Beyond Meat "Beyond Burger" patties made from plant-based substitutes for meat products sit on a shelf for sale on November 15, 2019 in New York City. Vegetarian alternatives to burgers and sausages, revived by start-ups like Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger, are enjoying a certain enthusiasm that meat giants also want to enjoy.

ANGELA WEISS | AFP | Getty Images

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about vegan diets, but the son of one of the country's most influential investors is betting big that plant-based meats will become the norm globally in just a few years.

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed, an avowed vegan and the founder and chief executive of KBW Ventures, told CNBC Tuesday that the companies he invests in have to be capable of generating revenue but they need to have a positive impact on the world as well.

"We're really focused on companies that solve problems that the world is going through right now one of biggest problems we're facing right now is global warming," bin Alwaleed told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the annual Milken Conference in Abu Dhabi. "The third-most impactful industry is the animal agriculture industry. And we have to find a better way to source protein for people."

Prince Khaled's father is Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the Saudi billionaire investor and chairman of Kingdom Holding, who has often been described as Saudi Arabia's Warren Buffett. The 41-year-old Prince Khaled's work investing in companies like Beyond Meat, biotech start-up TurtleTree Labs and animal-free Bond Pet Foods comes at a time of rising popularity for vegan and plant-based diets around the world. Alternative meat companies like Los Angeles-based Beyond Meat are grabbing headlines and generating shareholder returns.

"The taste plays a number one role for me if it doesn't taste good, nobody's going to buy it," bin Alwaleed said, when asked what makes a company worthy of investment. "But more importantly if it tastes the same or better, if it costs the same or even less, if it has no or very little impact on the environment compared to traditional agriculture, then people are going to flock to it."

"And this is what we're seeing slowly but surely, what's going to happen with Beyond Meat etc., what's going to happen with (Californian cell-based meat company) Memphis Meats and others, their price point is going to go dramatically down and I'm betting that Beyond Meat will be cheaper than traditional meat by 2025."

Beyond Meat, which specializes in plant-based meat burgers, has partnered with Subway, KFC, Del Taco, Dunkin' Brands and more. With a current market cap of $7.5 billion, its stock price is up 60% year to date, and as of Tuesday has rocketed 376% since it first listed on the Nasdaq in May 2019.

Bin Alwaleed admitted that there are still a few years ahead before plant-based products reach the price point of traditional meat, but was confident that innovation and scale would bring costs down over time. "These companies are definitely working on solving these problems, but the issue is they're going to take a little while to actually make that happen," he said.

Retail sales of plant-based foods in the U.S. have grown by 11% in the last year, making it $4.5 billion industry, according to the Plant-Based Food Association (PBFA).

Veganism in the U.S., while still adhered to by a relatively tiny minority of the population, is on the rise in 2014, only 1% of American consumers claimed to be vegan, increasing to 6% in 2017. While it may sound small, it's still a 600% increase in just three years.

The trend has also grown among celebrities and athletes including Miley Cyrus, Natalie Portman, Beyonce, Ellen DeGeneres, Venus Williams and Alex Honnold.

Originally posted here:
The son of Saudi Arabia's Warren Buffett sees a big future for Beyond Meat and plant-based foods - CNBC

Karwai TangGetty Images

Kate Middleton has been living in the public eye for more than a decade and the whole time she's just been so...consistent. Her hair always looks amazing, her style is on point, and, of course, she looks super fit. While Kate doesn't talk a lot about what she does in the food and exercise department, several insiders have shared that she works hard to be healthy. Here are the Duchess of Cambridge's top health tips, so you can steal them for yourself.

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1Try to cook regularly.

Kate makes most of the meals for Prince William and the kids herself, British chef Carolyn Robb, who worked at Kensington Palace for more than two decades, told Racked. "Kate does quite a lot of the cooking," she said.

2Go for a smoothie first thing.

For breakfast, Kate likes to make a smoothie with spirulina, kale, matcha, spinach, romaine, cilantro and blueberries, according to the Daily Mail.

3Have healthy competition.

According to the Daily Mail, Kate is competitive with her sister, Pippa. "Kate is an exercise junkie. Pippa and Kate take their toned physiques extremely seriously," a source told the newspaper.

4Get into planking.

Kate is big into doing planks. "It tightens her muscles," a source told the Daily Mail.

5Mix up your planks.

Kate actually does three different planks, a source told the Daily Mail. "There are three elements, the basic plank, the side plank and the prone sky dive."

6Push yourself.

Kate doesn't just do a few planks and call it a dayshe goes hard. A source told the Daily Mail that she can hold a plank "for 45 seconds or longer" and she repeats them "at least ten times each."

7Give CrossFit a try.

Kate is apparently big into CrossFit, per the Daily Mail, which focuses on a combination of resistance training, weights, running, and squats.

8Set aside some solid time for exercise.

Kate works out every morning for an hour, the Daily Mail says.

9Use your body weight.

Kate has all kinds of equipment available to her, but she's big into bodyweight exercises, the Daily Mail says.

10Work out like a kid.

Kate is known to do skipping as part of her workout, according to the Daily Mail.

11Try out rowing.

Kate likes to put in some time on the indoor rowing machine during her regular workouts, according to the Daily Mail.

12Do intervals.

Interval training is a great way to work different muscle groups in one workout, and Kate is all in with it. The Daily Mail says she does "intense" interval training.

13Mix up your diet when you're pregnant.

Kate struggled with extreme morning sickness during all of her pregnancies, and she ate a plant-based diet of avocados, berries, and oatmeal to help with nausea, Cooking Light reports.

14Use an exercise ball.

Kate whips out a Swiss gym ball to work her abs, the Daily Mail says. "George is highly amused whenever he sees [his mother on it]," a source told the newspaper.

15Go for fresh fish.

Kate likes to regularly have ceviche, a blend of raw fish marinated in fresh citrus and spices, the Daily Mail says.

16Get a workout buddy.

Kate and her sister Pippa regularly work out together. "They worked hard in the gym at Kensington Palace," a source told the Daily Mail.

17Don't forget to warm up.

Kate makes sure to do cardio warm-ups before she dives into her workout, a source told the Daily Mail.

18Work your hips.

It's easy to forget your hips when you're working out at the gym, but Kate incorporates hip raises to target the area, a source told the Daily Mail.

19Do a few different lunges.

Kate doesn't just do basic lunges: She adds diagonal and reverse lunges to her workout mix, the Daily Mail says.

20Don't skip the crunches.

Kate doesn't have a flat stomach by accident: She likes to do stomach crunches, per the Daily Mail.

21Focus on your legs.

While Kate does plenty of cardio to work her legs, the Daily Mail says she also does squats and calf raises to strengthen her lower body.

22Try inversions.

Kate is a big fan of bridges (where you balance your body on your hands and feet), the Daily Mail says.

23Don't forget about the classics.

According to the Daily Mail, Kate does good, old-fashioned push-ups as part of her workouts.

24Hit the slopes.

Kate loves skiing, and is apparently even better at the sport than William, who has been skiing since he was little, the Daily Mail says.

25Go swimming.

Apparently Kate loves swimming at her family's pool at their country home, Anmer Hall. "She and Pippa enjoy strenuous make-up-free aqua aerobic sessions and larky water polo with William and Harry," a source told the Daily Mail.

26Go for a run.

Kate runs as often as she can, the Daily Mail saysand sometimes she'll take her dog Lupo along with her.

27Get into yoga.

Kate uses yoga to calm her mind and stretch out. Oh, and she "adores" it, according to a Daily Mail source. Apparently Kate is big on seated poses (known as asanas).

28Keep your posture in mind.

Kate likes to do Pilates, a source told the Daily Mail, "which has helped her posture since having children."

29Match sweets cravings with healthy stuff.

When Kate wants something sweet, she mixes up berries with almond milk. "Her organic diet is rich in antioxidants and she adores salads and bowls of seasonal fruits," a source told the Daily Mail.

30Take it easy with booze.

Kate likes wine, but doesn't go overboard. "A 6 p.m. glass of brutally chilled Chardonnay is sufficient," a source told the Daily Mail.

31Load up on raw foods.

Kate enjoys noshing on things like watermelon salads, gazpacho, goji berries, tabbouleh, and ceviche, the Daily Mail says. "Kate already has the perfect figure but her motivation is to achieve radiant skin," a source told the paper.

32Have a go-to dish.

Kate loves to make roast chicken. "In the evenings she indulges her hobby of cooking Williams favorite supper, roast chicken," royal expert Katie Nicholl wrote in Vanity Fair. "Thats their idea of the perfect night," a source told Nicholl.

33Spice up your food.

During a 2016 tour of Canada, Kate shared that she likes spicy foods, and really likes cooking curries, per the Mirror. (BTW: William shared at the same time that he can't handle too much heat in his food.)

34DIY your own condiments.

Kate makes her own chutney, a spicy condiment that originated in Indiaand she's made it for the queen. "I was thinking, 'Gosh, what should I give her?'" she recalled in the ITV documentary, Our Queen At Ninety. "I thought, 'I'll make her something.' Which could have gone horribly wrong. But I decided to make my granny's recipe of chutney."

35Consider the Dukan diet.

Kate is reportedly really into the diet, which limits carbs and focuses on lean proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats and oils.

37Get outside.

From running, to swimming, to tennis, to walking the dog, Kate likes to take her fitness outside when she can.

38Get into tennis.

Kate likes the sport so much that she has a tennis coach, Vanity Fair says. She also likes to play with her sister, Pippa.

39Go for regular walks.

Kate likes to take her dog Lupo on walks three times a day when she's able, according to Vanity Fair.

40Lift weights.

Kate is big into doing weight-based exercises, according to U.K. paper Express.

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Originally posted here:
The Best Diet And Fitness Tips Kate Middleton Swears By - Women's Health

THE cookie diet has taken Instagram by storm - and is being touted as a quick and easy way to lose weight.

Stars including Married At First Sight star Jessika Power have claimed they eat the "appetite suppressing cookies instead of breakfast and lunch to blitz body fat.

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However, the diet has now been slammed by a nutritionist.

Controversial reality star Jess Power has thrown her support behind the Cookie Diet, an unusual weight loss method health professionals have labelled unsustainable that was first popularised in the US a decade ago.

Power promoted the diet in an Instagram post last week, writing that the cookies contain a special blend of proteins (which) turn it into an appetite suppressant.

She said: "All I really wanted was something to curb my cravings, suppress my hunger and maintain my weight Ive been working out harder and having the energy during the day to be active but Ive lost the craving to constantly want to snack!

But it didnt take long for the Australian telly star to be slammed for promoting the diet.

This is all bulls**t, one person commented on her post, while another added: You should not be promoting fad diets like this!!

According to its website, the Cookie Diets cookies naturally suppress hunger and it claims there are no failures if you follow the regimen properly.

It works in two phases; the Weight Losing Phase and Weight Maintenance Phase. A one week supply of the cookies starts at 40 while a one month pack costs 117.

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During the first phase participants are told to eat 1-2 cookies every 2 hours plus a dinner of lean meat plus salad/veggies.

Then, participants can eat eat healthy meals and enjoy the cookies as a healthy, low calorie snack between meals.

The Cookie Diet was invented by US doctor Sanford Siegal in 1975, who used to prescribe it to patients in his weight loss clinics, before it became available online.

In 2007, Dr Siegal and his son Matthew Siegal launched CookieDiet.com, making the diet available widely.

It became famous during this period for its endorsements with US celebrities, including Jersey Shores Nicole Snooki Polizzi, who said she used the diet to lose weight after too much partying.

But its perhaps most famous for its public fallout with Kim Kardashian, who in 2009 blasted the Cookie Diet, claiming it was using her name to promote its product, Fox Newsreported at the time.

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Kim, who was then a spokesperson for a weight loss shake company, tweeted: Dr. Siegals cookie diet is falsely promoting that Im on this diet. NOT TRUE! I would never do this unhealthy diet! I do QuickTrim!

If this Dr. Siegal is lying about me being on this diet, what else are they lying about?

In response the Cookie Diet took legal action against her, suing her for making a derogatory statement about their diet.

The Cookie Diet was brought to Australia in 2018 by Australian company, OzHealth Pharma, where its been growing its profile.

The cookies themselves have sugar listed as the number one ingredient

Nutritionist Rick Haydidnt mince his words, telling news.com.au following the Cookie Diet was not exactly the healthiest way to lose weight.

Although there is a healthy eating plan that goes alongside the cookies, the cookies themselveshave sugar listed as the number one ingredient, which in my opinion doesnt make these cookies an obvious choice when looking to lose weight sustainably and healthily, he said.

This is very 1985 to me.

Labelling it a fad diet, Mr Hay said the cookies could lead to people not getting enough nutrients and warned any weight loss could be just short term.

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You may not get a good nutrient profile, and some people may think that they can just eat cookies all day which is way too restrictive, he said.

Instead of turning to the diet cookies Mr Hay recommended people looking to lose weight turn to plant-based options, which are high in fibre and help to reduce cravings naturally.

Eat lots of plant-based meals both vegan and vegie, as they deliver good amounts of fibre and help with nutrient density, Mr Hay said.

You should make your plate colourful, if its mostly beige or cookie coloured then we have a problem.

You also need to move more no ifs ands or buts if you want sustainable weight loss you have to exercise.

Power declined to answer news.com.aus questions about her support of the diet, except to say she had been eating the cookies for the past month.

In a statement OzHealth Pharmas COO George Iskander defended the diet, saying he was very confident in the product since it had been around for 40 years.

A lot of nutritionists will be against our diet, they believe it to be a fad, he said. If it is, its the longest running fad in history.

Mr Iskander, who is also a pharmacist, said there had been a spike in interest since Powers post advertising the diet.

We have had a lot of influencers reach out to us and we provide them with the product and allow them to make their minds up about it, he said.

Mr Iskander said he was very confident in the product and refuted claims they contained high amounts of sugar.

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We are very confident in our product as it has been around for over 40 years in the US.

Mr Iskander stressed there was nothing harmful in the cookies and they are normal low calorie cookies.

Show the ingredients to your doctor and always follow his or her instructions, he said.

This article was originally published on news.com.au.

More:
Weight loss: New cookie diet is taking Instagram by storm but does it really work? - The Sun

A global transition to a vegetarian diet would have significant impacts in the battle against global warming and other environmental concerns, according to research conducted at Loma Linda University Health.

Food production has been identified as a major contributor to increased greenhouse gas emissions, consumes 70% of fresh water, and is responsible for 80% of the worlds deforestation. Improving agricultural technology and reducing food waste have been put forward as potential solutions to these environmental concerns. But Joan Sabat MD, DrPH, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Loma Linda University School of Public Health, found that changes in food choices and diet patterns would have a far greater positive effect on environmental sustainability.

Vegetarian Diets: Planetary Health and Its Alignment with Human Health is a meta-analysis of 49 published research studies that focused on the impact that vegetarian and vegan diets have on greenhouse gas emissions, and water and land use. When the data from the 49 studies was combined, Sabat found that shifting from current dietary norms to ovolactovegetarian and vegan diets would reduce greenhouse gas levels an average of 35%, reduce land usage for food production by an average of 42%, and agricultural water usage by an average of 28%.

Many other studies have clearly demonstrated the health advantages of vegetarian and vegan diets. This analysis confirms that switching to these types of diets are also significantly eco-friendly as well, Sabat said.

Sabat directs the environmental nutrition research program at Loma Linda University School of Public Health. This program explores the interrelationships between the environmental and health impacts of food choices, and ultimately seeks to improve the sustainability, health and equity of food systems. He is the editor of the book Environmental Nutrition: Connecting Health and Nutrition with Environmentally Sustainable Diets, published in 2019.

One early sign that people are increasing in their commitment to make dietary changes due to concerns about climate took place in earlier this year. By choosing to serve all vegan meals to hundreds of celebrities and guests, two major entertainment industry award shows the Golden Globe Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards increased public awareness and conversation about the link between sustainable agriculture and climate change.

While Sabat says the field of sustainable diet and environmental impacts is still in its infancy, he has participated in a number of research studies that show clear connection between diet and climate factors. In 2017, he was part of a group that published a well-known study on the climate benefits of replacing meat in diets with beans. Sabat and other researchers working in Loma Linda University Healths environmental nutrition program have published more than 30 papers that examined the relationship between food choices, environmental sustainability and population health.

Sabat says additional research is needed into how changes in agricultural approaches impact the environment in low- and middle-income countries. He also points to needed research comparing large-scale agricultural operations with small-operation family farms practices.

In societies where daily meat consumption is the social norm, drastically reducing meat consumption is a major challenge," Sabat said. In low- and middle-income countries, eliminating meat could adversely affect those populations already marginal nutritional status.

The paper was presented at the 7thInternational Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition in 2018, the premiere scientific conference on plant-based diets, which occurs every five years. The proceedings from the conference were recently published in a special edition of the journal Advances in Nutrition.

Originally posted here:
Lower meat consumption a key to fighting global warming, study says - Loma Linda University Health

The low-carb keto diet might be popular among weight-loss warriors and celebrities today, but did you know it was first given to kids with a particular form of epilepsy?

The ketogenic or keto diet was developed in the 1920s by Dr Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic. He prescribed it to children with severe epilepsy who weren't responding to drugs, and found the diet minimised the frequency and severity of their seizures. Although, a recent study has shown not all children benefit from the diet.

It wasn't until the 1960s when Dr Robert Atkins created his eponymous diet that low-carb eating plans became popular among the masses.

Dr Atkins theorised that when we consume minimal carbohydrate, the body burns fat for energy. This process is known as 'ketosis' more on that in a minute.

So, how does it work? What can you eat on the keto diet? And what does the research say about its connection to weigh loss? Are there any side effects? Let's dig in.

While Dr Atkins recommended dieters limit their carbohydrate intake to 65-100 grams per day, keto requires even greater self-control.

"To become ketotic you need to take your carbohydrate down to 10 grams, 20 grams a day," says Monash University's head of dietetics, Professor Helen Truby.

"That's like half a slice of bread."

Becoming ketotic or entering ketosis is the physiological process when your body stops using carbohydrates for energy and starts using fats.

And the energy can come from fats you've eaten, as well as fats stored in the body, says New York University physician Shivam Joshi, who spoke with Dr Norman Swan about keto on RN's Health Report.

"But when you look at low-carb diets in general, the sentinel feature of their ability to cause weight loss is that they restrict calories," he says.

It can take up to five days to become ketotic, and when you do your body will start producing ketones, which are another energy source.

In addition to using fat as an energy source, Professor Truby says after a few weeks in ketosis, you become less hungry.

We've examined seven popular diets to find out what you can eat and whether they work.

In a review of the keto diet, Harvard University's School of Public Health points out that "there is not one 'standard' ketogenic diet with a specific ratio of macronutrients [carbohydrates, protein, fat]".

"Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80 per cent fat from total daily calories, 5-10 per cent carbohydrate, and 10-20 per cent protein."

Breakfast: Green smoothie made with spinach, cucumber, avocado, coconut cream and peanut butter

Snack: Low-carb chocolate with peanut butter

Lunch: Baby spinach, egg and parmesan salad

Snack: 100g cheese with cucumber

Dinner: 50g piece of salmon with baby spinach and garlic oil

Dessert: Hot chocolate made with coconut cream and sugar-free drinking chocolate

Beyond pasta and rice, carbohydrates are found in plenty of healthy foods, including fruits and many vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and the natural sugars found in milk and yoghurt.

Due to this, Professor Truby says it's important for people on the keto diet to be mindful of their micronutrient intake.

Micronutrients include minerals like calcium, which is important for bone health, B vitamins in legumes and wholegrain foods, and vitamin C, which is found in fruit.

Professor Truby says keto dieters might need to take micronutrient supplements to ensure their needs are being met.

"It's not impossible, but it's certainly not the easiest diet to do," she says.

Those coming off a keto diet may also experience some weight gain.

"Your body will try and put some of that weight on again, unless you're really careful about how much energy and how many carbs you have," says Professor Truby.

She recommends easing back into carbohydrates slowly, and choosing healthier carbs, like fruits and wholegrains, over sugary items.

"In my opinion, if you're going to try a diet that induces ketosis, you should have a chat with your GP first, particularly if you've got any medical conditions," Professor Truby says.

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The keto diet is no silver bullet.

"Questions remain concerning the long-term health effects of this diet on the gut microbiome and general health given the lack of fruit, vegetables and grains," says this post from Monash University's Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food.

In a paper co-written for the JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr Joshi analysed a series of randomised controlled trials over a year or more.

"This study showed the difference in weight loss between those on a ketogenic diet and those not on a ketogenic diet or a control diet was only 0.9 kilograms, which is of statistical significance but may not be of clinical significance," he says.

And Harvard's School of Public Health ends their assessment of the keto diet with this summary:

"Available research on the ketogenic diet for weight loss is still limited. Most of the studies so far have had a small number of participants, were short-term (12 weeks or less), and did not include control groups.

"A ketogenic diet has been shown to provide short-term benefits in some people, including weight loss and improvements in total cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. However, these effects after one year when compared with the effects of conventional weight loss diets are not significantly different."

Thinking about trying a new diet? Before you do, read this advice from Dr Sandro Demaio.

Experts say the keto diet may cause a range of side-effects. These include:

Professor Truby says the keto diet may have positive effects for people who are very overweight.

"[Through shedding fat] your blood pressure should come down, your lipid levels will change, and you get better glucose control," she says.

But it's probably not worth it for most people.

"For people who just want to lose a little bit of weight, then I don't think a ketotic type of diet is really necessary because you will actually regain the weight anyway, when you stop being ketotic," says Professor Truby.

But maybe we can all take a slice of advice from this popular eating plan, she adds.

"There's no need for everyone to go on a completely keto diet, but reducing those carb sources that are not nutrient-rich things like cakes, biscuits, chips is a good idea for everyone."

This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner who knows your medical history.

This article has been reviewed by Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM, nutritionist and visiting fellow, School of Medical Sciences, University of NSW. This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner who knows your medical history.

View post:
Everything you need to know about the keto diet - ABC Local

HARLINGEN Thump-thump-thump-thump

Is that ticker ticking? Want to keep it that way?

February is American Heart Health Month. Its the perfect time to think about diet and exercise to ensure robust cardiovascular health, said Dr. Charles Mild, cardiologist at Valley Baptist Medical Center.

Heart health is basically important not only every minute but every day, Mild said. But its nice to have one month a year to remind people of that. And what an appropriate month, its passion of the heart.

Heart disease is by and large preventable, and that includes those who have a genetic predisposition to heart disease, Mild said.

Thats because diet and exercise influence the good genes and the bad genes, Mild said. It can turn on the good genes and turn off the bad genes.

Valley Baptist wasted no time celebrating American Heart Health Month. The hospital celebrated National Wear Red Day on Friday and offered employees a basic healthy heart foods presentation, a heart healthy meal preparation demonstration, and complimentary blood pressure screenings.

The hospital will host Dinner with a Doctor on Heart Health with Mild on Feb. 19. Mild emphasizes a healthy diet low on red meat and sugars.

Go low on the food chain, vegetables first and then fruits, he said. Keep the other stuff, meats and oils, for a once in awhile type of food.

Good cardiovascular health requires a holistic approach. Randy Townley, director of cardiovascular services at Valley Baptist, says achieving and maintaining heart health requires a plan with specific goals.

We want to try to think about controlling our weight, Townley said. We want to try to set up an exercise plan, we want to reduce the sugar and sweets and set up a better diet. Start small and you can get good results very fast.

Any specific diet and exercise regimen should be cleared by a physician, Townley added.

Mild has been an outspoken advocate of the Mediterranean Diet, which has been shown to reduce deaths from cardio-vascular disease, and thats not all.

A medical journal recently ran a piece which showed that those who do even one marathon in an entire lifetime have a 4 percent reduction in death from vascular disease.

That trial was done in older runners in the 50s range, he said. It shows that basically it can turn back the clock of vascular aging.

However, you dont have to be a marathon runner to achieve good cardiovascular health.

Any exercise has been shown to have some beneficial effect, Mild said. The data will show that if you run one day a week it will have a beneficial effect. If you walk 30 minutes every day or at least every other day you have a marked decrease in vascular disease.

An exercise regimen can be fairly simple. Townley pointed out gym memberships are pretty inexpensive, but you dont necessarily even need that.

You can join a gym or maybe have a treadmill at home to walk on, he said. If you dont have time to go to the doctor right now you can always go for a walk and enjoy the outside.

Townley put the cost-benefit ratio of heart health this way.

Avoid a catastrophic disability, he said. With a heart attack or stroke you can imagine what pain that would be for yourself and your family members. If you were to be hospitalized for a long length of time and become totally debilitated, its not a good deal. You dont ever want to have that happen. You want to spend time with your children, your grandchildren, your loved ones.

How to avoid all that?

Well, diet and exercise, of course

Mediterranean Diet

Vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, grains. No beef or packaged foods. Avoid bread. Use olive oil.

Mediterranean Diet Pyramid

1. Vegetables Eat all the vegetables you want.

2. Fruits Fruits are good, but they have more sugar than people need so they should be kept within limits.

3. Fish and poultry

4. Oatmeal Oatmeal eats up cholesterol which is a primary cause of coronary heart disease.

Read the original post:
Affairs of the heart - Valley morning Star

It was definitely a gradual process, said Ryan Holgate of changing his body. Holgate his just .240 as a freshman last year but had a .378 on-base percentage and drew 35 walks.

Postgame pizza is hard to resist.

But Ryan Holgate was determined to improve his body and, correspondingly, his game so he spurned those slices of sausage and pieces of pepperoni. His host family with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League graciously provided him with healthier alternatives, such as chicken and rice.

Combined with a workout regimen that included lifting in the morning and extra running before and after games, Holgate transformed his physique last summer. The 6-foot-2 Arizona Wildcats right fielder weighed 232 pounds as a freshman last season. He recently checked in at 203.

I was kind of blown away, honestly, when he walked in the office after summer baseball, said UA coach Jay Johnson, whose team opens the 2020 season against Albany on Friday night at Hi Corbett Field. That Northwoods League is a tough grind. Theyre playing every day, and theyre on buses. Sometimes the nutritional component can be hard there. But he obviously has done a great job with that.

Holgate said he feels fitter, fresher, stronger and more mobile than a year ago and thats a scary thought for Arizona opponents.

Holgate, a prized recruit from Davis, California, had a good freshman season, at least by normal standards. He hit seven home runs, drew 35 walks and had a .378 on-base percentage.

See more here:
Arizona Wildcats slugger Ryan Holgate discovers the power of a healthier diet - Arizona Daily Star

Managing your cravings while on a diet can be difficult as it is. But what happens when youre trying your best to eat well, and someone at work waltzes by with a large box of hot and crispy French fries?

Yes, you might feel like giving up on your fitness goals for the sake of a few fries, but is that really something you want to do? We all know how hard it is to start a diet again after going off-track for a few days. If only there was a way to indulge in fries without also consuming all the extra carbs from potatoes and unhealthy fats from the oil they were fried in...

Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.

Well, theres a very easy way to accomplish this. You can totally make crispy, spicy and healthy fries - that too at home! All you need to know is how to navigate through three basics: the veggie base for the fries, the medium to cook it in, and a dip to go with them. Heres everything you need to know about making the healthiest fries in the world to indulge in.

Okay, so potatoes are simply delicious. But so are many other veggies that are less starchy and more nutritious. According to a study published inAdvances in Nutritionin 2012, vegetables are some of the richest sources of fibre, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals despite being very low in calories. And when it comes to fries, you have enough healthier options to choose from: carrots, beetroot, sweet potato, parsnips, zucchini, lotus stem, eggplant We can go on with the list, but you get the idea, right?

French fries are crispy because they are deep-fried in hot oil: this idea has taken such a hold of popular imagination that people forget that this method of cooking isnt the only way to get veggies to crisp up. In fact, more than potatoes, its this method that makes fries the enemy of the health-conscious. A study published in theIndian Heart Journalin 2016 revealed how exposure to high temperatures during deep frying or even stir-frying destroys antioxidants and also releases toxins.

So instead of deep-frying veggies, how about you drizzle some olive oil on them, sprinkle chilli, pepper and salt and bake them? With air fryers easily available in the market now, you could give them a try as well. Just dont overcrowd the oven tray or air-fryer basket and were sure the fries will come out as crispy and delicious as the French fries at that fast food joint you love.

Theres no way you can enjoy fries without a sauce to dip in, right? You need some ketchup, cheese dip or mayonnaise on the side. Or do you? The fact is that most of these commercially made sauces and dips have excess salt and sugar, which is not good for your health. According to a study published inPreventive Medicine Reportsin 2015, most of these sauces have a very high sodium content, which can lead to high blood pressure as well as cardiovascular diseases.

So, give the sauce a skip and try making a quick-and-easy healthy dip at home. Try simple ones like hummus, tahini, yoghurt dips or just make a nice and spicy salsa if you want that hit of tomato with your healthy fries.

Now that you know how to nail easy and healthy homemade fries, why dont you give them a try? Practice makes perfect after all. Try enough of these and youll never crave those store-bought fries again.

For more information, read our article onHealthy recipes.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

Updated Date: Feb 11, 2020 19:06:55 IST

Tags : Diet Recipes, French Fries, Healthy Diet, Healthy Fries, NewsTracker, Unhealthy Food

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Here's how you can indulge in fries while on a diet - Firstpost

After a month of plant-based eating, it's finally time to order pizza.

This celebration requires cheese. Lots of cheese.

"It's been a hard month," Sean Jensen said between gigantic bites of pizza. "But this is delicious."

This is the first non-vegan meal for Jensen and his co-workers who switched to a plant-based diet for the month of January to see if it would improve their overall health.

At the start of the challenge, each person tested their blood, body mass index, visceral fat and peripheral fat levels.

After 30 days of veganism, the group of seven one person dropped out of the challenge ran the same tests to see if they were any healthier.

Dr. Raj Attariwala, who runs the clinic, says he lost eight pounds but it was mostly muscle.

"I have to tighten my belt but I gained fat," he said. "I'm a skinnier, fatter guy than I was before."

The employees at AIM Medical Imaging have access to the company's Prenuvo full body MRI scans, which allow them to measure the benefits of their diets in great detail.

The team also had tests and analysis work done at the nearby medical clinic Preventum.

Everyone lost weight.Most people saw improvements in their blood tests and visceral fat levels went down modestly.

Attariwala says, however, everyone lost muscle except for one person who started an exercise program partway through the challenge.

"We see that we're thinner and think that we should be healthier, but the truth is we're not," he said.

"My body was basically sucking energy from my muscles instead of from my fat."

Most people found that meal planning was challenging and expensive.It was hard to find healthy sources of protein and it was difficult to stay away fromfoods that were high in carbohydrates.

AIM employee Erica Ferreira says the positive is she learned a great deal about planning meals.

"I'll definitely think about what's going in my body a little bit more from now on," she said. "It was a good experiment."

For Attariwala, who didn't make any changes to his fitness routine, the biggest takeaway from the experiment is the importance of working out.

"It's not just diet, it's exercise, too," he said.

"I'm going to try to eat less and move more."

Around the lunchroom table at the pizza party, the discussion centres around how many foods appear to be vegan such as breads or sauces but actually contain eggs, honey or some other kind of product that comes from animals.

Jensen says he absent mindedly ordered a cappuccino during the challenge and didn't realize he was drinking dairy until he had finished his cup.

"You just have to be so careful," he said.

"When you're out and you think of a place where you can just pick something up quickly, what can you get that's not yam fries?"

Throughout the challenge, everyone also came to appreciate Vancouver's vegan restaurants and realized there are many delicious options.

Jensen isn't giving up meat, and he's certainly not quitting cheese, but he plans to scale back on both.

"I guess you can call me a vegetarian," he said.

"A vegetarian who eats meat."

CBC Vancouver'sImpact Team investigates and reports on stories that impact people in their local community and strives to hold individuals, institutions and organizations to account.If you have a story for us, email impact@cbc.ca.

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Is veganism healthy? This Vancouver office tried it for a month to find out - CBC.ca

Dairy milk got a bad reception at Sundays Academy Awards.

Joaquin Phoenix took aim at dairy farming in his Oscars speech for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Joker. We go into the natural world and we plunder it for its resources. We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable, he said. Then we take her milk thats intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal.

We fear the idea of personal change, because we think we need to sacrifice something, to give something up, Phoenix added. But human beings at our best are so creative and inventive, and we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and the environment.

Alan Bjerga, a spokesman for the National Milk Producers Federation, told MarketWatch in an email: Dairy farmers are committed to animal welfare and proud of their work in helping to provide a nutritious diet for Americans and the world. Its unfortunate that their hard work is attacked from a platform at the Oscars.

The Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a dairy marketing cooperative, said net sales had declined by $1.1 billion in 2018, from $14.7 billion in 2017 to $13.6 billion in 2018. Dairy industry executives say the milk beverage category remains competitive, while the dairy market as a whole has seen growth.

Kim OBrien, a spokesperson for the cooperative, told MarketWatch in an email, The decrease in sales was primarily due to low milk prices, which are derived from global dairy commodity prices. In fact, DFA marketed similar volumes of milk in 2018 (64.5 billion pounds) versus 2017 (64.4 billion pounds).

Dairy milk sales fell to approximately $12 billion last year from $15 billion in 2015, while alternative sources of milk have risen over the same period, according to the market researcher Nielsen.

Almond milk sales have increased by nearly 6% to $1.35 billion over the same period, while oat milk soared 662% to nearly $60 million in 2019, Nielsen added. OBrien added, Alternative beverages have a relatively modest impact on total dairy consumption since Class 1 (beverage) milk makes up only about 21% of the total dairy industry.

Market research group Sentient Media crunched more than two dozen studies involving 80,000 Americans and concluded that there are approximately 6.5 million self-identifying vegans in the U.S., and that does not include those who want a lighter meat- and dairy-free diet. That likely why Nielsen data commissioned by the Plant Based Food Association estimates that plant-based food sales surpassed $3.3 billion in 2018, more than doubling from the previous year.

People change their diets for a lot of reasons: to bring an end to animal farming, to fight for a livable climate, to promote health and personal growth, to be kind," according to the Sentient Media report. There is no right answer here. The way we choose to eat will likely change a number of times over the course of our lives, and thats okay. Ethical eating works like a spectrum, one that is trending towards compassion.

Sales of plant-based varieties have grown 6% over the past year, now making up 13% of the entire milk category, according to separate data released last year from the Good Food Institute and Plant Based Foods Association. Sales of cows milk, meanwhile, have declined 3%. In fact, 11% of consumers say theyre trying to consume less dairy, according to the NPD Group.

Why artificially inseminate heifers? This University of Kentucky paper aims to answer that question: Its quite simple: to increase the number of genetically superior heifers available for herd replacement and sale, it said. However, the bottom line is heifer AI puts the dairy farmer in a position where he or she has plenty of genetically superior heifers available for replacement and sale.

It makes the process safer for consumers and controls the spread of disease, the paper from the universitys College of Agriculture added. Certainly, there are many other valid reasons for using heifer artificial insemination: higher conception rate, increased semen value, calving ease, controlling transfer of reproductive diseases, safety, controlled breeding, better records, and accurate due dates.

Phoenix and other critics of dairy farming argue that it treats the animals like theyre machines.

Dairy farmers should not be satisfied with average sires, and should be encouraged to breed heifers to above average sires, the University of Kentucky paper added. With a little selection, dairy farmers should expect daughters of AI sires to out milk their non-AI counterparts by much more than 1,200 pounds per lactation.

Still, many people feel so strongly about alternative milk varieties whether for reasons relating to health, the environment or animal rights that theyre willing to pay big money for non-dairy varieties, particularly oat milk. When the Swedish oat milk brand Oatly sold out of its Barista Edition Oatmilk variety in December, one Amazon AMZN, +0.79% seller posted a 12-pack of the milk cartons for $226 (a 32-ounce carton retails for $4.99).

The plant-based markets best-selling alternatives almond milk and soy milk cost almost double at $4.29 a half-gallon (64-ounces), respectively, compared to $2.17 for regular dairy milk, according to a price check by FreshDirect, the online grocery delivery service that delivers in the New York metropolitan area, and areas in Connecticut, Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Oat milk is almost 2.5 times the cost of dairy milk ($5.29 a half-gallon).

Last year, the dairy company Dean Foods Co. voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, saying it was working toward an orderly sale of the company. Consumers want to reduce, not eliminate, the amount of animal proteins we consume, Darren Seifer, a food consumption business analyst at NPD Group, told MarketWatch at the time. Theyre pro-protein, they just dont want to have more meat or more milk to achieve these goals.

People are certainly becoming more interested in meat and dairy alternatives. Beyond Meat BYND, -2.16%, the plant-based meat company, is up 85% since its initial public offering in May 2019, after soaring nearly 238% in the months after its IPO. More large food companies want a slice out of the vegetarian and vegan market: Meat producer Tyson Foods Inc. TSN, -0.72% also entered the alternative protein market last year, unveiling new products under the Raised & Rooted brand.

In his speech, Phoenix called on people to find alternative sources to dairy farming. We fear the idea of personal change, because we think we need to sacrifice something; to give something up, he said. But human beings at our best are so creative and inventive, and we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and the environment.

Bjerga, meanwhile, appeared to pour cold milk on Phoenixs speech. Oscars acceptance speeches have long been an outlet for celebrity opinions. The hard, worthwhile work of dairy farmers will continue long after everyone has forgotten who won best actor in 2020, he said.

(This story was updated with additional comment from the National Milk Producers Federation.)

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We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby. Joaquin Phoenixs Oscar speech will be welcomed by Americas growing army of...