You are what you eat, and to science it is true. People live longer based on what they choose to eat. With such a thought, Canadians took on to a UK-based challenge of eating vegan for a month. The challenge is called Veganuary (Vegan + January). For many, it is not a hidden fact that eating less meat and more plants is good for our health and it can cut food-related emissions, which make up to a third of the greenhouse causing climate change. However, going vegan isn't really a smooth change, rather a big step. It means to revamp our entire diet.

The good news is, that there have been researches that prove that even relatively small substitutions of red meat with plant-based proteins like tofu, lentils and beans can add months, sometimes years to our expected lifespan. It can also make a noticeable dent in our carbon footprint.

The Rise Of Vegetarianism

As per 2018, only 7.1% of Canadians were vegetarian and 2.3% were vegan. Olivia Auclair, a research fellow at the University of Oxford, who researched on Canadian's eating habits told CBC that Canadians get 65% of their protein from animal sources. Only 5% of the protein comes from the high-protein plant-based sources. Some of these are also included in Canada's Food Guide.

It is true that eating habits, along with shopping habits are hard to change, this is why Auclair's research tried to bring people more in line with the food guide. The Canada Food Guide recommends lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grain, along with protein from both animal and plant sources.

ALSO READ: Is Plant-Based Cheese The Future?

What is the study all about?

Her research was published last year in the journal Nature Food, titled Partial substitutions of animal with plant protein foods in Canadian diets have synergies and trade-offs among nutrition, health and climate outcomes, found that replacing half their red and processed meat would increase people's life expectancy an average of nine months, while cutting their diet-related carbon footprint by 25%.

For her research, she analyzed what 13,600 Canadians ate based on the Statistics Canada data from "food diaries" recorded by them in 2015. After that, she modelled what could happen if the same people substituted 25 to 50% of the red and processed meat they had been consuming with plant-based proteins. However, they did not change their poultry, fish or seafood intake.

The results were great, as mentioned above. In fact, there was more. The health benefits were double for men compared to women!

Men gained one full year of increased life expectancy, on average. This is also because men eat more red and processed meats and the climate benefits were also higher for men cutting down on the meat.

CHECK OUT: Can A Vegan Diet Help You Loose Weight ?

Plant-based Diets

In 2019, an international group of scientist recommended a planetary health diet, a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grain, with small amounts of meat, dairy and fish, similar to what is recommended by the Canada Food Guide. The reason for such a recommendation was also to prevent 11 million deaths per year from processed meats and help keep greenhouse gas emission from food.

Another US study that looked at 200,000 US healthcare workers found that eating a plant-based diet could reduce a person's risk of dying by 30% from heart diseases, cancers, and respiratory diseases. Another 2021 Swedish study found a similar benefit, where it saw a 25% drop in mortality for those who adhere to a plant-based diets.

New research is suggesting a significant connection between drinking instant coffee and a higher chance of getting age-related eye disorder.

Instant coffee may seem like a great way to start your day if you are in a hurry, however, a study has pointed out a major health consequence of drinking it. Published in the Food Science & Nutrition journal, this study showed that instant coffee could increase your risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Think of AMD as a common eye disease that can hurt your central vision and may even cause permanent blindness, especially for people over the age of 50.

Scientists did a study to look closely at how different types of coffee, ground, decaf, and instant, affect eye health. What they found was surprising. Earlier studies had actually hinted that coffee might be helpful for your eyes, possibly lowering the risk of AMD. However, this new research found the opposite was true for one type:

They discovered that only drinking instant coffee was clearly and strongly linked to an increased risk of getting dry AMD. In short, the study concluded that instant coffee "significantly increases the risk of AMD."

What is Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

The macula is a small spot right in the center of your retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of your eye). It's crucial because it gives you your central vision, which you use for reading and seeing fine details. There are two main types of AMD:

Dry AMD

This is the most common type. It happens when tiny yellow protein deposits form under your macula, slowly making your central vision blurry.

Wet AMD

This is less common but more serious. It happens when abnormal, fragile blood vessels grow under the macula and leak fluid and blood, causing quick damage.

You are more likely to develop AMD if you smoke, are overweight, have high blood pressure, or if someone in your immediate family has the disease.

How Does Instant Coffee Affect Eye Sight?

Since ground and decaf coffee didn't show this same risk, the researchers believe the difference has something to do with how instant coffee is made.

They suggest that the manufacturing process, which is different from brewing regular coffee, might be creating certain "potentially harmful substances" or involves additives that are not present in other types of coffee. Because of these findings, the researchers give a clear warning: if you are already at high risk for AMD, it's a good idea to avoid drinking instant coffee.

How Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treated?

The National Health Services UK explain that there is no cure for AMD right now. However, there are treatments and support available to help slow down vision loss and ensure you can maintain the best possible quality of life.

Your treatment plan will depend on the type of AMD you have, wet or dry. You will work with eye doctors, such as an optometrist, who checks eyes and an ophthalmologist who treats eye diseases.

Treatments for Wet AMD

Wet AMD happens when abnormal, fragile blood vessels start leaking fluid and damaging the eye. The main goal of treatment is to stop these leaks. Doctors use eye injections (called anti-VEGF) of medicine directly into the eye to block the growth of the bad blood vessels, or sometimes use light treatment to destroy them.

Treatments for Dry AMD

Unfortunately, there's currently no medical cure to reverse or stop dry AMD with medicine or surgery. Treatment focuses on supporting your remaining vision. Specialists offer low vision help by teaching you to use tools like bright lights and magnifiers. They also recommend lifestyle changes like specific diets and habits to protect your eye health.

Energy drinks have become a common pick-me-up, marketed as quick fixes for sharper focus, improved alertness, and instant energy. Whether you are working late or driving for hours, grabbing a can may feel like the easiest way to stay awake. Yet once that caffeine rush fades, what lasting effects does it leave on your heart, brain, and sleep?

The FDA has received several reports connecting energy drink intake to deaths and serious side effects such as spikes in blood pressure, seizures, and irregular heart rhythms. Many of these incidents required hospital treatment.

Between 2022 and 2023, America’s Poison Centers recorded a 24.2% rise in cases of children and teenagers under 20 being exposed to energy drinks. Worryingly, around 78% of these were accidental, most youngsters did not realize how much caffeine they were consuming or even that their drink contained it.

How Energy Drinks Can Overstimulate Your Heart

Studies have shown that energy drinks can disrupt normal heart rhythm. People who consume them often experience higher blood pressure and irregular heart activity that can last for several hours, which may increase the chance of dangerous arrhythmias.

Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, raising heart rate and blood pressure. But unlike coffee, energy drinks combine caffeine with other stimulants such as guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine, which amplify caffeine’s impact, according to researchers at Jefferson Health.

They also note that one can of an energy drink may contain far more caffeine than a standard 8-ounce cup of coffee. The FDA generally considers up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day to be safe for healthy adults with no heart problems.

Although experts points out that the caffeine difference between coffee and energy drinks may not appear large, labels can be misleading. A cup of coffee contains about 90 mg of caffeine, while energy drinks can range from 100 to 350 mg, sometimes even more when a single can holds multiple servings. Reading labels carefully helps you understand how much caffeine you are really consuming.

Energy Drinks Contain Excess Calories

Along with caffeine, these drinks are often loaded with sugar and calories. Many specialty coffees, packed with syrups, whipped cream, and heavy dairy, fall into the same category. Regularly consuming such beverages increases the risk of weight gain, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, all of which harm heart health.

Dr. Reginald Ho, a cardiologist, explains that over time, this pattern can lead to high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and other cardiovascular diseases.

Energy Drinks Can Lead to Stroke Issues

Energy drinks may also raise the risk of stroke. A stroke is often described as a “heart attack in the brain.” One condition linked to these drinks is reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), which involves sudden spasms in the brain’s blood vessels that can either restrict blood flow or cause bleeding, as noted by the Cleveland Clinic.

Caffeine blocks adenosine, the chemical that helps the brain relax, so even when you feel tired, your mind remains overstimulated. This disruption affects your sleep cycle and can cause poor memory, low concentration, mood swings, anxiety, and even depression.

Can You Mix Energy Drinks With Alcohol?

Health experts have repeatedly warned against mixing alcohol with energy drinks. The FDA has stated that adding caffeine to alcohol makes for an “unsafe additive.”

Caffeine’s stimulant effect masks alcohol’s depressant properties, allowing people to drink more without feeling its sedative impact. This can lead to misjudging one’s level of intoxication and even driving while impaired.

While energy drinks may promise a quick fix for fatigue, their risks to the heart, brain, and sleep are real. Choosing natural ways to stay energized, through rest, hydration, and balanced nutrition, is far better for long-term health.

Have you ever had a weird craving that you were not able to justify? These are not just night-time craving that happens because you spend the time studying. These cravings happen at anytime, however, even after you ate the snack, you did not feel better. If so, then there could be an underlying reason for it, including a reason which could adversely impact your health.

What Does Your Craving Say About Your Health?

Chocolate

A sudden craving for sweet or creamy chocolate could be related to magnesium. As per Nebraska Medicine, chocolate bar, especially dark chocolates contain magnesium, iron and fiber. If you are anemic, or have low iron, you could be craving a chocolate, because your body is actually telling you to consume iron. While chocolate has a small amount of iron, it is easily accessible. Furthermore, craving chocolate could also indicate a magnesium deficiency, which is related to energy production and mood regulation.

Salt

When you are craving something salty, it is not only because you want something savoury, but could be because you are dehydrated.

There are several studies that show people who are on medications waste salts, known as diuretics. This is why people may crave salt. However, only some diuretic medications cause this, the main reason could be dehydration. When you sweat a lot, your body loses both water and sodium, this also leads to you craving something salty. The best thing to do would be to drink water or electrolyte solutions, approved with the World Health Organization (WHO), and your doctor.

Clay, Ice, Chalk, Paper

All of them sound weird, however a condition called pica, could actually make you crave all this. This happens when your body craves non-food items. Mayo Clinic suggests that craving ice, called pagophagia, is often related to low iron, this could be with or without anemia. Several studies, including a 2010 study by Y Khan, also revealed that pica is an unusual condition where patients develop cravings for non-nutritive substance, usually linked with iron deficiency.

Craving Carbs

Craving food high in carbohydrates like pasta, or bread could be because you do not sleep well. These food items are a quick source of energy, and when you do not get enough sleep, your body craves for energy, usually the fastest source.

Red Meat

This indicates that you may be lacking iron and zinc. Studies have shown that red meat, while recommended to not be consumed often, could make a healthy diet. Some studies have shown benefits with a small amount of red meat.

Other Factors Why Your Body Craves

While one reason your body craves certain food item is related to lack of nutrition, there could be other factors too, including:

• Hormonal changes, whether from stress, sleep deprivation, or pregnancy
• Low blood sugar could also be a reason why your body may crave for a quick energy source
• Dehydration: not drinking enough fluids could also intensify feelings of hunger and lead to cravings
• Boredom: When you do not have anything to do, this could further trigger a craving for unhealthy snacks just to have something to do