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Fenugreek may have some anti-diabetic properties, such as improving insulin resistance, but more research is necessary to support the claim.

Fenugreek is a herb that people have long used as an alternative or traditional medication. People often take the herb as a supplement, and many believe it has several potential health benefits.

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects the bodys ability to convert food to energy. The body breaks down most of the food a person eats into glucose and sugar and releases it into the bloodstream.

When the sugar level in the blood rises, it sends signals to the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin allows the bodys cells to use glucose as energy.

This article looks at fenugreek, how it might help with type 2 diabetes, health benefits and risks, how to use it, and alternatives.

Fenugreek is a herb from the same family as soy.

People use it in a variety of forms, such as:

Fenugreek seeds have a nutty, maple syrup-like smell and taste. A person can use the seeds in spice blends for curries, sauces, and pickles or sprinkled as a powder over yogurt or desserts. Some people add fenugreek to tea.

Some people believe fenugreek has several health benefits, although more research is necessary to determine its effectiveness.

Studies on animals have found that compounds in fenugreek contain anti-diabetic properties. These properties can:

Insulin sensitivity refers to how the bodys cells respond to insulin. When insulin sensitivity is high, the bodys cells use glucose more effectively, which results in lower blood sugar.

A 2018 experimental study observed participants who consumed fenugreek seeds for 10 days. The researchers concluded that fenugreek does exhibit insulin-sensitizing effects.

Gastric emptying refers to how long it takes for food to leave a persons system after they eat it. Diabetes can cause rapid gastric emptying, resulting in postprandial spikes, which are temporary rises in blood sugar. These spikes can lead to complications and gastrointestinal symptoms.

2020 research on male rats with diabetes demonstrates that fenugreek seeds and milk thistle may delay gastric emptying, which prevents a rise in blood glucose levels after a meal.

In a person with diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or cannot use it as effectively as it should. This means too much sugar remains in the blood, which can cause severe problems over time. These include:

People with diabetes tend to have high glucose concentrations in the intestine, and an increase in proteins that transport sodium and glucose can increase the likelihood of hyperglycemia or high blood sugar.

Research showed that fenugreek seeds decreased the glucose absorption rate. If fenugreek can reduce the absorption of high glucose levels in the intestine, it may help lower the risk of hyperglycemia.

A 2017 study found that mice fed a high fat diet with fenugreek seed had better glucose tolerance than mice who did not receive the fenugreek. However, they saw no improvement in glucose intolerance in mice who ate a low fat diet.

The researchers also found that mice who exercised on a spinning wheel showed higher glucose tolerance than mice who received fenugreek. This may suggest that a low fat diet and exercise can achieve far better results than fenugreek supplementation for people with diabetes.

A person should speak to a doctor before using fenugreek. Potential side effects may include:

Fenugreek is not safe for use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding in greater amounts than the amounts commonly found in foods. Its safety in larger amounts is unknown, although some research has linked it to increased risks of congenital disabilities in animals and people.

People believe that fenugreek may have several benefits for health conditions, including:

Although there are many reported health benefits of fenugreek, scientific evidence only supports a few of them. These include:

People with type 1 diabetes usually need a daily insulin injection to maintain blood glucose levels.

For people with type 2 diabetes, balanced meals and exercise are important in controlling the condition. Over time, however, a person with type 2 diabetes may also require insulin or other medication.

There is insufficient research for evidence-based support for many alternative or complementary treatments for diabetes. A person should not abandon traditional treatment for these treatments without first seeking advice from a medical professional.

Natural treatments that are of interest regarding diabetes include:

Studies have found that fenugreek does contain some anti-diabetic properties, such as improving insulin sensitivity, delaying gastric emptying, and reducing glucose absorption.

More research is necessary to determine the effectiveness and safety of fenugreek as a treatment for diabetes, as it can have some unwanted side effects.

A person should not stop traditional treatment for diabetes, such as insulin, fenugreek, or other alternative treatments, without discussing it with a doctor first.

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: A friend of mine continues to speak highly about the health benefits of a diet where people eliminate lectins. She says it helped her lose weight and reduced her arthritis pain. What are lectins, and can a lectin-free diet cure autoimmune diseases and prevent other health problems?

ANSWER: Lectins are naturally occurring proteins that are found in all foods, but they are most concentrated in certain plants. Lectins serve a protective function for plants as they grow. They do not have nutritional value when consumed in foods.

Foods that contain high amounts of lectins include legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas and peanuts, as well as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, certain fruits, wheat and other grains.

While your diet can influence the way you feel, especially if you have a chronic condition, it is important to be aware of how elimination diets can negatively affect the body. This is particularly important if you are already on a restrictive diet.

Grains and legumes are a powerhouse of nutrients. They are rich in B vitamins, iron and fiber. These nutrients can be difficult to get if you are, say, gluten-free.

Despite many claims, no scientific evidence shows that eliminating dietary lectins will cure any medical disorders or conditions, including autoimmune diseases. Your friend may credit her weight loss success and better health to her diet, but I would question if she also eliminated other things that may have been contributing, such as limiting sugar, processed foods and excess salt.

Some research seems to indicate taking in large quantities of raw lectins could negatively affect health. But the amount you'd need to consume daily to get to that level is much higher than a typical diet would include. And other studies have shown that lectins break down when processed or cooked, so the risk of adverse health effects arising from lectin-rich foods that are not raw is not cause for concern.

In addition, most foods that contain lectins are recommended as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. A large body of scientific evidence clearly supports the benefits of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and seeds.

The health benefits you receive from including those foods in your diet outweigh any perceived benefits from avoiding foods with lectins. With that in mind, a diet that avoids lectins is not one most dietitians would typically recommend.

If you have a medical concern triggering symptoms that seem to be related to the foods you eat, speak to your primary care provider about having a consultation with a dietitian. Likewise, if you are simply eating a diet that includes a variety of foods and you're having symptoms that make you feel unwell, it often can be difficult to pinpoint the specific source of the problem on your own. It could be a food allergy or a food intolerance, or it may not be related to your diet at all.

Thus, it is important to speak to your health care professional to review and sort out the cause of your symptoms. Some medical centers have dietitians who specialize in gastrointestinal issues, and those professionals can help in these cases. Take time to speak with a health care professional who can review your diet and offer suggestions for modifying it in a way that may ease your symptoms.

A dietitian may recommend, for example, a short-term elimination diet, excluding certain categories of foods that tend to cause allergic reactions most often. Once those foods have been taken out of a diet, then they can carefully be reintroduced to identify possible causes of food-related symptoms. Based on that or other evaluations, a dietitian can make recommendations that fit the situation.

Rather than using a generalized approach and trying to apply it to everyone such as avoiding all food with lectins a diet that's structured and overseen by a dietitian and based on scientific evidence can be customized to accommodate a person's sensitivities. That type of systematic approach typically yields better long-term results than just avoiding a certain kind of food or a food ingredient and hoping to feel better. Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.N., Endocrinology/Nutrition, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

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2022 Mayo Clinic News Network. Visit newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Anti-aging face massage is a popular offering in many salons and spas. Advocates of the technique say it temporarily plumps the skin or that it can produce long-term changes in appearance.

A small number of studies have tested facial massage techniques and suggest that massage might improve blood flow, plump the skin, or subjectively improve the appearance of the skin.

However, studies on the topic have significant shortcomings, such as a low number of participants and no long-term follow-up. As a result, there is no conclusive scientific proof that facial massage works to significantly change the visible signs of aging on the skin.

Read on to learn more about anti-aging face massage, including types and techniques.

Some facial massage practitioners claim that massage may help reduce the signs of aging, either immediately or over time, with regular treatments. There is some evidence to support this claim, but it is weak.

For example, a 2018 study assessed the effects of massage rollers on the skin over 5 weeks. Researchers performed massage on the right cheek of 12 study participants. At the end of 5 weeks, there was greater vasodilation a measure of blood flow in only the right cheek.

This suggests that massage might help improve circulation. This could, in theory, promote the delivery of healthy nutrients to the skin, improve skin plumpness, or promote skin healing. However, the study was very small, so more research is necessary to confirm this.

A 2021 pilot study suggests that facial massage might offer the appearance of lifting in the cheeks. Drawing on CT scans of a cadaver and six volunteers, researchers concluded that massage could help improve facial mobility, potentially making the skin look younger or more lifted.

A 2022 study by some of the same authors used a similar CT scanning technique in five volunteers, who massaged their cheeks for 2 weeks. Researchers found that massage thinned the skin, helped lift the skin, and subjectively improved the skins appearance. Again, though, this was a very small study.

A 2017 study that used skin samples in a laboratory setting found that skin massage increased the expression of the decorin, fibrillin, tropoelastin, and procollagen-1 in the skin. These substances give skin structure and elasticity.

In the same study, researchers also tested an anti-aging cream along with massage on the skin of 20 white women aged 6575 years. They also tested the cream alone in a similar group of 22 others.

After 8 weeks, an evaluator who did not know which treatment each person had received rated their skin on various measures of aging and elasticity. The group that used the massage and cream had better results.

No single type of face massage is proven to work better than others when it comes to reducing the visible signs of aging. There are various approaches, including:

The only vital tools for a facial massage are a persons hands and a lotion or oil to reduce friction on the skin.

It is a good idea to choose oils that suit a persons skin type. For example, people who are concerned about acne can opt for noncomedogenic oils, such as jojoba oil. These are less likely to block pores.

People can use their fingers, thumbs, the heel of their hands, or a tool to massage the face. Some tools people may find helpful include:

There are many ways to massage the face. For beginners trying it at home, here are some steps to try:

People can finish their message with effleurage. If they wish, they can leave the oil on the skin to sink in or wash it off with a cleanser.

The risks of facial massage are very minimal. In some cases, a person may experience the following:

Other minimally-invasive treatments that may increase circulation and plump the skin include:

Anti-aging face massage may help promote better circulation, temporarily plump the skin, and offer a relaxing experience. However, scientific evidence for this so far is limited, and there are no long-term studies showing it creates significant changes to the appearance of the skin over time.

If people want to try an anti-aging face massage, they can use a noncomedogenic oil and their hands to gently manipulate the skin. Alternatively, there are various massage tools to choose from.

Facial massages are unlikely to be harmful, painful, or cause side effects, as long as a person does not apply too much pressure.

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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic disease in which stomach contents re-enter the esophagus and damage the lining of the esophagus.

This condition is common, affecting around 20% of people in the United States.

GERD can be a painful and uncomfortable condition, especially when left untreated. Fortunately, there are many medical and lifestyle interventions that can help you better manage your GERD symptoms.

In particular, the foods we eat have been linked to improving or worsening GERD symptoms. One ingredient that has been thought to worsen GERD symptoms is gluten, which is a protein found in wheat products.

This article discusses the relationship between GERD and gluten, including whether gluten actually worsens GERD symptoms, and provides helpful tips for managing your GERD.

The relationship between gluten and GERD isnt well understood, but some research shows a link between celiac disease an immune disorder affecting up to 1% of people that requires the complete avoidance of gluten and GERD.

However, celiac disease can be difficult to diagnose, so more people may have it than we think.

A recent clinical trial also suggests that there may also be a link between GERD and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), which might affect up to 13% of people.

In an older 2008 study, researchers investigated whether a gluten-free diet (GFD) would improve GERD symptoms in people with celiac disease compared with a control group of people without celiac disease.

After 6 months on a GFD, only 20% of celiac participants and 30% in the control group had a recurrence of GERD symptoms. Note that the participants also took proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) medications, which are standard treatments for GERD.

At 1 year, no additional people in the celiac group experienced GERD symptoms, but a total of 60% of participants in the control group did.

At 2 years, the celiac group continued to have no additional recurring GERD symptoms, but 85% of the control group had GERD symptoms.

These findings suggest that if you have celiac disease and GERD, following a gluten-free diet while taking PPI medications may help to manage GERD symptoms. Going gluten-free is less likely to help with GERD if you dont have celiac.

Another older study supports that idea.

The study found a strong correlation between untreated celiac disease and GERD symptoms: 30% of people with celiac reported moderate to severe GERD symptoms, compared with only 4.7% of people without celiac.

After adopting a GFD for three months or longer, participants with celiac disease saw significant improvements in their GERD symptoms.

Some older studies have also found correlations between celiac disease, NCGS, and GERD. That said, other studies found no correlations between celiac disease and GERD, so more research is needed.

Some people with GERD who have either NCGS or no formal diagnoses may still benefit from a gluten-free diet.

Even though theres a lack of research on the link between NCGS and GERD, some people with NCGS experience symptoms like reflux after eating gluten.

A recent study analyzed the effects of a dietitian-monitored GFD in people who had symptoms consistent with celiac disease, including reflux and GERD, but for whom blood tests didnt show the markers necessary for a formal diagnosis.

Many of the participants showed improvement after following the GFD, leading researchers to suggest that they may have had whats called seronegative celiac disease meaning, celiac disease that isnt detected by a blood test.

Therefore, some people with GERD symptoms who dont have a diagnosis of celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity may still benefit from limiting or avoiding gluten.

If youre considering a GFD to help with your GERD symptoms, its a good idea to work with a registered dietitian to make sure youre not missing out on important nutrients.

The mechanism behind how celiac disease affects GERD symptoms isnt well-established.

Its thought that certain symptoms of celiac disease may contribute to the development of GERD, such as:

These symptoms may increase stomach acid entering the esophagus, causing GERD symptoms. This likely means that its not gluten itself causing GERD for people with celiac disease, but the symptoms of their celiac.

Beyond this, no studies have found that following a GFD provides any symptom relief for people with GERD but not celiac disease or NCGS. Thus, a GFD is unnecessary for most people with GERD.

In fact, while a GFD can be healthy and is medically necessary for some people, a poorly-planned GFD may increase the risk of:

Plus, a GFD can be expensive to follow long term, and since its somewhat restrictive, it can affect your social life and relationship with food.

There are many useful nutrition and lifestyle tips that may help reduce your GERD symptoms, such as:

While lifestyle modifications can help reduce symptoms of GERD, its important to work closely with a healthcare provider who can provide personalized recommendations.

If symptoms worsen, they may recommend more invasive interventions, such as surgery.

Here are some questions people often ask about gluten and GERD.

To date, there is no evidence that following a gluten-free diet will help with acid reflux.

However, if you have celiac disease, following a gluten-free diet is necessary to manage that condition, and it may also reduce your acid reflux or GERD symptoms.

There is currently no evidence that gluten negatively affects the esophagus in people who dont have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

However, if you have celiac disease or NCGS, gluten may interfere with the small intestine and lead to digestive issues.

One small study also found changes in the mucosal lining of the esophagus in people with celiac disease, and a recent clinical trial found high rates of esophageal lining damage in people with NCGS.

Some research suggests that certain foods may irritate and weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally prevents stomach acid from re-entering the stomach.

Common triggers include high fat foods, acidic foods (like tomatoes, oranges, and vinegars), chocolate, carbonated beverages, alcohol, caffeine, herbs and spices (like mint, chili pepper, black pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg), and spicy foods.

That said, not everyone will need to limit or reduce these foods. If you suspect a food is making your GERD worse, try eliminating it for 24 weeks. If symptoms dont improve, then you can reintroduce it back into your diet.

The relationship between GERD and gluten is not well-established.

There is some research that links celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity with increased risks of GERD and worsened symptoms, but this is likely a side effect of the condition rather than gluten being the main culprit.

Therefore, unless you have celiac disease or NCGS, there is no need to eliminate gluten from your diet to manage your GERD symptoms.

Instead, other lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, maintaining a moderate weight, and changing some eating practices may help.

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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation, swelling, and pain in a persons joints. The condition is chronic and progressive and can be disabling. Symptoms develop over time, with early signs including fatigue, joint tenderness, and pain.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, 1.5 million people in the United States have RA. Biological females are three times more likely than biological males to develop RA.

This article looks at the early signs that a person might have RA. It also discusses later stage symptoms and when to speak with a doctor.

If a person has an autoimmune disease, such as RA, their immune system mistakes the bodys cells for foreign invading cells. Their immune system then releases inflammatory chemicals to attack them.

If someone has RA, their immune system attacks the tissue called synovium. This tissue lines the joints and produces fluid that helps them move smoothly.

RA most commonly affects the joints in the hands, wrists, and knees. It causes the lining of the joints to become inflamed, which can damage their tissues. The damage that RA causes can lead to a person developing long lasting or chronic pain. It may also cause deformities and a lack of balance.

RA may also affect other tissues in a persons body, including organs such as the heart, eyes, and lungs.

A person can develop RA at any stage in their life. However, the condition most commonly develops between the ages of 30 and 50 years old.

People with early stage RA may not see redness and swelling in their joints. However, they may experience some joint tenderness and pain. A general feeling of stiffness throughout the body in the morning may suggest a person has RA.

Someone with early stage RA may also experience fatigue. Fatigue can be both mental and physical and can cause a person to feel extremely tired, preventing them from performing their usual daily tasks.

The inflammation that comes with RA may cause a person to develop a fever. A person has a fever if their body temperature rises above the typical range of 98100F (36.737.7C). Fever is a common sign of inflammation in people with autoimmune diseases.

A person may also experience weight loss due to the inflammation from RA. In addition, someone with fatigue and fever may experience appetite loss, which can contribute to weight loss.

As the inflammatory process of RA progresses, symptoms can worsen. A person may experience more extreme fatigue and continue to have fevers and lose weight.

Common symptoms of RA include the below.

Joint pain and stiffness is the most common symptom of RA. The persons joints may become red, warm, swollen, and tender to touch.

Joint stiffness is often at its worst in the morning. It can last for several hours or the entire day, depending on the severity of the disease.

RA tends to cause pain and stiffness in the hands and feet first. However, a person may experience these symptoms in the knees or shoulders.

RA will often affect both sides of a persons body. In fact, finding symmetrical symptoms across the joints is key to how doctors diagnose RA.

RA can cause damage to a persons ligaments and tendons. This can make it more difficult for them to achieve a typical range of motion in the joints. This can result in a person being unable to bend or straighten certain joints.

This can have a negative effect on their quality of life, as it may restrict them from doing things they were once able to do.

Inflammation from RA can cause nerve compression, which can affect the nerves around the joints. This can cause a person to develop damaged nerves, called peripheral neuropathy.

This nerve damage can cause a loss of sensation, and people may experience numbness or a tingling sensation in their hands and feet.

Rheumatoid nodules are lumps that develop under a persons skin. They are a common symptom of RA.

These lumps often appear next to the joints that the RA is affecting. However, rheumatoid nodules do not require treatment and are not contagious or dangerous. They can sometimes indicate that a person could make improvements to how they manage their RA.

RA mostly affects a persons joints. However, the disease can also affect other parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, and eyes.

This can cause a variety of other symptoms, including the following.

RA can affect a persons eyes. This can cause them to have dry eyes, the most common type of eye involvement in RA. People with RA can also experience increased sensitivity to light and trouble seeing clearly.

They may also experience eye pain and redness of the eye when RA inflammation affects the eye tissues, such as the iris or the uvea. This involvement is called iritis or uveitis, respectively.

RA can cause a person to have a dry mouth and inflamed gums.

People may also develop irritated gums or a gum infection.

According to a 2020 meta-analysis of 18 studies, up to 19.5% of people with RA may also have Sjgrens disease. This is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting the moisture-producing glands, including those in the mouth.

RA can cause damage to a persons lungs, particularly in the form of interstitial lung disease, an umbrella term for a group of conditions that cause inflammation and scarring in the lungs.

This can cause the person to experience shortness of breath and may lead to chronic lung disease.

Inflammation can affect a persons blood vessels.

This can cause damage to their skin and nerves, resulting from inflammation of the veins, arterioles, and venules. The latter involvement can develop as a peripheral neuropathy.

A person with RA may also have anemia or a lower than expected red blood cell count due to the chronic inflammation.

A person with RA may experience inflammation of the heart. This can damage the heart muscle and the surrounding areas.

The chronic inflammation that RA causes can also increase the risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD).

The inflammation affects the lipid profile of people with RA, contributing to the onset of CAD. People with RA are almost twice as likely to experience heart conditions, such as angina and congestive heart failure, as those without.

Some people with RA experience weight loss.

However, others may find that painful joints make it hard to exercise.

This can cause the person to gain weight. People who maintain a moderate weight can reduce their risk of high cholesterol, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

To treat RA effectively, it is important that a person gets an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible. If they experience symptoms of RA, they should seek medical help.

If a doctor suspects RA, they may arrange for the person to consult a rheumatologist, a doctor with specialized training in treating arthritis.

A doctor will first ask about the persons medical history before discussing joint symptoms. They will want to know about any pain, tenderness, stiffness, and any mobility difficulties they might be experiencing.

The doctor may also want to know about any family history of autoimmune diseases.

They will then carry out a thorough physical examination, documenting vital signs, examining joints, and looking for tenderness, swelling, or warmth of the joints. The doctor may also order blood and imaging tests to support the suspected diagnosis.

RA is a chronic autoimmune condition.

If a person has RA, their immune system confuses the bodys own cells for foreign invading pathogens. This causes the immune system to attack its own cells.

The immune system will also attack synovium, the tissue that lines the joints and produces fluid that helps them move smoothly.

RA tends to affect the joints in the hands, wrists, and knees.

Common symptoms of RA include swelling and pain in the joints, fatigue, fever, decreased function of joints, and compromised mobility.

Anyone who thinks they may have RA should consult with a doctor as soon as possible.

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Carbs are a popular villain in diet culture, often used as a catch-all term for any unhealthy-but-delicious fare you might indulge in. Even if you havent tried a low-carb eating plan, youre probably somewhat familiar with the concept of cutting bread, pasta, and potatoes, for weight loss and/or to lower blood sugar.

Although this way of eating can be effective, its not a magic bulletand carbs as a category arent the enemy, says Caroline Susie, registered dietitian and national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

There are so many wonderful qualities about carbstheyre really the preferred energy for our brains and body, she says. And because of the diet industrys tendency to demonize the whole group, sometimes the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater.

When you take away foods like beans that offer you a lot of fiber, or if you take away fruit, youre lowering your fiber intake and your vitamin and mineral intake, and theres a higher potential to be at risk of certain deficiencies, she says.

You should always talk to your doctor before dramatically altering your eating patterns to be sure youre meeting your nutritional needs. But if low-carb eating gets the green light, be sure you take on your new food plan with these considerations in mind.

The USDAs Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that 45%65% of your daily calorie intake come from carbohydrates. For a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, that translates to about 900-1,300 calories of carbohydrates, or 225325 grams of carbs. Low-carb eating patterns typically limit carbs to 26% of your daily calorie intake, or fewer than 130 grams of carbs per day on a 2,000 calorie diet.

But before you take that number and run, its important to consider your unique physique. Online calculators such as the National Institute of Healths Body Weight Planner and the USDAs MyPlate Plan can give you personalized calorie counts best for your stature, age, and fitness level, and tell you from which food groups you should get those calories. But even then, Susie says theres more to take into account to ensure youre eating wisely.

Were all more than just our age and gender and height and activity level, so its imperative that you take health conditions into consideration, she says. For example, your needs will vary if youre pregnant or breastfeeding, or if youre living with diabetes.

While there is no end to different brands and methods of low-carb diets, they essentially fall into one of two broad types: those that lower carbs and raise fat, and those that lower carbs and raise protein.

Low-carb, high fat diets, such as the keto diet, focus on fat-rich foods that can serve as alternate fuel once your body uses up your curtailed number of carbohydrates. A typical breakdown for a 2,000 calorie per day diet on a keto plan would be 7080% fat, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein, or around 165 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrates, and 75 grams protein.

To be in a state of ketosis, its going to vary from person to person, says Susie. That might be 30 grams of carbohydrates for me, it might be 40 grams of carbohydrates for you, it might be 50 grams of carbohydrates for my sister. Were all built differently.

A low-carb, high-fat diet isnt a good choice if you have pancreatic disease, liver conditions, gallbladder disease, or thyroid problems, and it can easily lead to constipation if you arent diligent with your fiber intake. Some studies show it can also increase your risk of heart disease.

Diets with fewer carbs and more protein typically bump your protein percentage up beyond the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation of 10%30% of your daily calorie intake. The amount you aim for will depend on the plan you follow.

If you lean on red meats or full-fat dairy choices for your protein, youre more likely to raise your risk of heart disease. When your body processes protein, it produces more metabolic waste, so if you deal with kidney issues, a low-carb, high protein diet could put a further strain on your system.

Its always a good idea to work with a registered dietitian to be sure that youre not at risk for any potential vitamin or mineral deficiencies, says Susie. But overall I think that as long as youre still consuming fresh fruits and fresh vegetables and legumes and not loading up your diet with overly processed foods because of a keto-friendly label, youll meet your needs.

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One of the big benefits of the Asian diet is that youre likely to get more antioxidants than in a Western diet. Youre certainly getting a lot more nutrients than the food label captures, Dr. Li says. Antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals molecules that are created when your body breaks down food or youre exposed to cigarette smoke may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases, notes Mayo Clinic. In this way, a diet high in antioxidants may protect overall health.

As many antioxidants double as pigments, the natural color of your food is one way to tell what types of antioxidants youre getting. For example, pink and red fruits like tomatoes and pink grapefruit typically have lycopene as their primary antioxidant, Li says. Animal and test-tube studies suggest that lycopene may lower your risk of cancer and heart disease, though more research is needed, according to areview published in August 2020 in the journal Antioxidants.

Unsweetened tea is a staple of the Asian diet, and is a big reason why the diet is thought to stave off chronic diseases, Supan says. Any tea is going to be packed with a good amount of antioxidants. Teas are especially rich in a type of polyphenol known as flavonols, which have been shown to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, according to areview published in September 2017 in Nutrition Bulletin.

Here are some more Asian diet benefits that research has uncovered.

Following a traditional Asian diet may extend benefits that lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. In a past randomized clinical trial, both Asian Americans and Caucasian Americans at risk of type 2 diabetes lowered their insulin resistance (a hallmark of type 2 diabetes) after following a rigorously controlled traditional Asian diet for 16 weeks. Those who switched back to a traditional Western diet for eight weeks after an eight-week stint on the Asian diet not only gained weight (up to 2 pounds [lb]), but they also increased their insulin resistance.

The Asian diet may help prevent diabetes because it emphasizes many foods that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) recommends to keep blood sugar under control: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes, and healthy fats. It also limits foods that tend to spike blood sugar and increase your risk of diabetes-related complications like heart disease and stroke, which include sweets, processed foods, sweetened beverages, and animal fats.

The Asian diet may also help control type 2 diabetes, but you may need to pay close attention to your portion sizes, especially when it comes to whole grains, Supan says.

For astudy published August 2018 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers compared the eating patterns of more than 12,000 men from seven countries (United States, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Serbia, and Japan) to see if there was an association between diet and death from cardiovascular disease.

They discovered a similar eating pattern between the Mediterranean group and the Japanese group: both favored seafood and vegetables and minimized their consumption of animal foods and animal fat. The Mediterranean and Japanese groups also had significantly lower risks of death from heart diseasethan the other groups.

One reason for this heart-health benefit may be the key role that fish plays in many Asian diets, particularly in coastal regions, Li says. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, a group of healthy fats that can help lower your risk of heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, according to theAmerican Heart Association (AHA). In an analysis of four international studies published March 2021 in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers revealed that two servings of fish per week which is the frequency suggested in the Asian diet food pyramid is associated with a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and death among people with heart disease.

According to Li, Asian diets typically include a lot of fermented foods like tempeh, miso, and kimchi. These foods are rich sources of probiotics, which are good bacteria that are beneficial to your gut.

Mainly, probiotics maintain a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in your body, helping support immune function and control inflammation, notes theCleveland Clinic. They may also treat and prevent diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and H. pylori (the cause of ulcers), according toHarvard Health.

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What Is the Asian Diet? Potential Health Benefits, Food List, Meal Plan, and More - Everyday Health

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DEAR DOCTOR,

Ive been trying to lose weight, through fasting and some exercise but it doesnt seemto work. A friend suggested diet pills and Im curious to know how they work? Is that a healthy option? What areyour thoughts?

MONICA

DEAR MONICA,

Are you sure, you are overweight and need to lose weight. Body structure and appearance varies from person to person, depending on many factors, including genes. Some individuals look fat, but in reality are not overweight. If the body mass index (BMI), is within normal range (18 to 25), one is not obese. BMI is calculated by a simple formula-Weight in Kg/Height in meter squared. You can easily calculate it and decide whether you need to shed some kilos or not. If really weight loss is needed, try to do it in a natural way. That includes diet restriction and regularphysical exercise.

Meals taken should be healthy and food items which add to calories should be avoided. Takemorefresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains, fish. Avoid sugary foods such as cakes, pastry, puddings, egg yolk, red meat, deep fried foods like frites. Take small bites, chew food slowly, when having meals, as that stimulates satiety centre of the brain soon, making one feel satisfied with just lesser quantity of food. Drink more water and try to drink water in between meals as that would, fill the stomach, soon. Avoid snacking in between meals. If craving to eatsnacksis very strong, take healthy non oily, non-sugary snacks or just fruits. Remember quantities of, healthy foods consumed should alsonot be in excess, because excess nutrient substances also get converted into fat in the body.

Physical exercise should be done regularly, as per the stamina and overall health of the person. Apart from a fixed scheduled exercise per day, multiple physical activities done throughout the day are also useful, like walking to nearby store, cleaning the house, e.t.c.

It is desirable to lose weight gradually, i.e., 1 to 2 kilos per month. Drastic weight loss is not desirable and is harmful. It makes the body weak, disturbs hormone balance. Even apparent beauty is hampered, because face loses its glow.

Weight losing pills are not a healthy option to lose weight. These pills cause weight loss, by suppressing appetite directly in the brain or enhancing sense of fullness or both. They also reduce absorption of fat. These pills always cause side effects like increase in blood pressure, enhancing pulse rate, dry mouth, dizziness, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, excess somnolence, e.t.c. Hence these pills are used only if weight loss does not occur after 4 to 8 weeks of natural methods or if somebody is very obese, as to make him feel sick.If one loses weight after using these pills, it has to be associated with and sustained with dietary measures and regular physical exercise. Otherwise when these pills are stopped, weight gain can occuron rebound.

Dr Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine

E-mail rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

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These days, intermittent fasting is a household phrase, but back in 2002 when The Warrior Diet was first published, the idea of eating only during specific windows of time was a pretty new idea. Like paleo and similar diets, this eating plan is based on emulating the ways that our ancestors supposedly ate. In the case of the warrior diet, however, the emphasis involves not just what but also when our forebears were eating.

As with any intermittent fasting plan, the warrior diet limits the times during the day when you are permitted to eat, advocating a single meal a day. But is this way of eating effective for losing weight, and more importantly, is it safe and sustainable in the long term? This guide will tell you everything you need to know.

The warrior diet is based on a book of the same name written by Ori Hofmekler, and it claims to switch on your biological powerhouse for high energy, explosive strength, and a leaner, harder body.

The plan is a version of intermittent fasting that alternates a period of fasting with a small window of time in which to eat all of the days calories. The warrior diet promotes exercising and undereating during the day, when our nomadic and hunter-gathering ancestors would likely be busy finding food rather than eating it. For exercise, the diet encourages short workouts that emphasize strength training, especially for your joints and back, and high-velocity exercises such as jumps, kicks, and sprints.

During the day, raw vegetables and fruit, small amounts of protein, and beverages including water, natural juices, coffee, and tea are permitted. The book states that this period should not last more than 16 to 18 hours, but many newer variations of the diet encourage undereating or not eating at all for 20 hours.

Then in the evening, you eat one large meal. There are no restrictions on how much or what kind of food you eat, so you can include any protein, fat, and carbs you want.

See the article here:
What Is the Warrior Diet? The Intermittent Fasting Plan Reviewed - Everyday Health

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SAFE? NEWS 8S LORI BURKHOLDER FOUND OUT. >> PROBIOTICS ARE GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE BUT THEY MAY , NOT BE RECOMMENDED IF SOMEONE HAS A SERIOUS ILLNESS OR SEVERE ILLNESS IF THEY HAVE A , COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM. >> CHAMPLIN IS A DIETICIAN WHO SEES SOME BENEFITS OF PROBIOTICS WHICH ARE FOODS OR SUPPLEMENTS THAT CONTAIN LIVE MICROORGANISMS. >> FOODS THAT ARE COMMONLY HAVE PROBIOTICS IN THEM INCLUDE YOGURT MORE SPECIFICALLY GREEK , YOGURT, KEFIR WHICH IS A YOGURT LIKE BEVERAGE, KIMICHI AND SAUERKRAUT. THOSE ARE BOTH TYPES OF FERMENTED CABBAGE. >> YOU CAN ALSO FIND PROBIOTICS IN POWDER MIXES. CHECK THE LABEL TO SEE IF CONTAINS MORE THAN ONE STRAIN AND HAS A CFU, OR COLONY FORMING UNIT, OF 5 BILLION OR MORE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO GET IT IN PILL FORM, KEEP THIS IN MIND. >> YOU WANT SOMETHING WITH AN ENTERIC CODED CAPSULE AND THAT MEANS IT WONT BE BROKEN DOWN BY YOUR STOMACH ACID WHEN YOU TAKE THE SUPPLEMENT. SO IT WILL GO TO THE INTESTINE. ,>> BOTTOM LINE IF YOU HAVE A , WELL ROUNDED DIET AND ARE IN GOOD HEALTH YOU PROBABLY HAVE A HEALTHY GUT. THE QUESTION IS DO PROBIOTICS , WORK? >> THE RESEARC

Probiotics claim to make your gut healthy. Do they work and are they safe?

Updated: 9:19 AM EDT Jul 31, 2022

Probiotics are supposed to help make your gut healthy.A variety of products are on the market, but do they work and are they safe?"Probiotics are generally recognized as safe, but they may not be recommended if someone has a serious illness or severe illness, if they have a compromised immune system," dietician Chaplin Mazzocchi said.Mazzocchi sees some benefits of probiotics, which are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms."Foods that commonly have probiotics in them include yogurt, more specifically Greek yogurt, kefir which is a yogurt-like beverage kimchi and sauerkraut. Those are both types of fermented cabbage," Mazzocchi said.You can also find probiotics in powder mixes, but check the label to see if contains more than one strain and has a CFU or colony forming unit of 5 billion or more.If you choose to get it in pill form, keep this in mind: "You'd want something that has an enteric coded capsule, and that just means that it will not be broken down by your stomach acid when you take the supplement so it will get to the intestine," Mazzocchi said.The bottom line is if you have a well-rounded diet and are in good health, you probably have a healthy gut.The question is: Do probiotics work?"A lot of the research is really new, so it's exciting but it's not conclusive," Mazzocchi said.When it comes to making any changes to your diet, experts recommend consulting with your doctor.

Probiotics are supposed to help make your gut healthy.

A variety of products are on the market, but do they work and are they safe?

"Probiotics are generally recognized as safe, but they may not be recommended if someone has a serious illness or severe illness, if they have a compromised immune system," dietician Chaplin Mazzocchi said.

Mazzocchi sees some benefits of probiotics, which are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms.

"Foods that commonly have probiotics in them include yogurt, more specifically Greek yogurt, kefir which is a yogurt-like beverage kimchi and sauerkraut. Those are both types of fermented cabbage," Mazzocchi said.

You can also find probiotics in powder mixes, but check the label to see if contains more than one strain and has a CFU or colony forming unit of 5 billion or more.

If you choose to get it in pill form, keep this in mind: "You'd want something that has an enteric coded capsule, and that just means that it will not be broken down by your stomach acid when you take the supplement so it will get to the intestine," Mazzocchi said.

The bottom line is if you have a well-rounded diet and are in good health, you probably have a healthy gut.

The question is: Do probiotics work?

"A lot of the research is really new, so it's exciting but it's not conclusive," Mazzocchi said.

When it comes to making any changes to your diet, experts recommend consulting with your doctor.

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Probiotics claim to make your gut healthy. Do they work and are they safe? - WGAL Susquehanna Valley Pa.

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