From Men's Health

Jonny Cruz had two problems: Facebook and a fear of death by workout. The 36-year-old- actor from West Hollywood, California, had started working as a creative producer with the social media giant, only to find that free meals and snacks at work were an irresistible temptation. I have always had a lean frame, so I don't look heavy or fat per se, he says, but grazing all day had him taking in a lot of extra calories.

Meanwhile, hed stopped really exercising. It all started when he tried to get back in the gym after slacking off for a few years. Suddenly he found that any strenuous exercise left him feeling dizzy. I got really worried that I had something going on with my health but was too afraid to get it checked out, he says.

That left him in a bind, adding more pounds while not getting the exercise he needed to burn calories. To the naked eye you wouldn't really think anything about my weight, but I could really feel it, he says. Tired of feeling sluggish and dizzy, he finally talked to a cardiologist, who confirmed his heart was healthy. Cruz realized hed created his own barriers to getting back in shape; he felt especially guilty for having a girlfriend who runs marathons while he worried a workout might kill him. At 158 pounds, his body fat percentage was 19.24 percent.

His doctor told him that his dizziness would likely subside as he exercised. So Cruz threw himself into a six-week transformation at Ultimate Performance. His initial assessment rolled right into a workoutIt was great cause I didn't have time to freak out, he says. He felt on the brink of dizziness, but as he kept going the feeling disappeared. Soon he was training without fear.

Photo credit: Jonny Cruz/Ultimate Performance

To fix his diet, he switched to a macro eating plan, logging all of his intake in MyFitnessPal. Hed never done that before, and soon learned the value of tracking fats, carbs, and protein. It was a challenge, but he realized how important it was to know exactly what he was eating. He even signed up with a service called MacroPlate, which delivered meals designed to fit his plan.

Along the way, he un-learned some bad habits, including form that hadnt been serving him well. It was a lot of pain, but very rewarding to see how much more weight or reps I was doing each week, he says.

Within two weeks he could pinch his fat and notice it felt looser. In six weeks he lost nine pounds and dropped his body fat to just over 10 percent, giving him a super-cut look. I was amazed at how much muscle I gained, he says. I didn't think I would get lean and build muscle the way I did. Hes now bulking up, especially focusing on his legs.

For him, the transformation was all about diving in. Make a full commitment to what you want to achieve, he says. Find an environment that supports your dedication and keeps you accountable. The accountability will keep you grounded in the beginning, helping you shape a new habit.

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Simple Diet Changes Helped This Guy Build Muscle and Get Shredded in 6 Weeks - Yahoo Lifestyle

I meet very few people who feel they have healthy digital habits locked down. I certainly dont. There have been days when my screentime tipped the six-hour mark.

When I couldnt focus on friends, family or the work task in front of me, because I was on high alert for the whooshing sound of a WhatsApp message, the ding of an iMessage, the tinkle of a notification on Facebook Messenger, the thud of an email.

Last year, I felt like I should constantly be checking something, like I might be missing something but the more time I spent on my phone, the more anxious I became. Scrolling mindlessly through Instagram, Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger was the last thing I did at night and the first thing I did after waking up.

The average British smartphone user spends three hours and 23 minutes on their phone every day, rising to four hours in the 16-24 age group, according to a recent poll. One in six smartphone users spends more than six hours a day staring at their mobile, like me.

The impact on our health and happiness is profound. An October 2019 study by psychologists at Kings College London suggested that one in four young people has a dysfunctional relationship with their smartphone, and that people with problematic smartphone use are three times more likely to suffer from depression, as well as anxiety, stress and poor sleep, plus poorer educational attainment.

Its important to note that this is not our fault, says Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up with Your Phone and founder of screenlifebalance.com.

Phones are designed to be habit-forming by offering rapid and repeated stimulation. Yes, I believe its possible to reap the benefits of this technology, but its very, very difficult for individual users to benefit from the positives of social media without risking behaviour change and addiction.

In his book, The Hacking Of The American Mind, Robert Lustig compares the addictive properties of technology to sugar and drugs. Lustig points out that dopamine (thereward neurotransmitter) hasevolved to overwhelm serotonin(the contentment neurotransmitter) because our ancestors were more likely to survive if they were constantly motivated.

In the past 40 years, large corporations have promoted ever-available temptation (sugar, drugs, social media, porn), which, combined with constant stress (work, home, money, internet), has the end result of an unprecedented epidemic of addiction, anxiety, depression, and chronic disease, says Lustig. The [mobile] phone is like a slot machine. With every ding, a variable reward, either good or bad, is in store for the user the ultimate dopamine rush.

Its no longer a secret that smartphones, and their apps, were specifically engineered to be addictive, to keep users coming back for more and generate more revenue through the advertising-based business model. Tristan Harris is a former Google employee, and one of Silicon Valleys most prominent whistle-blowers.

Never before has a handful of people working at a handful of tech companies been able to steer the thoughts and feelings of a billion people, he said in a talk at Stanford University. There are more users on Facebook than followers of Christianity. There are more people on YouTube than followers of Islam. I dont know a more urgent problem than this.

So far, so terrifying, but at least weve recognised that smartphone addiction or overuse is a problem. Half of the UKs smartphone users are hoping to reduce their screen time and Im one of them. But, rather than a complete digital detox, maybe Lent is the perfect time to try a digital diet.

I road-tested four of the best.

The Regime: This involves exchanging your smartphone for a simpler gadget with no online access meaning no social media, no emails, no apps.

Among Silicon Valleyites, net-free phones are now a badge of honour, up there with Wim Hof-inspired cold showers and Bulletproof coffee.

One high-achiever who swears by his low-achieving phone is entrepreneur Nick Boulos. After a prolonged period of anxiety and depression, I realised I needed a break not only from my everyday life, but also the white noise of social media and WhatsApp, he says. I decamped to Mexico with no plan and, more crucially, no phone. Armed with an antiquated handset, minus the SIM and all apps (I only kept Maps and Spotify), for the first two weeks I experienced moments of blind panic when I instinctively tapped my pockets and didnt feel my phone.

But he also felt more engaged, more creative, and more inspired. He set to work plotting and planning his new business, a citybreak planning platform called MakeMyDay.

Some net-free dieters proudly brandish their Nokia 3310s, but in US and European capitals, all the buzz is about the Light Phone.

Its the Light Phone II that I trial for a week, a sleek grey handset, reminiscent of a Eighties credit-card sized calculator albeit with a pricetag of $350 (270). This is one in-demand pricey little phone; the company more than doubled its $200,000 crowdfunding goal for the original version, with a waiting list of 50,000.

Like the original Lightphone, the Lightphone II has no access to emails, no social media, no browser, but in a few months theyll be enabled with Maps and a rideshare app like Uber. This is an interesting concession, because going cold turkey dumb phone is a mixed bag. Within a few hours, I feel less twitchy and as the working week progresses, Im able to focus more on the work in front of me. I have a lovely evening at the pub with friends, without the temptation to get my phone out. By Friday, I concede Ive had one of the most engaged, switched-on, productive and pleasurable weeks Ive had in weeks. But I did have to ask my friend to call me an Uber and give her a tenner to pay for it. I had to duck repeatedly into shops and bars to find my way to thetheatre.

The Verdict: The rewards of ditching social media, WhatsApp, emails and other distractions are abundant and immediately tangible, but going 100per cent net-free takes real commitment and adjustment.

The Regime: A similar strategy to the 5:2 diet, smartphones are a working week indulgence only; at weekends you switch your smartphone for a secondary dumb-phone without emails, social media apps.

This is where the Light Phone really comes into its own. As a secondary phone, its a dream. I was first introduced to the idea of a secondary, weekend phone by my friend Harriet Jordan-Wrench, founder of Secret Sessions, a live events company. S

he switched to a Sunday phone to try to take a break from relentless work emails in what was meant to be her precious downtime.

Running events means that I couldnt do a whole weekend without my phone, but my Sunday dumb-phone really works for me, she says. Initially I felt quite bare, but eventually it felt really liberating, and I began to actively look forward to Sunday, because I knew I could switch off.

In place of her iPhone, she uses an Alcatel one touch. Only three people have my Sunday phones number: my mum, my sister and my wife, shesays.

Like my friend, I immediately find that the Light Phone gives me a good old-fashioned weekend where I take a proper break from work emails, dont give a damn whats happening on Instagram, and dont suffer from FOMO after seeing what other people are planning on WhatsApp group chats. But the Light Phone requires one additional piece of kit: an understanding friend, family member or lover on your arm who wont mind excusing you from all social organisational duties.

On Saturday, I went out with my friend Robbie, who dutifully fielded calls from friends we were meeting, googlemapped our way there, and called the Uber. How are you finding the Light Phone? a friend asked, when we were finally assembled at the pub. Oh, its greatfor me, I said, chirpily. ForRobbie, I suspect, its working out less well.

The Verdict: Weekend phones work brilliantly for the user. They are less brilliant for your friends.

The Regime: Think of this as intermittent phone-fasting; you only use your smartphone for an eight-hour window every day.

A more moderate approach to switching devices entirely involved building digital blackout hours into your day. An editor I know swears by keeping her phone on flight mode until 11am, so she can clear her morning emails free from distractions, and turning it off again at 7pm as she arrives home so she can focus on her husband and two small children.

I was in real danger of being one of those working mums answering emails on my iPhone while spoon-feeding my two-year-old, she says. So now I make sure that by the time I get home, my phone is offline.

I start with the same 11am-7pm schedule, and after a couple of days, Ive realised that not going online first thing has transformed my mornings. I go for a run and enjoy my breakfast in peace, listening to the radio. I go to the office, open up my laptop, and this is my first taste of the net all day.

But Im able to plough through emails and finish straggly bits of work without being distracted by WhatsApp messages. A few procrastination-free days in, Im sold on net-free mornings. But its a different matter in the evenings, when Id normally catch up with friends and make plans, and I find the ban hard to stick to.

The Verdict: For those with a regular routine, this might work, but its tricky for those of us with fluctuating schedules.

The Regime: A little like calorie counting, users set limits for the screentime for different apps. This means that nothing is off-limits, but mastering moderation is key.

After the feast-or-famine approach of the eight-hour diet, theres something deliciously liberating about my next digital diet. I set a time limit of 120 minutes on my iPhone. My phone has the inbuilt Screen Time option, but there are a number of other apps such as Digital Wellbeing, Off The Grid, App Detox and AntiSocial for other smartphones.

Given that my screen time could hover around the four-hour mark, this is a major reduction in usage. I like the fact that it instils self-discipline if Im tempted to scroll through Instagram, I remember that Ill need to use WhatsApp to arrange my night later on. So every time I go online on my phone, I go in, do what I need to do, and extract myself as quickly as possible.

It forced me to think for myself and assess my priorities. But on the flipside, because I could always go online on my phone, I never had that feeling of true digital escapism.

The Verdict: The flexibility makes it less arbitrary than blanket-bans during certain hours of the day. But this freedom also means I didnt quite switch off and reap the benefits of a digital detox.

All four methods delivered the results I was after: a clearer mind, boosted productivity, increased creativity, reduced stress and more productive days. Im now religious about net-free mornings.

The Light Phone is a stress-reducing revelation, and Im counting the weeks until this model is enabled with Maps and Uber. Until then, Im keeping my iPhone on hand, too, mostly SIM-free.

It might sound contrary to digitally detox by getting two phones, but I now use my iPhone more as a separate device, a tool to be used as a camera, for social apps when the time is right. But my phone has gone back to being just a phone. And that feels great.

See the article here:
What would happen if you gave up your phone for Lent? I tried four 'digital diets' to find out - Telegraph.co.uk

GREER SC (WSPA) By now, folks have noticed a difference. From late 2018 and through all of last year, Ive been losing weight. Ive lost a lot.

As of this morning, Im down more than 120 pounds from my all-time high. It feels good, and the comments from my family and friends and viewers have felt good too.

When youre as big as I was, you can lose a lot before anyone notices. Or, maybe, people do notice but theyre too polite to say it. Either way, I was down nearly 75 pounds before I felt the need to tell anyone whats up.

I promised myself years ago that Id never talk publicly about my weight again, mostly because it was too stressful.

My weight is the thing Im most sensitive about. Thats always been true. Even now, when Ive lost what amounts to small human in body weight and dropped my BMI from morbidly obese to just overweight, its hard to talk about.

Avoiding the topic isnt easy.

If you Google Gordon Dill, Googles algorithm suggests the following related searches: Gordon Dill WSPA weight loss, How did Gordon Dill lose weight and How did Gordon Dill lose weight 2019.

That last one is a real doozy for reasons Ill explain later.

Still, what I heard from viewers by phone, email and on Facebook led us to this story and, likely, more to follow.

Turns out, there are a lot of people who, like me, are not just struggling with weight and unhealthy food, but feeling as if we lack self-control.

Sometimes we wonder, Whats wrong with me that makes this so hard, when so many others seem to have no problem?

Its a helpless feeling.

So, in this story I will share the basic outline of my Keto Diet and how Ive made it work for me. But more importantly, I want to share what Ive learned from some of the best scientists in South Carolina about how we feel, and why that weight loss mountain seems so hard from some of us to climb.

I think the reason I liked Keto so much is because I really like bacon. Its almost that simple.

The truth about any successful diet is finding the right individual fit, and a plan that involves bacon is a really good fit for me.

It was my doctor who first suggested it during a checkup last March.

Keto works by dramatically cutting carbohydrates and replacing them with a lot of fat, which is harder than it sounds.

On Keto, about 70 to 75 percent of my daily calories come from fats, things like butter, olive oil and delicious bacon.

Another 20 to 25 percent of my daily calories are protein.

That leaves about 5 percent, only about 20 to 30 grams a day, of carbs. Thats about the same as two slices of wheat bread.

Carbs are sneaky though. For example, a piece of cheddar cheese may have zero carbs but shredded cheddar may have two or three grams. Those small amounts can add up quickly so it pays to be vigilant about every ingredient.

On Keto, we eat so few carbs that the body depletes its stored sugar and, essentially, runs out of fuel.

The body burns fats instead and produces a different fuel called Ketones, which is how the diet gets its name.

Then, like all successful diets, the critical step is keeping track.

I took a business class at Clemson years ago. The teacher liked to say, You cant manage what you dont measure.

For Keto to work, I had to write it all down.

Literally everything Ive eaten for the last 12 months every gram of carbs and fat and protein is logged in an app I downloaded for my iPhone. It was free, but costs a couple of dollars a month to re-subscribe.

I also quit sugar, the drug that was most responsible for my weight struggles. That meant cutting the fake stuff too.

Additives like aspartame are actually much sweeter than real sugar.

People find that the potency is higher so it leads to them eating more, sweeter things, nutritionist Katherine Nowakowski said. Theyve done a lot of studies that showed that patients who switched to diet sodas either ended up sustaining or gaining weight.

At restaurants, where I wont always have the nutrition information I need, Ill pick simple meals and break them down by ingredient.

A Caesar salad is romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing for example.

I eat eggs for breakfast every morning fat and protein and keep almonds in my desk for a snack.

More than 100 pounds later, Im still not eating sweets and Ill never give up the eggs.

Like most obese people, Ive been back and forth a number of times.

When I started at WSPA in 2011, I weighed about 220 pounds. Im really tall, so thats a healthy weight.

By 2014, I was back up to 340.

I gained and lost as much as 50 pounds at least three other times. Always working hard to get healthy and always sliding back to something miserable.

By 2018, I tipped the scale at 374. Thats 44.3 on the body mass index. Its called morbidly obese and it made me depressed.

Theres been groundbreaking research on this topic the relationship between weight and mood at the University of South Carolina.

You can see that as body mass index goes up the rate of depressive illness in those individuals increases to a point that when you get to something like 40, a BMI of 40, now youre into something where you may to be two to three, four times more likely to develop depressive illness, Dr. Larry Reagan said.

Reagan is a professor of pharmacology who studies the hormonal relationship between obesity and depression.

But anyone who has struggled with severe obesity will understand what hes discovered.

That cycle of weight gain and loss triggers hormones that are more likely to make us depressed, and people who suffer from depression are often more likely to gain weight. Its a cycle that can be terribly difficult to break.

Every time I failed, my brain lied to me. It told me it was too hard to try again. That the next time would be like all the times before. Id fail and get fatter.

We think its a variety of changes which take place in the central nervous system, whether its chemistry changes, might involve neuroanatomical changes, it might involve all of those sorts of things that may be taking place, Reagan said.

But, Reagan learned something else that is great encouragement to folks like me.

Even very small changes, small changes in diet and exercise, can begin to reverse those hormonal changes.

Those deficits in neuroplasticity can be reversed with weight loss, he said. Even those small changes might be enough to elevate mood and elevate cognition.

For me, it was Keto that changed the way I thought and felt.

By making relatively small changes to each meal replacing the carbs with fat I felt better in a matter of weeks.

A reminder: I did Keto because my doctor suggested it. You should get the same advice.

Keto is not for everyone and, in some people, it can actually be quite dangerous.

According to studies published by the National Institutes of Health, people who have pancreatitis, liver disease, fat metabolism disorders or other health issues should not do Keto. Neither should anyone who has diabetes or who takes insulin.

In fact, for some people those conditions can cause life-threatening health problems on a Keto diet.

If you try something else, let me know. And if you try Keto, share that, too.

Ill keep you updated on my Facebook page: Gordon Dill WSPA.

See original here:
How I lost 125 pounds, and the small changes that will make us happier - WSPA 7News

In these confusing and difficult times, performing at peak capacity in the workplace is more important than ever. With high caseloads, massive workloads, and constant meetings pecking away at your time, you may be more in need than ever of the energy, focus, and clarity necessary to excel at work. But how can you ensure that you are operating at peak performanceand meeting your professional obligations?

While some turn to aids like caffeine and energy drinks to support them in their work, the most sustainable and effective way to enhance your professional capacities is to work on optimizing the power of your brain. New doctors and clinicians are constantly developing approaches to brain science that allow you to improve your brain functioning and be more efficient and capable of work.

One of brain sciences most innovative thinkers is Dr. Daniel Amen. Founder of the Amen Clinics chain, Dr. Amen has written a series of books on holistic brain science, including the bestselling The Amen Solution: The Brain-Healthy Way To Lose Weight And Keep It Off. Dr. Amens work has helped hundreds of thousands of patients with their brain capacity, increasing focus, cognition, mood and energy levels and helping them manage their daily lives.

Read on for an introduction to Dr. Amens basic prescription for people seeking to improve their brain functioning for more effectiveness in the workplace. The tools he recommends include:

Did you know that different brain types express themselves as different personality types and require different nutrition and supplementation? At his clinics, Dr. Amen conducted over 150,000 brain SPECT scans and found that there were five different brain types, each with their own behavioral profile. These types were:

The balanced brain The spontaneous brain The persistent brain The sensitive brain The cautious brain

Each brain type requires careful stewarding with the appropriate diet plans, supplement regimens, and behavioral interventions for maximum effectiveness. Learn more by reading Dr. Amens book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.

Dr. Amen offers a comprehensive introduction to nutritional supplements in his books, including regimen suggestions for a wide range of brain types. Some of his most trusted recommendations include:

Vitamin D3 for energy levels 5-HTP for sleep and mood Fish oil for healthy brain functioning Gingko biloba for cognition Melatonin for sleep

Eating healthy whole foods that assist in the production of energy and the process of toxin purification is essential to being able to function in the workplace. For the best results, eat a whole-food plant-based diet with copious amounts of fresh produce, lean vegetarian proteins, whole grains, and healthy oils like coconut oil and balsamic vinaigrette. You can also rely onfoods containing omega-3 fatty acids, which enhance the brains functioning. These foods include avocados, eggs, salmon, walnuts and mackerel.

These are essential tools for learning to train the brain to enter trance states, which allow for deep levels of focus and productivity. There are many apps that offer simple instruction in hypnosis and meditation, while other options for instruction include class settings, individual mentoring, or workshops.

Getting adequate exercise is one of the most important things you can do to keep your brain functioning at peak efficiency. While a daily gym workout is not necessary, you should try to work out for at least 20 minutes every day by doing something physical, whether that be yard work, walking or dancing in your living room. Even just a few minutes of daily exercise per day can reap amazing benefits.

Read more from the original source:
How to improve your work performance using brain science - Ladders

Following a healthy diet may benefit your skin during spring.

Highlights

As the stark chills turn into mild nips, we know that the beautiful season of spring has arrived. The days are longer and our cosy blankets are no more trapping us inside the house. The days of binge-watching Netflix with winter desserts and ordered food are over; it's time to take stock of your diet. The transitional phase that braces us for summers makes our body go through many changes that affect us internally and externally. Our skin also has to brave the transformation in the environment and it may suffer through the drastic change in weather. A spring-special diet can spring up your health and help you wade through the season while flaunting a healthy and glowing skin.

The bright season of spring sees a selection of colourful seasonal fruits and vegetables lining up the local vegetable vendor stalls. Make sure to pick them and consume them to reap the benefits that they provide. Spinach, pineapple, and strawberries and many other foods are found in abundance during this season.

(Also Read:Spring Time Detox: 8 Amazing Natural Ingredients for Beautiful Skin)

Include seasonal produce in your diet.

It may be too much for our skin to adapt to this new weather. Drinking lots of water and fluids will keep it moisturised and will make sure it retains its sheen. Having coconut water that contains a lot of electrolytes is also a good option for maintaining your skin health during spring.

The change in weather makes our body vulnerable to flu and infections; same goes for our skin too. It's important to eat those foods that can naturally build our immunity and keep us away from skin infections. Have citrus fruits with vitamin C that are available this season; like grapefruit, pineapple and oranges. Try to include all the green leafy vegetables that you spot around.

During the spring, pollination occurs rampantly, which leaves pollen grains in the air that may cause skin allergies. Maintain the PH balance of your skin by consuming a healthy diet. Cleanse and detox your body and skinoff all the heavy, fatty winter foods that you gorged on till now. Increase your intake of foods and drinks that have detoxification properties. Have foods like avocado and beetroot and drink green tea and other such beverages to flush out the toxins from your skin.

(Also Read:Spring-Clean Your Body; A Detailed Guide To Readying Your Skin For The Summers)

Green tea can help your body detox.

After following a hefty diet during winters, going light now may be little difficult. But, doing this can work wonders for your skin. Do away with greasy meals and start eating light to keep your digestive system running smoothly. Have probiotic-rich curd every day to keep your gut healthy, which will have a positive effect on your skin health too.

Embrace the warmer and sunny spring with a smile on your face. Be mindful of what you eat or drink and let your skin too enjoy this pretty season, flawlessly.

About Neha GroverLove for reading roused her writing instincts. Neha is guilty of having a deep-set fixation with anything caffeinated. When she is not pouring out her nest of thoughts onto the screen, you can see her reading while sipping on coffee.

Read more:
5 Spring Diet Tips For Healthy Skin That You Can Flaunt This Bright Season - NDTV Food

WICHITA FALLS, Texas Dressed in cowboy boots and jeans, with an American flag pin on his lapel, Dr. Ronny L. Jackson rolled up at the Red River Harley-Davidson outpost to make his pitch to voters.

I just came from the White House, Dr. Jackson, the former White House physician, told the small crowd gathered upstairs from the Harley showroom. Ive been working side by side with the president. I know all the cabinet secretaries. I have their cellphones. I know the chief of staff, the national security adviser. I can pick the phone up and I can call them. Theyre all friends of mine.

Dr. Jackson left the West Wing in December after rising from President Trumps physician to his unlikely pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs to Trump administration roadkill when he was forced to withdraw his name from consideration amid allegations related to his professional conduct.

Now hes running for Congress in Texas 13th District, one of the most conservative in the country, and his argument is simple. In a primary field of 15 anti-immigrant, anti-abortion Republicans, Dr. Jackson is betting his personal connection with the president is enough to win the Republican nomination tantamount to election.

Standing alongside other candidates wearing cowboy hats and Make America Great Again caps at the forum on Thursday, Dr. Jackson pitched himself as the only one who can walk in the Oval Office unannounced and say, Sir, I need you to stop what youre doing and listen to me, and he will stop what hes doing and listen to me.

That access, he said, would make him an unusually powerful replacement for Representative Mac Thornberry, the Republican who announced last fall he would not seek re-election after representing his district for more than a quarter of a century.

But it is not clear if that connection, combined with his background as a Navy rear admiral, will be enough to help Dr. Jackson overcome some rookie mistakes as a candidate. There have been more than a few.

His campaign organization, for one thing.

Dr. Jacksons campaign manager, he said, is a horse doctor with a full-time job. He has one full-time staff member, a recent college graduate who is also working for free, and he has relied on his wife, Jane, to drive him around the enormous Panhandle-encompassing district, which spans 41 counties. And despite having a power Rolodex, he has never reached into it to ask the right people for help.

On Friday, Dr. Jackson spent the afternoon knocking on doors in Wichita Falls, only to realize that it was a relatively futile exercise since most people werent home. In the evening, he mingled in the bleachers at the Monarch Motor Speedway only to report back to his wife that most of spectators had driven in from Oklahoma.

While waiting for the stock car race to begin, Dr. Jackson laughed when a hunk of mud spun up from the dirt track and landed in his coffee cup, a fitting end to another long day on the campaign trail where it wasnt clear if hed made any progress.

Dr. Jackson, who grew up in Levelland, Texas, returned to the Panhandle after leaving the White House and retiring from the Navy, settling in the district in Amarillo. He thought his connections to Mr. Trump and the extended Trumpworld would make him a shoo-in for the seat, people who spoke to him at the time said.

But Mr. Trump, who now generally adheres to rules put in place by his political shop about whom he endorses and what races he weighs in on, has been silent about Dr. Jacksons campaign. Donald Trump Jr., whom Dr. Jackson considers a close friend, has no plans to get involved in his race or officially endorse him, an aide said. And even Rick Perry, the former energy secretary and Texas governor who encouraged him to run and then endorsed him, has not campaigned for him.

Dr. Jackson is now facing an uphill battle against two well-funded and connected opponents Chris Ekstrom, a Dallas millionaire who recently moved to the district to run and is self-funding his campaign, and Josh Winegarner, a lobbyist who has the backing of the cattle industry he represents and Mr. Thornberry.

But Dr. Jacksons connections to the Trump administration as well as the president and his family are real, even if they have not translated into much support.

Eric Trump has tweeted a supportive message, and Mr. Trump has privately encouraged Dr. Jackson to run. And Dr. Jackson is benefiting, if belatedly, from Trump allies and aides who have only recently realized he needed help and have pitched in, setting him up with a real online fund-raising and phone prospecting operation, which helped to finally get him on air with a commercial a 30-second spot made up entirely of old clips of Mr. Trump praising his character.

At the candidates forum, Dr. Jackson, 52, conceded that he had never really considered running for office. But, he said, Trump is getting re-elected. Thats a done deal at this point.

I thought this is the unique opportunity for me to get in the game, he added. I have an opportunity to get in the fight and do something for our country.

Dr. Jackson, who served in the White House medical unit under the past three presidents, grew close to Mr. Trump after delivering the results of a presidential physical in a briefing at which he promoted Mr. Trumps incredible genes, said he did exceedingly well on a cognitive test and claimed that if he had adhered to a better diet over the past 20 years, he could have lived to be 200.

His hourlong news conference transformed Dr. Jackson into an inner circle Trump favorite, and a candidate, in Mr. Trumps mind, for a cabinet post. It also changed how he was perceived outside the building.

That was the day I got the Trump stamp on me completely, Dr. Jackson said during an interview last week at a coffee shop in Wichita Falls. I was no longer viewed as a nonpartisan physician on military orders, even though I still technically was. What I didnt realize was that it made people much more aggressive toward me when the V.A. nomination came up.

At the time of the allegations against him which included loosely dispensing strong drugs to lawmakers and political aides Dr. Jackson was not allowed to respond because he was an active-duty military officer.

The experience took a toll on Dr. Jackson and his family.

I tell people now that I got Kavanaugh-ed before Kavanaugh did, he said, referring to Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who he believes was falsely accused of sexual assault during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings. I was the pregame but I didnt know it. I was the warm up.

Dr. Jackson called the allegations against him complete garbage and hinted at behind-the-scenes plotting from both parties to remove a Trump loyalist from contention.

I saw the ugly side of Washington, he said. He noted that despite the scandal, I got promoted in the White House, I maintained my clearance, I stayed in the military, I retired as a Navy admiral. Come on.

Mr. Trump mounted an aggressive defense of Dr. Jackson, even as a bipartisan group of Senators expressed concerns over his record. The president called for Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, to resign for his lead role in releasing details of the allegations against Dr. Jackson.

Mr. Trump called Dr. Jackson one of the finest people that I have met while elevating him to the role of assistant to the president. And in the 13th District, those words may be more important than any accusation.

Im leaning toward Ronny because I have to look at whos electable, said Danny Breegle, a business owner in Wichita Falls who attended the Thursday night forum. He said he was impressed with his rsum and wanted to make sure hes not of the swamp, and now I think hes independent.

But for Dr. Jackson, the question will be whether the last-ditch help from Trumpworld has come too late by Friday, over half of the vote will already be in because of early voting in the March 3 primary.

In the interview, Dr. Jackson admitted that he had not been aggressive in calling in favors, especially from the president. He had so much on his plate. He was going through impeachment, Dr. Jackson said. I thought, Im not going to put Ronny Jackson in the 13th Congressional District on his plate.

If he wins the seat, Dr. Jackson will be back on a government salary. If he loses, he said, he plans to make enough money to buy his wife any house in Amarillo she wants.

That is, if he doesnt go back into the Trump administration. Dr. Jackson appeared to leave himself open to the possibility, but said his wife was committed to staying in Texas.

For now, Dr. Jackson said, he has put a cabinet post in his rear view mirror, calling the Veterans Affairs Department a massive bureaucracy and asserting that my ability to impact things will actually be better if Im a congressman, even for the veterans.

One of his regrets was moving on from his post as White House physician before he could help institute the diet and exercise regimen he had planned for the president.

During his infamous news conference, Mr. Jackson said his goal was to help Mr. Trump lose 10 to 15 pounds and that he planned to bring an exercise bike or elliptical machine into the White House residence.

Mr. Jackson said those plans never came to pass. (Mr. Trump had gained four pounds by his following physical.) The exercise stuff never took off as much as I wanted it to, he said. But we were working on his diet. We were making the ice cream less accessible, we were putting cauliflower into the mashed potatoes.

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Trumps Doctor Thought He Had a Ticket to Congress. It Hasnt Been So Easy. - The New York Times

Should you eat avocados? Are they a healthy choice?(Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

A scenario like this happens several times a week in my preventive cardiology clinic: A 43-year old man has his second heart event and adopts a whole food, plant-based diet with no added oils.

He thrives on the control it gives him over future cardiac disease. He knows of Drs. Ornish and Esselstyn.

When he sees me in my office, he turns to me and asks: "Doc, I love all of this and am devoted. But, can I have half of an avocado a few times a week because I read it is off my menu?"

Where did the concept enter the nutrition field, or specifically, the heart disease reversal field, that avocados might not be healthy?

Why do the programs that demonstrate the amazing power of plant-based diets to halt and reverse heart disease generally restrict avocados?

In a prior article I wrote about the pioneers of plant-based cardiac nutrition and highlighted Lester Morrison, MD as an early adopter of diets naturally low in fat.

His work, beginning in the late 1940s, excluded avocados and many other foods as listed below. He was able to demonstrate a dramatic survival advantage for cardiac patients in Los Angeles who followed his dietary protocol that included an Avoca-NO menu.

Later, the dramatic breakthrough by Dean Ornish, MD and Caldwell Esselstyn, MD in using lifestyle program of whole food, plant diets without avocado sealed the concept that avocados may carry a risk for cardiac patients.

Lester Morrison, MD believed avocados should be avoided

In early 2017 I was intrigued about the science of avocados and wrote an article about the available data regarding their impact on cholesterol values, metabolic measurements relating to blood sugar and inflammation, and satiety. Overall, that search raised questions whether avocados carry a risk or benefit to measurements of cardiovascular function.

One medium avocado has the following nutritional profile:

Calories: 227

Fat: 21g

Sodium: 11mg

Carbohydrates: 12g

Fiber: 9.2g

Sugars: 0.4g

Protein: 2.7g

Most of the calories in avocado come from fat. A whole avocado contains about 21 grams of fat, but mostly in the form of healthier monounsaturated fat.

A larger fruit (201 grams) provides up to 30 grams of fat, 4.2 grams of saturated fat, almost 20 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 3.6 grams of polyunsaturated fat.

Avocados are a good source of healthy fats(Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

1. The highest quality nutrition science is usually considered to be the randomized clinical trial. In a study of 31 obese or overweight middle-aged adults, participants consumed energy-matched breakfast meals containing 0 g (Control), 68 g (Half-A) or 136 g (Whole-A) of fresh Hass avocado on three separate occasions.

Replacing carbohydrate components of their meals with avocados in a meal improved flow mediated dilatation, a measure of endothelial function of arteries. The avocado enriched meals also improved glycemic and lipoprotein profiles in overweight/obese adults.

The authors concluded that: "Incorporating fresh Hass avocados in meals can help people achieve dietary recommendations to eat more fruits and vegetables and simple substitution strategies with avocados for carbohydrates can add to the nutrient diversity of the diet and potentially have important cardio-metabolic benefits worthy of investigating further."

2. A second RCT this year also examined the impact of one avocado a day on a form of cholesterol that is capable of accelerating atherosclerosis called oxidized LDL (oxLDL). In this study, 45 men and women who were overweight or obese and had an elevated LDL cholesterol were enrolled. Three cholesterol-lowering diets were provided for 5 weeks each in random sequences: a lower-fat (LF) diet (24% calories from fat) and 2 moderate-fat (MF) diets (34 percent calories from fat). One MF meal plan included 1 Hass avocado (136 g) per day and the other MF diet used high oleic acid oils to match the fatty acid profile of 1 avocado.

Compared with baseline, the diet with one avocado a day significantly decreased circulating oxLDL which would be anticipated to of benefit for the vascular system. These changes differed significantly from the other diets. The drop in oxLDL caused by the avocado diet was correlated with beneficial reductions in the number of small and dense LDL particles, also anticipated to be an important advantage for cardiovascular health. The researchers concluded that one avocado a day in a heart-healthy diet decreased oxLDL in adults with overweight and obesity, and the effect was associated with the reduction in small and dense LDL.

The data I reviewed in the past and the current two studies lead to the following conclusions:

1. For the general public, a half or whole avocado a day, particularly if replacing refined carbohydrates or animal fats, is a healthy choice.

2. For many cardiac patients in a stable state, enjoying avocados is a reasonable choice.

3. For the most advanced cardiac patients reversing serious blocked arteries, particularly if associated with symptoms of anginal chest discomfort and abnormal stress test examinations, sticking to the original dietary protocols of Drs. Morrison, Ornish, and Essesltyn is advised, an avoca-NO group.

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Should You Eat Avocados - Or Are They Too High In Fat? - Plant Based News

Following a no-sugar diet is a trending topic in the nutrition and weight loss space right now, but the concept itself isnt so new. Although there is no formal diet plan or definition to follow, it typically involves avoiding added sugar while still allowing some natural sugar in your diet. Instead of counting calories, proponents of a no-sugar diet suggest youll lose weight by getting rid of added sugar once and for all.

Sugar itself does not fulfill any nutritional need and has virtually no nutritional value, which is why sugar is often referred to as empty calories. Although sugar enhances flavor, it can become quite addictive. Sugars include types of carbohydrates that can naturally occur in some foods, but are also an additive in certain foods and drinks. Consuming too much sugar can lead to several health problems and increase your risk for weight gain and diabetes. But that being said, not all sugars are created equal.

Naturally occurring sugars are found in food organically. These include fructose, which is found in fruit and root vegetables, lactose which is found in dairy products, and sucrose which is found in all different types of naturally occurring carbohydrates. Added sugar includes sugar that food manufacturers add to products to increase flavor or extend shelf life. In the Standard American Diet (SAD), top sources of added sugar include soda, fruit drinks, cereals, cookies, cakes, candy, flavored yogurts, and many processed foods.

Added sugars arent always so black-and-white, and can often disguise themselves in ingredients lists under names you might not be too familiar with. Some examples include:

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a limit of no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) added sugar daily for women and no more than 36 grams (9 teaspoons) added sugar daily for men. This may sound like a lot, but to put things into perspective, one Grande Caramel Frappucino at Starbucks has 55 grams of sugar which is over double the amount recommended for women in a day. Just one 12-ounce can of regular soda contains eight teaspoons of sugar and has no nutritional value. The new nutrition facts label now requires companies to list how much added sugar is in their product, which can help you decipher between the amount of natural vs. added sugars in the food. Many people refer to a no-sugar diet as a sugar detox since it involves avoiding added sugar completely. This can be very difficult since the vast majority of packaged foods available have some form of added sugar.

Theoretically, following a no-sugar diet could help you shed pounds because many sugary foods are also high in empty calories. By decreasing your intake of added sugar, youll be cutting out a substantial amount of calories and therefore may see a decline in your weight. Choosing more nutritious carbohydrate sources that are filled with fiber, such as fruits and whole grains, can provide nutrition and satiety for a fraction of the calories of those sugary foods.

Take things slow to wean your body off of added sugar and focus on one step at a time. Start by reducing your consumption of one food, such as candy or baked goods. One of the most significant sources of added sugars in the diet comes from sugar-sweetened drinks including soda, specialty coffee drinks, sweetened teas, and fruit juices. If you are drinking away your calories with any of these sugary beverages, that may be a good place to start. Gradually weaning off added sugars can also retrain your taste buds after a few weeks to make you crave less sugar.

The bottom line: Reducing your intake of added sugar is great for your health, but do so gradually and sustainably. If you restrict too much, it may eventually backfire and lead to overeating those forbidden sugary foods. No one knows your body better than you. Some of us work well with an all-or-nothing mentality, while others may benefit from incorporating their favorite sugary foods in moderation on a semi-regular basis. When you do indulge, do so mindfully and sensibly.

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What Is a No Sugar Diet? - No Sugar Diet Benefits, According to a Nutritionist - GoodHousekeeping.com

Yet more bragging rights are in for the Mediterranean diet, long considered to be one of the healthiest in the world.

A new study published Monday in the BMJ journal Gut found that eating the Mediterranean diet for just one year altered the microbiome of elderly people in ways that improved brain function and would aid in longevity.

The study found the diet can inhibit production of inflammatory chemicals that can lead to loss of cognitive function, and prevent the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and atherosclerosis.

Our findings support the feasibility of changing the habitual diet to modulate the gut microbiota which in turn has the potential to promote healthier aging, the study authors said.

About 60 tons of food pass through the average humans digestive tract in a lifetime, science says, exposing our insides to billions of different bacteria in addition to those we were born with. Many of those miniscule creatures play important roles good and bad in how well we absorb nutrients; the functionality of our immune response; and our energy and metabolism levels.

Science has shown that as we age, the types and amount of microbes found in the gut are reduced. A poor diet is especially common among the elderly in long-term residential care and those who live alone. Health and dental issues can also make it difficult for the elderly to eat a well-balanced diet.

As the diversity of bacteria diminishes, inflamm-aging occurs, contributing to age-related inflammatory processes that can lead to cancer, neurological disorders and other diseases.

The study analyzed the gut microbiome of 612 elderly people from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom before putting 323 of them on a special diet for a year.

While the diet was designed for the elderly, it was based on the Mediterranean principles of eating lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, olive oil and fish, and little red meat, sugar and saturated fats.

The rest of the 65- to 79-year-olds in the study were asked to continue to eat as they always did for the same 12 months.

After the year was over, those who had followed the Mediterranean diet saw beneficial changes to the microbiome in their digestive system. The loss of bacterial diversity was slowed, and the production of potentially harmful inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-17 were reduced.

At the same time, there was a growth of beneficial bacteria linked to improved memory and brain function, the study said. The diet also appeared to boost keystone species, critical for a stable gut ecosystem and which also slowed signs of frailty, such as walking speed and hand grip strength.

Nationality did not appear to matter. The findings were similar and consistent no matter where the people lived and no matter their age or weight, both of which influence the unique makeup of a persons microbiome.

The study is part of a larger randomized controlled trial of 1,200 people called the European Project on Nutrition in Elderly People or NU-AGE that began in 2012. Previous publications from the ongoing study found those who followed the diet closely had improved episodic memory and overall cognitive ability. Higher adherence to the diet also reduced the rate of bone loss in people with osteoporosis and improved blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

Discovering that the Mediterranean diet could affect the microbiome in a positive way isnt really surprising; the diet already has a stuffed shelf of scientific trophies. Its won gold medals in reducing the risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer. Meals from the sunny Mediterranean region have also been linked to stronger bones, a healthier heart and longer life. Oh, and weight loss, too.

The diet features simple, plant-based cooking, with the majority of each meal focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and seeds, with a few nuts and a heavy emphasis on extra virgin olive oil. Say goodbye to refined sugar and flour except on rare occasions. Fats other than olive oil, such as butter, are consumed rarely, if at all.

Meat can make a rare appearance, usually only to flavor a dish. Instead, meals may include eggs, dairy and poultry, but in much smaller portions than in the traditional Western diet. Fish, however, are a staple.

Its more than a diet, its a lifestyle, said Atlanta registered dietitian Rahaf Al Bochi in an earlier interview.

It also encourages eating with friends and family, socializing over meals, mindfully eating your favorite foods, as well as mindful movement and exercise, said Al Bochi.

The Mediterranean diet has won first place in the US News and World Reports best diet rankings for three years in a row. Anyone wanting to start the diet can do so in a few easy steps, say experts, by just adding healthy choices to their daily diet.

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Mediterranean diet scores another win for longevity by improving microbiome - KTVZ

Many Americans aim to eat a healthy diet, and some might be hoping to lose a few pounds. But which diets are Americans sticking to, and which ones are actually helping them lose weight?

A YouGov poll of more than 1,200 US adults finds that a majority of Americans have changed their diet at some point in order to lose weight (56%) or improve their physical health (54%).

Intermittent fasting, a diet where you only eat during certain times of day, is one of the most popular: 24 percent of US adults say theyve tried this diet for weight loss. An equal number say theyve tried the Atkins diet, which emphasizes foods that are low-carb.

About one in five have tried Weight Watchers (21%), the keto diet (19%) and the Mediterranean diet (18%).

But which diets do Americans say have been effective in helping them lose weight?

YouGovs data finds that majorities of people who have used these diets for weight loss find them to be effective.

Almost nine in 10 (87%) people who have tried intermittent fasting to lose weight say that this diet was very effective (50%) or somewhat effective (37%) in helping them lose weight. A similar number of people who have used Weight Watchers (86%) or the keto diet (85%) say these diets were effective for weight loss.

Majorities who have used Atkins (83%), the Mediterranean diet (81%), or vegetarianism (78%) for weight loss also say that these diets were effective in helping them to lose weight.

The diet Americans say is the best weight-loss diet may also be the most affordable one.

Intermittent fasting, which 87 percent of users say was effective for weight loss, is also seen as more inexpensive (80%) than expensive (18%), according to people who have tried it.

That isnt the case for many of the other diets YouGov asked Americans about. Majorities of users are more likely to see Weight Watchers, keto, Atkins and the Mediterranean diet as more expensive rather than inexpensive. Those who have adopted a vegetarian diet for weight loss are close to evenly split: 49 percent say it is expensive, 46 percent say it is inexpensive.

But in spite of the fact that many of these diets seem to be effective according to the people who have tried them, they remain largely unappealing to the American public.

A majority (58%) of US adults say that the vegetarian diet is somewhat or very unappealing. A plurality say the same when asked about the keto diet (47% find it unappealing), Atkins (47%), intermittent fasting (47%), or Weight Watchers (47%).

The only diet of this grouping that was seen as more appealing than unappealing was the Mediterranean diet. Over half (55%) say this diet is somewhat or very appealing; 31 percent say it is unappealing.

See the full survey results and sign up to be a part of the YouGov panel.

Related: One in five Millennials has changed their diet to reduce their impact on the planet

Methodology: Total unweighted sample size was 1,241 US adults, which included 137 who have used the keto diet for weight loss, 165 who have used the Atkins diet for weight loss, 172 who have used intermittent fasting for weight loss, 120 who have used the Mediterranean diet for weight loss, 146 who have used Weight Watchers for weight loss, and 95 who have used vegetarianism for weight loss. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (ages 18+). Interviews were conducted online between January 3 - 6, 2020.

Image: Getty

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Americans say this popular diet is effective and inexpensive - YouGov US