This is what we expected Moyo to do when we showed him a target buoy for the first time. When he touched it with his nose to sniff it, we used our bridge (the clicker) and gave him a reward. Timing is the most important part of capturing a behavior, so you can communicate to an animal exactly what they did to earn a reward and what they can do to earn it in the future. With a few repetitions, Moyo quickly learned that touching his nose to the target buoy each time its placed on the fence will earn him a treat.

Targeting is a great tool that we can use to train other behaviors, too. Weight can be an indicator of an animals health and body condition, but you cant just pick up a zebra and place him on a scale. Moyo has to put himself on the scale, and just as important, he has to want to. Stepping onto a platform that feels and sounds unfamiliar was not something Moyo initially wanted to do. When asking an animal to do something that scares them, it is important to slowly build their confidence and keep the experience positive. Its also important that the animal has a well-established relationship with their keeper. That trust allows them to feel safer.

Because Moyo has such a positive relationship with his main keeper, Deb Grupenhoff, she was able to build his confidence over time. He first learned to follow his target around the scale, and then onto it. Finally, he learned to stop with all four feet placed on the scale. Eventually, Moyo learned that the scale is not dangerous, and he is rewarded with treats each time he is weighed. He does noteven need his target anymore.

See the original post:
How Do You Train a Zebra? - Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Dog training is more than just suggesting to your dog that he should stop doing what he is doing. Dog training is confidence; you teach him how to feel safe and know you're going to take care of him. It's also not generally a complicated process, but it's a process that requires a lot of patience, and the ability to interpret the types of training techniques are most appropriate for the particular dog you're training. This specific training is a practice we engage with our dog and not to our dogs. For every dog or puppy, we want to train, the most important thing is to get started today because it is a journey of a process.

To train a dog, there is a need for the right equipment and patience to get the job done. Equipment is an essential part of the training, and it has to make the dog feel comfortable. Be sure to check leather dog equipment online with your veterinarian to make sure you make the right choice when purchasing your dog training equipment.

CHECK IT FOR:

Make sure you close the collar and the buckles correctly and securely.

If your dog is a puppy, make sure it fits well and isn't big enough.

Check all for wear and tear, and particularly for chews and rips where the mouth of the dog can touch/reach it.

ESSENTIAL AND SAFETY DOG TRAINING EQUIPMENT:

A collar with a clip or buckle attached to it. It should be loose but not too much. It's not supposed to have a choke, remember that your dog is in training and will need some patience and space.

A lead of about four to six feet is perfect for the job. If the lead is too short, the dog will feel uncomfortable and trapped if it is too long, you will find it difficult to control the dog and express your wishes and orders. The leads are made of different types of materials, but the best and easiest to use are canvas, leather, or nylon. Do not use a chain lead when you are exercising your dog.

Also, a poop scoop is required when you go out with your dog. Each time you take your dog out, some sort of poop scoop is also essential. These have many styles and are made of various materials.

EFFECTIVE TIPS ON TRAINING YOUR DOG

Every teaching requires attention if you're teaching humans the attention of the person is needed, but in this case, you're teaching an animal off-which it's attention is required. If your dog doesn't pay attention to you, the training will all be in vain, no matter how many times you show him something or ask him for something. The first trick to teach your dog is to get his attention with a little treat. If he listens to you, you can start with simple commands such as "Sit," "Down," "Roll Over," and "Stay." You should move to the more complex directions like "Fetch" once these are mastered. Consistency is the secret to your dog's training success, but it is also essential to initially restrict your training time to 15 minutes a day.

The training environment must be safe, quiet, and distraction-free so that the attention of your dog stays firmly fixed upon you. Start teaching a new behavior always in an environment of minimal distractions, like your living room. If your dog has learned to behave inside your home, slowly move to places with more distractions-for instance, an exercise in your yard, then on a quiet street, then in a park, later on, a busier street with people walking about, and so forth.

Treat your dog with his favorite food, a hug, or even a stroll as pet masters your commands should be one by one. Reward and positive reinforcement are the keys to get your pet motivated. When he is earning a treat or receiving love, he will want to repeat his acts and follow a particular order. Nonetheless, persevere whether he roams away or refuses any instructions. If your dog is not doing what you are asking him to do, go back to the point where he's been good. He is neither stubborn nor disobedient. Most possibly, he doesn't know what you want him to do. e.g., if your dog knows how to sit and stay for ten seconds, but will not do it for 20 seconds, go back to ten seconds and build on that slowly. Getting going in crawl steps is safer than setting the dog up for failure.

Fully or total patience is required when teaching a dog, and giving up halfway does nothing-for you both. Do not give him what he wants unless he begins to obey your commands. But consistency is the key to your dog's effective training.

If your dog shows any signs of provocation, to prevent escalation, always contact a trainer sooner rather than later. Choose a skilled trainer who uses strength-free, constructive strengthening techniques when you need more assistance in training your dog.

If your dog doesn't feel good, this may affect his behavior, but in this situation, training isn't the answer. To keep your dog safe, feed him on a high-quality diet, provide regular physical activity and play, and encourage socialization, mental stimulation, and enough rest and quiet time. Has your dog tested by a veterinarian regularly? When you note a sudden change in his attitude or any indications that he doesn't feel right, a veterinary examination is required before you adopt a training program. Training the dog has endurance, discipline, and plenty of bonuses to it.

Make the workout enjoyable and optimistic, and he will react the way you want him!

2018 NatureWorldNews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

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How to Effectively and Safely Train Your Dog - Nature World News

If youre forever afflicted by period pain and menstrual cramps, these simple remedies will bring you truckloads of relief!

Women across the world suffer from menstrual cramps before, and during, their period.

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Scientifically, they happen because the muscles of the womb contract and relax to help shed the tissues and built-up lining in the uterus. However, the intensity may vary from woman to woman due to certain lifestyle factors.

If youre someone who maintains a healthy diet and exercises regularly, chances are youd experience zero or mild pain at best. Whereas if youre someone who doesnt routinely follow a healthy lifestyle, you may possibly suffer from unbearable period pain.

In both cases, you need some home remedies to help you through the trying time. Read on for super helpful tips on how you can relatively have a painless, cramp-free period cycle:

This hot and cold abdomen pack, made of cotton fabric, is designed to relieve pain in the lower back and abdomen areas by combining hot and cold therapy with aromatherapy. You can heat it or refrigerate it according to your needs and benefit immensely from the aromatic herbs, oils and seeds that are infused into the material. The elastic velcro strap secures it safely into place, allowing you to move freely while applying the pack.

This roll-on is made using five essential oilsrosemary, eucalyptus, methane crystal and lavenderall blended in a composition that helps in reducing menstrual cramps and period pain in women.

The oils are mixed based on traditional Ayurvedic formulas of aromatherapy, that work wonders for you. Just roll it gently on the affected areas, and get instant relief.

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This is an easy-to-apply patch which helps the affected area of discomfort by providing instant relief. Made using menthol and eucalyptus oil that are known to provide relief from pain, inflammation and gastrointestinal difficulties; these patches are recommended for usage on the lower abdomen or lower back during cramps.

Theyre entirely chemical-free and work for 8-12 hours.

Studies show that chamomile tea considerably helps relieve menstrual cramps and bloating. Thats because the tea helps increase glycine in the bodya chemical that relieves muscle spasms and acts as a nerve relaxant. Drinking a cup or two during your period will also ensure you get a good nights sleep.

Both dark chocolates and peanut butter contain magnesium and fibre that ease muscle cramps quicker. Magnesium helps regulate serotonin and also prevents you from bloating. Its wise to choose a chocolate with a greater cocoa content for best results.

Also, remember to keep yourself hydrated. So, water should be your best friend too during that time of the month.

Also Read: 5 Body Oils & Butters That Will Reduce And Smoothen Stretch Marks Naturally

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Picture Credits: Sanfe Roll-On

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Excerpt from:
Dread Period Pain? 5 Effective Traditional Remedies to Reduce Cramps - The Better India

A trial industrial hemp crop in Western Australia. Image DPIRD.

AUSTRALIAN researchers might know by the end of this year whether industrial hemp has potential or problems as a feed source for sheep.

A new research project backed by the Western Australian McGowan Government will examine the potential for hemp as a feed source for sheep.

Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan announced the project at the Australian Industrial Hemp Conference in Fremantle late last month.

Ms MacTiernans office said interest is growing in the industrial hemp industry, due to the crops versatility for a range of end products spanning from food and oil, to textiles, paper, building materials and fuel.

The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, in collaboration with ChemCentre WA and Charles Sturt University, will lead the research project to test the nutritional value of hemp as a summer grazing option for sheep. The trials are planned for WA and New South Wales, and will examine the meat quality of sheep on a hemp diet.

The research aims to enhance understanding around potential transfer of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to meat products, to determine if hemp can be safely used as a feed source for food producing animals. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana that gives the high sensation to users. However, industrial hemp varieties contain lower THC levels than cannabis grown to produce marijuana for medical or recreational use. The low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) variety ofCannabis sativa, has been identified as a high-yielding (5-15t biomass/ha, 0.6-1.2t seed/ha).

Meat products supplied for human consumption in WA are not permitted to contain detectable levels of THC, with similar restrictions affecting the use of hemp as feed across Australia and a number of other countries. The project also has funding support from research partners and industry partner St Francis Group.

An industrial hemp crop in Western Australia. Image DPIRD.

Livestock research and development director for WAs Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Dr Bruce Mullan said industrial hemp has been grown around Australia for some time.

But current regulations restrict grazing livestock because of the THC content.

Current regulation in Australia restricts grazing livestock on hemp crops due to lack of data on the accumulation of THC in animal tissues. The research project aims to provide preliminary data on sheep fed industrial hemp biomass at varying doses. Two experiments will measure THC metabolism, excretion, storage and clearance, digestibility, stress response, animal performance and meat quality.

So as a crop it has been grown for other purposes, but there is still an opportunity there for it to be used for livestock.

And if we dont have guidelines then people will start using it without approval probably, so we have got to provide some basic information, Dr Mullan said.

Dr Mullan said the initial trial work will look at the nutrient value of hemp for sheep.

But it will also look at THC excretion and accumulation; is it going just into the fat or is it going into the meat, what is the turnover?

Sheep will be fed pellets with various levels of hemp and then the excretion and accumulation of THC will be measured.

The hemp is being grown now, so it will be harvested in the next month or so and the trial work will happen and be completed by the end of this year.

WAs Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the hemp industry is growing fast in WA, with hemp licences doubling over the past two years.

There are more than 70 commercial crops and seven hemp research plot trials this season, using 22 hemp varieties.

Research, such as the new livestock trials announced today, is vital to help fill information gaps and give growers, processors and innovators the knowledge to take this industry to the next level.

The McGowan Government has provided grants worth more than $400,000 to industry over the past 15 months to support hemp research, development and processing.

Link:
WA and NSW researchers not sheepish on hemp research - Sheep Central

If youve got a little one on the way, or are thinking about adding to your family soon, youre probably already focusing on your babys health and nourishment (#momlife). Which brings the conversation to your own nutrition: What if you are looking to lose weight before getting pregnant and want to try a diet of the moment, such as intermittent fasting (IF)? Or maybe you're curious about it's purported longevity or blood sugar benefits.

Whatever the reason is behind your IF interest, you might be curious about how to maintain those eating patterns during your actual pregnancy. Or, perhaps you just found out youre pregnant and want to know the safest way to continue or wean yourself off of a fasting diet.

Yep, these are questions and concerns that docs and prenatal nutritionists hear from expectant mamas these days, given all the hype surrounding fasting diets right now. So here's the lowdown on intermittent fasting for pregnant womenwith input from Jennifer Wu, MD, an ob-gyn at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, and Nicole German Morgan, RDN, LD, CLT, a dietitian with a background in prenatal nutrition.

And, as always, experts advise you to always check in with your health-care provider before making any dietary changes, especially if youre newly pregnant or planning to get pregnant.

Generally, fasting isnt recommended for pregnant women. While research shows that intermittent fasting can benefit metabolism, lead to weight loss, and may potentially reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, it can actually lower a pregnant womans blood sugar too much. Low blood sugar in combination with the natural drop in blood pressure in pregnant women could lead to lightheadedness and fainting, says Dr. Wu.

An older study that focused on religious intermittent fasting in pregnant women (with healthy pregnancies) found that fetal movement was lower when mothers were fasting. This makes sense, because her glucose levels would be low, and fetal movement is tied to how much glucose (aka an energy source for the bod) the fetus is able to get from the mother. That's why most religious fasting gives an exemption to pregnant women, Dr. Wu adds.

So, intense fasting is a no-go for pregnant women (more on that later). But the only type of fasting that may be safe for women who arent too far along in pregnancy is an overnight fast, for about 12 hours maximum. But, even doing a 12-hour fast depends on the trimester, explains Morgan.

During the early stages of the first trimester, its of course essential to focus on consuming enough important prenatal nutrients, but your body may not need that many more additional calories than your normal intake. In the third trimester, and the later stages of the second trimester, intermittent fasting may not be appropriate at allmany women will require an additional evening snack prior to bedtime, or need to eat quickly upon waking, Morgan explains.

You need to make sure that you are getting enough of the essential nutrients as well as calories (many pregnant women are advised to add about 300 extra calories a day), especially if you start out your pregnancy underweight or even at normal weight, so restricting your eating may not be the right solution, she adds.

If youre early on in the pregnancy, doing a modified version of intermittent fasting, by fasting overnight for about 12 hours (as mentioned) would be your only moderately safe option. According to Morgan, this would involve fasting from about 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. at night to 7 p.m. or 8 a.m. the next morning, which might be your normal eating schedule anyway.

But, you dont want to cram too many calories into a short period of time, as that isnt healthy for digestion, or miss out on calories necessary to nourish the baby by spacing out your eating too much, she points out. The other popular versions of IF schedulesthe 16:8 diet (where you eat within an eight-hour window), the 5:2 method, which involves eating normally five days a week and pulling back on calorie intake substantially two days a week, or alternate-day fastingshould all be off-limits, as theyre too extreme for any pregnant women.

Eating schedules are really different for everyone. But Dr. Wu generally recommends eating more frequently when you're pregnant instead, with small meals about every two to three hours, especially during the first trimester, when morning sickness is prevalent and you may not be in the mood to eat a huge meal at one time. This also helps to keep the blood sugar steady in the second and third trimesters, Dr. Wu says.

But for patients who struggle with heartburn during pregnancy, Dr. Wu suggests stopping eating about four hours before going to sleep to allow more time for digestion, since heartburn may be worse once you lie down in bed. If you follow those guidelines, you may not tend to eat until breakfast upon waking up, so it is actually somewhat similar to an IF schedule.

Yep, you want to eat more frequently, without large chunks of time without nutrients. Here's why: Eating more frequently helps keep your blood sugar and blood pressureand the babysstable. To promote more [weight] maintenance and less weight loss, it may be smart to widen your window of eating in order to be able to consume a more balanced diet, Morgan says.

Believe it or not, if youre trying for a baby, IF could help in some circumstances. If patients are overweight or obese, they may have irregular cycles and trouble ovulating, which can make it tough to get pregnant. So following an IF diet (which typically means you'll be restricting your calorie intake) may yield weight loss, and in turn, improve fertility.

For example: Women with polycystic ovary syndromeor PCOS, which often disrupts metabolism, the menstrual cycle, and ovulationmay encounter fertility issues. But, as one study showed, losing weight (by reducing calorie intake generally by 500 to 1,000 calories per day) may help overweight women with PCOS produce luteinizing hormone, and in turn, ovulate more regularly (and therefore get pregnant more easily). Dr. Wu asserts that IF is fine for weight loss, but that you should stop dieting upon finding out that youre pregnant.

On the other end of the spectrum, if youre underweight, continuing to restrict your eating and calorie intake can be detrimental to fertility. In extreme cases, intermittent fasting and losing weight may actually adversely affect fertility as patients may stop menstruating and ovulating, Dr. Wu says. Morgan adds that eating less frequently while practicing IF can put the body under high stress, which is not helpful when it comes to getting pregnant. The most important point for fertility is to nourish the body in a balanced way, and not to let the body feel as if it is under stress, says Morgan.

In short, no. Weight loss is, in general, not a thing you want to focus on at all during pregnancy. So you want to speak to your doctor about potentially terminating a particular diet you're on to make sure you're approaching pregnancy safely for you and the baby.

During pregnancy, it's more about staying at a healthy weight, or not gaining too much weight during the pregnancy if youre overweight. If patients are overweight or obese when they become pregnant, the recommendation is to gain less weight, around 15 to 20 pounds, depending on the weight of the patient, Dr. Wu says.

Eating more frequently helps keep your blood sugar and blood pressureand the babysstable.

But even if the patient is overweight, or develops gestational diabetes during pregnancy, for instance, fasting still isnt the answer, because it could interfere with any blood sugar-regulating medication the patient is on, she notes.

Of course, there are many factors that can impact your weight during pregnancy, and it also depends on the trimester youre in. For example, its normal for women to drop a few pounds during the first trimester from morning sickness, nausea, or even hyperemesis gravidarum. It's not a good idea to lose any weight at all during the second or third trimester, Morgan says. But ultimately the advised amount of weight gain during pregnancy depends on the patient and is something you should discuss at length with your doctor so that you feel informed and comfortable.

The bottom line: Nutrition during pregnancy is highly individualized to the person, how high-risk the pregnancy is, and the prior health conditions of the motherafter all, no one persons body or metabolism is the same. Before trying any new diet or changing your eating habits, its important to check in with your healthcare provider to ensure that its safe and sustainable for you to continue throughout pregnancy.

Read more:
Is Intermittent Fasting While Pregnant Safe? - Everything To Know - Women's Health

Plastic bottles are everywhere. Thats right! Everywhere you go, you see them. They are cheap. You dont have to pay anything to get one with your drink and you dont need a replacement to carry one home. They have made our lives convenient, why lie. There was a time when to buy a bottle of soda you had to go to the shop with a replacement bottle or be prepared to pay extra (deposit). Well, plastic happened and those days are now well tucked away in distant memory. The millennials may not even be aware that we once lived through that era.Plastic, especially the single use variety, revolutionised the packaging industry. Most importantly, it turned our shopping experience on its head. The convenience of plastic, however, came with a price. A steep one, I must add. That is a bit of an oxymoron, quite evidently. How can something so cheap come with a steep price? Here is why.Plastic, as you may have observed, clogs street drains. This is a very common sight in Nairobi and other towns across Kenya. Sometimes we wonder how so many plastic bottles got into storm drainage. Besides being unsightly, they cause flooding during the rainy season. Floods destroy roads and peoples livelihoods. They sweep away houses, cars, trees, animals and people. They generally complicate life in urban neighbourhoods, making it difficult for people to get to their jobs or access their homes.

SEE ALSO :In Norway, bottles made of plastic are still fantastic

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Let us strive to reduce plastic bottle pollution - Standard Digital

Heart disease is the single biggest killer in Scotland. It acts as a huge burden on the NHS, with someone in Scotland being admitted to hospital due to a heart attack every 50 minutes. It causes daily devastation, with coronary heart disease causing around 18 deaths every day.

New research and innovative technologies are in place and advancing every day to help combat the issue with a strong focus on continuing to build on vital research, preventing heart diseases from developing, and ensuring that those with existing conditions live longer, better lives.

In recent years, significant progress has been made to reduce death rates, thanks to these advances in diagnosis, treatment and care of coronary problems.

Sixty years ago, seven in 10 people who had a heart attack in this country didnt survive. Now, seven in 10 people whove had a heart attack return home to their families.

Those who do safely return can act as ambassadors for the prevention of heart disease.

Known as secondary prevention, those who have suffered a problem a small heart attack for example then use this scare to take action, reassessing their diet and exercise.

The oil and gas industry, particularly those offshore, is made up of an ageing workforce.

Cardiac problems are no stranger to these workers. Although many return to work with a new mindset inspired by secondary prevention a huge number also arent given this second chance at life.

Preventing coronary artery disease is largely about controlling the risk factors.

Ideally, prevention habits start early, but they remain important all through life. Its never too late to change, though the earlier in life you do so, the greater the advantage.Smart steps to take include:

Ditch the cigarettes. Smoking is considered one of the key risk factors in causing heart attacks. It makes the walls of your arteries sticky from the chemicals, so fatty material can stick to them. If the arteries that carry blood to your heart get damaged and clogged, it can lead to a heart attack. Not much better is passive smoking. So whenever possible, steer clear of second-hand smoke.

Eat better. Aim for an eating plan thats low in saturated and trans fats and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The fats found in olive oil and fish, those high in fibre (found in plant foods), and treats low in salt and sugar will also keep your heart healthier for longer.

Keep active. A good goal is at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise each week. Aim to be active for 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. Adding in walks over lunch, and opting for the stairs instead of the lift can help promote this. Simple steps, big differences.

Be mindful. Some stress is unavoidable in life but it tends to push us towards the bad stuff that can lead to heart problems (overeating, drinking, lazing too much). Consider your mental health as well as your heart health and your body will thank you for it. Try using exercise or mediation to relax.

Dr Stuart Scott is medical director at Iqarus

Read more here:
At the heart of the matter - News for the Oil and Gas Sector - Energy Voice

Cant seem to keep that weight off? Youre not alone, say University of Alberta health experts who suggest weight loss shouldnt be the primary motivation behind healthy lifestyle changes.

Obesity expert Arya Sharma said there is a growing body of research showing that upwards of 95 per cent of those who achieve any sort of meaningful weight loss will pack it back on, and then some, within a couple of years.

Why does maintaining weight loss have such a grim outlook? Sharma said its because you cant fight biology.

In fact, biology will fight you, and fight you very effectively.

He explained that as we gain weight, our bodys biology changes and will actually start defending that higher body weight as the new normal, regardless of how you put it on.

Sharma said the brain has a whole bag of tricks at its disposal, with the sole purpose of trying to get you to eatbeginning with increasing appetite and heightening taste and smell.

As you start eating less, your body senses there's not enough calories coming in, and you start having cravings, he said. In fact, you might even find food that you normally don't likehigh-caloric foodwill actually seem much more attractive to you.

The next strategy your body employs to combat any substantial weight loss is to reduce the amount of calories it burns.

If there's not enough calories coming in, the body turns down the thermostat, he said. Thats why people who lose weight often complain of feeling cold.

And if that werent enough, Sharma said that in the face of reduced calories, the body gets more fuel-efficient, able to cut calorie consumption during physical activity.

That's the big difference between biology and physics. If you look at your car, you can't teach your car to run on less fuel, but you can train your body to run on less fuel and you can become more fuel-efficientit's an adaptive system.

When those three things are taken togetherincreasing appetite and burning fewer calories at rest and at playalong with genetics and the fact that most of us have a finite amount of willpower, Sharma said it doesnt matter what exercise program you follow or which diet you implementyour body's going to want those calories back.

I liken it to pulling on a rubber band. You lose the weight and now you're pulling on this rubber band, and you have to keep pulling. The minute you let go, it's just going to snap back. Thats what makes long-term weight loss so difficult.

Sharma said because weight loss and weight maintenance carry on basically forever, obesity needs to be treated as a chronic disease.

When you have diabetes, and you need to follow a diet and take your insulin, you need to follow your diet and take insulin forever. Its the same thing.

He added the treatments that work best in the long term are the ones that fight this biology, such as bariatric surgery and medications that can block the adaptive responses of the body.

The body can still fight it, which is why there are some people who have bariatric surgery or who take the medication and then go off, who still end up putting the weight back on, said Sharma.

That just tells you how powerful those mechanisms can be.

According to Kim Raine, an obesity researcher in the School of Public Health, we are unwittingly helping our nature to gain weight with a seismic shift in the last 40 or so years in our environment.

We may be eating more than we used to and we may be less physically active than before, but it's not generally our choice to do thatit's that our environment has changed significantly, she said.

For instance, the ability to have food at our beck and call has increased exponentially in the last number of years. About a decade ago, Raines lab did an assessment of the relative amount of fast food and convenience stores compared with grocery stores in the city of Edmonton. They used fast food and convenience stores as a proxy for unhealthy high-calorie food, and grocery stores as a proxy for where you at least have the option of getting something healthier.

They counted 61 grocery stores and 761 fast food and convenience stores.

We've got this exposure to food like we've never had beforethat's the physical environment.

Perhaps even more invasive than the availability of food is the constant bombardment of messages promoting unhealthy food. Raine noted that marketers of unhealthy foods and beverages spend more money in three days than governments trying to promote healthy eating spend in a year.

And then we expect the nutrition education campaign that says eat your vegetables to counteract that. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

The uptick in motorized transportation means we don't walk anywhere anymore, and even well-meaning policies aimed at giving people greater access and increased choice to schools might be having a deleterious effect on physical activity.

Raine suggested open boundary policies that allow students to attend the school of their choice no matter where they live might be helping to drive the obesity epidemic too, as many kids are no longer walking to their neighbourhood school.

Because even if we work out an hour a day, it doesn't necessarily make up for what you would have walking back and forth to school or work four times, she said.

It's not a single one of those pieces that causes the problem, its when you add them all up.

While schools themselves do their best to teach kids about nutrition, Raine said students can walk out into the hallway to find a vending machine filled with high-calorie junk food.

We're fighting against an environment that is really pushing us to consume more and to be less active, she said. We need to move beyond trying to teach people to cope with the environment, and change the environment.

Raine said it can start in school. The U of A-led APPLE Schools program promotes the value of healthy eating and physical activity, but these programs need to be mandatory and need to be better funded.

Restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children would also help, Raine said. Such restrictions have been in place in Quebec since 1980, and research shows those children consume significantly less fast food and have lower obesity rates.

She said subsidizing healthier foods and taxing high-sodium, high-sugar foods would also help, but added no one thing is going to solve the problem.

We can learn from successes in tobacco control. Raising taxes, restricting access to minors or eliminating advertisingeach one of those things individually did not make major changes to tobacco use, but collectively they changed the culture and denormalized tobacco use.

As for what we can do, health law and policy researcher Timothy Caulfield recommends steering clear of fad diets.

These diets gain traction because people do lose weight. But theyre losing weight because they pay attention to what they're eating for a little while, he said.

One thing I often say to people is, Can you name a single diet that worked long-term? If that existed, we would know.

He said what frustrates him most is that almost all of the marketing and pop-culture references to diet and exercise are tied to weight loss and aesthetics.

The best diet is the diet that works for you, is sustainable, is healthy and is enjoyable. If it's not enjoyable, it's not going to be sustainable.

U of A nutrition expert Sabina Valentine said one of the problems with fad diets is they often target foods we need, like protein, fat and carbohydrates.

I don't want people going out and eating loads and loads of fat, which happens in the keto diet. In moderate amountsperhaps 30 per cent of your dietfat contributes to a healthy diet.

Same with carbohydrates, which Valentine said have got a bad rap in the last decade, largely because of sugar.

Here are all these people avoiding carbohydrates, but they contain fibre, which plays an important role not only for decreasing health riskslike cancer and heart diseasebut also for making you feel full.

Rather than restrictive fad diets, Valentine said healthy eating should focus on making common-sense decisions and not being too hard on yourself after enjoying dessert at a party, for instance.

Learning how to include some of those yummy things in your diet kind of gives you that stick-to-itiveness, she said.

More:
Why losing weight isn't the right reason to adopt a healthier lifestyle - Folio - University of Alberta

March is National Nutrition Month. Dianne Neumark-Sztainer with the University of Minnesota talks about what healthy eating habits are, what parents can do to encourage their kids to have healthy eating habits and more.

Q: What are healthy eating habits?Dr. Neumark-Sztainer: Healthy eating habits involve a combination of things. One is enjoyable eating, such as eating family meals or eating at a social event. Another is intuitive eating or paying attention to our body's cues (e.g. when your body tells you youre full to stop eating). We can also engage in mindful eating when we pay attention to what we are eating and more fully enjoy the food that we are eating. Finally, it is important to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, choose nutrient-dense foods, and avoid foods that are high in calories and low in nutrients.

Q: What are things parents can do to encourage healthy eating habits?Dr. Neumark-Sztainer: The four cornerstones I focus on in my book Im, Like, SO Fat! Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices about Eating and Exercise in a Weight-Obsessed World are the following:

Q: What are signs that someone may not have healthy eating habits?Dr. Neumark-Sztainer: Unhealthy eating habits may include under- or over-eating, not consuming enough healthy food each day, or consuming too much of one type of food or drink. There may also be a change in ones attitudes toward eating, such as not enjoying eating, fearing eating, avoiding eating with others or using food as a coping mechanism.

Think about whether there has been a change in your childs behavior (e.g., eating, level of activity, social interactions), mood (e.g., becoming more socially withdrawn) or physical appearance (e.g., weight change). As a parent, it is not your place to decide whether your child has an eating disorder that is for a professional. It is within your role as a parent to identify any possible problems; open doors for communication with your child; get your child to professional help for diagnosis as early as possible; and work as a collaborative player with members of the health care team if they decide treatment would be helpful.

Q: What should people do if they believe a loved one may have an eating disorder?Dr. Neumark-Sztainer: The chance for recovery increases the earlier an eating disorder is detected. Talk to the person in a manner that shows a great deal of caring, concern about specific behaviors and firmness about the need for help. Make sure to prepare for your conversation up front, write down what you want to say and practice on someone else.

Q: What are you doing to advance research on healthy eating habits?Dr. Neumark-Sztainer: At the University of Minnesota, we are conducting one of largest and most comprehensive studies on eating and weight in adolescents, young adults and families called Project EAT. The project involves the long-term study of two large cohorts of adolescents from the Twin Cities as they progress from adolescence through adulthood.

I currently have funding from the National Institutes of Health to learn more about how best to work with young people and families dealing with challenging life circumstances such as poverty, racism and exposure to stressful life events. We need to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our most vulnerable populations, because we are witnessing growing disparities and inequities in eating and weight-related problems. It is now clear that eating disorders influence young people from different social and ethnic/racial backgrounds and we need to learn more about how to ensure that the needs of all youth are being met.

A newer area of research that I am engaged in involves the study of yoga and how this practice can help with issues of body image, eating practices, and other measures of well-being. This interest stems from my own yoga practice and in-depth study of this practice.

Dianne Neumark-Sztainer is a professor and head of the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Her research focuses on a broad spectrum of eating and weight-related outcomes including eating disorders, unhealthy weight control behaviors, body image, dietary intake, weight stigmatization and obesity.

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Talking healthy eating habits with U of M - UMN News