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Fitness influencer gets lifetime ban from NYC marathon for filming content

A Texas social media influencer has been disqualified and banned from future races at the New York City marathon. Last weekend, fitness influencer Matthew Choi ran the race with his camera crew on e-bikes, endangering other runners. He finished the 42.2-kilometre course with a time of 2:57:15, about 50 minutes behind Abdi Nageeye, the winner of the men's race. Choi issued an apology to his 400,000 followers after receiving the lifetime ban. "I have no excuses, full-stop," he said on Wednesday AEDT. "I was selfish on Sunday to have my brother and my videographer follow me around on e-bikes, and it had serious consequences. "We endangered other runners, we impacted people going for PBs, we blocked people from getting water and with the New York City Marathon being about everyone else and the community, I made it about myself. "And for anyone I impacted, I'm sorry." He added that the decision "was 100 per cent on me" as he did not receive pressure to film content from any partners or sponsors. New York Road Runners, the organisers of the race, said in a statement that Choi's actions violated the code of conduct and competition rules. "One of the incidents brought to NYRR's attention was that Choi ran with the assistance of two unauthorised people riding the course on electric bicycles, obstructing runners," the group said. The fitness influencer posted several videos of him running the marathon on social media, which immediately drew backlash. "As a runner, seeing him was amazing. Gave me extra motivation to pass him and make sure I never had to see him and his dumb crew for the rest of the race," wrote one user on Reddit. He has since acknowledged the criticism and has vowed to stop the practice. "It won't happen again. My word is my bond." Images: Instagram

Travel Trouble

Pop star discovered tragically dead at 33 in the wake of scandal

South Korean pop star Choi Sung-bong, who was caught running a notorious cancer scam has passed away at age 33. The Korean Times reported that Choi was found by police at his Seoul home on the morning of June 20. He was pronounced dead soon after. Authorities have reportedly ruled the singer’s cause of death as a suicide. According to the Hollywood Reporter, after years of online fame stemming from a 2011 performance on Korea’s Got Talent, Choi confessed he had tricked his fans into donating money to him after claiming he needed funds for cancer treatment. Choi had claimed he had been battling multiple forms of cancer to obtain the donations, however, his claims were later exposed as a hoax. He also claimed he had returned all donated funds from a false fundraiser. Choi later issued a grovelling apology and vowed to return all of the donations sent by his fans. One day before his alleged suicide, Choi posted a note on his YouTube channel apologising for “foolish mistakes” in the past, according to The Mirror. The chilling letter said he needed to "repay for his sins with his life” and showed the address of where his body would be after taking his life. “My body can be found at [his home location]. I don’t know how to write a final message, so I will just write it in my own style. Even though my breath may have stopped now, I have no regrets about the brilliant journey of my life. I have lived my life to the fullest and made efforts to find happiness every day. Age thirty-four," (as per Korean age system), he said. Choi was best known for competing in Korea’s Got Talent in 2011, coming in at second place. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIy99OT2BAQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vIy99OT2BAQ"></iframe></a> A clip of him singing a cover of Nella Fantasia by Ennio Morricone quickly went viral online, thrusting him into the spotlight – with singing sensation Justin Bieber even acknowledging his talent. Image credit: YouTube

Caring

Yes, Adele has sung its praises. But the Sirtfood diet may be just another fad

The Sirtfood diet has been in the news again this week after singer Adele showed off her slimmed-down figure on US comedy show Saturday Night Live. Adele has previously credited her significant weight loss to the Sirtfood diet. Following her appearance on SNL, there was a spike in people searching the diet on Google. But what exactly is the Sirtfood diet, and does it work? What’s the premise? Two nutritionists in the United Kingdom launched the Sirtfood diet in 2016. The premise is that a group of proteins called sirtuins, which are involved in regulation of metabolism, inflammation and ageing, can be accelerated by eating specific foods rich in a class of phytonutrients called polyphenols. Phytonutrients are chemical compounds plants produce to help them grow well or defend themselves. Research is continuing to shed light on their potential benefits for human health. The idea is that eating foods rich in polyphenols, referred to as “Sirtfoods”, will increase the body’s ability to burn fat, boosting metabolism and leading to dramatic weight loss. Common Sirtfoods include, apples, soybean, kale, blueberries, strawberries, dark chocolate (85% cocoa), red wine, matcha green tea, onions and olive oil. The Sirtfood diet gets some of its fame because red wine and chocolate are on the list. Two phases The diet involves two phases over three weeks. During the first three days, total energy intake is restricted to 4,200 kilojoules per day (or 1,000 Calories). To achieve this, you drink three sirtfood green juice drinks that include kale, celery, rocket, parsley, matcha green tea and lemon juice. You also eat one “Sirtfood” meal, such as a chicken and kale curry. On days four to seven, you have 2-3 green juices and one or two meals up to a total energy intake of 6,300 kJ/day (1,500kcal). During the next two weeks — phase two — total energy intake should be in the range of 6,300-7,500 kJ/day (1,500-1,800 kcal) with three meals, one green juice, and one or two Sirtfood snacks. There’s a diet book available for purchase which gives you the recipes. After three weeks, the recommendation is to eat a “balanced diet” rich in Sirtfoods, along with regular green juices. Positives The idea of losing a lot of weight in just three weeks will appeal to many people. The eating plan encourages a range of polyphenol-rich foods that are also good sources of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, and would be recommended in a range of diets designed to assist with weight management, or as part of a healthy, balanced eating plan. A weight loss diet will be effective if it achieves sustained total daily energy restriction. So the biggest benefit of the Sirtfood diet is the daily energy restriction — you are likely to lose weight if you stick to it. Also, the exclusion of energy-dense, ultra-processed “junk” foods will help lower the risk for chronic disease. But there are drawbacks to consider too. Negatives It would be wise to watch the portion size for some of the foods listed, such as red wine and chocolate. Like most restrictive diets, phase one may be challenging and is not recommended for people with underlying health conditions without the supervision of a health professional. The rapid weight loss in the first phase will reflect a loss of water and glycogen, the stored form of energy in muscles and the liver, rather than being all body fat. Rapid weight loss can increase the risk of gallstones and amenorrhoea (missing menstrual periods). The food list includes specific products that may be hard to locate in Australia, such as lovage, a European leafy green plant whose leaves can used used as a herb, roots as a vegetable and seeds as a spice. Some other items on the list can be expensive. Sirt science Most research has looked at the sirtuin-mediated effects of energy restriction in worms, mice or specific body tissues. No studies have tested the effect of diets that vary polyphenol content on the action of sirtuins in mediating weight loss. A search on PubMed, the scientific database of research studies, didn’t locate any human trials of the Sirtfood diet. So the short answer about whether the Sirtfood diet works or not is we don’t know. The authors’ claims about effectiveness are based on anecdotal information from their own research and from personal testimonials, such as the one from Adele. Considering the hype surrounding the Sirtfood diet against a checklist on spotting a fad diet sounds alarm bells. For example: <ul> <li>does it promote or ban specific foods?</li> <li>does it promote a one-size-fits-all approach?</li> <li>does it promise quick, dramatic results?</li> <li>does it focus only on short-term results?</li> <li>does it make claims based on personal testimonials?</li> </ul> Looking at the Sirtfood diet, the answers to most of these questions seem to be “yes”, or at least a partial yes. The best diet for weight loss is one that meets your nutrient requirements, promotes health and well-being, and that you can stick with long-term. Written by Clare Collins, Lee Ashton and Rebecca Williams. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-adele-has-sung-its-praises-but-the-sirtfood-diet-may-be-just-another-fad-148902">The Conversation</a>.

Food & Wine

Adele has sung its praises but the Sirtfood diet may be just another fad

The Sirtfood diet has been <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/10/24/snl-host-adeles-weight-loss-with-sirtfood-diet-inspires-fans/">in the news</a> again this week after singer Adele showed off her slimmed-down figure on US comedy show Saturday Night Live. Adele has <a href="https://coach.nine.com.au/diet/sirtfood-diet-behind-adeles-weight-loss-explained-by-a-dietitian/552b4d0e-c543-4095-8564-e9e819489215">previously credited</a> her significant weight loss to the Sirtfood diet. Following her appearance on SNL, there was a spike in people searching the diet <a href="https://trends.google.com.au/trends/explore?q=Sirtfood&geo=US">on Google</a>. But what exactly is the Sirtfood diet, and does it work? What’s the premise? Two nutritionists in the United Kingdom launched the Sirtfood diet <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-sirtfood-diet">in 2016</a>. The premise is that a group of proteins called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirtuin">sirtuins</a>, which are involved in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24115767/">regulation of metabolism, inflammation and ageing</a>, can be accelerated by eating specific foods rich in a class of phytonutrients called polyphenols. <a href="https://theconversation.com/phytonutrients-can-boost-your-health-here-are-4-and-where-to-find-them-including-in-your-next-cup-of-coffee-132100">Phytonutrients</a> are chemical compounds plants produce to help them grow well or defend themselves. Research is continuing to shed light on their potential benefits for human health. The idea is that eating <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21045839/">foods rich in polyphenols</a>, referred to as “Sirtfoods”, will increase the body’s ability to burn fat, boosting metabolism and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23043250/">leading to dramatic weight loss</a>. Common Sirtfoods include, apples, soybean, kale, blueberries, strawberries, dark chocolate (85% cocoa), red wine, matcha green tea, onions and olive oil. The Sirtfood diet gets some of its fame because red wine and chocolate are on the list. Two phases The diet involves <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-sirtfood-diet">two phases</a> over three weeks. During the first three days, total energy intake is restricted to 4,200 kilojoules per day (or 1,000 Calories). To achieve this, you drink three sirtfood green juice drinks that include kale, celery, rocket, parsley, matcha green tea and lemon juice. You also eat one “Sirtfood” meal, such as a chicken and kale curry. On days four to seven, you have 2-3 green juices and one or two meals up to a total energy intake of 6,300 kJ/day (1,500kcal). During the next two weeks — phase two — total energy intake should be in the range of 6,300-7,500 kJ/day (1,500-1,800 kcal) with three meals, one green juice, and one or two Sirtfood snacks. There’s a <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/25/adele-weight-loss-what-is-the-sirtfood-diet-and-is-there-a-sirtfood-diet-recipe-book-13476892/">diet book</a> available for purchase which gives you the recipes. After three weeks, the recommendation is to eat a “balanced diet” rich in Sirtfoods, along with regular green juices. Positives The idea of losing a lot of weight in just three weeks will appeal to many people. The eating plan encourages a range of polyphenol-rich foods that are also good sources of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, and would be recommended in a range of diets designed to assist with weight management, or as part of a healthy, balanced eating plan. A weight loss diet will be effective if it achieves sustained total daily energy restriction. So the biggest benefit of the Sirtfood diet is the daily energy restriction — you are likely to lose weight if you stick to it. Also, the exclusion of energy-dense, ultra-processed “junk” foods will help <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33012621/">lower the risk for chronic disease</a>. But there are drawbacks to consider too. Negatives It would be wise to watch the portion size for some of the foods listed, such as red wine and chocolate. Like most restrictive diets, phase one may be challenging and is not recommended for people with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31207126/">underlying health conditions</a> without the supervision of a health professional The rapid weight loss in the first phase will reflect a loss of water and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen">glycogen</a>, the stored form of energy in muscles and the liver, rather than being all body fat. Rapid weight loss can increase the risk of <a href="https://theconversation.com/got-gallstones-heres-what-to-eat-and-avoid-53229">gallstones</a> and <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/menstruation-amenorrhoea">amenorrhoea</a> (missing menstrual periods). The food list includes specific products that may be hard to locate in Australia, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovage">lovage</a>, a European leafy green plant whose leaves can used used as a herb, roots as a vegetable and seeds as a spice. Some other items on the list can be expensive. Sirt science Most research has looked at the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24115767/">sirtuin-mediated effects</a> of energy restriction in worms, mice or specific body tissues. No studies have tested the effect of diets that vary polyphenol content on the action of sirtuins in mediating weight loss. A search on PubMed, the scientific database of research studies, didn’t locate any human trials of the Sirtfood diet. So the short answer about whether the Sirtfood diet works or not is we don’t know. The authors’ claims about effectiveness are based on anecdotal information from their own research and from personal testimonials, such as the one from Adele. Considering the hype surrounding the Sirtfood diet against a checklist on <a href="https://theconversation.com/blood-type-pioppi-gluten-free-and-mediterranean-which-popular-diets-are-fads-104867">spotting a fad diet</a> sounds alarm bells. For example: <ul> <li>does it promote or ban specific foods?</li> <li>does it promote a one-size-fits-all approach?</li> <li>does it promise quick, dramatic results?</li> <li>does it focus only on short-term results?</li> <li>does it make claims based on personal testimonials?</li> </ul> Looking at the Sirtfood diet, the answers to most of these questions seem to be “yes”, or at least a partial yes. The best diet for weight loss is one that meets your nutrient requirements, promotes health and well-being, and that you can stick with long-term. Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, University of Newcastle; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lee-ashton-336722">Lee Ashton</a>, University of Newcastle, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-williams-354598">Rebecca Williams</a>, University of Newcastle. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-adele-has-sung-its-praises-but-the-sirtfood-diet-may-be-just-another-fad-148902">The Conversation.</a>

Food & Wine

Bong Joon-ho: The secret of the man behind Parasite

For film enthusiasts around the world, there is no reason for Bong Joon-ho not to celebrate. His hit thriller Parasite has continued to break records – with honours from the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards – and is now a top contender for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. But the man himself said he is just doing what he can to “survive”. In an interview with <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/01/oscar-special-2020-bong-joon-ho">Vanity Fair</a>, Bong said he struggled with anxiety. “I don’t think people around me can feel it, but I do have a lot of anxiety,” he said, mentioning his fear over appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “[Sometimes] I feel like a baseball player who’s forced to go up on the mound.” The Okja director and co-writer said movies saved his life. “A psychiatrist actually told me that I have severe anxiety, and I have severe compulsive tendencies to the point where it would be impossible for me to have a social life,” he said. “But thanks to filmmaking, I’ve been able to survive.” When asked whether he would take on a big studio film or a superhero franchise to reduce his anxiety, Bong rejected the idea with a laugh. “It would make me much, much, much more anxious. If I do something like that, I think I will suffocate to death,” the 50-year-old said. “For me to feel safe, I have to start the project, build everything up, one by one, and see it to the complete finish. I really admire directors who can easily do superhero movies and big-budget films.” The director is currently in talks to make a six-hour for HBO limited series of Parasite. “I just couldn’t include all those ideas in the two-hour running time of the film, so they’re all stored in my iPad and my goal with this limited series is to create a six-hour-long film,” Bong told TheWrap’s Sharon Waxman. The estimated release date for the limited series is yet to be announced.

Movies

Charity launches album of Christmas carols sung by goats

The Swedish arm of charity ActionAid has released an album of Christmas carols sung by goats, called All I Want for Christmas is a Goat. Although the goats don’t actually sing (now that would be a Christmas miracle), they do bleat, baa and scream to the tunes of O Holy Night, Jingle Bells, Joy to the World and other festive favourites. While the album isn’t one you’ll put on at Christmas – it’s not exactly easy listening – the novelty album is for a good cause: to raise awareness of how important goats are to families in great poverty. "A Christmas album is of course something we do with a twinkle in our eye, while we want to show how important a goat can be for people living in poverty," ActionAid Sweden collection manager Miriam Isaksson said. "A goat could be the fresh start that a family needs to take the first step out of poverty. "Goats survive in harsh climates where it is too dry to grow crops, they are easy to breed and give vital milk, just to name a few examples." Have a listen to the goat edition of Joy to the World above and tell us, what do you think? Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/10/why-dogs-so-happy-to-see-you/"></a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/11/clever-cop-saves-dog/">Clever cop saves dog with a moment of inspiration</a> <a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/10/why-dogs-so-happy-to-see-you/"></a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/12/happiest-dogs-in-the-world/">The happiest dogs in the world</a> <a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/10/why-dogs-so-happy-to-see-you/"></a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/11/interspecies-animal-friendships/">15 unlikely friendships that will melt your heart</a> <a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/10/why-dogs-so-happy-to-see-you/"> </a>

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