In a world where overconsumption of meat and processed foods has become a serious health threat, many have turned to simpler diets rich in plant-food with less red meat.

One of these popular diets is thePesco-Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, seafood and a variety of vegetables. Another popular way of eating is intermittent fasting where adherents only eat during a certain period of the day, technically fasting for 12 to 16 hours a day. Apart from other benefits, this can also help you lose weight.

But what if you combined the two?

READ | The Eurocentricity of diets: How to incorporate culture into healthy eating

Best diet

A review of literature, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology,looked at a hypothetical diet as part of a healthy lifestyle that could be beneficial for heart health.

Research has shown that plant-based diets are better for cardiovascular health in societies that eat too much meat, but a complete vegan diet has other drawbacks and nutritional deficits due to the lack of animal protein. The vitamins specifically lacking are B12 and vitamin D, which come solely from animal products, forcing one to take supplements.

"Thus, although many individuals will benefit from a reduction in the consumption of meat, especially processed meat, modest amounts of wholesome animal-based foods such as fish and fermented dairy products continue to play an essential role in the ideal diet," write the authors.

More vegetables, less red meat

This is where thePesco-Mediterranean diet comes into play. The basis of the diet is vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, extra-virgin olive oil with seafood (not fried) and fermented dairy products. You can only drink water, coffee or tea, although, if you want alcohol, they advise only one glass of red wine a day.

The diet is inspired by the Mediterranean people, who also incorporate intermittent fasting into their traditional eating habits. Studies have proven many times that their diet can reduceall-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, as well as ailments like coronary heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimers disease, depression and overall cancer mortality.

Compared to vegetarians, pescatarian andlacto-ovo-vegetarians reducedcoronary artery disease mortality by 34% compared to regular meat-eaters, while it decreased by less than 25% in vegans and occasional meat-eaters.

"However, selection bias and confounding, which may be accounting for some of these findings, are pervasive issues in diet-health studies and may undermine the validity of some findings," warn the authors.

READ | Is healthy 'Mediterranean diet' good for your microbiome?

Fish, dairy, pasta and eggs

Fish also has many heart benefits and is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids, but it's important to choose low-mercury fish. Health boards around the world promote it as the ideal diet for its health benefits.

Dairy products are also important for protein, minerals, probiotics and vitamin D.

"Although there is no clear consensus among nutrition experts on the role of dairy products in CVD risk, they are allowed in this Pesco-Mediterranean diet. Fermented low-fat versions, such as yoghurt, kefir, and soft cheeses, are preferred; butter and hard cheese are discouraged, because they are high in saturated fats and salt."

They also allow eggs in the diet, although no more than five a week. In terms of pasta, pizza and rice, the authors note that these are fine as long as they are prepared at home and in the traditional Mediterranean way.

READ MORE | Happy Heart, Happy Ocean: Five reasons to choose sustainable seafood

Intermittent fasting benefits

Then there's intermittent fasting, which has grown in popularity, which can help you lose weight,decrease intra-abdominal adipose tissue and reduce free-radical production.

"Unlike modern humans, our ancient ancestors did not have access to an unlimited supply of food throughout the year. Nor did they routinely eat three large meals plus snacks on a daily basis.

"Instead, they were typically engaged in a daily struggle to hunt and gather food, often in harsh milieus with sparse resources and seasonal scarcity. These environmental challenges were the grist for the evolutionary mill, whereby Homo Sapiens became genetically adapted to respond to intermittent fasting by becoming more resistant to stress."

In this proposed diet, you can eat between 09:00 and 18:00, fasting for the rest of the time. During these hours, the body uses up the available energy resources and starts accessing fatty acids from adipose cells for fuel. It can also lower blood pressure and resting heart rate.

"However, the evidence regarding time-restricted eating remains preliminary, mostly based on animal models and observational human studies," the authors add.

There are also some instances where intermittent fasting won't work for everyone, i.e.if you're recovering from an eating disorder, doing an intense training programme, have diabetes and if you're pregnant.

While this proposed diet requires more study, it might be a good proposition for someone with a high risk of heart disease.

READ | 10 Health benefits of intermittent fasting diets

Image credit: Pixabay

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Study recommends combo of Mediterranean diet and intermittent fasting for the heart - Health24

DETROIT (PRWEB) September 28, 2020

The central role of diet in lifelong health was highlighted this past month when the American Heart Association called for an accurate dietary assessment tool that would allow healthcare providers to quickly understand key diet information about their patients. Now more than ever, leaders in medicine and healthcare are understanding that diet plays a crucial role in predicting as well as managing a patients health outcomes.

Spectrum Health, one of the largest integrated health systems in the Midwest, has answered the American Health Associations call for dietary assessment tools in healthcare with their newly announced partnership with Diet ID. As part of the launch, Spectrum Health will provide its lifestyle medicine practitioners with Diet IDs digital, image-based assessment tool. Diet ID will be the latest in an impressive array of tools that Spectrum Health uses to understand the role that diet can play in improving health and preventing serious chronic health concerns. Practitioners can use Diet IDs rapid evaluation to provide comprehensive, personalized nutrition and lifestyle plans to patients.

Diet IDs founder and CEO, Dr. David Katz commented, Were proud to be added to the broad offerings of Spectrum Health, which has long demonstrated its commitment to innovation in the service of health promotion. Spectrum Healths Director of Lifestyle Medicine, Leanne Mauriello, Ph.D., commented, that Were excited to leverage such an innovative, reliable, and most importantly, easy way for patients to assess and monitor their diet quality as they engage in our culinary and lifestyle medicine programs. Dietary assessments historically have been long and burdensome for patients to complete. Diet ID removes the friction and makes it easy, fast and even fun for individuals to assess their diet quality. Additionally, many of our programs are delivered exclusively or partially via digital and virtual modalities, so a digital diet assessment is the perfect complement.

As leaders in culinary medicine, Spectrum Health is home to one of the most innovative and largest Culinary Medicine Programs in the country, and it is no stranger to the idea of improving diet to improve overall health. In fact, its new lifestyle medicine practice is located in a community teaching kitchen. Diet ID and Spectrum Health share a common goal in trying to increase the education and accessibility of healthy lifestyle choices, a goal the two will work towards together beginning in September.

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Spectrum Health partners with Diet ID, strengthening commitment to the use of food as medicine - PR Web

Bismack Biyombo, #8 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts during the second half of a game against the ... [+] Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on December 11, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Bismack Biyombo gives a whole new meaning to the saying, listen to your gut. The 28-year-old Congolese NBA star has combined the power of instincts and education to personally design a bespoke high performance diet.

When Biz, as he is called, moved to Florida to play for the Orlando Magic in 2016, five years after moving to the United States as a top pick in the 2011 NBA draft, the forward/center embarked on a dietary overhaul with an emphasis on digestion and gut health.

The catalyst was some much-needed counsel from two-time NBA Champion, Ray Allen, who introduced him to the concept of enhanced performance through a plant-based diet, when he was with the Toronto Raptors.

At the time, the concept of extreme self-deprivation as a choice was incredulous to him.

Having grown up poor with six siblings in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), food was a luxury. I was always in survival mode, he recalls. If I ate today, I didnt know if I was going to eat tomorrow. Id eat whatever was given to me.

In the early years after leaving the DRC to play basketball in Yemen and Spain and then the United States, his relationship with food would rapidly transition from need to want.

I enjoyed a diet rich in dairy, gluten, meat and a lot of sugar, he recalls.

Back then, I used to eat like five times a day. My body never got a break, says Biz. It takes time for certain foods to be digestedsometimes up to four hoursbut within a window of two hours I would be loading my system again.

Between 2016 and 2017, Bismack began to try removing certain foods from his diet and stopped eating red meat. He even attempted to go completely raw at one point.

After signing with the Charlotte Hornets in 2018, he would begin to experiment with eliminating meals.

As soon as I cut out breakfast and snacks, that was a major breakthrough for me, he says of his aha moment. I started feeling so energetic!

Today Bismack does not begin to eat until 1:30pm and he finishes his last meal at 6 oclock in the evening.

Lunch is his most critical and strategic meal of the daythe source of the majority of his daily nutrientsand the reason has no urge to snack between meals.

My chef and I decided, rather than focus on calories, we would focus on nutrients, he explains. When you get enough nutrients in your system, your body isnt craving snacks.

The cornerstone of his plant-based diet plan is to consume copious (but regulated) amounts of water, fruits and vegetables, while eliminating large food groups such as animal products, wheat, beans, lentils, processed foods and even some fruits and vegetables.

The principle behind these restrictions is to rejuvenate cells by removing toxic waste through blood alkalization. As a rule, Bismack tries to eliminate everything acidic. If its acidic, my body will reject it. It will slow my digestive process and my energy, he says.

Heres what a day in the life of Bismack Biyombo looks like:

When I wake up, all I consume is water; like a liter and a half, he says. I try to get in as much water as I can, more than three liters a day.

An ideal lunch contains at least ten different fruits and vegetables.

A typical afternoon meal is a smoothie with papaya, mango, ginger, turmeric, coconut water, coconut milk and agave, accompanied by a soup with six added vegetables as well as extra turmeric and ginger (for cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties) and a bowl of grilled vegetables as an entre.

Bismack in the kitchen making a smoothie.

Dinner typically consists of a bowl of vegetables.

A self-described treat and secret ingredient that Biz swears by is teff, an ancient grain from East Africa that is ground to make flour. I love teff pancakes and cookies, says the pro-athlete of his cheat day treats. Other foods enjoyed on special days include fish and plant-based meats.

On low-energy days, or if he is bloated, Biz takes spirulina and seamoss supplements to cleanse his system. Ive learned how to pay attention and tell whether my gut is blocked, he says.

As a center in the NBA, Bismacks diet is extremely difficult to follow, and he admits that he has the strictest diet on his team. Given the physical demands of professional sports and the need to maintain body mass, his diet was a major concern.

People thought that I would get skinny and slow down, he says. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Bismack has experienced a 20-pound increase in muscle mass since he began the diet and his performance has also improved. Last season, according to Sports Illustrated, the 68 athlete had his best offensive season in the league.

With an average of 7.4 points per gamethe first time he averaged more than 7 points a game in a seasonhe concluded his ninth NBA season on the highest note of his career.

Over the past few years Ive gotten stronger, he says. Most people go to bed feeling exhausted. I go to bed feeling great. When I wake up, Im happy and energetic. I dont need caffeine to get me going. My face used to break out a lot. My skin is now breathing.

The Charlotte Hornets forward/center says he does not depend on food and a peek into his childhood gives credibility to these words.

When I was a kid in Africa and youd give me anything, Id eat it because of the circumstances. Now thankfully, Im living a much better life and I can choose what I want to eat. I dont depend on food. I can go a whole day without eating. Ive lived it, you know?

Described as one of the most knowledgeable and humble players, Bismack has used memories of struggle to give back to the community in which he was raised.

Bismack at home.

My experience with hunger has made me appreciate what I have. I dont waste food. If I never went through that process I would not be able to connect with the kids back home, through my charity. I fit in to their story and so I can help them to overcome it.

Bismack travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo each offseason to visit his family and run basketball camps with The Bismack Biyombo Foundation, which he formed with a platform of athletics, education, health and a vision that the opportunities we receive arent intended for our benefit alone; they are meant to be multiplied through the lives of others.

Bismack Biyombo has proven that limited food intake can take the form of both oppression and freedom. By seizing control over what you consume, food can become a source of empowerment.

The more I pay attention to my body, the better I perform, he says. Once my colon is free, so am I.

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The NBAs Bismack Biyombo On His Plant-Powered Diet Overhaul - Forbes

Periods of low blood pressure may not cause any symptoms, and they are not always a health issue. However, a doctor may be concerned about someone who experiences longer term low blood pressure that produces symptoms. Some foods and drinks can help raise blood pressure.

Keep reading to learn more about low blood pressure, including the symptoms and types, and some dietary changes that may help.

Low blood pressure, also known as hypotension, is when blood flows through blood vessels at lower-than-normal pressures.

There are two measurements of the blood pressure on artery walls: systolic and diastolic. Systolic is the pressure when the heart is contracting, and diastolic is the pressure between heartbeats. Both measurements record blood pressure in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). When noting the measurement, doctors write the systolic number above the diastolic one.

Healthy blood pressure for most people is usually less than 120/80 mm Hg.

There is not an accepted standard for low blood pressure, but medical experts recognize a value of less than 90/60 mm Hg as being hypotensive.

Learn more about blood pressure ranges here.

Many people with low blood pressure have no symptoms. Hypotension is only concerning when the pumping pressure is not sufficient to deliver oxygenated blood to the organs. When this happens, people may experience symptoms such as:

There are different types of hypotension, which vary in terms of when blood pressure drops. The main types are:

Also known as postural hypotension, this occurs when someones blood pressure drops when they stand up from sitting or lying down. It can cause lightheadedness or fainting and may result in falls or injuries, particularly in older people.

A person may have orthostatic hypotension due to:

Postprandial hypotension is low blood pressure that occurs after eating. The digestive process requires the body to pump more blood into the stomach and small intestines. In some people, this does not happen efficiently, and low blood pressure can occur.

Postprandial hypotension can occur following a stroke or accident. It can also be related to a persons age or genetic predisposition.

Shock is an extreme form of hypotension in which blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels. It is a medical emergency, and someone with symptoms of shock needs immediate medical attention. Shock can result from bleeding, major burns, or excessive loss of bodily fluids.

The reason why someone has blood pressure will determine which foods or drinks may be beneficial to consume. A person should speak to their doctor to check.

Salt, or sodium chloride, affects hormones that control the bodys water balance. High salt intake can increase blood pressure.

People who have low blood pressure may benefit from increasing their salt intake.

Ways to do this include:

According to the AHA, a deficiency in vitamin B12 and folate can cause anemia, leading to low blood pressure. A doctor can test a persons blood to see whether they are deficient in these essential nutrients.

Good dietary sources of vitamin B12 include meat, eggs, fish, and dairy products, such as milk and cheese. People can also select foods fortified with vitamin B12, such as breakfast cereals and plant-based milks.

Learn about vitamin B12 foods for vegetarians and vegans here.

People can get folate by eating leafy green vegetables, broccoli, legumes, eggs, beets, citrus fruits, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, and liver.

Learn more about folate here.

A persons blood pressure can drop if they become dehydrated. It is essential to maintain adequate fluid levels by drinking water and other drinks. Older people can become dehydrated more quickly, and caregivers may need to remind them to drink regularly.

Foods and beverages containing caffeine may cause a rise in blood pressure. However, studies into the effects of caffeine on blood pressure are inconclusive. Research suggests that coffee temporarily raises blood pressure only in people who do not drink it regularly.

Other foods and drinks that contain caffeine include chocolate, tea, cocoa, and some sodas and energy drinks.

People should eat a healthful diet, and there are no particular foods to avoid. However, someone with low blood pressure should not choose low salt options.

If someone has postprandial hypotension, they can try eating smaller, more frequent meals. They may be able to digest smaller meals more efficiently, which may help their blood pressure.

People who have postural hypotension should stand up from a sitting or lying position slowly to avoid fainting and dizziness. They may also wish to hold onto something steady as they do so.

Someone who is not drinking enough fluids may be able to raise their blood pressure by maintaining hydration.

If an individual has concerns about low blood pressure symptoms, they should discuss this with their doctor. Similarly, doctors can examine the side effects of medications and make adjustments where necessary.

Low blood pressure has various causes, and people with hypotension will often not have any symptoms. Doctors need to address any low blood pressure symptoms and find out whether there is an underlying cause.

Once someone has identified the reason for their low blood pressure, drinking more fluids or eating salty foods may be appropriate.

Symptoms of low blood pressure due to shock require urgent medical attention.

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Low blood pressure diet: Foods and other dietary tips - Medical News Today