Newsbriefs: Mindfulness; Soy and Veggies; Curb Sugar Cravings
Mindfulness Could Help With Weight Control
Can mindfulness training help overweight people shed pounds and keep them off? A recent review analyzed 19 studies that involved either formal meditation, informal mindfulness strategies that focused on eating activity, or some combination of these two approaches. Initially, when compared to participants treated with diet and exercise-based “lifestyle-change” interventions, those who received mindfulness training lost less weight by the end of the program. However, at follow-up examinations, mindfulness participants had continued to lose weight—bringing their average weight loss to 3.5 percent of their initial body weight—while those in the “lifestyle-change” programs regained some weight. The findings were published Oct. 27, 2017 in the journal Obesity Reviews.
Soy and Veggies May Ease Treatment Side Effects
According to a study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Dec. 11, 2017, consuming cruciferous vegetables and soy foods may reduce the side effects of cancer treatments that inhibit the body’s production or use of estrogen, a hormone that can fuel breast cancer growth. The study included 365 women; their intake of soy foods (such as tofu, soy milk, and edamame) ranged from 0 to 431 grams (g) per day, while their intake of cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli) ranged from 0 to 865 g per day. Women with a high soy intake were 49 percent less likely to experience menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats, and 57 percent less likely to experience fatigue than women with a low soy intake. High intake of cruciferous vegetables was associated with a 50 percent lower risk of menopausal symptoms.
Improved Sleep May Help Curb Sugar Cravings
A good night’s sleep may help you cut back on your consumption of added sugar, according to research that appeared Jan. 9, 2018 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
In the study, one group of participants learned about things to do to help them get more sleep., such as avoiding caffeine before bedtime, not going to bed on a full or empty stomach, and establishing a relaxing routine to follow before bedtime. Another group of participants did not receive suggestions for sleep improvements.
All of the participants recorded their sleep and dietary patterns for one week. Eighty-six percent of the participants who received suggestions to improve their sleep increased their total time spent in bed, and 50 percent extended their sleep duration by at least 52 minutes per night.
The participants who got more sleep reduced their added sugar intake by as much as 10 grams the next day compared with the amount of added sugar they consumed daily at the beginning of the study.
Although larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm that better sleep is linked to added sugar intake, these findings suggest that the amount and quality of sleep you get may affect your dietary choices.
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