Heena Sharma Blog

Eating a big breakfast rather than a large dinner may prevent obesity and high blood sugar, according to study which may lead to better clinical dietary recommendations to reduce body weight and prevent metabolic diseases . The study, published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, assessed 16 men who consumed a low-calorie breakfast and high-calorie dinner -- and vice versa in a second round -- over the course of three days. "Our results show that a meal eaten for breakfast, regardless of the amount of calories it contains, creates twice as high diet-induced thermogenesis as the same meal consumed for dinner," said the study's corresponding author, Juliane Richter from the University of Lubeck in Germany. "This finding is significant for all people as it underlines the value of eating enough at breakfast," Richter said. Read More

Consuming a Western diet, low in fibre and high in fat and sugar , can put you at increased risk of developing severe sepsis, researchers say. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found mice that were fed the Western diet showed an increase in chronic inflammation, sepsis severity and higher mortality rates than mice that were fed a normal diet. Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by the body's response to an infection. It can lead to shock and organ failure. It is one of the most common cause of death worldwide. According to the researchers, including Brooke Napier from the Portland State University, the mice had more severe sepsis and were dying faster because of something in their diet, not because of the weight gain or microbiome, the body's community of bacteria. "The mice's immune system on the Western diet looked and functioned differently. It looks like the diet is manipulating...

It turns out consuming a high-calorie dessert at the beginning of your meal can actually make you opt for a healthier course. According to a recent study, if you are going to choose dessert first, then the high-calorie option might lead to a healthier meal. As part of the study, researchers placed either a healthy or less healthy dessert (fresh fruit vs. lemon cheesecake) at the beginning or end of a university cafeteria line. When diners picked the cheesecake first, they then chose lower-calorie main or side dishes and ultimately consumed fewer calories than diners who chose the fresh fruit first. "We believe diners who chose the indulgent dessert first then picked healthier main and side dishes to make up for their high-calorie dessert. Diners who picked the healthier dessert may have thought they already had done a good deed for their bodies so they deserved higher-calorie food further down the cafeteria line," said Martin Reimann, lead researcher of the stud...

High-quality diet, defined by low intake of animal foods such as red meat, and high intake of plant foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains, coupled with a reduced intake of sweetened beverages, could be associated with reduced risk of diabetes, a recent study suggests. Diet is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes . Studying the impact of individual food items, however, does not account for the synergistic effects of diverse foods consumed together. Hence, scientists have turned increasing attention to studying the overall dietary patterns in order to capture the combined effect of a variety of food groups. Finding of the study were published in the Journal of American Journal of Epidemiology Five predetermined dietary patterns originating in Western populations, i.e. the alternative Mediterranean diet (aMED, an international adaptation of the eponymous diet), the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension...

While it's well-established that eating fruits and vegetables can benefit physical health. A recent study suggests that it may also benefit psychological well-being. The research showed a positive association between the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed and people's self-reported mental well-being. Specifically, the findings indicate that eating just one extra portion of fruits and vegetables a day could have an equivalent effect on mental well-being as around 8 extra days of walking a month (for at least 10 minutes at a time). Findings of the study were published in the Journal of Social Science & Medicine. "It's well-established that eating fruit and vegetables can benefit physical health . Recently, newer studies have suggested that it may also benefit psychological well-being," said Peter Howley, lead author of the study. Explaining the study, Howley said, "Our research builds on previous work in Australia and New Zealand by ...

While many might agree that ice-cream binge can sooth your soul during a rough phase in your life, a recent study suggests that weight loss, nutrient boosting and fat reduction diets can reduce the symptoms of depression. In a new study published in Psychosomatic Medicine, a team of researchers brought together all existing data from clinical trials of diets for mental health conditions. The research provides convincing evidence that dietary improvement significantly reduces symptoms of depression, even in people without diagnosed depressive disorders . "The overall evidence for the effects of diet on mood and mental well-being had up to now yet to be assessed. But our recent meta-analysis has done just that; showing that adopting a healthier diet can boost peoples' mood. However, it has no clear effects on anxiety," said Joseph Firth, lead researcher of the study. The study found that all types of dietary improvement appeared to have equal effects ...

The health of your skin mirrors the health of your body. With a healthy diet and proper lifestyle, you can delay ageing, say experts. As a person ages, the skin goes through reduced activity of sebaceous glands which results in dry skin . Also, thinning of epidermis and dermis causes sagging and wrinkling and slower repair of skin tissue, and age also leads to reduced blood supply to the skin, causing slow repair and metabolic activity. Bindiya A. Gupta, National Training Manager, Organic Harvest, shares how one can slow down the skin's the ageing process: * Dietary changes: A healthy diet and lifestyle will go a long way in promoting collagen production. Your best bet to combat the natural decline that happens with age. A smart way for vegetarians and vegans to support collagen production is to eat fruits and vegetables plentiful in collagen boosting nutrients. Include lots of a fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts and seeds to keep your antioxidant levels and ...

The findings of a recent study suggest that artificial sweeteners may not help with weight loss. The research, published in the journal The BMJ, also stated that there is not enough evidence on their safety.                                         Growing concerns about health and quality of life have encouraged many people to adopt healthier lifestyles and avoid foods rich in sugars, salt, or fat. Foods and drinks containing non-sugar sweeteners rather than regular ("free") sugars have therefore become increasingly popular. Although several non-sugar sweeteners are approved for use, less is known about their potential benefits and harms within acceptable daily intakes because the evidence is often limited and conflicting. To better understand these potential benefits and...

Just 35 minutes of walking or cycling three times a week along with a healthy diet may improve cognitive skills in older adults, a new study suggests. The study, published in the journal Neurology, examined the effects of both exercise and diet on cognitive skills. For the study, the team involved 160 persons with an average age of 65 and randomly assigned them to one of the four groups -- aerobic exercise alone; DASH diet alone; both aerobic exercise and the DASH diet; or health education, which consisted of educational phone calls once every week or two. The research team found those who exercised and consumed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and lean meats, had greater improvements compared to health education controls. Participants who exercised showed significant improvements in cognitive skills when compared to those who did not exercise. Read Mo...

A diet of fast food, cakes and processed meat may significantly increase risk of depression , a study has found. Researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK found that eating foods which are known to promote inflammation -- such as those high in cholesterol, saturated fats and carbohydrates -- puts people at 40 per cent higher risk of depression. The team analysed data from 11 existing studies that focused on the link between depression and pro-inflammatory diets -- encompassing more than 100,000 participants, between 16 to 72 years old, of varied gender and ethnicity, spanning the USA, Australia, Europe and the Middle East. All the studies recorded the presence of depression or depressive symptoms in the participants -- through self-observation, medical diagnoses and antidepressant use --alongside a detailed questionnaire about the contents of their diet. Each participant was assigned a score of how inflammatory his or her diet is, according to th...

According to a recent study, pregnant women with higher intake of the Mediterranean diet have 32 per cent lower risk of having children with an accelerated growth pattern, as compared to offspring of women that did not follow such diet. The Mediterranean diet is characterised by a high content of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes and nuts. This healthy diet pattern has earlier been associated with lower obesity and cardiometabolic risk in adults. This study, conducted at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, aimed at evaluating the association between adherence to a Mediterranean diet during pregnancy and growth patterns and cardiometabolic risk in early infancy. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Pediatrics. It was performed with data of over 2,700 pregnant women, who filled in a questionnaire on dietary intake in the first and third trimester of pregnancy. In addition, the diet, weight and height of their offspring were followed-u...

Yo-yo dieting , or weight cycling, or the cyclical loss and gain of weight is associated with a higher death risk, researchers have warned. A study found that this form of dieting leads to adverse health outcomes and 80 per cent of people who lose weight gradually regain either the same weight or even more than they had before going on a diet. The Endocrine Society's Scientific statement on the causes of obesity found that this was because once an individual loses weight, the body typically reduces the amount of energy expended at rest, during exercises and daily activities. While it increases hunger, thereby creating conditions for weight gain. "This study shows that weight cycling can heighten a person's risk of death," said Hak C. Jang, Professor from the Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea. Read More Business Standard

Men who eat leafy greens, dark orange and red vegetables , berries and drink orange juice may be at a lower risk of developing memory loss in older age, according to a study The findings showed that men who ate larger amounts of fruits and vegetables 20 years earlier were less likely to develop thinking and memory problems, whether or not they kept eating larger amounts of fruits and vegetables later. Men who consumed the most vegetables were 34 per cent less likely to develop poor thinking skills than the men who consumed the least amount of vegetables. Men who drank orange juice every day were 47 per cent less likely to develop poor thinking skills than the men who drank less than one serving per month. This association was mainly observed for regular consumption of orange juice among the oldest men, the researchers found. "One of the most important factors in this study is that we were able to research and track such a large group of men over a 20-year pe...

Whether it is cigarette, alcohol or an unhealthy diet, researchers suggest that these activities can cause many diseases, including high blood pressure, lung cancer, depression and more, especially in men. Getting just 30 minutes of moderate activity a day can help improve your health, including your heart health . Experts from a variety of scientific, medical and public health disciplines have highlighted some of the most important health tips that men can follow for a healthier, fitter life. Have regular check-ups: Even if you feel healthy, regular health checks such as blood pressure, blood sugar levels, prostate checks are essential to catch any problems early and stay in good health. Mental health is just as important, and seeking help for mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, can be critical. Reduce alcohol use: The harmful use of alcohol killed nearly 3 million people in 2016; 75 per cent of whom were men. Drinking too much, or too often, ...

Middle-aged women who follow a Mediterranean-style diet -- rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, potatoes, olive oil, seeds, fish, low saturated fat, dairy products and red meat -- may have a reduced risk of stroke, say researchers. The study shows that the diet may be especially protective in women over the age of 40, regardless of menopausal status or hormone replacement therapy . The diet reduced the onset of stroke by 17 per cent in all adults, but women saw greater reduction of 22 per cent, whereas the benefit was seen only in 6 per cent men. "It is unclear why we found differences between women and men, but it could be that components of the diet may influence men differently than women," said lead researcher Ailsa Welch, Professor at the UK's University of East Anglia. Read Complete Article  

Shifting to a healthy diet may not only boost your wellbeing, but also save a lot of precious fresh water, according to a study. The study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, found that compared to existing diets, the water required to produce our food could be reduced by between 11 per cent and 35 per cent for healthy diets containing meat. The water required could be reduced by 33 per cent and 55 per cent for healthy pescetarian (fish) diets and 35 per cent and 55 per cent for healthy vegetarian diets, said scientists from the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC). They compared these three diet patterns, defined by respective national dietary guidelines, to the current actual food consumption, using available data from more than 43 thousand areas in France, the UK and Germany. The team found that eating more healthily could substantially reduce the water footprint of people's diets, consistent across all the geographical entities an...