Nuts are one of the most popular snack foods. Theyre not only tasty but also good for you, especially when it comes to heart health.

However, you may wonder which food group nuts belong to fruits or vegetables?

This article digs into the details.

To understand whether nuts are vegetables or fruits, its important to understand the differences between these two food groups.

Fruits and vegetables are divided into botanical and culinary classifications.

Botanical classification is based on the structure and functions of plants. While fruits grow from the flowers of plants and have seeds for reproduction, vegetables are all other parts of the plant, including the roots, stems, and leaves (1).

On the other hand, culinary classification depends on taste. In this case, fruits tend to be sweet or tart and work best in desserts, snacks, smoothies, pastries, or juices. Conversely, vegetables are mild, savory, or bitter and work better in sides, stews, soups, salads, and casseroles.

Botanically, fruits grow from the flowers of plants and contain seeds, while vegetables are the plants other parts. Yet, from a culinary perspective, fruits are sweet or tart, while vegetables are mild, savory, or bitter.

Botanically, nuts are classified as a fruit that has a single edible seed with a hard, inedible outer shell. Theyre considered indehiscent, which means that their shell doesnt open when ripe (2).

However, a lot of foods that people consider nuts are really the seeds of drupes fruits whose flesh surrounds a single shell with a seed inside (3).

For example, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pistachios, pine nuts, and most other nuts are botanically the seeds of drupes.

Meanwhile, true nuts include chestnuts, acorns, and hazelnuts.

Interestingly, peanuts one of the most popular nuts in the world are technically a legume and thus botanically a vegetable. However, peanuts nutrient profile and characteristics are closer to that of other nuts.

Nutritionally, most nuts nutrient composition resembles legumes rather than fruit due to their high protein content.

From a culinary perspective, the term nuts is more relaxed and in line with what most people think are nuts large, oily kernels found within a shell.

Botanically, most nuts are the seeds of a fruit, while true nuts such as chestnuts, acorns, and hazelnuts are fruits in and of themselves. Peanuts are the exception, as theyre legumes and thus technically vegetables.

Although most nuts are botanically considered seeds, theyre still very healthy.

Nuts are an excellent source of plant-based protein, fat, fiber, antioxidants, and key vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and selenium (4).

In addition, they have been linked to many health benefits, such as reduced inflammation and improved heart health, blood sugar control, and digestion (5, 6, 7, 8).

Current dietary guidelines in the United States treat nuts as a protein source rather than fruits or vegetables due to their high protein content (9).

However, as nuts are also high in calories, 0.5 ounces (14 grams) of nuts or seeds is considered equivalent to 1 ounce (28 grams) of other protein sources, such as meat, poultry, eggs, or seafood.

As such, you should eat nuts in small portions and in place of other protein-rich foods (9).

Nuts are versatile and can be enjoyed whole, chopped, or as nut butters. Theyre widely available and can be bought roasted, raw, salted, unsalted, and flavored.

That said, some packaged varieties harbor additives, including salt, sugar, and preservatives. Thus, its best to check the ingredient list and choose raw or dry-roasted options when possible.

Nuts are a scrumptious food loaded with protein, healthy fat, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals. Theyre best consumed in moderation due to their high calorie count.

Most nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews, are botanically defined as seeds rather than fruit. Yet, a handful of true nuts like chestnuts and hazelnuts are technically fruits.

The lone exception is peanuts, which are a legume.

From a culinary perspective, nuts are widely utilized as a plant-based protein and make a healthy, simple addition to your diet.

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Are Nuts Fruits? - Healthline

Briana Shaffer Briana Shaffer gained weight after the death of her best friend. One day, she had a wakeup call and began practicing the 80-20 rule and overhauled her health.Hi! My name is Briana Shaffer (@brianakfitness), 25, and I'm from Carlsbad, California. I'm the CEO and owner of a fitness apparel corporation (check it out at @brianakcollection). A personal tragedy led to a period of weight gain for me, but after a wakeup call moment I decided to change my lifestyle and lost 70 pounds in the process.

After my best friend died in a car accident, it turned my world upside down. I gained 70 pounds and became depressed. My doctor told me if I didnt make a lifestyle change, I could end up having even more serious health issues down the line.

So I finally said enough was enough. And in September of 2015, I start logging everything that I was eating, a suggestion from my doctor. I was 190 pounds at only 5-feet, 4-inches when my weight-loss journey began.

I feel like its been awhile since Ive talked about my weight loss journey so here it goes. - Back in 2015, I was 70 lbs overweight. I had developed binge eating problems, depression, and lost every once of confidence that I had. I would go through the Taco Bell drive thru order 2 burritos..eat them in 2 seconds and then head home for dinner. I would sit in the parking lot and feel so empty eating my food. I thought it would make me feel better but afterwards I would feel sick to my stomach. My best friend died in 2012 and if affected everything for me. It ripped out my heart, punched me in the face, and robbed me of my happiness. I felt alone, empty, miserable. All I wanted to do was eat and feel sorry for myself. When people asked me where I was going in life..I didnt know. I didnt even want to be here. I struggled a lot. - Flash forward, I have now lost 70 lbs and kept it off. Im in the best shape of my life at 25. Im the happiest Ive ever been. My mental health has skyrocketed. I now know Im a badass b*tch haha that can do anything. I own a freaking corporation. I have an amazing team, an incredible community that weve all built. I live by the beach with my high school sweetheart and the most adorable fur babies. I do what I love every single day. I feel empowered and fueled every single day. There isnt a thing that I cant handle. Next time you think youre stuck..next time youre sitting on the floor crying wanting to give up..DONT. Fix your crown and keep going. Theres nothing in this life that you cant have. You have to be willing to work..and I really mean work. Do it for the right reasons. Make sure youre heart is 100% in it. Go after whatever it is that you want and dont stop fighting. It will get hard..you will fail, but hey thats what makes it even more worth it.

A post shared by Briana Kathleen Shaffer (@brianakfitness) on Nov 10, 2019 at 3:59pm PST

I started meal prepping and followed the 80/20 rule with my diet: 80 percent of my diet was nutritious, healthy foods, and 20 percent was treats. The 80/20 style of eating has worked best for me because I am able to still enjoy the treats I love here and there, rather than only eating healthy all day every day, which isn't always sustainable. What didnt work was trying to eat chicken and broccoli every single day.

The 80/20 rule has also helped keep me from binging over the weekend. If I let myself have a cookie or a decadent, special meal during the week, I'm not looking ahead at the weekend like this rare time I have to go crazy. It's all about balance.

The 80/20 diet (although you really don't even have to think of it as a diet at all!) is also more maintainable for my lifestyle. I am still able to go out with family and friends without feeling anxious about what to eat.

Eventually, I got a gym membership and started lifting weights five times a week. Strength training helped me cope with the death of my best friend, and after every single workout, I felt stronger, happier, and more confident.

My workout schedule is currently: two full-body days, two leg days, and one arm day. I also decided that its not best for me to weigh myself. Im all about non-scale victories. Instead, I go off progress photos and how my clothes fit.

Fitness is so overwhelming, and I think people complicate it. Ive always taken it one step at a time with working out and my diet. I didn't just wake up one day able to work out five days a weekit took time and practice.

I also had to learn to let go of guilt. If you slack off one day, dont beat yourself up. Start fresh the next day. Feeling guilty will only hurt you and your progress. It's important to be kind to yourself and appreciate even those small accomplishments. You should be doing this because you love your body and want to put it first. Be proud of those baby steps that will eventually add up to the bigger goal.

You dont need supplements, weight loss teas, and pills. You dont have to give up food that you love or miss out on functions. Its all about finding that balance.

It took me two years to lose the weight. Starting my health and fitness journey changed my whole life. It helped my self-confidence in addition to my physical health. It has also helped me build a solid foundation to continue working out long term. And honestly. the biggest change has been on my mental health.

Fitness gave me a platform to help other women achieve the same self love that I now have. Fitness also opened up the doors to me now running my own company and doing what I love every single day.

Gallery: 30 things you should never, ever do at the gym

Originally posted here:
'I Gained 70 Lbs. After A Personal Tragedy. I Started Strength Training To Cope And Got Stronger Than Ever' - msnNOW

When Microsofts video game streaming service, Project xCloud, began its beta last month, there were only four games available to test. Now there are over 50. I spent a day taking the service on the road with me to see how its working.

Currently, the service streams games from Microsofts servers to a smartphone or tablet and requires a bluetooth controller, Xbox One or otherwise, to start playing. In the future, Microsoft plans for xCloud to also stream to PCs, support touch controls, and carry save data over seamlessly from your main Xbox console. While the current version is pretty barebones, the straightforwardness is nice. Just start up the app, select a game, and start playing.

As someone who often commutes, sometimes long distances (Kotaku is based in New York City; I live in Philadelphia), Im uniquely situated to benefit from the convenience and portability of video game streaming. If xCloud can let me take an Xbox One (and eventually a Project Scarlet) with me wherever I go, it could fundamentally change how video games fit into my life. Of course, so would self-driving cars. Its not clear yet just how close either of those futures is.

I come to. It slowly dawns on me that it is not the weekend and in fact only Tuesday. I prepare the coffee machine, put some 10-grain cereal in the microwave for my partner, and set it for three and a half minutes. This is precisely enough time to boot up the xCloud app on my phone, load Borderlands 2, and get through the opening credits. The only thing that feels different is instead of staring at a 40-some-odd-inch display in my living room, Im staring at my Pixel 3 on the kitchen counter and simultaneously noticing where last nights chili has left a stain on the formica.

The Microwave pings; I deliver breakfast and take my coffee upstairs to get a shower. Borderlands 2 comes into the bathroom with me, not because Im intent on playing but because I take my phone everywhere. Usually I sit it in the shower caddy and play a podcast. Today I spend my precious few minutes under the scalding hot water listening to Claptrap make jokes which were never funny but which, over the course of several playthroughs, Ive grown fond of anyway. After dressing, I take a few moments to run around in the game. Its responsive, although the audio momentarily cuts out here or there. The only place I can detect a hair of lag is in the menu system where the analog sticks on my Xbox One controller begin to feel ever so slightly sluggish.

After driving to drop my 5-month-old off at my parents, ladling leftover chilli into a tupperware container, and generally doing a bunch of other necessary things which are not playing Borderlands 2, I leave the house to grab the bus at the top of my street.

This should be the first big test of xClouds capacity to seamlessly fill the lulls in my existence over my phones unlimited high-speed Verizon connection. It is instead a test of whether I can juggle my coffee, backpack, phone, and Xbox controller without only one or two dirty looks from the people around me. This means means wedging my backpack between my legs, resting my phone on top, and clutching the controller in a right-handed death grip. There are no games that can successfully be played this way, but I manage to load Crackdown 3s campaign. It also begins with a long cutscene. Terry Crews monologue goes off without a hitch. Then the bus hits a pothole and displaced coffee lightly sprays my setup.

A few minutes later, its time to transition to the subway. Once Im resituated, I drain my coffee and put the thermos away so I can focus on Crackdown. Phillys blue line is above ground for the first half dozen stops or so. During this time, the game occasionally stutters, but nothing too bad. Instead of a constant feeling of latency, slowdowns seems to come and go all at once. Its not ideal, but its better than feeling like everything I tell Crews to do is on a split-second delay. While theres still a greater delay than if I were playing on my Xbox One at home, its mostly imperceptible while I squint at my phones small screen, surrounded by strangers whom the operator implores, for the love of god, not to go between cars while were in motion.

Then we go underground at 46th street. The game immediately cuts out, and xCloud sends me back to the main menu. While I can generally stream music, refresh twitter, and send emails underground, stream Crackdown my phone cannot. Anyway, I need to be ready to make a mad dash at my stop to make my train to New York.

On the train, I pull down the tray from the seat in front of me and fashion a makeshift phone stand out of my journal and some napkins. This time I boot up Halo 5, opting for a quickplay multiplayer match. I assume its going to be a dumpster fire, but surprisingly, it works! Im loaded into a game of Slayer with seven other people and somehow manage to get my first kill within seconds. Everything works, from shooting to throwing grenades to sprinting. Occasionally the screen melts into a pool of random colors and shapes, after which Im usually killed or find myself running into a wall, but I dont get disconnected. What would be dreadful for a high-stakes competitive match feels surprisingly satisfying for being on a train going over 100 miles an hour. I wish I could grind through any number of battle passes on my console games this way.

At work, I switch to the office wifi, which performs noticeably worse than my phone. I try a smattering of games between other tasks. Mark of the Ninja, a single-player indie stealth game from several years ago, plays flawlessly for the opening level. Ace Combat 7 struggles. While it feels inherently impressive to be flying through its beautiful skies on such a small device, the occasional lapses in control send me spiralling into the water.

After leaving work but before running to catch my Megabus, I check a GameStop to see if they have any phone mounts for my controller. The guy tells me that they are only really sold online currently but suggests I try a Best Buy several blocks away which, because its in the opposite direction of my ride home, I have to abandon.

Fortunately, but weirdly, the bus was mostly empty. Do my former Mega-ites know something I dont? If I must go out in a blaze of double-decker glory, I decide it would only be fitting if I were playing Forza Horizon 4 when shit went sideways. The game was gorgeous when it came out last year and looks remarkably crisp and vibrant on my phone. Steering has the same problems I encountered with Ace Combat, leaving me to veer off course as I try to overcorrect during the lag. Ive never set record times in Forza, and Im certainly not going to do it when the picture quality constantly crashes, but for the periods when everything is running smoothlychunks of 10 secondsits fun to be gunning it down an English countryside in a McLaren Senna while a 100-ton steel death trap shuttles you through Northern Jerseys industrial parks.

Back in Philly, I switch to Soulcalibur VI for the last leg of my trip. Fighting games are fast and unpredictable, and I expect the game to be a jittery mess. In an arcade mode match, I only suffer one framerate crash. The music occasionally cuts out, but the fighters movements (Mitsurugi, always Mitsurugi) look and feel fluid enough. I could conceivably play through the games entire incomprehensible story mode this way. Instead I switch to an online match where I promptly get my ass kicked, but not because of any technical glitches. Ive played online matches in games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at home with more lag and latency than what I experienced streaming a few matches of Soulcalibur VI.

I play one more match at home on my own Wifi. Parts of it are better than the previous one Id just played on the bus. Parts of it are worse. Throughout the day, Id done speed tests to measure my connection. Whether on Wifi or LTE, my speeds varied wildly, sometimes from 5Mbps (very slow) to 25Mbps (fast), sometimes within the span of a few seconds (the service requires a minimum of 10Mbps down). In the end xCloud used 2.54 GB of data for somewhere just over an hour of usage.

The hardest thing about getting a firm grasp of any streaming technology is isolating all of the other variables involved. In xClouds case, thats my phone, my cell providers coverage and signal strength, and the Bluetooth connection to my controller. Ironing out all of those kinks seems like a monumental task for a single company, even one as big as Microsoft or Google.

For those low-key moments, the experience doesnt necessarily need to be perfect. While Im impressed by how well xCloud performs in testing, the most appealing thing about it, at least right now, is the already large library of games it works for. Performance matters a lot when youre sitting down to play a big game youre really psyched about, but when youre casually trying something out, xClouds current library of 50-plus games is an enticing way to catch up during downtime.

Read the original:
A Day Of Trying To Stream Xbox One Games While On The Go - Kotaku

Like many women, Zeina Alkhalaf struggled to get pregnant.

The Fairfax, Virginia, resident was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that affected her hormones, when she was in the 20s. She turned to in vitro fertilization to have her daughter, Faye.

"I was very confused," she said. "I felt like my body had failed me."

Years later, when she wanted to expand her family, she turned to fertility treatments again. She got pregnant but suffered a devastating late-term miscarriage and was hospitalized.

Determined to take control of her health, Alkhalaf starting doing research something she's familiar with as she pursues a doctorate in maternal and child health. She read medical journals and dug into the science of the chemicals in our cosmetics, personal care products and food.

"For me it was a really big shock," she said about what she found.

Although some individual products may contain trace amounts of chemicals that have been linked to cancer and infertility, the personal care product industry says the amounts are small and the products are safe.

"All materials can be used safely. It's all about the dose," said Dr. Jay Ansell, a vice president of the Personal Care Products Council.

The group is the leading national trade association representing the $48 billion personal care product industry in the United States.

But epidemiologist and George Mason University researcher Dr. Anna Pollack said that when it comes to safe levels of chemicals and long-term risk, no one really knows.

"In real life we're not just ever exposed to one thing at a time," she said. "As more and more studies are done using these newer methods, it will give us a better picture of what our health risk may be."

Alkhalaf didn't wait for science to tell her what she saw first-hand. She switched to toothpaste, deodorant and makeup with fewer chemicals, and started eating an organic diet. She said her menstrual cycles regulated, her mood improved and her hormones leveled off.

"I could not believe that there was such as a huge change in just small things that I was, you know, switching in my house," she said.

The biggest change of all: She got pregnant, naturally.

Baby Yusef is now seven months old. Alkhalaf said her doctors can't explain it. It's not clear if she got pregnant because of the changes she made to her personal care products or diet, or if it was something else entirely.

She shares her story on a blog called Confessions of an Organic Mama. She writes about alternative products she's tried and loved. She said she does it because she wants to help others.

"I was like, I need to be able to share this information with everyone that I can. They need to know about what's going on," Alkhalaf said.

She admitted that it sometimes can be expensive to use alternative products. But she considers it an investment in her family's health.

The cosmetics industry maintains that their products are safe and says the science speaks for itself.

The rest is here:
Mom Credits Fertility Turnaround to Organic Products, Diet - NBC4 Washington

For someone who stresses the importance of health, my diet is poor. Thankfully, I have friends who have noticed the harsh reality of my eating habits and havent shied away from informing me. Its safe to say I have seen the error of my ways.

I hate vegetables, but thats not a good enough reason to avoid them, especially at my age. I like fruits a lot but rarely buy them, as they tend to expire before I get the chance to eat them. It feels like a waste of money.

Eating fruits and vegetables has many health benefits. For example, pomegranates increase blood flow, and fruits and vegetables such as bananas and kale boost energy levels. These benefits are especially advantageous for people with sickle cell anemia. Increased blood flow reduces the chance of a sickle cell crisis, while more energy helps us to combat fatigue.

I decided that smoothies would be the easiest way to incorporate fruits and vegetables into my diet. I can mask the taste of vegetables I dislike with fruits I enjoy. To eliminate as much sugar as possible, I decided to use unsweetened almond milk instead of juice. Almond milk is high in vitamin D, which regulates the bodys levels of calcium and phosphate. I must increase my intake of vitamin D during colder months to combat the lack of sunlight, which is another source of vitamin D.

I have no problem starting habits, but I struggle with consistency, so I shopped in bulk. I bought all the fruit and vegetables I wanted to incorporate, prepped the smoothies, and prepackaged them in freezer bags that I can blend each morning. I also bought chia seeds for extra fiber and protein.

Here are some of the recipes I used:

I look forward to the differences in my health!

Do you have any healthy eating tips? Please share in the comments below.

***

Note: Sickle Cell Anemia News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Sickle Cell Anemia News or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to sickle cell anemia.

See original here:
Healthy Eating: I'm Adding Fruits and Vegetables to My Diet - Sickle Cell Anemia News

Believe it or not, your emotional state has a lot to do with how healthy your gut is.

Every part of your body works together as one system; if one element is out of balance, it will affect everything else. If your gut health is poor, your overall health will be negatively affected.

According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2014, 43% of adults with depression were obese, and adults with depression were more likely to be obese than adults without depression. In every age group, women with depression were more likely to be obese than women without depression. The proportion of adults with obesity rose as the severity of depressive symptoms increased.

When you suffer from anxiety, depression or chronic stress, the last thing you want to deal with is healthy food and confronting the fact that what you are eating might be contributing to your mental and emotional state. You want gut-bomb food. You have that emotionally driven desire to hit the drive-thru and grab some carbohydrate-heavy comfort food.

There have probably been times that you thought and even said out loud, I need a cheeseburger and fries so bad right now! Honestly, what does that cheeseburger do for us besides make us feel bloated, guilty, lethargic and inflamed? There are many reasons we should carefully consider what we put into our bodies but when you are dealing with conditions like anxiety and depression, there are even more reasons to treat your gut with love.

Our gut microbiome has a strong influence on mood and behavior. Gut bacteria manufacture 95% of our bodys serotonin, an important neurochemical that affects mood, digestion and sleep. An unhealthy gut can also increase the physiological symptoms of and exacerbate depression, stress and anxiety.

Current research suggests a strong relationship between improved nutrition and better mental health. We see repetitively that consuming higher-glycemic foods correlates with greater risk of depression and anxiety. These studies show the sugar consumption comes before the depression. The thought here is that higher blood glucose levels in the body result in higher levels of inflammation, which cause neural damage in the brain.

Expecting to make these changes on your own isnt fair, and for a lot of us, just isnt possible. It is OK to ask for help; it is OK to need a team on your side. Just like an athlete has a coach, more often than not, we need that, too, when making nutrition and behavior changes. Having a team to guide you toward your health goals is invaluable to long term and sustainable success.

If you are ready for change, follow these three steps:

Commit to a life change with 100% dedication, determination and conviction.Stop telling yourself, I cant, Im not good enough and Ill never be able to ...Embrace the truth that you are worthy.Ashley Lucas has a doctorate in sports nutrition and chronic disease. She is also a registered dietitian nutritionist. She is the founder and owner of PHD Weight Loss and Nutrition, offering weight management and wellness services in the Four Corners. She can be reached at 764-4133.

Go here to see the original:
The mental health and diet connection - The Durango Herald

For decades, burgers and hotdogs have been hailed as the national symbols of the American diet. But as alarm over the climate catastrophe skyrockets and new research shows that switching over to a vegan-based diet can drastically cut CO2 emissions, our love affair with meat might be coming to an end.

There have already been some pretty sobering studies on the negative impacts of a carnivorous diet on both the human body and the planet, but for whatever reason Americans seem to struggle with actually swapping out steak for tofu. The amount of meat that American and British citizens consume has actually risen by 10 percent since 1970, according to data from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.

But what if that could drastically curb climate change?

This week, research published by scientists at Oxford University made some shocking estimates regarding both the environmental and medical concerns of eating extra servings of certain types of food. One sobering finding related to health was that by eating an additional 50 grams of processed red meat (about two slices of ham) per day as compared to a person who eats the typical Western diet outlined in the paper, you elevate your chances of dying within the year by an alarming 41 percent. Yet, this pales in comparison to the environmental impact of eating meat.

Photo source: Marco Verch Professional Photographer and Speaker / Flickr

In another study conducted earlier this year, researchers at John Hopkins University along with other institutions simulated the ecological impacts of certain dietary substitutions. They too found that sacrificing meat makes an enormous impact.

The Economist reports that compared with an American who consumes 2,300 calories of a typical combination of foods, a vegetarian slices 30 percent off of their annual green-house gas emissions by diet alone. Reducing dairy makes a big difference, too. If you can't bring yourself to go totally vegetarian for the planet, consider cutting out milk and cheese. After all, cows contribute 40 percent of the annual methane produced per year.

Obviously, the most ecologically clean diet is total plant-based veganism. Adherents to that diet cut down their carbon footprint by a whopping 85 percent. But you don't have to put a ring on veganism to radically lower carbon emissions through your diet. Going vegan for just two-thirds of meals while still occasionally indulging in animal products would cut food-related greenhouse-gas emissions by almost 60 percent.

Diet has played a fundamental role in the disastrous unsustainability of modern life. It's today's younger generations who are left with the catastrophic eruption of what humans have been doing to the Earth for the last few centuries. As we watch the Amazon burn, the arctic melt, and whole species get wiped out, it's no surprise that most American teens are anxious about climate change with around a quarter taking action.

So it's also not shocking that the biggest threat to the meat industry is younger millennials who are adopting a more vegan, plant-based diet. As veganism goes more mainstream and we witness the livestock industry crumble, it's looking like we're in the midst of a diet revolution.

In addition to vegan diets, this includes new technology radically changing the way we access nutrients. For example, today tools such as precision fermentation allow us to program and access the specific sources of the nutrients we need independent of the macro-organisms we have historically eaten, like cows or chickens, to get those nutrients. By going molecular we are arriving at a more sustainable means of feeding the human race and a cleaner way of delivering those nutrients untainted by toxic additives such as chemicals or insecticides. The think tank RethinkX, predicts a rapid acceptance of these "modern foods" that will leave the cattle industry effectively bankrupt by the year 2030.

Given these recent studies and the accelerating panic over rising CO2 levels and ecological destruction, it isn't far fetched to think that future generations will continue their shift away from animal sources of food over to more molecular and plant-based, vegan diets.

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Oxford: Vegan-based diet could cut food-related carbon emissions by 60% - Big Think

TEXAS A Texas mom says she sent her 5-year-old son to daycare with a special note inside his lunchbox: Please tell (my son) that his mommy loves him so much and Im thinking about him.

But when the boy returned home, the lunchbox contained an upsetting response: NO! Put him on a diet + GO AWAY!

It took a minute to register, what I even saw and I just kept re-reading it and I just stood there for a minute, the mother, Francesca Easdon, told CNN affiliate KTRK.

Easdon said in a Facebook post that her son, Kyler, is a picky eater, so shes introduced him to healthy options in his lunchbox and wanted to make him smile at lunch.

For the record, I feel that Kyler is absolutely perfect the way he is, Im just helping him make healthier choices, Easdon said in her post. Instead of his school being supportive I am in absolute shock at what happened.

An employee at the Rocking Horse Day Care in Kingwood, where the incident took place, admitted to writing the note and was fired, Easdon said. CNN could not independently confirm the employees status.

CNN contacted the daycare facility for comment and was referred to Jacques Verron, who was identified by the facility as an employee.

Asked if the staff member who wrote the note was fired, Verron scoffed and repeated the reporters questions, then said he wouldnt confirm the employee was in fact fired because he was worried he would be sued.

He pointed CNN to other media outlets that had reported the firing.

Francesca Easdon wrote on Facebook that the daycare has showed zero remorse for their actions.

I am disgusted that I put my trust in these people to care for my child and this is what I get in return.

Read the original post:
Day care worker tells mom to put 5-year-old son on a diet - PIX11 New York

A significant, global study of almost 1.5 million people found that eating a diet loaded with yogurt and fiber is a powerful way to slash your lung cancer risk.

Researchers looked at men and women in their 50s and found that folks who ate a lot of yogurt and had the most fiber intake (from whole grains, and fruits and veggies) cut their risk of lung cancer by more than 30% compared with folks eating very little fiber and no yogurt.

The researchers suggest that prebiotics from fiber and probiotics from yogurt are what help the immune system dodge lung cancer whether youre a current, past or never smoker.

So theres one more reason to eat only 100% whole grains, seven to nine servings of produce daily, and probiotic-rich foods like low- or no-fat yogurt, as well as kefir, sour dill pickles, kimchi, kombucha (a fermented tea), miso, natto (a food made from fermented soybeans), sauerkraut, the popular meat substitute tempeh and water- or brine-cured olives.

Plus, take a probiotic supplement with lactobacillus or in spore form daily.

Mehmet Oz, M.D., is host of The Dr. Oz Show, and Mike Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer and chairman of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

Continue reading here:
Drs. Oz & Roizen: The anti-lung cancer diet - The Union Leader

When it comes to dieting, it can be hard to find one that suits you and your needs.

However, it's important to note that some eating patterns have more scientific backing than others.

We take a look at the ones that will get you shredded, while others may make you sick.

Wine and Egg Diet

In 1977, Vogue magazine published a "crash diet" for women called The Wine and Egg Diet.

As the name implies, this unusual and restrictive eating plan includes lots of wine and eggs, plus some steak with lemon juice, and coffee.

It may sound pretty good, but that's all you can eat for three days straight. You can have wine at breakfast and are encouraged to drink up to a bottle a day, with the diet promising that the follower will lose 2kg.

Recently, the diet went viral online, with many women trialling it. Most reported feeling dizzy and lethargic. They also experienced strong stomach pains.

Even if they did lose a little weight, all the participants agreed that they would not recommend it.

Lemon Detox Diet

The Lemon Detox Diet, or Master Cleanse, involves surviving solely on a concoction of water, lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for more than a week.

Not only are you getting almost no nutrients or calories during this period, some users experience nausea and weakness as the days progress.

Almost all weight loss from this will be either temporary water weight or muscle mass, which will cause your metabolism to slow down.

So as soon as you start eating solid food again, expect to gain back what you lost and then some.

Cabbage Soup Diet

This fad diet has been doing the rounds for a long time! This simple meal plan consists of only cabbage soup, which is then eaten for every meal.

While it sounds easy, and will make batch-cooking simpler, there are no health benefits from eating the same food over and over.

A healthy diet requires eating a variety of foods to get adequate vitamins and minerals.

The cabbage soup is also short on protein and heart-healthy fats, both of which contribute to feeling satiated.

Balance is key, so this diet, along with other one-food diets like the grapefruit or boiled-egg diet, should be avoided.

Tapeworm Diet

Talk about extreme! The Tapeworm Diet pushes the boundaries of how far people are willing to go to lose weight.

The concept is that the dieter orders a tapeworm-egg capsule via a black market website.

They then swallow the pill and "magically" lose kilos.

Various health issues can arise from swallowing a parasite.

While the tapeworm grows and absorbs the calories, it also absorbs all the nutrients you consume.

Side effects include severe malnutrition, debilitating pain, nausea and diarrhoea.

The eggs also spread to multiple parts of your body and can cause life-threatening issues.The tapeworm is also hard to kill, and usually requires a hospital visit to remove.

Baby Food Diet

Created by celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, who works with clients like Gwyneth Paltrow, the Baby Food Diet sees people replace two meals a day with jars of pureed peas and bananas.

But each jar contains about 70-100 calories, which is dangerously low for adults.

Mediterranean Diet

If you can't afford to sun yourself in the Mediterranean, you can at least adopt their diet!

It includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, whole grains, legumes, dairy products and extra virgin olive oil.

This eating plan has been proven to be effective for heart disease prevention.

Low-Carb, Whole-Food Diet

It's flexible, allowing you to fine-tune your carb intake.

This diet is high in vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, fruits, nuts, and fats, but low in starches, sugars and processed foods.

DASH Diet

Despite the name, this diet has nothing to do with being in a hurry.

DASH stands for "dietary approach to stop hypertension" and was created by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help reverse trends of obesity and heart disease.

The diet features plenty of vegies, fruits and low-fat dairy products, plus whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts.

It offers limited portions of red meat, sweets and sugary beverages.

Watch below: Everything you need to know about the DASH Diet. Post continues after video...

Dietitian and SunRice Ambassador Lyndi Cohen shares her three tips for making sustainable diet choices.

These days, diets are often disguised as a 'healthy lifestyle choice' or a 'way of eating'. The truth is that all diets work until they stop working.

While you may initially lose weight, if you can't maintain the diet, you'll end up struggling with consistency in the long run and create a bad relationship with food.

The truth is that you don't need to follow a restrictive diet to be healthier and feel comfortable in your body you simply need to adopt a healthier approach to food and live a more balanced lifestyle.Here are my three top tips for making sustainable choices to help you kick-start your journey:

1. There is no quick fix

There is no perfect diet for everyone. The trick to being healthy is to find what works for you and stick to it, instead of getting caught in a quick fix.

Before starting a new diet, ask yourself if you can live on this diet for the rest of your life. If you want to maintain the results for longer than a manicure, then you need to be able to say yes.

Be especially cautious of cutting out whole food groups, like carbs, as they're an important food group to include in your diet to make sure you're getting the nutrition you need.

2. Stock the pantry full of healthy, convenient foods

Realistically, you need to take shortcuts to make good health easier and more sustainable for you.

Keep the pantry stocked with convenient foods to help save time and energy, and to make sure you always have a healthier option available.

My favourite pantry staples are tins of legumes, nuts, tuna, and SunRice Infusions steamed rice, so you can add plenty of flavour to dishes without spending too much time in the kitchen.

3. Adopt healthy habits

Create habits that are sustainable. Maybe start meal prepping once a week to help you stay healthy during the week, or simply eat one more serve of wholegrains a day.

Little changes really do end up adding to something big.

Watch below: Healthy eating ideas to try. Post continues after video...

Protein is a vital part of your diet which helps the body to build and repair tissue.

Recent studies show that 46 per cent of people over 50 aren't eating enough protein.

As we age, protein is vital for maintaining health, and a lack of protein can increase the risk of falls and fractures.

But to get your fill you don't have to turn to a diet of steak.

Optimum Nutrition have just released a range of snacks that are high in protein and act as an afternoon treat.

From chocolate-covered nuts to cake bites, you can indulge while helping your body stay strong.

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The Most (And Least) Effective Diets For Weight Loss - Now To Love