Seven out of 10 people protected by at least one tobacco control ... - World Health Organization

A new World Health Organization (WHO) report highlights that 5.6 billion people – 71% of the world’s population – are now protected with at least one best practice policy to help save lives from deadly tobacco – five times more than in 2007.

In the last 15 years since WHO’s MPOWER tobacco control measures were introduced globally, smoking rates have fallen. Without this decline there would be an estimated 300 million more smokers in the world today.

This WHO Report on the global tobacco epidemic, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is focused on protecting the public from second-hand smoke, highlighting that almost 40% of countries now have completely smoke-free indoor public places.

The report rates country progress in tobacco control and shows that two more countries, Mauritius and the Netherlands, have achieved best-practice level in all MPOWER measures, a feat that only Brazil and Türkiye had accomplished until now.

“These data show that slowly but surely, more and more people are being protected from the harms of tobacco by WHO’s evidence-based best-practice policies,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I congratulate Mauritius on becoming the first country in Africa, and the Netherlands on becoming the first in the European Union to implement the full package of WHO tobacco control policies at the highest level. WHO stands ready to support all countries to follow their example and protect their people from this deadly scourge.”

“With a strong political commitment, we have made great progress in tobacco control policies in Mauritius. Our country has adopted the MPOWER strategy and is moving resolutely towards a smoke-free country.” stated the Hon Pravind Kumar Jugnauth​, Prime Minister, Republic of Mauritius.

Maarten van Ooijen, State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sports for the Netherlands said, "Civil society organizations, health experts and medical professionals are strong driving forces behind everything that we are achieving with regard to tobacco control in the Netherlands. They deserve the primary credits for the praise that our country receives from the World Health Organization. Although we are making progress in reducing smoking prevalence and improving our tobacco control policy we also still have a long way to go. Together we will keep fighting for a smoke free generation by 2040!"

Smoke-free public spaces is just one policy in the set of effective tobacco control measures, MPOWER, to help countries implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and curb the tobacco epidemic.

Smoke-free environments help people breathe clean air, shield the public from deadly second-hand smoke, motivate people to quit, denormalize smoking and help prevent young people from ever starting to smoke or use e-cigarettes.

“While smoking rates have been going down, tobacco is still the leading cause of preventable death in the world – largely due to relentless marketing campaigns by the tobacco industry,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “As this report shows, our work is making a big difference, but much more remains to be done. By helping more countries implement smart policies, backed by public opinion and science, we’ll be able to improve public health and save millions of more lives.”

Eight countries are just one MPOWER policy away from joining the leaders in tobacco control: Ethiopia, Iran, Ireland, Jordan, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, and Spain.

There is still much work to be done, 44 countries remain unprotected by any of WHO’s MPOWER measures and 53 countries still do not have complete smoking bans in healthcare facilities. Meanwhile, only about half of countries have smoke-free private workplaces and restaurants.

“WHO urges all countries to put in place all of the MPOWER measures at best-practice level to fight the tobacco epidemic, which kills 8.7 million people globally, and push back against the tobacco and nicotine industries, who lobby against these public health measures,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, WHO, Director for Health Promotion. 

Around 1.3 million people die from second-hand smoke every year. All of these deaths are entirely preventable. People exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke are at risk of dying from heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancers.

This report demonstrates that all countries irrespective of income levels can drive down the demand for deadly tobacco, achieve major wins for public health and save economies billions of dollars in health care and productivity costs.

Note to the editor:

The ninth WHO Report on the global tobacco epidemic launched today summarizes national efforts to implement the most effective demand reduction measures from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) that are proven to reduce tobacco use. These measures are known collectively as “MPOWER”.

The MPOWER interventions have been shown to save lives and reduce costs from averted healthcare expenditure. The first MPOWER report was launched in 2008 to promote government action on six tobacco control strategies in-line with the WHO FCTC to:

• Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies.
• Protect people from tobacco smoke.
• Offer help to quit tobacco use.
• Warn people about the dangers of tobacco.
• Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
• Raise taxes on tobacco.

About the World Health Organization

Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.

For more information visit www.who.int and follow WHO on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube

About Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed US $1.7 billion.

For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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The #1 "Bad" Carb You Should Be Eating to Lose Weight, According to a Dietitian - EatingWell

The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky once said, "There is not a thing that is more positive than bread." And if you have ever taken a bite out of a warm piece of freshly baked bread, you know exactly what he is talking about.

But as satisfying as it is to bite into a crusty sourdough roll or a slice of herby rosemary focaccia, if you are trying to lose weight, you may be convinced that you should live without bread to achieve your health goal. Thanks to low-carb diet trends and "experts" on social media that provide nutrition tips not based on science, bread has gotten a bad rap when it comes to weight-loss support.

Pictured Recipe: Avocado Toast with Burrata

But as a registered dietitian, I am not a fan of telling people trying to lose weight to eschew bread at all costs. In fact, one variety of bread can be an important part of a weight-loss diet.

Among the sea of breads out there, whole-grain bread—a category that includes breads made from 100% whole wheat as well as those made from other whole grains—is the one that not only can but should be enjoyed by those focused on managing a healthy weight.

Why Carbs Can Help with Weight Loss

Before we dig into exactly why a satisfying piece of whole-grain bread can be a positive addition to a healthy and balanced weight-loss diet, it is crucial to understand why some carbs can help with weight loss.

May Help You Feel Fuller for Longer

Certain carbohydrates can provide your body with fiber—a type of carb that the human body can't break down. Consistent fiber intake may not only help reduce the risk of developing certain conditions, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, but it may also help promote satiety.

Specifically, fiber intake may slow gastric emptying, increase a feeling of fullness and positively impact appetite regulation, per a 2019 meta-analysis in Foods. Data published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2019 showed that dietary fiber intake promotes weight loss among adults with overweight or obesity consuming a calorie-restricted diet.

Can Provide Micronutrients That May Support Weight Loss

Carbs aren't just a vessel for fueling your body with energy. They can also provide essential micronutrients that may support weight loss.

In the U.S., some grains are fortified with specific nutrients, including some B vitamins, which play an essential role in energy metabolism. And preliminary 2018 research in Current Medical Science suggests that this category of vitamins may effectively reduce body weight gain, although more human studies are needed to confirm this relationship.

May Support Your Ability to Exercise Effectively

Your body uses carbs as its primary energy source, and because of this, carbs may help improve exercise performance, per a 2022 article in Nutrients. Exercise can help support weight loss, especially among those with overweight or obesity.

The Best "Bad" Carb to Achieve Your Weight-Loss Goals

There are many "good" carb sources that you may already know support weight management, including fruits, veggies and beans. But some carbs that may seem "bad" can actually help you achieve your weight-loss goals, as long as you eat proper portions as a part of an overall and balanced diet. And the best "bad" carb to achieve your weight-loss goals is versatile, hearty and delicious whole-grain bread.

Before we bite into why whole-grain bread tops our list, you should understand how all breads are not created equal. While most breads are made from grain, some types, like white bread, are more refined than others.

The wheat grain typically used to make many breads contains three components—the bran, the endosperm and the germ. During the refining process used to make white flour for white bread, the fiber-containing bran and the antioxidant-containing germ is removed. The grains used to make whole-grain bread have all three components, resulting in bread packed with fiber, micronutrients and antioxidants.

When you enjoy whole-grain bread in your diet, here are the reasons it may benefit your weight-loss goals.

It May Help Reduce Visceral Fat

Visceral fat is another word for belly fat. And having too much visceral fat is linked to negative outcomes like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

One small clinical trial published in 2018 in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition showed that swapping out refined bread for whole-grain bread helped reduce visceral fat after 12 weeks.

It May Help Promote Satiety

Feeling hungry shortly after you eat isn't something people who are trying to lose weight want to experience, as this effect isn't incredibly weight-loss-friendly. The abundant dietary fiber contents of whole grains increase satiety, according to 2020 data published in the World Journal of Diabetes.

It May Help Keep You Regular

Eating whole grains, like those in whole-grain bread, promotes regular bowel movements thanks to the fiber and magnesium they provide. And research has shown that there's a connection between gut health and weight. Optimal digestion not only helps you eliminate toxins through stool but increases the absorption of nutrients. A lack of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals can cause fatigue, depression and headaches, to name a few, which can reduce your motivation for exercising and choosing nutritious foods.

It May Help Your Body Burn Calories

Whole-grain foods, like whole-grain bread, contain plant compounds called polyphenols. Some data, such as the 2020 review in the World Journal of Diabetes mentioned above, suggest that polyphenol intake may improve energy expenditure, supporting weight loss. Whole grains also provide magnesium and zinc, which may support lean body mass growth and decrease fat mass.

Other Things to Consider When Trying to Lose Weight

Including whole-grain bread in your diet can help support your weight-loss goals. But eating this carb won't guarantee that you will achieve your weight-loss goals in minutes.

Whole-grain bread should be included as part of an overall balanced and healthy diet and lifestyle to support weight loss.

Along with enjoying whole-grain bread, here are some things you can do to support your weight-loss goals:

• Include physical activity in your lifestyle
• Prioritize quality and adequate sleep
• Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables
• Limit added sugars and fried foods in your diet

The Bottom Line

Carbs are not the enemy when you are trying to lose weight. Sure, eating excessive amounts of added sugar or refined carbohydrates is not the best practice for those trying to lose weight. But if you are a bread lover, enjoying a sandwich made with two slices of whole-grain bread or noshing on a whole-grain roll on the side of a nourishing salad will not squash your weight-loss goals by any means.

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Leadership Dialogue on Food Systems for People's Nutrition and Health - World Health Organization

WHO, in collaboration with UNICEF, FAO and WFP organized the Leadership Dialogue on Food Systems for People’s Nutrition and Health at the first United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+2) that took place from the 24-26^th July 2023 in Rome, Italy.

With just seven years remaining to achieve the SDGs, the dialogue emphasised the world is off track to meet the global nutrition targets as the pervasive status of all forms of malnutrition persist. Alarmingly, 2.4 billion people suffer from food insecurity, while 670 million adults live with overweight or obesity. Already the double burden of malnutrition is negatively impacting the health and prosperity of future generations, with 478 million children aged under 5 impacted by stunting, while 145 million 5-9 year olds live with overweight/obesity.

Food systems which fail to serve people and the planet are a key driver of this burden. Although global food production of calories has kept pace with population growth, the common prioritization of quantity and profitability over nutritional value has meant healthy diets remain unaffordable for over 40% of the world’s population. At the same time, a surplus of availability of highly processed foods, which are often calorie-dense but nutrient-poor, contribute to the alarming rise in diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. New forces – globalization, urbanization, increasing poverty and inequities, and climate and humanitarian crises – are compounding these food system challenges, posing critical barriers to delivering healthy diets for all and realizing the global nutrition targets to end malnutrition in all its forms.

“Malnutrition hampers productivity, increases healthcare costs, and hinders economic growth. By prioritizing nutrition within our food systems, we can reduce the burden of disease, enhance cognitive development, and unlock the potential of individuals, communities, and nations. It’s clear: investing in nutrition yields substantial economic returns.” – Dr Ailan Li, Assistant Director-General, Division of UHC/Healthier Populations

As world leaders gathered to take stock of the progress to transform our food systems and accelerate progress towards the 2030 SDG agenda, the Leadership Dialogue brought together representatives from Member States, cities, youth, academia, civil society and the UN system and emphasized the urgent need to place nutrition and health at the core of global food systems transformation. Speakers highlighted the far-reaching implications of our food choices on our health, environment and society, the importance of a common narrative for healthy diets and the great need to invest in nutrition and scale up policy action to yield health, planetary, and economic results.

“Healthy diets come in many different shapes, reflecting different cultures, traditions, preferences and practices but they all share key characteristics of supporting the highest level of health and wellbeing, promoting growth and development while preventing diseases”- Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the Nutrition and Food Safety Division, WHO

While sustainable transformation may require trade-offs, the benefits of integrated action are significant and should be a top political priority. The need for transformation was emphasized in the shared experiences and inspiring examples of action from Fiji, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Norway and Yemen with the diverse array of countries highlighting the potential of globally applicable solutions to address the unique food systems challenges. Such solutions apply a systems approach that integrates nutritious food systems actions throughout government policies while protecting the environment. They also prioritize the implementation of strong, proven policy actions which address the availability of nutritious foods as well as the oversupply of highly processed foods and beverages high in unhealthy fats, added sugars and/or salt including fiscal policies, the regulation of harmful marketing, the protection and promotion of breastfeeding and front-of-pack nutrition labelling- in line with the WHO priority food systems for health policy actions.

The Leadership Dialogue emphasized the importance of aligning food systems with nutrition and health goals, taking a comprehensive approach involving various stakeholders, and prioritizing policies that benefit the well-being of people and the planet.

Our common ambition for this Leadership Dialogue is to have contributed to an increased understanding of the strategic importance of public sector actions to improve food availability and healthy food environments for better nutrition and health outcomes. True, sustained impact to end malnutrition in all its forms requires all stakeholders -governments, businesses, academia, youth, the UN system and consumers to support the right to food and deliver healthy diets from sustainable food systems for all.

More details and a full session recording are available here.

Speakers

• Moderator: Francesco Branca: Director, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO
• Moderator: Abigail Perry, Director of Nutrition, WFP
• Moderator: Victor Aguayo, Director of Nutrition and Child Development, UNICEF

• Ailan LI, Assistant Director-General, World Health Organization
• Patrick Webb, Technical Advisor GLOPAN
• Greg Garrett, Executive Director, Access to Nutrition Initiative
• Karima Al Hada’s, Yemen SUN Planning and Liaison Specialist & ExCom Member, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation
• Maximo Torero, Chief Economist, FAO
• Patrick Amoth, Director General of Health, Kenya
• Vatimi TTK Rayalu, Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Republic of Fiji
• Simón Barquera, Director of the Nutrition and Health Research Center, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica (INSP)
• Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister of International Development, Norway
• Lilian dos Santos Rahal, National Secretary for Food and Nutrition Security, Ministry of Development, Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger, Federative Republic of Brazil

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Australians are living and working longer - but not necessarily ... - UNSW Newsroom

Australians are living and working longer, but a longer working life doesn’t always come with equivalent gains in healthy life.

Our analysis of change in life expectancy, health transitions and working patterns of more than 10,000 middle-aged Australians over the past two decades shows divergences in the number of years they can expect be in good health at work and in retirement.

In particular, education matters.

Those who left school before year 12 are losing years of healthy life, with their extra years in the workforce mainly comprising years of poor health. This is opposite to the trend among people who completed high school.

And while men and women experienced improvements in life expectancy, on average women are not gaining extra healthy life years.

Australians are being encouraged to extend their working life. For this to be sustainable and equitable, government and workplaces policies will need to make allowances for the health capacity of mature-age workers.

How we found our results

We’ve calculated healthy working life expectancies – the average number of years a person can expect to work in good health – for 50-year-olds using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. This is a longitudinal survey, meaning it seeks to interview the same households every year (about 17,000 people), enabling researchers to track life trajectories.

We identified two age groups within HILDA’s survey sample and followed each cohort for 10 years. The first group was 4,951 people aged 50 years and older in 2001. The second group was 6,589 people aged 50 years and older in 2011.

To estimate a healthy working life expectancy, we looked at how people transitioned in and out of good health and employment each year (based on survey data about their paid employment and long-term health conditions that limited participation in everyday activities).

By combining this with deaths data, we have calculated the average duration spent (i) working in good health, (ii) working in poor health, (iii) retired in good health, and (iv) retired in poor health.

Differences by education

The following graphs show our results, based on expectancies at age 50.

We show our data in this way, rather than total healthy life and working life expectancies from birth, because we followed people from age 50 and is this is the time from which workers start to plan for and transition into retirement.

Typically we understand life expectancies to be calculated from birth, but they can be estimated for any age. If you live to 50, your life expectancy is greater than when you were born.

Our first graph shows healthy life expectancies according to school completion. These estimates reflect the cumulative number of years a person will, on average, be healthy or unhealthy from age 50.

Across the two cohorts, those with low education lose 0.8 years of healthy life, while those with high education gain 0.8 years of healthy life.

As with all statistics, there is uncertainty in these estimates. (Our original analysis includes 95% confidence intervals but we do not show them here.)

These inequities are amplified in working-life expectancies, as the next graph shows. Among early school leavers, at age 50 healthy work years rose from 7.9 to 8.4 years, an increase of six months. But their years working in poor health rose from 2.7 to 3.6 years, a difference of 11 months.

In contrast, for those who completed year 12, at age 50 healthy work years rose from 9.6 to 10.5 years, an increase of 11 months. Their years working in poor health rose from 3.1 to 3.5 years, a difference of five months.

The next graph illustrates what this means in proportional terms.

The next graph shows working life expectancies by sex. Men, on average, will spend 25% of their remaining working years in poor health, and women 24%. These percentages have not changed over time.

These findings are consistent with previous analyses demonstrating social inequalities in health expectancies to have been maintained over time, and possibly widened in some circumstances. In that study, women with low educational attainment appeared to have had negligible improvements in life expectancy and lost healthy life years.

Implications for governments and employers

Australia has this month raised the age at which people qualify for the age pension to 67.

When the pension was introduced in 1908, the qualifying age was 65 for men and 60 for women. At the time, average life expectancy for Australians at birth was about 55 for men and 59 for women. Now it exceeds 81 for men and 85 for women (though is considerably lower for some groups, notably Indigenous Australians).

There’s an obvious rationale to prolong people’s working lives – to meet the challenges posed by population ageing and sustain the social security system. Nevertheless, consideration should be made for inequalities in life expectancy and health expectancy. For many ageing workers, health limitations constrain their capacity and opportunity to work.

To achieve longer working lives, workplaces will be need become more supportive of mature-age workers, including accommodating long-term health conditions.

This will likely involve addressing ageism in the workplace, increasing employer demand for older workers, creating appropriate work roles to fit the capacities and preferences of older workers, and providing pathways to lifelong education and training.

We may also need to rethink our idea of flexible work, which has largely centred around the needs of parents and younger workers. Many older workers will have expectations for an independent and active retirement period, and it should be possible for flexible work arrangements to accommodate this.

Finally, we should not discount the unpaid contributions made by many older adults through community service and providing care to loved ones.

Kim Kiely, Lecturer, Statistics and Data Science, University of Wollongong and Mitiku Hambisa, Senior Research Associate, UNSW Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Study: Scientists Say Taking Vitamin D Could Prevent Heart Attacks in Older Adults - Good Housekeeping

• Vitamin D is widely known for its role in supporting immunity and bone health.
• New research suggests that supplementing with vitamin D may reduce the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events.
• Look for a high-quality vitamin D supplement that is third-party tested for purity, potency and safety, and speak with your healthcare provider about the right dose for you.

---

Vitamin D is a unique nutrient in that it comes from the food we eat and is a hormone that our bodies make. The fat soluble vitamin has a slew of important functions and vitamin D health benefits, from supporting immunity and healthy bones to improving mood. But new research shows that it may have other protective benefits for older adults.

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal, looked at a large sample of older adults ages 60 to 84. Participants were divided into two groups – one was given a placebo, while the other was given a vitamin D supplement of 60,000 IU a month (which averages out to about 2,000 IU a day) for up to five years. At the end of the study, data was analyzed from over 16,800 participants who were still taking the tablets.

Top Health News

During the trial, there were about 1,336 major cardiovascular events (i.e. heart attack, stroke and procedures to treat coronary artery disease). But compared with the placebo group, the rate of major heart problems was slightly lower in the vitamin D group, especially for those who were already taking heart medicines like statins at the beginning of the study.

Although the results are compelling, the findings were not statistically significant and prior research has shown no association with vitamin D supplementation and major heart problems. Ultimately, the best strategies to support heart health and reduce risk of heart disease include eating a healthy balanced diet, staying physically active, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, keeping blood pressure under control and checking your cholesterol levels. It's also important to take your medicines as directed and attend regular check-ups with your health care team.

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But that doesn't mean that vitamin D isn't important for heart health. In fact, vitamin D is needed to support blood vessels and normal blood pressure. What's more, a vitamin D deficiency has been associated with elevated levels of lipids (a.k.a fats) in your blood, as well as vascular dysfunction and arterial stiffening. Research has also linked a lower vitamin D status to an increased risk of ischemic stroke, heart attack and heart disease.

How much vitamin D do I need?

Older adults need about 600 – 800 IU of vitamin D daily, depending on their age. You can get this through a combination of sun exposure and vitamin-D rich foods, which include salmon, eggs, sardines, liver, white mushrooms and fortified foods.

But supplementing with more isn't always better. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, too much can put you at serious risk for toxicity including adverse side effects like kidney stones and high calcium levels in the blood. Our experts say that it is best not to consume more than 4,000 IU daily, which is the tolerable upper intake level.

Signs of vitamin D deficiency

We recommend speaking with your healthcare provider if you suspect a vitamin D deficiency, as they can take bloodwork and then recommend the appropriate supplementation dosage based on your current levels. Some common signs of vitamin D deficiency include:

• Fatigue
• Mood changes
• Muscle pain and weakness
• Reduced immune function
• Increased inflammation
• Frequent infections
• Rickets (in children)
• Bone disorders

What should I look for in a vitamin D supplement?

Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness prior to going to market, it's incredibly important to thoroughly research each supplement you add to your regimen and speak with your healthcare provider before doing so. Look for options that have been tested for purity, potency and safety by a credible third-party organization.

Our team of registered dietitians spent months analyzing dozens of vitamin D supplements to bring you our top-tested recommendations for the best vitamin D supplements on the market.

The bottom line: New research suggests that supplementing with vitamin D may reduce the risk of heart attacks, but the results were not statistically significant and more research is needed. That being said, vitamin D does play a role in supporting a healthy heart, blood vessels and normal blood pressure. If you suspect a deficiency, speak with your healthcare provider who can take bloodwork and determine the appropriate supplement dose for you. The best strategies to support heart health include eating a healthy balanced diet, staying physically active, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption and keeping blood pressure under control.

Nutrition Lab Director

Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, where she handles all nutrition-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. She is also Good Housekeeping’s on-staff fitness and exercise expert. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.

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7,609,600 Equity Shares of Healthy Life Agritec Limited are subject to a Lock-Up Agreement Ending on 31-JUL-2023. - Marketscreener.com

7,609,600 Equity Shares of Healthy Life Agritec Limited are subject to a Lock-Up Agreement Ending on 31-JUL-2023. These Equity Shares will be under lockup for 371 days starting from 25-JUL-2022 to 31-JUL-2023.

Details:
The Promoters, Cronosglobal Investments & Holdings Pvt Ltd have agreed not to dispose off an aggregate of at least 20% of the post issue equity share capital of the company for a period of 3 years from the issue allotment date.

The entire remaining pre-issue share capital held by promoters Divya Mojjada & Cronosglobal Investments & Holdings Pvt Ltd will be locked-up for 1 year from the issue allotment date.

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Chiropractor aims to promote healthy living at new Lower Burrell ... - TribLIVE

Chiropractor Seth Hornack believes that to age well, one must live well.

And he plans to continue to spread that message in the community with his new practice, the Healthy U Factory at 2869 Leechburg Road in Lower Burrell, which is expected to open by Sept. 1.

“I had a vision on what I felt like perfect health would be, and I feel this whole complex is going to bring total wellness to the region,” Hornack said.

Hornack, 45, of Plum currently owns Hornack Health Center, a chiropractic facility in Lower Burrell. He has been in health care for about 19 years and said he has served more than 120,000 patients.

Hornack grew up in Lower Burrell and played multiple sports.

“I was always really into sports. I played football at the University of Pittsburgh and was really into taking care of my body with nutrition, exercise and therapy,” he said, discussing what got him into fitness and health care.

When clients enter the Healthy U Factory — which is still under construction — they will be greeted with a smoothie, juice and organic coffee bar, an all-natural, hand-rolled ice cream station and Hornack’s chiropractic office.

“We’ll also have healthy beverages, snacks and protein bars, too,” he said.

It also features hot and cold bathtubs for muscle and joint therapy; oxygen jacuzzi tubs; infrared saunas; steam rooms; float tanks; massage chairs; traction tables; and red light, vibration, compression and hyperbaric therapies, Hornack said.

The lower level of the facility will be a full-body, “explosive sports training” area, Hornack said, with an 11-station guided exercise circuit for athletes.

“Our motto is: Run like a cheetah, jump like a kangaroo,” he said.

One of Hornack’s clients, Rob Gaydosh of Bell Township, said he has seen the results from Hornack firsthand through his son, also named Robert. Gaydosh said his family has been with Hornack for the past couple of years.

Robert played flag football, and after five weeks of working with Hornack, was able to run much faster than he did previously. There was another instance where Hornack worked with Robert and used red light therapy to quickly alleviate pain from an injury.

“It’s pretty crazy what (Hornack’s) doing,” Gaydosh said. “I’d recommend him to any parent with an athlete or young athlete.”

Operating hours have yet to be determined, Hornack said. The facility will offer some sort of membership subscription and individually scheduled sessions, but those details are still in the works.

Hornack said he studied functional medicine and worked at The Medicine Shoppe in Oakmont for 10 years under the direction of pharmacist Joe DiMatteo. He opened his practice in June 2005 “and just had a bigger vision of health.”

The Healthy U Factory has been a dream come true, he said, because it has been a concept of his for a couple of years. The facility plays off different “U” meanings, such as Spine U for spinal care, Recovery U for recovery training and Float U for float tanks.

“A university is associated with education. … I want to teach people how to have a healthier life,” Hornack said.

But Hornack said the “U” also has another meaning — “you,” for people to improve themselves through diet, supplements, exercise or mental and spiritual aspects of health.

“I really want the best for every person I see,” he said.

Kellen Stepler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Kellen by email at kstepler@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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Should you be eating fermented food or is it best to avoid it? - The Jerusalem Post

Fermented foods have been eaten for centuries and their many health benefits have already been proven. The fermentation process involves the breakdown of sugars by bacteria and yeast, which produces beneficial compounds. 

Azhar Ali Sayed, holistic health coach and author of Eat Your Cake and Lose Weight, says fermented foods have a unique flavor, smell, texture and appearance, and fermentation, the traditional method of preserving food extends the shelf life of these items and improves its nutritional content by making nutrients more bioavailable.

Sayed said that fermentation affects the immune system and the intestines, which helps prevent inflammation that can cause many diseases. 

Vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts, and seeds can all be fermented. Because fermented foods are often rich in prebiotics and probiotics, they have significant health benefits like improving digestion, strengthening the immune system and preventing many diseases.

Easy incorporated into meals

He added that fermented foods like yogurt, cheese, and pickled vegetables can be easily incorporated into meals because they can be bought at standard supermarkets. 

Yogurt (credit: INGIMAGE)

Sayed also said that most people don't experience problems when eating fermented foods, but people who have histamine activity which is an organic compound, an imidazole derivative involved in local reactions of the immune system that causes dilation of blood vessels and contraction of smooth muscles, shouldn't eat fermented products.

He also warned that when people first start eating fermented foods they might experience bloating, and advised people who have a chronic illness or are immunocompromised to start with small amounts of fermented food to be sure their system can tolerate these items.

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The 'healthy' foods that are actually bad for you - The Telegraph

Across the UK, supermarket milk aisles have become filled with an increasing array of plant-based alternatives. It began with oat, coconut, rice, and soy, but now almond, hazelnut, hemp and even pea milk are becoming increasingly trendy options. So much so that in the last two decades, the UK’s dairy milk consumption has dropped by 20 per cent.

But while these replacements are often branded as being healthier, is that really the case? Not always, according to a new study from the University of Minnesota, led by epidemiologist Abigail Johnson.

When Johnson and her colleagues analysed the nutritional labels of 237 milk alternatives made using either almonds, oats, rice, or soya, they found that just 19 per cent of them matched up to ordinary milk when it came to protein content. A third were found to be lower in calcium and vitamin D. Previous research has shown that plant-based milks are also lower in minerals such as magnesium, zinc and selenium.

“Some plant-based milks contain added sugars, which cow’s milk does not,” says Johnson. “We saw that some plant-based milks had added sugars in levels that were more similar to flavoured milk products like chocolate milk.”

So what other supposedly healthy foods should you avoid? And what should you replace them with?

Flavoured yoghurts

Flavoured yoghurts are an ultra-processed food

Low-fat yoghurts may seem like a healthy sweet treat, especially when branded with highly tempting labels suggesting that they contain extra probiotics, but in reality, nutrition experts are highly sceptical.

“Many people eat flavoured yoghurts every day, and feed them to their children, thinking they are healthy without realising they are an ultra-processed food,” says Tim Spector, an epidemiologist from King’s College London and the co-founder of personalised nutrition app Zoe.

Spector describes common brands as sometimes containing three different sources of added free sugars – fruit juice concentrate, cane sugar and modified food starch – as well as the emulsifier carrageenan.

“This emulsifier has been implicated in increased gut inflammation,” he says. “The free sugars are problematic because of the increased risk in dental caries but also of Type 2 diabetes and obesity.”

Replace with: plain, natural yoghurt.

“Natural yoghurt is cheap to buy and is easily flavoured at home by adding fruit, nuts or honey,” says Spector.

Granola

Supposedly 'healthier' granolas often contain an array of syrups and sugars

Registered nutritionist Clarissa Lenherr, who operates a practice in Harley Street, is particularly critical of granola products, which are sometimes branded as being healthy due to their fibre content and lack of refined sugars.

Lenherr feels this is often misleading, as a closer examination of the ingredients can reveal multiple forms of sugar such as syrups. While these are better than refined sugar, they can still cause spikes in blood sugar.

“A supposedly healthier granola can contain date syrup, maple syrup, coconut blossom syrup or coconut sugar,” she says. “That sugar content is going to affect your blood sugar levels and give you cravings later in the day.”

In addition, Lenherr feels that the actual fibre content within many granolas is often insufficient. “A typical 30 or 40 gram serving can have three or four grams of fibre, and we should be eating 30 grams of fibre per day,” she says. “So it’s giving you just 10 per cent of your fibre intake, which isn’t enough. At breakfast, we ideally want to be getting closer to a third of our daily fibre requirements.”

Replace with: Lenherr recommends looking for brands that contain a maximum of just one source of unrefined sugar and have closer to 10g of fibre.

“There’s a brand called Paleo Foods that is really high in fibre,” she says. “There’s another called Olara, which makes mueslis and other cereals with quite a lot of fibre and not too much sugar. Spoon also does low-sugar granola. So those products are a little better than the standard sugary granolas.”

Vegan meat

Nutrition specialists have criticised plant-based meat alternatives for their lack of genuine nutritional value

Plant-based meats, often made using a blend of pea or soy proteins to create vegan-friendly burgers or sausages, have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, nutrition specialists have criticised them for their lack of genuine nutritional value.

“They’re really not very good for you,” says Richard Hoffman, a nutrition expert at the University of Hertfordshire. “Meat provides a lot of iron, zinc and things like that, and these are often added back to these meat alternatives. But it’s likely that none of the iron or zinc is actually absorbed by the body, because it’s bound up by something called phytic acid.”

Iron and zinc are required for maintaining the immune system, helping to make the body resistant to infection, as well as wound healing.

Hoffman says that there’s evidence that lysine, one of the main amino acids purported to be in plant-based meat, is destroyed during the production process. We need this amino acid in our diet as it is a critical building block of collagen, which is our bones and connective tissues like skin and cartilage. “These foods don’t have a complete range of amino acids like a normal meat would have,” he says. “And then there’s all the emulsifiers, which have been shown to harm the microbiome and cause inflammation in the gut.”

Replace with: Hoffman recommends that vegetarians opt for the individual constituents themselves, like pulses, lentils and peas, rather than going for a processed product.

Sports drinks

Obesity, Type 2 diabetes and dental health are all concerns linked with highly sugary drinks

Many popular brands of sports drinks, such as Gatorade and Lucozade, are known for their electrolyte content, but they contain a surprisingly high amount of sugar. For example, a 500ml bottle of Gatorade Cool Blue contains 20g of sugar, while Lucozade Sport Orange has 3.5g of sugar per 100ml.

“High-sugar drinks obviously are a concern for dental health,” says David Rowlands, professor of nutrition at Massey University, New Zealand.

Regularly consuming highly sugary drinks can also increase long-term risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Replace with: water.

While many sports drinks are isotonic, which means that they contain similar concentrations of fluid, sugars and salts to the blood, Rowland says they are less effective than water when it comes to hydration. This is because they are high in simple sugars, which are rapidly digested, resulting in a high concentration of sugars in the gut.

“The gut can only absorb so much sugar at a time,” he says. “So the body holds water back, which limits the amount of fluid getting into the bloodstream. Because of this, just drinking water is a better way of hydrating you.”

Instant soups

Watch out for emulsifiers and other artificial chemicals

Another supposedly healthy food source that turns out to be bad for you is instant, packed, tinned or powdered soups.

“I find people are quite surprised by this,” says Spector. “They always have lots of added salt with little fibre left to benefit our gut microbes.”

As well as the salt, many of these soup products also contain emulsifiers and other artificial chemicals that are known to be bad for the gut, triggering inflammation.

Replace with: blend your own.

Spector says that soup can be whipped in a simple and cost-effective manner in your own kitchen by blending together fresh carrots, tomatoes and other vegetables. This will result in a meal that is much healthier and higher in fibre. “Soups are another example of a food that can be made cheaply at home with any scraps, frozen or canned vegetables and can then be stored frozen for a long period of time too,” he says.

Protein bars

'We’re meant to eat real food, not this kind of plasticised junk', says nutritionist TC Callis

Many protein or snack bars on the market are what nutritionist TC Callis describes as classic examples of ultra-processed foods, often containing high amounts of sugar, flavourings, bulking agents and emulsifiers.  

“There is often a remarkable amount of sugar in products that claim to be low-calorie or low-fat,” she says. “This stuff isn’t good for you; we’re meant to eat real food, not this kind of plasticised junk.”

If you’re not sure about the health value of a particular product, Callis says that a simple solution is just to glance at the ingredient list. “As a rule of thumb, if it’s got more than 10 ingredients, put it back on the shelf,” she says.

Replace with: bananas.

Callis says this is an excellent natural source of a quick energy boost. “They’ve got lots of good fibre in,” she says. “They’ve got lots of potassium and magnesium in, and it’s completely unprocessed.”

Green juice

Aim for juices that are predominantly vegetable-based with a little bit of fruit for sweetness

Lenherr is also critical of many green juices sold within supermarkets, because the vegetable content is much lower than many consumers realise.

“Everyone thinks, ‘Oh, green juice is great, it’s gonna pack in loads of nutrients and vitamins,’” she says. “Some products add spirulina, which is a green powder, so they can call them green juices, but it’s a tiny amount of powder and the rest is mainly apple juice.”

She says that consuming a juice that is predominantly fruit-based will be high in fructose, spiking your blood sugar and then giving you an energy crash afterwards, which stimulates hunger. Instead, she says we should be aiming for juices that are predominantly vegetable-based with a little bit of fruit for sweetness.

Replace with: Ideally, try to go for a juice that specifically says it is unpasteurised or cold-pressed. Lenherr says that pasteurised juices have fewer nutrients within them because the production process involves heat, which destroys vitamin C and various other minerals.

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Leadership Dialogue on Food Systems for People's Nutrition and Health - World Health Organization

WHO, in collaboration with UNICEF, FAO and WFP organized the Leadership Dialogue on Food Systems for People’s Nutrition and Health at the first United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+2) that took place from the 24-26^th July 2023 in Rome, Italy.

With just seven years remaining to achieve the SDGs, the dialogue emphasised the world is off track to meet the global nutrition targets as the pervasive status of all forms of malnutrition persist. Alarmingly, 2.4 billion people suffer from food insecurity, while 670 million adults live with overweight or obesity. Already the double burden of malnutrition is negatively impacting the health and prosperity of future generations, with 478 million children aged under 5 impacted by stunting, while 145 million 5-9 year olds live with overweight/obesity.

Food systems which fail to serve people and the planet are a key driver of this burden. Although global food production of calories has kept pace with population growth, the common prioritization of quantity and profitability over nutritional value has meant healthy diets remain unaffordable for over 40% of the world’s population. At the same time, a surplus of availability of highly processed foods, which are often calorie-dense but nutrient-poor, contribute to the alarming rise in diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. New forces – globalization, urbanization, increasing poverty and inequities, and climate and humanitarian crises – are compounding these food system challenges, posing critical barriers to delivering healthy diets for all and realizing the global nutrition targets to end malnutrition in all its forms.

“Malnutrition hampers productivity, increases healthcare costs, and hinders economic growth. By prioritizing nutrition within our food systems, we can reduce the burden of disease, enhance cognitive development, and unlock the potential of individuals, communities, and nations. It’s clear: investing in nutrition yields substantial economic returns.” – Dr Ailan Li, Assistant Director-General, Division of UHC/Healthier Populations

As world leaders gathered to take stock of the progress to transform our food systems and accelerate progress towards the 2030 SDG agenda, the Leadership Dialogue brought together representatives from Member States, cities, youth, academia, civil society and the UN system and emphasized the urgent need to place nutrition and health at the core of global food systems transformation. Speakers highlighted the far-reaching implications of our food choices on our health, environment and society, the importance of a common narrative for healthy diets and the great need to invest in nutrition and scale up policy action to yield health, planetary, and economic results.

“Healthy diets come in many different shapes, reflecting different cultures, traditions, preferences and practices but they all share key characteristics of supporting the highest level of health and wellbeing, promoting growth and development while preventing diseases”- Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the Nutrition and Food Safety Division, WHO

While sustainable transformation may require trade-offs, the benefits of integrated action are significant and should be a top political priority. The need for transformation was emphasized in the shared experiences and inspiring examples of action from Fiji, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Norway and Yemen with the diverse array of countries highlighting the potential of globally applicable solutions to address the unique food systems challenges. Such solutions apply a systems approach that integrates nutritious food systems actions throughout government policies while protecting the environment. They also prioritize the implementation of strong, proven policy actions which address the availability of nutritious foods as well as the oversupply of highly processed foods and beverages high in unhealthy fats, added sugars and/or salt including fiscal policies, the regulation of harmful marketing, the protection and promotion of breastfeeding and front-of-pack nutrition labelling- in line with the WHO priority food systems for health policy actions.

The Leadership Dialogue emphasized the importance of aligning food systems with nutrition and health goals, taking a comprehensive approach involving various stakeholders, and prioritizing policies that benefit the well-being of people and the planet.

Our common ambition for this Leadership Dialogue is to have contributed to an increased understanding of the strategic importance of public sector actions to improve food availability and healthy food environments for better nutrition and health outcomes. True, sustained impact to end malnutrition in all its forms requires all stakeholders -governments, businesses, academia, youth, the UN system and consumers to support the right to food and deliver healthy diets from sustainable food systems for all.

More details and a full session recording are available here.

Speakers

• Moderator: Francesco Branca: Director, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO
• Moderator: Abigail Perry, Director of Nutrition, WFP
• Moderator: Victor Aguayo, Director of Nutrition and Child Development, UNICEF

• Ailan LI, Assistant Director-General, World Health Organization
• Patrick Webb, Technical Advisor GLOPAN
• Greg Garrett, Executive Director, Access to Nutrition Initiative
• Karima Al Hada’s, Yemen SUN Planning and Liaison Specialist & ExCom Member, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation
• Maximo Torero, Chief Economist, FAO
• Patrick Amoth, Director General of Health, Kenya
• Vatimi TTK Rayalu, Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Republic of Fiji
• Simón Barquera, Director of the Nutrition and Health Research Center, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica (INSP)
• Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister of International Development, Norway
• Lilian dos Santos Rahal, National Secretary for Food and Nutrition Security, Ministry of Development, Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger, Federative Republic of Brazil

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