Stay fit and pay less for your health insurance – Livemint

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With medical expenses increasing by the day, its important to be conscious about preventive healthcare, which includes keeping yourself fit. Not doing enough could make you vulnerable to diseases, especially if you have a sedentary lifestyle. Insurers too emphasize on preventive healthcare; in the last few years, many of them have started bundling reward programs to encourage fitness. In fact, not keeping fit can add to your health insurance premiums, especially if you are 40 or above.

Recognizing the need of the hour, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has also sought to promote preventive healthcare, through its latest draft guidelines on wellness and preventive benefits. The biggest takeaway from these guidelines is the fact that insurers can now offer a discount on premiums or bump up your sum insured if you keep fit.

It has become important to prioritize health and include preventive healthcare measures in ones daily life. With this move, we believe that health insurance will no longer be perceived just as a measure to secure oneself against unforeseen illnesses; rather it will become a part of ones daily health needs," said Ashish Mehrotra, managing director and chief executive officer, Max Bupa Health Insurance Co. Ltd.

The guidelines shall come into force with immediate effect. We tell you how the health insurance industry rewards you for keeping fit and whats on the cards.

Taking a step ahead

Wellness is already being promoted as part of many health insurance policies across insurers, but not in a big way. The Health Insurance Regulations (HIR), 2016, included guidelines on wellness. However, it allowed only OPD consultation or treatment, some discount on pharmaceuticals and free health check-ups and diagnostics. Amit Chabbra, head, health insurance, Policybazaar.com, an online insurance marketplace, said the OPD benefits didnt become mainstream because insurers had to build in the cost of OPD expenses which are more common than hospitalization.

Mehrotra said the new draft guidelines take the earlier regulations a step forward to increase the bouquet of health services which can be provided to policyholders.

Shreeraj Deshpande, chief operating officer, Future Generali India Insurance Co. Ltd, said these new guidelines complement the earlier ones by allowing ways in which utilization of the wellness features can be incentivized. While the earlier guidelines introduced wellness as a feature in health insurance, there were no avenues of encouraging customers to actually use those features," added Deshpande.

Wellness perks

Irdai has proposed certain ways through which insurers can offer wellness perks to policyholders.

Based on the disclosed fitness and wellness criteria, insurers can offer redeemable vouchers for the purchase of protein supplements and other consumable health supplements. Policyholders may also get redeemable vouchers for memberships in yoga centres, gymnasiums and for participating in other fitness activities. The earlier discounts (through vouchers) on OPD consultations and treatments, pharmaceuticals and health check-ups done by network hospitals would also continue.

Of all the benefits proposed, what stands out is the discounts on premiums and an increase in sum insured at the time of renewal, depending on how well youve followed the wellness regime.

Irdai has also allowed insurers to stretch the benefits by covering non-payable items of cost of treatment. Insurers can vary the benefits offered on the basis of geography, product design and claims experience. Insurers could come up with customized health-risk assessment tools to help policyholders realize their fitness levels. The associated cost may vary from insurer to insurer based on the design of the wellness programme," said Subrata Mondal, executive vice-president, IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Co.

The benefits can be offered only after they are filed or incorporated as part of a product in line with product filing guidelines. Insurers cannot discriminate in providing the wellness features and benefits offered to the same or similar category of policyholders for a specific product. However, there would be some distinction in the kind of benefits offered based on the cost of the policy. Distinction would be there because product differentiation can be brought about only if wellness benefits are graded based on premium paid," Deshpande said.

Insurance companies have also been asked to assess the impact of such features on pricing. If theres any impact on pricing, the insurer will have to disclose it upfront.

What the draft says

Irdai has asked insurers to refrain from promoting third-party merchandise in their advertisements. However, they can disclose the items or services offered on their website in detail and also provide a link in the policy documents. They also cant accept any liability towards quality of the products or services offered by a third party.

Insurers have been asked to ensure that the agreed services or products under the wellness programme of every product are discharged accurately by the service providers. Also, other than the monetized value of reward points redeemed by policyholders, insurers cant make payments to the third party service or product providers. Insurance companies will have to, as a rule, disclose product-wise payouts for every third-party merchant in the annual public disclosures.

All insurers will have to factor in the costs towards wellness services into the pricing of the product which shall be disclosed in all the advertisements promoting wellness features. The regulator has allowed insurers to appropriately price the products based on predefined factors. The costs towards wellness services are to be kept transparent in the insurance advertisements," said Mondal.

For family floater plans, insurers will have to disclose the manner in which the accrual and redemption of benefits will be considered with respect to all the members covered. For all policies, whether the accrued benefits can be carried forward or not at the time of renewal will have to be specified clearly in the policy document stating the period of validity of the benefits. Benefits accrued cannot be linked to any dynamic factor and will have to be declared upfront at the commencement of the policy.

At least once every year, insurers shall notify the benefits accrued to the policyholder. In view of policyholders privacy, insurers must ensure that the information gathered during the process of offering wellness benefits is kept confidential and isnt used for other purposes.

How you will benefit

Though these benefits could impact premiums, it will help insurers reduce the claims ratio, which would encourage them to provide wellness features at affordable prices. The wellness regime followed by the policyholders would help in keeping them fit and in turn could result into lesser claims which would help us in providing better discounts to customers," said Mehrotra.

Most insurers said there would be a pricing impact on the policies but because companies would be sourcing these services at an aggregate level on behalf of customers, access to preventive healthcare would end up becoming cheaper.

Health insurers in developed countries and some developing countries like South Africa have a strong wellness framework embedded in their business strategy, which has helped them in getting detailed information about customers lifestyle and frame customized wellness interventions for them, said Deshpande. South African insurers such as Discovery and Clover Health are able to do far better disease management for their policyholders through wellness benefits," said Chabbra.

With the new guidelines, Indian insurers too will now be able to incentivize people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This would lower the chances of hospitalization due to lifestyle-related diseases. Experts said what the guidelines aim to achieve will be a win-win for both the policyholde
rs and insurers.

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Stay fit and pay less for your health insurance - Livemint

Coronavirus outbreak: Staying happy and healthy during trying times – The New Indian Express

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Express News Service

NEW DELHI: How fast scenarios change is evident from the fact that when barely three months ago I wrote in an article that the biggest threat to humans in the next decade is the human mind, little did I know that we still have to deal with the risk to our physical body first.

With the arrival of a new villain on the scene, the deadly COVID-19, the whole world is going nuts trying to ward off, contain or treat this endemic disease.

Though of course, our mind still remains to be trained to make our body strong enough to face this latest global challenge of the coronavirus.

Forget Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is now your own inherent intelligence that is going to give you the toughest competition.

Till sometime back, depression was the main baddie in a humans life and the World Health Organisation, too, had reported depression to be the single biggest cause of ill health by 2030.

But with the sudden arrival of the coronavirus on the scene, the situation may get worse with us having two major villains to deal with. One mental, the other physical! But on a higher level it is still our mind that we need to tame to emerge a winner over self.

It is all about countering negatives. You invariably have a propensity to feel depressed whenever a negative event happens in your life. Quite normal! No one ever can or will feel good about some terrible occurrence.

But the catch lies is in encashing these unfavourable incidents in life. Just as friction is an opposing force but still a requisite for us to be able to carry out most essential acts, a vital being walking/running, so are other negative forces. The endemic coronavirus is the latest.

You will surely agree that pleasant or positive happenings in your life make you happy and contented and therefore, in some ways, complacent.

So I wouldnt be too off the mark if I state that adverse circumstances are as necessary in life as friction is in walking. You cannot walk or run on a zero friction, smooth surface.

Therefore the greater the opposing forces or disadvantageous situations, the more it propels you forward. Take the case of the COVID-19 global outbreak.

We were all just not prepared for such an occurrence. Nor had we any idea of how we would deal with such a phenomenon, if it ever happened. But once it happened, be it any region, country, government, ministry, hospital, organisation, society, health system or people, we are all up on our feet, striving tirelessly to fight this epidemic.

We are realising the lacuna in our health systems, the dearth of medical facilities and staff, if and where they exist, the lack of sufficient expertise or preventive medication or vaccination for the novel coronavirus and several other things required to contain its spread.

Suddenly with this pandemic, we have become alert to our health and that of others. Before this disease hit the planet, we seldom strove to do the little things necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Whether it is hygiene standards, healthy living, cleanliness at home, office, public places, transport vehicles, cinema halls, restaurants, malls/shopping-centres we were a bit callous.

Now, we are consciously making every effort to step up the standards and incorporate a healthy and hygienic lifestyle into our daily routine.

We suddenly realise the importance of simple little habits to lead a healthy life. Regular exercise, soaking in the sunshine each morning, eating natural fruits, vegetables and dried fruits that have a positive effect on our immunity, turning to herbal remedies such as turmeric, ginger, tulsi, black pepper, amla and gilloy is suddenly becoming a conscious choice for all of us. There lies the catch. All these are excellent not only for our physical health but also for our mental health. Therefore we are inadvertently moving towards a Happiness regime, thanks to villain virus.

In adverse and tough circumstances such as the current times, you unknowingly try much harder, put in much more effort and bring out all the hidden strength of the body, mind and inner self. You need to go to back your very basics.

Be it natural modes of exercise such as walking, jogging, running or cycling, what with all gymnasiums and sports facilities shut down, or herbal preventions, what with there being absolutely no cure for COVID-19 in the world.

Naturally raise your immunity by increasing your vital vitamins such as C, D, E, eating citrus fruits or dry fruits or sitting in the morning sun. Mind you, this drastic change in lifestyle is for the better because to cure major depression too, all these habits and diets are the surest means.

All it requires is to convince your mind and tame it to follow this Happiness Exercise and you will then be able to boost your physical immunity as well as mental strength. Following such beneficial regimens will actually propel your brain to secrete more of serotonin, the hormone responsible for your happiness.

So, in these distressing times of the fast-spreading COVID-19 disease, dont sit back and become lax and lazy, working from home but go for that long-postponed jog or run, sit in the sun while the sun shines and eat healthy and increase the production of your Happy Hormone!

Manisha GuptaInternational Award Winning Screenwriter & Filmmaker and Founder-MwD of LOGIHQ, a HAPPINESS start-up

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Coronavirus outbreak: Staying happy and healthy during trying times - The New Indian Express

Refeed Day: What It Is and How to Do It – Healthline

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Adopting a healthier lifestyle can be challenging, especially if youre trying to lose weight.

With most weight loss diets focusing on consuming smaller portions and fewer calories, many people struggle to stick to these diets due to feelings of frustration when they dont experience results even if they follow the plan perfectly (1).

That said, many people are reporting success by adding a refeed day into their weekly eating routine.

Simply put, a refeed day is a planned increase in calories for one day on a weekly or biweekly basis. Its intended to give your body a temporary respite from calorie restriction.

This article tells you all you need to know about refeed days, how to do them properly, and whether theyre right for you.

A refeed day is a day on which you intentionally overconsume calories after a period of being in a calorie deficit whether it arose from eating fewer calories or increasing physical activity, or both (2, 3).

The idea behind a refeed day is to counteract the negative effects of being in a calorie deficit, such as lower hormone levels, increased hunger, lethargy, tiredness, and hitting a weight loss plateau (2, 3).

Although this sounds similar to a cheat day, the two should not be confused.

Cheat days involve uncontrolled and unplanned eating for one day. On most cheat days, any type of food is allowed in unlimited quantities (4).

In contrast, a refeed day involves thoughtful planning and controlled food intake. Unlike cheat days, only a moderate increase in calories is permitted, and the type of food matters, as most refeed days emphasize calories from carbs over fats and protein (2, 3).

While refeed days can vary from person to person, the main goal is to eat in a calorie surplus in a controlled manner.

A refeed day is a temporary break from calorie restriction that involves a controlled day of overeating with a focus on carbs. It aims to counteract the negative effects of calorie restriction and aid weight loss.

You may wonder why a temporary calorie surplus would lead to weight loss, but the reasoning behind it addresses one of the main problems most people have when losing weight a weight loss plateau or slowdown.

As you decrease your calorie intake and begin to lose body fat, a change in hormones occurs, which tells your body that youre experiencing a calorie deficit. At this time, your body will begin to look for ways to reduce it as much as possible to limit weight loss (2, 3).

In particular, a hormone known as leptin begins to decline. Leptin is produced by fat cells and tells your body that it has adequate fat stores, helping regulate appetite and encouraging calorie burning (2, 3, 5, 6).

However, low levels of this hormone signal your brain that youre entering an unknown period of calorie deprivation. As a result, your body receives signals to eat more food and burn fewer calories. This process is known as adaptive thermogenesis (2, 3, 5).

Adaptive thermogenesis is a protective process that alters your bodys metabolism to increase energy intake and decrease energy output to slow weight loss.

During this process, your body releases various hormones and increases food cravings to push you to consume more calories (2, 3, 7).

Additionally, the rate at which you burn calories can change. For example, you may experience a decrease in exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT) and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).

EAT involves deliberate physical activity while NEAT includes any energy used for daily tasks, such as walking, fidgeting, and general movement. Other components of your energy expenditure include your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and the thermic effect of food (TEF) (2, 3).

Due to the changes that occur as you lose weight, you may feel less energetic about exercise, opt for the elevator instead of taking the stairs, and move less in general.

Combined, the reduction in the number of calories you burn and increase in calorie intake lowers the likelihood of continued weight loss (2, 3, 7).

Though this may be viewed as a problem, its an evolutionary process that helped people survive during times of famine or starvation (7).

When youre trying to lose weight, you may be in a calorie deficit most days, therefore progressively forcing your leptin levels to drop (7, 8).

By introducing a refeed day every week or so, you might temporarily increase your leptin levels through increased calorie intake, which may help keep your bodys fat-burning process working more efficiently (3).

Carbs are the main focus of refeed days due to their superior ability to increase leptin levels, compared with fats or proteins. Therefore, by eating carb-rich foods on your refeed day, youre likely giving your body the best chance to balance its leptin levels (3).

Refeed days may elevate hormone levels, such as leptin, reducing the effects of adaptive thermogenesis, a survival process that has been shown to slow weight loss.

Refeed days may provide certain benefits.

The main reason for refeed days is to prevent a weight loss plateau.

When people are trying to lose weight, they may see immediate results initially, but this is usually followed by a period during which no weight loss occurs. This is partially due to a survival process called adaptive thermogenesis (9).

By feeding your body excess calories mostly in the form of carbs, your leptin levels temporarily increase, which may prevent adaptive thermogenesis from interfering with your weight loss (10).

However, more research is needed to better understand the effects of temporary refeeding and leptin levels (3).

Most research has found that food restriction ultimately leads to overeating or binging, which is why cheat days have become popular in the fitness community (4).

However, cheat days are designed as a way to binge on an unlimited amount of food, which may lead to a distorted relationship with food and limit your progress. In contrast, refeed days are designed to gently and purposefully increase calories, which may reduce binging (4, 11).

Introducing a refeed day may help limit binging by permitting foods typically discouraged on many diet plans, especially carb-rich ones. Furthermore, it may help satisfy cravings and decrease feelings of deprivation (12).

However, a refeed day coupled with an overly restrictive diet wont likely resolve this. Therefore, opt for an eating pattern that welcomes a wide-range of foods that you enjoy (12).

Refeed days may help improve physical performance.

During periods of calorie restriction, your bodys ability to store glycogen is limited. Glycogen is a long-chain carbohydrate thats stored in your muscles and liver and used as a quick energy source during physical activity (3, 13, 14, 15).

Since refeed days emphasize carb intake, this may help replenish glycogen stores, potentially improving your performance in the gym, on the race track, or on the field.

Though more research is needed, refeed days may help you overcome a weight loss plateau, avoid binging, and improve athletic performance.

Despite the possible benefits, some potential downsides need to be considered before introducing a refeed day.

Though the theory of refeed days makes sense, there isnt much research on the topic. Moreover, adaptive thermogenesis is still a contested topic among researchers, further calling into question the effectiveness of refeed days (16).

Moreover, the human body is incredibly sophisticated and can easily adapt to changes in food intake. Your metabolism does not experience lasting changes from one day of being in a calorie surplus or deficit and is largely dependent on genetics and age (17).

Just as it takes many days to weeks of calorie restriction for leptin levels to decline and adaptive thermogenesis to take place, it likely takes more than a single day to adequately elevate leptin levels enough to support weight loss (17).

Even though you may hav
e a thoughtfully planned refeed day, you may have a hard time controlling your intake once you start. Depending on the intensity of your calorie restriction during the week, you may experience intense cravings that override your good intentions.

Therefore, when trying to lose weight, it may be best to limit yourself to no more than a 500 calorie deficit per day through both increased exercise and a modest decrease in calorie intake (18).

Though this balanced approach may make weight take longer, you may be less likely to regain it in the long run (9).

Although refeed days encourage a temporary respite from calorie restriction, they still emphasize diets as a way to lose weight.

Considering most diets fail to produce long-term weight loss, following a healthy lifestyle that does not eliminate entire food groups or encourage an intense calorie restriction may be most sustainable (19).

Most guidelines recommend a conservative approach to weight loss for long-term success. It involves a modest calorie deficit through increased physical activity and the consumption of whole, minimally processed foods (20, 21).

Through this approach, weight loss may be achieved without the need for a refeed day.

Any diet comes with the risk of negatively affecting your relationship with food.

Though refeed days encourage carb-rich foods for one day, theyre usually paired with diets that vilify carbs or other food groups, creating an unhealthy good versus bad mentality (19).

Moreover, only allowing one day free of calorie restriction every week or two may create a heightened sense of stress and fear surrounding food and calories. This may ultimately lead to disordered eating thoughts and behaviors (22).

If you have a history of disordered eating or eating disorders, it may be best to avoid refeed days and diets altogether, or to consult a qualified health professional.

Although refeed days are popular, theres limited research on their efficacy. Moreover, theyre usually paired with extreme diets that may promote a negative relationship with food and disordered eating thoughts and behaviors.

If youre interested in incorporating refeed days into your eating routine, its best to spend time planning them out to ensure youre not going overboard. Moreover, you may need to adjust the rules to meet your bodys needs.

Generally speaking, most people in a calorie deficit should consider including a refeed day once every 2 weeks, although this will depend on your body fat percentage and goals. Those with lower body fat percentages may need to increase their number of refeed days (2, 3).

Use the following chart as a reference:

*Note: Most women should aim to have a body fat percentage above 15% to support reproductive and overall health.

Although there are no official guidelines, most refeed days should aim to increase daily calories by 2030%. For example, if you need around 2,000 calories per day to maintain your weight, you should aim to have 400600 additional calories per day.

Aim to consume most of your additional calories from carb-rich foods, such as whole grains, pasta, rice, potatoes, and bananas, as carbs have been shown to increase leptin levels more than protein or fat (2, 10).

You can continue to eat protein and fat at each meal. However, prioritize carbs first, then protein, and limit fats.

Most refeed diets recommend limiting fats to around 2040 grams per day and suggest consuming around 0.680.9 grams of protein per pound (1.52.0 grams per kg) of body weight.

To ensure youre meeting your bodys needs, it may be best to speak to a healthcare professional before implementing a refeed day into your eating regime.

On refeed days, aim to increase your total daily calories by 2030%, with most of the increase coming from carbs.

If youre wondering what a refeed day would look like, here is an example. Keep in mind that the portions of each food will vary depending on your weight and other needs.

Conversely, follow an eating pattern similar to that of your regular diet and add additional servings of carbs to each meal.

Meals on refeed days should emphasize carb-rich foods with moderate amounts of protein and limited fats.

Refeed days are designed to give a temporary break from calorie restriction.

The theory behind refeed days is to improve your hormone levels, namely leptin, to prevent weight loss plateaus caused by a process known as adaptive thermogenesis. They may also decrease your risk of binging and improve athletic performance.

However, more research is needed to better understand the purpose and role of refeed days in weight loss. Moreover, they may not be suitable for those with a history of disordered eating.

If youve reached a weight loss plateau, you may want to consider incorporating a refeed day into your routine.

Originally posted here:
Refeed Day: What It Is and How to Do It - Healthline

FitKids 360: Northern Michigan Youth Have Fun Getting Healthy – Traverse City Ticker

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America has an obesity problem, and Michigan is one of the biggest offenders. According to recent research, the state ranks second to Mississippi for the highest percentage of obese children.

Dr. Tom Peterson recognized the trend years ago, so he set out to do something about it: FitKids 360, a program offered locally through Munson. The concept comes from my experience as a pediatrician, he says. I never had a place to send kids.

He started FitKids 360 in Grand Rapids, and eventually took it with him to Colorado. Since relocating to northern Michigan, he has introduced it here to help local general practitioners and their patients.

Its a seven-week, free course that incorporates nutrition, behavior, and exercise with a wide range of physical activities.Peterson adds that its high-quality and evidence-based, meeting standards set by the American Academy of Pediatrics and fun for the kids who participate. If its not fun, kids wont do it, he says.

He says the program is also family-oriented. You have to have the family involved. Parents have to be involved. In fact, if a child is referred into the program, the childs parents and siblings are able to attend as well.

Through a partnership with Health Net of West Michigan in Grand Rapids and The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA, FitKids 360 offers classes locally at the YMCA. Others have been offered in Cadillac, Kalkaska, and Frankfort. Alyson Kass is the Shape Up North Coordinator, of which FitKids 360 is a part. Susi Worden is a community health educator who oversees various Munson health programs.

Worden says FitKids 360 is about positive reinforcement, from the exercise segment to the healthy snacks to education. We dont bring up losing weight. The goal is to focus on teaching how to achieve a healthy lifestyle, she says.

Very often, a child battling weight problems has siblings or parents who facing similar challenges. The fact the entire family is invited to be a part of it extends its appeal, and its success. And the program extends far beyond simple nutrition, including goal-setting and dealing with self-esteem and bullying issues, all of which impact physical health.

Worden says the presence of parents and siblings helps make the program more comfortable for all those involved. There are typically between 14 and 20 families present, for a total of 30 to 60 participants. That diversity is also a strength of the program. Theres a lot of peer support there. We do a lot of learning, but theres always activities and games. The Y helps us with activities, Worden says.

At the end of the night, participants get healthy snacks: peanut butter and banana, veggies and hummus, guacamole with vegetables, fruit and yogurt parfaits. We show how (healthy) snacks dont have to be complicated, says Worden.

Kass says some participants become regulars at the Y or engage in other healthful activities. They post on social media that they ran a race. I had one mom tell us she lost 60 pounds. Getting healthy habits going in a family is contagious, she says.

Peterson says the program helps offset the changes in lifestyle over the past few decades, as people have become more sedentary and screen time has eclipsed active playtime. Its harder to get people active, to get more activity in schools, he says. Thats as true in an area famed for its natural beauty and outdoor opportunities, such as Traverse City, as it is for large urban areas. FitKids 360 continues downstate, in the Detroit area as well as Grand Rapids and elsewhere.

Perhaps the best measure of its success is the enthusiasm of those who have been through the program. Graduates become mentors. They want to do it again. They share their experiences, help other families, says Kass.

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FitKids 360: Northern Michigan Youth Have Fun Getting Healthy - Traverse City Ticker

LCS partners with Active Minds to promote mental health awareness – Daily Esports

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Riot Games has partnered with mental health organization Active Minds to support mental health awareness and education. The nonprofit company will work with Riot to promote healthy gaming to those who tune in to this weekends LCS games.

Riot has articulated how it understands the importance of living a healthy lifestyle as a professional gamer. While working with Active Minds, they dive deep into the lives of professional League of Legendsplayers and their mental health journeys. In 2019, Riot conducted a survey among North American players, asking about the most important part of their lifestyle. The results pointed to good health and mental wellbeing. Additionally, mental health is a top social value to professional players, and this information helps their mental health campaign. Its important to understand that mental wellness is a topic that impacts everyone, even the pros.

This will be Riots second year partnering with Active Minds. This weekend, viewers can watch some segments of players expressing their mental health journeys during the LCS games. Riot will also air a discussion on mental health on their weekly show, The Dive.

Furthermore, Active Minds will present tips and advice on its official website. Some information includes how to keep a balanced mindset in-game, how to bounce back from tilt, and more. They also shared a list of good tips for gamers in general:

They also encourage turning off or walking away from your computer if it is bringing too much negative energy into your life. Additionally, a great feature League of Legendsplayers can use is the /mute all function to prevent other players from bullying or tilting them.

This campaign echoes the results in a recent independent survey conducted by a Reddit user. The results shared information on what kind of players get tilted and why. It helped serve as an indication of where players can improve and what they can do to improve.

Having good mental health is an important part of professional gaming as it contributes to overall team spirit and motivation. As some players play for over 5-10 hours a day, there needs to be a good support system to keep their spirits high.

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LCS partners with Active Minds to promote mental health awareness - Daily Esports

Senior Life: 5 Simple Ways to Maintain Your Heart Health and Prevent Heart Disease – The Times Herald

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By Anthony Byers

Our hearts work hard to keep our bodies going. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, they beat over 2.5 billion times throughout an average lifespan, and pump blood, oxygen, and essential cells to each part of our bodies. As this vital organ plays an essential role in keeping us alive and well, it becomes incredibly important to maintain our hearts health.

At The Becoming Center, inspiring healthy choices that empower wellness and vitality, give our members the opportunity to become their best selves. Practice these heart-healthy habits in your everyday life and discover the joy of living well.

What happens when we dont take care of our hearts? Facts about heart disease and heart-related health issues

Heart disease, which causes an average of 610,000 deaths on an annual basis, or about 1 out of every 4 deaths, is the leading cause of mortality in the United States.

While there are multiple aspects that contribute to heart health, including blood pressure, congenital heart defects and more, coronary heart disease (CHD) is what most people think of when they think of heart-related health issues.

As with all aspects of our health, the lifestyle choices we make have a significant correlation with the chances for being diagnosed with CHD. Top risk factors for developing heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Fortunately, there are a variety of things we can do to control these frustrating risk factors and benefit our heart health.

To reduce your risk for CHD practice the following healthy habits.

The Becoming Center takes pride in empowering our members to make healthy choices and live well. With exercise physiologists, certified nutritionists, and a variety of exercise programs and classes each day, The Becoming Center gives you the tools you need to live a healthy lifestyle and inspires the motivation to help you achieve it. Discover your best self and visit The Becoming Center at Artmans campus in Ambler today.

Visit our website at http://www.becomingcenter.org or call us at 215-643-9908.

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Senior Life: 5 Simple Ways to Maintain Your Heart Health and Prevent Heart Disease - The Times Herald

Will the wellness tourism trend change your holiday plans? – Telegraph.co.uk

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Finding a lounger by the pool might be easier than ever before this summer. Why? Because everyones pulling on their fit kit and getting hooked on holidays with health benefits. Otherwise known as wellness tourism, a study from 2018 forecast 7.5% per cent growth in this sector with dedicated retreats debuting across the world. Established chains are getting in on the act too, with athletic curricula and healthy upgrades to recharge, reboot and restore your mind and body. So which healthy holiday is right for you?

They say happiness is in the journey, not arriving at your destination, so test this theory yourself with a cycling tour. The Netherlands is a good bet for riding rookies its flat and extremely bike-friendly. Or if you already have an active lifestyle, try Drakensberg and Kruger in South Africa, where youll pedal hard up gruelling mountains before being rewarded with spectacular views and perhaps an opportunity to take a dip in a waterfall.

Lately, canny hotels are going a step further than providing guests with a keycard for the gym. Rooms at Even Hotels (ihg.com) in the US come with fitness equipment such as exercise balls and yoga mats for in-room workouts and beds are topped with natural eucalyptus fibre bedding for a restful nights sleep. Meanwhile bathrooms at Stay Wells hotels, also across the US, (staywellrooms.com), have vitamin-infused showers, plus air purification and a dawn simulator to gently awaken you with light and sound.

Youll nail your 10,000 steps a day with ease if you book a hiking holiday. Enjoy a staycation in the Scottish Highlands, where youll clamber up ascents such as the Devils Staircase with other intrepid walkers. For a more gentle stroll, explore the pretty villages of Las Alpujarras in southern Spain with self-guided walks that last a couple of hours and take in flower meadows, citrus orchards and olive groves.

If downward dogs and pigeon pose are your thing, then you cant go wrong with a holiday that factors in daily yoga practice to tone, strengthen and condition your body as well as de-stress your mind. Many also cater well for solo travellers if you fancy some me-time. Thailand has an abundance of picturesque retreats that cater for every fitness level; many, such as Chiva-Som or Soneva Kiri offer spa facilities and other holistic options such as meditation and pranayama (awareness of ones breath and energy). Closer to home, head to Portugals picturesque Atlantic coast, where many retreats combine yoga and surfing.

Fancy making a court appearance on holiday? You should consider it a game of singles can burn around 414 calories per hour, while doubles is somewhat more sedate, at 288 per hour. Activity holiday specialists such as Mark Warner, Club Med and Neilson have extensive tuition programmes and camps, and even bring in ex-pros to train guests. You may want to consider packing Centrum MultiGummies as these high-quality multivitamins include B6 and B12 that help release energy from your food. Serve!

To help you support your health and well-being outside and in, Centrum has partnered with Telegraph Spark to help you make small yet effective changes*.

Centrum wants to motivate you to boost your health in a simple, enjoyable and sustainable way. Working with leading experts and nutritionists, exercise and wellness brands, we have curated a wealth of tip-packed, easy-to-follow content from healthy eating ideas to on-trend activities and ways to de-stress and relax. Centrums range of multivitamins is specially tailored to help support you every day based on your age, gender, lifestyle and nutritional needs.*

To find out more, and discover which Centrum is right for you, visit centrum.co.uk

*Multivitamins are intended to supplement your diet and should not be regarded as a substitute for a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Centrum contains vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and vitamin B12, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

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Addressing the unmet needs of people living with obesity – Philippine Star

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Addressing the unmet needs of people living with obesity

MANILA,Philippines Providing quality care for people living with obesity requires empathy and support from doctors, family, friends and the rest of society as these patients may likely have encountered weight bias before that can delay seeking of treatment.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are the primary ways to fight obesity, but obesitys continuing prevalence puts a spotlight on the unmet needs of treating people with the health condition. When opting for a healthier lifestyle doesnt work, advancements inpharmacotherapeutic options can help augment lifestyle changes towards weight loss.

In the recent healthcare forum dubbed One Against Obesity, experts from government, private sector and medical societies discussed the burden of obesity worldwide and in the Philippines, the barriers towards a healthier lifestyle, and the steps that could be taken to fight the chronic disease.

The forum, led by Novo Nordisk Philippines, underscored the value of strengthening obesity awareness efforts, since non-communicable diseases associated with it such as cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and even cancer increase the morbidity and mortality risks linked with the disease.

In the recent National Nutrition Survey, it was found that three out of 10 adult Filipinos are overweight or obese. Over a 20-year period, the prevalence of obesity increased from 20.2 percent in 1998 to 37.2 percent last year.An individual is considered obese if he/she has a Body Mass Index (BMI) or weight and height correlation of 30 and above.

Dr. Mia Fojas, president of the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PASOO), emphasized that people with obesity should be treated as soon as possible. For those who are morbidly obese, they have to consult healthcare professionals.

She added that people living with obesity could seek assistance from government agencies like the Department of Health (DOH) to help combat the condition.

We have advocacies from different divisions of the DOH. We actually have exercise programs that are dedicated to different body types, said Dr. Fojas.

Experts from the DOH explained that obesity is also a common problem among people in lower middle classes.

There are people from poor urban areas who suffer from obesity. Why? Because alternative diets that result in obesity are cheap, explained DOHNational Nutrition Program CoordinatorDr. Luz Tagunicar.

Health experts has earlier warned parents against instant noodles and processed goods saying that while these products have the good intention to provide nutrition, they may have been fortified, which causes these goods to contain large amounts of sodium.

According to National Nutrition Council executive director Azucena M. Dayanghirang, the frequent consumption of instant noodles may also lead to hypertension.

We have always reminded manufacturers to reformulate their products, do not put a lot of salt in it. Noodles is the most affordable for households. So we tell moms to add vegetables like squash,malunggay and eggs, Dayanghirang said.

Aside from affordable healthy food, health experts also noted that the lack of public spaces conducive for walking, jogging, cycling and other forms of exercise makes it hard for Filipinos to fight obesity.

Novo Nordisk Philippines general manager Serdar Kizilcik advised obese patients to develop life-changing habits. I think the best way to solve the problem of obesity is to be more supportive of them and encourage them to observe a healthier lifestyle, most especially the obese children. Obese people are also victims of prejudice because of (their) weight, Kizilcik noted.

The consequence of weight stigma includes low self-esteem and depression. Obesity is preventable and manageable but it takes a shift in perspective, as well as empathy towards people living with obesity in order to help treat the condition.

The first line treatment for obesity is lifestyle therapy. This involves proper diet, exercise, as well as counselling in order to help patients overcome obstacles in weight loss. For those with a BMI above 27 and have obesity-related complications, and 30 above with or without complications, doctors may recommend anti-obesity medication in addition to lifestyle therapy. Weight-loss surgery may also be an option for patients with a BMI of 40 and above and also have obesity-related complications.

The forum was supported by Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to the Philippines Grete Sillasen. PASOO vice president Dr. Nemencio Nicodemus also discussed the challenges in weight management, while fitness coaches from FitFil, coach Jim and Toni Saret, gave tips and a series of exercises towards living a healthy lifestyle.

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These Are the Top 10 Fitness Trends for 2020 – Bicycling

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Its that time of year again, when the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) polls thousands of health and fitness professionals around the globe to peer into the crystal ball and identify the top fitness trends for the following year.

This is the 14th year for the ACSM survey, and many of the hot trends, such as HIIT and group training, for 2020 have been along for the ride since the beginning. Cyclists have been at the pointy end of fitness trends like HIIT training, wearable tech, and employing certified professionals since long before such surveys existed. But its worth noting that there are other consistent (and important) trends more cyclists would be wise to hop on.

So without further ado, here are the top 10 fitness trends for 2020 and what they mean for you.

[Want to fly up hills? Climb! gives you the workouts and mental strategies to conquer your nearest peak.]

Hiring a fitness professional debuted on the trend list at #6 last year, and holds its position in the top 10 for 2020. For cyclists, this means hiring a coachsomething I recommend all serious cyclists try at least once.

Ive been USA Cycling certified coach myself for about two decades and I still hire a coach to help me nail my goals. And I can say unequivocally, all of my best results are a direct result of working with and listening to some really great coaches.

Good coaches do more than just write training plansyou can download those online for a few bucks. Theyre a confidante, someone you can share your goals and insecurities with who will help you cut through the clutter and be the best bike rider you can be. They eliminate the guesswork and make you accountable for getting your training done.

And coming in at #9more coaching! Health and wellness coaching is different from cycling coaching in that its not focused on exercise performance, but rather helping you live a healthier life overall.

Wellness coaches can help you deal with stress, improve your mindset, find balance, and make healthy lifestyle changes (say, like riding more) stick.

Only you can say if you would benefit from a health and wellness coach (and its possible that a multi-faceted cycling coach could pull double duty here). But if you consistently struggle to make behavioral changes that would improve your emotional and physical well-being, it might be worth a try.

No surprise here. People are living longer and remaining active for many more years than past generations. And the more fit you stay into your later years, the more years youre likely to live. One study found that those with the highest levels of fitness at age 75 were more than twice as likely to live another 10 years or more compared to those with poorer fitness.

Because cycling is gentle on the joints, its easy to do for a very long time. But thats not to say that we dont face challenges with age. Science shows that metabolism changes, making it easier to gain weight and lose muscle, as we get older. Recovery takes longer, too. That means you need to keep up the intensity to maintain muscle and top-end fitness, and take proper care to bounce back from those efforts. So if youre in your 50s, 60s, 70s, or beyond, make sure the trainers and/or coaches you work with understand the nuances of working with someone your age.

Sarinya Pinngam / EyeEmGetty Images

Bodyweight training, which, just as it sounds, means using your own body to perform resistance training has been among the top trends since it hit the charts at #3 in 2013. And with good reason: You dont need a gym membership or special equipment to build strength, and you can get a good workout wherever you are.

Body weight training is particularly helpful for cyclists during prime riding season, when you may be reluctant to use precious riding time to go to the gym. Some push-ups, squats, and core moves can help keep you strong in the saddle without worrying about hitting the weights.

Exercise is Medicine (EIM) is a global health initiative that encourages primary care doctors and other health-care providers to include physical activity assessment as part of their care and to include exercise recommendations and referrals to fitness professionals as part of standard care.

A doctors note for a bike ride a day? Sounds like good medicine to us.

Andersen RossGetty Images

Its easy to be a little skeptical about personal training being the top trend (as it has been since the survey first published in 2006) on a list generated by fitness professionals. But personal training works, and it continues to evolve overtime to meet changing demands.

For cyclists, a few sessions with a personal trainer can help you feel comfortable and confident in your off-season strength training and in-season maintenance work. Today, mobile apps make personal training more effective and efficient than ever. You can meet with your trainer to do your assessments and cover the basics. Then, you can do the rest via fitness apps like True Coach that allow you to track progress, communicate with your trainer, and watch videos of exercises you cant remember when youre at the gym and your trainer isnt around.

Jacobs Stock Photography LtdGetty Images

Training with free weights like barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, and medicine balls is a hot and growing trend right now, largely thanks to the rising popularity of functional and CrossFit style workouts and gyms.

World-class professional cyclists like Kate Courtney and Peter Sagan have put to rest any worries that weight training and cycling dont mix. Free weights recruit all your major and minor muscles, improve your balance and proprioception, and help build boneall things that will make you better on your bike.

Technically defined as more than five participants, group training is just that: a group of people led through a fitness routine by an instructor. The idea is to motivate people to move by making exercise fun and social.

Cyclists are all about that. In fact, we love group training so much we even have a special word for a pack of us: peloton, which not coincidentally is the name of one of the most popular group training workouts on the planet. If you tend to be a lone wolf on the bike, try a group ride for 2020. Youll be glad you did.

Thomas BarwickGetty Images

HIIT, which is a workout that involves short bursts of high intensity exercise followed by a short period of rest, has been a chart-topper since 2014, when it was the #1 trend of the year. HIIT doesnt just make you fit, but also boosts brain health, tames stress, improves body composition, and fends off a host of chronic diseases.

As a cyclist, you should absolutely be doing HIIT training. Even if you never sprint for a finish line in your life, HIIT training will help boost your endurance performance so every ride feels easier and you can hum along longer and stronger without hitting the wall.

Caiaimage/Richard JohnsonGetty Images

If you heard the news that Google is buying Fitbit for a cool $2.1 billion, it will come as no surprise that wearable technology is the #1 fitness trend for 2020. Wearable technology includes fitness trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors, and GPS tracking devices. Its a $95 billion industry and shows no signs of slowing.

Cyclists, of course, are not new to any of this. Weve been routinely strapping on heart rate monitors since Kurt Cobain was singing about teen spirit and wont roll out of the parking lot without recording the ride. Were also early adopters to new cutting-edge wearable tech like the Whoop Strap, which dig further into our physiology to track heart rate variability, sleep, and recovery.

If youve never tried wearable tech, and well, Im not sure theres one of you out there, its well worth investing in at least a heart rate monitor, which not only can help you track your training progress, but also can alert you to underlying health issues before they cause trouble.

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These Are the Top 10 Fitness Trends for 2020 - Bicycling

New Study Says Listening To 78 Minutes Of Music Daily Is Important To Your Health – Metal Injection.net

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If you're listening to at least 78 minutes of music per day, congratulations! Science says you're helping yourself maintain a healthy lifestyle.

A new study from Deezer (and truncated by Kerrang!) reveals listening to music that covers feeling uplifting, relaxing, sad, motivating, and angry for at least 78 minutes per day is helpful. The study looked at a cohort of 7,500 people and how listening to music affected their day. The breakdown looked like this for optimal listening:

Lyz Cooper of the British Academy of Sound Therapy backed up Deezer's study.

"There are certain properties of music that affect the mind and body. Dedicating time each day to listen to music that triggers different emotions can have a hugely beneficial impact on our well-being. Listening to happy songs increases blood flow to areas of the brain associated with reward, and decreases flow to the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with fear."

So sure, get some Suffocation in for the angry bits, but maybe jam Babymetal or something too. Y'know, for your health.

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Why Improving physical health reflects on your mental well-being – Thrive Global

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It all starts with your body.

While getting busy with your daily life routine, trying to balance between your spiritual well being, keeping up with your physical fitness & maintaining a healthy social life, keeping everything in balance is the hardest effort you can make for a healthy lifestyle routine. But unfortunately in this era we live in we always get caught up in everyday duties and we always end up forgetting about what matters the most which affects every corner of your life, its working out, getting all those toxins out of our body and maintaining a healthy diet which can let your body make the change for a better body image, happier self and of course a stronger mental consciousness.

The biggest and hardest obstacle we all cannot avoid is not finding enough time for our daily physical routine, taking a lot of time to and back from the gym, dont know what fitness routine should i be working on, and of course getting lost in all those online diet food options,

Thats why having a personal trainer at Getgoing was a very appealing idea to me, coming till my home doorsteps, Forgetting the commuting time to my favourite gym, it also reflected on my overall well being and mental health.

A lot of people like training one to one with the coach but what i am personally recommending is to have a partner in your workout sessions, a partner will act as your perfect ongoing motivation, you will share a goal together, anytime you will feel down or unmotivated you will find your partner pulling you off the ground and pushing you towards the finish line.

Training with your partner for sure will strengthen your bond, magnify the goal and will boost your motivation, and the good thing it shouldnt be only viable to your girlfriend, you can bond with a family member or close friend then you should brace yourself for the mind blowing results and energy.

Having a well balanced attention between working out and what you are eating will reflect on every aspect of your life and what is most important is your mental capabilities will be boosted to the max whether its more focusing on your work tasks or even remembering the name of your acquaintance you met last week.

Setting up a goal to be constantly working for will improve the hard working mechanism in your brain, you will start seeing some improvements on your overall body which will translate to your brain and self that anything you start investing time and effort in it will surely blossom into something you will love.

With all these infinite benefits you will gain from improving your physical health, these are the top 5 traits that will affect your mental health:

In case you want to feel happy and relaxed, you need to exercise different types of physical activity, whether its going to the gym or even brisk walking.

Physical activity stimulates the chemicals in your brain, which makes you feel happy and relaxed.

Regular physical activity helps maintain key mental skills, especially with age, and this includes critical thinking and learning.

Engaging in various sports 3 to 5 times a week, for at least 30 minutes, can provide health benefits for the mind.

When you are physically active, your mind is free from daily stress. This can help you avoid negative thoughts.

Exercise reduces the level of stress hormones in the body, and at the same time stimulates the production of a substance called endorphins, a chemical released from the brain when exercising.

Sports and other forms of physical activity improves sleep quality by helping you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep.

Better sleep can improve your mental expectations the next day as well as improve your mood.

Regular exercise can enhance self-esteem, your ability to withstand excessive stress, and contribute to an improved outward appearance.

With renewable strength and energy that comes from physical activity, you may be more likely to succeed in off-field tasks.

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Why Improving physical health reflects on your mental well-being - Thrive Global

7 Essentials for Healing and Preventing Breast Cancer with Dr. V–#002 – Video

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7 Essentials for Healing and Preventing Breast Cancer with Dr. V--#002
http://dranh.com/002 Dr. V is an incredible woman who had a successful chiropractic practice for over 30 years and lived a healthy lifestyle, eating organically even before it came in vogue....

By: Dr. Anh Nguyen, PharmD

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Simple Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle – verywellfit.com

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The phrase 'healthy lifestyle' is an abbreviated definition of how you should live if you want to get the healthiest body you canone that both looks good and feels good. You know the obvious behaviors that describe someone who is healthy and takes care of themselves. A healthy person doesn't smoke, tries to maintain a healthy weight, eats healthy foods with plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber and, of course, exercises on a regular basis.

Then there are other elements to add to the list. A healthy person also knows how to manage stress, gets good quality sleep each night, doesn't drink too much, doesn't sit too muchbasically, does everything in moderation all the time. When you look at everything that could possibly go into a healthy lifestyle, you can see just how hard all of those things are in our current world.

The good news is, you don't have to change everything at the same time. In fact, the trick to healthy living is making small changestaking more steps each day, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water, or saying no to that second helping of buttery mashed potatoes. One thing you can do right now to make your lifestyle healthier is to move more.

You know you need to exercise, but there are many excuses not to do it. You're too busy, don't know where to start, you'renot motivated or you're afraid you'll injure yourself.

Maybe youthink exercise has to be really hard or it isn't good enough.

Whatever definition you have about what exercise is or isn't, the bottom line is that exercise is movement. Whether it's walking around the block or running a marathon, thatmovement is exercise and every time you move more than you normally do, it counts.

It's great if you can spend time exercisingmeaning you're sweating, working in your target heart rate zone,or doing something to strengthen your body. But it doesn't always have to be that way. Moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.

The great thing about moving is thatjust a few minutes a day can have lasting benefits, many of which you may not even be aware of.

Just some of the benefits include:

Even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty amazing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that if you are overweight, reduction of 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight can help lowerblood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.

In fact, you don't even have to have a goal to lose weight, especially if you have trouble sticking to a program.

Why not focus on being healthy to start and worry about the weight loss once you've got some healthy habits under your belt?

You can start the process of being healthy and now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older. You already know about the food groups and the fact that you should eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods. You probably have a list of things you know you should do for a healthier diet but, again, making too many changes at once can backfire. Going on a restrictive diet may make you crave the very foods you're trying to avoid.

Another approach is to look for ways to make smaller changes each day. Just a few ideas for changing how you eat include:

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean drastic changes.Making small changes in how you live may seem like a slow process, and it is. You may adapt to change better when it doesn't require you to overhaul your entire life. Just pick one thing and work on that one thing every day, letting the rest of your life and habits stay the same. You may be surprised that those small changes really can make a difference.

Sources:

Losing Weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html.

Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html.

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How To Get Rid Of Love Handles With Get Fit Now Personal Training Atlanta Georgia – Video

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How To Get Rid Of Love Handles With Get Fit Now Personal Training Atlanta Georgia
How To Get Rid Of Love Handles With Get Fit Now Personal Training Atlanta Georgia Tip 1 Start living a healthy lifestyle... lots of fruits,veggies and lean sources of protein Tip 2 Really...

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Immunity and diet: what you need to know – Gulf News

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In recent weeks, much attention has focused on the role of the immune system and its role in defending against disease-causing microorganisms. While the body has an impressive array of weapons to battle any invaders, there are moments when pathogens bypass these warriors, virus and bacteria sometimes do get through.

In such cases, your first port of call should be a medical professional who can advise on treatment routes.

That said, there are a number of ways to reduce your vulnerability, including enhanced hygiene and other everyday preventive measures. Of course, researchers still dont know a lot about the intricacies of the immune response and there really are few scientifically proven direct links between lifestyle and enhanced immune function but evidence intimates that nutritional deficiencies can weaken our immunity and leave us more susceptible to infections.

- Marlene Cornes Marsh, Senior Clinical Dietitian, DHA

Diet and lifestyle are two of the most critical factors that influence immunity, explains Mitun De Sarkar, a Dubai-based MD who is Clinical Dietitian at Simply Healthy Foods. While environmental factors are often not in our control, so our best defence to give our bodies a fighting chance against various virus or bacterial infections is to ensure that we follow good hygiene practices and ensure our diets support our immune systems health.

A good thumb rule, she adds, is to get in plenty of fruits and vegetables, ensure proper hydration and stay moving. Exercise has a beneficial impact on the immune system and mobilises white blood cells.

But this is a nutrition column, so well confine ourselves to foods role in immune health. In particular, people underestimate the importance of good nutritional habits. Marlene Cornes Marsh, Senior Clinical Dietitian at Dubai Health Authority, says a balanced diet, coupled with a healthy lifestyle strengthens your bodys defences against infection. The strength of the bodys immune system relates to its overall nutritional status, she says, adding that stress, poor diet and inadequate sleep can also play their part.

There is scientific evidence to support the adage we are what we eat, and this process begins in early life. It is well established that nutritional inadequacy greatly impairs the functioning of immune system. Good nutrition plays an important role in the bodys immune system. It stimulates the formation of antibodies, and with healing and recovery.

Avoiding undernutrition

On the other hand, undernutrition can have several harmful benefits. As an example, Marsh explains how the thymus, a small organ just beneath the breastbone, is impacted by malnutrition even the kind caused by obesity.

People who are on extreme calorie- and protein-restriction diets or who have an eating disorder may see changes in the activity of the thymus gland, which is responsible for the maturation of immune cells, Marsh says. The thymus helps propagate and differentiate mature T-lymphocytes, cells that attack and kill viruses and bacteria.

Similarly, paying attention to the symbiotic relationship we share with the beneficial microbes that make up the human microbiome, can help fortify our bodies. This collection of microscopic organisms serve several functions. When theyre out of whack, as in older people, the result is stomach inflammation and increased intestinal permeability, which allows more bugs to overcome our defences. But when theyre singing in harmony, so to speak, these microbes function as barrier shields and help encode our immune systems.

Fermented foods and vegetables

The role of fermented foods such have been recognised for more than a century, thanks to the number of beneficial bacteria they contain, De Sarkar says. Thats why items such as yoghurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir and khimchi should be high on your list, she explains.

Similarly, fibre-heavy carbohydrates such as whole grains improve digestion and fuel the body with energy. When it comes to overall health including immune system function. Carbs are not your enemy, she says.

Finally, vegetables really are all theyre cracked up to be. Following a study on mice, Babraham Institute researchers proved how green vegetables such as bok choy and broccoli generate a chemical signal that is important to a fully functioning immune system. They do this by ensuring that immune cells in the gut and the skin known as intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) function properly. When otherwise healthy mice were fed a vegetable-poor diet for two to three weeks, up to 80 per cent of these protective cells disappeared.

Separately, innumerable studies have demonstrated the benefit of antioxidants in vegetables, fruit and other plant-based foods. Nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E not only boost immune health but also help reduce oxidative stress.

While much more research is needed to pinpoint specific interactions, eating healthy has a tremendous number of benefits for the immune system.

As Marsh says, Almost all nutrients in the diet play a fundamental role in sustaining an optimal immune response, such that deficient and excessive intakes can have negative consequences on immune status and susceptibility to a variety of pathogens.

Dietary components can regulate physiological functions of the body; interacting with the immune response is one of the most important functions of nutrition.

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