The coronavirus pandemic has pushed health to the forefront of many peoples minds. And while the best way to avoid COVID-19 is not to catch the virus in the first place, were starting to understand why some people become seriously ill with the disease while others have only mild or no symptoms.

Age and frailty are the most important risk factors for severe COVID-19, but data from our COVID Symptom Study app, used by nearly four million people, has shown that diet-related conditions, such as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, are significant risk factors for ending up in hospital with the disease.

In the UK, around one in three adults are obese and many more are overweight. In the US, around two in five adults and nearly one in five children are obese. From generalised government nutritional guidelines to Instagram-worthy fad diets, theres no end of advice on how to lose weight. Clearly, it isnt working.

This is a complex problem to unpick. Factors such as sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and availability of healthy food all play a part. But on an individual level, we still understand relatively little about how each person should eat to optimise their health and weight.

In search of answers, our research team at Kings College London together with our colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital, Stanford University and health science company ZOE launched PREDICT, the largest ongoing nutritional study of its kind in the world. Our first results have now been published in Nature Medicine.

PREDICT-1, the first phase of the PREDICT research programme, involved more than 1,000 adults (including hundreds of pairs of twins) who were continuously monitored for two weeks to discover how they respond to different foods.

Participants had an initial set-up day in hospital for detailed blood measurements and testing of responses after eating carefully designed set meals. They then carried out the rest of the study at home, following a schedule of set meals and their own free choice of foods. We measured a wide range of markers of nutritional responses and health from blood glucose, fat, insulin and inflammation levels to exercise, sleep and gut bacteria (microbiome) diversity.

This kind of detailed, ongoing analysis was made possible through the use of wearable technologies. These included continuous blood glucose monitors and digital activity trackers, which meant we could keep track of our participants blood sugar and activity levels 24/7. Simple finger-prick blood tests also allowed us to measure their blood fat levels on a regular basis.

All these measurements added up to millions of datapoints, which needed to be analysed with sophisticated machine learning techniques (a type of artificial intelligence) in order to spot patterns and make predictions.

The first thing we noticed was the wide variation in individual insulin, blood sugar and blood fat responses to the same meals, even for identical twins. For example, one twin might have healthy responses to eating carbohydrates but not fat, while the other twin is the opposite. Straight away, this tells us that we are all unique and that there is no perfect diet or correct way to eat that will work for everyone.

The observation that genetics only plays a minor role in determining how we respond to food also tells us that simple genetic tests claiming to determine the right diet for your genes are ineffective and misleading. Curiously, identical twins only shared around a third of the same gut microbe species, which may help to explain some of the variation in nutritional responses and also points towards an opportunity to improve health and weight by manipulating the microbiome.

We also discovered that the timing of meals affects nutritional responses in a personalised way. The same meal at breakfast caused a different nutritional response in some people when eaten for lunch. But in other people there was no difference, busting the myth that there are correct mealtimes that will work for all.

Another surprise was finding that the composition of meals in terms of calories, fat, carbohydrates, proteins and fibre (macronutrients or macros) also had a highly individualised effect on nutritional responses. Some people handle carbs better than fat, for example, while others have the opposite response. So prescriptive diets based on fixed calorie counts or macronutrient ratios are too simplistic and will not work for everyone.

However, despite the wide variability between participants, each persons own responses to identical meals eaten at the same times on different days were remarkably consistent. This makes it possible to predict how someone might respond to any food based on knowledge of their underlying metabolism.

Intriguingly, we found that the levels of inflammatory molecules in the blood varied by up to tenfold, even in seemingly healthy people, and that a rise in these inflammation markers was linked to having unhealthy responses to fat.

We use the term dietary inflammation to refer to these unhealthy metabolic effects that are triggered after eating. Repeatedly experiencing dietary inflammation brought on by excessive blood sugar and fat responses is linked with an increased risk of conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity.

On a more positive note, our findings suggest that it might be possible to improve weight management and long-term health by eating in a more personalised way designed to avoid triggering unhealthy inflammatory responses after meals.

When it comes to weight, weve traditionally put a huge emphasis on factors we have no control over, especially genetics. The fact is, while genetics plays a role, many more important factors affect how our metabolism, weight and health. Its time to move away from overly generalised guidelines, fad diets and one-size-fits-all plans and develop more personalised, scientific approaches to nutrition that understand and work together with our bodies, not against them.

For more on personalised nutrition, download and listen to our podcast, Medicine made for you, a series by The Anthill.

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Why one-size-fits-all diets don't work new study - The Conversation UK

Weight loss is hard. It's even tougher when you fall victim to these hard truths.

Why is it so hard to lose weight? It's a question many, if not most, people have asked themselves, probably on many occasions. Aside from the obvious -- food is delicious, exerciseis hard and time is short -- there are many other factors that affect weight loss and that many people don't even know they fall victim to. Here are six that might be hindering your weight loss progress.

Instead of embarking on fad diet after fad diet, take a long-term approach to weight loss.

Everything on this list is somewhat of a hard truth, but this is often the hardest to accept (and change). If you approach weight loss with a short-term attitude, you may not make it anywhere except on the yo-yo diet train.

Without a long-term approach to weight loss, you may end up losing 10 or more pounds in two weeks and then suffer a rebound when you discover that regimen wasn't working for you. This is all too common when people embark on strict diets such as keto or paleo, or fad diets that promise rapid weight loss. In reality, for most people, a well-balanced diet that includes all food groups and even some treats works best in the long run.

Part of successful, sustainable weight loss -- i.e. losing the weight and keeping it off for good -- is understanding that fad diets, excessive exercise and "detoxes" don't usually work. They only last as long as your willpower lasts, and I'm willing to bet that's not more than two weeks to a couple of months.

There are no quick fixes, miracle cures or magic pills when it comes to weight loss, despite what the wellness industry might have you believe: Losing weight requires dedication to a plan that supports long-term healthy habits.

The general recommendation for weight loss is a rate of one to two pounds per week, although initial weight loss might surpass that for people who are very overweight, and then slow down to the suggested one to two pounds per week. Studies have shown this to be an effective way to lose weight without losing too much water or lean tissue -- and to avoid a rebound.

Overcoming an all-or-nothing mindset promotes long-term weight loss.

Many people who struggle with a short-term attitude also struggle with an all-or-nothing mindset. I myself began my health and fitness journey with this mindset. I cut out all (literally all!) processed foods: no bread, no pasta, no milk, no cheese, definitely no individually wrapped snacks. I basically existed on chicken, vegetables and berries.

This was great until it wasn't, and I ended up on a CVS run for all the chocolate and Goldfish I could hold in two hands. Then, because I'd "ruined" my diet, I would eat as much as I could physically handle, because, "Why not? I already ruined it."

Then, of course, I'd feel bad about the snacks I ate and return to my overly restrictive regimen the next day. This is a destructive cycle to be in, but it's something I see all the time as a personal trainer. An all-or-nothing mindset can keep you in a perpetual cycle of lose-gain-lose, not to mention shame and guilt around food.

This all-or-nothing concept applies to fitness, too: If you've been crushing workouts left and right but don't feel fitter or stronger, you might be doing too much. Toning it down could -- counterintuitively -- be the answer to improving your fitness (and playing the long game).

A supportive community, IRL or online, can keep you motivated to lose weight and stay fit.

Supportive friends, family members and significant others are critical to successful weight loss. If I was asked to cite the most common reason for not sticking to a healthy diet from my past personal training clients, I would say stigma.

That's right. As silly as it sounds, people really do get made fun of for eating healthy, especially in regions where food is an integral part of the culture. Growing up in southern Louisiana near New Orleans, I experienced this very often when I decided I was making changes to my diet.

At family gatherings and social outings, I'd get comments like, "That's all you're eating?" or, "You're really not going to eat any dessert?" or, laden with sarcasm, "Next time we'll have a salad potluck."

It's not fun to be ridiculed or scoffed at, especially for things you care about (like your health!), so it can be very easy to fall into a trap of eating -- and drinking -- for the sake of your social life. This is why a solid support system is key to long-term weight loss. Without it, the journey can feel lonely and intimidating.

If you currently feel you lack a support system, try having open conversations with your friends, family and partner about it. You can make it clear that they don't have to change their eating habits if they don't want to, but that your health means a lot to you and you'd appreciate it if they didn't mock or downplay your hard work.

If an IRL support system isn't working out, turn to online communities that promote both health and body positivity. I really love Fit Approach on Instagram, Health At Every Size and the Intuitive Eating Community. Reddit also has a great forum (/r/loseit) where you'll find lots of real-life stories about weight loss.

Exercise is important for an overall healthy lifestyle, but it's hard to lose weight from exercise alone.

If you're at all attuned to the wellness industry, you'll know this saying: "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym." Even if your goals don't include a shredded stomach, the adage is still relevant. You just can't out-exercise a poor diet.

Exercise should definitely be part of your overall approach to weight loss because it's proven to aid weight loss (not to mention its long list of other health benefits), but it's difficult to lose weight from exercise alone. Many people overestimate the number of calories they can burn from their workouts -- it's probably a lot less than you think.

For example, a 154-pound man will burn less than 450 calories during an intense, hour-long weight lifting workout. You can easily cancel that effort out if you don't pay any attention to your diet. The exact number of calories you burn during exercise depends on many factors, including your current weight, the intensity of the activity, the length of the workout, your age and your body composition.

Plus, focusing on only exercise can lead to a destructive cycle of exercising extra to burn off calories you feel you shouldn't have eaten. Or you may end up feeling like you need to "earn" your calories through exercise. Either way, taking this approach can lead to a strained relationship with food and exercise, as well as stalled weight loss.

There are exceptions to all rules. Some people, such as those who have spent years putting on muscle mass, can eat lots of calorie-dense food and not gain weight -- but even if you can eat whatever you want and lose or maintain your weight, that doesn't mean it's healthy for you.

A diet rich in fruit, vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins and some whole grains will serve you best in terms of sustainable weight loss and health. Combined with a consistent exercise routine, you'll experience sustained weight loss and weight maintenance once you reach your goal weight.

Chronic stress and sleep deprivation can hinder weight loss progress.

Losing weight will be a helluva lot harder if you're chronically stressed, sleep-deprived or overworked. This scenario may sound familiar to you:

This is OK if it happens occasionally (everyone deserves a lazy evening every once in a while), but weight loss will seem impossible if this happens all the time.

The truth is, nutrition and exercise are only two components of a healthy life that can lead to weight loss. While important, too strong of a focus on nutrition and exercise can cause you to overlook other factors that are just as important: sleep and stress management.

Supplements don't work unless you do.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that fat burner supplement in your medicine cabinet isn't going to do the work for you. While certain supplements may help you reach your weight loss goals, you have to work to make your supplements work.

For example, incorporating a daily protein shake in the mornings can help you feel fuller throughout the day, which may help keep cravings at bay. Increased protein intake can also help you build muscle, which aids in body recomposition.

Certain weight-loss supplements do have some evidence backing them, but no supplements are proven like the method that no one wants to take: eat fewer calories than you burn.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Why it's so difficult to lose weight: The hard truths - CNET

Role of exercise and diet in weight loss - Can one work without the other?  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: We all know that exercise and diet play an important role in helping us lose weight and getting in shape. While a balanced diet and regular physical activity are both equally important to live a healthy, long life, when it comes to weight loss, one may have more effect on our weight, than the other. While some people rely on vigorous exercise to lose weight, others follow a strict diet. However, people who follow an exercise routine may also supplement it with a healthy diet, and for those who follow a strict diet, may also some form of physical activity in your routine.

But what happens when you do not? What happens to your body and the weight loss process, if you rely only on one of these key measures to lose weight? Let's find out.

If you are trying to lose weight, the diet maybe even more important than exercise. While exercise ensures that your muscles and body are able to use up the food you eat, it is a diet that ensures weight loss in an actual way. How many calories you consume, and the nutrients in your food determine the spare calories left unutilised at the end of the day, and the efficiency of your body functions. If you eat very high-calorie food or food that contains a lot of sugar, you are not likely to lose weight. At the same time, you also have to watch the intake of the various nutrients including fibre and protein for a healthy weight loss.

Exercise also plays an important role in weight loss. It is, in fact, extremely important to exercise if you are not on a strict diet, as exercise can help you burn the extra calories you consume. More than for weight loss, exercise is important to build strength in your body, and make your muscles and bones strong. Exercise also helps to tone your body and distribute fat equally at all places on your body.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.

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Role of exercise and diet in weight loss - Can one work without the other? - Times Now

Our relationship to Neanderthals has been a point of contention for over a century. It all began with an inaccurate reconstruction of the first Neanderthal ever found, which portrayed them as brutish, stooped-over cavemen (turns out, that Neanderthal was an injured old man with arthritis).

But within the last half century, scientists have noticed the many biological and behavioral similarities that show just how close our species are. While these similarities are clear from hard objects like bones and tools, perishable objects, which comprise the majority of material culture items in humans, have been lacking.

Now, scientists have discovered a Neanderthal feat that hammers another nail in the coffin of supposed Neanderthal inferiority. Last month, an international team of researchers found a small section of a twisted cord attached to a stone flake in Neanderthal site in southeastern France, dated to over 40,000 years old. This constitutes the oldest direct evidence of fiber technology ever found.

A stone flake with three distinct twisted fibers preserved (indicated by the box).

M.-H. Moncel

When artifacts are recovered from archaeological sites, they are generally imaged using high powered microscopes to zoom in on tiny marks and details on the stones. Previously, plant fibers had been found on stones at this site, but they were too poorly preserved to be interpreted. When the team examined this particular flake, they were surprised to find three distinct twisted fibers, which were then twisted together in the opposite direction to form a 3-ply cord.

While it may not sound like much, this piece of string hints at something much more significant. For one, extracting and manipulating plant fibers requires working memory, as well as understanding plant seasonality and the concept of numbers. Also, such cords are the building blocks for creating other textiles, such as baskets, fabrics, and nets. Once adopted, these objects would have been indispensable in daily life.

This little piece of string provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our extinct relatives, which, despite an abundance of genetic, archaeological, and skeletal data, have been extremely difficult to interpret. It seems as though we humans arent as unique as we like to think.

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Fat cells remember their diets early in life - Massive Science

Starting a new plant-based diet can be intimidating. Where do you begin? Now there is a three-hour course, taught online by The Beet's regular contributor, Elysabeth Alfano, to help answer all your pressing questions, like where do I get my protein? And what can I eat for dinner? Alfano has interviewed major vegans like Chef AJ who lost 100 pounds on a plant-based diet, and now she is ready to help you get started on your healthy eating journey.

The course,Jumpstart Your Plant-based Life, helps Zoom attendees get started on a plant-based diet.As a Food For Life Instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and with a Certificate in Plant-based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell,Elysabeth helps students understand the relationship between diet and chronic disease and ultimately gives them the tools to take back their health. From figuring out fiber to developing a personalized meal plan and strategy, Elysabeths 3-hour, June 20th on-line class ($46) is for beginners and flexitarians alike.

Since we have an in with this vegan thought-leader, The Beet asked Elysabeth to share her Top Ten Tips for Jumpstarting Your Plant-based Life.

Ultimately, finding your path to plant-based eating is about taking back your health and your power: your power to feel good and to be your best self. An unhealthy you is a weakened you. A healthy you can take on the worldor just go jogging. Either way, it is your right to feel good and to live a life without unneeded medication. So, we raise our glasses of sparkling Kombucha to you for having the courage to fight for your health.

For more information on Elysabeths June 20th Jumpstart Your Plant-based Life class, click here.

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How to Start Eating a Plant-Based Diet, in Just Three Hours - The Beet

Those who get migraines know theres absolutely no way to explain the reign of terror they bring. Those who dont get them well, there's just no way to make them understand.

Editors note: Part of my problem, which Im guessing others have, is that I wait until Im getting a migraine to go searching for help. That doesnt make much sense, since Im already on the verge of agony. Staring at a bright screen in an aimless search while the pain settles in isnt exactly the smartest route to take.

So I set out on a mission to find home remedies that real people have tried and approved.

Now, I realize everyones migraines and their triggers for migraines can be different. Therefore, I think its safe to say each persons approach at easing the pain will be different.

I am not a doctor, and these are not recommendations that have been made by doctors, but these are remedies that real, migraine-suffering people have tried and verified. And if youre anything like me, Im willing to try just about anything to kick the pain.

Planning for future migraines (bookmark this page and come back migraine-free):

There are other, more preventative things that migraine-sufferers recommend.

If migraines happen to you regularly, take note of the recommendations below. They have all been tested and verified by migraine-sufferers.

Magnesium supplements

Not only have dozens recommended this to me, but I have also jumped on this bandwagon, and Im telling you -- I swear by it. According to Healthline, its estimated that about 75% of Americans dont get enough magnesium, so really, this is quite possibly an option that could help tremendously with your migraines, and at a very small cost.

Dry needling

For those who suffer from tension migraines (hello, stress), dry needling targets muscles that become stiff or tight.

Physical therapist Brittany Elliot, who was specially trained in the procedure, said the thin, solid needles have no fluid transfer, as with injections, and are inserted directly into the knots in the muscles.

The needle insertion itself can cause a small muscle contraction, which is what breaks up the knots and releases the tension in the muscle, Elliot said.

The needle targets those tight muscles that have palpable trigger points that can cause dysfunction and referred pain that lead to headaches and tension.

Diet and exercise

This seems to be the answer to an abundance of problems, but I would be remiss not to mention diet and exercise.

I understand the convenience of fast food and the financial benefit of spending less at the grocery store by getting items that are packaged and ready to eat (or ready to microwave), but a lot of those items have preservatives and additives in them. Though some have been deemed safe by the Federal Drug Administration, some studies have shown that many others can trigger migraines. Migraine-sufferer or not, eating fresh food will always promote a healthier lifestyle.

Plain and simple: Exercise. According to the American Migraine Foundation, the body releases endorphins when you exercise, and those endorphins are the body's natural painkillers. Exercise can also help to reduce stress, which can aid in lack of sleep -- both things that can trigger a migraine.

Botox

I know what most people's first thought is: That is financially unrealistic. But some insurance companies will actually cover this. When injected, Botox enters the nerve endings and blocks the release of chemicals involved in pain transmission, according to the American Migraine Foundation, preventing the activation of pain networks in the brain. I have heard praises from so many people about this remedy for migraines. It's definitely worth a call to your insurance company.

Pierce your daith

This remedy aligns with the acupuncture family of treatment. The theory is that wearing an earring in your daith gives constant compression to a pressure point in the ear that many believe to relieve pain. If youve had good results from acupuncture in the past, this is one remedy worth trying.

Ice cap

This is exactly what it sounds like. The cap has inserts for ice packs. When you put it on your head, it allows you to tighten it for the appropriate amount of pressure needed as well. "During a migraine or other type of headache, inflammation in the head and neck causes severe pain," the website says. "Cold therapy can reduce this inflammation, therefore reducing headache pain."

Have you tried any of the above recommendations? Did they work? Do you have other recommendations? Let us know in the comment section below.

This story was originally published in 2018.

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Migraines: Home remedies that work, according to real people - KSAT San Antonio

We cant really take vacations. The cells need to be taken care of. Its like having a dog, Korbyn Dahlquist 20 explained with only a hint of sarcasm last summer. At the time, the biochemistry and chemistry double major and Associate Professor of Chemistry Angela Stoeckman were embarking on a year-long Edgren Scholarship-funded research project focused on understanding the dietary influence on markers of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.

To achieve that, the team has been treating liver cancer cellsH4IIE, which can be bought online through distributorswith control substances or a saturated fatty acid called palmitate. The hope is to determine when cells are going through apoptosisdying because of the presence of extra lipidsand if theyre secreting an anti- or pro-inflammatory response in the form of cytokines. Thats like a chemical call for help that could flag the presence of further injury through a simple blood test.

To create the ideal setting for this type of work on fussy mammalian cell cultures, the team has created an intricate and incredibly hands-on process of sterilizing a biosafety cabinet with UV rays before growing cultures in optimal conditions over several days. Then they have to time their assays perfectly with the death of the cells to get the data they need.

They stain the apoptotic cells with fluorescent markers and run them through a flow cytometer. A million cells can be run through the machine at once, and it quantifies the amount of lipids present in specific populations, within a split second.

If people with the cancer have high levels of a certain cytokine, theres morbidity in the disease, Stoeckman explains. If person A is secreting, and B is not, perhaps A is more likely to die from their cancer. What Korbyn is noticing is that if these cancer cells are seeing palmitate, a saturated fatty acid, thats inducing them to secrete more cytokines, which is responsible for high morbidity. And maybe we can keep cytokines under control simply by recommending a certain diet!

NAFLD is a condition that impacts an estimated one in three Americans, and it can progress into hepatocellular carcinoma, the fastest-growing type of liver cancer globally. Its responsible for the third highest number of cancer deaths, so detecting NAFLD early could mean saving lives in the long term. Currently, it can only be identified by biopsy, which is both invasive and expensive.

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Student-faculty Research Team Assessing Early Markers and Dietary Treatment of Liver Cancer - Bethel University News