News by Nature – Healthy Living, Wellness, Vitality News

Meal Prepping May Actually Be Sabotaging Your Diet

Indeed, meal prepping’s popularity has exploded on social media. On Instagram alone there are 5.5 million photos tagged #mealprep and 1.1 million tagged #foodprep.

While perfectly portioned-out food for seven days does make for the perfect #foodporn snapshot, meal preppers are onto an idea that — at least in concept — is good for your diet, according to research.

More recently, a 2017 study of 40,000 adults in France found that people who meal prepped at least a few days at a time were less likely to be overweight and stuck more closely to nutritional guidelines.

Portion control is one key way food prepping helps people maintain a healthy weight or lose a few pounds.

A review of several studies around the role of portion control in weight management showed that eating the appropriate amount of food is directly linked.

Continue Reading at HealthLine

15 Health and Wellness Use Cases for Virtual Reality

Virtual reality has moved from science fiction to marketable consumer product astonishingly quickly, partly because the incorporation of the smartphone into the technology makes it accessible, if not ubiquitous.

But what about in healthcare? Could a technology primarily associated with gaming turn out to be a serious therapeutic tool? In May, Kalorama reported that the virtual and augmented reality market in health care grew from $525 million in 2012 to an estimated $976 million in 2017.

Virtual reality is showing promise in treating pain, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, smoking cessation, and even at the dentist’s office. We’ve rounded up 15 VR use cases, read on for the whole list.

Read the full article at Mobile Health News

FSSAI Plans Labelling of GM Foods

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is planning a regime of labeling genetically modified (GM) foods, which do not exist in India as of now.

FSSAI, though responsible for testing food standards, is passing the buck on independent testing of the impact of GM foods on human health. Its officials said that the environment ministry should look at it.

As per Section 22 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, FSSAI has the responsibility to regulate GM organisms and products once they are approved by GEAC. FSSAI even submitted a status report before the Supreme Court, which is hearing a case against the commercial cultivation of GM Mustard, and stressed that no regulation is yet framed to regulate GM foods. DNA has reviewed a copy of the status report.

Continue Reading at DNA

Awesome Natural Remedies To Treat Itchy Scalp

An itchy scalp may be a common problem found among the people, it may irritate anyone. Now there are lots of remedies available for this problem, instead of trying any chemical related treatments or products it is better to try homemade remedies which provide immediate relief.

If you wonder how to get rid of itchy scalp you must try the following home remedies.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is one of the effective remedies for itchiness because it provides antioxidant benefits. Most importantly, it has the ability to fight against bacteria, virus, and fungus so it is highly powerful than chemical related remedies.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is the fantastic natural remedies and it can be used to treat various skin damages and irritation. In general aloe Vera kills fungus; bacteria etc and it will moisturize skin. At the same time, it will act as the gentle exfoliator by the way it will remove the dead skin cells.

Read the full article at TG Daily

Genetically modified food – is GM really that bad for us?

A debate has raged around the potential risks and benefits of genetically modified (GM) foods for the last 20 years.

Friends of the Earth says that although food from 12 GM crops has been approved for sale in the EU, most UK supermarkets and food manufacturers have removed GM ingredients from their produce.

The arguments for GM

Most existing genetically modified crops have been developed to improve yield through resistance to plant pests or increased tolerance to herbicides.

Professor Jonathan Jones, a senior scientist at The Sainsbury Laboratory and an expert on how plants resist disease, was featured on the Panorama program.

“Producing enough food is hard, and currently there’s a lot of control of disease and pests by spraying agrochemicals,” he said.

“GM opponents have this idealistic notion that we can have a perfect, utterly clean way of doing things, but this idealism isn’t helpful because farming is a very pragmatic business. You’ve got to control weeds, so you need herbicides, and there are a lot of objections to them, but the question is, what’s the least bad way to do it?

“Anything that gets regulatory approval is completely safe, or at least as safe as its non-GM counterpart.”

Successful Weight Loss Dieting? Check Blood Sugar and Insulin First!

Success on a weight-loss diet can be predicted by measuring a person’s blood sugar and fasting insulin levels, according to a study presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting in San Diego.

The international study examined data from six studies of different diets designed to improve nutrition. It found that those biomarkers consistently predicted losing weight and keeping it off.

A fiber-rich diet without calorie restrictions is successful for many with prediabetes, the study found. Carbohydrate and fat intake should be adjusted according to fasting insulin levels.

“Remarkably, for many patients, use of these biomarkers can lead to a six- to seven-fold greater weight loss,” said study leader Arne Astrup. He is head of the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

The study also included researchers from the University of Colorado, Tufts University, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBER OBN) and Gelesis, Inc.

And for the diets to really stick, they can’t be temporary, but part of a changed lifestyle that people can embrace without feeling deprived.

The San Diego Union Tribe

The Worst Diet Tips a Nutritionist has Ever Hard

Want to lose weight or overhaul your eating habits for good? Chances are your Dr. Google search leaves you with more questions than answers.

Don’t make losing weight harder than it needs to be. Here are the top four terrible diet tips that could be messing with your slim-down strategy.

CALORIES VS CALORIES OUT

A calorie is still a calorie, right? So, if you had a choice between a chocolate brownie or a handful of nuts, which one would you choose? Both have roughly 170 calories, but the problem is, not all calories are created equal.

Choosing a food based on how many calories (or kilojoules) it has, doesn’t take into consideration how nutritious or filling it is.

Read the full article at Nzherald.co.nz

7 Home Remedies for Eye bag Treatment

Puffy eyes make you look tired, ill, and unimpressive. They can make it look like you’re taking on too much, stopping you from fully enjoying your life.

While you do need to focus on the reason for your puffy eyes – as they’re a symptom of an underlying problem – you can take steps to improve the look of your eyes.

These seven home remedies have been used for years – in some cases centuries – to help improve the look of the eyes.

1. Start with Cold Tea Bags
2. Keep the Body Hydrated
3. Place Cucumbers on Your Eyes
4. Make an Egg White Face Mask
5. Do Facial Exercises Daily
6. Apply Aloe Vera to Your Eyes
7. Change the Way You Sleep

Which Home Remedy Will You Try First?

Now it’s completely up to you. There are many home remedies that you can try to get rid of the eye bags and puffiness. While you focus on how to get rid of the eye bags, you can look at the reasons for the eye bags appearing.

6 Natural Depression Remedies That Will Change Your Life

Depression is a serious and devastating illness that can rob you of the pleasures and joys of life. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, over 15 million Americans are affected by the major depressive disorder, and it is the leading cause of disability for those aged 15 to 44.

For some, the darkness of depression continues on, unabated, despite the best treatments. This can leave many feeling helpless, lost, and alone in their struggle.

Fortunately, you’re never as helpless as you might feel, and there are a number of things you can do that will work alongside counseling and medication to help you take back your life. These are natural, everyday activities in which anyone can participate.

These natural remedies do take a healthy dose of willpower, planning, and discipline, though, so we’re going to help you out by guiding you through each.

Genetically Modified crops

With the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, an Environment Ministry body that evaluates genetically modified crops, approving transgenic mustard for environmental release, a key hurdle remains before farmers can cultivate it: Environment Minister Anil Dave’s approval, under a procedure set down by the UPA government.

What is a GM crop?
A GM or transgenic crop is a plant that has a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology.

Concerns associated
The technology of genetic engineering is an evolving one and there is much, especially on its impact on human health and environment that is yet to be understood properly. The scientific community itself seems uncertain about this.

In fact, globally, there is a clear view that GM crops must not be introduced in centers of origin and diversity. India also has mega biodiversity hotspots like the Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats which are rich in biodiversity yet ecologically very sensitive. Hence it will only be prudent for us to be careful before we jump on to the bandwagon of any technology.

Continue Reading at: The Hands India