Diet – Page 20 – News by Nature

16Apr

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

The Dilemma of the Gluten-Free Diet

A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that eating gluten-free is nearly impossible, underscoring the need for better treatments for patients with celiac disease. Experts say up to 1% of the global population has celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which people develop an immune reaction to gluten. Gluten is a protein that appears in any food containing wheat, barley, and rye. The immune system reaction results in inflammation and damage in the lining of the small intestine, which can lead to medical complications, such as acute stomach pain and failure to absorb nutrients. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study used data from three prior clinical trials to estimate how much gluten 246 celiac patients were ingesting. The gluten measurements w...

What Diet Best Lowers Phthalate Exposure?

11Apr

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet, Genetically Modified Foods

What Diet Best Lowers Phthalate Exposure?

Phthalates are hormone-disrupting plastics chemicals linked to a number of adverse health effects, such as disturbing infant and child development, and, in adults, may affect reproductive health in men and endometriosis in women, and is associated with increased abdominal fat in both. What is the most major exposure source? Diet. If you have people stop eating for a few days, you get a significant drop in the amount of phthalates spilling out in their urine. One can only fast for so long, though. Thankfully, we can see similar drops just from eating a plant-based diet for a few days, which gives us a clue as to where most phthalates are found. The highest levels are found in meats, fats, and dairy. Poultry consistently comes out as being the most contaminated across the board with so...

Better Diet Data Via Tooth-Mounted Sensors

26Mar

By CatherineNo Comments

Botanicals, Diet, Genetically Modified Foods, Remedies, Wellness

Better Diet Data Via Tooth-Mounted Sensors

In First World countries, where famine is unheard of, people are instead eating themselves to death. Oftentimes, diet studies rely on self-reported surveys and journals that are hostage to the whims of each participant. People forget. People feel self-conscious about their food choices and may fudge (pun intended) the data. However, a new sensor that fits on a person’s tooth could cut out this unpredictable variable—human nature— altogether. Researchers from Tufts University School of Engineering designed a tiny sensor that, when stuck to a tooth, can wirelessly relay precise information about glucose, alcohol and salt intake. When the device comes in contact with salt, for example, its electrical properties shift, causing its other components to absorb and transmit different radiofr...

Is A Gluten-free Diet Good For You — If There’s NO Medical Reason For It?

20Mar

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

Is A Gluten-free Diet Good For You — If There’s NO Medical Reason For It?

If a doctor has diagnosed you with Celiac Disease, an allergy or another condition that requires you to avoid wheat or gluten, you should heed their advice on what to eat. A diagnosis like that could mean eating gluten is causing harm. Gluten-free “becomes this synonym for health for people, and that’s actually very wrong. Just because it says ‘gluten-free’ does not mean it’s healthy,” said Dawn Jackson Blatner, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who works with the Chicago Cubs. Simply grabbing the gluten-free versions of the packaged food you normally buy won’t provide you any benefits, Blatner said. Additionally, eating a needlessly restrictive diet can impact the function of your gastrointestinal system, she added. “The diversity of our diet helps the microbiome in the gut,...

Ketogenic Diet: Does It Make You Feel Athlete?

12Mar

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

Ketogenic Diet: Does It Make You Feel Athlete?

A recent study, published in the journal Sports, poses a different question: Can the ketogenic diet make you a better athlete? A team based at the School of Kinesiology at Auburn University asked 12 participants to partake in a 12-week study to measure body composition, metabolic, and performance parameters in CrossFit practitioners. The researchers wanted to better understand how the ketogenic diet affects resistance training, as a previous study with mice demonstrated that a low-carbohydrate diet reduces muscle mass. The authors addressed this controversy by pointing to their own six-week study with mice, noting that a ketogenic diet does not impair muscle glycogen levels or affect muscle protein synthesis in comparison to an isocaloric Western diet (consuming the same quantity of cal...

Dementia Diet – Avoid These Foods to PREVENT Alzheimer’s Disease

1Mar

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

Dementia Diet – Avoid These Foods to PREVENT Alzheimer’s Disease

Dementia is the name given to a group of symptoms linked to a loss of brain function, according to the NHS. “Research has shown that following the MIND diet even a moderate amount is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. “The MIND diet encourages limiting your consumption of butter and margarine, cheese, red meat, fried food, pastries, and sweets because they contain large amounts of saturated fat and trans fat.” There’s no certain way to prevent dementia, but some lifestyle changes can help to lower your risk of the condition. Those most at risk of dementia are the elderly, and those with lower levels of education, the NHS said. A diet high in saturated fat, salt and sugar can increase your risk of dementia. Regular exercise may help to prevent a neurode...

1Mar

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

Study: Heart Health Starts With Diet

Focusing on your heart starts with what you eat. “A high fiber diet is very good for your heart,” stated Elyse Sartor, Clinical Outpatient Dietitian with Northside Hospital. Legumes such as beans, lentils, chickpeas and black-eyed peas are full of soluble fiber, acting like a sponge to soak up the bad LDL cholesterol. “Your raw vegetables, your cooked vegetables are also going to be good for fiber. You don’t find any fiber in animal products. So a heart-healthy diet is going to be lots and lots of plants,” Sartor said. Fatty fish like salmon is backed with long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids. These compounds help lower blood pressure, make blood less likely to clot and keep blood vessels healthy. But, balance is key, so don’t focus on eating one or two healthy foods and ignore...

Can A Plant-based Diet ‘Reverse’ Heart Disease?

21Feb

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

Can A Plant-based Diet ‘Reverse’ Heart Disease?

Could eating a strict low-fat vegetarian or vegan diet really 'reverse' coronary heart disease, and if so should everyone be eating this way? BHF dietitian Victoria Taylor says: The idea that a low-fat vegetarian or vegan diet could ‘reverse’ heart disease has been circulating for more than 20 years. This way of eating has become more popular in the last couple of years. It has lots of benefits, but the truth is more complex than headlines suggest. A study published in 2014 looked at 198 patients to further investigate whether eating a strict plant-based diet could stop or reverse heart disease. It found of the 177 patients who stuck to the diet, the majority reported a reduction in symptoms and 22 percent had disease reversal confirmed by test results. But that study didn’t just ...

5Feb

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

The Keto Meal Plan for Beginners

So you've decided you want to try out the high-fat, low-carb diet, better-known as the fat-burning ketogenic diet. Whether it's to lose weight, have more energy, or fuel workouts differently, going keto is a popular choice right now. But figuring out a keto meal plan on your own is no easy feat, especially since eating a diet super high in fats doesn't come naturally to many people who are accustomed to the traditionally carb-heavy American diet. What's more, it's especially important to make sure your diet is well-planned when you're eating keto-style, because the foods you can choose from are limited. In addition to checking in with a dietitian if you're able, Stefanski recommends that you "talk to your doctor and make sure she or he is aware that you'll be starting a diet that comple...

Improving Your Diet Can Also Improve Your Skin

22Jan

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet, Wellness

Improving Your Diet Can Also Improve Your Skin

Revamping our eating habits can make for a healthier body. Did you know that making a few key changes to your diet could help to improve the look and feel of your skin, too? Here are some ways that adjusting your eating habits can help you achieve a brighter, more even, and healthier-looking complexion: ▪ Sugar contributes to signs of aging. Consuming too much sugar isn’t just bad for our waistlines; it can also contribute to signs of aging on our skin, including lines, wrinkles, and age spots. That’s because sugar triggers a chemical process called glycation within your body. ▪ Vitamin A boosts collagen. Vitamin A is found in many different foods, including carrots, sweet potatoes, and kale. This vitamin is a type of retinoid, which encourages collagen production within you...