeds can be mixed with coconut and jaggery to make a laddoo. You can also add a pinch of aliv seeds to turmeric milk, and have a cup of it at night. It can help you sleep well. Eat one aliv laddoo every day for smooth, pain-free periods.

Coriander seeds, with some dried coconut and jaggery can also help you have smooth periods. Also add a tsp of ghee to each of your meals. It helps you provide essential fatty acids and helps in assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

These basic home remedies helped women experience fewer mood swings, cramps, bloating, sugar cravings and tiredness and fatigue.

"Such food interventions primarily are effective in reducing pain during periods as they help in overcoming micronutrient deficiencies," she explains.

Also read:Irregular Periods: 5 Superfoods That Can Induce Menstruation

It may take around 12 weeks of consistent effort for one to overcome aches and pains, using these time-tested foods practices, Diwekar informs.

Iron, folic acid and haemoglobin deficiencies are quit common among women in India, says Kareena Kapoor Khan's nutritionist. These aches and pains and conditions that most people suffer from, are because of micronutrient deficiencies.

Avoid following fad diets that are restrictive in nature. These low-calorie diets that offer promising weight loss benefits can do more harm than good by causing nutritional deficiencies, sleep troubles, digestion troubles and much more.

(Rujuta Diwekar is a nutritionist based in Mumbai)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Period Pain: 5 Foods And Home Remedies That Work Like Magic - NDTV

I've been following the nutritarian lifestyle for over two months, which is a whole-food, plant-based diet that focuses on nutrient-dense foods. I've been feeling amazing eating so many greens, beans, veggies, seeds, and whole grains, but eating the recommended minimum of four fruits per day was causing me painful cramps and bloating.

New York-based internist and gastroenterologist Niket Sonpal, MD, said bloating isn't cause for alarm or worry, unless you're feeling abdominal pain as a result of eating fruit or it's making preexisting digestive conditions, like IBS, worse.

Fruits contain natural sugars, including fructose and sorbitol, which can be difficult for people to digest, explained registered dietitian Carlie Saint-Laurent Beaucejour, MS, LDN, known as @mindfuleatingdietitian on Instagram. These poorly absorbed sugars pass through the small intestine and into the colon, where they are fermented by colonic bacteria to produce increased gas, explained gastroenterologist Kristen Lee, MD.

Fruit also contains another substance called pectin, an indigestible soluble fiber. Although the fiber in fruit can help relieve constipation, it can cause bloating in some people. Dr. Lee added that fruit offers antioxidants and vitamins, so you don't want to avoid it altogether, if possible.

Some fruits contain higher amounts of fructose, which can result in bloating, explained Saint-Laurent Beaucejour. These include apples, very ripe black-speckled bananas (due to the higher pectin content compared to unripe bananas), plums, grapes, dried fruits, cherries, pears, mangos, nectarines, apricots, pineapples, and pomegranates. Fruits that are high in FODMAPS may also cause bloating for some, said registered dietitian Jessie Wong, who specializes in FODMAP diets and helping people with IBS. This includes many of the fruits on this list, as well as prunes, avocados, and watermelons.

Fruits lower in fructose may be less likely to cause bloating, said Dr. Lee, including strawberries, blueberries, oranges, grapes, pineapples, and kiwis. Wong added that low-FODMAP fruits are also good choices such as dragonfruits, papayas, tangerines, clementines, and bananas that don't have black spots.

Aside from limiting or avoiding fruits that are high in fructose, here are some tips to help prevent bloating after eating fruit:

If you limit or avoid fruit and the discomfort continues, Dr. Sonpal said to make sure to speak with your primary doctor or gastroenterologist to determine what foods or lifestyle choices could be causing this uncomfortable issue. You definitely shouldn't live in pain or discomfort!

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Matthew Kelly

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Fruit Used to Make Me Bloated, Until I Started Following These Experts' Advice - POPSUGAR

With regards to picking an eating regimen to follow, there are a great deal of choices out there. And keeping in mind that anybody can pick an eating routine that functions admirably for their way of life, Rachel Paul, PhD, RD, says that theres one eating regimen, specifically, that would be viewed as the most noticeably terrible eating regimen for weight reduction. She says an eating routine zeroed in on low-protein, low-fat, and high-carb by and large doesnt function admirably for individuals.

Weight loss comes from being in a calorie deficit, and since higher fat and protein diets are more physically filling than low-fat diets, a person on a calorie-restricted, high carb diet will be more likely to be very hungry, says Paul.

Paul perceives that various methods of eating unquestionably work for various individuals. In any case, when taking a gander at a high-carb diet that is low in protein and fat, she says it by and large wont work for individualsespecially when seeing satiety levels.

When a person is losing weight, and then maintaining that lost weight, its much easier to continue on with a way of eating if theyre physically satiated, says Paul.

Heres a more profound gander at why an eating regimen zeroed in on just carbs wont work, and what you should zero in on. Also, for more good dieting tips, make certain to look at our rundown of 21 Best Healthy Cooking Hacks of All Time.

To start with, its critical to take note of the sorts of carbs that are devoured. Despite the fact that low-carb and keto eats less have gotten mainstream in the course of recent years, its not awful for your body to have carbs. Truth be told, complex sugarslike oats and beansare the absolute most ideal approaches to get dietary fiber in your eating regimen, which is unfathomably significant for generally speaking weight reduction.

Be that as it may, if a high-carb diet was topped off with basic, refined carbs, it would be more earnestly for the health food nut to get thinner long haul. An eating regimen that is brimming with starches that have been deprived of their regular dietary fiber wont leave you feeling full, and will make you be significantly hungrier. Particularly in case youre not blending in protein and solid fats.

No.

While there are a great deal of studies and books that give you why an emphasis on a low-carb diet works for weight reduction, eats less centered around high-protein, high-fat, and low-carb by and large need more fiber in it. Furthermore, fiber is significant for absorption, averting immune system sickness, and weight reduction as a rule.

Despite the fact that sugars are not viewed as a basic food, as indicated by Healthline, there are a great deal of nourishments with starches that are loaded with acceptable supplements for your bodylike products of the soil.

Since theyve exposed this legend, here are 15 Carbs myths that are totally bogus.

Getting an assortment of carbs with protein and fats is ideal.

On numerous occasions, an eating routine that centers around the blend of all the macronutrients functions admirably for weight reduction. So in the event that a high-carb diet is the most noticeably terrible eating regimen for weight reduction, at that point a medium-carb, medium-protein, and medium-fat eating routine would be the bestlike how you would follow the best by and large eating regimen for weight reduction.

Having every one of the three macronutrients in your eating regimen is key for by and large satiety from your suppers, so without them, your body is less inclined to feel full with just sugars. Particularly if those starches are refined and prepared.

Having protein in your eating regimen assists with diminishing the yearning hormone ghrelin.

Nourishments that are high in fat are the last to leave your review parcel, so by having a decent measure of solid fats in your eating regimenlike avocadosyoull feel full for longer timeframes.

Whats more, in conclusion, sugars that are high in dietary fiber will deliver leptin, which is the yearning hormone that turns on your bodys completion switch. Furthermore, fiber additionally moves gradually in your stomach related plot.

So in case youre appreciating a crushed avocado on a cut of entire grain toast, you will feel full for quite a long time. Include a seared egg top and you have yourself the ideal feast. Whats more, for more solid carbs to add to your eating regimen, bookmark our rundown of 28 carbs that wont make you fat.

More:
According to a Dietitian : According to a Dietitian : The worst diet for weight loss - Resident Weekly

With over two decades of experience in singing, Ludhiana-based Jayy Caurr recently launched another hit single during the lockdown. The track, Load Karke, became very popular on YouTube. Jayy Caurr, formerly called Jyoti, has hit singles in Bollywood movie Luv Shuv Te Chicken Khurana and has sung numerous others. Her song Superstar was very popular on YouTube and so was Phull. She talks about her health and fitness regimen.

Swear by fitness

I swear by a very good diet and normal exercise.

Physical well-being important

Fitness is a very important aspect as you feel good if you are healthy. During these tough times, it is essential to stay fit for your overall mental and physical well-being.

A different take

Doing riyaaz and dancing are also an essential part of my exercise regimen. Hence for me, my work and exercise go hand-in-hand.

Lockdown routine

Due to the lockdown, my fitness schedule also constituted helping my mother with household work.

Fitness makes one happy

If you are fit and happy, your complexion will automatically glow. In addition to physical fitness, mental happiness and peace is also very essential.

My diet, my boon

I do not like spicy stuff and also avoid fast food.

Binges are there!

Whenever I go to my maternal village, I eat paranthas with lots of makhan and desi ghee. Winter is incomplete without makki di roti and sarson da saag with lots of white butter.

My mantra

Diet is a very important part of your life. If you choose the right diet, just a little exercise will help you sail through life.

Attitude matters

Positive attitude is the best mantra for a happy life.

No short-cuts

Eat healthy, stay happy; thats the only route we have to take.

As told to Poonam Bindra

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Singer Jayy Caurr says with the right diet, just a little exercise will help one sail through life - The Tribune India

Author: Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, FACSM

Protein is never a key exercise fuel, but its critical for other reasons. During most exercise, protein contributes less than 5 percent of the total energy, although it may rise to 10 to 15 percent during a prolonged event like a marathon or Ironman triathlon. Taking in enough dietary protein is important because dietary protein allows your muscles to be repaired after exercise and promotes the synthesis of hormones, enzymes, and other body tissues formed from amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

You should consume at least 12 to 35 percent of your daily calories as protein. For most people this means taking in at least 60 grams of protein daily.

About half of the 20 amino acids are considered essential in your diet, meaning that you must consume them or your body will suffer from protein malnutrition, which causes the breakdown of muscles and organs. Essential amino acids are found in meats, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, and soy products; all plant-based foods besides soy are lacking one or more essential ones, but taking in combinations of plant sources (like rice and beans) can supply what you need.

Your body can make the rest of the amino acids itself (they are the nonessential ones). But you need to have enough protein in your diet overall to synthesize body proteins after workouts, which is a critical time for increases in strength, aerobic capacity, or muscle size.

Because protein is important to overall health but isnt a major exercise fuel, you do need to worry about consuming enough, although it doesnt have to happen right before or during an activity. Youll get most effective restoration of liver glycogen if you keep your blood glucose levels in tight control after exercise. Consuming a small amount of protein along with carbohydrate (in a ratio of 1:4, or one gram of protein to every four grams of carbohydrate) after an activity may help you repair your muscles and get stronger more quickly.

Typically, an ounce of chicken, cheese, or meat has about 7 grams of protein.

Taking in more protein and slightly less carbohydrate after exercise can help keep your blood glucose more stable over time because protein takes three to four hours to be fully digested, and some protein is converted into blood glucose. You can eat protein strategically to prevent later-onset hypoglycemia, which insulin users are more likely to get. Have some in your bedtime snack (along with fat and carbohydrate) to prevent nighttime lows after a day of strenuous or prolonged activity, if you use insulin.

Taking in some protein along with carbohydrate right after hard or long workouts may help your body replenish its glycogen stores more effectively. Though anyone who is getting olderand that includes all of uscan benefit from taking in enough protein, supplements are usually not the optimal way to get enough. Let me explain why.

As you get older, your body may need more protein compared to when you were younger to form, maintain, and repair muscles and other body structures. Anyone who is doing regular exercise training also needs more protein to repair and build muscle, but you can usually get this amount (and more) when youre eating a balanced meal plan with adequate calories. To figure out how much you need, find the category that fits your age and training, and multiply your body weight (in pounds or kilograms) by the grams found in the corresponding table column.

TABLE Recommended Protein Intake by Training Status and Age

Per Pound Body Weight Per Kilogram Body Weight

Adults 19 to 50 years (inactive) 0.36 grams 0.8 grams

Adults over 50 years (inactive) 0.5 grams 1.1 grams

Endurance training 0.550.64 grams 1.21.4 grams

Strength training 0.680.77 grams 1.51.7 grams

Calorie deprived (diets) 0.730.82 grams 1.61.8 grams

The biggest myth about amino acid supplements, and protein in general, is that you must load up on them to gain muscle. Thats just not true. The protein requirement for strength-training athletes may be about twice as high as normal, but most people in the United States already consume more than these higher amounts of protein in their daily diets.

To put it in perspective, to gain one pound of muscle mass a week (a realistic maximum), a strength-training athlete needs no more than 14 extra grams of quality protein per day. You can easily get this amount from these sources:

About two 8-ounce glasses of milk

2 ounces of lean meat, chicken, fish, or cheese (which isnt much)

Slightly more than 2 eggs (only the whites contain protein)

Adequate intake of protein also helps to maintain lean body mass when you lose weight on a diet and can help you gain more muscle mass from exercise training.

Reference: Excerpted from Colberg, SR, Chapter 7: Eating Right for Exercise, Diabetes & Keeping Fit for Dummies, Wiley, 2019.

Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, is the author of The Athletes Guide to Diabetes: Expert Advice for 165 Sports and Activities (the newest edition of Diabetic Athletes Handbook). She is also the author of Diabetes & Keeping Fit for Dummies, co-published by Wiley and the ADA. A professor emerita of exercise science from Old Dominion University and an internationally recognized diabetes motion expert, she is the author of 12 books, 30 book chapters,and over 420 articles. She was honored with the 2016 American Diabetes AssociationOutstanding Educator in Diabetes Award.Contact her via her websites (SheriColberg.com and DiabetesMotion.com).

More here:
Pumping Up with Protein: Does This Work for Exercise and Health? - Diabetes In Control

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a mental health condition that affects 4.4% of adults and has been diagnosed in 9.4% of children in the US. People with ADHD may experience symptoms such as trouble concentrating, restlessness and impulsivity, or struggling to complete tasks.

Though ADHD is typically treated with stimulants like Adderall, research shows that the right diet can also help improve symptoms and the wrong diet can worsen them.

Here's what to know about what you should and should not eat if you have ADHD.

ADHD is a disorder that is thought to be caused by imbalances in brain chemistry, particularly neurotransmitters. There are many foods and nutrients that are beneficial for proper brain function and health, and thus beneficial for ADHD. Some of these foods include:

Omega fatty acids, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, are beneficial for brain health, says Uma Naidoo, MD, author of This Is Your Brain on Food and Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.

She says that omega-3s are beneficial for two reasons:

A 2017 systematic review published in the Journal of Lipids found that those who consumed omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids experienced ADHD symptom improvement, including less hyperactivity, better ability to pay attention, and less impulsivity.

While most people think omega-3 fatty acids are synonymous with fish, you can get it from other vegetarian or vegan sources, such as avocados and nuts, says Zhaoping Li, MD, PhD, director of the UCLA Center of Human Nutrition and Chief of the Division of Clinical Nutrition.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the adequate daily intake of Omega-3 fatty acids is 1.6 grams in men and 1.1 grams in women. Some foods high in omega-3 are:

Li says it's crucial for the brain to get adequate protein for proper function. That's because protein is broken down into amino acids, which help the brain produce neurotransmitters and neuromodulators chemical messengers in the brain. This is beneficial for ADHD since it's believed that ADHD is in part due to imbalances of neurotransmitters such as dopamine.

Naidoo says that eating breakfast is non-negotiable for people with ADHD, and that protein should be incorporated into breakfast.

"It was shown that individuals who ate a healthy breakfast were more alert, attentive and could process information more rapidly," says Naidoo. "So skipping meals can worsen these symptoms possibly related to lower blood sugar and the brain needs energy through the food we eat in order to function properly."

Incorporating protein into breakfast to get those amino acids and brain function boost sets your day up for success.

Some foods high in protein include:

With meats, Li says to eat quality meat that hasn't been fed antibiotics or hormones because any remaining antibiotics in the meat may change the gut microbiota and could worsen ADHD.

Polyphenols are compounds that are natural antioxidants, and they are found in many fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help prevent damage from free radicals, which are compounds that can bind to healthy cells and damage the DNA and proteins inside of them

The imbalance between the antioxidants and free radicals in your body is known as oxidative stress. Researchers believe that oxidative stress in the brain could be linked to ADHD, according to a 2018 review published in Nutrients. This review determined that polyphenol supplements such as Pycnogenol can counteract oxidative stress in the brain, thereby possibly improving ADHD symptoms.

Naidoo says some foods high in polyphenols are:

B vitamins are important for brain health, since they can improve brain chemistry and support mental health function. Naidoo says that they are particularly helpful for people with ADHD, since they can support the functioning of neurotransmitters.

A 2017 review published in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine found that deficiencies in micronutrients, including B vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, are linked to ADHD in children. Blood testing can be conducted to learn if you are deficient in these vitamins along with any others.

Some foods high in B vitamins, particularly B6 and B12 include:

Some ingredients and food groups may worsen ADHD symptoms in certain individuals. Some of these include:

Though the reason for this isn't clear, some studies have found a link between food additives, including preservatives, and worsened hyperactivity in children without ADHD.

Naidoo recommends ADHD patients steer clear of processed foods, packaged foods, and frozen foods since these are very likely to contain preservatives and stabilizers.

She urges everyone to look at food labels carefully. "If there are names you can't pronounce and there's a large number of [ingredients], then you know to skip it and try to get towards whole healthy foods," says Naidoo.

Li seconds this, adding: "Any chemicals or artificially generated compounds are of concern."

There's no concrete evidence about preservatives alone worsening ADHD, as evidence is anecdotal rather than through studies. But both experts agree that people with ADHD should avoid them.

There's a bit more evidence the negative effect of food coloring on ADHD symptoms. Three food colorings of particular concern are:

These are found in foods like snack foods, cereal, baked goods, sauces, crackers, and beverages.

A 2012 meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry looked at various studies regarding elimination diets consisting of eliminating foods with dyes. The researchers estimated that 33% of children with ADHD responded to this type of elimination diet, experiencing reduced symptoms, proving it may be beneficial for some.

"In the US, the most popular food dyes are Red #40, Yellow #5 and Yellow #6. The three make up 90% of all the food dye used in the US," says Li. This is why they are the most commonly studied and believed to have harmful effects.

In Europe, products containing these dyes require a warning label. In the US, they do not. You can check the ingredient list on the labels to see if foods have these ingredients.

Gluten is not inherently "bad" or harmful for people with ADHD. However, Naidoo says if someone with ADHD has celiac disease (an immune disease in which gluten damages the small intestine) or a gluten sensitivity, then eating gluten may worsen their ADHD symptoms.

A small 2006 study (132 people) published in the Journal of Attention Disorders looked at people with celiac disease and found that after six months of a gluten-free diet, there was a noticeable improvement in people exhibiting ADHD symptoms, such as hyperactivity.

If you aren't sure if you may have a gluten insensitivity or celiac disease, speak to your doctor who can conduct testing to help you get answers.

You don't need to be lactose intolerant to experience troubles from dairy. Naidoo says that dairy, or specifically, casein (a protein in milk), is a culprit for possibly worsening ADHD symptoms.

There are multiple types of casein, but the one that may affect ADHD is beta-casein, which has two forms, A1 and A2. It is believed that A1 is the main culprit with dairy.

A small 2016 study (45 participants) published in the Nutrition Journal studied the difference between those who drank milk that had A1 and A2, and those who drank milk that only contained A2. The participants who drank the milk with A1 and A2 had slower cognitive processing and less accuracy than those who drank the milk only containing A2, leading the researchers to conclude that people with ADHD may want to avoid the A1 protein. More thorough research is needed to know if this applies to a broader population of ADHD patients.

Naidoo says that an alternative to dairy can be any type of nut milk. There's also A2 milk, which she says is becoming more widely available at grocery stores. However, other dairy products such as cheese do not have the same option to isolate the A2 protein, so you may have to make more drastic diet changes regarding other dairy products like cheeses, ice creams, and yogurts.

[recirc: https://www.insider.com/adult-adhd-symptoms%5D A diet of whole foods rich in omega 3s, protein, polyphenols, and B vitamins is great for general health, and may also help people with ADHD control their symptoms. However, it's important to make sure that you're also receiving the correct medical treatment.

Speak to your doctor so they can help you work on getting your symptoms under control through the safest, healthiest means possible.

Continued here:
The best diet for people with ADHD: Foods to eat and avoid - Insider - INSIDER

For theoretical intuition into the effects of different dietary strategies on herbivore population dynamics, we combine the analysis of two models: one extremely simple discrete-time population model that does not explicitly consider vegetation pools but assumes seasonal variation in forage quality and another that adapts the well-studied Lotka-Volterra consumer-resource model with one herbivore and two logistically growing resource pools, corresponding either to grass and trees or two different grass pools between which herbivores migrate. We are primarily interested in how herbivore population sizes change with respect to the degree of seasonal diet switching by herbivores, which depend on including limitations on plant productivity (capturing the benefit of switching diet, as either forage quality or total availability is depleted seasonally) and herbivore feeding behavior (as intake and digestive efficiency, including possible costs of the switching strategy itself). Despite its simplicity and a long history of attention, the Lotka-Volterratype system (described in further detail below) resists full formal analysis, and we have therefore presented predictions via computation (see Fig. 1 and figs. S2 to S5); it is for this reason that we have included the even simpler model for more complete analytical intuition.

For empirical evaluation, herbivore census data were extracted from the database previously published by Hempson et al. (14). Data were included for protected areas in Eastern and Southern Africa with an area > 500 km2, rainfall between 400 and 1000 mm year1, and good conservation status at the time of the census (see Fig. 2 and fig. S6) (33). These criteria aim to identify environmentally comparable regions with intact wildlife populations and to minimize the intensive management and edge effects in small reserves. Data for migratory populations were more sparse, because these have been heavily depleted through hunting and fragmentation (24). We identified six migratory populations of four species, including (i) wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and zebra (E. quagga) in the Serengeti, (ii) white-eared kob (Kobus kob) and tiang (i.e., topi or tsessebe, Damaliscus lunatus) in the Boma-Jonglei, (iii) wildebeest in Tarangire-Manyara, and (iv) wildebeest in Liuwa.

The percentage C4 grass component of African herbivore diets was estimated by synthesizing data from published sources (8, 9, 11, 34, 35) and averaging across regions and studies for each species (see table S1). This percentage was reflected about the 50% diet composition axis to estimate the degree of dietary mixing via the equation: 50 |50 percent C4 grass|. This has a maximum value of 50% when the diet is half C4 grass and a minimum value of 0% if C4 grass is all or none of the diet.

The main objective of our analyses was to determine whether the level of grass-browse mixing in a herbivores diet has an influence on its abundance. Herbivore abundance was estimated as individual density (the number of individuals km2) or as metabolic biomass density (body mass0.75 individual density km2). These data were then log transformed before fitting linear mixed-effects models with scaled % dietary mixing, species body mass, and their interaction as fixed effects in the full model. Species identity and protected area identity were included as random effects to account for processes including climatic and edaphic limitations on productivity and top-down carnivore effects on herbivore populations. Models were fitted in R (version 3.3.3) using the lme4 package.

First, we consider a population N that experiences alternating wet and dry seasons, with population growth from one wet season to the next described by the equationNw,t+1=wmd12mNw,twhere w corresponds to the wet-season growth rate of the population, d to its dry-season growth rate, m to the length of the wet season in months (this choice of unit of length is arbitrary and not important for model dynamics), and t to the time elapsed in years. If we nondimensionalize by N0 without loss of generality, thenNw(t)=[wmd12m]t(1)

These growth rates can be adapted to describe the case of grazers, browsers, and mixed feeders. Grazers grow at rates wG and dG in the wet and dry season, respectively, and browsers at rates wB and dB.

We assume that mixed feeders graze in the wet season and browse in the dry season, consistent with empirical observations (9). Hence, we also make the crucial assumption that, in the wet season, the potential growth rate of a herbivore is higher on grass, whereas in the dry season, the potential growth rate of a herbivore is higher on browse (i.e., that wG > wB and dB > dG). We also assume that the intrinsic quality of grazing or browsing forage probably does not differ by herbivore type, but that there are potential costs to generalism that might contribute to the relative success of the strategy (36); therefore, we assume that mixed feeders suffer some inefficiency in how they grow on both grass and browse, scaling their wet and dry season growth rates as cGwG and cBdB, with cG and cB < 1. Note that higher c denotes higher mixed-feeder efficiency.

A mixed-feeder population M therefore achieves higher population numbers than a grazer G and a browser population B, respectively, when1[dGdB]12mandcGmcB12m>[wBwG]m(2)

See fig. S1 for a graphical illustration of these conditions. Ecologically, they suggest the intuitive result that mixed-feeder abundances will exceed grazer abundances when dry season browse is sufficiently better than dry season graze to compensate the costs of mixed feeding. By the same token, mixed-feeder abundances will exceed browser abundances when wet-season graze is enough better than wet-season browse to compensate the costs of mixed feeding. In the case where there are no costs to a mixed-feeding strategy, these conditions reduce to our assumption that grass is better forage in the wet season and trees in the dry; but in the case where mixed feeding carries a cost, the success of the strategy is determined by how seasonal trees and grasses are relative to each other. Thus, the relative responses of trees versus grasses to seasonality are fundamental to determining the benefits of mixed feeding. In extreme cases, this is obvious: Diet switching is obviously disadvantageous when inefficiencies are overwhelming or when grass survives but there is nothing to browse in the dry season, as in heavily deciduous systems in the tropics.

This model can also be used to analogize the dynamic of a migratory grazer, with similar results. In that case, cGwG and cBdB correspond to the cost-adjusted growth rate of the migratory grazer on the wet seasonpreferred grass pool and the dry-season forage reservoir, respectively. Thus, a migratory grazer population grows to a larger size than its nonmigratory equivalent when the benefits of switching to the dry-season reservoir outweigh the costs of doing so. In this analogy, the costs of migrating may be energetic, rather than anatomical (as above), since migratory populations often have nonmigratory conspecifics. However, the analogy is limited by the fact that often, the benefit of migrating is that there is more (not better) food at the destination, and so the discrete-time model presented here is a poor analogy; see the coupled consumer-resource model below for a different perspective on this issue.

Note that the results presented in fig. S1 are qualitatively similar when we consider a discrete-time logistic model, especially when growth rates are slow relative to carrying capacity and identical when carrying capacity is taken to be the same across herbivore types (analysis not shown).

We have used a variant of the well-studied Lotka-Volterra consumer-resource model with one herbivore and two resource pools, corresponding either to grass and trees or two different grass pools between which herbivores migrate. For this detailed model description, we describe the two resource pools as grass and tree foliar biomass; all that is required to turn this into a simple model for migration, however, would be to change the names of the resources to, e.g., two different grass pools between which herbivores migrate. Here, grass and tree foliar biomasses (the resources, G and T) accumulate logistically with some growth rate (~carbon assimilation, AG and AT) and carrying capacity (KG and KT). Herbivores eat grass for a fixed fraction of time G and eat trees the rest of the time (T = 1 G), in proportion to their availability at a rate that depends on bite size (i.e., handling efficiency, G and T). Note that for the purposes of analysis, and always occur together and could be considered as one parameter; however, we maintain the distinction between the two to preserve their biological meaning. Foliage is converted to herbivore biomass depending on how nutritious food is and how efficient digestion is (combined into one term, G and T). This yields the following system of equationsdGdT=AGG(1GKG)GGGHdTdt=ATT(1TKT)TTGHdHdt=[GGGG+TTTT]HH(3)where is the mortality rate of the herbivore. For specialist herbivores (with either T or G = 1) in a nonseasonal environment, the equilibria of this system and their stability are well known. Those familiar with this model can skip two paragraphs to .

As a review, taking the example of a specialist grazer, T approaches its carrying capacity KT and does not interact with grass or the herbivore population. We are left with a two-dimensional system with zero isoclines from Eq. 3 atH=AG(1GKG)GGandG=GGG(4)respectively, and equilibria occur where these zero isoclines intersect (as illustrated, e.g., in fig. S2A). Stability is given by the Jacobian evaluated at equilibriumJ=[AGGKGGGGGGGH0](5)for which the trace is always negative and the determinant is always positive, such that, according to Routh-Hurwitzs stability criteria, any equilibrium that exists is also stable for all biologically realistic (i.e., positive) regions of parameter and state space (see also fig. S2, A and B). The example of a specialist grazer is directly analogous to a specialist browser as well (see fig. S2, I and J).

Analysis is slightly more complicated for a mixed feeder (with either T or G = 1) in a nonseasonal environment because the system is three dimensional (see figs. S3 and S4 for examples of trajectories in three-dimensional space) but nonetheless straightforward. In this case, equilibria are well defined by Eq. 3, and again, their stability is this time given by the (now) three-dimensional JacobianJ=[AGGKG0GGG0ATTKTTTTGGGHTTTH0](6)

In this case, Routh-Hurwitzs criteria for stability require that the trace be negative, the determinant also negative, and the determinant greater than the product of the trace and the sum of the determinants of the dominant subminors; here again, it is straightforward to show that any equilibrium that exists is also stable for all biologically realistic (i.e., positive) regions of parameter and state space.

The next key component of the model is seasonal variation: We assume that seasons alternate predictably, with effects on plant productivity (via A) and, depending on herbivory type, on herbivore diet. We assume that grazers graze and browsers browse all year. However, mixed feeders change their diets seasonally (9), switching from wet-season grazing to dry-season browsing when grass resources are exhausted and/or decrease in quality. By analogy, a migratory grazer might change resource pools seasonally from a preferred resource to a forage reservoir in the dry season. This seasonal change in productivity complicates analysis, even when the herbivore is a specialist grazer or browser (see fig. S2, C, G, and K). Although we can be sure that plant and herbivore population trajectories are always moving toward the seasonal stable equilibria described above, there is no guarantee that the system reaches equilibrium within a season (and, in fact, given that ungulates usually live multiple if not many years, reaching equilibrium within a season seems unlikely). Instead, we see the emergence of cycles in plant and herbivore abundance in response to alternating seasons. These seem, for broad ranges of parameter space, to tend toward stable cycles, as the system moves along deterministic trajectories toward (but not always reaching) seasonal equilibria (see figs. S2 to S4).

In the trivial case where mixed feeders perform better in both wet and dry seasons than pure grazers or browsers, analysis would be simpler: Mixed feeders would achieve higher population sizes overall (37). However, we must make assumptions to mirror a reality that directly violates this most trivial case, and mixed feeders may not always perform better overall than grazers or browsers. Although more extensive work has been done on similarly structured aquatic systems that reach equilibrium within a season (38), currently available analytical tools cannot go much further than this. We proceed for further intuition via computation methods below.

In reality, mixed feeders do better than grazers only in the dry season (when grass has run out) and better than browsers only in the wet season (when grass is more abundant and/or easier to eat than browse). The best-case scenario in this is that mixed feeders do exactly as well as grazers when grazing and exactly as well as browsers when browsing. However, mixed-feeder disadvantages may be more severe if mixed feeders, as generalists, are less efficient grazers than grazing specialists and less efficient browsers than browsing specialists. There are two possible ways to include the costs of mixed feeding (and analogous costs of migrating spatially). Mixed feeders may digest foliage less efficiently, payable as a fractional decrease in digestive efficiency (where efficiency = 1 corresponds to no cost; applied multiplicatively to the first two terms of Eq. 3). Alternatively, mixed feeders may have less efficient mouth shapes for grazing and browsing, resulting in a decrease in intake efficiency (applied multiplicatively to the last terms of the first two of Eq. 3 and the first two terms of the last of Eq. 3).

Via computation across a broad range of parameter space, we find that when the costs of mixed feeding are high, mixed feeders do not achieve higher abundances than grazers and browsers (see Fig. 1, A and D, and fig. S5, A and D). However, mixed-feeder advantages are relatively robust to mild decreases in feeding efficiency due to mixed feeding; in fact, both intake and digestive efficiency costs are widely debated in the literature, and recent syntheses suggest that mixed feeders have only slightly lower feeding or digestive efficiencies than grazers or browsers (36). Thus, we should expect mixed feeders to have increasing abundances with increases in the degree of mixed feeding, for realistic efficiency estimates (see Fig. 1, C and F).

To generate computation results, we have used Runge-Kutta fourth-order integration in the package deSolve in R, version 3.2.2. For all results shown herein, wet and dry seasons each last one-half a time step (with one unit of time assumed to be a year), and the transition between the two is abrupt (instead of, e.g., sinusoidal, which would capture a more gradual transition between wet and dry seasons). In the main text (see Fig. 1), we present results assuming AG,wet = 10, AT,wet = 5, AG,dry = AT,dry = 0, KG = KT = 1000, G = 0.02, T = 0.08, G = 0.08, T = 0.05, = 0.8, c = 0.95, and c = 0.8, except where parameters are varied for the parameter sweep, incorporating the assumptions that tree foliage is more nutritious than grass but that taking large bites of grass is easier than selective browsing of trees (see also fig. S3 for trajectories for a subset of those simulations). However, for generality, we also provide another simulation set that makes neutral assumptions about the quality and handling times of grass and trees (AG,wet = AT,wet = 10, KG = KT = 1000, G = T = 0.05, G = T = 0.05, = 0.8, c = 0.95, and c = 0.8; see figs. S4 and S5). Across all simulations, grazers graze and browsers browse all year; we additionally assume that mixed feeders exclusively graze in the wet season but that they switch to browsing in the dry (with G,wet = T,dry = 1, such that diet mixing = 50%). Where we vary the degree of diet mixing for parameter sweeps (in Fig. 1, B, C, E, and F, and fig. S5, B, C, E, and F), we achieve this by varying T,dry.

Note that, here, we consider only the population dynamics of a single herbivore at a time, ignoring the dynamics of the diverse food web, which have been considered in some depth elsewhere (18, 39). However, results using metabarcoding approaches suggest that diverse herbivores in savannas compete minimally, so this simplification may in a narrow sense be realistic; how this niche differentiation arises in a competitive, evolutionary context, especially in view of the advantages of generalism, may be of theoretical interest. Also note that our models consider the dynamics of grass and tree accumulation separately; although these may interact (40), tree-grass coexistence is not the subject of this work, and so we approximate equilibrium competition via limitations on the respective carrying capacities of tree and grass foliar biomass. Elaborations on these themes may be of future interest.

Read more:
Seasonal dietary changes increase the abundances of savanna herbivore species - Science Advances

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