Perhaps the most inspiring exercise science published in 2011 involved the effects that working out can have on the brain. By studying both lab rodents and people, scientists this year showed that exercise increases cognitive sharpness, even if the amount of exercise is small. In a representative experiment involving mice, which I wrote about in September, scientists at the University of South Carolina found that the equivalent of about 30 minutes of jogging a day changed the animals’ brain cells at a molecular level. After a few months of running, their neurons contained more mitochondria, a cell component that produces energy, than did the neurons of sedentary mice. In effect, their brain cells had become more robust and physically fit, thanks to the jogging.

Similarly, other studies published this year found that even in volunteers who were not distance runners or mice, activity significantly improved cognitive function. One fascinating study of elderly Canadians that I wrote about this summer showed that those who regularly walked around the block, gardened, cleaned the house, cooked or otherwise remained active without formally exercising, scored much better on tests of memory and other mental skills than older people who were almost completely inactive.

This study and the many others now linking activity and improved mental functioning represent “a wake-up call,” Dr. Eric Larson, the vice president of research at Group Health Research Institute in Seattle and author of an editorial that accompanied the study, told me.

“None of us wants to lose our minds,” he said — a sentiment with which I fervently agree — so we “have to find ways to get everybody moving.”

One means might be to direct people to the most popular column I wrote this year, in terms of both the number of page views and the number of comments, about the effect of exercise on aging. In the study highlighted in that column, Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, a professor of pediatrics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, took rats bred to age at an accelerated rate and had them start running.

After a few months, by which time the non-running control rats were frail, bald and dying, the runners still had virtually all of their youthful muscle mass, balance, mental acuity and fur and, unlike the sedentary animals, had not developed shrinkage in their hearts, brains or gonads. I have rarely skipped an exercise session since reading that study, and am happy to report that I still have a full head of fur.

Not all of the exercise science this year was quite so encouraging, however. Another column that inspired considerable interest and comments involved several new studies intimating that too much running might – and I would stress the word “might” – produce scarring or other damage in the heart. In one study, M.R.I. scans of a small group of lifelong elite male endurance athletes found signs of scarring in some of the men’s heart muscles.

A separate study of rats that had undergone the equivalent of years of marathon training showed similar signs of scarring within their hearts.

But these results, although certainly provocative, are preliminary and may turn out to be meaningless, as the scientists who conducted the studies acknowledge. There is no evidence that heart muscle scarring, if it occurs, leads to heart problems. And as Dr. Paul Thompson, the chief of cardiology at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut and an expert on sports cardiology, told me, “Too much exercise has not been a big problem in America. Most people just run to stay in shape, and for them, the evidence is quite strong that endurance exercise is good” for the heart.

Just as the evidence is increasingly strong that it is good for your brain, muscles, mitochondria and gonads.

Which is why I plan to continue running — and biking, hiking, walking, gardening and weight training — in 2012, although I may leave the housecleaning to my husband. In reviewing the year in fitness, in fact, what struck me most strongly was that, although this column covers science, it is also sneakily about me. I’m a middle-aged lifelong exerciser with an increasingly leaky memory and sometimes-wavering resolve. I’ve found inspiration and encouragement in the fitness science this year, although I do wish that it could have discovered that typing constitutes a workout. At least fidgeting counts. By Gretchen Retnolds, The New York Times

The more often older people have sex, the more likely they are to be happy with life and enjoy a good marriage, a small study suggests.

The figures show that elderly people who had sex more than once a month were 50% more likely to say they were very happy with their life than those who reported no sexual activity during the previous year.

The findings were based on a US opinion poll of 238 people aged 65 or over and analysed by researchers at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Participants were asked to rate their feelings about life and their marriage according to whether they were happy, pretty happy or not too happy.

Sexual frequency

The researchers found that 40% of older people who said they had no sexual activity within the past 12 months reported feeling very happy with life in general. This rose to 60% in those who said they indulged in sexual activity at least once a month.

Similarly, while about 59% of individuals who reported no sexual activity in the last 12 months said they were very happy with their marriage, almost 80% who had sex more than once a month said they were very happy with their relationship.

The research has been presented in Boston at a meeting of The Gerontological Society of America, an organisation devoted to studies on ageing.

Adrienne Jackson, an assistant professor at the university, said in a statement: “This study will help open the lines of communication and spark interest in developing ‘outside the box’ approaches to dealing with resolvable issues that limit or prevent older adults from participating in sexual activity.

“Highlighting the relationship between sex and happiness will help us in developing and organising specific sexual health interventions for this growing segment of our population.”

Stereotypes

The Sexual Advice Association says the issues surrounding mature sexuality are still not openly discussed, leaving a prevailing stereotype of older people as “asexual, devoid of feelings or emotion”.

For older people, the quality of their sex life can be dependent on their general health, the Association says. However, on the positive side, retirement and children leaving home can leave older couples with more time on their hands for each other, and studies have found that over half of women aged over 50 are satisfied with their sex lives.

An online poll carried out for Saga Magazine found that 85% of older people reported that sex was less frequent for them now than when they were in their 20s and 30s. However, 82% said they felt less pressure to have sex and 61% said it was more fulfilling. By Peter Russell, WebMD

Recently, though they were still undergoing a physical therapy but they’re now able to regain their physical strength, increase movement, endurance, improve range of motion, mobility, and restore function. Of course, had it not been for the biofeedback machines they had utilized, all of the efforts may just possibly be put into waste. Well, it was through biofeedback machines that patients learn to use their own bodies’ responses to control pain. These machines are employed in a variety of ways, and are intended to serve as an assistive element to physical therapy treatment. Biofeedbacks machines let the patient see or hear their own body’s activity and help the patient become more aware of his/her rehabilitation progress. So if you are looking for rehabilitation supplies and equipment, then look no further than electro medical equipment.

In a survey that studied the eating habits of 582 college students, researchers found that many of the students weren’t even getting one serving of fruits or vegetables a day. The recommended daily intake is five servings.

The study, announced August 17 and published online in The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, also found that both males and females surveyed were consuming more than 30 percent of their calories from fat. The American Dietetic Association recommends no more than 30 percent of calories come from fat over the course of a week.

One possible explanation for the lack of fruit and vegetable intake could be that students reported skipping meals frequently, researchers said.

The study also concluded that males fared marginally better than their female classmates in their consumption of fruits and vegetables, as they got about five servings a week compared to female students, who said they ate about four.

And while females had a lower fiber intake, researchers say their eating habits were generally better than their male counterparts, as they ate in dining halls more often than fast-food eateries and read nutrition labels.

The moral of the story? Good eating habits need to be taught early, says lead researcher Brad Cardinal, professor of exercise and sport science.

“We are not teaching youth how to be self-sustaining,” Cardinal said in a statement. “Home economics and nutrition classes have all but disappeared from our schools in the K-12 system. There is a fundamental lack of understanding on how to eat well in a very broad sense.”

To avoid weight gain and unhealthy eating, The Everything Healthy College Cookbook — written by a registered dietician — offers 300 quick, easy and calorie-conscious recipes like Asian chicken salad, mango citrus salad and fresh tomato with angel hair pasta.

Cooking Light magazine also offers students tips on how to avoid packing on the pounds and meeting their nutritional requirements in their online piece, “Avoiding the Freshman 15.” Yahoo Daily News

The two-year-old Australian shepherd dog is among four sniffer dogs in Germany trained to detect lung cancer in breath samples of patients, their predictions of the disease matching standard medical diagnosis seven out of 10 times.

A team of doctors and dog trainers has trained sniffer dogs to distinguish between breath samples of healthy persons and lung cancer patients. Their experiments are described in today’s issue of the European Respiratory Journal.

The doctors are not proposing the use of dogs for clinical diagnosis but believe that their experiments could lead to new strategies for the early diagnosis of this common cancer. The tests with the sniffer dogs confirm the presence of a detectable marker — a volatile organic compound — in the breath of patients that is strongly associated with lung cancer and that could be an early signature of the illness.

“Breath analysis may be used in future as a screening test in high-risk people,” said Enole Boedeker, a research team member at the Schillerhoehe Hospital in Stuttgart, Germany. “A screening method for lung cancer does not exist yet,” Boedeker told The Telegraph.

Since the early 1970s, scientists have identified about 3,480 different volatile organic compounds in human breath. Some research groups have tried to analyse breath samples using chemical or electronic devices or sniffer dogs in search for compounds associated with lung cancer or tumours. But these efforts have yielded varying results — and no reliable diagnostic technique has emerged yet.

Boedeker and her colleagues worked with two German shepherd dogs, Bonnie and Kessie, Hector, a Labrador, and Benny, the two-year-old Australian shepherd dog, trained by Uwe Friedrich at a dog training centre.

Their study is the first to test if sniffer dogs can reliably distinguish between the breath samples of patients with lung cancer and those of healthy volunteers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The researchers took breath samples from 220 volunteers who included patients with lung cancer, COPD, and healthy volunteers.

They found that if someone had lung cancer, the dogs correctly predicted it in 72 per cent. If someone did not have lung cancer, the dogs did not predict it in 90 per cent. “So the false negative outcome is 28 per cent, and a false positive outcome is 10 per cent,” Boedeker said.

“Dogs may help us find a volatile organic compound linked to lung cancer,” she said. The researchers said future studies should aim at identifying the compounds that the dogs are able to smell out in the exhaled breath of patients.

The German researchers said they were inspired by a 22-year-old research paper in a medical journal that recounted a tale of a woman who approached doctors to get a lesion on her skin examined after her dog began to pay special interest to the lesion. By G.S. Mudur, The Telegraph India

Too much television could shorten your life, putting TV-watching ‘in the same ballpark as smoking and obesity’, say researchers. Photograph: Fancy/Veer/Corbis

Watching too much television could shorten your life, a study suggests. Research carried out in Australia, and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that every hour of TV watched after the age of 25 may shorten lifespan by 22 minutes.

According to one of the report’s authors, Dr Lennert Veerman, from the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland, it puts long hours spent in front of the box “in the same ballpark as smoking and obesity”. “While smoking rates are declining, watching TV is not, which has implications at a population level,” he said.

Last year, another Australian study found an hour of TV a day led to an 8% increase in the risk of premature death.

“We’ve taken that study and translated it into what it means for life expectancy in Australia given how much TV we watch,” said Veerman.

Australians watch about two hours of TV a day. As a result their life expectancy at birth is reduced by 1.8 years for men and 1.5 years for women, according to the study. Britons watch more than three hours of TV a day, according to the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board.

Too much sitting, as distinct from too little exercise, is associated with higher mortality risk, particularly from cardiovascular disease. “Logically we know that physical activity is good for health and so it’s not so strange that the reverse is not so good,” said Veerman.

The report was based on an observational survey conducted in 1999-2000 with more than 11,000 participants aged 25 and over. Participants reported the amount of time they spent watching TV or videos in the previous week, when it was their main activity (ie, not doing the cooking or the ironing at the same time).

The report also showed that a person who watches an average of six hours of TV a day would live on average 4.8 years less than someone who watches none. The Guardian

Medieval suits of armour were so exhausting to wear that they could have affected the outcomes of famous battles, a study suggests.

Scientists monitored volunteers fitted with 15th Century replica armour as they walked and ran on treadmills.

They found that the subjects used high levels of energy, bore immense weight on their legs and suffered from restricted breathing.

The research is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

The effect of the heavy armour was so great, that the researchers believe it may have have had an impact on the Battle of Agincourt.

In this famous Anglo-French conflict of 1415, French knights were defeated by their English counterparts, despite the fact that they heavily outnumbered them.

The researchers say their study suggests that the armour-clad French, who had to trek through a muddy field to meet the stationary English line, were so slowed and exhausted by their march that they would have stood little chance.

Lead researcher Dr Graham Askew, from the University of Leeds, said: “You look at these suits of armour, and they weigh between 30 and 50kg, so it is a huge fraction of the wearer’s body weight.”

Running battle

In the 15th Century, as the arms race progressed with the development of new and powerful weapons such as the longbow and crossbow, armour too evolved.

In late Medieval Europe, these bulky battle suits were principally constructed from interlocking steel plates, covering the soldier from head to toe.

But with the added protection came extra weight and cumbersomeness – and while researchers have always realised that this would have impaired a soldier’s performance, nobody until now has quantified by how much.

To study this, researchers asked four participants, who regularly re-enact battles for the Royal Armouries in Leeds, to don their exact-replica armour from England, Gothic Germany and Italy and get onto a treadmill.

By recording how much oxygen they took in and carbon dioxide they produced, the team was able to calculate how much energy they were using. High-speed cameras also helped the researchers to study how the volunteers were using their limbs.

Dr Askew, who carried out the research with colleagues from the University of Oxford and the University of Milan, said: “Our main finding was that it was extremely expensive in terms of the amount of energy used to move in the armour.”

The team found that walking and running with the armour used up twice as much energy as doing the same thing without any armour.

The breast and back plates of the medieval armour also affected breathing: instead of being able to take long, deep breaths while they worked up a sweat, the volunteers were forced to take frequent, shallow breaths, and this too used up more energy.

Leg pains

The scientists also looked at how the volunteers performed while wearing armour compared with carrying the equivalent load on their backs, which is similar to the weight a modern soldier might carry in their backpack.

Dr Askew said: “We found there was a big difference: it is much more ‘expensive’ to carry the load as a suit of armour than it is to carry the load in a backpack.

“We were interested to find out why that was – and one of the main reasons is that if you wear a suit of armour, a lot of the weight is carried on the legs – about 7-8kg of it.

“And this means when you walk and you swing your legs, you are requiring a lot more muscular effort, and that costs you a lot more energy.”

The team said their findings had given an insight into the battlefield trade-off between added protection alongside increased manoeuvrability and fitness to fight.

Dr Askew explained: “Yes, they could have removed the leg parts of the armour, but it might have meant they would have been cut on the leg and killed that way.”

He added though, that this may not have been such a problem in the 16th Century.

With the advent of guns, hand-to-hand combat decreased, and this too affected the design of the armour.

He said: “It is interesting to see though that as armour developed into the 16th Century, the part of the armour that was lost was the lower leg – the thing that we found increases the cost of movement.”

Thom Richardson, keeper of armours, from the Royal Armouries in Leeds added: “It is interesting to use scientific method to answer these questions, and it confirms what we have always suspected – heavy armour would very much reduce your ability to run around.

“But no-one wears stuff on the battlefield if it isn’t useful.” By Rebecca Morelle, BBC News

Walking stretches your mind and your soul. It is dynamic mind & body process which creates a sense of rhythm. As you listen to your own silent rhythm, the pulse of life, your own heartbeat – you become whole, a complete man – fit in Mind, Body and Soul.

Walking energizes you, awakens you and stills your mind to fully relax. With the change of mind your moods change and you experience a physical and a spiritual upliftment. As you relax, your perception change and you reach from the everyday conscious mind to your highest level of mind – the intuitive mind. Your subconscious cuts through the mental clutter, releasing latent vitality and creativity, transcending traditional linear thinking and helping you find a creative solution.

There are many ways you could possibly benefit yourselves from i.e. an exercise as simple as morning walk. In today’s irritatingly fast world, you deprive your self of the much needed oxygen that is anyways getting depleted with the time. The earliest hours in the morning would probably give you fresh oxygen and quality time to spend with the greenery and beauty around you that perhaps only writers and poets around you seem to notice.

The oxygen that you get early in the morning also gives you great amount of energy especially to your joints. The movement in your legs releases good cholesterol in your blood, opening up some of the “chakras” or channels of energy. By constantly moving your joints, you increase your blood circulation in a way that can only be completed with your daily morning walk.

Awareness walking is a walking meditation. Focusing on the rhythm of the breath and rhythm of each step, we induce a state of a deep relaxation and self awareness. Adding mind-body technique to walking, we can provide greater relaxation and stress management, and can turn a routine walk into a creative & rejuvenating experience.

WHY WALKING

Ordinarily, in today’s hectic world, its quite possible that amidst so much that’s happening around you, makes you feel that an ideal life is but a living dream (which may remain as one) and you tend to lose out on great many things that the future holds for you. A great walk in the woods while admiring nature talks to you in many ways than one. For many of us this may be one of those things for which you either need luck or perhaps the time. And most of us believe that these are never in one’s grasp.

Much of the time our bodies are sluggish and our blood never gets an airing. Oxygen is rarely allowed to surge through our veins making us feel energetic, alive and vital. But exercise can change all that. It rejuvenates and revitalizes the body’s cells, releasing muscular tension and relishing our energy levels. Exercise motivates, energizes and empowers. “The easiest way to change yourself is physically”. ‘Physical change quick’. So kick, start your day with a morning walk. They will tone and energizes you and connect you with your inner rhythms. Walking decreases stress hormones and increases relaxation hormones (beta-endorphins) which elevate your mood and increase your sense of well being.

Walking is natural mood elevator. It helps in promoting feelings of happiness and can ease mild depression. Walking gets you going, revs up your circulation and gives you the energy to get through the day.

The human body is the ultimate exercise machine and walking is the easiest and safest way for most people to re-energizes their bodies and burn away the harmful affects of stress. In other words, to experience health, fitness and deep relaxation, walk.

Walking can be a whole philosophy of life. After all, from the moment we rise in the morning till we climb into bed at night, we are on and off our feet.

MORNING WALK AS EXERCISE

This is perhaps the most overlooked and neglected form of exercise. Because it sounds and look easy, most of us do not bother to walk, but prefer to sign up for expensive aerobic classes and spend a lot of time in a gym.

We recommend walking as exercise since it costs nothing, requires no partner and expensive gadgets, but will burn nearly the same calories as jogging does. It does not burden the body, instead if done in calm and peaceful surroundings like a park or country road, it will let off the tension in your mind and body.

Before you use walking as exercise

Make sure you do not eat an hour before going out for a walk. Digesting takes a lot of energy from the body. If you exercise right away after eating, you are going to overburden yourself. Fruits or juices are okay, since they do not tax the system as much.

Exercise alone will not make you healthy. No amount of walking or jogging will help the body if you do not eat properly or have greater affection with cigarettes and alcohol.

It does not really matter when you do it. Although we acknowledge that an early morning walk is better because the air is significantly fresher, for people who only have the afternoon to do it, it is okay.

Avoid busy roads. You need fresh air with green & clean surroundings. The aim is to relax the mind as well as exercise the body. If you are taking more carbon dioxide than oxygen, you are harming your body. So, find a nice, peaceful and green place.

How to do it

Actually, the human body is designed to walk, no one should be taught how to do it. However, for walking as exercise to give more impact, this is our recommendation

Get at least 30 minutes walk everyday. Keep your pace at 3 to 5 miles an hour. Vary your routes so that you are not walking on flat ground. If you cannot maintain brisk pace, this is what you should do. Alternate between a 2 minutes brisk walk with a more comfortable pace for the next 2 minutes. After that 2 minutes “rest”, pick up your pace again. If you can maintain brisk walk, do it for approximately 20 minutes. If you cannot allocate 30 minutes a day, don’t worry. The most important thing is to do it regularly. Walking as exercise will restore your peace of mind, make your blood pressure normal and control your appetite. It is better than any pills invented by mankind.

HOW WALKING AFFECTS YOUR BODY COMPONENTS

Lets learn how walking affects our body components. It affects the five components of fitness:

BODY COMPOSITION :

Walking four times a weak, 45 minutes each time, the average person can lose 18 pounds in a year with no change in diet. Walking can help you trim fat as well as tone your muscles.

CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS : Walking, at any level or speed, two or three times a weak for at least 20 minutes increases cardiovascular strength. By increasing the strength of your heart and lungs, you increase your ability not only to exercise longer and harder but also to perform everyday task without tiring.

FLEXIBILITY: As with any endurance activity, walking doesn’t significantly increase your flexibility. Every activity uses certain muscles groups more than others. Therefore you don’t stretch the muscles that walking uses extensively. They’ll tighten, straighten and perhaps cause pains or strains. These exercises are vital for remaining free injury.

MUSCULAR ENDURANCE: All walkers develop a moderate amount of endurance, which enables them to exercise longer before becoming exhausted. Race walker have high endurance comparable to that of marathon runners. Walking helps build your ability to do something longer without fatigue.

MUSCULAR STRENGTH: You will gain muscular strength with walking but probably not enough for well rounded fitness. Muscles that get an extra workout in walking include the entire back of the leg, calves, hamstrings, and gluteus. You will use muscles in the back of shoulders when you swing your arms. Walking provides other physical benefits and prevents dangers associated with other types of exercise. Walking is a low-impact exercise, which puts less strain on bones and tissues. By Kunal Jay Verma, Newsvine

What if you could wave a magic wand to feel healthier, get slimmer and reduce your risk of dying from heart disease, while also lowering your chances of developing diabetes, cancer and other ailments – from diverticulitis to dementia?

A no-brainer, right?

Six to eight million people think so. That’s how many Americans have adopted vegetarian eating.

“Vegetarian diets – which contain no beef, pork, poultry, fish or shellfish – are naturally low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and packed with essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals and cancer-fighting compounds,” says Neal Barnard, M.D., adjunct professor of medicine at George Washington University and president and founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nutrition advocacy organization that promotes vegetarian eating.

Still not convinced? Vegetarians tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters, according to a 2005 Tufts University study of 55,459 women.

While 40% of the non-vegetarians were overweight or obese, only 25% of the lacto-vegetarians (who eat no meat, poultry, fish or eggs) were overweight.

Improved health isn’t the only bonus of a vegetarian diet.

“Being vegetarian makes me feel good about myself,” says Jay Lavine, M.D., who authors The Nutrition MD website, a source for information on what he calls “the optimal diet.”

“Eating has become a spiritual experience and constant reminder that I’m serving a higher purpose,” he says. “The result is a long-lasting inner happiness, as opposed to a transient pleasure.”

After a lifetime of believing a meal isn’t complete without meat, doubts are understandable. Read on for information about vegetarian diets from registered dietitians and chefs, along with tips for making the transition.

Myth #1: I won’t get enough protein.

The truth: It’s easy to be a vegetarian and get the protein you need.

Your body needs 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, according to the latest Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). That translates to 0.36 grams of protein per pound.

“So, if you weigh 140 pounds, you need about 50 grams of protein [a day],” says Susan Levin, R.D., director of Nutrition Education for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

That’s easy on a vegetarian diet. Enjoy a bagel smeared with peanut butter for breakfast (4 grams for 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 10 grams for the bagel); veggie burger for lunch, between 2 slices of whole-wheat bread (depending on the brand, can be 13 grams, plus 4 grams for the bread); and an afternoon snack of a cup of yogurt (14 grams) and a handful of almonds (8 grams in a 1/4 cup).

You’ve already met your daily protein requirement, and it’s not even dinnertime.

“If you consume enough calories, you’ll get enough protein,” Levin adds. “Most Americans get twice the recommended amount.”

Even some vegetables are high in protein.

For example, “broccoli gets one-third of its calories from protein,” Levin says. When cooked, it weighs in at 4 grams of protein per cup.

Legumes (beans, peas, lentils) are another good protein source.

“If you eat a cup of beans a day, along with whole grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds, you’ll get enough protein,” says Jill Nussinow, R.D., chef/instructor and registered dietitian at Santa Rosa Junior College in California, and author of a cookbook called The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment (Vegetarian Connection Press).

Like rice? You’ll love protein-packed quinoa.

Pronounced KEEN-wah, the South American seed is extremely easy to prepare, says Jeff Stanford, owner of Ravens, a fine-dining vegetarian restaurant on the Mendocino, Calif.

“Just put washed seeds into water and boil for 15 minutes. Drain and serve,” Stanford says.

“Quinoa risotto with grilled spring vegetables is beautiful and delicious.”

To see how your favorite foods stack up, the protein content of many foods is listed here.

Myth #2: Vegetarian diets make you fat.

The truth: If you load up on cheese, junk food and white carbs (pizza, pasta, white bread), you may gain weight.

“Being a ‘pizzatarian’ or ‘carbotarian’ won’t do anyone good,” Nussinow says. “Cheese, dairy and eggs are high in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.”

That’s because white carbs – as opposed to whole grains that are full of healthful fiber and nutrients – are full of empty calories and lead to weight gain, says the Harvard School of Public Health.

“Oreos are vegan, but that doesn’t mean they’re good for you,” says Alexandra Caspero, R.D., campus dietitian for University of the Pacific and owner of Delicious Knowledge in Stockton, Calif., a nutritional counseling service.

“Vegetarians who turn to chips, candy and cupcakes may gain weight,” she says. “Or if you eat a lot of cheese – cheese enchiladas, quesadillas, cheese sandwiches – you will also increase the amount of saturated fat and calories in your diet.”

Myth #3: Vegetarians have to compensate with vitamins and other supplements.

The truth: Strict vegans, people who eschew all meat, fish, eggs and dairy, need to ensure they get ample vitamin B12 and omega-3.

Vegetarians are more likely to have too-low concentrations of vitamin B12 – found in highest levels in fish and meat – and omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), according to a new (February 2011) review by Zhejiang University in China, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

But vitamin B12 also can be found in fortified non-dairy milks, energy bars and breakfast cereals. You can also take supplements, but first consult your doctor before taking this or any other supplement.

For vegetarians who want to avoid fish oil capsules, omega-3 is found in ground flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil and soy, as well as in vegan supplements.

Fortified nutritional yeast is a complete protein and a great way to sneak vitamin B12 in your daily diet. (Tasty tip: Try sprinkling it on popcorn.)

“I used to use it as a substitute for Parmesan cheese,” Levin says. “But now I add it to most of my foods because it tastes delicious and provides a B-vitamin boost.”

Myth #4: Vegetarians don’t get enough iron.

The truth: Vegetarians are no more likely to have iron deficiencies than non-vegetarians.

While vegetarians tend to have lower iron stores than meat-eaters, the “incidence of iron-deficiency anemia among vegetarians is similar to that of non-vegetarians,” according to the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

“But the form of iron found in plants is not as well absorbed [by the body] as that found in meat,” Lavine says.

That’s why the ADA suggests that vegetarians try to get 1.8 times more iron than people who eat meat.

Foods high in iron include dried fruit, beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole grains, baked potatoes (with the skin) and dark leafy vegetables, says the Mayo Clinic.

An easy way to ward off anemia: Cook with a cast iron skillet. It increases foods’ iron content.

Also, eat fruits and vegetables with vitamin C, such as strawberries and citrus.

“When eaten with iron-rich plant foods, they enhance absorption,” Lavine says.

But “iron is not a major concern to most people, and pregnant women, who have high iron needs, can always take a supplement,” he says.

Myth #5: Preparing vegetarian meals is complicated and labor-intensive.

The truth: Many of your favorite quick dishes can be easily modified and made meatless.

“Just eat what you’re used to,” Nussinow says. For example, “if you eat chili, switch to vegetarian chili.”

Besides, “a lot of foods you already eat are vegetarian: hummus, guacamole – even pizza, if you get rid of the fatty pepperoni and top with lots of vegetables,” she says.

Of course, veggie burgers and other meat substitutes (chickenless nuggets, tofu-turkey, and so forth) are an option.

But don’t rely on fake meats, because they’re very processed, full of preservatives and sodium, warns Nussinow.

If you’re craving a burger, “try a large Portobello mushroom,” Stanford says. “Just brush with oil and balsamic vinegar; then grill or broil.”

More simple and nutritious meat substitutes:

“Instead of tuna, mash garbanzo beans and mix with tuna salad ingredients for a sandwich filling. Swap black beans for ground beef in tacos. And tempeh (made from fermented soybeans), seitan (a high-protein meat substitute pronounced SAY-tan, made from wheat gluten) and tofu can be placed anywhere meat is used,” Caspero says. Peace FM Online

The best diet for a healthy heart is a diet low in fatty and sugary foods and rich in fruits and vegetables which are quick foods that require little or no preparation time. They are loaded with important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and disease fighting antioxidants.

Unsaturated oils (refined oils) help maintain blood cholesterol levels if consumed in recommended quantities. Thus it is advisable to use only 4-5 teaspoons of cooking oil per day and a variety of refined oils should be taken. Select one from each group for your daily cooking purpose. Ratio of both oils should be 1:1. It is advised to use oil from Group A for 15 days and oil from Group B for 15 days or lunch with oil from Group A and dinner with oil from Group B.

Group A: Sunflower / safflower/ corn / soybean

Group B: Mustard / groundnut / olive/ rice bran

High fiber food items like whole cereals [whole wheat flour ( atta ), wheat bran, whole wheat bread, bajra , jowar , oats], whole pulses ( dals with skin, rajmah , chola, kala chana, chowli etc.), leafy vegetables, salad vegetables and whole fruits are recommended.

Good quality protein like egg white, soy, fish chicken and dairy protein (toned/ skimmed cow’s milk and milk products like curds and paneer prepared with cow’s toned milk) is recommended. Oily fish like ravas (salmon), herring, bangda (mackerel), tuna , tarli (oil sardine) and nuts like almonds and walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and found to be beneficial for heart. All these food items are advised in recommended quantities.

It is advised to avoid fatty meats like ham, bacon, yolk of egg, red meat, organ meat, shrimps, lobster, prawns, etc as well as alcohol, aerated drinks, squashes, fruit juices (lack fiber), canned, tinned, processed and preserved foods e.g. tinned fruits, sauces, processed cheese.

Diet for Hypertension

A vegetarian’s diet contains more potassium, complex carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C all of which may have a favourable influence on blood pressure. It can be a great benefit to start lowering your blood pressure naturally.

Calcium: Consume skim / toned milk and milk products (curds and paneer). This milk is low in fat, but very high in Vitamin D and calcium, both of which are known to combat high blood pressure. Calcium can also be found in fish (sardines, salmon, mackerel), nuts, sunflower seeds (unsalted) and green leafy vegetables (beetroot leaves, turnip greens, arbi leaves, chowlai , methi leaves, cauliflower greens, celery leaves, parsley, mint, curry leaves, drum stick leaves and radish leaves). Cereals like ragi (nachni) and whole pulses like kala chana and rajmah , soybean and tofu are also rich in calcium. Spices include hing , ajwain , khas khas , black pepper ( kali mirch ), cumin seeds ( zeera ), coriander ( dhania ), cloves ( laung ) and mustard seeds ( sarson ).

Magnesium: Magnesium rich foods such as pulses and legumes and dark green leafy vegetables are an excellent way to lower blood pressure. Other good sources of magnesium are almonds, walnuts, coriander seeds (dhania ), cumin seeds ( zeera ), ginger, turmeric, plums and mango figs, whole grains, soy products, broccoli, oysters and mackerel. Magnesium has the effect of relaxing the blood vessels which allows the blood to flow easier.

Potassium: Restricting sodium (salt) intake to lower blood pressure appears to work better if accompanied by increasing potassium. Pulses and legumes, soybeans and cereals like bajra , jowar , ragi (nachni), whole wheat flour ( atta ) are good sources of potassium. Spices rich in potassium include coriander seeds ( dhania ), cumin seeds ( zeera ) and methi seeds. Vegetables like potato, sweet potato, yam ( suran ), tomatoes, karela , brinjal, drumstick, green papaya and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, sarson ka saag , chowlai and coriander leaves are high in potassium. Potassium rich fruits include sweet lime, apricots, amla, bael, cherries, lemon, mango, muskmelon, watermelon, peaches, plums and seetaphal. Coconut water and vegetable soups are also rich in potassium.

Vitamin C: It seems to expand blood vessels and constricted arteries, consequently helping to lower blood pressure. Vitamin C rich foods include strawberries, lime, sweet lime ( mausambi) , orange, guava ( peru ), amla, radish ( muli ) leaves, fenugreek leaves ( methi ), coriander ( dhania ), cabbage, capsicum, green chillies, cauliflower and bitter gourd ( karela ).

Research also shows that eating foods high in fiber, such as oat bran, fruits, and vegetables can significantly reduce high blood pressure, and even improve blood pressure in healthy individuals. Omega-3 fats, typically found in oily fish, garlic and flax seeds are known to have a lowering effect on blood pressure.

Avoid foods like pickles, papads and salted chutneys, biscuits and namkeens, all sauces and soy sauce, cheese, salted butter, margarine, mayonnaise, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ajinomoto, breads, cakes, pastries, cornflakes, salted chips, nuts, popcorns, bacon, ham, sausages, malted beverages, boost, bournvita, preserved foods and canned foods.

Diet in Renal Diseases

Renal diet plays a major role in restoring the kidneys to function normally after a kidney-related ailment. A special renal diet helps to control the buildup of toxic fluids in the blood and decreases the stress on the kidneys. A typical renal diet controls the intake of protein, potassium, phosphorus and sodium.

Nutrition for chronic kidney failure involves variable nutrient adjustment according to the individual needs of patients. It is required to provide just enough protein (50 per cent of high biological value) to maintain tissue integrity while avoiding a damaging excess. Carbohydrates and fats must supply sufficient calories to reduce the need for proteins. With non-dialyzed patients, fluid intake should be sufficient to maintain an adequate urine volume. Intake is usually balanced with the output. The need for sodium varies. If hypertension and edema are present, salt intake is usually recommended in very low amounts between 2-5 grams/day.

The damaged kidney/ kidneys cannot clear potassium adequately and so the dietary intake is kept low or moderate. Therefore, it is important for patients to be aware of the potassium levels in various foods so that they consume cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables that have low to moderate potassium content.

Usually, nutrition therapy for dialysis patients is planned with more liberal nutrient allowances and the patient is encouraged to eat a variety of foods to help maintain normal body weight and nutritional status.

Diet for Cancer

It is very important to eat well during cancer treatment. One needs to have adequate calories and proteins which would help prevent weight loss, regain strength and rebuild normal tissues. If one is overweight, the Clinical Nutritionist can assist with weight loss after the treatment is over and one is fully recovered. If one is losing weight during the treatment, the clinical nutritionist can assess the calorie needs and create a meal plan to stabilize the weight.

Free radicals damage the DNA, rearranging the genes within the cells, which leads to the development of cancer. Antioxidants are free radical scavengers which can prevent less aggressive malignant cells to transform into more aggressive types which are more likely to grow and spread faster. These are found in variety of foods as listed below:

Phytochemicals:

Vegetables: cabbage, spinach, broccoli, onions, celery, citrus fruits (especially ripe): pomegranates, kiwis, plums, apples, lemons, apricots, plums, pears, oranges, strawberries, bananas, grapes.

Mushrooms: white

Dried fruits: raisin, prunes, apricots.

Pulses and legumes

Herbs ans spices: Garlic, parsley, mint, coriander, thyme, rosemary

Green tea

Carotenoids: beta-carotene (carrots, peaches, apricots, spinach)

Alpha-carotene: carrots and pumpkins

Cryptoxanthin: oranges, papaya, peaches

Lycopene : tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit

Lutein and Zeaxanthin : spinach, red pepper, peas, broccoli, celery

The diet should consist of unsaturated oils and omega-3 fatty acids which can be of great benefit rather than saturated and trans-fats which are bad fats. A high fiber diet can prevent colon cancer. Fiber moves potential carcinogens through the intestines faster, decreasing the contact time between carcinogens and the intestinal wall. Small frequent meals are recommended.

Also in conditions with advanced cancer or those whose tumours or treatments have affected their ability to eat or digest food, such patients should seek advice from a clinical nutritionist attached to a hospital.

Diet in Diabetes

Management of diabetes requires self-discipline and self-control under the guidance of a doctor and a nutritionist. Effective diabetic management requires a healthy lifestyle which should include a balanced diet, regular exercise and sensible weight control.

Carbohydrate: The distribution of carbohydrate in various meals is determined by whether or not the patient is on insulin therapy. According to the type of insulin calories from carbohydrate need to be distributed. When not on insulin, the carbohydrate is divided equally between breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Spread the intake of carbohydrate foods throughout the day. Eating large amounts of carbohydrates at one time produces increased amounts of glucose and stimulates the release of increased amounts of insulin which can cause blood glucose levels to drop.

There should be steady release of glucose into the blood stream. Therefore in between snacks should be stressed to avoid hypoglycemia. Eat 5-6 small meals rather than 2-3 large meals.

High fiber foods as mentioned in diet for cardiac diseases are recommended.

Protein: Proteins are required in adequate quantity as proteins do not raise blood sugar levels during absorption like carbohydrates. In poorly regulated diabetes, large quantities are excreted through urine therefore the protein requirement is higher. Proteins promote satiety, provide essential amino acids for tissue repair to be restricted in case of early kidney disease.

Fats: Diabetics are prone to atherosclerosis. Therefore fat intake has to be restricted. Same guidelines as for diet in cardiac diseases have to be followed.

Vitamins and minerals: A diet rich in antioxidants like B carotene, Vitamin E and C should be emphasized.

Dietary sodium may have a role in the development of insulin resistance. Moderate sodium restriction is beneficial.

Meal combination is also an important factor in managing blood glucose levels. Combining protein, fat and carbohydrate at meals and snacks can lead to a better control of blood glucose levels and doing so, slows down insulin release than meals or snacks that consists mainly of carbohydrates. By Swati Bhushan, The Times of India