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Veganism an option for young families, but make sure kids take their vitamins Miami Herald Veganism is a life choice made by some families that should be as respected as other diets like halal and kosher. It is important for vegan parents to seek out information and work hard to provide carefully planned, well-balanced, nutrient-rich diets ... and more »

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Veganism an option for young families, but make sure kids take their vitamins - Miami Herald

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Weight-Loss Win is an original Yahoo series that shares the inspiring stories of people who have shed pounds healthfully.

Mike Harrington is 46 and weighs 194 pounds. In 2014, after experiencing the death of his father and suffering with obesity for many years, he turned his health around by embracing a new lifestyle of mindful eating and physical fitness. This is his weight-loss story.

The Turning Point

I began to struggle with my weight in my early twenties. The pressures of going to college and trying to raise a family were challengingand compounded by my negative self-image, which caused me to turn to food for comfort.

I had attempted to lose weight many times over the years. What was different about my approach this last time was my long-term health mindset as opposed to merely losing the weight.

There were many factors which contributed to my turning point, as so many aspects of my life were being significantly impacted by my weight. Some of the key points were:

Losing my dad due to his poor health habits I was in the room with him when he slipped away and I saw regret in his eyes. He was just 63 years old. That moment was so devastating that I told my mom that we need to learn something from his poor health habits.

Difficulties wiping myself in the bathroom Humiliating as this is to admit, I strained my right shoulder desperately trying to reach behind myself.

Comorbidities Sleep apnea, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, GERD, fungal infections

Frequent thoughts of suicide I had lost my will to live. On one occasion I half-heartedly took a small handful of sleeping pills and washed it down with half a bottle of vodka. I woke up the next morning feeling stupid for what I had done. There were many nights I would go to bed wishing I would just have a heart attack in my sleep and not wake up.

Self-hate and shame Many people tell me that they had no idea I was unhappy or hated myself when I was morbidly obese. It was not merely the weight which caused me to feel this way, but my poor self-image as well.

The Changes

I knew that I had to get a handle around how much and what I was eating. This meant I needed to track my food. So I did some research and discovered an online tool and app called MyFitnessPal. I didnt really change what I ate right away, I just made sure to record every single thing that went into my mouth.

For exercise I initially used my Bodies In Motion 25 minute online aerobics videos five days a week. Eventually I incorporated walking and hiking into my plan.

As I ate healthier food and starting getting more physical activity, I began to feel better mentally. Many things kept me motivated, but the primary factor was a mental association I had created. I thought of my end goal as if I were going to win 10 million dollars. So each day I focused on that mental image, likening the feeling of no longer being obese with the feeling I would have if I won all of that money.

I made my plan public to enlist the support of others and hold myself accountable. I stopped identifying with obesity to reinforce that this wasnt a temporary change. I was willing to try new things and adapt. I was always looking for sustainable changes and always remembered that small changes can add up to big results.

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The After

In many ways my life has changed. Sometimes I forget that I can just go into any store and buy clothes off the rack. I still hesitate when I go to sit in one of those white resin outdoor chairs for fear that I will break it. When I slide into a booth at a restaurant I am still amazed by how much room I have and that I dont have to squish into it.

For the longest time I vacillated between being excited about my new life and being depressed about how I was going to maintain. There were so many stories coming out about people who lose all of their weight and gain it all back. I wasnt going to be that guy again.

Overall I think people treat me different now. I get the feeling that people respect me now more than when I was super morbidly obese. I definitely remember times when people would make disparaging comments about my weight and size. Sometimes I feel like I am invisible now that I dont stand out because of size. And some people who have known me for a long time seem to have negative reactions to my weight loss. What I discovered was that for some people my success was a reflection upon their inability to manage their own health.

I was surprised by how easy it was to lose the first 200 pounds compared to the last 10. Losing 200 pounds when you already weigh 400 pounds is much easier than me trying to skim off some of these remaining pounds now that I am near normal. I realized I had to stop chasing the scale. I was developing a new eating disorder, weighing myself several times a day, pushing my body to shed those remaining pounds. Eventually in my journey I met some people from Health At Every Size who taught me about emphasizing health instead of weight.

The Maintenance

Right now I am eating a mostly vegan/plant-based diet, but I am flexible. I try to eat clean 80-90% of the time, and I am learning not to stress about it. That wiggle room allows me to enjoy other things that may not be so good for me nutritionally. I dont eat a lot of sugar other than from fruit.

I dont believe in cheat days per se, nor being too rigid either. If I feel like eating something, I do. Deprivation leads to more issues, like resentment. Ironically when I gave myself the permission to eat what I wanted, I began to crave healthier foods more.

I like to plan ahead and set daily goals to keep me on track. My current exercise routine is:

I find that walking has many more benefits than the physical aspects. It has an amazing effect for improving your mental state.

Each day I think about the healthy choices I make. I am far from perfect, but I can say that today the choices I am making are far better than ever before in my life. I want to live a long life in the best health my body can be for my age.

The Struggles

One thing thing that I found challenging after losing weight was living a lifestyle much different from my wife. We had to have many discussions about the changes I was making in my life and how they would impact us. We have also learned to meet halfway on some of these things.

Today, I sometimes struggle with balance. It is hard to know how much eating clean and staying active is healthy versus overkill. At one time in my journey I was exercising in all of my free time because I was so afraid that I would slip back. I have learned the importance of getting more rest to allow my body to recuperate from the physical activity as well as making more time with family and friends. I no longer track all of my food intake nor weigh myself as I want to learn to manage those things on my own. The tracking served a purpose at the time and now I am free to enjoy a little more wiggle room in my daily life.

Advice

My number one piece of advice is dont focus on weight. Try to focus more on establishing a routine for improving and maintaining your overall health rather than what the scale says. During my journey I have learned that weight is not an accurate measurement of health.

You will likely feel discouraged, unmotivated, tired, and fail many times. The key is not avoiding failure, but how you deal with it. When you fail, try again. I made (and still make) many mistakes during my journey, but never gave up hope. Being healthy shouldnt be a chore nor does it mean you will be deprived. Youre going to discover new things about yourself, new foods, and new activities. It is imperative to believe in yourself.

And remember, stay awesome!

All photos courtesy Mike Harrington. Read more about Mike on hisblog.

Need more inspiration? Read about our other weight-loss winners! Weight-Loss Win is authored by Andie Mitchell, who underwent a transformative, 135-pound weight loss of her own.

Have a weight-loss win or beauty story to share? We want to hear it! Tell us at YStyleBeauty@yahoo.com.

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Mike Harrington Lost 209 Pounds: Sometimes I forget that I can just go into any store and buy clothes off the rack! - Yahoo Health

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I'm a Celebrity... Get me out of here! Tziporah Malkah eats dinner from under a bed sheet amid contestant clashes, saying "I don't like to look at toxic people when I eat." Courtesy: Channel 10

Casey Donovan has dropped a massive 17kgs since entering the Im a Celeb camp. Picture: Nigel Wright

MOST of us are well aware that weight loss is hard.

You can slave away at the gym and eat barely anything and lose a kilo at most.

So why was it that on Sunday nights episode of Im a Celebrity.....Get Me Out Of Here, Casey Donovan was able to lose a massive 17kg, Dane Swan dropped 14kg, and Steve Price shed more than 10kg while Ash Pollard and Tegan Martin only managed just a tiny few kilos off on the scale over the same time frame?

Here are some of the reasons for the weight loss outcome:

The more you have, the easier it is to lose

The body works like a machine when it comes to burning energy. This means the more body fat you have, the more likely it will be burnt as there is plenty of extra.

On the other hand, when you have relatively small amounts of extra body fat, the machine will work a lot more efficiently to preserve energy.

It is for this reason that larger people can lose seemingly massive amounts of weight compared to a few kilos for those who only have a little extra to spare even though they are following the same diet and activity regime.

Casey Donovan walked into the Im a Celeb camp weighing 149kg. She has since lost 17kgs. Picture: Nigel WrightSource:Channel 10

The more you have, the more fluid you have

The actual process of burning body fat is a demanding metabolic process, which means the body has to work pretty hard to do it. This is part of the reason that losing body fat is tough for anyone.

For people who carry a lot of extra body fat, and for whose cells are packed full of extra carbohydrate in the form of glycogen, the body will also be storing a significant amount of extra fluid.

Steve Price has dropped an impressive 10 kilos on Im a Celeb. Picture: Nigel Wright/Ten.Source:Supplied

Once carb and/or calorie intake is heavily reduced, such as on Im a Celebrity, where they consume an 800 calorie diet, the body will rapidly deplete its stores of carbohydrate and fluid, resulting in rapid weight loss. This will especially be the case for those who started with plenty of extra weight on board.

This is another reason that individuals on televisions shows such as The Biggest Loser can lose 6-8 kilos or even more in a single week much of it is actually fluid, not fat.

Severe calorie restriction leads to reduced metabolic rate

When it comes to cutting back on calories, it is impossible to keep cutting back and losing weight.

As the body requires a certain number of calories just to function, when the total calorie intake is significantly reduced, the metabolic rate will also reduce to work more efficiently at keeping the body working for fewer calories.

I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Here! contestants for 2017. Picture: Supplied/Nigel Wright for TenSource:Supplied

This is another reason why people may lose relatively larger amounts of weight initially but weight loss will reduce over time as metabolic rate reduces. This is also the reason why we do not necessarily lose the same amount of weight each week.

Men lose weight more easily than women

Generally speaking, men, even older non-athletic men, have significantly more muscle mass, the tissue that actually burns calories.

As such, men will always lose weight more quickly than women, when calories are reduced and /or activity levels increased, even though women may have more to lose.

Casey Donovans restricted diet while on the reality television show has lead her to shed 17kgs. Picture: Nigel WrightSource:Channel 10

The biological need for women to keep body fat with levels suitable for reproduction will also see women preserve much more body fat than men. This is why an older, 60 year old male can lose much more weight than a younger female.

Steve Price has dropped 10kg in the jungle. Picture: Supplied/Nigel Wright for Ten.Source:Supplied

Casey Donovan has dropped a whopping 17kg on Im a Celeb. Picture: Supplied/Nigel Wright for TenSource:Supplied

Muscle will be wasted

When calories are restricted, especially carbohydrates, both muscle and fat mass will be burnt down to be used as energy.

For a more muscular female, this explains why she is able to lose a lot more weight than a less muscular smaller female who only has extra body fat to lose.

Dane Swan, left, lost 14kg. Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Tegan Martin only dropped a few kilos each. Picture: Nigel WrightSource:Channel 10

Different people = different body types

When it comes to metabolism and weight loss, there is not a one size fits all model. Sure initially fatter people will lose more weight on a severe calorie restriction than less fat people, but over time the degree of leanness we can achieve is largely down to our bone mass, body fat set point and the way fat and muscle are distributed around the body.

Fit former AFL player Dane Swan dropped 14kgs. Picture: Nigel WrightSource:Channel 10

This can be seen from the range of body types and weight loss discrepancies in the contestants currently appearing on Im a Celebrity.

Basically, the small, lean people get a little leaner, while the larger muscly people maintain their larger frames with relatively small weight losses and the larger people and men lose the most weight.

That is genetics and biology, which we can manipulate but never actually change.

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Nutritionist reveals why some I'm a Celeb contestants lost more weight than others - NEWS.com.au

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One of these guys is famous and theyre both sweating (Image: AP)

Every dayyoull see another post about jumpstarting your metabolism. Maybe it will tell you to eator avoid certain foods, or maybe just to try a new exercise routine.

But few of these articles are backed by solid science. You cant give your metabolism a sudden jumpstart that turns you into a fat-burning, super lean fitness monster. You can, however, live a less shitty lifestyle that causes you to burn more energy more quickly. There arent quick fixes with immediate resultsthats why they call it changing your lifestyle.

The word metabolism just refers to all of the chemical reactions going on in your body at the same time, including digestion but also turning sugars into energy, building proteins, and doing the rest of the chemistry that keeps you alive. Your body combines all these processes to sustain itself and to maintain homeostasis: a constant state of fuel in, energy and waste out, keeping the proper levels of the chemicals you need in check.

Those googling the word metabolism are likely interested in losing weight or living a healthier lifestyle, and therefore focusing on the chemical reactions involved in digestion and eating. When it comes those parts of metabolism, homeostasis means: If it takes 1500 calories to run your body on a given day and do some exercise, your body wants to keep that 1500 level, Jo Zimmerman, Instructor in Kinesiology at the University of Maryland School of Public Health explained to Gizmodo. Sure, the rate at which your body uses fuel to create energy increases while you eat or exercise, but it returns back to normal once youre back at rest.

In other words, your body doesnt want to change its weight. Its remarkably stable, Zimmerman said.

That means most foods dont cause a meaningful change in your metabolic rate, nor does that rate generally change over time. One exception: Once youre fully grown your body uses less energy, Sarah Kuzmiak-Glancy, assistant professor in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland School of Public Health told Gizmodo. But that decrease in your daily energy requirement doesnt explain the slow weight gain people might associate with getting older. That comes from inactivity.

People say oh, my metabolism slowed down as soon as I hit 30. No, it didnt slow down a whole lot, said Zimmerman. Your activity level slowed down. You werent in college, playings sports after work with your friends, said Zimmerman. We slow down our physical activity. Were not burning as many calories. Thats our creeping weight gain.

So, here you are, out of college hoping to jumpstart your metabolism, trying to avoid packing on the pounds because youve reached your final adult height and dont have time to stay active. Everyone I spoke with said there were two ways to appreciably raise your metabolic rate: Either you can eat food, which causes your body to start using energy, or you can exercise. Caffeine and maybe even capsaicin, the molecule that makes peppers taste spicy, can make your body use up energy a little faster for a short amount of time, said Shawn Arent, Director of The New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health Center for Health and Human Performance at Rutgers University. Youre not talking 24 hour regulation, he said. Theres not a huge change in metabolic responsemaybe its dozens, not hundreds of calories more energy used. Capsaicins effects might also come from suppressing the appetite, causing you to eat less, according to a New York Times report.

Ephedrine-based weight loss drugs work similarly to caffeine since ephedrine is a stimulant with a molecular structure a lot like methamphetamine. Ephedrine only offers a handful of pounds per year worth of lost weight from the added effects of a little faster metabolism, said Arent.

And, just because eating speeds up the rate at which your body does stuff doesnt mean eating breakfast, a major claim of many of those metabolism jumpstart links above, will suddenly turn you into a slim and trim health fiend. Theres nothing magical about breakfast, said Zimmerman. She pointed out that insidious homeostasis keeps your metabolism in check throughout the day when you arent eating, insidious in that your body would rather not lose weight. You should still eat breakfast, but not with weight loss as a goal. It just so happens that eating meals gives you the energy you need to survive.

So, there are no metabolism jumpstarts. Everyone I spoke to explained that if your goal is losing weight, its a slow process requiring lifestyle and habit changeseating less, eating healthier and exercising more. Assuming youre currently at a state of energy-in-equals-energy-out, Glancy recommended for one pound per week of weight loss, you would have to cut your diet down by 500 calories every day. I always promote 250 calories of caloric restriction, not eating dessert, and 250 calories of additional activity. High protein diets seem to positively affect body composition according a few studies by Jose Antonio, assistant professor in exercise and sports science at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, though the companies donating protein powder to those studies are also sponsors to the journals conferenceso we take the results with a grain of salt. Finally, complete restriction diets dont work for anyone. You must eat.

Cutting some food out of your diet without adding some form of exercise also isnt optimal. While adding muscle wont significantly raise the metabolism, said Arent, If youre losing weight and lose muscle it has a negative impact on the metabolism, he said. That means strength training like weightlifting is important for maintaining a lower weight. Losing muscle weight can make it more likely to regain fat later.

Glancy added one caveat, citing a study I reported on previously. We dont completely know how the gut microbiome, all of the bacteria that live inside of our digestive tract, fits in with all of this, she said. Its possible that our long term eating habits might change the diversity of the bacteria living in our gut, and we might be able to change the way those bacteria aid in our digestion. It seems like that might be a possibility, she said, but were not there yet in our understanding of how microbiome composition relates to function. Plus, the diet thats best for those bacteria is probably one with more vegetables and fewer refined sugars, the one doctors and nutritionists would recommend anyway.

In short, people make money from selling supplements, they make money from convincing you youre fat, and they make money telling you that there are ways to not be fat by buying their product or listening to their advice. But if youre living unhealthily, there arent jumpstarts or quick fixes to a healthy lifestyle. You have to actually change your habits.

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There's No Easy Way to 'Jumpstart Your Metabolism' - Gizmodo

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News & Observer

Need to lose weight safely? Win a copy of 'The Mayo Clinic Diet' News & Observer The second edition of the bestselling book The Mayo Clinic Diet (Mayo Clinic, $27.99) is a revised and updated guide to a healthy and safe way to lose weight and keep it off. This is the first diet developed exclusively by the Mayo Clinic, and it ...

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Need to lose weight safely? Win a copy of 'The Mayo Clinic Diet' - News & Observer

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Q:About a year ago I joined an exercise class in hopes of losing some weight. I enjoyed the socialization aspect but didn't notice a lot of results. Now I am discouraged and not feeling very motivated. My doctor keeps stressing how important it is for me to stay active and try to trim down. This made sense when I was a younger adult but now that my 70th birthday is looming does it really matter as much?

A:No matter your health, physical abilities and age you can gain a lot by staying active. There are many benefits from physical activity: it maintains and improves your physical strength and fitness, improves your ability to do the everyday things you want to do, improves your balance, manages and improves diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Additionally it reduces feelings of depression and may improve mood and overall well-being.

If you feel out of shape but want to remain physically active, the key to success is to build up slowly from your current fitness level, according to the National Institute On Aging. The place to start is to determine your fitness level. Begin by asking these questions:

* How much time do you spend sitting?

* How much time and how often are you active?

* When youre active, what kinds of activities are you doing?

Test your upper-body strength by how many arm curls you can do safely in two minutes. Test your lower-body strength by how many times you can stand from a seated position safety in two minutes. Test your balance by seeing how long you can safely stand on one foot. (Stand next to something sturdy that you can hold onto if you lose your balance.) Test your flexibility by sitting toward the front of a sturdy chair, and stretching one leg straight out in front of you with your heel on the floor and your toes pointing up. Bend the other leg and place your foot flat on the floor. Slowly bend from your hips and reach as far as you can toward the toes of your outstretched foot. How far can you reach before you feel a stretch?

Write down your results. If these exercises were hard to do, just do whats comfortable and slowly build up. If they were easy, you know your level of fitness is higher. You can be more ambitious and challenge yourself. You can do these simple fitness tests once a month, and measure your progress at each session.

Muscle soreness lasting a few days and slight fatigue are normal after doing muscle-building exercises, at least at first. After doing these exercises for a few weeks, hopefully you won't be sore after your workout. For some exercises, you may want to start alternating arms and work your way up to using both arms at the same time. Breathe out as you lift or push, and breathe in as you relax. Dont hold your breath during strength exercises. Holding your breath while straining can cause changes in blood pressure. Breathe in slowly through your nose and breathe out slowly through your mouth. Talk with your doctor if you are unsure about doing a particular exercise, especially if youve had hip or back surgery.

Safety during exercises is always important, Walk during the day or in well-lit areas at night, and be aware of your surroundings. To prevent injuries, be sure to use safety equipment. If you are exercising outdoors, dress in layers so you can add or remove clothes if you get cold or hot. Drink plenty of liquids when doing any activity that makes you sweat. Before and after you exercise, do a little light activity to warm up and cool down.

Each year, more than 2 million older Americans go to the emergency room because of fall-related injuries. You can learn exercises that will improve your balance and make you steadier on your feet. You can see pictures and short videos of any of these exercises, plus get more fitness tips online at National Institute On Aging https://go4life.nia.nih.gov/exercises.

Are you struggling caring for an older adult or having difficulty locating resources? Our experienced staff are available for no cost consultations in the home, office or community. For additional information or to schedule an appointment call 1-800-892-0890. Do you have a question? We encourage inquiries and comments from our readers. Direct correspondence to ageinfo@esmv.org or Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc. AgeInfo Department, 280 Merrimack Street, Suite 400, Lawrence, MA 01843. Rosanne DiStefano is the Executive Director of Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc.

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Simple exercises can help elders stay fit - Eagle-Tribune

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When you mention the Dalai Lama's name in the street in America, "you can see how widely he's revered," John Oliver said on Sunday's Last Week Tonight. But when you press Americans, nobody seems sure what the Dalai Lama does, or even what religion he represents. The Chinese government knows, but "instead of vaguely loving the Dalai Lama, they specifically hate him," Oliver said. That's because of Tibet, a Chinese-controlled territory that's probably much larger than you think, and also "a gross human rights violation."

"China is unlikely to loosen its grip on the region Tibet has incredibly rich resources," Oliver said. And so the Dalai Lama is a thorn in its side. Traditionally, the Dalai Lama is both political and spiritual leader of Tibet, though this Dalai Lama ceded control of the Tibetan government-in-exile in 2011. "Here is where this story gets absolutely amazing," Oliver said. "Broadly speaking, when the Dalai Lama dies, he reincarnates as a child somewhere on Earth. And traditionally, a key person in the process of finding him is someone called the Panchen Lama. And when the Panchen Lama dies, the Dalai Lama plays a similar role in finding him," a process Oliver likened to "a Buddhist version of hide-and-seek."

But China kidnapped the 6-year-old Panchen Lama the Dalai Lama found 20 years ago, and nobody has seen him since. And while Beijing swears the real Panchen Lama is doing just fine and doesn't want to be disturbed, "they had another trick up their sleeve," too, Oliver said: "They made their own Panchen Lama they basically counterfeited a religious leader like a knockoff handbag." The Chinese goal is obvious control who is named the next Dalai Lama but the Dalai Lama isn't playing along, saying he either won't reincarnate or will do so outside Chinese-controlled territory.

"That means that when he dies, we could plausibly wind up with two rival Dalai Lamas, and the already fraught situation in Tibet could spiral out of control," Oliver said. "There is really only one person who can fill you in on what is happening inside the Dalai Lama's head, but he lives in India, and that is a 14-hour flight away and the reason I know that is I went to speak with the Dalai Lama in India." Watch the interview, and cringe at Oliver's parting gift, in the occasionally NSFW video below. Peter Weber

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Study: Eating a Mediterranean diet may cut risk of contracting form of breast cancer - The Week Magazine

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Could eating a plant-based diet be the key to lower blood pressure, lower weight and a longer life?

It couldnt hurt, local experts say.

That was the prescription handed down at a recent lecture at Island Health And Fitness Club by Dr. Donna Sandidge, the Medical Director for the Cayuga Center for Healthy Living, and Natalie Pape, a registered dietician at the center. The topic, following a plant-based diet to better health, discussed not only the science behind the benefits of weaning off of a standard American diet, but the feasibility of it as well, slowly working toward a vegan diet or, at the least, one de-emphasizing consumption of meat and dairy products.

The main benefit, said Sandidge, was simply stated: a plant-based diet can help you live longer and in better health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the leading cause of death in the United States is still heart disease and cancer, of which colon cancer, which accounts for close to 50,000 deaths per year, pancreatic, prostate and breast cancer are all partly related to diet and/or obesity. Risk factors related to heart disease and some cancers can be addressed with a whole food, plant-based diet.

This knowledge could have a big impact. According to the CDC, 68 percent of diabetics over 65 years of age die from heart disease. Among those with Type 2 Diabetes, where obesity is a contributing factor, risk of death could be lowered 50-75 percent if they switched to a plant-based diet.

In regard to heart disease, the famed cardiologist and vegan Kim A. Williams said in a 2014 article in The New York Times that a vegan diet can not only lower bad cholesterol the type that causes heart disease but it also avoids the type of foods that can be considered the culprit for other unsavory conditions.

I recommend a plant-based diet because I know its going to lower their blood pressure, improve their insulin sensitivity and decrease their cholesterol, Williams told The New York Times. And so I recommend it in all those conditions. Some patients are able to do it and some are not.

Coronary artery disease develops when low-density lipoproteins, or LDL often referred to as bad cholesterol build up in the wall of the artery causing a narrowing or plaque that can block blood flow to the heart muscle. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot develops over one of these plaques. The dietary connection comes from the consumption of saturated fats, which is correlated directly with an increase in LDL cholesterol and risk for cardiovascular disease. A plant-based diet is naturally low in saturated fat, which is found primarily in meat, poultry and dairy.

According to a 1990 study by Dr. Dean Ornish (who has famously served as medical consultant to the Clintons since 1993) published by the prestigious medical journal Lancet, consumption of a plant-based diet as part of an overall lifestyle improvement approach was actually shown to reduce these risk factors tangibly greater than traditional medical methods. According to the study, patients with known coronary artery disease eating low-fat, plant-based diets who limited vices like smoking, took stress management courses and participated in moderate exercise had a nearly 3 percent improvement in narrowing present in their coronary arteries after five years. This improvement was in comparison to a control group following usual treatment, which saw a decline of narrowing by 11.77 percent over the same time.

But the evidence didnt stop there. In another example, Sandidge cited something called the Adventist Health Studies, which examined the lifestyle, diet, disease and mortality of Seventh Day Adventists over time. In the study, conducted over the course of several decades in California, the researchers examined the churchs population versus a matched control group of non-Adventists and found that, because of a plant-based, meatless diet, the group lived 10 years longer on average with a significantly lower risk of colon cancer than the rest of California. Specifically, death rates from all cancers were 40 percent lower for Adventist men and 24 percent lower for Adventist women, among other ailments including colorectal cancer, coronary heart disease and breast cancer. In other Adventist studies, those following a plant-based, meatless diet had much lower rates of diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

The primary difference between the two groups? Their diets.

Going Vegan

Where Sandidge covered the science of a plant-based diet, Pape herself a vegan for several years discussed the logistics of actually making the jump to a diet light on meats, dairy and processed sugars and fats, if they are consumed at all.

While the diet she suggested was technically a vegan diet, she said she didnt want people to get caught up in the V word: Pape told the audience to eat the rainbow, and eat a diet that could be delicious and filled with a number of naturally sweet and savory foods that are not only effective for fighting disease but improving ones likelihood to be and stay healthy.

Pape said that the more colorful foods were filled with immune system-boosting phytonutrients, a blanket term for the thousands of naturally occurring chemicals in plants that can interact with your body chemistry in positive ways. She also talked about a concept called nutrient density versus calorie density, where lower-calorie foods can be consumed in greater quantities than a similar caloric amount of something like oils, cheese or meat. Foods that contain 300 calories per pound or less, theoretically, could be eaten freely without guilt or worry of weight loss while a pound of food totaling more than 800 calories should be consumed with portions controlled.

So how do you adapt to something like this? Pape had a four-part series of steps to makeover your recipes, substituting the meat in a meat sauce for beans or tofu instead of eggs. You could replace your soups with vegetable stocks and broths, skip the cheese on sandwiches and pizza and swap to almond or (this writers preference) cashew milk. Its also an easy fix to reduce your use of salts or oils, letting vinegar, lemon juice, or herbs and spices to boost the flavor. And for those worried about losing protein in their diet from lack of meat, never fear, Pape said: in fact, legumes like beans have a) more protein per calorie than meat and b) the average American already consumes, on average, twice as much protein as they actually need. You could either go cold Tofurkey, she said, or to implement small changes in your meals or diet each week until, after a month, youve grown accustomed to eating a mostly plant-based diet. It takes three weeks to make or break a habit, she said, and this was a way to make that happen most feasibly. There are even websites out there to help kick start your new vegan lifestyle.

Your options are truly endless, Pape said. This is a diet of variety and plenty, not one of deprivation As long as you follow the rules, there are so many delicious options you can try.

To close, she emphasized this doesnt have to be an all or nothing approach: you could always just try to eat more plants.

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Following a plant-based diet to better health - ithaca.com

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By Kathleen Doheny

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A poor diet while young may do more than just make it tough to fit into a pair of jeans: New research suggests it might also raise a younger woman's risk for breast cancer.

"A diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and red and processed meat makes it more likely that you may experience early onset breast cancer," said study senior author Karin Michels. She is chair of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, in Los Angeles.

An unhealthy diet appeared to increase that risk by more than one-third, but the findings can't prove cause-and-effect, Michels said. "We are talking about a link or association," she noted.

The study tracked data from more than 45,000 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study II. All of the women completed food frequency questionnaires about their teen and early adult diets, and were followed up for 22 years.

The researchers assigned the diets an inflammatory score, based on a method that links diet with established inflammatory markers in the blood. Eating a high-sugar, refined carbohydrate diet has been linked to higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, Michels explained.

Compared to the women with diets with a low inflammatory score, those in the highest of five groups during their teen years had a 35 percent higher risk of breast cancer before menopause, Michels and colleagues found.

And those in the highest inflammatory group during their early adult years had a 41 percent higher risk.

However, the inflammatory score was not linked with overall breast cancer incidence or with breast cancer occurring after menopause, the researchers found.

During the follow-up period, 870 of the women who finished the high school diet questionnaire were diagnosed with premenopausal breast cancer, and 490 were diagnosed with postmenopausal breast cancer.

The researchers can't explain why inflammation may drive up the risk. And while the main components of the inflammatory diet were foods that aren't surprising (such as white bread, hamburgers and pasta), the list also included lesser amounts of certain vegetables, such as celery, green pepper, mushrooms, eggplant and fish.

That finding deserves future study, Michels said.

The study also has limitations, the authors said, including the possibility of error in remembering a high school diet when the women were in their 30s and older.

Leslie Bernstein is a professor in the division of biomarkers for early detection and prevention at the Beckman Research Institute at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif. She was not involved in the study but reviewed the new findings and said, "It's a modest increase in risk."

Bernstein agreed that the mechanism for why inflammation may drive up risk is not fully understood by experts.

What advice would she offer women?

"Same thing I would tell them before this was written," Bernstein said. "Eat a diet that is healthy -- more chicken and fish than red meat, complex carbohydrates, eat a lot of vegetables, eat fruit and don't drink sugary drinks.''

The study was published March 1 in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

WebMD News from HealthDay

SOURCES: Karin Michels, Sc.D., Ph.D., professor and chair, epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles; Leslie Bernstein, Ph.D., professor, division of biomarkers for early detection and prevention, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, Calif.; March 1, 2017, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention

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You dont have to drive across town to a high-end gym to score a great workout. And, honestly, sometimes, you shouldnt even try.

Time is biggest obstacle standing in between most people and their workouts, Chris Freytag Chris Freytag, C.P.T., founder of Get Healthy U TV, told Fox News. But working out at home is so quick and easy to do. You can set the oven timer for 15 minutes, crank out a workout, and then get on to other things. Plus, you literally have everything you need for a great workout in your home already.

Not sure where to start? Freytag helped us round up five pieces of furniture that double as exercise equipment and showed us how to get awesome workout with each.

COUCH A sturdy staple, the couch is perfect for any exercises that require supporting a good chunk of your body weight.

Feet-elevated glute bridge Lie on your back on the floor, perpendicular to the couch and your butt about a foot from its edge. Place your feet on top of the couch. With your knees bent to about 90 degrees, push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to raise your body until it forms a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Pause, then lower to start.

5 MILITARY-INSPIRED MOVES FOR A FULL-BODY WORKOUT

Incline and decline push-up Get in a high-plank position, hands on the couch and directly underneath your shoulders. Bend your elbows to row your chest toward the couch, making sure to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels. Once your chest just barely touches the couch, push through your chest and arms to return to start. You can also perform with your feet raised on the couch and hands planted on the floor.

Double- and single-leg hip thrust Sit on the floor with your back against the long side the couch. Rest your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and your arms straight out on the edge of the couch. Keeping your face pointed forward, push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift off of the floor until your body forms a straight horizontal line. Pause, then lower to start. Perform with both or just one foot.

Triceps dip Sit on the floor with your back against the long side the couch. Place your hands behind you on the edge of couch, hands spaced shoulder-width apart. With your legs straight out in front of you, push through your hands to straighten your arms and lift your torso off of the floor, your body forming a straight line. Pause, then lower to start. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE WORKING OUT

Mountain climber Get in a high-plank position with your hands on the couch, directly under your shoulders, and balls of your feet on the floor. Bend one knee and bring it toward your chest, return to start, and then repeat on the opposite side. Perform slowly and under control or, to get your heart rate up, as quickly as possible.

Single-leg squat Stand with your back about two feet in of the couch. Extend one leg behind you to place your foot near the edge of the couch. Keeping your shoulders back and chest up, bend your knees to lower toward the floor. When the thigh of your front leg is parallel with the floor, pause, then press through your heel to return to start.

STAIRCASE It might not technically be a piece of furniture, but if your home has a staircase, youre about to get some cardio.

Staircase sprint Run up and down the stairs as quickly as possible, while making sure to maintain control and balance. Try skipping every other step on the way up to increase glute activation.

5 TRENDY HEALTH FOODS THAT AREN'T WORTH YOUR MONEY

Depth jump Stand on the bottom step of the staircase, feet together and slightly off of the edge of the step so that you are facing the landing. Take a giant step forward and land in a squat position, feet flat on the floor. Progress so that you jump up immediately upon landing.

CHAIR You dont want a chair flying out from underneath you mid-rep, so save the chair for exercises that require only slight balancing.

Calf raise Stand tall next to a chair, and place one hand on the back of it for balance. Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels from the floor as high as possible. Pause, then lower to start.

Lunge Stand next to a chair, feet hip-width apart, and place one hand on the back of the chair for balance. Keeping your shoulders back and chest up, take a giant step forward with one foot and then bend both knees to lower toward the floor. When the thigh of your front leg is parallel with the floor, pause, then press through your heel to return to start. Step back, rather than forward, for reverse lunges.

SEE THE VIDEO: 6-MONTH-OLD DOING PLANKS GOES VIRAL

WALL

Timed wall sit Stand tall with your back against the wall, feet hip-width apart about two feet in front of you. Bend your knees to drop into a squat. Hold for the allotted amount of time, making sure to keep your back flat against the wall.

Feet up the wall Facing away from the wall, get in a high-plank position, the soles of your feet flat against it. Brace your core like you are about to get punched in the gut, and while keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels, slowly walk your hands back toward the wall, and feet up the wall. Stop when you can no longer raise under control, or when you achieve a full handstand. Reverse the movement to return to start.

BED

Leg lift Lie on your back on the bed so that your legs hang off of the edge. Extend them straight up in the air so that your body forms an L shape. Brace your core and, while keeping your legs straight and together, slowly lower them until they are below the top of the bed, and then squeeze your abs to raise them back to start.

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5 pieces of furniture that double as fitness equipment and how to use them - Fox News

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