Tag Archives: Diet & Nutritition
NUTRIGENOMICS: HOW DIET CAN REPROGRAM OUR DNA
The burgeoning field of “nutrigenomics” claims that the food we eat can alter our genetics. Dietitians, scientists and lifestyle companies have all hopped on the bandwagon.
Nutrigenomics (also known as nutritional genomics) is broadly defined as the relationship between nutrients, diet, and gene expression. The launch of the Human Genome Project in the 1990s and the subsequent mapping of human DNA sequencing ushered in the ‘era of big science’, jump-starting the field of nutrigenomics that we know today.
Newsletters: Tufts Health & Nutrition – May 2022
Diet News: Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter (Mar ’22)
| This month, read about: |
| Spring Greens!NEWSBITES: Vitamin B12 and depression; vegetables for bone healthChrononutritionYour Amazing Digestive SystemDiet and Your ThyroidAsk Tufts Experts: Nutrition Label Nutrients … Diet and Diverticulitis |
AMERICAN DIET: THE COVID SURGE IN SNACKING (VIDEO)
With Americans stuck at home, snack food has become a valuable commodity for the pandemic stressed consumer. North American sales of savory snacks like chips, popcorn, and pretzels climbed to $56.9 billion in 2020. In stressful times, people turn to snacking for comfort and Covid-19 has transformed kitchens across the U.S. into giant vending machines. So, has Covid-19 put an end to the shift to healthier snacks?
DR. C’S COMMENTS:
Snacking with its concomitant weight gain has increased with Covid. Of course Snacking didn’t originate with Covid, and it has long been common in Overweight people. Snacks are engineered to taste terrific, which means containing a lot of fat, sugar, and salt, easily be over done. Good nutrition is an afterthought to snack companies.
The Small volume of snacks, eaten frequently, Does not cause the satiation that comes with regular meals.
In my opinion, one of the major mechanisms by which TIME RESTRICTED EATING causes weight loss is by its prohibition of snacks. In the narrow window of time that you’re allowed to eat, you are hungry and eat regular food which tends to be of higher quality. Your stomach is full. You feel full and are not tempted to snack. Sugary drinks and snacks are bad for health.
HEALTH: ‘WHAT INFLUENCES GUT MICROBIOME’ (VIDEO)
The microbiota is a dynamic community that evolves through the lifetime of an individual, being influenced by multiple factors. Nutrition is essential in the process of establishing a healthy gut microbiome, with a key role of breastfeeding in early months, and important role of diverse diet to stimulate maturation of diverse gut microbiome.
Prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics are key tools to boost the development of an age-appropriate microbiota and its related benefits, like healthy immune development and a basis for a resilient microbiota throughout life.
HEALTHY DIETS: BALANCED CARBOHYDRATE RATIO – LOW FREE SUGARS + HIGH FIBER
Are all carbohydrates equally important to you? Considering carbohydrate quantity but also quality has a crucial importance for a healthy and balanced nutrition. Balanced Carbohydrate Ratio has been developed and scientifically proven in order to identify products and diets with the most optimal carbohydrate content.
HEALTH STUDY: ‘LOW CARB DIETS’ – TYPE 2 DIABETES REMISSION IN 6 MONTHS
HEALTH: ‘TOP FIVE DIETS’ RANKED – “KEEP IT SIMPLE”
Every year, as millions of people around the world forge new resolutions to eat healthier and lose weight, US News & World Report releases a conveniently timed ranking of the best diets. A panel of experts in obesity, nutrition, diabetes, heart disease, and food psychology rigorously rate each of 39 diets on seven criteria:
- Likelihood of losing significant weight in the first 12 months
- Likelihood of losing significant weight over two years or more
- Effectiveness for preventing diabetes (or as a maintenance diet)
- Effectiveness for preventing heart disease (or for reducing risk for heart patients)
- How easy it is to follow
- Nutritional completeness
- Health risks (like malnourishment, too-rapid weight loss, or specific nutrient deficiencies)
1. Mediterranean diet
Emphasis on fruits, veggies, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, legumes, fish and other seafood. Eggs, cheese, and yogurt can be eaten in moderation. Keep red meats and sugar as treats.
2. DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) diet — TIE
Eat lots of fruits, veggies, lean protein, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Avoid saturated fats and sugar.
2. Flexitarian diet — TIE
Be a vegetarian most of the time. Swap in beans, peas, or eggs for meats, and consume plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. You can look up more details because there’s actually a full meal plan involving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks to add up to a total 1500 calories per day. But feel free to also just swap in flexitarian meals ad hoc.
4. Weight Watchers
The first actual paid program on the list, WW uses a points system to guide dieters towards foods lower in sugar, saturated fat, and overall calories while consuming slightly more protein. There are a variety of paid WW plans, with the lowest being about $20 per month.
5. Mayo Clinic diet — TIE
A two-part system, with part one (‘Lose it!’) involving adding a healthy breakfast (i.e. fruits, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats) plus 30 minutes of exercise per day. You’re not allowed to eat while watching TV or consume sugar except what’s naturally found in fruit. Meat is only allowed in limited quantities, as is full-fat dairy. The second phase (‘Live it!’) is basically the first phase but with more flexibility. You aren’t realistically going to cut out sugar forever, and the Mayo Clinic diet acknowledges that. So the long term plan involves lots of whole grains, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. Less saturated fats and sugar.
Doctors Without Waiting Rooms 