Diabetes Breakthrough.

New diabetes breakthrough: Food experts find key to halting the disease 'epidemic'

 

BRITAIN’S diabetes epidemic could be brought to a halt by a new way of making everyday foods healthier, research suggests.

 

By Giles Sheldrick

PUBLISHED: 00:01, Sat, Sep 5, 2015 | UPDATED: 10:11, Sat, Sep 5, 2015

 

GETTY - A change in the way processed food is made could lead to the creation of “diabetic friendly” foods

 

 

 

The breakthrough technique would see favourites like bread, pasta, cakes and biscuits loaded with extra fibre.

Scientists at King’s College, London, say a change in the way processed food is made could lead to the creation of “diabetic friendly” foods.
Increasing the amount of fibre contained in staple foods could also see cases of obesity and heart disease plummet.

Current procedures mean that milling grain to produce flour damages the starch cells, allowing the body to consume them more quickly.
This can lead to a spike in insulin which repeated over time can cause Type 2 diabetes.
By altering milling techniques, the natural structure of dietary fibre can be protected which means the body absorbs the starch more slowly and the rise in blood sugar levels after a meal is delayed, the scientists found.

Their experiments showed eating porridge made from larger fibre particles produced significantly lower blood sugar levels than a bowl made with traditional smooth wheat flour.
Both were made of the same ingredients and had the same nutrient contents, but starch was digested more slowly in the coarser porridge.

Within two hours of eating coarser particles, blood sugar was 33 per cent lower and insulin 43 per cent lower.

Researchers also found people were less likely to experience an undesirable “sugar low” following the earlier peak in blood sugar than when they ate the smooth porridge.
It means inexpensive tweaks could now pave the way for a host of new versions of starchy foods, meaning it might soon be possible to enjoy favourite snacks guilt-free.

Keeping more dietary fibre in processed foods means “diabetic friendly” or healthier versions could have exactly the same ingredients but with a more natural, enzyme-resistant structure around the starch that enables it to be digested more slowly.

Starch is one of the largest sources of calories and an important component of a healthy diet, with wheat being the main source.

Wheat also contains dietary fibre, which forms a complex protective network of cell walls around the starch.

The results suggest developing new milling techniques that maintain the microstructure of wheat could provide healthier versions of white bread, breakfast cereals and biscuits.

Dr Cathrina Edwards, who led the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, said: “Our research has shown there is a relatively easy way to limit the availability of starch/calories from food simply by preserving more of the natural structure of plant-based ingredients.

“The way in which foods are processed clearly has a big impact on how much of the nutrients/calories are absorbed from that food.”

The lives of four million people are now blighted by diabetes and the scale of the epidemic gripping Britain is so great that treating the condition costs the NHS £10billion a year – £1million an hour.
Diabetes can lead to a number of serious long-term health problems like blindness, heart and kidney disease and stroke and the furring and narrowing of blood vessels.

Estimates show 11.5 million Britons are at risk of developing lifestyle- driven Type 2 diabetes because of unhealthy carbohydrates and cholesterol.

Dr Richard Elliott, of Diabetes UK, said: “We already know changing the way starchy foods are produced and prepared can affect their influence on blood glucose levels when eaten.

“Over time, high glucose and high insulin levels can contribute to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, so following the approach used in this study to create new versions of staple starchy foods could potentially be one way to help prevent and manage Type 2 diabetes.”



Source:http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/603127/Diabetes-breakthrough-halt-everyday-foods-healthier-research



 

Make Your V Day - Super Hot and Sexy

Polish off those NUTS: Foods YOU should eat to boost your libido for Valentine's Day

IT'S the most romantic month of the year, so pay attention to these aphrodisiac foods.

GETTY

Next weekend is Valentine's Day and everyone will be looking for aphrodisiac food

Next weekend marks Valentine's Day when people declare their love for one another, and single folk tend to hit the town with their friends for a fun night out. 

But do you know what should be on the menu for a night of passionate love making? 

 

Express.co.uk have got the low-down on all the top aphrodisiac foods and what they help you do. 

Want to improve your performance in the sack? It might be a case of having a banana split after dinner - read on!

 

Out little yellow friends are tasty bundles of joy at the best of times, and who knew they could get you in the mood? 

GETTY

Who knew celery was so good for your health AND sex life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It turns out bananas are a great source of B vitamins, which are important for the manufacture of sex hormones.

Berries

Everyone knows berries are great for overall health and packed to the rafters with vitamin C. 

But the little sweet treats are also high in antioxidants which help optimise blood flow to the sex organs. 

Strawberry dipped in chocolate anyone? 

Oysters

This one is infamous when it comes to aphrodisiac foods, but there is science to back up the myth. 

These saltwater clams are rich in the mineral zinc which is important for the production of sex hormones. 

Nuts

Unsalted nuts are a good source of dietary fibre and provide a wide range of essential nutrients. But one specific type - almonds - are also a prime source of essential fatty acids. This helps maintain a healthy balance of sex hormones.

 

GETTY

Oysters are the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of aphrodisiac foods

 

 

Beetroot juice

Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, is said to have eaten beetroot to maintain her charisma - and there might just be some science behind this. 

Recent research has shown natural nitrates found in beetroot juice can boost Nitric oxide levels in the blood, giving a serious boost in stamina no matter what you're doing. From the rugby pitch to the bedroom, keep beetroot in mind. 

Protein

Good quality protein contains l-arginine, an amino acid essential for normal blood circulation in those areas which are important to a healthy sex life. 

Show you can chow down on that steak and not feel too bad about it - it's helping you get in the Valentine's Day mood. 

Celery

Not everyone's favourite, but the health benefits of celery is undeniable - it could actually work better than a wingman to help get the ladies' attention. 

This is because celery contains androstenene, a pheromone working to attract women to men. It will work its way through your body and comes out in your sweat (in a good way).

Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading Nutritonist, said: "If you don’t feel healthy, it’s extremely hard to feel sexy. So, as a first stop, make sure you eat a healthy diet. Good-quality unsaturated fats come from oily fish, eggs, nuts and seeds and take a good Omega 3 supplement. 

"Fats are important for overcoming low libido because sex hormones (such as testosterone) are manufactured from the cholesterol contained within those foods.  Also fats will also help to keep tissues like the vagina lubricated and soft."

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/diets/641673/Food-eat-sex-boost-libido-aphrodisiac 

ADHD Diet - What Works Best!

The ADHD Diet: What to Eat, What to Avoid

Poor eating habits don't cause attention deficit, but research suggests a strong relationship between ADHD and the food you consume. Find out what foods and supplements make a diet ADD-friendly — and what may make ADHD symptoms worse.

 

 

 

                 

Deficiencies in certain types of foods can worsen ADHD symptoms in children and adults. An ADHD diet that ensures you're getting adequate levels of the right foods optimizes brain function.  

Protein. Foods rich in protein — lean beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, soy, and low-fat dairy products — can have beneficial effects on ADD symptoms. Protein-rich foods are used by the body to make neurotransmitters, the chemicals released by brain cells to communicate with each other. Protein can prevent surges in blood sugar, which increase hyperactivity.


“Because the body makes brain-awakening neurotransmitters when you eat protein, start your day with a breakfast that includes it,” says Laura Stevens, M.S., a nutritionist at Purdue University and author of 12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child. “Don’t stop there. Look for ways to slip in lean protein during the day, as well.”


Balanced Meals. Faye Berger Mitchell, a registered dietician from Bethesda, Maryland, has a nine-year-old daughter who received an ADHD diagnosis two years ago. While her daughter takes stimulants to control her ADHD symptoms, Mitchell concluded that a pill is not enough. She finds that when her daughter eats a well-balanced diet, including vegetables, complex carbohydrates, fruits, and plenty of protein, her behavior tends to be more consistently under control.


Ned Hallowell, M.D., founder of the Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health, in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and New York City, advises all of his ADHD patients to think about their plates when preparing a meal. Half of the plate, he recommends, should be filled with fruits or vegetables, one-fourth with a protein, and one-fourth with carbohydrates.

Hallowell also advocates eating several servings of whole grains, which are rich in fiber, each day to prevent blood sugar levels from spiking and then plummeting.



Source: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/6552-2.html





















 

For People who Live to Eat!!

12 Weight Loss Tips That Have Nothing To Do With Giving Up Food

For people who live to eat.

 

 

• Kate BratskeirFood and Health Editor, The Huffington Post

Life's short and food is glorious. 

If you're trying to hit weight loss goals in the new year, you may have decided all those tantalizing office snacks and dinners out are off the table. But luckily, losing weight doesn't have to require giving up your favorite foods. Often, just a slight tweak to your environment or behavior, rather than changing the actual menu, is all it takes. 

Check out the 12 tips below, which can help you stay on top of both your food bucket

1. Eat off a Plate, not out of the bag.

Seeing is believing, so it's important for portion control that you see how much of a snack you're ingesting before you dive in. Otherwise, you could consume way more than you mean to. If you're truly devoted, you might divide a snack into individual portions even before you get munching (store the rest for later in sealable plastic bags). This'll help you stick to one serving.

 

2. Make that plate a small plate.

Many studies have examined if eating from a smaller plate helps people consume fewer calories. According to a recent analysis published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, reducing plate diameter by 30 percentreduces the amount of food eaten by 30 percent. Simply changing the size of the plate from which you serve yourself could help you cut calories. Pretty cool. 

 

3. And a blue one.

This suggestion is based off a series of studies that found when a food's color contrasted with the plate on which it was was served, fewer calories were consumed. In one experiment, researchers found that people ate more spaghetti and marinara sauce when it was served on a red plate that matched the sauce than when it was served on a white one. The contrast, according to the scientists, makes the portion appear larger. Experts often recommend blue because not many foods are blue, but if blue doesn't fit in with your kitchen decor, fear not. To put this trick to work, just make sure your plate doesn't match the color of your 

4. Drink out of a tall, skinny glass.

 Cocktails may look fancy served in a short, wide glass, but that may prompt an over-pour of calories. One study found that people pour 30 percent more liquid into short glasses compared to tall, skinny glasses of the same volume, overestimating how much they're really pouring. With that big pour, your also getting 30 percent more calories.

5. Skip the commercials.

Seeing food on TV will make you want food in your belly. Research published in Health Psychology examined the effect of food-based television advertisements and concluded the impact was big: Exposure to food advertisements caused people watching TV to snack more. The snackers were not necessarily driven to eat the product being promoted, but snack food in general. Similarly, watching cooking shows for recipe inspiration has been linked with a greater risk for obesity. Switch off "Top Chef" and record your favorite shows -- thereby gaining the power to fast forward through ads -- to defeat TV's almighty power to induce hunger.

6. Hide your junk food.

Out of sight, out of mind. Just as seeing food on TV induces cravings, not seeing food may help reduce them. One experiment published in the International Journal of Obesity found that office workers ate fewer candies from a bowl when the bowl was opaque or covered compared to when it was clear. You can implement this trick at home by putting your junk food in colored containers or placing it behind healthier options in the pantry.

7. And put your healthy food in plain sight.

Organize your fridge like a mullet: Business in the front, party in the back. The office candy bowl study found that when food was more visible and accessible, people tended to eat more of it. And in a separate study, researchers compared the consumption of apples and popcorn based on proximity, finding that people ate more of whichever offering was closer. Replacing the candy bowl with nutritious foods like fruit, and get your better offerings front and center. 

8. Chew, for goodness' sake.

 This is a simple one: Make a point to chew your food well rather than slug it down. Chewing will make you eat your meal more slowly, which research shows will make you ingest fewer calories. Taking time to chew your meal gives your body more time to register fullness, so you can stop when you feel full rather than when you're stuffed.

9. Get some sleep.

When in doubt, sleep. Sleep appears to be a miracle solution for ailments across the board: It can boost your mood, improve your performance at work and even hamper headaches. Extensive research has shown that people who sleep fewer hours are more likely to be overweight. When you're running on empty, you feel hungrier than you would with quality rest.

10. Play Tetris.

If you've got a food craving, treat yourself to a good old-fashioned game of Tetris rather than attempting to "wait it out." A 2014 study revealed that visual-based tasks like playing a game decreases feelings of cravings (Angry Birds will probably work, too). Researchers say much of a craving is image-based, so distracting your mind with something else that is visual can minimize the strength of a craving.

11. Stop wearing sweats.

"Wearing stylish clothing that makes you feel attractive -- as opposed to comfy sweats and lounge wear that hide your body -- will encourage you to eat in a way that shows you care about your appearance and your body,” clinical psychologist Katie Rickel told Grandparents.com. Dressing the part can serve as a good reminder of your goals.

12. Take the proverbial chill pill.

Chronic stress can be a major cause of weight gain, so it's in your best interest to relax a little. Pinpoint the root of your stress and address it: Consider talking your problems out with a friend or therapist, and be proactive about mitigating them. You might consider participating in some stress-reducing activities: Deep-breathing, yoga, listening to music and taking a nap have all been shown to help calm nerves.

 

 Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/weight-loss-tips-still-eat-like-a-boss_5695318ee4b05b3245da8423

 

Healthy Eating

Easy Tips for Planning a Healthy Diet and Sticking to it

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your outlook, and stabilizing your mood. If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. But by using these simple tips, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to create a tasty, varied, and healthy diet that is as good for your mind as it is for your body.

How does healthy eating affect mental and emotional health?

We all know that eating right can help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid certain health problems, but your diet can also have a profound effect on your mood and sense of wellbeing. Studies have linked eating a typical Western diet—filled with red and processed meats, packaged meals, takeout food, and sugary snacks—with higher rates of depression, stress, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. Eating an unhealthy diet may even play a role in the development of mental health disorders such as ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and schizophrenia, or in the increased risk of suicide in young people.
Eating more fruits and vegetables, cooking meals at home, and reducing your fat and sugar intake, on the other hand, may help to improve mood and lower your risk for mental health problems. If you have already been diagnosed with a mental health problem, eating well can even help to manage your symptoms and regain control of your life.
While some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a beneficial effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most important. That means switching to a healthy diet doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet and make a difference to the way you think and feel.

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps—like adding a salad to your diet once a day—rather than one big drastic change. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices.

• Prepare more of your own meals. Cooking more meals at home can help you take charge of what you’re eating and better monitor exactly what goes into your food.
• Make the right changes. When cutting back on unhealthy foods in your diet, it’s important to replace them with healthy alternatives. Replacing animal fats with vegetables fats (such as switching butter for olive oil) will make a positive difference to your health. Switching animal fats for refined carbohydrates, though (such as switching your breakfast bacon for a donut), won’t lower your risk for heart disease or improve your mood.
• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. Focus on avoiding packaged and processed foods and opting for more fresh ingredients.
• Read the labels. It’s important to be aware of what’s in your food as manufacturers often hide large amounts of sugar and salt in packaged food, even food claiming to be healthy.
• Focus on how you feel after eating. This will help foster healthy new habits and tastes. The more healthy food you eat, the better you’ll feel after a meal. The more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable, nauseous, or drained of energy.
• Drink plenty of water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key

Key to any healthy diet is moderation. But what is moderation? In essence, it means eating only as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed. Moderation is also about balance. Despite what fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
For most of us, moderation also means eating less than we do now. But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories of chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your evening meal. If you're still hungry, fill up with extra vegetables.

• Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. Start by reducing portion sizes of unhealthy foods and not eating them as often. As you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods, you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
• Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, visual cues can help with portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb. If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, add more leafy green vegetables or round off the meal with fruit.
• Take your time. Stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
• Eat with others whenever possible. As well as the emotional benefits, this allows you to model healthy eating habits for your kids. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.

It's not just what you eat, but when you eat

• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, while eating small, healthy meals (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up.
• Avoid eating at night. Try to eat dinner earlier and fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Studies suggest that eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day may help to regulate weight.

Source:http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/healthy-eating.htm