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You wouldn't sleep through an entire semester of classes and expect to pass your finals with flying colors, would you? Well, dragging yourself to the gym without putting much thought into your routine or lifestyle and expecting to lose weight is no different. You're not going to trim down unless you take the time to study. When we're talking about your weight loss though, "studying" doesn't involve opening a book or hitting the library; it's all about looking at your routine and identifying any possible blunders that could be stalling your progress.

Whether you're a fitness newbie or a seasoned gym rat, chances are that one (or more) of the factors below is the reason you're not seeing the results you want. Read on to find out what experts say are the exercise mistakes preventing weight loss and what you can do to get back on track toward ditching that excess flab once and for all. Read on, and for more on healthy eating, don't miss Simple Ways to Start Losing Weight Immediately, According to Science.

You know that consuming protein after your workout aids muscle repair and growth, so the more of it you eat, the betterright? Not so much. Researchers say that for those who weigh about 150 pounds, consuming 20 grams of protein within a half-hour of leaving the gym is optimal. Lisa De Fazio, MS, RD says women who weigh a bit less may only need about 12 grams. Take in any more than the recommended amount and the protein will likely be stored as fat, while the excess amino acids will simply be excreted, she notes. A 7-ounce Fage Total 2% Plain Yogurt fits the bill and is easy to throw in a gym bag and eat on the go. Mix it with some berries to add some flavor-enhancing, energy-replenishing carbs to your post-workout snack. Not a big fan of the creamy treat? Check out these 16 Post-Workout Snacks Fitness Experts Swear By.

RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox!

Sure, hitting the gym once or twice a week can boost heart health and even your mood, but if weight or fat loss is your goal, you'll need to commit to a consistent workout schedule.

"When I'm looking to trim down a bit, my rule is three or 30. This means three miles a day of walking, running or cycling, or 30 minutes of circuit or strength training. It doesn't matter what it is, just get moving every day," says Kit Rich, celebrity trainer and co-owner of SHIFT by Dana Perri.

To help you stick to your workouts, sit down at the beginning of each week and pencil in your sweat sessions, then stick to them as you would any important appointment. Set realistic expectations, then reward yourself with something healthylike a manicure or a new pair of running shoesif you overshoot your goal.

While some of us may opt to work out in a fasted state with the assumption that exercising on an empty stomach will cause our body to burn fat to use as fuel, this isn't a necessity to lose weight. In fact, aNutrients review actually found that consuming a carbohydrate-rich meal within 60 minutes of an endurance exercise actually benefits performance. Not only can a carb-rich snack make your workout better, but it can actually increase fat burning during exercise!

While it's true that a bad workout is better than no workout at all, that only holds true when somenot allof your workouts lack intensity. Deep down you know that coasting along in the back of Zumba class every week or barely breaking a sweat in the weight room isn't going to help you achieve that lean look you're working towards. If you want to see a change in your body, you must challenge your muscles. "Lifting heavy weights is the best way to increase your metabolism, sustain long-term muscle growth and stay lean. If you're doing more than ten reps with ease, your weight probably isn't heavy enough, so vary your reps and consistently increase the amount you're lifting," says Dustin Hassard, NCSF, Head Coach at Modern Athletics. The same holds true when you're doing cardioand it's as simple as turning up the speed or the resistance. Don't believe it? Consider this: A 150-pound person who bumps the treadmill speed from 5 MPH to 6 MPH will boost their calorie burn by 25 percent, which, over time, can add up to major weight loss.

Believe it or not, recovery and rest are just as important as your workout. When you don't give yourself enough time to relax between sweat sessions, the body starts pumping out cortisol, a stress hormone that boosts fat storage and appetitea killer combination for anyone looking to lose weight and burn fat. This doesn't mean you have to take two days off for every day you hit the gym, but you should vary your workouts so you aren't hitting the same muscles on consecutive days. That means back-to-back full-body strength-training sessions are out; doing upper body one day and lower body the next is fair game, though, as is alternating lighter workoutslike yoga or a spin classwith full-body resistance training. This tactic helps your muscles recover without cutting into your workout schedule. It's a win-win.

Doing the same workout for months on end and expecting to lose weight is a lot like using a cheesy pickup line to land a dateit's just not going to work. Sure, that barre class may have helped you lose the first five pounds, but after you've mastered the moves, your progress is sure to stall. If you want the scale to tip in your favor, you have to vary your workouts and do exercises that you're not particularly good at so your body stays challenged, according to a study by University of Florida researchers. To keep seeing results, mix up your intensity or duration every time you hit the gym, then completely switch your workout once a month. That could mean trying a boxing class if you've become a hardcore yogi or simply drawing up new resistance and cardio routines every four weeks. For some inspiration, try these 35 Fun Activities that Don't Feel Like Exercise.

Excerpt from:
Exercise Mistakes Stalling Weight Loss, Say Experts | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

New research finds that time-restricted feeding improves insulin levels and reduces tumor growth in mice with obesity-driven postmenopausal breast cancer.

The study found that tumor growth was driven and accelerated by elevated insulin levels in the mice.

It also found that lowering the mices insulin levels and improving their metabolic health had an anti-tumor effect.

Time-restricted eating has a positive effect on metabolic health and does not trigger the hunger and irritability that is associated with long-term fasting or calorie restriction, says Dr. Manasi Das, postdoctoral fellow at the University of California (UC), San Diego and first author.

Through its beneficial metabolic effects, time-restricted eating may also provide an inexpensive, easy to adopt but effective strategy to prevent and inhibit breast cancer without requiring a change in diet or physical activity.

Dr. Manasi Das

The study conducted by researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, and Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) appears in Nature Communications.

Having overweight or obesity increases the risk of developing at least 13 types of cancer.

More research is necessary, but obesity seems to disrupt circadian rhythms, the bodys internal clocks that control 24-hour rhythms in gene expression and daily behaviors.

When the bodys circadian rhythms are thrown off, it can change how the body responds to insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar levels.

These changes can cause a person to become insulin resistant or develop metabolic syndrome, both of which may increase the risk of developing some chronic diseases, such as cancer.

Circadian clock disruptions also appear to promote tumor growth by interfering with the cell cycle and activity of cells that suppress tumor growth.

Recent research has found that there seems to be an especially strong connection between obesity and breast cancer.

The impact of obesity on breast cancer is extremely complex, and it is still being investigated. However, several factors seem to contribute to how obesity impacts the risk of developing breast cancer.

Of these potential influencing factors, menopausal status seems to be especially important. Research shows that obesity consistently raises the risk of breast cancer, and the chance of poor outcomes, in postmenopausal women.

In light of this finding, research teams have been trying to uncover precisely how obesity is associated with breast cancer. Their findings could have important implications for millions of people.

According to the American Cancer Society, in the United States alone, some 1 in 8 females will receive a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, and in around 1 in 39 cases, it will be fatal.

Moreover, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 42.4% of adults living in the U.S. had obesity in 20172018. The age-adjusted prevalence of severe obesity is also higher in women than men.

Previous research in mice found that eating a high fat diet on a time-restricted feeding (TRF) schedule seems to reduce or reverse negative health complications related to obesity. A few small pilot studies in humans yielded similar results.

Several of these complications, such as weight gain, circadian rhythm disruptions, metabolic changes, and inflammation, increase the risk of developing cancer.

TRF (in animals), or time-restricted eating (TRE) (in humans), is a type of intermittent fasting where food intake is restricted to a specific number of hours per day in line with circadian rhythms. In most cases, this means eating only for 612 hours per day during the times a person is usually most active.

In the new study, researchers were investigating whether TRF would impact the growth and development of tumors and reduce the risk of breast cancer metastasizing to the lungs in mice with obesity-driven breast cancer.

To do this, they caused female mice to develop hormonal conditions similar to those women experience following menopause.

They also gave two groups of mice unrestricted access to high fat foods for 10 weeks before the trial began to make them obese. Another group of mice, the control group, was given normal chow throughout this period.

During the trial, one group of mice continued to have unrestricted access to high fat foods, while the control group still had unrestricted access to normal chow.

The final group of mice, who were fed on a TRF schedule, had access to high fat foods only for 8 hours during the night. It is at night that mice are naturally most active.

In another part of the study, researchers also tested to see whether TRF reduced tumor growth and spread in the mice with obesity that were injected with breast cancer cells or induced tumors.

The team found that TRF seemed to reduce obesity-enhanced breast tumor growth without reducing caloric intake. It also appeared to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, as well as the risk of it spreading to the lungs.

The researchers claim these results are likely due to the fact that TRF improved circadian disruptions and metabolic problems associated with obesity.

We were able to increase insulin sensitivity, reduce hyperinsulinemia, restore circadian rhythms, and reduce tumor growth by simply modifying when and for how long mice had access to food, says senior author Dr. Nicholas Webster, a professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine and senior research career scientist at VASDHS.

Researchers now need to confirm their findings on a larger scale and in humans. They will also need to figure out how TRF impacts men, as well as other types of cancer.

However, the researchers claim their results warrant clinical trials in humans.

TRE could offer millions of people a much easier, more accessible way to reduce their risk of becoming ill or dying.

Following a TRE schedule does not involve reducing food intake or making dietary restrictions. A previous study in mice also found that following a TRE schedule for 5 days per week was enough to generate positive effects, which could allow for some more flexible eating behaviors on weekends.

Many people cannot commit to major lifestyle and dietary changes, the researchers say, or do not follow them strictly.

Our data suggests that a person may benefit from simply timing their meals differently to prevent breast cancer rather than changing what they eat, says Dr. Das.

Read this article:
Could intermittent fasting reduce breast cancer risk in obesity? - Medical News Today

Contributed by Novant Health UVA Health System

Weight can be a sensitive subject. But for the estimated 40 percent of American adults the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says are classified as obese, that sensitivity is often magnified by societal pressures to be thin.

There is no safe quick fix. Losing significant weight takes time, patience and sometimes the help of a medical professional specializing in bariatrics, the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity.

Novant Health UVA Health System offers comprehensive bariatric services for surgical and nonsurgical weight loss assistance. These services can be lifechanging and lifesaving for patients.

Steve Daniels of Manassas underwent gastric bypass surgery in March 2020.

Steve Daniels in 2019

Daniels, a 50-year-old water quality and field technician at Fairfax Water and father of two, had an active, healthy childhood, but began gaining weight in his adult life.

Daniels visited his doctor more frequently. He was uncomfortable and in pain. He had both high blood pressure and high cholesterol and was in the early stages of pre-diabetes.

My doctor was worried about me and so was I, said Daniels. My father died at age 57 from heart disease and diabetes complications. I realized if I didnt make a change, Id have the same fate. I couldnt do that to my girls.

At the suggestion of his primary care doctor at Novant Health UVA Health System Bull Run Family Medicine, Michael Perez, M.D., Daniels met with Nicholas Dugan, M.D., Dr. Dugan is a fellowship-trained laparoscopic surgeon who specializes in bariatric, reflux, and hiatal hernia surgery at Novant Health UVA Health System. With Dugans guidance, Daniels began his surgical weight loss journey.

When combined with healthy lifestyle changes, surgical weight loss has been proven to be more effective than diet and exercise alone for keeping off excess weight long-term, said Dugan. When patients come to us seeking surgery, we navigate them through every step of the process from evaluation to the surgery itself and follow-ups.

Daniels had gastric bypass surgery, which creates a small pouch out of the stomach and bypasses a portion of the small intestine. This causes the patient to feel full quicker because of reduced stomach capacity.

Steve Daniels in August 2020

Recovery from surgical procedures can be mentally and physically challenging. For Daniels, the most difficult part was adjusting to his new relationship with food.

It was tough. I had to relearn how to eat and drink, paying close attention to my speed and timing. I joined support groups, recipe clubs and a fitness app community, said Daniels. I felt my best when I walked after eating, so I madewalking a huge part of my daily routine. When I was feeling low, I reached out to my best friends for encouragement. All of these still help me every day. Daniels also emphasized the importance of trusting and following his medical teams plan throughout the process and his appreciation for their guidance. Today, nearly nine months after his surgery, hes down 120 pounds.

I have a brand-new life, he said. Im no longer at risk for diabetes or heart disease; my blood pressure and cholesterol are in a good range. I have achieved my weight loss goals and I am now working to improve my health lifestyle by setting weekly activity goals I recently walked 33 miles in one day, a feat I never thought Id achieve!

For those who have questions about bariatric services or are considering surgery, Novant Health UVA Health System hosts free seminars where providers explain the procedures, answer questions and address patient concerns and anxieties.

For more information visit NovantHealthUVA.org/services/weight-loss-services or call 703-369-8620.

Follow this link:
Bariatric Services and Weight Loss More Than Surgery - Prince William Living

This week on WJON's Health Matters program I talked with Registered Dietician Kari Collett from A-to-Zinc Nutrition. We discussed New Year's resolutions revisited about a month into the new year. She says if people expect to have success, if their resolution is to lose weight or eat better, they need to identifytheir "why" if they want to have success in making this change. She says people can make a difference immediately in just removing one bad regularly consumed food item. She says moving to a whole food diet can be an adjustment and making of her clients' bodies need time to make this adjustment. Listen to our 4-part conversation below.

Collett says men typically have an easier time losing weight due to their increased muscle mass and the general body make up that a man has as opposed to a woman. She says when tackling a change like this it is helpful that others in the household are on-board and supportive but it isn't necessary that everyone in the household makes these changes with them. Kari says people don't always make diet changes for weight loss purposed but sometimes to help deal with inflammation, digestion, acid reflux, gas and/or stomach cramps. A healthy attitude making a long-term change aids in achieving these goals. Kari says often times people eat more often and consume as many if not more calories than before but the food they consume is much better for them.

Learn more about A-to-Zinc Nutrition and Kari Collett. Health Matters airs on WJON Mondays and Saturdays from 9:10-10 a.m.

Original post:
Health Matters; How Are You Doing With Your Resolution? [PODCAST] - WJON News

By now, most people are familiar with this conditions troika of persistent fatigue, short breath, and the vague cognitive issue known as brain fog. Like the word recovered, this too-brief litanyuntil very recently echoed by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionconceals much more than it explains. The stories cataloged on the proliferating number of online long hauler support groups dont describe nagging tiredness or grogginess of the sort to which we can all relate. They describe a debilitating symptomatological clown car that is possibly unique in the annals of human disease. We used to say TB, sarcoid, and syphilis were the three conditions that could give you just about anything, Trisha Greenhalgh, Oxford professor of primary care, told the British Medical Journal podcast in August. And I think Covid can[, too]. It can give you just about every symptom in the book.

In many cases, these severe fatigue and cognitive issues resemble myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, or ME/CFS, a little-understood multisymptom syndrome that can, in extreme cases, result in immobility verging on full-body paralysis. Many long haulers also suffer symptoms associated with a general malfunction of the nervous system, known as dysautonomia, that can find expression in every bodily system and organ. The systemwide nature of Long Covid can make it difficult to isolate, or even keep track of; manifestations include muscle, joint, back, and nerve pain, racing pulse, fever, chest pain, chills, insomnia, fibrosis, headaches, blurred vision, tremors, pounding and ringing in the ears, memory loss, kidney problems, gastrointestinal pain and dysfunction, palpitations, high glucose, low oxygen, cough, blood pressure swings, and traveling blood clots. Some long haulers experience unstoppable nose runs of bloody, yellow mucus; all manner of rashes, hives, and discolorations; and olfactory disorders that make everything taste like rotten meat and metal, in the words of one long hauler. (One rare exception appears to be Dr Pepper, which has emerged as a Long Covid folk remedy.) Many develop an inability to stand without dizziness, known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Heavy hair loss is common, leading many long haulers to shave their heads.

Excerpt from:
The Forever Disease: How Covid-19 Became a Chronic Condition - The New Republic

Heartburn and indigestion are common gastrointestinal (GI) problems that are often discussed interchangeably. While they may occasionally occur at the same time, these are considered separate GI issues.

So, if youre experiencing an upset stomach, acid regurgitation, or a burning chest, how do you know whether youre dealing with indigestion or heartburn?

Read on to learn the signs and causes of these GI issues, and how you can manage and prevent them.

You may be able to tell the difference between heartburn and indigestion based on the location of your symptoms.

While indigestion primarily affects the abdominal area, heartburn symptoms can be felt in the chest and esophageal areas. Keep in mind that its also possible to experience both indigestion and heartburn at the same time.

Heres a breakdown of symptoms commonly associated with both heartburn and indigestion:

As they are different conditions, heartburn and indigestion can have very different causes. But there is some overlap.

Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus due to a weak or relaxed lower esophageal sphincter. It may also be a symptom of a chronic condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Over time, GERD may damage the esophagus, leading to complications such as esophageal cancer or Barretts esophagus.

Risk factors for heartburn include:

In some cases, certain foods can trigger heartburn. These include:

Some of the same food triggers for heartburn may bring on a case of indigestion, including caffeine, spicy or acidic foods, and alcohol. Indigestion may also be caused by eating large meals or eating too fast.

Indigestion could also be caused by underlying GI disorders, including:

Anxiety and depression may also upset the stomach on a regular basis in some people, leading to indigestion issues. Research also suggests that indigestion may have a genetic component.

Both heartburn and indigestion may be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) products, such as:

Ask your doctor before taking any herbal remedies for GI issues, as you may unintentionally make your heartburn or indigestion worse.

Occasional heartburn or indigestion is largely preventable. Prevention methods are the same for both conditions.

Here are some of the ways you can help decrease a flare-up of heartburn and indigestion symptoms:

These preventive measures may also help alleviate symptoms of chronic heartburn or indigestion, but youll need to see your doctor to help treat the underlying causes to help prevent further complications.

If your symptoms of heartburn and/or indigestion dont improve after a few weeks of home remedies and preventive measures, see your doctor.

Chronic heartburn or indigestion issues could be a sign of an underlying medical condition that needs treatment. To get to the root of chronic indigestion or heartburn issues, your doctor may order a few tests, including:

Call your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms that could indicate GI complications:

Seek emergency medical attention if heartburn or indigestion are accompanied by the following potential symptoms of a heart attack:

Both heartburn and indigestion have similar causes, and may be alleviated with similar lifestyle changes and OTC treatments.

Its important, however, that you determine whether your symptoms are heartburn- or indigestion-related, so you can discuss them with your doctor.

If you find that you need antacids every day, or if your heartburn or indigestion symptoms last longer than a few weeks, you may need to see your doctor for further testing.

Treating an underlying GI issue can help alleviate your symptoms while also preventing further complications.

Here is the original post:
Heartburn vs. Indigestion: How to Tell the Difference - Healthline

When our VCR gave up the ghost, I went to the local YMCA, finally investing in presentable work-out clothes for step, kick-boxing, spinning, pilates, boot camp, body pump, and Zumba, during which I achieved new levels of personal humiliation.

For me, the problem wasnt exercise. It was the can of Pringles Id eat later that afternoon. No matter how many miles I shuffled or Y classes I took, I always knew that my weight loss goals would fail without a proper diet plan.

An old favorite was The Cleveland Clinic diet, which had nothing to do with the famed hospital, and was also slanderously called the three-day Army diet, the American Heart Association diet and the hot dog and ice cream diet. I usually achieved success, losing ten pounds in three days. The only problem? On the fourth day when normal eating resumed, Id gain it all back.

I invested in Weight Watchers, a healthy subscription plan involving a points system, nifty daily journals, recipe cards and weekly meetings. I lost a few pounds; however, I found the strict privacy of the weigh-ins to be a disappointment. I mean, whats more motivating than a bit of public fat shaming?

Eventually, I discovered Sugar Busters, Adkins, Dukan and their ilk, which began a long odyssey of low-carb self-denial, during which I believed in strict adherence to an eating plan that looked like Cool Hand Luke at a Brazilian meat festival. At first, the notion of unlimited butter, bacon, cheese and chicken skin was liberating. But I developed unfamiliar feelings like cravings for vegetables and worried that I might grow carnivorous fangs.

See more here:
The Meat and Potatoes of Life: What I learned while losing, gaining the same 10 pounds - Hanford Sentinel

During a week of sabotaged sleep due to Netflix binges and social scrolling, are you doomed to brain fog and constant distraction? A recent study in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry offers a potential hack: Have some coffee.

Researchers in Germany looked at 26 participants who agreed to five nights of sleep restrictiongetting just five hours of sleepand daytime testing of their alertness, reaction times, memory, and accuracy on tasks. Half of the group had a cup of coffee at breakfast and another after lunch, while the other half had decaffeinated coffee.

Those with the caffeinated beverages showed significantly better performance on the daytime tests, especially in terms of sustained attention, compared to those drinking decaf. However, both groups reported feeling sleepiness during the day, which means that even the coffee couldn't provide a physical energy boost. (Related: 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work).

Although coffee can give you a temporary mental lift, it's important to realize it's not a long-term replacement for quality sleep, says W. Chris Winter, MD, president of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine, and author of "The Sleep Solution."

"Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for sleep disruption to begin causing issues with your health, including reduced immune system function, daytime sleepiness, and even weight gain," he says. "That includes sleeping too little, and even sleeping too much."

For example, a study in the journal Sleep found that both short and long sleeping times predict an increased risk of not just weight gain, but also fat gain in otherwise healthy adults.

Even in the recent study, the effects of caffeinated coffee didn't last. Despite feeling refreshed by the beverage for three or four days during a week of restricted sleep, participants started to tank by the fifth day. At that point, there was no difference in attention or cognitive function compared to those who had the decaffeinated coffee.

That means if you've had a night or two of bad sleep and need to rally some brainpower for work or school, coffee can help. But in addition to that temporary fix, Winter suggests putting more effort into developing solid sleep habits like going to bed and waking up at the same times every day, not having caffeine in the evening, and limiting screen time before sleep.

"The more you focus on getting good sleep, the healthier you'll be overall," says Winter. "Plus, solid sleep tends to sync up with other great habits like exercising regularly, getting fresh air, and eating healthy foods."

For more tips, be sure to read 20 Foods More Energizing Than a Cup of Coffee and 8 Ways to Support a Healthy Immune System, According to Harvard.

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One Surprising Side Effect of Drinking Coffee, According to Science | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

FEBRUARY 1, 2021 Updated 4 hours ago

Ideasroom

New Zealand is near the top of the list for countries with rampant levels of diabetes. Professor Jim Mann lays out the options for a nutritional approach to type 2 diabetes.

Despite levels of diabetes and obesity reaching epidemic proportions in New Zealand, successive governments have failed to develop a national plan to manage and prevent these diseases. Several recent studies, highlighted in a previous Newsroom article and the latest UNICEF Innocenti report card, place New Zealand near the top of the list for this epidemic.

Public health researchers are calling on the Government to address the obesity and diabetes pandemic, in the same way it has listened and taken on board the need for urgent action with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some solutions are staring us in the face.Dietary advice has been a cornerstone of treatment for people with type 2 diabetes for many years. And now for the first time a dietary intervention has been shown to influence the structure of the pancreas and its potential to recover with appropriate changes to dietary habits. Based on this evidence, health experts want an urgent national campaign to implement tried and tested nutrition treatments as well as results of recent research.

Nutritional therapy for diabetes

Weight loss has long been known to improve overall blood glucose control. For those who require insulin treatment theres also a need to monitor dietary carbohydrate to avoid blood glucose levels going too low or high. Reducing dietary saturated fats and sodium, along with increasing consumption of fibre-rich wholegrains and pulses, have the potential to lower cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels, all changes which would be expected to translate into long term health benefits.

Benefits of dietary fibre

Recent research published in 2020 provides strengthened evidence regarding the potential benefit of less-processed wholegrain foods on glucose levels. In addition to the well-established beneficial effects on risk factors, there is now also direct evidence for the potential of dietary fibre to reduce the risk of developing diabetes in addition to reducing risk of complications and death in those with established disease.

A series of large analyses of all available evidence clearly showed that those who chose fibre-rich diets have a 20% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those consuming a low-fibre diet. However, an intake of at least 25 grams daily (well above the average intake of New Zealanders) is necessary to achieve appreciable risk reduction.

These researchers also found (in another review) that in people who had already developed diabetes, risk of premature mortality was reduced among high fibre eaters.

These findings complement earlier research showing that, a diet high in fibre-rich foods, low in saturated fat and designed to reduce overweight, in conjunction with increased physical activity, radically reduce risk of progression to full blown type 2 diabetes in those with prediabetes.

New study shows total remission of type 2 diabetes with improved pancreas structure

It has always been assumed that diabetes, once it develops, can only be controlled rather than cured. Bariatric surgery or appreciable weight loss in type 2 diabetes can result in considerable improvement in blood glucose control to the extent that medication can be reduced or sometimes withdrawn. However, it has been widely assumed that type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease.

But now the DiRECT study in the UK has demonstrated total remission of type 2 diabetes, including the withdrawal of glucose lowering medications, for periods of up to 3 years. The intervention involved an initial period of marked weight loss (typically around 15kg) induced by using very low-calorie formula diets. This was followed by the gradual reintroduction of a conventional diet aimed to ensure long term weight maintenance. Remarkably, the majority of participants who reached the target weight loss achieved remission of type 2 diabetes.

A recently published paper from the DiRECT study has further demonstrated the remarkable potential of this dietary intervention to influence the disease process. The researchers compared the appearance of the pancreas in responders with those who did not achieve their targeted weight loss. They showed that those who responded to the dietary intervention had a pancreas with a more regular appearance, and which contained less fat than the pancreas of those who did not achieve the targets.

NZ Government action needed now

Diabetes has now reached epidemic proportions in New Zealand. Given the now overwhelming evidence demonstrating the benefit of dietary change to reduce the risk of developing diabetes at the population level, and of nutrition therapy to successfully treat those with prediabetes and diabetes, we ask why is nothing happening?

Now that the evidence is clear, a national campaign to promote changes in eating habits, as well as measures at the local (DHB) level to ensure the availability of dietitians, nutritionists and other health professionals, are urgently needed. The newly-elected New Zealand Government must take on board the imperative for action with regard to this epidemic of diabetes, as it has done in acknowledging the importance of tackling infectious disease.

See the rest here:
Diabetes solutions staring us in the face - Newsroom

Dozens of clinics that have cropped up around the U.S. to address a puzzling and troubling aspect of COVID-19: aftereffects that linger for some people weeks and months after the infection itself has subsided. (Jan. 19) AP Domestic

Edelmira Rivera was lying on her bed with her husband and 16-month-old son selecting amovie when she heard a loud bang outside their home in Waco, Texas.

Then her sisterscreamed,"Fire!"

"I dropped everything and just grabbed my son and his blanket," said Rivera, 22."I could not smell anything. I was so shocked to see the fire at the front door."

Rivera tested positive for COVID-19 and lost her sense of smellon Jan. 14. Early the next morning, a fire broke out on the other side of her bedroom wall, less than a foot from where she was lying.But Rivera couldn't smell it, nor could the family of four who was staying with them.

Her sister, Bianca Rivera, 19, smelled something burning from the other side of the house, initially thinking her sister had burned popcorn in the kitchen.When she smelled burning plastic, Rivera walked out of her room and saw smoke in the hallway,quickly usheringseven people and three dogs out of the home before fire consumed it.

Edelmira Rivera, 22, poses with her husband and son in Waco, Texas.(Photo: Provided by Edelmira Rivera)

Like Rivera, millions of people worldwide have suffered changes to their sense of smell or taste after contracting COVID-19. In most cases, the symptoms usually only last a few weeks.

But a year into the pandemic, researchers still aren't sure when some COVID-19 survivors may get their senses back if ever and many are struggling with the long-termsafety, hygiene and psychiatricimplications of the loss.

"As the pandemic has rolled on, we've gotten a better idea about the long-term, chronic effects of COVID on smell and taste," said Dr. Jay Piccirillo, an ENT and professor at the Washington University School of Medicine who studies the topic. "The things we've learned suggest that most people recover smell and taste, but not all."

In the coming year, there will be at least a million new cases of people in the U.S. with chronically diminished senses of smell or taste due to COVID-19,Piccirillo predicts.

Studiessuggest up to 80% of people who have COVID-19 symptoms experience smell or taste dysfunction, with a significant association between the two senses. Some experience reduced ability to smell or taste. Some have acomplete loss. And some experience distorted senses, where certain tastes and smells change or become unpleasant an increasingly common outcome, called "parosmia."

Dr. Evan Reiter, an ENT and professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who studies the issue, said he's seeing similar rates of patients reporting dysfunction with smell as with taste.

Fact check: Burnt oranges, brown sugar won't restore senses lost to COVID-19

"In general, anytime youre eating something, it hits the taste buds in your mouth, and youre smelling the vapors in your food at the same time, so you brain puts it all together to determine how you perceive the taste of food," Reiter said.

Most people regain their senses within a few weeks, but approximately 5-10% will continue to have symptoms after six months, Piccirillo said. At that point, they may not ever return, he said.

Scientists have known since the early days of the pandemic that smell-taste disturbance is associated with milder cases of COVID-19, and with cases in younger people. Astudy published earlier this month in the Journal of Internal Medicine reinforced the conclusions.

Sniffing out COVID-19: Ohio State study proposes using hard candy to test for symptoms

Among more than 2,500 COVID-19 patients at 18 European hospitals in the study, more than 74% self-reporteda distorted sense of smell and 46% a distorted sense of taste. The vast majority of both categories wereyounger patients and thosewith milder cases.

The good news is that more than half of the patients with smell distortions saw their symptoms disappear within a month, rising to 95% of patients by six months, according to the study. For those remaining 5%, the future remains unclear.

Dr. Pam Dalton, a researcher at theMonell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, said patientsshould not give up hope. Some people who have lost their sense of smell due to rhinoviruses, which cause common colds,have regained the sense after several years, she said.

"There is evidence from other viruses that may disrupt the system in different ways that recovery can occur after six months," Dalton said. "There isn't a cut-off beyond which all hope should be abandoned."

Loss of smell or taste can have a severe impact on quality of life and make it harder to identify dangers in the environment, such as gas leaks or spoiled food, experts say. For professions that rely on the senses, loss of smell or taste can be career-ending. It can alter relationships, degrade mental health and result in severe weight loss or gain.

New York City resident Lyss Stern, 46, said she's gained 30 pounds since she lost her senses of smell and taste in late March, when she had a mild case of COVID-19 for six weeks. She's too fatigued to exercise, and she eatsa lot of carbs because she likes the way they feel in her mouth.

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Lyss Stern said her son, Oliver, 13, recently blindfolded her and took some food items out of the pantry to see if she could taste any of them. "She started crying because she was so scared," he said. "I hugged her. It was the scariest thing ever."(Photo: Provided by Lyss Stern)

Stern said she has identified a dozen foods that she can still taste,and she goes to the same pickle shop every week to stock up on a variety of flavors. Last month, Stern smelled an orange againfor the first time and started crying. And a few weeks ago, she got a whiff of a cookie when she walked past a bakery.

"It can be depressing and upsetting," Stern said. "Everything to me just tastes gross. But Im not going to let that get me down now or ever. Im here. So many people didnt survive this beast."

Stern said her family is in the process of moving apartments, and she plans to set up smoke and gas detectors in the new home right away. "Its very scary," Stern said. "If there's a leak, I can't smell it."

Many patients who lose their sense of smell or taste also struggle with social anxiety and hygiene concerns, experts said. Piccirillo said parents often report wishing they knew when their child's diaper neededto be changed and when they may unknowingly be subjecting friends or family to a foul smell.

"People will report never wearing an item ofclothing more than once because they're afraid it might smell of their body odor and they cant detect it. And the same thing goes with a lot of different social interactions," Dalton said.

Gail Pav, 53, of Long Beach, Mississippi, has to ask her husband to taste-test their meals and let her know when there's something smelly in the trash can. She had a mild case of COVID-19 in September a stuffy nose for a few days, but never a fever. Ever since, her senses have been off.

"This week, the coffee was tasting funny. Ive been having some really weird smells going on, like fuel. Its so weird,"said Pav, who still wears perfume every day. "I've got a new grandbaby, and I just want to be able to smell Stella."

Gail and Matt Pav pose with their granddaughter, Stella.(Photo: Provided by Gail Pav)

For some COVID-19 survivors, the loss of smell or taste can be "crippling,"Piccirillo said. "With all the quality of life problems (during the pandemic), to now be isolated by sense of smell, or worse, distortionit's very sad," he said.

Dr. Simone Wildes, an infectious disease physician at South Shore Health in Massachusetts, said it's frustrating that there are"no specific therapies or more supportive advice" that she can give to patients. Many of her patients with loss of smell or taste have turned to online support groups.

With increasing reports of more transmissible coronavirus variants, Wildes said she's worried greater spread may result in more cases with loss of smell or taste.

"It does not have to be deadly for you to end up with something very distressing in your life," Wildes said. "For some people its temporary, but for some, it may be permanent."

Anita Levine, 64, of New York state, contracted COVID-19 in March. She has visited the ER for lingering issues more than a dozen times since then and was hospitalized for a week in October. She finally returned to her job at a bank last month, but she said its "frustrating" to see people walking around outside without face masks. Levine said she cant taste anything, and shes lost a lot of weight. "Sometimes you want to smell the wood fire burning in the fall and the taste of a good cup of coffee. I more enjoy the heat of the coffee than the actual coffee itself," she said. "I want to say I do my best, but its real tough."(Photo: Provided by Anita Levine)

Research into how the coronavirus disruptssenses of taste and smell is ongoing. In July, dozens of researchers published a paper suggesting the coronavirus changes the sense of smell in patients not by directly infecting smell-detecting neurons but by affecting the function of supporting cells.

Now, researchers are beginning to look at human autopsy data to assess the initial theory, said Dr. Sandeep Robert Datta, a professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and one of the study co-authors. Data available so far is "broadly consistent" with the hypothesis, Datta said, but he's keeping an open mind.

"Never before in recent medical history have there been so many people who have lost their sense of smell or lost taste for this period of time," Datta said. "We need to make a serious basic science effort to help physicians deal with the patients who are flooding their offices."

Otherresearchers are looking into whether the coronavirus attacks the taste system independently of the smell system.

Are patients losing taste as a direct result of smell loss? Or are they also losing chemical sensitivity in their mouths? Valentina Parma, a researcher at Temple University who studies the senses of smell and taste, said that, for now, "the jury is still out" on what mechanism is affecting taste in patients with COVID-19.

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Treatment options for people with loss or distortion of smell or taste are limited,experts said. There's some research on steroid and vitamin treatments. There's also a long-used technique called olfactory training, where patients who have lost their sense of smell sniff various essential oils for a brief time each day for several weeks.

"For those patients who have (distortions of smell), we think it's some sort of miswiring. When they see coffee, they small oranges," Piccirillo said. "Through olfactory training, you can maybe rewire them. Thats the hypothesis."

Piccirillo and his team are conducting an olfactory training trial with COVID-19 patients. The trainingtraditionally features four scents:rose, lemon, cloveand eucalyptus. For his trial,Piccirillo is allowing one group of participants to select their preferred scents to test if the approachis moreeffective with scents that are important to people.

"The No. 1 scent people want to train on? Smoke,"Piccirillo said. "Its makes them so scared they cant smell smoke or natural gas."

Piccirillo and his team have seen a "tidal wave" of study participants. They're also starting a clinical trial looking at the drug theophylline, a common asthma medicine.

Both Reiter and Dalton are working with their teams to track the recoveries of COVID-19 patients who have lost their sense of smell. Dalton's team is alsodeveloping a smell screening test to identify people who may have COVID-19. They're deploying the tests to drive-up clinics, as well as to Yale University, where some students are taking thesmell test in addition to twice-weekly molecular tests.

"Its really discouraging with so many people now suffering or who will be suffering," Piccirillo said. "Any way you slice it, this is a big problem, and presents a real challenge to the scientific community to start finding some effective treatment options for people."

Edelmira and Bianca Rivera's home in Waco, Texas, burned down on Jan. 15, 2021.(Photo: Provided by Edelmira Rivera)

Bianca Rivera, who got her family and friends out of the house fire, still doesn't know why she never contracted COVID-19, even after extended exposure to her family and friends when they moved intohotel rooms together after the blaze.

Her sister, Edelmira, regained her sense of smell a few days after the fire, which is under investigation. The family is planning to rebuild their home and install smoke detectors.

"Losing all my shoes, clothes none of that matters to me. It can be replaced. Not having a home for my son ... Im grateful that I still have him. I'm still alive to see him grow," she said.

Rivera said she was initially "skeptical" about COVID-19.

"I thought it was a hoax. I thought it was fake. But actually going through it and losing my smell, its scary," she said. "Sotake it as a reminder to take care of your home, and to take care of yourself."

Follow breaking news reporter Grace Hauck on Twitter at @grace_hauck.

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Millions of COVID-19 survivors have lost the sense of smell and taste. Will they come back? Not even researchers know. - USA TODAY

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