Ask an elite athlete how nutrition factors into her performance, and shell likely tell you that its just as important as her training plan. In many cases, she may even call it the most important factor. But the increased effort levels during training can make sticking to your diet tough since even healthy regimens often include eliminating classic performance foodslike lean proteins if youre vegetarianor carbs if youre paleo. If you fall into one of these camps, rest easy. A few small tweaks will give your body what it needs to crank at its full potential. We spoke with two sports dietitians who work with high-performing endurance athletesHeather Mangieri, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Barbara Lewin, sports dietitian for the U.S. Olympic Registryfor the details.

Keto dieters get about 75 to 85 percent of their calories from fat and eat very few carbohydrates (generally fewer than 50 grams a day). Although revered by many endurance athletes, the keto approach to healthful eating can backfire if you arent deliberate about finding your fuel elsewhere, getting adequately diverse nutrient intake, and tracking whether your body is adapting to fat burning.

Emphasize Diversity: You need a lot of vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants when youre training. Without a careful approach to keto, you risk micronutrient deficiency, Mangieri says. Make sure youre not eating the same rotation of foods. Instead, rely on easy swaps to ensure youre putting a variety of vitamins and minerals into your body without having to take a supplement.

Monitor Your Performance: Its been the silver bullet for many athletes, but the keto program doesnt have the same impact on every individual, so it remains debated. Many people can run a marathon or do a tri while following the keto rules of thumb, but science shows that increasing intensity typically requires carbohydrates, Lewin says. She recommends keeping a journal to monitor what youre eating and how youre performing in your training. Its key to see if youre falling off pace or exerting more effort to clock in at slower times without necessarily noticing it.

Gluten-free athletes avoid foods that most others consider essential to their training. Thankfully, eating gluten-free is a breeze these days with so many healthy choices, Lewin says. But there are still a few pitfalls to watch for.

Skip the Packaged Foods: A diet packed with gluten-free bread, crackers, and pastas isnt inherently healthy or useful for fueling hard training, since those foods often have added sugar or fat to make them more palatable. Instead, eat naturally gluten-free foods like quinoa and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or corn, Mangieri says.

Go for Variety: Gluten-free dieters often eat a lot of rice productsrice bread, rice crackers, rice pastaso they get a limited nutritional panel on repeat. Instead, switch up your alternative-carb products so you get a longer list of macros (and prevent stale taste buds). Try bean-based pastas, buckwheat pancake mixes, or corn tortillas instead of flour.

Plant-based diets have become the darlings of the health world and the hallmark of many exemplary endurance athletes, but its surprisingly easy to eat a very unhealthy diet even when cutting out animal products. Its less about what you arent eating and more about what you are eating, Mangieri says. To really perform your best, you need to be a well-rounded vegan or vegetarian. That means your pantry cant be filled solely with energy bars and protein powder.

Pay Attention to Protein: Get your protein from real plants. There is a lot of amino-rich produce out thereyou just have to be a little more conscious of making sure youre getting enough. It may be worth using a food-tracking app at the start to guarantee that youre getting the recommended 90 grams a day. Besides beans and legumeslauded as plant-based protein sourceschia seeds, wild rice, oatmeal, and even potatoes contain significant amounts of plant protein that can be easily incorporated into your meals throughout the day

Be Mindful of B12: Strict vegans need to be sure theyre getting enough vitamin B12, which is naturally found only in meat and is essential for red blood cell production. Try incorporating fortified cereals or alternative milks a few times a day. If youre really struggling to hit the mark, pop a B12 vitamin daily.

Time Your Fiber Wisely: I recommend that triathletes and runners reduce their fiber for two days prior to their race, eating fewer big salads and the like. This may actually reduce their weight by a few pounds and will reduce GI issues and the chance they have to find a restroom along the way, Lewin says. Thats tough for anyone who abstains from meat, but its important for being race-ready.

Athletes who fuel themselves on this ancestral diet eschew agricultural-era foods such as grains, legumes, dairy, and refined foods while focusing on meat, fish, fruits, and veggies. Its pretty easy to be a paleo athlete as long as you time the carbs you do eat for adequate fueling and recovery.

Enjoy Those Well-Timed Potatoes: The Paleo Diet for Athletes allows high-glycemic carbs like potatoes around your training and racing times to ensure you have adequate glycogen stores for high-intensity efforts and recovery.

Make Your Own Sports Drinks: Commercial sports drinks will be off-limits, but you can make your own from raw honey, sea salt, lemon juice, and water.

Some athletes believe this approach helps them stay lean and fast. There is good research that this pattern of eating can be beneficial. You just need to practice it wisely, Lewin says.

Eat Enough: For athletes, the goal of intermittent fasting isnt to go into starvation mode or to shed pounds quickly. Instead, its meant to increase your strength-to-weight ratio by triggering your body to burn fat stores. When you do eat, you want to make sure you consume enough to maintain muscle mass, restock your glycogen store, and stay fueled.

Time It Right: Schedule your high-intensity sessions close to your last meal so you have fuel on board. Avoid prolonged fasts of more than two to three days just before races so you dont go in with depleted glycogen stores.

Raw-food practitioners, notably professional triathlete Brendan Brazier, fill themselves with foods that havent been cooked, believing that modern cooking deleteriously alters foods nutritional content. The foods you choose and how you prepare them can have a major impact on how well (or not) you do as you train.

Prioritize Protein: Its easy to feel satisfied on uncooked foods yet miss out on getting the protein you need. Raw, less-processed food fills your stomach faster even if it doesnt give you lasting energy. To combat this effect, eat a large variety of nuts, seeds, legumes, and vegetables, rather than just munching on raw crudits and trail mix, to get all your essential amino acids without filling up first.

Think About Fiber: Fiber hits harder with a raw-food diet because your body has to do all the work of digesting it without the help of cooking, which might ordinarily kick-start the breakdown process. A high fiber pre-workout or pre-race meal doesnt sit very well and usually doesnt provide adequate calories, Lewin says. The same is true for recovery. Eating a high-fiber recovery meal means that you miss the window of 20 to 30 minutes after your workout where the body is able to most efficiently restore muscle glycogen levels and rebuild muscle. Juicing some of your foods will help eliminate some of the fiber while still providing nutrition.

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How to Ramp Up Training and Stay HealthyNo Matter Your Diet - Outside Magazine

Specific lifestyle behaviors such as sticking to a Mediterranean-like diet and not smoking may dictate a persons ability to live without a caregiver into their late 80s. Photo by Sondem/via Adobe

Want to stay out of a nursing home in your twilight years? Put down that hot dog.

A new study outlines which aspects of a healthy lifestyle predict independent living late in life. While physical activity and living with someone else can factor into reachingold age, specific behaviors such as sticking to a Mediterranean-like diet and not smoking may dictate a persons ability to live without a caregiver into their late 80s, according to research published Friday in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Experts told NewsHour such guidelines for keeping the elderly mobile are invaluable as the geriatric population continues to grow.

Preserved independence is highly valued by very old individuals, Kristin Franzon, a geriatrician and the studys lead author, told NewsHour via email. In the beginning, her team wanted to know if there was anything people could do to maintain independence as they age, or if dependence is an unavoidable part of getting old.

Her 16-year study at Uppsala University followed a cohort of Swedish men as they became octogenarians. Franzon started her investigation in 2011, but relied on data from the the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men (ULSAM) an ongoing project begun in 1970, when its participants were 50 years old.

Approximately 1,100 participants from ULSAM fit the bill for Franzons study, though some chose not to participate or didnt meet the benchmark for independent living at the start. Over the next 16 years, a portion of the men also passed away or dropped out due to severe illness. To qualify as independent, the men had to meet rigorous standards. The men had to be able to bathe, toilet and dress themselves, and walk alone outdoors until the age of 87. They also had to pass a mental state examination, could not be institutionalized or have dementia.

In the end, 369 men completed the final study 276 counted as independent agers, while 93 lived co-dependent lifestyles.

This cohort underwent a series of tests during medical checkups. The men were queried on their physical activity, education level, smoking habits and whether or not they lived alone. When they could make it to the clinic, nurses gave them a full physical, looking at health indicators like height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin and cholesterol.

Participants also kept food diaries. Those records were scored based on how well their diets conformed to a modified Mediterranean diet meaning it was adapted for a typical Swede. Typically, a Mediterranean diet emphasizes fish, cereals, polyunsaturated fatty acids, fruits and vegetables. For the Swedes in the study, their diets did not contain a lot of olive oil or nuts, while potatoes counted as a grain.

Out of all this information came three traits associated with independent aging: never having smoked, a waistline under 40 inches and a high adherence to the Mediterranean-like diet.

As far as we know, this is the first study to show an association between high adherence to a Mediterranean-like diet and preserved independence at a very old age, Franzon said. Other traits, including physical activity and cohabitation, are only associated with longevity.

But these lifestyle recommendations may not translate for everyone. Given that the men are of similar age and ethnicity provides consistency, but at the same time, limits how applicable the findings are to a broader population.

The study is also only in men. Women have more difficulty than men with everyday tasks as they get older, said Anne Newman, an epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh and former geriatrician who was not involved in the study.

Newman also noted that some participants didnt complete every part of the survey some became too infirm to visit the clinics, for instance so its likely the results are slightly reflective of healthier individuals. Franzon acknowledges this limitation, too. Her teams report notes that its possible the trends they see would be stronger if there had been less bias toward a healthier population.

Even though the study is small, its unique in that it looks at how well seniors are living and not just how long, Newman said. Its also rare and remarkable, she added, for a study to start at a young age and then follow participants over such a long period of time.

As the geriatric population continues to grow,Newman stressed that more work is needed to understandwhat will keep peopleactive.

People are living longer, but not everyone has a family capable of the emotional and economic burdens of caregiving. For some of the elderly, nursing homes mean boredom and neglect, while other seniors view successful aging as maintaining independence.

Frazons research pinpoints the behaviors that might help. So, are you swapping that hot dog for veggies yet?

Read more:
How to stay out of a nursing home and age independently - PBS NewsHour

With more than one-third of U.S. adults suffering from obesity, it's no surprise that many Americans would benefit from healthier eatinghabits. Fad diets capitalize on our desire for quick results but usually fail in the long run.

Now new research adds to the evidence that a more moderate approach can make a lasting difference.

A study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health finds that improving the quality of diet over time, even with modest changes, may significantly reduce the risk of premature death.

Improvements to diet included consuming more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish and eating less red and processed meats and sugary beverages.

"Overall, our findings underscore the benefits of healthy eating patterns including the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. Our study indicates that even modest improvements in diet quality could meaningfully influence mortality risk and conversely, worsening diet quality may increase the risk," lead author Mercedes Sotos-Prieto, who worked on the study while a postdoctoral fellow in the Harvard Chan School department of nutrition and who is currently an assistant professor of nutrition at Ohio University, said in a statement.

For the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Sotos-Prieto and her team analyzed data on nearly 74,000 adults over a 12-year period. The researchers assessed the participants' diet using three different scoring methods: the 2010 Alternate Healthy Eating Index, the Alternate Mediterranean Diet score, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet score. Each model assigns scores to various types of food, with healthier foods receiving higher scores and less healthy foods receiving lower scores.

The results showed that better diet quality over a 12-year period was linked to a reduced risk of death in the subsequent 12 years, no matter which method of scoring was used. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fish or n-3 fatty acids appeared to contribute most to an improvement in diet quality.

Specifically, the study showed that a 20-percentile increase in diet-quality scores was associated with an 8 to 17 percent reduction in the risk of death.

That can be achieved, for example, by swapping out just one serving of red or processed meat and replacing it with onedaily serving of nuts or legumes.

In contrast, worsening diet quality was linked to a 6 to 12 percent increase in the risk of death.

Nancy Z. Farrell, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said the findings reinforce the work she does every day with her patients.

"Registered dietitian nutritionists practice evidence-based science every day in encouraging and educating the public on disease prevention and treatment, and we know that chronic disease increases the cost of health care and drives up insurance premiums," she told CBS News.

Farrell says everyone can benefit from making smart diet swaps as often as possible.

"Have a 'meatless Monday' dinner where you incorporate beans or legumes, such as red beans and quinoa. Or have a veggie pizza night," she suggests.

When it comes to snacking, avoid high-calorie junk foods like potato chips and opt for a handful of nuts, or make your own trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

And if you're looking for a sweet treat, skip the ice cream and try freezing some fruit instead.

"Blueberries or blackberries offer a refreshing summer snack with a burst of coolness," Farrell said.

Importantly, experts say it's crucial to not only incorporate such changes into your diet, but to stick with them over time.

"Our results highlight the long-term health benefits of improving diet quality with an emphasis on overall dietary patterns rather than on individual foods or nutrients," said Frank Hu, professor and chair of the Harvard Chan School department of nutrition and senior author of the study. "A healthy eating pattern can be adopted according to individuals' food and cultural preferences and health conditions. There is no one-size-fits-all diet."

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Even modest changes to diet could reduce risk of death, study finds - CBS News

It sounds like Aaron Rodgers is looking for the kind of career longevity enjoyed by his friend and fellow NFL quarterback Tom Brady.

In an interview with People, Rodgers talked about how clean living was a factor in his 13-year career as a star Green Bay Packers quarterback. The interview took place in advance of Wednesday nights ESPY Awards when the former Cal Golden Bears star competes against the San Mateo-born Brady as the best NFL player of 2017.

Rodgers, 33, opened the interview by dishing just a tiny bit about how hes worked to overcome regrets. He may be referring to his breakup this spring from his high-profile, three-year relationship with actress Olivia Munn, or his longtime estrangement from his Chico-based family, including his younger brother Jordan Rodgers, last years winner of The Bachelorette.

You figure it out as you go, you make mistakes, but being open to those older voices in your life, and those mentors, can help you avoid some of the mistakes that we all [likely] made at a young age, he said.

Thats about as specific as Rodgers would get on that score. He was more specific when he talked about the importance of mentorship and friendship in the sport. Thats where Brady comes in.

The New England Patriots quarterback has become the subject of lengthy profiles in recent years and not just because of his on-field accomplishments: as a four-time Super Bowl MVP who has won five Super Bowls as quarterback. Brady is also said to be playing better than ever, even though hes 39 years old in a rough sport that is notoriously hard on players bodies and brains.

As he enters his 19th season, Bradys fierce attention to his own version of clean living has come under scrutiny.

Brady is known to follow an extremely meticulous diet, fitness and overall life-style regimen that covers everything: what he eats, how he works out or spends his vacation days and even how he sleeps, according to a 2014 profile Sports Illustrated. He is known to follow a strict, mostly vegan diet in which he shuns sugar and alcohol most of the time and in a more extreme way eliminates nightshade veggies like potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant that are said to cause inflammation.

Brady also eats seasonally,meaning he eats certain foods in the winter including red meat and mostly raw food in the summer. Earlier this year Brady launched a plant-based meal kit plan,based on his program, with Purple Carrot.

Rodgers said hes taking some of his nutrition cues from Brady, especially as he contemplates how hell continue to play as he approaches his mid-30s, a time when many quarterbacks begin to contemplate retirement.

I dont have a cookbook out yet, Rodgers joked. And I still have to improve in some areas!

One thing he said he hasnt been able to give up are the nightshade veggies. But he says hes working to improve, mainly because he holds Brady in such high esteem.

I think Tom sets a good example, and we have been friends for a long time and talk about a number of things, Rodgers said. He has kind of set the standard for taking care of your body.

The interview didnt go into whether Rodgers is following some of Bradys other life-style choices, such as doing cognitive exercises before bedtime to destimulate his brain and to fall asleep by 9 p.m., as Sports Illustrated explained. Brady also rarely lifts weights and works out instead using resistance bands. Meanwhile, on vacation, his daily routine is still carefully scripted. He works out twice naps according to a schedule, surfs, avoids alcohol and still goes to bed early.

But Rodgers might have other ways of taking care of his most prized asset his body. In early April, shortly after he broke up with Munn, it was reported that he spends a lot time in Los Angeles, getting weekly facials. He had also been working out at the Unbreakable Performance Center, a gym known in West Hollywood for its celebrity clientele.

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Aaron Rodgers is getting diet tips from his good friend Tom Brady - The Mercury News

Research led by Brad Ferguson, PhD, has found that diet doesn't appear to be a factor in gastrointestinal issues in children with autism. Credit: Justin Kelley/MU Health

Many children with autism spectrum disorder experience significant gastrointestinal issues, but the cause of these symptoms is unknown. Professionals in the medical community have suggested a potential link between diet and gastrointestinal issues related to autism. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found that diet is not a contributing factor in these individuals. The researchers hope the findings could help lead to improved treatment options.

"Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for those with autism to experience constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal issues," said Brad Ferguson, Ph.D., postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Radiology at the MU School of Medicine and the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. "We sought to find out whether nutritional intake in their individual diets was associated with gastrointestinal issues. Based on our findings, dietary intake does not appear to be the culprit for these issues, and other factors are likely at play."

A previous study conducted by the research team identified a relationship between increased cortisol response to stress and gastrointestinal symptoms in people with autism spectrum disorder. Cortisol is a hormone released by the body in times of stress, and one of its functions is to prevent the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation. In this study, the researchers sought to confirm or rule out dietary intake as a source of gastrointestinal problems.

The team studied 75 individuals between the ages of 5 and 18 who are part of the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network who were treated at the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. The individuals' caregivers completed a questionnaire to assess the children's gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as a questionnaire on food intake over the past month. The individuals also underwent two stress tests to measure cortisol levels.

"We looked at the reported instances of gastrointestinal issues and compared them with 32 different nutrients found in a standard diet," Ferguson said. "Contrary to what you may initially think, dietary composition does not appear to be a driving factor between stress response and gastrointestinal function in this sample. More research is needed to better understand the causes of these issues, but an increased reaction to stress does appear to be a contributing factor."

Explore further: Increased reaction to stress linked to gastrointestinal issues in children with autism

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Study: Diet not connected to GI problems in children with autism - Medical Xpress

TUESDAY, July 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Lifestyle counseling could help protect the long-term heart health of adults who aren't yet at high risk for heart attack and stroke, a panel of medical experts says.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on Tuesday reaffirmed its 2012 recommendation that doctors consider extra counseling on diet and exercise even among their low-risk patients.

"The Task Force encourages primary care clinicians to talk to their patients about eating healthy and physical activity," said task force vice chair Susan Curry. If patients are interested and motivated to make lifestyle changes, doctors should offer to refer them to counseling, she said.

Obese people and those who have high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, diabetes, or problems maintaining normal blood sugar levels are at higher risk for heart disease. The USPSTF already advised doctors to offer their high-risk patients intensive behavioral counseling to help prevent heart attack, stroke and other heart-related problems.

This type of counseling involves more than a single conversation during a doctor's visit. In many cases, patients attend multiple counseling sessions with another health care professional.

In its final recommendation published July 11, the panel concluded that primary care doctors should also consider offering healthy lifestyle behavioral counseling to patients who are at moderate or low risk for heart disease, including those who exercise and have a generally healthy diet.

"This recommendation complements separate task force recommendations for people at increased risk, which recommend behavioral counseling for all high-risk patients," said Dr. Carol Mangione, a task force member.

The recommendation was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It also appears on the USPSTF website.

Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes, is the leading cause of death in the United States, the panel noted.

See the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on healthy living.

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Docs Should Counsel Even Healthy People on Diet, Exercise, Experts Say - Bismarck Tribune

Q: Is it possible to have a healthy vegetarian or vegan pregnancy?

A: The short answer is yes, absolutely, said Dr. Shannon M. Clark, a spokeswoman for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can still get all the nutrients you need, but you cant be cavalier.

A 2015 review of 22 observational studies on vegan and vegetarian pregnancies discovered no increase in major birth defects or other serious problems in offspring or mothers. The review, in BJOG, included only healthy women. The authors said more research is needed to determine whether expecting women who have certain health conditions can safely continue a plant-based diet.

In its position paper on vegetarian diets, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics said a plant-based diet is healthful and nutritionally adequate for pregnant women, as long as theres appropriate planning, since pregnant women who dont eat meat may be at risk for deficiencies in certain nutrients.

Iron is crucial because women build up blood volume during pregnancy, and deficiencies can lead to anemia, which increases the risk of having a low birthweight baby, and increases the risk of preterm labor and delivery, explained Clark.

So during pregnancy, vegetarians and vegans should take special care to eat plenty of iron-rich foods, like dried beans and peas and fortified cereals. Prune juice is also high in iron.

B vitamins, including vitamin B12 and folic acid, are also critical in pregnancy.

Catherine Saint Louis, The New York Times

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A plant-based pregnancy diet takes planning - Daily Commercial

The Bible serves as a cornerstone of faith for millions of people around the world. However, along with the teachings and parables, did you know that some of the foods mentioned in this ancient holy book can safely be called modern-day superfoods?

Its true! Many of the foods that are described or mentioned in the Bible have amazing healing properties. These properties are just as potent today as they were thousands of years ago. It turns out that taking some nutritional advice from the Bible may not be a bad idea!

While there are many wonderful foods to be found in Bible verses, lets take a look at six particularly healthy ones. Try adding these to your favorite recipes.

The Bible mentions honey often, which contains a wealth of nutrients.

Theres a reason that raw honey is often referred to as liquid gold. It is arguably the healthiest sweetener out there. Honey contains a wealth of nutrients, including several B-vitamins, calcium, copper, phosphate, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and amino acids.

Eating raw honey can help with a number of ailments, including coughs and other respiratory symptoms, seasonal allergies (when the honey is local to your area), dry skin, burns and wounds. It can also help to support healthy gut bacteria, freshen your breath and even relieve hangover symptoms. Try drizzling some honey over fresh fruit, or add it to teas, smoothies and yogurt.

Lentils are rife with nutrients, including a range of B-vitamins, fiber, copper, zinc, potassium, protein and phosphorus. They also contain a hefty concentration of molybdenum, a lesser-known nutrient required for the optimal function of a number of enzymes in the body. These enzymes are instrumental in the health of many of the bodys systems. Molybdenum is also linked to providing antioxidant support, which is important for combating free radicals and inflammation.

Due to their high fiber content, lentils are a great meal choice for both improving digestion and protecting your cardiovascular health. Eating lentils can also provide a healthy source of energy and stabilize blood sugar. Try a lentil stew with curry spices next time youre in the mood for a hearty, flavorful dinner.

The Bible mentions millet, an ancient grain thats naturally gluten-free.

Millet is an ancient grain that has been around since the times of prehistory, so its no surprise that people were enjoying it in biblical times. It is naturally gluten-free, so its a great choice for individuals who are sensitive to gluten, or who just want to add a new, nutritious, whole grain to their meals. Millet contains an abundance of minerals, including copper, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese, along with heart-healthy plant lignans.

The magnesium content of this ancient grain has been linked to a number of health boons, including reducing the risk of cardiac incidents, lowering blood pressure and reducing frequency of migraines. Eating millet may also protect against certain cancers, and lower risk of gallstones and type 2 diabetes. Try it instead of rice for your next stew or stir fry.

Pomegranates are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, all of which are antioxidant vitamins that help combat inflammation, improve immunity, support skin health and more. These prized fruits are also a good source of folic acid. On top of that, pomegranates contain caffeic acid, ellagic acid and punicic acid, polyphenols that may help to protect your heart and prevent certain cancers.

Eating pomegranates may also help to slow the aging process, reduce chronic pain such as arthritis pain, lower cholesterol and boost your mood. Try pomegranate over yogurt, in smoothies or as a topper to salads.

The Bible often talks about olive oil, which is great for stabilizing blood sugar.

Olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, and a big part of the health benefits associated with following this particular diet. It is rich in oleic acid, which has been linked to improving immunity, reducing inflammation and potentially providing aid with cancers and autoimmune illnesses. It has also been linked to better wound healing. On top of that, olive oil is rich in vitamin E, which is crucial to keeping your skin healthy.

Getting more olive oil in your diet is great for getting antioxidants. It may also help to stabilize blood sugar, decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil in all of your homemade vinaigrettes and to top fish dishes, salads and more.

Wine has many appearances in the Bible, with a place in both ceremonies and miracles. Red wine, in particular, has many health benefits. These include lowering cholesterol levels, promoting longevity, protecting the heart, stabilizing blood sugar, improving memory, aiding in weight loss, reducing inflammation and combating infections. Some of these benefits are attributed to resveratrol, an antioxidant compound found in red grapes.

When choosing a wine, your best bet is organic red wine. Just remember that moderation is key; a large amount of alcohol of any kind does not do your body (or mind) any favors. A glass per day for women and two per day for men is the recommended limit.

Whats your favorite biblical food? How do you prepare it?

Tanya Mead

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6 Healing Foods Mentioned In The Bible - The Alternative Daily (blog)