Top Diets & Fasting vs Fatty Liver: What’s Best?
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We previously wrote about how the Mediterranean diet was voted (by a panel of 69 doctors and nutritionists) as best for liver regeneration (followed by Flexitarian, Vegan, DASH, MIND).
Here is that article, for reference: Which Diet? Top Diets Ranked By Experts
Those diets in the “followed by” section are not surprising to see there either, since the Mediterranean diet is mostly plant-based anyway with very little meat and some fermented dairy, and DASH and MIND are variations of the Mediterranean in any case; see: Four Ways To Upgrade The Mediterranean Diet
So, what happens when we take various diets and various kinds of intermittent fasting into account?
Dietary approaches vs MASLD
First, a note on terminology, because there has been a rebrand: what used to be called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
Attentive readers may have noticed that there appears to be a D missing from the acronym. We noticed that too, and were not able to find any explanation of why it’s not MDASLD.
However, you can read about why the change was made, and how the decision was agreed upon, here: A multisociety Delphi consensus statement on new fatty liver disease nomenclature
Now, onto the science. A team of researchers, Dr. Katarzyna Zablocka-Sowinska et al., investigated, well, the title of the paper explains it:
They found:
- Mediterranean diet: unsurprisingly, was found to significantly reduce weight, BMI, waist circumference, and improve glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation. Early evidence also shows improved liver enzyme levels and reduced MASLD severity.
- DASH diet: a modified version of the Mediterranean diet originally aimed at lowering blood pressure (whence the name, dietary approaches to stop hypertension), DASH also helped reduce weight and improved glucose and lipid metabolism in MASLD patients.
- Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet—in other words, what’s usually just called vegetarianism (as opposed to veganism)—was associated with improved body measurements and liver function, which the researchers considered to be likely due to high nutrient density and reduced processed food intake, as well as the obvious reduction in saturated fats and other well-established meat-related health risks.
- Intermittent fasting: approaches like alternate-day fasting and time-restricted feeding (especially the 16:8 method) led to improved body composition, fasting glucose, triglycerides, LDL-C, inflammation, and liver health.
About those different kinds of fasting, check out: Intermittent Fasting, Intermittently?
We haven’t given numbers there because a lot of metrics were measured for each one and we don’t want to pad the page with tables of data that can be found in the linked paper anyway, but it’s worth noting that the Mediterranean diet and intermittent fasting show the strongest benefits for MASLD management by far, while DASH and vegetarianism provided more modest metabolic and liver health improvements (compared to control).
We are curious as to how a purely plant-based diet (i.e. veganism) would have fared, and hypothesize it’d score more highly than vegetarianism on a like-for-like basis without other adaptations, but alas, that’ll have to remain a hypothesis until further research is done. Same deal with pescatarianism; we’d have liked to see that tested, too.
See also: The Diet That Reduces Postmenopausal Weight Gain, Hot Flashes, & More
Want to learn more?
Check out:
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Pain In These 10 Areas? Here’s What Each Means
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As we get older, it’s easy to think of pain as an inevitability, and especially if it’s chronic, get in the habit of doing our best to ignore it. However, pain is first and foremost a messenger. Now, sometimes that message can be faulty, but it’s worth checking first whether your body’s “check engine” light is on because something actually needs your attention:
The ouch list
Notably, sometimes the pain is “referred”, meaning that it’s not located where the actual source of the problem is. There can be for various reasons, including the layout of our nerves, the layout of our fascia (one thing pulling on another in an odd way), and/or overcompensation causing a secondary problem. Here’s a checklist that’s worth understanding:
- Side of the hip: often not arthritis but Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS); linked to weak glutes. Treatable with glute strengthening.
- Deep groin pain: common sign of hip arthritis; especially if leg rotation and dressing are difficult. Often manageable with mobility and strength work.
- Inside of the knee: likely a medial meniscus issue if tender to touch or twisting causes pain; often confused with arthritis.
- Thumb, forefinger, middle, and inside of fourth finger: indicates carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve compression). A “prayer test” can help identify it (see video).
- Side of calf/into the foot: often caused by L5 nerve compression in the lower spine—a form of sciatica.
- Top of upper arm, below shoulder: suggests frozen shoulder, especially with stiffness and limited outward arm movement.
- Back of the head: could be a cervicogenic (Latin: “originating from the neck”) headache from neck issues; pain often radiates over the skull or around the ears.
- Under the heel: most likely plantar fasciitis; common with tight calves or weak hip/ankle muscles.
- Inside of the ankle: usually tibialis posterior tendinopathy; common in walkers/runners, due to tendon irritation or breakdown.
- Elbow pain:
- Outside: likely tennis elbow (wrist extensor tendon irritation) (does not require playing tennis).
- Inside: likely golfer’s elbow (wrist flexor tendon irritation) (does not require playing golf).
- Both: likely a result of wrist overuse; rehab should focus on the wrist.
For more on each of these plus some visual illustrations, enjoy:
Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!
Want to learn more?
You might also like:
Fascia: Why (And How) You Should Take Care Of Yours
Take care!
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Top 10 Foods That Promote Lymphatic Drainage and Lymph Flow
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Melissa Gallagher, a naturopath by profession, recommends the following 10 foods that she says promote lymphatic drainage and lymph flow, as well as the below-mentioned additional properties:
Ginger
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, which we wrote about here:
Ginger Does A Lot More Than You Think
Turmeric
Turmeric is another natural anti-inflammatory, which we wrote about here:
Why Curcumin (Turmeric) Is Worth Its Weight In Gold
Garlic
Garlic is—you guessed it—another natural anti-inflammatory which we wrote about here:
The Many Health Benefits Of Garlic
Pineapple
Pineapple contains a collection of enzymes collectively called bromelain—which is a unique kind of anti-inflammatory, and which we have written about here:
Bromelain vs Inflammation & Much More
Citrus
Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are rich in vitamin C, which can help support the immune system in general.
Cranberry
Cranberries contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which we wrote about here:
Health Benefits Of Cranberries (But: You’d Better Watch Out)
The video also explains how cranberry bioactives inhibit adipogenesis and reduces fat congestion in your lymphatic system.
Dandelion Tea
Dandelion is a natural diuretic and anti-inflammatory herb, which we’ve not written about yet!
Nettle Tea
Nettle is a natural diuretic and anti-inflammatory herb, which we’ve also not written about yet!
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and olive oil can help reduce inflammation and support the immune system.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods, such as kimchi and sauerkraut, contain probiotics that can improve gut health, which in turn boosts the immune system. You can read all about it here:
Making Friends With Your Gut (You Can Thank Us Later)
Want the full explanation? Here’s the video:
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How was the video? If you’ve discovered any great videos yourself that you’d like to share with fellow 10almonds readers, then please do email them to us!
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How To Rest More Efficiently (Yes, Really)
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How To Rest More Efficiently (Yes, Really)
We’ve talked before about how to recover more quickly after a workout, especially if you overdid it. There are a lot of tips in that article, so by all means check it out if you didn’t catch it at the time!
That was very specific to recovering from exercise, though. Today we’re looking at something a little different, a little more holistic.
You’re busier than you think
Maybe your life is an obvious blur of busy-ness. Maybe it’s not. But either way, you’re almost certainly busier than you think. Especially on a cellular level.
Your resting metabolic rate (RMR), or how many calories you burn while at rest (i.e., calories used just to keep you alive) will depend on various factors including age, sex, weight, body composition, and other things.
That said, it’ll probably be between 1000 and 2000 calories per day. You can get a rough idea of what it might be for you, using this calculator:
How Many Calories Do You Burn a Day at Rest (Doing Nothing)?
So if ever you wonder why you feel so exhausted, despite having done nothing, it could be that your body was busy:
- Metabolizing, generally (did you have a big meal?)
- Fighting an illness (bacterial or viral infection, for example)
- Fighting an imaginary illness and creating a real one in the process (stress, inflammation, etc)
- Recovering/rebuilding from something you did yesterday or even before that
- Thinking (your brain is your largest organ by mass, and consumes the most calories by far)
Your brain does not get a free pass on being part of your body! Just like if a certain muscle group were working out constantly for 16 hours you’d be feeling pretty tired, the same goes for the organ that is your brain, if it’s been working out constantly.
Your body is a composite organism—take advantage of that
Dolphins can shut down half of their brain at once, to let each hemisphere of the brain sleep independently in shifts. We (except in the case of split brain patients, where the corpus callosum has been severed) can’t do that, but we can let different parts of the organism that is our body work in shifts.
This is the real meaning of “a change is as a good as a rest”:
If you’ve been doing cognitive work (at your desk perhaps, maybe managing a spreadsheet, say), then taking a break to do crosswords will not, actually, give you break. Because you’re still sitting manipulating letters and numbers. As far as your brain (still having to do work!) is concerned, it’s basically the same. Nor will checking out social media; you’re still sitting examining a screen.
Instead, time to get physically active. Literally just doing the washing up would be a better break! Some yoga or Pilates would be perfect.
In contrast, if you’ve been doing a vigorous bit of gardening, then for example taking a break to lift weights isn’t going to be a break, because again you just switched to a similar task.
Better to pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read, or the crosswords we mentioned earlier. Or just lounge in your nicely-gardened garden.
The important thing is: to not require the same resources from the body (including the brain, it’s still part of the body) that you have been.
For more specific tips than we have room for here today, check out:
How to Take Better Breaks at Work, According to Research
Give your metabolism a break too
Not completely—you don’t need to be put into cryostasis or anything.
But, give your metabolism a rest, in relative terms. Intermittent fasting is great for precisely this; it lets your body rest and reset.
See: Intermittent Fasting: we sort the science from the hype!
So does the practice of meditation, by the way. You don’t have to get fancy with it, either:
Check out: No Frills, Evidence-Based Mindfulness
Enjoy, and rest well!
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Beetroot vs Zucchini – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing beetroot to zucchini, we picked the beetroot.
Why?
Both have their strong virtues! But…
In terms of macros, beetroot has more fiber, carbs, and protein, winning in this round.
In the category of vitamins, beetroot has more vitamin B9, while zucchini has more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E, K, and choline, winning easily.
Looking at minerals; this imbalance gets flipped: beetroot has more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc, while zucchini is not higher in any minerals; a total win here for beetroot.
In other considerations, beetroot has more polyphenols, especially quercetin, and beetroot’s other phytochemical benefits are so numerous we’ll not list them here, and just recommend checking out the link below!
Adding up the sections makes for a clear overall win for beetroot, but zucchini were much stronger in the vitamin category, so by all means enjoy either or both; diversity is good!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
Beetroot For More Than Just Your Blood Pressure ← more beetroot benefits
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Grapes vs Lychees – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing grapes to lychees, we picked the lychees.
Why?
In terms of macros, grapes have slightly more carbs, while lychees have slightly more fiber and protein, winning marginally in this category.
In the category of vitamins, grapes have more of vitamins B1, E, and K, while lychees have more of vitamins B3, B9, and C, for a 3:3 tie in this round.
Looking at minerals next, grapes have more calcium, manganese, and potassium, while lychees have more copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc, winning this round easily.
In other considerations, grapes have more polyphenols; not as much more as their reputation would suggest, but enough more to win this round.
Adding up the sections makes for a modest win for lychees, but by all means enjoy either or both, as diversity is best!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
Can We Drink To Good Health? ← while there are polyphenols such as resveratrol in red wine that per se would boost heart health, there’s so little per glass that you may need 100–1000 glasses per day to get the dosage that provides benefits in mouse studies.
If you’re not a mouse, you might even need more than that!
To this end, many people prefer resveratrol supplementation ← link is to an example product on Amazon, but there are plenty more so feel free to shop around 😎
Enjoy!
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Eyes for Alzheimer’s Diagnosis: New?
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It’s Q&A Time!
This is the bit whereby each week, we respond to subscriber questions/requests/etc
Have something you’d like to ask us, or ask us to look into? Hit reply to any of our emails, or use the feedback widget at the bottom, and a Real Human™ will be glad to read it!
Q: As I am a retired nurse, I am always interested in new medical technology and new ways of diagnosing. I have recently heard of using the eyes to diagnose Alzheimer’s. When I did some research I didn’t find too much. I am thinking the information may be too new or I wasn’t on the right sites.
(this is in response to last week’s piece on lutein, eyes, and brain health)
We’d readily bet that the diagnostic criteria has to do with recording low levels of lutein in the eye (discernible by a visual examination of macular pigment optical density), and relying on the correlation between this and incidence of Alzheimer’s, but we’ve not seen it as a hard diagnostic tool as yet either—we’ll do some digging and let you know what we find! In the meantime, we note that the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (which may be of interest to you, if you’re not already subscribed) is onto this:
See also:
- Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (mixture of free and paid content)
- Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports (open access—all content is free)
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