Search Weight Loss Topics:

Page 1,846«..1020..1,8451,8461,8471,848..1,8601,870..»

Home » Page 1846

Image viaTime Inc Books

Ever burned your arm and wondered if you should put ice or cool water on it? Answer: avoid ice, and instead, hold the burn under cold running water. Do you have digestive issues and are curious if acupuncture could help? According to the Mayo Clinics new book, The Integrative Guide to Good Health, acupuncture is an effective treatment for a variety of health issues, including digestion problems.

The Mayo Clinics doctors Brent Bauer and Martha P. Millman compiledthe newself-care book that addresses the health of the whole person to include mind, body, and spirit. Many of the strategies provided can be done in your own home on your own time, potentially keeping you from spending additional time in the doctors office.

Doctor Brent Bauer, Director of Research, Integrative Medicine and Health at Mayo Clinic, says the book is for people who are looking to take charge of their health. It blends the best of conventional medicine with the best of evidence-based alternative therapies and home remedies to give people options to transform their well-being.

As medical editor for The Integrative Guide to Good Health, Dr. Bauer offered three key takeaways that he hopes people come away with after reading the book.

There are so many mixed messages out there, says Dr. Bauer, and even more companies and experts trying to sell solutions. From diets to supplements to exercise programs, its hard to know which programs are legit and which ones are for you. The book is an empowerment tool to cut through the noise and determine at a fundamental level, what you need to do to be healthy.

The first part of the book covers integrative therapies like acupuncture, massage, and aromatherapy, in addition to mind-body techniques, herbs, and supplements. The second half includes home remedies for common ailments like PMS, jet lag, and colds. Research is given on each discipline, along with a red, yellow, or green light to indicate the level of comfort Mayo Clinic has in recommending the given practice. Bauer explains, Green doesnt mean everyone should do it. It means that evidence is strong that its generally safe, but its still good to sit down with your healthcare team to see if its best for you.

Getting quality time with your doctor can be challenging for a variety of reasons. You may not always get the full education that you want in your doctors office.

You can get a lot of information if you start with a reliable resource like this book, and then spring out into the web to find some more details on your specific situation, Bauer says. And doesnt have any issue with people doing their own online research, either; it shows that the patient is engaged, has ideas and wants to ask questions. The informed patient or consumer is always going to be the better patient.

Most of us have heard to eat better and exercise. Thats been the mantra of conventional medicine for the last 40 years, but look at America. We aint looking so good. I think its going to come back down to the fact that most peoples brains are not engaged in the moment. Theyre worried about tomorrow or what they said to someone yesterday or 10 years ago.

Theres a dedicated section in the book on stress. It covers how stress affects the body and offers suggestions to alleviate stress. There are self-care techniques to try at home like guided imagery and music therapy, as well as other practices to look at releasing stress such as biofeedback and massage.

We have all of this energy going around, on top of the bombardment from technology, says Bauer. Every five seconds were looking at our phone. Its an overwhelming assault on our attention and our ability to focus.

Id love for people to walk away learning at least to prioritize a mind-body practice, not only for brain health but also for gut health. Id consider that a win.

Check out Mayo Clinic The Integrative Guide to Good Health here.

Related on Organic Authority

Moon Juice Founder Amanda Chantal Bacons Self-Care Secrets for Living on EarthThe 50 Wellness Warriors Changing the Way Americans Think About HealthI Took an At-Home Lab Test for My Health (and You Probably Should Too)

Kelly Page is a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach who helps people cultivate more energy in their life through proper nutrition and removing the obstacles that hold them back. She offers a healthy taste of food, wine and travel on her health and wellness site, Tasting Page, where she creates gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free recipes. She also shares healthier options to enjoy while dining out, or traveling the world. Join Kelly on her adventure to eat well and live well!

More here:
The 3 Transformative Takeaways from the Mayo Clinic's New Book: 'Integrative Guide to Good Health' - Organic Authority

Read More..

A former NFL quarterback is on a mission to regain his health after watching his weight hit over 500 lbs.

Jared Lorenzen once sprinted around the field as a quarterback for the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts, but after he was cut from training camp in 2008 and no longer had to stay under the league-mandated 292 lbs., his weight skyrocketed.

Right now, if I didnt wake up tomorrow, it wouldnt be a shock to many people, Lorenzen says in a videofor his initiative, The Jared Lorenzen Project.

He went back to football in 2014, as a quarterback for an indoor football team, and immediately blew out his ankle.

When I came back to play, I looked terrible. I can still remember rolling out to my left and seeing the guy coming for me and telling my body, Get down, get down, get down. Throw it away and get down. But me being big, I didnt have the reactionary time, I couldnt get down before he hit me and shattered my ankle, Lorenzen says. And my first thought is, How are they going to get me off this field? When they had to get four people linemen to carry me, Im like What the heck are you doing?

RELATED VIDEO:After Weighing 395 Lbs, This Grad Student Discovered Yoga & Lost Over 120 Lbs

Now, Lorenzen is working with celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson and nutritionist Philip Goglia to lose the majority of his 502 lbs. and salvage his health.

Im lucky to have the team surrounding me right now. Its going to be hard, he says. Its going to be a long journey, but on the other side, theres a whole new, call it life, on the other side.

And Lorenzen hopes to inspire others along the way.

If I can get the other people in the community to say, Look, Jared can do it, lets jump on this bandwagon. Lets do it, he said in the video. To know that I can be this person that got such and such off his meds or connect him with his son or daughter, thats all you can ask for.

See the rest here:
Former NFL Quarterback on a Mission to Lose Weight After Hitting 500 Lbs. - PEOPLE.com

Read More..

share

pin

email

When it comes to losing weight, you know the drill: Eat less, move more, repeat.

Its a pretty miserable experience for most people, but what if you could also shed pounds by making small changes at home and in other places where you spend your day? Thats the message from Brian Wansink, author of the book Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life.

If you look at most dieters, they try to become slim by will power. They try to resist every single thing. The problem of becoming slim by will power is its a 24/7 sort of job, its never ending, Wansink, who is also the director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, told TODAY Health.

What we find is that by simply changing our immediate environment it ends up leading people to mindlessly eat less.

Get healthy by changing up your kitchen Play Video - 0:43

Get healthy by changing up your kitchen Play Video - 0:43

Its that mindless eating that both fascinates and frustrates Wansink, who says most people think they make just 30 or so decisions about food every day, when the number is actually closer to 200.

And because people are unaware of most their decisions, its very easy to let themselves be influenced by the things around them, like the distance of the food from their hands or the size of their bowl.

Here are eight changes to make in your kitchen that could lead you to eat less. Wansink believes making just one change and sticking with it for 25 days could help you lose about 2 pounds a month.

When participants in one experiment saw snack foods sitting on the counters of a kitchen that was very cluttered and disorganized, they ate about 44 percent more than people who saw the same snacks in a very neat kitchen.

Its almost like if your environment is cluttered and out of control, why do I need to be in control myself? Wansink said.

People who had chips or cookies visible on their kitchen counter weighed about 10 pounds more than people with bare counters, according to one study, Wansink said.

Those who openly displayed breakfast cereal weighed about 21 pounds more and those who had soft drinks even if they were diet sodas on the counter weighed 25 pounds more.

Simply the presence of food ends up being a really powerful cue, Wansink noted. Every time you pass by a cookie jar or a can of soda, you have to ask yourself the question: Do I want one? The answer might be no 20 times in a row, but then nos soon start becoming maybes and the 30th time you look at the snack, the answer will be yes, he added.

Easy tricks to help you quit mindless eating Play Video - 4:53

Easy tricks to help you quit mindless eating Play Video - 4:53

The more time people spend in the kitchen, the more they tend to eat, Wansink said. So instead of making your kitchen the destination spot in the house, make it a little less lounge-able: Get rid of the TV set, have less comfortable chairs and make any other changes to send people on their way instead of inviting them to stay.

Behold the power of fruit: The average person who has a fruit bowl in their house weighs 8 pounds less than their neighbor next door who doesnt have one, Wansink said.

Most of us dont think on a daily basis, Oh I better get a piece of fruit. But if you see it seven times during the day, (you may think), Oh, an apple sounds pretty good, he noted.

The presence of a fruit bowl doesnt seem to make a difference at first, but people do start taking fruit from it after two weeks or so, he added. For it to really be effective, it needs to be within two feet of a place where people sleep or walk, so a high-traffic area like the kitchen is ideal.

Were very unlikely to unwrap things that are in aluminum foil, were kind of lazy, Wansink noted. So hide anything fattening underneath aluminum, but keep covering healthy food in plastic wrap so you can actually see it and be more likely to reach for it.

What's in your fridge? Turning everyday staples into healthy meals Play Video - 4:38

What's in your fridge? Turning everyday staples into healthy meals Play Video - 4:38

It's hard to figure out the right amount of food to serve yourself, so you often end up using cues around you, like the size of your plate. But while 4 ounces of pasta on a 9-inch plate looks like a lot, the same amount on a 12-inch plate looks like an appetizer, so you might just add more pasta.

Simply downsizing your plates or bowls makes a difference: If you switch from a 12-inch to 10-inch plate, youll serve about 22 percent less, Wansink said.

If you use a table spoon rather than a big honking serving spoon, youll serve about 14 percent less, he added.

Stash high-calorie snacks in an inconveniently placed cupboard one thats way down low or way up high. So instead of having the snacks spread throughout the kitchen, where there are chips or cookies staring at you every time you open a cabinet door, reserve one semi off-limits place that holds the tempting foods.

This is a particularly strong tip for men, who tend to be fast eaters, Wansink said. Theyll often finish their dinner and see the rest of the family still eating, so theyll have seconds from the serving plates on the table not because theyre hungry, but just to pass the time while everyone is still finishing their meal.

Having serving plates on a back stove or on a counter in the kitchen instead of right in front of diners helps because simply having food at least six feet away makes a typical person eat almost 20 percent less, Wansink noted. They can still have seconds or thirds if they want to, but theyre just a little less likely to get up again and again.

This story was originally published in September 2014.

Follow A. Pawlowski on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

View post:
Kitchen makeover: 8 small changes to help you lose weight - Today.com

Read More..

The total number of calories a person needs every day varies depending on a bunch of things, including your age, height, weight, and how active you are. (Obviously, if youre a half-marathoner, youre going to need more calories than if you rarely hit the gym.) Estimates range from 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day for adult women, per theDietary Guidelines for Americans, which is a pretty big range. If youre not sure where you stand, it doesnt hurt to check in with a registered dietitian for a consultationhe or she should be able to give you a good goal calorie count to start with. Or, if you dont have the time or budget for that, Cording recommends looking up an energy estimate calculator online and getting a general idea from that. Just be a little flexible with yourself. Some people get a calorie number in their head but it might not be the right fit for themtheyre so hungry they cant stick to it, Cording says.

Read the original here:
7 Things You Need To Know If You're Counting Calories To Lose Weight - Women's Health

Read More..

Most of us have taken a picture that triggers insecurity over our appearance, but for one man, his picture had a much more significant impact. He couldnt really enjoy getting a picture with one of his favorite singers because of how much weight he had gained. At that moment, he decided to make a major life change.

Ryan Copelin, the assistant to the Upper Dublin Chief of Police got a chance to meet one of his country music heroes Josh Turner about a year ago.He loved meeting the country star, but didnt exactly like the picture.

Had some meet-and-greet passes which was awesome, Copelin explained. Got a picture with him afterwards, viewed the picture and was honestly disgusted with how I looked.

Seeing himself overweight really sunk in, inspiring him to lose weight and get in shape. Now, a year later, Copelin looks like a different person.

I decided it was time to start taking care of myself, Copelin told FOX 29. Ten months later after dieting and working out, I lost 100 pounds.

Those who have tried to lose weight know that 100 pounds is a huge accomplishment, but as fate would have it, Turner was scheduled to come back to the area recently and Copelin really wanted to share the results with the person who helped inspire him.

After convincing security to let him pull out his phone in the meet-and-greet area, Copelin was able to share his story with Turner. He was blown away.

Going back there they say no cell phones in the meet and greet area but I told the security guard I have to show him something. So we go back there and Im standing next to Josh and said you have to see this and he was blown away,

Turner inspired Copelin, but after hearing his story, taking another picture with him, Copelin actually inspired Turner as well.

He said I inspired him to lose weight and hes lost over one hundred pounds and there he is ladies and gentleman, look at this guy, Turner said to the crowd.

When I meet guys who say I inspired him to get in better shape and better health, thats just one of the many reasons that make what I do so gratifying and so fulfilling, Turner added.

FOX 29s Bill Anderson asked Copelin what it was like getting a shout out from the stage and having Turner acknowledge him in front of the crowd.

He mentioned that his concerts arent always about music but about making a difference, Copelin said. And he surely made a difference in my life.

Read more here:
Local man inspired to lose weight after photographed with country singer - FOX 29 News Philadelphia

Read More..

Its hardly the engagement anyone dreams of.

Chloe Cooper from South Wales was 23 when her boyfriend proposed to her, but presented her with a ring that was deliberately too small.

The emotionally abusive partner then told her that she can wear it when you lose weight.

Unsurprisingly, she didnt say yes.

Chloe was a size 20 when her boyfriend proposed [Photo: Facebook]

Cooper had met and moved in with her now ex-boyfriend when she was 16, and he was five years older.

She toldMailOnlinethat he quickly became emotionally abusive, pushing her to eat and gain weight in order to ensure other people werent attracted to her.

Cooper eventually became 15 stone 7 lbs, and was a size 20 when her ex-partner proposed.

When he gave me the ring I couldnt even get it over my knuckle, she recalled.

He knew my ring size, so when I questioned why he had brought me a ring that was too small he said, You can wear it when you lose weight.'

She added: Looking back now I know he was putting his many insecurities on me.

Now, Chloe has lost an impressive four stone but on her terms [Photo: Facebook]

But after the relationship ended, Cooper decided to hit the gym and has successfully lost more than four stone.

Thanks to a new fitness regime and cutting chocolate and sweets out of her diet, shes now a size 12.

She now works as a gym membership consultant, and is also engaged to her new partner, Ashley.

I never thought I would be lifting heavy weights, Cooper added.But now I absolutely love it.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK.

Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

Former Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, 59, posts honest bikini selfie

The key to the perfect fitting room isnt just about skinny mirrors

People are getting ugly tattoos on purpose and they look hilarious

Read more here:
Man buys girlfriend too-small engagement ring to make her lose weight - Yahoo Movies UK

Read More..

By Carrie Dennett, Special to The Washington Post

The concept of eating a plant-based diet is tossed around frequently, but its a label that can be confusing. Some people shy away from the notion because they assume that plant-based is code for vegan. On the other hand, its easy to think that eating all plants and no animals guarantees that your diet is healthful and nutritious. But does it?

The research in support of plant-based diets is bountiful, which is likely because of what they include vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber as much as what they dont excess saturated fat. But one limitation of much of that research is that it defines plant-based as vegetarian. Plant-based diets can take many forms, from vegan to vegetarian to flexitarian to omnivore. The common denominator is that they make plant foods the focal point of the plate. If you choose to eat animal foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs or dairy, they play smaller, supporting roles.

The other limitation is that the research tends to treat all plant-based diets equally, without regard to food quality. The fact is that many people focus on avoiding certain foods but are blind to whether the rest of their diet is nutritionally adequate. This is one of the perils of demonizing specific foods no one food makes or breaks a diet, and its your overall eating pattern that matters most for health and well-being.

Thats not the message you get from many of the recent plant-based diet documentary (in other words, propaganda) films. The latest, What the Health, blames animal foods for every ill known to man and woman. While excessive amounts of animal protein and fat arent good for us, that doesnt mean that moderate amounts in the context of a plant-rich diet are harmful. An excessive amount of anything isnt good even water and a cupcake is a cupcake, even if its vegan.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology seems to agree. It found that when it comes to the plants you eat, quality does count and omnivores have a place at the plant-based table, too.

The study, which came from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, included more than 200,000 women and men from the Nurses Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, aimed to get a clearer answer on both quantity and quality of plant foods needed to see a benefit for health. This included the role of animal foods. Researchers measured what proportion of each participants diet was plant-based, and whether those plant foods were healthful vegetables, fruits, whole grains or unhealthful sweetened beverages, refined grains, sweets.

They found that a diet rich in healthful plant foods is associated with a substantially lower risk of developing heart disease, while a plant-based diet that emphasizes less-healthful plant foods is associated with increased risk of heart disease. Those eating a nutritious plant-based diet while also being more physically active fare even better. In a 2016 study, the researchers found similar results for the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The study also supports the value of a plant-rich diet even for omnivores. Individuals who ate the least plant foods were eating about five or six servings of animal foods per day, while those with the most plant foods were eating three servings of animal foods. This means that reducing not eliminating animal foods even slightly while increasing healthy plant foods has benefits for preventing heart disease and diabetes. This allows a lot of flexibility with eating. The traditional Mediterranean diet follows this pattern, as do other healthful dietary patterns from around the globe.

While association does not prove cause and effect, there are various physiological mechanisms that may explain the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Whole and minimally processed plant foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants, along with heart-healthy unsaturated fats and dietary fiber. Together, this can promote healthy blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, while lowering inflammation and nourishing your gut microbiota. To reap these benefits, heres what to eat more of:

At the same time, heres what to eat less of:

In this era of free-from foods (lactose-free, gluten-free, GMO-free), this study is a reminder that for nutrition and health, what you do eat matters as much as, if not more than, what you dont eat.

Go here to read the rest:
Plant-based diet? Sure, but first understand what it means - The Denver Post

Read More..

"I had gestational diabetes for all three of my pregnancies. After my third, my A1C (blood sugar measurement) kept rising, and the doctor told me for the first time to be careful, because I was on track for diabetes."

Pessah-Bloom knew that she had to shed her pregnancy pounds and get her blood sugar under control. She did a Google search on diets for diabetes and stumbled upon the Paleo diet, which includes protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs and nuts, as well as vegetables and fruit, but excludes grains, dairy, legumes, sugars and salt. "People said that their diabetes was reversed," she said.

She started eating more vegetables and unprocessed foods. But while following Paleo helped Pessah-Bloom eat a clean, lean diet, it wasn't enough to get her to her goal. She needed something else -- a support system of sorts -- and so she opened an account on Instagram under the handle @paleoworkingmama.

"I started my Paleo page for motivation, really for myself," Pessah-Bloom said. But it wasn't long before she found people with health issues like herself who were also using the photo-driven app. "I started following others who reversed Crohn's and IBS too, which I also had," she said.

"The more I followed people, the more I felt empowered. And then something unexpected happened. After some time, people who followed me told me that I -- me! -- empowered them. It was a chain of support," she said. "I got it from others, and I gave it to others. People asked me to come to their house to perform refrigerator cleansing! They are inspired by the pictures I post of the food I make and what I keep in my kitchen, like my spices."

Insta-community

The community support that Instagram provides may be its most valuable asset for those hoping to achieve their health goals.

"The first picture I posted was a mason jar of water with lemons," Pessah-Bloom said. "I had just learned about my high blood sugar, and I wrote, 'Making lemonade out of lemons.' " The post marked the start of Pessah-Bloom's new diet and exercise journey, and in her post, she encouraged others to follow and support her.

"One person posted my post on her page -- she had over 15,000 followers, and she said, 'Let's give @thepalemoworkingmama our support' -- and then all of a sudden I had 100 followers. This was someone I didn't even know ... someone who has plenty of her own followers, but she really wanted me to succeed on my journey."

There's also the benefit of being part of a more intimate community. "With Instagram, you can have a separate part of your profile dedicated to food journaling, and you don't have to be worried that your family member or neighbor who just wants to see pictures of your dogs or vacations will be turned off," said Christina Chung, a doctoral student at the University of Washington and lead author of a study that analyzed women who consistently use Instagram to record and share what they eat, in order to learn about the benefits and challenges of using the platform to achieve one's health goals.

"Instagram is just pictures. There are no posts about politics. It's easy to navigate, with no chaos or clutter," Pessah-Bloom added. "If you follow someone, you're following them for a specific reason ... and often someone with a similar goal."

Pessah-Bloom also appreciates the convenience that Instagram provides. "People are so busy, and sometimes you can't go in person to a Weight Watchers meeting. With Instagram, it's in your face. You're seeing it all the time. When I eat something bad ... and I see someone preparing something wonderful, I say, 'Why did I do that?!' It keeps you inspired!"

Food pictures that create cravings for tasty, healthy food help, too. "When you see something so mouthwatering and appetizing, you're more likely to try it, and then you get hooked on eating well," Pessah-Bloom said.

Benefits of photo journaling

For those who use Instagram to track what they eat, the ease of snapping a picture is particularly helpful during a jam-packed day.

"The benefit of photos is that it's more fun to do than taking out a booklet or typing hundreds of words of description in an app," Chung said. "Plus, it's more socially appropriate for people who are trying to track their diets to snap a photo of their plate when they're out with friends: Everyone's doing it, and it doesn't look weird."

As one of the study participants noted, "if I was out with friends or something, then a quick snapshot of the food would be easier than saying, 'Hold on, guys, I need to pull up MyFitnessPal and put everything down and the right serving size.' "

No fat grams on Instagram

But just how accurate is Instagram as a tracker for weight loss? Can you really know the portion sizes, fat grams and calorie counts of what you ate -- or should eat -- when you swipe through photos?

"When it comes to losing weight, food pics may or may not help," said Angela Lemond, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "The food could be great quality, but even an excessive amount of 'good' food will cause weight gain."

If, for example, someone spots a picture of healthy chicken parmigiana as food inspiration for weight loss, it may be difficult to figure out the correct portion size, unless it is listed.

"It's not very accurate if you are looking for tracking information such as detailed nutrients, portion size and calories, since it might be difficult to assess this information from photos," Chung said.

If you're looking for a 200-calorie meal, you might search using the hashtag #200calories and find some options. But in Chung's study, participants used the platform in conjunction with other apps if they were seeking more detailed nutrition data.

Calories aside, for those who use Instagram, the visual cues that the app provides -- actual pictures of food -- may be just enough motivation to continue eating on plan, or in some cases to eat less.

"Before (when using MyFitnessPal), I would have a small snack pack that was a bag of chips and be like, 'Oh, that doesn't really count because it's just a little tiny bag.' But I think with Instagram, it helped me because I was taking a picture of it: It's real, and it exists, and it does count towards what I was eating. And then putting a visual image of it up really helped me stay honest," one study participant said.

Tensions between tracking honestly and posting something perceived as more desirable were also observed in the study. That could present a dilemma, leading some to spend time on making photos look better, explained Chung. But the thought of posting something "off-plan" may also help people stay on track, she added.

Insta diet success

Over a year later, Pessah-Bloom's cooking skills have improved, and she is no longer pre-diabetic. Her IBS is resolved, and she weighs less than she did at her wedding about 12 years ago. Her husband, a huge Instagram fan, has lost 40 pounds with the help of the app and his wife's cooking, and her kids eat healthier now, too.

Pessah-Bloom says she could not have done it without her online community that evolved from her photo journal.

"I love the people I follow on Instagram. ... They have become my online 'support' group. Everyone inspires each other. I work full-time and have three kids. I couldn't have done any of this without Instagram."

Lisa Drayer is a nutritionist, author and health journalist.

View post:
How the 'Instagram diet' works - CNN

Read More..

By Tim Radford / Climate News Network

Global warming and climate change are not the only threats linked to greenhouse gas emissions: there is also the knowledge that warming affects diet.

Higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also mean that wheat, rice, maize, potatoes and other staples will grow with lower levels of protein and by 2050, an extra 150 million people in 47 countries will be at greater risk of malnutrition.

Four out of five people on the planet depend mostly on grain staples and legumes for dietary protein. The UN estimates that poor nutrition already accounts for around 3 million deaths among young children every year, and experiments show that higher carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are associated with protein losses of around 5%.

This study highlights the need for countries that are most at risk to actively monitor their populations nutritional sufficiency, and, more fundamentally, the need for countries to curb human-caused CO2 emissions, said Samuel Myers, a research scientist in the department of environmental health at Harvard University in the US.

He and colleagues report in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives that tests of crops grown under high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide show protein decreases of up to 15%.

The researchers then used available data to calculate the effect of such losses on overall protein intake which varies from region to region, according to the mix of crops, and other dietary supplements.

They assumed no change in animal protein, or in protein in nuts, and then they looked at the probable impact on human health in the coming decades, as humans continue to burn fossil fuels, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and raise planetary average temperatures.

Researchers have repeatedly warned that rising temperatures and particularly greater frequencies and intensities of heat waves, droughts and floods will threaten global food security: they will reduce fruit and vegetable yields, hit grain crop harvests and in particular affect wheat harvests in one of the most populous and poorest nations on the planet.

Ironically, other researchers have repeatedly demonstrated that a switch from a meat to a plant-based diet is likely to become more important than ever in combating climate change and reducing emissions from agriculture.

So protein deficiencies in crop yields could only make an already bad situation worse for the worlds poorest.

And there is a second challenge, this time of mineral deficiency. In another journal, Geohealth, Dr Myers and a different set of colleagues warn that higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are also associated with lower iron content in food crop staples.

More than 350 million children and more than a billion young women of child-bearing age already live in countries with high levels of anaemia: in a greenhouse world, these will face another 3.8% iron deficiency in their staple diet.

Strategies to maintain adequate diets need to focus on the most vulnerable countries and populations, and thought must be given to reducing vulnerability to nutrient deficiencies through supporting more diverse and nutritious diets, enriching the nutritional content of staple crops, and breeding crops less sensitive to these CO2 effects, Dr Myers said.

And, of course, we need to dramatically reduce global CO2 emissions as quickly as possible.

View post:
Nutrition Will Suffer as Global Warming Affects Diet - Truthdig

Read More..

A once-obese primate is about to be released back into the wilderness even if hes still a chunky monkey.

The beast, named Uncle Fatty, has been on a three-month-long diet, shrinking his girth from 59.5 pounds to 54.5 pounds an 8.4 percent weight loss, zookeepers in Bangkok said.

His tummy no longer drags on the ground, Natanon Panpetch, a veterinarian at the Wildlife Conservation Office, told the Southeast Asian news website Coconuts. He is in a perfect health and ready to be released. He has grown accustomed to the natural foods.

Uncle Fatty made worldwide headlines in May when he was found lounging around, barely able to move because of his weight.

He was taken to the Wildlife Conservation Office, where his calories were carefully counted.

New pictures of Uncle Fatty still show him with a gargantuan gut, though zookeepers said hes fit enough to be let out.

Since mid-May, Uncle Fatty has been on a steady diet of healthy fruits and vegetables.

Its a big change from the junk food, sugary drinks and sweet watermelons he had been fed by tourists.

The monkey on Thursday was taken back to a local facility in the beachside Bang Khun Thian district, where hell worked back into his natural habitat and rejoin his family within a week.

Natanon urged tourists, if they come upon Uncle Fatty, not to feed him any human food.

A macaque is supposed to eat crabs or clams in the mangrove. We do not recommend people feed the monkeys at all, Natanon said.

He [Uncle Fatty] does not know what food he should not eat. He eats whatever he finds delicious.

More:
Obese monkey that went on diet will be released into wild | New ... - New York Post

Read More..

Contact Us Today

Page 1,846«..1020..1,8451,8461,8471,848..1,8601,870..»

Home » Page 1846