from the IDEA Fitness e-zine
For the first time in 10 years, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans have been updated. This second edition of the guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides evidence-based recommendations on how youth aged 3–17 as well as adults can safely get the physical activity they need to stay healthy. There are new key guidelines for children aged 3–5 and updated guidelines for youth aged 6–17, adults, older adults, women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, adults with chronic health conditions, and adults with disabilities.
Adults. The first key guideline for adults is to move more and sit less. This recommendation is based on new evidence that shows a strong relationship between increased sedentary behavior and increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and all-cause mortality. All physical activity, especially moderate-to-vigorous activity, can help offset these risks.
We now know that any amount of physical activity has some health benefits. Americans can benefit from small amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity throughout the day. The first edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans stated that physical activity bouts had to last at least 10 minutes to count toward meeting the guidelines. The second edition removes this requirement to encourage Americans to move more frequently throughout the day as they work toward meeting the guidelines.
Adults still need 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity each week, with muscle-strengthening activities on 2 days per week, to stay healthy.
Youth aged 6–17. The recommended amount of physical activity for youth aged 6–17 is the same as it was in the last guidelines. Each day, youth in this age group need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity to attain the most health benefits from physical activity. Most activity can be aerobic, like walking, running or anything else that makes the heart beat faster. Youth also need activities that make their muscles and bones strong, like climbing on playground equipment, playing basketball and jumping rope.
Children aged 3–5. The new key guidelines say that preschool-aged children should be active throughout the day to enhance growth and development. Adults caring for children this age should encourage active play (light, moderate or vigorous intensity) and aim for at least 3 hours per day.
Other notable updates:
1). There are immediate health benefits, attainable from a single bout of activity, including reduced anxiety and blood pressure, improved quality of sleep, and improved insulin sensitivity.
2). There are longer-term benefits from physical activity, including improved brain health, reduced risk of eight types of cancer (previously two), reduced risk for fall-related injuries in older adults, and reduced risk of excessive weight gain.
3). Physical activity helps manage more chronic health conditions. It can decrease pain for those with osteoarthritis, reduce disease progression for hypertension and type 2 diabetes, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improve cognition for those with dementia, multiple sclerosis, ADHD, and Parkinson’s disease.
“The new guidelines demonstrate that, based on the best science, everyone can dramatically improve their health just by moving, anytime, anywhere and by any means that gets you active,” says Adm. Brett P. Giroir, MD, assistant secretary for health. “That’s why we need to come together as a nation to get Americans moving. When we move more, we have better cardiovascular health, we are stronger and less susceptible to disease, and we feel better. The updated guidelines include evidence-based strategies that leaders across the nation can use to help Americans fit more physical activity into their daily lives.”
For more information about the latest Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, visit www.health.gov/paguidelines.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
6 Tips To Help You Stay On Track This Holiday Season
by Tiffany Lee Gaston for BodyBuilding.com
The holidays are upon us, which can mean one of two things: Either it's the most magical time of year, or you are utterly stressed out by the overindulgence and weight gain that accompanies the holiday season! From cookie exchanges and class parties to neighborhood gatherings and festive dinners, this season is notorious for packing on the pounds. Here are six quick tips to survive December so you can crush January!
Staying on track with your training and nutrition is always a chore, but during the holidays it can be downright stressful. With so many celebrations springing up, the mindless grazing and decadent cocktails can quickly add up to an ugly number on the scale. But with a little planning, there's no need to derail your progress while celebrating the season. The key to skating seamlessly through the winter season is keeping the focus on your goals. By the time January 1 rolls around, you'll have forged new habits to keep you fit, healthy, and on track!
Holiday Tip 1: Eat Healthy Before the Party and/or Bring A Healthy Dish! Not sure if there will be healthy options at your office party, neighborhood event, or family dinner? Eat a small, healthy meal before you head out to help satisfy your hunger and discourage mindless grazing. Having some food in your stomach also means you won't get as tipsy if you're planning to drink. Another good rule of thumb is to prepare a healthy dish to share. At least you know there will be one thing that isn't off limits to you, and you may turn others on to a new, healthier recipe they haven't tried. Now that's giving back!
Holiday Tip 2: Stay in Control and Just Say No! If your lifestyle and healthy eating habits differ from that of your host or other guests, you are under no obligation to eat anything that doesn't fit your macros. You may fear you'll offend friends and family if you don't at least try their famous dish, but your loved ones should support your choices and realize it's nothing against them or their cooking. If you take a moment to explain the situation and let them know you're just happy to be there celebrating with them in your own way, you'll find most people will quickly get over it. If someone is offended and doesn't respect your choice to celebrate in a healthier fashion, that is their issue, not yours.
Holiday Tip 3: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! You've heard it before, but I'll say it again: One of the best ways to avoid succumbing to holiday cravings and maintain a healthy weight any time of year is to drink plenty of water. And I don't mean sports drinks, sugary teas, or coffee concoctions—I'm just talking about good old-fashioned water! When we are dehydrated, we can feel lethargic, hungry, and just plain off. And with temperatures dropping and days growing shorter, it's tough to remember to drink as much water as you would on a hot, sunny day.
To feel your best so you can enjoy and celebrate the season, make sure you're getting enough water throughout the day, especially leading up to a night out. Your ability to bounce back the next morning as a result of staying hydrated before your holiday party is your body's way of thanking you!
Holiday Tip 4: Sip Lower-Calorie Cocktails A typical margarita will set you back roughly 600 calories or more, making it an ideal choice for a sugar spike and a boatload of empty calories. Not to mention the dreaded hangover that may follow a night of sweet, sugary drinks. By simply replacing the margarita mix with either soda water or fresh squeezed lime juice, you can omit all of the extra sugar and calories and still enjoy a variation of this adult beverage. And if you decide to drink, be sure to follow each alcoholic beverage with a big glass of water to keep from getting too dehydrated.
My go-to adult beverage is typically a VSL (vodka, soda, lime), which contains far fewer calories than sugary sodas or mixers. Not a drinker? Avoid the equally sugary fruit punch and sip on sparkling water with lime or lemon to maintain that festive feel!
Holiday Tip 5: Make Healthy Substitutions Cut the fat and calories by bringing some healthier versions of your favorite holiday treats. Who doesn't love a great Swedish meatball? Try preparing your own healthier version by using ground chicken, turkey, bison, or lean ground beef, and omitting the extra fillers and breading.
Chips and dip are a classic party combo with double the chances for healthy substitutions. Replace the high-calorie chips with sliced raw veggies or baked zucchini chips and substitute Greek yogurt as a healthier alterative to the mayo and sour cream-based dips. You'll get all the same wonderful flavors at a fraction of the calories!
Holiday Tip 6: If You Slip, Hit The “Reset Button”! If you do slip up and overindulge this season, don’t stress about it, just reset! Returning to your game plan is much more productive than beating yourself up if you have one too many pigs in a blanket or accidentally drink a few too many eggnog cocktails. Acknowledge that it happened and move on! Obsessing over an occasional slip up won't change it, so move forward with a positive attitude and take the steps you need to support your goals again.
When you do celebrate a bit too much—because it happens to all of us, sooner or later—start the next day with renewed efforts. Drink plenty of water, get your workout in, and start eating your clean meals again right away. Make reconnecting with your goals a part of your daily routine (regardless of what happened the day before) and pretty soon you won't have to worry about little slip-ups because you know you have the big picture under control. Focus on your goals and your health and make the coming year your fittest yet!
The holidays are upon us, which can mean one of two things: Either it's the most magical time of year, or you are utterly stressed out by the overindulgence and weight gain that accompanies the holiday season! From cookie exchanges and class parties to neighborhood gatherings and festive dinners, this season is notorious for packing on the pounds. Here are six quick tips to survive December so you can crush January!
Staying on track with your training and nutrition is always a chore, but during the holidays it can be downright stressful. With so many celebrations springing up, the mindless grazing and decadent cocktails can quickly add up to an ugly number on the scale. But with a little planning, there's no need to derail your progress while celebrating the season. The key to skating seamlessly through the winter season is keeping the focus on your goals. By the time January 1 rolls around, you'll have forged new habits to keep you fit, healthy, and on track!
Holiday Tip 1: Eat Healthy Before the Party and/or Bring A Healthy Dish! Not sure if there will be healthy options at your office party, neighborhood event, or family dinner? Eat a small, healthy meal before you head out to help satisfy your hunger and discourage mindless grazing. Having some food in your stomach also means you won't get as tipsy if you're planning to drink. Another good rule of thumb is to prepare a healthy dish to share. At least you know there will be one thing that isn't off limits to you, and you may turn others on to a new, healthier recipe they haven't tried. Now that's giving back!
Holiday Tip 2: Stay in Control and Just Say No! If your lifestyle and healthy eating habits differ from that of your host or other guests, you are under no obligation to eat anything that doesn't fit your macros. You may fear you'll offend friends and family if you don't at least try their famous dish, but your loved ones should support your choices and realize it's nothing against them or their cooking. If you take a moment to explain the situation and let them know you're just happy to be there celebrating with them in your own way, you'll find most people will quickly get over it. If someone is offended and doesn't respect your choice to celebrate in a healthier fashion, that is their issue, not yours.
Holiday Tip 3: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! You've heard it before, but I'll say it again: One of the best ways to avoid succumbing to holiday cravings and maintain a healthy weight any time of year is to drink plenty of water. And I don't mean sports drinks, sugary teas, or coffee concoctions—I'm just talking about good old-fashioned water! When we are dehydrated, we can feel lethargic, hungry, and just plain off. And with temperatures dropping and days growing shorter, it's tough to remember to drink as much water as you would on a hot, sunny day.
To feel your best so you can enjoy and celebrate the season, make sure you're getting enough water throughout the day, especially leading up to a night out. Your ability to bounce back the next morning as a result of staying hydrated before your holiday party is your body's way of thanking you!
Holiday Tip 4: Sip Lower-Calorie Cocktails A typical margarita will set you back roughly 600 calories or more, making it an ideal choice for a sugar spike and a boatload of empty calories. Not to mention the dreaded hangover that may follow a night of sweet, sugary drinks. By simply replacing the margarita mix with either soda water or fresh squeezed lime juice, you can omit all of the extra sugar and calories and still enjoy a variation of this adult beverage. And if you decide to drink, be sure to follow each alcoholic beverage with a big glass of water to keep from getting too dehydrated.
My go-to adult beverage is typically a VSL (vodka, soda, lime), which contains far fewer calories than sugary sodas or mixers. Not a drinker? Avoid the equally sugary fruit punch and sip on sparkling water with lime or lemon to maintain that festive feel!
Holiday Tip 5: Make Healthy Substitutions Cut the fat and calories by bringing some healthier versions of your favorite holiday treats. Who doesn't love a great Swedish meatball? Try preparing your own healthier version by using ground chicken, turkey, bison, or lean ground beef, and omitting the extra fillers and breading.
Chips and dip are a classic party combo with double the chances for healthy substitutions. Replace the high-calorie chips with sliced raw veggies or baked zucchini chips and substitute Greek yogurt as a healthier alterative to the mayo and sour cream-based dips. You'll get all the same wonderful flavors at a fraction of the calories!
Holiday Tip 6: If You Slip, Hit The “Reset Button”! If you do slip up and overindulge this season, don’t stress about it, just reset! Returning to your game plan is much more productive than beating yourself up if you have one too many pigs in a blanket or accidentally drink a few too many eggnog cocktails. Acknowledge that it happened and move on! Obsessing over an occasional slip up won't change it, so move forward with a positive attitude and take the steps you need to support your goals again.
When you do celebrate a bit too much—because it happens to all of us, sooner or later—start the next day with renewed efforts. Drink plenty of water, get your workout in, and start eating your clean meals again right away. Make reconnecting with your goals a part of your daily routine (regardless of what happened the day before) and pretty soon you won't have to worry about little slip-ups because you know you have the big picture under control. Focus on your goals and your health and make the coming year your fittest yet!
Saturday, December 08, 2018
About a year ago, I published a Christmas story I wrote back about 25 years ago. Originally, I just wrote it for my own two boys and had no intention of publishing it, but when I let a friend of mine read it, she encouraged me to take the extra step and put it out there for others to enjoy. Since that time I have received a number of messages from people telling me how much they have enjoyed the story and given the book to their kids and grandchildren. I am thrilled with the modest response I've received and hope it will continue to get attention to keep the dream alive. If you're curious, I would be pleased if you give it a look.
Thank you.
Go to facebook and look for Tommys-Christmas-Magic
https://www.amazon.com/Tommys-Christmas-Magic-L-Golamb/dp/1532326831/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544293100&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy%27s+christmas+magic
Thank you.
Go to facebook and look for Tommys-Christmas-Magic
https://www.amazon.com/Tommys-Christmas-Magic-L-Golamb/dp/1532326831/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544293100&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy%27s+christmas+magic
Thursday, December 06, 2018
Gluten Sensitivity is Fake
It's all about marketing and hype and appealing to everyone's desire to eat better, but it's basically about improving on a corporation's bottom line by appealing to your unfamiliarity. Do your own research and don't be fooled about what you think you're really getting.
Unless you have coeliac disease, your 'intolerance' to 'gluten' probably has nothing to do with gluten at all.
There have been many studies pointing towards ‘gluten sensitivity’ not being a real thing, but if you’re one of those people who don’t have coeliac disease but still can’t seem to stomach gluten, there may be another wheat component to blame.
Read the full article...
Gluten Sensitivity Intolerance Self Test
A Brief History Of Gluten, The Protein In Baked Goods: How ‘Wheat Intolerance’ Has Risen Over The Years
Unless you have coeliac disease, your 'intolerance' to 'gluten' probably has nothing to do with gluten at all.
There have been many studies pointing towards ‘gluten sensitivity’ not being a real thing, but if you’re one of those people who don’t have coeliac disease but still can’t seem to stomach gluten, there may be another wheat component to blame.
Read the full article...
Gluten Sensitivity Intolerance Self Test
A Brief History Of Gluten, The Protein In Baked Goods: How ‘Wheat Intolerance’ Has Risen Over The Years
Wednesday, December 05, 2018
We Have Specific Fruit & Vegetable Receptors
by Michael Greger, MD
“According to a recent survey, the number of Americans adults who say they are eating ‘pretty much whatever they want’ is at an all-time high,” which unfortunately includes “too few fruits and vegetables,” as well as “too little variety.” Half of all fruit servings are taken up by just six foods: orange juice, bananas, apple juice, apples, grapes, and watermelons. Only five foods—iceberg lettuce, frozen potatoes, fresh potatoes, potato chips, and canned tomatoes—make up half of all vegetable servings. We’re not only eating too few fruits and veggies. We’re also missing out on the healthiest fruits, which are berries, and the healthiest vegetables, which are dark green leafies. The fruit and vegetable palette for our palate is sadly lacking.
Why does dietary diversity matter? As I discuss in my video Specific Receptors for Specific Fruits and Vegetables, different foods may affect different problems. Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are associated with lower risk of colon cancer in the middle and right side of our body, whereas risk of colon cancer further down on the left side of our body appears to be better lowered by carrots, pumpkins, and apples. So, “different F/V [fruits and vegetables] may confer different risks for cancer” of different parts of even the same organ.
Variety is the spice of life—and may prolong it. “Independent from quantity of consumption, variety in fruit and vegetable consumption may decrease lung cancer risk,” meaning if two people eat the same number of fruits and vegetables, the one eating a greater variety may be at lower risk.
It’s not just cancer risk. In a study of thousands of men and women, a greater quantity of vegetables and a greater variety may independently be beneficial for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Even after removing the effects of quantity, “each different additional two item per week increase in variety of F&V [fruit and vegetable] intake was associated with an 8% reduction in the incidence of T2D [type 2 diabetes].” Why? Well, it “may be attributable to individual or combined effects of the many different bioactive phytochemicals contained in F&V. Thus, consumption of a wide variety of F&V will increase the likelihood of consuming” more of them.
“All the vegetables may offer protection…against chronic diseases,” but “[e]ach vegetable group contains a unique combination and amount of these [phytonutrients], which distinguishes them from other groups and vegetables within their own group.” Indeed, because “each vegetable contains a unique combination of phyto-nutriceuticals (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and phytochemicals), a great diversity of vegetables should be eaten…to get all the health benefits.”
Does it matter, though, if we get alpha-carotene or beta-carotene? Isn’t an antioxidant an antioxidant? No. “It has been shown that phytochemicals bind to specific receptors and proteins” in our bodies. For example, our body appears to have a green tea receptor—that is, a receptor for EGCG, which is a key component of green tea. There are binding proteins for the phytonutrients in grapes, onions, and capers. In my video The Broccoli Receptor: Our First Line of Defense, I talk about the broccoli receptor, for instance. Recently, a cell surface receptor was identified for a nutrient concentrated in apple peels. Importantly, these target proteins are considered indispensable for these plants foods to do what they do, but they can only do it if we actually eat them.
Just like it’s better to eat a whole orange than simply take a vitamin C pill, because, otherwise, we’d miss out on all the other wonderful things in oranges that aren’t in the pill, by just eating an apple, we’re also missing out on all the wonderful things in oranges. When it comes to the unique phytonutrient profile of each fruit and vegetable, it truly is like comparing apples to oranges.
This is one of the reasons I developed my Daily Dozen checklist of foods to incorporate into one’s routine. Download the free iPhone and Android apps, and be sure to watch my video Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen Checklist.
I discuss how produce variety—not just quality and quantity—may be important in Apples and Oranges: Dietary Diversity and Garden Variety Anti-Inflammation, so I hope you’ll check them out. You can also learn more about why combining certain foods together may be more beneficial than eating them separately in Food Synergy.
“According to a recent survey, the number of Americans adults who say they are eating ‘pretty much whatever they want’ is at an all-time high,” which unfortunately includes “too few fruits and vegetables,” as well as “too little variety.” Half of all fruit servings are taken up by just six foods: orange juice, bananas, apple juice, apples, grapes, and watermelons. Only five foods—iceberg lettuce, frozen potatoes, fresh potatoes, potato chips, and canned tomatoes—make up half of all vegetable servings. We’re not only eating too few fruits and veggies. We’re also missing out on the healthiest fruits, which are berries, and the healthiest vegetables, which are dark green leafies. The fruit and vegetable palette for our palate is sadly lacking.
Why does dietary diversity matter? As I discuss in my video Specific Receptors for Specific Fruits and Vegetables, different foods may affect different problems. Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are associated with lower risk of colon cancer in the middle and right side of our body, whereas risk of colon cancer further down on the left side of our body appears to be better lowered by carrots, pumpkins, and apples. So, “different F/V [fruits and vegetables] may confer different risks for cancer” of different parts of even the same organ.
Variety is the spice of life—and may prolong it. “Independent from quantity of consumption, variety in fruit and vegetable consumption may decrease lung cancer risk,” meaning if two people eat the same number of fruits and vegetables, the one eating a greater variety may be at lower risk.
It’s not just cancer risk. In a study of thousands of men and women, a greater quantity of vegetables and a greater variety may independently be beneficial for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Even after removing the effects of quantity, “each different additional two item per week increase in variety of F&V [fruit and vegetable] intake was associated with an 8% reduction in the incidence of T2D [type 2 diabetes].” Why? Well, it “may be attributable to individual or combined effects of the many different bioactive phytochemicals contained in F&V. Thus, consumption of a wide variety of F&V will increase the likelihood of consuming” more of them.
“All the vegetables may offer protection…against chronic diseases,” but “[e]ach vegetable group contains a unique combination and amount of these [phytonutrients], which distinguishes them from other groups and vegetables within their own group.” Indeed, because “each vegetable contains a unique combination of phyto-nutriceuticals (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and phytochemicals), a great diversity of vegetables should be eaten…to get all the health benefits.”
Does it matter, though, if we get alpha-carotene or beta-carotene? Isn’t an antioxidant an antioxidant? No. “It has been shown that phytochemicals bind to specific receptors and proteins” in our bodies. For example, our body appears to have a green tea receptor—that is, a receptor for EGCG, which is a key component of green tea. There are binding proteins for the phytonutrients in grapes, onions, and capers. In my video The Broccoli Receptor: Our First Line of Defense, I talk about the broccoli receptor, for instance. Recently, a cell surface receptor was identified for a nutrient concentrated in apple peels. Importantly, these target proteins are considered indispensable for these plants foods to do what they do, but they can only do it if we actually eat them.
Just like it’s better to eat a whole orange than simply take a vitamin C pill, because, otherwise, we’d miss out on all the other wonderful things in oranges that aren’t in the pill, by just eating an apple, we’re also missing out on all the wonderful things in oranges. When it comes to the unique phytonutrient profile of each fruit and vegetable, it truly is like comparing apples to oranges.
This is one of the reasons I developed my Daily Dozen checklist of foods to incorporate into one’s routine. Download the free iPhone and Android apps, and be sure to watch my video Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen Checklist.
I discuss how produce variety—not just quality and quantity—may be important in Apples and Oranges: Dietary Diversity and Garden Variety Anti-Inflammation, so I hope you’ll check them out. You can also learn more about why combining certain foods together may be more beneficial than eating them separately in Food Synergy.
Tuesday, December 04, 2018
“You’re an Atheist?! How Do You Find Meaning and Morality in Life if There Is No God?”
BY RALPH LEWIS
As a psychiatrist working with people facing many kinds of adversity, sometimes people ask about my own religious beliefs. In those cases where it is appropriate for me to provide a frank and direct answer to this question, it is not uncommon for some, especially religious believers, to respond with the question “You’re an atheist?! How do you find meaning and morality in life if there is no God?” What follows is my answer, addressed to a religious believer.
The age-old assumption that there must be some sort of higher purpose to life fits with an intuitive human tendency to think that “everything happens for a reason” (and it’s all about us). This assumption has powerful potential to affect motivation— positively or negatively. The belief that life has inherent purpose is a double-edged sword: It can be reassuring and comforting, but can also lead to bitter anguish and feelings of abandonment when suffering cruel adversity (“Why me?!”). In contrast, the realization that life is fundamentally random is anxiety provoking, but liberates people from destructive unfounded self-blame, and the realization that meaning is something we make for ourselves can be empowering.
I see how the human tendency to think that events have inherent purpose and to think that such purpose refers to oneself (“everything happens for a reason and it’s all about me!”) becomes magnified ad absurdum in psychiatric disorders: as paranoid delusions in psychosis, grandiosity in mania, and irrational magical thinking in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Many aspects of human nature, and our many cognitive biases, are writ large in mental disorders, exposing the flaws in these intuitions more plainly. Interestingly, there are evolutionary reasons why we all have this tendency to mistakenly overidentify pattern and purpose.
To be an atheist is to consciously override these intuitions. Atheists do not believe that life is inherently purposeful or meaningful, and following from this they do not believe that morality is an intrinsic property of the universe. Atheists see the universe as indifferent to the living creatures that have evolved within it. […]
Can You Get Enough Protein (& Other Nutrients) On A Vegan Diet?
By Brierley Horton, MS, RD
People choose to “go vegan” for a variety of reasons—perhaps they aspire to be Tom Brady (or at his level of fitness), or land on veganism for ethical concerns around eating animal products, or the environmental impact that animals raised for food have on our planet, or they simply don’t like meat, eggs, dairy, etc.
Even those who “go vegan” may dabble in their frequency and commitment to the diet. Some use it as a way to hit reset or “detox” for a few days or weeks; then there’s a group that eats vegan during the day, but not at dinner (aka VB6), or one day of every week (aka meatless Monday).
Wherever you are—or are considering—on the spectrum, there are benefits, and challenges, to skipping all animal products.
The benefits to going vegan are legit—and, in fact, the list is quite robust. Research shows that people who follow a plant-based diet have lower BMIs than their omnivore counterparts, and vegans are typically the leanest. You can also use a vegetarian or vegan diet to help you lose weight. Vegan diets help people improve their heart disease risk (thanks to all that fiber and low total and saturated fat), lower their blood pressure, cholesterol, and risk of type 2 diabetes, and protect against cancer.(1) In fact, following a vegan diet offered the most protection against cancer compared to any other diet in one study.(1) See—so. many. benefits.
Now for the challenges: Because you’re essentially cutting out a major food group that delivers key and essential nutrients, there are some hugely important nutrients that can be harder to get in adequate amounts.(2) So, beware. Here they are…
Omega-3 fats: The best sources of the best omega-3 fats are oily, fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, trout, etc. But those fish (and their omega-3-richness) are absent in vegan diets so it’s important that vegans add as many plant sources of omega-3s to their diet as possible. Those foods would be chia, flax, and hemp seeds, and walnuts and their oils, as well as canola oil. If that’s not your jam, or you want to be extra cautious, look for microalgae-based DHA supplements.
Iron: There are two types of iron—heme and non-heme iron—and, unfortunately, the kind found in plant foods is harder for your body to absorb.(3) (Heme iron comes from animal products and your body can absorb that pretty easily.) However, you can help your body make the most of that non-heme iron in plants like spinach, beans and lentils, even raisins, by eating it with a food that’s high in vitamin C (such as citrus, or berries). So, for example, dress a spinach salad in a lemon or lime juice-based dressing, or top your raisin bran cereal with your favorite berries.
Vitamin B12: This vitamin is simply not in plant foods. Fermented foods, such as tempeh, unfortified nutritional yeast, and algae do deliver B12, but you likely can’t get enough B12 through these foods so it’s recommended that vegans rely on B12-fortified foods or supplements to meet their needs of this important vitamin.
Other nutrients including iodine, calcium, and vitamin D are worth paying attention to, too, but those are also nutrients that even omnivores can easily fall short on. Lean on fortified foods to get more of these nutrients (table salt with iodine, and calcium- and vitamin D-fortified plant milks, juices, or cereals) or talk to your doctor or registered dietitian about supplements.
Protein: Vegetarians and vegans can get their protein requirements, according to the scientific literature, especially if they’re eating a variety of plant-based proteins. The average man should aim to get 56 grams of protein per day and the average woman should target 46 grams each day (that translates to about 0.8 grams of protein per 2.2 of body weight). But for those who are fairly active, or looking to build some muscle mass, “aim for 1.2 to 1.6 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight per day,” says Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, of MohrResults.com. “To build and maintain muscle, protein quality matters, too. Variety is always key to ensure you get all of the amino acids (particularly the essential amino acids) but is even more important when it comes to vegan protein options because these are often low in the amino acid leucine—and leucine is needed for protein synthesis, which ultimately builds muscle. It is possible to gain muscle following a vegan diet, but it requires more dietary diligence and so this may be a good opportunity to add a vegan based protein supplement to your diet as an insurance policy.”
If you’re concerned about how to get enough protein, here are the top 10 sources of plant-based protein—per 100 grams of whole foods.(4) Keep in mind that spirulina seaweed might look like an uber source of protein, but you’re much more likely to get 100 grams of tempeh in a day than you are an equal amount of spirulina. (Have at it, though, if spirulina is your go-to. No judgement.):
Spirulina, Soybeans (dry roasted), Pumpkin seeds, Peanuts (and, of course, peanut butter follows shortly thereafter), Almonds (and, again, almond butter is practically next in line), Pistachios, Sunflower seeds, Tempeh, Flaxseeds, Soybeans (cooked/boiled).
Going beyond the top 10, flours, grains, pastas, and tofu will begin to make an appearance, all of which are still good sources of plant-based protein, though not the richest.
Now, what about those protein powders and foods spiked with protein powders? Gone are the days of everything being made with simply soy protein isolate. Now there’s a robust list of protein powders—from casein or whey, which are dairy-based, to pea and brown rice and other plant-based options—that food manufacturers add to products to give them a little more heft and staying power. Yes, they’ll help you up your protein intake—and some are better than others for building lean muscle (hello, whey protein)—but they don’t necessarily have to be a regular part of your diet. Find more info on protein powders here.
Bottom line: there are some great benefits of going vegan, but to reap them, you don’t need to go full-on vegan. Simply adding more plants to your diet (hello fiber, vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytochemicals), and dialing back on the fattier proteins (red meat, processed meats, cured meats), will help nudge your health in the right direction.
References:
1. Melina V, Craig W, Levin S. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116:1970-1980. eatrightpro.org
2. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes, Total Water and Macronutrients
3. Iron Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements
4. USDA Nutrient Database
People choose to “go vegan” for a variety of reasons—perhaps they aspire to be Tom Brady (or at his level of fitness), or land on veganism for ethical concerns around eating animal products, or the environmental impact that animals raised for food have on our planet, or they simply don’t like meat, eggs, dairy, etc.
Even those who “go vegan” may dabble in their frequency and commitment to the diet. Some use it as a way to hit reset or “detox” for a few days or weeks; then there’s a group that eats vegan during the day, but not at dinner (aka VB6), or one day of every week (aka meatless Monday).
Wherever you are—or are considering—on the spectrum, there are benefits, and challenges, to skipping all animal products.
The benefits to going vegan are legit—and, in fact, the list is quite robust. Research shows that people who follow a plant-based diet have lower BMIs than their omnivore counterparts, and vegans are typically the leanest. You can also use a vegetarian or vegan diet to help you lose weight. Vegan diets help people improve their heart disease risk (thanks to all that fiber and low total and saturated fat), lower their blood pressure, cholesterol, and risk of type 2 diabetes, and protect against cancer.(1) In fact, following a vegan diet offered the most protection against cancer compared to any other diet in one study.(1) See—so. many. benefits.
Now for the challenges: Because you’re essentially cutting out a major food group that delivers key and essential nutrients, there are some hugely important nutrients that can be harder to get in adequate amounts.(2) So, beware. Here they are…
Omega-3 fats: The best sources of the best omega-3 fats are oily, fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, trout, etc. But those fish (and their omega-3-richness) are absent in vegan diets so it’s important that vegans add as many plant sources of omega-3s to their diet as possible. Those foods would be chia, flax, and hemp seeds, and walnuts and their oils, as well as canola oil. If that’s not your jam, or you want to be extra cautious, look for microalgae-based DHA supplements.
Iron: There are two types of iron—heme and non-heme iron—and, unfortunately, the kind found in plant foods is harder for your body to absorb.(3) (Heme iron comes from animal products and your body can absorb that pretty easily.) However, you can help your body make the most of that non-heme iron in plants like spinach, beans and lentils, even raisins, by eating it with a food that’s high in vitamin C (such as citrus, or berries). So, for example, dress a spinach salad in a lemon or lime juice-based dressing, or top your raisin bran cereal with your favorite berries.
Vitamin B12: This vitamin is simply not in plant foods. Fermented foods, such as tempeh, unfortified nutritional yeast, and algae do deliver B12, but you likely can’t get enough B12 through these foods so it’s recommended that vegans rely on B12-fortified foods or supplements to meet their needs of this important vitamin.
Other nutrients including iodine, calcium, and vitamin D are worth paying attention to, too, but those are also nutrients that even omnivores can easily fall short on. Lean on fortified foods to get more of these nutrients (table salt with iodine, and calcium- and vitamin D-fortified plant milks, juices, or cereals) or talk to your doctor or registered dietitian about supplements.
Protein: Vegetarians and vegans can get their protein requirements, according to the scientific literature, especially if they’re eating a variety of plant-based proteins. The average man should aim to get 56 grams of protein per day and the average woman should target 46 grams each day (that translates to about 0.8 grams of protein per 2.2 of body weight). But for those who are fairly active, or looking to build some muscle mass, “aim for 1.2 to 1.6 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight per day,” says Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, of MohrResults.com. “To build and maintain muscle, protein quality matters, too. Variety is always key to ensure you get all of the amino acids (particularly the essential amino acids) but is even more important when it comes to vegan protein options because these are often low in the amino acid leucine—and leucine is needed for protein synthesis, which ultimately builds muscle. It is possible to gain muscle following a vegan diet, but it requires more dietary diligence and so this may be a good opportunity to add a vegan based protein supplement to your diet as an insurance policy.”
If you’re concerned about how to get enough protein, here are the top 10 sources of plant-based protein—per 100 grams of whole foods.(4) Keep in mind that spirulina seaweed might look like an uber source of protein, but you’re much more likely to get 100 grams of tempeh in a day than you are an equal amount of spirulina. (Have at it, though, if spirulina is your go-to. No judgement.):
Spirulina, Soybeans (dry roasted), Pumpkin seeds, Peanuts (and, of course, peanut butter follows shortly thereafter), Almonds (and, again, almond butter is practically next in line), Pistachios, Sunflower seeds, Tempeh, Flaxseeds, Soybeans (cooked/boiled).
Going beyond the top 10, flours, grains, pastas, and tofu will begin to make an appearance, all of which are still good sources of plant-based protein, though not the richest.
Now, what about those protein powders and foods spiked with protein powders? Gone are the days of everything being made with simply soy protein isolate. Now there’s a robust list of protein powders—from casein or whey, which are dairy-based, to pea and brown rice and other plant-based options—that food manufacturers add to products to give them a little more heft and staying power. Yes, they’ll help you up your protein intake—and some are better than others for building lean muscle (hello, whey protein)—but they don’t necessarily have to be a regular part of your diet. Find more info on protein powders here.
Bottom line: there are some great benefits of going vegan, but to reap them, you don’t need to go full-on vegan. Simply adding more plants to your diet (hello fiber, vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytochemicals), and dialing back on the fattier proteins (red meat, processed meats, cured meats), will help nudge your health in the right direction.
References:
1. Melina V, Craig W, Levin S. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116:1970-1980. eatrightpro.org
2. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes, Total Water and Macronutrients
3. Iron Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements
4. USDA Nutrient Database
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
New AICR/WCRF Report On Growing Obesity Epidemic Released
By Author Anne McTiernan
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recently launched a new report as part of its Continuous Update Project (CUP) titled – Diet, Nutrition, and Physical Activity: Energy Balance and Body Fatness, which highlights the wide prevalence and causes of obesity. Dr. Anne McTiernan, a Research Professor in Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is one of AICR expert panel members. Her research also includes a specific focus on mechanisms that are known to link obesity and sedentary lifestyle to cancer. Here she outlines the major findings of the report and their significance in a Q&A session.
What in your opinion are the most important findings of the new CUP report? The first key takeaway to me is the assembling of strong evidence that obesity can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. The report offers clear evidence that physical activity and high-fiber diets altogether reduce the risk of weight gain, having overweight or obesity. On the flip side, it gives evidence that consuming sugar-sweetened drinks, eating fast-foods, and spending greater screen time increase the risk of weight gain, overweight or obesity.
On diet specifically, the report shows that following a “Mediterranean-type” diet (high in vegetables, fruits, and fish, lower in meat and dairy, and rich in olive oil) can reduce risk while a more “Western-type” diet (high in sugars, meats, and fat) can increase the risk of weight gain.
Thirdly, there are findings on breastfeeding, with the report furnishing very strong evidence that infants that are breastfed have a lower risk of having overweight or obesity in childhood and also suggesting that breastfeeding may reduce chances of weight gain, overweight, and obesity in mothers.
Relevance to cancer: Can you suggest how everyday Americans can embrace the findings of the report through actions on diet and activity, especially in this festive season? Resolve is perhaps the most important aspect of any regimen for checking weight gain. Most American adults gain one to two pounds a year. Over time, that adds up significantly. The coming holiday season is a prime time for weight gain, so a good time to resolve to makes changes to day-to-day habits. Some simple things: avoid sugar-sweetened drinks and desserts, including those at holiday parties.
Try to eat more meals at home, or meals prepared at home, in order to avoid going to fast food restaurants. If a fast-food restaurant visit cannot be avoided, one should try to maximize sticking to salads, a chicken sandwich, or an item under 350 calories (ask for the calorie menu if it is not posted). For a drink at a restaurant, stick to water, coffee (unsweetened), or tea (also unsweetened). Add more vegetables and fruits to your daily menu.
And although the holiday season is a great time for sitting together to watch a film or catch up on family gossips, try to get in at least 30 minutes a day of moderate activity. Even going out on a walk with your family can be very rewarding and helps cut down on sedentary time.
The holiday season can also be a time to take stock of what you have done on weight loss and how effective those have been. For people whose weight falls in the overweight or obese category, I would suggest asking specialists for help with selecting weight loss programs. There are online and in-person programs that anyone can use. Your doctor may be able to refer you to medical options. There are also options available through certain organizations. For instance, the YMCA has a diabetes prevention program for which people having overweight and obesity may qualify to participate.
How can policymakers help when it comes to combating growing weight gain and obesity epidemic in the country?Anything that can promote healthy diets and an increase in physical activity will be helpful. This may include developing and implementing policies that curtail the availability of sugar-sweetened drinks, increase the availability of fresh vegetables and fruits, and improve access to safe areas for physical activity for children and adults (both men and women). Supporting work environments for mothers to breastfeed long-term will help reduce excess weight gain in infants and toddlers.
In your research, you have focused on the links between weight, physical activity, and cancer. Can you sum up the findings from the report that relate to those linkages? In our clinical trials, we have found that both diet and exercise help with weight loss. The key to weight loss was reducing calories and monitoring food intake. We found that women who kept careful track of what they ate by writing it down in a journal lost more weight than women who did not keep a tab on their food intake. Reducing fat intake, eating at regular intervals, and not skipping meals were found to correspond with weight loss. Following a moderate-intensity program of 45 minutes a day of walking, biking, or gym (e.g. treadmill, elliptical) also hastened weight loss.
The overall best advice for cancer prevention is to keep weight in the normal range, lose weight if you already have overweight or obesity, and stick to an active lifestyle.
We also found that even small amounts of weight loss can significantly lower the body’s production of hormones and proteins, and lower inflammation, all of which are related to cancer risk. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of initial weight lowers blood estrogen by about one-fifth (20 percent). This percentage of weight loss can lower inflammation in the blood by almost half and can lower insulin by a quarter. We found that exercise can also bring some of these same positive effects, but the net gain in these concrete deliverables was lower than in the case of weight loss through diet management.
The overall best advice for cancer prevention is to keep weight in the normal range, lose weight if you already have overweight or obesity, and stick to an active lifestyle.
AICR offers a free, online 12-week program called the New American Plate Challenge that helps you eat a cancer-protective diet, move more and adapt other habits for a more overall healthful lifestyle. Join now!
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recently launched a new report as part of its Continuous Update Project (CUP) titled – Diet, Nutrition, and Physical Activity: Energy Balance and Body Fatness, which highlights the wide prevalence and causes of obesity. Dr. Anne McTiernan, a Research Professor in Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is one of AICR expert panel members. Her research also includes a specific focus on mechanisms that are known to link obesity and sedentary lifestyle to cancer. Here she outlines the major findings of the report and their significance in a Q&A session.
What in your opinion are the most important findings of the new CUP report? The first key takeaway to me is the assembling of strong evidence that obesity can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. The report offers clear evidence that physical activity and high-fiber diets altogether reduce the risk of weight gain, having overweight or obesity. On the flip side, it gives evidence that consuming sugar-sweetened drinks, eating fast-foods, and spending greater screen time increase the risk of weight gain, overweight or obesity.
On diet specifically, the report shows that following a “Mediterranean-type” diet (high in vegetables, fruits, and fish, lower in meat and dairy, and rich in olive oil) can reduce risk while a more “Western-type” diet (high in sugars, meats, and fat) can increase the risk of weight gain.
Thirdly, there are findings on breastfeeding, with the report furnishing very strong evidence that infants that are breastfed have a lower risk of having overweight or obesity in childhood and also suggesting that breastfeeding may reduce chances of weight gain, overweight, and obesity in mothers.
Relevance to cancer: Can you suggest how everyday Americans can embrace the findings of the report through actions on diet and activity, especially in this festive season? Resolve is perhaps the most important aspect of any regimen for checking weight gain. Most American adults gain one to two pounds a year. Over time, that adds up significantly. The coming holiday season is a prime time for weight gain, so a good time to resolve to makes changes to day-to-day habits. Some simple things: avoid sugar-sweetened drinks and desserts, including those at holiday parties.
Try to eat more meals at home, or meals prepared at home, in order to avoid going to fast food restaurants. If a fast-food restaurant visit cannot be avoided, one should try to maximize sticking to salads, a chicken sandwich, or an item under 350 calories (ask for the calorie menu if it is not posted). For a drink at a restaurant, stick to water, coffee (unsweetened), or tea (also unsweetened). Add more vegetables and fruits to your daily menu.
And although the holiday season is a great time for sitting together to watch a film or catch up on family gossips, try to get in at least 30 minutes a day of moderate activity. Even going out on a walk with your family can be very rewarding and helps cut down on sedentary time.
The holiday season can also be a time to take stock of what you have done on weight loss and how effective those have been. For people whose weight falls in the overweight or obese category, I would suggest asking specialists for help with selecting weight loss programs. There are online and in-person programs that anyone can use. Your doctor may be able to refer you to medical options. There are also options available through certain organizations. For instance, the YMCA has a diabetes prevention program for which people having overweight and obesity may qualify to participate.
How can policymakers help when it comes to combating growing weight gain and obesity epidemic in the country?Anything that can promote healthy diets and an increase in physical activity will be helpful. This may include developing and implementing policies that curtail the availability of sugar-sweetened drinks, increase the availability of fresh vegetables and fruits, and improve access to safe areas for physical activity for children and adults (both men and women). Supporting work environments for mothers to breastfeed long-term will help reduce excess weight gain in infants and toddlers.
In your research, you have focused on the links between weight, physical activity, and cancer. Can you sum up the findings from the report that relate to those linkages? In our clinical trials, we have found that both diet and exercise help with weight loss. The key to weight loss was reducing calories and monitoring food intake. We found that women who kept careful track of what they ate by writing it down in a journal lost more weight than women who did not keep a tab on their food intake. Reducing fat intake, eating at regular intervals, and not skipping meals were found to correspond with weight loss. Following a moderate-intensity program of 45 minutes a day of walking, biking, or gym (e.g. treadmill, elliptical) also hastened weight loss.
The overall best advice for cancer prevention is to keep weight in the normal range, lose weight if you already have overweight or obesity, and stick to an active lifestyle.
We also found that even small amounts of weight loss can significantly lower the body’s production of hormones and proteins, and lower inflammation, all of which are related to cancer risk. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of initial weight lowers blood estrogen by about one-fifth (20 percent). This percentage of weight loss can lower inflammation in the blood by almost half and can lower insulin by a quarter. We found that exercise can also bring some of these same positive effects, but the net gain in these concrete deliverables was lower than in the case of weight loss through diet management.
The overall best advice for cancer prevention is to keep weight in the normal range, lose weight if you already have overweight or obesity, and stick to an active lifestyle.
AICR offers a free, online 12-week program called the New American Plate Challenge that helps you eat a cancer-protective diet, move more and adapt other habits for a more overall healthful lifestyle. Join now!
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