Here’s How a Diet Full of Fat Can Be Healthy

“Great news... Not all fats are bad!”

— Dr. Dale

Here’s How a Diet Full of Fat Can Be Healthy

http://time.com/4411754/fat-mediterranean-diet/

There’s stronger evidence that the Mediterranean diet, and the good fats it includes, can lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and even breast cancer

The Mediterranean diet has a lot going for it—and no small part is that you can eat plenty of fat while following it. The diet doesn’t restrict total fats, mainly because it is rich in plants and fish, which contain healthy fats that don’t tend to build up in blood vessels and contribute to conditions like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. Nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains and seafood—also key components—contain unsaturated fats that have been linked to lower risk of chronic diseases, including cancer. Add in olive oil and moderate wine and dairy, and it’s a fat friendly (and pleasurable) way to eat.

In the latest study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers led by Dr. Hanna Bloomfield from the Minneapolis VA Medical Center analyzed data from 53 studies that investigated the health effects of the Mediterranean diet. The researchers focused their attention on clinical trials, which tend to be stronger sources of data than observational studies that look at populations and ask people about their diets. In the clinical trials, people were assigned a specific Mediterranean diet or a control diet and various health measures were recorded over time.

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Overall, the analysis found that people on the Mediterranean diets had a 29% lower risk of developing heart disease than those who weren’t on the diet, a 57% lower risk of developing breast cancer and a 30% reduced risk of getting diabetes.

Bloomfield is cautious, however, about interpreting these findings to mean that the Mediterranean diet can lower risk of breast cancer. Only one randomized trial involving breast cancer was included in the analysis, so more research is needed to replicate those findings before doctors can confidently advise their patients to adopt this diet if they want to lower their risk.

“I don’t think the evidence is strong enough yet for any one health group to come out with a proclamation,” says Bloomfield. The American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society note the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and its reliance on healthy fats, but both say more research is needed on whether it can prevent or significantly lower risk of heart disease or cancer. While the data in the current study showed lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and breast cancer, they did not show an overall reduced risk of dying early among those choosing Mediterranean diets.

Though the potential benefits are still being discovered, doctors don’t find much harm in eating the Mediterranean way. In fact, the most recentDietary Recommendations for Americans advised people to eat a diet that looks more like the Mediterranean diet. Most of the components of a Mediterranean diet—like vegetables, fish and olive oil—have been linked to more health benefits than adverse effects.

The results also support the changing view on fats. For decades, the message has been to lower how much fat we eat, mainly because those fats were coming from red meat and fried foods. But healthy fats may not need such restrictions. With plant or unsaturated fats, there may be benefits to consuming more, as Bloomfield’s study suggests. More research in coming years will hopefully define exactly how much of these healthy fats are optimal.

5 Fitness Rules Jillian Michaels Says You Absolutely Must Follow

“Jillian’s advice is worth noting!”

— Dr. Dale

5 Fitness Rules Jillian Michaels Says You Absolutely Must Follow

http://www.self.com/fitness/2016/07/5-fitness-rules-jillian-michaels-says-you-absolutely-must-follow/

Jillian Michaels knows a thing or two about fitness—the former Biggest Loser trainer‘s crazy-toned muscles and challenge moves are proof that she practices what she preaches. (But seriously, her hardcore moves are something to behold.) After years of helping clients shape up and set new personal records, Michaels has picked up a few keys to fitness success, whether you want to get stronger, lose weight, or anything in between.

One of Michaels’ missions is to make fitness and healthy eating accessible to everyone. That’s why she’s working with Thrive Market on their Care2 petition, which aims to help make food stamps available for use on online food markets. “Fitness and healthy eating must go hand in hand so that people have a total solution to health and wellness,” Michaels tells SELF. In addition to having access to healthy food, here are five things Michaels thinks you should always prioritize when it comes to your workouts.

1. First and foremost, make sure your form is on-point.

“Proper form is critical. Boring, but true,” Michaels says. “Not only will you diminish your benefits [if you don’t use proper form], but you risk serious injury. Educate yourself properly before beginning any workout, whether it’s yoga, Pilates, Olympic weightlifting, or otherwise.”

Working with a personal trainer, or paying extra attention to the cues from your instructor during a group class, are simple ways to make sure your form is on point. When you’re on your own, don’t be afraid to check yourself in the gym mirror to make sure your form looks good—here are five basic and effective moves to learn.

2. Incorporate strength training into your routine.

In case you haven’t heard, strength training can be an amazing addition to your workout routine—and, no, you won’t bulk up. “Weight lifting is one of the best ways to amp up metabolism, burn fat, and maintain lean muscle and bone density,” says Michaels. It also helps with any weight-loss goals you may have—lean muscle requires more energy to maintain, so you’ll burn more calories on a day-to-day basis. Always consult with your doctor if you have any questions or specific concerns regarding the workouts that are best for you.

3. Choose workouts you genuinely enjoy—and then mix them up.

Finding a workout you actually like to do is a major fitness rule for Michaels. “If you dread the workout you won’t do it,” she adds. Whether you go for boxing, yoga, indoor cycling, or dance cardio, your workout should be something you look forward to doing.

There’s a catch, though—once you find a workout you love, make sure you mix it up with other exercises, too. “Getting into a workout routine where you do the same things over and over is a mistake,” says Michaels. That’s because your body adapts and you may not continue to see the benefits you’re after. “Find a few things that you enjoy, and then mix it up,” Michaels told SELF in May.

4. Keep yourself accountable.

Sometimes, sticking with a fitness routine means finding creative ways to hold yourself accountable. Michaels’ go-to method is recruiting friends. “Whenever I’m not in the mood to workout, I meet a friend to get my ass there.” Working out with friends or in a place that has a sense of community can help keep you on track, she says. “And if you’re taking classes or working with a trainer, pre-pay so you have to go to your workouts,” she adds. Consistency is what will help you see results, so find the accountability tactic that works best for you.

5. Make sure you’re supporting your workout efforts with a healthy diet.

No matter how hard you go at the gym though, it won’t mean much if you’re not combining it with a sensible, healthy diet. A few basics: “Make sure that you don’t overeat. Calories do count, no matter how healthy [the food you’re eating is].” That said, though, you should still aim to eat whole, clean foods so you’re getting all of the amazing nutrition benefits they have to offer. “Quality is key,” she says. “If you are working out but eating poorly, it will cancel out your gains.”

While there’s no big secret to fitness success, following Michaels’ rules can help you work hard, keep up your routine, and get results. Motivated yet?

Believe the Dairy-Free Hype! 25 Vegan Ice Cream Recipes Anyone Can Make

“For all of my patients with IBS! Happy National Ice Cream Month, everyone.”

— Dr. Dale

Believe the Dairy-Free Hype! 25 Vegan Ice Cream Recipes Anyone Can Make

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/dairy-free-ice-cream-recipes/

When can everyone agree about politics? When they lead to the celebration of something everyone loves! In 1984, former President Ronald Regan declared July National Ice Cream Month and in particular, July 20th is National Ice Cream Day this year. Ice cream is something we can all agree on!

There are more and more brands of delicious dairy-free ice cream available, but it’s also easy to make your own. You don’t even need an ice cream maker to do it. Plus, when you make your own ice cream, you get to pick and choose the ingredients and guess what? Dairy does not have to be one of them.

What’s your favorite flavor? Chocolate, vanilla or something really different, like lavender coconut? Whatever flavor of ice cream you prefer, we have recipes for it. Plus, whether you want your ice cream in a bowl, on a cone, in a cake or on a stick, we have recipes for that, too. Check out 15 Dairy-Free Ice Creams to Enjoy This Summer, Let’s All Scream for These 30 Fresh and Summery Vegan Ice Creams, and 10 Chocolate Ice Cream Recipes That Are Rich, Creamy, and Dairy-Free. Here are 25 more recipes for dairy-free ice cream that are rich, creamy and soooo good!

1. Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Made with only five ingredients, this Salted Caramel Ice Cream is simple and easy. Just blend it up, freeze, and enjoy — no ice cream maker necessary. It has a rich and creamy coconut milk base that’s swirled with salty date caramel. Enjoy a bowl of this for dessert or try a scoop on top of a berry crisp

2. Marzipan and Butterscotch Ice Cream Sundae

This Marzipan and Butterscotch Ice Cream Sundae is so unreal, so perfect, and so heavenly. One of the best parts of this three-ingredient recipe is that it’s really good for you! The only ingredients — drum roll, please — are frozen bananas to make the ice cream, almond butter for the marzipan, and carob syrup for the butterscotch. It couldn’t be easier, and it couldn’t be better.

3. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

This banana-based Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is so healthy; you can comfortably eat it for breakfast without a second thought! Made with just five ingredients — dates, cashews, bananas, coconut cream, and chocolate chips — you can whip up this refreshing and sweet dish in a jiff. Then, if you’d like, you can up the yumminess level by adding some vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon.

4. Key Lime Pie Avocado Ice Cream

The taste of this Key Lime Pie Avocado Ice Cream is exactly like you’re digging into the frozen version of key lime pie. The avocado is completely undetectable — all it does is give a deliciously creamy ice cream texture that’s the perfect partner for the crunchy graham cracker cookie crumble and the sticky vegan condensed milk. This recipe serves one, so you don’t have to (and won’t want to) share.

5. Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cupcakes

If you’re worried that the absence of white flour, refined sugar and dairy in an ice cream recipe will mean the absence of decadence, just take a look at these Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cupcakes. These are dark chocolate cupcakes topped off with a scoop of delicious peanut butter ice cream. One bite of these and you will never think those ingredients are necessary again. You’re welcome.

6. Mango Ice Cream with Black Sesame Syrup

Fancy it up with some easy-to-prepare Mango Ice Cream with Black Sesame Syrup. Sweet, creamy mango ice cream is drizzled with homemade black sesame syrup and garnished with toasted seeds. This ice cream contains only four ingredients, but the flavor experience is rich.

7. Hawaii Mocha Ice Cream Tarts

Hawaij is a Yemeni spice blend of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves that is used to bring warm, spicy notes to coffees and soups in Israel, so it’s perfect in these coffee-flavoredMocha Ice Cream Tarts. Homemade coconut mocha ice cream is poured into a grain-free mini tart crust and topped with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate. These rich and creamy tarts are the perfect treat to help you cool down and get your coffee fix at the same time

8. Raspberry Jelly Tip Ice Cream Bars

These refined sugar-free Raspberry Jelly Tip Ice Cream Bars are the perfect summer treat! A gooey raspberry jelly tip sits on top of vanilla ice cream made from coconut cream and bananas, all coated in rich dark chocolate. The whole ensemble is really too simple, but so fun to eat through all the different layers! Chocolate and raspberry really is one of those flavor combos that never fails to impress.

9. Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

This rich Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream is so easy to make! It’s made from bananas with no sugar added, making it the perfect pre-workout snack … but you can eat it anytime, even for breakfast. Sprinkle on some raw cacao nibs for crunch and a dollop of coconut or cashew whipped cream to turn it into a raw ice cream sundae!

10. Raw Salted Caramel Truffle Blizzard

This refreshing Raw Salted Caramel Truffle “Blizzard” is really easy to make, and it’s even easier to eat. Frozen bananas are blended into soft serve ice cream with a rich, salty date caramel. The recipe may serve two, but you will not want to share this. Trust us.

11. Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cakes for One

These individual Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cakes are completely raw, gluten-free, and sugar-free! Made with only a handful of all-natural ingredients, these summer treats are both delicious and guilt-free. Creamy peanut butter banana ice cream sits on a grain-free chocolate crust, and it’s all topped with a rich peanut butter hot fudge. These cakes are so good; you won’t want to share — good thing it’s single-serve.

12. No-Churn Lemon Mint Ice Cream

This Lemon Mint Ice Cream calls for five ingredients, and there are even fewer steps involved. Lemon and fresh mint are a perfect flavor pair. It’s refreshing with just the right amount of zing. It’s extra perfect when it’s made into this creamy coconut milk-based ice cream. Summer food at its finest! This ice cream would also make a mean ice cream sandwich, maybe with some vanilla or strawberry cookies!

13. Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Made from cashews and almond milk, this Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Ice Cream is about as creamy as you can get when it comes to frozen desserts. The ice cream base has a rich vanilla flavor with bites of chocolate chip peanut butter cookie dough throughout. It’s an indulgent balance of delicious flavors and addictive textures that you need to try to believe.

14. Rhubarb and Lemon Ice Cream

Sharp and creamy, this Rhubarb and Lemon Ice Cream is a refreshing treat that makes the most of seasonal produce. You’ve probably tried or at least heard of rhubarb pie before, but it turns out that rhubarb is good for more than just baked goods. This ice cream is tangy, creamy, and has a distinct sharpness from fresh rhubarb. Serve it topped with lemon zest and fresh berries.

15. Raw Banana Split Ice Cream Cake

This decadent Raw Banana Split Ice Cream Cake is fully awesome. It’s loaded with all the best things — vanilla bean, cacao, nuts, hemp seeds, young coconut meat, berries and of course, bananas! From birthday parties to backyard barbecues, this cake is sure to be a hit.

16. Four-Ingredient Strawberry Ice Cream

You don’t need an ice cream maker to make this Strawberry Ice Cream — you don’t even need to churn it! It’s only four ingredients standing between you and frozen, sweet strawberry delight. It’s the perfect way to take full advantage of strawberry season.

17. Mini Vanilla Ice Cream Cakes with Caramel Sauce

These delectable Mini Vanilla Ice Cream Cakes with Caramel Sauce are made up of three layers. The bottom layer is a date-sweetened almond crust, the middle layer is creamy vanilla ice cream, and the top layer has a rich dark chocolate shell. A drizzle of homemade caramel sauce takes this cake over the edge.

18. Avocado Basil Ice Cream

The only thing better than a delicious bowl of ice cream is ice cream that’s super-easy to make. This Avocado Basil Ice Cream requires no churning at all. The avocado is so creamy that no cream is even needed. What you get is a sweet, creamy, and super addicting dessert that’s also really pretty to look at.

19. Roasted Strawberry Coconut Milk Ice Cream

If you’ve debated getting an ice cream maker, this recipe may convince you. This Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream has a coconut milk base and is creamy, sweet, and studded with flavorful strawberries. Enjoy it on your favorite pie with a dollop of coconut whipped cream. You’ll never want store-bought pints again.

20. Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream Pops

Who doesn’t love chocolate and cherries together, especially when they are mixed with coconut milk ice cream and drizzled with a dark chocolate shell? No one we know! These creamy, dreamy Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream Pops are the perfect snack for warmer days and parties. If you have any leftover chocolate drizzle, save it for more ice cream

21. Raw Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches

These Raw Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches are truly divine! Sweetened avocado-banana ice cream sits atop a chocolatey base of raisins and Brazil nuts, then both layers are then coated with melted chocolate. You can choose to leave it as a top layer or, if you’re a true chocolate lover, you can coat the entire sandwich in chocolate.

22. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Coffee Ice Cream

This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Coffee Ice Cream combines sweet, melt-in-your-mouth cookie dough and creamy, homemade coffee ice cream. You know what it’s like to bake cookies and want to eat the whole bowl of batter before you even start preheating the oven. Mix that feeling with cool, refreshing coffee ice cream, and you pretty much have every coffee and cookie lover’s dream dessert. Since one pint has two cups of coffee, feel free to have this treat as an afternoon pick-me-up!

23. Toffee Vanilla Ice Cream Slices

These Toffee Vanilla Ice Cream Slices are inspired by an Australian dessert called the Golden Gaytime, a finger-sized toffee, and vanilla ice cream bar dipped in chocolate and covered in biscuit pieces. This recipe is a healthier version of the Aussie dessert, made with a crumbly oat base, creamy coconut ice cream filling, and all topped with a drizzle of chocolate and a divine cookie crumble. These little bars have the same texture and taste of the original with just a fraction of the guilt!

24. Green Monster Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Nobody will realize that this delicious Green Monster Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream has spinach in it — that’s right, spinach, in ice cream. In this recipe, greens are hidden in a sweet and minty cashew ice cream. It’s just like that classic mint chocolate chip flavor, only better for you. The texture of this frozen dessert is just like soft serve and the chocolate chips within can be added, more or less, to your liking.

25. Cauliflower Nice Cream Bowls

If you’re seeking a frozen treat that’s low in sugar, this Cauliflower Nice Cream Bowl is here for you. When blended with frozen banana, frozen cauliflower adds creaminess, but not sugar, to your standard ice cream. Each bowl of this nice cream is easily customized based on your taste preferences, so have fun experimenting with all of the flavor combo possibilities!

Ice cream is like pure, concentrated, frozen joy — it’s summer’s perfect treat.

Lead image source: Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cupcakes