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Plant-based or cultivated seafood is a small sector, but a growing one, according to The Good Food Institutes 2019 U.S. State of the Industry Report on Plant-Based Meat, Eggs and Dairy.

In 2019, there were numerous product launches, including New York-based Good Catchs plant-based tuna, which debuted at Whole Foods Market, Thrive Market and Fairway Markets. Meanwhile, New York-based Ocean Hugger Foods showcased its own plant-based tuna, Ahimi, and launched a plant-based eel product at the National Restaurant Association show. The new product is created by altering the texture and flavor of eggplant to resemble that of freshwater eel, or unagi.

Family-owned Van Cleve Seafood Co., based in Spotsylvania, Va., launched a plant-based line, Wild.Skinny.Clean, with Crab-less Cakes and plant-based pink shrimp. Tyson Ventures investment in San Francisco-based New Wave Foods, the first major investment by a conventional meat company in the plant-based seafood space, opened a door for the Springdale, Ark.-based meat company. For a company like Tyson, seafood has been out of reach in the past, because of production systems. Plant-based seafood can be produced in the same facility as other plant-based meat products, however, making it practical for Tyson.

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The Fight for the Center of the Plate - Progressive Grocer

Oregon States Jermar Jefferson is coming off a sophomore season where he ran for 685 yards and eight touchdowns.

Not terrible, but not what Jefferson had in mind following a record-setting freshman year in 2018.

Injuries and health played a big role in Jeffersons production decrease. So shortly after the 2019 season ended, Jefferson went to work on a game plan.

Jeffersons big problem, it turned out, was simple. Eat. Eat more.

What college boy doesnt like to eat, and eat a lot? Jefferson, for one. Its not that he was opposed to food. Just wasnt a priority.

I was barely eating twice a day, Jefferson said of his diet in 2019. Honestly, I dont know why. I just wasnt hungry, I guess.

Jefferson said its ideal for him to weigh around 215 to 217 pounds during the season. Jefferson struggled to maintain that weight last season, which he felt went back to his eating habits.

OSUs strength and conditioning staff reviewed Jeffersons food intake, and told him its simply not enough. What Jefferson was eating was OK he says fast food was only a meal or two a week, though hes trying to cut that to zero he just needs more of it.

Now Jefferson is eating three meals a day, and then some with addition of snacks. His calorie intake has increased significantly.

Jefferson isnt alone on revamping eating habits among Oregon States football players. The team went through a five-week course on nutrition education this offseason, according to OSU sports dietitian Toni Langhans. The goals include increasing their awareness as to what food can do for overall health, and collaborating with teammates particularly roommates about nutritional goals.

Something as small as switching portions of different types of food can make a huge difference in performance and energy levels, Langhans said.

Jefferson believes it was health last year that caused him to miss three games and see decreases in carries (97) and yards (695) from his freshman season. Because in general, Jefferson said felt everything about his game was better in 2019 than 2018.

Honestly, I was a lot stronger and smarter during the game, but the injuries just messed everything up, Jefferson said. The game started to slow down for me. I started to notice things like certain glitches and when certain stuff was about to come.

Jefferson said it wasnt until the game at Arizona, the eighth game of 2019, where he began feeling close to 100 percent. Coincidentally, Jefferson started three of the final five games and had two 100-yard games, and nearly a third against Oregon.

Through two years at Oregon State, Jefferson has run for 2,065 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Jefferson says he isnt the best running back in college football, but I feel like I have the potential to be that No. 1 in the national, for sure. To get there, some of the improvements are obvious, such as video study and weight room developments.

Jefferson feels like hes fast and adding to his speed. His strength is the short burst, the side-to-side twitchy speed as Jefferson calls it. Running straight ahead, Jefferson says hes underrated, while admitting hes probably not as fast as OSU speedsters Jesiah Irish or Anthony Gould.

I can give them a run, though, Jefferson said.

Jefferson said he has not given any consideration to opting out of the upcoming season due to COVID-19 or the NFL Draft.

I want to play this season, Jefferson said.

Another decision on Jeffersons horizon is whether hell play, then take the route of Isaiah Hodgins and declare early for the 2021 draft. Playing a position that it is known for having a limited shelf life, a big junior year could make Jefferson attractive in pro football.

Jefferson said hes made no decision along those lines.

Im just taking it day by day for football and school and see what happens, Jefferson said.

Whatever happens, whenever it happens this season, Jefferson must do it without Artavis Pierce. Jefferson and Pierce became a formidable 1-2 backfield punch the past two years, but Pierce has graduated, now a practice squad member of the NFLs Chicago Bears.

This years Pierce for Jefferson is expected to be junior B.J. Baylor, who has shown promise the past two years. Jefferson said outside of a game where he gets hot, he prefers to share the load with another running back.

I would like to keep my reps between 20 and 25, because 12 games, or eight games, is a long season, Jefferson said. I gotta figure out how to keep my body healthy.

--Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel

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Oregon States Jermar Jefferson hopes a beefed-up diet leads to more time on the field, less on the sideline - OregonLive

Al Lesar, Shopper News Published 7:00 a.m. ET Sept. 9, 2020

Powell Nutrition offers shakes and teas for healthier lifestyle Knoxville News Sentinel

Had the coronavirus pandemic hit three years ago, Tonya Wilde probably would have been a mess.

Thats when Wilde was opening her two gyms Total Fitness Kickboxing in Powell and on Kingston Pike.

But, having run those two businesses since 2018, she understands that she can only do so much.

Thats why the delays in getting the doors open to Powell Nutrition (3533 W. Emory Road, in the strip mall near KARM) havent worn on her.

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The Powell community is excited for us to be open, said Wilde, who finally got things going in early August. The COVID situation held up our product. There really wasnt anything we were able to do about it, so we couldnt stress out.

Powell Nutrition will feature high-quality plant-based protein shakes, juices and teas serving as meal substitutes. Whether its gaining muscle, losing weight or maintaining a healthy lifestyle, Powell Nutrition has the product to help.

The most important part of the experience is for our staff to ask the right questions, Wilde said. When we know your objective, we can find the right product. Its all about building a relationship.

Wilde, who has an athletic background dating back to her high school days in Karns, has been a believer in protein supplements. Some current clients in her gyms have had weight-loss success.

Kenna Lyle of Knoxville gets started on a healthy concoction.(Photo: Submitted)

Add in more than 100 flavors from which to choose and the possibilities abound.

Ive always believed that you cant outwork a bad diet, Wilde said. Were going to be here to give everyone a healthier choice.

Wildes favorite is the cookies and cream shake. Then theres the Vanilla Elvis, the Dolly Parton, and a banana nut bread that smells just like the real thing.

Ive seen the change in attitude that comes with the changes with the body, Wilde said. Before I got involved with this, I did my own research. I tested the product and I love it.

No matter the nature of the business, whether its service-oriented like a gym or product-oriented like Powell Nutrition, the basic premise doesnt change.

Not only are the options at Powell Nutrition tasty, they're colorful.(Photo: Submitted)

It takes the same work ethic in both places, Wilde said. The goal is to make the customer happy. If someone walks in the door, somebody better say welcome.

With her staff of at least five employees, Wilde spent July in the training mode. They visited Bearden Nutrition, a sister store, and learned how that established business functions.

I learned how important the flow is, said Wilde. The whole flow of the process has to be comfortable for the customer to feel good about the experience. When you can get everything set up the right way, and have your staff in the right places, the whole flow will work.

Wilde has leaned on a mentor, Lori Case, who is from out of the area but has experience in making a place like Powell Nutrition work smoothly.

Shea Coker serves a customer at Powell Nutrition. "The most important part of the experience is for our staff to ask the right questions, Tonya Wilde said. When we know your objective, we can find the right product. Its all about building a relationship.(Photo: Ruth White/Shopper News)

Lori stressed that I need to be patient, especially during COVID, Wilde said. Everything will happen, its just a matter of making it fall into place.

Powell Nutrition is open 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

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Looking to get healthy? Powell Nutrition has shakes, juices and teas for better lifestyle - Knoxville News Sentinel

Weight loss diet just got exciting with this incredible low-calorie celery soup recipe 

New Delhi: A good soup sure does possess the ability to cheer you up. Soupsare delicious and can be highly beneficial if consumed in moderation. They can help you lose weight, preventcold and flu, and boost the immune system. But, you must note that its excessive consumptioncan raise unhealthy levels of sodium in the body. Nonetheless, several vegetable soups that have a balanced amount of all the nutrients are healthy andeasy to digest. Furthermore, they have the ability to keep you hydrated and are easy to digest. It is one of the foods that is highly recommended if working on a weight loss diet. Add celery soup to your weight loss diet and enjoy the benefits of this food by trying this recipe.

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Weight loss diet just got exciting with this incredible low-calorie celery soup recipe - Times Now

In a season when we would usually be out cheering on our local sports teams, we are spending more time at home and repeating a new mantra: Wash your hands, practice social distancing, wear a mask.

But what if you could play offense instead of defense to fend off colds and viruses? What if adjusting your daily habits could build your immunity to help your body fend off illness, not only this year but every year?

Thats not only possible, says Katie Moksnes Bowman, its something she encourages her patients to do every day.

Stress is the number one way we increase inflammation in the body, says Moksnes Bowman, a licensed acupuncturist and Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) for Northwestern Health Sciences University. She says inflammation can affect digestion, sleep patterns, pain, and your bodys immunity.

The key to improving your immunity is to reduce inflammation in your body.

The amount of stress that has been created from the pandemic is causing issues for people physically and emotionally, she says. In Chinese medicine, your digestion matters, sleep matters, your immune system matters.

When I am in practice with a patient, we talk about sleep, bowels, diet and movement at every single treatment. I really want to work with them where theyre at.

She sees patients ranging from professional athletes to seniors with mobility issues and everyone in between, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment.

In Chinese medicine, we really view the body as a whole, she says. For example, if a patient has shoulder pain, Moksnes Bowman proceeds knowing the shoulder does not work independently from the rest of the body.

"The amount of stress that has been created from the pandemic is causing issues for people physically and emotionally. In Chinese medicine, your digestion matters, sleep matters, your immune system matters." Kate Moksnes Bowman, Northwestern Health Sciences University

If you are not digesting your foods properly, if youre not getting a good nights sleep, she says, I can do a ton of work on your shoulder, but its not going to repair well.

To help patients improve their health and build their immunity, she suggests small changes in diet and exercise, such as drinking enough water, reducing caffeine and sugar consumption, adding anti-inflammatory foods to their diet, and getting more movement every day.

I am not going to overhaul your whole diet, she says. If you do not want to stop eating pizza, I cannot make you stop eating pizza. But she might suggest that you try goat cheese on your pizza or sample a cauliflower crust.

I see myself as a reminder person, she says. I have patients come in and I say, How did your diet go this week? Did you eat something green? That means a plant, you know, not a green Jolly Rancher.

That question always gets a laugh, but the point is that little changes can make a difference in reducing inflammation and improving immunity.

When we are talking about diet and exercise, both of those things reduce inflammation and so does sleeping. Sleeping is a time to repair your body, Moksnes Bowman says. Asked what tops her list as the most important step, she says: Its not a hierarchy for me. Its more of a circle than a list, because all of those things are going to influence the next thing.

Small adjustments in diet and exercise are something patients do on their own between clinic visits, where Moksnes Bowman and other practitioners offer a range of therapies, from acupuncture and massage to cupping, Gua Sha, herbal medicine and even recipes to help improve your immunity.

If you have a lot of stress and are getting the common cold five times a winter, I would suggest you consider herbal medicine, she says. She advises against buying supplements in the grocery aisle. Seek a health professional who is specialized before taking Vitamin D, C or Elderberry syrup. They are all really good things, but theyre not always the right thing for everybody. Its always important to make sure you are taking the right amount.

Creating good sleep habits and a good sleeping environment are important, too. If you are on your phone or watching TV at night, the blue light from the device stimulates a part of the brain that doesn't allow you to fall asleep as well, she says.

Improved diet and exercise, combined with acupuncture or other types of Chinese medicine, can reduce inflammation over time by increasing blood flow and releasing endorphins, which Moksnes Bowman describes as that calm, happy hormone. That is our own bodys way of reducing pain in the body.

And that calm, happy hormone can lead to a good nights sleep, as described in a text from one of Moksnes Bowmans patients, who said: I cant believe how much my sleep improved by getting acupuncture.

The results arent anecdotal, she says. Sleep-tracking devices demonstrate that acupuncture can improve sleep; they record how well and deeply you are sleeping and if you are waking frequently during the night.

And while youre getting those extra ZZZs, your body is resting and fortifying its immunity.

One of the side effects of social distancing and working from home has been an increase in loneliness. Moksnes Bowman says that after a brief shutdown of the NWHSU Bloomington Clinic several months ago, she noticed two things when the clinic reopened: Patients who had missed appointments were in pain, and they were lonely.

People wanted to talk for so long, she says. I made my treatments a bit longer so patients could just talk, because people were feeling lonely.

She and other practitioners frequently refer patients to therapists, Tai Chi or Pilates instructors or others when they see an opportunity to help the patient move, relax or sort things out. Taking a deep breath and getting some release is also good for building a sense of well-being.

Think of amping up your immune system as the ultimate DIY project. Add some green to your diet, make sure you drink enough water, cut out some caffeine and get enough sleep for starters, and then add some acupuncture or massage. Together those steps can help fortify your immunity.

And keep in mind that this year, none of that replaces the need to frequently wash your hands, socially distance wherever possible and wear a mask when its not.

___________________________________________________________________________

Located in Bloomington,Northwestern Health Sciences Universityis a pioneer in integrative natural health care education, offering degree programs in chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, medical assisting, medical laboratory programs, post-bac/pre-health, radiation therapy, and B.S. completion. At press time, itsBloomington clinicis open to the public and services include chiropractic care, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, naturopathic medicine, Bloomington Clinic offers integrative, natural care for the entire family in one location.

Each monththe Bloomington Clinic providers host a Provider Talks webinar that discusses topics from foot health to the ABZzzzs of Sleep to Promoting Health through the Seasons. Learn more about the webinar serieshere.

Telemedicine is a convenient way to care for yourself during these unprecedented times. Appointment times vary depending on the service. Providers are part ofNorthwestern Health Sciences University, a non-profit industry leader in integrative and natural healthcare education that provides access to the latest evidence and state-of-the-art technology so you get the natural solutions you truly need.

See more content fromNorthwestern Health Sciences University.

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Immune-Boosting Strategies to Stay Ahead of the Cold - Mpls.St.Paul Magazine

ADELAIDE, Australia For most meat eaters, theres nothing better than a perfectly cooked steak. Unfortunately, a new report says grilling red meat is also cooking up trouble for your heart. A University of South Australia study finds certain cooking methods produce a compound that may increase the risks for heart disease, stroke, and diabetic complications.

When red meat is seared at high temperatures, such as grilling, roasting or frying, it creates compounds called advanced glycation end products or AGEs which when consumed, can accumulate in your body and interfere with normal cell functions, researcher Dr. Permal Deo says in a university release.

Researchers reveal red and processed meats which undergo high-heat caramelization see a significant rise in AGEs. Eating these meats can increase a persons daily AGE intake by 25 percent. The study warns this increase can contribute to vascular and myocardial stiffening, inflammation and oxidative stress all signs of degenerative disease.

Researchers look at the impact of two distinct diets, one full of red meat and one high in whole grains, dairy, nuts, and white meat. The diet with white meat also avoids grilling foods, choosing to steam, boil, stew, and poach the proteins instead.

The study finds participants eating a diet with red meat and processed grains have much higher AGE levels in their blood. Although researchers are still working to figure out how exactly AGEs affect your health, they add red meat plays a major role in putting AGEs in your system.

The message is pretty clear: if we want to reduce heart disease risk, we need to cut back on how much red meat we eat or be more considered about how we cook it, co-researcher Peter Clifton adds. If you want to reduce your risk of excess AGEs, then slow cooked meals could be a better option for long-term health.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. According to the CDC, heart disease accounts for one out of every four deaths in the United States each year.

The study appears in the journal Nutrients.

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Grilling and roasting red meat cooks up higher risk of heart disease - Study Finds

Jennifer Aniston is one of the most beloved and highest paid actresses in Hollywood. However, early on in her career she faced challenges that seem shocking considering how successful she eventually became.

Aniston began working in Hollywood in the early 90s, starring in the 1993 movie Leprechaun and appearing in off-Broadway plays and several television shows. But her life changed forever when the actor scored the role of a lifetime playing Rachel Green on the NBC comedy, Friends.

Getting the part wasnt as easy as it looked. Anistons agent even advised her to lose a significant amount of weight to increase her chances of getting work.

In the beginning of her career, Aniston wasnt getting the roles she craved. She wanted to become an actor just like her mother and father, John Aniston and Nancy Dow. But getting cast in quality productions was trickier than she anticipated.

Saul Austerlitz recalled in the book Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show that Defined a Television Era that Anistons agent gave her some blunt advice about what she could do to get better parts, Cinema Blend reported.

He said, She had to lose thirty pounds if she wanted to stay in Hollywood. Los Angeles was a tough place to be an actress it was a tough place to be a woman and Jennifer Anistons agent was reluctantly leveling with her.

RELATED: Jennifer Aniston Made This 1 Change in Her Diet That Really Made a Difference

The agent allegedly told Aniston that she wasnt overweight, but rather that actors had to lose weight because the camera made everyone look heavier.

Aniston was hardly fat everyone could see she was beautiful but as the show she would one day become indelibly associated with later made a point of noting, the camera added ten pounds, Austerlitz continued.

The Friends alum addressed the conversation during a 1996 interview with Rolling Stone. My agent gave it to me straight, she said. Nicest thing he ever did. The disgusting thing of Hollywood I wasnt getting lots of jobs cause I was too heavy.

Shortly after giving up mayonnaise on white bread and dropping 30 pounds, Aniston got the role of Rachel Green. It was never explicitly stated that she got the role because of weight loss. But thats clearly what she and her agent both think.

These days, Aniston takes pride in consuming a healthful diet and refusing to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. She practices yoga plus incorporates cardio, never pushing herself too hard but still sticking with a schedule.

For meals, Aniston is a fan of intermittent fasting and green juice for breakfast. Her advice for maintaining a healthy diet are simple and timeless. I dont let eating habits get out of control where I need a reset button, Aniston told Yahoo. Its pretty clear: Eat as much organic fruits and veggies as you can, keep sugar [intake] low, drink tons and tons of water, and get good sleep.

The Morning Show star also takes time to meditate and focuses on maintaining both her mental and physical health. Plus, ignoring anyone who tries to say she must reach a certain weight to score a role.

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Marion Nestle has been thinking about the intersection between food, science, public health and politics for the last 20 years. In that time, she's produced some of the country's most authoritative books on how food ends up on the grocery shelf and the table.

Her new book, "Let's Ask Marion," boils some of the most profound food issues, such as whether food can be addictive, how to prevent food waste and whether to eat fake meat, into a simple question-and-answer format that can fit into a coat pocket.

In her book, the New York University professor says food is political and says the coronavirus pandemic proves to be a prime example.

Through President Trump invoking the Defense Production Act, meat-packing plant employees were forced to work even though they were getting sick with the coronavirus at high rates. For example, plants owned by JBS, the worlds biggest meatpacker, became epicenters of COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S. and Brazil.

Suddenly, meat-packing workers became essential. But they also often arent paid well and arent offered sick leave or health care benefits, Nestle says.

The average wage of people in meatpacking plants is under $30,000 a year and they are working under really dangerous, crowded conditions. No wonder they get sick, she says. Nearly 60,000 meatpacking and farm workers have gotten sick so far that's a lot.

With millions out of work, food pantries across the country have struggled to keep up with the demand. And the pandemic is thought to have begun in Wuhan, China, in a wet market, where live animals are slaughtered and sold for food.

The most important issues in the world all connect to food in one way or another, she says. And I think the coronavirus pandemic is a perfect example of that.

On what makes a healthy diet

I think it's so simple that Michael Pollan can say it in seven words: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Really, that's all there is to it. And then these days, the concept of ultra-processed is a relatively new concept, and it means foods that are industrially produced with ingredients that you can't pronounce and that you don't have in your home kitchen. They have a lot of additives. It's a polite word for junk foods. If you avoid those, you will probably be eating fewer calories and eating much more healthfully.

On food and inequity

One of the absolute ironies of the food system is that over the last 30 years, the price of fruits and vegetables has increased much, much more than the price of sodas or fast food or junk foods in general. Well, that gets us right into the whole question of food policy and politics again. There are reasons why vegetables are more expensive. And when people say they can't afford them, I have a lot of sympathy for that. I think we need a food policy that makes healthy food affordable and available and accessible to everybody.

On how to make healthy food less expensive through policy

First of all, you decide that you want an agricultural system that's going to promote health and, I hope, sustainability. And you develop a whole series of policies in order to make it easy for farmers to grow vegetables. You subsidize land for them so that they can actually grow these things. You take the subsidies away from corn and soybeans and you put it into foods that are going to make people healthier.

My favorite example of the way government policies don't work has to do with marketing to children, which is something that particularly bothers me. Food companies spend billions of dollars marketing to children and every penny of that is deductible as a business expense. That's one of the first things I'd change.

On eating fake meat

I have a really complicated position about it because I don't know yet what the answers are to my questions about health and sustainability. I think everybody would be better off eating less meat because of the connection between high meat diets and various kinds of diseases and also the effects of meat production on the environment because that's the biggest food source of greenhouse gases.

But fake meats, which are ultra-processed foods, they have multiple ingredients that you can't find in home kitchens and it's not clear yet what their effect is on the environment or on health. They're trying to make their product appear to be neat and they do a pretty good job of that. I've eaten those products and they look like meat, they taste like meat. One big review just came out and it kind of says more research is needed. I'm always for more research.

On her stance on supplements

More than half of Americans take supplements of one kind or another, despite the fact that there's almost no evidence that they make healthy people healthier. They're probably not harmful. And if they're just expensive placebos and people feel better. These days, I'm for anything that makes people feel better.

On food waste and how agriculture contributes to global warming

The agricultural contribution worldwide to global warming is probably about a quarter of greenhouse gases. Climate change is making it really hard to grow crops the way we're used to. They're moving north. But the main harm from food in the United States is people eating too much of it. The too much is built into the system: We have about 4,000 calories available in the American food supply. That's less exports plus imports. We only need about half of that. And so waste is built into the system. And the estimate that I've seen is that about 70% of food waste comes at the production level, 10% comes at the retail level much less than I would have expected and then 20% what we do in our homes.

But the real problem is at the production level and it's really hard to deal with. The example that I like to give is I visited a farm in upstate New York and was told by the farmer, 'just go take anything you want out of the fields because we can't use it. It was the wrong size. We tried every food bank in upstate New York and nobody could come here. They don't have the trucks. They don't have the people to come and pick it up.' I mean, that's the kind of thing that breaks your heart. But it's very, very difficult to deal with.

On our changing relationship to food because of the pandemic

It's done just absolutely shocking things, and the most shocking was the discovery that there are two completely different food supply chains in the United States one for restaurants and other institutions like schools and one for retail. They don't interact at all. When restaurants and schools closed, all this food piled up and was being destroyed at the same time that people who were out of work were lining up at food banks to get handouts of food. We haven't seen anything like this since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

But what's happening on an individual basis is also quite mixed. Sales of processed foods are going up because they have a long shelf life and they're cheap. But at the same time, people bought more seeds. They were growing more of their own foods. You cannot buy a canning jar in upstate New York because everybody's dealing with the produce from all those seeds they planted. So that's a good sign. People are cooking more. That, it seems to me, is a real step forward and something that I hope will last beyond this.

Karyn Miller-Medzonproduced and edited this interview for broadcast withPeter O'Dowd.Serena McMahonadapted it for the web.

Introduction

When my book Food Politics first appeared in 2002, the immediate reaction to its title was What does politics have to do with food? Years later, I am still asked that question. This book aims to answer it. To begin with, the food we consume and enjoy every day is influenced, if not determined, by the power of food companies to sell products, no matter how those products might affect our health or that of our planet. We are obliged to eat in order to obtain the nutrients and energy we need to grow, reproduce, and survive. Here, I describe why and how a substance essential for our very existence has become a touchstone for political disputes about culture, identity, social class, inequity, and power, as well as arguments about what roles are appropriate for government, private enterprise, and civil society in twenty-first-century democratic societies.

Although trained in basic science (my Berkeley doctorate was in molecular biology), I have spent most of my professional career as a public health nutritionist and food studies academic. From this perspective, todays greatest public health nutrition problemsthe Big Threeare hunger (affecting roughly a billion people globally), obesity (two billion and rising), and climate change (everybody). These share at least one cause in common: all are due in part to dysfunctional food systems, a term that encompasses everything that happens to a food from production to consumption. Food systems, in turn, depend on political and economic systems. If we want to eliminate hunger, prevent the health consequences of excessive weight gain, and protect the environment, we must understand, confront, and counter the political forces that created these problems and allow them to continue.

For decades, I have been thinking, writing, publishing, and teaching about how politics affects and distorts food systems. If anything has changed over these years, it is the explosion of public interest in the politics of food, and in advocating for food systems that better support health and the environment. The goal of much of my recent work has been to inspire not only voting with forks for healthier and more environmentally sustainable personal diets, but also voting with votes. By this I mean engaging in politics to advocate for food systems that make better food available and affordable to everyone, that adequately compensate everyone who works to produce, prepare, or serve food, and that deal with food in ways that conserve and sustain the environment.

Since 2002, I have written, edited, co-authored, or co-edited the books about the politics of food listed at the front of this book. These include hundreds of pages of detailed discussion, exhaustively referenced. Despite my best efforts to make my writing clear and accessible, my books must seem daunting, because I am often asked for a shorter summary of their principal points. I have resisted, not only because I want people to read my books, but also because I do not find short essays easy to write. From 2008 to 2013, I wrote a monthly column for the food section of the San Francisco Chronicle. These columns were supposed to respond to readers questions, but few readers asked any, which made writing them hard work.

In contrast, I very much enjoyed responding to questions from my friend Kerry Trueman, a dedicated environmental advocate who frequently blogged about food issues and occasionally asked my opinion about whatever she was writing about. At some point, she began asking more formal questions and posting our exchanges under the heading Lets Ask Marion. I co-posted these exchanges on the blog I have written since 2007 at http://www.foodpolitics.com.

Kerrys questions were sometimes about specific events in the news, sometimes about more general topics. What she asked reflected her highly informed concerns about the intersection of dietary choices and agricultural practices, and I appreciated her intuitive food-systems thinking. Her questions ranged from the personal to the political, from food production to consumption, and from the domestic to the international. They often challenged me to think about issues I might not otherwise have considered and were so much fun to deal with that I could quickly respond. In searching for a relatively uncomplicated way to write short accounts of my current thinking about food-system issues, I wondered whether Kerry would consider working with me to produce a book in a question-and-answer format. Happily, she agreed. This book is the result of our joint efforts and would not have been possible without her collaboration.

My overarching purpose in writing these short essays is to encourage advocacy for food systems that are healthier for people and the planet. Successful advocacy means engaging in politics to counter the actions of a food industry narrowly focused on profit, all too often at the expense of public health. In this book, I use food industry to refer to the companies that produce, prepare, serve, and sell food, beverages, and food products. Although this industry includes agricultural producers and restaurant companies, most of my discussion is about the companies that raise or make the foods and food products that we typically buy in supermarkets.

In the current political era, the methods used by the food industry to sell products, regardless of health consequences, are largely unchecked by government regulation. This is because the governments of many countries, including our own, have been strongly influencedcapturedby industry. Also, in many countries, civil society is too weak to effectively demand curbs on industry marketing practices. Advocacy means organizing civil society and pressing government to create healthier and more sustainable food systems. This means politics.

In trying to decide what this book should cover, Kerry and I thought the questions should address how politics affects personal dietary choices, the food environment in communities (in the United States and elsewhere), and the truly global nature of current food systems, and we organized the questions under those three categories. Within each category, we wanted to include the questions we hear most frequently, along with those that illustrate why and how food is political and what needs to be done to make foods systems better for everyone, poor as well as rich. Across the categories and questions, several themes come up repeatedly. Watch for these themes in particular.

Food is one of lifes greatest pleasures. I list this first because it underlies all of my thinking about food and food issues. Food is delicious as well as nourishing and is one of the supreme joys of human culture.

Food is political. Because everyone eats, everyone has a stake in the food system, but the principal stakeholdersfood producers, manufacturers, sellers, farm and restaurant workers, eatersdo not have the same agenda or power. We eaters want food to be available, affordable, culturally appropriate, healthy, and delicious; workers want to make a decent living; producers and other industry stakeholders want to make a profit. Such interests can and do conflict, especially when profits take precedence over social values of health, equity, and environmental protection.

Food system helps explain food issues. As noted earlier, this term refers to the totality of how a food is grown or raised, stored, transported, processed, prepared, sold, and consumed or wasted. Knowing how foods are produced explains much about their availability, cost, and health and environmental consequences. Food systems operate in the context of broader social, cultural, and economic systems; these too have political dimensions.

Ultraprocessed is a more precise term for junk foods. It refers specifically to products that are industrially produced, bear no resemblance to the foods from which they were extracted, and contain additives never found in home kitchens. Research increasingly links consumption of ultraprocessed foods to poor health.

The principles of healthful diets are well established. We can argue about the details, but diets that promote human health are largely (but not necessarily exclusively) plant-based, provide adequate but not excessive calories, and minimize or avoid ultraprocessed foods. Such diets are also better for the environment.

The food industry influences food choices. Cultural, social, and economic factors influence food choices, but so do food industry marketing and lobbying actions. The food industrys primary job is to sell products and return profits to stockholders; health and environmental considerations are decidedly secondary, if not irrelevant.

Food systems affect the environment. A sustainable (or, in current terms, agroecological or regenerative) food system replaces the nutrients extracted from soil by food plants, and minimizes the damaging effects of animal and plant production on soil, water, and greenhouse gases.

Food systems generate and perpetuate inequities. An ideal food system makes healthy, sustainable, affordable, and culturally appropriate food available and affordable to everyone and enables everyone to have the power to choose such foods, regardless of income, class, race, gender, or age. It adequately compensates workers employed on farms and in meat-packing plants, food production facilities, and restaurants. The goals of food system advocacy are to achieve these ideals.

Kerry and I finished writing this book before the coronavirus-induced respiratory disease, Covid-19, devastated lives, livelihoods, and economies. In exposing the contradictions and inequities of profit-driven economic, health care, and food systems, this global pandemic illustrated our books themes. In the United States, Covid-19 proved most lethal to the poor, racial minorities, the elderly, and those with obesity-associated chronic diseases. Suddenly, low-wage slaughterhouse and grocery store workersoften migrants or immigrants, and many without sick leave or health care benefitswere deemed essential. Slaughterhouses, now viral epicenters, were forced to remain open. Farmers destroyed unsold animals and produce while the newly unemployed lined up at food banks. Corporations laid off workers but took millions in government bailouts and paid salaries and bonuses to executives. These events call for advocacy for strong democratic government and institutions, among them food systems that benefit all members of society, regardless of income, class, citizenship, race, ethnicity, gender, or age.

A Word about the Sources and Further Reading

Because my writings deal with controversial topics alas, not everyone agrees with my viewsI usually make sure to back up nearly every statement with extensive references. But for this book, which draws on so much of my own work, I instead include chapter-by-chapter lists of relevant books, reports, and articles, followed by a list of additional books and reports that have informed my work, some historical, some current. All of these references are meant as starting points for deeper investigation of the issues discussed here.

My hope is that this book succeeds in providing a brief overview of my thinking about food system issues, from the personal to the global. Even more, I hope that it inspires readers to take food politics seriously and to engage in advocacy for healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable food systems for current and future generations.

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Food 'Connects To Absolutely Everything': New Marion Nestle Book Dives Into Food Waste, Politics - Here And Now

If your life these days is anything like mine, a pre-pandemic routine that included regular exercise and disciplined eating has probably given way to sedentary evenings on a big chair, binge-watching reruns of your favorite TV series while guzzling chocolate ice cream or mac n cheese.

But lets not beat ourselves up about it. Several doctors I spoke with recently said most of their patients and many of their colleagues are struggling to maintain healthy habits amid the anxiety of the pandemic. The Quarantine 15 (pounds, that is) is a real phenomenon.

The double challenge of protecting our health, including our immune systems, while battling unhealthy temptations is a struggle everyone is dealing with, says Dr. David Kilgore, director of the integrative medicine program at the University of California-Irvine.

Well before COVID-19, more than 40% of U.S. adults were obese, which puts them at risk for COVID-19s worst outcomes. But even people accustomed to physical fitness and good nutrition are having trouble breaking the bad habits theyve developed over the past five months.

Karen Clark, a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, discovered competitive rowing later in life, and her multiple weekly workouts burned off any excess calories she consumed. But the pandemic changed everything: She could no longer meet up with her teammates to row and stopped working out at the YMCA.

Suddenly, she was cooped up at home. And, as for many people, that led to a more sedentary lifestyle, chained to the desk, with no meetings outside the house or walks to lunch with colleagues.

I reverted to comfort food and comfortable routines and watching an awful lot of Netflix and Amazon Prime, just like everybody else, Clark says. When I gained 10 pounds and I was 25, I just cut out the beer and ice cream for a week. When you gain 12 pounds at 62, its a long road back.

She started along that road in July, when she stopped buying chips, ice cream and other treats. And in August, she rediscovered the rowing machine in her basement.

But dont worry if you lack Clarks discipline, or a rowing machine. You can still regain some control over your life.

A good way to start is to establish some basic daily routines, since in many cases thats exactly what the pandemic has taken away, says Dr. W. Scott Butsch, director of obesity medicine at the Cleveland Clinics Bariatric and Metabolic Institute. He recommends you bookend your day with physical activity, which can be as simple as a short walk in the morning and a longer one after work.

And, especially if you have kids at home who will be studying remotely this fall, prepare your meals at the beginning of the day, or even the beginning of the week, he says.

If you havent exercised in a while, start slow and gradually get yourself up to where you can tolerate an elevated heart rate, says Dr. Leticia Polanco, a family medicine doctor with the South Bay Primary Medical Group, just south of San Diego. If your gym is closed or you cant get together with your regular exercise buddies, there are plenty of ways to get your body moving at home and in your neighborhood, she says.

Go for a walk, a run or a bike ride, if one of those activities appeals to you. Though many jurisdictions across the United States require residents to wear masks when out in public, it may not be necessary and may even be harmful to some people with respiratory conditions while doing strenuous exercise.

Its clearly hard to exercise with a mask on, says Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases at Stanford Universitys School of Medicine. We go hiking up in the foothills and we take our masks with us and we dont wear them unless somebody starts coming the other way. Then we will put the mask on, and then we take it off and we keep going.

If you prefer to avoid the mask question altogether, think of your house as a cleverly disguised gym. Put on music and dance, or hula-hoop, Polanco suggests. You can also pump iron if you have dumbbells, or find a cable TV station with yoga or other workout programs.

If you search on the internet for exercise videos, you will find countless workouts for beginners and experienced fitness buffs alike. Try one of the seven-minute workout apps so popular these days. You can download them from Google Play or the Apple Store.

If you miss the camaraderie of exercising with others, virtual fitness groups might seem like a pale substitute, but they can provide motivation and accountability, as well as livestreamed video workouts with like-minded exercisers. One way to find such groups is to search for virtual fitness community.

Many gyms are also offering live digital fitness classes and physical training sessions, often advertised on their websites.

If group sports is your thing, you may or may not have options, depending on where you live.

In Los Angeles, indoor and outdoor group sports in municipal parks are shut down until further notice. The only sports allowed are tennis and golf.

In Montgomery County, Maryland, the Ron Schell Draft League, a softball league for men 50 and older, will resume play early this month after sitting out the spring season due to COVID-19, says Dave Hyder, the leagues commissioner.

But he says it has been difficult to get enough players because of worries about COVID.

In the senior group, you have quite a lot of people who are in a high-risk category or may have a spouse in a high-risk category, and they dont want to chance playing, says Hyder, 67, who does plan to play.

Players will have to stay at least 6 feet apart and wear masks while off the field. On the field, the catcher is the only player required to wear a mask. Thats because masks can steam up glasses or slip, causing impaired vision that could be dangerous to base runners or fielders, Hyder explains.

Whatever form of exercise you choose, remember it wont keep you healthy unless you also reduce consumption of fatty and sugary foods that can raise your risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension all COVID-19 risk factors.

Kim Guess, a dietitian at UC-Berkeley, recommends that people lay in a healthy supply of beans and lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds, as well as frozen vegetables, tofu, tempeh and canned fish, such as tuna and salmon.

Start with something really simple, she said. It could even be a vegetable side dish to go with what theyre used to preparing.

Whatever first steps you decide to take, now is a good time to start eating better and moving your body more.

Staying healthy is so important these days, more than at any other time, because we are fighting this virus which doesnt have a treatment, says the Cleveland Clinics Butsch. The treatment is our immune system.

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Exercise and Diet Are More Important Than Ever With Virus at Large - California Healthline

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Nutrisystem, a Tivity Healthbrand, announced today the launch of its new Nutrisystem Partner Plan, a program designed to enable two people living in the same home to experience the benefits of losing weight together. Studies continue to show that dieting with a partner leads to greater success and helps people maintain their weight loss.

According to a recent JAMA study, individuals are more likely to lose five percent or more weight if their partner joins them. A five percent weight loss is considered clinically significant to reaping health benefits like reduced risks of developing diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Evidence suggests that people tend to exhibit the health behaviors of those around them and that partners greatly influence that behavior, especially in relation to diet and exercise. For Nutrisystem customers, social support and accountability are two factors proven to facilitate weight loss. Now, the Partner Plan offers Nutrisystem customers a shared experience to leverage those factors.

"Eating is a social event and with the new Nutrisystem Partner Plan, friends and loved ones can enjoy meals together," said Tommy Lewis, President, Nutrisystem. "We are less likely to stay on a weight loss program when we feel like we're all alone. Having a built-in support system at home means you'll be able to motivate and celebrate each other as you hit goals. In today's climate, it is more important than ever for our health to connect with and lean on the strength of loved ones."

On the Nutrisystem Partner Plan, customers will receive one shipment every two weeks that includes meals and snacks for two people at one great price. The program also provides free access to the NuMiapp, unlimited support with Nutrisystem weight loss counselors and dietitians by phone or online any day of the week, and free shipping.

Customers can lose weight while eating the foods they love, made healthier. The program meets, or in most cases exceeds, recommendations set forth in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The plans include the right mix of nutrients to fuel your body - plenty of healthy, lean protein; high fiber to help keep you feeling fuller, longer; low-glycemic carbohydrates to stabilize blood sugar; and never contain artificial sweeteners or flavors.

Those with specific dietary needs can customize their program to include diabetes-friendly foods, vegetarian foods, or to exclude foods that contain milk, wheat, nuts, and more. Customers can tap into the knowledgeable team of Nutrisystem weight loss counselors to help them select foods that work for both partners' needs.

For more information about the new Nutrisystem Partner Plan, please visitwww.nutrisystem.com.

About NutrisystemNutrisystem, a product of Tivity Health, is a leading provider of health and wellness and weight management products and services and has helped millions of people lose weight for nearly 50 years. Nutrisystem's new personal approach to weight loss includes plans for every body type in 2020. The company's Food and Nutrition Mission, which bans artificial flavors and sweeteners, artificial coloring, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial trans fats, reflects its commitment to fresher foods, cleaner labels, and increased transparency in its approach to ingredients. For more information, go tonewsroom.nutrisystem.com.

About Tivity HealthTivity Health(Nasdaq:TVTY) is a leading provider of healthy life-changing solutions, including SilverSneakers, Nutrisystem, PrimeFitness, Wisely Well, South Beach Dietand WholeHealth Living. We are actively addressing the social determinants of health, defined as the conditions in which we work, live and play. From improving health outcomes to reversing the narrative on inactivity, food insecurity, social isolation and loneliness, we are making a difference and are transforming the way we do health. Learn more at TivityHealth.com.

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Nutrisystem Launches Innovative Partner Plan to Encourage and Help Maintain Weight Loss - Daily American Online

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