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1vintage · 4 years

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Ocean Vuong on Metaphor

below is a transcript of an Instagram story from Ocean Vuong, available here in his story highlights under Metaphor.

Q: How do you make sure your metaphors have real depth?

metaphors should have two things: (1) sensory (visual, texture, sound, etc) connector between origin image and the transforming image as well as (2) a clear logical connector between both images.

if you have only one of either, best to forgo the metaphor, otherwise it will seem forced or read like “writing” if that makes sense.

a lot of ya’ll asked for examples re:metaphor. I can explain better if I had 15 minutes of class time (apply to UMASS!). But essentially, metaphors that go awry can signal a hurried desire to be “literary” or “poetic” (ie “writing”), which can lose traction/trust with a reader. in other words, a metaphor is a detour—but that detour better lead to discoveries that alter/amplify the meaning of what is already there, so that a reader sees you as a servant of possibility rather than someone trying to prove that they are a “writer.” One is performative, the other exploratory. In this way, the metaphor acts as a virtual medium, ejecting the text’s optical realism into an “elsewhere”. But this elsewhere should inform the original upon our return. otherwise the journey would feel like an ejection from a crash rather than a curated journey toward more complex meaning.

example:

“The road curves like a cat’s tail.”

This is a weak metaphor because the transforming image (tail) does not amplify/alter the original. The transfer of meaning flattens and dies. Logic is weak or moot: A cat’s tail does not really change the nature of the road. You can certainly add to this with a few more expository sentences which might rescue the logic—but by then you’re just doing cpr on your metaphor.

Sensory, too, is weak: a cat’s tail has little optical resemblance to a road other than being curved (roads are not furry, for one.)

So this is 0 for 2 and should be scrapped. (Just my opinion though! Not a rule!)

okay so what about:

“The road runs between two groves of pine, like the first stroke of a buzzcut.”

this is better. the optical sensory of the transforming image (a clipper thru a head of hair) matches well with the original.

but the logic feels arbitrary. again it doesn’t substantially alter the original.

in the end this is just an “interesting image” but not strong enough to keep I’d say.

Now here’s one from Sharon Olds:

“The hair on my father’s arms like blades of molasses.”

Sensory connector: check. A man’s dark hair indeed can look like blades (also suggestive of grass) of molasses.

Logical connector: check. the father is both sharp and sweet. Something once soft and sticky about him (connotations of youth) sweets, has now hardened the confection no longer fresh etc.

It’s an ambitious metaphor that is packed with resonance. In other words, it does worlds of work and actually deepens the more you dit with it. A metaphor that actually invites you to put the book down, think on it, absorb it, before returning. a good metaphor uses detours to add power to the text. poor metaphors distract you from the text and leave you bereft, laid to the side.

lastly, the prior examples are technically “similes” but I believe similes reside under the umbrella of metaphor. although a simile is a demarcation, ie: this is “like” that. but this is “not”, ontologically, that.

however, I think something happens in the act of reading wherein we collapse the “bridge” and the mind automatically forges synergy between the two images, so that all similes, once read, “act” like metaphors in the mind.

but again this is all subjective. you might have a better way of going about it.

Another very ambitious metaphor is this one from Eduardo C. Corral:

“Moss intensifies up the tree, like applause.”

This is a masterful metaphor, risky and requires a lot of faith, restraint, and experience to pull it off.

Difficult mainly because we now see a surrealist “distortion” of the sensory realm: origin IMAGE (moss) is paired with transforming SOUND (applause).

There is now a leap in comparable elements. But the adherence to our two vital factors are still present.

Sensory: moss, though silent, grows slowly (the word “intensifies” does major work here becuz it foreshadows the transforming element). Applause, too, grows gradually, before dying down.

Logic: the growth of the moss suggests spring, lushness, life, resilience, and connotes anticipatory hope, much like applause. In turn, applause modifies the nature of moss and imbues, at least this moss, with a sense of accomplishment, closure, it’s refreshment a cause for celebration.

God I love words.

I’ve gotten so many responses from folks the past few days asking for a deeper dive into my personal theory on metaphor.

So I'm taking a moment here to do a more in-depth mini essay since my answer to the Q/A the other day was off the cuff (I was typing while walking to my haircut appointment).

What I’m proposing, of course, is merely a THEORY, not a gospel, so please take whatever is useful to you and ignore what isn’t.

This essay will be in 25 slides. I will save this in my IG highlights after 24 hrs.

Before I begin I want to encourage everyone to forge your own theories and praxi for your work, especially if you’re a BIPOC artist.

Often, we are perceived by established powers as merely “performers,” suitable for a (brief) stint on stage—but not thinkers and creators with our own autonomy, intelligence, and capacity to question the framework in our fields.

It is not lost on me, as a yellow body in America, with the false connotations therein, where I’m often seen as diminutive, quiet, accommodating, agreeable, submissive, that I am not expected to think against the grain, to have my own theories on how I practice my art and my life.

I became a writer knowing I am entering a field (fine arts) where there are few faces like my own (and with many missing), a field where we are expected to succeed only when we pick up a violin or a cello in order to serve Euro-Centric “masterpieces.”

For so long, to be an Asian American “prodigy” in art was to be a fine-tuned instrument for Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven.

It is no surprise, then, that if you, as a BIPOC artist, dare to come up with your own ideas, to say “no” to what they shove/have been shoving down your throat for so long, you will be infantilized, seen as foolish, moronic, stupid, disobedient, uneducated, and untamed.

Because it means the instrument that was once in the service of their “work” has now begun to speak, has decided, despite being inconceivable to them, to sing its own songs.

I want you, I need you, to sing with me. I want to hear what you sound like when it’s just us, and you sound so much like yourself that I recognize you even in the darkest rooms, even when I recognize nothing else. And I know your name is “little brother” or “big sister,” or “light bean,” or “my-echo-returned-to-me-intact.” And I smile.

In the dark I smile.

Art has no rules—yes—but it does have methods, which vary for each individual. The following are some of my own methods and how I came to them.

I’m very happy ya’ll are so into figurative language! It’s my favorite literary device because it reveals a second IDEA behind an object or abstraction via comparison.

When done well, it creates what I call the “DNA of seeing.” That is, a strong metaphor “Greek for “to carry over”) can enact the autobiography of sight. For example, what does it say about a person who sees the stars in the night sky—as exit wounds?

What does it say about their history, their worldview, their relationship to beauty and violence? All this can be garnered in the metaphor itself—without context—when the comparative elements have strong multifaceted bonds.

How we see the world reveals who we are. And metaphors explicate that sight.

My personal feeling is that the strongest metaphors do not require context for clarity. However, this does not mean that weaker metaphors that DO require context are useless or wrong.

Weak metaphors use context to achieve CLARITY.

Strong metaphors use context to SUPPORT what’s already clear.

BOTH are viable in ANY literary text.

But for the sake of this deeper exploration into metaphors and their gradients, I will attempt to identify the latter.

I feel it is important for a writer to understand the STRENGTHS of the devices they use, even when WEAKER versions of said devices can achieve the same goal via different means.

Sometimes we want a life raft, sometimes we want a steam boat—but we should know which is which (for us).

My focus then, will be specifically the ornamental or overt metaphor. That is, metaphors that occur inside the line—as opposed to conceptual, thematic, extended metaphors, or Homeric simile (which is a whole different animal).

My thinking here begins with the (debated) theory that similes reside under metaphors. That is, (non-Homeric) similes, behave cognitively, like metaphors.

This DOES NOT mean that similes do not matter (far from it), as we’ll see later on, but that the compared elements, once read, begin to merge in the mind, resulting in a metaphoric OCCURRENCE via a simileac vehicle.

This thinking is not entirely my own, but one informed by my interest in Phenomenology. Founded by Edmund Husserl in the early 20th century and later expanded by Heidegger, Phenomenology is, in short, interested in how objects or phenomena are perceived in the mind, which renewed interest in subjectivity across Europe, as opposed to the Enlightenment’s quest for ultimate, finite truths.

By the time Husserl “discovered” this, however, Tibetan Buddhists scholars have already been practicing Phenomenology as something called Lojong, or “mind training,” for over half a millennia.

Whereas Husserl believes, in part, that a finite truth does exist but that the myopic nature of human perception hinders us from seeing all of it, Tibetan Lojong purports that no finite “truth” exists at all.

In Lojong, the world and its objects are pure perception. That is, a fly looks at a tree and sees, due to its compound eyes, hundreds of trees, while we see only one. For Buddhists, neither fly nor human is “correct” because a fixed truth is not present. Reality is only real according to one’s bodily medium.

I’m keenly interested in Lojong’s approach because it inheritably advocates for an anti-colonial gaze of the world. If objects in the real are not tenable, there is no reason they should be captured, conquered or pillaged.

In other words, we are in a “simulation” and because there is no true gain in acquiring something that is only an illusion, it is better to observe and learn from phenomena as guests passing through this world with respect to things—rather than to possess them.

The reason I bring this up is because Buddhist philosophy is the main influence of 8th century Chinese and 15th-17th century Japanese poetics, which fundamentally inform my understanding of metaphor.

While I appreciate Aristotle’s take on metaphor and rhetoric in his Poetics, particularly his thesis that strong metaphors move from species to genus, it is not a robust influence on my thinking.

After all, like sex and water, metaphors have been enjoyed by humans across the world long before Aristotle-- and evidently long after. In fact, Buddhist teachings, which widely employ metaphor and analogy, predates Aristotle by roughly 150 years.

Now, to better see how Buddhist Phenomenology informs the transformation of images into metaphor, let’s look at this poem by Moritake.

“The fallen blossom flies back to its branch. No, a butterfly.”

When considering (western-dominated) discourse surrounding analogues using “like” or “is”, is this image a metaphor or a simile?

It is technically neither. The construction of this poem does not employ metaphor or simile.

And yet, to my eye, a metaphor, although not present, does indeed HAPPEN.

What’s more, the poem, which is essentially a single metaphor, is complete.

No further context is needed for its clarity. If context is needed for a metaphor, then the metaphor is (IMO) weak—but that doesn’t mean the writing, as a whole, is bad. Weak metaphors and good context bring us home safe and sound.

Okay, so what is happening here?

By the time I read “butterfly,” my mind corrects the blossom so that the latter image retroactively changes/informs the former. We see the blossom float up, then re-see it as a butterfly. The metaphoric figuration is complete with or without “like” or “is.”

Buddhism explains this by saying that, although a text IS thought, it does not THINK. We, the readers, must think upon it. The text, then, only curates thinking.

Words, in this way, begin on the page but LIVE in the mind which, due to limited and subjective scope of human perception, shift seemingly fixed elements into something entirely new.

The key here is proximity. Similes provide buffers to mediate impact between two elements, but they do not rule over how images coincide upon reading. One the page, text is fossil; in the mind, text is life.

Nearly 5000 years after Maritake, Ezra Pound, via Fenolosa, reads Maritake’s poem and writes what becomes the seminal poem on Imagism in 1912, which was subsequently highly influential to early Modernists:

“The apparition of these faces in the crowd: Petals on a wet, black bough.”

Like Maritake, Pound’s poem technically has no metaphor or simile. However, he adds the vital colon after “crowd,” which arguably works as an “equal sign”, thereby implying metaphor. But the reason why he did not use “are” or “is” is telling.

Pound understood, like Maritake, that the metaphor would occur in the mind, regardless of connecting verbiage due to the images’ close proximity. We would come to know this as “association.”

Even if the colon was replaced by the word “like,” the transformation, though a bit slower, would still occur.

In fact, when I first studied Pound years ago, I had trouble recalling whether this poem was fashioned as a simile or not—mainly because the faces change to fully into blossoms each time I try to recall the poem.

Now, let’s look at a simile that, to me, metaphorizes in the same way as the examples above, in the line we saw before from Eduardo C. Corral:

“Jade moss on the tree intensifies, like applause.”

The origin/tenor image (moss) is connected to the transforming element (applause). This metaphor suggests, not an optical relationship, but a BEHAVIORAL one.

Both moss and applause are MASSES that accumulate via singularities: grains of moss and pairs of hands clapping to form a larger whole.

By comparing these two, Corral successfully suggests that moss grows at the RATE of applause, creating a masterful time lapse effect. Applause speeds up the moss growth, connoting rejuvenation, joy and refreshment. That something as mundane as moss deserves, even earns, jubilance, also offers a potent statement of alterity, that the smallest flourishing deserves celebration, which in turn suggests a subtle yet powerful political critique of hegemony.

The poet, through the metaphor, has recalibrated the traditional modes of value placed on the object (moss).

And no other context is needed for that.

You might disagree, but when I read Corral’s line, I don’t SEE an audience clapping BESIDE the moss. I see moss growing quickly to the sound of clapping. Although the simile is employed, the fusion of both elements completes the action in my mind’s eye.

Like Maritake and Pound, metaphor has OCCURRED here—but without “metaphor”.

HOWEVER, the simile is still VITAL. Why?

Because the transforming element is abstract (applause) and looks nothing like moss. We don’t want moss to BE applause, we want the nature of applause to inform, imbue, moss.

The line, I feel, would be quite poor if it was formed sans simile:

“Jade moss is applause on the tree.”

The “is” forces transposition, which is here akin to slamming two things together without mediation. We also lose the comparison of behavior, and are asked to see that moss BECOME applause, which doesn’t have the same meaning as the original.

So, although the simile fuses into metaphor (via association) in the mind, such a metaphor would NOT have been possible without the simile.

Similes matter greatly—as tools towards metaphor. Why?

Because (thank god) our minds are free to roam.

To summarize, one of the central strategies (and, to an extent, purposes) of the Japanese Haiku is to juxtapose two elements to test their synergy. This impulse is grounded in Shinto and Buddhist concepts of impermanence and structural malleability. That is, all things, even ideas and images, are subject to constant change—and such change is the most pervasive nature of perception.

The Haiku then becomes the perfect medium to test such changes. This principle is of central importance to me because it is rooted in non-dualistic (or non-binary) thinking.

The poem becomes the theatre in which fixed elements can be transformed, their borders subject to being dissolved, shifting towards something entirely new—to “create”, which is the Greek root to the word “poet.” The metaphor, then, is more like a chemical, whose elements (like hydrogen and oxygen), placed side by side, becomes water.

In this way, Buddhism’s influence on my work and, specifically, my use and understanding of metaphor, is a foundational QUEER praxis for alterity.

The reason why I emphasize the malleability of simile’s impact is that, although syntax and diction can aide a metaphor towards its more luminous embodiment, the ultimate key to its success is you, the observer.

YOU have look deeply and find lasting relationships between things in a disparate world.

In this sense, the practice of metaphor is also, I believe, the practice of compassion. How do I study a thing so that I might add to its life by introducing it to something else?

At its best, the metaphor is what we, as a species, have always done, at OUR best: which is to point at something or someone so different from us, so far from our own origins and say, “Yes, there IS a bond between us. And if I work long enough, hard enough, I can prove it to you—with this thing called language, this thing that weighs nothing but means everything to me.”

In the end, it is less about how you set up your metaphors (you will eventually find a way that suits it and you) but more about how you recognize your world. THAT is not easy to teach—it comes with patient practice, with a committed wonder for a world that at times might be too painful to look at. But you must and you should.

Good metaphors, in the end, come from writers who are committed to looking beyond what is already there, towards another possibility.

This calls that you see your life and your work as inexhaustible sites of discovery, and that you tend to them with care.

That’s it. That’s the true secret to a strong metaphor: care.

Lastly, I want to recommend the work of BIPOC poet and theorist, Thylias Moss, who discovered the Limited Fork Theory, a theory which suggests that the mind engages with the world, and especially with ideas, including text and art, the way the tines of a fork engage with a plate of food.

That is, only so much can be held on the work/mind with each attempt to consume, and that no “work” can be possessed in its entirety, which I find happily congruent with Lojong.

What a wonderful anti-imperialist and forgiving way to engage with our planet and its phenomena. Thank you, Mrs. Moss!

And thank YOU for sticking around through my little seminar.

I hope this has been helpful. Again, this is just my 2(5) cents! Now I’m going to sleep for four days.

In the meantime, me-ta-phors be with you.

—O

#ocean vuong #on writing #long post #metaphor #u

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gingerbreadart1 · 3 years

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Really loving the latest artwork and lore! You are so creative! Can't wait to see what's next! No rush though, I know the good stuff takes time.

Oh my gosh thank you!!!!! I'm having a bit of a writer's block when it comes to the actual story, so I've been kinda messing around and doing research about different things. Idk if it's obvious yet, but I'm a huge nerd. I especially love science and sci-fi(duh) as well as biology! I actually wanted to be a doctor with some kind of focus on congenital disorders when I was a kid. Weird kid, I know. Anyway, I love thinking about lore and nerdy shit, so I'm gonna take this opportunity to do just that! Beware under the cut is a very long essay about space, civilizations, rambles, and math. Lots of math.

So, I have no idea where I want to start, but I know what I want to talk about so I'm gonna pick something and roll with it. First thing's first, the Kardashev scale.

Because this isn't an English class and I don't have to re-word shit, I'm gonna copy and paste from wikipedia for this one: "The Kardashev scale is a method of measuring a civilization's level of technological advancement based on the amount of energy it is able to use. The measure was proposed by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev in 1964." Cool? Cool.

So yeah, basically it's an easy way to say how advanced a civilization is, and it's broken up into three types.

A Type I civilization, also called a planetary civilization—can use and store all of the energy available on its planet.

A Type II civilization, also called a stellar civilization—can use and control energy at the scale of its planetary system.

A Type III civilization, also called a galactic civilization—can control energy at the scale of its entire host galaxy.

Just to give you a grasp of what that means relative to us, humans are estimated to be a type 0.73 civilization. We're expected to get to type 1 in a few hundred years or so. Here's where math comes in. Note: I hate, and am not good at math. So, take all of this with a grain of salt.

So, a Type 1 civ. is usually defined as one that can harness all the energy that falls on a planet from its parent star (for Earth–Sun system, this value is close to 1.74×10^17 watts), which is about four orders of magnitude higher than the amount presently attained on Earth, with energy consumption at ≈2×10^13 watts.

Before I go any further, I want to ramble a bit about their star

For my own personal headcanon that the Irken planet is slightly dimmer than earth, I'm gonna make the Irken star a K0 type star. For reference, the sun is a G2V star, meaning it's a yellow dwarf. A K0 star is kind of inbetween red dwarfs and yellow dwarfs. Quick explanation on the letter-number thing, (as best as I understand it, disclaimer I am not an expert) The letter is the classification of a star based on heat and luminosity, going O, B, A, F, G, K, M, L. O being the brightest and hottest (and largest typically) and L being the opposite. The number is size. A higer positive number means a smaller star. A G2 yellow dwarf is smaller than a G-3 yellow dwarf.

Make sense? God I hope so. Anyway, I picked a K0 star for a couple reasons.

They live longer. Our sun has a lifespan of about 10 billion years, but a K type star has a lifespan of 18-34 billion years. Because of this some scientists think they're a prime place to look for life because of their long stability.

They emit less ultraviolet radiation, which can damage DNA, making the developement of life less likely to be hindered by this star

They're 3-4 times more common that G type stars, so it's literally more likely that the irken sun is a K type anyway

They're dimmer and cooler (but not by much) than G type, which fits into my own personal HC about a dimmer sun.

ANYWAY now to get back into the first topic, the Kardashev scale. The irken sun has a temperature of 5,240° Kelvin (8,900° F/4970° C), a radius of .85 (367,445 m/591,345km), a mass of .78 (3.42^30lbs/1.551^30kg), and a luminosity of .40 or 1.531^26 watts.

Compare all this to our sun (Temp of 5,780°K, radius 1, mass 1, and luminosity of 1, being 3.827^26 watts), basically the Irken sun is smaller and less powerful.

Back to the Kardashev scale. Modern day earth is .73, right? I imagine that Irkens are somewhere in the high 1's, like 1.7. The reason I'm not placing them in two is because I don't headcanon that they've built a dyson sphere or a matrioshka brain.

For those who don't know, a Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure that completely encompasses a star and captures a large percentage of its power output. These bad boys are imagined to look kindof like this

Cool as hell right? Also not something I think Irkens would be focused on. they're more about outward and conquering expansion rather than efficiant energy consumption and useage.

With that in mind, I'm going to say on the civilization range Kardashev scale Irkens are 2.000279. The reason for that tiny decimal amount is because a level 2 civ is one that has full control over their solar system, and a level 3 is one that has full control over their galaxy.

Galaxies are huge. Really huge. The Milky Way galaxy (In W&C Irkens are in the Milky Way as well) is on the smaller side, but it still has 100 billion stars, and 100-400 billion planets. Of those planets, an estimated 300 million to 50 billion may contain life, but most people stick it down at the low end of 300 million. So I'm going to use that number as well.

To figure out where they are on the scale, I have to figure out how large the Irken Empire actually is, so I looked at some other fictional empires.

In Star Wars, there are 1.5 million planets under the galactic empire, and an additional 60 million colonies (which can be as small as a space station or something idk)

But in Star Trek, there are only 150 planets in the federation.

In Dune, it's the whole Universe.

So there's a lot of variation here. Personally, I think under a thousand planets is a good number for a rapidly growing Empire that has unrealistic visions of grandeur, so I placed the amount of planets under their control to be 837 and called it a day.

Thus, 2.000279 on the scale.

Now with that number I'm gonna assign Irk a year. Physicist Michio Kaku suggested that it will take a few thousand years for humans to reach type two status, so I'm going to use that as a starting point to work on.

One might tack on a few thousand years to 2021 and call it a day, but I can't do that because the Gregorian calendar is religion based, and irkens probably don't have Jesus so it would be weird to base make a year for them based off of the Gregorian calendar. So instead I'm going to use the Holocene calendar. If you haven't heard of it, you're missing out! It's a very cool calendar that respresents and encompasses all of human history, and it's a very simple change: It adds 10,000 years to the current calendar, so for example, it is the year 12,021 on the holocene calendar. Cool right? The reason for this 10,000 year addition is 12,000 years ago is right around the time humans actually started settiling and building structures and beginning to farm. Thus, the birth of human civilization.

So I'm gonna be unrealistic and apply that 12,000 year first farm -> cell phone period to Irkens, and then tack on... idk let's say 2700 years. Cool beans, now we have a 15,700 year old Irken calendar. Except, 15,700 human years isn't equal to 15,700 Irken years. They're different planets, with different rotations, so they have different years. I have a previous post where I mention some basic statistics about the planet, go check it out! But for here, know that an irken year is 1.3 times longer than an earth year, so their calendar is actually going to be in the year 20,410 in the same amount of time. Let's say it's 20,417 just for funsies.

Hip hip hooray, Irk has a calendar! A year! Woohoo!

And with that, this post is long enough so I'm gonna end it here, but I plan on making a subsequent post that deals with evolution, speciation, and whatnot so stay tuned!

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scifigeneration · 5 years

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Confused about what to eat? Science can help

by P.K. Newby

Science can help you decide which diet works best for you. wavebreakmedia/shutterstock.com

Do you feel like nutritionists are always changing their minds? Do you want science-based information about diet but don’t know whom or what to believe?

If you’re nodding in agreement, you’re not alone: More than 80% of Americans are befuddled.

Yet it’s a lament that’s getting quite tiring – if you’re a nutrition scientist, that is. So much so that I refocused my career to shine scientific light on today’s critical food conversations, which have profound impacts on public health and the environment. My mantra: From farm to fork, what we eat matters.

In fact, did you know that 80% of chronic diseases are preventable through modifiable lifestyle changes, and diet is the single largest contributing factor?

Science says plants are better for you and our planet

Scientists agree plant-based diets are better for both you and the planet. casanisa/shutterstock.com

Clean eating or keto? Paleo or gluten-free? Whole 30 or vegan? Forget fad diets, because science has the answers – there is far more agreement about diet and health than you may know. The scientific report from the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, for example, concluded that a plant-based diet is best for human health and the environment alike. More than 75% of your meal should comprise vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and protein sources should include beans, peas, nuts, seeds and soy.

Canada’s 2019 Food Guide is similarly plant-focused, as is Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate, while Brazil emphasizes foods “mainly of plant origin.” These guidelines and others also stress the importance of limiting processed and ultra-processed foods.

There’s also consensus from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and others that plant-based diets are more sustainable, largely due to the high energy inputs and environmental damage of livestock.

While it may sound like a fad, a “plant-based” diet has been studied for decades. Awareness escalated as it addresses two urgent public health challenges: the chronic disease epidemic and the climate change crisis. It’s a win-win for human health and the environment. Plant-based diets can be adapted to suit your taste preferences, traditions and cultures, as the Blue Zones, or regions of the world where people typically live longer than average and with fewer chronic diseases, indicate.

If science has the keys to a health-promoting, disease-preventing, planet-saving diet, why are people so confused? A closer look will arm you with the skills to sort fact from fiction.

There’s money in confusion

Celebrity junk science is an obvious player. It might even be cloaked in scrubs, like Dr. Oz – though chastised by the Senate for his quackery. (Physicians, in general, have little to no training in nutrition.)

Celebrities garner enormous platforms, often clouding the truth (or drowning it completely); the deal between Netflix and Gwyneth Paltrow, whose company Goop was sued over a certain jade egg, suggests that science is losing the battle.

One needn’t be a celebrity to hold sway, however. A list of the Top 100 influencers showed that most were bloggers or athletes with no expertise. (None were scientists.) These voices gain considerable traction on social media. Health Feedback, a network of scientists who review the accuracy of online content, conducted a study with the Credibility Coalition and found a minority of articles received a positive rating, with most “exaggerating the benefits and harms of various foods.”

Traditional media don’t always shed light, alas. Single-study sensationalism is ubiquitous – for example, glyphosate in oats, coconut oil and weight, coffee causing cancer – and findings lack context.

And science journalism has taken a hit, and is perhaps why CNN interviewed an anti-science zealot. Or why the Los Angeles Times tweeted that there’s a “growing belief” about the health benefits of celery juice. (Pro tip: It’s not a thing.)

Surrounding the din of bogus dietary advice and media hype is a backdrop of science denialism, which legitimizes anti-science when espoused from top levels of government. Science illiteracy also plays a role.

Nonetheless, there are knowledge gaps: 57% of Americans have never seen the dietary illustration from the U.S. Deparment of Agriculture called MyPlate or know little about it, and 63% reported it was hard to recognize sustainable choices. Shoppers also claimed that identifying healthy food was difficult (11%) or moderate (61%). Unsurprising, perhaps, since 48% looked to crowded food packages for guidance: Some labels are meaningful while others are little more than marketing. (All natural, anyone?) Indeed, powerful food and agriculture lobbies still exert influence on dietary guidelines and obscure the science.

Through all of this, I believe the nutrition science community has tacitly contributed by failing to participate collectively in the public discourse. Nor have we adequately defended our discipline when attacked, whether by journalists, physicians or food writers.

Changing the conversation

Potent societal powers create a culture of nutrition confusion that not only obfuscate the truth about diet, they undermine science as a whole. Three steps will help eaters navigate this rocky terrain.

Begin by asking critical questions when digesting diet news. Does the writer have an advanced degree in nutrition, or does she or he have expertise in science journalism? Are there references to peer-reviewed studies or scientific organizations? Is the source credible? Are miracle cures or quick results promised? Are there expensive price tags for magic bullets? Does it sound like clickbait? Questioning the who-what-where-why-how is paramount.

Second, remember that what flits through our newsfeeds often comes via algorithms that enable news to careen through our echo chambers and elicit confirmation bias, factual or not. Offline, too, we are more likely to share beliefs with friends and family, our tribe. Getting curious about what you eat and why it matters beyond your comfort zone is necessary: You may need to “unlearn what you have learned.”

Finally, try this on for size: Nutrition. Isn’t. Confusing. We all have cherished traditions and values – what we eat isn’t just about the science. (At least, I hope not.) But it is time to learn the fundamental food and nutrition facts that will inspire you to harness the power of food to promote health, prevent disease and protect the planet. Change is possible – and the truth is out there.

About The Author:

P.K. Newby is a Scientist, Science Communicator, and Author at Harvard University

This article has been republished from our content partners over at The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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sun-kissed-star · 6 years

Note

what are some newsies blogs i should check out because i am new here

OK BUCKLE UP FELLAS

@poorguysheadisdoingwhatnow has amazing headcanons and never fails to hurt my heart with her fabulous writing

@newsiesheadcanon also has awesome headcanons, even though they might make you cry

@your-brother-crutchie has made me cry with his writing, you’re in for a wild ride if you check out his blog

@ben-cook-can-cook is the greatest gal you can have in your life, she’s so funny and her posts/fics are legendary

@seizethegay1899 is one (1) amazing person I’ve been following for the longest time ever and they never fail to make me smile

@disney-princess-sized is the biggest Ravey Shipper™ around and she’s damn good at convincing you they’re meant to be, it’s her legacy

@elmers-half-a-cup is super nice and just a really great writer

@brooklynbadbois memes and smiles for days, I love her a lot

@tony-higgins is the bane of my existence because her fics are so good but she makes it a point to rip my heart out and stop on it with each one

@dank-crypitic i don’t know how to describe her, all i know is that I love her so, so much despite the teRRIFYING EDITS YOU SEND ME

@who-is-the-king-of-new-york great writing and headcanons! I haven’t talked to her much but I’ve been following her for a long time.

@newsies-fics I live for how much your friends mean to you. She also has a lot of reblogs of great content for our favorite dancing bois

@we-dont-sell-papes has a big heart and fights for her friends any day, I’d die for her

@racetrackcook is so nice, not to mention the queen of all things Ralbert. Between her and my Sprace trash, we’ll be unstoppable

@got-the-east-side amazing fics and AUs! super friendly! what’s there not to love?

@elmer-s-s0cks AMAZING WRITING GIRL WTH H O W

@wetcoffeejpg I just really, really, really love her art, she’s an incredible artist

@races-erster an amazing person and so nice go give her the apPRECIATION SHE DESERVES thanks for your time

@notes-the-newsie a whole lotta reblogs and Good and Gay Content™

@the-supporting-character Very much lives up to her url because she’s so very supportive and leaves the nicest comments on stuff! Also a great writer and a just a very wholesome person

@bexlynne shoutout to this bean for editing my stories and helping me figure out storylines. She’s so nice and leaves asks wherever she goes and writes great angst for my boy Race

@newsies-everlasting SUNNY I LOVE YOU she’s the person to go to with questions and asks, she’s easy to talk to and so nice!

@i-got-personality the fandom’s Crutchie, she’s got the poisonality we all need to get through a rough day and seeing her on my dash cheers me up no matter what mood I’m in

@shes-the-apex-predator can be summed up to FUSE NO but hey we all love her and this fandom wouldn’t be the same without her

@shes-a-plum a constant mood, lots of textposts that basically sum up the human condition. She’s wonderful and so kind.

@sunshine-musicals-yea LOVE HER she always checks up on me, thank you for mom friending me and putting up with how annoying I am. An amazing writer, a great friend

@ridin-in-style hmmmMMMmm this person? endlessly loving and supporting her friends and reblogging all the newsies aesthetics and art she comes across? It’s more likely than you think.

@and-a-snip Just an overall great person to go to for endless support and reblogs of headcanons and fics!

@the-1992-newsies-is-better LAY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! She scares me sometimes but she loves Racetrack Higgins almost as much as I do and she’s very soft, don’t let her fool you

@albertdasillva GREAT WRITING and also a great personality! Has all the gay newsies you’ll ever need. She holds a special place in my heart, love ya babe

@mush-mike-and-ike Deserves all the appreciation in the world. Has lots of love for the rest of the fandom and some greats headcanons!

@daveys-pet-snake GAY NEWSIES ALL AROUND, LETS GO FELLAS also so nice and cares so much for her friends?? like what?? stop that?? you’re making me smile so much from the love that radiates from you??

@races-papes hilarious? makes me laugh? more great newsies content? sounds good to me.

@voice-foundshoe-lost LISTEN I LOVE HER AND HER WRITING A WHOLE LOT very dedicated to our newspaper sons and I respect that. You go girl.

@thebiggestyamfan the sweetest ever, she pops up all over and honestly I’m living for it.

@c0ronas great writing (as always!!), just constant references, and I, too, love Race, so she’s therefore counted as one of the many people I hold near and dear to my heart

@thestoryweneededtowrite AGH I love everything about this blog you have no idea. So creative, quality content, 11/10

@thatguylex STOP KILLING OFF MY BOYS GOSH DARN IT but yeah anyway I love him and I wanna give him a really big hug because he deserves it (unless you don’t want that, then a fistbump is cool too!)

@purenewsies Such a very pure person, just like the newsies. Stans my boy Elmer and writes some great stuff!

@jeremyjordan-am-i-right If you love Jeremy Jordan as much as I do then I have the blog for you, right here fellas, let’s all go appreciate this man

@headcanons-making-headlines Has some awesome hcs that are totally canon, what are you talking about, and shitposts which is really all you need in life

@broadwaycantdie ITS ALL NEWSIES TRASH WHEREVER YOU LOOK AND I’M LIVING FOR IT. Go talk to this lovely person! Reblogs All The Headcanons and Fics (now there’s a headline even Elmer could sell)

@anotherday-anotherdestiny President of the Trans Racetrack Higgins movement. That’s all you need to know to know her blog is Valid™

@timesarehardfornewsies she’s a big mood for forever and a talented, amazing gal

@race-ace Quality indeed with all this happiness going around when I see this lovely person on my dash

@thatfancyclam OWNS MY ENTIRE HEART, dubbed me the Queen of Sprace, she’s the light of my life with all the positivity and love that she throws out

@seizetheimagines very, very talented and creative. She has a big heart and a lot of passion.

@crutchieee-morris MY PARTNER IN CRIME I WOULD DIE FOR HER SHE’S AMAZING AND I WOULD BE CONSTANTLY LOST WITHOUT HER

@soak-em So sweet! She’s Sparks’ second-in-command as Crutchie in my heart.

@shes-the-king Has some really great Sprace stuff, but also just a lot of different ships in general! I haven’t talked to them, but they seem really nice from what I’ve seen.

@gothemcityshipper Great hcs and super friendly, from what I’ve seen! (we should talk more, babe!) I’d 100% check her out if I was you.

@sqecs I feel like his posts are just such icons in the newsies fandom,,,, he’s made me fall off my bed from laughing so hard so his blog is pretty Great

@imjusttheoutgoingsidekick I LIVE FOR ALL THE HEADCANONS! Very accurate posts too, like I feel like you’re seeing into some minds to get this information.

@unofficialfansie Also has a lot of great headcanons! I haven’t been following her for very long but I stan her anyway, she’s just great that way.

There’s probably so many more I missed agh, I love you all!! Not sure why you put up with me in this fandom because I feel like a grain of sand next to you legends. Love you guys

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jeanjauthor · 6 years

Link

This is a link for writers who have ever stopped to consider where their characters get their daily bread, and more specifically, their daily flour for their daily bread.

This can be useful for “homemaker” type characters in a modern setting, for villagers or cooks in historical settings, and even for post-apocalyptic survivors who have successfully harvested and threshed and stored a crop, and now have to figure out how to turn those hard kernels of wheat (aka wheat ‘berries’) into nice soft easily mixed and manipulated flour.

It gives a quick overview of thevariou tools used in the past to grind various kinds of grains and legumes into flour, whether it was wheat, rice, corn, oats, barley, millet, wild rice, peas (yes, peas were used for bread flour!), lentils, beans, or whatever, and goes over the plusses and minuses of stone versus steel plates, so on and so forth.

When I was a teenager, I grew a bit of wheat in our back yard, in a little patch only a few feet on each side. I weeded it, harvested it, carefully hand-threshed it, and then my mother got out her hand-cranked meatgrinder, put on the grain attachment, and had me try grinding up grain. I was a kid, so...it didn’t go very well. After a bit of laughing on both our parts, she and I took the grain to the house of one of her friends, who had an electric tabletop flour mill.

In the end, I managed to get just enough whole wheat flour out of the batch to make 20 shortbread cookies, and they were tasty...but I remember how much work it was to try to hand-crank the meat grinder, how it shifted because we hadn’t clamped it tightly enough to the counter... It gave me a real appreciation for our modern conveniences, and a lasting impression on “the daily grind,” which is a turn of phrase that literally comes from having to grind, day in and day out, that day’s amount of flour for bread, thickening for gravies, crust for pastries, and so forth.

If you blithely assume your character just magically has bread in their cupboard...it’s best to have a realm of magic where bread can indeed just “magically appear in there”...though a good number of your readers are going to be wondering how the magic words, and if it’s conjured, is it real, or is the character going to feel full for an hour, but be literally starving by the end of the day?

And no, you don’t have to show your characters in a Classical Age or Medieval era setting hand-grinding their grain, nor do you have to show them lugging sacks of grain to flour mills and sacks of flour back home again. If they live near a market, and if they have an income, they can buy what they need, either bread outright, or pre-milled flour.

...The one thing you really shouldn’t try to do--even if it’s literally a paleo-era, pre-agricultural setting--is try to convince your readers that primitive man didn’t need grains to survive. Carbohydrates are a vital part of one’s diet. While you can survive for a while on a ketogenic (high protein) diet, your character will lose a lot of weight. (Zachary Fowler, winner of Alone season 3, lost 72 pounds in 87 days, on an extremely high protein diet...but then he also was eating not quite one whole fish--and I do mean the whole fish, bones and scales and everything--perr day.)

Grains (milling them into flour to make them easier to chew and digest) are the easiest carb around. Other sources include acorns and pine nuts, both of which need to be “leached” or soaked in running water for several days after being shelled and cracked, to reduce the bitterness. (Tannins for oak acorns, and pine resin for pine nuts.) Taro roots, potatoes, yams, and winter squashes (not like zucchini, but like butternut, acorn, pumpkin, those kinds) are also a source of carbs, though they don’t have to be milled. Cattail roots are also a will-known source of starch, while the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest actually ate several varieties of fern roots, with certain species being both revered and highly prized as the most starchy and nutritious.

Other carbs can come from fruits, nuts, and berries, plus of course the ever-popular honey. If you live in a warmer cilmate, cane sugar can be extracted from those plants, but if you live in a colder climate, you can tap various species of maple and birch trees to make syrups. I was surprised to learn recently that bigleaf maples, which are found locally here on the West Coast, can produce the same ratio of 40-to-1 sugars in their sap as actual sugar maple trees! That means 40 gallons of sap will boil down to 1 gallon of syrup. (You have to boil it down to at least that thick to get it to the point that bacterial will not grow in it; otherwise, it wills poil.) Birch was more like 60-to-1 or even 100-to-1, depending on the species.

There is evidence that even back in the Stone Ages, paleolithic people put a lot of effort into harvesting things like hazel nuts, acorns, berries, cattail roots, so on and so forth, all in the pursuit of collecting and storing carbs to last them the year.

And yes, they’d take the hand-harvested grains of millet and so forth, and grind them between rocks to break up the coarse outer coating, to make them easier to bake and chew and digest.

I honestly don’t see the far distant future abandoning the need to mill or otherwise have the means to process flour for our daily bread, either. It might get super fancy in how they do it, but it’ll still be a human need.

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chefbarry · 5 years

Text

The Foodie Files, The Final Chapter, Zucchini Bellpepper, Writer of Wrongdoing, Takes a Knee

My last case almost did me in. I was still having nightmares about it and my left big toe was broken for some reason I cannot recall. I don’t really want to get into it here, as I’m trying to move past it, or some other gobbledygook my therapist calls it, but it involved a large shipment of oysters that were way past their prime, the Reno chapter of the Chicago mob (more on that later), and an underage health inspector working his way through community college.

I’ve been thinking it’s time to retire, or whatever retired people do, when they go back into the workforce — run a sketchy private eye firm that moves offices every six months due to questionable arson and fake subpoenas and overdue bills that keep showing up in the mail — and then try to retire again. Take my gal, Raspberry Cardamom, on a long trip around southeast Asia, maybe even open up another office there in some old abandoned warehouse on the edge of sketch, but I’m digressing, and daydreaming again, or what my therapist calls, “dis-projecting”. My lady. She saves me from myself, I’m thrilled to know her — yet disturbed why she wants to hang with me — but I’m trying not to ask too many questions anymore.

So, I had to move to Reno after the previous warehouse incident. I wasn’t even there at the time, but am being sued by my landlord now. I’m trying to work off the damages by helping his college dropout son get into the business. Another reason to skip town, more like skip country, close up shop, maybe write my memoirs, or at least eat a good taco. Plus, the Chicago mob has their eye on me for some reason. Maybe it’s that old hot dog case I never solved. I know it stirred things up back in the day when I was first getting gum on my shoe.

I had to leave before another fire broke out. My landlord would be happy to see me go anyway. There was a clause in the lease about maximum undesirables on the property in a given day, something my lawyer couldn’t even explain. I was packing up my things, and getting ready to seal the envelope with my office key, when they waltzed in. Three of them. Long multi-colored hair, nose rings, Crocs, and “the ‘tude”.

I said, “Sorry, I was just leaving, actually leaving for good, I don’t take any new appointments. “Are you Zucchini Bell-something?”, one of the somber ones said. “Yes, I am”, I said, not bothering to correct her. “Who are you?” She spoke up, obviously taking the lead, “I’m Kite, these are my friends, Vikan and Paolo. We heard about you from Avocado Toast. She says you straightened things out for her, saved her from the paparazzi, and such.” Avocado used to be my secretary, and was best friends with Raspberry. If she recommended these stragglers, I could at least hear what they had to say.

The taller one, Vikan I think, spoke up. “We’re all from California, Orange County. Our parents all went to high school together, and we sort of all grew up together. Lately, we have been having some real problems with all the actors, musicians, fitness instructors, so-called nutrition experts, and models out there. We came here to get away, but we have to keep moving. We think they are following us. You’re our last hope, Zucchini!”

I sat down. “OK, what’s the problem?” I asked. Vikan continued, “So we all sort of are in this band, play small clubs from time to time, so a lot of people know us, but lately it’s been getting out of hand. After a set we get bombarded with crazed and scary-looking folks. They’re obviously not fans. They look hungry and angry.” “Describe them to me”, I said, getting intrigued. He said, “Well, they talk really fast, are not in the clubs to drink any alcohol, and don’t even snack on the free pretzels at the bar. They come over to us and start blaming us for waking up hungry, having nightmares, and one of them said on time, that she stared at her cats for too long one time, whatever that means.

“We’ve never seen these people before, and the celebrities started to have their people call our people, really our parents, to complain about something called self-cannibalism, cravings for Cuban food, and the boredom of lettuce wraps. We have no idea what they are talking about. We’re trying to put out some good music, and, sure we all eat at different restaurants, which we’ve always done, but...”

“Wait a minute!”, I said seeing where this was going, “I think I know what’s going on. Why don’t you all have a seat?” Paolo spoke up, “Do you really think you can help us? I mean, we have to get back to California, we have shows lined up, but are kind of scared to go back there.” I said, “Here’s what’s happening. I don’t think you know what kind of effect you have on the world at large.” Vikan got excited, “Do you mean our latest record? I know it’s just a demo, but wow!” “No”, I said, “This has nothing to do with music. It’s your names and what they are causing. Do you know why your parents gave you those names?” Paolo replied, “I mean they said they wanted to name us after something special that happened in their lives, but never really told us about it. They seem like normal names to us I guess.”

I went on, “You see there are these food fads that have been out for some time, and though they might help people at first, they aren’t sustainable, and can actually do some damage. Paolo, you were named after the Paleo Diet, which your parents probably were on at the time you were born. It’s very confusing, it’s supposed to mimic what humans ate during caveman times. It makes some good points about how agriculture wasn’t developed yet, and food was hunted and gathered for survival. But we have adapted since then, our digestive system has developed, our DNA has evolved, and there weren’t any food processors back then, so how did they make orange sesame sauce or zucchini noodles? Plus, there can be many vitamin deficiencies related to this diet, and high levels of saturated fat and protein, which can be toxic. Plus, I don’t trust any diets that say you can’t have hummus and pita chips.”

I turned to Kite next and said, “You have it a little harder, toots. Imagine being on a Paleo Diet, then being forced to live inside a garbage bag with no air circulation. You were named after the Keto Diet, sadly. This diet has everyone turning into zombies. It’s even more restrictive with higher levels of saturated fat and protein, and only the lowest-carbohydrate vegetables like lettuces, greens and broccoli. It forces your body to lose weight artificially from not only stored fat being used as fuel, but your body losing muscle and tissue mass as well. So, you think you are losing weight, but some of the weight is actually part of your body. After a couple weeks there could also be permanent liver and other organ damage.

“A lot of these diets were created by “nutrition experts” that were trying to sell books and supplement programs, and not really concerned with an overall healthy lifestyle eating program. Plus, I don’t trust any diets that say you can’t have your morning oatmeal with blueberries, c’mon! I gotta keep regular ya know?!”

Vikan turned to me and said, “What about me, Zucchini? I mean my parents seem like they eat normally, we just don’t eat any meat or fish or seafood or turkey or dairy or eggs or anything fun. We seem to have a lot of potlucks, though, with foods that come in oval-shaped ceramic baking dishes. I love me a rockin’ scrambled tofu!”

I had texted my squeeze, Raspberry, after these scoundrels first walked in, and had her stand in line for a couple of hours at one of these joints that sells chicken sandwiches. I knew we’d be here awhile. I said to the group, “Well, certainly she was named after the Vegan Diet, which is virtually the opposite of both Paleo and Keto Diets, so I’m not sure how all your parents got along back in the day. While there is certainly nothing wrong with eating a mostly plant-based diet, with foods from every kingdom, including mushrooms, vegetables, fruits, legumes like lentils and peas, beans, sea vegetables, and whole grains, which I call “smart carbs”. These are slow-burning foods that don’t raise your blood sugar, and take a long time to digest, so your body uses the calories as fuel in a sensible and sustainable manner.

“The problem is most people don’t eat all of these foods, or know where to buy them or how to cook them so that they taste really good. Plus, you have to eat complete proteins like quinoa, wild rice, and other grains mixed in with legumes, seeds, nuts, and beans to get a complete nutrition profile. Most vegans or vegetarians simply don’t eat any meat or other animal products, but are not necessarily making good food choices, like eating organic, local and sustainable whenever possible, or eating plant-based proteins, and a wide variety of foods.

I like to eat this way, but after a day’s work, I don’t have the time to cook for hours. I like to eat like a vegetarian, but with meat on top! And Raspberry, well, she tries, but we try to at least eat organic and so on. And... oh, look, here she is now!”

We were all starving at that point and dug into those controversial chicken sandwiches, even Vikan. I made a mental note to have a really good walnut salad for dinner. I looked around and thought, I know how we can get these kids back to California without anyone bothering them anymore. We made a plan. We called up all the agents and fitness instructors, and got them to agree to put these chicken sandwiches in everyone’s trailers, green rooms and lockers. This way, the aroma attacks them when they come back from training or performing, and they can’t resist. Afterwards, they’ll rethink their fad diets and come to their senses, fire their nutritionists, and even the vegans will have a cup of bone broth once in a while maybe.

I closed up the office for good this time for real. Said goodbye to our guests, and refused payment. I was good, clear-headed and ready for my next adventure. A couple days later I got a check in the mail from one of these chicken franchises thanking me for increasing their stock valuation. Raspberry and I took the money and, well, I can’t tell you where we’re going, because I think the nutritionists’ union is after me.

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paulpowder2-blog · 5 years

Text

Is Halo Top Good For You? The Truth About Low-Calorie, Low-Fat Ice Creams

In 2017, low-calorie ice cream juggernaut Halo Top bested Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s to become the number-one-selling ice cream in the U.S., with more than $324.2 million in sales.

This year, we reached peak Halo when the company opened two scoop shops in LA where fans can get their Halo fix in soft serve form as well as scoops swaddled in a bubbled waffle cone called a puffle.

The appeal of the Instagramable Halo Top and other low-calorie, low-fat ice creams including Breyers Delight, Chilly Cow, Enlightened, Three Twins’ offshoot Slim Twin, Swell and Sweet Habit is that they’re low in sugar, calories and fat, high in protein and fiber, and they’re all made with some sort of natural sweetener, like the plant-based stevia. Almost all of them contain erythritol, a sugar alcohol used to sweeten the ice cream. Swell contains xylitol, another type of sugar alcohol.

But ... um, what are all those ingredients actually doing to us, aside from being low in calories?

Low-calorie ice creams contain considerably more ingredients than traditional ice creams.

“I would consider the fiber, calcium and protein content of these ice creams to be a positive,” said Dr. Jessica D. Bihuniak, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at NYU Steinhardt Department of Nutrition and Food Studies and a registered dietician. “However, I am not sure these products will satisfy all individuals.”

If you look at the nutrition facts, you can see why. Regular ice cream packs a lot more fat and calories.

One serving of Halo Top vanilla bean — or half a cup — contains:

70 calories

2 grams of fat

6 grams of sugars (5 grams of sugar alcohol)

3 grams of fiber

5 grams of protein

Even if you eat an entire pint (approximately two cups, or 4 servings), Halo Top clocks in between 280-360 calories, depending on the flavor.

In comparison, just a half-cup serving of Ben & Jerry’s vanilla contains:

250 calories

16 grams of fat

20 grams of sugars (no sugar alcohol)

no dietary fiber

4 grams of protein

What accounts for the huge difference in calories? Take a look at the ingredients.

The base ingredients in Halo’s astounding 25 dairy flavors (and counting) include the following: skim milk, eggs, erythritol, prebiotic fiber, milk protein concentrate, cream, organic cane sugar, vegetable glycerin (a sweetener), natural flavor, sea salt, organic carob gum, organic guar gum and organic stevia leaf extract.

To compare, let’s look at the ingredients in Ben & Jerry’s vanilla: cream, skim milk, liquid sugar (sugar, water), water, egg yolks, sugar, guar gum, vanilla extract, vanilla beans and carrageenan.

So is that long list of ingredients in Halo Top (and other low-calorie ice creams) actually OK for us to eat?

What do all those ingredients do to our bodies?

We looked at the ingredients in Halo Top, Breyers Delight, Chilly Cow, Enlightened, Slim Twin, Swell and Sweet Habit. Here are some you might wonder about.

Stevia is a high-intensity sweetener containing steviol glycosides, used to sweeten foods. It’s reported to be 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar.

Stevia is categorized as a nonnutritive, meaning it is low- or zero-calorie. The FDA states that “stevia leaf and crude stevia extracts are not considered GRAS [Generally Recognized As Safe] and do not have FDA approval for use in food.”

Breyers Delights contains a type of steviol glycosides extract named rebaudioside A (Reb A), and Chilly Cow contains the GRAS Reb M extract. Halo Top and Sweet Habit don’t specify which kind of stevia leaf extract they use ― so it’s hard to say whether they’re GRAS ― but stevia is listed last on Halo’s ingredients, and Sweet Habit contains less than 2 percent of the extract.

Bihuniak mentioned that in April, a study published in the journal Obesity pointed to the effect these sweeteners have on rodents and humans.

Jorge Adorno / Reuters

A farmer tends to stevia plants at a plantation in Lima, Paraguay.

“Since sweet taste is normally a signal to our bodies that the food product contains calories, some researchers have hypothesized that eating a sweet product that is calorie-free may result in appetite dysregulation and unfavorable metabolic responses,” Bihuniak said. “Animals consuming nonnutritive sweeteners consumed more calories, gained more weight and had higher levels of glucose in their blood compared to animals receiving glucose.”

Of course, that applies to animals and not necessarily humans, but that still doesn’t sound optimistic. But she adds, “However, if we focus on intervention studies, which if well designed, can provide a strong level of evidence that nonnutritive sweeteners can be beneficial for weight management when used as a replacement for sugar-sweetened products.”

This is a sugar alcohol that functions as a low-calorie sweetener. While many sugar alcohols are found in small amounts in fruits and vegetables, erythritol is produced on a large scale and only contains 0.24 calories per gram.

But how safe is it for you? Erythritol’s chemical structure has been known to make digestion difficult when it’s eaten in large amounts, but it’s GRAS by the FDA. One study showed that 50 grams of erythritol consumed at once resulted in increased nausea and stomach rumbling.

Monk fruit extract is another high-intensity sweetener, and it’s 100-250 times sweeter than table sugar. It appears in Slim Twin and Enlightened. The FDA deemed monk fruit extract as GRAS.

According to WebMD, xylitol can be harmful to dogs, and if humans consume “extremely high doses” of it for more than three years, it might lead to tumors. Swell is the only brand on our list that contains xylitol.

Locust bean gum (also called carob gum) and guar gum are used as a thickening agent and water-binding agent. “Guar gum may have a beneficial impact on blood cholesterol levels,” Bihuniak says, “however, the amount ingested would need to be a substantial amount.” Of the brands we inspected, Swell is the only one that doesn’t use any gums.

Prebiotics — found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains — promote the growth of good bacteria in the colon. One type of prebiotic that shows up on ingredient lists is inulin, extracted from chicory root. According to Today’s Dietitian, “When inulin is fermented in the colon, it promotes the production of the helpful gut bacteria Bifidobacteria.”

“Thus, it may improve gastrointestinal health,” Bihuniak said.

Swell and Chilly Cow contain inulin, and Halo Top adds prebiotic fiber.

Skim milk seems to be the preferred choice for low-calorie ice creams instead of whole milk, though Swell uses both.

“I believe that both types of milk have their place,” Bihuniak said. “One cup of skim milk provides approximately 90 calories, 8 grams of protein and 300 mg of calcium. The protein and calcium content is the same regardless of the fat content of the milk. Further, reduced fat and skim milks are required to be fortified with vitamin A.”

She thinks for those adults trying to manage weight, “skim milk can be a great nutrient-rich, lower calorie beverage option.”

Halo Top and the ilk are good sources for fiber, such as soluble tapioca fiber, which “attracts water and turns to gel during digestion, and may increase satiety,” Bihuniak says. Soluble corn fiber — a functional fiber — also pops up in some of the ice creams.

Kirk McKoy via Getty Images

Top contains 2-3 grams of fiber per half-cup serving, or 8-12 percent of the recommended daily intake.

According to The American Heart Association Eating Plan, Americans’ total daily dietary fiber intake should be 25 to 35 grams from food, not supplements. However, Americans typically only consume 15 grams a day. Low-calorie ice creams can help with this.

Halo Top contains 2-3 grams per half-cup serving, or 8-12 percent of the recommended daily intake. Per half-cup from Swell and Slim Twin, you get 3 grams, or 12 percent. Sweet Habit has 4 grams per half cup. Enlightened offers 5 grams per half-cup, or 20 percent. One serving of Chilly Cow (a half tub, or 155 grams) contains a whopping 9 to 11 grams of fiber, or 36 to 44 percent. However, a serving of Breyers Delights (3/4 cup) has no fiber. But if you eat a whole pint, you’ll receive around 1 gram, or four percent of daily intake.

“One reason functional fibers are added to products is to increase the fiber intake of consumers,” Bihuniak says. “Soluble corn fiber is also made from cornstarch. It is partially fermented by gut bacteria in the large intestine and provides similar health benefits to dietary fiber.”

In the end, it’s all about balance

“I do not believe that there is one type of diet that is the best,” Bihuniak said, recommending that people follow the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans if they’re looking to eat healthily.

In other words, just don’t eat nothing but Halo Top for 10 days straight, like a writer for GQ did.

“By removing entire food groups from his diet, he is placing himself at risk for nutrient deficiencies,” Bihuniak says. “Once he begins eating other foods again there is a good chance he will gain back some, if not all, of the weight he lost. Very restrictive diets tend to not promote long-term weight loss.”

Low-cal ice creams place a whole lot of unhealthy emphasis on “guilt.”

Another factor in the low-calorie weight-loss trend is how Halo Top advertises a “guilt-free” experience. Halo Top CEO Justin Woolverton encouraged customers to eat an entire pint in one setting. Chilly Cow’s slogan is “Save Yourself from Yourself.”

However, what’s so wrong with indulging in tasty, fatty, high-caloric and sugar-busting ice cream (aka real ice cream) once in a while?

“I agree that the messaging associated with these ice creams has an underlining food/fat shaming tone,” Bihuniak said. “As a dietitian by training, I followed the school of thought that ‘all foods fit’ and that people should be able to include dessert foods in their diet in moderation.”

She reasons some people have issues with portion control — “which would make Halo Top a good option” — but she’s concerned if the low-calorie ice creams don’t gratify customers, “they may over-consume the product or eat more than they normally would have,” she said. “You need to find what works for you and should not be made to feel bad about your choices.”

Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/halo-top-good-for-you-low-cal-ice-cream_us_5b451074e4b0c523e263b21a

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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poop4u · 5 years

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Heart Disease in Dogs

#Poop4U

The post Heart Disease in Dogs by Jennifer Lesser appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

As our beloved four-legged friends age, they unfortunately become more susceptible to an array of potential health conditions, including heart disease. “Heart disease occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood effectively. It’s more often seen in older dogs, but dogs of any age can be affected,” explains Dr. David Dilmore, a veterinarian with Banfield Pet Hospital.

According to Dr. Jessica Romine, a veterinarian with BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Southfield, Michigan, heart disease is one of the more frequently diagnosed issues in dogs — however, not all heart diseases will actually lead to heart failure. Approximately 10% of all dogs will develop some degree of heart disease in their lifetime. “The incidence goes up significantly with age, with 20 to 25% of dogs between nine and 12 years being affected, and 75 percent of dogs over 16 years old being affected,” she adds.

Causes of Heart Disease in Dogs

So what actually causes heart disease in dogs? There are two main categories of canine heart disease: congenital and acquired disease. “Congenital defects are problems a puppy is born with, and generally uncommon,” Dr. Romine explains. “The most common sign is a heart murmur; some puppies will have heart murmurs that go away with age.” However, 95% of canine heart disease cases are acquired — meaning it develops later in your pet’s life.

According to Dr. Rachel Walton, a veterinarian at University Veterinary Hospital and Diagnostic Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, there are two common types of acquired heart disease in dogs: mitral valve disease and dilated cardiomyopathy. “Mitral valve disease accounts for about 75% of cases of acquired heart disease in dogs, and is caused by the degeneration of the atrioventricular valve on the left side of the heart, which leads to a back flow of blood through the valve … and can eventually cause congestive heart failure,” she explains.

This form of heart disease is most commonly seen in older dogs, and while any breed can be affected, it tends to be more prevalent in small to medium breeds including Miniature and Toy Poodles, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Miniature Schnauzers, Dachshunds, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, and various Terrier breeds. “The exact cause is unknown, but a genetic component is suspected in some of these breeds,” she adds.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is characterized by a decreased contractility of the heart, causing the chambers of the heart to dilate and results in heart failure. This form of heart disease is most common in large and giant breed dogs, and has been shown to be genetic in breeds including Portuguese Water Dogs, Irish Wolfhounds, Great Danes, Newfoundlands, Standard and Giant Schnauzers, and Doberman Pinschers. Taurine deficiency has also been linked to dilated cardiomyopathy.

“Additionally, nutritional causes of heart disease are currently being investigated, as cases of dilated cardiomyopathy have been reported in dogs being fed some grain-free diets, especially those containing a high percentage of pulses like peas, lentils, fava beans and garbanzo beans,” Dr. Walton adds. “The exact cause of this has not been determined and is still being studied.”

Wheat. Photography ©rasilja | Thinkstock.

According to Dr. Dilmore, heartworm disease can also cause damage to your dog’s heart and ultimately block the outflow of blood. “Talk with your veterinarian about year-round heartworm prevention, as once a pet becomes infected, permanent heart and lung damage can occur,” he advises.

Symptoms of Heart Disease in Dogs

Unfortunately, most dogs who are impacted by heart disease will not necessarily show clinical signs at home, but your pet’s veterinarian may notice a heart murmur or arrhythmia during a physical exam.

“If symptoms are noted at home, they might include lethargy, reduced exercise tolerance, decreased appetite, weight loss, coughing, rapid respiratory rate, and difficulty or distressed breathing. Syncope, or collapse, can also be noted in some cases,” Dr. Walton says.

Diagnosing Heart Disease in dogs

According to Dr. Dilmore, a veterinarian may diagnose a case of heart disease through a physical exam, if they’ve found that your pet has an increased heart rate, heart murmur, heart arrhythmias, an increased respiratory rate, or increased lung sounds. They may also use diagnostic tests such as chest x-rays, an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart), or blood work.

Regular veterinary visits are critical for detecting heart disease early, when it is most treatable,” Dr. Romine asserts.

Treatment for Heart Disease in Dogs

If your pet is diagnosed with heart disease, medication would generally begin only once they are deemed to be in congestive heart failure. “Medications are prescribed to reduce fluid accumulation in the lungs, reduce the workload of the heart, and optimize the contractility of the heart,” Dr. Walton explains. “Dogs in congestive heart failure are monitored regularly with exams, x-rays, and blood tests.”

According to Dr. Romine, drugs such as Pimobendan can be used to help the heart contract more strongly, and the latest recommendations are to start this drug earlier in the course of heart disease. Diuretics such as Furosemide are used to help prevent and lower the amount of fluid accumulating in the lungs, while ACE inhibitors, such as Enalapril, are used to open the arteries and decrease the amount of work the heart has to do. Diuretics and ACE inhibitors can occasionally affect the kidneys; this is monitored by regular kidney evaluation with blood testing. “Additional drugs may be prescribed to control cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart beats), but dogs require beta blockers far less often than humans do for heart disease,” she adds.

Asymptomatic dogs may also be started on medication to slow the onset of heart failure if they have had an echocardiogram and meet certain criteria. “Most dogs with a heart murmur only are not started on any treatment,” she explains. “Continued monitoring of exams and chest x-rays is generally recommended.”

A vet patting a dog on the exam table. Photography ©BraunS | Getty Images.

The prognosis of heart disease will depend on the underlying cause and severity of your dog’s condition. In addition to treatments such as medications to decrease blood pressure or decrease anxiety, other options may include chest taps, oxygen therapy, or dietary changes, Dr. Dilmore notes.

According to Walton, while not all dogs with a heart murmur caused by mitral valve disease will go on to develop congestive heart failure, the prognosis of dogs with mild-to-moderate congestive heart failure secondary to mitral valve disease is fair, with only a one to two year survival rate. Dogs that present initially in severe congestive heart failure have a more grim prognosis, with only 25 percent of dogs surviving one year. Dilated cardiomyopathy has a variable prognosis, but once a dog is in congestive heart failure, the survival is generally less than 12 months.

Preventing Heart Disease in Dogs

While this disease is not necessarily preventable, there are some things pet owners can do to help lower their pet’s chances of being affected. “Heart disease may not always be preventable, but early diagnosis and treatment is very important,” Dilmore says. “Twice yearly exams by a veterinarian are important to screen for any risk factors and intervene early in the disease process.” Year-round heartworm prevention, professional dental cleanings, and home dental care can also help decrease the risk of heart disease in dogs.

“The most important thing you can do for your dog is to watch for changes in their activity level, behavior, and breathing, and take them in for regular routine veterinary care,” Romine concludes. Early detection is the key to ensuring you have the largest numbers of options for caring for your dog—and their heart.”

About the author:

Jennifer Lesser is a New Jersey-based freelance writer. A marathoner, triathlete, and Taekwondo black belt, she specializes in health and wellness — for people and canines — and has written for magazines and websites including Whole Dog Journal, Health, The Spruce Pets, Weight Watchers and Animal Sheltering. She is the proud pet parent of a rescued Cocker Spaniel/Shih Tzu mix named Miles, who has become her favorite running partner. Visit her online at jenniferlesser.com.

Learn more about heart disease and other serious conditions at dogster.com:

Heartworm in Dogs — Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

New Test for Canine Heart Disease may be on the Horizon

Liver Disease in Dogs: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

Poop4U Blog via www.Poop4U.com Jennifer Lesser, Khareem Sudlow

#poop4u #cute dog #dogs of tumblr #puppy doggo #doglover #doggrooming #my doggo #dogmeme

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lowcarbnutrients · 6 years

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Diet and Fitness Books 2006

#Diet books are generally released in January, the 'main' begin of #dieting period. With that said in mind, I thought it would certainly interest take a look at some of the current launches in the field of diet as well as fitness. While the trend appears to be relocating away from the crash diet, authors and authors alike still attempt to think of a brand-new angle-- some kind of hook. Complying with is a summary of the most current:

The Sonoma Diet (Hardcover) by Connie Guttersen, R.D., Ph.D. (Meredith Books, $24.95) The Claim: 'Trimmer midsection, better #health in simply 10 days.' The Concept: This resembles a far better, much more practical version of French Ladies Don't Get Fat, written by an actual nutritional expert and also diet regimen professional, Connie Guttersen, a signed up dietitian and nourishment instructor at the Culinary Institute of America. She uses useful recommendations and suggestions on eating good, healthy, power foods. Notable: Appears like maybe the winner of the team. You'll discover in-depth dish plans and also great deals of healthy recipes for tasty foods. And also it includes a simple diet regimen pullout overview in the back with parts and food lists.

The Taste Point Diet Plan: The Delicious, Advancement Plan to Shut Off Your Appetite and Shed the Weight for Good (Hardcover) by David L. Katz and also Catherine S. Katz (Rodale Books, $24.95) The Claim: 'The Flavor Factor Diet plan techniques the mind right into being pleased all day, so readers do not eat when they don't should.' The Concept: By integrating foods by taste, you eat the foods you desire and also enjoy what you eat-- and since the food is satisfying and also delightful, you don't require to overindulge. The diet regimen does not call for any type of calorie checking or limitations of food groups. Notable: David Katz, M.D., M.P.H. is a true public health and wellness supporter and also actually cares if you reduce weight as well as eat healthfully. As a leading clinical spokesman and also teacher at the Yale School of Public Health and wellness, his diet is concentrated on maximizing eating enjoyment. This book additionally has greater than 100 recipes by someone who knows just how to cook.

Betty Crocker Success at #Weight Loss Cookbook: A Healthy And Balanced Overview for the Entire Family (Hardcover) Betty Crocker, editor (Wiley, $24.95) The Claim: The entire household can reduce weight by consuming the healthy foods in this book. The Concept: Simple 'straightforward' recipes low in calories and fat that the whole household will appreciate. The 140 dishes consisted of include kid-friendly choices like Nutty Whole-Grain Silver Dollar Pancakes or Poultry as well as Pasta Frying Pan, both of which take only 25 minutes and also have 300 calories each offering. There are even treats such as Honey-Lime Watermelon Dunk, 15 minutes to prepare, 1 hour to chill as well as 140 calories per serving. Notable: Recommendations from famed weight-loss professional James O. Hillside, M.D. is peppered throughout guide. This is an easy-to-read, healthy family members starter kit.

Weight Watchers Household Power: 5 Simple Rules for a Healthy And Balanced Weight Home (Hardcover) by Karen Miller-Kovach, M.S. R.D. (Wiley, $22.95) The Claim: This publication will certainly obtain your entire household moving as well as healthy. The Concept: Weight Watchers usually provides sound guidance. Here the purpose is to deal with childhood excessive weight by using 5 guidelines: 'Concentrate on wholesome, nourishing foods, consist of treats, maintain non-homework display time at two hours (or much less) each day, be active a hr each day, the rules relate to everybody in the home.' Notable: Written by Weight Watchers' chief scientific police officer, it consists of sidebars called 'Coach's Edge' with advice for tough situations, such as whether to impose a 'no-sugar' rule. Guide states no.

The Rice Diet Regimen Remedy: The World-Famous Low-Sodium, Good-Carb, Detoxification Diet Plan for Quick and also Lasting Weight Loss (Hardbound) by Feline Rosati and Robert Rosati (Simon as well as Schuster, $25) The Claim: 'Men lose on typical 28 to 30 extra pounds as well as ladies usually 19 to 20 pounds each month!' Likewise, a pledge of body detoxification. The Concept: Exactly how can you fail restricting hydrogenated fats and also salt as well as consuming great complex carbs (fruits, vegetables, grains and beans)? But promises of 20-pound weight management in a month might establish the phase for some significant disappointments. Notable: Dishes from the distinguished Durham, N.C., Rice Diet Clinic.

The Supermarket Diet (Hardbound) by Janis Jibrin (Hearst, $19.95) The Claim: Lose approximately 2 pounds weekly eating normal food without feeling hungry. The Concept: Merely most likely to your local supermarket as well as usage normal packaged ease foods to slim down. From the publishers: 'Guide instructs you how you can read food tags, buy packaged foods that will not mess up a diet plan and also stay with a healthy, well balanced food selection that is low in calories, high in fiber and modest in carbohydrates, fats as well as healthy protein.' Notable: This publication consists of more compared to 100 recipes, many making use of fast food, all 'triple examined' in Excellent Housekeeping's kitchen area (which indicates they all have the tough-to-achieve Excellent House cleaning Seal of Approval). It takes you aisle by aisle with the grocery store selecting the healthiest foods.

Core Efficiency Essentials: The Revolutionary Nutrition and also Workout Strategy Adjusted for Daily Use (Hardbound) by Mark Verstegen and (Rodale Books, $27.95) The Claim: More power and 'the benefits of yoga exercise with workouts made to improve flexibility, joint security as well as equilibrium.' The Concept: Verstegen, that runs an elite-athlete training center in Tempe, Ariz., called Professional athletes' Efficiency, has created an easier program for the ordinary person. Concentrating on your 'core,' he provides strength-training routines making use of just body weight and also marginal equipment that can be performed in 'a resort space, family space-- even an office.' Notable: An unique health and fitness book from a trainer who truly functions with elite athletes. Good detailed pictures of exercises.

Other New Releases:

The South Coastline Diet Quick as well as Easy Recipe Book: 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Much Less (Hardbound) by Arthur Agatston (Rodale, $27.95) 200 brand-new recipes from Miami area chefs that utilize 10 or less components and require Thirty Minutes or much less of cooking time.

The South Coastline Diet Eating Overview: Your Referral Overview Of Restaurants Throughout The U.S.A. (Book) by Arthur Agatston (Rodale, $7.99) Leading South Beach food chooses at even more compared to 75 restaurants.

Breaking the Fat Pattern (Paperback) by Charles Stuart Platkin (Plume, $15) Concentrate on behavior and also personal environment elements of consuming. No meal intends - simply excellent advice.

Lighten-Up (Paperback) by Charles Stuart Platkin (Razorbill, $7.99) A book for teens with genuine advice on ways to eat healthy and balanced and stay rational in the process.

The T-Factor Fat Gram Counter, Changed as well as Updated Edition (Paperback) by Jamie Pope as well as Martin Katahn (W. W. Norton, $3.99) If you're extra familiar with exactly what calories cost, you'll consume much less. This check out counter pocket guide contains 2,000 listings that consist of complete fat, saturated fat, calories, fiber, carbs and also salt. The initial marketed more than 6 million copies.

10 Behaviors That Mess up a Lady's Diet regimen (Paperback) by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D. (McGraw-Hill, $16.95) A fast keep reading typical concerns dealt with while dieting. Somer has been blogging about ladies as well as diet plan for 25 years.

The Body Noble: 20 Minutes to a Warm Body with Hollywood's Coolest Instructor (Hardcover) by Derek Noble as well as Carol Colman (Wiley, $24.95) Noble is the celebrity of his own daily physical fitness lifestyle show, Urban Physical fitness TV, on the FitTV network. Uses 'basic props' to find up with an efficient exercise program.

6 Weeks to a Hollywood Body: Look Fit as well as Feel Fabulous with the Secrets of destiny (Hardcover) by Steve Zim as well as Mark Laska (Wiley, $24.95) Weight resistance how-tos, including greater than 100 black-and-white photos that fully show the exercises.

28-Day Body Shapeover (Paperback) by Brad Schoenfeld (Human Kinetics, $17.95) This is by the writer of Look Excellent Naked and published by a first-rate health and fitness publisher. Provides pictures of a variety of workouts broken down by body parts.

The InVision Guide to a Healthy And Balanced Heart (Paperback) by Alexander Tsiaras (Collins, $19.95) Tsiaras uses photos created by advanced modern technology in a visually-driven health and wellness book that will inform and also equip anyone worried about his own or a loved one's heart health. Remarkable to consider as well as very motivating.

The Diet plan Survivor's Manual: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance as well as Self-Care (Paperback) by Judith Matz as well as Ellen Frankel (Sourcebooks, $12.95) Specialists offer behavior and also food suggestions on just how people could 'step off the damaging diet bandwagon and also regain their self-confidence, favorable body image and also a happy, healthy life.'

The Total Wellbeing Diet Plan (Paperback) by Dr. Manny Noakes as well as Dr. Peter Clifton (NAL, $16.95) What may well be among the most significant diet plan publications of the year is not appearing till May. Already a finest vendor in the UK and Australia, this low-fat, high-protein diet plan was medically examined by the Australian government.

#7 day diet #body weight #crash diet #diet #dieting #health and wellness #nutrition #protein diet #protein diet plan #slim down #weight loss #weight management #wellness

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newssplashy · 6 years

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Girl Smarts: What’s up with the carnivore diet everyone’s talking about?

So when a diet actually encourages you to eat as much meat as possible, it might seem too good to be true.

For meat lovers, typical diets can seem like such a drag (load up on veggies, opt for healthy fats, limit big juicy steaks and bacon, etc.).

So when a diet actually encourages you to eat as much meat as possible, it might seem too good to be true. That's the case with the carnivore diet, the newest eating trend that claims to help you lose weight and get healthier in the process.

But before you toss out your leafy greens and stock your fridge with cuts of meat, there are a few things you should know.

Tell me: What does the carnivore diet entail?

Get a load of this, bacon lovers: People on the carnivore diet eat only meat and animal products, and avoid all plant foods.

“I call this a mono diet, which means you’re basically eating one food,” says Abby Langer, R.D., a Toronto-based dietitian and writer. “It’s meat, eggs, and coffee. Some people will eat dairy, but most believe that the lactose in milk makes it off-limits, because that’s sugar. No plant foods are allowed, which means you can’t eat any grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fruits, or vegetables.”

Although there don’t seem to be any official guidelines in terms of macronutrients, most proponents of the diet seem to recommend getting the majority of calories from fat, not protein, which means choosing fattier cuts of meat.

Because there’s very little information available on the diet, it also hasn't been studied yet-meaning most of its health claims and testimonials come from personal blogs and social media accounts.

So should I stock up on bacon and hot dogs?

Nope, nope, nope.

“There’s a reason [health experts] say to eat the rainbow,” says Amy Gorin, R.D.N., owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. “You need a variety of foods for optimal health. These include fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like avocado and olives, and whole grains like quinoa and brown rice. You get so many important nutrients from these foods-from vitamins and minerals to antioxidants-that are important for good health.”

Langer agrees, as does, well, science. “You’re essentially cutting out foods that have been proven to be good for you, and that have never proven to be harmful.”

She also points out that, in addition to important vitamins and minerals, plant food contains fiber, which has been proven to promote weight loss, weight maintenance, improved cholesterol, and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

Plus, “fiber from plant foods are digested in the bowel by good bacteria... It improves gut health,” says Langer. On the carnivore diet, you’re missing out on all of these potential health benefits-and not only that, but you might start feeling pretty damn constipated from that lack of fiber.

It's also worth pointing out that the USDA and the American Heart Association say the best diets are composed of mostly plant foods and limited amounts of saturated fat-a.k.a. the opposite of the carnivore diet.

“The Dietary Guidelines advise limiting saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of total daily calories,” explains Gorin. “Too much saturated fat can increase your cholesterol levels. So for a 2,000-calorie daily diet, you should get no more than 200 calories, or about 22 grams, of saturated fat."

Gorin also points out that, if you were following the carnivore diet-say, by having a few eggs and a few slices of bacon-you'd get more than half of that amount for breakfast alone.

Technically, it’s possible to eat meats lower in saturated fat, like skinless poultry, lean cuts of pork, and fish. But the carnivore diet recommends fattier cuts of meat (a.k.a. cuts high in saturated fat), because most of your calories on the diet should come from fat.

“The claims of this diet are just so crazy” Langer says. “Its supporters are saying that vegetables are horrible, and that carbohydrates are toxic. None of this has ever been proven by science, and any studies they’re citing are not credible.”

But what about those people who have lost weight on the carnivore diet?

Here’s the deal: Any time you eliminate major food groups from your diet (or in this case, pretty much all foods except meat), you’re likely going to be eating less. Less food equals fewer calories consumed, and eating fewer calories than you need is how weight loss happens. Period.

So, sure, you’ll probably lose weight on the carnivore diet in the short-term. You’ll have to say no to office snacks, birthday cake, and convenient on-the-go options like granola bars and trail mix.

That said, the diet is pretty unsustainable, and any weight you lose will probably come back as soon as you start eating a variety of foods again. “There are much healthier ways to lose weight that include making lasting lifestyle changes,” says Gorin. “It would be very difficult-and wouldn't be healthy-to maintain an all-meat diet.”

What about all of these claims that the carnivore diet cures chronic health problems?

Bloggers and Instagrammers claim that, in addition to weight loss, the carnivore diet can cure a variety of ailments, from sinus and skin issues, to arthritis and depression (there are even #meatheals and #meatismedicine hashtags on Instagram).

But again, those are all anecdotal claims-there are no actual studies on the carnivore diet, so it’s impossible to say for sure what the health effects are, good or bad.

“It could be the placebo effect, but it also could just be the result of weight loss," says Langer. “It literally has no logical explanation-it’s not based in science at all.”

Langer also stresses that just because one person goes on the carnivore diet and has healthy blood vitals and reduced symptoms of a chronic condition, doesn’t mean that this will be true for everyone.

“Some people can eat more saturated fats and be okay, so that could be a reason their blood pressure and cholesterol are within the healthy range,” she says. “They also may have neglected to mention that they’ve lost weight, which in itself will make your pressure and cholesterol go down. They also may just be lying.”

So all of this means I probably shouldn't try the carnivore diet, right?

Correct. “Humans cannot subsist off of only meat and experience optimal health,” says Gorin.

Langer also emphasizes the fact that the carnivore diet could really take a toll on your mental and emotional health, too.

“You’re going to be isolating yourself from social situations, and that’s just not okay,’" she says. “Mental and physical health go hand-in-hand in terms of their impact on your health and your life.”

Bottom line: If you’re looking to lose weight or improve your health, it’s best to do it through sustainable lifestyle changes-not going HAM (literally) on meat or animal products.

source http://www.newssplashy.com/2018/08/girl-smarts-whats-up-with-carnivore.html

#News

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watsonrodriquezie · 7 years

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Goodies Against the Grain: Sadie’s Story (and 2 Amazing Recipes) + IG Giveaway

Today’s guest post is offered up by Sadie Radinsky, whom I had the pleasure of chatting with on a recent episode of her podcast, Jump For Joy. I think you’re going to love her story and be inspired by her success—in reclaiming her health and in following her passion. And the recipes she’s serving up? Grok never had it so good. Just in time for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy, everyone! And be sure to check out the giveaway at the end.

Hi, Mark’s Daily Apple! I’m Sadie, a 16-year-old food blogger, Paleo dessert chef and writer. I am so excited to share my health journey with you today, as well as two scrumptious Valentine’s Day treat recipes.

A little background about me: I grew up a vegetarian, with a diet that consisted mainly of whole grain products, beans, veggies, fruit, and the occasional fish. All of this would soon change because at the age of nine, I had to miss six months of school due to health issues. Every day I would wake up with intense stomach pain, fatigue and nausea. Most days it was hard to get out of bed. Pretty fun, right?

My parents knew something was wrong, but they just didn’t know what. My mom took me to countless Eastern and Western doctors, and still… no diagnosis. One day, she had the brilliant idea that I should go gluten-free for a little while and see how it made me feel.

Two months later, I was completely healed.

Food has an immense power on our bodies. As a nine-year-old, it was empowering to see how changing my diet made me a healthy and happy person, free from pain. Oh, but the change did not stop there!

When my family stayed at a farm in Vermont that summer, I tried beef for my first time. This was beef from cattle who had spent their days munching on green grass pastures at the farm. It was then my family realized we could eat meat while still upholding our belief that animals should be raised humanely, in good conditions. Plus, our meal options were rapidly decreasing as gluten-free vegetarians, and my mom needed some darn food to put on the dinner table!

However, there was still a problem: I loved baked goods, but all the gluten-free treats in stores were overly processed and dry. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands! I began making gluten-free dessert recipes that I found online. I soon stumbled upon a Paleo recipe for Sugar Cookies, and I was enthralled; the cookies used nutrient-dense ingredients like coconut and almond. I realized this Paleo diet was the same thing my dad had been so excited about recently! Eventually, I began concocting my own recipes. This led to the creation of my Paleo dessert blog, Goodies Against The Grain, when I was twelve.

Soon, it was not only treats. My family began eating almost completely Paleo, save for some occasional grass-fed butter and cheese. We all felt amazing! Any bellyaches I used to get from rice and corn went completely away.

Now I am an avid runner and yogi with loads of energy and not a stomach ache in sight! Going Paleo truly changed my life.

Along with creating Paleo treats for my blog, I have written articles about teen empowerment and food for Justine, Shape, and Paleo Magazine. I am now writing a healthy lifestyle cookbook for teens (coming soon!). You can also listen to my podcast, Jump For Joy, and the episode I recorded with Mark here. Make sure to follow @goodiesagainstthegrain for more healthy recipes and lifestyle tips!

Oh, one last thing: always remember to treat yourself (literally). I believe you should never deprive yourself of fun desserts just because you’re on a gluten-free, Paleo or Keto diet. That’s why I’ve created some DELICIOUS, chocolaty, healthy recipes for you today! Let’s get into those now…

Red Velvet Raspberry Fudge Bombs

They’re rich, fudgy, raspberry-y and just about the best thing ever. They have a few secret ingredients that you’d be surprised of: avocado and Chocolate Collagen Fuel. Yup, that’s right! These truffles get their smooth texture from avocados, and an extra boost of protein from the collagen. So basically, by eating these treats, you’re making yourself a healthier person! The white chocolate drizzle is totally optional, but I think it adds a romantic flare and amazing flavor.

Makes 12

Ingredients

Fudge:

¾ cup avocado meat (approx. 1½ avocados)

1 cup raw cashews

3 scoops Chocolate Collagen Fuel (or other favorite protein powder)

1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil

2 Tablespoons cacao powder

3½ Tablespoons freeze-dried raspberry powder (see below)*

3 teaspoons granulated monk fruit sweetener**

Coating:

5 Tablespoons freeze-dried raspberry powder*

Drizzle (optional):

¼ cup finely chopped raw cacao butter

3 Tablespoons full-fat coconut milk

1 Tablespoons coconut oil

½ teaspoon granulated monk fruit sweetener**

Directions

1. Using a food processor or high-speed blender, pulse the cashews and coconut oil until smooth. Blend in all the other fudge ingredients until creamy. 2. Scoop mixture into a bowl and freeze for 30 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, for some extra flare, make the drizzle: melt the drizzle ingredients together in a small saucepan over low heat until they’re all combined and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes. 4. Scoop the chilled fudge dough into 12 balls. Roll in the raspberry powder coating and place on a plate. Drizzle the white chocolate coating on top, then serve. 5. Store leftover fudge bombs in the freezer and defrost for 5 minutes before eating.

Notes: *To make raspberry powder, smash the contents of two small bags of freeze-dried raspberries using a mortar + pestle or spice grinder. I used two 1.2 oz bags of freeze-dried raspberries from Trader Joe’s. Then, push the powder through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Now, measure the powder for the recipe. **You could also sub maple sugar here, but I cannot guarantee results will be the exact same.

Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes

Don’t you wish you could enjoy a special Valentine’s day bundt cake while still sticking to your Keto or Paleo diet? Oh, wait… you can! These legit cakes are sweetened with monk fruit, so they don’t have any sugar. Plus, they use avocado oil as a fat, so you’re simultaneously eating chocolate cake while boosting every cell is your body. Pretty rad, if may say so myself! The texture is exactly that of a traditional chocolate cake, so I’m sure you will adore it.

Yields 6 mini bundt cakes (which are quite larger than a normal cupcake).

Ingredients

Wet:

1/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped

4 large eggs

1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons almond milk

¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon avocado oil (or sub melted butter), plus more for greasing

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry:

1½ cups blanched almond flour

3 Tablespoons tapioca starch

2 Tablespoons coconut flour

6 Tablespoons granulated monk fruit sweetener**

¼ cup cacao powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Use avocado oil to grease a mini bundt pan (mine had 6 wells) or a muffin tin. 2. Using a double boiler or a small saucepan on low heat, melt the chocolate, then let it cool for 10 minutes. 3. In a stand mixer or using handheld mixer, whisk together the eggs until frothy. Add in the other wet ingredients and mix until smooth. 4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Slowly, whisk the dry into the wet and stir until smooth. 5. Pour the batter evenly into the bundt pan wells. Bake for 20 minutes. Then, let them cool for 30 minutes before flipping the pan over to remove the cakes.

Note: **You could probably substitute coconut sugar here for a non-Keto version, but I haven’t tested it yet.

Now for the Giveaway…

Follow @goodiesagainstthegrain and @marksdailyapple on Instagram. Then comment on my Instagram post with Sadie to share your favorite paleofied treat for a chance to win my entire line of PRIMAL KITCHEN® collagen protein products (U.S. and Canada only). For additional entries, tag friends on Instagram. The winner will be announced February 19th at 10 a.m. PST. Good luck!

Want more Primal recipes? Try the Primal Blueprint Slow Cooker Cookbook for free here.

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cristinajourdanqp · 7 years

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Goodies Against the Grain: Sadie’s Story (and 2 Amazing Recipes) + IG Giveaway

Two months later, I was completely healed.

Food has an immense power on our bodies. As a nine-year-old, it was empowering to see how changing my diet made me a healthy and happy person, free from pain. Oh, but the change did not stop there!

Now I am an avid runner and yogi with loads of energy and not a stomach ache in sight! Going Paleo truly changed my life.

Red Velvet Raspberry Fudge Bombs

Makes 12

Ingredients

Fudge:

¾ cup avocado meat (approx. 1½ avocados)

1 cup raw cashews

3 scoops Chocolate Collagen Fuel (or other favorite protein powder)

1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil

2 Tablespoons cacao powder

3½ Tablespoons freeze-dried raspberry powder (see below)*

3 teaspoons granulated monk fruit sweetener**

Coating:

5 Tablespoons freeze-dried raspberry powder*

Drizzle (optional):

¼ cup finely chopped raw cacao butter

3 Tablespoons full-fat coconut milk

1 Tablespoons coconut oil

½ teaspoon granulated monk fruit sweetener**

Directions

Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes

Yields 6 mini bundt cakes (which are quite larger than a normal cupcake).

Ingredients

Wet:

1/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped

4 large eggs

1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons almond milk

¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon avocado oil (or sub melted butter), plus more for greasing

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry:

1½ cups blanched almond flour

3 Tablespoons tapioca starch

2 Tablespoons coconut flour

6 Tablespoons granulated monk fruit sweetener**

¼ cup cacao powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Note: **You could probably substitute coconut sugar here for a non-Keto version, but I haven’t tested it yet.

Now for the Giveaway…

Want more Primal recipes? Try the Primal Blueprint Slow Cooker Cookbook for free here.

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gloriacumming43-blog · 7 years

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Agritourism: Promoting The Farm Expertise

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ouraidengray4 · 7 years

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Are Any of Those "Healthy" Sugar Alternatives Better for You?

Sugar has gotten so complicated. There’s plain old white cane sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, beet sugar, agave, honey... every month it seems like some new, allegedly better-for-you sugar-based sweetener debuts on the market. Still, while there are many different kinds of sugar-based sweeteners that are marketed as healthy alternatives to white sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, they don’t necessarily live up to the hype.

Whole Fruit Vs. Added Sugars

Summer Rayne Oakes, certified holistic nutritionist and author of SugarDetoxMe, says that before digging into the healthy sugar myth, we need to draw a line between sugars that are tied up in fiber, like the sugar in an unprocessed piece of fruit, and "free sugars" that are added to foods to make them sweeter.

Because the fiber is stripped out when sugar is processed, the concept of any type of plant-based sweetener being more "natural" than any other plant-based sweetener really depends on how you choose to define the term. If you define it as simply "coming from nature," pure white cane sugar is, in some ways, just as natural (although significantly more processed than) maple syrup, honey, or agave.

Cane sugar is produced by chopping up sugar cane, extracting the juice, boiling it down, and then (for white sugar) removing the molasses. After that, it is processed into those pure white crystals we love to hate and hate to love. For turbinado or unrefined brown sugar, identifiable by the larger and less evenly sized crystals, some of the molasses is left in, and it skips the final refining process. For refined brown sugar, molasses is added back into the refined white sugar after it is processed.

The methods of production for other free sugars don’t vary greatly from this model. Just as with cane sugar, coconut sugar and maple sugar are made by pulling the sap out of a plant and then boiling the sap until the water evaporates. Maple syrup and agave nectar are made in the same way, but the boiling process is stopped when it reaches the desired consistency. Even honey goes through a series of steps to take it from plant nectar to sticky sweet, although it’s done by bees rather than humans. Bees collect the less-concentrated liquid nectar, bring it back to the hive, process it, and eventually, it becomes honey. We use machinery, and they use their mouths and stomachs, but the process isn’t all that different.

Types of Sugar

There are a few main types of sugar that can be found in everything ranging from the banana on your kitchen counter to the processed sugar in your favorite pastries. There are the monosaccharides (one-molecule sugars), glucose, fructose, and galactose, and there are also disaccharides (two-molecule sugars), called lactose, sucrose, and maltose. We’re going to focus here on the sugars that are used as "added sugars," rather than stuff like lactose, which occurs naturally in dairy products but isn’t really added to any commercial products except infant formula. Because of this, lactose is not of great concern in the added sugar debate.

1. Glucose

Glucose is food for our cells, and our body produces it naturally. It is also what is measured when people talk about a food’s glycemic index, a number that indicates the impact a food will have on blood sugar levels within two hours of consumption. Balancing blood sugar can be a difficult task, especially for people with diabetes, but a well-functioning system knows what to do with reasonable amounts of glucose when it arrives in your stomach. Whole foods that are high in glucose include dried and fresh fruit, as well as also grains, beans, nuts, and vegetables like sweet bell peppers.

2. Fructose

Fructose is the sweetest-tasting of the natural sugars, can only be broken down by the liver, and much of it is turned into fat. Since it’s in the liver rather than going straight into the bloodstream, it takes longer for the human body to process fructose and, subsequently, it doesn’t cause the sudden spikes in blood sugar that other forms of sugar can trigger.

Because of this, sweeteners high in fructose have often been lauded as "healthy." But Robert Lustig, M.D., professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Francisco and director of the UCSF Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) program, warns that fructose "floods the liver, creating fatty liver disease and insulin resistance."

And that’s just the start of it: High fructose consumption has been linked to gout, weight-management problems, and a long list of other ailments that can take a while to manifest but that are very serious when they do.

3. Sucrose

Sucrose is made of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose, and because it has the properties of both, it goes through the processes of both, impacting both the blood and the liver. While sucrose exists in many fruits, vegetables, and natural sweeteners, table sugar is pure sucrose, or 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose, with nothing else (like fiber) present to slow down absorption. The glucose half of sucrose hits your blood quickly, spiking blood sugar levels, while the fructose half makes its way through the liver, causing the long-term problems Lustig warns of.

So Are Those Alternative Sugars Really Better for You?

The high-fructose products being sold as alternatives to white cane sugar are often marketed as nutrient-rich, but they don’t contain nearly enough healthy vitamins and minerals for their health benefits to outweigh their health consequences. Coconut sugar, for example, has trace amounts of minerals like calcium and iron, but it is also up to 80 percent sucrose. The glucose half of the sucrose in coconut sugar contributes to its relatively low glycemic index (GI) score, which has been reported as 35-42.