Did you know that 18.1 million American adults are currently diagnosed with a form of anxiety disorder? And whats worse, this is only the number of known cases. Estimates put this number at around 30 million people. Most people who suffer from an anxiety disorder never seek help or are even aware that they have a problem. Anxiety disorders cost the U.S. about $42 billion a year of the total $148 billion for mental healthcare.

First, it should be mentioned that it is quite normal to feel some anxiety in stressful situations. Anxiety can be beneficial because it makes people think harder and reevaluate before they spring into action. However, when it becomes a chronic problem, it may be advisable to find help. Some types of anxiety disorder include panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, phobic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), separation anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is the most commonly diagnosed disorder in the United States and it affects mostly women.

Anxiety often causes a range of other illnesses and disorders such as gastrointestinal disorders and respiratory problems, and it is a major contributor in driving people to substance abuse. Many will reach for drugs or alcohol to number their feelings in hopes of somehow making it through the day. Anxiety can also be hereditary, and many people will find that it runs in their family. People as young as 11 years old have been diagnosed with some form of anxiety disorder.

There are a number of ways to treat anxiety disorders. The most common is therapy with a certified counselor, figuring out coping strategies either on your own or with the help of a loved one, and mindfulness work like yoga, meditation or acupuncture. What is often overlooked, however, is a persons diet. Just like a balanced diet made of whole foods contributes to great health, other foods may actually increase the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Read on for a list of foods that could be making your anxiety worse.

Its no surprise that sugar tops our list of anxiety producing foods. Sugar is prevalent in most processed foods, as well as in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. It has the ability to raise blood glucose, and this, in turn, makes the brain not work optimally. Diets high in sugar have been linked to anxiety and even depression. There is also an increased for diabetes and dementia. Of course, sugar also is addictive as it initially makes you feel good then leaves you wanting more.

How relieved were you when you found a guilt-free alternative to your sugar? Unfortunately, all those calorie free sweeteners are actually terrible for your health and in particular for your mental health as they block the production of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter. Moodiness, headaches and insomnia can be the result as well as, you guessed it, anxiety.

Once again, its not a real surprise that alcohol made the list. Alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system. The central nervous system controls the processing of emotions. And when it is depressed, we become anxious and/or depressed right along with it. So limit your alcohol intake, especially if you are aware of an anxiety disorder or if you just have a sad day.

Its quick, convenient and so cheap. Plus, fast food restaurants are quite literally located at just about every street corner. And since we are usually on the run, picking up or dropping off little ones, working many hours and without much time to cook fancy meals, were all guilty of eating fast food.

Now, the occasional splurge is certainly not an issue. But fast food belongs to the so-called hyper-palatable foods. The combination of ingredients and additives make it so easy to want more and to eat it all. Numerous studies confirm that fast food is linked to anxiety and depression. As a matter of fact, it seems like there is a bit of a vicious cycle happening. Eating fast food can contribute to anxiety, and anxiety leads to more cravings for fast food. Break the cycle and start eating well!

Speaking of fast food, trans fats still are used in many fast foods and youll also find them in just about all processed foods you can buy in the store. Think margarine and donuts. Remember how youve grown up with the belief that fats cause clogged arteries? This is partially true. And trans fats can do this, so sticking with olive oil, avocado oil, butter or coconut oil is probably a better idea.

We know its touted as a health food and recommended in a healthy diet. But, wheat bran is full of phytic acid and anti-nutrients that bind to minerals in the gut. Especially zinc is an important mood mineral and a deficiency can contribute to anxiety. This is true for other foods as well, such as beans and almonds. Soaking and sprouting them can decrease the amount of phytic acid in these foods. So, if you dont mind going through the trouble of doing this, youll likely be better able to digest them and not lose those all important minerals.

We cant even begin to tell you how awful canned soup is for your mood. Theyre usually extremely high in sodium, the cans are lined with Bisphenol A (BPA) and both are linked to anxiety. BPA, in particular, can mess with those mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters. Yes, they are convenient, but if you do a little food prep, you can cook a whole batch of soup on the weekend and freeze or refrigerate it in portion sizes for your convenience. Youll know exactly whats in it and avoid all the nasty ingredients and chemicals.

Its abundantly clear that the foods above can contribute to anxiety. On the other hand, diets consisting of whole foods that are properly prepared will contribute to gut health, brain health and therefore lead to a healthier you. There is evidence that people following a Mediterranean or Paleo diet enjoy better health and a decreased risk for anxiety and depression. In some cases, a gut healing protocol may be in order. An alternative healthcare practitioner or holistic nutritionist may be able to help you achieve these goals.

Ute Mitchell

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Feeling Uneasy All The Time? Here Are 7 Foods That Increase Anxiety - The Alternative Daily (blog)

Popular belief deems fat as the dietary enemy, but according to the ketogenic dietketo for shortthat may not be the case.

The very low-carb, moderate protein and high-fat eating plan has been around for decades. Originally, it grew popular for treating patients with epilepsy and diabetes, but today its gained a following for success stories in weight loss. While its definitely fairly restrictivedessert lovers keep movingits doable in the office, youll find options when you eat out, and you can still enjoy some of your favorite cravings.

1. You dont have to give up cheese or bacon.

If youve ever done a fad diet, you know they often have you sacrificing your breakfast bacon and all things dairy. But this new eating fad encourages you to so-far-as put butter in your morning coffee. High amounts of good fat, such as cream, butter, avocado, and nuts are all encouraged. Eating a high-fat diet curbs your hunger cravings, which means less snacking and less calories overall.

2. Celebrities like Halle Berry and Kourtney Kardashian have taken to the eating fad.

OnLive! with Kelly and Ryan, Berry claimed that the no sugar, no carb diet works for her as a diabetic. I eat healthy fats all day long, avocado, oil, coconut oil and I use butter, but dont have any sugar. So when your body gets trained to burn fats, its constantly on fat-burning modethats the secret, she said. If you follow the eldest Kardashian sister on social media, you know she takes her fitness regimen seriously, and her bikini body is a good proof of that.And according to a recent post on her app, shes also super dedicated to her eating habits. The reality star says she has been detoxing her body on and off for months now. To stay in a state of ketosis, she follows a similar restrictive eating plan to Keto during her detoxes.

RELATED:We Tried Gwyneth Paltrows 2017 Goop Detox and Were Still Hungry

3. Theres a scientific reason its particularly effective for weight loss.

This diet works, New York-based registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller told ABC news. This style of eating prompts ketosis, a metabolic process in which the body burns stored fat instead of glucose for its daily energy. Normally, the body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose for energy. But while in ketosis, the body derives ketone bodies from the butter you just drank or from previously stored fat. Feller added that it will, in fact, give people weight loss.

WATCH:Kourtney Kardashian Reveals All the Details on Her Insanely Strict Detox Diet

4. When personalizing the high-fat diet, be careful with your choices.

It can be easy to overload on red meat and butter with the Keto Diet. While those are totally permitted, the most beneficial approach is to focus on healthy fats like avocado, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil. Non-starchy veggies like spinach, kale, cucumbers and proteins like all-natural nut butters, chicken, tuna and salmon are also key.

Wantthe ultimate dish on the latest celebrity food news, plus exclusive recipes, videos and more? Click here to subscribe to the People Food newsletter.

5.You should talk to your doctor before trying it out.

Though this diet surely caught the attention of several stars, Nutritionist Fellerexplains that its probably not a great long-term plan. The jury is out on if that is safe for the long term, Keller noted. What most studies say is that you can follow a ketogenic diet for some months. You dont want the body to stay in ketosis long term.

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What Is the Keto Diet? Everything You Need to Know About the High ... - PEOPLE.com

A once-obese primate is about to be released back into the wilderness even if hes still a chunky monkey.

The beast, named Uncle Fatty, has been on a three-month-long diet, shrinking his girth from 59.5 pounds to 54.5 pounds so an 8.4-percent weight loss, zookeepers in Bangkok said.

His tummy no longer drags on the ground, Natanon Panpetch, a veterinarian at the Wildlife Conservation Office, told the southeast Asian news website Coconuts. He is in a perfect health and ready to be released. He has grown accustomed to the natural foods.

Uncle Fatty made worldwide headlines in May, when he was found lounging around, barely able to move because of his weight.

He was taken to the Wildlife Conservation Office where his calories were carefully counted.

New pictures of Uncle Fatty still show him with a gargantuan gut, though zookeepers said hes fit enough to be let out.

Since mid-May, Uncle Fatty has been on a steady diet of healthy fruits and vegetables.

Its a big change from the junk food, sugary drinks, sweet watermelons and soft drinks he had been fed from tourists.

The monkey was taken back to a local facility in the beach-side Bang Khun Thian district on Thursday where hell worked back into his natural habitat and re-join his family within a week.

Natanon urged tourists, if they come upon Uncle Fatty, not to feed him any human good.

A macaque is supposed to eat crabs or clams in the mangrove. We do not recommend people feed the monkeys at all, Natanon said.

He [Uncle Fatty] does not know what food he should not eat. He eats whatever he finds delicious.

Read more from the original source:
Obese monkey that went on diet will be released into wild - New York Post

Artificial sweeteners have been controversial for almost as long as theyve been around. As early as 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt was compelled to defend the worlds first no-calorie sweetener. Anybody who says saccharin is injurious to health, he said, "is an idiot!

The debate rages on today. Some dietitians and nutritional scientists go to bat for artificial sweeteners like sucralose and stevia as a safe way to enjoy sweet drinks and foods while avoiding the calories. Other scientists believe they play a role in the obesity and metabolic disease epidemics because they confuse the brain and the body about the caloric value of sweet foods. A lot of consumers especially those trying to lose weight end up confused.

Enter Dana Small, a neuroscientist at Yale University, whose research, published Thursday in Current Biology, promises to change not only our understanding of sweeteners, but of sweetness itself.

Small did not set out to test the healthfulness of artificial sweeteners. Rather, she was exploring a more fundamental question: Is the rewarding character of sweet foods due to the calories those foods contain?

To test her hypothesis, Small created five beverages. All were sweetened using the identical amount of sucralose, an artificial sweetener, so that they tasted about as sweet as a drink containing about 75 calories of sugar. But then Small varied the calories using a tasteless carbohydrate called maltodextrin. The small army of beverages she produced each with its own distinctive color and flavor were all equally sweet, but contained the following calories: zero, 37.5, 75, 112.5, 150.

After subjects had consumed each drink six times over a period of weeks twice in the lab and four times at home Small used fMRI brain scanning to see how each drink affected brain reward circuits. Her prediction: The more calories, the greater the reward.

The results were nothing like she envisioned. The most reinforcing drink was the 75-calorie one. It generated a stronger brain response than the 0-calorie drink, but it also generated a stronger brain response than the 150-calorie drink.

This made no sense. If calories were what made sweet foods appealing, why would a 75-calorie drink be more rewarding than a 150-calorie drink? But if calories had nothing to do with it, what made the 75-calorie drink more desirable than the zero-calorie drink?

It took Small two years to unravel these baffling results with more experiments and analysis. In one experiment, she measured the bodys metabolic response, which is the energy the body expends to process calories. Once again, the results repeated themselves. The metabolic response to the high-calorie drink was lower than it was for the medium-calorie drink, a result that made Small think, Holy cow, whats going on?

Eventually, she pieced it all together. Sweetness, she realized, plays a role in how the body responds to food. It regulates the metabolic signal, Small says.

When sweetness and calories were matched, it all ran as expected: the 75-calorie drink produced not only the largest metabolic response but also the largest brain response because the calories matched the taste.

But when there was a mismatch between sweetness and calories, the response was strangely muted. Its like the system threw up its hands and didnt know what to do, Small explains.

The findings present certain troubling questions. For example, what happens to all those mismatched calories that dont get metabolized? We know its not being used as a fuel Small says. Whats happening to it?

Those extra calories, she says, are probably being stored, either in muscle, in the liver, or in fat, none of which is desirable. If sweeteners are disrupting how carbohydrates are being metabolized, then this could be an important mechanism behind the metabolic dysfunction we see in diets high in processed foods.

The findings also suggest that whatever benefit or harm there may be to artificial sweeteners is context dependent. A diet drink consumed by itself and on an empty stomach may be far less harmful than one consumed with carbohydrates with a sandwich, say, or a bag of chips.

But whats troubling is that in an effort to reduce added sugars, food companies are now designing all sorts of products that contain blends of sweeteners and carbohydrates that could be disrupting the bodys metabolic response. The sports drink Powerade, Small notes in her paper, contains the sugars glucose and fructose alongside the artificial sweeteners sucralose and Acesulfame K. A yogurt product made by Chobani called Simply 100 similarly contains 14 grams of carbohydrate (six of which are from sugars) as well as stevia leaf extract.

This may also explain why the existing body of research on artificial sweeteners is so mixed. For example, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2012 found that Dutch children who consumed a single artificially sweetened beverage each day for 18 months gained less weight and less fat than children who drank a single sugar-sweetened beverage each day.

And yet, in much of the observational research in which scientists look at large populations people who consume artificially sweetened drinks, especially those who consume them a lot, appear to be at an alarmingly high risk for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Defenders of artificial sweeteners attribute this to reverse causation. Obese people, they point out, are already at a higher risk for obesity and metabolic disease. And since obese people are likely to turn to artificial sweeteners to lose weight, these studies just make it appear as though the artificial sweeteners are putting them at higher risk. (These studies, in other words, can make correlations look like causes.) Critics of artificial sweeteners counter that they still look bad even when you adjust for BMI, and that rats fed artificial sweeteners have been found to gain more weight than rats who are not.

In the Dutch study, when the children consumed their beverages at school, it was during morning break. The paper does not indicate whether or not food was consumed alongside them, and if so what kind of food.

Smalls research suggests this could be an important variable. Similarly, habitual users who drink, say, three or more artificially sweetened beverages a day may be more likely to consume them in combinations with food that are problematic.

Ultimately, Smalls research attests to how difficult it is to disentangle taste and deliciousness from nutrition and metabolism. Behind the universal love of sweet foods lies a nest of complex body-brain systems that are partly driven by metabolism, but also regulate it.

Taste, Small says, can change the metabolic fate of calories.

In other words, the dream of foods that taste great but have none of the calories may be just a dream.

Mark Schatzker is the author of The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor. He last wrote for Vox about tomato flavor.

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Study: diet soda can really mess with your metabolism - Vox

Thursday August 10 2017

Love it or hate it, there's no proof Marmite prevents miscarriage

"Like it or loathe it, but Marmite could help prevent millions of miscarriages and birth defects around the world," is the overly optimistic headline in The Daily Telegraph.

The news is based on research into just four families who have children with birth defects, with three of the families also having had miscarriages.

Researchers sequenced the families' DNA, and found all the children had similar mutations that prevent the synthesis and circulation of an enzyme called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in the body.

NAD is used by the body for cell signalling. Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is thought to stimulate the production of NAD.

Mice bred to have the same mutations, and who also had miscarriages or offspring with defects, were given vitamin B3 supplements. All went on tohave healthy babies.

In theory, vitamin B3 supplements might be effective for women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant and are deficient in B3.

But the researchers didn't look at this they only looked at rare genetic mutations in four children and replicated them in mice. Pregnancy outcomes in women weren't studied.

It's certainly too soon to start recommending that all pregnant women start taking vitamin B3 supplements in the same way they're advised to take vitamin D.

If you're worried about vitamin B3, one way of safely upping your intake is by eating things like Marmite (or Vegemite), chicken and green peas.

Unfortunately, there arelots ofreasons why miscarriages and birth defects occur, many of which are currently unavoidable.

The study was carried out by researchers from a range of medical and academic institutions across Australia, including the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney, Macquarie University, the University of Adelaide, and theUniversity of Queensland School of Medicine.

The research was funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Research Council, the Australian National Heart Foundation, the New South Wales Government Office for Health and Medical Research, a Queensland Premier's Fellowship, the Kirby Foundation, the Chain Reaction Challenge Foundation, and the Key Foundation.

The study was published in thepeer-reviewed The New England Journal of Medicine.

The UK media were arguably guilty of taking the study's press release at face value, and we suspect some journalists didn't actually read the study itself.

The much quoted statement from the lead author "This has the potential to significantly reduce the number of miscarriages and birth defects around the world, and I do not use those words lightly" is currently not supported by the evidence.

This research doesn't necessarily translate into reducing miscarriages in women. Miscarriages and birth defects happen for a range of reasons, not just because of one rare genetic mutation that reduces vitamin B3.

This two-stage laboratory study first involved genetic sequencing in familieswho hadchildren born with multiple birth defects thatdeveloped when the child was growing inside the womb.

Researchers then looked at similar disease-causing mutations in mice and the effect that increasing vitamin B3 in the diet had on preventing malformations in the growing foetus.

This type of research is interesting as it combines observations and genetic sequencing on humans with laboratory research in mice manipulated to have similar genetic mutations.

Increases in vitamin B3 would still need to be tested in humans with these particular genetic mutations to make sure this isn't just effective in mice.

Researchers took four families that each had a child with multiple birth defects and carried out genetic sequencing.

This technique is used to analyse the individual bases (nucleotides) of a person's DNA. It can help spot when a particular gene is altered (mutated) or missing altogether.

Four families two from Lebanon, one from Iraq and one from the US who had babies born with multiple birth defects took part in the research. The families from Lebanon and Iraq were related by blood.

The children had various different defects, some of which included short stature and heart, limb, kidney and ear-related deformities. Three of the mothers had also had one or more miscarriages.

Researchers found certain genetic mutations that affect the production of a molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD).

This is produced naturally in the body, but can also be supplemented by increasing the amount of vitamin B3 in your diet, as it's also found in vitamin B3.

The researchers replicated the families' genetic mutations in mice, which were then given supplements of vitamin B3 to see if this affected their future offspring.

The four families' genetic mutations caused problems encoding two proteins called 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid 3,4-dioxygenase (HAAO) and kynureninase (KYNU).

These are both involved in a pathway that produces NAD. The children with birth defects therefore had reduced levels of circulating NAD in their bodies.

Mice bred to have mutations that reduced the production of HAAO and KYNU, and therefore reduced levels of circulating NAD, also had miscarriages or offspring born with defects.

After the mice were given more vitamin B3 as part of their diet, thereby increasing levels of circulating NAD, all subsequent offspring were born healthy.

The researchers concluded: "Disruption of NAD synthesis caused a deficiency of NAD and congenital malformations in humans and mice. Niacin (B3) supplementation during gestation prevented the malformations in mice."

This early-stage laboratory research has pinpointed two potential genes that might be responsible for some miscarriages and birth defects.

As well as identifying a problem, the researchers also managed to find a solution: the effect of these genes can be combatted by increasing vitamin B3 intake.

But treating a very specific and uncommon cause of birth defects in mice is certainly not a sure-fire solution to "significantly reduce the number of miscarriages and birth defects around the world".

We need future research to see if the same effect would happen in humans.

Also, three of the four children included in the study were the offspring of parents who were related by blood. This might mean that the type of genetic mutations studied in this research are more specific to the children of parents who are related.

A vitamin B3 supplement might have less of an effect on other types of mutations, but we can't say at this stage.

Overall, it seems like upping vitamin B3 intake in mothers who are deficient might have the potential to help prevent miscarriage and congenital malformations.

Testing vitamin B3 levels in pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant to see if they're deficient would identify those who might benefit the most.

And eating more foods like Marmite, meats like turkey and chicken, and vegetables like mushroomsand green peas could be one way to get more vitamin B3. Long-term high-dose vitamin B3 supplements should be avoided as this can lead to liver damage.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) currently recommends pregnant women take folic acid (400mcg per day) and vitamin D (10mcg per day) supplements. Multivitamin supplements aren't recommended as these often contain vitamin A, which can cause birth defects.

You can alsoreduce your risk of having a miscarriageby avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, eating a healthy diet, and being a healthy weight.

Continued here:
Vitamin B3 found in Marmite not proven to prevent miscarriage - NHS Choices

Will Hehemann|School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Science

While eating fruits and vegetables is an important part of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, it is also important to know how to safely handle and prepare your produce, says Rachel Luckett, Extension specialist-nutrition for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Taking the correct steps to handle fruits and vegetables is essential in maximizing their nutritional benefits and preventing foodborne illness.

According to the current dietary guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Americans should make half of their dinner plate fruits and vegetables, she said. Plant foods are a great source of energy, nutrients, vitamins and dietary fiber, and their consumption can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity.

While it is important to include store or market-bought produce as part of a balanced diet, care should be taken in its handling and sanitation before consumption. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, harmful bacteria that may be in the soil or water where produce grows can come in contact with fruits and vegetables and contaminate them. Fresh produce may become contaminated after it is harvested, during storage or handling.

Luckett said eating contaminated food sometimes leads to foodborne illness, which is often referred to as food poisoning. To avoid the risk of contracting an illness, as well as enjoy the greatest health benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables, Arkansans can follow a few simple steps before serving fruits and vegetables with dinner.

Whether you shop at a grocery store or farmers market, its always important to wash raw fruits and vegetables under cool, running water, Luckett said. This removes any soil, sand or pesticide residues that may be present. A vegetable brush can help remove any stubborn dirt from crevices.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture does not recommend the use of soap, detergent or commercial produce washes.

Even if you do not plan to eat the skin, you should still wash produce first so bacteria are not transferred during peeling or cutting, Luckett said. After the produce is washed, dry it with a cloth or paper towel to minimize any bacteria that may still be present on the surface.

Fruits and vegetables should not be soaked in water. Soaking can cause important, water-soluble nutrients to be leached out of the produce and might even dilute its flavor.

Arkansans should serve raw or cooked vegetables as soon as possible to ensure the best flavor, appearance and nutritional value, Luckett said. Raw vegetables taste best and are most nutritious when served cold.

Luckett said most vegetables can be kept fresh in a refrigerator either in the crisper or in plastic bags for at least a few days. Sweet corn in husks and tomatoes should be kept uncovered.

Potatoes, hard-rind squash, eggplant and sweet potatoes should be kept at room temperature in a location that is cool, dark and dry. Potatoes stored at room temperature should be used within a week, as they will start to sprout and shrivel. If potatoes that have been exposed to light start to turn green and develop a bitter flavor, simply cut away the green portions before cooking them.

By following a few simple steps when handling, preparing and storing produce, Arkansans can get the most value out of their fruits and vegetables with no health risks, Luckett said.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff offers all of its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Handle produce correctly to prevent foodborne illness, maximize nutritional value - UAPB News

After several recent bear conflicts in Colorado, including close encounters, home invasions and an attack on a sleeping camper in Boulder County July 9, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is stressing education as one of the most effective ways to prevent wildlife conflicts.

CPW officials say although many bear conflicts may seem unprovoked or random, a typical precursor in most incidents is a general lack of knowledge about wildlife, or a willful disregard for a few basic rules.

Bears are just doing what comes naturally to them, said Area Wildlife Manager Perry Will of Glenwood Springs. They are driven by hunger and instinct, and when their natural food sources become scarce like weve seen with the recent dry spell in some areas, they look for other sources. That brings them into communities where they easily find all kinds of things to eat. Humans on the other hand have a choice in how they behave. In my opinion, there are too many people who should be making better decisions when it comes to wildlife, beginning with getting educated about preventing conflicts then taking action.

With the current bear population in the state conservatively estimated between 17,000 to 20,000 and the human population at about 5.5 million, wildlife officials say human/bear conflicts remain a primary concern. Despite years of information and education outreach, trash storage ordinances in communities with significant bear activity and efforts to reduce bear populations in high conflict areas, interactions continue to occur and make headlines.

In addition to the high-profile incident in Boulder County, a recent viral video featured a bear wandering inside a Colorado Springs home for five hours, casually opening the refrigerator and pantry while the homeowner slept inside, unaware of the bears presence. A week earlier, a woman shot video of the same bear through her car window after the bear entered the shocked womans garage and pressed its nose up to the vehicles glass. Wildlife managers believe the bear had learned the sound of a garage door opening was a cue to dart inside.

Due to concerns for human safety, wildlife officials killed the 375-pound bear several days later after discovering it sitting on the deck of a nearby home.

Another video widely disseminated recently showed a bear seemingly playing the piano after it entered a Vail condominium through an open window while the occupant was away. The video may have elicited chuckles but wildlife officers did not see the humor in the situation, considering the dangers posed by a bear with a habit of breaking into homes.

So what can you do to prevent a dangerous bear conflict? There are a multitude of tips and suggestions for homeowners and outdoor enthusiast available from many sources, but the primary message wildlife managers offer to the publicits all about food.

Its actually fairly simplekeep your food away from bears, said Will. We cant stress it enoughnever, ever feed a bear, whether by leaving your trash out, your lunch in your car, your birdfeeders up or giving it a handout - its all the same. Bears are smart and have great memories. If the bear gets into your trash, your car or crawls through a window you left open and finds a meal, you just put your entire neighborhood in danger; if youre on a hike and give a bear a handout to get a closer look, you just put all hikers in the area at risk; if you keep a dirty campsite or leave food in your tent or otherwise accessible and you attract a bear, you just jeopardized the safety of all nearby campers.

Will says in addition to fines for violating city ordinances where they exist, feeding a bear is illegal in Colorado and can result in a citation from CPW officers.

Another important tip wildlife officers offer is never let a bear feel comfortable around people.

If a bear comes into your yard and you sit on the porch and watch if for an hour, the bear has now learned it is safe to be around people, said Will. Then it becomes a problem for other residents, and for wildlife managers.

If you see a bear in an area where it is not supposed to be, or it appears comfortable with your presence, wildlife officers recommend immediately making it feel unwelcome. Raise your voice and talk to it firmly, bang pots and pans or throw rocks or sticks toward it and try to drive it away. It may seem cruel but conditioning them to avoid people is the most humane thing the public can do for a bear.

However, if a bear does not respond to hazing or it continues to approach, the first thing to remember is never turn and run. Stand your ground, prepare to take stronger measures and defend yourself with everything you have. That can include using bear spray, punching and kicking the bear as aggressively as possible, hitting it with a sturdy hiking stick, branches, rocks or other makeshift weapons.

In the Boulder County incident, the teen fought the bear by aiming blows at its eyes.

He did exactly the right thing, something he learned from his grandfather, said Northeast Region Public Information Officer Jennifer Churchill. He was prepared and knew how to handle an attack. The knowledge probably saved his life.

Acting Northwest Regional Manager Dean Riggs says some in the public may consider using firearms to protect themselves in case of a dangerous wildlife encounter; however, CPW recommends bear spray as an effective alternative to a gun as the first means of defense.

We understand people have the right to legally carry and use a firearm to defend themselves from a bear attack, but its not as effective as people think, and if you shoot your gun in a residential area or a crowded campsite you could accidently kill someone, said Riggs. Bear spray is actually a much more effective deterrent, proven in several field studies. Its a good idea to have bear spray at home if you live in bear country, or bring it along if you recreate in an area with bear activity.

CPW officials say black bears in Colorado do not often attack people, but they are capable of mauling and killing humans as seen in recent incidents in Alaska, including a woman with Colorado ties killed by a black bear last month.

A black bears natural diet in Colorado typically consists of acorns and berries, and they will make a meal of carrion or newborn fawns and elk calves. Generally, they dont hunt humans but it does not mean it couldnt happen and you need to be prepared, said Riggs. The major concern is when a person surprises a bear, or if a person makes a bear feel threatened or cornered, it will likely respond forcefully. Their strength, powerful jaws and sharp claws make them a significant threat.

Because of that threat, Riggs says when it comes to choosing between human health and safety and a dangerous wild animal, there are few options for wildlife officers.

To protect people, wildlife officers will kill any bear showing aggression toward humans, he said. When people feed bears, they essentially sentence them to death but its our officers who have to carry out the execution. Its by far the worst part of the job.

CPW says the public can safely watch bears from a distance, with binoculars, a scope or a camera with a telephoto lens. At no time should people approach a bear to get a closer look, or offer it food to get a better picture.

For more information about living with bears and avoiding conflicts, visit the Bear Aware page on the agencys website: cpw.state.co.us.

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CPW reminds public: Education is key to help prevent dangerous bear encounters - High Plains Journal