A poor diet while young may do more than just make it tough to fit into a pair of jeans: New research suggests it might also raise a younger woman's risk for breast cancer.

"A diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and red and processed meat makes it more likely that you may experience early onset breast cancer," said study senior author Karin Michels. She is chair of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, in Los Angeles.

An unhealthy diet appeared to increase that risk by more than one-third, but the findings can't prove cause-and-effect, Michels said. "We are talking about a link or association," she noted.

The study tracked data from more than 45,000 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study II. All of the women completed food frequency questionnaires about their teen and early adult diets, and were followed up for 22 years.

The researchers assigned the diets an inflammatory score, based on a method that links diet with established inflammatory markers in the blood. Eating a high-sugar, refined carbohydrate diet has been linked to higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, Michels explained.

RELATED: Many Breast Cancer Survivors Don't Get Life-Extending Therapy

Compared to the women with diets with a low inflammatory score, those in the highest of five groups during their teen years had a 35 percent higher risk of breast cancer before menopause, Michels and colleagues found.

And those in the highest inflammatory group during their early adult years had a 41 percent higher risk.

However, the inflammatory score was not linked with overall breast cancer incidence or with breast cancer occurring after menopause, the researchers found.

During the follow-up period, 870 of the women who finished the high school diet questionnaire were diagnosed with premenopausal breast cancer, and 490 were diagnosed with postmenopausal breast cancer.

The researchers can't explain why inflammation may drive up the risk. And while the main components of the inflammatory diet were foods that aren't surprising (such as white bread, hamburgers and pasta), the list also included lesser amounts of certain vegetables, such as celery, green pepper, mushrooms, eggplant and fish.

That finding deserves future study, Michels said.

The study also has limitations, the authors said, including the possibility of error in remembering a high school diet when the women were in their 30s and older.

Leslie Bernstein is a professor in the division of biomarkers for early detection and prevention at the Beckman Research Institute at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif. She was not involved in the study but reviewed the new findings and said, "It's a modest increase in risk."

Bernstein agreed that the mechanism for why inflammation may drive up risk is not fully understood by experts.

What advice would she offer women?

"Same thing I would tell them before this was written," Bernstein said. "Eat a diet that is healthy -- more chicken and fish than red meat, complex carbohydrates, eat a lot of vegetables, eat fruit and don't drink sugary drinks.''

The study was published March 1 in the journalCancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

See more here:
Bad Diet in Youth Might Raise Risk of Early Breast Cancer - Everyday Health (blog)

Good governance is about as sexy a topic as a high-fiber diet, eight daily glasses of water, and regular exercise.

But, just as those three things are important to your physical well-being, responsible administration is crucial to the health of the body politic. It help keeps state finances regular.

Evan-Amos | Vanamo Media

Last week saw an excellent in-depth article in the pages of this paper exploring Maines cash pool. While the intricacies of state finance arent the most titillating subject, having the Maine bank account in the black saves all of us money. If it goes red, the state treasurer has to borrow funds with interest to make sure the checks dont bounce.

From 2008 through 2015, Maine taxpayers werent so lucky. The General Fund kept spending dollars that hadnt yet been collected. So we kept borrowing for short periods of time, paying interest. Of course, we also found interest-free financing not paying Maine hospitals the bill run up by government programs, for instance. Not particularly responsible.

Yet, like an aircraft carrier, Maines finances have finally turned around; it just took time. We arent reading headlines about the need for tens of millions in emergency funding to carry our safety-net programs to June 30, the end of the fiscal year. Instead, we can make policy free from crisis.

Thats important. Every two years in Augusta, the largest policy document enacted by the Legislature is the states biennial budget. For over a decade, it jumped from shortfall to shortfall, with the structural gap the amount required to be spent under existing law versus the amount forecast to be collected from taxpayers in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Gov. John Baldaccis tenure was in near-perpetual budgetary crisis, in large part due to the $1 billion structural gap he inherited from his predecessor, Angus King.

Damir Sagolj | Reuters

As we continue through the final two years of the LePage administration, there is an opportunity to take a longer-term view with the budget. Thats good; there are many large questions facing our state, the answers to which will likely chart the course of Maines future.

There will be a significant debate about what our tax code should look like. Question 2 and its tax increase giving us the second highest marginal rate in the nation, behind only California is likely to come under question. It eked out passage in November by approximately 9,500 votes; it won in Portland by over 11,000. Not exactly a resounding statewide mandate.

The other half of Question 2 school funding is likely to be a subject of debate as well. LePage proposes spending all state funds directly in the classroom, giving municipalities responsibility for administration. The administration proposes innovation grants to encourage, rather than mandate, collaborative regional solutions. Without a pending crisis in benefit programs, we can explore these reforms and resource them.

Of course, there will also be debates around our safety-net programs. Charges are already being levied that the changes previously made to public benefits went too far. The Department of Health and Human Services proposes refocusing more dollars on elderly and disabled Mainers, further reducing eligibility for those able-bodied adults without children. Regardless of your position on those issues, we now have a chance to make clear-headed decisions; we arent looking for $70 million to bail out already-promised cost overruns.

And as we try to find the appropriate places to spend tax dollars, other programs can be looked at on their merits, rather than as a source of easy money to solve an immediate problem. With a new governor taking office in 2019, the rumors of potential candidates have begun to swirl and the potential field is large. If everyone rumored jumps into their respective primary battles, we could have 15 candidates on the ballot next June. Under the so-called Clean Election Act, they would each be eligible for up to $1 million in their primary race. Are political campaigns the best use for $15 million from the public treasury? We dont have a massive hole to fill, so we can decide that on its own merits.

State finances are boring, but they impact policy every step of the way. And regardless of what you might think about the governor or his policies, he has led Maine to a position where we can have those debates free from a budgetary Sword of Damocles.

So the reward for good governance? Knock-down, drag-out fights over ideas instead of dollars. In politics today, well call that progress.

Read more here:
Like a high-fiber diet, good governance keeps Maine's finances regular - Bangor Daily News

One of the latest diet fads is the blood type diet. This is a diet, wherein the foods to eat and avoid are based on your blood type. A person of blood type O would have a different type of diet from a blood type B diet.

Popularized by Peter J. DAdamo, the diet is based on the theory that different blood types A, B, and O react differently to the food you eat. This is because our ancestors belonged to a certain blood type and we still have the genes passed on from them. So, this is based on the gene linkage theory.

Additionally, different blood types appear to have different reactions to factors such as stress and anxiety, and people with a particular blood type may be susceptible to certain diseases or health conditions, according to DAdamo.

The genetic markers (antigens A, B, and O) bind with certain food ingredients such as lectinsa proteinand cause agglutination of blood. This leads to various skin conditions and digestion issues. Our gut bacteria, which aid in digestion, also differ with each blood type. This factor seems to influence the way our food is digested.

But do these diets really work? What are the appropriate blood type B foods to eat? Does it matter what diet you pair with which blood type? In this article, well examine the blood type B diet along with blood type B diet foods to figure out if the diet will work for you. The answers to these questions may surprise you.

The various blood type diets that are going around are based on the premise that each blood type represents what their ancestors did and the types of food they ate. The blood type B diet is based on the idea that these people were nomadic.

They would have adapted to their surroundings and eaten the types of food that they would have come across, which were eaten by the other blood types. People with this blood type are highly adaptable, but there are certain foods like chicken or peanuts that their ancestors would perhaps have never eaten.

As we mentioned in our article about the blood type O diet, there is very little scientific evidence to support claims that the benefits of this diet are related to blood type. What one persons ancestors ate might line up perfectly with this diet, but another persons ancestral diet may be way off due to their country of origin.

The diets also dont account for anything like medications or any food intolerance you may have. Theres no conclusive evidence that blood type B foods will help someone of blood type B, any more than the same diet may help someone who is of blood type A.

That is not to say that the diet may not work well for you. It may work, but not due to the reasons stated in the diet. Well explain with a look at the foods you are supposed to eat.

Foods for a blood type B diet are probably the most relaxed out of all the blood type diets. The restrictions are limited, and it promotes eating red meat and game as well as some vegetables. It also promotes regular exercise. And youre supposed to eat leafy greens, broccoli, and spinach.

Essentially, when you break it down, the blood type B diet promotes healthy eating and exercise as a way to lose weight. This diet is by no means foolproof or complete. The first thing your doctor will recommend if you want to lose weight is to eat healthier. Secondly, they will recommend more exercise.

The blood type B diet recommends you avoid chicken and pork, as well as eating dairy in moderation. It has very little in the way of bad fruits or vegetables on the list. The dairy products that you are supposed to avoid, e.g. American cheese and string cheese, are highly manufactured. Duck and geese are perfectly fine for you in moderation, but as far as poultry goes, they are a bit fattier than other birds.

Once again, dont be fooled by the smoke and mirrors. The reason this diet works is likely due moderation and healthy eating practices. They are right, consuming too much dairy is not good for your waistline; but once again, it has nothing to do with your blood type.

Diets will come, and diets will go. The more attractive and easy fix of a diet, or if the diet is a novelty, the more traction it will get with the public. A number of these diets may work or partially workthey just might not work for the reasons they claim.

The blood type diet in all its various forms is like that. It doesnt matter whether you follow a B positive blood type diet or a B negative blood type diet, the diets may work for you, but it has little to do with your ancestors or blood type. It has everything to do with changing your eating habits to healthier ones and adding more exercise to your routine.

Remember, if you are interested in a diet, do your research. Ask your doctor if the diet youre thinking about has any medical facts to back it up, and whether the diet will fit you and your health goals.

Related:

Sources: DAdamo, J., Blood Type and Your Health, Dadamo; http://www.dadamo.com/txt/index.pl?1001, last accessed February 22, 2017. Blood Type B, Dadamo; http://www.dadamo.com/txt/index.pl?1006, last accessed February 22, 2017. Leech, J., The Blood Type Diet: An Evidence-Based Review, Authority Nutrition; https://authoritynutrition.com/the-blood-type-diet-review/, last accessed February 22, 2017. Wang, J., Garca-Bailo B., Nielsen, D., and El-Sohemy, A., ABO Genotype, Blood-Type Diet and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Plos.org web site, January 15, 2014; http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0084749

Here is the original post:
Blood Type B Diet: Does It Work? - Foods4BetterHealth

A few times a week or before you go grocery shopping, scan your fridge for what's about to go bad and pull those items to the front. Make a plan to use them soon in a meal.

A few times a week or before you go grocery shopping, scan your fridge for what's about to go bad and pull those items to the front. Make a plan to use them soon in a meal.

WSYR-TV - Fad diets and nutritional products aren't always supported by science.

A group of doctors with the American College of Cardiology are offering guidance on these nutritional approaches.

They warn that "juicing" actually concentrates calories, meaning you could be getting more calories and less fiber.

If you don't have a sensitivity to gluten, they want you to know a gluten free diet might not be for you it can actually lead to weight gain.

If you really want to protect your heart experts recommend skipping the antioxidant supplements. There is no proof they actually work.

View post:
Investigation looks into fad diets - WSYR

wbur Commentary

March 01, 2017

By Jean Fain

Ive been trying to bite my tongue about Oprahs new cookbook, I really have. Who am I to judge one of Americas wealthiest women for sharing her weight-loss secrets and her favorite Weight Watchers-friendly recipes? Who am I to question if one of the most famous "yo-yo" dieters in dieting history has made peace with food or has simply managed to call a truce?

Actually, who I am a psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders is exactly why Ive got a problem with Oprah and every other celebrity who celebrates dieting. Because of who I am, Im painfully aware of the downside of doing as celebrity diet proponents say, but not necessarily as they do.

Which isnt to say I dont understand the appeal of celebrity diets. I do. Flipping through the pages of the new star-studded and fabulously adorned diet books, I found renewed inspiration to eat greens and grains. I also enjoyed sampling favorite recipes of various stars; some are as dull and diet-y as expected, but many are remarkably delicious and nutritious. Oprahs unfried chicken is yummy. Gwyneths detox truffles, heavenly!

When I say celebrity diet, I mean any structured eating plan endorsed by-- or in actress-turned-entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrows parlance, "curated by"-- a celebrity. Whether its a tailor-made plan that facilitates weight loss, like Paltrows organic, whole-food, sugar-free diet, or a more established program that a celebrity is endorsing, such as Oprahs own Weight Watchers, a diet by any other name is still a diet. However, one unusual food choice, like Kim Kardashians penchant for placenta, does not a celebrity diet make.

With their intoxicating blend of impossible expectations, misguided authority and restrictive guidelines, celebrity diets are predestined to fail spectacularly.

From where I sit, clean eating, lifestyle plans, weight management programs, juice cleanses, support systems... theyre all diets, and theyre all bound to fail. But with their intoxicating blend of impossible expectations, misguided authority and restrictive guidelines, celebrity diets are predestined to fail spectacularly.

So, while I see the appeal of celebrity diets, Ive also seen the disheartening and dangerous aftermath, and it aint pretty. Which is why Ive decided to damn the consequences and tell the ugly truth.

Here are my three main problems with celebrity diets:

1. Celebrities Dont Look Like They Do Because Of Their Diets

Stars look like stars because theyre either genetically blessed with high metabolisms and lean bodies, driven to perfection, or both. Whats more, actresses, models, celebrity yoga instructors and the like get paid the big bucks to look fantastic. And a good thing, because it costs a pretty penny to employ an entourage of experts to keep up appearances.

People with eating issues tend to believe their problem is limited resources. If they had enough time, money and a personal chef, theyd be all set. But the fundamental problem isnt inadequate resources, but unspectacular genes and wishful thinking. If only they could transfer meal planning and cooking to an expert, or so the thinking goes, theyll live slimly ever after. Somehow, they forget Oprah has had her pick of personal chefs, trainers and medical experts for decades now, and yet she still struggles with her weight.

2. Diets Dont Work

Diets reliably promote weight gain, not loss, thereby increasing the very weight-related health risks they aim to decrease. Its cruel but statistically true: A five-year study of 2,500 teens showed dieting is an important predictor of both obesity and new eating disorders.

The reasons why diets dont work are complex and intertwined, but suffice it to say the body couldn't care less about fitting into skinny jeans when it's protecting you from starvation, which is your bodys experience of dieting. It slows down your metabolism, ramps up hunger, activates stress hormones, and is hellbent on eating every last Dorito until it safely returns you to your enduring, higher weight.

3. Celebrity Diets Are Even Less Likely to Work

Celebrity diets backfire big-time for all the same reasons and more. Diets of the rich and famous tend to be expensive, costing dieters time and money they dont necessarily have. Some go to wacky extremes, eliminating such an idiosyncratic list of foods that social occasions become stressful events. Whats a restaurant-goer to order on Gwyneths 10-day detox, which excludes gluten, soy, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, red meat, white rice, shellfish, raw fish, peanuts, tomatoes, eggplant, strawberries, corn... ?

Celebrity diets are beyond doomed because of the toxic mix of negative comparisons, shame and self-criticism they inspire. As inspiring as it might be to watch your favorite celebrities diet down to size, the airbrushed photos of celebrity dieters looking like theyre doing better than you tend to make you feel worse and exacerbate the very eating issues their diets are meant to alleviate.

When youre self-compassionate, theres no need to count points or calories or carbs. Thats because you generally appreciate your body and the food you feed it.

Interestingly, Oprah and a few other celebrities do recommend, among many other things, the antidote to that whole toxic mix and the missing ingredient in most celebrity diets: self-compassion. But, as with her diet, O doesnt exactly practice what she preaches. She waxes poetic about loving her body, but also waxes euphoric about counting Weight Watchers points. Its a mixed message at best, and a misguided one.

Self-compassion means treating yourself like a beloved child with love and kindness. When your stomach cries out in hunger, you dont ignore its cries; you feed yourself. And when your stomachs full, you dont go back for seconds and thirds; you put down your fork.

Self-compassion also means never going on a diet. When youre self-compassionate, theres no need to count points or calories or carbs. Thats because you generally appreciate your body and the food you feed it. You naturally eat less and weigh less without dieting.

So whatll it be have what Oprah or Gwyneth or Snooki are having or have a little self-compassion? You really cant have both.

Jean Fain is a Harvard Medical School-affiliated psychotherapist and the author of The Self-Compassion Diet.

Read more from the original source:
The Big Problem With Oprah And Other Celebs Who Tout Diets - WBUR