World Fitness Blog : Leading Global Bloggers

March 27, 2024

These are the reasons you might be feeling extra tired, according to a dietitian

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 3:03 am

What’s your energy like at the moment?

Do you jump out of bed ready to take on the day, or find no matter how much shut eye you get, it is never enough?

Maybe you start the day feeling great, only to have your energy wane as the day progresses?

Fatigue is not uncommon in modern, busy life. As the days become shorter, and we get less sunlight, it may be time to check if there are any dietary reasons you are not feeling your best.

READ MORE: Shocking daylight savings problem we’re about to face

Peaceful pretty 20s girl lying on back on comfortable couch at home, covering eyes with hand, sleeping at daytime, feeling tired, enjoying relaxation, leisure, break, weekend. Top view

You are not getting enough iron

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world, and considering that up to 25 per cent of Australian women have low iron stores it is no wonder that so many of us feel chronically tired.

One of the key roles of iron in the body is to transport oxygen to every one of the body’s cells, and as such, low levels can leave us feeling short on energy, breathless and chronically fatigued.

One of the key reasons iron stores are depleted over time is that lean red meat, one of the richest dietary sources of well absorbed haem iron, is not consumed as frequently by meat eaters as is required for optimal absorption. It is much more common to see ‘sporadic’ red meat eaters.

While we do not need a lot of meat, just 70-100g to get the iron we need, we do need it regularly. This is especially important for women with high energy requirements or who may lose significant amounts of blood with each menstrual cycle.

The best way to identify if your iron levels are low is to ask your GP for a blood test. You should never supplement your diet with iron unless you know it is clinically indicated.

READ MORE: Principal’s remark made mum ‘walk out of the school crying’

Woman hand holding knife and fork cutting grilled beef steak on stoned plate. Selective focus

Your Vitamin D is low

With the cooler months upon us, now is the time to see where your Vitamin D is at. During the winter months more than one third of all Australians develop low Vitamin D levels which can leave us feeling far from our best and more prone to low mood.

Low Vitamin D levels can also result in muscle soreness, making it difficult to recover after training sessions.

Ideally, we need at least 10-15 minutes in direct sunlight to ensure Vitamin D is well absorbed in the body, but in addition, getting the vitamin through rich dietary sources including oily fish like salmon, eggs and fortified dairy will help you to keep on top of your Vitamin D this Winter.

READ MORE: Sad reason Sally Field ‘can’t imagine’ remarrying

Woman eating oatmeal porridge with banana, strawberries and nuts. Healthy breakfast at the sunny morning kitchen table

You are skipping the carbs

You may be proactively avoiding carbs to support fat loss, or you may have simply heard that they are not so good for us, but consuming far less carbohydrate than the body needs for energy will cause you to become increasingly tired over time, especially if your energy demands are high.

This means that it will not be enough to have a coffee for breakfast, tuna salad for lunch and some grilled fish and vegetables for dinner.

At a minimum, you will need a source of good quality carbohydrates at each meal and snack – think fresh fruit, grain based cereals, like oats or wholegrain crackers, or nutrient rich vegetables like sweet potato and corn.

You are not ticking the box on protein

While many of us think we are getting adequate protein as we sit down to a decent sized serving of chicken or fish at night, ideally, we need to consume high quality protein throughout the day to optimise absorption. This means making sure each meal and snack contains some dairy, lean meat, tofu, legumes, nuts or seeds to get adequate protein, at the right times.

READ MORE: The small city with a culinary scene that puts Melbourne to shame

Mobile phone with takeaway coffee

You are relying on stimulants for energy rather than food

When we feel tired it can be easy to reach for the coffee, or diet soft drink, or sweet treats to help us get through the day. But the reality is that while these stimulants will offer an energy hit for 30-60 minutes, they are also associated with an energy lull, and even more pronounced fatigue, an hour or two later.

For this reason, if you are adding caffeine or sugars into your diet to help boost your energy, try consume them with your meals to help keep blood glucose levels as stable as possible.

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March 20, 2024

‘Been through so much’: Expert’s unexpected view of Ozempic movement

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Oprah Winfrey has opened up the discussion around using weight loss drugs, having fiercely defended her use of diabetes drug Ozempic to lose around 40 pounds (approximately 18 kilograms) in her new documentary.

In An Oprah Special: Shame Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution, the TV host declared, “The number one thing I hope people come away with is knowing that [obesity] is a disease, and it’s in the brain.

“When I tell you how many times I have blamed myself because … you think I’m smart enough to figure this out and then to hear all along it’s you fighting your brain.”

Watch the video above

Oprah Shame Blame and the Weight Loss revolution

READ MORE: Rumer Willis shares tribute to father Bruce amid dementia battle

Now, Melbourne obesity management specialist Dr Catherine Bacus has shared why more and more people – including celebrities – are turning to the weight loss drug.

Bacus says the issue of living with excess weight is not just a physical one, but something that also affects the mental health of patients.

“They’re blaming themselves and thinking that this is just a lack of willpower,” she says.

“Some of our patients hide the fact that they’re seeking treatment for their weight from their loved ones for fear of judgement or shame, comments from friends, comments from health professionals, and even in some circles we have issues with the government underfunding, treatments for obesity as well.”

READ MORE: The free park just outside Sydney with koala and reptile encounters

Dr Catherine Bacus Oprah Shame Blame and the Weight Loss revolution

Bacus shared that two thirds of Australians are living with obesity, with 40-70 per cent of an individual’s weight coming down to biological factors such as appetite and hormones.

She added that she usually prescribes weight loss drugs to people with a BMI of 27 or above and those with health issues such as sleep apnoea, type two diabetes, hypertension, and more.

“They’ve tried to lose weight with diet and exercise alone. We know that that produces modest effects on weight,” said Bacus.

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Oprah

“So when it’s affecting health, that’s where we can use weight loss medications to really help counteract some of those hunger hormones in the biology that’s at play.”

Bacus believes increased celebrity usage of weight loss drugs may even be a good thing for some everyday people who are thinking of using them.

“With the Oprah special, though, she brings her own personal experience, her own lived experience to that special. So there is some criticism among some people that perhaps there is some bias at play in that particular piece of production,” Bacus points out.

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But ultimately she thinks “it’s wonderful that we’re finally getting some balance in this conversation.

“Our patients have been through so much in the last couple of years with medication shortages, with, being judged and shamed about seeking treatment for their weight.

“It really helps when we understand that this condition is driven by biology, genetics and other lifestyle factors. We can start to take away the shame and blame on individuals and start treating this.”

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Dietitian reveals the best and worst protein snacks

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 1:03 am

When protein is on your mind, it can be easy to be lured into thinking that any of the growing range of snack foods with the word protein splashed on them are good nutritional options.

Unfortunately, the reality is that just because a food has protein added, it does not mean that it is as high in this essential nutrient as it should be to create a satisfying snack option.

So, if you are trying to increase the protein content of your snacks, here are the best foods to do it with, and the ones to save your money on.

READ MORE: Dietitian reveals the mistake you’re making with your snacks

Best and worst protein snacks

The best options

Protein yoghurt

Any dairy food, like yoghurt, is a good choice nutritionally offering protein, calcium, magnesium and a range of other key nutrients, but it is the higher protein yoghurts that are especially good snack choices. With up to 20g of high-quality protein per serve, and a range of low fat and no added sugar options, these yoghurts are one of the most filling, nutrient rich snacks you can find – especially when paired with fresh fruit and nuts.

Almonds

All nuts are good options nutritionally, packed with a range of essential nutrients including good fats, zinc, iron, selenium and magnesium. But it is the slightly higher protein content of almonds that make them an especially smart snack option. There is also research to show that not all the fat in almonds is absorbed during digestion which helps to lower their overall calorie load.

READ MORE: Dietitian’s top tips to boost metabolism

Close up shot of a woman taking almonds from a glass jar

Pumpkin Seeds

All seeds, like nuts, are exceptionally rich sources of a number of micronutrients including zinc, selenium and the plant form of Omega-3’s, but they are also surprisingly rich in protein – with just a tablespoon containing almost 4g of protein. This makes pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, a great addition to yoghurt, trail mixes or to enjoy with a fruit-based snack.

Cottage cheese

While cheese is often considered high in protein, the reality is that while regular cheese does contain some protein, it also comes with a significant amount of fat. On the other hand, if you like it, cottage cheese is significantly higher in protein with very little fat, making it an exceptionally smart snack option when enjoyed with crackers or fruit. With just 1/2 cup of cottage cheese offering 16g of protein, it is one of the richest natural sources of protein you can add to the diet.

READ MORE: Em Rata shows off her ‘divorce rings’ following split

"Salticrax, South African cracker topped with cottage cheese with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper"

Nut Bars

There are a large and growing number of nut-based snack bars, and overall, they are good options nutritionally, especially when you can find options that offer 10g of protein for less than 200 calories and <5g of added sugars. Check ingredient lists for varieties that have a base of wholefoods and few other added ingredients.

The worst

Protein chips

There is a growing range of protein-based crackers, chips and snack food and while some may have concentrated amounts of soy protein added, they are generally still relatively low in protein overall, and often exceptionally high in calories. It is also important to know that the protein found in more processed foods is often heavily processed and not as high in quality as natural protein that comes via whole foods.

READ MORE: Confidentiality breach as Kate’s medical records allegedly accessed

Lentil chips in a rustic wood bowl next to a pile of lentil chips on bamboo matt.

Hommus

Commonly thought of as high protein thanks to its chickpea base, commercial hommus tends to contain a lot of oil which makes it a high fat rather than high protein snack choice. With the average serve containing just 3g of protein, there are much richer protein sources you can find as nutritious snack options.

Wraps

While there is a growing range of high protein, low carb wraps in supermarkets, a closer look at the ingredient list will reveal a long list of ingredients, many of which you will not recognise, suggesting that while the wrap may be higher in protein, it is highly processed. Forms of protein that are highly processed do not offer the same nutritional benefits as less processed, natural protein sources. If you like a wrap, a small wholegrain variety topped with lean protein is a much better option.

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Homemade oat cookies on protein powder. Vegan, diet concept

Protein cookies

If it sounds like a cake, and looks like a cake, it probably is. In the same way, a cookie, even a high protein one is still likely to be highly processed and high in calories. Whilst protein-based snacks may offer 10-20g of protein per serve, they are also likely to come with a lot of calories. There are plenty more nutritious ways to get 10-20g of protein than from a 200-300 calorie snack.

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March 17, 2024

The link between hormones and weight gain, explained

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While there is plenty of talk about hormones, and even hormones and weight gain, what is less clear is the link between the two.

Do all hormones cause weight gain? Or are hormonal changes and weight gain specifically an age-related thing?

What are the signs there could be issues with your hormones, and then, what do you do about it?

If hormones and weight are on your mind, here is everything you need to know.

READ MORE: Dietitian shares her top tips to boost metabolism

Young healthy girl on home scales

What are hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers that control a number of key functions in the body, including glucose regulation, the reproductive cycle and the sleep/wake cycle.

While hormones are frequently associated with a number of issues in the body, including weight gain, mood and energy, primarily there are a couple of hormones that are directly involved in glucose regulation and fat metabolism.

What is the link between hormones and weight gain?

If weight is on your mind, the key hormone to be considering is insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas when carbohydrate rich foods are consumed and is the central regulator of both glucose and fat metabolism in the body.

Insulin helps to transport glucose molecules into the body’s cells to be used as energy. When insulin is not working as efficiently as it should be, glucose regulation is impacted and you may notice that you are regularly craving sweet food, feel tired and lethargic and may be slowly gaining weight over time.

READ MORE: Meghan’s shock return after long absence

Eating sweet beans at work

When insulin is not working well, the body secretes more it, and high insulin levels promote fat storage around the belly. This is why abdominal weight gain may be suggestive of insulin related dysfunction.

While there may be hormonal changes during the forties and fifties for women who are moving through perimenopause and menopause, these are somewhat normal, as oestrogen levels natural decrease. For some women this may result in some weight gain, but the experience tends to be more gradual.

The other key group of hormones that are closely linked to metabolism, and at times weight gain, are the thyroid group of hormones. Thyroid dysfunction may present as extreme fatigue, weight gain and feeling cold, and warrants medical investigation should you be experiencing these symptoms.

What are the signs you could have issues with your hormones?

Any unexplained weight gain, especially rapid weight gain, warrants medical investigation as does unexplained fatigue.

In particular, abdominal weight gain may be specifically suggestive of insulin dysfunction and warrants further glucose testing to determine if you may have insulin resistance which could be making weight loss difficult.

READ MORE: How to join the nine.com.au WhatsApp channel

Peaceful pretty 20s girl lying on back on comfortable couch at home, covering eyes with hand, sleeping at daytime, feeling tired, enjoying relaxation, leisure, break, weekend. Top view

What are the steps you should take to improve your diet and help your hormones?

For hormone-related weight gain, the two key nutrients to pay particular attention to are carbs and protein. If you have a family history of Type 2 diabetes or have been diagnosed with PCOS or insulin and glucose related issues, reducing your overall intake of carbohydrate and opting for wholegrain and natural sources of carbs in your diet is crucial to help control glucose and insulin levels.

This means processed forms of carbohydrate including white rice, bread, cakes, biscuits and snack food are best avoided, as they result in relatively rapid increases in blood glucose levels, driving insulin release and making fat loss more challenging.

On the other hand, controlled portions of vegetable-based carbs like sweet potato, wholegrain breads and crackers, dairy and fruit are better types of carbohydrate to include in your diet, as they are digested more slowly.

READ MORE: The curling wand that made me put down my hair straightener

Close-up of a woman mixing oats flour, banana and blueberries in a bowl. Female making healthy breakfast in kitchen.

The other important nutrient is protein, found primarily in animal-based foods including lean meat, chicken, fish, dairy and soy-based foods like tofu.

Not only does eating a diet with a higher proportion of protein support satiety and appetite control, but teaming a carbohydrate rich food with a protein rich food helps to keep blood glucose levels more tightly regulated, helping to control insulin and support fat loss.

This means that it is much better to enjoy an egg on toast than just toast with spread, or a salad with tuna, rather than a plain one.

Susie Burrell’s new eBook Medication, Hormones and Weight Loss is available now

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March 14, 2024

Dietitian Susie Burrell shares her top tips for boosting metabolism

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Would you say that you had a fast metabolism?

Do you feel hungry regularly? Or, if you exercise more, do you find you can drop a few kilos quickly?

Or, maybe you are noticing that your metabolism is not as good as it once was, and you can no longer eat what ever you like without seeing the consequences on the scales.

READ MORE: Dietitian reveals the telltale sign you’re getting too much caffeine

Close up of sportswoman checking heart rate on smart watch after home workout.

For the average adult, metabolic rate, or the number of calories we need on a daily basis, gradually reduces as we get older, as a result of moving less, losing muscle mass and hormonal changes.

This can mean we do not burn calories as efficiently as we once did. So, if you are noticing it is harder than ever to keep on top of weight gain, here are some easy changes you can make to give your metabolic rate a boost.

Change something, change everything.

The body is exceptionally smart, and loves efficiency, which means if you move the same way, and eat the same thing every day, it is likely that your body has now become exceptionally efficient at burning calories over time, and as such is now burning fewer calories than it once did.

For this reason, constantly changing the way you exercise and eat helps to keep the metabolism working hard. So, if you always eat the same breakfast or do the same routine at the gym – change it.

Go to the gym before breakfast or after dinner rather than after breakfast, or make lunch your biggest meal of the day, leaving dinner as a light snack, and most importantly, keep changing these regimes regularly.

READ MORE: The wildest theories about Kate’s photo, debunked

Close-up of a woman mixing oats flour, banana and blueberries in a bowl. Female making healthy breakfast in kitchen.

Time to lift baby

If you are serious about increasing metabolic rate, you are going to need to add resistance training to your weekly routine, at least a couple of times each week.

Weight training does not mean lifting like a body builder, but it does mean lifting progressively heavier weights using all your key muscle groups to encourage the cells to grow.

The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn and the higher your metabolic rate will be. If you are not familiar with weights, see a trainer to help write you a program or look for various classes held at all popular gyms that incorporate weights into their supervised classes.

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Young woman weightlifting at gym

Exercise efficiently

When it comes to exercise, efficiency is the key. It is much better metabolically to exercise harder for shorter periods of time, than it is to train with less intensity for longer.

It is also much better to use as many of your different muscles as you can, which is why running is such a good workout compared to sitting down and riding an exercise bike. Jumping, running, push-ups, any activity that uses a number of large muscles groups is going to be of the most benefit for those wanting to target their metabolic rate.

Adjust your meal number

The larger your meals are, the greater the amount of both calories and carbohydrates you are likely consuming. The more carbohydrates you consume, the greater the amount of insulin your body requires to process them. High levels of insulin over time are related to weight gain.

READ MORE: How to join the nine.com.au WhatsApp channel

Close up of caucasian woman breaking egg and making sunny side up eggs. Domestic kitchen interior. Breakfast preparation.

While eating more frequently than every two hours is not ideal, aiming to consume small meals and snacks every three to four hours is a great way to increase the amount of energy being burnt to digest food and a small but significant increase in metabolic rate over time. This means that you are better to eat 4 to 5 small meals each day, every 3 to 4 hours, rather than 2 to 3 larger meals with coffee in between. If you begin to notice hunger every 3 hours, you are on the right track in terms of meal size.

Focus on protein

As a nutrient, protein requires slightly more calories to digest than carbohydrate or fat and for this reason adding a rich protein source such as milk, yoghurt, lean meat or fish, soy or eggs to each of your meals or snacks will help to optimise calorie burn.

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March 12, 2024

Dietitian shares how to take control of emotional eating

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Whether it’s downing a packet of Tim Tams after an especially stressful day. Or, using wine as a way to get through another relentless evening with the family.

Or, taking a trip to buy a treat from the local convenience to help you “feel better”, chances are you are using food to distract from or soothe your emotions.

While there is nothing wrong with enjoying a sweet treat or a glass of wine as a source of pleasure when the days are long, when you find yourself relying on, or overeating high calorie, ultra-processed foods regularly to make it through the day – it is a sign that emotional eating may be doing more harm than good.

READ MORE: How one phone call cured Aussie woman’s fear of flying

Eating sweet beans at work

What is emotional eating?

Emotional eating is a predisposition to eat in response to negative emotions, where eating a particular food is used as an unhealthy coping mechanism.

Emotional eating appears to be extremely common, with it estimated that 30-40 per cent of women use food to soothe or distract themselves from their emotions.

What causes emotional, eating?

Emotional eating may evolve for a number of reasons, and may be a learnt behaviour, even programmed in early childhood. It is also a habit that develops and becomes more firmly entrenched over time.

In the case of learnt or even subconscious programming, what may have started as a bowl of ice-cream or a treat whenever something unsavoury happened as a child, may now have become a subconscious search for sweet food whenever you are experiencing an uncomfortable emotion.

Here, the brain associates consuming a particular food with feeling better programming the brain to make a habit of seeking comfort in food. Sometimes taking the time to reflect on the correlation between self-soothing with food and early childhood experience is enough to bring this programming to one’s consciousness. This awareness can help one take control of the habit and make more mindful food choices. 

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Close-up of a woman hand pouring wine into a glass. Female waiter serving red wine in a winery.

In the case of habits that have formed over time, human beings do what is familiar. This means if you start to relax after a stressful day with a glass or two of wine, over time you are likely to continue this habit, every day, stressed or not.

How to take control of emotional eating?

Ultimately, the key to taking control of emotional eating, and overeating, is to learn a new way to self soothe – other than eating poor quality foods.

Taking the time to identify the emotion that you are feeling, and sitting with the discomfort of it, rather than distracting with food is the first step. Initially this may feel terribly unfordable, but as you learn to name how you are feeling, and allow yourself to feel angry, sad, disappointed or annoyed it will become easier over time. Journaling these emotions, talking about them with a friend, having a good cry, or getting a massage are all non-food ways to practice sitting with, and processing these emotions rather than using food as a distraction.

READ MORE: Kate says sorry for manipulated family photo

Eating pizza at night. Close-up

Change your environment

Perhaps one of the most powerful ways to keep emotional eating under control is to make it harder to do – if there are not a lot of snacks or drinks in the house to overeat, it becomes much harder to self soothe with poor quality food.

For this reason, limiting the amount of bad food you have available will go a long way in preventing emotional overeating as a regular bad habit you have established, and create the space and time to sit with an uncomfortable emotion and self soothe in a non-food related way.

READ MORE: Split-second clip seems to show Emma Stone badmouthing Oscars host

When is emotional eating an issue?

Emotional eating is an issue when it is causing you psychological distress; when it is resulting in the overconsumption of poor quality, ultra-processed foods, which in turn may be sabotaging your underlying health goals.

A general feeling of “being out of control” may indicate it is worth taking active steps to understand the underlying drivers of your emotional eating, and seek out professional help if necessary to get it under control.

Support is available from the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673.

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March 5, 2024

How Australian badminton player Gronya Somerville made history at age 28

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Professional badminton player Gronya Somerville is just 28 years old and has already made history.

She became the first Australian to win a Grand Prix title, succeeding at both the Canada Open and Dutch Open in the same year.

READ MORE: Former NRL star debuts new romance after shock divorce

Somerville is also a business owner, balancing her online training program, BADFIT, for badminton players, her sporting career and post-graduate studies in Sports Management.

Gronya Somerville

At just 12 years old, she joined a Talent Identification Program launched by Alisa Camplin that aimed to find the next Aussie badminton player, and from there her professional sporting career blossomed.

“I hit with a guy who was doing all these trick shots, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever and told my mum after that day that this is what I wanted to do with my life. I’d done tennis and athletics seriously, but I didn’t have the same passion that I had for badminton,” she tells 9honey Coach.

READ MORE: Aussie supermodel returns to the runway after 14 years

A common frustration for badminton players is its lack of mainstream attention, though Somerville says the main issue is people’s perception of badminton.

“If they haven’t seen it at a high level, thinking it’s a slow and easy game, when it is one of the most dynamic sports with the fastest smash over 500km/h.”

Gronya Somerville

Though the prize money for badminton is significantly less than that of tennis, Somerville feels lucky to do what she loves. “I continue to compete for the love of the sport rather than prize money.”

Thankfully, the sport’s popularity is on the rise, with stadiums being nearly fully booked outside of work hours. Somerville says the more people see the sport, the more their interest in it grows.

READ MORE: Former NRL star debuts new romance after shock divorce

“It’s great to see the demand and the growing number of Aussies trying their hand at different sports on not only a competitive level but a recreational level.”

Upon finishing her Exercise Science degree, Somerville began to look for a way she could combine her experience as a sporting champion with a service that could help emerging badminton players and fund her tournaments for the Olympic year.

Gronya Somerville

“BADFIT is about creating a community of people who enjoy badminton, and I’m thrilled to bring people together who love the sport.”

“Being a part of a community can have huge benefits to mental and physical health and through my work with AIA Australia I have learnt the importance of the small things we can all do to deliver big benefits,” she says.

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Somerville has had a hectic year of travelling for competitions and training at home in preparation for this the Olympic Games Paris 2024, playing 25 tournaments that last roughly five days and take place in a different country each time.

“AIA champions doing something small for yourself every day, and I see real merit in making sure when my schedule gets busy, that I take some time each day to help myself mentally.”

“That would be anything from catching up with a friend on the phone for 15 minutes to going for a walk or doing some meditation.”

Gronya Somerville

As she prepares for the Olympic Games, Somerville’s training has ramped up, her qualifying period continuing till the end of April.

To secure some extra ranking points over the next two months, she will have “a lot” of tournaments to compete in, and afterwards, she will have an extended training period in Melbourne to prepare for the games.

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“I’m really looking forward to everything to come this year, from representing Australia in Paris, growing BADFIT, working as an AIA Ambassador and hopefully continuing to see badminton on the rise.”

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March 3, 2024

Is oat milk the best dairy alternative for weight loss?

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 11:03 pm

In the last five years, search volume for the term ‘oat milk’ has grown a whopping 1578 per cent.

Needless to say, this type of plant-based milk has become a favourite among Australians.

While it has several health benefits, some may wonder if oat milk can help with weight loss.

As with so many non-dairy milk options out there – including oat, soy, almond, and rice milk – it can be difficult to discern which option will best support your weight loss goals.

READ MORE: Is your daily cup of tea or coffee ruining your diet?

Oat milk

You’ve likely noticed oat milk has quickly become an increasingly popular choice.

Oat milk is creamy and slightly sweet, which more closely resembles cow’s milk than other non-dairy milk varieties.

However, taste and convenience aside, how does oat milk compare to other plant-based alternatives and dairy milk when it comes to health and weight loss?

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Health benefits of oat milk

Oat milk is made out of oats that have been soaked in water, blended, and strained. This allows it to share many nutritional benefits the wholegrain is known for.

It contains a lot of goodness and is a great source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin B (especially when enriched with vitamin B12).

A single cup of oat milk is said to provide around 20 per cent of your daily value of vitamins A and D.

Additionally, it is a great source of iron, which is crucial for healthy growth, development, and energy levels.

Overall, oat milk has a better fat profile than cow’s milk, containing the same amount of unsaturated fat (which are healthy fats) and basically 0 saturated fat.

Free from nuts, soy, and lactose, oat milk is also vegan and vegetarian-friendly, making it an easy choice for many people with a variety of dietary restrictions or concerns.

READ MORE: Telltale signs you’re getting too much caffeine. 

Oat Milk

How many calories are in oat milk?

One cup of unsweetened oat milk contains around 117 calories. Whole milk has 146 calories and almond milk has 40 calories.

Is oat milk a good choice for weight loss?

In the health department, oat milk clearly has plenty of benefits, but does that make it the best choice for weight loss? Well, it depends.

It is important to understand oat milk contains significantly more carbs than other types of milk.

One cup of unsweetened oat milk has 15 grams of carbs, and the same amount of almond milk only has a single gram of carbs.

Depending on your dietary needs and goals, this could be helpful, or not.

Oat milk has a high carb, protein, fat, and fibre content, which makes it a more filling option.

This can help improve appetite throughout the day, which can support weight loss.

However, for people trying to keep their carb intake below a certain threshold, there may be better everyday options than oat milk.

Also, many oat milk brands contain added sugar on top of the naturally occurring type of sugar in oats, maltose, which has a high GI content. This can rapidly spike blood sugar.

With many go-to brands containing 5 or 6 grams of sugar per serving, this can increase the calorie content of your oat milk.

If weight loss is your goal, making homemade oat milk may be your best option.

Oat Milk

Comparing oat milk to other types of milk

Here’s how oat milk compares to other types of milk for weight loss:

Oat milk vs almond milk: Both oat milk and almond milk are often loaded with unnecessary amounts of sugar. However, when comparing unsweetened versions, almost milk has around half the calories and fewer carbs.

Oat milk vs coconut milk: Coconut milk has fewer calories than oat milk and, typically, is less processed. However, oat milk has more fibre, and protein, and contains less saturated fat – generally, making it the better nutritional choice.

Oat milk vs regular milk: Oat milk is a great lactose-free option and has slightly lower calories than cow’s milk, but it does not contain as much protein and calcium as the real deal.

Oat milk vs skim milk: Skim milk has fewer calories than oat milk, however, it tends to be less filling than oat milk and does not contain good-for-you unsaturated fats.

READ MORE: Three healthy habits that will help reduce your risk of IBS.

Oat milk shortage

Oat milk vs soy milk: Soy milk is the original plant-based milk alternative, but usually isn’t reached for often due to the taste and watery texture. However, it is a better source of plant-based protein than oat milk.

Oat milk vs rice milk: Oat milk and rice milk are pretty similar – they both come from grains, are higher in carbs, and are usually fortified for extra nutritional value. They also have similar calories, however, oat milk contains better protein and fibre content.

Oat milk vs macadamia milk: Another nut milk, macadamia milk has a similar calorie content to oat milk. However, it has much fewer carbs, so it is a better reach for those on a low-carb diet.

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February 29, 2024

These foods have just been linked to heart disease, diabetes, mental disorders and early death

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 9:02 pm

Eating ultraprocessed foods raises the risk of developing or dying from dozens of adverse health conditions, according to a new review of 45 meta-analyses on almost 10 million people.

“We found consistent evidence linking higher intakes of ultra-processed foods with over 70 per cent of the 45 different health outcomes we assessed,” said senior author Wolfgang Marx, a senior research fellow at the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University in Geelong, in an email.

A higher intake was considered about one serving or about 10 per cent more ultraprocessed foods per day, said Heinz Freisling, a scientist in the nutrition and metabolism branch of the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, in an email.

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Stock image of a woman eating junk food.

“This proportion can be regarded as ‘baseline’ and for people consuming more than this baseline, the risk might increase,” said Freisling, who was not involved in the study.

Researchers graded each study as having credible or strong, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak or no evidence. All the studies in the review were published in the past three years, and none was funded by companies involved in the production of ultraprocessed foods, the authors said.

“Strong evidence shows that a higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with approximately 50 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease-related death and common mental disorders,” said lead author Dr. Melissa Lane, a postdoctoral research fellow at Deakin, in an email.

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Cardiovascular disease encompasses heart attacks, stroke, clogged arteries and peripheral artery disease.

There was convincing evidence that a high versus low intake of ultraprocessed foods could increase the risk of anxiety by up to 53 per cent, and the risk of an early death from any cause by 20 per cent, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal The BMJ.

“It’s not surprising that there are a lot of studies that point to a positive association between ultraprocessed food consumption and the risk of various disease outcomes,” said cancer epidemiologist Fang Fang Zhang, associate professor and chair of the division of nutrition epidemiology and data science at Tufts University in Boston. She was not involved in the new research.

READ MORE: Telltale signs you’re getting too much caffeine

Stock image of friends eating pizza, chips and beer.

“Ultraprocessed foods are high in calories, added sugar, sodium, and low in fibre,” Zhang said. “All of these have already been known to contribute to cardiometabolic health outcomes, weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension.”

However, Zhang questioned the findings on studies of anxiety and depression, which tend to be done only on those who have already been diagnosed with those conditions.

“People who are having depressive symptoms or anxiety may seek out ultraprocessed foods for various reasons such as self-comfort,” she said.

“It may not be that eating ultraprocessed food puts you at high risk for depression – we cannot tell.”

Mixed impact on some health conditions

Researchers found highly suggestive evidence that eating more ultraprocessed foods raised the risk of obesity by 55 per cent, sleep disorders by 41 per cent, development of type 2 diabetes by 40 per cent and the risk of depression by 20 per cent.

However, evidence was limited for an association between consuming ultraprocessed food and asthma, gastrointestinal health and cardiometabolic risk factors such as high blood fats and low levels of “good” high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol, according to the analysis.

In addition, the study found only suggestive or no evidence for an association between ultraprocessed foods and cancer.

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Stock photo of a woman in bed.

That’s surprising, according to Zhang, who has researched the role of ultraprocessed foods and cancer.

“Obesity is a risk factor for 13 types of cancers. Ultraprocessed foods increase weight gain, and obesity increases cancer,” she said.

In an August 2022 study she coauthored, Zhang found men who ate the most ultraprocessed foods of any type had a 29 per cent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.

One reason for the unexpected finding is that research on ultraprocessed foods is still in its infancy, said study coauthor Mathilde Touvier, research director at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, a public research organisation.

“We definitely need more studies to be able to upgrade the weight of evidence for cancer, for instance,” said Touvier, also the principal investigator of the NutriNet-Santé cohort, a long-term study of the relationship between nutrition and health.

“So it’s not because there’s nothing there, it’s just because we need additional research.”

Processed food, burgers and fries

The making of ultraprocessed foods

Ultraprocessed foods are much more than simply “modified” foods, said nutrition researcher Dr. Carlos Monteiro, head of the Centre for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition at the University of São Paulo in Brazil. He was not involved in the new research.

“They are formulations of often chemically manipulated cheap ingredients such as modified starches, sugars, oils, fats, and protein isolates, with little if any whole food added,” said Monteiro, a professor of nutrition and public health

Monteiro coined the term ultraprocessed food in 2009 when he developed NOVA, a system of classifying foods into four categories.

  1. Group one: unprocessed or minimally processed foods such as fruits, vegetables, eggs and milk.
  2. Group two: culinary ingredients such as salt, herbs, oils and the like.
  3. Group three: processed foods that combine groups one and two – canned goods and frozen vegetables are examples.
  4. Group four: ultraprocessed foods, which Monteiro said are made flavourful and enticing by using combinations of artificial flavors, colours, thickeners and other additives that have been “linked by experimental and epidemiological evidence to imbalances in gut microbiota and systemic inflammation.”

Stock image of fruit and vegetables at a grocery store or market.

“No reason exists to believe that humans can fully adapt to these products,” Monteiro wrote an editorial.

“The body may react to them as useless or harmful, so its systems may become impaired or damaged, depending on their vulnerability and the amount of ultra-processed food consumed.”

Since Monteiro’s definition of ultraprocessed food appeared, nutritionists, researchers and public health officials have grown concerned about the increasing prevalence of such foods in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and many developing nations.

“Two-thirds of the calories children consume in the US are ultraprocessed, while about 60 per cent of adult diets are ultraprocessed,” Zhang said.

“I think it’s like when we invented cars. Yes, they bring us convenience, but if we use a car for everything and we don’t exercise we have problems.

“We need new strategies to bring down the consumption of ultraprocessed food to a healthier level.”

How to reduce the use of ultraprocessed foods

There’s an easy solution – buy real food and cook it at home. It’s that simple, experts say.

But experts also agree that in today’s fast-paced world, giving up the convenience of ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat foods is difficult.

In addition, it’s nearly impossible to avoid temptation, as there’s so much ultraprocessed food on the market today.

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Woman eating fast food meal of burger and fries delivered at home alone

Regulation by public health agencies and governments should be considered, Monteiro said, such as front-of-pack warning labels; restriction of advertising, especially to children; and the prohibition of sales of ultraprocessed foods in or near schools and hospitals, all while making minimally processed foods more affordable and accessible.

In the meantime, Marx and Lane offered the following advice:

  1. Read and compare product labels and try to choose less processed alternatives. For example, swap flavored yoghurt for plain yoghurt with added fruit.
  2. What you include is just as important as what you exclude. Focus on what you can add to your diet such as fresh, frozen or tinned fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes.
  3. Be mindful of beverages. Sugar-sweetened beverages have no nutritional value. Swap them out for water.
  4. When eating out, go to local restaurants and cafés instead of fast-food chains. Local eateries are less likely to make ultraprocessed foods.

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February 21, 2024

Three healthy habits that will reduce your risk of developing IBS

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 4:02 am

Adopting a healthy lifestyle could reduce the risk of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, a new study found.

For adults in midlife and older who were physically active, got enough sleep, ate a quality diet, moderated alcohol intake or didn’t smoke, the risk for developing the gastrointestinal disorder dropped by up to 42 per cent, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Gut.

Watch the video above.

People living with irritable bowel syndrome experience abdominal pain, bloating and abnormal bowel habits.

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Stock photo of a woman on the toilet.

The chronic condition can cause cramping, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic.

This common disorder affects 5 per cent to 10 per cent of the global population, or up to 1 in 10 people worldwide.

The impact of the disorder on the stomach and intestines, as well as on mental well-being, is well recognized, but the cause of the condition is not fully understood, the study authors wrote.

A research team in Hong Kong found the more healthy lifestyle behaviors that study participants followed, the higher the protection was against the occurrence of IBS.

Participants who exhibited one behavior had a 21 per cent lower risk of developing IBS symptoms compared with those who followed none, while those who took on two behaviors had a 36 per cent lower risk.

Those who performed three to five of the behaviors had a 42 per cent lower risk.

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“This suggests that lifestyle modifications have the potential to be an effective primary prevention strategy for IBS,” said study coauthor Vincent Chi-ho Chung, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, in an email.

“To the best of our knowledge, our study is one of the first large-scale studies to confirm that a combination of healthy lifestyle behaviours … can significantly reduce the risk of developing IBS.”

So far, most consensus reports on IBS have focused on diagnosis and treatment rather than prevention, he added.

Preventing irritable bowel syndrome

Previous studies have linked individual unhealthy lifestyle factors with a heightened risk of IBS, according to the study, and the researchers wanted to see if a combination of healthy factors would serve to ward off the condition.

Stock image of a woman tying her shoe on a run.

The study evaluated 64,268 participants between the ages of 37 and 73 years old who previously had not been diagnosed with the disorder from the UK Biobank, a large-scale biomedical database.

After 12.6 years, 961 cases (1.5 per cent) of IBS were reported among the group, with those who maintained none of the healthy behaviors at the highest risk of developing the condition.

The researchers defined healthy lifestyle behaviors as maintaining a high level of vigorous physical activity, eating a high-quality balanced diet daily, only consuming a moderate amount of alcohol daily (5 to 15 grams), getting between seven and nine hours of sleep nightly, and never smoking.

When analyzing the behaviors separately, the study team found getting a good amount of sleep each night was the most influential in reducing the risk of IBS, Chung said.

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Stock photo of a woman in bed.

Individuals who have high sleep quality have a 27 per cent lower risk of developing the disorder compared with those who do not.

Engaging in more vigorous physical activity reduced the risk by 17 per cent, while never smoking had a 14 per cent risk reduction.

The researchers also found moderate alcohol consumption, when combined with the other four healthy lifestyle behaviors, caused a greater reduction in the risk of developing IBS when compared with abstaining from alcohol altogether.

The researchers found this to be a surprising result that requires further investigation, Chung said.

“It’s important for individuals to consider their own health conditions when implementing these findings in daily life,” Chung said.

“For example, abstaining from alcohol can still provide benefits if it aligns with personal choices, and older adults can engage in physical activity at a moderate level instead of vigorous exercise.”

Stock photo of a woman smoking a cigarette.

The study team grouped participants based on the number of behaviors they adopted, with those adopting between three and five behaviors grouped together to increase the sample size for analysis.

The majority of this group was younger and female, had a lower body mass index (BMI), and was less likely to have a family history of IBS, the researchers stated.

“Research into the development of a primary prevention strategy for IBS is VERY important since so many people suffer from IBS and most are women,” said Dr. Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld, a professor of physiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, in an email.

“Evidence from this large cohort suggests that life-style choices play a key role in IBS development.”

Stress reduction

The study did not include the reduction of stress as part of the lifestyle behaviors observed.

Greenwood-Van Meerveld, who has studied the role stress plays in the disorder, said the omission is surprising, as stress has been studied as a factor that plays a significant role in IBS.

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Stock photo of a woman stressed on her laptop.

Furthermore, the limitation of the age group is concerning, she said, as IBS often develops in early adult years, but the current study enrolled participants with an average age of 55.

“The measures are limited but because the sample size is so large, they do provide valuable insights into what could reduce the likelihood of IBS as middle-aged and older adults age,” said Dr. Margaret Heitkemper, a professor in the University of Washington’s department of biobehavioral nursing and health informatics and an adjunct professor in the division of gastroenterology, in an email.

“As the authors point out, IBS is a heterogenous condition, and a number of additional factors could be at play.” Heitkemper was not involved in the study.

Maintain good sleep hygiene and gut health

Further study on the effect quality sleep has on preventing IBS is needed, as the researchers stated, since a sleep laboratory would provide more concrete evidence than self-reported sleep in a home environment, said Heitkemper, who has studied sleep in women with IBS.

The study found that maintaining healthy lifestyle factors is important, Heitkemper said.

WATCH: Melbourne researchers find link between ‘light’ at night and poor mental health

Melbourne researchers find link between 'light' at night and poor mental health

And following sleep hygiene principles such as not using electronic devices at bedtime and avoiding caffeine in the evening will help individuals who struggle to get better quality sleep, she added.

“Your gut health should never be taken for granted and needs to be protected,” Greenwood-Van Meerveld said.

“My advice is to eat healthy and to reduce stress levels through daily stress reduction tools such as meditation.”

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