Heena Sharma Blog

Diets for weight loss usually involve restriction. The 5:2 diet relies on restricting calories, and the ketogenic diet relies on restricting particular types of food. Research suggests, however, that restrictive dieting can lead to a higher body mass index (BMI) over time and a greater future likelihood of being overweight. There is also evidence suggesting food restriction can lead to a preoccupation with food, guilt about eating, and higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress. So, if diets don’t always help you lose weight and could contribute to psychological problems, what other solutions are there? Recently, there has been an increasing focus on the concept of “intuitive eating”. Intuitive eating was popularised by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, who published a book on the subject and developed a website dedicated to the topic. The goal of eating intuitively is to listen to your body and allow it to guide you about when and how much to eat, rather...

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 ...

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 ...

Want to restore the level of antioxidants -- key to ward off heart disease and Type-2 diabetes -- that you lost due to high consumption of fat rich-food in the holiday season? Eating five to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables as well as nuts, seeds, and legumes daily may help. A diet high in saturated fat results in chronic low-grade inflammation in the body that in turn leads to the development of metabolic syndrome -- a serious condition associated with cognitive dysfunction and dementia as well as being a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease and Type-2 diabetes . For such patients, a higher intake of vitamin C is crucial to halt a potentially deadly cycle of antioxidant disruptions, the researchers said. "What these findings are really saying to people as we move out of the rich-food holiday season and into January is eat your fruits and vegetables," said Maret Traber, Professor at the Oregon State University in the US. Re...

Below are some of our readers’ favorite nutrition stories from the past year, packed with information that may help you eat better in 2019. How a Low-Carb Diet Might Help You Maintain a Healthy Weight A large new study published in the journal BMJ in November found that overweight adults who cut carbohydrates from their diets and replaced them with fat sharply increased their metabolisms. After five months on the diet, they burned roughly 250 calories more per day than people who ate a high-carb, low-fat diet, suggesting that restricting carb intake could help people maintain their weight loss more easily. The new research is unlikely to end the decades-long debate over the best diet for weight loss. But it provides strong new evidence that all calories are not metabolically alike to the body. And it suggests that the popular advice on weight loss promoted by health authorities — count calories, reduce portion sizes and lower your fat intake — might be outdated. Read m...

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...