John Karangis, the executive chef of Shake Shack, says he usually wakes up at 3:30 a.m. This is by choice. The 48-year-old isnt rising and grinding at an unseemly hour to cook, concoct, and taste-test chicken, burgers, hot dogs, fries, and milkshakesthose are tasks he saves for later in the day. The crack-of-dawn start-time is because he cant stop himself from competing in marathons and triathlonsboth of which require a fair amount of early-morning training.

Karangis began cooking at an early age, including (illegally) at a restaurant at 13. He went to culinary school and came into the orbit of Danny Meyer, the founder of Shake Shack, who helped him launch a career in fine dining. So when Meyer and company came calling again, Karangis jumped at the chance to team back up. And in October 2018, he transitioned to his decidedly less high-end but equally tasty current job.

Karangiss journey as an athlete is a little more recent: it started 16 years ago, he says, as a bucket list one-off marathon turned into a lifelong hobby. Then he added training for Ironman triathlons to his regimen in 2014. Both forms of exercise are a welcomed respite from the sometimes not-so-healthy rigors of Karangiss day job, which does indeed feature the ingestion of a whole bunch of burgers.

In an interview with GQ, Karangis explains how he and his colleagues in the Shake Shack Innovation Kitchen try to maintain a healthy diet, and he explains why he really, truly craves Shake Shack every year after running the New York City Marathon.

GQ: Can you walk me through a typical day for an executive chef of a fast-casual restaurant?

John Karangis: I wake up at 3:30 a.m., and Ill have maybe a banana, some cashew butter, a cup of coffee, and Ill hit the road. I train one or two disciplinesswimming, cycling, or running. I usually start my exercise at 4:45 and do that as long as my schedule dictates for the day. Ill shower at home or the gym, grab a small recovery breakfast, and go to work. Im usually at work by 8, and leave sometime around 5 or 6. I try to be in bed by 10 p.m.

How often are you eating Shake Shack for lunch?

Part of our role in the Innovation Kitchen is to develop new recipes for Shake Shacks all over the world. Were constantly cooking and having tastings. Throughout the day, as a chef, youre cooking and tasting enough to get a sense of what works, what doesnt, while also being mindful of what youre eating. I try to integrate a salad lunch into the mix, especially if Ive got a big tasting with a burger or shake that day. I want to make sure Ive also got some grains, quinoa, greens, and a little dressing. But Im active during the work day and it kind of goes by so quickly that my lunches can vary. There are definitely days where my lunch is bits and pieces of whatever Im eating in the Shack. When I get home, my wife is a great cook, and whatever shes making, Ill eat. Then I try to prep my breakfast for the next morning to make my morning a little lighter.

Im not super regimented, but I try to be mindful of what Im eating. Theres a team of three of us, so well divide those tasting tasks up to make sure we each live a balanced lifestyle and were not taking in a ton of calories. My colleagues and I look out for each other, to be honest. Well say, okay, theres a big tasting tomorrow, heres what we need to do. But its also important to sometimes put ourselves in the shoes of a guest and experience something with the intent that we want them to experience it.

Follow this link:
The Real-Life Diet of Shake Shacks Executive Chef, Who Taste-Tests Burgers Between Marathons - GQ

If you have ever tried to lose weight then you probably know that it is not an easy task. Apart from following a strict diet and an intense workout routine, there are a few other things that can accelerate your weight loss process. We all know drinking sufficient amount of water is essential for everyone to stay healthy and fit. It is even more essential when you are trying to lose weight. Water carries essential nutrients to different cells and flushes out toxins from the body. A recent study revealed that drinking two glasses of water before each meal can expedite your weight loss process. The study The study was carried by the researchers of the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. In the clinical trial, it was found that participants who drank two cups of water before each meal lost an average of 2 kilos or more weight in 12 weeks. The study was carried out on 48 adults in the age group of 55 to 75 years. They were randomly divided into two groups. Both the groups were on a calorie-controlled diet. However, one group drank two cups of water before every meal (three times a day) and the other group did not do it. The participants followed the same pattern for 12 weeks. After this period of time, it was found that people who drank two cups of water three times a day lost about extra 2 kilos of weight as compared to the other group who did not drank the water. Why drinking water helps When you drink water before the meal, you tend to eat less. You will automatically consume fewer calories and will lose more weight at the end of the day. The bottom line To reap maximum benefits and to lose weight quickly, you have to cut down on sugar and high-calorie drinks from your diet. However, drinking too much water can be dangerous for some people. In a rare but serious condition, it can lead to water intoxication.

Excerpt from:
Weight loss: Drink 2 cups of water before every meal to lose extra kilos - Times of India

American Heart Association "This was about breaking a family legacy of heartdiseaseand feeling good."

Michelle Emebo's doctor was just as shocked as she was to discover she had high blood pressure during her third trimester of pregnancy. Emebo says she was pretty healthy before becoming pregnant and had been exercising pretty regularly. She was motivated to prevent gestational diabetes and pass her glucose test at the end of her second trimester. However, once she passed the test, eating healthy became less of a priority.

"Once the test was over, my diet just went down the gutter," Emebo says. "I was eating Starbucks breakfast sandwiches on the way to work and then just kept eating once I got to work. I work at an academic center where there is always some kind of celebration, so it would be a donut here, a cupcake there." Emebo said she gained a healthy 10 pounds during her first two trimesters but put on almost 15 pounds in a matter of weeks leading up to her high blood pressure diagnosis. (FYI, healthy weight gain during pregnancy is typically between 25 and 35 lbs, but every woman is different.)

Emebo says her doctor was reassuring that her blood pressure would go back down to the 120/80 she was used to having after giving birth. She tried to cut back on the sweets, but between anxiety at work preparing for maternity leave, moving into a new home and her husband finishing residency, there was a lot of stress going on in her life that continued to impact her health. She said all she had the energy to focus on at the time was delivering a healthy baby and making sure her blood pressure didn't continue to trend upwards.

Turns out, Emebo's blood pressure didn't go down after giving birth or after breastfeeding. Her doctor put her on blood pressure medication after several months, but that didn't seem to have much of an impact.

"That's when I realized I'd had enough, that I was going to have to do something as far as exercise and diet," Emebo says. "I knew it was possible for me to get back to normal since I was there before pregnancy. Finally, a year and a half later, I started making a change."

Taking Control of Her Health

Emebo was a collegiate athlete and the natural first step towards a healthier lifestyle was bringing exercise back into her routine. The local mom's group she's a part of had a meetup at OrangeTheory Fitness one day, and she knew she needed to come back for more.

"I got my butt kicked that first class, but I thought, 'I need to be in here' and signed up for a membership that day," she says.

Changing her diet wasn't as simple, however. Emebo was attempting to eat the way she did when trying to lose weight for her wedding several years prior, and her methods just weren't working for her. She had her doctor refer her to a nutrition professional.

Emebo admits that nutrition was the hardest part for her. She says, "You don't realize how much convenience food is a part of your life when you have to change your schedule to cook and grocery shop."

As difficult as it was to start cooking more often, she says this is when she saw the biggest change in her healthand blood pressure. Emebo says her dietitian played an important role in teaching her portion control, cutting back on added sugar and sodium and learning new cooking methods. She started using spices and DASH seasonings to bring flavor to her meals without salt, and learned to caramelize sweet potatoes, so she no longer needed brown sugar to enjoy them.

Choosing a Lifestyle Over a Diet

Emebo was able to normalize her blood pressure and lose 20 pounds within six months, which inspired her to keep going. She lost 75 pounds and has kept it off after three years. Emebo says that while she could have lost weight faster, she was pursuing a healthy lifestylenot a restrictive diet or a number on a scale.

"I didn't have a goal weight," Emebo says. "Everyone would ask what size I wanted to be, but it wasn't about that. I would tell them 'whatever weight gets me off my medications and keeps me healthy.'"

Emebo continued to dial back on sodium and added sugar while increasing her intake of vegetables and other high-fiber foods. She also began meeting with a trainer to help her meal plan around her workouts as she was growing stronger in the gym.

"I never felt deprived in that year and a half, and that's probably why it took me a little longer to get to where I needed to be," Emebo says. "I enjoyed birthdays, holidays and my family's favorite foods, but if I could stick to healthy eating 80% of the week, I could feel good."

Video: 7 incredible results you'll get from walking 30 minutes a day (Courtesy: Prevention)

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Both of Emebo's parents have struggled with high blood pressure and survived strokes, so she knows her family history of cardiovascular disease puts her at increased risk.

'I really wanted it to be about my health, and not just physical health but mental healththis was about breaking a family legacy of heart disease and feeling good," she says.

Emebo also cut back on alcohol after participating in Dry January in 2018. She now reserves imbibing for special occasions and feels more energized than ever.

"I don't have anything against [alcohol], but I began to notice drinking a glass of wine at night made me sleepy in the morning and hungrier during the day. Once I cut out my glass of wine or two each week, it helped me get up in the morning and I wasn't having food cravings at night anymore."

Trust the Process

Today, Michelle is eating more carbs and calories to keep up with her workouts, while still being mindful of her intake of salt and added sugars. She says this health journey has really turned into a way of life for her and her family and has left her feeling empowered.

"There was a time where I didn't know what I needed to do to get healthy," Emebo says. "It wasn't until I realized i had to take control of my healthand it had to start today that I was able to realize it was possible to get healthy and that I really could do this. I've never been as fit as I am now since being a student athlete."

Emebo says she is surprised by how many people say they don't like their doctor, as finding the right provider who can encourage you in the right direction is extremely important for getting healthy. If you don't know your numbers, ask about your cholesterol, glucose and blood sugar levels and other metrics to figure out a game plan. She says if you don't start knowing where you are, you won't be able to move forward. She also says to be patient, as a health journey should be just thata journey.

"It's not an overnight thingespecially if you're a new mom trying to figure your job, marriage and parenting out," Emebo says. "A lot of people do not believe them when I say there was no secret potion. I just ate healthy food and did the exercises. Slow progress is still progress and that's what matters."

Michelle Emebo is part of The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Movement.

Slideshow: Shannon lost 85 lbs. in 10 months with barely any exercise (Courtesy: PopSugar)

More here:
This Woman Lost 75 Pounds and Got Off Her Blood Pressure Medication by Curbing Salt and Sugar - msnNOW

Saturday February 29 2020

I feel lighter. Writer Stella Adi after undergoing a 30-day vegan diet. PHOTO | COURTESY

Are you thinking about ditching meat and dairy products from your diet? It was quite the rollercoaster.

You need to be on top of this diet or else the convenience of eating something non-vegan will overwhelm you. Plan, plan, plan and have an accountability person.

When you drastically change your diet, you are bound to feel horrible for a few days before your system can come to terms with whats happening.

First, a round of applause to me, a meat-lover who completed the entire 30 days - no meat, no fish, no dairy (actually, I slipped with this. Ill explain) and no eggs. No eggs! And another round for pulling it off while the rest of my household continued to pander to their carnivorous ways.

After hearing some pretty big claims on the wonders of living on a plant-based diet, from reducing ones risk of high blood pressure and heart disease to the more vain reports of radiant skin and healthier hair, I was sold.

I chose January because I figured, heck this is resolution month; the one time of the year universally accepted as the new year, new you season. It was also a welcome time to detox after a particularly self-indulgent December.

Armed with my research and a fortified fridge and pantry filled with my staples for the next 30 days; packets of almond milk, mushrooms, and a wide array of fruits, vegetables, legumes and pulses (some of which I hadnt eaten in years), I was ready.

It was quite the rollercoaster. I had read somewhere that the best way to successfully go through a restrictive dietary change, is to make sure you have enough of the right foods lying around to ward off temptation. Thankfully, I already had a soft spot for some vegetables (courgettes remain a struggle).

Since the rest of my household had no intention of joining me, I had to learn how to deal with the occasional aromas of cooked meat or fried eggs or sausages or bacon oh bacon! Giving up my morning cereal didnt help either (the plant-based milk didnt taste right).

Week two came with some weird mood swings. Id go from euphoric and crave-free one day to unmotivated and defeated the next. Happily, this got much better. This was the week I learned to appreciate the wonderful joys of snacking. Ive never been much of a nibbler. I was used to two or three big meals a day but now Id pepper my day with a serving of peanuts or almonds, a small cob of boiled maize or if Im in the mood, a bowl of popcorn. I realised that having fruit salad was a great way of adding more fresh fruit to my diet. One significant change I noticed is that my, errrm, movements were much more regular and the experience more pleasant. This I would attest to the uptake of fibre in my diet.

It brought with it a tedium with repetitive foodstuff. Up to this point my diet consisted of the same types of food and the humdrum was getting to me. I was especially craving soup but since I was too lazy to make one myself - off to the supermarket I went and stocked up on lentil, vegetable and mushroom soups. A few packs down I realised that they all contained egg, milk and other dairy extracts! Nope, not vegan! To be honest they werent very good either. They have loads of chemicals in them and sadly I admitted that I was better off just making the soups from scratch myself.

This was a good week. I felt lighter and overall more energetic which felt so amazing! I could get used to this.

I felt better than ever. Honestly. I was alert, energetic and seldom tired or lethargic. I was likewise feeling very in tune with myself. I started feeling more mentally clear and positive. The feeling only grew stronger week after week.

My skin was visibly clearer and smoother but between you and me, I was hoping for more dramatic results. Still, the new glow was enough for my friends to notice so a definite plus. At the back of my mind however, lay the fact that this was week four and I wont lieI was fantasising about what I wanted to do to a juicy beef burger with a side of cheesy fries. I wanted the week to end already!

Looking back though, I have a few regrets. For one, the next time I try this and there will be a next time I will pick something like fish or chicken or even eggs as my first non-vegan meal. I was so bloated after my meatballs and sausage breakfast that I couldnt eat anything else for the rest of the day. Another is throughout the month I was so focused on the 30 days that I often forgot to relax and really enjoy my food. I also wish I dared to be more creative with vegan food.

Vegan food is so tasty! I dare say it can oftentimes be tastier than meaty meals even (meat-lovers please dont come for me).

Its pocket friendly. Unless you eat very few to no vegetables or legumes in your day-to-day life, this is one diet that you can pull off by simply taking away without necessarily adding too much more. I didnt purchase any fancy shmancy vegan substitutes. I kept it simple and stuck with foods I know.

You can lose weight! I never imagined a diet heavy on rice, pasta and bread would result in weight-loss, but this was a delightful surprise. I lost about four kilos in all. I turned up the volume with my exercise which was more regular now.

What I wish someone told me

You need to be on top of this diet or else the convenience of eating something non-vegan will overwhelm you. Plan, plan, plan and have an accountability person.

When you drastically change your diet, you are bound to feel horrible for a few days before your system can come to terms with whats happening. This is completely normal.

Eating out (or ordering in) will be a challenge. Your options will be very limited. Fill up on something at home before leaving for a social call with friends.

You. Will. Be. Gassy. A lot.

These tips will make your transition to a plant-based diet easier.

Come up with a timetable in advance. I did this weekly. Trust me, youll thank me later.

Keep a food diary. This not only helped me keep track of what I was eating, I would easily see if I was eating too much of the same thing.

Try not to go it alone. My friend Annemarie and her husband took up the diet too. Wed share pics of our meals, exchange recipes and articles and encourage one another when the cravings came knocking.

Technology is your friend. I used an app called VegMenu which came in handy for when I was feeling less than creative and got tired of the same old meals.

If you decide to go on a vegan diet on a long-term basis, consult your doctor to ensure youre not deficient on any essential nutrients such as vitamin B12 which we get from animal products.

See the original post:
I went 30 days on a vegan diet and this is what I learned - Daily Nation

When Sour Patch Kids, Hot Pockets, and chicken fingers dont quite seem likea balanced diet

The Hill:

President Trumps former doctor reportedly hid cauliflower in his mashed potatoes in an attempt to improve the presidents diet.

Former White House physician Ronny Jackson toldThe New York Timesthat he regretted leaving his position before he could implement the diet and exercise regimen planned for Trump.

The exercise stuff never took off as much as I wanted it to, he said. But we were working on his diet. We were making the ice cream less accessible, we were putting cauliflower into the mashed potatoes.

Do you need any more evidence that our pr*sident is a child? And a not particularly bright one at that.

I cant help but be reminded of this Office quote from Kevin Malone, who was stressing about his New Years resolution: Well, I said that I would eat more vegetables, and I havent yet. But its okay. I still have time, since last yearI ate none.

Why do I get the feeling that the only green thing Trump ever eats is a lime gummy bear? And the exercise regimen never took off? Thats because Trump thinksretrieving long-forgotten french fries from his adipose foldsis a brisk cardio workout.

And this is the guy were counting on to nip COVID-19 in the bud. Yikes.

Is Trump still chafing your arse-cheeks?ThenDear F*cking Lunatic: 101 Obscenely Rude Letters to Donald Trumpandits boffo sequelsDear Pr*sident A**clown: 101 More Rude Letters to Donald TrumpandDear F*cking Moron: 101 More Letters to Donald Trumpby Aldous J. Pennyfarthingare the pick-me-up you need!Reviewers have called these books hysterically funny, cathartic, and laugh-out-loud comic relief. And theyre way,waycheaper than therapy.

then let us make a small request. AlterNets journalists work tirelessly to counter the traditional corporate media narrative. Were here seven days a week, 365 days a year. And were proud to say that weve been bringing you the real, unfiltered news for 20 yearslonger than any other progressive news site on the Internet.

Its through the generosity of our supporters that were able to share with you all the underreported news you need to know. Independent journalism is increasingly imperiled; ads alone cant pay our bills. AlterNet counts on readers like you to support our coverage. Did you enjoy content from David Cay Johnston, Common Dreams, Raw Story and Robert Reich? Opinion from Salon and Jim Hightower? Analysis by The Conversation? Then join the hundreds of readers who have supported AlterNet this year.

Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure AlterNet remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to AlterNet, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.

See the original post:
Former White House physician hid cauliflower in Trumps mashed potatoes to improve his diet - AlterNet

Scott Morton was never concerned about his weight. He enjoyed life, went to the gym for leisurely walks on the treadmill, and admittedly made poor food and beverage choices.

"After retiring in fall of 2016, it was a time for fun and exploring the U.S.," he tells Men's Health.

Over time, Morton noticed his clothes fit tighter than normal, requiring him to size up or purchase button extenders to close shirt collars. But it wasn't until 2018, when the now 57-year-old retired engineer weighed 256 pounds, that he decided to make a change.

"The exact moment of my wake up call to lose the weight was immediately after being rejected to be a kidney donor for my brother," he says.

Morton's brother, Jeff, required a new kidney due to complications from kidney disease. At the time, Morton had high glucose and blood pressure, making him ineligible to donate his own kidney. However, doctors said losing at least 28 pounds would improve Morton's health, and possibly allow him to become an organ donor.

Jeff had been waiting for a suitable donor on the national registry and would need to begin dialysis if no one was found.

"At first, it was mentally difficult to get over the idea that I let myself go and may have screwed up my chance to donate to my brother. I had nothing to lose by trying to re-qualify and everything to gain for him," he says.

In September 2018, Morton changed lifestyle in order to help his brother. He began the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet to lose weight.

"I set a goal of 1790 calories per day, [ate] very low carb, and increased exercise," he says. I used a Fitbit to track my works out at Life Time on the treadmill for usually one to two hours a day."

Morton closely tracked calories and carb intake using MyFitness Pal and weighed himself daily. Immediately, he saw results. Although, adjusting to a diet was challenging for the first few weeks, Morton remained motivated. After three months, he lost 42 pounds. In January 2019, Morton received the good news that he could donate a kidney to his brother, and surgery was performed on January 29, 2019.

Men's Health

Hearst Magazines

"I'm so happy for my brother and his wifenow they can really enjoy their retirement," Morton says. "My motivator was to help my brother live, but this experience also helped me live a better life."

Originally posted here:
Keto and Walking Helped This Man Lose Enough Weight to Donate a Kidney to His Brother - Men's Health

WICHITA FALLS, Texas Dressed in cowboy boots and jeans, with an American flag pin on his lapel, Dr. Ronny L. Jackson rolled up at the Red River Harley-Davidson outpost to make his pitch to voters.

I just came from the White House, Dr. Jackson, the former White House physician, told the small crowd gathered upstairs from the Harley showroom. Ive been working side by side with the president. I know all the cabinet secretaries. I have their cellphones. I know the chief of staff, the national security adviser. I can pick the phone up and I can call them. Theyre all friends of mine.

Dr. Jackson left the West Wing in December after rising from President Trumps physician to his unlikely pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs to Trump administration roadkill when he was forced to withdraw his name from consideration amid allegations related to his professional conduct.

Now hes running for Congress in Texas 13th District, one of the most conservative in the country, and his argument is simple. In a primary field of 15 anti-immigrant, anti-abortion Republicans, Dr. Jackson is betting his personal connection with the president is enough to win the Republican nomination tantamount to election.

Standing alongside other candidates wearing cowboy hats and Make America Great Again caps at the forum on Thursday, Dr. Jackson pitched himself as the only one who can walk in the Oval Office unannounced and say, Sir, I need you to stop what youre doing and listen to me, and he will stop what hes doing and listen to me.

That access, he said, would make him an unusually powerful replacement for Representative Mac Thornberry, the Republican who announced last fall he would not seek re-election after representing his district for more than a quarter of a century.

But it is not clear if that connection, combined with his background as a Navy rear admiral, will be enough to help Dr. Jackson overcome some rookie mistakes as a candidate. There have been more than a few.

His campaign organization, for one thing.

Dr. Jacksons campaign manager, he said, is a horse doctor with a full-time job. He has one full-time staff member, a recent college graduate who is also working for free, and he has relied on his wife, Jane, to drive him around the enormous Panhandle-encompassing district, which spans 41 counties. And despite having a power Rolodex, he has never reached into it to ask the right people for help.

On Friday, Dr. Jackson spent the afternoon knocking on doors in Wichita Falls, only to realize that it was a relatively futile exercise since most people werent home. In the evening, he mingled in the bleachers at the Monarch Motor Speedway only to report back to his wife that most of spectators had driven in from Oklahoma.

While waiting for the stock car race to begin, Dr. Jackson laughed when a hunk of mud spun up from the dirt track and landed in his coffee cup, a fitting end to another long day on the campaign trail where it wasnt clear if hed made any progress.

Dr. Jackson, who grew up in Levelland, Texas, returned to the Panhandle after leaving the White House and retiring from the Navy, settling in the district in Amarillo. He thought his connections to Mr. Trump and the extended Trumpworld would make him a shoo-in for the seat, people who spoke to him at the time said.

But Mr. Trump, who now generally adheres to rules put in place by his political shop about whom he endorses and what races he weighs in on, has been silent about Dr. Jacksons campaign. Donald Trump Jr., whom Dr. Jackson considers a close friend, has no plans to get involved in his race or officially endorse him, an aide said. And even Rick Perry, the former energy secretary and Texas governor who encouraged him to run and then endorsed him, has not campaigned for him.

Dr. Jackson is now facing an uphill battle against two well-funded and connected opponents Chris Ekstrom, a Dallas millionaire who recently moved to the district to run and is self-funding his campaign, and Josh Winegarner, a lobbyist who has the backing of the cattle industry he represents and Mr. Thornberry.

But Dr. Jacksons connections to the Trump administration as well as the president and his family are real, even if they have not translated into much support.

Eric Trump has tweeted a supportive message, and Mr. Trump has privately encouraged Dr. Jackson to run. And Dr. Jackson is benefiting, if belatedly, from Trump allies and aides who have only recently realized he needed help and have pitched in, setting him up with a real online fund-raising and phone prospecting operation, which helped to finally get him on air with a commercial a 30-second spot made up entirely of old clips of Mr. Trump praising his character.

At the candidates forum, Dr. Jackson, 52, conceded that he had never really considered running for office. But, he said, Trump is getting re-elected. Thats a done deal at this point.

I thought this is the unique opportunity for me to get in the game, he added. I have an opportunity to get in the fight and do something for our country.

Dr. Jackson, who served in the White House medical unit under the past three presidents, grew close to Mr. Trump after delivering the results of a presidential physical in a briefing at which he promoted Mr. Trumps incredible genes, said he did exceedingly well on a cognitive test and claimed that if he had adhered to a better diet over the past 20 years, he could have lived to be 200.

His hourlong news conference transformed Dr. Jackson into an inner circle Trump favorite, and a candidate, in Mr. Trumps mind, for a cabinet post. It also changed how he was perceived outside the building.

That was the day I got the Trump stamp on me completely, Dr. Jackson said during an interview last week at a coffee shop in Wichita Falls. I was no longer viewed as a nonpartisan physician on military orders, even though I still technically was. What I didnt realize was that it made people much more aggressive toward me when the V.A. nomination came up.

At the time of the allegations against him which included loosely dispensing strong drugs to lawmakers and political aides Dr. Jackson was not allowed to respond because he was an active-duty military officer.

The experience took a toll on Dr. Jackson and his family.

I tell people now that I got Kavanaugh-ed before Kavanaugh did, he said, referring to Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who he believes was falsely accused of sexual assault during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings. I was the pregame but I didnt know it. I was the warm up.

Dr. Jackson called the allegations against him complete garbage and hinted at behind-the-scenes plotting from both parties to remove a Trump loyalist from contention.

I saw the ugly side of Washington, he said. He noted that despite the scandal, I got promoted in the White House, I maintained my clearance, I stayed in the military, I retired as a Navy admiral. Come on.

Mr. Trump mounted an aggressive defense of Dr. Jackson, even as a bipartisan group of Senators expressed concerns over his record. The president called for Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, to resign for his lead role in releasing details of the allegations against Dr. Jackson.

Mr. Trump called Dr. Jackson one of the finest people that I have met while elevating him to the role of assistant to the president. And in the 13th District, those words may be more important than any accusation.

Im leaning toward Ronny because I have to look at whos electable, said Danny Breegle, a business owner in Wichita Falls who attended the Thursday night forum. He said he was impressed with his rsum and wanted to make sure hes not of the swamp, and now I think hes independent.

But for Dr. Jackson, the question will be whether the last-ditch help from Trumpworld has come too late by Friday, over half of the vote will already be in because of early voting in the March 3 primary.

In the interview, Dr. Jackson admitted that he had not been aggressive in calling in favors, especially from the president. He had so much on his plate. He was going through impeachment, Dr. Jackson said. I thought, Im not going to put Ronny Jackson in the 13th Congressional District on his plate.

If he wins the seat, Dr. Jackson will be back on a government salary. If he loses, he said, he plans to make enough money to buy his wife any house in Amarillo she wants.

That is, if he doesnt go back into the Trump administration. Dr. Jackson appeared to leave himself open to the possibility, but said his wife was committed to staying in Texas.

For now, Dr. Jackson said, he has put a cabinet post in his rear view mirror, calling the Veterans Affairs Department a massive bureaucracy and asserting that my ability to impact things will actually be better if Im a congressman, even for the veterans.

One of his regrets was moving on from his post as White House physician before he could help institute the diet and exercise regimen he had planned for the president.

During his infamous news conference, Mr. Jackson said his goal was to help Mr. Trump lose 10 to 15 pounds and that he planned to bring an exercise bike or elliptical machine into the White House residence.

Mr. Jackson said those plans never came to pass. (Mr. Trump had gained four pounds by his following physical.) The exercise stuff never took off as much as I wanted it to, he said. But we were working on his diet. We were making the ice cream less accessible, we were putting cauliflower into the mashed potatoes.

Read this article:
Trumps Doctor Thought He Had a Ticket to Congress. It Hasnt Been So Easy. - The New York Times

IT'S always alarming when a loved one develops cardiovascular disease or suffers a heart attack. As well as worrying about them, it might make you consider your own health too especially as these things can run in families.

So, if you do have a family history of heart disease and stroke, how concerned should you be? And what can you do about it?

We talked to consultant cardiologist Dr Gerald Carr-White, at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital and Philippa Hobson, a senior cardiac nurse for British Heart Foundation (bhf.org.uk).

:: How important is family history for heart health?

Around 7.5 million people are living with heart and circulatory disease, according to British Heart Foundation, and even though treatments have generally improved, cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in the UK and Ireland. Family history can be very relevant but it's important to remember this is part of a bigger picture.

Generally, "the most common thing that tends to run in families is vascular disease, affecting the coronary arteries", says Dr Carr-White. Known medically as 'atherosclerosis', heavily clogged, blocked or narrowed arteries are a recognised cause of potentially life-threatening heart attacks and stroke. It occurs due to a build-up of fatty deposits which, over time, leads to plaque developing within the artery walls.

Family history is one of five or six important risk factors that come into play, says Carr-White: "The others are whether you smoke, whether you've got a healthy diet, whether you exercise. There's also high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol to consider. All of these are very important."

:: Find out what's actually going on

The first step is to try and have a general awareness of your family history, and if you are concerned, Hobson says it's a good idea to "ask questions about what happened". Did doctors specify a cause? How old were they when it first happened?

"If your granddad or dad was in their 60s or 70s then of course that's still a serious thing, but if there is a family history of very premature heart attack, then you might want to take a more serious look at things like high cholesterol in the family," says Hobson. "Some people may even be born with high cholesterol but just not know about it until something happens."

For example, familial hypercholesterolaemia, a genetic condition that affects around one in every 250 people, causes abnormally high cholesterol from a young age.

"It's also worth pointing out that a lot of the time when people die young or suddenly, while [the cause of death] is often put down to a heart attack, this can sometimes be due to inherited conditions within the muscle or electrics of the heart," adds Carr-White. "So, if you do have a family history of people dying at a young age, particularly if it's below 40, it's worth going for a check-up with a specialist to see if there is anything else running through the family."

:: Healthy lifestyle habits go a very long way

Understandably, knowing heart problems run in your family can be worrying. "Family history is what's called an 'unmodifiable risk factor'," says Hobson but that doesn't mean future heart problems are inevitable. "We can't help our family background, but many of the other key risk factors are modifiable. So, it's really about addressing the other risk factors."

Lifestyle plays a vital role here. "Lifestyle measures are the most important thing anyone can do, and probably make more of a difference than anything else," says Carr-White. "So keep an eye on your weight, don't smoke, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet that probably does more good than all the tablets put together."

This is important for everyone, regardless of family history. For those of us who are more genetically predisposed to developing problems, Carr-White notes that a healthy lifestyle "can make a difference to when those problems present". In other words, we could help delay them, and sometimes prevent them entirely, by living healthily.

He recommends looking to the Mediterranean diet typically rich in fresh fruit, vegetables and healthy fats found in nuts and oily fish, and low in saturated fat which is often dubbed the world's healthiest diet, thanks to numerous major studies.

Watching your salt intake can help keep blood pressure healthy, and while exercise is important this isn't just about hitting the gym for an intense workout every now and then. There's lots of evidence that having a generally active lifestyle think daily walks and avoiding too much time being sedentary can be just as beneficial.

:: Don't wait until you have a health scare to start

There's growing evidence on how our diet and lifestyle in childhood impacts health in later life and it's never too early to start encouraging healthy habits. Plus, the build-up of plaque in our arteries develops over years and prevention is always better than cure. "If you look at the aortas and arteries of adolescents, you can see the early stages of problems with the walls of the arteries," says Carr-White. "So getting those lifestyle habits in from an early age is a good idea."

:: Know your numbers

Another way we can be proactive is by finding out our blood pressure and cholesterol levels. "High blood pressure and high cholesterol don't normally have any symptoms," says Hobson, "so it's a good idea to have your numbers checked."

Detecting these things early means we can take steps to manage them through lifestyle adjustments and sometimes medication before they get worse. You don't have to wait until you're inviting for a routine health check either. In fact, you can often now get these things checked on your local high street. "Chemists and pharmacies are very good at this now, you don't even always have to go to your GP," says Carr-White.

:: Be symptom savvy

Being aware of potential symptoms is also key, and ensuring you get them checked out quickly, and this doesn't just include chest pain. "Particularly if you're becoming more breathless when you do things, if you're having a very fast heart rate or having blackouts, it's very important to get those checked out. They could indicate narrowing in the coronary arteries, or a weakness of the heart muscle or an electrical problem," says Carr-White.

"It's also worth saying that women often present late with coronary heart disease, and people don't tend to think about this sort of thing as much with women."

Indeed, anyone experiencing symptoms, regardless of whether they fit the 'stereotype' of a typical heart attack victim, should get things checked. As Hobson notes, even very slim people can have clogged arteries.

And Carr-White's final piece of advice? "Everyone should learn CPR," he says. You never know when this vital first aid skill could help save a life.

Continue reading here:
Family history of heart disease? Here's what you need to know - The Irish News

More than 34 million Americans have diabetes, approximately 10% of the population according to the American Diabetes Association. To date, the most common treatment has been to manage the disease with a carefully controlled diet and regular insulin shots, if needed. But a cure may be on the horizon.

A research team led by Jeffrey Millman at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri found last year that infusing mice with stem cells could offer a better treatment option.

Building on that research, the same team may have found a cure: at least in lab mice.

Diabetics are characterized by their difficulty producing or managing insulin. This requires careful monitoring, a strict diet, exercise, and expensive insulin shots which many diabetics find themselves rationing due to the cost of drugs in the United States. Insulin is normally produced in the pancreas, but those with diabetes dont produce enough of it. To treat diabetes, many diabetics have to monitor their blood sugar levels, and inject insulin directly into the bloodstream as needed. Millmans treatment foregoes these shots and instead uses beta cells to secrete the insulin for you.

The treatment relies on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). These cells are essentially a blank slate and can be tricked into becoming almost any other type of cell in the body.

In a new study, the team improved on the technique it had developed last year to produce and introduce these cells into the bloodstream. When converting the stem cells into another type of cell, there are always mistakes and random cells enter into the mix along with the insulin-producing ones. These cells are harmless, but they dont pull their weight.

The more off-target cells you get, the less therapeutically relevant cells you have, Millman told New Atlas. You need about a billion beta cells to cure a person of diabetes. But if a quarter of the cells you make are actually liver cells or other pancreas cells, instead of needing a billion cells, youll need 1.25 billion. It makes curing the disease 25% more difficult.

The new method would rid the sample of those unwanted cells. Millmans team built a process that targeted the cytoskeleton, the structure that gives the cells their shape, and produced not only a higher percentage of effective beta cells, but better functioning ones.

When these new cells were infused into diabetic mice, their blood sugar levels stabilized, leaving them functionally cured of the disease for up to nine months.

Granted, its just an animal trial. The results shouldnt be interpreted as a cure for humans. But its a promising start.

The team plans to continue testing the cells in larger animals, and over longer periods, with their sights set on human clinical trials in the future.

Read next: Smithsonian Institute just released 2.8 million high-quality images for free

See the article here:
Researchers found a cure for diabetes (in lab mice) - The Next Web

More than 8 million adults in the US suffer from a painful condition called gout. There is evidence that unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking, poor eating and lack of exercise as well as rising obesity rates are increasing the number of people afflicted with this condition.

In order to reduce the prevalence of gout and frequency of painful flare-ups, doctors recommend a balanced diet full of vegetables, low-fat proteins, and regular exercise. Heres what you need to know about how diet can help with symptoms of gout.

Gout is a painful type of arthritis, or inflammation of joints, particularly in the big toe and knee joints. It happens as a result of hyperuricemia, or too much uric acid in the blood.

The problem is either your body produces too much uric acid or it cannot properly excrete the uric acid, says Shailendra Singh, MD, Rheumatology Medical Director at White River Medical Centre in Arkansas.

As a result, uric crystals can form, build-up, and get lodged in the joints, inflaming them, and causing excruciating discomfort and pain.

Joints get red-hot to touch and swollen. You could be fine for a few weeks to months to even years before you have another episode, says Singh.

Foods high in a natural compound called purine can trigger painful flare-ups for people with gout because the body breaks purine down into uric acid. Therefore, doctors recommend avoiding high-purine foods like the following:

An outlier to the rule is purine-rich vegetables like spinach, cauliflower, or mushrooms. These foods are shown to lower the risk of flare-ups. Fruits, especially cherries, are recommended as alternatives to other sugary snacks.

Also lean meat, like chicken and turkey, is ok. Leafy greens and vegetable protein like soy are also a good source, says Singh. Moderation is the key and avoiding the [high-purine] foods is the most important thing.

By swapping out some of the high-purine meats, processed sugars, and alcohol for more wholesome food options you can protect yourself from painful gout flare-ups while also leading a healthier lifestyle. Here are some swaps to consider:

In addition to using these meal ideas, one should ensure they stay well hydrated as dehydration can increase the concentration of uric acid in the body.

One myth is that if someone is suffering from gout, then theyre probably not eating right. But gout is the result of a mix of both genetics and environmental factors.

Its not that their husband or spouse is cheating on their diet, they arent sneaking food that they shouldnt eat, its not all diet, says Dr. Robert Keenan, a rheumatologist at Duke University Health Facility.

The pain from gout can also be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), like Aspirin or Ibuprofen and by losing weight, if youre overweight.

The important thing to remember for people who suffer from gout is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. By watching purine-rich food intake, eating more vegetables and less unprocessed foods, watching your weight, and exercising more, gout can be managed effectively.

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What is a good diet for gout that will reduce your risk of painful flare-ups - Business Insider Australia