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Pantone is predicting classic blue as the 2020 color of the year. A "universal favorite" the color ... [+] is soothing and offers "stability and connection" according to Pantone Vice President Laurie Pressman. Expect to see convey a "feeling of great space" and its influence in the worlds of fashion, beauty and wellness.

We are two days away from the next decade and the beauty and wellness industries seem to be better positioned for 2020 and beyond than many other business segments. According to a new report from retail analytics firm Edited, the beauty industry is valued at $532 billion and is on a rapid upward trajectory.

Research from the Global Wellness Research Institute backs this up citing the global health and wellness industry is growing at an historic rate nearly twice as fast as the global economy. Now worth $4.2 trillion with 12.8% growth between 2015 and 2017 representing 5.3% of total global economic output. Top growth segments include personal care, beauty and anti-aging products (as younger consumers establish better regimens at earlier ages and boomers are embracing longer life spans) to all areas of healthy eating, nutrition, and weight loss to embracing the zen of fitness and mind-body. No wonder Oprah Winfrey has extended her partnership deal with Weight Watchers (WW) and startups like Noom, an app-based wellness company that raised $58 million in funding earlier this year, are taking off.

The Global Wellness Institute is Predicting Strong Growth in The Beauty and Wellness Sectors For The ... [+] Next Decade

Beauty trend predictions that may fuel sales for 2020 and beyond include everything from Pantone announcing classic blue will be the Color of the Year to the return of the hair flip (and I admit I plan to try it possibly as soon as New Years Eve), statement braids, high eyeliner looks in a plethora of colors (another trend that I plan to embrace), euphoric makeup and gender fluid products. However, for the decade ahead, three industry leading beauty and wellness Founders and CEOs shared their very diverse insights into key long term trends that represent growth opportunities worth pursuing. See if you agree.

Priscilla Tsia, Founder and CEO of cocokind, a clean, conscious, sustainable and accessible skincare ... [+] brand, dedicated to providing high-quality, natural products.

Priscilla Tsia, Founder and CEO of cocokind, a clean, conscious, sustainable and accessible skincare brand, dedicated to providing high-quality, natural products predicts:

Allison Evans, Co-Founder of Branch Basics, a wellness brand on a mission to help people create ... [+] healthy homes by removing harmful chemicals from their daily lives.

As we all become much more aware of how the products and items in our homes effect our well being, Allison Evans, Co-Founder of Branch Basics, is on mission to help people create healthy homes by removing harmful chemicals from everyones daily lives. This includes everything from basic human-safe and mineral based products to biodegradable and non-GMO products. With many consumers desperately seeking relief from sudden unexplained chronic pain and loss of motor skills from chemical exposure, which was actually the impetus for Evans and her partner Marilee Nelson to start Branch Basics, Evans predictions and solutions are centered on environmental issues that impact us all.

Sara Panton Co-Founder of Vitruvi, a premium essential oils company.

Sara Panton, Co-Founder of Vitruvi,a premium essential oils company that creates products that help elevate the simple moments of your day, also envisions a continued focus on wellness as relates both to the environment and individual well being.

With wellness being more than a buzzword both on the corporate and home front, each of these predictions represent different aspects of how individuals are more focused than ever on their physical and mental health while managing stress. It will be interesting to see how each of these predictions nets out a year and a decade from now.

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9 Beauty And Wellness Trend Predictions For 2020 And Beyond - Forbes

Compared to the low-fat craze in the '90s, the keto diet seems to go against all diet logic. Because instead of cutting out fat, you eat large amounts of it for every meal.

And research shows that this diet can be effective and help fight diseases related to obesity. That said, the keto diet is not for everyone. Here's what you need to know.

The ketogenic diet was first introduced in the 1920s as a way to treat epilepsy, a seizure disorder. Medical professionals used the diet for two decades until modern epilepsy drugs were developed and it fell out of favor by the 1950s.

That was it for the keto diet for over half a century. Then, about 15 years ago, the diet reemerged. This time as a treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

But even people who are not obese or have type 2 diabetes have adopted the keto diet at some point, including celebrities like Halle Berry, Vaness Hudgens, and LeBron James.

The way it works is that you eat mostly fat and very few carbohydrates. A typical keto diet consists of 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbs. Compared to the average American diet which is 33% fat, 16% protein, and 51% carbs. On keto, common foods include:

When you follow the keto diet, your body stops relying on carbs as the main source of energy, which sends your body into ketosis. Ketosis is when your metabolism changes to burn fat for energy instead. This can lead to a loss of body fat, which can help prevent or improve medical conditions related to obesity like type 2 diabetes.

That's because, on keto, your body may also become more sensitive to insulin, a hormone that helps balance your blood sugar. A 2017 review of nine studies found that people with type 2 diabetes on a low-carb diet generally could control their blood glucose levels better than diabetes patients on either a normal or high-carb diet.

When following the keto diet, weight loss can vary from person to person, says Jeff Volek, a registered dietitian and professor at Ohio State University. "When people with excess weight start a ketogenic diet, they typically lose about 6 to 8 pounds the first week, then about 1 to 2 pounds per week thereafter," Volek says.

However, some people who go on keto reportedly suffer from some initial side effects including:

The initial weight loss is partly due to losing water weight because you tend to retain less water on a low-carb diet. And some studies suggest that you may not continue to lose weight on keto long-term. Some call this the "keto plateau" which is when you stop losing weight altogether.

Volek says that the keto diet is safe for many people to try and that it may mimic the way early humans ate. However, Volek says that in some cases, you should proceed with caution. "If you have diabetes and are using diabetes medications to control blood sugar, you should work closely with your physician in order to adjust medications appropriately."

The keto diet can be very restrictive and may be difficult for people to stick to, says Little. "The average 'healthy' person probably does not need to follow a keto diet but they could probably benefit from reducing their intake of refined/processed carbohydrates."

Keto isn't necessarily for everyone. Take kids, for example. Nutritionists recently told Insider that putting children or teens on the keto diet or basically any restrictive diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies and eating disorders.

Moreover, keto isn't great long-term if you have, or are at risk of, heart rhythm problems. A large 2019 study, published by the American College of Cardiology, that involved medical records of nearly 14,000 people reported that people who don't consume many grains, fruits, and starchy vegetables for years at a time, are at a higher risk of developing a heart condition called AFib.

Even if you're otherwise healthy, long-term keto could lead to vitamin B and C deficiencies, since many foods rich in these vitamins like beans, legumes, and fruit are also high in carbs. And if you're not getting the right nutrients, keto may actually lead you to gain weight, not lose it.

Bottom line: The keto diet is not for everyone and you should speak with a certified nutritionist before starting it, especially if you have a medical condition that the diet may affect.

Continued here:
Everything you need to know about the keto diet - INSIDER

Health and nutrition is more complicated than body weight. PhotoStock-Israel / Getty

Body mass index, or BMI, a measure of weight relative to height, was originally intended for statistical, not individual, purposes, but became thestandard method used to define who's a "healthy" weight versus who's "overweight" or "obese."

Over the past decade, though, exercise scientists, doctors, and other experts have come to realize that's a problem. BMI doesn't specifically measure excess body fat, nor does it account for factors like age and muscle mass, which are crucial to health. This means that people like elite athletes can be defined as obese based on high BMI, even if they're at peak health.

"It's just a measure of weight to height, not a measure of health,"Kelly Coffey, a certified personal trainer, previously told Insider.

Now the field is looking toward other ways of determining baseline markers of health. One such alternative is waist circumference, since many of the negative health affects of obesity are linked to high levels of abdominal fat. Several studies have documented a linkbetween high amounts of abdominal fat and an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, for example.

Others argue that health shouldn't be based on weight, body fat, or body shape at all, and really on health behaviors like physical activity, mental health care, and sleep.

Continued here:
10 diet myths overturned in the past decade, from 'fat makes you fat' to 'supplements are harmless' - INSIDER

Intermittent fasting could unlock lower rates of cancer and obesity as well as cut stress and even make us live longer, new research suggests, but significant hurdles are getting in the way of the diets advantage. Rather than the typical current diet plan of three meals per day, spread out fairly evenly through daylight hours, intermittent fasting sees people squeeze their meals into just a handful of hours.

Its not a new concept, but it has gained traction in recent years with the rise of so-called paleo diets and greater attention paid toward atypical eating routines. At the same time, studies have looked at potential health and lifestyle benefits, focusing on how intermittent fasting can prompt whats known as a metabolic switch, the body shifting from using glucose-based to ketone-based energy.

Usually, those following an intermittent fasting plan would eat within a six hour window each day, and then fast for the remaining 18 hours, though some extend that to as much as 20 hours. The potential benefits from that are more than just around weight loss. According to a new review by Rafael de Cabo, Ph.D., and Mark P. Mattson, Ph.D., of John Hopkins University School of Medicine, many of the health benefits of intermittent fasting are not simply the result of reduced free-radical production or weight loss.

According to the review, intermittent fasting elicits evolutionarily conserved, adaptive cellular responses that are integrated between and within organs in a manner that improves glucose regulation, increases stress resistance, and suppresses inflammation. During periods of fasting, the bodys cells would normally shift into processes where damage is removed or repaired, and cellular stress is addressed. However, given the meal cadence of the typical diet, the processes dont have much time to work.

One of the best-known benefits of intermittent fasting is a change in how the body generates its energy. After a meal, glucose from food is used for energy; fat is stored for later use. When fasting, that fat is broken down in turn, with the liver converting fatty aides to ketone bodies.

Those ketone bodies arent just a sign of fat being broken down, but act as potent signaling molecules for our cells and organs. For example, they can influence how proteins, molecules, and genes that influence factors like aging, neurodegenerative disorders, and overall health among other factors are produced. Other studies found intermittent fasting could also help improve glucose regulation, manage blood pressure, and cut down on body fat.

While the science may be there, the lifestyle changes for intermittent fasting are a much bigger issue, the studys authors conclude. Perhaps the biggest issue is that were just not in the habit of abstaining for extended periods of the day.

First, a diet of three meals with snacks every day is so ingrained in our culture that a change in this eating pattern will rarely be contemplated by patients or doctors, they suggest. The abundance of food and extensive marketing in developed nations are also major hurdles to be overcome.

There are also barriers to sticking with such a diet, like the inevitable hunger, irritability, and a loss in concentration. Thats usually limited to the first month, the researchers point out, but it can be a significant hurdle during that period, and it relies on healthcare professionals making clear that its a temporary side-effect. Problem is, its also suggested, physicians themselves often lack the training to give good intermittent fasting advice.

One other avenue of research, mainly in animal models, has been the hunt for a pharmacologic alternative: a pill that replicates the benefits of intermittent fasting. That has included drugs that impose the same sort of challenge to the bodys metabolic system that fasting does, or that specifically triggers the sort of processes that go on during ketosis.

Were still some way from a pill that can do that, however. According to the researchers, the available data from animal models suggest that the safety and efficacy of such pharmacologic approaches are likely to be inferior to those of intermittent fasting. In short, if you want the best results, you need to stick to the diet.

There are several diet structures that all fall under the umbrella term of intermittent fasting, and theres no one single perfect meal plan for every person. The most common is probably the daily time-restricted feeding regimen, where you eat within a period of around six hours, and then avoid food for the remaining 18 hours period.

However theres also the 5:2 intermittent-fasting regimen to consider. That limits daily calorific intake to just 500 calories on two days per week, with regular healthy eating on the remaining five days. Whichever structure is picked, there should be a focus on exercise and meal nutrition too.

What intermittent fasting shouldnt be, though, is a sudden blow to the system. That, at the very least, is a recipe for quickly giving up on the diet. Instead, a four month transition period preferably with regular monitoring of body weight, along with glucose and ketone levels is recommended, in the hope of making a long-term behavioral change that maximizes the diets potential benefits to health.

Read more:
Intermittent fasting could cut weight and delay aging but theres a problem - SlashGear

When to Speak Up

"If it's about safety, like a riser with no railing that is consistently overlooked, don't waityou or someone else might get hurt," says Patch Schwadron, senior career counselor at Career Transition For Dancers, a division of The Actors Fund. But for other issues, it helps to take the time to prepare, says Sue Porter, executive director of BalletMet who also happens to have 30 years of experience as an attorney specializing in labor and employment law. Print out any emails or written agreements that back up your claim. Be ready to answer questions about when and where something happened and who was there to witness it.

Who to Approach

"Even if a company doesn't have designated HR staff, they should have basic policies on who to talk to about specific issues," says Porter. When it comes to compensation disputes, that might be a company manager or an accounting department. For reports of discrimination, harassment or abuse, it might be whoever is considered your direct supervisor or a rehearsal director. "At BalletMet, dancers can come to the artistic director, executive director or personnel committee of our board," says Porter. According to Griff Braun, director of organizing and outreach for the American Guild of Musical Artists, if it's a union job, you can go straight to your delegate, who will direct you to the appropriate representative to explain all your options, support you in any meetings and even reach out to company leadership on your behalf. If the person you're supposed to report to is the one perpetrating the abuse, or if there's no policy to follow, disclose the details to any member of the leadership team whom you trust.

The best-case scenario is when an issue can be resolved with just a conversation, says Braun. As you approach initial meetings with company leadership, "it never seems productive to assume there were bad intentions at play," says Porter. If there isn't already a policy in place to facilitate these types of conversations, she recommends sending a respectful email asking to set up a meeting and following up verbally if you get no response. "Then be as professional as you can. After all, you want this person to listen to you," she says.

Going Up the Chain

If you feel like you've gone as far as you can within the company by following policy, you might consider contacting someone on the board of directors, says Schwadron. "They should have a healthy distance from the day-to-day running of the company, but would likely want to know if something inappropriate is going on at the entity they are raising money for."

A formal grievance can be filed with company leadership as a next step, says Braun. "And if that doesn't compel movement, you could choose to seek arbitration, where a neutral third party acts like a judge and makes a binding ruling on what should happen next." You can pursue this on your own or seek additional guidance from local, state or federal agencies that help with labor disputes.

In a situation like Supple's, Schwadron would recommend going to the appropriate public service provider in your state to get guidance on reporting the abuse itself and then to a labor lawyer about the retaliation. "The company could still say, 'Nothing happened in that room and we let his contract run out for other reasons,' but I certainly wouldn't give up," she says. (Supple spoke to board members, the company's third-party investigator and his state's Department of Human Services Division of Child Welfare, but as of publication there has been no clear resolution.)

The Potential Consequences

Most policies specifically state that you won't be retaliated against if you report an issue, says Porter. "And employers should understand that it would be far worse to have a retaliation claim against them than the original harassment claim. In general, company leaders invest a tremendous amount of time, effort and money to recruit dancers, so we want to work it out." Dancers should never have to choose between acting on something like abuse and keeping their job, but it's natural to be afraid that you could be punished for saying something. Some situations leave dancers with few positive options, says Braun. "Fixing a systemic problem in the workplace may mean sticking your neck out to report on an employer you'd otherwise want to work with againit's a tough spot to be in."

Even after his eventual dismissal, Supple says he'd do it all again. "Nothing will change if people refuse to speak up for what's right," he says. "Do I wish I still had my job? Of course. But I would regret for the rest of my life not standing up for those kids."

Evan Supple

Tyler Stableford, courtesy Supple

Building Better Policies

Small companies without clear policies should create them and communicate the details early and often, says Griff Braun of AGMA, which encourages its 65 signatory dance, opera and chorale companies to have anti-harassment and discrimination policies in place. "It's not just the right thing to doit's a means of protecting your company," he says. Patch Schwadron, a career counselor for dancers, agrees: "Companies can get training on everything from how to write a good policy to how to manage a sexual harassment claim. With highly proactive younger dancers entering the workforce, companies are leaving themselves at risk by not creating these policies," she says. Small companies can sometimes find the legal and consulting expertise they need through their boards, says Sue Porter, executive director of BalletMet. "Especially if it isn't in the budget to hire a full-time employee to handle HR, make it a priority to invest in a consultant who can get these policies off the ground," says Porter.

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How to Make Resolutions That Actually Get You The Results You Want - Dance Magazine

Carole Middleton, the mother of Kate and Pippa Middleton, is well-known for her slender figure which she has seemingly passed on to her two daughters. The 64-year-old was spotted recently on a winter sun holiday on the Caribbean island of St Barts looking toned in a bikini alongside daughter Pippa. How does she stay in such good shape?

Carole has reportedly always been an advocate of watching what she eats and keeping active according to her brother Gary Goldsmith.

Goldsmith told the Daily Mail: Carole has always looked after herself and eaten healthily, and she has a stunning figure. That mentality of considering your diet and exercise is evident in the girls also.

In 2011, ahead of Kates wedding to Prince William, her mother took on the Dukan diet, helping creator Dr Dukans book sales soar.

The diet was based on the theory of the French nutrition-specialist who boasted that the diet allows those partaking to eat whatever you want and still be thin".

READ MORE:Lorraine Kelly weight loss:Presenter dropped two dress sizes by cutting this out [DIET]

However, the diet is centred around a low-carb, high protein plan.

Carole reported losing 4lbs in the first four days.

The diet is hailed by fans including Jennifer Lopez and Katherine Jenkins and consisted of 100 foods for slimmers to choose from.

The list of foods is designed to make a person feel full while still remaining low calories.

Of those on the list, 72 are sourced from animals and 28 come from plants.

According to MedicalNewsToday a person can eat as much as they like, but cannot stray from the list.

The website adds: Restricting the intake of carbohydrates and fats puts the body induces a starvation-like state, which forces the body to use fat stores for energy.

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However, in recent years it seems Carole has switched to a largely vegan diet in order to maintain her healthy body.

Speaking to the Telegraph, she said: Ive recently gone vegan. Or maybe that should be flexitarian.

She is also reported to follow nutrition and fitness advice dished out by her daughter Pippa, who studied as a sports scholar at Marlborough College.

According to The Daily Mail, the duo both follow the Sirtfood diet which allows only superfoods.

Amongst them are blueberries, walnuts, dates, apples, red wine, turmeric, green tea, olive oil, parsley and kale.

The diets long-term diet plan instructs to include as many of these foods in your diet as possible, with participants feeling more healthy and energetic as a result.

Original post:
Carole Middleton weight loss: Mother of Kate Middleton uses these diet tricks to stay slim - Express

A new study shows that half of Americans will be obese within the next 10 years. As a psychologist, Im concerned that society has become numb to this critical issue.

That were feeling powerless to turn this public health crisis around, but the physical and emotional health of our country and the financial impact of obesity do not afford us much time.

We have effective interventions to prevent and treat obesity. More people need access to affordable versions of those interventions, and we need a strong partnership with the food industry.

Obesity can be a very stigmatizing condition. Unfortunately, our society blames and shames individuals with obesity.

The way we see and treat people with obesity is very personal for me. I watched my single, working-class mother deal with lifelong problems associated with obesity. Sadly, these contributed to her death just a few weeks ago.

Please let me help by sharing what we know and what can be done about obesity. Long-term success in preventing and treating obesity requires substantive changes that can be demanding and difficult. It is, however, much more comfortable to face these challenges together.

Decades of research tell us that people who are obese have elevated risks for significant health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Obesity also increases the risk of stroke, certain cancers, osteoarthritis, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and orthopedic problems.

Also, obesity is related to systemic inflammation, which increases physical pain in our bodies. When one has these obesity-related diseases, like my mom, they are often taking a lot of medications and receiving a large amount of health care services. Obesity places an incredibly heavy burden on our health care system. The best estimate for medical costs associated with obesity for adults aged 18 and older in the U.S. was $342.2 billion.

While the physical health consequences of obesity are clear, the mental health effects are less well understood. Many of the mental health consequences depend on how an individual identifies him/herself. In other words, perceiving oneself as obese is what is associated with an increased risk of depression and even suicidality.

The person who sees themselves as obese is ingesting and internalizing societys devaluing views. Obesity stigma is getting under the skin and into their psyche, weighing them down with self-doubt and shame.

Last summer, at the age of 72, my mom said, I have no willpower. She didnt feel that she could stop herself from binging on large amounts of unhealthy food. A lot of people, and some health professionals, mistakenly assume that a lack of determination and the overconsumption of food are the sole causes of obesity.

I tried to explain to my mom that there are numerous contributing factors. Like many Americans, my mom had a very sedentary lifestyle, spending hours sitting and watching TV. She didnt cook healthy meals for herself. Instead, she consumed hyper-caloric processed foods and drank a ton of sugary beverages.

My mom couldnt tackle obesity on her own. No one can. Often the solutions my mom chose were too-good-to-be-true. Like most people, when she reached her short-term weight loss goals, she would quickly regain most of the weight. This cycle of little progress and quick fall back set her up for further failure and demoralization.

Similar to many Americans, my mom couldnt afford meal plans or a gym membership. Despite my husband and me paying for a membership and a certified fitness trainer, my mom was unable to maintain her motivation to go.

I couldnt convince my mom to work with a health partner to establish a personalized health action plan. If she had, she would have learned that there are often psychological reasons at the root of problematic eating. Much has to do with a persons ability to manage their emotions.

When we feel depressed, angry, anxious, or bored, we frequently reach for food to soothe our emotional pain. For some, food is tied to comfort and connection. One might say these individuals are starving for soothing and affection and use food as a substitute.

If my mom had agreed to attend an evidence-based treatment program, she would have learned to identify the physical reasons for eating, and how to recognize what the sensations of hunger and satiety felt like. She would have learned to spot her emotional states before eating and find alternative ways to manage them.

This could have helped her reduce, and over time eliminate, her unhealthy eating behaviors. Of course, her plan would have also included changes in diet, exercise, and problem-solving on how to move more. But, these kinds of programs can be costly, and her insurance might not have covered it. Even then, it probably would not have been enough.

Dr. Robin Masheb, a professor and clinical psychologist at the Yale School of Medicine, has spent the past 25 years researching obesity and eating disorders. As the founder and Director of theVeteransInitiative forEating andWeight (The View), she started the first and only national program dedicated to addressing the broad spectrum of eating and weight problems in the Veteran population. Over the years, Dr. Masheb has figured out what works to effect positive change.

She says, The obesity crisis in our country is a problem thats still growing. Solutions focused at the individual-level are just not enough. We live under environmental conditions that allow industry practices and systemic issues to override individual choices that prevent obesity. We need to prioritize legislation and regulatory practices that create healthier defaults in schools, supermarkets, and society at large.

In the previous U.S. presidential administration, there was a substantial public awareness effort targeting obesity prevention by improving the availability of healthyfood and physical activity forour children. T

hese programs have shifted from the limelight as apathy toward obesity has set in. There figuratively is no one minding the candy store. We need to come together as a society and recognize that obesity can only be addressed if we engage in change at the systems level.

I agree. As a society, we need to do something comprehensive about this crisis that goes beyond the individual. And, for the sake of our children, we need to do it now.

To optimize health and reduce the financial burden on our nation, in terms of higher health care costs and lost productivity, we need to recognize that obesity is a complex chronic condition that requires a team approach.

First, we need to invest more money upfront on these evidence-based programs to prevent obesity and manage it rather than driving up the cost of health-care utilization after the fact. Second, we need to address weight stigma and bias in this country, and at the same time, help people engage in positive change.

We need to balance empathy and compassion with encouragement and support and make these evidence-based programs affordable and accessible.

Finally, we need to address the systemic issues in our food landscape by increasing healthy food choices in our schools, supermarkets, and restaurants, and discouraging unhealthy decisions, such as sugary drinks and high-fat snack foods.

These changes wont save my mom, but they may keep you and yours.

Joan Cook is a psychologist, and associate professor at Yale University who researches traumatic stress and clinically treats combat veterans, interpersonal violence survivors, and people who escaped the former World Trade Center towers on 9/11.

Excerpt from:
In 10 years half of Americans will be obese here's what we can do | TheHill - The Hill

Katharina Wirnitzer was in the midst of training for the Bike Transalp race, one of the worlds toughest endurance events, when she began investigating whether a vegan diet was suitable for athletes.

The year was 2003 and veganism was a long way from the current boom, which has established it as one of the most in-vogue dietary trends. But Wirnitzer, a sports scientist at the University of Innsbruck, had become intrigued by the resurgence of ancient theories linking plant-based diets with improved athletic performance.

The first athletes on strict plant-based diets were gladiators, she says. Roman scripts report that all fighters adhered to gladiatoriam saginam, which was based on plant foods, including large amounts of legumes, pulses and grains, and contained little or no animal protein.

Now, almost two millennia later, Wirnitzer is one of a handful of researchers trying to get to the bottom of whether veganism could enhance an athletes chances of sporting success. Over the past decade, she has led the NURMI study, the broadest initiative so far investigating the effects of a vegan diet in high-performance, ultra-endurance sports.

NURMI is particularly timely because veganisms association with various health benefits from weight loss to decreased risk of inflammatory disease has seen the diet soar in popularity in recent years, both amongst the general public and elite sportsmen. The most recent survey by the Vegan Society estimates that there are around 600,000 vegans in the UK a fourfold increase over the past five years while high-profile athletes from Lewis Hamilton to Jermain Defoe have begun experimenting with veganism.

However, despite the boom in veganism, even the most optimistic scientists caution that there is still much we do not understand about the diet. In particular, little is known about the long-term consequences of veganism and whether it does hold significant advantages over an omnivorous or vegetarian diet.

Portrayals of the diet can be partisan: the recent blockbuster Netflix documentary The Game Changers has since been tainted by revelations that the executive producers are cofounders of a vegan food company and that much of the evidence presented in the film is selective, low-quality and anecdotal. Moreover, as with so many dietary interventions, the search for the truth about veganism is often clouded by the potential financial gains with predictions that the global vegan food market will be worth $24.3bn by 2026.

This is perhaps unsurprising. Whether it be the trendy city bars offering vegan wine, or the array of new products launching in supermarkets and health food stores, veganism is the wellness industrys new cash cow. Market-research experts have already predicted that the value of the global vegan food market will reach $24.3bn by 2026. Vegan cheese alone is expected to develop into an industry worth nearly $4bn within the next five years.

So what do we really know about veganism and what it can do for our health?

At Sheffield Hallam University, David Rogerson has spent the past decade studying the effects of dietary interventions on physical health. He says that one reason veganism could be good for you is because it can protect against cardiosvascular diseases, by reducing obesity and lowering cholesterol. These chronic illnesses cost the UK around 9bn a year; veganism may be the solution.

Theres growing evidence that reduced consumption of animal products, coupled with an increase in plant-based foods, seems to be good for our health, says Rogerson. This is perhaps due to these foods containing lot of antioxidant phytonutrients and nitrates, while some animal products contain lots of pro-inflammatory fats and lead to the production of a metabolite called TMAO, which has been linked to cardiovascular problems.

The anti-inflammatory effect of plant-based foods is thought to be the reason why vegan diets appear to relieve symptoms of some auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The tennis player Venus Williams, who suffers from Sjgrens syndrome, credits turning vegan with mitigating the extreme fatigue associated with the condition, and with enabling her to continue competing at the highest level.

The full picture is rather more complex than it first seems. Scientists have found that a combined group of vegetarians and vegans appeared to have a higher risk of haemorrhagic stroke than did meat-eaters. But owing to the small number of vegans in the study, it is hard to draw firm conclusions. Possible reasons might be related to lower cholesterol levels or a deficiency of some nutrients, such as vitamin B12, says Tammy Tong, a researcher in the University of Oxfords Nuffield Department of Population Health. Vegans are also at a higher risk of B12-deficiency, since the nutrient is only naturally available from animal foods. Low B12 levels may be linked to raised blood levels of homocysteine, which may be linked to higher risk of stroke.

While vegan lobby groups have claimed that the diet results in a healthier gut microbiome and reduces the risk of some cancers, compared to meat-based diets, experts say there is little concrete evidence to back this up. There was one US study which looked at all gastrointestinal-tract cancers combined and found no difference in vegans compared with non-vegetarians, says Tong. Two studies have looked at colorectal cancer risk in vegans and both reported no significant difference compared to non-vegans.

The reason we still know relatively little is because while the term vegan was coined in 1962, for a long time scientific studies classed vegans and vegetarians together. But with increasing amounts of sports-science funding going into studying veganism, it may actually be through athletes, and their endless quest for faster, higher, stronger, that we learn most about the diet in the years to come.

The NURMI study follows 8,000 runners from across Europe, including meat eaters, vegans and vegetarians and aims to see whether following a vegan diet over time leads to greater endurance over the half-marathon and marathon distances. In the next few years, NURMI will publish one of the first analyses of how vegan runners compare to their meat-eating equivalents and, according to Wirnitzer, we are still in the infancy of understanding how our nutritional intake can boost athletic ability.

There is huge potential that is still untapped, both in terms of health and performance in sporting competition, she says.

One of the reasons athletes across such a range of sports are interested in the vegan diet is because it may boost immunity as well as aiding recovery and rehabilitation from injury. Plant-based foods such as beetroot are known to contain dietary nitrates that aid blood-flow, and oxygen and nutrient transport through the body.

Elite athletes are looking at all available legal options to enhance their performance, says Richard Brennan, managing director of Sports Science Consultants, who is studying athletes who have been meat-eaters all their lives, and are now moving towards a vegan diet. What were focusing on are the benefits to overall health which could enhance the training responses in terms of conditioning different energy systems, adapting more effectively to strength and power training programs, and having less time off sick to train.

These are the hopes for veganism, but scientists warn that, so far, there have been so few studies of athletes that there is very little evidence to support them. Wirnitzer published a landmark 2014 paper that showed that a well-planned vegan diet meets the nutritional requirements of endurance athletes, but we still know virtually nothing about whether it is the optimum diet.

Scientists have raised concerns that the diet is too restrictive for athletes who are travelling the world competing in sporting competitions. Athletes could become malnourished, be unable to maintain muscle mass and suffer deficiencies in B12 (which would lead to fatigue and poor oxygen transport), calcium and vitamin D.

Theres the potential for lower intakes of these minerals which play a role in bone health, says Rogerson. There is evidence to say that vegans experience greater bone turnover and reduced bone-mineral density, so this could mean that vegans are at an increased risk of bone injury. We also know that female athletes might be at an increased risk of such injuries if they dont eat enough, so this is potentially a double-whammy.

Concerns about the practicality of veganism extend to the general population. One question is whether vegans can plan their diet well enough over many years to avoid developing deficiencies. There have been two population studies that have monitored vegans over time, one following Seventh Day Adventists in the US and Canada, and the EPIC-Oxford study, which tracked the health of nearly 50,000 meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans across the UK. Scientists involved in the latter have found that while consuming vegetables rich in calcium, such as kale and broccoli, can protect bones, in reality many vegans dont actually meet their calcium requirements. As a result, they have found a 30% increased risk of fracture in vegans compared to vegetarians and meat eaters.

More research is still needed to understand possible differences in fracture risks and whether any differences are related to diet or other factors, says Tong. For example, low BMI has also been linked to higher risks of some fractures and in some studies vegans exhibit lower BMI and bone-mineral density than do vegetarians.

Because of these concerns, some research groups have begun comparing veganism to other diets rich in plant-based foods, which are associated with many of the same benefits, such as the Mediterranean and New Nordic diets. Earlier this year, researchers at Sheffield Hallam University conducted a pilot study comparing a Mediterranean and vegan diet over a short-term period, with intriguing results. While both diets appeared to offer similar positives in terms of weight-loss and reduced cholesterol, evidence was much stronger for a Mediterranean diet when it came to improving blood-vessel health.

Our findings suggested that the Mediterranean diet improved the way that the endothelium of the small veins work, says Markos Klonizakis, one of the scientists who ran the study. This might not sound important, but it is. This becomes dysfunctional over time so it is crucial for cardiovascular health. The magic of the family of Mediterranean diets is that they are tested and proved over a very long period of time, in a relatively large area of the globe. For example, we know that traditionally people in Crete lived long and had low rates of diabetes and cancer.

So what next for veganism? Scientists across the board agree that we dont yet know enough to decide conclusively one way or another, but as many point out, the success of any diet ultimately comes down to the eating habits of the individual.

The success of a vegan diet will rest on the conscientiousness of the individual undertaking it, says Rogerson. Its restrictive and unless we pay attention to the elements of the diet that it excludes, then we might be putting ourselves at risk of developing deficiency-related problems. It has become easier to follow with vegan-friendly food products in supermarkets, which are fortified with nutrients that can be absent from the diet.

Another point is that people who choose to adopt a vegan diet might be more inclined to adopt health-related behaviours than the norm. Such groups might be more inclined to exercise and be aware of the nutritional adequacy of the foods they eat. We need to look at this further.

Excerpt from:
Is veganism as good for you as they say? - The Guardian

We're frequently told that the key to weight loss is simple - just eat less and move more. Yet with obesity rates as they are, it's clear that for many people, it's really not that simple at all.

There is, of course, another option for those who are seriously obese or overweight and conservative methods alone haven't worked - and that's weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric or metabolic surgery.

This type of surgery is available on the NHS, for people who meet certain medical and weight criteria, but it's also available privately, at a cost of around 4,000-8,000.

But why is surgery sometimes deemed necessary, and what does it involve? Here, metabolic surgery pioneer Professor Francesco Rubino, lead of The London Bridge Hospital Metabolic and Bariatric Centre, part of HCA Healthcare UK (hcahealthcare.co.uk), and chair of bariatric and metabolic surgery at King's College London, shares his views...

Why can it be so hard for some people to lose weight and keep it off?

"Severe obesity is a disease, not a lifestyle choice. Research shows that when we lose weight by diet, our body reacts by activating mechanisms that defend against that. In fact, hunger-stimulating hormones typically increase after diet-induced weight loss and our body also tends to reduce the amount of energy it utilises, making it difficult to maintain weight loss in the long-term," says Rubino.

"These effects are not under control of our willpower and are ingrained in our biology. This explains why people who try diets almost invariably regain weight at some point. This isn't necessarily a lack of self-discipline, or a person's fault, as most people think, but the result of the way our biology works, defending a set, narrow range for body weight. In people with severe obesity, this set point is too high but the mechanisms that normally defend against weight loss are still working and powerful, thus frustrating voluntary efforts to lose weight by eating less and exercising more."

What is weight loss surgery?

There are different variations of weight loss surgery. The two most common are gastric bypass surgery, which divides the stomach into two smaller pouches and re-routes the small intestine, and sleeve gastrectomy surgery, a procedure that removes part of the stomach and shapes it as a tube or 'sleeve'.

"They were originally designed to reduce the size of the stomach but they actually change the physiologic mechanisms that regulate appetite, satiety and sugar metabolism," Rubino explains. "There isn't a single procedure that fits everyone's needs. Different procedures have different actions, which may result in different potential to improve metabolic conditions associated with obesity, beyond weight loss," he adds. "Hence, the choice of procedure needs to be thoroughly discussed with a specialist and must be tailored to the individual patient's need."

Why is weight loss surgery so effective?

"In the 1950s, when bariatric surgery was first introduced, understanding of the functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was quite rudimental - it was considered a mere digestive organ. So it made logical sense to think that by physically limiting the size of the stomach, or bypassing large portions of the intestine, one would be able to reduce the amount of food you can eat or the calories the body can absorb. Research over the last two decades, however, has shown this isn't true," Rubino explains.

"The GI tract is a complex, sophisticated endocrine and metabolic organ, something akin to a computer - some call it the 'second brain' - that receives input from the food we eat and sends signals to other organs to regulate body weight as well as sugar metabolism. Signals from the gut can inform the brain about calorie intake and accordingly regulate hunger and satiety. Other signals reach the liver and pancreas, where they can influence the production or action of insulin.

"This explains why gastrointestinal - bariatric/metabolic - surgery is so effective in inducing and maintaining weight loss, and also why it can dramatically improve other metabolic diseases, especially type 2 diabetes. Research has clearly shown bariatric surgery reduces or abolishes the very mechanisms that normally resist weight loss. In fact, the changes in hunger and satiety hormones that follow bariatric surgery are exactly opposite to those elicited by dietary interventions."

Is metabolic surgery really just a lazy way of losing weight?

"Some argue that diet and exercise, rather than expensive surgery, should be used to treat diabetes or severe obesity. This idea is both ill-conceived and ill-informed. In fact, there's definitive evidence that where surgery is indicated by current guidelines, lifestyle interventions alone are no longer sufficient to achieve adequate disease control," says Rubino. "On the other hand, in people with mere overweight or mild, uncomplicated obesity (BMI under 35 without other metabolic disease), surgery isn't indicated and isn't a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, which can still be effective in preventing progression towards more severe obesity.

"Hence, suggesting lifestyle interventions and not surgery should be the way to treat severe obesity is at odds with both scientific evidence and logic. Suggesting use of only lifestyle interventions in people with severe obesity (a full-blown disease) is tantamount to suggesting one should use lifestyle changes instead of surgery or chemotherapy to treat cancer."

Who can have the surgery?

There's a range of criteria for having weight loss surgery on the NHS. These include having a BMI of over 40, or having a BMI of 35-40 if you've already developed health complications that may improve with weight loss. Patients will need to be committed to long-term healthy changes after the surgery too.

"Recent clinical trials have shown that in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity, metabolic surgery is more effective than any other available therapy," says Rubino. "Currently, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and international guidelines recommend metabolic surgery be considered to treat type 2 diabetes patients and those with a BMI of 30 or over. However, only 0.2% or less of eligible patients have access to such surgery."

Who shouldn't have the surgery?

A number of factors can deem people unsuitable for surgery too, including: "People who don't suffer from severe obesity or its complications. Bariatric surgery is generally safe but this doesn't mean it's an appropriate or proportionate approach to deal with less severe overweight levels, where lifestyle changes have been shown to prevent progression toward severe obesity or diabetes in many patients," says Rubino.

"Also, people who are candidates for surgery but would be unsafe to operate on. Though bariatric surgery is less life-threatening than obesity or diabetes, it's still major surgery and requires general anaesthesia," he adds. "And people with conditions that can undermine compliance with nutritional supplementation. Bariatric surgery can alter the absorption of certain vitamins and micronutrients, so patients need to rigorously take nutrient supplements, lifelong."

Originally posted here:
What is weight-loss surgery and when do you need it? - Wales Online

I am a neuroscientist and my research investigates how diet changes the brain. I want to understand how unhealthy diets impact the developing brain, and also why young people today are so prone to developing obesity.

Adolescents are the greatest consumers of calorie-rich junk foods. During puberty, many children have an insatiable appetite as rapid growth requires lots of energy. Heightened metabolism and growth spurts can protect against obesity, to an extent. But excessively eating high-calorie junk foods and increasingly sedentary lifestyles can outweigh any metabolic protection.

The teenage years are a key window of brain development. Adolescence coincides with a new-found social autonomy and the independence to make personal food choices.

During adolescence, connections between different brain regions and individual neurons are also being refined and strengthened. The adolescent brain is malleable because of increased levels of neuroplasticity.

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This means the brain is highly receptive to being shaped and rewired by the environment including diet. In turn, these changes can become hardwired when development is complete. So the adolescent brain is vulnerable to diet-induced changes, but these changes may endure through life.

Resisting junk food is tough

The prefrontal cortex controls and overrides urges triggered by events in the environment. Resisting eating a whole bag of candy or buying cheap junk foods can be particularly difficult for teenagers.

Voracious drive for rewards

Teenagers are particularly drawn to rewards, including sweet and calorie-dense foods. This is due to increased numbers of dopamine receptors in the adolescent brain, so the feeling of reward can be exaggerated. Frequent stimulation of the reward system results in enduring brain adaptations.

During adolescence, these changes may cause long-lasting shifts to the balance of brain chemicals.

Taken together, the teenage brain has a voracious drive for reward, diminished behavioral control and a susceptibility to be shaped by experience.

This manifests as a reduced ability to resist rewarding behaviors. So its not surprising that teenagers prefer to eat foods that are easy to obtain and immediately gratifying, even in the face of health advice to the contrary. But what are the enduring brain consequences?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation

Functional imaging studies show brain activity during tasks or viewing images of foods. Brain circuits that process food rewards are more active in adolescents with obesity compared to those considered normal weight.

Interestingly, lower activity is seen in regions of the prefrontal cortex. This shows that obesity can both heighten activation of the reward system and reduce brain activity in centers that can override the desire to eat.

Importantly, successful weight loss in adolescents restores levels of activity in the prefrontal cortex. This provides critical knowledge that the prefrontal cortex is a key area of the brain for controlling food intake, and that diet interventions increase activity in brain regions that exert self control.

Exercise boosts brain plasticity

Excessively eating junk foods during adolescence could alter brain development, leading to lasting poor diet habits. But, like a muscle, the brain can be exercised to improve willpower.

Increased brain plasticity during adolescence means the young mind may be more receptive to lifestyle changes. Physical exercise boosts brain plasticity, helping to set in place new healthy habits. Identifying how the brain is changed by obesity provides opportunities to identify and intervene.

Functional brain imaging adds a new layer of information where clinicians can identify at-risk individuals and track brain changes during nutritional and lifestyle interventions.

Even more, TMS could be a new treatment approach to improve re-calibration of the young brain to prevent enduring changes into adulthood.

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Junk food affects the developing teen brain, promoting obesity. But its not hopeless. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

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