When you're hungry, what do you eat? Do you reach for fresh fruits and vegetables or grab chips or ice cream? There's likely no consistent answer. After all, appetite is complicated.

In studying how animals eat, researchers learned about the human diet in the process. They found that humans have five distinct appetites that work together to make sure we get the proper amount of nutrients our bodies need to work efficiently.

"It is a mistake to think of appetite as a single, powerful drive to eat," researchers David Raubenheimer and Stephen Simpson write in New Scientist. "We need separate appetites to keep track of various nutrients, and hence to construct a balanced diet."

The five appetites are for protein, carbs, fats, sodium, and calcium.

"Those five have been singled out by evolution for good reasons," they write. "One is that there is a limit to how complex biological systems can get and still operate efficiently. We couldn't have specific appetites for dozens of nutrients. Another is that these nutrients are needed in very specific quantities. Third, some components, like sodium, were often rare in our ancestral environments and we needed dedicated machinery to seek them out, for example in mineral deposits."

Raubenheimer and Simpson discuss the five appetites and what else they learned by studying how nature solves this problem in their new book, "Eat Like the Animals: What Nature Teaches Us About the Science of Healthy Eating."

Researchers followed a Cape baboon like this one and recorded everything she ate for 30 days. (Photo: Benny Marty/Shutterstock)

Raubenheimer and Simpson didn't start their appetite studies working with humans. It all began with locusts.

As researchers at the University of Oxford in the 1990s, they started their appetite experiment by putting 200 locusts in individual boxes. They created 25 foods that were a combination of protein and carbohydrates at different concentrations. Some were a mix of high protein and high carbs. Others were low protein and high carbs. And there was every other combination of the two nutrients, which are the main ingredients in a locust's diet.

Each locust was fed just one of the food combos until they reached maturity. They were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. Researchers recorded how much they ate, as well as how much weight they gained, and how much fat and lean tissue they added. Using all this information, they were able to determine the balance of protein and carbs that best allowed the locusts to thrive.

The researchers found that although the locusts were on a limited diet, they tended to eat the ideal amount of protein. For those that were on a low-protein diet, they overate carbs to get the protein they needed. For those that were on the high-protein diet, they ate too few carbs to keep their protein levels at the correct amount.

In a second experiment, locusts were given access to two different foods with varying combinations of protein and carbs. Again, they ate just the right amount to get the ideal balance of protein and carbs.

"This demonstrated that when locusts have a wide choice of foods, their two appetites collaborate so they consume an optimal diet. But when they are given imbalanced foods, as in our first experiment, the appetites for protein and carbohydrate compete, and protein wins," the researchers write. "That suggested that, more so than carbohydrate, protein has to be carefully calibrated in the diet."

Moving up from locusts, the researchers followed a female Cape baboon in the Cape Peninsula of South Africa for 30 days. Dubbing her Stella, they watched exactly what and how much she ate all day. She ate dozens of different foods including leaves, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, fruits, and flowers. Although the types and amounts of foods varied each day, Stella had a "strikingly consistent balance of protein to non-protein," the researchers wrote in their study, published in the journal PLOS One.

Having five distinct appetites works seamlessly in the natural world, but a glut of ultra-processed foods in real life leads to obesity. (Photo: Colorcocktail/Shutterstock)

Researchers replicated their locust work in a way with humans. They had a volunteer group of 10 people stay in a Swiss chalet for a week. For two days, they ate whatever they wanted from a buffet. Then they were broken into two groups for two days. One group ate from a high-protein buffet, while the other chose from a low-protein, high-carb, high-fat buffet. On the last two days, they ate from the original all-encompassing buffet.

The human volunteers responded like locusts, the researchers said. Those on the low-protein diet ate more calories and carbs to get the protein they needed. Those on high-protein diets consumed fewer calories. The results are published in the journal Appetite.

This five-appetite system works seamlessly in the natural world. But in our modern lives, filled with ultra-processed products like cookies and cereal, pizza and ice cream, the system struggles and can't work as it should. More than half of the typical diet in the U.S. and U.K. is made of ultra-processed foods, the researchers write.

"The thing about ultra-processed foods is that they tend to be low in protein which is expensive and high in cheap carbs and fats. It is these foods that have largely been responsible for the dilution of protein in Western diets since the 1960s. And the more ultra-processed foods people eat, the more calories they need to consume to get the target intake of protein, with disastrous consequences," say Raubenheimer and Simpson.

"Ultra-processed foods make us fat, but not because we have strong appetites for the fats and carbs they contain, as is often thought to be the case. Rather, it is because our appetite for protein is stronger than our ability to limit fat and carb intake. So, when protein is diluted by fats and carbs, our appetite for it overwhelms the mechanisms that normally tell us to stop eating fats and carbs."

Mary Jo DiLonardo covers a wide range of topics focused on nature, health, science and anything that helps make the world a better place.

Did you know you have 5 different appetites?

People have 5 different appetites. Understanding how they work can help explain the obesity epidemic.

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Did you know you have 5 different appetites? - Mother Nature Network

It's not an exaggeration to say Venus Williams, who went pro at 14-years-old, changed the face of tennisand she's not slowing down anytime soon.

Now 39, the tennis champion and entrepreneur (who has seven Grand Slam titles and two companies under her belt) continues to perform at an elite level on all fronts. These days, she puts most of her energy into her activewear line, EleVen, which is all about empowering women to kill it on and off the court.

How does Venus keep her endless hot streak going, though? She says her diet deserves a lot of the credit.

"I started eating raw and vegan for health reasons," Venus tells Women's Health. "I needed to fuel my body in the best way possible." (She's previously opened up about having Sjogren's syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease that comes with fatigue, muscles aches, and joint pain.) "Knowing how important a role my diet plays keeps me on track," she says.

Venus leaves room for a little flexibility, though. "I try to make the majority of my meals raw and vegan, but Im only human and am known to cheat a little bit. I joke that Im a 'chegan' because sometimes Ive been known to stray."

Here's exactly what the tennis legend eats to fuel her training and entrepreneurial ventures.

For Venus, mornings are focused on training. "Im not a morning person or a big breakfast eater," Venus tells Women's Health. "I do need some fuel to get me going, but find it hard to scarf down a big meal first thing when I wake up, so Ill usually have something light like fruit or a protein shake."

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Since Venus' calendar is often jam-packed during the day, she switches up her lunch as needed, often opting for mobile meals like smoothies when time is tight. "Depending on how much time I have for lunch and what my schedule looks like, lunch can vary from sweet potatoes and rice to a green smoothie," she says.

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"Eating is part of the job when Im competing, so I make sure to get some protein and carbs," she says. "After a match, Ill usually have a protein shake with a plant-based milk and protein powder and then eat a real meal shortly after."

Snacks (and lots of them!) also help Venus get through hectic days. "Im often running from multiple practices to meetings for EleVen or calls with my design company, V Starr, so I am always looking for little things that are easy to bring on-the-go," she says. "Clif Bars are great when Im super busy; they are small-but-mighty and fill me up quickly." (Venus is a Clif Bar athlete, but she's been a fan since long before the deal.)

Otherwise, Venus loads her snacks with greens and veggies. "You'll often find me snacking on kale chips in meetings," she says. "Green juice and smoothiesand protein shakes, if I'm coming straight from practiceare also my go-tos. I need foods that are tasty and convenient, but still pack a punch and keep me going, whether Im on the court or in a meeting."

In the evening, Venus usually goes for a salad. "For dinner, I love vegan Caesar salads because they are super easy," Venus told Women's Health. "I can whip it up quickly whether Im at home or in a hotel room at a tournament."

Venus isn't the only one on the vegan train. These other icons swear by eating only plants, too:

Venus' sweet tooth might rival her powerful swing, but she's found healthy swaps to satisfy it with. "When Im training I really try to practice self-control, but sometimes a girl just needs a donut!" she says. "I have found its easier to curb those cravings by finding foods that are still sweet but also healthy, like a juice or a smoothie." Okay, Venus may really be the smoothie queen.

One of her favorite smoothies: a "Green-Colada," which she makes with pineapple, canned coconut milk, coconut oil, a little vanilla flavoring, and kale. "Sometimes Ill have some fun and put a rum or prosecco floater on top," she says. "Work hard, play hard!"

Venus' ultimate eating MO: "It's all about moderation. Life is too short to not love what youre eating." Right on, Venus. Right on.

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By Becky Muller, Interior Designer at ICON Architectural Group | Photos by Kayleigh Omang

The Wellness Districtfargowellnessdistrict.com435 32nd Ave. E., West Fargo701-205-3088

The Wellness District first started in September of 2011, when Medical Weight Loss Specialists first opened their doors. Spencer Barry, MD, is the Medical Director of The Wellness District and worked as a Family Physician for 25 years prior to opening the clinic. Seeing so many of his patients struggling with their weight-related health problems, it inspired him to spend more time on the science of obesity to make a difference in his patients lives, both physically and emotionally. DermPhilosophy began in May of 2016 and as both clinics services expanded and the number of patients climbed, the clinics were combined into their new location in West Fargo in December of 2019. The new space allowed them to add on more aesthetic services as well as adding on a nutrition bar to give not only their weight loss clients, but all members of the Fargo-Moorhead community, a convenient and healthy option for lunch or breakfast on the go!

The Wellness Districts passion and dedication to their patients is what sets them apart in the F/M area for all of your aesthetic or medical weight loss needs. Providing care to all genders and ages, services on the medical side include creating personalized nutritional programs, metabolic detox, lipotropic injections and KE diet plans. On the aesthetic side, they provide Botox, dermal fillings, body contouring, Coolsculpting, Colorescience and skincare services. Their StrongPour Nutrition Bar supplies healthy meals, snacks and beverages that leave their clients feeling replenished, both physically and mentally. Their grocery section carries many specialty brands and their shakes were all designed by their Licensed Registered Dietician, Samantha Koepp. All of these services have allowed the staff at the Wellness District to help over 5,000 patients become happier, healthier and feel more confident in their bodies.

With three businesses under one roof, it was important in the design for each to have a distinct look, yet feel cohesive as one space. Interior Designer, Monica Hart of Monica Hart Interior Design, Inc. was hired to create a beautiful and approachable space that was comfortable for both men and women. The overall color palette included shades of blue, white, green, black and warm grays. The blue in the logo was the first pull of inspiration and they wanted to tie in more colors found in nature to give an organic feeling in the public spaces.

For the aesthetic side of the clinic, the design team wanted it to feel a little more glamorous. They used high-end wall coverings in the hallways and each aesthetic room has a fun accent wall and decorative light fixtures. For the Medical Weight Loss side of the clinic, they desired an understated medical feel while still incorporating warm colors and coordinated carpets to not feel too cool. The Nutrition Bar used some of the same finishes while adding their own touches of branding and biophilic elements, a design method that brings the outdoors in. An abundance of natural light, plants that inspire closeness to nature, stone that nods to natural landscapes, light wood-look flooring and dark cabinetry create a modern and organic atmosphere, relating directly to their natural food and beverage selections.

With the additional space came opportunities for additional growth in multiple areas. They were able to put all of their services under one roof, service more clients at once, add more display space for their weight loss and skin products, a larger Nutrition Bar and grocery space and add on more aesthetic services, including Signature and DiamondGlow facials and a more apt space for CoolSculpting.

The Wellness District plans to continue the growth of its services with the ever-changing needs of its clients. Now that they are moved into their new space and fully functioning, Hart and the ownership team have a few more walls where they want to add additional artwork and some before/after photos in both the aesthetic and medical weight loss sides. Doing this, they hope to inspire their patients further while designing with their own success stories.

The Wellness Districts new space is not only beautiful and approachable, but practical for the services that they provide. The design is stylish and functional, but also comprehensive for the three businesses that are combined as a one-stop-shop for all weight loss needs. However, with changing times and todays technology, they have now opened their online walk-in clinic. Anyone can visit with their physician from the comfort of their own home.

It is the goal of The Wellness District to enhance their clients health, wellness and natural beauty while providing safe and high-quality care, weight loss education and modern aesthetic services. And now they have a gorgeous new space to help their clients look and feel their absolute best!

CREDITSArchitect: Dovetail DevelopmentProject Management: Meridian Property ManagementInterior Designer: Monica Hart Interior DesignArtwork: Monica Hart Interior DesignFurniture: Melissa LaBay at InterOfficeFlooring: J&J Flooring Group InvisionCabinetry: Braaten Cabinets

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Spaces That Work: The Wellness District - Design & Living Magazine

Heidi Gardner in the land of gummies. Illustration: Margalit Cutler

Since joining SNL three years ago, Heidi Gardner has developed, as our friends at Vulture put it, a growing list of unforgettable characters like teen movie critic Bailey Gismert. She was also given a bigger stage during this past season, after being promoted to repertory player. Now, while sheltering in place, the actress and comedian has found herself cooking for entertainment, trying to re-create dishes she loves, like Jon & Vinnys vodka fusilli, and participating in weekly rituals like Saturday morning cereal. In her first week since the season ended, she also made Ina Garten recipes for lemon cake and teriyaki chicken, continued her exploration of the pros salads, and realized that smoothies are her culinary white whale.

Thursday, May 14This morning, I made the most perfect breakfast loaf in the world. It was a lemon cake, and Im still in awe of how good it tasted. So moist, so lemony. One of my favorite things Ive made.

No. 1, it looked beautiful. It kind of transported me to another world, I felt like maybe I was in England or something, because it was yellow and the crust was golden-brown and I made it in this ceramic white loaf pan. So probably the setting, just the mood of the loaf itself, was amazing.

I feel like I see loaves at Starbucks, like a slice of coffee cake or pumpkin bread, and theyre good because they have a lot of sugar in them. But youre kind of just like, Yeah, this is just sweet? And in this lemon loaf, there was so much lemon zest and fresh lemon juice that I felt like, Oh, this has depth. Also the actual cake part of it looked like a cake should look, like Great British Bake Off-style. I think maybe I was really enthusiastic about a perfect bake.

Also, I make a cappuccino every morning. Quad shot of espresso with a little bit of foamed heavy cream.

I should also add that I made one of my cats, Tweaky, a slice of bacon for her birthday. Usually she gets a Twinkie not a whole Twinkie. She just bites into it. She really likes the cream, which we realized one time when Zeb had a Twinkie and she just attacked it. Shes not one of those cats that likes human food.

For lunch, I had some coconut yogurt with lots of toppings. Im talking goji berries, coconut flakes, bee pollen, cacao nibs, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and blueberries. I drank some mountain blackberry Clearly Canadian. Yep, the delicious sparkling water from the 90s. You can order it on Amazon. It good.

Dinner was a green salad I re-created from the West Village restaurant Via Carota. It requires A LOT of lettuce washing. And its worth it! So much crunch. The recipe was on the Times website. I had never had it. I cant wait to be able to actually go to the restaurant and actually have their version. Im sure its so much better. I dont know, I find that it is actually kind of tough to make a good salad, a really satisfying salad. I was just searching for best salads ever, and so I found that one. Earlier in the month, I made Nancy Silvertons chopped salad. Im trying to find the pro versions of salad and give them my best shot.

I also made teriyaki salmon. The teriyaki wasnt overly sweet. It was a nice glaze with lots of ginger. And some white rice, too. If you put the sauce on the rice, it was killer. That was another Barefoot Contessa recipe. I was just on her site, trying to find good entre ideas, and that one was so good.

I feel like Ive gone through so many stages during this. Almost just cooking for pure entertainment. So Ill definitely think of something I had and be like, Oh, is that recipe online? Like Jon & Vinnys fusilli alla vodka, I made that and anything I remembered really liking from childhood. Ive been having Cream of Wheat. We have all this time to sit and think, so Im just like, what did I like? What did I used to be into? We just bought a box of Hamburger Helper, because I was like, That stuff was good. So Im going to try that at some point, just to be entertained.Friday, May 15Slice of lemon cake for breakfast because Im obsessed with my own creation. Its actually another Barefoot Contessa recipe that my friend Paula gave me. Im a distant cousin on this loaf. I havent cooked a lot of her recipes, but as I was making some of her stuff, I had a memory of probably 12 years ago making a meatloaf of hers. But I think I botched it and was like, Im not at the Barefoot Contessa level.

I snacked on figs drenched in almond butter and strawberry/raspberry jam from Supermoon. I like figs now. I like figs more than dates. Are we still friends?

I feel like figs, prunes, and dates are, when youre a kid, weird adult things. But then I feel like there was kind of a renaissance of dates in the last few years, so when I had a date for the first time, I was like, This is great. Oh, this is one out of those three figs, prunes, and dates that is cool. Figs and prunes still seemed intimidating. But then I bought some figs recently and was like, These are better. Theyre hardier, more full of flavor, all of the seeds on the inside. Then I started wondering: Did I totally miss out on Fig Newtons? Anyway, I had a date after having a love affair with figs, and I was like, yeah, I dont know that dates can do it for me anymore. Theyre just kind of basic.

We ordered pizza from Speedy Romeo on the Lower East Side for dinner. I got their White Album pizza, which was super-flavorful. Zeb got their St. Lucali, which he thought looked like a Totinos pizza, and that made him really happy, and he liked the taste. Zeb is definitely a pepperoni or sausage pizza person. Ive always been, just from basic days of Pizza Hut, a cheese, thin-crust pizza. Maybe mushroom. Ive just never liked meat on pizzavery much, although a long time ago Pizza Hut had a barbecue chicken pizza that I thought was really good. When white pizzas got bigger, I was suddenly like, These are fantastic; you dont need sauce.

We watched the movie Cliffhanger and split a Levain chocolate chip cookie with some Nancys Fancy gelato, Italian custard flavor.

Saturday, May 16Breakfast was a bowl of Golden Grahams and then a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles. We have cereal on Saturday mornings and watch old Saturday morning cartoons. Those are Saturday rules. Zeb had Corn Pops and then Fruity Pebbles.

Whats been really cool is, weve been kind of trying out new cereals every week. Weve done all the monster ones: Count Chocula, Boo Berry, and Frankenberry. Right at the beginning of quarantine, my dad sent me those three boxes. I had never even had those as a kid, but they were delicious. Then he sent me another box, which had Fruit Loops, Corn Pops, Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, and Apple Jacks.

Fruit Loops have traditionally been my favorite, and then last week when we were at the store we decided to get some more. Zeb was saying he remembers Golden Crisp being his favorite ever, and I was saying that I think I remember going through a Golden Grahams phase. So we got those just to see if they still got it, and they do still got it.

I made a shitty smoothie for lunch. EVERY smoothie I make is shitty. I quit. I added avocado to make it creamy, but it just gets nastier. I follow instructions, but Im smoothie-cursed. And ya know what, Im done. When I was maybe 18, I wasnt making smoothies but it was probably when they were becoming cool. I remember saying smoothies would be my desert-island food. If I could have one thing, Id pick smoothies, smoothies, smoothies. So, yeah, Ive completely ruined them for myself. Im like, smoothies suck. Thats my white whale.

Zeb made Nashville hot chicken. First try, and he killed it. Hes going to adjust the sauce a little for the next time. But just the fact that we can have hot chicken in our apartment is a Christmas presentsstyle high. Ive experienced this high with a few other things. I made French toast sticks, like in the vein of the Burger King french toast sticks, so that felt really special.

I would say that, especially during this, Ive been cooking a lot. Ive probably been trying out more things in the kitchen, but then once a day, Zebll just come in and dazzle with the hot chicken.

I was making a salad on the sidelines. It was the first time we were doing kind of a duet in the kitchen, and I thought, Oh, this is pretty cool in this little New York apartment. Were coexisting in the kitchen. Felt like maybe we were in a movie like The Big Chill or something. So it doesnt happen often.

Sunday, May 17Brunch was a care package from Supermoon. The pastry edition. Some hot hits from it were a croissant with a dulce de leche filling, a hazelnut and praline Choux Bomb, and a white-chocolate macadamia cookie. Sunday is my favorite day of the week because of Supermoon. We get to have like an eight-course pastry tasting every week. Its a delight!!!

In general, Im a diehard croissant fan. Gotta be really flaky, gotta be really buttery. And I have a controversial opinion that we, as Americans, tried to match the French as far as a great croissant, and I think we did. I think there are some places in L.A. that actually have the best croissant and that France got lazy. When I went to Paris, I was expecting to have the best croissant, and I was like, I dont think they got it.

For lunch, I walked to the B Cup Cafe on Avenue B and 13th and got an iced chai latte and a sweet brie sandwich. It was brie, honey and Granny Smith apples on a baguette. A lovely lunch that I had to take a lovely walk to get. Well worth it.

I made a classic whiskey sour for my in-home happy hour. I even used an egg white. And fancy cherries. And I shook the damn thing. Im becoming I dont know what Im becoming but theres no doubt Im becoming.

This is definitely a stuck at home thing. Ive never been a person who made a drink after work or even really poured a glass of wine. But on Cinco de Mayo, I was making tacos and wanted to have a Margarita. So I looked up a basic, not-too-sweet Margarita I just wanted to find something without a mix.

I did that and was like, Oh, thats good, I cant believe I had that at home what other cocktails do I want? It really made me feel like not a drinker, because I did not know. So I remembered taking a sip once of a whiskey sour that had the egg white foam on it, my friend had ordered it, and Ive always been someone who doesnt love whiskey. But I thought that was really good, Im going to try that. And now I think that might be my cocktail. I might order it out in the real world after all this, and like it?

I had a slice of Prince Street Pizza for dinner. I dont even like pepperoni pizza, but Prince Street is by far the best pizza on the planet. I cant get over how great that pizza is, and those pepperonis are so good. Im completely blown away. I do that gross thing where I moan and groan and comment after every bite about how good it is. Its the Krispy Kreme glazed donut of pizza. Like, at this point, its its own thing that cant compare to its modern-day counterparts. And like I said, Im not a pepperoni girl. Im a classically trained cheese pizza girl occasionally venturing out to a white pizza. Thats who I am. But Prince Street is my secret-identity pizza girl.

Watched the finale of The Last Dance and made some bomb stovetop popcorn. I loved Last Dance. I thought it was the perfect time for it to come out because there is no basketball and theres been such a debate the past few years: is MJ the GOAT? Is Lebron James the GOAT? Im a huge Lebron James fan. I would be switching and saying, I think Lebron James is the GOAT, and then this documentary comes out and youre reminded that Michael Jordan is a God of basketball, and theres no one like him, no one that plays like him. I know that we got to know Michael Jordan in a curated way, but I just thought it was so cool to get in the mind of a champion and how unfiltered and honest he was. At the end of it, I was like, Im so sad I cant have more Michael Jordan.Monday, May 18Breakfast was a slice of sourdough from Supermoon, toasted in butter and then smothered in their white peach and strawberry jam. A true taste sensation.

Lunch was Cream of Wheat with dates. There werent enough lumps in the Cream of Wheat. Delicious but not bumpy, and that needs to be fixed.

Im trying to figure out the proper ratio of bumpy to not-bumpy. Im requesting, demanding lumps and bumps, but Im realizing because something Zeb has been making the Cream of Wheat, and when I was little my mom made it. His Cream of Wheat has been supersmooth, and my moms was always bumpy, and in my head Im thinking, I guess she wasnt adding as much water? Or over time it gets clumps or something? But I really have no right to critique anybodys. I dont think Ive ever even made it. I dont know how to do it, I dont know if its a magical thing, but I do know I posted a picture of it and a friend of mine asked, Where are the lumps? So I know its a thing.

We ordered Ivan Ramen for dinner. The Chicken Paitan. The broth has so much depth. Like how do you get that deep with food?? I think it was my first time having it. Ive had Ivan Ramen before, but when I had my first taste of that one, the broth took me back so much that I was like, Its a flavor and richness Ive never had before. Then I had my second taste, and I was like, Oh, this is the best taste ever. So it definitely blew my mind and opened my eyes.

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SNLs Heidi Gardner Tries a New Cereal Each Week - Grub Street

Pizza, hot dogs and fries, oh my!Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Carli Liguori, University of Pittsburgh

Have you noticed grabbing an extra bag of chips at the supermarket? Or eating more frozen dinners than you used to? Or even eating snacks that you haven't eaten since you were a little kid?

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended nearly every facet of our daily lives, from how we dress, to how we work, to how we exercise.

It's also changing the way we eat. As a registered dietitian and nutrition researcher, I'm fascinated by the types of food people are buying during this strange time.

One recent survey found that 42% of respondents indicated they're purchasing more packaged food than they typically would and less fresh food.

Sales of frozen pizza have almost doubled. Sales of frozen appetizers and snacks - think Bagel Bites - are over a third, while ice cream sales have increased 36%.

According to Uber Eats, the most common food delivery order in the United States has been french fries, while the most popular beverage has been soda.

To me, these foods have one thing in common: They're the stuff we ate as kids.

Why might grown adults be reaching back into the pantry of their pasts? What is it about a pandemic that makes us feel like we're teenagers at a sleepover?

The reasons are deeply rooted.

At its core, the purpose of food is to nourish. Of course food provides us with the necessary energy and balance of vitamins and minerals to power and fuel the body. But anyone who's reached for a pint of Ben and Jerry's after a particularly stressful day will know that nourishment is about more than nutrition.

During periods of stress, people tend to eat more and show a greater preference for higher calorie foods. The sweeter and saltier the better. Regardless of hunger, a tasty snack can feel comforting. There's evidence to suggest that highly palatable foods, especially those high in fat and sugar, may elicit a response in the brain that is similar to the response from opioids.

Yes, a delicious slice of rich chocolate cake can be just as good as drugs.

We tend to call many of these foods "comfort foods," but the definition of comfort food is a bit slippery. Food is deeply personal. The foods that comfort people depend on their cultural background, taste preference, and personal experience. We know, however, that food can induce feelings of nostalgia that transport us back to simpler times.

So perhaps it's no surprise that, during a period of uncertainty that has many of us desperate for some relief and comfort, the foods of our childhood can act as a salve. For some of us, that bowl of Lucky Charms isn't just a sweet treat; it's a reminder of days gone by, a time of safety and stability.

There's nothing inherently wrong in finding temporary relief from chaos and uncertainty through food. But it's probably best to view these changes in eating behavior as a temporary habit during a weird time. After all, a diet rich in macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets doesn't exactly set our bodies up for long-term success.

As people's lives start to regain some sense of normalcy, diet can actually be a major part of the equation. Returning to a more health-conscious diet could be part of reestablishing your previous routines. And if you've never been able to find the time to prioritize healthy eating, now could actually be a good opportunity to start laying the groundwork for habits that become the new normal.

[You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, and we can help. Read The Conversation's newsletter.]

Carli Liguori, Instructor of Nutrition and Behavior Change, University of Pittsburgh

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Coronavirus diets: What's behind the urge to eat like little kids? - Kiowa County Press

School gardens make something very difficult possible: bringing together in a single activity the aspects of food sovereignty, community production of knowledge and food, environmental education and gastronomic culture, preservation of local biodiversity, and strengthening (or reactivating) the links between the ecosystem and its inhabitants.

It is precisely the open-air classrooms that Slow Food has been promoting in Africa for almost 10 years, and which even in these difficult times (with schools closed almost everywhere in the world) do not stop. They are based on shared knowledge, which can be replicated, of which students and teachers feel proudly responsible and who can contribute materially when the food on the market is scarce or higher.

It is clear that there is no single model of a school garden. There are many variables: different ecological contexts, countries at different latitudes, and with greater or lesser resources available, in-depth study of agronomic or culinary aspects, age of the students involved, the involvement of the local community. The book, Agrobiodiversity, school gardens, and healthy diets, has the particular advantage of bringing out this richness and variety (over 75 collaborators have contributed to the publication): it includes case studies from all over the world (Australia, Vietnam, Hawaii, Philippines, India, Nepal, Morocco, Lebanon, Sub-Saharan Africa, ) from different contexts and experiences, urban and rural areas, indigenous communities and international organizations.

An interesting work for everyone and especially for those who want to start this type of educational activity: the most successful practices are reported as well as the most common critical aspects, what are the essential elements, and what strategies to improve and fully integrate this type of teaching in school curricula.

When I talk to colleagues, friends, and family about the book [and your work] it arouses so much enthusiasm and interest, it resonates so clearly with them, how important it is to empower kids to be able to eat more healthily, make informed decisions about what they grow and eat and lead healthy and sustainable lives, stresses Danny Hunter, senior scientist of the research team that worked on the publication.

The Slow Food network is proud and grateful to have been involved in this precious work, created by The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, and published in the Issues in Agricultural Biodiversity series by Routledge Earthscan publisher. Thanks to the interviews with the coordinators of the Slow Food Africa network, greater visibility was given to a fundamental work carried out by thousands of volunteers and activists, to the efforts and enthusiasm of many children, their teachers, and families.

In Slow Food school gardens which we remember today are 1,690 in 35 countries new generations of Africans are growing with this mentality. Students have practical experience of agroecological techniques, learn to respect and love the environment, to re-known the local food biodiversity and its adaptability to the specific climatic context, while acquiring culinary skills when involved in the preparation of food at the school canteen.

Lilian Shoo (16, from the Henry Gogarty Secondary School in Tanzania):

I think gardening really pays off, apart from complimenting important nutritional contents in our meals it can also be a source of income. When I go back home for holiday I will actually share gardening experience with my family and friends. And a volunteer agronomist points out that This is an activity whose benefits touch everyone. If properly done, the school garden has the capacity to feed the entire surrounding community of the school.

Charles Kariuki (in seventh grade at the Kangoya school in Kenya) shares his enthusiasm:

I participate in gardening activities because I love the job. I have learned a lot, including new techniques like multi-storey gardens, portable gardens and drip irrigation using waste bottles among others. I introduced the techniques back to home as they were new to my family. The garden also creates a platform for socialization since we usually meet there and work as a team. Apart from learning different agricultural skills and science; we also organize educational storytelling sessions once a month.

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School gardens: education without borders that guarantees a better future - Slow food

That hasnt slowed demand for meat. Sales from April 12 to May 9 were 28 percent higher than in the four weeks ending Jan. 18, before the first reported case of coronavirus in the United States, according to data from Nielsen.

But the meat industrys troubles may have provided a boost for plant-based meat substitutes, which had a jump of 35 percent in sales during the same period. (The increase just for uncooked products was more dramatic: 53 percent for the vegan products versus 34 percent for meat.)

To meet the demand, Impossible Foods has been hiring more workers, increasing pay and adding more shifts. Beyond Meat reported record sales in the first quarter of this year.

Those companies new generation of plant-based alternatives developed in laboratories, with long lists of unfamiliar ingredients had been slowly catching on with consumers. But some say that reports of illness among meat-processing workers have made them even more curious.

Before the pandemic, William Thomas, 19, usually bought ground beef and chicken on his weekly shopping trip near his home in Brookline, N.H. Since April, he has been buying plant-based meat instead. Id always been trying to block out a lot of what was going on behind the scenes of the meat industry, but I cant ignore it forever, he said.

Mr. Thomas, who is currently unemployed, is now eating a mostly vegetarian diet for the first time in his life.

With the pandemic around, a lot of the industries, you know, not taking the proper precautions to make sure everyone is safe, I feel like that would probably also go in toward the products, he said.

Some Americans were already looking to plant-based diets as a way to combat climate change.

I think it uses much less water to grow a bunch of peas than it does to grow a cow, said Faizal Karmali, 45, an independent philanthropy consultant who lives in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn.

Mr. Karmali and his fiance have been trying since December to eat a more plant-based diet. At the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, he had a craving for meat. But then, he noticed higher meat prices and read reports of worker deaths.

I just figured that the dynamics there were enough of a nudge not to bother creating more demand for meat, he said.

Impossible Foods plant in Oakland, Calif., has not yet had any coronavirus cases, said the chief executive, Pat Brown. No cases have been reported at the North Carolina factory of Atlantic Natural Foods, which makes the Loma Linda line of plant-based foods, said Doug Hines, the companys founder.

For years, plant-based meat alternatives, typically made of vegetables, legumes and grains, were widely considered of interest mostly to vegans and vegetarians. But in the past year, substitutes made with plant-based protein have shown up in fine-dining and fast-food restaurants; even some large meat companies have started producing them. Although their creation involves complex alchemy, some plant-based meats can cook up and taste just like ground beef.

Even before the coronavirus, interest in plant-based meat was rising. From late December to early January, before the virus hit, sales of plant-based meat were up 30 percent over the same period a year earlier, according to the Nielsen data. Meat sales increased about 1 percent during that same period.

Now, for the first time, plant-based meats are often competitive in price with ground beef, and sometimes easier to find, as fears of meat shortages prompt bulk buying.

During the pandemic, Monia Lauretti, 47, has been doing her grocery shopping online at Instacart. She is a pescatarian, but her family eats meat. The website had put a cap on the amount of burgers she could buy just one package per family. Then she saw a pop-up ad for the Beyond Burger.

I wondered, what is this? Ive never seen this before, said Ms. Lauretti, a stay-at-home parent on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. They taste like normal beef burgers, and they are delicious. Her 16-year-old son, Alessandro Dal Bon, liked them, too. So shell buy them again.

Impossible Foods, which before the pandemic sold more of its products in restaurants than in grocery stores, has expanded its retail footprint. Mr. Brown said his products are now sold in more than 3,000 stores, up from fewer than 200 in January. Its work force of 653 full-time employees is up from 587 in January.

In the first quarter of the year, Beyond Meat, whose stock is publicly traded, reported net revenue of $97.1 million, an increase of 141 percent over last year. Its products are now in 25,000 grocery stores nationwide, and the company recently expanded into China.

We were saying that by 2030, Beyond Meat could have a $1 billion in sales, said Alexia Howard, the senior research analyst of U.S. food at Bernstein, an equity research group. Now, were saying by the end of 2020, which is only 18 months later.

Beyond Meat will offer a value pack starting this summer, priced competitively with traditional meat products. We did not anticipate doing this, said Ethan Brown, the chief executive (who is not related to Pat Brown of Impossible Foods). But when all of a sudden, you start to see wholesale prices move in the beef industry, we said, Weve got to do something now.

Although these companies have long criticized the meat industry, they are careful not to gloat over their successes.

Were not waving the flag saying, This is great, said Mr. Brown, of Beyond Meat. Its a tragic situation. Sure, we want to reach more people throughout the period, but overall, its a tough thing.

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Plant-Based Meats Catch On in the Pandemic - The New York Times

I have two children and would like to be around in the future and see them grow up, says Danny Beard, a 44-year-old-systems developer from Meridian, MS. The possibility that he might not be around in the future really hit home when he went for his yearly physical. He was shocked by his weight, and even more so when his doctor prescribed liver screenings and cholesterol medication.

For the previous five to eight years, his weight had crept up, driven by his feelings of depression and low self-esteem. He was unmotivated to do more than lay around the house and play video games, scarfing down junk food and soda. He was also a heavy smoker, which didnt do wonders for his health. At age 43, he was at his heaviest: 218 pounds.

After his physical, he resolved to change. He asked for a Chantix prescription to stop smoking. He stopped drinking soft drinks, and completely revamped his diet. Hed eat a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast to help lower his cholesterol; lunch was tuna and crackers, a protein shake, and an apple, followed by a dinner of vegetables and grilled chicken with a protein shake. He aimed for 1400 to 1600 calories a day.

For exercise, he started walking on his breaks at work. Hed try to get 9000 steps a day, and stood at his desk rather than sitting. He started light runs after work. Within a month, his tests were back to normal, earning appreciation from his doctor.

After eight months of losing weight, hed motivated a co-worker to also try slimming down. The two became gym buddies, starting with a 5x5 program of progressive overloads in squats, barbell rows, deadlifts, overhead presses, and bench presses three days a week. Beard did cardio twice a week on off days, including speed intervals and a 5K run.

In a year, he lost more than 65 pounds. His friends and coworkers say he looks like a different person, and he says he feels better than ever. Everyone tells me I smile a lot more now, he says.

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His first 5K time was around 36 minutes, but hes shaved that down to 26 minutes; hes also prepping for his first half-marathon. Now that hes dropped so much weight, hes looking to build muscle; he admits having a little trouble wrapping his head around the idea of eating more calories rather than fewer. Hes upped his intake to 2500 calories a day, aiming for 150 grams of protein daily when hes strength training.

Beard feels like hes come back from the brink, turning his health around to make sure he has a future with his kids. He encourages anyone who wonders about their own future to take that first step. As long as you do something every week or every other day, he says, its better than nothingeven if it is a short walk on your break at work. Thats where he started, out of necessity. He stuck with it, and soon a year of real change had passed. You will be surprised by how little changes every day will add up and make a big difference.

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This Guys Shredded Look Started with Walking on Work Breaks - menshealth.com

We do it about a third of our lives, and its important enough to dramatically affect the other two-thirds. Its sleep.

But sleep isnt coming easy for many people in 2020 as we deal with life-altering changes stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

But experts say sleeping is still the bedrock of our lives.

Stress can affect sleep and it is so important to get good quality sleep during this pandemic, said Dr. Alison Mitzner, a pediatrician, writer, and mother of two. Its a cycle, as sleep can affect stress and stress can affect sleep. The lack of sleep can also make you more impatient and more stressed.

Just as diet and exercise is important for overall health, so is sleep, especially with the pandemic, Mitzner told Healthline.

COVID-19 is affecting everyones body, not just those who have the virus, added Dr. Raul A. Perez-Vazquez, who practices internal medicine for Tenet Florida.

During the pandemic and social isolation, the issue has become more prevalent, he told Healthline. Our cycles temperature and circadian (body clock) have been disrupted as we spend more time indoors, possibly not aware of the time of day.

Increased exposure to blue light from screens will decrease melatonin, which usually fluctuates with our circadian rhythm, also impairing sleep, he added.

Doctors are seeing it in their patients.

Many folks have forgotten about good sleep hygiene during the pandemic and are sleeping at all hours, Dr. Aneesa Das, a sleep expert at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Healthline. Its important to get out of bed at the same time each day and try to limit time in bed to 7 to 9 hours, based on the amount of sleep one typically gets.

If able, avoid naps, she added. Or at least keep them under 20 minutes, because daytime napping can lead to nighttime insomnia.

Since sleep is as important as diet and exercise, all three factors influence one another.

Experts say exercise can be a big factor on sleep. But timing is everything.

To sleep better at night, get moving during the day, said Christina Pierpaoli, a sleep researcher and committee member of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

Sleep pressure or the bodys hunger for sleep accumulates with increasing time spent awake and dissipates with the opportunity to sleep, she told Healthline.

Vigorous, moderate, or even mild daytime energy expenditure in the form of cardiovascular exercise walking, swimming, household chores, etc. stimulates something called adenosine, which builds sleep pressure, she said. Daytime energy expenditure means more sleep pressure and, usually, improved sleep.

You can think about it like money, Pierpaoli added. If you have $100 and you spend $50 of it, you wont have that money later. The same calculus applies to our energy levels. Energy spent earlier in the day means less later, translating into quicker, deeper, and more consolidated sleep.

Body temperature is directly related to sleep and theres a natural decline in body temperature that occurs at night to signal your body to sleep, according to Dr. Candice Seti, a licensed psychologist and certified insomnia treatment clinician.

There are things you can do to help your body temperature trigger sleep, Seti told Healthline. One of them is exercise. When you exercise, your body temperature rises. That temperature rise maintains for a few hours and then it steadily starts to drop. This drop can work with your bodys natural circadian rhythm and help promote sleepiness.

The way to do that is to get in 30 to 45 minutes of moderate-level aerobic activity and do it about 3 to 6 hours before bedtime, she added.

Exercising shortly before going to bed is a bad idea, experts agree.

It can cause insomnia for many, said Bill Fish, a certified sleep coach and managing editor of SleepFoundation.org, which recently published Sleep Guidelines During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

There has yet to be a conclusive study to show exactly the peak time to exercise to help with sleep, but one thing is certain: You should be completely relaxed at least 45 minutes before going to bed, Fish told Healthline. Meaning, if you do work out, you should be showered and back to normal body temperature at least 45 minutes prior, to give your body time to relax and prepare for rest.

Beyond that, as long as you are getting 30 minutes of cardio throughout the day, you put yourself in a good position to get to rest quickly, he noted.

Experts say some forms of exercise are better than others when it comes to better sleep.

From walking to running to high intensity workouts, cardio is proven to promote better sleep, said Dr. Bryan Bruno, the medical director of Mid City TMS, a New York City clinic that treats depression. A walk on a treadmill or around your neighborhood is an easy way to get your cardiovascular workout for the day.

Bruno also promotes strength training.

While it may seem intimidating, strength training can be done in the comfort of your home, he told Healthline.

Pushups, bicep curls, and squats are simple and convenient strength exercises that will exhaust your muscles and enhance your sleep quality and duration, he said. Strength training can increase your time in deep sleep, the most restorative sleep.

Many experts say yoga with its meditative qualities is the perfect workout to help with sleep patterns, even in the evening.

If someone is struggling with falling asleep, yoga can be beneficial for insomnia at the start of the night, Dr. Benjamin Troy, a board certified psychiatrist and medical reviewer for medical startup Choosing Therapy, told Healthline. Yoga seems most helpful when a focus is placed on taking deep, relaxed breaths.

Researchers say there are a number of ways for people to exercise during the pandemic to promote better sleep at night.

One way is to get up at the same time every day and exercise earlier in the day. Body temperature affects the ability to sleep the lower, the better for sleep. Exercise raises body temperature.

Experts say not to exercise anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours before bedtime.

Do something that gets your heart rate up or breaks a sweat during the day. Daylight is good for sleep cycles.

If you have to exercise in the evening, do something meditative like yoga. Pierpaoli said studies show evening exercise can enhance deep sleep as long as its done at least an hour before bedtime.

Things will get better and people can achieve good, restful sleep during this chaotic time, especially if they make reasonable attempts to prioritize sleep and practice good sleep hygiene, Pierpaoli said.

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Losing Sleep During COVID-19? Tips on How and When to Exercise - Healthline

As the mercury level rises, the risk of many diseases increases too. The scorching heat usually brings with it a lot of diseases such as typhoid fever, diarrhoea, jaundice, heat stroke, dehydration, and skin problems. Despite the unbearable heat and humidity that characteristics of summer, some people eagerly wait for the season to arrive for various reasons. One is that summer brings with it a variety of delicious seasonal fruits, including the most awaited mangoes.

Interestingly, many of these summer fruits are effective in fighting sun damage and provide an instant boost of energy. May be this is the mother natures way of protecting us from the heat.

During the summer season, our body lose more water as we sweat a lot. Therefore, it is important to keep your body hydrated during the summer. Adding summer fruits in your diet is one of the easiest ways to do that. Here are 10 best fruits that can keep your body cool and hydrated.

This red and juicy fruit is one of the best summer fruits to eat during this season. Since watermelon consists mostly of water and very less sugar, the fruit is considered a very healthy summer snack. It is said that each bite of watermelon contains about 92 percent water and 6 percent sugar.

Watermelon also contains vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6 all of which help boost immunity. Vitamin A is good for the eye health. Potassium found in the fruit can help maintain water balance in the body, prevent muscle cramps and keep your heart healthy. Eating watermelons can protect your skin from sun damage, reduce risk of sunstroke and cancer.

Mango is rightly called the king of fruits. It is this fruit that makes summer a favourite season for many people. Mangoes are high in calories, but they also a rich source of many nutrients. This fruit contains as many as 20 minerals and vitamins. Its high fibre content helps promote digestion and keep you full for longer. Mangoes are rich in Vitamin A and C, as well as potassium. Zeaxanthin, a pigment present in mangoes, can protect your eyes from harmful blue rays.

Another great fruit to include in your diet, papaya contains nutrients like Vitamin A and C, folate, and various phytochemicals. Papain, a compound present in papaya, is very good for your gastrointestinal health. It can help treat indigestion and bloating, which are common problems during summers. This fruit is also a good source of beta-carotene that prevents skin damage and reduces inflammation. Papaya contains antioxidants that are known to prevent cancer and serious heart diseases. For those who are on a weight loss journey, papaya can work wonders in shedding those extra kilos.

Guava is one of the top-rated tropical fruits and is considered one of the super fruits due to the numerous health benefits it offers. It is a powerhouse of nutrients like vitamin C, lycopene and antioxidants that are beneficial for skin. Guava is a rich source of manganese which helps your body to absorb other key nutrients from the food that we eat.

Foliate, a mineral found in this fruit, boosts fertility. The potassium in guavas helps normalize blood pressure levels as well. Gauva contains about 80% of water, as a result it helps keep your skin hydrated. This summer fruit can help in weight loss.

Guavas are great for diabetic patients as it helps keep the blood sugar and insulin levels balanced. Eating guavas can also help reduce menstrual cramps, improve metabolism, complexion, eyesight and mental health.

These round-shaped fruits are loaded with a variety of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Plums contain vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, vitamin K, vitamin B1 and, minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, zinc, fluoride and potassium.

This fruit offer countless benefits. It can:

Published : May 25, 2020 5:03 pm | Updated:May 25, 2020 5:09 pm

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5 summer fruits to beat the heat and stay healthy this season - TheHealthSite