Health News

Red Meat Boosts Heart Disease Risk Via Influence on Gut Bacteria

Consuming large quantities of red meat has long been thought to have a negative impact on heart health. In the past, it was assumed this correlation was due to higher levels of saturated fats or cholesterol present in red meat, as opposed to other meats like chicken or fish. Now, a new study reveals that red meat boosts heart disease risk via its influence on gut bacteria.

New Research Confirms Red Meat Boosts Heart Disease Risk

A recent study confirms that where people get their protein may affect their risk for heart disease. Specifically, the researchers found that diets rich in red meat raised levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a substance produced by gut bacteria, by more than three times when compared to people who derived their protein from white meat and other sources. The higher level of the TMAO compound is alarming because earlier research has found that high levels of TMAO can be unhealthy, particularly in relation to heart health. Specifically, TMAO encourages plaque to develop in the arteries, which affects blood flow and the heart’s ability to circulate blood.

This study, conducted at Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic, found that red meat influenced the production of TMAO in a couple of ways. As gut bacteria produce high levels of TMAO, that compound changes platelets in the blood and promotes a higher risk of blood clot formation. It does this by increasing the level of calcium in the platelets, which influences how those platelets respond to the body’s indicators that blood clotting is needed. This means dangerous clots can form in the blood even if the blood pressure and cholesterol levels are at healthy levels.

This new research has been supported by other studies as well. A study at the University of Leicester revealed that people suffering from acute conditions of heart failure responded less successfully to treatment if they had high TMAO levels. Under these circumstances, incidences of heart attack and stroke resulted in death more often than in patients with lower levels of TMAO.

Protein Choices Can Affect Heart Health

In the most recent study, which was engineered to examine how red meat boosts heart disease risk, 113 participants were divided into three groups. Following a general detox diet that helped flush toxins out of the body, each group was assigned a different diet. Each diet was planned according to varying sources of protein.

One group was assigned a diet that derived 12 percent of its calories from beef, pork and other types of lean red meat. The second group obtained protein from a comparable portion size of white meat, such as poultry. In the third group, participants consumed 12 percent of their calorie intake from non-meat protein sources. These consisted of legumes, nuts, whole grains and soy products. An additional 13 percent of calorie intake consisted of proteins derived from dairy products and vegetables for all three groups.

Four weeks into the study, individuals on the red meat plan had notable increases of TMAO in their blood and urine samples. On average, TMAO levels tripled for the red meat eaters, but, in some cases, the level of TMAO was up to ten times higher.

The study also yielded an unexpected finding. Throughout the study, participants on the red meat diet exhibited inhibited kidney function. The higher levels of TMAO weren’t processed as efficiently by the kidneys, though the high levels of the compound did dissipate after the participants were instructed to resume a healthier diet. While this indicates that red meat does affect our heart health via the production of trimethylamine N-oxide, the research also suggests that risk can be reduced by simple dietary changes. The research also indicates that diets consisting of white meat and non-meat protein sources are healthier for the heart.

More Ways to Boost Heart Health

While eliminating red meat from your diet is an excellent way to improve heart health, it’s not the only dietary change you can make. The following foods and beverages also improve heart health in different ways. By adding some of these items to your daily diet, you can improve your overall health.

Green Tea

Most people already know that green tea is packed with several antioxidants. These compounds help lower blood pressure and reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol in the body. Green tea can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Olive Oil

Ditch the vegetable and canola oils that you usually cook with and replace them with olive oil. This natural oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acid, which affects cholesterol in two ways: While it reduces the level of LDL cholesterol, it also increases the level of HDL or good cholesterol in the body. Olive oil is also rich in disease-fighting antioxidants.

Fiber

People who eat high amounts of fiber are less likely to experience heart attacks. You can get the fiber you need from whole grain breads and cereals, wheat bran, oats, and beans. Typically, you should be eating between 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day.

Fish

As long as you’re trying to eliminate red meat from your diet, why not replace it with salmon, tuna or anchovies. These fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which boosts heart health. Some research indicates that just one serving of fish per week reduces your risk of a heart attack by 52 percent or more.

In addition to controlling what foods you eat, your daily activities have an effect on your heart health. Getting daily physical activity and ensuring you’re getting enough quality sleep are more ways to promote better heart health. Additionally, if you are concerned about the condition of your heart, discussing your concerns with your doctor can also help.

Manipulating the Human Microbiome to Protect Against Flu

Jan 21 by Ewcopywriting

The last few years have brought a flood of new knowledge about the role of gut bacteria in whole-body health. However, the gut is not the only area of our body in which a healthy balance of bacteria can make a measurable difference in wellness.

We now know that a diverse and healthy microbiome can be a benefit not just to our digestive tract, but to our immune system, mood and even neurological function. According to a new study, small changes in our natural bacteria may even protect against flu and other contagious illnesses. Have you taken your probiotics today? If not, it may be time.

The Ancient — and Modern — Threat of Influenza

Although most people have gotten the flu and recovered, it is actually one of the greatest disease threats of our time. Before knowledge about sanitation and widespread vaccination made flu less common, millions of people would die from this disease in just one flu season. Even in modern times, the flu is a very real risk to children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. In addition, it can cause a week or more of high fever and other serious symptoms even in the healthiest among us.

Scientists and doctors have managed to mitigate the risk of influenza in several ways. First, widespread vaccination efforts every season keep the most dangerous strains from developing into pandemics. Second, there are antiviral medications that can lessen the severity of illness and decrease the amount of time it takes to recover. Third, widespread hand-washing and other sanitation efforts have helped to reduce the incidence of flu.

These efforts have made a marked difference, but this is not enough. Influenza season every year brings reports of hundreds of deaths, some in people who were otherwise healthy. In fact, an average of 650,000 people die from influenza every year. According to new research, changing our microbiome just slightly may form another layer of protection — one that is sorely needed in an age of “super bugs” that are resistant to most medical efforts.

Could Your Respiratory Tract Bacteria Protect Against Flu?

Influenza infections begin when the virus colonizes the delicate mucus membranes of the respiratory tract. These mucus membranes are already colonized with a variety of bacteria that contribute to our health in different ways. A group of researchers wondered: Could changing this bacterial balance help to protect against influenza?

To answer this question, the researchers took a group of people who were not ill but had a member of their household recently diagnosed with influenza. Living with someone who has the flu almost guarantees exposure. Each person had a swab taken of their nose and throat to determine the makeup of their respiratory bacteria. They then watched to see which people developed influenza.

People with certain types of respiratory bacteria were far less likely to develop influenza than people with specific types of staphylococcus and streptococcus. This suggests that slightly changing our natural bacteria balance may help to protect against the flu and other serious viruses.

Your Microbiome and Your Health

The lead author of this study, Professor Betsy Foxman, stated, “I love the idea of working with our microbes as opposed to seeing them as an enemy that needs to be eradicated.” A great deal of research has focused on the importance of our gut flora in our health. However, this is not the only microbial population that is important. Our bodies are covered in bacteria, all of which has an effect in some way. Bacteria on our skin help to keep a healthy biochemical balance and prevent infections, for example. The new research on respiratory bacteria is one of several studies showing us the impact of the bacteria in our nose and respiratory tract.

We evolved to live symbiotically with many of the organisms in our environment. It should not come as a surprise that many of the bacteria in our surrounding are more friends than foes. There are more than 40 million bacteria on and in our bodies at any given time; more than the sum total of our human cells. Manipulating these bacteria may be beneficial in a variety of ways even beyond helping us to prevent common illnesses.

Feeding Your Flora

Hippocrates, father of modern medicine and writer of the famous Hippocratic oath, once noted, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” However, the modern Western diet does more to harm our microflora than to help it. We eat meat that has been fed antibiotics, which we then absorb. We clean our houses from top to bottom with antimicrobial cleansers. Americans also do not ingest adequate amounts of traditional fermented foods, which are teeming with healthy probiotic organisms.

Many people are making up for this deficit by taking probiotic supplements. While this is important, it may not be enough. Significant research suggests that it is also important to take prebiotic supplements, which are made up of the soluble fiber that helps healthy bacteria to thrive.

There is a huge and growing body of evidence that suggests that maintaining a healthy bacterial balance is essential to good health. Whether you feed your microbiome with fermented foods or carefully designed supplements, keeping a thriving microbial population could be essential to your well-being in a variety of ways.

Effects of Depression and Anxiety on Physical Health

Jan 17 by Ewcopywriting

Millions of people deal with mental concerns such as depression and anxiety on a daily basis. A great deal of the research on these illnesses have focused on their effects on mental health and lifestyle. According to experts, they also can have a dramatic effect on physical health. In fact, the physical effects of depression and anxiety can be as serious and far-reaching as risk factors like smoking and obesity.

Depression and Anxiety: A Growing Pandemic

Depression and anxiety are growing problems in the modern world. Depression, which is defined as a low mood along with fatigue, inability to enjoy normally enjoyable activities and physical symptoms such as pain and loss of appetite, affects around 216 million people in the world. Another 40 million people in the United States alone suffer from anxiety, a persistent feeling of worry and dread.

Although these mental illnesses are very different, they often have a similar cause. People with these mood disorders have been found to have low levels of serotonin, dopamine and other neurotransmitters that can affect mood. These neurotransmitters also have a sizeable effect on physical health.

The Effects of Depression and Anxiety on Physical Health

The most obvious symptoms of mood disorders are (unsurprisingly) their effect on mood. However, there is significant evidence that they can have other effects as well, both mental and physical.

In a recent study, researchers looked at a group of more than 15,000 people. They collected intensive health data, including whether they had been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety. When they compared the health of people with mood disorders to the group of people not suffering from anxiety or depression, the results were astounding. The group with depression and anxiety had a much higher risk of serious health problems — a significant difference comparable to being obese or smoking tobacco.

How much higher was the risk? People who had depression or anxiety had a 50 percent higher chance of developing high blood pressure. They were almost 65 percent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. They also were more likely to suffer chronic pain conditions, including an 87 percent increase in arthritis.

Clearly the chemical imbalances that underlie depression can cause a variety of other health problems as well. This underscores the importance of getting effective treatment as early as possible. However, that is a huge obstacle for many people with mood disorders.

The Challenges of Restoring Mental Health

Despite the common characteristics of anxiety and depression, there are huge challenges in treatment. The first-line pharmaceutical drug for these illnesses is the SSRI, a medication that increases serotonin levels in the body. However, more than half of people who take these drugs find that they are not completely effective. Combining medications with therapy, other medications or even natural supplements can help, but even this is not a guaranteed cure.

In addition, antidepressant medications can have a variety of unwanted side effects, including weight gain and lower libido. As a result, many people are turning to evidence-based natural remedies to help with both depression and anxiety.

Natural Help for Depression and Anxiety

There are several natural remedies that have been found in clinical trials to positively affect mood and treat many of the unwanted symptoms of depression and anxiety. Increasing levels of tryptophan and 5-HTP has been proven to be helpful, as these are serotonin precursors that can be used as building blocks for this important neurotransmitter. Not only could a supplement that combines tryptophan and 5-HTP offer hope for those with depression and anxiety, but also may aid in a variety of physical complaints such as sleep concerns, maintaining a healthy weight, minor pain and other conditions that have been linked to mood disorders.

Can a simple and legal over-the-counter natural option help reduce the risk of the serious diseases associated with depression and anxiety? While there has been no research on this matter so far, it makes sense on an intuitive level. Mood disorders are caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters — an imbalance which also appears to increase the risk of physical illness. It makes sense that dealing with the root cause of this imbalance may benefit not just mood, but also the increased disease risks associated with certain mood disorders as well.

Even more importantly, supplements combining 5-HTP and tryptophan have fewer side effects. When combined with other lifestyle changes and quality therapy, a supplement containing 5-HTP and tryptophan may be an effective natural choice for maintaining a healthy mood.

As with all medical decisions, it is important to talk to your physician before changing your treatments. However, these supplements are showing immense promise for mood cnocerns, as well as the physical complaints caused by them. Although beating mood disorders can be a challenge, it is a challenge that you can face successfully with the right treatments and support.

IBD and Prostate Cancer Linked, Says New Study

Jan 11 by Ewcopywriting

The prostate gland is a small organ that’s shaped like a walnut. This gland is responsible for producing seminal fluid, the liquid that transports sperm within a man’s body. This small but crucial gland is the site of one of the most common forms of cancer to afflict men — prostate cancer. When prostate cancer remains confined to the prostate gland, it usually causes little trouble. In fact, it’s not always necessary to treat this type of cancer, and when treatment is pursued, it involves minimally invasive techniques. A problem can arise, however, when the cancer starts to spread beyond the prostate gland. In these cases, more aggressive forms of treatment are required.

Recently, new research has identified a strong correlation between IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and prostate cancer. As men age and face this risk, prostate health becomes a larger concern.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms and Treatment

All men should be able to identify the common symptoms of prostate cancer. If one or more of the following symptoms are experienced, consult a doctor as soon as possible to rule out a serious cause:

difficulty urinating
decrease in the force of the urine stream
blood mixed with semen
bone pain or discomfort around the pelvic region
erectile dysfunction

One of the most common ways to treat prostate cancer is to remove the gland and some of the surrounding tissue. During the procedure, the surgeon will likely remove a few lymph nodes in the area as well, so the risk of a recurrence is minimized. Alternative methods of treatment include radiation and chemotherapy. Once the cancer is either removed or destroyed, the doctor may prescribe hormone therapy to block the release of testosterone. The prostate gland relies on testosterone to function, which is why prostate cancer cells can be affected by the absence of the hormone. Without testosterone, any lingering cancer cells will grow at a slower rate and may ultimately die.

There are many more treatment options available. If you do develop prostate cancer, discuss your options with your doctor. He may recommend multiple approaches to ensure the cancer is eliminated. Certain treatments can also reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer again.

New Study Links IBD and Prostate Cancer

While we know that age, diet, race and genetics play a part in raising the risks of developing this form of cancer, new research has also discovered that IBD may also play a part. IBD affects the gastrointestinal system, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, cramps and bloating. Both men and women can develop IBD and, as the CDC reports, more than three million people suffer from it annually. While it has been known that IBD raises the risk of cancer growing in the gastrointestinal tract, the link between IBD and prostate cancer had not been previously studied. A team at Chicago’s Northwestern Medicine sought to change that with a new research project.

The idea of a link between IBD and prostate cancer was already suggested in the way prostate cancer is diagnosed: Doctors use prostate specific antigens (PSA) to determine the presence of cancer. Since PSA levels are normally low, a spike indicates that cancer may be present. The problem is that men suffering from IBD also have a high PSA count. Doctors attribute this to the chronic inflammation that characterizes IBD.

To learn more about if and how the two conditions are related, the researchers compared 1,033 men with IBD against a control group of 9,306 men without the disease. As the project began, the men had an average age of 53; the two groups were studied for 18 years. By the end of the project, the researchers discovered a startling correlation between IBD and prostate cancer. Those men with IBD were five times more likely to develop prostate cancer than their healthier counterparts.

While more research may uncover evidence to explain this correlation, the research team has a theory. They believe the medication used to treat IBD may be the culprit. The body’s immune system seeks out and destroys cancer cells before they can grow, but IBD medication inhibits the immune system. It has also been suggested that IBD and prostate cancer share genetic links, which may also explain the correlation.

Keeping Your Prostate Healthy Naturally

It’s never too early to adjust your diet and lifestyle to take prostate health into consideration. There are a number of natural ways to protect prostate health:

Eat More Foods Rich in Flavonoids

Flavonoids are miracle compounds that deliver powerful antioxidants to the body. Flavonoids possess anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties, which may be why people who ingest flavonoid-rich foods and drinks are less likely to develop cancer. Studies have found that flavonoids may prevent prostate cancer, while killing prostate cancer cells that have started to grow. Green tea, fruits, vegetables and whole grains are rich in flavonoids.

Consume More Soy

Soy and soy byproducts are rich in phytoestrogens, which are a type of phytohormone found in plant-based foods. While not as strong as estrogen, phytoestrogens may be able to counteract the effect of testosterone in the prostate gland. In Japan, where soy is most commonly consumed, the men have a significantly lower rate of prostate cancer.

Eat More Tomatoes

Regardless of how they’re prepared, tomatoes are believed to prevent a range of cancers from developing. The presence of a compound called lycopene gets the credit for this. Studies suggest it’s especially effective in preventing prostate, stomach and lung cancer.

Drink More Coffee

The rush of antioxidants that coffee delivers to the blood stream is believed to prevent many types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Those antioxidants attack the free radicals in the body that are responsible for cancer cells. Adding more antioxidants to your diet may be one of the best ways to prevent some forms of cancer.

There are some risk factors that simply can’t be altered, when it comes to prostate cancer. For instance, older men and black males are far more likely to develop prostate cancer. That doesn’t mean you can’t act to decrease your risk of developing the disease. Paying closer attention to your food choices and being wary of the symptoms may help you lower your risks and identify problems earlier.

New Diabetes Research Finds Link to Gut Health and Cognitive Decline

Jan 09 by Ewcopywriting

Diabetes is a serious disease that affects the body’s ability to properly handle glucose, or sugar, in the blood. In type 1 diabetes, the body is unable to produce any insulin — the hormone responsible for ushering sugar from the blood into the cells where it can be used for energy. In type 2 diabetes, the body can make insulin but the cells are unable to properly utilize the insulin. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes result in too-high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Over time, high levels of sugar in the bloodstream can negatively affect the heart, kidneys, nerves, eyes and more.

Type 1 diabetes, whose exact cause is unknown, is usually acquired at a young age and is irreversible. Type 2 diabetes, however, is often attributed to diet and lifestyle factors and can be reversed in certain cases. Some common symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, slow wound healing, blurred vision and unintended weight loss. As new diabetes research uncovers links to cognitive decline and gut health, the emphasis falls on preventing and controlling type 2 diabetes.

New Study Looks at a Correlation Between Type 2 Diabetes and Cognitive Decline

Recently, a team of University of Tasmania researchers led by Michele Callisaya conducted a study to find out why cognitive decline is prevalent in people with type 2 diabetes. The project looked at 705 adults between the ages of 55 and 90. The testing included brain size measurements as well as cognition evaluations.

Of the 705 participants, 348 suffered from type 2 diabetes, while 357 exhibited no signs of the illness. MRI scans of all participants were used to measure the ventricular and total brain mass on an effort to link brain atrophy and type 2 diabetes. The level of cognitive functioning was also examined, with testing conducted periodically over the 4.6 years of the study. Ms. Callisaya and her team adjusted the research to account for contributing factors, such as age, gender and health status.

The findings suggested that brain atrophy has no bearing on how diabetes affects cognitive decline. They also found that brain atrophy was similar among those with and without type 2 diabetes. It was noted, however, that the subjects with type 2 diabetes already had more advanced atrophy at the beginning of the study.

This new diabetes research also showed that cognitive decline was affected by diabetes. Specifically, those without diabetes exhibited improved verbal fluency over the course of the study, while the diabetic subjects showed a notable decline. This was a point of concern in the University of Tasmania study, because everyday activities, such as adhering to medication schedules, may be affected. Callisaya concluded that verbal fluency and memory decline gradually over a five year period in people with type 2 diabetes.

New Diabetes Research Suggests Gut Bacteria Affects Diabetes Medication

While we have multiple medications to help treat type 2 diabetes, the effectiveness of those drugs varies from person to person. This means a large number of the 415 million diabetes sufferers may not experience adequate relief from those drugs. Until now, there was no way to know why the effectiveness of the drugs varies to such an extreme degree. Working out of Winston-Salem, Hariom Yadav, Ph.D led a study to see if gut bacteria played a role in altering the effectiveness of diabetes medications.

The possibility of gut bacteria playing a role in how well diabetes medication worked seemed plausible because researchers know from previous studies that an abnormal balance of gut bacteria can be a contributory factor in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, it has been found that drugs taken orally can be ineffective, while the intravenous medications work more often. This is partially due to the fact that drugs taken orally must pass through the gut to work, raising suspicions that something happened in the gut to affect the drugs.

Through testing, the researchers found that they could alter the effectiveness of diabetes medication by manipulating the gut microbiome. Depending on how the microbiome was altered, the effectiveness of the drugs was either improved or reduced. Hariom Yadav concluded that the metabolic capacity of the gut microbiome affected how well the medication was absorbed. It could also alter the nature of the drug, making it more effective, rendering it inert or making it toxic to the patient. While this research did point to a correlation, Mr. Yadav says more research is needed. This field of study is still young, but, with additional research, we may learn more about how gut bacteria affects diabetes medications. This knowledge may even help us treat diabetics more effectively.

Taking Steps to Prevent Diabetes

If you don’t have type 2 diabetes now, it’s important to make sure you’re doing all you can to prevent it. Making just a few lifestyle changes can keep you from developing this disease. Even if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes these same changes may help you to better control your condition.

Get More Exercise

Increasing the amount of physical activity you get on a daily basis can help you prevent diabetes in a number of ways. Since obesity is linked to diabetes, losing weight is an excellent way of preventing the illness. Additionally, regular physical activity lowers blood sugar levels, while also improving your body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Eat More Fiber

You may know that fiber intake is related to heart health, but research shows that it also assists in regulating blood sugar levels. Since fiber helps you feel full for longer, consuming more may also contributes to weight loss.

Eat More Whole Grains

Whole grains also play a big role in diabetes prevention, though we don’t know why as of yet. We do know that people who switch to whole grains exhibit better blood sugar levels. Look for whole grains in breads, cereals, pasta and rice.

Take a Daily Supplement

If you want to get better control over your blood sugar, turning to a supplement may help. It will require choosing a supplement that contains the right ingredients, however. Chromium picolinate, banaba leaf, bitter melon, gymnema, fenugreek and vanadium are all ingredients that have been shown to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels within normal ranges.

Get Better Sleep

Research has also found that poor sleep patterns affect how blood glucose is processed. Looking for ways to resolve sleep disorders can help you protect against developing diabetes. Try relaxation techniques or improving your sleeping quarters to eliminate restlessness.

Diabetes research continues to move forward, uncovering more about how other conditions affect the development of the disease. In the meantime, we can use what we have already learned to help control and prevent the disease. Lifestyle changes and even changing how we take medication can help diabetics live a better quality of life.

New Study Discovers Simple Way to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

Dec 20 by Ewcopywriting

The holiday season is an especially problematic time when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, simply because many holiday traditions in themselves are unhealthy. People tend to gorge themselves on foods that are high in saturated fats and sugar, while at the same time taking a break from regular routines and becoming more sedentary. Each year, the average individual packs on 0.9 to 2.2 pounds and most of that is the result of holiday feasting. While that may not seem like much, it adds up — and people rarely lose what they gained after the holidays pass, despite making ambitious New Year’s resolutions. But there is hope! New research into how to maintain a healthy weight has revealed a simple, scientifically-backed way to combat holiday weight gain, so you can enjoy the season without feeling guilty.

Controlling Holiday Weight Gain May Help Combat Obesity

A new body of research, dubbed the Winter Weight Watch Study, was intended to identify ways people could avoid weight gain over the holidays. Researchers at the University of Birmingham and at the United Kingdom’s Loughborough University worked jointly to study test groups throughout the 2016 and 2017 Christmas seasons. Their goal was to find out how effective a simple method of intervention would be in combating weight gain through the holidays.

The study involved a total of 272 people. The researchers report that 78 percent of the participants were female. The subjects were divided up into an intervention group and a control group. At the start of the trial in November, the subjects were required to weigh in and that weight was compared to their weight in follow-up exams conducted in January of that same season. Those in the intervention group were asked to weigh themselves two or more times each week, while also spending time contemplating their weight management goals. The reasoning behind these activities was to make the subjects more mindful of energy consumption. Researchers supplied each subject with tips on keeping better control of their weight, such as providing a chart that showed how much exercise would be required to burn fat from eating specific holiday foods. Alternatively, the control group was only given a paper showcasing tips for healthy living.

By the end of the trial, researchers concluded that those in the intervention group gained 1.1 pounds less than those in the control group. This was after accounting for other variables that might have impacted the study’s findings. Those in the intervention group exhibited better portion control and lower calorie intake than those in the other group. While the research team expected more significant findings, they’re still encouraged by these results.

When You Eat Your Holiday Dinner May Affect Weight Gain

You may know that the body has its own internal clock that keeps it on a 24-hour day-night cycle, known as the circadian rhythm. This internal clock regulates body functions in relation to properly timed patterns. Now, new research suggests this clock also controls how mitochondria burn sugar for energy. In a recent study, teams at Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science and Germany’s Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry determined that this system identifies peak times for our bodies to burn sugar and other energy-producing compounds. People who develop irregular sleep and eating patterns disrupt the circadian rhythm, which can increase the risks of obesity and illness. When someone alters their normal routine, these processes are thrown off and weight gain becomes more likely.

The study looked at how the mitochondrial proteins in mice changed based on the time of day. It was revealed that the proteins peaked only once per day, but, for each mouse, the time of day or night that the mitochondrial proteins peaked was different. Even though mice are nocturnal, the proteins peaked four hours into their daylight cycle. It was discovered that this was the period during which the mice’s bodies experienced heightened respiration and glucose usage. Genetically engineered mice did not show this same distinctive pattern, indicating that their circadian rhythms were abnormal. These mice processed fat and sugar steadily throughout the 24-hour period.

In a previous study, one group of mice was fed at night, when they’re more active, while a control group was fed during the day. Those findings showed that mice eating during their active times exhibited lipid levels that were half those of the daytime-fed mice. This indicates that eating at a specific time may help to prevent weight gain. Dr. Asher, who led the more recent study, says more research is needed to evaluate how timing affects cellular activity. He feels hopeful that further research findings will help people use the circadian rhythm to prevent weight gain.

What Can You Do to Prevent Weight Gain During the Holidays?

While controlling obesity based on the body’s circadian rhythm may still be a few years off, you can still take action to limit or prevent gaining weight throughout this time of year. If you have your heart set on indulging in your favorite holiday foods, you might want to try intermittent fasting. You can do this by fasting every other day, fasting two days out of the week or fasting for 16 hours a day. This doesn’t mean going without food entirely during your fasting periods. Instead, intake just 30 percent of your body’s energy needs, or up to 600 calories.

Another effective way to limit holiday weight gain is to track your calorie intake and your daily exercise workouts. Many smartphone apps are available to help you track all of this data in one place, helping you analyze your efforts. This can help you combat weight gain more proactively during the holidays and throughout the year.

Another possibility is to consume natural foods and drinks that boost the body’s metabolism. Green tea is often suggested to help fight off disease, because of the antioxidants it carries, but it also serves to stimulate the body’s metabolism. Drinking more green tea throughout the holidays can help you counteract the effects of those unhealthy foods you’ll probably be eating. Other natural ingredients that have been found to promote a healthy weight and combat fat storage are bitter orange and African Mango. Adding these to your diet may also help you maintain a healthy weight.

As you engage in your holiday traditions, it’s important to remember that the foods you eat will have a lasting effect. By being more mindful of your portions and the types of foods you eat, you’ll be better prepared to manage your weight. Maintaining a healthy diet and a good level of physical activity can help you get through the holidays without adding unwanted weight.