Friday 20 October 2017
When A Celebrity Photographer Turns His Lens To Homeless People
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Thursday 19 October 2017
15 Best Foods for a Flat Belly
Eat your way to a flatter belly
When you're trying to slim down your stomach, core exercises and ab workouts go a long way—but what you eat also plays a huge role. In addition to drinking enough water, eating fresh produce and healthy fats, and avoiding notorious belly-busters (think alcohol, soda, and sugar), certain foods are particularly good for shrinking your gut.
“If you want your abs to feel flatter, choose foods that will help decrease bloating in your stomach, such as water-packed fruits and veggies,” says Keri Gans, RD, a New York City-based nutrition consultant and author of The Small Change Diet.
These 15 foods will help keep your waistline slim by reducing bloat, boosting metabolism, and giving your body important nutrients that encourage weight loss.
Cucumbers
Thanks to the flavonoid antioxidant quercetin (which reduces swelling) and a high water content of 96%, cucumbers “can definitely help prevent bloating,” says Gans. This crunchy veggie is also extremely versatile: eat it in a chopped salad, sprinkle on top of yogurt, or munch on cucumber slices with homemade hummus.
Lentils
As a member of the super-nutritious pulse family, lentils—along with other seeds that grow within pods like chickpeas, white beans, and dried peas—are packed with protein and fiber, which increase satiety. They're also a good source of iron; this is important because studies have shown that being deficient in the mineral could slow down your metabolism.
“Add lentils to salads or use in place of whole grains like brown rice,” says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health's contributing nutrition editor. “They also make a great ‘bed’ for a serving of lean protein, along with a generous portion of veggies.”
Bananas
Craving an afternoon snack? A banana may be your best bet. In addition to potassium, bananas are packed with resistant starch, a healthy carbohydrate that your body digests slowly, which keeps you full for longer. Resistant starch also encourages your liver to switch to fat-burning mode, giving your metabolism a boost.
Even more good news for your abs: “Bananas may help prevent water retention in our bodies by regulating sodium levels,” says Gans, “decreasing the risk for bloating.”
Fennel
This perennial herb offers some serious benefits for your belly. “For centuries, fennel has been used to improve digestion, relieve GI spasms, and reduce bloat,” says Stephanie Middleberg, RD, founder of Middleberg Nutrition in New York City.
You can eat fennel raw or cooked (try sprinkling it on pizza or making Tomato-Fennel Soup). And fennel seeds have slimming properties, too: In a previous interview, Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, recommended sipping on fennel tea to de-puff your stomach before a big event.
Papaya
There are lots of reasons to love this brightly colored tropical fruit, which is a rich source of vitamins A, C, E, and folate. Papayas also contain an enzyme called papain, which helps your GI system break down difficult-to-digest foods, in turn preventing inflammation and belly bloat.
In addition to eating papaya whole and fresh, “it’s wonderful in a smoothie, in salads, or thrown on the grill with a drop of olive oil,” says Gans.
Whole grains
Gluten-free diets may be trendy, but carbs aren’t your enemy (unless you've been diagnosed with Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance). In fact, whole grain carbohydrates actually help you stay slim. Whole grains are a great source of filling fiber, which aids digestion and increases satiety. In one recent study, researchers found that women who regularly consumed whole grains had a 49% lower risk of major weight gain over time.
“Whole grains help better regulate blood sugar and insulin levels compared to refined grains,” explains Sass. She recommends starting your day with oatmeal, snacking on plain popcorn (yes, it’s a whole grain!), and choosing quinoa or brown rice over white.
Chili peppers
Spicy foods like chili peppers kick-start your metabolism, and they may also help you stick to your healthy eating goals. According to a 2011 study from Purdue University, capsaicin (the active component that gives chili peppers their heat) may help prevent weight gain. Researchers found that participants who ate capsaicin-rich foods had fewer cravings for fatty, salty, and sweet foods, as well as a lower preoccupation with eating in general.
To reap the fat-burning benefits, “add chili peppers to an omelet, salads, or stir fry, or just bite right in,” says Sass.
Asparagus
You already know that asparagus is full of antioxidants and may even act as an aphrodisiac. But did you also know it can promote a slim stomach? This super-healthy spring veggie is a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which your body digests slowly—keeping you full for longer in between meals. And as a natural diuretic, “asparagus facilitates the removal of water and waste to decrease discomfort and bloat,” explains Middleberg.
She adds that asparagus also contains prebiotics, which “act as fuel for healthy bacteria in your gut.”
Yogurt
Like asparagus, yogurt is great for your gut: It contains beneficial probiotics, which help balance microflora and prevent bloating. Eating yogurt may also increase feelings of fullness, thanks to 17 grams of protein per serving (that’s almost three times as much as is in an egg!).
“Try adding it to your morning smoothie, use it in your favorite dip recipe, or enjoy with berries for an afternoon snack,” says Gans.
Ginger
If you’ve ever sipped on a glass of ginger ale while sick, you know the drink can do wonders to calm an upset stomach. Turns out the root is also good for keeping your belly slim. Thanks to compounds that help move food through your GI tract, “it has been used for centuries as a natural remedy to treat bloating,” explains Gans. Ginger may also help with weight management: In a 2012 study from Columbia University, researchers found that participants who drank a hot ginger beverage felt fuller after meals.
“An easy way to include it in your diet is to make a ginger tea with ½ teaspoon of ground or freshly grated ginger and one cup of hot water,” she says.
Peppermint and chamomile tea
Feeling stuffed after a big dinner? Help your stomach recover by brewing a hot cup of peppermint or chamomile tea. Both varieties relax your GI muscles, easing digestion and helping your body dissolve gas.
“Peppermint tea can help reduce bloating, which can make your stomach look flatter,” says Sass. “And chamomile may help improve sleep—and too little sleep has been linked to an increase in belly fat.”
Avocado
Go ahead, put avocado on your toast, pasta, brownies, pudding, or even banana bread—your belly will thank you. The superfruit (yes, it technically is a fruit) contains 2 grams of filling fiber and 4 grams of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which may help keep the pounds off. In one recent study, researchers found that people who regularly ate avocados had smaller waistlines than those who didn’t.
And in addition to keeping your stomach slim, avocados may benefit the gut, too: “Healthy fats like avocados are vital to gut health, as they coat the stomach and allow for ease of digestion,” says Middleberg. “They also help the body increase its absorption of other nutrients and antioxidants.”
Dark chocolate
If you have a sweet tooth, take heart: Not all chocolate is off limits. “Good quality dark chocolate (anything above 65% cacao) is actually very good for you,” explains Middleberg. Like avocados, dark chocolate contains healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help speed up metabolism. One study from the University of California, San Diego found that adults who ate chocolate more frequently had lower BMIs than those who didn't eat much chocolate.
Almonds
For a guilt-free snack, reach for a handful of almonds. As with dark chocolate and avocados, the nut contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help your body burn fat and fight hunger. One recent study in the International Journal of Obesity found that when people had a serving of almonds as part of a low-calorie diet, they lost more weight than those who ate a similar diet but had a carb-heavy snack instead of almonds.
Green tea
This ancient beverage is packed with important antioxidants that help combat inflammation, increase energy, and burn fat. And science has repeatedly linked green tea to weight loss: For example, one study found that drinking five cups a day helped people lose twice as much weight, mainly in their midsections. In another, researchers looked at dieters and determined that those who drank green tea lost more weight than those who did not.
When you're trying to slim down your stomach, core exercises and ab workouts go a long way—but what you eat also plays a huge role. In addition to drinking enough water, eating fresh produce and healthy fats, and avoiding notorious belly-busters (think alcohol, soda, and sugar), certain foods are particularly good for shrinking your gut.
“If you want your abs to feel flatter, choose foods that will help decrease bloating in your stomach, such as water-packed fruits and veggies,” says Keri Gans, RD, a New York City-based nutrition consultant and author of The Small Change Diet.
These 15 foods will help keep your waistline slim by reducing bloat, boosting metabolism, and giving your body important nutrients that encourage weight loss.
Cucumbers
Thanks to the flavonoid antioxidant quercetin (which reduces swelling) and a high water content of 96%, cucumbers “can definitely help prevent bloating,” says Gans. This crunchy veggie is also extremely versatile: eat it in a chopped salad, sprinkle on top of yogurt, or munch on cucumber slices with homemade hummus.
Lentils
As a member of the super-nutritious pulse family, lentils—along with other seeds that grow within pods like chickpeas, white beans, and dried peas—are packed with protein and fiber, which increase satiety. They're also a good source of iron; this is important because studies have shown that being deficient in the mineral could slow down your metabolism.
“Add lentils to salads or use in place of whole grains like brown rice,” says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health's contributing nutrition editor. “They also make a great ‘bed’ for a serving of lean protein, along with a generous portion of veggies.”
Bananas
Craving an afternoon snack? A banana may be your best bet. In addition to potassium, bananas are packed with resistant starch, a healthy carbohydrate that your body digests slowly, which keeps you full for longer. Resistant starch also encourages your liver to switch to fat-burning mode, giving your metabolism a boost.
Even more good news for your abs: “Bananas may help prevent water retention in our bodies by regulating sodium levels,” says Gans, “decreasing the risk for bloating.”
Fennel
This perennial herb offers some serious benefits for your belly. “For centuries, fennel has been used to improve digestion, relieve GI spasms, and reduce bloat,” says Stephanie Middleberg, RD, founder of Middleberg Nutrition in New York City.
You can eat fennel raw or cooked (try sprinkling it on pizza or making Tomato-Fennel Soup). And fennel seeds have slimming properties, too: In a previous interview, Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, recommended sipping on fennel tea to de-puff your stomach before a big event.
Papaya
There are lots of reasons to love this brightly colored tropical fruit, which is a rich source of vitamins A, C, E, and folate. Papayas also contain an enzyme called papain, which helps your GI system break down difficult-to-digest foods, in turn preventing inflammation and belly bloat.
In addition to eating papaya whole and fresh, “it’s wonderful in a smoothie, in salads, or thrown on the grill with a drop of olive oil,” says Gans.
Whole grains
Gluten-free diets may be trendy, but carbs aren’t your enemy (unless you've been diagnosed with Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance). In fact, whole grain carbohydrates actually help you stay slim. Whole grains are a great source of filling fiber, which aids digestion and increases satiety. In one recent study, researchers found that women who regularly consumed whole grains had a 49% lower risk of major weight gain over time.
“Whole grains help better regulate blood sugar and insulin levels compared to refined grains,” explains Sass. She recommends starting your day with oatmeal, snacking on plain popcorn (yes, it’s a whole grain!), and choosing quinoa or brown rice over white.
Chili peppers
Spicy foods like chili peppers kick-start your metabolism, and they may also help you stick to your healthy eating goals. According to a 2011 study from Purdue University, capsaicin (the active component that gives chili peppers their heat) may help prevent weight gain. Researchers found that participants who ate capsaicin-rich foods had fewer cravings for fatty, salty, and sweet foods, as well as a lower preoccupation with eating in general.
To reap the fat-burning benefits, “add chili peppers to an omelet, salads, or stir fry, or just bite right in,” says Sass.
Asparagus
You already know that asparagus is full of antioxidants and may even act as an aphrodisiac. But did you also know it can promote a slim stomach? This super-healthy spring veggie is a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which your body digests slowly—keeping you full for longer in between meals. And as a natural diuretic, “asparagus facilitates the removal of water and waste to decrease discomfort and bloat,” explains Middleberg.
She adds that asparagus also contains prebiotics, which “act as fuel for healthy bacteria in your gut.”
Yogurt
Like asparagus, yogurt is great for your gut: It contains beneficial probiotics, which help balance microflora and prevent bloating. Eating yogurt may also increase feelings of fullness, thanks to 17 grams of protein per serving (that’s almost three times as much as is in an egg!).
“Try adding it to your morning smoothie, use it in your favorite dip recipe, or enjoy with berries for an afternoon snack,” says Gans.
Ginger
If you’ve ever sipped on a glass of ginger ale while sick, you know the drink can do wonders to calm an upset stomach. Turns out the root is also good for keeping your belly slim. Thanks to compounds that help move food through your GI tract, “it has been used for centuries as a natural remedy to treat bloating,” explains Gans. Ginger may also help with weight management: In a 2012 study from Columbia University, researchers found that participants who drank a hot ginger beverage felt fuller after meals.
“An easy way to include it in your diet is to make a ginger tea with ½ teaspoon of ground or freshly grated ginger and one cup of hot water,” she says.
Peppermint and chamomile tea
Feeling stuffed after a big dinner? Help your stomach recover by brewing a hot cup of peppermint or chamomile tea. Both varieties relax your GI muscles, easing digestion and helping your body dissolve gas.
“Peppermint tea can help reduce bloating, which can make your stomach look flatter,” says Sass. “And chamomile may help improve sleep—and too little sleep has been linked to an increase in belly fat.”
Avocado
Go ahead, put avocado on your toast, pasta, brownies, pudding, or even banana bread—your belly will thank you. The superfruit (yes, it technically is a fruit) contains 2 grams of filling fiber and 4 grams of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which may help keep the pounds off. In one recent study, researchers found that people who regularly ate avocados had smaller waistlines than those who didn’t.
And in addition to keeping your stomach slim, avocados may benefit the gut, too: “Healthy fats like avocados are vital to gut health, as they coat the stomach and allow for ease of digestion,” says Middleberg. “They also help the body increase its absorption of other nutrients and antioxidants.”
Dark chocolate
If you have a sweet tooth, take heart: Not all chocolate is off limits. “Good quality dark chocolate (anything above 65% cacao) is actually very good for you,” explains Middleberg. Like avocados, dark chocolate contains healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help speed up metabolism. One study from the University of California, San Diego found that adults who ate chocolate more frequently had lower BMIs than those who didn't eat much chocolate.
Almonds
For a guilt-free snack, reach for a handful of almonds. As with dark chocolate and avocados, the nut contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help your body burn fat and fight hunger. One recent study in the International Journal of Obesity found that when people had a serving of almonds as part of a low-calorie diet, they lost more weight than those who ate a similar diet but had a carb-heavy snack instead of almonds.
Green tea
This ancient beverage is packed with important antioxidants that help combat inflammation, increase energy, and burn fat. And science has repeatedly linked green tea to weight loss: For example, one study found that drinking five cups a day helped people lose twice as much weight, mainly in their midsections. In another, researchers looked at dieters and determined that those who drank green tea lost more weight than those who did not.
15 Sugary Drinks That are (Almost) as Bad for You as Soda
Stop sipping so much sugar!
Fruit juice
Hot cocoa
Sweetened iced tea
Flavored coconut water
Energy drinks
Sweetened yogurt drinks
Sweetened non-dairy milks
Tonic water
Fancy coffee drinks
Sports drinks
Margarita
Flavored "nutritional" waters
Lemonade
Smoothies
Beer
Is It Possible to Eat Too Much Healthy Fat? A Doctor Weighs In
You know healthy fats like salmon, avocado, and olive oil are good for you, but can you overdo it? The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans don't give a strict upper limit for how much total fat you should eat (though they do recommend keeping saturated fat consumption to less than 10 percent of your daily calorie intake). And as you know, healthy fats found in foods like avocado, nuts, salmon, and extra-virgin olive oil have many benefits: They provide your body with lasting energy, keep you feeling full longer, and help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. However, all dietary fat—both unhealthy trans and saturated fats and good-for-you monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—is more calorie-dense than protein and carbohydrates, so eating too much could lead to weight gain.
If you’re a generally healthy adult, I suggest getting anywhere from 25 to 35 percent of your daily calories from mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which is a moderate amount. (So if you eat, say, 2,000 calories per day, shoot for 65 grams or so of fat, which is equivalent to roughly one avocado plus 2 1/2 tablespoons of EVOO.) A registered dietitian can look at your diet and tailor that number to fit your needs.
7 Foods that will help you sleep like a baby
1. Cherries
The most straightforward way to induce sleepiness is to eat cherries. Cherries are a great source of naturally occurring melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your day and night cycle.
Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in the centre of the brain. Production is triggered by a lack of light: at dusk and at night. In day-active animals and humans melatonin promotes sleep. On the other hand in night active animals it actually promotes activity, thus gathering its nickname ‘The Hormone Of Darkness’.
As you can imagine the melatonin our body produces is responsible for how our biological clock runs. It turns out, that ingesting additional melatonin can even fix disruptions of your biological clock, such as insomnia or a jet lag.
So if you don’t want to let your jet lag ruin your vacation or you just need a good night’s sleep, go for the cherries!
2. Lean proteins
There is some truth to the Thanksgiving myth that turkey will make you sleepy. Although not as extreme as I described in the article about food coma’s, turkey and other lean protein can actually help you getting to sleep.
In nearly all lean proteins, such as fish, chicken, turkey and red meat, the essential amino acid tryptophan is present. As you might expect, an essential amino acid cannot be synthesized by the body and therefore must be part of a healthy diet. Apart from being a protein building block, tryptophan is closely involved in human sleep.
Through an enzymatic process tryptophan is converted into the neurotransmitter serotonin. Another process converts the same serotonin to melatonin. And by now we know what melatonin is good for: a snug and a solid night of sleep.
3. Pistachio Nuts
Apart from being delicious, pistachio nuts are a very good source of vitamin B6. The vitamin is present in many more foods, such as meats or fish. The reason why pistachio nuts are my first pick is because up to 50% of vitamin B6 is lost through cooking and storage. Plant foods lose the least vitamin B6 in these processes, because they contain the most stable form of vitamin B6: pyridoxine. Animal foods contain the less stable pyridoxal and pyridoxamine.
Vitamin B6 plays a big role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, in particular serotonin. As we’ve seen before serotonin is synthesised from tryptophan and eventually is converted into melatonin. While vitamin B6 is not the object of these conversions, it serves as a co-enzyme and makes sure the conversions run smoothly.
If tryptophan and serotonin were the fuel of our sleep-engine, eating a bag of pistachio nuts would be an oil change.
4. Milk
What our mothers told us was no lie! A glass of warm milk will actually make you sleep better.
While milk does contain the same tryptophan that is essential for the synthesis of melatonin, it comes in such small doses it will not have any noticeable effect on falling asleep. The reason why warm milk helps falling asleep doesn’t even have anything to do with the biochemical processes in our body!
The reason warm milk is so good for falling asleep, is because it’s warm. We associate warmth at the end of the day with sleep. Just imagine sitting near a fireplace or crawling under your blanket: the warmth will make you drowsy and eventually fall asleep.
Traditionally hot chocolate is a bedtime drink too, but it doesn’t work as well as milk. Chocolate milk contains high levels of xanthines, the mother of stimulants like caffeine.
Of course I don’t have to tell you you shouldn’t go for a coffee before nap time.
5. Bananas
Bananas are good for inducing sleep, but not because it affects the production of certain neurotransmitters or hormones. Bananas are full of useful electrolytes, namely potassium and magnesium.
As I’ve described before in the article about muscle cramps, a specific set of minerals are very important to our muscle function: electrolytes. We’ve seen that magnesium and potassium, in particular, are responsible for the relaxation of a muscle.
Apart from being sleepy in your head, it’s equally important for your body to relax. Eat a banana and feel the relaxation flow through you.
6. Pizza
This almost sounds too good to be true. While eating loads of pizza probably won’t get you in the best shape of your life, snatching a slice right before bed might actually send you right to your dreams.
The general consensus is that foods with a high glycemic index (GI) aren’t the healthiest. The GI represents the total rise in blood sugar level following the consumption of a food. Foods with a high GI will spike your blood sugar and then make it crash. The crash will make you hungry again, so you’ll quickly overeat. Not surprisingly, pizza has a high GI, according to Harvard scientists.
So does a blood sugar level that looks like a roller coaster help me get to sleep?
Actually yes.
Researchers tested how low GI foods compared to high GI foods when consumed right before bedtime. They measured their results in the unit of Sleep Onset Latency (SOL), which is just a fancy term for how long it takes for somebody to fall asleep. Interestingly, it took candidates approximately 50% less time to fall asleep when they consumed a high GI meal before bedtime.
Building on that, it turns out that the large amounts of rice (high GI) consumed in Japan are significantly associated with the good sleep that Japanese people have.
High GI foods won’t get you in shape, but they might just let you enjoy some Japanese tranquillity.
7. Kiwi
Coined a superfood, the kiwi undoubtedly is more beneficial to your diet than a pizza. Recent researchsuggests that apart from being loaded with antioxidants, kiwis can make you fall asleep like a brick.
At Taiwan’s Taipei Medical University they specifically researched the effect of eating kiwis before going to bed. They found that eating kiwis on a daily basis was linked to significant improvements in both sleep quality and sleep quantity. It turns out eating kiwis for 4 weeks can:
– make you fall asleep up to 34% more quickly
– make you wake up 29% less when you’re supposed to be asleep
– make you feel like you’ve slept better, up to 42%
– make you sleep 13% more overall
– make you wake up 29% less when you’re supposed to be asleep
– make you feel like you’ve slept better, up to 42%
– make you sleep 13% more overall
While the researchers studied the effects on sleep, they didn’t map the biochemical process that caused improved sleep. Considering the fact that kiwis have one of the highest levels of serotonin, it probably has something to do with the eventual production of melatonin.
Bottom line
If there’s one thing we can agree on it’s that the body is very complex, also when it comes to sleep. While melatonin is ultimately responsible for making you sleepy, it is synthesised from several other biochemicals, such as serotonin and tryptophan. Those biochemicals are essential for the production of melatonin, as well as co-enzymes, mainly vitamin B6. If there’s another thing we can agree on it’s that this story probably isn’t the best to tell a 6-year-old when they ask you why milk makes them so sleepy.
The best advice for a solid sleep cycle is to maintain a nutritionally balanced diet and to make sure you’re getting all the essential ingredients for the production of melatonin. However, if you are in desperate need for a much needed nights sleep I recommend a pizza with tuna, filled with cherries, kiwi and banana, topped off with some pistachio nuts along with a glass of warm milk.
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