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A massive new National Institutes of Healthprecision nutrition study will give some volunteers controlled meals, like this one being prepared by a dietician at the agencys metabolic research kitchen.

By Jocelyn KaiserFeb. 1, 2021 , 3:20 PM

Theres no one-size-fits-all diet. If you want to avoid spiking your blood sugar with a snack, a banana may seem like a better choice than a sugary cookie. But some people in a 2015 study of 800 Israeli volunteers got their biggest blood sugar spike from bananas or bread instead of from sugar-laden baked goods. And as nutrition scientist Elizabeth Parks of the University of Missouri, Columbia, notes, We all know people who lose weight easily, and others who dont.

Now, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is making a major push to understand these individual differences. Last week, the agency announced what it calls the largest study yet to probe precision nutrition, a $156 million, 5-year effort to examine how 10,000 Americans process foods by collecting data ranging from continuous blood glucose levels to microbes in a persons gut.

The study has the potential to truly transform the field of nutrition science, generating new tools, methods, and a wealth of data to fuel discovery science for years to come, Griffin Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), said last year at an NIH board meeting where he introduced the project. Ultimately, it might enable nutritionists to tailor diets to an individuals genes and microbiome.

And it is part of a broader push at NIH to boost nutrition science, a field sometimes viewed as fuzzy because we are free-range eaters and our diets are hard to control, notes Paul Coates, vice president of the American Society for Nutrition, who headed NIHs dietary supplements office until he retired in 2018.

In May 2020, NIH Director Francis Collins released the agencys first-ever 10-year strategic plan for nutrition science, acknowledging the importance of diet in chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. The plan aims to fold in basic disciplines such as neurobiology, study the role of diet across the life span, consider how food can serve as medicine, and elevate precision nutrition. The concept recognizes that how the human body responds to food depends on factors from genetics to sleep habits, social environment, and gut microbes. For example, the Israeli study that found individual differences in the response to refined sugar versus fruit showed the microbiome was largely responsible.

Now comes NIHs Nutrition for Precision Health, which will piggyback on All of Us, the agencys huge genomics and health study that has fully enrolled 272,000 of a planned 1 million participants, more than 50% from minority groups. We realized it would be a really great fit to take advantage of the All of Us data and infrastructure, says Holly Nicastro, a study coordinator and program director at NIHs nutrition office.

Some 10,000 All of Us participants who join the nutrition study will wear various monitors to track physical activity, blood sugar, and more; record what they eat; and visit a clinic to consume a specific meal and undergo clinical tests. A subset of up to 1500 will also follow three different diets at home or in the clinic, and then have the same tests. And 500 to 1000 volunteers will live at a clinical center for three 2-week stretches while eating three tightly controlled diets. Such feeding studies are the fields gold standard, but their high cost usually keeps them small. NIH has recently conducted some in its clinical center to explore, for example, the effects of ultraprocessed foods, but they involved only 20 people.

By collecting a wide range of personal data, from participants DNA makeup to their ZIP code, we are removing a lot of that noise that we had for years, created by the factors that we were not measuring before, says Tufts University nutrition scientist Jos Ordovs who, with Parks, co-chaired a workshop last month to discuss the study. Artificial intelligence researchers will then use the collected data to create models that predict the best diet for an individualan effort pioneered by the Israeli study, which spun off a company that developed an algorithm to tailor diets for people who are diabetic or trying to lose weight. A second, 5-year phase could test those models in clinical trials.

NIH is now inviting proposals for study components such as a data center, clinical centers, and a microbiome center. The aim is to begin enrolling volunteers by January 2023. Theres so much excitement about the study, Parks says.

She and other nutritionists also welcome other signals of NIHs new focus on nutrition. Its Office of Nutrition Research, once part of the NIH directors office, was demoted years ago to NIDDK. Last month, Collins announced it has been restored. Coates hopes that will mean a larger staffthe office now has just six peopleand a modest budget to cofund studies with NIH institutes. A lot [of nutrition science] falls between the cracks, he saysgaps he now hopes will close.

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You can lose weight in a week with the Military diet - Know the meal plan, benefits and risks  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: A healthy weight is absolutely important to live a healthy, long lifethat is away from ailments and diseases. Obesity or being overweight can be one of the risk factors for various incurable diseases and conditions, including type 2 diabetes and even cancer. However, weight loss is a very subjective process, and everyone's body is different. What works for one person may not work for the other, in terms of results. Moreover, the way your body responds to a particular diet or fitness routine depends on various factors such as your lifestyle, routine, age, and existing health conditions.

This is the necessity that has given way to a number of diets for weight loss. These diets are based on the type of food you can eat, the lifestyle you follow, and even how much time you have to achieve your goals. A diet type, called the Military Diet, promises to help you lose weight in as less as three days. Here is all you need to know about it.

The military diet is one of the world's most popular diets. It is known to help you lose weight in as less as three days and up to 4.5 kg in a single week. The military diet is also economical. Unlike many other diets, it does not require you to invest in expensive foods or supplements.

If you follow the military diet, you have to follow a 3-day meal plan, followed by 4 days off, when you are encouraged to eat healthily and continue to consume fewer calories. This weekly cycle is repeated for several weeks until your goal weight is reached.

The diet is called the military diet because it was reportedly designed by nutritionists to help soldiers reach the right weight and shape as quickly as possible. It is also called the navy diet, the army diet, and even the ice cream diet.

Here is a three-day meal plan for the military diet for weight loss that you can follow if you want to lose weight quickly.

Day 1 of the Military diet

Day 2 of the Military diet

Day 3 of the Military diet

Do not consume any snacks in between.

The military diet works on the principle of creating a calorie deficit, which can be an effective way to lose weight. The benefits of the diet include that it can help you reach your weight loss goals effectively. The military diet also seems relatively easier and less restrictive in nature, as compared to other weight-loss diets such as the keto diet. Moreover, the military diet involves the person following themeal plan for a small duration, which is not likely to harm your body in any way, since it is not prolonged.

However, if you plan to lose weight with the military diet and will be following it for several weeks, you should consider the chances of the diet leading to nutritional deficiencies, or even fatigue due to the calorie deficit. Moreover, losing 4.5 kg of weight in one week maybe a little too extreme. Such rapid weight loss is not healthy and recommended.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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5 winter fruits you must add to your diet for their immense health benefits before the season is over  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Winters are the season of abundance of food choices. With large availability of different varieties of fruits and vegetables, winters feel like a paradise, especially for people who rely on vegetarian foods for their nutrition. Leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and so many other seasonal foods are available during the winters.

However, since we lay so much emphasis on the consumption of these root and leafy vegetables during the winters, we often forget a very important food group in our diet that of fruits. Fruits are a vital part of our diet and provide the body with various nutrients vitamins and minerals that it needs for proper functioning. Here are 5 winter fruits that you must add to your diet before the winter season recedes.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

Get the Latest health news, healthy diet, weight loss, Yoga, and fitness tips, more updates on Times Now

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Its not hard to find food and drinks in the grocery store as being touted as rich in antioxidants. Blueberries, green tea, you know the drill. The underlying message is clear: foods containing antioxidants are better for your overall health. Even red wine and chocolate are sometimes touted for this supposed nutritional benefit. But what are antioxidants, exactly? And do they actually make wine good for you?

At the most basic level, antioxidants are tiny chemical compounds that neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules produced within the body that can damage cells. Free radicals are thought to play a role in several chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. A wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and other substancesincluding C and E, zinc, selenium, beta-carotenes, lutein, and moreserve as antioxidants, and are routinely highlighted on food packaging and hawked as supplements. A diet rich in antioxidants, therefore, should help delay or even prevent disease. Right?

Well, before you start guzzling chocolate syrup and housing vitamin E pills, here are some antioxidant basics to consider.

The Radical Truth

The 1990s were wild times: Flannel was high fashion and antioxidants suddenly got sexy. The main reason comes back to the relationship between antioxidants and free radicals. Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules that are formed during natural processes: The body produces them as it converts food into energy. You also produce them during exercise as well as a result of environmental exposure to things like sunlight and tobacco smoke.

The radical refers to the basic chemistry of these moleculesfree radicals are unstable because they have an uneven number of electrons. Through oxidation, free radicals react with other molecules in the body by stealing their electrons. For the most part, this is normal, and even beneficial in some circumstances. (For instance, free radicals are generated by the immune system as it begins to fight invaders help destroy viruses.)

Too many free radicals in the body, however, lead to a state oxidative stress. Left unchecked, free radicals will chew up proteins, lipids, pieces of DNA, cell membranespretty much anything that ensures the bodys cells are healthy and performing adequately. If youre looking for the appropriate metaphor, bite into an apple and let it sit in the sun for a few minutes: The insides of that juicy Golden Delicious will undoubtedly oxidize and turn an unappetizing brown color. Now imagine that happening inside your body.

Enter the humble antioxidant. We extract these from foods, and theyre powerful free-radical fighters because they willingly surrender some of their own electrons to free radicals. A balance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body keeps oxidative stress in check. During the Clinton years, scientists began to link free-radical damage to the initial stages of atherosclerosis and a few other chronic diseases. Some studies showed that people who ate fewer antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables were at a greater risk of developing these diseases. Subsequently there was a push to not only better understand antioxidants, but also to figure out whether supplemental forms of antioxidants would stave off chronic disease.

Supplement Your Diet (But Not With Supplements)

A bunch of studies measuring the effects of antioxidants delivered via supplement delivered, well, mixed results. Clinical trials of beta-carotenes sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and completed in the 1990s showed no protection against heart disease or cancer. Another, later study, this time of vitamins E and C, found no reduction in major cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke in 14,000 physicians aged 50 and older. (The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has a good rundown of all the studies and what they found.)

So what gives? Its important to note that the term antioxidant, as the Harvard Medical School points out, reflects a chemical property rather than a specific nutritional property. They act as electron donors in their quest to neutralize free radicals. In other words, you cant gorge yourself on the things. And products labeled as antioxidant-rich, as if antioxidants are some specific nutrient that were added to them, are misleading at best.

But many foods contain the antioxidantsthe vitamins, zinc, beta-carotenes, flavonoids, and other substancesthat are beneficial to your health. So instead of popping milligrams upon milligrams of supplements, prioritize eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Broccoli and leafy greens are good sources of vitamin C. Chicken has lots of zinc. Almonds and avocado provide vitamin E, while, yes, berries and green tea contain polyphenolsa fancy word for plant chemicalsthat act as antioxidants.

It's kind of a boring answer, but like so many nutritional questions, eating a varied diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein is ultimately your best source of antioxidant protection. Chocolate and pinot noir in moderation never killed anyone, but don't go looking for any nutritional bonus points.

It's the hottest diet around right nowbut know the science behind it isn't a slam dunk.

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What Are Antioxidants? Here's the Best Way to Get More Antioxidants Into Your Diet - GQ

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While you may worry about the effects your diet has on your waistline or energy level, there's a surprising body part your food and drink choices may be having a profound effect upon without you even realizing it: your liver. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with liver disease, and up to 20 percent of Americans have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a type of liver damage that stems from sources other than alcohol.

If you want to protect your liver and avoid a lifetime of health problems, read on to discover which foods can do serious harm to your liver, according to experts. And if you want to slim down and improve your liver health, check out these 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work.

Alcohol isn't the only drink that can wreak havoc on your liver health. According to physician Ian Braithwaite, MBBS, co-founder of Habitual, sweetened beverages can do a number on your liver, as well.

"In low doses, fructose is handled by the small intestine, however in high doses recent research has shown it to lead to liver toxicity. The foods that deliver the highest doses of fructose are those which contain highly refined sugars, [like] soda," says Braithwaite. Wondering why booze is such a common culprit in liver ailments? Here's What Happens to Your Liver When You Drink Alcohol.

It's not just the obvious sources of sugar in your diet that could be causing serious damage to your liver.

"Often the more dangerous sources of fructose are those in which the sugar content is less obvious, such as ketchup [and] salad dressings," says Braithwaite.

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Those French fries are doing more than just adding a boatload of calories to your dietthey could be harming your liver, too.

"French fries are high in saturated fats. Diets high in saturated fats lead to increased liver fat and insulin resistance," explains physician Leann Poston, MD, of Invigor Medical.

Not all oils are created equal when it comes to your liver health. "Vegetable oil, containing omega-6, becomes oxidized more quickly with cooking and contributes to liver damage by way of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease," explains nurse practitioner Kelly Cole, MS, CRNP-PC, founder of Energy to Thrive Tribe.

However, this doesn't mean you have to resign yourself to a future of oil-free cooking to protect your liver health. "Coconut oil will not cause this damage to the liver," says Cole.

If you're worried about your liver health, you might want to think twice before picking up that deli meat sandwich.

"Deli meat is a hidden source of sodium in the American diet," says certified nutrition counselor John Fawkes, NSCA, CPT. Fawkes explains that excessive sodium intake can cause an imbalance in your body's fluid ratios, which "makes it harder for the liver to carry out efficient filtering," and may cause more severe liver trouble down the line.

Related:7 Dangerous Side Effects of Eating Deli Meats, According to Experts

Unfortunately, the bread you're serving that sandwich meat on may not be much better when it comes to your liver health.

"Refined carbohydrates lack the fiber of their whole-grain cousins. This leads to glucose surges in the blood, then insulin release, followed by deposits of fat on and around the liver," says Fawkes. While you can include whole grain bread in your diet in moderation, you should definitely avoid9 Breads to Always Leave on Grocery Store Shelves.

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Popular Foods That Cause Liver Damage, Experts Say | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

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CBS Sports reporter Pete Blackburn took the challenge to eat like Tom Brady for a week, so we dont have too according to an article from cbssports.com. Tom Brady was an idol to him growing up and its been tough for Pete to see him in the Super Bowl not wearing a Patriots uniform. He is impressed with Bradys longevity in the game and some higher-ups thought it would be great if he could try out the TB12 diet that Brady swears by for a week. It didnt go well.The biggest hurdle seemed to be the incredible amount of water you have to drink.

According to the TB12 website as reported by Pete Blackburn, you have to halve your body weight in pounds and drink that many ounces of water (130 ounces for me daily). The diet also left him, in a word, gassy. I totally get it, I try to do the water thing but going to the bathroom 20 times a day is a bit much. Gets old fast.Some of the guidelines listed by Bradys personal chef are no white sugar. No white flour. No MSG Himalayan pink salt never use iodized salt. No nightshades, they are not anti-inflammatory. So, no tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, or eggplants. Also, no coffee or caffeine and no dairy.

If this was my assignment, I would have been out on day one. I cant live without my cereal and sugar is a food group, isnt it? Pete made it through the week with a little cheating but said you can keep your rings, supermodel wife, and hundreds of millions of dollars. None of that would make me happy if I wasnt allowed to smash a cheeseburger into my face. And for the record, Pete Blackburn actually gained a pound on the diet. I will keep my cheeseburgers too, Pete.

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Tomatoes and carrots are considered some of the healthiest fruits and vegetables. Stevens Fremont/Getty Images

The healthiest fruits include blueberries, bananas, avocados, and citrus fruits.

The healthiest vegetables include kale, spinach, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

Fruits and vegetables are healthy because they're rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.

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Fruits and vegetables are typically low in calories and high in nutrients, which means they're a great source of food to fuel your body.

We talked to dietitians to figure out what makes fruits and vegetables so healthy and which 10 fruits and vegetables you should start incorporating into your diet.

Fruits and vegetables are healthy because they are packed with essential nutrients your body needs to function normally. Here are the types of nutrients most fruits and vegetables offer:

Vitamins are a collection of organic molecules that are essential nutrients, meaning our bodies cannot make enough of them on their own and you have to get them from your diet, says Gina Keatley, RD, a certified dietitian-nutritionist based in New York City.

Vitamins are important for your overall health and support your immune system, help convert food into energy, and keep nerves healthy. Some common vitamins include:

Minerals are also essential nutrients. Unlike vitamins, minerals are inorganic elements that come from the soil and water and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals.

Minerals promote bone, heart, brain, and muscle health. Some common minerals include:

Phytochemicals are chemical compounds found in plants that give fruits and vegetables their color, taste, and smell. Phytochemicals support immune function and have antioxidant properties, which means they prevent cell damage.

"[Phytochemicals are] not necessarily essential for our bodies to function like vitamins and minerals are, but they do provide benefits to our health," says Colleen Christenson, a registered dietitian-nutritionist with a virtual private practice.

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Common phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables include:

Anthocyanins

Carotenoids

Flavonoids

The following table shows some of the nutrients you might find in common fruits and vegetables and how they can improve your health.

Here are 10 healthy fruits and vegetables you should consider adding to your diet:

Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants protect cells from oxidative stress - a process in which too many free radicals accumulate in the body and damage cells. Free radicals form through normal bodily processes like metabolizing food or from outside sources like pollution or sunlight

A 2012 study compared blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries and found that blueberries had the highest antioxidant capacity.

Bananas are good sources of fiber and potassium. Fiber helps relieve constipation and can help manage weight. Potassium is a mineral required for muscles - like your heart - to contract.

"One medium-sized banana contains about 420mg of potassium, which is quite a bit more than other fruits such as blueberries which have closer to 60mg per cup," says Christensen.

Avocados are packed with healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids, which improve heart health.

It's important to consume healthy fats because, "some vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K, are fat-soluble meaning that our bodies need fats in order to absorb and utilize them," says Christensen.

Tomatoes are high in a phytochemical called lycopene, which has strong antioxidant properties, possibly protecting against cancer and disease risk.

Most vegetables lose nutrients when cooked. However, cooking tomatoes actually boosts the lycopene concentration in the fruit.

Citrus fruits, like lemons and grapefruits, contain high amounts of vitamin C, flavonoids, and fiber.

They are especially rich in vitamin C, which has antioxidant properties and is known for keeping your immune system functioning.

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotenes, a form of vitamin A. Vitamin A is crucial for eye health as it prevents dry eyes and protects night vision.

Sweet potatoes also contain vitamins B5 and B6. Vitamin B5 breaks down fats while vitamin B6 helps with metabolism, brain development during pregnancy and infancy, and immune system function.

Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables. It contains vitamins K, A, and C, all of which benefit your overall health including your heart, blood, eyes, immune system, and skin. It also has minerals like calcium, potassium, copper, and manganese.

Spinach is a good source of potassium and magnesium, which are important minerals for electrolyte balance and regulating blood pressure. It is also rich in vitamins A, K, and folate - a B vitamin that promotes normal cell growth and division.

Carrots are high vitamin A, which is why they are known to strengthen your eyes. They are also a great source of fiber and antioxidants.

"Aside from making your food a little more flavorful with limited addition of calories, [garlic is] loaded with phytonutrients," says Keatley.

One of the phytonutrients found in garlic, called allicin, has antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals which offer tons of health benefits. Generally, it's better to get the nutrients you need through your diet, rather than through pills or supplements. Keatley says the key to making sure you're getting all the nutrients your body needs is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

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The Bronze Age (2200 to 800 BC) marked a decisive step in the technological and economic development of ancient societies. People living at the time faced a series of challenges: changes in the climate, the opening up of trade and a degree of population growth. How did they respond to changes in their diet, especially in Western Switzerland? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, and Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Spain has for the first time carried out isotopic analyses on human and animal skeletons together with plant remains. The scientists discovered that manure use had become widespread over time to improve crop harvests in response to demographic growth. The researchers also found that there had been a radical change in dietary habits following the introduction of new cereals, such as millet. In fact, the spread of millet reflected the need to embrace new crops following the drought that ravaged Europe during this period. Finally, the team showed that the resources consumed were mainly terrestrial. The research results are published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Today, archaeological resources for studying the Bronze Age are limited. "This is partly down to changes in funeral rituals," begins Mireille David-Elbiali, an archaeologist in the Laboratory of Prehistoric Archaeology and Anthropology in the F.-A. Forel Department in UNIGE's Faculty of Sciences. "People gradually abandoned the inhumation practice in favour of cremation, thereby drastically reducing the bone material needed for research. And yet the Bronze Age signals the beginning of today's societies with the emergence of metallurgy." As the name suggests, societies began working with bronze, an alloy consisting of copper and tin. "And this development in metallurgy called for more intensive trade so they could obtain the essential raw materials. This increased the circulation of traditional crafts, prestigious goods, religious concepts and, of course, people between Europe and China," continues the archaeologist.

The Neolithic Age marked the inception of animal husbandry and the cultivation of wheat and barley. But what about the diet in the next Bronze Age? Archaeobotany and archaeozoology have been routinely used to reconstruct the diet, environment, agricultural practices and animal husbandry in the Bronze Age, but these methods only provide general information. "For the first time, we decided to answer this question precisely by analysing human and animal skeletons directly. This meant we could study the stable isotopes from the collagen of the bones and teeth that constitute them and define their living conditions," continues Alessandra Varalli, a researcher in UPF's Department of Human Sciences and the study's first author. "In fact, we are what we eat," points out Marie Besse, a professor in the Laboratory of Prehistoric Archaeology and Anthropology in the F.-A. Forel Department at UNIGE. Biochemical analyses of bones and teeth will tell us what types of resources have been consumed." Forty-one human skeletons, 22 animal skeletons and 30 plant samples from sites in Western Switzerland and Haute-Savoie (France) were studied, ranging from the beginning to the end of the Bronze Age.

The study's first outcome showed that there was no difference between the diets of men and women, and that there were no drastic changes in diet between childhood and the adult phase of these individuals. "So, there was no specific strategy for feeding children, just as men didn't eat more meat or dairy product than women. What's more, when it comes to the origin of the proteins consumed, it was found that although Western Switzerland is home to a lake and rivers, the diet was mainly based on terrestrial animals and plants to the exclusion of fish or other freshwater resources," adds Dr Varalli. But the main interest of the study lies in plants, which reveal societal upheavals.

"During the early Bronze Age (2200 to 1500 BC), agriculture was mainly based on barley and wheat, two cereals of Near Eastern origin that were grown from the Neolithic Age in Europe, explains Dr Varalli. "But from the late Late Bronze Age (1300 to 800 BC), we note that millet was introduced, a plant from Asia that grows in a more arid environmen." In addition, nitrogen isotopes revealed that manuring was used more intensively. "The analysis of several plant species from different phases of the Bronze Age suggests that there was an increase in soil fertilisation over time. This was most likely to boost the production of agricultural crops."

These two discoveries combined seem to confirm the general aridity that prevailed in Europe during this period, which meant agriculture had to be adapted; and that there was heightened trade between different cultures, such as Northern Italy or the Danube region, leading to the introduction of millet into Western Switzerland. These new cereals might have played an important role in the security of supply, and perhaps contributed to the population increase observed in the Late Bronze Age. In fact, these cereals grow more quickly and are more resistant to drought, at a time when the climate was relatively warm and dry. Finally, the use of fertiliser went hand-in-hand with a general improvement in techniques, both agricultural and artisanal. "This first study on changes in diet in Western Switzerland during the Bronze Age corroborates what we know about the period. But it also demonstrates the richness of the widespread intercultural exchanges," states Professor Besse with enthusiasm. We still have much to learn about this millennium, in spite of the scientific problems related to the paucity of available material. "This is one of the reasons that led me to excavate the Eremita cave with UNIGE students. Located in the Piedmont region of Italy, it is dated to the Middle Bronze Age around 1600 BC," concludes Professor Besse.

ReferenceVaralli A, Desideri J, David-Elbiali M, Goude G, Honegger M, Besse M. Bronze Age innovations and impact on human diet: A multi-isotopic and multi-proxy study of western Switzerland. PLOS ONE. 2021;16(1):e0245726. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0245726

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Updated Feb 03, 2021 | 13:41IST

A balanced diet that includes foods containing antioxidants, vitamin A, E, D, C, and mineral such as magnesium and calcium can keep lung function healthy. Some herbs and spices can also boost lung health.

Add these 5 herbs and spices to your diet to keep your lungs healthy, reduce risk of respiratory disorders  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Lungs have become one of the most important and talked about organs in the human body, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Lungs are still primarily affected organ due to the viral infection. In fact, not just COVID-19, but most viruses cause damage to the lungs and can lead to respiratory infections. Other problems that commonly affect the lungs include lung cancer, which is one of the most common cancers around the world.

However, even as the lungs can be at risk of various such deadly infections and disorders, they can be taken care of with a healthy diet, and regular exercise. A balanced diet that includes foods containing antioxidants, vitamin A, E, D, C, and mineral such as magnesium and calcium can keep lung function healthy. Simultaneously, an exercise routine ensures your lung capacity is at its best. Certain herbs and spices can also help boost lung function.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

Get the Latest health news, healthy diet, weight loss, Yoga, and fitness tips, more updates on Times Now

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Muscular endurance refers to how long muscles can sustain exercise. Improving muscular endurance can help enhance overall health and fitness.

This article explores the benefits of muscular endurance, the best training routines to enhance it, and how people can adapt these techniques into common exercises.

We will also look at tips to prevent injury during training and how to design an exercise program that could lead to long-term performance and health benefits.

Muscular endurance is the ability to continue contracting a muscle, or group of muscles, against resistance, such as weights or body weight, over a period of time.

Increasing the performance of these muscles means they can continue to contract and work against these forces.

Greater muscular endurance allows a person to complete more repetitions of an exercise, for example, pushups or squats.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the benefits of muscle endurance include:

Muscular endurance tests measure how many repetitions of a movement people can do before the muscles reach a state of fatigue and cannot continue the exercise.

Many tests focus on measuring upper and lower body muscle endurance by measuring how many pushups, squats, or situps people can achieve.

A person can work with fitness instructors to measure muscular endurance or record how many repetitions of a particular exercise they can perform before reaching the fatigue state.

To increase muscular endurance, ACE recommend a combination of lower and upper body exercises, with strengthening exercises to target the whole body.

Moderate resistance training, with short intervals in between for rest, creates short bursts of tension to build strength.

Circuit or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be a suitable way to combine cardio and strength training into one workout.

Unless a persons fitness goals involve training for a particular endurance-based sport, training for muscular endurance alone may not be the most appropriate strategy.

The best exercise programs mix strength and muscular endurance training.

Some evidence also suggests that exercise programs that people find enjoyable may be more likely to generate long-term benefits, as they may be more likely to stick with them.

A 2015 study comparing HIIT and steady-state training notes:

Variety in the type of exercise is as important as the type of exercise. Particularly considering that the health benefits of exercise have to be viewed in the context of the likelihood that exercise is continued for several years, not just the weeks of a controlled study.

When training to improve muscular endurance, what matters most is not the type of exercise, but how people design their workout.

People should take into consideration the following when tailoring a workout to boost muscular endurance:

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, individuals training for muscular endurance should aim to complete three or more sets of 15 or more exercise reps with a load that is 50% or less of their one rep max (RM).

A persons one rep max is the maximum load with which a person can complete one repetition of an exercise.

For example, a person may wish to use the leg press machine at the gym to build endurance in the legs.

If they have an RM of 300 pounds (lbs), they should aim to perform 24 sets of 15 or more reps with a load of 150lbs or less, with brief rest periods between sets.

As their muscular endurance for this exercise increases, they may wish to make the exercise more challenging by reducing rest times between sets, or increasing the reps per set, rather than increasing the load weight.

A person can apply the same principle of high rep and set volume, lowmoderate load, and short rest periods to any exercise, such as bench presses, dumbbell curls, pushups, or squats.

People can choose exercises that suit their preferences and are challenging yet enjoyable enough to sustain training.

As we have already mentioned, there are no specific exercises that are better for training muscular endurance than others. The design of a training program makes it suitable for endurance training.

However, ACE recommend the following exercises for building muscle endurance, which a person can perform at home without equipment:

A pushup works the triceps, chest, and shoulder muscles.

A person can also work the tricep muscles more by placing their hands close together and turn them inward, so the fingers and thumbs form a diamond shape.

To make the exercise easier, a person can place their hands on a bench or other stable, raised surface.

People can also modify a push up by placing the knees on the floor to make it easier, or lift one leg off the floor to make it more difficult.

A squat works the glutes, calves, quads, and core muscles.

An abdominal crunch works the abdominal muscles:

Another example of an abdominal crunch is the pike crunch:

A person can also hold a stability ball between their ankles during this exercise.

A lunge works the abs, buttocks, hips, and thighs:

A plank works the core and back muscles.

A person can modify this exercise by resting on the forearms instead of the palms if they find it challenging to hold the plank position with straight arms.

Tips to prevent injury during a workout include:

Muscular endurance is a muscles ability to continue contracting against resistance over a period of time.

People can improve their muscular endurance with strength and cardiovascular training.

Follow this link:
What is muscular endurance and how to improve it - Medical News Today

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