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Keep Your Colon Healthy with a Diet Full of Fiber – RADIO.COM
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Maintaining a healthy diet full of fiber will go a long way to keep your colon healthy, according to Dr. Esther Cha, a colorectal surgeon at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne. She suggests patients eat25 grams of fiber a day by adding a variety of fruits, vegetables, cereals and breakfast bars to the menu. She also urges people to drink plenty of water to maintain good bowel health.
She suggests people begin getting colonoscopies around the age of 45. 50 used to be the suggested age, but she says doctors are seeing colon polyps and cancers in younger patients, perhaps because of changes in diet andlifestyle coupled withgenetics. Anyone with a family history of colon cancer should consider getting a colonoscopy at a younger age. Dr. Cha says problems found early are more easily treated.
She adds that changes in surgical procedures, such asminimally invasive and robotic operations are making procedures easier for patients.Incisions are smaller, there is less reliance on narcotics for pain management andrecovery time is faster. She adds that changes in post surgical care and protocols have also improved the time it takes for bowel function to return and for a patient to return to normal activity.
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Keep Your Colon Healthy with a Diet Full of Fiber - RADIO.COM
Greater Adherence to a Diet for Diabetes Reduction May Improve Survival for Breast Cancer – OncLive
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Women with stage 1 to 3 breast cancer who adhered to a diabetes risk reduction diet had improved survival versus those who did not follow this specific diet, according to findings presented during the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
Diabetes may be common in women with breast cancer, especially since 75%, or more than 2.6 million women, are at least 60 years or older, which means breast cancer survivorship must be managed in consideration with aging-related comorbidity such as diabetes, said Tengteng Wang, PhD, a research fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health during the virtual presentation of the study.
Type 2 diabetes, in particular, is a risk factor for breast cancer incidence and may be a predictive factor for breast cancer mortality. In addition, breast cancer increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
Identifying modifiable strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes among breast cancer survivors may be very important to improve their survival outcomes, said Wang.
Researchers analyzed data from 8,320 women with stage 1 to 3 breast cancer from 2 large cohort studies: the Nurses Health Study (1980-2014) and the Nurses Health Study II (1991-2015). Validated questionnaires were completed every 2 to 4 years to collect information on diet among other factors.
This study focused on a diabetes risk reduction diet with 9 dietary components including higher intakes of nuts, cereal fiber, coffee, polyunsaturated-saturated fat ratio and whole fruits, in addition to a lower glycemic index of diet and lower intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages/fruit juices, trans fat and red meat.
The [diabetes risk reduction diet] has been associated with 14% lower type 2 diabetes risk in [a] previous publication of the Nurses Health Study, said Wang.
Researchers calculated an average score of adherence to this diabetes risk reduction diet through repeated measures of diet after a diagnosis of breast cancer. Follow-up was conducted for a median of 16 years after cancer diagnosis.
During follow-up, 2,146 deaths occurred, of which 948 were related to breast cancer. Women with higher diet adherence scores after diagnosis had a 33% lower risk for all-cause mortality (HR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.58-0.78; P for trend < .0001) and a 17% lower risk for mortality related to breast cancer (HR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.67-1.02; P for trend = .03) compared with women with lower diet adherence scores.
Our results did not differ by breast tumor ER status or stage, said Wang.
During the discussion portion of the presentation, Wang said that she and her colleagues analyzed what may be the potential mechanism for this association. She said, We looked at how [diabetes risk reduction diet][ influenced gene expression in [the] breast tumor for [a] subgroup of our breast cancer patients, and according to our pathway analysis, the [diabetes risk reduction diet] is more associated with the pathway related to immune regulation and also cell proliferation, so this is, I think, an interesting finding.
When further adjusting for neighborhood socioeconomic status, the association between diet adherence and mortality risk was slightly attenuated, with patients with greater adherence having a 31% lower risk for all-cause mortality (HR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.6-0.8; P for trend < .0001) and a 14% lower risk for mortality from breast cancer (HR = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.7-1.07; P for trend = .06).
Women who improved their adherence to a diabetes risk reduction diet after breast cancer diagnosis had a lower risk for breast cancer mortality compared with those with consistently low adherence to this diet (HR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.65-1).
In conclusion, we felt that a greater adherence to the [diabetes risk reduction diet] after breast cancer diagnosis was associated with better survival outcomes, which means promoting dietary changes consistent with prevention of type 2 diabetes may be very important for breast cancer survivors, said Wang.
A version of this story appeared on CURE as Dietary Changes to Reduce Diabetes Risk May Also Increase Survival for Breast Cancer.
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Greater Adherence to a Diet for Diabetes Reduction May Improve Survival for Breast Cancer - OncLive
Dear Dietitian What is vitamin K’s role in health? – Kiowa County Press
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Dear Readers:An old vitamin is getting rave reviews lately. Most of you have heard of vitamin K, but did you know it is found in the diet in two forms? Vitamin K1, the most common form, was discovered by Danish scientist Henrik Dam in 1929 as he was studying cholesterol metabolism. It was known as the Koagulations vitamin for its distinct role in blood coagulation. The vitamin was spelled with a K because its discovery was first published in a German medical journal.
Vitamin K2is another form of the nutrient. Your body can convert K1to K2, but the process is inefficient. K2is found in fermented foods like sauerkraut and natto, egg yolks, butter, Muenster cheese, and pork sausage.
K2is rising in the ranks for its potential role in bone strengthening and heart health. Osteoporosis is a common disorder, especially in women over the age of 65. Osteoporosis occurs when there is a lack of calcium in the diet. In this case, the body will remove calcium from the bones to perform other tasks in the body. As a result, the bones become porous, weak, and more susceptible to fractures. It is believed that K2activates osteocalcin, a protein that binds to calcium, so that it can be added to bones and make them stronger.
We need at least three servings of calcium-rich food every day. Sources include milk, plain yogurt, spinach, and kale, to name a few.It is always best to get vitamins and minerals in your food rather than supplements, but sometimes life is busy, and our diets aren't perfect. That's when many people turn to calcium pills.
Recent studies have linked excess calcium supplementation to plaque buildup in the arteries, contributing to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, and heart disease. Interestingly, the same link is not found with calcium-containing foods or milk.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) studied the impact of calcium supplementation on heart disease. The study consisted of over 388,000 people whose health was tracked for twelve years. They found that men, but not women, who took 1000 mg of calcium in pill form, with or without adding vitamin D, had a 20% higher risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke than those who did not take calcium supplements. This study was observational, which does not show cause and effect. Other studies have had similar findings in both men and women who supplement calcium (1).
The topic of calcium supplements and heart disease is controversial, as studies are mixed. An analysis of 31 separate studies on the effect of calcium supplements on heart disease found no link between the two. Other randomized, controlled trials (the gold standard of research) have also found no cause for concern (2).
K2may keep arteries healthy by activating a protein that inhibits the buildup of calcium in the arterial walls. Thus, K2may play a vital role in calcium-associated heart disease.
There are people who should not take vitamin K supplements. If you take Coumadin(r)(warfarin),DO NOTsupplement Vitamin K, as it will interfere with blood clotting and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Talk to your doctor if you have more questions about Vitamin K.
Until next time, be healthy!
Dear Dietitian
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/calcium-and-heart-disease-what-is-the-connection
Leanne McCrate, RDN, CNSC, is an award-winning dietitian based in Missouri. Her mission is to educate consumers on sound, scientifically-based nutrition. Do you have a nutrition question? Email her today atdeardietitian411@gmail.com. Dear Dietitian does not endorse any products, health programs, or diet plans.
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Dear Dietitian What is vitamin K's role in health? - Kiowa County Press
Going vegan? Switching to a plant-based diet to improve your health? You are almost 50% more likely to suffer bone fractures – Genetic Literacy…
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Vegans and vegetarians may be at greater risk for bone fracturesthan meat eaters, according to a large,longitudinal study published [November 22] in the journal BMC Medicine.
Nearly55,000 relatively healthy adultsfrom the UK answered a questionnaire on diet, socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and medical history between 1993 and 2001. Researchers categorized them by diet then and at follow-up in 2010: meat eaters, fish eaters (pescatarians), vegetarians (no meat or fish but dairy and/or eggs) and vegans (nothing from animals).
The authors found 3,941 total fractures by 2016. In comparison to meat eaters, vegans with lower calcium and protein intakes on average had a 43% higher risk of fractures anywhere and in the hips, legs and vertebrae. Vegetarians and pescatarians had a higher risk of hip fractures than meat eaters, but the risk was partly reduced when the researchers considered body mass index and sufficient consumption of calcium and protein.
The study findings support a growing body of research on bone health with protein and calcium intake as well as BMI (body mass index), said Lauri Wright, a registered dietitian nutritionist and chair of the department of nutrition and dietetics at the University of North Florida, who wasnt involved in the study. Protein and calcium are the two major components of bone.
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Read More..‘Ensure that your diet is 90% to 100% plant-based’: 9 food rules from the world’s longest-living people – CNBC
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More than 15 years ago, I set out to reverse-engineer a formula for longevity. Working with renowned doctors and nutritionists, I identified several Blue Zones: Places around the world where people live the longest.
Along the way, I met experts who helped me understand why the foods people ate led to longer lives. We also distilled 150 dietary surveys of centenarians, or those who live to 100 or longer, to reveal the secrets of a strong longevity regimen.
These nine simple guidelines reflect what foods (and how of much of it) Blue Zone residents eat to stay healthy:
Centenarians eat an impressive variety of garden vegetables and leafy greens (especially spinach, kale, beet and turnip tops, chard and collards) when they are in season.
During the off-season, they pickle or dry the surplus. Beans, greens, sweet potatoes, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds dominate Blue Zone meals all year long.
Olive oil is also a staple. Evidence shows that olive oil consumption increases good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol. In the Greek island Ikaria, for example, we found that for middle-aged people, about six tablespoons of olive oil daily seemed to cut the risk of premature mortality by 50%.
On average, Blue Zone residents eat about two ounces or less of meat about five times per month (usually as a celebratory food, a small side, or as a way to flavor dishes).
One 12-year study, which followed a community of 96,000 Americans in Loma Linda a Blue Zone region in California determined that people who lived the longest were vegans or pesco-vegetarians who ate a small amount of fish.
Vegetarians in Loma Linda, according to the researchers, were more likely to outlive their meat-eating counterparts by as many as eight years.
Okinawans in Japan probably offer the best meat substitute: Extra-firm tofu, which is high in protein and cancer-fighting phytoestrogens.
In most Blue Zones, people ate small amounts of fish, fewer than three ounces up to three times weekly.
Usually, the fish being eaten are small, relatively inexpensive varieties like sardines, anchovies and cod species in the middle of the food chain that are not exposed to the high levels of mercury or other chemicals that pollute our gourmet fish supply today.
Again, fish is not a necessary part of a longevity diet, but if you must eat it, elect varieties that are common and not threatened by overfishing.
Beans reign supreme in Blue Zones and are the cornerstone of every longevity diet in the world: Black beans in Nicoya; lentils, garbanzo and white beans in the Mediterranean; and soybeans in Okinawa.
Most centenarians eat at least four times as many beans as Americans do on average at least a half cup per day. And so should you. Why? Beans are packed with more nutrients per gram than any other food on Earth.
On average, they are made up of 21% protein, 77% complex carbohydrates, and only a few percent fat. Because they are fiber-rich and satisfying, they'll likely help to push less healthy foods out of your diet.
Blue Zone communities eat sugar intentionally, not by habit or accident.
They consume about the same amount of naturally occurring sugars as North Americans do, but only about a fifth as much added sugar no more than seven teaspoons a day.
Between 1970 and 2000, the amount of added sugar in the American food supply rose by 25% (about 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day) generally, the result of the insidious, hidden sugars mixed into soda, yogurt and sauces.
If you must eat sweets, save cookies, candy and bakery items for special occasions (ideally as part of a meal). Limit sugar added to coffee, tea or other foods to no more than four teaspoons per day.
Skip any product that lists sugar among its first five ingredients.
Eat two handfuls of nuts per day.
A handful weighs about two ounces, the average amount that Blue Zone centenarians consume: Almonds in Ikaria and Sardinia, pistachios in Nicoya, and all varieties of nuts with the Adventists in Loma Linda.
A study on food and longevity found that nut eaters outlive non-nut eaters by an average of two to three years. So try to snack on a couple handfuls of almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, or peanuts every day.
If you can, strive to eat only sourdough or 100% whole wheat bread.
Most commercially available breads start with bleached white flour, which metabolizes quickly into sugar and spikes insulin levels.
But bread in Blue Zones is either whole grain or sourdough. In Ikaria and Sardinia, breads are made from a variety of whole grains such as wheat, rye or barley, each of which offers a wide spectrum of nutrients.
Whole grains have higher levels of fiber than most commonly used bleached flours. Some traditional Blue Zone breads are made with naturally occurring bacteria called lactobacilli, which "digest" the starches and glutens while making the bread rise.
The process also creates an acid the "sour" in sourdough. The result is bread with less gluten than breads labeled "gluten-free," with a longer shelf life and a pleasantly sour taste that most people like.
If possible, strive to avoid soft drinks, including diet soda. With very few exceptions, people in Blue Zones drink only coffee, tea, water and wine.
(Soft drinks, which account for about half of Americans' sugar intake, were unknown to most Blue Zone centenarians until recently.)
Here's why:
We found that most centenarians traditionally eat whole foods.
These are foods made from single ingredient raw, cooked, ground or fermented and are not highly processed. They eat raw fruits and vegetables; they grind whole grains themselves and then cook them slowly.
They also use fermentation an ancient way to make nutrients bioavailable in the tofu, sourdough bread, wine and pickled vegetables they eat.
And they rarely ingest artificial preservatives. Blue zones dishes typically contain a half dozen or so ingredients, simply blended together.
Dan Buettneris a longevity researcher,National Geographic Fellowand award-winning journalist. He is the author of"The Blue Zones Solution"His latest bestseller,"The Blue Zones Kitchen,"fuses scientific reporting,National Geographicphotography and recipes that may help you live to100. Follow him on Instagram@DanBuettner.
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Read More..Resident physicians: Your diet can help you make it through the night – American Medical Association
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In industries such as aviation and transportation, evidence has suggested that the timing and composition of meals can impact individual performance, particular in overnight shift work. Those lessons, one expert believes, can be applied to medical residents working overnight shifts that can span up to 24 hours.
Nutrition affects our cognition, particularly when we are sleep deprived, said Maryam S. Makowski, PhD, a clinical assistant professor in Stanford Universitys psychiatry and behavioral sciences department and the WellMD & WellPhD Center.
Having studied performance nutrition for resident physicians working overnight shifts for over two yearsshe submitted a poster presentation on the topic at the recent AMA GME Innovations SummitMakowski offered these tips for residents wondering what to eat and when.
When to consume calories
Makowski said that you should eat a big meal (about 30% of your total caloric needs) before you begin an overnight shift. For example, if you begin at 5 p.m. during a night rotation, consume that meal at 3 p.m. and aim to have at least 50% of daily caloric needs ingested before midnight.
You can start with having a brunch type of meal after you wake up, Makowski said. That should be the largest meal of the day. Then its best to try to eat again early in your shift.
Learn about three things medical residents want after long shifts.
Dont eat when youd normally sleep
Though your optimal eating times can vary based on your chronotype (e.g. morning, day or night person) , theres a hard cut off as to when you should avoid eating during overnight shifts.
A majority of the studies showed that eating between midnight and 6 a.m. can result in poor cognitive performance, Makowski said. For example, simulation studies show that eating a meal after midnight during nightshifts result in more errors and sleepiness.
Though we dont want to eat, we do want to keep hydrated. Thats really important both for mood, cognition, and feeling energized, Makowski said.
Residents need to pay extra attention to their hydration status, she added, and said residents should take advantage of every single chance they get to take frequent sips of water, coffee, regular or herbal teas. The goal is to have a urine color that is like lemonade not apple juice or darker.
How carbs affect performance
Carbohydrates are important for learning and memory, so the idea that eliminating them from a diet will improve performance is unlikely to be true. The quality of the carbohydrates matter though Makowski said. And, in a hectic environment, Makowski has found that residents basically live off junk food. If you are going to have carbohydrates, try to avoid things like donuts, pastries and have more whole grain, whole fruit type of snacks, she added.
When it comes to protein, its possible that a meal that has a higher ratio of protein to carbohydrates could reduce sleepiness during overnight shifts.
Discover what to tell your patients about ketogenic diets.
Protected eating time
Residents are busy. Sometimes too busy to eat a meal, let alone a healthy one.
One thing we saw is that even when we gave people food, they didnt have time to eat it, Makowski said. They were being constantly interrupted. Sometimes, depending on specialty, it could take until 1 a.m. for them to have time to eat.
There is a need for some structural support for residents. They need access to healthy meals and breaks to actually eat them.
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Resident physicians: Your diet can help you make it through the night - American Medical Association
Brain power: The best foods for brain health – Newton Kansan
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Its easy to see the connection between an unhealthy diet and an expanding waistline. The connection between food and brain health can be harder to get your mind around.
But experts agree. Eating right is essential for brain health.
Of all the organs in our body, the brain is the one most easily damaged by a poor diet, said Dr. Lisa Mosconi, director of the Womens Brain Initiative and an associate professor of neuroscience in neurology and radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. From its very architecture to its ability to perform, every aspect of the brain calls for proper food.
Mosconi, who has written books about the science of food and the brain, said many people have misconceptions about what proper food might be. One of the biggest fallacies shes been hearing lately is the idea that a very high-fat diet is somehow helpful to the brain.
This is not what most research shows, she said.
Dietary supplements are another area where people get misled, said Dr. Kristine Yaffe, professor of psychiatry, neurology and epidemiology at the University of California-San Francisco. Except when someone is deficient in a specific nutrient, vitamin supplements dont seem to improve brain health, she said.
Similarly, supplements that contain omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil have gotten a lot of attention. But while they might help certain heart patients when prescribed by a physician, research has not confirmed benefits for brain health. There have been a number of trials, and they havent borne out, said Yaffe, who was a co-author on a 2017 American Heart Association advisory on brain health.
So, what does work?
We still have a lot to learn about that, Yaffe said. But certain foods do seem to help when theyre part of an entire dietary pattern. And that diet looks similar to the ones physicians recommend for heart health.
A Mediterranean-style diet heavy in fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts lowers stroke risk in women and may lead to better cognitive ability in old age, studies have found. A 2018 study Mosconi led estimated it provided 1.5 to 3.5 years of protection against the development of biomarkers for Alzheimers disease. Another science-backed eating plan that limits red meat, sodium and added sugars and sweets, called DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), may reduce stroke risk.
Mosconi highlighted some nutrients antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene, and anti-inflammatory B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids that she said are important for the health of neurons.
But neither Yaffe nor Mosconi is a fan of singling out something as the perfect brain food.
I dont believe in superfoods, or that any one food or food group is key to brain health, Mosconi said.
And not that theres anything wrong with blueberries, Yaffe said, but you wouldnt want to be thinking, If I only eat blueberries, thats going to do it.
Its also important to think of foods that are potentially harmful to brain health, Mosconi said. Saturated fat, especially from animal sources, is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, she said. And some research also shows it increases the risk of cognitive problems.
When we eat a fatty, sugary meal and experience symptoms like sluggishness, brain fog and drowsiness these symptoms originate not in the stomach but in the brain, Mosconi said.
And the effects arent necessarily temporary.
Research indicates a poor diet may cause the loss of key structural and functional elements in the brain, she said, along with a higher vulnerability to brain aging and dementia.
A 2018 report from the Global Council on Brain Health, an independent group convened by the AARP, noted that foods and diets that are good for heart health are also good for brain health.
Yaffe, a member of that brain health council, said the mechanisms of the brain are complex, but it stands to reason that if youre eating a dietary pattern that is heart-healthy, its probably also healthy (for) the vessels in the brain.
She acknowledged that some people have a hard time seeing the connections between brain health and their diet or with other activities such as smoking, sleep and exercise.
Mosconi, also a member of the AARP brain health council, put it this way: Day after day, the foods we eat are broken down into nutrients, taken up into the bloodstream, and carried up into the brain. Once there, they replenish depleted storage, activate cellular reactions and, finally, become the very fabric of our brains.
Consider that the next time you reach for a brownie. Its ingredients will actually become part of your brain.
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Brain power: The best foods for brain health - Newton Kansan
Holiday Food Rules That Are Actually Just Diets – witl.com
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Should there even be any holiday eating rules? Maybe. But this year I say NO. This year I think we should have a pass and get to eat anything we want. We deserve it; it's been quite a year. I'm gonna enjoy my faves this year like eggnog, cookies and chips salsa. Of course in moderation along with exercise. I may throw in a healthy salad just for kicks and so I can feel better about all the eating I am going to do.
Well check this out. According tohuffpost,com, some "food rules" are actually just diets.
Theres nothing wrong with taking an everything in moderation approach at the dinner table, but other rules we establish for ourselves around the holidays can actually hinder rather than help our overall health. Think Ill work out extra hard so I can earn my holiday meal, or I want to eat clean this holiday, so Ill skip the pie.
You can read about those rules here.
What's one thing you love that you WILL be eating this year?
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Holiday Food Rules That Are Actually Just Diets - witl.com
Supplementing vegan diet with the right nutrients – Times of India
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Often confused, veganism largely differs from vegetarianism. While a vegetarian diet does not allow the intake of eggs, meat, and seafood, it does accept diary and other by-products. Veganism, on the other hand, takes this idea to the next level, avoiding all animal products and is entirely plant-based. Recent years have seen veganism go from a trend to a way of life with several people across the world, including celebrities and even athletes adopting a vegan diet.
A vegan lifestyle offers a plethora of benefits be it maintaining a healthy immune system or avoiding the implications of consuming meat, a vegan diet has become an ideal choice for many. However, there are certain drawbacks to veganism. It is easy to overlook some aspects and since the food consumed in a vegan diet is so selective, people often miss out on important nutrients. Entre, vegan supplements. Proper nutrient supply is required to ensure that we do not become victims of our busy lifestyles. On that note, here are some vital nutrients to include in your diet that are available as supplements. (Image: Canva)
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Supplementing vegan diet with the right nutrients - Times of India
Food or news, it can’t all be junk – McCook Daily Gazette
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For years, my husband and I have toyed with the idea of opening a retail store in McCook with the business divided into two distinct sides.
One half would feature all our favorite junk foods, using machines we have accumulated over the years. Reminiscent of the county fair or childhood summers, the store would feature cotton candy in every flavor and color imaginable, funnel cakes piled high with fruit toppings, and popcorn covered in so many different seasonings, your head would spin. And of course, there would be chocolate because how can you have a store of favorites without chocolates in every form and style possible.
If you notice, there is little redeeming nutritional value in any of these items, with the exception of the fruit toppings but even that would be mostly sugar.
Hence, the reason for the other half of the store. To balance out the lack of nutrition on one side and to assuage our guilt over such indulgent offerings, the other side would essentially be a health food store featuring foods we all know we should eat, but struggle to get enough of in our diets.
Whole-grain foods, fruits and vegetables, vitamins, smoothies, even kombucha which people may claim to like but no one does really. But lets be honest ... we know which side is going to be busier and more profitable: the junk food side.
While junk food is okay in moderation, it cannot be the sole basis of a diet. As we told our kids when they were little, there are sometimes food and often food. We learned early on that anytime you labeled something a never food, it became irresistible with wrappers hidden under the mattress.
There needs to be a variety of foods from both sides of the aisle, or in this case, both sides of the store.
The same concept holds true for our news and entertainment consumption. We cannot subsist on just junk news or junk entertainment. We need to make the conscious step of adding a variety of healthy, informative news to our information diet.
Yes, there are times when I want to watch a mindless TV show or binge-watch an entire series with no redeeming quality, just so I can have a giant bowl of popcorn.
But on the flip side, I regularly listen to news programs, subscribe to several newspapers, download innumerable podcasts and am mid-way through multiple books on my nightstand.
Think of learning and reading and researching as healthy food. You need it to keep your mind functioning, to have intelligent conversations, to open yourself up to the possibility that not only do you not know something, but also that you might be wrong.
And perhaps even more importantly, it is not just one news program or news outlet; it is not just one podcast, one author or one journalist. Just like our diets, our minds need variety.
If we want to have intelligent and meaningful conversations, we need to have a variety of healthy information. If we are going to move our community forward and to be able to work together, we need to have a variety of sources to make fact-based decisions.
While it may be easier to rely on junk food or junk information, we need to make the effort to make ourselves healthier - both physically and mentally - if we want our community to come together and make it an even better place to call home.
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Food or news, it can't all be junk - McCook Daily Gazette