Should you change your diet because Liam Hemsworth had a kidney stone?

About 1 in 10 people develop kidney stones, but when the one is Liam Hemsworth of Hunger Games fame, it gets attention. And when Hemsworth announced that he was rethinking his vegan diet after 4 years because of the condition, it created a lot of headlines and buzz. What do we know about his diet, kidney stones, and a plan you can follow to minimize your risk of painful kidney stones?

In an interview in Mens Health, Hemsworth reported that he required surgery earlier this year for a kidney stone composed of calcium oxalate, the most common form of stone. He indicated that his stone was from having too much oxalate in his diet. Oxalates are really high in a lot of vegetables including specifically spinach, almonds, beets, and potatoes. Every morning, I was having five handfuls of spinach and then almond milk, almond butter, and also some vegan protein in a smoothie, he said.

There is ample medical evidence to assure you, and Liam, that maintaining a vegan diet with a few modifications is actually the best plan to avoid a first, or recurrent, kidney stone of any kind.

In studies done over 20 years ago examining the rise in kidney stones requiring therapy, increasing animal protein consumption from meat, fish, and poultry coupled with a decrease in fiber intake, the hallmarks of the Western diet, were to blame. A more recent study looked at the risk of kidney stones with various kinds of animal protein. Beef, fish, and chicken were all judged to raise the risk of forming stones, and limiting these foods was advised. Finally, a study from Europen that included 50,000 subjects found that vegetarians had a lower risk of kidney stones than meat-eaters.

Other factors beyond animal protein intake have been studied and have focused on excess sodium intake and inadequate hydration as major factors in kidney stone formation. In a review of diet and stone formations, the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) program was recommended as it is low in salt, low in meats of all kinds, and high in fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In a randomized diet study of 120 men with the same kind of stone that Liam had, calcium oxalate, a diet low in sodium and meat was judged to provide the most protection against recurrent stones. In a study from Harvard Medical School of nearly 200,000 subjects, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables with adequate hydration could lower the risk of kidney stones by 50 percent.

What about the oxalates that Hemsworth indicated where high in plant foods? In a recent review article on the risk of kidney stones and diet as found in vegetarians and vegans, the researchers warned against high intake of animal protein and recommended balanced vegetarian diets.

In terms of oxalates, studies at Harvard Medical School have downplayed the importance of dietary oxalates in kidney stone formation. Increased dietary spinach in these studies raised the risk of kidney stones in some groups by a small amount. In fact, there are only three greens that concentrate oxalates and they are spinach, beet greens, and Swiss chard. They can have over 100 times the oxalate concentration of kale, for example. There is great variability between persons in the efficiency of GI absorption of dietary oxalates. Stone formers may absorb more dietary oxalates and that may a much more important factor in stone formation than the diet choices he was making.

What is the dietary advice I wish Hemsworth knew in order to avoid further kidney stones? They would be to:

Overall, the headlines, and any recurrent kidney stones, could have been avoided if Hemsworth would simply have switched to 5 handfuls of kale, arugula, or romaine in his smoothie in place of spinach.

Dr. Joel Kahn is Professor of Cardiology, Summa cum Laude grad, Kahn Center for Longevity and GreenSpace & Go, author, The Plant Based Solution.www.drjoelkahn.com@drjkahn.

Summary

Article Name

Vegan Diet and Kidney Stones: What You Need to Know

Description

Does a vegan diet increase or reduce the risk of developing kidney stones? Here's everything you need to know about this condition.

Author

Dr. Joel Kahn

Publisher Name

LIVEKINDLY

Publisher Logo

View original post here:
Vegan Diet and Kidney Stones: What You Need to Know - LIVEKINDLY

Few things can make me feellikeI am the epitome of health instantaneously, but kombucha tastesas ifit's aligning my chakras, clearing my skin and ridding my body of disease with every sip. If you're afan of the fermented tea like Iam, and drink it daily, you know there's one brand on store shelves that you reach for first-- GT'sLiving Foods' Enlightened Kombucha.I'm not alone inmypreference either,as thecompany controlsnearly 40 percent of the kombucha market in the U.S.

I can't make a trip to Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or my local Shoprite without picking up a Guava Goddess, Tantric Turmeric or Gingeradeflavorof their fizzyfermented drink. And, for as excited as I get about the company'sstaple offerings, when they release a seasonal flavor I nearly lose my mind in the supermarket aisle (which anyone shopping with me can attest to) and buy two, three, or four bottles, because who knows how long it'll be around?

With this aforementioned kombucha obsession, you can imagine my excitementwhen I got tocatch up withGT Dave, founder and CEO of GT'sLiving Foods, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, andtalk tohim abouthis plant-based diet, what he eats in a day, andthe productswe can expect nextfrom GT's Living Foods:

Q: Youre largely credited for bringing Kombucha into Western consciousnesshow did you come to learn about the Eastern traditions of Kombucha, far before the masses in the United States were singing its praises?

A: In the early '90s, my parents brought Kombucha into the household when I was 15 years old. I was initially turned off by Kombucha due to its unusual taste and smell, but I quickly changed my mind when I witnessed how much my parents loved it and how eventually it helped my mom during her battle with breast cancer.

Q: At an early age, your family took trips to India to visit a holy man, Sai Baba. Has sharing kombucha with others helped you connect with your spirituality?

Yes, it absolutely has! I was raised with the simple philosophy of "making the world a better place." Providing something as special as Kombucha with the people has been very spiritually fulfilling.

Q: Why is kombucha, said to be an Immortality Tonic in Ancient China, a good choice to help your body protect against disease and strengthen your immune system, given the current health pandemic?

Kombucha contains a variety of probiotics that are naturally created during its fermentation. These beneficial microorganisms help replenish and restore the gut flora (aka microbiome) in our digestive system. Studies have shown that our gut health has a direct link to our immune system and our body's overall performance (i.e. mood, energy, and appetite). Therefore, with a healthier gut, your body is stronger and more resilient. In the midst of COVID-19, incorporating gut healthy and functional living foods into ones diet, like Kombucha, becomes critical when trying to increase your resistance to viral activity.

Q: Every time I go to the grocery store, it seems like theres a new brand of Kombucha cropping up on the shelves what do you believe sets GTs apart that has made it the most trusted brand in the space?

What separates us from other brands is that, much like farmers, we "grow" our products rather than "manufacture" them. We stay true to the traditional recipe of raw Kombucha allowing nature to run its course. From day one, we have always chosen to make our Kombucha in small batches (less than 5 gallons) and fully ferment them for 30 days (the longest in the industry). Once the fermentation is complete, we take the batches and bottle them immediately. With the exception of adding some fresh ingredients post-fermentation, we do not process our Kombucha in any way. We promise to offer our Kombucha unpasteurized, unfiltered and in its most raw form, without any additives or fermentation "short-cuts" just like nature intended.

Q: You started making Kombucha in your parents kitchen Do you ever brew small batches at your house or do you always reach for a bottle?

I always reach for a bottle! I can't compete with the quality we achieve at the company.

Q: Youve said that youre vegetarian what do you feel that a vegetarian diet in tandem with your kombucha consumption has done for your health?

My general outlook for my diet is food as fuel. By pairing a plant-based diet with Kombucha and a lifestyle that prioritizes well-being (i.e. meditation, working out, 8 hours of sleep), I feel my best. Kombucha restores balance to the body, which replenishes the gut and cleanses the body of toxins. Once balance is restored to the body it performs better and has improved natural defenses. This is why many people who consume Kombucha, including myself, regularly report improvement with their skin, energy, weight loss and overall well-being.

Q: Here at The Beet, we want to share the benets of plant-based living because we believe that plant-based diets can have transformative effects on peoples health. It seems like GTs Living Foods also approaches food and drink as medicine what does your daily diet consist of, besides Kombucha?

My day starts with two plant-based smoothies; one before the gym and one after. Both smoothies are made with fresh-pressed juice, chia seeds, plant protein and other nutritious ingredients. For lunch I have oatmeal with dried fruit and dinner I usually have a salad that consists of some kind of dark green leaves like kale, fresh veggies such as bell peppers, baked yams, fresh avocado, almonds and lentils or a black bean patty. I also make sure to drink two gallons of spring water each day.

Q: Ive heard in past videos and interviews you say that you drink roughly 8-12 bottles of Kombucha daily after sampling new batches. What amount would you recommend customers drink per day in order to reap the health benets?

I am proof that you can drink A LOT of Kombucha but drinking as much as I do is not required to enjoy Kombucha's health benefits. Generally speaking, a 16oz bottle per day is sufficient and it can be consumed all at once or spread throughout the day.

Q: Youve expanded GTs Living Foods to Aqua Ker, Probiotic Shots, Adaptogenic Tea and even Coconut Yogurt Does GTs Living Foods have any future plans to expand further into other foods?

We definitely do! We believe living foods heal the body and we want our fans to have options for every occasion. Weve just introduced "Hard Kombucha" which is a raw Kombucha paired with fresh ingredients that create a clean alternative to the refined, pasteurized and sugary alcoholic beverages. Next year well be offering even more innovation including a line of plant-based protein drinks.

Q: What daily habits or practices do you recommend others to incorporate into their routine for being more connected with their surroundings and Mother Nature in general?

I believe real connection starts with taking time for yourself to reset and re-ground your mind and body. Mediation is an essential part of this practice as it quiets the mind and clears your thoughts.

For connecting with Nature, I like to frequently immerse myself in the outdoors whether that's a hike at Runyon Canyon here in LA or the deep jungle in Kauai where there are waterfalls and fertility all around me. I make a conscious effort to tune into the vibration of our beautiful Planet and listen to her words of wisdom.

Q: Do you have a mantra that youre guided by?

"There's no time like now."

For me, this means seizing each day and living it to the fullest.

Here is the original post:
GT Dave on His Plant-Based Diet and Connecting with Nature - The Beet

Content Warning: This article contains a discussion of eating disorders. Reader discretion is advised.

Due to coronavirus, my summer body will be postponed until 2021.

Im either coming out of this quarantine fifty pounds lighter or one hundred pounds heavier only time will tell.

Week two of quarantine got me like: These sweatpants are all that fit me right now.

Im used to hearing frustrating, diet-culture fueled comments on the internet, but when I first heard jokes like these about staving off the quarantine 15, they as the kids say these days hit different. I have struggled with body dysmorphia and disordered eating since eighth grade, and while Ive recently made dramatic successes in actually recovering, COVID-19 has proved an unprecedented obstacle.

Disordered eating comes from many different places, but for me, and many others, it comes from needing to feel a sense of control over myself and my life. Even when everything is in chaos, our bodies seem to be one of the few things we still have at least some power over. During a global pandemic, the desire to reach for that comforting sense of control is tempting, to say the least. For the first time in months, and for some of my friends years, the creep of calorie anxiety is settling back in as we are stuck inside with more time to think, the disruption of the routine in which we found comfort, and messages from the wellness media warning us not to let ourselves go become more omnipresent.

We all need to find ways to combat anxiety and general mood swings during this time. Baking copious amounts of banana bread? Great. Doing a bunch of home workouts? Sure. I wont lie that my walks and runs have been an invaluable part of managing all the feelings Ive been experiencing, but I have dealt with this condition long enough to know that I can have dual motivations.

Im not stress waking to burn calories but Im also not not stress walking to burn calories, a friend said as they called me while on a walk to talk to me about the worsening body dysmorphia theyve been experiencing, along with the growing desire to restrict. I downloaded Cronometer for the first time in a year and started logging what I ate because it gave me some relief, they said. I would love to say that I had no idea what they were talking about, but its a tempting (albeit unhealthy) coping mechanism thats hard to give up. Another friend told me it was taking all of her willpower not to drive to Target and buy a scale to make sure her weight wasnt fluctuating too much in quarantine something I did at the beginning of freshman year in an attempt to reassure myself that I wasnt gaining the freshman 15.

Disordered eating is deeply rooted in negotiation. Saying you can have the cookie as long as you go for that run, or that you can take that day off from the gym as long as you eat light to compensate. Seductive as these negotiations can be, restriction simply exacerbates eating disorder thoughts and behaviors, as therapist Jennifer Rollin says. Ignoring our innate hunger cues also disrupts the hormones that signal hunger and satiety. Whats more, hanger is actually an example of how hunger can trigger or exacerbate heightened emotional states like anxiety, depression, anger, fear, etc. These emotions are already being worsened by physical distancing and the overturning of daily life, restriction can just add fuel to the fire. If that werent enough, COVID-19 had also increased stress around food, with trips to the grocery store becoming one of the highest risk activities in which we currently engage.

For me, body dysmorphia makes the way I perceive myself the equivalent of a room of funhouse mirrors. One day I feel cute and confident, another I feel so monstrous that I want to hide from everyone. For people with eating disorders, and even those who have never struggled with disordered eating before, being isolated provides more time than ever to fixate on anything you feel stress about, including your ever-present body, which can frequently be translated to concerns over weight, as is pointed out by Mayo Clinic psychologist Leslie Sim. Another aspect of quarantine is the disruption of the routines in which we engage to present ourselves. My mom has bemoaned the fact that her hair, which she dyes to avoid gray roots, is starting to look like a skunk. Numerous friends have run desperate hands through their hair, expressing dismay over feeling shaggy. And putting on makeup and changing out of your pajamas feels far more optional as the days go on. Doing little things that make you feel better, no matter how much of an effort they can seem, is a great way to boost self-esteem in quarantine. Not slipping out of my routine of washing my face, combing my hair and putting on some uneven (cause who can get them to match) winged eyeliner has been crucial to keeping my body image out of the danger zone when possible.

Some of the corniest advice Ive ever heard regarding self-love is to evaluate whether you would say the things you say to yourself to a loved one. If a friend called up and said that theyd gained weight, lost muscle mass and were eating more Ben and Jerrys in quarantine, would you berate them? No. So why not extend that to yourself? It can seem ridiculous the first few times you try this, but challenging self-hating thoughts is the only way to keep them from taking over. Aware of how the coronavirus is impacting people, the National Eating Disorder Association has compiled low-cost and free support options, and a pop-up on their website links to a specific COVID-19 resource page.

Body image is especially linked to social comparison. In a time of social distancing, our point of comparison is prone to shift to social media and other sources of often unattainable, altered bodies, so it might be a good time to limit or disengage.

I cannot stress enough that eating disorders arent just a girl thing and that, as with all mental illnesses, they can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes and weights. The NEDA reports that an estimated 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives, and a growing number of men and non-binary individuals are reaching out to clinicians for help. Eating disorders dont look the same. There is even EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) because restriction is not the only type of way to have disordered eating. I only focused on restriction because that is my personal experience. Its also worth noting that there are different stages of eating disorders and recovery, and that for those just beginning to recover, this situation is especially tough.

Its possible to change how you eat without the toxic voice of diet culture weighing in. Diet culture has convinced many of us that honoring hunger and feeling satisfied and full when we eat is something to feel guilty over. I thought Id broken my ability to listen to those most straightforward of signals with years of calorie counting and portion control, but I am slowly gaining them back. Sometimes that means I eat breakfast at 8 a.m. when I first wake up, and other times it means I dont start eating until 11 a.m.. Being in quarantine and having the loosest schedules we have had in a while is stressful. Still, it also means you can honor hunger and fullness signals without having to plan around a three-hour lab. However, loneliness can be a strong predictor of disordered eating, so any way to make eating a more social activity may be a good idea. Recipe exchange emails have flooded my inbox, and Ive started a back and forth of DMs with my sister when we see meals that look good on Instagram. Making food you can get excited about, like fried rice with lots of sesame oil or black bean sweet potato tacos with lots of guacamole, as well as having a pint of ice-cream in the freezer on hand for Zoom movie night, is a great way to nurture your relationship with food and others. Eating is more than just sustenance. It is a social and pleasurable experience, and making sure not to lose sight of that can help keep our relationship with food from suffering too much in quarantine.

While on a Zoom call with my therapist (something I am incredibly grateful and fortunate that I still have access to), I got angry when she suggested that I lower my expectations. As usual, the main reason I get angry at my therapist is when shes right when I dont want her to be. Theres so much anxiety right now over the belief that we arent using our quarantine time correctly. That makes it easy to forget that this situation is unprecedented and that there is no inherently wrong way to spend quarantine time. You dont need to use this time in any particular way. Our daily routines have pretty much been decimated, and our usual comforts such as spending time with friends, nights out, lunches at our favorite places on campus have been changed into FaceTime-watching Netflix and Discord conversations while playing Club Penguin. So much has changed in the last month its perfectly reasonable that our bodies might change as well. Remember that this situation is temporary. Our bodies, along with our lives, will experience many changes. In my experience, fighting those changes tooth and nail is never worth it. Taking care actual care of yourself is though.

Emma Smith is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at esmith@cornellsun.com. Emmpathy runs alternate Fridays this semester.

Students may consult with counselors from Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) by calling 607-255-5155. Employees may call the Faculty Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) at 607-255-2673. An Ithaca-based Crisisline is available at 607-272-1616. For additional resources, visit caringcommunity.cornell.edu.

See the original post:
SMITH | Addressing the Quarantine 15 - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

ARLINGTON, VIRIGINIA, US US feed manufacturers are having to reformulate diets as they face shortages of ethanol and rendering byproducts due to facility closings from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Distillers grains, a byproduct of ethanol production, and rendering byproducts are commonly used in feed formulation. About half of US ethanol production is idle as fuel consumption drops in light of stay-at-home measures and the oil glut persists. Several meat processing facilities have suspended operations after multiple employees tested positive for the virus.

Were seeing some effects from those byproducts, but it remains a localized supply chain issue, not widespread across the country, Leah Wilkinson, vice president of public policy and education for the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), told World Grain. On the ethanol side, feed producers are used to that ebb and flow.

Feed manufacturers are reformulating diets and finding other ingredients to fill in for the missing byproducts, she said. DDGS make up about 12.6% of total diet composition for all animal species, according to the 2016 US Animal Food Consumption Report. That amounted to 29.7 million tonnes of DDGS fed to animals in 2016. A total of 1.3 million tonnes of animal byproduct meals were fed to animals.

There are no major gaps in what were providing, she said. Corn isnt going to be making ethanol, so we can use the corn.

Values on distillers grains really shot up when a large portion of ethanol started to idle capacity, Ryan LeGrand, president and chief executive officer of the US Grains Council (USGC) told World Grain. In its April 2 DDGS weekly market report, the USGC said prices were up $24 per tonne. Prices dropped in the following weeks as buyers filled near-term needs and merchandisers/exporters assess what ethanol/DDGS production prospects will be over the coming months.

Still, the week of April 16 was the third consecutive week that the DDGS/cash corn ratio reached a new record high. DDGS are priced at 185% of cash corn values, above the three-year average of 106%.

The lack of availability really came through in the values. Some of that has settled a little bit in the last few days, he said. Availability will be an issue as long as we have large amounts of idled capacity.

The DDGS likely will be replaced with corn and soybean meal.

Its just a tough situation for the ethanol industry and DDGS follow along with that, he said. There is lots and lots of concern there.

The USGC has worked for years to encourage other nations to include DDGS in its feed formulas. LeGrand said customers are understanding of the situation, and USGC offices overseas are communicating via telephone and email to maintain those relationships.

Were working to make sure that those buyers come back to the market, when there is more availability, he said. International customers have a lot of faith in the US to produce and to distribute products efficiently and effectively. Those relationships are long term and will stay in place.

With meat processing facilities closing, theres also the possibility animal production will decline.

If theres not as many animals to feed, our industry will respond, Wilkinson said. We want to make sure our partners get the assistance they need to remain viable. Thats the backbone of our economy. Thats something that is important to all of us, especially to rural America.

The AFIA has not been made aware of any member or any feed production facilities shutting down because of employees testing positive for COVID-19.

Its something that we are watching, Wilkinson said. Were making sure our members have resources and procedures in place so that if they have any employees who test positive, theyre ready.

Due to the way they operate, many facilities already had social distancing in place, but they have taken extra measures. These include split shifts, rotating shifts, letting employees who can work from home do so and eliminate face-to-face interaction with truck drivers making deliveries.

One of the primary concerns for the industry is ensuring the reliability of ingredients, Wilkinson said. Feed manufacturers are dependent on imported ingredients, such as vitamins, amino acids and some minerals.

Were making sure we have access to those ingredients on all fronts and that the systems we have in place for the supply chain are going to work, she said.

While it was impossible to predict the early impacts of COVID-19, the feed industry tried to anticipate as much as it could, Wilkinson said.

Manufacturers made sure that the supplies they did have, especially China-based imported products, were being managed appropriately, she said.

While some US ports closed for a couple hours or a day when employees tested positive, the closings have stopped as operators now have guidance in place on how to operate.

Hopefully it remains that way, Wilkinson said. Were able to get to the port, get materials off the ship, get it to truck or rail and get it to the facility. As long as we can keep that cycle going, were hopeful that things will continue to move smoothly.

Follow our breaking news coverage of thecoronavirus/COVID-19 situation.

Read more:
Feed industry looking to ingredient substitutions for byproducts - World Grain

Are you doing beach workouts?

I like the beach, but in Aruba, you can only go if its for workouts. No one can go to chill. Makes the beach a little more boring. But I do some running drills that strengthen your legs and lower body.

Have you been watching anything lately to pass the time?

I just watched a documentary on Pablo Escobar, I watched Money Heist, and I saw that movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger about eating plant-based.

Oh yeah, The Game Changers. Do you eat a plant-based diet?

No, no, no. But I was surprised that these guys still have so much energy, or even more energy, without eating meat. It was kind of crazy to hear. Lately Ive been eating a lot of rice and chicken, ribs, and home-cooked meals that I dont get to eat during the season. During the season I only cook for myself on the off-days. I can make a good curry chicken. Im actually going to eat it now, but my mom made this one.

Is the curry chicken your cheat meal?

No, I like french fries, man. I dont know what my obsession with them is, but thats it. Not a huge dipping sauce guy, though. Maybe just ketchup.

During the season, when the team provides many of your meals, what does your diet typically look like?

I definitely eat a lot of eggs in the morning, drink some coffee or tea, and then once youre at the stadium, they have everything you need. Theyre trying to keep us healthy. Ill have a ham-and-cheese sandwich after workouts, and then usually have a protein shake before a game as a snack. Dinner is pretty late at night.

You had a career year last season, with a big uptick in homers. Were there any changes you made to your workouts or diet to achieve that?

Not really, Im eating the same stuff. I think its just more experience, and the year prior, we had some coaching changes that helped unpack some stuff that I had hidden. It made me become a much better player. All of my hitting coaches have had good, different philosophies, but this one kind of took me to another level.

Wheres your head at about a baseball season happening? Are you feeling hopeful or pessimistic?

I want to play for sure, but its such a tough time and I know were dealing with a very serious situation. To be honest, its hard to do workouts because youre like, are we even going to play? In the off-season, you work out and look forward to February reporting day. You know you have to be ready for that specific day. Now, you dont have anything like that. Well have to wait and see when the experts say its the right time to play.

Are you open to the idea of all MLB games being played one city, as has been suggested?

I saw thatsomething in Arizona? Ive been away from my family for all the years Ive been playing baseball, but [playing all games in one city] would be tougher on the American guys whove never experienced it. The guys from the Latin countries are more used to that. But thats going to be hard. I dont know how they would do that.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity

Real-Life Diet is a series in which GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in-between about their diets and exercise routines: what's worked, what hasn't, and where they're still improving. Keep in mind, what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.

Jefferson dishes on working out with Coach O and predicts the final score of a one-on-one basketball game against LSU quarterback Joe Burrow.

Link:
The Real-Life Diet of Xander Bogaerts, the Red Sox All-Star Doing Beach Workouts (Safely) at Home in Aruba - GQ

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) To date, there is no cure or vaccine for COVID-19, but there are ways to boost your immune system so you dont get sick.

In the last month or so, sales of vitamin supplements have exploded. But do they work?

The I-Team checked out one of the largest vitamin producers in the West.

When Wayne Gorsek first invited a television camera into his gleaming vitamin venture five years ago, he beamed while describing the state of art quality control systems, high tech machines that cost him millions of extra dollars.

The Las Vegas plant is a 55,000-square-foot mechanized marvel, stainless steel throughout, as clean as an operating room. Dr. Vita sells its own line of supplements, mostly online, but the bulk of what is produced at the Las Vegas plant is sold under different brand names by giant retailers including Walmart and Costco. In the weeks since COVID-19 led to shutdowns and quarantines, sales of vitamin supplements have exploded.

To keep up with the virus-inspired demand, the company recently doubled its production capabilities and can now crank out up to two billion capsules per year with a wide range of different supplements.

But the big question, does any of it work? If you read recent articles about vitamins, the opinions are all over the place. Yes they do. No they dont. Gorsek says medical science has proven beyond all doubt that vitamins, in particular C and D, help boost our immune systems, but test results vary because of the types and amounts of active ingredients in a given study. Vitamin D3 is well proven for the immune system, Gorsek told Mystery Wire, But the dosage in a typical multivitamin is worthless. Leave between four and 5000 NU per day to get levels in your blood that youve been shown to be beneficial for your being system levels of a 1000 and under probably dont work.

One of the best known vitamin brands contain about two cents worth of actual vitamins, he says, not enough to make much of a difference.

Few vitamins have been studied more than vitamin C. Modern medicine generally agrees it is vital in warding off infections or viruses. Its considered a staple during flu season.

Studies show it can also lessen the time it takes to heal, but doctors often say a balanced diet should provide all the vitamins we need, and supplements are a waste of money.

Since the coronavirus arrived in the U.S., various hucksters have been marketing miracle cures and magical elixirs. Gorsek doesnt think vitamins deserve to be lumped into that group. He notes there is no cure for COVID-19 and no proven vaccine. But there are hints that a stronger immune system can help.

In New York City, one hospital chain has reported some success by administering massive doses of vitamin C to COVID-19 patients. We asked Gorsek which vitamins hes taking during the lockdown. (I) take multivitamin Theres a lot of coq10. Which benefits the immune system in the heart, the brain. A lot of turmeric. I (also) do fish oil.

Doctors are right when they say a balanced diet should provide all the vitamins we need. But in a time when millions of us are gorging on pizza, mac and cheese, and other comfort foods while binging Netflix, a balanced diet is not that easy to achieve.

View post:
I-Team: A look into the world of vitamin supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic - KLAS - 8 News Now

In October 2005, Rafe Spall was starring in the role he thought he was born to play. Only 21 at the time, hed bagged a part in Anna Mackmins reimagining of Francis Beaumonts 1607 comedy The Knight of the Burning Pestle at the Barbican. The play isnt just any old Renaissance play in the Spall household, its a hallowed text.

His father (Timothy Spall, you might have heard of him) had played the same part in a 1981 RSC version that changed his life for ever. It was while playing that role he met his wife, Shane, and the pair loved the play so much they decided to give their first child the name of the character his father played: Rafe. To make it seem even more preordained, it was Rafes grandmothers favourite ever performance by his father. No pressure, then.

I thought, great, I need to confront this head on, says Spall, who is now 37. This is the next thing where my and my fathers world converge.

Things didnt exactly go to plan. It was a massive flop, says Spall, matter-of-factly. There was a big picture of me in the Guardian with a big arrow in my head, next to a one-star review. The headline was A Turkey for Christmas.

He can laugh about it now, but at the time it was torturous. Spall had just about recovered after failing to get into Rada four years earlier, which was the path his father took one that led him to become one of the UKs most respected character actors. Another thing where I thought, this isnt the way that things worked out for my old man, he says. But it put hairs on my chest. You need that. You need massive slaps in the face, especially if youre following in the footsteps of your actor father who is a national treasure. You need it because it makes you realise youre really wanted when things go right.

At the moment things are going right. Secluded in the Cotswolds with his family three children (aged eight, seven and four), his dog Lucy and his wife, the actor Elize du Toit (best known for her role as Izzy in Hollyoaks) before the UKs lockdown hed had an impressive run. Hollywood roles in blockbusters Life of Pi, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Men In Black: International, dovetailed with a starring role in the BBCs The War of The Worlds and highly praised stage performances in London (Constellations) and on Broadway (Betrayal). Not bad for an actor who was once billed as the go-to man for feckless losers when he first caught peoples attention in The Rotters Club, Pete Versus Life and Edgar Wrights Cornetto trilogy.

Behind the feckless loser tag was a subtext about Spalls weight. He believes theres always been an unhealthy focus on his body image, which started when he got the lead role in the romcom I Give It a Year, alongside Rose Byrne. Casting directors told him to lose weight. Spall started jogging and got his hair cut and as a result interview after interview focused on his reinvention as a new leaner, fitter, more believable leading man. My body fat level had no equation to whether or not I was funny in that film, says Spall. I was in a fucking romantic comedy for Working Title, I wasnt playing Jake LaMotta.

Spall expects to be asked about two things in interviews: his weight loss and his father. When it comes to nepotism theres a pithy response: Accusations of nepotism? he asks, rhetorically. Theyre not accusations theyre facts. I benefited from nepotism. On his weight loss (he shifted five stones before the romcom gig), hes more guarded now. I understand it, but youve got to be very careful with peddling the basic idea that being thin is happy and being fat is unhappy because all my problems are the same, regardless of the size of my waistline, he says.

More importantly, his wife hates it when hes on a strict diet. I dont know who it is for, says Spall, visibly agitated. Its so subjective: the idea of what we find attractive in people. When Im extremely disciplined and not eating anything my wife doesnt find me attractive what she finds attractive is eating together and the sensuality of food.

Theres a pause. Look, he says. Eating nothing but fish and salad for 12 weeks is the opposite of sex.

His current project doesnt require a diet, thankfully. Hes about to star in Apples first British commission, Trying, a comedy about conceiving and adoption created by some of the team behind Catastrophe. So whats life like on the set of a production from one of the worlds biggest corporations? The coffee is slightly better, Spall deadpans. Perhaps more importantly, he says, the influx of Silicon Valley money into the UK TV industry isnt only about bigger budgets, better coffee and more cash for everybody its the all important creative control.

Spall always looked back enviously at cinema in the 1970s, films such as Performance, Klute and Three Days of the Condor, which were all studio movies with serious financial backing. People were like, Why cant we make films like that any more? Why wont studios pay for films like that? That is now in TV. Well look back at this time and it will seem halcyon.

Spalls last two projects have had fatherhood at their centre. The one-man play Death of England, which started life as a Guardian and Royal Court microplay before going on to get a full commission at the National Theatre, followed a Londoners grief and complicated relationship with his own racist father and his best friend, Delroy. Trying is on the other end of the scale, a black-ish comedy about the complications of conceiving in your mid to late 30s.

So what is he like as a father? I make a lot of mistakes, he says. I try to be kind and loving but kids can really test your patience and it can be really difficult not to shout or get angry. But I really try.

He adds: But my kids know that theyre loved. The biggest gift that my parents gave me was confidence. Confidence as a result of warmth, love, appreciation and encouragement.

Spall describes Death of England as the thing he is most proud of in his career. An hour and 40 minutes of acting with a capital A, where he tackled Clint Dyer and Roy Williamss state-of-the-nation play two black playwrights giving voice to an angry, disenfranchised white working class male, Michael. It was a chance to be subversive.

Id be bantering with the audience, giving them biscuits, says Spall, who prepared by watching hours of standup routines. Id get them onside. Then I tell them a story about my best friend Delroy and how I once called his mother a black bitch and you feel the whole temperature of the room change.

Youre doing it for the National Theatre audience, which is a particular demographic, he adds. I would get down into the audience and make eye contact with them and it struck me that a lot of these people would never have interactions with people like this. They never meet people like Michael.

Spall says his childhood going to school in New Cross, where he was one of half a dozen white kids in a class made up predominantly of second-generation West Indian kids and first-generation Nigerian children, might make Death of England the role he was really born to play. It was like some mad possession, he says.

At the same time Death of England was on, Laurence Fox was presenting his own ideas about race in the UK on Question Time. Spall and Fox have known each other for years, and get on, but Spall wasnt impressed by his friends performance. If you feel like youre being attacked then you can get angry, you can spout stuff, he says.

You might think youre being cogent and original but actually its just born out of anger. So thats not pushing the conversation forward, because its angry and reductive and without nuance.

Does he think, as some argued, Fox had been radicalised by right-wing YouTube commentators? We can all go on iamright.com and have our shitty opinions vindicated, he says. Then you start writing tweets about the mainstream media, and before you know it youre banging on about 5G conspiracy theories. Its a really slippery slope. When you pick and choose bits of information that suit your agenda, thats bigotry.

Its not just about Fox, Spall insists. Hes making a general point about the state of public debate and whose opinions are heard and valued. I get dressed up, wear foundation and pretend to be other people, he says. Thats a lovely thing and people enjoy it, but Im not a political commentator, Im not a sage. I mess about and get paid for it.

So should we take all actors on Question Time with a pinch of salt? Put it this way, he says, I think theres an inelegance when people from any walk of life go shouting from the rooftops about something when theyre not equipped to. Its like, Babe, youre wearing base.

Trying starts on Apple TV+ on 1 May.

See the rest here:
Rafe Spall: 'Dieting is the opposite of sex!' - The Guardian

Recently I decided to make a big change in my life. And for me, it's a huge one.

Something I never thought I could do, I've been doing for the last several months. And so far, so good.

Every year I get an annual physical. And it's always the same story. My cholesterol and blood sugar run above normal. My mother has type 2 diabetes and I am pre-diabetic.

Since I'm nearly 50 years old, I figured now is a good time as any to try a new lifestyle. As of Jan. 1, I now eat a mainly vegetarian diet to try to get my cholesterol under control. I also started running on a regular basis to help lower my blood sugar.

My family is from Argentina, a huge meat-eating country. I was raised on eating red meat. It's part of our nearly daily diet. No wonder my cholesterol is on the higher side. My maternal grandfather was a strict vegetarian (except he ate liver. Yuck!) and he lived to nearly 100 years old. So there has to be something to this whole animal-fat-in-the-veins thing.

So far it's been fairly easy. I do eat eggs still (mainly egg whites) and fish. As far as beef, pork, chicken; almost nothing. Since I still love a good steak, I reward myself with one every three months. My wife, being Swiss, loves beef bourguignon. That was my reward for eating clean for three months.

There are a several benefits to eating this way. I've lost a few pounds without starving myself. It's much easier on the wallet. And the main one I've noticed: my stamina is way up when I go running.

I used to run two miles and then quit. Now I run three miles easy and feel like I could go for more.

Over the next few weeks I'll try to show you how it's going on my end and share new recipes I discover. Wish me luck!

Link:
Lifestyle Steve Villanueva: From red meat to hardly any at all Steve Villanueva 1:58 PM - WPTV.com

MARYLAND With non-essential businesses like the gym, closing because of the coronavirus pandemic, many people are left wondering what can they do to maintain a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise.

47 ABCs Deana Harley spoke with fitness trainer, Theodore Teddy Savage to get those questions answered.

Savage, who is a fitness training director says Planet Fitness is remaining committed to the community, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. He says through the United We Move campaign, the fitness center franchise is offering Home Work- Ins, which is a series of free fitness classes for everyone, and you dont have to be a member to join.

Savage says classes are being led by certified Planet Fitness trainers as well as special like The Biggest Loser coach and fitness trainer Erica Lugo and many others. Savage aka Teddy has a weekly work-in slated Teddy Tuesday. He is the only host with a regular time slot, on Tuesdays at 7 pm. He says classes are 20 minutes or less and they dont require any equipment, so there should be no excuses.

Just doing simple exercises like squats, jumping jacks, push-ups, even stretching shows youre moving in the direction.

Savage explains that the classes are designed for people of all fitness levels. So if you havent been to the gym in a while or have never been to a gym, now is the chance to get fit and healthy while staying at home. He says that Planet Fitness is truly about the community, helping people make decisions to change their lives for the better.

Overall, the home work ins offer tools to combat stress, while providing motivation and inspiration sure to keep us all physically and mentally fit.

Savage also says they are working diligently to prepare themselves for when gyms across the nation reopen.

So to get your work-in on, you can visit Planet Fitness Facebook and Twitter at Planet Fitness or you can download the Planet Fitness app, which is completely free to everyone. And if you arent able to join in live, each workout will also be available to view on both the Planet Fitness Facebook page and YouTube channel after the broadcast is over. For more information, you can visit their website at http://www.planetfitness.com/united-we-move.

Go here to read the rest:
Planet Fitness' "United We Move" Campaign is offering free work-ins amid the coronavirus pandemic - 47abc - WMDT

Can watching your blood sugar help fight COVID-19?

Sugar is not only something that sweetens our food. It is also something that is an essential part of the proteins that make up our bodies.

That led me to believe, as I wrote in the Journal of Medical Virology, that control of blood glucose by diet and exercise, as well as better control of blood sugar in diabetics, especially when ill with COVID-19, may possibly help control the severity of the disease and even its spread.

I have worked in the field of breast cancer for many years, and my colleagues and I have been trying to use a drug called hydroxychloroquine in clinical trials. The goal: reduce the number of breast cancer cells in the bone marrow and prevent their re-emergence many years later to cause recurrence whats called tumor dormancy.

You probably have heard a lot about the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine in recent months as it has been suggested as a treatment for COVID-19. No conclusive evidence to date proves that hydroxychloroquine is effective. But, it turns out, hydroxychloroquine might be able to lower blood sugar like metformin.

Colleagues of mine have shared that many of their COVID-19 patients not only had diabetes but some were undiagnosed diabetics as well.

Knowing the drugs potential to lower blood sugar, coupled with reports of high blood sugar in COVID-19 patients, led me to put both together to try to explain some things about COVID-19 and how blood sugar may interact with the virus.

The new coronavirus infects cells by attaching to the surface through a receptor called the angiotensin converting enzyme 2, or ACE2. Both the ACE2 and the virus need sugar molecules bound to their protein for this to work properly.

My idea, which I have described in a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Medical Virology, is that COVID-19 infection and its severity is influenced by the concentration of sugar-coated virus and the concentration of sugar-coated ACE2 receptors in the lung tissues. The degree and control of the lungs immune response may also depend on how much sugar is attached to viruss spike protein approximately eight to 10 days after symptoms start, which may vary depending on your age and sex

Researchers already know that people with diabetes are more vulnerable to COVID-19. What is unusual is that when I talked to physicians around the country taking care of COVID-19 patients, they told me that a lot of their patients in the hospital not only had diabetes and prediabetes but others had high blood sugar, without being aware of it. There is a recent report from Wuhan, China, that finds that is true there as well. COVID-19 patients with Type 2 diabetes have poor glucose control.

People with SARS - which is related to the new coronavirus seem to get high blood sugar temporarily when they get infected as well.

This makes sense because there are a lot of ACE2 receptors on the so-called islet cells of the pancreas. These are the cells that make insulin which is critical for controlling blood sugar. If the virus infects these cells, then they stop making insulin and you can get a temporary diabetes with COVID-19.

High blood sugar increases the number of sugar-coated ACE2 receptors in the lungs of diabetic mice. So not only are the number of receptors greater, but also there are more sugars attached to them. This makes it easier for the virus to infect cells. When there is more insulin, or through diet or exercise, there is less sugar, so there are fewer ACE2 receptors and less sugar on each one, and this may reduce the amount of virus getting into the cell.

That suggests that a high blood sugar test called hemoglobin A1c which can be used even in those without diabetes or prediabetes could be used as a marker for patients at risk for COVID-19 disease. In fact, 3.8% of the U.S. population has a high A1c.

Hydroxychloroquine may work by blocking processes in the cell that add sugars to proteins. This the opposite of what high blood sugar seems to do. This would theoretically impede the virus from interacting with its receptor and modulate the inflammatory response to the virus.

It is unclear whether hydroxychloroquine will work for everyone, or even in a small group of patients. While the medical community awaits clinical trials to tell us once and for all if hydroxychloroquine works in COVID-19, the interesting thing to me is that this debate may have brought us a possible hypothesis as to why high blood sugar may make the disease worse, and possibly what to do about it.

A lot of new drugs and theories are emerging about COVID-19 and the science is advancing rapidly. It is important to have theories explaining what you are seeing clinically and scientifically to see if they fit and then test them. If not, try a variation. It is the thinking and the testing that will allow us to beat COVID-19.

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

See the article here:
Blood sugar levels may influence vulnerability to coronavirus, and controlling them through conventional means might be protective - The Conversation...