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Home Heart Health Heart Attack and Stroke Understanding stroke rehabilitation: Exercise tips for stroke recovery

Stroke rehabilitation often involves exercises to improve post-stroke recovery. This is because many motor skills can become affected after a stroke, depending on what area of the brain is affected. For example, patients may need to redevelop their ability to walk or even use their hands.

Rehab is often conducted alongside a physiotherapist who will work closely with you to improve mobility. They may also provide you with exercises to complete at home in order to boost your abilities and ensure you become stronger more quickly.

Rehabilitation exercises are often repetitive in nature. This is because in order for the brain to rewire itself, these activities must be repeated over and over to teach the brain what to do. This process is known as neuroplasticity.

The type of rehabilitation you perform is based on a few different things, including stroke severity, the part of the brain that was affected, the impact of the stroke on your mind and body, your general health, and how long you are able to work on your recovery.

In stroke rehabilitation patients, walking on an underwater treadmill produces better exercise performance

Research has found that in stroke rehabilitation patients, walking on an underwater treadmill produces better exercise performance. Researcher Bo Ryun Kim explained, Aquatic treadmill exercise may be a useful option for early intensive aerobic exercise after subacute stroke, as it may both improve their aerobic capacity and maximize functional recovery.

The study included 21 patients recovering from stroke with some walking ability and impaired leg movement on one side.

The patients underwent a conventional treadmill test and an aquatic treadmill test, where the patient is submerged in water up to their chest. Gradual increases to speed and incline were completed until the patient could no longer continue. Exercise capacity was compared between the two tests.

Higher measurements were seen during the aquatic treadmill test in both maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), reflecting heart and lung function during exercise, and metabolic equivalents (METs), reflecting the use of energy. Heart rates were not that different between the two tests.

Even though the results showed harder performance during the aquatic treadmill test, patients did not feel as if they were working harder, which shows the aquatic treadmill exercise is a viable way to improve stroke recovery faster without the added strain.

The authors explained, The fact that the aquatic treadmill efficiently provides aerobic exercise without requiring full weight bearing means that it may be highly suitable for rehabilitation after stroke.

Although additional research is needed, the aquatic treadmill test looks promising for promoting more effective stroke rehabilitation.

Suffering from a stroke can leave you struggling with poor control and strength on one side of your body. By strengthening your core muscles, you are helping boost recovery speed of your extremities and the rest of the body. The following are some of the best core exercises for stroke patients.

Pelvic floor contractions: These are also known as Kegels, which help to strengthen the muscular base of the abdomen attached to the pelvis.

To perform this exercise, first, find the muscles that you use to hold urine or stop from passing gas. Squeeze those muscles by lifting and drawing in, then hold to the count of three. Now relax and repeat. Gradually increase the length of time you squeeze to gain the most from this exercise.

Knee rolling: Lay down on your back and rest your hands on your sides. Bend your knees with your feet flat on the ground. Now, roll your hips so that your knees push to the left, then to the right, then back to the center. Repeat this exercise 10 to 20 times.

Single leg drop-outs: Lay on the floor with your hips and feet flat but with your knees bent. By keeping your pelvis still, inhale and drop the knee to the left as far as possible without lifting your pelvis off the ground. Now exhale and draw the knee back in. Repeat this exercise five times per side.

One of the main struggles when recovering from a stroke is keeping your balance. Thankfully, with enough exercise, you can help strengthen the muscles involved in keeping you balanced. Since strokes affect the brain, it may weaken the messages sent from your ears, eyes, and muscles to help coordinate balance, so it is important to remember that residual balance problems may still occur. However, with perseverance, you can make the best out of a bad situation. The following are a few exercises to help improve balance:

Heel raises: First, find a study chair or countertop you can hold on to. When you are stable, raise yourself up onto your tiptoes, keeping your knees straight and holding your upper body tall. Now lower yourself back down slowly. Repeat as many times as you can.

Sidestepping: Use a sturdy counter or ledge to hold on to. Step sideways, keeping one foot planted on the ground with the other stepping over it. Do this for both sides.

Once you feel like you have gained a good sense of the exercises mentioned, the next step is to do them without the support of a ledge or counter. This may be difficult but will help improve your balance further.

Many people dont feel that stretching is an exercise, but it most definitely is, and it can help improve arms and hands during stroke rehabilitation. Stretching helps relieve muscle spasticity that can occur post-stroke.

With stretching as a foundation, range-of-motion exercises are also useful for the arms and hands.

Some basic movements you can complete are moving the arm to its full range of motion several times a day. This should feel like a slight pull or strain sensation, but comfortable enough that you arent causing injury.

When holding a stretch, you should feel slight discomfort, but no numbness, tingling, or serious pain. Stretches should be held for a minimum of 20 seconds, and you can gradually extend this time period as you progress in your rehabilitation.

Another type of exercise for arm and hand rehabilitation is known as functional exercise. This involves repeating the same task with your hand and arm over and over. Some specialists will recommend constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) to accompany this exercise.

CIMT involves restricting the use of your unaffected arm and only using your affected arm to perform tasks. This helps your brain relearn how to use that arm along with building strength in it again.

Some examples of CIMT include opening and closing a door several times, holding a grocery bag in the affected hand and carrying it around the house, pulling laundry out with the affected arm, moving light objects from one area to another, squeezing toothpaste, or turning a light switch on and off.

Strength training is also an option. One study of 517 stroke patients found that using small weights and resistance bands to strengthen arm and hand muscles did not increase spasticity or pain, making it safe for stroke rehab patients to perform for rebuilding muscle and strength.

If you havent exercised in a while, its important that you embark on physical activity carefully and make sure you have approval from your doctor. To begin, you will want to work with a physical therapist who can guide you with proper form and techniques in order to improve mobility and function and decrease pain and other uncomfortable sensations.

The key is to not become frustrated. Stroke rehabilitation can take some time, and as long as you work at it, you can gain back many functions that were temporarily lost after the stroke occurred. Staying positive and putting in the necessary work can have you feeling like yourself in no time.

Shoulder rolls: Simply roll your shoulders in large circular motions forward and backward, 20 times each direction

Torso twists: While in a stable seated position, twist your torso to the right while exhaling simultaneously. Grabbing on to the armrest of a chair will grant you more leverage to get a better twist, but do not go so far as to inflict pain on yourself. Repeat on the opposite side aswell, repeating this stretch three times for each side

Isometric hold: By holding out both arms, make two fists and place one on top of the other. Angle your fists 45 degrees towards your face with your arms bent at 90 degrees, and then use the top fist to push down on the lower one without moving your arms, providing a stretch felt in the biceps and triceps.

Trap shrugs: A muscle found on the back near your neck and shoulder area can be targeted from a seated position. First grab the edges of your chair and pull up making a shrugging motion, enough to feel a stretch in your back.

Seated triceps dips: While sitting, grab the chairs armrests and keep your elbows back. Now push yourself up extending both arms, then carefully let yourself back down.

A stroke may leave your feeling weakness in your shoulder muscles. This may present as having difficulty with grasping and releasing objects you interact with every day. Doing shoulder exercises can help mitigate this problem as best as possible. The following are some exercises you can do:

Towel slide: This requires a towel and a flat table. Fold or spread the towel on the table. Now place the weak arm or hand on the towel and place your strong hand on top. Apply enough pressure to keep your hands together. Use your hands to slide the towel away from you, towards the middle of the table and bring it back towards you. This motion helps to stretch the shoulder helping to strengthen it.

Towel slides: To expand on the previously mentioned exercise, you can incorporate a bigger range of motion by sliding the towel in a different direction. While staying in a similar position, in one and over the other, move your hands from side to side, in a circular motion, and up and down.

Walking is one of the most commonly lost ability after a stroke. While regaining this ability can be challenging it is still worth your effort to try. Walking requires more than just your leg muscles, as it includes balance as well. So it is advised to strengthen other aspects of stroke recovery first. The following are various leg exercises to help strengthen the leg muscles:

Bridging exercise: This is also known as the Inner Range Quade Movement, helping to strengthen the thigh muscles. This can be performed by laying down and placing a pillow or rolled towel under the knee joint. Next, press the knee down, raising your heel off the floor

Ski squats: This may be a little difficult for most people buy is a great exercise to strengthen leg muscles. To perform this lean against a flat wall with your back. Now slowly bend your knees and lower yourself to the ground using the wall to support your weight and you back. When in this bent position, hold it for 10 seconds if you can. Now slide back up using the wall as support.

Experiencing a stroke can be a difficult ordeal to overcome, with every case of stroke being different from patient to patient. Depending on the level of impairment, it is important to try your best depending on the extent of your circumstances. There are individuals out there who are able to give you assistance and a boost in morale, and can tailor an exercise program most appropriate for you.

No one in this world is exactly the same. Each of us have our own lives and experiences that shapes how we see the world. Your values and your lifestyle are your own and may be different from others and that is okay. It is important to stay true to yourself and set realistic goals for yourself based on what is important and meaningful for you.

Finding an activity that is interesting and taken from real life. If regaining the ability to walk is a priority, take the steps to improve leg strength and maybe use a cane to start with.

Try to use the affected body part more often during the day. If your arm is weak, use it more when doing tasks, and over time it will get stronger. Doing things a little at a time will help speed up recovery.

Frequency of repetition trains the mind and improves your skills. You can make a game out of it, tallying how many time you can do a task with your affected part, and then try to beat it.

Do things that you enjoy, as it will ensure that you keep doing them. There is no point in doing something if you are not having fun doing it.

Its best to do your exercises at home, as everything you need is at your fingertips in relative comfort. The typical home contains an assortment of potential stretching opportunities like walking up stairs and organizing small items.

Getting enough sleep plays a big role in solidifying memories and consolidating learning. It also gives you more energy throughout the day.

Staying active is key, and moment is closely related to exercise. No one is expecting you to be a star athlete. All you need to do is make an effort to stay moving and results will come. Participate in group exercise programs, games, or even sports. Staying active can improve memory, language, thinking, and judgment.

Giving yourself a reward after putting in great effort goes a long way to motivate you to keep going and achieve your goals.

Related:How to recover from a stroke quickly and naturally

Related Reading:

Thrombotic stroke, a type of ischemic stroke: Causes, symptoms, and treatment

Massive stroke: Signs, treatment, and recovery tips

http://strokerecoverybc.ca/newsletter/top-10-tips-hand-arm-exercise-stroke/ https://www.saebo.com/reclaim-your-stability-with-core-exercises-for-stroke-recovery/ https://www.flintrehab.com/2017/best-exercises-for-stroke-recovery/

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Understanding stroke rehabilitation: Exercise tips for stroke recovery - Bel Marra Health

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Whether youve decided to get in better shape as part of a New Years resolution, for summer bathing suit season or you just want to boost your normal routine, theres never a bad time to get fit and shed those last extra pounds. And odds are you want to lose weight fast.

But if youve ever tried losing weight, getting in shape, or simply leading a healthier lifestyle, you know that its not as easy as just changing your diet and squeezing in more workouts. Thats why Ive rounded up my favorite 49 ways to help you get healthy andfit.

From exercising for short bursts of time to making weekly menus to even having a cheat meal, these 49 workout, diet and lifestyle tips to lose weight fast will help you achieve your health and fitness goals.* Just remember, this is not onlyabout losing weight, but living a better healthier, happier life!

1. Schedule workouts

Pencil workouts into your daily planner the same way you do dinner with friends or that important business meeting. This will help hold you accountable. Itll also force you to choose a specific time to get your sweat on, making it more likely youll stick to it.

2.Break up workouts throughout the day

Cant carve out a full 30 minutes or an hour of exercise time in one go? Opt for shorter bouts of exercise throughout the day instead. The latest science suggests that several short exercise bursts provide the samehealth and fitness benefits as a similar amount of exercise done in one longer workout and, in some cases, reap even more rewards.

Try a quick cardio circuit in the morning, a brisk stroll during your lunch hour and an after-dinner strength session. Theres no need to do it all at once.

3. Dont let traveling derail your efforts

Being away from your normal routine doesnt mean your healthy efforts need fall to the wayside. Jog a few miles on the hotel gyms treadmill, scope out a local barre studio and pop in for a class, take a walking tour of the city, rent a bike and explore or even do a quick workout in your hotel room.

Try theseresistance bandexercises; they make for a quick workout, and a band takes up little space in your bag, making it perfect for when youre on the go.

4. Add variety to your routine

Keep your muscles guessing by cross training and trying different workouts or tweaking your usual routine. Youll work new muscles and beat boredom while tryingsomething new. Also, studies show that youre more likely to stick with your daily exercise routine if you switch up your workouts. Are you a CrossFit junkie? Stretch out at a yoga class. Is running more your style? Try addingsome speed intervals throughout your usual route.

5. But dont force yourself to do an activity you dislike

If you hate an activity, youre likely much less likely to stick with it. This doesnt mean shying away from activities that challenge you thats how your body changes! But if you dread swimming, theres no reason to force yourself into the pool five times a week. Working out shouldnt be a chore; it should be something you look forward to.

6. Do it on a budget

Its easy to think that getting in shape will be expensive, but it doesnt have to be. Aside from outdoor activities like walking, running andhiking, there are many other ways to get in a great workout without spending much money. Try a YouTube workout, check out low-cost community fitness centers or invest in a few quality exercise videos.

7. Crank up the music

Its been scientifically proven that listening to upbeat music during exercise helps you work harder and enjoy both the workout and the music more. Plus, it can help pass the time during a particularly intense part of your workout.

And its super easy! All you have to do is add your favorite fast-paced jams to a playlist and get moving.

8. Exercisewith a group

Not only do activities like group fitness exercises help hold you accountable to a specific time and place to work out, its also a great way to meet friends. After all, youre likely to start seeing and befriending class regulars. Classes also provide an opportunity to try something new in a safe, supportive environment.

If working out in a studio isnt your thing, check sites like Meetup to find local groups in sports youre interested in. From running groups to walking to lose weight to bike riding communities, theres probably a group interested in the same activities as you.

9. Start your day with a workout

If you constantly find that theres not enough time during the day to squeeze in a workout, it might be time to jumpstart yourday with one. Getting exercise in the morning has a variety of perks: Youll be energized throughout the day, unexpected time commitments wont jeopardize your fitness plans and youre more likely to make healthier choices.

And heres a bonus tip: Make setting the alarm clock early a bit easier by prepping your workout essentials the night before so you can grab and go.

10.Get results fast with burst training

Burst trainingisinterval training that combines short, high-intensity bursts of exercise with slow recovery phases. This method of exercise helps your body burn fat faster because your metabolism stays elevated for up to 48 hours after exercise. When youre short on time but want fastresults, its a super effective option to lose weight fast.

11. Skip the scale

When youre trying to lose weight, the scale can be deceiving. Thats because it doesnt take into account that you are probably adding muscle. So even though youre making progress, the number on your scale might not budge (or it couldeven go up), which can be defeating.

And while a pound of fat is still the same as a pound of muscle, because muscle is lean and smooth, you can be shedding inches while remaining the same weight. To get a more accurate depiction of how your body is changing, use body measurement tape instead to track your size and progress.

12. Incorporate weight lifting

Could lifting weightstruly be one of the fastest ways to lose weight? Savvy exercisers know that the best workouts dont include just cardio, but incorporate strength training as well.

Building muscle helps you lose inches all around, keeps your metabolism going after leaving the gym and will help you look better, too. Researchers even discovered that weight training could be more beneficial for reducing belly fat than aerobic exercise.

And ladies, dont stress weight lifting will not make you bulk up. So if youre looking to get that toned look, pick up those weights and make them a regular part of your routine.

13. Consider using a personal trainer

If youre at a total loss as to how to begin a fitness routine, have an injury or other health issues or simply want to learn how to maximize your gym time, considering investing in a personal trainer. They can help shape a fitness program to reach your goals while taking into account any special considerations.

A certified personal trainer can be a great way to kick-start your healthy lifestyle or help get you over a weight loss plateau. Scheduling one with a few friends can keep costs down, too.

14. Drink plenty of water

Often we think were hungry when our bodies are actually just begging for water. So itsimportant to drinkenough waterthroughout the day to stay hydrated.

Drinking water not only keeps fat toxins moving out of the body, it also keeps your metabolism running optimally. In fact, in a 2013 study showed14 healthy men and women increased their metabolic rate by 30 percent after drinkingabout 16 ounces of water!

And if thats not enough to convince you the worlds healthiest drink will help you lose weight fast, remember that itscalorie-free, too!

15. Pack your own snacks

It comes on suddenly: One minute youre feeling great and the next youre starving for a snack. Skip the vending machine and prepare your own healthy snacks to take to work, school or whenever youre out and about. From apple chips to an on-the-go healthysmoothie, packing your own snacks will help you lose weight fast while also giving you the nutrients you need without the icky preservatives from expensive, processed foods.

16. Increase your protein intake

Increasing your protein intake is a great way to lose weight fast and burn fat. And most people dont get nearly enough protein in their diet. If your goal is to lose weight, I would recommend consuminghalf your body weight in grams of protein a day (at the very least). For those seeking to burn fat and build muscle, aim to consume .7 to 1 gramperpound of body weight. For example, if you weight 150 pounds, you should be getting 75 to 150 grams of protein a day (depending on your goals). Checkout this list of these topprotein foods.

17. Eat grapefruit

New research is revealing that consuming grapefruit benefits weight loss in a major way. The key may be an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that is found in grapefruit. AMPK helps your body utilize sugar, which results in boosting your metabolism.

Additionally, nootkatone, a component found in grapefruit, has been shown to significantly increase fat-burning (AMPK) activity. So consider grapefruit a great vitamin C-rich snack and add grapefruit slices to a spinach salad or even into an immune boosting smoothie to help you lose weight fast.

18. Drink green tea

Drinking herbal teas such as matcha green tea, white tea, black tea and rooibos tea can amp up your metabolism. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, green tea is more effective than other teas like oolong at promoting weight loss because of its high levels of catechins. So if you want to lose weight fast, I recommend drinking 1-3 cups of green tea daily.

19. Get your fill of fiber

Foods high in fiber will help you feel fuller longer and help reduce sugar cravings. Also, fiber has been proven to balance blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and more. But chances are youre not consuming enough. The average person only gets 15-20 grams of fiber eachday when they should be getting 30-40 grams daily. Not sure if your favorite foods stack up? Check out my tophigh-fiber foods.

20. Eat 90 percent of your meals at home

Whether youre a novice or a pro in the kitchen, making your own snacks and meals will help you lose weight fast. By controlling what ingredients, fats and oils are in your food, youll be able to make healthy choices without sacrificing the food and flavors you love.

Start by committing to making one meal a day at home. As you get more comfortable in the kitchen, increase that number. Youll be surprised by the quality of dishes you can make right in your own kitchen. Get some of my favorite healthy recipes here.

21. Stock pile healthy snacks at home

See no evil, eat no evil. Its hard to resist temptation when it comes to foods so eliminate it instead! Keep your cabinets and refrigerator stocked with fresh, healthy snacksso theyrefront and center. One trick I love is washing fresh fruits and veggies as soon as I get home from the store and storing them in glass or nice bowls on the counter or refrigerator shelf. It keeps them visible so you rememberto eat them!

Plus, whenever I need a snack, theyre already prepped. To make it a little easier to start, here are sometips forhealthy eating on a budget. You can also take along my healing dietshopping listthe next time you hit the supermarket.

22. Make a menu

If youre constantly find yourself thinking, I have nothing to eat, or I dont know what to make, preparing a menu is for you. Choose your favorite recipes and decide what you want to serve for meals a week at a time. Write out the ingredients youll need and take that list with you when you shop. Youll have all the ingredients on hand to make nutritious meals for the week.

Bonus: Save money by choosing meals that use in-season produce and combining your meals with your local grocery stores sales flyer. And dont forget about leftovers! Use them to create new meals (for instance, make a stir-fry with leftover cooked meats and veggies) or have a weekly night where all the leftovers get put out and everyone in the family can eat their favorites again.

23. Slow down!

When you eat fast, its easy to overeat. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to register that itsfull. While you chew, your brain is processing that you are eating, and chewing releases enzymes for pre-digestion in your saliva to start the digestion process.

So begin mindful eating, chewing slowly and enjoying the flavor of your food! This also eases digestion and helps your brain to catch up with your body. If you have trouble eating slowly, try putting down your fork or spoon in between bites.

24. Let go of the grains

Even though grains have been promoted as healthy, consuming them is one of the fastest ways to pack on the pounds. Plus as you probably know by now, the gluten found in most grains can increase inflammation in yourbody and put a strain on your digestive system. And store-bought bread often has added high fructose corn syrup, sugar and preservatives.

Grains contain large amounts of carbohydrates, which break down into sugar thatyour body will store as fat. So my advice is to keep your grain consumption down to one serving or less daily. And when you do eat grains, eat only sprouted grains or quinoa, and load up on vegetables!

25. Dont shop on an empty stomach

Does this situation sound familiar? You have the best of intentions to fill the grocery cart with lots of produce and healthy protein. But halfway through your shopping trip, your stomach starts growling and all of a sudden those potato chips are looking a lot more appealing than normal. Well, its happened to us all. The best solution? Fill up before you go! When youre not fighting hunger pangs, its a lot easier to make healthy choices.

26. Make healthy swaps

Eating clean doesnt mean you have to give up your favorite foods. Instead, think of ways to healthify them yourself! Is dip your weakness? Try this spicy bean dip. Are Fridays your pizza night? Make a coconut crust pizza instead. I guarantee theyll be delicious, satisfy your cravings and help you feel great!

27. Dont supersize

No, Im not talking about fast foodin fact, please dont eat ANY fast food. But simply speaking, there are going to be times that you are in a situation where you are in a position to eat something that is usually off-the-menu for healthy eating. So, instead of binging on these foods, keep your goals in mind and nibble on smaller amounts.

Are you at a party with hors doeuvres and appetizers you just cant turn down?Decide youll eat just one type of bite-sized food and turn down the rest. Or, is your office having a pizza party and the smell of cheesy goodness is too hard to resist? Pick the slice loaded with veggies, enjoy and then turn away.

28. Add in some fat-burning herbs

Adding in some healthy herbs to your diet may be just what you need to lose weight fast! Studies have shown that herbs like cayenne pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and dandelion may all help promote weight loss. You can add a bit of cayenne pepper to season chicken or dips, use turmeric when making burgers or sprinkle it on a salad, put 1/2 teaspoonof cinnamon in your smoothie and drink a hot cup of dandelion tea in the morning for breakfast.

Believe me, this really works! Because the same serving of food looks like less food on larger plates, trick your brain into eating less by serving your main dish on salad-sized plates instead of dinner ones. I switched out all my large dinner plates with salad plates for a while. And it is amazing how a medium-sized plate of food felt more satisfying when I cleaned it. When you combine this with eating slower and more intentionally, you will enjoy your food more and eat less!

30. Do a cleanse or detox

Doing a short cleanse or detox is one of the best ways to lose weight fast. Whether it be a few days or weeks, doing something like a vegetable juice cleanse or the Daniel Diet is highly effective. Another simple way to cleanse is by starting to drink thisSecret Detox Drink.

31. Make a better breakfast

Start your day on the right foot and fuel your body with a hearty breakfast. Itll give you energy in those first few hours youre awake. Plus, since breakfast is the firstmeal of the day, youll have all day to burn those calories. Tired of the same old eggs and toast? Try some of these delicious breakfast recipes.

32. Go crazy for coconuts

When consumed as part of a low-carb diet, coconut is one of the best weight loss foods in the world today. Coconut contains MCFAs (medium-chain fatty acids) that your body can easily burn as fuel for energy.

To get more coconut into your diet, switch out the other oils in your home for coconut oil, add coconut milk into your morning smoothie, use coconut flakes to crust chicken tenders and drink coconut water to stay hydrated during your next workout.

33. Dont drink your calories

Creamy, foamy drinks might taste delicious, but they can have enough calories to serve as an entire meal and thats not even taking into account the amount of sugar and preservatives they contain. Make your own healthier versions instead. From pumpkin spice lattes to spiced hot apple cider, theres a nutritious alternative for most high-calorie beverages

34. Choose healthy fats

Not all fat is created equal. The fats found in foods likeavocados, nutsand dark chocolate are actually good for you and they taste delicious! Enjoy them on a regular basis to reap their health benefits but dont go overboard because they are calorie dense.

Read more:
49 Secrets on How to Lose Weight Fast - Dr. Axe | Health ...

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SARAH BERRY

Last updated08:16, June 19 2017

Low-calorie diets are notoriously difficult to maintain in the long-term. But they may be unnecessary.

Switching to a vegetarian diet can be twice as effective for weight-loss as counting calories, according to new research.

For the study, published in theJournal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine followed 74 participants with type 2 diabetes for six months.

READ MORE: *Vegan diet may let you lose a few kilos * 'Dramatic' weight-loss possible without counting calories *How four Kiwis changed their diets to save their lives

123RF

A vegetarian diet may be more effective at reducing muscle fat than low-calorie diets, especially for those with type 2 diabetes.

Half the group were assigned a vegetarian diet (60 per cent of energy from carbohydrates, 15 per cent protein, and 25 per cent fat) consisting of vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, and nuts, with one portion of low-fat yoghurt a day.

The other half were assigned aconventional low-calorie, anti-diabetes diet comprising of 50 per cent of energy from carbohydrates, 20 per cent protein, less than 30 per cent fat.

WILLIAM MEPPEM

A vegetarian diet may be more effective because it includes more fibre from plant foods.

After six months, the vegetarian group had lost an average of 6.2 kilograms compared with 3.2 kilograms in the conventional group.

The researchers also used magnetic resonance imaging to analyse the effect of the two diets on adipose fat in participants' thighs.

While both diets reduced subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin), only the vegetarian diet caused reductions in subfascial fat (on the surface of muscles) and saw a greater reduction in intramuscular fat (fat inside the muscles).

Excess subfascial and intramuscular fat is associated with insulin resistance and lowered glucose metabolism.

"Vegetarian diets proved to be the most effective diets for weight loss," said lead author, Dr Hana Kahleova.

"However, we also showed that a vegetarian diet is much more effective at reducing muscle fat, thus improving metabolism. This finding is important for people who are trying to lose weight, including those suffering from metabolic syndrome and/or type 2 diabetes. But it is also relevant to anyone who takes their weight management seriously and wants to stay lean and healthy."

Dr Joanna McMillan believes the vegetarian diet was more effective because it tends to include more fibre from plant foods.

"This helps to fill you up but also means the gut bugs have to help with nutrient retrieval," McMillan explained. "Potentially our gut bugs help us to stay lean or get fat depending on our individual microbiomes and usual diet."

Our genes may come into play as well, as another new study, published in the journalNature: Ecology and Evolution, found that the introduction of farming 10,000 years ago led to an increase in plant-based diets.

This dietary shift from the animal-based diet of hunter-gatherers resulted in genetic adaptations that helped vegetarians and their offspring to better metabolise plant-foods.

The plant-based gene variants regulate cholesterol levels and may provide protection against many inflammatory diseases, the researchers from Cornell University said.

"Although modern paleo advocates emphasise meat, in fact most hunter gatherer communities ate loads of plant food as well so the balance of foods is clearly key," McMillan said. "Although our genes can't change quickly, epigenetics allows us to adapt more quickly and the microbiome can adapt within a day. This is probably how humans have thrived on many different diets all over the world."

MOVING MEAT-FREE

For many meat-eaters, the concept of becoming completely vegetarian is inconceivable, however there are health and environmental benefits to having more meat-free days. A new free app, designed by Charles Darwin's great-grandson, Chris Darwin, challenges people to have one or more meat-free days each week, rewarding users, by "showing you how your meat-free days are improving your health and your world". According to the app, one meat-free day per year saves a tennis court of forest and saves 98 toilet flushes of water (based around water support for meat production).

-SMH

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Vegetarian diet twice as effective for weight-loss, new research shows - Stuff.co.nz

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If there's one woman who knows how to get in shape, it's Jillian Michaels. She spent years as a trainer on The Biggest Loser, and has built a brand around helping others lose weight, most recently with her self-titled Jillian Michaels app. Moral of the story, when she talks, we listen.

Woman's Health recently interviewed Michaels and asked her to share her advice for losing weight the healthy way. Her top tip is pretty standard advice, but also offers a totally new way of looking at things: Michaels says to lose weight, you have to think of your body like a car.

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Many people make the mistake of eating right OR exercising, but often fail to really commit to both. Think of it this way: if you're not doing either, you're in reverse and are likely gaining weight. If you're doing just one, you can get stuck in neutral, or will lose weight very, very slowly. If you're doing both, you're in drive, and the weight will come off at a steady pace.

Her advice is a solid way to put weight loss into perspective, and an easy mantra to remember if you're looking to shed some pounds.

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Jillian Michaels' Top Weight Loss Tip Is Super Easy To Follow - Delish.com

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We've all heard the promises: 10 or more pounds of weight loss in just a week or two, simply by going on the latest and greatest diet.

But healthy weight loss doesn't come via a miracle diet it comes with healthy eating, regular exercise and making small lifestyle changes that can be adopted for the long term, health experts said.

Here are four diets that may seem to work, but don't hold their heft for lasting weight loss :

1. The Dukan Diet

"The Dukan Diet" book was released today (April 19) in the United States, and is already a fad-diet phenomenon in France. The diet was devised by French doctor and nutritionist Pierre Dukan and includes four phases.

The first phase allows dieters to eat unlimited protein, the second phase allows dieters to eat protein and vegetables, the third phase lets dieters add starches, fruit, cheese and bread, and the fourth phase allows dieters anything they want, so long as they take the stairs whenever possible, set aside one day of the week as a protein-only day and eat three teaspoons of oat bran a day. Dieters are encouraged to limit intake of carbohydrates throughout the diet.

The bulk of the American diet is carbohydrates, said David Levitsky, professor of psychology and nutritional sciences at Cornell University in New York. Because they make up so much of the typical meal, it's easy to cut out carbs and reduce calorie intake.

Why the effects won't last: By cutting out carbs, a person is really losing water weight, not fat, Levitsky said. Reducing carbohydrates decreases sodium, which leads to an increase in water loss. Water loss is most evident in the face, which can make weight loss appear greater than it actually is, he said.

2. The 17 Day Diet

"The 17 Day Diet " book (Free Press, 2011) was written by California family practice physician Dr. Michael Moreno, and touts a four-stage weight loss plan that involves low carbohydrate intake.

With each 17-day stage, dieters must vary their intake of carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and protein. Dieters are also encouraged to substitute healthy ingredients for unhealthy ones, such as mustard for mayonnaise, and can't eat certain fruits and carbohydrates after 2 p.m. Dieters must also walk for 17 minutes a day.

Like the Dukan Diet, this diet involves cutting back on carbohydrates, thereby reducing the amount a person eats in a typical meal.

Why the effects won't last: Nutrition experts say the healthy ingredient swaps are examples of small diet changes that can pay off for long-term weight loss. But other aspects such as the 17-day cycles and the rule about no fruit or carbohydrates after 2 p.m. serve no purpose for weight loss and are just "gimmicks," Levitsky said.

3. The Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet, devised by Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1970s, is one of the most popular low-carb, high-protein fad diets on the market, and claims to help people lose up to 15 pounds in the first two weeks of the diet.

Atkins works by limiting dieters' carbohydrate intake and upping fiber intake, so that the body burns fat instead of carbohydrates. It includes four phases; the first phase has dieters limit carbohydrate intake but encourages liberal consumption of protein-rich meat and fish, eggs, cheese, salad vegetables, butter and oil. With each phase, dieters add in more carbohydrates until they find the balance where they are no longer gaining weight from their diet.

Why the effects won't last: Like other low-carb diets, water loss accounts for much of the weight loss at the beginning of the diet.

Healthy weight loss takes time and should not be drastic, said Stella Volpe, a registered dietitian and professor and chairwoman of the Department of Nutrition Sciences at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

"People need to come to terms with that if they're going to do it right, it will take time," Volpe told MyHealthNewsDaily. "So they might be frustrated, but really one to two pounds a week will mean that they're losing more fat, less muscle and less water."

4. The HCG Diet

The HCG diet involves a combination of calorie restriction consuming anywhere from 500 to 800 calories a day, which is about a quarter to a half of the recommended daily calorie intake and supplementation with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone that is produced during pregnancy. HCG can be injected into the body or taken via a pill supplement.

HCG is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for weight loss purposes, but is approved to treat fertility problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Why the effects won't last: Weight loss comes when a person minimizes the amount of calories he or she eats and that's likely why people lose weight on this diet, the Mayo Clinic said. However, it's hard to maintain that low of a calorie intake over the long term, not to mention it's hard to get the necessary nutrition from that small amount of food to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The HCG hormone itself isn't likely to have any effect on weight loss, research shows. Authors of a 1995 study, published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, reviewed the results of 24 studies on HCG and weight loss and found that HCG did not help to combat obesity, did not curb appetite or promote feelings of well-being and did not spur weight loss or fat distribution.

Pass it on: For lasting weight loss, nix the Dukan Diet, Atkins Diet, 17 Day Diet and HCG diet. Instead, opt for healthy eating, small changes and exercise, experts say.

Follow MyHealthNewsDaily staff writer Amanda Chan on Twitter @AmandaLChan.

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4 Fad Diets That Don't Really Work - livescience.com

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WESTFORD -- Allen Campbell looked out over the sea of smiling students at Nashoba Valley Technical High School's graduation, certain there was at least one among them feeling the way he did when he was that age: alone, hopeless, despairing.

And then he recounted his story: how he went from Nashoba Tech's culinary arts program to college to the restaurant world, how he struggled with depression and addiction, how he got sober and became interested in a sustainable plant-based diet, how his ideas landed him as the personal chef for a certain New England Patriots quarterback.

"I wanted to reach out to that person in the crowd feeling like I was and let them know, 'You have a shot at this,'" Campbell recounted last week. "This school really gave me a foundation to stand on."

Now 36, Campbell has co-authored the "TB12 Nutrition Manual" with Tom Brady, will deliver a TEDx Talk this month and will release another cookbook with Julie Loria, owner of the Miami Marlins, later this year.

And that whole journey, he said, started out in the kitchen at Nashoba Tech.

Born in Somerville, Campbell grew up in Chelmsford and started at Nashoba Tech as a freshman. Steve Whiting, the school's now-retired culinary arts instructor, said Campbell was "a serious kid" at first who began to develop a passion in the kitchen.

"The more he got excited about cooking, the more I got excited about cooking," Whiting said.

Whiting played an important role in the budding student's journey.

"I was so distant," Campbell recalled. "I had a very thick wall around me and I was not letting anybody in. He just saw through it. He was one of those teachers that saw through it. Some people are born to be teachers and born to help kids. I think he was one of them."

After graduating, Campbell went through Newbury College and then began working in Boston. But he was suffering from addiction and depression, and he was experiencing health problems, so he could not hold down a job in a kitchen.

He got sober in rehab, and then moved to Miami where "everything started to transform."

Campbell began exploring side work as a personal chef -- just for a few friends at first -- and became interested in developing a healthier, plant-based diet, focusing on "healing with food." He soon turned down a restaurant job so he could devote himself full-time to fleshing out his new cooking philosophy.

"I could not find a restaurant or hotel in Miami that was cooking the kind of food I wanted to cook," he said.

After spending some time building his reputation, a confluence of events landed Campbell in talks with model Gisele Bundchen, who is Brady's wife, and the quarterback. Because of a shared interest in healthy cooking, Campbell said, "it was love at first sight."

The duo asked Campbell to move back to New England to become their family's personal chef. For two and a half years, he would visit their home a few times a day, prepare meals and offer diet suggestions.

Last year, he helped Brady compile 89 recipes for the cookbook, focusing on seasonal ingredients and emphasizing plants whenever possible.

"It was incredible," Campbell said. "It was all based on this philosophy that I created."

Campbell left his job as Brady and Bundchen's chef in April 2016, looking again to branch out on his own further. He does consulting work about his diet and speaking arrangements about his journey, and he said he will deliver a TEDx talk this summer.

Later this year, Campbell's second cookbook contribution will be released. He said Loria, who owns the Marlins along with her husband Jeffrey, contacted him after reading some of his writing about the diet.

Loria did interviews with 20 Major League Baseball players, asking their favorite meals and how they shape their diets during the season. Based on that information, Campbell came up with 125 recipes ranging from dinners to smoothies.The book does not yet have a name, but Campbell said they signed a deal last week for it to come out later this year.

Despite his journeys around the country and his work with high-profile celebrities, Campbell never forgot his roots at Nashoba Tech. He kept in touch with Whiting, calling him at least once a year to catch up or stopping by the school whenever he was in town.

"I couldn't be more proud of Allen," Whiting said. "The fact that he's kept a relationship with me as far as a friend goes, not just as a mentor, but hearing how he's doing, really warms my heart, to be honest with you."

Campbell used his graduation address on June 3 to praise Whiting, the man who had been an encouraging paternal figure for so long.

"Some people are born to be teachers and born to help kids," Campbell said in an interview. "I think he was one of them."

Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisLisinski.

Brady's playbook

* 80 percent vegetables and whole grains, and 20 percent fish and lean meats, such as some steak and duck.

* No sugar or white flour.

* No nightshade fruits and vegetables, (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes).

* No MSG, iodized salt, coffee, or dairy.

Wife Gisele Bndchen, follows the same diet, though their two children eat a less-restrictive version.

Some nutritionists have questioned whether the diet has real health benefits.

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Chelmsford native helped develop QB's diet plan - Lowell Sun Online - Lowell Sun

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Enlarge / Royal graves at the site of Yinxu.

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During the final two centuries of the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE) in China, thousands of people were sacrificed at the state capital Yinxu. Some were dispatched with great fanfare, buried with rich grave goods, while others appearto have been sacrificed with extreme prejudice and mutilated after death. Now, a new study sheds some light on these victims. Simon Frasier University bioarchaeologist Christina Cheung and her colleagues reconstructed these ancient peoples' lives by discovering what they ate and when, based on chemical signatures left in their bones.

Human sacrifice was a common ritual among the peoples of almost every ancient civilization, from China and Europe, to Mesopotamia and the Americas. Though archaeologists have analyzed the graves of these sacrifices, they have many questions about the victims' lives. Were they revered and celebrated before death, or outcasts? Were they prisoners from far away, or were they the sons and daughters of their executioners?

Cheung and her team answered a number of these questions with a chemical analysis of the bones of 68 sacrificial victims at Yinxu, which werecomparedwith the bones of 39 locals. All of the victims were male, and most were young.

Sacrifices were buried in the royal cemetery across the Huan River from the palace. Archaeologists have been excavating at this site for almost a century, uncovering over 3,000 sacrificial victims who appear to have been dispatched in groups of 50 to 350 at a time. In a recent paper for Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Cheung and colleagues describe two distinct types of sacrificial victim.

In Shang, China, there were two main types of human sacrifice: rensheng () and renxun (). Rensheng literally means "human offerings," and these victims were often buried in large groups, mutilated, and with little to no grave goods. Renxun can be loosely translated as "human companions." They were often buried with elaborate grave goods, individual coffins, and even their own rensheng.

Archaeologists typically find rensheng in mass graves that they divide into "skull pits," "headless pits," and "mutilated pits." As you might guess, these are pits full of skulls, decapitated bodies, and partial bodies, respectively. Unfortunately it's often hard to tell the difference between rensheng and renxun because there's been so much looting and excavation at Yinxu. The practice of mutilating the bodies also makes it difficult for scientists to match skulls with bodies, so they relied entirely on skeletons (headless or otherwise) to identify individuals.

Map of the royal cemetery showing locations of royal tombs and sacrificial ground. Solid black enclosures are royal tombs and open rectangles are sacrificial pits. Red markers show locations of three sets of samples analyzed in this study.

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology

Knowing what people ate reveals a lot about who they were and where they lived. Cheung and her colleagues analyzed carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotopes in the bone collagen from each person. These isotopes give hints about the kinds of vegetables and proteins they ate, as well as where they drank water. By combining all three readings, scientists can get a unique signature that tells them where and what a person ate over an extended period of time.

The most interesting part is that different bones reveal diet and location for varied periods of time. The researchers explain:

As bone collagen turns over slowly, the carbon and nitrogen isotope values measured in bone collagen reflect the long-term averages of diet over an individuals lifetime. Small bones or those consisting mostly of trabecular bone, such as ribs, turn over faster than larger, denser bones such as femora. The general consensus is that rib turnover occurs at approximately 35year intervals, while adult femoral collagen almost never turn over completely... The differing turnover rates in different skeletal elements have enabled archaeologists to look for evidence of migration in the form of drastically changing diets over an individuals lifetime.

Cheung and colleagues analyzed two bones from each individual, looking for these longer-term signatures and shorter-term ones. What they found was that the human sacrifices were clearly not locals. Isotopic signatures in their larger bones were dramatically different from those of local people, so they had grown up in another region, eating different foods. At the same time, many of the sacrifices had similar sulfur readings, indicating that they may have come from the same region, perhaps from the same state or nation.

Smaller bones from the sacrifices show that their diets changed quite a bit in the last few years of their life, coming to resemble the diets of locals. That said, they were not eating as well as their neighbors. Their meals contained lot of millet and very little animal protein. Indeed, nitrogen isotope readings show their diets contained less meat protein than even the poorest local people. That suggests they were treated as the lowest members of the community.

Anthropologists have a long-running debate about whether these people were prisoners or actually worked as slaves in the city that surrounded the palace. Obviously we can't know this based on their diets, but it does seem unlikely that the people of Yinxu would have kept these prisoners around for years without making them work. So they probably did some labor, nourished on a diet of gruel and a few bites of deer meat.

These findings fit what we know from written records from Shang Dynasty, which suggest that human sacrifices weren't made simply wheneverprisoners were captured. Instead, there seems to have been a pool of potential sacrifices that nobles could draw upon on request. Cheung and her colleagues explain:

The early Shang scholar Yang reported that on more than one occasion, Shang nobles and vassals had to ask for the kings permission to offer captives to the king for sacrifice, and only after consulting an oracle would the king demand a specific date for the delivery of such captives. Yang thus argued that war captives were offered for sacrifice upon request, not upon availability.

Shang Dynasty writings also say that human sacrifices were prisoners of war. Many records mention sacrificing people from a group called Qiang, though researchers are uncertain whether this was a specific group or just referred to all enemies west of Yinxu. Regardless of who the Qiang were, there is a remarkable homogeneity to the chemical signatures in the bones of Yinxu sacrifices the researchers examined. They were clearly from the same general region.

We can't say for sure what was happening in Yinxu that made human sacrifice seem appealing. Were these early leaders of China trying to build a new state, based on their ruthless strength? Or were they worried that their control was slipping, and offering sacrifices to regain an earlier greatness?

All we know is that the Shang Dynasty kept a prison full of outcasts readily available, so that at any time the public could be witness to the public sacrifices of people their leaders called foes.

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaa.2017.05.006

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The human sacrifice diet - Ars Technica

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Montreal Gazette

Opinion: Losing weight, increasing fitness in old age Montreal Gazette He asked me why all my articles were aimed at those youngsters in the 60+ crowd and why I don't focus on people like him, 87 years old and going strong, who want to lose a little weight and stay healthy. ... Also, people can de-condition quickly. If ...

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A judge in Belgium has convicted the parents of a seven-month-old boy who died of malnutrition after he was fed a vegan diet.

The boys parents were sentenced to a suspended six-month prison sentence Wednesday for "unintentionally" causing the child's death.

The boy, identified in court documents as Lucas, weighed just nine pounds at the time of his death in 2014. Reports indicate the boys organs had shrunk to half their normal size, and had no fat surrounding them.

The Lucas parents run a health food store in the town of Beveren, and fed him a diet of milk made from made from oats, buckwheat, rice and quinoa.

The attorney representing Lucas parents argued in court that his mother was unable to breastfeed, and that Lucas would not drink traditional formula. At that point, the parents assumed that Lucas had either a lactose or gluten allergy.

Lucas father said in court that he never took the boy to the doctor because he never noticed anything unusual," but prosecutors claimed that the parents drove the boy to a homeopathic when they noticed that he was sick.

The parents can still appeal the sentence.

Lucas parents arent the only ones to face legal trouble after putting their infant children on a vegan diet. According to Broadly, an Italian father took his childs mother to court after she forced her children to eat vegan in May 2015, and two other parents lost custody of their child in 2014 after forcing the child to eat vegan.

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NEW YORKThe days of Michael Phelps wolfing down food to keep up with his rigorous swimming training are gone.

But he still wants to clear up something about his diet. During a Q&A session at an event for Krave Jerkyat Manhattans Chelsea Piers, Phelps talked about his eating habits and mentioned the legendary 12,000-calorie diet in scare quotes before going into what he meant:

Dont believe everything you read. The stories were just ridiculous. I was probably eating anywhere between like 8 to 10 [thousand] probably at my peak where I was really growing. Still, it became a job.

This is a fantastic quote for a lot of reasons. First, it was myth-busting that he ate up to 12,000 calories a day.

But second, and its hilarious,he was still eating anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 calories anyway!!!!!

Thats still SO. MUCH. FOOD.

I did a little searching and found this breakdown on Active.com of what cyclists eat to ingest 8,000 calories. It included what that many calories looks like in a hypothetical diet:

22 eggs for breakfast

3 cereal bars

14 20 oz. bottles of sports drink

4 cups of rice

2 cups of granola with fruit

8 chicken breasts

4 bananas

Thats how much youd have to eat to get to 8,000. So although it turns out that Phelps didnt house 12,000 a day, he was still scarfing down tons.

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Michael Phelps reveals his 12000-calorie diet was a myth, but he still ate so much food - For The Win

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